Four Months Later

In the middle of August, the heat was hard to deal with. Beth had been outside for two hours and her skin felt like it might melt off of her body even though she had kept a button-up three quarter length sleeved shirt on to help make sure she would not get sunburned on her arms or her sensitive shoulders. Beth was naturally pale (borderline vampire shade as Glenn called it when he tried to be funny) but she tried her best to keep sunscreen on regularly.

Beth drove the pole into a walker's head again, something she had been doing repeatedly for the past hour alongside her sister as they worked the fences down by the edge where walkers had gathered. It was a grim sight. Bodies were all lined up at the bottom of the fence with hole through their skulls, dead brain matter on the grass. The smell was even worse due to the heat of the summer, the rotting flesh heating up. But like always, they dealt with that.

Maggie stopped for a moment, putting her hand up to her forehead to wipe off the beads of sweat. "I think we've done just about all we can for today."

Beth killed on more walker, getting more blood onto her as she retracted the pole back out. She set it down against the fence before she took off the apron she had been wearing to prevent too much walker blood from covering her. "Yeah, I'm about done for now."

Her arm muscles and shoulder had been bothering her for the past twenty minutes but she had not said anything because it was her turn to work the fence duty and she wasn't going to skip out early because of a little pain. There was no room for complainers in this world.

Beth and Maggie walked up the pathway towards the prison very slowly, their bodies tired. Beth put her hand up to block out the sun's rays that were beating down from above as she strolled up to the prison door and escaped inside with her sister into the cooler air of the inside. She was relieved that the cement walls kept the temperature inside from rising too much, even during the summer.

"Sasha and I are headed out for a run tomorrow. Do you wanna come with?"

Beth contemplated it, wondering how Daryl would feel about her going without him. Surely, he would be against it so she would need to talk him into it. "Yes. Count me in. I just need to mention it to Daryl."

Her sister lifted her eyebrows and smiled. "Good luck with that."

"Come on, Maggie, it's not like he controls my every move."

"I know, I know. But he wants you safe. And anywhere he is not around apparently is not a safe place," she sarcastically said. "You're not even safe with me outside of these fences. Me! Your own sister."

"He doesn't mean to offend you, Mag. Daryl is protective," Beth urged. "It's sweet. And I promise he doesn't mean anythin' by it. Don't take it personal."

"He's afraid of losing you," Maggie steadily assumed, her voice going lower into almost a whisper. "It makes him crazy. I've seen it in his eyes, the way he looks at you when we go down to the stream together and he won't have a view of you. It's like…it's like his world would end if something were to happen."

Beth didn't respond to that, she hadn't an idea how to. She also had no idea what she would do if something were to ever happen to Daryl, so she understood the desire to want to keep her as safe as possible. She had even overheard a snippet of a conversation between Daryl and Rick one night as she went through the courtyard and through the inner structures of the outside prison. She had only picked out a few exchanges before she had left because she knew she should not have been eavesdropping. But clear as day, Beth had heard Daryl say that he would die before he let anything happen to Beth.

She held those words close to her heart after that, knowing that Daryl meant what he said.

"No one's world is ending. Maggie, we are safe," Beth affirmed confidently. "Everyone is. I mean, look around us. Everyone has been safe for months. I think it'll take some more time but Daryl will relax, let his guard down a little bit here and there."

Maggie stopped and looked around the inside of the prison, then out the window from the fences to the garden growing. "You're right, Bethy. We're doing pretty well here."

And that they were.

—

A storm started to roll in from the north, the dark clouded sky telling everyone that it was time to get back inside and seek shelter before the summer storm hit with full force. It had been sunset when the clouds covered up the sun entirely and an ominous look took over.

Beth had not gone back into the prison like the rest. Instead, she had gone up to meet Daryl in the guard tower before the sky opened up and rain came down.

The guard tower was dark but there was just enough light for Beth to see Daryl's face. She kissed him fervently with passion, grabbing at his hair as she was pinned up against the wall of the tower. They were not doing a very good job at keeping watch but there was not much around to be worried about, considering they were in the middle of a storm.

The guard tower was a good place to be, and that was something she had learned from her sister. The numbers at the prison had grown so she was actively seeking places to take Daryl so they could be alone and away from others. Even though their relationship was known throughout the prison, which everyone had responded well to, Beth still needed time for only the two of them. So when she heard from Michonne that Daryl was going to be in the guard tower overnight, she grabbed the opportunity.

Daryl was taller than Beth so she had to get onto her toes to reach his mouth. She didn't mind it that much because it reminded her of romantic movies—girls on their toes to kiss the man they are infatuated with.

Over the months, Beth had found Daryl to be addicting. He would kiss her and she would feel like they were the only ones left on the planet.

She still smelled that pine scent on Daryl when his face nuzzled into her neck and his tongue pressed onto her skin. He was hot and sweaty from the day, his clothes dirty. But she was just the same, maybe a little less, but still not the cleanest. And honestly, she liked him better this way.

Experimentally, Beth got up the nerve to dip her right hand into Daryl's pants. Her fingers flattened out against the line of skin she had never felt before. Her fingers traced down the boxer briefs, her palm cupping over top of his dick. Even though heat rose to her cheeks, she knew that Daryl liked it. His body tensed up for a second before he relaxed into her. "Beth," Daryl groaned into her ear, hot breath on her neck.

He moved her further against the wall, adding more pressure to how her hand was up against his manhood that was covered by the thin material. She could feel everything. Everything. And it was all so new to her and also exciting.

There was a shaky breath that fell from her lips, followed by an influx of air into her lungs so that way she could think straight with oxygen going to her brain. Beth moved her face to the side to brush against Daryl's cheek, her hand slowly rubbing him below in a way she hoped was pleasurable.

The hand that was on her waist tightened, then Daryl reached over and grabbed onto her arm, pulling her hand away, yet still had her pinned to the wall behind her. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused by this actions. "Am I doing something wrong?"

She was genuinely concerned that she was.

"Wrong? Fuck no. You're doin' everythin' right. That's the problem."

She furrowed her brows. "Problem?"

Daryl was unwilling to answer her question on the previous comment he made.

"You don't want me? Is that it?"

"It ain't that, Beth. Believe me." He then gave her these almost seductive looking eyes that Beth found to be very, very attractive. He looked down and then back up to her. "I think you already have a pretty good idea that it's not that I don't want you."

She had been so focused on figuring out what was wrong that she had not even noticed the strain that had built in Daryl's pants, also pressing against her through the layers of clothing. She thought to herself, why not just give in? They had been playing the game of how far can we go for months now. Every time she ended up in his bed at night or in a secluded area of the prison, hands would wander and actions became bolder. Especially in the last couple of weeks, Beth had wondered what it would be like stop putting up boundaries of how far they would go.

She wanted it all now.

Beth wanted to be closer to Daryl. The idea of sex had once seemed kind of scary, yet now it was exciting and made the pit of her stomach go wild. Beth wanted to know what it felt like and wanted to experience the act of love.

"So if you want me, why don't you have me then?"

Her words sounded like she was trying too hard, at least that was how she interpreted it. She almost cringed at the tone of her voice. However, Daryl seemed to find it endearing. "Don't be sayin' that. I don't have that much control when it comes to you."

Beth's heart rate picked up more by what he told her. "Oh, really? You seem to have had a lot of it in the past months…you're very patience."

"Pfft." Daryl moved away from Beth suddenly, leaving her missing his body against hers, and sat down on the opposite side of the guard tower, looking uncomfortable as he tried to find a good way to sit that would cover up his apparent arousal. "Patience was never my strong suit."

"I'm just sayin' you've been so sweet to me," she smiled. "So aware of how I felt and how to keep things balanced with us."

"What are you talkin' 'bout over there? I'm shit at this."

Beth laughed because he was ridiculous. Daryl's lack of self-confidence when it came down to relationship aspects was always there. He always questioned himself, Beth could see that. But he was really been nothing short of amazing.

Beth stepped over to him, not one to give up on things that easily. In the time they had been talking, Daryl had stuck his boots flat on the ground with his knees bent upward, hands in his lap. Daryl looked up at her curiously as she placed one foot on the other side of him, his hands removing themselves so they could be placed onto her hips once she sat down and straddled Daryl. It was not a completely unfamiliar position for Beth to be in, only this time there was more of a sexual vibe to it.

"You're a good boyfriend, Daryl Dixon."

He dropped his head a bit. "Boyfriend?"

"Yes. That's what you are. You're my boyfriend."

It was the first time she had said it out loud. The sound to it was nice, which was good because she had waited a long time for the words to be acknowledged.

"So, then I guess that makes you my girl," Daryl calmly and coolly replied.

She had to stop herself from falling into a fit of giggles. "Only yours."

Beth let her hands drape over the back of Daryl's neck as she turned her head to meet his lips, her hand then gripping onto his vest, the angel vest that he still had and the one that she loved. It looked effortlessly good on him; a good fit. She thought that he liked it when she did that, pulled on the vest. He would respond by kissing her harder whenever it happened.

Her hair was down and falling over her shoulders until Daryl pushed it back, his hand settling right below her neck, then slowly drifted downwards over her shirt and over the buttons down the middle, fingers grazing over top of her breasts. It made her suck in a breath, a smile spreading out across her face. Then she pulled on the buttons and let that shirt fall off of her shoulders, it collapsing into a pile at her side before Daryl even knew what was going on.

His hands immediately went to the newly exposed skin, hands sliding up her sides as he roughly kissed her. She pulled back slightly to examine Daryl and she saw the admiration in his eyes, but also the look of strain on his face and she knew he was really holding back.

"We can't. Not here."

It was disappointing but she knew he was right. It was not the time or the place. "I know. But that doesn't mean we can't do other things," she suggested while she pushed away some of Daryl's hair that was covering his forehead.

He smirked at her. "Right, I forgot about you still being a teenager." He took a second to roll his eyes about her age, resting his head on the back of the wall. "God, that sounds horrible."

"Are you trying to tell me I'm just some horny teenager?"

Daryl's eyes widened as he held back a chuckle, surprised that she would say something so openly. "I don't think you're the one we have to worry about," he said, his voice deep and husky. It sent a wave of desire through her.

Beth nervously laughed, leaning in to kiss Daryl again, missing his lips being on hers. There was still that part of her that wanted to tear off his clothes all the way, but the other part was stronger and told her that this was enough.

For now.

"Maggie asked me to come with her tomorrow on a run with Sasha," Beth whispered to him in between her kisses.

Daryl groaned. "Let me guess," he said, running his hand down the length of her arm. "You said yes, didn't you?"

She grabbed his hands and enclosed them into hers. "It'll be fine. I'll be there and back before you know it. Nothin' bad will happen."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that."

Daryl cocked his head to the side against the wall. "I'm not arguing with you."

She leaned in again and gently kissed him. "Good. You'll lose."