A/N: thank y'all so much for reading and reviewing!

WARNING: Possible triggers for suicide, child abuse, child death and maybe some things I can't think of right now.

Wrong About You

Chapter 16

Daryl-

We watched Beth standin' there for 15 minutes. She was jus' watchin' tha walkers.

She looked like she did back at tha farm when she cut 'er wrist an' that fuckin' scared me.

I was watchin' 'er so closely that when tha snarls of tha walkers got more intense, I almost didn't notice that she'd taken a step closer an' reached 'er hand out ta them.

"Beth!" I yelled out an' ran towards 'er.

She didn't move or speak when I knocked 'er ta tha ground an' started screamin' at 'er.

I wasn't mad at 'er, I was scared.

A few days later...

Lookin' at 'er now, she seems lifeless. Like she did back at the farm but somehow this is worse.

She's jus' layin' there, 'er eyes are cold an' glassy an' she ain't moved in days.

Even if she hates me, I ain't gon' leave 'er side. It won't do nobody any good if I do.

Last time I left 'er, we ended up 'ere. I don't wanna know what'll happen if I leave 'er again.

I ain't mad at 'er no more. I ain't even mad at Rick no more. I cain't forget what they did but I ain't mad 'bout it.

Spent too much time bein' mad an' not enough time doin' what I should've.

"You need to sleep," Maggie said from tha doorway.

"I will when she's awake."

"No, Daryl. You need to get some sleep. We don't know how much longer she's gonna be out and when she does wake up, she'll need you."

We both looked at Beth but she ain't moved an inch an' probably never will.

"Here," Maggie held out 'er hand, "daddy said to tale this. It's a sleepin' pill but it'll help you."

"Thanks," I mumbled but she kept watchin' me.

"I ain't leavin' 'til I see you take it," she said.

So I took it an' she left.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

I turned 'round ta see a lil' blonde girl runnin' at me.

"Daddy, please bring back a really big deer," she said an' motioned how big with 'er tiny arms 'fore she wrapped 'em 'round my neck.

"Aight. I'll bring ya back a big one," I told 'er an' kissed 'er forehead.

"Daddy!" I heard 'er scream again an' saw 'er fall ta tha ground with a walker on top of 'er.

"Daddy! Help me!" she pleaded.

When I got to 'er she was cryin' an' bloody. I didn't get to 'er fast enough.

'Fore I could pick 'er up, I heard someone laughin'.

I kicked tha walker away an' recognized 'im. He wasn't a walker though.

"Ya should've kept walkin', boy," he laughed.

"Ya know yer jus' a piece a' shit. She wasn't yer kid ta begin with. Hell, 'er mama ain't never loved ya. Far as I could tell, she was a fuckin' whore. Jus' like yer mama. They both deserved ta die. I shoulda killed yer pussy ass when ya was a kid. Jus' like that kid there."

I jumped at 'im an' squeezed my hands 'round 'is neck.

He laughed an' opened 'is eyes. I jumped back when I saw Beth's lifeless eyes starin' back at me.

"Go on, boy, kill 'er. Ya know ya want to," he laughed again.

"Daryl!"

Someone was callin' my name an' shakin' me.

"Daryl, wake up!"

They shook me again.

"Daryl!"

They slapped me an' soon as my eyes opened, I jumped up.

"What tha hell was that for?" I growled.

"Where's Beth?" Maggie asked.

"She's right...," my heart stopped when I saw she wasn't on tha bed.

I bolted out tha door yellin' 'er name.

"Beth!"

We were all yellin' out for 'er but there was no answer.

Then I saw 'er. I couldn't move from where I was.

She couldn't really be that far gone, could she?

I watched as she dug at Hannah's grave with 'er bare hands.

It had been rainin' so tha ground was soft an' she was covered in mud.

I wanted ta rush to 'er side but I found myself movin' towards 'er slowly. Ever'one else stayed back.

"Bethie," I tried ta sound as calm as I could when I got to 'er, "what're ya doin?"

She didn't answer or stop diggin' so I reached out an' touched 'er shoulder.

"Beth? Can ya hear me?"

She continued what she was doin' like I wasn't even there.

I knelt down an' put my arms 'round 'er ta pull 'er away from tha grave.

She froze but quickly started kickin' an' screamin' at me when I stood up a' tried ta carry 'er away.

"Shh...it's gon' be okay, Bethie." I tried ta calm 'er down but it didn't work.

"No!" she screamed, "I can't leave her! She needs me!"

She pushed an' kicked 'til she was outta my arms an' back beside tha grave.

"Bethie, ya need ta come back inside."

"No," she growled an' looked at me, "I'm not leavin' her. She needs me, Daryl. I need to be with her."

"Beth, she's dead. You cain't be with 'er."

She cocked 'er head ta tha side an' smiled at me.

"I can be with her, Daryl. It's where I belong."

"No, it's not. You belong 'ere with us, with me."

She shook 'er head but tha smiled stayed.

"I know now why this happened, Daryl. Neither one of us were supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be with her. She needs me. You don't need me. No one else here needs me but she does. My baby girl needs me."

I let tha tears burn my eyes while I listened to 'er talk. This wasn't the Beth I love. My Beth was gone.

I fell back an' covered my face with my hands an' cried.

I could feel 'er watchin' me an' I jumped when she put 'er hands on my wrists an' pulled my hands away from my face.

"Don't cry, Daryl. This is what was supposed to happen. We were never meant to be here," she spoke so calmly, like she was sure of 'erself.

I wrapped my arms 'round 'er an' pulled 'er to me.

"Bethie, I need you," I whispered, "I love you."

"I'm not worth it. I'm not good enough, Daryl. I don't deserve your love," she whispered back.

I was holdin' 'er so tight, I didn't notice she had my knife in 'er hand. She'd already cut one wrist an' was doin' tha other when I noticed.

"Beth?"

She smiled an' let tha knife fall ta tha ground.

"Beth?"

I cradled 'er in my arms an' ran towards tha prison.

Hershel, tha doc an' Carol hurried to 'er side when I placed 'er on 'er bed.

"Get out," one of them told me, "we need room."

Ever'one was in tha common room when I walked in there.

"This is yer fuckin' fault!" I half cried an' yelled when I saw Rick.

I picked up a knife an' rushed at 'im.

"Ya couldn't fuckin' leave 'er alone!"

I felt somethin' warm wash over my hand as Merle pulled me away.