A/N: Thanks to everyone who left a review! Honestly, that's what made me crank this chapter out so quickly. I almost waited until tomorrow but then I got a few awesome reviews that made me want to start writing immediately! I'm honestly so, so thankful to everyone for taking the time to read/follow/favorite! So like I said at the end of the last chapter, we're going back in time a little to capture Beth's reaction to her reunion with Daryl. So many Bethyl feels! Also, from this point on I don't have much plot planned out so bear with me! Hope you enjoy!
Beth woke to the feeling of someone gently shaking her shoulder. She was curled up on the mattress and had dozed off not long after Morgan had left to go retrieve his stash of supplies. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep and felt like she could fall back into her dreams for a little longer. The shaking intensified and she heard a voice call to her, "Beth? C'mon, time to wake up. Beth?" She opened her eyes and looked up into Morgan's face, smiling slightly although she was a bit groggy still. He returned her smile and asked again, "Beth? You okay?"
She sat up, puzzled as to why he was watching her so intently, and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine. Guess I fell asleep…" She paused noting how Morgan's face seemed to light up as she spoke. She stared at him, eyes narrowing suspiciously, "What?"
"Nothing…Beth," He replied, emphasizing her name.
She frowned at him, "You're acting strange. Did something happen? Are you okay?" She looked him over as he moved to sit across from her, folding his hands as if waiting. Frustration got the better of her as he continued to stare and she snapped a little, "Morgan, what?"
He chuckled slightly and nodded, "Yeah, that's my name. And who are you again?"
She rolled her eyes, "You know me, Morgan. I'm Beth." Suddenly the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Beth! That was her name! She looked at her friend quickly and stammered, "Oh my…is that my name? It is, isn't it? Morgan!" She beamed and launched herself at him, ignoring the pain in her head that protested at the sudden movement, and wrapped him up in the tightest hug she could manage. She had a name, she'd remembered something! She paused, thinking back over the brief conversation, and leaned back to look Morgan in the face, "Wait…how'd you know my name?"
He released her, letting her pull away, and continued to smile. He held up a hand in caution as he spoke, "Now, I don't want you to be afraid, but I found someone out there, someone who was looking for you."
Beth felt her blood run cold as fear took hold. Was it Carla? Had she finally tracked her down? Carla wouldn't have known her name unless…maybe someone at that hospital had told her? "Morgan…" Beth started, hearing her voice tremble slightly.
He moved a little closer, reassuring her, "No, it's someone who knew you before you got shot. He said you're like family, been looking for you, tracked you here from Atlanta." Morgan waited calmly for her reaction, studying her face. Beth felt her emotions swirling out of control and swallowed hard. Family, been looking for her…knew her name, knew her from before she'd been shot. Morgan read the uncertainty and turmoil in her face and said quietly, "Hey, if you aren't ready to meet him, I'll make him go away, give you more time."
Beth shook her head after a moment, studying the floor as she spoke, "No, I should meet… him. He might be able to tell me who I was, where I came from." She looked up at Morgan and asked, "What else do you know about him?"
Morgan shrugged, "Not much. He's got shaggy, dark hair, carries a crossbow, kind of rough. Let's see…wears a vest with wings on the back, name's Daryl."
Beth's eyes snapped to Morgan's, "Daryl?" Morgan nodded, watching her, and Beth felt a flutter in her chest. She didn't know why but she knew that name. It rang true in her mind, a name she'd said a lot, falling easily off her tongue. Shaggy hair, crossbow…wings…wings dancing in front of her as she followed them…She thought back to the dream she'd had when she'd first found the cabin, of the angel leading her through the darkness. "Daryl," She whispered, somehow knowing that the angel in her dreams had been him, her brain making the connection. She looked at Morgan and nodded slowly, taking a breath before stating firmly, "Can I meet him now? Is he here?"
Morgan nodded, clearly worried for her, and stood, holding out a hand to help her to her feet. He motioned for her to stay as he went to the door, "Wait here, I'll bring him in." He watched her carefully for a moment then added, "Just…take it slow, okay? Don't be too upset if you don't remember him."
Beth nodded and Morgan leaned out the door. She watched as he waved to someone outside, to Daryl, and Beth felt her heart in her throat. After a moment of waiting she realized the man outside must be as nervous as she. He had yet to come in and Beth couldn't stand the tension a second longer. She moved quickly to Morgan to lean around the door frame to look outside at the stranger.
But he wasn't a stranger. She didn't understand half of what she felt upon seeing him but she knew him, knew she could trust him. Something in her called out for him, urged her to run to him, to wrap her arms around him and never let go. She took in lean muscle, the dark lank hair, and watched as he paced for a moment before turning to face her, finally looking up. Blue eyes caught and held hers and she felt her breath leave her as she remembered the dream, those eyes. They were so familiar, she knew she'd seen them before, had them fixed on her. Everything seemed to stop, nothing else around them existed, and she watched him take her in as well, his eyes leaving hers to sweep over her before coming back to rest on her face. A small smile started at the corners of his mouth and Beth marveled as she watched shiny pools of tears start to form in his eyes. She swallowed back the wave of emotion that she didn't fully understand and waited. Finally he spoke, voice rough and barely audible, "Beth…"
That voice, she knew it, had heard it so many times, been frustrated by it, comforted by it…she knew it better than she knew her own. It was like…home. She flew out of the doorway, throwing herself into him, letting her arms find their way around his neck and pulling him close, holding him as tightly as she could, her senses overwhelmed with him. Even if her mind didn't remember everything from before a few days ago, it remembered him, Daryl. It remembered the feeling of his shoulders under her hands, the warmth of his skin. It remembered the smell of sweat and leather, dirt and blood. She felt his arms wrap around her in response, pulling her closer and holding her so tight she almost couldn't breathe. She felt his face fall against her shoulder, could feel his breath on her neck as he held onto her. Everything was so familiar, like he'd been there all along, like she'd never been alone.
Finally she managed to speak, her voice thick with unspoken emotion, "Oh my God…Daryl…"
After a moment, voice rough, Daryl whispered, "I thought you were dead."
Beth closed her eyes at the sound, feeling the same feeling of familiarity and comfort that she'd felt before. His words made her feel sad, made her wish that they could erase the last few days and start again. They'd both been through so much and yet here they stood, together. She slowly leaned back to look him in the face, not releasing him from the hold she had on his shoulders. She wasn't ready to let him go, not yet. His blue eyes met hers and she could see the guilt and pain in them. She smiled slightly, "I know. It's okay, I'm okay."
He raised a hand slowly and brushed it gently over her cheek, eyes following the path of his fingertips. He shifted his eyes back to hers and said, "Beth…I'm so sorry. I shoulda…"
Beth pulled him close again, placing her cheek against his shoulder and hugging him tightly to her, "No, it wasn't your fault. You found me, I'm okay…" She wasn't sure what all Daryl blamed himself for, more than likely more than she remembered, but she knew without a doubt that nothing that had happened was his fault. Her heart clenched at the thought of him blaming himself but she knew there wouldn't be any way to convince him of the truth, at least not yet. She could feel his shoulders shaking slightly beneath her cheek and heard soft sobs escape him. She pulled her arms tighter around him as she got a flash of a rundown cabin, of Daryl shouting at her outside it, of her embracing him as he broke down, finally letting her see past his walls. The situation was so similar, something about holding him so close, letting him open up, triggered something in her mind, let her remember. She made note of the images, determining to ask him about them later. They had time.
After a long time, Daryl pulled away, glancing around and seeming a little embarrassed. He ran a hand over his head anxiously before looking up at her through the fringe of his hair. Beth noted that Morgan had long since gone inside, giving them a little privacy, and she smiled at Daryl, "We should go inside, I guess. We can talk there. It's safer, we're kinda exposed out here." He stared at her for a moment before grunting for her to go in, following closely behind and securing the door behind them. Morgan was sitting in the lounge chair and he glanced up from a worn map he held in his hands as they came in. He raised his eyebrows when Beth glanced at him and she shrugged in reply, smiling. Beth moved to take her seat on the mattress, scooting to one side so Daryl could join her. Instead he leaned against the small length of counter in the kitchenette, eyes on the floor.
"So," Morgan said after a moment of silence, glancing between them, "All caught up?"
Beth laughed lightly and noticed Daryl's eyes shot up at the sound, "Not exactly." She glanced at Daryl, wondering why he was suddenly distancing himself. "Do you…feel like answering some questions? I'm…well, I don't remember much and I'm still putting things together." Daryl shrugged, eyes fixed on her, and Beth pressed, "Maybe tell me about my…family? Do I have any?"
He nodded, lifting his head slightly, "Yeah, got a sister, Maggie. We were with a group, about a dozen of us. We're like family, look out for each other, take care of each other…" His voice drifted off.
"Where are they?" Beth pressed, not willing to let him shut her out, wanting him to keep talking to her, let her in, help her remember.
"Bout a day's drive from here, west. The little house where we…buried you," He almost stopped, head drooping as he remembered.
Beth turned slightly to face him and said quietly, "Daryl, it's okay."
His eyes met hers for a moment before he looked away again, continuing, "Well, we planned to stay there for a while but a herd came through. We had to move on, found a larger house with more fortifications after driving for an entire day. That's where Rick said they'd be unless they're forced to move on."
"Rick?" Morgan asked, eyes sharp. Beth looked over at him, noting the look of surprise and hope that crossed his face. She remembered that he'd said that was the name of his friend, the one who had pulled him back from going off the rails.
Daryl looked at him and nodded after a moment, "Yeah, he's our leader, of sorts."
"Son named Carl, lost his wife in a prison, was in a coma when this whole thing started?" Morgan pressed, his words spoken in a rush.
Daryl narrowed his eyes, "Yeah, that's him."
Morgan sat back in his chair, beaming from ear to ear, "Well I'm be damned. First I find miracle girl here, then her friend comes a lookin' for her and come to find out he's part of the group that is lead by the very man I've been searching for!"
Beth turned to Morgan, surprised and delighted for him, "You mean the Rick that is part of my family is the Rick you've been looking for?"
Morgan nodded, laughing, "Damn miracle is what it is! Didn't believe anymore but I believe now!"
Daryl looked over at Beth, who was smiling as well, reflecting Morgan's happiness in addition to her own. She met Daryl's eyes, continuing to smile, and the hope behind her grin made him see light in the darkness. He cleared his throat a little, keeping his eyes on hers, and replied, "Yeah, guess that goes for me too."