A/N: As always, the reviews, follows, and favorites are amazing! You guys blow me away!

Now for the hard part - I had SOOO wanted this to be Daryl's chapter. But, alas, it was not meant to be. I tried, I swear (hence, the delay in update)! But Maggie's voice kept nagging me that this one belonged to her. And you know those Greene's – STUBBORN! So, I gave in and this chapter will be Maggie's POV.

The final chapter, "Us", will be Daryl's POV – I've already started it, so it is set in stone! I won't go back on you again, promise! Also, I have ideas rattling around for a Chapter 5/Epilogue, which will be a Beth POV entitled "Me". Thoughts?

Again, much love and appreciation! Leave a review on your way out! –T.

DISCLAIMER: Any and all canon events and characters herein belong to the great minds at AMC. I own absolutely NOTHING related to The Walking Dead. However, The Walking Dead very much owns me!

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Chapter 3: Her

He's in love with her. She guessed she had known it all along, though. Maggie watched Daryl standing next to the road, alone; gazing down the barren stretch of pavement as if the answer lay right around the next bend. She knew he was at war again. He was constantly warring with himself. Maggie wondered if anyone else noticed it. Wondered how many times she'd neglected to notice it herself. Nothing gave him away, really. Maggie just knew.

Where he was right now, Maggie had been there. Glenn. She glanced over to where Glenn was huddled quietly talking to Rick. Not many people understood that sort of faith. Sasha had tried to reason with her. Same as Abraham tried to "reason" with Daryl. But love doesn't know reason. It makes you say things, do things, believe in things. And Maggie could see it in his every action; hear it every time he spoke.

"Gotta keep goin'." She needs me.

"Ya don'know what tha hell you're talkin' 'bout! We're getting closer every damn day!" I need her.

"Someone's been through here." I love her.

She'd watched his hope dissolve countless times. Every time a trail ran out, every time another house came up empty. But he built it back up almost immediately. She could see the effort it took, the rebuilding, but it always happened. And it was all her. Beth did that. The knowing made her heart swell. Because she understood; Beth did that to people, for people. And Daryl probably needed something like that more than most folks.

Watching him, Maggie felt ashamed all over again. They'd had a big blow up right after Terminus. She'd known it was mostly Daryl's own guilt; he'd apologized to her later, in his own Daryl-way. But he had been right. She had given up on Beth. Assumed she was dead. Forgotten everything her Daddy taught them. She could feel the lump rising in her throat. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Daddy. She breathed deeply. Gotta put it away. They all had jobs to do, and hers was to find her baby sister. We need her.

It had been three weeks. Three weeks since Terminus. She and Daryl both knew they were working on borrowed time, even with Glenn, Rick, and Carol behind them. She found herself seeking out Daryl's company more and more. Or maybe he was seeking hers? Glenn said it was because it made them feel close to Beth. Maybe he was right. Maybe they just need to remind each other sometimes.

She knew she needed to talk to him. Remind him, again. So she stood up, brushed the dirt off her pants and made her way over.

Maggie cleared her throat, "Hey…"

"Hey."

"We'll start out again at first light."

"Yeah."

Maggie paused, looking down at the red clay under her boots, "I can take watch, you get some sleep…"

"Nah, m'alright," Daryl said. He looked down, his shaggy hair hiding his eyes as he toed the dirt, "Don't sleep anyway."

"Dreams…" Maggie asked, but it wasn't much of a question. She'd heard him talk in his sleep more than once.

"Yeah…" he said quietly, his head still down, "'bout that shack, and the funeral home… " About her.

Daryl looked uncomfortable, but Maggie waited, willing him to continue.

When he finally looked up at her, his pained expression made it hard for her to breathe. "There's stuff…I shoulda told her. But I didn't," he looked away, off into the falling darkness, "Ain't gonna be right, 'til I do."

Maggie knew. "You miss her."

Daryl just nodded.

"You know, I been meanin' to thank you," she said quietly, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Daryl looked over at her, not quite meeting her eyes, and shook his head, "Didn't do nothin'. Couldn't keep her…"

"Not that…just," Maggie chewed her lip, debating her next words, "thank you…for loving her. And believin' when I didn't." Before he could respond, Maggie turned to make her way back to the others. She paused, glancing back, "I know you need to tell her, but I'm sure she already knows, Daryl."

As she strode back toward camp, silent tears carving trails down her cheeks, Maggie did something she hadn't done since the prison. Prayed.

xxxx

Three days. That was all it took. Three days later they found the car two miles outside a tiny abandoned town they were heading toward. The large white cross in the back window calling out to them like a beacon. It had run out of gas on the side of the road. The only sign someone had even been there were the tracks in the clay on the side of the road. One set of prints. Large. A man's boots.

Daryl went ape-shit. Kicking the car and screaming every curse Maggie had ever heard. And some she hadn't. It was Rick who finally moved toward him, but Daryl shrugged him away. He strode several yards away from the group, his shoulders heaving as he tried to get himself under control. Maggie felt like she had been punched in the gut. Tears silently streamed down her face.

No one spoke. No one moved. Finally Abraham broke the silence. "I'll be goddamned…" he murmured, staring at the dust covered Cadillac. "Ain't no girl been here...another fuckin' waste of time. We could be halfway to DC by now."

That's when Maggie broke. Mama. Shawn. Otis. Patricia. Lori. Daddy. DADDY. Beth. Beth. Beth. BETH. The silent tears became all out sobs. It felt like knives in her heart. Glen tried to comfort her to no avail. That's when Daryl stormed back over, making a beeline toward her.

"Daryl..." Carol's tone was wary. Michonne started to head toward him. Glenn moved to block. But Daryl side stepped them and grabbed Maggie roughly by both shoulders. After a beat he pulled her to him, embracing her awkwardly. "Ain't over yet," he said quietly, "Get it together, Greene. Them tracks are headed to that town. We gotta go." Glenn looked flabbergasted. Maggie couldn't help the small smile fighting its way through her sobs. Daryl released her suddenly, turning back to the others.

"THE FUCK Y'ALL STARING AT? – LET'S MOVE!" Daryl barked.

xxxx

By the time they reached the town, Maggie's ears were ringing from the stream of mumbled expletives that had been steadily spewing from Daryl's mouth. If she hadn't been so preoccupied by the knots in her stomach, she may have snapped at him. As they approached the town, he had quieted down. She glanced over to where he was just to her left. She could see the muscle in his jaw ticking. Glenn was to her right; she felt his hand find the small of her back. She looked over at him, a small thankful smile on her lips. What would I do without him?

The town was tiny. One main road with a few dilapidated store fronts and a post office sporting a now tattered American flag. It probably had looked like a Norman Rockwell at some point, but now debris littered the sidewalks and walker blood smeared the road. There appeared to be a few residential side streets, but that was the extent of it. A ghost town. Barren. Not even a single walker in sight.

"What do we do now?" Carl was the only one brave enough to pipe up.

Daryl stopped and glared back at everyone from his spot at the front. But it was Maggie who answered.

"A church," she said softly, clearing her throat, "We look for a church."

xxxx

HOLY OAK ASSEMBLY OF GOD. When the weathered white steeple of the church appeared through the trees of the last street, Daryl took off. Maggie tore after him. As they raced down the pavement her heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest. She barely noticed that Daryl had stopped when she flew past him and up the driveway. Then she saw her. The fluffy blond head just off behind the church.

Maggie slowed then stopped. Beth was crouched near the ground, pulling weeds out of a small garden. Maggie could almost hear her humming as she worked in the sunshine. Her vision blurred. We found her. We found her, Daddy.

"Beth?" Maggie croaked, her voice failing her. The blond head popped up. Confused blue eyes searching. When they landed on Maggie, they became big as saucers.

"M-Maggie?" Beth began to stumble toward her, tears streaming.

"BETHY!

Then Beth was flying toward her. "MAGGIE!"

"Beth! BETH! BETH!" Maggie had never run so hard in her life. They slammed into each other with such force, they collapsed in a heap on the grass. Sobbing and laughing all at once.

"Maggie! Maggie! Maggie!" Beth's arms were like a vice around her neck, big wet tears falling on her shoulders. "Maggie I tried to...we tried..." she sobbed.

"Shhh... It's ok, it's ok, Bethy."

It felt like an eternity they stayed that way, just the two of them crying and holding onto each other for dear life. Then Maggie heard a clatter behind her and felt Beth's grip loosen.

"Daryl..." Beth whispered.

xxxx

A/N: I'm not entirely sold on this chapter, and will probably end up making edits. Maggie isn't nearly as easy to write as Carol! But I just couldn't make y'all wait any longer! The next chapter is coming along well! Pretty excited about it, actually! Please review! Friendly suggestions are always appreciated!