Chapter 2 Moving Forward

Maggie and Glenn were going to reunite in Atlanta, once the government and all officials confirmed what was happening and what was safe. So far, there were no walkers reported anywhere. When people died, they weren't coming back. It was the strangest phenomenon to have ever existed, and they owed it to some kind of higher power.

It proved harder to track any of their other friends down. Hershel told them to give people time for themselves, and eventually they would track the Greenes down. They knew where to find them. Beth didn't think it would happen soon. It seemed like from Maggie's stories that everyone had moved on and lived their lives out. Rick, Carl, Carol, and even Daryl had all moved on and met so many other people that impacted their lives. It could be years before people think to visit Beth.

Perhaps that's the part that stung Beth the most. She had barely made an impact on anybody during the apocalypse. Her role when they were holed up at the prison was to take care of a baby that no longer existed. Beth would never forget Judith's sweet little face and baby hands.

The night before Maggie was supposed to set out for Atlanta City, Beth knocked on her dad's door. "It must be hard to adjust back to normal life," he said, wearily putting down his reading glasses. "I can't imagine what things were like after I was gone. Beth, you've grown up so much since this all started."

"I… don't feel like going back to school at the moment." She was supposed to head off to college by next fall. Most schools were on hiatus at the moment, giving families a chance to recuperate. "I really don't know where I am in life."

"The world is safe again for you to go out there and find it. You're a lot braver than you used to be, Bethany."

Beth glanced down at where her scars used to be. She had wanted to live, back then. She still wanted to live now. "Mum won't really understand," Beth stated sadly.

"I'll take good care of mum. You go out there and do what's best for you."

Beth had her bags packed next to Maggie's by dawn. She was going to catch a ride with her sister to Atlanta, and find a place to stay on her own. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Maggie asked as she drove. "You don't even have a job."

"I'll be okay," Beth chimed, staring out the windows. It had been two weeks, but she still wasn't used to seeing real people in other cars. The walker-less world felt foreign to her. The stories Maggie spoke of ever since they were separated at the prison were wild. Beth was surprised she even lasted as long, considering how horrible people turned out to be. "Aren't you worried that all those same people are out there?"

"All I know, from talking to Glenn and a few friends, is that everybody is so consumed in their own world that they've forgotten all the little guys like us."

That must be true, Beth thought to herself. She wondered if Rick, if he had woken from his coma, thought about her as a niece, or if Carol told Sophia stories about her. She wondered if Daryl remembered how they spent their first few nights alone drinking and opening up about the world. Beth missed Daryl more than anyone. They had gotten close, right before Beth had been snatched up and her world turned upside down.

"Your mum didn't take it well at all. How about Jimmy?"

Beth froze. She hadn't spoken to Jimmy since the first day back. He had sent her a few texts, but she left them unresponded.

"There are still a lot of bad people in the world, Beth. I worry for you," Maggie said glumly. "Glenn is hoping to take a trip to South Korea and introduce me to his extended family. If you want…"

"I'll be okay, Mags. I promise," Beth assured her.

"Okay. I believe in you. But keep your phone on you, okay? I need to have contact with my little sister."

"Always."

Daryl Dixon woke up early at the crack of dawn. He was sore all over, groaned, and rolled out of bed. That's when he realized somebody else was also in his bed. Daryl's first instinct was to grab his crossbow on the table.

"What the actual…"

It was some girl, clearly still passed out drunk in the sheets. He glanced around the motel room. It wasn't the same drabby motel room he had been in the previous night. This place was cleaner… Something ain't right, he thought.

He dressed quickly and stormed out of the complex. There were no walkers in sight. Daryl recognized this place as somewhere he and his brother Merle frequented whenever they travelled from Atlanta. Going 'round to the parking lot, he recognized his motorbike in one of the stalls. The keys to it were still in Daryl's pocket.

Something was effed up, Daryl thought, as he climbed onto his ride and took off alone.

Six months later, the whole world was settling into this new second chance at life. Beth had never seen people so happy and optimistic. While in the city, Beth had been a part of so many fundraisers for wonderful causes. There was one in particular dedicated to long-term survivors of the apocalypse, where people can come to terms with their trauma and experiences. People were supportive and helpful.

After getting a job at a coffee shop, Beth managed to befriend a few people. She initially tried having conversations with a few of them about their experiences, and it usually started when people asked how old she was.

"You're pretty young looking to be on your own," her coworker Jane mentioned one day as they were serving tea. "Sixteen?"

"Physically, yes. I'm closer to 19 than anything though."

Jane did a double take. "What? You survived in that apocalypse for that long?" Beth fell quiet. "Most people I know of lasted like a few days. I was lucky to last a month before my family ran out of food. Tried to make sure my younger brothers had enough to eat."

The more people knew about it, the less comfortable Beth was about revealing her true age. The majority of people seemed to have died after a couple days, so when they "woke up", life hadn't changed much for them. But how were people like Beth supposed to come back from all that?

So she carried on as if she hadn't spent the last two years of her life in turmoil, in hell. It was easier to trust people in this world, and definitely a whole lot easier to make plans to be outside. Her coworkers were older than her by quite a bit, and invited her out one night.

"You have to come drinking with us to celebrate Victoria's birthday," Jane persisted one day. "You said you're nearly 19 anyways, right? You can totally have alcohol!"

Beth thought back to her first time drinking alcohol. Daryl had thrown away her peach schnapps and insisted on drinking moonshine. "I'll pass," Beth said softly. "I have to talk to my sister tonight."

As per planned, Maggie had set up a family video conference call that very night. She and Glenn had just come back from South Korea, where Glenn was now visiting the farm. "I have exciting news for y'all," Maggie said happily. "Glenn and I are engaged again! We're gonna have a real wedding this time, and we're going to invite the whole family."

Beth's eyes sparkled. "Congratulations! Oh wow…" She smiled brightly at Maggie and Glenn.

"We really mean the whole family," Glenn added. "Mags and I spent the last couple week trying to track everyone down. Seems like most people have some sort of connection to everyone else. We're going to send invitations out soon and have everyone gather at the farm."

"It'll be like the old days."

Her throat suddenly swelled up. Beth couldn't believe she was finally going to get to see her family, the one she never thought she'd see again.

"I can't wait," she said softly. "Who have you guys talked to?"

"Well, we managed to get in contact with a few people that we met in Alexandria. Then there's Carol, who left her husband. She said she was coming down to meet us here with Sophia 'no matter what'."

"What about Daryl?" Beth inquired, holding her breath. "Or Rick?"

"Carol's gotten a hold of Rick. He's still working out some things, but he promised to send our contact info to anyone else he can get a hold of. Essentially, either 30 or 200 people could show up to this thing," Maggie said excitedly.

Beth nodded, and suddenly she felt a tightness in her chest. "I have to go," she suddenly said. "I was supposed to meet a friend soon. At a party," she added hesitantly.

"A party? Wow Beth, that's totally unlike you," Maggie chimed. "I hope you have fun. Be safe! And don't drink, you're still not 21!"

Oh she definitely planned on drinking again. That feeling Beth had when she was drunk with Daryl that night, that's the feeling of contentment and ease that she needed again. There was this hole that was missing inside of her. She wanted to feel complete.

"Oh my gosh, it's Beth! You guys, she came out."

Beth had walked into her friend's apartment, wearing jeans and a black tank top. Everyone else at this party was already at least three drinks in. They cheered at her entrance.

"Beth, you gotta catch up on the way. We've got a limo taking us to the Wild West casino and club."

She innocently took a glass of whiskey from Michael and tried to take a gulp of it, only to choke. A few tears formed. "I think I drank too fast."

"You gotta sip that, girl!"

So this party was a pre-drinking session. Beth wondered what they were going to do when she got to the club and they wouldn't allow her in. However when they got there, it seemed like nobody minded how old she was, and she was allowed to join her friends at the bar.