The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 114: Careless Act

Blackness.

Silence.

Painless.

***Beeping**

Feeling a small pokey thing, pushing on his cheek, Daryl slowly opens his eyes and RJ and Isaac are sitting on either side of Daryl, poking their fingers into his face, and Kensi is sitting on his torso playing with his fingers. Sighing in pain, he notices the kids jump and squeal in delight.

"Daddy!!!" They excitedly say and hug him, causing him pain- but it's an enjoyable pain.

"Hey...hey...." Daryl says as he painfully holds his children.

"Ya'll need to be cerrful- yer dad's in pain youngsters." Merle says as he walks in the room. The kids pull back and Daryl smiles as he sees his brother's ugly mug. "Hey dumby, ever learn how ta cross the street properly?"

"...I guess ya can't fix stupid." Daryl mumbles. "How long was I out?"

"About three days...they uhh...they almost ya know...um... A few times."

"I get ya...Got it..." Daryl says, minding his kids. "Is Carol here?"

"Yeah, she and the boys are in the cafeteria getting everyone food."

Beth isn't even here? She really doesn't care- does she?

"Daddy, are you gonna live here now?" Kensi asks as she plays with his hand some more.

"Haha I hope not, Sweet Pea. How are my babies doing?"

"Good." RJ says.

"I's BiPopler!" Isaac says and Daryl turns his head sideways.

"It's Bipolar sweet heart." Her voice sweetly carries through the room as she walks in from the hallway. Never had Daryl been so happy to see Beth. She goes to Daryl and looks down at him, still seeming not interested in him. "How are you?"

"They diagnosed him so quickly?" Daryl asks and Beth looks at her hands.

"Yeah, it didn't take them long to figure it out. They started him on a child dosage of medication that will balance him out." She says frankly and Merle reads the room.

"Hey, chillin's why don't we go see Auntie Carol and tha boys- see what they have to eat?" The kids hope from the bed amd shut the door behind them. It's quiet in the room and Beth just walks passed Daryl's bed and sits on the windowsill looking over the city.

"Beth..." He begins to say, but Beth angrily interjects.

"What's wrong with you? Do you really just like to toy with every who cares you?" She snaps and Daryl just sits there quietly. "Yer an asshole...

He can hear her break, like glass on a pavement. Her body is slumped and her relfection in the window is broken.

"Six years you've been fucking with me. You pull me in and then push me away like it's some God damn enjoyable game for you. Well I don't wanna play any more! It's not fair to me or the kids. For them to see you lying there covered in tubes and wires- hearing your machine go flat....And then you come back. Then you leave us again. It's not fair to them!"

She stares out the window and he stares at her. The anger in her voice steams the window and he can see her tears perfectly in the reflection like it's raining outside.

"Yer selfish! You know that! You take and take and take! You take my love, my heart, and soul and then you tear it to pieces! It's all about you! What's convient for you! You've always been that way!" She stands up and faces him now, clenching her fists tightly. "You ruined this! Our life. You stopped loving me? Say it! Say you don't love me any more!"

He sits there- paralyzed by her words. His eyes drooping, mouth dry without speech. He's never seen her this angry and this upset.

"What!? Do you wanna grab me by my wrist again? Do you wanna throw me up against the wall! Why do you refuse to answer me or do anything?!" She comes closer and grabs his gown by his neck and clenchs it in her fista as she shakes him back and forth. "Why do you play this game?! It's not fair! It's NOT FAIR!"

When he goes to touch her, she pulls away and goes back towards the window, running her hand through her frazzled hair.

"I'm tired, Daryl...I'm tired of the lies, of the pain...I hate that I can't understand why you stopped loving me. I've been trying harder than ever before. I've tried to do everything I could to make you feel the way you used too. To make you look at me the way you used too...I'm just tired. I failed...I failed... I can't even arouse you any more. I've never had you- did I? This was all a charade- wasn't it?"

Sniffing back tears, Beth heads towards the door, and before she leaves, she pauses in the door way.

"I hate this...I...I hate you." Just like that she's gone. Feeling his life crumble before him, he pulls the monitor cords from his chest- sending a violent buzzing in his ears. He pulls the IV out and he stuggles to hobble after her. As Nurses try to get him to go back to his room, he shrugs them off as he grips his side and starts after Beth. When he reaches the elevator, the doors are closed and he growls in frustration. Taking the stairs, he goes down all the levels until he reaches the ground floor. His body aches and his head feela like it's about to implode. As he reaches the lobby, staff is yelling for him to go back to his room, but he follows Beth outside as she walks across the street to the parking lot. He hobnles after her fast, his body yo the point of breaking. Crossing the street as cars are comung, horns blow- catching Beth's attention and she turns to find Daryl nearly falling over in the street as he majes his way to her. Staff is blocked by traffic as Daryl hobbles faster to Beth, half way to her, he stumbles from his weakened state and crashes to the rough pavement. She can see his shaking and hear his cries for her. Going to him, she bends down to check him. Rolling him over, he's out of breath and his hand shakily comes up to grab hers.

"I...I...I'm sorry...I lost sight...of who is...inportant...it took death...to show me...that I would...jump off a bui...building...to be with you....I...love...you...I...will aaa...always...love....you." He shakes against the ground and finally the staff crosses the street with a stretcher. Tears hit his face and he passes out, leaving go of her hand. As they take him on the stretcher, Beth cries harder and follows beside him, holding his hand.

"I'm sorry....I...I love you....Daryl. Please....please be okay!" They force her to let go so they can take him to the IU. Her biggest regret is that she said all those things out of anger- when she didn't mean any of it at all.