LIGHT A FIRE
{Author's Note: Thank you to Leyshla Gisel & Mrskaz453 for still reviewing, to all those who have added to alerts and favourites, and to all of you visitors who are still reading this series (it's appreciated :D.) This chapter is part two of Daryl and Tessa's experiences. Next chapter will be a lot of Daryl/Tessa together. Enjoy! Please read and review :)}
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the character(s) you don't recognise.
Lyrics: Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
I will never let you fall,
I'll stand up for you forever,
I'll be there for you through it all,
Even if saving you sends me to heaven…
-+-
[TESSA'S EXPERIENCE]
"YOU IDIOT! NOW YOU'VE CALLED THEM TO US!"
From behind me I could hear Harry yell at one of his men-presumably the one who had fired the gun.
I didn't care to listen to any more of their argument; I just wanted to run and not look back.
The pain in my shoulder was gradually building up to a constant ache that was threatening to render my whole right arm useless.
'No!'
My own mind was fighting back, giving me the extra push I needed to reach the big double doors that once marked the side entrance to the warehouse.
I leant all of my weight against the heavy doors, pulling a pained expression at having to use my right shoulder as well in order to fully open them and get through.
Once I was through, I smiled briefly in relief at seeing the sun shining down on me and woods still surrounding us.
I couldn't have been far from where our camp had been, I just had to get myself near the vicinity and Daryl will be able to track me.
Suddenly, out of nowhere the familiar sound of growling and feet dragging across ground could be heard; only this time it was amplified.
'A horde!'
Once again my mind kicked in before my own body had a chance, as I swerved my head around to look for an escape route, quickly moving forward as I awkwardly moved the knife I had taken from Harry to my left hand.
I was right handed, but I hoped that my clumsiness wouldn't cause my death.
From behind me I could hear Harry and his men finally catch up to me, but not be able to move forwards as their way was blocked by walkers.
"Tessa…" He spoke calmly as he smirked at me, "What are you goin' to do Princess?! We can protect you, but you gotta meet us half-way here…"
My azure coloured eyes took in the scene in front of me with fear and dread.
If I went forwards then I'd be over-run and killed by a flurry of teeth and frenzied hands.
But if I went back?
Well, I'd be wishing that I'd of gone forward.
Tears were starting to fall steadily down my cheeks as I gently placed the knife on the ground in front of me before holding out my arms in the exact same position my Mother had years previous.
"I'm knowing my fight…" I answered him back brokenly as I shut my eyes tightly and took a deep breath.
This was the end, I always knew that deep down it'd always come down to this, but I had at least imagined myself with kids and a husband first.
Scrunching my eyelids closed tighter, I gasped out before taking a hesitant step forwards, waiting for the moment when teeth would tear me apart.
[DARYL'S EXPERIENCE]
-+-
Beth had found her way back to the area they had been in before without any help from him.
If the situation wasn't so dire, Daryl might have even admired her potential.
"So, what are we looking for?" Beth had looked up at him expectantly.
"Tracks…footprints…anythin' that weren't made by walkers."
She made a face, concentrating hard on the ground before furrowing her eyebrows, "There are these zig-zaggy tracks, but then there are other footprints over them…walkers?"
Daryl moved closer to her, kneeling down to inspect the area closer as he shook his head, "No, people tryin' to cover up their tracks…"
"So, this proves that he was lying about Tessa being dead, right?" Her voice got higher as she couldn't help but cling onto the hope that her friend was alive.
Nodding quietly, Daryl replied, "She wasn't killed here…"
Beth smiled in relief before walking off north, "The tracks continue up here! So, they must of taken her somewhere."
"Yeah…"
Judging by the tone of his answer, Beth could tell that his mind was struggling to cope with the reasons over why they might of taken Tessa.
If she was being honest as well, she didn't want to dwell on it either.
All of a sudden, a gunshot echoed around the immediate area as Daryl paused, his eyes narrowing as he burst into action and started to run towards the direction of the noise.
"Daryl!" Beth quickly followed after him, keeping her knife raised in defence as she widened her eyes when they came upon a building.
"General Industries…"
Not bothering to pause to catch his breath, Daryl ran around the side, suddenly seeing a whole horde of walkers crowding around something.
Then he froze.
One of the walkers had tripped and fallen over their own feet, exposing him to a sight that caused his heart to sink and his anger to reach a new level.
Tessa was stood just a few feet from the horde with her arms outstretched and her eyes shut as if she had given up and was expecting death.
From his side Beth had widened her eyes and started to stab her knife into the walker's heads, obviously having also seen the same as him.
Then, from the other side of the compound, Daryl's gaze briefly locked with another's.
Cold, dark eyes met his own pained blue ones, as he found himself aiming his crossbow at the sneering man.
"Daryl!"
Beth had looked over at him angrily, "Help Tessa!"
He moved his eyes away from the stranger as he leapt into action, taking out his knife and hacking into as many of the walker's skulls as he could.
There was no way that he'd let anything happen to her when she only a few feet away from him.
It was already tearing him apart that she was ready to give up so easily.
He could see her clearly now.
She was standing shakily with blood soaking through her vest top as her eyes remained firmly shut and her arms were outstretched.
"TESSA!"
Immediately he saw her eyelids fly open as she widened her eyes at seeing him stood just to the left of her.
"Daryl?!" She gasped in exhilaration, tears cascading down her cheeks as she then fell to her knees as a louder gunshot echoed through the air once more.
Beth screamed in shock as she rushed forward to help Tessa.
His eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of the same sneering man from earlier as he winked at Daryl before becoming lost in the endless sea of undead corpses.
By now more walkers were making their way towards them and Daryl knew that they'd never kill them all.
He quickly went over to Tessa, checking her for where the second bullet had hit, his heart clenching as he couldn't find a wound.
"Tessa…"
Frantically he lifted up her top, stopping when seeing the bruises, cuts and then a bullet wound on her abdomen just above the waistband of her jeans.
Beth was starting to look around frantically, "We need to go Daryl! We need to get Tessa somewhere safe!"
Nodding in complete numbness, he gently scooped up Tessa into his arms and held her protectively against his chest.
Once again he felt the exact same fears and anxieties he had felt way back on Herschel's farm.
Only this time it was amplified.
Because he knew that something deep and intense had taken root in his heart that would eat away at him if she died in his arms right now.
"Daryl! Over here!" Beth had tilted her head towards a small opening between two out buildings as he kept Tessa's head close to his heart and ran after Beth.
He could feel her blood now start to transfer onto his own clothes as her breathing was getting laboured and slow.
Anger and bitterness was taking over as he refused to forgive her if she let go of her life.
She had promised him that she'd never give up and that she'd keep fighting.
-+-
[TEN MINUTES LATER]
-+-
After what felt like hours of running, Beth had stopped to catch her breath, her eyes wide as she looked over at him, "There's a house over there! Some sort of funeral home-"
"Come on!" Daryl answered her back gruffly as he quickly followed her and burst his way inside.
Protocol went out of the window as he gave Beth a silent signal to check for walkers, whilst he laid Tessa out on the floor.
He could hear Beth check all of the rooms before bolting the door and rushing over to him in the room where a coffin was still propped up.
The chilling irony wasn't lost on either of them.
"We need something to prop her head up! And hot water…towels or cloths too-" Beth was remembering Herschel's basic training, as she went into the kitchen, searching through the cupboards.
Daryl swiftly shrugged off his vest as he bundled it up into a messy makeshift pillow and carefully put it under her head before saying to Beth, "Get me tweezers, a bottle of alcohol, some string and a needle!"
He could hear her sigh loudly, "This is a funeral home-"
"They dress up dead bodies! They'll have somethin'!"
The sound of clattering around and drawers being yanked open echoed around the eerily silent building as he reached out with shaky hands to rip the part of her vest where the wound was so that he could get to the area easier.
He had no idea if the bullet had penetrated deeper than what he had first thought, but living with Merle and not having medical insurance had taught him a few things.
"I've found everything! There was a room downstairs…" She quickly placed everything on the ground before him, "Do you know what you're doing?"
Daryl nodded simply, "Merle got shot a couple of times…"
Not wanting to ask for an explanation, Beth watched him take out his lighter and heat up the tweezers, needle and the tip of his knife, "Do you need me to do something?"
"Clean the wound for me on her shoulder with the alcohol, the bullet barely grazed her, so we can just clean it."
"And the other wound?" Beth watched him tear up the scrap of vest as she grabbed a piece and drenched it in alcohol before placing it quickly against the wound on Tessa's shoulder.
He went quiet as she lifted her eyes up towards his, "Daryl?"
"Just clean it!" He replied back hurriedly as he was about to press the knife close to her wound when Tessa's eyes shot open as she started to breathe heavily and panicky.
"Tessa? It's Beth, you're going to be okay but you need to relax. We have to make sure that the bullet didn't shatter inside of you."
"Beth?" She then smiled weakly, "Thank God you're okay…"
Daryl then grabbed the alcohol from Beth as he looked firmly at Tessa, "You're gonna need to stay still…"
"What?" She grimaced before looking up at him, "It's going to hurt, isn't it?"
The look behind his eyes confirmed her suspicions as she laid her head back, "Do it…I'll be fine!"
Beth could see the hesitation on his face as she nodded at him whilst taking a hold of Tessa's hand tightly, "We won't let anything happen to you, Daryl knows what he's doing…I think…"
The last few words caused Tessa to laugh as she then coughed, "I hope for his sake that does…"
Daryl seemed to relax slightly at hearing her joke, as he then pressed the tip of his knife gently into her wound whilst getting Beth to grab the tweezers and hold the area open slightly.
A loud cry of pain filled the room as Tessa gasped and gripped onto Beth's hand, her eyes watering at the uncomfortable sensation and pain of having Daryl root around in the fresh wound.
Her whole body was shaking as Daryl yelled to Beth, "KEEP HER STILL!"
Tessa was sobbing and whimpering as she tried to stay still for him, but her body had other ideas.
It was left up to Beth to place her hands down on Tessa's shoulders and try to use her weight to keep her still.
"D-Daryl…"
Tessa had gasped out his name in between screams of agony that caused him to struggle with what he was doing.
The tweezers then made a sickening squelching sound as Daryl nodded to Beth before pulling out the still intact bullet, "Didn't shatter…"
The minute the bullet had left the wound, Tessa's body went limp as she slumped down again and her breathing became slow.
"Tessa?!" Beth moved her ear over Tessa's lips, thankful to still hear breathing, "I think that she fainted…I'll help you close the wound."
With Beth pressing the two halves of cut skin together, Daryl drenched the area with alcohol before threading the needle quickly and stitching up the wound to his best recollection of how Merle showed him.
It was messy, and blood was coating his hands with it's sticky substance, but he only cared about her surviving.
"Do you think that we stopped an infection from starting?" Beth had quietly asked him.
Daryl nodded, "Yeah, it smelt clean…"
His eyes never left Tessa's face as he then roughly tore a strip of cloth from his shirt and carefully wrapped it around the wound, "It's gonna have to do."
Beth nodded before indicating to the shoulder, "I patched that up…" She then smiled lightly, "You okay? I found cupboards full of food earlier, you want me to get something?"
"You eat and get some rest. Ima' watch over Tessa…"
She watched him for a few moments, "I'll get you something-"
"Beth," He cut her off, "Eat and sleep!"
"Fine, but you need to wash your hands-Tessa will freak if she wakes up to all this blood!"
Daryl sighed softly as he remained quiet, instead just focusing all of his attention on his sleeping lover.
He wouldn't move until he knew that she was safe and out of the woods.
Every fibre of his being had wanted him to stop hurting her and just hold her against him when she had begun screaming.
Reaching out with his right hand, he gently moved to brush hair away from her face, his fingers lingering on a bruise just above her upper lip.
Despite the scars, bruises or dirt that marred her skin; he thought she was beautiful.
From the doorway Beth watched him silently, her teeth chewing on her bottom lip as she smiled to herself before turning back around, deciding to search the home properly and give him some time alone with Tessa.