Beth pushed the door open to the lecture hall, about as unenthusiastic to be going to class as she ever had been. She had been up all night finishing her essay till nearly four am. The essay was worth a sizeable portion of their grade, and it had been frustrating her for the past week. Even worse, she had finished everything and triple checked her bibliography and had only then realised the printer was out of ink. They had to submit a hard copy, so she had to get up extra early to go to the library and print it out before the lecture started. Beth clutched the newly printed essay in her hand, her other hand rubbing one eye as she made her way over to the desk to drop her essay on to the pile. She yawned widely, unable to stop herself, and her professor arched an eyebrow at her as she nodded to him sheepishly.

Beth made her way up the stairs, picking a spot towards the back for a change. She wanted to just leave so she could go home and take a nap, but it would be too awkward with the professor in the room. There were quite a few people milling around but she just slouched down in her seat, her eyes shutting slowly.

"Hey, Beth!" Someone called.

Beth opened her eyes, furrowing her brow. She looked up to see Zach at the bottom of the stairs, grinning at her.

He made his way up the stairs towards her and she shifted in her seat, feeling a bit bad as she wished he'd sit somewhere else. She just wanted to sleep.

"Hey," he said again as he reached her row, dropping down in the seat next to her. "Late night?"

Beth smiled tiredly, nodding. Zach laughed. "I finished mine a few days ago."

"In between all the parties?" She asked, smiling.

"Well…my friend did this subject last year. He gave me a few pointers." Zach smiled at her, showing the dimples in his cheeks.

"That was nice of him." Beth commented absently.

"Hey did you see that video on YouTube where that –"

"Ok everyone! Take your seats please," the professor stood up from his desk, Beth thanking God silently.

"I'll show ya later," Zach whispered to her.

Beth nodded. Sort of. She jerked her head a little.

The lecture passed by at a snail's pace, Beth nodding off occasionally. Zach actually elbowed her a couple of times. If she weren't so tired, she would have possibly found it funny. Except, she was tired, and all she felt was annoyed.

She didn't want to be rude though and just nodded when he elbowed her or whispered something.

At long last the lecture was brought to an end, and Beth started packing up her things.

"Hey, so, do you wanna get something to eat?" Zach smiled at her, packing his laptop away.

"Oh, I would, but I have so much to do…" Beth said, her voice trailing off, which was true. She had a lot of sleeping to do. Plus, a bunch of assignments due.

"Aw come on, maybe you'll wake up if you eat something?"

Beth shook her head, now smiling ruefully. She supposed she should have been a little flattered by his persistence. "Sorry, I'm just really tired…I think I'm just gonna go home."

"How about a coffee? That'll wake you up." Zach stood as Beth did the same. "C'mon, half an hour."

Beth sighed. Maybe a coffee would wake her up. "Fine," she agreed.

.

Beth didn't get to say much, but Zach didn't seem bothered and kept the conversation going himself mostly. She'd downed her shot of coffee in one go, and was yet to feel the effects.

"My family are gonna go to Savannah this weekend," Zach commented.

Beth looked at him. "Oh, that sounds nice."

"Yeah, got the house to myself for the whole weekend." He grinned. Beth blinked.

"Oh, I thought you meant you were going."

He shrugged. "They wanted me to go but there's this party on, so I said I'd stay. Wanna come to the party?"

Beth shrugged. "Um…no, thanks, but I really should focus on my study."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I honestly do have a lot of work. I'm on a partial scholarship too, so I have to at least submit something."

Zach's eyebrows rose. "Oh, really? That's cool. Your parents must be psyched."

Beth shrugged again, uneasily. "Yeah, they are." She didn't correct his use of the word 'parents', not wanting to talk about it. She also didn't like to tell people about the scholarship. It was something she was proud of, though it wasn't a huge amount of money, but so many people were burdened with student loans (as she was too) that she didn't like to wave it in people's faces.

Beth assumed it was the main reason she got such a great birthday present…her parents weren't contributing to her college fees, unlike Maggie. Shawn had taken a course at a community college, which he had never used, but Hershel and Annette had paid for that too.

"My parents are still hoping I'll switch from education…my dad is a lawyer, so…" He trailed off, looking meaningfully at Beth before taking a sip of his drink. Beth nodded, unsure of the appropriate response.

"So, what do your parents do?" Zach asked, placing his drink back on the table.

"Umm…" Beth hesitated. "My dad is a farmer, and a vet, and my mum…was a housewife."

Zach's eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, what does she do now?"

Beth shook her head, beginning to feel a little agitated. "Um, nothing." Beth looked around the campus coffee shop. Was it hot in there or was it just her?

Zach looked at her wryly. "Right."

.

Beth stood on the train platform, breathing heavily. She had successfully cut the coffee…thing…short, desperately relieved when she had left the college campus. She had felt her chest tighten when he'd asked what her mother did now. Beth felt like she should be stronger than that, but she had just panicked. It was the first time someone had been unaware of what had happened. She wanted to go home and crawl into bed, not just because she was tired anymore.

Beth knew it wasn't Zach's fault but she was hoping not to see him next lecture.

She slept on the way home.

.

.

.

Beth sat by the window, the rain pouring down outside. It was a dreary afternoon and the girls were rewarding themselves for handing in some of their major assignments.

"I think it's kinda sweet," Maddy said, grabbing a chip from out of the bowl.

Vanessa's laptop had been strategically placed on her desk, the film Jane Eyre playing. It was a favourite of the girls'. Beth actually preferred this version of the film compared to the book, but she kept glancing out the window. Maddy had shown up earlier at Beth's door, declaring it was the perfect day for movies, and had practically dragged Beth out to the car.

"Sweet? He just did it cos he felt obligated," Vanessa responded, before popping a bunch of maltesers in her mouth.

Beth frowned. They weren't talking about the film.

"What?" She asked, getting up from the window seat and walking over to the bed, flopping down beside Vanessa.

"Nothing." Vanessa managed around a mouthful of chocolate.

Beth grabbed some maltesers out of the bowl on the floor, looking up in time to see Mr Rochester ask Jane to bring the horse over to him.

"Liar." She stated mildly, her own mouth now full of maltesers.

Vanessa tried not to grin around her mouthful of chocolate.

Maddy sat up suddenly from her makeshift bed on the floor, causing the other two girls to look at her in surprise.

"We should make popcorn."

Beth felt a laugh bubble up inside her. "Popcorn?" She asked, her lip quirking in amusement.

"And combine it…" Maddy held up the bowl of maltesers dramatically, making Vanessa laugh.

"We don't have any," Vanessa said, taking the opportunity to grab another handful of the chocolates.

"We could get some," Maddy suggested, looking at them both hopefully.

"Maybe next time," Beth said, shrugging, smiling softly at her friend. As much as she loved the rain, she only really loved it when she was inside. Besides, she didn't really think Maddy wanted popcorn, she had just wanted to change the subject.

.

They finished watching the movie, and Vanessa walked them downstairs to the front door, hugging both Beth and Maddy good-bye.

Maddy dug through her bag, retrieving her phone to message her mum to pick them up. The rain appeared to have stopped for the moment. Beth squinted at the overcast sky, gauging the likelihood of it raining again. She nudged her friend.

"Hm?" Maddy glanced at her before looking back at her phone.

"I might walk, it looks like it's stopped for a bit." Beth said, eyes flickering back up to the sky.

Maddy frowned. "You sure?"

Beth nodded. "Yep, it's fine," she smiled. "I'll wait with you till your mum arrives."

They stood by the line of trees while they waited.

"Still looking for a car?" Maddy asked.

Beth shrugged, instantly regretting waiting with her. "Not really."

Luckily, Maddy didn't push her. Her mother arrived shortly and Beth waved good-bye, before crossing the road to the trail.

Beth had confided in Maddy and Vanessa about what had happened with Daryl. Their reactions had been classic Maddy and Vanessa, the optimism and cynicism flowing around Beth. They tried to mute their reactions, but Beth knew them well enough to read between the lines. Or when they were practically shouting it from the rooftop like they were while watching the movie, Beth got the message.

Truthfully, these emotions were already swirling with Beth. She was a glass half full person, always had been. Loath she was to admit it a certain degree of cynicism had crept in. Had everything only been because Daryl had been feeling some misguided sense of loyalty? Guilt? A combination of the two?

However, when she thought back to that day…that day that hurt to think about, she thought about those white flowers. They didn't override her sense of loss, her grieving, but they had nestled themselves in her memory. He hadn't been at the funeral because he felt guilty. Beth brushed at a stray branch that extended into her path, feeling frustrated. All she had been doing lately was over-analysing everything.

The morning after the dinner that hadn't happened, Beth still woke up thinking maybe he'd come by. Maybe they'd still be looking at that car he'd found. Glass half full, after all. Beth had gotten ready, and had been sitting in the dining room with her laptop on the pretence of doing an assignment. Well, she was sort of working on one…she just kept an ear out for the roar of a certain motorcycle. Her father had raised his eyebrows as he'd walked past but hadn't said anything. She hadn't gotten around to telling him that Daryl was picking her up that day, and she had been glad that she hadn't when it looked like he wasn't coming. He had tried to ask her about the dinner, but she had begged off, saying she needed to study.

Now that Shawn was gone, her father was either going to have to hire someone or take up a lot more of the duties himself. Beth had a sinking feeling that he was going to try to undertake the chores himself, but she hoped he would eventually realise that he needed someone else. He had perhaps forgotten how much work went into the farm. Shawn was only 19, but he had been helping out for years now.

When 11 am came and went, Beth had shut her laptop and leaned back in her seat, bringing one of her legs up to rest on the seat, drawing her knee in. She'd felt a fleeting moment of anger, but not at Daryl, at Merle Dixon.

That anger lingered now, as she trudged along the trail. At the same time she realised that he was the only reason she had any connection to Daryl, which didn't seem to help. When she had been sitting at the piano, she had felt his eyes on her. It had made those butterflies return, and she'd wondered momentarily if she had any effect on him. The crazy thing was she wasn't even sure if she'd just imagined that feeling. She could remember his unreadable gaze when they were in his tiny bathroom after she'd cleaned him up, the blue in his eyes warming her, making her flustered.

She hadn't imagined that. But it only added to her confusion. He had been trying to figure her out, is how it felt like to Beth.

And now he was avoiding her.

To be fair, she hadn't tried to contact him either. She had taken his failing to appear that Saturday morning as a clear signal.

He had to know though. He had to see his value, and he had to see her.

Beth came to the clearing, where the woods opened up to the cemetery. She weaved her way through the gravestones until she finally came to her mother's. Beth took a moment to lay her hand on the smooth stone, her eyes closed. She felt a drop on her arm, but she ignored it. After a moment, she felt another. Then another. And another. She opened her eyes and looked up to the sky as the raindrops started falling faster. She didn't leave though, until she'd said good-bye.

The rain was pouring now, and she considered running for a second but realised that it was pointless. She grimaced as she walked, her feet already starting to squelch in her shoes as she passed the church.

The rain seemed to roar in her ears. Beth was glad she hadn't worn a white shirt, but as it was her black sweater and black denim jeans were sticking to her like a second skin.

The idea of going to see Daryl had been floating around in Beth's mind ever since he'd failed to show up. She had a rough idea of where his cabin was. But then she thought…what would she say? She had told him that he had to let her do something for him, and she still hadn't figured out what that might be.

Finally she was walking through the Greene fields, towards the house.

As she got closer, she peered through the rain. A motorcycle was parked in front of the house. She looked at the veranda, in time to distantly see Daryl Dixon descending the stairs, walking towards the bike.

She picked up her pace, half walking, half jogging, stray strands of soaked hair plastered to her face that she ignored.

"Hey!" She called, struggling to be heard over the rain as she hurried towards him as he swung a leg over his bike.

He glanced around to see her approaching him, his helmet in his hands. He stepped back over his bike to wait for her. He was wearing his usual leather jacket, zipped up, and dark jeans and worn boots. His hair was wet, and stuck up everywhere, probably the result of wearing the helmet. The bruise on his face had faded, a testament to how long it had been since they had last seen each other.

He simply looked at her, waiting for her to reach level with him, unmoving even in the rain.

"Hey," she breathed, as she came to a halt in front of him, panting a little. The rain was starting to ease up a bit.

She waited for him to say something, fidgeting under his stare. Hadn't he been the one to come here?

He cleared his throat, glancing around through the rain.

"'Bout the other week-"

"Can we-?" Beth nodded at the house just as he'd started speaking.

He nodded, and she followed him up the steps to the veranda. The house was empty, her father had gone over to Otis and Patricia's earlier for lunch and cards and probably wouldn't be back until early in the evening.

She got her keys out of her pocket with some difficulty, the denim of the pocket clinging to the material underneath, which in turn stuck to her skin.

She unlocked the door, glancing around to check that he was following her. He placed his helmet on the bench and followed her inside, closing the door behind him.

A/N: I know these past few chapters have been what I think of as Bethyl Lite, so thank you for your patience. On that note, I usually avoid saying when I'll update next, but I am leaving in a couple of days to go on holiday, for a bit over 4 weeks. I will try and update soon though! I enjoy writing this and it will be hard to leave it for 4 weeks.

Thank you for your follows, favourites, reviews and for reading!