RICK WALKED UP the stairs of the cell block. He saw Merle Dixon cutting up one of the mattresses with the blade on his stump. The former cop arched a brow.

"Just looking for a little vacation." Merle said after noticing him. "Best dope I ever had was in a mattress."

He kept cutting it up and pulling out the insides. He let out an exhale and sat down.

"Nothing. This place must've been no fun at all."

Rick walked up to the cell. Merle looked at the man and noticed he was tense and in thought.

"What's got your panties in a bunch, officer friendly?" Merle asked with a chuckle. "Haven't had your daily dose of coffee and donuts?"

Rick glared. "Do you even know why you do the things you do? The choices you make?"

Merle didn't respond and only scoffed. Rick looked around, pondering his thoughts before staring back at the redneck.

"If we give the Governor Y/N, Woodbury stands down. I've been...I've been thinking about it the last couple of days."

Merle glanced at Rick and got up. He looked him up and down before meeting his eyes.

"Have you told any of the others?" He asked.

"Just Hershel, Daryl, and you."

"Huh...the inner circle. I'm honored." Merle chuckled. "You know, when we'd go out on runs, he'd bash somebody's skull, slash somebody's throat and he'd say never waste a bullet. I always thought it was just an excuse."

Rick listened to the redneck as he explained the ruthlessness of Philip Blake. Merle kept going.

"If you give the Yankee to him, he ain't gonna kill him, you know. He's just gonna do things to him. Probably take out one of his eyes. Both of 'em most likely. He killed his already dead daughter right in front of him...just imagine the things he got planned for him."

Melee continued. "You'd let that happen? Would you give up that kid knowing that his friends will never see him again? That unborn child...never getting a look at their daddy...for a shot?"

Rick looked at him. "Would you?"

Merle let out an exhale through his nose. He started walking back to the spot he was sitting at.

"Doesn't matter what I think."

The leader walked back outside. He looked through the fence, seeing the group dealing with the walkers that were still roaming the yard.

Maggie and Carl were behind the fences distracting and dispersing the walkers while Glenn and Daryl set up the defenses. Michonne was slashing away with her sword while Y/N provided support with his bow and arrow.

The group all drove back to the prison after they were done. They hopped out of the car and met with Rick.

"They try to drive up to the gate again maybe some blown tires will stop them." Glenn remarked.

"That's a good idea."

"Yeah, it was Michonne's." Y/N said.

"We don't have to win." She added. "We just have to make them getting at us more trouble than it's worth."

"I agree. Death by a thousand cuts." Y/N remarked.

Rick nodded as he looked at Y/N. He also glanced at Daryl, who stared back at him.

"Can we have a moment?" Rick asked Y/N.

The young man arched a brow but agreed to speak with Rick. The men walked away while the rest moved along with their plans.

"What's the matter?" Y/N asked him after they stopped by the fence.

Rick looked off for a moment and let out a quiet sigh. He chose to be blunt with his answer.

"The Governor wants you. He said that if I give you to him this will all blow over."

Y/N exhaled through his nose and looked out into the distance like Rick did. The man put his hands on his waist.

"What'd you tell him?"

"I said nothing. He gave me two days."

"And that was two days ago."

"Right." Rick replied.

There was silence. Finally, the leader spoke again after looking back at him.

"But he can go fuck himself. I'm not giving up one of us just for a shot. After what we've been through so far I have no reason to trust him."

Y/N looked back at Rick. He was going to question Rick if he trusted him but the man continued before he could.

"Trust is a priceless commodity these days. With you, you've shown me that I could. So...if we have to fight, then we fight."

Y/N nodded. "And we will together."

The young man held out his hand. Rick looked before taking and shaking it.

No thank you was needed to be said by Y/N in the case of the leader trusting him. They acknowledged it with just their looks and a nod. The two then walked back toward the prison.

• • •

LILIANA HAD JUST spoken with Erica and was alone in her cell. She was prepared to join the others in helping with the weapons and fortifications. Before she could leave, Y/N walked in and stood by the door.

"Hey." She greeted.

He smiled and leaned against the door frame. "Hey."

The blonde holstered her gun and looked down at her hands. She was in thought and Y/N was going to ask her what was on her mind. She decided to let him know.

"Never thought I'd be fighting a war." Liliana remarked.

Y/N chuckled. "We're in the same boat."

"You know, my dad was in the army. Joined during the final year of the Vietnam War and was enlisted up until I was born."

"My...uh...my dad was also a soldier. Ol' son of a bitch believed his kids should learn what he had to. His form of passing down love, I guess."

There was a brief pause. Y/N looked down as he continued leaning against the door frame.

"Never thought it'd come to this...using what he taught me. Going over his words in my head. I thought I'd already shunned it all out."

He feared the more he followed his father's teachings the more likely he could turn into him. He didn't want that. So he always thought about his mother as well as what Liliana said about his good heart.

"Might help us in the long run though, as much you'd hate to admit." Liliana replied.

They started to make their way out of the cell. The blonde suddenly stopped, thinking for a moment. Y/N looked back at her.

"Y/N?"

"Hmm?"

Liliana leaned against the door frame. She looked down at her fingers and fiddled with them.

"We haven't really talked about it but..."

Y/N attentively listened, wondering what his girlfriend had to say.

"The baby. Are you—are you okay with...not knowing for sure if it's yours?"

The young man looked at her. It had been on his mind since he first found out about it, but never brought it up. He also understood her curiousness about where he stood on the topic.

"I am, Lili." He replied. "I understand that the state of the world we live in won't allow us to know for sure...but in my eyes that is our child. It is a part of you nonetheless...and I'll be here with you to raise it. That's all that matters now."

Liliana looked up and smiled. She planted a kiss on his lips before walking out of the cell block.

Y/N started walking away as well and noticed Merle leaning against the wall. Unbeknownst to him, the redneck has been watching them. The young man questioned what he was doing.

"Old fella can't just think in peace?" Merle replied.

"Well, there are many other places to do so."

Merle chuckled. There was a beat before he spoke again.

"What you got with blondie...with your friends. It's special."

The redneck looked away for a second, thinking to himself. He thought back at his horrible family life, his so-called friends growing up, and how he grew up in the world. The only positive of all of it was his younger brother Daryl. Seeing the young man and how he could potentially still live a swell life in the current world affected him.

Merle looked back at Y/N. "Don't mess it up."

The redneck walked away. Y/N watched as he did...wondering what the whole exchange was about.

Y/N was by the fence looking at the walkers in the distance. He had his collapsible bow strapped to his back while gripping his handgun. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Open the gate." Daryl said.

"What's wrong?" Y/N replied as he was on his way to do so.

"Merle's gone. I'm going to find him."

Y/N opened the gate. The young man wondered where the older redneck could've gone. Daryl walked through but Y/N started to follow.

"Don't follow me." Daryl spat.

"You're gonna need the help."

He kept walking. "You can't track for shit."

"I can."

Daryl didn't believe the former all-star baseball player. "My ass."

"He had his boots on. Means the impressions in the mud gotta be steeper. If he went through the woods, potentially there could be broken webs he might've gone through."

Daryl looked back. His remarks were tips he understood about tracking animals and humans. He was taken aback at his knowledge.

"Keep up." The redneck replied and turned back around.

Y/N closed the gate and walked through the yard toward the broken fence. From there, he followed Daryl into the woods.

The duo didn't share a word for a while as they traversed the foliage and looked for any tracks left by Merle. They walked for about half a mile until the redneck decided to finally speak.

"Where'd a sumbitch like you learn to track? Extra credit at prep school?"

Y/N sighed. "My father taught me."

Daryl took notice of his tone and his mention of father instead of dad or old man. He kept gripping his crossbow as they walked.

"Asshole was a hunter or what?" He asked.

"A vet. Did some hunting too though." Y/N replied. "He taught you too?"

"Nah. Did so myself. Old man never did care."

They kept on moving. Daryl found evidence that would eventually lead them to the feed store where the Governor had the meeting with Rick two days ago. Upon arrival, they saw bodies scattered around of both the undead and of Woodbury soldiers.

Y/N walked passed the corpse of a young boy. He looked at it closer, seeing that it was of Ben. He let out a breath as he gripped his bow.

"Jesus..." He muttered.

"Know 'em?" Daryl asked as he turned.

"Part of a group I was in some time ago." Y/N answered as he gazed at the bodies. "Poor kid must've felt obligated to join Philip's ranks. He was dedicated like that."

Y/N thought for a moment and realized that it meant Tyreese's group possibly were with Woodbury too. He hoped that they didn't join the fight as well.

They kept walking. Suddenly, Daryl stopped and looked ahead at a feasting walker. Y/N stopped as well and looked at what he was seeing.

The walker looked up, still chewing the flesh it had in its mouth. The duo quickly realized who it was...Merle.

Daryl's once stoic and hard expression immediately changed to one of anguish. The man started to cry as he looked into the eyes of his undead brother.

Merle got up and stumbled toward Daryl. Y/N was behind the redneck and unsheathed his knife, ready to put the walker down.

"Daryl—"

The undead Merle got close but Daryl pushed him away. He continued to cry as he allowed his brother to shamble back, but Daryl shoved him again.

Y/N stepped forward. "Daryl."

The redneck quickly unsheathed his knife and lunged at Merle, stabbing him in the chest and the two going to the floor. Daryl let out a grunt as he took out the knife, Merle still growling.

Daryl then stabbed Merle in the head. He brought the knife back out before stabbing it back in. Daryl repeated the action and furiously stabbed away at his undead brother's face, expressing his anguish with the action.

"Daryl. Daryl!"

Y/N stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, but the redneck pushed him away and Daryl fell on his bottom. The man laid on the floor and continued to cry as he stared at Merle's body.

He sat there for some time. Y/N stood by, giving the fellow survivor time to grieve and be in his thoughts. The redneck stopped crying and simply looked at his feet.

"Come on."

Daryl heard the young man's voice and looked up. Y/N had his hand out.

"We should get back. It won't be long until the Governor acts."

At that moment, Daryl recognized the man Y/N was...and he respected it. A part of him was content that Rick decided to not give him to the Governor.

Daryl swallowed, ultimately taking his hand and allowing himself to be helped up. The two shared a nod before leaving the carnage at the feed store.

They were back at the prison. Rick Grimes had called everyone over into the courtyard. Some stood around and some sat at a table as their leader spoke in front of them.

"When I met with the Governor, he offered me a deal. He said—he said he would leave us alone if I gave him Y/N. And I was thinking about it...for a while actually. I thought it would keep us safe. But that was always the wrong answer. And I was wrong not to tell you. And I'm sorry."

He continued. "What I said last year that first night after the farm...it can't be like that. It can't. What we do, what we're willing to do, who we are, it's not my call. It can't be. I couldn't sacrifice one of us for the greater good because we are the greater good. We're the reason we're still here, not me. This is life and death. How you live...how you die—it isn't up to me."

Rick concluded. "I'm not your Governor. We choose to go. We choose to stay. We stick together. We vote. We can stay and we can fight or we can go."

After his speech, Rick walked away. The whole area was quiet as they took in the man's words. Y/N stood there beside his friends, thinking about what was said. At that moment, only one thought was on his mind...

There was no other leader Y/N would support other than Rick Grimes.

• • •

THE GROUP DECIDED to protect their home. Cars were packed up in preparation to go to Woodbury and deal with the Governor there. Beth, Carl, and Hershel gathered things so they could hold out in the forest with Judith in case the prison was attacked first.

Which is what ended up happening.

Vehicles stormed toward the prison's dilapidated gate. Martinez popped out of a truck and held a grenade launcher, where he blew up one of the guard towers.

BOOM!

Shumpert manned a mounted machine gun, shooting at walkers ahead as well as the other guard tower.

GRATATATATATA!

They all drove into the yard but stopped upon their truck hitting a spike on the ground. Their tires popped and made them immobile. Shumpert continued shooting at the walkers in the yard with the machine gun while the rest of the soldiers joined.

GRATATATATATATA!

BRAKA! BRAKA!

BRAKAKAKAKA!

POW! POW!

GRATATA!

Martinez aimed his launcher and shot at another tower across the yard.

BOOM!

The Woodbury soldiers kept firing at the walkers until none were left.

BANG! BANG!

BRAKAKAKA!

GRATATATATATATATA!

POW!

POW! POW! POW!

The soldiers exited their vehicles. The Governor stepped out, holding his AUG assault rifle as he commanded his troops.

"Go!"

They followed a car that drove toward the gate leading to the prison itself. It crashed through and Philip shouted at the soldiers.

"Go, go! Move!"

They all dispersed, with Martinez leading a group of people and Philip with his own. With no sign of the prison survivors in the courtyard, the Governor ordered an invasion inside the cell blocks.

They used a winch on their car to pull out the locked doors to the cell block. They all rushed inside with Martinez leading the group.

Surprisingly, it was empty. The Governor looked around as he gripped his rifle. He ordered his troops to check every cell and they ended up informed that there was no sign of the survivors.

Philip was pissed. He walked by a cell but stopped upon noticing something inside. He went in, seeing a picture of a pirate on the table. It had been ripped out of a book from the prison library. What caught the Governor's eye was the writing on it.

He looks just like you!
- With love, Y/N.

Philip gritted his teeth and crumbled the paper, throwing it aside. He walked out into the chow room with his troops, but the clanking of a can caught their attention. It had come from the Tombs.

"Give me a flashlight." Philip told Martinez and then spoke to him and another soldier. "Let's split up. You take a group that way. You, bring a group, follow me."

Philip opened the door that lead to the Tombs. Martinez and his group followed him inside and they traversed the dark corridors. They heard another clang along with distant growling.

"Shhh." Philip shushed his troops and continued listening.

He moved forward and they followed. Everything was quiet as each soldier held their guns and prepared for anything thrown at them. Suddenly, an object was tossed by their feet.

BOOM!

The tear gas canister exploded and disoriented the people. The alarm started to blare as well to add to their confusion. Everyone started to panic.

"Hold your ground!" Philip shouted.

Another canister was thrown. It exploded and smoke filled the room.

BOOM!

"Hold your ground!"

They all ran but were met with walkers ahead. The soldiers immediately shot them down.

BRAKAKA!

BRAKAKAKAKA!

They screamed as they made their way out. Philip watched as his troops ran away in fear, gritting his teeth but he ultimately decided to follow.

The troops made it back to the courtyard. Suddenly, Glenn, wearing full-on riot gear and standing on the catwalk, shot at their feet.

BRAKAKAKA! BRAKAKA!

"Get the hell out of here!"

Maggie and Erica were on another side with the same gear. They fired at the troops and they scurried away in fear.

BRAKAKAKA!

BRAKA! BRAKA!

The Governor peeked out and shot at the catwalk. Gunshots flew in his direction and he saw they came from. Ramon was on another side behind a barrier with a rifle too.

BRAKAKAKA!

"Stand still, vato!"

Philip ran with Martinez and followed their troops. The quartet of prison survivors all continued firing at the soldiers.

BRAKA! BRAKA!

BRAKAKAKA!

BRAKA!

BRAKAKAKA!

"Move! Move! Go!"

The troops went back to their trucks. Allen tried to man the machine gun but it was jammed.

"Fuck that! Get inside! Inside!" A troop shouted.

He listened and hopped into the truck. The group of soldiers started to drive away.

"Hey!" Philip exclaimed.

Martinez grabbed and ushered Philip toward the car. "They aren't going anywhere! Come on!"

They fired back toward the prison. The survivors shot at them as they drove away.

BRAKAKA!

BRAKA! BRAKA!

They soon left the scene. Glenn unstrapped the helmet and took it off, looking at Maggie and Erica on the catwalk.

"We did it?" Maggie called out.

"We did it." He replied.

Erica let out a content sigh. They could also hear Ramon cheering as he left his spot.

"Woo! Fuck yeah!"

The group rendezvoused back to the courtyard. Rick looked out into the yard and the burning tower ahead.

"We did it. We drove them out."

"We should go after them." Michonne said.

"Right." Y/N agreed. "We should finish it."

"It is finished." Maggie replied. "Didn't you see them hightail it out of here?"

"We shouldn't give them a chance to regroup." Daryl chimed in.

Glenn spoke. "We can't take that chance. He's not gonna stop."

"They're right. We can't keep living like this." Carol said.

"You plan on going back to Woodbury?" Liliana asked them. "You barely made it out last time."

Y/N looked at the blonde. "It don't matter. As long as Philip breathes...I won't be able to, at least not comfortably."

"Damn, right." Daryl replied.

Rick agreed. They later started to prepare their vehicles for the invasion of Woodbury. The group stood by the gates.

"Rick, we're staying." Glenn told him, looking at Maggie. "We don't know where the Governor is. If he comes back we'll hold him off."

"Count me in. I'd like a shot at that son of a bitch if he shows back up." Ramon said.

"Same here." Erica agreed.

Daryl looked at the rest. "Just the four of us? All right."

"Five." Liliana spoke up, catching the attention of Y/N.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I think it's safer—"

"No place is ever safe. But as long as we're together that's all that matters."

Y/N ended up relenting. Rick nodded and looked back at Glenn, Maggie, Ramon, and Erica.

"I appreciate you staying."

Soon afterward, the group entered their vehicle with Daryl driving his motorcycle. Glenn and Maggie opened up the gate for them while Erica and Ramon fended off nearby walkers. They watched as they left the prison.

The five survivors ended up stopping on the road. Ahead was a couple of abandoned Woodbury vehicles along with fresh corpses. Some had reanimated and feasted on the bodies. Daryl and Michonne quickly dispatched them.

THWICK!

SVAASH!

Y/N walked up to one walker, unsheathing his knife and stabbing it in the head.

SULK!

Liliana looked at the truck. Suddenly, a woman pressed up against the window and startled her. The group took notice, with Rick pulling out his revolver and aiming it at her.

Daryl opened the door and demanded her out. The woman had her hands up as the survivors had her held up.

"You with the Governor?" Daryl asked.

"He—he killed everyone here."

"Why?"

"We didn't want to fight anymore. He got mad and started firing. I had to hide beneath a body." She started to sob. "I-I was so scared."

Liliana was close by and felt for her. She went to the crying woman and offered her comfort. The blonde looked at her group as she rubbed the woman's shoulder.

"This was basically all of their forces." Y/N began. "Means—"

"It's just him. Maybe a couple of others." Michonne interjected.

"Makes things easier." Y/N said as he sheathed his knife, making his way back to the car.

The survivors, along with the woman named Karen, drove to Woodbury. They stopped nearby and decided to go on foot to the gates. Suddenly, they were fired upon.

POW!

They took cover behind a car and returned fire.

BRAKAKA!

BRAKAKAKAKA!

GRATATA!

There was a ceasefire. Suddenly, Karen stood up with her hands raised and called out.

"Tyreese!"

Rick pulled her back down. Y/N processed the name for a moment until he heard a familiar voice shout back from the gate.

"Karen? Karen, are you okay?"

She stepped back out despite Rick's objections.

"I'm fine!"

"Where's the Governor?"

"He fired on everyone! He killed them all."

It took time for him to process her answer. He shouted back.

"Why are you with them?"

"They saved me."

Finally, Y/N choose to step out with his hands raised as well.

"Ty! Ty!"

The man saw him through the scope. Daryl whispered to Y/N to get back down but the young man waved him off.

"Look, we're coming out! And if you shoot at me, you best not miss, brother."

Y/N walked forward. Rick looked at Daryl and Michonne before finally deciding to follow suit.

The gate opened and out came Tyreese and Sasha holding rifles. They would've been more stoic toward the group, but the sight of their longtime friend eased the tension.

"Y'all left...didn't think you were just about an hour's drive away." Y/N remarked.

Tyreese chuckled and embraced the young man, Sasha greeted him with a nod.

"You best not miss?" Sasha spoke to him. "What got you speaking like a badass?"

"A lot of time out here."

Tyreese looked at Rick. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to finish this until we saw what the Governor did."

"He—he killed them?"

"Yeah." Rick breathed out.

Tyreese glanced at Sasha. They were very close to joining Philip and his troops if not for their request to stay back and defend Woodbury.

"Karen told us Andrea hopped the wall going for the prison." Rick said. "She never made it. She might be here."

With that, they were ushered in and strolled the empty streets of Woodbury. Y/N had an inkling that Andrea would be at the warehouse where the Governor kept Glenn and Maggie.

They walked through the hallway and reached a door, noticing blood pooling out of the bottom. Rick took a breath, holding his gun and pulling it open.

A dead zombified Milton was seen by a chair in the middle of the room. By the door they just opened, Andrea was leaning against the wall. Michonne went up to her. Her current state was dire and was emphasized by Andrea revealing her bite.

She asked about Rick's children and the rest of the survivors. Rick reassured them that they were all right. Andrea looked at Michonne.

"It's good you found them."

Andrea looked at Y/N who was standing nearby. "I didn't believe you. For what he was. I'm sorry."

Y/N shook his head. "Don't be. I know you just wanted things to go smoothly."

She agreed. "I didn't want anybody to die."

"You have a good heart." Y/N said.

Andrea told them that she could end her life herself. Michonne didn't want her to but ultimately relented after convincing everyone else. Rick solemnly handed her his revolver.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Michonne told her.

Andrea looked at Rick. "I tried."

He nodded and let out an exhale. "You did...you did."

They all exited the room leaving Michonne with Andrea. They shut the door and waited outside in complete silence. Then, there was a gunshot.

BANG!

• • •

THE SUNLIGHT ENVELOPED the entire prison. A truck and a bus came through the open gates and entered the courtyard. Glenn and Maggie closed them back up soon afterward.

The rest of the prison survivors stepped outside and were perplexed by the sight of the bus. Rick and company left their truck and the leader greeted them with a nod.

Tyreese ushered the Woodbury inhabitants out of the bus with Karen and Sasha helping as well. Y/N stood aside, his arms crossed and watching with Liliana standing beside him.

Carl went up to his father. "What's this?"

"They're gonna join us."

Hershel was by the door greeting people and they went inside. Erica helped an old man go up the steps and Ramon carried a child's bag as he walked with them. Rick watched this, also looking up at the catwalk where he'd often see an apparition of his wife, Lori.

The last of the Woodbury survivors went inside. Liliana and Y/N stayed outside and the young man looked out into the yard.

"What Rick's doing is great." He stated. "These people still have a home...one without that man over them."

Liliana agreed. Y/N rested his hands on his waist.

"He's still out there. I might ask Michonne to join me...go out there and look."

"You don't need to do that."

"I do."

"No—"

"I do." He said firmly, finally looking at her.

Liliana got closer, her soft eyes looking into his and holding his hands. She understood that he still had a vendetta against Philip because of what he did to her.

"Right now...I just want you to be with me. Live with me...through this fresh start we now have."

Y/N let out a breath through his nose. He looked down and rubbed the top of her hand. She continued.

"You did everything you could do. And it's paid off to this. A new home for us and our baby."

Finally, Y/N smiled and the couple kissed. He parted and still looked at the blonde.

"You're right."