Emma's P.O.V
Today is the day that Hershel, Daryl, and Rick are going to meet The Governor.
Rick wasn't gonna let Daryl go because he thinks Daryl will 'act out' on The Governor because of what he did to me. Rick doesn't know exactly what he did to me but he knows it wasn't good.
I decided that I'd talk to the both of them, at different times, and sort everything out.
I choose to talk to Rick first.
"Rick, you should let him go." I said.
"I don't think that's a good idea. One wrong move and The Governor and his people will kill us all." He said.
"I'll talk to Daryl, I'll just say, I'm okay. I'll ask him not to do anything. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything." I said.
"I'll find someone to go in his place." Rick said.
"I don't think that's a good idea. We already have Hershel going as the driver. Merle can't go. Maggie isn't in her right mind to go. Glenn is on a war rampage. You wouldn't let Beth, Carl, or I go. That leaves Carol, who is still rusty with a gun if anything does go bad. There's also Michonne who you and I both know The Governor would take right when he sees her." I said.
Rick nodded. "Talk to him. Make sure he's not gonna do anything. If you think he's gonna you tell me. Got it?" He asked.
I nodded and walked off.
"Dad, will you promise me something?" I asked with a hint of curiosity in my voice.
"Depends." He said jokingly.
"Whatever happens with The Governor you cant make the first move." I said.
"Is that really what you think I'm gonna do?" He asked sounding upset.
"Dad. I-I didn't mean it bad. I just don't want anything to go wrong." I said.
"Well don't worry. Nothing's gonna happen." He said.
I nodded and walked off.
I still need Hershel to look at my bruise. I was wearing the same thing as yesterday still because I didn't want to risk it being seen while I was wearing a different shirt.
I find Hershel in his cell and begin asking him things that probably sound suspicious.
"Hey Hershel, I have a quick question for you before you leave." I said.
He looked to me and made some weird motion with his hands hinting for me to ask.
"Can you keep it between us though?" I asked.
"If its not anything too bad, like something I think is major or anything." He said.
"Can you please not tell anyone? Theres only like three people who already know but thats because they were with me when it happened. Please just don't tell Daryl." I said.
"Okay. Whats your question?" He asked me.
"Can you look at something for me? I'm sorry, I had no one else to go to. You're the only person with medical training and all." I said.
"I'd be happy to." He said.
I then proceeded to take off my sweatshirt and he could already see the bruise.
"What happened?" He asked quite shocked.
"Yesterday on the run Carl, Rick, Michonne, and I got shot at and I had my locket on, thankfully. Well one of the bullets hit me, but got the locket." I said.
"Do you mind if I take a closer look?" He asked.
I shook my head no.
He then proceeded to look at the bruise.
"It doesn't look like anything other than just a really bad bruise. I'd advise you drink as much water as you can. That area is gonna be really sore and tender for quite a while but other than that it shouldn't be too bad." He said.
"Thank you." I said as I put my sweatshirt back on.
I then walked out. Part of me feels like I should tell Daryl but then I don't think he'd ever let me leave again.
Daryl, Hershel, and Rick were about to leave but of course I did my routine of hugging Daryl before he left. This time Merle didn't say anything.
Rick's P.O.V
We pulled up to our meeting place, Daryl was on his bike and Hershel and I were in a car. Hershel was driving.
I got out of the car and went with Daryl to check this place out. Everything looked clear but we were still suspicious, we were completely silent and communicated only with hand signals.
We found a walker that had been put down. It looked fresh but no one else was supposed to be here yet.
I walked carefully into the building we were supposed to meet in and I cocked my gun, I kept it to my side though.
I found a table and two chairs. It was all silent besides for a creaking sound of someone walking. I looked in the direction of the creaking and The Governor walked out.
He walked to the opposite side of the table and raised his hands showing that he had no weapons. He chuckled but I just stared at him.
He began, "We have a lot to talk about." He said as he lowered his hands.
"You attacked us, makes things pretty clear." I said.
"I was trying to make things clear. I coulda killed you all. I didn't." He said rather blankly.
"And here we are." I responded.
He went to reach for something and I raised my gun up immediately.
He put his hands back up, "I'm gonna remove my weapon. Show that I mean to negotiate in good faith. I'd like you to do the same... May I?"
I just moved my gun a bit like 'what are you waiting for'.
He then proceeded to remove his belt that holstered all of his weapons. He held it up and set it behind him.
"See? No trouble." He said with his hands still up. He chuckled once more and said, "Now you."
I just pulled back my weapon and un-cocked it. I then reholstered it with no intentions of removing the holster.
"Well... suit yourself." He said, then chuckled yet again and went to take a seat.
*A little bit later*
Andrea walked in.
"What's going on?" She asked.
"Nothing... Your friend isn't much for small talk." The Governor replied.
"You wanna talk, talk." I responded.
"I want you to talk." Andrea admits. She continues, "Too many people have died for no reason. Let's end this. Save the bullets for the real threat. We can solve this. Thats why I asked you to come here."
"I know what you've done... I heard about the raids, the heads, Maggie, Emma." I said to The Governor.
"Merle did that." He retorted.
"No. You know what I'm talking about." I said.
"You know all about me and I know all about you. I don't care about any of that. We're here to move forward." He said with a grin. I just glared at him.
"I've known you both at different times, but only after the world went to shit. And you both stepped up for the good of others at great personal risk. Theres no reason--" Andrea said getting cut off by The Governor.
"Get to it." He said.
"Woodbury takes west of the river. The prison takes east. No one crosses, no one trades." I proposed.
"He's right. We should hammer out boundaries then leave each other--" Andrea said getting cut off by The Governor once more.
"I'm sorry what is this?" The Governor said.
"Its a solution." Andrea said.
The Governor just laughed. "Absolutely not." He said as he handed the map back to me.
"What the hell am I doing here? You told me---" I asked getting cut off by The Governor.
"Told him what?" The Governor interrupted.
"You told me he was willing to talk." I said clearly angry.
"I am, but the truth is, Rick she's in no position to make such an offer anyway. I'm here for one thing only-- your surrender." The Governor said.
"Oh, you want surrender? Come get it. You think we hit Woodbury heavy last time?" I said.
"Just take it easy, alright? We're here to settle this." Andrea butted in.
"You're right. Would you step outside?" The Governor said to Andrea.
"What?" She asked shocked.
"Rick and I, we got a lot to talk about." The Governor said.
"I'm not leaving." Andrea said. She doesn't really have any say in what happens either way.
"I came to talk to him." I said.
With that Andrea left.
The Governor motioned for me to take a seat, and so I did.
One of his men came and shut the door Andrea left out of.
"So you're The Governor?" I began.
"Thats, uh, thats their term, not mine." He said.
"Oh. But still, you're beholden to your people." I said.
"Well of course."
"You have responsibility to them."
"Mm-hmm."
"Wasn't Merle your lieutenant?"
"He was helpful, yeah."
"But you knew he was erratic. You blame him for scooping up Glenn and Maggie in the first place?"
"Exactly. I was trying to sort it out when you attacked."
"So it was his fault?"
"He's a wild card but he's effective. He gets the dirty jobs done."
"I thought you'd take responsibility."
"I thought you were a cop, not a lawyer."
"Either way I don't pretend to be a governor."
"I told you, I'm their leader."
"You're the town drunk who knocked over my fence and ripped up my yard, nothing more."
"Didn't you ever misjudge someone? Hmm? Andrea told me about your baby. That it might be your partner's. But you're caring for her and I admire that. Restitution for your own lack of insight. For failing to see the devil beside you."
"Oh, I see him, alright."
The Governor just laughs.
He then bangs on the table and says "I brought whiskey." Over excitedly might I add. That just coincides with my 'town drunk' comment.
The Governor had fixed us each a glass of whisky.
He began, " I care about my people and I don't take their deaths lightly, and I know you don't either. In a way, this fight, its a failure of leadership."
"Then leave us alone." I retorted.
"Well, now, that would be an even bigger failure. You've moved into our backyard. You shot up Main Street. If I let that threat persist I look weak and, well, the whole thing crumbles."
"Well, thats your problem. Your choice."
"Now isn't that why we're here?... Choice. If we choose to destroy everything we've fought for over the past year... we're gonna a kill everyone we know. At your prison. Back in Woodbury. People we love, Rick." He paused for quite a long time. "I was at work one day taking shit from a boss half my age and an IQ even lower. And the phone rang. My wife had been in an accident. 'Sorry Mr.Blake, we did everything we could.' I sat there holding that phone, knowing that I would never see her again. Gone. It was just an accident. No one's fault. She had left a voicemail asking me to call her, but I hadn't had the chance yet. I sat there clutching that phone thinking, 'What did she want?' Just to check in? Ask me to pick something up for dinner? What did she want?" He ended.
I sat there and tried to force out something to say but nothing came to mind, so I just took a drink of my whiskey. And he did the same.
We sat there in silence a bit longer and The Governor began once more.
He stood up and said, "You know, the truth is I didn't want any of this. They chose me because there was nobody else around. And they still think that I'm the man that can keep them safe. They still think I know what I'm doing." He walked over and put his belt back on. "I know you got guns. Mmm. That was quite a stash you brought back the other day. Now, my people, they're not combat-tested like yours are, but I've got more of them. So this fight, it will go down to the last man... So let's end it. Today. Lets not do this. We can walk away. You have something that I want. One thing that makes this all alright." He said causing me to be suspicious.
"Well I'm not giving up the prison." I said.
"No. I-I don't want your prison. That doesn't sound safe at all. I mean, you lost your wife, another man." He said.
"We're not, moving on." I retorted.
"What good would that do me? Best you stay where I can keep my one good eye on you." He said. He then pulled off his eye patch revealing his eye.
"I want Michonne and Emma. Turn them over and this all goes away... Are they worth it? One woman and one girl... worth all those lives at your prison? Is she?" He asked.
I sat there and immediately began thinking it all over.
We sat there for a while, he must've been letting me think it over.
I began, "Yeah. I don't get it. You've obviously got big plans. Like you're the guy who's gonna lick this thing. Bring us back from the brink. So why waste your time on a two-bit vendetta? Why risk it all? You could have a statue of yourself in the town square, Governor. Killing Michonne, Emma is sorta beneath you, don't you think?"
"I'm not gonna kill Emma. Her mother just wants her back. You could save your son. Save your daughter. Everyone you know. It's your choice." He said.
That made me think a bit.
"Emma has her father... If I give you Michonne and Emma, how do I know you'll keep your word that you'll stop?"
"You can have everything you want. I told you, I don't care about you. You think about it. Two days. I'll be here at noon." He said and then he walked towards the door, opened it, and left.
I then stood up and went after him. He went to his people and I went to mine.
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I know this episode was more than just Rick and The Governor's meeting but I feel it was important. I don't think the scenes with Daryl, Martinez, Andrea, Milton, and Hershel were as important. It didn't build to my story in anyway so I feel it was unnecessary. I didn't think it was important showing how Merle wanted to attack The Governor because he never actually went through with it at this time. I may show bits and pieces of it in flashbacks at different times but thats it. I did my best to copy the show's dialogue used as best as possible due to how important I feel their meeting was. Thank you all for reading. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. If you enjoyed this chapter don't forget to VOTE and if you have anything to say at all don't forget to COMMENT, I read them all.
Much love, the random girl who wrote this story.-<3