Glenn regained consciousness first. He had required the antibiotics via the IV but after hours of worry, his temperature decreased and his eyelids fluttered. A whole day later, he sat at Carol's bedside, checking her over and holding up the pouch containing the life saving drugs.
She had lain as immobile as a mannequin and he was being to think that maybe she had decided she wanted to drift away peacefully. He wanted her to wake so that he could ask if she'd had the same out of body, near death experience he'd had.The door to the quarantine section opened. Since he'd woken up, there had been eight fatalities, including Dr Caleb.
The young doctor had worked tirelessly trying to save others up until he could no longer physically stand it.
Glenn had helped Hershel to put the dead down before they turned. His father in law was exhausted and at the moment, lay sleeping in Glenn's cell. The door opening, he assumed, would be Rick and Tyresse who had the arduous task of removing the corpses from the building.
"How is she?" came the gruff voice from behind him.
Glenn smiled slightly to himself before turning to look. Daryl. His friend had been visiting every couple of hours, forgoing sleep even.
"Same," Glenn replied. "Though, I think her temp may have dropped a little."
Daryl strode across the floor and crouched down to place the back of his hand on her forehead. "She ain't on fire no more." He said, straightening up, "That's somethin'"
Glenn looked up at Daryl, "How's Maggie?" He had spoken to her through the glass window of A block earlier that day.
"She's gettin' on with things," Daryl kept his eyes on Carol. "Workin' to keep things together out there. That fence needs more supports puttin' up everyday. It ain't gonna hold much longer."
"I'll come out there and help." Glenn stood shakily. "I feel better."
Daryl gave his friend a look, "You ain't goin' nowhere. We just need to grab Rick when he has a minute and see if he's got any ideas about the fence." He put his hand on Glenn's shoulder and lowered him back down into the chair. "Sit."
As Glenn did as he was told, the fingers on Carol's left hand twitched. "You see that?" he asked Daryl.
"Yeah," Daryl replied thoughtfully, leaning in to look.
Her eyelids with those long, delicate lashes flickered. Daryl almost squeezed Glenn but refrained. "Go get Hershel," he ordered instead.
He shouldn't really make his friend get up, but there was no way he was leaving and not being the first person she saw.
Glenn stood more steadily this time and moved to pass Daryl, who immediately took his seat.
He put her left hand in his, once again noticing her slender fingers and smooth, creamy skin. Being mindful of the IV in the crook of her arm, he raised her hand, still in his and held it under his chin, willing her silently to fully wake. ~
She'd swam through the icy darkness for what felt like hours. The blackness had swaddled her like a cocoon, thick and restrictive. Even though she knew her physical body was unconscious, her mind felt tired and heavy. She just wanted to let go and be still. She couldn't, however. It was like she was about to step off a cliff, she braced herself to let go, but remained rooted to the spot.
Suddenly, she'd become aware of noises in the dark, and floated in their direction. The oppressive bleakness lifted slightly, or had she imagined that? Yes, it was becoming lighter, both in colour and pressure.
She remembered a hearing a whisper in the void; a declaration of something like love and now she heard the owner of that voice. Felt him, holding her hand. She kept heading for the noise and light, pushing onward despite the sheer exhaustion. She had come this far, past the end of the world, she refused to give up now.
Now, she became aware of being back inside her own physical body. Fatigue ensured that trying to open her eyes was a Herculean effort. She did it, summoning up her inner reserves of strength. Relief flooded her brain, she had made it through.
Turning her head, she saw him, holding her hand, his eyes lit up, the exact opposite of the infinite blackness which had enveloped her. He helped her to take a drink, it was heaven to feel the liquid hit her throat. She lay back on the thin pillow as a shiver broke out and goosebumps appeared.
Daryl leaped up from the seat and pulled the thin, rough sheet up over her from where it had been bunched up at the end of the bed. As he placed it around her shoulders, she gingerly raised her left arm and caressed his cheek with her hand to check he wasn't another hallucination.
"You're here," she whispered, her eyelids heavy.
Overcome with feelings of love and relief, he reached up and took her hand in his before gently holding it to his chest. "Where the hell else would I be?" he whispered gruffly in an attempt at playfulness. "You ok?" The question came automatically, he had to know.
She smiled weakly, "Gotta be," she replied, a croak to her voice, her eyes looking into his. "You don't get rid of me that easily."
"Stop," he murmured, as he always did to her teasing, though now he welcomed her sounding like her usual self.
Daryl was unsure how to act, he remembered the words he'd mouthed in her ear. What if she had heard and remembered them? What if she hadn't? Which was worse? Either, he decided. He was constantly in limbo regardless. Right now, he had to concentrate on being thankful he wasn't having to plunge his knife into her temple. The thought of that alone tightened his chest.
The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the moment and he stood away from the her, turning to see Glenn and Hershel in the doorway.
The older man raised an eyebrow and moved across to the bed, while Glenn gave a knowing smile which broke out into a relieved grin.
Daryl was still feeling high on relief so didn't get flustered over their interruption. He would worry about that later. Moving to the door of the cell, he leaned against it while Hershel sat on the side of the bed and checked the patient over, speaking in gentle tones and listening to her chest.
Carol enquired about Beth and her eyes filled with tears as Hershel informed her of the girl's passing. She held the old man's hand as he gathered himself together and wiped his tears away.
Daryl crossed his arms across his chest and chewed at his lower lip. He should really go out and help around the place, the day was losing light but there was always work to be done.
Mealtimes had suffered due to Carol being out of action, the others on the rota lacked the flair for cooking she possessed. Michonne could burn water and Tyresse enjoyed over spicing most meals.
Gaps in personnel had impacted laundry and the place in general was in disarray. Their main priority had been strengthening the weakened fence areas. Every day more Walkers piled up around the crowd already gathered.
Maggie, Bob and Sasha regularly took out as many of them as they physically could, Rick and Daryl had sacrificed the orphaned baby piglets to entice some of the dead away, but they still kept coming, drawn by the noise. He could hear the moans now, carried on the frigid air.
Hershel patted Carol's arm and rose from the bed, his stethoscope in his hand. He approached Daryl and indicated the younger man should follow him outside the cell.
Once outside, Hershel turned and said, "She should be fine."
Daryl nodded, relief flooding through him again.
"She does need to rest though, at least for a couple of days." The old man's eyes twinkled, "Now if I know Carol, she's not going to be a good patient. I need you to convince her to stay off her feet. She can go back to her own cell now the worst is over, but no chores, no fussing and no strenuous activity."
Daryl chewed his lip, "Makes you think she'll do what I say?"
Hershel broke out into a smile, "Son, I just know." He placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder, "You two. Can't have one without the other. Don't waste the opportunity you have. Don't think I haven't noticed how it is. You get to my age, you see a lot more clearly. She's always had your back, now you put your foot down and make her listen to you. It's what will be best for her. If it were you laid up, you think she'd let you lift a finger?"
Daryl snorted. "Ok, ok. I'll lay down the law. Tell her it's doctor's orders."
Hershel smiled again. "Good. Now I gotta go tell Maggie about Bethy." He sighed. "Rick and Ty dug the graves earlier I hear."
Nodding, Daryl replied, "We'll all want to come pay our respects." Hershel patted his shoulder and walked slowly to the main door, leaning heavily on his crutches.
Daryl entered Carol's cell and Glenn cut off the conversation they were having. The younger man looked guiltily between Daryl and Carol before making his excuses and leaving the room.