Author's Note: My original love story has a new chapter up. Check it out if you're following that one too! ^^

Theme Song: "Monster" - Ruelle

The next morning I was dragged around Juno with Daniel. Or rather hobbled. I was still immensely sore, but he took his time with me as if he truly cared about me. It was disgusting.

He spoke of the place like he was building an empire, bit by bit. He bored me to death with his talk, but I listened carefully for any clues I might need for later.

Unfortunately, he didn't give me any insight. He paraded me around like I was his queen. I hated that he had draped his arm behind my neck. And it made goosebumps spread across my neck everytime he squeezed my shoulder.

I wanted nothing more than to hit him, beat him, rip his eyes our or torture him slowly. But, I couldn't. I would think of Hershel and it calmed my nerves. Now was not the time.

I asked him about Charlie and he informed me that I didn't need to worry about him..and that he wouldn't come near me again or else he'd suffer dearly. I hadn't seen Charlie once while walking the grounds with Daniel.

For most of the afternoon after our walk, I spent recovering as much as I could. Anything that was broke, such as a rib, would have to just heal itself. I had caught a flicker of myself in a mirror in the living room of the house and cringed.

My bruises were starting to fade, but they were still large circles of light purple. Parts of the purple started to turn yellow, but it still made me sick to my stomach when I would see them.

I was only allowed out every once in awhile and only with Daniel. Besides that, I was confined to the room I was originally brought in. Hershel had tended to me best he could. But, he had strict times that I was able to see Hershel.

Other than that, I really didn't know what Hershel was doing or what they were doing to him. He looked well, but I saw the circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. Hershel would assure me he was just tending to the people in the camp and doing minor labor. He was keeping a low profile as best he could and for that I was relieved.

The following morning when I woke up, Daniel came in shortly after. He looked like he had been out on a run, he was shrugging off gear taking his black gloves off as he walked in. Daniel stared at me surreptitiously and I felt my insides quiver..but not in a good way.

He came to sit on my bed and I immediately scooted back, pulling the covers up close over my thin camisole that covered me. I pulled my legs up closer to me even though they were under the bed sheet. I cringed as my ribs cried out in protest at the movement.

"You're still scared of me." Daniel stated simply as a ghost of frown escaped his features. I stared deadpanned in his direction and he shifted on the bed so that he was facing me and I felt my body tremble in fear and anger.

My fear wasn't necessarily for myself, but it was for the unknown. Any wrong move and Hershel could be the next victim. Or me. The visions of the women came to ny mind and I flinched as Daniel scooted farther up the bed, regardless of my posture that screamed I was uncomfortable.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Vicki. Not yet, at least." He added the last line as that mild veil of a warning. Letting me know he was still in control of the situation at Juno. I held his gaze with my piercing green eyes boring into his dark ones.

Daniel narrowed his eyes at me and in one swift motion his right hand gripped my jaw, his hands large enough to encompass my cheeks. He squeezed and I felt my body tense. 

Hershel. My mind chanted over and over again. I had to be compliant for Hershel. I feared Daniel would use retaliation against Hershel if I did anything stupid or lashed out.

I was truly a puppet for his amusement and it burned a fire to the very core of my existence. "You are beautiful, you know that?" He mused as he inspected my gashed and bruised face from the attack of his brother, "But, this is not the best color on you." He added ruefully as his thumb started to caress the skin on my cheek.

I glared daggers at him, though I held my tongue. He sighed heavily and tsked as I stayed silent, "Vicki, you understand that you're going to have to come around at some point, right?" He spoke to me like I was a child and I felt her bottom lip tremble in fiery anger and agitation.

My next words were held with pure contempt and hate and they slipped put effortlessly, "You're crazy." It was the only two words I could muster and there was a blaze in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. A flash of crazy that came and went so fast you'd miss it if you weren't staring into the depths of his evil eyes.

"You have no idea, sweetheart." The briefest image of Daryl came to my mind as Daniel used the word sweetheart again.

Every once in a while, though not often, Daryl would call me that. His country twang filled my head and I wanted to smile, but refrained from doing so.

He still held my face between his hand and I realized he could crush my jaw if he chose to. He cocked his head to the side in a calculating way, looking to me like a doll. I hated it.

As my mind thought up all the ways I'd love to kill him, I was taken off guard as he thrust me forward and assaulted my mouth with his own. He had never, not once, done anything like this in my time being here the last time I was at Juno. He had always watched me from afar, but never touched me in this way.

This was beyond the possessive nature I had seen before. This bordered on manic and now it was getting physical. I pulled back with all my might, my hands gripping the bedsheet, willing myself not to strangle him out of fear of what he might not do to Hershel.

Daniel pulled back from the kiss and I was seething like a mad person. Everything about the kiss was wrong, unnatural and disgusting. Daniel merely shook his head before patting my cheek roughly, "Like it or not, you're mine. You'd do best to make peace with that. You're not getting out of here this time." He paused and then smirked, "You'll submit soon enough."

His words were a warning as he got up and strode over towards the door. The moment the door closed and his footsteps sounded down the hallway, I let out a choked sob. My chest heaved up and down as I felt the beginning of an anxiety attack start to come over me.

I felt my vision blur slightly and my chest tightened as if someone was clutching my heart over and over again. I breathed in deep, closing my eyes and covering my face in my hands. My heart rate started to come back down to normal and I took a slow, deep breath.

I viciously wiped my lips with the back of my hand, choking on another distraught sob that bubbled up in my anger. Daniel had to die.

But, I certainly wasn't going to do anything brash that would get Hershel and myself killed. As of now,I was terrified just drinking the water I was given in fear I could be drugged at some point.

I had a person on the inside that I might be able to trust. Was I willing to risk it all and tell Merle where the group was staying at? I didn't know how much longer I could survive in Juno because I was not about to let Daniel take advantage of me and do worse.

I felt my resolve crumbling and I knew if I was going act, I needed to act now. Things were getting more intense and I knew without a doubt that Hershel and me would end up dying here if we didn't get out. It was a daunting thing to think about, but it was the only thing I could focus on for the better part of the afternoon.

It wasn't until I heard a commotion outside in the early evening that made me get up out of bed and push back the curtains. A large group was gathered around a younger looking guy that was closer to my age.

I stared down at everyone as Daniel made his way to the center of the circle where the kid stood, head bowed and his hands folded before him as if he were guilty of something.

Merle was standing in the circle, but his eyes were cast upon me now as he saw me looking out the window. Merle had pressed me every time he saw me about where Daryl was since our first meeting. But, I never once gave him anything. I was still torn about trusting the man.

Daniel paced around the kid and I saw Daniel's lips moving, but I couldn't make out anything. The kid tried to speak, but Daniel pointed a finger in his face and he quieted with the quickness. Merle looked troubled as he shifted on his feet, while Daniel paced around like King Dick on campus.

The kid swallowed thickly and shrugged his shoulders, clearly unsure of what to say before Daniel held up a bag of something. Some of the men in the group down below snickered. Others looked ticked off.

Daniel dumped the contents out before the kid's feet and I saw it was a bag of non-perishables and some protein bars. I called him a kid, but he was definitely a young adult, but still…he was the youngest guy there and he looked scared.

I felt a small emotion of pity for the kid as it looked to me that he had been stealing food from the group. Which meant that not everyone got enough to go around. Merle stepped up as Daniel started to pace around slowly. He said something and Daniel gave him a look and Merle fell silent.

I watched with rapt attention as Daniel walked up to the kid and got in his face. Whatever he was saying made the kid fearful because his eyes widened and he looked right at Merle. I didn't know what connection the kid had with Merle, but he seemed to be someone that trusted Merle, possibly even a friend. If that was possible.

I noticed Merle stepped up again and Daniel was thinking on whatever he was about to say. Daniel smiled sickeningly before saying a few more things and then clapping once. On that command, everyone dispersed and it left the young guy and Merle standing together.

I watched as Merle slowly brought his eyes up to meet mine and I shoved away from the window, my chest rising and falling rapidly from the exchange that had just played out.

What the hell had just happened?

Later that evening, Merle came into my room and brought me dinner. I glared at Merle, but took the food from him anyways. He looked like he was nervous and he seemed way more antsy than usual.

"What the hell happened down there this afternoon?" I didn't waste time with formalities. This was not the time or place for that. Surprisingly, Merle answered without a moment hesitation.

"Damn kid. Name's Calvin. Been showin' him the ropes since he got here. Got too hungry and decided to take some of Daniel's stash for his own. Daniel didn't take too kindly to that."

I felt my body run cold and I wondered if this Calvin boy was dead. Merle merely shook his head seeing my expression, "Ain't like that, girlie. Daniel just held Calvin responsible. Makin' him go out on the next run."

Merle stepped up to me in a rather intimidating way now, his shank hand coming up close to my face.

I wasn't scared of Merle, so I didn't let his blade scare me. I knew what Merle wanted. And deep down I knew I had to give it to him. His voice lowered an octave as he looked behind his shoulder at the closed door and then at me, "I volunteered to go with the boy. Alone."

He stared at me until I realized what he was saying. He was leaving Juno with the boy to go on a run. As in, leaving the camp. Leaving the house.

He tilted his head slightly as he watched me process what he was saying, "How do you know the boy will go along with detouring on the run?" I whispered, my heart racing at the mere thought of Merle leaving to go to the prison, to warn the others of our whereabouts and that we were still alive. "He'll listen." Merle stated with an air of confidence that I wasn't anticipating.

"He looks up to you or something?" I asked in mild disbelief. Merle shrugged lazily, "Somethin' like that, Legs." I rolled my eyes at his pet name for me before crossing my arms across my chest.

"How do I know you won't lead Daniel right to it?" My voice was a fierce whisper as I took a small step toward Merle. He smirked at me, "You don't, sweetheart. You jus' gotta' trust 'ole Merle to do the right thing."

I groaned and placed my forehead in my hands. My head was already hurting and I was nervous. I was also scared and a hell of a lot of other things. This could back fire. Merle could lie or he could lead Daniel right to the prison, but what other choice did I have?

I looked up and saw Merle staring at me. He was nervous and I could tell by his demeanor that he knew he was risking his neck going with Calvin on this run. And it wouldn't make sense for Merle to tell Daniel about the prison and her people because Merle could lose Daryl if that happened.

Daniel could come take over and kill them all. No way was Merle going to risk that. I pushed some strands of auburn hair out of my face, looking to the floorboards before looking back up at Merle, "Alright, I'll tell you."

He clapped my shoulder with the hand he still had in exuberance, "Atta' girl." He smiled at me wolfishly, but it slightly faltered on my next words, "You can act like a hard ass all you want, Merle. But, I understand a sibling's love. I had a brother named Henry. I'd do anything for him if he were still alive."

I paused and Merle looked away, staring at the floorboard, his usual arrogance completely gone now. "I know, regardless of what you've done in the past, you won't let anything happen to Daryl." I admitted this lowly, my eyes looking away as Merle stared at me for a long moment.

"The West Georgia Correctional facility." I murmured quietly, averting my eyes from Merle as he perked up at my admission of the location.

"Prison?" He whispered and I nodded silently. "Daniel got any maps for you to take with you on the run?" I asked and he got up quickly from his perch against the wall and started towards the door, "Sure he does." He muttered.

I watched as Merle changed into a man on a mission. He knew where to go and he wasn't going to waste any time. "When do ya'll leave?" I asked as he was about to head out. Merle turned back towards me and crossed the distance to me slowly, "Tomorrow, at dawn. Ya' sure ya' don' wanna'.."

He got nervous when he spoke, as if someone could be listening, but I heard the implication in his tone.

I shook my head profusely, "I can't stow away, Merle. They'll kill Hershel. He's a good man. I won't risk his safety." Merle stood silent for a moment and nodded before heading back towards the door. He stopped upon reaching for the doorknob and turned back towards me as I whispered, "Good luck."

Merle smirked and shook his head, "I ain't need luck, girlie. I'm a Dixon." Despite the situation, I let a small smile escape my lips and I saw a rare, genuine smile from Merle.

He quickly snuck out without another word. I grabbed the canned food that he left and dug in, getting my strength back with nourishment. I was filled with a glimmer of bubbling hope that maybe, just maybe, Merle could be trusted.

And if he did end up doing the right thing, then he might just end up leading Rick and Daryl straight to Juno.

God help Daniel and his men if Rick and Daryl came rolling through…because those two men wouldn't go down without a fight and neither me or Hershel would get left behind.