Hey guys! This chapter gets kinda dark I hope i don't scare u guys away with it lol. But I enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it! You guys rock don't ever change! -AriesWitch
Beth sat inside the storage unit looking through more boxes while there was a heavy storm outside. She was worried about Daryl but convinced herself that he would be back any minuet unharmed. To distract herself she continued to flip through the box and found and old CD player with a couple of CDs. She flipped on the cd player and a strange static noise blasted out of it and Beth gave it one good whack and music began to flow out. It was old country, the stuff her daddy and step mama used to dance to in the living room back at the farm. She quickly skipped to the beginning of the CD and a husky voice greeted, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash."
Beth smiled to herself, it was nice to hear another friendly voice around. The music began again and Beth began to bob her head to the up beat melody. She tapped her feet against the cool concrete to play along with the hectic song. Eventually shutting her eyes and letting herself become completely wrapped up in daydream of her back at the farm. Before the prison and the governor; before having to care for a baby and living off scraps. Before, when it was just her on a farm, no zombies, no death, no...
"Daryl..." Beth sighed opening up her eyes again. She looked around at the old Christmas lights she hung up and hoped Daryl would appreciate it.
"Beth!" She heard someone scream for her out in the rain. She quickly sat up and ran to open the gate to the storage unit but it was already opened by time she got to it. Daryl was standing with one hand still holding up the gate soaking wet from head to toe.
"Oh my god..." Beth gasped walking toward him but stopped. She then noticed how much blood covered him, "what happened, Daryl?"
Daryl took a few steps into the storage unit and let the gate fall behind him. He fell to one knee in front of her then let the other fall slowly. He wrapped his arms around her toros and pulled her close to him. Beth let out a quick gasp at his cold touch but then slowly wove her fingers into his wet hair. She could hear him crying while he held her close but she continued to hum along with the song playing in the background. He then slowly pulled away from her and she let herself drop to his level.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," she cooed as she placed both of her hand on either side of his face and brought his guilty expression to meet hers.
"I killed a kid." Daryl confessed.
Daryl continued through the trees staying low to the ground while he made his way back to the storage unit. He could see the storm clouds coming but knew he would make it back to Beth before the first drop hit the ground. As he pushed on there was a slight shift of tension in the air. He usually felt this when he was hunting and he set his sights on a target, but he knew his role was now reversed. He tried to play it cool and continued on at a slower pace. He didn't want to make it obvious but he glanced back when ever he could. When he heard the rustling of leaves coming from his right side he dropped his hand lower to rest on the knife he had tucked away into his vest. The from his left side someone jumped him and Daryl pulled out his knife on instinct. He and the attacker froze for a moment in time then the attacker's hoodie fell back. A kid about the same age as Carl stood there with a pained expression looking up at Daryl. Daryl looked back in complete horror as the child began to cry. The kid fell to his knees with Daryl's knife protruding out of his torso. He looked down at the knife then back up to Daryl and tried to speak but blood began to spill from his lips. Daryl dropped to his level and tried to consul the child but he wasn't exactly prepared for this. The child fell forward into Daryl's arms and looked up toward the tree tops. He began shaking his head no then shut his eyes slowly. Daryl began to curse outloud while he held on to the child. Then he took in a deep breath of iron laced air and pulled the knife out of the child then plunged it into it's skull. Daryl didn't know how long he was in that position but when he heard the sound of people he slowly dropped the child and ran.
"Max?!" Someone called from the distance.
Daryl just kept running as the sound of thunder came closing in. He didn't let the rain slow him down he just wanted to see Beth's face. He wanted Jordan's to be zapped from his memory. When the storage unit lot was in sight Daryl let out a huge sigh of relief. He ran toward the fence taking out a couple of walkers along the way, and tossed his bag over it. He made quick work of climbing the fence and half fell coming down the other side. He stumbled back up onto his feet and dragged himself toward the back of the lot shouting Beth's name. About half way there he could hear music through the rain. A familiar tune he remembered his mama used to play for him. But a certain line from the line struck him hard.
"I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die..."
Daryl felt his heart tighten as he approached the gate and he quickly lifted it himself. In no time at all he saw Beth scurry over to him looking like a deer in head lights again. He wanted to smile he was so happy but he couldn't. He wanted to run to her and sweep her up into his arms but he couldn't. Instead he shuffled over to her. He could feel his knees giving out but he didn't care, he had to hold her, he had to make sure she was real. When he finally grabbed her he felt so much relief he could feel the tears stream down his face. Then as he felt his arms give out she dropped to his level.
"You don't gotta tell me if you don't want to." She cooed as she placed both hand on either side of his face.
"I killed a kid." Daryl confessed.
"What?" Beth asked stunned.
"He jumped me in the woods and I freaked." Daryl replied trying hard not to remember Max's face.
"Its okay." Beth replied dropping her hands to hold his.
"No it ain't." He hissed snatching his hands away from hers.
"You're still alive aren't you?" She asked slightly hurt by his actions.
"I killed a random innocent kid!" Daryl shouted back frustrated.
"If he was innocent why was he jumping you in the forest?" Beth asked.
Daryl was silent for a moment then stood up, "He looked to be no older then Carl." He sighed remembering his face again.
"I don't care." Beth said assertively standing up.
"Beth!" Daryl scolded.
"What?! I don't care I'll admit it!" She half shouted, "it doesn't matter how old that kid was Daryl he was trying to hurt you and you defended yourself."
"Don't you see how sick that is?" Daryl said grabbing her arm.
"The only thing I care about is you Daryl." Beth replied looking him stern in the eye, "I don't care what you do out there, as long as it brings you back to me, I won't care." She whispered to him.
"God damn it Beth." He sighed as he pressed his lips hard to hers.
She slowly snaked her arms up and around his neck and brought him lower to her to deepen the kiss.
He pulled away from the kiss suddenly and looked deep into her darken crystal eyes and whispered, "I'm always coming back."