Author's Note: This chapter will be in 3rd person POV of Rick. I know, I know...no Vicki. But, this chapter is VERY important and shows what happened after she left. ^.^ Enjoy!

Theme Song: "Hero" - Skillet

Rick was staring at Carol as she explained with teary eyes what she had found by the fence line. It was early morning and a meeting had been called by Carol and a few others. Michonne and Tyrese were standing around in a semi-circle and Glenn and Maggie had come up behind Rick to listen as well.

"Is Vicki still sleeping?" He overheard Glenn asking Maggie. "I think so." Maggie answered lowly. Glenn coughed and Rick noticed that Maggie gave Glenn a concerned look before returning her gaze to Carol. He also noticed the paleness to Glenn's skin, but decided to ask Maggie about it later.

"I know this seems insane, but it's the truth. Rick, I've been treading carefully on this because I wanted something more concrete, but I-I just don't think those men came and tampered with the gates." Rick looked slack jawed at Carol and then to Tyrese who was shaking his head adamantly, as if he couldn't believe it.

Daryl came from the hall that lead to the kitchen. He wandered up to Carol and bumped her shoulder conversationally while looking around, "Tha' hell happened now?" He was grumpy, but gave Carol a small smile. Rick put his hands on his hips and looked down before looking back up at Carol, "What are you sayin' Carol?"

Carol bit her lip and then looked to Tyrese apologetically before answering, "I'm saying that I think Lizzie opened the gates." There was a collective stare in between one another until Tyrese looked like he was about to explode.

Shit.

Daryl looked at him now, holding Rick's gaze for a moment before looking back to Carol. His eyebrows were furrowed and he could tell Daryl was piecing together what Carol was saying. Rick watched as Daryl's eyes turned towards Vicki's cell upstairs. Glenn stepped up and shook his head, coughing lightly, "What do you mean, Carol? What did you find?"

Carol crossed her arms over her chest and looked uncomfortable that all eyes were on her, but she relented, "I found a bunch of dead rodents by the gates. The last time I talked with Lizzie she said," She paused and looked upset before continuing, "She said she was playing with the mice and they were food for her friends. I had no idea what she was talking about before, but I think-I think she was feeding the walkers, Rick."

"Which would explain why more walkers have been showing up lately. Food." Carol's voice had dropped to a whisper, as if she were treading cautiously on the subject. Tyrese shook his head, "You're all crazy. Lizzie would never do somethin' like that. And dead rodents don't prove nothin'!"

Everyone was quiet and Rick held up a hand at Tyrese as he was about to pop off again, "Everyone just calm down. Look-" Rick felt like the situation could spiral out of control and he was about to try and play peacemaker until they figured it out.

That is until Carl came up to them holding Judith with a look Rick wasn't used to seeing on his son. Guilt. "Carl, tell them what you told me." Carol's voice was motherly, but stern and Carl looked up from beneath the sheriff hat at Rick.

Rick looked at his son, completely confused as to what was going on. "Dad, she told me the morning the walkers got in that she wanted them to come play and that they weren't bad. I told her she shouldn't be near the gates anymore and that it was dangerous. I didn't know she'd go back and open the gates."

Rick looked at his son more closely and saw his bright blue eyes held so much guilt for what had happened to Lizzie and T-Dog. Rick swallowed, running his right hand up and down the backside of his head in silence.

Rick always knew there was something different about Lizzie, but not once in a million years did he think she'd go and do something like that. And it wasn't like they could ask her since she had died. "Carl, look at me. You did nothin' wrong..." Rick trailed off and it was Glenn who spoke up next, "Someone has to tell Vicki." Glenn glared at Daryl and Rick noticed Daryl averted his gaze from Glenn.

Tyrese looked like his was world was crumbling and he stood there as the possibility of it crashed over him. Acceptance showed in his eyes and yet still a little disbelief. "Rick, if someone wanted us dead they'd have just come here by now." Maggie chimed in. She was right though. Rick looked to Judith and a sickening feeling crashed over him as he realized how many times Lizzie had been alone with her.

He looked up from his thoughts to everyone just as Sasha walked into the prison from the outside and her eyes were swollen, almost as if she had been crying. Her head was hung low and she wouldn't meet Rick's eyes. Rick quirked a brow and Tyrese immediately went to his sister asking her what was wrong. Daryl stood rooted to the spot and Rick watched as he looked up again towards where Vicki's cell was at and he was chewing on his cheek.

Rick knew Daryl well enough to know he was feeling bad about the way he had last talked with Vicki. Rick wasn't one to get in the middle of it all, but Daryl owed her an apology. Sasha finally looked to everyone and the tears flowed down her cheeks, "Guys, she's gone." Maggie started to form a look on her face like she understood what was going on and Michonne stepped forward to Sasha and shook her lightly, "Vicki?" It was all she asked as Sasha nodded miserably.

Glenn's eyes widened and he looked to her cell upstairs before back to Sasha, "You mean she's not in her cell sleeping?" Sasha shook her head in confirmation and Glenn looked to Maggie who looked equally shocked. Rick felt his heart drop, "How the hell did that happen?" Sasha shook her head and defended herself profusely, "She pulled a damn gun on me, Rick. What was I supposed to do? She left! Said she was going to end it and make sure that freak couldn't hurt anyone else."

Not a moment after those words left her mouth Daryl flew off the handle and Rick had to hold him back. Glenn was looking dumbfounded while Maggie reached for Glenn to hold on to. "Tha' hell were ya' thinkin'? Jus' let her walk her ass outta' here, huh? Why tha' hell didn't ya' come get us?" Daryl's voice was loud and the others wandered into the area to hear the commotion, including Victoria, who looked like she had bags under her eyes and her skin tone was paler than norman. Hershel wandered silently behind her.

"Daryl, calm down." Rick tried, but Daryl was already wrenching away from him and climbing the stairs two at a time. Rick ran after him until Daryl stopped at his cell. He was already getting his bow and packing away his hunting knife, minimal supplies and putting on his poncho. He brushed past Rick on his way out and they both walked by her cell. Daryl stopped short upon looking in her cell and seeing the necklace on her pillow. Daryl's back was to him, but he could see the way he hunched over and his muscles tensed.

He quietly snatched the elephant necklace off her pillow, "Stubborn ass woman." Daryl was muttering, but there was a fear in his eyes that Rick hadn't seen in Daryl since Sophia and Beth. "Daryl, what are you gonna' do? We don't even know where she went!" Rick now yelled after Daryl as he went down the steps two at a time again as if he were a man on a mission.

Daryl grabbed Sasha by the arm and Tyrese started to yell. The yelling ensued and Glenn reached out to try and grab Tyrese before he could throw a punch at Daryl. The momentary distraction gave Daryl enough time to get out the door with Sasha, "Where?" Daryl demanded roughly and Sasha pointed to the area where she had last seen Vicki disappear between the treeline, "Couldn't have been more than thirty minutes ago or so."

Daryl glared at Sasha and pointed his finger in her face as Tyrese came to stand beside Sasha now with a deathly looking stare. "Better hope for yer' sake ain't nuttin happen to her." Sasha cowered back and Tyrese was about to lunge, but Daryl was quick on his heels and headed towards the gates. Rick was now running after Daryl. "I can track her, Rick. I can find her. Ain't no one else here gonna' get the job done like I can." Rick looked wildly around as Maggie and Glenn were running towards the gates after the two of them.

Glenn coughed heavily before saying, "I'm coming too." Daryl shook his head and Rick already knew it wasn't an option. "Ya' can barely stop your coughin' and you'll attract all the damn walkers. Yer' ass is stayin' here, pizza boy!" Daryl's accent poured on thick the angrier he got. Glenn was going to argue, but Maggie pulled him back, "Look, he's right Glenn. You've been coughin' all mornin'. You can't risk getting sick." Glenn looked upset and almost on the verge of tears at the entire situation, but Rick put a hand on his shoulder.

Glenn finally relented, wrenching away from Rick out of anger. Carol and Michonne were coming up to them and Michonne looked to Rick with a fearful gaze. Rick could tell Michonne was just as upset about Vicki leaving and he held her gaze for a moment before looking back to Daryl as he unlocked the gates. "Hey, wait a minute, listen to me." Rick whispered fiercely. Daryl stopped and he saw the guilt that plagued his eyes.

He was about to protest to Daryl and demand he wait a minute and think about it, but the ache he felt at knowing Vicki was out there alone, coupled by the fact that she was like family to him, he relented immediately. Rick knew there was something going on between Daryl and Vicki, but what it exactly was he didn't know. It wasn't none of his business, but he could see there was more than guilt plaguing his mind.

There was an urgency in Daryl's eyes that Rick hadn't seen before. He sighed, put his hand on Daryl's shoulder, taking in the poncho he was now wearing before murmuring, "Bring her back, Daryl. But, if you run into trouble, you get the hell outta' there." Without a doubt, Rick knew Daryl was the only one that could track her and he trusted Daryl. He was the man for the job.

Daryl nodded and Rick locked the gates as Daryl took off, dodging a few walkers as he ran. Glenn was staring at the woods before saying aloud, "I can't believe she left." There was so much disappointment in his voice. Maggie looked to Glenn and laced her hand in his silently, "I think she just wanted to protect all of us, Glenn. Despite how stupid it was."

Michonne looked to Maggie and shook her head while saying, "Yeah, well stupid gets you killed." Rick watched as Carol and Michonne came to stand on either side of him. He looked from Michonne to his right and then dragged his eyes to Carol who had her arms crossed against her chest. "I hope this doesn't turn out like Sophia." Carol's voice was low as a whisper and Michonne added, "Or Beth." Rick stared out at the treeline as Daryl disappeared into the woods.

Rick swallowed thickly before nodding his head, "He'll bring her back. I know he will."

For Daryl's sake..I sure hope he does.

Author's Note: I did do a little bit of a twist in this chapter making it Lizzie, but I did not want to leave her as an innocent little girl. I wanted to show that she was the little psycho we all saw on the show. Lmao It wasn't Daniel and yes he is still out there somewhere.