A/N: I don't know anything about medical procedures or anything so if my information in this chapter is incorrect, I do apologize.

Chapter 3 –

"It's spread. Everyone who survived the attack in cellblock D, Sasha…Beth…and now others have it. At the moment, Beth is the sickest. She's been struggling to breathe on her own, I'm worried we may need to intubate her…We need antibiotics and perhaps more endotracheal tubes and bags," Hershel said, his voice heavy with concern for his daughter as well as their friends. Daryl did his best to ignore the medical lingo that he didn't understand but could tell by the way that Hershel said it, that it meant bad news if Beth needed one. He drummed on the back of the chair he was sitting backwards in and nodded.

"Problem is, we've searched almost every pharmacy in the area, and then some…Beth did tell me to ask you about vet clinics?" Daryl's voice was extra gravelly and Hershel met his eyes with a look of understanding, though Daryl wasn't quite sure what the understanding was about.

"Beth has a point. I'm not too sure about vet clinics, but there is the Veterinary College fifty miles from here. The medications for animals are the same for humans; people may not have thought to look there."

"A'right, we've wasted enough time talking about this. I'mma take a team out in Zack's car, it's the fastest we got," Daryl practically jumped out of his seat and left the room, Michonne following close behind him. The two of them quickly went about preparing the car for the trip.

"Car's in good shape but its about a quart low," Daryl ground out to Michonne, who nodded.

"I'll take care of it. You go check on her real quick, before we go," Michonne stated calmly, gesturing to the cellblocks. Daryl frowned and opened his mouth to tell her that he didn't know what she was talkin' bout but the look she gave him made him stop. She jerked her head in the direction of the cellblock again before turning to leave. "I'll see if Bob and Tyreese will join us, go." Daryl nodded, wiped his hands on his jeans, and walked back to the cellblock where he had hidden Beth.

"Daddy…you shouldn't be in here," Daryl heard Beth's soft voice through the glass of the window as he approached. Maggie turned and faced him as he approached the window, her lips tight and her eyes bright with tears.

"Now we both know why I'm in here, Bethy. We've all got jobs to do. Drink this tea, it'll help with the fever," Hershel said while helping pull Beth into a semi-sitting up position so that she could drink from the cup he held for her. She took a small sip and smiled.

"That's the tea mama used to make for us, isn't it?" she asked, her voice getting softer. Daryl leaned his forehead against the glass, watching the frail girl. She seemed to have gotten smaller since he last saw her but somehow, her smile still lit up his world. Maggie reached out and put her hand on Daryl's shoulder. The two of them glanced at each other briefly and gave each other tight smiles that didn't reach their eyes. The sound of Beth coughing and choking quickly pulled their attention back to the room in front of them.

Hershel rolled Beth on to her side to help the blood escape. Maggie began heavily sobbing beside Daryl who closed his eyes tightly at the sound. Anger began boiling in his chest and he pushed himself angrily away from the window.

"I've wasted enough time. I've gotta go get those meds or she won't…"

"Daryl! You've been exposed already, help me, we need to intubate her," Hershel called out from the room and Daryl spun back to look at the man. He walked quickly to the cellblock door and threw it open.

"I don't know nothing 'bout this, don't know how I can be of help, Hershel," he grumbled before kneeling down next to the older man and the pale girl in front of him.

"I'll walk ya through it, but the main thing is making sure she doesn't fight us. Bethy has watched me do this with animals in the clinic so she knows what to expect, but feeling it is something altogether different," Hershel instructed, glancing briefly at the man beside him before turning back to his daughter. He reached into his bag and pulled out the tubing and bag and other supplies he needed and quickly began giving instructions to Daryl to have him help hold down Beth's arms as she choked, first on the blood, then on the tubing as it went down her throat.

Panic rose in Daryl's chest as Beth's breathing suddenly seemed to stop and her eyes closed. His heart stopping until he watched as Hershel quickly attached the bag to the tube and squeezed it, making Beth's chest rise and fall with air.

"Jesus," he sighed out in relief. Hershel met his eyes and nodded. Daryl watched Hershel squeeze the bag every few seconds and closed his eyes from the pain of watching that process, knowing that is was the only reason Beth got the necessary air she needed.

"I know…it kills me to see her like this. My own daughter…" Hershel's eyes glanced briefly to Maggie, who was sobbing loudly on the other side of the glass. Daryl painfully watched another squeeze take place on the bag. "Between me, Sasha, and Glenn, we'll do this in rotations." And another squeeze. Daryl put his head in his hands and willed the burn of tears out of his eyes.

"How long…" he started to ask, but shook his head and stopped in mid-question. Another squeeze and Daryl felt a hot tear roll down his cheek.

"As long as it takes, you just need to have faith. Hope never hurt anybody either," Hershel replied, giving the bag another squeeze. "I want you to listen to me, and closely, ya hear?" He paused and Daryl nodded, briefly meeting the older man's eyes before looking back down at Beth. "You've done good, Daryl. Better than good, really. " He paused again and sighed, "you have to understand, she's my youngest. The baby. I love all my children equally, but there is something terrifying and depressing about giving away the baby. I feel better knowing the good man she's found in you though. I see the looks she gives you and the looks you return, always missing each other though. You remind me of my wife and I…

"I just want to stress to you my approval. Look at me," Hershel stressed and Daryl lifted his eyes from Beth's pale face and looked Hershel in the eye. "You understand what I'm saying to you, son?" Another squeeze. Daryl nodded and cleared his throat.

"Aren't you worried about…my age? The difference between us? You must think of me as a dirty old man for this, whatever this is…" He gestured to himself and then to Beth. Hershel grinned.

"Caring for somebody is confusing, regardless of past experiences. It's a hard thing to accept and understand, then it becomes even harder to experience. The other person becomes your world, and that is terrifying and especially in the world we live in where death is everywhere. There's a balance that can be hard to find. Beth is a strong, smart, and perceptive woman. She'll be able to help you through these struggles. It's hard to do, I know from experience, but giving her your trust and opening up to her about your struggles helps to find that balance faster. In answer to your questions, though, I just want to remind you that Beth is more mature for her age, and she is an adult now. The choice of figuring all of this out, however, is between you both," Hershel replied calmly.

"I'm no good for her. She deserves more; she deserves the world, not some dumbass redneck."

"The way I see it, if she cares enough about you, and I believe she does, then you are her world. If you care about her, and you mean it, she will get everything she needs from you. You'll keep her safe, I know you will and that's all I can ask of you…Now, I know it will be tough to do, as it will be for me when I start my rounds with my other patients, but you need to go and get those meds. She's a strong young woman, she'll be here when you get back." Hershel gave the bag another squeeze and Daryl nodded, swallowing past the lump in his throat. He ran his hand gently over Beth's sweat-damp blonde hair and leaned down to put his forehead on her feverish one.

"I'll be back soon, I swear it."