I SWEAR THIS IS A QUICK A/N:
My timeline for both TBS and TWD are just a little different
The Boondock Saints: The boys are a little younger (24 not 26) in the first movie and the 8 years between when they're in Ireland is now only 2 so they are only just now 26 in this story. I needed them closer to Beths age.
The Walking Dead: I'm rounding up the time since the outbreak for a final time of 2 years so far. In the show its been about a year and a half but I felt like the second half of season 4 was kinda rushed time span wise. People got to Terminus a lot slower in this story, and Beth and Daryl were together alone for a few weeks (about 3) before she was taken.
Other then that there are no other major changes to anything. I live for reviews and would love to know what people think or if they think I've missed something or am just totally off base. Or even if its just to let me know you liked it! Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Warm Cuddly Feelings
~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD~TBS~TWD
The steady crackling of a fire somewhere nearby was the first thing to let me know I was still alive. The ground beneath me felt hard on my back and I'm pretty sure there is a rock poking me in the lower spine but it wasn't enough to make me move. Nothing besides the fire was making any sound but I didn't want to open my eyes. The pain that was quickly registering across my body let me know the last few days weren't some horrible nightmare. The line of fire along my lower stomach was proof the monster with twisted eyes existed and that he had almost raped and likely killed me.
The tiniest pop, mean unseeing eyes, a neat little bullet hole dead center on a forehead stained with fresh blood. My blood. Douchebag was dead. Unless that part was a dream. The whole thing was just easier to think about if I had that to hold onto so I tried to keep my breathing slow and steady against the rising pain and figure out if Assholes 1 and 2 had made it. Were they the ones to put a bullet in their friend? Had I been wrong about them? I really didn't think so but if it wasn't them then that meant I was even less alone then before. My luck cannot be so terrible that I get rescued from one group of kidnappers by another one can it?
I tried to shift in a way that both looked like I was still sleeping and wouldn't cause my entire body to rebel against the movement. As I did I noticed I wasn't as naked as I last remembered being. I was sure my shirt was nothing better than blood drenched rags now and I defiantly remembered my jeans going in much the same way, also courtesy of Douchebags buck knife. But as I settled more firmly on my right side I could feel soft wool, heavy against my abused torso.
Knowing I wasn't going to get any answers laying there with my eyes closed sure seemed like a good enough reason to stop playing possum but I didn't think I could face it if the other two had come back. "Common Beth. Ya wont know what ya gotta do unless ya open yer eyes. Don' be a coward!"When the hell my inner cheering squad turned into Daryl I don't really want to know. But to give the man credit he's effective even when he's not there. So shoving the fear of the unknown into a mental box and giving it a few extra mental kicks for good measure I slowly cracked one eye open just enough to make out the fire merrily crackling along just a few feet from where I was laying. Still trying not to draw attention from anyone who may be watching I opened it just a little further and looked as far as I could in either direction. Still seeing nothing but the fire and deciding it would be safe enough to open both eyes I was able to tell I had been moved. The camp the men had set up would have had to be drenched in walker blood, and my own, and there was no sign of either. The fire was also much smaller and just at the edge of the tree line I could make out tin cans and other assorted trash hanging between the trees and bushes. Already this camp was a thousand times better than the last one; whoever set it up didn't want to be snuck up on.
Still not seeing anyone I took the opportunity to appreciate that I was still alive, even if in excruciating pain, and didn't appear to have been raped. Small things in the grand scheme of being kidnapped, attacked, rescued, and currently facing the complete unknown with virtually no way of ever finding my family again. I'd take it in the long run even if it did make me want to cry. Looking down the length of my body I realized I had been covered by a black wool coat that reached almost to my knees. The fabric was the kind of soft that only came after years of use and smelled of gun powder and cigarette smoke but otherwise appeared to be well taken care of.
Trying to rise into a sitting position brought to my attention how badly I must have been sliced. Raising as much as I could I managed to put the coat on without actually taking it off and ran my hand softly over the pristine white bandage that practically consumed the left side of my stomach. Just based on the care taken in dressing the injury I was confident in thinking the other two men who had taken me from Daryl weren't around anymore. Whether they were dead or not I'm positive they would not have bothered to save my life let alone cover me. I could feel the stiches, that must have been put in while I was unconscious, pull as I tried to sit again and quickly gave up on that. Someone went through the trouble of saving my life in more ways than one and I could only hope that meant they weren't planning on wasting their own supplies and effort.
Between the coat and the fire though I was starting to get over heated. I wasn't going to let go of my only link to modesty which left trying to get away from the fire. Leaning up again I'm able to get my arms into position to take the majority of my weight. Sucking in a lungful of air, like it was going to do me any good, I pitched my body to try and roll to my stomach. Even that little bit though highlighted every painful bruise and stinging scrape. The pain was enough that all I wanted was to curl in a ball and cry but there was Daryl in my head again telling me to "Suck it up girl! I got back up a damn cliff with a bolt in my side you can git to yer damn feet!"and really his voice had no right to be that clear with the almost blinding headache that was building alongside the pain. It was enough to get me on my hands and knees though even if I felt tears burning like fire down my face.
Pushing against the pain I tried to focus on what I had to do. My job is to get away from this stupid fire. That means I have to stand. Keeping that goal in mind, what realistically probably only took a few minutes felt like hours, as I pushed my abused body to its feet. Panting like I'd just run a marathon I allowed myself a moment of pride that I knew I'd have never made it to my feet in this condition before the farm was overrun.
My victory didn't last long though. As soon as my full weight rested on my sprained ankle I knew I was going back down. Before I'd had the chance to drop more than a few inches though strong arms caught me around the waist and held me steady. I didn't stop to think before I tried to struggle out of the strangers grip. It didn't really matter if it was or wasn't my other two abductors I didn't know them and they needed to let me go NOW! Only the threat of more walkers being in the area stopped me from screaming. The arms quickly withdrew but hands stayed holding my arm on the left, and through the haze of panic that erupted when I was first grabbed me I could tell they weren't trying to hurt me just keep me from falling.
"Calm down girl! 'M not tryin' ta hurt ye! Ye shouldn' be standin' yet though, tha asshole really dida number on yer belly."
It was like water dousing flames. The voice was close but I trusted it almost instantly. Great Beth now your judging whether someone's trustworthy just because they have a sexy voice. Real smart! And there really was no good reason not to admit that much in my own mind. Regardless he was outright saying he didn't want to hurt me, and was even possibly the person who killed the man who hurt me in the first place. It sure didn't sound like he held warm cuddly feelings for him at least.
Stopping mid wriggle (God I'm reduced to wriggling! Maggie would just love that) I surprised myself when a soft laugh that was more a sigh then anything tore from my chest. "He was Douchebag. The other two were Asshole 1 and 2." Letting my weight redistribute properly again I tried to turn to see my very obviously Irish, if the accent was anything to go by, savior. About halfway through I regretted it as what had to be every stitch used to sew me up pulled painfully and left me gasping for air. The arms returned and held me around the ribs and into a warm chest and through the blood pounding in my ears I could make out soothing noises and assurance that I'd be ok, and more in what I hoped was another language otherwise the hit to my head was worse than I thought. With my head hanging down as it was as I tried to curl into myself I tried to distract myself by studying the intricate cross tattooed over the man's arm. The detail in it was truly remarkable and must have taken a great deal of time. I could feel my breathing slow as I diligently traced the tiny network of knots and lines that made the interior of the cross. Finally the pain dulled enough that I risked looking up, straight into clear blue eyes, full of concern and a slight twinge of panic. I could taste the tears on my face and tried to not think about how awful I likely looked, sure there was a huge bruise covering my face if the swelling I felt was anything to go by. "I think I'm ok now."
"Aye, but then yer the one who thought standin' was good idea too so 'm not so sure I can trust ye." I could still see some of the tension leave his eyes and his arms felt a little less like steel bars against my ribs. "What tha hell'd ye think ye were tryin' ta do anyway?" he asked as he helped me stand straighter and turned us towards the fire.
"I was hot and didn't want to take off the coat." I replied cringing back from the heat that had drove me to my feet in the first place. "Who are you?" I couldn't take being around strangers anymore and figured at this point I couldn't afford not to beat around the bush. Just because someone seemed ok on the outside didn't mean they weren't a monster. Andrea was dead because the Governor seemed like an "Ok guy" too, hell the guy even convinced an entire group of people who'd never met us they needed to kill us. That it was a good idea to kidnap an old man and woman. That the old man deserved- No! Just because someone looked like they wouldn't hurt you didn't mean anything anymore. Screw the councils three questions, I want this guys life history. "Did you shoot…" I really wanted answers but the words wouldn't come out of my mouth. Even in this new world it felt wrong for me to be so blunt and ask "Were you the guy that shot the guy about to rape me?" The words had tasted like acid in my throat and I could only hope Mr. Irish got the point.
He didn't answer right away but helped me limp my way to a fallen tree a bit farther from the heat of the fire and helped me to sit against it without hurting myself again. When I was fully settled he took a few short steps back and pulled a cigarette and lighter from the back pocket of jeans that had seen better days. Lighting it quickly and taking more time to take a long drag he ran a hand through slightly shaggy dirty blonde hair that looked like it could have used a wash about a week ago. Not that I suppose I'd have looked any better even if my clothes hadn't been ripped to shreds. The last time I'd had the chance to do more than wash my arms and face in a puddle had been almost a week before we had found the funeral home. Studying him I could tell he wasn't nervous, more like frustrated. What did they think I wouldn't ask any questions?
Finally his eyes met mine again. "No I didn' shoot 'im. Muphy, my brudder got there first. Not tha I wouldn'ta. And I'm Connor, we got two others, tha Mexican is Romero and tha other ones Duffy. We're na lookin' ta do anythin' like them bastards tha had ya either." The cold look and fierce way he said the last was defiantly a point in his favor. It still wasn't a good idea to trust him completely but it helped ease the fear a little bit. "'M sorry we wern' there sooner. We were on tha road when ya musta screamed, an' yer Assholes 1 an' 2 wern' to happy ta see us."
If this guy was acting he deserved an award. I was also happy that he wasn't just answering the questions asked but actually offering up information like he was trying to show he had nothing to hide. It was enough that I figured I wasn't in immediate danger with him at least. "Where's the rest of your group?" I knew I had to ask the next question, but I wasn't sure what I wanted the answer to be. "Do you know where we are?" I couldn't have said it in much more then a whisper but I could tell he heard it all the same. His eyes darted away and a vaguely panicked look crossed his face before he could hide it.
Still looking slightly uneasy he sought out my eyes with his again before he answered. "Tha other three are around. Murphs makin' sure dere aren't anymore dead ones around, and tha other two wen' ta try an' find ye some clothes. Do ye know where ye supposed ta be?" I'm pretty sure he was doing his best to avoid my other question. I guess if he thought they didn't take me far that it would be less upsetting. Too bad where I'm supposed to be got blown to hell by a madman.
"My group was inna prison just a little ways outta Newnan. We got attacked and scattered, pretty sure Daryl and I wound up closer to Newnan though, either that or we got as far as Peachtree." Even the short hand version made me feel hollow inside, though several weeks had passed even thinking about that day was enough to straighten my spine in anguish and fury. I could only hope someone at the prison was able to take out the Governor before we were forced to run. I know I saw Rick in the field with him beating the hell out of each other. And Michonne was nearby as well. I didn't really see her leaving without killing the man.
"We're really na from around here, don' really know where tha' is. Righ' now we're 'bout hundred miles northa' Atlanta. Thas where we're headed."
The little bubble of hope I'd tried to keep alive felt like a lead ball in the pit of my stomach now. They'd taken me over a hundred miles away from the last place I'd seen any of my family alive. If Daryl had looked for me there was no way he'd have been able to make it this far on foot alone, and his chances weren't much better even if he had found a working car. The last bit of what Connor said sank in after a moment though and I felt bad I was going to probably burst his hope bubble right back. "You don't wanna go to Atlanta. A lot of my group had come from there before we met. It's gone. The walkers have overrun it and our last run group that tried to go back a few months ago said it was just as bad still. And if you're not from around here why are you here?"
I had noticed his expression getting steadily more anxious as I told him the city was lost. Just the look at the word overrun was like I'd physically attacked him. "I'm sorry. Was there someone there you knew?"
His face settled into resignation, something I could relate to all too well. "Aye. A few good friends. A FBI Agent an' a Detective. Boston wen' quick an' Smecker took Dolly ta Atlanta tryin' ta get answers. CDC was sayin' they were close to a cure." His expression changed to something more closely resembling stern. "An' don' think I don' realize ye didn' say how far ye are from wherever ye were callin' home."
Doing some quick mental math brought back that lead feeling. "Well if we're about a hundred miles north of Atlanta- WOAH wait a second! Did you say Boston? As in Massachusetts? That's over a thousand miles in a straight shot!" Who the hell were these people if they made that trip with only four of them?
Even as I asked the question words whispered in my mind again. Power..swift feet and commands. Rivers and souls… And like the first time I thought I heard the words they seemed hauntingly familiar. Like I'd heard it all before, I just couldn't figure out where or if it was even important.
Smirking a little bit now, like he knew I was impressed, he nodded once. "Aye, Boston as in Massachusetts. We waited ta see if they were commin' back. They been gone fer months now though. We were runnin' out of supplies an' by the sounds of it Boston wasn' much better than yer Atlanta. CDC's still got ta be standin' though right? Place is supposed ta be built like a fuckin' fortress."
I really wish this guy would get with the program. He and his friends had saved my life and at this point the only thing I'd done to return the favor was give them bad news. "No the CDC is gone to… Those people who were in the city? That was their last stop before they left. They told us, there was only one scientist left and he admitted he was nowhere close to a cure. I think Rick told my Dad the guy said France thought they were close before they ran outta power. That's what happened." One perfect eyebrow rose in question. "To the CDC I mean. The group got out just a few seconds before the whole building self-destructed. I guess it was some sort of safety thing to keep all the germs in."
At this point he was still standing and the headache I'd had since opening my eyes was quickly getting worse again having to look up at him. I think he may have seen my eyebrow twitch in annoyance. Why couldn't the guy just sit down already? His continued standing was beginning to make me nervous again too. If anything happened he was in the much better position.
Almost like he was reading my thoughts he swiftly sank to the ground and leaned to the side of a stump, what was probably left of the tree trunk I was leaning against. The motion however caused his coat, identical to the one I was wearing like a dress, to fold open a bit and revealed the holster wrapped around him and the guns resting inside it. Realistically I knew they had to be somewhere, the guy admitted his brother shot my attacker and that he would have done it himself, so I have no idea why them being there was anything to be surprised by. Maybe it was just the fact I didn't have a weapon of my own, and even if he was sitting now was still in the better position.
He must have caught me looking at it and gave a shrug. "I bet ye don' really like tha I have it on but better ta be safe out here even if I try na ta use it. Shorta me na havin' it is there anythin' that'll make ye feel better about it? 'M na here ta scare ye…" and damned if the offer alone wasn't enough to make me relax again.
I know Rick or Daryl, heck even Daddy and Maggie, OK freaking EVERYONE would not be ok with what I was about to do. But they weren't here and I was sick of being afraid. I told Daryl good people were still out there right? Time to try and take my own advice I guess. "No. You're right. Everyone has a gun nowadays right? But that's not your only weapon is it? Kinda loud and bullets are getting harder to find."
He seemed pleased with my response, if the gentle smile he gave me was anything to go on. "Tha guns na tha only thing I've got. Jus' tha fastest. Anythin' comes wanderin' up I'll handle it. Ye still haven't answered how far them pieces 'o shit took ye." And right back to that again. The guy was persistent.
As he wasn't going to drop it I figured I'd better just answer and get it out of the way. "The way I figure it, without a map to go on, I'd say I'm about a hundred fifty or so miles from where they grabbed me. I'm not 100% sure where I was when it happened or where I am now but at least that far I think." Saying the words was like making it final. I was too far away for anyone to find me, even if Daryl could have tracked the car. "Are you still going to try Atlanta?"
The resigned look was back. "Aye, we will. If there's even a chance our friends are alive we need ta be sure. Yer not plannin' on runnin' off inta tha night are ye? Ye don' really know us but it's still safer ta stay than be alone. Wee lil thing like ye out here, if tha dead didn' get ye more of tha livin' would."
I couldn't help staring at him. Even knowing they had saved me I wasn't convinced they would let me stay if they weren't dangerous. Traveling like they were, even if they had a running car, finding supplies would have been hard and adding another mouth wasn't likely high on their to do list. The sheer fierceness in the set of his lean face said he was serious though. This stranger wanted me to stay and so far hadn't asked for any kind of repayment. The fact it was almost too good to be true kept me from tearing up against the wave of relief the thought gave me. If I stayed I wouldn't be alone, and they were going in the direction I needed to go. Maybe after they were done in the city they might even decide to help me try and find everyone from the prison. I know the bus made it out so there had to be survivors somewhere and one of them might have Judith. It was the first time in days I had thought of the poor little girl and I was still convinced the only way I'd believe she was dead was if I saw it for myself.
I could feel eyes on me and looked back into the face of one of the sincere looking people I'd seen in a long while. Before the "End" I'd always thought I was a good judge of character and for the most part I still felt like I was. After all my initial reaction to just his voice was to trust him. Besides there wasn't really much else I could do. He was right again. I wouldn't make it long by myself no matter how much I wished otherwise. Daryl had been teaching me some things but it was slow going and we hadn't had much time. Mind made up I extended my hand to him. "My names Beth."
Holy crap ok this is the stopping point. If I go any more it's going to be forever before the next one. I hope this lives up to everyone's hopes. Next chapter Beth gets to meet the rest of the Saints crew. Reviews make me giggle like fangirl when Daryls being sweet! Much love to Anon, Beckarie, Soaring Hawk1, and Veszpremimaria who has also agreed to beta for me. Anyone wanting to let me know how I'm doing, good or bad, Please let me know. And anyone who just wants to talk fandoms please feel free to pm me! Love talking to other fans!