Daryl refused to let me help him move the bodies, but I did assist in digging the graves. I had a medical mask on my face at Daryl's request, along with a pair of thick gloves. I was digging into the ground with my shovel, the memories of our past time coming to mind. I thought about the farm, the day that Shane had opened the barn doors. The day that Sophia had exited the barn a walker. The day I dug her tiny body's grave and covered the fragile little girl with dirt.

Cheyenne's face popped into my head and I cursed myself as I kept digging into the ground. Stop doin' this to yourself, Spencer.. I mentally scolded myself as I tried not to think about the girls. I dug and dug in silence until Daryl and I had enough graves for all the bodies. Glancing around at the holes before us, I shook my head. "Jesus.." I muttered, realizing how many we'd lost. Patrick's sickly body was not far away and I forced myself to look away. Poor kid.. Damn, I'll have to check on Carl later. I knew he and Patrick had been friends.

I saw Rick walking toward us and Daryl glanced up before continuing his task. "Glad you were in there."

"Wasn't much use without my gun." Rick mumbled.

"No, you were." Dixon disagreed, pulling his bandanna down from around his face. "All this time you've been takin' off, you earned it. We wouldn't be here without you."

"Ahh, it was all of us." Rick grabbed up a shovel.

"Nah, it was you first."

"He's right." I spoke up, not bothering to remove my mask. I knew Daryl would throw a fit if I did. "You kept pushin' us to keep goin'."

"You gonna help us figure this out?" Daryl asked him, looking up at the sheriff.

"I-I screwed up too many times." Rick said quietly, his face torn. "Those calls you gotta make, I start down that road, I almost lost my boy. Who he was... Whatever else this place needs, I'm here for it."

"Like I said, you earned it." Daryl began shoveling again. "For what it's worth, you see mistakes. I see when the shit hits, you're standin' there with a shovel."

"RICK! DARYL, SPENCER!" Maggie's voice was screeching out to us and I whipped my head over to see a cluster of walkers pushing into the fencing.

"Oh, shit.." I heard Rick mutter under his breath and he took off running. Daryl grabbed up his crossbow and we were right behind him. Maggie was ahead of us and when we reached the inner fence, I snatched up a crowbar before following the others into the hall that sat between the outer and inner fencing.

Maggie killed a walker through the fence ahead and looked back at us. "The noise drew 'em out and now this part's startin to give!" She pointed at the fence where it was bowing from the weight of the walkers. Glenn appeared with Sasha and Tyreese as I began killing walkers through the fence. We were trying to kill as many as we could but it was like they just kept coming. I saw Maggie fall backwards and when Glenn got close, her hand shot out. "Don't.. We're supposed to stay away from each other."

"Are you seein' this?" Sasha asked suddenly, causing me to look over at what she was peering down at. Dead rats littered the ground, their mangled bodies obviously chewed on. "Someone feeding these things?"

"Head's up!" Daryl growled, the fence starting to give way even more. Everyone was yelling and talking, pushing the fence back and trying to avoid the walkers at the same time, when Daryl yelled at us to back away from the fence. Everyone did so, watching as it leaned inward. The whole thing'll come down if they keep pushin'..

"The fence keeps bending in like that, those walkers are comin' over it!" Sasha exclaimed, her voice full of concern and mild panic.

"Daryl, get the truck. I know what to do." Rick said quietly. Daryl nodded and started away from us.

"I'll go with!" I called, catching up to him. "Maybe Sheriff Grimes is back."

"He ever really leave?" Daryl asked as we ran up past the gates toward the truck.

"He's been playin' farmer all this time..nice to have some of his help." I smirked as we reached the vehicle. Daryl and I hopped into the jeep and started down toward the gates. Rick waved us in the direction of the pens, so Daryl turned and parked there.

"Pigs could be sick for all we know, already had a sick one. Might as well make use of 'em. I hate it... I really do, but we gotta do somethin'." Rick said, before loading up the pigs in a box on the trailer.

Maggie opened the gates and we drove down into the field area outside the prison. I sat in the passenger seat and tried to ignore the cries of the pigs as Rick cut them and let them go. Sure enough, it worked. The walkers were only interested in that next meal, leaving the fence alone so they could feast. Turning in my seat, I could see the others working on the fence as we did our stop and go mission. The sound of the pigs squealing was loud in my ears and I couldn't focus. Turning back toward the windshield, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as the pig screamed.

Hopefully that was the last one.

"Spencer." Daryl's gruff voice caught my attention and I looked over at him, shaking off my thoughts.

"What?" I asked, snapping back into the moment.

"Said I'm gonna start puttin' 'em in the ground. Want you to stay back." He instructed, watching me.

"O-Okay." I nodded, not bothering to argue. Dropping my shovel, I stood to the side and watched as he dragged the bodies over one by one and put them into the graves we'd made. Once he was finished, I started back over to my shovel.

"The hell you doin'? Didn't I say stay back?" Daryl growled as he watched me with hardened blue eyes.

"Daryl.." I picked up my shovel with my right hand and put my left hand on my hip. "I know how this stuff works. I was in D, just like all the rest of you. If we're gonna catch this, we're gonna catch it. Nothin', not stayin' back or wearin' gloves and a mask, is gonna stop it. So just let me help." I began shoveling dirt over the closest grave. Maggie and Glenn were heading toward us with shovels.

"Stubborn girl.." I heard Daryl half growl half mutter as he began doing the same. I smirked under my mask, but that smirk faded as I continued to shovel dirt over the body. How did this happen... We have to contain this or else we could all be in serious trouble. We need meds, strong shit for whatever this is.. I.V. bags, fluids, steroids, antibiotics, specifics... We'll need specific meds to treat this. Hershel will know, he'll know what to get and we'll go get it. We do what we have to do.. We will.

We had just finished the last of the graves when Rick came down toward us. "Daryl, Spencer.. I need you two."

"Uh.. Yea, okay." I dropped my shovel and followed behind the two men up to the prison.

"We have a problem." The sheriff announced, glancing over at Daryl.

"Bigger than this flu?" Dixon mumbled the question.

"Maybe. Someone burned Karen and David. Killed 'em in their sleep and set their bodies on fire."

"What?" I gaped, confused. "What happened, did they die and someone-"

"They were showing symptoms but they weren't at the worst of it yet... No, I'm sure they weren't dead. They were alive when it happened." Rick explained as we made our way into the prison and through a hall, following the large blood trail out to a back area. Rick opened the door and the smell of burning flesh hit me so strong that it made my eyes water slightly. Tyreese was standing there, just staring down at Karen's badly burned body. Carol was on the other side of him, her face pinched in concern. "You found 'em like this?" Rick asked Tyreese, who was still looking down at the bodies, but he turned briefly to speak.

"I came to see Karen..and I saw the blood on the floor. Then I smelled it.. Somebody DRAGGED THEM OUT HERE AND SET 'EM ON FIRE! THEY KILLED 'EM AND SET 'EM ON FIRE!" I could hear the emotion in his voice and it stung. I glanced at Daryl, who appeared to be deep in thought over the whole situation. Tyreese suddenly turned to Rick. "You're a cop.. You find out who did this and you bring 'em to me, you understand? YOU BRING 'EM TO ME!"

"We'll find out who-" Daryl tried to grab Tyreese to back him up from the sheriff, but the larger man snatched away.

"I need to say it again?"

"No, no, no.." Rick shook his head, reaching out to Tyreese. "I know what you're feelin'. I've been there, you saw me there. It's dangerous-"

"Karen didn't deserve this!" Tyreese cut him off, his face a swirl of emotions.

"No." Rick agreed.

"David didn't deserve it! Nobody does!" He yelped as Daryl stepped forward to grab him again.

"All right, man-" Before Dixon could say anything else, Tyreese turned on him, pushing him backward into an outer cell door, holding him by the front of his shirt.

"MAN I AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE 'TIL I FIND OUT WHO DID THIS!" We all jumped toward them, but Daryl held out his hand to stop us.

"Know we're on the same side, man." Daryl said quietly, looking at Tyreese.

"Hey, look.. I know what you're goin' through." Rick was trying again. I glanced at Carol, who was watching with worried eyes. But something about the expression on her face was off. "We've all lost someone. We know what you're goin' through right now, but you gotta calm down." Suddenly, he let go of Daryl and charged at Rick. I took a side step, dodging the push back.

"YOU NEED TO STEP THE HELL BACK!" He pushed Rick away and Carol and I stepped forward with arms out.

"No." Carol said, but I didn't speak as I watched the two.

"She wouldn't want you bein' like this." Rick said. And that was all it took for the other man to swing, his fist making contact with Rick's jaw.

"STOP!" Carol screamed as Rick went to the ground on his knee, "STOP!" She moved to Rick's side but Tyreese hit him again. "STOP!"

"STOP IT!" I yelled as Daryl grabbed the man from behind, trying to drag him away.

"Stop." Dixon said firmly, holding the man in a bear hug. Rick got up and I could see it on his face.

"DARYL!" I yelped, but it was too late. He punched Tyreese in the face and Daryl let the man go. He was on the ground and Rick kicked him. Before any of us could think, he was over Tyreese, punching him in the face. Over and over.

"Rick..." Daryl jumped forward when Rick didn't stop, grabbing him. "Stop!"

"LET GO OF ME!" Rick screamed at him, struggling to get free but Daryl refused to let him go.

"No!"

"LET GO OF ME!"

"NO!" He pulled Rick away. "NO!" He let him go as Tyreese began to cry and Rick looked down at the man. His face changed and I could see that he was back.

"God dammit, let's get you two inside and get you both looked at.." I muttered, watching the two men. Tyreese didn't move.

Guys, I have no words to apologize for these long update waits. I have been going through some intense life changes, have had some traumas and bad things going on and I haven't had time to breathe. My depression and anxiety has been on it this last year and I just lost the motivation to do the things that make me the most happy.

But I am working very hard on myself and getting back to the old me. Finding myself again. I don't know who I am and I am on that rediscovery journey right now. I am about to be moved into my new place, living on my own I feel will help me heal.

Enough about me, I would love to just say thank you so much to those readers who haven't given up on me. I haven't forgotten you guys ! I am here to stay as a writer, no matter the gaps between updates. I love my stories and I love my readers and I hate that I have made you all wait so long. I'm really trying.

You guys are amazing. Much love to you all.

I truly do have the best of the best readers.

~Kaila.