Summary: What if Ric had seen Andrea get grabbed by the Governor?
It was a beautiful day, as Ric stood on lookout with a rifle in hand. He saw movement by some bushes and looked into the scope on the rifle.
A moment later, he saw Andrea with hands up in surrender, looking relieved.
Andrea? he thought, curious as to why she was here.
A second later, he saw the Governor come up behind her and grab her. Then they disappeared behind the bushes. Quickly, he left the post and ran towards the gate. And as he made it out, he closed the gate and shot at walkers with his hand gun. Some came close to him as he ran, but he shot them down.
Soon, he entered behind the bushes silently. The Governor was on top of her, hand over her mouth.
“Let her go,” Ric ordered, gun held to the back of his head.
“I clearly suggest to put that down,” the Governor replied.
“Let her go,” Ric repeated.
“Fine,” he said. “She’s all yours.”
The Governor got to his feet and let go of her.
Ric held his gun up to him, as did the Governor.
“Get off this land and don’t come back. I want you gone. Is that a deal?” Ric said.
“You underestimate me, Ric.”
It was clear to the officer that he wasn’t leaving. He also knew that he had to end this, or the Governor would hurt others and do much worst things. So he did what had to be done. He put a bullet in the Governor’s head, killing him. He shot him a second time to make sure he didn’t turn. Then he put safety on his gun, put it away, and carried an unconscious Andrea towards the prison.
Once safely inside with the gate closed, he walked into the cell block where they were all staying, Andrea in his arms.
Ric set the rifle on the table and walked upstairs towards an empty cell. The closest empty cell was next door to Merle’s cell.
Merle saw Ric passing by with Andrea. He got to his feet and watched him walk into an empty cell and lay her down, before he asked the officer, “What’s she doing back?”
Ric turned to look at Merle, whom was standing in the doorway.
“I don’t know, but it’s over now. It had to be done.”
“You killed him?”
“I had to. He wasn’t going to leave without her. He had bad intentions. It was the only way to help her and end all of this.”
“So you did it, after all. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Merle left to go back to his cell.
Ric watched him go. He then looked down at Andrea, as he stood by her.
Andrea didn’t know how long she was out, but when she came to, Ric was seated on a chair by her.
“You’re awake,” he greeted.
She slowly sat up in bed and looked at him.
“Thank you, Ric. You helped me. What happened to the Governor?” she replied.
“I killed him. It was the only way. He wasn’t going to go anywhere and I wasn’t going to let him take you. What are you doing here in the first place?”
“I came here, because I had to warn you about the shooting. I also had to come here, because I don’t belong in Woodbury. I know that now. I belong here. You’re my family. Like you once said Ric, We look out for each other.”
“How sweet of you, darling,” Merle commented from the doorway.
She looked at him, as did Ric.
“I wasn’t referring to you.” She then looked at Ric and said, “We all need to make a trip to Woodbury. The Governor is dead and no one is there to take his place. I don’t belong there, but things need settled.”
“First, I have to let them know what happened. They don’t know you’re here,” Ric informed her.
Merle left and Ric and Andrea got to their feet.
Half an hour later, everyone had been filled in and they were happy to have her back.
An hour later, they arrived in their vehicles and they told everyone the truth. The people in Woodbury decided not to stay. Instead, they went with Ric and them and they headed back to the prison to stay.
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