AFTER MARCELLA HAD ASKED DARYL ABOUT THE TIME AND FIGURED OUT THAT SHE WON THE BET AGAINST GLENN, THE SOUND OF A GUNSHOT IN THE DISTANCE PIERCED THE AIR,

The group was nervous, not that Marcie could blame them. Rick nor Shane would waste a bullet on one walker.

"You still worrying about it?" Andrea broke the silence.

Everyone paused and looked back at Lori, who was looking back at the direction the gunshot came from, "It was a gunshot."

"We all heard it." Daryl stated,

She turned back to them, "Why one? Why just one gunshot?" 

"Maybe they took down a walker." He suggested,

"Please don't patronize me." She snapped at him, "You know Rick wouldn't risk a gunshot to put down one walker, or Shane. They'd do it quietly."

"Shouldn't they have caught up with us by now?" Carol asked,

"There's nothing we can do about it, anyway." Daryl stated, trying to keep them all calm, "Can't run around these woods chasing echoes."

"So, what do we do?"

"Same as we've been." Marcie answered, "Beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway."

"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV." Andrea assured Lori.

They went to continue but paused once more when Andrea stopped to speak to Carol, "I'm sorry for what you're going through. I know how you feel."

Carol gave her a small smile, "I suppose you do. Thank you. The thought of her, out here by herself.. It's the not knowing that's killin' me. I just keep hopin' and prayin' she doesn't wind up like Amy." The older woman paused, "Oh, God! That's the worst thing I ever said."

Andrea took a moment to respond, "We're all hoping and praying with you, for what it's worth."

Daryl approached the two women, "I'll tell ya what it's worth, not a damn thing. It's a waste of time, all this hopin' and prayin'. We're gonna locate that little girl. She's gonna be just fine." He stepped back and and looked around at everyone, "Am I the only one zen around here? Good lord."

Meanwhile, back on the highway, Vivian was organising the stuff they found while Liam played in the grass between the road, keeping an eye on him while Dale worked on some of the cars, collecting spare parts.

They insisted T-Dog rested. His cut needed to be stitched and given antibiotics, but unfortunately, couldn't find medical items anywhere, despite how many cars were piled up.

"We are gonna have quite a collection of spare parts, I tell ya." Dale commented as T-Dog approached them,

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" T-Dog asked,

"It's still light. Let's not worry, just yet." Dale responded, 

"How are you feelin', T?" Vivian asked, moving over to him leaning against a car,

He didn't answer and Dale and Vivian shared a look, "T-Dog, Vivian asked you how you were feeling just now. Please don't blow that question off."

"It really, really hurts. It's throbbing something awful." He answered,

Dale cleaned his hands of any grease, "Oh, let me see."

Vivian glanced back at the toddler in the grass quickly before moving closer to get a look at T-Dog's wound. Dale lifted the gauze and Vivian tried not to wince at the look of his skin and injury. It was bad... real bad.

T-Dog winced as Dale replaced the covering, "Ah, don't-don't touch it!"

"I'm sorry." The older man apologised, "Listen, your veins are very discolored. You got a hell of an infection there. You could die from blood poisoning."

T-Dog leaned back and laughed, "Oh, man. Wouldn't that be the way? World gone to hell.. The dead risen up to eat the living.. And Theodore Douglas gets done in by a cut on his arm."

Vivian couldn't lie, it would be ironic. She didn't know if she would want to go out by being devoured alive or her body shutting down slowly.

"Yeah, that would be-that would be stupid. I-I've been saying since yesterday, we gotta-we gotta get you some antibiotics." Dale stated,

"We've been ransacking these cars the whole time." Vivian sighed, moving back over to pick Liam up, "I can't believe that we have not found some ampicillin, or any decent medicine, in the whole place."

Dale hummed, "Seems like there would be."

"Yeah, well, that's what I thought."

"Maybe we should look some more." Dale suggested before looking over at T-Dog, "By we, I mean Vivian and I. You should get some rest."

Vivian helped T-Dog over to the RV to sit in the shade before setting Liam down next to him, bringing a bucket of toys to keep him occupied and not bother the older man too much. Once they were both content given the circumstances, she went back to continue searching the cars for medicine,

Another hour later and they gathered back over by the RV with their findings, "Found some more batteries, a bottle of very trendy pink water, an excellent new machete, and I thought Glenn might like this guitar. Maybe he plays." Dale held up the guitar, "No drugs. You?" Dale asked Vivian,

"Uh, some ibuprofen but not anything that will clear the infection. And some cigarettes but that'll probably kill you faster more than anything." Vivian replied, sitting down next to T-Dog and dragging Liam to sit between her legs,

"What are we doin'?" T-Dog asked, staring blankly at the asphalt in front of him,

Dale and Vivian shared a look, "Pullin' supplies together." Dale answered,

"No, I mean.. What are we doin'? People off in the woods, they's looking for that poor girl and we're here. Why?" T-Dog turned to look at them, "'Cause they think we're the weakest. What are you, 70?" 

Dale looked offended, "64."

"Uh-huh.. And she's got a baby and I'm the one black guy." Vivian narrowed her eyes at him. She wasn't weak in any way, she just changed her priorities, "Realize how precarious that makes my situation?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Vivian snapped at him,

"I'm talking about two good-old-boy cowboy sheriffs and a redneck whose brother cut off his own hand because I dropped a key. Who in that scenario you think is gonna be first to get lynched?" T-dog respond,

"You can't be serious." Vivian scoffed, "Those cowboys have done all right by us. Shane kept us organised and kept us moving while the world ended around us and Rick led us out of Atlanta, mostly in one piece. And if I'm not mistaken, that redneck went out of his way to save your ass- More than once."

"And don't forget about Andrea. Kills her own sister." T-Dog mumbled,

"She was already dead." Dale defended, 

"Then wants to blow herself up." He nodded, "Yeah, she's all there."

"She's havin' a tough time. What is wrong with you?" Dale snapped at him,

"The whole world's havin' a tough time! Damn, man, open your eyes. Look where we are, stuck in this mess here!"

"Shh!" Dale tried to calm him down, keeping him from raising his voice and attracting biters, 

"Let's- Let's just go. Let's just take the RV."

Vivian shook her head, "You've gone off the deep end, T."

"I mean it, man. Why are we on the side of this road like live bait? Let's go, us four. Let's go before they get back." T-Dog tried to convince them, 

Vivian handed Liam over to Dale before standing and checking T-Dog's temperature, " Oh, dude, you're burnin' up." She grabbed the bottle of ibuprofen and handed him a few pills, "Here, take these. We've got to knock that fever down."

"Where the hell are they?" Dale mumbled, staring out towards the woods,

Marcie stared up at the trees as the group came to another stop. They had been walking for a few hours now, and the sun would be setting soon.

"We'll lose the light before too long. I think we should call it." Daryl stated,

Lori nodded, "Let's head back."

"We'll pick it up again tomorrow?" Carol asked, looking over at her,

"Yeah, we'll find her tomorrow."

Marcie glanced around. There was no sign that any humans had even touched the area. How were they supposed to find a little girl in miles of woods?

She didn't want to give up on her, but it seemed like an impossible task.

"How much farther?" Lori asked,

"Not much..." Daryl grunted, "Maybe a hundred yards as the crow flies."

"Too bad we're not crows." Andrea mumbled, walking to the right of the group.

"I'm so looking forward to those Pringles." Marcie sighed, leaning against Glenn slightly,

Screaming pierced the air and Marcie looked around and noticed Andrea had wandered off. They turned to see Andrea on the ground, a walker on top of her. The group began to run towards her, only to be stopped by a woman on a horse with a baseball bat.

She bashed the walker off to the side before coming to a stop in front of the group, "Lori? Lori Grimes?"

"I'm Lori."

"Rick sent me. You've got to come now." The woman told her,

"What?" Marcie glanced between the woman on the horse to Lori, 

Why does she know Rick? Last time they saw them, they were still at the church. How did they find this woman and why?

"There's been an accident. Carl's been shot. He's still alive but you've gotta come now. Rick needs you- Just come!" The woman insisted,

Marcie gulped nervously. The gunshot they heard earlier, that had to be it.

Lori moved to get on the back of the horse and Daryl stepped forward, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! We don't know this girl. You can't get on that horse."

Marcie stepped forward and grabbed Daryl's arm, "Daryl, it's Carl."

Lori ignored the redneck and got onto the horse,

"Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?" The woman asked,

Glenn and Marcie nodded, "Uh-huh."

"Backtrack to Fairburn road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox, name's Greene." She pulled on the reins, "Hi-yah!"

Once the horse was out of sight, the remainder of the group stood there in silence for a moment. The walker that attacked Andrea sat up. Marcie walked over and stabbed the walker in the head before glancing over at Andrea, "Fat lot that gun did for ya." She commented before walking back towards the highway.

Dale and Vivian were waiting by the barriers as they walked out of the trees. Dale asked where everyone was once they saw how small the group was.

"Shot? What do ya mean shot?" Dale questioned once they were informed about Carl getting shot and they got separated,

"I don't know, Dale. I wasn't there. All I know is this chick rode out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse and took Lori." Glenn answered,

The older man turned to Daryl, "You let her?'

"Climbed down out of my asshole, man." Daryl growled at him,

"Rick sent her. She knew Lori's name and Carl's." Marcie told Dale as she climbed over the barrier, 

"No sign of her?" Vivian asked the younger woman,

Marcie shook her head before walking over to the RV, where Glenn was holding the tub of Pringles for her.

"I heard screams. Was that you?" Dale asked Andrea as she walked past, clearly shooked up,

"She got attacked by a walker. It was a close call." Glenn responded for her,

"Andrea, are you all right?" He asked her,

Andrea didn't respond, only stopping to give him a look before entering the RV.

Vivian shook her head, "What the fuck is going on?" She mumbled, walking over to grab Liam. The group keeps getting smaller and smaller, spreading out within a few miles. And they had no way of contacting each other.

Marcie glanced up at the setting sun before sighing, "We should discuss our next steps."

"What's there t' discuss?" Daryl mumbled, "We either stay or go to this damn farm."

Carol shook her head, "I won't do it. We can't just leave."

"Carol, the group is split. We're scattered and weak." Dale replied,

"What if she comes back and we're not here?" The remaining group members fell silent. Would Sophia find her way back to the highway? "It could happen."

"If Sophia found her way back and we were gone, that would be awful." Andrea stated,

Vivian nodded. It would be terrible if they all left and if Sophia did manage to come back, find that no one stayed behind for her, "Then we split up again. I say T-dog and a few others go to the farm, get him some help. The rest of us stay the night, and tomorrow we'll put up a big sign, in case she comes back. Leave some supplies for her."

Marcie placed her hands on her hips and nodded, "That could work. I'll stay here with the RV."

"I'll stay, too." Daryl grunted. He and Marcie locked eyes and they gave each other a quick nod,

"If the RV stays, so do I." Dale stated,

"I'm in." Andrea continued,

"Thank you." Carol pleaded, grateful that they're willing to stay out in the open for her daughter.

"Then who goes?" Glenn asked, looked around at the group,

"I think Vivian and Liam should go." Marcie stated and the brunette looked over at her,

"What?" She wanted to stay and help. It was the least she can do since she didn't go and physically search for the girl,

"You got a baby to think about, Viv." Marcie replied, "The farm is probably the safest place for him."

Glenn glanced around, "Well, if you're all staying then I'm-"

Dale shook his head, "Not you, Glenn, you're going with Vivian. You guys can take Carol's Cherokee."

"Me? Why is it always me?" Glenn groaned,

"You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people and see what's going on." Dale stated, "Most important, you have to help Vivian get T-dog there. This is not an option." They all glanced towards the African-American, who was leaning against the back of the rV with a blanket wrapped around him, despite the Georgia heat, "That cut has gone from bad to worse. He has a very serious blood infection. Get him to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics. Because if not, T-dog will die, no joke."

Marcie watched as Daryl walked over to his bike, grabbing a rag off of the seat and reaching into the side bag to grab something. He came back over, gripping a plastic bag full of orange bottles,  "Keep your oily rags off my brother's motorcycle." He tossed the rag at Dale before setting the plastic back on the hood of the Cherokee, "Why'd you wait till now to say anything? Got my brother's stash." He opened it and began to search through the pills, "Crystal, X, don't need that. Got some kick ass painkillers." Daryl tossed the small orange bottle to Glenn, "Doxycycline." He grabbed another bottle and gave it to Dale, "Not the generic stuff neither. It's first class. Merle got the clap on occasion."

Marcie smiled as Daryl walked away to put the bag back in his brother's bike. Who would've thought that Merle Dixon's clap would've been the thing to save T-Dog's ass?