A/N: So I think usual update days for me are going to be Saturdays for this story and it'll stay that way until I run out of updates to post lol (I have a few chapters pre-written and ready to go which is very unusual for me hahaha). HOWEVER, I know today isn't Saturday. This Saturday though I have to host a BBQ so I figured I'd post this now as an early treat. Expect chapter 8 next Saturday!

Episode #07:

Misfire

"Never apologize for trusting your intuition—your brain can play tricks, your heart can blind, but your gut is always right." –Rachel Wolchin

Rick tossed a rolled up black mat onto the hood of a truck which was parked by the RV. He unrolled it to reveal a collection of various knives and hatchets. I eyeballed each one and let out a low whistle. A few of those knives made mine look like a play toy.

"Everyone takes a weapon." Rick called out then readjusted his hat, he was wearing his sheriff uniform but the button up shirt still hung open over a gray under shirt. The group began to reach forward and take their weapon of choice.

Andrea looked over the roll and scoffed, "These aren't the kind of weapons we need." She still had on the same outfit as yesterday, just like I did, and the fact that she was still bringing up her gun argument made me want to stab myself in the brain. I rolled my eyes and she continued, "What about the guns?"

"We've been over that." Shane replied in a tone that made me believe he felt similarly to me on this topic. He still took the time to explain further, "Daryl, Rick, and I are carrying. We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles."

Glenn grabbed an oddly shaped hatchet and then came to stand beside me. He wore the same baseball styled button up I met him in over a t-shirt and his typical red ball cap on his head. It was becoming his signature look at this point. Glenn gave me a quick smile that I returned.

"It's not the trees I'm worried about." Andrea crossed her arms and looked away.

Shane shook his head, "Say somebody fires at the wrong moment, a herd happens to be passing by. See, then it's game over for all of us so you need to get over it."

This statement upset the blonde further and she stalked away angrily after grabbing a small hatchet off the hood of the truck. I watched her leave and resisted the urge to applaud Shane's words. That would be a little too petty of me probably. When my eyes drifted back they landed on Rick who tilted his head toward the truck. I shook my head at him and motioned to the knife in my boot with a reassuring grin. Rick didn't accept this wordless excuse and motioned to the truck again. Sheepishly, I leaned forward and grabbed a tiny hatchet. I guess having a backup wouldn't hurt anything.

"The idea is to take the creek up 'bout five miles, turn 'round, and then come back down the other side." Daryl spoke up. He had on a light blue sleeveless button up shirt that complimented his eyes. He also had his crossbow hung over his right shoulder showing off his sculpted arms. I didn't know what Daryl did before the world ended, but damn did it shape him well. "Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark."

T-Dog snapped his fingers in front on my face making me jump in surprise and spin my gaze away from the redneck. He smirked and snickered at me which made my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. I lightly shoved my shoulder into him, making sure to watch his injury, and stuck my lip out in a pout. Castiel, who had been glued to my side since yesterday, stood on my other side and gave us both a curious look.

"Stay quiet, stay sharp." Rick commanded. "Keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other."

Shane nodded to Rick's words then clapped his hands, "Everybody assemble your packs."

Rick turned to Dale to talk about the RV repairs and I set my hand on Castiel's arm. He turned his full attention to me, and I gave him a firm smile, "I want you to stay here with T-Dog and Dale, Cas."

"Who says I'm staying?" T-Dog asked from behind me.

"Me." I shot him a glare over my shoulder before stepping back so I could turn to face both of them, "Both of you are injured and need rest. Hiking through the hot forest isn't going to do y'all any good."

T-Dog nodded once with a shrug and walked over to where Dale was organizing some of the RV tools. Castiel narrowed his eyes at me, "I'd like to help find the missing girl. I would also like to help protect you while you are out there. I owe you that much."

"You don't owe me anything, and I'm gonna be fine. I'd just feel better if you were here." I replied, crossing my arms, "Just keep an eye on things up here, ok? Help Dale out when he needs it and make sure T-Dog actually does get rest."

Castiel sighed but finally gave in and nodded, "Fine."

I gave him a pat on the arm before moving away from the RV to double check my book bag. I left everything I had in it but added a water bottle and a few granola bars just in case. Once I was happy with the bag, I slung it on and walked over to where Daryl was standing alone.

"Morning, DD." I greeted with a grin.

"Don't." He grunted and I couldn't help but chuckle. He glared at the noise, but I just smiled at him innocently. After a beat, Daryl nodded toward the RV, "That Cas guy comin'?"

I shook my head, "No. I told him to stare here with Dale and T. Him and T-Dog really need to rest."

"You trust him that much already, sunshine?"

Daryl's question rolled around in my head as I pondered it. The truth was that I did. Last night, I had thought about it more as I tried to will myself to sleep. A lot had happened yesterday and Castiel had done a decent amount to help out. The moment he stepped in front of me though, while Lori was yelling at me, and tried to take the blame was when I realized I could trust him. That some deep part of me had already given that chance to him.

I nodded, "Yeah. I do. Call it a… gut feeling."

Daryl shrugged, "Whatever."

We both watched as Andrea stormed up to Dale outside the RV to pick a fight. She began to yell at him again about the gun, and the entire group watched on awkwardly as they went back and forth. Dale admitted to caring for her, but Andrea wasn't having any of it. When the argument ended the group started the trek into the forest. When passing Dale, I stuck my arm out to squeeze his own in the only form of comfort I could show him.

Daryl was at the head of the group with Rick behind him then Andrea, Carol, me, Glenn, Lori, Carl, and Shane at the rear. Everyone kept quiet as their eyes searched the area for any type of clue to where Sophia had gone to. While we walked my thoughts drifted to the argument Andrea had with Dale. She had tried to end it all at the CDC. That was the core to their fighting. I could understand her point of view, I could see how her pain drove her, but no part of me could agree with any of it. I'd never give up. I couldn't. There was a stubborn part of my mind and soul that paled at the thought of throwing in the towel. If I were going to die, I wanted to go down swinging.

The walk kept going for what had to be around two hours based on the sun. It was only then that the scenery changed. The line slowed to a halt, and when I peeked around Glenn's shoulder, I spotted a tent nestled amongst a few trees. It was surrounded by trash and debris and looked relatively abandoned. The hope was that Sophia would be hiding inside of the tent, but when Daryl cautiously stepped in all he found was a dead body and no clues of a little girl.

As the group discussed the next step, the air was filled with the faint sound of ringing bells. It sounded like church bells. We all began to sprint through the woods trying to pinpoint the location of the sound, but the ringing seemed to echo through the trees and come from everywhere. Finally, we spotted a clearing with a church sitting in the middle.

"This can't be it. There's no steeple." Shane said. The bells had long ago faded, and he was right. This church was just a small one-story building surrounded by a cemetery.

The group walked toward the church and Rick opened the double red doors that led into the sanctuary. There were three people sitting amongst the pews facing the pulpit which had a large statue of Jesus hanging on the cross. At the sound of the doors opening the three heads slowly turned to face us. Their faces were rotted and wasted away, and they stood with hungry groans. The sight of walkers in their Sunday best was disturbing to say the least.

Rick took the machete that Lori held out to him and walked toward the walker who was coming up the center aisle. Shane went after the one on the left with his own hatchet, and Daryl pushed his crossbow into my arms to take Glenn's hatchet and go after the one on the right.

I grunted as I tried to get a handle on the crossbow. This thing was heavy as shit. No wonder Daryl had the arms of a Greek God. He needed them just to hold this damn thing. The room grew silent again as the walkers were taken care of.

"Sophia!" Rick called out loudly.

Some of the group began to back out of the sanctuary. Daryl scoffed at the statue up front, "Yo, J.C., you takin' requests?"

Shane spoke again, loudly so everyone could hear him, "I am telling you this is the wrong church. It's got nosteeple, Rick. There's no steeple—"

Loud bells cut his words off and I flinched at the sudden volume. We all sprinted outside and around the edge of the church's building to see a loudspeaker propped up on the edge of the roof. Glenn got there first and pried open the box it was connected to. He ripped out the internal wiring and the bells stopped.

"Timer." Daryl motioned to it, "It's on a timer."

There was a beat of silence then Carol's soft voice spoke up, "I'm going to go back in for a bit."

She slipped away and a few others joined her. I sat down on the few stairs outside the main door with Daryl's crossbow sitting in my lap. A couple seconds later Daryl walked over to me and held his hand out, "Hand it over." With a scrunch of my nose, I lifted the crossbow up to him. "Thanks."

"Sure. Isn't it annoying carrying that thing around?"

"Nah."

"It's freaking heavy as shit." I argued.

Daryl scoffed, "Don't be a wimp, sunshine."

"You're so right." I said slowly with a roll of my eyes, "My bad."

I slumped in my seat and leaned against the railing I sat by. Daryl tilted his head at me and kicked my boot with his own, "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know." I shrugged and leaned against my knees, "I guess I'm just worried about Sophia is all."

Daryl shook his head, "That's stupid. We're gonna find her. She's fine." I glanced up at him with a soft smile. He had his foot on the step where my feet were, and he was staring out at the forest line with a glare. I recognized the look on his face as one of thought rather than anger though. Was it odd that I could already recognize that on the redneck?

"You're right." I nodded.

"Course, I am." He replied, giving me another look before stalking off. I stood up and brushed the loose dirt from my jeans. The sound of an argument caught my attention and I walked toward the side of the building. As I got to the edge, I recognized the voices of Shane and Lori.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but the last part of their argument settled the confusion I felt, "I'm the one who loses you!"

The words had come from Shane. It was silent after that, and I backpedaled as quickly as I could before either of them could spot me. Did that mean what I thought it did? Were Shane and Lori—? Suddenly, a whirlwind of memories crashed on me. Shane glaring at Lori and Rick, Lori giving Shane nasty glares, the scratches on Shane's neck that Lori never seemed to even glance at. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. It must not have been happening anymore based on the clues, but Lori and Shane had at one point been a thing. Probably when they thought Rick was dead, I assumed.

I felt sick to my stomach. What was I supposed to do now? To tell Rick would destroy him, and to hide it form him would be just as awful. Trying to handle this while also dealing with the Sophia ordeal was just too much. I covered my face and made a decision. Rick needed to know, but Sophia had to come first. This would create a mess and a mess would distract from the search.

We'd find Sophia first and then I'd tell Rick the truth.

He deserved that much.

I hurried back over to the sanctuary doors just in time to see Rick walk out the doors. I waved to him and he made his way over to him. He gave me a firm smile, "Everything ok?"

"Yeah." I lied and he gave me a skeptical look. Quickly, I shook my head, "I don't wanna go back to the highway."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "What do you mean?"

"We heard the bells and came running, Rick. What if Sophia heard them too?"

Realization settled on his features. He nodded, "It was hard for us to find the church because of the echoes."

"It'd be even harder for her." I crossed my arms, "I just wanna go a little further past this church. She could be wandering just around the outskirts."

Rick narrowed his eyes, "Alone?"

"Well, the group isn't exactly prepared to hike out any further. It's past noon and they're tired as is." I shrugged, "I'd be fine. I know the trail back."

As we spoke, the group began to gather outside. Rick gave me a look and then held up in his finger for me to wait a moment. I watched as Rick made his way toward Shane who was off to the side talking to Andrea alone. I couldn't help but level a light glare in Shane's direction. How could he have done what he did to his best friend's wife? I liked Shane, I did, but I couldn't wrap my brain around it.

The three of them spoke briefly then made their way toward the group again. As they walked toward us Andrea shot me a glare, and I gave her a look of confusion in return. Why the hell was she always so pissed off at me? It seemed like her energy could be spent on better things. I took a few steps so I was standing with the group.

"Y'all are gonna head back." Shane announced to everyone, "Me, Rick, and Tori are gonna keep looking."

Ah, that was probably why Andrea was pissed.

Daryl called out, "You're splittin' us up?"

"Yeah, just for a little while. Victoria had a good idea." Rick motioned toward me, "Sophia could've tried to find the bells just like us."

The group began to prepare to split up. Glenn pulled me into a hug that I happily returned. He gave me a grin, "Careful out there."

"You too, Glenn." I replied before heading over to Shane and Rick.

Carl came up to the three of us, "I wanna stay too. She's my friend."

Lori set her hands on her son's shoulders and I stayed quiet as Rick and Lori shared a silent conversation with their eyes. Finally, Lori smiled down at her son and leaned over to kiss the top of his head, "Just be careful, ok?"

Carl grinned, "I will!"

Rick stepped forward and leaned in to kiss his wife. Shane watched them without expression, and I watched Shane warily. In fact, I was so focused on him that I didn't notice Daryl walk up to me until he whistled. I glanced over at him, and he pulled a black pistol out from the back of his jeans to hand to me. My eyes widened at it, "Whoa."

"Need it?" Daryl nudged it toward me.

"Where did you—?"

"The guy in the tent had it. You gonna take it, sunshine?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. There was a part of me that actually did want to take it. I wanted the comfort of it, the safety it offered, but that was a very small part of me. The much larger part was terrified. What would happen if I took it and it opened a door to the part of my past I was scared of?

"I don't think it's a good idea. I'm out of practice. Like Shane said, I should probably practice more. Don't want a misfire out there."

Daryl shrugged, "Fine. Don't do nothin' stupid." He turned to leave with a shake of his head. He mumbled under his breath, "Need to learn how to handle a damn gun."

"Thanks, DD!" I chirped out with a wave. He paused in step to throw a glare over his shoulder at me that only made my grin widen.

Glenn chuckled under his breath, and Daryl whipped his glare to him. He snapped, "What are you laughin' at, short round?"

My friend immediately shrugged sheepishly, "N—Nothing."

"No, Rick." Lori said loud enough to catch my attention. I turned around and briefly caught her eye before she focused back on her husband, "I'm not taking your gun and leaving you unarmed out there."

I rolled my eyes and hoped she saw it. Dealing with her and Andrea was getting more than exhausting. Daryl walked over and offered her the gun he offered me, "Here. Got a spare. Take it."

Lori took the gun and slid it into the waistband of her pants. Andrea saw the whole thing and scoffed angrily before stomping away. I smirked in amusement. It was trivial, but I found it kind of hilarious that both me and Lori would be offered a gun before her. Rick nodded his head at Daryl in thanks then the two groups separated. Daryl led one to the highway and Rick led us deeper into the woods.

"Geez, Carl." I teased, "Take care of yourself, won't you? Need to start shaving." Carl snickered as I reached out and pinched his cheek. He swatted my hand away with a laugh. The four of us had been trekking through the forest for about an hour with no hints or signs of Sophia.

The lack of evidence had really started to get Carl down in the dumps, so I took it upon myself to try and cheer the young boy up. I was equally as disappointed that my plan had fallen through, but Carl seeing that wouldn't have helped anything.

Rick had taken the lead with Shane in the back again. It seemed like we were going to keep going for a little while longer before turning back ourselves. The sound of snapping twigs stopped all of us in our tracks. Rick held his hand up and I wrapped my arm around Carl's shoulders protectively. The boy didn't fight me on it.

Shane came forward and lifted his shotgun cautiously.

We shifted forward slightly, and finally our eyes landed on the source of the sound. In a small clearing, a large deer was grazing. Its antlers were thick and tall with a light brown coat and white underbelly. It was a gorgeous creature. Everyone visibly relaxed and watched the deer as it lifted its head and looked around.

Shane lifted his gun and took a step forward, a small smile on his lips, but I lifted my hand to stop him. He gave me a curious look, but I motioned to Carl who looked mesmerized by the creature. Shane's smile grew as he slowly lowered the gun. There was a softness in his eyes, caring, and I couldn't quite understand it.

I shook my head to clear the thoughts from my head and lightly pushed Carl forward. He looked hesitant, but I motioned with my feet for where he should step to avoid making too much noise. The two of us slowly drifted closer to where the deer stood. The buck's head snapped toward us curiously, but he didn't run.

Carl glanced back around me at his father in excitement as I got him a few steps closer. We were an arm's length away when suddenly all the sound was sucked out of the forest. My mind filled with white noise as a haze fell upon me.

Then it was there.

The black figure.

Just on the other side of the deer.

This was the closest it had come to me, yet I still couldn't make out any unusual details about it. It literally was just a shadow filled with a black void that seemed to go on forever. Just a unsettling silhouette. My hands tightened on Carl's shoulders, knuckles turning white, and my gut screamed that something was very, very wrong.

The black figure lifted his hand in the shape of a gun and pointed it directly at Carl's head. Despite it having no features on its face, it gave off a smug energy as it stared down at Carl. It made the sound of a gun being cocked. At least, it sounded like it came from it, but the sound was too realistic.

Without hesitation, I spun around and wrapped my body tightly around Carl to try and shield him from the blackness. My eyes landed briefly on Rick and Shane who stared at me in pure confusion.

Then a shot was fired.

The sounds of the forest returned, but all I could hear was my own scream. There had been a sharp stab on my lower back, but now it was all fire. The last thing I saw was Rick and Shane lunge forward before I collapsed to the ground. Carl pulled himself away, he was yelling something, but I didn't catch any of it. All I could register was pain. A burning, sharp pain that filled every inch of my body.

I was on my hands and knees, but my elbows were beginning to shake, and my hands were deathly pale. My arms gave out and I hit the ground face first with a loud sob.

"Victoria!"

There was pressure on the wound on my back now and it only doubled the pain. Something flipped me over and the sunlight blinded me. I couldn't see the face of who was holding me, but this felt familiar.

I had been here before in someone's arms suffering.

"S—Sam." I sobbed as I desperately clawed at the arms that helped. Clawed for some sort of relief. "Sam, he shot me! I can't—please."

I blinked and the figure holding me morphed into a panicked looking Rick. I sucked in a sharp breath and more sound returned. Shane was yelling, Carl was crying, and Rick was shaking his head, "Victoria. Stay with me. You understand? Everything is going to be ok. Stay with me!"

"Rick." I spoke through clenched teeth, "Is Carl—Is—Ahh!"

"Carl is fine. You're going to be fine." He said firmly and pulled me tighter to his body. He stood up with me in his arms and more pain washed over. I bit down on my lip, but as he began to move, I couldn't hold back the pain any longer. A scream erupted from my lips again.

"—sorry! I'm sorry! There's a farm! Hershel can help her! I'm so so—"

Rick was running now, and I sobbed into his shoulder with every rocking motion. Rick murmured apologies and reassurances, but they fell on deaf ears. I wanted to give up. I wanted to just fall into the darkness and let this pain disappear. This was different than what Andrea meant right? This was a good reason to give in. I fought. I fought for Carl and now he was safe. My eyes fluttered closed, but only for a few moments. I snapped back to consciousness too soon. My mind was tired, but my body wasn't. My weak mind was ready to slip away, but my stupid body refused to give in.

"You move, shithead!" Shane was yelling. "You show us where the farm is!"

"How far!?" Rick barked and I just whimpered. I didn't hear the reply, but I did hear Rick, "Hold on. Just hold on."

Things were getting hazy again. The burning pain was melting into a numbness. Rick was running. He was stillrunning, but I felt so far away. The memory of a voice filled my head.

It was British and cruel.

Familiar and mocking.

'Had enough yet? The Hardy boys aren't here to save the damsel in distress quite yet. I think we can have a little more fun.'

It was pain that triggered this voice, this vague memory. I've had worse than this. I couldn't remember it, but my body could. It remembered every cut and every blow. It kept me from falling over the edge.

"Don't give up. Victoria, I see the house. I see the damn house!" Rick barked desperately. His grip on me was slipping, his strength failing, but he was still running. I was trying to be strong too, but like I had told Daryl so long ago no matter how tough you were, blood loss affected everybody just the same.

'Don't leave me. Please don't leave me. Please. Please.'

That comforting, familiar, involuntary voice was the last thing I heard before I fell over the edge into the blackness.

Rick sprinted onto the porch. His arms and legs were shaking, his body exhausted, but desperation pushed him forward. Victoria was out like a light in his arms. A family burst out the front door to stare at him in shock. An older gentleman stood at the front, clean shaven in ironed clothes.

"Was she bit?"

"Shot." Rick spat, "By your man!"

"Otis?" A woman cried from behind the man.

Rick shook his head, "He said find Hershel. Is that you!?" The man nodded his head and Rick forced himself another step forward, "Help me! Help her!"

"Get her inside." Rick followed him into the house watching as Hershel rolled up his sleeves in preparation. He called out, not slowing down, "Patricia! I need my full kit. Maggie! Painkillers, coagulates,—grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol. In here!"

Hershel threw the sheets off a bed and Rick moved forward to set Victoria down. The woman didn't flinch or even move. Rick stared helplessly, "Is she alive?"

"Pillowcase! Quick!"

Rick grabbed a pillow and began to strip the pillowcase off as Hershel rolled Victoria over, so her wound was showing. He ordered him to fold it, make a pad, so Rick did sluggishly. Hershel cut the back of her shirt open and dragged Rick's hand to wound.

"Hold pressure."

Carl walked into the room with shaking hands. Everything had gone so bad so quickly, and the young boy didn't know what to do. He was old enough to understand. Carl was old enough to know that it should've been him on that bed right now. That Tori had saved him.

"I got a heartbeat. It's faint." Hershel called out.

"Step back." Patricia rushed forward and took Rick's place, "I got it." Rick stumbled back as the older woman worked on Victoria. They called in the other woman, Maggie, and the younger brunette rolled in an IV with her. She shooed him back even further. Rick followed instructions and pulled his son into his side. Carl buried his face into his father's back.

Hershel looked up, "Your name?"

"Rick. I'm—I'm Rick."

"Rick, we're gonna do everything we can, ok? You need to give us some room. Now." Hershel spoke calmly.

Rick backpedaled out of the room, but Carl didn't move. He could hear Shane barking loudly outside. He tried to move in that direction, grabbing Carl's arm, but the boy wouldn't budge.

"I want to stay here, dad."

He should've argued. His son didn't need to stay here, to see this, but Rick was moving on autopilot. He was still trying to wrap his mind around everything that happened so his feet led him outside again just in time to watch Shane force the overweight and panting Otis onto the porch.

Rick took his hat off and it fell to the floor. Shane took in the sight of his spiraling best friend. The blood-stained hands and the large blood spot on the front of his uniform.

"Is she alive? Is she alive!?" Otis gasped for air.

Rick nodded silently, unable to find his voice, and swiped away the sweat from his forehead unknowingly leaving a stripe of red blood across his face. Shane set his shotgun down and pulled a rag out of his back pocket. He quickly came forward and began to clean his best friend up.

"She saved him, Shane." Rick breathed shaking his head. "I don't know how—I don't—how she knew? But—" Rick closed his eyes and shook his head, "I can't let her die. I promised I'd look out for her and—She saved Carl. She saved my son. Shane."

Shane nodded, "I know, I know. She's gonna be fine, brother. Take me inside."

The three men came inside, and Rick's eyes landed on Carl who was now quietly sitting on a couch outside the room where Victoria was. Relief surged in him mixed with guilt at the fact that he could feel any sort of relief right now. It wasn't right, but the fact that his son was safe and healthy brought him to tears. He rushed forward and Carl jumped up to meet him for a hug.

"Dad, is Tori going to die?" Carl's soft voice asked. "It's all my fault."

"No. No, it's not." Rick said firmly, "You know she wouldn't want you thinking that either." He buried his face into his son's hair and kissed the top of his head. "Stay out here, ok? Don't come into the room."

Carl sat back down, and the men moved into the room. Hershel looked up from what he was doing and noticed Otis, "What happened?"

Otis stammered, "I—I was tracking a buck. Bullet went clean through it. Went clean through."

"The deer slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved her life." Hershel sighed and rubbed his hand against a rang, leaving blood stains against the white cloth, "But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. I need to get the bullet fragments out—and I'm counting six."

"I never saw her." Otis sobbed and moved to Patricia who pulled him into a tight hug. He shook his head, "Not until she hit the ground and—and she screamed."

Hershel brought attention back to him, "Do you know your wife's blood type?"

Rick's eyes widened and he stumbled back. Shit. He didn't know that. Hell, Victoria probably didn't even know it. Not with her memory loss issues. Shane noticed the panic and shook his head, "She's just a good friend, and we don't know. She was in an accident, had memory loss so she probably doesn't even know. Couldn't even remember her name."

Hershel hummed, "She needs blood. She won't survive without it."

"The group." Carl's voice made them all look to the doorway where he stood, "Maybe she did know, and she told Daryl or Glenn."

Rick turned to Shane, "Maybe someone there is O negative. We can get back, and we can ask. Bring them here."

"That's a slim chance, brother." Shane warned.

"It's her only chance." Hershel interrupted. "You best pray one of your group members is O negative."

Dale pulled spare parts out of a car making sure to clean them well for future use. Castiel watched his movements with interest. He tilted his head, "You are very good at this."

"Years of practice." Dale chuckled. He looked away from the engine in time to see T-Dog stumble past them with a glazed look in his eyes and pain on his face. Dale wiped his hands on his pants and called out, "T-Dog, how are you feeling?"

T-Dog ignored him entirely. Castiel and Dale shared a wary look. The bandages on his arm were soaked with blood and the skin that showed looked discolored. Dale stepped toward him, "T-Dog. I asked you how you were feeling just now. Please don't blow that question off."

"It really, really hurts. Throbbing something awful. I was hoping Tori'd be back by now. Do something 'bout it."

Dale looked him over, "You're pale too."

"Actually, he looks a shade of dark brown." Castiel spoke up, coming over to stand with them.

T-Dog gathered the strength to give Castiel a skeptical look. Dale, though, remained focused on the task at hand. He lifted T-Dog's arm carefully and looked it over. His veins were darkened and inflamed.

"This is a serious infection. You could die of blood poisoning."

T-Dog let out a sad laugh and sat down in the shade of the RV, "Oh, man. Wouldn't that be the way to go? World gone to hell. Dead risen up to eat the living and Theodore Douglas gets done in by a cut on his arm."

"We need to get you antibiotics. We'll keep looking through the cars." Dale said firmly. Him and Castiel separated to search, and Dale prayed that Victoria would be back soon to do something about all this.

Rick and Shane sat on the couch in the living room. Maggie, the eldest daughter of this family, had taken a horse out to the highway to find the group. They thought it'd be better if the people here stayed here for Victoria just in case she woke up. Rick agreed on that, and now he watched as his son slept with his head resting on his thigh. He ran his hand through Carl's hair and ignored the flecks of dried blood on the back of his hand that he had apparently missed.

"This is on me."

Shane shook his head, "Don't go there, man."

"A little girl goes missing, you look for her. Simple. You said call it, head back." When Rick had explained this plan to Shane, he had argued against it. Stated that it would be best if everyone went back to the highway, but Rick had pushed on the matter.

"It doesn't matter what I said." Shane said firmly. The last thing his friend needed was to blame himself for this. No one could've predicted what happened.

"Victoria got shot because I wouldn't cut bait. Carl could've gotten shot because I didn't let go."

Shane pointed to Rick, "It was Tori's idea as much as it was yours."

There was a silence between them where all they could hear was the family in the room behind them moving around trying to help their bleeding friend. Rick rubbed his tired face with his free hand, "How did she see it coming, man? How did she—"

A desperate scream cut through the conversation and Carl startled awake. Rick and Shane pushed themselves off the couch to run into the room. Hershel had his hand in the wound while Victoria thrashed in the bed sobbing. "Hold her down!"

Shane grabbed her right arm and shoulder while Rick grabbed her legs, and both men pushed her into the mattress as she desperately tried to shake them off her. She was too weak to do anything though. Shane watched as Hershel pulled out a small shard of bullet with a breath of relief.

Tori's eyes fluttered close and Shane felt her go limp under his grip. Panic grabbed at him as he lightly shook her, "Hey, Hey!"

"She blacked out." Hershel explained. "We need blood. I can't do more without it. She's ok for now. Stable, but I've found internal bleeding." He motioned to her side where a dark, ugly bruise was beginning to form. "The only way for me to fix that is to put her under, but if I do that, she won't be able to breathe on her own."

Rick gripped the bed frame tightly, "What do we do?"

"We need a respirator." Otis stepped into the room. "What else?"

"The tube that goes with it, extra surgical supplies, drapes, sutures." Hershel listed the items that came to mind.

Rick held his hand out, "If you had all that… you could save her?"

Hershel shook his head, "If I had all that I could try."

"Nearest hospital went up in flames a month ago." Otis thought aloud. Hershel gave him a knowing look and recognition passed over the man's face. He nodded, "The high school."

Hershel hummed in agreement, "That's what I was thinking. There was a shelter there. They'd have everything we need."

"Place was overrun last time I saw it." Otis rubbed the back of his head in worry, "You couldn't get near it, but maybe it's better now?"

Rick clenched his jaw and his hands went to his hips, "I'll go."

Shane stepped forward and set his hand on Rick's shoulder, "No, I will."

"Both of us—"

"No, Rick." Shane shook his head firmly, "If she wakes up, she needs a familiar face and she seems to like your ugly mug well enough." The joke settled on the tense air. He sighed and motioned his head toward the door, "Besides, Carl is scared. He needs you here."

Rick knew his partner was right. He knew it but sitting around doing nothing was torture. He sighed, "I hate you going alone, Shane."

Shane looked to Hershel, "Doc, why don't you draw me up a map and a list."

"You won't need them." Otis spoke up, "I'll take you there. Ain't but five miles."

Patricia looked horrified, "Otis, no!"

"Honey, we don't have time for guesswork and I'm responsible."

The decision was made, and the two men packed up and took a pick-up truck down the road to the high school.

The small group Daryl led through the forest had decided to call the search on account of losing light. They couldn't afford to go any further alongside the highway without risking getting caught in the dark. So, Daryl now led them back towards where the RV was situated on the highway with the plan to look again tomorrow.

"How much further?" Andrea groaned.

Daryl didn't bother to look back at her, "Not much. Maybe hundred yards. As the crow flies."

"Too bad we're not crows." Andrea mumbled in annoyance. Her legs were tired, and their lack of clues to Sophia's disappearance put her in an even more sour mood. Andrea suddenly stepped into a large spider web and began to swat away the invisible strands, "As the crow flies my ass."

She got settled just as a walker stumbled around a tree to surprise her. Andrea screamed loudly as she tripped backwards over the root of the tree beside her. The group turned to see what was happening, but no one was close enough to immediately react.

Andrea scrambled back in a panic, but before she could even try to attack the walker a horse rode by with the rider knocking the walker out with a baseball bat. Andrea tried to catch her breath as the group stared dazed. The woman on the horse was in her twenties with short brown hair and deep brown eyes. A straw cowboy hat sat atop her head.

"My name is Maggie. Y'all Rick's group?" She cried out as the horse trotted in place a few times.

Lori spoke up first, "Yes, yes, how do you know my husband's name!?"

"Listen, Rick and Shane sent me. There's been an accident. Are any of you O negative blood type?" Maggie demanded.

"What's going on?" Carol questioned.

Maggie shook her head, "A woman was shot. I think Rick called her Victoria."

The entire group was taken aback by the news. There was a second a silence as they all tried to absorb this new information. Glenn swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced over at Daryl who looked as stone faced as ever. The Korean couldn't get a read off him ever, least of all now.

"She's alive, but she needs blood now." Maggie barked out again, "Are any of you O negative!?"

"Me." Glenn raised his hand and the group looked to him, "I—I'm O negative."

Maggie led the horse toward him and held out her hand expectantly. Glenn was frozen in place, too shocked to move. Lori pushed forward again, "Is Carl ok? My son!?"

"He's fine, but you need to come with me!" Maggie yelled and thrust her hand out again.

"Go!" Daryl barked and his voice shocked Glenn into moving. He grabbed the woman's hand and she helped lift him onto the back of the horse.

Maggie nodded toward Daryl, "Y'all are on the highway, right? With the traffic snarl? Backtrack to Fairburn Road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox, name's Greene. Hyah!"

She sent the horse flying, and in seconds they were out of sight entirely. Lori rubbed at her face and shook her hands, "We have to get there. I need to see Carl now."

"He ain't even the one shot." Daryl snapped. The walker that Maggie knocked down was slowly beginning to get up. Daryl lifted his crossbow and shot it through the head without hesitation, "Shut up."

He retrieved his arrow and led the group back to the highway as quickly as they could move. After twenty minutes, their feet hit asphalt and they were met with Dale who was immediately told the story of what happened or at least what they knew of it.

"Shot? What do you mean shot!?" Dale cried. Castiel's eyes widened in worry. He didn't know Tori, at least he thought he didn't, but there was no doubt that he wanted her safe. A core aspect of who he was wanted to protect her, and although he didn't truly understand why that was he had already decided to act on it.

"I don't know, Dale. We weren't there." Lori explained.

Andrea stepped over the guard rail with a huff, "All we know is some lady showed up and took Glenn on a horse for his blood."

"You let her take him?" Dale questioned Daryl.

The redneck scoffed, "Climb outta my ass, old man. She knew their names."

Lori moved to the RV and reiterated how important it was for her to get to the farm as quickly as possible. Nobody argued with her and the group moved hastily to try and get someone on their way to support Victoria.

That night matched the day in terms of panic and worry. Glenn was on orders to not go fifty feet from the bed because of the need for blood. He was the only one viable to give, and Hershel warned that this could make him very sick, but Glenn didn't hesitate to offer anything he could give. Glenn felt strongly that Victoria would do the same for him if need be.

Lori, T-Dog, and Castiel drove up to the farmhouse in the station wagon with the rest of the group staying on the highway and planning to come in the morning. They didn't want to abandon that post completely yet, just in case Sophia wandered back. T-Dog was able to get antibiotics from the farm and was passed out in a spare room. Castiel on the other hand sat on the couch outside Victoria's room with his hands clasped tightly in worry.

Out on the porch, however, Lori sat in a rocking chair with her son pulled into her lap as she listened to her husband tell the story of how the woman she had been so cold to miraculously took a bullet for her son. It was the Grimes family who noticed the pick-up driving back up to the house after being gone for hours. Shane crawled out of the car, alone, and limped up to the porch with a bag of medical supplies and a rifle strapped around his shoulders. His face was drawn in guilt and defeat.

"He died for this, brother." Shane shook his head. "He held them off and told me to run. I couldn't—"

Hershel heard all this and took the supplies from Shane, "Don't tell Patricia yet. I need her focused."

My eyes opened and the world was a blur. It took a moment of blinking before the small room around me came into focus. I was lying on my stomach, with my head turned sideways on the mattress. Confusion washed over me. What was happening? I tried to move and the moment I did pain rocketed through my body like a flare. A pathetic cry of pain spilled from my lips as tears dripped from my eyes.

"Tori!? Hey! She's awake! Guys!" Glenn came into view, but he looked pale. Why was he so pale? What was he doing here? I tried to talk, but only whimpers came out. Glenn shook his head and set his hand on top of mine. It was only then that I noticed the needle and tube in his arm, "It's ok, it's ok."

An older man came into the room, "We need to put her under now. If she has a chance we have to begin to operate."

Operate? My brain was fuzzy, but I knew that was bad. I tried to shake my head and Glenn's hand tightened around mine, "No. N—No, please." If they put me under I would die. I couldn't breathe on my own while under. How could they even try this?

Sound left me again and I watched helplessly as Glenn was shooed away. I caught sight of Castiel's worried eyes in the doorway before the edges of my vision began to darken.

Then the darkness overtook me.