So I'm new to this site and I'll be honest it's a lot more complicated than what I'm used to (though that could just be me since I'm still in the process of transferring stories from paper to computer), but I want to get something up here for starters. I also have this story posted on .com site and I'm going to start working on another Walking Dead fan fic soon. Please know that this is a Bethyl fan fic, taking place after the season 5 MSF. I'm going to do my best to stick to the characters' personalities, which means this Bethyl relationship will move slowly, but I think that's how it would've happened anyway. The chapters are relatively short at the beginning, but get longer as the story continues on. I'm just posting it up here for my own personal interest in fan fiction and I sincerely hope you'll like reading it as much as I love writing it. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 1

(Daryl's POV)

I saw the gunshot wound. It was still red, but it wasn't bleeding. It was a clean shot, up through the jaw and out through the top. I know I saw her die.

So how the hell did Beth manage to survive? I know I should lower my bow. I know I should probably run to her and ask if she's alright. I kinda want to hug her. But I can't. I'm frozen to my very core. Beth is standing in front of me, alive and human, not a walker.

"It's okay, Daryl. I'm not a walker. I'm alive." It's her voice, her words, her kindness. She's still so shy and hesitant. But I still can't believe that what I'm seeing is even real.

"No," I said shaking my head. "No, Beth… You died! I watched you take a damn bullet to the head! I carried you out and you were dead weight!" I can't help it. I start tearing up and shouting loud enough for walkers to hear from miles away. I don't care about them right now.

Beth closes the gap between us. She hugs me like she always used to, a big bear hug around my waist that I really didn't ask for, or deserve. "I know!" She's crying now, cryin' all over me. "I don't get it either! I should have died there, died and stayed dead… But I guess this bullshit world still has some crazy things left for me. I wish it wasn't true. It would've been so much easier just to stay dead. You all could deal with me being dead. Now I just create more problems, more unanswered questions!" She hits me real hard, fists clenched like she's still just barely clinging to sanity. "It's fucking bullshit! All of it! All of it!"

Well shit. Yeah, it's fucking bullshit! Can I really complain though? All this time I thought she was dead, knew she was dead. I wish I could have saved her from all that crap. If only I coulda done something… It would've been better for everyone.

She finally stops beating me like mad woman. She tries her best to look composed, but I can tell she doesn't even know why she's alive again. "I'm sorry. I've messed things up for everybody now. But I can still take care of myself so don't think you owe me anything, Daryl Dixon."

I looked her in the eye. "It really is you…Beth."

She smiled. I have no idea why that girl would smile when she just got done bawling her eyes out. I just gave her a small smile back. Why did I do that? Why the hell should I be smiling at a time like this? "C'mon." I led the way back to camp.

Man… This is gonna make heads roll.