*Ten years since the birth of Hope*
Beth's bones creaked underneath the pressure of her back, she was getting old. Today was Beth's birthday but instead of being happy and shining brightly, they were burring the body of Sasha. Beth held her daughter close to her as she shook crying violently. Beth held in her tears as she whispered to her daughter about how Sasha was now reunited with the love of her life. Quietly, Hope toed the ground with her foot Beth's old knife attached to her hip. Daryl walked along side Tyreese as they lowered the body of Sasha into the shallow grave. Hope held Timmy the Turtle in her arms picking at the fluff that had fallen out of the corners. Daryl walked towards Beth and Hope ruffling his daughters hair hugging her into his side. Beth turned to look at Sophie who stood on watch the entire time, Carol always stood the furthest away from Sophie it reminded her too much of Sofia. Beth felt sorry for Sophie, she had been shunned by everyone except Carl who stood by her side murmuring to her about how they would get over it yet it had been five years. Sophie felt awful, she knew she put tension between a lot of the group, more so between Daryl and Beth.
Daryl pulled Beth aside to the corner of the rickety cabin they had found. The group was leaving soon, still heading towards another 'sanctuary'. Daryl took Beth's hand pinning it to the top of her head before attacking her lips with his. Beth was surprised but wrapped her free hand around his neck, bringing him closer to her. They had their disagreements but always managed to work through them. If Beth was being completely honest, she knew Daryl was right about most things yet Beth still stood her ground about Sophie. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind concentrating on her lovers lips which tangled themselves around her own. Breaking away to breathe, Beth gazed into Daryl's eyes the icy blue clouded to make a darker version. Beth kissed his cheek leading him back to the car where Hope sat silently by the window next to Sophie and Carl. Beth was concerned about her daughter, she wasn't herself. Beth's eyebrows scrunched in confusion as she looked at Daryl.
"Somethin' is up with Hope," Daryl said looking towards Beth. "I don't know what it is, but she's off." Beth nodded her head slipping into the passenger seat as Daryl fell into the drivers seat. Beth's fingers drummed on her knee to the rhythm of 'Love Story'. Hope was looking pale in the backseat of the car as Beth looked at her in the rear view mirror. She was shaking and drifting in and out of consciousness.
"Stop the car," Beth said. Daryl pulled over as Beth rushed to the back opening his daughters door before feeling her forehead. She was hot, too hot. Beth saw her shivering. "Hope look at mommy," Hope's eyes slowly opened before she coughed splattering blood all over Beth's t-shirt. "Daryl!" Beth shouted pulling Hope from out of the car. Beth went into panic sensing her daughter losing consciousness in her arms. "Stay with me Hope, c'mon look at momma."
Hope coughed and spluttered. Beth noticed how everyone crowed around weapons pointed around. "Hope tell daddy where the pain is," Daryl spoke softly. Hope cried in her mothers arms, Beth held her tighter to her telling her she would be okay, that everything will be fine.
"It hurts all over daddy, make it stop," Hope whined. Beth bit back a sob looking at Rick who was rummaging through his bag.
"Carl had this when he was younger, I remember Lori and I were terrified. Hope sweetie, have you eaten today?" Hope shook her head.
"I'm not hungry." Rick bit his lip.
"Are you cold darlin'?" Beth looked on with concern as she answered Rick's questions. "Pneumonia, Carl had it. The symptoms are the same as his were. You can't take my word for it but it's an educated guess which is more than you're gonna get these days."
"How do we treat it?" Beth asked pushing the blonde hair back from her daughter head.
"Amoxicillin or something like that, I remember 'cause I picked it up from the doctors office."
"Do we have any?"
"Not enough, we need to find some and soon." Beth cradled her daughter close to her chest as she got into the back seat of the car, Carl moving into the front. Beth whispered words to her daughter as she slept soundly. The amoxicillin capsules lay clasped in Beth's hand as her daughters chest rose and fell unevenly. Beth closed her eyes praying to God that her daughter would be okay, she needed to be. Beth watched as mounds of trees rolled by until they came to a halt, there was a pharmacy next to a row of smaller business shops. Beth entrusted Sophie with Hope as she scrambled out of the car rapping her cold hands on the door four times listening to shuffles from inside. She nodded to Daryl who raised his crossbow, Beth kicked open the door as walkers stumbled forwards. She ducked out of the way for an arrow to sail through ones head before she kicked her legs out knocking a walker off its feet long enough for Beth to stab it in the head, the putrid red blood coating both sides. Beth dashed up the isles looking for amoxicillin whilst grabbing all the medication she could find from the shelves. She pressed both palms to the floor seeing a small white tube she pulled it out reading the label.
"I got some!" Beth cheered checking the contents, half a tube. Smiling with her discovery, Beth rushed outside to her daughter seeing Walkers surrounding the car, blood smeared up against the window. Beth's heart stopped as she dropped the pack she was holding stabbing walkers in the head, arrows and gun shots sailing past her head as she got to the car door. Sophie was wiping up Hope's mouth as she cried. Beth's adrenaline high did not wear off as she watched the blood trickling down her mouth. Beth shivered stepping away from the walker bodies to the pack sweeping it onto her shoulders. Beth pulled Hope into her arms kissing her hair.
"You're gonna be alright baby I swear," Beth said. Daryl climbed in the backseat leaving Sophie to drive the car. Daryl grasped Beth's smooth hand in his rough one rubbing up and down, drawing small circles a calming mechanism he had found. Beth looked at him, his icy blue eyes melting at the sight of his sick daughter. Beth squeezed his hand, a gesture between them that everything would be alright. It would be, it needed to be.