This chapter will contain spoilers from 'Welcome To The Tombs', so please be aware of that if you haven't seen the episode yet. I would also just like to say another big thank you to everyone who is continuing to read this fic and to those who've left lovely reviews. I'm thinking that I might only write one more chapter after this, until we get more details on season four. But I'm so glad that Beth made it through S3, and that Emily Kinney has now been upgraded to a series regular. I want this fic (and any sequel) to follow the show canon (I own no rights to The Walking Dead etc etc...) with added extras, of course. Thanks again, everyone - Mrs P.

Hard Times

Rick let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw Daryl walking towards the prison gate. He noted there was no sign of Merle, and he guessed what that meant. The surviving Dixon brother easily dispatched a handful of walkers as he strode onwards to meet the former sheriff's deputy at the fence.

"You alright?" Rick asked, while already knowing that he wasn't, and wouldn't say so either way.

Daryl gave one nod of his head in response as he passed through the gate. He refused to meet his friend's concerned gaze and kept his eyes fixed on the ground.

"What happened?" Rick asked him.

He was determined not to let Daryl disconnect from him, or the rest of the group. Aside from anything else, they needed him now more than ever.

"Merle's dead," Daryl said after a short pause and without betraying any emotion.

"I'm sorry," Rick knew it was a lame response, but it was all he'd got.

He reached out to put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. Daryl flinched slightly but didn't move away, and they stood together in silence for a minute.

"Y'know, Merle always said, screw the world before it screws you. Then he has to go and try to be a hero, and gets himself killed. The dumb fuck," he said angrily.

"Did you see the Governor?" Rick asked.

"No. But he killed Merle, and now I'm gonna kill him," Daryl vowed.

"Look, I hate to do this now, but we gotta decide what we're gonna do. I told the others; we either all vote to stay and fight, or we go," he explained.

"Well, I ain't runnin,'" Daryl stated defiantly as they walked into the cellblock.

"We need to stick together. We might not be blood, like Merle was, but we're family," Rick said with a meaningful look.

He needed to make sure that the last surviving member of the Dixon family wouldn't try and become a one-man-army, like his brother. But the hunter understood his friend's sentiment and gave him a nod of reassurance.

The group welcomed him back with open arms, and offered their condolences when they found out about Merle's fate. Even if very few of them were actually sorry that the elder Dixon brother was dead. Daryl was in no mood for mourning. They had work to do and he was determined to get justice, or revenge. He didn't care which one was driving him, as long as the Governor paid with his life.

They started debating over the best course of action for them to take. Hershel explained that he thought them leaving the prison was the best solution. The majority of the others had been leaning towards that option, but Daryl was having none of it.

"I ain't turning tail, we fought hard to get this place, and we've paid for it in blood. I say we don't let some one-eyed psycho just walk in and take it," he argued.

They talked it out some more until Rick hit upon a plan of action they could all agree on. They would let the Governor think that they'd left the prison, and then they would go on the attack. Hershel, Beth, Carl and Judith would hide out in the woods, and hopefully stay out of harm's way. It was risky, and there were no guarantees the plan would work, but they all concurred that it was the best chance they had.

Beth stole a glance at Carl as they drove from their hideout in the woods, and back up to the prison. He had been sullen since they agreed on the plan of action. He wanted to stay and fight alongside his father and the others, but Rick had refused to grant him his wish. Beth tried to talk to Carl, but he had closed himself off from everyone. He killed a boy who was surrendering, and he didn't appear to be in anyway remorseful over it. She was frightened for him, and what he was becoming.

The prison group had seemingly succeeded in driving out the Governor and his people. They stood their ground and the enemy had retreated, for now at least. Beth cradled Judith in her arms as they headed back inside the cellblock. Rick was there to greet them home, and he held onto her briefly as he gently kissed his daughter on the head. There was no sense of victory though, because the Governor was still out there. They couldn't feel safe until the threat had been eliminated, and even then it seemed like there was always another obstacle to overcome.

They began preparing for the next battle, and Beth settled Judith down into her crib so she could help out. She and Carol were headed out to pick off a few walkers that had congregated around the gate. But before she could follow her friend out into the yard, Rick called her over to him. Beth's heart fluttered in her chest as she moved closer to him, and shyly met his eyes.

"Your dad told me what happened with Carl and that boy, out in the woods. I'm gonna speak with him about it, but I know he talks to you, and he trusts you. Since Lori... He needs someone to show him that there's still a place for tenderness and compassion in this world," he pleaded.

Beth smiled and she tentatively reached out to take Rick's hand in hers. He looked surprised but he didn't pull away from her.

"I'll be there for Carl and for Judith too. You can count on me," she said.

He gave her a nod of gratitude and then turned to leave. Beth's gaze lingered on him as she followed him out into the yard. She was ready to say more, but all she wanted for now was Rick and the others to stay safe and alive.

Beth was busy attending to Judith and making sure that she was clean and fed. She also tried to keep an eye out for Carl, but he had been mostly skulking around outside. When the baby finally settled, she asked her father to watch over her. Beth then headed out into the yard to look for Carl, and she soon found him sat on a bench. He was staring out onto the field where a few walkers were ambling by.

"Hey, mind if I sit here with you for a while?" Beth asked him.

He didn't reply, and so she took a seat next to him. They sat in silence for a long moment and both of them kept staring ahead. Beth thought about Rick and the others, and she offered up another silent prayer for their safe return. Eventually, Carl turned to face her, and his features were hard and emotionless.

"I'm not sorry," he said.

Beth met his gaze, and was shocked by the cold look in his eyes.

"I know you only wanted to keep us safe, I realise that. But I was just wondering what your mom would have thought about what happened today," she said tentatively knowing any mention of Lori would stir up still raw emotions.

"I think mom wouldn't want any more of us to die," he said with calm certainty.

"I don't think she would have wanted you to kill that boy," Beth said.

"What if I hadn't, and he'd shot you, or Hershel, or even Judith? I couldn't take the chance. Because every time we let someone go, one of us ends up paying the price," he said with growing anger.

"So we just gun down anyone who isn't one of us?" She questioned.

Carl didn't reply, he turned away and fixed his gaze back on the walkers in the field.

"What about Michonne? She wasn't one of us, but we took a chance on her, and now she's a part of our group," Beth argued.

"That was a completely different situation," He replied without turning to look in her direction.

He let out a heavy sigh and sank back into his own private thoughts.

Beth reached out to him one more time. She didn't want to let Rick down by not trying as hard as she could to pull Carl back from the brink.

"Well, I say there's still a place in this world for compassion, and for giving people a chance."

"Then you're stupid," he spat out angrily.

"Kill them before they kill you. That's what this world is now," he said with conviction.

Beth shook her head and she reached out to put her hand on his shoulder, but he slid away from her.

"Don't turn away from the people who care about you and love you. It doesn't have to be like you say," she pleaded.

He shook his head and kept his eyes fixed ahead.

"You know, when I was at my lowest point, it was your mom who reached out to me. She saw what I couldn't; that there were still good things left in this world. She might be gone, but there's a part of her that lives on in you, and in Judith. Don't kill that too."

Beth knew her words would sting and she felt a stab of pain too, but it was all she could think of to try and pierce through his cold armour. Carl didn't respond, so she let out a sad sigh and then got up to leave.

He watched her walk away and then returned to staring out at the walkers, who were now clawing ravenously at the fence.

Maggie and Glenn alerted the rest of the group inside the cellblock to Rick, Daryl and Michonne's return, and that they weren't alone. Beth went out to see what was going on, and to welcome them home. She and Carol headed straight over to Rick and he silently acknowledged them. Beth was relieved to see he was unharmed, and that despite everything, he looked surprisingly at peace with the world. They then stood agog as the bus carrying the Woodbury refugees pulled into the yard. These were people they had been at war with only hours before, although that wasn't really the way it was. The Governor had sought to poison the minds of his people, but at the end of the day, they all just wanted to survive.

It was a bittersweet homecoming because they had lost Andrea. They were at least able to bring her body back to be buried with her own people. The graves were mounting up, but the reasons to keep fighting and be hopeful for the future were too. Beth and her father took it upon themselves to officially welcome the newcomers to the prison. There was uneasiness and uncertainty between the two groups, but they tried their best to extend the hand of friendship. Once everyone was settled into the cellblock, Hershel turned to his youngest daughter.

"How about singing something for us? I think it would help," he pleaded.

Beth was reluctant; it was one thing to sing in front of a few people whom she regarded as family, but she didn't know these others yet. Her natural modesty overtook her and made her want to retreat into the shadows. She then noticed Rick, offering her silent encouragement with a raise of his eyebrows and a nod of his head. She smiled nervously then swallowed hard, and with a deep steadying breath she began to sing.

Said it's a mean old world, heavy in need

That big machine is just picking up speed

They were supping on tears, they were supping on wine

We all get to heaven in our own sweet time

So come all you Asheville boys and turn up your old-time noise

Kick 'til the dust comes up from the cracks in the floor

Singing, hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, brother

Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more…

[Hard Times by Gillian Welch]