So...That was the worst MSF in history. I will continue my Bethyl fics, because I feel that Emily Kinney was totally shafted. I love Beth, and she'll live on through me. And every other Bethyl writer. Keep calm and Bethyl on! Love all of you!
-A
Chapter Seven:
Beth had set an alarm, so she could know when to wake up and make Daryl leave her bed. She remembered setting it; eight o'clock. She knew neither of them had to work the next day, but she didn't want some surly, scraggly-haired man in her bed for more than a couple of hours. She knew that all she'd have to do is wake him up, tell him to move his ass to his own bed, and then she'd be able to sleep for the rest of the day.
So, imagine her surprise when she awoke at 11:30 a.m., with Daryl Dixon next to her, and Rick Grimes looming over her bed.
"Shit." She mumbled, sitting straight up.
"Uh, got somethin' you wanna tell me, Beth?" Rick asked, cocking a head to the side.
"It's a funny story, really." Beth chuckled, trying to deflect Rick's signature steely glare.
"I'm sure it's hilarious." Rick replied, cocking an eyebrow.
"We, uh, went to the Rattlesnake Saloon last night. Talked to Joe Kober." Beth muttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed, as if the events of the wee morning hours didn't happen.
"Oh, I know. Michonne called me—flippin' her damn lid—and told me. Do you realize how dangerous that was, Beth? Talkin' to a guy with a record like his?" Rick asked.
"Yep. I do, actually. He's actually quite personable when you're wavin' a .357 in his face." Beth replied flatly.
"What the hell, Beth?! You're a doctor, not the Godfather! You could've been killed!" Rick snapped.
"Yeah, I know that, too. Four years of medical school, Rick." Beth said sarcastically.
"Well obviously you must have been on some kind of party drug, because you were out of your damn mind." Rick said, a hand on his hip.
"No, Rick, I wasn't." Beth said, standing up, staring him down, "My sister and brother-in-law were in trouble. She's the only one I've got, and I don't want 'er endin' up like the last one. Or have you forgotten all about that?" Beth asked coolly. Rick winced. Beth knew she probably took it too far, but still, he needed to understand.
"No, Beth, I haven't forgotten at all. That's why you should've let Michonne handle it." Rick said calmly.
"No, Rick. Y'all are great at what you do—really, you are—but you already saw what they did to Glenn. I couldn't let 'em hurt Maggie—I wasn't gonna let them kill her." Beth explained. Rick remained calm for a second, taking in her words. Daryl sat up, groggily, looking around, and then settled his eyes on Rick.
"Mornin', Grimes." Daryl said nonchalantly.
"You're no better, Dixon. You're gonna get yourself killed!" Rick exclaimed. Daryl rubbed his eyes, looking at Beth and then Rick.
"This about last night?" Daryl asked.
"No, Daryl, it's about that fight with the Georgia Tech majorettes at the Christmas parade five years ago. Of course it's about last night, dumbass!" Rick all but yelled.
"To be fair, I went so she wouldn't get 'erself killed. She did most of the talkin'." Daryl explained. Rick looked at Beth, who smiled sheepishly.
"An' she pulled a gun on Joe Kober, too. Cocked the hammer back an' threatened to get 'im on speakin' terms with Jesus." Daryl added.
"Yeah, well aware of that. And you let her?!" Rick asked.
"What was I 'sposed to do? Confiscate her gun? She's got a pistol permit—it's still for King County an' your ol' pal even signed off on it. She got 'er information." Daryl said, "She even bought a couple shots from 'im."
"Sweet mother of God, Elizabeth Greene. You are, by far, the stupidest person I've ever met. He could've shot you dead in an instant." Rick exclaimed.
"Yeah, but he didn't. He gave 'er all the information she wanted. She got the job done." Daryl said, in Beth's defense.
"If I do recall, Rick, you pistol whipped someone not too long ago, am I right?" Beth mentioned. Rick snapped his head toward her, narrowing his eyes.
"This ain't about me." Rick replied.
"It's the same thing, though. An' besides, Joe told me everything I needed to know. Got two guys arrested, now didn't it?" Beth asked. Rick couldn't argue, he knew she was right.
"Are we done here? 'Cause I'm starvin'." Daryl said.
"No, we are not. What the hell were you doin' in her bed?" Rick asked. Beth rolled her eyes.
"Nothing, dad. We rolled in at five-thirty. He just kinda collapsed like a blob." Beth replied flatly.
"Don't you have a boyfriend? That looks suspicious." Rick said.
"Course it does, Grimes. But I can assure you, I made 'er keep 'er hands to 'erself. Wasn't easy, that girl's got a wild streak. But we kept our pants on." Daryl said, his face deadpan.
"That isn't what happened and you know it, Daryl! Besides, like I would even consider doin' anythin' with Han Solo's sidekick!" Beth exclaimed, rolling her eyes. Rick couldn't help but chuckle.
"Suit yourself, sunshine, I'ma go find some grub." Daryl said, getting up and walking out of the room. Rick pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing heavily and rolling his eyes. Beth looked at Rick in confusion, saying nothing.
"What does Gareth think about this arrangement?" Rick asked. Beth straightened up her shoulders, looking at him stoically.
"Excuse me?" Beth asked, raising her eyebrows.
"What does Gareth think about this? Daryl livin' with you?" Rick asked again.
"Uh, he's not a big fan at all. Can't say I blame 'im." Beth replied, sighing.
"I worry 'bout you, Bethy-bee. You haven't been the same since Lori died." Rick said. He'd finally said it. Beth knew everyone had worried about her seemingly fragile emotional state, but she had been healing—slowly but surely. It was true, she'd had a brush with attempting suicide since Lori's brutal death; Beth being closer to Lori than she was to anyone else except for Maggie. But, she'd overcome it, and she was all the wiser for it.
"Rick, I'm fine. Really. What's with this sudden concern?" Beth asked.
"After Shane, I just worry about you. I don't want you to get into trouble." Rick said.
"I'm fine. Trust me. Stressed out, but fine." Beth answered.
"Alright. Just be careful, okay? Promise me you won't do anything stupid like this again. Technically, I could get you for bringin' a gun in a bar, but I'll look the other way this time." Rick said, walking toward the door.
"Alright. Cross my heart, won't do anythin' crazy like that again." Beth promised.
"Daryl!" Rick yelled, walking toward the front door, "I'm headed out. Remember, surveillance tonight!"
"Got it, Rick. See ya round." Daryl muttered, eating a plate full of eggs. Rick walked out, and Beth walked over to the breakfast bar, checking her phone. Sure enough, Gareth had text her.
Morning, lovely. How are you?
I'm tired. But good. What are your plans today? Beth asked.
I was thinking of going to a new club tonight with a lovely blonde doctor. How would you like to go? Gareth asked.
I'd love to! Beth replied. Gareth had text her back, saying he'd pick her up at 6:30 for dinner, and then they'd head to the club for drinks and dancing later. Beth smiled at his reply; she liked hanging out with Gareth. He was a breath of fresh air, compared to spending most of her days with cold bodies and introverted doctors. True, Beth was kind of an introvert herself, but she liked being around people like Gareth, who carried a certain air of confidence about them.
Beth began getting ready at 4:30. She showered, curled her hair, making a braid halo at the crown of her head, put on her makeup, and then slipped into a dark purple party dress that came just above the knee. If she said so herself, she looked pretty good. Daryl had already left, following Brian Heriot to a fundraiser, and Beth waited on Gareth to show up. Sure enough, 6:30 rolled around and he was there, smiling brightly, with a bouquet of flowers.
"Hey, Beth! Wow, you look absolutely beautiful." Gareth said, smiling.
Beth blushed. "Thanks, hon. Figured I'd change out of the scrubs for a change." She said.
"Well, you look incredible, really. Now I feel under dressed." Gareth teased. Beth put the flowers in a vase, and Gareth looked around, noticing the absence of Daryl.
"So where's Dixon?" He asked.
"Gone. Surveillance." Beth replied. She couldn't say too much about it; she figured that her answer would suffice.
"Ah. Well, you ready to go? I made reservations for us at La Tavola." Gareth said. Beth smiled widely, excited that they were going out.
"I can't wait! Looks like it'll be fun." Beth replied. The two walked downstairs, down to where Gareth had parked his car on the street. Beth climbed in the passenger seat, and the two drove to the restaurant. The two had a lovely dinner, Beth enjoying her ravioli, and Gareth ordering a few glasses of wine. Beth chose to drink soda, she wasn't a fan of alcohol. After dinner, Gareth took her to a club, Terminus, where he began to drink, and the two began to dance.
"Gareth, don't you think you need to slow down?" Beth asked. He'd had three glasses of wine at dinner, and already had three shots of tequila.
"I'm fine, honey. Really. You sure you don't want anything?" He asked, smiling.
"No, I'm fine, I don't need anything." Beth replied, patting his arm in reassurance. They'd met some of Gareth's friends, and were having a fun time, until Gareth started to drink more heavily. He'd ordered vodka and more tequila, and then two Jack and cokes. Beth knew he was drunk, and if she were being honest, she didn't like it.
"Gareth, I really think you need to slow it down. You're gonna get sick. All that alcohol isn't good for you." Beth said softly.
"Oh Beth, I said I'm fine. I know how to handle my alcohol." Gareth replied, his speech slurred just slightly. Her friends, Sasha and Bob met up with them, too, and Beth was glad that Bob and Sasha were choosing to stay sober like she was.
"That's the third time he's gone up to the bar." Beth said worriedly.
"No thanks. One year sober, I ain't messin' that up now." Bob said, sipping on a Sprite. Sasha nodded emphatically.
"I don't like how much he's drinkin'. I really don't. I've seen what too much alcohol can do to a person." Beth said, sipping her own Dr. Pepper.
"Yeah, you sure you wanna go home with that?" Sasha asked, only half-joking.
"No, I'm not." Beth replied flatly, "But I don't want to leave 'im alone."
"You're not his babysitter, Beth. You're a doctor." Bob said sternly. Beth nodded as Gareth came back, another drink in hand.
"Beth, we should get out of here." Gareth said, slur in his speech.
"Gareth, I don't think that's a great idea." Beth said.
"Beth, come on! We just need to get outta here. We can go back to my place. Or yours." Gareth said, this time, grabbing Beth's arm. Sasha and Bob looked concerned, but Beth gave them a reassuring glare.
"Come on, Gareth." Beth said, helping him stay stable. She walked him toward the door, and stood next to the street, and began trying to hail a cab.
"Why you calling a cab, Bethy? We can drive home." Gareth said.
"Gareth, you're drunk. I'm callin' you a cab. I'm goin' back home." Beth explained.
"You're not going home with me?" Gareth asked.
"No. That's not a good idea." Beth replied.
The look on Gareth's face changed suddenly; he went from looking carefree to stoic in just a matter of seconds.
"Are you afraid of me, Beth?" Gareth asked darkly, throwing Beth off guard.
"No, Gareth. But you're drunk. I can't let you get sick." Beth replied, trying to keep the peace. She'd seen this several times before in patients when she shadowed in the emergency room; and she really didn't like it.
"Beth, we're going back to your place." Gareth said. He didn't suggest it this time, he ordered it. The hair on the back of Beth's neck stood up; she was growing quite concerned.
"Gareth, you need to get in the cab and go home. I'll check on you tomorrow." Beth snapped. This time, however, Gareth grabbed her by the arm, shoving her into the cab with him. He called out the address of Beth's apartment, and Beth grew concerned. They weren't, in reality, all that far from where she lived, but Gareth's mood had changed drastically, and Beth was concerned.
"We're going to go back to your apartment and we're gonna have a nice time, Beth. That's what's gonna happen." Gareth whispered. Beth nodded quietly, trying to scoot to the other end of the cab.
"Why are you trying to get away from me, Beth? Don't you wanna spend time with me?" Gareth asked.
"O—of course, Gareth." Beth muttered, "I'm just really sleepy."
"No you're not. You just don't wanna be here with me. Don't worry, we're going back to your place." Gareth hissed. Beth suddenly felt terrified; normally she could hold her own, but this was quite different. Soon, they arrived in front of Beth's apartment building, and Gareth drug her out of the cab, and up the stairs to her apartment.
"Gareth—Gareth you need to let me go." Beth whispered. This seemed only to enrage Gareth, who grabbed Beth's hair and began to drag her—slowly—up the stairs. Beth felt like he was ripping all the hair out of her head, and her eyes began to tear up.
"Shut up! Shut. Up." Gareth hissed through gritted teeth. Beth tried to get away, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward her apartment door.
"Open it. Now." Gareth ordered. She opened the door, and feared what Gareth would do. He yanked her in as hard as he could, slamming her against the wall so hard that she felt all the air leave her body.
"Don't touch me!" Beth yelled. Gareth surprised her by delivering a sharp slap to her face, causing her lip to bust.
"You can't tell me what to do! I never wanted to hurt you. But you'd rather spend your time with Dixon." Gareth snarled.
"Gareth, no, I don't. I promise I don't. Gareth, I wanted to spend my time with you." Beth began to plead.
"Wanted? Past tense?" Gareth yelled, throwing Beth into the coffee table. She was stunned, and as she tried to stand up, Gareth grabbed her hair again, and started to drag her down the hall. Jake, hearing the commotion, managed to pry the bedroom door open, and came snarling into the living room, biting Gareth's leg. Gareth kicked him—hard—across the room, as Beth screamed in horror.
"I love you, Beth! Don't you see that? I wanted to tell you sooner. I wanted to show you. But now, I can't, because you're sleeping with that man!" Gareth yelled. Beth couldn't understand how his personality shifted so dramatically.
"Gareth, stop! Stop it! You're hurting me!" Beth screamed. She slapped him—hard—and he reciprocated, throwing her into the wall so hard that he left a Beth-sized dent in the sheet rock. She was on the ground now, trying to crawl to her room—where her gun was—and hopefully put an end to whatever psychotic tirade he was on. Jake followed her, growling and snarling. He was still only a puppy, and not his full size. Unfortunately, that made it easy for Gareth to move him out of the way. Beth pushed the dog forward, ordering him ahead of her. She tried to crawl, she needed to get to the bedroom.
However, Gareth grabbed her feet, and began to drag her back to the living room. Beth began to scream and kick, getting free just long enough to get her footing, before Gareth grabbed her from behind, and tackled her to the floor. Beth bit his arm, hard enough to draw blood, and began to fight him as he slammed her head into the hardwood floor repeatedly. Jake barked, the hair on his body standing up. Gareth kicked him again, this time sending him into the TV stand.
"My dog! Don't touch him! Don't you dare touch him! Let me go!" Beth screamed, trying to get out of his grasp.
"I'm going to kill you for this! I have to! You never loved me!" Gareth screamed over and over, as Beth worked on trying to wriggle free.
"Let me go! Let me go, and I'll help you! I can help you, I'm a doctor!" Beth exclaimed.
The more Gareth slammed her head into the floor, the more she felt herself lose consciousness. She didn't want to die, especially over something so incredibly trivial, but she felt that this could be the end.
Until she heard the doorknob jiggle, and then she heard the unmistakable gait of Daryl's feet.
"Get up." Daryl growled. Gareth stood up, a smirk on his face.
"You caught me, huh?" Gareth asked condescendingly, "I should kill you. Then I could just have Beth to myself."
"What the hell's goin' on in here, Beth?" Daryl asked, turning his attention toward Beth. She noticed his hand was reaching toward his side, and she hoped that he was reaching for something to stop Gareth with.
"He's trying to kill me!" Beth screamed. Daryl's eyes shifted toward Gareth, who was now making his way toward Daryl. Gareth tried to rush Daryl and knock him to the floor, but Daryl was faster, and had Gareth on the ground in just a few seconds. Daryl put a knee into Gareth's back as Gareth wrestled him, and Daryl instructed Beth to call police.
Gareth reached for a piece of broken class in the floor from the coffee table, lunging at Daryl. Beth held Jake tightly and screamed, begging the 911 dispatchers to send police quickly. Daryl slammed Gareth into the door, nearly knocking it off it its hinges. Gareth in turn managed to slice Daryl's cheek with the shard of broken glass, but Daryl grabbed Gareth's head, slamming him into the door frame, knocking him semi-unconscious.
While Beth was watching the scuffle take place, she grew worried that Gareth in his state would kill her and Daryl both. However, after seeing Daryl slam Gareth's head into the door frame, and hearing the loud "thunk", she was relieved when she realized Daryl had subdued her attacker, and she was even more relieved when police arrived just minutes later. However, she wasn't happy that the responding officers were Tara Chambler, a friend of Glenn and Maggie's, and a brand new rookie, Noah Jones.
"Oh my God, Beth." Tara said, noticing her battered face, "Was this..."
"Yeah, the first time. He started drinking and didn't stop. His attitude didn't change till I tried to get him home. To his home." Beth replied as EMT's arrived and began tending to her.
"If Daryl wasn't here, I'd be dead."Beth added.
"Glad Daryl was here, ma'am, really. He didn't tell you he's done this before, has he?" Noah asked. Beth sat up straight.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"Gareth has some issues with alcohol. He had a similar throw down with another girlfriend about seven months ago. Had to go to AA meetings after that." Tara explained.
"He didn't tell me that at all." Beth replied.
"He didn't tell you that he had schizophrenia either, did he?" Tara asked, "Because he's had episodes of paranoia for a while now. His mother's called on more than one occasion because he's out of control."
"How come he didn't tell me?" Beth asked.
"I didn't know, maybe he thought he could hide it. Is your dog okay?" Tara asked. The dog whined in Beth's arms. He was still only fourteen weeks old—not a large dog yet, and Beth was more concerned for the dog than her own safety.
"Can you call daddy? Ask him to come look at Jake?" Beth asked. Tara nodded, and made the call to Hershel. Beth shook as EMT's told her they wanted to bring her to the emergency room for tests as well.
"Ma'am, we think you've got a fractured wrist. And a concussion. We need to see if you're okay." The first paramedic said.
"I can't leave my dog." Beth whimpered.
"Me and Maggie will stay with him, Beth. You go on to the emergency room. I just called Maggie too, she and your dad are on their way." Tara replied.
"I'll go with 'er, Chambler. Can't let 'er go by 'erself." Daryl said.
"Alright. But you know we're gonna need a statement, Dixon." Tara reminded him.
"Yeah, I know. But she's all beat up. I need to go with 'er." Daryl said. Tara nodded, and Daryl helped Beth into the ambulance. They headed to Atlanta Regional Medical Center, and Beth was taken into one of the emergency exam rooms.
The first nurse came in, and Beth was already frustrated.
"Listen, it's superficial head wounds, maybe a concussion. I'm showing all the symptoms, and you need to check that. I may have fractured my wrist. That'll need an x-ray." Beth explained. The nurse pursed her lips, placing a hand on her hip.
"And just how would you know this?" The nurse asked.
"I'm a doctor." Beth replied.
"Oh, really?" The nurse asked rather condescendingly.
"I graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in May. I'm a pathologist. Now, are you gonna get a doctor in here, or am I doin' that by myself?" Beth snapped. The nurse looked genuinely surprised, too, when Beth began to take her own blood pressure.
"You can't do that." The nurse said.
"I have hospital privileges." Beth replied. Soon the doctor, Doctor Edwards, came in, and began to look over her chart.
"Well, Dr. Greene, seems like you've had a rough night. Can you tell me what happened?" He asked, examining her face and eyes.
"I went out to dinner with my boyfriend—well, ex-boyfriend. He started to drink. Then we went to a club downtown. He started drinking even more, and it bothered me, so I tried to get 'im back to his place. All of a sudden his mood changed, he ordered us back to my apartment, an' then he tried to kill me." Beth explained, giving the doctor an abridged version of the events.
"Well, Dr. Greene, you're certainly lucky. We'll put that wrist in a cast, but other than that, you're okay. Just a minor concussion, and we'll have to stitch that head wound." Dr. Edwards explained, "You're really, really lucky. I'll be back in a few."
Beth nodded as the doctor left, and Daryl sat quietly in the corner chair. Beth picked at her nails before looking up at the detective, sighing heavily.
"Thank you, Daryl. For savin' me." Beth said. Daryl looked up, thoroughly surprised.
"Wasn't nothin'. Just right place at the right time." Daryl responded.
"It was. He was gonna kill me, Daryl. I've never been so afraid in my life." Beth told him.
"Well, now at least you won't be bringin' 'im 'round there anymore." Daryl joked. Beth chuckled.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. No more datin' for me!" Beth declared emphatically, waving her hands in the air.
"C'mon now, can't be like that all the time. You'll find someone someday." Daryl told her.
"Daryl, look at my track record. Ol' deputy Shane Walsh, who is, as I've said, a great big 'ol bag of dicks, and then there's professor Gareth, who is the mayor of crazy town." Beth said. Daryl laughed, nodding.
"Guess you're right. But we ain't all bad." Daryl replied reassuringly.
"When I was in high school, I dated a guy named Jimmy. He worked on the farm, an' then I found out the only reason he was datin' me was 'cause he had a crush on my sister, Maggie. Then my freshman year of college, I dated a guy named Zach. And Zach was pretty much perfect." Beth explained.
"Then why ain't ya with 'im?" Daryl asked.
Beth sighed, her breath hitching. "He was leavin' my house one Friday night, an' a drunk in a Chevy just happened to be drivin' the same road as him. Him him nearly head on. Wrapped 'is Dodge Charger 'round a tree. Zach's mama called me that night, so upset. I didn't even get to say goodbye, he was already gone. But that's okay, I hate goodbyes anyway." Beth shrugged. Daryl stared at her for a moment.
"How long ago was that?" Daryl asked.
"Let's see, I was seventeen, so that was six years ago. I try to imagine the person he'd be today. Wonder if he'd be a teacher or an' engineer or somethin' like that. He always said he wanted to be a mechanic. Funny how life works out, right?" Beth asked.
"You're tellin' me. Andrea, when she shot me, it was actually on accident. We were huntin', an' she didn't see me. She felt terrible 'bout it." Daryl explained, "I know we didn't work it out, but I still hate that she's gone."
"Do you miss her?" Beth asked.
"I don't miss bein' with 'er. I just hate that she went out like that." Daryl replied. Beth didn't say anything; for once, she didn't need to.
"Well, thanks, anyway, Daryl. I really am glad you were there. Maybe you livin' with me for the time bein' isn't so bad after all." Beth said, smirking.
"'S no problem, doc. Glad I could help." Daryl told her, winking back. Soon, the doctor returned, and had Beth's head stitched up in no time. They put Beth's wrist in a cast, which she insisted needed to be green. Hershel and Maggie came and picked them up, taking them back to the apartment. Beth was relieved to know that Jake would be just fine, just a little sore for a few days. Hershel also told Beth that Jake would probably weigh more than she did when he was fully grown, which would work out in her favor. Again, it was another late night for Beth and Daryl, who didn't get home until 2:30. Lucky for Beth, it was still only Sunday, which meant she could still sleep in. She decided she'd probably take Monday, too, because of her wrist, and hoped that she would heal quickly. Hershel and Maggie left shortly after 3:00, heading to Maggie and Glenn's condo for some sleep. Beth felt terrible that they'd both waited up for her, but she was grateful for them nonetheless. She noticed that Hershel and Maggie had cleaned the apartment, getting rid of the broken coffee table and trying to repair some of the damage. Beth smiled, walking to the fridge and grabbing herself and Daryl a beer.
"Thanks, doc." Daryl said, opening the bottle and taking a sip.
"You don't have to call me 'doc', ya know. I have a name." Beth replied, teasingly.
"I know. I just think 'doc Greene' suits you." Daryl replied. Beth blushed, darting her eyes toward the floor.
"Doc Greene sounds like my daddy." Beth mused, "But I don't mind it."
"Well, Beth, I'm headed to bed. My own bed this time. You should turn in, too." Daryl suggested.
"Night, Daryl. I'll be to bed a little later." Beth replied. Daryl walked down the hall, Beth watching as his bedroom door closed. Jake followed behind him, and wormed his way into the bedroom. Beth heard Daryl say something similar to 'hell no', but she knew that the dog had won him over. Beth herself walked to her room, changing into her Georgia Tech t-shirt and a pair of black shorts. She laid in bed for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling, her wrist throbbing. Her breath hitched as her eyes began to close, and then, she war jarred awake by the vision of an angry Gareth under her eyelids. It scared her, if she were being honest, and before she knew what she was doing, she was creeping into Daryl's bedroom, sitting at the foot of his bed.
"Daryl. Daryl please wake up." Beth whispered. Daryl sat straight up, staring at her, his eyes wild.
"Whatcha want? What's the matter?" He asked frantically.
"I can't sleep. I'm still freaked out. Can I please just sleep in here tonight?" Beth begged. Daryl ran a hand through his messy hair, and sighed heavily. He pulled the covers back, grunting.
"Come on, Greene. Get in. Just don't wiggle around." Daryl said. Beth nodded, rolling over to face Daryl. Before she knew it, Daryl was already asleep, and she was beginning to drift herself. She began to close her eyes, and then was startled at Daryl, who had thrown an arm around her waist. Strangely enough, she didn't mind, she rather enjoyed it. It made the rest come easier for her.
And she knew that she was starting to warm to him, and that she should be concerned, but now she was too tired, and Daryl made her feel so safe, and for her, that was enough for now.