The horrible groans were the first thing that Beth noticed.
She sat up quickly.
She could hear the walkers clearly, she knew they had to be directly under her.
She covered her mouth to make sure she didn't make a sound.
She sat for a moment listening.
Praying that they would pass her by.
She carefully pulled back the rug, trying to peak through a whole in the floor boards.
She could see three walkers underneath the tree house.
They were fixed on something just over the hill.
They moved slowly.
She spread the rug back out and layed there.
It was a close call, one she hadn't had since she made a supply run.
She stared at the ceiling of the tree house.
Now more than ever she wished she had never left.
Her tiny hands were shaking as she covered herself up and shut her eyes.
She thought that maybe if she closed her eyes tight enough she could make it all a bad dream.
She floated in and out for awhile until one dream anchored her down.
She was back at the farm house, surrounded by the group.
Her eyes fell on Rick. He was looking down, her father kneeling over someone laying on the floor.
She look around for her but Skye wasn't there.
She walked over to Maggie, trying to get her attention. She was crying into Glenn's shoulder.
She pushed passed the group to her father.
Her eyes widened in terror.
Her father was kneeling over her own pale and bloody body.
She knew she was dreaming but the pain in her stomach wrecked her and she felt as if she was going to hurl.
She ran out onto the porch.
That's when she found her.
Her eyes met Skye's.
"Beth?" Skye walked over to her.
Beth was surprised that Skye was the only one able to notice her.
"Damn you Beth" Skye said as she roughly grabbed her wrists.
Beth winced but didn't say a word.
"I looked for you only to find you dead. How could you do that to me?!"
Beth could notice Skye was shaking.
"I'm sorry.." Beth trailed off.
"I was supposed to take care of you. Better than him..But you left me!"
Skye was crying now.
Beth wanted nothing more than to wake up.
Skye was looking right into Beth's eyes, searching.
"Beth? Beth?! Come back to me!" Skye was shaking her shoulders.
Beth started to cry.
She woke up with a start and quickly cupped her hand over her mouth.
She sat in the silence for a few minutes.
When she heard nothing but a bird in the distance she slowly got up.
She walked over and unlatched the window and slowly pushed it open.
The sun was shining bright. She slept in longer than usual.
Much longer.
She wasted away half of the day.
The dream she had was floating around in her mind.
As she folded up her blanket she decided she would return home.
Carefully she packed all of her things back into her duffel bag.
Saving one water bottle out, she opened it and splashed a little water on her face.
She was trying to shake off that nightmare.
She looked around that tiny tree house.
"Thank you.." She whispered as she slowly unlatched the lock.
She dropped her bag down and slowly climbed down the ladder.
When she was at the bottom she took a breath and pulled her backpack on.
She looked around trying to get her footing before she took off.
"Let's get home" She said to herself as she headed home.
Rick walked around the house just at daylight.
He was checking in on everyone.
Hershel, Maggie and Glenn were in the down stairs bedrooms.
T-dog, Dale and Daryl set up their territory in the upstairs left bedroom, while Carol and Sophia were with Lori and Carl in Hershel's old bedroom.
Rick checked in on Dale and the rest of them.
He didn't find Daryl.
He walked into the bedroom where Carol and Lori were folding laundry.
"Good morning Ladies. Carol..have you seen Daryl?" He asked, walking over to them, ruffling Carl's hair as he passed.
"He was sittin' outside for me a few hours ago" Skye said.
Rick turned to her and nodded.
He softly kissed Lori's forehead and headed outside.
He walked around the porch before he noticed the blanket laying on the ground along with his crossbow.
"Brother, no.." Rick's hand flew to his gun.
"Glenn!" Rick called out as he looked out into the woods.
Glenn came running out. He noticed Rick's expression and then Daryl's crossbow.
"Shit!" Glenn said, turning to Maggie who had come out behind him. He sent her inside to grab a weapon.
the rest of the group joined them on the porch.
"Daryl's missin'" Rick said as he headed off the porch.
Carol ran forward before Lori grabbed her arm.
"Missin'?!" She said as she wrapped her arms around Sophia.
"We'll find him" Glenn said, quickly kissing Maggie before they took off.
Beth was out of breath by the time she made it far enough for it to be useless to go back.
Her feet felt heavy and she winced at each step.
She was muddy from stumbling.
But she had to keep pushing on before it got dark.
Why did she ever leave?
The reasons she could no longer remember.
She just wanted to be back with her father.
Back with Maggie, with the group.
Back in safety.
She wanted to be back to Skye.
She wanted to learn her. To understand why she acted so.
Most of all she wanted to learn how she carried herself so well.
She was walking slowly. She was exhausted.
Her last supply run was cut short and she hadn't gotten much food or water.
She was hungry and she was losing the light.
She had about a mile left to go.
"Maggie. Daddy. Skye. Lori. Carol. Sophia"
With each step she took she whispered a name.
It drove her to keep going.
The sun was going down and she was exhausted.
She looked around before slipping her duffel bag off and sitting against a tree.
She rummaged through it, looking for anything.
After taking a few sips of her water bottle she took out her flashlight and closed her bag.
"You can do this. Don't be a coward" She told herself as she took a deep breath and stood.
She slipped her bag on, turned the flash light on and pressed forward.
She was half way there, she smiled to herself. She was proud.
By the time she had made it a fair distance it was early morning.
She was smiling and humming to herself, so consumed in her thoughts she forgot to look around.
A rustling in the leaves and a tug on her shirt snapped her out of it real quick.
She turned to see the walker on her heels.
She held her breath not to scream and clutched her knife tight in her hand.
She slipped out of the walkers hand and ran.
The walker stumbled a little and went after her.
She was so close to the edge of her land, all she had to do was make it that far.
But her tiny feet caught a tree stump and she fell to the ground her flashlight and knife with flying out of her hand.
She turned over quickly and felt around for her knife.
Her fingers grazed the handle, but the walker was at her feet before she could grab it.
She was barely screaming, just calling out when the walker stopped groaning and fell over.
She looked to see Daryl standing behind it.
He had attacked the walker with a rock.
They were both breathing hard.
He had ran as fast as he could to reach her.
She was exhausted.
She looked up at the sky before passing out.
He breathed a sigh of relief and slung her bag over his shoulder before picking her up.
She was light, lighter than Carol was, so he carried her with ease.
"He couldn't have gotten far" Rick said, as he and Glenn walked into the edge of the woods.
"Do you think he just saw somethin'?" Glenn asked.
Rick stopped and sighed.
"I hope so" They pressed on.
They didn't get far when they heard his foot steps.
The kneeled down, wary that it may be a walker.
Glenn noticed him first.
Daryl was stumbling, he had become exhausted.
"Rick.." Glenn said as he stood.
Rick looked toward Daryl.
"Brother!" Rick called out as he ran toward him.
Glenn took the bag off his shoulder and took Beth into his arms.
"She's okay. Found her not far from here, reckon she was making her way back" Daryl said, trying to catch his breath.
"Are you okay brother?" Rick touched his shoulder and helped him start walking back.
Daryl nodded.
"Guys. She had to have been one hell of a fighter, she's covered in mud" Glenn said as he carried her back.
"Poor thing must've been stumbling over her own two feet out there in the dark and mud. She was packing some heat" Daryl said as he lifted her knife.
"Skye won't like that" Rick said when he recognized it belonged to her.
Hershel and Maggie were the first to meet them in the yard.
Glenn carried Beth inside while Maggie, Hershel, Lori and T-dog followed. Lending a hand.
The rest of the group lingered outside.
Skye came up from the back yard.
"She's inside. She's fine" Daryl said looking up at her.
Skye nodded. She wanted to stay away. To give her time. But she had to see for herself that she was safe.
She lingered at the door while Hershel and Maggie hugged and kissed her.
Beth explained her break down and why she had left. Skye rested her head against the wall listening.
She started explaining where she had been staying, what all she did.
Skye smiled to herself. She was a little bit proud of her.
Hershel came out first and Skye stiffened.
"Thank you for all that you did. Trying to find her" He said, smiling a little at her.
She couldn't help but smile back.
Maggie came out and hugged her.
"Go in and see her"
Hershel went outside to check on Daryl.
Maggie went to Glenn to thank him.
"Skye?" Beth called out.
She sighed and walked in.
"Yeah?" She wanted to hug her and keep her hidden away, but she decided that smiling at her was the best.
Beth couldn't do anything but smile herself.
Skye nodded, she knew what she had to say, she knew Beth couldn't say it.
"Thank you for coming home. Don't you ever leave again. Tomorrow we're gonna train you. I'm not watching your skinny ass float around so delicately anymore. I want you to learn. To be able to protect yourself" Skye said, trying to hold back a laugh.
Beth giggled a little and nodded.
Skye left the room and Beth was left with her thoughts.
Skye had no idea how well she managed or how cold she had become.
She didn't want her to know.
She layed back in bed and closed her eyes.
The group went inside to finish the chores with happy thoughts.
Daryl lingered outside.
"You left her behind"
Carol said as she walked up, handing him his crossbow.
He chuckled and took it, placing it against the steps.
"You left me too" She said looking away.
"You..you can't just do that. You can't go leaving" She said, looking around the yard trying to find something to look at other than him.
"Pfft" was all he could manage and he rolled his eyes.
This struck a fire in her and he knew it.
She crossed her arms and looked into his eyes.
"I'm serious. This group needs you. I need you"
He was biting back a grin as she rambled on.
Finally he had enough, he took her face in her hands and pressed his lips to hers. Her arms fell to her side but it wasn't long before she wrapped them around him.
The kiss was passionate so full of desire.
He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.
"Fine. No more leavin'" He said.
A blush warmed her face.
"Promise?" She asked as she sighed.
"Promise" He whispered against her forehead before kissing it.
This is what he wanted.
Everything had fallen into place.