So as it turns out if you binge on Walking Dead for an entire weekend, your Walking Dead muse will knock your other muses over the head and hide them in a closet. This will likely be a one shot deal. Ideas incorporated from "No Sanctuary", and episode 5-2 and Comic Con trailers. Characters and all recognizable situations belong to the writers, creators, and amazing actors of The Walking Dead.
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Only a Foolish Sheep Angers the Wolf
Jcswriter – Jen S.
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They'd escaped Terminus and discovered a church occupied by a lone priest.
"You got a car here? One you maybe run around picking up people in?" Rick asked. "With a cross in the rear window?"
Father Gabriel shook his head. Daryl cursed and turned away. The priest watched him, "Someone you know was taken? Was it a Red Cross symbol?"
Daryl turned back and nodded, "Might'a been."
"Your friend is dead. Or wishing they were right about now. Forget about them."
Daryl lunged at the priest. Abraham started forward to stop him but found his path blocked by Glenn and Rick. Daryl grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him into the wall.
"Where is she? Who took her?" Daryl snarled.
Gabriel gasped, trying to pull Daryl's fingers away from his neck. "Hos… hospital," he managed to say. Daryl eased back a little bit. "There's a hospital about ten miles south of here. If they took your friend, that's where she'd be." Daryl dropped him and he collapsed. "You shouldn't go. She's already dead or soon will be. You can't save her. They say they're trying to help people. But the people they take are just lab rats to them. She's dead or dying and if you go, you will be too."
"Go to hell," Daryl snapped.
"I am already there, son."
Daryl walked out of the church. "Hold up!" Rick said. "Give us a minute to get together and figure out exactly where we need to go." The others followed close behind.
"She may not have another minute," Daryl cried, "I can't… I can't leave her there."
"We are not leaving her," Rick replied firmly, reaching out to touch Daryl's shoulder. "We're going. But we need to know where we are going and decide who is going."
"Look, guys," Abraham interrupted, "I can't sanction this mission. We can't risk everyone for one person."
"That's my sister!" Maggie cried.
"Yeah, that until these four showed up I never even knew existed," Abe said. "Guess I'm just having trouble seeing how much you care about her seeing as how you never even mentioned her."
"I thought she was dead," Maggie sobbed, "I couldn't bear to…" Glenn pulled her close.
Daryl huffed in annoyance. Rick squeezed his shoulder as he responded to Abraham. "We aren't leaving her behind. You want us to help to get Eugene to D.C.? Then you stand by long enough for us to go to this hospital and find her."
"I got a map," Bob said as he emerged from the church. "Who is going?"
"We should go with them," Eugene announced.
"What?" Abe growled.
"It's a hospital, where they are trying to fight this thing," Eugene explained. "We should see what they've done."
"They've experimented on people," Bob snapped. "On a sweet, young girl we care about."
"I'm not saying they did right," Eugene replied. "But we should take what they've learned with us. I should be there to go through the files. Plus helping decipher what if anything they've done to… uh…"
"Beth," Daryl said. It was a soft, prayer like utterance.
"Beth," Eugene repeated.
"Fine," Abraham said. "But you will wait outside until we clear it." He nodded to Rosita.
Rick glanced over to where Tyrese stood cradling Judith gently against his massive chest. "I'll stay here," Tyrese said. "Me and Judy will hold the fort."
"I'll stay too," Sasha said. "I'll get some space and supplies set up for when you bring her back."
"Do you want to stay with Judy or go with me?" Rick asked Carl.
"You're asking?"
"Yeah. I'd rather you stay here with your sister, help Sasha with gathering stuff, maybe set up a few snares." Rick rubbed his face, "But I'll let you decide."
"I'll stay," Carl nodded. "We'll have dinner ready when you get back with Beth."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Bob had the map and the understanding of where to go so he led the way with Daryl on his heels. Abraham and Rosita walked on either side of Eugene. Maggie and Glenn were behind them, hand in hand. Rick, Michonne, and Carol brought up the rear.
"What are the odds we find her in time?" Carol asked softly, hoping her voice didn't travel to Daryl.
"About as good as the odds of you blowing that propane tank just before Glenn got his head smashed in," Rick replied just as quietly. "We find her then we'll worry about what they've done to her. It's only been about two weeks since they stole her from Daryl. Maybe. Just maybe."
"I'm getting very tired of people hurting our family," Michonne said. Her face was set, jaw clenched tight.
"Me, too," Rick replied.
"Hold up," Daryl said suddenly. He stooped down to study a set of footprints leading into the woods. "She's been here. She's come through here recently."
"You can't know that," Rosita said. "Yes they're tracks but it could be a kid. Could be a walker. Could be anyone."
"It's Beth," Daryl retorted. "I know."
"Beth is at that hospital," Maggie retorted. "You said that people took her. In a car from that hospital. She's there, not wandering in the woods."
"She ain't just sittin' there waitin' to be rescued like some distressed damsel!" Daryl snapped.
"That's not the express… Never mind," Eugene said, cutting himself off when Daryl and Abraham both glowered at him.
"I know my sister," Maggie said.
"No," Daryl said. "You really don't. If you did, you'd've known she wouldn't get on that bus without the kids. Without Ass Kicker. She ain't just your baby sister no more. And she ain't at that hospital. She's that way." He pointed. "She got herself out."
Bob sighed, "So we split up further. Some of us go on to the hospital, the others follow Daryl into the woods. Eugene and I should still go forward. Even if she did get herself out, we need to know what they did to her, if anything. We need the files or records of what their experiments are."
"Glenn and I are going too," Maggie said.
"Whatever," Daryl threw up his hand and started into the woods following the footprints. The others stood watching him go.
Carol scoffed with a glare, "Has Daryl ever been wrong about tracking?" she followed him into the woods
"Didn't do so well findin' Sophia," Daryl muttered as she caught up to him.
Carol sighed, "You know that isn't true. My baby girl was dead almost before you started looking. Is she staggering or walking?"
"Walkin'. Limpin' a bit," Daryl replied. "She ain't a Walker. She's fine. She's gonna be fine."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Beth staggered slightly and leaned against a tree for a second to catch her breath. She was in a small clearing. Fifteen days since the funeral home. Fifteen days since Daryl told her to run. Fifteen days since she heard his voice scream her name as she bounced in the trunk of the car. She'd already been dazed from the blow to her cheek and when her head hit something in the trunk, she slipped into the darkness.
She awoke in the hospital, strapped to a bed, with an IV in her arm and a walker securely strapped to the next bed. And that was only the beginning of the nightmare. The humiliating, painful, sickening nightmare. Fifteen days. Long enough for her ankle to heal, mostly. Heal enough for her to walk on it and that was all that mattered. She pressed her hand to her stomach as a wave of nausea flowed through her. A soft sob escaped her.
A twig snapped in the woods. Beth startled and began to move forward again.
"Beth."
She froze.
"Beth."
His crossbow clattered to the ground.
She turned, slowly, unable to believe that this was real. That he was there. That he'd found her.
He let out a breath. Long and deep, like he'd been holding it for a while. Like he'd been holding it for fifteen days. He stepped forward with his hands outstretched.
"Daryl?"
"Beth."
She let out another sob and started to move forward her hands reaching for Daryl. He grasped her hand. Her eyes closed and she slumped. Daryl caught her as she collapsed. He cradled her in his arms as Carol came closer.
Carol took her pulse and checked her temperature. "She's OK." She pinched the back of Beth's hand, "A little dehydrated." She pulled a bottle of water from her pack, poured a little onto her fingers and wet Beth's lips. "Come on darling, open those beautiful eyes for us."
Beth's eyelids fluttered then opened slowly, blinking erratically. She focused on Daryl's face. "Daryl? You're here."
"Yeah," he nodded. His face crumpled and a tear slipped from his eye, "I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry," he whispered as a shuddering breath went through his body. He pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms around him, glancing over his shoulder at Carol who was rubbing Daryl's back. She shivered and they realized she was only wearing a set of thin hospital scrubs. Daryl pulled back and yanked off his jacket. Carol helped Beth slip it on.
"How?" she whispered.
"Long story," Carol said, smiling gently. "We found a church and the priest pointed us in the right direction to find you. Daryl saw your tracks." She handed Beth the bottle of water and urged her to take a drink. "The others are close. Maggie's here. And Glenn, Rick, Michonne, Bob. Carl and Judith are back at the church with Tyrese and Sasha."
"Maggie? And Judith?" Beth gasped. "My baby? She's OK?"
Carol smiled and nodded, "Come on. Let's get you to them."
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Carol was first to step out of the woods, finding the others starting to split up, with only Rick and Michonne ready to follow Daryl into the woods. "The others are going to keep going to the hospital," Rick said. Maggie was already walking away with Glen right behind her. "We'll help you search here."
"There's no need," Carol replied.
Daryl advanced with Beth cradled in his arms.
"Beth," Maggie cried out and darted back to them, sobbing, "Oh Beth!"
Everyone rushed at them. Beth flinched and cowered back into Daryl's chest. Daryl scowled at them and turned away, shielding Beth.
"Hold up, don't crowd her," Rick ordered. He gestured everyone back then advanced with Maggie. "Hey Bethy. It's good to see you," he said gently. Beth looked at him finally.
Maggie smiled through her tears, "Beth?"
"Maggie," Beth replied, shifting away from Daryl slightly to hug her sister with one arm, keeping the injured one draped over Daryl's shoulders.
"You OK to carry her back?" Rick asked. Daryl nodded. Rick opened his pack and yanked out a blanket. He and Michonne wrapped it around Daryl and Beth, cocooning them together.
Maggie walked next to them, reaching out frequently to touch Beth as if to reassure herself that her sister was really there. They took her straight back to the church.
Tyrese was sitting in a chair with Judith at his feet playing with a plastic container and lid. Tara was sitting on the floor too, accepting the lid then handing it back to the baby. Judith looked up as the door opened, she grinned at everyone coming back in. As soon as she saw Beth, she squealed loudly and reached up. Tyrese stood and lifted her so that she could reach Beth.
"Hey darling baby girl," Beth crooned. "Daryl let me down." Daryl gently sat her on her feet, but kept his arm around her. Judith cooed back and reached out, grasping with her fingers. Beth took her with a soft sob. Judith laughed and bounced in her arms, patting Beth's face. Beth kissed her forehead.
Rick rubbed Beth's back as he stroked Judith's head, "Looks like she missed you."
"I missed her too," Beth whispered. She handed the baby to Rick, "I need to sit down."
Daryl immediately picked her back up into his arms. She leaned her face against his neck with a sigh.
"Take her into the back bedroom," Bob said. "Let me take a good look at her." Daryl nodded and carried Beth back with Bob, Carol, and Maggie following.
"I got some water in her," Carol reported. "Dehydration doesn't seem too bad."
"She's smaller," Daryl said as he lowered her to the bed. "Must not've fed her enough."
"When did you eat last Beth?" Bob asked. "What was it?"
Beth glanced at Daryl then looked to Bob, "Two weeks. Peanut butter and jam. They didn't give me food, just an IV." Daryl's jaw clenched and his nostrils flared.
Bob nodded, "What happened to your arm?" he asked as he helped her slip out of Daryl's jacket.
"I tried to escape before. They caught me and broke it," she reported softly. She glanced at them nervously as Bob examined the cast. "They were experimenting on people. And on walkers."
"What did they do sweetheart?" Carol asked gently.
Beth began to shake, "They put things inside of me."
"What do you mean… inside of you," Bob asked.
Beth pressed her hand to her stomach, "Inside. I don't want it in me. Please get it out. I don't know what it is but I don't want it there. Please."
Bob clenched his jaw, but spoke gently to her, "OK kiddo, we'll figure it out, I promise."
*x*x*x*x*x*
"So they impregnated her… not rape," Sasha asked.
Everyone was gathered in the rectory's living room. Carl was sitting with Beth while she slept under sedation.
"Best case scenario," Bob nodded.
"Best case?" Rosita snapped.
"In a world where doctors are experimenting on the living and the dead?" Bob replied. "Yeah best case scenario is that someone wanted a baby. Worst case… I don't even want to imagine."
"So back to the original plan," Eugene said, "We need to get to the hospital and see what they're doing. Get the files. And get what we need to abort whatever they forced her to conceive."
"I'm staying here," Maggie announced.
"All things considered, the women probably should," Rick said.
"That did not just come out of your mouth," Michonne retorted.
"You want to risk getting captured and be the next incubator for whatever Dr. Frankenstein has cooked up?" Glenn asked.
"Not really an issue for me," Michonne replied. "So I'm going."
"Not one for me either," Carol said. "But I'm staying with Beth." The men looked awkward at their revelations.
Abraham cleared his throat, "Still, Rosita, Sasha, and Tara should stay here, just in case."
"Is that an order?" Rosita asked angrily, adding an insolent, "Sir."
"Yeah," Abe nodded. "It is."
Rick sighed, "OK, I'm going, Daryl, Michonne, Bob, Abe, and Eugene. Tyrese?"
"I'm with you," Tyrese nodded.
"What about me?" Carl asked from the hallway. Maggie walked by him to go to Beth.
"With us going, I need you here to help Sasha and Glenn keep watch," Rick replied. "Maggie and Carol will be taking care of Beth, Tara can keep an eye on Judith." Carl nodded. "Let's go."
*x*x*x*x*x*
It was surprisingly easy for them to take the hospital. The surprise of their attack along with the chaos of a fence breach enabled them to quickly move in and take everyone prisoner. They tied up the doctors, nurses, and security personnel.
Bob and Eugene quickly went through the files they found. Bob found the file on Beth, read briefly then made eye contact with one of the doctors.
"You son of a bitch," Bob growled. He pointed to the man, "Him Daryl."
The doctor's eyes went wide, "Daryl? You took her. Bring her back! You had no right!"
Daryl's heart began to pound, "He hurt her."
"Yep," Eugene said as he reviewed the file. "Was him."
"You don't understand. You can't possibly comprehend what we're doing here," the doctor cried. "We're looking a real chance to fix this!"
"He's lying," Eugene retorted. "All they're doing is torturing people."
"You couldn't possibly understand," a nurse said.
"I am most likely the smartest person left alive," Eugene said. "So tell me how injecting a healthy person with a paralytic then tossing them into a room with a walker is supposed to fix this? Or how injecting another with a lethal combination of drugs then letting them get bit is going to help? Or this?" he slapped Beth's file into his hand. "Oh, of course, this is the answer, this will be what stops this outbreak!"
Daryl was visibly furious, "What?"
"He used her as a surrogate to try to sire a child with frozen eggs," Bob reported. "He tried it at least twice before. The first committed suicide soon after implantation was confirmed. The other bled out during premature delivery because he implanted six embryos."
"They were weak!" the doctor argued. "Elizabeth is young and strong. The embryos took with the first attempt! You have to bring her back to me. They are mine!"
"And she is mine!" Daryl growled, low and dangerous as he advanced. The first blow knocked the doctor out of the chair.
Rick stepped back as Daryl let loose his rage. "Bob, see what meds they have and gather them up."
Bob nodded, "They used what we'll need for Beth on another woman. I'll find it."
Bob and Eugene went out with Tyreese, Abraham, and Michonne while Rick stayed to guard. Daryl vented his rage until the doctor was dead under his fists. Bob returned with a large sack of supplies and he cleaned and bandaged Daryl's knuckles.
"Let's go," Abraham ordered.
"Wait," the woman in the police uniform called, "What are you going to do to us?"
Rick glanced back at her, "Nothing," he replied as stepped out, securing the door behind him. The doctor was already starting to reanimate as they walked away. The prisoners began to struggle and scream as they realized they'd been left behind with the new walker.
*x*x*x*x*x*
Abraham returned as they opened the last room and released another live victim. The young woman ran to a man already free and they fled without a backward glance. He tossed Daryl a set of keys. "The car outside the front door runs and has a full tank. You and Tyreese take Bob and Eugene back to the rectory."
"You're not coming?" Eugene asked.
"Not yet," Abe replied. "We got something else to take care of."
"We do?" Rick asked.
Abraham nodded, "Otherwise we're gonna be lookin' over our shoulders the whole way to DC."
Rick nodded, "You four go on. Michonne?"
"I'm with you."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl dropped to his knees next to a tree outside of the rectory. His stomach heaved and he retched but there was little to expel. He felt a gentle hand on his back.
"I killed him," he said. "I have never hated someone so bad in my life."
"I know," Carol replied. "And good. He violated Beth. After he kidnapped her from you. He deserved death." She rubbed his back again then set down a bag. "Clean up and come inside. Beth needs you now."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl quietly crept into the bedroom where Beth lay. Her head came up and she smiled at him. He nodded, shut the door, and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Bob been in yet? Has he…"
"No," she replied. "He said tomorrow. He wants to read the files more with Eugene." She wiped her eyes.
"You should sleep."
"Stay with me?"
Daryl nodded and stretched out on the bed behind her.
*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl woke up. It was late. There was a lantern lit and sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. Beth was curled against his chest, sleeping soundly. Peacefully. He smiled and reached up to stroke her cheek.
She gasped and woke up.
"Sorry," he whispered.
She flinched and let out a soft cry, pressing her hand to her stomach, "Oh Daryl it hurts."
Daryl pulled the blanket back and gasped as he saw a flood of blood staining her pants.
*x*x*x*x*x*
"She miscarried," Bob reported as he emerged some time later. "Her HCG level was very high so the hospital assumed she was carrying multiples which run a greater risk for miscarriage. Plus whatever else they did to her the last two weeks." He sighed. "She's going to be OK," he said directly to Daryl. "Why don't you come back in with her?"
Carol was sitting on the bed stroking Beth's hair when Daryl entered with Bob. She smiled. "Beth, honey, Daryl's here."
Beth's eyes opened as Daryl sat down on a chair next to the bed. "Hi," she whispered. He offered her a small smile in response. "Bob? What was it? What was in me?"
Bob sighed, "Just embryos. Babies. That's all."
Beth let out a sob, "I hated it. So much. It was just a baby?"
Carol bathed her face gently, "Beth he had no right to do this to you. To anyone."
"Beth, honey, it wasn't yours," Bob said. "He used donor eggs at the hospital. And if even half of what he implanted took, there's no way you would have been able to safely carry to term. This was your body's way of saving you. It was a good thing."
"I miscarried before Sophia," Carol said. "Barely even knew I was pregnant and it was over. Six months later I got pregnant with Sophia. Things work out the way they were supposed to. You'll have a baby someday. When it's the right time for you. And when it's your choice."
Bob handed Beth three pills, "Take these. Nausea, a muscle relaxer, and a pill for the pain. They'll help you sleep." Bob watched as she swallowed the pills along with several long drinks of water. "We'll have to start her eating tomorrow. Light and slow until we get her stomach used to food."
Carol leaned over and kissed Beth's forehead. "Call if you need us. Daryl will be in with you tonight."
Daryl laid down as Beth began to drift under the drugs' effects. "I killed that doctor."
"Good," Beth whispered. "I wasn't the first one he hurt. I'm glad I was the last."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl woke up as the door slowly opened. He was laying on his back in the bed, with Beth again resting against his chest in a deep, drugged sleep. It was early, the sun just rising and filtering in through the boarded up windows.
No one entered.
Daryl reached over to where the knife lay on the nightstand.
Something began to pull on the blanket from the foot of the bed.
Daryl slid Beth onto the pillow and sat up. He leaned over the foot of the bed and found Judith trying to pull herself up.
"Hey Asskicker," he greeted.
"Judith," Tyreese whispered. "Damn she's getting' fast. Sorry man."
"It's OK," Daryl lifted the baby up to the bed.
"Here," Tyreese handed him a full bottle. "I'm goin' back to bed."
Judith squirmed free of Daryl and crawled up the bed to Beth. Beth opened her eyes. Judith giggled and curled down into Beth's arms. Beth stroked her hair and kissed her head. Daryl sat the bottle down onto the nightstand and stretched out next to them. Judith cooed as he rubbed her back gently. Then she popped her fingers into her mouth and settled in to sleep. Beth smiled.
"Go back to sleep, little momma," Daryl said. "Sorry. Damn I didn't think…"
"It's OK," Beth assured him.
Judith murmured around her fingers, "Mama."
*x*x*x*x*x*
Rick, Abe, and Michonne came back midmorning. They had supplies and another vehicle but hadn't been able to track the Terminus survivors. He thought to take Daryl back out but it became quickly obvious that Daryl didn't do well if Beth was out of his sight. He never explained the panicky feeling in his chest when she wasn't close, but in the end he didn't have to. They understood.
*x*x*x*x*x*
"You OK?" Michonne asked as she and Carol stood on guard duty a week later.
"Yeah why?"
Michonne shrugged, "Daryl and Beth." She glanced over to where Beth sat on the edge of the porch with Judith while Daryl was using an ax to cut wood in the yard.
"Yeah," Carol nodded. "Am I a little jealous? Because she's young and beautiful and not sagging in places that really shouldn't be sagging yet? I can admit that. I can also admit that she touched a place in him that I would bet a week's supply of food that no one has ever found before. She's good for him. He's good for her. They're both happy. So I'm OK."
"Good."
*x*x*x*x*x*
"So we're agreed then," Rick said. "To DC."
The others nodded.
"It's time," Carl said. "Time to move on."
Beth agreed, "There's nothing left for us here. Nothing but bad memories and ghosts."
"OK. We go tomorrow."
*x*x*x*x*x*
There's bound to be a ghost at the back of your closet
No matter where you live
There'll always be a few things, maybe several things
That you're going to find really difficult to forgive
There's going to come a day when you feel better
You'll rise up free and easy on that day
And float from branch to branch, lighter than the air
Just when that day is coming, who can say, who can say?
Our mother has been absent
Ever since we founded Rome
But there's going to be a party
When the wolf comes home
We're going to commandeer the local airwaves
To tell the neighbors what's been going on
And they will shake their heads and wag their bony fingers
In all the wrong directions, and by daybreak we'll be gone
I'm going to get myself in fighting trim
Scope out every angle of unfair advantage
I'm going to bribe the officials, I'm going to kill all the judges
It's going to take you people years to recover from all of the damage
Our mother has been absent
Ever since we founded Rome
But there's going to be a party
When the wolf comes home – Up the Wolves – The Mountain Goats
Song from Still, played as the cabin burned