Disclaimer: No rights to Walking Dead:
XXX
It had been a few days since Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene had arrived at the mortuary. With the less traveling and lessened stress for finding shelter from the walkers, it was easier for them to take hold of time.
They didn't feel the need to be on the run, nor did they feel the need to constantly have to keep their eyes open eighteen hours a day. Although it was simple to tell when the days started and ended with the signs of dawn and dusk; however, the world almost appeared to be night all the time to Daryl and Beth.
Now that they settled in a seemingly normal home like the mortuary with the ironic scene of a graveyard for a front yard, they knew how important the prison was even more so then before.
"You know what are the one things I miss the most Daryl?" The angelic green-eyed girl asked while scribbling something down in her small notebook, as the muscular tracker was chopping logs to further seal up the house for protection.
Daryl landed another blow to a long log with the axe he found hidden inside of the mortuary. He grunted roughly in reply to Beth, "What?"
They were in the woods just beyond the road from the house. Beth was sitting on a log that was already dealt with since Daryl did not want her help with the hard work due to her ankle.
"It's something trivial…" Beth murmured while continuing to write in her entry.
Daryl picked up a heavy log in his sculpted arm to carry it over to the pile next to Beth, "Well what is it?"
Beth smiled slightly at her answer, "I miss washing my face before I go to bed and wake up. I miss taking showers…"
It was something trivial to Daryl, considering Daryl was a person to constantly travel and at times would go on for days without properly showering even before The Turn. However, he knew that Beth had a different life than he did.
"I guess I just miss feeling clean. Being able to take a shower at the prison made me feel a bit normal, like a little getaway from this world and back to the old…" Beth further when she finally looked up from her diary and turned her eyes to him.
Daryl stopped what he was doing to listen to the area for any walkers first before replying. His eyes continued to scan proximity, "Being in this world for this long…I forget that everything now is not normal."
"So are you admitting that you were made for this?"
Daryl looked at her, "I'm saying that I'm not made for 'trivial'."
Beth cracked a smile that had been recently reminding him a lot of innocence still left in the world, "I suppose I can't imaging you with the normal nine A.M. to five P.M. job and coming home to the typical housewife with three little children."
That made the man chuckle.
She smiled wilder, "But I can imagine you on our farm…" Daryl stared at her as she explained. "I can picture you on our farm, checking the barn and crops in the morning, plowing the fields in the afternoon, and walking into our kitchen for dinner time. I think you were made for that life too…"
Their eyes locked while thoughts on what she said made Daryl think on how much she genuinely believe that he was a good man even before the turn, despite how much he explained to her what he had been doing with his brother on the other night when they were intoxicated.
Beth Greene was beginning to be his renewing hope for humanity again.
He cleared his throat and began his chore in preparing the logs again.
Beth put down her little journal and stood up wobbly-like with the intention to help him in anyway possible.
Daryl quickly objected, "Ah n'aw you dun't girl." He walked over, "You stay put."
"Daryl I can still help. It's just my ankle."
"Speaking of which…" He trailed off his sentence as he lightly pulled her back down onto the log to have a seat. "Lemme have a look."
The man took off her boot and then her sock to look at her swelled up ankle. "It's lookin better, but let's keep the weight off as much as possible eh?"
Beth nodded with a wince while Daryl was putting her sock and boot back on.
"I'm almost done here. I'm going to get you back in the house before I start haulin these back."
"Don't you think I should stay out here with you?"
Daryl looked around his surroundings once more, "No… If there gets to be too many walkers out here, I can't protect you like a closet would at the house."
"But Daryl-"
The man cut her off as he lifted her into his arms, "No buts."
Beth sighed and gave in, knowing that no matter how much she argued, it wouldn't matter.
He began his walk back to the house. The girl must have been a little tired because she rested his head on his shoulder, but he soon found out that it wasn't the case.
"Do you miss the others Daryl?" She asked him sullenly.
This subject was a soft spot for him, and he would avoid talking about it with anyone else, but with her he knew that it would help her cope with the ordeal and perhaps even help himself move on from the tragedy through her.
"More than a bath...or washing my face in the morning..."
That was a good enough an answer for Beth to accept even though it didn't exactly cheer her up. She closed her arms around his neck slightly tighter and kept her oncoming tears to herself.
XXX
The sun had set a while ago, Daryl was able to seal up the property with the newly chopped logs just before dusk settled. They had what they considered 'dinner' before Daryl did another perimeter check.
Like usual, Daryl could find Beth in the viewing room with the coffin and the piano. He stood at the doorway like he did the last couple of days to listen to her play and sing to the piano.
He could find calmness in her voice and peace from a tiring day, even though he had often told her that her singing was irritable. In a solemn place like the mortuary, her voice ironically complimented it like a tragic scene in a movie.
The redneck quietly strolled up behind her while she was still playing and singing. Almost gently, he said "Let's get you upstairs."
Beth continued to play her song on the keys, "I'll get up there on my own. Lay down, let me sing to you."
Daryl was worried about her ankle and how she was going to get upstairs to the bedroom, but her siren's song was hard to resist especially after having a physically grueling day.
He put down his crossbow, which meant he could let his guard down slightly, and hopped up into the coffin to lie down.
"What song would you like to hear tonight?" She asked in the softest voice.
The man thought about it, "Do you remember when we were at the prison yard the first night we found it? You sang that song…I..I don't remember what it's called."
The notes of the current song she was playing trailed off into the notes of "The Parting Glass." Daryl's eyes grew heavy so he shut them, but his mind was still attempted to be alert.
Nevertheless, his dedicated concentration on keeping her safe was no match for her angelic heavenly voice. He had never heard such a beautiful voice like hers before…
XXX
Beth Greene gently made her way down the stairs of the mortuary house. Her feet carefully and slowly touched each downward step so not to create any creaks that the old house could make. She didn't want to wake Daryl.
As softly as she could, she opened the front door and peered out first to make sure there were no walkers in the area. Luckily for her, there were no walkers in sight.
The girl closed the door soundlessly behind her before making her way over the string of cans and bottles lined up around the entrance to alert them of walkers.
Once a few feet away from the house, she relaxed herself enough to move freely. Her ankle was still bothering her, but she wanted to do this.
She and Daryl had found a creek nearby the house. From the conversation she had yesterday with him, she had been fantasizing how great it would be to take a dip in the creek to wash off all the dirt and sweat.
It took a little while due to her poor ankle, but she found the creek. She looked at the inviting water as it glistened from the sun. It sparkled like no other.
"What're yuh doing?"
Beth abruptly turned around to the voice that startled her to find Daryl standing there armed with his crossbow.
"I…" She didn't know how to answer since she was shy about the real truth and because she felt guilty for being sneaky about it.
Daryl grew frustrated regardless with whatever her reason turned out to be, "You can't just leave my side and head out when you want to! It's not safe by yourself especially with that busted ankle!"
"I know Daryl, I know that." Beth argued back but she didn't raise her voice due to knowing that he was just being protective.
"Then what're ya doin here." He pressed out roughly.
The girl glanced at the water, the looked back to him, "I wanted…I wanted to wash up…It's been so long…"
Finally, Daryl remembered the conversation they had yesterday about feeling normal with showering and feeling clean. He understood; however, his logical survival sense was more dominant, "You can't just wash off here, there are other dangers than walkers Beth."
Beth looked away in disappointment.
Much to Daryl's stern demeanor, her upset face bothered him. For some reason unbeknownst to himself, he couldn't understand why he didn't like to see her upset.
He relented and suddenly turned around. This confused Beth.
After a minute or so where they both didn't do anything, Daryl murmured, "Go ahead…I'll stay watch."
Beth felt hot in the face for she surely knew that her cheeks had tints of pink if not red. "Daryl…I…ca-"
"This is the only safe way. You best take advantage of it girl, or else you won't be clean for a long time."
It was true. Beth knew that he was right. She knew of the dangers that he was talking about, despite the fact that she still believed that there were good people in the world. Daryl was the only one she trusted at this point.
Very shyly, she began to undress.
Daryl's keen ear could hear her take layers of her clothes off. He became uneasy as he felt his heart beat lively against his chest. He cleared his throat, "Make it quick."
To distract himself, he concentrated on the area in case of any strangers and walkers nearing by.
Beth made her way slowly into the creek until the water reached her shoulders. The water was crispy cold like the morning air; nevertheless, it was the best feeling she had in a while.
Her eyes looked toward the sparkles of the water and then up to the sun. There were actually cumulous clouds today. It was peacefully quiet as well, something she rarely had.
She closed her eyes and breathed in the smell of the nature before opening them again to look at the back of Daryl Dixon. She smiled at him and suddenly had the realization that she was happy that she had survived with him.
They didn't know how much time had passed, but it appeared to be awhile. Beth was enjoying the water and Daryl didn't have the heart to disturb her.
-Snap!-
Daryl head jerked toward the direction of the sound. His senses in overload, he held up his crossbow defensively, "Stay here, dun't move."
Beth started to worry for her apparent vulnerability, she would easily be subjected to a dangerous situation. She looked in all different kinds of directions frantically after hearing another snap.
"Daryl…?" She called out for him but there was no answer. As best as she could, she attempted to hastily get out of the water. Something caught onto her injured foot, which felt like a hand and started to pull her under the water.
Immediately panicking, Beth fought her way to surface the water as she felt the hand try to pull her further underneath. "D-Daryl!" She screamed his name in hopes of his rescue, "Dary! Daryl Help!"
Each time she went underneath, the water choked her lungs and she could quickly feel herself getting dizzy and weak from the lack of air.
In the final attempt to get free, she used her strong foot and kicked the head of whoever it was pulling her underwater. It worked as she felt herself float to the surface.
Once free to breathe, she hysterically swam out of the water and snatched her grey cardigan before attempting to run. Right away, she was stopped from someone appearing in front of her.
The girl screamed as loud of as could when she felt an immediate embrace but was soon met with a hand clasped over her mouth. "Shh, shh, Beth it's me!" Daryl tried to whisper.
She was completely bare, even with her holding the grey cardigan to cover her front self. Daryl immediately took off his leather vest to put it around her before taking her back into his hold.
He waited for her to calm a bit down, "What happened!"
"Someone grabbed my foot and tried to pull me down! I didn't see who it was!" She was able to say while trying to catch her breath.
Daryl scanned around once more for danger. He held one arm around her as he lowered down slightly to grab the rest of her clothes and boots, "We got to go, c'mon.. Can you walk?"
"I can try." Beth sniffled frightened tears. She took a couple of steps with his help before yelping at the pain, "Ah! He grabbed my ankle."
Daryl scooped her immediately into his arms and started to run toward the direction of the house.
XXX
"Drink this." The muscular redneck handed Beth a cup of warm water that he must have warmed up skillfully with the fireplace and pot downstairs,
Beth was resting upstairs in the bedroom. After the traumatic event that just happened, she just needed to be by herself for a moment.
The girl sipped on the water but held it in her hands to warm herself up. Daryl sat down on the bed in front of her, "Feelin better?"
Beth didn't answer except to look down in her cup.
"I shouldn't have left you alone…I..I th-thought it was something..and I.." Daryl had difficulty explaining his guilt.
"It happened right after you left…There must have been more than one keeping watch and causing a distraction. They must have seen me…" She trailed off her sentence and looked away uncomfortably. She pulled her cardigan closer to herself.
"Did he do anything to you?" He asked, and one could hear the anger in his voice.
Beth shook her head shamefully, "It never got to that point…but I was a fool for even going out there. You were right.."
"We have to get out of here. This place isn't safe anymore Beth."
"But how far can we travel with my ankle like this and where can we go. Even if we leave this place, we'll be out in the open and whoever it is can get to us easily." She looked at him honestly, "I'm a liability for you…"
"Don't matter." Daryl mumbled after a long stare. "It's either you're with me or I'm ain't leavin."
She was his last connection to humanity, his last reason to not lose it like Rick had when he lost Lori. He broke his eyes away from hers to look around the room, "We need to definitely booby-trap the crap out of this house then. At least until your ankle is better."
xxx