Beth-

I thought about confronting Lori about her sleepin' with Shane but I just couldn't bring myself to do that no matter how much I wanted to. I didn't even know when they had slept together. It could have been since Shane and I have been together or before, I don't know. What I do know is Rick doesn't know. I know he doesn't and I can't do that to him and Carl. They're family. And it's not like I can tell her I know about them. That'll bring up a lot of questions and since no one knows Shane and I are...were together, it's best if I keep my mouth shut.

Bein' at their house for dinner tonight certainly doesn't help things one bit.

I've been thinking about what to do since I got home Saturday night and I'm no closer to an answer. It's not all about Shane and Lori. Between them, the trip and leavin' for college, it's all got me feelin' overwhelmed.

"Hey Bethie," Rick's voice broke through my thoughts.

"Hey Uncle Rick," I said with a smile as I took the dishes from him and placed them in the sink. I know my smile was fake and by the look on Rick's face, he knew it too.

"Beth, what's wrong?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Nothin's wrong. Just thinkin' about leavin' for college," I said, tryin' to throw him off but it didn't work. He was still starin' at me as he scrubbed at the dishes in the sink.

Rick-

Somethin's wrong with Beth. I know somethin's botherin' her even if she won't say what it is. She forgets I've known her since the day she was born and I know how bad of a liar she is. All through dinner she looked off. She barely spoke when Lori talked to her and she didn't talk to Carl like she usually does. She just kind of sat there and pushed the food on her plate around. It's alright if she won't say what's botherin' her, I know she will sooner or later.

I scrubbed a plate and handed it to her so she could dry it off and put it in the cabinet.

When I sat the last plate in the dish drainer, I turned to look her in the eyes but she wouldn't look at me, she just continued to dry the dishes.

As she was dryin' them, I noticed somethin' on her arm I hadn't noticed before. When she moved again, it was clear what it was.

A hand shaped bruise.

I leaned back against the table, closed my eyes and shook my head, tryin' to tell myself that it didn't mean anythin', it wasn't what it looked like. But when I looked back at her and she was leaned up putting the last of the dishes in the cabinet, I saw the same hand shaped bruise on her hips where her shirt had ridden up.

"Beth," I choked out, "Who the hell did that to you?"

She quickly turned round to face me with wide eyes.

"Who did what?" She asked.

"Who the hell did that to you?" I said, pointing at her arm.

She shrugged. "It's none of your business who did it."

"Elizabeth Ruth Greene," I raised my voice, "tell me who hurt you!"

"No!" She shouted, "it's none of your business. I wasn't even hurt."

"That's bullshit! And it is my business!"

"No it's not! You're not my dad. I don't have to tell you anythin'!"

"What the hell is going on in here?" Lori asked from the doorway. "I'm trying to help Carl pack his bags for the trip and all we can hear are you two in here shouting. What's going on?"

Beth-

The last thing I needed was Lori getting in my face, it's bad enough Rick already was.

"Look at her arm," he said, then before I could stop him, he jerked my shirt up. "Look at this."

Lori gasped when she saw the bruises and moved closer to me.

"I'm calling Hershel and Annette right now," she said while studying the bruises.

"It's nothin'," I whispered, "He didn't mean to do it."

"I've heard that before, Beth," Rick ground out through clenched teeth. "Don't make excuses for whoever did this."

"I don't care what you've heard before," I said as I pushed past him and Lori. "It's better if y'all leave this alone."

"You're crazy, Beth," Lori said.

I wanted to hit her, scream at her, call her out on what she did with Shane but I couldn't. Her words weren't meant to insult me, she wanted to help. I scoffed at them and grabbed my jacket off the back of the couch and walked out the door.

I was almost home when I realized I couldn't go there. Lori and Rick had no doubt called Mama and Daddy already and they'd be waiting up for me to get home.

I didn't know where I would go but I had to go somewhere.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in my car on the street in front of Shane's house.

I waited a few minutes before I took a deep breath and got out.

About halfway across his front yard, I stopped and turned back to my car.

I shouldn't be here. I couldn't come runnin' back to him after our fight and certainly not after Rick saw the bruises he'd left. Even if they were unintentional.

When I got back in my car and drove off, I started cryin'. I didn't know where I was gonna go so I drove around for awhile.

Around 2 a.m., I found myself pulling up to a small house on the other side of town.

There was already a light on inside when I knocked on the door but another one flicked on and then the porch light came on before the front door opened.

"Well, hey there, Sugar. What tha hell ya doin' 'ere this late?" Merle Dixon asked.

I shrugged. "Is Lacey home?"

"Naw. She's at work," he said, opening the screen door and steppin' aside to let me in. "Ya want somethin' ta drink?' He asked when I sat down on the couch.

"Sure."

He returned a minute later with a can of soda.

"What ya need Lace for, Sugar?"

"I can't go home. I was at Uncle Rick's and I got into a fight with him and Lori. Just need somewhere to stay until I can go home."

"Well, you're always welcome 'ere. Ya know where everythin' is. Ya can take tha couch or..."

I sharp cry echoed through the house causing Merle to shake his head and groan and mumble to himself.

"She still colicky?"

He nodded and walked off down the hall. I smiled when I heard little feet runnin' into the livin' room.

"Bethie!" My name was cried out almost sleepily.

"Hey Leah," I smiled at the little girl and reached out for her.

"Are you stayin' here tonight?"

"Leah, get yer ass back in bed," Merle called out.

I laughed and picked her up as I stood.

Once she was tucked back in, I went across the hall to where Merle was. He was bouncin' his and Lacey's baby girl, Olivia.

I moved over to them and lifted her out of his arms.

"You have to hold her face down, with your hand under her belly like this," I positioned Olivia on my arm, "and her head on your forearm."

He motioned for me to give her back to him. "Go on an' get ya some sleep, Sugar. Lacey'll be home in a few hours."

I did as he said but when I woke up a few hours later, instead of findin' Lacey at home, Merle's brother was there tryin' to get Leah to quit runnin' around and screamin'.

"Where's Lace?" I asked Daryl.

His eyes shot up and down the hallway to her and Merle's bedroom. "Where tha hell ya think? Merle called me when she came in an' could barely walk. Keep tellin' 'em if they don't clean up they're gon' get tha kids taken away."

"Yeah but Merle seems to be doin' better since he started workin' for daddy."

Daryl nodded. "Speakin' of yer pops, yer folks called 'ere askin' if you was watchin' tha kids. Merle told me to tell 'em you was and ta tell you ta stay 'ere 'til he gets home."

"Um...okay. Why?"

"Don't know exactly but could have somethin' ta do with those bruises ya got." Daryl leaned back against the counter and stared at me. "How'd ya get 'em?"

"It was an accident, Daryl."

"Sure it was."

The rest of the day I spent helpin' Daryl tend to his nieces while Lacey slept off her high before leavin' for work and promising we'd talk tonight.

By the time Merle came home, Daryl had already left and I had over a dozen missed calls, voicemails and texts from mama, daddy, Rick and Lori. All of which I ignored.

I helped Merle get his girls in bed but as I started for the door, he grabbed my arm and told me to sit down. I sat down on the couch when he went to the kitchen, coming back with a couple beers. He handed me one and sat down across from me.

He stares at me as he took a few sips then he sat the bottle down.

"Ya gon' tell or do I gotta ask?"

"Merle," I sighed, "it's nothin'. It was an honest mistake."

He shook his head. "Ain't no such thang as an 'honest mistake' when a man's leavin' bruises on ya like that. They sure as hell don't look like it was somethin' ya wanted 'im ta do."

Rick-

After Beth left the house last night, we called Hershel and Annette.

When Beth didn't show up, we all started callin' around. Annette called us at about 4 a.m. to let us know that she was at Merle and Lacey Dixon's house to watch their two kids.

We were all relieved to find out she was okay but we were all still slightly pissed.

She had bruises, clear as day, all over her and from the way she had reacted, they weren't done willingly.

Someone had hurt Beth and she was protecting him.

"Y'all found out where she went?" Shane asked when he got back in the car with our lunch.

I nodded. "Yeah. She went to babysit for Merle and Lacey. Their baby girl is sick and they haven't been able to sleep much with her wakin' them up every little bit."

Shane snorted. "Yeah, that and all the drugs they're takin'. I can't believe Hershel lets her go over to the Dixon's knowin' what kind of people they are."

"Merle's doin' better since he started workin' for Hershel and Beth's good with kids."

He shrugged and took abuts of his hamburger. "So why'd she take of anyway? What were y'all fightin' about?"

"She had bruises in the shape of hand prints on her hips and arms. She wouldn't tell us who hurt her but we'll find out. She can't protect him forever.

Shane-

I didn't want to jump to conclusions on anythin'. The bruises may not have been from me. Beth could've gotten them from someone else, whether she was sleepin' with them or not.

"Maybe she just likes it rough?" I blurted out.

Rick looked at me questioningly. "I highly doubt that. The way she was actin' was exactly how we've seen abused women act. She was scared, she tried to hide them, she tried to play it off as if it were nothin' and then she tried to take up for the boy. She kept sayin' he didn't mean to do it. Oh, and she hasn't been home since we saw the bruises. Does that sound like someone who wanted that?"

"No." I swallowed past the lump in my throat and focused back on my food.

I knew then, I probably knew all along, but right then I knew I had been the one takin' leave the bruises and I felt Rick at the thought.

I hadn't meant to hurt her. And I'd have to find a way to apologize.

Beth-

I sat there a long time, drinkin' a few beers and tellin' Merle about everythin' that happened with Shane.

His jaw tightened just at the mention of his name.

"I'ma make sure that piece of shit knows if he touches ya again I'ma bury his ass."

I smiled but it faded quickly.

"Lori was easier to fuck than you." Shane's voice repeated it over and over in my head.

Out of everythin' that had happened and been said, that was the only thing I kept hearing but it didn't make any sense and then, finally, it clicked.

He slept with Lori! He fucked Lori! Lori, his best friends wife!

I stood up as soon as what his words had meant hit me. Merle looked at me, clearly confused, but I couldn't tell him what had been said. I couldn't tell anyone really.

I didn't have to think twice about it.

"I'm sorry, Merle, but I've got to go. Tell Lacey I'll talk o her later and if you need anythin', just call me."

I got up before he could respond and was out the door. I got in my car and headed towards the Grimes'.

Rick's car wasn't in the driveway when I got there, that I was thankful for, but Lori's was.

I didn't even knock before going inside.

"Lori?" I called out.

"In the kitchen," she answered.

She was standin' at the stove when I entered the kitchen and smiled at me.

"Hey, sweetie. We've been o worried about you. Are you alright. Are you hungry? Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"Did you fuck Shane?"

Lori almost dropped the bowl in her hand upon hearing my question.

"Ex...excuse me?" She asked.

"Did. You. Fuck. Shane?" I repeated.

She sat the bowl down on the kitchen table and wiped her hands off.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, Elizabeth."

"So you admit it. You did fuck him."

"No. I didn't admit to anything. But it's really not any of your business."

"Why? Why did you fuck Shane? When did you fuck him? How...how could you do that to uncle Rick? With his best friend? What the hell's wrong with you?"

"I didn't do anything, Elizabeth."

"You fucked him, Lori. He told me you did!"

"I don't know what Shane told you but you need to shut your mouth."

"Damn it, Lori," I shook my head, "just tell me when you fucked Shane."

"You slept with Shane?" Rick asked from the doorway.

Lori and I both stared at him in shock.

He stepped further into the kitchen and sat his hat down on the kitchen table.

"When?" He asked, his voice cracking just slightly.

Lori looked at me then back to Rick. "It doesn't matter when."

"Yes it does, Lori. When did you sleep with him? Why did you do it?"

"You don't give a damn about me anymore," her voice cracked as she spoke.

Rick looked completely heartbroken, hurt, disappointed and angry but he didn't say anythin' else to her.

"That's not true and you damn well know it, Lori. Why did you do it? Why Shane?"

Lori just stared at me, then Rick and then the floor.

She couldn't...didn't want to answer.