Disclaimer: I don't own TWD or its character but I guess I enjoy making them do the nasty.

This will be a multi-chapter, non-apocalypse AU

"I can't do this, Maggie. There are so many people out there - it's too much. I'll choke; I don't want to make a fool of myself!" Beth could feel her heart beat with anxiety and she was almost positive that her older sister, Maggie, could see the pulse jumping in her throat from a mile away. It was less than a minute before she had to go out on stage and sing for the town's annual festival/carnival organised by her school. Maggie sighed and pulled her sister in for a quick hug before pulling back and smiling.

"Look at me, Beth. You'll be great. You've got a beautiful voice, everyone will love you, and don't forget how proud daddy will be of you afterwards. Just go out there and..." Her pep talk was interrupted by the raucous sound of engines as half a dozen motorbikes pulled up. Beth groaned as the men loitered near the bikes, drinking, smoking, and talking loudly.

"There's even more people now! What am I gonna do?" She looked at Maggie helplessly. Before either could speak again an announcement came over the speakers telling the crowd that Beth Greene was their next performer of the evening. Maggie pulled her in for another hug and kisses her on the cheek, wishing her luck as she left the backstage area to stand with the audience.

Beth walked onto the stage slowly, picking up her guitar that was ready and waiting next to the microphone. She adjusted the strap to fit comfortably on her shoulder. Her hands were shaking and the longer it took her to fix the strap, the worse her nerves got. It didn't help that the men at the bikes were being distractingly loud. The crowd was starting to fidget now, obviously waiting for her to start. She took a deep breath and began singing her first song of the evening. It was a song that her and Maggie used to sing together as kids and it was one of her favourites. The memories that came with the song helped to calm her nerves and the audience seemed to be enjoying the music. Even the bikers had gone quiet.

The evening seemed to fly by once she was comfortable on stage. She was on her final song before she knew it and she couldn't help but smile at the euphoric feeling building in her chest. She started playing the opening notes of a song called Times Square. She had written it earlier that year. It was slower than most of the songs she had played earlier but it was a good song to finish on.

The final note echoed over the speakers and it was only seconds before the audience was cheering and hollering for more. Beth laughed joyfully, searching the crowd for her family. Instead of finding the familiar face of her father, she locked eyes with one of the biker men. He seemed to be staring intently at her. Normally, the situation would make her uncomfortable but she doubted that anything could bring her down from her performance-induced high. She smiled brightly at the man and waved to the crowd once more, walking off stage to go and enjoy the rest of the festival.

She had organised to meet her friends by the ferris wheel and it wasn't long before she spotted them through the crowds. Her paced increased the closer she got and it wasn't long before she was embracing her best friend, Sophie. There was one question on her mind as she pulled away and looked towards the rides.

"Where shall we start?"

R &R my lovelies and I'll get the second chapter up where we meet quite a mysterious biker ;)