Chpt 14: Whip-Poor-Will

Daryl slows the older sedan a few miles away from the trap house. They are heading north on a tank three-quarters full. Beth unhooks her seatbelt and slides to the middle of the bench seat and wraps herself around Daryl's arm. He's tense. She can practically feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Neither of them has spoken since they left the trap house and the few remaining walkers still stumbling in a dark cloud of gravel and dust.

"What was that back there?"

Daryl's eyes cut to the rearview mirror. Nothing but darkness stares back. "Damn trap…"

"Why? I don't get it." She sounds so… disappointed. All that faith and hope of hers has taken another hit.

"I dunno. But thanks to you, they won't be hurtin' nobody else… You were amazin', girl." His voice takes on an edge of awe. "I damn near got you taken, Beth." She doesn't miss how his knuckles turn white against the steering wheel.

"Don't do that, Daryl. That back there was on those pricks. Not on you. But from now on, we stick together. No matter what."

"Yeah, no matter what."

Beth squeezes his bicep and presses a gentle kiss to his shoulder. "Where to now?"

"Was thinkin' we might pull off up here somewhere for the night. Circle back toward the prison and see if we can find any of our people."

"Really?" Beth says, and he can hear the hope start to rise again in her voice.

"Figure we can since we got a car now. Make a quick trip back and jus' see."

"Yes… Yes, that sounds good."

Daryl pulls off onto a narrow dirt road that leads to what used to be the truck entrance to one of the abandoned factories. He backs the car into a narrow opening between two large trees just off the dirt road. The dense tree line and the dark sedan should give them plenty of cover for the night. Daryl shuts the car off and locks the doors.

"You hungry?" Beth asks.

Daryl's stomach answers her with a rolling growl. "I'm gonna' take that as a 'yes'," she giggles.

He is exhausted and hungry and so incredibly grateful for their escape. Beth spins and throws her leg over the seat. She grabs a blanket, crackers, peanut butter, and a jar of strawberry jelly from the back and hands each one to Daryl as she goes. They are eating in relative silence, both going over the events at the trap house in their minds when Beth pipes up. "I never thought I could kill someone. Even after the world turned."

Daryl watches her as she carefully spreads peanut butter on a saltine with her finger. Thinks for a second about what to say. "Ya' did what ya' had to do, Beth. You're fierce. Stronger than ya' know. Ya' keep provin' that."

"I don't regret it. I just… I'm not sure how to feel. It's kind of surreal, you know?"

He nods his head. Has no idea what to say to that, so he reaches for her. Gently pinches her chin between his finger and thumb and lifts her eyes to his. He gives her what he hopes is a comforting smile. Beth returns it in kind and pokes her cracker sandwich at him. He opens his mouth and she drops it in.

They finish eating and Beth stores their provisions away in the back. Daryl stretches out across the front seat. Pulls Beth down with him as she scoots back to the front. They are both exhausted. When the rain starts, Beth can't help but give herself over to sleep. Daryl fights to stay awake, but the steady beat of rain against metal pulls him under.

Daryl wakes with a start. He isn't sure how long he's been out, but it's still dark outside, the deep middle of the night dark that he got so used to on watch at the prison. The rain has yet to let up. It's bringing with it a coolness that creeps into the car. He lays there unmoving, trying to decide if something outside woke him up or if it was the dream he was having. A man was pulling Beth into a car. She was kicking and screaming and doing everything she could to get away while Daryl watched helplessly, unable to move no matter how hard he tried. The man turned and smiled an evil, predatory grin made even more menacing by the patch he wore over one eye.

Deciding it was probably the dream, Daryl takes a deep breath and eases himself back down. Beth has shifted from his side and is currently stretched out on top of him. He swipes at her hair, pulling it back from her face and his. Runs his fingers through the tangled strands. She sleeps with it down. Says she gets a headache if she doesn't. Sometimes she gathers it in a braid over her shoulder and sleeps that way, but Daryl prefers it loose and wild. Loves the way it frames her face like some crazy Indian head dress when she wakes up.

Beth starts to stir. Daryl isn't sure if its from his hands in her hair or if its due to the twitching of his length as it bumps against her thigh. Either way, she's burrowing against him, stretching her limbs like a cat as she comes fully awake. She props her chin on her hands and smiles before she even opens her eyes. When she finally lifts her lids and her eyes settle on his, she freezes. "oh"

His eyes are dark and narrow, and he's looking at her like she's the last drink of water in the desert. Beth presses into him and drags her body against his. Her hands land on the front seat on either side of his face. She dips her head to lick across his pulse point, right where it disappears into his collar bone. She feels the growl works its way up his chest before she hears it rumble from his throat. She works her way up his neck and across his jaw to his ear, nipping at his earlobe before sitting up to straddle his waist. She pulls her shirt up and over her head. Rocks her center against the dancing bulge beneath her. Daryl squeezes her hips and starts to set up, but Beth pushes him back down with one finger against the center of his chest. She tosses her bra to the floor and pushes his shirt up just enough to place open-mouthed kisses to the trail of downy hair that disappears beneath his waistband. She wiggles back and pushes on his thighs, making room for herself between his knees. She undoes his belt. Chooses to ignore that he has had to add 2 holes to the leather so the belt is tight enough to keep his pants up. Even with the weight loss, he is still thick and stout and strong. Beth unzips his jeans and slides his boxers down with them to his knees. She kisses her way up his thighs and shivers at the quiet grunts and hums coming from Daryl. She has never done this before. Never even considered it. Jimmy suggested it once, and Beth thought it sounded like the single most disgusting thing she had ever heard. But here with Daryl, it excites her. She wants to make him feel as good as he has made it a point to make her feel.

Beth takes his shaft in her fist. Gives it an experimental stroke. She nearly squeals when Daryl's hips jump, and he pumps into her fist. A couple of more strokes and a clear fluid eeks its way from the head. Beth is mesmerized. She swipes her thumb through the natural lube and smears it across his tip. Daryl's grip tightens on her hips and Beth grins. She likes making him twitch. Likes that she can affect him as much as he does her. When she bends down and slides her tongue across him, she feels Daryl shiver beneath her. When she slides the length of him into her mouth and scrapes her teeth against his shaft on the way back out, a string of curse words fall from his mouth. She giggles as she takes the length of him into her mouth again. She experiments with this and that, uses her tongue and her teeth to urge him toward satisfaction. Daryl is pumping his hips as gently as he can, but damn, his girl isn't making it easy. She swirls her tongue in a tantalizing loop around his shaft as she slowly pulls him out. Gently bites down on his head and releases him with a pop. Another string of curse words and Beth finds herself underneath him on the front seat. His mouth and his hands are everywhere all at once. He rolls her nipple between his fingers and nips at her neck. His hand slides to her jeans but he can't get her belt to cooperate. Beth slaps at his hand. "Daryl, let me take care of you. You're always doin' for me. Let me do for you."

"You are sweetheart. I promise. 'Bout had me spewing in your mouth. Ain't ever gonna' do that."

Beth smiles at him tenderly. Reaches up to kiss him slow and easy. When she pulls back, she starts to wiggle out form underneath him. "On your back, mister."

"Beth," he gripes.

"I mean it, Daryl. On your back."

He lets her win and rolls to his back. Beth straddles him again and uses her hand and her mouth to work him into a frenzy. She can tell he's close. The way his breath hitches and his hips twitch tell her he is almost there. He rolls to the side and lets loose on the floor of the car. Beth watches as he finishes. Hopes that maybe someday they will be safe, and he won't have to spill his seed anywhere but inside of her.

Daryl flops back onto the seat and peeks at Beth through narrowed eyes. She smiles shyly and he shakes his head. A crooked, satisfied grin stretches across his face. He pulls her to him for a long and languid kiss. When Beth pulls back, she can tell sleep is tugging him under again. She reaches down for her shirt and her bra before tucking herself in next to him.

"Shit, Beth. I didn't get any on your stuff, did I?"

"No, we're good," she says. She dresses and molds herself to his side. She's drawing little figure eights on his chest. Lulling him back to sleep. "Daryl?"

He answers with a sleepy "hummm".

"I love you"

He squeezes her to him. Lands a soft kiss to the top of her head. "I love you too, sweetheart."

~TWD~

They drive back towards the prison like they talked about the night before. Beth is resting her head on her elbow, eyes closed, as the wind whips all around her. It's a beautiful day. One she would have spent lying by the creek writing songs and playing her guitar in her old life. Daryl glides the car to a slow stop. Reaches for Beth and tells her to roll the window up. She does so without hesitation and focuses her attention to what's ahead of them on the road. Two men are standing with their backs to the Beth and Daryl. One more has a gun pointed at a woman kneeling on the ground. A black woman with long dreads. Another has a boy pinned to the ground while another holds his gun to the temple of a man with curly hair and a thick beard.

"Daryl!" Beth half whispers.

"I know"

Daryl throws the car in reverse and lets off the break. The group hasn't seen them yet. He lets the car roll to a stop just out of sight. He takes Beth's hand and pulls her across the front seat. Locks the car, and they dive into the trees. They follow the tree line at break neck speed. Beth is amazed at how, even at a run, Daryl's footfalls make no sound. She does her best to do the same. They slow when they hear the men talking. Daryl pulls Beth into a squat next to him and peaks around a tree.

"What?" Beth asks. He looks confused.

"It's Merle. He's got ahold 'a Rick."

"What," she says again.

Daryl shakes his head. It doesn't make any sense. He looks again. Really looks at Merle and Rick. Merle has his forearm around Rick's neck, but Rick isn't straining against him. Merle's finger is stretched firmly along the side of the Beretta he is holding against Rick's temple, nowhere near the trigger. Daryl can see the outline of a gun in the waistband of Rick's jeans pressed against his back. Merle is close enough he knows it's there too. Daryl cups his hand around his mouth and lets loose with a soft, melodious whistle that sounds to Beth like a bird, maybe a whip-poor-will. Merle tenses, but he doesn't look toward the call. The gray-haired man with his back to Daryl is still talking. Going on and on about laying claim to people and provisions. About how this world is dog eat dog and some shit. Daryl sees Merle shift toward Rick and whisper in his ear. Rick's hand slides undetected toward his back.

"Stay behind me," Daryl says, and Beth nods her reply. He goes to one knee and takes aim.

Merle speaks up, loud and clear, in his booming voice. "Come on man! I know you're in charge an' all, but quit your yappin' and take the shot already."

Daryl releases a bolt on Merle's command. It hits its mark, striking Joe in the heart. Merle turns his gun on Joe's sidekick and Rick puts a bullet between the eyes of the man towering over Michonne. The man pinning Carl to the ground jumps back, hands raised. Rick and Merle pull their triggers at the same time. Pop! Pop! and the last of the claimers falls to the ground.

Michonne and Carl are running toward the trees. Rick turns in time to see Carl throw his arms around Beth. Michonne skirts the two of them to do the same to Daryl. Merle slaps Rick across the chest and saunters toward the new arrivals. "Nice work L'il Brother! Hell of a shot you made," he says before pulling Daryl into a quick, awkward hug. When he steps back, Rick pulls Daryl into a solid embrace and pats him hard on the back. Rick still hasn't said anything. Just shakes his head in disbelief. His mouth is slightly agape when he turns to Beth. She throws her arms around his neck and he scoops her up. Swings her in a circle. Beth cups his face in her hands. Gives him a peck on the cheek and a huge smile. Carl is next on Beth's list. Rick steps back and takes a long look at his family. He starts to laugh and a tear escapes down his cheek.

Daryl tells them they have a car hidden around the corner. Rick tells them Maggie and Glenn, Sasha and Tyreese, plus a few more folks they have met along the way are hold up in a church not far from here. Beth asks about Judith. Rick smiles and tells her she's safe at the church too. She sighs in relief and Daryl squeezes her hand. Rick tells them that he and Carl and Michonne were out scouting when they ran across the men they left rotting in the Georgia sun back there. Merle tells Rick he's sorry he scared him, but he didn't see any other way of getting out of the situations they were in. He had to pretend like he was with the claimers.

They are all in a bit of grateful shock. Walking together quietly toward the car. Rick nods at Merle and Daryl, "so the three of you got out together," trying to piece together what exactly happened a few minutes ago.

"Nah, me and Carol got out together," Merle says. But his voice is uncharacteristically soft and unmistakably sad.

Daryl speaks up. "She dead?" He needs to know. Quick, like ripping off a band-aid.

"I don't know. We was hold up in a little house. Craziest damn thing. The cabinets were stocked with peanut butter and jelly. Place was clean as a whistle…" Daryl and Beth both freeze. Rick walks a step further and stops. Sees the tension in the set of both of their shoulders. Merle is too lost in his story to notice the shift. "Second night there, walkers damn near broke through the front door. We ran out the back and something slammed against my head. Everything went fuzzy, but I saw a car and two men. They grabbed her, kickin' and spittin', and that was it. She was gone."

"That how you got that cut on your head," Michonne asks.

Merle's fingers dance gingerly over the back of his skull. "Yeah. I tried to go after her, but I must 'a passed out. When I come too, I followed the tracks as long as I could, but... She was just gone."

"Car have a white cross on the back? The men wearing uniforms?" Daryl asks.

Merle's brow furrows. He shakes his head. Looks at Daryl like he might be crazy, but something in his question sounds familiar. He digs into his brain for an answer. Runs what he can remember across his mind. "Yeah… yeah, there was something on the back of the car. The back window… might 'a been a cross. Why?"

"Same thing happened to us," Beth says. "They set a herd on the place we were staying. Tried to kill Daryl and take me."

"What… ta' where?" Rick says.

"I'm not sure. A guy in a uniform had ahold 'a me. Said when we got back ta'… I can't remember." She looks at Daryl, a deep furrow in her brow. "Did you hear what he said? He told me I would learn some respect when we got back ta'… It was a man's name. An old name… like a name you don't hear anymore. Like Otis or Hershel…" She lets go of Daryl and pushes the heals of her hands against her forehead. "Damn it…"

"Beth," Rick cuts in. "Listen, there's a technique we used to use with witnesses to help them remember details, especially after a traumatic event. Let's get to the car and get back to the church. We'll work on it there. For right now, try to clear your mind. It'll come. We'll get the others and we'll go get Carol."

Beth nods, but she's a long way off from letting it go and clearing her mind. Daryl drops his arm around her shoulder and nods to Rick and Merle. When they make it to the car, Daryl pops the trunk and they move the supplies from the back. Inside the trunk, they find a reusable bag containing a first aid kit and extra ammunition. Daryl looks at the side of bag and hollers for Beth. When she and the others round the back bumper, he's holding the bag out for her to see.

"Grady! Yes! That's what he said! It's a hospital in Atlanta. That's why it was familiar. Daddy had his heart cath done there a couple 'a years ago… Grady Memorial Hospital."

"So we get the others," Rick suggests. "We go to Grady and see what we're up against. See what the hell's goin' on."

"Whatever it is, they're down three men. Me and Beth took 'em out when we got away."

"Good. Let's get you two back to the family. We'll make a plan form there."

A/N: So this is more of a filler chapter, but its good to see the family coming back together. Coming up, we make a trip to Grady! Thanks so much for reading!