Early morning light stretched across the quiet room, softly caressing Beth's exposed skin with warmth that pulled her slowly out of sleep. She moved her head slightly while stretching her fingers out onto the soft sheets beneath her. The calming morning effect still had its grasp on Beth as she propped herself up with one arm while rubbing sleep away from her eyes with the other. Looking over to the left she found herself inches away from Daryl's back. He was still consumed in a deep sleep. Beth's eyes traced the outline of his body, traveling down until the thin sheet connected loosely over his hip. He was much different in this state, though he had calmed his temper since meeting Beth, she still admired the natural innocence he had just as much as everyone else when deep inside their dreams.

Her thoughts were interrupted by muffled commotion outside her door. Panic flooded over Beth before realizing Merle must've stumbled his way into the house after what seemed like days of him roaming around with his so called girlfriend. She rolled her eyes with a smile plastered on before hopping from the bed. She combed through her knotted curls before heading towards the door, lazily yawning in the process. Opening the door, Beth's eyes wandered across the room, looking through the cracked door with curiosity and confusion. Her trek to Merle's room ended abruptly as her bare feet stepped into liquid. Pulling back quickly, Beth's breathing hitched. Small patches of blood led throughout her living room and into the spare room before her. Suddenly struck with fear, Beth wanted nothing more than Daryl to wake up and explain things were fine and the liquid now connected with her foot was nothing more than a hallucination. There was enough blood shed the past few months than she'd like to see in her entire life; this, even though so little, proved to be too much.

Brushing her fingers across the door, Beth pushed it open with hesitation before closing her eyes tightly and breathing in one last time. Her hand gripped the the side of the door as she looked onto Merle who was holding someone in his arms as he mumbled incoherently. The limp body sagged into his chest as he rocked slightly with his back turned towards Beth. She studied the middle aged woman; soft short hair matted onto her scalp with blood mixed in with gray. Beth assumed this had been the one Merle was running around with the past few weeks. She stood in realization of what was wrong with Carol. A single line of blood made its course through her mouth and onto Merle's arm as he looked onto her face with sudden silence.

"She's gone," His voice crackled faintly while his eyes never left the pale woman's face, "Everythin' happened so fast. I jus', I jus' don' know what happened," His jaw clenched as he tried to fight back the emotions that started to flood through his voice. Beth stood cautiously before continuing on to Merle's side, looking upon Carol. Vomit attempted to crawl up her throat as she saw more blood crusted onto her wrinkled, white shirt.

"Merle wh-" She started to ask only to be interrupted with his fit of rage.

"I coulda done somethin' Goddammit! She didn' have to go! We were only messin' 'round before things jus' went black. We was havin' a good time too," He dropped her body onto the bed, making sure his back was still turned towards Beth, "I jus' remember wakin' up an' there she was, layin' on the couch with her hand still holdin' the damned thing," Beth couldn't understand why he wouldn't just say what happened; his head shook as he continued, "I didn' know she was so, so fucked. I thought things were goin' good. She took my gun. Guess she wanted to die," He stopped himself so he wouldn't explode. His mind was racing as he took away his hand from her head, revealing what had ended it all. Beth's hand flew to her mouth; a small gap of Carol's head lay open with blood still making its way into her hair and throughout the side of her face. The walls around them started to blur and melt away as Beth's eyes fluttered while her legs screamed to give out from beneath her.

Shuffling from outside of the room became more apparent as Daryl made his way into the mess of things. He stood behind them both, watching as his brother stood above the lifeless woman, touching the bloody head with a stained hand.

"You brought her here? What the hell you thinkin'?" Daryl's voice carried low throughout the room, startling only Beth. For the first time Merle looked over his shoulder. His face aged significantly with so much held beneath his exterior. He watched his brother, but didn't answer. He only looked right through him, still brushing his hand against the drying wound. The two onlookers watched in silence, taking in the morbid scene while trying to grip onto anything that made sense anymore.

Days had passed in a blur for the three as did hours of questioning from police, silent mourning, and an upcoming funeral. Beth insisted on the two going to support Merle, though Daryl argued he didn't even want to go himself. Merle's way of coping shocked Beth. He did nothing more than stay put in the small bedroom, drinking away with music drowning out any type of emotions he felt coming onto him. He'd barely known the woman, but she was the closest thing he had to a relationship that was soon ripped from his grasp. Beth's heart sunk the day of the funeral as Merle refused to go, leaving Daryl and Beth to sit in the living room as they watched the clock's hands move from eight to ten in slow, dull taps. The funeral had passed without the three showing. At the stroke of ten Daryl moved from Beth's side and into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of vodka for them to share as they listened to the music increase in volume.

"It's too early," Beth shook her head at Daryl's extended arm holding the halfway drunk bottle. With the shrug of his shoulders he took the bottle too his lips once more, setting himself down beside Beth.

"He'll be fine ina few days," His reassurance did nothing to soothe her spinning head. She felt for Merle; she felt the loneliness in the room with him as he held Carol close.

She could remember vaguely of the day she lost her father. She remembered walking in from running through the woods with Maggie only to find his boots floating above the floor as he swung only slightly; a beer bottle shattered beneath his feet. She could remember how her sister dropped to the floor, though Beth couldn't understand what was wrong, she knew her sister had good reasons when she was upset. So Beth dropped too, holding her sister's limp hand as Maggie screamed into the floor. Beth's young mind only wondered why her sister was so upset until she looked into her father's glazed over eyes.

She took the memories from her mind, grabbing Daryl's free hand as tears fought to escape. He watched her face change as she stared into the blank television screen, obviously upset by something. He didn't know what else to do after days of comforting seemed less like coping and more like going through the motions just for Beth. He'd only realized she was out of her trance when her hand grasped his lightly.

"I hope you're right." The alcohol started to warm Daryl as he pulled Beth in, trying to forget about everything and anything as she sobbed not only for Merle and Carol, but for her father.