Hi guys, so I promised you another Bethyl fic and here it is :) I have to say I'm really excited about this, so much so that I even decided against doing NanoWriMo this month so I could dedicate myself to this. If you are fan of Bury It Down Deep, please don't worry I won't forget about it but I hope you also enjoy this slightly darker story. It would mean so much to me if you could once you've read it review, follow and favourite (if you like it of course) as your feedback really helps drive me forward.

As always you can follow me on tumblr as EnchantedAbsurdities.

Hope you all enjoy,

Alexis x

"That's the last of them." Beth announced her nose wrinkling as she dropped the overflowing laundry basket to the ground with a heavy thud, her watering eyes transfixed a head on the pyre spitting and hissing violently. It seemed like the fire never ceased now with the virus. Every day there was something else to destroy, to return to ashes.

Watching the smoke rise higher and be carried across the fields, wrapped up with the wind, Beth felt her lips turn downwards as it covered the land like a blanket of death smothering any flicker of hope in its path.

"Should be wearin' a mask, didn't yer get the memo?" Skimming her dull grey eyes to the redneck standing the other side of a make shift fence that Carl and Rick had constricted only a few days previous, Beth could feel her cheeks burn. Searching the back pocket of her denim crops she found them to be empty. Seeing Daryl's hooded eyes roll heavily in her direction she was quickly greeted with a bright red bandana hurtling through the air towards her. Catching it somewhat clumsily between her fingers she quickly placed it flush against her nose and mouth to shield herself. Immediately her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of leather and oil. It was heavy and deep and every bit Daryl. Clutching it closer and closing her eyes she let herself get lost momentarily in the feeling of comfort and warmth that it stirred within her. Feelings that were becoming so hard to find she thought that they might have been extinguished.

"Gloves." Daryl instructed sternly against his own black bandana, tilting his head to the white synthetic coating upon her hands that was becoming like a second skin to them all. Nodding she rolled them down, wrapping them into each other and letting them fall on top of the pile of blooded and soiled clothing. "Didn't think your Pa would let ya out here."

Grinning against the borrowed material Beth shrugged.

"Even I need a break from Judith some time." she attempted to laugh but was pulled down by the pessimism bubbling like tar in her gut. As Daryl mopped the sweat from his brow Beth found herself stepping closer, her eyes drawn into the flames that seemed to call to her, dancing like a gypsy beneath the wood and remains of a world they were so close to creating. "Everything inside it's a bit," she stammered trying to find the words to explain.

"Much?" Daryl's offered catching her off guard.

"Yeah." Seeing him nod she took stance by his side, her finger trailing upon the wire that kept them apart.

"Why yer think I'm out here." He smirked.

To her surprise Beth found that groans of walkers become nothing more than a back ground mumbling against the spits and crackles of the fire; a sound that revoked memories of the past, of childhood and innocence, camp fires, marshmallows and guitar songs. It was almost pleasurable to be fooled into nostalgia, have the chance to forget for even the briefest of seconds that it was the blood and memories of those they knew and loved that they were burning, returning to the earth. Dust to dust. In the flames she could see their faces. Disfigured and mutilated. Karen. David. Patrick. Destroyed. The list of those lost was growing.

"Problem is people ain't sayin' anythin. I get that it's not nice to talk about but the kids, the Woodbury folk, they got all these questions and no one's answerin'." she found herself confessing, the flames mesmerising her and drawing out the truth. Twisting the wire around her finger she let her teeth slice into her bottom lip as it tightened cutting of the blood supply as she fought with the devil on her shoulder.

Shaking her head she closed her eyes tightly, taking in a sharp breath. "They're startin' to say that Karen, David, they hadn't even turned yet, that someone," Beth paused her stomach twisting at the very thought of it. Murder.

"Who sayin' that?" Daryl's voice snapped harshly that Beth found she couldn't' stop her whole body from flinching. With the invisible wall of heat raging war against her petite frame, her face and body began to shimmer with a thin sheet of sweat, her cheeks and neck turning blotchy and red.

"It don't matter who." It didn't. It felt like being back at school with a hive of Chinese whispers. No, it didn't matter who started it, she thought releasing her finger which was now white at the tip and rubbing it gently back to life. What mattered was that it was put to rest one way or another. "Daryl," she asked softly her voice a little unsure as his tense face turned to look at her directly. Opening her mouth to ask whether it was true she found herself faltering. Maybe it was better not to know. That way she could at least believe that it wasn't because the truth of the matter was, the other option was far too horrifying. To think that one of them, inside, could do such a thing, to simply take life and death into their own hands chilled her. Could they really be sharing cells with someone so callous?

"I just thought we were getting' somewhere," she stuttered realising that Daryl was still waiting, staring expectantly. "Making a home, a life. I mean we had Judith and the Woodbury folk. Rick was farmin', people were all helpin', and I," stopping she found herself flooded with a familiar feeling that never seemed to be gone for long.

"had Zach?" in the gravel of his voice Beth could hear the slight waver of emotion that Daryl still carried. She could remember it so clearly, the look on his face and the sadness in his voice when he came to her that night. She hadn't seen that in him before, she wasn't entirely sure that Daryl was capable of expressing such things but as they had stopped and looked at each other she felt like at that moment him more than anyone understood because he felt it too. He still did.

With slight comfort she shrugged letting her foot bury itself in the dried earth beneath her, scuffing the tips of her worn converse, white to brown.

"Felt normal. Like a real eighteen year old girl." Pausing for a moment she couldn't stop a small smile from forming on her lips. "It weren't serious or nothin' not like Maggie and Glenn. Just fun. He could be so goofy, made me laugh. It's good to laugh. It don't happen so much anymore." Feeling Daryl's stare intensifying she turned her head away a little in his direction shyly, wrapping her arms tightly around her body as if trying to keep hold of the memories.

As a silence fell between them Beth couldn't stop herself from glancing at her new found confidant out the corner of her as he rubbed a patch on the back of his neck almost anxiously before adding in a low murmur,

"Was a good kid." Her heart warmed a little at his words. Nodding in agreement she sighed.

"Yeah I think he was." Lowering her gaze back to the earth as a soft wind blew, rustling against her cheek; she smiled softly before tucking a stray strand of dirtied blonde hair behind her ear.

"And we are," Daryl added his head tilted at her as if he was trying to get a better angle of her face. "gettin' somewhere. Already gettin' a hold on things, burnin' stuff and shit. Ain't no cold gonna snuff us." Blushing a little at his cussing Beth couldn't help but instantly lighter by his words. He was right they were doing stuff, or at least most of them were. She was starting to feel, deep down inside, that perhaps she could be doing something more yet the truth was she didn't have a clue as to where to start.

"Don't be out here too long 'kay?" she called wincing with agitated eyes as she realised that he had already begun to start emptying the basket she bought out. With the fire stoked up the smoke was beginning to roll in thick and heavy, dividing them like an ocean. Feeling it coat her skin and cling to her clothes she waited for his outline to dissipate before turning on her heels, heading back inside his bandana clutched closely to her lips.

Climbing the metal steps with as light a footsteps as she could manage to Carol's cell Beth tried to ignore the chill that seemed to hang in the air. Reminding herself not to hold on to the handle or touch surfaces that could possibly be harbouring germs, she set her twitching fingers on the material of Daryl's bandana, entwining it around her hand as she gingerly glanced around the eerily quiet block. Goosebumps rose upon her bare arms as she reached the top, her palms already growing clammy against the red material. When she had left to help take out the basket of Judith's soiled nappies and bibs the cell block had been a hive of activity. Now the only sound she could hear was the beat of her heart as it began to pound heavily against the rib cage.

As she edged along the empty cells her mouth grew dry, her tongue swelling as it grew increasingly more difficult to swallow the closer she got to the violet coloured veil that draped against the entrance into Carol's private quarters. With one hand reaching down to the knife she kept in her boot, she found herself automatically holding her breath, preparing to face whatever horrific scene may lay before her. Pressing her lips together and straightening she quickly pushed the veil to one side, knife gripped tightly in her whitening fist, bandana in the other.

"What's going on?" Beth asked, her fair eyebrows furrowing and forehead wrinkling finding only Mika and Lizzie alone with Judith. The fact that the two girls were alone didn't sit well in Beth's stomach. "Where is everyone?" Still keeping hold of her blade she looked at them both expectantly trying to ignore the feeling of her insides tightening as Mika turned silently to her older sister. With wide almond eyes, her lips began to part as if to speak but failed to make a sound as Lizzie's face shifted into a stern stone like expression. Beth watched as the younger girl began slinking back into Lizzie's shadow, her head low, shielding herself under her mop of mousey hair. She knew the feeling well. What it was like to have an older sister who was confident, intelligent, brazen. She knew the lines that one had to tow, an unwritten sibling rule. Offering a gentle smile at Mika Beth leant forward and studied the infant in her arms. Taking a moment to gently sweep Judith's hair out of her heavily dozing eyes and across her soft warm forehead, she smiled fondly as Judith let out a little yawn. "Looks like you've warn her out." Beth noted stepping back and placing her blade back into her boot, watching at the warmth Mika illuminated. There was something very sweet about the girl, Beth thought. She was innocent and good, as much as someone could be in this world.

"We like her." She eventually replied beaming down at Judith with a toothy grin. "Don't we Lizzie?" Dark circles marred the soft skin under the elder girl's eyes, a sign of one too many tears in the last few hours as she shrugged her bony shoulders in response. Beth knew that it had only been a couple of days since her father's passing but she was certain that it was something else that caused Lizzie to be so cold and unresponsive. "Been singin' like you do to her, but don't think she likes our songs, all she did were cry."

Bending down so that she was at eye level with the two Beth tickled Judith's foot lightly with her index finger making her giggle and gurgle in response.

"She had her bottle?" she questioned adopting the most cheery and optimistic voice she could muster, despite the dark, dragging feeling in her gut. As if on cue Mika's head shook.

"Carol was gonna go get her one but then-" Lizzie's eyes glared warningly into hers and she silenced once more. Stiffening in frustration Beth could feel her smile slipping as tension began to mount up her spine. Licking her tongue along her lips she kept her gaze upon the infant, trying to keep her presence light.

"She what Mika?"

"Don't!" Lizzie finally spoke, her voice low and stern. Meeting Beth's eyes with hers she rolled them in a way that seemed older than her years. "Carol said not to say anything." Resting her head in her hands and rubbing her face a little, the smell of smoke still caught around her skin, Beth sighed before stuffing the bandana in her back pocket, her patience thinning. Now was not the time for secrets.

"Fine then I'll take Judy and go."

"You can't!" Mika shouted, clutching Judith tighter as if she was a toy doll about to be snatched. Looking to her elder sister for help with watering eyes, Mika shuffled backwards on the bunk, the sheets crumpling beneath her as she brushed up against the cold wall, like an animal cornered, eyes wide with fear. Attempting to reach forward once more Beth was shocked to find Lizzie shift her legs blocking her path.

"She needs her bottle. She gets grouchy when she don't have her feed." She stressed noticing Judith wriggle uncomfortably in the over tight grip. It wasn't like Carol to just up and leave, forget about Judith and the importance of her routine. It was Carol who told her just how vital it was to try and keep things steady for her. It had to be something serious. Tucking her lip inward she chewed down upon the skin in thought.

"We're not stupid. We know baby's cry when they're hungry," Lizzie spat, her growing teenage attitude building as she slipped from the mattress and stalked towards the cell entrance, her lean body attempting to block the opening. "You just can't take her. No one can leave here." Beth blinked blankly at the young girl's words before eyeing Mika for confirmation.

"We weren't meant to hear them all talkin'," Mika began with a slight look of panic, jiggling Judith awkwardly as her whimpers became cries growing in volume and distress; the very sound causing an uneasy prickling along the back of Beth's neck. "Carol said-"

"If we leave, we'll get sick too." Lizzie finished, her gaze falling to the floor, down trodden as she added, much softer and quiet than before. "Like the others". Looking back between Judith and the fair siblings Beth slowly rose to her feet. It was only seconds before Beth began to feel like the four walls of the cell were starting to cave in on them.

"Others?" she breathed shakily unable to disguise the distinct quiver in her voice. Lizzie nodded in confirmation.

"They said it's spreading. Fast."