Home Again
Do not read unless you've seen the msf
She woke up startled, a bright room surrounded her and she moved her hands to the front of her face; shielding her weary eyes from its stark coloring. Her head ached and when she gingerly touched the back of her head she found nothing. She then brought her hand down to below her chin and found nothing either. Confusion had set in and she sat up, glancing around the room nervously.
"Beth," her head snapped when she heard her name.
A woman in beautiful red and white summer dress was standing before her; she looked as if she was from the 50's. Her hair was perfect and she had a small victory roll in her dark brown hair. She wore white gloves and bright red lipstick. The smile on her face looked so familiar, but Beth couldn't put her finger on it.
The woman looked at her expectantly and Beth licked her lips before speaking out, "that's me—could you tell me—tell me where I am?" she stuttered.
"You mean—you don't know? I thought your daddy taught you about this," she laughed and covered her mouth with her gloved hand. Her heels clicked across the white tiles and finally she reached Beth and leaned down with her hand extended.
"No, how do you know my daddy—he's dead," Beth whispered out.
"Oh, I know sweetie. He and I have been betting on you—it would seem I won," she gave Beth a wink and helped Beth up. She helped Beth wipe off some of the dirt before taking her arm and looping it through Beth's.
"You—but, how is this possible?" Beth hissed out.
"Oh dear, you don't remember anything. It's alright, Your Daddy and I will fill you in—I promise. Just walk with me until he gets here. I'm taking you somewhere special—let's just say it's a spot that God granted us," the woman smiled.
Beth didn't question her after that as they walked through the white room. Their footsteps could be heard as it echoed through the room. She noticed how her aching was leaving her body by a considerably fast rate.
"Who are you?" she finally broke the silence.
"Oh, I imagine he didn't tell you much about me. It's alright—I deserve it. I wasn't the best mother and I probably never will be, but I've been watching over my boys for some time now. I won't stop until both of them are with me," the woman sighed out and gave a little sniff. Beth was still as confused as ever.
Finally the woman stopped walking and looked around before knocking on one of the walls in the room. Beth watched her cautiously and stepped away when the tile on the wall began to slide over. The woman took her hand and pulled her threw to the other side.
She was where she recognized. It was the funeral home, and there were no walkers in sight but she could make out two figures approaching the house.
She swallowed hard when she realized she was watching Daryl and her. He had her on his back and she knew at that moment her hands were wrapped around his neck and she was inhaling his smell deep. She remembered it like it was yesterday.
"What are you doing—this has got to be a sin. Don't do this to me. Anything but this!" she freaked out and began to scream at the woman.
"Sweetie, I'm giving you a chance to relive part of your life—to watch it. I want to show you something, okay?" the woman tried to calm her down but Beth was having none of it.
"I remember—I died. I can't be here! Take me away, am I in purgatory? Is it because I killed a rapist? Is my punishment having to re-live my moments with him?" she broke down and started crying as she watched Daryl and her old self walk through the door. She followed them like a lost puppy with tears streaming down her face. She wanted nothing more than to see him again, she even touched his cheek gently but he didn't budge. They couldn't see or hear her.
"No, it's your chance to see what we all saw. I want you to see that look—wait for it, there it is!" she pointed and she watched as her old self fiddled with a jar of peanut butter. Daryl was staring at her, his eyes were heavy. He didn't look upset or angry and the look he gave her warmed her dead heart.
Beth sighed and sat down in the chair that wasn't occupied, not that it mattered much, and placed her hand over his. He couldn't feel her, but she could feel him.
"I was so stupid, wanting to make a difference," she whispered.
"You weren't stupid, now let's get going before we get into trouble—we can't be here to long without a supervisor," the woman told Beth and dragged her away from the scene. Beth had tears flowing down her cheeks and let the woman guide her threw a few more scenes until she was taken to a part of the white room where there was a pond, she didn't understand how the room worked.
"Doodle bug!" she turned around and saw her daddy with his leg back. She ran to him and hugged him tighter than anything. She never thought she'd see him again, but here he was before her.
"Oh, daddy—I've missed you!" she cried and sobbed into his shirt. She promised herself she'd never cry but it was okay now. She was with her dad.
"Bethany, wipe those tears. I've been watching you doodle bug, but there's someone I think you should meet," he replied and wiped her eyes. He moved towards the woman and motioned for Beth to turn towards her.
"This is Mrs. Dixon; she's the boy's mother…" Hershel said.
"You're—"
"They're my pride and joy, I was misguided and I couldn't get out of it. I left them and I should have been a better mother…but you—oh Beth you made up for the things I did. You gave my baby hope and I love you for that," she whispered.
"How could you leave them?" she questioned.
"I didn't want too; I wasn't strong like your daddy. Merle, he hasn't forgiven me yet. I understand, but he's excited to see you—we told him he'd have to wait till I explained a few things," she smiled.
"Bethy you weren't supposed to be here, but you are and we'll have to make due. You weren't meant to get shot," her daddy whispered to her.
"You mean I had a chance!" she yelled out.
"You did, but it's gone now—you just have to do what we all do. We sit and watch our loved ones, protect them to the best of our abilities. You get to look after him and he'll know it. The boy is so distraught over you baby. I thought it was silly when Mrs. Dixon said she knew he felt something for you, but he proved us wrong—look." Hershel commanded and pointed towards the water.
Beth leaned over and stared down at the water until it started to move and swirl. Slowly a few images were popping up and there was her Daryl. He was carrying her body—he had shot dawn—and Maggie was crying over her. Daryl was laying her down in her grave and caressing her face. The tears he shed were something that she couldn't stomach. He would be her last man standing.
It was after a few days, but weeks down on earth, that Mrs. Dixon found Beth again by the pool, the girl barely left it except to eat and do things that she needed.
"Thank you," Mrs. Dixon spoke.
"For what?" Beth questioned softly. She didn't want to be too harsh on the woman; after all she was raised better than that.
"You watched him better than I ever did—you're dedicated. I don't think he'll ever find what you had again," she told her honestly.
"I don't care, I want him to be happy—damn this all. Is it such a crime that he should have something? Anything?" Beth implored.
"He will—just don't forget that this is the final destination. Down there? Well that's just so you're grateful for what's up here. You'll see him again," she promised Beth.
"You're right," she sighed.
~o~
It was time, she had been given the notice that she'd see part of her family today and it was time. Instead of waiting like she was supposed to she snuck out to the tiled wall that held earth. She pushed it open and snuck through.
She thought about where she saw her family last and found herself in the middle of everything. They were being taken over by another group, almost like the governors. In the crowd she searched for Maggie and Daryl until she found them. Daryl had his crossbow on his back and was protecting Carol. She smiled when she saw him and ran over as fast as she could.
"I'm here," she whispered into his ear and he jumped slightly looking towards her. He was looking in her direction but not at her. She knew he couldn't see her—but it didn't stop her from occasionally talking to him and giving him words of encouragement.
Daryl shot his crossbow at one of the men and Carol took off running with Daryl behind her. Beth ran after them until finally they stopped for a breather. This was it, and Beth mustered all the courage that she could when she saw the stray man that had tracked them.
"Carol, I need ye to go—git outta 'ere," Daryl ordered her.
"I'm not leaving you…you're an asset to the group, we're family Daryl," Carol yelled at him and tried to pull him along.
"I gotta help them, the people back there—they were good people. They're our people," he told her and pushed her away from him. Carol sniffled and started to walk away from him.
Beth took the chance and while his back was turned from the man, she walked over and hugged him. Daryl stilled and brought his hands over hers, but they looked as if they were just touching his own skin. She held tighter and squeezed when she heard the gun ring. It shot straight through his back and he collapsed on the ground with Beth holding onto him. She cried once again and felt herself choking up. She brought warmth to him, taking away any pain that might have happened while he lay on the hard cold ground.
Carol had rushed over and checked his pulse. He was barely breathing and blood came out of his mouth and trickled down. Beth was crying over his body and kept rubbing soothing circles over his heart.
"It's okay Daryl, you can stop fighting now—let go," she urged him, "you can fall to sleep and we'll be gone," she whispered lastly and pressed her dead lips to his.
She watched as Carol shot the other man and mourned the body. She felt his soul leave and she felt herself being pulled back, her time was done. Daddy would tell her how Maggie was and Judith and for now her time was done.
It had been years since he'd seen her. It had been years since her body was laid to rest in the ground and when she found him on the ground in the white room all she could do was bite her lip to keep herself from running to him.
He'd wake up and they'd get to go home.
"Daryl," she whispered softly. She said his name a few times before his eyes shot open and he was on his feet with both his hands in a fist. He observed his surroundings before his eyes landed on her. His fists dropped and he moved out to touch her before pulling back again.
"You can touch me," she laughed.
"Beth you can't be—yer…" he trailed off.
"Dead, I know. Things went bad for you and the group, but we get to watch over them—we can go home Daryl," she smiled.
"Beth…" he couldn't say anything else.
Without a second thought he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and buried his face into her hair breathing in deep. She laughed lightly and hugged him back. She couldn't bring it in herself to explain anything else. She rubbed his back and felt his tears on top of her head.
"Home," he repeated.
"Yeah— this is home," she smiled against his chest and pressed her lips to his heart. It was all the home that they needed.
Can you tell that I'm still upset? I'm very upset and I just am going to keep writing different one-shots and possibly re-do TWD so that Bethyl will have a shot. I can't do much until I'm done with my other story though so if you ship Bethyl like I do. Sit tight!
All my love to EK & NR as well as other Bethyl Shippers.
K
XXX