First, please allow me to apologize for this LATE update! You guys aren't going to believe this because I know I wouldn't believe it as a reader, but not even three days after my mother was released from the hospital, my grandmother died suddenly. I had the chapter written, but have just not had time to post it until now.

Also, please know that even though I haven't replied to all of your reviews, I appreciate them and you faithful readers so much! You guys are the ones who give me the confidence to think that this story is more than just unrealistic crap.

Thanks and love!

Also, it occurred to me that some of you are reading this may know me on tumblr as mylittleillusionslive. Feel free to follow that blog for update reminders and maybe even some banners for these chapters if I ever get around to those. haha

Being back in the camp, Beth began to learn just how easy her life had been before she had chosen to run away. As Carol was the only woman in the camp, most of the more feminine chores seemed to fall on her shoulders. The woman didn't seem to resent this fact though, but rather relished in it. Each time one of the men asked her to make their favorite dish at the camp fire or thanked her for placing their cleaned garments in their individual tents, Carol would smile just slightly. It was never a wide, full of joy smile, but Beth could see the genuine pride in the small sideways smiles Carol would try to hide as she ducked her head at their graciousness. Beth got the impression that the woman wasn't compliments in her life. The notion made Beth sad for the older woman. Therefore, she was determined to help Carol for as long as they were stuck together, which so far had been two weeks. As a result, Beth had learned a great deal more about womanly duties, as one of the men jokingly referred to them, after Daryl had pushed him away from Beth a fews days ago when he had stopped her as she delivered a spoon to Carol. His teasing smirk had earned him a hard look from Beth and even harder smack from Daryl. Since her experience with Martin, Daryl had been keeping a close eye on her interactions with with his group. Along with the Dixon brothers and Carol, the group consisted of three more men: Mitchell, Abraham and Aaron.

Beth found that she especially liked spending time with Aaron. He seemed to be the most gentlemanly of the group, always asking after anything she needed and rushing to aid her when she stumbled, trying to balance herself. Abraham was rather quiet, so Beth hadn't exchanged much more than a few glances and nods here and there when their eyes met. He had an intensity in his eyes though that made me Beth think life hadn't been too kind to him either. He always seemed on edge and ready for a fight.

Mitchell, on the other hand, was not someone she liked being around and yet, she always seemed to find herself in his proximity. He'd been the one Daryl had struck. Even though Carol had assured her that all of the men there had honor and would do her no harm, Beth found herself feeling uneasy around the man. She was uncomfortable with how often she found his gaze on her, roaming indiscreetly over her body. Perhaps it was her most recent run-in with worldly men that was clouding her judgment about the somewhat crude, otherwise decent men surrounding her.

When they had returned that night, Daryl had informed the entire group of Beth's encounter with Martin's not-so-merry band. Carol's first concern had been for Beth.

"Were you hurt?" Carol asked, coming to stand alongside her. Beth quickly nodded to assuage the older woman's fears.

"She could have been." Daryl said, making eye contact with Merle and his men.

"I'm fine." Beth said, looking pointedly at each person surrounding her. She did not want to be considered a victim in this situation.

"That grip Martin had on your arm suggested otherwise, sweetheart." Daryl said, arguing with her again.

"Damn that bastard. Never could keep his damn hands to himself." Merle said, throwing the stick he'd been gripping into the fire, disgust spreading on his face. "We going to handle this?" Merle said, looking very hopeful that Daryl would allow him access to 'handle' the situation himself. Beth smiled at the older man. She barely knew him, and yet here he was ready to run off and defend her honor.

"No." Daryl said, shaking his head and pointing at Beth, a proud smirk on his face. "Eventually, we will have to, but I think Beth got her point across when she sent the man to his knees with a kick to his shin."

Merle's face creased in confusion and then he let out a whoop of approval. "Good girl!" Gripping her around the middle, he hauled her up and spun her around. Beth couldn't help but let out a little squeal as hefted her over his shoulder and walked with her towards the fire. There was no fear in her voice, just amusement. Could it be that only days go she was afraid of this man? Daryl stayed where he was, but he caught his eyes and noticed that a small smile was still there as he looked back at her.

When she'd walked out of her tent the morning after returning with Daryl, she noticed immediately the awkward silence surrounding her. Only Carol was sitting at the fire where usually she would be surrounded by the group of men, laughing or talking aimlessly. Today, Carol sat with her hands wrapped around a tin cup, her eyes locked on the fire. Looking around her, she saw Mitchell perched in a chair on the other side of the camp; he slid her a smirk and an arrogant bob of the head in greeting. Beth squirmed inwardly as she walked toward the fire. Somehow, she knew his eyes were still on her.

"Where are the rest of them?" Beth asked, quietly sitting down next to Carol. For a moment, Beth wondered if she should repeat herself as Carol continued to stare off into the fire. Before she could try again though, the woman seemed to come to her senses and turned to Beth, her mouth cut in a tight line.

"They had some business to tend to today," Carol said, trying to sound nonchalant. Beth pegged the woman with a questioning glance.

"Why is Mitchell here?" Beth asked, wanting to change the subject that seemed to put Carol in a state of unease.

"Oh," Carol said, as if realizing the man was there for the first time, "one of the boys always stays here in camp with me when they...leave." Carol stopped for a moment. "In case, I need help."

Beth rolled her eyes. As if Mitchell would lift a hand to help Carol. Carol flashed her a small smirk, before patting her hand gently. The older woman rose slowly as if her bones were aching and walked in the direction of her tent.

Beth looked back down at the fire wondering just what Daryl and his men were up to. For some reason, she felt her heart beat quicken with the realization that it could be dangerous. No one in the camp had specifically stated that they were thieves, but Beth could infer as much by the general distaste each of the members held for the society she had been raised in. Beth had listened to numerous stories of injustice each member of the group had faced at the hands of the rich and the common law. Clearly, none of the men in this camp would be considered respectable tradesmen in her society. What was left for them to do other than to steal?

Beth spent most of the day with Carol at the creek Daryl had found her at. It made Beth uncomfortable to be so close to her father's home, but she couldn't let Carol know that and she was certain no one would expect her to escape into the forest. Even still, her eyes routinely looked in the direction of her former home.

"Someone out there, sweetheart?" Both women sucked in quick breaths and spun around. Beth lost her balance and fell head-first into the bone-chilling water. As she bobbed to the surface of the water, Beth saw Daryl's smirk turn into a loud bellow of laughter. Water burned her eyes as they narrowed into a glare. The glare disappeared quickly though as an idea popped with perfect timing into her mind.

Beth sank back under the water. The water was shallow here where Carol and her had been washing the dusty clothes off, so Beth pushed her toes into the muddy, mushing dirt of the lake. Her feet sank just bit into the dirty sand, but as her bottom half hit the bottom of the shallow water, she laid out horizontally and pushed her body out into the deeper part of the lake. Once her feet no longer found solid ground, Beth swam to the surface, flailing her arms as best she could.

Coughing and splashing, Beth plastered a look of terror on her face, as best she could. "I...can't...swim!" Back under she went. If she didn't want the dirty water in her mouth, Beth would have laughed. Already she saw furious splashing, before two hands grabbed her shoulders and heaved her up to the surface. Beth ignored the alarm in Daryl's eyes and pounced on him with all of her weight behind her, sending them both back under the water. This time, when she surfaced Beth didn't hide her laughter. Daryl Dixon sputtered out water as he glared at her from where he bobbled a few feet away.

The small snickers continued out of her as she lifted her body out of the water and allowed herself to float along arrogantly. "I do believe I won that round." Beth said, looking in Daryl's direction. She barely had time to register he wasn't where she had left him before arms came around her waist and picked her up and out of the water before throwing her back into it.

Beth surfaced to see Daryl walking back to the beach. Without turning around, he called back to her. "I don't give up that easy, sweetheart."