Sadie did everything in silence for the rest of the day and avoided everyone else in the prison. When night came she felt a rumble in her stomach that was hard to ignore followed by cramping and nausea. She lay in her bed and prayed to God that it would go away. When it didn't, she stood and threw up in a bucket she'd been putting trash in by her desk. Her first instinct was to run to Daryl, but she decided against it and walked to Maggie's cell instead.

When she saw her inside, asleep next to Glenn, she tapped gingerly on the door. Luckily, Maggie had become a light sleeper and sat up to see what was going on. "Sadie?" She whispered, seeing the silhouette of the young girl in the moonlight. "It's gotta be two in the morning, what are you doing?"

"I need a favor…"

In his own cell, Daryl laid staring at the ceiling.

See little brother… this is what happens. You get close to people and they ruin everythin' you've got. His brother's voice echoed in his head. He tried to shake it away, but Merle only spoke louder. You really think that girl ever gave a damn about you? She was just lookin' for a quick fix… somethin' ta make 'er feel good.

"Yeah, well, so was I…"

The voice was quiet, and Daryl rolled onto his side, thinking, "Still though… why didn't she tell them I didn't do that shit… what happened to her? I thought she was some stone cold killer when I met 'er and now she's lettin' some boy run all over 'er…"

That boy's most of yer problem.

"That's the damn truth."

"Pregnancy Test!?" Maggie said, her voice echoing off the chambers in the prison.

"Shh!"

Her voice lowered to a whisper. "What in the hell you need a pregnancy test for… you been here for two days!"

"Yeah, but… look, I don't wanna go through all the details right now. Can you help me or not?"

"I don't have a choice do I?" Maggie mumbled, putting her hand on Sadie's shoulder. "C'mon. We'll go check in the cabinets… see if maybe we have one by chance… left over from Laurie or somethin'." They walked into the storage cell and sorted through the items until Maggie found in the very bottom of the box a crumbled up package storing a test to tell Sadie whether or not she was going to have a problem.

"Thanks, Maggie…" Sadie said, mumbling quietly. "I guess… I guess I'll have to wait a while before I take it but… thanks…"

Morning fell over the prison like a heavy sheet, and Sadie woke up to the roar of Daryl's motorcycle engine. "No." She whispered and ran to the gates to find Daryl saying goodbye to a short haired woman who was crying into her hands. She started to run to him when Travis stopped her.

"Don't worry, Sadie… You don't have to be afraid anymore." Travis yelled, making sure everyone could hear him over the bike's purr.

"Let me go!" She screamed, still trying to run to Daryl. "Rick! He didn't do it! He didn't touch me… don't let him go!" She fell into the gravel as Daryl sped off, leaving the prison in a silent shroud. The only noise heard was the hiss of the walkers and Sadie sobbing. "He didn't touch me… Make him come home." Home… the word was hard to say but the only place that was home was where Daryl was.

Rick walked to her and stared Travis in the eye. "Let 'er go. Sadie, what happened that night?" Travis let go of her arms as she sat in the gravel like a child but gave her an obviously stern stare to make sure she didn't rat him out.

"It wasn't Daryl… I… I fell when I was running up to the tower,"

God, you sound generic.

"I hit my head and bit my lip,"

"Then why did Travis say you told hi-"

"I don't know!" She cried, "Maybe he was angry or didn't understand I don't know… he's been so protective maybe he assumed, but I never said Daryl hurt me."

"Someone go after him," Rick instructed, glaring at Travis. "And you… you come with me." He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the prison. "Who do you think you are spitting out lies and breaking apart the group? We've done nothing but help you and now you bring this… Daryl was one of the strongest people here and I trusted you even though I had my doubts… Now we've lost one of the strongest links we had. He can't be replaced by some snot nosed kid like you!" Rick growled. "When Daryl gets back, you stay the hell away from him and everyone else at this Goddamn prison, do you understand me… and so help me God if I find out anything else about you I will shove this pistol down your throat and I will not hesitate."

Travis was still, in shock by Rick's rage.

Carol sat holding Sadie in her arms, rocking her like she would have Sophia if she were still around. "He's a tough cookie… they'll find him… he'll be alright."

"I don't want him to be hurt." Sadie cried, "I don't want him to feel alone because of me." Carol sighed and pulled her away, looking into her eyes, and petting the hair away from her tear stained face.

"What happened to you Sadie…"

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"I'm not dumb… Travis did this… didn't he?"

"No… No I fell. He just thoug-"

"Oldest line in the script… 'I fell'… I remember when I used that to protect Ed too."

"Ed?"

"My husband… he was around before this whole mess… Got torn to pieces by the walkers…"

"oh…"

"He use to beat the living hell out of me every time I blinked wrong," Carol recollected, "I use to think, well he loves me too much… or he's always been around… I can't let him go now…Make the best of what you have or you won't have anything at all…" Sadie's eyes lit up as if she were hearing her own voice echo back at her, "but I realized that's just not true… You are the only person in this world that can control your happiness… no one else. Don't let any amount of beating or any type of abuse tell you otherwise."

Sadie looked down, crying again. Mouthing quiet "thank you's" to Carol as he enveloped her in her arms again. "Truth is… Daryl needs you… Everyone thought for the longest time he and I were getting together behind everyone's backs but the truth of it all is, I was just taking care of him… and he was takin' care of me… He needs a pretty little thing like you to keep him young… He's done a lot of growin' up… but he needs to learn to love again."

"I just… want him to come back," Sadie said, tears still streaming down her face.

"I'm sure he won't stay gone long… Glenn and Tyreese will have him back in no time… even if they have to drag him."

Never had Carol been so wrong.