Claimed – Chapter 25
I feel I needed the Dead White and Blue weekend to help recharge ye olde Bethyl batteries. Here's hoping I was right.
07/11 Update: Sorry for the false alarm. I apparently didn't proof this chapter as well as I thought I had. I read through it once it was posted and caught a ton of mistakes, and I wasn't even half way done. Disgusted with myself, I decided I absolutely could not let them just slide...my readers deserve better than that. So...once this chapter is back up to snuff, I'll continue on 26.
Daryl, Beth and Tyreese returned to the apartment building to find Ani and Jesse in Beth and Daryl's apartment, sitting next to each other on the couch, Judith asleep in her crib. They had found the crossword puzzle book Daryl discovered their first day there, and had apparently been working on solving puzzle after puzzle together. Beth grinned at the pair, looking awfully cozy on the couch, but kept her thoughts to herself, not wanting to embarrass the fledgling couple. Instead, she laid her crossbow on the dining room table and went to make dinner for the rest of the group.
While they ate, Daryl and Tyreese filled Ani and Jesse in on what had happened outside Terminus. The five of them went over the details of what was going to go down two days from now. They agreed that Ani would stay in the apartment with Judith. She would have a couple pistols with her. They would make sure all the apartments were locked, include the manager's apartment, to help ensure her safety.
Tyreese would hole up in the abandoned warehouse next to the tracks with his rifle and plenty of extra ammo. From this vantage point, he'd be able to see who was coming and going and be able to keep anyone unsavory from getting too close.
Since they were all the fastest moving of the group, Beth, Daryl and Jesse would be the ones to actually sneak into Terminus with the help of Patrick and Scott. Scott's wife Christy would be helping from the inside, making sure doors were unlocked that needed to be. According to Scott, Christy was one of the few medics at Terminus, so she was granted access to almost all parts of the compound.
Beth was nervous about the whole undertaking. Even though they'd be doing most of their work after sunset, under the cover of darkness and evening shadows, there was a lot of risk involved. She wanted to trust Daryl, trust the plans they were finalizing; she wanted to be proved wrong.
Once everyone was sure of what was expected, they went to their respective rooms, as had become routine, bidding each other good night. Beth settled Judith in her crib, giving her a bottle of water to drink as she fell asleep. She stood at the crib, staring down at the little girl, softly humming an old lullaby as she watched the baby's eyes start to droop sleepily.
Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world, heard in the day,
Lull'd by the moonlight have all pass'd away!
Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life's busy throng,
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Even after Judith had stopped sucking on the bottle and started dozing, Beth stayed by her crib, just watching her sleep, her face so peaceful. Beth reached down and gently took the bottle from her, placing it in the corner of the crib for easy access if Judith decided she needed it again.
Beth felt Daryl come up behind her, pressing close to her, his hands sliding from her hips to close around her waist. She loved this feeling, of safety and security while wrapped snugly in his arms. She smiled and wriggled against him as his lips found her shoulder and left a trail of kisses along her neck and jawline; his beard was delightfully abrasive against her sensitive skin. His mouth found her earlobe, biting down gently before swirling his tongue along the shell of her ear. She felt him chuckle wickedly and smile against her as his hand snaked up her stomach, coming to rest on her breast, his fingers teasing and lightly twisting her nipple before reaching across and paying attention to the other side. She let her head drop back to rest on his broad shoulder, granting his mouth all the access he wanted to her neck.
His other hand began to drift southward, brushing against the button of her jeans, when she gasped and suddenly turned around, facing him and pressing her breasts against his strong chest and wrapping her arms around his neck. She smiled as she kissed him, her tongue sliding into his mouth easily and relishing the taste of him.
He brought one hand to cup the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair. He turned them together and took a step closer to her, then another, until she finally took the hint and stepped backward, letting him lead her into the bedroom, never breaking their kiss. As they crossed into the bedroom, Daryl reached back and closed the door behind them before continuing to guide her toward the bed. She sat on the mattress when the back of her knees found the edge of the bed, breaking their kiss. Her hands immediately sought his belt buckle, which she quickly undid and moved on to the button and fly of his jeans. His hands gripped her wrists suddenly and asked, "What's the hurry, sweetheart?"
She looked up at him through her eyelashes and smiled sweetly. "No hurry, really. Just want to give my man some pleasure. Is that so bad?"
Daryl dropped a kiss to her lips and answered, "No, not bad at all, and I'm more than happy to go along with ya on that, but you mind if I take care of you a little first?" He smiled sexily at her and waggled his eyebrows at her.
Beth's face fell, her hands dropping to her lap. "I don't think that's such a good idea," she said, a little forlornly.
Daryl knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. "What's wrong, baby?" his voice thick with concern. He searched her face for a clue as to what could be upsetting her. She fixed him with a pointed look, raising her eyebrows purposefully. After a moment of wracking his brain for what she was trying to tell him, he said, "Oh," then he thought a little longer and added another, more understanding, "OH!"
Beth's eyes dropped to their joined hands and she mumbled, "Yeah...I'm sorry, Daryl."
"Ain't got nothin' to be sorry for," Daryl gazed up at her. "Are you okay? Do you need anything? I can head down to that convenience store down the street if you..."
Beth cut him off, "No, I have everything taken care of. Stocked up when we were there the other day." She smiled at his surprised look. "I told you I could be sneaky, too." She giggled when he narrowed his eyes at her, but still kept grinning up at her. "I just feel bad."
Daryl's eyebrows knitted together. "What's a matter?" he asked as he moved to sit next to her, keeping one hand in her lap, the other wrapping around her shoulders, holding her close.
Beth took a deep breath, then released it, before looking up at him again. "I hate not being able to do anything with you. Now that I know what I'm missing, I REALLY hate not being able to."
Daryl chuckled as he rubbed his hand along her upper arm. "It's really, okay, darlin'. I hope you don't think I expect to have sex every night."
"You don't?"
Daryl was a little hurt that she ever thought he would expect anything from her. "Of course not," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "Don't get me wrong, I love being with you like that...and I'd never ever turn it down...but if there's ever a time you don't feel like it, you can tell me...any day of the month," he added, hoping she understood he meant not just one week a month.
She nodded, giving him a small smile. "Do you still want me too..." she began, looking down at his crotch suggestively.
Daryl shook his head, "Nah, s'alright. Tell you what, if I can't do for you, you don't have to do for me either."
Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? Are you sure?"
"Darlin'," he said laughingly, pulling her close, "like I said, I'm not gonna turn it down, but I'm not expecting it at all. We'll just take a night off tonight and see what happens tomorrow, okay?" Beth nodded against his shoulder. "Alright. Let's get to bed, huh?"
They changed into their sleepwear and slipped into bed together. Daryl offered his arm, and Beth laid her head against his bicep, curling into him, her hand resting on his chest. He brought his hand up to her face, smoothing back her hair before caressing her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her softly, whispering "I love you," against her lips.
She smiled, not hesitant at all anymore now that Daryl had relieved any pressure on her to perform, so to speak. "I love you, too. So much. I do feel bad, though."
Beth could hear the smirk Daryl gave her as he spoke. "For what? For not having sex? Beth..."
"Well, that," she interrupted. "But not just that. Since I started I've just been thinking about what we talked about the other night." When he didn't answer right away, she added, "About us starting a family. You sounded kind of excited about having a baby. And for a while...I really hoped we were."
Daryl pulled her close, wrapping both arms around her, and kissed her forehead, her cheek, the tip of her nose, covering her face with kisses before landing on her delicious lips. "Beth, it's okay. It's not like this is the best world to have a baby in anyway. I ain't goin' nowhere, I swear, as long as you want me." And even after, he thought. He knew he'd love this woman the rest of their lives, whether they were together or not.
Beth kissed him again. "I'm not going anywhere, either. And I'm always going to want you," she whispered the last part and pulled in close to him, feeling his heartbeat against her cheek.
They shared a quiet moment as he traced long slow patterns against her back, completely lost in thoughts of her. He was so in love with this woman wrapped in his arms, and it excited and terrified him at the same time, all the while calmed by her very presence. He had always considered himself a loner, never wanting or needing another person to depend on, or to depend on him. Now he hated any time he spent away from her; even going out and hunting wasn't the same without her. He couldn't imagine his life without her, and knew he'd fight to the death to protect her and to keep her with him. He was never letting go of her again. After a long while Daryl spoke, "You still awake?" He turned his head, trying to look down into her face. Her eyes met his, and took that as a yes. "I been thinkin'...seems to me there's only one way to go from here."
Beth looked at him, her eyes full of worry and concern. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, you're mine, I'm yours. Neither of us are goin' anywhere. Didja ever think about getting married?"
Beth shot up to a sitting position, looking down at him in near disbelief. "Are you serious?"
Daryl smirked up at her, "Well...yeah. Why not?"
"Did you just ask me to marry you?" Beth asked incredulously.
He sat up to meet her. "Not necessarily. Just askin' if you ever thought about it."
Beth looked at him skeptically. She knew he already knew the answer to that. They had talked about it on the porch of the moonshine shack, how she had wished Maggie and Glenn would have a baby, and her dad would have lots of grandbabies running around. Surely he knew she'd wanted that too, she just didn't have anyone to share that dream with...until now. "Yes...yes, I've definitely thought about getting married. Just didn't think it was all the possible being the end of the world and all."
Daryl grinned, "Hey, stranger things have happened."
"Oh yeah, like what?" Beth challenged.
Daryl thought a minute, trying to find the perfect words to show her exactly what he was feeling. He finally answered, in a low voice, "Like an old redneck, who falls in love with a beautiful girl, loses her and finds her again...and has the chance to spend the rest of his life with her." He looked up at her, his eyes partially hidden behind his shaggy hair. He would swear he could see tears welling up in her eyes. "Shit, Beth, don't cry." He raise his hand to cup her face before drawing her in for a kiss.
"I can't help it. Hormones, remember?" she laughed softly against his lips. She pulled back slightly and sighed, "Oh, Daryl, I love you so much," before returning to kiss him again. She felt his arms wrap around her waist as he brought the two of them back toward the mattress.
"C'mon, sweetheart. Let's get some sleep. We got a big couple of days ahead of us," he kissed her one more time before positioning her back against his arm, cuddling around her, cocooned together in the thick comforter. He heard her sigh happily, her breath ghosting across his chest. "Good night, Beth. Sweet dreams."
Beth grinned against him. "Only if they're of you." It took her no time to fall asleep, a smile curving her lips upward as she drifted into beautiful dreams of him.
XXXXX
Daryl had left early the next morning. Beth didn't even remember him leaving; no kiss goodbye, no note, nothing. All she found was an empty pillow next to her when she finally woke up. She wouldn't worry, though. Deep down she knew he would never leave her again, not intentionally. Her heart skipped a beat as she recalled their brief conversation from last night and a wide smile crossed her face. Had Daryl really asked her if she wanted to get married? The man never ceased to surprise her. She knew he had a romantic side, and this most recent development only proved that.
The only sadness about the whole thing was that she didn't really have anyone to share her news with…well, her almost news, anyway. She wanted nothing more than to run to Maggie and tell her, to let her share in her excitement. She swallowed back any tears that were about to fall. If everything went well tomorrow, if Maggie was in fact stuck in Terminus and they were able to get her and everyone else out, then she would have her chance – she would have her sister back.
A brief sadness came over Beth when she thought of Maggie. She remembered seeing the signs for Terminus, always followed by a message from Maggie to Glenn to find her at Terminus. Beth could understand her sister wanting to find Glenn so badly. If she were separated from Daryl, she would do everything in her power to find him again. Still…why hadn't Maggie been looking for her? Beth had always held out hope that she'd be reunited with her family, both blood relative and her adopted prison family. She shook off the feeling that threatened to weigh her down as she threw the covers off her and got dressed to start her day. She gathered Judith and got her dressed then brought her to the common room to find Ani making a small breakfast. Judging by the empty cans in the trash bag they had started, the boys had already eaten.
"Any idea where the guys are?" Beth queried as she broke up some crackers for Judith to chew on.
"No. Jesse was already gone when I woke up. I haven't seen Tyreese either. Maybe they went out hunting or went to find stuff for tomorrow," Ani answered.
Beth's face was lined with concern. "Huh. That's really weird. Why couldn't they have left a note? Idiot boys." Beth grumbled, her frustration with the situation clearly evident.
"That they are," Ani agreed, almost laughing. "I'm sure they're fine, though. They can all take care of themselves, so the three of them together will be okay, don't you think?"
"I hope so," Beth answered, handing Judith another cracker to gnaw on. "So, I was thinking, if we're getting everyone out of Terminus tomorrow, they're going to need a place to stay. Would you mind helping me clean up the apartments so everyone can just move right in?"
"Sure," Ani smiled. "It's not like I've got much else to do."
They found a couple brooms, along with dust rags and pledge. The rooms didn't have to be spick and span spotless, but after the rest of the group had been through God knows what, Beth thought it would be nice for them to come home and have somewhere clean and safe to sleep. The girls worked together, starting at one end of the hallway and making their way down. Most of the apartments were decently clean anyway, just needing a once over to freshen them up. If she thought it would be safe, Beth would have taken the boards down from the windows and opened the rooms up to air them out a little. She thought better of it, wanting to be safe rather than sorry. Ani had found a couple cans of glade, which definitely helped, at least for the moment.
A thought popped into Beth's head, one that wouldn't go away until she addressed it. "Ani, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. Shoot."
Crap...how was she supposed to start this without making Ani feel bad. "Um...it's just something I've noticed, and I'm just being nosy."
Ani looked at her, her dark eyes searching. "Just ask. If I don't want to answer I won't."
"Well...since you've been here, you always volunteer to stay inside. I totally get wanting to stay safe, but...it feels like you're afraid to go outside. What's going on?"
Ani stayed quiet a moment, and Beth immediately regretted asking. She was about to take the question back, to forget the whole thing when Ani said softly, "It's the smell."
Beth was puzzled. "The smell?"
Ani nodded, "That dead smell that hangs everywhere. When I went home looking for my family, that was all I found – the smell. I fell apart there in my living room. My whole family was gone. I was ready to just give up. I heard one of those things moving in one of the bedrooms, growling and moaning. Whoever it was, they weren't human, not anymore. I didn't want to wait around to see if it was what was left of my family, so I ran; ran down the street until I found someone else, someone alive. That's how I wound up at the school; how I met Jesse." She looked down, "I know it sounds stupid, but with all those things walking around, the air just reeks of them, and I can't stand it." As she finished her story, a tear was rolling down her cheek.
Beth put an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. "It's not stupid," Beth promised. "I'm so sorry I asked. I didn't mean to make you upset."
"No, it's alright. It feels good to talk about it sometimes," Ani sniffed.
After a moment of the two drawing comfort from each other, Beth backed up, picking up the broom she had set down, smiled, and together, they went back to cleaning.
As they worked, they sang songs they remembered from their former lives, laughing when they had to resort to made up words when the actual lyrics escaped them. "God, I miss my iPod," Beth complained. Ani nodded in agreement.
"I miss Netflix. I loved binge watching shows on streaming." Ani said, wistfully. "And Snickers bars. I would kill for a Snickers right now."
Beth laughed, "Hey, don't look at me. I'm a Twizzler's girl." They laughed together and continued working.
They had saved the gamer's room for last, knowing that one would take the longest time to clean out. They were just starting to make some headway in the messy apartment when Tyreese and Jesse returned, each carrying a bag of supplies.
"Where were you two?" Beth asked, trying not to let the worry in her voice be heard. She didn't want to come across as a nagging wife or mother or anything like that, but she couldn't help but be annoyed that they had all just up and left without any notice or thought for her and Ani.
The two men looked at each other, a silent conversation passing between them, before Tyreese answered, "Just went around town, gathering more supplies. Figured if more people are showing up, we're gonna need to feed 'em."
Beth's eyes narrowed, trying to determine if he was hiding something from her. "Where's Daryl, then?"
"Probably out hunting," Jesse suggested. "We, uh…we haven't seen him in a while," he continued, trying to hide a smile.
Beth knew something was up, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She'd play along for now. "You guys have any trouble out there? Did you find everything you needed for tomorrow?"
"No, nothing happened that we couldn't handle," Tyreese replied with a grin. "Best get all this stuff put away. Start figuring stuff out for dinner. Comin' Jesse?"
Jesse nodded, "Yup. Right behind ya," and they quickly left the room.
Beth and Ani looked at each other. "What the heck was that all about?" Ani asked.
"I have no idea," Beth answered, "but I can't wait to find out. Let's finish this room up and get some dinner."
XXXXX
Beth had waited up as long as she could. She played solitaire, finished crossword puzzles, straightened up their apartment, until the light was just too dim to do anything else. She had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for Daryl to return. She had no idea how long she had been out when she felt his arms cradle her to his chest and carry her to the bedroom. She felt him carefully tuck her in before slipping into bed next to her. She instinctively reached for him, sliding her arm across his chest and pulling herself close to him. "Where were you?" she breathed sleepily.
Daryl kissed her forehead and wrapped his arm around her torso. "Out taking care of things. Took longer than I thought."
"I missed you," she said through a yawn. "I was worried."
"I know sweetheart. I missed you, too. I'm back now. No need to worry. Go back to sleep. Got a big day tomorrow."
Beth only nodded against his chest, feeling sleep pull at her again. "G'night," she murmured.
Daryl chuckled and held her close. "Good night, Beth."
XXXXX
The next day was full of nervous excitement. They spent a good part of their day reviewing every step they needed to take to make this mission a success. While they talked, Daryl decided they all probably needed to clean their guns, make sure they were in good working order.
As the day drew on, and the sun reached and passed its apex in the sky, the five of them grew quiet with tension, with anxiety. They knew better than to let fear sink too far into their minds. They ate a hearty lunch in near silence. If they were to meet up with Patrick and Scott just before sundown, they wouldn't have time to eat any kind of dinner, so it was best to eat up now. As the sun touched the tops of the trees, Daryl alerted everyone that it was time to get going.
Ani wished them all good luck. Tyreese, Daryl and Beth all hugged and kissed Judith and were met with a chorus of "Ba's" and "Da's" in response. Jesse stood awkwardly in front of Ani, as if he couldn't decide what do to. Finally Ani stepped up and hugged him, and he hesitantly let his arms close around her, just barely touching her, before he relaxed into a hug and pulled her close. Beth took the sight of the two of them in, but remained reticent as she loved on Judith and returned her to her toys in the play pen.
Tyreese walked with Beth, Daryl and Jesse toward the train tracks, wishing them all luck as he took his place in the second story of the warehouse on the edge of town. As the three of them began their trek toward Terminus, Daryl turned back and saw him in the window, keeping a distant watch over them, and waved. He readjusted the bag on his shoulders, settled his crossbow against his back, and led them toward the meeting place.
No one spoke much as they drew closer to their destination, just warnings here and there of uneven terrain or to comment on how the weather was actually agreeing with them and refused to grow too hot. The sun was still hanging well above the horizon when they arrived at the deer stand. Daryl knew they had arrived earlier than he'd planned, but it wouldn't hurt to rest up a little before the other two joined them. He motioned for them all to sit, to take a load off and catch their breath while they waited for Patrick and Scott.
Jesse leaned up against a tree, crossing his legs in front of him and fiddled with the straps on his backpack. Beth sat opposite him, and Daryl joined her, their legs resting along each other. She forced a smile up at him as he took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. "Y'alright?" he asked gruffly.
Beth nodded, "Yeah. Just nervous. Hope the other two show up soon. I hate the waiting."
Daryl squeezed her hand, "They'll be here. Don't worry. We'll be fine, in and out. You'll see." Beth met his gaze again, the anxiety in her eyes met with his confidence. He pressed a kiss to her temple. It did little to calm her nerves, but it was something, an anchor for her, a lifeline to help bolster her resolve.
The three of them didn't have to wait long before Patrick and Scott appeared. Apparently they were just as anxious to get the mission underway. They all greeted each other. "Ya ready for this?" Patrick asked.
"Bout as ready as we're gonna be," Daryl replied.
Beth spoke up, "Where's Christy? I thought your wife was helping." She looked at Scott, waiting for his answer.
"She couldn't get off duty to meet you all out here," Scott answered. "It would have been too suspicious. 'Sides, she can do more help on the inside, anyway. If anything goes south, she'll be right there to help, plus she can get you in and out and try to keep some of the Termites distracted."
Beth felt the flutter of nervousness in her stomach again. Not trusting her voice, she only nodded her head in understanding. She hadn't thought much about how this whole plan could go so wrong. They were all severely outnumbered, and they were trusting these two men who could just as easily be leading them to their death rather than helping their friends escape. Beth wasn't sure where this sudden lack of faith was coming from, though if she had to guess it would have started when those awful men had taken her away from Daryl. Now, about to be surrounded by strangers again, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Maybe there was still time to...no, she thought. She had to be strong. Daryl and Jesse, Scott and Patrick...Maggie...they were all counting on her to do her part. She wouldn't let them down, wouldn't chicken out. She raised her chin stubbornly, steeling her nerve, breathed deeply, and prepared for what was to come, what was expected of her.
"We gotta wait out here for a while. They'll be running a fence check just before sunset," Patrick explained. "Once that's done, the night watch will be keeping their eyes on the main entrance. We'll be coming in under their radar, off to the side...near the holding crates. You brought the cutters, right?" Jesse reached behind him to the bolt cutters he had brought with him and presented them to Patrick. "Right on, man. Alright, before we go..." Patrick began as he headed toward the tree with the deer stand. He scaled the ladder; once he reached the top, he bent down and picked up the rope and started coiling it neatly before settling it on his shoulder and returning to the ground.
Daryl looked at him curiously, "What's the rope for, man?"
"Hey, ya never know," Patrick grinned at him, almost as if there was an inside joke that no one else was privy to.
The sun continued its slow fall toward the horizon. The group went over their plan once more, ensuring everyone was on the same page with no questions or last minute forgetfulness. They made their way toward the fence, creeping as near as they dared, making sure to stay hidden in the foliage of the surrounding forest. Eventually, a man armed with a semi-automatic rifle came into view, checking over the fence thoroughly. Beth heard Patrick whisper, "Like clockwork. Won't be long now. Ya ready, girlie?" He looked to Beth for her answer. She glanced up and down their small line of attack, and nodded quickly, trying not to let her fear show. Patrick just grinned at her. "Don't you worry. We'll be fine. In and out. You'll see."
Beth frowned slightly at his words, almost a direct quote from what Daryl had told her earlier. She shook her head, disregarding the obvious coincidence, and focused on the task ahead of her.
Once the armed man was out of sight and the last rays of light faded around them, Patrick stood slowly and gestured to the rest of the group to follow suit. He led them a little further down the fence to where there was a little more cover. Once he found a satisfactory spot, he motioned for Jesse to get to work cutting into the chain link fence in front of them. He worked quickly, creating a gap large enough for them to sneak through, but not so big to be noticed right away by humans or walkers.
Once inside, they prepared to set their plan into action. Beth readied herself to make her way toward the large building ahead of her; inside were those Gareth considered the most dangerous. Scott had told most of these people had showed up alone, or had tried to escape, and so, were kept in this solitary confinement where a sharper eye could be kept on them. She looked in front of her, deciding which path would keep her hidden the longest, when she felt a hand close around her upper arm. She was so transfixed on the task at hand that she hadn't heard Daryl approach her; she jumped slightly at his touch. Realizing who it was, she instantly relaxed. He pulled her close to him, crushing a hard kiss against her lips, briefly sliding his tongue between her lips, which had parted in surprise.
Daryl rested his forehead against hers, his eyes never leaving hers. "No goodbyes, right? You'll be alright, you've got this. I'll see you soon."
Beth nodded then kissed him quickly once more. "I love you."
"Love you, too," Daryl said before straightening his back and rolling his shoulders back. "Let's do this, huh?" he smirked at her.
Encouraged by his own confidence, Beth stepped back and started making her way toward the entrance she needed. She tested the door and was thankful to find it unlocked. She chanced a glance behind her and saw the four men sneaking from behind the box car, making their way toward the guards. She watched as Patrick approached one of the men on guard, bringing him into a conversation about who knows what, distracting him so the other three could make their move. Beth pushed through the doorway, trusting the men to release whoever was being held in that box car and take care of any Termites that got in their way.
As she entered the building, dimly lit by candles lining the walls, she saw a woman standing at the far end of the hallway, and Beth's breath left her. There in front of her was the woman from the picture frame – Christy. She had a warm face, though now it was crossed with alarm at Beth's sudden intrusion. Beth swallowed hard, trying to find her voice, and softly called out to her, "Christy? I'm Beth .Scott said..."
She was cut off by Christy shushing her abruptly. The woman briskly moved down the hall, wrapping Beth in a surprising hug, rapidly whispering into her ear, "Shh! Gareth just left. If he were to find you in here...if he knew what was going on outside...we've got to be quick and quiet. Gareth took them...he took all but one."
"Took them where?" Beth asked, trying not to panic.
"To their trial. It won't be long before he..." Christy began, before looking down at the floor sadly. "They call this hall 'The Last Walk.' I'm sure you can imagine why. Gareth never lets them last long if they end up in here. I'm only supposed to be in here to check on the one he left. I've got to go before he gets suspicious. I'll meet you out by the fence once everything is clear on this end. There's one more left, a woman, second door on the right. Good luck."
Beth watched as Christy hurried down the hall and out the opposite door. Breathing deeply to try to control her heart rate, she turned and moved to the door Christy had indicated. Beth turned the knob and threw the door open, as she had seen Daryl do when clearing a room of walkers. Open the door quickly and back up so you could get the drop on whatever was inside. When nothing happened, Beth moved to the other side of the door, peering into the small room. In the darkness, she saw a slight figure moving toward her, slowly, unsure. Beth stayed her ground, pulling her knife out of its holster. "Come on out, it's safe," she motioned with her hand. As the woman stepped closer, Beth tightened her grip on the handle of her knife, bracing for whatever might happen next. She all but dropped her weapon as her eyes finally focused on who she had just rescued...
Carol.
XXXXX
Patrick made his way to the men on guard outside the box car Gareth was using as a holding pen. He didn't know exactly who was inside, but he did know there were easily a dozen people being held captive in there. He flashed his customary smirk as he drew closer, acting as if he had every reason in the world to be there this time of night. "Hey, Jim!"
"O'Connor? What the hell are you doing down this end?" the man responded in obvious surprise.
"Oh, ya know, just out for an evening stroll. Enjoying the weather."
Jim apparently wasn't taking the bait. His grip tightened on his weapon, "Oh yeah? And you need your gun and...rope...for a stroll, huh?"
Patrick swallowed as he realized the conversation had attracted the rest of the guards. Gareth had increased security around the box car with such a large group waiting inside. "Hey, ya never know, right?" he said with a shrug.
Just by that, Daryl, Jesse and Scott rushed the rest of the guards. They had agreed to avoid killing anyone if they could, so the first guards went down quickly, all receiving blows to the back of the head, dropping them instantly. The other three guards turned to see what the commotion was. Daryl quickly threw a right hook, smashing into one man's nose, stopping the man in his tracks.
Scott, Daryl, Jesse and Patrick ended the scuffle quickly, easily incapacitating the guards that were left standing. Daryl panted and smiled; not a shot had been fired.
"And you wondered what the rope was for?" Patrick said with a laugh as he started dragging all the guards together into a circle, leaning them against each other, back to back. Daryl and Scott helped him tie the men together. Jesse rushed over with his bolt cutters and started working on the chain holding the door shut. The chain slid to the ground with a loud CLINK, and Jesse swore, looking around apologetically. He worked to slide the door open and stepped back down the steps. Daryl abandoned the task of tying the guards to head into the box car.
Daryl stepped slowly into the car, his gun drawn, hoping those inside wouldn't confuse him for one of their captors and attack him. As he stood there, the figures before him began to walk toward him. He held his breath as they drew closer, his eyes wide, searching for someone he recognized. It was so damn dark in the train car, he could feel himself tense with the uncertainty of the whole situation. Finally, a voice broke the strained silence, "Daryl?"
His breath rushed out of his lungs. He'd know that voice anywhere. There standing in front of him was Rick; behind him, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Carl. Christ, they were all here, except for Carol; there were three faces he didn't recognize, but he didn't question their presence there. A whispered, "Holy shit," escaped him as he stepped forward and hugged Rick tightly, as if they were long lost brothers. They clapped each other on the back before parting, trying like hell to keep an air of manliness between them.
Daryl cleared his throat and told the group, "We need to get outta here. No telling how much time we have before these assholes get wise to what we're doing. Follow Patrick and Scott here, they'll get you to the fence, and Jesse here will get you back to the train tracks." They didn't wait for any more instruction; they all headed down the steps and followed Patrick toward the hole in the fence, which was being held open by Scott.
The group was on their way to escape, lining up at the fence waiting to get out, when Daryl heard footsteps approaching behind him. He turned, drawing his gun up again and aiming toward the sound. He immediately relaxed as he saw the silhouette of a slim figure jogging toward him, pony tail bouncing behind her. As she got closer, he shouldered his weapon and held his arms open to her. Beth had made it; she ran into his embrace, kissing him as if they hadn't seen each other in days, when the whole process had actually only taken maybe a half hour. As he set her down, he looked behind her and his breath left him again.
There was Carol and a woman he faintly recognized from the picture frame in the bedroom he and Beth had been sharing. The other woman, who he assumed was Christy, rushed past him and on to Scott, who immediately caught her in his arms. Carol's pace slowed as she saw the exchange between Daryl and Beth, and she brushed by them toward the rest of the group trying to escape.
Daryl clenched his jaw in frustration at the woman. Even after being rescued, Carol couldn't be bothered to say two words to them? Not wanting to spend any more time worrying about her, he grabbed Beth's hand and led her to the fence. By this time, nearly everyone was well on their way through the woods and on the way toward the train tracks.
Daryl and Scott were the last two out. As they crossed into the tree line they heard running footsteps on the concrete behind them, angry shouts, and the RAT-TAT-TAT of gunfire chasing them. Daryl hoped the cover of the forest and the cloak of night time would be enough for them to escape. They, literally and figuratively, were not out of the woods yet.
Whew! I think this is my longest chapter yet. What'd you think? Also, this is one chapter I actually created a playlist for (called "Let's Kick some ASS!") It's rife with alternative, lots of Sugar Ray (their Floored album, not the bubble gum, pop stuff), Cake, Disturbed, etc...with the Boondock Saints soundtracks mixed in. Good music to just get your blood pumping, ya know?
As per usual, I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead. Ani, Christy and Scott are all based on real people; Jesse and Patrick, well...I'm sure you can guess...
And by the way, if you think their escape was too easy, you're right...they aren't safe at home yet. Not giving anything away, but they've still got to make it back to the town...who knows what may happen.
Thanks to all my followers, reviewers and favorite-ers! I can not tell you how happy my heart is when I get those little email updates that someone else has reviewed or has started following me. I've noticed more and more people adding me as a favorite author, and I am completely humbled by it! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
That said, be sure and let me know what you think! Also, shameless plug for Second Chance, my other story that I'm co-authoring with Remi Savant. Go check it out!