A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys are absolutely amazing! I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS, HOWEVER I DO OWN ALL THE TYPOS AND WHATNOT. Enjoy! And remember Reviews are my fuel ;)

He could hear her call say his name in a broken and weak voice. He cold also hear the death moans. He was in the the hospital sitting on the edge of the elevator shaft looking down and seeing Beth at the bottom. Her face lit with her flashlight, eyes shining brightly as she smiled at him. The death growls grew louder and he seen them but words failed him, failed him to warn her and he watched on as they tore Beth to pieces.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Daryl woke with a start, sweat accumulating on his forehead. But then he heard it. The death growl from his dream. It was dark in the room, the only light source the moon shining in through the window. His hand had broken from Beth's in the middle of his sleep. He searched for her hand finding it gripping the sheets tight. He heard the growl again, he knew he shouldn't but he did, he looked up to find her eyes wide, her mouth releasing hissing noises and groans. He couldn't see if her color was removed from her eyes but the sounds his sweet Beth was making wasn't a Beth sound at all.

"No. No. No. No." He chanted getting hp from his chair next to her and pacing the room. Not her, not Beth. He finally stopped pacing, standing in front of the window looking out at the damaged city that surrounded the hospital. Damaged beyond repair. He couldn't save her. Three strikes and you're out right? Isn't the how the old saying goes? Sofia, Merle and now Beth. He was seriously going to stop caring about people. His caring was a curse. In true Dixon fashion he tainted anything he touched or cared for. The groaning started again followed by a loud thud. He knew she was coming for him. Wanting his flesh. But he didn't care anymore. He couldn't put her down. He couldn't let his last memory of sweet Beth being her blood being spilled over his knife and hand. Nope. He was going to let her bite him. Put an end to the misery of being a Dixon.

"Daryl?" That sweet voice he heard it again. It was weak and vulnerable and Beth. His mind, was trying to let his last memory be her voice before her dead corpse ripped into him. "Daryl, help?" The voice cracked again but this time it was followed by a cough and grunt in pain. He whirled himself around unable to believe his mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

Her bright blue eyes were looking at him, a look of horror and pain etched clearly on her face. He took the few steps in 2 long strides to get to her.

"Beth?" He asked looping his arms under hers and pulling her up from the floor.

"Everything hurts." She cried out in a quiet voice. He swept her off her feet holding her bridal style to place her back into her bed.

"Hold on." He said as he fumbled with the pill bottle the Doc had placed on the counter for when she woke up. He handed her 2 pills and a small glass of water and stood there mesmerized that his Beth came back to her. His strong Beth.

"Daryl what happened?" She asked sitting herself up further and wincing at the pain it caused.

"Don't." He said stooping her from trying to move. "Lemme help ya." He said lifting her up again and positioning her to sit up correctly on the bed. "Ya tried ta kill that lady cop. She shot ya." He said softly afraid if he talked to loud he would hurt her. "Shes dead now." He said looking up to her. "Oh." She said straightening out the hospital gown she had on once again. "Are you ok?" She asked looking up at him. Daryl dropped his gaze looking at the floor.

"Mmhmm" hr hummed out while kicking his boot on the floor. There were a couple of moments of silence and he looked up finding her gaze ranking over his body. He followed her line of sight looking down at his blood soaked shirt and pants. Her blood. "Sorry, guess i shoulda cleaned up a bit." He said softly. He took his vest off sitting it on the back of the chair he had been posted in for 3 days. He started unbuttoning his shirt. In front of others it would've never happened but Beth had seen the scars before, when her Daddy had been stitching him up. 'Wait, what the fuck are ya doin Dixon?! You don't remember what shes been through?' The voice spoke to him in his mind. His hands hovered over the last to unbuttoned buttons on his shirt. Noah had told him how each resident became property to one of the cops. That a few of them had been rapists, getting their jollies off before they went out into the cruel world. Noah told him that Beth had killed one of them. Had he been the one to touch Beth? Had he raped her? Or had she stopped him? Could it have been another one that had gotten to her? The bile started to rise in his throat. The same that it was when she had been kidnapped. How could he think about undressing in front of her knowing what she had probably been through. He wasn't going to ask if she had though and he didn't want to trigger anything for her either. Call him selfish but he didn't want to know. It'd just add more guilt to the pile had already for losing her in the first place.

"Whats wrong?" Beth asked watching him stand there for what seemed like minutes not moving at all. He shook his head looking up at her for the briefest moment and she saw it. Guilt. He looked away from her quickly knowing shed see it. Beth always could. No one else would see the crack in his armor but Beth could. Shed pealed it back that night at the shack and she stayed there making him feel. Feel things he hadn't really understood. "Talk to me Daryl." She said in a no-bullshit tone. She was feeling better he could tell from her tone and strength in her voice, the pain meds must have kicked in. He buttoned his shirt back up grabbing his vest off the back of the chair and crossbow from the floor and walked to the door but stopping just before opening the door.

"Gonna go git yer sister." He stated without turning to before opening the door and slipping out to the dark hallway.

She knew it. She knew he would blame himself. He didn't need to but she knew he would. She wanted to tell him she made it this far because of him. She was strong. She made it. She wanted to tell him she knew he would find her, that she was fighting to get out to find him. She knew he would still be out there. She knew that even if everyone else was dead hed still be out there somewhere and she needed him. She heard a soft sobbing coming from outside the door.

"Daryl?" She said loudly enough she knew he would hear her through the door. But then it was gone. A few moments later Maggie entered the room. She rushed to Beth sitting on the side of the bed and embracing her tightly. Beth hissed in pain. The pain medication was working but she could still feel the slight burning on her side. Maggie released Beth bringing her hands to Beth's face.

"Oh Bethy, I'm so glad you are ok. I thought i had lost you for good. I just couldn't stand the thought of losing both you and Daddy all together." Maggie said between sobs. "Daryl said you guys got out together but that you had been taken. He never gave up on you." Maggie said softly before placing a kiss to Beth's forehead.

Daryl sat outside the room like he had when he was waiting during her surgery. Maggie's words struck him and angered him also. Of course she was leaving out the part that she had given up on Beth. Had even left for Washington with Sargent Asshole and Dr. Fakie. But he would let them have their moment. He knew it would mean everything to Beth to have her sister back and he wasn't going to ruin that over the bitter feelings he had towards her sister. He needed a smoke anyways. Daryl stood up throwing his vest back on and heading to the roof to have a cigarette.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maggie had left a while ago leaving Beth to rest. Noah came in to check on her gave her the update on Dawn which she was already aware of. Although Noah had told her about Daryl's freakout after she was shot.

"That the man you were with when you were taken?" He asked her. Beth nodded. "That's why they didn't take him. He don't take no bullshit. He shot Dawn with no hesitation." Beth looked up wide eyes after Noah finished speaking. "He your boyfriend?" Noah asked. Beth didn't answer the question. Just closed her eyes and let the medication drift her off to sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"How is she?" Rick asked Daryl as he stomped out his cigarette.

"Shes up." He replied fixing the crossbow strap across his chest.

"Good. Good. I'm gonna ask the doc how long she is gonna take to heal so we can get out of this hell hole." Rick replied while looking over the city below. Daryl nodded and turned to go back in. "Daryl, it ain't on you. You know that right?" Rick said sensing Daryl's mood. Daryl nodded before walking away.

Daryl walked back to Beth's room. The door was ajar and he looked in seeing Beth sleeping peacefully. He was tempted to go back in and sit with her as she slept but he decided to go look for the rest of the group instead. The time would come they would leave this place and they would need supplies. And he needed new clothes and Beth would too.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey, you seen Daryl?" Rick asked Maggie. "I stopped by Beth's room but she wasn't in there."

"He found an empty room, said he was resting up cause he was gonna go on a run for supplies for when we left." Maggie answered. Rick nodded and left her room headed to find Daryl. He found him in the room next to Beth's. 'Never too far.' He thought to himself. He knew something had to be going on but he didn't know if it was romantic feelings or just guilt for losing Beth.

"What ya want?" Daryl grumbled out, arm draped over his eyes.

"Heard ya wanna go on a run." Rick stated." Shepard said shes gonna go on a run wants us ta go with her. You down?" He asked leaning against the door frame.

"When?" Daryl asked without moving a muscle.

"Tomorrow." Rick answered.

"A'right." Daryl answered and then waited for Rick to walk away before sitting up on his bed.

Daryl had laid down to rest, try to sleep but he couldn't. All he could think about was the pretty blonde girl that was next door. He stood up noticing it was just about time for dinner and headed to the cafeteria. He made a plate but took more helpings than was recommended for rationing. He silently walked past the group who seemed to be talking over a plan for where they would head next. He reached Beth's room and could hear her humming, the door ajar so he could make the tune out clearly. It was the song she had sang the night before all this mess started. She had been sitting at the piano, singing to him without even knowing it. He remembered standing in the doorway then just as he was now, letting her voice flow over him and under the hard shell that everyone else saw. She had always thought her singing had bothered him, thanks to that drunken night at the shack in the middle of the woods. The truth is, her voice was calming and that was one emotion he had never been comfortable with. Until her.

"You just gonna stand there or ya gonna come in?" She asked.