A.N: They're finally meeting! 

"I am hitting my head against the walls, but the walls are giving away." 

- Gustav Mahler 

A loud and sharp clang woke her up from her unconsciousness, disorienting her for a while. When she came to, she realised that she was in a room with rusted steel walls and tainted wood. Trying to stand up, she realised as she glanced down that she was tied to her chair. 

She gritted her teeth and attempted to yank her wrist out of the rope, groaning in pain as the dry cloth pushed onto her skin and against her bones. 

"Ah ah ah!" 

Her head whipped towards the voice and her blood immediately boiled over. He grinned and waved his artificial hand, "You're gonna hurt yourself, sweetheart!" his eyes dropped to her heaving chest, chuckling to himself. The sound of his chuckle was like nails on chalkboard, grinding Aliya's gears. 

She understood that this man thrived at her reactions. So she just sat still, staring him down. He opened his mouth to speak up when a voice cut him off, "Merle!" his grin immediately dropped as he looked back at the governor who stood in the doorway. 

Merle dropped his gaze before nodding politely at him, "Gov'nor." he glanced at Aliya for a second before hesitantly going out of the room. The man stared at her deeply, taking her image in, and like a predator, walked towards her slowly. 

The silence gripped at her nerves, an involuntary gasp coming out when he waved a knife at her face, dragging it against her cheeks before finally cutting her ties loose. He loomed at her back for a while, his hands running through her back before leaving her alone to sit on the chair on the opposite side of the table. 

He smacked his lips and shrugged his shoulders, "We," he pursed his lips, "got off on the wrong foot, don't you think?" his head tilted a bit, gouging her reaction. Or lack, thereof. He sighed as if disappointed, "You have to understand that your people stole from us." 

She stood up abruptly, pushing the table separating them, towards him, hitting him in the stomach. "I'll fucking kill you!" she lunged at him but he was too strong, grabbing a handful of her head and bashing her head onto the steel table. Without letting go of her hair, he lifted her head up and pushed his lips onto her ear, "Your people killed a handful of my men." he pulled at her hair once more. 

"I'm just giving my people what they deserve." he whispered before dragging her to the ground, straddling her. He had his knees on each of her wrists, disabling her from reaching out to hit him. Aliya groaned and tried to buck him off of her, "Go to hell!" she croaked out as he lifted his fist up before pounding on her face. 

She could only take so much punches before she was swinging in and out of consciousness, her brain completely losing control of her whole body. His smile became more sinister as he pulled on her shirt, "You don't need this." he licked his lips as he tugged her shirt off completely, exposing her flimsy bra. 

He took a deep breath, mockingly dragging his knife on the steel wires of her bra, before completely cutting it off. Her arms instinctively curled up to cover herself up but his knees prevented her from moving. She closed her eyes tightly as she inched her head to the side, trying to avoid his touch. 

The governor sighed before standing up and storming out of the room, leaver her shaking on the cold cemented ground. 

----

She didn't know how long she laid there, trying her hardest to cover herself up. When the governor left the room, he took her turned up shirt and bra with him. Sick bastard. 

Her body tensed when the door to her room opened up and spat Merle with a tray on his hand. With one hand trying to cover herself up, she used the other to aid her in crawling away from him. "Woah, sweetheart." his forehead creased as he took in the sight of her. It bothered her how shocked he seemed to be, not knowing what act he was trying to put up.

Merle gently put down the tray of food in front of her, his eyes not leaving her terrified face. She took a chance and spoke up, "Why are you doing this?" she bit hard on her bottom lip to keep her sob at bay, "You already killed everybody!" she let out a whimper when he lifted his hand out to her. 

"Merle!" 

Merle looked back at the man who called him and nodded, "Yeah! I'm coming!" and looked back at Aliya briefly before standing up to leave. When she was sure that they were gone, her shoulder slumped as she cried onto her knees. 

----

The door screamed again and came in the Governor with a nasty frown in his face. Aliya's lips trembled as her eyes watered in fear. The governor noticed this and smiled in satisfaction, "At least you get it." her forehead creased in confusion. 

He mockingly expressed annoyance and groaned, "Did I forget to tell you?" he squinted his eyes and pointed at her before chuckling, "Your friend's on the other side of this wall." she swallowed a lump in her throat, her eyes widening. He smiled at her pointedly before suddenly wrapping his hand around her throat to drag her into the wall. 

The wall shook as he screamed into it, "Do y'all miss each other?" he pulled at her neck, making her face him. "Do ya?" his face crumpled in mocked curiosity before letting go of Aliya's neck, letting her drop to the floor roughly. The governor shook his head and caressed his hand before leaving the room once again. 

Aliya pressed her cheek against the wall and knocked, "Arden?" her hopeful voice sent shivers down Arden's spine. He dragged his body to the wall and knocked back, "Aliya?" his voice broke in sync with his heart. 

"What did he do to you?" 

Aliya sniffled and cleared her throat, "I can handle it." she hugged herself tighter, "What did they do to you, Arden?" her lips shook as she listened to his rough coughing, "Nothing that I couldnn't handle." her eyes fluttered close at his attempt to lighten up the situation. 

She gulped, "I thought he killed you." she paused, wiping her tears away. Arden let out a shaky breath, "Me too." he was so sure that he saw the explosion targeted at her. It scare him to death, thinking that she was dead. He cleared his throat and clutched his shoulder in pain, "We're gonna get out of here." but Aliya was having a hard time believing that. 

He noticed her silence, "Hey." he lightly tapped the noisy wall, "We're gonna get out of here." he repeated, trying to convince himself as well. Aliya only hummed, laying her forehead against the wall in between them. 

----

She stared at the tray of food in front of her, her stomach was hurrying her up. Aliya knocked on the door, "D'you have food in there?" her morals and her body was in disagreement. How could she still eat when her people were massacred not long ago? 

Arden looked at the empty space in front of him and nodded, "Yeah." his stomach grumbled in protest. He didn't want to worry her even further, "What do you have?" he blinked deeply, trying to keep himself awake. 

Aliya took a deep breath and explored her food, "I have rice," she chuckled a bit, "some eggs and water." she took a sip of the water, almost closing her eyes in satisfaction. She knocked on the walls again, "What do you have?" 

"I have the same." 

Hearing that made her feel a momentary relief. At least they had the decency to feed them. Granted, it was very uncomfortable trying to eat while trying to cover herself up, she felt very satisfied after. 

They didn't provide any utensils. Not even plastic ones. She could use the tray to bash Merle's skull in, she supposed. But after a few minutes, she started feeling quaint and dizzy. She lifted a weak hand and knocked on the wall, "Arden?" 

He knocked back, feeling worried with her shaky voice. "Are you okay?" she whimpered as she fell on the ground, "I don't feel so good." she tried to move her arms and legs but they wouldn't budge, not even her fingers would twitch. 

"Aliya?" 

Arden's heart pounded in his chest as he loudly slammed the wall, "Aliya!" he tried to run towards the door only to be pulled back by his chains. "Aliya!" the veins in his neck protruded. 

Hearing the commotion, the corner of the governor's lips lifted. He looked at his right-hand man, Merle, and smirked, "Time to work." he slapped his thigh slightly before grunting to get up, glancing at Martinez and signalling him to follow. 

The multiple footsteps echoing through the hallways doubled the fear in her heart, her breathing becoming ragged and rough. Arden's whole body tensed when the door to his room opened, revealing the governor's posse. 

Martinez marched towards him, "Up you go!" he thrashed around wildly, trying to shake off his hold on him. He gritted his teeth when he punched his stomach, making him involuntarily curl up. 

They dragged him towards the governor who watched the whole ordeal with fire in his eyes, "Time to visit your girlfriend." he nodded towards the direction of Aliya's room, signalling his men to drag him there. 

----

Arden pulled on his restraints as his eyes stayed on Aliya's limp figure. Tears were angrily cascading down his face as he watched the governor's men carry her body onto a chair. 

"Aliya!" 

She had tears in her eyes and nothing to cover herself up. Aliya's head had to be propped up by one of the governor's goon in order for her to see everything. Not once did Arden stop trying to escape his restraints, getting more and more desperate to hug Aliya and drag her out of this hell. 

The governor snickered, "Thanks to the supplies that your building has kindly provided," he wiped his chin, "we can finally get down to business." He then stalked over to Aliya and exchanged places with one of his men. Arden's eyes darkened as the governor ran his hands on Aliya's head, caressing her hair. 

"I'll fucking kill you!"

The governor laughed heartily before his face snapped into an angry and menacing light. "No." he shook his head as if disappointed by his answer. He took a hold of Aliya's neck and pressed his lips onto her head, staring at Arden in the eyes the whole time. 

"But she will." 

Without a warning, his men jumped Arden. Throwing blow after blows, not giving him a chance to breathe. Aliya's head was being propped up by the governor, forcing her to watch Arden's beatdown. She shut her eyes tight, her tears never stopping. 

But the governor noticed this, forcing her eyes open. 

----

It all happened so fast yet so excruciatingly slow. She witnessed everything they did to him. She heard every hit, every grunt, every whimper. But she couldn't do anything. 

And it killed her. 

She knelt in front of him, wiping away some of his blood and matted hair away from his face. "I'm here, Arden." sobs raked her whole body. After he couldn't lift his hands up to protect himself anymore, the governor ordered his men to leave the room with him. Telling them to "let her deal with him." 

Arden coughed up some blood, trying to speak. She hushed him, "Don't try to talk." she shook her head, putting a hand on his chest, "I already know." But Arden was persistent and croaked out, "I'm sorry." her eyes shut tight as a wail escaped her body, her world crashing down on her. 

Arden was sorry that he wasn't gonna be able to keep his promise. He knows that his body is giving up, he knows that he's dying. He's sorry that they won't get out of here. But not that sorry 'cause she will. He can feel it, Aliya's gonna make it out of here and live better. 

Aliya's eyes widened in panic when Arden's chest stopped heaving. "Arden?" she shook his body, trying to get him to wake up. "Arden!" she shook him harder, checking his pulse. "You can't leave me!" she screamed at him, a frenzied look on her face when he remained unresponsive. 

----

Her cries echoed through the room and poured out onto the hallways, making Merle fidget in his place. The governor noticed his discomfort and lifted his brow, "Got something to say, Merle?" noticing the challenging tone in his voice, Merle shook his head and shrugged. 

"She's loud, 'is all." 

The governor watched his face for a bit, measuring him up before nodding, biting his answer. Merle glared at the ground, Aliya's cries knocking on his heart. He could only hope that she knows that her little friend is gonna come back. "How's your pals in the other room?" he glanced at the hallways leading to where Glenn and Maggie were. 

He spat on the side, "China man ain't gonna talk." he paused, touching his sore nose bridge. He was head butted by Glenn just a few minutes ago, pissing him off. The rage in Glenn's eyes was amusing to him. He would've thought that if anybody in that group was gonna talk, it would be him. 

But he was wrong. 

----

Aliya sat on the corner with her head in her hands while Arden's lifeless body sprawled over the floor in the middle of the room. She held Arden's jacket close to her body, allowing his warmth to embrace her. Her ears haven't stopped ringing. The realisation that everyone she loved was dead has finally dawned on her. She was truly alone. 

She sniffled and looked up, staring at Arden's body, "I was only kidding when I said you should've left me, you know?" she paused, her face crumpling up in anguish. Had she known that he was actually gonna leave, she would've never joked about that at all. 

A strangled growl rang out the room, blindsiding Aliya. Her eyes looked around the room wildly, desperate to determine where it was coming from. Her eyes momentarily dropped to Arden's body but immediately searched for something that makes sense. 

But Arden's body started twitching. 

She used to hate horror movie protagonists for stupidly just standing there with their mouth wide open staring at the monster instead of running. But now she understands. 

She was rooted to her place, staring at Ard-what used to be Arden, slowly stand up. Her mind blanked. She tried so hard to make it make sense. 

What was happening? 

She didn't know that he was bitten. And if he was, he would've told her. He's just that type of person. 

She refused to blink, keeping her eyes trained on Arden's re-animated corpse. He swung his head wildly, seemingly looking for something to bite. Her eyes zoomed in on the chair that she was sat before. She knows what has to be done. 

The biter lunged at her as she ducked just in time to reach the metal chair. She put the chair up and pushed the biter away, making it fall on its back. Using the chair and her own body to keep the biter in its place, she looked down at him, Arden's face staring back at her. 

"Stay down, please!" 

It was a futile attempt. She already knows that he wouldn't understand her but she was hoping for a divine intervention. Surely the skies were not that cruel to make her kill Arden herself? Or, kill his re-animated corpse? 

A sudden burst of energy came over the biter and it jutted its body, toppling her over. She crawled away in desperation, putting a hand up to protect herself from it. "Stay back!", she screamed and scrambled away as it tried to lunge at her again,  "Please!" 

You would think it is the first time she has encountered a biter. 

Another scream escaped her lips as the biter threw itself at her, almost biting a chunk of her face off. She craned her neck to the side and used her forearms to attempt to push it away. Her tears have dried and her heart has become too exhausted to be sad. 

With a grunt, she pushed it away with a force that made it tumble towards the other side of the room. Immediately, she took the chair and whacked and bashed it in the head, repeatedly. She refused to stop even when her shoulders and back were screaming at her to. 

Once the biter was unrecognisable, all strength left her. She collapse on the corner and stared at the door, waiting for somebody to make the mistake of opening it. 

A man sporting some glasses and a love sleeves polo shirt opened the door and immediately put his hands up in surrender, "I'm gonna help you get out of here." her eyes narrowed at him. "What's your play?" her voice was harsh and unwelcoming. He shook his head quickly, "I don't agree with what Philip is doing to you." 

Her brow shot up, "Philip?" she looked him up and down. "There is no point of keeping you captive. It doesn't benefit Woodbury." he opened the door widely and peeped through the hallways. "You have to go.", he moved to the side, "Now!" 

She didn't need to be told twice as she dashed out of there. Aliya didn't know where to go but just knew that she needed to get away from that room. She ran and ran until she reached a dead end, a voice booming from behind her. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she looked back at Martinez who aimed the gun at her. She immediately turned to run but bumped into a broad chest. A hand wrapped around her arm and dragged her.

A sudden commotion and barrage of gunfire put a smile on her face. The man dragging her seemed to notice this, his hand on her tightening as his body became tense. 

They were under attack. 

Her forehead creased when she saw a man and a woman on the floor on their knees, holding hands. Her eyes found Merle's and she immediately lunged, "You piece of shit!" she reached her hands out to strangle him but was immediately held back. 

She thrashed around wildly until a bag was put over her head as well. Her wrists were tied together tightly. "On your feet!" she felt an arm pull her up, "Move!" without a choice, she let them drag her with the other two. 

A clanking noise stopped the men from dragging them and an immediate boom made their hold on them loosen. Suddenly, smoke filled the room and everybody started coughing. She held her tied wrists up and gasped as the bag from her head was pulled away. 

Her eyes found an unfamiliar man with a crossbow on his shoulder and a gun on his hand. His forehead creased momentarily but once he saw the ties on her wrist, he wordlessly dragged her with him, dodging the bullets ricocheting through the walls. 

She felt lost but the angel wings on his vest served as her beacon.