Thump, thump, thump.

Beth's heartbeat is the only sound in her ears. She can see him. Through the glass swinging doors to Dixon's, he's sitting at the bar with all the lights off, including the outside neon light that is his surname. Her hands are shaking as she slides the key into the lock and turns it with a punctured click. Daryl turns his head over his shoulder and his blue eyes take her breath away, shining through the dark. De ja vu hits her, remembering the first time she saw him in the strip club, up on stage.

His eyes were all she needed to see to want him then and she still wants him with that breathless intensity now. It's dizzying but she doesn't falter under his burning gaze sweeping her. She imagines she looks a little different since he last saw her. The biggest thing is her hair, which has grown longer in the weeks they haven't seen each other. There's been plenty of offers to cut it, but she kept remembering Killian's words and she didn't want to, especially when he persistently told her it was the style of the season.

The other is probably her face. Without smiling, she knows she's glowing with pride. Mama used to always say that Beth was an open book and therefore couldn't hide her sadness and consequently her happiness neither and she is happy. She's done well for herself in the last few weeks and she's on the first stepping stones of her career. It's an exciting time, a once in a lifetime opportunity and she refuses to mope over it. Daryl however, looks awful. His eyes are bruised like he hasn't slept and his hair is uncut, brushing his shoulders now.

When he turns his head away from her as she steps inside, she sees knots in the back of it. It makes her feel terrible that she's carrying this glow of happiness inside her and yet he looks as if he should be tugging along a rainy cloud on a string.

Beth stops at the door, listening to it closing behind her. "Hey."

Daryl grunts and glances at her again, eyes heating the longer he stares and causing her stomach to clench. "You look beautiful."

Beth flushes, drawing closer. "Thank you. Can we talk?"

There's a hesitation and then, "yeah."

She clears her throat as she sits on the stool beside him, putting her back to the bar. "I missed you."

He sighs as he pours another glass of whisky. "Missed you too."

A smile twitches at her mouth. "M'sorry I ain't called."

Daryl squints. "You ain't mad I didn't?"

She shakes her head, holding his eyes. "I blew it way outta proportion, m'sorry I couldn't admit that."

He ducks his head. "Yeah, well I fucked up first, right?"

Beth gives him a sad smile. "A little. We both did."

"Why'd you come here, girl?" He doesn't ask it impatiently but rather with an exhausted tone, like he's been driving himself crazy waiting to see if she would come.

She laughs a little sarcastically, taking his glass. "I wasn't gonna," she pauses to swallow some whisky, wincing as it slides down her throat. "Was gonna wait for you, to prove how much you love me."

There's a jerk to his frame at the L word. "So how come ya here?" He asks, voice shaking.

"'Cause I realised how stupid that was. 'Cause the fact that you didn't call was the reason you loved me."

His cheeks are bright red and it makes her stomach flutter with butterflies. "How'd you reckon?"

She reaches her hand over to his face, stroking his cheek. "Daryl I asked you to give me my career an' you did. You gave me exactly what I asked for even though it hurt you so bad."

"Maybe I was jus' gettin' 'rid of you," he grunts, taking the last gulp of his drink and pulling his cheek away from her cold fingers.

Beth can't pretend: that hurts. She winces and stands, trying to keep the strength in her step as her heels clack on the worn floor of the club. How can she just sit there when he so blatantly dismissed her? It's been weeks and clearly he's gotten over her.

She's too late.

Daryl doesn't turn to watch her as she moves towards the door. Her hand shakes as she reaches for the handle, her stomach rolling. He's gonna let her go. What an idiot she was, walking in here telling him how he feels and shoving it in his face that she left and now she really has-

"Beth."

Her thoughts snap back like a rubber band pulled too tight and she turns to look at Daryl who's also turned in his seat to look at her.

"You walk an' don't come back."

Her throat closes on itself in horror. "You're makin' me walk," she almost whines.

"You walked first," he growls, climbing to his feet. "You chose money over me."

"S'not 'bout the money! It's my passion!" She fumes, stepping forward on an angry, heavy foot.

"You had a job here for the rest of your life! With me!" His voice cracks and Beth feels her heart give.

"It wasn't enough!" She admits in a horrible screech. "The club and the TV and the rest of my life eatin' Cheetos wasn't gonna cut it, Daryl!"

"But bein' famous is? Who the fuck are you?"

"The same girl you feel in love with!" She exclaims, bursting forward into his face. "The same girl you're in love with!" He baulks and her next words are practically a hiss, "tell me right here an' now that you don't fuckin' love me Daryl Dixon and I'll leave! I'll walk an' I'll never come back!"

God, her chest is heaving, her throat sore from all the screaming. They've never fought like this and her head is pounding at the threat she's just laid out on the table, at the ultimatum she's just delivered. Daryl's chest is heaving too and all she feels is want. Hot, feral need sharp shooting through her veins. Fuck, she misses him. She wants him, needs him.

Please don't let me go, she pleads with her wide eyes. Please, I love you. God, I love you.

There's a sudden eruption of motion and Daryl's claiming her mouth, slamming her against the glass front doors, hands all over her body and mouth breaking from hers to dip to her neck.

"I love you, girl. I fuckin' love you too damn much."