Zedler, M.D. // Daryl Dixon

Chapter Thirty-Three: Disaster

•thirty-three•

Beatrix

"Congratulations, Doctor Zedler. You are now a board certified surgeon," the proctor says, passing me the single sheet of paper containing my results, my future.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Beasley," I smile, taking the paper and shaking her hand. I passed.

The written part of this exam was all I needed. I completed the oral exam over a month ago, and I had been too scared to take the written exam until today. With the help of what's left of my intern group, I finally worked up the courage to finish my boards, and I'm very glad that I did. It's not that I questioned my skills. I'm just not a good test taker. I was afraid that I would fail, and this was just too important to fail.

I turn on my heel, walking out of the examination room and back out to the hotel lobby to meet Lucas, Nathan, and Harper. As soon as I see them, I hold the paper up to catch their eye. Once they see me, they immediately jump up, smiling and screaming.

"I passed!" I squeal, running over to them. I hug Nathan first, seeing as he was the first person I got to.

"I told you that you could do it!" Nathan squeezes my waist, placing a kiss on the top of my head.

"Oh, come on, Nathan. You have to share," Harper rolls her eyes, practically pulling me out of Nathan's arms and into hers. "I'm so proud of you, Bea!"

"Thank you guys," I smile, wiping the happy tears from my eyes before turning to look at Lucas. His smile is almost as big as mine. I unwrap myself from Harper's arms and move over to his.

"I'm so proud of you, Trixy," he whispers in my ear before pulling back to hold my face in his hands. He presses his soft lips to mine, and I can't kiss him back for smiling so much. "I knew you could do it. This is so great."

"Oh, get a room," Nathan rolls his eyes, causing me to blush.

"Lay off of them, Nathan. She's happy," Harper punches his shoulder.

"Fine, fine. Sorry, Beatrix," Nathan apologizes, his eyes never leaving Harper. "So who's getting shitfaced with me?"

"Happy drinks?" I question.

"Happy drinks," the other three reply.

---

Blood.

All I can see is blood. It's covering my body, and it's dripping down onto the floor.

"Please stop," I whisper, looking up into Jack's eyes, trying not to look at my blood dripping from his lips.

"Baby, you know I love it when you beg," he gives me a sinister smile, revealing his blood-stained teeth, before putting his lips back onto my arm.

"Oh, hell no," I hear a voice from behind the door. It sounds like Daryl, but it can't be Daryl.

It is Daryl. I meet his eyes as the door is kicked in, and relief floods through me. I can see the rage in his eyes, and I'm sure he can see the terror in mine.

"What the—" Jack starts to say, but he's cut off by Daryl grabbing him by the neck. I barely even notice Rick, T-Dog, and Merle rushing in and shutting the door.

Daryl spins him around and punches him in the jaw. He hits him so forcefully that I can hear the crack of the bone; it's clearly broken. Daryl cups his hand around Jacks chin and pulls down, causing his jaw to completely dislocate as well. When he removes his hand, he opens it, and I can see at least four teeth in there. He closes his hand back over Jack's mouth and forces him to swallow his own teeth.