Author's Note:

Hello biscuits! Here I am! I just want you to know how much I love you all...reading all your reviews and messages makes me smile and it's literally like Christmas morning when I open my email and see how many notifications I have. Ugh, I just really love you guys and I wish I could send you all some cookies.

This chapter is really, really long. It was originally two short chapters but I couldn't end it on such an extreme cliffhanger. I MEAN YOU GUYS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH. Also this chapter alternates between Charlie and Daryl POV. I tried to make it as clear as possible when the POV switches so there wasn't any confusion.

That's all...you guys are awesome. I love messages, reviews, favorites, and all the love. Keep it coming!

-Nikki

Charlie

We worked in silence. The only sounds were the shovels hitting the ground and the dirt being dumped into a pile that grew bigger and bigger as the grave grew deeper and deeper. Soon my shirt began to stick to my back and beads of sweat dripped down the side of my face. I stopped to pull my hair back into a ponytail when I noticed someone heading towards us from the cellblocks. I shielded my eyes from the sun to get a better look and saw it was Rick. He still looked so tired and worn down, not all himself. I missed his easy smile and his unwavering confidence. Now, he just looked like the empty shell of the man he used to be.

"How's it goin', you two?" He asked as he got closer.

I realized I was still trying to catch my breath. Daryl beat me to an answer anyways. "S'fine. Need help with somethin'?" He leaned on his shovel, looking up at Rick from a hole that was waist deep.

Rick cast a sideways look at me. "Was just wantin' to have a word with ya'."

I got the hint then, that this conversation didn't include me. "I was about ready to take a break anyways. I need some water." I leaned my shovel against the dirt walls of the hole and braced my hands on the grassy ledge, ready to try and pull myself up. Rick was suddenly there, though, extending a hand and helping to pull me out of the shallow grave.

I wiped my hands on the back of my jeans. "I'll be back in a little while."

"You'll be alright?" Daryl asked, tugging the bandanna from over his mouth.

I nodded. "Yeah, of course." I gave him a small smile before turning and heading back up the small incline towards the cellblocks.

I still was having a hard time catching my breath and by the time I made it to the water pump by the mess hall outside, I felt a little lightheaded. I filled an empty cup with water and sank down onto a bench by one of the tables. I drained the cup easily. I could see the two men in the distance and wondered what Rick had wanted to say to Daryl without me being there. Usually there wasn't much he felt like he couldn't say to Daryl in front of me.

The world started to feel like it was swaying again and I blinked hard. Despite the hot sun and the damp sweat that covered my body, a shiver rippled through me. My arms and legs felt sore and heavy from digging graves all afternoon. Maybe it hadn't been such a great idea to work so hard while pregnant. I felt exhausted now and wanted to just lay down. I remembered the little room that Daryl and I had found after he and the others had rescued me from Woodbury. It was a room we had disappeared to many times since then whenever we wanted to be alone. There was a cot in there. The others probably wouldn't miss me if I laid down for a little while. Plus, I wouldn't have to go through the cellblock to get there.

I forced myself up from the table, squinting my eyes in the bright sunlight that suddenly was hurting my eyes. I filled the cup back up with water and headed towards the administration building door that also led back into the tombs, towards the room I was thinking of. I felt a little better once I was inside and out of the sun. The halls were quiet. Everyone must have been off doing other things. It was easier now to navigate the twists and turns of the dark corridors and I eventually found myself in the familiar concrete hallway and finally the little room.

I shut the door carefully behind me and sank down onto the cot. It wasn't just my arms and legs now. My entire body felt heavy. Like it was filled with lead. I laid back on the cot and stared up at the ceiling. I shivered again.

I tried to come up with another excuse. And another. And another. I pulled at Daryl's bandana from where I had it tied around my neck and pressed it to my face. It came back damp with sweat. My stomach clenched with fear. I was fine. Everything was fine. I'd sleep this off. I was just tired. It was just the pregnancy. Another excuse, another excuse.

The darkness pressed in around the corners of my vision. I forced my eyes shut.

Daryl

"Daryl! Rick!"

I heard Maggie before I saw her, sprintin' towards us before stoppin' to point at the fence. I ran after her.

A big group of walkers had pushed themselves up against the fence, shriekin' and snarlin'. It'd been happenin' more and more lately, and I couldn't tell if they were gettin' smarter or stupider the way the sank against the fences until it wasn't strong enough to hold 'em back anymore.

Glenn saw us comin' and tossed me one of the crowbars he had in his hands. I went to work, jabbin' one of the ends through the chain links in the fence, tryin' to put down as many of the walkers as I could. They kept on comin' though, more and more. Probably drawn by all the noise.

"It's goin' down!" I yelled as the fence suddenly started to fall towards us. My heart hammered behind my ribcage, knowin' what would happen as soon as walkers started to spill over this side of the fence. We had enough problems as it was. "Push it back!"

There was the sound of crowbars clangin' to the ground as everyone pressed back against the fence, tryin' to keep it from collapsin' while also tryin' not to end up gettin' bit. I grunted as I rammed my shoulder into the fence. The walkers kept pilin' into each other, though, more and more and more.

"This isn't gonna hold much longer!" Maggie yelled, her eyes wide.

Rick suddenly staggered backwards and I looked over my shoulder. He was starin' at the fence and the walkers, lookin' just as nervous as I felt. Suddenly, his eyes turned on me. "Daryl, get the truck. I know what to do." He said, soundin' much calmer than he or any of the rest of us looked. "Park it by the pen."

I nodded and took off at a run to where the truck was parked, 'round the other side of the cellblock next to the SUV. I climbed inside and flipped down the visor, the keys fallin' into my hand. I turned the ignition and the engine let out a sad, high pitched whine.

"Come on, ya' piece of shit." I growled under my breath. I tried again and it let out the same pathetic whine for a long minute before finally catchin' and roarin' to life. I threw it into reverse and back out before swingin' it around and headin' towards the pig pen. Rick was already there, one of the piglets in his arms.

I made to hop outta the truck but he shook his head. I hesitated, but stayed put inside the cab, watchin' as he carried each of the squealin' pigs from the pen and into the back of the truck. Finally, he hopped in after them and banged on the roof of the cab.

"Drive out towards where they're clustered around the fence. We can lead 'em away." I heard him call about the roar of the engine. That was when I finally got what he was meanin' to do. He was gonna use the pigs as bait to lure the walkers from the fence. It was god damn brilliant. I was suddenly glad Charlie had decided to disappear for a while. This woulda crushed her and I didn't think I could handle seein' her face when she realized what Rick meant to do.

I drove towards the gates where Maggie was waitin'. She pulled the door open when she saw us comin' before shuttin' it closed just as quick. I drove the truck off the gravel and headed into the grass, towards the walkers grouped around the fence.

"Slow down a little when you get close!" I heard Rick say.

I stepped off the gas and the truck inched forward. I took my eyes off the walkers for a minute to watch Rick in the rearview mirror. He took in a deep breath before pullin' out his blade and makin' a clean slice across the pig's neck. The thing's squealin' almost made me cringe. Rick tossed it out the back of the truck towards the walkers and gave me a signal to start drivin' again.

I dunno if it was the smell of the blood or the noise, but one by one, all the walkers left the fence and came back towards us. I drove slowly, keepin' an eye between the walkers and Rick. I couldn't tell much by the look on his face, but if I knew anythin' about Rick and what kinda state he was in these days, this was good enough to wreck him at least a little.

When the last pig was gone, Rick sank back against the side of the truck and didn't say a word. Just stared at his bloodied hands as I drove back into the prison yard. He didn't move even after I shut off the engine and hopped out.

"That was good thinkin', man. That'll keep 'em busy for a while." I said, noddin' towards the fence. All the walkers had cleared out, busy with the piglets. At least for now.

"Won't last, though. They'll be back at it in a couple of days. We should find a way to fortify that part of the fence." He finally said, lookin' up at me.

"Nice job, guys." Glenn was suddenly at my side, lookin' between the two of us. He let his eyes hang on Rick for a longer second before quickly lookin' away. "I don't think Maggie liked it too much, but it worked." He shrugged.

"Yeah, I doubt Charlie would've liked it much either." I said, slidin' a hand over the back of my neck. "Ya' see where she went off to anyways?" It'd been a while since I'd last seen her, and while I knew she hated it, I didn't like lettin' her outta my sight for too long. Made me all sorts of worried.

He shook his head. "Maybe she went back inside for a while?"

I grunted. "Maybe. Might go lookin' for her in a minute unless ya' wanna do somethin' bout that fence now, Rick." I looked over at him just as he was finally hoppin' outta the truck bed. Blood was still smeared all over his hands and face.

He must've noticed me starin'. "Nah, think I'll go get cleaned up."

"Rick!" Tyreese's voice suddenly boomed across the parking lot. The three of us turned. He was keyed up 'bout somethin' alright. Eyes wild, chest heavin'. Looked like he was even shakin'. Somethin' was wrong and it was bad.

"What happened?" Rick asked quickly, movin' towards him. I followed after him.

"Somethin' you need to see."

Charlie

I knew something was wrong as soon as I opened my eyes.

My clothing stuck to me in cold, damp sweat, every single each of my body ached in excruciating pain. I sucked in a deep breath and my lungs burned intensely before I was suddenly leaning over the side of the cot in a coughing fit. I waited until it subsided before collapsing back onto the cot. Even just the tiniest of movements took an insane amount of effort and made my head swim. I brought a hand to my forehead. It was hot.

I felt the fear and the panic welling up inside my chest, threatening to burst right through me. If I had caught it, if I was this sick already…what was going to happen to the baby? I swallowed hard and it felt like swallowing glass.

Okay, I needed to get up. The first thought I had was to find Daryl, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't risk him coming anywhere near me right now. I needed to get to cellblock A and find Caleb and tell him I was sick and tell him about the baby, like Daryl said we should. But, god, it seemed so far away.

I took in another rattling breath and forced myself to sit. The room turned and I held my head in my hands, waiting for it to subside. I forced myself to stand, leaning against the counter and the wall as I shuffled across the room and pulled the door open. The passage seemed a thousand miles long.

I leaned against the wall as another coughing fit ripped through me, tearing through my lungs and making chest and throat burn. I automatically looked at my hand when I was finished, turning it over in a panic to make sure it wasn't blood I was coughing up. It was clean. I breathed in one very small sigh of relief and began my shuffle down the hall way, using the wall as a crutch.

My vision swam and the room tilted, my head pounding like someone was hitting me with a hammer over and over and over again. It hurt. God, everything hurt.

I forced myself to keep going. One small step at a time until I was sure I was almost halfway down the hall. Another coughing fit, this one making me grasp at the wall and when it was finally over, I couldn't catch my breath. I slid down against the wall until I was sitting, hand pressed over my chest, feeling the rapid beating of my heart. A fleeting fear rippled through me. Could something so small survive this? If it was like this for me, what was it doing to the tiny life inside me. I tried to stand again, but my legs felt to weak. I sat back down and choked back a sob. I wasn't going to cry, I wasn't going to lie down and give up. Keep going, my head screamed at me. Stand up and keep going.

Daryl

"You need to do somethin' about this! Somebody murdered them!" Tyreese screamed, inches from Rick's face.

I hesitated behind 'em, waitin' for the first punch. I could feel that a fight was comin'. Ain't nothin' you could do to stop a man in pain the way Tyreese was. I glanced back down at the two charred bodies, completely unrecognizable. Whoever did this, whatever murderin' bastard had decided to play god, was gonna git what was comin' to 'em.

"Tyreese, we're gonna find who did this. Okay? But you need to calm down. We've all been in your place. We've all lost somebody." Rick was sayin' calmly. I could see the side of him that used to be a police officer comin' out, tryin' to negotiate.

"Karen didn't deserve it! David didn't deserve it! Nobody deserves this!" Tyreese growled. He stepped towards Rick and I jumped in grabbin' his arm and tryin' to pull him back.

I wasn't surprised when he turned on me then, pushin' me back into the wall with his fists curled tight around my shirt. Carol was watchin' from behind him with wide eyes and Rick's jaw was clenched tight as he moved to rip Tyreese away from me. I held out my hand, shakin' my head. That was only gonna piss him off more.

"We're on the same side, man. You forget that?" I said quietly, my fingers curlin' around his wrist. "We ain't the bad guys."

He didn't say nothin', just kept glarin' at me, on the edge of doin' somethin' to either me or Rick I knew he'd regret if he was in his right state of mind. "You tellin' me," He finally started to say. "That you would be just fine, you'd be nice and calm, if it was Charlie on that ground?" He asked. I felt my entire body go rigid, my jaw tense as I narrowed my eyes at him. My grip in his wrist tightened. Before I could say or do anythin', though, Rick was jumpin' back in.

"Hey look." Rick said quietly, his voice calm and quiet. "I know what you're goin' through. We've all lost someone. We know what you're goin' through right now, but you gotta calm down." He placed a hand on Tyreese's shoulder and that was all it took for him to flip, turnin' from me and back on Rick.

I took in a deep breath, tryin' to calm the rage he started stirrin' at the mention of Charlie's name. I knew he just threw it in there to get to me, but it worked. If anythin' happened to Charlie…I swallowed hard. It'd ruin me.

"She wouldn't want you bein' like this." I heard Rick say. It was the sound of Tyreese's fist slammin' into Rick that shook me outta my own damn head, though, and Carol's shriek.

"Stop!" She tried gettin' in between them, which was the worst place for her.

Tyreese threw another punch and I lunged at him from behind, wrappin' my arms around his chest and tryin' to keep him from goin' at Rick a third time. It was like tryin' to hold back a bear, though.

Suddenly, Rick came out of nowhere. His fist slammed hard into Tyreese, knockin' both of us backwards. I stumbled a few steps, gettin' my footin' back just in time to see him goin' in for another, and another until Tyreese was on the ground.

"Rick!" I yelled, wrappin' an arm around his shoulders. "Rick, that's enough!" He struggled hard against my grip, tryin' to get at Tyreese who had given up and was lyin' on the ground in a heap. Somethin' had snapped in Rick, though.

"Get off me!" He pushed me off him and staggered away.

I looked back at Carol who was pressed up against the far wall with both hands over her mouth. Tyreese was still on the ground, only now I could hear him cryin'. "Rick." I said again, takin' a step towards him.

He was starin' at his hand, shakin' and covered in blood.

Charlie

At some point, I'd gotten back on my feet. Each step made my body ache, made the room tilt and turn. I was almost to the door that would take me back outside and then it would be just a short walk away from cellblock A, deathrow. I paused. Footsteps echoed from a passage that split off from the hallway I was in.

"Hello?" A familiar voice called.

I froze. It was Maggie. "Stop!" I tried calling out to her, but my voice came out more like a weak croak. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Don't, Maggie."

It was too late, though, and the next moment she had appeared around the corner and was standing just a few feet away. Her eyes widened when she saw me hunched up against the wall, clinging to it for support.

"Oh my god, Charlie." She said in a hushed voice. She made to take a step towards me, but froze, remembering it wasn't safe.

"I'm going to cellblock A." I muttered, looking at her through heavy eyes. Her image swam in front of me. A brutal cough wracked my entire body then and when I looked back at Maggie she was rigid with fear, only it wasn't for her. It was for me.

"What should I do? Can I do anything?" She asked, looking helplessly at me from across the hall.

"Just…tell Daryl where I'm going. Okay?" I finally managed to say, my voice wavering just slightly. There was no point in waiting for her to go get him now even though I so desperately just wanted him with me. He wouldn't be able to come near me. It was safer for him to stay far, far away. "And Gabe too. " I said, thinking of my little brother and glad he hadn't been anywhere near the virus or cellblock D. At least he was safe.

"Okay…are you sure you don't want-" She asked hesitantly.

I shook my head. "It's not safe to be anywhere near me. Just go. I'll be fine."

The words hung ominously in the air. 'I'll be fine', even though it was clear as day that I wasn't fine and there was no guarantee I was going to be fine again.

She nodded. "I'll tell him."

"Thanks, Maggie." I forced myself to give her a weak smile. Her gaze lingered on me, filled with concern, before she turned and hurried off the way she had come.

I waited until I heard her footsteps disappear for continuing my long trek down the hall. I could see the door now and I pushed myself to move just a little bit faster, even though it made everything hurt worse. Soon, though, I was pushing open the door and staggering out into the bright sunlight. Cellblock A was just a short walk. I could see the entrance from where I was standing.

There wasn't a wall to help hold me up now, though, just empty space. I pushed myself forward, swaying back and forth across the pavement as I trudged towards the metal doors. The sun was too bright, making my eyes pulse with pain. The heat from the sun made my skin prickle. When I finally stumbled into the doors and managed to get inside, I felt relieved to be back in the cool darkness.

It was quiet here, in the small entrance. It was dismal and dank, and in front of me was a wall of glass with chairs on either side. This was where the prisoners most likely said their last goodbyes. I pushed back the thought and moved towards the heavy door that led into death row. It took almost all my strength to get it open. I let out a grunt and pulled hard at the handle one last time and it swung open. I slipped inside and was immediately met with the smell of sickness and death. It reminded me of a hospital, but without the addition of the clean, acidic smell of antibacterial soaps and bleach.

I slumped back against the closed door, stopping to catch my breath. I could hear all kinds of horrible, miserable sounds coming from the cells around me; coughing, moaning, crying…I suppressed a shudder and fought back a wave of tears. I couldn't help but think, though, that this might be the place where I die.

"Charlie?" I searched the room for the source of the voice and saw Sasha, clinging to the stairwell as she tried to make her way towards me.

"Sasha." I breathed. My voice was a mixture of both relief and regret at seeing a familiar face. "You got it, too." She nodded and dropped down onto the stairs, holding her head in her hands. I pushed myself off the wall and sank down next to her. Her arm brushed mine and her skin felt like fire. "Where's Caleb? I need to tell him something."

Sasha turned to me, her expression heavy. "He's got it, too."

I felt my stomach lurch and I could understand the hopelessness I saw in Sasha's eyes. He had been our best hope. I pressed my face into my hands, digging my palms into my eyes. It all felt too horrible to be real, like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. It had only been a couple of hours since both Sasha, Caleb, and I had been inside cellblock D. How long would it be before the others were infected too?

"Come on. I don't know what he can do for you now, but I'll take you to him anyways." I felt her nudge me.

I took in a painful, shaky breath and let my hands fall to my sides. Sasha was already pulling herself to her feet. Even her voice was filled with hopelessness, the same feeling that was starting to take hold of me. I felt my resolve draining away, my armor cracking. I finally was realizing I wasn't as strong as I pretended to be. I wasn't 'fine'.

I was dying.

Daryl

"We can't wait until morning to do something." Hershel said, runnin' a hand over his face. "It's spreadin' too fast. Too many people are sick."

"Plus now we got some psycho goin' around burnin' anyone with symptoms." I added. I leaned back in my chair, crossin' my arms over my chest.

"We should isolate anyone who's vulnerable, anyone who hasn't gone anywhere near cellblock D." Carol added. "It's the safest option."

"Hershel nodded in agreement. "There are tons of unused offices in this building. We can separate them into different room…at least until we find some antibiotics to cure those who are already sick."

"Well who exactly is the most vulnerable? And where the hell are we going to find enough antibiotics for everyone? Any hospital even remotely close to here will already have been cleaned out." Glenn asked, lookin' at Hershel pointedly. I knew he was thinkin' the same thing I was. Hershel was older than anybody else here…if anyone was at risk, he definitely was.

"The young, the weak." Hershel answered. "Anyone vulnerable."

Charlie. I knew it'd be pointless to even try and talk to her about maybe goin' into isolation. Girl was the most stubborn person I'd ever known in my entire damn life. Even though she'd already been exposed, wouldn't it still be better for her to stay away from everybody, at least for now? Maybe it was the right time to let it out about Charlie bein' pregnant. At least to Hershel. He was the next best thing to an actual doctor. He'd know what the best thing to do was. I pulled myself outta my head for a minute. I'd wait until after this to tell 'em.

"There's a veterinarian college. The same medication used for animals can be used for people too." Hershel said.

"That's over 50 miles away, though." Carol was shakin' her head.

"If it's our best shot, we at least have to try." Michonne spoke up from her spot in the corner, first thing she'd said the entire time,

"I can get a group together. Set out as soon as possible." I said, shruggin'. "Just draw me a map and make me a list of what I need to be lookin' for."

Then, there was the sound of footsteps. Somebody was bookin' it down the hall. I turned in my chair towards the door as Maggie suddenly appeared, out of breath and lookin' like she'd just had to run for her life.

"Maggie? What's wrong?" Glenn said, standin' up from his chair.

She shook her head and her eyes found me. I felt my stomach drop. Her face already said it all, she didn't have to say a god damn thing. "Charlie." I said, standin' up so fast the chair fell to the floor behind me. I was already half way across the room, my heart racin', poundin' against my ribcage.

"She said to tell you she's on her way to cellblock A." Maggie finally said, her eyes searchin' my face. I made to move past her out the door, but she stepped in my way. "Daryl, you can't just go runnin' in there after her."

"The hell I can't! Now get the hell outta my way!" I snapped.

"Maggie's right, Daryl! This doesn't change anything. Her best chance now is for you to get that group together and find the antibiotics." I heard Hershel from behind me.

I shook my head, whirlin' around to face him and the others, who were all watchin' me, edgy and waitin' for me to snap. Too late. "No, you don't get it." I spat harshly. "None of ya'll do. She's pregnant." I barely took a second to register the shocked looks on their faces before I was racin' out of the room, forcin' my way past Maggie.

I could hear Maggie and Glenn behind me, yellin' at me to stop, to think about what I was doin'. I quickened my pace, stormin' outside and headin' towards cellblock A. My stomach churned at the thought of her in there. And why the hell didn't she come and found me sooner? How the hell had I missed all the signs, how did I not find out what was happenin' to her until it was too god damn late? It was my fault. I curled both my hands into tight fists at my sides. This was exactly why I didn't want her out of my sight.

"Daryl! Stop!"

Maggie had finally caught up to me and stood in front of me, blocking the doors to the cellblock. I sucked in a deep breath. "Move, Maggie. Now." She should've known it was stupid, gettin' in my way like this again.

"No, think about this. You can't just go rushin' in there lookin' for her." Maggie said. I tried to side step around her, but she moved in front of me again, holdin' out her hands. "Charlie would be pissed. You know she would be pissed. She needs you now, the whole group needs you, Daryl. You're the strongest one. You have to go get those antibiotics. It's the only way you can help her now."

I felt another wave of anger ripple through me, even though a part of me thought she was makin' sense. That she was right. "I can't go without seein' her, Maggie." I said in a gruff whisper. "Get out of the way."

She stuck out her chin defiantly. She still wasn't gonna move. I took a step toward her, but suddenly Glenn was there. He was strugglin' to catch his breath, his skin looked paler than usual…sweat stickin' his hair to his forehead. Maggie looked at him, stricken.

"Glenn?" She breathed.

He took a step backwards away from both of us. "I think I'm getting it, too." He finally said, closin' his eyes and takin' in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he was lookin' at Maggie painfully. "I have to go in there anyways. Let me find Charlie and I'll bring her to the window so you can talk to her." His eyes slid towards me.

I looked at him, and it hit me again just how fast, how bad this shit was. More the reason I just needed to see Charlie before I went after those meds. I nodded once. He turned towards Maggie and I took a step back, lookin' the other way as they talked in hushed voices. Finally, she brushed past me, arms wrapped tight around her middle and tears stainin' her face. When I looked back at Glenn, he was watchin' her go with miserable expression on his face. He finally looked at me.

"I'll go get Charlie."

He disappeared inside the cellblock and after a second, I followed. It was the first time I'd been inside the place since we'd cleared it out months ago. I never liked the feel of it. Knowin' it was a place where people went to die didn't help. Especially made it worse that this was where we were keepin' the sick now. Where we were keepin' Charlie.

There was a glass window that ran from one end of the room to the other and the other side looked just about the same as this one. Except that was the side of the glass ya' didn't want to be on. Not back then and not now. I ran a hand through my hair, pacin' the small room. She had been fine this mornin'. She'd been fine just a few hours ago. It didn't even make sense that somethin' like this could be real.

"Daryl."

I pivoted on my heel fast, turnin' back around to face the glass. I felt my heart sink inside my chest and it was a wonder it didn't just shatter into a million pieces right then and there. Charlie was there now, but it barely even looked like her. Not just the sickness. Just her. It'd been years, since before all this, that I'd seen her look so…broken.

"Jesus, Charlie." I whispered, movin' towards the glass window. She sank down into a chair on the other side, her face pale, almost white. Her dark hair was back in a pony tail and dark circles rimmed her eyes. I felt like my chest was bein' crushed. I forced myself to take in a deep breath. To hold it together for her, the same way she'd always held it together for me when I'd needed her most. "It's gonna be okay. Alright? You're gonna be fine."

I watched as she suddenly buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. I realized, then, that she was cryin'. Somethin' I'd only seen her do a couple of times in all the years I'd known her. I gritted my teeth, hatin' that she was over there and I was stuck over here. Hatin' that now, when she needed me more than ever, I couldn't get to her. I couldn't even touch her.

"Hey, hey. Stop. Look at me." I said quietly, gettin' as close to the window as I could. "Look at me, baby girl."

She finally lifted her head and my eyes raked her face. Tear tracks stained her cheeks and they were still comin', rollin' down her skin and landed on her shirt. "I'm scared, Daryl." Her voice shook as she choked back another sob, blinkin' fresh tears from her eyes. "I don't want you to leave me here."

God damn it. I was the most unbearable thing I'd ever felt. It'd be so easy to just open the damn door and wrap my arms around her. But I couldn't. "I have to. I won't be gone long. I have to get those meds, though. You know I'd stay right here with you if I could." I whispered. "I wouldn't leave you for a second if I didn't have to. You know that, Charlie."

She wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "God, I know that. I'm sorry. It's just…" Her lips quivered. She said the next few words so quietly, I almost didn't hear her. "What if I lose the baby because of this? I was so scared when I found out I was pregnant, and I didn't know if I could do it and now I can't stop thinking about it how I might not even get the chance to do it."

My breath hitched in my throat, because what she had just said was exactly what I'd been tryin' not to think about. She started cryin' quietly again and I watched her, feelin' god damn helpless. "You gotta be strong, like I know ya' are. Both you and the baby are gonna be alright. You hear me." She didn't say anythin', didn't even look at me. I wracked my brain, tryin' to find somethin' to say. Somethin' to make her listen. Then, I remembered. "Hey, you know those little red converse shoes we saw the other day? When we were on that run?" Her eyes lifted to look at me and I kept goin'. "I meant to tell ya' before but I forgot. I grabbed 'em before all hell went loose. Shoved in my bag. I remember you had a pair just like 'em when we were growin' up." She smiled a little, just barely. "Ratty lookin' things, with tons of holes in 'em. Remember?"

She nodded slowly. "I was so mad when my mom threw them out." She paused for a moment. "You really got them?"

I nodded. "I'll show ya' when I come back with the medicine. You just gotta hold on, okay? You can beat this."

I watched her take in a deep shaky breath before noddin'. I felt relief rush through me. "Okay." She whispered. She suddenly pressed her palm against the glass.

I held my hand against the window against hers, wishin' like hell that glass wasn't there. "I'll be back soon." I said again.

She nodded. "I love you, Dixon."

"I love you too, baby girl."

She gave me a small weak smile as I let my eyes take her in one last time. Then, she was pushin' herself up from the chair. She looked back at me once before disappearin' out of sight.

The second she was gone, I braced myself against the counter and squeezed my eyes shut. All this time, all the shit we'd been through together, and I'd never once begged me to stay. She was always the strong one, the one who could get through anythin' with her head held high. It crushed the air from my lungs seein' her this way, havin' to listen to her cry but not be able to do a damn thing about it. It was like torture.

I tried to pull my shit together and turned around, barrelin' outside where I stood in front of the doors blinkin' in the bright sunshine. I'd been in D, too. I'd been in there longer than she had, so why was it her? Why the hell was it her and not me? I clenched my fists, my fingernails digging painfully into the palms of my hand. Why? I felt that uncontrollable rage boilin' inside me, but I wasn't okay enough to keep a lid on it this time. I turned and slammed my curled up fist into the door. The 'crack' of my knuckles against the metal would've made anybody cringe, but I swore I didn't feel a god damn thing.

"God fuckin' damn it!" I wound my fist up again and pulled me arm back for a second time, but suddenly felt fingers curling around my forearm.

"Stop, Daryl!" I heard Carol beg me. "This isn't the way to help her, or you."

I whirled on her. "Who the hell are you to tell me anythin'?" I spat. She barely flinched, standin' her ground. I knew it wasn't her I was mad at, it had nothin' to do with her, but I couldn't help it. I narrowed my eyes at her. "Leave me alone."

She shook her head, crossin' her arms over her chest. "No."

I turned away from her, bracin' myself against the wall with both hands as I tried to calm down. I could still feel Carol's eyes on me as I took in a long, deep breath let it out slowly. I finally turned back around and slumped back against the wall, slidin' to the concrete ground. I ran both hands over my face and through my hair, hangin' my head.

"I can't lose her too." I muttered. "I wouldn't live through it."

"You're not going to. Charlie is going to be fine. We both know how strong she is." Carol muttered. She crouched down to the ground in front of me.

I shook my head. "I've never seen her lose it like that. She's usually the one keepin' me together." I finally glanced up at her. She was watchin' me with an anxious look on her face, eyebrow furrowed together.

"Even the strongest gotta break sometimes…that's why she has you. That's why you're good for each other." Carol said. "The best thing for her right now, is for you to get those meds and get back here as quick as you can."

"If somethin' happens to her while I'm gone-" I started.

"It won't." She cut me off, reachin' out and placin' a hand on top of one of mine. "There's a lot of people here looking out for her."

I didn't say anythin', just leaned my head back against the wall. I knew she was right. It didn't do Charlie, or anybody else in there, any good for me to lose it now. The longer I sat here, the longer Charlie'd be waitin' for me. I pushed myself off from the ground. "You'll make sure she's okay? As best you can anyways?" I asked Carol.

She nodded. "Of course."

I didn't wait for her to say anythin' else, just side stepped around her and headed towards the cars. The sooner I got a car ready and a group together, the sooner this would all be over and I'd have Charlie back.