Suddenly...Gone

Chapter 23

Daryl sat on the edge of the bed ready to get up, but then Emma saw the white bandage, now stained with blood. It definitely needed to be changed. "Wait before we head down, I need to replace that dressing and you need antibiotics too," she told him.

"Might as well get it out of the way," he agreed.

Emma found her pack that contained the supplies that the doctor had given her. She laid everything on the bed before she went into the bathroom to wash her hands. She wasn't worried about getting any of his blood on her, she just didn't want to do anything that may cause an infection. When she was done, she peeled the tape off his skin that held the gauze pads in place.

It was her first experience with a bullet wound, so she didn't know what to expect. Emma removed the gauze pads and slowly pulled them away from his skin. The dried blood made them stick to him. Then she took the packing out of the bullet hole. Daryl winced when she pulled it out. There was still fresh blood on gauze, and the wound began to lightly bleed again, but Dr. Carson had warned her that this may happen until the hole closes.

Emma wet some of the gauze and cleaned around the hole removing the old and fresh blood. Then she took some antibiotic ointment and placed it on a new pad. She needed to pack the wound again, and she expected that may hurt.

"How are you doing?" she asked Daryl. He had been completely quiet so far.

"Fine."

She could not tell with his simple answer whether he really was doing okay, or if he was suffering through her ministrations. "I have to pack it again so this may hurt," she warned him.

Daryl gritted his teeth in anticipation, and he wasn't disappointed. It felt like his raw muscle was being shredded. His hands curled into tight fists that gripped the bedspread and his entire body tensed, but Daryl never uttered a sound.

Emma instantly felt him tense up and hated that she was causing him this pain, but she didn't have a choice. The hole needed to heal without leaving any pockets, so packing was the only option. The process only took less than a minute, but to Daryl, it felt like forever. He still didn't complain.

"All I have to do is cover it, and we're done," Emma told him. Daryl instantly relaxed knowing the worst part was over. Two four by fours were tapped into place, and the dressing was officially changed. Emma handed him two antibiotics, and he downed them easily. The shoulder was back to viscously hurting again.

Daryl took the bottle of pain pills off the nightstand and popped one; he considered doing another when Emma stopped him. "You just had one not too long ago, don't take another," she advised him.

He knew she was right, so he placed the bottle back on the bedside table. "Thanks," he told her forcing a smile. "Let's go eat," he said standing up carefully.

"I'm sorry it hurt."

"Don't worry about it," he told her. It was not her fault, it was the prick's that shot him fault and Dwight would pay the price at some point. Daryl dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead and nudged her to the door with his good arm. "I'm starving, let's go."

They both headed down the hall and then the staircase with Emma ahead of Daryl. Going down the stairs, Daryl no longer felt winded, and he was stronger, but he wasn't back to his old self at all. He still had a fair way to go. He knew it would be a while before he could lift his heavy crossbow, but then it hit him he no longer had it. Dwight had stolen it...again. He would get it back this time for keeps, plus his bike. When he was feeling up to it, he would go back to where he hid his motorcycle and bring it back.