The coffee this morning was sweeter than usual.

That was what first crossed Beth's mind when she took that delicate sip from her favorite bunny cup. The surprising tangy sweetness that settled in her tongue made her belly perform somersaults in pleasure. She looked at her father, Hershel, whose whole attention captured by the little book clasped gently into his palms.

Beth giggled softly and made her way towards him, her cup cradled in her hands and an ever-growing smile on her thin lips.

If this morning was any normal morning, their coffee would've been bitter like how her father liked it. Hershel said, according to his own self-made logic – that coffee was made to be bitter. Which is why if they were to drink coffee, the best way it could be was the natural way it was.

It turns out her father was somewhat right, because for Beth - nothing can tear her away from drowsiness and into awareness better than a solid cup of hot coffee.

But today, Hershel went against that logic.

After all, when it came to her father, Beth knew better. This morning he served their coffee, the way that she didn't like but she absolutely loved. All creamy, smooth, sweet and god that aroma….

Beth sat beside her father and leaned her head in his shoulder. It also happened that the sweet taste of today's coffee was a simple reminder that today; Beth would be off to the city. This coffee her father made was the last one for a long time.

It was another kind of farewell from her loving old man.

"Daddy…"

Hershel put down the bible on the table's surface in order to look at his daughter's blonde head on his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Maggie and I are leaving today." She answered softly, eyes closed and savoring her father's minty scent mixed with some spice.

Beth opened her eyes when she heard her father sigh.

"It seems so. My lovely daughters are growing up." Hershel, laughing, gently placed a kissed on Beth's temple. "Though how can you leave me with Shawn? I'm too old to babysit that troublesome boy."

Beth laughed when her big brother Shawn stomped into the kitchen, a scowl on his face. "Hey! I heard that. It's not like I'm thrilled either. I ain't some home for the aged."

"More time for bonding then, huh?" Beth could have rolled on the floor, laughing at the dirty look his father and brother threw at her.

For these past three years after her mother died, it was always the three of them that took care of the farm, since Maggie opted to stay in the city and open her own restaurant.

Shawn was a farm boy through and through. Not once did he show any intention of leaving their home. He was contented with their peaceful and simple life out there in the province and he was sure Beth was too. Not until two months ago anyway, when Beth confessed to Hershel that she wanted to go to college and study medicine.

It pissed him off, Beth knew. But it was something she really wanted for a while now.

She couldn't imagine towing seeds or gardening all her life, she wouldn't want to imagine. Beth loved the farm, but she wasn't gonna treat it like a prison to stay in for all her life.

And that, Hershel understood.

It had been a mess that night, with Shawn insisting she stay and Hershel reprimanding him for being insensitive. That had always been the way with her father and brother. Always on the opposite side of things but at the same time wanting only what they thought was best – and that was why Beth believed, they loved each other regardless.

In the end, her father called and informed Maggie – who was ecstatic of the news – and went to help Beth arrange everything, from college entrance exams to living quarters – everything.

And so here they were today, at the front porch with Beth wrapped in her father's arms, Maggie in the car waiting for her and Shawn sulking a little ways away. Beth moved to her brother and gave him a hug as well.

"No boys yet, understand Bethy?" Shaun chastised.

Beth answered with a hearty laugh and punched him at the arm.

"Study hard, Beth. Stay safe and remember we love you." Hershel reminded when Beth got inside Maggie's car, all her luggage at the back seat.

"Maggie, look out for your sister."

"Yes Daddy. And Shawn, don't worry your protective ass, no one's going to get close to this little angel as long as I'm here," Maggie laughed.

Shawn flipped his middle finger at her, which earned him a smack at the head from their father.

Beth laughed fondly at the two most important men in her life.

"Take care of Daddy while we're gone. We'll be back soon, promise," Beth said as Maggie started the ignition and slowly drove the car away.

"I love you guys!" She yelled and waved at her father and brother's figure.

She was going to miss them dearly. But it wasn't like she was gonna be gone for long. Four years was just a short amount of time.

As soon as she finished college, she'll go back to the farm and personally take care of her father until he grows old of age. And maybe if Shawn's lucky, when Beth came home she'll finally have someone to meet as his girlfriend.

Beth exchanged a smile with Maggie. "You're gonna do fine, Beth."

She nodded at her older sister and looked out the window. It was morning still but Beth could hardly believe that when afternoon came, she had a new life to start at a new home.

...

Maggie frantically carried the luggage inside the small house she bought for Beth. Beth found out earlier that when Maggie received the news that her little sister was going to college – she immediately scouted a nearby neighborhood and bought a small house for her to live in.

She'd like to think it was something like a graduation gift.

"It's nothing, really. My business has been doing so well." Maggie just waved her off when Beth asked its price. It must have been somewhat expensive, being in the city and all, but Maggie seemed happy to give it to her.

She watched her sister move around the house, checking everything in a rush before making her way towards Beth.

"Call me if you need anything. Drop by the restaurant for dinner, ok? Bye!" Maggie quickly kissed her cheek and went to her car. Beth gave her sister a nod and watched as she drove off.

Everything seemed to pass by in a blur.

With Maggie panicking and babbling about how she was late for some appointment, Beth wasn't able to think properly. Now that she was alone, she begun to process that this was her new home. Beth was now independent.

Smiling at herself, she examined her new living quarters.

It was a simple three-room house – a bathroom, a small living room adjoining with the kitchen and dining room. Lastly was her bedroom, it was simple with a small bed on the side, a closet and a study table beside the window.

It was small but it felt cozy. Soon, when Beth started to splash a little of herself in the house, it would feel like home.

She went outside into the yard, wherein Maggie planted some shrubs, flowers and an apple tree beside the small garage where her bike was parked.

Her sister really did think of everything. It was probably one of the reasons why she loved Maggie as she did. It wasn't any surprise that her sister was sometimes bossy and smug but that's just how she was.

Beth took out her phone and texted Maggie. It wasn't like she had anything to do anyway. "Off to your restaurant." She typed.

Beth looked at the setting sun. She reckon she'd still have enough daylight to find the restaurant.

After all, Maggie said it was in the main avenue.

"That shouldn't be too hard to find," Beth said.

...

Beth didn't know what time it was.

She was sure it was well-past dinner and Maggie was probably scalping herself from worry. An hour ago, Beth thought she was on her way to the main avenue, now she had no idea.

She could clearly imagine in her head - Maggie's fretting face, a phone in her hand and dialing their brother's number. The last thing Beth needed was a search party through the entire city led by her brother, Shaun.

Her first night in the city and she was lost.

Hershel would never trust her with herself again.

She took out her phone and texted Maggie. It was time she gave up trying to figure the city herself and started asking questions.

Who was Beth kidding? She was a country girl, navigating a city was not her best skill.

She dialed her sister's number and waited.

"Beth?! Where the hell are you?"

She cringed. "Hi Maggie. I'm here in..." Beth looked around trying to catch a clue of where she was. All that greeted her eyes were empty dark houses and closed stores with no signs. "Ah, Maggie? I don't know where I am."

"I swear, Beth. I leave you for two seconds, and you get yourself lost. Daddy's gonna kill me. When he finds out, he's going to ride over here in a horse and chew my head off."

Beth sighed.

She was never going to her the end of this. Nuh uh, not from Maggie. She bit her lip and prepared for the worst of it.

"And what about Shawn, huh? He's gonna chop me into bits and use me as fertilizer for his corns, Beth!"

"Maggie, please. Where am I?"

She heard the scoff from the other line. "You tell me, Beth. Ask for directions from anyone there!"

Beth looked around and rubbed her face in frustration. That would've been easy really; if there were anyone at all! She was alone in this dark alley with the damned lamp post flickering.

"There isn't anyone here, Maggi- oh wait. I think I see someone." Beth strained her eyes to see better. No thanks to the dim light, Beth could barely make out if it was a man leaning on a wall or if her eyes were desperate enough to be playing tricks on her.

Then he moved, shuffling in his feet and sighed audibly. Beth was sure it was not her imagination.

"Maggie, I see someone. I'm hanging up."

"What? Beth? Beth! Don't h-" Beth in her eagerness to go home, hung up the phone and made her way towards the man.

With the distance between them lessened for a few meters, Beth could now see a bottle dangling from the man's fingers. She stopped dead in her tracks.

It was wishful thinking, but Beth prayed it was only a bottle of milk or anything else. But the mere shape of the bottle was unforgettable to her. She had seen too many of those from her father's drinking days to be sure of it now.

Breathing as quietly as she could, Beth moved backwards and inwardly cursed her lapse of common sense and fine moment of stupidity. She could not believe herself. Almost running into the arms of a drunken man in an abandoned alley, if she hadn't taken a second to look…

Beth did not dare imagine.

She only hoped she could be quiet enough not to grab the man's attention. But it seems even that was too much to ask for.

A familiar song of Tom Waits blasted loud through the air.

"Shit Maggie!" Beth hissed as she fumbled with her purse to find her cell phone. Maggie had doomed her.

Her hands trembled as she rummaged quickly through make-up, pens and other gibberish. Beth's mind was a tangle of thoughts. She had to find her phone, she had to silent it, she had to get out of there, and she had to- Finally! Her fingers had clutched her phone tight. Pulling it out, she aimed to reject the call - when a hand blocked the screen of her phone.

Beth stood frozen. She couldn't remember her hands being that large, with the skin hard and rough - marked with scars and calluses.

She couldn't, because it was definitely not hers.

Just then, the song stopped.

A bark of laughter erupted from just above her. The sound seemed to cut through the silence and seep under Beth's skin. It was so raucous and deep, like a backdrop to a funeral. Her funeral.

"Wel', lookie who we have here. Ya lost, Angelface? No need 'ta be 'fraid no more, ole Merle's got ya now."

Beth found herself face-to-face with a man that Hershel would've fired a gun at without a second glance. He was the type of redneck that Beth hoped in her life she would not encounter, but now she was. And she had no idea what to do.

Beth inhaled deliberately. She didn't know a lot of things about this man but she damn well knew she had to get away. He had an aura that said trouble and the smirk he sent her was enough proof of that.

She stepped a foot back and abruptly turned. Beth hadn't even travelled a meter when she felt two strong hands wrapping around her shoulders and keeping her in front of him.

"Uh uh. Not so fast, darlin'." Merle flashed a wolfish grin.

Beth squirmed in place but she only felt his grasp tightening. She shuddered as all the hair on her skin stood on edge. The leather of her jacket was starting to painfully rub on the skin of her shoulders. "Let go of m-"

"Can't. Need someone 'ta keep me steady, girl. World's already spinnin', nothing's even been done yet," Merle said, his speech slurring as he stood uncertain on his feet.

Beth struggled to keep balance as he leaned his weight unto her. She almost gagged at the overwhelming scent of alcohol that filled her nostrils. But that wasn't the only reason why her stomach lurched; she was terrified at the thought that crossed her mind.

Now, Beth was desperate enough to break free – she'd rather die than experience what a man like him could do to small girl like her.

Opening her mouth wide, she angled her face and bit his wrist hard. Merle yelped in pain but swayed nonetheless. And before Beth could do anything with her new-found freedom, she felt his heavy weight pushing her down on the ground.

She started to panic, flinging her arms aggressively until she noticed that Merle wasn't really doing anything.

He just lay on top of her and… snored.

"He's… he's passed out," Beth said, her eyes wide from disbelief.

"Oh thank God, he's passed out." She felt tears peeking through her eyes.

Beth struggled to push him off but to no avail. The man weighed too much for her.

She released a soft cry and struggled to push him off once more. If she could just get him off – she'd promise never to wander off alone again.

Then God heard her, and Beth could feel the cold air as he was abruptly pulled off of her. She heaved a deep breath as she gawked at what could only be a miracle. And next thing Beth knew, she was staring at the miracle right in the face. A new sensation of fear took her as she looked at her savior in the eye.

It was another redneck. Oh joy.

She backed away with the courage she had left and subconsciously wrapped her arms across her chest securely.

It would seem her moment of victory had been too quick to vanish.

If anything, this one frightened her more. He looked younger than the other one and he wasn't drunk but he was furious. Beth could almost imagine the inferno in his blue eyes as he held Merle by the collar. And he was staring right at her – reading her like she was some exposed specimen to watch.

Beth couldn't take her eyes of off him, and so she just stared back – her eyes wide with shock. And then it happened, he punched Merle squarely in the jaw and the other man tumbled to the ground.

"What the fuck, Merle?"

Merle blinked, setting his jaw right before he looked at him. "Ain't what it looked like baby brotha, I was just lookin' for som' company."

Merle shifted his gaze to Beth. "Found angelface here, but she didn't want no friends. Bit me like a rascal she was."

The younger brother kicked him hard in the stomach and made his way towards Beth.

"Did'ya want a death sentence, girl? Strollin' here alone in the middle of the damn night!" He barked in front of her face. Beth closed her eyes – she could feel his warm breath and smell the mint of the toothpaste he must've been using.

She was still trembling and the man must've felt that because he stepped away enough not to entirely suffocate her. Beth could feel his irritation radiate off him like a stench. And somehow it had calmed her a bit knowing that it wasn't directed at her.

"I was lost." Her voice broke at the last word, and she felt a tear roll down her cheek defiantly.

Surprisingly, when she made eye-contact with the man again – there was something else in his eyes. There was anger yes, but a little guilt as well. That was when Beth concluded, this man didn't mean her harm. At least, she prayed anyway.

"Damn right ya are." He moved back and carried his passed out brother by the shoulder.

Beth blinked as they started to limp away. Then he looked back at her and Beth felt herself stiffen once more.

"Head down tha' road there. Some cops in a police car, they'll help ya get home." He paused for a moment, seeming to think through his next choice of words.

Then he surprised Beth when he smirked.

"Tell them, Daryl said he'd found his brotha' and that they shouldn't let anyone pee that easily." He snickered before disappearing into the shadows.

Beth stood there for a moment, her mind processing every shit that occurred. She looked towards the road that the man, named 'Daryl' apparently, pointed towards her. She briefly wondered who they were.

Beth could still feel the fast-paced thumping of her heart; she had no clue how to explain this night to Maggie. She'd have her chained at her door if she only knew.

Beth gasped. "Maggie!"

She reached for her purse, and realized after a moment of searching that her phone wasn't with her. "My phone!"

Beth turned around but there was nothing she could do, the two rednecks were far gone by now. It didn't help that she didn't know where she was. Now she had no choice but to trust the man's word.

Heading towards the road Daryl pointed, she saw the flash of red and blue. She'd never thought in all her life that she could be this happy at a mere sight of a police car.

"Damnit Rick! How could that redneck outsmart us?" A bald cop grunted.

The other man he was speaking to only sighed.

Beth wondered if the two earlier were criminals – and if they were, then Beth was lucky she had been spared. She felt a shudder run through her spine at the revelation that she had barely sidestepped death or worse.

They were already climbing in the police car, when Beth approached them. The two looked at her apprehensively, their guards raised. "What the…"

"My name's Beth and… I'm lost, someone told me you'd be here and that you'd help me get home."

Rick exchanged a look with the bald guy. He nodded and gestured her to get in. Beth clambered into the back seat. And the car started and they drove away.

"He's long gone anyway, Shane," Rick said.

"Did you…" Shane looked at her through the rear-view mirror. "Did you by any chance saw a redneck runnin' round back there?"

Beth gave a nod. "He took my phone, and he also has a message for you."

"A message?" He repeated.

"He said to tell you, that he found his brother and that you shouldn't let anyone pee that easily."

"Fuck those Dixons." Shane growled as the cop in the driver's seat struggled to keep his laughter in.

A while later, they arrived at the police station where Maggie sat waiting with tears in her eyes. She attacked Beth with questions, and scolded her better than her momma would have. But Beth couldn't tell Maggie, or anyone for that matter, that she was saved by a criminal on a run.

She couldn't because if she did, Beth Greene would have a one-way ticket back to Farm's Ville.

AN: So yeah, this chapter is so looong. I got a bit talkative there - I apologize! And let's not forget, the response last chapter was so heartwarming. You guys, thank you really. Btw, this fic is sort of a slow burn. I'd really hope you'd stick with me. Feel free to ask questions and bring forth suggestions - I'm open to anything really.

Let me know what you guys honestly think and please do review if you can. It makes the author giddy and inspired! 3

xx Spritelight