She wanted to stay, so he let her. She had her reasons, and he suspected what they were, but he wasn't doing to ask. Of course, he still told her about the engine, just in case that would change her mind, but she just shrugged. He'd already knew it, but the girl was ballsy, that was for sure. She'sFor a while, as they walked back, he could hear her phone going off the handle. The buzzing would stop momentarily, then begin all over again, and she would just continue to ignore it. Then, as the signal faded, so did the buzzing; and a flash of relief flooded Beth's face.

"I never realized how much reign I let them have over my life..." Beth mumbled, staring at the list of missed calls. "Even when I do stuff for myself, it's for them."

Daryl assumed she meant not only her mother, but her entire family, something he understood for himself, given who his idiot brother was. "What 'bout now?"

"Now?" Beth shook her head. "No, this is all for me."

After that, Beth let out a laugh and practically skipped ahead of him. Then, when she decided she had strayed far enough, spun herself back around and waited for him. She didn't brother turning forward again when he caught up and continued to walk backwards; talking at him and laughing. She really couldn't help herself, but Daryl could definitely see where it was going. The blonde wasn't paying any damn mind to where she was stepping. Not to mention the first time he'd seen her out in that wood, she'd had half a tree in her hair.

She managed to keep her footing though...briefly. They were on mildly flat ground after all. However, just like he'd predicted, Daryl watched Beth as a big root came out of nowhere – at least in her mind – and caught her up. She would have ended up flat on her ass too, if it hadn't been for him.

As soon as her foot hit the root and her blue eyes flashed with panic, Daryl managed to grab onto her arm and drag her back up as she fell. Beth didn't even have a moment to let out a yelp before she was back upright and knocking shoulders with him.

"Oops!" She said, leaning into his body as she let out another long string of laughs.

She continued leaning in and holding onto him until she'd composed herself. Which, given her good mood, took a fair bit of time. As she started to look up again, Daryl knew how close her face would be to his...and immediately tensed up. There was just something about being so closed to her that made him anxious.

Maybe he could blame the girls at the diner for that or even his brother for that.

"Just watch where you're going, Greene!" Daryl grunted and — without thinking — grabbed her by the waist to spin her forward. As he did, Beth looked back at him, and he thought he was going to giggle again, but instead she just went crimson. It wasn't any longer after that she went up ahead of him again; this time practically stomping.

"...What the fuck…?" Daryl mumbled to himself. Now she had turned in a dime a was very obviously pissed. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why.

It took him all the way up to the house to figure out it was over him. She was feeling on top of the world, and she'd embarrassed herself by being a klutz. Then he'd gone and treated her like a child...right after she'd done the most adult thing she thought she could do.

Dammit. How was it he always managed to upset her? Or why was it she cared to much about what he thought? Then again...with him getting worked up over her getting worked up...he could ask himself the same question.

. . .

Beth reached the house well ahead of Daryl. She'd stormed in, paced back and forth and cursed him (aka: the usual). It was amazing how easily he could affect her mood. A fact which also made her angry.

Actually, she was madder about him making her mad than what he'd done. How could one person have so much control over your mood? It wasn't right. Beth always tried so hard to please everyone, and that sure as hell hardly ever worked out for her. She knew she shouldn't care so much about what he thought of her or the moments that made her feel foolish. There was plenty of proof she wasn't a ditz.

Thankfully, in the time she was in the cabin alone, she'd convinced herself to calm down. Beth had decided it was so much better to not ruin her day over such a little thing; that, and she still needed and place to live and arguing right after asking was one way to guarantee him changing his mind.

So what if she over reacted? He already knew she was a drama queen. However, she did still felt bad for stocking off. It sure as shit probably made him feel bad. Which after everything he was doing for her, he didn't deserve. She probably needed to apologize. Which meant Beth waited quietly until she heard the screen door slam shut and Daryl walked in.

Immediately she blurted out. "I'M SORRY!" and said it so loud and so abruptly, she barely heard Daryl say the exact same thing at the exact same time. In fact, she wasn't sure she heard it right all. "Wait...what?"

"I said I'm sorry...for whatever." Daryl grumbled.

Well he sure as shit knew what whatever was, but that was probably as good as she was going to get. She couldn't tell if it was worse or better to receive an actual apology to be honest. At least she could squeeze a couple stories out of him when he didn't say the word sorry.

"That's okay." Beth replied, somewhat forcing herself not be snappy.

"Well alright..." Daryl shrugged, walking over to his table of maps and saying two words that changed instantly made it all better: "Welcome home."

Now that sounded right. Beth sighed and looked around. She was now a permanent fixture there, and so many things would have to be figured out all over again. But that could be a topic for tomorrow. This day, was solely her day of victory.

She was wondering what she should do next though— something celebratory and exciting probably. But really all she really wanted to do was drink a cup of coffee, sit down and relax; so that's what she was going to do.

Beth walked to the kitchen and pulled down a couple coffee mugs; filled hers with too much sugar, and kept his black. She then walked over and handed him his cup. Which he quietly thanked her for before turning his attention back to what was in front of him. Without really asking, Beth pulled out a chair adjacent to him and sat herself down, pulling her knees into her chest as she did.

They remained like that for a good while. Daryl sat and traced out whatever he was; and Beth sat there sipping her coffee, not bothering to ask questions just yet. They both sat there in pure silence. But it wasn't an awkward silence. It was comfortable and, somehow, reassuring. And made Beth wish for many more moments like it.