We Meet Again

Chapter 5

The council members called on Rick hours into their debate. Glenn, Daryl, Hershel and Carol sat around a rectangular table by the light of a few candles. The serious mood heightened the tension in Rick's shoulders. He joined them, taking a seat at the head of the table.

Hershel spoke first. "We've voted on whether Michonne should stay or if we should turn her over to the Governor. Carol and I...want her to go. Glenn and Daryl want her to stay. We need you to break the tie, Rick."

Rick looked around the table. He met Carol's blue eyes and she looked down. He was not completely surprised about her vote to hand Michonne over. She was as fiercely protective of the group as he was and would do anything to keep them alive.

Lifting her eyes, Carol met Rick's stare head-on. "We have children here, Rick. I don't have anything against Michonne, but I'm not willing to put the children's lives at risk to save her. You have to think about your family."

Glenn chimed in. "Michonne is family now too. Without her, Maggie and I would be dead. She has done nothing but contribute to our survival since she's gotten here."

Daryl nodded in agreement. "If I'm goin' into a fight, I'd trust Michonne to have my back any day."

Rick recognized the meaning behind Daryl's bold yet concise declaration. Daryl was not quick to trust anyone with anything, let alone his life. Rick heard Carol sigh, but she remained silent.

"This isn't about whether we trust Michonne or not. I think she has been a very valuable member of this group." Hershel spoke with gentle firmness. "This is about the lives of everyone here, about the people who trust us to make decisions to keep them alive. And choosing to let her stay is choosing to let others die."

"You don't know that," Glenn said. "The Governor could be bluffing."

"He doesn't seem like the type of man to bluff," Carol said.

Rick could no longer stay silent. "If we turn her over, there's no telling what he'll do to her. He's already hurt her once..." Rick's heart sped up at the thought of the Governor's hands on Michonne's body. "He's dangerous. We all witnessed that yesterday."

"All the more reason to do as he says and get him out of our lives for good," Hershel said. "I'm trying to protect my family here, Rick. They are what matters most to me. He's already terrorized Maggie and I refuse to let Beth fall into his clutches as well."

"But Maggie wants Michonne to stay," Glenn said. "She knows firsthand what a monster he is. She refuses to condemn Michonne to an even worse fate."

Rick felt obliged to provide full disclosure to the group. "You should know...the Governor is in love with Michonne." His stomach twisted and turned as the words left his lips.

"So there's less chance that he would harm her," Hershel said, considering his words.

"Just because someone loves you doesn't mean they won't hurt you to get what they want," Daryl said. He leaned forward, placing both palms on the table. "Michonne is obviously not in love with him and will fight to protect herself. But she won't be able to fight him forever. You know that."

Daryl looked directly at Carol. She squirmed in her seat.

Rick nodded in agreement. He had already made his decision, but he owed it to the council members to debate the issue.

"It's time for you to vote, Rick," Hershel said. "None of us are going to budge. You need to make the final decision on this."

Rick leaned back and crossed his arms. He released a heavy sigh. "Michonne is as much a member of our group as any one of you. She's proven herself to be capable, intelligent, kindhearted, loyal. If we just handed her over to the Governor, to save our own lives...I don't think we could survive that. The trust between us would fracture."