This story is kind of like Cornerstone. There's not that much action or drama. It's just Beth and Daryl, every day, finding one another and building something together. I guess I'm really not one for writing action-packed stories.

…

Chapter Twenty-One. Away We Go.

"Does Daryl know you're out here?"

Beth instantly turned away from the fences at the question and saw her sister standing behind her a few feet, an amused smile on her face.

"Please don't tell him," Beth quickly said, not caring if it sounded as if she was pleading because a part of her was definitely pleading.

Daryl was wonderful. She was crazy about him and he had taken such amazing care of her for this past week in which she had been sick. But Daryl was also very annoying and he was slowly – or not so slowly – driving her crazy. He had been sleeping on the floor of her cell – which she loved – so he would be right there if she needed anything during the night but each morning, he felt her forehead and told her that she should stay in bed for "just one more day" until she was completely well again.

Beth loved that he was so concerned about her but no offense to Daryl. She would be taking medical advice from her daddy before him but Hershel seemed to find the whole thing amusing and never told Daryl that she was perfectly fine to walk around without worrying that she was going to collapse and that moving around her was good for her. Daryl was perfectly content on keeping her prisoner within her cell as if this prison was still up and running and he had been the guard assigned to her.

Maggie pursed her lips together to contain her laughter. "He worries about you."

"He hovers. I just need some fresh air."

Beth couldn't help but frown. She really needed to see something other than the walls of her cell or she just might go crazy and no one wanted to see her crazy.

Around her, everyone was moving, doing their jobs as they did every day and not much had seemed to change that much over the past week that she had been bedridden. She noticed that work had been done on the fences – walker arms and legs and heads being bound to the chain-link and in addition to the pits dug, there definitely seemed to be less walkers clawing and trying to get their way in. It reminded Beth that she still had to speak with Lizzie though and see if she really was the one who had been feeding the mice to the walkers. Deep down, a part of Beth already knew the answer, and she knew the conversation had to take place. She wasn't looking forward to it though.

"Are you still mad?" Beth asked, looking back to her sister as Maggie came to stand beside her. "About me and Daryl?"

A faint smile ghosted across Maggie's lips. "I was never really angry," she admitted. "Shocked and a little upset that I didn't see it for myself before Glenn told me. I should have seen. You were never great at keeping secrets anyway."

Beth smiled faintly, almost laughing. She had always been the one to blurt to Shawn and Maggie what they were getting for Christmas or when a surprise party was planned. The Greene's had learned that with certain things, it was best to just keep Beth in the dark.

"And you're my little sister. Of course I was going to overreact," Maggie added.

Beth laughed softly. "You never overreact about anything," she teased and Maggie grinned, elbowing Beth gently in the side.

"Daryl's a good man though," Maggie continued in a softer voice. "And if I had any doubts before, seeing him this past week would have put them all to rest. He's crazy about you. I was watching him when me and daddy came out of your cell to talk to everyone. I've never seen Daryl Dixon pale before."

Beth wasn't too sure what to do or say but she felt a warm bubble expanding in her chest. Not that she wanted to ever scare Daryl but something about hearing Daryl so worried over her made her feel good inside. She liked knowing that maybe, his feelings for her matched the feelings she had for him and that they were possibly on the same page with each other.

"Beth!"

Beth couldn't help but groan as both Greene sisters turned to see Daryl and Rick – Rick looking amused but a dark scowl across Daryl's face.

"What the hell are you doin' out here, girl?" Daryl demanded, coming towards her.

Judith was in Rick's arms and as Rick followed behind Daryl, the baby saw Beth and instantly began stretching her arms out towards her, trying to squirm from Rick's arms. Even though Beth was much better than she had been, they still didn't want to put Judith too close to her, not knowing if the virus was completely gone. The others had much stronger immune systems than the little baby and they didn't want to put Judith at risk.

Beth couldn't wait until she was one hundred percent better again. Her arms missed Judith.

"I needed fresh air, Daryl," Beth couldn't help but frown at him.

"You don't gotta walk down to the fences to get it," Daryl matched her frown, both seemingly unaware that Maggie and Rick were watching them with smiles.

"I'm not a prisoner and I'm feeling better. I can walk where I want to walk," Beth said and then pressed a finger into his chest. "You are not the boss of me, Daryl Dixon."

"I know I ain't and I never said I was but I'm in charge of keepin' everyone here safe and that includes you," he said, practically growling as his temper rose.

Beth Greene could test a man's patience, that was for sure, Daryl was learning.

"What are you going to do? Carry me to bed and tie me there?" She asked.

"Fine," he said and didn't hesitate in sweeping her up into his arms.

"Daryl!" Beth gasped, her arms circling around his neck as the world spun around her for a moment at the sudden and unexpected movement. "Maggie!" She then called for her sister as Daryl turned and began carrying her up the hill.

"Sorry, Bethy!" was all Maggie said, calling after her.

Beth frowned. Betrayed by her own sister. She then looked back to Daryl. "I'm fine, Daryl. You know I'm fine."

"You're still weak," he informed her.

"Because you're not giving me a chance to build back my strength," she retorted.

Daryl didn't say anything to that and Beth didn't say anything else either, remaining stiff in his arms and clenching her jaw. She knew he was just looking out for her and taking care of her but he was being completely ridiculous now. She wasn't an invalid. She had had a stomach bug and now it was gone and he had to stop trying to suffocate her.

In her cell, Daryl gently bent down and placed her down on the bed. He then straightened himself up and looked down at her for a moment.

"I ain't lettin' anythin' happen to you, Beth," he then said in a quiet voice, all irritation from just minutes ago completely gone.

And with his words, Beth felt her own anger instantly evaporate. She sat up slowly and patted the space beside her. Daryl hesitated for just a moment before he turned and sat himself down beside her. Beth gave him a small smile and reached her hand over, sliding it into his, lacing their fingers together.

"I'm fine, Daryl," she said to him in her own soft voice. "I was sick but I'm not anymore and I can't stay cooped up in this bed for the rest of my life. My very long life."

Daryl didn't say anything to that. He just looked at her and she felt his thumb rubbing small circles along the scar – that scar beneath all of her bracelets on her wrist. They never talk about. None of them do. It was something that happened when she had been feeling her lowest, weakest, and no matter what, Beth knew it wouldn't come to that again. But she didn't want to say that to Daryl right now. She hoped that he already knew that about her.

He exhaled a breath. "I'm gonna be goin' huntin' later this afternoon. Will prob'ly be an overnight thing. Animals are further out than what they used to be. I can talk to your pops. See if you can come with me."

Beth felt her stomach instantly begin to flutter at the suggestion. Go hunting with Daryl? Be out there with Daryl – just the two of them – for the night? She wondered if she had ever heard a better suggestion than that in her entire life.

"We don't have to ask daddy," Beth shook her head. "I'm a grown woman and if I want to go hunting with you, I'll go hunting. I've proved to everyone that I can take care of myself."

Daryl nodded his head though she could see that he still looked a little unsure. She gave his hand a squeeze and then leaned in, pressing her lips to his cheek in a prolonged kiss. She felt Daryl lean into her a little and he exhaled another breath as if he had been holding it.

"Will you teach me how to track?" She asked.

He looked at her and it almost looked like he was going to smile but he was still holding himself back. "Even let you hold my crossbow," he said and the promise made her burst into a bright smile and as he saw it across her face, he finally smiled a little, too.

…

A part of her – a large part – had been expecting protests to rise up when it was known that she would be going hunting with Daryl but no one said anything and Beth realized that what she had said to Daryl had been true. She had proved herself to all of them. They knew she could handle herself and look out for Daryl, too, and she felt a pride within herself that she hadn't felt in the longest time. She was no longer looked upon as some sort of useless appendage to the rest of the people at the prison. She was important – just like all of them.

"What are we tracking?" She asked as she held the crossbow in her arms, looking back to Daryl as he stood behind her. She didn't want him to know that she found the weapon ridiculously heavy and her arms nearly shook from it. She was still weak from her illness but she didn't want to give Daryl the impression that she was too weak to handle it.

"You tell me," he said and she nodded, looking down to the ground.

They had been out in the woods for an hour, almost two, walking further away from the prison and almost immediately, Daryl had started her lesson. She couldn't help but feel special. Daryl had never offered to teach this to anyone. He had taught Rick some basics but nothing like this. He didn't even let anyone else hold his crossbow and here she was, the first pupil of Daryl Dixon's hunting school and she wanted to be the best.

She studied the dead leaves scattered around them that had already fallen from the trees as fall began to creep in.

Beth took a deep breath. She could do this. "The pattern's all zig-zag…" She looked at it for another moment. "It's a walker," she then declared with a smile, looking back to Daryl.

He shrugged, scratching his chin. "Maybe it's a drunk," he said and she laughed softly.

"Why do you have me tracking a walker?" She wondered.

"Somethin' easy to start you off on," he explained. "And knowin' where the walkers are is no less important than knowin' where the animals are."

Beth instantly felt like an idiot. Of course. She should have known that. It was logical and rather obvious and she needed to think things through before asking questions like that.

Daryl must have been reading her mind because he took a step closer to her. "'sides, you're the one who started trackin' the trail. I didn' point you in this way. You're a natural."

And it was silly of her but it was just what she needed to hear in that moment. She gave him a faint smile and then raised herself on her toes, kissing him lightly on the lips in a thank you. Daryl gave her a small smile and then took the crossbow from her hands. She almost sighed with relief. Her arms were burning something fierce and she shook her hands out.

She certainly couldn't wait to get her strength completely back. Lifting Judith up and down and carrying her practically everywhere had certainly built up her arm muscles and she both needed and wanted it back.

They began walking, keeping with following the trail.

"How come you've never showed anyone how to do this before?" She asked him.

He shrugged and stayed quiet for a moment and she wondered if he would answer. But something she was learning about Daryl, he always answered her. It may have been in his own time but he didn't just outright ignore her. She was really the only one he answered. She would have thought that that person would be Rick but not even he got all of the answers about Daryl that the man probably wanted.

"Was gonna show T. He asked me and I figured it would be good to have someone else who knew how to do this – in case anythin' happened and we all got separated," Daryl answered, his eyes studying the ground and the trees around them. Beth walked beside him, her fingers curled around the hilt of her knife hanging at her hip – always at the ready. "Was gonna start showin' him but then…" he trailed off.

No one ever talked about that day. Even now, with so much time that had passed, Beth still felt a scratching in the back of her throat if she thought about it.

"I still miss them," she heard herself whisper. "I know I'll always miss them."

Daryl didn't say anything to that but she saw his head give the slighted of nods.

"And after that…" he paused a moment, stopping in his steps and Beth immediately stopped beside him. The walker trail veered off to the left but after a moment of studying, Daryl led them to the right and Beth would have that be her next question. "Didn't wan' to show anyone else how to do this. Wanted to keep myself important to everyone and if someone else could do this…" he trailed off and didn't finish that thought.

She didn't need him to finish it though. Beth's brow furrowed and she reached out, putting a hand on his arm. "You're the most important person in that prison, Daryl," she told him, quiet yet her voice firm. "No one will ever be able to replace you."

Daryl looked at her and didn't say anything and she knew that he didn't believe her but his doubt only made her more determined to get him to believe her. Someday, she promised to herself. Someday, she would get Daryl to believe just how important he was to all of them. Not just to her though definitely to her, too.

"What are we tracking now?" She asked her next question.

"Nothin' if you don't talk quieter," he said, glancing at her, smirking a little.

Beth mouthed sorry and then pursed her lips together, not making another sound. She took the opportunity to watch him. The way he walked with complete confidence in his strides, the way his eyes moved sharply, darting around and taking in every single detail of where they were, not missing anything. The way he held the crossbow in his hands, looking relaxed and comfortable but she could see the grip in his fingers and knew that he would be ready to use it at a moment's notice.

His steps slowed and he then crouched down to his haunches. He looked over his shoulder to her and she followed his lead, dropping down beside him. She watched as he lifted his bow, bringing it to his shoulder, taking aim at a bush in front of them. Beth felt her lungs begin to burn and she realized that she was holding her breath but she didn't dare breathe in case she did so too loudly.

She almost gasped when within a second, a rabbit came hopping out from behind the bush and Daryl's finger squeezed the trigger, the bolt sailing through the air and landing right into the rabbit's side. Beth exhaled and her heart was racing.

Daryl stood up and went to collect the animal and his bolt and Beth stood up, watching him.

"So that's why we went right," she murmured more to herself. "How did you know it was there?" She asked as he came to her again.

"I'll show you," he promised. "In the meantime, we still got some more tracks to follow. Wanna hold it?" He asked and held the rabbit out to her and she took it without protest. If they caught a few more, she could already taste the rabbit stew Carol would be able to make. Carol made the absolute best stew with these. "Still got a couple more hours of daylight," Daryl said, looking up towards the sky. "Figured we could hunt for a lil' bit longer and then stop to make camp up. Wanna do that when it's still a little light out."

Beth nodded in agreement though she would never find argument with anything Daryl said. This was his territory – not hers. Whatever he thought they should do, she would follow his lead. She was his obedient student out here.

"Can I ask you something?" She whispered to him as they began walking again.

Daryl smiled at that. "You actually askin' for my permission to talk? That's a first."

She playfully pushed her elbow into his arm and he kept smiling. "Have you ever read Harry Potter?" She asked.

"Wasn' expectin' the question to be that," he murmured and a soft giggle escaped past her lips. "Nah. Never did much readin' before and definitely not now. Why you askin' that?"

"Well… if I ask you for a favor, would you be willing to at least think about it?"

Daryl instantly shook his head. "I ain't bein' in your Harry Potter play, Beth."

"I had never even thought of asking you that," she said, wanting to laugh again. "Although I think you would be a great Sirius once we got to that book." Daryl just looked at her, having no idea what she was talking about. "No, I wanted to ask you if you could build me something. If we find wood we could use," she said, looking at him expectedly.

He looked at her. "Build you what?" He asked, almost hesitantly as if he was already dreading her possible answers.

"A stage. Just a little one," Beth quickly added. "The kids are so excited for this play and can't wait for rehearsals to start up again and I thought, actually having a stage would help make the play feel even more real for them."

Daryl was quiet for a moment and she was surprised that she was feeling nervous. She told herself that she had no reason to feel nervous. This was Daryl. And the worst thing he could say to her was no and so what if he did? So, they wouldn't have a stage. There were far worse things in this world than performing a play without being on a stage.

Daryl grunted. "Fine."

Beth's smile was instantaneous and she knew that they were hunting and tracking and they were far more important to see to at the moment but that didn't stop her. With the dead rabbit still in her hands, she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him square on the mouth, the crossbow caught between them and pressing into their chests but she didn't care. And she felt Daryl shift and felt one of his hands come to a rest on her hip.

"Thank you," she whispered to him once their lips had parted, giving him a soft smile.

"Mm-hmm," he said through pursed lips and gave her a head nod.

She kept her smile on her face as she gave him one more kiss and dropped back down to her feet. "I have a copy. Of Harry Potter. If you want to read it," she suggested once they began walking again.

"Mm-hmm," he said again and to most, she knew that they would think Daryl was hardly listening to her now but Beth knew. Daryl always listened to her and was always aware of her and she knew that once they got back to the prison tomorrow, he would take her book and read the story for himself.

"I think you'll love it," she continued. "You actually have a lot in common with Harry. Not having the best life but something happens and you find out who you really are and you find a real family…" she trailed off. "Maybe once you read it, you can help me with rehearsals," she suggested.

Daryl looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Don't push your luck, girl," he grumbled and Beth couldn't stop from laughing.

She knew he would help if she really asked him to but she wouldn't do that to him. He had already done so much for her. She had to think of something she could do for him in return.

…

Thank you so much for reading!