XLIX

—/<3/—

"I'm goin' to meet up with the governor today and I want you two to come with me," Rick said firmly, his brows furrowed with the stress of the situation. Rory and Daryl gave each other a look and then nodded. They didn't have time to ask any questions before Rick was running off, calling over his shoulder to meet him outside in an hour.

"Is it just us?" Rory asked Daryl, who was staring in the direction Rick ran off in.

"I dunno, he might bring someone else along. Probably Glenn or Maggie," Daryl answered. "Go get your shit sorted so we can leave."

"Rick said we have an hour." Rory's eyebrows furrowed. "There's no shit to sort that'll take that long."

"Go hang out with your friends or somethin' then."

"Are you not my friend?" She questioned teasingly.

"Y'know what I mean," Daryl grumbled. "I'm gonna go talk to Rick about this meetin', make sure it's legit."

"Okay. Can I have a kiss before you go? No one's here." Rory looked around, noting the lack of people in the hall.

"Right now?" Daryl turned bashful. He double checked the room for himself and then nodded slowly, leaning down and pressing a short peck to Rory's lips. "Go. I'll see you later."

—/<3/—

Rick, Daryl, Rory and Hershel pulled up to the meeting place in silence, immediately hopping out of the car with their weapons to scope the place out. The governor and his muscle had yet to arrive so they took the chance to get the feel of the place and check for any walkers.

They rounded the side of the building and Rick motioned for Rory and Daryl to hide whilst he went inside. The pair did so begrudgingly, peering through the windows to watch Rick scout out the inside.

It seemed safe and empty until the Governor came out from the rusted boiler he was hiding behind. Rory watched as Rick and the Governor exchanged hushed words, unable to hear from where she was. She caught Daryl's attention from where he was hiding on the other side of the door and motioned to her ear. Daryl shook his head; he couldn't hear either.

They both tensed up when Rick raised his voice and his gun, on high alert just in case something happened. Rory glanced around. There was no way the Governor came alone.

"C'mon," Daryl whispered as the two leaders sat down across from each other inside. Rory nodded and followed him back to Hershel to update him.

"He's already in there, sat down with Rick," Daryl stated.

"I don't see no cars around. There doesn't seem to be anyone else here." Hershel said as he stopped the car next to the couple.

"It doesn't feel right, something's up." Daryl kissed his teeth.

"He wouldn't have come alone, he probably has men hidden around here somewhere," Rory said. Right on cue, a car pulled up at the side of the building and Daryl raised his crossbow. Rory didn't bother reaching for her gun just yet, but her hand hovered over where she'd tucked it in the side of her shorts.

She glanced past the guy in the driver's seat, who was smirking gaudily, and into the passenger's seat, then the back seat to see how many men the Governor had brought, but her eyes widened a fraction when she spotted Jonah staring back at her.

Andrea hopped out of the passenger's seat with her nose in the air, making a show of looking Rory up and down. The latter had to hold herself back from laughing. Instead she turned her attention to Jonah and the other guy who got out of the back seat.

"The hell's your boy already in there for?" Daryl asked angrily, keeping his crossbow aimed at them.

"He's here?" Andrea frowned. Daryl didn't say anything so Andrea went to check for herself.

"Go with her," Daryl said to Rory, his eyes darting to the doors.

"You know I can't stand her," Rory hissed. She lowered her voice and stepped closer to Daryl, "Jonah's here."

"Which one? Buzzcut, glasses or long hair?"

"Long hair."

"I'll watch him for ya, go in there," Daryl said.

"No." Rory took a step back, her voice raising to her normal volume. "All she's gonna do is give another one of her pathetic little pick-me speeches and they're both gonna ignore her so why do I need to go in there?"

"Are you two done?" Hershel raised an eyebrow. Daryl and Rory have him a look.

"Whatever, do what you want." Daryl scoffed. He lowered his crossbow and leant against car bonnet. The driver from the other car did the same.

"Maybe I should go inside then," Hershel offered.

"No. The governor thought it best that he and Rick spoke privately," the guy with the glasses, Milton, said as he scarfed something down on a piece of paper.

"Oh, but Andrea can go in?" Rory questioned sarcastically, tilting her head to the side.

"I'm not sure I like your tone," he replied.

"I don't like your face but you don't see me complaining." Rory bit childishly.

"Okay Aurora go over there and check for walkers," Hershel placed a hand on Rory's shoulder and ushered her in the opposite direction.

"Don't call me Aurora," Rory grumbled, but she did as she was told, stalking around to the side of the building to check in the bushes.

"I'll go with her to keep an eye on her," Jonah said, feigning suspicion as he nodded to the driver. Rory was staring at the back of the governors head through the window when he found her.

"I've missed you," he said quietly.

"I'm mad at you," Rory replied shortly and Jonah's face dropped.

"Why? We haven't seen each other almost a year, I couldn't have done anything to upset you."

"You told Merle about my foster dad."

"You met Merle?"

"He's Daryl's brother, I knew him before you did."

"Oh." Jonah went silent for a moment and then turned back towards her. "I thought you were dead, I was grieving so I told him everything I knew about every single one of you, including the time Archie got mono when that girl spat tequila into his mouth."

"God that was disgusting... I still don't know why he let her do that."

"Me neither. I can start making it up to you by giving you information, I don't know how much of it you already know from Andrea's impromptu visit though."

Rory nodded, not taking her eyes off of the Governor.The man shifted in his seat and Rory got a glimpse of a familiar object duct taped under the table, out of sight from Rick. "Hold that thought, I'll be right back."

"Rory!" Jonah called after her. He jogged back around to the front of the building, following her as she hurried off.

"You can't go in there!" Milton yelled from his position by the car.

"You wanna try and stop me? You look like you could be blown over by a particularly strong gust of wind." Rory rolled her eyes, marching towards the door. The driver let out a sharp laugh to which Milton sent him an unappreciative glare.

Rory ignored the stares of Andrea and the Governor, her eyes settling on Rick as she stopped beside him and bent down to whisper in his ear.

"Do you mind? We're in the middle of something," Andrea bristled, her face scrunching up.

"I don't mind at all," Rory flashed a fake smile and turned back to Rick, her voice lowering to an almost soundless whisper, "he's got a gun taped under the table, be careful."

"Thank you," he whispered back. Rory nodded and stood to her full height, making her way back to the door.

"Later Andrea, Philip," she spoke, popping the 'p' at the end of the Governor's name.

—/<3/—