Beth and Daryl follow Rick back down the stairs to the room with their people camped in every corner and lying on every stretch of floor. As they descend the staircase, every eye in the room swings to them and Beth feels the weight of their gaze like a physical presence. Daryl bristles and casts a quick glance around the room as though assessing a threat, then keeps walking, out the door and onto the porch.

Beth's eyes fall to Judith, awake and looking back at her with sleep glazed eyes and furrowed brows. She's not whinging yet but Beth knows that face; in a minute she will be. After a year of caring for the little girl like she was her own, loving her like she was her own, she learned all her cries and her cues. Then she learned them all again when they changed. She's a resilient little girl; she's had to be. But she's still just a baby. Who could blame her for getting upset? She's woken up to place she doesn't recognise and an atmosphere you could cut with a knife. Beth's eyes swing to Carl, slumped beside the cot. Even asleep he looks exhausted.

Keeping her gaze straight ahead, Beth crosses the room and takes the baby into her arms. Rick nods his head and presses his lips into something like a smile as she passes him on her way out to the porch.She finds Daryl leant against the railing, a cigarette hanging between his lips, glaring out at the eerily untouched neighbourhood.

His shoulders are raised and rigid, and she finds herself wanting to reach out and stroke the tensed muscles, will them to relax. He wears his anxiety as a physical ache, tightly winding his muscles until they're as stressed and sore as his thoughts. Her fingers twitch as the need to soothe him pulls at her. Her stomach tightens as she walks the thin line between needing to be there for him and allowing him room to breathe; forever wondering if she's got it right.

What they shared upstairs is probably the most intimate she's ever been with another person. Whatever this is between her and Daryl it's beyond desire; they shared more than just their bodies under the spray up there. Feeling a strand of wet hair fall against her shoulder, Beth remembers the feel of his lips on her skin, swallowing hard as a shiver climbs her neck. Both at the memory and the promise of what's to come.

She wonders what bothers him more: being trapped behind these walls or the ever present stares that now follow them. Beth is trying her level best to ignore the staring and not let it bother her. She's trying , but the constant feeling of being watched, of knowing your every move is being scrutinised, is draining. It's starting to stress her out, and that's coming from a place where she thinks she's at least a likeable person. Unlike Daryl who has the world's biggest chip on his shoulder and has convinced himself that everyone thinks he's a piece of shit. They don't , not anymore at least, but he can't see that. There's no way to separate the two and the end result is the same; claustrophobia.

He looks way past uncomfortable; he looks ready to tear his own skin off. She knows every fibre in Daryl's body is urging him to bolt just as she knows that he won't. Beth lowers herself onto the swing on the other side of the porch, giving him room to stew. She knows he's seen her even though he hasn't looked up.

Swinging back and forth, Beth holds Judith against her shoulder, rubbing her back in time with the swing. The baby fists a hand in Beth's shirt, silently watching Daryl. After a moment or two Beth feels Judith's body relax, becoming a dead weight in her arms and watches as Daryl's shoulders slowly sink back into his torso.

A smile twists her mouth as she watches Daryl drop his cigarette butt onto the porch and uses the heel of his boot to grind it into the decking with unnecessary force. Daryl's eyes flick up to hers and when they catch she feels her smile broaden. She watches as his scowl falters and his face softens when his eyes drop to the sleeping baby in her arms.

He starts to push off the railing when their attention is drawn to a figure approaching the house. They both tense, reaching for their weapons before they realise it's just Deanna.

"Sorry to startle you," she says as she climbs the porch steps, smiling first at Daryl and then Beth. When her eyes drop to the baby her entire face lights up.

"I didn't think I'd ever see one of those again," Deanna says softly, tilting her head and gazing at Judith with wide, mesmerised eyes.

For a moment they all just watch Judith, admiring the gentle sight of a sleeping baby. The thought that it might be for the last time makes Beth's arms tighten and a chill run down her spine.

"She takes after your husband a lot, doesn't she?" Deanna says, swinging her eyes over to Daryl and regarding him for a moment before turning her attention back to Judith.

Daryl gapes at her and then his head snaps up to look at Beth.

"I hope not," Beth says, one side of her mouth sliding up as she holds Daryl's incredulous gaze, "'Cause she ain't ours."

Deanna tilts her head, looking between them with wide eyes, "I'm sorry, I just assumed..."

"Don't be," Beth shakes her head, "Judith is Rick's daughter."

"And her mother?"

Beth looks at Daryl; sees him look down and away, bringing a nail to his mouth and worrying it.

"She died when Judith was born," Beth says, feeling a wave of sadness knock the breath from her lungs as she remembers Lori.

Remembers how the woman she'd grown close to out on the road died unexpectedly and painfully in childbirth. Feels her mouth turn down in a sharp frown as she remembers how Rick fell apart right in front of them.

Then she remembers something else.

"Daryl made sure we didn't lose her baby as well," Beth says, smiling when Daryl looks up to meet her eyes, "He got the formula that saved her life."

Daryl looks away then with a grunt and a dismissive shrug.

"Is that what you do then, Mr. Dixon?" Deanna asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

Daryl glances at her and their eyes catch. He flushes under her scrutiny and is about to look away when she smiles.

"You save people?"

The only sound is the swish of the porch swing. Deanna and Daryl are staring at each other, unblinking.

"Yes he does," Beth says, smiling as both their eyes swing to her.

She hears Daryl breathe out in a gush and when her eyes meet his they're wide and flickering.

"Then we're lucky you're here." Deanna says reverently, "Welcome to the Alexandria Safe Zone."

...

The next day Rick decides it's okay for the group to split off into separate houses. He doesn't trust Alexandria, with it's untouched streets and it's unnervingly clean residents, that much is clear but he also doesn't see them as a threat. So, they grab their packs and spread out.

"Come on," Maggie says, linking her arm with Beth's and leading them into one of the houses. Beth glances back to see Daryl following her, glaring through his hair as he climbs the porch steps.

Glenn heads upstairs and they all follow him onto the landing. As Beth watches Daryl traipse mud across the immaculate cream carpet she begins to wonder if he's deliberately stomping through the flower beds as a fuck you to their new neighbours.

Beth pushes one of the doors open, registers the double bed and the ensuite before turning back to Maggie.

"We'll take this one," Beth says, tilting her head towards the bedroom.

Glenn and Maggie's heads snap sideways as Daryl disappears through the doorway, followed by Beth who pulls the door shut behind her with a click. Daryl crosses the room, but doesn't stop, pacing around the edge with his jaw clenched.

Beth steps inside, dropping her rucksack at the end of the bed as she goes and casting a glance around the room. She's so used to staying in houses that have been picked clean or witness to a blood bath that she finds herself staring at the perfectly made bed in fascination.

"This place is a fuckin' joke," Daryl mutters, pulling at a loose thread on the curtain.

"Oh, I don't know," Beth says with a shrug, "I don't think it's all bad."

Daryl snorts and before he can say anything Beth jumps up and lands on the bed with a loud squeak. The padded surface sinks beneath her boots before immediately springing back and throwing her upwards. She rides the wave of the mattress before bouncing again, higher this time. With a giggle, Beth lands on her ass and looks up at Daryl. He's staring at her like she's got a screw loose.

"I have never jumped on a big ass bed before," Beth says with a grin. She jumps again, driving another sound from the bed springs and this time when she looks up Daryl is smiling too.

The bedroom door suddenly flies open and Maggie tumbles inside, wide eyes darting around frantically.

Beth and Daryl's heads snap in her direction and she stares back at them, flushed and biting her lip.

"I was just wondering what you were doin'," Maggie says weakly, seemingly perplexed by Beth sat in the middle of the bed, and Daryl stood on the other side of the room.

Beth's glances up at Daryl and when their eyes meet there's a beat and then they both start to laugh. Beth feels a few more waves of laughter bubble up and watches through watery eyes as Daryl's chest shakes and he ducks his chin into his shoulder.

"Huh, I don't think I've ever heard you laugh before, Daryl," Maggie says, sounding stunned.