Ah, guys I am so glad you all like this story and I love everyone for giving me feedback, I'll be updating a bit more regularly for the next few weeks I think since it's the Christmas holiday! So without further ado, here's chapter two!

xxx

He kept Morgan in front of him every step of the way back to camp, watching him nervously, still not yet trusting him. Occasionally he glanced down at Beth, he couldn't let himself believe she was really there in his arms, not until she was out of immediate danger and safe back at the camp

"Turn left" Daryl instructed Morgan when they passed the tree Rick had marked witch was one of a few scattered close by the church as landmarks so no one got lost. "We're nearly there Greene." He added in a whisper, allowing himself to rub his rough thumb over her shoulder where he held her. The feeling of her ragged shirt over her boney but very much real and alive arm made his heart skip a little and his stomach flip nervously. Despite his best efforts he felt a little of the hope he had lost four months ago trickling back.

"The church is just up ahead through those trees" Daryl said after a little while of walking when he could see the edge of the forest. He sped up to walk beside Morgan, wanting whoever was on watch to know they were together.

When they cleared the trees and stepped into the field surrounding the church Daryl could see Glenn from across the field lift a pair of binoculars to his eyes before he ran towards them.

"What's going on?" He breathed raggedly when he reached the trio, eyeing Beth and Morgan. "Is...is she alive?" Daryl nodded slowly, glancing at Morgan.

"Go get Rick to deal with him" he said gruffly, continuing to carry Beth up to the steps of the Church, where Carl and Carol had gathered, leaving Glenn and Morgan behind. "Clear off a cot for her" he barked at carl.

Then his eyes found Maggie, she was standing just inside the doors with her hands over her mouth and tears welling up in her eyes. Daryl knew how she felt, shocked and scared and confused. But he had to act strong until he was sure that Beth was safe, and he had to keep his composure in case the girl in his arms woke up; he didn't want her to see how shaken he was by her sudden reappearance.

Maggie rushed to their side as he put beth down gently on the cot, and as Daryl stepped back the older Greene sister dropped to her knees beside the younger. "Maggie I don't know what happened but Rick will find out," he explained before She could ask. "I dunno what she needs Maggie, what can I do to help?" He mumbled, feeling Maggie's emotions affect the control he had over his own.

"Get water, " she said with out looking up from her sister's face as she felt the blonde's forehead with the back of her hand. "She's definitely dehydrated, also check if we've got anything with electrolytes like sports drinks and stuff."

Daryl nodded and gave Beth another long glance before walking into the back room to rummage through bags looking for what Maggie wanted. This was good, if he had something to keep him occupied he wouldn't start worrying and getting all sappy. He eventually found a powdered sports drink as well as a packet of painkillers and two capsules of antibiotics and when water bottle was full he returned to Beth and Maggie who had been joined by Rick and Morgan.

"What's goin' on?" Daryl asked as he set the supplies down beside the bed and placed the water bottle in Maggie's hands. "How's she doin'?" Maggie glanced up at him and shook her head,

"well she's still not awake..." She sighed with a shrug. Then Daryl looked up to Rick nodding slightly towards Morgan.

"Morgan says he found her when he was tracking us, he's been on our trail for months, I guess we finally gave him time to catch up by stoppin' at the church for the winter" Rick explained.

"I must've come across her grave only a few days after yall left, I had to know if I was trackin' the right group, so I dug her up, thinkin' it might be someone in your group I recognized." Morgan said looking at Daryl as if he owed him an explanation. " I didn't recognize her at first but I could tell she sure as hell wasn't dead."

Daryl could have screamed, how could he have been so dumb, how could he have left Beth there to die, what was wrong with him?

"She was... Shot..." He stammered, finally being consumed with confusion and frustration. It would have been his fault if Morgan hadn't of saved her, and he hated himself for it. Morgan nodded,

"She was unconscious but breathing, when I opened the coffin" he continued, and Daryl remembered that "coffin" it had been scrap wood he pulled from a rundown shack and nailed together into a makeshift box. "I carried her back to where I had been a few days before because there was a woman there who I knew was a doctor, she bandaged Beth up and we stayed with them for a few weeks, it took a while for Beth to wake up and be healthy enough to travel but when she did she didn't remember much of anything. She knew who Rick was and she told me her sister and friends were probably with him" Morgan looked between Maggie and Daryl as he said this.

"So ya kept trackin' us?" Rick asked "by the tree markings?" Morgan nodded,

"I'm surprised we caught up so fast, yall got pretty far in those last two months"

"We've been set up here for about a month" Daryl said, stepping towards Morgan and placing his hand on the man's shoulder briefly. Daryl felt he should thank him but he didn't know how to. Instead he decided it was best if he gave Maggie some space to nurse her sister back to health so he walked out of the church and seated himself on the steps. Beth was safe now, he didn't need to be beside her, even if he wanted to be. But he'd just get in the way he thought.

"You alright?" Daryl heard from behind him, he turned and saw Carol leaning against the porch railing.

"'M fine." He grumbled not wanting to have a feelings talk like Carol was prone to do. "Just glad she's back" he mumbled under his breath turning back to face the woods. It felt good to say it, she's back, he thought over and over again.

"You don't seem so glad" carol sighed as she moved closer to him.

"Well I am" he muttered.

"It's not your fault, we all thought she was dead" Carol said, giving Daryl a knowing look as she walked back into the church. Daryl huffed in annoyance and ran his hands over his face. It sure felt like it was his fault. And he wasn't quite ready to forgive himself, at least not until the young blonde woke up.