Days had already passed, since Daryl had that heart-to-heart conversation with his older brother. And still, even after Merle's help and support, he didn't know how to form the question, the words and how he should start that uncomfortable topic.
Daryl didn't want to ask Beth that one question, if she wanted to be his girlfriend. Even when just the thought about it caused his heart to skip a beat and this warm shiver ran down his back every time he saw her. No, he just wanted to ask her what they will do, if someone will ever find out their little secret.
They should really talk about it before this scenario will really happen, before it will be too late. Daryl didn't know why he was so damn afraid about that conversation, even when he already knew right now, that one day it had to come. He just wanted everything to stay like it was at the moment, even when he also already knew, that this wasn't possible.
And Daryl should be more than just right with that feeling, when one cloudy afternoon changed their all lives. He was just working by one of the cars close to the C-Block, when he could hear a gunshot.
Shocked and confused, Daryl looked into the direction he had heard the shot coming from, asking himself if he had just imagined it or maybe the sound had come from something different. He didn't know anything about shooting lessons today or something like that and since weeks there weren't more than twenty walkers at the same time on their property. So there was really no use for protecting themselves with guns.
"Damn, have you heard that?" Merle's shocked and also tensed voice got to Daryl's ears, just three seconds after the happening. He had also heard it, Daryl hadn't just imagine it. Fuck, what was going on here, Daryl asked himself desperately, already feeling how this awful feeling of being unknown filled his whole body. And the noise also didn't come from something different. Hell, it as a gunshot and it came directly from one of the buildings. They got attacked.
"Warn the people inside this building. I will evaluate the C-Block and then I will find the shooter." Daryl commented his older brother and like he had told, the two men ran as fast as possible to their destinations. Before Daryl will look for the bastard, who was trying to attack his family and friends, and make it a quick end, he had to search for Beth. To make sure, she was alright.
He had seen her with Judith together in her cell the last time. This was already over one hour ago, she could be everywhere now, but he still hoped to find her there.
On his way, Daryl told the people to go back into their cells and lock them. He had already locked the front door to the building, so no danger could come inside any more. Everyone was worried, scared and hysterical, but at least they did what their leader had told them.
With a fast raising heart and holding back his breath, Daryl took three steps at once and finally he got closer and closer to her cell. "Beth." He said, when he was close enough, but his worst expectation was right. She and the baby weren't there any more.
Shit, what should he do now? Where should he start to look for her? He needs the knowing of her safety, before he will go hunting that bastard, who attacks their all home. Desperately and damn worried, Daryl moved with his fingers trough his hair, thinking about where she could be. And if Beth had maybe told him this morning, what she wanted to do today.
And then it suddenly hit him like a slap into his face. The children. Beth had probably heard the shot and looked for the prison's children to get them all safe. But where? Getting also damn scared and horrified like the rest, Daryl nervously asked the next people he saw, if they have seen Beth somewhere.
No one could give him an answer to his question, instead they asked questions about what was going on. Questions Daryl wasn't able to answer them right now. He just told them to stay calm and do what he had told them. Where the hell was Beth, Daryl asked himself shortly before getting insane of worry, when it hit him once more.
Of course, the library. The room wasn't too big, clear, in the second floor and just one door to enter. It was a perfect hiding place.
As fast as his feet could take him, Daryl ran full speed out of the C-Block and into the one just a few feet away. He took again three steps at once, while he headed upstairs and braid to God for Beth and the children being really there.
When he finally stopped in front of the closed door, he really had to force himself to knock carefully against the old wood to not scary them all even more, and breathless he said quietly "Beth. Are you inside there? Beth?" Daryl couldn't really hear any noises coming from inside, so fast the blood was running trough his ears.
But finally, even when he hadn't heard her light steps, Beth's voice was audible. "Yes, we are inside here Daryl." She let him know, before she quickly unlocked and opened the door for him. "Are you alright?" Daryl asked still all worried, while he slipped inside the room and Beth closed and locked the door behind him instantly again.
Like he had already thought, all the children, also Carl, about his being Daryl was also damn worried, were sitting in the very corner of the room behind some bookshelves. Also Hershel was sitting on one of the old chairs, little Judith safe in his arms.
"Yeah, we are alright. Have read out loud a story for them to keep them calm. I have looked for the children the second I have heard the shot. What's going on Daryl? Who has shot?" Beth asked, the worry in her voice and face was more than just present.
"I don't know. First I wanted to know your safety, before I will search. Stay here and protect the children. You have a weapon, a gun?" Daryl asked her and when she showed him the knife and gun on the belt by her hip, he felt a little more relieved. Knowing she was safe for now.
After Daryl had given Beth a quick nod, he was just on his way out of the library, when she told him "I will come with you and help you, Daryl." It was meant more than determined, it wasn't just an offer.
"Hell, no. You will stay here, sweetheart. Knowing you being out there in danger is the last thing I want." Daryl said, even when it wasn't so easy for him to say no for the first time to this big, beautiful eyes. Even when there were also hints of worry, angst and unknown now.
Beth kept quiet, knowing that when he had said no once and even for the first time, nothing could change his mind anymore. Instead, she looked all worried and scared up at him. She really tried to be strong for the children, but in front of him she showed how damn terrified she really was.
When her eyes slowly felt with tears, Daryl gave a damn about the fact, that her father was sitting just a few feet away, when he took her tight into his arms for some moments. "Don't be worried, sweetheart. Everything will be good, but I have to go now."
Before they loosened their embrace, Daryl placed a quick kiss on top of her golden locks, hating to see her so worried. "Promise me to come save back Daryl." Beth begged him with trembling lips.
"I will sweetheart, I will. Stay inside here and only open the door, when its me." Daryl commented her, before he finally really left and headed out of the building and into the direction of where the shot was coming from. He had to take the pictures in front of his inner eyes of Beth's expression and angst away, to focus on the dangerous situation he was just running into.
In the distance, he could see Merle and Rick trying to bring the rest of the people, who were still outside the buildings and hadn't noticed anything till now, out of danger. At least Daryl knew that everything was working outside here and he had to bring the attacker down now.
On his way, while getting past the armoury, he had taken himself a machine gun. With this weapon close to his eyes, he finally entered the old building. His crossbow he had over his back and a knife fastened by his belt, he was searching quickly but also quiet every room.
Nothing unusual or dangerous, nothing dead or alive, he could find in any of the rooms, while he got deeper and deeper inside the building. It was so quiet, so damn quiet. Almost too quiet. Daryl just hated this building. Especially when he passed by the place Hershel had got bitten and where he had to cut off the old man's leg.
Daryl just began to think, that it was maybe a really damn, stupid joke from one of the teenager kids inside here, who just wanted to try one of the guns they have probably stolen, when a man's voice said behind his back "Oh, look at who we have here. The leader highly personal."
Quickly Daryl turned around into the direction the voice was coming from. A man, probably a little older than himself, with an eye patch and a damn stupid smile in his face, was standing in front of him. The weapon in the man's hand was directly aimed at Daryl's chest.
His smile grow even bigger, when he saw Daryl getting it, that he was in a trap. There was no way out of here. "You are the bastard, who calls himself the Governor, right?" Daryl asked pissed, he should have known it before.
A charming, but also very false laugh came from the other man's lips, while he looked all happily at the hunter. Confident of victory, almost being proud about that Daryl had recognized him in the very first moment, the Governor answered "And you are Daryl, the new leader, right?"
He didn't say anything, just narrowed the man in front of him sharp with his eyes. Like he loved it to hear himself talking, the Governor went on like they weren't in such a tensed, dangerous situation "You know, it wasn't myself, who has chosen this name. It were the people. The people I have saved over years. I have given a home. Food, water, medicine. Just everything they needed. And then you have stolen them away from me. They are mine."
The man didn't have to tell Daryl the story about what had happened back in Woodbury. "I haven't taken them away from you. They don't even belong to you like some cattle. They fled from Woodbury and found safety by us, because you were a damn bad and sick leader." Daryl answered, not being able to believe how damn stupid this man really was.
"No, if you wouldn't have found them, they would have crawled back to me on their knees. They would have got it, that they are nothing without me. But you had to take them from the roads, shortly before it could happen. And now you will pay for it redneck. Take the weapons down. Slowly and don't even dare to think about trying anything."
Daryl really had no other choice and also no help seemed to come anytime soon, so he had to play along with the man's plan to win some time. "It were their free choices, and we have given them a good life here. A better life than they had by you." Daryl said, annoyed about the fact how damn seizing of power the Governor was.
"Maybe, but it will also be their free choices to go with me now. Even when I will have to hold a weapon against their heads now. But they already had their chance." The man said without any feelings. "But you can't go back any more. Don't you remember asshole, you have burnt it all down. Woodbury is gone." Daryl muttered, being annoyed about his hopeless situation.
The Governor's smile grow even bigger and bigger, before he told him "Who said we will go back there?" Confused Daryl looked back at the man in front of him and in the second he got it what he meant, he also confirmed it with saying "Because we won't go anywhere. We will stay right here. In the prison."
"What?" Hell, no! You damn bastard, you won't.." Daryl said between clenched teeth, while he already made some thoughtless steps forward, his hands into tight fists. Instantly the Governor threatened him with his gun and made him so to stop punching him in his stupid face.
"Oh, you won't do that redneck." The man scoffed and even when Daryl was already used to it, it still hurt him to be called like that. And suddenly the situation changed, when the Governor's voice also changed and he told him damn serious "Go on your knees."
When Daryl hesitated one second too long, the man said almost proudly "I won't ask you twice or I will make you doing so." He pointed with his weapon at Daryl's legs and finally he didn't have another choice than doing exactly what he wanted.
When Daryl was finally on his knees in front of him, he asked worried, even when he already knew the answer to his question "What about my people? Do you let them live?" That damn stupid smile got back into the man's face again, while he walked with a pride expression around the room.
"Do you really think I will do that after everything? Hell no, but don't worry. You will gonna be the last one dying here." It should sound, like Daryl should feel grateful about his grace to kill him at last. But it was only torture.
"You won't make it. You are only one and we are a real community. You won't win this fight. Only you will gonna die today." Daryl announced him with a strong voice, even when just the thought about losing his new family, friends and home frightened him badly. Overall the horrible thought about losing Beth.
Confident of victory the man laughed amused. He was so sure to win this battle, even when Daryl didn't know what made him feel this way. "Let this be my problem redneck. You will see it, literally. You will watch them all die in front of your eyes, because it's your fault and only yours."
Unbelievable Daryl listened to the man's words, but he couldn't and he also didn't want to understand them. He couldn't mean that serious and especially he, even after everything he had heard from the Governor, just couldn't even be that cold to kill really everyone, also the..
But Daryl didn't even need to think his thought till the end, because the man came him before with saying his worst nightmare out loud "Yes, I will kill them all. Rick, Carl, all the other kids and the baby."
"No!" Daryl yelled more to himself than to the man, because the Governor wasn't listening anyway. Horrified to his bones, he shook his head unbelievable. The man was more than just sick. He wanted revenge for something, which was never a deal. Daryl had saved the people, the Governor's people, he had almost killed. He had tried to do something right, something good.
"And I will also kill that blond angel. Right in front of your eyes, I will kill your girl." The Governor said with much anticipation about the coming and obviously also the expression he had caused into Daryl's face with telling him so, that he knew about their secret.
Daryl didn't even have to ask why he knew about it, when the man already told him "I have seen the two of you together. On the roof, while I have tried to find a way inside here." Daryl could harm himself for being so stupid, because Beth had seen something that night by the edge of the forest. She had even told him so and Daryl had just calmed her down with saying it was probably just a stupid deer.
He should have been more carefully, should have looked closer to get to know, who was walking around their area during the nights. It was his own fucking fault and also about giving up finding the Governor, even when the people had told him he was very dangerous and probably still alive somewhere.
It was Daryl's own fault and now he had to pay the price for it. "No, please. Don't, don't hurt her. None of them. It was my fault. I.. I have talked your people into coming with us. It was only me. You can have to prison, but please let them alive. Don't kill her. Please, I'm begging you, you can do whatever you want with me, but.. Don't hurt Beth."
It didn't work. No begging, no offering, just nothing worked. The Governor just smiled scornfully down at Daryl, knowing that he had it inside his hands now and no one could change it. He had already made his decission and he also couldn't wait any more to kill them all.
"If you want, she can hold the baby in her arms, when I will shoot it. But that won't change anything. I will kill her next. But this place here belongs to me now and I don't want anyone of you inside here." The man said determined, feeling so good to be in this position.
"Then at least let them go and only kill me. Or take me as your prisoner." Daryl tried to beg once more, while he slowly crawled still on his knees closer to where the man was standing. "Please. They are all guiltless. They have nothing to do with this all, especially the children and the baby. Just let them go and you won't ever see them again. I will give everything for it. Please."
The Governor seems to enjoy this all here so much. The fear in Daryl's expression, him being on his knees, begging for his families and friends lives. It was everything the man always wanted, everything that made him feel good and confirmed.
"I will kill them all. It depends on about how much they will resist, how fast or slowly I will finally kill them. And they will all look into your face and see the redneck, who brought them this far. Don't worry, also your girl will look at you, when I blow the live out of her pretty body." The man said Daryl's nightmare out loud with still that bright, charming smile on his lips.
Damn desperately, Daryl couldn't stand his words any more. If no help will come soon, it will really happen like that. Tears slowly began to built up into Daryl's eyes, while the pictures in front of his inner eyes start to built about his family's and friend's dead bodies.
About little Judith being covered in blood, laying lifeless in Beth's pale, stiff arms. Beth's beautiful eyes looking frozen and without any life and hope up at him. A dark red bullet hole on her forehead would cause little rivers of blood running down her sweet face and her lips would already have that blue, cold colour.
"No. Please." Daryl begged, even when he knew it won't change anything. It was shortly before one tear could break free from the corner of his eyes, when the Governor's voice filled the air again and all the tears dried instantly in Daryl's eyes "If I think about it now, maybe.. I could leave that blond angel really alive. She is way too pretty to kill her off without touching her soft skin at least once. Maybe I could also have some nice hours with her on that roof top. She could become kind of my wife and.."
The man couldn't even end his sentence, because Daryl had already heard enough. That was the last drop he had needed to bring his patient and body control to an end. So fast, that the Governor couldn't even realise it, Daryl sprang on his feet and punched the man hard into his face, while he yelled from the volume of his lungs "NO!"
He just wanted to punch the man's stupid face once more, when he could hear a gunshot and in the ver next second he could also feel this awful pain in his side. Pain destroyed, Daryl fell on the ground and only realised what had just happened, when he felt the blood against his fingertips, when he had moved with his hands to where the pain was coming from.
"Well, I guess I will change my plan a little now." The Governor said damn angrily between clenched teeth. The man had just shot Daryl, by his left side right under his rips. The pain was almost too much for him to handle, but he bit down on his lower lip and tried to breath regular.
"I will kill you right now, redneck. And the second change will be to get your girl. Don't worry, she will stay alive. At least till tomorrow morning, after I will be finished with her." The Governor told him vindictive, while he already aimed his gun at Daryl's head.
With his last power, with his last breaths, Daryl tried to say "No.. You will gonna be.. the only one.. who dies today.. You won't get her.. She is strong.. She will make it.."
And the next thing Daryl could hear was a gunshot again and this pain he felt everywhere in his body.
