Theme Song: "Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zepplin

The next morning I wasn't woken by the natural light or the smell of food wafting to my cell. It was the string of sobs that came from downstairs that had my green eyes opening abruptly. I flew off my cot in a flash and ran downstairs to the wracking sobs that had been coming from Tyrese.

People were waking up now and my eyes turned to a startled Rick who stood slack jawed, while Sasha bent over Tyrese and hugged him tightly. "What happened!?" I exclaimed and it was then as Tyrese looked to me, his eyes alight with anguish, that I knew what he was about to say.

"Vic-Victoria passed away in the night."

If I didn't think it was possible for things to get bad again, they just had. My stomach dropped and I felt my blood run cold. As Rick stared at me I knew we were both silently thinking of Glenn because whatever Victoria had Glenn had as well. And if Victoria had just passed away, then there was a possibility that Glenn would get just as bad as her. 

I can't lose Glenn.

The anguish was written all over my face and I stood frozen, unable to move. Rick must have been able to tell what I was thinking because he closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me.

His voice was low and I felt the rumble in his chest as he spoke into my hair so only I could hear him, "It'll be alright. We'll save him." I could only hope, as I had done in the past, that everything would work itself out.

However, I had a sinking feeling that continued to gnaw at my gut and it was the first time that I actually felt my hope waiver.

The moment Rick and I had embraced, Daryl and the others started to come out of their cells. My bright, glassy eyes didn't go unnoticed by Daryl as he stood against the railing, gripping it so hard that his knuckles turned white while watching me silently fall apart.

Carol had come down the stairs and she was quick to come to Tyrese's side where she wrapped her arms around him. Sasha didn't even try and stop her. Hershel and Maggie stepped out now and Maggie's eyes were so stricken. I didn't even know if she was realizing the implications of what had just happened.

Maggie's doe eyes finally landed to mine. I crossed the distance, about to pull Maggie aside to talk with me, but Hershel was quick to step in front of Maggie, blocking me from her.

"Don't think that's a good idea, honey. She's been near Glenn too much." I sighed heavily as Maggie slowly moved her father aside in protest. It was then Daryl spoke up from the railing, "We've all been next to 'em, Hershel. Ain't nuttin' we can do."

I nodded in agreement and spoke softly, "We've all been exposed." Maggie moved from behind Hershel now and grasped my hand, squeezing it gently, "He's sleepin'." She murmured quietly and I nodded to this.

He didn't need to know what was going on right at the moment. His body was under enough stress with the wracking cough and on and off again fever.

Rick looked like he was completely at a loss on what to say and before he could even think about what to do next Tyrese had lifted his head now, sniffling quietly.

"I wanna bury her, Rick. Properly. I need to-" He cut himself off and it was as if he couldn't even bring himself to continue.

Michonne was rigid in the doorway of the cellblock with Judith in her arms. They could not allow Judith to get sick..it was basically a death sentance if she did. Michonne was the farthest away from everyone and without a word her eyes lingered upon Rick's.

They stared silently to one another for a long second and I wondered if they were doing that thing where they communicated without even needing to say a word.

"We can do that, Ty." Rick's voice sounded far away, but he nodded to himself while he spoke. Michonne was bouncing Judith as she cooed, but Rick then looked up at everyone and that familiar glint of a leader came to his eyes.

"From this point on, Glenn has to be kept separate from the rest of us. We've all been exposed, but right now he's the only one showing symptoms. The second someone starts showing signs you get quarantined too."

Everyone nodded. Victoria had passed in the night from whatever had befallen her and there was no way in hell anyone here wanted that to happen to Glenn or anyone else here. I looked to Tyrese and felt my heart ache at how much loss he had gone through. Hell, Sasha too. It wasn't fair. None of it was.

Hershel was silent for a long time before walking over to Rick and whispering in his ear. Rick quietly followed Hershel out of the cellblock, but not before giving Michonne and Judith a worried glance. I stood rigid with Maggie's hand in my own.

"Let's give them some time to grieve before we lay her to rest." I muttered to the others before tugging on Maggie's hand and pulling her along towards the stairs. Maggie was slightly catatonic and she seemed to be trembling so I knew she needed to get away from the wrenching sobs of Tyrese. It did her no good to see or hear that.

Daryl was walking down the stairs when Maggie and I were walking up and without saying anything he glanced at me with those ocean blue eyes. I nodded silently at Daryl, letting him know that I was okay and he returned my nod with one of his own.

I pulled Maggie into a cell that wasn't being used and we sat down on the cot together. "We're going to-" I was about to try and give Maggie hope and reason with her that everything was going to be okay, but Maggie was shaking her head, a deep frown crossing her beautiful features.

"Vicki, I heard him cough all night last night. I don't even know-I don't even know what we're goin' to do.." Her country twang bit out here and there while she talked. I saw how lost she seemed. This was something that was completely out of her hands and it was up to Glenn's immune system to fight it off.

I swallowed thickly before gently taking Maggie's shoulders and forcing her to look my way, "Maggie, we both know Glenn well enough to know that he's a fighter. And I can bet that out of everyone here, Glenn will do whatever it takes to get better. He'll fight it. He's got something important waiting for him and there is no way he's going out like that. I know it."

As I spoke, I gained back the hope that had been bent by the news of Victoria.  Maggie's eyes had been quite glassy during my little speech and she was beginning to form puddles in her eyes. Even someone as strong as Maggie could cry sometimes too.

I pulled her into a hug and Maggie nodded into my shoulder silently and I allowed Maggie to have this moment with me. We both needed it.

When Maggie pulled back, she reached up to wipe her eyes and something that glinted on her finger caught my attention. Maggie saw me looking at the ring and her eyes lit up.

Maggie couldn't help but smile and she let out a small little sob before clearing her throat. "Before you left, before everythin' happened..he gave it to me. I hadn't been wearin' it because I didn't know what daddy was gonna' say, but it just don't seem right to not be wearin' it. I told daddy last night."

I couldn't contain my joy...so I launched a hug at Maggie before pulling back and looking at the band on her finger. Maggie was now full of smiles and I shook my head lightly in awe, "Maggie, you are one lucky girl and Glenn is one lucky guy. I'm going to kick his ass for gettin' sick."

Maggie chuckled despite the situation, but we both knew Glenn. We knew it was in his nature to beat the odds and he was such a fighter. He was relentless and he would stop at nothing to get better so that he could spend his days with Maggie as his wife.

"I know it's kinda' silly, considerin' the world, but it just meant a lot that he even gave it to me." She looked ruefully at the ring and I shook my head, "Nothing is silly, Maggie. Not anymore. It all matters."

As I said this, I wished Daryl could see it that way as well. He seemed to be coming around, but he put up walls when it came to hope and to what exactly they were. To Daryl, if something seemed too good a thing to be true, then it probably was.

"What about you and Daryl?" Maggie smiled brightly at the mention of my friendship with Daryl. I groaned and shrugged lightly, "Let me get back to you on that one." Maggie rubbed my shoulder encouragingly, "He'll come around. Give him time."

We stayed in the unoccupied cell for a bit until Rick came to find us, "C'mon, we're goin' to pay our respects."

I hadn't known who had been outside digging the next grave, but Rick and Tyrese both seemed grimy and sweaty, so I assumed they had done it together.

Once at the graves, I had to look away for a moment to catch my breath. The last time we had been here, there had been a complete meltdown on Daryl's part and we had lost two of our people. Now, we stood together as a family, composed as best we could while Tyrese spoke a few words about Victoria.

Sasha was unusually silent and she wasn't even crying. She was staring at the grave with a look of someone that was calculating. I was brought out of my reverie of watching Sasha as the familiar sound of boots shuffling forward caught my attention.

Daryl had been standing a little ways away from everyone, but for some reason he had decided to come closer which had him standing next to me now.

He looked down at me stoicly, but I could tell he was resigned and tired. We all were. In the silence that followed when we bowed our heads to pray, I silently leaned my head against his shoulder, casting my head down to pray and he hadn't even pulled away.

If anything, he leaned a bit more against me for support and whether or not he was praying I didn't know, but I didn't mind. In that moment, all any of us wanted was the comfort or embrace of a friend.

The late morning sun was already cast high in the sky after everyone had gone back to the cellblock. It was tense and quiet between everyone, but a positive was that Glenn had woken up finally.

It struck a nerve with me that he had been sleeping in so late and he had zero energy. That was not a good sign.

I walked out onto the quad to get some fresh air, but I was surprised when Sasha followed me out. She looked behind her as if making sure no one was following and then nodded to me in way that meant we need to go talk.

I silently followed Sasha closer to the watch tower and she leaned in close to me before whispering, "I overheard Rick and Hershel talkin' earlier. Glenn's not doin' good. If anything, he's declining like..like Victoria had been, but not as bad yet."

I was startled to hear this and I furrowed my brows, "But, Hershel and them would have told us if they didn't think he was getting better."

Sasha shook her head, "Well, they haven't. And I heard Hershel tellin' Rick we need medicine."

I was stunned to silence, but I remembered seeing Hershel's grave face this morning and the wheels started to click into place.

Sasha arched a brow at me before continuing, "I know where a pharmacy is at, but it's a little bit of a drive from here. We have to go. I can't stand by and let someone else go like that." Sasha had a ferocity in her voice and I knew there was no talking her out of this.

I pursed my lips in quiet thought before sighing, "Look, if I have to I'll go with you myself, but we aren't leaving this place without telling anyone."

Sasha looked surprised now, "I don't plan on leaving without telling the others. I just need you to back me up on this and push for a run. It's far and I know Rick hasn't wanted to venture that way since it's close to.." She trailed off and my green eyes widened.

"Daniel.." I murmured quietly, my blood running cold at the mere mention of his name. "We have to go Vicki, we have to get to that pharmacy. It's our only chance of saving Glenn." I nodded at Sasha, knowing what she said was true.

We went back into the cellblock as a united front and we called a meeting. It was no secret anymore that Glenn wasn't doing well and Maggie seemed hurt if not angry that her father wasn't telling her the whole truth.

Rick was pacing back and forth, taking in what Sasha and I had just told the group. Carl huddled in a corner with Judith, attempting to stay out of his dad's way.

"We have to try, Rick. We have to do this for Glenn, regardless of where it's at." Maggie's voice was firm. He turned around quickly to look at Maggie before Hershel stepped up.

"I know the medicines we'd need, Rick. I don't like the idea of leaving, but if it's to save Glenn, then it's for a good cause, son."

Rick look up now at Hershel's words and then at everyone else, "Okay, who's all going?"

Author's Note: I know...sad stuff for Victoria. And Glenn...our smol bean. What will happen to him?!?! Stay tuned to find out!