Zedler, M.D. // Daryl Dixon

Chapter Seventeen: Shane Walsh

•seventeen•

Beatrix

"Are you sure he's okay to walk on his leg?" Rick asks me for about the fourteenth time in the past five minutes.

"Yes, Rick. His leg is almost completely healed," I nod my head and brush my hair behind my ears. "Please don't ask again. I am one hundred percent positive that he can walk. Me saying it multiple times doesn't make it any more true."

"Well then it's settled," Rick announces to the rest of the group. "Shane and I wil leave out of here with him in a hour. We're taking him eighteen miles out and leaving him with a care package."

"Still don't think it's a good idea," Shane says as he puts his hands on his hips. I raise my eyebrow at him as he staggers back a couple of steps and holds onto a tree to stand up.

"You okay, Shane?" I ask him.

"Fine," he mumbles and looks away. I know that this isn't good. He's having side effects right now and he doesn't need to be leaving camp.

"Any other objections?" Rick asks while everyone stays quiet. I don't like it, and I know Dale doesn't either, but it's better than just killing him. "Good. While we're gone, Hershel has asked if we want to move into the house since it's getting colder, so everyone needs to pitch in and help move our things inside."

"Rick," I say quietly, walking up so that only he can hear me. "Keep Shane safe. Don't let him die. We're so close to finding out if this thing works."

"Alright," Rick nods, walking away. I push my hair behind my ear and walk back over to Daryl.

"I ain't movin' in there," Daryl mumbles so that only I can hear him.

"Then I'll stay outside with you," I shrug.

"Beatrix, no," Daryl shakes his head and places a hand on my shoulder. "It's cold and you don't need to get sick."

"Neither do you, but I'm staying with you and you can't stop me," I look up at him and I know that he won't argue with me.

--
"Beth, honey, you don't wanna do this," I say, sitting down on the bed next to her. Lori has just confiscated a knife from her, that we're assuming she was going to use for an attempt at suicide.

"Yes I do," she mumbles and looks down.

"No, you don't," I grab her hand in both of mine and run circles on it. "This isn't they way to deal with this world. Lori went to go get Maggie, and you know just as well as I do that she's going to lose it."

"I don't care. Maybe she'll want to go with me," Beth shrugs. "It would be better, you know? We wouldn't have to worry about what's out there waitin' on us. You can go with us if you want."

"Beth, don't talk like that. I don't want to die, and I know Maggie feels the same way. You should feel that way too, " I sigh and force her to look at me. "Now, this can go one of two ways. I can let Maggie deal with this, and you know how she'll react. You'll be watched nonstop, she won't let you anywhere near anything sharp, and you'll never live it down. Months from now, you'll still be constantly watched because she won't trust you to be alone. Not to mention the fact that you'll never even have the chance to kill yourself. Beth, she'll watch you while you pee."

"I don't want that," she shakes her head, letting a few tears slip down her face.

"I don't want that for you either," I say softly. I honestly feel so bad for her. Her mom died a long time ago, but she's only now dealing with it and that can put such a huge strain in the human body. "So your other option is to talk to me when you need to and let me help you through this. Of couse, I'll still have to watch you for a little while, but that's inevitable. I'll take you under my wing. Even teach you how to be a surgeon if you want."