Maggie's Nightmare

As always, thank you to everyone who has continued to read and follow this story ... I really do appreciate it. And, now that we just had the mid-season finale ... I know everyone will be anxious to get their fix of TWD here, so I will make sure to keep on top of this story and the others ... gotta have something to keep our minds off the fact that there won't be another new episode until February :(

Of course, I would like to send a Special Thank you to EG458561, TheUndeadDixon, and twinsisterkf for commenting on the last chapter - you all seriously rock! I love you all!

Although we didn't hit the 5 reviews for the review challenge this chapter, I had this chapter ready to post tonight so I thought I'd go ahead and get it up for you all :))

Now, back to our story ...

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Beth's POV –

Wha … where am I …?

I tried to open my eyes, but couldn't.

What the hell is goin' on?

The last thing I could remember was … bein' kidnapped by those men. Nick had grabbed me. And, some other guy. Meyers? They'd thrown me in the back of a truck and drove off and some other men had taken Maggie.

I didn't really even have to ask who was behind it all, but when I heard one of em say "The Governor," it just confirmed my suspicions.

After a couple of hours and a pit stop in some small town, we'd ended up at … Fort Benning. That's right …Fort Benning. Everything after that is a little fuzzy, but I do remember bein' brought into some sort of hospital. Then they gave me an IV of some sorts and out I went.

Anesthesia …

Explains the drowsiness and headache I was now feelin'.

I didn't know how long I'd been out, but as I started to really wake up; I tried to look around to see where the hell I was. It was definitely a hospital room of sorts. It was bright and the light streaming in from the window was hurting my eyes. I was still very out of it and I was definitely on pain killers. Unfortunately for me, they weren't very strong … cause I could still feel the damn pain in my leg.

I'd been shot in the leg at the prison; guess they must've operated on me and stitched me up.

Oww … my leg …

I tried to reach for my leg, but found that I couldn't move my hand. I couldn't move either of my hands!

What the hell?

I looked down and saw that my hands had been strapped down to the hospital bed; like a patient at a psych ward.

Jesus!

I tried to wiggle free from my restraints, but the more I moved … the more my leg began to hurt. I struggled for a while more, but it was useless anyways … I wasn't goin' anywhere anytime soon.

I laid my head back down on the pillow and just stared at the ceiling. My mind wandered and I drifted in and out of consciousness.

In my drug induced haze, I still caught the introductions that were given to me.

"I'm Dr. Montgomery and I operated on your leg earlier."

Another man, younger than the doctor also introduced himself.

"I'm Merrick." I smiled … Merrick seemed nice.

He continued. "I was a med student before the end."

I didn't catch the majority of what he was sayin', since I was in such a fog.

"And, I'll be keepin' an eye on ya while you recover here."

I nodded. "Okay …"

Merrick reached over and put something in my IV and I drifted off.

Over the next couple of hours Dr. Montgomery and Merrick checked in on me several times. Monitoring me, re-bandaging my wound, and giving me additional medicine for the pain. One of them knocked me out completely.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A few hours must've passed, when I was awoken by warmth on my hand. Felt like Daryl was beside my bed holding my hand.

Daryl …?

I couldn't help the smile that found its way to my face, as I slowly came back to reality. However, when I opened my eyes, the man sitting next to me wasn't Daryl at all … it was Nick!

I immediately yelped … seein' him beside me startled me.

After what happened at the prison all those months ago, and now this … I knew he was a dangerous man.

What did he do …? I worried to myself.

The fear that gripped me must've shown on my face.

"Hey … hey." He paused. "It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt ya." He smiled.

My breathing quicken, I felt a panic come over me. I didn't know what to do or what to say … so,
I just gave him a small smile back.

I looked down at my hand that he was still holding onto. If my hands weren't restrained; I would've ripped my hand outta his.

I just laid there and he just stared back at me; lookin' me over like I was some kinda piece of meat. He was makin' me very uncomfortable.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before he finally chimed in.

"Didn't think I'd ever see ya again …"

I nodded. "Yeah. Me too, Nick." I looked at him questioningly. "What're ya doin' here?" I looked around the room. "What am I doin' here?"

He laughed a little under his breath.

"Well, I brought ya here, Beth."

I immediately was filled with such anger and fear.

I know that! But, why?!

I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream, but I tried to keep it together as best as I could.

"Why'd ya go and do that for?"

"Well, it's a long story really …"

I interrupted him and calmly continued.

"Well, I sure would like to know why you and your friends kidnapped me. Kidnapped my sister!"

"Hey … hey! Calm down!" He pulled his hand away from me.

Thank God!

"Listen here, Beth. Me and my friends were under orders ya see. The Governor took me and

Mike back in after that redneck threw me and my brother outta the prison. Me and Mike were out on the road for a month before we ran into him again." Nick paused and scratched the back of his head. He looked over at me, his eyes focused in on me. "He runs things here, Beth … and he's the one that called for us to go in get ya. It wasn't me."

I shook my head.

"Whatever. You were still the one that grabbed me."

"And good thing I did! Look at ya … ya got shot in the leg! Ya think you're Daddy coulda patched this up?" He laughed. "I don't think so …"

I scowled. "Yes, he could've. He saved Carl's life when he was shot in the stomach… I think he could've handled my leg just fine …"

"Sure!" He laughed and stood up. "Well, I didn't come here to get a thank you and I didn't come here to try and convince ya that your better off here anyways."

He sure is full of himself!

"With everything that's gonna be goin' down at the prison … it's a good thing you're here."

"Oh? And, what's that?"

"Governor's got plans is all." He paused. "And you and I both know what his plans usually look like. Don't we?"

I nodded.

I was startin' to get real scared now.

"Where's my sister? Where's Maggie?"

"She's here. She's fine, don't worry."

"Ya sure she's okay?"

"Yeah … I'm sure."

I looked away; looked back down at the restraints tethering me to the bed.

I mustered up the sweetest voice I could.

"Can you loosen these a bit? They're really hurtin' me."

Nick gave me a devilish smile.

"Now Beth Greene … ya wouldn't be tryin' to get me to loosen these so ya could escape, now would ya?"

I shook my head.

"No … they're just hurtin', is all." I paused. "Where am I gonna go anyways with my leg like this?
Can you please …?" I batted my eyelashes and put on the most innocent of faces.

"I'll ask the Doc about it. But, I can't loosen em myself. If anything happens to ya … The Governor would have my head."

"Come on, Nick! Help me out …"

"Can't …" He paused. "But, I can get the Doc for ya."

I needed to get the hell outta here!

Outta this hospital … outta this place! And, back to Daryl and my home.

"Nick …?"

"Yeah?"

"Please …" Tears started to fill my eyes. "Please help me get outta here."

"I can't do that, Beth."

The tears started streamin' down my face.

"Please! Nick. Ya gotta help me and Maggie!" I started to sob. "Ya don't know all the things he's done. He's the devil, Nick! And, Maggie's not safe with him."

He bit his bottom lip; he seemed like he might be thinkin' bout it. He must know what kinda man the Governor was; he'd spent the last six or seven months with him. I mean, Nick hadn't been all that bad back at the prison.

He told me he loved me once …

He'd been real nice to me … that was until that one night. The night Daryl kicked him and his brother out. He couldn't be so cruel as to leave us here with this maniac.

"Beth … I can't!" He paused. "And, I don't want ya to leave anyways."

"What! What the hell do ya mean?!"

"Ya know I still love you. And, I want ya here … with me."

Are you fuckin' crazy?!

"What do ya mean by that, Nick …?" I paused. " Answer me! What do you mean … be with you?"

My eyes widened waitin' for his response.

"I love ya … I can protect ya. I want ya to be my girl and stay here."

I completely lost it …

"What do ya mean ya want me to be your girl?! I can't be your girl! I'm with Daryl now, ya know that!"

Bringin' up Daryl seemed to really agitate him.

"Well, he obviously can't protect ya … now can he?!"

"I'm not just with him. Daryl's not just my boyfriend, Nick …"

He started to laugh.

"What? Did ya go and get married to that hillbilly?" He started to laugh even harder. "Ain't like we got ministers or a justice of the peace to marry ya … things don't work like that anymore, Beth. That's gotta be the funniest damn thing I ever heard!"

He continued to laugh at the idea that Daryl and I were married … which we weren't. But, his disrespectful comments towards Daryl finally set me off.

"I'm pregnant, ya jerk! And, Daryl's the father!"

Nick stopped laughin'; his jaw dropped to the ground it seemed.

"Yeah! That's right …" I smiled. "We ain't married, but he's a lot more to me than just a husband. We don't need any papers to know how we feel bout each other. We gotta baby on the way that proves how much we mean to each other …"

I felt like I'd put him in his place. Maybe now he'd see … I just wasn't an option for him. Maybe he'd be more willin' to help me and Maggie get outta there.

He looked stunned as he approached my hospital bed.

"You're pregnant …?"

I nodded yes.

His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened.

"You stupid little bitch!" He sneered. "How could ya be so fuckin' stupid?!" He screamed in my face, spit from his words showered my face. "I can't believe you slept with that white trash piece of shit!"

"Nick, please. Stop it!"

"No! How could ya let that dumb redneck knock ya up, Beth? Seriously?!"

"I love him …"

Nick interrupted before I could finish.

"Don't give me that shit! You love him? You love him? Ha! That's fuckin' funny…" He shook his head.

Nick started to pace around the room like a caged animal.

I didn't think he would be this mad. He couldn't possibly think I was really gonna to want to be his?

He walked back up the bed.

"So, you're carryin' his bastard, are ya?"

"My baby is not a bastard, Nick!"

"Sure is …" He paused and crossed his arms. "Guess this is for the best then."

He seemed calmer now.

"What's for the best?"

He laughed a little under his breath. "See, I was gonna try and get ya outta here. Take off with ya, but now …?"

"Why can't ya still do that?"

"Cause I wanted ya for myself, Beth." He paused and gestured towards my stomach. "But, now? With you pregnant with that redneck's kid … ain't gonna happen."

I started tear up.

Why was this so complicated? Why couldn't he just help me …one human being to another?

He looked over at me as I started to cry.

"Ya can save your tears, Beth. You're gonna need em."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You'll see …"

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A few moments later, we heard a quick knock at the door and the other man who had grabbed me back at the prison, Meyers, and a couple of other guys walked into the hospital room.

"See boys … I told ya she was pretty!"

I scooted away from them as they all walked closer to my hospital bed. With my hands restrained I didn't get too far, but any distance between and them was better that none.

"Damn, Meyers! She is a pretty little thing …" One guy bit his bottom lip and ogled me from the doorway.

Another walked in right up to my bed, and reached for my face. I flinched when he tried to brush
some of the hair back.

"I ain't gonna bite, girl. Jus wanted to get a better look at ya." He looked around at his friends.

"Been awhile since we've seen a girl as pretty as you. Ain't that right boys?"

They all laughed in agreement. I shuddered at the thought of them all bein' so amused by me … like I was so freakin' peep show.

"Leave me alone!"

"Oh, she's feisty one … I like it." A taller guy standing next to Meyers chimed in. I could see him reach for the front of his pants and adjust himself.

Yuck!

Nick sauntered over to my bedside.

"Well boys … I hate to tell ya this. Ya know how much I hate to be the bearer of bad news …"

The men all anxiously looked over at Nick. All of them prompting him to continue …

"Yeah?"

"Well?"

"What is it?"

Nick smiled and caressed the top of my hand.

"This pretty little thing here … she's already spoken for."

The men were in an uproar …

"What the hell do ya mean?"

"Governor promised us …"

Meyers walked up to Nick and casually asked, "How's she already been spoken for?"

"Ya see this little beauty … Governor's given her to Lt. James."

Meyers seemed angered by Nick's revelation.

"What?! Lt. James! Why the hell would he do that?"

Nick looked at me while he responded.

"Guess she's a gift … bein' as James is his 2nd in command and all."

Nick just stared at me. Watchin' me as the tears started to slip from my eyes. This was the awful truth of my situation. This was why he came in here wantin' me to be with him; wantin' to take me away … because he knew I'd been given to someone else.

I was stunned.

I really couldn't comprehend what I'd just heard. I couldn't really understand what these boys were talkin' bout. I just stared blankly out the window; feelin' like a prisoner strapped to this hospital bed.

Meyers was grinding his teeth; obviously pissed off. He looked over at me.

"Hey there, sweetheart …" He paused and leaned over a bit. "So … you and James …? Hmmm?" He sniffed and nodded his head. "Well … guess there's not much else to say then."
He looked over at Nick. "Sure is a damn shame though …"

Meyers began to paw at me; pulling my hospital gown down past my shoulder.

"Stop! Stop it!" I yelled at him.

"Ahh … come on. Don't be like that!" He laughed and continued to try and pull my top down.

"Please stop!" I looked over at Nick and pleaded for him to help. "Please…!"

Nick grabbed Meyers' hand away from me.

"Come on Meyers … enough already! Trust me, I ain't happy bout this arrangement either, but ya know The Governor won't be too pleased if his 'gift' is delivered to James … unwrapped if ya know what I mean."

"Hmm!" Meyers scowled at Nick. "Suppose you're right Foster." Meyers motioned for his men to leave. "Let's head on out and leave little miss muffet here alone."

Meyers and his men left, but not before each of them practically undressed me with their eyes.

Jesus! Of course, The Governor would have men like this hangin' round him …

The door closed and Nick was left in the room alone with me.

"Thank you Nick …" I paused. "I appreciate what ya did …"

He brushed it off, and tried to say he didn't do it for me.

"Did it for The Governor, it was a direct order." He paused and looked away. "And, for Meyers … he woulda got in trouble if he went any further with ya. Wouldn't want him gettin' in trouble."

"Oh …" I quietly responded.

He straightened up. His eyes narrowed, lips tightened and jaw clenched. Nick was fuming bout somethin' again, I could tell.

"Yeah … wouldn't want him gettin' himself killed for gettin' a little pussy from some white trash lovin' whore like you!"

I couldn't believe what he just said to me … it was so cruel. I was so emotional from all the hormones of this pregnancy and from the trauma of everythin' that had happened. I burst into tears.

"Jesus, Nick! Why're ya doin' this to me?! How can ya help him do this! It's just so cruel!"

I sobbed.

I looked up at him with total despair in my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Beth. I ... I … I can't help ya."

He looked away and walked out of the room; leavin' strapped to this bed; leavin' me with my thoughts.

I'd been completely humiliated.

I've never felt so alone. So afraid than I do right now, I thought to myself.

How was I gonna get outta here? How was I gonna get Maggie outta here? I racked my brain for answers, for ideas.

Then, there was a knock at the door and Dr. Montgomery's assistant Merrick came in; he asked if I was okay.

My eyes were red and puffy, face red and wet with tears.

"No, Merrick. I'm not okay …!" I sobbed.

"Did they … hurt you?" He seemed genuinely concerned.

"No. They didn't." I sniffled. "At least not physically."

He nodded. "Oh … good. I told em ya weren't feelin' up to havin' visitors, but Nick; Meyers … they insisted." He paused and walked over to the bed and took a look at the bandages on my leg. I could see they weren't soaked through with blood yet, so he didn't bother changin' em yet.

"Looks like we got ya all fixed up here, you'll be good as new in no time."

I gave him a worried looked.

"Really? And … what does that mean for me here?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, obviously uncomfortable with the whole situation. "I dunno Ms. Greene." He looked sorry for me.

Merrick then walked back over to the supply closet and pulled out another syringe of pain killers.

"More?"

"Yeah. You're due." He said quietly and inserted the syringe into my IV.

I started to feel a bit drowsy.

Merrick pulled the covers up and tucked me in.

"Ya know, those boys have been known to …" He shook his head. "No, I probably shouldn't say nothin'." He paused and patted me on the shoulder. "Guess I'm just glad you're all right Miss."

I gave Merrick a half-hearted smile.

He seems nice enough … maybe he'll help me, I thought to myself.

The drugs were really startin' to kick in now. I could barely keep my eyes open, but my mind continued to race.

I had so many things on my mind, so many things to worry about.

Maggie and her baby. The Governor.

How Daryl was doin'.

God, how I missed him ...

How the hell I was gonna get me and my baby outta here.

And, then there was the other elephant in the room ... I'd been "given" to someone. A stranger named James.

God only knows what this guy is gonna do with me. The idea that I could be "given" to anyone and that they'd be willin' to accept me as some sorta gift made me sick.

What kinda world were we all livin' in now? What kinda man accepts a woman as a gift?

I assumed I'd be findin' out sooner rather than later. So, let myself start to relax so I could get some sleep. I'd need to get better; get my strength back if I was ever gonna find my way outta this.

Then, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

END CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Notes

For those of you who were wondering what was going on with Beth ... now you know how she's been doing.

This is now DAY TWO of their capture and she's recovering in the hospital at the base and has just learned about some of the serious obstacles she now faces. We'll have to wait and find out how things go once she meets James and is "given" to him. We'll find out in the next chapter how James feels about the whole situation.

As for this newest chapter, let me know what you think; like it, love it, hate it ... let me know your thoughts. If you've got a moment, please leave me a note or comment on your way out ... I'd love to hear from you all :-D

** Also, I have Chapter 23 half way done ... So, as soon as this chapter gets 5 reviews - I'll get it posted within 24 hours!

To all of you that consistently review … I just want to thank you for your continued support and thoughtful comments.

Author's Note: This review challenge is really more of inspiration for me; every time I see a new one comment - it really does make me smile every time I see a new review and let's me know that you guys are all enjoying the story as much as I enjoy writing it :-D

Here's a Teaser Chapter Twenty Three: Lt. James speaks to The Governor about the message the prison group was able to send them, and The Governor makes some decisions about the prison group ... and about Beth ...

xoxo,
Dahlia