I swear I told myself not to write this but I just ignored my common sense. Ok, this is a canon divergence fic in the sense that Beth was present since the first episode. There will be flash backs through out the up comming chapters explaining what happened to her and the Greenes as well as Daryl. This is something different that I hope you all like. And I still plan to post pt4 for RbMB either wednesday or thursday.

Beth should've known finding the CDC was too good to be true. That the good food and warm bed were too close to heaven for everything to go smoothly. Lori had soothed her worries, and the wine Daryl had poured into her glass had made her completely forget why she was worried. For the first time since that horrible night of blood and running, it was as though the world was like it used to be. Geek free.

And now there was screaming and chaos. Daryl and Shane were attacking the steel door that the CDC guy had triggered to lock them inside. Lori and Carol were huddled on the ground clutching their kids for dear life. Rick, T-Dog, Dale, Andrea and Jacquie were yelling questions, demanding to be let free.

All Beth could do was stand there, frozen in place, tears stinging her eyes as fear suffocated her with a punishing force. Maybe this was how it was meant to be. Maybe they . . . no, just Beth, wasn't meant to go on.

She'd been separated from her family on that night, when the Walkers had first appeared. Lori had pulled her along with them as they escaped to the quarry. Lori and Shane had adopted her of sorts. But Beth had always wondered about her family. Were her momma and daddy even alive? Patricia and Otis? Maggie? Shawn? Anyone?

Daryl's harsh words from the first time they'd really met came back to her. She'd asked Glenn for a journal if he came by one on the run. Daryl, who had been walking by, had scoffed and demanded what the hell she needed a journal for.

"To write everything that's happened to me. So that when I find my family-"

"Yer family?" Daryl had jeered cursing. "Your family is as good as dead, girl. Ya ain't never gunna see 'em again so you might as well forget about wasting a trip to get a damn journal."

Beth hadn't mentioned her family since. When Glenn came back from the run, Rick, Lori's husband in tow, he had slipped her a plain black note book. Beth had gave him a hollow thank you and taken the note book to Dale's trailer never touching it again.

And now here she was, the world was falling apart even more, and she was about to die in . . . she looked up, it took all her courage just to lift her head and look at the clock. Three minutes. Wonderful. She closed her eyes, willing all her worries and thoughts away, focusing on the numbers as the ticked by.

1 . . .

2 . . .

3 . . .

4 . . .

Beth was faintly aware of a commotion around her. Shouts and running, but only when a firm hand grabbed her arm forcefully and began dragging her out did Beth open her eyes, her mockery of peace shattered. Daryl was hauling her towards the door, now open, beckoning them to freedom.

"C'mon, girl! We ain't got all damn day! Place's 'bout to blow!" he yelled at her.

Beth squirmed, ripping her arm free of his grasp. "No!"

Daryl stopped dead, rounding on her, blue eyes narrowed into slits. "What the fuck do you mean no?! This ain't a joke Beth, come the fuck on!"

He tried to grab her arm again, but Beth smacked his hand away. "No! I ain't going Daryl! Why should I? What's the point?"

"The fucking point? The point is, move yer skinny ass on out of this death trap 'fore I haul you over my shoulder 'n drag ya outta here kickin' n' screamin'!" Daryl demanded. "We don't have fucking time to sit here and chat girl! We're 'bout to be fucking barbeque!"

"Oh, just go Daryl! Do what you do best! Worry about yourself and your brother! I heard you both! You only tagged along to steal all our supplies and then disappear! Don't act like you care about me or anyone else," Beth flung the hurtful words at him.

"Yeah, that's right girl, Imma piece a shit n' don't ya forget it! That was before, before all this shit. I ain't such a sonabitch to leave ya here to burn!" Daryl flung back at her. "Yeah, me and Merle were gunna rob y'all blind, so what? S'bout survival. What you're doin' here girl? It ain't survivin', it's weak! N' I know ya ain't weak Beth Greene! Now git up and move your ass!"

His eyes flew to the clock behind them and he let out a curse so foul Beth blushed.

"I'm all alone," Beth whispered, tears finally spilling free. "You said it yourself, my family is as good as dead."

"Ta hell with what I said!" Daryl growled as he grabbed her hand, pulling her up to him, forcing her eyes to meet his. "Yer the one who's always sayin' to have faith. Havin' faith means ignoring dumb as shit redneck assholes like me who mouth off when they're mad n' scared. Your faith is between you and no one else. And ya ain't alone! Fuck, girl, ya got me and a shit load of people outside who need you!"

"Daryl Dixon doesn't need anyone," she scoffed through her tears.

Daryl glared at her. "Leave it ta ya to argue with every lil thing I say as a fucking bomb's bout to go off!"

Beth looked at him, frowning. He was still there. Still trying to get her out, trying to save her. Daryl Dixon, all mighty hunter and red neck was risking his life to save her. Before Beth even knew what she was doing, she grabbed his hand in hers', and pulled him after her, the pair taking off at a run towards the exit. Daryl never let go of her hand as the leapt through the broken glass and raced towards the RV.

The groups shouted for them to get down, Daryl grabbed hold of Beth by the waist, tucking his body around her smaller one as he threw them forward behind the wall of sand bags. They hit the ground, Daryl muttering a curse as the asphalt bit into his side, tearing flesh. But still, his hold on her didn't lax, and when the thunderous boom moved the very ground beneath him, he held Beth close, shielding her as debris scattered and flew around them. When the chaos subsided, Daryl hesitated just a moment, looking down at Beth, whose eyes were shut, her small hand's clutching at his shirt for dear life, her body curled tightly towards his.

"You okay?" he ground out, trying to force the pain he was feeling from his voice.

Beth finally opened her eyes, staring up at him opened mouthed, her blue eyes falling between, noting the lack thereof space there, before nodding mutely.

"S' good," the man grunted as he rolled away from her, wincing as pain raced up his side.

"You're hurt," Beth noted, shame and fear drawing the color from her face. "I'm so-"

"Don't even start," he cut her off, bracing his arms on the ground and forcing himself to sit up right. Beth reached over, grabbing his arm without hesitation, helping him to an upright position. "'M fine. Just a scratch."

"And Titanic was just a row boat," Beth quipped dryly as she gazed at his scrapped up arm.

"Smartass," he mumbled as he climbed to his feet, pulling her up after him.

They looked to the burning shambles of the CDC, the flames licking hungrily at the walls. A shiver raced down Beth's spine as she realized just how close she had come to being in there. Once again, without any conscious thought towards her decision, she grabbed Daryl's hand, squeezing it. Daryl looked down at their joined hands, his bottom lip tucked securely between his teeth. He started to walk away, pulling her away with him.

"C'mon," he muttered, leading her towards Merle's bike.

Beth allowed the older man to pull her away from the blazing building, but she found herself unable to look away until Daryl was all but shoving her onto the bike. She settled on the seat awkwardly, as Daryl climbed on in front of her, he reeved the bike, and Beth's arms immediately went around his waist in a death grip.

Daryl pulled up beside the RV, Rick moved towards the door looking shaken, his complexion ashen.

"Let's get the fuck outta here," Daryl called over to him and Rick nodded.

Not even waiting for Rick to get in the drivers' seat, Daryl reeved the engine of the bike once more and navigated them out of the mass of dead and onto the road.

Beth held on to him tightly, her forehead braced lightly on his back as she let her tears fall free. They were not tears of sadness; they were ones shed in thanks. Thanks that she was alive, that Daryl had stayed behind for her.

His words lingered in her mind as they raced forward to meet the dawning sun.

Ya ain't alone.

Review please :)