judas --- lady gaga
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[POV]
JJ sat on the ground of the second level, letting her legs dangle over the side. She watched as the group bickered back and forth about what to do.
"We're not leaving."
"We can't stay here." Hershel argued Rick.
Maggie stepped in, "what if there's another sniper? A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."
"We can't go outside." Beth acknowledged.
"Not in the daylight." Carol commented.
Glenn huffed, "If Rick says we're not running, we're not running."
"No, better to live like rats." Merle leaned up against the cell block door.
Rick turned, "you got a better idea?"
"Yeah, we should've 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."
"We ain't scared of that prick." Daryl told his brother, pacing the second level.
"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."
Maggie fiddled her hands uncomfortably, "let's put him in the other cell block."
"No, he's got a point." Daryl mentioned.
"This is all you. You started this." Maggie snapped.
JJ huffed, "what's the difference whose fault it is? What the hell are we gonna do?"
"I said we should leave." Hershel insisted again. "Now, Axel's dead. We can't just sit here." Rick began to walk off, infuriating Hershel. "Get back here! 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."
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[JJ]
I was shocked when Hershel raised his voice. I don't think anybody expected it. Beth and I made eye contact and gave each other the "oh, shit" face. The only other time I'd ever heard him yell like that was when he found Maggie's bottle of Fireball hidden under her bed. Even then, he didn't yell like he just had then.
Rick walked out, and Carl followed but they weren't gone for long. My brother had a new attitude when he came back in. Kinda like when the teacher would take you into the hall to tell you if you misbehaved one more time, they'd call your parents. Lucky for me, growing up, our parents didn't give two shits what I did. Rick, on the other hand, dad was a lot stricter with him.
He tossed the keys to Maggie, "take watch. Eyes open, head down. Field's filled with walkers. I didn't see any snipers out there, but we'll keep Maggie on watch."
"I can take the guard tower." I suggested. "It'll be better if we're both on watch."
Daryl nodded, "I can go up too, take out half them walkers, give these guys a chance to fix the fence."
"Or use some of the cars to put the bus in place." Michonne proposed.
"We can't access the field without burning through our bullets." Hershel pointed out.
Glenn huffed, "so, we're trapped in here. There's barely any food or ammo."
"Been here before. We'll be all right." Daryl shrugged.
"That's when it was just us. Before there was a snake in the nest." Was kinda expecting Glenn to bring that up.
Daryl took a step towards Glenn, "Man, we gonna go through this again? Look, Merle's staying here. He's with us now. Get used to it. All y'all." He went back to the second level.
Glenn lowered his voice, "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. Or what he did to-"
"Okay, can we stop bringing that up?" I glared, "Look, it's not like I'm suggesting we roll out a red carpet and give him the king's suite, but we shouldn't get rid of him."
"How can you say that, JJ?" Glenn fought, "Especially after what happened in Woodbury."
"Because I think that he can be an asset. And yeah, he's an absolute jackass, but if Daryl trusts him, I think we should give him a shot."
"She's right. And Merle has military experience. He may be erratic, but we can't underestimate his loyalty to his brother."
"What if we solve both problems at once? Deliver Merle to the Governor. Bargaining chip. Give him his traitor, maybe declare a truce."
"Oh, yeah, and then after that we can braid each other's hair and make friendships bracelets." I sarcastically smiled. "Face it, we're knee-deep in shit with this Governor and there's not gonna be an easy way out."
Hershel nodded, "I'm afraid JJ's right."
"Guys, we might have a problem." Carl told us just as I was about to go on watch.
We were careful when we went outside, guns at the ready.
"Clear." Merle went first, scanning the area.
It was Andrea with a walker.
"Are you alone?" Rick questioned.
"Open the gate."
"Are you alone?!" He repeated.
"Rick!"
He tossed the keys to Daryl, who opened it for Andrea. As soon as she was in the gate, Rick held the gun to her, "Hands up! Turn around." He patted her down, "Get down. On the floor." The rest of us stood guard while he dealt with Andrea, "I asked if you were alone."
"I am." She breathed.
"Welcome back. Get up."
We went back inside. Andrea hugged Carol first. "After you saved me, we thought you were dead."
Andrea looked around, "I can't believe this. Where's Shane?" Rotting down below. "And Lori?"
Rick put his head down as Hershel answered, "she had a girl. Lori didn't survive."
"Neither did T-Dog." Maggie told her.
"I'm so sorry. Carl-. Rick, I-" She moved on, "You all live here?"
"Here and the cell block." Glenn informed.
"There? Well, can I go in?"
"I won't allow that." Rick voiced.
"I'm not an enemy, Rick."
"We had that field, that courtyard. Until your boyfriend tore down the fence with a truck and shot us up."
"He said you fired first."
"Oh my gosh, he lied? No way." I sarcastically, quietly gasped, crossing my arms over my chest. "He killed an inmate who survived in here."
"We liked him. He was one of us." Daryl added.
Andrea shook her head, "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."
"That was days ago." Glenn sassed.
"I told you, I came as soon as I could." She turned to Michonne, "What have you told them?"
"Nothing."
"I don't get it. I left Atlanta with you people and now I'm the odd man out?"
Wonder why. Maybe it's 'cause you share a bed with the enemy? Just going out on a limb here.
Glenn looked at her, "He almost killed Michonne, and he would have killed us."
Andrea pointed to Merle, "with his finger on the trigger. Isn't he the one who kidnapped you? Who beat you?" She sighed, "I cannot excuse or explain what Philip has done, but I am here trying to bring us together. We have to work this out."
His name's Philip? That's even more pathetic than calling himself the Governor.
"There's nothing to work out." Rick shook his head, "We're gonna kill him. I don't know how or when, but we will."
"We can settle this." Andrea assured, "There is room at Woodbury for all of you."
Merle scoffed, "you know better than that."
Hershel looked down, willing to hear her out, "what makes you think this man wants to negotiate? Did he say that?"
"No."
"Then why did you even come here?" I asked.
"Because he's gearing up for war." She admitted. "The people are terrified. They see you as killers. They're training to attack."
"I'll tell you what, next time you see Philip, you tell him I'm gonna take his other eye." Daryl warned.
"We're takin' too much shit for too long. He wants a war? He's got one." Glenn told Andrea.
"Rick? If you don't sit down and try to work this out, I don't know what's gonna happen. He was a whole town." Andrea looked around, "Look at you. You've lost so much already. You can't stand alone anymore."
Rick moved in front of Andrea, "You wanna make this right, get us inside."
"No."
"Then we have nothing to talk about."
"There are innocent people."
Rick left, signaling Andrea's visit was over.
The group watched Andrea leave in the car they gave her. It was clear everyone had mixed feelings.
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[POV]
JJ climbed up the guard tower to return Daryl's vest. He greeted her with a nod.
"Here, figured you'd want this back." She handed him the angel wing vest.
He took the vest, his hand brushing hers, "you sure?"
She slightly scoffed, "it's your vest. But, uh, thanks for letting me borrow it."
Daryl shrugged, putting it on.
"I can take over if you want."
"Nah, it's good." He shook his head.
"Okay, well, night." She deadpanned, awkwardly.
Daryl stopped her from leaving, "Hey, why didn't you tell me Merle did that shit?"
"Why didn't you tell me Rick chained him to a roof?" She shot back. "It wouldn't have changed anything."
"Might've." He shrugged.
JJ took a breath, "Merle's your brother. Rick would do anything for me even after all the shit I've done, and vice versa. I get why you left, but I'm also...somewhat....kinda glad you're back. You know, for the good of the group."
"That why you've been actin' so weird? 'Cause of Merle?"
"Hm," JJ grinned, "No."
a/n: happy sunday:)