A Redneck's Wicked Game (A Daryl Dixon Story)

Loss

Chapter 37—Loss

3rd person POV

Rosita watches Rowan slip into unconsciousness and looks around the room for help. She sees Rick and Glenn coming down the stairs and she yells, "Get Daryl, she's hurt really bad." Rick nods and runs back up the steps to get Daryl. Glenn soon reaches Rowan and Rosita, "What the hell happened?" he asks. Rosita shakes her head, "I'm not sure, she said Gabriel before she passed out; could he have really done this to her?" Glenn looks around to see Carol coming towards them, a first aid kit in her hand as he responds, "I honestly don't know."

Carol reaches the trio at the base of the staircase and looks Rowan over. She notices the small pool of blood Rowan is lying in and searches for a source before she mutters, "Fucking Christ." Rosita and Glenn look at her for answers as she tells them, "Looks like she fell down the stairs. All this blood is not a good sign; Daryl's going to completely lose it." As she examines Rowan's wrist, everyone can hear the commotion coming from the second floor.

Rick's voice carries down to the first floor, "You need to remain calm! Getting out of control isn't going to do her any good Daryl! Carol's looking at her now." Daryl's voice booms through the mill, "Git outta my way Grimes! I wanna know what the fuck happened!" The two of them come down the stairs quickly, Rick doing his best to keep Daryl in check. Daryl reaches the bottom of the steps and kneels down to Rowan, "What the hell happened? Does anybody know?" Rosita looks at him and quietly says, "I'm not sure, she was barely conscious when I found her. I asked and all she said was Gabriel." Daryl swears, "I'll fucking kill him if he did this!" He focuses on the blood and begs Carol, "Tell me what's going on!" Carol looks up at him and calmly says, "I'm not sure yet, Daryl. I think she's stable enough to move so I can examine her better." Michonne motions to her room, "I cleared off my bed, it's better than trying to take her upstairs."

Daryl nods at Michonne and scoops Rowan up off the floor, "Well make some room so I can git her in there." Everyone steps back and lets Daryl walk past, Carol following the two of them across the main room of the mill. Once inside the small room, Daryl lays Rowan down on the bed, standing back slightly as Carol starts taking Rowan's clothes off. Carol looks over at a very upset Daryl, who's nervously chewing on his thumb and calmly tells him, "I need you to pull yourself together Daryl, I'm going to need your help getting her jeans off." He doesn't say anything, just nods at her as he steps forward. Carol undoes her jeans, lowering the zipper as Daryl quietly asks, "Where is all this blood coming from?" Together they gently tug her tight jeans down and off her legs as Carol guesses, "I'm thinking that Rowan might be having a miscarriage." Daryl looks at Carol his face paling even more as his voice cracks with his response, "She's pregnant?" Carol shrugs, "I'm not sure yet Daryl but all this blood is pointing to it. I gather she hadn't mentioned that she was pregnant?" Daryl shakes his head as he quietly says, "No, she didn't say anything. She had her period last month; she can't be that far along right?" Carol nods, "She hasn't come to Maggie or me, so I'm figuring that she's only about a month along. She probably doesn't even know yet." Daryl looks at Carol with a scared look as he asks, "Is there any hope for this baby?" Carol looks down at Rowan as she pulls her blood soaked underwear off, "I don't think so Daryl. Honestly I'm more concerned about getting the bleeding to stop and saving her life. If I can do that, there is a good chance she'll be able to have kids in the future."

Daryl's face is one of pain but with a glimmer of hope as he whispers, "Is she gonna be alright? I can't lose her. What else is wrong?" Carol motions to Rowan as she wipes her bloody hand on a rag, "Her right wrist is definitely broken and she's full of bumps and bruises. She hit her head on the way down the stairs, so I'm guessing she has a concussion; nothing that can't be tended to and recovered from, as long as we can stabilize her and this bleeding." Daryl nods as Maggie walks in the room and asks, "What do you need me to do Carol?" Carol turns from Daryl and directs Maggie, "We need get this bleeding under control first and then we can set her broken wrist." Maggie nods, "Let's take a look at Rowan and see what's going on in there." Carol turns to Daryl, "I know that you won't leave, even if I ask you too. Please just sit down and let us examine her." Daryl pulls up the wooden stool, sitting down next to Rowan's head on her left side. Carol notices he immediately grasps her hand and holds it tight, worry etched all over his face as he watches the women tend to her.