Angel Mine – TWD – Jen S.
Daryl
All recognized characters and situations belong to AMC, the writers, creators, and actors of The Walking Dead.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Nowadays, people are just as dangerous as the dead don't you think? – Gabriel
Nah. People are worse. – Daryl – Strangers
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Gorman smirked as he saw the pretty young blonde girl hop onto the scruffy guy's back to be toted through the cemetery. He glanced over to measure Dawn's reaction and saw her watch the couple almost hungrily. Knowing what was coming, he deflated from his immediate anticipation. "They're perfect," Dawn whispered. "She's perfect. Young. Sturdy. Call it in, we need backup." Gorman sighed but grabbed the radio. Dawn smiled at him, "I know, I promised to look for a new friend for you this trip. Sorry. Maybe next time."
Gorman shrugged, "Joan's coming around now. It'll be fine. This is more important, I know."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl escaped out the front door of the funeral home. He snagged his foot on the alarm line he'd strung, cursing it and himself for opening the door, putting Beth at risk. He kicked free of the cans and ran around the building. He had to get back to Beth. He rounded the other corner and saw a flash of blonde hair in the moonlight. Her back was to him and a walker was lunging at her. Her foot kicked out and dislocated the walker's knee, dropping it down low enough for her knife to slam into its skull. Daryl felt a rush of pride run through him, she'd learned so much so quickly.
"Beth," Daryl called softly.
Beth turned, a sweet smile on her face, then her eyes went wide, "Daryl look out!"
Daryl whirled, shocked that a walker had managed to sneak up on him. But it wasn't a walker, it was a dark haired man in a navy blue police uniform. Daryl barely got his hands up before a baton slammed into the side of his head. "Beth… run…" he managed before the darkness descended.
"DARYL!"
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl's eyes opened slowly. The light was dim, but he was quickly able to identify that he was in the trunk of a car. He quickly began to search for a weapon. His crossbow was missing, so were his knives. There was no jack in the trunk or anything else he could use. He needed to get out, get out of this car and find Beth. There was no emergency trunk release in sight. He ran his hand along the lid and found where the cord had been but there wasn't enough left to grab hold of. "Shit, son of a bitch," he cursed softly and began to yank at the carpet that covered where the trunk wires should be.
"He's awake!" a voice said from the back seat.
The car squealed to an abrupt stop. Daryl looked around again for anything he could use and saw the radio mike wedged in the corner that had broadcast his words. He yanked at it but the wire ran through the back seat. He kicked at it and readied himself. The trunk flew open and three sets of hands reached in to grab him. He fought, kicked and punched violently but he was in a bad position to get any leverage. His ankles were zip tied together, as were his wrists that were then secured to his belt. One of them sliced through the sleeve of his shirt and yanked it open. There was a sharp prick of pain in his arm, then everything drifted away. His head lolled on his neck and his eyes rolled.
"Tell me why you didn't sedate him in the first place?" a female voice snapped.
Before his vision faded completely he registered another vehicle behind the one he was in, then the darkness took hold and he knew nothing more.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
It took longer for Daryl to wake up. He felt sluggish and heavy, but finally his eyes opened and focused. The room was bright, with sunshine streaming through a window. The walls were a bland beige with plain curtains in a slightly darker shade. An IV pole stood beside him with a tube running down to his arm. He jerked, then began to struggle as he realized he was strapped down in five point restraints. His ankles were locked into place as were his wrists. Straps across his thighs and chest kept him completely immobile. He was clean, he could smell the soap on his skin, and his hair was damp against his head. His clothes were gone, replaced by hospital type scrubs. He yanked his wrists and kicked, trying to pull free
"Struggling won't do any good," a feminine voice reprimanded. Daryl turned his head to see a woman in a crisp navy uniform sitting at his bedside. She smiled at him. It was a cold, malevolent smile that sent a chill down his spine. "They're designed to hold even the strongest of men."
"Where's Beth?" he asked, his voice raspy and dry. She stood up and poured water into a cup with a straw. She held it to his mouth and he took a drink. "The girl, who was with me, where is she?"
The woman sighed, "She ran. My men were only trying to help, to rescue you and bring you in, but she must have gotten spooked. They searched but couldn't find her."
Daryl exploded in a violent attempt to escape the restraints.
"Calm down," she demanded, "Daryl calm down!" Two uniformed men ran in followed by a man in a doctor's coat. "He's OK. Daryl look at me. We will keep looking for her but you need to…"
"I need to go. You need to let me go! I gotta find her!"
The woman stroked his hair, "OK. Calm down. Daryl we will let you go. I promise. But there are a few things we need from you first."
Daryl stilled as he realized that fighting was useless. The straps held firm as designed. "What?"
The woman smiled, that chilling smile, "Answer a few questions, submit to a few procedures, and we'll take you back to the rescue point to look for… Beth." Daryl clenched his jaw but nodded. "I'm Dawn Lerner. I'm in charge here."
"Where?"
"Grady Memorial Hospital," Dawn replied. "Atlanta."
The cops walked back out of the room. The doctor advanced, "Hi. I'm Dr. Steven Edwards."
"Can you cut me loose, doc?" Daryl scowled.
"No," Dawn replied. "Let's get the questions done first."
Daryl huffed out a breath that was ignored. Steven pulled a pen from his pocket and lifted a clipboard from a table against the wall. "Mr. Daryl. I need your full name, date of birth, birth city and state."
"Are you shittin' me?"
"No."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl scowled at the ceiling. He'd answered the hundreds of questions the doctor had asked, stupid, pointless questions. What had his mother died from? His father? What childhood diseases had he had? He'd taken several vials of blood, even yanked a few of his hairs out, then the doctor had injected something into the IV line and the world faded away again. He woke up in the middle of the night, his stomach growling angrily. A young man limped in and offered him a nutrition drink with a straw. He'd wanted to refuse it, but knew he needed his whatever calories he could take in. He'd fallen back to sleep soon after, waking frequently. He'd yelled at one point "I need to take a piss!" and the boy had brought in a urinal. He'd cursed angrily but drained his bladder, furious that he was being handled like this.
Now the day had begun, he could hear movement in the hallway outside of the room, but everyone ignored his yells.
"Goodness," Dawn walked in, "Some set of lungs you've got there."
"What the hell is goin' on?" Daryl snarled, "I answered your damn questions. Doc took his blood."
Dawn smiled as she sat down next to him on the bed, "Yes. And except for the traces of nicotine in your system, you are perfectly healthy. Have you really been smoking for close to twenty years?"
Daryl shrugged as best he could, "Yeah."
Dawn stroked his hair, "Perfectly healthy. Perfectly handsome and strong. You are perfect. I've been looking for you for a while now."
Daryl froze at the look her eyes. He shifted and tried once again to yank his arms free.
"Oh… no…" Dawn smiled, "It's all going to be fine. All good." She stroked his cheek, then ran her hand down his chest to the waistband of the cotton pants he wore.
"No!" he snarled.
Dawn laughed, "Oh… you don't have much choice here, dearest." She slid his pants down and began to stroke him. "Relax. Enjoy this."
Daryl struggled, but was still firmly strapped down. He panted as sweat began to pour down his face. He clenched his eyes tight and fought his body's natural reaction to the stimulation but it was no use. He cursed as his body responded to her. He pushed all thoughts out of his mind, a sob burst out of his chest but he clamped down hard on it. He barely noticed the rush of pleasure that ripped through him as he finished in her hand, spurting into a vial that was place against him at the last moment.
"Oh that's my good sweet boy," Dawn cooed as she leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "You rest. I'll be back this afternoon." She wiped him off with a soft cloth and redressed him.
Daryl's gaze locked onto the ceiling tile. He ignored the doctor who came in a while later to change the IV bag. As soon as the fluids began to flow, another sedative was injected and Daryl welcomed the oblivion that followed.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Four days.
At least he thought it was only four. He'd been sedated repeatedly, twice waking up as they finished bathing and running him through some sort of physical exercise on his legs. No food, just those canned nutritional drinks and water. No release from the restraints, at least when he was awake. No one spoke to him, except Dawn.
Dawn. Who returned twice a day each day to molest him. He fought it. Fought to stay calm and to not respond to her touch. But each time, his body betrayed him.
He stared at the ceiling.
"Hey," the young man who'd been tending to him, "Hey… you awake?"
"Fuck off."
"I can get you out," the man said. "At least I think I can. But you gotta take me with you. I can't run fast, but I can fight. I'll get you out, but you gotta swear not to leave me behind."
Daryl finally drew his gaze to the guy. "OK."
"I'll come back tonight. Midnight."
"When I was brought here, did they bring a girl? Small, blonde?" he asked.
"No. Just you. I've been all over this floor, no one here like that."
Daryl watched the clock tick down. He hated this. Hated depending on someone, some stranger. But if it got him out of here, away from that woman, and back to Beth, he would take help from the devil himself. At midnight exactly, the door to his room opened softly. The young man limped in and crept over to the bed, "You ready?"
"Yeah," Daryl nodded.
"I'm Noah, by the way," the Velcro straps were quickly undone. Daryl sat up slowly, rubbing his wrists. "You OK to move?"
"Yeah," Daryl repeated.
Noah handed him his clothes, freshly cleaned and repaired. Daryl stropped off the scrubs and dressed quickly. "I found these," Noah said, handing Daryl two of his knives. Daryl clenched one but pushed the other into Noah's hand. "Thanks," Noah nodded. "Let's go."
They slipped out of the room and ran down the hall to an open elevator shaft where a rope made from twisted sheets waited. Noah lowered Daryl down from the third floor to the second, then drew up the rope to lower himself. They dropped the last few feet into a pile of bodies, then made their way to the first floor. A few walkers confronted them, but Daryl was able to handle them easily. He drew on strength from somewhere and they fled the hospital.
Licari watched through his rifle scope as the duo disappeared into the city, "They're clear."
Dawn smirked, "So predictable. I knew as soon as Noah saw the spare keys in my office that he'd make a run for it. And I knew he would take Daryl." She led him off the roof and down the stairs.
"And you're OK with it?"
Dawn shrugged as they reached the empty fourth floor, "I had what I needed from him. He was such a warrior though, I hated the idea of just ending him. Besides, neither Noah nor Daryl ever knew she was here," she walked to the bed where Beth lay sleeping under sedation. "She's perfect don't you think? Beautiful?"
"Yeah," Licari nodded.
Dawn smiled and smoothed the blanket down over Beth, "Good night."
"Night," Licari replied as she left the room. He looked back to the sleeping beauty. "Sorry, kid," he whispered.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
It took ten days for Daryl and Noah to walk back to the area where Daryl had been with Beth. The initial burst of adrenaline that fed Daryl's escape had burned out quickly leaving him shaky and weak. They scavenged through buildings along the highway for anything they could use to keep going. Daryl found a handgun with a fully loaded clip concealed under a cash register in a bar.
Noah talked in sporadic bursts. Telling Daryl about his time in Grady, laying low, keeping out of trouble. About the other 'wards' held there. Then about his family, still up in Virginia, how he and his father left to come south looking for his uncle only to run into a herd and the Grady cops. He talked about the walls they put up around their community.
Daryl remained silent, barely even acknowledging the information Noah gave him. He was focusing on locking down his own memories of Grady, of the violations and humiliation, the degradation and pain. And on bringing thoughts of Beth back forward, wondering if he'd taught her enough to make it until he could get back to her. Did the people come back to the funeral home, were they good, was she safe with them? Or had she been forced to move on? It was killing him that they couldn't move any faster, but his own strength was only just returning, and he'd promised to not leave Noah behind.
She said he'd miss her when she was gone. She was right. It felt like he'd become one of the walkers. Not really alive, but still moving. He wouldn't really be alive again until he found her. It was stupid, but he thought he'd know if that light had been extinguished. If something had happened to her. As surely as if the moon suddenly disappeared from the sky. He would know. And if he was wrong… if she was gone… if that light had gone out of the world… he wouldn't miss her much longer.
A well placed bullet would take care of missing her just fine.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Noah leaned over and scooped something off the ground. "Pecans. Want some?" Daryl shook his head. "My grandmother made the best pecan pie in the world. She won ribbons for it every year at the county fair. She left the recipe to my mom when she died, but it never tasted the same." Daryl didn't respond, but after ten days together, Noah didn't really expect him to.
Daryl stopped walking. There was a fence strung across their path. He examined the wire, seeing the patched area that had not been weathered. "Someone's been here. Keep quiet."
Noah nodded. Daryl started to lead the way along the fence, keeping out of sight from anyone inside. Then they heard a child scream, followed instantly by a baby wail.
"Asskicker," Daryl whispered and vaulted over the fence. Noah scrambled to follow, cutting his hands on the wire.
Daryl ran into the yard, taking in the situation instantly. Two of the girls from the prison were in the grass by the house, baby Judith was on a blanket nearby. The older girl, Lizzie, had a knife and was trying to stab her sister, Mika.
"Lizzy STOP!" Mika yelled.
"Mika it's OK, we'll be together forever this way! I won't hit your brain." She lunged and stabbed just as Daryl reached her. He grabbed Lizzie from behind, pinning her arms down. She dropped the knife as she kicked and screamed at him. "Let me go! I have to do this. They have to see! It'll be fine!"
Noah raced up and dropped down next to Mika, pressing his hands to the wound on her chest. "Hang on baby girl, hang on."
Carol and Tyreese appeared around the corner of the house, coming at a run. Carol stumbled at the sight before her, Daryl, filthy and pale, holding Lizzie as she fought. Mika on the ground bleeding profusely with a stranger kneeling over her. Judith on the blanket, screaming.
"Daryl!" Carol gasped, "What's going on?"
"She tried to kill her sister," Daryl yelled over Lizzie's screams.
"You have to let me!"
Tyreese scooped Judith up to get her out of harm's way. Carol dropped to Mika to examine her. Daryl finally had enough of fighting Lizzie, he grabbed her throat in one hand and compressed her carotid artery. Her struggles weakened until she passed out. "I should've just done it while they were sleeping," she mumbled before slumping in Daryl's arms.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl sat in the recliner with Judith sprawled across his chest, sleeping soundly. He looked up as Carol emerged from the back room. "How's Mika?"
Carol sighed, "Stable for now. She lost a lot of blood before I could get the wound stitched. Still I think she's going to be OK. You got there just in time." Daryl just grunted and rubbed Judith's back. "Were you alone? After the prison, before Noah?"
Daryl's chin quivered and he clenched his jaw. "I got out with Beth. Was with her a while. But people… snatched me up. Took me to a hospital in Atlanta. Kept me there. Tied me down…" his voice cracked and he fell silent. Carol just sat and waited as he stared down at the baby, swallowing hard as he chewed on his lip. Finally he took a breath, "Noah helped me escape. They had him there for about a year, makin' him work. I gotta leave soon. Look for Beth. Place we were ain't too far from here." He settled, focusing again on Beth instead of Grady. "I'm gonna find her. She's fine and I'm gonna find her."
Carol nodded, "OK. We'll have to stay here a while to let Mika heal."
"What about Lizzy?"
Carol's eyes filled with tears, "She can't be around people."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Carol knelt over the newly filled grave, transplanting the flowers. Tears dripped down her face, falling onto the blooms. She sniffed deeply and wiped her face. She patted the last of the dirt around the plants and stood up to wipe her hands clean. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I really am."
She walked inside the house and found Mika on the living room sofa with Noah who was reading aloud, despite the fact that Mika was obviously asleep. Judith was happily playing in the playpen.
Tyreese stepped out of the kitchen and gestured. Carol went to him, "Daryl asleep?"
"He left," Tyreese replied. Carol gasped. "He said he had to go alone. He'll be back by tomorrow."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl walked a circuit around the funeral home, looking for any sign of Beth. The door, the damn door he'd opened that started this whole shit storm, still sat open. He crept inside quietly. Everything was covered in dust and leaves, blown in from outside. He walked over to the piano, hearing her sweet voice in his head. He used the tail of his shirt to wipe the keys clean. He walked into the kitchen, the remains of their meal still sat on the table.
She wasn't here. She hadn't been here.
He heard the clicking before the panting and turned to see the dog walk inside. "Get outta here," he snapped. "S'all your damn fault. I wanted to show her you. Thought it'd make her smile. So I opened the door." His voice cracked and he began to sob. "I opened the fucking door." The dog turned around in a circle and dropped its front end down to the floor. "What? I ain't playin' with you! Get outta here!" He raised his hand as if to strike but the dog just rolled onto its back. Male he could see now, despite the matted fur. Then the dog jumped up and ran out the door, stopping on the porch to circle again twice.
Follow the damn dog!
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Merle felt like screaming in frustration. Daryl had always been obstinate but this was ridiculous. No matter what he yelled since Grady, Daryl wasn't listening. Wouldn't hear him. Wouldn't believe.
"FOLLOW THE DAMN DOG!"
Then suddenly he did.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl felt like a complete idiot as he followed the dog into the woods. It… He bounced around like this was all a big game. The dog led him straight back to the house where Carol and Tyreese were. Daryl stopped, staring at the house from the shelter of the woods.
"You need others baby brother, can't do this alone," Merle said into his ear. "You'll find her, I swear. But you can't be alone."
The dog barked and raced across the field. Carol stepped out on the porch with a gun in her hand. Daryl stepped into sight as she aimed at the dog. She hesitated and he waved at her. He slapped his leg and the dog turned and ran back to his side.
"She wasn't there," Carol said in greeting.
Daryl shook his head. He sank down on the steps as the dog sprawled out in the shade.
"Any sign of her at all?"
"She never went back inside," Daryl replied. "Tracks are gone, musta rained. No sign of her anywhere." His face crumpled and his shoulders hitched. She touched his arm but he flinched away.
"Daryl, what happened to you?" Carol asked gently. "At Grady? Noah just said it was bad."
Daryl bent over at the waist, shaking his head violently.
"Daryl you can't pretend it didn't happen, you have to…"
"She raped me," Daryl spit out, then gasped and choked. He lunged forward to his knees in the grass and heaved. The door opened and shut, then opened again. Carol knelt next to him and wiped his face with a cool, damp cloth. She handed him a bottle of water. He took a mouthful and rinsed his mouth out. "They asked me a bunch of questions, took blood and hair. Then she… used her hand on me. I don't know how many times. Why would she do that?"
Carol clenched her jaw, then lied, "I don't know." She rubbed his back gently. "Drink."
He did so automatically. "Beth 'n me… we wasn't together that long but… I taught her what I could. Trackin' and huntin'. Buildin' a camp."
"Daryl if she was alone… she…"
Daryl shook his head, "She ain't dead. She ain't. I'd know if she was. I'd just know."
Carol was shocked into silence by the realization of how deeply he cared for her. She wondered how long it had been developing. Then she remembered all the times he'd been hanging around her and Judith. How he instantly sought her out as soon as he returned from being outside. And then she wondered how she could've missed it. She closed her eyes, then looked skyward and took a deep breath. "OK then, she's alive and we just have to find her."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
"You're absolutely sure she wasn't taken along with Daryl?" Tyreese asked.
Noah shook his head, "They shut down all but the third floor of the hospital. I worked the whole floor and never saw anyone like what Daryl described. If she'd been there, she would've been made to work like the rest of us. Women there worked the kitchen or cleaning by day, by night… they were forced into the bed of whoever Dawn said earned it that day. Usually Gorman."
Carol, Daryl, Tyreese, and Noah sat in the kitchen. Mika was in her room, sleeping soundly with the dog curled next to her. Tyreese had given the dog a bath outside before Carol would let him into the house. She put the same restriction on Daryl, practically forcing him into the shower. His vest hung on the bathroom drying.
"Maybe Terminus?" Tyreese suggested.
"What?" Daryl asked.
"We've been seeing signs for this place called Terminus," Carol replied. "It looks like a central railroad hub that's been set up as a sanctuary. Those who arrive, survive."
Daryl blinked rapidly, "We didn't see signs, but when we made that run to the college for meds, we heard somethin' on the radio. I think they said 'arrive, survive'."
"If Beth was around here, maybe she saw the signs," Tyreese said.
"Mika needs a few more days to heal before she can travel," Carol reported. "So we'll search around here, look for any sign of Beth. Then we'll head for Terminus, agreed?"
Tyreese and Noah both nodded. Daryl turned as Judith cried out from the crib. He went and lifted her into his arms. She settled against his shoulder, cooing and smiling.
Merle wiggled his fingers at her and she giggled at him. "Hey Pipsqueak, tell my idiot brother that Beth is at Grady. Tell him. Beth. Grady."
"Beh!" Judith declared happily. She looked around, then her chin quivered and she looked at Daryl sadly. "Beh?"
Daryl looked down at her, tears filling his eyes, "You miss Beth too? I'll find her for yah. I promise."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
They stayed at the house for a full week, letting Mika heal and grieve. Letting Daryl search. He left every morning at sunrise and searched the grid looking for any sign of Beth. Something drove him back every night. A voice in his ear urging him back to that sanctuary. He took them supplies that he found, a deer that had practically offered itself to him, even a few books and toys for Mika and Asskicker.
"Daryl, we have to go," Carol told him. "In the morning, we'll set out for Terminus. Maybe she's there. There are signs everywhere guiding people there. We can't wait any longer. If you haven't found any sign of her, then she's not around here anymore."
Daryl nodded. He walked into his room and flopped onto the bed. He wasn't talking much at all to anyone but Judith. Except at night, when his nightmares had him protesting and struggling. Tyreese went in to wake him one night and still had the black eye to show for it. Carol would stand in his doorway and say his name quietly until Daryl woke up and rolled over.
Merle stooped down to whisper into Daryl's ear, "You're gonna find her, I swear. Gotta go to Terminus. Save the others now. Get your army and bust her outta Grady. Bitch has already hurt her, little brother, but you still gotta get her back."
Most of the words sank into Daryl's mind. Find her. Terminus. Save them. Find her. Get her back. He sank into sleep and fell straight into the nightmare, strapped down, unable to fight, with that woman's evil smile leering down at him.
"No, no, little brother," Merle soothed, he pressed his hand onto Daryl's shoulder. Daryl lashed out, but rolled onto his side and slipped into a deeper sleep where the nightmares couldn't reach.
Merle sat watching over his brother, until he sensed a presence at his back. "Why?"
"Why what, Mr. Dixon?" his contact asked.
"Why can't I tell him where she is? Why can he only hear pieces of what I tell him?"
"Rules."
"Your rules suck ass."
"Sometimes. If it helps, we have overlooked a lot of them that you have broken."
"It don't," Merle shook his head.
"There is a plan in place. Things will work out the way they're supposed to."
Merle clenched his jaw, "See, shit like that don't help at all. The plan has way too much pain and torment for my brother. It always has. You owe him some good and some peace. Instead you do this. Your plans suck worse than your rules." He stood up as Carol peeked into the doorway to check on Daryl. She walked across the hall to her own room, leaving the door open to listen for him or Mika or Judith. Merle leaned over to Daryl's ear, "Sleep easy, baby brother. I'm goin' back to the songbird for a while."
"Beth," Daryl murmured.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
They set out the next morning. Mika said one last goodbye over her sister's grave. Judith was happily secured to Tyreese's back. They walked to the railroad tracks, then started on the route to Terminus.
Three days later, Mika was balancing on the rail with Daryl next to her. She started to fall and he caught her, swinging her around in a circle as the dog barked.
"You think of a name yet?" Daryl asked her.
"Jack, maybe," Mika replied. "Like the pirate in the movie. Because he's only got one eye."
"One eyed Jacks are wild," Noah smiled.
"What's that mean?"
"Like in the deck of cards," Daryl answered. "Jack's a good name. Come on, Jack."
The dog barked and bounced around them. Mika laughed.
"Hey, look at this," Carol called. She was standing with Judith on her hip next to a large sign.
The group gathered to look at yet another map directing them to Terminus, but this one was different. "Glenn, go to Terminus, Maggie, Sasha, Bob," Mika read aloud. She turned with a smile, but quickly sobered at the looks on the others' faces. "Isn't that good? They were here and they were going to Terminus."
Tyreese reached out a hand and touched the still sticky blood where his sister's name was. "Yeah, sweetie, it's good. Just… the message isn't for me."
"Maybe Maggie wrote it and Sasha left another one somewhere close," Mika suggested.
"Ain't one for Beth, neither," Daryl said softly. Carol rubbed his back. Judith whined and reached for him, so he took her. Daryl walked away from the sign, "You ain't forgot her, have yah?"
"Beh," Judith said around her fingers.
"Good girl. You 'n me gonna find her soon, OK?"
"Beh."
"It doesn't mean she forgot her," Carol said. "It just means…" Daryl shrugged and grunted. Carol sighed, "That she underestimated her, like we all did. Just will mean all that much more when we find her. And we will find her."
Daryl just nodded. Judith bounced on his arm and laughed over his shoulder, babbling happily. Daryl turned but no one was there.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Terminus was falling. Daryl and Carol had gone in, covered in walker guts, and set the place to burn. Rick led them to where he'd buried the bag of weapons.
The reunions were heartwarming. Rick dropped to his knees as he was handed Judith. Carl was in tears as his sister looked around. Tyreese and Sasha hugged even as they walked.
Daryl waited. Waited for any one of them to ask. To say her name. But no one did. They asked about Lizzie after seeing Mika. Asked a general question about anybody else, but no one said her name.
He waited until that night, until they were settled in Father Gabriel's church with the gathered supplies, then he approached Maggie and Glenn. Maggie beamed a smile at him from under Glenn's arm.
"I got out of the prison with Beth," Daryl said.
"What?" Maggie gasped. "Where is she?"
"Dunno," Daryl replied guiltily. "People took me from her, threw me in a car trunk. Took me two weeks to get back to where I left her. Been lookin' ever since. I'm gonna find her."
Maggie's chin quivered, "She was left alone?" She buried her face in Glenn's neck and began to sob.
Daryl looked confused, "She's out there, we just gotta find her."
"Daryl if she was alone, she's dead," Maggie wept. "She's dead."
"SHE AIN'T DEAD!" Daryl yelled.
All conversation stopped. Rick handed Judith to Carl and pushed to his feet. "What's going on?"
"Beth's dead," Maggie said.
"She. Ain't. Dead," Daryl snarled. "She's out there. She's fine."
"Daryl and Beth got out together," Carol reported. "Daryl was abducted from her about a couple weeks ago."
"Twenty nine days," Daryl corrected. "Four days at the place they took me, ten to make it back to where I left, fourteen lookin', then one here with you. Been twenty nine days."
"Was it just you two?" Rick asked.
Daryl nodded. Maggie's sobbing intensified. Daryl glowered at her. Glenn drew Maggie back into the office and shut the door. "She ain't dead," Daryl repeated.
"OK," Rick nodded.
Abraham looked from person to person, "Who in the hell is Beth?"
"One of our family," Carl replied.
"She's Maggie's younger sister," Michonne supplied.
"OK," Rosita's face reflected her shock.
She looked to Tara who shook her head. "Not a word," Tara replied, "From either of them."
Rick's jaw clenched and he turned away.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
They'd settled back down, and once Maggie and Glenn rejoined them, Abraham and Eugene began to tell them about the promise of Washington DC. As everyone began to chatter, Daryl pulled back further and further. He watched the excitement spread through the group. Smiles and happy voices. Rick talking to Carl and Michonne as he cuddled Judith to his chest. The baby that Beth had mothered from her first day. Bottles and diapers, up every few hours those first weeks. Rick, who had depended on her so much. Carl, who had a crush on her since those first days at the farm. And Maggie. Who now sat with her husband, fingers entwined as they talked softly. All of them determined to go.
"We can't go," Daryl said sharply.
"What?" Abe said. "Look man…"
"We can't go, we ain't all here," Daryl insisted.
"Daryl," Glenn shook his head, "I know you cared about Beth, we all did, but if she was out there alone."
"She's dead," Maggie repeated. "I'm sorry but she… she wasn't meant for this world, maybe she never was. She wasn't strong. She couldn't survive on her own. She's dead, you just have to accept that."
"Never," Daryl snarled. "Not until I bury her myself. She's strong. She is a survivor. She. Ain't. Dead."
Rick sighed, "But we have no idea where she is, Daryl."
"We know sure as shit she ain't in Washington," Daryl snapped.
"Has anyone seen Bob?" Sasha asked. "He was just here but…"
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
They killed the attackers from Terminus. Then they buried Bob. In the early morning hours, Daryl slipped out of the church and started up the road.
"Daryl, wait up," Carol called.
He stopped, "Go back," he demanded. "Take care of Mika."
"She's with Rick and Michonne, she's fine. They'll take care of her," Carol replied. "You can't do this alone. Let's go." She walked by him, "So we know she didn't go to Terminus. Maybe she headed back towards the prison, or even the farm. Going towards the familiar."
Daryl sighed, then nodded, "We'll go back to the funeral home, start from there."
"Sounds good," she opened her pack, "Hungry? I've got a couple options here."
"Sure."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
It took almost a week to walk to the funeral home. Most of it spent in a comfortable silence. "Almost there," Daryl announced. He pointed to a trap on the ground, "Beth stepped in that, hurt her ankle. I carried her piggyback awhile. A serious piggyback." He smiled at the memory, Carol smiled because he did.
They were halfway through the cemetery when a dog suddenly bounded towards them barking happily. "That's Jack," Carol said. "What the hell?"
"There's a car parked alongside that wasn't there before," Daryl said.
Rick stepped out onto the porch and raised his hand in greeting. Daryl and Carol exchanged glances, then approached. "Afternoon," Rick said.
Michonne emerged eating a can of fruit cocktail, "Took you two long enough," she said. "Mika and Carl are inside with Judith."
"What are you doin' here? Figured you'd be halfway to DC by now," Daryl replied.
Rick shrugged, "You were right, we can't leave until we're all together."
"And the others?" Carol asked.
"They didn't feel the same way," Rick replied. "They left for DC right after you left. Maggie, Glenn, Sasha, and Tyreese plan to take Noah home first but… they left. We didn't."
Daryl nodded.
"How did you find us?" Carol asked.
"Mika," Michonne replied, "She was able to remember enough to find this place on the map."
"So what's the plan?" asked Rick.
"Find her," Daryl answered.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
They found more vehicles and set out in search grids, heading back towards the prison and the farm. After two weeks, they returned to the funeral home, then after a discussion, moved back to the house in the pecan grove despite its bad memories. They built up the fences, securing their new sanctuary and settled in.
"Sixty days," Daryl whispered to himself as he pushed a lit cigarette into the back of his hand. "Sixty damn days." The pain was minimal compared to the splitting ache in his chest. He sat on watch as the others slept peacefully. As soon as he heard Judith fuss and Michonne moving in response, he got up and walked away.
"He was gone when I got up," Rick reported.
"I heard him moving around out here last night," Carol replied.
"I could still smell his cigarette when I came out," Michonne said as she rocked Judith. "He must have left as we were waking up."
"What are we going to do?" Carl asked.
"Wait," Rick replied. "He knows where we are. He'll come back."
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Days turned into weeks as Daryl wandered the countryside. He began to lose track of time. Where he had obsessively kept track of how long she'd been missing, now he had no idea. He ate what he hunted, often skinning and eating the animals raw. Filthy and covered in blood and gore from the animals and walkers he killed. He moved silently through the woods, feeling more animal than man.
The sickness hit suddenly. He climbed up into a tree when exhaustion overwhelmed him, using rope to lash himself to the trunk before his chin hit his chest. When he woke up, his throat hurt. The coughing started almost immediately, ripping though his chest with every breath. He knelt next to a stream and bathed his face, the cool water soothing him for a brief second. He pushed to his feet and began to walk again. Staggering along, tripping over tree roots as his fever rose dangerously high.
Hours later, he stumbled and fell, sprawling out in the dirt. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the sun filtering through the trees. Every breath was a struggle, every inch of his body hurt. His mind began to drift as his vision faded to black. He was ready to just give up.
"Open your eyes, baby brother," Merle demanded slapping Daryl's face, "Come on."
"Merle," Daryl gasped. "M'I dead?"
"Nope, ain't your time yet," Merle replied. "You gotta get up."
"Don't wanna," Daryl moaned. "No reason to. She's gone. She's just gone." He began to weep, only to fall into a coughing fit that left him breathless.
Merle yanked him to sit up, "Deep breath, little brother, come on, take a breath."
Daryl leaned heavily on Merle, "I lost her."
"You didn't lose her, they stole her."
Daryl looked into his brother's face, "Where is she?"
Merle sighed, "You won't remember anyway, Daryl. Their rules suck. Come on, you gotta get up. I swear, you will find her. I'll make damn sure of it, rules or no rules." He dragged Daryl up onto his feet.
Daryl blinked at the small figure in front of them, "Who's that?"
Merle turned, "Hey kiddo. Here to help?"
Daryl studied the little blonde haired boy, dressed in jeans and a leather vest with massive brilliant white wings growing out of the back. The boy smiled and moved over to stand at Daryl's side to steady him.
"Who's this?" Daryl repeated his question.
Merle grinned, "Someone you'll meet soon enough. Come on, you gotta walk now."
At first Merle walked alongside Daryl, but eventually as he trudged along, Merle moved in front. He hefted the little boy up onto his shoulders and Daryl found himself plodding along following those beautiful wings. His vision faded in and out, sometimes narrowing to only Merle's back and the little boy's wings. Every breath was a struggle, every step agony. But he kept breathing and kept walking.
Merle was focused straight ahead. He was pulling on the power he'd found before, but this time was to deflect bad weather away from his brother and to keep the walkers from getting too close. He glanced back repeatedly to be sure Daryl was still following.
Hands suddenly grabbed Daryl. He jerked back, blinking at the familiar face suddenly in front of him. "Jesus, Daryl, what's wrong?" Rick asked.
"Merle?" Daryl gasped looking around. "Merle?" A cough ripped through him.
Rick caught him as he staggered, "He's sick. Help me." Carl moved in and drew Daryl's arm over his shoulders. "Come on, brother, we got you."
"He's really hot," Carl said. "And he stinks."
"Let's get him inside," Rick said. "CAROL! MICHONNE!"
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl woke up. He was flat on his back in a bed, stripped naked and trapped. The panic hit instantly and he began to struggle against the bonds.
"Easy, easy," Michonne leaned over him and untucked the sheet. "You're safe, it's OK." He looked at her and she smiled, "Are you awake for real this time?"
"Think so," his voice was hoarse. He swallowed and grimaced at the dryness of his throat.
Michonne offered him a glass of water with a straw, then propped him up to drink. "Take it slow."
"What happened?"
"You've been sick. Pneumonia we think." Michonne laid him back against the pillows.
Daryl coughed weakly and rubbed his face, "How did I get back here?"
"You told us Merle brought you," she replied.
"I… think I remember."
She patted his arm, then moved away, "He's awake," Michonne walked into the hallway.
Daryl heard the others respond and footsteps approach rapidly. Rick and Carol entered, followed immediately by Mika and Carl who carried Judith. "Hey," he greeted softly as he tucked the sheet back around him. Judith squealed at him.
"Oh thank God," Carol wept as she leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Your fever broke yesterday. We've been so worried."
A stranger entered the room. Daryl startled, but Carol rubbed his arm comfortingly. "Daryl, this is Morgan," Rick introduced. "Morgan found us about three weeks ago."
"Nice to meet you, Daryl," Morgan greeted.
Daryl nodded in response, then focused back on Carol. "How long has it been?" Daryl asked her. "I lost track. How long was I gone?"
Carol bit her lip and looked at Rick. Rick sighed, "Five weeks. You left us about five weeks ago. Been back almost five days. You didn't find anything?"
Daryl shook his head and forced back the tears. "Five days," he coughed and cleared his throat. "Musta been bad."
"If it hadn't been for Rick and Carl going to the prison to get those antibiotics, we would've lost you," Carol replied as she rubbed his shoulder.
"Thanks," Daryl said.
Rick shrugged, "It's what we do. Get some sleep, you've got a lot of healing to do, brother."
Daryl wanted to protest, but was asleep before they left the room.
He opened his eyes. He was standing in the middle of the camp they'd made at the quarry outside of Atlanta. Vehicles and tents scattered around the RV but no one was in sight. Daryl walked over to his old pickup and Merle's bike, running his hand over the scarred metal.
"Don't get all sentimental on me now, baby brother" Merle reprimanded.
"You saved me. You do that a lot, I think," Daryl replied.
Merle shrugged, "My job. Since the day Mom set you in my arms. You pissed on me, by the way. Don't think I ever told you that."
"Lucky I lived long enough to need you," Daryl grinned.
Merle shrugged, "Lil' Asskicker has pissed, shit, and puked on you, didn't stop you from doin' for her. But then, she is cuter than you were."
"You been watchin',"
"Every minute," Merle nodded. "You and the sweet, little songbird."
"You know where Beth is? Is she OK?"
"She's hurtin', scared, but alive. People that got her, they're evil, Daryl. Worst sort of people. You will find her soon, I swear it." Merle gripped the back of Daryl's neck and rested their foreheads together to stare into his eyes. "I think I've come up with a way. So you get well quick, OK?"
"OK."
"What?"
Daryl blinked and realized he was back in bed with Carol sitting next to him. She smiled, "What's OK?"
"Ever'thin's gonna be," he smiled back, "She's still alive. I know it."
Carol smiled sadly but nodded. She sat watch as Daryl dropped into a deep restful sleep.
*x*x*x*x*x*x*x*
Daryl cursed and leaned against the fence post. It had been another ten days since he woke up from his sickness. He was pushing himself, trying to get back to full strength but it wasn't going as fast as he wanted. Moderate exertion left him breathless and tired. He'd left that morning. Snuck out actually since Rick and Carol told him it was too soon, but he'd needed to get out into the woods again. Barely twenty minutes out, he'd come across a large buck that he quickly dispatched with the crossbow. It was all he could do to drag the massive animal back to the house.
It had been three and a half months since he'd opened the door and started on this nightmare. Fifteen weeks since he'd heard her sing, seen her smile. Fifteen weeks since that delicate "Oh". He wondered, as he often did, what would've happened if he hadn't opened that door. He might have been able to avoid the abduction and the terror that followed at Grady. He might have been able to keep her close, safe, well. He remembered the dream where Merle came to him. Kept that thought in his mind, that she was alive, hurt, not safe, but alive. Somewhere.
He took a deep breath and resumed dragging the deer under the barbed wire fence.
"Damn it," Rick strode up to him, "I told you no!"
"Told you I was fine!" Daryl snapped.
"Yeah, you look fine," Rick retorted. "You're sweating and pale, look like you're going to drop at my feet."
Daryl shrugged, "I got a deer."
"Yeah, I see that," Rick hefted the deer to his back. "Thanks. But I still said no."
Daryl followed him to the house. As they rounded the corner, Rick suddenly froze and dropped the deer to pull his gun. Daryl stepped to his side and aimed the crossbow. A man and a woman stood facing the house with guns drawn. Carl, Michonne, and Carol stood on the porch, guns pointed at the intruders. Morgan stood with his staff at his side.
Daryl stared at them. His breathing caught and he began to shake. He recognized both of them. Their faces above those dreaded navy blue uniforms. Cops from Grady. His heart pounded as the panic swept over him.
The woman turned toward him. Her hand dropped to her side and she holstered the gun almost absentmindedly. The man caught her movement and looked. Taking advantage of the distraction, Carol lunged forward and grabbed his gun. He struggled for a second, then let it go, raising his hands in surrender.
"Look, I'm Bob Lamson, this is Amanda Shepherd," he greeted.
Shepherd was glaring at Daryl. The intensity of her stare combined with the memory of that uniform on another woman filled him with terror. When he took a step back, she snarled, "You son of a bitch." She leapt at Daryl, catching them all by surprise. She took him to the ground and pressed her arm against his throat, "You left her! You just left her there! How could you! Did you even care what would happen?"
"Shepherd, stand down!" Lamson grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Rick grasped her other arm and together they dragged her kicking form away from Daryl. Daryl lay gasping for breath and coughing. Carol dropped down next to him. "SHEPHERD! STAND DOWN THAT'S AN ORDER!"
She collapsed back and they let her drop to sit in the dirt. "I'm sorry," tears flowed down her cheeks, "But how could you just leave her there?"
Daryl began to gasp for air, "Beth? Beth's at Grady?"
"Easy, easy," Carol demanded, "Breathe Daryl."
"You have Beth?" Rick snarled at Lamson. Lamson nodded. Rick ran his hands through his hair then stooped down to Daryl. "Daryl you need to calm down brother." He pressed his hand to Daryl's chest, "Come on, brother, you gotta get your breath."
Lamson squatted down too, "He OK?"
"Does he look OK?" Carol snapped.
"He's been sick," Michonne supplied. "Respiratory infection."
"Plus the shit he went through with you," Carol added as she rubbed Daryl's back.
"Wasn't me," Lamson denied.
"No," Shepherd said, "Wasn't us. We just stood by and let it happen." She met Daryl's eyes, "You didn't know, did you? That she was there?" Daryl shook his head violently. "I told her you didn't know, but I never really believed it."
"Is she… OK?" Daryl asked between gulps of air.
Lamson sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, "She's alive."
"Someone's hurting her," Daryl said, recalling the memory from the dream. He took a steady breath and pushed away from everyone to stand up. Carol and Rick let him go, then stood along with Lamson.
Lamson looked from one of them to the other, "Look we came looking for you because we need your help. Things there are bad. Real bad. And Amanda's right, we just stood by and let them get bad. We want to stop it, to fix it, but we need help. We've been looking for weeks, then today I just knew how to find you, it was weird." He took a deep breath. "Beth is alive, and mostly OK. But…"
Shepherd faced them, "Dawn. Officer Dawn Lerner, she's in charge." At the sound of her name, a shudder ripped through Daryl. "She is a sadistic, nasty bitch who we never should've given an ounce of power to. She is using Beth. Forcing her to provide the one thing she wants more than anything. Using… what she took from you." Daryl flinched.
"What?" Rick demanded. "What is she using Beth for? This thing she wants?"
Shepherd swallowed hard. "A baby."
