Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead nor am I in any way affiliated with the show, the comics or AMC. This is strictly a work of fiction for entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

A/N: Thank you soooo much to everyone who reviewed. I am pleased that you all seem to be enjoying where I am going with this. I have a few reviewers to address:

Entropy20- Honestly, I have no idea. I hope that they don't kill her. I feel like her character has so many places that she could go depending on the situation that she is in right now. Is she with good people or is she with someone bad? In season two, once she got past the idea of suicide and realized that she wanted to live (definitely not condoning how Andrea handled that, but it DID work) she became a much more optimistic person. Since then, she has tried to stay positive, even in the season three opener when she assured Lori that the prison would be "a good place to have the baby. Safe." And after watching what the governor did to her father, she was still the one to assure Daryl that there were still good people in the world; that there was still beauty out there. I just like her. I know there are fans of the show out there that don't like Beth, but I think someone who manages to keep that kind of attitude after everything that has happened to her is someone that I would like to see more of. And depending on what she is going through right now, there is potential for an amazing character arch. To be perfectly honest, I am much more concerned that the writers are going to off Daryl in five. It would be shocking and devastating to so many characters (and I might just stop watching the show if it happens.) So, at this point, despite current circumstances, I am more concerned for Daryl than Beth.

An Amber Pen- LOL! I am so glad that you are so enthusiastic for Joe's death! I agree completely with what you said about Daryl and Beth. They need each other. I think Daryl needs her more now than he needs anyone else (Rick included.) Before anybody lynches me, let me explain. I think that Daryl needed Rick most early one (circa seasons one and two.) He needed someone who recognized his person strengths and relied on him for those strengths. It helped give him a sense of self-worth that he had always been denied. I think he needed Carol just as much (around the halfway point of two.) She showed him that he was deserving of being cared about. I don't think Carol would make a good romantic partner for him (I LIKE Carol, for the record) because she has changed a little too much. She is harder and very pragmatic, which is not a bad thing. She is a survivor. But, I think, right now, what Daryl needs in his life is someone like Beth. Someone that not only shows him that she cares for him, but pushes him to care back. He needs that softness in his life. That's why I am all about Bethyl.

NanamiYatsumaki- Hehehe, glad you caught the cat reference!

FlyteofHeart- I want to assure you, that IF I decide to kill Joe (not saying I will, not saying I won't) it will be deliciously brutal. As to Daryl dealing with his hormones (or not as the case may be) I honestly couldn't see him handling it any other way! Maybe he will handle things differently in the future…then again…who knows. ;-)

Okay, I prattled on for a full page. You want to read the story now. Sorry. On to the chapter! (BTW-new poll question at the end! Hehehehe.)

Hunted

Chapter Eight

Frustration. Yeah, that was the word for it. That was the word for the twitching, irritating feeling that was currently dominating Beth. Frustration. The air was cold out but due to her body's physical exertion, she was sweating. The dampness of her skin and clothing combined with the coolness of the environment was causing uncomfortable chills to vibrate throughout her body. She was constantly shivering. She was tired, she was hungry, she was dirty and yes, she was scared. But her biggest source of frustration out of everything—Daryl

Yes, Daryl.

Daryl, who had been so sweet when he had given her that blanket. Daryl, who had been thoughtful enough to find her some clean, dry clothes. Daryl, who had let her curl up against him to sleep two nights in a row. That very same man had reverted back to being distant, aloof and borderline cold. He shied away from her when she drew near, only touched her when he had no choice and only spoke when necessity called for it.

It was enough to make a girl want to rip her own hair out.

The sun was riding low in the sky. They'd be looking for a place to bed down for the night soon. Daryl stepped over a jutting tree root, but the toe of Beth's boot caught on it and she stumbled forward. She caught a handful of the leather material at Daryl's back to keep herself from face-planting in the dirt.

Daryl felt her grab hold of him, felt her hands on him. He whirled on her as she was straightening, ripping his vest from her grip. "Dammit, watch where you're goin'!" he barked.

His tone had been harsh enough to startle her and she visibly jumped at the assault. Daryl felt as though he had just kicked a puppy. He turned his back on her and started walking again. It was a kind of self-preservation tactic that had kicked in. He had come to the swift realization that the one good and decent thing that he had in his life was Beth. And good things had always had a way of slipping away from him. The world had never been that great of a place in his estimation but lately it had really taken a nosedive. Beth was a candle in the dark, the only bright spot that he could see. It had fallen to him to keep that brightness shining. The only way that he could do that was if she trusted him completely.

And if she knew of all the way that he had started to imagine her, the images of her body, the fantasies that he had entertained as of late, well, he didn't reckon that trust would be the prevalent emotion. So, he needed to stop looking at her in that way. Simple enough. Put a little space between them and he could take care of her without destroying the tentative bond that they had formed together.

Easy.

A little space and he could channel all of his focus to the task at hand; getting Beth as far away as he could as fast as he could. If he could keep his mind on that, if he could lock his attention onto a tangible goal, then he would be able to keep it off—other things.

There were more important things to consider than these unwanted and unwelcome physical urges that had decided to attack him. Those urges were strong, but he had damn good self-control that was stronger. There was something else that was gnawing at him though, something even stronger that the physical want and a lot less familiar.

Need.

A more terrifying word Daryl couldn't imagine.

Material needs he could understand. Food, shelter, clothing; these were needs that he had grown up with and learned to pretty much provide them for himself. It was the other kind of need that had always unsettled him. Those less concrete needs that most people understood to be part of human nature; compassion, companionship, connection. These were needs that had always more or less been denied to him by everyone and everything around him. He had learned to not only distrust these things, but to hate them. He had learned to see them as weaknesses, believed that they would make him weak.

It had taken the end of the world for him to finally accept the fact that those needs that he forced himself to hate did exist within himself, whether he liked it or not. Once he accepted that, accepted that people could care about him, that he was worthy of it, he saw the strength in those needs rather than the weakness. He had never been stronger that he was when he was at the back of a companion that he knew also had his back. He had lost that along with the prison and it had been a devastating blow.

Losing Beth had been damn near fatal.

He had reached a point where he could recognize his need for her, accept it. He didn't even hate it all that much. But he had been through another of life's little lessons. Those needs that were so a part of the human condition were double edged swords. He had to stop looking at them in the black and white; stop seeing that they provided with either strength or weakness. It wasn't one or the other. It was both. That was what he was coming to understand with Beth. He drew strength from her, from being near her, from her very presence. At the same time, the fear that something could happen to harm her ate away at him. He wanted to lash out at her, he wanted to keep her close. He wanted to scream out and damn the world, he wanted to fall to his knees and thank the universe. He needed to regain his balance. He was used to having conflicting thoughts running through his head; that was nothing new. What he wasn't used to was that he knew exactly what he was going to do about it.

He needed her, he wanted her, he'd do anything for her. He'd even protect her from himself.

There was a sudden loud rumble that crashed through the quiet from behind him. He spun around, tensed and ready to do battle but came to an abrupt halt. Beth stood perfectly still, staring back at him, eyes wide, her wild blonde hair framing her flushed red face. For a heartbeat he was lost in just how gorgeous she really was. Then he noticed that one hand rested against her flat stomach. Daryl's gaze went from her hand to her eyes to her hand and back again.

"That you?" he asked.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"That came from you?" he asked again and couldn't remember having ever heard that big of a noise from so small a person, "Good Lord."

He was glaring at her as though she had done it on purpose; like she had willed her body into making as much of a racket as possible. She was sick of it, sick of this. How dare he? She knew that he cared about her. Enough had happened to them now that there was no doubt in her mind about that. So, why had they now fallen back to that place where getting a reaction out of him was like pulling teeth? Why had he shut down on her again? Was she just supposed to sit back and let him get away with that crap?

Like hell.

"I guess I'm hungry," she sniped, hoping to provoke even a little.

"Guess so."

"I said I'm sorry."

"Ain't no reason to be sorry."

"Then stop looking at me like I'm some burden you have to bear!" Beth all but shouted the words in his face, almost as surprised by her sudden outburst as Daryl appeared to be. At the same time, the relief she felt of voicing her thoughts was wonderful—so she rolled with it. She closed the distance between them and shoved him hard in the chest with both hands, relishing in the physical contact no matter how brief, "God! I thought we were past this! I thought I was more to you that somethin' you had to deal with!"

"You are."

"Then why don't you look at me? Ever since we woke up this mornin', you won't look at me. You barely speak to me and—and you've stopped touching me." She paused to take a breath and tried to blink away the burning in her eyes, "I won't go back to that, Daryl. We've come too far. I—I care about you too much."

There was a long moment that the pair of them just stood there and stared at one another. The only sound was of Beth's racking breaths. Her slim shoulders jumped with every pull of air as though her body was working overtime just to accomplish the basic function. Daryl had hurt her. He'd have to be blind not to see how he'd hurt her. He knew in that instant that he would need to rethink the whole keeping-his-distance strategy. He could never knowingly do something that would cause her that kind of pain. That wouldn't sit well with him and he wouldn't do it. He wanted to protect her, not be another person to victimize her.

"Okay." He said.

"Okay?" she wiped an errant tear from her cheek with the flat of her hand.

"Okay."

"Okay."

They continued to stare at each other for another few heartbeats until Daryl grew uncomfortable with the silence.

"I ain't apologizin'," he spat.

"Fine."

"Let's go."

"Fine."

There was another pause and Beth thought for just a second that Daryl might say something else. Instead, he reached over and took her hand into his. He drew her to his side and they started walking again. It was something so seemingly small, but Beth knew what a truly huge step that was for him. They had held hands before, but somehow this was different. This was something new. She acknowledge that and stored it away for further analysis later. For now, she would just enjoy the moment.

"Guess I better feed you soon," he growled, but his tone lacked the harsh indifference it had held earlier, "another noise like that one and you'll have every walker in Georgia on our ass."

"Yes, Mr. Dixon," Beth said around a smile.

"Brat."

They were getting close. Joe knew it in his bones. They were closing in on them. He could sense it in the air; could smell them on the wind. Daryl was good. He had worked hard and hidden their tracks—but Joe had their trail now. He wouldn't lose them again. He wouldn't say that Daryl had grown careless in his efforts, he hadn't. But there was only so much you could hide. Once Joe got inside of Daryl's mind, one he knew what he was looking for, the signs were easier to spot. He felt himself smiling a lot lately. This was a great hunt. Fun. He stepped lightly, quietly. When he closed in on his target, he didn't want them to know what hit them.

No. He wanted to see surprise, disbelief, panic and resignation. Scratch that. He didn't want to see resignation. He didn't want either of them to give up. It was so much more rewarding to break someone when they fought you every step of the way. Daryl was a fight, a scrapper. That was apparent from just looking him in the eye. But he had also shown his weakness with Blondie. That would be his downfall.

But what about her. Would Blondie put up a fight? Would she scream, scratch and claw at him? Kick? Slap? Try to run away? God he hoped so. She had clearly been around Daryl for a while, so he bet she had some fight in her. He bet she would be a lot of fun to subdue. She may have looked like a delicate little piece of ass, but Joe had great instincts on people, and he would bet the house that she would fight back.

And, God, he loved it when they fought back.

A/N: Kind of a short chapter, I know. But it was an important one. One of the things that I noticed on the show in the Beth and Daryl scenes was that she was ALWAYS pushing him to feel something. She hugged him in the season four opener. Daryl is not the kind of guy who likes to be hugged but Beth got away with it. Then, in more obvious ways in 'Still' and 'Alone.' I wanted to showcase that dynamic in this chapter. That she is still pushing him, she wants him to not only feel but admit that he feels. That is kind of key in their relationship.

Anyways, tell me what you thought of all this. Please, please, pretty please!

New poll question: Clearly, they are headed toward a relationship with each other. I don't think that is a spoiler for my story. It is obvious. So, my question this chapter: What character do you think, if any, would have the biggest problem with a romantic bond between Daryl and Beth? Rick, Carl, Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, Carol, Tyreese (I'll even allow Hershel as a choice, if here were alive and you think he would take issue with a relationship.)

Part two: Which of the same characters do you think would be the biggest supporter of said relationship?

I look forward to hearing your answers and thoughts on the chapter! Thanks so much for reading!