Jo

It took me a while to realize the screaming wasn't in my nightmares. After so many long nights of hearing nothing but Kate's screams in my head it took me a minute to realize the young girl's scream was real and I had to do something about it.

I blinked fully awake at the sound of Lizzie screaming a second time.

"Hershel!" Her little girl's screeched made me wince at first and then snap to attention, my heart thudding erratically in my ears.

I fought to get to my feet, the sudden motion making me cough. I swayed for a moment as a wave of dizziness washed over me. I grabbed onto the sink to stabilize myself. I tried to get to the cell door but I was caught on something. I looked down to see the IV still stuck in my arm.

There was another scream and I heard the snarls of more than one Walker. They were quickly followed by panicked shouts as people began to realize what was happening.

"Everyone stay in your cells!" Hershel's voice was strained as he called out. I had never heard Hershel sound like that and I knew instantly something was very wrong.

Without hesitating I ripped the IV out of my arm. Blood pooled and ran down my forearm, but the pain was minimal so I ignored it. I wrapped my hand around the icy bars and jerked my cell door open.

Hershel must have taken off my jacket to get the IV in my arm but luckily I was still wearing my shoulder rig. Both Daryl's hunting knife in my spine sheath and my Kukri were missing but I still had three other smaller knives.

I was unsteady on my legs as I stumbled out of the cell. Below, Hershel was on the ground beneath a Walker. He was barely holding it back by its jaw as its teeth snapped near his face. I drew my first knife. I raised my arm to throw it but I didn't trust myself. I was still unsteady and there were too many people in the way.

A man I didn't know charged out of a cell with his gun in hand. A blond woman jumped out and pulled the Walker off Hershel saving him. A Walker came up behind the man and sank his teeth into the man's hand with the gun. The gun went off hitting the blond woman in chest.

I briefly closed my eyes against the rising panic blooming in my chest. Things were going downhill fast. Groups were dangerous. Trust no one.

"Come on Henry, this way," a sweet little girl's voice drew my attention.

I glanced to my left in time to see Lizzie attempting to lead a very dead Henry away from an unconscious Glenn. Glenn lay on his side half in and half out of Henry's cell, blood and vomit pooled on the ground near his mouth. I turned away from the grisly sight, I couldn't think about whether or not he was alive. I needed to focus.

I turned back to Lizzie and Walker Henry and focused. I pushed aside how tired I was and focused. I took two running strides to cover the distance and leapt so I could slam my blade into his skull at a downward angle. I misgauged the strength I had to put behind the strike and the force of the impact threw me to the ground. My muscle memory wanted me to roll with the motion and come up on my feet, but I was too weak and I landed like a sack of potatoes. The impact rattled my teeth and made me black out for a second.

But Lizzie's shriek of outrage pulled me back to consciousness. "You killed him! You killed him! He was listening to me! And you killed him!!"

But I wasn't listening to her. I coughed and coughed, pushing myself up onto my knees while I felt like my lungs were going to explode. "Get," gasp, cough. "In," cough, cough. "Your," cough, cough, "Cell." I commanded shoving myself to my feet.

She turned fearful eyes to me and nodded too many times. I normally would feel bad about scaring her but it made her listen. She jumped into the cell closest to her with the little boy Daryl had saved from D. I slammed the door behind them, leaning against it as I fought to catch my breath. It was like I couldn't draw in enough oxygen and yet my chest felt over-full and my lungs burned.

I turned back to Henry and fought to pull my knife from his skull. The blood was still warm as it coated my fingers. He hadn't been dead long. It took everything I had to dislodge the small blade from the bone.

"Caleb! Caleb we need the gun!" Hershel's voice came behind me as he ran up the stairs. His face was red with the effort and he was out of breath. It made him careless.

I looked up in time to see the body of Dr. S grab Hershel through the bars. The Walker slammed Hershel against the bars. Hershel stumbled and sagged in the Walkers hands as it mashed its blood streaked face against the bars trying to bite him. Hershel struggled away and snapped one of the walker's arms, trapping it against the bars.

I had no choice, I threw the knife.

It sunk, handle deep into Dr.S's skull. I swayed as my head spun from the movement and I had to grab the railing to steady myself.

Hershel spun to face me, shock on his face. He had been so distracted, he didn't realize I was behind him. That was dangerous. He jerked open the cell and grabbed a gun off the floor. He pulled my knife from the Walker's head and brought it back to me.

A snarl behind us had me spinning around. Another Walker was coming up the stairs. I turned and moved to get it but Hershel laid a hand on my shoulder stopping me. He glanced meaningfully towards the kids. Both Lizzie and the little boy were standing at the bars watching me with keen interest.

I shook my head. Two Walkers were behind the first one and I was far from at my best. We didn't have time to worry about what the kids saw. I threw my knife at the closest one, it fell back knocking into the others like dominoes, slowing them down.

"Get Glenn!" I yelled but my throat was raw from coughing and I couldn't get enough breath in.

Hershel must have understood my croak because he spun away from the Walkers and ran for Henry's cell. The remaining two walkers had recovered and were shambling up the stairs. I grabbed the stair  railings and swung my legs through, kicking the first Walker with both feet in the chest. There was enough force to knock both of them all the way down the stairs. I landed awkwardly, sagging sideways but I kept my feet. I coughed as I recovered my balance and followed the Walker's down the stairs.

I drew my second knife and slammed it into the first Walker's head before it got back to it's feet. I couldn't breathe, I was shaking with the effort to stay on my feet. The last Walker from the stairs was on its feet and coming towards me. My whole body shook from the effort of keeping myself on my feet. I was so tired. I felt my eyes droop for a moment but I snapped back to attention. The Walker was closer and grabbed me by my shoulders. I spun in its arms and shoved the knife straight up past my head and slammed it up under the Walker's chin. It fell back away from me, leaving me swaying on my feet with the bodies at my feet. I coughed uncontrollably and my mouth filled with blood. My arm dropped and the knife slipped from my fingers, clattering on the cement floor.

I heard another snarl and turned just in time to see the Walker of the blond woman right on top of me. I reached for my last knife. I tried to take a step back but my foot snagged on the walkers body behind me. I stumbled and my hand missed the knife and I knew it was done. This was it. The Walker had me. My mind briefly flickered to Daryl and I felt a deep swell of regret.

The Walker's head suddenly exploded only inches from me. I was coated in gore and my ears rang from the close gun shot. The body dropped and Maggie was standing behind me. She latched onto my upper arms, holding me up. "Daddy!" she yelled. "Where is Glenn?"

Hershel's strained voice called down from above. "He's up here! Cell one hundred."

Maggie looked down at me in concern but I waved her off. She let go of me and waited as though she were checking to see if I was going to fall. With a Herculean effort I managed to stay standing and give her a small smile. She nodded and then ran for Glenn and her father.

As soon as she was gone I slowly sank down to my knees, unable to stay up anymore. I tried to catch myself on the stairs but only ended up half supporting myself. I dropped my head onto my arms on the second step, and closed my eyes.

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Daryl

It was dark when we pulled in. Rick opened the gate for us and we piled out of the van as soon as possible. Only Rick and Carl were out in the yard. They each had an automatic rifle and were covered in blood. I looked beyond them and there were bodies of Walkers everywhere. I frowned as my eyes ran over the fencing I could see in the dark.

Tyreese was the first out of the van. "Sasha!?" he exclaimed running up to Rick. "How's Sasha?" He was so distraught over his sister he didn't even seem to notice what was going on around him out here.

Rick shook his head, looking a little shocky. "I don't know I'm sorry." His voice rasped and he looked down at the gun in his hands guiltily.

"Get in there!" I called to Tyreese as I walked around to the back of the van to pull out the supplies. "We're coming with the meds."

I reached down and grabbed the hatch handle, ready to pull it up. But Michonne stepped up next to me. She lay a hand over my forearm to stop me. "Go check, I'll help Bob."

I stopped and stared at her, I swiped a hand over my mouth. We had to do what was best for the group. I lifted my eyes back to the fence. If I wasn't helping with the meds I needed to help with the problems out here. She shook her head as though she could read my mind.

"Rick is fine out here and I got this," she promised, "go check on her," she whispered so only I could hear it. I felt indecision play across my face but I finally nodded and ran for the cell block following Tyreese.

When I pushed open the door I immediately whipped my crossbow around into my hands. There were bodies everywhere. Sasha's cell was one of the first on the bottom floor and I glanced in as I passed. Tyreese was sitting on the floor of Sasha's cell, holding her in his arms. He was slowly rocking her and speaking in a low soothing voice. He met my gaze and gave me a grim nod.

I nodded back then turned back to the center of the room. There, the bodies of dead Walkers were spread across the floor. I counted five at least. Jo was laying on the steps, her head resting on her folded arms. Her face was peaceful but as I approached I realized she had a bloody knife still gripped in her hand. I swung my crossbow up over my shoulder and I took the knife, tucking it into my belt. I smoothed a hand across her brow, brushing her hair back from her face. She was burning with fever and this close I could see a tiny trickle of blood coming out of the corner of her lips. She needed meds fast. I scooped her up in my arms.

She murmured in her sleep, coughing quietly and stirring. I hugged her against me trying to soothe her. She felt so tiny and when she coughed her entire body shook.

"Shh," I whispered into her sweat damp hair and I started up the stairs toward her cell. At the sound of my voice she wound her arms around my neck and snuggled her face into my neck, sighing contentedly. Something in my chest constricted and I tightened my grip on her.

I laid her down on the bed in her cell. Her pillow and blanket were on the floor beneath an IV bag. Bob would be up soon and get whatever meds she needed started so I picked up her blanket and tucked it around her.

I sat down in the bed next to her and she rolled onto her side, tucking herself against me. I laid a gentle hand on her leg and sighed. We had the meds and she would live. Now all I had to do was figure out how to get her to forgive me when she woke up. I leaned forward and bushes my lips against her forehead. "Try not to be too pissed still," I whispered and stood.

I went down a few cells to where Bob, Michonne, Maggie and Hershel were gathered around Glenn's bed. He looked a thousand times worse than Jo. His skin had a faint blue tinge to it and if not for the rise and fall of his chest I would have sworn he was dead.

I stepped outside the cell just in time to hear Maggie speak.

"Dad," she said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "They're back now, go rest."

Hershel nodded and climbed to his feet unsteadily. He stopped next to me, laying a hand on my shoulder. "She saved our lives today," he said in a tired voice. "Without her it wouldn't have mattered if you came back with the medicine. I don't know how she did it, sick as she was."

I nodded, pressing my lips together to hold back any emotion. That was my girl.

I was over tired, so I wasn't able to keep everything bottled up like I would have liked. "She's strong," my voice rasped with emotion.

Hershel nodded and gave me a gentle smile. "That she is."

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Thank you for reading!!! I really hope you liked this chapter, I don't know why but it's one of my favorites!
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