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Daryl

The council meeting was grim. Rick still didn't come and his chair was left open. We could have really used him in there but I didn't press it. When I left to go to the meeting he was organizing isolating his family.

Carol was shaken up by what happened in D but she was holding it together better than most. "Patrick was fine yesterday, and he died over night. Two people died that quick?" She shrugged. "We have to separate everyone that's been exposed." She said decidedly.

I nodded, "That's everyone in that cell block. That's all of us. Maybe more." I said. I didn't know how we were going to separate everyone. We were going to run out of space real quick.

Hershel looked stressed. He rested his hands on top of the table and nodded along with what we were saying. "We know that this sickness can be lethal," he agreed. "We don't know how easily it spreads. Is anyone else showing symptoms that we know of?" There was a glimmer of hope in his voice. Hope that this was a one off thing. Hope that we would all be spared.

Carol was quick to disagree. "We can't just wait and see. There's children. It isn't just the illness, people die and they become a threat." There was a slight tremble to her voice. I glanced over at her and could see she was remembering what it had been like in that cell block. We were used to Walkers being a threat but now we had to worry about everyone.

Hershel nodded in agreement. "We need a place for them to go. They can't stay in D. We can't risk going in there to clean it up."

I shifted my weight uncomfortably. I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't where Jo was right now. Cleaning up and getting things done was her style. And now she had a greater risk of exposure.

"We can use cell block A," Carol suggested.

"Death row?" Glenn asked in  disbelief. "I'm not sure that's much of an upgrade."

I sighed. With a threat like this we couldn't be worrying about people's feelings. "It's clean," I said shortly. "That's an upgrade. Think that'll work for Dr S?" I asked looking at Hershel.

Hershel nodded thoughtfully. "I'll help Caleb get it set up-"

Out in the hall a woman coughed. We all tensed. I was on my feet before anyone else. I scooped up my crossbow but followed the others out into the hall.

"You okay?" Tyreese was asking Karen, as he supported her with his arm around her shoulders.

She nodded. "Yeah," she assured him, a small private smile on her face.

"You sure?" Carol asked bluntly. "You don't sound so good."

Tyreese rubbed a soothing hand up and down her back. "I'm just going to take her back to my cell so she can rest." His actions were soothing but his words were firm and he looked me dead in the eye when he said them. Somewhere along the way he decided I was the most likely to put up a fuss. I snorted as I thought about Carol and Sasha.

"Tyreese," Hershel said calmly, stepping between Tyreese and I. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Tyreese tensed, his shoulders tightening protectively around the small woman.

"Why?" Karen asked. "What's going on now?"

We all exchanged grim looks. We didn't want to start a panic, but we had to educate people or it would spread worse.

Glenn finally spoke up. "We think it's a flu or something. That's how Patrick died." Glenn's voice was soft, as he tried to deliver the news as gently as possible.

Hershel stepped up around us, approaching Karen. "Judith is in that cell block," he said in that oh-so-rational way of his that always seemed to get him what he wanted. "She's vulnerable. Anyone that may be sick or even exposed should stay away from her."

Karen was shaking her head in disbelief. "It killed Patrick?" She asked, leaning into Tyreese for support.

Tyreese held her tightly against his chest, rubbing up and down her arm in soothing lines. Part of me resented his easy and open relationship with Karen. He obviously cared about her and didn't care who knew, even if it made him seem vulnerable. "She's going to be okay," he said with conviction. "Now that we know what Patrick died from we can treat it, right?"

I had always thought Tyreese was a bit of a Pollyanna and I resisted the urge to snap at him. It's not like we could just cart everyone off to the hospital.

"Don't panic," Hershel said soothingly. "We are going to figure this out. But we should keep you separated in the meantime. We will have Caleb take a look at you, I'll see what we have in the way of medications."

Tyreese looked ready to argue, but Karen lay a gentle hand on his chest and he stopped. She nodded in agreement. "David from the Decatur group, he's been coughing too."

Both Carol and Sasha tensed, but Glenn immediately snapped into action. "I'll get him." He turned to go. "There's some empty clean cells in the tombs right?" He asked me.

I nodded. "Been clear a while now." I reported.

Glenn nodded and disappeared around the corner.

"We'll meet you there," Sasha called after him. Then she approached her brother. "Come on," her words were for Karen but she was staring down her brother. "Let's get you settled." Tyreese looked like he still wanted to argue but finally he nodded and guided Karen down the hall with Sasha trailing behind.

Hershel turned to me. "We'll have to call another meeting later."

I nodded. "All right, I'll get to burying the dead ones."

Hershel pointed at me. "You wear gloves and a mask." He said firmly.

"Uh huh," I agreed and he walked away. I turned to go, but stopped when I looked at Carol. Her eyes were wide and she stood leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around herself. "You all right?" I asked.

Her lips flattened into a grim line. "I'm worried about Lizzy and Mica. They were around Patrick."

I nodded. "We all were. Karen and David are gonna be separated until they feel better." I reassured her.

Carol nodded. "You're right," she said weakly. "You okay?"

"Mmhhmm," I said nodding. "Gotta be," I smirked as I caught myself using Jo's words. "Jo's in D cleaning up. I'm gonna help her." I didn't say how worried I was about Jo being in the cell block being exposed as we were talking. So much had happened already today and it wasn't even noon yet.

"Okay, you both be careful," Carol called after me.

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Jo

I was out in the field digging the first grave when Daryl approached. He was wearing gloves and a black handkerchief over his mouth as he carried the first body wrapped in a sheet over his shoulder. He didn't seem surprised to find me out here. I moved another shovel full, tossing it over my shoulder but I didn't look up.

"What did you all decide?" I asked slamming the shovel down into the soil once more. I hit a rock or something and swore.

"We're going to move the infected ones over to death row," Daryl said, grunting as he dropped the body near the grave. He pulled his red handkerchief out of his back pocket and held it out to me. I glanced once at it, but made no move to take it.

"We ain't taking any chances," he said firmly. "Take the bandana."

I nodded and took it from him, tying it around my face before returning to my work. So much had happened in a single day I didn't know what to think or feel. I glanced at him but he had grabbed another shovel and dropped into the grave beside me to help dig. We worked in silence, side by side, but it wasn't a comfortable silence like it usually was. Once again there was an inexplicable tension between us underlying the stress of this new threat. I thought about Glenn and Maggie and Tyreese and Karen. Everything seemed so easy for them. Why was it so hard for Daryl and I? Under the handkerchief I blushed as I thought about the kiss we had shared in the tombs. To call it a kiss was a little mild. We had practically thrown ourselves at one another.

Daryl grunted as he hit a rock, stooping he pulled it out, tossing it over his shoulder. I liked it better when we had someone to fight.

Ten minutes later Rick approached.

Daryl looked up, pausing in his work. "Glad you were in there," he called adjusting his handkerchief.

"Wasn't much use without my gun," Rick fidgeted and I could tell just by the sound of his voice that he was feeling guilty.

"No, you were," Daryl assured him, he pulled down his handkerchief so Rick could hear him. "All this time you been taking off. You've earned it. We wouldn't be here without you." Daryl said tossing aside another shovel full.

Rick scooped up the last shovel and started digging the next grave.

"It was all of us," Rick disagreed.

"Naw," Daryl said shaking his head. "It was you first. You gonna help us figure this out?" Daryl didn't say it but I could tell by the tone of his voice that Rick had once again missed the council meeting.

Rick's eyes widened and he shook his head. "I screwed up too many times. Those calls you got to make...I start down that road...I almost lost my boy...who he was."

Daryl nodded, but his lips thinned into a determined line and I could tell he didn't agree. Rick's eyes flickered over to me. "Whatever else this place needs. I'm here for it."

"Like I said, you earned it. For what it's worth, you see mistakes. I see when the shit hits you're standing there with a shovel." Daryl stepped easily out of the grave. Without looking at me he offered his hand to help me get out. I tossed my shovel out and pulled myself out.

"RICK DARYL JO!!!!" Maggie's voice was shrill as she screamed and ran across the field toward us.

We all looked towards her. I shielded my eyes against the sun's glare. Even from here I could see the fence swaying.

"Shit!" Daryl muttered and snatched up his crossbow at a run.

We pounded down the dog run towards where the fence was folding over itself. I pulled my thinnest blades as I ran.

"The noise drew them in and now this part is starting to give!" Maggie yelled unnecessarily. Sasha, Glenn and Tyreese were already there, stabbing Walkers through the fence.

The walkers were swarming the fence, pressing against it so hard the flesh of the ones in front was caving. I ran to the far side of the herd yelling as I went, dragging my knives against the fence to create as much noise as possibly to draw more away from the central herd. Outliers started to follow and I killed them through the fence.

"Are you seeing this?!" Sasha exclaimed. "Is someone feeding these things?" she asked in disbelief.

I didn't turned my attention away from the Walkers at the fence and continued to draw as many as I could away from the main herd. I turned my whole focus on stabbing walkers through the fence until there was nothing but the strikes of my blades. I moved as fast as I possibly could, forward strike after forward strike, alternating arms so I wouldn't get too tired. Soon gore coated my knives and forearms up to my elbows.

"Heads up!" Daryl exclaimed.

My head snapped towards him in time to see the top of the fence curling over towards him and the others. I stabbed two more in front of me.

"This part of the fence now!" Sasha yelled. Everyone swarmed towards her. I stayed at my end calling more and more to me. Tyreese narrowed his eyes at me as he pushed against the fence trying to hold it up, but I didn't pay any attention. I had managed to draw another five walkers to my end of the fence.

"Hold on hold on, hey hey hey!" Glenn was yelling as the fence started collapsing on top of them.

"It's gonna give!" Rick screamed running towards it to prop it up. Everyone followed but that only drew the walkers to a greater frenzy,

"Everybody back!" Daryl yelled. "Everybody back now!"

"The fence keeps bending in like that those Walkers are coming over it." Sasha snapped, her voice tight with stress.

Rick glanced over his shoulder towards his field and then back at the fence. "Daryl, get the truck. I know what to do."

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Jo

"Jo get the gate!" Rick yelled. I palmed a knife and jerked the fence back.

Daryl sped through driving the jeep with a small trailer bouncing along behind it, Rick riding on top. One walker ventured too close. I kicked it back and slid the knife into it's brain. Then I jumped back on the other side of the fence and slid the gate closed behind them.

"Ready?" Daryl yelled over his shoulder.

They didn't go far. Daryl swung the jeep around close to the herd. At the sight of them the herd started after the jeep. They snarled and stumbled over one another as they fought their way towards the jeep.

"Let's go!" Daryl called anxiously as the walkers drew close.

Rick pulled out the first pig and sliced open a deep line across it's back. Blood welled up and the snarling of the walkers grew louder. He dumped it over the side of the trailer as the first walkers reached them. Daryl sped forward.

"All right," Rick called. "Hold up" he did it again and again, killing his pigs so the rest of us could live. I knew how dedicated Rick had been to his pigs and I felt bad for him. Standing here, watching him kill them all was like watching his carefully constructed world fall apart.

"Alright go!" Rick called, his voice breaking.  "Go!"

I glanced over towards where Sasha, Glenn  and Maggie stood near where the fence had started to come down. They propped the fence up, bracing it with wood poles. Hopefully the reinforcements would hold.

Rick slid the blade of his knife along another pigs back, spraying his face with it's blood.

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Jo

That afternoon I took an extra shift of guard duty. Everyone was busy putting new plans in place to deal with the disease. It was supposed to be Karen's shift and Tyreese offered to cover for her but I waved him off. He seemed shocked by my offer and I tried not to take his obvious feelings about me too personally. I made the decision to keep myself separated from the group and I had to deal with the repercussions .

I was at my place at the gate when Rick began tearing apart and burning his pig pen. I tried not to notice, but it was impossible to look away. He was so devastated. There were unshed tears in his eyes as he threw all the fencing pallets into a pile and dumped gasoline on top. Rick had fought harder than anyone to build a normal life here, and once again it had been stolen away from him.

I was out there when he called Carl over. They spoke in low, hushed tones and Carl was looking around, his eyes a little wide around the edges. Rick reached into his toolbox and pulled out Carl's gun. He unwrapped it, checked the clip and handed his son back his gun.

I was there to see him strap his own gun back around his hips. Then he stood back, added his blood soaked shirt to the pile, tossed a match, and watched all his hard work burn.

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Whoa! Two updates in one day?! How awesome is that? Anyway things have been really rolling lately. I will try and keep it up. I hope you are enjoying the story.

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