Chapter 11- for your reading pleasure. I don't own anything. Ya'll know that. This is a long one so be prepared. AN at the end.
Beth went room to room silently waking everyone in the house. Their reaction, with the exception of Maggie and Glenn's because they hadn't been with them the last three months, was very calculated and organized. Beth decided to wake them last.
"Maggie, there's a herd. Glenn, get your gun and stay with Rick. Maggie, do not leave my side. We'll keep you safe." Under any other circumstance Maggie would have laughed at the role reversal but she wasn't going to question anything right now. She nodded silently and followed her younger sister.
When they emerged from the bedroom everyone was armed to the teeth and eyes darting around looking for anything that might be a threat. Daryl reached out and grabbed Beth's hand and pulled her to him, Maggie eyeing the contact but saying nothing.
"They should be passing. If we keep quiet maybe they'll walk on by." Beth whispered into Daryl's shoulder and he looked down at her with a silent prayer in his eyes. Judith grunted in Carol's arms and let out a whimper. That was enough to get something's attention outside and there was a loud groan near the broken window Beth had looked into earlier in the evening.
"Shit!" Rick muttered as he hunkered down and peeked out of the corner of the window. The walker, flesh grey and blood dripping from its mouth, saw him and growled louder. More walkers came closer and Judith began to cry. Carol whispered soothing words to the infant and bounced her on her hip to try and calm her but the stress in the room weighed heavy on her.
"We have to push out of here. We can't stay. They'll rip us apart." Beth knew they had no choice and she cursed herself for thinking they could change their luck. "Rick, what's the plan?" Michonne pulled him back and demanded his leadership.
"Daryl, you and Beth go scout the back. Let us know if there is an exit out that way. If nothing else we might have the better advantage to fight from behind." The pair nodded and Beth turned to Maggie.
"Stay here." Beth glanced at Michonne and a silent conversation was had. Maggie saw Michonne nod and move closer to her. Maggie felt helpless, something she hadn't felt in a long time and she wondered if this is what Beth felt like at the prison.
Beth and Daryl slipped out of the room unnoticed by anyone else as they all looked around for anything they could use to fortify the house until they returned. Beth found a door to the back of the house in the den and ushered Daryl over who took point. He pulled up his crossbow and prepared to aim when he opened the door but the back was empty and peaceful. If they couldn't hear the groans of the walkers Beth might have forgotten the threat. They assumed their normal positions. Beth stayed to Daryl's left just behind him as he turned the corner of the house. They could see the first walker that heard Judith's cries as it ambled around trying to find a weakness in the structure.
Beth could see six others at the window and more turning towards the noise. Total, she would assume there were at least twenty to thirty walkers. Beth pulled back on his arm and pointed to the vacant yard behind them. She motioned silently that she wanted to pull back and follow the tree line about 50 yards behind them to the house they had originally planned to stay on. He nodded and began to head in that direction hoping that this path would give them a clear shot to the cars still parked over there.
The stealthily moved through the tall overgrowth, their footsteps were gentle and cautious so as not to alert any walkers to their location. As they pushed forward to the other house Daryl stopped so abruptly that had Beth not been paying close attention she would have run into his back. In fact, he braced himself for impact but it never happened. He looked over his left shoulder, where he knew she'd be and gave a nod to the tree line by the other house. She looked past him to see another herd was emerging. There was no way to tell how many were actually there.
She gave a sharp nod and allowed Daryl to turn back to the house where their family was before she followed suit, never once breaking their mini formation. One walker stumbled out of the tree line and grabbed onto Beth's arm. She gasped but didn't scream. Her free hand went for the knife on her hip and pulled at it. Daryl beat her to it and a bolt flew through the thing's head and its grip released as it fell lifeless to the ground. He grabbed the bolt and reached for her arm to run his hand over it looking for anything and she pushed him forward. They had to get back to the others. Daryl didn't want to risk another encounter so he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him quickly. They slipped quietly back into the house and entered the living room.
"No clear exit. There's more comin' outta the woods by the other place. If we're gunna go we gotta fight out now." Several people in the room jumped and their sudden reappearance and Michonne growled.
"One of these days I'm going to slice one of you in half if you keep doing that." Beth smirked at the dangerous compliment as Maggie returned to her side. Daryl took the moment to take her arm and examine it.
"I'm fine." She assured him. He nodded and pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. 'Be more careful' the action told her. She nodded back at him once he released her and turned back to Rick.
"Maggie, Carol, Eugene, Gabriel and Carl stay in the middle." Rick started.
"I can fight to ya know!" Maggie protested.
"Thing have changed. You follow the formation and we'll get you out alive!" Rick hissed. Maggie's mouth snapped shut and she nodded. Glenn gave her an apologetic look. "Everyone else keep a tight circle. Nothing changes since we did this last time. Glenn, you stay to my right and follow me closely. We need you." Glenn nodded and gripped the fire poker tighter. "Daryl, you on my left. Everyone else take flanking positions around the group. Keep quite. Don't use your guns unless you have to. Make a run for the cars. There's room in the van and with Sasha, Tyreese, and Bob." Everyone nodded in understanding and the center group grabbed onto what little belongings they had brought in with them.
"Best we get out there first an' take out a few before we move everyone." Daryl offered.
"Right. Tyreese, you ready?" He pulled out his hammer as an answer; his eyes were fierce and sharp. "Alright, stay on the porch." Beth caught Daryl's glance back to her and she only smiled softly and encouraging him not to worry about her.
Rick opened the door and Daryl flew out with his knife ready. The crossbow was left inside because he only had three bolts left. They would all be fighting hand to hand. Rick followed and Tyreese's bulking frame blocked the door keeping everyone inside safe. It was something they had done before so it was familiar. Familiar felt safe.
Daryl reached the first walker on the porch to the right of the door. It snarled and snapped at him as he ran closer to it. It was missing an arm and half of its jaw was missing from either rot or another attack but it was still deadly. He slammed the blade of his knife into its skull and it fell to the ground. He quickly jumped over the body and dispatched of two more before turning to check on Rick and Tyreese. They were working on three walkers that had walked up to them so Daryl quickly ran back and pushed the blade into the ear of a small female walker with blond hair. He hated killing those. They reminded him of Beth. When the porch was clear and nine corpses lay about the porch they ushered the rest of the group out into the open.
Beth immediately took her flank behind Daryl and Maggie stayed as close to Beth as possible. Her arms were full of bedding and a few canned foods so she was completely useless. She focused on the task of getting to the cars. It seemed like they were miles away and the herd seemed much larger than the first time she looked.
"Don't you leave my side!" Beth shouted over the violence as they made their way down the steps and over bodies that Rick, Tyreese, Daryl, and Glenn had taken out. Abraham was behind Beth and Rosita next to him. Bob and Sasha had their backs to the protected inner circle watching for anything that might sneak up from behind. Tara and Michonne were between them and next to Glenn on Rick's far right. They would only break formation for moments to take down a walker that had gotten too close before stepping back in. Daryl had suggested this because this was the formation they used when they took the prison. The only difference was the people they needed to protect so every break in formation needed to be quick, swift, and meaningful. One single slip up could cost numerous lives.
They fought their way closer to the cars and were only about one hundred yards away when Rick yelled for them to stop. Walkers were stepping out from around the cars and the focus shifted to deal with them so they could get out safely. While their attention was focused on the cars and walkers ahead of them Sasha and Bob made the mistake of shifting their attention ahead rather than behind. Carol turned to them in time to see a seemingly fresh walker lunge up and grab Bob's hand and bite down. Bob screamed and Sasha quickly stabbed it and looked at the blood pouring from his wound. She cried out and Rick looked at Tyreese over his shoulder. He only nodded and Rick ordered the rest of the group forward. They couldn't stop to deal with this now. They would be a sitting meal.
"Get to the cars! Center group in the cars! We need to take them out now so we can deal with Bob! Maggie you go with Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene in the van. Glenn we need you with Ty and Bob!" Rick ordered and the formation shattered as they sprinted to the cars. Daryl's grip on Beth's wrist was tight and he only let go once they were in the bed of the truck with rifles in hand ready to snipe off as many of these fuckers as they could. Beth let out a breath when she saw Maggie and Eugene get in the van, Carol and Judith were in the truck and Carl and Gabriel were in the back of the mustang. Sasha was busying herself with a make shift tourniquet from her belt and Abraham was holding him down as they prepared to amputate the infected hand.
"Rick!" Daryl shouted and Rick caught the hatchet that was being tossed to him to take care of the job. Beth was picking off walkers in the distance as Michonne, Rick, Glenn, and Rosita took care of the ones closer. They didn't care about noise. As soon as Bob was taken care of they would be in the cars and on their way out. Tyreese took the hatchet from Rick and swung quick and hard and Bob's hand fell to the side and screams echoed through the night. "We gotta go! Beth, get in the truck!" She obeyed and climbed down and tossed the supplies in behind her and jumped into the cab. Tyreese and Glenn were helping Bob into the back of the car with Sasha and the van was already closed up tight. Michonne and Rick closed their doors just as Daryl did.
Daryl turned the truck over and pulled away quickly as they avoided the left over herd. Beth reached down and turned on the radio and glanced over to Carol and Judith to make sure they were ok. Judith was sobbing hysterically and Carol was doing everything she could to calm her.
"Everyone else ok?" Rick's voice filled the cab once everyone was back on the road. Mumbled "yeah"s came from the other two cars. Daryl picked up the walkie talkie and pushed the button.
"How's Bob?"
"He passed out. We can't stop the bleeding. We have to wait and see." Beth could hear the sorrow and anger in Tyreese's voice and the sobs from Sasha in the back seat.
Daryl angrily tossed the walkie into the floor board. "FUCK!" His palm slammed into the steering wheel and then balled up his fist to punch the dash. Beth's hands moved lightning fast and grabbed it before he could make contact. His face turned to hers and she could see the anger and despair in his eyes from the lights on the dash.
"That's not gunna help." She said soothingly. She waited for his hand to relax and threaded her fingers through his. Carol remained quiet as she tried to keep Judith's attention away from the high emotion smothering the cab of the truck.
"We shoulda stayed." He muttered. "Bob wouldn't a been bit."
"We both know that wasn't an option. With ass kicker cryin' they would have torn that place down."
"Now we gotta worry about Maggie and another damn baby!" He shouted again and released his hold on her hand.
"Daryl, stop. This isn't helping!" Carol ordered in her best motherly warning.
"Daryl, we need to find another place to make camp. We need to keep an eye on Bob. Keep a look out." Rick's voice drifted up from the floor board and Beth reached down and retrieved the walkie, her hand grazing the spot where it slammed against her leg that was likely to bruise. She would never tell Daryl.
"Rick, we need to drive through. We can't risk not having light to set up." Beth responded.
"We need to get Eugene to Washington. We're not far from it." Came Maggie's voice over the walkie. Beth sighed, hoping to delay the news that the rest of them already knew but Glenn and Maggie.
"Maggie, there is no cure. That's what Rick was going to tell you earlier. Eugene needed protection. Don't be mad at him, we've known for months and he's suffered enough." Beth replied. There was a long pause and nothing but static was heard on the other end.
"Why are we going then?" It was Glenn's voice next.
"Because there was nothing left and that's where we thought you'd be headed." Rick responded. Beth felt tears fall from her eyes and she quickly swiped at them. Daryl gently took the walkie from Beth's hand and clicked is on.
"I'll keep an eye out for something. We need to regroup." Beth's shoulder's slumped in defeat at the thought of getting out of the safety of the truck at night but she knew they were right.
"Thanks brother." Daryl placed the radio in between him and Beth and kept his eyes open for anything that they could hole up in for the night. Judith had just begun to fall asleep when Daryl pulled over to the side of the road in front of an abandoned mansion, or so it seemed.
"Winterberry Bed and Breakfast. Don't look like no one is around. Might be worth a shot." Beth shrugged and Daryl pulled the caravan of cars into the parking lot. Carol opted to stay in the car with the sleeping infant and Beth and Daryl exited on the driver's side. Rick and Michonne, Glenn and Tyreese, Abraham and Rosita all joined the pair next to the truck.
"Doesn't look like anyone is home." Abraham growled, his anger back as he was forced to remember his false mission. "Let's get this over with and get some sleep. We'll deal with the rest of this shit in the morning." They all nodded and headed to the large B&B and banged on the windows. When no noise came from inside they pushed open the door and found the place completely ransacked. Someone had just been through recently from what Beth could tell but she struggled on how long ago it might have been.
"How long ago, Greene?" Daryl asked, sensing her confusion. She studied the wreckage a little closer.
"Week, maybe two." She wasn't sure but her answer was firm as if she believed it to be true.
"Bout right." He nudged her shoulder in praise and she smiled at him. Once they cleared the area Rick called out to the rest of the group who made their way in. Daryl and Abraham went back and carried Bob in and laid him on a makeshift bed in the middle of a large living room. Maggie set out to start a fire and Beth walked over to help her.
"Why didn't you tell me about the cure? Or about you and Daryl?" Maggie's voice sounded hurt.
"Because it wasn't the time." Beth responded simply.
"You're my sister. Anytime is a time." Beth kept silent as she repositioned the wood in the fireplace. "You look like my sister anyway. But I can't see her in there anymore." Maggie said pointing to Beth's chest.
"I'm still here Maggie. I'm just a survivor now. We all have jobs to do. Daryl made sure I wouldn't fail. Said he owed Daddy that much."
"You love him?" Maggie asked abruptly.
"Love seems like a fairytale word. I wouldn't use it to describe us." Beth took out a lighter she'd found along the way and lit the papers she'd ripped from books lying on the ground. The fire began to catch and she rolled back on her heels, her head turning to look at the men behind her. She was sure Daryl had heard everything.
"You're avoiding the question." Beth sighed in frustration and stood up.
"No, Mags, I didn't. You just didn't understand the answer." She abruptly walked away leaving Maggie alone by the fire with tears slipping down her face. She ghosted a hand over her stomach and wondered who these people were and how they ended up here. She felt lost. She felt like she didn't belong anymore.
"Give her time. She's changed but she's still there." Daryl offered with a small smile. Maggie wiped her eyes and looked over at him.
"Thank you for keeping her alive."
"Wasn't all me. She takes care of herself now." Maggie scoffed and Daryl got up and sat off to find Beth. He found her sitting on the stairs leading down to a wine cellar. Daryl brushed past her and grabbed a few bottles and brought them up. She looked at him quizzically. "I think Bob's earned that drink when he wakes up." Beth laughed remembering hearing about the run they made to the veterinary college.
"I think we all have." She smirked as she took a bottle with a screw top lid and took a long pull of the cherry liquid.
"Don't ya get drunk on me now. Don't need ya tryin' to take advantage of me." She raised an eyebrow at him and passed the bottle over. To her surprise he mimicked her actions and then screwed the top back on. "Ya did good tonight." He knew he didn't need to tell her but I did anyway. "Maggie's a bit overwhelmed by all this. Don't know how to handle the change in the group." Daryl motioned for her to move over and she obliged. He sat down next to her.
"She wants me to be the weak little girl she used to know." Beth sounded bitter.
"She wants you alive. Just like we all do. Just like I do." He looked down at the bottle in his hands and tried to make out the French words. These being oddly more important than the conversation he initiated. Finally he gave up. "She'll come around. Just try not ta be so cold round her." Beth laughed true for the first time in weeks. "What?" He grunted at her outburst.
"Nothing, I'm sorry. But you giving advice on sibling relationships is like asking a leper to give you a facial." Beth laughed again. So hard in fact that she gripped her sides.
"Yeah I know that joke. Tweeker liked Robin Williams and was always watchin' that routine. Have the whole damn thing practically memorized." Daryl laughed with her. When she finally calmed he continued. "Merle and I never had the best relationship. But he was my brother an I tried to always be there for him. You should be there for her. She's all fucked up right now with this baby."
"You're right. Like always." She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed heavily. Footsteps behind them caught their attention. It was Rick.
"That explains the laughing. You two found booze." Beth swatted at Rick and he chuckled. "The tourniquet on Bob's hand wasn't tight enough. Carol thinks he's lost too much blood. I don't know that he's gunna make it through the night. We've tied him up just in case in the living room. We're all exhausted so we're going to do two hour shifts tonight. Two people at all times. Sasha and Tyreese volunteered the first watch. We need to get some rest. They'll come get me and Michonne in the then we'll come get you. You've got at least four hours." They nodded and stood and headed back to find a place to sleep for the time being.
Once they were situated on a mattress in the dining area they both drifted off the sleep without a word.
They never got four hours. They were awakened after two by the sounds of crying, growling, and a blade sliding into the skull of someone. They didn't need to get up to know who. Beth cried silently into Daryl's shirt and he held her tight. Neither slept the rest of the night.
Phew… this was a long one but once I started I just couldn't stop. I hope I relieved some confusion in the last chapter when Glenn mentioned the cure and Eugene but the rest of the group already knew that he was lying. Beth just didn't think it was a good time for them to know. Also, I know I'm making Maggie look weak and unimportant but I promise there is a reason for it. Just bear with me. Anyway… Let me know what you think. For those that think Beth is losing her way, I promise she is not. chapter 12 is mostly written and should be up soon and we'll see more of our Beth again. My hands are KILLING me from writing so much today. And of course, RIP Bob.