So, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapters. Honestly what are your thoughts on the Governor?

M Ivy Snow, thank you so much for your reviews, they mean the world to me and I am so glad you are enjoying the story so far. Your last comment made me sooo happy. Love Bethyl

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Chapter 16

Stepping out from the shadows that concealed him, the Governor watched as a tall rugged man wrapped his arms around Elizabeth's waist and felt his hand twitch towards his gun.

He could just kill him now and be done with it! But as he watched them and saw their happiness he knew he could hurt them far more than just a gunshot to the head.

'Yes', he thought, he would make them suffer and once he was done; he would kill them both.

Feeling the blood rush to his head, he gripped the wall next to him to steady himself. He could feel the bloodlust clawing to be free and he was struggling hard with the demons within him.

She had left him for this man? This life? Did she not know how powerful he was? The money he had? She was his! She had no right to run from him! She had no right to marry someone else! From the moment he had saw her over a year ago, he had known she would be his; willing or not!

Wrestling with himself, he stepped back in to the shadows of the night. The darkness concealing him like a cloak, "soon" he whispered into the cold air before disappearing from sight.

Daryl had been quiet the whole ride home and he had barely released Beth from his arms, afraid that she would disappear in front of him.

"You okay?" Rick whispered across the seat.

Nodding slightly he looked at Beth next to him, he didn't want to discuss it here. He didn't want to frighten her. He didn't even want to believe that what was happening was real.

"You at the office tomorrow?" he asked as he chewed his fingernail, perhaps he should speak with Rick in private before discussing the situation with Beth.

"mmhmm. Y' gonna stop by?"

"Need ta speak with you on sumthin'" he confirmed and Rick nodded knowing that Daryl obviously didn't want to discuss whatever was concerning him with listening ears nearby.

From the time they had left the fair Daryl had been different. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but she knew something was bothering him.

All night he had been more restless than usual and she didn't believe he had slept at all.

At first she had been worried that it was the song that she had sung at the talent show, but that had soon left her head.

As they changed into their nightclothes, Beth couldn't help but slip to the window to look at the barn that now housed her new horse.

Being used to Daryl creeping around she didn't jump at his touch when his strong arms circled her from behind. Instead she leaned into his touch, a smile spreading across her face.

"What yer gonna name her?" he questioned.

"I was thinking Nellie?" she told him, but it came out as more of a question.

Laying a kiss on the top of her head he told her, "'s a good name" and she turned in his arms, beaming at his response.

"Did y' have a good time?" she quizzed and received a 'mmhmm' in response. Looking at his face, she could see his mind was elsewhere as he scanned the space outside through the window.

Frowning at his recent behaviour a question bubbled out of her before she could stop it, "what's goin' on Daryl? You've been different lately and your always checking the house. Should I be worried?"

Glancing at her worried face, he noticed she had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, something she did often when she was thinking or indeed worried. Sighing he knew he needed to give her something for why he was acting so strangely, "It's probably nothin' but I… I keep gettin' this feelin' that somethins' comin'. That yer gonna be snatched away from me at a moments notice".

Not fully understanding where his concerns were coming from Beth cupped his cheek, "I ain't goin anywhere…. Nothin's gonna happen to me Daryl".

"I can't lose ya Beth"

"You won't" she replied as she rose on tiptoes to kiss him, her tongue swiping across the seal of his lips, asking permission which he readily gave her.

Lowering his hands from her waist to her shirt that fell to mid thigh, he gripped the material and pulled it up and over her head in one fluid motion before bending to pick her up as he had done the first night they had made love and he felt her grind against him as her legs wrapped around his waist.

A groan bubbled out of his throat as she arched back pushing her breasts against his chest and he pushed her up against the wall to use as support as he shimmied his own shorts down his hips.

Once free, he focused on her neck, kissing from behind her ear to her collar bone whilst kneading her breast with his hand.

Her fingers dug in to his back, scraping along his tender scars; fuelling his desire even more.

Leaning down, he took her hard nipple in to his mouth, nipping and biting it before releasing it with a pop!

Her groans were coming thick and fast and he reached down between them flicking a finger over her sensitive nub, causing her to buck into his hand. Pushing one finger in to her slowly he urgently captured her mouth as a cry tore from her lips.

Feeling her begin to tighten at the motion of his fingers within her, he pulled out and felt her gasp at the loss of him.

Positioning himself at her entrance, he swiftly pushed inside her in one stroke eliciting a groan from each of them as he did.

"So tight" he growled as he pushed hard inside her making her gasp in pleasure.

Pulling back until he was almost out, he looked at her face as he plunged back in and saw her mouth form a small 'o' .

Knowing she was close he increased his momentum feeling his own release coming close. "Daryl, I'm gonna….don't stop….oh god….don't….Daryl!" she panted as she found her release, Daryl following soon after, her name on his lips.

They had sat on the floor for over an hour just enjoying the feel of each others skin before Beth had shivered and Daryl had carried her to the bed.

Daryl had already been up for several hours when Beth woke to make them both breakfast. The chores were done and he informed her they would be popping to town once they had finished.

"Can I ride Nellie?" she asked him as they put away the last of the dishes.

Thinking about it, Daryl agreed and left to saddle the horses whilst Beth got herself ready.

The ride to town was quicker with the horses than the wagon and Beth was pleased. She had forgotten the pain of riding after such a long period of time.

Allowing Daryl to help her down she stood to one side watching him as he tethered the horses. When he turned to face her, she was stood with a blush and a smile on her face, "like what yer see huh?" he joked, enjoying it when her blush deepened.

"Is it okay if I go on over and see Sasha and Tyreese? There's a few things I need" she questioned.

Seeing an opportunity for him to speak with Rick alone, he agreed and walked her over to the blacksmiths. He was comfortable leaving her with Sasha and Tyreese whilst he spoke with Rick, they were good people and Tyreese was a crackshot with his gun when he needed to be. It also didn't hurt that he knew she would be warm and cosy in the little workshop due to all the bubbling metal.

"I'll come back over and get yer once I finished at Rick's" he assured her, sending a look at Tyreese that he was not to let her leave unaccompanied.

Tyreese nodded in understanding and called Sasha from the back room. Both women immediately starting to speak as if they were long lost friends.

Seeing Beth already engaged with Sasha, Daryl nodded at Tyreese before heading over to the Sheriff's office to see Rick.

"Talk to me Shane, what do we got?" Rick asked his new deputy.

Shane began thumbing through a file as well as a newspaper clipping, "seems the man's on the move. Hasn't been properly identified….seems no one wants to talk!"

"What else?"

Skimming the page, Shane looked back up at his boss that was pacing the small office, "seems the body was not the first. There was a whole bunch discovered, all murdered and all in a worst state than the last."

Rick hated this sort of case and he hoped it stayed the hell away from his town. It was almost as though some sort of ghost had been working his way across the state, leaving a multitude of death in his wake.

It had only been because a Marshal from Atlanta had been travelling through that Rick had even been made aware.

"And the latest body?" he asked

"What body?" Daryl asked as he stepped through the door.

Rick smiled in greeting and waved a hand in Shane's direction, introducing them both, "Shane - Daryl, Daryl my new deputy Shane Walsh".

The men exchanged a quick greeting and Rick urged Daryl to take a seat before telling Shane to grab a smoke.

Sitting down in the chair opposite Daryl, Rick could not help but see the tired rings round his eyes and the worry on his face.

"What's goin' on with you Daryl? I can see ya ain't sleeping"

Leaning his head against the back of the chair, Daryl looked to the ceiling wondering where to start.

"Beth's in danger" he stated, hearing Rick suck in a deep breath at his revelation.

"Tell me everythin'" he urged as he grabbed a notebook from the desk next to him.

Daryl started at the beginning, noticing Rick making notes at certain parts. He was glad his friend was taking him seriously, he had assumed that Rick would dismiss his concerns as he had the previous night. Once he had finished both men sat looking at one another unsure of what to say. Rick wanted to believe him, but could he really believe that some sort of ghost was tipping him off?

Suddenly Shane burst through the door, "sorry to interrupt boss, but I think I got something".

Rick stood up and followed Shane over to the map of their state that he had on the wall, before glancing back at Daryl and shrugging in apology. Daryl waved him off, it was the man's job after all.

"Here" Shane explained as he circled a spot on the map with charcoal, "this is where the first three recent bodies were found….along with a whole other host of sumthin, sumthin".

"Then here!" he stated moving his hand to another spot, circling it again, "this is where the guy in the paper was found….follow that to the next location in the report and we got another body matching the same brutality as the others. The final body was found four days ago here. The Marshal from Atlanta are sure they're connected! These aren't just some random murders. These are personal!"

Both men stepped back and looked at the circles on the map in front of them, Daryl joining them when he noticed that the circles seemed to be moving in one direction. Their direction! Feeling a strange heaviness he couldn't help but think that this was no coincidence.

"The bodies….do you know who they are?" he questioned.

Immediately Shane sat down and thumbed through the papers on his desk. The first three are John Does, same as the fifth. The sixth is known to the system, guy by the name of Dwight Negan…"

"Son of a bitch" Rick swore at that bit of news, "he was one of ours. Attacked Daryl's wife few months back, managed ta get the judge to issue papers banishing him from the town!"

Shane looked at Daryl before continuing, "the guy in the paper, he was totally different to the others" finding the paper he passed it to Daryl to see for himself.

Daryl dropped the paper as if it had burnt him. "What is it?" Rick asked as he bent to pick up the paper.

"That guy" he started, waving slightly to the paper in Rick's hands, causing Rick to flip it over to see a grainy image of an older man with white hair staring back at him, "his name is Hershel right?"

Rick skimmed the document and nodded his head in confirmation when his gaze found the name Hershel Greene in the article, "How did y' know?" he quizzed.

Running his hands through his hair, he blew out a breath and paced the room before turning to the two men staring at him, "He's Beth's father!" he explained recalling the name from the bottom of the letter he received several months ago, confirming that Beth would be his mail order bride. "He was the guy I saw last night! The one that told me she was in danger".

"That's impossible" Shane scoffed as he rose to stand next to Rick, "he's been dead for over a week now, probably closer to two but we can't be sure 'cos of his injuries".

Rick looked at Shane and raised his eyebrows urging him to quieten down. "Daryl, where's Beth now? I think we need to speak with her and find out why someone would want to kill her father"

"She's over with Sasha and Tyreese" he confirmed before himself and Rick rushed out the door

Whilst Shane may not believe him and Rick may have his reservations, he knew his brother would have his back no matter what.

"So what can we do for ya Ms Beth?" Tyreese quizzed as he stoked the flames in front of him.

Smiling at Sasha she explained what she had seen at the fair and how she knew she would be able to recreate the pattern and stitches, but that she needed some leather and a leather needle to do it.

"Ty, don't we have those off-cuts somewhere?" Sasha asked her brother as soon as Beth had stopped explaining, before walking off to search through some of the piles they had around the small workshop.

"Aha, I knew we had them somewhere" she exclaimed as she walked back to Beth with some material in her hands, "will this work for what you want?"

Taking the material from Sasha, she held them up to see the sizing. She could create four separate parts and stitch them together and whilst it would have two seams running down the back, but it didn't matter because she had an idea to cover those and she knew he would love it. "They're perfect, what do I owe yer?"

After agreeing a good price of sewing some new winter coats for the siblings Beth was invited to sit and enjoy a warm cup of coffee whilst she waited for Daryl to come back to collect her. She had wondered slightly why she couldn't just walk over to the sheriff's office herself, but she knew Daryl was only looking out for her best interests.

She had not long taken a sip from her cup when the door burst open, followed by Daryl and Rick forcing their way into the small space.

"Woah, where's the fire guys?" Sasha joked, however Beth noted a hint of worry in both men's faces.

Rising from her seat she stepped over to Daryl who pulled her close, "is everythin' okay?" she whispered.

It was Rick that suggested they continue the conversation in his office, leaving the three of them to give a slightly awkward goodbye to Sasha and Tyreese.

"Daryl, what's goin on?" she questioned as they entered Rick's office. She noted a man she had yet to meet leaning against a desk but turned her focus back on her husband.

It was Rick that stepped forward, "I think yer need to sit down Beth" he told her as he pulled out a chair.

Nodding slightly, she did as she was told and waited for someone to speak. It was the new man that stood off to the side that spoke first, "Hi, I'm deputy Shane Walsh"

"Beth Dixon" she replied as she felt Daryl step up behind her.

"I'm sorry Beth but do you recognise any of these places circled on the map?" Rick asked as he held the paper out to her.

Placing her fingers on the map, she hesitated slightly over the one closest to Woodbury and then gasped as she noticed that Hilltop had been circled, "This…what do the circles mean?"

Shane stepped forward and crouched down in front of her, "what places do you recognise Beth?"

Looking again at the first circle, she traced the lines under her fingers, "I don't know this place exactly" she started, "but here" she confirmed pointing just slightly to the side of small circle, "that's Woodbury. That's where I lived before coming here"

Daryl leant over her at the mention of Woodbury, that was where his brother and Carol lived. He hadn't even noticed it when they had looked before.

"And this one?" Shane quizzed pointing Hilltop

Nodding Beth moved her hand to the next circle, "it's the next town over from Woodbury. It's where I caught the train….My father…" she started only to stop and stare wide-eyed at the man in front of her, "my father, he was staying in a boarding house there".

Hanging his head, Rick lifted the paper and held it in front of Beth, "is this your father?" he asked as she snatched the paper from his grip, running her fingers over the grainy image.

Feeling tears spill from her eyes, she asked the question that she already knew the answer to, "he's dead isn't he?"

No one spoke, they just watched her as she continued to stroke the picture in front of her, "oh daddy" she cried as her tears started to fall.

Daryl crouched next to her and pulled her into his arms, her hands fisted in his shirt as she sobbed.

After several minutes Shane approached the couple, earning a low growl from Daryl. His wife was in pain. She had just found out her daddy was dead. Couldn't this prick give her just a few minutes to grieve?

Holding his hands out in front of him in a sign of peace, he continued to approach before lowering himself next to the couple, "Beth..I'm sorry for your loss, but we have ta know"

"Know what?" she questioned as she pulled her head from Daryl's chest looking at the man near to them.

"Your daddy don't strike me as the type to have enemies Beth and I'm sorry to ask but we need to know who would want to kill your father? Do you have any idea who would do this?

Face paling, she knew only of one person who would do such a thing to such a gentle man and it was all because of her. She should of said something long ago, but a large part of her had hoped that he would just forget about her, out of sight out of mind, her mother used to say. She knew without a doubt that he hadn't forgotten and he was likely on his way to find her right now.

Turning her head to face Daryl, she noticed black spots in her vision and a dizziness in her head. She could feel a darkness swallowing her whole and she grabbed to hold on to the man that held her, whispering two words to him before she was pulled under,

"The Governor!"