Hush Baby Im here

Chapter 35

(This will be one of the only parts written in Daryl's view. Because Beth's well.. You know what happened.)

We drove up to the gates, with no passengers to show for. My mind was buzzing and my skin tingled as I recalled Beth's feather light kisses and soft sweet voice. Pulling to the side Aaron gave me a look of exhaustion, slumping back towards his house. I looked around expecting Beth to appear any second now before I realized she didn't know we were coming back today.

I started towards the house, the front door still cracked when I walked in.
You've only been gone for three days.

"A lot can happen while I'm gone."

I recalled our last conversation, a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

Eugene, Abraham, Rosita, and Glenn all sat around the table, grim looks on their faces. My stomach sank, but I kept my cool.

"What?" I almost snapped when none of them looked at me as I stood by the table.

"Noah." Rosita said, meeting my eyes finally as every one continued to look down. Glenn managed to lift his head, and I had a gut feeling he had something to do with this. "He was a good kid." I say gruffly, he was.

Glenn nodded, "and Beth" my stomach turned into a rock, my whole body tensed up in agony, my jaw clenched. "She was bit. She's up stairs." He pointed upwards. I didn't stay long enough for any other explanation, I was running up the stairs as soon as the words were spoken.

...
(Back to Beth's)

I laid there, as Maggie placed cool rags on my forehead and laid them all along my back. She soothed me as much as she could, always on the verge of tears. Rick had ran back and got Abraham, together they lifted me out of the pit, and carried me back. Then when they got here, they finally noticed the bite, it was to late to cut it off. The veins around my leg were a deep shade of purple.

When the door creaked I expected to see Carol bringing me soup again, even though I hadn't eaten the last three. But instead Daryl rushed inside, his eyes widened when he see's my pale sick form. I smile at him, so glad he is home.

But he just stares at me as Maggie wipes another tear on her face.

"Beth." He croaks, no emotion on his face. I raise my eyebrows, just as another wave of fever hits me and I huddle together in pain and agony as my muscles stiffen.

Maggie set down the last rag and said she'd be right back before leaving the room, touching Daryl's shoulder as she passed by, she just wanted to give us some time. When the door was securely closed, he dropped to his knees and placed his head on the side of the bed. 

"Daryl," I say, but he doesn't lift his head.

"Daryl, what are you doing?" My voice is strained, and it hurts to talk but I don't care.

"I'm praying. With any luck that bastard will let you live." I can't help but smile.

"I don't think calling him a bastard will help your case." I joke. His head shoots up.

"This is serious Beth, stop laughing." His voice wavered at the last part and I could tell he was about to cry. I limply rose my hand and rested it on his cheek, my thumb rubbing tiny circles in his cheek.

"I want to laugh Daryl, its better than crying."

He doesn't look up.

"I want you to laugh with me. Like we would have." I swallow deeply, a lump rising in my throat.
He can't see me sad or weak.

I have no idea what the bite on my wrist meant, only that it happened during Grady, so there was tons of medicine, which we didn't have here. No one from outside the family had come to visit me, but I guess they didn't tell anyone about it. I so badly prayed that I'll live, for everyone else, but ultimately I made my peace with dying a long time ago.

My eyes fluttered closed, before I opened them again, refusing to sleep.

"Daryl, the minute I stop breathing. End it."

He didn't say anything, just sat on the floor, but I could see his body shake with silent sobs.

"Please?" I whispered, and he let out a loud breath. Looking directly at me he lowered himself to hover above my face. He was so close I could perfectly make out the silver streaks across his chin. The tiny scars that shaped most his face. Slowly his gentle lips kissed mine, for a while, only pulling away to kiss my forehead, brushing away the hair stuck to my face from the sweat.

He scans every inch of my face, like he was scared he will forget it when I'm gone.  

"Alright." His mouth says, but his voice echo's along my mind. It carries into my dream world where he stares at me as we lay in a house on fire, burning around us. But we don't feel the heat, just our bodies, tangled together. It burns, but the house never breaks, its walls black and fire stained.

Then suddenly the fire goes out.

He looks at me and says "alright?" I smile, sitting up.

Awakening in my room sweat drench but cooled down.

A lot cooler.

My stomach and body is no longer in fire.