Rick looked from a panicked looking Glenn to a worried Tyrese. It was getting dark and there had been no trace of Maggie and Beth.
He looked across to where Daryl after spending the past couple of hours searching the area frantically, was now stood motionless looking out in to the soothing babbling water from the small stream in front of him. The sound was gentle and calming and in another time could easily have been seen to be incredibly peaceful. As Rick thought how even though the whole world could come crashing down around you, nature would always just carry on.
He looked back, his eyes meeting Tyrese's briefly exchanging a look, before he strode over to stand quietly next to Daryl. The four men had been up and down the stretch of land by the stream on foot again for the past hour. It made no sense that there were no visible signs of Maggie or Beth anywhere. But just like the other females in their group, they had suddenly just mysteriously vanished, seemingly in to thin air.
Gently, without speaking Rick placed his hand on Daryl, his brother's, shoulder. They were all in pain, but Daryl's was raw. Beth had been unexpectedly torn away from him again.
Rick had seen with his own eyes how much she meant to Daryl. Rick would be lying if he said he hadn't been a little surprised at first that they were seemingly together now in that way. Not just because Beth was so much younger and had always had boyfriends around her own age, Rick knew the world had been turned upside down and none of that mattered anymore. He was more surprised, because Daryl had always been such an introvert. So guarded and mistrusting around people. He had slowly been opening up to the group, finally accepting he was a valued and needed member of their survival family after all they had been through together. But to open up to someone and let them in they way he had appeared to do with Beth, that was what had taken Rick by surprise. He had just presumed Daryl would never seek out or be receptive to any kind of romantic relationship.
But the way he was with Beth, it was as though despite everything and their very apparent differences, they had been made for each other. They completed each other.
Daryl moved his head to look at Rick. Seeing his own pain clearly reflected in the light blue eyes of his leaders. They had all lost and were continuing to lose so much. Right now, Rick had lost his baby daughter, Glenn his wife, Tyrese his sister and Daryl had lost Beth. His Beth.
On his watch he had allowed her to be taken from him again. It had nearly killed him once before when she had been taken. But back then they had just been friends. He had cared about her, loved her even in a way, for she had been part of his group, his to protect. But now the way he had allowed himself to love her was so much more. Without even properly realizing it, she had slowly become his everything, his little something to live for.
Daryl had known that getting close to anyone the way he had allowed himself to get close to Beth was a huge risk in the world these days. The stakes were high. The indescribable joy and comfort from the physical closeness, the feeling that you weren't alone, that you were loved. Was it really worth it? He thought miserably. Was it worth the unbearable crushing pain that seared through you when you realized that person was gone? That you may never see them again or ever find out what had happened to them, that they could be being harmed as you remained powerless to stop it.
"They're still out there," Rick said, breaking the thoughtful silence, his eyes still locked with Daryl's.
Daryl nodded slowly in agreement, his eyes swollen from the crying he had been so powerless to prevent.
"Whoever took them could have killed them right here if they'd wanted to, but they didn't. There's no sign of any kind of struggle. They wanted them alive and unharmed," Rick continued.
Daryl felt his hands trembling slightly. He knew Rick was right. Beth was still alive, he felt certain of that and he knew wherever she was, he would find her and when he did he would never let anything happen to her again.
FOUR YEARS LATER
Hearing the front door slam noisily, Beth jumped from where she had been tossing and turning in bed for the past few hours. She glanced across to the clock beside her to see it was past 4am.
Very aware that Daryl's side of the bed was still empty, she had seen every hour since she had taken herself to bed alone earlier that night, as she had waited nervously for him to return to tell him her news.
Her stomach flipped as she heard him noisily stomping up the stairs. She wasn't sure whether to be mad or relieved that he was back. He hadn't stayed out this late for a long time and certainly never without telling her first or returning her frantic calls. She wondered what had changed.
She shifted back on to her side as he entered their bedroom.
Fumbling around in the dark, he sat down on the bed, clumsily kicking off his boots and removing his shirt as he switched on the bedside lamp, looking over at her.
She blinked, opening her big eyes to focus, pulling herself up in to sitting, her long wavy blonde hair falling over the white straps of her silky nightdress.
He didn't say anything, instead just leaned over to kiss her.
"Ughh.." Beth pushed him away in disgust, he wasn't going to get around her that easily, plus he stunk of alcohol and the smell was making her feel more than a little off colour.
"Where have you been?" She said a little accusingly as his eyes looked at her with half guilt, half annoyance at her question. He didn't think he would ever quite get used to some of the responsibilities that came with being married.
"Out, rough day, needed a few beers to take the edge off," he shrugged and said.
"And you didn't think to call?" Beth said, hurt.
Daryl rolled his eyes, "Didn't realize I had to check in," he said moodily, turning away. He knew he was being an ass, but he couldn't help himself, especially after a few beers.
Beth sighed, her heart sinking, he was drunk and she was upset, it would probably be best to have this conversation in the morning when he had sobered up, she thought.
But she was wound up and she couldn't help but say, "You don't have to check in, Daryl, but a little consideration would be nice. I had no idea where you were." Shaking her head, trying desperately to fight back tears, as she thought how she hadn't signed up to be the nagging weak wife.
"Couldn't get a phone signal," he lied, his voice softening with guilt. "I ain't perfect, alright, s'not like I make a habit of it." The truth being one drink had led to another and it had just been easier to put off the inevitable argument that it would cause for when he got home by choosing not to look at his phone.
Beth pressed her lips together. He looked uncomfortable, which made her feel a little uneasy too. "Who were you with?" She asked shakily, her big blue eyes searching his face, not wanting to have to ask that question. She felt certain Daryl would never cheat on her, but she still wanted to know what kind of people he was getting mixed up with.
A long pause followed as Daryl's eyes searched her face in return, his cheeks burning before he muttered. "Rick."
Beth's blue eyes widened with shock. Daryl had said he had run in to Carl Grimes a while back. Beth had been meaning to press him to call Rick too. But having had so much on her mind, she hadn't got round to it. Plus, if she was completely honest with herself, something had held her back. It was only a little something, but it was there none the less. A nagging doubt.
Daryl had been a bit distant since his surprise run in with Carl. Everything had been nearly perfect between her and Daryl since the end of the outbreak and she didn't want that to change. As much as she cared about Rick, whenever they had all been together trouble had seemed to follow one way or another. She wondered whether some things were best left in the past, whether they were all meant to walk different paths now.
But that aside, Beth couldn't deny that it would be incredible to see their former leader again and she suddenly felt a little hurt again, as well as slightly confused.
"Just you and Rick?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows, unable to hide her slight annoyance, he hadn't told her they had agreed to meet up.
"Michonne was there too," Daryl said.
Beth's eyes widened even more, breaking in to a surprised smile to hear Michonne was in Atlanta.
Daryl looked down at his hands, "And Carol," he mumbled.
Beth's eyes glistened with tears now, feeling even more hurt. She knew she was an emotional wreck at the moment, but she couldn't help but feel even more hurt and excluded that she had been left out of their reunion. That Daryl had left her out.
"So y'all just stayed out getting wasted and having a nice little reunion," she said sharply, her voice wobbling.
Daryl just nodded a little sheepishly, not wanting to admit that actually Michonne had left after one drink, Rick soon after to get back to his family, leaving just him and Carol sat at the bar putting the world to rights till the early hours, setting up their next chapter together as work partners. It had just been two friends catching up, but he wasn't so sure Beth would see it like that, so for that reason alone he had felt it was easier not to mention it.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Beth said, raising her voice.
"It weren't like that, it was a spur of the moment thing. You were busy at school, I didn't know when you'd be getting back and Rick wanted to see me about something, he had a proposition for me, I had no idea the others were going to be there," Daryl said quietly.
"What?... ..What did he want to see you about?" Beth questioned, biting her lower lip in anticipation.
"He wants me to work for him," Daryl said looking away.
Beth gulped, a feeling of dread hitting her. "As a cop?" she asked hesitantly.
He nodded, flicking his long hair, glancing back at her to study her face again; this wasn't exactly how he had planned to have this conversation.
Beth's eyes brimmed with the threat of more tears as she looked at him. She knew she should feel happy for Daryl, it was great that Rick thought enough of her husband to want Daryl to work alongside him now in such a position of authority. But the thought of Daryl out there on the streets night after night risking his life trying to keep order in their destructive and dangerous city, filled Beth with horror. Especially now, unbeknown to Daryl that they were going to have a baby in the not too distant future.
"You agreed?" she said slowly, already knowing the answer to the question.
Again he nodded, muttering, "Yeah."
"Without discussing it with me first," she snapped, her heart beating faster and faster. She knew she was pushing his buttons, but she couldn't help it.
Daryl screwed his face up, his eyes flashing angrily at her, "What, so I have to ask your permission now? I didn't see you asking my damn permission when you decided to go off and play at being a doctor."
She shook her head she knew he was a total jerk when he was drunk. Shooting him a filthy look her eyes burning in to his she replied fiercely, "That was different, and no, you don't have to ask my permission. But I'm your wife, this doesn't just affect you."
"Who d'you think I'm doing this for?" he yelled, "I'm doing it for you. You wanna move out of this house don't ya? You want us to get a damn car that don't break down every five minutes? You want us to have a better future?"
"Don't," Beth yelled back matching his tone. "Don't try and pretend this is about our future. This is about you, wanting to play the hero again. Well that's bullshit."
Daryl's fists shook with rage. He knew to some extent he might be being unreasonable, but in his eyes so was she.
Neither of them spoke for a moment, before Beth said a little quieter, her voice still shaking with emotion,"The dark times are over now. You don't have to risk your life again and again to save people anymore. You don't need to do that to feel needed anymore Daryl. Because I need you, we need you."
Daryl's heart stopped for a moment, his eyes instantly looking deeply in to her big blue ones. "Wh-what did you say?" he stammered, confused.
Beth suddenly felt a rush of nerves hit her. This wasn't how she had planned on telling him. She wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hands. She was infuriated with him at the moment, at his stubbornness and mean streak when he'd been drinking. But looking at him still melted her heart. She knew he was one of the kindest, most incredible and decent guys she had ever met. He was one in a million. There was a reason that Rick would have pursued him to work alongside him, there weren't many people willing to sacrifice themselves for others the way Daryl was and that was why despite all his shit she loved him so much.
She took a sharp breath in, looking back at his expectant face staring at her, working up the courage to say,"We're going to have a baby."
"What?" he asked again, his face full of shock as he continued to stare at her.
"I'm pregnant, I haven't seen a doctor yet, but I think I'm around four months, maybe more."
Beth immediately breathed out a sigh of relief when Daryl suddenly grinned, his face lighting up. Flinging his arms around her neck, crushing her a little, he held her close to his muscular chest, the tension from their previous conversation fading away as she heard his heart beating against her ear.
"This is great," he whispered, lost in the immediate moment.
"You want this?" Beth asked overloaded with pregnancy hormones and the emotion from the previous day's events and their fight.
Daryl nodded in to her soft blonde hair a tear running down his scarred face. Up until this moment he hadn't realized just how much he had wanted this. He was terrified, they both were, but he would make it work
Reaching down he lifted her chin gently away from his chest with his finger so he could look at her tear stained face. A warm glow spreading across her as his eyes told her how happy he was, before he leaned in to plant a soft kiss affectionately on her cheek.…They were going to be okay.
A/N - Thanks for reading! Please leave a review they are much appreciated.