AN: I know I said this chapter was going to be the last chapter continued. But, Janice, my muse, put this in my head. She is a bitch like that. ;) So I am sorry for not sticking to what I told you. Please forgive me. Hope Y'all are enjoying this story. XOXO to all those who have favorited, followed and reviewed. You, babies, are the best.

4 Years Earlier -

Oh, her feelings were hurt. And mad. Okay, more hurt than mad. Fine. She wasn't even mad but she was pretending to be mad because she SHOULD be mad but she isn't. She is just hurt. But, she wants to be mad. She doesn't want to be hurt, she wants to be mad. Angry. Pissed, even. But that wasn't her. No, that wasn't Beth Greene. Beth Greene doesn't get mad, she gets her feelings hurt because she is so sweet, kind, caring and trusting. And, so damn stupid.

Ugh. What an annoyance. She trusts everyone and that's how she always ends up in this damn position. Meeting someone, falling for them, TRUSTING them and then getting hurt. Then, she does it all over again. It's a vicious cycle. "You can't fix stupid," she mentally mocked herself.

She had liked Zack. She had. But, once again, she wasn't good enough and the guy she wanted, had wanted someone else. They had made plans for tonight. Something simple. Dinner and a movie at the Black and White movie theater in town.

Walking to her car, finally off of work and ready to go home to get ready, she rounded the corner of the building, and she spotted him.

Of course. What a surprise. He wasn't alone. He was with Amy. And, they were trying to see who could suck each other's face the hardest. So rude and so, well, disgusting.

She turned back around and took the long way to her car, giving Zack and Amy time to leave the area without seeing her.

But, she didn't want to sit at home for the rest of the night. If she did, she would end up stuffing her face with junk food and go through an entire box of tissues. She would sit there and feel sorry for herself. And, that wasn't Beth Greene's style. If Beth Greene was good at anything, it was pretending that shit wasn't bothering her. She was also good at distracting herself from acknowledging that it actually did. "Fake it until you make it, Greene," is what she has always told herself when shit got a little tough for her. And, that wouldn't be any different this time around.

Besides, it's Friday night. So, why not go to Abe's bar for some music, delicious food and more importantly, a shit ton of alcohol.

So, she went home and showered and changed. She kept her hair down. She did her make-up. Adding her bright red lipstick because she was feeling extra sassy. Okay, she was sad but damn it if she wasn't going to get her sassy on tonight. She pulled on a skin-tight, white tank top, which made her boobs look amazing if you asked her, then covered it up with a red and black plaid shirt. She decided to keep the plaid shirt unbuttoned. She pulled on her cut-off shorts and finished the outfit with a pair of her cowgirl boots. She was going casual tonight but that didn't mean she couldn't look hot at the same time.

She took one last look into her full-length mirror. "Damn, Greene. You look fucking hot," she said, winking at her reflection. She then grabbed her wallet and keys and left for the bar.

Walking into Abe's bar, she looked around. Not empty but not too crowded. The stereo system was blaring an old Tom Waits song. Her eyes glanced over at the bar and smiled when her eyes fell on him.

Her best friend, Daryl Dixon.

And, oh boy did that man look delicious. He was wearing a white t-shirt. Short sleeved so she could see the muscles in his arms flex as he rested them on the bar in front of him. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans, covered in grease stains from work, and his black combat boots. His hair was a mess like always and oh dear Jesus.

"I think I had a mini orgasm."

Good God every time she looked at this man, she damn near started drooling. How is it possible for one man to look that fucking good?

"My night just got a whole lot better," she thought to herself before sauntering over to the man.

"What are you doin' here, handsome?" the soft voice came from behind him.

He hid the smirk behind the bottle of beer he had been nursing to turn and looked at the beautiful blonde. He was pretty sure the breath had been knocked out of his lungs when he took a look at her. Happens every damn time.

"Damn. Did she ever not look beautiful?" he thought. He cleared his throat before finally talking to her.

"I had nothin' to do and didn't feel like going home to just sit on my ass."

"So, you decided to come here and sit on your ass instead?" she sassed, making him laugh.

"C'mere," he said as he stood up and held his arms out for a hug which she gladly stepped into, and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"What the hell you doin' here, girl? Didn't you have plans with that Zack guy tonight?" he asked as they both sat down.

"I did," she answered after giving her drink order to Abe. "But, then we broke up."

'Wha?" he asked, not sure he heard her right.

"We broke up," she repeated with a shrug and taking a drink of her beer. "He doesn't know that we broke up, but we broke up."

Daryl stared at her trying to read her. Her tone was definitely unattached. Her body language wasn't. She kept her eyes down, staring at the top of the bar. Her shoulders were tense and she couldn't keep her hands still. She was trying her best to act unbothered. Daryl mentally called bullshit. He knew this girl too well.

"Wha' happened?" he asked.

"The usual."

"Seriously?" he asked, already knowing what 'the usual' was.

"I was leaving work and walkin' to my car. When I rounded the corner to the parking lot, he was standing there, trying to suck Amy's tongue out of her mouth."

"Dumbass."

"What?" she asked, turning to look at him.

"He's a dumbass."

"That's not very nice, Daryl."

"You can't be really be defending the guy."

"I'm not defending him, it's just.," she said, trailing off.

"Wha?"

She didn't answer him. But, she didn't need to. He got his answer when he saw the tear fall down her face.

He turned her face towards him and softly wiped the tear away with the pad of his thumb.

"Don't go there."

"Go where?" she asked.

"Don't go to that place that you always go to after some punk fucks up."

"And, what place is that, Daryl?"

He stared at her, giving her the 'you know what I'm talking about' look.

"I just don't understand why I'm never good enough," she shrugged.

"I said don't," he snapped, taking a huge drink of his beer.

He hated when she did that. He hated that she always thought that she wasn't good enough. All because of a guy who was too oblivious to recognize what the hell they had right in front of them. He hated that she questioned her own self-worth and how amazing she was. If it was him...

But, it never would be him. He would never be the guy that would look at Beth Greene and recognize what he had. He wouldn't get to be the guy who got to take her out on dates and hold her hand, to show her off to everybody. He wouldn't be the one who got to give her his jacket when she got cold. He wouldn't be the guy who got to tell her every day how beautiful she is and how damn perfect she is. He wouldn't have the chance, at least, in the way these other fuck faces have.

Daryl was her best friend. He would always be there to remind Beth of how wonderful she is. She takes his damn jacket whenever she was cold, which was almost all the damn time. He would never stop telling her she looked beautiful whenever she asked how she looked. Which, was still weird to him. He may be her best friend but he wasn't a girl. But, he also hoped it never stopped because he loved telling her how beautiful she was. Because she is. So goddamned beautiful.

And, damn it! He hated when she let some asshole make her feel as if she wasn't good enough. She was wrong. So damn wrong. She was more than good enough. She was perfect. It was the guys she chose to give her attention to that weren't good enough. They didn't deserve to even have a chance with her. And, when they do get the chance, all they do it fuck it up. If they only knew how lucky they were.

"Daryl, I didn't mean to make you mad."

"You didn't make me mad," he told her, softening his tone. "I just don't like that you let these jerkoffs affect you the way that you do."

He smiled when she giggled.

"Wha's so funny?" he asked.

"How many names you goin' to call Zack tonight? I'm pretty sure 'jerkoff' is the third or fourth one you have used already."

"As many as I can think of."

They sat in silence after that for a moment, finishing up their beers.

"I got to piss. I'll be back," Daryl said placing his empty bottle on the bar.

Beth couldn't help roll her eyes at his crudeness.

"Thanks for the heads up," she joked.

"Anytime," he winked at her before walking to the restroom.

While Beth sat waiting for Daryl to return from the restroom, she ordered two more beers for them. She took a drink of hers and damn near choked when a voice from beside startled her.

"Weren't you supposed to go out with me tonight?"

Beth rolled her eyes, this time in annoyance.

"What the hell do you want, Zack?" she asked snarkily.

"I want to know why you stood me up, Greene."

"I don't have to explain myself to you. Now, leave me alone."

"What's with the attitude?"

"I don't have an attitude. I just want to be left alone."

"You didn't look like you wanted to be alone a few minutes ago. When I walked in you looked like you were enjoying the conversation that you were having with Dixon."

"You've been watching me?" she quickly turned to face him.

"Not watching. I just happened to notice."

Beth ignored him and continued to drink her beer. She kept taking glances towards the restroom wishing that Daryl would hurry back.

"So, how long have you been fucking him?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"What I do or don't do with Daryl is none of your fucking business," she spoke, sharply.

"How. Long. Have. You. Been. Fucking. Him?" he asked purposefully.

"I'm not fucking him. Not that you would have any right to judge me if I was."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"How's Amy doin?" she asked, giving him a pointed look.

"How the hell am I supposed to know how she's doing?"

Beth couldn't believe how stupid Zack thought she was. Catching him making out with Amy was the injury and now here he was adding insult by treating her like she was dumb.

"You mean, you didn't ask how she was doin' before you started making out with her? Such a gentleman." She didn't even try to hide the sarcasm in her tone.

"Beth, I.,"

'Zack, just leave me alone!"

She didn't mean to shout. But, she really didn't want to hear another excuse from another jerk. She didn't want to speak to him or be anywhere near him. She tried to act like she didn't notice the few people in the bar staring.

"Beth, come on," he pleaded, placing his hand on her arm when she got up to move further down the bar.

"She just told you to leave her alone."

Beth's head jerked to her left and she smiled as she looked up at Daryl. This man always shows up right when she needs him. She pulled her arm out of Zack's grasp and stepped closer to her best friend.

"You a'right?" he asked.

"She's fine, man," Zack answered. "We were just talking."

"Wasn't talking to you. Beth," this time, he made eye contact with the girl, "ya a'right?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Zack was just leaving."

"I just want to talk to you, Beth," he said, taking a step towards Beth.

"And, again, she told you to leave her alone," Daryl cautioned, taking a step between Beth and Zack. "If you were smart, you'd do what she said."

"What are you?" Zack asked, "Her bodyguard?"

"If I have to be."

"Come on, Daryl. Let's just go," Beth gently pleaded, placing her hand gently on his bicep.

Daryl looked at her for a moment and just nodded. They turned to walk away, Daryl placing his hand on her lower back.

"Beth," Zack tried again, taking a step toward the two.

Daryl instantly turned back around, stepping to Zack.

"Ya don't come near her again. If ya do, you'll find me in your path and you really won't like me then."

"You won't always be around to protect her."

Daryl growled deep in his chest. The guy already fucked up cheating on Beth. Then, he had the balls to keep bothering her when she told him to leave her alone. Now, the cocksucker was threatening her. He looked over to the bar where Abe was standing, watching the two men. Abe nodded at Daryl, letting him know he understood what he had to do.

Without hesitation, Daryl balled up his fist and swung. His fist made contact with Zack's mouth and blood started pouring from his busted lip. Zack had hit the ground and Daryl kneeled beside him.

"There ain't many people who I would go to jail over but, that girl," he pointed behind him at Beth, " is one of them. Keep fucking with her and I promise, I'll make sure you don't do anything ever again. I will rock the fuck out of that orange jumpsuit for her. Got it?"

After a nodding of understanding from Zack Daryl stood and walked back over to Beth.

"Daryl.," she started.

"I know, I shouldn't have done that,' he interrupted. "But, the prick deserved it."

Which was true. He did deserve it, plus more. But, he knew what Beth was going to say. He knew because he knew Beth. She was kind, caring, compassionate and forgiving. That is who she was. So, even though Zack deserved the hit, he knew what Beth was going to say. She was going to tell him that he shouldn't have hit him. That he wasn't worth it and that he should have just ignored him.

But, he couldn't have ignored the asshole no matter how hard he tried because he threatened Beth. As long as Daryl's heart still beat, as long as his lungs continued to consume air, as long as he was on this earth, nobody would threaten her. He wouldn't let them. He wouldn't let someone threaten her, disrespect her or hurt her. So, even though he knew Beth would disagree with him, Zack deserved the punch. So, he was surprised when she didn't scold him. Instead, she stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms instantly went around her waist. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and whispered, "thank you."

She pulled back slightly and his eyes locked onto hers. "Anytime," he said with a smirk and a wink.

"Now," she said pulling back and turning on her heels, "let's get drunk!"

He stood in place for a moment, watching his best friend walk to the end of the bar.

"That damn girl is gonna be the death of me. But, what a fucking way to go," he thought to himself.

With a shake of his head, he walked over to her and sat down on the empty barstool beside her.

"Cheers," she smiled, holding up one of the two beers that Abe had sat down already.

"Cheers," he smirked, picking his up and clinking it with hers.

Hope you babies enjoyed! Let me know what y'all think. Until next time - xoxo