"I'm not in Florida, Mom, and I'm not coming home."

She didn't know what it was that made her do it – it was a split second decision – but it's not like it was something that hadn't been weighing in the back of her mind. Her mother was excited for her to come home. She kept saying she missed her, that the farm missed her and how two weeks was just too long…and she didn't want her staying any longer. Beth quietly tried to listened as mother babbled on and on excitedly, she answered back in a monotone voice. But there was one word that distracted to her no end: home.

Even in the short amount of time she'd been gone, the place her mother called home seemed foreign to her. Yeah, if she imagined it, she could see the house, her bedroom and even smell the fresh hay; but she could also hear the mourning screams of her mother and sister when the cops brought only her to the front door. That place was saturated with sadness and tears she couldn't take back and couldn't make right.

No matter how many times they'd told her it wasn't her fault.

It didn't feel genuine. Sure, they loved her and knew it was a horrible accident that she never meant to happened. But it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for her, and every moment she was with them, she was a reminded of a broken family. It didn't feel like they had reached acceptance. She herself was barely dragging herself out of depression and that was all because of the trip.

Of course, it was meant to be a whole different trip, with a different set of rules. But there she was, in the town she had accidentally stumbled upon, and she'd never felt more accepted. Never felt like gazes of the people in the diner were one's of pity or judgement; no one knew what had happened – except for Daryl – and no one needed to. She was a different person back before, but now she felt like she was baptized and born again…even if the water was a little muddy.

She'd experienced things she'd only dared to think about before. She hated hangovers, but liked the warm feeling of a whiskey buzz. She liked that people wanted to spend time with her without having memorized a pamphlet…or audaciously ask for gory details. They just wanted to work hard and have fun; and who wouldn't want to be around that?

So, she hung up and took another deep, somewhat shaky, breath in and wondered what she was going to do next…and what she was going to tell Daryl. She didn't really have time to think however, because when she'd turned around, there he was behind her. She didn't know how long he'd been there, and soon her mind was racing.

What had he heard? Obviously at least the end of the conversation. Which would explain the questioning look on his face. He wanted to know what the hell she meant. She wanted to know what the hell she meant. She wasn't going back, but where was she going to go? She hadn't thought about it from that moment on; she didn't have a plan. Beth had surprised herself, but maybe she'd surprised him more.

She had a tendency to do that. But, he also had a tendency to understand her. Looking on their time together, she couldn't help herself but feel right about her choice. All their fighting and his stubborn, sarcastic attitude; all their laughs and dancing on the makeshift floor of the bar. Him wanting or needing to help her; and with his help, her picking herself back up again. He was someone that made her feel better over quick cups of coffee and reluctantly complimented her cooking. Beth felt as though he knew her, and she wanted to get to know him so much more.

There had to be reasons he was the way he was. He'd figured out her reasons, so now it was her turn. Beth was interested in the things he said and did. If he wasn't around, she'd peak over the maps he had and wonder what it all meant and tried to ask questions about it later. Bits and pieces of his personality and kindness had barely poked through, and she knew there was so much more to know and to ask. Things that, she might not like the answers to, but things that she was curious about all the same.

So, she said it, hoping but not knowing the answer she would get. "Can I stay with you?"

Daryl stared at her, she didn't know what to call the look, maybe it was disbelieve. But that was all he did was stare. Did he want an explanation? She hardly knew it herself. Was he trying to figure out how to say no, without being witness to another melt down? She was done with crying, but maybe he thought his rejection would be the straw that broke the camel's back. Maybe he saw their time together as something totally different. Maybe he thought she was after him like the girls at the diner had thought.

Beth knew it couldn't or wouldn't be like that with him – it was a lustrous idea that she needed to pay no mind to. She had no care for what others thought of their arrangement, she just wanted to be where she felt like she belonged.

Without saying a word, Daryl stared at her for one second longer, then turned around.

She thought that was his answer, but if he thought it was clear as day, he couldn't be more wrong. She didn't know that the hell it meant. Was he being a dick about it because it was so out of the blue? Maybe it would be the straw that broke the camel's back as he continued to walk, her chest tightened in an all too familiar way as her phone began to buzz.

It was her Annette calling back, obviously. She looked down at the screen, her mother's name looking menacing as her thumb hovered over the green green button meant for her to answer the call; and she almost pressed it. That is until Daryl turned back around and called after her.

"Well, come on then! Aren't you coming?"

AN: Y'all thought...nah. This story is far from being over! We at least got 15 more chapters to go. BECAUSE HOW IS THEIR RELATIONSHIP GOING TO DEVELOP IF I JUST LEAVE IT HERE? Thank you to every who has been sticking with me since the beginning, and everyone who had come in along the way though. You're all rockstars. Don't worry, I won't be another 2 1/2 years for the chapters to pop up. In fact there going to be a whole lot this weekend. I have them all planned out and you all are going to either hate or love me. xxx