Her head is buzzing, the excitement of all of her family pulsating around her, and for a moment Beth is overwhelmed, not sure who to look at or whose question to answer as they all crowd around. Then Daryl is at her side, his hand on her elbow, telling everyone that it's time to take it inside, to let them get cleaned up and get some food.

They make their way to the apartment that Maggie and Glenn share with Tara and another man that Beth doesn't know. There are two other strangers there too, a large red headed man and a young woman. It's obvious that they're now members of the group, and Beth can't help but think of how much she's missed while she's been gone.

Then Maggie is placing a towel and some clean clothes in her hands and pushing her towards the bathroom, while Carol heads to the supply centre to grab clothes for Morgan and Ash and to arrange for more accommodation, claiming them one of empty apartments in this block.

There is hot water, shampoo and soap, and Beth washes the dust of the road from her body, the grime from her hair. Looking into the mirror she sees a determined face staring back at her, a face she barely recognises anymore. What will Maggie see now when she looks at Beth, once the initial elation of reunion has worn off? Will Daryl recognise in her the girl who sat across a candlelit table from him, the one with whom he spent long weeks on the road?

Beth knows she's changed - changed since the prison, changed since she last saw Daryl, and she knows even from her short time spent with her family that they have changed too. There are new members now, whose dynamic with the others she has not yet been able to judge. There are experiences that her family has faced without her that have changed them, ways in which their bond has changed, and Beth wonders just where she fits into the equation now, whether she can find her place among them once again like the missing piece to a puzzle.

She does not need to wonder for long. Stepping out of the bathroom her eyes are immediately drawn to Daryl where he waits for her in the darkened corridor leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets. She feels it all of a sudden then, a rush of affection for him, a relief to find him where she had not expected him, to know that he's been been waiting for her.

Beth thinks he's been waiting for her since the night he first lost her, waiting for her even after all hope of regaining her was lost. She steps forward across the silence of that darkened hallway until she stands in front of him, little space between them in the passage. He raises his eyes to meet hers, his lips quirking in an almost smile and his expression hesitant, unsure. Beth takes in a deep breath, a calming breath, and leans forward to touch her forehead to his chest, leaning against him as she breathes in. He places a hand upon her damp hair then, and she can feel him trembling.

Then the sound of Glenn's laugh reaches them, breaking the moment, and she pulls herself backwards from him, glancing up quickly as she does so to meet his eyes.

There's a great deal to settle between them, but tonight is not the time to do so, not when there is an entire houseful of people waiting for her. Beth knows that she owes them all what pieces of herself she can spare, that even now they are waiting for her story, waiting for closure to the wounds that were created when they believed that she had died.

"C'mon," Daryl murmurs, and Beth nods, leading the way into the living room where the group is all gathered, some on chairs and some on the floor. Maggie's face brightens as soon as she sees Beth and she pats a space beside her on the sofa. Beth nods and moves to join her, jerking her head towards Ash to let her know that the bathroom is now free for her own shower. The girl raises her eyebrows at Beth as she sees Daryl follow her out from the corridor, smirking as she heads off with her towel and fresh clothes. Morgan is missing, taking his own shower in Rick's apartment rather than waiting for a turn here.

And so Beth sits among her family, precious relationships now regained. Once she is settled, Carl holds out Judith, and Beth takes her gladly, settling the baby on her lap and planting soft kisses on her head, allowing Judith to play with her hands. She looks up to find the others' eyes upon her, a gentle smile on Michonne's face, Rick's quiet approval from where he sits beside her, and Daryl... Beth cannot stop her eyes from returning to him again and again where he leans against the doorway, slightly removed from the group and his entire focus upon her.

"Tell us what happened, Beth." Glenn prompts her, "How did you survive? How did you come back to us?"

She does not speak about the weeks after the prison fell, nor of her time in Grady. Instead Beth begins her story from the moment she awoke in the church, detailing those first days and her efforts to survive, finding Morgan and then later Ash on the road. She does not speak of how they found the girl, of the attackers and of Ash's dead brother, let her decide for herself if she wants to share that, if she would like the group to know.

The others listen in wrapt attention, even the newcomers who never knew Beth before her supposed death. She finishes the story that morning, telling them of the walker attack and how they had been found by Daryl, Tara and Sam.

She does not mention falling into Daryl's arms, their bodies crashing to the pavement under the weight of his body. She does not mention the truck ride here, of finally being able to cry to her heart's content, her head tucked into his chest.

I don't cry anymore, Daryl

She'd been wrong then, tears don't make you weak. They just need to be kept for the right moment, a safe moment, when they may finally be set free.

Beth might not mention these things but she does notice the way that Tara glances at Daryl as her story concludes, before sending a slightly concerned look in Maggie's direction. She does notice that not once since she arrived back has she seen Maggie speak to or even look at Daryl. There's something there, something she doesn't yet know, and Beth knows it will need to be addressed before too long.

It is late by the time she finishes the telling, and Maggie wraps her arms tightly around Beth's shoulders, holding her tightly.

"Daddy would be so proud of you," Maggie tells her, "I'm so proud of you. I missed you so much, Beth."

"I missed you too," Beth tells her sister, pulling back and taking one of her hands, squeezing it. Beth looks around at the others then, anticipating the questions that will come now, and knows she's not ready for them. Tomorrow maybe, or the next day, but not tonight when she just wants to bask in the feeling of being home rather than have to relive events she would rather forget.

"If it's okay then I'd like to get some sleep," she tells them all, "It's been a long day, it's been..." It's been long weeks, months even, since she's truly rested."

"Why don't you share with me tonight, Beth?" Maggie suggests, "Glenn won't mind."

"I can't, Maggie," Beth answers quietly, "I couldn't leave Ash alone, not on the first night. Morgan and are the only ones she knows, it'll take time for her to trust you all."

Maggie nods with understanding, but regret in her eyes, not wanting to let go of Beth now that she's regained her. As everyone gathers their things and comes to say their good nights, Beth hugs them one by one, noting the way that Daryl lingers behind, quiet and unnoticed, waiting until she takes her leave.

"I'll be with Rick awhile, we've got some catching up to do." Morgan announces to Beth and Ash, "You'll be fine?"

"We'll be fine," Beth confirms, "We'll see you in the morning."

They make their way out and down the hallway, climbing the stairs to the next floor and the apartment they've been allocated, two doors up from Rick, Daryl and Michonne's apartment. Beth feels Daryl's heavy presence behind her, his steps quiet and purposeful as he walks them to the door. Rick glances at him once before giving a concise nod, placing his arm around Morgan's shoulders and leading him inside, Carl and Michonne following, Judith in her arms.

Ash heads into the apartment, yawning as she does so and heading towards each bedroom in turn, muttering about which one she wants to claim. Beth pauses just inside the doorway, looking back at Daryl.

"You coming in?"

"You mind?" He asks and she shakes her head, giving him an encouraging smile.

She's fighting to keep her eyes open, to hold back a yawn, but she doesn't want to let go of him just yet, doesn't want him to leave her sight.

"You're tired." Daryl comments, taking in her slightly slumped posture, her heavy eyes. "Should be sleeping."

"I've waited so long for this, I don't want it to end," Beth admits, "Stay awhile, just... Stay with me."

He nods, and bumps her shoulder with his, nudging her in the direction of the couch. Beth pulls off her boots and curls up, her legs underneath her, toes nudging Daryl's thigh where he sits beside her.

He glances at her quickly, then away, and back again. Beth knows this is difficult for him, to allow himself to be so vulnerable, to show her how much he cares. Something has changed since the time she lost him - he's willing to say the words that are needed now, seems as if he's less likely to shy away from offered affection. Was it losing her that did that to him? She had begun to see the changes in the weeks before the funeral home, but never before has he allowed her to see his need for her as he does now.

"Missed you something awful, Daryl Dixon." Beth tells him, and Daryl raises his eyes to meet hers, his hand reaching out to touch one of her feet, his fingers lightly settling on her toes.

"Missed you too, Beth." He replies, sincerity in every word. "Thought of you often, what you'd want me to do, what you'd tell me. Never stopped thinking of you."

She thinks that she could lean over then, reach out and grasp his chin, bring his face close and place her lips on his. She wants to do it, she's wanted to for weeks, since she's had the time to reflect upon him and what he means to her. But Beth knows that now is not the time. It's not a small thing, how he feels for her, what she feels for him. Daryl Dixon does not give his heart easily and she knows that, knows it as well as she knows herself. They have time now, and she knows that they should take things carefully, slowly, that they don't need to rush.

But she still wishes she could kiss him.

Instead she shifts her body, twisting so that she leans against him, her head on his shoulder. Beth thinks she could sleep comfortably like this, that she could close her eyes and breathe in deeply, and ignore everything that still needs to be discussed or acted upon.

Ash exits one of the bedrooms then and Daryl shifts uncomfortably beside her, still unused to being observed in such a position.

"I've claimed this one," she informs Beth, "and Morgan's left his stuff in the room on the right so you're stuck with the left. I'm off to sleep."

"That's okay, you'll be alright by yourself?" Beth queries softly, "If you want I can..."

Ash shakes her head, "I'm a big girl, Beth, I'll be fine. Night!"

She disappears into the room she's claimed, shutting the door, and Beth settles herself onto Daryl's shoulder again, sighing.

"You saved her," Daryl comments, "Gotten used to protecting her."

Beth nods, knowing he can feel the movement. "I can't help being protective, she's got no one left except us. She was with her brother before we found her. There were some men, they killed him, would've... We were there at the right time."

"You did what you had to do."

Even though she had reconciled herself to the necessity of her actions, to hear absolution from his lips is another matter. During her retelling of her time apart, Beth had skipped over the parts that were too difficult to tell - she did not mention any of the lives she had taken. Somehow she hadn't wanted to see the look in all of their eyes if she was to tell them, the different way in which they might regard her. Here with Daryl she feels as if she can unburden herself, that he won't judge her, won't see her differently.

"There were others..." Beth admits, "At the hospital. The first one... He was the one who took me from the road. He wanted... He thought being a cop gave him the right to claim any of the girls he wanted, and he wanted me."

"He hurt you?"

Daryl has brought his arm around her shoulder and his grip tightens upon it. Beth doesn't need to look at his face to know the tension she'll see there, the rage at the very possibility.

"He would've. Thought I owed him because he 'saved' me. He cornered me, and I didn't have a choice, there was a girl, Joan, another ward there..."

Slowly the entire story pours out of her, in spurts and fits. Daryl doesn't say anything, just keeps his arm around her, his other hand reaching out to take hers where it grips the fabric of her pants, holding on. He's silent until she finishes, allowing Beth her outpouring, her unburdening, everything that she has wished to say but been unable to. He waits until she's finished, until she's taken one shaky breath in, and then he speaks.

"I'm proud of you Beth, I mean it." He pulls away, looking down to meet her eyes, "Had to be strong to survive there, and you did. You made it alone, without any of us."

"I wanted you so badly," she whispers, relieved to be able to say it, "Wanted so badly for you to find me, then when you came I screwed it up, almost lost everything."

"But you're here," he takes a deep breath in, she can feel his lips ghosting across the top of her head, "You're here."

"I was so worried for you when I woke up in the hospital, when they told me I was the only one there."

"I tried, Beth." His voice breaks a little as he says it, "Ran after that car, ran all night trying to get you back. Then it came to a crossroads and I couldn't track you. Couldn't find the way."

She imagines him then, imagines him running through the night and into the dawn, exhausted but never stopping, never stopping until all hope was gone. She can see it clearly in her mind's eye, and her heart clenches as she pictures it.

"What happened to you after that?" She asks, "Were you alone for long before you found the others?"

And then it is Daryl's turn to speak, to tell her things that she's certain he's never spoken of before, from the time they lost each other until that fateful day at Grady. It takes time, for him to let it all out, to release himself of all that happened in between as she listens and asks him questions. It must be after midnight by the time Daryl is done, and Beth is curled against his side, her eyelids drooping, and fighting to stay awake. It is over now, they have both let their pasts go and can finally put them away, it is time.

"Best get you to bed." Daryl comments, looking down at her, and Beth smiles sleepily up at him. He shifts then, reaches out his arms to place one around her shoulders and hooks the other under her knees, lifting her effortlessly as if she weighs nothing at all.

"You don't need to," Beth murmurs, even as she tucks her head against his chest, breathing in deeply.

"I do," Daryl whispers in reply, his breath catching for a moment as if on a sob, "I do."

Beth has fallen into a light doze by the time they have made it across to her room, but she still feels the way his arms tighten around her momentarily before he places her on the bed, she still feels Daryl brush a hand across her forehead, and over her hair.

She wants to tell him to stay, he's gone before she can open her mouth, and Beth falls asleep, to the echo of an old song playing in her mind.

There's a blaze of light in every word,

It doesn't matter which you heard,

The holy or the broken Hallelujah

A/N: A big thank you to the reviewers once again, you are lovely and make me want to get this up as quickly as possible! And now fingers crossed for the episode!