Thanks for taking the time to read this story! It is my first fan fic and I do hope you enjoy it. Since it is an AU, this is a slightly different take on Beth and Daryl, so just keep an open mind. Thanks again, and if you like it, tell me in the reviews!
It was the middle of July and the summer sun was warm on her skin. Beth was glad she was able to be outside in the fresh, open air, and not stuck inside the kitchen. Last year during the Greene family picnic, she had helped Maggie cook the meats and sides and she regretted it! Maggie always had to do things her way, and it was just very unpleasant.
This year, Beth elected to go huckleberry picking out by the river. She was planning on making a pie or two, but a peach and huckleberry cobbler might be even better. Her daddy did love her peach cobbler, and Jimmy did as well. She smiled when she thought of Jimmy. They had been seeing each other for two years now, almost. They did break up for a few months when she found out Jimmy had kissed another girl at a party, but they'd made up since then. Everybody makes mistakes, right?
She wiped some sweat from her forehead, and continued to pick the berries, quietly humming to herself. Finally a breeze picked up, and she sighed happily, standing up to cool off her body in its wake.
"Oh!"
Not seven feet away from where she stood was a doe, turning on its heels and taking off into the woods. She was surprised it hadn't smelled or heard her, but she didn't mind, it was a beautiful thing she was glad to see. She always thought it was funny that you could be close to so much and not even know it.
"Dammit, girl!"
Beth turned around almost as fast as the deer had, and looked for the voice, her brow furrowed.
A man came out from behind a thicket, glaring at her. "What'd you go 'n do that for?"
"Do what for?" Beth looked at the man, surprised and confused to see him here.
"I've been tracking that deer for miles 'n you just scared it away!"
Ugh, it was Daryl. Daddy said all the Dixon's were trouble, and she had seen enough from Merle to believe him. It was a small town, so everybody sees everybody, whether they want to or not. Still, it was rare to see Daryl without Merle leading the way.
"You can't hunt on our land, Daryl. Did you miss the signs?"
He sneered and shook his head. "So what if I did?"
She didn't really know how to respond to that. He stood about six feet tall, and held a crossbow that he looked like he knew how to use.
An eighteen year old girl and a bucket of huckleberries weren't exactly tough looking in comparison. Or at all.
"Just go home Daryl, you can't be here."
He took a few steps closer to her, the beginnings of a smirk growing on his face.
She lifted her chin and met his gaze, trying to at least look like he didn't scare her. She crossed her arms and hoped he couldn't tell that her hands were a little shaky. Beth thought he was going to walk right into her, but he went around her instead, his shoulder bumping hers as he stalked past.
Good riddance, she thought.
She watched him walk away for a moment, before letting out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Dixons are trouble. Beth picked up her bucket of berries and made her way back towards the house, wanting to be as far away from him as she could.
"This should be enough…" In reality she just didn't wanna be anywhere near Daryl, he made her nervous. "Peach and huckleberry cobbler it is."
Back in the kitchen, Beth set the huckleberries on the countertop. She'd get to washing them later, but she was supposed to meet Jimmy at his place by five.
"Hey Maggie!" she called as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom. "Did you get a chance to wash that dress for me?"
Beth stuck her head in the laundry room, and saw her green and white sundress hanging up. She grinned, "Thank you Maggie! You're the best!" She had no idea if her sister, or anyone else for that matter, could actually hear her, but that wasn't her fault and she was in too much of a rush to track them down.
She hopped into the shower, soaped up, washed her hair, and rinsed in record time. Beth didn't bother drying her hair, she liked how her hair curled when it dried by the sun. She did decide to wear some make up, but even that she kept simple and subtle. Jimmy had said they were gonna do something special for their anniversary, so she just wanted to look a little extra nice. She slipped into her dress, and went to look in the mirror.
She felt good. She looked good. She was ready to go!
She wrote a note reminding her daddy that she'd probably be back late and not to wait up, then grabbed her keys and walked onto the porch.
"Hey babe, you going somewhere?"
"Jimmy!"
Beth wrapped her arms around her boyfriend, surprised but happy to see him. "What are you doing here? I thought I was gonna meet you?"
"Yeah, well, I thought I'd be a little different today. Actually, I've got a few surprised for you tonight."
She gasped playfully, and kissed his cheek. Jimmy was usually a pretty straightforward guy, and it made her happy that he seemed to really want to make this anniversary special. Their relationship had changed when he left last fall for college, and though he still made her happy, it had been rough lately.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." He drove them down the gravel roads that turned into paved ones, and eventually they were on a highway.
"Can you give me a hint at least?"
He was pulling off the highway and onto a smaller road. They were still in Georgia farmland, but she wasn't too familiar with the area.
"Okay. Well. There are two parts to tonight. The first involves a party and…"
"A party? Jimmy..."
"I know, I know. But I just have to make an appearance and say happy birthday to a friend! We won't stay long, I promise. Then we'll get to the best part of tonight." He reached for her hand, and she sighed.
"Fine… I just always feel really uncomfortable when everyone's drinking and stuff. Drunk college freshmen are really stupid, Jimmy!"
He laughed, "Don't worry, babe."
An hour and a half later, she was sitting on a bale of hay, listening to some horrible modern country music play on the too-loud speakers someone had set up in the back of their truck. Some of Jimmy's friends had pulled him away a while ago, doing who knows what. Beth had walked around for a little while, but they really only had chips and alcohol and music. She had just called Maggie, asking for her advice.
"You know how I feel about that boy, Beth."
Ever since Jimmy had kissed some college girl soon after he went away, Beth's family had been less-than-keen on him.
"I really thought tonight was gonna be different…"
"Want me to come pick you up? That'd show him."
"I don't even know where we are, honestly. We were just supposed to stay here for a few minutes."
She heard Maggie sigh on the other end. "Can't you ask someone?"
Beth glanced around, but was feeling shy around all the unfamiliar people. "I don't think any of them could remember where they are right now. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that he's done soon. I'll talk to you later."
She hung up the phone and sighed, wishing the night had gone differently. Which was about the time Jimmy came stumbling over.
"Hey pretty lady! How're you do…doing tonight?"
His breath smelled like alcohol, and his speech definitely confirmed that they were not going anywhere else tonight. Not with him driving.
She smiled sweetly at him, and stood to give him a hug. He sagged into her and tried to kiss her but she turned her head. Not tonight, you don't. She slipped his keys off of his belt and tried to push him away.
"Come on, let me kiss you, Beth!"
He pulled her face to his and forced his lips against hers. Beth was shocked, surprised that Jimmy was doing this. What had happened to her Jimmy? He took hold of her waist and pulled her into him, his hands felt around her hips, and moved up her sides.
"Jimmy, stop!"
"Shh…"
He was reaching for her chest now, and Beth stomped on his foot and shoved him.
"I said stop!"
She ran for his truck, and he stumbled after her for a little bit, cursing and laughing. It was hard to see through the tears in her eyes, but she found his truck and locked herself in it. That drunk dimwit probably wouldn't be able to find his own truck right now, so she locked the doors and slid down to the floor and cried. She was hurt and angry and surprised, and not in the way she hoped to be surprised tonight.
She sniffed and shoved the keys into the ignition. Turning on the headlights she drove up the driveway. The driveway finally ended, and she wasn't sure whether she should go right or left up the road, but she just picked right and hoped it was, well, right.
She didn't feel bad about leaving Jimmy there tonight, it was probably better he stay there and sober up. She saw a gas station up ahead and decided to pull over there to ask for directions. Hopefully there weren't any creeps out. As Beth pulled into a space in front of the store, she saw someone inside at the counter checking out.
"You've got to be kidding me."
It was none other than Daryl Dixon.
She hesitated for a moment, but she was feeling bolder than normal after her anger with Jimmy. She swung open her door and stood so she could pop her head over the cab of the truck.
"H-hey Daryl!"
He stopped and turned around, an unlit cigarette between his fingers.
"Well if it ain't the berry picker."
"Listen, I'm sure you don't wanna talk to me, but I've had a really crappy night and I just wanna go home."
He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Then go home, girl."
Daryl started to turn around but Beth called out after him, "I don't know which way!"
His mouth twitched in what she thought would have been a smile on any other face. "Did you miss the signs?"