Chapter 14
Warning: This chapter has a character death. Don't worry, The Queen and the Archer are ok.
They circled through the woods as quickly as they could, keeping in mind the direction their car was in. They had walkers on their trail, and all they could do was hope they got them turned around enough that they could make it back to the car without having to use their guns. One gunshot, and this entire search and rescue expedition could be over.
One walker got a bit too close, and Carol took him down with her buck knife. Daryl grabbed a bolt in one hand and stuck it through another walker's eye. They continued running, hearts pounding, breaths straining, and when they finally made it out to the road, they realized they'd overshot by about twenty yards.
Carol sighed, slumping over and resting her hands on her bent knees. Daryl placed a hand on her back, and she moaned softly as she fought for breath.
"Haven't had to do anything like that for a while," she murmured when her breath finally found her lungs again.
"You alright?"
"I'm fine . Just dying here." She looked up at him with a cheeky grin, but he looked worried. "Daryl, I'm fine. I can take care of myself."
"Oh, you more'n proved that. Don't mean I still won't worry."
"Now you know what I feel like when you're out there." She straightened and ran her fingers through her short hair. He watched her, all glowing with sweat and breathing hard, and it stirred something inside of him. Even after fighting off walkers and running over a mile, he still found his body responding to his attraction to her.
She saw the look in his eyes and the redness in his cheeks, and her mouth twitched up in a smile.
"Really? Now?"
"Can't help it, woman."
"What is it?" she asked, with a quiet giggle as they walked down the road, her hand gripping his.
"What?"
"What's got you so…worked up?" He mumbled something, and she squeezed his hand. "What?"
"You're all…sweaty and breathin' hard. Reminds me of when we're…"
"Oh," she giggled.
"Is that stupid?"
"No," she said with a smile. "Surprising, but not stupid. I like that I get you all worked up." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"For a second I thought ya might think there was somethin' wrong with me. We're out here tryin' to figure out if our friends are dead or not, and all I can think about is getting back to that house and findin' a bed."
"Now that doesn't sound like such a bad idea." She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling in the dimming sunlight. "Come on. We'll have something to eat, settle down for the night, and we'll start fresh in the morning." They walked on toward the house in a comfortable silence, hoping they'd seen the last of walkers for one day.
When they arrived back at the house, they grabbed what things they needed for the night and checked all around the yard for any sign of walkers. Daryl thumped on the front door and pressed his ear against it, listening for any sign of danger.
"It's quiet," he said softly, thumping on the door a little louder. Carol peered around the area, making sure no walkers had heard Daryl's knocks. It was quiet, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Daryl jimmied the lock, and they walked inside to find dust on top of furniture. The place pretty much looked untouched. After checking each room and closet, the coast was clear, and they tossed their things on the couch and leaned against it, pleased they'd found some place that at least had a bed and some food in the cupboards.
Carol was the first into the bedroom, stripping off dusty comforter and folding it neatly at the foot of the bed. She sat down, stripping her boots and socks off, her feet aching more than usual. She sighed and watched as Daryl came in next, sitting down next to her on the bed. He kicked off his boots, and they sat there staring at each other. She suddenly laughed.
"What?"
"I think my feet hate me. I haven't been very nice to them today." She wiggled her sockless toes, and he gave her one of his signature half-grins. He patted his lap, and she swiveled in the bed, laying back against the pillow and propping her feet up in his lap. He took one foot at a time into his rough hands, gently squeezing. She closed her eyes, sighing at the feeling of his hands on her aching feet.
He watched her face, her lips twitching into a smile when his thumb moved up the ball of her foot. After several minutes, he placed her feet back on the bed, and she opened one eye to look at him.
"My whole body hurts," she murmured, her voice a little low. "Can you do something about that, too?" He snorted, and she chuckled. He moved to lay next to her on the bed, pulling her into his arms. She sighed, resting one hand on his cheek, staring into his deep blue eyes.
"You tired?"
"Very," she said quietly. He leaned in to kiss her forehead and then her nose and then her lips, and she moaned softly against his mouth. Just as his hand was moving down her back, they heard a shrill scream coming from outside. They both jumped up quickly from the bed, staring at each other in shocked silence before they heard another scream.
Carol and Daryl quickly pulled their socks and boots back on, ran through the house, grabbed their weapons and headed outside where it was getting dark already. Carol looked around for any sign of where the scream had come from, and Daryl peered into the trees, looking for anything to run after.
Another shrill scream, and they took off toward it, weapons drawn, hearts hammering in their chests. They ran into the woods, flashlights casting dancing, ghostly shadows against the trees. Another scream, this one closer and bloodcurdling, and Daryl stopped suddenly, shining his flashlight down into a small creek bed that was nearly dried up.
"What is it?" she whispered, moving to stand next to him, looking in the direction of Daryl's gaze. Down in the ravine was a group of six walkers huddled over a kicking, writhing body that was covered and blood, crying and begging for death.
"It's Beth," Daryl murmured, looking down at the young girl as she was ripped open by walkers. Carol choked back a sob, and the two of them rushed down, weapons out, and they felled all six walkers within minutes. Carol was the first to get to Beth's side as the young girl choked and gasped, her chest shuddering as she convulsed.
"Oh, Beth," Carol murmured, tears streaking her face. Beth's eyelids fluttered open, and she seemed to fix on Carol's face. She reached a hand up, stroking Carol's cheek, leaving a spread of blood there. Daryl moved toward them clutching a bloody arrow in his hand, and he fell to his knees next to them.
"Maggie? Did you see?" Beth asked between gasped.
"No, sweetheart," Carol said softly, squeezing the girl's hand.
"I think she's ok," Beth whispered. "I think…I think she got out." Daryl noticed the blood coming out in waves from her side, and he placed his hands there, trying to keep pressure on the wound.
"We'll keep looking," Carol promised.
"Judith? I remember her crying," Beth whimpered, her eyes filled with tears and fear.
"She's safe. She's safe," Daryl murmured, looking away as the feel of hot blood washing over his fingers continued. Beth's focus dimmed, and she stared up at the night sky. Her features relaxed, and Carol realized she was slipping into shock, something Hershel had told her all about.
"It doesn't hurt anymore," Beth murmured. "Daddy says that's a bad sign." She looked at Daryl and then at Carol. A brief smile flickered across her face before her features fell and her eyes drifted shut. "Daddy always said…" Her body went limp, and Carol covered her hand with her mouth, stifling her cries. Daryl felt bile rise in his throat, and he swallowed hard, fighting the urge to throw up. Carol was the one to stick her knife through Beth's temple, making sure she wouldn't turn.
"Daryl," Carol whimpered. "We can't leave her here." A noise from the bushes startled them both, and three walkers came out of nowhere, looming toward them. More were up above on the ravine. Daryl felt sick, but he stood, helping Carol to her feet.
"We ain't got a choice. We can't carry her. Not now. We'll come back tomorrow." They both knew there would be nothing left to come back to tomorrow, but they couldn't risk their lives to get her body somewhere safe to bury. With a hopeless nod, Carol squeezed his hand, and they began to run.
They ran toward a steep incline and pulled themselves up out of the creek bed. Walkers were coming from everywhere now, and they ran, hoping to get enough distance between them and the dead that they could grab their things and hit the road.
They ran up to the house, rushing inside, grabbing their packs, and they rushed to the car. Daryl jumped in the driver's side, started the car, and when Carol slid into the passenger's seat, he slammed the car in reverse, tore out of the drive and headed down the road as the walkers began to flood the highway behind them.
They stopped miles down the road, pulling into an old motel. Daryl went into the office first, gun drawn, and he came out holding a key to room 9. Carol took the key in her hands and was the first to approach the room. When they knew it was clear, they shut themselves up inside and climbed into the bed, lying next to each other, staring up at the ceiling.
Carol sighed, and Daryl turned on his side, watching her worry her lip between her teeth. She turned her head to look at him, tears in her eyes, and she shook her head.
"It's not fair," she said softly. "Beth was…she was…"
"Nothin' 'bout this life is fair," Daryl said quietly, blinking behind the hair that fell into his face. He peered at her, searching her eyes. "'Cept that I got you." He watched her wipe the tears from her eyes, and he brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping at a tear that had gotten away. "Hey." She turned on her side to face him, and he cradled her face in his hands, leaning in to kiss her. "I love you." She sighed against his lips before tucking herself into him, burying her face into his neck.
"I love you," she whispered softly. He held her, stroking her back for the longest time, before she finally pulled back. "I don't want to fall asleep." Daryl eyed her, his hands still caressing her back and her neck. "Don't let me go to sleep." The tears sparkled there still, and he felt her trembling.
"A'right," he murmured, kissing her softly.
"Just help me forget." He knew she was talking about Beth and watching the girl get ripped apart by those things. Her fingers threaded through the hair at the back of his neck, and she leaned in, kissing him desperately. "I just want to forget." Daryl nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. She was clinging to him now, and he'd never seen her quite like this. He didn't know if he should just let her cry or what. But her hands were working at his shirt now, and she was pressing into him, her lips trembling as she kissed him.
"Carol," he murmured, pulling back a little, watching her eyes fly open, seeing the hurt and the fear and the need to escape all at once.
"Please," she whispered.
"Shh," he murmured. "I'm here. I'm here." She clawed at his shirt now, and he sat up a little, sliding it up off of himself. They came together, their limbs moving in a sort of gentle clumsiness, clothes pulling in various directions, flesh sliding against flesh, lips caressing, fingers soothing aches they hadn't known were there.
He took his time with her, as desperately as she tried to urge him on. He moved his body against hers, slowly loving her, taking his time to show her how much he really loved her. He wanted her to feel that he could be there for her however she needed him.
When he kissed the valley between her breasts, she cried out his name softly, arching her back and pushing herself up against him. When he entered her, he held her so close, moved so gently, let her feel everything as if it were in slow motion.
And when they were spent, he held her in his arms, her head resting against his chest. Before they were both consumed by exhaustion and fell fast asleep, the last words he heard her say were "don't let me fall asleep."