Chapter 19 - Safe

They sat there on the side of the road for nearly an hour. Going over every viable option they had to helping Theo out. Beth sat on the driver's side of the truck, chewing on her thumb nail as they listened to them go around and around. Jackson argued that they should continued on. Keep an eye on his brother and deal with it when they had to. Jessica seemed to be of the mind they should deal with it now. "You seen how it turned out in the city. It won't be any different now."

Beth could understand both sides. Jackson didn't want to leave his brother behind, didn't want to have to face the inevitable just yet. Jessica couldn't endanger her son. They were both level headed reasons, and Beth been on the both ends.

"Could just leave me here, let me fend for myself," Theo suggested when the argument came to a stand still.

Jackson and Lucinda both hollered, "no," the moment the words were out and even Beth gave him a hard stare before saying, "we don't leave anyone behind."

Jessica sat back against her own truck, arms crossed and head bowed as she remained silent. Telling everyone that she wasn't opposed to the idea. When things got silent again, Beth glanced at the clock on the dashboard, her stomach twisting as she realized if they didn't get moving soon, the sun was going to make the decision for them.

"Maryland isn't that far back from here," Jessica started to say and Beth shook her head, quietly silencing the woman as the others stood waiting for an explanation.

"They'll end him before he even get's into the safety zone. That's if they don't realize his not mortal to begin with." Beth again glanced at Theo before looking back to the ground. The suggestions once again dying out as again she looked at the clock. Another minute passed by.

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock.

"Maybe we should keep driving," Nicholas suggested, poking his head out of the car for the first time and the others looked up at him. "I mean, sitting here arguing over it isn't helping us any, and maybe something will come up on the road."

Jackson and Theo glanced at each other as Beth watched the two brothers stared each other down. Something passing between them before Jackson shrugged. "Kids right. We still got miles to go and we're just wasting the night."

Jessica looked less the please at the prospect, but it wasn't her that was being paired off with the man. Jackson and Lucinda climbed back into their car, Jessica and Nicholas in theirs, and Theo glanced at Beth as she climbed into the passenger seat. Almost waiting for permission before she nodded toward the passenger side.

"You got guts," he commented as he shut the door. Effectively sealing into the car with a dying vampire.

"I'm not the one facing death," she said, swallowing as gave the man an apologetic glance. He shrugged, his head resting on the window as he said, "not the first time."

Nodding at the statement, Beth let the silence engulf them. Both going into their own respective thoughts as she started the truck and followed along with the rest. There wasn't much to say to that. She had her own mere brushes with death, one that should have left her dead, and her hand unconsciously moved up to her forehead. Rubbing at the barely there scar.

It should have been round, like a bullet hole. Not the gash that it was, but Beth wasn't arguing. Who was she to argue a reprieve from death. Certainly not her. Not when it brought her so many years with Daryl. Gave her a chance to really know him. To really love him. It was everything her sixteen year old self wanted before the fall of the world, and she couldn't stop the hole ripping in her chest at the thought of it all being taken a way from her. Again.

"Mine either, " she admitted, barely above a whisper. She looked over to see Theo glancing at her, a raise of an eyebrow in question and Beth shrugged.

"I was shot in the head, at close range," she explained, still rubbing at the spot. "Should have been dead. Was dead actually, but something happened and..." she let the words trail off. Unsure of how to explain any of it.

"Part of that time travel thing?"

Beth remained silent, a slight shrug was all the answer he received and Theo looked back out the window. Leaving Beth focused on the road. Once again allowed to go through her thoughts in peace for a moment before Theo said, "Stranger things happen all the time. Just be glad for the second chance."

"I am," Beth whispered, a slight smile appearing on her lips before the two grew quiet again. This time the silence going on as the miles passed by them. When Beth turned to look at him again, she noticed his eyes were closed with his head resting on the window, though she doubted he was sleeping. Something told her that vampires never slept at night, no matter how tired they were feeling. But she didn't rouse him either. Figuring it was better that they didn't talk anymore. That there was no more attachment between them in case...

Again the thoughts trailed off and Beth let out a heavy sigh. Contenting herself to watch the road, and her companion. Preparing herself for the inevitable.

It was when the moon looked to be sinking below the tree line, and dawn was fast approaching that she looked over to Theo again. Noticing that there was still no fever, no pain, or any other signs that would show that he was fixing to turn. She knew, logically, that it could take days for a person to turn. That sometimes they tended to linger and fight, and that wasn't always a bad thing. Especially when you were locked in a vehicle with the person.

It was when the sky was staring to light up that they noticed something else odd. A man standing in the road with military vehicles blocking them off. Jackson's truck was the first to slow down, his head sticking out the window as solider approached his vehicle.

"Roads been quarantined, " he said, not giving him any other explanation. Beth got out of her vehicle, alerting the solider, who moved to grab his automatic on his back. Beth raised her hands, stopping where she stood as she said, "why?"

"Precautions," was all the man replied before nodding in another direction. "There's a turn off not far from here. Will take you to the Alexandria safe zone."

"Don't want to go to no safe zone," Beth said, shaking her head. "Trying to get to Georgia where my family is."

"Then go through the Alexandra safe zone. It's only a few miles up the road." The man gave her a short glower as he jerked his head in the opposite direction, and the young girl was ready to argue. Her lungs already expanding to give the man an earful just as Jackson called her attention.

"Z, come on," he said, pulling her attention from the solider to him. "It's not that far off the highway, and we could use the rest." Nodding back to Theo who was standing at the side of the truck. Beth stared at him, her insides turning at his patient face and then back to the young solider.

"Fine," she muttered, taking a step back, still glaring at him before turning to get back into her truck. Just as she moved to sit down, she stopped, watching the young man who was standing in the middle of nowhere alone.

"You know whatever reason they have this quarantined could only be bad news," she started, hardening her stare to gauge his reaction. The man shifted, his feet spreading wider as if he was bracing himself. "Hope you can handle it on your own."

The man's lips tightened as he stared at her, all his features going tense except his eyes that were softening the longer he stared at her.

"It's my duty, ma'am."

Beth nodded, biting on her lower lip as she looked back at the way they came. When she looked forward again, it was with a sadness in her gaze that rested on the solider before her. "Another solider told me that same thing back in New York, and I don't think he made it out of there."

The man's head raised up, fear building behind his gaze for only a moment before they turned hard and he said, "it happens."

Again Beth nodded, almost shrugging as she replied, "so does desertion. Especially when you know no one is goin to be lookin for you, but your family." Her gaze traveled over him one more time, letting her words sink in before getting back in the truck and turning it back around. In the rear view mirror she could see Jessica and Jackson following suite, and in the far back the young solider starin at them. Something akin to real fear building in his gaze before he was out of view as they turned around the row of trees again.

A mile up the road, they reached turn off with the sign "Alexandria 2 miles," and turned there. The weight in Beth's chest growing as she thought about how much longer it was going to be getting back to Daryl. Then reminding herself that they needed the extra time as she glanced at Theo, who was still pretending to sleep against the passenger side window.

Silently observing him for any signs until his voice broke the silence, making her jump and face back to the road as he said, "I'm fine. I swear."

"You look fine," Beth agreed, swallowing as she tried not to think of the alternative. He must have noticed something in her stare because he reached out, slowly placing a hand on her shoulder. "I promise. If I start feeling odd, in anyway, I'll take care of it myself."

Beth gave him a side glance, the question burning in her eyes even as she asked, "you promise."

He nodded, waving to the vehicles behind them. "Can't have my baby brother doing it. God knows what that would do to him, and I'm certainly not going to have someone I just met offing me. Wouldn't be dignified."

Beth snorted. The noise muffled as she tried to suppress it without avail. "Wow, okay."

"No offense, of course," he said, smiling himself.

"None taken."

"Good."

The two stared at each other, their amused gazes meeting for a moment before they came across a small area fenced off with quickly erected metal fencing, rising high above them and moving around what looked to be a small section of just built housing. As the came closer, two solider's held their hands up, stopping them from entering and as another approached Beth's vehicle.

"What's the reason for coming here?" The man asked, looking at Beth, Theo and then the other two vehicles following behind them.

"Looking for shelter for a few hours. Just a chance to rest and then we'll be on our way to Georgia," Beth explained, doing her best to sound calm and patient when she kept hearing the horror stories of what happened at safe zones from Daryl, Michonne, and others at the prison. Really this is the last place that she ever wanted to be, but she was out voted and out maneuvered by fate man raised his head so that he was looking down his nose at the two of them as Theo leaned over. "Please, we've been on the road all night. We won't cause a commotion, just want to rest for a bit. "

The man gave them another hard stare, his lips moving to a thin line before a female voice rang out from behind the gates, "Collen, what's going on? Who are they?"

Collen looked to be a bit peeved at being interrupted with his denial as he looked toward the woman. She was small, almost as small as Beth, with shoulder length brown hair and straight back shoulders covered in a cardigan.

"Just some stragglers, Ms. Monroe."

The woman tilted her head to get a better look at them then over at Collen again. "Open the gates."

The men behind the gates looked at her and then to Collen before the woman called, Ms. Monroe, gave them a hard look of her own. "Well?"

They moved quickly after that, shoving the gate open as the woman sat back so that the three vehicles could push through. They stopped just at the inside of the fences and Beth stepped out of the truck, followed along with the others. Taking note of the sun steadily rising up in front of them as Jackson and Theo placed their jackets on. Their hands not far from their helmets before looking at the new woman.

"What brings you to Alexandria?" The woman asked, crossing her arms as she came to stand in front of them. Beth stepped forward, doing her best to relax as she glanced at her friends first.

"I'm trying to get back to Georgia. I got family there, these guys were just accompanying me as they escaped New York."

The woman's mouth fell open, her hands coming together in front of her as she stepped forward. "What happened in New York?"

Beth glanced at her, her brows furrowing as she shook her head. "Don't you know?" she gave the guard an accusatory stare before turning back to see the woman shaking her head.

"We've lost contact with Washington, Baltimore, all the other safe zones in major cities."

It was Beth's turn to feel her mouth fall open as she looked blankly from the woman to the guard and her own friends. "The last we saw, New York was being bombed. Something about the infected getting out of control."

The woman's head hung, the breath looking to be knocked out of her as she took a step back. After a moment she looked back at them with a renewed hope in her eyes . "Just in these cities, not the rest of the country right? There's still chance else where, right?"

Beth shrugged, just knowing about the Georgia, and New York area left her clueless about the rest. "I don't know, to be honest," she replied, giving the woman the most sympathetic smile she could muster. "I would imagine it don't look much better."

The woman nodded, once again deflating before looking around. There seemed to be a moment where she lost. Like she'd lost something she'd been holding onto for so long that Beth felt the need to step forward and brace a hand on the woman's shoulder. Just a moment of comfort, but before she could even muster up the nerve to move the woman sucked in a deep breath and looked back at them. A smile gracing her lips though her eyes seemed a bit dimmer.

"So, I guess you're wanting a place to rest," she said, looking behind Beth to the others. They nodded and Beth glanced at the steadily rising sun and then to Theo as the man came forward.

"Just for the day and then we'll be gone."

The woman nodded as she met his gaze and then looked back at Beth. "Come along. I got a couple of spare rooms in my place."

"Oh, no," Beth began to argue, not wanting to stay in another strange persons place.

"It's no big deal. Especially if it's only for a day."

Beth let out a sigh, her hands falling to her side as she looked at the woman with genuine concern. "You don't even know us."

"And yet I had the gates opened. Are you planning anyone harm?"

Beth shook her head, "I just wanna go home, Ms. Monroe."

The woman smiled. "It's Deana, come on."

Beth closed her eyes, her head resting in her hands for a moment before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Theo giving her a small smile as he nodded to the way Deana was going.

Nodding, she followed along, noting how Theo and Jackson seemed to be moving extra fast to get in some shelter as the sun poked it's head out from the morning clouds. Luckily, Deana's house wasn't all that far and they were ducking into the door way just as they started turning red. Deana looked at them quizzically for a moment before looking to the rest of the group. When she looked back at Theo and Jackson, she still held that curious gaze on the two men and it was Theo that blurted out ,"we got a skin condition that keeps us out of direct sunlight. That's why the shelter is much appreciated."

Deana face turned into one of understanding. "I see, well then it looks like you got here not a moment to soon."

"So it would seem," Jackson replied.

Beth smiled at her, again giving her thanks as she took in the pristine place. The house impeccably clean. Almost like no one touched the place ever, but there was evidence that they lived here. She could hear shuffling from upstairs, and sounds coming from the kitchen.

The sounds from up stairs turned into footsteps and Beth looked up to see an older man making his way down, with short gray hair and glasses on. Beth looked at his smiling face, down to the woman's gaze as she looked at the man and easily put two and two didn't even need the quick, "This is my husband, Reg," to know that the man meant something to her.

"Hi," Beth said, quickly shaking his hand before he moved on to the others.

"Who are they?" he asked, turning to his wife.

"Passer by's. Their just needing a place to rest for tonight," she explained, her smile widening as looked back to the kitchen. "Though it smells like breakfast is being made, if anyone is hungry?"

"Starving," Nicholas blurted out before his mother could cover his mouth. The Monroe's chuckled at the boy as Deana motioned toward the kitchen. "Well then come along."

They didn't give them much chance to argue before being ushered into the kitchen and the moment the smell of bacon and eggs filtered through Beth's nose, she felt the nausea return. Her stomach twisting, making her steps falter as she attempted to hold in the sickness. Her face must have been turning a odd color of green, because Deana stopped and asked, "are you okay, dear?"

Beth nodded, attempting to reassure the woman the slight movement caused the nausea to rise up and she her nod quickly turned to a shake as she brought her hand up to her mouth.

"There's a bathroom there," the woman said, pointing at a door off the hallway and Beth rushed toward it. Barely reaching the toilet before whatever remnants of last nights food came up. Causing her to hack and cough, much like she did the morning before.

When she was done, she moved to the sink to swirl some water around her mouth and spit it back out.

Looking in the mirror didn't seem to help, cause all she saw was an almost thirty something year old girl, pale with bags under her eyes and a mess of hair. 'Oh man.'

Taking another handful of water, she poured it over her face, doing her best to scrub it clean before pulling her fingers through her hair before putting it back up in a ponytail. Realizing that was the best she was going to get under the present circumstances.

As she stepped back out the bathroom and toward the kitchen, the thought of holding her breath came to mind. Just so that she wouldn't have to breath in the smell again, but realized that it would last all that long and she'd be taking in a deeper whiff of it when she inevitably failed.

"You know, I remember it being the smell of chicken that set me off. Any kind of chicken, baked, fried, couldn't have it," Deana said, a laugh ringing around the room. Beth froze, her hands going to her stomach as once again she shook her head muttering, "no, no, no, not now."

When she felt calmer then moments ago, she stepped into the room with a smile on her face and quick, "sorry about that. I must have ate something bad."

"uh huh," Jessica said, giving Lucinda that knowing look that she passed to her just the day before. Beth frowned at her, but otherwise remained quiet as she settled down with the rest of them at the table. Theo and Jackson both stared at her and she decided to avoid eye contact with the others before anything got started. Unfortunately it was Deana that wasn't willing to take the hint and asked, "how long have you been getting sick for?"

Beth shrugged, ready to answer with "A day or so" when Jessica popped up with "a little over a week."

Beth narrowed her gaze at her, ready to fix to the woman's blurt out when Lucinda started saying, "and it's always in the morning. Especially if we are eating eggs."

Beth's narrowed gaze turned on the other woman, and she simply shrugged. Giving Beth that "What are ya gonna do?" glance.

Deana smiled at her, her hand coming out to rest on hers as she said, "we have doctor here who could check you out. His military, admittedly, but something is better the nothing."

Beth was already shaking her head before the woman could finish her sentence. "That won't be necessary. We'll be gone by morning anyways." She looked to the others for confirmation, and noticed that Jennifer and Lucinda were avoiding her gaze, and even Jackson seemed to be looking at the table a littler harder then necessary.

It was Theo that leaned closer to her, almost whispering in her ear as he said, "you need to know. We need to know before we continue with this trip."

Beth glared at him, her mouth forming a thin line as she moved away from him. "And if I am? Then what?"

"Then..." He hesitated, his going to Jackson's and then Lucinda's and Jennifer's before back to her. "Then we figure it out."

Beth shook her head. Knowing full well that 'figure it out' was his way of saying they would stay here so that she could get medical attention. Be safe, when she knew that the only way to be safe was with Daryl. Wherever he was, she was safest.

"It wouldn't matter," she said, not wanting to have this conversation, but knowing they wouldn't budge otherwise. "I've already lost two children in the womb. Don't see how this one would be any different. Especially now." She didn't even look up, didn't want to see their faces as she basically gave up on her child.

"You don't know that," Lucinda started, reaching for her only to stop midway and pull her hand back. "Third times' a charm right?" she asked, in a overly hopeful tone, and Beth shook frowned a her. Her eyes closing as she hated herself for being mad at them for trying to help.

"What would Daryl want?" Jackson asked, catching Beth off guard as her eyes popped open to meet his. "Would he want you to know? Want you to be safe?"

Beth's eyes watered, her gaze once again going to her breakfast in front of her. She knew what he would want. Knew how he would react to her going out there with their child inside of her. Reluctantly and with a lump steadily forming in her throat, making it hard to get the words out she said, "he wouldn't want to lose anyone else. No matter the odds."

"There ya go," Jackson said, nodding his head to Deana who gave her a reassuring smile.

"We'll keep discreet at first. I'll talk to Doctor Anderson this afternoon."

Beth swallowed, once again feeling like she was being left with no choice on this, and one glance at Jackson's apologetic look and she realized she really didn't have a choice. Of course she needed to know. Needed to be alert of what could put her and others in danger.

After breakfast, in which the brothers only ate a couple of bites, they were directed upstairs. Where Jackson, Theo, Lucinda were directed into one room while Beth, Jennifer, and Nicholas were directed to another.

When the two woman finally agreed that Jennifer and her son could take the bed, while Beth made a palate on the floor, they started to get comfortable. As comfortable as possible. For Beth that was pulling three thick blankets from the closet and lying them on the floor before resting her pillow on top of that.

Just as she laid down, and was ready to settle in for the night a knock came on the door. Jennifer and her both raised an eyebrow at each other before Theo's voice rang out, "it's just me."

Sighing, Beth got back up and opened the door. Leaning on the frame, she gave him a wide eyed look. "What?"

"Lucinda and Jackson are needing that "quiet time" and I don't want to be in there."

Beth frowned, her eyes going from wide and slightly amused, to annoyed in a moment as she moved to let the man in.

"Great," she muttered, resting back on her palate.

"You're telling me. I was just looking forward to some shut eye," Theo said, resting on the wall next to her. Beth brought her head back up, looking at him and where he sat before he realized what she was looking at and shrugged. "Oh, well, oh well. "

He rested his head against the wall again and Beth threw her head back down, agreeing with his statement. Remembering that time after the farm when boundaries were basically thrown out the window during their time one the road. Hell, even at the prison it was nearly impossible.

How many times did she walk in on Rick or Daryl in the shower. Just the thought of Daryl in the shower had her frowning again, making her look down at her stomach and absently tracing lines over her shirt. Wondering if she was pregnant and what she was going to do if she was. Heading down to Georgia, where she may or may not find Daryl sounded like the stupidest thing ever in that aspect. Putting her and the baby in danger, rather or not the baby survived the pregnancy, was a stupid move in itself.

"You know there's a way I could find out right now," Theo said, causing Beth to look at him with that questioning stare of hers. Holding out his hand and waving his fingers, he continued,"give me your arm."

"Why?" Beth asked, a bit hesitant to give a vampire her arm. It was ages ago, but she still remembered the feeling of teeth ripping into her skin and sucking her blood out.

"Just trust me," he said, motioning for her to hand over her arm again.

Beth hesitated for only another moment before handing her arm over and watching as he slowly brought her hand up to mouth and nipped her finger, causing her to only flinch for a second before he was sucking on what blood seeped out.

"Hmm," he said, his eyes rolling back as lifted his head. "Sweet, sweet nectare," he mused, bending over again to suck the blood again.

Beth yanked her hands away, feeling some what assaulted as she glared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Means you've got a baby in there, and that makes your blood oh so sweet. The best kind even," he said, his eyes rolling back as he leaned his head against the wall. Beth scooted away from him, real fear entering her gaze causing him to laugh. Actually laugh, and that made Jennifer sit up to glare at him.

"Sorry," he said, to both the women. "I'm not going to hurt you, Z. It's just really good blood. "

"Huh," Beth said, relaxing only a little bit before another thought entered her head.

"When are you and Jackson goin to eat?"

He shrugged, his eye still closed as he said, "Probably tonight when we can get back to the truck, unless one of you want to head down there."

Beth looked to the floor for only a moment before she started to get up. His hand reached out, stopping her from moving. "Don't worry about it right now. We'll be fine while you two get some rest."

Beth laid back down, her eyes gazing at the man as she watched him resting. "How's your shoulder."

"Fine," he said. Giving her a quick glance. He looked up at the bed and Beth could imagine the question caught Jennifer's attention. "I swear. No fever, or any thing feeling off for that matter. In fact..." His words trailed off as he stood to stand in front of the mirror and look behind him "The wound is healing."

Beth followed him, coming to stand behind him as her fingers traced over the bite mark. Noticing how the skin was already scabbed over before her gaze went to Jessica and then him.

"Going slower then a normal bite wound would, but it's still healing just fine," he said, shrugging as he released his shirt to cover the wound once again. "Guess that means we don't have to worry about us vamps."

Beth shook her head. "We're still keepin an eye on you."

He shrugged, settling back down against the wall. "Suite yourself. "

Beth looked to Jessica who only shrugged, and looked at the man. Silently the two agreed that Beth would be the one to keep watch since Jennifer drove all night, and watched as the woman laid back down next to her son and soon Beth was the one resting against the bed. Watching the man before her sleep. Wondering how and why he wasn't turning, and what that meant for the vampire community in general.


Hey sorry for the delay on the update. I wasn't sure how to carry this chapter out, and after doing a bit of research I figured it out.
Do hope you all enjoyed it. Debating if I should maybe do a time hop, now that you know she's pregnant for sure through Theo don't feel the need to have the doctor to repeat the news. I'll play with a few scenarios and see.

Oh and my apologizes for any mistakes that you may or may not notice. I am writing on a different computer then usual and don't have access to my editor. When I get it up and running I will go through and fix it up.