After Merle was abandoned on the roof, you and he met and began to wander together. Soon after you ended up together in the town of Woodbury. Merle didn't seem so uncomfortable with being in town and doing all the Governor's dirty work, but you were. You didn't like the Governor and because of that you began to distance yourself from Merle. Merle noticed, but he didn't seem to want to talk about it.

You lived in the same apartment that the Governor gave you, so it was difficult to get away from Merle completely. "You know I realize you've started treating me coldly, right? Much colder than usual", Merle murmured, sitting in an armchair in the living room while you were sitting at the other end trying to read a book.