Daryl became unsettled the moment he locked eyes with the small girl. He couldn't place the feeling's cause exactly, but he knew the girl somehow reminded him of Beth. He kept focusing on her eyes, the ones that almost exactly mirrored the doe eyes full of resolve he had often seen on Beth.
"Sorry" he mumbled automatically to the girl, assuming he had scared her and she would burst out into tears any moment. But the girl didn't budge, she just tilted her head, looked back momentarily at the gathered group, and then back to Daryl with pursed lips, as if making a difficult decision.
Daryl held eye contact for a moment longer before an ominous shiver ran through his body and he turned to the older, bearded man holding the girl's shoulder.
"Just got here. The scouts told me I could come on in as long as I left my arrows with them." He mumbled, scratching the back of his neck as he failed to mention his refusal to leave the crossbow itself with the guards.
"Welcome!" The bearded man's voice sounded genuine but he pulled the girl closer as he examined the dried blood on Daryl's vest, keeping his hand protectively on the girl's bare shoulder. "We'll get those arrows back to you as soon as possible, sir. My name's Jack. I tend to organize a more formal welcome session for newcomers, but this is a bit unorthodox. Normally we have some advance notice before our scouts bring someone back to town so we can get ready."
Daryl eyed his surroundings, barely listening to the man but keeping tabs on the little girl, who continued to watch him silently. "Yeah, guess not much about me is orthodox." He mumbled. "They also have my bike." He added, complaining gruffly to no one in particular.
As the man went through a well-rehearsed speech about the safe zone's history and procedures, Daryl continued to scan the crowd. It was a few minutes before he realized what he was looking for: a familiar face, any familiar face. He didn't dare hope to find Beth. But he would take anyone: Rick, Carl, Michonne, Carol, Glenn, Sasha. Anyone to make him feel like this grueling journey had been worth it.
Not being able to recognize anyone in the crowd was like a swift punch to the gut. Daryl knew the chances of anyone having arrived safely were slim. After the attack he had found his way back to the camp a few days later, his head still pounding and foggy from a fall, only to stumble upon a blood-soaked graveyard. There were bodies everywhere and a few walkers so full they could barely move. Worst of all, there was Beth's jacket still wrapped tightly around her devoured corpse, a guilt-educing image that had haunted him every night for the past six years.
Daryl stopped scanning the crowd and turned back to the Jack, trying to focus as the man overviewed the town's safety precautions, all strictly enforced by their sheriff's department.
Daryl's attention was stolen again by the small girl, who had remained silent the entire conversation, as if she had witnessed it many times before. She had started pulling the curls in her hair, allowing them to bounce back up one at a time. Her light copper hair was loose, almost chaotic, minus one small braid, hanging next to her cheek, causing Daryl's heart to constrict once more.
"Sir?" Jack called Daryl's attention back by raising his voice slightly. "Any preferences on living space, sir? Our single occupants usually take apartments right in the middle of town. We also have a few small bungalows, but those are near the fence. Even though I promise it's very secure, people tend to dislike that location. You can hear the walkers if they're particularly active that night."
"That's fine. The fence spot is fine." Daryl decided as he looked back at the gated entrance he had just walked in. In that moment, he suspected he wasn't staying long; the guilt was already too much. Beth would have loved it here. Everyone would have, everyone he failed to save.
"Ella?!" Beth's voice rang out like a bell, so clear that Daryl was sure he was imagining it. Just as he dared to look toward the sound, the curly haired girl escaped Jack's grasp and barreled toward Beth, running into open arms with a content giggle.
"Beth!" The frantic sound escaped Daryl's mouth before he could stop himself and her eyes rose slowly from the girl at her hips, her eyes revealing the fear that seeing, or not seeing, the man she thought she heard would shatter her heart all over again.
