Avery leaned against the side of the guard tower as she waited with Carl at the main gates, a gun slung over her shoulder. "It's so quite," she spoke knowing that it was quite today..almost too quite. "It's easy to forget how loud the world used to be," she mused as she turned to look at Carl as she watched him pacing back and forth. "My mom used to complain about it all the time," she laughed as she thought of her mother. "Traffic, construction, car alarms, noise pollution. Oh, what I wouldn't give for the sweet sound of a jumbo jet," she said as she looked towards the empty sky, something that hadn't seen jumbo jets in awhile.
"It'd be even sweeter if we were all on it," Carl laughed at the last bit of Avery's statement.
When things fell silent again, Avery shook her head as she looked over at Carl, "Your mom was proud of you."
"For what?" Carl asked honestly as he shook his head. "Being mean to her?"
"No, you can't think about that," Avery told him honestly knowing it wasn't best for him to hold onto those memories almost like how she couldn't hold onto what had happened to her by her father or the anger and resentment she held towards her mom because she was half sure her mom had to have known about the abuse she suffered.
Carl looked at Avery with a slight frown, "It's all I think about," he spoke though after he did he heard the sound of a car approaching. "Please be them," he muttered under his breath.
Seeing the approaching car Avery took off towards the main gate, "It's them," she muttered towards Carl as he too joined her. "Hurry," she said as they began to open the gate so the car could get in and after it was in she watched as Carl ran to open the other gate while she closed the one they had just opened.
Turning around after she had shut the gate Avery watched as Zac got out of the back hatch and Rick got out of the front, instructing someone inside to drive them up because he and Zac would meet them there.
As Rick went to go hug Carl, Avery walked past Zac and towards the car and as she looked in the windows she was thankful to see Taylor in there safe as well as Maggie and she was surprised to find Kate in the back and she turned to Zac with a confused face, "Kate's alive?" she questioned only seeing him nod his head and as the car drove up to the prison she watched him walk a bit closer. "Where's..where's Daryl?" she questioned as she locked eyes with her brother as she watched Rick and Carl walk off towards the prison.
"It's all right," Zac told her as he reached out to touch Avery's arm. "He's alive but we ran into his brother. They went off."
"He left?" Avery questioned as her voice wavered slightly and she felt herself becoming a bit nauseated though it wasn't the normal morning sickness kind. "Daryl left? He's gone?" she asked trying to process things. "Is he coming back?" she questioned as she pulled away from Zac feeling tears wanting to come out but she fought them off.
Frowning at his sister's reaction Zac reached out to touch her shoulder as he slowly lead her up to the prison, "He said you'd understand," he muttered as he shook his head.
Avery heard Zac's words as they paused briefly, long enough for Zac to shut the gate behind them.
"Yeah well I don't know if I do," Avery whispered as they began to walk away and deep down maybe she did understand. Merle was his brother..Merle was his blood but Avery had thought she meant something to him. Thought she had been something he wouldn't just walk away from and hell she carried something that had Daryl's blood inside of her even if he didn't know. "I love him Zac," she finally spoke as she moved over and leaned into Zac as she let her tears come out. "I never told him but I'm in love with him and I'm pregnant."
Zac who had heard the last of Avery's words softly sighed and he reached out to hold Avery to him, half wanting to kill Daryl, "You'll get through this Avie. We'll get through this." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What the hell was that?" Andrea asked as she followed Phillip back into his apartment. "You put a round in a man's head in front of all of those people and just take off? You have to talk to them."
"Why?" Phillip asked as he ignored Andrea's gaze.
"They're panicking," Andrea explained as she shook her head. "They were ready to charge through those gates."
"So let 'em," Phillip told her honestly not seeing why they should be stopped.
Pausing briefly at his words Andrea felt shocked at his reaction, "Those people won't last a day."
"Those people have had it easy," Phillip told her as he walked off and picked up the gun bag she had, had with her when she first came here. "Barbecues and picnics. That ends now."
"Don't blame them for the mess that you created," Andrea spoke not holding back right now on how she felt. "They're scared."
Laying the bag down on a table Phillip began to unzip it, "Well, I'm through holding their hands. We're at war. I should have seen that."
"So why was Daryl here?" Andrea asked as she walked towards the table, crossing her arms. "Was he part of the assault?" she asked not getting a response. "Why? Why would he do that?"
"He came for his friends," Phillip answered her honestly as he checked out all the guns in the bag. "The other people you know. Taylor and Maggie. Merle scooped them up on the run, was holding them to find out where his brother was."
Andrea felt shocked at Phillip's revelation, "My..my friends are still alive and we're shooting at each other?" she questioned as she sighed. "You're trying to execute them?"
"Your friends killed six good people," Phillip told Andrea as he finally looked at her. "Crowley, Tim, Gargulio, Eisenberg, Bob Adams...Haley," he said saving Haley for last because he knew Andrea was close to her since she had tried teaching her and Kate how to shoot a crossbow. "That man out there, Rich Foster, he makes seven so that's what your friends did."
"Why didn't you tell me they were here?" Andrea asked feeling a bit offended. "You kept them from me while we were..." she started but stopped knowing he'd get the hint. He had kept secrets from her while they were hooking up.
"You're just a visitor here. Just passing through," Phillip shrugged his shoulders not caring if he hurt her feelings right now. "So why should I tell you."
Glaring at Phillip, Andrea looked away from him, "Don't do that, don't drive me out," she told him her words a bit harsh. "Not now."
Before he could reply Phillip heard a knock on the door he had left open, "What is it?" he asked as he looked towards it to see Milton.
"The whole town is out on the street," Milton spoke as he eyed Phillip and Andrea. "It could get ugly again." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beth who had came outside upon hearing the group was back stopped in her tracks the moment she got outside, seeing Kate coming out of the car, her arm draped around the redhead who Rick had helped the other day and she couldn't help but feel like she was seeing a ghost or that this was her worst nightmare...she was glad Kate was alive but Kate being alive well she didn't know what that meant for her and Zac now.
"K..Kate?" Beth asked as she finally willed herself to move and she went a bit closer to the woman who quickly moved away from the redhead to look at her.
'Beth," Kate spoke as she smiled at the sight of the blonde who looked like she had lost all color upon seeing her. "Surprise," she muttered out as she walked a bit closer as well, meeting the girl in the middle.
"I wasn't expecting to see you," Beth said honestly as she pulled the woman into a hug realizing the woman wasn't pregnant. "Where's your baby?" she asked as they pulled away.
"The baby's gone," Zac's voice sounded from behind Kate and Beth moved to get a look at him and she frowned. "My son was born still born."
"Oh," Beth whispered as she looked down briefly before going to Zac and pulling him into a hug as well because it was second nature, comforting him. "I'm so sorry," she said honestly.
Avery who moved away from Zac and Beth, walked to Kate having heard what Zac said and it was another reason for her to be worried about her own pregnancy.
"I'm sorry about the baby," Avery told Kate as she tried her best to smile.
"I've had time to adjust," Kate told her as she looked over at Zac who was still with Beth even though they weren't hugging and it was then that it hit her, why Beth had paled upon seeing her. Beth and Zac were together much like she had been or was still with Lucy.
Hearing Avery speaking something about getting them inside the prison, Kate came out of her thoughts and she nodded her head following behind Avery silently as they headed inside the prison and it was as they walked through that both she and Lucy came to a stop when they heard someone saying their name.
"Alice!" Lucy exclaimed as she ran over to the brunette who was standing next to a group of people that she had never met. "I..I thought you were dead," she spoke as she hugged the woman and it was as they hugged that she realized maybe she shouldn't have thought that, not after today with Zac and Kate..something that had shocked her..still shocked her.
"For awhile I thought I was too," Alice giggled as she pulled away and looked at the people around her. "But then this group saved me and we found our way here today. We're waiting for the person who's in charge of this prison to decide if we can stay or not."
Lucy chewed her lip briefly thinking of what she knew and had seen of Rick, "I'm sure he'll agree," she nodded hoping he did because this was the perfect place and she didn't want to lose Alice again after just finding her. "I'll keep my fingers crossed," she said before walking back to Kate who had stayed behind to give her time with Alice.
"You didn't want to say hi?" Lucy questioned as she walked beside Kate as they headed towards the cell blocks where Avery who had also waited told them they could pick any cell they wanted that wasn't already taken.
"Guess I'm just tired of seeing ghosts today," Kate answered as she sighed, watching Avery walk off after she had told them what to do about the cells. "My husband...his family...now Alice. I don't know what's happening but everything feels so surreal and complicated right now...even us."
Lucy wanted to protest at that and tell Kate she was crazy but she knew she couldn't because she Kate had a point. Things were complicated for them right now because she didn't know where they stood now that Kate knew her husband was alive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zac swallowed hard as he looked at Beth after Kate and Lucy had went inside, "I never expected to see my wife again," he told her as he shook his head. "Never expected her to be alive."
"But she is and you did," Beth stated as she looked down at the pavement.
"Yeah," Zac nodded as he ran a hand through his hair. "And she has a girlfriend...the redhead her name is Lucy and she's dating my wife...was dating my wife..I don't what they are anymore, I don't even know what Kate and I are anymore."
Beth frowned and she wanted to comfort Zac again, wanted to just take him somewhere and hold him or kiss him or somehow just magically make this all better but she couldn't. Zac just had to feel things on his own.
"Do you know what we are?" Beth questioned as she locked eyes with him and as he shook his head no she swore she felt her heartbreak even if she had expected it. "I should head inside," she stated as she looked away from Zac. "See if Judith is up and if she is let Rick see her when he comes inside," she said as she turned to see him talking to her father, figuring that her father was probably telling him about the new group that Carl had saved today.
Zac wanted to say something to Beth..say anything to her because it was apparent he had hurt her, but he didn't, he remained silent because he didn't have nothing to say, not when he was just as hurt for different reasons and instead he walked behind her as she headed into the prison, his gaze only going over as he briefly looked at a group of people he hadn't seen before but he didn't question it and instead he just went to the cell block wanting to go to his cell and have a few moments of peace. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl who was seated on the tables looking at the people he saved, stood up as he saw his dad come through followed by Hershel and when his dad just gave the group a brief look before walking past them Carl moved to run beside him, closing the door once they were all secure behind the cell block gate.
"Not exactly a chatterbox, is he?" Allen asked a bit sarcastically as he looked at Tyreese.
"Be patient," Tyreese told the man. "When he's ready, let me do the talking," he spoke knowing he sure as heck didn't trust Allen to do the talking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beth who had went up to where Judith's makeshift crib was, slowly came down the stairs with the baby in her arms as she saw Rick approaching and as she walked closer, handing the baby to the man she smiled, "She kind of has Lori's eyes," she stated watching Rick with his child. "Don't you think?"
Rick who held Judith just studied his daughter and he couldn't help but feel himself slipping again wanting to go off into that daze but he had to hold it together, had to be strong, the leader this group needed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Milton who walked outside with Andrea, sighed as they walked towards the group gathered around, "If I could have everyone's attention," he spoke up though people kept talking. "Everyone," he tried again still getting nowhere.
"All right, everybody shut up!" Martinez called out as he saw Milton and Andrea in the crowd.
"Thank you," Milton said as he looked down briefly. "The biters on the perimeter have been dispatched. The fences have been repaired."
"For now," Karen muttered sarcastically. "Where's the Governor?"
Milton sighed as he heard the people start to mutter in unison wondering where Phillip was, "His condition is unsteady. The wound he suffered..."
"Our friends were killed, man," a man tried to argue with Milton.
"He shot Richard," Karen added on to the argument. "I mean we've all suffered. We want answers."
"You're right, Karen," Andrea stated as she shook her head in agreement. "You're right. Every one of us has suffered. We don't even have funerals anymore because the death never stops," she spoke as she looked around her at everyone. "We're never gonna be the same...ever. So what do we do? We dig deep and we find the strength to carry on," she said trying to rebuild these people's morale. "We work together and we rebuild. Not just the fences, the gates, the community, but ourselves. Our hearts, our minds..and years from now, when they write about this plague in the history books, they will write about Woodbury," she smiled hearing the people start to agree with her. "We persevered," she finished as she saw the people calm down around her even more as they began to disperse.
It was as they dispersed that she looked up towards Phillip's apartment, seeing him standing and looked out of his open blinds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You've got a knack for that," Carol smiled as she stood at the top of the stairs with Avery as Beth came up the stairs holding Judith who she had just gotten to stop crying.
"Just trying to do my part," Beth told Carol as she walked up the stairs looking at both Avery and Carol who had been fixing up Judith's makeshift bed.
"Sophia used to wake the neighbors," Carol spoke as she looked down. "Three am like clockwork. Ed stayed at a friend's most nights till she calmed down."
Beth smiled at Carol's words, "I always wanted a child," she admitted as she looked down at Judith who was now probably the closest she'd come to having one. "She wouldn't have made it if Daryl hadn't been here," she told the woman knowing she hadn't been here for that. "He couldn't stand to lose anyone else."
"Sounds like him," Carol said as she looked up at Beth.
"I don't see why he had to leave," Beth stated not sure why Daryl would do it...just leave them but at least thinking of that kept her mind off her Zac issues. "Merle sounds like a jerk."
Avery rolled her eyes at Beth's comment wanting to tell her Merle was more than just a jerk but she didn't, she stayed silent and stewed in her anger over Daryl leaving.
"Men like Merle get into your head," Carol told Beth though her eyes trained in on Avery who was on her other side. "Make you feel like you deserve the abuse."
Feeling Carol's eyes on her Avery turned to look at the woman and she hated to admit it but she knew the woman had a point. She had been there too with her own dad.
"Even for Daryl?" Beth asked curiously even though she could sense a tension between Avery and Carol.
"I'm hardly the woman I was a year ago but if Ed walked through that door right now breathing and told me to go with him, I'd like to think I'd tell him to go to hell," Carol stated as she looked away from Avery.
"You would," Beth told her confidently.
Carol shook her head at that, "It doesn't matter."
"We're weak without him," Beth argued as she began to move Judith in her arms as the baby began to get fussy in her arms.
"We'll get through this, too," Carol spoke as she moved to get the sheet that was drying over the railing. "Tyreese and his friends seem capable," she said as she came back and put the sheet into the makeshift crib.
"I'm pissed at him for leaving," Beth told Carol honestly.
"Don't be," Avery finally spoke up as she locked eyes with Beth. "Daryl has his code. The world needs men like that," she muttered out softly not sure if she believed her own words but in a way she did understand his reasoning.
Carol smiled at Avery after she spoke up and slowly she took Judith from Beth putting her in the makeshift crib that had once been a mail crate. "She fits perfect," she smiled down at the baby girl who just cooed. "You cozy in there?" she asked her eyes catching the words Daryl had written on the mail crate. It said Lil Ass-kicker. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hershel sat in the cell he shared with Beth though right now Beth wasn't in here. Taylor was and he was patching the man up and cleaning him up as best as he could, "You got worked over good. Surprised no bones were broken."
"It's courtesy of Daryl's brother," Taylor stated harshly as he watched Hershel move to sit down beside him on the bed.
"You two all right?" Hershel asked referring to his daughter in the cell over. "Thanks for looking out for her," he smiled slightly. "If anything..." he started but stopped himself as he stood up. "I'll go check on her. You need something else?" he asked as he made it to the door seeing Taylor shake his head no. "Okay. Same thing goes for you. If anything worse than this had happened to you....you're like my own son, Taylor," he sighed before heading to the cell where Maggie was.
"You got something needs looking at?" Hershel asked as he made it to Maggie's cell door where he watched her cleaning her arms off.
"Is Taylor all right?" Maggie asked softly as she looked up at her father.
Going into Maggie's cell, Hershel sat down beside her, "Go see," he told her honestly though she made no effort to move. "You two seem to be holding something back. You want to tell me what happened?" he asked though he got no response. "I rest easy knowing you can handle yourself," he smiled at her. "You've got your mother's spirit and her stubbornness," he nodded as he fell silent for a bit. "You hungry."
"No," Maggie said as she shook her head knowing she didn't have much of an appetite.
"Hey, don't disappear on me," Hershel spoke when Maggie finally locked eyes with him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick sighed as he stood outside the cell Michonne was sleeping in and he watched as Hershel checked her out, surprised that she was sleeping because right now she seemed to be the only one who was sleeping tonight. Everyone else was all gathered about in the cell block area just sitting around or even sitting in their cells.
"She's out like a light," Hershel spoke as he turned to look back at Rick. "Must be days since she slept. You look pretty shot yourself."
"How long before she can travel?" Rick asked as he watched Hershel stand up and walk over to him.
"Have to keep an eye on her," Hershel revealed as he made it to where Rick was. "Pretty sure she has a concussion, couple of days if she's up."
At Hershel's words Rick went silent as he walked away from the cell after shutting the door once Hershel had stepped out. After he had done that he walked to the front of the cell block where Axel was talking to Carol.
"Whenever Tomas went off, Oscar always stood up for me," Axel sighed knowing he missed the man. "He was my friend."
"He went out fighting," Rick spoke as he came to a stop in front of Axel, hoping that information consoled him some.
"So, what now?" Jessica asked curiously as she walked closer to where Rick was. "You think the Governor will retaliate?"
"Yes," Maggie answered as she came out of her cell.
"Let him try," Taylor muttered out in response to Maggie's answer.
Avery shook her head as she crossed her arms over chest, "Sounds like he's got a whole town. We're outnumbered and outgunned. We could use some reinforcements," she spoke as she looked through the cell bars at Tyreese's group.
Rick went silent at Avery's words as he contemplated them over in his head. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tyreese who had been sitting silently at the tables looked up when he heard the gate open and when he saw the group whose prison this was come out, he stood up holding his hand out to the man who was in charge, "I'm Tyreese," he said though a silence enveloped as the man never took his hand and said anything so he put his own hand down.
"Sasha, Alice, Allen, Ben," Hershel told Rick as he used his crutch to point at the other members.
"How'd you get in?" Rick asked as he looked at Tyreese, keeping his emotions in control as best he could.
"Fire damage to the administrative part of the prison. Wall's down," Tyreese said as he answered the man's question honestly.
Rick took in Tyreese's answer before speaking. "That side's completely overrun with walkers. How'd you get this far?"
"We didn't," Tyreese said as he shook his head. "We lost our friend Donna."
"They were lost in the tombs," Carl spoke up softly from where he stood behind his dad.
At Carl's words Rick turned to look at his son, "You brought them here?"
"He had no choice," Hershel told Rick knowing Carl had no other option than to bring them here.
Rick nodded his head for a bit before speaking again, "I'm sorry about your friend, we know what that's like."
"Hershel said you could use some extra hands. We're no stranger to hard work," Tyreese spoke as he looked between his group members. "We'll go out and get our own food, stay out of your hair. You got a problem with another group, we'll help with that too. Anything to contribute."
"No," Rick muttered as he turned to look away from Tyreese.
"Please," Alice pleaded as she looked at the man. "It's like ten little Indians out there. It's just us now."
"No," Rick stated again as he shook his head.
Zac sighed at Rick's insistence on not letting the group in, "Let's talk about this," he said as he stepped towards Rick some. "We can't just keep..."
"We've been through this," Rick spoke as he turned to look at Zac. "With Tomas and Andrew. Look what happened."
"Axel and Oscar weren't like them," Zac reminded Rick as they locked eyes.
"And where's Oscar now?" Rick asked Zac honestly as he shook his head. "I can't be responsible."
"You turn us out, you are responsible," Tyreese spoke as he looked at the man when the man turned to face him again.
"Rick," Hershel stated as he moved closer to Rick. "You've done so much for us. I appreciate that, we all do. We owe you our lives. We've done everything you asked without question and I'm telling you, you're wrong on this. You've got to start giving people a chance."
Rick sighed as he took in Hershel's words and as he did he looked at the group of his people around him before patting Hershel on the back and as he turned to look at the catwalk he felt his heartbeat get faster as he saw what looked like Lori in the shadows.
"No," Rick muttered as he looked down shaking his head as he kept repeating the word and as he looked back up he saw that Lori was still there. "What do you want from me?!" he yelled out as he started to pace the room.
"Dad?" Carl asked confused as he watched his dad.
Alice stood rooted in place as she watched the man clearly become unhinged as he paced back forth beginning to yell for them to leave as his own group tried to calm him though when he pulled out a gun while continuing yelling for them to get out everyone backed away as if they were scared of Rick.
"We'll leave," Tyreese spoke to Rick as he shook his head. "Ain't nobody got to get shot here," he stated as he slowly backed away his group following. "We're going," he stated as Rick continued to yell for them to go.
As Rick continued to progress Glenn walked over putting a block between him and Tyreese's group, "Just go! Go! Go!" he yelled watching as the group left.
Zac who had pulled Beth back during Rick's outburst just stood there stunned as he watched Tyreese's group retreat and he sighed knowing now if the Governor did attack they were probably screwed.
Looking around the room he caught Kate's eye before seeing her look down at where his hand rested on Beth's back and he again sighed not sure why he felt a bit guilty for protecting Beth and now comforting her in front of his wife, hell Kate had her hand on Lucy's back soothing her as she seemed upset with the outcome of Rick's words though he didn't really know why it affected Lucy so much if Rick sent the group away.