A/N: Hello again! If you're still reading this, bless you. I had taken an unexpected halt in this story and I can't express how sorry I am for the break! I hope you'll forgive me, and keep reading! I plan to have the next update within the next few days, promise! Please enjoy, and please keep reading even though my update time is bad I will ALWAYS continue updating!

Chapter 11:

I counted for ten minutes until I lost track of where I was at. But I hadn't seen or heard much of anything since Joe had left my tent, warning me that Daryl was here in the compound. My heart rate couldn't slow down and I was left thinking the worst.

I tried to drown out the terrible thoughts running through my mind of how their meeting could go wrong. Finally deciding that silence was better than yelling and chaos, I hoped that whatever was happening wasn't going to end with Daryl in trouble.

It had to have been at least another ten minutes before I finally heard approaching gravel crunching. My head snapped up to attention and I bent my head around to the entrance of the tent to try and hear how many people were coming. I heard three distinct sets of footsteps, one of them slightly lighter as if they were better at staying silent.

"Just a few minutes," A smooth but stern voice spoke at the entrance of the tent and I heard the flap open and then swing shut.

Movement to my right made me tilt my head to see my visitor.

"God dammit," A gruff, southern drawl murmured in the air and I made eye contact with Daryl. He dropped to his knees and examined my bindings behind the pole.

"You're tellin' me." I mumble but give him a small smirk that he doesn't return. "You shouldn't have come. I don't think these are good people." I keep my voice low to him, knowing he wouldn't have trouble picking it up and I wanted to keep whatever privacy we had right now officially private.

"They ain't." He mumbled back, I could feel his hands on my wrists wrestling with whatever had my hands together.

"They're not stupid, they'll check to see if I'm still bound once you leave."

"Just loosenin' it. So you can get out once you get tha' chance."

"Daryl, you need to get out of here. They don't have you as a prisoner. Leave." The seriousness in my voice, abandoning all playfulness I had earlier when I greeted him, made him look up and make clear and direct eye contact with me.

"I ain't leavin' ya here. I'm gonna get us outta here, but we gotta stay on their terms, got it?" He sat back on his heels, still squatting near me so that our eyes were level. I felt my mouth twist in disbelief.

"That Joe seems smart. He knows a lot about us." I murmur, glancing at the entrance of the tent to make sure we were still alone.

Daryl grimaced and gave a small nod.

"The guy I was brought in by seems pretty smart…but we ain't stayin' here and whoever tries ta' stop me is gonna get the wrong end of a crossbow."

I glanced around him, realizing his crossbow wasn't on him and he seemed to notice my searching.

"They took all my weapons at the entrance. Saw the building they keep 'em in."

Suddenly, a voice boomed from the entrance of the tent and I jumped a little in surprise. They ordered Daryl to come on out.

Daryl moved his eyes back to mine and we stared for a few moments.

"Stay alert. Don't let yer guard down, alrigh'?" He whispers to me and I panic, not wanting him to leave me again. Not here in this tent, all by myself. I didn't trust a single soul in this place aside from Daryl, and I wanted nothing more than to just run off with him into the woods.

"Don't leave me." I cry out softly, I know how pathetic I sound and I'm sure Daryl hates that I appear so weak but my mental stability was wavering having been in this tent without being released for 2 days now straight. Letting me see Daryl and then pulling him away was a smart tactic, I couldn't handle him leaving. I needed him by my side. All the time.

Daryl stopped moving, then turned back towards me. He knelt down, closer this time. I saw his hand twitch like he was going to lift it and place it on me but I could see the battle going on in his eyes. Apparently, his stoic and detached side won out and he let his hand fall completely by his side.

"Don't go gettin' soft on me." His voice was soft and his words slightly lightened me up. "That ain't how ya been all these months since the prison. Yer' strong. Don't start givin' up now."

The voice boomed again, stronger and more threatening. Daryl stood and I could feel the resentment rolling off of him as he was forced to follow the orders. Before he turned completely, he lifted his hand and pointed at me. He didn't say anything, just pointed with his elbow slightly bent like he was Uncle Sam. But the gesture meant so much. It meant we were a team. That we were in this together. He wasn't leaving without me, and I wasn't leaving without him.

I didn't sleep. I refused to eat. I saw two more sun rises in the tent and I was starting to get worried that something had happened without me hearing it. Where was Daryl? Why was I still tied up in this damn tent? I hadn't seen Joe since before Daryl and the only human contact was a mean-eyed teenager who brought me my rations. He didn't say anything to me, nor I him.

My head started to loll to the side from lack of adequate rest when I heard a voice. It was arguing, it's volume raised just above normal conversational tone. It wasn't Daryl's voice, and my heart dropped when I determined that fact. However, I recognized it. It had been a long time since I had heard it but I knew it.

"Beth? Is that really you?"

Jason.

I peered my head to the side, not truly believing this random almost too good to be true coincidence.

"…Jason…?" My voice was scratchy from its lack of use and I squinted at him in the dark of the tent, still not completely believing it was him.

He dropped to his knees quickly and started undoing my hands. "Shit, Beth. I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

The sweet release of the rope away from my wrists sent blood rushing to my hands and felt stronger with this new freedom. I rubbed my wrists and continued to stare at Jason, expecting an explanation.

He placed his hands on either side of my shoulders and I felt the easy, comfortable feeling of familiarity. I felt my head go instinctively to his shoulder and he wrapped me tight in his arms.

"Beth, oh Beth. You're okay now. I've got you." He rubbed my back as I tried collecting my thoughts. I still couldn't understand the connection. And even though I thought I may need more rest before doing anything else I felt myself straighten up and look into Jason's eyes.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice is almost dead-panned and the emotion I had felt moments ago had been replaced with suspicion. My stomach turned and tightened, expecting the catch to make itself known anytime now.

"Beth, it's me. Jason." His voice is slightly softened by the hurt and he reaches out to touch me again.

"I know who you are, tell me why you're here. Are you a prisoner, too?" This was a technique Daryl had taught me. First ask questions you know the answers to. I know that Jason couldn't be a prisoner otherwise he wouldn't be in here undoing my bindings. He also hadn't been accompanied because I couldn't see any figures waiting outside the tent. If you know the answer, then you can know if the person lies to you or if you can trust their honesty.

Jason stared at me for a few more moments and then let out a breath. "No, I'm not a prisoner Beth. This is my camp."

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