A/N: Oh you wonderful beautiful people! You've all written me such nice reviews and sent me such encouraging messages that its gotten me to keep this story going. I've been so crazed and busy and your kind words have made me feel so happy that I just had to get this next chapter out to you. I'll keep trying to be less delinquent in my updates!

"Daryl," her soft voice called to him across the crowded apartment. She was a fair distance away, but he heard her like she had whispered in his ear, a chill crawling down his spine as though her breath really had caressed the shell of his ear, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He crossed the room in two long strides and crouched down next to her chest, for once not giving a damn who was around to see.

"'m here, girl," he murmured, his voice felt sounding rough to his own ears. A voice like broken metal scraping across gravel fell out of his mouth, reaching Beth before he could pull it back. Her eyes didn't open all the way but her hand sought out his and grasped his fingers tightly. Once she had a hold of him, she interlaced their fingers in the same way they had back when the two of them had first gotten stuck with one another, marching back to their strange apartment in this bizarre town in this strange new world.

"Where'd you go?" she asked quietly.

He squeezed her hand as he answered, "Didn' go nowhere, Beth. Been right here."

"Mmmm," she hummed, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Good."

Daryl's heart had calmed in her vicinity, the sound of her voice soothing all the fear, ugliness and guilt that had moments ago been compelling him to cut and run.

"Bethy," Herschel's voice broke into Daryl's consciousness, causing a ripple in the placidity he'd been allowing to wash over him.

Her eyes shot open fully then, realizing she wasn't alone with Daryl. She looked down her body at her father who had been sitting on the coffee table near her legs.

Daryl could see the awareness make its way across her features, could feel it as she clenched her hand tighter in his. She remembered, and she felt the pain again.

"Daddy...?" she trailed off, but the question was there plain as day - what happened to me?

"They whipped you," Herschel stated. Daryl was amazed that the man was able to keep his composure, delivering this news like he was telling someone they had the chicken pox. But he saw it; the pain in Herschel's eyes had to be a mirror of his own.

"Maggie?" Beth asked next, her eyes looking up and around her for her sister.

"I'm here Beth," Maggie's voice held none of the discipline that Herschel's did. Her words caught in her chest and she was fighting back a sob when she crossed around the couch so that Beth could see her. "I'm so sorry Bethy, I'm so sorry..." her words getting lost in tears.

"What the fuck happened?" Daryl bit out. His eyes were narrowed at Maggie as she took over Beth's attention; he moved his gaze across the room to Glenn who was sitting on the floor in front of T-Dog, who was looking over Glenn's wounds while the rest of the group tended to Beth. He could feel his teeth grinding as he fought the urge to up and punch Maggie right in the face. He had never hit a woman, but today was as good a day as any to change that.

"Remember what I told you a few weeks ago?" Glenn spoke up, careful to avoid Daryl's piercing stare.

"No I do not," Herschel cut in, his voice still cold and distant.

Glenn coughed and cleared his throat, his eyes staying resolutely on the floor in front of him. "Well, um... someone approached us about getting a hold of um...You know, getting a hold of..."

"Spit it out son," Herschel's voice was quiet and commanding.

"Condoms."

The weighted silence that followed that one word felt unending to Daryl. He could feel the heat of embarrassment creeping across his skin at the implication. His mind was going in a hundred different directions at once. This fucking nonsense was about sex? Beth had gotten condoms? He couldn't breathe. The silence was going to suffocate him. Thankfully the other members of the group took to ending the stifling quiet real quick.

"Seriously?" Carol's disappointed tone spoke volumes.

"And you took them up on it?" Rick questioned, his disbelief echoing Carol's. "You trusted them? A stranger?"

"We did. I did," Maggie stated as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "This was my fault. This girl came up to me an' Beth when we were working; she was making small talk and gettin' friendly. She said a couple things about Woodbury, she seemed critical of the whole pairin' system and people havin' babies while there are walkers bangin' on the front door. I told her I thought it was crazy too, that me and Glenn hadn't thought 'bout havin' kids yet. Then she said she knew someone who could get me protection, keep me and Beth from endin' up pregnant." She looked down at Beth and swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry that I took her up on it Bethy."

"How many times did you meet up with her?" Rick asked. He'd started pacing, and crossed his arms as he spoke.

"A few," Maggie shrugged. "I tried to offer her extra food when we worked in the kitchens, but she always said no, jus' told me I owed her one."

"You were in on this too Beth?" Herschel looked to his youngest, once again taking her wrist to measure her pulse, putting off looking at her face by keeping count on his watch.

"No," Maggie answered swiftly. "She was there with me the first time, when the girl offered it. She only came with me to watch my back after that."

Daryl looked up to Beth's face. He could see a faint blush trying to make its way across her drawn complexion. Her eyes skittered downwards, meeting his as she murmured, "I'm sorry Daryl."

He could only shrug his shoulders in response. Words couldn't seem to form in his mind but he for sure as fuck knew that he did not want Beth Greene apologizing about rubbers in front of her daddy, who to his credit, had never once given Daryl a hard time about sharin' home and hearth with his golden youngest daughter. Daryl was itching to pull his hand away from hers; he knew that everyone in the damn room was probably looking at the two of them, thinkin' God knows what. He didn't need anyone askin' him questions and lookin' into his business. He'd never once tried anything with Beth, never let himself think that kind of thing about – Fuck. As though she could read his thoughts and see through the bullshit lies he was tellin' himself, Beth grasped his hand tighter. Her fingers were smooth and strong, the weight of her hand in his was light and comforting. The warm silky texture of her skin caused his thoughts to wander left of appropriate, and he began to wonder how it would feel if Beth ran her hands across his chest and down his-

"Y'all are dumbasses," Daryl bit out. Fuck. This. Shit. No. The harshness of his tone seemed to startle Beth enough for her to loosen her grip on him. She looked chastised, and pulled her warm hands away from him, wrapping them around her middle. Daryl knew that if their family wasn't there, she would have taken off for her bedroom and slammed the door on him. Good. She should slam the door on his dumbass mind while she's at it. Her blush overtook her face now, and she averted her eyes when Daryl glanced at her as he stood up from his place on the ground.

"I'm sorry Daddy," Maggie choked out, taking up Beth's hand that Daryl had let go. "We were real stupid, I was real stupid. There ain't no other way to say it."

Herschel nodded solemnly, before making quick eye contact with his daughters and forcing a small smile for them. Turning his attention fully to Beth, he resumed his professional tone. "Did the second round of...punishments…," Daryl caught the old man swallowing as he said the word, as though it was making him physically ill to speak of it. "Did any of them break the skin, Bethy?"

Beth shook her head, staring hard at the floor. Daryl was surprised that no one questioned her on the matter. Maybe everyone else in the room was afraid of upsetting the girl more, but he didn't particularly give a fuck at this point; he'd worn out the limited social niceties he had at his disposal. He felt so frayed that he was surprised he hadn't come apart yet. Beth had the talent of appearing innocent if it suited her cause, and few people were inclined to doubt her. But Daryl had smelled the coppery tang of blood when he'd scooped Beth up, he knew she was lying to her father.

A knock on the door interrupted Daryl's thoughts before he could call Beth out. Glenn had risen from the floor to answer it, but was forced to dodge the hard swing of the door as three of the Governor's men let themselves into the apartment without announcement.

"You'd think you people'd lost your fuckin' manners," Daryl spit at them. He went to stand at the edge of the living room, blocking the men from further entering the apartment. His apartment. "I hate to deny y'all my southern hospitality, but get the fuck out."

"Mr. Dixon, there isn't a need for that…," one of the men began.

"Y'all came bustin' into my fuckin' apartment," Daryl felt a pressure building in the space between his eyes. He could sense his anger building; he had been made to feel too vulnerable today – too raw. He could feel weakness crawling its way through his limbs followed closely behind by an urge to lash out at everyone and anyone he could reach. He needed to let it out, needed to get this ugliness out before he shot his mouth off at Herschel or Rick or Beth…. These Woodbury assholes would do. "Ain' even waitin' to be lettin' in - "

"It's almost curfew," another of the men cut in sternly. "Y'all need to head on home."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at the men. "Yer goin' to send this girl's father home after yer boss beat her half to shit?" he motioned behind him to Beth. "Are you fuckin - ?"

"Daryl," Herschel prompted, cutting Daryl off. "Do you think you can take care of Beth on your own tonight?"

More than anything Daryl wanted to hit Herschel in that moment. Then he wanted to curl up in a ball with a bottle of moonshine. He wanted to run through the forest after a deer with no one slowing him down and then beat the living shit out of the Governor so that he could feel every second of pain that he put Daryl through. He wanted to kill every fucking walker in the state so he could get a halfway decent night's sleep, and run his hand up Beth's leg and dig his fingers into her small curve of her waist….

"I don't need a babysitter Daddy!" Beth said sharply.

Daryl coughed to cover up the heat he felt creeping up the back of his neck at where he let his thoughts go. "Looks like you fuckin' do," he mumbled. He knew she heard him, because he heard an incredulous, mmphm come from the direction of the couch. "Yeah Herschel. We're fuckin' fine."

Rick moved around him with Lori, shooting him a concerned look over his shoulder as he was hustled out of the apartment by one of the Governor's men. Carol squeezed his arm as she walked by, but still Daryl didn't move. He heard Herschel whisper something to Beth behind him, and felt the man lay a strong hand on his shoulder before joining Carol and T-Dog out in the hall with the second of their guards. Maggie took her sweet time, crying something at Beth while the last man stood tapping his toe at the edge of Daryl's living room. Finally he heard Beth quietly tell her sister to go, and Glenn pulled her along behind him. Once the last of the group had left, Daryl shut the door soundly and dragged the chair over to serve as their makeshift lock.

He stood silently for a time, letting the weariness seep into his bones. Beth stood, a small sound of pain escaping her as she got to her feet. Daryl felt her small warm hand touch his forearm and he shied away from her like it burned.

"I'm sorry Daryl, I really didn't mean –"

"It's fine Beth. Jus' go the fuck ta bed," He knew his words weren't particularly loud or sharp, and he knew that she would try to fight him on it, try to get her piece heard, so he added, "Please. Please Beth, jus' go."

He saw her turn and walk down the hallway to her bedroom, her back stiff with the attempt to lessen her painful movements. He should have offered to carry her.

She didn't look back.