Beth and Daryl arrived back at the prison mid afternoon, a deer tied to the back of the bike, the unfortunate animal having stumbled into their path as they headed back to the barn.

They rode the bike into the prison grounds, Michonne opening the gates for them. Daryl climbed off the bike then held out his hand to help Beth down after him. He left his hands on her waist for a minute, before turning to the carcass on the back of the bike to untie it. He handed Beth the geese they had caught the day before then slung the deer over his shoulder, following her in to the prison and towards the canteen.

Carol met them in the canteen, turning to face them as they entered, hurrying over to hold the door open for Daryl as he carried the deer in. Beth wandered after them, holding the geese by her side. Daryl slung the body down on the counter, circling his shoulder out free from the pain. Beth wandered along, putting the geese down beside it, feeling a bit stupid compared to the body of the deer.

'This will keep us going for a long time, thanks guys,' Carol said, leaning her hands on the counter-top.

Daryl nodded to Carol, then turned beginning to leave.

'Beth,' Carol said softly as Beth turned to follow him. She turned back to look at the older woman, frowning slightly at the smirk that was playing across Carol's face.

'You might want to wear a scarf, hun.'

Beth tilted her head, confused.

'I'm not cold,' she began to say, lifting her hand to gently touch at her throat. Carol glanced over Beth's head to Daryl.

Beth turned to look at him, confused. His eyes flicked down to her, a sly smile on his own lips. He shook his head lightly, his eyes flicking back to Carol before he turned and left the room.

Beth looked back to the older woman who was smiling, but had turned back to whatever she was doing.

Slowly, Beth left the room, her hand gently stroking her throat. She directed herself towards the bathrooms, heading for the mirrors. She reached them, taking in her tired appearance in the reflection. Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she noticed the dark bruises along the pale skin of her neck, small red circular marks below her ears.

She pulled her collar up to hide them and headed back to her cell room, feeling flushed with embarrassment.

. . .

Beth was woken by someone shaking her awake, her body being jostled beneath her covers. Frowning, she woke up, batting away the nuisance, until sleep left her and she sat up, grabbing up her blankets, panic taking the place of sleepy annoyance.

'Beth,'

It was Maggie shaking her awake. Beth rubbed her face, blinking the sleep from her eyes as her sister came into view.

'What? What's wrong?' she asked.

'I need you to come into town with me,' Maggie said, 'please.'

'What, why?' Beth frowned, shaking her hair out of her face.

'I have a problem,' Maggie said, sighing and running her hand through her hair.

She sat on the bed beside Beth, twiddling her fingers together in her lap.

'What's happened?' Beth asked, sitting up straighter and turning to face her sister.

'I'm late.' Maggie said.

'What?'

'I'm late,' Maggie repeated, glancing up at Beth through her lashes, 'I want to go get a pregnancy test... and I don't want to go alone.'

'Are you serious?' Beth gasped.

'Yes, but don't say anything – I haven't said anything to Glen,' Maggie said, 'I just want to know.'

'Of course,' Beth said, nodding, 'I'll go.'

'Thanks,' Maggie said, 'I'll meet you out by the cars in a minute?'

Beth nodded.

. . .

Beth climbed into the passenger seat beside her sister a little while later. Maggie looked pale and grey, her hair unbrushed and falling ragged into her face. She blew a stream of air up, strands of her hair fluttering up. She nodded to her sister as she climbed in, pushing her dark hair behind her ears.

'Are you scared?' Beth asked as Maggie turned the keys.

'Yup.' Maggie nodded.

Beth nodded, looking ahead out of the windscreen as they left the prison grounds, the early morning grey and cold.

The sister's sat in silence as they drove to town, Beth could feel the nervous energy from her sister.

'What do you want the answer to be?' Beth asked as they drove into town, Maggie taking the car far away enough to not attract attention.

Maggie stopped the car and sighed. She turned to look at her sister.

'I don't know.' She said.

Beth regarded her for a while before nodding.

They climbed out of the car together, Beth taking out her knife from her belt. She followed her older sister through the streets, Maggie keeping her gun trained in front of her. There were several walkers in the street, but the two of them managed to reach the pharmacy without any of them spotting them. At this point in their new life, they had come to realise that it wasn't always necessary to kill the walkers, if they could instead avoid detection.

Maggie pried open the door, slipping inside the darkened interior, stepping aside for Beth to follow her. She nodded to her to stay silent as they wandered deeper into the store, keeping their eye out for threats.

Two walkers approached them from behind the counter, but they caught them and took them down as quickly and as silently as they could, avoiding the use of guns.

'Kay,' Maggie said, wiping her knife down the front of her jeans, 'where do we go?'

Beth put her hand on her sister's arm, seeing she was shaking.

Together, they headed through the store in search of the right aisle, stepping over the fallen debris, the only sound that of their boots on the flooring.

Maggie found the aisle she was searching for, her hands digging through the shelves until she found a small, rectangular box. She took it out and held it in her hands, sighing.

'You want to do it here?' Beth asked quietly.

'No, no,' Maggie shook her head, 'back at the prison, it's safer.'

Beth nodded, watching her.

'You want to go back now?'

Maggie looked up at her younger sister, biting her lower lip.

'No,' she whispered. 'Not yet.'

'We can stay here for a while,' Beth said, glancing around them. The store was safe enough, they had no reason to rush. Kicking some of the things from the floor out of her way, Beth crouched down in the cleared space. Maggie looked at her, then followed suit, sitting down on the cold, hard floor opposite her sister. Together they sat cross-legged, Maggie holding the box in her lap.

'What will you do if it's positive?' she asked.

'I'm not sure,' Maggie shrugged.

'A prison is a good place to have a baby. It's safe. Judith is safe and doing well.' Beth said.

'Yeah,' Maggie breathed, her breath leaving her in an audible gust.

They sat in silence for a little longer, Beth carefully watching her sister's face.

'Y'know,' Maggie said, her mouth hitching into a smile, 'I first had sex with Glen in a store just like this.'

Beth raised her eyebrows, Maggie wasn't one to discuss things like this with her.

'Classy,' she smiled, causing Maggie to look up and grin at her.

'I know,' she shrugged, 'but hey, it's the end of the world.'

'I'm glad you did – I mean, I'm glad you're with Glen,' Beth said.

'Yeah,' Maggie nodded, 'me too.'

'It's good to have someone to love,' Beth sighed.

Maggie looked up at her sister, her head tilting as she observed her.

'You miss Jimmy?' she asked.

'A little,' Beth shrugged, 'he was a good guy. I didn't love him, though, not like you love Glen.'

'You know that?' Maggie asked, her eyes soft.

'Yeah,' Beth nodded, 'I really liked him but it was school stuff... I don't know, life's changed.'

'It sure has,' Maggie smiled sadly.

'Maggie,' Beth said, her eyes dropping to her hands in her lap, 'can I ask you a question?'

'Uh huh,' she heard her sister answer.

'When did you – I mean – how old were you when you first... you know.' She could feel her cheeks blushing.

'Have sex?' Maggie asked. Beth could tell she was smiling.

'Mm,' Beth glanced up through her lashes.

'Seventeen,' Maggie said, 'Did you and Jimmy-?'

Beth shook her head.

'No,' she said, 'I was never ready.'

'That's good,' Maggie said, nodding.

Beth smiled at her sister, feeling weird at the barrier they had tentatively crossed.

'Beth,' Beth felt Maggie's tone adjust as her sister narrowed her eyes at her, 'show me your neck.'

Beth involuntarily scooted back a little, trying to let her hair fall over her neck.

'Why?' she asked, trying to sound normal.

'I thought I saw - ' Maggie pushed herself forward, readjusting her self onto her knees. She lunged at Beth, knocking her blonde hair aside.

'I did!' She shrieked, 'you're covered in love bites!'

'What?' Beth breathed, feeling as though all of the air in her chest had been rushed out of her.

'Hickeys!' Maggie cried, staring at Beth, 'you tell me right now who gave 'em you!'

Panicking, Beth knew denial would not help her cause, so she answered in the next best way, the only way she could think of on the quick.

'Zach,' she breathed, her voice sounding small and strained, 'I've been seeing Zach.'

'Zach?' Maggie fell back onto her heels, staring at her little sister.

'Yeah,' Beth was breathless, her heart having plummeted to the bottom of her stomach, her face felt clammy and flushed.

Maggie was blinking, shaking her head.

'Zach' she repeated, 'wow.'

'Are you mad?' Beth asked, pulling at the hem of her sleeve.

'No,' Maggie breathed, sounding just as breathless herself now, 'You're eighteen I can't – I can't say I'm overjoyed at the thought of some greasy guy with his hands all over you – and if daddy sees them he'll go ape – but no, I'm not mad.' Maggie looked at Beth so seriously she was almost certain she didn't believe her, and her heart hammered like mad for several minutes.

'What have you done with Zach? When did he give you those?' She asked quietly.

'Nothing!' Beth said quickly. 'Just kissing!'

'So you don't need one of these?' Maggie asked weakly, holding up the box she still had in her hands.

'God! No!' Beth cried, 'No Maggie I swear – we just kiss.'

Maggie nodded, swallowing hard.

'You're not my baby sister any more are ya,' she said softly.

Beth smiled at her, feeling awful for her deception.

'Guess not,' she said, then added, 'Mags, can you not say anything to Zach, you know.'

Maggie nodded, then hoisted herself up from the cold floor. She held out her hand to Beth, which she took.

'Come on, let's get back,' she put her arm around her little sister's shoulder. 'Zach's probably missing you.'

Beth blushed again, inwardly groaning, but at least she had avoided a complete meltdown.