Chapter Twenty-Six

"So when are you goin' to see each other again?" Sam asked as she picked up her cup and adjusted the straw, taking a large sip of sweet tea before reaching for her burger and unwrapping it out of the paper.

"Not sure yet." Beth answered as she drug her french fry through the small puddle of ketchup she made on her empty burger wrapper. Sam watched with an eyebrow raised as she slowly chewed her food as Beth swirled her fry around in circles.

"Beth, honey, what are you doing?" she asked and Beth dropped the fry, placing her head in her hands and sighing, "Talk to me, sweetheart."

"What do I do, Sam? He wants to see me again, what do I do?"

"See him?" she said before taking another bite and chasing it with her drink. Beth groaned and laid her arms on the table before hiding her face in them, "You're gonna get ketchup in your hair, sweetie."

"I don't care." she groaned and let out a small whimper, "Sam, I don't know what to do. I want to see him. Last night felt so...so right."

"So what's the problem?"

"I'm so afraid it's goin' to blow up in my face." She answered as she looked up at her best friend, "I'm so afraid he'll back track after we grow close again and this will all fall apart. I don't know if I can go through that pain again, Sam."

"Beth..."

"I couldn't go into the top of the barn because that's where he kissed me for the first time. I could barely pick up my damn camera and do my photography assignments because it was a gift from him. I couldn't even go into the damn guest house because...because that's where I gave myself to him, Sam."

"You gave him your virginity?" Sam asked, her mouth open and eyes wide. Beth bit her bottom lip and nodded slightly, her cheeks burning a bright pink as she quickly looked down at her lip, "Why didn't you tell me that? That's huge!"

"I know, I know I'm sorry, it's just, I was wrapped up with everything going on. I was so wrapped up in my emotions and just so...wrapped up in him."

"You are so in love." Sam said and Beth's head snapped up, her eyes wide as he hands shook in her lap. She slowly lowered her gaze back down as her eyes burned with tears trying to escape.

"I know." she choked out and Sam moved from her seat to sit next to Beth, placing her arms around her and pulling her against her, "Why, Sam? Why do I have to love him?"

"The heart wants what the heart wants and you can't help who you fall in love with."

"You sound like a damn fortune cookie." she sniffled and Sam let out a laugh, "Sorry, I just, I have no clue what to do, Sam. I'm not good at stuff like this."

"Neither one of you are, apparently." Sam answered and tucked a lock of Beth's hair out of her face, "Why don't you call him and ask him if he's free tonight? Maybe you guys could get together, maybe talk and sort out feelings."

"I don't know if that's a good idea." Beth reached for the hem of her long sleeved shirt again, twisting the light blue fabric around in her hands as she looked down at her lap. The thought of telling Daryl how she felt, how she really felt about him, scared her to no end. If he could leave so easily before, who was to say he wouldn't do it again if he didn't return her feelings?

"Think about it. But I think maybe you should see each other again real soon and try to rebuild your relationship with each other."

"What relationship?" Beth snapped, biting her bottom lip in instant regret but refusing to take back her words. It was true. What relationship had she actually had with Daryl? They never defined if they had made it past friends with benefits before he left.

"Someone's bitter." Sam muttered and Beth tilted her head up, shooting her an icy glare before looking back down at her folded hands, "Talk to him. If you don't get this off of your chest with him, with Daryl and not me, then you're just gonna keep on feelin' bitter, and even if things work out with you two, you will always have a feelin' of resent deep down. So he needs to know how you feel. He needs to know what's on your mind and he needs to know exactly how he made you feel. Don't let him get away with this, Beth."

"I need a damn drink." Beth groaned and placed her face in her hands, Sam letting out a laugh and giving her friend a comforting squeeze.

"No, hun, you'll be fine I promise. You're strong and you're brave. Just blurt it out there."

"I can't, Sam."

"Yes you can." she answered as she reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out, "Well, shit."

"What's wrong?"

"My phone died and I need to text dad. Can I borrow yours right quick?" Beth nodded and pulled out her phone, handing it off to Sam as she stood to collect their trash off of the picnic table they sat at. She sighed as she walked towards the trash can, watching the ground as she walked and chewing on her bottom lip.

She really needed to stop that. She always wound up with chapped lips that busted all the time because of it.

Maybe she should send him a text, or hell, call him and set up a time to meet. Sam was right. She needed to clear the weight on her chest and he needed to know how bad she had been hurt.

"No." she thought as she shoved the trash into the can and clenched her teeth. He'd leave again. Daryl wasn't ready for that, not so soon. And maybe she wasn't either if she was having second thoughts. Maybe she'd just ride it out and see where they ended up. She couldn't really resent him for long, could she?

"Did you get a hold of him?" Beth asked after making it back to the table and Sam nodded, handing her phone back over.

"Yes, thank you. Sorry about that." she apologized and Beth shook her head.

"It's fine. Where ya headed off to now?"

"I promised Jimmy I'd drop off a text book for him, then I'm gonna head home and get ready to go out for my mom's birthday tonight. How about you?"

"I'm gonna go clean the kennels at the clinic, then go home and probably work on a new song or my photography homework."

"Ick. Homework. Well have fun, sweetie. I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright. Tell your mom happy birthday for me, and have fun." Beth said with a smile as the two embraced in a parting hug, Sam agreeing she would before they went their separate ways to their cars.

"Oh come on, Sadie, get back in your crate. It's almost time for me to leave." Beth begged as she looked up at wall clock, the hands indicating it was almost three in the afternoon, "Please, Sadie. Let me go home." The dog stuck her legs out and pushed against the crate in protest. She sighed and sat back on the floor, Sadie sitting down and wagging her fluffy tail from side to side as she watched Beth.

"Beth, it's almost three!" Maggie called from the front desk and Beth scowled at the dog in front of her.

"Sadie, I know I shouldn't, but if it's the only way I can get your furry butt into that crate, I'm willing to do it." she said and reached into her scrubs pocket, grabbing two milk bones and holding them up. Sadie's tail stopped for a moment as her eyes fixated on the small brown treats.

"Beth!"

"Hold on! I'm putting Sadie up!" she called over her shoulder before moving to her feet slowly and smiling at the dog who let out a small yip and started wagging her tail again, "Okay, you little rebel. In you go!" She tossed the treats into the crate and the dog turned quickly, darting into the crate after the treats. Beth shot forward and locked the crate before the dog could grab the bones and jet out of the crate again, smiling and apologizing to Sadie.

"Didn't think you'd be one to reward bad behavior." Beth swallowed hard and looked over her shoulder, seeing Daryl leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his stomach.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she stood slowly, shoving her hands into her pockets and scratched the back of her leg with her foot.

"You needed to talk to me." he said and she raised an eyebrow in questioning, "You have a friend named Sam?"

"Dammit." she muttered and rubbed her forehead, "Sneaky pain in my ass."

"So you don't want to talk?" he asked and stood straight, reaching up to scratch the back of his head, "I can go then."

"No, Daryl. It's okay, uhm, give me a minute to let them know I'm leaving." Beth said and slid past Daryl, hurrying up to Maggie who had a raised eyebrow.

"So, Daryl, huh?" she asked and Beth nodded, running her fingers through her hair and groaning softly, "We can talk later if you want, Beth."

"Thank you. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Alright. Have a good time." Maggie said and gave her sister a small pat on the back. Beth grabbed her purse from behind the counter, her keys and jacket from a hook on the wall, and went back to the kennel room where Daryl was bent down scratching Sadie behind the ear through the crate.

"You look like trouble." he muttered softly to the dog whose eyes were half-lidded as he scratched, a smile pulling across his lips. Beth cleared her throat softly and he turned around quickly, standing straight and scratching his beard, "So where do you want to go?"

"I have to go home and take Maisy on a walk, so if you wanna follow me we can talk then." she said softly and he nodded in agreement, fishing his keys out of his pocket before following her out of the back door.

"She's getting big." Daryl said as he held on to the leash, Maisy pulling at it with her nose stuck to the ground as they walked along the gravel road.

"Yeah, growin' like a weed." she answered as she glanced up, seeing the house starting to come back into view.

"Beth."

"Hm?"

"Talk to me." he said as he stopped, Beth stopping in front of him but keeping her back to him, her hands tucked into the front pocket of her jacket. She sighed and bit her bottom lip again, turning around to face him.

"About what, Daryl?"

"Something's wrong. You're actin' different than you did up at the pond." he said and she reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I don't know how to start off." she murmured and Daryl handed Maisy her tennis ball he had been holding on to.

"Just say the first thing that comes to your mind." he answered and saw her take a deep breath, closing her large blue eyes for a quick second.

"I'm afraid, Daryl. I'm afraid to tell you." she answered and crossed her arms over her stomach, "I'm afraid to tell you, because you left so easily before. You left and, dammit I'm afraid you're going to do it again. It hurt so bad to watch you leave. After everything we had done together, to watch you leave so easily, dammit that hurt more than I could ever begin to describe."

"Beth, I'm sorry..."

"I know. I know you're sorry, everyone told me they were sorry every time they saw me. I'm tired of hearing empty apologies, Daryl." she said and her eyes start to burn with tears she was determined to fight off, "You crushed me, Daryl. You broke my heart and I don't even know if it affected you in any way. You walked away so easy."

"Easy? You thought I left that easy?" he asked in disbelief and Beth swallowed hard before forcing herself to nod, "That wasn't easy, Beth. That was one of the hardest things I ever had to do."

"You didn't make it seem so hard."

"You didn't even fight for me to stay!"

"What was I supposed to do, Daryl? Get on my knees and beg you to stay? I didn't even know what we were! I didn't even know how you honestly felt about me! For all I know you got what you wanted outta me and then you left!"

"That's what you think?" he asked with his eyes narrowed, Beth taking a small step back, "I drank myself stupid the night I left. I ended up at Sarah's apartment and could barely stand up and fuck, Beth, I did somethin' I ain't proud of!"

"Did you...?"

"What? No. No I didn't sleep with her." he answered and saw her release the breath that she had been holding in, "I got high."

"What?"

"I got high, Beth. I was trying to do anythin' I could to get you out of my mind and not a damn thing worked." he said and saw her face fall, "Leavin' you was stupid, but I thought it was for the best. You need someone your age, you need someone who is more fun than I am. Someone who will go out and do all that partyin' you like to do now. You need -." Her lips crushed against his, her hands shot up in his hair and tangled his locks around her fingers and he stilled in surprise.

"You, Daryl. I need you." she whispered and he swallowed hard, his grip tightening on the leash handle, "I don't care if that freaks you out, I don't care if you didn't want to hear that. I had to get that off of my chest. You mean more to me than you understand and I need you to know." He watched her eyes search his as he remained silent and unmoving. Her cheeks burned a bright red and she stepped back, crossing her arms and clearing her throat, "Guess I better shut up while I'm ahead."

Daryl stepped forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her forward and pressing his lips back against hers. His free arm wrapped around her tightly and he smiled against her lips as he felt her arms slip around his neck. He slid his tongue out of his mouth and ran it along her bottom lip begging for entrance. She parted her lips and let out a soft moan as his tongue slipped into her mouth, Beth feeling her knees start to grow weak as his arm tightened around her to hold her close.

"Beth." he muttered against her lips.

"Hm?"

"You're phone's ringing." he answered and she pulled her head back slightly, hearing the vibrating from her back pocket.

"Dammit, Maggie."she huffed as she looked down at the screen, unlocking the phone and placing it to her ear, "Hello? Maggie? Maggie calm down, what's wrong?" Beth asked and stepped back from Daryl, cradling the phone close. Daryl watched the color drain from her face and her free hand move to cover her mouth, "I'm coming, I promise. I'll be right there. I love you, Maggie." she said and hung up the phone with shaky hands, "Daryl I...I have to go."

"What's wrong, Beth?"

"D-daddy...they're taking him to the hospital...Daryl's something's wrong with my daddy...I have to go...I have to go..."

A/N: So sooo sorry for the long break there between updates, guys. My life is getting really hectic, but I hope this is decent and you enjoyed it! Let me know!