It has been a few hours maybe after the whole fence thing. Carol, Rick, Daryl, Xander and Tyreese just have found Karen and David dead.
Daryl has been looking everywhere for his daughter, he was concerned that maybe something must have happened to her.
Daryl walked into Cell Block C and opened the curtain to Rhea and Xander's old dorm seeing no one was inside.
"Shit." The man cursed and walked outside by to the courtyard, when he saw her legs peeking out from a corner. "Rhea! Rhea!" He yelled and ran over to the girl only to see how sickly pale she was with purple bags around her eyes, sweating to death "Rhea, can you hear me? Rhea?"
"Daryl!" He heard and turned around to see Rick and Glenn running over.
"I found her like this." Daryl told them, his voice filled with fear and concern about his daughter.
"She's sick." Rick informed the concerned father.
At those words Daryl could feel his heart dropping. He already lost Merle and Mia, he couldn't loose Rhea too.
"She was coughing earlier when we were at the fence." Glenn informed them.
"Take her to Cell Block D." Rick told him.
"Why? So she can be murdered like Karan and David?!" Daryl yelled, but Rick shook his head.
"Doctor S is now there guarding the patients." Rick reasoned him.
Daryl nodded and he picked up his daughter and he started walking to Cell Block D. When he arrived he kicked on the door that Doctor S opened.
When he saw Rhea in Daryl's arms he looked up towards the father sadly "I'm sorry, Daryl."
"She's going to be okay." Daryl assured walking to an empty cell and placed her on the bed.
He moved some hair from her face and turned towards Doctor S "You watch her now, okay. Make sure no one except my people come near her."
"You have my word, Daryl." Doctor S promised him.
Daryl nodded, before he kissed her forehead and then he left Cell block C.
"It's spread." Hershel began the council meeting as he looked around everyone "Everyone who survived the attack in cell block D. Sasha, Caleb, Rhea and now others."
Carol nodded shrugging her shoulders "So what do we do?"
"First things first. Cell block A is isolation. We keep the sick people there like we tried with Karen and David." Hershel explained to everyone.
"What the hell we gonna do about that?" Xander asked them.
"Ask Rick to look into it." Carol told him "Try to make a timeline. Who's where when, but what are we gonna do to stop this?"
"There is no stopping it. You get it, you have to go through it." Hershel explained.
"But it just kills you?" Xander asked him worriedly.
"The illness doesn't." Hershel corrected softly the Grimes boy "The symptoms do. We need antibiotics." He added.
"We've been through every pharmacy nearby and then some." Daryl shared with the group.
"That veterinary college at West Peachtree Tech, that's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication. The drugs for animals there are the same we need." Hershel explained the group.
"That's 50 miles. Too big a risk before. Ain't now." Daryl informed them, he then thought of his daughter, that was right now fighting for her life "I'm gonna take a group out. Best not waste any more time."
"I'm in." Michonne volunteered right away.
"Me too. If that's the only way to save Rhea and the others, I'm in." Xander also volunteered.
Daryl looked at the Grimes boy with squinted eyes. He knew about the boy's feelings towards his daughter. And he also knew that she felt the same towards him and he trusted the boy, since the moment they met, that doesn't mean he likes it.
"You haven't been exposed. Daryl and Xan had. You get in a car with them-" Hershel told Michonne.
"They already given me fleas." Michonne teased causing the old man to laugh before standing up and looking to the three.
"I can lead the way. I know where everything's kept."
Michonne, Daryl and Xander looked at each other not liking the idea of Hershel going with them in such a dangerous mission.
"When we're out there, it's always the same. Sooner or later we run." Daryl told the old man.
"I can draw you a map." Hershel said with a sigh "There are other precautions I feel we should take."
"Like what?" Xander asked the old man.
"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."
Glenn asked "Who is the most vulnerable?"
"The very young."
"What about the old?" Glenn asked looking to the man unsure.
Hershel laughed "I'm steel, Glenn."
Outside Daryl's group was getting ready to leave.
Daryl and Xander stood by Zack's car looking at her making sure it has enough gas.
"Son of a bitch is about a quart low." Daryl said to Xander, before they saw Michonne walking towards them.
"You still keep it in the bottom of tower three?"
"Yeah."
"I'll go get one." Michonne told them, but didn't move an inch "I know you two are worried about her."
Daryl looked up to her knowing what she meant before looking back to the car. "She's a Dixon. She won't let something like this to let her down. She's too damn stubborn and strong." Daryl told her with a small frown on his face.
"Believe me, I know she is, but that doesn't stop you from worrying about her. And it's understandable she's your daughter after all." Michonne then turned towards Xander "And she's your best friend." He gave the woman a small smile and nodded his head. "So it's just gonna be me and you two like in the old days?" Michonne asked them.
"Yeah, and Bob. Still, feels like we could use another person." Daryl said.
"Who else isn't sick?" Michonne asked them.
"We can't ask dad. He wants to stay here with Carl and Judith. Keep them safe. Plus there's plenty of stuff he could do here." Xander explained.
"So who else we got?" Michonne asked.
Daryl closed the hood and looked towards Xander, who nodded his head. "I'll go get him." Xander volunteered, Daryl nodded and Xander made his way to Cell block D.
The Grimes boy got to the front door, where he saw Tyreese standing right in front.
"Oh, there you are. Took me damn near forever to find you. Whatcha doing?" Xander asked him.
"Somebody needs to stand watch." Tyreese told him.
"Man, I want to find them, too. Rhea's in there. Put a bullet in them for what they did. These people are cut off. Ain't no way anyone's getting in and out without a whole bunch of people seeing 'em."
"Sasha's in there. I ain't going nowhere."
"Standing guard ain't gonna do no good unless we come back with them meds." Xander said, but Tyreese looked back to the window watching in the distance Sasha. Xander understood and nodded his head "All right. We're gassing up by the front gate in case you change your mind."
Xander made his way around heading back to the car, but stopped seeing the little visiter area. He looked inside before walking and tapping on the glass seeing a sick person was near it. "Hey, can you get me Rhea?"
"Sure." The boy said heading back into the main cells.
It didn't take long before the Dixon girl stumbled in, looking awful.
"Hey Xan." She greeted with a small smile.
"Hey Rhea." He greeted "You need to hold on princess. Your father, Michonne, Bob and I are heading out to get the meds."
"That's dangerous." She pointed out.
"It's worth it." He told her.
"Xan anything could happen." She said looking to him sadly.
"I have to at least try. If I don't, you'll die."
"Xan-"
"Just don't give up Rhea. For Daryl. For Carl. For Judith. For everyone here... for me." He told her, while walking closer to the window putting his hand against it.
Rhea walked closer and put her hand against his on her side of the glass looking at his eyes.
"Don't give up on me Rhea, please... because I don't know what I'll do without you in my life."
She looked into his beautiful brown eyes she could see the honesty in them, but also some other kind of a feeling that she couldn't tell what it was.
"Xan... I... I need to tell you..."
"You'll tell me once we get back princess." He told her looking into her beautiful green eyes that he fall in love with.
He had a feeling what she was going to tell him, but he didn't wanted her to tell him that in her dead bed.
She nodded her head before looking into his eyes again "Always..."
"Forever..." He continued.
"Together!"
The two of them said at the same time, before she smiled at him and she stumbled back into the main warehouse.
Carl was bouncing a ball against the wall for what felt like forever. He was with the kids looking after them.
His brother was on the run with Daryl and the others, and he had no idea where Rhea was and he was dying out of boredom without his brother and best friend. Carl's thoughts got interrupted, when Hershel's door closed.
The younger Grimes got up from the floor and saw the old man limping towards the exit.
"Where are you going?" Carl asked.
Hershel looked over surprised to see Carl "I'm down here away from y'all 'cause you kids are supposed to stay away from me."
"I've been walking the halls. My dad told me to look out for everyone, since Xander is out on the run."
"Well, you should keep your distance." Hershel said causing Carl to stop walking.
"You're walking towards the exit."
"I need to go out there."
"To the cell blocks?" Carl asked him.
The old man slowly turned his head knowing there was no way to go by the boy. "To the woods."
"So you're sneaking out."
"Don't need anyone worrying about me and I damn sure don't want someone telling me I can't go."
"I can't just let you go out into the woods by yourself." Carl told him.
"Let me?" Hershel questioned.
Carl nodded his head "I can't stop you, but I have to tell my dad."
"Go ahead, then. I'll be out there by the time you find him." Hershel said and began to walk towards the exit.
"Hershel. If you have to go, then I have to come with you."
"Carl."
"I have to." Carl said "You mean a lot to people."
Hershel stared at the boy, that he once saved his live. How much he changed since the farm, when he was that little twelve years boy. Hershel nodded his head and opened the door allowing the boy to help him.
They got to the woods, it was quite the only thing they could hear was the sound of bugs.
Hershel grabbed some berries before looking over to Carl, seeing the gun in his hand.
"When did your dad give it back?" The old man asked him.
"Yesterday. After everything happened."
"You've grown a lot these last few months. The three of you have. There's a responsibility about you. I think it's done you good to step back."
"Yeah. It was all right. Can't be like that all the time."
"I would have been fine on my own. It's peaceful out here. These last couple days, we might be safer outside those walls than in."
"No, we're not." Carl said before pointing to a walker that was stuck to the side of a tree growing mold.
"Let's wrap this up." Hershel said when they heard metal move. They turned only to see a walker that had a bear trap entangled in the leg rusting with dried blood. Carl raised his gun ready to shoot, but Hershel shook his head. "Don't. You don't need to. It was so peaceful."
"It was. Can't be like that all the time." Carl said, before he and Hershel walked away.
The old man opened the bag and looked down seeing how many berries he had found. "This should be enough for Glenn, Sasha and Rhea."
"Rhea?" Carl asked turning around to see he was being serious "She's sick?"
"Carl-"
"Why no one told me? Is she okay? When did she got it? I have to see her." Carl said turning back around towards the prison a bit fast.
"Carl. Carl wait!" Hershel called catching up to the young boy "You can't."
"She's mine and Xan's best friend! It's that why he went on the run?"
"I know she is, and yes that's why. But the last thing she needs is learning your sick too just because you saw her. Your job is to watch those kids. My job is to make sure we don't lose her." Hershel said.
"Okay, but the minute you get there, give the tea to her. I know she won't, but make sure she doesn't give up."
"Promise." Hershel said before walking back to the prison with the young boy.
In Cell block A, Rhea was leaning against Glenn for support. They had both had fallen sick and Glenn didn't wanted the young Dixon out of his sight since he was worried who ever killed Karen and David would kill her.
Rhea and Glenn heard the cell doors open, and the two turned to see Hershel walking through the doors.
"Hershel?" She questioned trying to stand up, but he shook his head coming up the stairs.
"Sit Rhea. You need to rest."
"You can't be in here." She said before coughing and sitting halfway down staircase tired.
Hershel got to her seeing how pale she was. He set the tea down and grabbed one handing it to her "Drink it."
"What is it?" She asked.
"Just drink it." Hershel said with a roll of his eyes.
She grabbed the jar carefully before taking a sip and smiling at the taste "How is it out there?"
"Everyone are worried. The people they care about are in here. Carl and Xander are worried for you."
"Carl knows?" Rhea asked the old man nodded.
"Almost ran here to see you. He really cares about you. Just as much as Xander." Hershel laughed.
"Carl's my best friend." She said.
"And Xander?" He asked her with a small smile, when he saw the red on her cheeks.
"I... with him... it's different. Whenever I see him or I'm around him. I feel this warmth in my body, my heart start beating rapidly like... I've been running a thousand miles." She explained to the old man who was listening and watching with a small smile "Have you ever experienced something like that Hershel?"
"I had. With my wife. You love him. More than a friend." Hershel told her with a soft smile.
She smiled a little bit when she pictured the boy in her mind. "I think I do. I tried to tell him earlier, but he told me to tell him when he come back. I guess he believes I would make by the time he comes back."
"Because you will. You're one of the strongest people I know Rhea. Two months alone out there didn't break you, that made you even stronger. You're strong enough to beat that virus and tell that boy how you actually feel towards him. And I'm here to make sure that happens. Don't give up." He told her while looking her right into her eyes.