My sincere apologizes for taking so long with this update. I really don't have any excuses, just that I got into other things. Things kept coming up and this got delayed, and anyways. It's here and I hope you enjoy it. Especially the Bethyl reunion. They kind of did their own thing and I went with it as I wrote it. Mind you this is horribly unedited and again my apologies.
Chapter Nineteen
Beth's head sunk down, her eyes steadily closing as she fought to stay awake. The grip on her father's hand faltering for only a moment before her head dropped down and she jerked awake. Shaking her head as she attempted to wake up. Staring at the pale man in front of her. Reminding herself that she needed to stay vigilante. Keep him in her sights so she doesn't lose him. Can't lose him.
Yes, he's stable. Carol said so and she trusted Carol. She had to. There wasn't much else anyone could do. The leg stopped bleeding. It was cleaned and wrapped. Now they were just waiting, and the waiting was the worse. Waiting caused the itching to start up, and all the doubts about what she did. If it was good enough. If it was even enough, and she would catch herself staring at his leg. Getting glimpses of the walker taking it out again. Watching it in slow motion as the ax slammed into his bone.
'Should have been me.'
'Could have been me.'
Blinking, she pushes back the tears. Moving her gaze over to her father's face and whispers another prayer. Hoping for the best when footsteps catch her attention and she looks up to see Carol standing in the doorway. Her arms wrapped around herself as she looks on at Hershel. Fear evident in her features, and Beth swallows. Not wanting to look to closely in case it's the same expression in her eyes.
"Nothing's changed," Beth says. Her voice coming out scratchy from nonuse and she swallows to get something down her throat. She glances back at Carol to see the woman nodding, her sad eyes lingering on Beth longer than necessary before stepping into the room.
"Why don't you take a break? Get some sleep." Carol's hands grips Beth's shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze to get the girl's attention. Beth glances up at her with an almost pleading look as their eyes meet. Silently wandering how she is supposed to sleep with her Daddy on the verge of death, Daryl nowhere to be found, and strangers taking a refuge inside their home.
Yes, the father and son helped her. Didn't mean she trusted them. Beth isn't sure she can trust anyone ever again, and that brings her back to Daryl just up and leaving. The feeling of abandonment heavy inside her chest as it squeezes her insides. Forcing her to take a deep breath, and tell herself that he wouldn't do that. That Merle would have gone with him if that was the case.
No, sleep is so far from her mind that she merely shakes her head and looks back at her father. Squeezing his hand that much harder, in hopes to get some sort of reaction. Beth can feel the older woman's gaze lingering on her. Her back burning from the weight of it until Carol's sigh is cut off by some commotion outside and both women stand up to look out the open window.
Barely reaching it when the gate is opened up to reveal a dark haired redneck pushing a much larger man away from as they entered the gates. His footsteps turning into limps as they are surrounded by those on guard duty. Two other woman follow along with a familiar blonde taking up the rear before she moves to the fore front of the group next to Daryl and the bigger man. From the distance, Beth can see Glenn giving her a short look, and Maggie's eyes going wide before rushing forward to wrap her up in a tight embrace.
"Andrea," Carol whispers, the sound coming out as more of a question formed from surprise. Because what are the odds that Daryl would go missing and then turn up days later with Andrea in tow. That had to be one in a million. Up there with finding his brother with a gang of men trying to kill them, yet here they stood. The term 'small world' circling inside Beth's head as she tears her eyes away from the reunion happening below them to meet with Carol's for a split second before rushing out of the room. Hershel momentarily forgotten as they race down the stairs and out the front door.
Carol runs forward first, Beth letting her get the lead as she comes to stand next to Rick. The man's standing in front of Daryl, talking to him, and for a moment Beth finds herself frozen at the sight of the older man. All the anger and frustration that she felt in the last couple of days at his departure wells back up and she thinks about her father. Lying up in the room, lifeless at the moment, because he felt the need to check the traps. Felt the need to take his youngest daughter out of the fences because this man wasn't here. Because he decided to run off without a word and leave them hanging.
Shaking, she forces her head in an up and down motion. Acknowledging him and his return before moving past him to Andrea, where the woman his surrounded by Carol, Glenn, Lori and the new comers. All of them apprehensive at the sight of so many people and Beth can't really blame them. They're a good sized group. Most of them knowing at least the basics of shooting a gun, though these three look just as dangerous.
The two woman are looking at everyone and everything. Taking it all in, the one with dreadlocks in her hair, and a katana hanging off her back more so then the other. While the big man stands smiling, tight lipped and a little awkward, but still friendly all the same as he bobs his head at every one of them.
"This is Tyresse, his sister, Sasha, and Michonne," Andrea says. Indicating each person as she does so, though her gaze lingers on the woman named Michonne a little longer than the others and her eyes seem to light up when the woman returns her stare. There's love and companionship there, and Beth feels a bit like an intruder as they share the moment before it's interrupted by the others.
"Good to meet ya'll," Lori says, nodding at them in return as Sasha steps forward to shake her hand.
Carol follows suite, and says, "thank you for helping Daryl come home."
The woman smiles. "It wasn't a problem. Really. He insisted that he was needed here." Sasha's gaze goes down to Lori's protruding stomach. Her smile widening as she reaches out hesitantly, looking like she wants to touch it, and only does so when Lori nods her approval.
"How far along are you?" she asks, looking up at Lori with wonder in her eyes. Beth smiles at the two of them, realizing that Sasha might not be all that bad, and judging by the way Michonne lingers around Andrea and the way she shows nothing but complete trust in the woman, Michonne can't be all that bad either.
She barely registers Lori's reply before glancing back at Rick and Daryl. At some point Merle sidled up to his brother. His hand clapping on to his back and the unmistakable sound of Daryl grunting catches her attention. Her brows furrowing together as she thought about the way he limped into the yard, hardly holding himself up without the help of Tyresse.
Now he stands there, leaning heavily on one side, and looking ready to pass out. Except, he's home and he looks to be putting on a front for his brother. Holding himself up like nothing is wrong, though Beth can see through his façade. Rick can too, if the raised eyebrow is anything to go by, and it's not long before he is nodding at them muttering, "let's take this inside."
It's when they step into the foyer that Daryl takes his first real look around. His gaze sliding over the new and old faces before he looks from Beth to Rick and asks, "where's the old man?"
Most everyone goes silent. Out of hesitation for sure. Cause none of them wants to be the ones to tell him what happened while he was gone. Rick looks to Carol and Carol's gaze shifts first to Maggie, then Beth. All of them looking to see who was going to speak first. The others merely bowing their heads, either completely clueless to whom Daryl was referring to, or not wanting to incite his wrath. Merle and Glenn stare at Daryl as the man looks around the group, waiting for a response. "Well," he insists, his gaze finally resting on Beth. Knowing she couldn't, or wouldn't lie to him. Depending on how you looked at it.
Beth looks to the ground, her tongue suddenly feeling too big for her mouth as she pinches the inside her arms to relieve the tension growing inside and mutters, "he was bitten." She glances up to gauge his reaction. Feeling little satisfaction at the way his face pales before she continues. "He was bitten, and I took care of it."
"Because no one was there. Because you weren't here." she thinks, her eyes shooting an accusing glare at him before brushing past. Rushing back up the stairs to be with her father. Now that she's assured herself that Daryl was, at the very least, alive and saw Andrea again, there was no need to be away any longer.
"Beth," Daryl shouts, sounding like he is attempting to come for her before she reaches the top of the stairs and slams the door to her father's room. The space going silent now that she can't hear the others downstairs. Can't hear Daryl demanding to know what happened, and why. Not like the others couldn't tell him. Realizing as she looks at her father, that she may have made it sound worse then what it was. Not that she cared. He deserved that moment of fear. That second to believe that it was all going wrong, again.
Maybe he wouldn't take off again. Hopefully it would make him realize just how much he is needed here. How much they can't have him wondering off like he did before. A knock sounds on the door minutes later. Pulling Beth from her thoughts as she looks up. Hesitant to open it and face whomever stood outside. When the door opens, it is only a mild surprise to find Daryl standing outside of it. Leaning against the frame with his arms crossed, just staring at her. There's a hint of frustration in his features, but it turns to grief as he looks past her to Hershel still lying on the bed. Motionless and unaware of what's going on around him.
"Rick told me what happened?" Daryl says, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. Beth glares down at the floor. Anger warring with her relief that he's here. That he's well enough to be talking, and still angry that he even left in the first place.
"Yeah," Beth snaps back, glancing at Hershel for a brief second before focusing again on the floor. Unable to face the man next to her when all she wants to do is rage at him. "Did he tell you why it happened?"
This time she does chance a glance at him. Noticing his brows furrowing as he stares down at her. There's pity there, maybe even a hint of an apology that he won't spit out. Not that it matters. Not that Beth would listen to it at the moment. She can feel the anger rising. The words to hurt him on the tip of her tongue and before she can stop herself she yells. "Did he tell you we were out there, alone. Because someone had to check the traps. Because you weren't here and the others were out looking for you! Because you left without a goddamn word!"
Beth stands, using her full momentum to shove him away from the bed. Away from the mess that he caused. Away from here because she wants to see him hurt as badly as she does. Only to have her hands come in contact with his chest. Driving her palms into his still sore ribs and provoking the pain that creases across his face before he is able to turn away in an attempt to hide it.
Beth seen it though. The split second of a gasp and he is looking away from her. Clutching at his chest as he takes a few deep breaths to get the pain under control again.
"What happened?" Beth asks, her anger subduing for the moment in the wake of seeing him in pain. She may be furious with him, but that didn't mean she stopped caring. Daryl done so much for her in the past few months. They'd gotten so close, that Beth can't help but worry about him. So when he waves her off, mumbling a quick, "n'thin to worry about." The anger rises up again for a different reason and she marches around him.
Not hesitating to reach out and pull up his shirt to see the damage while at the same time Daryl swats at her hands. Doing his best to get away from her and her efforts to see what is causing him any pain. She gets a small glimpse of some bruising around his middle before Daryl is able push his shirt back down and fight off her efforts as she stops to look back up at him. "Daryl, what happened?"
He gives her a cursory glance before he shakes his head. "Fell in the river when that storm hit and got smacked around by some rocks." Beth's eyes go wide as saucers as, again, she moves to get a better look at his ribs only to have him grip her wrists to hold her back. "I'm fine, Beth. I promise. Andrea found me. Took care of me."
Beth stares at him, their eyes meeting for a split second before he bows his head a little to match her height and says, "I promise."
A sigh escapes her as she holds his gaze for another moment before her eyes trail downward. Just the memory of his bruised and battered chest bringing that anger back up all over again and she yanks her hands out his grip. "Well none of it would have happened if you hadn't left. Why'd you even think it was a good idea to leave on your own after everything?" She asks, nearly barking at him as sticks him with another glare.
His hand reaches up, rubbing at his lips as he avoids her stare. "Just went huntin, didn't mean to- "
"Bullshit," Beth says, interrupting his explanation. Daryl's eyes shoot up to hers, his brows once again coming together as she continues. "You weren't goin huntin. If you were huntin you could have taken Merle or Rick, or Glenn, or anyone for that matter. So don't sit there and tell me that you were going huntin."
Daryl's face twists in anger. His lip coming up in an almost sneer as he swings his arm up and toward her. "What the fuck is this? I come back beat up as hell with Andrea in tow, and I get the third fuckin degree!"
"Yes!" Beth shouts back, whirling on him. This time the anger radiating from her eyes, making her shake as she clenches her fists to keep from punching and shoving him some more. "Because you left. You left without saying a damn word, and you knew this was comin."
"I don't need this shit. Especially don't need to hear it from a spoiled little brat like you. Don't know why I even bother. All you ever do is cry and complain. Been cryin since I met you on the farm, like some little kid who's had their lollipop stolen."
Beth closes her eyes, lips shut tight to keep the retorts from coming. She knew continuing on like she did would only piss him off. That calling him out on his bullshit would get a rise out of him, but she did it anyways and now he only meant half of what he says as he continues to pace and back and forth. His arm flying around the room as he once again spins around to face her.
"Whole fuckin world's gone to shit. Everyone having lost someone or something, but none of that matters to you does it. No, it's all about Beth and what she's lost and what she's havin to do. Never mind everyone else and their problems and their pain."
"Stop it, Daryl" Beth says, almost a whisper that doesn't make it past her lips as she clenches her fist. Fighting the tears away with her eyes clutched closed. Cause god forbid he see her cry right now. See how much he's words are effecting her, no matter they are more spiteful then actual truth.
Because she did care about the others. Cared about the fact that it was just as much Maggie's mother, and friends left lying in those graves, and it was their father lying in the bed unconscious at the moment. That Carol lost her daughter on that farm, and Glenn may never know what happened to his family. She did care. Did worry about her family whenever they lost someone else, or whenever they were attacked by some other group looking to take what they had. Of course she cared. How could she not, and she reminded herself that Daryl knew this. That he was just speaking out of anger because she pushed him too far.
Still hurt.
Still didn't stop her from opening her eyes to meet Daryl's hard gaze with one of her own as he saddles up close to her. Breath spanning across her face as he asks,"Stop what?"
Beth shakes her head, nails biting into her skin as her fingers turn white from the effort it was taking not to swing at him.
"Stop what? Beth," he asks again. "Stop tellin the truth. Cause you know all about the truth, don't' ya? Know every fuckin thing, right?"
"I was worried, is all," Beth says, hoping that some logic will subdue the situation when Daryl smiles. A loathsome smile that does nothing for his features as he nods his head.
"Worried, huh?" he asks, takin a step back. "Worried that you won't have a distraction anymore from your so called pain. Is that what you were worried about? Cause what the hell do you know about pain, huh, little girl?" He looks down at Hershel, giving him a slight wave of his hands as he continues. "What with your caring father, loving mom, and bright picket fence farm. What the fuck do you know about pain?"
"Screw you, Dixon." Beth says, putting as much venom into her voice. Watching his head bob up and down and then back and forth.
His face turns into a sneer as he gives her a once over and takes a step back toward her. "You don't know shit about pain."
"Get out," Beth shouts, arm coming up to point at the door and that fucking smile spreads across Daryl's face again as he stares at her. Eyes taking in her shaking form, and quivering lips. Cause she wants to cry. She really does, but she's not going to do it while he's in the room. Staring her down. Judging her. So when he doesn't move, she steps forward, shoving him toward the door and saying, "get the fuck out of here and leave me alone!"
Daryl doesn't fight her. Not too much. He stumbles out of the door, into the hallway. Shoving her fists a way as she beats him out the door. Uncaring of where she hits, or if it causes him any discomfort. Only that he gets away from her as he says, "fine, I'm gone. Don't need you following me around anyways. Nothin but trouble keepin an eye on your ass all the time."
"Well, you ain't got to worry about my ass no more. Can take care of myself. Don't need you, you jackass!" Beth slams the door in his face, jumping a little at the sound of a fist slamming against the door before she turns and leans against it. The tears she fought so hard to keep in stream down her face as she slides to the floor. Covering her head in her arms to muffle the sobs wrecking through her body. It's only by some miracle that she hears the silent "Beth?" from the bed and looks up in time to see her father straining to look down at her.
"Oh, Daddy," she cries, standing up to rush toward the bed. Needing him right now, but scared to think about how much he heard while they stood there fighting before him. She throws herself into his arms, careful not to jostle him too much, relief and anger pouring out of her as she sobs into his shoulder.