Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 10:

Chapter 10:

It's been four weeks since Daryl's been put in a coma. Beth still hasn't worked up the courage to visit his still body, but has been taking care of Jake for Daryl. She's even taken him to her shop in the day so he can be around people and feel better. At first he would just lay by the door an whine for Daryl to come home or he'd lay behind the counter and cry against Beth's legs. But in the middle of the week he started feeling better the more people came in and greeted him and petted him. Beth was surprised he was good amongst the candy and the people. She even let him wear a bandana from her store to make him look like he belonged in the Candy shop and not as a regular bloodhound who just lazed around.

What Beth really loves about Jake being in the shop is she can keep the door open and he will only sit on her sidewalk an not roam anywhere else. He stays out of the kitchen and is the best store welcoming person Beth ever had. But he can still see his dis pair and depression from not having Daryl. Sure it's been four weeks, but she knows he won't forget his owner no matter how wonderful the environment is.

"Jake, wanna cookie?" Beth calls as she comes from the kitchen with a sugar free dog biscuit she eaten to make. "Now if people wanna get their dogs something, they can have a cookie too! Whatcha think buddy?"

The dog lays down and eats the cookie quietly on the floor and Rick comes in with Carl and Sophia. Carls been out of the hospital for two weeks, but Beth hasn't really seen him or Rick around.

"Hey boys. Sophia, how's it going?"

"Good. Jus went and visited Daryl..." Carl says kinda unenthused or sad.

"How's he doing?" Beth looks at Rick with a worried smile and then looks at Jake, who's done with his cookie and is sniffing the kids. No one knows what she said to Daryl the last time they talked at the creek.

"He's okay...might be getting taken of oxygen to see if he can breath on his own or if they'll just have ta, ya know..." He makes a gesture of pulling a plug out of a wall and Beth gasps in pain. Holding her side, she didn't know it was that bad. "See ya've been takin' care of Jakers for Daryl. Very thoughtful of you."

"Yeah...he shouldn't be alone over in that apartment and yard. He needs people and attention." She sadly says as Carl and Sophia play with his ears.

"You okay?" Rick asks as he steps closer to Beth and holds her arm gently.

"Yeah I'm fine."

"You know you just shook yer head no when you said yes. Right?" Beth starts going to her office and Rick follows. They leave the kids in the shop to play with Jake and they shut Beth's door. "What's going on? Ya haven't even went ta see him? Didn't run yer shop that week he was shot. Heard him trying ta call ya, but ya never answered. What's going on Beth?"

"I'm a terrible person..." She sits in her chair and hangs her head. Sotting on the other side of the desk, Rick gives her the eye.

"What's that supposed ta mean?"

"We got into a fight one day...and I said something pretty nasty that I wish I could take back."

"What's you say?"

"That I wish he was the one dead and not...Gareth." Rick furrows his brows and Beth wants him to understand. "I was angry! He told me he wished Gareth would be gone, not dead, but gone and I got angry and it just slipped and I wasn't thinking right. Now he's in this situation and I jus...huh I wish it was me."

"No. You don't get to do that." Rick stands up and looks at her angrily. "Bad enough we keep losing people left and right, but what's makin' it worse is the people who wishes it was them. Now Beth, yer a good person. Jus made a shitty comment. Hell, that's probably why he made a shitty decision to go in with those men. Not cause he wanted to save my kid and Sophia, but cause he just wanted to make you happy and die. Now he's bout ta and all you can do is sit here with yer head up yer ass and cry about something ya ain't ever gonna be able ya take back. So what I suggest, you march yer ass down to that hospital and pray or simply sit with him. Maybe it'd ear her conscious and do him some good too if he ain't coming back from this."

Leaving Rick take the kids and goes. Beth sadly stands up and let's Jake up to her apartment and goes to the hospital. Walking in she feels haunted by her actions. She sits down in a chair by his bed and just stares at his lifeless body, as the pumps fill him with air.

"Daryl..um..its me, Beth." She quietly says as she looks him over. His hair is longer and he has stubble on his face. "I jus wanted to tell you I'm sorry...I didn't mean what I said bout wishing it were you. Truth is, yer the best person I've had in my life in a long time. I'm jus so stupid and...well you know. You have to make it. Jake misses you, the town misses you...I miss you. And yer supposed ta be the last man standing Daryl Dixon."

She starts to cry and she grabs his hand.

"I made a lotta mistakes in my life...and I don't want this to be one of them. I don't wanna say goodbye to you...It hurts to lose people...it sucks. But when you care about someone, hurt is sorta part of the package....well I more than care about you Daryl Dixon...I'm jus sorry I might never get to tell ya that." She kisses his hand and holds it to her cheeks. "You need ta wake up Daryl...they're gonna turn off the machine and when they do you need to fight. You need to fight and breathe on yer own...please. You need too. And if you wake up and hate me, I'll accept that, but I won't accept you giving up. You need ta make it. Yer gonna make it."

"Miss visiting hours are over." A nurse informs Beth and she nods, kissing Daryl's hand she goes to leave, but goes back and kisses his cracked lips before leaving.

Tomorrow is another day, and the fight to survive is even harder than the last.