Apocalyptic Love

Chapter 4

Beth pulled the blanket closer around herself as Michonne rubbed her back. She had her head in the older woman's lap, still in too much shock to do more than lay there. Carl was sitting across from her, his gun in his lap and staring out the window. Beth felt safer knowing they were there and that Rick and Daryl were just outside. She could hear them talking.

Daryl sat down beside Rick, staring at the ground. "What happened?" Rick asked.

Daryl sighed, he didn't know how much to tell Rick, but once it started, he couldn't stop. "Beth and I…we got out together, wandered around for a bit. We ended up at this morgue." He sighed, remembering what had happened. "Whoever was living there was painting up the walkers to make them look like people again…she said it was beautiful." He looked at his lap. "Later, she was gonna leave a note, telling them that we'd been there, thank them for the food we ate…" He shook his head and looked at Rick. "I don't get how someone can be that…optimistic anymore, that…pure."

Rick sighed and nodded his head, looking at the ground. "She might not be the best fighter, but she's one tough woman, I'll give her that." He looked back at Daryl. "What else happened?"

Daryl shook his head. "We got attacked, walkers swarmed the house cause my dumbass opened the door thinkin' the dog came back. I told her to run for the road. By the time I got there all I saw was her bag on the ground and taillights. She got taken." He sighed, remembering how he'd ran all night trying to find her. "I met up with those guys…figured it was better than being alone. I knew they weren't good, shouldn't have gone with them." He was pissed at himself for letting that happen to Beth. She was nearly raped because of the men he'd been with, but even though he felt like the biggest dick, he knew that if he hadn't been with them, they probably would have raped her and he wouldn't have found her. "I was getting ready to leave, I was going to go look for her on my own, then I heard her scream"

He felt like a complete dick. He should have kept her safe, made sure that nothing happened to her. Rick looked at him. "Do you love her?" he asked.

Daryl stared at the ground. He couldn't look his best friend in the eyes. He knew the answer, but he didn't know if he wanted to admit it. Admitting it made it real. He nodded his head slowly. "Yeah, think I do." He looked past Rick to the truck where Beth was with Michonne and Carl. "She deserves better."

Rick shook his head. "No, she deserves you." He put a hand on Daryl's shoulder. "You're a loyal man, you're good, you just won't let yourself see that, and honestly, I think you two are good for each other." He smiled a bit. "She know?"

Daryl shook his head. "Haven't told her." Rick nodded his head and they both looked over at the truck door squeaked open. Carl jumped out first and holstered his gun before reaching out his hand to help Beth out, Michonne behind her. Daryl watched them walk over. She looked as bad as he felt. Her skin was still pale, there were tear tracks down her face where she'd been crying and she looked like she was fighting to stay awake.

"We should get back on the road," Michonne said, glancing around at the dead bodies still lying where they'd left them.

Rick looked at Beth. "You okay to keep goin'?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "I can't stay here any longer." Rick nodded his head and stood up, reaching out his hand to help Daryl up.

Daryl looked at Beth as she moved closer to his side, staying closer than she had before as they started walking again. "Where are we going?" he asked, looking at Rick.

"Terminus." He looked at Daryl. "If our people are out there, that's our best shot at finding them." Daryl nodded his head as they continued down the road.

Beth stayed close to Daryl as they walked. She had heard what he'd said to Rick. They all had in the truck. She wasn't going to say anything about it though. She was going to keep her mouth shut. It wouldn't be fair of her to demand that he tell her. She knew he would in his own time. For now, being close to him was enough and she knew that he knew that she needed it. So much had happened recently, he was the constant in her life right now and she needed to be close. She felt if she got too far away she'd blow away, like he was the only thing holding her to the ground. When she thought about being without him again her chest ached and she felt her walls closing in around her.

She had no idea what they were about to run into at Terminus, but it had to be better than what they'd gone through already.