A week passed. Anna hadn't returned to Sophia's grave. Things seemed different between her and Daryl since their encounter. Though they hadn't said much to each other since, the looks they exchanged were… loaded, to say the least. And they still had Randall to worry about.

Anna found herself gravitating to Beth, sitting and talking with her – though it was more like she was talking aloud to herself, and Beth just happened to be in the same room. She didn't blame her. She saw in the girl what others had seen in Anna plenty of times before. And it was because of that "experience" as Rick had called it, that Anna was consulted on more than one occasion regarding what to do with Beth.

"You can't help someone who doesn't want help." She had explained. "She won't get better if she doesn't want to get better. Just… make sure she knows you're there for her."

Now, she sat out in the generator shed while Hershel filled up the generator tank with fuel, speaking with him about her anti-depressant.

"I'm reluctant to give her any, but if it comes to that, I'd want your professional opinion."

"Zoloft at 150 MG?" Hershel shook his head. "I'm just as reluctant. That's quite the dose."

Anna nodded her agreement.

"But, it's what we have. We can't make a run into town now with the walkers taking it over." Anna massaged the back of her neck. "I'm not saying we give her any right now. I'm saying we discuss our options."

Hershel looked to her, giving her a sad smile as he turned to her.

"We'll discuss our options."

.

After her talk with Hershel, Anna felt like they were finally taking a step in the right direction when it came to Beth. She had tried not to overstep any boundaries. This was a family matter, as Lori seemed keen on reminding her, so she conceded whenever Hershel or Maggie made a final decision. Thankfully, the two seemed content with deferring to her advice.

Anna headed for the RV, intending to relieve Glenn from watch, when she saw Andrea smiling.

"Something funny happen?" She asked, walking up to the woman. She had decided she would genuinely try to be civil towards Andrea, having come to terms with the fact that they would always be at odds.

"No, but something good did." Andrea replied, nodding.

"What?" Anna asked, furrowing her brow. She hadn't expected the blonde to be so… forthcoming.

"I gave Beth what no one else would." Anna narrowed her eyes, tilting her head in confusion. "I gave her a choice."

Anna stared at Andrea for a moment, processing what she said.

"Andrea—" she began, ready to ask the woman to clarify, but than it hit her. And she ran.

She flew into the house and darted up the stairs to where Beth's room was. She could hear Maggie banging on the bathroom door, begging for Beth to unlock it.

"Where's the key?" Lori asked, and Maggie went to rummage through Beth's drawers in search of it.

"Lori, move!" Anna shouted, grabbing for the fire poker. She shoved the sharp end between the door and the frame and yanked it as hard as she could. The door came open with a crack.

"I'm sorry." Beth cried, turning to them. She held her wrist, trying to stop the bleeding.

Anna froze at the sight.

"I… I—" she couldn't get the words out.

"Anna, go get Hershel." Lori commanded. "Anna." Lori squeezed Anna's arm softly, grabbing her attention. "Go get Hershel."

Anna nodded, and took one last glance at the blood dripping to the floor and the panicked look on Beth's face before she took off to find her father. On her way down the stairs, she paused and pulled her inhaler from her pocket, taking a long breath as she squeezed the puffer once.

.

"Hershel!" She called. The man came striding out of the horse barn at the sound of his name. "Hershel! You need to come! Quick! It's Beth." She didn't have to say anything more before the old man came barreling past her.

Anna stood there, standing on the porch, staring off at the horizon.

"Have you ever tried to?" Glenn finally asked. His voice was so quiet. He was afraid, but also hoping, that she hadn't heard him.

She had never answered him. She wasn't sure if she ever wanted to. But, she could remember it as plain as the sun hanging low in the sky. The feeling of the pills sliding down her throat one by one until she couldn't feel anymore, until lifting the next pill took all her effort and focus. The way her brother walked into the room and wrapped his arms around her, hauling her to the feet she'd forgotten how to use. The way she could barely hear him yelling at her to just stay awake, keep talking. The way "I'm sorry" lazily spilled from her mouth. The charcoal was the worst part. The nurse had handed her the cup and said it's this or a tube, drink it all. And she did. She drank it all until there was nothing left but the pain.

She remembered the way the nurses had praised her for realizing her mistake and calling for help. She couldn't tell them that they were wrong. Did Beth feel the same?

"Where were you?" Maggie demanded as Andrea ran up to them. She hadn't realized Lori and Maggie had joined her on the porch.

"I heard. Is she all right?" Andrea asked, ignoring Maggie's question.

"She would be if you had stayed with her. Where were you?"

Anna furrowed her brow, looking to Andrea as she caught her breath. "How bad is she?"

"It wasn't deep." Lori informed.

"She wants to live." Andrea breathed a sigh of relief. "She made her decision."

"She tried to kill herself." Maggie snapped.

"No, she didn't."

"My father is stitching her wrist right now."

"She'll live." Andrea went to walk past Maggie, who stepped into her path.

"Stay away from her." She warned. "From both of us." Her voice was low and angry. "Don't you dare step foot inside this house again."

Andrea looked to Lori, who simply averted her eyes, and then to Anna. Anna stared back at her as Maggie turned on her heel and went to head inside. Andrea nodded and turned away, headed off back to the RV.

Lori caught Maggie as she reached the door.

"I'm not gonna say she was right, but Beth has made her choice. She wants to live and now she knows it." Lori looked inside the house and took a deep breath. "And sometimes you have to cross the line."

.

Anna sat beside Beth, explaining everything she knew about her medications, making sure she knew what to tell the others if there was a problem.

"I cut it into quarters, so it's not too much." She said, as she handed Beth the smallest piece of the blue tablet.

Beth nodded and popped the pill into her mouth before gulping down water to wash it down.

"What about you?" She asked, placing the glass of water on the bedside table.

Anna shook her head.

"I take half a pill every other day – Zoloft stays in the system for about two days."

"No—I mean… have you ever tried?" Anna felt herself pale at the question. She looked down at her hands, trying to think of what to say. She had to tell the truth, of course – but how much of it?

"Y-yes." She stuttered. "I, uh… yeah. Not too long ago, actually."

"How'd you do it?"

"Beth—"

"I'm not askin' for ideas." Beth assured. "I've made my choice."

Anna sighed heavily, looking at the young girl. God, she was so young.

"I… took a bunch of pills."

"How'd you make it through that?"

Anna pursed her lips, her heart pounding in her chest.

"My brother found me, took me to the hospital, and they made me drink charcoal." She explained, licking her lips. Her mouth felt so dry all of a sudden.

"Charcoal?"

She finally realized what Beth was searching for. Something they were all searching for, now, Anna supposed. Something that the patients at the Behavioral Health Unit had been searching for when they asked the same questions. They were looking for someone in the dark to reach out to, to confide in, to know that they weren't alone.

Anna finally smiled, patting Beth's hand, and explained to her what the charcoal did before going on to tell her all about the Behavioral Health Unit, the people she'd met, and how she had learned to cope.

"You have to find something to fight for and hold onto it. Never let it go."

"What are you holding on to?"

Anna paused, her mind immediately going to Sophia. But, she was gone – slipped through her fingers like water. And she thought of Carl, still healing from the gunshot wound, but alive. She thought of Anderson, who had taught her so much over the past two and half months and done so much for her, protecting her, caring about her.

Finally, she thought of Daryl; the way he smiled and laughed and teased her. The way he tried so hard to act like he didn't care. The way she could see past the bravado, see how soft he was, how hurt. The way he had tried so hard to find Sophia. The way he had told her it wasn't her fault.

"The people that are still here." She smiled. "The people I love."

.

.

.

A/N: Do not, under any circumstances, share medication.