A/N: Another hard chapter. This one took me almost all day to write and I'm feeling pretty uncertain about it...Prolly going to have to reread it with a fresh mind and edit it/add to it/fix it...
Chapter 14 –
Daryl's eyes squinted in the afternoon sunlight that streamed into the van and glared off of the road and buildings they passed. He reached out and bumped the van's heat down. He wasn't sure, but the days were colder making him guess that it was around December. The air during the days was cool, probably around fifty degrees or so, but the nights were fuckin' freezing. It only got worse the further north they traveled. Everyone in the van had taken to piling blankets up in the back with Beth and sleeping in the tight quarters to keep warm. Every run they made for supplies, they made sure to grab more winter clothing and blankets along with their bags of food. They also searched for more pain killers as the cold air seemed to be hurting Beth's injury more.
The group was nearing the borders of Alexandria, Virginia and seemed to have driven in circles since then trying to avoid road blocks. He glanced over his shoulder to Beth, Michonne, and Carl who were playing card games in Beth's makeshift bed where the injured blonde was reclined on her pillows. Part of him was angry at her. He hadn't originally been angry at her, not really. His default emotion was anger or rage. He knew how to handle and contain those emotions but when Beth tried to convince him to leave her, he didn't know what he was feeling.
During those few minutes that they had struggled to get free the night before had made him feel a tumultuous mess. He recognized fear and concern, terror…but there had been a deep seated pain as well at the thought of leaving her behind to die. Part of him wanted to ask Rick about it but the rest of him was ashamed that he couldn't recognize his own emotions. Hell, he really wanted to talk to Rick about it to figure out how to get over the jumble of emotions he was still feeling. He glanced at the man driving and found him glancing back at him.
"You wanna talk about it?" Rick asked him, surprising Daryl. Rick glanced at the three in the back seat and nodded when he saw they were busy teasing Carl about the card game.
"I 'unno," Daryl told him honestly. "Doesn't that seem awfully girlish to you?" Rick snorted at his question.
"No. Last night was…confusing and terrifying. You'd have to be a robot to not be confused by it all." Daryl sighed.
"I dunno…just conflicted. One second my brain is telling me she had a point, the next I'm full of rage at the fact she even thought that was an option…" Daryl returned his eyes to the scenery as they passed block after block, following the other two vehicles. "I'm starting to think Eugene has no idea where we're going," he muttered darkly, making Rick chuckle.
"I'm not going to pretend to understand how last night felt for you. I tried to think about what I would do or say if it had been Lori but I just can't see it," Rick admitted.
"We haven't seen a walker the entire time we've been in this area," Daryl pointed out, "I figured that with this area having such a large population people in it before it all went to shit, the place would be swarming with walkers but we ain't seen one yet." Rick nodded, accepting the topic change.
"Maybe Eugene's people have been keeping the area around DC clear. We're about six miles away from DC," he offered as he followed the other two vehicles around a corner. The group came to a stop and Daryl whistled. In front of the three vehicles stood a large wall that towered over the vehicles and ran between buildings. "Maybe Eugene knew exactly where he was going."
"Step out of the vehicles!" A voice ordered. Daryl could see men with guns standing along the wall and some moving on the ground towards them. Rick put the van in park and unbuckled.
"Best do as they say," he muttered and Daryl grunted in response, his eyes drifting to Beth in the back before he pulled on his coat and vest and climbed out of the van and stood by the door. One-by-one, the three vehicles emptied of people except for Beth, who stayed in her reclined position in the van. Her rushed steps out of the van the night before had made her injury painful and she could barely recline or move without pain bringing tears to her eyes. Two armed men approached their vehicle as they inspected Rick and Daryl, then moving to Michonne and Carl. One of the men spotted Beth and raised his gun.
"Out of the car," he ordered. Daryl growled and stepped between the man's gun and Beth.
"She can't, she's injured." He told the man who frowned in response.
"She bit?" the man asked, not lowering his gun.
"Hell nah. She got hit by a fuckin' car," Daryl growled. The man reluctantly lowered his gun.
"We're just passing through to get to DC but if you have any gas or supplies, we'll pay you back with a cure," Abraham called out. Daryl rolled his eyes and watched as the armed men returned to the front. Daryl turned his focus to Beth, quirking his eyebrow and rolling his eyes to show his annoyance. Beth smiled and Daryl could feel his lips quirking to return it. Rick walked off to talk to the armed men and Daryl sighed before climbing into the back with Beth.
"What is this place?" she asked softly. Daryl shrugged.
"We're in Alexandria, Virginia. This looks kind of like Woodbury did," he muttered. Beth grabbed is hand and squeezed it. He could see concern and apprehension in her eyes. He squeezed her hand back. "I ain't gonna let anything happen to you," he told her.
"I wasn't worried about that, Daryl," she confided. "My first thought was what if this is exactly like Woodbury?" Beth asked. Daryl stared out the front windshield at the walls in front of them, his brows furrowing as he thought about it.
"If it is like Woodbury, then we'll get the fuck out of here asap," he comforted. Beth nodded, her eyes drifting to their hands.
"What if this is a nice place with good people?" Daryl felt confusion at her question but when he looked into her eyes, he could see hope shining brightly in them.
"Then we'll stay. We'll work somethin' out," he told her. Beth's eyes widened before her smile grew. A cough grabbed their attention and the couple looked over to where Rick and Michonne were leaning into the van.
"They're offering to give us a place to rest. They call this the Alexandria Safe-Zone. They've got some empty houses we can stay in and a couple of doctors who want to look at Beth's leg and hip. One of the doctors apparently has some experience with physical therapy. It sounds perfect," Rick told them. Beth squeezed Daryl's hand as she smiled at Rick and expressed her gratitude. Daryl nodded but he could see the tense uncertainty in Rick and Michonne's faces. They all loaded back into their vehicles and drove through the now open gates. The group of vehicles came to a stop on an empty street in front of a group of houses. There was a group of men waiting on them as they all piled out of their vehicles. One of the men stepped forward and gestured to Beth.
"I'm a doctor, is she the one with the injured leg?" Daryl came around the vehicle to face the man and nodded. "I've got a wheelchair, let's get her situated and we'll take her down to my…clinic and take a look at her." Daryl glared at the man as Michonne opened the van door and helped Beth crawl to the exit.
"She's only goin with you if I come to, Sunshine," he threatened as he lifted his crossbow. The doctor nodded and wheeled the chair to the van.
"Of course, are you her husband?" The question caught Daryl by surprise and he nearly tripped as he followed behind the doctor to help Beth get seated. Rick started laughing at the look on Daryl's face and nodded to the doctor.
"They're newlyweds," the sheriff told the doctor. Daryl glared at the sheriff and flipped him off, making the man laugh harder and shrug.
"It's bound to happen," Rick admitted before walking off to discuss things with the rest of their family and the people of the Safe-Zone. Daryl held his hand out to Beth and she looked up at him, her face a bright red from Rick's teasing. Once Beth was seated and tucked in with blankets on her lap, Daryl took the chair's handles from the doctor and gestured for him to lead the way.
"Daryl, there's no need to be rude," Beth whispered to him as they walked behind the doctor along a sidewalk that would have been shaded by leaves if it was spring or summer, but with the feeling of winter, the tree limbs hung over their heads like skeletons.
"I ain't bein' rude, I'm just not gonna let you outta my sight. We don't know for sure he is a doctor. He could be some lunatic," he confessed. He figured Beth would understand his reluctance to leave her better than anyone else out of their family. Beth tilted her head back to look at him, her eyes squinting through the sunlight.
"Are you still mad at me?" she asked him softly. Daryl sighed, Figures she would have been able to figure out I was still…whatever I am, he thought.
"I don't know what I am with you," he told her, his grip on the wheelchair handles tightening. "I'm angry but I get it. But every time I close my eyes, I relive it, everything. From losing you, to finding you, to last night…" Daryl sighed. "I'm exhausted." He confessed. The doctor turned and gestured up a ramp to a doctor's office. Daryl nodded and pushed the chair up the ramp and into the surprisingly warm and lit up office.
"You've got power?" Beth asked, just as surprised as Daryl to feel the heat and see the lights on in the building.
"Yes, we're on a power grid that has been kept up and running. Most buildings have hot water too," the doctor informed them. Beth's eyes brightened and she turned to face the hunter behind her.
"We can take a hot shower!" she exclaimed brightly. Daryl's face reddened as the doctor smirked, mistaking her words to mean they could take one together. Daryl nodded, not trusting his voice through the tightness of his throat as he forced himself to will away mental images of showering with her, his hands lathering soap…
Walkers, grandmothers, Dale, Shane (the asshole), he forced himself to think as he wheeled Beth into an exam room with an x-ray machine. Beth's eyes widened at seeing it and her smile brightened. Daryl and the doctor left her to get changed.
"Your wife is very enthusiastic and hopeful. We don't get many strangers off the road but the few that we've gotten weren't as happy as she is," the doctor told Daryl while they waited. The hunter cleared his throat and nodded.
"She's strong in her beliefs. She just wants a safe place to stay and live, not survive."
"This could be that place. We've got a couple of farms starting, some livestock, plenty of hunting in the area." Daryl could only "hmm" in response as they heard Beth call out that she was ready. Daryl stayed in the doorway as the doctor prepared the x-ray. He stepped into the room with the doctor as he took the images, his blue eyes never leaving Beth.
"I take it you two were separated for a while?" the doctor asked. Daryl turned a glare on the man.
"Why d'ya say that?"
"The look on your face when you're watching her. Ya look like you're worried she'll be gone if you look away from her. I can't imagine how hard that must have been. My wife lives here, along with our children. It's a rough world out beyond those walls." The doctor did whatever he needed to do before gesturing that Daryl could go back into the room with Beth. "I'll go print these and we'll take a look." Daryl sat on the examination table next to Beth as she sat up.
"I don't…want to get your hopes up, Greene, but this place…it may work out for us," he told her, putting his hand on top of hers. She met his eyes and shook her head.
"It's gonna be fine. As long as we're together, I'm happy." She sighed and moved her hand to thread their fingers together. "What can I do to make last night up to you? How can I help you sort through the mess I've made?" Daryl shrugged and Beth squeezed his hand. "Don't do that. Come on, what can I do?" Her eyes searched his imploringly.
Stay with me, he thought as flashes of the car driving off and her demanding to be left behind went through his mind but he couldn't get his mouth to form the words. Beth's eyes softened and she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"I'll never leave you, Daryl Dixon. I trust you and I'm sorry that I didn't show you that last night." Daryl nodded and pulled her gently to him in a one armed hug. A knock on the door signaled the doctor's return as he held an x-ray up to the lights.
"Whoever put your joint back in place did a good job despite not having the proper equipment. Since you're still in pain, I am concerned about there being nerve damage but we'll give it a couple more days of pain medicine and see where you're at. We should have you back up and walking on your own in a couple of weeks." The doctor smiled before clearing his throat, "I do have to advise you against any sexual activities for at least four to six weeks while you heal." Beth and Daryl flushed at his words before looking at each other and quickly glancing away.
The doctor gave Beth a few more pointers and advice before saying she could get redressed and he would take them to their temporary home. The doctor left the room and Beth twiddled her thumbs nervously.
"I'll just…be, ya know," Daryl stuttered as he stood and turned to leave.
"Daryl," her soft voice stopped him, "it's…it's really hard to pull on my jeans…it really hurt to take them off by myself…can you help…" Daryl froze in mid-turn, his blush burning under his skin. He closed his eyes before nodding and walking over to her pile of clothes and picking up her jeans. He leaned down awkwardly as he bunched her jean leg up to help guide her injured leg through. He closed his eyes tightly as she carefully lifted her foot and put it through the leg of her jeans, her hand going to his shoulder to help keep herself steady. He helped hold her weight while she put the other leg in and fastened her jeans.
"Daryl, why didn't you tell him that Rick was kidding, that we aren't really married?" Daryl's eyes shot open at her question but he quickly closed them again as he saw her lifting and removing the gown she was wearing.
"It hadn't crossed my mind…Why didn't you?" he asked her in response.
"I-I kinda like being considered your wife," she admitted nervously. Daryl sighed, the confusing mix of emotions seemed to be smothered by new and even more confusing feelings. He loved this woman, he knew that. He had loved her for a long time, months at least. She knew how he felt and he knew she returned those feelings. But now he was feeling…some form of masculine pride and elation coursing through him. Daryl opened his eyes when he felt Beth's hand on his face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," she told him.
"It's alrigh'" he muttered, leaning into her hand slightly, "There's just so much going on. I don't…I have no experience with this sorta stuff, Beth…It took me forever to figure out what I feel for you, to figure out that this…deep, scary feeling is love. I love you, I know that, but…I'm not husband material. I'm not what you deserve."
"You're what I want," she interrupted. "And we can learn together. I've never been in love." She told him, a smirk on her face as she remembered the last time they had played "I never." Daryl smirked.
"I've never kissed a girl in a doctor's office." Beth pulled his head down to hers and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Now you have."