Daryl stalked into the prison.

"Y'know, if you're gonna make me train her, least you can do is make her show up," Daryl growled interrupting Rick and Tyreese's conversation. Beth had ditched out of their scheduled time together and it made him furious.

Rick looked up distracted from whatever Tyreese was showing him on a piece of paper.

"What are you talkin' about?"

Daryl was momentarily sidetracked from ranting about Beth by the papers spread across the table.

He picked up one of the pages and saw it was map with notations. "What's all this?"

Tyreese and Rick exchanged glances.

"We're lookin' for the Governor," Tyreese answered.

"Lookin' for him? I thought we were glad t'see the back of him?" Daryl asked.

"I wanted to see him in the ground!" Rick scowled. The Governor was always going to be a contentious issue for Rick.

"The Governor is a snake in the grass," Tyreese said. "We assume he won't be gone until he gets his vengeance."

"Well that's the truth." Daryl took a seat and pulled a map close to him. He let out a low whistle. "You've done a lotta work on this. Why didn't ya ask me to help?" Daryl looked at Rick. It wasn't that he was offended that Rick hadn't gone to him for assistance but he would have thought he could help. He knew a thing or two about vindictive bastards looking to get their piece.

Rick rubbed at his eyes. It was obvious he wasn't getting enough sleep. "It started out as a side project. Between me and Tyreese we've both moved around enough to chart where he's liable to go if he stayed in the area."

"We're tryin' not to panic people," Tyreese added. "People think they're safe; they can start buildin' a life."

"A lie's a lie," Daryl pointed out.

"You see the world in terms of black and white?" Tyreese prodded with a lingering look.

Daryl thought about Beth. He sighed, "Not really, no. So what's changed?"

"What do you mean?" Rick asked.

Daryl gestured to the papers spread out. "Normally you're more careful; otherwise I woulda caught on to it already. So what's changed?"

"So far we've been preparin' for the possibility he was gonna show up again."

"And now?" Daryl prompted.

"Now, it's not such a hypothetical," Tyreese said.

Rick's face was dark. "He's been seen."

Daryl's eyes snapped up in disbelief. "What! Where?"

"Back in my old town."

"You've gotta be kiddin' me! Who saw him?"

At this point Rick looked uncomfortable. "Morgan."

"Your crazy ass friend who went native?"

"That crazy ass friend saved my life," Risk said wryly.

"Don't negate the fact he's crazy!" Daryl argued. "He's probably seen all manner of things don't mean we should expect unicorns riding through the gates."

"It wasn't that long ago it was me seeing things," Rick pointed out calmly but there was an edge to his voice.

"That was different," Daryl objected and then winced at how he sounded.

Rick saw Daryl had seen the contradiction of his words and grinned. Tyreese smothered a laugh.

"Don't you start," Daryl growled. "Can imagine the things you said 'bout Rick when he chased you outta here the first time."

"Daryl, you think maybe the reason I didn't ask you to help out in the first place has anything to do with the fact you don't play well with others?" Rick asked.

"No," Daryl said brashly. "You rely on the fact I don't play well with others. Means you get t'play the diplomat while I do your enforcin'."

Rick was startled by the harshness of Daryl's words and even Daryl knew they were a little unfair. Him being unafraid to get his hands dirty wasn't the only reason Rick looked to Daryl for help. Then again, Rick wasn't blind to the fact that it was perk of having Daryl around.

Daryl wasn't done. "And I won't be playin' with the Governor. He killed my brother; we got a debt to settle."

"Don't think like that. It's the start of a dark path," Tyreese said softly.

Daryl realised he had clenched his hands into fists and his eyes were wild. With great effort he tried to steady his breathing.

"A lotta people are going to be lookin' to the Governor for vengeance, not just me," Daryl said evenly. "I'm guessin' there is a reason that you ain't told either Hershel or Glenn that the Governor's showed his face."

Daryl could see the accuracy of what he said hit Rick.

He tapped his temple. "Not just a pretty face."

"What Tyreese said about panicking people is right. We don't know what he's plannin' and far as Morgan could see he's alone. I don't need a prison full of vigilantes. I'm trusting you to keep this to yourself."

Daryl nodded. "Fine but you gotta start telling people soon. We need to be more careful on runs and on guard duty."

Rick considered for a moment. "Agreed. In a few days I'll tell the people that need to know."

Daryl leant back, satisfied with that outcome. He knew Rick was just trying to protect everyone but he didn't like being left out of the loop.

"Didn't you want something when you came bargin' in?"

Daryl's anger with Beth was back. "Yeah I got stood up. You gonna make me train her you should make her show up."

Rick was looking at Daryl perplexed. "I thought you knew."

"Knew what?" Daryl didn't like the ominous tone in Rick's voice.

"Beth asked to go on a run with Michonne today. She said you were on board 'cause she needed to learn how to work with other people." As Rick spoke, dawning comprehension showed on his face. He knew Beth had lied to him.

"She went out there without me?" Daryl snarled.

"You're not her owner," Tyreese pointed out.

Rick shot Tyreese a glare telling him to back off.

Ignoring the twinge of guilt that Tyreese's words invoked Daryl said, "Let me process this. Beth is out there with the one person the Governor wants most in the world?"

Rick stood up now. "You think I'd let either of them go out there if I thought they'd be in any danger?" The anger radiated off the older man.

"I don't think you think clearly when it comes to the Governor. It's personal."

"I don't think you think clearly when it comes to Beth! Is it personal?" Rick snapped out.

Daryl shot out of his chair, simmering. The fact that Rick had pinpointed the heart of the issue with deadly precision drained the blood from his face.

The rage faded off Rick's face to be replaced with disbelief.

Daryl spun on his foot and walked away, not wanting to look at Rick any more.

...

"So you get what you needed?" Michonne asked Beth.

"Yeah it was harder than I thought. I didn't expect that most of them had been looted," Beth admitted. It seemed that people's priorities hadn't shifted that much at the end of the world. People were still looking to get laid. Beth couldn't judge especially since she was planning on being one of those people herself.

"Good. And you're determined to go through with this?"

"I still got a week to make up my mind for certain but I'm still pretty decided on it."

"But Dixon?" Michonne pressed. "Not exactly the man anyone would see you hooking up with."

"The end of the world limited my choices some," Beth joked. "In all seriousness though, I think I could do a lot worse."

Michonne shrugged. "It's not my business."

"I appreciate the concern," Beth said earnestly. Michonne was voicing her apprehension but was still respectful of Beth's decision. Maggie would have lectured her until she was blue in the face about what a bad idea this was.

The run had been calm compared to the other times Beth had gone out. There had been a few walkers but Michonne had dispatched them with practiced ease and there hadn't been any need for Beth to so much as unsheathe her knife.

They had found some more tinned food and blankets. Not a huge haul but every little bit helped and made Beth feel less selfish about organising a run.

Beth went back to her own cell with every intention of getting rid of her stuff and having a shower. The grit of the day felt ingrained in her skin.

She stopped dead when she found Daryl sprawled on her bed, twisting an arrow over in his hands. A heat flared up in her stomach. He dominated the space, from his booted feet to his cold eyes, which fixed on her the minute she walked in.

Beth's stomach clench under the weight of his gaze.

"What are you doin' in here?" she stammered out.

"Waitin' for you," he responded with no inflection. "Run into any trouble?"

Beth's eyebrows came together. The way he was speaking was unusually casual.

"None," Beth answered slowly.

He swung his feet off the bed and stood to face her. Beth took an automatic step back. Something felt wrong.

"So you didn't think you needed to tell me that you were goin' off with Michonne?"

"I don't owe you anything," Beth said. She tried to sound defiant but she sounded oddly deflated. She had been so excited about achieving what she had set out to do; Daryl's behaviour was ruining that.

Daryl's face was thunderous and he opened his mouth to scold her.

Beth cut him off. "What's this about?"

"The Governor has been seen in these parts."

Beth's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my god!" Beth felt a flutter of fear that had nothing to do with Daryl's attitude.

"And you're waltzing around with the one person he hates most in the world. I know what he's capable of, Beth. I saw what he did to my brother. What I had to do to my brother because of that asshole."

Beth stopped retreating. It all clicked in to place. Daryl was mad because he had been worried about her! The idiot just didn't know how to express himself properly. Beth felt her heart break at the mention of Merle. The pain in his voice was raw as he remembered having to put down his own brother.

Beth slipped her arms around his waist and stepped in to hug him. Daryl was tense against her for a long minute but then the uneasiness vanished from his body with a shaky exhale of breath. His arms circled her shoulders drawing her tighter to him.

Beth's cheek was pressed against his chest and she could hear his heart racing. Beth closed her eyes, trying to give all the reassurance and sympathy she had through a simple embrace.

"I promised to protect you." His breath was hot against her ear.

"For two weeks," Beth murmured. She was trying to etch every detail of this moment into her memory.

"Forever," he corrected. A rough hand came up and threaded in her hair.

Beth wanted this to last infinitely and she had to stifle a groan of protest when Daryl gently untangled himself from her.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Next time you wanna go on a run, you go with me."

"I had to get something important," Beth said.

"What was so important y'risked your life for it?"

Beth felt a little sheepish now. Trying to keep the colour out of her cheeks she looked into her bag and pulled out a small box.

Daryl stared at what was in her hand before pinching the bridge of his nose in consternation.

"This is my fault, ain't it?"

"Yep."

"Don't suppose you coulda thought of a safer way of going about it?"

Beth glanced at the box of condoms. "I thought this was safe."

Daryl glared. "You know what I mean. You couldn't wait until I could come with ya?"

Beth shrugged, "My hormones got in the way."

Daryl rolled his eyes. He snorted something that sound distinctly like, "teenagers!"

Beth tossed him the box and he caught it like it was on fire. Beth put her hands on her hips. "Yes, I am a teenager. Deal with it."

Daryl flushed now and took a step forward. "Is that attitude I'm hearin'?"

He was angry again but it was just normal Daryl bluster. Beth could handle this Daryl in her sleep now.

Beth grabbed his face in her hands and brought his lips crashing down to hers. Daryl made a noise in protest but then his fingers were curling around her biceps and he was kissing her back.

Beth wanted to feel his tongue against hers again. She had thought about the sensation over and over since their first kiss. Tentatively she touched the tip of her tongue to his lips. Daryl needed no more invitation.

His mouth slanted over hers hot and hungry. Beth could barely breathe from the feel and taste of him in her mouth, battling with her for control of the kiss.

Beth pulled away first. She had a tiny smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "Daryl? You talk too much."

Quitting while she was ahead, Beth turned on her heel and flounced out leaving the man shocked.

...

Daryl couldn't win with Beth. He was cold to her, she hugged him. He was mean to her, she kissed him. Apparently she had infinite patience with his flaws and seemed to like kissing him. Daryl didn't know why he was complaining. Beth tasted sweet on his lips and Daryl found the shy way she kissed him adorable.

He looked down at the box in his hand. It had gotten squashed a bit in the fervour a moment earlier.

Daryl was impressed at Beth's tenacity. She had gotten them far sooner than he had expected. Her eagerness sent a rush of heat through his body. For some inexplicable reason she wanted him and god knew he wanted her more than anything else on this god forsaken planet. One day he was going to have to stop over thinking his attraction to her and stop punishing himself for it. That day was when the two weeks were over.

Glenn walked past the cell and happened to see Daryl standing in there.

"Hey what are you doing in Beth's cell?"

"I came to see how the run with Michonne went."

Glenn's eyes moved to the box of condoms in Daryl's hand and he raised one eyebrow.

Daryl opened his mouth to explain.

"No don't!" Glenn lifted a hand to stop him. "I don't want to know. I can't keep a secret to save my life where Maggie's concerned."

"Appreciate the heads up," Daryl said dryly.

Glenn went to move on then stopped. "Hey man, we're friends right?"

"Yeah."

"I don't want you to die. Don't do anything stupid."

"Like?"

"Like Beth." Glenn looked at him significantly and walked off.

Daryl shoved the condoms away in his pocket cursing his slow acting. Between Rick's comment earlier and what Glenn had just seen, half the prison would know that he was a deviant taking advantage of Beth. And it would be his fault.

AN: The muse fought me on this chapter too and I think my frustration is reflected in the characters – but I hope it came across alright in the end. I have planned these chapters out in great detail so I don't know why it was so hard to put pen to paper (so to speak). Thankfully I've written the next two chapters after this and it was back to normal. The big event is in the future but I don't want to give away too much regarding when and how – bear with me, wonderful reviewers. I hope each chapter will have enough good Beth/Daryl moments to tide you over. Rereading chapters, I realise I make Beth blush a lot but I can relate. The second I feel embarrassed or angry I light up like a Christmas tree so I'm going to say it's accurate rather than repetitive (because I can).

In answer to a guest's question: I am not from Melbourne, I kick about the Capital.

MD666