Broken Halo
Chapter 7

"I never said I don't."

Beth stared at him, unable to believe the words that had just come out of his mouth. She wanted to believe it was just her emotions getting the better of her, that she wanted to see something that wasn't really there. But as she looked into his eyes, she realized that her body wasn't playing tricks on her. He really meant it. "Are you saying that you do?" She had to be sure. She had to hear it come from him.

Daryl looked away from her, his hand shielding his eyes from her view. "Yeah…I think I am." He slowly looked at her when she didn't say anything. "I do, Beth."

She smiled and leaned over across the seat and kissed him. He cupped her face, pulling her close, nearly into his seat. She was sliding her hand into his hair when tapping on the window pulled them apart. They looked through the window. "Oh my god…" Beth jumped out of the car and ran around, pulling Carl into a tight hug. "You're alive," she breathed as Daryl climbed out of the car and hugged Rick. Beth quickly hugged Michonne and Rick and looked at them. "I can't believe it."

Michonne smirked and crossed her arms. "Mhm, that's what we were thinking when we saw you two just now."

Beth blushed as Daryl put his arm around her waist. "It's none of our business," Rick said, trying to keep the peace. "Is the car running?" he asked.

"Yeah, don't know how much gas is left." Rick nodded and sighed. "We can probably make it to the next town." They all climbed back in the car. Beth curled against the door so she could look at the three in the back.

"What happened?" she asked.

Rick started to tell them the story about getting out of the prison and what had happened since then, including what happened with Joe's group in the house. "We saw them," Daryl grunted as he drove down the deserted road. "Killed 'em."

Rick frowned. "All of them?"

Daryl nodded his head. "Yeah."

"Why?"

Beth bit her lip and looked at Daryl. He looked at her, not sure if she wanted him to say anything. She looked back at the others and fidgeted in the seat. "Daryl and I…we got separated…a swarm attacked the house we were staying in and he told me to run for the road. They grabbed me…" She looked down, playing with her fingers. She wasn't sure if she was ready to talk about this or not. "They…they did things." The car fell silent as the weight of what she'd just said sunk in and Beth was suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "They found Daryl and brought him back, they didn't know we knew each other. When they brought me out for initiation…he killed them."

"Shit," Rick swore, running a hand over his head as he stared out of the window. Beth was shaking now, reliving the events in her head. Daryl reached over and took her hand, sensing her anxiety starting to build. She immediately calmed down when he touched her. Rick saw the events unfold in front of him and looked at Daryl.

"Are you alright, Beth?" Carl asked.

She smiled a little. "I still have nightmares…and panic attacks, but I'm okay." She looked back at him and smiled. "I missed you."

He smiled and nodded his head. "Missed you too."

By the time the sun was coming up they had made it to the next town. Daryl slowly pulled through it, looking around for a good place to hold up or sack when a bullet hit the hood of the car, ricocheting off of it. He swore and slammed on the breaks. "Get out slowly, and show me your hands."

Beth's eyes widened. "That's Maggie." She climbed out of the car and looked around. "Maggie?!"

"Beth?" Carol stepped out from one of the buildings as the others stepped out of the car. "Oh my god."

One by one, everyone stepped out from their hiding places with a few faced Beth didn't recognize. She ran to Maggie, throwing her arms around her. "Maggie," she started crying into her sister's shirt as she held onto her. Maggie petted her hair and soothed her. Beth broke down, emotions she'd been pushing away swarming to the surface.

Maggie frowned and looked at Rick. "What happened?" she asked.

Rick shook his head. "We just met up last night…Beth needs to tell you the story." He hugged Carol.

"Rick, you and Carol need to see this." She walked into the building she'd been hiding in and emerged again with Judith. Rick hit his knees as Carl took Judith from Carol and held her close.

Beth slowly pulled away from Maggie and looked at Daryl. He came to stand beside her and looked Maggie in the eyes. "She's been through shit, Mags, it ain't been good." Maggie nodded her head.

"Let's get you guys inside," Maggie said, leading them inside as Glenn made introductions. Apparently they had a genius with them now and need to get him to D.C. Maggie got Beth settled into a corner of the room and Daryl stood against the walls beside her, not wanting to be far from her sight. "What happened?" Maggie asked, kneeling in front of Beth. Beth shook as she told Maggie the story, hoping that she would never have to tell it again. Everyone that mattered knew, there was no reason to repeat it. Maggie swore as she stood up and started pacing. She stopped and looked at Daryl and then threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.

Daryl nodded. "I'd give my life for hers," he stated simply. He sat on the floor beside Beth and she was instantly in his lap, clinging to him. Maggie gave him a look, opened her mouth to ask, but he just shook his head. "Later." She sighed, but nodded and backed off, leaving to go get food for them.

Beth looked up at him. "I can't believe we found them."

He sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah, seems impossible." He looked down at her. "You really need to sleep."

"Don't go anywhere?"

He shook his head. "I ain't movin' from this spot." She nodded her head and curled herself into his lap, her head lying on his chest. She was out in a matter of minutes. He played with the ends of her hair as she slept. Maggie came back with Rick and Glenn an hour or so later, they all sat around him. "What?" he asked, keeping his voice down so he didn't wake Beth. She really needed the sleep.

"What's going on between you and my sister?" Maggie asked.

Daryl sighed and looked down at Beth's sleeping face. "I love her," he stated simply.

"As?" Glenn pressed.

Daryl glared at him. "She's mine. That clear enough?" Glenn sighed and ran a hand through his hair and looked at Maggie. "Look, I know I'm too old, too rough, not good enough, but I don't give a shit."

Maggie shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "She loves you?" Daryl nodded his head. Maggie nodded slowly and looked at him. "I'm not going to say I'm ecstatic about this, but…she deserves to love someone and have them love her." She smiled a little as Glenn's hand wrapped around hers. "Just know that if you ever hurt her, I'll kill you."

"Understood." He watched Maggie and Glenn leave, but Rick stayed. He looked at him. "What?"

Rick shook his head and smiled a little. "I always thought you two were good for each other."

"How's that?"

Rick looked at him. "She makes you stronger, makes you see the good in people, she does that to everyone she meets. But you make her stronger; you make her want to be stronger. You help each other." He rubbed his jaw. "It was hard to find that before the world went to shit, it's damn near impossible now. I'm not going to stop you two, not if you've found what should be impossible." He clasped Daryl on the shoulder. "Just take care of her."

Daryl nodded his head and looked back down at Beth. "Nothin's gonna happen to her again," he vowed.