Okay! This is kinda a filler, just throwing out some background on our babies, jumping into Daryl's head a little. Warning for gory Walker violence, blood and nightmares

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! All the follows and favorites make me giddy! This is overdue I know but I've been sick, also writers block. Hope you like it

That night after everyone had set up camp, they settled down around the fire to eat. Daryl and Rick had discovered a dirt road that led a ways into the woods to what appeared to be a part of a camping ground complete with picnic tables, grills and a water spigot that by some miracle still worked. They'd pulled all the vehicles into a tight circle around one lots of the camping ground, pitching up the tents and gathered up what kindling they could find-they were in the woods, there was plenty for a good sized fire-and Daryl had even brought back some squirrels for dinner. Considering how her life was now, Beth had to admit that it was a pretty good night. She nibbled on her squirrel, telling herself it was a chicken wing, wishing she could smother it in hot sauce or something to take away the dry texture of the well done meat.

Carl was sitting next to Rick, who had a his shot gun laying at his side, Beth could see the unease in the man's eyes that bellied the smile he wore on his face as he spoke to Carl. Dale was on the roof of the RV as always, Andrea had made him a plate of squirrel and beans, and immediately slinked into the RV. Beth had noticed that the woman had been more distant, she could only guess it was due to Amy. Beth could just imagine if she had watched Maggie slip away, dying in her arms, only to be forced to shoot her in the head.

Beth felt her stomach drop, lurching uncomfortably, and suddenly the squirrel in her hand was far less appetizing than before. She glanced up just as Glenn was moving past her to take up a spot near the fire.

"Glenn," Beth whispered, holding out the remnants of her plate to him, there was half the squirrel and plenty of beans left. "You want mine?"

The way Glenn regarded the plate you might as well have offered him a 12 oz. steak, he glanced up at her in concern.

"You're not hungry?"

Beth smiled and shook her head. "Naw, squirrel isn't my favorite. You go ahead, you need it."

Glenn took the plate thanking her as he sank down to sit by the fire. Beth settled in, leaning back against the log that some previous camper had rolled up towards the fire pit, tucking her legs close to her chest as she stared into the flames, allowing her mind to wander. She heard someone coming up behind her, she glanced up to see Lori hovering over her, a hesitant smile on her lips.

"Beth?" Lori whispered, reaching her hand out to touch the bare skin of the young woman's shoulder, turning her attention away from the fire, to her.

"Mm?" Beth asked, shifting to the side, silently inviting Lori to sit next to her.

Lori accepted the silent invitation, taking up the newly vacant space, her hand automatically going to the younger girl's ponytail, stroking the locks lovingly, her free arm wrapping around Beth's shoulders. Lori had been like that with Beth ever since the chaos of that first night, naturally taking the young woman under her wing like she was her own daughter.

"What happened at the CDC, honey," Lori whispered, her hand still stroking Beth's hair in comfort.

Beth's stomach knotted at the sad knowing in Lori's voice. Beth hadn't even considered how it would affect the others if she had actually stayed when . . .

Ya ain't alone.

"I gave up, got scared," Beth said quietly. "Everything . . . the fact that my family could be dead or worse . . . turned . . . the world suddenly looked too big and too frightening for someone like me to face on their own."

"Someone like you?" Lori questioned, her tone quiet and soothing, even though inside her heart was breaking for the girl.

"I'm weak, Lori. Look at me. I'm not Daryl, or Shane, or Rick. I ain't never shot a gun before, never had to defend myself or know how. I was the baby of the family, the sheltered one. And now I'm alone . . . and it's like I'm just learning to stand."

Beth gazed up into Lori's eyes, the chocolate brown irises filled with concern while Beth's held a resolve.

"That's what I thought, but then Daryl . . . he got me out. He reminded me that . . . even though I don't know where my family is . . . I still have a lotta people here who care about me."

"Daryl Dixon did all that," Lori asked, glancing over to where the redneck sat, on the fringe of the group, concentrating on his food, eating as though he feared that the cooked squirrel in his hands would get up and run from him.

For all the time Lori had spent with the Dixon brothers, which was scarce, she had never figured either one as the nurturing sort. Not to mention the type to linger in a building with a bomb about to go off in order to talk a frightened teenager out from committing a horrible mistake. Lori recalled her terror as she had watched from the safety of the RV as Daryl and Beth had come running out of the CDC, remembering how the large man had thrown himself across the girl to shield her from the blast.

Maybe he wasn't so bad, Lori allowed as she continued playing with Beth's hair.

"I was scared of him, y'know," Beth said as she allowed her blue eyes to trail over towards where the hunter sat. "Mostly 'cause of Merle, but even then he kept Merle away. He's . . . he's a good guy, he just doesn't like people much."

Lori smiled, a soft burst of laughter escaping her.

"What's so funny," Rick asked them, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked at his wife.

Lori shook her head at him, as she released Beth's hair from her hand. "Just girl stuff."

Beth snorted only to have a yawn escape her lips. Lori patted her side and advised her to go to bed in their tent. Beth shook her head.

"Neh, I'll just sleep in the RV," Beth said as she moved towards the RV, wishing Glenn, Carol, Carl, Sophia and the rest good night.

She paused beside Daryl, who looked up at hearing her approach. She gave him a tentative smile.

"Night, Daryl, thank you," she said moving away before he could speak.

Daryl watched her disappear into the RV, shaking his head slightly, before returning to his plate. Girl had been strange for the rest of the day since their conversation in the RV, and, surprisingly, Daryl found that being quiet didn't suit Beth, he had grown used to her easy chatter. It was that easy chatter though that had made him slip up and talk about his past.

He'd left the RV pissed at himself, at Beth too, even though he knew she didn't deserve his anger. Rick had immediately cornered the hunter, asking for him to come with him to scout ahead. Daryl had agreed, reluctantly, but he damn well knew that if he allowed Rick and Shane to stomp around in the woods they'd probably scare away all the game and end up getting themselves killed-or Shane would end up killing Rick. Daryl didn't miss the hostility that was hid behind Shane's dark eyes towards his so-called best friend.

Daryl had taken the lead, instructing the men flanking him to remain quiet and to follow his lead. Rick was at the back, which left Shane directly behind him.

"You better stay away from that girl, Dixon," Shane growled lowly.

Daryl stopped dead in his tracks, the agitation he had felt earlier towards himself rearing its ugly head, and it was eyeing Shane.

"The fuck you talkin' about Walsh?" Daryl growled.

"Talkin' bout Beth," Shane snapped. "She don't need your redneck ass hanging around her."

Daryl's hand's turned white on his crossbow, desperately trying to keep himself from hauling off and punching the man. It didn't take any stretch of Daryl's imagination to believe that Shane had been a cop before all this-guy was big enough asshole to pull it off.

"Fuck off," Daryl said as he turned to keep on walking, if Shane was dumb enough to think he'd go for a little toothpick of a thing, then he was dumber than Daryl thought.

"Hey, don't you walk away from me you redneck white trash," Shane hissed grabbing Daryl's arm.

That did it, without thought or hesitation Daryl swung back, slamming the butt of the crossbow into Shane's face with a satisfying crack that eased the rage swelling inside his gut. Rick threw himself between the two men, just as Shane was straightening from the blow, wiping at the blood streaming down his face.

"You fucking bastard!"

"Don't talk ta me like I'm shit, Walsh! And you're one to talk about not touching someone who ain't yours'," Daryl hissed, throwing the words out, knowing they'd sting more than any punch.

Rick glanced in confusion between the two men, watching a Shane jerked away, his dark eyes glaring daggers into Daryl, who just sneered back, shaking his head. Walsh had stormed off, huffing and cursing as he went. Rick remained quiet, Daryl could only guess the man was scared to ask questions.

Daryl shook his head at the memory, that anger returning once more. Shane Walsh was a dick that was for sure. Daryl rubbed a hand over his face, huffing loudly as he tossed his empty plate into the fire. He stood shouldering his crossbow as he started off towards the edge of camp. He found T-Dog standing watch, rifle in hand. Daryl coughed, cluing the man that he was behind him

T-Dog turned sharply, eyes falling on Daryl and relaxing-just slightly. "S'up Dixon?"

"Ya can go eat, I'll keep watch for a bit," Daryl said, sliding the strap of the crossbow off his shoulder and taking it into his hands.

T-Dog didn't argue, he gave Daryl a quick thank you and raced off towards the food. Daryl snickered. The guy would probably put away three squirrels. Daryl missed regular food though. He and Merle had always lived off the land, but what he wouldn't do to have a damn cheeseburger. Fuck, just cheese would be amazing. Daryl shook his head, forcing his mind away from the past. No use thinking about things like food he'd never likely see again.

Daryl scanned the forest, his ears straining for any hint of the undead. It was quiet though, nothing but crickets and animals, though there were fewer of those thanks to the damn geeks. When there weren't people around to gnaw on, they went for whatever red-blooded creature they could sniff out. Daryl shifted on his feet, digging into his pants pocket to withdraw his pack of smokes, lighting one and taking a deep draw.

Daryl didn't want to think about what he'd do when the day came and he couldn't find a pack of smokes anymore. The thought chilled him.

As much as Daryl tried to keep his mind on trivial things like cigarettes and geeks eating up all the game, his mind did eventually wander back to the girl with the big blue eyes that looked right through him. Why the fuck hadn't he just ran when he could? What made him turn into Mr. White Knight and stay with her? Daryl couldn't figure it out.

Ever since he'd first laid eyes on the little blond, he'd dismissed her as weak. Knew she'd probably be the first of the group to be picked off, small thing like her looked like she couldn't even kill a fly. Something about her had initially annoyed him, few times he'd spoken to her before his remarks were callous and biting, always making her shrink away from him and she'd get this look in her eyes that made Daryl want to punch himself. Girl was like a puppy or something.

Daryl shook his head, taking another drag from his cigarette. Merle had been an ass towards her, always mouthing off about what a pretty little thing she was. Hearing his brother talk about the girl that way had rubbed him wrong, he always told him to shut up and made sure to keep Merle away from her as much as possible. Daryl loved his brother, and while he didn't think he meant anything by his remarks, a part of Daryl hadn't wanted to risk it. Hadn't wanted to make Beth anymore uncomfortable than she clearly was.

Before today, she'd only looked at him with fear in her eyes. Like he was the boogeyman or something. Daryl supposed that was another thing that egged him on to be an ass to her.

Shane popped back into his mind and Daryl cursed. Asshole, what did he think Daryl was? Beth was, what, fourteen or something and he was fucking thirty-seven. Sick fuck. Daryl took an angry drag from his smoke before throwing it to the ground and grinding it under his boot.

Whatever. He's stay away from Beth, put whatever the fuck had happened today behind him, and focus on finding his brother.

Because when it came down to it, Merle was all Daryl had.

Cookies n' cream ice cream. That was what had taken Beth out of the house that night. Maggie decided it was a must have for the night, she was back from college in Atlanta on break, and she deemed it a special occasion. So of course they needed ice cream.

Beth had jumped at the chance to get out of the house, Shawn was bugging her about Jimmy, the boy she had kinda been seeing for the last month, and she just needed an escape.

"You be careful now, Bethy," her father, Hershel said, concern making his voice stern.

Beth had smiled up at him, standing on tip toes, placing a quick kiss to his weathered cheek.

"I'll be fine, daddy," she said before turning on her heel and walking out of the house.

Beth had taken the keys to Maggie's car and had headed towards to town. She'd picked up the ice cream and had been headed home when she got stuck in a freak case of grid lock.

When people had started running past her car, a hard ball of panic had settled in Beth's throat. Hesitantly, Beth had climbed out of the car, and that's when she saw them.

Her first walker. It was a woman, face sunken in, eyes hallow of all emotion, latched onto the arm of a man. Beth let of a strangled cry as the woman tore off a chunk of flesh, and the cry the man let out turned Beth's stomach and brought tears to her eyes. Beth had done the only thing she could think to do.

She ran.

She pushed her way through the crowd of people, desperate to escape, to go home. A sharp blow to her back sent Beth sailing forward, face first on the asphalt. She cried out as a hand grasped her arm, sure it was one of those things, sure that she was going to die.

But it had been Lori, hauling Beth to her feet, pulling her towards her car where Carl sat up front crying and Shane was screaming for her to hurry.

Suddenly the memory shifted and Lori was gone, instead it was Maggie who held her arm, only it wasn't Maggie. Her neck was twisted at an odd angle, and her skin was like ice and felt like rubber almost. Beth tried to yank her arm free, but Maggie turned back to look at her, her movements slow, and fear swelled inside Beth as she met the dead hallow gaze of her sister. Dark blood dripping from her mouth as the creature let out a snarl, discolored teeth flashing in the night, as its head dropped down.

Beth let out an ear-piercing shriek as she felt her flesh being torn, hands on her neck, in her hair, dragging her down into the darkness-

"Beth!"

Beth eyes snapped open, her body surging forward, still lost in sleep defending herself from whatever was holding her.

"Beth-Jesus, stop! Shit," the gruff voice swore when her hand connected with his face.

Beth stopped struggling staring into the darkness. "Daryl?"

"Fuck yes, it's me! What the hell?" he growled as drew away from her touching his face. "D'ya scratch me?"

"S-sorry-I dreamt, I mean I had a nightmare," Beth gasped as she swung her legs off the couch, settling her head in her hands as she tried to catch her breath, and calm the erratic beating of her heart.

She heard Daryl grumble and curse above her before she heard him plop down at the little table opposite of her.

"What was it?"

"Huh?" Beth asked looking up at him.

"Your nightmare, what was it about?" he clarified, his tone scathing with irritation. "Go on, out with it."

"It was of that first night, haven't dreamt about it in a while, I'm running with Lori to her car and she turns into my sister, only she's-"

"A damn geek? Yeah, I've had that dream 'fore, sucks," he sighed as he rubbed a hand across his face. "She get ya?"

Beth nodded, touching the unmarred skin on her arm. "Then they were all on me, dragging me down, then you woke me up I guess."

"Yeah, took outta chunk of my skin too," Daryl huffed, he added quietly as he stared out into the dark night. "Ya know scratchin' and slappin' won't do shit against geeks."

"Yeah, I know," Beth affirmed sighing. "I can't keep going like this. It won't work. I won't mak-"

"S'nough of that bullshit," Daryl huffed, turning to glare at her. "I don't wanna hear ya go on 'bout how you won't survive. Not losing anyone else, I'll teach you to shoot, fight whatever."

"You'd do that?" Beth asked, she couldn't help the awe from her voice, hardly believing what he was saying. "Thought it was every man-er, woman-for themselves."

Daryl shrugged. "That didn't much work out did it?"

Daryl stood, sighing, look at her through heavy lids, it suddenly dawned on Beth that he must be exhausted.

"Ya gunna be okay?"

"Yes, go. Sleep," she shooed him away with a flick of her hand.

Daryl moved towards the door, Beth watched him go, the nagging feeling in her chest growing until she finally called out to him, stopping him at the door.

"What," he sighed, his voice heavy with wariness.

"Just . . . why are you being nice to me? Why do you care whether or not I . . . ." Beth let her words die as she shook her head. "Never mind."

Daryl muttered something under his breath before turning to her, his blue eyes meeting hers'.

"Honestly, girl? I have no fucking clue, I just do."

With that Daryl stomped out of the RV and into the darkness of the night. Beth settled back down on the couch, listening to the sounds of nature as his words replayed over and over in her mind like a mad ping pong ball.

I just do.

"Me, too, Daryl," Beth murmured as she shut her eyes and willed herself back to sleep.

Somehow she knew that no more nightmares would visit her tonight.

Okay, so that's it. You know I was tempted to leave you guys hanging at "Daryl?" But I just dont have that kind of cruelty in me. There will be cliffys just not now, this things barely off the ground. Im so MEH about this chapter.

Please review, your words matter, give me your thoughts. See you in chapter 4 guys