Wrong About You

Chapter 4

Rick-

It ain't easy watchin' Beth with Daryl even though I'm glad he's back.

We haven't had a chance to talk yet but I can see she regrets everythin'. Hell, I do too. She hasn't smiled since he got back. She's changed and he doesn't seem to notice but it's none of my business. If she wants to be with him, I'm happy for her. They really do love each other.

It started stormin' early this mornin' so we're all gonna be stuck inside except for those who have watch and whenever the shifts change and unfortunately, my shift doesn't start 'til tonight.

I watched Beth walk in to the common room for breakfast holdin' Daryl's hand. I couldn't finish my breakfast and I didn't want to see them together so I got Carol to keep Judith while I went down to the boiler room.

Beth-

Every time Daryl touches me, I want to cry and tell him what I did.

I keep tellin' myself I shouldn't feel guilty for it because he's the one who left but that doesn't help.

I tried to keep my eyes on Daryl and whoever else was at our table but I kept lookin' at Rick. I had to bite my tongue before I opened Pandora's box and ruined everythin'. I'm sure things would be a hell of a lot worse than what's goin' on outside these walls if Daryl found out.

I hung my head when Rick came to our table to talk to Carol but I watched him leave. He must be thinkin' the same thing I am. He's tryin' to put as much distance between us as he can.

Daryl-

I ain't sure how but Beth's different. She's cold towards me. She don't want me ta touch 'er or nothin'. Maybe she's still pissed off but I thought after a month things would be better but they ain't.

I asked 'er daddy an' sister an' ever'one else what was wrong with 'er but no one knows.

I cain't even get 'er ta smile or get 'er ta turn red like I could 'fore I left.

When we went ta bed last night, she pushed my arm off of 'er an' I swear I heard 'er cryin'.

Beth-

After breakfast, Daryl and his brother went outside for their watch shift and I took that as my chance to find Rick so we could talk.

When I saw he wasn't in the library, I went to the boiler room. Those are the only two places he'd be.

I eased the door open and I could hear him talkin'. I listened for a minute to make sure I wouldn't get caught before I realized he was talkin' to Lori. Well, he wasn't really talkin' to her, more like he was askin' for help.

I didn't want to interrupt him but this may be our only chance to talk alone. The door creaked when I opened it further and when I closed it, there was a loud screeching noise.

Rick was sittin' against the wall when I started walkin' over to him but he quickly stood up and made his way to me. His arms went around me and I buried my head in his chest and I couldn't hold back my tears any longer.

He ran his hands up and down my back while I cried.

"I'm sorry, Bethie," he whispered and kissed my neck.

I pulled my head away from his chest and took his face in my hands. "So am I," was all I could say and then I pulled his face to mine and kissed him. His arms locked around my waist and mine went around his neck.

Before either of us could object, our clothes were thrown to the floor and we were lost in each other.

Rick-

"This can't happen again. This is the last time, Rick," Beth said as we were putting our clothes back on.

"I know," I told her. I hated myself for hoping it wouldn't be our last time together.

Once we were dressed, we sat down against the wall.

"I love him," Beth whispered more to herself than me.

"I know you do."

"Rick, what do we tell him?"

"Nothin'."

She looked at me and shook her head, "We have to. I'd rather tell him than have him find out on his own."

"Beth, no one knew we were seein' each other..."

"They may not have known but I sure as hell know what I've done. What we did. Oh my God! We just...we just did it."

I rubbed my face. "He's like a brother to me," I told her and myself, "but if we tell him, it'll hurt him and I don't wanna do that to him."

What the fuck did I do?!

"You go ahead and head back to your cell. I'm gonna stay here a while," I told her.

She left without sayin' anythin' but she was cryin'.

Daryl-

I'd left Merle in tha guard tower so I could find Rick an' talk ta him 'bout Merle stayin' fer good.

I was walkin' by tha library when I heard someone cryin'. I don't like havin' ta be 'round people when they start that shit but I wanted ta make sure whoever it was wasn't hurt. I opened tha door an' walked in.

Beth was sittin' against a shelf an' she was cryin' worse than I'd ever seen.

"Beth, ya hurt?"

"No," she said but she didn't look at me.

I sat down beside 'er. I didn't know what I could do ta help 'er but I didn't want 'er ta sit in 'ere cryin' like this.

"I messed up, Daryl."

"Ya messed up? How?"

She finally looked at me an' she tried but she couldn't stop cryin'.

"It was nothin'. Just, I didn't believe you'd come back. I lost my faith in you but I love you, Daryl."

I leaned in an' she let me kiss 'er. I wiped tha tears from 'er face an' she smiled.

"I love ya too, Beth."

Beth-

I can't believe I just lied to him but all I could think about was what Rick said.

There was no way I could hurt him by tellin' him what we had done while he was gone or what had just happened.

He led me back to the cell block and wrapped his arms around me once we were in our cell. He kissed me and slipped his hands under my shirt.

I pulled away from him, "Daryl, can we wait 'til later?"

He kissed me again, "Yeah. I gotta get back on watch. I left Merle out there."

Later that night when he came to bed, I put on my best smile. I want to be with him like we were before but when he eased into me, I had to close my eyes to fight back the tears.

I'm not sure I can be with him like this anymore.