Disclaimer: A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.
Thank you Nicole for editing this! XOXO
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Prompt Request from SaraiVe: Farm (Part 1 of 3)
A/N: This is set after Season 4 Episode 12 "Still" and before Episode 13 "Alone." Beth has helped Daryl let go of his demons, but Beth still had her own tragedies to face.
Beth was in a mood. She hadn't slept well the night before, having to get up in the middle of the night to run from a herd of walkers hadn't helped, and the muggy Georgia air wasn't helping. She found herself replying to Daryl with one word answers; behavior he was obviously unaccustomed to from her.
"You okay?" Daryl suddenly asked while they were searching through the remnants of what used to be a gas station.
"'M fine," she said morosely.
"Coulda' fooled me," he grumbled, checking behind the attendant's desk for anything they had hidden.
She didn't even bother giving him her usual glare at his comment. Apparently, her lack of response was cause for alarm because the next thing she knew she was being hauled by the arm and lifted to sit atop the desk Daryl had just been searching through.
"What're you doin'?" Beth inquired thoroughly confused.
"Findin' out what's wrong with ya'," Daryl eyed her.
"I said I'm fine," Beth attempted to jump down from the desk.
Daryl placed his arms on either side of her, effectively blocking her from moving from her seated position.
"You're actin' weird," Daryl retorted.
"I'm jus' tired. We had a long night," Beth tried to wave him off.
"Nah. This is somethin' else. This is like back on tha' farm," Daryl stared down his nose at her.
"I am nothin' like I was back then," she leaned in unperturbed by his intimidation tactic.
"Then quite actin' all sulky-like and get yer' ass in gear," he pushed off the desk and stood to his full height.
Beth blinked. She blinked again. Then she got angry.
"Yer' a jerk, you know that?" Beth huffed and leapt down from the desk.
She knew if she just told him what was on her mind, he would understand, but she wasn't ready to talk about it. It had been a week since her father had been killed. It had been a week since she'd seen her sister. It had been a week since she'd seen her family, but it felt like years. It had been years since she'd seen her mother. Three long years since her mother had turned and reincarnated. What was left was no longer even the shell of Annette Greene.
Daryl probably thought she was being over dramatic, but she just really missed everyone. She missed her mother, but as ironic as it was, she wished things could go back to how they were in the prison even more so than how they were before. The bond she shared with her fellow survivors was unlike anything she had experienced with other people. The unknown possibility that they were hurt and needed help had left a hole in her heart. She'd just have to get used to it until she was able to fill it when they found everyone.
Shaking her head, ridding herself of her negative thoughts, Beth focused on what she knew. She knew they were fighters. She knew that they had survived this long and were well aware of the dangers lurking out in the world. She knew they were alive and she knew they had to keep searching until they found them. She refused to give up hope.
They're alive.
A/N: Wonder what's up with Beth…hmm….?
We all know Beth has never lost hope in finding the group, but even she has to have moments of weakness where she reflects on everything that has happened. The fact that she stood up to Daryl shows the contrast in her character from "The Farm" vs. "Post Prison Collapse." We always see Daryl facing the 'dark side' so I wanted to experiment some with how Daryl would react to Beth not being quite so cheery and what he would do to keep her going like she had done for him.
There's no definitive timeline on the show. We know for sure 2.5 or so years have passed, but time doesn't stand still while the show is going so I added another six months from beginning of season 4 to the end.
