A/N - Thanks for reviews they made my day. I wanted to update sooner as completely invested in this couple. But my crazy life got in the way.

The room fell eerily silent for a second, just before the glass bottle violently hit the floor, smashing in to a thousand pieces, the sound penetrating through the walls.

Daryl had surprised himself even, with the sheer force he had used to hurl the dusty old peach snappes bottle down on to the filthy floor of the now rundown bar.

But as he stared down at the shards of glass spreading across the broken wooden floorboards, he instantly felt an immense sense of release. Just with that one simple action he had released all the pent up anger, frustration and sadness he had been holding on to since they had left the prison. Anger that the Govner had destroyed their home, frustration that he hadn't been able to do more to save it and sadness that they had lost everyone else. He knew it wasn't that easy to rid himself completely of that burden, but in that moment it was temporarily smashed to the floor along with the offending bottle.

Beth looked up with startled eyes. Her hand still trembling from the courage she had been working up to take a sip from the dusty old bottle, she'd triumphantly managed to find buried deep in the rubble of the demolished country club bar they had stumbled across.

Daryl's gaze travelled over to her. His eyes softening slightly as he said in a defiant voice, "Ain't gong to have no damn peach snappes for your first drink."

Beth had been a little scared at first, never fully witnessing Daryl's mean streak so abruptly before. But that fear had quickly turned to annoyance that he had ruined her plan. Then finally after looking at his eyes she had realised there was nothing to be mad at him for. He might act the tough guy, but his eyes gave him away. He had actually been acting out of nothing but kindness.

She had been looking for a drink all day. Daryl had wanted nothing to do with the ridiculous plan. Thinking it immature and pointless.

But seeing her sat up at the dusty dirty bar all alone, her eyes wide with apprehension as she bit her lip, looking nervously at the filthy bottle in front of her. His heart had melted slightly. As much as he had trouble showing it, he cared about Beth. She was one of his original group, she was family to him and it wasn't right that she was sat on her own in the middle of a ruined old bar about to have some nasty cheap sickly liquor for her first drink. A drink that would likely make her pretty ill in the process.

There wasn't anyone else around to look out for her now, so it was all on him, and now that he had come around to the idea, he had a plan to make the occasion more special for her.

…

"What is this place?" Beth said curiously, as Daryl led her in to a small dirty looking log cabin hidden deep in the woods.

He ignored her at first, he wasn't entirely comfortable with being there. It reminded him too much of a time in his life he would rather forget. Memories that haunted him still, even now. But he had come across it recently on a supply run, and he knew it would be fitting for the occasion.

"This, is your first drink," he said walking away from her, over to where he knew there was a shelf holding several jars of clear liquid. Taking hold of the nearest one, lifting the lid the smell instantly confirmed it could only be moonshine, a gold mine of alcohol. There was some grotesque monster wandering around out there to be thankful to for this stash, he thought to himself, as he pulled it out, setting it down on the floor in the middle of the room.

"Wow, is that moonshine?..." Beth asked, staring at it with wide eyes as she set her backpack down on the floor and kneeled down in front of it. Apprehension flashing across her pretty face, as she suddenly wondered whether her mission to find a drink had really been such a good idea after all.

She'd heard stories about moonshine.

But she'd been pretty determined to find a drink, so there was no going back now she thought, reaching out to pick up a glass, her stomach twisting.

Beth had wanted something to focus on, something to keep going for. But now reality was kicking in.

What the hell was she doing? She heard the voice of the girl that she used to be, saying to her.

"You…you wanna try too?..." She stammered to Daryl, after she'd take a sip, wincing at the strong overpowering taste.

She looked over to catch his eye, from where he had sunk down in to a battered armchair over to the side of the room.

"Nah, someone needs to keep watch," he mumbled in a low serious voice, avoiding her gaze as he stared directly in front of him. His relationship with alcohol was not the best and this was no time for drinking. There was danger everywhere.

"Come on, you're not going to make me drink all on my on, are ya?" Beth replied with a twinkle darting across her eyes as she lit a small candle in front of her to brighten the place up a little.

Something about the way Beth was looking at him caused Daryl's mind to wander slightly as blood rushed around his body. He knew he should keep watch, he should be the sensible one. But, maybe none of that mattered now anymore, he thought. They'd already lost pretty much everything.

What more could there be left to lose? He debated internally with himself, as he thought how he'd never asked to be her chaperone. The thought of just giving in and getting wasted out here in the middle of hell tempting him even more.

...

Beth drank some more.

She had never quite been sure what all the fuss was about when it came to alcohol. She had seen her father transform before her eyes, seen her sister puking her guts out, and her friends doing plenty of things they wished they hadn't, all because of alcohol.

But putting the cool glass to her parched lips to sip, she finally realised the appeal, as a warm glow spread across her.

The tension from earlier easing a little. The girl she used to be vanishing quickly. The world had changed and so had she.

The Beth Greene before the world went to shit, would have been too uptight, too concerned about what her parents would think, about what might happen to her, to have even contemplated having an alcoholic drink. But none of that mattered now, she could be dead soon. She wanted to have fun, while she still had the chance.

The more she drank, sipping cautiously, despite having pretty much nothing but the clothes on her back and the least talkative awkward member of their group for company, Beth felt herself relax more and more.

She wanted Daryl to have fun too.

She looked over at him, at his hardened features and the pained expression on his face. She wished he was experiencing the same slight rush from the alcohol she was. Because even though neither of them knew what the future held for them, in a funny way all that mattered was being here now, in the moment.

She didn't say anything further to him, just smiled and gestured to him with the jar of booze trying to tempt him without words.

In one quick movement Daryl reached out and took it from her, knowing he had sealed his fate then and there. Once he'd had a taste of it, there would be no stopping him, god help her.

"We should play a drinking game?" Beth suddenly exclaimed her eyes becoming slightly glazed, her lips curling up in to a playful smile as she looked across the dimly lit room at Daryl's unimpressed face.

"You aint at college now," he said with a moody scowl.

If he had needed any more proof that she was just a kid, still in her teens, this was it.

Rather than dismiss the idea entirely though he just took a long swig of the pungent liquor in his hands. It was good. He had forgotten just how good.

"We could play, 'never have I ever', I say, I've never and then you drink if you have…" Beth explained, her voice upbeat and excitable, glancing at him in more anticipation.

Daryl's lips twitched in to a smirk. Something about the sweetness to her voice was causing him to let his guard down slightly. Remaining silent, his body language allowed her to carry on.

"I'll start..Ive never been drunk before," Beth said quickly, "Never even had a drink, not even on vacation."

Daryl raised his eyebrows. "Seriously?"

Taking the opportunity to drink some more. He thought how his upbringing couldn't have been further from the sheltered one Beth had led.

Suddenly at that moment everything got to him again, feelings he'd tried to keep at bay flooding back as he remembered the life he used to lead, the world in which he'd grown up in.

He wiped his mouth, the alcohol clouding his judgement some what, raising his voice he said, "Well, I've never been on vacation, in fact guess what I've never been out of Georgia before, never had a family to take care of me either, or a birthday party or a damn pony…" watching her intently to see her reaction at his cutting words.

Beth looked at the cold expression on Daryl's face, full of anger, hate even. Just when she thought he was softening slightly, he flipped right back to being a jerk. Did he really think she cared about who he used to be? Did he really think that the people either of them had been before all of this, even mattered now? She was certainly under no illusion that he had been a saint before. But here, now, he was strong and brave and decisive, he had taken control when there was no-one else. He had put others before himself, he had a good heart and he had saved all their asses, hers on more than one occasion.

In Beth's eyes he was a rock star. One day she would tell him that. One day.

"You want the truth, you got the truth, princess," he went on to say. Attempting to provoke her some more as she remained silent.

"I ain't no spoilt princess," she finally replied bluntly, matching his tone of voice. He might think she judged him, but he was judging her just as much.

He wanted her to push him away, but she wouldn't do that, no matter how hard he tried to make her.

An awkward silence followed.

Digging her fingernails in to her palm, unsure of how he would react Beth finally said, "I've never made a girl cry."

Daryl shook his head slightly, he might be a tough nut to crack but so was she, he thought, as he drank slowly.

"I've never been to church on a Sunday," he said, causing Beth to breathe a silent sigh of relief at the lighter tone to his voice, as she took the opportunity to drink some more too.

She sucked in a breath, feeling even more light headed now.

She knew Daryl felt the need to remain guarded, cautious, but she couldn't help but picture what he would be like if he let the walls come down. She was sure she starting to feel something unspoken building between them, almost a sort of tension.

Wondering if she was imagining it, she blinked, her heart racing as she looked at him through her long eyelashes, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the candle placed between them. The buzz of the alcohol spurring her on, giving her confidence, as thinking she might regret it she said, "I've never been in love before."

He twitched instantly.

Beth was sure she saw another look of surprise cross his face.

She hadn't openly admitted it to anyone before, but she hadn't loved either of her previous boyfriends. She'd been fond of Jimmy her high school sweetheart, then Zach had been fun, but she hadn't had the chance to love them. Not properly. Not in the way her parents had loved each other, or Maggie and Glenn. Beth knew enough to be aware love couldn't be measured or defined, that it was an intense emotion that blossomed over time. She knew she may never experience it now, but until the day she died she would never give up hope that she would find it.

Daryl was a little taken aback at the openness of the statement. He looked away as though he was deliberating his response.

He couldn't work this girl out.

It wasn't surprise he felt at her confession, he cared little what she'd felt for her previous boyfriends and had given them next to no thought. It was more the fact that deep down he knew she was trying to get him to open up, and the insecure and defensive side of him wanted to hold her back. He didn't open up for anyone. That was how he survived. But he couldn't deny that however much it confused him, he was starting to feel more at ease with her.

He shifted uncomfortably still with no real idea how to respond to the deeply personal question Beth had just thrown at him.

Beth felt her cheeks flush as she glanced down at the glass in her hand. Had she completely misread the signals? She had thought they were more relaxed with each other now, that she could get him to open up. But maybe she had crossed a line, she thought, as her heart stopped for a second, bracing herself for him to flip out again.

But before either of them had the chance to say another word, everything went black as a gust of wind seemingly from no-where blew the candle between them out. The door to the run down log cabin bursting open with force, and a group of walkers clumsily made their way through it.

Daryl was on his feet immediately, cross bow in hand as he knocked them all out, one by one like he was playing a computer game. Effortlessly.

Beth looked on in awe, she knew there was no way she could have handled them like that. It was a harsh reminder of how much she needed him.

"This place ain't safe no more," he said gruffly once the last one was on the ground.

His guard firmly up again, he swung his cross bow over his back as he swooped down to pick up his backpack.

"We need to find some place more secure," he added, turning his back to Beth as she quickly got to her feet to follow him. Their game over.

A/N - This chapter was more of a filler to set things up. Things are going to start taking a different turn to the show next. Thanks again for any feedback.