"Start chest compressions!" Lilly yelled. Tara clamped her hands down and began compressions hard on Beth's chest. Lilly leaned over and gave her mouth to mouth. "Hold!" She placed her fingers on Beth's neck, checking for a pulse. "She's back."
"BETH," Maggie wailed, being restrained by Glenn and Sasha.
Philip ran his hand over his face as he looked over at Hershel. "Are you all right?"
"I will be once she's awake," Hershel spoke shakily. "I need to sit."
"Daddy," Maggie spoke, taking hold of his arm and helping him down. "I need a stiff drink."
"Let me find a bottle," Daryl growled as he glanced at Stookey. "Any left?"
"Yea, let me go get it," Stookey spoke up and fled the room. He returned with a bottle of whiskey and uncorked it. He took a long drink, passed it to Daryl who passed it to Hershel. Maggie took it and held it to him.
"Go ahead," Maggie acknowledged.
Hershel took the bottle and took a long drink. He closed his eyes and opened them. "What happened to her?"
"We don't know," Lilly spoke up. "She was fine, playing with the kids then she fell over."
They heard tires squalling up the drive as a car sped through. Throwing the doors open, Michonne and Rick ran over and stopped. "What happened?"
"She had a heart attack," Lilly spoke.
"What," Rick stammered as he fell to his knees.
"We're not sure what started it," Tara spoke up. "Pass him the bottle before he faints."
Rick waved it off as he crawled over to sit beside Lilly. "Will she be all right?"
"I don't know, she hasn't woke up," Lilly breathed as she leaned back. "We don't have the facilities here to check her. We might need to move camp."
"To where?" Glenn asked.
"Long Street Medical is not far from here. If we can clear out the walkers, we can set up there. We can barricade us off from the rest of the hospital so walkers can't get in. I am not giving any hopes that there will be power or anything, but it's a suggestion."
"We should go there," Philip spoke up. "The only ones of us left alive are right here."
"He's right," Tara exhaled as she fell back against Daryl's legs. "They have a generator that might still be working."
"All right, let's get her loaded into the car and head that way. Everyone else can get packed and head there later. Tara, help them navigate there. Philip, help me get her loaded so we can run FAST if we need to," Lilly breathed as she touched Beth's neck. "DAMN! She's gone again!"
"Damn it!" Tara hissed and resumed chest compressions as Lilly resumed mouth-to-mouth.
After several breaths, Lilly held her fingers to Beth's neck. "She's back … for now."
"We need to run!" Philip spoke up and scooped Beth up in his arms hurriedly and ran to the car. "Michonne, drive!"
"Deal," Michonne commented as she gripped Rick's shoulder. "We'll get her there, just get there when you can."
Philip and Lilly ran to the car, loading the unconscious young woman into the car. Michonne dove behind the driver's seat and tore off down the road. Carl went over and knelt by Rick, laying a hand on his dad's.
"They'll take care of her, we need to pack," Carl spoke.
"Let's go people!" Rick yelled out as he rose and took off running to the prison.
"Tell me where to turn!" Michonne shouted as the road blazed around them.
"Four miles up, turn left on Old Wharton then go straight!" Lilly shouted as she resumed chest compressions. Philip leaned over and breathed. He stopped as Lilly placed her fingers on her neck. "She's back again."
"That's what, three times since we left the prison," Philip spoke as he gently rubbed her face.
"Could her heart be giving out?" Michonne asked.
"Anything is possible, and with her vegetarian lifestyle it could be a complication. She has no lean meat, no body fat. She's been starving for awhile."
Michonne made the hard left and floor boarded it as they drove faster and faster.
Night fell as headlights appeared in the windows. "I'll let them in," Michonne spoke up and headed out the door.
Reaching her hand over, Lilly turned the IV to look at it. "It's on half, we'll have to go get some more after everyone gets in."
"You stay, I'll go," Philip smiled and touched her arm. "You're good woman."
"You're better man," she smiled thinly and ran her hand through her hair.
Philip exited the room as Maggie came running up and slid on the floor as she entered Beth's room. "What happened?"
"She crashed three times on the road and twice before we got her in here. I have her on a saline drip, intubated with two liters of oxygen and on a mild paralytic to keep her body calm. She hasn't woke up since the first attack." She held her shaking hands up. "We may have to consider she has been down so long she may have brain damage from oxygen deprivation. She might be …"
"Don't say it, please don't," Maggie spoke through tears. "I can't lose her, not now and not here."
"Maggie, she's starving," Lilly spoke.
"Starving?"
"She eats but her body is not processing it. She is used to a vegetarian lifestyle, but that has been thrown out since you've been on the run. Her body is not processing the food she eats, that could be a metabolic disorder out of control, I am only guessing. I can do blood work and go to the lab and process it, but I will need help getting there and cover to run the tests."
"Tell us what you need and you got it," Maggie spoke as she sat and picked up Beth's hand. "Everyone here will do what they have to to help."
"Everyone will," Glenn spoke as he entered. "Hershel's sitting down and crying. Carol and the girls are trying to comfort him. Rick's in bad shape, so's Daryl. Carl's keeping an eye on Judith. It's all Sasha, Tyreese and Martinez can do not to cry as well."
"Where's Tara?"
"She's with them, trying to help console Rick and Daryl."
"Lilly says she thinks Beth might have brain damage."
"Oh God," Glenn breathed.
"I'm going to talk to everyone. Philip went to get more IVs and medication." Lilly rose and gripped Maggie's hand. "Talk to her, try and bring her back."
"I will," Maggie spoke as tears flowed from her eyes.
Philip stood in the door as Lilly left; she reached over and gripped his arm and walked down the hall. He stepped inside and laid the IVs down. He went back to Lilly's chair and checked the IV in Beth's arm for placement. Reaching a hand up, he slapped the side of the machine as it began to tone heartbeats and blood pressure.
"We lost her five times before getting her in here," Philip finally spoke up. "Lilly may not be wrong, but I feel that Beth is more of a fighter than we are not giving her enough credit. She loves that baby, and would do anything for her. I seriously doubt she would leave that baby alone."
"I hope you're right," Glenn spoke up. "We need her."
"Rick needs her," Maggie sobbed softly as she held Beth's hand. "She has been able to get through to him when no one else can. I hope he's all right." A loud wail came from out in the hall. They looked at one another. "That was daddy."
"I'll go," Glenn spoke and ran down the hall.
"Maggie," Philip began, "I want to offer an apology for my treatment of you in Woodbury."
"Soul cleansing?" Maggie asked, a bite to her voice.
"A major soul cleansing. Martinez and Shumpert abandoned me, and I was left to deal with what I had done on my own before finding Lilly and Tara. I was prepared to let the walkers eat me alive."
"We will table this till after we find out more about Beth," Maggie spoke as her voice broke, "and figure out what to …" Her voice caught as she began crying openly.
He rose and walked over, placing his arms around her. She leaned her head against his arms and cried out loud, wails and shrieks of pain that echoed around her.
"Please Beth, come back to us," Philip spoke as he reached out and touched the still hand.
"Do you want something to eat?" the foggy voice crept into his thoughts.
"Not really," he mumbled as he opened his eyes. "I don't know if I can."
"You need to keep your strength up too Rick," Lilly spoke. "Here, we raided the cafeteria for what was salvageable and edible." She handed the platter to him.
Setting up, he straightened and took the offered food. "Thank you … for everything."
"I'm a nurse, it's my job."
He began to eat slowly as he looked over at the bed where Beth lay. "I am never leaving you Rick," she whispers loud enough for him to hear. He looks over at her as he takes hold of her hand.*
"Come back to me," he whispers and leans over, kissing her hair.
Three days passed and three more heart failures made everyone begin to wonder if Beth had given up the will to live. Lilly had drawn the blood and made it to the lab. She had been right … Beth's body had turned against itself and was starting to feed on her internal organs. After many scavenging attempts, and many walker battles, they had found the necessary medication locked away on the fifth floor.
Lilly's hands had shaken so bad that she almost dropped the needle; she recovered and inserted it into the IV. "Now, all we can do is wait on Beth."
Pushing the door open, Maggie entered the room backwards with a platter of food to eat at Beth's side. As she turned, the platter hit the floor. "GLENN!"
He ran into the room, followed by Philip, Rick and Lilly. They peered around Maggie to see … an empty bed. Beth was gone.
"Where is she! Where is she!" Maggie yelled, falling to her knees.
"What's wrong!" Daryl yelled, running up.
"Beth's missing," Glenn told him.
"But how did she get out without us seeing her?" Sasha asked as they ran up.
"OUTSIDE!" Martinez yelled from the entrance.
They ran down the hall and stood beside Martinez, Tyreese and Hershel … looking out over the parking lot, they saw Lizzie, Meghan, Carl and Noah sitting on the ground below a large rock. Perched atop the rock with an extreme sad face sat Beth. They watched her reach her hand up and wipe her eyes as she stared out at the abandoned back lot.
They ran outside and skidded to a stop as Maggie scampered up the rock and consumed Beth in a bone crushing hug. "I went in to sit with you and you were gone."
"I'm fine," Beth whispered as she wiped her eyes.
"Beth, you need to come down and go back inside," Lilly spoke as she approached. "We need to check you out."
"I'm fine now," Beth replied with a small catch to her voice. She looked down at Michonne and Philip. "Andrea says 'hi'."
They stared at one another as Hershel hobbled up and stood at the rock. "I am so glad you are all right sweetheart," he beamed.
"Mom and Jo said you need to leave the whiskey alone," Beth answered. "They said you need to keep the wagon in the house from now on."
He was startled by her comment, staggering slightly against Tyreese. "Who told you that?"
"They did," she replied.
"Annette and Jo both used to tell me to leave the wagon in the house to keep me sober, they both did … Beth was never around when they told me that."
"Carol," Beth spoke up, "Sophia wanted me to tell you that you were right."
Carol's knees caved as Daryl grabbed her. "What was I right about?"
"There are no bruises and broken bones in heaven," Beth replied.
Carol began to openly sob into Daryl's arms. "I … would tell … her that … after Ed would … beat us and pass out."
Beth's eyes continued staring out over the lot. "I was there, I was in heaven with mom and Shawn and Jo and Sophia and Dale and Andrea and Lori and Shane."
Carl reached his hand up to grip Rick's tightly as Rick fell beside him. "Is she, is she okay?" Rick stammered out.
"She's fine, they all are. Shane wanted to me to tell you that he was sorry for what happened out in the field. He should have never let it get that far, he should have never let his jealousy come between your friendship. He said you did right by him, putting him down the way you and Carl did out in the field."
Carl openly sobbed as Rick pulled him into his arms and cradled him. "Dale says he forgives you Carl," Beth added. "He knew you didn't understand about the walker." Carl wept louder as he clung to Rick tightly. "He said he was glad it was you, Daryl, that had to do the right thing."
Daryl wiped his eyes as he clung to Carol.
"Shane admitted to shooting Otis in the leg and leaving him behind to get the supplies for daddy to save Carl's life, that's why he shaved his head because Otis had yanked a wad of his hair out."
Everyone looked around at each others. Tears were forming in everyone's eyes. "Lilly, someone named David wanted me to say 'hi' to you and Tara, and to remind Meghan that he won that backgammon game not here."
"Grandpa!" Meghan sobbed as Tara grabbed her.
"David was our father," Lilly sobbed softly as Philip wrapped his arms around her. "Only Philip ever met him."
"Damn, I think she really was over there," Martinez breathed.
"Did mom say anything?" Carl asked her through tears.
"She said 'hello my beautiful boy, I love you so much and I miss you. I am so sorry for everything you are having to go through. Please don't be mad at your dad, he had no control over anything. Be grateful you two are together and watch over your sister. She needs you both, and I love you both so much. Thank you Maggie for taking care of my little girl'," Beth finished as she wiped her eyes.
"MOM!" Carl screamed as Rick rocked him in his arms.
Maggie cried as she sat beside Beth. "Sweetie, are you all right?"
"Yea I'm fine," she replied softly. "I didn't want to come back. Mom wanted me to stay with her and Shawn, but Lori and Andrea told me I had to come back."
"Why?" Glenn asked as he climbed up beside them.
"They told me I had more to do, I had more to see and I needed to live," Beth replied. "Lori asked me to take care of Carl and Judith for her."
Carl broke free of Rick's arms and climbed the rock to cling to Beth tightly. "Please Beth, don't leave me again."
"I won't, I promise," she spoke softly and kissed his head. She wiped tears from her eyes as she sat there. "Can everyone leave me alone for a little bit?"
"Okay sweetie, we're going inside the doors but we can still see you if any walkers come up," Maggie spoke as she gently pulled Carl loose.
"There won't be any walkers, not tonight or tomorrow … they're letting us rest before they let the walkers loose again."
"She really was there," Michonne muttered as she walked in with Sasha and Martinez. "She was in heaven and she came back."
"But why? What's there for her to do?" Sasha asked softly.
"We'll find out when the time comes," Tyreese spoke as he pushed the doors open.
Carol and Tara helped the kids up as Daryl kept his arm around Carol to steady her. Philip and Glenn helped Hershel to his feet and helped him back inside. Carl and Maggie slid down the rock and started walking back. Maggie held her hand out to Rick as he rose from the ground. He walked over and placed his hand on Beth's and gripped it. As he went to walk away, he realized she hadn't let go of him.
"Go on," he told Maggie and Carl as he climbed the rock.
They watched as he settled on the rock behind Beth and sat there in silence with her. When they had all went inside, he slid closer to her and laid his chin on her shoulder.
"I'm glad you stayed, I have a message for you too."
"What did she say?"
"She told me to tell you to live and that she loved you so much," Beth's voice caught. "She wanted me to tell you that it was all right to love again. She said for you not to be lonely." She turned around to where she sat facing him. "She asked me to take care of you too." He went to open his mouth put she placed a finger on his lips. "She told me to remind you about that week where you left home, you would work early in the day and stay out late at night. She knew you were coming over to a club outside of Senoia. She knew you had met someone there, and she was there one night watching you dance with a young sixteen year old girl in your arms. She never said anything, but she came back every night you were there and saw you with the same girl, holding her the way you used to hold Lori in your arms. She saw how happy that girl made you feel, she even watched the two of you as you laid the girl across the hood of your jeep and kiss her the way you used to kiss Lori. Lori knew there were problems, she knew you two were drifting apart long before it started. She was scared when you got shot; she had hoped you would have woke up sooner so she could have told you she was sorry. She had hoped you heard her tell you that in the hospital while you were in a coma."
"I did," Rick spoke softly.
"She told me something else," Beth spoke, licking her lips. "She said if we tried that nothing would ever separate us. She said we, you and I, would be the way you and her were in the beginning. She said you need that in your life again, you need that great love who loves you more than words can ever explain. She says you need that young woman you danced that you were allowing yourself to live through, that you had started letting yourself love."
"How do you know all this?" Rick asked.
Reaching into her pocket, Beth pulled a cellphone out. "There's no service, the battery is almost dead but there's something I want you to listen to." She turned the phone on and pressed the voicemail button. She tapped her code in and handed him the phone.
"Listen to the message."
Hey, it's me, his own voice came through the phone, just wanted to call and tell you how much I miss you. Every time I hear that song I can't help but smile. I can't help but think of us dancing together, like we were the only two people in the world. You are the most perfect person in the world, and I know there is someone out there that one day will be lucky enough to fall in love with you and give you what you need. I miss you Beth, I miss you more than words. I don't want to be back here, I don't want this life back … I want to take a chance and come find you and ask you to take a chance on me. I want to run away, I know it will hurt Lori and Carl, but I have to … I am dying in this life, and I am dying to see you again. You made me live again, something I hadn't thought possible because of how long Lori and I have been together. I know she will be mad, I know she will be hurt and Carl won't understand, especially with you and he being so close in age. I also know your daddy has a shotgun and a right foot for my ass if he catches us, but I am so wanting to take that chance. In three days, I have a week off for vacation. I am packing my stuff while they are gone and I am coming to find you, I don't care what the world says … I love you so much and miss you even more. I can't talk much longer, but I wanted to tell you that I am falling in love with you Beth Greene, and I hope that, if you can wait a little longer, that we can find a way to work this out. I love you.
"Waiting for superman to lift her up and take her anywhere, show her love and climbing in the air, save her now before its too late," she sang the line softly to him.
His hand flew to his mouth as tears rolled down his cheeks as she took the phone. She powered it off and returned the phone to the safety of her coat. She stared into his eyes as she reached out to wipe his tears away.
"Say something please," she whispered as she laid her hand on his cheek.
He stared at her, his eyes drinking in the eighteen year old who had been by his side since Carl's shooting, moving through the background and gray walls of the prison, taking care of his infant daughter when he wasn't in his right mind … and even taking care of him without him even knowing it. How could this grown young woman be the same beautiful attractive sixteen year old he'd bent over the hood of his car and about took her in the back?
Reaching his hand out, he cupped her cheek in his hand and pulled her to him, kissing her hard on the lips as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"They're kissing," Lizzie and Meghan laughed from inside the hospital.