Beyond Terminus (Book Two)

Chapter 55: Double Twinsies

Daryl's POV

Buttons' trail is easy enough to follow without the long grass obscuring any footprints. I keep traipsing through the trees, searching for any sign of where she was lost.

Suddenly, two faint gunshots echo into the air. I break into a sprint in its direction without stopping for a moment to think. My crossbow bounces on my back as I go.

I break into a clearing, searching in vain for any sign of my lost girl. The gunshot sound has long since faded and I can find no trace of her.

That is, until my eye catches hoof prints in the soft earth. I move towards them, kneeling down and touching them. My eyes travel past them to see a few broken sticks leading into a ravine. I move to the edge, peering down into the dip.

Hope lays there in the dirt, a dead walker at her feet and her knife and pistol scattered beside her.

I leap down the steep incline, pleading silently that she's still alive. I reach her and kneel down, seeing blood running down the side of her face and cuts lining her arms.

"Hope? Damn it..." I cuss, lifting her top half off the ground and leaving her legs draping. "Stay with me...I can't lose you."

I press my ear to her chest, hearing her heartbeat. I breathe a sigh of relief, grabbing her weapons and slipping them into her belt. I look to the climb I'll have to do, then back at her.

"I'm sorry about this."

I lift her up and toss her over my shoulder gently, starting the difficult climb back up.

The good news is that the side of the ravine is soft, meaning I can easily dig my feet into the sides and hoist both of us out.

The bad news is that the side of the ravine is soft, making the dirt slide away from my feet.

I grit my teeth and keep climbing, holding Hope tightly with my one free arm. The other grabs onto a branch and pulls. With one final tug, I get us both back on to flat ground. I pull Hope off my shoulder, holding her close to me as I try to catch my breath.

Her nose brushes my neck gently, her warm breath fanning my neck as she breathes shakily. She makes a small groaning noise, to which I cup her face in one of my hands, watching with baited breath.

"Angel? Hope?"

She opens her eyes a little, her face weary.

"Daryl?" she croaks.

"Don't worry, I'm 'ere. I'm 'ere. Keep holdin' on," I plead.

She nods as I pick her up, bridal style, and take off. The trees seem to blur around me as I head straight for home, my heart threatening to fly out of my chest it's beating so fast.

It isn't long before I reach Alexandria.

"Open the gate! OPEN THE GATE!" I scream.

They slide open and I walk through, my eyes wide and my chest heaving.

"Where's Elliot?" I demand the nearest woman, who happens to be Jessie.

"Clinic! I'll get Rick and Michonne," she says, dashing off.

I keep moving, reaching the clinic and pounding on the door.

"Doc! Doc!" I shout.

The door opens, revealing Elliot. His eyes widen in shock when he sees me with Hope cradled in my arms.

"You found her..." he gasps.

"Hurry, you've got to check her, check on the baby," I beg.

We're ushered inside. I lay her down on the patient's bed, grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles. Her eyes remain shut.

"You're safe...you're gonna be a'ight," I murmur.

Elliot races in, armed with his first aid kit. He moves to her side, handing me a damp cloth.

"Wipe the blood off. I need to see the wound more clearly," he orders calmly.

I nod and dab away at the cut gently, my face set in a determined glare. Elliot works swiftly, checking for all the things that would signal something happened to the baby.

"No heavy bleeding...no signs of rupture..." He turns to me with a look of relief. "I think the baby is alright."

I breathe a sigh of relief and kiss her forehead. Elliot checks her head, glueing the cut shut with a tube of medical super glue. He puts an ice pack underneath her head and on her tailbone.

"She's gonna be fine, Daryl. Just fine," he assures me.

I hear two pairs of footsteps and Lightning's barking, signalling that Rick and Michonne have shown up. They walk in, taking in the sight of Hope with wide eyes.

"Constable Grimes, Constable Michonne..." Elliot greets them. "I'll let you talk to Daryl."

He leaves briskly.

"What happened?" Rick asks, moving closer.

"I found her in a ravine. Something must've spooked the horse and she got thrown..." I hypothesize.

"We have to report back to Deanna," Michonne says, placing a hand on her hip. "She shouldn't have gone out."

I don't reply.

Hope's POV

I open my eyes slowly, seeing dim sunlight streaming through a window. Next, I see Daryl standing over me, looking out the window.

"Daryl..." I breathe.

He spins to look at me at the sound of my voice. He kneels down, pressing a kiss to my lips.

"What is with you and scarin' me?" he demands, his eyes sick with worry.

I wrap my arms around his neck, my head aching only a little. "Is the baby ok?"

"Yeah. It's all good."

He sits down next to me, adjusting the ice packs resting on various spots on my body. I watch him, breathing heavily.

"You're a tough son of a bitch." I chuckle.

He arches an eyebrow in surprise. "Where'd that come from?"

"You fell down a ravine and got impaled, fought off two walkers, and managed to limp back to camp..." I remember, shutting my eyes. "I get a little smack on the head and I'm down for the count."

He shakes his head, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I'm just glad you're a'ight."

He wraps his arms around me, snuggling me close to him. I smirk.

"Hey Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"Now we've both got bullet wound scars and have fallen down a ravine..." I joke.

He rolls his eyes. "You're terrible...jokin' around right now."

"Double twinsies..." I murmur.

He chuckles softly, the sound reverberating in his chest.

"Love you anyways," he mumbles.

I retort with a soft, "Love you always."