"Bury Me": A Walking Dead Fiction

By: Crayzee Bubbles

(A/N: Hey guys! Crayzee Bubbles, here...and I've got another Walking Dead fic! This is a Bethyl OneShot. No lemons...but there is mushy goodness. Note that this is set after the season 5 mid-season finale, "Coda". Welp, I guess that's it...hope you enjoy!)

Daryl hung his head as they layed Beth's lifeless body in the ground. He took a brief moment to look around the group. Maggie was on her knees, sobbing into Glenn's shoulder. He examined Glenn's face. He wasn't crying, but Daryl could see that he wanted to. Losing his sister-in-law must have reminded him of his own sisters, but he was keeping it together...for Maggie's sake, Daryl reckoned. Carol let a few stray tears fall from her eyes, but seemed otherwise stoic. Carl sat against a tree with Lil' Asskicker. He was entertaining the baby, but every once in a while he'd glance to where she layed. Daryl could see some sadness in his eyes, but this was the same kid that put down his own mother without a second thought. He was very mature and knew shit happened. He wasn't going to show any emotions. Sasha stood next to Maggie and Glenn, more concerned about the sobbing woman than her own emotions. Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, and Tara stood off, away from the mourners. They could understand loss in general, but not this specific one. They hadn't been blessed with the chance to know her. Daryl looked to Rick. As always, he kept his cool, but Daryl knew this hit him hard. Daryl knew that Rick was blaming himself for this. He was the lead man. It was his job to keep everyone safe...especially, Beth. She had practically raised his daughter, while Rick lost his mind. He owed it to her. Rick's gaze met Daryl's own.

"Ready, brother?"

"As I'm ever gone be."

Rick and Daryl began shoveling dirt onto Beth's corpse. Everyone wandered off, some staying longer than others. By the time Rick and Daryl were done, only Maggie and Glenn remained. They both looked to the woman. Rick was the one to speak.

"Maggie-"

"Don't. Just don't."

She looked up at Rick and Daryl, then back to Beth's grave.

"Just go. I wanna be alone with my sister."

They both lingered.

"Go ahead, guys. I got her."

"No. You too, Glenn. I wanna be alone with my sister."

"I'm not leaving you. You'd have to kill me."

Maggie pulled her knife out and glared at him.

"I want. To be. Alone. With my sister. Go, Glenn."

Glenn sighed and stood. The three of them walked away. They returned to the small campsite, where the rest of the group waited. After a while, Maggie came back, but she said nothing. In fact, no one said anything. Beth was the life of the group. If she were there, she'd sing a song...or start some stupid conversation...or tell some corny joke...or have them playing some damned game, but she wasn't there. Suddenly, it was all too much for Daryl. He turned to walk into the woods and came face to face with a walker. He quickly stabbed it. The rest of the group jumped into action. They made quick work of the ten walkers that emerged from the woods. Afterwards, they all sat down, but everyone was on edge. No one slept that night. Especially, not Daryl. He spent the night staring at a mound of dirt.

"Beth."

Her name came out, only a whisper, as a lone tear rolled down his cheek. He didn't bother wiping it away. He needed this...needed to have his moment of mourning. After a while, he turned to walk back to camp. His breath hitched in his throat. He couldn't believe what he saw. There, at the edge of the woods, stood Beth. She wore a long white dress and her blonde hair was in a braid, not a piece out of place. She wasn't covered in mud, blood, or guts. She smiled and disappeared into the woods. He ran after her.

"Beth!"

He kept running, until he collided with someone.

"What the hell?!"

"Maggie?"

She shined her dim flashlight on him.

"Daryl. Why were you running? Is something wrong?"

"Nah. Jus thought I saw somethin's all."

Maggie sighed.

"Visiting Beth?"

"Yeah."

He stood and walked away. Maggie watched him go. She shook her head, deciding not to bother asking. She had noticed something different when Daryl talked about Beth and she had noticed how he'd been affected by her death. Maggie turned and went to her sister's grave. She curled up on top of the mound.

"Remember when we used to lay in bed and talk for hours? And we'd try to be quiet so Daddy didn't hear. But you'd always giggle and he'd come busting in, telling us to go to bed. Remember how red his face used to get and how his cheeks puffed?"

She smiled.

"Well, I wish we could do that now. So, I could tell you how I'm feeling...so, I wouldn't need to. I wish we could talk about whatever happened with you and Daryl. I wish I could give you all the advice that a sister should give. I wish things were normal."

She sighed.

"Bethy, I'm glad you don't have to see any more death or what the world's shaping up to be. But why does it have to hurt so much?"

She knew she wasn't going to get an answer, but she still paused.

"I love you. I regret not telling you how strong I thought you were, or what you meant to me. I regret never saying how proud I was of you, how proud I am. I've never missed anyone as much as I miss you."

She wiped a few tears from her eyes.

"We all got a job to do, right? I just wish I knew what mine was."

Maggie's head whipped around as she heard the bushes rustling. Her breathing became harder and she grabbed her knife.

"Daryl?"

"Nope. Just me."

She smiled as Glenn walked up and sat down next to her.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be sleeping."

"Think I'm really gonna let you come out here alone? Besides, I can't sleep without you."

She smiled and kissed him. Leave it to Glenn, to always be there for her when she needed him. She wondered if Daryl had become Beth's 'Glenn'. She tried to imagine them together. Just thinking about Daryl Dixon playing the dedicated boyfriend to her sister was humorous. She let a small giggle escape her lips. Glenn watched her.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothin. Just thinkin."

He shook his head. Sometimes, his wife was the strangest person he knew.

*NEXT MORNING*

The first thing Glenn noticed when he woke up was that Maggie was not next to him. His heart started beating twice as fast and he bolted up looking all around.

"Maggie?!"

He spotted her at the edge of the woods. He sighed and ran up to her, wrapping her in a hug. She pulled back and sniffled. He noticed that she'd been crying.

"Hey, I'm here. Let me be here."

"I'm fine. We should get back."

"Maggie, don't shut me out."

"They'll start to worry."

"Who cares?!"

She looked at him. She knew he was trying. She knew she was being a bitch, but she needed to mourn on her own.

"I'm going."

She started walking back to camp. Glenn threw his hands up and followed her. As they were walking, Glenn reached down to hold Maggie's hand. She sighed. She knew he was trying to be there for her, she needed to let him in...or at least be nicer to him.

"Of all the people I thought I might lose, she was never one of them. I don't know why."

They stopped and Glenn watched as Maggie took a deep breath, trying to hold back her tears. He wrapped her in a hug and let her cry on his shoulder.

"She was strong. Maybe not at first, but she really changed. We all thought she'd be here a lot longer."

Maggie pulled back and kissed him. She wiped her tears and they started walking again. She decided to lighten the sadness a little.

"Ya know, ya shouldn't sneak up on people these days."

He looked at her. He could tell she was joking, but the serious look she gave him made him laugh.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

She smiled and they walked the rest of the way in silence. When they returned, they walked to where Rick and Daryl were standing. They were looking at a map and discussing something. They stopped talking when they saw Maggie walk up.

"Don't stop the conversation because of me."

Rick sighed.

"I was just telling Daryl we need to move. We were planning our route."

He watched Maggie intently. He knew she was smart. She knew they couldn't stay there. With that being said, he knew she wouldn't want to leave her sister. She smiled.

"Rick, I know that. I'll be ok. At least I got to bury her."

Rick nodded and they decided on a course. They set out on foot and walked for hours. When they came to a creek, they stopped. Rick watched Daryl. He stood off, away from everyone else, leaned against a tree. He seemed focused on something, but there was nothing around. Daryl watched intently, as she stood there, smiling at him. He wanted to run to her, but last time he did that she disappeared. He didn't want that. He needed to see her. She was all he wanted to see anymore.

*A Week Later*

Daryl was on his way to find a place to sleep, but stopped when he saw her. He'd seen her every night since they buried her...and sometimes during the day. He had been playing it safe, not wanting her to disappear, but he found that she always did. He decided if she was gonna disappear anyway, he'd follow her until he couldn't. He ran off into the woods. At the sound of rustling bushes, Rick and Glenn stopped their conversation. They looked up to see Daryl running into the woods.

"Where do ya think he's goin?"

Rick sighed.

"I dunno."

"Think he's gonna be ok?"

"I dunno."

Glenn watched Rick.

"Ya know, ya should talk to him."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you're the only one he'll listen to."

"Why do I need to talk to him?"

"Rick, he's not ok. You of all people should know that."

"What am I supposed to say?"

"Whatever works."

With that, Glenn walked away. Rick stared into the woods. He had noticed Daryl's behavior. Staring at things that weren't there...calling Beth's name and running into the woods. He had a feeling he knew what was happening. He had experienced it after Lori. Hershel had brought him out of it, brought him back to reality. He needed to do that for Daryl...but how? He sighed and decided to think it over while he tried to get some sleep.

*A Month Later*

Daryl sighed as he returned to camp. He'd seen her again, but again, she disappeared. He'd started questioning his own mind. He knew she wasn't real. She didn't fit in with the world now, not that she really did before. He sighed. He knew he was going crazy. He leaned against a tree on the edge of the woods and started messing with his crossbow. He looked up as Rick walked up to him.

"Wanna talk?"

"Bout what?"

"Whatever's going on with you."

"Dunno whatcha mean."

Rick sighed and looked at Daryl.

"Look, I know the signs. I experienced them...you were there."

"What ya talkin bout?"

"I don't know what happened between you and Beth out there and I don't wanna. What I do know is, she was special to you. That kinda loss can drive a man over the edge if he don't snap out of it. Like me. When I lost Lori."

"Ya don know nothin! This ain't nothin like that! Beth wuddn't nothin like that bitch! Sides, I still got my mind."

Rick looked down and nodded. Suddenly, his right fist connected with Daryl's jaw.

"That's for calling my wife a bitch."

Rick turned to walk away, but stopped when he heard Daryl load the bow. He pulled out his gun. They at each other, weapons raised. A few people in the group started to react, but Glenn stopped them.

"Let them work it out."

Maggie looked at her husband.

"He's right. It's Rick and Daryl. They'll work it out."

Rick sighed.

"Let's not do somethin here that we're gonna regret, brother."

Daryl hesitated for a minute, then lowered his bow. Rick holstered his gun.

"There's somethin you need from her. That's why she's here. Find out what it is and bury this. Even Daryl Dixon can lose his mind when he loses the woman he loves."

With that, Rick walked back to the group.

"Shit!"

Daryl stormed into the woods. Glenn watched him and turned to Rick.

"What the hell was that?!"

"I talked to him."

"And?"

"We'll see if it works."

*LATER THAT NIGHT*

Daryl sighed as he leaned against a tree. He had been hoping to see her, but no luck. Just as he started to walk back to camp, there she was. She flashed him that beautiful smile and actually spoke.

"Hello, Daryl."

He froze. He never thought he'd hear that voice again.

"This ain't real."

"Maybe. But you need this."

"Why'd ya do it? Why'd ya stab her?"

"I needed to prove a personal point."

"Lotta good that did! Look what happened!"

"Daryl, this anger isn't healthy."

"How ya gonna tell me what's healthy? Yer dead!"

"Yes, but you're not."

"Wish I was. I got nothin without ya, girl."

"Daryl Dixon! That is not true. You have our family."

"I'm no good to em."

"Yes, you are! They need you. We all have a job to do. That means you, too. You have a reason to live."

"What if I don't wanna?"

"You have to. You can't give up hope, Daryl. You've gotta survive, but more importantly...you need to live. You can't do that if you have a dead girl hanging around. You need to bury me. Put me to rest and keep going. I'll always be with you in here."

She layed her hand on his chest and he could almost swear he felt her warmth. She smiled and stepped back, looking into his eyes.

"Remember there are still good people in the world. Remember you are one of them, Daryl."

She turned to walk away, but stopped and glanced at him over her shoulder.

"I blame you for nothing. For what it's worth, I loved you, Mr. Dixon."

With that she was gone. He sighed.

"I still do."

He turned to walk back to camp. Rick smiled when he saw him.

"Sorry fer callin yer wife a bitch...an pullin my bow on ya."

"Sorry for punchin ya and pullin my gun. You get what you needed?"

"I think so."

Rick nodded and smiled.

"That's good."

Daryl nodded and looked around at the members of his family. He knew she was right. He had to keep living...for these people. They'd lost enough. Least he could do was stick around as long as possible.

(A/N: Well...there we go. A short little OneShot. Leave me a review and let me know whatcha think!)

Much

Love,

_Crayzee Bubbles_