Hey guys, this fic is just a collection of one shots containing Beth and Daryl. Some will be canon and obviously some won't. There may even be some AU one shots somewhere along the line. I'll put a brief summary at the start of each chapter so that you guys know under what category each one shot falls.

SPOLERS AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

This one shot is canon and takes place at the end of Coda. It's a one shot on what was going through Daryl's head when Beth was shot.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead

A gunshot. That was all it took to end the world. One goddamn gunshot to ruin everything.

And for a single moment after that terrible sound ripped through the air, time stood frozen. As if the universe itself was in shock at the tragedy that had just taken place. Shocked because this wasn't supposed to be part of the plan, the good people weren't supposed to die, fate had messed up. Because surely, this wasn't supposed to be the end of Beth Greene.

Not here in what pretended to be a hospital, with its grubby white walls, and stale air. Not here where her blood would just be mopped up as soon as she was moved. Not here, just steps away from me. Not before she ever got to know just how much I cared about her.

Yet time wasn't rewinding, fate didn't correct itself. Beth still lay on the floor, gold mixing with scarlet. Still dead.

A second gunshot broke the spell.

It took a moment before Daryl even realised the shot had come from his own gun. The action, the vengeance had been so automatic that be barely even registered moving.

It brought no relief, killing the officer who had murdered Beth. Murdered his Beth. She was still dead, still gone. And there was nothing more to do.

Tears leaked out of his eyes, and for once he didn't try to stop them. He didn't care who saw, or what they might mean. He couldn't care about anything other than the fact she was gone, and that he would never see her again.

Even when she'd been taken, he'd had hope. Hope that he'd find her, hope that she was alive. No matter how fleeting that hope was, no matter the odds that were stacked against them, he'd had faith that he'd see her again. Had faith that she was strong enough to survive.

It was that strength that had gotten her killed. A strength that no one had seen but him. Well, now they knew. Now they fucking knew how strong she had been all along, and how wrong they were about her.

Daryl was vaguely aware of Rick speaking. Speaking to those whom had all played a role in Beth's capture, Beth's imprisonment, Beth's death. Carol was beside him, hugging him. He felt none of it, heard none of it. The only thing he could focus on was the growing pool of blood on the floor. The way it spiralled, and reflected the light coming in from the window.

And then they were leaving. Just like that it was time to go. Leaving as they had planned, with Beth and Carol. How sickly ironic it was.

Without question, without hesitation, Daryl went over to Beth and scooped her up. Just as he'd done when she had injured her ankle. The image was almost painful to remember. They were happy. For perhaps the only time in his life, in that moment with Beth living, breathing, laughing in his arms, he'd been carefree. Somehow he knew it was not a feeling he'd experience again.

He was mildly surprised that she was still warm. But then he supposed she would be. It had only been minutes since that fatal gunshot. Minutes since Beth departed her body.

As he held her, he almost expected her eyes to open. Almost expected her to try to sit up, a dazed look in her eyes as she asked what was going on. But her eyes remained shut, the stillness of her chest, the absence of breath mocking him as he held her close. Her blood stained his vest, but he didn't notice or care as he walked out of that god-forsaken hospital, feeling deader than the walkers that roamed the parking lot.

No matter how hard he tried, Daryl Dixon couldn't fathom a world that didn't have Beth Greene in it.

Thank you for reading! My inbox and as well the review section is always open for feedback. Also if you have any suggestions for future one shots that could be included in this fic, I would be extremely grateful!