A/N - Thanks SO much for the amazing reviews. I am really glad people are enjoying my story. Okay a little warning, this chapter gets pretty intense towards the end. Hope that's okay with everyone, it wouldn't be the TWD without a little action, right?


"The Archer is back," Ryan said as he strode in to the room.

"Oh," was all Beth could mumble, looking up from where she had been lying on her front on the sofa, writing in her journal, her blonde ponytail falling over her face as an uneasy feeling hit her.

A couple of days had passed since the incident with Ryan, Rick and Daryl, but there was still a slight atmosphere between her and the guy that had rescued her from the hospital months before, her friend Ryan. Beth could only put it down to her split loyalties. She cared for them all. Ryan would just have to accept that.

She looked across at him as he walked further in to their living space, dressed in a casual shirt and jeans he reached for a backpack, his right hand still bandaged from the fight with Rick. There was no denying he was gorgeous, distractingly gorgeous. Tall and very physically fit with dirty blonde hair and piercing green eyes. Up until recently Beth had taken a small thrill every time Ryan had walked in to the room. Part of her wondering whether one day they could be more than just good friends? If she could only bring herself to let go and allow herself to develop stronger feelings for him, she knew he would treat her right, they could be happy.

But now her old group were back, everything had changed.

Ryan might be incredibly good-looking, but he knew it too, he carried himself with an air of confidence that could border on arrogance, Beth could see that now. He'd probably had females falling at his feet all his life. Somehow that character trait didn't seem too attractive to Beth anymore.

"I know you were looking for him earlier, after he drove off," Ryan continued, shovelling a bottle of water, compass and map in to his bag, his eyes down focused on what he was doing, rather than looking over at Beth.

"So, I thought you'd want to know he and the sheriff are back now. They had to shout in for the code to the gate." He added smugly.

Beth set her journal down and sat up. She had gone across to speak to Daryl earlier that morning. When she couldn't find him, Carl had told her he had gone out with Rick and some of the others. Beth presumed it was to hunt for supplies. But she hadn't seen him to ask.

"Where ya going?" she said to Ryan, her eyes fixed on him, as much as his recent behaviour infuriated her she didn't want to lose him as a friend.

She had seen firsthand on many occasions, despite how he could come across as a jackass and liked to play the tough guy what a good person Ryan actually was, how many lives he had saved. He was invaluable to her new group.

"Going out with some of the guys to check on some tracks we laid, don't know when I'll be back," he said gruffly, turning to walk out the room.

…...

"I brought you some coffee, it's only long lasting instant," Beth said smiling as she approached Daryl's place, noticing the wound on his head was healing nicely as he opened the door to her, clumsily pulling his shirt down indicating he had been in the middle of getting changed.

Daryl had been coming and going since he and the others had settled at her new home, and Beth hadn't seen much of him since the night of the fight.

"Um…thanks," he muttered in response.

Looking up as the inviting smell of coffee hit him, Daryl's eyes came to rest on the beautiful young woman in front of him, as he reached out to take the hot drink from her. He'd never been a big coffee drinker, but he'd take it now. Anything had to beat badly filtered lukewarm water.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Beth said shyly after an uncomfortable pause.

"Sure, come in," he said, holding the door open to her.

He couldn't help it, he checked her out as she crossed the threshold and entered the small house he had been sharing with Rick and Carol. Beth was wearing a simple white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans that really hugged her hips and behind, a behind that Daryl was almost caught staring at when Beth turned around to face him. She flashed a cute smile his way, trying to break though the awkwardness of being alone together again after their recent display of innocent affection the night she had patched him up after the fight.

"You been out?" she said politely.

"Yeah – yeah," he stammered trying to get his thoughts back to his recent trip.

"Just went to stake out some places for supplies. "Didn't find much though…still getting to grips with the area," he said pausing to look at her, she was casually leaning back against the side watching him. In the days when the old group had all been together back at the prison camp, exchanges like this between him and Beth would have been unthinkable.

Beth didn't say anything at first; she wasn't quite sure why she was bothered, why she felt a tad hurt that the group didn't ask her to accompany them on their trips. She knew Maggie went sometimes and Carol too. But they obviously thought she was too weak, too much trouble.

"You okay?" Daryl said snapping her out of whatever deep thought she'd been trapped in.

She looked over at him, not entirely pleased, "Y'know I could have come along too," she said folding her arms loosely.

"It's not like the prison here, I don't just sit around and babysit now. I'm useful in other ways too. I can take care of myself out there; I've killed walkers, lot's of em... I don't need anyone to take care of me, I aint a burden no more," she exclaimed, a depth of passion in her voice. Dawn had said to her once that in this life now, Beth would either end up dead or be a burden to someone. Beth knew that was bullshit and she had vowed every single day since to prove Dawn wrong; she would never be a burden to anyone again.

Daryl watched her listening, but Beth was done she didn't want to say anymore. Afraid her outburst would turn in to an even more embarrassing display of emotion if she continued.

"I know," Daryl said nodding slowly, the sincerity in his voice making Beth believe he wasn't just saying it to be kind.

Daryl knew Beth was tougher than she looked, but the thought of her out there now with the world the way it was terrified him. He'd seen first hand how she could take out walkers, but walkers weren't the main threat anymore. Beth was a rare innocent beauty with her light blonde hair, big blue eyes and doll like features, and that was an extremely dangerous thing in the world these days. He shuddered when he thought about what could have happened to her had she been with him when he had stumbled across the claimed crew. He knew he would have died to protect her back then, now being no different either. But Daryl also knew he wouldn't always be able to protect her, and for that reason alone he'd prefer to think of her safely back in a walled community rather than out in the bleak unknown on the road.

…...

"Coffee? You must be parched after your trip," Isobel said smiling, walking up to join Rick where he was sat on a step playing with baby Judith. Upon seeing the attractive blonde Rick carefully put his daughter down, watching as she toddled off to see her brother Carl who was stood nearby.

"Umm..sure," Rick stammered, taken aback, glancing from the steaming drink in her hand to her face.

Rick would be lying if he had said she hadn't caught his eye before, she was hot, damn hot.

"It is real, I promise, but it's only instant and black," she continued, in response to Rick's slightly shocked face.

"Uh-okay, well, instant and black is good to me, ain't seen no starbucks around here for a while," he said with a shy grin, taking the cup from her.

Putting it to his lips he sipped slowly, "Never knew coffee could taste so good," he said raising his eyebrows. Gone were the days of popping out for double caramel lattes whilst out on the job back when he'd been a cop, back when the world hadn't gone to shit.

He reached down to see his baby daughter had made her way back over to him, putting his drink down he scooped her up and in to his arms.

"She's beautiful, looks just like you, she has your eyes," Isobel said kindly, holding her finger out to gently touch the little girl, causing Judith to smile back at her in return.

"Hey, Dad, look it's a dog," Carl suddenly said excitedly from where he'd been stood to the side of them, causing both Rick and Isobel to turn and see a large stray dog was stood staring back at them intensely from the other side of the fence.

Two soft chocolate brown eyes, fixed intently on Carl from under a shaggy mop of dark fur. Carl grinned and slowly put his hand out to touch the animal's face.

"Not so fast," Isobel said quickly a look of panic spreading across her face.

"It's okay, he's friendly," Carl said, looking up, "Can we let him in?...Please," he said, looking across and pleading with Rick.

"He looks starving." Carl added, his eyes on his father.

"I – uh, don't think that's such a good idea, son," Rick said, unsure of exactly how to respond, looking at the desperate look on his boy's face.

It had been a long time since they had seen a dog and Rick knew how much Carl missed Tom their old pet family dog. But Rick also knew as harmless as it seemed, this dog was far from being a family pet.

"Stay away from it," Isobel said again, more urgently this time.

"We can't let it in, these are wild animals they may have been domestic pets once but not any more. Out here they are pack animals now, nothing more than feral beasts and very unpredictable," she added firmly.

"You heard the lady," Rick said, his tone meaning business.

Carl didn't say anything more, just withdrew his hand from the dog, looking away sulkily.

Rick patted him on the shoulder, he hated to disappoint his boy, but he knew Isobel was right.

"Listen, why don't you take Judith and go and find Beth," Rick said in a calmer voice. Watching as his son reluctantly led his younger sister away by the hand.

"You have two really great kids there, you must be very proud," Isobel said to Rick as they both sat watching them still.

"Thanks, they are pretty amazing," Rick replied proudly, turning his gaze back to the women before him.

She opened her mouth to say something further, but all he could focus on was her face, he found himself mesmerised as he gazed at Isobel's perfect symmetrical features looking back at him. It had been a while since anyone had paid him this much attention and not since Lori had he looked at a woman in this way. As much as he wanted to stay true to his late wife's memory, Rick couldn't deny his carnal urges. Isobel's image was near on perfect, she was dressed in jeans and a tight black top showing off her impressive cleavage, her golden blonde hair was wrapped up on top of her head and her wide dreamy come to bed eyes, with flecks of green and hazel were connecting fully with his, her lips full and glossy looked more than ready to whisper a multitude of erotic thoughts to him.

"You okay? You were miles away," he heard her say looking intently at him.

"Umm..yeah, sorry you were saying?" He replied, his cheeks flushing, slightly embarrassed that she had had him so distracted and a strange sensation came over him. There was something about her face, her eyes in particular that really got under his skin, like she had him under a spell.

"I was just asking if Jack had given you the code to the gate yet?" she repeated with a reassuring smile.

"Nah, nah, not yet," Rick replied.

"Oh, well he will soon. He likes you, I can tell, you'll win his trust in no time," she responded her face warming.

Rick opened his mouth to say something further, moving a little closer to her and setting his coffee cup down on the step. When all of a sudden they were interrupted by what sounded like a piercing child's scream, followed by frantic yelling.

"Carl," Rick said urgently, switching instantly in to survival mode, leaping up and racing to follow the screams, followed closely by Isobel.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't realize," Carl said as they found him, tears streaming down his cheeks, his face full of panic.

Rick eyes swept over from Carl, to where Beth was leant down cradling a bloodied Judith on the ground, then to his horror just to the side of her he saw the large lifeless body of a fierce looking straggly dog with an arrow straight through it's head….


A/N – Sorry for the major cliff-hanger, next chapter up very soon!