Chapter Ten
Hang Up

"Just gon' let 'im turn! C'mon!" Rick yelled throughout the room, dancing around the limp bodies beside Glenn. He swiftly got to his knees and cut the zip tie from Bob and Daryl's ankles. Daryl tended to Glenn and in no time, they stood tall and united. They scavenged around the room for anything useful to use as a weapon. Bob dragged a knife along the metal table before slipping it into his belt whereas Glenn and Daryl remained un-armed until they reached the largest meat-locker known to man. The entire place just down right reeked of sour, decaying meat. It hung from the ceiling and lay strewn around the room. Rick looked around frantically with his arms tensed, "You come across them, you kill 'em. You do not hesitate!" He ordered. As Daryl slipped a large blade from a wooden work bench, Glenn put his hand gently onto his shoulder with a sympathetic look. The door was only mere inches away before Rick stopped and turned into the three followers. He had his hand out in front of him as though layin' down the law, "What we seen in there; we don't tell Maggie-"
Glenn's throat made a noise but Rick looked him dead in the eyes with words of stone, "She's already moved on. She's said her goodbye's. You all know that. For a second, I think we actually all had... But we can't risk regurgitatin' everythin' again for everyone... The fact is; for now, Beth's alive. We know that. Keep it to yourself." Rick was now looking at Daryl who was busy turning the blade slowly in his fingers, his face hollow and eyes blinking slowly.

Rick gestured for Bob and Glenn to take front lead out of the meat locker and out into the yard where the train-cars were. With stealth, Rick and Daryl walked slowly behind,
"'m sorry I didn't listen to ya, man... It's jus'... We've been like this for so long and it's easy to mix up reality with dreams- I know that..."Rick sighed and Daryl held his hand out in front of Rick's chest but continued to walk,
"t's fine... She's alive. 't's fine..." Daryl repeated with his monotone voice. Rick swallowed hard and shook his head,
"Look, we got it out here. Go grab what you can." Rick looked Daryl right in his dark blue eyes. His lips said one thing but his eyes read another to Daryl, "We'll get you where we left the bag."
"Jus' get Carl out alrigh'..." Daryl's final words to Rick were bold before taking off in another direction for another door. Armed with his heavy blade, Daryl beat his way through a few dozen cannibals, leaving a bloody trail in his absence. After trodding through more dingy meat lockers and slaughter houses, he eventually came to the front 'office' where he caught Gareth packing a bag in such a rush, it left a draught behind him as he moved. He watched silently for a few moments before stepping out.

The sunlight beat through the high up windows but eventually became clouded with the smoke from outside. Gareth stood in the centre of the large room with a breathless face. Slowly, Daryl took steps towards him and slowly, Gareth took a few steps back,
"Where is she?"
"Where's who?" Gareth laughed nervously. Daryl took a quicker step towards him,
"Beth. Where... is... she?" Daryl was surprisingly calm but Gareth was thinking at one hundred miles an hour on how to get out of this unscathed. He desperately babbled and Daryl peered through his black and blue eyes, "You tell me..."
"She's gone, man!" Gareth shouted,
"WHERE HAS SHE GONE?!" Daryl screamed back and made Gareth shivver like a new puppy in the cold.
"Uh-buh-uhh-uh- S-s-she's gone out the front gate! The front gate with the other guys!".
Daryl straightened up from his predator-like stance and walked quickly to a terrified Gareth, stripping him of his bag and his firearm. They were thrown to the floor just before Daryl took Gareth by the scruffs of his shirt and threw him down to the cold ground. Daryl placed his knee on top of Gareth's chest but still gripped the flannel,
"You tell me damn straight where she went! Who is she with?!"
"You'll have to kill me!" Gareth said with a growing smile and laugh. It wasn't long before Gareth was full on cackling with the whole weight of Daryl on his chest, "You'll have to kill me!" He continued to cackle and Daryl thought long and hard before he hissed,
"Fine," and pressed down hard, making sure there were a few crunches beneath him before standing. Gareth breathed whilst continuing to laugh loud as Daryl grabbed zip ties, the small bag and the gun. He pulled Gareth to his feet and held him by the scruff of the neck. "Walk." Daryl seethed with such rage like a black bull seeing the colour red.

Through the front door Gareth was shoved, protecting Daryl from the walkers but Daryl didn't dare let the walkers scratch the worthless piece of shit in his hands.
"What're you doin'?!" A gentle voice shrieked from Daryl's side as he pushed Gareth through the herd to the front gates, "Daryl Dixon, you answer me right now! You leave him! Go and find Rick, God dammit!"
He felt a hand pull and tug at the sleeve of his jacket but he ignored it. Like Rick had said, dreams were too easily transfused with reality. "Daryl! Listen to me! Daryl!". With a tear in his eye, Daryl pushed Gareth faster as though he could outrun her. Up the steep slope of dirt and leaves Gareth was forced, a smile still plastered onto his smug, white-trash face. After Daryl walked him for a short few meters, he plucked for a thick tree. Gareth was pushed against it and his hands were zip-tied at the back of it. Daryl paced for a few ticks before facing Gareth and speaking slowly,
"Y'know what attracts 'em, don't y'?"
Daryl. Don't do this.
"Y'know it's blood... Like sharks."
Daryl stop. This isn't you!
"Just a drop is all it'll take. The smallest slice..."
You ain't my brother no more, Daryl Dixon!
Her words against his started to build within him, the fire of anger turning to the fire of disgust, self loathing and self pity. It all came too much and Daryl lashed out on the helpless Gareth before him,
"If you laid a finger on 'er!" Daryl hollered between Haymakers and right hooks. He huffed out a breath with each hit to Gareth's face, "If you touched 'er!" He screamed with an uppercut to Gareth. He was now full on weeping and he stepped back to look at the mess he had made

Gareth's face dripped with thick blood and saliva but a smile was still on his face. With the energy he had, he mustered out a chuckle. Daryl stood in front of him, no anger, no hatred. Nothing. But something inside burst and Daryl strut right to Gareth's face, lifting his filthy chin with his finger,
"If you somehow survive this and you dare come and find us... I'll kill you. Flat out this time."

"So, what'd you get?" Rick asked a quiet Daryl as he approached with nothing and nobody behind him. Daryl just shrugged and looked up at Rick. Rick just nodded at Daryl's blank expression and left him to stroll along at the back of the group.
As Daryl lurked behind, he could feel the pressure build again just like it had done back at the cemetery with Beth by his side and in his hand. This mix-up of feelings and the force of growing-up he put on her shoulders- Oh, how he wished it would all just pour out onto the dirt and leaves and he could be done with it. He could just hang up his jacket and bow on a tree branch and pray to God that it happened quickly. Carol lead the way towards the small little hut where Tyreese stood boldly with Judith in his arms. Daryl's body sank even further. Carl and Rick had Judith. Abe had Eugene, Tara and Espinosa. Glenn was tightly beside Maggie and Sasha gripped both Bob and Tyreese in her thin arms. Michonne gushed over Judith and Carol started for Daryl but got the coldest reception. "C'mon, pookie." She smiled a bright smile and gave Daryl a brisk cuddle. It was at that moment, Daryl just let it all go. He sobbed quietly into her shoulder. Carol rubbed his back and held back her own tears. Someone had to be strong. They hugged like this for a while before Daryl pulled back and laughed to Carol's shock.
"What's up?" She asked in a gentle tone, rubbing his arm softly.
"I need a damn house to trash, that's what!" Daryl chuckled through his tears and for a second, he almost believed that he might come out of this okay. But when Daryl's smile fell flat and his bottom lip vibrated with tears, Carol pulled him in again. She soothed him with a gentle brush over his shoulders and he retracted so deep into his own head.

Y'know... If you hadn't taught her all those things, baby brother...
V, don't...
Oh, Daryl hush! Y'know I'm right.
Y' might be but it doesn't make anything easier... Jus' wanna hold her hand again and really protect her. Y'know, like I shoulda done
You did, Daryl! You know you did. I don't know how many times we can tell y' that...
But she's standin' there not twitchin' her ass! If that was you, I wouldn't sleep 'til I found ya! I wouldn't!
Daryl, y' don't gotta prove nothin' to me- I know you wouldn't. That's just who you are. It's your nature to give more than y' get...
I don't know where to go anymore. Jus' knowin' she's out there... when she could be here... with us!
Daryl...
With us! As a damn group again!
Daryl... With you.
Well nobody else is givin' a damn, so who else does she have?! 'm the only one who has to make things right with 'er... She's out there 'causa me. She's lost 'causa me... Out there scared, cold, probably bleedin' or dyin' 'causa me...
Daryl, you're being dramatic. It's Georgia. It's like thirty degrees all day.
Well I don't know- you're dead, you know everythin'! You're up there with all the good people! Ask her mama or someone to be with her or somethin'! She can't be alone out there no more!
They always are, Daryl! Beth is out there survivin' 'cause she learned from the damn best, you got it?! You focus on keepin' these guys safe. It's the most you c'n do f'r now.
Right, Viv, fine... Fine...
I know how hard your taking it out on yourself. You ain't had one nights sleep 'cause you been takin' everybody's damn beatin's. Ain't sayin' they deserved it, but you don't deserve getting sliced to pieces like a slab of bologna just because you took your eyes off of her for a split second. You gotta lay off yourself. Please, Daryl... Please

(AN/ A longer chapter this time! I really do hope you guys are enjoying this! Thank you for all the support you are giving me! Love you all! Read and Review xx)