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A week had passed and Christie was still struggling with Reichert on housing assignments. He'd decided he needed to see more out of Christie's 'pets' as he had dubbed them before granting them the privilege of their own homes. Lori was still glaring at Christie and Christie in turn was becoming more and more chummy with Rick.
Beth had done a few watches and had done fairly well, earning her a spot on the next patrol. She had hardly been able to hide her enthusiasm when she got home from watch after Christie had given her the news.
"I finally get to go out on patrol!" she beamed.
"What?" Hershel asked, his tone and expression showing that he didn't exactly approve of his youngest going out, beyond the safety of the colony walls.
"Christie told me today after watch that I get to go out with them." Beth took a seat on the arm of the chair her father occupied. "It'll be fine, daddy." she put an arm around him.
"Who's in the group?" he asked.
"Christie, Mitchell, Daryl, and a few other colonists that I don't really know." she replied, trying to remember what Christie had told her.
"People you don't really know?" he shook his head. "I don't think I like the sound of that, Bethy."
"It's fine." she laughed, hoping her father wouldn't storm over to Christie's demanding she remove Beth from the patrol rota. "She wouldn't have me goin' out if she didn't think I was ready."
"I'm not sure if you're ready, darlin'." he grabbed her hand. "Watch is one thing..."
"Daddy, I wanna do my part." Beth sighed, taking her hand from his. "Maggie goes out, Carol will be goin' out in a few days, I want to be treated like everyone else."
"There's nothin' I can say to you, is there?" he stared at his youngest child, fear and pride fighting to take over. He was proud of Beth for wanting to help, to pull her weight, but at the same time, she was his little girl. His baby.
"Nothin' short of complainin' to Christie." Beth knelt down in front of him, taking his hands in hers and looking at him, batting her eyelashes slightly. "Daddy, just let me do this. I'll be careful, I promise."
"Fine." he knew he was putty in her hands when she looked at him like that. "Just...be damned careful, Bethy."
"I promise." she smiled, hugged him and gave him a kiss. "Thank you, daddy." she got to her feet and headed upstairs to clean up before dinner.
Hershel waited for a moment before heading out into the backyard where he knew he'd find Daryl having his pre-dinner cigarette.
"Buggin' me already?" Daryl asked, turning and finding Hershel standing where he thought he'd find Beth. "Oh, it's you." he turned back.
"Beth's goin' out on patrol with you." Hershel stood in front of him.
"So the schedule says." Daryl took a deep drag and exhaled smoke rings.
"I need to you to keep an eye on her." the old man stared at Daryl.
"If she's goin' out on patrol, she's obviously gotten so she can handle herself." Daryl tried to avoid Hershel's gaze.
"She's never been out there before. I don't want her gettin' hurt."
"Why ain't you ever asked me to keep an eye on Maggie when we go out?" Daryl finally met his gaze. "She's your girl, too."
"Beth and Maggie are two totally different people." Hershel explained. "Maggie's a sweet girl, but she's tough. Bethy though..."
"Is probably a hell of a lot tougher than y'all give her credit for." Daryl continued smoking. "She's gotten good with a gun, from what Christie says, and she wouldn't be goin' out if she couldn't handle it."
"Beth is my youngest, my baby." Hershel's eyes watered as he spoke. He loved both of his girls, but as the baby, Beth held a special place in his heart. "She's never done this before. All I'm askin' of you is that you, please, keep an eye on her. Don't let her get too far from you."
"We're out doin' patrol, we spread out sometimes, ya know?" Daryl was growing bored of this conversation. As soon as he saw Beth's name on the schedule, saw that she would be out with him, he had decided he'd stick close to her. He wasn't about to let her old man know that, but he knew and that was all that mattered.
"I know you two have become friends." Hershel sighed. "That's why I'm askin' this of you."
"I'll do my best." Daryl looked back to Hershel and nodded. "Promise."
"Thank you." Hershel smiled. "Can you please not tell her I spoke to you?" he requested. "She'd be mad if she knew."
"Whatever." Daryl waved Hershel off.
"Thanks." Hershel said once more before heading back into the house.
"Did my dad talk to you?" Beth asked as she and Daryl made their way to the gates.
"Yeah." he nodded. He'd never promised Hershel he wouldn't tell Beth they'd spoken, only that he would keep her safe. And if she already knew, why lie to her?
"I love him, but he drives me nuts sometimes." she stopped to tie her shoe quickly, sprinting to catch up to Daryl who hadn't waited for her.
"I'd take your daddy problems any day, princess." he said, looking down at her as she caught up.
"I'm sure you would." she had to squint to see the group at the gates. "I won't be eaten by walkers, right?" she said more to herself than to him.
"I hope not, I'll have a hell of a time explainin' that to your old man." Daryl shot her a quick smile before they joined the others.
"There are my pets." Christie smiled as they approached.
"Pets? Daryl asked, not liking the sound of that at all.
"What Reichert's been callin' you." Mitchell laughed.
"I don't find that funny." Daryl replied.
"Just ignore it." Christie said as she handed out guns and knives to everyone but Daryl, and handed his crossbow and a gun over to him.
"You two buddies for the day?" she asked.
"Orders of my daddy." Beth rolled her eyes.
"Could be worse, he could have demanded you not be allowed to go out." Mitchell motioned for the guards to open the gates.
"I'm surprised he didn't." Beth looked around her as they walked out and stood still for a moment, letting the fact that she was leaving the safety of the walls behind her sink in.
"You okay, princess?" Daryl asked quietly as Christie gave assignments.
"Yeah, just realized how long it's been since I've been out here." she nodded up at him.
"Just stick with me and enjoy the scenery when you can." he said as he steered her east.
"And be quiet, watch where I step." she repeated what Mitchell and Christie had told her when she had been informed she'd be going out. Daryl was quick to drive those same things home before they'd left the house.
"Part of bein' quiet means less yappin'." he informed her.
"Sorry." she whispered, knowing that being out there, he'd get his wish for quiet. She'd just have to have mental conversations with herself as they went along.
Daryl looked around and was happy to see that all seemed quiet. He was always keeping an eye out for Stein's man, wondering when he'd return and what he would do when he did. He hadn't mentioned the stranger to Rick or anyone else in the group, just as Christie had requested. Part of him told him that he should at least let Rick know, but he had given his word to Christie and if nothing else, he was a man of his word. There were a couple of times that he had wanted to bring it up, but always stopped himself just short. Christie was right, no point in getting other people's hackles raised when they didn't know what they were dealing with or how many people were in on whatever the two men had planned.
He looked behind him and saw Beth keeping pace with him, carefully scanning the ground in front of her as she walked. She was being careful,just like she'd told her father she would be, just as he had told Hershel she would. His eyes roamed around, catching a glimpse of a familiar figure on top of the same ridge as he'd seen him the last time.
"Shh." he put his finger up to his lips as he motioned for Beth to hold up.
"What is it?" she whispered, not daring to move and look around.
"We're bein' watched." he said as he watched the figure disappear over the ridge again. "Come on, princess, I'll give ya some pointers in trackin'." he motioned for her to follow.
"Did you see who it was?" she asked as she followed, making sure to walk where Daryl did, assuming that if he didn't step on anything and make noise, neither would she.
"No, but he's watched us before." Daryl stopped and looked at the ground. Last time it hadn't rained in a week or so, the ground was hard and he had trouble keeping the trail. This time however, it had rained just the other night and large boot prints were easily made out.
"Those look like really big feet." Beth remarked as she placed her own small foot next to the larger ones.
"Big man." Daryl got up and headed off, Beth moving quickly to keep up with him.
"You've got longer legs." she called out, trying not to be left behind.
"Just keep me in sight, princess." he said as he stopped again, looking at more of the same boot prints. "Feel like a climb?" he asked, nodding towards a steep incline.
"Don't have a choice, do I?" she said as she stared up, hoping she didn't slip down and bring unwanted attention.
"Give me your hand." he said, holding out his own. "Hold tight and move where I do." he instructed.
"I can do that." she said as she grabbed onto his hand and did exactly as she was told. She was thankful he'd found her some hiking boots before they'd left. Her own boots were for style, not function and she knew she would have been slipping all over the place on the damp incline. He'd chided her for not having functional footwear, but as she pointed out, when she bought her shoes, she wasn't on the run from man-eating undead people.
They reached the top and Daryl stopped and looked around, trying to spot his prey. He inspected the ground and found the trail again leading the trunk of a large oak tree. "He climbed." he said as he looked up, Beth peering up from his side.
"Well damn, little brother, your trackin' skills are gettin' weak."
"Merle?" he thought he must be hallucinating again.
"Thought you'd find me last time, but I was wrong." Merle sat on the branch and stared down at them, his gaze lingering on Beth. "You're keepin' fine company these days, little brother."
"Huh?" Daryl was at a loss for words. He'd thought he'd lost his brother long ago, and yet here he was, looking right at him.
"Saw you out a while ago with a woman, and now you've got this sweet lil thing with ya." Merle smiled down. "How ya doin' sweetie?"
Beth just gave a quick wave, unsure what to say or do. She felt dirty just with the way the elder Dixon spoke to her and looked at her. Instinctively, she moved behind Daryl.
"You shy, sweetie?" Merle asked as he deftly moved down to the ground. "Didn't know you had a thing for jail bait, bro. Can't say as I blame ya though." he licked his lips.
"Merle." Daryl stared at his brother's right arm, cringing at the sight of the stump where a hand once was.
"Pretty, ain't it?" Merle held it up. "Saw you're still with Officer Friendly." he sneered.
"We came back for ya." Daryl was able to finally form a sentence. "Me, Rick...T..."
"Well ain't that sweet of y'all!" Merle sneered. "They leave me trapped up there, walker bait and then you came back for me...after I had to cut off my own damn hand!"
"Keep it down." Daryl hissed as his brother's voice got louder. "Don't wanna attract any walkers..."
"Or the rest of your little group." he hocked up some phlegm and spit down at his feet. "Can't believe you've stuck with them people."
"They're not bad." Daryl's voice practically squeaked and Beth stared at him in shock. This was not the Daryl Dixon she knew. Her Daryl Dixon was brash and didn't give a damn what anyone thought. This Daryl, though, was like a timid little boy.
"Easy for you to say." Merle looked his brother up and down. "You're one of them now, ain't ya?"
"Yeah, he is." Beth spoke up. "He's one of our family."
"That so?" Merle stared at Daryl again. "Got yourself a new family...ain't that nice..."
"I ain't never forgotten about you." Daryl looked to his brother, part of him so happy to see him alive, the other part wanting to just grab Beth and head back, to leave Merle behind. He knew he'd grown stronger in the time that had passed since Merle had gone missing, and he was proud of himself for that. But there was a part of him that was still that little boy who wanted so badly for his big brother to approve of him, to accept him, that he would do just about anything.
"Screw you!" Merle spat at Daryl. "Screw you and your new family!" he lashed out.