...


She can sing.

It took her a while to figure that one out. She doesn't even remember how exactly it happened. It had been about a month ago and they were just walking through the forest, something they did everyday. Beth had been feeling restless, her mind constantly swirling as she saw random flashes of things she still didn't understand.

An arrow lying in the grass.

A rumble of a motorcycle.

A baby crying.

A rough hand holding her own.

A piano and a casket.

Those now familiar pair of angel wings on the back of a leather vest.

She just wanted to tune it out, to clear her mind of all the things that didn't make any sense. So she had started to hum. She didn't even realize she had started singing - can't even remember what song it was either - but she just remembers hearing her own voice in the middle of a chorus and glancing over to see Morgan looking at her, almost a look of awe on his face.

"Sorry," she mumbles feeling embarrassed and fully aware that they should be keeping quiet.

Morgan shrugs. "Don't apologize. Ya got quite a voice on ya, kid." he chuckles softly.

Beth grinned bashfully and had just shrugged, adjusting the knife in her grip. They were walking for only a few moments longer before Morgan spoke again.

"Well ain't no point in stoppin' now. Go on, keep singin'."

"I thought my singin' annoyed you?" she questions and she's just as surprised as Morgan over the words that had sprouted from her mouth seemingly without her control.

"Why would ya think that?" Morgan questions and when she doesn't answer and he takes a look at her face, he suddenly knows what has happened. She tries to ignore the small smile that forms on his lips.

She hasn't tried singing since.

...

She gets headaches and she deems it as only logical considering she woke up with a bullet hole through her head. She isn't sure what happened or how but all she really knows, is that somehow, she survived. Now, months later, she still feels the effects of it. Her head throbs painfully and sometimes her vision goes blurry. She has to take more breaks than she would like to admit but thankfully, Morgan never pushes her too hard. If anything, he has held her back on more than one occasion.

There have been a few times in the past where she had even blacked out, though thankfully Morgan was always close by when that happened. She can usually tell when she has been pushing herself too much and that's why she now finds herself sitting on a fallen log, her legs pulled up to her chest and her eyes squeezed shut, rubbing her temples lightly. She tries to just focus on her breathing, trying to ignore both the pain and the glimpses of another life that are flashing behind her eyelids.

Breathe in.

"I'll be gone someday."

Breathe out.

"Everyone we know is dead!"

Breathe in.

There is a chain link fence, barbed wire all along the top, trapping her in, keeping her safe.

Breathe out.

"It does matter."

Breathe in.

"You're heavier than you look."

Breathe out.

A small, dark, cramped space. A warm, hard body pressed up against her side.

Breathe in.

"Pretty soon I won't need you at all."

Breathe out.

She jumps as she feels a hand on her shoulder and her hand immediately goes to her knife. This isn't the first time this has happened though and Morgan is faster than her, gripping her wrist just before the blade makes contact with his skin.

"Sorry," she mumbles sheepishly, relaxing her posture and Morgan releases her arm.

"You need a break?" he asks her, his eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"I'm alright," she argues, standing up and Morgan just stares at her, not believing her but also not fighting her.

He nods his head and she takes a deep breath in before she stands, ignoring the pain in her head as she trains her eyes on Morgan's back, letting him lead them further.

"Shouldn't be long now. We're gettin' close." Morgan says after a moment, glancing back at her with a small smile.

"How can ya tell?" she asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

Whatever response Morgan says to her is drowned out by that damn voice in her head and she freezes, closing her eyes tight as another shooting pain zooms through her head.

"The signs are all there. Just gotta know how to read 'em."

Morgan looks back at her, hearing her stumble and he frowns. "Maybe we should call it a night."

Beth shakes her head, ignoring the pain once again as she begins to walk forward with a new found stride.

"Told ya I'm fine." she mutters out and she hears him sigh but once again, he doesn't fight her on the matter.

"Almost done." she hears herself whisper and as the wind blows, ruffling her hair slightly, she feels a small smile pull at her lips as the voice speaks again.

"Go up the road. I'll meet you there."

...


Hmmm...anyone up for a reunion soon? ;)