A Soldier's Girl

Chapter 11:

Chapter 11:

Daryl's View

Sitting in the waiting room of the VA hospital, Beth seems to be trying to stay calm. I can tell it's hurting her, to have to leave me here for God knows how long, but it's for the best. I don't want to hurt her, or any one for that matter. I don't want to be scared that I will harm an innocent person. He right hand is twitching and shaking. Grabbing it in mine, I kiss it and she seems to still at the touch. She has a small mark on her neck from where I cut her and all I can think about is what it I couldn't have been stopped?

"Corp. Dixon, Dr. Hoverath with see you now." Getting up, Beth doesn't let go of my hand as we go back to the exam room. Walking in, I feel ten times more nervous. A guy with white hair and a beard sits behind a desk and is writing something down on a manila folder.

"Corp. Dixon, nice to meet ya. I'm Dr. Dale Hoverath. Call me Dale." I shake his hand and he looks at Beth. "Who's this Beautiful young woman you have here?"

"My girlfriend Beth, Greene. And it's Daryl." We sit in the two seats in front of his desk and he just smiles wide.

"Well, you are lucky, Daryl. Now, what brings ya in today?"

"I want to be admitted." He gives me a sideways look and then looks at Beth.

"What for? Usually we only admit Vets who need help physically or mentally and have been signed for rehabilitation."

"I need rehabilitation. Dr. Hoverath.."

Dale, please."

"Dale. I am worried about my psychological state. And would feel most comfortable if I could receive treatment."

"Might I ask, what the problem exactly is. Because right now, we're stepping around a huge elephant in the room."

"Yesterday...yesterday I blacked out and put a knife to Beth's throat. You can see the scratch I left her, right there. I don't want to do that again. I don't want to hurt her or anyone else. So I'd like to be admitted for however long it takes to stop this... whatever it is." Getting up, he comes over to Beth and looks at her neck. He then looks at me and sits back down in his chair.

"I see. Daryl, was there anything that provoked you to either black out and or attack Beth?"

"No... we were just messing around and then I stopped and I don't remember what happened next."

"Beth, what happened in those moments?"

"Well, uh, I just was trying to get him to come back to me, cause he wasn't himself. All I did was touch his back and he shoved me to the table and... he, well ya know." She looks down, embarrassed, but I don't know if it's of me or what happened.

"I see. Have you been sleeping through the night?"

"Well...I haven't been...no. I'll get up and sit on the balcony for a bit or take a run..." Beth leans close to me.

"You take a run at night? Why didn't I know this?"

"It's nothing."

"Daryl, do you eat regularly?"

"Yes." I notice Beth shake her head no.

"Beth, what do you notice?"

"He only eats when I make him or point it out. The only thing he ate yesterday was strawberries. The day before, was a small bowl of cereal. And just small things like that. I know, when I'm not home he doesn't eat, cause I'm pretty aware of what food's in the apartment." She looks at me and I can see small tears forming. I hold her hand tighter.

"I see. So you don't eat unless told too. And you don't sleep. It says here that you were looked at in France for two days after you were found at the embessy in Damacus. What did they do there?"

"Get my fluids up. Psych-eval. And cleans my wounds."

"What did their Psych-eval say?"

"They said it was normal. "

"But you think they were wrong." Dale writes something down on another piece of paper and then looks back up at me.

"Yes. This, this isn't normal for me. And I'm scaring her, I just wanna go back to normal. I just want everything, to just be... normal."

"Okay, well Daryl, I certainly want to help you. I believe you do need some help and some tests run. I'm glad you are cabable of seeing that yourself, because most patients don't and they end up hurting either themselves or someone else. And we don't want that do we? So I am going to admit you. And I will bee running better tests on you to get to the bottom of this."

"What um... what do I do? What...can I, um... what can I do? To help him?" Beth seems to be trying to stay strong, but out of us, she is the one always emotional and I am the strong one. I kiss her hand and we look at Dale.

"Well, Beth. He's certainly gonna need you, I agree. But for right now, I want to have him solitarily to myself and my selected staff only so we can monitor his behavior and such sorts. And in about a week, we'll allow you to visit. And depending on his improvement, will depend on what else we'll assign for you to do. But for right now, I think it's best if we seperate him from his daily life and into a secluded enviroment so we can watch him. It's tough, dear. I know. But these are the measures that's gonna help him. I promise that's all we want to do." Tears start to stream from her eyes and I just pull her into a hug. I know it's so tough for her to do this. She was without me for six years, three of which she had no contact with me. I don't expect this to be easy on her. "We'd like to admit you today Daryl. If you could say goodbye to Beth, we'll get you set up and everything. Do you have clothes with you?"

"Yes..."

"Good. We'll have a nurse take them to a room and once you two are done saying goodbye, we'll get you settled."

He leaves us for a few minutes. Beth jsut cries and cries into my shoulder and neck. A few tears escape me, but this is for the best. I need to know she's safe.

"Hey...hey now. Bethy, it's just a week. Jitter Bug, I'm gonna get better. Okay?"

"I love you Daryl. I love you so much..."

"I know, sweetheart. I know. I'm gonna be fine though. Yer not losing me. Baby, it's gonna be okay." I don't let go of her. I can't. I've just gotten her back, I don't want to lose her. Something inside me, tells me that I might though. That being in this hospital will force her away from me. I can't bare that thought. "Beth, look at me. I love you more than anything else in the world. I love you, sweetie."

"Corp. Dixon. We're ready for you know." A nurse escorts me through metal doors that have a key card to enter them. As I turn and look back out the windows, I notice Beth, shakily wave goodbye before turning to go. What was this? This isn't life. This isn't my life anyways. But I asked of rthis. I asked to be taken away and put in this hospital. But it's all for her. All for her safety. For my safety and sanity.

As they take my blood pressure, blood, and my vitals, I think of Beth and how she must be laying on the couch at home crying. Hopefully she called Hershel or Maggie or someone to come take care of her. Hopefully someone is there for her, since I can't be. I just want her to be okay. Even if it means I'm not.