"And for another thing, how dare you embarrass me like that in front of Glenn. You're a civilised person now Beth, a member of society, so act like it."

The blonde settled herself on the grass, glancing around impatiently to see if Daryl had decided to meet her under the stars again. There were a few times she'd crossed her fingers because she heard rustling but it turned out to be a rabbit or a squirrel, just going about its business.

"How would mum like to know that she raised this?" Maggie said, gesturing to all of Beth with her free hand, the other gripping the steering wheel.

She sipped the water from her bottle, not able to disguise the shake in her fingers. It was a cold night and she regretted not bringing something to keep her warm. Her floral print sundress was not doing a good job in keeping the cold wind off her body.

"You invited Daryl Dixon of all people into your bed," Maggie hissed. "You're no longer a teenage girl, Beth. You can't go around joking about stuff like that and getting yourself into trouble."

Beth put the cap on her drink bottle, settling it in the grass as she laid down to look up at the sky. Maybe Rosita was right. Maybe she wanted to be a star because she wanted to die. No matter how hard she tried to find a star that resembled her mother, there was none and Beth Greene's star theory was not going to be wrong.

"'Didn't like it'..." Maggie scoffed. "What were you thinking, Beth? You tried to kill yourself and all you can say is that you burnt the barn down with yourself inside because you didn't like it?"

The only way she was going to find Daryl Dixon was if she laid down and prayed he was drunk and stumbling around in the field. It'd be a hell of a silly thing for him to trip over her again.

"I told everyone I'd take care of you and dad. Patricia and Otis left because I couldn't. I let you attempt suicide twice and I let Daddy fall off the wagon and they left like Shawn because I can't look after my own darn family!"

Eventually, when the first glint of dawn light shone on the ground and illuminated the trees, Daryl found her.

"D'you really not remember me?" she asked quickly, barely giving herself time to adjust to the newfound sunlight drifting its way towards her. "You said at dinner that you didn't remember me but I'm sure you do-"

"I do," he groaned.

"The whole point of stargazing is being here at night when it's dark and you can actually see the stars," she pointed out, trying her best not to be rude because Maggie constantly told her how it drove people away and Beth couldn't lose anyone else.

"What can I do, Beth? You're losing your mind and you only got back from the clinic two months ago. We have a month until Christmas and I don't wanna send you back, not for Christmas, not again."

Daryl lowered himself beside her, mumbling something unintelligible under his breath.

Beth turned to watch him as he stared up at the sky, eyes moving back and forth across it like he was searching for the answers to the universe in the early morning sky. When he moved to gaze at her, he met her eyes awkwardly.

"I have a theory," she said. "The stars are really people and in each star is a universe which contains all that person's memories and hopes and dreams. And I think that everyone that's ever been lost is up there, as a star. It would explain why there's so many and why there's shooting stars. Shooting stars are people being born. If stars are dead people then shooting stars are alive people who are being made, they're falling to the ground and as they're falling, they're gaining hopes and dreams so when they die, that star will appear in the sky."

Daryl didn't say anything, just continued to stare up at her.

"So, I think my mum is up there. She's that one there, to the left a little. The brightest one because she was the happiest person I know. And one day, we'll be up there. I have a theory for soul mates too, if you want to hear."

He didn't say anything, just raised his eyebrows to signal for her to continue talking.

"I think-"

"Ya think a lot."

"I spent a lot of time in the clinic," she replied, not missing the pained look that crossed his face. "Anyway, when the Earth started out, we had Adam and Eve, right? Well, as the Earth grew and so did the population, God had to make more people and you and I, we were hand-crafted. So, say we were soul mates, God made us at the beginning of the world together and when the time was right, he placed us carefully through time so our whole life, we would be seeking the other person. Not only that, but souls are reincarnated through time but they're clean slates each time and the only thing that remains is their connection to their soul mate so our souls are old, like, beginning of the Earth old, and despite that, we still have a connection to our soul mates."

Daryl nodded and Beth had barely noticed she'd moved closer to him. "I think Maggie and Glenn are soul mates," she whispered, unsure of how to deal with the sudden closeness. "And I think we both have soul mates out there, just waiting to meet us."

"Dixons don't have soul mates," he said, voice gruff.

"Maybe not your dad or brother, but you do."

"How d'you know that?"

Beth bit down on her bottom lip which was already raw. "I just do," she innocently said, smiling softly.

She wanted to kiss him because she hadn't kissed someone in eleven months and because it was so inviting. He'd probably shy away from her and go home to scrub his mouth out with soap and smoke cigarettes until the taste of her was out of his mouth.

Daryl stiffened as she moved closer and then, ever so slowly, she pressed hesitant lips against his, not trying to disguise the anxiety building.

When she finally pulled back, removing her hand from his cheek, he was watching her carefully. "Sorry," she squeaked.

Then without a second thought, she moved back towards him, kissing him again and this time, he moved his own lips against hers, kissing her back much to her own surprise. His lips were bitter but Beth ruled that to smoking and alcohol and because he didn't look like the kind of guy to eat strawberries.

Carefully, she let her lips freeze against his before pulling back.

"That was nice," she whispered, a smile consuming her face. "I should probably go home, Maggie will be looking for me by now and if I don't go back she'll call Officer Grimes and send out a town-wide search party."

She went to get back up but leaned back in for another kiss- this one quick- before standing. "I'll leave the blanket here," she said, eyes shining in the early morning sunlight. "You can bring it back again. Give you a reason to come and see me again."

And without a further word, she picked her bottle up from the ground and walked off, the sound of her singing softly to herself heard by Daryl's ears.

"If you think I'm letting you go out again, you're dreaming, Beth. We're done, I gave you a chance and you ruined it; for me, Glenn, Daryl. You're immature and childish, what was sabotaging the meeting going to get you? I thought you'd want to meet my boyfriend, maybe find a guy of your own but... I don't even know anymore."

Beth twisted the doorknob quietly in her hand, thankful the house lights were all off. Maggie had probably retired to bed, not thinking twice about saying goodnight to her sister after the awful way she behaved.

Beth climbed the stairs, tiptoeing to her room before inching the door open. There was something on the bed, a piece of paper.

'I got a call about dad, emergency. Got to go get him again, it's important. Stay safe, Beth.'

As if the blonde needed another reason to lose sleep.

She crawled into bed after stripping off her sundress- an ugly pink fabric covered in yellow and orange flowers that were an eye-sore- and stared out her bedroom window.

Maggie got home twenty-minutes later, crying, and Beth pulled herself out of bed, quickly. By the time she made it downstairs, Rick Grimes was in her kitchen, talking in hushed tones to her older sister.

"Mags?" she said softly, suddenly aware her half-naked pale body was on show. "Why are you crying?"

"Dad," her sister choked. "H-He got into an accident driving home and he's in the hospital."

"He dead?" Beth sniffed. "Like mum?"

Rick pulled off his Sheriff jacket, passing it to Beth who was shaking but not from the cold. She pulled it on, nodding a small thanks to the family friend.

"Not dead but..." Maggie said simply. "Beth, it was the same road. Same road as mum. Paramedics said it wasn't an accident. Cars don't skid off roads like that, not like he did. Dad crashed on purpose, he's in the hospital, stable condition."

Beth felt her eyes burn with tears but refused to shed them. "He tried to kill himself?"

"He's an alcoholic, maybe it was just-"

"Maggie," Beth sighed. "Dad tried to kill himself, it wasn't an accident or some crazy drunk decision. Guess he's like me, huh? I mean, I didn't run myself off the road, but..."

"I should let you guys get some rest, I'll call in the morning to tell you about Hershel," Rick said, standing. "Thanks for the coffee Maggie." He turned to Beth and offered a sad smile. "Keep the jacket for a bit, looks good on you."

And for the fourth night in a room, she didn't get a wink of sleep.