Five Days later…

Thirteen seconds. That's how long after the fall did it take for Hayden to actually die.

Milton was sitting in his laboratory, he tried to focus on the boiling solution in the beaker but his minds continued to drift to the events that had taken place over the past few days, from the Governor's release of Hayden's death, to Merle's growing restlessness and his spill of the secret that Hayden had made him promise to keep. He still couldn't believe that he allowed the most dangerous secret possible about the Pathogen to just spill out of his mouth. Milton had admired Hayden's courage, her bravery and her intelligence and yet he felt low and disgusted with himself. He occasionally scowled his own cowardice, he found himself more frustrated with his projects, even when the Governor would casually tell him to relax and hand him a beer – it would only infuriate the scientist even more but what was the worst was being unable to do anything about it. Just stand there and nod at everything that the Governor said.

When the scientist was personally informed of Hayden's death by the Governor, that's what he did; nod. He was shocked of course but he was good at hiding his true feeling. Grief. You wouldn't call Hayden sociable more like observant which is probably why the scientist and the young parasitology student got along better than anyone – that and he never laid a finger on her except to heal her body from the abuse it took during her two week stay in the town. The Governor said that she fell, but Milton knew better. It was murder, plain and simple. Hayden wasn't the suicide type unless pushed to such extremes. Having died on a metal fence is harsh, yet having survived the fall for only thirteen seconds is downright terrifying nearly gave Crowley a heart attack.

The only explanation that Milton could come up with is that the snow broke her fall, usually when a person falls from great heights they die due to head and even back injuries with a very miniscule chance of survival. Falling onto a fence would have a person die instantly, one: the spikes and two: the metal bar that lines around the perimeter would definitely break someone's back.

Before Hayden's last endeavour, it had snowed quite a bit making the ground pact tight with the fluff making it around close to knee high deep which would have hid and tightened around the metal bar having created a nice crash mat for Hayden's back. The spikes however punched through her liver and stomach.

The scientist let out a breath as he leaned back against the wall. He opened the drawer in his desk and staring back at him was the pregnancy test that they had discretely given Hayden while she was in and out of consciousness after they had tortured her. He was ready to grab it when the door opened and Merle came in like he owned the place.

"Afternoon doc," Merle grinned he waved his gun. "How are ya?"

Milton mumbled his reply but Merle ignored him and walked up to the table that Milton had his project on.

"What's 'at?" Merle asked pointing to one of the equipment pieces.

"A butsen burner," Milton scowled, "didn't you go to school?"

Merle's cheerful expression dramatically changed and quickly, he moved swiftly and was soon face to face with the terrified scientist. Milton breathed hard as Merle placed his blade against his cheek.

"How 'bout a little cut huh?" Merle growled, "just a sliver? Wanna see how much you squeal."

Milton wanted to shove Merle away but his body was stiff as if carved from stone. Merle pressed the blade against his cheek hard enough for Milton to feel the fear creep up through his whole body but not enough to actually slice through his flesh.

"Just because you're the Governor's boy scout doesn't mean you can tell me off whenever," Merle snarled, he bared his teeth at Milton before shoving the scientist harshly against the wall. Milton felt his heart pound against his ribcage, he looked down to see it pulse beneath his skin at a fast pace. His breathing increased but remained raspy. Milton looked up to see Merle walking out, the door slammed making the frame rattle. Milton let out a loud breath of air his shaky hand grabbed the back of the chair for support as he leaned forward trying to calm his nerves.

XXXXXX

Outside Merle was fumed. He was surprised yet angered that the bastard scientist would dare talk down to him. He was surprised that he found his hand shaking perhaps it was because he dared to do such an act to the scientist. He was worried. Worried that the scientist would spill to the Governor what his lead enforcer had done. Merle raised his blade close to examine it, he didn't see any fresh blood spotting the dull metal. He let out a breath of relief before strapping the blade to his brace. He tightened the leather and looked up in time to see Crowley coming over.

"Governor wants to see me?" Merle asked.

"Yeah," Crowley answered dully. "You want someone to go with ya?"

"Nah." Merle shook his head. "I got this."

Crowley nodded and walked away. Merle headed over to the wall where the Governor was standing on watch on the wall, he shot down a Walker before turning back to see Merle waiting for him. The Governor handed the gun off and jumped down from the transport. He motioned Merle to follow and the lead enforcer obliged. The Governor led Merle away from the others.

"Ready?" the Governor asked.

Merle straightened. "Yes sir."

"Bring me back what I need."

Merle nodded gravely and walked back to the wall. He pulled open the gates and walked through listening as they closed behind him.

XXXXXXX

In the laboratory Milton knew that Merle was gone, his heart rate had gone down slightly but his hands wouldn't stop shaking. He managed to sit down hoping that he would feel more comfortable but that only made him more nervous. He looked to see the liquid bubbling away in the beaker at an alarming rate and without thinking Milton took it off the burner. The glass sizzled against his fingertips and Milton let out a cry of pain dropping the beaker. Glass shattered into pieces and the liquid spread quickly over the concrete floor. Milton jumped up and moved away as fast as possible in shock. Startled by his quick judgement over boiling water Milton rubbed his eyes removing the excess grit that was building up. Drowsiness was starting to creep up but Milton pushed it down as he straightened. He walked over to the still open drawer and took out the pregnancy test.

XXXXXX

Merle walked the way to the house killing Walkers as he marched through the thick brush, he had to exaggerate through the snow, picking his legs up and over the piled high fluff. He kept his gun out just in case but there weren't as many Walkers as he would have expected roaming the forest. Merle looked up seeing the top floor of the house visible through the trees. Continuing at normal pace he came up to the house he detected movement and quickly ducked behind a tree. He peeked around the thick trunk and gave a small smile at the moving object. He walked towards the rusty metal fence immediately spotting Hayden's splayed body on the ground. She was lying on the ground motionless as if she were dead, but from what the Governor told Merle…if it were true…

The lead enforcer walked up to the body and immediately a response came, the hand curled slowly grabbing a fistful of snow. A low familiar groan echoed in the air, a head moved and blood filled eyes looked up at the man before her. Hayden let out another groan, her hand slowly crossed her blood crusted torso towards Merle. A moan escaped her cracked lips, a frostbite that had burst broke again making puss and blood ooze out slowly. She bared her teeth that were now showing signs of rotting. Most of the gauze had fallen off, hidden by the snow that had recently fallen. The only pieces that stayed on were the ones covering her fingertips, her left wrist and part of the gauze around her head was undone but remained clinging onto the remaining band.

Merle raised an eyebrow, originally he would be surprised jumping back in shock staring at the turned Hayden in front of him, but from what the Governor told him, information that he had received from Milton – Merle grinned. He thought that it was a pity that someone like Hayden had to turn into a flesh eating freak, but it was rotten world people have to die at some point. Merle knelt by Hayden, watching her with interest as she tried to grab at Merle but with the gauze around her fingertips it slipped on his coat. Merle dug into the snow, pushing it with his metal brace while his gloved hand felt around it took him a little while until he finally found what he was looking for. Merle gave a tug but the tire iron was packed tight underneath heavy snow. He got to his feet dodging Hayden's flailing hands and gave a sharp tug. The snow exploded and the tire iron came free but it made Merle unbalanced and he fell on his ass.

Groaning he got to his feet while watching Walker Hayden twist, blood spurted from where the spikes had impaled she continued to reach for the redneck enforcer. Angered Merle got to his feet and brought down his foot on her hand. Crack! The sound ricocheted off the trees and Merle removed his foot to see pieces of bone sticking out of her skin, snow melted under her fresh hot blood while also absorbing it as well. Merle examined his bayonet, he had cleaned it for this exact reason – to kill Hayden. He raised his metal brace and slammed it down into Hayden's forehead. Her arms immediately dropped one near Merle's boot and the other across her chest. The enforcer twisted releasing all his pent up anger at the parasitology student for all the hardship that she had placed him through. He took the blade out and then slammed it down again and again until Hayden's face was nothing but scrambled flesh, and oozing body fluids. He rose, looking at his handiwork and watched as the hot fluid started to freeze in less than three seconds. With the tire iron in hand, Merle turned back and headed back to Woodbury.

XXXXXX

Milton hand's trembled as he popped open the test, in a perfect world the cap would have been stuck and Milton would have tossed it into the garbage without a second thought; forgetting. But this wasn't a perfect world, over half the population were zombies mindless flesh eating monster who outnumbered the living. The cap came off with a small pop and Milton looked down at the results: a red plus sign/positive.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved and alerted. Another Merle story will be coming out in a couple of days called: Compensation, so be on the look out. Thanks again readers. Spitfire47