There voices was mumbled, but i knew who it was. It was those men from the track yesterday. They looked mean and rough, defiantly more than i could handle on my own, defiantly no chance for Beth. I needed to protect her, keep her safe from their clutches. I pressed her harder into the tree. Her body was so petite that i thought i would crush her with my larger size, but i had to shield her away.

"Shit, can't believe we're fucking lost." One of the men said, his voice high and annoyed. They wasn't far from us now. I could feel Beths breath hit me in quick pants, i wonder how scared she must be feeling now.

"How could we loose train tracks, you was supposed to keep track Joe." I knew that it wasn't safe to move now, if we made a single noise, we would probably get caught.

"Don't test me boy." The man said back in a low growl.

I looked down at Beth. I could just make out the blues of her eyes as she stared up at me, her eyes held fear behind them, of course they did. But that wasn't all she felt as she looked up at me, only i couldn't tell what the other emotion was. I wanted to hold her tight then, to make fake promises like that i would keep her safe and that no one would ever hurt her. Promises that i probably couldn't keep if they caught us. But i wanted to make them to her anyway. I took hold of her waist, i knew that my crossbow was by her side and that i should probably reach for that. But no, her hips were where my hands landed, and i didn't want to put them anywhere else.

I was staring at him, and he was staring at me. My heart beating so fast i thought it would pop out of my rib cage, through my skin and fly off into the sky. It was a thought i found scary yet intriguing. How could one persons hands, on one persons waist make you feel like you was going die? At any moment, i was sure that i would collapse or that my feet beneath me would just give in. And yet again, how could one persons hands on one persons waist make you feel that way? It didn't make me feel that way a few days back, when we was inside the house dancing together. It didn't make me feel like that a few weeks back when he would hold my waist to steady me if i tripped. But now it did as he pushed me against a tree, its bark digging into my back hard enough to cause blood. Yet, i felt nothing but his hands on my waist, and it was a good.

"Shh." He said quietly, his breath hitting my face. It was dark, so dark that i could barely see his face in front of mine. But i didn't need to see his face to know where his lips were. In front of me, up slightly. If i stood on tip toes i could reach them, easily enough.

We heard a mans voice passing us, just behind the tree we was pressed against. "This way." One said, his voice deep and hoarse. I shivered and Daryl felt it. His grip on my waist tightened and i had to hold the urged back to gasp. I knew that the men was close to hear it, they could only be a few feet away. I bit my tongue and waited for them to move on.

I thought it was safe, i did. But i was wrong. I let out a breath that i was holding, only it was too loud. "What was that?"A voice said, different from the last. My heart stopped. I've blown it, i've killed us both. I could here them shuffling back to facing our direction.

"What was what?" Another asked.

"Quite." The first voice said again. And everyone listened.

Daryl pushed against me harder, as if he could move me into the tree and keep me hidden from them. But his movements made me feel even more conflicted about what i wanted to do. I knew that he was trying to protect me, i knew that was all he was thinking about as he pressed into me harder and harder. But i couldn't help the way that my hands shook, or the way my bottom lip trembled with nerves.

I heard a few steps closer to us and i was petrified that they would see us, that they would get us and kill us. Daryl's grip on my waist tightened, and i felt my legs start to shake. I didn't know if it was because of him, or the fact that at any second we would be seen and whisked away to an unthinkable destiny.

"S'nothing. Lets keep moving." The man said, he was just behind our tree. I was surprised he didn't see us and my shaking began to slow at the thought of us being safe. We stayed as we was for a few moments, until we both came to the conclusion that it was safe.

He leaned his forehead against mine and sighed. His breath was all i felt, his hands on me was all i wanted. I tried to act normal, like normal Beth would, but i couldn't. I pushed back on his forehead, fighting the urge to tilt my head and kiss him. No, he had to be the one to kiss me. He had to.

"Kiss me." I whispered, knowing he would hear it.

"Kiss me." She whispered. Her voice was so quite that i barely heard it. I swallowed, not removing my head from hers but knowing that i probably should. I would be lying if the thought hadn't crossed my mind. Kissing Beth was something i have thought about, dreamed about even. But i never thought that she would be the one asking me to kiss her. Maybe it was because of what just happened, maybe it was because she wanted someone, something. But i couldn't it wasn't right. Beth was too good for me, to perfect for my un-perfect ass.

"No." I said and pushed back from her, walking away. It took everything i had, but i knew that it was the right thing to do.

"Why?" I asked as i followed him, not caring about how loud i was.

He didn't answer or stop his long strides. I had to run to keep up, i reached him and pulled him to a stop. "Why?" I asked again. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it, not even once?"

He fidgeted and he bit his thumb nail. "No, i haven't thought about it." He answered.

"Bullshit!" I yelled, probably too loudly. But i didn't care. My heart was aching in pain and full of anger all at the same time.

He groaned and paced a little in front of me. "Okay, i have thought about kissing you Beth, of course i have. But what does it matter huh?"

I shook my head. "It matters Daryl, its okay to feel that way, I'm saying that it okay, that you can. That i bloody want you too. But you're too scared to do it, even with permission."

He tsked at me. "What the fuck am i scared of, you?" I hated the way he made me feel small with that comment, but i didn't back down.

I shook my head, placing my hand on his arm, running it down until it was in his hand. He didn't pull away. "Your scared at how the thought of it makes you feel, how i make you feel. You're scared of opening up and letting someone in because they might leave." I probably shouldn't have said what i did, especially after what i learned of his past today, but i couldn't help it. I poured everything i had at him, in the hopes of getting an emotion back.

"Everyone leaves Beth!" He was shouting at me now, he walked to me and looked me straight in the eyes as he said it. "Don't you get that?"

I was silent for a moment, my anger and passion getting the better of me. After a few moments i looked back at him. "You tell me that this means nothing, you tell me that this," I raised my hand and cupped the side of his face, gently letting my hand sit there. The spark from his skin to mine was unbearable, i just wanted to pull him close to me again, to have the spark all around me in my pores and insides. He stared at me hard, biting his bottom lip as he fought himself in his mind. I continued. "The this means nothing. And i'll let it drop, I'll never ask you of this again."

Daryl looked at me for a moment his eyes were on fire, but i couldn't tell if it was with anger or the heat that i felt myself. He raised his hand and removed mine from his face. "It's nothing Beth. Nothing." I knew that he was hiding something, holding something back that he didn't want to tell me. But i couldn't get it out of him, not matter how much i wished he would just tell me.

He turned then and walked away. Leaving me alone in the cold and dark night. I stayed were i was for a moment, until i heard a groan of Walker. I sighed, killed the walker and then made my way back to camp. Looking forward to the most awkward night of my life.

I hope you enjoyed! An almost kiss... Hmm. I was going to have them kiss, but i thought that i was too soon... Was i wrong?

Thanks for all the feedback, you are all amazing.

Shunice x