She was the flame at the end of the tunnel. Her golden hair lit up a pathway for his sorrow and pain. She never failed to make his day just a tad better, wether she sang a song or whispered little faith getters to herself. The petite blonde kept the man sane. Of course there were days where she got on his nerves when she tried to shove her 'words of wisdom' down his throat, but through it all, he appreciated the young girls hope. Especially now, after the prison, Hershall, Maggie.
She kept her head up. Of course what Daryl didn't know, was all of those things really were tearing Beth away from the inside out. She forced a smile on her face every time she looked at him because she knew that she had to be strong. Beth was a fighter and she wasn't going to let the emotional pain take over her skills. She survived and they didn't. That was that and now she had to keep going and not give up, for them.
To help hide her emotions, she often waited until Daryl was snoring away at night. She would then let it out. She found that talking to her father as if he was listening was therapeutic. This most likely led to crying herself to sleep and a sense of relief in the morning.
Things only got better after the moonshine shack. That had really helped her and Daryl. Being able to to explain that she was still here and not just another dead girl who's timer is running out. Holding Daryl as he wept, honestly, made her feel strong and powerful. She had made the single most difficult, sheltered man let his emotions free.
Beth had that affect on Daryl. He admired her braveness and her increasing maturity, yet he adored the remaining child that lived within the young woman. She was, after all, about 19 now.
No one could burn the flame in the dark tunnel out. Neither of the two would let that happen. Daryl was going to protect Beth and she was determined to help him.
/
The duo silently crept through the woods, making their way to their new 'campsite.' It was a colder night so Daryl had went out to find sticks to build as big a fire as they could afford to have before it was too noticeable. Being the independent, quite stubborn girl she was, Beth just had to go with Daryl. She needed practice. Daryl didn't protest, he just went a long with it and didn't say a word.
It wasn't hard to find good sticks that weren't damp from the rain shower earlier. Daryl knew exactly where to look; under trees. Once they had found the sticks they were back where they had came from.
"You get the sleeping arrangements set up I'll get the Fire goin'." Daryl began rubbing twigs and rocks together to create a spark as Beth laid out the tattered blankets they had found not too long ago.
Beth pulled out a thin sheet and began attaching it to the staggering bark In between two trees to act as a tent. She then sat herself down on her blanket and watched as Daryl roasted a can of beans above the small fire. His deep blue eyes glittered as the fire reflected golden ashes in his eyes. Out of no where Beth heard something strange. Very strange. She almost jumped when her ears caught notice of this sound.
It wasn't the sound of crunching leaves from a nearby walker or distant human whispers. No. It was her song. The one she had been writing and practicing. But she wasn't singing it.
"Daryl? Are you...hummin'?" Beth chuckled. Daryl's head shot up, breaking his focus from the frying food. He must've been doing it unconsciously because he was very shocked when he was asked that.
"What?"
"It's unclear now what we intend, were alone in our own world." Beth began to sing her song, showing him she knew what he was humming.
"I wasn't hummin' girl." Daryl huffed as he stood to bring Beth the beans.
"Okay." Beth elongated her word too show the sarcasm in her voice. Daryl rolled his eyes as he settled into his spot near Beth. There was a minute of pure silence. The only things that could be heard was the rustling of the leaves as the cool breeze hit them. The crackle and pop of the small lit fire. Even the soft breathing of the two survivors. It was oddly...peaceful and calming.
This thought scared Beth. She was so used to the new world now that peace frightened her. She feared it more then walkers. Every time she had ever felt like there was peace during the apocalypse something bad had happened. No not bad, disastrous. Beth couldn't help but shake this feeling from her mind.
"Daryl?" The blonde broke the silence. Daryl didn't respond, he just looked at her as she stared blankly at her palms. "I- I'm scared that this is the life I have accepted to live." The once playful environment was now gone.
"What ya mean?" Daryl was confused on what she meant.
"I mean...well. Thinking about what life was like before sends chills down my spine. I get this gross feeling that makes me despise that life style. I think I'm so used to all the pain and loss that there's no point in fighting for that kind of life anymore." Beth peeled her eyes away from her palms and met Daryl's. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want there to be anymore changes. I-I want it to stay the way it is now." Beth's voice cracked when she said this. It was hard for her to understand that that's what she wanted but it was and she couldn't believe she had said that out loud.
The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Then Daryl cleared his throat, "Well, I'm used to this. My life ain't never been no different. I don't need to cope or nothin'." Daryl hesitated to say what he wanted to say next. "If ya ever feel...uncomfortable. You got me. And only me. I'm here ya know." This was the first time Daryl had opened himself up to help by speaking. He disliked it as much as he disliked his father. But this...this was Beth.
Her crystal blue eyes widened when Daryl said this. She just couldn't comprehend. Not only was Daryl speaking to her more, he was willing to speak to her about personal things. Beth didn't know how to react to this, she just kind of stared.
"Never mind." Daryl sensed the awkwardness after presenting his offer.
"No, no. I'll take you up on it." A soft smile curled at the corners on the doll like face of Beth.
"Nah." Daryl picked up rocks and tossed them into the fire to avoid eye contact with Beth.
"Daryl. Don't mumble." Beth leaned over and nudged the man in the shoulder. What she didn't expect was his response. A small laugh escaped from Daryl. Beth couldn't help but smile at this. Daryl may be the only person she will ever have contact with for the rest of her life and she sure as hell wasn't going to let him be a jerk to her 24/7. This was good, progress.
A slight blush flowed through the her porcelain skin. A feeling of warmth spread around her chest.
"Maybe sm'other time." Daryl finally responded. And with that Daryl was laying down, one arm over his eyes and the other cradling his neck.
"Night Dixon." Beth curled into a ball and faced away from the man.
"Night Greene."
/
It was the first night Beth hadn't fallen asleep to the sound of her own sniffling and salty tears. In fact, it was the first night that she didn't have to force herself to sleep in a while. Beth was so regularly tired that it wasn't hard for her to drift off but she had always kept one eye open in case of any threats. This called for an uneasy and rough sleep. There was no doubt that rest was a hard thing to come by. Catching up with hours of lost sleep never seemed to happen. You just had to suffer through the exhaustion and keep your mind on something else.
But this was different, easy almost. Although, things are always too go to be true. About half way through the night the cold decided to visit Beth and continuously nip at her exposed limbs until she couldn't bare it anymore.
The girl slowly sat up, trying not to make too much noise. She knew Daryl didn't get much sleep either, always keeping watch and kept awake by his own thoughts. But he looked comfortable and she didn't want to risk waking him.
Her pack was right behind her, she had used it as a pillow. However, every move she made, leaves would crunch under her body and the zipper and shuffling of material always made too much noise. The fire had gone out probably an hour or so ago. Beth quickly looked around her in hope of maybe some kind of warming item that was accidentally left out by her or Daryl. But the girl was in no luck.
The blonde peered over to where Daryl was laying. He remained in the same position he had fell asleep in, his chest rising and falling with every breath. Beth's teeth began to clatter together as a breeze brushed by. Goosebumps covered her bare arms and she wondered why Daryl wasn't as freezing as her.
As she sat, focusing on the cold, she heard the man begin to shiver. Finally the girl made the decision that she would most likely regret in the morning. Beth quietly scooted over to where Daryl lay and rest her head on his chest. Her arm laid across his abdomen as she absorbed his warmth and tried to share hers with him. Without warning the mans hand wrapped around the girls shoulder and pulled her in closer to his body. With this notion of assurance, Beth nestled her face into his shirt and closed her eyes.
/
Morning came faster then expected but the two didn't care. In fact, they were grateful for the warmth of the sun on their faces. Daryl was the first to wake up. He didn't expect to find a sleeping beauty twined within him. He lifted his head up with force, finding that his neck had gone stiff.
"Hey. Wake up." He gently shook Beth until she opened her doe eyes. Beth lifted her chin and met Daryl's eyes. She dug her face back into his chest and moaned not wanting to get up. Daryl huffed and sat up with the girl still wrapped around him. "Beth." He spoke a little louder. After a good ten minutes of battling and moans of 'no' and 'just a sec', Beth released her grip from the man.
Once he was free, Daryl stood up and began packing up the stuff. Beth just flopped back down on her blanket.
"Let's go, girl." Daryl swung his crossbow around his back and stared as the young blonde struggled to stand to her feet. She draped her backpack over one shoulder and moped slowly behind him. Her eyes were heavy and dark circles engulfed her eye sockets. Beth's facial expression really spoke how tired she was and how much she wanted to just stop walking and lay down right where she was.
Daryl didn't say a single word to Beth for about three hours. They tracked and searched for a place to stay but there was no communication between them what so ever.
"I spy with my little eye...somethin' red." Beth said trudging behind Daryl. He just grunted in response and didn't even glance back. "Ok...I'm thinkin' of somethin' big and sharp and shiny." Beth tried again. She achieved a quick glance but nothing more.
Beth stopped in the middle of her steps and bent down to grab a small rock. "You're such a bum." She chucked the rock at Daryl's back. Daryl bit back a smile but still, no response. "Ugggghhhh." Beth let out an exasperated sigh. She didn't want to walk in silence any longer. "Daryl Dixon, you listen to me and you listen well. I want to play a game and you will play. No if ands or buts." Beth naively stomped her foot.
Soon enough Daryl turned around and opened his mouth to refuse-
"Ah ah ah." Beth put up her finger when he tried to disagree.
"Fine." Daryl growled. Beth's grin grew wider, almost touching her ears.
/
"Would you rather...eat snake for the rest of your life or eat squirrel?"
Daryl scowled at this question knowing in the back of his mind that Beth knew the answer. She just wanted to hear him admit it.
"Snake." He said under his breath
Beth chuckled and stuck her tongue out gesturing her disgust. "Your turn."
"What?"
"It's your turn."
"Oh." Daryl never did things like this. He wasn't much of a so called 'fun' type person. "What do I say?" The man grunted as he walk ahead of Beth.
"Just ask me the same question."
"Snake or rabbit?" Daryl glanced back at the blonde clearly confused.
"No, would you rather."
"K. Would you rather..." He took a minute to try and think something up. "Ride a horse or drive a car?"
"Car."
"What?"
"I would rather drive a car." Beth said with confidence. "I was never taught how and I think it would be fun."
"But didn't you have a shit ton of ponies at the farm or somethin'?"
"Yeah but I've never really driven a car and-"
Beth was interrupted by a slight rustle of leaves. "Shhh." Daryl quickly stood in front of Beth, spreading his shoulders wide like a bird protecting its eggs. He pointed his crossbow to where the noise had come from and took a step forward, motioning Beth should quietly follow along. The two snuck around a few bushes to where the sound originated from. A few more rustles and put popped a little button tail rabbit.
"It's just a rodent." Sighed Daryl with relief, aiming his arrow down and swinging it back over his shoulder.
"Well then where was I..." Beth trotted ahead without looking back. "Oh yes. The car and the horse." She quickly spun around to see Daryl and began walking backwards. Daryl tried to resist the small grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. But he noticed something strange about this scene. Things were too quiet. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a decaying hand curve around a tree where Beth was heading.
"Beth! Duck!" Daryl snatched his crossbow and shot at the walkers head, landing an arrow right in between its eyes. "Pay attention where your going girl." Daryl said harshly as he yanked the arrow out of the dead walkers skull, blood spurting everywhere.
Daryl stomped passed the naive girl, clearly not feeling the innocence and oblivious nature today. He cursed to himself as he ran the previous event through his head over and over again. What if he hadn't seen the walker? If Beth would've got bitten? She would have died and he would be alone. How stupid could she be? Risking their survival for a stupid game of would you-
Daryl made his way through a big group of trees and stumbled upon a hoard of walkers. He remained still, hoping they wouldn't notice him. He looked over his shoulder and realized he was quite aways from Beth. He slowly backed up and threw his back up on a tree. He prepped his weapon and waited for the group to pass.
"Daryl...I-I'm sorry that-" Beth began to speak, focused on her feet, as she approached the man but was quickly silenced by his muscular hand over her mouth. He pulled her into his chest so she was hidden too. But it was too late. He could hear the groans from the hoard getting closer. They must've been attracted to Beth's talking.
'Not again girl.' Daryl thought. He pulled the now very startled and confused Beth from his chest and looked her in the eyes. "When I say run, you run." His whisper traveled through the win. Daryl loosened his grip on the blonde and stepped to the side to peak at what they were up against.
It wasn't much...if they were with their group. But they weren't. It was just Beth and Daryl and an occasional snake. They were easily out numbered and there was no point in hiding any longer because the walkers had already picked up their scent. Daryl moved back to back with the tree and signaled to Beth that on the count of three they would run. Three. Two.
"Run!" Daryl shouted and the duo took off in the opposite direction of the hoard. The walkers picked up pace and their growls grew louder. More and more began to follow. Beth ran as fast as her tiny body could, making sure not to trip on any free roots or rocks. Daryl jumped over logs and squatted under low tree branches. They began to get closer to the road as Daryl noticed the amount of trees thinning.
"Ahhhhh!" A piercing scream rang through Daryl's ears. His eyes jolted to Beth, worried what he might see. A walker had grabbed hold of the end of her pony tail and as tugging her away. Beth tried to free herself by yanking at her hair but the walker wasn't letting Beth go easy. The rotting corpse opened its jaw as it pulled Beth in closer by her yellow locks. Daryl pulled out his knife and began chopping away at the walkers hand. He striked three times and soon enough the walkers hand fell to the ground. The minute Beth felt the tension in her hair release, she bolted and ran faster then she thought she could.
They pushed through trees and bushes, slicing their skin in the process. Running was hard and tiring but soon enough they came upon an open road.
"There!" Daryl pointed, maintaining his speed. A small shadow formed a house like figure in the background. Beth sprinted as fast as she could catching up to Daryl. The poor girl was so fragile and weak she could barely keep herself up.