FORTY EIGHT. blameful isolation

AFTER a handful of mouthy yells, Adeline had finally alerted the attention of the once sleeping Theo. And by the time the child ran off to gather Rick and Daryl, Tyreese had the woman pushed up against the brick wall with a look of anger taking over his features. He didn't lay a hand on her, but Adeline was frozen with both shock and a small hint of fear which restricted her from making any moves. "Ty... you have to listen to me. I promise you, I wouldn't do this. Karen was my friend and so was David." She spoke, her voice wavering over a whisper as the metal door to the small secluded courtyard swung open and three figures rushed in.

When their eyes drifted over to the two burning corpses on the ground, they quickly registered what was happening. Daryl rested his hand on the hilt of his hunting knife, watching with careful eyes as Adeline silently gestured to them that she was fine. Rick stood closely behind Tyreese's figure, a protective look in his eyes as Carol lingered behind the men with a surprised expression. "If you could just take a second, look around. We can figure this out, okay? We can figure out who did this." Adeline whispered, her eyes remaining glued to her grieving friend.

"What is there to figure out?!" Tyreese roared, his voice cracking with grief as he stepped closer to the woman. "I came out here and there you stood... next to a gas can! Karen and David are dead! And yet your little girl is still alive! Tell me how that doesn't make you guilty, huh? Tell me!" He snapped, his hand curling into a fist as Adeline felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest. "You did this! You killed them!" Tyreese continued, keeping the woman pressed up against the wall with his words of hate and grief.

"Listen to me, I know exactly how you feel right now━"

"You have no idea what this feels like!" He screamed, his voice alone causing unwanted memories to cascade through Adeline's mind like a waterfall. Feeling her eyes sting with tears, she faltered in her step and moved slightly just as her brother took a step forward and began speaking ━━ "Actually, Tyreese, she does." Rick informed with a guilty voice, looking to his sister. "Walk us through what happened, we can help you." He added.

Tyreese shifted on his feet and looked back, giving Adeline a moment to duck underneath his arm and escape the space that he had forced her into. The combat boots she wore scuffed against the concrete, figure stumbling towards Carol who reached out and pulled the woman behind her protectively as Daryl stepped closer to the two of them. "You two found them like this?" Rick spoke to the man full of grief, easing the heavy and thick tension in the air.

"I came to see Karen." Tyreese informed, "And I saw the... I saw the blood on the floor. Then I smelled them." He continued, his eyes turning to the nurse who stood behind Carol. "You dragged them out here and set them on fire!" He roared, voice full of pent up anger and sudden grief. Adeline shook her head in denial, "I didn't. I was asleep. I woke up to the smell, it wasn't but a minute later when you came out here." She assured, her voice pleading.

Tearing his eyes away from the woman, Tyreese took a step towards Rick with anger glimmering in his eyes. Adeline felt her heart lurch forward, hand curling around the hilt of her pistol as she moved closer to her brother. "You're a cop. You find out if she did this or not, and you bring whoever did straight to me!" He yelled, "You understand? You bring 'em to me!" He instructed, his voice cracking as Daryl stepped behind him and reached out.

"We'll find out who━" He started, only for Tyreese to push his hand away. "I need to say it again?" The man questioned, his tone deep with anger. Rick shook his head, "No. I know what you're feeling, I've been there. You saw me there. It's dangerous." He explained, Tyreese quick to cut him off ━ "Karen didn't deserve this! David didn't deserve it! Nobody does!" He yelled, turning his eyes to Adeline. "If I find out it was you who did this, no one will stop me from doing the exact same thing that you did to them!"

"Alright, man, that's enough." Daryl stated, stepping forward one more time to wrap his hand around Tyresse's bicep. In the blink of an eye, the man full of grief had Daryl pushed up against the metal bars of a gate. Carol gasped in shock as both Adeline and Rick protectively rushed forward - the nurses hand curled around her knife in an instant as Daryl quickly raised his hand up behind the back of Tyresse to signal them away. "Man, I ain't going nowhere 'till I found out who did this!" He screamed, his anger coursing.

Daryl met eye to eye with Tyreese, the man's hand curled around the leather material of his vest as he kept him held up against the bars. "We're on the same side, man." The redneck assured, his eyes looking back to Adeline who stayed close behind Tyreese. "Ty, we know what you're going through. Everyone here has lost someone, okay? We've all been through the same thing. But you have got to calm down," She spoke, carefully reaching her hand out to touch his shoulder in attempts to ease the thick tension.

Turning on his feet, Tyreese was blinded by rage as he roughly pushed Adeline, his nails scratching marks into her arms as she was sent into her brothers chest. "You need to step the hell back!" He roared, Rick protectively pulling his sister behind him as he angrily eyed Tyreese ━ "She wouldn't want you being like this." He informed, glancing down to Karens burned body as he spoke.

Adeline felt her heart drop to her feet as Tyreese swung his fist directly into her brothers face, sending Rick to the ground as she let out a gasp. Quickly, both her and Daryl sprung forward in attempts to stop the grief filled man, "No! Stop!" Carol yelled, curling her hands around Rick to shield him from anymore of Tyresse's punches. Adeline made an attempt to step forward and hold the man back, but he ripped himself out of Daryl's tight hold and shoved her to the ground in a fit of blind rage.

The calloused skin of her palms scraped against the concrete, a burning pain coursing through her body as she winced at the feeling. Rick looked to her from where he sat crouched one the ground, blood dripping from his mouth as he turned his head just as Tyreese sent another strong punch barreling towards his face. Watching as blood splattered from her brothers mouth and onto the concrete, Adeline scrambled up from the ground and rushed over to him as Daryl held Tyreese back. "Come on, get up." She pleaded, curling her arms around Ricks and pulling him up.

The moment Rick was raised to his feet, he stumbled out of Adelines grasp and swung his fist into the side of Tyresse's face. Daryl was quick to release his hold on the man, backing away from the scene, Adeline cursed underneath her breath as her palms seared with pain. With Tyresse on the concrete, Carol begged for Rick to stop as he slammed his boots into the man's side to knock him over on his back. Once he did that, he repeatedly slammed his fists into Tyresse's face as Daryl attempted to pull him off of him.

Rick only shoved the redneck away, "Let go of me!" He yelled, turning back to the man on the ground. Adeline pushed past Carol and rushed over to her brothers side, wrapping her arms around his sweaty figure, "It's what he wants, Rick!" She yelled, her voice cracking with both pain and sympathy as she forced Rick off of Tyresse. He thrashed in her hold, but stopped her words hit him. It was he wanted, and they both knew what that looked like.

After calming both Rick and Tyresse down, Carol and Daryl took the job of getting them both cleaned up. When Adeline had made sure that her brother was in good hands, she slipped away from Hershel before he could look her over for any injuries. Instead, she snuck into the infirmary and fixed up her palms by herself with white bandages and ointment. It didn't take her long to make her way back down to the tombs, searching for the cell that she had made Theo stay in until she returned from the trip.

The hallway was consumed with the small sound of coughs, a layer of sweat decorating Adelines skin as she slipped into the confined cell. "Hey there," She whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed that Theo laid down in. "How're you feeling?" Adeline questioned, brushing the girls hair away from her forehead that was lined with sweat. "We need to move down to Cell Block A, okay? Doctors orders." She informed with a hushed voice.

Theo lifted her head and looked at Adeline's bandaged palms, the sight causing a weak and raspy laugh to leave her chapped lips. "You look like one of those Mummies." She informed, a cough spluttering from the barrens of her throat as Adeline smiled softly and helped the child sit up in the bed. "A Mummy?" The nurse questioned, raising an eyebrow curiously as she finished moving the tangled locks of blonde hair from the girls face. "Really now?"

"Yeah." Theo coughed, the sound mixed with a warm laugh. "But not an evil one," She added, causing a chuckle to slip past the woman's lips. "Am I gonna be okay?" Theo questioned, her eyes softening in a pool of worry. Adeline shifted in her spot, taking her bandaged palms and curling them around both of the girls hands. "Of course you are, Thee." She assured, her body feeling sore as she moved to wrap her arms around the girls fragile figure.

"It hurts." Theo sobbed, her voice cracking as her body trembled against Adelines. At the sound of her despair, the widow felt her stomach tighten in fear as she kept her arms around her. "I know." Adeline whispered, cupping the back of Theo's head with her bandaged hand ━ "Come on, let's go now." She ushered, standing up from the cot and grabbing the messenger bag off of the desk.

Throwing it over her shoulder, Adeline felt the soreness spread over her muscles as she wiped away the layer of consistent cold sweats on her skin before walking over to the bed. "Come on," She instructed, curling her bandaged palm around Theo's hand as she led the sick girl out of the cell. The two made their way down the empty corridors of the prison, most of its inhabitants staying to their cells due to the events of the past two days. They didn't want to risk catching the sickness, or being killed because they have it.

The cold air of the corridors caused an ache in Adelines muscles, goosebumps covering her skin as she kept her hand in Theo's while leading her to the sickness filled cell block. Turning a corner, the sound of rushed footsteps caused Adeline to cease walking as the familiar figure of Glenn rounded the corner. "Hey, there you are." He started, wiping away at his forehead ━ "We're having another meeting." He informed, waving to a sickly looking Theo with a tight lipped smile.

Feeling a cough crawl up the barrens of her throat, Adeline swallowed the urge and nodded her head ━ "Okay, but I need to stop by Cell Block A and drop her off." She replied, fixing her grip on the messenger bag over her shoulder.

Glenn was quick to take a step forward and gesture for her to hand him the bag, "Let me take that, I'll walk with you." He offered, a small smile of gratitude curling around Adelines lips as she handed him the bag.

Glenn glanced down at Theo as the three of them began walking through the corridors. "How's she feeling?" He questioned, lowering his voice to be out of range from the child who coughed into her elbow.

Adeline tore her eyes away from the girl and turned to her friend, shaking her head ━ "She's been better. It's only getting worse, but she'll be okay." She assured, more likely trying to convince herself as Glenn nodded; "She will." He added.

Nearing the sectioned off door that led into Cell Block A, the sound of distant coughs and moans of pain was heard from within. Adeline softened her features in worry before bending down to meet Theo's eye level ━ "Don't worry, okay? When you get in there, find Doctor S and give him this," She started, holding her hand out for the messenger bag that Glenn held. Once the strap was laid across her bandaged palm, she pulled the bag open and searched around until her fingers made contact with a plastic bottle.

Pulling it out, the seven remaining pills rattled against the material as she handed it to Theo ━ "Give him this, tell him it was from me and to use them wisely. These are all we have right now, okay? Make sure he knows that. After that, try to find an empty cell and stay there. If you start feeling bad, you find him. Okay?" Adeline questioned, holding back the urge to cough once again as Theo weakly nodded her head. "Okay." The widow breathed, wrapping her arms around the girls frame and pulling her into a tight hug.

"You're gonna be okay." Adeline whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the side of Theo's head before pushing away the tangled locks of blonde hair. "I'm scared." The girl cried, tears breaking from the corner of her eyes as the nurse pulled away and cupped each side of her face with her bandaged palms. "You listen to me. You are so strong, Theo. You have absolutely nothing to be scared of." She assured, "You leave the worrying to me, alright? You just go in there and get better." Adeline added, a small smile on her lips.

Pulling away from the girl, the nurse looked away as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. The sound of feet shuffling was followed by Glenn's voice, "This hat belonged to someone really strong and brave, and I think you would've liked him a lot. Sometimes when I feel alone, or scared, I squeeze it really tight in my hands and try to think about what he would do. I want you to take it, okay? And if you get scared in there, just hold it." He spoke, Adeline turning her eyes to him as he pulled a familiar fisherman's hat out of his back pocket and held it out for Theo to take. It was Dales.

Theo took the hat in her hands, nodding in confirmation to his words before holding it to her chest with the bottle of pills and looking up at then. "Okay, I will." She assured, watching as Glenn stood back up and wore a warm smile on his face as the small girl reluctantly turned away from the two. Opening the heavy door, Adeline waved goodbye to Theo as she entered the sickness filled Cell Block and left them alone in the hallway.

"Thank you for that." The widow spoke, tearing her eyes away from the door and turning to Glenn as she slung the messenger bag back over her shoulder. "It's what Dale would do." He informed, causing a small smile to curl against Adelines lips before the pair began walking back down the corridors. "I miss them a lot, you know? Dale, Andrea, Jim, T-Dog... even Shane before he went ━" He started, stopping himself in his words.

A raspy laugh left Adelines lips, "Crazy." She finished for him, wiping at the cold sweats on her forehead. "I do too. Every day." She informed, her hand subconsciously falling to the golden chain of the necklace she wore around her neck. "Do you remember how cramped it would get in that RV?" She questioned, watching as Glenn's face scrunched up in distaste at the remembrance.

"Don't even get me started on-"

"The smell." They spoke simultaneously, their laughter echoing down the corridors. "It was horrible." Adeline added, feeling the burning ache of a cough form in her chest as she cleared her throat to cover the sound. "Andrea would always complain about it, she even tried to make me find some of those little tree things." Glenn reminded, using a bandana to wipe away at the sweat on his skin.

The conversation continued until they entered the library, the sound of their voices coming to a cease as they slipped into the small office. Adeline fixed her grip on the messenger bag, sliding it over the back of the chair between Daryl and Carol before lowering herself down into the seat - "Theo is giving Doctor S those pain pills we found, it won't last long, though. You could hear the coughs from the hallway." She informed, feeling the ache in her muscles as the cold air of the library brushed against her.

"It's spread." Hershel informed, crossing his arms over the table. "Everyone who survived the attack in Cell Block D. Sasha, Caleb, Theo ━ and now others." He added, making Adeline realize the absence of Sasha at the table. Her lips turned to frown, a short breath of defeat leaving her mouth as she shifted in her seat. The consistent layers of cold sweat made her stomach turn, hands shaking slightly from where they sat intertwined under the table.

"Jesus," Daryl muttered from his spot, eyes glancing over to the distraught look in Adelines face. He noticed the unusual paleness of her skin, and the slight discoloration underneath her eyes. It pinged a small amount of worry in his stomach, but he brushed it off to be her lack of sleep. He knew that for the past night, she had stayed up to keep an eye on Theo to make sure she was okay. And the fact that someone had killed Karen and David made her even more noticeably on edge. Especially after being blamed for it.

Carol looked up from the table, "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 informed, only Adeline's attentive eyes noticing as Glenn shifted uncomfortably in his seat before wiping away the layer of sweat on his skin. "The hell we gonna do about that?" Daryl questioned.

Tearing her attention away from Glenn, Adeline sighed; "I really didn't kill them. Tyresse sure as hell thinks that I did. But, I liked Karen. I didn't really know David that well but Karen was a friend." She informed, a sympathetic look on her features as she cleared her throat, trying to cover the sound of another cough.

Hershel looked to her, "Only he thinks you did. Nobody else has that suspicion, I can promise you that." He informed, sending an expression of assurance her way as she nodded her head. "We can ask Rick to look into it," Carol spoke up from her seat. "Try to make a timeline ━ who's where when. Theo can attest to you being in her cell, but what are we going to do to stop this?"

"There is no stopping it." Hershel informed. "You get it, you have to go through it." He added, his words making Michonne furrow her eyebrows from where she leaned against one of the wooden beams in the office. "But it just kills you?" She questioned.

Adeline shook her head, "It's the symptoms that do you in. It's like getting bit by a walker, the bite doesn't necessarily kill you but the fever does." She reiterated, feeling her stomach twist nauseously as she ran a hand through her hair and tapped her feet anxiously.

"We need antibiotics." Hershel added to her statement.

"We've been through every pharmacy nearby. And then some." Daryl informed, crossing his arms over the back of the chair.

"That veterinary college at West Peachtree Tech, that's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication." Hershel said, "The drugs for animals there are the same we need." He finished.

"That's fifty miles. Too big a risk before, it ain't now." Daryl assured, slapping his hands against the chair before standing up and grabbing his crossbow from the ground. "I'm gonna take a group out. Best not waste any more time. Addy?" He questioned, looking to the woman who had her head to the table. "Hey,"

The burning pain in her chest was something she could no longer hold in, her stomach twisting in pain as she cupped a hand over her mouth. A cough spluttered from her lips, a liquid spewing from her mouth as she kept her hand over her lips and stood up to move away from the table. "Don't," Adeline was quick to say, stopping her friends from coming close to her. Her voice was muffled by her hand until she removed it, lowering the once white bandages away from her mouth to look down at her palm.

The crimson color of blood decorated the bandages; the liquid smeared across her mouth as she lifted her head to look at the worried faces around her. ━ "I hate to disappoint but I don't think I'm gonna be much help." She spoke, her voice trembling wearily from the sickness that soared through her body. She had it.