Follow You Down - Bethyl Fanfiction

Guilt Could Wait

The night swept over the prison with a few visits from other residents, checking up on Daryl. Some, like Rick offered to take Beth's place in watching over the archer as he wavered between sleep to sudden sharp breaths, to quiet moans of pain. But the idea of leaving the cell with Daryl leaning over the edge of life's cliff was something Beth couldn't face. It felt like the world had shifted it axis but she was the only one to notice. Everything was different when compared to a few days ago. From Daryl being a mysterious distant protector to becoming essential to Beth's very being. Crazy how death can bring people closer.

The youngest Greene could feel her eyes falling shut as she sat by his side, hand laced in his cold fingers, wanting to feel the heat she had felt the night before return to his hand. He had lost so much blood. But at least he was resting. His breathing still stuttered, face still tensed in pain, but he no longer woke with each gasp. Beth debated for a moment before pushing up onto her feet, knee's aching from being in the same position for so long. Lowering the archers hand to the bed, Beth kicked off her shoes and headed to the top bunk, pausing to remove the collection of bolts that were strewn across the mattress. Once on the bed, she removed her jeans and got under the covers, hanging them off the top rail so she would remember them in the morning.

Closing her eyes, Beth listened to the sound of Daryl's shuddering heavy breaths and let herself contemplate the fact she was sleeping directly above the man she had dreamt about in those scenes in the book. Guilt washed over her for a moment, knowing he was in no state to be thought of that way. But they were just thoughts. And Beth touching his waist was just a memory. Feeling his pulse thudding against her hand from his chest was just that, a feeling. Nothing to feel guilty about. Beth let go of consciousness, guilt could wait for the morning.

-

The voices of Dr S, Rick and Sasha brought Beth back to the cell, fidgeting a little in the bunk as the heat of the day rolled over her stiff form. Quickly noting it would be better to feign sleep, she stopped moving and listened to them discussing Daryl's health. She was a little shocked to hear the gruff response from directly below her. He was awake too.

"I don't need no pain killers, save em'." He croaked through what Beth could picture was a tensed jaw. There was no masking the agony he must be in. And evidently they saw through it to.
"We'll go on a run for more later this week. For now, just give him whatever he needs." Rick said decisively. Ignoring Daryl's strained arguing.

Beth waited for the conversation to end, then tried to imagine what the good doctor was doing to make Daryl hiss in pain.
"It needs it, for a while okay? I will come and replace it soon." Beth quickly closed her eyes as Dr Subramanian rose to eye level with her and turned to leave the cell. She lay very still, wondering if Daryl would fall asleep again.

It became apparent that Daryl was not resting. He also must have known she was awake because Beth's jeans disappeared from the rail, having been pulled with a quick but weak hand, buttons chiming against the floor. Beth's eyes widened and she growled in frustration.
"Daryl Dixon I knew you weren't sleepin'!" She snapped, sitting up in the bunk, wrapping the blanket around her waist. "Ya can't just be stealin' a young girls pants." She continued, tone accusatory. She could here a choked chuckle from below her that wound her up even more. Tucking the blanket in on itself like a towel and bunching it up under her elbow so she wouldn't get tangled, Beth threw her bare legs over the edge of the bunk and climbed down. Her cheeks were burning at the thought of him seeing her come down, giving him all legs to her thighs were the bunched up blanket began. Dropping to the floor she bent down to grab her jeans and face the thief with a look of anger and embarrassment.

Frozen, Beth stared at Daryl in silence. The smile on his lips faded away as he took in her reaction to what lay before her. Dr S had removed the bandages. That's what he meant. The wounds needed it. To air out. But to actually see them choked Beth of oxygen and took away her ability to move. Tears pricked at her eyes and trembles found her fingers. Not being able to see him made it seem like he was getting better, he was healing and it wasn't as bad as it seemed. But it was. It was worse. The bandages had provided padding for more than just the deep wounds. They padded Beth's mind, providing a barrier to reality for a while. But seeing them exposed was horrific. To count the stitches would be an impossible task. The two lines seemed to span more of Daryl's abdomen than Beth remembered. It was like they were growing. Beth's breathing suddenly returned to her in quick gasps as the tears escaped her eyes, hyperventilating at the sight of the archer.

"Don't go cryin' on me Greene." Daryl croaked at her, reaching out with the same hand that had playfully pulled her jeans down only moments earlier. But the fun had gone. Reality had invaded once more and re-carved the lacerations in his chest. Beth took the hand offered to her and attempted to find comfort in the fact those fingers felt a little warmer than the day before. She began the crumble before him, legs starting to give way as she let out a sob.

"Hey, hey come here." He huffed, pulling her with little to no force so she landed on the bed next to him. His hand left hers and slid up her arm to clutch around her elbow as she sniffed and gestured a hand over his chest, not having the words to express how she felt. Beth moved without thinking and lay beside him, facing away. His arm was under her and she clutched at his hand, his thumb making little circles on her palm. "I'm still here." He reminded her gently. Beth tried to let that thought comfort her. He was still there. For now at least.

A new chapter for you today. I love these two and being able to write this for them gives me so much happiness. I hope you're enjoying it! Until the next one.