Kate breathed heavy as she ran through the woods with Lucy hot on her heels. She wasn't sure how long they had been running but she was sure they had gotten away from the walkers they had been running from, the walkers that had caused them to lose Alice. Coming to a stop behind a tree Kate reached out and grabbed Lucy to stop her as well, "I think we are safe now. We need to stop and rest, then we can go back for Alice."
Lucy shook her head, "Alice ran the other way Katie," she said knowing it'd be useless. "We'd never find her or even know which directions she took after she got separated from us. Alice is on her own now."
"But she doesn't have a gun," Kate muttered as she looked helplessly at Lucy. "She can't protect herself without a gun."
Reaching out Lucy put her hands on either of Kate's cheeks, "She'll be fine babe. She has to be because Alice can't die," she smiled trying to reassure herself with her own words. She didn't want to think of Alice dying because then that meant she had lost everyone from her group, she had lost all of the friends she had made before Kate. She couldn't think of them all as dead, she just couldn't.
"Alice can die. My husband is probably dead," Kate spoke as she frowned at the thought of Zac's death. "We've lost everyone," she whispered feeling tears stinging at her eyes, wanting to come out. "Luce, we have lost everyone."
"We still have each other," Lucy smiled as she leaned in to kiss Kate, still trying to reassure her as best as she could. "We have each other," she spoke again as she pulled away from the kiss. "We'll be okay as long as we have each other, we just need to continue our trek to Woodbury now."
Kate who was just about to open her mouth and agree paused when she heard a noise from somewhere in the distance and she looked up just in time to see a helicopter falling mere feet away and she felt Lucy pull her back so that they didn't get hit if there was any flying debris. ___________________________________________________________________________________
"We should check it out," Kate spoke as she looked at Lucy. It had been minutes maybe twenty to thirty now since the helicopter had crashed and Kate knew they should at least check to see if there were survivors. "There could be survivors."
Lucy heaved a sigh and stood up, "I'll go check," she offered though the moment she had spoken she heard foot steps behind them and she turned quickly, seeing two women approaching them. Two women who had walkers in chains behind them. "Who the hell are you?" she asked as she raised an eyebrow, letting a bit of her feisty red head personality show.
Kate who had also turned around froze when she did so because she felt like she was seeing a ghost at least in one of the women. There was no way it could be but she couldn't stop herself from asking, "Andrea?" she questioned as she examined the blonde woman in front of her, half sure she looked just as pale.
"In the flesh," Andrea answered before coughing some more and walking towards Kate slowly. "I...the rest of the group?" she asked keeping her voice soft.
Kate shook her head, "I got separated from them the night the herd invaded the farm. I was taken in by another group but now it's just me and Lucy," she informed the woman who she hadn't seen in months, seeing a look of knowing pass in her eyes and it was then Kate realized Andrea too had been separated from the group.
"Well now that you two have got reacquainted can I go check the helicopter crash now?" Lucy asked a little impatiently.
Michonne shook her head after she had tied up her walkers to a tree, "I'll check," she said before walking past Lucy and heading to the crash site.
"Is she always that bossy?" Lucy asked the blonde woman who Kate had called Andrea.
Andrea just nodded her head before chuckling, "Michonne may be bossy but she saved my ass," she told the red head before turning her attention back to Michonne who was now checking out the crash scene.
"Someone's coming!" Michonne informed the women as she ran back to them after checking out as much as she could.
"Any survivors?" Kate asked curiously as she looked at Michonne.
"Two dead, not sure about the other," Michonne answered as she turned her attention back to the scene at the helicopter crash where two cars seemingly stopped. She couldn't make out much from where she was hiding but she could hear one of the men giving the others orders.
Kate who was trying to remain as quite as possible looked over when she heard Andrea cough and she felt her heartbeat a little faster hoping the men who were now all around the crash scene hadn't heard and found them.
Hearing a walker approach them as they all watched the scene unfolding at the crash site, Lucy started to reach for her knife but stopped when she felt Kate's hands on her and she turned to face her girlfriend who shook her head before pointing to one of the men who was walking around and taking down walkers with an automatic weapon.
"They're saving them," Andrea spoke after watching the men drag a body out of the helicopter. "We should show ourselves."
Lucy shook her head at that suggestion, "Not yet," she said as she looked at the blonde. She hated to admit it but she wasn't getting a good vibe from these people and they had a shit ton of weapons. They could all be dead in a heart beat and she wasn't looking to die today.
Michonne smirked at Lucy's response, knowing it would have been the same she would have said. It wasn't a smart move to show themselves just yet. Turning back to the men in front of them Michonne watched curiously as the man who had been giving out orders walked towards the man who had been cut in half by the helicopter. When he reached for his knife and bent down, stabbing the man she made a confused face not sure why he would just senselessly stab a dead man.
Kate swallowed hard as she heard the two walkers that Michonne had tied to a tree start to get more agitated and make more noise and it seemed now the noise they were making was being heard by the men because she could see them approaching though it was right when she turned her head to look at Michonne that she watched Michonne reach for the sword that she wore around her back and slice the walker's heads off as if it was nothing.
It was only when the man who seemed to be in charge told the others that they could roll out, that Kate let out the breath she hadn't even realized she was holding in though she regretted that the moment a noise sounded behind them and as soon as Michonne reached for her sword Kate herself again was sure she probably looked as bad as Andrea when she heard a voice she was sure she knew. A voice she had hoped never to hear again.
"Uh uh uh," Merle muttered to the woman who had a hold of her weapon and who was about ready to strike. "Easy does it, girl," he told her as he smirked some. "Mine's a whole lot bigger than yours. Now put down your weapons," he warned watching as the woman slowly lowered her sword. "That's it, nice and easy and let me see your hands," he added on watching as eventually all four women raised their hands. "Now spin around, nice little twirl around," he added on watching as the four women turned to face him.
Turning to face the source of the voice Kate released a breath realizing her fears had been confirmed. She was now face to face with Merle Dixon a man who she had really believed to be dead because he had cut his own damn hand off, though now as she looked him over she saw where his missing hand was he had a knife fashioned as some sort of stump.
"Holy shit," Merle exclaimed as he saw two faces he knew quite well among the women he now had in front of him. "If it ain't blondie and the Hanson boy's wife," he muttered still feeling bitter at Zac who had been one of the ones to leave him on the roof. "You're both looking good," he said almost sarcastically as he heard a walker advancing on him from behind.
The moment he felt it's hands on him though he turned slightly, letting the tip of his knife go right up and under the walker's throat and then it fell to the ground. Standing up he looked down at the four women who he know held at knife and gunpoint before narrowing in on Kate and Andrea. "Now, how's about a big hug for your old pal Merle?"
Andrea who had been silent and mostly in shock during all of Merle's speech felt her entire body go limp before she fainted. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Kate who had somehow fallen asleep woke up though everything was still dark and then she remembered the events from earlier. After Andrea had fainted the rest of them had been blindfolded and had their hands tied and now they were in the back of some car and she could hear an unknown man talking, though it sounded a lot like the man who had been giving orders.
"Have Stevens prep the infirmary," The Governor spoke into the walkie in his hand.
"How many?" Milton asked after hearing The Governor tell him to have Stevens prep the infirmary.
"Five," The Governor replied back. "One with multiple fractures and severe burns. Another in and out of consciousness, probably shock and dehydration."
"And the other three?" Milton asked curiously.
"The other three are fine," The Governor replied back.
"Females?" Milton asked wanting to know if they were bringing in females or males.
"Four. Found them hiding in the woods," The Governor said smiling at that. "Bringing a homework assignment for you, so open the lab."
At the last statement, Milton felt a huge amount of curiosity now, "Do tell."
"At the gates in five minutes, get off the radio," The Governor told him.
"Well, what is it?" Milton asked again unable to get rid of his curiosity.
"Now,Milton!" The Governor replied not wanting to tell him right now.
After the main man had went silent Kate chewed on her lip, "Lucy?" she asked softly wishing she could touch or even feel her girlfriend right now.
"I'm here," Lucy whispered back hoping her words did enough to soothe Kate who sounded worried. Lucy hated to admit it but she herself was worried. This wasn't the predicament she had wanted to find herself in. In the back of some car bound and blindfolded. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
"Why are we being held here?" Andrea asked the nurse who had been examining her. "We want to leave!"
Doctor Stevens looked at Andrea, "You're not well enough and it's dark, you should stay the night."
"Where are we?" Kate asked from where she had been leaning against a wall. Michonne had taken the seat and Lucy was sitting in the floor.
Doctor Stevens looked around the room before looking at the four women, "That's not for me to say. He'll talk to you."
"Who?" Michonne asked wondering who the woman had meant would talk to them.
Walking into the room Merle looked at Doctor Stevens, "Go check on your patient Doc," he told her knowing she needed to check on the man they had brought in. "Bet you was wondering if I was real," he said as he eyed both Kate and Andrea. "Probably hoping I wasn't. Well, here I am. I guess this old world gets a little small towards the end, huh? Ain't so many of us left to share the air right?" he asked as he sat down in a chair that he had pulled into the middle of the room. "You know, when they found me, I was near bled out, starving, thinking to myself a bullet might make a good last meal. Take myself a nice long nap after, wait for Daryl on the other side. Either of you two seen my brother?"
Kate shook her head being honest, "Not for a long time."
"Makes two of us," Merle replied as he looked at the brunette who he swore was pregnant though not showing the last time he saw her and now she didn't look pregnant still and there was no baby. He could only guess what had happened.
"He went back for you," Andrea added in. "Him and Rick. You were already gone."
Merle laughed at that before removing the knife he had made for himself, showing Andrea and the others his stump, "Yeah, well not all of me."
"Oh god," Andrea exclaimed at the sight of what Merle had done to himself.
"Yeah, Rick, he's that prick that cuffed me to the roof top," Merle muttered as he put his knife back on.
Kate chewed her lip briefly before speaking up, "He..he tried. Daryl saw that."
"He's always been the sweet one, my baby brother," Merle spoke his jaw clenching slightly. Daryl had always been the one who cared more, let his feelings get in the way of things.
"He wanted to keep looking," Andrea said as she locked eyes with Merle. "Then things happened, people died. A lot of them, Jim, Dale, Jacqui, Zoe, Ezra, Sophia...Amy."
"Your sister?" Merle asked hearing the last name Andrea had listed.
Andrea just nodded her head, "Yes."
"She was a good kid," Merle spoke sounding genuine. "I'm sorry to hear it."
"There were more, a lot more. We had to leave Atlanta, we wound up on a farm," Andrea finally continued. "Daryl, stepped up, became a valued member of the group," she smiled knowing part of that change was probably because of Avery helping him to be less of an asshole at times.
"Now he's dead," Merle added in figuring that was what Andrea would say.
Kate shook her head, "We can't say that for sure. We got run off by a herd."
"How long ago?" Merle asked as he made a face.
"Seven..eight months," Kate answered not really wanting to remember because it was reminder of what she had lost. "Andrea and I were separated from the rest of them, got left behind. We know what it feels like."
Merle stifled a laugh as he held up his hand with the knife on it, "I doubt that."
"What do you want from us?" Andrea asked wondering exactly what the game was here.
Standing up Merle walked to where all four of the women were now in close proximity to Andrea's bed, "There she sits, four walls around her, roof over her head, medicine in her veins, and she wants to know what I want from her," he spoke before shaking his head. "I plucked you and Kate as well as your two mutes out of the dirt, blondie. How 'bout a thank you?"
"You had a gun on us," Michonne said finally speaking for the first time since Merle had been in the room.
Merle laughed, "Oh, she speaks," he smirked before looking at the redhead. "What about you red? You speak as well?" he asked just seeing her giving him a glare. It was after she glared that he looked back at the other woman who had mentioned guns. "Well, who ain’t had a gun on ‘em in the past year, huh?" Merle asked before looking around the room and the people in it. "Show hands, ya'll! Anybody?" he asked again before looking at the two men who were guarding the door. "Shumpert? Crowley? Ya'll had a gun on ya'll? Hell, I think I'd piss my pants if some stranger came walking up with his mits in his pocket. That'd be the son of a bitch you'd really want to be scared of."
"Thank you," Andrea spoke finally thanking Merle like he had wanted. Watching Merle nod Andrea just chewed her lip, feeling Michonne glaring at her for giving into Merle.
It was when Merle got what he wanted from Andrea that Kate watched him go to the door in the room right as the man who had been giving out orders from earlier came into the room, whispering something to Merle that made him nod and say sure thing.
"How you feeling?" The Governor asked after he finished talking to Merle. The blonde who had been sickly at least had now moved from the bed and she seemed a little better.
"We want our weapons!" Michonne demanded as she looked at this new man who she was guessing was in charge.
"Sure," The Governor nodded his head. "On your way out the front gates."
Lucy rolled her eyes, "Show us the way. You've kept us locked up in this room."
"You see any bars? The Governor asked as he eyed the red head. "You're being cared for."
"Under guard," Lucy replied as she looked at the two men who had been on guard since they were placed in this room.
"To protect our people," The Governor told her as he shook his head. "We don't know you."
Andrea put her hand on her hip, "We know enough about you to want out of this place. We watched you drive a knife into the skulls of two dead men, what the hell was that all about?"
Kate couldn't help but share a look with Lucy when Andrea asked that. It was apparent to her that Michonne and Andrea had no clue that you didn't have to be bitten to turn.
"They turned," The Governor answered so nonchalant.
"They weren't bitten," Michonne muttered through clenched teeth which just made Merle and The Governor share a look.
"It doesn't matter. However we die, we all turn," The Governor finally spoke as he shrugged. "I put them out of their misery. It’s not easy news to swallow at first but there it is. Now, you’re not prisoners here, you’re guests. But if you wanna leave, as I said, you’re free to do so. But we don’t open the gates past dusk. Draws too much attention," he said before eying the blonde. "And you especially, you need a solid night of sleep. You wouldn’t last another day out there in your condition. Have you brought over to my place in the morning, hand over your weapons, extras ammos, food for the road, some meds, keys to a vehicle if you want one. Send you on your way, no hard feelings," he spoke as he turned to leave the room, hearing everyone following behind him.
Once they were at the front of the building he opened the door to reveal his town to the four women, "Welcome to Woodbury."
Kate paused briefly as she stepped out onto the porch of the building they had been in. Hearing him say that they were in Woodbury she raised an eyebrow. This may have been their destination but she hadn't been expecting this nor had she been expecting to feel so weird about the place even if the back of her mind did tell her that at least it seemed safe.
After he had given the women time to take in the town The Governor walked off the porch, "Come with me," he said as he soon lead them to gates which were guarded by two men.
Merle who had also followed climbed up onto the gate and looked at one of the guards, "Go relieve Pete at the back gate. I’ll take the spotlight."
"Are you military?" Kate asked as she looked around still trying to take everything in. From the guns to the walls around the place it reminded her of military scenes in all those old video games Zac used to play.
The Governor shook his head, "Hardly. A couple of feds but by and large, we're self trained."
"That's heavy artillery they're packing," Kate said as she turned to face the man who seemed to be in control.
"Some men arrive with guns, but most of the weapons are scavenged over time," The Governor answered as he smiled.
"And the other side of the town, the rest of the streets, they're all guarded like this? It can't be," Andrea spoke not wanting to believe any of this was real.
The Governor nodded, "It can and it is."
Merle who was still on the gates looked down at the road, "Got us a creeper,Governor," he called out seeing an approaching walker. "May I?" he asked turning to see if he could shoot it. When the Governor nodded he thanked him before aiming his gun at the walker.
"Governor?" Lucy questioned as she scrunched up her nose and folded her arms over her chest. "They call you that?"
"Some nicknames stick whether you want them or not," The Governor said as he turned to give the redhead a smile.
Lucy shook her head, "Buzz is a nickname, Governor's a title. There's a difference."
Kate who was silent again looked up as the spotlight came on and she watched Merle shoot at the walker before yelling out that he had got it but that it had brought friends. Seeing him shoot two more times Kate then heard Merle yell clear.
"We’ll get them in the morning. Can’t leave ‘em to rot, creates an odor, makes people uneasy," The Governor spoke as he eyed the four women.
"What people? There's nobody here, it's a ghost town," Andrea said knowing since they had been here she hadn't seen anybody minus the guards and the doctor who had treated her.
"This way," The Governor spoke as he lead the women towards a house. Once they were inside he opened the door to one room and then turned around before opening the door on the opposite hallway. There was only one bed in each room so he knew they'd need two rooms, "You’ll be more comfortable here. It’s not the four seasons, but there’s a hot shower. Water’s limited, so keep it short. We got food, water, fresh clothes, hope this works."
Hearing the man Lucy walked into one of the rooms and watched as Kate followed behind her as Michonne and Andrea went into the room across the hall. The rooms looked cozy enough and she guessed they could work for one night.
As the blonde woman got settled in the room she was sharing with her friend The Governor turned to face her friend, "I know you’d feel better with your sword, more secure but you’re safe here."
"We appreciate it," Andrea told the Governor as she watched Michonne glare at him. " What about the pilot? Will he make it?"
"Well, doctor Stevens is doing all she can. Now I know you got a lot more questions, but I’ve got work to do. My man will be outside the door if you need anything else. I’ll see you tomorrow," The Governor smiled as he looked into both rooms before leaving.
As the Governor walked away Lucy gave the guard an uneasy look before shutting the door. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
"This place just gives me an uneasy feeling," Lucy said as she climbed into bed next to Kate after they had both showered opting to take one together as to help save water. "It..it just seems so creepy."
Kate smirked as she turned around to face Lucy, "You know this is a change from the optimistic woman in the woods who was trying to convince me Alice is alive, though after running into two people I once knew I don't think I need much convincing that she could make it."
Lucy laughed as she let her arm slide around Kate's waist, "Hard to be optimistic when this place feels like a prison," she mused as she looked into Kate's eyes. "And that Governor dude just seems off."
"Or you are just paranoid," Kate whispered before leaning in to kiss Lucy on the lips. "You really shouldn't be so paranoid," she muttered in between kisses, her hand soon finding it's way up and under the shirt that Lucy had on.
Shivering at the contact Lucy kissed Kate back, pulling away long enough to take her shirt off, "I'll try not to be so paranoid," she spoke before kissing Kate back and let her own hand trail up and towards Kate's shirt which was a button down that she unbuttoned.
After her shirt was unbuttoned Kate let it fall off, not once breaking the kiss and instead her kisses became more passionate, especially as she began to strip Lucy out of her jeans though she kept her panties on her for now. "Do...more...than..try," she whispered into Lucy's mouth.
When Lucy moaned out an agreement Kate just bit down on the other woman's lip letting her hand slide inside her panties where she began to rub her, feeling her getting wetter than she already was.
"Katie," Lucy hissed out as her eyes closed and her hips moved upwards.
"What?" Kate asked innocently as she pulled away from the kiss. As she did so she let one of her fingers dip inside of Lucy's wetness. "What do you want?"
Moaning again Lucy let her head fall back into the pillow as she felt Kate's finger slowly trying to work her over, "I...fuck..I want you," she said as she opened her eyes finally and looked up at Kate with lust filled eyes. "I need you baby."
"You don't have to tell me once," Kate muttered quickly taking Lucy's panties off and undoing her own jeans and sliding them down with her panties. Normally she'd go down on Lucy first but tonight she didn't want to wait. She wanted Lucy, needed her, especially after the day they had both had.
Once they were both naked Lucy nibbled on her lip as she watched Kate maneuver her way between her legs and she once again closed her eyes as she eventually started to match Kate's movements.
Kate could feel her breathing getting heavy after awhile and the closer she got to her orgasm the faster she went, her toes starting to curl as the familiar feeling started to build up in the pit of her stomach. The moment she reached her end she moaned out Lucy's name over and over again though she kept moving until she knew that Lucy too had reached her own ending.
Once she had Kate let herself collapse on her lover and she sighed, her breath hitting Lucy's neck, "We're gonna have to shower again in the morning," she laughed slightly before yawning.
"Eh as long as we share again I'm not complaining," Lucy said as she shivered when Kate's breath hit her skin. Holding Kate in her arms she went silent as she listened to Kate's breathing soon even out and she didn't care that Kate had fallen asleep on top of her. The only things on Lucy's mind was how much this place didn't sit well with her and the reunions Kate had, had today. It was a painful reminder that Kate's husband really could be alive even if Kate wanted to say and claim he was dead.
Lucy wasn't sure what she'd do if they ever ran into him but she was afraid even with their girlfriend status that Kate could ditch her and go back to her husband. She could lose the woman she loved, the woman who she was sure she'd die for.