Fare Thee Well – Jen S.
I own nothing related to The Walking Dead and know nothing about the mid season finale except for the rumors flowing the internet. Odds seem to be that Beth will be the one dying. But since I so want the continuation and evolution of the relationship between her and Daryl, I keep imagining other possible events. This is one of them.
Song is "Fare Thee Well" an 18th Century English Folk Ballad. Mary Chapin Carpenter did a beautiful version of it for the movie "Fly Away Home" called "10,000 Miles". Listen to it if you can.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Rick and Sasha went to the hostage exchange point with the two remaining cops. Tyreese, Daryl, and Noah seemed to hang back to wait, then slipped off to invade the hospital. Daryl took point, silently taking down the guards they found. He came across an old man in hospital scrubs.
"He's OK," Noah whispered. "He's a prisoner too. Mr. Brown have you seen Beth?"
"She's in with the new woman," the man replied, pointing. "Been there all day."
Daryl held his ear to the door and could hear a man's voice speaking softly. He nodded to Tyreese and shoved the door open hard.
Beth whirled, grabbing a scalpel and lunging. Daryl caught her hand, deflecting the weapon. They stood staring at each other for one long, silent minute. Then he grabbed her to him, clutching at her, gasping for air. "I missed you so bad," he managed to whisper. She let out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob.
Daryl finally lifted his head to glance around the room. Tyreese and Noah stood with a man in a lab coat pressed against the wall. Carol lay in the bed, so very still.
Keeping hold of Beth, Daryl walked over to Carol's side. "We gotta go."
At the sound of his voice, Carol's eyes opened slowly. "You made it," she whispered softly.
"Yeah," Daryl reached out his free hand and grasped hers. "We gotta go."
Carol grimaced and closed her eyes again. "You can't move her," Dr. Edwards said.
"We gotta," Daryl replied. He let go of Beth and started to slip his arm under Carol's back. Carol cried out in agony. Daryl flinched and pulled back.
Edwards shook his head, "You can't move her."
Carol panted and gripped Daryl's arm. "I can't go. You go. Take Beth back to Maggie. To Judith and Carl."
Beth's eyes widened in shock, but then shook her head violently, "We ain't leavin' you."
Carol sighed, "You gotta. We came all this way to rescue you." She grasped Beth's hand. "Kinda pointless if we don't. I'm done. Too broken. You go. Both of you. Be strong for each other. Take care of each other."
"Carol," Daryl's face crumpled.
"I'm sorry Pookie. My mama taught me how to cross the street many years ago, guess I just forgot. You take Beth and go. Live. I'll be OK so long as I know you're OK." The breath hitched in Daryl's chest as Beth began to weep silently.
Tyreese advanced, "Carol?"
"Hi, Tyreese," she whispered. "Thank you. For forgiving me. For accepting." Carol groaned then let out a wet, raspy cough and a trickle of blood ran down her chin. She panted against the pain, looking to Daryl. "I killed Lizzy. There was something wrong in her mind. We left the kids alone and she killed Mika. She would have killed Judith if we hadn't come back when we did. She thought it would be OK because they'd come back. I had to choose between her and Judith."
Beth wiped her face clean, "You did what you had to."
Carol looked at her, "You never met my Sophia. But I think you two would've been friends. She was like you. Sweet and gentle. Not a mean bone in her body. Daryl says you're strong. You gotta be. In this world you gotta be. You gotta be willing to kill to protect yourself and what's yours. What you love."
Beth nodded, "I am. I will. I killed a man a few days ago who was gonna rape me."
"Good girl. That's my good girl." More blood oozed from Carol's mouth. "Daryl, take her. I'm done. I've said all I needed to say. Done all I've needed to do. Just get her out, get her safe, then I can rest." She choked again. "You go. I'm just gonna… Oh." Her eyes went to the doorway. "Oh Sophia."
Daryl blinked rapidly at the tears that filled his eyes. Tyreese bent his head to sob.
"Daryl can you see her?" Carol whispered.
"She's beautiful," Daryl replied hoarsely. "She here to take you?"
"Yeah," Carol let out a long breath and closed her eyes. "You two go. Be safe. Live. Love." She took several gasping breaths. "I love you. Fare thee well." Then her hand went limp. A few more gasps. Then silence.
Beth turned into Daryl's chest to weep. He buried his face in her hair.
Edwards took Carol's wrist in his hands, then automatically noted the time. He picked up a small knife.
Beth grabbed Daryl's crossbow and leveled it at the doctor, "Back away."
"Beth, we have to. You know we have to."
"Not. You." She growled. "Back away."
Edwards retreated. Noah put his gun to the doctor's head and forced him back into the corner.
Tyreese bent down and kissed Carol's forehead, "Rest easy, sister mine. All is well. Daryl and me will get Beth out safe, I promise."
Beth leaned over and stroked Carol's hair, wiping the tears and blood from her face. "Fare thee well my own true love. And farewell for a while. I'm going away, but I'll be back. If I go ten thousand miles." Her voice broke.
Daryl rubbed her back, "You can sing her the rest when we bury her." He pulled the sheets free from the bed and began to wrap Carol's body in them. He started at her feet, moving up. When he reached her face, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. Then he shoved his knife into her temple, blinking tears back. He gathered her into his arms and lifted her. "Let's go," he growled.
Edwards started forward. "Not you," Beth snapped, bringing the crossbow back up. "You are not going with us."
"What? What am I supposed to do?"
"I really do not care."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl carefully laid Carol's body into the trunk of the car. Tyreese helped brace her with additional blankets.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Rick turned from his attempted negotiation with Dawn when the door squeaked open. He frowned as Daryl and Tyreese entered. Then he saw Beth come in. "Beth."
Daryl and Tyreese spread out slightly, both armed with rifles. Beth still carried Daryl's crossbow, nocked and loaded.
Dawn scowled fiercely, "What's going on?"
"Where's Carol?" Rick asked.
"She didn't make it," Tyreese replied with a catch in his voice.
Rick turned on Dawn. Dawn met his gaze, "Don't blame me. Your girl Beth was supposed to be taking care of her."
"What?" Beth gasped.
Dawn took a step toward her, "What did you screw up? Did you give her the wrong medication like last time? Or did you just try to run away again? I knew you'd end up getting someone killed. You're pathetic. Nothing more than a burden."
Rick yanked her around and slammed his fist into her face. Dawn lay on the ground, cupping her chin, staring up in shock. "Shut up."
"I didn't give that guy the wrong medication," Beth snapped. "I gave him what Edwards told me to. I didn't know he was trying to kill the new doctor you found. I ran because I had no choice. That's what people who were kidnapped and held against their will do. And I'm pathetic? You let your men kill and rape and kidnap without consequence so that you could keep this fantasy of the government swooping in and saving you. The government? They're as dead as everyone else. And if they came, like my family did? They're response would be the same. You're not a hero, you're a monster. You're not a great leader. You're just a fucking coward."
Dawn yanked her gun from its holster and pointed it at Beth.
Beth fired a single shot from the crossbow she still carried. It slammed into Dawn's eye, killing her instantly. The other cops stood in shock, staring at their leader.
"So here's what's going to happen," Rick said in a loud commanding voice. "My people and I are going to walk away now. You are going to stay here for one hour. Then I don't care what you do. If I see any of you, we will kill you." He walked over to Beth, "Hell of a shot sweetheart. It's so good to see you." He kissed her forehead. "Let's go."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
They decided to bury Carol in a quiet spot near the church. Daryl walked around the area, needing some time alone after they dug the grave. He came across a Cherokee Rose shrub, the sight of which brought him to his knees. He bowed his head and wept. Then he went to the grave and retrieved the shovel. He dug up the shrub carefully and carried it to the grave. Carl saw him and went for Rick who came out and helped him dig a hole for to replant the shrub over the grave. Tyreese carried Carol's body and knelt to lay her in the grave.
The others gathered. Michonne had Carl under her arm. Beth carried Judith on her hip. Rick stood between them. Sasha and Tyreese stood together. Gabriel and Noah stood off to the sides, not wanting to intrude. Daryl filled in the grave, then knelt to smooth out the dirt and stayed there with his hands gripping the ground.
Fare thee well my own true love
And farewell for a while.
I'm going away, but I'll be back
If I go ten thousand miles.
Ten thousand miles, my own true love,
Ten thousand miles or more,
And the rocks may melt and the seas may burn,
If I should not return.
Oh don't you see that lonesome dove,
Sitting on an ivy tree,
She's weeping for her own true love
Just as I shall weep for mine.
Oh come back my own true love
And stay a while with me
For if I had a friend all on this earth,
You've been a friend to me.
And fare thee well my own true love
And farewell for a while.
I'm going away, but I'll be back
If I go ten thousand miles
They stood in silence for a long time afterward. Then above them a hawk cried out as it flew away.
"What do we do now?" Carl asked softly.
"We live," Michonne replied.
"It's all we can do," Rick added as he rubbed one hand on his son's arm, the other on Michonne's back. "We stick together and we keep going."
Daryl stood and wiped his hands off on his pants, then he went to where Beth stood with Judith asleep against her shoulder. He stared into her eyes.
"I'm so sorry. If it wasn't for me…" she whispered.
"Shh," he soothed, "It was their fault, not yours. I never stopped lookin' or hopin'." He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I got you back. And I ain't never losin' you again."
Rick, Carl, and Michonne moved closer, surrounding them into a group embrace. Tyreese and Sasha joined them. They stood together for a long moment.
Then Judith began to fuss. Daryl sniffed audibly and looked down. Everyone backed away as Rick took his daughter. Rick chuckled, "Yep life goes on. Whew. How did you get that from canned carrots and peaches?" He carried Judith at arms reach back towards the church.
Carl and Michonne drifted one way as Tyreese and Sasha went the other. Daryl took Beth's hand and with one final look to Carol's grave he drew her away.
Three figures watched them go.
"Does he love her Mommy?"
"Yes."
"Does she know?"
"Yes."
"Does he?"
"Hmm, not yet. But he'll figure it out."
"Hmph. My baby brother is smart. He's got it figured out even if he isn't sayin' anythin'."
"OK big brother."
He huffed in annoyance at her mocking tone.
"Can we watch for a while longer?"
"As long as you want."
"And we can help guide them? Like I helped you find her?"
"Yes."
"I liked the song."
"Me too."
"Baby brother's got himself a sweet little songbird. Who'da' thought it. She better be good to him."
"She will. And he will be good to her."
"Well that I know already."
"You stickin' around too?"
"Yeah."
"Good."
"Yeah. You're nice."
"I ain't nice."
Giggle. "of course you are."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Oh come back my own true love
And stay a while with me
For if I had a friend all on this earth,
You've been a friend to me.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Fade out.