Chapter Thirty-Five: Daryl's Fears

Daryl was laying half-way down in their bed with Beth as he rested his forehead against the tight skin her stomach. Beth had pulled her shirt up and she was smiling down at him as his hand gently rubbed over her pregnant belly which was now so hugely distended, it really was its own entity. He could feel the kicks and tumbles underneath his palm and his heart swelled with pride. He looked up at Beth's angelic face. She was glowing. So pregnant with his child yet she was the most beautiful thing Daryl had ever seen. A particularly violent kick caused Beth to suck in a sharp breath. Daryl immediately began stroking the underside of her stomach where the turmoil was coming from. "She's strong" Daryl murmured. Beth gave him a tender smile as she nodded. "Like her Father." she said affectionately. Daryl smirked at her "Nah...like her Mother." he countered. Beth just giggled. "Why do you keep calling it a 'her'? We don't know for sure and I told you when I picture it, I see a little boy." she said. Daryl placed a tender kiss to her swollen stomach before moving up in the bed to cradle her in his arms. "It's a little girl sweetheart. I just know it." he replied with his hand never leaving her belly.

Before Beth could reply, her stomach gave a violent shudder as Beth sucked in a sharp breath and curled in on herself clutching at her belly. "Beth?" Daryl asked worriedly. "He's just...stretching." Beth strained as she continued to hold her stomach and breath heavily. Daryl knew she was in pain and he hated seeing her like this. "Sssshhhh...take it easy on her." he whispered to her stomach as he rubbed her aching back with his palm. Beth slowly eased herself back onto the pillows. She was still out of breath but her hands continued to massage her stomach. "I'm so tired Daryl. Everything hurts and I can't even walk anymore. I just want him out." Daryl sighed as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I know it hurts sweetheart. You've only got a few more days though and then she'll be ready." he assured her. Beth gave him a tired smile. "There you go saying 'she'..." Beth sucked in another sharp breath. Suddenly a huge gush of fluid came from between her legs and soaked the bed. "Daryl..." Beth gasped. Daryl was panicking. This was it. Before he had a chance to respond, her belly began violently thrashing from side to side. Beth cried out in pain as her back arched up off the bed with the movement in her stomach. "Get Maggie!" Beth screamed before she drew in a shuddering breath and flopped back down. She was sweating profusely and was deathly pale. Daryl made to go get Maggie but a sickening sound stopped him in his tracks. There was a low growl coming from inside Beth. He knew that noise and he saw the minute Beth recognized it too. Her head lifted up as tears filled her eyes. "I'm so sorry..." she started before another violent seizure overtook her. Her back arched up again as the skin of her stomach stretched out from the force of the child trying to tear its way out. The baby had turned into a walker. Beth was fighting against it but suddenly there was a sickening snap in her back and she went still. Daryl was frozen in terror. Her spine had snapped. Beth was still alive but she was now permanently paralyzed as the walker baby began eating its way out of her stomach. She was crying and screaming as she struggled to breath when suddenly her stomach burst open. She released another shuddering breath before her eyes rolled back into her head and she went still. Daryl watched as the baby crawled out of the shredded, bloody mess of Beth's now-flat belly. His wife had just been ripped apart from the inside by their own child who had died in the womb and turned into a walker. Daryl was powerless to stop it and now his life shattered around him as he looked at the broken body of his dead wife and the growling remains of his child. Daryl fell to his knees in agony. "No...no...Beth...Beth no..."

Daryl jolted awake in a cold sweat. He was gasping for air as the tremors of horror rattled him to his core. It was all just a nightmare. He reached out for Beth's warm embrace only to remember where he was. "Daryl?" Glenn asked hesitantly from his watch point in the corner. They had been trapped in this warehouse for two days. The mission to find the squash had proven difficult. They found the squash in an old Food City about an hour outside of Alexandria. However their return home was impeded by a herd of walkers. Rather than lead them back to Alexandria, Daryl and Glenn had decided to lead them several miles away but the herd kept pushing them further and further out until they were now trapped in an old warehouse near Savannah. They had been gone for almost four days total now and Daryl was desperate to get back to Beth.

Daryl composed himself as best as he could before responding to Glenn who was still waiting for an answer. "I'm alright." he said hoarsely. Glenn was silent for a few more minutes before sighing. "You were screaming her name again." Glenn said. "So what if I was?" Daryl snapped. Glenn raised his hands in defeat. "Alright alright. Just nevermind." he said bowing out of the conversation. Glenn didn't fault Daryl at all. He knew he was just anxious to get back to Beth. He could relate. Maggie was there too and he was desperate to return but Daryl was even more desperate. Beth was pregnant and not only that but she was also sick. Glenn knew Daryl was going out of his mind with worry and rightly so. If that were Maggie..."I'm scared." Daryl said quietly interrupting Glenn's thoughts. Glenn looked at Daryl who had his head bowed and his knees pulled up to his chest. "I can't lose her..." Daryl whispered. Glenn didn't say anything. He just let Daryl get his thoughts out because he knew Daryl needed to express his concerns that had been haunting him ever since they left Alexandria. "I keep seeing it in my head. She's so pregnant...only the baby isn't a baby anymore. It always turns and rips her apart...and I can't do anything to stop it...just keep seeing it over and over." Daryl rasped out. Glenn's heart went out to Daryl. He knew that if Maggie were in the same position then he'd share the same fears. "If she dies..." Daryl started but then his voice broke and he squeezed his eyes shut. "Hey." Glenn finally said. "She'll be okay. The herd is thinning out and we're starting back in the morning. We'll get the squash to her and she'll be fine. I know you'll see to it." Glenn assured him.

Daryl composed himself once more. "Yeah...you sleep now. I'll keep watch." Daryl said. Glenn didn't protest because this had been their routine for the last four nights they'd been gone. Glenn would take first watch until Daryl was startled awake by his nightmares. Then Daryl would take second watch because after his torturous dreams, sleep was out of the question. Glenn settled in while leaving Daryl to his thoughts. Daryl would never tell Beth about his fears. He knew she'd worry about him as well as worrying about herself and there was no way he could burden her with that. She was already sick enough without that added stress. He just needed to get back to her. He needed to hold her and kiss her. He needed to feel her breathing and hear her heartbeat. He just needed her. "Please hang on for me sweetheart. Please hang on." he whispered to himself no longer caring if Glenn heard him or not.