Thanks for all the kind words, everyone! I've decided to flesh this story out which means longer and more detailed chapters with more than just Beth and Daryl. But I promise at least one good Bethyl moment every chapter. Let the slow burn begin.

Their progression north was much slower the next week. Winter had firmly settled in and the snow had started. It was both good and bad. They now had to find shelter each night. Sleeping underneath the January sky was no longer an option. So they sent scouting parties ahead each day whose sole job was simply to find that shelter. Not ideal because splitting up was something they'd vowed not to do. But necessity negated all that pretty talk. At least the walkers seemed to have slowed or gone into some sort of hibernation. Maybe the cold subdued or even rendered them immobile. Whatever the case, they rarely saw a walking corpse in the open air these days.

Finding them in their temporary shelters was another matter. Sometimes places were overrun and they'd have to search for somewhere else. Other times they had to make do and clean house. Everyone had managed to add a much larger selection of knives to their personal armories. Machetes were also accumulated. Gunfire was almost unheard of. Couldn't take the risk of waking up any nearby stragglers - the living or the dead. Plus, bullets were all but impossible to find. Eugene had been tasked with making homemade bullets, but that process had not advanced as rapidly as one would have hoped. The situation was becoming only more dire as the days progressed.

One night, Glenn returned to the group close to sunset with less than great news. He, Maggie, Sasha, and Tyreese had found a place that looked safe and solidly sealed, but there was a slight problem.

"It's sealed so tight we can't get in. We've searched a couple of miles around the warehouse, but there's nothing else that will hold up under the cold. Thing is, there's one small weakness in the structure - a hole that looks like some animal chewed through the steel siding which obviously doesn't seem probable. Sasha tried squeezing in, but no go. We'd need someone smaller." Glenn looked at Rick, hoping he'd have an answer.

"Let's just head that way. See what we can come up with." And so they followed Glenn deeper into the woods and came upon an old logging warehouse after a half mile or so.

Glenn hadn't been lying about the structure being locked up tight. It was made of metal and any openings were reinforced with more metal. And huge bolts. This had to have been done with tools that needed electricity. Which means this place had been like this since the beginning, had stood this soundly for the past couple of years. It also meant that those people could still be inside - maybe alive, but likely dead.

"We were thinking there might be a way in and out on the roof. But we can't find a ladder or any other way to get up there." Sasha led them around to the back where the hole Glenn had described resided. The sun was quickly darkening behind the treeline.

"We've shined flashlights inside to see if there was anything worth seeing. We've banged on the walls to attract attention. So far, nothing much. We heard some scurrying, probably rats. So our best guess is that there are no walkers inside or no more than one or two that are extremely incapacitated. Our next best guess is that it's filled with humans who are remaining quiet and hope we'll just go away." Tyreese shined his flashlight on the hole as Rick squatted down beside it.

"Well, there aren't any unfortunate smells coming from inside from what I can tell. So I doubt there are many walkers holed up, and I can't see how'd they'd get in anyway. Humans are the bigger threat. Has anyone looked for a generator? Maybe we can get some lights on inside." Rick stood back up and looked at Glenn, waiting for an answer.

"There is one, hidden under a pile of wood on the other side. There's gas inside and the thing's turned on, but it's not working. Maggie's working on it, says it's the same model her Dad always used." They found Maggie, flashlight between her teeth, grunting and groaning as she tried to turn a rusted knob that didn't appear to be budging anytime soon.

"I'd need actual tools for this job." She sat beside the useless generator panting. Several others took a turn, but the rusted metal wasn't going to give anytime soon.

"Dad, let me go through the hole. I can get inside and take a look around." Carl knew he was the smallest and more than capable. Everyone else had been thinking the same thing. They weren't left with many - or any - options at this point. The snow was really starting to fall now.

Rick turned and glared at Carl. More out of frustration with the situation than at his son.

"I'll go with him." Beth stepped forward. She was the next smallest.

The entire group turned towards her, looks of incredulity smattered across their faces. It angered her that they had a harder time believing in her than a 14-year-old kid. She balled her fingers into fists, pulled out her knife and a flashlight. "Let's go, Carl."

She got all of three steps before she felt fingers tighten around her upper arm. "No." She turned and glared at Daryl with all she had.

"I'll do what I damn well please. If this is what the group needs, then this is what has to be done. I can take care of myself. How many times do I have to keep proving that to you? To all of you?" She forcefully jerked her arm back and headed off towards the hole. Carl followed closely behind. Maggie ran after her.

"Beth, we don't know what's inside. Neither one of you should go. We'll find a way to cut through the steel." Maggie pleaded with Beth, but mostly knew it was fruitless. Night was full upon them and the accumulated snow was already at 3 inches. Icicles were forming along the warehouse's roof.

"We have to, Maggie. I can do this." Beth now pleaded with Maggie, needing someone to be on her side in this.

"If you're going to do this, then you're going to do this smart." Daryl pushed past the sisters and kneeled beside the small opening. "Maggie and Sasha, bring your flashlights. We'll toss a few in close to the opening so they'll have some light once they're inside."

They did as he requested. Rick and Abraham took Beth and Carl aside and hashed out a quick plan so that at least everyone was on the same page - for the moment, anyway. Carl would go in first with a fully loaded semi-automatic and Beth second, with a large machete. One weapon for walkers. One for humans. Mainly for show since they were instructed to abort the mission with even the slightest indication of danger.

"Let's get this over with as quickly as possible." Rick guided them to the opening, hugging Carl and nodding at Beth.

Maggie grabbed her baby sister and held on, not wanting to let go. "Daddy would be so proud of you right now." She kissed Beth on the cheek and took her position, ready to shine additional light through the hole once the two were inside.

Rick and Daryl kneeled behind the loosened steel flap and did their best to make the hole as wide as possible. Carl began squirming his way through. Beth sat on her knees behind him, waiting. She looked up and caught Daryl's eye. She could see the tiniest flicker of fear there so she gave him a small smile and reached out her hand to his, placing it lightly on top. "I'll be fine."

Carl disappeared through the hole and Beth pushed her way through behind him. Standing up, she placed her hand on his shoulder as instructed and they shone their flashlights all around the large, open space.

"Everyone okay in there?" Rick needed to hear Carl's voice.

"Yeah, Dad. The place looks empty. Abandoned a long time ago. There are some raccoons though. We're going to take a closer look." Carl and Beth set off deeper into the warehouse.

"Be careful. Look for some way in." The two explored as best they could, lighting several lamps and candles they found scattered around. There were definitely openings on the roof. A loft ran along the warehouse's perimeter creating a second story. Stairs led up so Beth and Carl headed that way. The first thing they noticed was a large extension ladder. They'd have to get the thing through the roof hatch so the others could get inside. They pulled a table underneath the hatch. Carl climbed up and onto the roof. Beth hoisted the ladder up to him. Carl carried it to the side of the building and the others began climbing. Home sweet home.

Maggie was the first down to Beth and caught her in a giant bear hug once again. "I knew you'd be okay," she giggled.

"Yeah, uh-huh. I totally got that from your supportive and encouraging words." Beth teased gently.

"Well, you're all I've got left, sis. I lost you once and I don't intend to do so again." Maggie pulled Beth's braid.

"You've got Glenn. You'd be okay." Maggie didn't have time to respond as the others began falling through the roof hatch. Daryl was the last one through. The others had gone downstairs to make camp on the warehouse floor, but Beth had stayed behind, still sitting on the table they'd pushed under the opening.

"What's wrong?" Daryl sat down beside her. "You did good."

Beth smiled. "I did do good. I know that. I'm glad it was me. Makes it easier on everyone else, you know? I'd have done it without Carl. I should have."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daryl placed his crossbow on the table behind them.

"I just mean, obviously I'm the most expendable. Sure, Maggie might be sad if I died, but as long as she has Glenn she'd be okay. And Rick would be out of a babysitter, but that's not rocket science. Anyone can take care of a baby."

"Beth…," Daryl tried to interrupt her, but she pushed forward.

"I'm not throwing myself a pity party, Daryl. I'm just not blind, remember? And it's okay. Daddy understood. He knew he was expendable, too. How long would be have lasted, being older and with only one leg, out here in the wild? He knew and I know. It's only a matter of time. It's like how before old people were just supposed to die first, you know? And that was one of the great tragedies of children dying - how unnatural it felt. Well, now the order of the world has changed. The physically strong survive and the weak die, period. But in the meantime, I plan on making sure what life I have left counts." Beth grew quiet and looked at Daryl expecting some kind of reaction.

"You might be the dumbest person I ever met, Greene. And blind as a goddamn bat." The look of disgust on his face cowed her a bit, but she wouldn't back down. Not from him.

"Bats aren't blind."

"What?" He wasn't amused.

"Bats aren't blind. It's a stupid saying." Beth stood up to leave him with his anger, the exhaustion from the day's journey was beginning to win the war against sleep that waged within them all every night.

He reached for her, though. Hooked his finger over the top of her jeans and yanked her back to him. It was the first time she'd ever felt his skin somewhere that intimate and even though it was just the rough skin of his finger against the soft skin of her lower back, she froze, tripped, and floundered until she landed squarely with her back against his chest. His thighs tightened around her and it scared her, then thrilled her. His arm wrapped across her chest from shoulder to shoulder, reminiscent of her first, charged crossbow lesson. His mouth pressed close to her ear.

"You're the only blood Maggie has left on this godforsaken planet and that means more than maybe you'll ever know. You ain't just some babysitter to Rick, neither. You're the closest damn thing to a mother his daughter will ever know. Which, to me, makes you a whole lot less expendable than almost anyone else in this shitty warehouse tonight, Greene. And if I ever hear such bullshit come out of your mouth again, about you or your father, I will take it upon myself to show you just how absolutely necessary you are." His growl was low and deep and loosened every tight thing in her body.

Gathering the last of her wits about her, she pulled away from him all hot and heated and faced him. What she had expected to see lining his face was anger and violence. What she got instead was soft and sad and gut-wrenching. The fight had left his shoulders slumped and she felt responsible. Was even able to admit that maybe she'd been trying to get a rise out of him more than anything else. Maybe she'd just wanted to hear that she mattered after all those faces had looked at her like she didn't. Maybe she'd just wanted to hear that she mattered to him.

He stood up and grabbed his crossbow from the table and turned to leave. But this time, she grabbed him. She pushed her fingers through the button holes of his shirt and let her own fingers lightly play across the skin of his stomach as she pulled him towards her. She half expected him to bolt or at least flinch. But he did neither. She wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him to her, burying her face in the dirty, plaid shirt he always seemed to wear these days. "Sorry," she mumbled into his chest.

"It's all right. Just don't make a habit of it." He put his hand on her hip in his half-attempt to hug her back. But she could feel the tension seep from his muscles and that was enough. "You should get some sleep. Morning will be here before too long."

She pulled back and nodded at him. "Will you promise me one thing?"

"I ain't never been good at promises, Greene."

"It's nothing much. Just...will you start teaching me again? How to track and hunt and stuff? I'd like to keep on learning." She felt shy all of a sudden. Because somehow this felt more intimate than being flush against his body. More intimate than feeling his skin on her skin.

He cut his eyes at her and she worried he was about to say no. But he surprised her. "Been wondering when you were gonna ask that. Figured you might not have much need for that now."

"It's not so much need, Dixon, as want." With that, she smiled, turned, and quickly descended the stairs to join her family in some much needed rest.