Say something, I'm giving up on you
I'll be the one, if you want me to

Say Something – A Great Big World

Michonne's eyes darted around the camp-site as the sun began to illuminate the horizon, the night was a peaceful one; not a walker in sight and no unwelcome intrusions – it seemed the two men that had attacked the girls had been alone; out in the uninhibited wilderness. Michonne noticed that Sasha was still shaken up, she'd accompanied the girl on several toilet breaks throughout the night; she'd catch Michonne's eye and they'd walk silently into the undergrowth, her eyes were still fearful and her skittish demeanour hadn't faltered. Sasha had been awake for a few hours now, she was picking at a tin of baked beans with Glenn opposite the dwindling camp fire. Rick had set a makeshift trap a hundred meters or so outside of the camp, and had returned mere moments ago; clumsily stomping through the fauna waving a small rabbit in the air victoriously, the giddy grin on his face made Michonne smile. Glancing around, she frowned slightly. Daryl and Beth still hadn't gotten up; she was annoyed that she and Rick had to cover their guard shift during the night, Michonne had gone to wake them after her shift was over, but after unzipping their tent and peering inside at the pair; limbs tangled, no sleeping bag, and in a compromising position, she'd decided against waking them. She trailed a bullshit excuse to Rick and slumped back down on the log for another few hours until it was Sasha and Glenn's turn. She'd hoped that Beth and Daryl would wake of their own accord to avoid the inevitable embarrassment on both sides. Michonne didn't know what she'd say when the pair would startle awake by her presence. She couldn't let the others see them in their tent or a heated discussion would ensue about just what was going on. Just what was going on was another thing Michonne didn't know. Sighing; she peered hopefully at the unmoving tent – no noise, no rustling, blissful silence. Narrowing her eyes, she glanced over at the other three; bustling around the fire that Sasha had re-built to cook the rabbit. Taking advantage of their distractions, she got up and toed over to Daryl and Beth's tent.

Daryl awoke slowly, the heat of the closed tent was stifling, the sun rested on the tarpaulin. It was morning, they hadn't done their shift? He was confused. Daryl tried to move him arm, his barely conscious state hadn't taken in the situation he was in – remembering slowly, he opened his eyes. Beth was curled up on his chest, their legs were intertwined and Daryl's arms were wrapped tightly around the sleeping girl, she'd come out of the bag at some point in the night to get closer to Daryl's body. He blushed as the memories of the previous day flooded into his memory like a dusty slide show. He'd kissed her. The memory caused a slight tingle in his chest as he resisted the urge to repeat the action, his face was pressed lightly into her hair as she clung to him.

"You awake?" Beth's soft voice broke the silence. She pulled back slightly and gazed up into Daryl's sleepy eyes, she smiled gently at him; returning it, his eyes flicked down to her small pink lips – there was no use trying to hide it now, no matter how hard he tried. It was just a kiss though right? He tilted her chin up lightly with his fingers and pressed his lips into hers once more.

Michonne's hand thumped repeatedly against the side of their tent, she stood; her eyes still darting around to observe the rest of the group. Glenn and Sasha were disassembling their shelter and Rick was crouched over the dead rabbit – presumably trying to figure out how to skin it.

"Wha?" Daryl's voice groaned from inside, his arm swung out and hit into Michonne's thigh.

"Don't you hit me. Now get up," Michonne hissed, smacking the tent again in defiance. She heard rustling from inside the tarpaulin, a small cough and whispers as Daryl fumbled his way to the

"Wha time is it?" He yawned, unzipping the tent slightly from the inside, and peering one eye out at Michonne. She glared at him.

"About time that you stop two missin' your shifts and curling around each other like a pair of cold kittens," Michonne's voice was low. "Y'both lucky that it was only me that looked in your tent. People would start askin' questions, not that there's much to question,"

Daryl's sleepy eye widened and he zipped the tent back hastily, Michonne smacked the fabric again in frustration before stalking away towards the camp fire to help Rick with the cooking.

~.~

"Shit," Daryl turned to Beth, he ran his hand through his thick hair; slumping against the floor.

"What's wrong?" She frowned, pulling herself up to a sitting position.

"Michonne came t'wake us up for our shift and she saw us cuddlin' an' all," Daryl mumbled.

Beth laughed softly, "It's fine, Michonne won't tell no-one,"

Daryl sighed loudly, reaching across the floor to grab his boots; he pulled them on and tied the laces hastily, "She said to me not t' talk to ya' after she saw us kissin'"

"That's why you avoided me?" Beth's voice sounded hurt, her question was more a statement; she tried to process his words in her head, "Daryl, I..."

"It don't matter," he muttered, before she could respond Daryl unzipped the tent door and climbed out without looking back.

Beth spent another half an hour or so curled up in her sleeping bag, her hair was splayed out on the pillow she'd made out of her jacket; not that it had much use the night before. She'd drifted off with her head on Daryl's chest; his fingertips trailing across her back, the gentle lull of his heartbeat singing her to sleep. Now he was gone. He left as soon as Michonne had interfered, Beth felt a shot of anger at that thought – why was she breathing down his neck about this? She pulled herself up from the floor and tugged on her shoes. Time to get some answers.

Daryl chewed on his bottom lip nervously as he showed Rick how to skin the rabbit, the man had cut of the ears and tail but hadn't done much else – to the amusement of Glenn and Michonne, who stood observing Rick's fumbling attempts at preparing the dead animal. Daryl had left Beth alone in the tent – stormed off without a word, he couldn't look her in the eye after last night; after kissing her, waking up in her arms. What was he? Stupid? He could barely think of the reaction of the rest of the group if Michonne did actually tell someone; Hershel would skin him alive, he'd either get a few stern words from Rick; or receive his left hook, Carol would be hurt, Maggie would be furious. The list just went on and on – the possibilities of the fall out from all of this wasn't worth thinking about. He couldn't do this any more, he just had to pretend none of this ever happened. Daryl could hear Merle's voice in his head – mocking him, taunting him. His words tearing through Daryl's mind like poison; 'Dickless Darlina... didn't know 'ya liked the lil ones'

He growled and kicked the ground angrily, Rick jumped slightly at Daryl's outburst, "Y'alright brother?"

Daryl grunted in response, he was met with wary glances off the rest of the group, his eyes were fixated on impaling the dead rabbit onto a branch to cook. He could feel the anger and disgust building up inside him like a sickness, trying desperately to bury any feelings for the young blonde under the years of walls and barriers he had built up inside his heart – pushing her as far as she could go, he ached to go back inside the tent and hold her close, but he couldn't risk loosing everything.

"Michonne, can we talk?" Beth's voice made him jump, his head jerked around to see the two women walking to the edge of the camp site, his eyes bored into them – trying in vain to hear what they were talking about. Michonne's face was expressionless, but Beth's was a mixture of hurt and anger, the older woman tried putting a hand on her shoulder but it was shrugged off. Michonne waved her hands up in frustration before turning on her heels and walking back towards the group; Beth reluctantly followed, her arms folded over her chest. Daryl's head snapped back to the rabbit before they noticed he was watching; a deep blush spread across his cheeks.

"Right y'all we gotta get movin' after we've eaten, has everyone got their lists?" Rick drawled.

The group nodded in unison; Rick's voice trailed off in Daryl's head, his self-hating thoughts were eating him alive - Merle's taunting voice made him feel sick. He was kicking at the floor with his boot; rustling the leaves that littered the ground, he could feel Beth's eyes on him from the other side of the camp. Daryl felt a pang of guilt for her, she was just a kid; he winced at that thought, she wasn't a kid – she was just far too young for him. He couldn't let his guard down around her, no matter how he felt. Daryl had never let anyone close to him, no woman – not ever, and now if he let his guard down he could risk her dying in his arms, a split second without complete focus and it could all be over. It was better off that they were apart.