Two weeks had passed since Michonne had caught Beth and Daryl kissing in the dead of night, she'd expected more of a fight out of the red-neck, his defiance was frustrating at the best of times, but since her warning for him to stay away from the young blonde, he'd accepted it and point blank avoided her. Michonne felt a shot of guilt when she could see the confusion in the girl's eyes when Daryl began to act like a stranger – avoiding her gaze and all conversation; any words directed at her were blunt and unfriendly. She felt bad about it briefly, but Daryl was playing with fire and it was easier to extinguishes the blames before it burnt them both.

Besides, she needed Daryl to be focused for the next few days, Rick had organized a big run to bulk together a large amount of supplies; winter was drawing in and they needed to be prepared for the harsh freeze of the prison during the coming months. He'd taken Michonne aside a day previously to explain the plan, he said that he needed her Daryl to assist him, he was unsure of who would be staying at the prison, but he mentioned he wanted her to train up one of the younger ones during the trip. Carl was already becoming a good shot since Daryl began to tutor him with his cross bow and a pistol, which left the only other option as being Beth. She hoped it wasn't. Couldn't risk her moping around and fucking up, this trip was too important.

Michonne made her way to the living quarters ,as she entered she saw all of the prison group standing around and chatting – awaiting Rick's arrival. Dropping down on one of the metal chairs, she sighed and let her thoughts wander. She'd been worried about this run – becoming closer to folk here had made her more fearful that their happy demeanour was about to be ripped apart. It's why she was worried about Daryl sniffing around the pretty, young blonde. She'd never admit it, but she knew that at the end of it all – on humanity's extinction day, he'd be the last man standing – firing his last bullets at the burning earth, using his last breath to take a drag of a cigarette. Michonne had lost others in the past; before the dead started to walk, her mother had died six years previously. But death back then was mourned – periods of grieving and memories shared, but back then you knew your loved one was at peace. However, in the world right now it's more bloody – shredding tooth and claw – if you weren't quick enough then you'd have to brutally end the snarling existence of what used to be your mom, your lover, your son. Humanity had become brutality. Fight the dead and fear the living.

"G'mornin' y'all," Rick's cheerful voice snapped Michonne away from her thoughts. "Now as y'all know, it's gon' be real cold soon, and we need to collect a large amount of supplies to last us out. Can't be riskin' goin' out too much with the icy roads, and y'all ain't walkin' in it either. We need ammo as well as food and other essentials. Daryl scoped out a untouched store with gun's an' all a few weeks back, we're gon' need three vehicles to pull this off,"

"How long are we gonna be out there for?" Carol's voice piped up from the back of the room.

"Today'll be for travellin', then you'll camp the night, gather supplies t' next day and then drive back here," Rick replied.

"Who's goin'?" Glenn said, he was learning against the metal table, arm around Maggie.

"The folk goin' are gon' be paired up in each vehicle so y'all can swap driving. Michonne and I will be in one car, Glenn and Sasha in another, and then Daryl and Beth. We'll be leavin' at noon," Rick smiled before gesturing to Michonne to follow him, she inwardly sighed and tried not to glare at him. He was oblivious to the hassle he was gonna cause.

-.-

Daryl's heart thudded in his chest as he threw his rucksack into the back of the grey truck, he'd loitered in his cell for as long as possible, repacking his bag and fixing together some extra bolts. He didn't want to face her anyway, he'd spent the last few weeks being hostile towards her, it took her a few days to get the hint, he'd felt an unfamiliar sinking in his chest as he watched the penny drop. She'd tried to hug him after he'd hurt his arm on a formula run with Carl, he'd pushed her away rough;y and briskly retreated towards his motorcycle. Beth hadn't tried interacting with him since, the feeling of her gaze settling on him made Daryl feel nervous but he knew he was doing the right thing. 'Least he hoped so.

"Right y'all. Daryl knows the way there, so our cars," Rick gestured to Michonne, Sasha and Glenn, "Will just follow 'em until we need t'rest,"

"Where is it, that we're actually going?" Sasha narrowed her eyes.

Daryl pulled a map out of the back of the jeep and flattened it against the bonnet, "Here," He said, pointing to a relatively spare area, the group peered down at the map, "Just west of Scotsboro, we're gon' stay up outta the way, and travel back down to stock up in the city t'mora,"

Everyone said their goodbyes, Daryl had kissed baby Judith's head and nodded at any folk that met his eye as he slunk away to the jeep. The passenger door opened not long after Daryl slammed his shut, he glanced at Beth as she hopped up into the seat, dropping her bag in the back. She smiled hesitantly at him, tugging at the sleeves on her jacket.

"I'm gon' drive about two and a half hours, then we're gon' switch," He grumbled as the engine spluttered into life.

Beth felt hazy as she began to swim into consciousness; her head resting on the car door, the gentle warmth of the fading midday Georgia sun was beaming down on her through the window. The jeep jolted sharply as it hit a small rock in the road, she was startled awake – blinking the last glimmers of sleep away, she looked across at Daryl, "It is my turn now?" her voice crackled slightly.

"Naw, we're nearly there,"

"What?" Beth's eyebrows crumpled in a frown, "Y'said we had at least 3 hours of travellin',"

"Yeah, and you were sleepin'," Daryl retorted.

"Y'should have woke me up,"

"Didn't wanna, 'ya looked..." Daryl's voice trailed off, a slight blush stippling across his cheekbones.

Beth smiled slightly, silence lingered in the uncomfortable atmosphere between the two, she took a shaky breath before piping up, "Why've you been avoidin' me?"

Daryl's body tensed up evidently at her question, he began to nibble at the tip of his thumb, his eyes flicking quickly between her and the road ahead. The awkward tension hung in the air as the jeep travelled further up the long winding roads.

"If Michonne didn't..." Beth began.

"Don't," Daryl murmured, "Can't happen,"

"But..."

"Can't let myself feel that way about ya',"

The brakes slammed hard as the jeep stopped hastily in the road, Daryl immediately jumped out of the vehicle and slammed the door hard behind him, Beth sat in silence staring ahead of her. What did he mean 'feel that way'? Was he avoiding her because he liked her? Shit. Beth thought he'd make an excuse about thinkin' she was Carol or that he was lit, not that he might actually want her.

She jumped as Rick banged on her window, "C'mon Beth,"

Hauling her rucksack out of the back seat, Beth hopped onto the dusty ground; narrowing her eyes and glancing around at the scenery, they were in a sparse wooded area with a long, winding road disappearing amongst the tall trees. Daryl was already at Michonne's side poring over a large map with her, quiet conversation ensuing between them.

Their chosen camp-site was located after a mile or so, Beth was glad to unload her equipment, her shoulders were aching from the heavy bag she carried. Everyone was loaded up like a mule with weaponry and essentials for the night ahead, the sun was beginning to stain the sky purple and orange as it began to set down on the horizon, they needed to set up camp and catch dinner before nightfall.

Glenn fixed up a fire amongst the dry foliage and began to pitch the tents with Sasha, they were talking about the odds of finding good chocolate in the store the next day, their quiet laughter echoed in the cool air. Michonne was sharpening her katana on a stone, she was sitting opposite to Beth on logs by the fire, the blonde girl's eyes were fixated on the crackling orange of the dry wood and kindling as it flickered in the flames.

"Beth," Rick called, she looked up from the fire at the older man, "I want you to go huntin' with Daryl, we don't need much, but we're nearly done here now,"

"Uh... okay," Beth's eyes flicked across to Daryl, Michonne was stared hard at him as he mouthed something to her, his shoulders shrugged heavily as he gestured with his hands.

"I'll go, I'm not doin' nothin'," Michonne spoke up, her eyes not leaving Daryl.

"Naw, I need you here to go over tomorrow's plan," Rick dismissed her request as he began to rifle through his rucksack, Michonne tore her gaze away from Daryl and focused on sharpening her blade more vigorously against the stone.

"C'mon," Daryl growled, swinging his cross bow over his shoulder and lurking off into the trees.

Beth grabbed her knife and picked her way through the sparse brush to his side, after a few moments he hushed her with his hand as he caught the trail of a deer. The tracks seemed to go for miles, the dusk beginning to set in and the darkness crept into the forest. The tension hung in the air as a small buck came into view, it was grazing on a low-hanging bush, it seemed unaware to their presence. Daryl lifted his bow and aimed at the animal, a crack echoed out startling the deer, it turned and bounced away through the brush, Daryl fired an arrow but it impaled into a small tree – the deer was gone.

"Fucks sake Beth," Daryl snapped.

"That wasn't me, I've been still. You stepped on the twig," Beth retorted defensively, she'd been motionless since the deer came into view.

"Yeah right. 'Course,"

"Fuck you, y'can't keep taking everythin' out on me just because you kissed me," Beth spat, Daryl flung around and stared at her, his jaw was tense and his eyes ablaze.

"How many times have I gotta tell 'ya? I don't want 'ya Beth," Daryl growled, "You're just some fuckin' kid, if Michonne hadn'ta walked in then I would'a still pushed 'ya off'a me. I don't want 'ya, now fuck off,"

Beth's heart dropped as tears misted in her eyes, she wouldn't let him see her cry. Fucking asshole. "Fine," She choked, turning on her heels and sprinting off into the trees, the branches swiped against her arms as she hurtled through the undergrowth, not wanting to stop, not wanting him to catch up. She just wanted to get back to camp, where she could get away from him for a few hours. Suddenly all of the air was knocked out of her, her head smacked against the ground with force, ears ringing – she managed to turn her head to the side slightly, a unfamiliar figure came into view as everything went black.

Fuck. Why had she ran off? Daryl's thoughts were racing as he began to pick through the woods, she knew the goddamn risks, what if there were walkers out here? Stupid girl. He shouldn't have said that, he didn't want to upset her. But it couldn't happen, it was wrong. It was wrong that his stomach fluttered when he saw her, his mouth drying up when he had to speak to her. The thoughts that wandered into his mind when he was alone in his cell were wrong. He wanted her and he couldn't have her. Fuck where was she? Daryl ground to a halt as Beth's tracks went dead, a large scuffle had occurred in the dirt, she'd fallen whilst running. But where was she? No blood, no drag marks – she'd just vanished. Daryl's head span as his eyes flicked around the undergrowth. It was dark, they were in an unknown area, and she was gone.

"Beth?" He shouted desperately, "Beth, where are you?!"