Daryl looked down at the empty place in front of him where a beer should've been. He had promised Beth he wouldn't drink before the set. After what happened last time they played it had been an easy promise to make. It had been hard enough to leave the house for their show anyway, he couldn't drag tonight out any longer than necessary. Everything seemed to be changing so quickly and Daryl couldn't tell what he was feeling about it. He looked around the bar for Beth, it was unlike her to show up last minute.
He looked over to the stage where that kid Beth knew was finishing his set. His playing was decent for a rhythm guitar but when he tried to solo every note seemed to grate against the air instead of float into it. Daryl shook his head and wondered how some people could listen to themselves enough to practice. Rick clapped a hand on Daryl's shoulder as he slid into the booth next to him. It made Daryl jump.
"I can't believe that kid showed up."
"Whadda you mean?" Daryl was only half listening as he continuously scanned the bar looking for Beth.
"Beth was supposed to play with him but he went all Chris Brown on her after their set last night. No one told you?"
Daryl's voice dropped low, "Who the fuck is Chris Brown?"
"Douchebag singer that beat up his chick."
There were several things that happened at once. Beth walked in the door and barely made eye contact with Daryl before he stood up so quickly that he knocked Rick's beer to the floor. Zach finished his set, stepped off the small stage and headed for the side door. Daryl could feel the hair on his arms stand up as all his muscles tensed.
As Daryl stalked toward the door he stopped to briefly look over the girl who had some how become everything to him. He took in the faint bruises on her arms, the slightly bruised imprint of a hand on her cheek, the small split in her bottom lip. His eyes went ice cold and he was afraid to touch her with all of the rage he felt coursing through his veins.
"Daryl…"
He'd already moved past her, all she saw was the side door swing closed.
Rick pushed by her and when the door swung open again she could see Daryl pinning Zach to the ground.
Maggie came to stand beside her while Glenn followed the action outside, they were close enough to the door that Beth could hear Daryl growling threats between slamming his fist into Zach. By the time Maggie pushed Beth through the door Rick had Daryl pushed up against the opposite building, he was still yelling and cursing at the body prone on the ground. She had to step around Zach moaning on the pavement to get to them.
His eyes were wild, there was a distance in them that she hadn't ever seen and it took him a moment to focus on her. Daryl was breathing fast and hard through his nose while his right hand opened and closed at his side, testing for any damage. "Don't think I can play right now."
She raised her eyebrow, "I don't think you can play here again."
He nodded and dropped his gaze to the ground. "Sorry…I just… Rick told me and…"
"It's okay." She glanced back over her shoulder where that kid, the one who had just left her in the hallway by the bathroom, was trying to help Zach stand up. "He deserved it."
"Are you… okay?" Suddenly all the anger in him was gone and all Beth could see was concern in his eyes.
"I'm alright. Shaken up, but alright."
He shifted a little on his feet and held his hand out to her for a moment before seeing the blood on it and pulling it back. "He didn't…"
"He tried to kiss me, I kneed him in the nuts."
Daryl nodded. He felt a little better knowing she had gotten a good hit in herself.
"Hey guys?" Glenn jogged over from the side door, "We gotta go, they said we have five minutes before they call the cops."