They didn't speak much after that; a long tense silence filled the car, but Beth was too tired to notice. She pressed her forehead against the cooling glass of the window, watching the sky turn dark. Neither one of them said anything when the orange light in the dash had flickered on, indicating their gas had went from low to dangerously low. After spending so long fighting tooth and nail for their lives, Beth found that the basic things now went without saying - at least between the two of them.
"Holler if you see anythin'," Daryl said. "I'm hopin' some hick has a cabin up here somewhere."
Beth nodded while images of a bed filled her mind - it had been so long since she felt the comfort of an honest to God mattress. After a few more minutes of driving she was disappointed, but not surprised, when what they came across was less of a cabin and more of a tool shed. Daryl eased the car onto the grass directly next to the building and killed the engine.
They both climbed out of the car, stretching their tired limbs while looking at the shack in front of them. The wood was worn and thrown together shoddily - there were cracks big enough to see in through - but it was standing and didn't look like it was going anywhere anytime soon. The pair seemed to let out a synchronized breath of relief.
"Home sweet home," he drawled.
"Nothing sweet about this place," she said, "but still, better than nothing."
"Almost thought you were gon' tell me it sucks and flip me off for a second there," Daryl said with a smirk.
"Too tired for any of that," Beth said. "I'm just glad it's got walls and a roof. Out here it may as well be a four star hotel."
"That might be takin' it a hair too far," Daryl said. "I'm gon' go check the inside. I'm not really worried about walkers, but wouldn't be shocked to find some possums or racoons in 'ere."
"Oh goody," Beth said. "Dinner."
"The girl learns fast," Daryl said to himself. "I ain't gotta tell you to keep watch?"
"Obviously."
Beth watched the treeline with bleary eyes. She was ready to fall asleep standing up - it was strange, she couldn't remember being so tired before, and today was a rare day of nothingness. Inside she heard some scuttling - the whistle of Daryl's arrow (one, then another). She tried hard not to think about whatever he just killed; even in this world Beth knew herself to be a soft, sopping mess for animals.
On her own she didn't eat much meat. Beth tried not to kill anything. Sometimes she would be lucky enough to stumble across a snare or trap that didn't require much effort on her part. But to actually put down anything that used to be cute and fuzzy - she just didn't have the stomach for it. She supposed everyone was allowed one weakness.
"Bagged us dinner," Daryl said.
"No company?" Beth asked.
"Naw," he responded. "Just you, me, and some possum patties."
"That sounds... well, just shy of disgusting," Beth said with a yawn. "If I was any less hungry I assure you I'd be repulsed."
"Won't think no less of ya," Daryl said easily. "You look dead on yer feet. Why don't you go in and sleep for a stretch?"
"You don't need me to cover you?"
"Don't think so. It's pretty quiet out here, ain't it?" Daryl commented. "I won't go very far, Beth. Just gonna get some firewood and cook up our friends here."
"Okay," Beth relented, knowing she wouldn't be much use in the state she was in. "Just... you know, be careful, okay?"
"Always am, girl," he said. "There's a dresser you can push in front of the door for peace o' mind. I'll keep an eye on ya, though."
"Thank you," Beth said quietly. "Not just for this... for everything. For not leaving me... I know I'm not..."
She could feel the colour rising in her face. Beth didn't know how to explain it to him. Around them the crickets sang and toads croaked - she briefly thought she heard a brook, somewhere, babbling away. When she was younger Beth remembered wishing people could see inside of her, like a strange, knock-off superpower. Now she was glad for the coverage. That she wasn't see-through. That no one could guess just by looking at her how much had hardened and seemed to die.
"Not what?" he prompted when it looked as though she had lost her will to speak.
"I know I'm not... the same," Beth finished, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.
"Hey, look at me, Beth," Daryl commanded. When Beth's gaze met his he continued, "Ain't none of us the same."
Beth had studied Daryl's eyes a lot after they broke out of the prison - she recognized anger in them, sadness, hurt, even occasionally happiness, but something swam in them now that she couldn't name. So often she had thought that Daryl's eyes were his only tell, but they weren't telling her anything tonight, no matter how long she looked into them.
"You are, though," she said. "The same, I mean. Old faithful. Dependable Daryl Dixon."
"Only you would think that, girl," he said with an easy laugh. "Go get some rest, you need it."
"Okay. Wake me up soon."
"Still bossy though," he commented. "Ain't everythin' changed 'bout you."
"Yeah, yeah," she said kicking the top off a dandelion and walking away.
When Beth got to the cabin she looked back over her shoulder to see Daryl standing under the moonlight, his face turned towards the stars. She wanted to say more, always something more, but couldn't think of what or how; instead she let him enjoy the night sky alone, shutting the door quietly behind her.