Daryl was having a bad day. Actually, he was having a bad week. And if you wanted to take it back even farther, he was just having a bad fucking life. Before the world went to zombie shit and everyone started eating each other, Daryl had had daddy issues and Merle. Now days, Daryl had daddy issues, Walkers, and no more Merle. He was taking Merle's death harder than he expected too. There had been a slight hesitation as he watched his brother come at him. No, not his brother. A Walker. Blood covered, with half of his chest blown out, eyes fixated into ripping into live flesh. Daryl let him get close enough to where could smell rotting flesh and whiskey on Merle's breath. At least he had 'died' intoxicated. That's how Merle would have wanted to go. No, that's how he should have gone. But he didn't. Another whip lash across the back for Daryl just like daddy used to make. No thanks to the Governor. Now it was up to him to finish him off.

And there they were, shuffling around with each other, eyeing each other down like a fight for life and a piece of meat in a ring. It reminded Daryl of times when they would go rounds like this with their dad. Merle always said the right, well the wrong, things to get dad to turn the belt on him instead, so little brother could get away unscathed. But then Merle left. Left him all alone to be chased through the house by an empty bottle of jack and a leather belt, left beaten and bloodied to almost an inch of his life, just so he could survive and go through it again.

Tears fell freely from Daryl's eyes because now it was Merle lunging at him, fingers grasping at Daryl's clothing, trying to bring him in closer to clacking teeth. Daryl pushed him away crying. Merle's groans of hunger were ended by the sounds of sobs and Daryl's knife hitting through flesh and bone. Repeatedly. And with each time, Daryl shoved the blade into his head, he cried out in rage he felt for Merle leaving him behind, hate for his dad for what he did to him, shame for both the physical and mental scars he now had, and the sadness of knowing he was now alone.

Alone, that's what ate at him. When he went back to the prison and told Rick and the rest what had happened, there was no hiding the relief on some of their faces. He knew that they were all secretly happy about it. Daryl could have sworn he had seen Glenn's lip turn up for a second as he turned to leave, pulling Maggie along with him. Rick just patted him on the shoulder and Michonne offered up what she considered a condolence. "In the end, he tried to do the right thing." Other than that, everyone else just kind of stayed away from him. Beth, had tried on multiple occasions to talk to him, but Hershel intercepted her every time and escorted her off to a different parts of the prison, giving him an odd look that said that he, Daryl, was a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any second and that his daughter would not fall victim to it.

So here he continued to sit, in his cell, propped up against the bedframe with one leg outstretched, almost touching the opposing wall. The hard cement of the floor made his body painfully numb, but he didn't adjust. He didn't deserve to be comfortable. Food sat untouched that Carol had brought to him. "You need to eat something." she had said to him, holding out a can of soup. She always tried to mother him, but tonight he didn't need a mother. Daryl didn't need the pity that he saw in her eyes. "I ain't need anythin'." he retorted.

"Daryl-"

"Di'nt ya hear me woman. I ain't need anythin. An I don't need ya. Now git." he barked.

Carol inhaled slowly like she always did whenever he yelled at her. "Fine, but you ain't helping anyone out acting like the way you are." She sat the can down on the floor next to him and walked out of the room.

"Ya'll can help ya'lls-selves. Let me the fuck be," he called out after her shadow.

That seemed forever ago. The sick smell of cold chicken noodle began to burn his nostrils, making his stomach churn in agony. Bending awkwardly, he lowered himself to the cement, the coolness soaked up the sweat that beaded down his forehead. His breath came in short and shallow as he swallowed to keep the bile that was threatening to come up his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and repeatedly slammed his fist lightly onto the floor.

"Dar-Daryl?" A soft voice interrupted his self abuse. An angelic voice that could only belong to one person. Beth.

"What ya' want?" He mumbled, his eyes still closed. He didn't want her to see him like this.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." She seemed a little unsure of herself. Her southern accent had become thicker since he met her on the farm only months ago. Daryl was sure he was the reason for that. Beth was the one person he could never raise his voice too, therefor she was the one who he could never say no too.

"I'nt past ya bedtime. Go back ta sleep."

"I'm a woman, not a child. I sleep when I want to sleep."

Daryl was well aware that Beth wasn't a child anymore. So was everyone else, including her father. "Yor daddy be pissed as hell if he knews ya was here."

"I go where I please." She said.

"What ya want from me?" Daryl groaned, jumping up to his feet, ignoring the stiffness that shot through his entire body. He stood to see the girl barefoot before him, wrapped tightly up in her bedding. "Yer..Ya is gonna catch sick if ya -"

Beth acted as though she didn't hear him. "And I will do what I please with whoever I wish to please." she added softly. She was toe to toe with him now and Daryl watched as the blanket she was wrapped in fall to the floor. His breath caught in his throat. Her long blonde hair came down in waves past her bare shoulders. It took all his willpower not to let his eyes continue downward.

It was night, the moon shone in from the barred window, giving enough light to give Beth's bluish eyes a haunting glow and her pale face of that of a porcelain doll. He felt as she took his calloused hand into her soft ones, her delicate fingers entwine into his. Standing onto her tip toes she whispered into his ear. "You have bottled up all of your emotions. It will only drive you mad. I need you how you were before. Let me help you. Let me be your release.

Daryl's mind was reeling. Of all times they had spent time together, he had never once seen this coming. He had looked at her a couple times, thought about her. But this, this was something out of a dream.

"Make love to me," she purred, her lips brushing lightly against his cheek. "You need to be the first."

Fuck. Why she have to say it like that. "I don't make love, I ain't soft or lovin. Ya don't want the first time bein from me." That was a big fat lie. No matter what he told himself, he wanted it. He wanted her. The instant hardening he felt next to his leg confirmed it.

"I want you how you are. I want you to take all of what you feel and make me feel it too. I am lonely. and tired of being here not feeling anything." Her grip on his hand increased as the other moved down the front of his vest.

"I'll hurt ya, Beth." he whispered. "I don't want ta-"

"Hurt me. Make me scream out. Make the tears fall from my eyes. Just make me feel something." Beth's hand had lowered down to the top of his jeans. She fingered with the belt loops before she fully cupped the hard bulge.

Daryl inhaled sharply.

"I'm not asking you, I'm begging you." Beth's hand put more pressure against him.

Daryl closed his eyes and groaned. When he opened them, he saw the heat and the need in her eyes. She had no idea what she was begging for. He moved his free hand that had been clenched to his side to move her hair aside, revealing her small taunt breasts, nipples hard with arousal. She made a small noise when his fingers brushed across one of them, teasing it between his fingers. This was wrong. He was so much older than her, but she is a woman. That doesn't make it right. She doesn't even know what she is asking. He needed to make sure. Beth's eyes were closed, enjoying the sensation Daryl's fingers brought to her when all of a sudden that amazing feeling turned to excruciating pain. She yelped and both of her hands when to removing Daryl's hand. It felt like he was trying to rip her nipple off. "I ain't for making love. I fuck an I fuck hard." Daryl growled. "If ya can't handle that, ya need to go cus I ain't needin' ya screamin' rape halfways through. Once I start, I ain't stoppin'." That part was another lie. He would stop the very second she asked him too, but she didn't need to know that. He was trying to scare her away. He didn't want to hurt her. Didn't want to have to see her after the fact if it wasn't what she thought it would be. And he definitely didn't want to see that terrified look in her eye every time she saw him.

Daryl released her, giving Beth the chance to turn around and run. But she didn't.