Chapter 4: Good People
Note: I totally am paralleling a certain episode with this one but I won't tell you which one. Would kind of ruin the chapter lol
The lead man's name was Luca. The other three were Riley, Hank, and Liam.
She really could care less but she listened as Luca talked. After a while she noticed something. Luca would look at the ground and then slightly change course. It was dark but Beth knew what a man tracking looked like.
Beth stopped walking, "I thought we were going back to your camp."
The men stilled in front of Beth and Edwards. Beth had known after the first thirty minutes or so these men were not going somewhere in particular. They were tracking something. And she had a feeling it wasn't food.
Luca turned his body around and started walking towards her, her hand that was gripping her crossbow tightened.
"We were following some assholes who took my brother. We lost their trail when we stumbled upon you hunting. There's two of them and they leave heavier tracks than you do. Back when we were introducing ourselves I saw some tracks, the same tracks of those men."
Beth glared, "I'm not gonna be a part of this. You said we were going to your-"
Luca got into her space, "You got anything better to do, sweat heart?"
Beth didn't move back and her glare intensified, "I didn't agree to come with you to track down a couple of assholes."
Luca smirked at her and her blood boiled, "Maybe I was wrong about you."
There was a threat laced in his statement. Beth didn't take kindly to threats.
Instantly Beth unsheathed her knife and barreled into his chest, successfully knocking him to the ground. She straddled his chest with her knife held across his throat. His buddies of course aimed their guns at her, ready to shoot. Edwards was staring wide eyes at the scene unfolding in front of him.
"Back off, it's okay!" Luca yelled. He was trying to play off his fear but Beth could see right through him.
Beth eyed him, "You threaten me again, you better act on it before I do. Are we clear?"
Luca gave a small smile, "Yeah, uh, we're clear."
Beth brought her knife away and got up, his men were staring at her like she was a ticking time bomb.
'Good.' Beth thought to herself as she waited for Luca to get up.
Before he could say anything Beth spoke, "Okay, we can track these men down. But I am not involving myself. This is your fight, not mine." Luca looked confused and she sighed, "If my sister had been taken away from me, I'd want answers too."
Luca let a smile form and nodded, "I knew there was soft side to you."
Beth rolled her eyes, "Just do your thing."
"I think we should turn and head back. He clearly was lying." Aaron started back towards his car as Daryl nodded, "When we get back, Imma kick that kid's ass."
Daryl heard a struggle behind him and turned aiming his crossbow too see a man holding a knife to Aaron's neck. And then he felt something push up against the back of his head.
"Oh, really?" Luca laughed.
Daryl grimaced as he realized what was going on.
Shit.
"Ya' see. My little brother isn't stupid. He can play scared really well. He told you to come here right? Said the camp would be here? Well he told ya' right except… this is where we hunt." Luca stepped into their sight.
Daryl cursed himself. Why had he believed that little shit?
Beth had started leaving when they had found the two men. She didn't feel like four on two was fair but then again, kidnappers didn't deserve fair either so she just kept back. She opened her back pack and took out both halves of the rabbit. They were cold but she was starving. She handed one half to Edwards as they started eating.
She could barely hear what they were saying, but she could hear the tones of each man's voice.
"Now we need him back." Luca paced between Aaron and Daryl.
"We ain't takin' you to him." Daryl growled.
Beth's ears perked. She could tell that the man had a thick southern, raspy voice. She shook her head and continued eating.
"Oh we don't need you two. No… We just need to show your people that we don't negotiate."
"You best leave him be!" Daryl yelled.
She didn't see what happened but she definitely heard the man. And his voice was definitely one she has heard before. She dropped half her rabbit and bounded through the brush, leaving a confused Edwards behind.
Luca turned to her as she came out next to him. He was clearly annoyed by her presence, seeing as she had interrupted his show.
Beth was frozen. There was a man she had never seen before being held by Riley with a knife to his throat. But the other man. She knew who he was. Daryl Dixon. Liam had a gun to Daryl's head and she had to keep her heart from exploding at the image of Liam pulling the trigger against Daryl's head.
Daryl's eyes met hers and she had never seen his face go from a snarling, glare to a shocked, unbelieving look so fast.
"You said you didn't wanna be involved." Luca stated as he and Hank looked at her.
Beth shook her head, "You… You're gonna let them go…"
Now Luca was shocked, "To hell I am. These men-"
Beth cut him off, "These men… Are good people."
"Good people who take people away? I don't think so." Luca spat, getting impatient.
Daryl was still playing catch up with his brain. Beth realized they weren't going to budge on the subject. She nodded, "Okay. You're right. I'm sorry." She turned slowly and could almost feel Daryl's stare on her back as she walked a couple of steps away form them.
Luca was beyond confused at her outburst, "Do you know these-"
Beth turned swiftly around and nailed Liam in the leg with an arrow, giving Daryl enough time to unsheathe his knife, swing around, and slice into Liam's neck. Aaron took the distraction and head butted Riley who was holding him, dislodging the knife from his grasp.
Not having time to load another bolt, Beth drew her gun and shot Hank beside Luca. Daryl grabbed his crossbow from the ground and yelled, "Down!" to Aaron and Aaron ducked as Daryl sent a bolt flying through Riley's head.
Luca had thrown himself on top of Beth right as she had shot Hank and brought his knife down towards her chest. She brought her hands to his, holding the knife from stabbing her. She was losing. He had the advantage of being on top and bearing all his weight down into her. She threw all her strength into holding the knife above her chest, right as it barely touched her skin. She yelled in pain as it started digging into her chest.
Then suddenly Luca wasn't on top of her anymore.
Daryl had drug him off her and threw him to the ground, his crossbow aimed right at him. Without hesitation, he sent the bolt flying through Luca's head.
Beth slowly got up and inspected the small indention the knife made. A little blood but nothing serious. After she inspected her minor wound, she turned and was immediately crushed by another body enveloping her into his embrace. She gave a small smile as she brought her arms around his middle and they just stood there. Daryl brought himself away from her for a brief moment, his arms still around her and looked at her face.
She shied away but he brought his hand to her chin and inspected her face. She knew he could see the scars of her past. They were almost invisible but they could still be seen close up. Especially her bullet wound.
He shook his head as he moved some hair from her forehead. His eyes darkened for a second but then slid down to her cheek and she closed her eyes.
"I thought I'd never see you again." Beth whispered.
"Ur tellin' me." Daryl muttered.
A rustling behind Beth threw Daryl back into defensive mode as he brought Beth behind him and aimed his crossbow at the woods. He felt Beth's hand on his shoulder, "It's just Dr. Edwards."
Daryl looked ober his shoulder at her, "Doctor who?"
Edwards emerged slowly and Daryl lowered his crossbow. He remembered him.
Daryl turned back around to look at Beth. She about jumped out of her skin when he grabbed her face and just stared intently into her eyes.
"How the hell are ya' alive, Beth?"
So yeah, totally paralleled her with Daryl and the Claimers in "A". I just kind had this floating as a one shot in my computer but it seemed to just work.