The 100 Walking Dead

Part 27

Beth

I watched the grate nervously. Everyone had come up but Daryl, Riley, Melody and Imara. We heard gunshots. He couldn't be dead. I couldn't lose him. After all we've been through, I can't lose him. Not today, not ever. I know we hardly talk since what happened at the Hospital and Terminus. He blames himself for everything. I can't lose him. Since that night in the woods, since we were together for those months, I can't lose him.

The grate moved and I pointed my gun at it, but there he was. His shaggy brown hair raising through the grate. I ran over to him. He wouldn't look at me. "You're alright," I smiled, a tear in my eye to see him safe. He got up off the ladder and started walking towards the woods. "Help her," he numbly said. I looked back in the grate and saw Riley trying to heave herself up. I helped her up the ladder and she collapsed on the floor, crying her eyes out.

"Daryl, wait!" Maggie shouted, Daryl stopped in his tracks and looked at the floor. I joined my sister, Imara sat on a rock next to Tomas and Bellamy.
I heard Bellamy behind us, talking to Imara, "Where's Melody?"
Imara cried, "She's dead. I couldn't save her, she's gone."
Maggie looked at Daryl, "This isn't your fault, Daryl. Okay? None of this is. Not Sophia, not Merle, not Andrea, not Hershel, not Denise, not-not Beth and not Gl-Glenn." Maggie's voice shook on Glenn's name.
Daryl remained silent.
Maggie continued, "Negan is dead, Daryl. And you haven't looked at me since. This baby needs you, like Judith needs you. We need you. You can't keep blaming yourself for people when they die. You can't."
I took a step towards him, "Please, Daryl. I know you need to feel, I get it. But don't blame yourself. I'm still here."
Daryl slowly turned around to look at me, he had tears in his eyes. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around him, my head against his chest, hearing his heart beat. His hands rested on my back, his chin on my head.

"You shouldn't blame yourself," a bitter voice said and me and Daryl separated, I looked towards the voice, Riley. She was sat up, her legs to her chest, her arms around them, she stared at the floor, "Don't blame yourself for Melody. You tired to help her," she paused and scowled at Imara, pointing at her, "Unlike that bitch." Riley got to her feet, anger covering her face. She walked towards Imara, her knife out.
Bellamy stood up. "Hey, what are you doing?"
Riley kept her eyes on Imara, "Let me pass and you won't get hurt."
"Woah, woah," Rick said, running over to Riley, putting his hand on her shoulder, "I know you're upset, but-"
"But nothing!" Riley yelled, "She needs to pay for what she has done."
Rick nodded, and calmly said, "I know you're angry, but do you really wanna do this? She lost Melody too-"
"She let her die!" Riley roared, and then more calmly but still full of hatred, "She could've saved her, but she just stood there and let her die." She looked up at Rick, "Do you know how many people she has gotten killed? Our Mum, our sister and now Melody. So don't defend her when you don't know shit!"
Rick put up his hands, "I'm not going to let you kill her. Would Melody want that? Would she want you to kill your sister?"
Riley searched Rick's eyes before throwing down the knife and punching a tree behind her.
Rick turned around to face Imara, "Is there anywhere we can hold up?"
Carl stepped forward, he shared a glance with Enid, letting go of her hand before stating, "Yes there's a cabin in the woods not far from here. Me and Enid found it. "
Rick looked at his son for a brief moment before nodding, "Good, lead the way. We need to move, its dark and dangerous. But we'll stick together and we'll be fine."

* * *

Me and Daryl hung back from the group, walking together through the dark woods. His crossbow aimed and ready, my knife out. "Y'know I was worried, when we heard the gunshots, we thought somethin bad had happened. Well, it did, but I thought somethin had happened to you."
Daryl glanced at me, "I'm fine." He paused, he kept looking at the forest, "I- uh, I tried to save her. I did, but, but I couldn't."
I nodded, "I know. But you can't feel guilty for what happened. With her or Glenn or... or me."
Daryl stopped in his tracks, he looked at me, "Don't talk bout that. I didn't want you... I tried. I was too late."
I nodded, "It was my own fault. But, I told you, you'd miss me when I was gone, Daryl Dixon."
Daryl looked me up and down, "You shouldn't have stabbed her. If you had just come with us then you'd, you'd be here... you'd be here with us."
I shrugged, "But I did stab her. And I'm not gone, not really. Well, I am, but not forever, I'm still here," I stepped up to him and put my hand on his heart, "In here," I put my finger lightly on his head, "and here," I stood on my tiptoes, my hands on his chest, as I lightly kissed his lips, his hands in my hair, I looked into his eyes, "I'll always be with you, Daryl. Always. But you have to stop blamin yourself."
Daryl shook his head, tears forming, "But if I didn't go after Dwight or if I didn't try and fight Negan then-"
"Then Glenn might still be dead," I firmly stated and he looked into my eyes, my hands were on the back of his neck, making him look me in the eyes, "You can't blame yourself, Daryl, you just can't. People die for a reason and if he didn't die then, then what's to say he didn't die a day later? A week later? Months later? What's important is we're still alive, what's done is done. You have to move on and stop blamin yourself."

"Daryl is that you?"

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Author's Notes: Originally, I was going to have Beth alive, but I decided against it as I believe Beth and Glenn's death affected him the most. And I just find it better to stick with actual events. So Beth is dead in my story.