Zedler, M.D. // Daryl Dixon

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Maggie

"Good morning!" I greet everyone who's in the general area of the lobby.

"'Mornin' Bea," Beth smiles up at me.

"How are you feeling?" Rick asks Daryl, whose immediate response is a grunt.

"Been better," he shrugs. "Been worse."

"Can he do anything today?" Rick looks to me, like we're talking about Daryl as if he isn't even there.

"No. He's on bed rest for at least two weeks," I reply. "I want his leg to heal properly."

"Beatrix, you know we have to do something about Bob and his gang, right?" Rick raises an eyebrow.

"I know, but Daryl is just going to have to sit this one out," I cross my arms, adamant about my recovery plan for Daryl.

"Like hell I am," he throws his hands up, starting to stand up from the chair.

"Stop it, Daryl," I push him back down and address both him and Rick. "If we don't let this heal properly, his leg will never be the same. Hell, he might not even be able to walk again. Just listen to me, and let me do my job."

"Okay," Rick finally nods in agreement. "We'll have to figure out a plan without him, then."

"Yeah, you will," I mumble as I push his chair over beside of the couch. I help him move from the chair to the couch before sitting down beside of him.

"Between Beatrix and Merle, we should be able to get a good idea of how this place runs on the inside. After that, we'll get a plan and ambush them, take them all out," Rick says to everyone who's listening.

"I don't think that's the best idea, Rick," I say. "They have four times as many people as we do, and most of our people aren't even able to fight. You'd be walking into a losing battle."

"She's right," Merle agrees. "Ain't no way we could take 'em all out at once. Need a better plan than that, Officer Friendly."

"I say we wait, at least until Daryl can walk," I almost shudder thinking about going back to that place. "We can watch them until then, send out people every day to watch from the woods and gather as much information as possible."

"Wait? Over my dead body," Rick scoffs. "They're a threat to my family, and I'm not just gonna' sit around and wait for them to come and get us. I'm taking them out."

"Good with that," Merle rolls his eyes. "I'm tellin' ya, ya won't make it far goin' in like ya want to. Best thing for you to do is what Beatrix suggested: wait."

"I actually agre, Rick," Glenn pipes up. "Merle and Beatrix are right. If you go in there now, you'll get us all killed."

"So you all just want to sit here and wait for him to find us?" Rick quizzes, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No, we'll build our walls and defenses, find more weapons, watch them, and be ready if they do find us," Merle replies. He's actually got a pretty good head on his shoulders. "It'd be a helluva lot better than ambushin' 'em and losin'."

"Is that what everyone wants?" Rick asks, lookin around the room for someone to agree with him. When nobody does, he hands his head in defeat. "All right. We'll wait it out. In the meantime, we need to get ready for it."

"I'll start on the walls," Merle volunteers.

"I'll help," Glenn smiles before walking out of the hotel doors, Merle following close behind.

"Maggie and I can go look for food, if you're up for it," I turn to Maggie. "We're running on E."

"I'm up for it," Maggie agrees to join me, which is good. I want to help out and get food for the group.

"Like hell you are," I roll my eyes as Daryl begins to protest. "Ain't no way I'm lettin' you go out there by yourself. Those men are gonna' be lookin' for ya!"

"Daryl, I will be fine. I can kill a walker, and I can drive a car," I sigh. "The group needs to eat, and I want to make sure they can."

"He has a point, Beatrix," Maggie whispered in my ear. "You don't need to be out in the open like that."

"I'm going," I say sternly, crossing my arms. I glance over to the coffee table to see my katana sitting there. I smile to myself as I pick it up and throw it across my shoulder.

"Trixy," Daryl sticks his hand out, motioning for me to walk over to him. I do, and he picks my hand up in his, kissing it. "Don't go. I can't lose ya again."

"I know, Daryl," I sigh and sit down beside of him. Everyone else seems to have dispersed, going to do their own thing, leaving Daryl and I alone. "I'm trying to be somewhat normal. I don't want to be babied by anyone because of what happened."

"I get it," he nods, pulling me closer to him. "But I don't need you riskin' your life again."

"I know, Daryl," I mumble, grabbing his hand in mine. "I swear I'll be safe. First sight of danger, and I'll get out."

"You better," he says, pulling my head down so that he can give me a kiss on the forehead. "Come back to me in one piece, all right?"

"I will," I promise, smiling down at him.

I place one last kiss on Daryl's lips before standing up and walking outside. I pass by Lori on my way, and if looks could kill, I would be dead, skinned alive, and eaten up. Shaking my head, I just roll my eyes at her. Somebody needed to put her in her place, and that just happened to be me.

"Have any idea where we're going?" I ask Maggie once I've made it outside to the truck we're going to take.

"I was thinkin' maybe we could look around the town we're in, so it's not too far away," she explains. "It seems pretty small, so probably no major grocery stores, but I think that's a good thing. Everyone has probably already flocked to the big chains. Small stores are our best bet."

"Okay," I nod in agreement. "Did you already tell Rick?"

"Sure did," she answers, climbing into the driver's seat of the truck.

"Okay," I climb into the passenger's seat. "Let's go."

A/N:

Dear God these short chapters are taking me out haha. I just finished 43, and I will devote all day to working on 44 so that I can hopefully publish 40 for you today! You guys know how I love having chapters pre-written haha. 

So, any predictions for what's going to happen with Bob and his gang?

Any predictions on how Beatrix and Maggie's run will go? 

Make sure to let me know what you thought about the chapter! I love you guys so much. Don't forget to vote and comment :)

-Bailey