The petals on the flower were white with life.. They were soft against my rough fingertips. I plucked one petal off and rubbed it between my fingers until eventually it ripped and fell away. It beauty lost and destroyed by hands.

And that is what i worried would happen with Beth. I worried if she stayed with me, the beauty and light that made her her would melt away because of me. Nothing beautiful or pure stayed when i am around, it always got blown away in my presence, as if i was dynamite.

I watched her now, scan the cupboards for food in the kitchen. She squealed and looked at me, handing me some cans of soup. "Its the proper Tomato soup Daryl!" She said and shoved them safely back in the cupboard, like she was scared of loosing them. She was so innocent, and so full of life.

I wasn't anymore, i don't think i ever have been. I walk away and move upstairs to scan the area, in case of any trapped walkers. I the bedroom and everything comes up empty. The house was in good condition, a little bit of dust here and there but you could tell someone lived her not long ago. There was two bedrooms, one with a double bed and one with a single that looks like a spare room. I opened the last bedroom and found the children room. There was small single beds on either side of the room, with a cot in the middle of them. I walked in, and saw some family photos. They looked so happy, this family that i would never know. The happiness in their eyes shone through the photo and into me. I thought about Merle.

The was a sharp smash behind me. I spun around, my crossbow ready to aim at a Walker. But i was shocked to see a bird instead. It looked at me, no fear in his eyes and jumped around on a bedside cabinet, causing another photo to fall off and smash.I should shoot it, food it food after all. But the White-Winged Dove was beautiful. It cooed at me before flying out of the open window. I watched it, fly off into the sky not a care in the world.

"What you doing?" Beth asked as she leaned against the doorway. I watched her for a moment, admiring her stance. Then I shrugged and bent down to pick up the photos the bird had knocked over, quickly glancing away.

She walked in and glanced around. The room was full of toys, from the floor to the ceiling. "Can you imagine how much fun the kids must have had in here? I would have had a ball when i was younger." She said and grabbed a toy from a shelf. She examined it lightly, passing it back and forth between her hands. She blew the dust off and then placed it back on the shelf and looked at me. I wished she'd never look at me. Those eyes, her face, it was just too much sometimes. I felt like she could see through me, see the ghost of myself hiding inside my shell. "What was your favourite toy growing up Dixon?"

Hmm. She always wanted to know about me, and i couldn't let her. There was a wall built up, i hated talking about me. I hated letting people in. "I dunno, a rock?" I said and walked past her.

She grabbed my hand before i passed. "Why are you acting strange?" Her eyes looked sad.

I pulled my hand away. "I'm not acting like nuffin." I lied.

She followed me down the stairs. "I thought," She paused and i stopped at the bottom, looking up at her. "I thought i was getting through to you." She said and tilted her head to look at me, like i baffled her. Which, i probably did.

"What do you mean."

"I thought i was getting through to the real you out, the person inside. The real Daryl Dixon." She walked down a few more steps until she stood right in front of me. I held my breath, scared that if i opened my mouth i would talk and talk and tell her everything, stuff that i tried to forget myself. I did that last night, i'm not doing it again.

I laughed and raised my hands up. "Hey hunny, this is the real me. You don't like it well, not much i can do now is it." I walked away and she followed. I wished she wouldn't. She gets annoyed at times, with all the trying to be good and help me shit. Can't a man be broody?

"That's crap, i know your hiding in there." I heard her stumbling after me back into the kitchen.

"You don't know shit, girl." I said and open the squeaky cupboard, grabbing a tin of soup.

She groaned and grabbed the tin from me. "Stop calling me girl. And we need to save this." She said and shook the tin before putting it on the black counter top.

We stared at each other for a moment. And i felt myself crack under her heavy gaze. I quickly grabbed the tin back to distract myself.

"Well," I said as i grabbed my knife and began opening the tin. "You are a bloody girl. And i will do what i want."

She flipped. I have never seen her look at me so mad. Her once soft expression vanished into anger. "If anything you are the girl here! Showing off every two minutes cause i ask you a question, cause i want to get to know you and not live in silence for the rest of my life. It's bullshit, you're bullshit." She grabbed the tin, open the cupboard and shoved all the tins in her bag. "We need to save these, I'm not going to waste these just cause you're acting stupid."

She walked away then, and out the front door. I heard it slam behind her and sighed. She was hard work that Beth. I didn't know if i hated the challenge of her, or feared it.

I stared at the floor, confused at the feeling of wanted to run after her. Instead i watched her out the back window. She started to dig up some of the vegetation out there, her hands and speed told me how angry she actually was. Which was a lot. She had her back to me know, but i knew what hr face would look like. Twisted into a cute little scowl.

Cute?

No, not cute, just a scowl.

Urgh, i felt the need to drink. To get wasted, and act stupid and forget all about what i done by the next morning.

Instead, i walked outside and set up some noise makers around the forest, it was better than nothing until i could make a fence or something more secure.

As i worked, i caught myself glancing over to look at her a few times. She had calmed down a lot, her face was smooth and thoughtful. I wondered what my face told her, what i gave away when i looked at her. She glanced at me and noticed me looking. Too late to turn away now.

She gave a long deep sigh before standing up and walking over. "Truce." She said and held out the open tin.

I smiled a little, i couldn't help it. "Truce." I said and took the tin. My stomach rumbled with hunger.

She walked away, a light skip in her step. "You better keep me half that soup mind Dixon." She knelt back to keep working on the vegetables

"Never." I answered back. But in reality, i'd give this whole tin, all the tins we'd ever found, all the meat id ever catch, if she'd ask for it.