Chapter 4 –

When Beth and Daryl returned from their hunting, Joe's group was splitting Len's belongings between them and Len's body lay by the trees, blood covered with an arrow sticking out of one eye. Daryl gently led Beth past the body to their bag and their still-scattered belongings. Beth met Daryl's eyes, sharing her concern for their well-being with him in the short glance. He nodded, mouthing "tonight" to her before turning to see what of Len's they could still claim. All the others had left behind was a blanket. Daryl picked up the blanket and glanced briefly at the body, his thoughts reminding him of the time at the golfers clubhouse where Beth had asked him to help her cover the woman's body. His thoughts briefly flashed back to Len's words about Beth and he threw the blanket back to the ground.

"Daryl, what is it?" Beth's voice was quiet from behind him and he turned to face her, walking towards her and leaning his forehead against hers, closing his eyes at the contact. The simple act brought a calm back to his mind and he shook his head against hers.

"He doesn't deserve it. The respect of bein' covered. Not after what he said about you," he told her, opening his eyes and meeting hers. "I know you told me to ignore it, but I can't."

"Okay," she replied, stepping back slightly before leaning up to kiss his cheek again. He cleared his throat, feeling the men watching them.

"Take the crossbow. I'll give ya another serious piggyback." He pushed the crossbow into her hands and she huffed in annoyance, a small smile forming on her face with his actions.

"I can walk for a while, Daryl," she pointed out as she slung the weapon across her back and adjusted the trash bag to hang off her back as well.

"Slower than a snail, Greene, and I don't think they want to wait any longer to catch this guy." He glanced briefly at Joe and the others who were all turning and resuming their walk before turning and holding his hands out behind him. Beth sighed before putting her hands on his shoulder and jumping onto his back, her arms looping loosely around his neck, her hands going back to playing with his coat buttons as his hands wrapped around her thighs and adjusted her on his back. He started following the group, lingering back several feet and increasing the distance casually.

"So, are you two married or something?" one of the men, Harley, asked, glancing back briefly at Daryl and Beth. Daryl glanced briefly over his shoulder at Beth, jumping slightly when he realized how close her face was to his. Her lips quirked in a small smile and she kissed his cheek.

"I think it might be best if we say yes to his question," she whispered in his ear. Daryl "hmm'd" in response and Beth shrugged slightly. "Think about it. Joe's word has kept them from messing with us but look at them, they're getting antsy. They keep glancing at us. Getting to take out Len this morning might have reminded them of the…fun they could have hurting others. Maybe if we say we're married, it'll be like an extra "claim" on both of us and they won't want to do anything?"

"Or it could have the opposite effect, Beth, and they see a weakness for both of us."

"I get it; you don't want to tell us. You can ignore the question and continue your little lover's quarrel back there," Harley called out and the guys snickered. Beth set her chin on Daryl's shoulder, wrapping one of her hands in the fabric of his shirt under his coat, the heat of his skin radiating through the fabric and warming her chilled hand. She felt the man sigh and relax slightly at the contact and she fought back a grin, her stomach filling with butterflies and her heart skipping a beat at the small smile she saw form on his lips.

Beth sighed, placing her cheek on his shoulder, her eyes watching his face through his long hair before closing them. Her thoughts whirled to the few interactions she and the hunter had had before the prison fell and how close they had become since everything fell apart. She thought of how protective he had become of her and her thoughts finally landed back on their candlelit dinner, sitting side by side at the small table in the funeral home. Her brain had tried bringing up that moment frequently but she kept pushing it back, needing to focus on other things.

"What changed your mind?" The intense stare he had given her had spoken everything to her. She could see uncertainty in his eyes, but beyond that she could see that she had been the one to change his mind. Not only had she shown him that hope was possible and that there were still good people in the world, but she had opened him up. He told her things she knew no one else in their family knew. He told her about his father and his mother. His childhood with and without Merle. Of his time drifting with his brother, the things they would do together. How he refused to try drugs after watching what it did to his brother.

He had been especially nervous about telling her what he and Merle used to do when they were drifting. He had been terrified to tell her about their original plan to rob their group's camp of everything. Daryl had been concerned, worried, and anxious that her opinion of him would change and that she'd want nothing to do with him anymore after hearing all of the skeletons in his closet. But she had soothed him, reminded him of the good he had been doing since she had known him. Ever since he had told her everything, they had been side by side discussing anything and everything. Or enjoying a comfortable silence between them. The night at the table in the funeral home came back to Beth's mind and the intensity of his stare hit her like a ton of bricks.

He cares about me. Her brain thought as it finally processed everything, the changes between them, the constant little touches they had. Her eyes snapped open and she looked at Daryl's profile from her angle on his shoulder. Her heart fluttered and she couldn't stop the smile and giggle that escaped her lips.

He cares about me! Beth had gotten a brief hint at his silent confession that night but she hadn't had time to really think about it with the walker attack, her kidnapping, the concussion, and dealing with Joe's group. Beth knew how she felt for him; she had figured it out a few weeks after the moonshine house. Her feelings were strong for the hunter, though they weren't love, not yet. She had been uncertain about his feelings for her and had forced her feelings to the back of her mind to keep their friendship from becoming awkward. Her eyes locked with Daryl's as he glanced at her with a smirk.

"What's so funny?" he asked, making Beth blush and smile brightly. She couldn't contain the happiness she felt over her realization.

"Nothing, just thinking."

"That sounds dangerous," he teased and Beth chuckled.

"Play nice, Dixon." Beth sighed, tightening her grip on his shirt which he responded with by tightening his grip on her thighs.

"I have to know," Joe interrupted as he stopped walking to allow Daryl and Beth to catch up to him. The atmosphere between the two instantly went from their light hearted banter to a tense, stiff air as they approached Joe. "I know you two don't plan on tagging with us too much longer so I need to know, will you be with us when we catch this killer tonight?" Daryl tensed instantly under Beth and she flattened the hand that was gripping his shirt so that it was lying flat on his chest above his heart, trying to help keep him calm and level headed.

"Dunno, was thinking of splitting soon," Daryl answered honestly. Joe's gaze turned stony and Beth could feel Daryl's hand rising on her thigh to where the knife sat.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Just the two of you, her injured…I dunno," Joe's voice was soft but Beth could see the threat in his eyes before he turned and walked slightly ahead of them.

"We need to get away from them," Daryl muttered and Beth nodded.

"It'd probably be best to do so when it gets dark, wouldn't it?"

"It'll be risky either way." Beth's eyes looked to the sky, seeing the sun already hanging lower in the western sky. It'd be dark within another hour or so. Her eyes drifted to the tracks and she felt her eyes widen when she saw a candy bar wrapper lying between two boards.

"Daryl," her eyes took in the foot prints on the tracks and she saw three sets. She pointed to the ground and his eyes took in the tracks and the candy bar. "What if it's one of our family…?" she asked, her hope rising in her chest. Daryl cursed softly.

"For once, I hope it's not…"