First time I've written for The Walking Dead fandom. No beta. R&R.

A Quiet Night

The day after Daryl returned to the church with Beth, Carol, and Noah in tow the whole group moved out to follow the rout Abraham had left them. There was a shift in the feeling of the group because they had again lost and gained people. The newest addition, Noah, seemed to have taken over for the high-spirited disposition that Bob had left open. Daryl was wary of him after he had seen the kid escape and leave Beth behind. If it hadn't been for Carol's quick trigger finger, Daryl had no doubt that Beth wouldn't have escaped that hospital so easily.

Now as they walked down back country roads Daryl couldn't help glancing at the slender blonde girl walking beside him. Since the rescue Beth had rarely left the older man's side, not that he minded. Something had happened to her in that hospital, something that hurt her more than the cuts and bruises on her face. Daryl didn't know what, and he wasn't one to go digging through other people's lives, but he would be there for her when she couldn't hold it in anymore.

Just as night was falling the group came across the burnt-out church bus. The group collectively held their breath until it was clear that none of the bodies belonged to Glenn, Maggie, or the rest of the group that had went ahead to D.C. with Abraham.

Rick decided that the charred bus was as good a place to as any to camp for the night. Jobs were doled out and dinner came together easily. Soon enough it was time for sleep and Daryl climbed the side of the flipped bus to take first watch.

In the early hours of the morning, long before the sun was even thinking of rising Daryl heard movement in the bus. He didn't think much of it, expecting Rick or Michonne to climb up and take over watch, so it was a surprise to see Beth's head poke over the edge. He got up quickly, but as silently as ever, and helped her up. He peeked through the windows into the bus and saw the rest of the group was safe and still sleeping before he sat down. Beth curled up into a tight ball next to him and starred out into the woods.

Daryl couldn't figure out why the farmer's daughter would seek him out. He knew Maggie wasn't with them right then, but there were plenty of others she was close to in the group. He knew they had bonded when they escaped the prison together, before she was kidnapped, but he figured that counted more to him than it did to Beth.

Suddenly she leaned into him and buried her face in his vest. She didn't sob, but he could tell through the few tears hitting his neck that she was breaking down. Daryl hadn't seen her break down since they were all back on the farm.

"I'm sorry," she whispers.

Daryl, at a loss on really how to comfort this girl, slides an arm around her to pull her closer.

"S'all right."

Beth shakes her head almost violently and clutches him tighter.

"What—" He clears his throat. "What'd they do to ya there?"

Beth tries to stop her tears and clear her throat enough to speak, but it's like she's been hanging on too tight for too long. Since the farm was overrun, or since the prison was taken, she wasn't sure. Daryl didn't rush her though, just held her close and looked out into the night. He didn't try to comfort her with nonsense words or useless promises, but somehow his presence was enough.

It was coming back to Daryl and her sister that got Beth through her time at the hospital. When she had been caught trying to steal the keys she was sure she was going to be killed or worse. The fact that she had been saved by a walker, the irony wasn't lost on her. It was when she was being pinned down by the officers that she had been thankful that Noah had made it out because she had given up.

A shot had rang out and the man trying to cuff her had gone down. Next thing she knew she was being hauled through the remaining walkers and out of the gate. She glimpsed an angel wing stitched onto a leather vest and smiled.

"Daryl."

She hadn't realized she had spoken until Daryl looked away from the woods and straight into her eyes.

"Hmm?"

Beth shook her head, but had found some strength so she started talking. She told him how she had tried to leave sooner by not getting in any more debt, not eating. How the doctor had killed another doctor because he knew he wasn't enough and could be disposed of. She told him about Noah and his plan, about how she had to be tough. And she hesitated but then went on to tell him about getting caught in the officer's office and how far the man had gone before the walker had come alive.

He hadn't stopped at a patch of skin at her mid section. He had removed most of her close and she was bent over the desk when she had seen the fingers of the woman twitch. Still she had bought her time and it was too close of a call.

Daryl brought her closer and held her tight when she broke down again and couldn't go on. There wasn't much left to tell because it was shortly after that Daryl and Carol had come for her.

"M'sorry." It was the only word she got, but she knew what it meant. He was sorry she got kidnapped, sorry he hadn't come sooner, sorry that had happened to her.

Surprisingly, or maybe not, that one word was enough for her. They sat there curled together and watched the sun rise. When they heard Judith start to cry in the bus Daryl dropped a kiss on the top of her head and they both got down to join the rest of the group.