I Made It!

Chapter 4: We Bury Our Loved Ones

They let them sit there for quite some time- one can't be heartless and pull grieving people away from the passed on soul. No one knows what to so at this point. Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene just sit quietly in the firetruck waiting, while Tara, Noah, Sasha, and Tyreese sit with Carl and Judith mourning. Rick is distant- blaming himself and wondering why she would do that.

Why? You had to see the vest, Beth. Why would you even attempt that?

His mind blurs as he feels her blood drop slowly down his cheeks, refusing to dry in the Atlanta sun.

"We have to go..." Everyone slowly looks at Rick as of he pressed the big red button to an activated bomb- setting it off. "The blood...it'll just call them in."

"What do we do with her?" Noah sadly ask. Daryl jerks out of his comatose state, leaving. Eth in Maggie's arms as Glenn supports her. Noah steps back a bit, Daryl a step forwar. He wants to choke him out, he wants to hurt him bad. "Hey... I didn't mean to sound rude, I jus..."

"Killed our friend and family..." Daryl growls and steps closer to him.

"Of I would have known she would do that, I would've stopped her..." Noah looks down and plays with his hands. "I didn't know her a long time, but...but I loved her."

What...no. He...he couldn't have. Daryl steps back from him, shocked, hurt and devastated. Maggie looks up from Beth's still body and stares mindlessly at Noah.

"Did...did she love you back?" Tara asks from a few feet away. Daryl sinks deeper into his morose feeling.

"I...I... Think that's why she did it- stood up for me that is." Deeper and deeper into his sorrows Daryl begins to feel naseous.

So even if she did live...there would've been no point to tell her...

Daryl turns to Rick and Carol. Was his courageous act and hope all for nothing? He'll never k ow if he was actually in love with her or if he just needed her as some guiding light to hopefulness. She was his lighted flame in a dark place, when she was taken- that light went out completely- now, the candle will never be lit again.

"As much as I hate to say this Maggie, we can't take her." Rick painfully says. It's crushing to hear those words, but she knows it's true. The city is all concrete and taking a dead corpse will only attrack more walkers.

"Rick, we bury the ones we love..." Daryl says shocked by the suggestion that they burn her like all the other walkers.

"Daryl, you and I know if we walk out of here with is...walkers will be all over our group- we'll lose more."

"Rick...please." His eyes are pleading and his heart breaking further and further.

"There's a courtyard...in the middle of the hospital. Dawn and her men cleared it a while ago...we could bury her there." Noah quietly says. As much as Daryl resents him, he's willing to take his dumb suggestion- if it means Beth doesnt get burned.

"Alright. I'll talk to Edwards and we'll hold a small service before we leave for the North." Rick helps Carol to her feet and the group starts heading into the hospital. Daryl scoops Beth back up and looms down at her gentle face.

It's not fair...and her right. I miss you so bad.