Beth and Daryl.
Chapter 1.
Taking place in Alexandria. Beth had survived Grady- barely, Daryl had carried her body out of the hospital. She'd spent 3 years in a coma whilst the group were settling in to the township.
Daryl burst in through his front door, slamming it shut behind him before taking the stairs two at a time to reach the spare bedrooms upstairs. He heard Maggie crying from inside the smallest, furthest from the staircase.
'No, no, no'. Daryl thought to himself as he swung the bedroom door open to see Maggie holding her sisters pale hand. "Wha's happened?" He demanded as he jumped over her body, lying death like on the bed, grasping her hand as he sat beside her on the bed. Not even caring he was getting deer blood, mud and grime all over the duvet cover. "She ain't..." He looked at Maggie, pleading.
"She's ok, Daryl. I just thought I'd heard her talking, so I come upstairs and she's still lying here, silent, small and not awake..." Maggie turned to Glen with a sob and her head rested on his chest.
"I thought she'd died." Daryl stroked Beth's hand with his thumb.
Maggie just shook her head, "I'm going back to work. C'mon Glen. You ok to stay now Daryl?"
"Always." He kicked off his boots and laid down, arm going instinctively round her head.
Daryl drifted off quickly, he'd been on night guard duty patrolling the walls around Alexandria, and he took a deep breath and then began dreaming about the time they'd spent together alone, for those weeks in the woods.
"Shit!" Beth murmured from behind a bush, where she'd gone to the toilet, several moments before. "Daryl, I need…." Her voice quietened off, eventually stopping completely.
Daryl sighed and made his way round the bush, still protected by their string and can barrier. He stopped dead when she was stood there, naked from the waist down. "Hum, Beth? I don't know wha' you doin', but naked don't cut it when there are walkers roaming about." He smiled when she flushed.
"I need tampons and new jeans." She turned her head away, protecting her modesty with the ruined jeans.
"Wha'?" Daryl started backing off, turning slightly so he wasn't looking at her directly. Of course they'd seen each other naked. It was a post-apocalyptic world. When they had to bathe in rivers or ponds and everyone had minimal clothes you were bound to see flesh once in a while. It hardly bothered him anymore, except where she was concerned, before his feelings had developed. Now, he tried to act like he was immune. Of course he wasn't. He was a man, after all.
"Daryl, either get me my pack, or chuck me my stuff. I'm on my period." Beth had grabbed the bag he'd flung at her. "Thank you. Jeeze, y'all act like this ain't natural. Daryl Dixon, you're travelling with a woman."
Didn't Daryl know it? In the past few years he'd seen her body change, her attitude change and her willingness to survive change. He was falling in love with Beth Greene, all woman of her. Not that he'd say anything, of course.
Beth came back round to the fire a few minutes later, having cleaned up and binned her jeans. "You didn't tell me I was bleedin', that coulda' been dangerous Daryl." She sat down next to him, snuggled under his armpit, head on his shoulder.
"I dint realise. Why were you embarrassed when you were naked?" Daryl kissed the top of her blonde wavy hair as she entwined her fingers with his.
"I had blood all over me. It ain't attractive."
He snorted, nothing about this entire fucking situation was attractive. What was a bit more blood?
Daryl felt Beth's hand grasp his. He awoke, looking at her pale face, pastel pink lips pouted in her comatose state. Her light blonde hair fanned around her head, she looked like a ghost, especially when the duvet was white as well. He traced her cheek with his thumb, across her eyelid, down her nose and then around her lips. Twice. He felt her breath tickle his palm, he felt her breathe. A deep breath, an inhale, in which he swore he heard his name. "Daryl." It was quick, and he nearly jumped from the bed in shock.
"Beth?" Daryl was bent over her when her eyelids fluttered. "Shit! Beth?!" He shook her shoulders, and her eyes opened for about 3 seconds before closing again.
Daryl bounded for the open window, looking up and down the perfectly maintained streets of Alexandria looking for any of his family. He spotted Rick and Carl walking up the street. "Rick!" He bellowed into the quiet. "She's wakin', she's fuckin' wakin up." Daryl turned from the window and gripped her hand once again.
Rick and Carl came bounding into the bedroom at nearly the same time Beth sat bolt upright in bed and opened her mouth in a terrifying silent scream.