Three weeks. It has been three long weeks since they rescued Beth from the hospital. Three weeks of running and division trying to separate the group. Abraham was still trying to get them to go to Washington even after Eugine's lie coming out. While Rick felt the journey was too dangerous, especially with winter coming up. Three weeks of trying to find somewhere safe to stay for more than a night. But for one it was the best three weeks of his life. Beth was back safe and Daryl couldn't be happier. The first week everyone was thrilled. It was a miracle that they found her and a little bit of hope came back to the group but soon everyone went back to they're routines.
Carl groaned loudly hearing his dad and Abraham come out of the brush in what was another argument. Tension was higher than usual. Even Judith let out a whimper as they passed them without a glance.
"They are so grumpy," he cooed to his sister as he bounced her on his lap, "yea, so grumpy." She let out a squeal of laughter loud enough to get their father's attention. He turned away from Abraham coming back to his children with a smile on his face. Getting Beth back also changed Rick for the better. She was a big sister to Judith and Carl. To him Beth was like a daughter and it crushed him when he found out she was gone. She was making lots of people have a bit more faith in this world.
"I thought Beth was going to watch her this morning so you could go hunting with Daryl?" Rick kneeled down next to them. Judith pulled herself to him rubbing her head against his chest.
Carl looked over toward Beth's tent where she was sleeping, "she didn't look good this morning. I think she had nightmares again and probably didn't get much sleep. I told her to rest."
"Does Daryl know?" Rick asked quietly giving Judith a kiss on her temple.
Carl shifted his gaze back to his father, "I'm not going to tell him. He doesn't need to be more worried then he already is."
"Yea, I can see your point," Rick agreed.
He would never forget the day they rescued Beth. He couldn't even call it that. Beth rescued herself and them. They were surrounded by walkers and Dawn's men when he saw the flash of blonde whip by him. He wasn't the only one who saw it. He saw Daryl next to him almost drop his crossbow at the sight.
"Beth," Daryl called out, his voice was tight. Even if he never told him himself, anyone could tell how much the girl meant to him. He was the one to push so hard she was alive even when Maggie lost hope. Beth didn't hear him, she continued on at full speed avoiding walkers. Rick could see the determination. She was trying to get somewhere.
"Beth," he yelled out again forcing himself through the few remaining walkers. "Beth, watch out!" This time she stopped to locate the voice. When her eyes met Daryl her whole body visibly relaxed. "Shit Beth look out!" He made a gesture for her to turn around. She spun around just as one of the cops tackled her to the asphalt with her gun flying out of her hand. The cop pinned her beneath him with his forearm on her throat.
"This is your fault," he screamed putting down more pressure causing her to cough. She reached around trying to find anything to get him off. He pulled his gun out of his holster and held it to her forehead. "The hospital is over run. Cops are dead. It's all your fault you stupid bit-"
Beth blinked as the cop was thrown off her body with an arrow shot through his head. She gasped on the ground as air filled up her lungs. As her vision came slowly came back the first thing she saw was his eyes. He slowly lifted her up touching her face unable to believe she was actually there.
"You're here," he breathed holding her forehead against his own, "you're alive."
Tears began to stream down her face, "how did you find me?"
"Noah," he answered helping her fully to her feet but not letting go, "he found us. But when we got here it was already complete chaos."
"He's alive," she smiled. Rick ran up and wrapped a arm around her pulling her in for a hug. "You are all here." Beth took in a deep breath willing her tears to stop. She looked around to see the rest of her family fighting off the walkers and cops together.
"Beth," Rick touched her shoulder, "we have to go. We have a safe spot. A church."
"Go," she picked up her gun off the ground, "I have to go get Carol you start getting everyone out of here."
"You are not going alone," Daryl grabbed her arm before she could take off again.
"I have too," Beth argued, "I've been in there for two months. I know the layout and I am the only one who will be able to reason with her."
"I just got you back," Daryl shouted letting go of her arm to stab an oncoming walker. "You are not going back in there alone."
"I'm not another dead girl, remember," Beth shouted back standing her ground. That was something Daryl did admire about her, she didn't back down from anyone. Including himself. A bullet whipped through them before he could respond making them all drop to the ground.
"Beth," they turned to see Dawn standing in front of them with her gun drawn. Behind her stood two others each holding onto Carol's arm. "You stupid girl."
"This has gone on enough," Rick yelled, "give us her and no one else has to die."
"No one would be dead if it wasn't for her," she screamed back aiming her gun directly at Beth. Daryl pushed her behind him slowly standing in the way of the danger. He just found her he wasn't about to lose her to a crazy cop with a gun. Dawn's hair was no longer fully up in a neat bun. Strands fell over her face with dry blood causing it to stick. "Give me her and I will give you back this woman. No one else will die."
"Except her right?" Daryl growled.
"They are both part of my group," Rick continued, "they are both coming back with me."
Dawn took a step forward, "she is the reason this whole operation has gone to shit. She blew up the fucking gates, she let them things in. We were safe. They were coming for us."
"No one was coming Dawn," Beth inched herself around Daryl, "there is no one coming to save us. The only way to survive now is to fight for it. You can't wait for people to save you."
"You are wrong," her arm was shaking. "The trade. Take it or we will kill all of you."
"Don't do it," Carol voiced behind her, "don't do it."
"We aren't leaving you," Daryl aimed his crossbow at one of the officers holding her. Beth walked briskly in front of Rick and Daryl before either one could stop her.
"You have me," she raised her arms, "let her go."
Dawn lowered her gun once Beth was standing directly in front of her. She stood up tall pushing any bit of fear she had away. Daryl felt a jolt of pride go through him seeing her. Dawn slapped her almost knocking her off her feet. Daryl reset his target before Beth held up her hand causing him to stop. Dawn grabbed her arms drawing her close. "Who is going to help you now?"
"Myself," Beth swung her arm out driving a pair of scissors into Dawn's neck. As if on cue both Daryl and Rick took out the men holding Carol.
Since then everyone just about felt a bit more hopeful minus the debate on where to go next. But they're family was back together.
"We should do something," Carl disrupted Rick from his thoughts.
"Like what?" Rick walked with Carl back into the camp.
"Something fun," Carl turned toward his dad. "I have a idea."
"We do not have time for this," Abraham stood up from his spot at the small fire they were using to cook lunch.
"I think it's perfect," Michonne smiled, "we need something like this."
"I agree," Rosita clapped her hands together. "We spent weeks running and fighting. It'll be a good relaxer."
"We do not have the luxury of relaxing," Abraham continued on throwing his bowl of soup on the ground.
"Then don't play," Glenn joined in, "seriously when is the last time any of us has had a good day."
"So it's settled," Carl grinned. Rick rarely saw his son act like a real kid and in this moment his heart swelled with joy.
"What's settled?" Daryl asked coming up behind them with Beth in tow.
"We are going to play kickball," Carl answered throwing the old ball at him which he easily caught with a hand.
Daryl spun it around giving the group a skeptical look, "really?"
Beth jumped in front of him swiping it away, "so girls against boys?" She teased sticking her tongue out at him. His lips turned up at her antics. He couldn't help it, ever since he got her back it was hard to not smile. He felt like a idiot most of the time. But the best part was he didn't care. While everyone else fought about where to go he just smiled like a high school punk at the blonde beauty who was usually next to him. Like some damn romance novel. She proved him wrong after everything. She was strong. She wasn't another dead girl. He had to remember that.
"You ready to lose, princess," he teased back tacking the ball from her.
They set up in the open field and like Beth suggested it was boys against girls. Sasha sat behind the kicker's plate with Judith in between her legs playing with a few beat up dolls they found on the drive.
"You ready for this?" Rick called down to Michonne. She did a little jump swinging out her leg in a practice run.
"Bring it on Sheriff," she smiled. He rolled the ball down toward her where she kicked it full force. With that the game took off. Both sides playing hard no one giving in a inch. Maggie took off past second base toward third where Glenn waited for her.
"It's not going to work," he called with his arms out ready to catch the ball Carl was chasing.
"So you're saying you don't want sex tonight?" she yelled back picking up her speed. Glenn groaned letting the ball fly over his head.
"What the hell," Carl threw up his arms as the rest of the boys laughed. Maggie slapped the ball cap he was wearing as she raced past him in triumph.
"You go Maggie!" Beth cheered on second base where Daryl stood guard laughing. "You know Mr. Dixon you seem to be enjoying yourself."
"Well princess I am," Daryl looked down at her, "I actually feel stupid because I can't stop smiling like an idiot. God, I went through hell Beth. Now that your back all that crap about hope and faith you always went on about actually makes sense."
"Oh well glad all that crap I go on about could help," Beth giggled as she watched Tyresse strike out Sasha's first attempt in the line.
"You might shoot better than me but I will always kick your butt at any sport," he bragged smugly while Sasha responded with a finger. Daryl bent down and kissed Beth's forehead softly causing her to close her eyes leaning into him. She was in bliss she couldn't deny it. They were still in a dangerous world. Everyday there was a new threat, but she was home. She found them. She found him. The man she dreamed of for months was in her life once again.
"Don't fall for it Beth," they both heard Carol. Beth snapped her eyes open realizing what was happening to late.
"No," she tried to break away but he snaked a arm around her waist.
"Sorry Carol," he pulled Beth in closer, "I know you can't come to this base with her here."
Carol cursed under her breath as she rushed back toward first base where Rick was waiting. Beth squirmed but she couldn't escape his grip. She turned toward him giving him a playful frown, "you are a cheater."
"I don't know what you are talking about," he responded.
"I can cheat too."
"What are you talking.." Beth cut him off as she pressed her lips against his swiftly. Like she predicted he immediately slacked his muscles giving her enough room run out.
"Run Carol," she called back racing toward the third base.
"Poor pookie," Carol teased as she raced passed him.
"You guys fail," Carl took off with the ball in hand after Carol. If he would have known all the men would be so easily distracted by the women he would have joined their team in the beginning.
They played into the dusk, it was the first time that they all laughed and fun since they could remember. Even Abraham came out to play forgetting about DC for the first time in weeks. It was a the perfect day.
"That was a great idea Carl," Michonne pushed him slightly as they strung up the last strand of tin cans around their camp for the night.
"What's the point of living if we don't actually live," he tilted his hat up, "right?"
Daryl passed by them entering the tent that Beth and him shared. He saw her laying down writing in one of the journals he picked up for her on a run.
"I need to talk to you," he started zipping up the tent behind him.
"About the kiss?" she quirked a eye brow, "if it made you mad I apologize."
"You apologize?" he repeated sitting down across from her.
"Yea I mean I know.." she started but was cut off by his lips against hers. He wrapped one hand in her hair and pulled her closer with his other hand of the small of her back. "That's a much better first kiss don't ya think?" Beth mumbled in agreement, cheeks flushed, before leaning back in. Both were so happy they were sure that they could make it in this broken world. They had hope.