Unexpected (A Daryl Dixon Fanfiction)

17 - Decision

I woke up to the sound of voices in the dining room, I hadn't realized that I fell asleep earlier. I walked to the dining room and saw Lori was here. She, Rick, and Hershel stood around the table as Rick looked like he was ready to pass out at any given moment. Lori seemed to be going off about how Otis shot Carl and she was investigating Hershel's experience as a doc.

"As soon as they get back, you can perform this surgery?" She asked.

"I will certainly do my best," Hershel replied sincerely.

"Okay... and you've done this procedure before?"

"Well, yes in a sense," He responded honestly.

Lori was starting to get on my nerves, I mean we don't have time to argue about Hershel's medical training. He's the best we got.

"In a sense?" Lori asked skeptically.

"Look Lori, we don't exactly have a lot of options when it comes to doctors, Hershel knows what he's doing and if you feel as though he doesn't, then no one will be able to save Carl," I added.

"I understand that, but you are a doctor right?" She asked turning back to Hershel.

"Yes ma'am, of course... a vet."

"A veteran? A combat medic?" She inquired.

I placed my head in my hands as I sat down.

"... A veterinarian."

Lori's look was even more shocked, "And you've done this surgery before? On what cows, pigs?"

She stopped immediately as Rick started to waver and lose his balance falling into the chair next to him. I reached my hand across the table holding Rick's hand in support.

"You're a little in over your head aren't you?" She asked.

"Ma'am, Aren't we all?" I liked Hershel he could bring a comeback while still being sincere. I smiled and looked at Rick giving him a reassuring look. He nodded in response.

~

A while later Hershel went to check back on Carl and Rick, Lori, and I surrounded the bed. Hershel checked his blood pressure and his face was sullen.

"His blood pressure's dropping again... we can't wait much longer," He informed.

"Take some more. Whatever you need, then I'm gonna go" Rick stated. I looked at him with sad eyes as he could barely stand.

"Go? Go where?" Lori asked.

"Five miles, they should be long back by now, somethin's gone wrong."

"Are you insane? You're not going after them."

"Rick, listen to your wife," Hershel added. "You're in no condition to do anything about it, you've given too much blood, you're barely on your feet, you wouldn't make it across the yard."

"If something happen... I have to go," Rick insisted.

"Your place is here, if Shane said he'd be back, he'll be back," Lori argued.

"I can't just stand here!"

"That's exactly what you do!" Lori fought back. "If you need to pray or cry or tell God he's cruel then you go right ahead, but you're not leaving Rick... Carl needs you, and I can't do this by myself," She whispered to him.

I looked back down at Carl's sleeping state... I couldn't save my own brother, but I would do anything to save Carl. I looked up at Hershel.

"All he needs is blood for right now, right?" I started.

"Yes, just long enough to stabilize him," Hershel explained.

"I'm O negative blood type, it's universal isn't it?" I asked almost getting anxious.

"That's perfect Aaron, you might have just prolonged this young man's life."

"I've been donating blood for six years, I'm used to the process... please take as much as he needs," I pleaded.

Hershel nodded and started taking my blood. The transfer seemed to go through well and he patched my arm up. I smiled as Carl's body reacted nicely to my blood. I sighed in relief.

"Alright Aaron you're all done, you can go rest on the couch if you'd like," I nodded at Hershel and left the room.

I walked to the living room and plopped down on the couch, sleep came easy for once in these deranged days.

~

I woke up to the sound of footsteps. I opened my eyes and saw Glenn and T-dog leaving Carl's room. I sat up and looked at them smiling, I walked up to Glenn giving him a hug and then moving to T-dog avoiding his arm. Maggie came in and took T-dog to the table. We sat down and started eating the food that she had made. I watched as Patricia started sewing up T-dog's arm, Complimenting Merle for catching a venereal disease and having these antibiotics. I smiled and walked away to check back on Carl.

Lori and Rick had yet made a decision since Otis and Shane weren't back yet. Carl needed another transfusion and I was up for it. Hershel took the blood yet also explained that the swelling Carl's stomach wasn't going down. The parents of my now blood brother had to make a decision. I grinned at the odd thought that Carl had my blood running through his veins, so we were now blood related. What a dark thing to think about at this time. Once Lori and Rick decided Patricia wheeled in a metal table that would act as a place to operate on him. We helped lift the bed sheets, setting Carl down gently onto the table.

Once the operation was ready to start, a blue truck pulled into the driveway. They had made it back. I ran outside to help them with the supplies, but it seemed as though Otis had gotten caught up with the walkers. Hershel refused to let anybody tell Patricia as we carried the supplies into the house. Everyone left the room so the doctors could operate on Carl. I went back outside and sat on the railing, looking out into the darkness. I heard the door open and close behind me and turned to see Glenn coming out of the house.

"Glenn..."

"Aaron."

"Is Daryl..."

"Yes."

I sighed in relief, glad to know that Daryl was back at the RV and was safe.

"Do you guys have a thing or something?" Glenn asked smirking at me and nudging my arm.

"You could say that," I smiled thinking of the times where Daryl refused to let me believe that I was alone in this.