A/N: Enjoy!

The sun is streaming through the oversized window when Glen finally opens his eyes. Instantly he is met with Maggie's intoxicating fragrance of vanilla and wildflowers that floats up through the air and causes him to wonder how his wife can possibly keep such a sweet scent in such a desolate world. He nuzzles in closer and Maggie responds by shifting her body beneath the covers as she begins to rouse. Her left arm drapes across his bare chest as her leg interlinks with his and she pushes herself up higher on the pillow. "Hey."

"Hey back. Did you sleep well?"

"Um hum," she nods. "How 'bout you?"

"Best sleep I've had since the prison. That could have something to do with who was beside me though."

"I love you. Be safe today, ok."

Flipping Maggie onto her back, Glen replies in a soft tone, "Always... and I love you too." Then pressing his mouth to hers, he slowly runs his tongue over the textured flesh of her lips, and is content to just let lazy lingering kisses dance across her skin. He doesn't pursue anything beyond that though, and Maggie doesn't either.

Glen leans in close, giving his wife once more kiss before he slides his legs off the side of the bed, sits up and rubs his eyes. Pulling up his pants, he then slides his belt through the loops, and grabs his shirt off the bed table where it was discarded the night before; Then throwing it over his head, Glen makes for the door.

Maggie watches as her husband gathers up the last of his things and then quickly walks over, wrapping her arms around his waist while she gently rests her head over his heart. "I mean it, come back to me you hear." With a sad sort of smile, she picks up his knife that he left on the end table and slides it into the sheath at his side. Her eyes ever searching, wondering if this will be the last time she sees him, and the worry displayed in her beautiful face saddens Glen to his core. "I promise. It's a short run. Daryl and I will be back before you know it. Love you."

"I love you too," she says as she squeezes the air from his lungs, she hugs him so tight. Then suddenly she remembers, "Oh Glen, I almost forgot."

"Yah?"

"Maybe today would be a good day to talk to Daryl."

Glen rolls his eyes. "Maggie, I'm begging you here. I understand how protective you are when it comes to Beth. Believe me I do, but it's like I said last night. I think whatever they've got going on is fairly new."

"So far."

"So what does it matter. Daryl's a good man. He won't hurt Beth. If anything she's safer with him than anyone else."

"It's just..."

"Just what?"

"Beth use to talk to me, you know... She'd ask for my opinion on stuff like this. I miss not knowing what's going on in her life. Ever since she's come back she's different."

Glen gets it, and he knows it's not easy for Maggie to admit. "Ok look, I'll talk to Daryl, but I want you to talk to your sister." Maggie shifts posture, but before she can interrupt him, Glen quickly continues, "Not interrogate her. Just talk to her. Allow her the room to share with you. She will if you don't judge her."

"I don't judge!"

Glen gives his wife a long hard stare.

"Ok, ok, I won't judge."

"Good!" Then sliding the strap of the riffle over his shoulder, Glen kisses Maggie on her forehead one last time. "See you later," he winks. They haven't said goodbye in months.

/

Daryl already has the hood of the car popped open and is making his usual routine checks as Glen exits the rectory. He smiles when he sees Beth casually sitting on the trunk of the Civic, her legs hanging freely off the side of the car, while quietly conversing with the hunter as she leans over to pass him a wrench.

The second she spots him, Beth hops off the trunk in one swift movement. "Hey Glen. You and Maggie have a nice night?"

Somewhat startled, Daryl jumps back and bangs his head off the hood, causing a small giggle to escape Beth's lips. Daryl scowls as he rubs his head, but shakes off the incident quickly, then clears his throat in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. "She's already to go. Took you long enough to get down here."

Beth walks over, holding out a piece of paper in her hand for Glen. "Rick wants you guys to search the pharmacy in Carnsville. These are the medicines to look for. Bring back what you can."

"Is there a grocery store?"

"Yah, but it's a pretty small town. Chances are it will all be picked over. That or the foods gone bad."

Daryl pipes up from where he's still standing beside the car, "Don't worry Beth, we'll find somethin'. It's worth a look around," then he motions to Glen. "Come on Korea, I've spent enough time waiting on yer ass this morning."

"Fine, but I'm driving!"

Daryl shakes his head, but never the less slides the keys over the roof of the car.

"Sweet!"

"Better not crash. I just got this baby purring like a kitten."

Beth smiles from the lawn as she watches the two men admire their new toy, and as they are about to depart, she quickly walks over, leaning her head through the passenger window and wishes them luck. "Stay safe guys," she beams. Beth speaks to them both, but her smile is for Daryl alone. Her blue eyes lock onto his until he suddenly breaks the connection, darting a quick glance at Glen before turning back to Beth and quietly responding in kind. "You too."

Glen shakes his head and smiles at the display. These two are more entertaining than television and a rock concert combined. Beth taps the hood, as Glen revs the engine, and then they are off.

Not ten minutes into the drive, Daryl starts sifting through the giant stack of cd's stuffed in the glove box.

"Anything good in there,"

"Not yet," Daryl says sounding a bit disgruntled as he rolls down the window and chucks a cd onto the pavement. His action is immediately followed by a loud crunch as the back wheel drives over it. "Hey man, what are you doing?"

"Counting Crows, can you believe that shit?"

Glen glances over in disbelief as Daryl he shuffles through the disks once more. "Look at this one." The displeasure displayed on his face leads Glen to wonder little about the fait of the album. "Tragically Hip, really? Who listens to this crap?"

"Lots of people actually."

As predicted, he's ready to toss it when Glen casually states, "Maggie and Beth both love the hip."

"Seriously?"

"Yah, New Orleans is Sinking is like one of Beth's favourite songs."

Daryl reluctantly pulls his hand into the car and places the disk back in the glove box, sighing as he continues to riffle through the plastic cases once more. Not long after, Glen sees a slow smile creep onto his face as he settles on one. "Here we go. Finally, something decent to listen to." Daryl opens the case and carefully picks up the cd, then slides it into the player. At first nothing, then the rhythmic french southern beat of ZZ Top's La Grange begins to blast through the speakers. A cocky smirk plays at the edges of Daryl's mouth and he takes a cigarette out of his almost empty and lights it. Then leaning back in his seat, Daryl shoots a smug glance Glen's way, but even Glen must admit that the song is perfect.

The pair drive in companionable silence for a few clicks before Glen decides that it's now or never. He takes a deep breath of air to settle his nerves, and then drops the bomb. "So, you and Beth huh."

Daryl shoots straight up in his seat while Glen continues to drive as though nothing were said. "What?"

Glen tries hard to contol the smile that wants to crack all over his face. "I just mean that the two of you seem close, that's all." Quickly chancing a glance out of the corner of his eye, he swears he sees the hunter's face turning red. He didn't think Daryl capable of that.

But what surprises Glen more is Daryl's response, "Why, did she say something?"

"No, of coarse not. You guys just spend a lot of time together, you know."

"Well it's not like that," Daryl barks out. "Beth and I just been through shit together is all."

Glen nods in understanding. "Ok." Then turning his eyes back to the road, he stays quiet, but the tension in the air fails to dissipate. Glen wants to just let the subject drop, but then ... he turns and looks at the hunter once more. He knows he's being cruel here, but Daryl's reaction to his statement makes it impossible to resist. "It's just... Maggie thinks it's like that."

Time stops, and Glen thinks he may have just turned the hunter to stone with his spoken words... Daryl doesn't move. Not an inch, not a muscle. Silence fills the space as the c.d. comes to an abrupt end, and as music no longer filters through the air Glen wonders if Daryl has just died of shock? The hunter's head is down and Glen begins to witness tiny beads of sweat form at his temples. A single puff of air, his only proof that the redneck's life-force remains intact. Ever so slowly Daryl brings up his arm and drapes it across his damp forehead. Glen knows he shouldn't, but paybacks a bitch. "No one would blame you. Beth's a beautiful girl."

Daryl shoots a hash glare Glen's way, but doesn't speak. Instead he chews at his thumbnail, a tell-tail sign to all who know him, that he is mulling something over in his brain. Before Glen can find out what it is however, Daryl grabs at the wheel and in a split second, swerves them around a walker ambling onto the stone road. By the time the car stops Daryl is positively seething, and Glen sits astonished at the realization of such a close call. "Thanks man. Sorry."

"Fuck-wit. Get out! I'm drivin'."

Twenty long minutes later they finally arrive, driving down the main road until they come across a problem up ahead. Walkers seem to be gathering at the mom and pop grocery store a block from the pharmacy. Daryl pulls down the closest side street and puts the car in park.

He gets out and places a bolt in his bow while Glen checks the bullets in his gun. Then both men adjust the knives at their hips, and Glen squeaks open the door. The hunter puts a finger to his mouth, signaling the obvious, and the stern look in his eyes tells Glen that he better be quiet or Daryl might just kill him out of principle. Taking a rag from the back seat, Glen places it around the door-frame so as to muffle the sound, and silently shuts the door.

They stay close to the building until they near the end of the street. Daryl then pulls out a small reflective shard of glass from a rag he keeps in the back pocket of his pants. He holds it out to see around the corner while Glen remains facing the oppisite direction so that nothing is out of their range of sight. "I don't know what has them all riled up over there, but whatever it is, I sure as hell don't want any part of it."

Glen concurs. "The pharmacy is just two stores down. I say we go quick and quiet. Get in fast. Looks like there's an alley running along the back end," he says pointing in the direction from which they came. "We can loop back that way if there's trouble."

"I don't like the idea of going in blind, but if there's dead in there we're just gonna have to deal with them. No time to bang on doors and wait. Don't want to draw attention from the walkers."

"Or people," Glen adds.

Daryl gives a somber look of understanding. In this world the living are more dangerous than the dead. Walkers only think of one thing, food. They run on instinct. People plot, they kill, they steal, they torture. The Governor taught them that, as did the people who stole Beth away. And they would not risk the safety of the group.

Daryl whispers, "On three. Ready? One, two, three...