Theme Song: "Keep Holding On" - Avril Lavigne

"Gotta' get up, Red."

A scratchy voice spoke to me and in my state right now, I didn't know exactly where I was. My lips twitched and I could feel the presence of someone talking to me, but I couldn't put my finger on whom.

Until they spoke again.

"Get up, Red. I know ya' got it in ya'. Gotta get up now."

Daryl? How was that possible?

I uttered a groan and when my right eye twitched I felt my body contort in immense pain. My whole side radiated with pain, from my ribs to my legs and all the way up to my face. Every single part of me was in pain and I felt as if I had been beaten senseless.

Can't get up. I chimed out mentally to Daryl's voice.

"Ya' can. And ya' will, Vicki. Gotta' fight back." His voice came to me again and I loved the way his rough twang made me smile.

I'm hurt, I can't fight back. I spoke again in my mind.

"Ya' have ta' I know ya' can. Don't let that freak break ya'."

It was only after Daryl's voice said this in my head did my green eyes flutter open and I took a deep inhale of breath. I groaned out in pain as my eyes adjusted to my surroundings.

I blinked multiple times and felt a cushion of some sorts beneath my form. When my eyes adjusted, I noticed I was in a living room and the familiar face of Hershel loomed over me.

"Gotta' wake up, Vicki. Open your eyes honey." His voice was a soft murmur as he looked to me with wide and frightful eyes.

"Is she going to be okay?" There was a voice I did recognize. Daniel. But, the tone held genuine concern and coming from Daniel it sounded so foreign.

Hershel looked away from me, but I already knew from his voice that he was glaring daggers at Daniel, "Not if ya' let her keep gettin' beat like this."

Daniel came over abruptly and shoved Hershel away from me. I swallowed thickly and my heart ached at realizing Daryl was not in fact here. I was still at Juno. With Hershel. And Daniel.

Daryl's voice was only a figment of my mind.

"You are lucky one of my newer guys came to see what all the commotion was." He looked on at me with angry and relieved eyes. Angry at me? Or Charlie? Or both? I cleared my throat, wincing lightly and putting my left hand to my throat. I pulled back instantly with a hiss.

"You bruise so easily, Vicki." Daniel's voice was light, but there was a tinge of possession in the way he spoke to me. I sneered up at him as best I could since my face felt like bricks were upon it, "Your brother.." I started to speak, but coughed, wincing yet again.

I already knew I had fractured a rib, my face probably held a black eye or two and mu jaw hurt something fierce.

"Ah, ah. Hush. You need to just rest. I've already dealt him the swiftest of punishments." I sighed and crossed my fingers mentally that Daniel just blew his ass away, but they were brothers and I knew that was not a good possibility.

As he got up from the side of the couch I called out hoarsely, "Why do you care about me anyways?"

I hated this man with every ounce of my being. I knew he was not mentally ill. He was just a bad person. An evil guy with too much freaking time on his hands, building an army of men and ruling Juno like some sort of bratty king. And not to mention, he was a murderer.

I knew my voice held hostility and he frowned down at me and shook his head, "I care because I can't have my girl broken." Daniel smiled devilishly and I looked away.

He stepped back and allowed Hershel to come sit next to me again, "She better be okay." Daniel's voice was an icy threat and Hershel just stared at him.

He scooted closer to me and held out some pain killers. I gratefully took them from Hershel and wondered if this was something he had from the pharmacy or something that Daniel and his group had.

"I think you underestimate her resilience." If I could I would have hugged Hershel for this comment.

Daniel left, but not before staring at me with a calculating look. I lifted my head to see his figure retreating and finally murmured lowly, "Gotta' get out of here, Hershel."

There was a blonde headed man next to the entry way that opened to the front door. He stared at us, holding a gun strapped to his body as an idle threat. If we ran, he shot us.

"I know, honey." It was all Hershel offered and he was unusually tight lipped. "How long was I out?" I asked trying to sit up, but Hershel silently ushered me back down on the couch,

"Don't hurt yourself. Just rest." He paused for a moment and looked away before looking back at me, "Just half the day. It happened over night, I guess. Some man heard a commotion and I'm guessin' they got his brother out of there. Daniel came to get me to tend to ya'."

I sighed heavily and my burning ire to kill everyone here only grew stronger. I know Hershel could see it in my eyes.

"I'm gonna' need ya' to be strong, Vicki." Hershel said lowly now as the guard moved a little closer into the room. It appeared as if he didn't like the two of us whispering together.

I chuckled, despite the pain that radiated through my body, "I'm not broken yet, Hershel. I just want you to be okay." I stared at Hershel and felt my body lip tremble ever so slightly. Nothing could happen to him. I had to make sure of it.

My exhaustion came creeping back until I was able to ask one more thing, "Think they'll come for us, Hershel?" My voice was lower than before as the guard was glaring at me.

Hershel offered me a twinkling grin that I grew fond of during my stay at the prison, "I don't doubt it, sweetheart." I hesitated, "And Glenn?"

Hershel had a faint pained look across his face, but he answered anyway, "I think so long as they got him the medicine, he will be fine. He has to be..my Maggie needs him."

I smiled at him, "I saw the ring." This got a pure, joyful smile from Hershel, one that tickled my soul like he was my own flesh and blood. "He's a good man. I'd be lucky to have him as a son-in-law."

I felt my insides swarm with mushy emotions, "Well, there aren't any rules these days..so once this over you should marry them. Unofficially official."

His eyes crinkled and he chuckled lightly, "I think they'd both love that, Vicki." There was silence between us for a few beats.

Hershel leaned down and gave me a kiss on my forehead before looking over my battered body, "Don't like to see ya' like this."

He frowned deeply and I gripped his hand in mine gently and shook my head, "Better me than you." Hershel simply shook his head sadly, as if he didn't agree.

I felt my eyes droop and once again blackness took over me.

But, this time...Daryl's voice didn't come back. And even though I slept, something felt off about not hearing him in my head. I wasn't whole..nor was I complete without him.

And that was a terrifying feeling.