Follow Me, Beth
Chapter 5

Daryl leaned against the wall, his arms folded in their usual manner, hands tucked under his arms. A light flickered overhead and he noticed how Beth's eyes darted around the room. She was alert and aware of everything, and he had to wonder if the clinic somehow brought back the sense of being trapped in Grady Memorial. He wondered if she felt trapped here, claustrophobia, like he did locked in that boxcar at Terminus. Those experiences came back around, that feeling, the anxiety, he knew the most unexpected things could trigger it, and here she was surrounded by people she barely knew, in a sterile environment that smelled like bleach and astringents, bright fluorescent lights overhead and the only exit probably feeling like it was getting further and further away.

That's why he was here, though, standing off to the side, where she could see him — where he could see her. Even though Denise had insisted he leave, he refused to let her be alone again. There was no argument to be had with Daryl when it came to Beth, not now. He was here for her, because he promised she'd be okay, that he would make sure she would be okay. For a long time, all he wanted was to find her, now all he wanted was to be here for her, with her.

He watched as Beth flexed her wrist for the doctor. Denise pressed her bony fingers into Beth's sensitive flesh and when he saw her flinch, it took everything not to react brashly. His whole body felt the surge to respond, but he grit his teeth and steeled his eyes on Denise with a critical gaze.

"How does it feel?" Denise asked.

"Well, it hurts when you do that," Beth said, eying her.

Denise met her gaze and then nodded and picked up a soft brace, sliding it onto Beth's hand and velcroing it. "At least it's not that mess you were wearing when Aaron found you. It really should've come off weeks ago," she said, blaming the weakness in Beth's wrist to the prolonged use of the plaster cast. "This is all you need, now, a soft brace and a couple more weeks. Do the stretches I showed you as often as you can tolerate it, and you'll have full mobility and strength back in it before you know it."

She reached up to touch Beth's scar on her cheek, "You know, I may have some Vitamin E oil if you—"

Beth jerked her head back before Denise could even touch her. "I'm fine."

Denise stepped back and just looked at Beth. "Are you sure about that?"

"She's sure," Daryl said as he pulled away from the wall and came over, placing a hand on Beth's back as she slid off of the table and onto her feet. "Thanks for the check-up, Doc," he said before leading Beth to the exit. He could feel the tension in her back, all of her muscled stiff beneath his fingertips. She was wound tighter than his crossbow and he couldn't blame her.

"You okay?" he asked

Once outside, Beth turned to face him. "She makes me feel like…"

"Like what?"

"…A freak," Beth said, looking at him.

"Why? 'Cause of your scars?" he asked. "You're not."

"I know that," she said. "I'm not ashamed of my scars, Daryl… but the way people look at me here— not at me, but at my scars—"

"Screw 'em."

"Daryl—"

"Who cares what they think?" Daryl reached out, his instincts to comfort and protect Beth overriding anything else. He cupped her face with his hand and brushed his thumb over her scar on her cheek. "You know what I think they see?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed and wondering, shaking her head ever so gently against his hand.

"Someone tough, brave, who can take a hit like a damn champ—"

Beth smiled and laughed under her breath.

"Who can come back swingin' and… still be pretty as ever," he said.

Beth blinked a few times and a smiled again. Cautiously, shyly. Despite every kind and good and wonderful thing she'd come to know about Daryl in their time together, things no one else had ever seen from him, he still surprised her in the most amazing ways. From the nervousness suddenly entering his eyes, it appeared he surprised himself, too. She wanted to say something, thank him, but knew saying anything would only make him retreat more quickly. So she just… smiled.

That smile being different from the last, it gave him that strange little flutter in his stomach, which seemed to immediately rise into his chest. He cleared his throat and let his hands fall away to his sides once more. "I mean… they're just jealous."

"Of scars?"

"No," he said. "Of you, Beth."

She shook her head, gripping her bound wrist with her good hand and flexing it a bit. Turning her hand over, she looked at the bare scar on her other wrist and recalled the moment Dawn tried to shame her over it… but scars, she learned, were badges. Permanent amulets of survival and courage.

"Not one of them could make it outside these walls the way you could, and they know it," Daryl said. "'Cause they see the scars and that you're still standin'."

Beth looked at him and saw that he was still standing there, like some breathing statue, just watching her in a manner so much like that night in the prison, where he'd loomed in her doorway, unwilling to leave her to her own thoughts. She smiled at him. "I'll wear them proudly, then," she said.

He nodded, the corners of his firmly pressed lips curling up slightly. The wobble in his head as he moved it said it all, that jovial little spark that showed he was feeling quite pleased with himself for making her smile.

"Excuse me. Beth?" Aaron approached them, drawing both her and Daryl's attention. "Now that you've had a night to settle in and see your family, Douglas would like to meet you."

"Who?" Beth asked, looking at Daryl.

He sighed, "Douglas Monroe. Guy in charge here."

"He likes to meet with all newcomers," Aaron said. "Speak with them. Get to know them—"

"Interrogate them," Daryl said, clearly not too keen on the man. For whatever reason, it just felt like there was something off with Douglas, and Daryl didn't like when he couldn't put his finger on it.

Aaron just smiled at Daryl's jab and returned his attention to Beth. "It all helps him determine if it's a good fit and just what sort of job you'd do best with."

"I'll go with ya," Daryl assured her.

"Douglas has a process. You know that. He only meets with people one-on-one in these meetings," Aaron explained.

"Yeah, I remember," Daryl said. He also remembered the way Maggie and Rosita both came out of that office after speaking with him, uncomfortable, tense. Neither said anything, but Daryl knew them and he knew when something was amiss. Hell if he was letting Beth go in there without him a stones throw from her side. "I'm still goin' with her."

"Then you can wait outside," Aaron said.

Daryl shrugged.

"Come with me, then," Aaron said, turning and walking off.

Beth looked at Daryl, who reached out and let his hand settle on the small of her back. "Let's get this over with, huh?"

"Who is this guy?" Beth asked quietly as they walked.

"Douglas?" Daryl asked.

She nodded.

"Some old guy. Runs things 'round here. Harmless. A bit of a privileged dick, but can't blame 'im when you look at how good they've had it compared to us," Daryl said.

"This place doesn't feel real," Beth said.

He looked at her. "But it is."

"No, I mean… when things are too good to be true—"

Daryl nodded. "Well, we're on our guard. And, besides, you're here with us, now. We're all together. That's what matters. Right?"

Beth smiled, leaning into him and bumping her shoulder into his as she looked up at Daryl. "Right."