Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 40:

Chapter 40:

Another boring day of giving tickets and going on runs pass and Daryl just wants to race home to Beth. He loves that woman. He loves that she's carrying his baby, even if that scares him to death. But whether he's scared or not, Daryl wants the best for his girls . He needs them to be happy and healthy.

Putting his keys in his pocket and locking the truck on his door panel, he heads upstairs, only to find anger coursing through the apartment. But it isn't Beth or Merle: it's Hershel and Maggie Greene.

"This is outrageous! I'm gonna..." Hershel stops when he notices Daryl walk in. They all hold their breaths. "You! I'm gonna kill you!"

Charging toward Daryl, Hershel is ready to choke him out, but Beth races in front if him.

"Daddy stop! I love him and you can't stop that. Just like you can't stop me from having my baby girl." She gets right in his face and this makes Daryl nervous. No one confronts Hershel Greene, especially when he's angry.

"Is this why he proposed to you! To cover it up! I'll kill him!"

"No! He propped before we knew I was pregnant. Daddy, if you hurt him I'll never talk to you again! You won't see your first grandchild. Accept that Daryl and I are gonna do this and there's nothing you can say or do to stop it!" She pauses in her screams and grabs onto Daryl's arm in pain. The tension in the room does quickly. Turning away from her family, she lays her head on Daryl's chest and Grips his t-shirt, fisting it until the color in her hands leave.

"Bethy?" Hershel takes a step closer and she waves him off.

"Go away....please...just go away." He starts sinking to the ground and Daryl holds her tightly, going with her. Looking up at Hershel, Daryl mouths, '911' and Hershel relays the message to Maggie who calls it in. "Ow...."

She quietly grumbles against Daryl's chest and he just holds her close. Hershel and Merle look at each other and then Glenn, who also doesn't know what's happening. It's quiet in the whole apartment, except for the quiet cries of pain coming from Beth. Daryl strokes her hair and kisses her forehead, making her know he's still there and loves her.

"It's okay, Baby. I got you." Daryl whispers in her ear.

When Bob and Sasha arrive, they help Beth onto the gurney and they wheel her downstairs and out to the Ambo. As Daryl's about to get in his truck, Hershel gets in the passenger seat. They make eye contact, but Daryl says nothing, doesn't even glower. Driving to the hospital, Daryl keeps thinking about Beth's condition. She said it was her back the other day, what if it's not?

When they get there, Beth is in the Triage and in a gown already. Rushing to her side, Daryl kisses her lips and looks her over.

"I'm here, baby." She grips his hand as pain courses through her.

"What seems to be the problem Beth?" Edwards come in and Beth answers.

"It's my side."

"I thought it was your back?" Daryl looks at her. Knowing now that she lied to him, he feels like an ass.

"Which side?"

"Lower right. Fsss....ow." Daryl hates the sound of it.

"Sounds like yer appendix. Lets get you back in surgery and...."

"Surgery? Can't that hurt the baby?" Daryl says terrified.

"If it bursts, we could lose them both." Edwards says straight forward, which makes Beth and Daryl shiver. "Now, I'll have Leslie prep you for surgery and we'll get to it."

He leaves and Beth just stares forward, in pain, but not from her side, from possibly losing their baby; Daryl, for Beth.

When they put her out and wheel her away, Daryl goes out to Hershel, Maggie, and Glenn in the waiting room. Sitting down, he puts his head in his hands and takes a few deep breaths.

"What is it?" Glenn bravely asks.

"Appendix...huh, she's in surgery and..." He doesn't have to say it, they all know what could happen. They all just take a deep breath and quietly, communally pray for Beth. After the first hour, Daryl gets up and goes to get a cup of coffee to stay awake. He's been up since 5 this morning and it's already passed 8:30 pm.

"I'm sorry." A soft voice comes beside him and Daryl nods his head before looking at Hershel.

"It's fine..."

"No it's not. Daryl, I just love my daughters too much. They're the last of my kin and it's hard for me to think that Maggie's married and Bethy's now having a baby with you. I guess I just sort of expected the old ways to live strong. I still see them now as my little girls." He confesses and has his head low.

"They still are. Always will be, they're just growing up. I'm sorry I took her innocence without being married first."

"Yer an honest an great man, Daryl. If this were to have happened with Gareth, I would've killed him. It's not much better that ya did, but I rather have you taking care of her than someone who doesn't love her." He claps Daryl's shoulder, and then leaves.

After another hour of waiting, Edwards finally comes out and they all stand in unison.

"How is she?" Daryl asks nervously.

"She's gonna be just fine. We got it in the knick of of time."

"And the baby?"

"Babies fine also. We have her hooked up to a stress monitor and Beth on natural pain killers. You can go back and see her now." Edwards leaves and Hershel smiles at Daryl with conviction. Going back, Daryl enters first and finds her languid in bed.

"Hey you..." He walks closer and grabs her hand that is raised toward him. "How you feeling?"

"Tired..." She bring their hands to her face and rubs her cheek against them.

"You lied to me the other day."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, you have to tell me these things okay. I don't wanna lose you."

"Did Edwards say anything about her?"

"She's fine. She's on a stress monitor." Laying his hand on her tiny stomach, he places a kiss on her lips and they hear a knock on the door before Maggie and Hershel come in. "Imma leave you two...."

He kisses her one last time before leaving. When he goes, he hears Hershel begin to apologies.