*Zack Hemsey - The Calling
Beth's head bounced off the window of the passenger seat, waking her up and causing her eyes to fly open. They must have hit a pothole. She'd fallen asleep on the way back from the supply run. They'd scored a few cans of food, a couple of water bottles, several boxes of pop tarts, and some stale cereal. She thought they came out pretty good, all things considered. Gabe had been right about the Christian ministries being places most people wouldn't think to look for food. She'd opened the door and banged on the side of it twice, telling Gabe to give it a minute, knife at the ready. It was a safety tip she'd adopted from Daryl during her time with him. Beth had adopted a lot of things from him now that she was with a man who'd only survived by hiding and sneaking around. She'd taken watch for walkers while Gabe emptied what was left of the donations area.
Having copious amounts of time to think, Beth wondered about Daryl more often than not. The two of them had been enough; they could make it through anything as long as they had each other. It's not that she didn't think he was okay. She knew he was. If anybody could survive in this world, it was Daryl Dixon. She just didn't know if he was okay alone. Beth knew he was a lone wolf for much of his life, but it wasn't because he wanted to be. After he'd opened up to her, it was one of the things he'd shared. More than anything, he was petrified of being alone in the world. She trusted that he would find other people eventually, people like him. The practical thing to do was to let him go because the chances of her finding him were slim, just like with the rest of her family. But the optimism in her wouldn't let her do it; that and something else. Her memory kept rewinding back to those few moments at the kitchen table before they lost everything they cared about all over again.
There was a simple question, a question answered with a look that said something more complex than the simple answer. Beth wasn't that oblivious that she couldn't read it; Daryl had been telling her he had feelings for her. The realization of it had floored her completely and left her speechless besides the automatic "oh". She had only started to process the meaning, forming a proper response when they were interrupted. She had much more to say, much more to ask. Beth had needed to talk it through with him; and a minute to sort through her own feelings regarding him. Suffice it to say she knew how she felt now without a doubt and she had faith she would see Daryl again so she could tell him exactly how she felt. She wouldn't blame Gabe for this sticky situation; it wasn't his fault.
Beth had got out through the window as Daryl had instructed. Hobbling up to the road, she'd looked behind her, both to make sure no walkers were close behind and to see if Daryl had made it out yet. She'd just stepped out onto the road, still looking back when she'd been side swiped by Gabriel's car. She was violently thrown a few feet to the ground, her head hitting the gravel with a sickening thud. Gabriel hadn't been going that fast, so thankfully she hadn't been grievously injured. There was no reason for anyone to be driving at night; it wasn't safe anymore, but he was the one who had been living at the quaint little funeral home. Later on, he'd explained that it was his from before the walkers happened and he'd been returning from a run later than expected when he saw his place overrun with walkers. He'd just turned around to leave when she "came out of nowhere".
Her vision had gone blurry and Beth could hardly move with the air being knocked out of her as well. She could hear him slam on the brakes, but it sounded miles away. He got out and ran over to her, examining her briefly to make sure she was still breathing. He had been murmuring something about God forgiving him; at least she thought that's what it sounded like. Beth could feel his hands slip underneath her, raising her off the cold ground and hastily carrying her back to his car. Beth had wanted to fight against it with every ounce of her being, but the blow had cost her every bit of strength she had. All she managed to get out was a barely audible "no" that left her mouth more as a moan. It had been wrong. She was supposed to wait for Daryl. He was supposed to meet her and they were supposed to leave together, not like that. She recalled a single tear gently sloping down her cheek as Gabriel set her down in the passenger seat. He got behind the wheel and drove away and there was nothing she could do about it. She knew her bag had been slung onto the ground and left; she hoped Daryl would take it as a sign that she hadn't left willingly.
Beth had woken up on a floor heavily padded with blankets next to a pew. Gabriel had told her she'd been out for hours; that she took a nasty hit and needed to rest. But she didn't want to rest. She needed to find Daryl. Beth had attempted to sit up and ended up crying out in pain. Her whole body ached and her head throbbed from where it had collided with the ground. She resigned herself to the situation then; she wasn't going anywhere for a while. It was a few days before she could even walk without searing pain shooting through her. The whole side of her had been a black and blue mess. As soon as she was well enough, she'd pleaded with Gabe to take her back to look for Daryl. She wasn't fool enough to think he was still there, but she had to check if only to make herself feel better. Gabe had taken her back and she'd instantly spotted her belongings still on the ground. Beth was amazed nobody had came along and taken them. More importantly, she was shocked Daryl hadn't picked them up. It had scared her to think he might not have made it out of the house. Throwing caution to the wind, she had run through the house looking for any sign of him, taking out a few walkers along the way. She hadn't seen his gear and if his gear was gone, so was he.
"Oh, you're awake," said Gabe, looking a little tired himself. "We have a problem."
"What is it?" Beth straightened up at the word 'problem'. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
"We're running low on gas. We need to stop and fuel up soon or we'll be walking the rest of the way back."
"Wasn't there a place we passed somewhere on the way we could get some, or did you pass it already?"
"I haven't passed it yet, but I don't remember exactly where it was." Gabe's lips turned down; he appeared genuinely concerned about possibly having to leave the car behind. "I hope it's not too much farther. I feel safer in here."
Beth nodded in understanding, "I know."
She had brought her bag along in case they had to leave in a hurry. If it came down to ditching the car, she would be sure to stuff it full of all the food and supplies she could fit inside before they did. Fortunately, it didn't have to come to that. Several minutes later, Beth saw the recognizable sign looming over the car lot from a distance. Her eyes brightened and a huge grin stretched across her face. Gabe seemed to be relieved as well, sighing and mouthing a silent thank you to God. Sometimes, she found herself baffled at how well he maintained his religion in a world like this. There'd been a time when she'd had difficulty keeping her own faith; the scars on her wrist reminding her every day of how much stronger she'd gotten, how much more she relied on her faith and her family to get through each day.
Gabe pulled into the car lot and turned off the engine. "I'll get the gas. You watch for the dead. Let's try to make this quick."
"Okay," Beth said, unsheathing her knife and exiting the car.
Meanwhile, Gabe went to pulling the gas can and hose from out of the trunk. Beth noticed him skimming over the few cars that were left, trying to choose one. He finally settled on a silver Chevrolet Silverado. She waited patiently while he opened the fuel door, inserted one end of the hose inside the tank, and proceeded to suck on the other. Beth looked on in fascination; she was positive she learned something new every day. There wouldn't be much but it was all they needed to get back. Beth had gotten sidetracked watching the process with the gas. Faintly hearing the sound of hissing moans, she jerked her head up just in time to see an assembly of walkers shuffling out from behind the building.
"We have to go now!" Beth yelled to Gabe as terror filled her. She was gripping her knife so hard that her hand was starting to ache.
"I don't have time to finish!" Gabe responded hysterically, throwing his hands around. He had also detected the walkers and looked back at her with wild eyes.
There were too many to count right off. If Beth had to guess, she would say there had to be 20 at least. The odds were not in their favor but Beth knew Gabe wasn't leaving without that fuel. She had to think fast or things were going to get ugly.
"Come on, we'll draw them away then circle back." Beth motioned for him to follow, grabbing her bag from the car and running into a patch of woods close by.
The walkers ambled after them groaning with hunger, smelling the scent of fresh prey. Beth's plan was to go deep enough into the woods to be able to make a few turns and lose the walkers but not so deep that they would get lost themselves. That was the plan, and it was a good plan too. There was only one problem; she never expected to run into another wall of walkers. Ten of them standing around aimlessly sent Beth grinding to a halt. She stopped so suddenly that Gabe almost ran right into the back of her.
"Shit!" Beth didn't curse often, but when she did, it was either because she was angry or conveying the gravity of the circumstances.
The walkers, attracted by the sounds, began to make their way over to her. Beth turned and went back in the other direction, hoping to dart another way, but she hadn't realized how hot on their heels the swarm of walkers behind them were. She came face to face with one and immediately had to sink her knife deep into the center of its forehead. The walkers had spread out a little causing Beth and Gabe to be surrounded.
"Wh...What do we do?" Gabe looked terrified, his mouth quivering, hand firmly wrapped around the cross hanging from his neck.
There was no time to think. That was it; they were going to die. Beth wanted to cry, but this was one of those times she wouldn't allow herself to. From somewhere deep in the niche of her psyche, Beth heard a gruff voice. You said you could take care of yourself. She felt the fighting spirit in her rise up again as she kicked the knee of another walker who got too close, sending it kneeling to the ground. This permitted her to plunge her knife through the top of its head, popping it back out with some effort. She knew she couldn't do this one alone; she could really use Daryl right about now, but she had to make do with what she had.
"Get your knife out," Beth ordered Gabe firmly. "I need your help or neither of us are gonna make it out of this!" Her eyes displayed her strong-willed nature and they were determined.
Gabe fumbled with the knife as he drew it out. Beth knew he wasn't too awful experienced in putting down walkers. It showed in the way he looked nauseous each time he stabbed one. She was set on slicing her way through the walker flood; they could make it if they only killed the ones in the way and didn't take too long on any one, but she wasn't so sure he would be able to follow through with her example. In keeping with her worry, she heard Gabe wail deafeningly from behind her. Beth whirled around, fearing the worst; that he'd been bitten and she would be all alone to face the horror.
..
Daryl didn't know how much time had passed; the days blended together for him. According to Glenn, a week had gone by since they began their trek out of Georgia. He was starting to think they'd have to make the whole trip on foot. Any cars they came across were either stripped or out of gas and they needed at least two to fit everyone. The entire group was exhausted, burnt out from all the time spent on the road. Abraham was annoyed at how long it was taking and made sure everyone knew it. Daryl didn't much like his attitude but reminded himself that he once had a similar one. Daryl was also getting tired of staying in makeshift camps in the woods. It worked well enough for its purpose, but they just needed a place to be for a while. Somewhere to recharge for the even longer journey ahead of them. Washington could wait. If what Eugene was saying was true, which he doubted, the bigwigs weren't going anywhere and the world had already ended so they didn't have to worry about that. Besides, the Georgia heat was no place for a baby; he worried about little ass kicker being exposed to too much sun.
Beth came to the forefront of his mind again; she'd be worried more than him. She'd been the only mother that baby girl ever knew, and she embraced her role wholly with no complaints. Daryl remembered how she'd been with her back at the prison. He always noted how attentive and nurturing Beth was when he came to visit little ass kicker. Sometimes, she was playing with her. Other times, she was cooing to her while feeding her. Still, other times, he caught her singing softly to the child, lulling her to sleep with country songs. Beth was a good mother. She never seemed discontent or irritated with the job; she'd volunteered to take care of Judith and she had committed herself to it. Daryl shook his head, willing himself back to center and forcing thoughts of Beth back to the recesses of his brain. This was no time for giddy feelings; he had to focus or risk messing up again. Lord knows once was enough for him.
He regarded Carol carrying Judith in the baby sling, becoming her new caretaker. He was still a bit wary around Carol; he didn't know what she was capable of anymore. Daryl thought he knew her and he'd been wrong, so very wrong. He still cared about her, still considered her a friend. But he couldn't help but notice how she'd changed. She'd become hardened and seemed to struggle with her humanity. He couldn't forget what she'd done, but he was willing to let it go for the sake of the group. Carol had saved Judith after all. He just didn't feel like he could trust her completely. Daryl hated losing people, loathed it, and she had broken his trust by killing those people without even talking to him first. He could have talked some sense into her. He knew he would be keeping her at a distance now. He couldn't help it; it was just how he was wired. Rick seemed to have forgiven her although he hadn't said it outright. Daryl understood why; Rick knew how it was to do ugly things in order to protect your family. There was still tension between them; her judgment had still been erroneous. Carol had hurt good people while Rick only did what was necessary to defend them from the bad ones. There was a mutual understanding of their similarities and where they diverged, with Judith being the glue that held that relationship together. Maybe Rick felt beholden to her and decided to give her another chance; Daryl couldn't quite tell, but he was somewhat glad. Carol had made a mistake, but she didn't deserve to be banished.
"We should find some shade soon. We need to get this baby out of the heat," Carol called out to Rick with a look of concern.
Rick cast his eyes from Carol to Judith, furrowing his brow. "If we don't find any cars soon, we'll find somewhere to cool down for a few. I know we're all tired and overheated."
They pressed on for another half hour and Daryl was about to suggest taking a break himself when Glenn spoke. "Guys, look!" He pointed up the road in disbelief.
Daryl followed Glenn's line of vision and spotted a sign up the hill. It was dirty and he could barely make out the words. Venture Rent-A-Car.
"Oh sweet baby Jesus. We hit the jackpot," Abraham said laughing, verbalizing Daryl's own thoughts. "They better have A/C. I'm sweatin' like a whore in church."
"Really Abe?" Rosita rolled her eyes.
Daryl had to agree with the man, though. The Georgia sun could be rather unforgiving in its heat waves and he was surprised Abraham hadn't yet been burnt to a crisp. However, his shoulders had patches of red and his face was flushed. Daryl knew that meant he'd be in some discomfort later on. Everyone's spirits seemed to lift as they made their way up the hill. Daryl only hoped the cars hadn't been ransacked or drained of all their gas yet. Drawing closer to the car lot and small building, Daryl spotted a few vehicles left; amazingly enough, among them was a Ford Explorer and a minivan, mostly untouched. They really had hit the jackpot.
For the first time in days, Rick glanced back at the rest of the group and cracked a small smile. "Michonne, Carl. Watch for roamers. Maggie, Glenn and Tyreese, you guys search inside. See if you can find the keys to these and check for anything else we can use. Daryl, I'm gonna need you to help give these cars a once over; make sure they're ready for the road."
*Daryl nodded his compliance and moved to examine the minivan when he saw the car that had been forever etched into his memory. He stopped dead in his tracks and took a few steps back in shock.
"What is it?" Noticing the sudden change in Daryl's demeanor, Rick's hand quickly went to his gun; his eyes were frantically searching for the source that had put Daryl on edge.
"That's it," Daryl responded quietly. His mind was racing and he couldn't make heads or tails of any of it. He just knew what was sitting there right in front of him.
Rick's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"That's it," Daryl repeated more resolutely, "that's the car that took Beth." He nodded in the direction of the vehicle.
"Are you sure that's the one?" Rick inquired, studying the details of the car.
Daryl was sure alright. "I'd recognize that car anywhere. Lincoln with a cross on the back window," he said, rushing over to it.
Maggie's ears perked up at the mention of Beth and swiftly changed direction, speed walking back towards them. "Is she in there?!" she demanded frenetically. Her eyes had widened and her face seemed to have been drained of all its color. The poor woman was white as a ghost.
Taking her cue, Daryl flung the door open and peered inside. He checked the backseat and the floorboards to be sure. Nothing. Damn it. He had to know, one way or the other. He had hope Beth was alive, but even if she wasn't, he still had to know. It would destroy him, but at least he would have closure instead of the whole thing eating away at him, not knowing where she was or if she was okay. Maggie had gotten down on her hands and knees, looking underneath the vehicle. She shook her head when she leaned up again. Still nothing.
Daryl was starting to get frustrated. There was still one place left to look. "Pop the trunk," he ordered Maggie, motioning with his arm and walking around to the back.
She quickly ducked inside the driver's seat and located the button to open the trunk. As soon as it unlatched, he had his hands on it, and he noticed it was getting difficult to breathe. Daryl was starting to panic again, that familiar feeling he always experienced every time Beth was in danger and scaring the living hell out of him. Taking a deep breath, he slowly raised it up, still not prepared for whatever he would find inside. Would he find Beth? Tied up but still breathing? Would she be beaten and bloody? Would he find her already dead? The shining light in her eyes snuffed out by some sick asshole? A head wound somewhere to keep her from coming back again?
He almost sighed in relief when all he found were a few bags of food and survival supplies. Still, that could only mean one thing.
Intuitively, Rick knew what Daryl was thinking. "This wasn't abandoned. They're still around."
"Looks like the guy was trying to siphon some gas," Abraham chimed in, standing next to a truck with its fuel door open and a hose sticking out of the tank. "Must've got distracted by somethin'."
"We gotta find her," Daryl said, looking over to Rick. He wasn't going anywhere until they did.
"Alright, we'll set up here for the night and wait for them to come back. We can search the woods over there too, just in case." Rick looked beat but still determined to give his best effort.
Daryl was thankful Rick understood how important this was to him; to Maggie too. He couldn't say the same for some of the others. Abraham was shaking his head, apparently exasperated about having to delay the mission once again. Daryl didn't care; Abe would just have to suck it up. Beth was one of them and he wasn't leaving the state without her, not after finding such a huge clue. Come hell or high water, he would track her down, faith renewed. He would find her captor too and make sure he got his just desserts. After his conversation with Maggie that led to his revelation about Beth, he wanted her back with them even more. He didn't think that was possible because he had already wanted her back a great deal before that. Daryl was ready to utilize his expert tracking skills and start the search when a man's scream penetrated the entire area. He looked around, taking a head count. It hadn't come from any of his people. By the sounds of it, it had come from the woods nearby. Daryl exchanged a knowing look with Rick, both nodding at each other. Before the rest of the group could react, both men had taken off in perfect unison.
"Carl! Stay back with Carol and your sister and keep watch!" Rick shouted back over his shoulder as he ran. There was no time to plan this out.
A/N: Leavin' ya hangin for another chapter, sorry! I didn't revise this one so you guys could see how I am without help lol. Okay, so I originally played around with the idea of just doing Daryl's perspective, but that would really limit me and I want to be able to show the key scenes between Beth and the other characters without Daryl present so every now and again, I'm going to switch to her POV. I don't have that great of a handle on her so let me know how I did. Oh, the zombie scene. I don't do well with descriptions so I hope that worked well enough. And I'm letting you all know that I littered, I mean littered, the whole chapter with parallels between characters and such. I salute you if you can spot them all! Now I'm going to bed. :)