A/N: I apologize if everything seems choppy. Transferring from the kinkmeme to here doesn't work so well. Or vice versa really. And thanks to the few of you who reviewed, followed, and/or favorited. I appreciate it.

When Daryl first awoke, the reaction that Rick had received from the man only made his heart sink. Daryl definitely had a sickly appearance with a sheen of sweat covering his face and his cheeks flushed. It wasn't typical for Daryl to run off without a word and sleep—if it could even be called that. Rick was almost certain Daryl hadn't even slept since he found Merle, and now he was refusing to even get up.

Rick doubted there was anything he could do to help Daryl by himself. He needed to get him back inside and get him to eat and drink a little something before he was even worse off.

And so with that on his mind, he was finally able to make himself turn around and leave. He figured he would find the others and let them know, maybe get Glenn or Tyreese to help him get Daryl back inside. It was starting to get late now. The Woodbury civilians would be in bed before long and that would give Rick the time and space to be able to sneak Daryl in without worrying anyone.

As Rick descended the stairs and made it back outside, he glanced up at the tower Michonne was in. He caught her staring down at him as he waved, his attempt at letting her know Daryl had been located, Michonne nodding in return. Rick rounded the corner and headed off in the direction he last saw Maggie and Glenn. Once he spotted them, he waved them over as they all met halfway.

"You found him?" Maggie questioned as she studied Rick's face for the answer.

"He's up in the east guard tower. He… doesn't look too good. I was hoping I could have you find the others and let them know. Glenn and I can bring him down?" Rick looked to Glenn as the young man nodded instantaneously.

"Okay, I'll do that." Maggie bit her lip before taking off to locate Tyreese, Beth, Carol, and Sasha.

Daryl hardly registered that Rick was there, so needless to say, he didn't even realize that the man left. All he wanted was to be left alone, to get away from the others so that they didn't bother him. But he had a feeling Rick would be back and most likely with help. That man could never leave well enough alone.

He needed sleep—that was all there was to it. He was exhausted, weak, and furthermore, sick. He didn't get sick very often but anytime he had in the past, sleep was the one thing that always came through for him. He just needed to sleep it off and he'd, eventually, wake up feeling like himself again.

Another wave of nausea hit unexpectedly as Daryl rolled onto his stomach and buried his face into his arms, gagging. A slight involuntary moan escaped his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't remember a time when he felt this bad before. And of course it had to happen now of all times with the dead walking around and the Governor out there most likely plotting his attack.

The Governor.

Merle…

Daryl forced himself up on his hands and knees before making a futile attempt at getting back on his feet. Damn, if this wasn't pathetic. He reached out and grabbed the crossbow to try and use it as a sort of leverage. Luckily it worked as he stumbled against the wall to catch himself and dropped the crossbow in the process. He almost thought about leaving the damn thing and head down the stairs without it. That was how pathetic he was feeling. But he sucked it up. Trying to make the decision between holding his stomach or his head, he rested an arm across his abdomen and clutched his side as he bent over to grab the weapon.

Once he righted himself, his vision swam as black dots raced in front of him. He threw his back against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut once again before his knees could buckle. He was a hell of a lot worse off than he originally thought. Just thinking about trying to descend the stairs had him reconsidering lying back down. At least walkers couldn't get to him up there if some had managed to get through the fence somehow. Lord knows he was in no shape to try fighting any off.

Daryl made it half way down the stairs before he felt like he was about to pass out. With the crossbow slung over his shoulder, he gripped onto the railing and took a few deep breaths. "C'mon. It's just a few damn steps. Pull yourself together, Dixon."

He had just made it out the door of the guard tower when another wave of nausea hit him, crumpling him to the ground with a bout of dry heaves. He hadn't had much of anything to eat over the past few days. Each time his body convulsed with an attempt to expel his already empty stomach, his head throbbed that much more, pulsating. He was shaking, just barely managing to keep himself up on all fours, his arms threatening to give out from under him.

His chest burned, his stomach ached, and his head felt like it was about to explode. What more could possibly go wrong?

As he began to regain control of his own body, Daryl vaguely made out the sound of someone calling his name. He glanced over just enough to see Rick and Glenn jogging at a rather brisk pace towards him as though he were in some kind of danger. Hell, maybe he was but there wasn't anything they could do to help.

Daryl forced himself back to his feet, spitting off to the side while holding his head. It was humiliating enough knowing they had just seen him hunched over on the ground puking his guts out. Or at least his body was trying to.

Rick and Glenn were at his side now, both of them looking rather concerned. Rick looked like he was waiting on a response out of him as Glenn was glancing back and forth between the two. Shit, had Rick said something?

"What?" Daryl tried to keep a bite to his voice but as soon as he spoke, he realized it sounded more like a weak bark. He was just fine. All he needed was some rest. He'd have to start feeling better soon because he had his own duties to fulfill. With all those damn people from Woodbury taking shelter in the prison with them… the people who were calling for his blood, calling for his death right alongside Merle. He couldn't help but think that maybe they were finally getting their wish now… However, with that addition, they were in need of a lot more food than usual and the responsibilities fell back on Daryl because he was the only one who knew how to hunt. If only the cards were reversed and they could just toss the worthless inhabitants to the walkers—they were all guilty by association for all Daryl was concerned.

"Let's get back inside. You can lie down and get some rest," Rick repeated himself since Daryl hadn't caught him the first time. He just barely registered Rick's words again, his head bobbing in a slight nod before everything went black.

Rick saw it coming. He could sense there was still something off about Daryl. Though he was standing right in front of him, his mind seemed to be trapped somewhere else. Daryl wasn't entirely responsive, he was only half there. And when he started to collapse, Rick was already on the move to grab him.

Rick and Glenn each took an arm as they supported Daryl's weight between them. Glenn offered to come back outside to grab his crossbow as long as they got him inside and situated somewhere safe first.

It was Rick's idea to head over to D Block, figuring that was as good a place as any to let Daryl rest. They had been working on getting that cell block cleaned up anyhow and it kept a distance from the people of Woodbury. No one could raise questions if they didn't know what was going on. They'd get Daryl laid down on one of the mattresses and find Hershel. Surely Hershel would know the next plan of action.

"How long has he been like this?" Glenn glanced over at Rick as they made their way into the cellblock.

Rick sighed in defeat, "I don't know. I didn't realize he was this bad. I could tell there was something different about him but this?" He paused and shook his head. "I would have never have seen this coming."

Carol and Maggie had snuck into the cellblock shortly after Glenn and Rick, having caught sight of them fumbling down the hall prior. Both women kept silent as they stepped around the men and pulled a mattress out of one of the cells and into the opening of the room.

"Nobody else should be in here besides our own. And Daryl isn't too fond of 'sleeping in a cage'," Carol recalled Daryl's words from the first night they had spent in the prison some months ago.

Rick thanked them for dragging a mattress out as he and Glenn eased Daryl down onto his back. "What about Hershel?"

"He's on his way," Maggie replied.