A/N You guys are so great to me, thank you, thank you! We'll see how you feel about this...

Three Weeks Later

Vazquez had come by the house and they'd discussed the investigation and what had been learned. Andrea had confessed to embezzling money from several small businesses throughout Georgia and Tennessee, under Joe's direction.

She admitted her part, but swore that Joe was the ringleader, that she did what she did because he scared her into it. She may get a little leniency from a jury with that defense, but that wasn't their concern.

She was in custody, Joe was dead, and except for the trial, case closed.

xxxx

He thought he was all healed up, ready to go back to work, the problem was, no one else agreed. The doctor said he was doing great, but he still had a ways to go and he wouldn't even consider giving him a release to go back, for at least another three weeks.

He was antsy, felt like he needed to be more active, and he was starting to get cranky about it. But Beth was the perfect nurse, all she had to do to persuade him to follow doctor's orders, was look at him with those big blue eyes and say, "Please Rick?"

And boom, he was putty in her hands.

They'd settled into their own routine.

They were both early risers, but he was a jump-up-out-of-bed kind of guy, and she was a drink-a-leisurely-cup-of-tea-before-starting-the-day type of gal. So for the past week he'd been making breakfast for them, nothing fancy, they were both happy with an egg and a piece of toast, but he sure did enjoy doing things for her, especially after everything she'd done for him.

When he felt like he needed to get some exercise before he lost every bit of muscle tone he'd ever had, she'd called the doctor and gotten it cleared, she'd turned him into something he never thought he'd be, a suburban farmer. She had him growing peas, beans, tomatoes and corn in the backyard. He didn't really mind, he actually enjoyed it, and part of the reason he enjoyed it, was she'd be out there with him working in the flower beds she'd planted.

He noticed he was getting mighty domesticated, and he also noticed, he was liking it.

They slept together every night, and he had no complaints, except now that he was feeling so much better, it was tough for him not to rush the physical part. He didn't want to push things with her, he wanted this relationship to be so much different than what he'd had with Lori. They'd started out hot and heavy, but that all went to shit shortly after Carl was born, and she seemed to get bored with his ass. Oh yeah, they hung in a few more years, until he'd found out about her and Shane.

He didn't want to risk anything like that happening with Beth. He didn't think Beth was the kind of woman that would do a man that way, but he didn't want her to ever feel she'd "settled" for him, or worse, married him because she "had" to.

And he was worried. Beth had killed a man and they hadn't even discussed it, in fact she hadn't discussed it with anyone except to give her statement to Vazquez. Rick knew he wasn't the only one worried, Daryl had voiced his concern.

Rick once had to shoot a man in the line of duty. He knew it was traumatic, even when there seemed to be no other choice. And damn, this was Beth and she was far more sensitive him.

That night when they crawled in bed, it happened. They'd kissed for a while, played around just a little, and now he was spooning her, his new favorite way to sleep, when her whole body started to shake and she was crying hard and loud.

His first instinct was to grab her tighter, "What Beth, baby what's wrong?" She couldn't calm down enough to speak. He was up on his knees now, and he turned on the bedside lamp, he looked down on her, stroking her hair and the side of her face, "Sweetheart, you have to tell me, what's wrong? Let me help you."

And she nodded and then she broke his heart, "I had to do it Rick, he shot you. I couldn't not do something, he was so mean and he hurt you, but Rick, that's not me. I'm scared, what if I lost myself? I'm just so confused. Sometimes I feel so guilty, and other times I'm happy I did it." She was crying so hard, and he didn't know what to do except cradle her in his arms and keep telling her it was going to be okay.

When she'd calmed down enough they went to the kitchen and Rick fixed her a cup of tea. "I'm sorry Rick, you're supposed to be resting and I'm keeping you up."

If the circumstances had been different, he might have laughed at that. Instead he smiled that smile, and cocked that head to the side and said, "All I've done is rest for four weeks, I don't think I'm in danger of collapsing from exhaustion Sweetheart." That made her at least smile.

They talked about it a little more and then he made a suggestion that he was worried might upset her. "Ya know Beth, we have a police psychologist, he comes to our office every week for a couple of days. How would you feel about talking to him? I know it helped me a lot when I was involved in a shooting." And to his surprise, she said okay.

She finished her tea and they went back to bed. She cuddled into him, told him how much she loved him, and fell asleep. He was relieved she was able to. He did not sleep, her breakdown had somehow sparked a memory of his own.

His mind went back to his interview with Eric in the hospital, had Eric said there were two distinct voices? If so, that meant the case wasn't resolved, there was still someone out there.

He waited until she was in the shower the next morning, then he called Vazquez. He told him what he remembered and Vazquez said he'd recheck all the notes Rick had, and also re interview Eric.

Then he asked to be connected to the psychologist's office, and when he told him what was going on, he said he'd like to see Beth that afternoon, he had an opening at 4:00. Rick took the chance she'd be agreeable to that, and made the appointment.

When she came out of the bathroom, smiling and all ready for the day, he asked her about the appointment. She shook her head and said, "No, I'm not going. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sure the doctor is a very special, loving and caring person, but I know he can't help me. I'm just going to talk to Daryl."

Now Rick was confused, "Talk to Daryl?"

"Well yes of course, Daryl. We have a very strong connection, I'm sure you've recognized that. I can tell Daryl anything and he can do the same with me, and I know this sounds strange to some, but we hold one anothers' key to finding the answers when we're troubled, to knowing what we need to do, or not do, next. Sometimes we communicate and we barely speak, we just look in each others eyes for a while. I realize we seem to be quite different people on the outside, but we share a certain essence, a sort of shared state of consciousness. As soon as I feel that I can leave you for a night, I'm going to go in the woods with him and we'll see if we can't get this all sorted out."

Rick was stunned. What does a man say to that, "What the fuck are you talking about?" Well no, he couldn't very well ask that. Hell, he knew she had her own version of reality, he certainly knew she was different than anyone else he'd ever known, way different, and he'd told himself when he first met her, he was going to have to accept her reality. But still.

And he was stunned about something else, Daryl? He'd known Daryl forever, and he loved the guy, he did, but he sure as shit never thought Daryl held anyone's deep answers to anything, especially not this woman, the woman he loved. And essence, and consciousness? None of that seemed to fit the Daryl he knew.

And just like that she said, "I'm hungry, are we having breakfast soon, or do you want me to cook?" Apparently she didn't realize she'd just dropped a bomb on him.

"Oh yeah, sorry, no I want to cook for you. Let me just call and cancel your appointment, and then I'll be right in," And Rick was thinking maybe he should just go and have his own head examined.

One Week Later

Beth and the doctor had decided Rick would be fine on his own, he wondered how come they got to do all the deciding about him, but he was trying to be a good patient and a good boyfriend, so he went along with them.

She'd made a plan with Daryl, they were leaving first thing Saturday morning. He'd be picking her up at Rick's, and they'd be riding to the edge of the woods, and then they'd walk in somewhere Daryl knew about, and they'd just hang out and he supposed they'd do their own personal brand of communicating, and then spend the night together.

To say that Rick was less than thrilled would be a significant understatement. But what could he say, No? Apparently this was something she and Daryl did, and they didn't seem to think anything was strange about it. And did he really want to be the asshole boyfriend who demanded things change? Well yeah, he kinda did. But he was going to be agreeable this time around, see how things seemed when she got back.

He knew she'd started having trouble sleeping, and he knew when she did sleep she had nightmares. So what the hell? Maybe it would help. And dammit, he loved her and he wanted her to be okay, to be her happy self again.

They'd only been gone about a half hour Saturday morning when Merle showed up at his place. Rick was glad for the company because, well shit, even though it had only been half an hour, he already missed her, he'd gotten spoiled having her around.

Merle sat right down and said, "Listen Rick, I know this shit with Beth and Daryl is weird. I'm sure yer wonderin' about havin' another man out in the woods with yer woman. But I gotta tell ya man, I've watched 'em in action. I'd call it a combination of creepy as fuck, and fascinatin'. Whatever it is they do, they both seem like much happier people when they're done. Now with Beth, ya don't notice that as much, cuz she always acts sweet and nice. But you know how damn sullen n shit Daryl gets, so when that boy makes a big ol' smile, I figure something positive just happened. Anyway, just wanted ta let ya know that cuz if I's in yer shoes I wouldn't be all that happy right now. But the other thing is, I think maybe baby brother has him a girl. Not sure 'bout that. Ya know he don't never say nuthin', but I got a suspicion."

And Rick couldn't help but smile, "Daryl doesn't ever say anything? What about you Merle? You sure kept this thing with Carol quiet. I think it's just a Dixon thing."

Merle just laughed and said, "Speakin' a Carol, she's waitin' on my ass ta take her for a bike ride, I better get in gear. You take care officer friendly."

And off the big guy went.

It wasn't another half hour that Beth's mama was at his door. He got her a glass of sweet tea and she launched right in, "I know this thing with Beth and Daryl seems so odd Rick, and I really hope you're not upset. I don't understand what the bond is, Hershel doesn't understand it either, but as Beth has told us, it doesn't matter if we understand, it works for her and Daryl. They're both so much happier than they were before they knew each other. They're two people who knew they didn't fit in, never thought they would, but somehow they give each other the strength to just accept that and not worry about fitting in. Oh I can't really explain it, but they seem to give each other whatever it is they need to just keep living in this world, where neither of them feels comfortable. I hope you're not angry Rick."

"No, I'm not angry at all Annette, I think you know I love Beth, and I knew when I fell for her she was a woman with a lot of quirks, and I told myself I was going to have to develop a whole new level of acceptance. I'm not going to deny it's pretty tough to watch the woman you love hop on the back of another man's motorcycle and ride off, but I know it's not about them sneaking off together. I trust them both." And he realized when he said it, he did trust them both. "I just hope that whatever this is between them, it does help Beth come to terms with what happened in the apartment that day."

She put her hand over his, smiled and said, "You're a good man Rick, I can see why our Beth loves you."

xxxx

Beth and Daryl had been enjoying just being in the woods. She tracked a rabbit, and he'd shot it with a bolt. They had a big afternoon meal of it, some cornbread and some beans she'd brought.

Then they'd relaxed against a big tree, and she told him the shooting was bothering her, and she couldn't find peace. And they talked a while, and they held hands. And then they didn't talk anymore. They looked at each other for a long time, and they put their foreheads together for a while, and then they both just closed their eyes, continuing to hold hands, and never said a word.

It was as though they both knew when it was done, and they looked at each other and smiled.

Daryl got up and said he wanted to go stretch out his legs, maybe set a couple of snares, take some rabbit back with him in the morning. She wanted to write in her journal.

"K Beth, I won't be gone more than a hour or so," He smiled and she just smiled back.

When he'd been gone about twenty minutes she started to feel uneasy, like there was kind of negative energy in the air. She was becoming more and more uncomfortable, when suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth. A gruff male voice whispered in her ear from behind, "Did ya think you was just gonna get away with killin' my friend? Think I's gonna forget what ya done? Well I ain't, but damn, yer kinda a pretty little thing. Might have ta teach ya a different kinda lesson, just 'fore I kill ya."

And that was the last thing he ever said as a bolt went right between his eyes.

Daryl rushed over to her and neither spoke, they just held each other tight for 20 minutes. And when they separated he said, "I love ya Beth."

And she said, "I love you Daryl."

And they gathered up their things, and Daryl took the guys' wallet, they got on the bike and rode to town to tell the Sheriff what had happened.

One Week Later

It turned out the guy was Joe's partner, Len Schmid, they confirmed it with Andrea Holden, and Rick felt certain the case was now closed. All that remained was for Andrea to be tried, but she'd made a full confession so Rick didn't expect any problems with a conviction.

All that was great. But what had him more amazed than anything was the calmness Beth had about the whole incident, and about her shooting of Joe. She was sleeping good at night, no more bad dreams. It seemed there really was something to this thing with her and Daryl.

That night as he held her close, and she cuddled into him and told him that she loved him, and he told her he loved her, he knew there was something he needed to do, something he had waited on, thought on, and now he knew, he needed to act, and he planned to act very soon.

A/N There it is. I'm not going to say anymore, you say something :-) More soon. Thanks so much for reading, please review.