Hope you all like the new chapter!

"Bethy, can you tell me more about what that doctor told you at the CDC?" Maggie asked during dinner that night. Maggie had to know more about all of this, as she was so torn inside.

Beth had made a rabbit stew from the rabbits that Daryl had caught her earlier and her cheeks were still slightly pink from the blush that formed when Daryl told her that it was possibly the best thing he had ever tasted.

"Well it was really like we told you. Dr. Jenner showed us a picture on the screen. It was more like an xray in a way. We could see what was going on inside the patients head" Beth started

"Yea, ya could see all these little squiggly lines running thru her brain….what did ya call 'em again Beth?" Daryl asked, why he shoveled another spoonful of the stew in her mouth. She held back a chuckle at how cute he looked eating and answered.

"Brain waves, Daryl. And he is right, you could see her whole brain functioning. But has the virus set in, you could see her brain shut down, till it was completely black" she said, her voice turning sad. "Then after a few minutes, you could see a little flutters from the brain stem but nothing else. All of her brain functions were gone. The only thing working is the brain stem, which is why they can move. But everything else…" she stopped for a moment to stifle a sob "everything that made them the people we loved is gone. They are not alive. The virus and the blood loss kill you. Even if you are just bit, but get the bleeding to stop, you still die from the virus. It burns you up from the inside" she said softly, pointing toward her chest. "Didn't you see that with…..with Momma and…and Shawn?" she continued, trying not to start crying while she talked. Daryl had put his spoon down during her explanation and when she finished, he gently placed his hand on her arm. He was new at this "friends" thing, but smart enough to know she needed support right now. As he did, he saw a look shoot from Hershel to Maggie and to Otis. He knew then that they were keeping something to themselves, but they were entitled to their secrets. He assumed that it was probably a bad memory of when either Beth's Momma or brother turned and they didn't want to share it with her, which he agreed with.

"Yeah, the fever hit Shawn hard. That was why Annette was in with him that night. We didn't know then how the virus worked. If we did…." Maggie said softly, shaking her head as she looked out the window, a sad expression on her pretty face.

"I'm sure they will be able to find a cure for this" Hershel said as he placed his napkin down on the table.

"Like we said before Daddy, there is no cure. If you get bit, you die" Beth said, her tone turning strong.

"They used to say that about Aids, and now look" Hershel reasoned with a shake of his head. A small part of what Beth was telling him was sinking in, but he was stubborn and could not give this up. That was his wife in that barn, his child. No, there had to be a cure for them.

"Daddy" Beth stated as she jumped from her seat and slammed her hands on the table. "This is not like Aids. This virus kills you and brings you back to life as a monster. There is nothing worse than that. Being one of them is worse than being dead" she finished and then turned around and ran out of the room, a few seconds later the sound of the screen door slamming let them know she went outside. Daryl didn't even bother to look at any of them as he stood up and followed her out of the house. He didn't like the thought of her being out there by herself. He knew that the discussion upset her. 'Of course it did ya dipshit. She was thinkin about 'er Momma and brother" Merle's voice rang thru his head. "I know that asshole" he growled low as he walked around the corner of the house.

"Who's an asshole?" a soft voice asked him from the porch swing on the other side of the house. He turned to see Beth sitting there, curled up with her legs pulled up to her chest and her head resting on her knees. The way the moonlight shined in her hair made her look like something from heaven….."Our angel" Merle's voice told him.

"The voice in my head that sounds like Merle" Daryl stated as he walked up the side stairs and sat down beside her on the swing. He figured the honest answer would be just a crazy as any lie he could make up about talking to himself. When he heard her giggle a little, he knew he made the right call.

"What does Merle's voice tell you?" She asked, her eyes curious as she turned her head to look at him.

"Mostly stuff I can't repeat in front of ya" he said with a little smirk that caused her to giggle again. But a moment later her eyes turned sad again.

"Are ya ok?" He asked as he moved a blond curl behind her ear, causing a sweet smile to play on her lips.

"Yeah, I shouldn't have blown up like that. I know they have not witnessed it as much as we have, but my father is not a stupid man. He should know that this is not something curable. Why is he being so stubborn?" She huffed as she adjusted herself so she could lay her head on his shoulder. She felt him tense for just a second and then relax, which caused her to smile to herself again. She couldn't help but feel happy that he felt comfortable with her.

"I think he just wants to believe in somethin'. After losin' your Momma and your brother, he wants to keep his faith, his hope" Daryl said just above a whisper.

"How did you get to be so smart Mr. Dixon?" She asked with a little chuckle as she squeezed his arm, trying to stop the rush of heat she that went thru her body as she felt his bicep.

"Been hangin' around ya to long" he chuckled back as he started tickling her in the side, causing her to burst out laughing. Man how he loved that sound.

"Ok, ok, I give" Beth panted as Daryl slowed down the tickling. As he finished, he moved a little when he thought she had decided to come after him, but after a moment she had just moved her hands around his waist and hugged him tight.

"Thank you Daryl!" She breathed out as she snuggled into his chest.

"Wha for?" He asked as he slowly moved his arms around her and held her to him.

"For coming out here, for cheering me up. For just being here and being you" she mumbled into his chest as she started to fall asleep in his embrace. For a few moments he was just struck dumb. But then he brought himself back and stroked her hair softly.

"Naw girl, thank you. Thank you for being our angel" he said softly as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss to the top of her head.