Daryl was washing the blood from his arms in the water tap outside, his eyes trained towards the fences which had been propped back up, the walker threat having dissipated with the use of the pigs. It had been a gruesome chore, but it had given them time, and now the sun was setting, the prison seemed to have fallen back into its more quiet state; the walkers had moved away from the fence and the threat was momentarily stopped.

'Daryl,' Maggie's twang caught him.

'Someone was feeding them,' Daryl muttered.

'What?'

'The rats, someone was putting rats down to the walkers. Who would do that?'

'Daryl I just put Beth to bed,' Maggie said, crouching down on the grass beside the sullen man, avoiding the wet of the grass from the tap. 'She's not doing great.'

'Wha'd y'mean?' he asked, turning to squint at her.

'She ran down to the fence and put too much on herself, she's going to mess up her recovery.'

'You brought her out here,' Daryl grunted, 'tha's on you.'

'Yeah,' Maggie sighed, looking down at the grass between her boots, 'we need to keep an eye on her.'

Daryl nodded.

'Daryl!' Rick yelled, jogging over to them.

Daryl stood up and shook his arms off, splashing Maggie slightly with water droplets.

'Something's happened, follow me.'

Without asking or hesitating, Daryl picked up his crossbow and followed the other man across the grass. Maggie watched them both go. She had to admire Daryl's trust in Rick.

Daryl followed Rick through the building and out through the tombs into the courtyard where the stench hit him before he saw anything; they stepped back out into the dim light of the waning day to see two charred bodies laying on the floor, their exteriors still lightly smoking. Their clothes has been burned to ashes save for parts of their underwear – the under-wiring of a bra, the fabric of a belt. The skin was pitch black, patches of bright red flesh burning through. Daryl pulled out a handkerchief from his back pocket and covered his mouth and nose, bile rising in his throat.

'You found them like this,' Rick said to Tyreese, who was standing before the two bodies, staring down at them, ashen faced.

Tyreese turned to look at Rick, silent. Then he swallowed.

'I came to see Karen and I saw the blood on the floor' he said, absently pointing to the blood streaks strewn across the floor from the tomb doors to the bodies. 'Then I smelled them.' he said.

Daryl coughed.

'Somebody dragged them out here and set them on fire.' Tyreese shouted, his voice rising as his movements became more animated. 'They killed them and set them on fire!' suddenly he turned on Rick. 'You're a cop. You find out who did this and you bring 'em to me.'

Daryl, his hunter instincts on alert from Tyreese's raised tone, tried to grab a hold of the man's arm and pull him back from Rick, who's face he was getting closer and closer to, but he shook him off.

'You understand?' Tyreese said to Rick, ignoring Daryl, 'You bring 'em to me!'

'We'll find out who-'

'I need to say it again?'

'No.' Rick said calmly, 'No. I know what you're feeling. I've been there. You saw me there. It's dangerous.'

'Karen didn't deserve this.' Tyreese snapped.

'No.'

'David didn't deserve it!' he shouted.

'Nobody does.' Rick said.

'All right, man, let's- ' Daryl said, grabbing a hold of Tyreese's arm again, but this time Tyreese turned on him, throwing him up against the brick wall behind them.

'Man, I ain't going nowhere till I find out who did this!' Tyreese shouted.

Daryl stuck a hand out to Rick over Tyreese's shoulder, stopping the other man from advancing on them. Then he looked squarely at the man holding him up, looked into his fiery eyes, his nostrils flared in anger, spittle on his lips.

'We're on the same side, man.' he said.

'Hey, look, I know what you're going through.' Rick said from behind them, 'We've all lost someone.
We know what you're going through right now, but you've got to calm down.'

Suddenly Tyreese dropped Daryl and turned on Rick, forcing him back. Rick took a strong step back as Tyreese yelled:

'You need to step the hell back!'

'She wouldn't want you being like this.' Rick said softly, trying to appeal to Tyreese's softer side.

But it did not work.

Tyreese threw his weight at Rick, punching him square in the jaw. Rick stumbled backwards, but did not fall. He leant against his knees as Carol screamed at them to stop.

Rick turned to get back up but Tyreese hit him again, his large fist connecting with Rick's jaw, knocking him aside with the blunt force.

Daryl saw red. He jumped on the larger man's back, wrapping his arms as best he could around the largers man's broad shoulders, pulling him backwards.

'That's enough!' he grunted as he struggled beneath him.

Rick pushed himself back up. Daryl expected him to talk or to walk away as he righted himself and shook his had, seeming to clear it, but instead he lunged. Rick came for Tyreese and before Daryl could register what was happening, Rick had punched Tyreese back in the face. Daryl fell from the man's back, shocked, as Tyreese fell to the floor. Yet Rick did not stop at the one hit, he advanced on him and kicked him in the side, rolling him over onto his back, where he punched him again and again in the face.

'Rick stop!' Daryl yelled, running to him and grabbing hold of his friend.

'Let go of me!' Rick yelled.

'No!' Daryl shouted, pulling him back.

Rick threw him off but he stopped, looking down at his bloodied fist, as both Daryl and Carol looked on in shock whilst Tyreese rolled onto his back, groaning.

. . .

Beth was in the infirmary with her father, laid back on the bed whilst he unpeeled the bandages around her chest and shoulder. She had slept well the night before after Maggie had put her back to bed, the effort of moving around and running had tired her out. She had woken relatively fresh this morning and her chest and shoulder did not hurt as badly as she had assumed it would after yesterday, but her father decided it was time to inspect it and make sure everything was going well – Beth had not told him about her outside excursions.

'It seems to be healing well.' Hershel said as he gently inspected the skin around the initial wound. 'No infections. That's good. How are you feeling?'

'Okay,' Beth said, 'it still hurts if I move too much.'

Hershel nodded.

'It's bound to, you've damaged your muscles. See the bruising here?'

Beth looked down at her chest, grimacing through the flare of pain it caused. The patch of skin surrounding the initial gun wound was tender and clammy from being covered by the bandages, but it was also a motley collection of purples, blues and yellows, all inter-swirled and swollen.

'Woah,' she breathed.

'So try not to exert yourself too much,' Hershel smiled. 'I'll wash your wound and wrap you back up.'

Beth nodded and lay back flat to hide the light blush that had crept into her cheeks, just as the sound of footsteps approached the infirmary. Beth looked across to the door to see a visibly shaken Rick appear; his hair was falling in-front of his pale face and his eyes were wild as they darted around the room.

'Rick,' Hershel said as he wrung out a wash cloth. 'Are you okay?'

'You're busy,' Rick said, averting his eyes from Beth who was in her bra, 'I'll come back.'

'No it's okay,' Beth said, 'I don't mind.'

'I'll – I'll come back.' Rick said.

'Rick what's happened?' Hershel asked. His voice was soft but firm.

Rick just shook his head. Hershel sighed.

'Okay. Go to your cell, I'll come and find you.'

Rick nodded.

'Alright.' he said, 'alright.'

He glanced down at Beth before turning and leaving.

Hershel stood where he was for a moment, pondering, before he returned to Beth's side.

'Did you see his hand?' Beth asked her father. 'It was covered in blood.'

'Yes,' Hershel nodded as he begun dabbing at Beth's chest, eliciting a small gasp from her, 'I did.'

. . .

When Beth got back to her bunk, she found Daryl waiting outside. He looked tired and worn, the dark circles around his eyes even more prominent than usual and his hair limp around his cheekbones. He held out a hand to stop her as she approached.

'Don' get too close,' he said, 'I've been exposed.'

'I'll risk it. What's the matter?' Beth asked, but she stopped where she was anyway.

Daryl sighed.

'Jus' wanted t'make sure yer okay. I looked in on ya last night but y'were out of it.' he said.

Beth smiled.

'Yeah,' she nodded, 'guess I was tired. Speaking of, you look pretty tired yourself.'

Daryl nodded as Beth looked over his face, over the light sheen of sweat, a gentle bruising that was appearing just beneath his left eye, the usual frown slightly deeper than usual, the tight lipped way he was looking at her.

'What's happened?' she asked.

'Rick and Tyreese came t'blows,' Daryl sighed.

'Huh?' Beth tilted her head to look up at him.

'It's a fuckin' mess.' Daryl said. 'Karen an' David – someone killed 'em.'

'What?' Beth gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, 'what do you mean?'

'Someone burnt 'em in th' night, dragged their bodies out t'the yard and lit 'em.'

'Oh my..' Beth walked past Daryl and into her room so she could sit on her bed. 'That's awful.'

'Yeah,' Daryl sighed, turning to face her and leaning one shoulder against the door frame. 'I'm sorry, I di'n't mean t'upset ya.'

'No,' Beth said softly, 'no, I'm glad you told me. No-one else would have, everyone else treats me like a child.'

Daryl nodded, but Beth saw the way his eyes moved to the floor.

'There's somethin' else,' Daryl said gruffly, glancing up through his hair at Beth. 'It's spreading. More people are getting' sick an' yer dad reckons what we need can be found in a veterinary clinic not too far from here.'

'More people?' Beth asked, her heart sinking. 'Who?'

'Everyone who was exposed in D block, they've been moved to A but they're all gettin' sick - Sasha, too. Yer daddy says they need anti-biotic's an' we can find 'em in this vets.'

'So you're going?' Beth asked, knowing as she said it that, of course, he was going.

'Mhm.' He nodded. 'Me an' Michonne.'

Beth nodded.

'I have t'go.' Daryl said.

'I know.' Beth nodded with a gentle sigh. 'We've all got to do what we've got to do.'

Daryl nodded back.

'When?'

'Tomorrow. When it's light.'

'Okay,' Beth sighed, sitting back against the wall, 'will you stay here with me a little while, then?'

'I ain't s'posed to get too near ya. I don't wan'a make y'sick.'

'It's so boring in here alone and I'd like to spend some time with you before you go,' she sighed. 'I'll stay a foot away from you at all times.'

Daryl sighed but he nodded before slowly stepping into the room. Beth smiled up at him and patted the bed beside her.

'I-' Daryl begun but Beth interrupted.

'I'll scoot right up – see?' she moved over to the far end of the bed.

Daryl sighed again but he did smile lightly and sit down.

'So what happened – with Karen and David. Who did it?' Beth asked.

Daryl shrugged.

'Some sick fuck,' he grunted, 'Don't know yet.'

'You have no idea? No hunches?' Beth asked.

Daryl leant back against the wall and ran his hand down the stubble on his chin.

'Maybe – maybe someone was tryin'a get rid o'the flu threat, get rid o'those infected and stop it.' he said.

Beth tilted her head, it was not a possibility she would have thought of herself, and she wasn't sure whether she was impressed or scared that Daryl had.

'You think someone would go to those extremes?' She asked quietly, 'Why not just wait it out? Keep them separate?'

Daryl shrugged again, his face dark.

'All I know is Tyreese is takin' it bad, man. Real bad.'

Beth felt her stomach drop with a mixture of fear, pity and empathy.

'I can imagine. Geez, poor Tyreese. Poor Karen and David.' she sighed.

Daryl nodded.

'I saw Rick earlier, when I was in the infirmary with daddy, he came looking for him – for my father.' Beth said softly, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Daryl looked at her.

'He looked horrible, all shaken up. And his fist looked bloody...' she glanced across at Daryl.

'Yeah,' he sighed, 'Tyreese went for him, hit him. Rick hit him back.'

'Rick hit him back?' Beth asked. It didn't sound real. Didn't sound like something Rick would do.

'He lost it.' Daryl said.

'Ah man,' Beth sighed. She dropped her head down on top of her knees. Things felt like they were spiralling out of control; Rick was fighting instead of keeping control, they had lost twelve of their own in an outbreak of a viral infection and they were all still at risk. Her head was spinning.

'Hey,' Beth felt a warm hand on her shoulder, 'you okay?'

'Keep away, you're exposed,' she said, lifting her head to smile across at Daryl. He took his hand off, but Beth reached out and took it.

'It's scary, isn't it.' she said, searching his own deep blue eyes.

Daryl just shrugged.

'You're not afraid?' she asked him.

'It is what it is,' he said.

Beth chuckled lightly, but she did not feel any better.

'You ain't got nothin' t'be afraid of, girl.' Daryl said seriously. 'I told ya, I ain't gon' let nothin' hurt ya.'

Beth nodded.

'Come here,' he said, opening an arm for Beth. She regarded him for a moment before moving across the bed and snuggling into his chest; it smelt musky and familiar, if a little funky. But it was what she knew, and it helped calm her better than any spoken words could.

'I've missed you,' she sighed, leaning her head into the crook of his neck.

'I been around,' he replied.

'I know, but it's not the same. You've been so busy with everything – not that I blame you, I'm proud of you for it, but I do miss you.'

'When this all blows over, clears up, I'll take ya out wit' me again,' Daryl said, one hand gently stroking her hair.

'I'd like that.' Beth smiled.

She closed her eyes and leant back, taking in the surrounding silence and the warmth of Daryl's body beside her, the calming sensation of his fingers in her hair.

'Maybe we find a house somewhere out there, do it up all nice, protect it and live there, me and you.' Beth murmured. She felt Daryl huff beside her.

'We can surround it with hub caps, if you like,' Beth said, tuning her head to look up at Daryl, admiring the structure of his jaw just above her. 'Give it that authentic redneck feel.'

Daryl laughed.

He moved his free hand up and gently cupped her chin.

'Y'think yer funny, don't ya?' he said.

'A little,' Beth grinned.

She moved herself up as good as she could without pain and gently kissed him. He flinched slightly, taken aback by her move, but then he offered her a light half smile.

'I might be infected,' he murmured.

But Beth just kissed him again, and this time he kissed her back.

Daryl gently pulled her closer to him as Beth reached up to put her hands in his hair, pulling his head down closer to him, feeling the need to be as close as she could. She then moved her hands down to his shoulders, where she snaked them beneath the leather of his vest and slowly begun to push it off. She felt Daryl moan lightly against her as he slowly began to readjust them both, taking his hands to her back so he could gently lay her down atop the blanket of her bed.

Beth pushed his vest off as her back touched the course fabric of the bed beneath her through her light shirt and Daryl moved down to kiss her neck, his hair tickling her face. She ran her hands down his arms, her fingertips ghosting over the light sweat, dirt and probably blood that was there as she felt his taught body move over her. He leant himself on one arm and used his free hand to push her hair back out of her face, pausing to look at her.

'I don't wanna hurt ya,' he murmured.

'You won't,' Beth said softly, moving her hands down to his belt, which she begun to undo, the soft clink of the metal echoing lightly in the empty room. Daryl kissed down her jaw line, moving back over her, moving his hand down from her hair to her jeans, his thick fingers deftly undoing the button one handed and unzipping the zip beneath then snaking back up her shirt. His fingers ran lightly over the bandages that came down to her belly button, but the touch of him still caused her shivers, the heat of his fingers still recognisable through even the bandages. He stroked the skin that was exposed for a while, his calloused fingers gracing over her smooth, pale skin, all whilst keeping his lips moving against her neck, before moving down to run his knuckles across the fabric of her underwear as he moved his lips back to hers - which Beth greedily accepted.

She kissed him with fervour, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling one leg up to hook over his hip. It felt like it had been forever since they had been alone together, and part of Beth felt bad for taking this time alone when there was so much going on throughout the prison, so much pain and death. But she was lost in this moment, lost in Daryl and his lips and his hands... His stubble was rough against her skin but it made her feel alive, the feel of it rubbing against her face allowed her to forget the pain in her chest, the burn in her shoulder, focussing only on his lips on hers and their crotches pushed together, the occasional grunt her movements elicited in Daryl, her own intakes of breath.

'Beth?'

The sound of Maggie's voice snapped Beth out of her stupor.

'Shit,' Daryl breathed, pushing himself up and away from her as Maggie pushed the curtain aside and walked into the room.

'Oh shit sorry! I'm so sorry!' she gasped, flapping her arms before her and spinning around to face the wall.

'Maggie!' Beth gasped, quickly sitting up and gasping as pain flared through her.

Daryl had jumped up off of the bed and was frantically pulling up his pants which had fallen down around his thighs and shakily zipping them back up as Beth tried to do the same with her own. His face was flushed and frightened.

'I'm so sorry I didn't know you were in here – I didn't mean to -' Maggie stammered from her place by the wall.

'I'll go,' Daryl grunted. He turned to look at a just as flustered Beth then ducked out of the room, leaving the curtain flapping behind him.

Beth pulled herself up to sit back against the wall, placing her hand on her heart in an attempt to calm it through the flesh, to stop it from hammering its way out of her ribcage and up her throat. Maggie was staring at her.

'Damn Beth I didn't -'

'Don't.' Beth shook her head and closed her eyes. She took several deep breaths then pushed her hair back out from her face. Once her breathing had calmed down somewhat, she opened her eyes and looked up at her sister properly. Then she frowned; Maggie had been crying.

'What's wrong?' Beth asked, her embarrassment dissipating at the sight of her sister's frightened, miserable face. 'What's happened?'

'It's Glen,' Maggie said, and Beth heard the wobble in her voice, 'he's sick. He's got the sickness.'

Beth's hand flung to her mouth, her eyes widening.

'He's gone to see Dr S. in A block, he's been put into isolation,' Maggie said. Her voice rose as she spoke, her eyes darting from each one of her little sister's own eyes, desperately searching for the comfort or understanding she needed.

'He'll be okay Mags,' Beth said, moving to the front of the bed and reaching out to take her sister's hand.

'No I – I might have it too,' Maggie gasped.

'I don't care,' Beth said sternly, taking her hand anyway. 'What happens now? What do we do?'

'Nothing,' Maggie shrugged, 'there isn't anything we can do. Visit him. Stay strong for him.'

'Okay,' Beth nodded, squeezing her hand, 'okay.'