𝐈 𝐀𝐈𝐍'𝐓 𝐀 𝐉𝐔𝐃𝐀𝐒

𝟑𝐱𝟏𝟏

AFTER getting in the main gate to hide away from walkers, Daryl and Merle had come back to the prison. They had helped Rick while he had been outside of the prison. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy to see him, because I was. His brother on the other hand, not so much. We had all been in the prison delegating and conversing about our current issue. It seems ever since the dead came back to haunt and kill the living, all we've ever had is issues. I worry we'll get to accustomed to it.

"We're not leaving." Rick argued.

"We can't stay here." Hershel shook his head

"What if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds." Maggie inputted.

"We can't even go outside." Beth said.

"Not in the daylight." Carol piped up.

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn said as I nodded my head his way. We fought way too hard to get here. We were out there all winter looking for a place where we could stay, where we could be safe. We didn't just try to seek safe refuge just for ourselves, but also for Lori. Obviously...that hadn't worked. I wish it had though.

"No, better to live like rats." Merle interrupted.

"You got a better idea?" Rick questioned him.

"Yeah, we should have slid out of here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now." Merle answered.

"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl said from right beside me.

"Y'all should be, that truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers. And if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to." Merle retorted.

"Let's put him in the other cell block." Maggie said.

"No. He's got a point." Daryl defended.

"This is all you. You started this." Maggie raised her voice at Merle.

"What difference whose fault it is? What do we do?" Beth asked.

"I said we should leave, now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Hershel stated as Rick just looked at him before turning and walking away. Hershel then stood up from the stairs he sat in and looked at Rick.

"Get back here!" Hershel yelled at Rick. Rick stopped walking as Hershel used his crutches to walk over to him.

"You're slipping, Rick. We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own up to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So get your head clear and do something." Hershel advised. Rick took in Hershel's words and knew that the man was right.

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Rick went outside after hearing Hershel's lecture, he was going to keep watch. Carl then went out to go talk to Rick. Offering his own advice, along with his opinion. I was going to have a talk with Merle, set some things straight.

I walked over to his cell. The door had been left ajar, he was sitting on the bed looking elsewhere, until he heard my footsteps. I walked in through the door and leaned against the wall as I stared at him blankly.

"Surprised you ain't come in here to kill me." He gruffer as he made eye contact with me. I sighed through my nose and kept my blank stare on him.

"If I wanted you dead, you would've been, the minute I walked in here."

"But you didn't, 'cause you love my baby brother." He provoked, smirking at me. I tried keeping my anger at bay and masking it with my straight expression. My face said one thing yet my eyes said another. He was trying to get a rise out of me like he'd done everyone else, and it was working. I clenched my jaw and let out a deep breath before walking up to him.

"Yeah. I do, and it's because I do that you need to know this. You betray him in any way, I'll chop off your other hand and shove it up your ass. As far as my brother and my sister, you so much as look at them the wrong way, Daryl won't even be able to protect you from me, because I will kill you in your sleep." I told him nonchalantly speaking my thoughts carelessly. He endangered Maggie and Glenn. I wasn't going to go for that, and he needed to understand what I was about. Before we could continue our conversation, Rick called me over to talk about some things with the others. I turned around and walked out of his cell without another word.

I looked to see Rick giving some orders and telling Maggie to go take watch. She had her gear on along with a rifle in her hands. I passed her on the way and nodded my head at her. She did also before she continued to walk away.

"Field's filled with walkers. Didn't see any snipers out there, but we'll keep Maggie on watch." Rick informed us as Daryl made his way down the stairs and we were all forming a circle to talk amongst each other. Even Michonne was there, our newcomer into the group. She eventually told me and I thought the name was fitting. I think we're going to get along with each other very well.

"I'll get up in the guard tower, take out half them walkers, give these guys a chance to fix the fence." Daryl told Rick while looking at me. I was about to volunteer to go help him out, but Michonne suggested a good idea.

"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place."

"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets." Hershel mentioned.

"Michonne and I could take those walkers with just our swords." I told Hershel while looking at Michonne who looked up for the idea. Daryl and Rick shook their heads at the idea of just the two of us taking out all of those walkers. We could do it though, we're independent woman who are skilled at what we do.

"So we're trapped in here. There's barely any food or ammo." Glenn piped up.

"Been here before. We'll be all right." Daryl told us.

"That's when it was just us. Before there was a snake in the nest." Glenn retorted. I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"Man, we gonna go through this again? Look, Merle's staying here. He's with us now. Get used to it."

"Hey." Rick said stepping in but Daryl shook his head.

"All y'all." He told us before he walked back up the stairs.

I tuned back into the conversation, seeing Glenn look directly at Rick. "Seriously, Rick, I don't think Merle living here is really gonna fly."

"I can't kick him out."

"I wouldn't ask you to live with Shane after he tried to kill you."

"Merle has military experience. He may be erratic, but don't underestimate his loyalty to his brother." Hershel defended.

"What if we solve both problems at once? Deliver Merle to the Governor. Bargaining chip. Give him his traitor, maybe declare a truce." Glenn suggested. I rolled my eyes before walking up the stairs to go check on Daryl.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I questioned while standing by the doorway. He was fiddling with one of his arrows as he made eye contact with me.

"Nah, you'd need a few bucks for my thoughts." He grumbled jokingly. I walked further into the cell and gestured with my head if I could sit next to him. He obliged and moved his leg that had once been occupying the space. I sat down and pushed some of my untamed hair behind my ear. I looked him over. His hair was getting longer. Stray strands were sprawled all over his forehead. His eyes were still that beautiful stormy blue, even if the cell was dim, those eyes...I'd spot 'em even if it was pitch black.

"You okay?" I asked him. He looked at me intently, searching my eyes for something. He looked like he wanted to say something, but I wasn't exactly sure.

"He's your brother. I get it, believe me I do. I just don't want him to hurt you. I don't want anybody to hurt you, ever. You say he stays, he stays, I'll back you. I may not like him, but I like you, I really like you and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you." I confessed looking at the ground avoiding all eye contact. Yeah, he may have kissed me back, but rejection was still a very real thing and it sucks.

"Look at me."

I hesitantly looked over in his direction without making eye contact. I felt his eyes gazing back at me, but I was too nervous to make eye contact. Eye contact was an intimate thing, especially in situations like this. We were both shy when it came even remotely close to talking about our feelings toward one another. Right now though, it was just me.

"Ara, look at me."

I made eye contact and the minute I did I felt vulnerable. Like anything he wanted me to do, I'd do, but only for him, no one else.

"I get it. I feel the same way. I need to be with you too." He confessed somewhat shyly towards the end, quoting what I had said the day the farm got overrun. I felt my heart increase at hearing his words, it was pounding in my chest. I could've sworn that he heard it. His hand grabbed the back of my neck, while his thumb grazed my cheek and was tracing my cheekbone. I lifted my hand and brushed the stray hair away lightly. I traced my fingers along his jawline and his chin. He was beautiful to me. I loved every freckle, every blemish, every wrinkle, every scar, I wanted all of him. Nothing more, nothing less.

"You're beautiful." I whispered, not even realizing I was thinking out loud. He snorted at that.

"Nah."

"Yes, you are." I nodded while cracking a smile.

"You are...I think you're beautiful." He said softly as he laid his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes, taking in our moment. I'd hope we'd have more.

"Can I kiss you?" I asked while whispering to which he nodded. I knew about his past after I saw his scars on accident during those eight months out there. I wanted him to be okay with everything that was happening and I wanted him to be comfortable.

We both leaned into each other at the same time until our lips met. I yearned for his touch. His hands were rough, but the way he touched me made them seem soft. Our lips tugged on each others urgently, desperately clawing to breath in each other. My tongue brushed his bottom lip subtly asking for permission to which he granted. Our tongues collided with one another as our kiss had turned into a heated make out session. His hands were now on my waist as mine were around his neck. I was sitting in his lap as my legs were on either side of him. As I was sitting on his lap I felt something poking my inner thigh.  Before our situation could escalate any further, Carol came.

"Oh my god! Sorry! Umm-ok. Andrea's here." She exclaimed before scurrying off. Daryl and I looked at each other and laughed. I laid my head against his chest before getting off of him. We needed to go and help the others, so, we got our weapons hurriedly followed Rick outside. Merle, Daryl, Michonne, Beth, and I were the closest to the gate as the others were all in other areas overlooking the prison.

"Go." Rick ordered Merle as he went from behind the spot we were all in.

"Clear!" Merle exclaimed as we hurriedly made it over to the gate. We saw Andrea holding a walker with a snare pole. It's arms were cut off and it looked like it's teeth had been caved in so it wouldn't bite anyone.

"Are you alone?" Rick questioned her

"Open the gate." Andrea retorted.

"Are you alone?!" Rick asked again pressing on the matter.

"Rick!" Andrea yelled as she got closer to the gate. Rick tossed the keys to Daryl who then unlocked the gate.

"Open it!" Rick ordered her to do as she opened before letting go of the walker and rushing inside. We all kept our weapons pointed at her as she entered.

"Hands up! Turn around." Rick ordered.

"What?" She questioned in confusion as Rick grabbed ahold of her arm and pushed her against the gate. Rick began to pat her down. A walker had came up and snarled against the gate. Andrea let out a scream at that before told her to get down on the floor. He continued his pat down while she was on her knees before speaking out again.

"I asked if you were alone."

"I am." She told him before he yanked the bag that was across her body from around her. He threw it on the ground away from her as some of us started to slowly put down our weapons.

"Welcome back. Get up." Rick said to her as he grabbed her arm and pulled her up from off of the ground. Rick lead the way as we all walked back in the prison. We all came in the room as Carol walked down the stairs, and Hershel used his crutches to walk in the room. Andrea walked up to Carol and hugged her while Carol hugged her back.

"After you saved me, we thought you were dead." Carol informed her as they stayed in their hugging position. Andrea looked around and her eyes landed on Hershel with his crutches.

"Hershel, my God." She said shockingly before looked around at the rest of us as her and Carol let go of each other.

"I can't believe this. Where's Shane?" She questioned looking at Rick. Rick stared blankly while shaking his head.

"And Lori?"

"She had a girl. Lori didn't survive." Hershel answered.

"Neither did T-Dog." Glenn chimed in.

"Everyone not in this room, is dead." I told her.

"I'm so sorry." She said as she looked at me before turning to look at everyone else.

"Carl." She sighed somberly as her eyes were glossy. Carl looked back at her with an unbothered gaze. He held a strong demeanor, like one of those soldiers you would use to see on TV.

"Rick, I-." Andrea trailed off as she walked toward Rick. Rick sniffled before taking a step back away from her.

"You all live here?" Andrea questioned.

"Pfft. Nope. We're just here for fun." I said sarcastically with a sardonic smile on my face.

"Ara-." Rick said warningly before I cut him off.

"I'm sorry, ok. Andrea I'm glad your alive, I really am. Kudos to you for taking names and kicking ass. But I'm not gonna sit here and act like everything is a fucking picnic, alright? Your boyfriend, took my brother and my sister hostage. He beat the shit out of Glenn! He took Daryl and pitted him against his brother in a death match! And let's not forgot, he came up in here like he was the fucking terminator and shot at us. Drove a truck in through our gate letting all those walkers in the courtyard. He messed with my family which means he's my enemy." I told her as I stood and walked over to her. We had been face to face now.

"I'm not an enemy, Ara."

"You sure?" I questioned her with raised eyebrows.

"He said that you fired first." Andrea told me.

"Well, he's lying." Rick told her monotonously.

"He killed an inmate who survived in here." Hershel informed.

"We liked him. He was one of us." Daryl added.

"I didn't know anything about that. As soon as I found out, I came. I didn't even know you were in Woodbury until after the shoot-out." Andrea directed her last sentence over to Maggie and Glenn.

"That was days ago." Glenn told her.

"I told you, I came as soon as I could." Andrea practically pleaded, wanting us to believe her. We all just stood around with our arms crossed and blank stares. She turned around in a circle and quickly surveyed all of our facial expressions before looking at Michonne.

"What have you told them?" Andrea asked her.

"Nothing." Michonne answered.

"I don't get it. I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?" Andrea questioned all of us, looking at no one in particular.

"He almost killed Michonne and he would have killed us." Glenn told her.

"With his finger on the trigger. Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?!" Andrea questioned while pointing her finger at Merle and looking at Glenn.

"Yeah, but your boy, the Governor, held Maggie in another room. He was in on it." I told her.

"Look, I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done. But I am trying to bring us together. We have to work this out." Andrea said.

"There's nothing to work out. We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will." Rick asserted.

"We can settle this. There is room at Woodbury for all of you." Andrea told us.

"You know better than that." Merle laughed.

"What makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?" Hershel asked her.

"No."

"Then why did you come here?" Rick questioned her.

"Because he's gearing up for war. The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack." Andrea answered.

"I'll tell you what. Next time you see Philip, you tell him I'm gonna take his other eye." Daryl told her.

"We've taken too much shit for too long. He wants a war? He's got one." Glenn added.

"Even if we get killed, we're gonna make sure he does first." I told her. I looked at Rick and sighed before asking, "Are we done here?"

"Rick. If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He has a whole town." She said sternly walking up to Rick before turning around to look at all of us.

"Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore." Andrea continued.

"You want to make this right, get us inside." Rick came up to her.

"No."

"Then we got nothing to talk about." Rick shrugged walking away from her.

"There are innocent people!" She exclaimed looking at his retreating figure. She stood there looking at all of us but we didn't say a word. There was nothing more to say without repeating ourselves.

╚══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══╝

After Andrea talked with Michonne and saw little ass kicker, which I still think is an awesome name, we were leading her out to the gate. Rick was gonna let her drive a car back. Glenn had been the one driving it in with his stellar safe driving.

"Thanks. Can you spare it?" Andrea asked Rick referring to the car.

"Yeah." Rick answered.

Andrea looked around at all of us once more before saying take care and getting in the car. She put all her stuff in the passengers seat gearing up to leave before Rick stopped her.

"Andrea. Be careful." He told her as he handed her a full clip and a handgun.

"You know how the safety works now." I joked referring to how back then she held Rick at gun point with the safety still on when we first met him.

"Yes I do." She smiled at me before she started the engine and drove slowly toward the gate. Merle opened it for her before quickly closing it back as we all watched her leave.

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It was dark now, and all of us were sitting in our cell block. Rick had Judith (little ass kicker) in his arms while he was walking around. I was standing next to Daryl with my head on his shoulder. Hershel stood next to us, while Michonne sat in the corner. Carol was sitting by Beth who noticed all of us just sitting in silence so she started to sing.

"They hung a sign up in our town. If you love it up, you won't live it down. So she left Monte Rio, son. Just like a bullet leaves a gun. With charcoal eyes and Monroe hips. She went and took the California trip. Well, the moon was gold and her hair like wind. Said don't look back now. Just come on, Jim. You got to hold on. Hold on. You got to hold on. Take my hand, I'm standing right here. You got to hold on. Well, he gave her a dime-store watch. And a ring made from a spoon. Everyone's looking for someone to blame. If you share my bed, you share my name..."

"Some reunion, huh?" Daryl questioned as both of us simultaneously turned our heads to look at Rick and Hershel.

"She's in a jam." Rick whispered back.

"We all are. Andrea's persuasive. This fella's armed to the teeth. Bent on destruction." Hershel stated.

"So what do you want to do?" Daryl questioned Rick.

"We match it. I'm going on a run." Rick answered.

"I'll head out tomorrow." Daryl said as I nodded agreeing with him.

"No, you stay here. Keep an eye on your brother and Ara." Rick grinned while looking at me.

"Very funny. You hear that Judith, your dad's got jokes." I whispered to her as I stuck the middle finger at Rick. He smiled at me before looking at Daryl.

"I'm glad you're back, really, but if he causes a problem, it's on you." Rick told him seriously.

"I got him and her." Daryl answered before he looked at me. I looked back at him catching on to his joke before lightly shoving him.

"I'll take Michonne." Rick said.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Daryl questioned uneasily.

"I'll find out. And Carl. He's ready. You hold it down here." Rick said.

"You hear that boys? I'm in charge." I told them. Daryl, Hershel, and Rick cracked grins in my direction.

"He was talkin' to me." Daryl told me.

"Yeah yeah whatever helps you sleep at night. Ranger, I've got your back." I told Daryl before looking at Rick holding up a fist.

"I know you do Ara." He said as he fist bumped me.

"Well it's settled then." I stated as we all tuned back into Beth's singing. We've definitely got a lot of shit to do, but we'll get through it as long as we're together.

I know what you guys are thinking, what the hell brayla?! You've been neglecting this book?! I know I know!! I'm gonna do better guys, I will...one of these days. Anywho vote, comment, tell your peoples. I'm keeping it short so I can write another chapter of this book for you guys. Anywho, see you guys. I love you guys 3000.
-brayla❤️❤️