AN: Here's the second aftermath installment. As I said before, there's a lot to work through here, so it's going to take a bit. I'm sure I won't address every point that everyone would like to see addressed, but I'm going to do the best that I can. I may try to get another chapter out tonight, but I've got a lot to do today.

For those of you that read my other fics, I'm interrupting my update schedule a little as I continue to work through some of the situation at hand here. It's best to go with it when it's on my mind so that I don't lose my train of thought entirely.

I hope you enjoy!

111111111111111111111111111111111111

As the day wore on, people had become clearly divided on their tasks. Beth and Josh had been cleaned up by their loved ones and loving wrapped in sheets. Daryl had left Glenn to handle Maggie and left Brenda with Josh, upon her request. When they were ready for assistance, Tyreese and Rick had moved the bodies to the graveyard area where Beau and Jimmy had dug graves for them.

Then had come the problem of exactly how to handle the funerals. The reality of the situation was that the community seemed fractured at the moment. Mark was occupied with his patients, not being positive that he had the ability to save neither Carol nor Seth. Sadie was still hiding her wounds from everyone. Chelsea had been overcome already by the fever, but she hadn't passed, and no one was going to force her to take any way out that she didn't want to take. She had the right to go how she wanted, and if she wanted to wait until the fever finally burned her out, then that was how it was going to be. Daryl wasn't sure, though, if they should go ahead and bury the two that waited, their loved ones camped by them, or wait until there were more and bury them all at once.

"We need to get them in the ground," Rick said when Daryl addressed him about the issue. "We can't leave them laying out the entire day while we wait to see who else is going to die. We leave Mark doing what he can, let the others come if they want, but we get those two in the ground. I say that we call everyone together, someone can say a few words, and we let Josh and Beth be laid to rest. We bury the others when the time comes."

Daryl nodded, agreeing with Rick. He set about collecting everyone up. It wasn't until he ventured into his own house, the last he had to visit, bypassing the mess that had become his living room, and made his way upstairs to wake up Michonne that some things started to sink into him. He'd heard Michonne upstairs a few times with the children. She had the girls and Paul in her care currently. She hadn't been downstairs, though. She would be unaware of who they were going to bury, she wouldn't know that the reason she had Paul was because Sadie wanted him to be out of her reach were something to happen and she turned, and she wouldn't know that Carol wasn't downstairs tending the wounded with Mark, rather she was one of the wounded. Daryl also realized that they hadn't eaten all day.

They had fires going on either side of the street, one being what was left of headquarters, and the other burning in the street on the other side, for Walkers. They'd been trying to burn them as quickly as possible, but still there were a lot of them left.

In the mess they'd also located another person that apparently belonged to the attacking group, though he wasn't fairing any better than his friends, having been shot by his own group. They'd tied him up and put him with the other two, but so far none of them had come to for them to be able to question them. Daryl was beginning to seriously doubt that they would.

All the excitement, however, had brought the day to day life of the community to a screeching halt. No one had remembered even the simplest of things, like the fact that they needed to eat. Daryl realized it was something that was going to have to be addressed. He didn't want anyone unable to function because they hadn't taken the time to give their body what it needed. They needed everyone in the best possible condition that they could be in right now.

He especially worried, suddenly, about Michonne and the girls. She hadn't been down to get food for them either. He knew there was some assorted jars of baby food in the nursery, but he doubted it was enough for both of them, especially since they were accustomed now to eating actual meals. He also knew that Michonne typically breastfed Paul when she kept him, the baby having adjusted to feeding from both her and Sadie, and he worried that she might not keep her strength up if she continued to do that without eating.

"'Chonne," Daryl said, opening the bedroom door. Judith and Hope were playing in the floor and both of them got up immediately and came rushing toward him. He patted them both on the head, but didn't pick either up, not feeling like starting any kind of war for attention at the moment. Michonne was lying in bed with Paul, her eyes closed. The little boy lie beside her, awake but quiet. "'Chonne, ya need to wake up," Daryl said, gently shaking her. Michonne's eyelids fluttered open and she looked lost for a minute before adjusting.

"What's wrong, Daryl?" She asked. Daryl didn't know what his facial expression looked like. He couldn't imagine with all the thoughts that had been running through his mind throughout the day. He imagined that if he looked anything like everyone else he'd been in contact with, then he probably looked a little lost and a little confused.

"'Chonne, ya need to get dressed. We gotta have a funeral and ya probably gonna wanta be there," he said softly.

Michonne sat up a little, disturbing the baby who made a noise, but didn't cry.

"Who's dead?" Michonne asked. Daryl noticed that her eyes were already filling with tears and she didn't have a clue who was lost. She'd probably been imagining the worst the entire time she'd been hiding up here.

"It's Josh and Beth," Daryl said. "They been gone since this mornin', so we gotta lay 'em ta rest. Ya need to get dressed now."

Michonne didn't cry, at least not any audible sobbing, but Daryl did notice that her eyes released the tears that were building up just behind the lids. She nodded and got out of the bed, making her way to the dresser. Daryl hovered around the door, listening to the conversations below, and considering how he'd explain to her everything else that was going on. He had to tell her about Carol, but he wondered if she needed to know about Sadie now, or if he should wait and tell her when everyone else would find out about it.

"Daryl," Mark called up the stairs, "I need to talk to you for a minute."

Daryl could hear Rachel audibly sobbing below and he already knew what it was that Mark was going to tell him. Seth was going to be joining Josh and Beth today.

"Ya need to talk to Beau," Daryl called down. "He'll help get things ready."

Daryl didn't feel like he was prepared for the position that he was in right now. He didn't know what to do. So many people around him were so emotional, they needed things from him and he wasn't even sure what they all needed, less likely how to give it to them.

"'Chonne," Daryl said, turning his attention back to his wife that was struggling into some of her clothes, half dazed, "we just lost Seth."

Michonne looked at him, her face blank for the moment. He wondered if everyone felt overwhelmed right now. He was beginning to think that was what the blank stare translated to.

"There's somethin' else ya gotta know," he said. Michonne had frozen now, but she continued to stare at him, her eyes still pooled with tears, but no sound whatsoever escaping her. "Carol got shot, 'Chonne. She ain't lookin' too good. Mark's doin' what he can, but we don't know what's gonna happen."

Michonne stood there, still frozen, for a moment. She didn't say a thing. She went to the bed and scooped up the baby that was laying there, unaware of everything that was happening.

"Can you take the girls?" Michonne asked. Daryl noticed that her voice shook a little, but nothing besides the few tears rolling down her cheeks showed any emotion.

"Sure, 'Chonne, I got the girls," Daryl said. He decided she didn't need to know anything just yet about Chelsea being bitten or Sadie being scratched. It was too much for him to take in, and it was too much for her.

By the time that Daryl made it downstairs with the girls, and Michonne followed silently behind him with Paul, they had already taken Seth out of the house and Mark was alone with Tyreese and Carol. They didn't pass into the room where he was at, but Daryl did stop before reaching the front door and call to Tyreese.

"Ya comin'?" He asked.

"No," Tyreese called. "I don't want to leave. If she comes to, even for a minute, I want to be here."

Daryl nodded to himself, but didn't respond verbally to the man. He waited for Michonne to pass in front of him and open the door and he followed behind her.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Most of what was left of their community gathered around at the three graves. Stella had stayed behind with Chelsea, Mark and Tyreese had stayed with Carol, and Junior was temporarily bedridden on pain medication that Mark had given him, but everyone else had gathered together. Michonne had taken Hope from Daryl, passing Paul temporarily back to Sadie.

It was decided that Rick would say a few words, since he offered, and everyone listened as he spoke in general about the three that they were laying to rest. Then he offered the opportunity to anyone who wanted to speak to share something. Brenda had taken a moment to remember Josh. She was clearly the one who had known him best since the two of them had dedicated most of their time to each other voluntarily becoming the night watchmen for quite some time. Daryl knew that they had been the ones to sound the alarms that brought everyone out the night before, and he wanted to ask her what had happened, what they had seen, but he knew that would have to wait until she'd had some time to calm down. She clung now to Rachel who also took a moment to speak about Seth.

Daryl was surprised when Glenn was the one to speak about Beth, but Maggie was too overcome to talk. She clung to Glenn, looking pale and very unlike herself. Daryl was worried about her, but he knew that it was difficult to lose a sibling, and Maggie and Beth had been very close. It also wasn't lost on him that Beth had been the final tie that Maggie had to her life before all this insanity had happened, and that likely made it more difficult.

When the words were through, everyone began to break away and go back to the tasks that they'd been doing before. Daryl lingered a moment, waiting on Michonne who had gone over and grasped Maggie in an embrace. When she'd finally broken away, and Glenn had begun to lead Maggie back toward their house, Daryl approached Michonne.

"Ya gotta eat," he said. "We all gotta eat sometime."

Michonne looked at him as though the idea of eating had escaped her entirely. She nodded after a minute.

"I can make food," she said. She started walking and Daryl followed behind her carrying Judith who was beginning to get antsy. He decided the child was very probably hungry, and her requests for her parents weren't helping the situation any.

Michonne stopped before she got to headquarters and stood facing the burning fire that they were keeping going now for Walkers. She pressed her hand to her forehead.

"We've got to find some pots," she said. "There are some in our kitchen. We need pots if I'm going to start a fire to cook something."

"I can get us pots," Daryl said. He suddenly became aware of Sadie that had come up behind him. She was flanked by Libby. "We gotta eat," he said facing both of them. Sadie nodded at him.

"We'll make food," she said. "We can feed everyone. It's OK." Sadie handed Paul to Daryl and he stood awkwardly trying to balance Judith on one hip and hold the baby in the other arm. His side was throbbing from having carried both the girls earlier and now from this strain.

"'Chonne," he said. "Help me put Jude down. I gotta have a break."

Michonne put Hope down and came to take Judith from him. Once both girls were on the ground, they began to start whining. Hope reached her arms up toward Michonne and Judith started to run away as though she was making some monumental break for it. Daryl sighed.

"Jude, back here," he called. The little girl turned around and looked at him.

"I eat now," she said.

"I promise ya, we gonna get'cha somethin' ta eat," Daryl said. "But ya gotta come here and stay with Hope."

Judith came back for a moment and Daryl hoped that she would quietly wait for her promised food. She was great about waiting when Carol promised her things. She'd sit quietly for hours even, as long as Carol promised her that whatever she wanted was coming. She wasn't however, always as patient with everyone else. Daryl was beginning to worry about how they were going to handle that situation. He hoped Tyreese had some kind of idea in mind, because he was lost.

Sadie reappeared a few minutes later with pots. Daryl watched a moment as she took them to the yard in front of one of the storage houses and put them down. She addressed Michonne and he quit paying attention to the women.

"I'm goin' ta help with the Walkers," he called. Michonne turned and looked at him. "I'm leavin' ya with the kids, but let me know if ya need help." Michonne nodded and Daryl walked off to drag more bodies to the fires.

111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Somehow Sadie, Michonne, and Libby pulled a meal together. Daryl was in awe because by the time they called everyone to eat, they were surrounded by four hungry children, and Paul had decided to protest every single second of his life from where Emma sat holding him. Daryl didn't know how they'd all kept their sanity and cooked enough food for anyone who wanted it to eat.

"I'll deliver plates," Beau offered, realizing that a good number of people were not coming to eat. Those that were coming were taking plates and sitting on the ground, but for the most part the mourners were in hiding.

"That's sweet of you, Beau," Michonne said. "We would all appreciate it if you'd do that."

Jimmy quickly stepped up and offered to help Beau, even though both of them were visibly exhausted from the burials and from moving Walker bodies.

Everyone looked exhausted and Daryl thought he was more tired than he'd ever been before. He almost slumped on the grass, sitting seemed impossible for the moment. Hope crawled on him, smashing her hand into his already throbbing side and he pulled her onto his other leg. His side throbbed, his head throbbed, and he wanted to sleep more than anything. He just wanted this day to end. It felt like some kind of nightmare, and part of him believed that if he went to sleep inside the nightmare then he'd wake up and none of this would be true.

"We forgot to go and get water today," Michonne said. She stood over Daryl holding her plate.

"Ya gonna sit?" He asked.

Michonne looked almost like she was going to cry.

"I don't think I can," she said. "I don't think I can get down there, and I don't think I can get back up. We didn't go to get water," she repeated. "We can't wash the dishes. Everyone needs a bath and we don't have bath water." She started to tear up then. "Mark needs more water and we're almost out. We've got to find more buckets. There were only two that we had that didn't get burned in the fire."

Michonne stood there for a moment, sucking back tears, her plate still balanced in her hand. Daryl wasn't under the illusion that she was really crying about water. Yes, it was a legitimate concern that they didn't have it and they needed it, and he wasn't really sure who would be going out to get it, but they'd send someone. He'd go himself if he had to, and he would find a way to carry it back. Daryl realized that this was simply something that Michonne had grasped onto. It was the smallest thing that she could make into the most terrible situation ever. It was something, anything, that could make some sense in the madness. He figured it worked much the way that Sadie had grasped onto the thought that she had to simultaneously be involved in helping with every single thing that was happening. They were trying to focus on what didn't matter so much in order to avoid thinking about what it really was that was bothering them.

"'Chonne, we'll get water," Daryl said. He put his plate on the ground and moved Hope in front of it. The little girl was busy eating and hardly noticed the change. She looked at him for a moment when he pulled himself to his feet, but then went back to feeding herself with both her hands.

When Daryl got up he put both his hands on Michonne's shoulders. He didn't know what to tell her. If he said that everything was going to be alright, he'd be lying. He had no idea what was going to happen. He had no idea how they'd all recover from this. They would, he knew it was true, they'd recovered from so much and this was just another situation, but it wasn't going to be something that happened overnight and he realized how dramatically their lives could be changed.

"We got chairs in the storage house, 'Chonne, ya want me ta get'cha one?" Daryl asked.

Michonne wouldn't look directly at him. She was glancing in every direction but in the direction of his eyes, and if he moved his head to get her attention she simply moved her eyes in the other direction. Daryl sighed and walked away. He came back a few minutes later carrying one of the chairs and put it down near Michonne. She went and sat in it, thanking him quietly and balancing her plate on her lap.

"Just eat, 'Chonne, I'll make sure the rest gets taken care of," Daryl said. He started to take his place back on the ground beside his daughter, but decided that he should probably go and get another plate. His had dirt in it now, but that wasn't deterring his offspring any. Apparently she'd been a lot hungrier than she'd let on to anyone because he was shocked to see how much of the food was gone and she was still steadily cramming her mouth with it. "Hope!" Daryl called. Hope's head shot toward him, her hands partway to her mouth, her fists loaded with beans. "Ya gotta chew," he said, softening his tone. He realized she had that look on her face that she got when she was deciding if she was about to be in trouble. She continued to look at him a minute, chewing. He smiled. Despite everything that was going on, that face could always make him smile. She said something to him, her mouth so full that he had no chance of understanding it, and lost most of what she was chewing. "Just chew," he said.

Daryl turned and went to get another plate. Beau came walking up. The boy looked as tired as Daryl felt.

"I took 'em plates," he said. "Chelsea's gone. Stella put her down 'fore she could turn an' she's askin' for water ta clean her up."

Daryl handed the plate he'd been waiting on back to Sadie.

"We gotta go get water, boy, we ain't got none here an' everybody needs it. Go get Carl an' see if Jimmy can come," Daryl said.

Beau nodded but didn't respond. Daryl sighed. He directed his attention to Sadie who was standing there, looking confused.

"Goin' for water," he said. She nodded and offered him a halfhearted smile. "How ya feelin'?" He asked. Sadie shrugged.

"Fine," she said. "Tired, but so are you." Daryl wanted to reach out and touch her forehead, to see if there was any fever there, but he knew the movement would draw attention and Sadie didn't want that.

"No fever?" He mouthed, realizing he had no reason to actually speak to Sadie. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Daryl nodded in response.

When Beau returned with Jimmy and Carl, Daryl informed Michonne and then Rick that they were going for water. Daryl knew there were some buckets down near the field and he thought he remembered there being buckets in the barn that was still under construction. They went quietly in search of them, only speaking once at the barn to note that someone needed, before nightfall, to feed the animals and water them. What was left of their crops that hadn't finished making yet would have to skip a day of watering. There wasn't enough manpower and there weren't enough hours left in the day to handle everything they'd forgotten to do.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

The rest of the day wore on, everyone getting more and more exhausted. After the first water run of the evening, everyone that could gathered to pay their respects to Chelsea and Rick helped Beau and Jimmy, both of whom were running in slow motion now, to dig a grave for her. Stella spoke for her, reminding the group of the journey they'd been on before they were found hunkering down in the storage room of a store full of Walkers that had been put down. She reminded them that Chelsea had been just a girl when the whole thing started, like any other girl, and then Stella pulled what little resolve together that she had and helped Rick and Sadie cover over the grave while Libby and Emma passed around the community handing out water. When the water was gone, Daryl organized for them to go on a second run, wondering how they'd even make it back.

They did make it back, though, and slowly the final moments of the day were coming to a close. There were still Walkers to be burned. There were messes to be cleaned up. There were people to be comforted in ways that no one knew how. There were three men slumped on the street, barely alive, that held the secrets as to why this all had happened to their community. There was still so much to be done.

Daryl found Rick filling a bucket with some of the warmed water that was left.

"I thought I'd take this to my house," Rick said. "I need to get cleaned up, and Sadie's filthy too. We can bathe. I doubt that either of us is sleeping tonight."

"She ain't got no fever yet?" Daryl asked. Rick shook his head.

"Nothing yet," Rick said.

"Do ya reckon the bites are quicker than the scratches?" Daryl asked. Rick shrugged at him.

"I don't know," Rick said. "I'm hoping that the scratches were from the men. At this point she's been so active that I can't feel like she just hasn't worked the virus through her system yet."

"We can hope," Daryl said. "What we gon' do with those three assholes? We gonna leave 'em out here?"

Rick looked over in the direction of the three men that were slumped on the ground. Moving them would be a pain in the ass, that much was true, but leaving them there just didn't seem right either.

"We need to put them in one of the extra houses. We'll take care of them tomorrow. If they die during the night we don't want more Walkers wandering around this place. At least they'll be locked up in a house," Rick said.

Daryl nodded and set about calling reinforcements to help them drag the men to one of the houses for safe keeping.

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Daryl escorted Michonne and the girls into the house. Sadie followed behind them with Rick, carrying Paul. She had insisted on coming with them, not revealing to Michonne why she wanted to. When they came into the living room, Mark was asleep on the couch and the house was silent. Sadie passed the baby to Daryl and went over and shook Mark gently. He jumped at first and then calmed.

"Is everything OK?" He asked. Sadie smiled at him. She nodded.

"How is Carol?" She asked. Mark looked at her, sleepily.

"Tyreese has her in the bed upstairs. I made him tie her hands up, just in case. She came to a little, but only for a few seconds. I guess it's for the better right now," Mark said. "Everyone else?"

Sadie shook her head.

"Everyone else that was hurt is gone, except the boy," Sadie said. Mark nodded after a second.

"A broken ankle isn't fatal," he said. Sadie shook her head.

"Are you sleeping here?" She asked. Mark nodded.

"If I've only got one patient left, I might as well not leave my post," he said. Sadie nodded again and sighed. She looked back over her shoulder where Michonne was standing beside Daryl, holding Paul. Daryl felt bad because he knew what was coming and he knew that Michonne thought that Sadie was only there to check on Mark.

"I am leaving Paul here tonight," Sadie said. "I'm going to stay with Rick."

Daryl could see the confusion on Michonne's face and on Mark's.

"I got scratched last night when the Walkers came. We don't know if it was a Walker or a person. I'm going to go with Rick and he's going to stay with me in case the fever comes," Sadie said, looking at Mark. "Michonne will take care of Paul until you can take him, but you have to take care of him. He's going to need you."

Mark grabbed her wrist as she was stroking the hair at his temple. He looked more confused than he had before.

"What? Sadie, you're not sick," Mark said. Sadie smiled at him. She shook her head.

"No, not yet. It's OK. What happens, happens. You have things to take care of here, and I will be fine," Sadie said.

Mark sat up a little and started looking at her arms. Sadie sighed and pulled up her shirt to reveal the scratches that they'd seen that morning, most of the dried blood still caked on them, now mixed with dirt.

"Jesus, Sadie!" Mark declared. "What are you thinking?" He grabbed her face and held it right in front of his. "How could you let these go like this? These aren't Walker scratches! If you were Walker scratched you'd know it, don't you remember when Hannah got scratched? She was delirious within four hours. You're going to get sick, though. If these aren't already infected they will be!"

Sadie put her hands on his shoulders and pulled herself from him.

"It's OK. I'll clean them. We'll know by morning what they are," she said. "You just promise me that you are going to stay here and that you'll take care of Paul."

Mark turned then to Rick.

"If you're taking her then you clean these," he said. "Don't you dare let her do anything that's any more stupid than what she's already done by not doing anything about this."

Rick nodded his head.

"I'll make sure they'll clean and I'll stay with her until morning," Rick said.

Sadie didn't wait for Mark to get anymore worked up. She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead and got up from the couch. She passed by Daryl, touching him lightly on the shoulder and walked over to Michonne who had passed Judith to Rick and was holding an almost sleeping Hope. Daryl noticed that Michonne was choosing to remain as silent as she had throughout most of the day and he wondered when she was going to open up to him about the entire situation.

"If something happens," Sadie said to her, "help Mark with Paul. He's a good daddy, but he needs help."

Michonne didn't respond, but she nodded. Sadie passed back by Daryl and gently kissed the baby in his arms who was now sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of his surroundings.

"I'm going on the porch," Sadie said to Rick. "Put Judith down for them, and I will wait for you."

Rick nodded and started toward the stairs. Daryl and Michonne followed him. As they were headed up the stairs, Daryl heard the door close and knew that Sadie had stepped outside.

In the nursery it didn't take long for the children to agree to sleep. Paul was already out and Hope was nearly there when Michonne put her into the crib. Judith protested a moment when Rick stripped her down to her underwear and put her into her little bed. She wanted her parents, and Daryl realized she'd been the entire day without either of them, and now she was beginning to really realize it, but she gave up her protest when Michonne came over and offered her the duck that she slept with and rubbed her for a moment, promising that her Ma Ma and Da Da would be in to check on her soon.

"Ya lied to the kid," Daryl said to Michonne when they exited the nursery and closed the door.

"She'll go to sleep waiting on them," Michonne said. "She might as well sleep right now. We'll talk to her tomorrow."

"I guess I'm going," Rick said with a sigh.

"Check on our watchmen," Daryl said.

Rick nodded. Beau, Libby, and Carl had all volunteered to keep watch near the gates and alert anyone if there was any sign of anything. Daryl knew that all three of them were exhausted, but he hoped that they could keep each other awake enough to make it through the night.

"It's Carl's first night watch," Rick said. "He's not used to going without sleeping this long."

"None of us are," Daryl said. Michonne left them both without a word and slipped into the bedroom. Daryl watched her a second before turning back to Rick. "You're not going to sleep tonight either, are you?" He asked.

Rick shook his head.

"I'm staying up with her," he said. "I don't think she'll sleep until she's sure about what's happening, and I wouldn't want to be awake by myself if I were her. Besides, if something does happen I need to be awake so she doesn't turn."

Daryl clapped him on the shoulder, unsure of what to say. Rick responded by squeezing his shoulder and nodding his head.

"You should try to sleep, though," Rick said. "There's still so much to be done and everyone's going to be looking to you to help them make sure it gets done."

Daryl nodded and watched as Rick descended the stairs without another word. He stood outside the bedroom door until he heard his front close. He slipped into the bedroom, his mind swimming. His side hurt, as did every muscle in his body, and he was slowly being overcome by exhaustion. Michonne was already in bed and he could hear her breathing in the darkness. Apparently they were foregoing bathing for the night and he was too exhausted to care. He stumbled around in the darkness of the room, stripping off his clothes, and finally he collapsed in bed, asleep almost before he hit the pillow.