Author's Note: I am putting this little memo at the top. I was having technical difficulties when I posted Ch.24. I posted the chapter, but it posted a blank chapter, so I had to go back and fix it. I am not sure if you have read it not or yet. If you have not read Ch.24, I suggest reading it before reading Ch.25, as Ch.25 picks up immediately after Ch.24 and you will be kind of lost if you don't know the events that happened in Ch.24.

Ch.25

"Beth, you're being reckless. You could have died out there today…or Carl or Rick could have died…I could have died."

Beth looked away. She knew that what she did put everyone in danger, but hearing him voice it made her feel worse. To be honest, she hadn't been thinking about anything or anyone else when she saw those walkers. She forgot about everything around her, and all she could focus on was the pain and she had to make it go away. But killing the walkers hadn't helped her at all; it only made the pain worse.

"I know you're hurtin', but you have to stop acting like this," he said, his voice calm and soothing, but laced with worry.

"You don't get it," she whispered.

"Then tell me. Make me understand."

Beth looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know how to make you understand," she said, her words wavering as she struggled to keep herself together.

Daryl looked at her for a moment before slightly nodding his head. Beth watched as he slowly walked over to her, placing his hand on her lower back.

"Come on, lets go home," he said gently.

The walk back to the house was quiet, neither of them saying anything. Daryl stayed right beside her, keeping his hand on her back, coaching her forward. She could feel his eyes glancing over at her every once in a while, but she never looked at him. Her vision was blurry from the tears she refused to shed. She didn't want to cry anymore; she had cried enough, and it never did anything, it never made her feel any better.

When they made it back inside, Beth knew that everyone was looking at her. She knew that Maggie was concerned and confused about what had just happened. Rick had probably told her what she had done, and Beth assumed that Maggie would be coming to talk to her sometime soon, and every muscle in her being dreaded it. She knew her sister was only trying to help her, and she knew that Maggie probably had absolutely no idea what to do to help her, but she just wished she'd leave her alone. Nothing anybody ever did could ever make her feel better. She'd rather just have people leave her alone than listen to them pity her and tell her everything would be okay, it was only making them feel worse when she didn't get better.

Daryl led her to her room and patted the bed, motioning for her to sit down. He paused for a minute and looked at the floor. It looked like he was thinking about something, but he never said it. He knelt down in front of her and looked up at her.

"Does your ankle hurt?"

Beth nodded her head. She must have hurt it earlier today, but she didn't actually feel the pain until now. It wasn't horrible, but it was enough to bother her. She flinched when she felt Daryl remove her boot, and she wasn't sure if it was because he was touching her or because of the pain. Slowly he removed her sock and inspected her ankle.

"It's just a little swollen. You rolled it when you fell. Just need to be careful with it, okay?"

Once again, Beth nodded. "Okay."

Daryl took off her other boot and set it on the floor. Then he got up and pulled back the covers. "Why don't you get some sleep. You look exhausted."

Beth looked up at him, her heart suddenly racing, afraid of him leaving her in her room alone. "Will you stay? Will you hold me until I fall asleep?" Her voice was weak, pleading with him.

Without speaking, Daryl walked to the other side of the bed and kicked off his boots. He laid down on the bed, and Beth did the same, scooting back until she felt his chest against her back. He draped his arm over her and held her close.

After a few moments of silence, Beth began to speak. "Today, when I saw those walkers, I wasn't really seeing walkers. They were those men. I saw that man who did this to me, who made me like this. And I just got so angry, and I hurt so much, and I just wanted it to go away. I wanted him to be gone. I know it was stupid, and I know that I could have died, but I don't care. I couldn't help it. " She paused and took a stuttered breath, feeling as a tear slipped from her eye. "Every time I close my eyes I see him. It's like I can't get away from him. "

She felt Daryl pull her closer against him. He didn't say anything, and she was thankful for that. Unlike everyone else, he let her talk, and he would just listen. He knew when she needed him to say something, but he also knew when she just needed to say what was on her mind. Everyone else seemed to feel a need to comfort her when she wasn't looking for their comfort.

Beth let out a frustrated breath before continuing. "God I'm so stupid. I was savin' myself for marriage. That's what you're supposed to do, right? Save yourself for your husband. Jimmy wanted to do it, Zach, too. I just should have said yes. I mean, it wouldn't have mattered. I'm already ruined, already broken. What boy is going to want me now? What boy is going to want to sleep with a girl who can barely be touched without jumping?"

"Hey, hey. Don't talk like that. You're going to meet a boy someday, and you're gonna' fall blindly in love. It's gonna be like nothin' you've ever experienced before. He's going to love yah and hold yah and do anything and everything for you. And you'll tell him…you'll tell him what happened to you, and he'll love you even more because he'll know you're a survivor, that you're a fighter. And then one day things will happen, and you'll realize that it doesn't have to be scary, that you don't have to be afraid. You'll realize that it doesn't have to hurt, that it can feel good. You won't forget, but it won't hurt as bad, because things will be ok, things will be alright. You'll have someone there to show you what it's supposed to be like…to show you what you deserve."

"You really think that?" She whispered.

"I know that. And you're not broken; you're scarred. And being scarred isn't a bad thing. It shows that you were hurt, that you've been through hell, but you got through it. It means that you've survived."

Beth closed her eyes, trying to calm her rapid heartbeat and control her breathing. Her cheeks were wet, but she wasn't crying anymore. As much as she wanted to believe Daryl, she didn't know if he was right. She wanted to believe that she would meet a boy someday who would love her for who she is, but right now it felt like she would never be able to trust anyone enough to love them back and let them get close.

Daryl sat up from the bed, and Beth immediately felt the loss of his touch, and it hurt. She needed him by her, she needed to feel safe, because every time he wasn't there her stomach dropped and the fear took over.

She could feel him moving on the bed, but she didn't know what he was doing. She heard what sounded like fabric rustling around. She was confused.

"Look at me, Beth."

Beth slowly turned and looked at him, and she was shocked at what she saw. Instead of turning to see his face, his naked back invaded her vision. Even in the dark room she could see the raised scars that painted his back. Her eyes took in every one of them, and before she knew what she was doing, her hand reached out and lightly touched his back. He stiffened, but eventually relaxed as her fingers feathered over the marred skin.

"We all got scars, Beth. Some of our scars are visible, some aren't. We all got our horror stories, but they don't break us…they make us stronger."

Author's Note: I have to say, I think this is my favorite chapter so far. I absolutely loved writing it. I had their little conversation at the end planned out a few chapters back, and I've been so excited to finally get to this chapter and post it! I think it was a big step for both of them. Beth opened up to him. She trusts him. She feels safe with him. She doesn't feel this way with anyone else. She told him what she's really been feeling; she told him her fears, her thoughts, everything that she's been holding in. And I think the way that Daryl responded was perfect! He reassured her that just because she's been through something horrible doesn't mean she's ruined, that she can still be loved, that she can, and she will, make it through this. And then Daryl took a huge step. He showed her his scars. They may not have gone through the same thing, but they've both been through something horrible. Daryl's already come through it, and Beth is trying to make her way through it.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I would really love to hear what you thought about it. It could just be me, but I love this chapter.

Also, I am considering writing a new story. It would pick up after episode 13, "Alone." It would center on Beth and what has happened to her since her sudden disappearance. Daryl would be in it. After everything they've been through together and how close they've grown, you couldn't just leave him out. But, this story would definitely be Beth-centric. I haven't really planned anything for it, but I do have a few ideas. So, if you think it sounds interesting, let me know!