A/N: I truly apologize for the ridiculously long wait. I think there may only be one or two more chapters left and this story will be finished. Finally. Hooray!
Maggie made her way back into C Block only to find herself being greeted by a couple armed men from Woodbury. They lowered their weapons immediately upon recognition as one called out to everyone that it was safe. She was impressed to see that everyone had resorted to hiding in the cells, armed. The place was eerily quiet when she had first entered.
"Everything's under control," Maggie announced to the cellblock. It seemed to put everyone at ease even further and it allowed her the space she needed to share her information with the appropriate people. She spotted her father and closed the gap between them as Carol, Beth, and Sasha closed in around them. "Daryl's okay. Carl had walked into D Block just in time to find walkers and take care of them. But we have another problem."
"Another problem? Like what?" Beth inquired.
"But how did the walkers get in?" Sasha added. Everyone's eyes were searching Maggie's face.
"That's the problem. Two kids must have been playing unsupervised. They went outside and didn't get the chance to close the door…" Maggie averted her gaze to the floor.
The small group fell silent at her words, giving her the impression they understood exactly what she meant without having to further explain herself. And for that she was thankful.
"…So, what do we do?" Carol spoke up.
"I think it may be best we keep this to ourselves, if only for a little while. We wait until the others return and discuss how to handle it," Hershel offered.
It may not have been the right thing to do but no one declined. There was another silent understanding that passed between the five, their heads bowed. Of course they were perfectly capable of handling something like this—they had to be if a time came that the others didn't return. But they weren't sure how the people of Woodbury would take it.
It wasn't much longer after that when a woman's frantic screams filled the cellblock. "Billy! Sarah!"
The middle-aged woman weaved in and out of the surrounding people until she reached Hershel, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Please—have you seen two young kids? Sarah and Billy. They were playing around here the last I saw them and now I can't find them…"
Maggie found herself staring at Carol. She wasn't sure if it was because this all reminded her of when they lost Sophia or if she was expecting Carol to know what to say to the distraught woman. But Carol met her gaze and nodded.
"We'll search the prison and see if we can find where they ran off to." Carol spoke with such ease, her face wiped clean of any emotion that would suggest she was hiding the truth. She did seem to frown just ever so slightly though.
And now it was Carol who was staring back at Maggie while Maggie returned the nod.
The sun was beginning to set, the mixed hues of reds and yellows casting their final glow of the day by the time the Hyundai had come to a stop just outside the gates of the prison. Rick had instantly spotted Sasha up in the guard tower before she waved and headed down the stairs to come let them in. There were a few straggling walkers that smacked against the sides of the SUV but once Sasha had the gate open, they were ignored as Rick drove into the prison yard.
He cut the engine and everyone exited from the vehicle as Sasha jogged over to them.
"There's been a bit of a problem since you guys left," Sasha filled them in.
Rick froze just as he grabbed the backpack from Glenn. "Problem?"
"Daryl's fine. But you might want to stop by C."
Rick looked to Glenn, Michonne, and Karen but he didn't need to say a word.
"We'll go. You head to D and I'll let Hershel know you're waiting for him," Glenn spoke.
"Thank you." Rick nodded. He knew whatever this problem was, he should probably tend to it. But he told Carl he would step down. He wasn't so sure there was much he could do anymore anyway. And the only thing he truly wanted to do was get the supplies to Daryl and get him back on the mend before he could somehow end up even worse off.
So, Rick did just that and took Glenn's advice as they split up and headed in their own directions.
Glenn led the way back into C Block. If it wasn't for Hershel hobbling his way over, their return would have almost gone unnoticed.
"Rick?" The older man questioned.
"He's already in D. We were able to grab quite a bit so hopefully it helps," Glenn replied.
Hershel seemed to smile with his eyes as he gave a quick pat on Glenn's shoulder and exited the cellblock. As for him, Michonne, and Karen—they didn't get much further before a woman approached them.
"Did you find them?"
Glenn exchanged glances with Michonne, both coming up confused. "Find who?" Perhaps this was the issue that had come about since they left for Woodbury.
The woman had become hysterical at his question. "What on earth have you been doing all this time then?"
"I'm sorry, but we have no clue what's going on. We just got back. We've been gone most of the day," Karen explained. Michonne shot her a narrowed glare but Karen shrugged. The trip to Woodbury wasn't necessarily for everyone to know about.
"You've been gone?" The woman repeated Karen's words, her voice rising and catching a few others' attention. "What did you leave for? Where did you go?"
"Look," Glenn sighed, "It's nothing to worry about. One in our group is sick and we found some stuff to help him get better."
"Sick?—Was this person bit? Is it contagious?" The woman took a couple steps back. She shot a look in Karen's direction, "You've kept this from us?"
Rick had briefly been filled in on what had happened by Tyreese, Maggie, and Carl after having spotted fresh walker blood on the floor. Daryl was awake, sitting on the bed with his back propped up against the wall, Carol by his side. And when Rick heard the familiar sound of Hershel's crutches, he stepped out of Daryl's cell long enough to greet the older man.
"Glad to see everyone return safely." Hershel stopped just at the doorway to the cell. His eyes wandered over the spilled blood but otherwise disregarded it. "Glenn tells me you were able to find the supplies?"
"Yeah. We got lucky, that's for sure." Rick gestured toward the backpack he had already set down beside the bed and Hershel made his way over to the vacant chair next to it. "It looks like someone tried to officially put an end to Woodbury. The place was mostly burnt down."
"The Governor?" Carl questioned.
"Most likely."
Hershel nodded. "Makes sense I guess. Keeps anyone else from using it. Lucky for us, he didn't take everything with him."
Rick watched as Hershel pulled an IV bag from the backpack and hooked it onto the top bunk before working on getting a needle. The older man had found a small alcohol wipe and cleaned the backside of Daryl's hand with it. He then opened the package containing the needle and proper equipment needed to insert the IV into the back of Daryl's hand.
"Ya didn't see him anywhere?" Daryl spoke up, his own eyes locked on the needle as Hershel worked. He slightly cringed once the instrument pierced through his skin.
"No sign of him."
"Rick, why don't you and Tyreese head back over to the others? See if you can get things settled. The truth is going to have to come out sooner or later." Hershel turned to look over at the two.
Tyreese only provided a weak nod.
