Has it really been eight months since my last update? Jesus, I'm sorry. I'm trying to get a better handle on things lately, making some changes that I've been meaning to do for a long time. I have every intention of sticking to this newfound drive to create again, so here's hoping it sticks around for a while.

Beth hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until she was jostled awake. Apparently the car she was riding in had turned off the deserted highway and onto a bumpy gravel driveway hidden by trees and shrubs grown wild in the mid-spring sunlight. She let out a soft sigh - another day, another house to search.

The weeks and months following the attack at the campground had been rough to say the least. While Beth and Daryl had been eating their simple meal and resting after their harrowing ordeal, the rest of the group had packed everything they had into the vehicles and began planning where to go next in search of food and shelter.

Beth learned that every time she and Daryl had gone hunting, Rick, T-Dog, Maggie and Glenn had been doing their own version of hunting by scavenging every house, store, and business office, stockpiling any kind of food with a shelf life and enough clothing to make sure their found-family stayed warm under plenty of layers. It had been thanks to their hard work that the group survived these past weeks on the road, and really throughout the winter, especially since Daryl was unable to hunt until he had completely healed.

Beth wasn't sure which had been worse to deal with: being cooped up in the car day in and day out as the group searched for a place to stay, or dealing with an incredibly irate Daryl as they did so. She understood his frustration, probably better than anyone else could have. She wanted to be able to stretch her legs, her cramped muscles, just as she'd gotten used to doing for the past five or six months. She learned from her pregnancy book that the third trimester usually brought on the "nesting" stage, and she was certainly feeling it all through her being. Unable to do anything to physically prepare for the birth of her child, her mind was filled with thoughts and worries about the baby, how they would keep it safe in this world, where would they sleep, where would they find clothes or diapers or…

But then she would feel that wonderful little nudge from inside her belly, almost as if on cue, like her baby knew she was worried and was trying to be reassuring for her. Every time, Beth would lay her hand over where she had felt the movement within her and press down, ever so gently, letting the baby know she was there, too.

She had wanted to share these precious moments with Daryl, but ever since their last night in the house, the night after they'd been attacked - the night she'd said those three fateful words - he had been, well, more off-standish than usual. He hadn't said anything after she'd told him she loved him, not that she expected him to. He didn't yell. He didn't storm off and beat up a tree. In the two weeks they'd been cooped up together in the back of the van Rick was driving, he'd just been...quiet. At least, when he wasn't complaining about not being allowed to go into any of the buildings they'd found to look for supplies.

She tried to be understanding. It was vital to stay as silent as possible when they were out hunting, and any conversations they'd had before were in private. She knew he liked to keep things to himself, or at least between just the two of them, so it wasn't like she expected him to suddenly start chatting up a storm now that they were sharing a vehicle with three other people. He would speak when spoken to, contributing when the conversation called for it, but nothing much beyond that. She found herself missing their private talks after the long days of hunting.

Meanwhile, their sex life had basically come to a standstill. Beth told herself time and again that it was because there was even less privacy than ever before, that not even Daryl would dare try anything when everyone was living in each other's pockets the way they had been since being on the road again. What were they going to do, go at it while sharing the back seat with Carl? But there was still that nagging voice in the back of her head, filling her with doubt. Did he hear you tell him you love him? Is he just pulling away, getting ready to head for the hills, but he's just being subtle about it? She still didn't know if Daryl had heard her, and wasn't sure how to broach the subject to find out.

Her uncertain mind was relentless, placing more and more blame on herself. Is he pulling away because I'm not as helpful anymore? Because I'm more of a burden on him…and once the baby's here, it'll be double?

Am I that grotesque that he doesn't even want to try anything, that he won't even touch me? Admittedly, her baby bump had grown into a small beach ball, and any time she caught sight of herself in a mirror, she couldn't help but admire how much her baby had grown, stretch marks be damned. She'd spend just half a minute looking at herself from every angle she could, rubbing her belly and smiling softly, a nervous excitement coursing through her.

But that was how she felt. Was this making things too real for Daryl? Was this why he was staying so quiet, especially around her? Why he had barely touched her at all in the past several weeks? A part of her wanted to tell him 'tough cookies,' that he had just as big a hand in their situation as she did, and she certainly didn't deserve the silent treatment he'd been giving her, whether he reciprocated her feelings or not.

But then the rational side would step in and remind her just how much Daryl had done for her and the baby already, and that she should be grateful he hadn't deserted them from the get go.

To his credit, he had been following doctor's orders, at least for the most part. Hershel had said, in no uncertain terms, that Daryl was not to exert himself at all. Daryl had snarked at the older man, questioning his skill at stitching up the wound in his side, and been met with a withering look Beth had only been on the receiving end of a few times. "Young man," he'd said, "you will take these two weeks and allow those sutures to heal. I will not have my youngest daughter raise her child as a single mother because you're too bull-headed to ignore sound medical advice. You go to lift something, push something...hell, if a walker surprises you and you have to wrestle with it or even run from it, you could pop those stitches, and I don't have to tell you that we're running on a limited source of medical supplies right now. Not to mention the fact that unless you want me tagging along with you every day, if you were to get hurt out in the woods, you may not have enough blood left in you to get back here to get stitched up again." Daryl mumbled something that didn't quite wound like a 'yes sir' in response, but held his tongue beyond that and begrudgingly obeyed.

Maybe his ribs were still sore - more than he ever let on - and that's why he kept his distance. Maybe he was mad at her for winding up in that awful situation in the first place. Maybe if she had been smarter, a better fighter, Daryl wouldn't have had the ever-loving crap kicked out of him. He put his life on the line for her, the same girl he was stuck with for the foreseeable future, and all he was going to get out of it was another mouth to feed, another life to protect. She couldn't exactly blame him for wanting to keep his distance for a while.

They bounced from house to house as the weeks stretched into the entire winter season, much like they had after the farm had fallen, until they practically stumbled upon a storage facility just beyond the city limits, and T-Dog had just happened to have found some bolt cutters and had kept them, just in case, which allowed them to access the larger lockers. They were lucky enough to have found pieces of furniture so everyone at least had a place to sleep rather than bunking on the cold concrete floors.

The weather was a blessing and a curse. Georgia winter days rarely reach below freezing, but they did grow cold enough to slow down any walkers, which made scavenging and hunting only slightly easier. When the weather chose not to cooperate, sending icy rain for days on end, and leaving just wasn't a great option, the group was still okay. They were safe, they had food, they had plenty of furniture to choose from to sleep on. Things could have been worse.

But then the food stores started to get low. Even with careful rationing, they all knew that sooner rather than later, they'd have to venture back into the broken world and start all over again. On the plus side, spring tended to come early in the South, which meant plant life reemerging after the cold winter months, which drew out more animals to hunt to provide fresh protein.

Beth learned quickly that the weeks of staying indoors in the back of the Grimes' van had done a number on her stamina for tracking with Daryl, not to mention that without her burning as many calories, her baby had grown by leaps and bounds while she rested. When she'd first started hunting with Daryl again, it looked like she was trying to carry a dodgeball under her sweater. Her back ached after a mere hour or so of walking whenever she set out with Daryl for the day, while her swollen feet and ankles throbbed within her boots. Regretfully, she knew her chances for time spent alone with Daryl were over, at least for the time being. She had hoped that being away from everyone else in the group would give the two of them a chance to talk things out a little, whatever that might entail.

At least Daryl had the decency to look disappointed when she told him she wouldn't be going with him anymore. Instead, he started bringing Carl and Rick with him most of the time when he'd go hunting. "More male bonding," Lori would joke with her. Beth would smile along, but couldn't help but notice the sadness hidden in Lori's eyes that she was sure reflected in her own. She understood the hidden meaning there all too well; they were both strong women who didn't take lightly to being left behind, both wanting nothing more than to be with their men, helping them instead of feeling helpless.

While they spent so much time together, Beth bonded with the Grimes family, especially with Lori. Beth had read her pregnancy book several times over by now, but she knew the authors couldn't possibly explain everything. The two women grew very close, comparing their pregnancies, sharing worries and cautious excitement about the future. Daryl and Rick grew closer, as well, though Beth only heard tiny snippets of any conversations they had. Their car had usually been leading the convoy, but was now relegated to the last in line because of all the bathroom stops the two pregnant women needed. On more than one occasion, Beth and Lori would be making their way back to the highway to find Rick and Daryl (and usually Carl) leaning against one of the bumpers, chatting away as if they hadn't been spending the last several days in the same van. Beth only hoped Rick was imparting some fatherly advice to Daryl, just as Lori had been sharing her 'tales of motherhood.'

Daryl had taken to riding his bike again once the winter weather broke. Beth's belly was too big for her to be able to hold on and still feel safe, so she ended up staying in the van. She thought back to the months gone by and would start missing the feel of the wind in her hair, the rumble of the engine beneath her, and the feel of Daryl's solid body in her arms, the feel of his warm leather vest against her cheek. He'd taken up as the look-out, scouting ahead any neighborhoods that he deemed safe enough for the group to hole up in for at least a couple of days. After a week or so, he stopped riding ahead and instead stayed near the back of the caravan with the van. Even when they had to stop for yet another potty break, Daryl would stop with them.

Beth held onto the tiniest hope that it was all because he wanted to be near her, even if they couldn't be together like they'd been before. At least it was something.

Spring had certainly sprung, and as the days lengthened and warmed, more and more wildlife started making itself known. The problem was, the group found it increasingly difficult to find a place that had room for everyone that was also near any kind of wooded area for Daryl to hunt in. He would often return complaining that the woods weren't dense enough to keep the walkers, which had unfortunately rejuvenated in the warming temperatures, from coming through and scaring off all the wildlife. It didn't stop him from trying, though, even if he only had a few hours to hunt while everyone else stretched, napped, scavenged, and consulted their maps to decide which towns to try next.

Which brought them to the house they were currently parked in front of. It looked like it had seen much better days, even beyond the weeds and vines that had taken over. Between the paint peeling from the faded wooden siding, the broken windows, and shutters and screens hanging askew from their windows, the only redeeming quality the house seemed to have was a roof and a decent square footage to shelter their group for a few days.

After waiting in the cars with Lori, Carol, and her father, Beth heard Rick's signal that the rest of the group had cleared the house and it was safe for them to bring in what little supplies they had to try and make camp for the night. She watched as Daryl plucked clean an owl he'd apparently found somewhere in the house, wondering just how it would taste. Her heart sank as she saw how much of the bird's shape was actually just feathers, realizing just how little there would be to share with the rest of the group.

Carl rushed into the room with a small smile on his face, carrying two large cans and an opener, and there was a palpable sense of hope and excitement at the thought of some kind of canned stew. Watching the can turn as Carl opened it, Beth saw a picture of a dog on the label and nearly cried. Were they really reduced to eating dog food? Would that be even remotely safe to eat, especially for her and Lori?

She was momentarily relieved when Rick took the can from his son and tossed it into the fireplace, deciding for everyone that they would not stoop to that level, at least not today. T-Dawg gave the signal that a small herd of walkers were making their way toward the house, probably having followed the cars right up the driveway. Everyone rushed back to the vehicles as if they were all part of a choreographed dance, moving like clockwork to get on the move as quickly as possible, and the pitiful meal was forgotten.

Once the walkers were no longer in sight, about a mile back down the highway, the caravan pulled to a stop, allowing everyone to gather once more around the map to decide where to try next. Once a route had been chosen, Daryl suggested to Rick that they try and hunt while everyone else refilled water bottles and took care of anything else that needed attention.

Less than an hour later, the two men returned with a noticeable spring in their steps. They gathered everyone together and spoke with more excitement than any of them had heard in months. They had found a prison. Walls, fences…more security than they'd been able to find since the farm. The only catch was that the yard was overrun with walkers, which would need to be cleared out before they could even think of staying there for any amount of time.

When the cars pulled up the dusty gravel road leading to the prison, Rick made assignments for their plan of attack. The whole ordeal went ridiculously fast, the group moving, again, like clockwork. Once all the walkers in the grassy yard were taken care of, Rick led them up the path toward the prison, near one of the watchtowers. They all moved a little easier, smiled a little easier. Their work wasn't over yet, not by a long shot, but this was a huge step.

Daryl managed to bag a handful of squirrels, a veritable feast compared to the dog food they had almost eaten earlier that day, and he and Rick checked and rechecked the perimeter, ensuring that the fences were secure enough for the group to sleep behind. Daryl had taken up a post on an overturned bus while the rest of the group set up camp and a small fire to roast their meal. Beth helped Lori divide out their rations in the mismatched set of bowls they had, glancing up when Carol excused herself.

Beth nibbled on her meal, her mind consumed with thoughts of Daryl. He and Rick had found a safe place for them all, then provided them with food to fill their starving bellies, and neither of them were here with the group they worked so hard to protect. She knew better than to think she could talk Daryl into coming back to the fire and join the group for some supper, so she made up her mind to bring the supper to him while it was still warm. He deserved so much more than that, but at the moment, it was all she had to offer him.

As she drew nearer to the bus, she saw two silhouettes in the moonlight, and realized just where Carol had gone when she had left earlier. "Screw around?" Had Beth really heard that right? Taking another few steps closer, she heard, "I just noticed you and Miss Blondie haven't exactly been the happy couple for a while. Need to…get some frustrations out? Cause I'm sure I can find a way to help with that."

Beth's heart froze, her breath caught in her throat. "I mean, really," Carol continued, "all she's given you since she showed up is a pain in the ass and another mouth to feed. A man like you needs…a woman who can keep up with him and give him what he wants. What he really needs."

It turned out it wasn't her breath caught in her throat, it was the meager contents of her stomach. She didn't wait to hear Daryl's response. She couldn't bear it. Beth turned tail and moved as quickly as she could, one hand pressed over her mouth and the other holding the bowl with Daryl's dinner in it so tightly her fingers were cramping. She didn't care. She just needed to get as far away from that conversation as she could.

Was that the reason Daryl had been so distant for the last few months? Had he secretly been getting together with Carol this whole time? Beth and Lori were never on watch duty, at least not at night. She knew everyone else had been scheduled on a rotation for night watch, but it had never occurred to her…

"Bethy!" her father called out. Without even realizing it, she'd made her way back to the campfire when she'd meant to stay in the shadows to calm herself down before rejoining the group, as if a part of her knew she needed her family now more than ever. "Your sister and I were just reminiscing all those times we'd go camping under the stars out in the north field. You two would roast marshmallows to your hearts' content, not a care in the world."

There was no getting away from this one, no going off on her own, even for a minute. She moved slower, hoping that her heavy breathing would look like she was just winded from the walk uphill and not that she was trying to stave off crying or getting sick…or both. She made her way to sit in the spot she'd left a few minutes ago, standing another moment, stretching her back and looking at the sky for a few more deep breaths, hoping none would be the wiser. When she thought she had her emotions under control, she slowly sat down and gave her father a soft smile. "I remember, Daddy."

Beth was grateful for the quiet moment that followed, until her father spoke again. "Sing 'Patty Reilly' for me. I haven't heard that, I think, since your mother was alive."

She tried to hide her panic, hoping the shadows thrown by the small fire would hide her face going pale. On top of everything Beth had just heard, now her father wanted to hear her mother's favorite song.

Maggie spoke up, pulling Beth's attention to her sister. "Not that one, Daddy." Their eyes met over the dancing flames, a connection Beth hadn't felt since the morning on the farm when her biggest secret was ruined for her.

In their months on the road, Beth and Maggie hadn't exchanged many words, let alone made any headway in healing what used to be a close relationship with each other. And now, when Beth needed it most, here was her big sister, apparently picking up on her distress, even if she didn't know the full cause of it, and holding an olive branch to pull her out of it.

Their father, however, was seemingly oblivious, and tried again, "How about 'Parting Glass'?" His kind, blue eyes all but twinkled in the firelight, and Beth fought to find a way to tell him no, that she wasn't in the mood to sing, but certainly not wanting to disclose the real reasons why.

"No one wants to hear," she tried. She hated disappointing her father, but she was just going to have to.

Glenn piped up, "Why not?" followed by a soft, "ow" when Maggie elbowed him in the ribs. Beth grinned and she fought back a giggle. It felt so good to laugh with her family again.

"C'mon, Bethy," Maggie covered for Glenn's accidental misstep. "I'll sing it with you."

A fresh set of tears welled up in her eyes, but these were tears of relief. There was hope to save her broken relationship with her sister, and this was the proof. She nodded once, closed her eyes and began to sing, a sense of calm flowing through her when she heard her sister's voice join her own.

God, it felt good to sing out loud again. As the song went on, her baby danced within her, obviously reacting to this new sound. She felt more connected, more motherly, and let the feeling completely consume her, a peaceful happiness flooding through her..

When the song had ended and she opened her eyes again, she saw that Rick, Carol and Daryl had all come back to the campfire. She found herself surrounded by sad smiles from her found-family. Well, from everyone except Carol and Daryl. Carol just looked annoyed…irritated, even, while Daryl looked at her with an unreadable expression.

Rick's voice gently broke the peaceful silence that had fallen over the group when the sisters' song had ended, encouraging them all to push through tomorrow morning to clear out the inner prison yard of walkers so they could make their way to the cells inside the prison. He was so sure of finding the cafeteria, armory, and infirmary that it was hard to argue with his plan. Before everyone prepared for bed, Beth struggled to get back on her feet to go for one more potty break before trying to find sleep. A strong pair of hands helped to hoist her up, and Beth was surprised to find Maggie behind her, offering to walk with her.

"I'm proud of you, Bethy," Maggie began as they walked together down the path.

"It was just a song."

"No," the older sister argued gently, "it wasn't. And it's not just because of the song that I'm proud. You've surprised me, surprised us all, to have handled everything with such grace and strength and…God, Bethy, I'm so sorry." Maggie went on, crying, apologizing again and again for deserting her baby sister when she needed her most, wrapping her arms around Beth as best she could with her baby belly between them and holding on tight.

"It's okay, Mags," Beth whispered through her own, soul-cleansing tears. "I forgave you a long time ago. I just thought you didn't want anything to do with me."

She felt Maggie shake her head, conveying her unabashed "no." "Never," she argued. "Never again. I'm going to do everything I can to make it all up to you, just say the word," she concluded, holding her in another tight hug.

"Careful," Beth teased, "the pregnant lady hasn't had a chance to pee yet." Both sisters laughed through their tears, pulling slowly away from each other, the first steps on the road to healing now behind them.

When Beth had finished her business and they were making their way back up the hill, Maggie asked, "So what had you so shook before Daddy asked you to sing. It wasn't just Patty Reilly."

With a heavy sigh, Beth told Maggie what she'd overheard. It was cathartic to get it all out and off her chest, but saying it all out loud made her heart heavy with sadness despite her reconciliation with her sister.

"I figured it was something like that," Maggie began. When Beth looked at her questioningly, she explained, "You left with a bowl full of food for Daryl, but came back with it a couple minutes later. I figured something happened, because I've never seen Daryl turn down food. Glenn told me when he'd come back from looking for Sophia, he had blood running down his chin onto his shirt. We're pretty sure he ate a damn squirrel raw."

She gave Beth a second to process that image before continuing. "First of all, Carol's an idiot for even trying something like that. I mean, what the hell? Who actually does something like that, especially to a pregnant woman?" She looked back at Beth, "I'm fairly certain nothing actually happened, though."

Beth gave her a confused look, pulling a hearty laugh from Maggie. She'd missed hearing that laugh more than she realized. "How do I put this delicately?"

"Like you have a delicate bone in your body," Beth retorted with a sisterly sarcasm that had become second nature over the years.

"Alright, fine," Maggie replied with mock outrage followed with a grin. "You and Daryl aren't as quiet as you think you are, and believe me, Daryl has some staying power. If Carol had gotten her way, Daryl wouldn't have been sitting by the campfire in time to hear you sing. The song was too short by at least ten minutes."

Beth felt her cheeks glow with embarrassment, then something dawned on her. She'd had her eyes closed the whole time she'd been singing. "Wait…he heard us sing? How much?"

Maggie grinned, "Pretty much the whole song. You didn't see, but he was drawn to you like a moth to a flame. Carol, on the other hand, looked like someone had just pissed in her Cheerios. Now I guess I know why."

They had to cut their conversation short when they reached their camping spot again. T-Dog and Glenn were on watch first that night, but Daryl was still sitting up next to the yoga mat Beth had claimed as her own tiny mattress when she didn't have an actual bed to sleep in, along with a sleeping bag. He was watching the dying flame in the center of their group, but looked up as the sisters entered the shrinking circle of light, his eyes locked on hers instantly.

Maggie placed a gentle hand on Beth's shoulder, giving a light squeeze before leaving her for the opposite side of the fire where Glenn was sitting. Beth made her way around the group, careful not to disturb anyone who was already laying down, then went to get down on all fours before finding a comfy position to try to find sleep for the night. Daryl held out a hand to help her, which surprised her to say the least, but she took it nonetheless, grateful that he wasn't actively avoiding her. She decided to sit up with him for a while, taking a moment to stretch her lower back and take some deep, calming breaths before trying to find sleep. "Did you ever get anything to eat?" she asked him. He answered with a shake of his head, and Beth rolled her eyes and shook her head right back at him, then reached over for the bowl of food she had been carrying for him earlier and handed it to him.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Daryl chowed down on the small meal of squirrel meat. It wasn't long before he handed the bowl back to her, which she took and noticed a decent sized piece of food left sitting in the bottom. Beth tried giving it back to him, "But you…"

"Nah," he argued gently. "You need it. You and the kid."

Beth's heart soared with happiness. As if on cue, their baby moved within her belly, which wasn't uncommon when she was getting ready to try to find some sleep. Without a second thought, she took Daryl's hand and placed it on her belly just in time for another well-placed kick to meet his palm. "Holy shit," he whispered. He left his hand in place until he felt another kick, then slowly took it back. "Gonna be a good runner."

Beth giggled at his observation. After the conversation she had with Maggie and now this tender moment with Daryl, her heart felt lighter than it had in weeks, regardless of what she'd heard Carol say. Her smile died down as she recalled the other woman's words and she tried to think of a way to broach the subject with Daryl, but wasn't sure how to bring it up, or if she really wanted to hear his answer.

"Ya look beat, girl," Daryl commented after a moment. Right on cue, a yawn slipped from her mouth, and Beth couldn't deny how good it felt to let her eyes drift closed. She lowered herself to lay on the ground, finally finding a small semblance of comfort when she turned onto her left side. She didn't particularly want to turn her back toward Daryl, but her guilt vanished when she felt him move behind her, nudging one arm for her to rest her head, the other slowly wrapping around her until his hand landed on her belly once more. She fell asleep soon after, her baby kicking his father's hand, the man she loved with his arms around her.

She grumbled herself awake just a few hours later when Daryl had tried to carefully remove his arms from around her. "Sorry, girl," he whispered before pressing his forehead to the curve of her shoulder, which Beth took as meaning he didn't want to have to move either.

"It's okay," she mumbled, her voice froggy with sleep. "Need to get up and pee, anyway."

Daryl stood and shouldered his crossbow, then turned to offer his help in getting her to her feet again. "I'll walk with ya."

Once she had taken care of her business and they started the walk back up to the small campfire, Beth realized this was probably going to be her only chance to ask about what had happened between Daryl and Carol earlier that night, but she was still struggling how to bring it up. She couldn't just come right out and say it, could she?

"Spit it out, girl," Daryl broke through her thoughts. Even though they'd spent very little time together, he was still able to read her like a book.

"I…" she began, stumbling through her words, "I came down to see you earlier, had a bowl of food saved out for you, and I…I heard Carol talking to you."

Daryl nodded next to her, "Figured you did." She looked up at him questioningly until he explained. "Saw yer silhouette when you were high-tailing it back to the fire." Beth felt her cheeks warm, hoping the man next to her wouldn't be able to see her blush as they neared the campfire.

"I didn't know what else to do," she mumbled. "I certainly didn't want to wait around to see if anything happened. I'm glad it didn't."

She had taken a few steps before realizing Daryl was standing several feet behind her. "That what you think-a me?" Just as quickly as her cheeks had flushed a moment ago, the blood now drained from her face. "What, that I spend all this time makin' sure yer okay, then just turn around an' fuck someone else?"

"Daryl, n…no!" Beth stammered, shaking her head as she floundered to find the right words to explain herself. "Of course not, I…I didn't mean it like that." She took a cautious step toward him, "I just meant…well…"

Daryl took two quick strides to stand directly in front of her. It was all Beth could do to stand her ground and not cower before him. "Nah, girl, let's hear it. How exactly did you mean it?" She could feel the anger pouring off of him.

She swallowed down her fear and took a slow breath to calm down her pounding heart, subconsciously rubbing her hands over her belly in soothing circles as she tried again. "I just meant that we haven't been…close, not for…"

"Months."

"A long time," Beth finished at the same time that Daryl spoke, noting that he sounded as unhappy with their situation as she had been…though he certainly could have been feeling that way because of her inadvertently accusing him of cheating. "And I didn't know why, and you wouldn't hardly talk to me. And I know you've been busy - everyone's been busy - and we don't have hardly any privacy at all anymore. But then I started looking like this," she gestured toward her belly, "and I can't go hunting with you anymore and I didn't know…" She let out a heavy sigh, "I didn't know if you just didn't want me anymore, if you realized how much of a burden I was, if our deal was off because I was staying with Rick and Lori and Carl all the time now." Beth cast a quick glance over her shoulder at the rest of the group, still sleeping around the dying fire. "So when I heard Carol tonight and thought maybe it was all because you'd…take her offer as an out. That you'd think she was right, that I'm not what you want or what you need."

Beth flinched a little when Daryl snorted through his nose, and started worrying her fingernails when he turned on his heels and walked away from her, running his fingers agitatedly through his hair. There was no hope in holding any tears back. Now she'd done it. If he hadn't realized all those things she'd been worrying about, he certainly did now that she'd spelled it all out for him. Figuring Daryl needed some space away from her, she turned slowly and started waddling back up the hill to try to find another few hours of rest before the sun started the new day.

"What the hell you want from me, girl," she heard from behind, then turned back around to see Daryl, arms outstretched and a face full of exasperation. In two quick strides, he was back to standing directly in front of her. "Huh?" Even in the dim firelight, she could see his eyes were clouded with hurt and anger. Something, call it woman's intuition, told her to stay quiet and let him say his peace.

"I'm out there every damn day, bustin' my ass, bringin' back any food I can find, anything to make sure you're safe and fed and warm and…who you think I'm doin' it all for? Cause it sure as hell ain't for any of those assholes up there. I do it all for you, to make sure you and the baby survive and that you're taken care of. And now one horny bitch comes up lookin' for some and you think…"

"Daryl, I'm sorry!" Beth exclaimed as loudly as she dared. "I didn't mean…"

"Yeah, you didn't nothin'," he interrupted. "Don't know nothin', either." He brushed past her and stomped the rest of the way up the hill, past the fire, to the chain link fence that surrounded the yard to check, once again, for any weak spots.

Beth slowly made her way back to her spot within the group, making sure she took enough time to stop the tears that had started to silently roll down her cheeks. No one else was awake, from what she could tell, but she didn't want to wake anyone with her sniffling. She struggled to find a comfortable spot again, then fought to find sleep, desperately missing Daryl's arms around her.

Don't hate me. If you've read any of my stories (or comments on others) you know I won't have these two at odds for long.

This chapter was a little shorter than I'd imagined, but if I included the next part that's swimming in my brain, this would be insanely long, and while I'm not opposed to longer chapters, I wanted to get something out to you guys sooner rather than later. So. Ta-dah! The next chapter is supposed to be from Daryl's POV, so we'll see how that goes.

Thanks so much for reading - please take a moment to leave a comment!