"You look good with her, really natural."
Beth can't help but blush lightly at the compliment, especially because it comes from Rick Grimes of all people. To be honest, she sometimes fears she has crossed the line with caring for Judith, that her infatuation with caring for the baby is met with anger or even resentment that Lori couldn't be there to do it herself. But her fears are unfounded, if Rick's compliment is to be believed. This causes the blonde to pause and take a calming breath.
"Thank you, Rick, it means a lot." She smiles in return, pleased with the way Judith takes to cooing softly in her arms.
Rick smiles and nods, a genuine smile that brings another blush to Beth's cheeks.
She wants so badly to tell him the truth, to tell him just what she feels in her heart about him, but she can't. She finds herself frozen in place, worry clouding her mind. Instead she reaches forward and rubs his shoulder briefly in what she hopes is a calming manner.
When Maggie returns to the prison, Beth cries.
She can sense a change in her sister, that something bad happened to her in the Governor's midst, but she chooses to ignore that for the time being. Instead, she focuses on the positive, on the fact that both Maggie and Glenn came back alive.
And Beth has Rick to thank for it all.
He risked his own life to save her sisters, and for that Beth is eternally grateful. She wants to show him this, to convey this feelings, but now wouldn't be the right time or place, not in front of her father and sister, not with Carl and Carol by Rick's side.
Instead she opts, perhaps bravely so, for a small kiss of thanks upon his cheek.
Rick's flesh is warm and stubbly beneath her lips as she presses them to his skin. Just as suddenly, she pulls back. Her smile is wide and eyes bright and she hopes he gets it, that he sees what she feels.
He blushes, and she thinks that, for now, it's enough.
Rick comes back from his outing bloody and bruised, but alive.
He's a mess, really, with a black and blue eye and cuts and scrapes and bruises seemingly everywhere.
Daryl yells to the group from the watch tower when he spots Rick as he makes his way through the gates. Beth is shocked to see that he is walking and that his car is gone. She can't even image what must have taken place.
Without thinking, she rushes forward.
No one makes to stop her, allowing her to run for Rick as though her life depended on it - his just might. Grass and twigs crunch beneath her boots as she runs to him.
By the time she reaches him and sees him, she can't help herself. Beth can't hold back the tears, and she cries freely before him.
"We thought that maybe," she pauses, swallowing thickly. "That you might have died."
To her surprise, Rick grins, though it comes out as more of a grimace. "This tough old guy? Not yet. Just ran into an unfriendly group. No big deal, really."
And Beth can't stop herself. She rushes forward, pressing a bone crunching hug against his body.
Rick tenses due to pain, and groans loudly, but wraps his arms around her all the same. Beth cries against his frame, pressing her soaked eyes against his shoulder, and he lets her.
God, Beth knows she shouldn't touch it, the keys might lure walkers to the house, but oh how she wants to.
She's never seen such a fine piano, despite all of the cobwebs and debris. She can't help herself, and trails her fingers softly along the keys.
From his spot on the couch, Rick turns to her and smiles before nodding. "Go ahead," he offers sincerely. "The rain will drown out the sound, for now."
Beth doesn't think she's ever been so grateful to be out on a supply run.
She sits carefully, dusting off the bench the best she can. Suddenly, she's feeling rather shy. What if she forgot how to play? Or if she misses a note? Will Rick notices and laugh at her?
Beth pauses momentarily before coughing to clear her throat. Slowly, she begins to play:
Here I go and I don't know why
I fell so ceaselessly
Could it be he's taking over me
She stops and takes a moment to catch her breath. Suddenly she's overcome with emotion and she begins to cry. It hits her suddenly, and Beth's tears fall like rain down her face, matching the weather outside.
Rick notices and stands in an instant, coming to sit beside her. He pulls her into him, a warm embrace, and she continues to cry for a few more moments.
He does little more than rub her back, allowing her to stay in charge of the moment.
Eventually Beth pulls back, her eyes shining, and she bends forward to press a light kiss to the corner of Rick's mouth. Never before has she been so brave.
It's small, chaste even, but it means everything.
In her dreams, they're in a field of sunflowers.
They lie together in the tall grass, hands intertwined, and they stare into the sun until shiny spots take over their eyesight and they have to look away.
In reality, they lie in an unkempt field beside the prison, fence and walkers and death and decay surrounding them. Sometimes it's okay to play pretend, Beth decides.
Still, Rick is with her and his hand is in hers and that's all she could ever hope to ask for.
They giggle and chat like kids in love until the sun begins to set. Days like this are good days.
"I love you, Rick Grimes. I love you, I love you, I love you." Beth smiles wide, her dimples exposed and heart on fire.
He grins and says it back to her.