Kassiopeia watched the walkers pass by her window as they drove, it was quiet until they reached what looked like The governors cars. Everyone got out of the car as Daryl kicked his kickstand out, Kassie pulled out her machete as she followed the group. As they walked up to the scene they saw walkers of the people who had been at the prison not even an hour ago, they quickly took out the walkers when Kassie froze when she was Mr. Barns eating Mrs Barns. She breathed out quickly as she stepped away from the man, the man that had caused her and her brother so much harm. She kicked out at him but was yanked to the ground by a reanimated Mrs Barns she pulled out her knife and stabbed her in the head and turned to stab Mr. Barns but Michonne was already over her slicing his head in half. Michonne pulled the girl up who nodded her head in thanks when someone hit the window behind Daryl. Everyone looked up to see a woman that was very much alive pressed up against the window, Daryl pulled open the door and motioned for her to get out. She quickly got out with her hands raised, "Karen?" Kassie asked as she seethed her machete back into its leather holder.
Karen turned around at the mention of her name with a confused look, "Kassie Barns?" She asked as she looked over the girl.
Daryl and Rick looked at her in confusion as Michonne just shook her head, "n-no it's Kassiopeia Whitlock, they never adopted us" she said as Karen came over and pulled her into a hug.
"The Governor said the people at the prison kidnapped you and your brother- we were coming to save you!" Karen exclaimed as she looked down at the girl, "Philip said they took you and were holding you against your will after they attacked us, he said they were going to kill you if we didn't save you" she explained with a frown before looking back to the other three adults. She had a moment of realization and pulled Kassie away from them, "these are the people who attacked us!" She stated but Kassiopeia pulled her arm away from her.
"No you got it all wrong, Philip attacked them by taking two of his people. They wanted nothing from us but peace but Philip attacked them over and over again and made them out to be the bad guys when they have done nothing but care for me and my brother" Kassiopeia explained making Rick smile lightly to himself.
Rick walked up behind the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder, "what happened here?" Rick asked making Karen look to the ground.
"He killed them all- it was completely out of nowhere! We were all talking about the attack and how we didn't want to fight the living and then he just shot at everyone!" Karen exclaimed as she ran her hands through her hair, "we- we have to go save everyone we left" she said frantically.
Michonne caught her arms and gave a reassuring nod, "we will but we're gonna need your help" Karen nodded before climbing into the car, everyone shared a look before they all got back to their respective vehicles and started toward Woodbury.
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The group slowly walked towards the all to familiar gates of Woodbury with their guns raised, Kassie was stood with Karen as they didn't have guns. One shot was fired at the group making the other three shoot back toward the gate, a small shoot out started as both sides shot. Karen took this opportunity to yell to the people at the gate, "Tyreese! It's me! Don't—" she tried to call out moving to stand up.
"Get down!" Rick hissed as he pulled her back down.
"Karen!" Tyreese called as he looked through the scope of his gun, "Karen, are you okay?!" He yelled back
"I'm fine!" Karen said as she shot back up and held up her hands in surrender.
"Where's the Governor?" Tyreese called back.
"He fired on everyone. He killed them all" Karen called out to him.
Tyreese shared a look with Sasha, "Why are you with them?" He yelled out.
"They saved me" she answered.
Rick looked back to Daryl, Michonne and Kassie before nodding to them, "We're coming out!
We're coming out" Rick called out as he stepped out with his hands up.
Daryl pulled Kassie with him so he was by her side when they surrendered, they all started towards the gate while Tyreese pulled open the gate, "What are you doing here?" Tyreese asked lightly.
"We were coming to finish this until we saw what the Governor did" Rick stated as he looked at the man.
"He—he killed them?" Tyreese asked lightly.
"Yeah" Rick nodded, "Karen told us Andrea hopped the wall going for the prison. She never made it. She might be here" he stated.
Tyreese's face contorted in confusion, "where would she be here?" He asked in confusion.
Kassie gave a sheepish smile as she started walking, Sasha and Tyreese gave confused looks as everyone quickly followed after her.
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They ran through the town in silence until they reached the interrogation house, "This is where he had Glenn and Maggie" Rick explained to Sasha and Tyreese.
"The Governor held people here?" Tyreese asked in shock as they walked down the hall.
"He did more than hold them, especially to Kas" Daryl grumbled as he, Rick and Michonne rounded the corner with their weapons drawn.
They stoped outside of a room when they saw blood pooling under the door, "Will you open it?" Michonne asked softly.
Rick nodded as he started to count down, "One, two..." he pulled open the door to see a dead Milton on the floor.
They continued to look around the room but stoped when their eyes landed on a pare of feet, "Andrea!" Michonne whispered as she bolted into the room dropping her sword on the way.
Michonne moved Andrea so she was holding her, Rick came over and squatted before the woman,
"I tried to stop them" Andrea whispered as Kassie pushed her way into the room.
"You're burning up" Michonne said softly.
Andrea moved slightly so she could pull off her jacket slightly, she revealed a bite mark making everyone sigh out in frustration knowing they were too late. Andrea moved to look from Rick to Michonne, "Judith, Carl, the rest of them..." she muttered almost like she was getting hazy.
"Us" Rick said lightly, "The rest of us" he insisted.
"Are they alive?" Andrea asked softly.
Michonne moved to pet some stray hairs back as Andrea's eyes glossed over, "Yeah, they're alive" Rick said softly.
"It's good you found them" Andrea said as she looked to Michonne who was silently crying, "No one can make it alone now" she muttered softly as Daryl walked forward.
"I never could" he muttered lightly.
"I just didn't want anyone to die" Andrea said softly as Kassie placed a hand over her mouth as she started to cry, "I can do it myself" Andrea said as she sat up straighter.
Michonne shook her head, "No" she argued.
Andrea let a few tears slip, "I have to. While I still can. Please?" She said lightly as she stuck out her other hand to Kassie, she slowly came forward sniffling to herself as she sat down beside the woman. "I know we never saw eye to eye before but someone has to be there for Michonne now" Andrea said looking to her friend before looking back to Kassiopeia, "your a brilliant young girl, that means you don't let anyone hold you back, you have such a true and beautiful heart that everyone needs to see" Andrea said as she cupped the girls face as she looked to Rick, "you keep her safe from the world, she is as innocent as they come. Where she will fight like hell for anyone as long as you give her a reason to" she whispers as she wiped her eyes. "Don't cry over me sweetheart, after all I was a bitch to you" she laughed lightly making Kassie chuckle lightly too, "now get out of here so you don't have to see another person die" she said lightly as Daryl walked over to her, Kassie side hugged the blond woman as Daryl pulled her up. "I know how the safety works" Andrea said with a small smile before Rick pulled out his gun and checked the bullets before handing over his gun.
He gently put it in her hand and wrapped her hand around it, "Well, I'm not going anywhere" Michonne whispered as she lightly petted Andrea's hair.
Andrea looked around the room with glazed eyes as she looked from person to person before she lightly shook her head and looked back to Rick,
"I tried" she whispered.
Rick looked to her, "Yeah" he said lightly before he sniffled slightly, "You did" he whispered, "You did" Rick said before he moved to stand up. He lightly took Kassies hand and took her with him out of the room, Daryl followed shortly after. As he left the room he pulled the door shut on his way out letting Tyreese catch one last glimpse of her, Daryl walked over to one of the crates before sitting on it as everyone stood in silence. No one was ready when they heard the singular gunshot and the shell of the bullet hitting the floor.
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Kassie walked with Tyreese, Sasha and Karen as they walked into the safe house people were in, she looked back to the adults who nodded in encouragement. Kassie adjusted her sling as she moved in front of the people, "some of you may remember me as a member of the guard here or as the orphan the Governor took in out of the goodness of his heart. But I'm here to tell you he lied to you all- even me" everyone gasped and started to argue but Kassiopeia shut them all down, "listen! I know this isn't something you want to hear but The Governor killed the people he took to fight the people at the prison, he killed them all because he was mad they wouldn't kill what remains of the human population! Now these people are good people! They saved me and my brother and took care of us even tho we aren't their people and now they have come to take you all back with them because it isn't safe here anymore. And I'm not going to lie to you because that's what Philip but I'm telling you that he won't stop being bad because that's who he is now, I will never discourage you to remember the good he has done but he isn't the same anymore and only cares for his own well being and now you all have a choice" Kassie explained as everyone watched her expectingly, "you can come with us or you can wait here to see what Philip will have you do next" she said as everyone shared a look before some people started walking towards the door, "wait where are you going?" Kassie called after them.
"We're packing our belongings boss lady" an older man said softly as he gave the girl a warm smile as the others still left seated stood and walked out the door.
Kassiopeia smiled as she rushed after the people, when she made it outside she saw a school bus waiting for everyone. She walked over to Daryl, Michonne and Rick who smiled at her in shock, "what did you say to them?" Rick asked as people left into their homes to come back out shortly after with bags of their things.
"I just told them the truth, Philip never did and I thought it would be better if they heard the truth" Kassie said with a small smile.
Rick smiled down at her as people gathered outside the bus, "remind me to talk to you later" he said with a smile as he moved to help people put their bags on the bus. Daryl lightly patted her shoulder as he smiled at her before moving to help, Michonne came over to her and wrapped her arm around her shoulders as they watched everyone get on the bus.
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As the sun shone over the tops of the trees Daryl's motorcycle led Rick's truck and the school bus into the prison, Maggie, Glenn and Mason had pulled open the gate as the vehicles drove into the gated area. Everyone slowly walked out of the prison as they looked at the school bus, the group that had just returned left their cars and started to help people off the bus with Kassiopeia leading the pack. Rick walked over to Carl as Carl glared at everyone getting off the bus, "What is this?" He asked bitterly.
Rick looked back to his son, "They're gonna join us" he said lightly at his words Carl walked off and back into the prison.
Everyone got motioned into the prison as the young and old walked Kassie ran over to her brother after leaving Lizzie's and Mika's sides. She pulled him into a tight hug not caring about the pain, he laughed lightly as he wrapped his arms around her. The twins held each other for a moment before they pulled apart and walked back into the prison together.