A/N: So if you've read any of my other stories, you know I include a lot of angst in them and well, this chapter is no different.

Wife Swap
Chapter 5

It had been a few hours since Beth had left Merle's house. She was still in shock by what had happened and what he had said but she couldn't bring herself to believe him.

Daryl just wasn't that type, at least she didn't think he was. After all, it had taken him a long time to open up to her, even though he still hasn't opened up completely and they had been together for years.

She needed to find a way to ease her pain and put her mind to rest after what she had just been told but she was afraid to ask Daryl outright. What would happen if she did?

Well, that was a stupid question to ask. She knew damn well what would happen.

He would get angry and say she was accusing him of shit and then he'd run away from her. But she was beginning to think that maybe that wasn't such a bad thing and she wouldn't blame him for doing that.

She would never take Merle's word over Daryl's, she never believed half of the things Merle would say, but she was beginning to think he was telling the truth, or at least he was telling her a piece of the truth.

Rick took a deep breath when he walked into his house. All of the lights were out but there was a dim light coming from the television in the living room. He smiled to himself when he noticed Carl was curled up on the couch asleep. The boy was so oblivious to what was going on between his parents and Rick prayed it would stay that way, even if they separated.

He was hesitant to go to his bedroom, the one he shared with Lori, when he had been sleeping on the couch the last few nights but something had to give. Lori was trying to make things right, even if she wasn't going about it the right way or the way he thought she should but she was trying, and after talking to Daryl and telling him what she had done, he realized he need to make a little more effort to save their marriage.

Put a little more effort into it and try to work out their problems. That's really all either of them could do.

Daryl paced the floor in the living room, only stopping to look out of the window. He was waiting for her to come home though he knew she was probably still upset but he had to take Rick's advice and just talk to her, no matter how uncomfortable he got he had to suck it up and quit being a pussy about something as simple as talking to his wife.

He knew the moment Rick started telling him about Lori and Shane he didn't want to end up like them. He loved Beth more than anything or anyone in the world and he wasn't sure how he'd take it if he lost her. Well, he knew well enough that he wouldn't last long without out, maybe a few days, if that long, and he would lose his mind.

He kept an eye on his phone, hoping she would call and getting more worried the later it got. He always feared the worst when she was gone like this, even if he was the reason she had left in the first place.

Finally, he sat down on the couch and turned the television on to distract himself but that didn't help because there wasn't a damn thing on at ten o'clock at night except for the news.

Beth knew she was stubborn and probably being a little too emotional when she started the drive out to her parent's farm. Thankfully she stopped and pulled her car over before making it out of town.

She had turned into exactly what she hated. A runner. That was what Daryl always did and she hated it. She didn't hate him but the way he dealt with his problems was exactly how she was dealing with hers now.

It was now or never, she knew that. That's why she turned her car around as fast as she could and headed back home.

As soon as Beth's car pulled into the driveway, Daryl was up and out of the house.

"Where tha fuck ya been?" He shouted across the yard when she got out of the car.

She kept her mouth shut and started to walk past him when he grabbed her arm.

"Beth, it's fuckin' midnight. Where tha hell have ya been?"

She glanced down at his hand on her arm then back up at him. "I had a little chat with Merle," she said before pulling her arm out of his grip and going inside. His tone of voice was beginning to piss her off and what had started as her coming home to save their marriage was replaced by the anger she felt at their whole fucked up situation.

He followed her straight into their room and stood in the doorway as she began to change into her pajamas.

"What did you an' Merle talk 'bout?"

She chuckled halfheartedly and looked up at him and said, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Shit, Beth, jus' answer my question an' quit fuckin' around an' playin' games."

"Oh no," she shook her head. "I'm not the one that's been fuckin' around but honey, you better believe that that's a game I can play too and I'm just gettin' started."

He started at her in confusion as she grabbed a pillow off of the bed and the afghan from across the foot of it.

"Where ya goin'?" he finally managed to ask.

"I'm sleepin' in the other room."

"Why?"

She stopped outside the door to the guest room and lifted her head to look at him. "Heidi. Amy."

He forrowed his brow and continued to stare at her but not move.

"How many more were there that I don't know about, Daryl?"

"What tha hell are ya talkin' 'bout?"

She tried to keep her voice from breaking but it couldn't be helped when she spoke. "You know who answers a question with a question? Someone who has screwed up and knows they've been caught. I'm stayin' in here until I can figure out what I'm doin' and where I'm goin'. You can have our room. I'll move my things out of there tomorrow."

He stood there staring at the door to the guest room long after she had shut it and had turned the light off.

When she woke up the next morning, Beth expected to be alone in the house so she could move her things out of their room and into the guest room but when she heard the sound of pots clanging in the kitchen, she hurried to their room and got changed. She didn't want to see or speak to him right now, maybe when she calmed down and knew what she was doing she would but she just couldn't handle it today.

She tried to be quiet but he had heard her the second her feet touched the floor and before she had a chance to sneak out of the house, he was there.

"I don't know what tha fuck you was talkin' 'bout last night but I was thinkin' 'bout it an' I want ta get one thing straight with ya, I ain't ever fucked no one else since I've been with ya. Ya got that? If what ya said last night is true, who have you fucked since we've been together?"

She tilted her head to the side and looked straight in his eyes but didn't say a word.

"Don't give me that look," he said. "I ain't as stupid as ya think I am."

"I know you're not stupid, Daryl. If you think I've been with someone else, well then, I guess you're smart enough to figure it out on your own."

"She really said that?" Rick asked in shock.

"Yeah," Daryl nodded and stood from the chair in front of Rick's desk. "She said I'd figure it out on my own."

"Look man, I've known Beth a long time and I know she would never do that. Merle must have said somethin' to really piss her off and she decided to get even or say somethin' stupid like that to make you think she has."

Daryl rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and walked over to the window that looked out into the parking lot.

"I thought 'bout that too," he said. "But tha thing is, Beth wouldn't say somethin' like that jus' ta piss me off an' she's shit at lyin'. I can always tell when she is 'cause she gets fidgety an' there's too many holes in 'er lies, even over somethin' simple like a birthday party or a scratch on tha car. But when she said that, there wasn't no holes, she wasn't fidgetin', nothin'. I believe 'er."

"Maybe that's what she wants," Rick said.

Daryl lowered his eyes to the floor and spoke again. "I've been thinkin' 'bout who it could've been too an' there's only a few people I think fit tha bill." He looked over at Rick. "You've fucked 'er, haven't ya?"

Rick's eyes grew wide and he almost laughed but he didn't. He looked his friend straight in the eyes and said, "I've never fucked Beth. I've always seen her as a little sister, nothin' more."

"How can I trust you?" Daryl asked. "I've trusted Beth an' now she says this shit."

"You can trust me, Daryl. I've never looked at her that way and I'd never do that to someone."

Daryl let out a shaky breath and laughed. "This has me so fucked up. I know ya wouldn't ever do that but I had ta ask, man. Other than you, I got a few guesses but I don't even want ta think 'bout who it was 'cause I know I'll kill 'em if I find out it's true."

"Hey, if you're goin' to do that, the less I know the better. But I've been where you are now. When I found out about Lori and Shane, I did try to kill him."

"Aw hell, is that what happened when y'all went up ta Atlanta fer that Braves game?"

"Yep," Rick nodded. "He didn't know I knew about them, Lori didn't know I knew and I wasn't even 100% sure of it until we were there. We went out to a bar after the game and a few drinks in he started talkin' 'bout some of the women there and how he'd like to fuck 'em but he knew the woman he was seein' wouldn't be happy about. I didn't think anythin' of it but a few more drinks later and he pulled out his phone and called her right there in front of me. He started in callin' her baby and then he said her name and I knew. That's when I got my knife and jumped at 'im. I wanted to slit his throat open or maybe gut 'im but I'd been drinkin' too and, well, you know the rest."

"Damn," Daryl muttered.

"That's why I'm tellin' you now, if you find out she really did fuck someone else and you find out who he is, don't let me know and don't fuck it up like I did. Keep your hands and your clothes clean and I'll do all I can for you."

Daryl gave him a quick nod and said, "Thanks man."

Beth had called her sister and left a message for her as she was pulling out of the driveway. She knew Maggie was probably busy but busy or not, they were sisters and were supposed to be there for each other.

She was sitting at a picnic table in the park and crying when Maggie walked up to her.

"Oh Bethie, What happened?" she asked.

"I screwed up. I lied to Daryl," she cried. "And….and now it's over. He'll never forgive me."

Maggie started laughing and put her arm around her shoulders. "Beth, I'm sure Daryl's not worried about a few more scratches on the car. I would be willin' to bet that he's at home fixin' it right now and will forgive as soon as you get back."

Beth glared up at her sister with tears still running down her face. "How can you laugh right now? I didn't lie about some stupid car, Maggie! I told him I fucked someone else and if he was smart enough he would figure out who it was!"

Maggie gasped but didn't move from hugging her little sister. "Why would you do that, Beth?"

"Because Merle told me that he and Daryl had Heidi and, I assume, Amy over the night I was in that accident with Mama and Daddy. He said Daryl had them in our bed."

"I thought he was with Rick and Carl when that happened," Maggie stated.

"So did I but apparently he wasn't. He lied to me, just like he always does and I tried to get back at him by saying what I did. I can't believe Daryl cheated on me. I shouldn't have said what I did, I know that, but what else was I supposed to say to him?"

"Well, I'm not sayin' you were right to say that but I'm not sayin' you were wrong either, Bethie, but maybe you should have talked to Daryl first instead of takin' Merle's word for it."

"I know," Beth groaned and wiped her face on her sleeve.

"Beth, have you slept with anyone other than Daryl? I mean, at all. Before y'all got together or, I'm not sayin' you cheated too but, even after?"

Beth but her face in her hands and nodded. "Yeah," she said though it was mumbled.

"Yeah? Before or after you and Daryl started seein' each other?"

"After," she mumbled. "But Daryl knows about it. It happened the weekend after he broke up with me and he took off to Destin with Merle."

"Who did you sleep with?" Maggie asked more out of curiosity than judgment.

"I'm not tellin' you who it was. Daryl knows and that's all that matters."

"So, how did Daryl find out?"

"When he got back, we were talkin' and he told me he wanted to start over and I told him who I had been with while he was gone but we weren't' together and we promised we'd never bring that up and what do you know, I brought it up but he doesn't know that's what I was talkin' about."

Maggie shook her head. "I'm a little confused, Bethie. You know I love Daryl but I've never understood why you got back together after he left you like he did and then for you to go and tell him you slept with someone while he was gone is just plain stupid. That wasn't any of his business because he is the one that left you. Did he ever mention if he slept with someone or several someone's while he was gone?" When Beth shook her head, Maggie continued. "I didn't think so. Maybe he's more like Merle than we thought and he knows who you're talkin' about and if he does, that make him a coward. If he knows and he let you leave and you're sittin' here thinkin' your marriage is over, that's on him because he's playin' you."

"He is not, Maggie."

"Okay, if you think he's not, let's go. We'll go to your house or wherever he may be and the two of you will sit down and talk this shit over."

"That won't work. We've tried talkin' before and it always ends up bad."

"Here," Maggie reached into her purse, pulled out her keys and took one off the keychain. "Go to my house and stay there for a while. Glenn won't be home 'til late and I'll be there as soon as I finish at the store."

Beth simply nodded and took her sisters key.

The first thing Maggie did when she left the park was drive straight to Beth and Daryl's house. She had a bone to pick with her brother-in-law and she knew all of his little hideouts if he wasn't there.

Sure enough, his truck was gone but she still used the spare key to go inside to be sure he wasn't around there somewhere and just letting his brother use his truck.

When she found he wasn't there, she went to Rick's house and then Merle's, and when she didn't find him at either, she drove over to the police station and walked right into Rick's office without knocking.

"Why are you thankin' Rick?" She asked as she closed the door behind her.

Rick, seeing the anger in Maggie's eyes, spoke up. "He was thankin' me for getting' Merle into treatment."

"Rick, can you do me a favor and get out?" Maggie asked as politely as she could.

"Uh….yeah. I'll be right outside the door if y'all need anythin'."

When Rick shut the door behind him, Maggie turned to Daryl. "Rick fightin' your battles now?"

"Hell naw."

"Good 'cause we need to talk about you and Beth. You can either tell me what the hell is goin' on or I'll be more than happy to beat it out of you."

He scoffed and Maggie smiled.

"You must be stupid or either you don't remember what happened when you left my sister before," Maggie said and crossed her arms.

"I remember but I was high. You could beat tha shit out of a bear if it was on tha shit I was on."

"You want to test out that theory? I mean, I'll be more than happy to beat the shit out of you and string you up on the courthouse lawn. I'd do it all with a smile on my face for the trouble and pain you've cause my sister."

"You don't know what tha fuck you're talkin' 'bout!" He shouted. "Have ya talked ta 'er? Has she told you she cheated on me?"

Maggie took the few steps towards him and pushed him backwards. "I've talked to her, I know some of what is goin' on, includin' the parts she's not tellin' me. Maybe if you would get your fuckin' head out of your goddamn ass you would see that she didn't cheat on you! You would see the pain she's in and maybe, just maybe you'd see whats goin' on with her!"

He brought his hand up to his mouth and started chewing on his thumb nail.

"Yeah, that's right, Daryl. Go ahead and act scared or run just like you always do when things get tough. Beth had told me you were seein' a marriage counselor and I was hopin' that would fix some of the problems y'all were havin' but I see that it's nothin' a doctor can fix, you have to fix it yourself. Just….just stop runnin' and talk to her. If she tries to interrupt, tell her to shut the hell up and when you're finished then she can talk but one way or another, y'all are goin' to fix this shit-storm." She turned for the door then looked back at him. "C'mon. I ain't leavin' here without you."

Daryl didn't nod or say anything to her, he followed her out of the room, glanced at Rick then down to the floor, and followed his sister-in-law out of the police station.

"Beth's at my house," Maggie said when they reached his truck. "Go by there and beg her to talk to you and if she won't, then sit outside and wait for me to get there."

Beth sat in the parking lot across the street from the police station, watching and waiting for Daryl and Maggie to leave.

She wasn't stupid, she knew Maggie wasn't going to the store but was really going to look for Daryl, and if she knew Maggie like she thought she did, she knew her sister had probably told Daryl to go by her house and have a talk with her.

She was willing to do that, especially at Maggie's, but she had to get some answers first.

When her sister and husband pulled out of the parking lot in front of the police station, she jumped out of her car and hurried across the street.

"Aw fuck," Rick muttered when Beth walked into his office. "What is it with you Dixon's and Greene's? Y'all want to be arrested or somethin'?"

She shrugged. "Did Daryl go to Talladega with you and Carl?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me, Rick. Don't make me ask you again."

"Yeah, I heard you but I don't know why you're askin' that. You know he went with us." Rick tilted his head to the side and studied her for a moment before he sighed and motioned for her to have a seat. "Look Beth, I've already had Daryl and Maggie both in here talkin' shit and stirrin' it up. I love all of y'all but this is getting' out of hand so the best thing you can do is start talkin'."

"If Daryl was with you, how did he make it back here so fast after…."

"After we got the call 'bout you and your folks?"

She nodded and Rick leaned forward on his desk.

"I know you were in the hospital when we got back but I thought Lori would have told you already." He sighed. "We made it back quicker than we should have because we were already on our way home when we got the call. The race had gotten rained out so we went carried Carl to an old theater to see The Shining, that part Lori doesn't know about, but after that we headed home because Carl was too scared to sleep in a motel. He wanted Lori. That's why we made it back so quick. Carl was scared but he kept all three ticket stubs if you want proof."

"No, that's alright," she said and stood up. "Thank you, Rick. For everythin', for always bein' there for us."

Rick nodded and let out a breath of relief when she walked out.

Daryl was sitting in his truck in Maggie's driveway when she pulled up. They both got out of their vehicles and before she could ask, she saw that Beth's car wasn't there.

"Did she leave or was she gone when you got here?" She asked.

"She was gone when I got here."

"Alright, come inside and I'll try callin' her. Maybe she'll answer for me."

Beth ignored the calls from her sister but she knew she couldn't ignore them forever, she just couldn't go over there or talk to her right now especially since she knew Daryl was there waiting for her.

She trusted Rick and believed him a hell of a lot more than she did Merle but she needed to gather herself before she went to Maggie's.

Taking a deep breath, Beth looked down at her wedding ring and twisted it around her finger.

"God, please forgive," she whispered as she put the car in drive.

"She's not comin'," Daryl said while Maggie tapped the arm of her chair nervously.

"She'll be here, Daryl. I know she will. Just give her time."

"It's been two fuckin' hours, how much more time does she need?"

"A little more time won't kill you."

A few minutes later, they both stood and listened when Beth's car pulled into the driveway.

Daryl started for the door but Maggie grabbed his arm to stop him. "Don't. Let her come inside and give her a minute before you start in on her."

He nodded and they both sat back down until Beth came inside.

"It's about time you showed up," Maggie said, standing to hug her sister. "You want somethin' to drink?"

"No," Beth shook her head.

"Okay then, have a seat and we can start talkin'."

"Maggie, can you please let us talk alone?" Beth asked.

"Nope. That hasn't been workin' so y'all are stuck with me until one or both of you figures out how to save your marriage. So sit down and Daryl will go first."

Beth sat down and clasped her hands in her lap around her car keys, praying they would eventually give her a chance to talk.

"Daryl?" Maggie all but shouted when he didn't start talking.

He shifted towards Beth and hung his head. "I jus' wanna know who ya slept with," he mumbled. "That shit ya said, ya didn't say it ta hurt me, ya said it 'cause it was tha truth. Jus' tell me who it was an' what ya want ta do."

"I….I haven't slept with anyone, Daryl. I did say that to hurt you but only because I chose to listen to that dumbass brother of yours instead of my gut."

"What tha hell are ya talkin' 'bout?"

"He told me you slept with Heidi instead of bein' with Rick and Carl in Talladega. He said y'all were in our bed and he had some girl on the couch and then you slept with her too."

"Fuck, Beth. That was almost two years ago. I wasn't with no one then an' I ain't been with no one since."

"I know that, Daryl. I talked to Rick earlier and he told me the truth."

"Tha truth bein' we carried Carl to Talladega for his birthday an' instead of watchin' a race we watched an old movie that scared tha shit out a tha boy so we came home."

"Yeah, that," she nodded and looked over to Maggie. "Can you please give us a minute alone? Please?"

Maggie stood up, "I'll give you a minute alone but neither of you can leave. If you do, I will hunt you down and drag your ass back here. Got it?"

They both nodded their heads and when Maggie stepped out of the room, Beth moved over to the couch next to Daryl.

"I'm so, so sorry," she cried. "It was stupid of me to say what I did. I've never, ever cheated on you. I just wanted to hurt you because I thought you had cheated on me, in our bed, and you've hurt me so much, it's all I could think of to get back at you."

She reached out for his hand but he slapped it away.

"I looked inta yer eyes when ya said it, Beth. You wasn't lyin' an' I ain't takin' tha blame for it."

His attitude was making her mad but all she wanted to do was throw herself at him and beg him to forgive her, but she didn't. She had more restraint than that.

"Here," she said instead, handing him a slip of paper. "I set us up an appointment with Dr. Linson, kind of a last chance for us. It's in three weeks so that should be plenty of time for you to decide if you want to show up for a couples meeting instead of an individual one."

"A last chance?" he asked.

"Yeah, a last chance. If we can't make it work, we can get divorced and I'll move back out to the farm and I'll never bother you again."

Maggie was out of the room, giving them their space, but that didn't mean she wasn't listening. A good big sister always listens and pays attention.

When Daryl stood up from the couch, she decided then was a good time to go back into the living room with them.

"Hey, Maggie, I'ma head home," Daryl said.

Maggie looked over Beth, then back to Daryl and nodded.

She waited until his truck cranked up to sit down next to her sister and put her arm around him.

"You should have told him, Beth."

Beth pulled back from her sister and looked at her in confusion.

"It wouldn't have done any good," she finally said.

A/N: I really hope this whole chapter wasn't too confusing, if it was, then the next chapter or two should clear things up.

But as always, please leave a review!

Thank y'all!