Saving Grace

A Cure

    Ivy had been with Hershel, helping take care of the sick. The disease had spread like wildfire, and they had been trying to find the source. Daryl had argued with the woman, not wanting her in there. There were two doctors, she wasn't needed. But, her past shined through. She had to help, had to care.

    "Pass me the knife." She was stricken from her thoughts by Hershel, and the newly dead patient. They had choked on their own blood. Whatever this disease was, it was rapid and deadly. She passed him the knife, solemn looks on their faces.

    "With how fast it spread it has to be some sort of flu right? It's causing fluid to build in their lungs until it suffocated them, they are practically coughing a lung out. Choking on their own blood." Ivy was still mentally processing how the illness kills them, it was horrible.

    "A flu like this though, I can't imagine what it's from." Hershel wiped the knife, sitting it on the table. Ivy was digging through her memories, trying to think of anything that could be linked. She had seen the bloodied eyes on a walker, and there was something else she saw it on but she couldn't lay her finger on it.

    Ivy soon felt an itch in her throat, one that caused her to let out a hoarse cough. The two laid eyes on each other, her heart dropping. Clearing her throat she shook her head, beginning to walk out of the room.

    "Just a cough, I'm fine." She refused to believe she was getting sick. She had people to help, and she wasn't going to let a cough stop her from doing so.

    The two passed out tea to the coughing patients, a tea that Hershel mustered up. It had elderberries, something the man swore by. He attempted to give Ivy a cup, nearly insisting, but she denied it. People would soon need more, so it would be there for when they needed it.

    Her coughing soon worsened, and Hershel made her sit down. He knew why the woman was pushing herself. She was worried not only for the people that were sick, but for the children that were in a room and would lose parents. She worried for Sophia, Carl, and Judith. After a moment of convincing he managed to get her to lay down, her coughs ringing through the room.

    "The pigs, they have blood coming from their eyes too. Found one dead." Rick had soon came back, explaining the news to the group and Hershel. He nodded at the information, glad to know Ivy was on the right track.

    "Swine flu, a deadly disease if not treated. We need antibiotics, and a lot of them. Glenn's sick, Sasha too. Ivy won't admit it but she's getting sick, and fast." He made eye contact with Daryl, who's face was turning a ghostly white at the news.

    "What we standing here for? Let's go get some damn meds, I ain't lettin' no one else die." He was internally in a stage of panic. In a world full of walkers and death around him, he wasn't about to lose his family to a flu, especially not Ivy. She was too strong to be taken out that way.

    "Hey, you said you were an army medic?" Daryl asked Bob, who's eyes widened. He nodded, knowing what was going to be asked.

    "I'll go, I know what to grab." Daryl patted the man's back, before throwing his crossbow over his shoulder.

    "We waitin' till Christmas? Let's go!" He hollered. They soon made their way to get the medicine for the group.

    "Ivy!" Sasha groaned out, Glenn was on the ground, choking on his own blood. Ivy groggily stood, her vision doubled. She felt a hundred times worse, her coughing making her throat raw. As quickly as she could she made it up the stairs, breathing tube in hand.

    "Glenn if you die I'm going to kill you." She hoarsely threatened, before shoving the tube down his throat. Maggie had to hold him down, tears in her eyes. His eyes widened but soon relaxed as Ivy pumped air into his lungs.

    "There you go, breathe.... Breathe." Ivy whispered, thanking every fiber of her body for deciding to be a nurse.

    "Thank you, Ivy." Maggie cried out, earning a nod from the tired woman. Maggie took in how Ivy looked. The pale women's eyes were black underneath, and dry blood adjourned her chin from coughing.

    "You okay, Ivy?" Maggie asked, she didn't know how the woman was doing it. She was obviously sick but here she was, saving someone else.

    "Better than what he is, I'm gonna do five more pumps then I need you to take over okay?" Ivy would do it longer but she felt herself getting dizzy, she didn't want to risk Glenn's life if she fainted.

    After a few more pumps she traded with Maggie, but her world soon went dark, Maggie's cries fading out.

    "Grab every antibiotic you see, Hershel will figure out what he wants to use." Daryl commanded. They were on a time crunch, the longer they take the worse they get.

    "I hope Ivy is okay." Michonne muttered, throwing things in her bag. Daryl chewed his lip, nodding his head.

    "Alright, that's all of it. Let's go." Bob seemed anxious, something that worried Daryl.

    "I'll carry your bag." He offered, but Bob shook his head violently.

    "I got it, let's just go." Daryl nodded, the group setting out to leave. More walkers were there than before, but they had a route to go above them If they were careful. Everything was going fine, until Bob tripped.

    "We have enough here, just drop the bag!" Michonne ordered, seeing that the man was going to fall if not. He continued to fight, refusing to drop it. Finally Daryl snatched him up, taking the bag from him.

    "People are dying at home, you mean to tell me instead of grabbing meds, you grabbed a bottle of booze?" He went to throw it, and Bob drew a gun.

    "Don't, please." Daryl scoffed, shoving the bottle back in his hand.

    "Anyone else dies, that's on you." With that they set out, cure in hand.

     When they arrived back they were greeted by a terrified Maggie, Sasha being kind enough to take over Glenn's breathing tube.

    "You need to get that medicine to daddy now. Glenn's bad and Ivy's getting there too." Daryl nodded, all but running with Michonne in tow. They gave the medicine to Hershel and he administered it to everyone left alive, so it was then a waiting game to see who wakes up.

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A long chapter for y'all, hope y'all enjoy ✨