A/N: Entire contents of this chapter have been edited!

Setting: This chapter is set in the future, two years after 4:13. Chapter Two will pick up right where Daryl and Beth left off.

Ratings: M for now for language. Maybe MA for some sensual content later on.

This story will have a slow burn beginning- there will be times when you cringe at the actions of either Beth or Daryl and there will be times when it'll be Beth or Daryl centered for a few chapters.

Take Me As I Am
Chapter 1
[Prologue]

The setting sun bathed the once blue sky with burning yellow and orange embers, taking its warmth and protection with it as it began to vanish over the horizon. Darkness began to envelope the sky, bringing about uncertainty and fear. In the distance, supernatural howls began to howl into the increasing darkness. It's not safe anywhere—any safe haven would've been infiltrated by now. What was once safe was not anymore. No one… and nothing was safe.

Except for their expanding group and their fortress.

It was a miracle, to say the least. They had reunited only recently, and slowly broadening their numbers by rescuing survivors and setting them to work. They had to.

Something changed—walkers changed. Many were still the typical slow, decaying living corpse… and some… some of them evolved—mutated. At first no one knew what it meant when the earth shook and trembled. It was a small scale nuclear explosion of a nuclear power plant in New York that a few groups of survivors try to start again. At least, that's what they were told.

Despite the impending doom of the zombie apocalypse, there were many survivor groups out there. Were, was, and used to be… past tense— not anymore. A couple of months after the explosion, these survivor groups that had survived hordes after hordes were dying out. Hunted, would be the most correct term. Surely, the walkers had an affinity of detecting scents of blood and are attracted to noise, but there was something that walked amongst them.

Survivors, now in fortified prison group, of these deceased groups claimed that the large hordes that attacked—hunted them had a leader howling commands. They said that the walkers would circle them, blocking any potential escape routes and they would stand there… waiting. Until, a snarl is sounded, then the walkers swarmed in. These survivors had no idea how they escaped and lived to tell the tale, but they were grateful to be alive.

They all were.

Beth expressed a solemn sigh, her eyes glued to the fortified metal gates of their prison—home. It had been over six weeks since she last saw Daryl. Daryl, her friend, savior… and lover. A part of her wished she wasn't so stubborn. Wasn't it her stubbornness that drove him away? A soft scoff escaped her lips—she's a Greene girl. Stubbornness is a trait her side of the family carries. Then again, Daryl did say Dixons were stubborn as well.

She laughed silently to herself—the situation itself was bittersweet in all honesty. She straightened her back and slung the strap of her M16 assault rifle across her shoulder. For a long moment, she continued to stare at and beyond the fortress wall's gate. Her mind wandered back to the point where she basically forced him to leave.

No, she didn't outright tell him to go… he left willingly but she pushed him away. Unsightly tears began to gather and blur her vision as his departure replayed itself in her mind…

-0-

"Daryl, I need to talk to you. Just for a minute," Beth smiled lovingly at her lover, her hero. She knew he would be overjoyed at the news… after all, he wasn't getting any younger and neither was she. At this point in her life, and in their current situation, Beth believed that this was a gift from God. He was telling her to keep living with courage and conquer her fears. He was telling her that what happened between her and Daryl was right and not a mistake.

Daryl nodded curtly, his face seemingly a little grim and annoyed. After placing his polished arrows and crossbow aside, he left the group of males he was speaking to before following Beth to a corner of the fortified gates. "What?"

Puzzled, Beth furrowed her eyebrows at his sharp tone. "Are you okay? Is something bothering you?" His odd behavior effectively made Beth rethink her decision to tell him the news.

"Yeah, 'ts nothing. What'd ya want to tell me?" His voice gruff and unyielding.

"Oh… uhm… well I—," she began.

"Wait, actually, yeah I do have something that's bothering the hell outta me," he let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his semi- long brown hair. He paused to take in Beth's patient and expecting gaze, as of debating whether or not to continue. "There ain't no easy way to say this…"

"I'm sure whatever it is Daryl, we can solve it together," Beth began to take a step closer to him to wrap her arms around his waist—until he pulled back by taking a step back himself.

"You and I, Beth… we just can't be. It can't go on no more."

Beth stood there, stunned. "What are you trying to say, Daryl Dixon?" her southern drawl always dominated her speech when she was upset or angry.

"You and I— I don't want to hurt you more than I already have… we can't be together… It just ain't right," he looked straight into her eyes, with no emotion in his eyes.

Her lower lip trembled; salty tears began to cascade down her cheeks. "What brought this on?" she asked, not quite understanding the situation. "We were fine yesterday. What made you change your mind all of a sudden?!"

"I've been feeling like this for a while Beth. For Christ's sake I'm too old for you, and I've done things that I never shoulda done. I don't deserve someone so angelic like you. It… it ain't happening. I'm going to stop it right here, right now," he crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking at her down the tip of his nose, daring her to defy him.

Something in Beth snapped. Her gentle, docile nature disappeared as she yelled at him, not caring who or what heard them. "So is this it, Daryl Dixon? Was I just some sweet young fuck to you?" She lurched forward, putting her hands on his shoulder and shoved him backwards, hard. "Did it mean nothing to you? Are you embarrassed that you had to settle with me, a girl nearly half your age?! Do I mean nothing to you?!"

"Damnit Beth, quit putting words in my mouth! I couldn't get more than a couple sentences in and you done and gone run your mouth!" Daryl yelled back, his face began to redden in anger. "You have your damn whole life in front of you, and I'm just some fucking perverted ol' man. I don't want to be the asshole who robs you of your fucking future!" He pointed at the main prison building with a tense posture, "that is where your future is, with them young folks inside. Not me."

"You're deciding for me, Daryl! I don't want them, I want to be with you damnit! Why can't you just trust my decision to stay with you? If it's my future you're so worried about, you don't gotta. Because it's mine, and I want to spend it with you!" she hissed her words angrily, upset that Daryl had once again, and made decision of her future for her.

"You ain't gotta choice, Beth. I'm telling right now, that this thing between you and me is over," he casted her a last glance before taking one small step back. Then another… and another after that until he turned his back on her and began to stalk away.

"I hate you, Daryl Dixon. I don't want to ever see your face around here again," Beth whispered, heartbroken. She turned on her heels and hightailed into the main building, brushing by glances from curious bystanders.

Little did she know, once she disappeared into the building, Daryl's shoulders slumped—as if defeated. He turned around slowly, his eyes trained on the door she disappeared through. His eyes glazed over with unshed tears, his face tight and grim.

He went to retrieve his weapons and rallied a few men to load up the run-truck and started to head out of the protective fortress. His eyes never left the door in which his lover disappeared through, even as the fortified gates began to close, obscuring his vision. With a defeated sigh, he closed his eyes and a lone tear slipped from a corner of an eye, whispering his last apology…

"I love you, Beth… 'm sorry…"

-0-

The next morning of their argument, she avoided everyone like the plague, not eating nor drinking. Maggie Greene walked in with a plate of eggs and a small glass of goat milk, in efforts to tempt and bribe her sister to come out. They were lucky in running across a goat farm with non-diseased livestock and packets and packets of crop seeds.

It was then when Maggie told her Daryl and a few others had left to find more survivors. At first, Beth didn't bother to care—at least she tried to not care. But every moment she was not buried with tasks, she would think of him. Of how he protected her, how he smiled at her… how he loved her. She knew it well, but her anger was still raw and fresh.

It wasn't until after the third day, she began worrying about him. By the fourth day he was still missing, she got down on her knees and prayed for his and the group's safe return. By the second week since his absence, she grew restless and had tried to leave to find him on her own. Rick and Maggie said it would be suicide, but Beth didn't care.

Against her better judgment, she slipped into the night when no one was paying attention to her. She handled the straggler walkers just fine, but by morning, she ran into a small herd of walkers. If it weren't for Rick, Michonne, and Glen for tracking her down… she would've been the walkers' breakfast.

By the third week, she laid in bed for days—neither wanting to eat or drink. The army nurse, Raeanne, with the agreement of the group, started an IV to keep her hydrated and alive. It was then when the nurse noticed her critical and unique condition.

Of course, Maggie wasn't happy at all. In fact, everyone was quite shocked… but there was nothing she could do about it. Her sister and Ryan kept visiting her, encouraging her until by the fourth week, she decided to move on with her life.

And here she was now.

A part of her admired Daryl's concern of her future if he had let them be together. Yet, the other part of her hated herself for admiring his stubbornness. But isn't that what love is? To love a person is to love all their flaws and strengths, their weaknesses and courage.

She was torn. She had to move on with her life. If he was alive, he would've returned by now. But deep within her heart, she kept a spark—a hope that he's out there… surviving as Daryl he does best.

Beth sighed and shook her head in attempt to clear her thoughts of Daryl. Even after six weeks of his absence, it was without a doubt that she still loved him that with every fiber of her being knew—he was the only man, living or dead, for her.

"Do you want me to take over, Beth? You need some rest, honey. You've been taking sentry duty for days now," Maggie placed a soft hand on her little sister's shoulder, her brows creased with worry.

Beth looked up to find her sister smiling softly down at her. She didn't even hear her open the door. "No… I'm okay Maggie. You though," she nodded at her sister's protruding stomach. "You need more rest than I do at this point."

Maggie grinned sheepishly and shrugged, "I feel useless 'round here. No one's letting me do anything. It's like they see me as an invalid!"

"Well, Maggie… you are 'bout to burst!" Beth laughed and reached over to give her sister's hand a squeeze of affection. "Brother-in-law's worried sick about you. That's why he insisted to run for supplies for the delivery even when we're well equipped now."

"He's a good man," Maggie nodded. A blanket of comfortable silence fell between them. The sun had nearly set over the horizon; the darkness of night crept closer and darker. "Did you tell him?" Maggie broke the silence between them with a serious tone, "before… you know?"

Beth shook her head, her blond tresses tousled softly with the action. "Couldn't… no, didn't," she amended. "It wouldn't have changed anyway… maybe."

"Well… you never—," the older Greene sister was interrupted by frantic shouts at their fortress's gate.

Beyond the gate was a military jeep trailed by a familiar look white truck, and beyond the two vehicles was a large horde of the undead closing in on them.

Amidst the chaos, Beth swore she heard his voice.

/

JR – REVISED. I hope this is a much, much better chapter. Remember, next chapter will start from where Beth is assumed to be kidnapped by someone and Daryl meets the group of bikers.

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