Oh goodness, you guys! Life has gotten so crazy! This chapter is late and I'm sorry! I promise I have a solid excuse though...I accepted my first time teaching position last week! I'm ecstatic!

Now, to this chapter. Let me just tell you I worked so hard to make this chapter and moment credible to these characters and I'm happy with how it turned out. Hope you all are to!

As always, thank you for all the love you show this story and me!

Beth didn't turn to gage the reactions of the camp. Her intent was to confront Daryl, and she knew now that any opinion that didn't support that idea didn't matter to Beth at all. Beth made no attempt to quiet her steps, she was beyond hiding away from Daryl. She didn't even scream when he jumped out from where he had apparently been resting behind a tree.

"What do you want?" Daryl asked, annoyance pouring off him as he crossed his shoulders and glared at her.

"Why did you leave? I want to learn." Beth said, standing her ground this time. The man was being entirely unreasonable. His way or now way. No more.

"Ain't stopping you." Daryl said, shrugging. "Just won't be me doing the teaching."

"Why?" Beth repeated for the second time. Daryl looked at her for a moment as if calculating a risk. Beth fought to not look away. Still, his intensity shocked her.

"Come with me." Daryl said, grabbing her hand and pulling her forward. Beth had come here for an altercation. If she had any sort of plan, which she hadn't, it most likely would have had some sort of provocation on her part. Her only goal was to make the man feel something, to express his true emotion without an arrogant facade covering its vulnerability. As she looked up at him though, she knew this moment was costing Daryl something. She had no idea what, but it was as if he had something to share with her that he wasn't quite comfortable sharing. Vulnerability, remember? Beth gave him her hand and let him lead her to a hidden destination. Again.

Beth had more than a little confusion coursing through her system when Daryl stopped at the edge of the large boulder they were currently standing on and kept his back to her. Along with the confusion though, there was a knowledge that she was in the presence of true beauty. Directly to her left, a magnificent waterfall towered over them; water flowed out of it into the lake. Beth wondered how the entire pond hadn't flooded over as the mist from the clear, rushing water sprayed across her face. She already felt her hair dampened from that alone. The water of the pond was not murky as the creek had been. Beth could see to the bottom, which was only a foot deep at best. The sun glistened off its surface and Beth genuinely smiled at the moment.

"This is beautiful." Beth whispered, half to herself. She looked back up to the flowing water. "Do you not think it's beautiful?" Beth said, looking towards Daryl who was know kneeling at the boulder's edge. His hand was making slow sweeps back and forth in the water, disturbing the calm surface.

"Whatever Carol told you about my life doesn't begin to touch the surface of what was a terrible childhood." Daryl said, still focused on his fingers running through the water. He hadn't answered her question, but Beth stayed where she confession was too much of a shock to allow her to do anything else. Pulling his hand out of the water, Daryl pushed it through his hair, wettening the too-long strands slightly.

Against her better judgment, Beth walked towards him and knelt. She was eye level with him now, but she made no move to get any closer. She had absolutely no idea how to handle this type of situation. She didn't know if she should reach out or just stay close at hand as he spoke his peace. She decided the latter was more appropriate. What could she really say or do?

Daryl seemed to understand the war that was raging inside Beth's mind and smiled as he looked at her. Beth's hair was now stuck to her face from the warm mist rising from the waterfall, but she still saw that smile. Daryl seemed to think a moment before raising his hand to her face to push one of the strands closest to her eye behind her ear. Electricity shot through Beth's body. "I can't teach you, Beth. I want you to be safe, but I can't see sense when it comes to you. It would still be hurting you to me. I can't do that."

"You barely know me." Beth whispered, looking down like the coward she was.

"Does it matter?"

Beth's head shot up. She hadn't been expecting that. Beth expected him to argue, as usual. The answer was no though. It really didn't matter who she was or why they had met.

Locking his eyes with him, Beth moved forward. She had absolutely no idea how to do what she was doing, but it didn't seem to matter in that moment. She wasn't sure her heart had ever pounded so painfully in her chest though as Daryl's eyes went doe-eyed. He didn't move away though as she brought her hands to his, now resting on the smooth rock.

As Beth closed the distance between them, she noticed that there was a deep hollow between Daryl's nose and right eye and a scar on the very inside of his eye. For a fleeting moment, Beth wondered how it had gotten there. Just as quickly, she remembered Daryl's earlier statement about his childhood and she knew exactly how it had. She wanted to know the story though, as painful as she was sure it would be for Daryl to tell it. She wanted to know as much about this man in front of her as she could. She wanted to see him be gentle, and she wanted to see his his harder edge too. All of it. And more than anything in that moment, she wanted to feel him.

Just as that longing became unbearable, Beth was shocked when Daryl's hand left hers, reaching up to cradle her face between them. Her heart picked up its pace when Daryl's lips met hers, hesitantly. The warmth of his mouth sent a current running through her body, but his ministrations were still hesitant, unmoving. The man clearly had no better idea of what to do than she did and that thought thrilled her. Perhaps this was his first experience of a kiss as well. To have been handed that honor and trust propelled Beth forward until she was returning the kiss, throwing her arms around Daryl's broad shoulders and lost herself in the moment.

But, then it was over. Realization flooded into Beth and her cheeks warmed immediately. She had just had her first kiss and from an outlaw at that. The realization spread through her and the heat in her face got worse. Along with embarrassment, Beth was stricken as a stroke of shame broke through it. What would her father think of this?

As Daryl scooched back away from her without looking in her eyes, Beth knew her emotions were written clearly on her face. Lovely, no the shame can share it's company with her sorrow at wounding the man who had shown vulnerability to her for what possibly could have been the first time in his life.

"Daryl…" Beth didn't know where to begin or what to say.

"Don't worry, Beth. No one will know." Daryl said, smirking. He cast one small glance at the water again before rising. "It won't happen again. No shame will come to you for letting the unworthy, poor man put his hands on you, I assure you." The ruthless, cold demeanor he spoke to her with reminded her so much of the moment they met and she knew her reaction had lost her something this day. Tears flooded her eyes at the tragedy of it all.

"We need to get back, Beth." Daryl said, rushing her away from their moment. As Beth stood and walked back towards Daryl, Beth kept her tears to herself and refused to show her weakness. She had been judgmental of this group of people from the moment she'd met them, but she had been the culprit of hurt. She didn't deserve their kindness.

As they walked on, Daryl remained silent. Beth couldn't blame him. It made her all the more angry at herself. She knew she cared for Daryl. She didn't love him, obviously, but she couldn't deny that she cared him. Daryl had awoken a different side of her. She had never been physically attracted to a man beyond innocent, teenage crushes. Her attraction to Daryl was a mature one. She desired things that made her blush, but curious all at the same.

She had ruined her chances with the long-haired hot head though. Beth tried to think back to a time when she had felt as defeated as she did now. As the two of them walked back into the camp, Beth remembered. It was the night her father had insisted she marry Shane Walsh, the night she had left her home.

As Beth watched Daryl walk into his tent, not even glancing back at her, Beth knew what she was going to do. She had proven herself a coward in front of Daryl at the waterfall and cowards always run. Beth was running away. Again.

Well, what did you think? :)