The next week vanishes in a blur. So much is happening all at once, and aside from their early morning training sessions, Beth and Daryl are pulled in oppisite directions. Runs are being planned and routes plotted, and like her Daddy said, they all had jobs to do. Lists are being prepared and collected by Beth herself, and with Maggie and Tara's help, the women are determined that nothing will be missed or forgotten.
Planning for Washington was proving itself a difficult undertaking. There was so much to consider. Rick held several more meetings, giving Daryl and Abraham several more opportunities to butt heads. Abraham all but insisted they take the most straight forward passage, as it would be the quickest way; To which Daryl firmly stated that if Abraham gave a damn about Eugene's safety, then he might want to pull his head out of his ass and start using his brain. The hunter unequivocally refused to compromise on the issue either, saying no way was he going to be responsible for getting them all killed, and demanded that the route must be a ways off from the road so as not to draw any unwanted attention.
Abraham only caved after Eugene pointed out that it would be easier to find water in the woods, not to mention food. Water is the source of all life he said, and they would do well to take advantage of the hunter in their midst. That pissed Daryl off all the more, but it was hard to argue with the truth. Daryl was an asset. No doubt about it. His ability to provide sustenance lessens the stress level of the entire group. And in the end was decided that Daryl was right, so Abraham focuses his attention on improving the weapons.
He enlists the help of Rosita, and together they make a great team, as they seem to anticipate each other perfectly. In one afternoon they manage to take some old pipe and a blowtorch they find in the church basement and craft bayonets to attach to each of the riffles with leather and twine.
It is midway through the second week of planning when things finally start to settle down.
"Hey Greene, pull up a seat and hand me your knife."
"Sure thing," Beth says, smiling as she walks over to where Daryl is seated by the campfire with a pile of sticks scattered at his feet. She hands over her knife and settles in on the log beside him. "How's it coming, anyway?"
"Could be better. I can't seem too... Son of a bitch!"
"Oh my gosh! Are you ok," Beth asks, reaching out for his hand.
"It's nothin'," he growls back, promptly pulling his hand away from her grasp and bringing the injured finger up to his lips.
Not taking no for answer, Beth gently reaches for his hand again. "Daryl you're bleeding. Let me see it." As she rubs away the blood with the hem of her shirt, his gaze pierces through her. The air around them is suddenly electric, and zaps at Beth insides, starting in her belly and moving up to the vessels just below the surface of her skin, causing her normally ivory tone to heat up and change colour.
It kills Daryl to see the comforting look in Beth's doe like eyes as they drift up to meet his, and for a split second it's as if no time has passed at all. He forgets the all promises he made to himself to stay away. He doesn't think of the danger he put her in, or the two months of hell it caused her. All he sees is the flushed smile on her face and her giant blue orbs that hold him in a trance, pulling him closer to her as she leans towards him. Beth nibbles at her lower lip, waiting on baited breath as Daryl closes the distance, and then...
"Hey what's up?"
... just like that the spell is broken. Glen stands in front of the small fire, and watches as Daryl rips a piece of fabric from the frayed hem of his already sleeveless shirt and ties it in a knot around the cut on his digit.
Clearing his throat, the hunter desperately tries to regain his composure. "Korea," he grunts. Beth sees Daryl's struggle and gives him a friendly nudge before cutting in. "Daryl is showing me how to make bolts."
Glen's eyes open wide with interest and he turns his attention to Daryl once more. "Really? Do you think it will work?"
"You know what they say. Cain't never could."
Beth shines a humoured smile at Glen from her spot on the log as she watches him struggle with what Daryl has said. Glen never could get use to the hunter's particularly strong southern vernacular.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Daryl sighs before restating his response. "You will never do it if you don't try."
"Oh, of course."
The gruff man carries on with his task while he converses casually. "Should work though. Might not fly as true, but it's better than nothin'. I'm down to my last five bolts. Hoping to find s'more on the run tomorrow, but if I don't than I sure as hell ain't going out there with just my bare hands and a knife." Daryl's gravelly voice softens as he leans into Beth ever so slightly. "Got people to protect."
Daryl tilts his head toward the blonde, but at the same time keeps his eyes down. From where Glen is standing, it looks as though Daryl is fighting the urge to look at her. His long scruffy hair falls in front of his eyes, and he just seems intent to go on studying the ground. If this wasn't Daryl Dixon he was talking about, Glen would almost say he appeared shy.
Glen glances from Daryl to Beth and then back again, suddenly feeling like an intruder. As the wind picks up it blows Beth's curly locks away from her face, and reveals a slight blush that adds some much needed colour to her pale skin. All the confirmation Glen needs to know he has definitely interrupted something. The encounter lasts but a moment. It's so subtle that had he not been standing directly in front of them he surely would have missed it. With the hunter at her side Beth's eyes shimmer and come to life just like before... and it's nice for Glen to see. Daryl awkwardly shuffles further down the log, but then again not so much as to raise suspicion.
Glen thinks on all of what Maggie has said in the past weeks about the small touches and pleasant gestures Daryl makes for Beth and Beth alone. It is only then that it hits him. "Oh my God. Maggie is right! How could he not have noticed. Even now the air around them is charged. He needs to find his wife.
"I have to find Maggie. Have you guys seen her?"
Beth motions to the far end of the church. "Yah, she's at the rectory where the pastor used to live. You know, the cottage over there."
"What's she doing there?"
"Oh, well Maggie and I decided it would be better if the group moved in there until we leave. Spent time walking the property when we were out collecting veggies."
"Wait, we have veggies?" Glen can't help the level of excitement in his voice.
Beth's smile is so wide now, like she's about to burst. "It was supposed to be a surprise. Tara and Rosita stumbled on the garden. The pastor who lived here before must have kept it. It's overgrown for sure, but it still has a few things growing."
"Like what," Daryl asks eagerly.
"Some lettuce, radishes, a few tomatoes, oh and some potatoes too. Maggie's going to make a stew."
Daryl's stomach growls at the thought of fresh anything, but his voice is serious when he speaks. "Can Maggie cook?"
"I'll help her," Beth giggles. Standing up, she grabs Glen's arm to lead him over, then swings back her head, "You coming?"
Daryl nods as he throws the crossbow over his shoulder and begins collecting the bolts. "Yah, hold up." Shuffling his feet, he kicks some dirt over the fire to smother it. "Listen Beth... Rick, Glen, and I should probably go in first and make sure the house is properly secured."
Beth smiles back. "No need. Maggie and I already did. A groups up there right now cleaning the place."
Daryl stops abruptly and pulls Beth gently to the side. His tone is quiet, but his eyes are dark and serious. "You cleared it by yourselves? What if there had been walkers in there Beth. You could have been hurt. S'not safe."
Her heart melts at his words, and Beth can barely contain the emotions racing through her. Slowly she tilts her head up, making sure to keep her blue orbs fixed on the hunter as she shifts her body ever so slightly to be closer to him. Daryl nervously takes a step back and scratches the base of his skull. He most certainly hasn't forgotten Glen's presence here, and so begins to dart his steel blue eyes everywhere but at Beth or his friend; Not wanting to send the wrong message to either of them. With few options left to him, Daryl finally looks back down to the ground while Beth stays glued to the spot, her words thoughtful. "Daryl, I'm not going anywhere. Not ever again. Maggie and I are more than capable. We just thought it would be a nice surprise for everyone. We've all been working so hard and we just want some nice memories somewhere nice, yah know. Even if it's only for a couple of weeks."
"Does Rick know?"
"Duh," Beth says, rolling her eyes. "Of course he knows. He says he can't wait to sleep on anything that isn't floor or ground."
Daryl lets out a short laugh and his mood seems to lift some as the three make their way toward the cottage. Upon first glance it appears small. There's a quaint cobblestone path that leads to the front door, and weeds that poke up through the cracks in the stone. Just like at the church there is a waist-high wall of stone, seperated only at the front for which a black metal gate takes its place.
As the three reach the front door Maggie barges out of it, wrapping her arms around Glen and kissing his lips. Then turns to Beth. "You told them."
"Yep, kind of slipped out. Sorry."
"No worries." Maggie smiles back, tugging Glen inside while Beth and Daryl follow closely behind. The others are already mulling around the space as the foursome enter the cottage, and Daryl is surprised to find it not nearly as crampt as it appears from the outside. There are three large bedrooms near the back of the house and another off the main room, a sofa bed in the living room as well as a smaller love seat, fireplace, and a brown leather recliner which Daryl instantly claims his own. He plops down onto the seat and a cloud of dust puffs into the air, causing him to sneeze.
"Bless you." Beth calls over.
The hunter grunts a reply and goes about gently placing his crossbow on the floor, leaning it against the leather chair only a hairs breath away from where he rests his hand.
With Daryl distracted, Eugene saunters over to Beth. She is friendly as always, but leaves a noticeably large space between them as Eugene attempts to make small talk. Glen spots the scene from where he converses with Rick and leaves to rescue his sister-in-law from the incessent goings on of a man who knows way to much about all things video games, mathematics, fibers, tooth decay, infectious disease, Dungeons and Dragons, (whatever that is), country music, and just about every gross topic under the sun; Yet the man knows nothing about basic survival. Chuckling to himself, Glen thinks how ironic it is. This is a man whose blood can save the world, if only he can survive the world long enough to get his blood to D.C.
Beth mouths a silent thank-you as Glen interrupts the conversation centering around the practical uses of maggots, and whisks her away. As they enter the kitchen Maggie and Sasha pull Beth into the fold, and the three of them start to chop vegetables for dinner.
Daryl meanders into the kitchen right behind Carl, who excitedly presents his contribution to dinner. In his hand he holds two fat rabbits that he caught in his snares, causing both Rick and Daryl to beam down at the boy with pride. Rick giving Carl a congratulatory pat on the back for his effort.
"Well done boy," Daryl affirms, as laughter envelopes the room. Everyone happy to know they are going to bed with full bellies.
Side-stepping around the others in the crowded kitchen Daryl slides in close to Beth's side, and once there lightly brushes his hand across Beth's arm to get her attention. His casual action causes her heart to skip a beat, and Beth knows her face is will be a brilliant shade of pink when she finally meets his gaze. "You were right Beth. This place... its good."
Daryl knows it won't last long. Soon enough they will be on the road, but for once, one small moment in time, the horrors of the world seem to disappear, and are replaced with warmth, family, and food.
Glen lifts a glass of luke warm water and toasts. "To home sweet home."