Beth Greene woke up to the sound of a baby crying.
She had fallen asleep as usual, with her backpack next to her bunk and her gun close. Her cheek was nestled in the crook of her bent elbow; there was a small dribble of drool drying on the corner of her mouth and a damp spot forming on the sleeve of her pajama top, a half-eaten jar of apple sauce sat forgotten on the blanket, along with fragments of potato chips and an empty bag. She was wearing a pair of boxers, which Carl had scavenged from the commissary, and one of her daddy's borrowed long-sleeved button-ups plus the only two socks she'd been able to find in the dark.
She was startled and disoriented from being awakened so suddenly. It took a second for her to remember that she'd handed Judith off to Rick earlier that night.
Unfortunately, the baby bunking with her daddy did not have the calming effect Beth would've hoped for. The near constant, piercing cries of a fussy newborn echoed off the prison walls.
And then before she even realized she was moving, she wiped off her mouth and slinked off the top bunk.
"Bethy, sweetheart, are you okay?" Stretched out on the bottom bunk, her daddy rubbed a hand down his face and shifted as if to get up.
"I'm fine, Daddy." Beth patted him on the shoulder. "Get back to sleep."
The hallway was dark, but she didn't need the light, all she needed to do was follow the sounds of crying and hushed voices.
Rick was bouncing Judith in his arms, quietly shushing her, and even Daryl had abandoned his perch in order to help try to calm the wailing infant, though neither seemed to be having much luck. Beth walked towards the pair with a small smile.
Daryl spotted her first, and he offered her a single nod in greeting before nudging Rick.
"Beth," Rick said, his voice relieved. "I'm not sure what to—"
"It's okay," she interrupted, motioning for the baby.
Beth cradled Judith's head as Rick transferred the screaming jumble of chubby limbs into her arms. Beth had a hunch as to what brought on this melt down, and she palpitated Judith's hard little tummy for confirmation. Still supporting Judith's head, Beth rolled the baby over, so she was lying prone in Beth's arms. Then she started rubbing quick circles up into Judith's stomach.
Almost immediately the crying stopped.
"Thank God," Rick breathed. "Thank you, Beth."
Beth shrugged her shoulder and simply said, "She was just gassy."
Once the hallway fell quiet Rick shifted on his feet. "Well, I guess I can try laying her down again."
"It's all right. I can take her tonight if you want. Let you catch up on some sleep." Beth continued to rub circles over the baby's tummy and began rocking back and forth on her heels.
"You sure?"
Beth sent Rick a sleepy yet confident smile. "Yeah, I got her."
"Thanks, Beth."
After Rick lightly squeezed the back of her neck in short thanks and said goodnight to Daryl, he disappeared into the black abyss of his cell. She could hear his mattress crinkling under his weight.
"You're good with her." Daryl's rough voice split the silence.
Beth glanced up at the compliment. In the dark he was nothing but a black figure, all clean lines and sharp angles. He was leaning against the wall — no more than six feet from her — his arms crossed loosely across his chest.
A varied pallet of shadow, brought on by the moonlight, offered just enough visibility for Beth to gauge his expression. He was eyeing her speculatively. And she vaguely wondered how long he'd been watching her.
"She's easy," Beth dismissed.
"Hmm."
All at once she was aware of her scantily clad body. She had tied her daddy's shirt into a knot at her hip — so she wouldn't get tangled in the extra fabric while she slept — and therefore a good portion of her lower stomach was open to view. And her legs, from the upper thigh down, were completely bare.
It was ridiculous to think that a man like Daryl cared, though. Beth wasn't lean or cut like Maggie or Michonne. Beth was soft and pale and, if she was being honest with herself, slight.
Nevertheless, her cheeks heated up. And she ducked her head under his scrutiny. There was a brief pause. Although inside she was squirming, for an instant, she wondered if, possibly, he was looking at her like a woman and not a girl.
She felt an odd, exhilarating shiver run through her at the prospect. When she plucked up enough courage to look at him, he was watching her, one hand relaxed across his ribcage and the other cupping his chin and trailing his long, calloused index finger across his lips. She got the feeling that he was trying to suppress a smile.
Eventually Daryl lowered his eyes and pushed off the wall.
"Goodnight," she said softly.
Daryl was already half way back to the stairs when he stopped. He glanced over his shoulder, with his head cocked to the side. "G'night," he mumbled.
Judith was gurgling and making little baby noises, and Beth pressed a kiss to the crown of her downy head, effectively hiding her face.
As she was about to head back to her cell, she paused and studied the tall cement walls and thick, strong bars of the prison.
Maybe we can make a home here, she thought, more than a little hopeful.
Then, with one quick glance up at the perch, she melted into the shadow of her cell.
AN: Hello, this is a first, so I'd really love to see any feedback if you enjoyed this short beginning. This follows the last episode in S3, where Woodbury joins the orginal group.