It'd been five days since Aaron came busting into the garage screaming excitedly about how Beth had woken up. It caused Daryl to cut his hand on the engine of his bike, which caused Aaron to scream more, yelling for Eric to get the first aid kit. With blood dripping down his hand and pooling on the ground just in front of his boot, a look of relief poured over his face. Eric rushed him inside, a towel wrapped around his hand and ran it under the sink—the cool water sending a shiver down his spine.
He still hadn't seen her—at least not in person. He pulled himself from bed the second night and tip toed down the stairs and outside, silently shutting the door behind him before making his way across the street hoping Rick wasn't out on patrol. He looked through the window at her tired form, Denise telling her something as cleaned the dressing on her leg. He wanted to know what happened—but that would involve talking to her and he wasn't quite sure he was ready for that. Something about going into her place of healing after everything that happened didn't seem right. He left her there in that hospital, he didn't try hard enough.
Waiting at her bedside when she wasn't awake to look at him with those big blue eyes was one thing—trying to form sentences and answering questions was another.
The fourth day Carol came over to his garage—inviting herself in with a tray of something covered in foil, her false smile turning into a stern look of displeasure as soon as she shut the door to the garage. "Why haven't you gone and seen her?" She asks, setting the tray down with a thud on top of his wrenches. "She's been asking for you."
Daryl shrugs. "What did you bring?"
"It's not ifor you./i It's for Beth."
"Why'd you bring 'em over here then?"
"Come with me, she wants to see you. Why are you being so…Daryl? You risked your life to find her, you sat with her nearly every day while she was knocked out. Why is it different?" She asks, crossing her arms, attempting to warm herself in the cold garage.
"She don't need me there." He grabs a wrench from under Carol's dish, he didn't need it, but maybe it would get her to catch the hint.
"She's been asking for you." She repeats. "Five minutes."
Daryl ignores her, pretending to tighten a bolt on his engine—he can still see the small droplets of blood on it. It's not that he didn't want to see her—because he did, so badly, but he didn't think he should be there—not yet—not until she's able.
"I just don't understand you." She sighs and grabs her tray.
Day five. Daryl quickly bypasses Aaron and Eric in the kitchen and makes his way to the garage. Eric attempts to stop him and tell him breakfast is ready—but Daryl just closes the door a little harder than necessary. He didn't have much else to work on. In the time that Beth had woken up, he'd fixed nearly everything on his bike that was remotely in need of fixing. The lights on the back were wired up, he had made the rack for his bow a little tighter and snugger so it wouldn't fall off if he needed to haul ass. Now all he could do was sit and avoid everyone. He was sure he was going to get a visit from Aaron at any point in time now.
There's the faint sound of tools moving across the garage, his back is turned as he wipes the excess lubricant off his tools. "Baby brother." Fuck. He had forgotten that Merle decided to grace the earth with his presence once again. "Lil birdie's been tellin' me you haven't gone and seen that lil songbird across the street."
Daryl ignores him, hoping he'll go away on his own.
"She's been asking for ya, think she's sweet on you. Don't know why, you always were the least attractive of the two'a us." Merle snickers, picking up a hammer on the bench across the garage. "Don't know why you're stayin' in here, riskin' your life all those times for that girl and you won't even go see her now that she's here. Always knew you weren't the perkiest of tits, but damn lil brother."
"She don't need me there."
"Don't matter if she needs ya, she wants ya. Girls get all emotional about shit like that—take it from me."
"Because banging two heroin addicts makes you an expert on women." Daryl scoffs, turning around to look at his brother. "I forgot."
Merle smiles that 'you're so dead' smile of his and sets the hammer down. "I don't know you've been payin' attention to the world Daryl, but I'm dead." Merle shrugs. "She could'a been dead too—but she ain't. Burning your hand an' shit because you," He pouts out his bottom lip and brings his fists to his eyes, pretending to rub them as he makes his voice high. "missed her so much—"
"Shut up!" Daryl yells. "Why do even bother? Ain't never gave a shit about me—now you come in here to makin' fun like it's a big ol' joke. It ain't funny."
There's a knock on the door before it quietly opens. "Daryl?" Aaron steps into view. Merle is gone. "Are you okay? I heard yelling."
"'m fine."
"Eric and I were going to take some dinner over to Maggie and Beth, do you want to come?" Aaron bites his lip, leaning against the open door.
"I got stuff to do."
"Oh, okay." Aaron sighs. "I don't know when we'll be back, we left some out on the counter for you if you get hungry."
"Thanks mom." Daryl grumbles.
On day seven Daryl decided it was now or never. The sky had just started to get dark, he had had his fill of rabbit chili and maybe a dash or two of whiskey he found in Aaron and Eric's cabinets. He grabbed his jacket from the hook and walked out the door, the front of the infirmary looming in front of him. He took a breath and made his way down the stairs, pushing himself along the pavement and onto the brick pathway. The wooden door daring him to come up on the porch, and since he wasn't a wuss, he took a step, his boots heavy on the wood. He could see Denise sitting at her desk inside the infirmary, stacks of books nearly blocking her from his view.
He knocks once and she looks over, a smile forming on her face as she gets up and crosses the length to get the door. "Thanks for finally coming." She teases after she opens it just enough for him to slip through, not wanting to let the heat out. "She's with Maggie in the bathroom, she's going to be so happy to see you."
