"I gotcha now, fucker," His hands grasped Daryl's neck, pushing his body into the putrid, yellow carpet beneath their struggling bodies. The weight of his father forced out the last bit of breath he could suck in before his neck tightened the harder he struggled. Daryl's attempts were useless under his father's newfound strength. His vision crossed and focused again, staring into the bloodshot eyes burning through his own. Smoke surrounded his father's face as he dug his dirt ridden hands deeper into his own kin's neck, breaking way to blood soaked fingernails. Somehow Daryl managed to turn over, kicking his father off in the process. He gasped for air while clamping onto his neck that leaked profusely.
He flung his free hand to the ground, searching through the scattered broken beer bottles and cigarette buts for anything sharp enough to protect himself, but came up short. His drunken father's slurs were the only way Daryl could pinpoint where he was; smoke filled the room along with walls of orange rising from the ground. Daryl managed to bring himself onto his feet. His eyes flickered rapidly, trying to find an escape that was nowhere to be found. The room's windows and doors disappeared, leaving nowhere to go. His eyes watered as the heat rose and brought smoke further into his lungs.
"Ain't no where ta run now," His father's voice whispered near his ear, pulling him down onto the ground once more, "I told ya I'd find ya," Daryl watched the deranged man shift in front of him. Dark red crawled up his neck and covered his face while his eyes darkened into nothing more than endless black pits. His hand holding Daryl onto the ground-near new flames, formed into a sharp claw that practically had his helpless son seeing stars. Daryl attempted to speak to the devil before him, but his lungs filled with nothing more than ashes and smoke.
"I'm takin' ya with me," His father's skin started to peel off, bringing down melting flesh and muscle. His face was beginning to liquify from the heat of the flames, slowly sinking into itself revealing an awful shade of white. His father's skull somehow managed to stay intact, taunting Daryl with rotten teeth smiling down at him, "Worthless piece of shit," The skull spit coals onto Daryl's face, "I'm takin' ya down. I'm takin' ya where people like us belong," The burning carpet collapsed behind them, revealing even more raging flames shooting up from beneath the earth. Daryl's body attempted to scramble back and away from the creature holding him down with no success. The claw around his neck gripped harder as the ground below them both gave way slowly. Daryl felt the heat rise under his clothes as his body sunk into the growing crack violently, sending him into the never end depths of the opening earth. His lunges finally started to work as blackness consumed his burning body, slowly taking him into the pits of hell.
"Daryl, wake up!" Beth watched his eyes flicker consistently underneath his closed lids. His mouth mumbled incoherently as she shook his sweating body. Her heart skipped into her stomach at the sight of his wet body fighting off a nightmare. His hand gripped her wrist as he flung his eyes open, making her gasp at his wild look. The grip on Beth's wrist loosened after his heavy breathing subsided. She watched his eyes search the bedroom then her, and onto himself. They both sat in the silence of the room while Daryl's heart slowed down, letting his head take a hold onto reality and away from his dream.
"Daryl," Beth managed to catch his attention with her worried expression. She watched as he gripped his neck lightly, rubbing it slowly. His blue eyes searched his hand for something that wasn't there. He cleared his throat and found the smoke that once invaded his body had left.
"You're safe. Everything's okay," Daryl felt a warm hand collapse onto his bare chest. The comforting words made his muscles relax just a little more. Beth's eyes never left his changing face. The fear escaped, though a hint of confusion and calmness flooded his squinting eyes. "What happened?" Beth's concerns didn't phase him.
"My pops," He shifted uncomfortably underneath the warm sheets, "Dreamt he burnt the house down," Daryl remembered his father's face slowly morphing into a monster that he truly was. He replayed his skin melting, revealing his smiling skull. Beth watched Daryl's body tense once more before his hands connected to his face, rubbing away the rest of the dream.
She bit her lip while she watched the man next to her lift himself up from the bed and plant his feet onto the floor. The sun barely made an appearance in the small window closest to Beth and she felt the day would already be a start for the two. Her eyes followed his moving body until he disappeared into the hallway. Seconds later a faint sound of water running caught her attention. Still sitting in the mess of sheets, Beth came to the conclusion she wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep. With as much strength her mind allowed, she let her body slide off the bed. The cold floor sent a small shiver up her spine, instantly making her arms cross over her chest while she searched the wooden dresser for a sweatshirt.
She ventured past the occupied bathroom and into the dimly lit livingroom. Standing in the middle of the room she listened to the noises around her. The shower hummed behind her as well as Merle's loud snores. The wall clock revealed six-thirty. Beth sighed before making her way into the kitchen; a small headache started to grow within the back of her head. There was nothing more to do than make up breakfast, though she didn't have the energy to do so. For some reason she felt drained and sluggish. Her harsh wake up call didn't do her justice. She shook her head as she remembered the stirring in bed next to her; Daryl's mumbles made Beth's eyes fly open as she tried to wake the dreaming man and save him from himself.
The morning dragged on while the two ate their breakfast quietly. Beth gave Daryl his time to recoup while they both finished their food, sitting close to each other in the small space given. Merle emerged not long after, eating his food without a word to them both. Beth's attempts at lightening the mood weren't much use, but she still kept the conversation, even though it was mostly one sided.
"When are they supposed to come and talk to you guys?" She caught Merle's glance before he dipped his head down once more, ignoring the question altogether. He wasn't ready to deal with cops again and he sure as hell didn't want to hear about the house.
"Supposed ta come whenever," Daryl offered her an answer that was good enough. They sat once again without words as they finished their meal in silence.
…
"Hello," Beth opened the door to the officer she met the night before and welcomed her in. Michonne nodded her head before entering, surveying the small house her and another coworker, Rick Grimes pulled up to just moments ago. Beth's smile met hers as she offered a spot at the small table for the pair. They both took a seat across from the Dixon brothers while the men fidgeted with their hands beneath the table.
"Got any idea how tha son of'a bitch caught on fire?" Merle's voice surprised Beth. His tone was harsh, but she knew he wanted nothing more than answers. Michonne glanced at Rick before putting her elbows on the table, fingers wrapped together.
"What I told you last night wasn't necessarily true from what the firefighters found in the debris," Daryl looked up from his lap and concentrated on her face. He had to admit she was good at keeping her emotions hidden; her pokerface was stone cold.
"Well what tha hell is true?" Daryl looked at his brother and shook his head. He couldn't help but think his brother was getting too heated over a house he really didn't give a damn about in the first place. He wanted to scream at his brother that if he really cared he wouldn't have moved into Beth's without a second thought. Instead, he kept his mouth shut, bringing his eyes down onto his collapsed hands once again.
"They made their way into where the kitchen was and unless you two decided to burn your house down on purpose," Her dry sarcasm didn't phase the two, "It looks as if someone poured gasoline all throughout the cabinets, floor, just about everywhere in the kitchen," Rick sat quietly as he nodded in agreement, making sure everything she said was correct, "It was intentional. We have a few investigators looking further into it-" Merle cut her off with a shaking hand.
"No need to," He began, making them all look towards him. Rick squinted his eyes as he tried to figure out why this man wouldn't want anyone to bother.
"Why not?" Rick sat up from leaning against the chair's metal back.
"'Cause I said so. Ain't been in that house for months. Someone was probably doin' us a favor and takin' the piece of shit down for good," Daryl watched his brother's attitude change. He never fully understood Merle and his mood swings. First he wanted to do nothing more than sulk because of it and now he acted as if he didn't give two shits.
"Well it's unfortunately not an option," Michonne raised an eyebrow at the older Dixon brother, "But I assure you we won't put it as our top priority. Just for you," For a second Merle swore he saw a smirk try to escape, but instead her face stayed put while the sarcasm seeped through her voice. Merle shrugged his shoulders before getting up and scratching his head. Beth watched as she kept her place leaning against the wall.
"Any idea who might'a done it?" Daryl could hear Merle groan as he left the room. Just because one brother didn't care didn't mean the other agreed. Daryl thought back to his dream. Though his suspicions were vague, he couldn't help but think his father somehow figured out his old address.
"At the moment, no," Michonne sighed. She was the kind of person who was always on top of things. This time was different. Most of last night was spent searching the Dixon's records, coming up with too many counts she would've liked, mostly for Merle, but there were a few for Daryl as well. The majority had shown drug busts and D.U.I.'s. The only reasonable explanation for someone to purposely take down their house was because they pissed off the wrong people.
"Have you had any run ins with anyone that may have wanted revenge? Anything you or your brother did that could've set someone off?" Daryl's eyes narrowed at the man before him. Though his voice wasn't accusing, he still felt he was being judged.
"What kinda person do you think I am?" Beth watched his posture straighten as Daryl leaned into the table. He was becoming irritated with the two police officers. She watched Michonne shake her head only slightly.
"By the looks of your guys' records you two know people that handle business around here," Beth could see the shame on his face. He hadn't used anything for months, hell he hadn't even thought about drugs other than forcing his brother to leave whenever he felt the need to take a hit. Even then Merle started to drift away from the hard stuff after Carol's death. Daryl shifted in his seat under accusing eyes. He briefly caught a glance at Beth, watching her attempt to smile at him.
"Ain't been around that for a while," Daryl's voice kept calm, though he still wasn't too happy about the two revealing his past with Beth in the room. Rick glanced at Michonne one more time before clearing his throat.
"Listen, if you have any idea as to why someone would personally attack you by taking down your house, let us know. I can see you don't want you or family in harms way so take it upon yourself to do a little research and get back to us," Daryl met eyes with Rick, listening to him speak reasonably, "We'll grant your brother's wish only if we figure it out first. Once we have someone, we'll file it away, no problem," Rick waited for an agreement only to receive a grunt and nod. Rick figured the lone brother was finished and stood up. The two made their way out the door and said their stiff goodbyes before heading out of sight down the road.
Beth closed to the door behind her and made her way back into the kitchen to sit next to Daryl. He let his head drop into his hands, trying to give his mind a break. Beth waited patiently until he moved his head, peeking his face towards her.
"Wanna talk about it?" Beth knew not to push too far. He wasn't one that liked to speak more than he had to.
"Can't say I know anyone who would chase me down," He sort of lied. His father was one he had in mind, though he didn't want to think of him at all, pushing that thought to the back of his mind. He could only think of the night he found his brother unconscious and slumped onto the wall. Someone had come in looking for Merle or Daryl, both even. He knew someone was looking for them. Someone wanted to send a bigger message not to fuck with them. But who? Daryl knew his brother settled down when it came to stealing from people and messing around. Most the time he'd spend his days at the house instead of out and about and causing trouble. Daryl thought back to his brother's girlfriend, Carol.
He remembered meeting her one night, watching the way she fidgeted in her truck while looking around the street constantly. He listened the way she told Merle "jokingly" to hurry up or else they'll get caught. Nothing clicked back then, but now it did. He recalled his brother mentioning meeting Carol was fate because she knew the same drug dealer as him. He even ignorantly mentioned she had higher connections; she knew bigger people in the drug business. Someone wasn't happy about her death and seemingly knew Merle was with her at the time. Daryl rubbed his forehead before he looked at Beth with questionable certainty in his voice, "But it's possible someone's lookin' for Merle."
A/N: Hope you enjoy :) Merle's got some trouble ahead..what's new! Poor Daryl can't seem to catch a break either. More Bethyl scenes coming up, I promise :)