"Dammit girl, you've scratched me up good an' proper," Daryl grumbled as he tried to look over his shoulder again at his back, running his fingers over the angry red scratch marks that Lizzie had left on his shoulder blades, "you're like fuckin' Wolverine or somethin'."
"Wolverine only has three claws, dumbass," she sighed, shaking her head as she sat on the floor, sliding her feet into her Converse and beginning to tie the laces, "so I guess it looks more like Freddie Krueger," she looked up, watching as Daryl raised his eyebrow, "y'know Nightmare on Elm Street, right?"
"I ain't stupid." he snapped a little harshly.
"I never said you were," she said quietly, pushing herself to her feet and brushing her backside down before she moved towards him, taking his arm and steering him around so she could look at his back, "I'm jus' makin' sure that you understand the other halfa the shit that comes outta my mouth."
He rolled his eyes at her because he knew she couldn't see him. The childishness in his actions made him smile to himself as she ran her fingers over his broken skin.

"It ain't too bad," she muttered, raising herself onto her toes and leaving trails of light kisses along the marks, "man the fuck up."
"Next time I'm gonna scratch you up some an' see how you like it." He growled as he spun around, grabbing hold of her wrists and pinning her hands by her side.
"Is that a promise?" She asked, biting her bottom lip seductively.
He leant forwards, intent on biting her lip himself, but stopped when he heard someone approaching, shouting Lizzie's name.
"For fucks sake," she sighed, hearing the shouts herself, "what the hell does he want now?"
She stepped away from Daryl and turned towards the sound of Jimmy's voice, standing with her hands on her hips as she watched Jimmy approach. She frowned to herself as she remembered the last time he'd run over to her, bringing the news of Daryl's accident… Jesus, please don't let this be somethin' worse… She knew she was hoping for too much when she saw the telltale tear streaks down the boy's cheeks.

"Lizzie, you gotta come with me," he cried when he stopped in front of her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her forwards, "Maggie needs you!"
"Is it Beth?" She asked, feeling her blood run cold as he nodded. She turned to look over her shoulder, "Daryl…"
"The fuck are you still standin' here for?" He asked, knowing that it was important for her to go, "I'll catch up, yeah?"
She smiled at him and nodded before turning back to Jimmy.
"C'mon kiddo, let's go." She said, allowing him to take her hand and drag her back towards the house.

As they drew near, Lizzie saw Maggie standing outside, shouting something she couldn't quite make out at Andrea while Lori looked on. Maggie looked over and saw her and suddenly began to run towards her, flinging her arms around her as they met on the lawn and pressing her face into her shoulder.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here," Lizzie mumbled to Maggie as she tightened her arms around her friend, "I ain't goin' nowhere 'til I know everythin's alright an' you're both okay."
"She wants to die," Maggie sobbed, shaking her head as she spoke, "she wanted me to go with her but I can't! I don't want to! Then she…"
"She chose to live," Andrea piped up from behind Maggie, "I told you, you can't make that decision for her… She made it on her own, she just needed pushing."
"Pushing?" Maggie shrieked as she let go of Lizzie and spun around the face the other woman, "You might as well have just given her a fucking knife and told her to do it!" She turned back to Lizzie, pointing an accusing finger at Andrea, "She left her," she hissed, visibly trembling with anger, "she knew how Beth felt an' she just left her in her room, all alone…"
"Maybe if you hadn't been smothering her, keeping her under watch twenty four seven then…" Andrea began, only stopping when Maggie turned on her again.
"Don't you dare blame this on me!" Maggie spat, stepping forwards. Lizzie reached for her, taking hold of her elbow and pulling her back gently, stepping up besides her.
"C'mon," she said quietly, pulling on her elbow to draw her attention, "let's go in an' see Beth, yeah?"
"Lizzie, you've gotta see where I'm coming from." Andrea snorted, trying to get someone to speak up for her seeing as Lori was remaining silent.

"I ain't gettin' involved," Lizzie shook her head, leading Maggie past Andrea, back towards the house, "I think you had good intentions at heart but you went about it in the wrong kinda way," she stopped as they reached the door, turning back to look at her, "an' if I find out that Beth is anythin' less than okay, you're gonna have more to worry about than Maggie tryna beat your ass coz I'll be right there with her."
"Lizzie…" Andrea began but she shut her mouth when Lizzie only shook her head and turned away, leading Maggie inside.
"Thanks," Maggie sniffed, wiping her eyes and smiling down at her friend, "I didn't wanna drag you back here, I know you got better thing to be doing but…"
"Don't chat shit," Lizzie snapped, cutting her off, "don't matter how I feel about no man, there's nowhere I'd rather be right now than with you an' your sister," she leant against the wall, folding her arms, "what the hell were you talkin' about out there?"
"Beth told me she didn't wanna live anymore an' that she wanted us to make a suicide pact or something an' go together," Maggie leant against the opposite wall as she explained, "obviously I've been watching her closely since then, knowing she's thinking about it an' all, an' Andrea offered to talk to her so I could take a break," she sniffed again, shaking her head, "turns out she jus' left Beth alone an' we found her locked in the bathroom… She broke the mirror an' cut her wrist."
"Jesus Christ Maggie," Lizzie gasped, pushing herself off the wall, "is she okay?"

"She's fine, dad's with her now, he bandaged her up an' I think he's talkin' to her," she nodded, "but I was so scared…"
"So that's what Andrea meant about her makin' her own decision?" Lizzie asked, watching as Maggie nodded in reply, "I know they say you should learn by doin' but that seems a little extreme…"
"What if she'd cut too deep? Or if she hadn't changed her mind an' slashed her other wrist too?" Maggie was getting worked up again, "What if she died?"
"Hey," Lizzie said, stepping to Maggie and taking her hands, squeezing them gently, "I know it's easy to get lost in all the what ifs but you gotta stop thinkin' about that- she's okay, right? That's all that matters."
"I know it is, I jus' feel… I feel kinda stupid for lettin' her get like this, for lettin' it happen," Maggie admitted, "if I'd stayed by her side an' talked to her rather than shoutin' at her maybe she'd…"
"Those maybes are jus' as bad as them what ifs," Lizzie smirked, "so what've you gotta do?"
"Stop thinking about them," Maggie nodded, "jus' be grateful that Beth's okay."
"You catch on quick," Lizzie grinned, letting go of Maggie's hands, "mind if I go an' see her?"
"Gonna share some words of wisdom?" Maggie asked, Lizzie nodded, "Then be my guest."

As they entered the room, Lizzie saw Hershel kneeling besides the bed, holding Beth's hand and stroking her forehead. They both looked up as the women entered and Lizzie saw Beth's lip begin to tremble.
"Daddy, do you mind if Lizzie has a word with Beth?" Maggie asked, pushing Lizzie forwards slightly.
"As long as Beth thinks she's up to it, I don't mind at all," he replied, turning his gaze back to his youngest daughter, "will you talk to her?"
"I guess." Beth whispered.
Hershel leant forwards, kissing her forehead before he stood up, making his way towards the door. He stopped in front of Lizzie.
"Please be gentle with her." He implored before taking Maggie's hand and leading her out the room, pulling the door closed behind them.
Lizzie made sure the door was shut properly before she moved to the bed, perching on the side and looking down at Beth.
"Are you gonna shout at me or just tell me that you're disappointed?" Beth asked.
"I was plannin' on askin' you if you were okay," Lizzie shrugged, looking at the bandage on the young girl's wrist, "so how're you feelin'?"
"Embarrassed. Ashamed." She replied, looking away.

"Everyone does things in life that they regret," Lizzie said, "anyone that says they don't regret nothin' is lyin'. Sure, you might've gone a little further than most do but there ain't exactly a guide for how to survive the enda the world, right?"
"You seem to have done alright." She shrugged.
"Not really," Lizzie replied, "this outbreak, this disease or whatever it is took everythin' from me… Everythin' I moved away for, everyone I came back for… S'all gone an' it ain't ever gonna come back," she took Beth's hand, "y'ain't alone honey, everyone here's in the same boat- we've all lost everythin' an' we don't know what to do. Your dad? Your sister? You tell me they ain't feelin' exactly what you're feelin'."
"But they aren't," she frowned, shaking her head; "they didn't decide to lie down and die, did they?"
"They probably felt like it, Lord knows I have an' I betcha every single person on this farm has too at some point- we've all lost somethin," Lizzie smiled thinly, "but we've all found each other… Y'ain't alone in this baby, you gotcha family, your boyfriend an' your friends an' we're all gonna be livin' an' tryin' to keep goin' an' keep you safe… An' that's why I need to know that you ain't gonna pull another stunt like this," she stroked Beth's hair, trying to show her that she wasn't getting angry with her, "coz if you do, it's gonna be me an' the resta them that has to try an' put the pieces of your fella, of your sister an' of your daddy back together. I dunno if I can wake up every mornin' wonderin' if today's gonna be the day that you decide to end it all… That's somethin' that I need to prepare for."
"It's always going to be like this now though, right?" Beth asked.

"Life an' death an' zombies?" Lizzie asked, "I guess so. It ain't gonna be easy livin' in this world anymore but I ain't gonna let that stop me from tryin'- those bastards took everythin' from me but I ain't gonna let them take my life," she squeezed Beth's hand, "an' as long as I can help it- an' I think I speak for everyone on this farm when I say this –I ain't gonna let them take yours either."
"I know," Beth whispered, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks, "we've all gotta look out for each other now, right?"
"We're gonna be like the biggest, most unconventional, dysfunctional family ever," Lizzie sighed, "an' I moved to Florida to get away from that sorta shit!"
She smiled as Beth laughed and kissed the top of her head.
"No more depressin' talk," Lizzie said, smiling when Beth nodded in agreement, "I'll go getcha sister an' I promise to tell her not to yell at you."
"Lizzie?" Beth called as she reached the door; she smiled as she turned around, "Thanks."
Lizzie smiled and nodded as she left the room. Maggie was standing outside and she motioned behind her.

"She's all yours," she smiled, taking Maggie's wrist before she walked into the room, "jus' be nice to her, okay? I think she's learned her lesson so there ain't no need to…"
"I know," Maggie nodded, sighing, "I ain't gonna start shoutin' at her… At least not yet anyway," she hugged Lizzie again, "thank you for being here for me, for us."
"Ain't nowhere else I'd rather be," she admitted, "I'm done with runnin' away, guess that means you're stuck with me!"
"Lord, give me strength!" Maggie grinned, laughing as Lizzie playfully punched her shoulder.
"You'd miss me if I were gone," Lizzie sighed, feigning offence, "go take care of your sister, okay?"

As Maggie went back into the bedroom, Lizzie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She'd known that the world was going to be a harder place to live in and death was going to become a bigger part in things than she would have liked but she hadn't imagined that someone she knew- especially someone so young, so innocent –would go as far to attempt to take their own life.
Life's the most precious thing we got now, she thought, heading back towards the front door, why throw it away?
She smiled sadly at the thought- it still didn't feel like that long ago that she'd thought about ending things so she didn't have to live in the constant fear of… Stop, she told herself firmly as she stepped outside into the fresh air, it's over, he's gone an' you've moved on… So jus' stop…
Before her thoughts could continue to linger on past events, she heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. Her heart began to beat a little faster, she knew it would be Rick and Shane returning after they took Randall out and she intended to be there to meet them at the gate and find out exactly what the hell had happened out there.