I'm finding myself writing this one a lot easier than my other story (Second Chances) so I might end up uploading chapters for this one a lot quicker. We'll see...

**12 months earlier**

She was the only person he'd allow to get this close. No, strike that. He'd reluctantly let Hershel Greene take a look at his injuries countless times, usually resulting in stitches, but that had to be done. It was something he had to put up with. But she was the only person he felt comfortable having so close.

Since they were just four and five years old, Daryl and Beth had been inseparable. They met at school, he the kid in torn clothes and a scowl. She was his opposite in every way – small, even for her age, her blonde hair in pigtails, always a pretty picture in dresses and frilly socks. But it was her smile he noticed first.

Daryl was sitting in his usual spot at lunchtime - under the tree, away from the others. He could feel his stomach rumbling, as usual. He was hoping his mother might remember to buy food today, be sober enough to realise the empty cupboards that were quickly becoming a common occurrence.

"Hi," came a chipper voice, along with a sandwich thrust into his face. As his head snapped up there were two things he noticed – firstly, how had she managed to sneak up on him so easily? And why was she smiling so much, at him?

"You can have it," she continued. Her smile never wavered as she stood there, even when he silently stared at her. "You don't talk much do you? But my mama said that everyone needs friends and I saw you all alone."

She placed the sandwich on his knee and looked back at him. "My name's Beth." And with that she left.

After staring at her retreating form he finally returned his attention to the item of food at hand. Most kids would be concerned with the type of sandwich, wondering if they liked it. But when a kid who hadn't seen decent food in days and knew there probably wouldn't be much when he returned home is given food of any description? He simply dives straight in – food is food.

But you couldn't exactly call them friends until a few days later. After the daily exchange of lunch for scowls, when Daryl couldn't help feeling uneasy at the absence of his companion. He didn't miss her, or look forward to seeing her. At least he wouldn't admit those things. Looking around he felt worry knowing something must have happened to keep her away.

It wasn't long until he found the source of the hold-up – and it's name was Jimmy.

"Give it back! It's not for me," cried Beth. She was reaching for her lunch box as it was held out of her grasp.

"Why should I listen to you, you're just a stupid girl anyways!" Jimmy taunted. Dropping her lunch box he lunged forward to pull her pigtail and push her to the ground.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" yelled Daryl. Seeing Beth pushed about did not sit well with him, even if he would have reluctantly admitted to their friendship at this point. Nevertheless he felt protective of the little blonde. "You don't touch her again, got that?" Daryl practically growled, using his extra height over the other boy to his intimidating advantage.

As Jimmy scurried away Daryl helped Beth back up, unsure how to act now the two of them were alone.

"Thank-you Daryl," she beamed causing him to look away. Seeing her lunchbox on the ground he handed it to her.

"Why'd you say it weren't yours? This is your lunchbox," he asked.

"It is mine," she answered chirpily. "But it has your food in it too. You're my friend."

Not only was she unexplainably bringing him food every day, but she had also gotten hurt trying to get it back for him.

What followed was the first real Daryl Dixon smile for Beth Greene's eyes. One of many to come, reserved only for her.

"…she says everything's going really well," Beth's ramblings cut through his musings.

"Huh?" grunted Daryl. They were sat in the bed of Merle's truck, Beth tucked into his side and her head on his arm.

"I was saying Maggie's doing real good at college," she continued, pulling back to look at him. "She was talking about me visiting her some weekend, see what college life is like. What's with you, you've barely talked all night. Well, even less than usual anyway."

Looking down at her, so small next to his own frame, with her warm smile and inquisitive eyes peering up at him, he felt no need to lie.

"Remember the day we met?" he grunted.

"Just the first of many meals you have had from my mother," she quipped and managing to pull a smirk out of her companion, nudging her out of amusement.

"I was thinking about a while after. When that prick Jimmy picked on you-"

"Tried," interrupted Beth, his head turned to look at her. "He tried to. But you protected me, remember?" her beaming smile started that warm feeling he got when she was around, the one he was both familiar with and confused by.

"Just thinking 'bout how you got hurt cos of me," Daryl continued. Seeing her open her mouth to protest he quickly cut her off. "And before you start saying 'bout how I shouldn't feel bad, or how ya weren't really hurt, I just wanted to say… um, that ah… you know I would always do the same for you, right?"

Beth simply turned her face back to the fields in front of them, snuggling further into his side. He felt his arm instinctively circle her shoulders.

"What, not gonna chatter on like you usually do?" he teased, feeling more than seeing her giggle.

"Nope," she murmured before taking a deep sigh. "Nothing really to add. I think you summed it up pretty well."

**Present Day**

Daryl pulled his bike over to the side of the road, taking a moment to just breathe deeply. He was at least a few miles from the Greene farm, but here in front of him were the fields where Beth and him would spend countless hours. They'd do just this – pull over on the road – and just be.

He knew he'd been a dick, a selfish, hurtful jackass, and so she had every reason to be angry with him. With her temper she'll most likely yell and scream, and probably lash out. Hell, he'd seen enough Greene sibling fights to know this as fact.

But she was worth it. This was something he had to do.

Fairly short chapter but I'm not planning on every one being as short at this. Until next time, thank-you to all the readers, followers, reviewers x