A/N: And we made it to 400 reviews - thank you RHfan, you just tipped the scales. I made a mistake, I said this story was at 350 Favorites, I meant Follows. Either way, when we get to 400 Follows or 200 Favorites, I'll post again. Otherwise, I'll keep to my normal 4 -6 day schedule but I'd love to post faster... my fingers get all itchy and start typing when I get all notices in my email about this story.
Okay, I won't keep you anymore with my rambling, here's the reunion you've been looking for...
It was late when Beth and Oscar found the tree house. She knew they were in the right area, that they couldn't be far from their destination but it was getting darker by the minute. She hadn't been able to find the main road Daryl had told her about. Beth knew it would take more time, they would find it. They just couldn't continue in the danger of the darkness.
She and Oscar climbed the rickety board ladder to the higher enclosure. The tree house was small but enclosed with two open window areas. There was a small child's chair, some boxes, debris and leaves littered about. They cleared an area in the corner to sleep in. It was chilly, the spring air cool but not freezing. The pair huddled together. Beth backed against the wall and Oscar curled up next to her, wearing an extra t-shirt from the back pack. They split a granola bar and drank most of a bottle of water. This was the first time they had stopped. Moving and placing distance between them and those deadly men had been the first and primary objective. Now, as they rested, Beth realized exactly how tired they were. Oscar was barely able to finish his mouthful before his eyes closed. Poor little guy, he saw too much today of blood and death. Beth knew this world had to be hard on kids. She knew it could change them, she had seen it with Carl at the prison.
Beth sighed and leaned her head back against the warped board. She closed her blue eyes. Daryl. Tomorrow, she would find him. She had to.
It was a fitful night of sleep between them. Oscar woke up crying twice. She had to quiet him immediately, not wanting to draw attention towards them in case walkers or men were in the area. He cried for his mother softly and screamed once for his father. She could only hold him and try her best to comfort the five year old. He whimpered himself back to sleep both times, unsure of his world.
It caused her thoughts to drift to little Judy. Her little button of sunshine, Beth missed Judith utterly to her core. Oscar had been three when the world went to hell. He might have memories of before, a sense of safety and a feeling of calm. Not the constant danger that surrounded them now, one of blood, death,and evil. Not Judith, the poor thing had been born into this. Was that fair? Beth questioned it for the first time, bringing a child into this new world. This hell that was their reality now. She fooled herself before, during the calm months at the prison that there was safety, there was good to surround them again. She never looked out beyond the fences to know it was still there, the death and danger. She couldn't wait to be an aunt, to see the love that Maggie and Glenn could create. She even hoped for a little one of her own someday perhaps. A man to love her, a child of their own… just like she had dreamed about before the outbreak. It all seemed so silly now with this crying, lost child in her arms. Beth knew there was still good, she was proof there was and so was little Oscar. She questioned just how strong and how lucky you had to be to keep it all going and safe… Beth didn't know.
She never went back to sleep after the last time Oscar jerked awake, crying. She couldn't. Her ears were open, listening and waiting. She heard no sounds, it was quiet and calm out there. Beth let them stay cuddled together until the light started to ebb in the makeshift windows. She wished she could let Oscar rest more. He needed it but they didn't have the time, they needed to find the others.
Gently, Beth shook Oscar awake. "Time to get up, buddy."
Oscar groaned but listened and rose, rubbing his eyes.
Beth fished out another bar, splitting it with him again. He gobbled it up quickly, giving her an expectant look as if to ask for more. She couldn't, they had to save the rest. They didn't know what they would find today still. She offered him a water bottle. Oscar quickly drank the water, swallowing more than half the bottle. She finished the rest, keeping the bottle and placing it back in the pack. She hoped they'd find another source of water soon.
Once down and out of the tree house, Oscar reached for her hand, trying to hold it. Beth wanted to tell him it needed to be free for protection with her bow but she couldn't. She smiled down at him and took his small hand in hers and they started walking.
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It was almost midday and Beth heard him before she actually saw him. Daryl was roaring angry; she could hear it in every barked word. The loud curses and profanity still didn't stop the grin from spreading across her face. She looked down at Oscar and his face was beaming too. They found them.
"We are not fuckin' leavin' and that's fuckin' final!" Daryl bellowed. "Not yet. Go if you fuckin' want to but I'm not leavin'."
The yellow house, as described with a blue door, was in front of her. Beth saw a man by the door that was not Daryl. He was not keeping an eye out as Beth guessed his job was but rather, he was turned in observe the disagreement happening inside. Not a good watchman noted Beth as she realized it was Karl. He was too focused on the yelling to notice their approach.
Someone inside was telling Daryl to calm down as they walked up the path to the porch. Beth could barely make out the words, not sure of who the voice belonged to.
"No, I won't quiet down!" Daryl retorted, brusquely.
They climbed the steps up to the door way by Karl. Oscar squeezed her hand, eager to enter the house.
"What are they talking about?" Beth asked the back of Karl, the grin still on her face.
Karl startled, jumping and juggling his rifle at the sound of her voice. "W-wha? Beth!" His freckled face turned a deep shade of red.
At the sound of her name, Beth heard the rush of feet to the door, a stampede really. She saw Daryl and immediately relief washed over her. Beth couldn't hear anything, not the questions or voices instantly surrounding her. Not the cries and laughter that sprung forth from happiness of a mother and aunt as Oscar released her hand to be engulfed by loving arms. Not the desperate pleas from another mother for answers. Nothing but her Daryl in front of her. She threw her arms around him as he approached. His crossbow was left to the floor as he also grabbed a strong hold of her. Daryl lifted her off the ground as her face went to the grove of his neck. His mouth kissed her hairline. He was okay, he wasn't hurt. He was safe and she had found him. Tears stung her eyes as she drew in his scent, his body enveloping her small frame completely.
Jess placed a hand to her back. "Thank you, thank you. Oh, Beth, thank you," she said, her voice wavering between strained elation and unbridled joy. Oscar was now happily in the arms of his crying mother, rocking him back and forth on the floor.
Daryl suddenly became very aware of their audience and released her, taking a step backwards as he set her to the floor again. Beth understood but still let out a whimper of protest once his embrace left her body. He was never openly affectionate even in their own little inner circle.
Roslyn was next to her, tugging at her arm once Beth was free of Daryl. "Rebecca was with Oscar. Did you see her?" asked Roslyn, desperation in her plea.
"Peter was with her too, wasn't he? He always went with her in the morning," inquired a frantic Jonah, his good arm pulling at her other elbow for attention too.
The guilt of her split second decision before she fled the doomed compound with her little companion hit her hard. The one she had made to save herself and Oscar. The one that twisted her gut as she remembered the cries from Becky and Peter. She knew it was the only choice she could have made, Beth knew it. Still, it was a horrible, agonizing choice she never wanted to ever make again.
"They were with us…" Beth swallowed hard, knowing this was not going to go well. "They fell behind when we were escaping, the men… they took them. Becky and Peter were captured."
Roslyn's face skewed, scrunched painfully and reddened. "You… you left 'em behind."
Beth placed a calming hand on the woman's shoulder, trying to give her comfort. "I'm sorry. They were still alive."
Tears welled in the older woman's eyes but didn't fall. "You made it out but you left my babies behind?"
Beth could hear the pain laced in her voice and knew she would accept the ire she was given. "I-I… there was no other choice. I had to at least try to get Oscar out. There was-"
The slap rocked her head back, and white stars exploded across her eye sight. Daryl caught her immediately, keeping her stable as she swayed backwards. His arm braced her around her back while his other hand caught her elbow tightly. It took Beth more than a second to realize the enraged mother had struck her hard against her left cheek. Her hand went to it, pressing against the warming flesh. It was going to leave a mark.
"You did this," hissed Roslyn. "You brought this evilness down upon us."
Jonah grabbed at his mother, trying to keep her from advancing on the stunned Beth.
Daryl stepped between the two women, pulling Beth back and behind him. "Better fuckin' back up," he growled as every hard muscle in his body tensed and was on edge.
The gray-haired woman continued her rant, her eyes wild. "I warned Tim. I told him not to bring in the wicked and damaged. I could see it, I saw it in you. You and your little… tart! We were fine. We were good. You-you brought this horribleness down upon our people. You're a wicked man," Roslyn spat out, wrenching against her son's hold.
Beth collected herself, stepping out from behind Daryl. "I'm sorry… I did what I could. I tried."
"You failed!" cried Roslyn, losing her fierceness as she crumpled forward. She started to weep softly. "My daughter. My son. You left them with them… them monsters. You're wicked."
The contained fury of Daryl busted open as he took a menacing step towards the older woman. "Shut the hell up now!"
Roslyn cringed, taking a step back from him. Jonah glared at Daryl but said nothing; his face was angry and red. Tears were falling on his high cheek bones as he pulled his wailing mother back into his arms.
"Stop!" yelled Marie, pulling her son tighter into her embrace. "Just stop," she said in a quieter voice. "Let the poor woman alone. She just lost most of her family. She's not in her right mind, Daryl."
Daryl ground his teeth and muttered a string of violent curses under his breath but didn't pursue further as Jonah moved the weeping woman away from the group. Beth took a shaky breath as the Brunners left the room. Karl went back to watching the front as he was supposed to. Lindy was resting upstairs. Terrance was in back watching the house so it just left them with Jess, Marie, and Oscar.
Her face still hurt from the slap. Beth wasn't upset. She knew she should be mad but she just couldn't bring herself to be. There was remorse still swimming in her from her decision to choose Oscar over Becky and Peter under it all. However, now in this moment it was taken over by the relief of finding Daryl and reuniting Oscar with his family. She had to focus on that right now.
"Stupid crazy bitch," muttered Daryl, stalking after the retreating duo a few steps to ensure they weren't returning.
"I knew she was a little off but shit, that woman went over the crazy wall there," commented Jess. "Did not expect that to happen." She went to stand by Daryl, angry arms crossed over her chest.
Marie hugged Oscar again, burying his head against her shoulder. "Don't. Don't talk ill about her."
"What?" Jess asked, turning back to her cousin. "The woman is mental."
Marie squeezed her eyes painfully. "No. She's lost her family. You can't… I-I understand where she's coming from."
"No, you never… You were never like that," Jess responded, her voice going oddly quiet.
The older cousin opened her eyes, looking at Jess with sad brown eyes. "I was. You… you just didn't see it."
There was an uncomfortable silence that fell between the two cousins as they stared at one another. Beth glided over to Daryl, her hand grasping for his again. She needed to be near him, she wanted to be. His fingers laced with hers, binding them together.
"Alex," murmured Marie as she finally dropped her eyes from Jess. "You both went out for supplies. Only you came home."
Beth had never heard the name of Marie's dead husband. She knew the man had died between when they had lost their original home, the place where they made a stand after the outbreak, and before they found this new group. She never knew how he had died; just knowing it had greatly affected Marie, Jess, and Oscar. She squeezed Daryl's hand and he looked down at her, his eyes skittering between her and the two cousins.
"What… what are you saying, Marie?" asked Jess, her weight shifting from one foot to another.
"Momma," whispered Oscar, unsure of what was happening between his mother and aunt at the moment.
"Shh, baby. I'm here," cooed Marie. She rocked her son in her arms, humming softly.
Jess walked closer, hovering over the mother and son. "Marie, what are you trying to tell me?" Her outreached hand touched the shoulder of her kneeling cousin.
Marie jerked her shoulder away, her head buried in her son's unruly black hair. "Alex should have come home."
"I… I tried Marie," breathed Jess, trembling and pained.
"I know, Jessica. I know. Probably just like Beth tried to get Becky and Peter safely here. It doesn't matter, don't you see, how hard either of you tried. For me… as with Roslyn… Alex should have been the one to come home. Every… every time I look at you… I think... I think Alex should be here. Alex should be the one playing with Oscar. Alex should be the one sleeping next to me. Alex," she paused and lifted her head from her cuddling with her son to look pointedly up at Jess. "Do you see now that I understand how Roslyn lost it?"
Jess took a staggering step back from the look in her cousin's dark brown eyes and her shocking admission. "I… I need some fresh air." Jess walked away, out the front door and onto the porch. Her pace was unsteady, uneven in her haste to escape the situation.
Beth pulled against Daryl, backing out of the room. The family needed its space. They all needed space, some time to digest what had just happened here and at the compound. Beth knew they needed to get out of this house, the one she had spent the last thirty-six hours locating.