"What's that look for...?"

I'd never seen Daryl look at me the way he did during that phone call. The look of sheer terror in his eyes as he looked me over was one I'll likely never forget. It was the kind of look that gave me chills, like he was looking at a ghost in my window.

With a sterner voice, but a shaky one, I questioned him again. "Who was it, Daryl? What did they say?"

He didn't even answer as he hung up the phone. Once it was on the cradle, he slammed his fists down on my table which caused me to jump at least a foot. I couldn't help but wonder what had made him so angry. Who could have called my apartment and said something that elicited this kind of response from him? "What in God's name are you doing?!" I exclaimed, my heart racing and my chest heaving from the shock of his actions, "What was that for?!"

Moving away, he ran his fingers through his hair exasperatedly. I tried to go and open the window to let in a bit of fresh air, thinking it would help us both calm down, but he quickly grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me back toward him without warning. He still wasn't explaining himself and this newest reaction was crossing the line. I pulled my arm in attempts to free myself but I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. "Daryl...you're scaring me" I said quietly, trying to get him to listen, "Please, stop. Tell me what's going on."

As if I'd hit him, Daryl dropped my wrist as rapidly as he'd grabbed it. "You're afraid of me?" he asked, his voice tense. "You really wanna know who tha' was on the damn phone?! I couldn' tell ya if I wanted to!"

I'd never seen him behave that way. He was being so rude, so secretive, like when we'd first met a few months prior. However, the only difference was that this time, his actions were physically intimidating and they'd never been before. I started getting flashbacks of Jimmy, slamming me into the counter and yelling at me. As Daryl moved closer to me, I moved away, fearful of what he was thinking and feeling. "Why are you acting this way, Daryl? What the hell happened?"

The transformation in his attitude was quicker than I'd expected, and arrived sooner as well. Once he read the fear in my voice and movements he sighed loudly and placed his hands on my shoulders gently. "Beth," he said quietly, like someone could hear us. "I think it's the same jackass that kept callin' and hangin' up." I still couldn't understand why that was such a big deal. Clearly the person on the other end had said something that got him riled up but why wouldn't he tell me what was said?

"Alright" I replied, placing my hands over his, "And...? What did they say? Are they gonna keep callin'?"

Once I asked, Daryl could barely look at me. If I didn't know better, it looked like he was on the verge of tears. "Beth he said you looked pretty in yer dress..."

It felt like I'd been hit by a semi-truck. I couldn't catch my breath if my life depended on it. My stomach began to churn and it took effort to keep my dinner down. Moving away from Daryl, I went and sat down on the couch, hoping that sitting down would help. It didn't. Now the only thing I felt was fear. Someone was watching me inside my own home. Were they watching me through the windows? Were there cameras in vases or picture frames? The more I thought about it, the harsher my breathing got. I could feel myself starting to panic so I brought my knees to my chest in hopes of calming down. Clearly Daryl was bothered as well. He sat on the couch beside me, his forearms resting on his thighs, his head hanging low. Suddenly I understood why he'd reacted the way he did. I wasn't the only one who was afraid.

"You're gonna stay with Merle and me" he spoke finally, clearly, like he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. I could feel his arm moving as he brought his thumb to his lips so he could bite the already raw skin there, the ultimate sign of Daryl Dixon's comfort level. He was thinking, I could tell, trying to figure out a solution or a way to keep me safe. Looking over into his eyes, there was a determination there, one that set my entire body on fire. "No one can...watch you there."

There was something else he wasn't telling me, something he was keeping from me. After getting to know Daryl, I had begun to figure him out slowly but surely, and I was able to tell when he wasn't being forthcoming. "What aren't you telling me, Daryl?" came a voice I didn't recognize. I couldn't tell if it was because of my fear, my annoyance at him keeping secrets, or some mix of both.

With a sigh, Daryl turned and looked at me, his face pale and sullen. He still looked like he was going to cry and it broke my heart. "He said tha' eventually he wouldn' hafta call ya."

That's when I lost it. Rushing to my trash can I began to vomit, my entire body shuddering as the tears began to fall. What was I supposed to do? I didn't know whether or not to call the police or to call my father. If he knew where I lived, he had to know where I worked and went to school. That thought only made me sicker. Someone was watching me and I didn't even know who.

Daryl was behind me quickly, grabbing my hair and holding it above my head while stroking my back softly. With every brush of his fingertips, I could feel his hand shaking, and the experienced hunter's hands never shook. "I'm serious, Beth" he said softly as I kept my head buried in the bin. Every time I thought I could stop, my body proved me wrong and just kept going. "If yer there, I can make sure nothin' happens to ya. Please?" And Daryl Dixon never said 'please'.

Once I was confident that there was nothing left for me to expel, I stood up and made my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I couldn't stop wondering if that creep was watching me, even then. I could see myself pale in the mirror as I thought about him watching me in the shower, or using the bathroom. As I brushed, my eyes roamed the small room, desperately looking for something out of place or something I didn't recognize. There were times that small things caught my eye but after investigating I realized my eyes were playing tricks on me. I was paranoid and afraid, a mix that wasn't good in any sense. When I was finished I found Daryl in my room, holding a weekend bag from my closet. "Pack up whatcha need and we'll go there now."

Grabbing the bag, I looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes. "And Merle?" Not to mention, where would I sleep? Merle always slept in the bedroom, that I knew. Would I be sleeping on the couch? Where would Daryl sleep? I had no idea how his idea could possibly work.

"We'll work it out" he replied, moving to my window. I knew why he did it, to prevent anyone from seeing inside, but the thought behind his actions wasn't as comforting as he intended. It only reminded me how someone had their eyes on me. I internally beat myself for not putting up curtains the second I moved in. I'd wanted the natural sunlight to shine into my home but I hadn't ever thought that someone's predatory gaze would be filtering in too. Just by looking in his eyes I knew Daryl wasn't going to budge on his proposition. He had that determined, unshakable gaze that normally agitated me. But that night it didn't bother me at all. Instead of fighting him, I took the bag and set it on my bed, packing enough clothes to last a few days. I decided that I'd call the cops when I was at school the next day, knowing Merle wouldn't take well to police officers sniffing around and especially if I was going to stay with them.

With my packed bag on his shoulder, Daryl gently placed his hand against my cheek, locking his gaze on mine. "Nothin' is gonna happen to you," he breathed, his voice laced with concern, care, and promise. "I'll protect you with everythin' I've got."

Hey y'all! See? They care, guys! Quit freaking out! Do you honestly think I'd break them up permanently? Come on! Just wait, it'll get better soon. I promise. Please, don't write me asking why they're "just friends", because clearly they're just fighting it. Give it time guys, be patient and it will ALL be worth it ;)