Beth was quickly finding out that this kind of camping was far, far different to the weekends she remembered from her childhood. Well, there were some similarities. Sitting around the campfire and making smores, for one; also swapping stories. But not ghost stories, oh no. Instead, Merle was regaling them with hilarious tales of his drunken adventures.

"An' then, this guy comes at me full on with a barstool an' I jus' emptied my guts on his damn fancy cowboy boots," Merle finished his second story with a cackling laughter.

"Nah, ya puked when he walloped you in the guts," Daryl corrected him indignantly. As the chortling died down among the merry group, his eyes met Beth's across the fire and he winked subtly at her. Beth was glad she could blame the toasty flames for her red cheeks, or even the cause of their merriment; the bottle of cheap, substandard liquor. There was barely a dent in the bottle's level but it was enough to instil a sense of contented camaraderie amongst the four very different people.

"Pass it over," Beth grabbed it from Carla, taking a sizable swig.

"Alright, alright, if we're gonna drink there's gotta be some order to it," Daryl interjected. He poked at the fire with his heavy, beat-up combat boots as he spoke, sending sparks and embers floating through the air.

"Drinking game!" Carla shouted excitedly, which made Merle groan with annoyance.

"Ain't playin' none of that sissy shit," Merle whined.

"Nah, it's fun. We all gotta pass the bottle an' say a lie or a fact, but if we get caught lyin', we gotta drink. If someone calls ya out and yer tellin' the truth, they gotta drink," Carla explained with accompanying hand gestures and an excited expression. Beth nodded; it sounded like a better version of games she used to play as a child at sleepovers and such.

"Sure, why not," Daryl shrugged good-naturedly. He elbowed Merle until the older brother nodded with a surly eye-roll.

"I'm starting," Carla stated the obvious. She tossed her tawny red hair across her shoulder while she thought, the firelight making tints of gold appear here and there. "Okay…I'm the one who crashed Will's bike two years ago." Beth found it kind of sad that Carla didn't even refer to her own father as "dad".

Daryl cleared his throat. "That, my dear sister, is a total lie. We all know who really pulled that stunt." His statement was followed by a very direct, noticeable stare towards Merle, who smirked devilishly. Carla shrugged and took a decent mouthful from the bottle before passing it to Beth.

"Um, I cheated on my last maths test because I saw the answers sitting on Ms Sevil's desk," Beth said. It wasn't really that interesting, but nothing else came to mind at this point.

"Gotta be a lie, for sure," Carla gasped. Beth shook her head. "No way, you fucker! You actually cheated?" Carla yipped ecstatically. She stared at Beth in amazement before remembering she had to drink again. "Goddammit," she grumbled, taking a much smaller swig this time.

"Your turn, little bro," Merle jeered at Daryl. Apparently he was getting quite into the game, despite his earlier complaining.

"Fine, here's one for ya. Merle got a speeding ticket in the middle of town 'coz he's a moron," Daryl shot back at him with a grin. All around, people shrugged and believed it. Not one person questioned it, not even Merle. Daryl's grin became more smug as he passed the bottle to Merle, obviously thrilled at winning that round.

"Right, Daryl, if ya wanna make this personal…"Merle narrowed his eyes competitively, "I know for a fact that I seen Daryl with a-" he paused for dramatic effect- "Girl."

Just for a moment, Beth's heart stopped, and she snapped her eyes to Daryl in a panic. But he was cool as a cucumber, apparently nonplussed.

"Take a drink, Merle, that's a big fat lie," he drawled easily. Merle stared at him a moment then conceded and took a deep, long drink. Beth almost sighed with relief.

"But I know ya, Daryl, I seen that glint in yer eye. Ya got some honey stored away, or what?" Merle pressed further, unwilling to drop the subject. Daryl waved a hand to dismiss his claims, despite Beth's worried glances.

"Ya know I ain't got a girl. You of all people know it's too soon," Daryl muttered quietly to Merle. That seemed to do the trick. Merle went quiet and let them get on with the game. But as they did round after round, Beth couldn't help ponder his words. It was good that their secret was safe, of course, but it still felt a bit sore to hear Daryl denouncing his relationship status. And what the hell did he mean by "too soon"? Beth tried to remind herself to ask him later but after a load of rounds, the game had disintegrated into just plain drinking and her head was a little fuzzy. It cleared a little after a good meal; Daryl's shot pigeon with the sausages and buns they had already packed.

They didn't get a chance to talk alone until later in the evening, after dinner. Beth was helping clear away the dirty plates, glad of a moment with Daryl. Their hands occasionally brushed together as they stacked cutlery and dishes, and awkward glances between them only increased Beth's butterflies. She wondered if it would ever stop, this light-headed feeling she got whenever they were closer than usual. Probably not. She hoped not.

"Ya havin' fun?" Daryl asked as a way to break the silence between them. Beth nodded eagerly. "That was a close one with Merle, wasn't it," Daryl muttered quietly.

"Sure was. But that was a good save," Beth laughed quietly. She glanced over to the fire but Carle and Merle weren't paying attention, instead they were dozing off, staring happily at the flames. It wasn't that late but the forest's night ambience had a soporific effect, somehow. "What did you mean by "too soon"? Beth asked casually, having just remembered the strange phrasing. Daryl was quiet for a moment, a very long moment, the silence only broken by the clink of plates.

"I'll tell ya another time, 'kay?" He replied. He said it with a smile to let her know he wasn't annoyed, but his tone still made Beth stop blurting out any other questions she had. They finished packing up and went back to the fire. Conveniently, the only free space was a single log which they both leaned against, perhaps a little closer than needed. The others didn't seem to care or notice, though.

"Time for a story," Carla mumbled sleepily. It was as if she had a list of camping clichés she was determined to complete, the way she kept rattling off ideas. Beth didn't mind, though, in fact it was kind of nice, kind of nostalgic in a good way. Carla began weaving a tale of ghosts and forest hauntings and lost souls; obviously completely fictitious, but she told it well enough that Beth was soon clinging to Daryl's arm in fright. He chuckled at the way she jumped and squeaked each time Carla burst out yelling for a dramatic effect, but nonetheless put up with her fingers digging into his arms. Even after Carla's terrifying story was finished and they sat silently, just enjoying the warmth of the fire, Beth was still agitated enough that she didn't let go. Daryl shook her grip loose enough to slide her hand down into his; the soft wool of his gloves wove between Beth's fingers and she tried to bite back a smile. Before long, Merle bid them goodnight and stumbled into the tent. Apparently, he's drunk more than his share of the evening's booze. Carla soon followed, mumbling something about freezing her face off out in the cold. Beth reluctantly disentangled herself from Daryl and followed her friend. The two Dixons were already snoozing in the tent, sleeping bags drawn way up around their ears. There wasn't a whole lot of space left.

"You comin' in?" Beth asked Daryl, hoping to squeeze in next to his large, warm form. He shook his head with a soft smile. "What, yer sleepin' out in the cold?" Beth spluttered.

"Nah, it's warm," Daryl pointed to the fire. "Ain't gonna trap myself in that tiny space," he snorted, stretching his arms out exaggeratedly. Beth bit her lip for a moment, thinking to herself, then she reached in and plucked some sleeping bags from the tent before zipping it up. "Whatcha doin'? Daryl muttered as she dumped them next to the log.

"D'you mind?" Beth asked shyly, fidgeting on her feet under Daryl's scrutiny.

"Not at all, sugar. Jus' didn't take ya for an outdoor sleeper," Daryl smirked. Beth shrugged and smiled back, settling in next to him. Carla was right, it was freezing, but that just gave her an excuse to get all up in his personal space. Not that he seemed to mind, judging by the way he pulled her in under his arm. The fire was still burning brightly, fed by long, thick logs that promised heat until at least dawn. It crackled and spat, drowning out the noises of the forest. Well, almost. There were still moments when Beth would hear things rustling about, and Carla's ghost story was fresh in her mind, adding to the existing memory bank of horrible beasts that lurked in the dark.

"S'matter?" Daryl grunted the third time she jumped. He was unperturbed by the apparent proximity of creatures, probably since he knew what each one was by sound alone. Beth, however, didn't.

"Nothing," she whispered, shivering not from cold but from buried fear. Daryl ran his calloused hand softly down her arm, stopping to pick up her cold fingers in his thick gloves. Minutes later, she jumped again.

"What, ya scared now?" Daryl smirked. Beth shook her head indignantly, glad her lying face was disguised by shadows. "Yes, you are," Daryl chuckled in a teasing voice.

"Nuh-uh," Beth huffed. It wasn't that she thought he'd ridicule her for being scared, it was just that she hated admitting weakness about anything.

"What're ya scared of, sugar"? Daryl's voice was light and playful. "Ya scared of me?" he pretended to growl and bite her neck. Beth giggled and squirmed away from the tickle of his stubble. "No? What else, then?" Daryl mused out loud. He cast his gaze around the campsite, all the while keeping his arm tucked firmly around Beth's shoulders, to let her know he was just teasing. "How about fire. Ya scared the fire might roast us alive?"

"Don't be silly, Daryl," Beth scolded him, biting back another giggle. It was just so amusing to see the usually serious, no-nonsense loner start mucking around like a kid.

"Hey, yer the one that's bein' silly, all jumpy an' shit when there's nothing here," Daryl said in a falsely stern tone. Beth laid her head across his chest, nudging her head up by his chin, while he continued to joke around. "Oh, I know, it's the dark," Daryl said with a gasp, as if he'd just discovered the answer to some great mystery. Beth nodded slowly, her speech impaired since her face was buried somewhere in his neck. "That's cute, Beth. Still afraid of the dark at your age," Daryl chortled to himself. Beth grumbled wordlessly in annoyance. "Nah, I don't blame ya, all sorts of nasty shit out there," Daryl shrugged, dead-panned and serious. He couldn't hold back a grin of amusement as Beth raised her face to glare at him.

"Remember what I said, Dixon. You tease me, I'll get angry," Beth tried to growl back, but it ended up as more of a whisper.

"Okay. I'm sorry," Daryl conceded with another irresistibly soft smile, before leaning forward a fraction to give her a soft peck on the lips. Beth grinned, glad he'd finally started something worth raising her head from its warm position. She returned the kiss, taking it slowly but demanding more than a brief peck. Moments passed, or it could have been minutes, and Beth found herself increasingly breathless as she tried to make up for lost time. Eventually, she had to draw back, flushed and breathing a little heavy.

"What, not gonna tell me to slow down?" Beth challenged with a glint of passion in her eye.

"Nope," Daryl grinned devilishly. He extracted one hand from the warmth of his sleeping bag to draw her head closer, and Beth let him take the lead for a while. And what a lead he took. Their bodies weren't exactly close through the layers of jackets and blankets, but Beth could still feel the firm strength of his build as he held her. His mouth was gentle, especially as he explored her jawline, but it was still demanding enough that she whined a little as he deepened the kiss. She quivered under his touch as lips parted and he concentrated on coaxing her tongue out of its comfort zone. Beth had never felt a sensation so soft, yet so electrifying, and she whined with annoyance as he pulled back.

"Don't do that, Dixon," Beth huffed angrily.

"What, kiss ya?"

"No, I mean don't stop halfway through," Beth mumbled, barely coherent as she returned to their embrace. She tried to mimic his technique, parting her lips just enough to slip into his mouth, but it was far less finessed. Obviously, he'd had more experience. Beth didn't know if that made her glad or jealous. Daryl, between her inexperienced attempts at a more passionate kiss, was wearing an exceptionally cocky grin. Beth paused and looked at him, her arms braced across his chest. "What?"

"Nothing, it's jus' cute when you try so hard," he whispered, unconsciously biting his lip while he appraised her. Golden hair flying, the bun long since unravelled, and eyes alight with enjoyment and perhaps the smallest hint of lust. He kissed her again, but more slowly, softly, as if taking time to appreciate the essence of her being. Beth wasn't in an appreciating mood, though, and she demanded a return to the more fervent, frenzied embrace. She shuddered as his mouth drifted down her neck and he added another hand to the fray, this time to reach down into the arch of her back and pull her closer. "Pretty little thing," he murmured quietly as she settled into his grasp. Beth tried to contain her smile but it was too hard, too much happiness coursed through her veins. He was just so sweet, so gentle, and she'd never imagined it from looking at him. Even after getting to know him, she'd had no idea, since he kept his softer side well concealed most of the time. But these few moments of being so close to him, both literally and figuratively, had opened her eyes to what she hoped was just the surface of the "real" Daryl.

"You're such a character, Daryl," Beth laughed softly as their eyes met. They spoke quietly, not wanting to wake the others, but not wanting to sleep just yet. It was mostly about nothing, Beth just asking questions about his bikes and his hobbies, and Daryl replying steadily. Eventually, the night got the better of them and as time wore on, sleep claimed their eyelids. Beth was the first to drift off, still safely wrapped in Daryl's arms, and still with a smile across her lips. Even as she fell asleep, the only thoughts on her mind were of the strange, wonderful person who was holding her so tightly it blocked out the darkness.