Disclaimer: A nod to the genius Robert Kirkman for creating this wonderfully dark, post-apocalyptic world. I do not own or have rights to any of the characters/plot of this series. I'm simply a fan indulging in my post-apocalyptic fantasies.
A/N: As always...THANK YOU Nicole137137 for your amazing editing!
I have a favor to ask guys. Nicole137137 is aspiring to interview Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon). She has a twitter page (at sign)Quest4Interview and if you guys who have a twitter could follow her and show her support, I would be so grateful! She's an awesome person and I would love for her dream to come true!
...
Beth couldn't believe her eyes. She held her arms snuggly around the woman and child before pulling back to make sure she wasn't in fact still blissfully asleep and had conjured them up in a dream.
"Carol?" She breathed.
A tugging on her blond hair pulled her gaze from Carol's tentative smile to the bundle on her hip, "Judith!"
Beth scooped up the little one and hugged her tightly to her chest. Cradling Judith's head she held her out enough to look at her face. Judith's smile melted her heart. The complete trust in her crystal blue eyes, rosy cheeks from being out in the heat, and little spots of white coming through her gums; visible because of her enormous smile.
"Hey sweet girl," Beth sniffled, laughing through tears.
"Are you by yourself?" Tyreese asked gently from behind Carol.
Before Tyreese could finish his sentence, Rick stumbled out of the tree line, tripping over his feet to get to Beth. Beth turned to face Rick, noticing Daryl and Carl breaking through the trees, and smiled so wide her cheeks ached.
"Judith," Rick whispered, falling to his knees in front of Beth. He didn't reach out, didn't move to take the baby from Beth's arms. Rather, he stared in shock and disbelief at his small child whose hands were playing with Beth's long ponytail.
Carl bounded up beside his father, tears staining his cheeks. He gave Beth a look and she immediately handed him his sister, careful to untangle her chubby fingers from her hair.
"Hey Jude," Carl smiled, "I missed you."
"How?" Rick croaked.
"It was Carol," Tyreese answered, "I had Mika, Lizzie, and Judith. We all got out together. I was trying to help some folks at the train tracks, I left the girls with a gun, and Carol…she just appeared out of thin air with Mika and Lizzie; Judith as happy as could be on her hip."
Rick seemed to have finally gotten himself together. He ran a hand down his face, wiping any evidence of his shock away, and stood. He put a hand on Carl's shoulder and cupped his other around Judith's soft cheek.
"Thank you," Rick's voice full of so much emotion that Beth felt her heart ache.
He then took Judith from Carl and held her to his chest; much in the way that Beth had a moment ago, rocking her back and forth. His voice was barely above a whisper, but Beth was able to make out the words, "Thank you so much."
Beth faced Tyreese and Carol, attempting to give Rick and Carl more privacy in their reunion, "Where are Lizzie and Mika?"
Carol, who was looking past Beth to Daryl, lingering a few paces behind Rick and Carl, dropped her gaze to the ground. The tension rose and Beth knew. She didn't have to be told, she knew the girls were no longer among them, and that they too had been spared the pain and misery of this new world.
"Was it walkers?" Beth reached out and took Carol's hand.
Carol took a deep breath and looked up, "No."
Beth nodded. She was relieved and disturbed all at the same time. The fact that their young lives didn't end at the hands of walkers was a blessing, however, if walkers didn't kill them that meant a person had. There was a chance that they could have had some sort of tragic accident, maybe ate something poisonous, but Carol's reaction said otherwise.
"I didn't let them turn," Carol stated with finality.
"I'm so sorry," was all Beth could reply with.
Daryl cleared his throat behind them, "We should get back. The rest ah' everyone are prolly wonderin' what happened and we're pretty exposed out here."
Beth gave Carol's hand a tight squeeze and released her grasp. Rick, still hugging Judith, and Carl were already walking back when Beth diverted her attention from Carol. She glanced at Daryl, the two having not spoken since the previous night, who nodded in her direction.
Instead of following her, he took a few steps toward Carol. She gave a small smile when Carol wrapped her arms around his neck as he stood awkwardly. Leave it to Daryl to not even be able to reciprocate an 'I'm glad you're not dead' hug.
"Are you guys headed to Terminus?" Tyreese asked while walking beside her.
"Terminus?" Beth couldn't help but mockingly laugh at the idea, "The people in Terminus locked us up in a boxcar for two days."
"You can't be serious," Tyreese's expression displayed his utter disappointment.
"We went in hoping for sanctuary and found ourselves in the middle of a cannibalistic society," Beth's tone bitter.
"Cannibals?" He repeated in disbelief.
"They have rail cars full of people," Beth confirmed, "This crazy room with cryptic writing and what looked like people's valuables. It was like a sacrificial chamber or something. As we were running, trying to get out, we passed this fenced in area. There were bones with fresh meat still clinging to them. The 'welcome' lady was serving meat on paper plates. What would you have thought?"
Tyreese didn't bother replying. The evidence she presented spoke for itself. Even if they weren't cannibals, locking people up in a metal box was enough to keep anyone who valued their lives away from Terminus.
Beth climbed the embankment with relative ease. Her ribs only projected a dull ache when she moved and her head had been clear since the night before. She smiled to herself, biting her lip to keep from giving Tyreese good news that would undermine the importance of everything she had just revealed in regards to Terminus.
Daryl and Carol were close behind, having their own private conversation. Maggie and Sasha had both rushed to Rick and were fawning over Judith. A sharp intake of breath beside her made Beth giggle softly.
"I didn't want to ruin the surprise, but we found Sasha in Terminus," Beth explained.
As soon as the words left her mouth, the brother and sister were embracing in a hug that looked almost painful. Tyreese lifted Sasha off the ground and the two were spinning in a circle, laughing and crying at the same time.
Then Beth felt it. It was subtle at first, and then grew each moment she stood there, watching everyone hugging and welcoming new and old into their group. Exchanges and introductions were given. The morale shot through the roof and Beth felt it; hope. With everything that had happened to her since losing her father, the fire had waned. It had always been there, but finding Judith, being reunited with Maggie and Glenn, surviving so that she could get back to Daryl all fanned the flames that had begun to die.
That's when she knew that everything had changed. The strong urge to protect had always been within her, but in that moment, Beth knew she had changed. Being separated from Judith had made it evident to her how much she had really cared for the child on a maternal level. Being separated from Maggie and Glenn had shown her how important family truly was in their post-apocalyptic hell. Being separated from Daryl, it became clear to her that she could survive on her own. That she was just as strong as Maggie, Michonne, and Carol in her own way. She had changed and she would do anything for the ones who had changed her.
…
"I'll get some firewood," Maggie stated quietly, attempting to hand a drowsy Judith over to Beth.
"You just got her," Beth stood and dusted her pants, "Keep her. I'll get plenty of time with her later."
"You sure?" Maggie asked.
"Positive," Beth nodded.
"Thanks," Maggie smiled and cuddled with the sleepy baby in her arms.
Beth quietly tiptoed around Maggie to grab one of the stakes Rick had carved with his pocketknife. The guns Michonne and Abraham acquired, along with their stash Rick had buried, were not to be fired for any reason. Michonne and Abraham had made good use of the stocks, bludgeoning walker's head in, but the rest of them were virtually defenseless. They had come across the herd so sudden that Rick hadn't had time to divide the rifles amongst them.
Sifting through and finding one that fit her hand the best, Beth left the proximity of camp in search of fallen tree limbs. She could no longer see Maggie when she heard voices. She didn't recognize them immediately, as they spoke so quietly that Beth could barely hear them period, but as she crept closer she heard Rick and Carol talking.
"Tyreese knows," Carol said matter-of-factly.
"Good…that's good," Rick stood with his hands on his hips, staring down at the ground.
There was a lull in their conversation and Beth turned to move away when Carol spoke again.
"He knows why I did it. He knows that Karen and David wouldn't have made it by the time we got medicine. They would have turned. He understands. He knows I was only trying to protect everyone by keeping the illness from spreading," Carol continued in the same tone as before.
"That'll make things easier then," Rick nodded, still staring at his feet.
"He…he forgave me," Carol's voice wavered for the first time.
Beth tried to process what she had just heard from Carol. She knew Karen and David had been murdered and burnt just outside of the prison, but they had never found out who had done it. To hear Carol admit to these horrific crimes was shocking. Then again, Beth wasn't sure she could consider what Carol had done as horrific.
Karen and David hadn't deserved to be killed before their time, they hadn't deserved to be burned instead of given a proper burial, but the reasoning behind Carol's actions were noble. There was no way of knowing whether Karen and David would have survived until Daryl and the group had found the medicine in the veterinarian college, but at the rate many of the others had died after Karen and David; Beth doubted they would have lasted long enough. Carol was trying to keep the sickness from spreading, from claiming more lives, and she had taken matters into her own hands.
Beth didn't think she could have done what Carol had. Murder was wrong no matter what the justifications were, but in the same respect, Carol had done so with the group's best interest at heart. She had done something good in the worst way. Beth would never agree that murder was an option. She had taken two lives herself and now she had to live with the guilt, but if Tyreese could forgive Carol, then Beth wasn't going to judge.
Carol did what needed to be done. She reminded Beth a lot of Daryl in that regard. She had flourished in the apocalypse; just like Daryl had. The difference between them was that Daryl confided in Rick, had confided in her father, and they worked out the best option with the choices they were given. Carol took matters in her own hands and worried about the consequences later.
"You know why I had to send you away," Rick's demeanor now made sense to Beth; he felt guilty.
"I do," Carol pressed her lips into a sad smile, "I don't have any hard feelings Rick. You did what you thought was best for the group, just like I did."
"Don't make either of our choices right Carol," Rick finally looked up a Carol.
"The lines between right and wrong blurred the moment the dead began walking the earth," Carol countered.
"It don't make it any easier then," Rick sighed.
"Life's never been easy," Carol agreed.
There was another silence. Beth knew she needed to give them their privacy. Her father would be ashamed of her for eavesdropping, but she couldn't bring herself to move.
"I'll never be able to repay you for keepin' my baby girl alive," Rick rubbed his chin with his palm.
"You did everything you could to find Sophia. Think of us as even," Carol smiled, reaching out to grab Rick's bicep, "and don't feel guilty for sending me away. If you hadn't, I would have been at the prison when the Governor attacked. There would be a good chance that I wouldn't have found the girls and I wouldn't have been able to keep Judith safe."
Rick's shoulders slumped and he looked haggard. Beth couldn't imagine the thoughts running through his head as he stood there, but she recognized the immense feeling of gratitude she felt towards Carol at hearing what could have been.
"Come'on," Carol patted his arm a few times before nodding in the direction of camp, "let's go see what Daryl and Michonne have found out."
Rick hummed in agreement and the two of them walked back to camp. Beth stayed in her crouched position for what felt like hours, collecting her thoughts. She saw Carol in a new light. She knew Carol had stopped being the weak, abused wife long ago. That part of her had died the moment Rick ended Sophia's undead life. This Carol, the 'Carol from the prison,' was the product of the apocalypse. Beth respected her, even if she didn't agree with all of her decisions.
Standing, her legs aching from being locked for so long, Beth stretched her arms above her head. Intent on finding the firewood she had been in a quest for earlier, she froze when she heard shuffling. She thought maybe Rick or Carol had come back to check on her, but the sound was erratic, uneven.
"Walker," she whispered to herself.
She tightened her grip on the wooden picket in her hand and quietly approached the sound. If it was just one or two, she could handle them. Any more than that would be debatable upon the quantity. She used the trees for cover, hiding behind their trunks to keep out of sight, as she assessed how many walkers were headed for their camp.
At first she only saw a few, stragglers from the herd that had been moving toward Terminus she guessed, and she had every intention of running back to camp, grabbing a few spare bodies and taking care of the lot. Then they began to amass from the trees. A few soon turned into a couple dozen and Beth knew she had to get back to camp and warn everyone. A branch snapping to her right ripped her attention away from the walkers she was spying on and had her poised to sink her stake into an approaching walkers head.
"Shit Daryl," Beth hissed, "you can't do that."
"How many d'you see," Daryl whispered, jutting his chin toward the walkers behind them.
"Was only a few a first, then they started comin' out of the woodwork. I counted nearly thirty," Beth answered, getting control of her breathing.
"Let's get back. We gotta' move," Daryl replied.
Beth nodded and hurriedly slunk through the trees behind him, "You have any luck with the termite?"
"Termite?" Daryl glanced back and quirked a brow at her, "Yeah. We got some stuff outta' him."
Beth caught a glimpse of Daryl's bloody knuckles. It was like the situation with Randall all over again. She understood the necessity of beating the information out of a person who refused to talk, but that didn't mean she'd ever like it. At the moment though, her feelings didn't matter, they had to get back to camp quickly. They couldn't invade Terminus if they all joined the legion of the undead.
They made the trip back to camp as stealthily as possible, "We got walkers comin' our way. We gotta' move," Daryl announced immediately.
Everyone began moving on auto-pilot. Everyone made sure they had a weapon in hand and the lack of surprise or fear saddened Beth. This was their life now. Run when there were too many walkers to take on, fight when it was manageable, and keep on the move.
"How many?" Abraham asked from across the camp.
"I counted nearly thirty before Daryl found me," Beth answered.
She moved to Maggie, still holding Judith, and took the baby from her, "I've got Judith, you go get a weapon."
Maggie nodded, rushing over to grab a sharpened piece of wood.
"I've got a makeshift carrier we used for her," Tyreese gestured to the backpack in his hand.
"Thanks," Beth slipped the backpack in front of her, not feeling comfortable with having her on her back. Tyreese helped her adjust the straps and Beth slid Judith inside.
"Where do we go?" Glenn yelled. He and Maggie were helping Tara support her weight. Her ankle was better, but any exertion would risk damaging the healing muscles.
"Up the tracks, away from Terminus," Rick hollered back.
"What about him?" Rosita gestured at their hostage leaning, bleeding and broken, against the base of a tree trunk.
"We can't leave him," Sasha reasoned.
"Let'em loose. Let him take his chances on his own," Daryl spoke up, "Make it quick. We gotta' go."
Sasha quickly unfastened the belt wrapped around the man's wrist. He took off into the woods the moment his hands were free enough to move. Beth wished him luck, and even though the man was put in danger by being dragged away from Terminus with them, they needed the information to free the prisoners locked within the 'sanctuary.'
They were on the run by the time the first groans of the walkers could be heard.
…
The area looked familiar. Beth took in the sight of the old blue Blazer that they had sought refuge in just a few days ago. It was the closest safe haven they knew of. The only other option was the tunnel Glenn and Maggie spoke of, but no one seemed too excited about hiding in a collapsed tunnel full of walkers. If the herd came their way, they'd be trapped with walkers on either side.
It was much farther than they wanted to walk, but with a small hoard on their coattails, they needed a place that would keep whoever kept Judith hidden and out of reach. Beth hadn't paid much mind before, but looking at the driver's side, rear door of the vehicle, she could see a decent sized indention where she had unwillingly distorted her body.
Approaching the Blazer, large splatters of blood covered the asphalt. Beth wasn't sure if anyone paid attention to such things anymore, or if it was because she knew who the blood had belonged to and why it repainted the black surface, but there was so much more blood than she remembered.
The place where they had piled the corpses was now just a pile of bones, picked clean by walkers and scavenging animals alike. It was sad. Even though these men were the detestable sort of human beings that would've been locked away before, a person still deserved to be laid to rest.
"We'll camp here for tonight, come up with ah' plan, and head out at first light. We can't afford to waste any more time with all the walkers in the area," Rick affirmed.
Beth's back muscles ached. Granted she thought she kept herself in decent physical condition, it was pretty well impossible not to nowadays, but the muscles she used supporting a forward-facing backpack were different than the ones she used while wielding her crossbow.
Pulling Judith out of the backpack, Beth let the bag fall to the ground gracelessly. Her ribs throbbed a bit at the change in pressure, but quickly faded when she became accustomed to no longer wearing the backpack. Propping Judith on her hip, Beth walked to stand beside Maggie and the rest of the group.
"First thing we gotta' sort out is who stays here with Judith," Rick cut to the chase.
Hearing her name, Judith smiled, slapping her plump hands against Beth's cheeks. Beth bounced her a couple of times, rubbing her nose against Judith's in classic 'Eskimo kiss' fashion, trying to keep her occupied while the group discussed what to do. She had already come to terms with taking over as Judith's surrogate mom. It was her main form of contribution in the prison and even though she had changed, she didn't expect everyone's view of her to be any different.
"I won't be able to do much good with my ankle fucked up the way it is. I can stay in the car with her. It'd be the safest place for both of us," Tara offered.
Beth's grip tightened around Judith. Glenn trusting Tara was one thing, but trusting Tara with Judith? Beth wasn't going for that, "I'll stay with her too. I can help out if something goes wrong."
Rick must have had the same thoughts as Beth because he visibly relaxed at her offer, "I'd appreciate it if you did."
"Beth ain't stayin'," Daryl announced.
"I'm not?" "She's not?" Maggie and Beth said at the same time.
"She's good with a crossbow. I seen her. I'm gonna' need her help takin' out the snipers on the roof. We go in with guns'ah blazin', all we're gonna' get is shot," Daryl explained.
"You got 'ah point," Rick agreed.
"I'll stay," Carol offered, "I'm an old woman. I need my rest. All this traveling has these bones worn out."
Carol may have been joking; she was far from an 'old woman,' but her statement left no room for argument. Beth knew Carol would keep Judith safe, she'd done so the past few months, and her offer allowed the group piece of mind.
"Eugene needs to stay behind as well. He's a shit shot and we can't risk his life," Abraham stated.
"One isolated incident does not suggest that my accuracy is below average," Eugene defended.
"Below average? You shot our freakin' truck Eugene," Rosita huffed, "It was a M925, five-ton,Army troop-transporter. Don't sit there and try to act like you can shoot. You wouldn't be able to hit the broad side of a barn."
"That's enough Rosita," Abraham reprimanded.
"I have already acknowledged my ignorance in regards to rapid firing weapons. I agree to stay behind and keep the ladies company while we guard the child," Eugene professed.
"Jesus…," Rosita sighed, "You're gonna' make me stay with him aren't you?"
"Yes ma'am. I need someone here that I know can handle this," Abraham said while removing the automatic rifle he'd slung over his chest.
"Fine…" Rosita rolled her eyes.
"Well if that's all settled, we just have the matter of how to go about getting into the armory and equipping ourselves before we take on Terminus," Rick furrowed his brows, squinting from the glaring sun.
"How many guns we got?" Daryl shifted his weight.
"I got my Python, couple'ah rifles, but not enough for everyone," Rick unzipped the bag carrying the guns.
They'd come close to having to use them when they ran into the herd, but in doing so, they would have sacrificed their chances of getting back into Terminus and ultimately leaving all those innocent people to die. Beth was glad Rick had been the one to make the call because she wasn't sure she would have had the self-discipline not to panic and start blasting walker's head off.
"I won't need a rifle once I get my katana," Michonne interjected, "Problem is getting to that part of the plan. None of this can happen unless the intel we got from that asshole is accurate."
"I know," Rick sighed, "We can't all go in at once. We'll attract too much attention."
"What if we assign everyone a specific objective?" Bob suggested.
"That's a good idea," Abraham agreed, "Divide and conquer."
"Alright. This is what we'll do," Rick crossed his arms over his chest, thinking carefully before he spoke, "Glenn, Daryl, Tyreese, Abraham, and I will scout the fence line. I'm sure they've upped security with all the walkers and us makin' our escape. We'll have to first deal with the walkers, assuming they haven't already. If there's too many we'll have to consider going 'round to another part of the fence."
"We came in the front entrance. That gate is completely open; there's no cover. Our best option, if the way you guys snuck in isn't going to work, is to check the other two sides," Glenn added.
"Yeah, I walked the fence line ah'ways when we first got there," Daryl commented, "There's a few places we'd be able to get some coverage."
"Good. We get the fence line sorted out; we'll sneak in just like we did when we snuck out, in pairs. Abraham, you've had the most weapons training. You'll take Michonne's gun. Provide cover in case things go sideways before everyone's able to get in."
"I can do that," Abraham nodded.
"We'll find a spot to hide out. I have enough guns for myself, Glenn, Maggie, and Sasha. Tyreese you still got your hammer?"
"Yeah. I still got it," Tyreese gestured to his backpack.
"I have a gun," Carol offered the small pistol to Rick.
"You keep it. You might need it," Rick pushed the gun back to Carol gently.
Judith tugged on Beth's necklace, pulling her attention away from their discussion. Taking the silver charm away, Beth slid a few bracelets off her wrist and gave them to the spoiled bundle to keep her occupied.
"Alright then," Rick continued, "Michonne and Daryl know the layout best accordin' to what our friend told us. Beth will go with the pair of you and get the weapons and bring them back to us. Then Daryl 'n Beth need to find a way t'get on the roof and take out the snipers. You're gonna' have to shoot for the head. We can't afford them turnin' on us. We're gonna' have enough trouble on our hands once they figure out they're under attack."
"We'll handle it," Daryl answered, glancing at Beth and giving her a nod.
"We take out their snipers and we can handle the rest. People are going to be armed. We gotta' be prepared for anyone we come across, but we should be fine so long as the whole community can't get ahold of a weapon. Once Beth and Daryl have us a way cleared to the rail cars we'll start letting people out. The more people we can get out and on our side, the less of a chance the people of Terminus have," Rick finished.
"What about Gareth?" the venom in Carl's voice was unsettling.
"Carl…I think it's best if you stay with your sister," Rick's tone taking on a paternal note.
"No way. You know I'm a good shot. You're going to need me," Carl argued.
Rick was quiet for a long moment. Beth could see the inner turmoil Rick was facing. Carl, by the standards of the world before was still a child, however the fall of societal norms and ways of their new world placed Carl in a different category. He was an excellent shot, small and agile, and quick on his feet. He was the type of person you wanted watching your back. The father side of Rick and the post-apocalyptic side often were at odds with each other.
"Alright, but you stay by me at all times," Rick relented, "As soon as we get the people out of the boxcars, we go after Gareth. We take out the ringleader and we can get everyone else to fall in line. If they don't…"
Rick didn't need to finish his sentence for Beth to understand what he was getting at. If they didn't join Rick's side there wouldn't be any other option for them.
"Everyone understand the plan?" Rick inquired, "Then let's try to get some rest. We can take turns catching some sleep in the car. We got a big day tomorrow."
Everyone dispersed and Beth was left with a heavy feeling. Glancing around, watching as everyone went in their own directions, she realized that tomorrow their group could be dwindled down. If things went bad they could all be killed. Beth stared down into the big, blue eyes of a smiling child and wondered why life had to be so twisted.
…
The sun had long since set, but Beth didn't pay any mind. She was too busy working out all the possible things that could go wrong in their impending excursion. She was whole-heartedly for saving those innocent people, but she was so scared of what they could lose in the battle.
"Where ya' at?" A gruff voice asked as he sat beside her.
Beth was sitting across the fire from Eugene and Abraham; the two having a quiet conversation. Bob, Maggie, Glenn, and Michonne were getting some sleep. Tyreese and Sasha leaned against the Blazer acting as guard, and Rick was seated next to Carl playing with Judith. Last she had seen; Daryl and Carol had been against the front of the Blazer talking.
"Nowhere," Beth lied smoothly.
There was a companionable silence and Beth sighed.
"You worried 'bout tomorrow?" Daryl asked.
"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't?" Beth smiled and turned to him.
"Hell no," Daryl smirked.
"Are you?" Beth turned the question around.
"Lotta' things could go wrong," Daryl stated what she had been thinking.
"Yeah," Beth sighed again.
Another silence stretched between them.
"You catch up with Carol?" Beth shifted where she sat to stretch her back.
"Yeah," Daryl didn't elaborate.
"That's good," Beth hummed.
By the third lull in conversation Beth could feel something was off with Daryl. He was wound up as much as what Beth would consider 'normal,' but there was something else. He had something on his mind. She watched as he chewed on his bottom lip, the way he kept glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, and when he reached up to rub the back of his neck, Beth had had enough.
"What is it?" Beth squinted her eyes at him.
"What's what?" Daryl feigned confusion.
"Don't give me that. What are you not tellin' me?" Beth propped her chin on her palm, her knee supporting her elbow.
"That concussion make yer' brain quit workin'?" Daryl glared at her.
"Not gonna' work," Beth shook her head, swaying her palm from side to side.
Daryl took a deep breath and suddenly Beth felt nervous.
"Earlier, when I said you needed to come with us," Daryl's voice trailed off.
"I believe it was more 'Beth ain't stayin'," Beth corrected.
"I know what I said," Daryl grumbled.
"What about it?" Beth shrugged.
Daryl chewed on his thumb nail, not immediately answering. Beth was losing her patience. It wasn't like Daryl to tiptoe around a subject. Reaching out with her left hand she grabbed his hand, her thumb inadvertently grazing his bottom lip. The look Daryl gave her made her yank her hand back.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"You got more to offer 'n just keepin' lil' asskicker. S'all I was tryin' t'say," Daryl murmured, his eyes locking with hers.
"Oh," Beth managed to reply.
For some reason she was having a hard time breathing. Maybe it was her anxiety? The smoke from their campfire? She knew it definitely didn't have anything to do with the intensity behind Daryl's eyes.
Daryl reached over and pulled her hand back into the light of the fire. Having given Judith several of her bracelets earlier, the skin she tried to subtly keep covered was more exposed. Daryl brushed his thumb over the raised skin that ran the width of her wrist. Beth watched his thumb with morbid fascination.
If anyone else was paying attention to them, Beth was oblivious. She was completely enraptured in Daryl voluntarily making a sort of intimate contact with her. It was innocent enough that most people wouldn't pay much mind to such an action, but coming from Daryl, the act spoke volumes.
"It's a reminder," Beth finally managed to speak.
"That you tried to cop out?" Daryl's words harsh as he whispered.
"Not to lose hope," Beth amended, "and that I was selfish. As long as there are people here who need me, I'll keep fighting."
Daryl looked up from her wrist, his thumb still tracing idle circles along her skin. There was something in the look he gave her that made Beth feel she had said something that resonated with him. She had been on the receiving end of many a glare from Daryl. She had gotten used to how intimidating he could be, but this look…this meant something completely different. She had the same overwhelming feeling she'd had when they were first trapped in the boxcar. Even though Daryl was keeping his distance, the feeling was there.
Then, as if he'd remembered there were people around, he let go of her hand and faced the fire. Confused Beth continued staring at him, not sure why he had suddenly went so cold.
"You should get some sleep. We gotta' long trip back tomorrow morning," he wouldn't look at her.
"Uh. Yeah? Sure," Beth mumbled, utterly perplexed, "I'll see ya' in the morning."
Daryl grunted, but otherwise brushed her off. Shaking her head, Beth walked over to Rick and kissed Judith on the top of her head, bidding them all a goodnight. She risked one more glance at Daryl only to find the spot he'd been seated was vacant.
Furrowing her brows, she walked to the passenger side of the Blazer and roused Bob from his slumber. Rick and Carl would soon take Maggie and Glenn's place and Beth knew she needed to get some sleep in case Judith refused to cooperate and let her family members get any rest.
Whatever was going on with Daryl she would figure out after Terminus, if they all lived that long. He had something he wasn't telling her. Then again, so did she. She needed to talk to him about Carol. She wouldn't tell Carol's business, but she thought maybe Carol could use someone who might understand what she'd done and why she'd done it. Beth would simply drop hints so that Daryl would be able to connect enough dots to speak with Carol.
As her eyes slid shut, the last image in her head was the look in Daryl's eyes while he had caressed the reminder of self-worth on her wrist. Stranger still was the fact that she had let him touch the scar she kept hidden and out of reach from everyone around her. Something had definitely changed between them and Beth wasn't sure if this excited her or if she was terrified.
She dreamt of crystal blue eyes, laughter, and life before everything had become so complicated.
A/N: Credit to boothandbones4ever at fanficion dot net for the wonderful "termite" reference I utilized in this chapter. It was too awesome not to use! XOXO
Also, before you guys freak out! I promise all will be explained in the next chapter of why Beth didn't push Daryl at the end! : ) Leave me some love and let me know what you think!