Beth lay awake in bed listening to her father's footsteps. He was looking for her again. She reached over to her bedside table, fumbling in the dark for her phone. 2:20 am. It was the second time she'd heard him during the night and it broke her heart all over again. She wasn't quite sure how to handle it but it terrified her in some way that he would search for her mother at night, before remembering.

Maggie had left that morning as she went back to college the next day, as did Beth.

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Beth lay awake in bed listening to the silence. College was a bit of a blur, but she had gone through the motions. Maddy had sat with her during her break, talking about anything and everything. Beth had smiled and nodded, her expression vacant.

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Beth stared at her laptop, the cursor blinking.

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Beth felt numb.

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Beth felt alone.

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Those flowers had sat in a vase for days. They'd been brown and wilted and Beth had let them linger on her desk still, until she'd walked into her room one day to find the vase gone. She'd run downstairs and found the vase in the cupboard, and found the flowers in the bin.

She'd asked Maggie who had immediately said that yes, she had thrown the flowers out. Beth had just nodded. It was silly to hold on to them, she told herself. They were actually the only flowers she'd received personally, not that it was a big deal or anything, she told herself. But she found herself thinking about those flowers sometimes.

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Beth could hear him again. It was the third time in as many weeks. Her eyes burned from lack of sleep, and her head hurt something bad. She was too afraid to go downstairs for a glass of water while her father was up though. She wasn't prepared to see his realisation, to see the fresh anguish. She curled into herself, feeling like a coward. The absence of her mother was like a physical pain, like a hand was squeezing her heart. The music was gone from their house, the soft laughter, the sounds and smells that made their home home.

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The weather got cooler, but it was a relatively mild winter. The days were still sunny and Beth could work up a sweat walking into town, but the nights were cold.

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The holidays were a subdued affair. Maggie came home again, but Glenn wasn't able to make it back down as he had been rostered on for every day during the holidays. Maggie said she'd asked him not to put down his availability for the holidays, but he'd said they needed the money. Beth had a sneaking suspicion he was saving for a wedding, but didn't say anything to Maggie. Maybe a month ago they would have giggled about it and spent hours going searching on the Internet for bridal dresses, but sitting across from Maggie in the living room on Christmas Eve while Patricia cooked for tomorrow, Beth couldn't even bring herself to speak it out loud. She knew she should have. Lord knew they needed something, but looking at her sister at that moment Beth knew it would only make her upset. Hershel was out on a call (even pets got sick on Christmas Eve) and Shawn hadn't been home all day. There had been a couple of nights where Beth had heard Shawn stumble in, drunk, so she assumed he was spending most of his time drinking in some field somewhere with Austin and whoever else they managed to rustle up. They continued to sit in silence, watching some B-grade kids Christmas movie.

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The weeks bled by and the Greene's lives reassembled themselves. Beth went back to working the diner on weekends, and threw herself into her studies. She spent more and more time at the library at college, getting home late and collapsing in bed. It was a trait she had in common with her brother Shawn, who was now working so much she could go days without seeing him. Hershel mentioned one night that Shawn was thinking of joining Jimmy over in Macon, which didn't surprise Beth. Beth hadn't seen or heard from Jimmy since that day, which was a relief if she was honest with herself. Hadn't really heard from Laura either. She didn't feel much like talking to anyone. Every conversation was strained a little, each word carried a weight. Beth wasn't feeling much of anything lately though. Maggie messaged her every now and then, asking how she was. Sometimes Beth ignored it.

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In the afternoons Beth liked to wander down to the pond and listen to the crickets. It got her away from the house, and she felt a little closer to her mother there. That simple afternoon they'd sat together was one of her warmest memories, the more she thought about it the more the sunlight crept back into her mind, the feeling of her mother's hand in hers like a ghostly handshake. She strained to remember that morning before It happened. She remembered that her mum was on the phone, to whom she didn't even know. It felt important to hold on to the last morning, but already it seemed like trying to grasp water.

The harsh realities were beginning to settle into Beth's existence. She loved and adored her mother, and missed her dearly. The gentle way she talked, her soft smiles and eternal optimism. The void she left was vast. However, one void was becoming clearer by the day. Beth would never complain about it but without her mother, the cooking and cleaning became her responsibility. Her father had probably never done a load of washing in his life, being the traditional old timer that he was. On the days Beth had classes she tried to get it all done in the morning before she left. She found herself wishing she'd thanked her mother more often. She had taken her for granted.

Otis and Patricia came by regularly, helping out around the house. Otis would be out in the fields with her father, and Patricia would stay in the house with Beth helping with the cleaning and cooking. Lori Grimes came by occasionally with casseroles and potato bakes. The Greene's were grateful, to be sure, however Lori's dishes usually got thrown out. Beth now understood why Sheriff Grimes and Carl liked the diner so much.

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It was so easy to forget. She understood sometimes her father looking for her mother in the dead of night. Some mornings she still woke up and forgot for a moment too. It happened so fast, her mother was there one moment and gone the next.

It was so easy not to forget. The silence throughout the house, and the heavy feeling in her chest when she got home.

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It was a humid afternoon, and Beth had finished working her Saturday shift at the diner. She'd told Shawn not to worry about picking her up and that she'd walk. She may have also told Carol she'd walk. But...that may have been a lie. She didn't know whether or not she meant it both times she said it. However, when it came time she'd closed the diner and just followed her feet, walking up the street towards the Dixon's shop, feeling the breeze against her skin. The clouds were moving over quickly, it would start raining soon.

She was hoping Martinez wouldn't be around the shop when she got there, but come to think of it she hadn't seen him since that night she saw the police there.

She'd heard nothing further about the investigation into the fire at Bill's, but she was sure that once they found out whoever did it that it would be all over town. Still, it was strange Martinez disappearing after that.

Beth hadn't seen or heard from him since that day, and eventually she'd realised it would be up to her to go to him.

Beth saw him hunched over a car at the far end of the yard, a radio blaring some old country music loudly next to him. She hadn't forgotten that day they'd gone looking at that car. They'd gotten annoyed with each other, snapped at each other, and been a bit awkward with each other. They'd called each other childish. He'd apologised, Beth hadn't. She wouldn't either, because he had been a little childish. But then he'd apologised, and somehow that made it all better.

He had wanted to go look at the cars on his own. She supposed he liked being on his own, and he probably figured she knew nothing about cars anyway so what was the point of her coming along, except to annoy him? He had a quick temper, a gruff demeanour and was aloof at the best of times.

But she'd seen him that day, in the cemetery. And she had seen him standing on her veranda, his fist clutched around a bunch of white flowers. His light eyes avoiding hers as usual, but clearly determined to give them to her.

As she walked towards him, the image of him standing on her veranda with the sun behind him, the flowers clutched in his fist burned fiercely in her mind. She watched him work on the car, his arms outstretched as he twisted something, the muscles bunching and shifting. He was definitely right about her lack of knowledge about cars.

She could pinpoint the exact moment he saw her. Daryl slowed his movements, his gaze locking on to her as she walked towards him. He glanced back at the engine he was working on before stepping back, putting the wrench down.

She slowed to a halt and they stared at each other for a moment.

"Hi." She spoke first, her mind warring within itself. She'd had this urge to see him for days now...weeks if she was honest. She couldn't pinpoint it but she needed to see Daryl.

He nodded to her, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I...wanted to thank you for the flowers."

Daryl was staring at the ground, and she watched him carefully as his brow knitted together, as though he were confused.

"S'all right. Ain't easy, losing ya mum."

She felt her eyes burning but she shook her head, refusing to cry again. In front of him, anyway. She shuffled her feet, ducking her head down.

"Do ya...still wanna go out? Check out another car?" Daryl asked, sounding uncertain, and she glanced at him to see his thumb was back in his mouth again. Not for the first time she wondered how old Daryl Dixon was. Mid 30's maybe?

"Yeah, I'd like to, if you're able to," she shrugged, her words belying her hopes that he would offer. Beth wanted anything that would get her away for a while.

"We'll take the truck this time," he said, smiling wryly at her. Beth found herself smiling back, but shook her head.

"I wanna go on the bike." She said, blushing a little to her horror. Daryl raised his eyebrows and she saw a quirk in his lips.

"Now ya wanna go on the bike? Sure?"

"Long as it don't break down," she grinned, tongue in cheek.

Daryl glanced at the ground before squinting up at her, any trace of a smile gone. "All right, bike it is."

Beth nodded, her own smile fading.

They decided on going later that week in the afternoon, and Daryl would arrange it with the owner.

"Wan' me to pick you up from your friend's place?" Daryl asked, and Beth was appreciative that he wasn't teasing her.

"No that's ok...I told my Daddy. You can come to the farm."

Daryl nodded slowly, giving her a searching look. "Don't want Bill to do this then?"

Beth shook her head, giving him a brief smile. "No, I'm good."

They'd headed back inside the shop while they'd talked, and Beth was tempted to ask where Martinez was but opted not to. Best not to stick her nose in where it wasn't wanted.

The low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and Beth wrinkled her nose. That and the smell in the air and the wind starting to pick up outside all pointed to a thunderstorm, and soon.

"Best be gettin' home, that storm's coming in now," he said, jerking his head towards the door.

"Sure is," she replied, looking out the window. "Um, would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"

He stared at her for a second, his brow furrowed again like he was trying to figure something out. Beth shifted uncomfortably, waiting for his response until he finally shrugged.

"All right…we'll take the truck though. Ain't gonna take the bike in the rain." He pushed off the counter, fishing his keys out of his pocket and strode towards the door without giving her a second glance. She had been hoping for the bike, even if it was going to rain, but she followed him without a word.

The drive in the truck was no less uncomfortable than the first time he'd given her a lift home. The rain started to pelt down as they walked outside to the truck, and by the time they were out on the road it was pouring. Daryl's words echoed in her mind, the way he'd said it wasn't easy losing your mum…it had clicked in her mind. She'd never heard anything about their mother, only their father. Their father had died a few years back right around when Merle came back to town.

"Here's fine," Beth said as they reached her driveway.

Daryl parked in her driveway, stopping in front of the gate. He stared at the steering wheel, arms tense as he waited for her to get out of the car. The rain was pouring down on the car making it impossible to see outside without the windscreen wipers going. Beth was going to get soaked just opening the gate.

Beth put her hand on the door handle, and hesitated. "Does it…does it get easier?" She turned to face him.

His knuckles went white on the wheel, before he relaxed them. He stared at the steering wheel, his jaw clenching, before turning his head to look her in the eyes, and the pain reflected there startled her.

"I'm still waiting to see."

Beth could feel her heart pounding, and she reminded herself to breathe. She nodded jerkily, taking a deep breath, before opening the door and running out into the rain. Beth realised that even while she'd seen him spooked, there was not one man out there that she'd met as strong as Daryl. Whatever he had been through, the pain it caused him was reflected in all its rawness in his eyes. He was not an animal of prey, he was a fighter.

If only people knew how wrong they were about Daryl Dixon.

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Beth ran the whole way to her house after hurriedly opening and shutting the gate, not bothering to watch Daryl drive away. She'd been soaked before she had even gotten the gate shut. She didn't stop running until she was on the veranda. It took her a moment to realise her father was standing at the door, watching her.

"Hi Daddy," she greeted him.

"Bethy, did you walk the whole way in the rain?" Hershel asked, looking concerned, going back inside to grab a towel.

"No…Daryl Dixon gave me a ride home," she replied as she followed him into the house, cringing a little as she waited for his reaction.

Hershel paused as he took the towel out of the cupboard. He walked back into the living room where Beth stood, wringing her hair out, and handed her the towel.

"You best be careful with that man, Bethy. He's no good." Hershel stared down at his youngest seriously.

Beth accepted the towel, and silently left the room. She went upstairs and shut her door firmly behind her, leaning against it sighing heavily.

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Beth was lying on her bed, the sunlight streaming through the window, trying to get through some of her reading for college when her phone buzzed. Eager to take a break from the dull reading she rolled over and picked her phone up, frowning when she saw it was Maddy. She'd been hoping it was Daryl, even though she had only just seen him the day before.

Hey, you talk to Laura lately?

Beth bit her lip, placing her phone back on her bed. She hadn't really talked to anyone lately, including Maddy, so the message was a bit out of the blue.

She rolled back over to her textbook, before sighing and reaching across the bed for her phone.

No, not lately, why?

Maddy didn't reply straight away, which Beth found odd. Eventually, the phone vibrated again.

She asked me if I wanted to come out Saturday, cos Jimmy's in town

Beth blinked at the message. Jimmy and Laura? She sighed. Honestly, she could not care less who Jimmy saw. Beth wasn't sure what Maddy expected from her, but she wasn't about to be pulled into some high school antics. Beth lay on her bed, staring up at her phone. Whilst they'd broken up a few months ago now, that was the moment it really hit home to her. Jimmy was part of a former life. Beth quickly sent a reply to Maddy:

Sounds good, hope you guys have fun :)

She knew that Maddy could take that a couple of ways, but as she put her phone down, she thought it really didn't matter anyway.

Beth's phone buzzed again, and she sighed as she picked it up.

Thursday at 5

Beth smiled.


A/N: Thanks so much for the amazing response to the last chapter! :)

By way of a reference for time, it has now been around 3 months since Beth's mother died, so roughly 4 months since Beth's birthday.

So again, thank you for the follows, favourites, reviews and for reading along!