VPOV

I stood outside in a secluded place, next to Carol with Daryl on my other side. Tyreese and dad were with us. We all looked down at the bodies, charred and smoking. Someone had killed Karen and David...

"You found them like this?" dad asked Tyreese. Ty had found the bodies and come straight to us.

Ty turned to dad. "I came to see Karen, and I saw the blood on the floor." his voice was so low and quiet. "Then I smelled them" he paused. "Somebody dragged them out here and set them on fire!" he yelled, gesturing with his hands. "They killed them and sat the on fire!" we were all silent. He turned to dad walking up to him with a vengeful look in his eyes. Daryl moved quickly to stand behind Ty, ready if he did anything. "You're a cop." Ty spoke to dad. "You find out who did this and you bring them to me. You understand?" dad nodded. "You bring them to me!"

"Hey, man." Daryl stepped up to Ty, tapping his arm. "We'll find out who-"

Ty pushed him away. "I need to say it again?"

Dad shook his head. "No. I know what you're feeling. I've been there. You saw me there. It's dangerous."

"Karen didn't deserve this! David didn't deserve it!" Ty gestured to the bodies. "Nobody does!"

Daryl moved to Ty again, grabbing his arm. "All right, man, let's bring this-"

Ty spun around, pushing Daryl against the gate. "Man. I ain't going nowhere till I find out who did this!"

"Daryl!" I moved to help him, Carol and dad right there with me.

Before we could reach Ty, Daryl lifted his hands up, gesturing for us to stop. Ty breathed heavily in Daryl's face, holding on to his shirt. My heart was beating hard and fast, worried about Daryl's safety.

"We're on the same side, man." he told Ty, hoping it would calm him.

"Hey, look," dad started, "I know what you're going through. We've all lost someone. We know what you're going through right now, but you gotta calm down." he placed a hand on Ty's back.

Tyreese spun around, letting go of Daryl and pushing my dad away. "You need to step the hell back!"

"No." Carol tried to stop them, but Ty just ignored her.

"She wouldn't want you being like this." dad told Ty, and the moment he spoke those words I knew he shouldn't have.

Ty swung his fist, hitting dad right across his face. Dad fell, Ty right on top of him.

"Dad!" I went to move forward but Daryl grabbed me, standing in front of me protectively.

"Stop!" Carol yelled, moving towards them. "Stop! Stop!"

Grunting, Ty slammed his fist into dad's face again. With that Daryl jumped on Ty's back, trying to hold his arms down.

"That's enough." Daryl grunted.

Dad stood up, spitting blood on the ground. He looked to Ty before punching him in the face, sending him to the ground. Daryl stepped back as dad moved to Ty kicking him in the ribs. Ty rolled on to his back and dad moved over him, leaning over and punching him the face over ad over.

"Dad! Stop!" I cried as I stepped forward, about to grab dad, but Daryl moved between us.

"Rick!" he grabbed dad and started pulling him off. "Stop! No!"

"Let go of me! Let go of me!" dad yelled, elbowing Daryl in the nose.

Blood started pouring out of Daryl's nose. He stepped back and I was right there with him, making sure he was okay. Dad looked up seeing what he had done to Daryl and Ty. Ty just stayed on the ground, crying, not because of the pain but because of Karen. Carol was in complete shock, staring at my dad and what he had done.

I just shook my head. "What the hell just happened!?" dad went to step closer to me but I shook my head, grabbing Daryl's arm and walking away. "Who are you?" I asked my father before Daryl and I disappeared into the tombs.

DPOV

I sat on our bed as Vic stood in front of me, cleaning up my nose. I looked up at her, staying still as she dabbed over the blood. Aly was in her own room; Vic had sent her out before I walked in. We didn't want her seeing me like this. Especially when we had no idea how we were supposed to explain what happened.

"What was he thinking?" Vic mumbled to herself. "He's crazy."

I sighed. "Vic, he's your dad."

But she just shook her head. "No. That was not my dad. That was the crazy guy that showed up after mum died. It was like everything he's been trying to keep bottled up and controlled just exploded out of him. And Tyreese! What the hell? You did nothing, and neither did my dad. Yet he went all crazy."

"He lost Karen." I reminded her.

"Yeah I know. But he didn't have to start bashing up people."

I shrugged. "If I lost you-"

"You did lose me Daryl." she stopped cleaning my nose, looking down at me. "I was gone for eight months and even when you found me, I couldn't remember anyone. You lost me. You may not have known if I was dead or not, but you knew there was practically no chance of finding me."

I nodded, knowing what she meant. "Yeah, I lost you. And I was a mess. I didn't talk to anyone, I kept my distance. If it wasn't for the promise I made you I would have left them all. I wouldn't have cared if they survived or not. But your mum was killed by a walker, and your dad knew for sure she was dead. And Karen was murdered, Ty saw her body. If either of them had been you I would be like them."

"No you-"

"Vic." I stopped her. "I would go out and kill as many walkers as I could find. I wouldn't eat or sleep. I'd just hunt walkers and kill 'em until one killed me or I starved to death. Anyone who might get in my way, I'd beat them into the ground, till they were dead. You'd be gone, and there'd be nothing left for me."

She leaned forward, her lips brushing mine softly. "It scares me, thinking about you like that." When she pulled back she rested her forehead on mine. "But I've got to be the luckiest girl alive." she kissed me again.

I pressed my lips against her's again, needing to feel her. After everything, I just needed this. Her body. The urges that vibrated through me every moment, that I kept at bay, were getting harder to control. I grabbed her waist pulling her forward until she straddled my hips. Her hands grasped my arms as I started moving my lips to her jaw, down to her neck and shoulder.

"Daryl, we can't." she breathed, trying to hold in her moans. "People will hear."

"Don't care." I grunted, lifting my head and looking at her. Her eyes were full of heat and desire, mirroring mine. "Ain't gonna let that stop me."

She grinned as I moved my lips back to her neck, nibbling and sucking. She moaned quietly, her hips moving against mine ever so slightly. She paused, feeling the growing bulge in my pants. I just kept working on her skin, leaving a mark where I knew she could hide it, but she'd know it was there.

"Vickie?" Aly's little voice called from outside the room.

Vic was off me in a heartbeat, adjusting herself before moving to the curtain. I moved so the lump in my pants couldn't be seen. Nodding at Vic she opened the curtain. Aly stood there, doll in one hand and Houdini's collar in the other, the dog sitting by her feet.

"Hey, sweety." Vic crouched by her. "What's up?"

Aly shrugged. "Can you play with me? Please?"

Vic nodded, not even thinking about it. She'd do anything for that girl. "Sure. We can play. Why don't we go outside and play catch with Houdini?" Aly nodded happily, the dog's tail wagging. "Okay, well you get the ball and I'll meet you out there." Aly ran off excitedly.

Vic turned to me, walking over to straddle my legs again. I groaned as she leaned forward and kissed me gently, pressing against me in all the right places which made it agonizingly good.

Grinning, she puled back. "You have a council meeting soon." she reminded me. "Your nose isn't broken, you'll be fine. I'll see you later." she told me, getting off.

I grabbed her hand before she could leave, and pulled her down until she was on top of me, the both of us lying down.

"Guard tower. Tonight." I told her.

She laughed, nodding her head. "Deal."

VPOV

I threw the ball and watched as Aly tried to beat Houdini to it. But of course the dog won, he always did. Aly laughed and ran back to me, Houdini staying by her side now that the ball was in his mouth.

"Again, again!" she jumped up and down.

We had been out her for about an hour. She was just full of so much energy, the both of them could do this all day long if I kept throwing the ball. I had been distracted. From where we were playing on the field I could still see the courtyard. People were heading towards A block, more and more getting sick. When I saw Sasha and Zach I knew things were getting bad. Most had just been from cell block D, that had survived. But now it was spreading.

I looked to Aly and saw how energetic and happy she was. I remember what Daryl said, that she'd be fine. But Sasha and Zach had been fine too. They had been helping with the fence just yesterday...

"How are you feeling? Maybe we should go inside and have a break?" I suggested.

But Aly shook her head. "I want to play."

"I know, sweety. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine." she smiled, nothing seeming different about her. "Can we play now?"

Nodding I threw the ball, not too far. Both of them ran off, Houdini barking happily as Aly laughed and tried to beat him. I sighed. Maybe I'm worrying too much...

DPOV

"It's spread." Hershel addressed the council. Sasha was with us, she had caught the flu, so we had to go on without her. But Michonne had joined, staying clear from the rest of us who had been exposed though. "Everyone who survived the attack in cell block D. Sasha, Caleb, Zach, and now others."

"Jesus." I mumbled, the numbers just growing.

"So what do we do?" Carol asked Hershel. He was the only one with some kind of medical experience on the council, we hoped he had an answer.

"First things first. Cell block A is isolation. We keep the sick people there like we tried with Karen and David." Hershel started.

I shrugged. "What the hell we gonna do about that?"

"I'll ask Rick to look into it." Carol nodded. "Try to make a timeline, who's where when. But what are we gonna do to stop this?"

Hershel shook his head. "There is no stopping it. You get it, you have to go through it."

"But it just kills you?" Michonne spoke up.

Hershel turned to her. "The illness doesn't , the symptoms do." talking to the rest of us he said, "We need antibiotics."

"We've been through every pharmacy nearby, and then some." I told him, not knowing how we were supposed to get the meds.

"That veterinary college at West Peachtree Tech, that's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication." Hershel suggested, knowing what we'd need. "The drugs for animals there are the same we need."

"That's 50 miles. Too big a risk before. Ain't now." I stood up, grabbing my cross bow. "I'm gonna take a group out. Best not waste any more time."

"I'm in." Michonne stepped forward.

But Hershel turned to her, hoping to change her mind. "You haven't been exposed. Daryl has. You get in a car with him-"

She cut him off, shrugging. "He's already given me fleas."

Hershel chuckled, letting it go. Standing he spoke. "I can lead the way. I know where everything's kept."

I stopped, looking at the others before turning to him. Shifting slightly, I told him, "When we're out there, it's always the same. Sooner or later, we run." I looked down at his leg. He may not be on crutches any more, a fake leg replacing his missing one. But he still wasn't a fast mover...

"I can draw you a map." he shrugged, knowing where I was getting at. I nodded, turning to leave until he spoke up again. "There are other precautions I feel we should take."

"Like what?" Carol asked.

Hershel turned to her. "There's no telling how long it'll be before Daryl and his group return. Wouldn't it make sense for us to separate the most vulnerable? We can use the administration building, separate office, separate room."

"Who is the most vulnerable?" Glenn spoke up.

"The very young." Hershel answered.

Hesitating, Glenn went on. "What about the old?"

VPOV

"But I don't wanna go." Aly whined.

Daryl had come back from the council meeting, informing me that the kids were going to be separated from everyone else, just in case. They were more vulnerable, so it made sense. But Aly just did not want to go.

I sighed, stuffing some of her things in a bag. "Alyssa." I used her full name so she knew this was serious. "You have to go. It's for your safety. You have to go with the other kids. Houdini will be with you. You'll have your favourite toys." I showed her the pink dog she had before we met and the deer Daryl had brought back for her. "You'll be fine, I promise. Carl will make sure you're okay."

"But what about you? Can't you come with me?"

Daryl who had been standing in the door way patiently, shook his head. "We got jobs to do. Gonna make everyone feel better so the kids can come back."

I smiled up at him. I loved how he was honest, but made it sound as if everything was dependent on us. Aly understood better if we were the hero's.

With a sigh, kicking at the ground with the toe of her shoe, she nodded. "O-kay."

Her bag now packed, I grinned, lifting her up in my arms and kissing her cheek. "That's my girl." she giggled in my arms.

I grabbed her bag, ready to go. Turning back to the door, to Daryl, I could see a look in his eyes. I had seen it a few times before, only whenever I was with Aly or Judith, or one of the other little ones.

"What?" I blushed as he continued to stare, arms folded across his chest.

He shrugged, pushing off the wall. "Nothin'." he answered before stepping out, letting us go through.

...

Once I had dropped Aly off with Houdini, I made my way back outside to where Daryl and Michonne were busy prepping the car. As I neared the car, I saw Michonne heading for one of the towers, probably getting some oil for the motor or something.

"Hey." I called out to Daryl, my voice deflated and down.

He stood up from leaning in the hood of the car, turning to me with a frown. "What's wrong?"

I just shrugged, stopping next to him and leaning against the car. "I don't think I'm gonna go. I don't feel right, leaving Aly here. Not now, when I know she can still get sick..."

He nodded understandingly. "I get it." he leaned over kissing my forehead.

"You want me to ask around, find someone to replace me? You've got Michonne and Bob going, don't you?"

"Yeah. Thinkin' 'bout asking Tyresse, too."

I didn't think that was a good idea, after him losing Karen so recently. I mean, I get where Daryl was coming from. He needed numbers, and Ty could be useful seeing as he's a tough guy who can follow right now, I think he's more tough than following.

"You sure that's a good idea?"

He shrugged, stepping away from the car and in front of me. "'Bout to find out. You know where he is?"

Nodding, I pointed to the A block. "Sasha." was all I had to say.

DPOV

I turned the corner in the prison, coming to the entrance of cell block A. Tyresse stood by the door, looking in, keeping watch on everyone inside. Since Karen and David, and now that Sasha was inside, I knew he was taking everything personally. He didn't trust anyone.

"What you doing?"

At the sound of my voice he turned, my gaze landing on his swollen eye from Rick this morning. "Somebody needs to stand watch." he answered, confirming my suspicions.

I gave a short nod, stepping closer. "Man, I want to find them, too. Put a bolt in them for what they did." despite my efforts, he just turned back around to look into the cell where the number of sick people seemed to be growing and growing by the minute. So I went on, getting to the point. "These people are cut off. Ain't no way anyone's getting in and out without a whole bunch of people seeing them."

This at least go his attention as he turned back to more again. "Sasha's in there. I ain't going nowhere."

Stepping closer just that little bit more, I explained, "Standing guard ain't gonna do no good unless we come back with the meds." yet it was all for nothing. His back was once again facing me as he set his sights and mind on the one task. So I nodded, giving up. "All right. We're gassing up by the front gate in case you change your mind." I told him before walking back out.

I knew we needed another man. Michonne and I were capable of taking care of the walkers, sure. But Bob was still pretty rusty, we basically needed him just so he could help us sort out the meds. Ty was our best bet on getting out of there as a whole group. If Vic was coming, it would be fine. But she wasn't, so we needed the extra muscle.

I just hoped he came to his senses before it was too late.

BaMbY