"Never Give Up (On Each Other)"

Author: carmen_085

Disclaimer: I do not own any Walking Dead Characters. I do own all original characters.

Summary: In the months before the beginning of the apocalypse, Daryl finds himself homeless, alone, and with no direction. An adult Beth is struggling to balance her job, sick parents, and the farm. Feeling like the world is suffocating her, will taking a chance on a stranger change everything ? Can these two find what they need in each other before life as they know it ends and they must do anything to survive. AU but eventual ZA with full cast.

Chapter Nine

Daryl looked around the waiting room before slumping down in his chair a bit. It was ordinary as far as ER waiting rooms went; fake wooden floors, tan chairs, and soft green walls. A few people sat around here and there, patients looking miserable and families looking annoyed. This wasn't his first time here. He'd been over in the little room in the corner labeled 'family room' the day they brought Merle in. Well that wasn't where he went, that's where they put him. He never was much for being penned up like an animal in a cage. And strangely that's exactly what he was, pacing back and forth like an agitated lion until some social worker and the doctor came to tell him that Merle had died and been brought back. His first reaction was elation; the tough son of a bitch had done it again. But before he could crack an honest to God smile he noticed the grim set on both of their faces. Turns out being alive doesn't always mean that you're alive.

Looking down at his hands, Daryl shook the memory away. If what happened to Merle had never happened, he would have never met Beth. He would have never had this job or a place to live. He would have been following his brother around blindly doing whatever Merle wanted to do that day. He would never not miss Merle but he had a life now, a good life, and that would have never happened if his brother was still alive. Daryl sighed; he wasn't here to think about himself right now, he was here for Beth. Honestly he was a little shocked that she asked him to come. Sure they had a great night together and her kissing him, no matter how chaste it was, made his stomach clench and his heart flutter. But still, this was family business and no matter how welcome he felt he still wasn't a Greene.

The doors to the back swung open and out walked Beth looking somewhat worse for wear. She still had on the same jeans and black tank top from earlier but had thrown a flannel shirt over top as protection against the chilly night air. Her hair was in a messy bun, and it was evident from her face that she had been crying. Daryl suddenly felt himself stiffen a bit in his chair. Most likely, he was about to be totally out of his depth. Beth collapsed next to him with a sigh. He expected her to start talking immediately as words never seemed to fail her, but instead they sat quietly next to one another. If this was what she needed from him right now it was what he would do. If she wanted to talk endlessly he would find a way to manage that somehow too.

"My mama is ok, just a few bumps and bruises. My daddy hit his head, got stitches; all his tests look good." Daryl nodded slowly, things sounded alright so far. Beth turned her head away from him as she snorted wryly. "He's drunk as usual…. Wanted to take her out for a drive like old times." Daryl's hooded eyes didn't move from the spot on the floor that he was staring at. He couldn't say that he was surprised, figured something of the sort when he saw the empty wheelchair and the missing truck. A few weeks ago, before everything with the virus started, Beth had been so hopeful that her daddy was turning a corner. He was showering, looking in on her mama, and reading his bible again. Daryl understood the improvement in the first two and although he didn't understand all the fuss about religion, he knew it was a big deal to Beth and her family. So he nodded and smiled and said that it was all real good even though he knew it took more than a hot shower and a few verses of the Old Testament to break an addiction as strong as Hershel's. "I told him he has to go to rehab or he can't come home." She turned and looked at him and Daryl knew that was a moment when he needed to look back at her.

" 's the right thing to do." He nodded seriously but noticed her lip quiver as she looked away. When she spoke he voice was a few octaves higher and he knew that she was trying not to cry.

"Then why I do feel like shit?" She met his eyes and he saw unshed tears behind them. "Why do I feel like I've just given up on him ?"

Daryl had to resist the urge to snort right in her face. This girl was a damn fool if she thought that she hadn't done enough for her folks. He'd only known Beth for a few months but he'd been around long enough to realize that she'd given up her whole damn life for them and this farm. And every part of her had suffered because of it; being pushed to the brink of a nervous breakdown under the relentless weight of her family.

" 's not true and you know it. 's bullshit." After the words left Daryl's mouth he wondered if he'd overstepped in some way. But as Beth turned her head and a faint smile came to her face he felt the tension in his chest loosen.

"Thanks…" It was small and almost a whisper but he heard it. Damn right he heard it.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence as Beth stared at the floor, her mind swimming with all sorts of thoughts. She'd seen a few people detox off alcohol in the ICU and she knew it was't pretty. Her daddy had a rough few days ahead of him before the real work even began. Thankfully the rehab would handle all of that and her worst fear, that her daddy would be a patient on her unit, would not come to fruition. Hershel had ranted and raved about the idea when she first put it to him, tears streaming down her face. But there really was no other way. With a DUI on his record and his license taken away the courts could mandate him to treatment if he didn't go willingly, and he knew it. Still he wouldn't budge, and thought he still had a choice in the matter.

As a last resort, Beth wheeled Annette into her daddy's room, unable to even hold her own head up she propped it pathetically on her hand. If possible, she looked even worse than usual with a small cut on her forehead and deep bruises on her arms and legs. Her daddy, red faced and fists clenched, fell silent when he laid his eyes on his wife and what he had just done to her.

"Hershel just do what Bethy says…please…"Annette's voice was small and weak and it was clear that the night had taken a toll on her. How such a great night had gone so wrong she was still reeling to comprehend.

Beth snapped out of her thoughts with a startle as an older woman with a note pad came to sit across from her and Daryl. "Hi Beth ?" Wiping her face and fixing her hair she nodded offering the most genuine smile she could muster. Daryl, seeing this was some sort of official conversation moved to stand. It wasn't his business….he was just here to support Beth, not get himself involved in her private family issues. Without looking at him, she placed a gentle hand on his forearm holding him in place. She wanted him to stay. Daryl swallowed hard but relaxed back into the chair. Whatever Beth needed right now he was willing to do his best to give her. Silently he wondered why that was, already knowing in heart that it was because he cared about this girl…cared a lot.

"Yes…". The woman settled herself in as she flipped open her pad. She offered Beth a short smile before getting down to business.

"My name is Donna and I'm case management here at the ER. I deal with placement for patients in nursing homes." Daryl's eyes flicked up. "I understand that you asked about putting your mom in a home for a short time while your father is away at rehab." Beth nodded quickly although Daryl took note that she didn't speak, most likely not even trusting her own voice. "I looked into your mom's policy and she doesn't have coverage for respite care." Beth froze as she met the woman's eyes. Daryl took note of her stiffened posture and reasoned that this was not something she was expecting to hear.

"Alright…well what about a stay for rehab?" The woman looked down at her pad before looking back up shaking her head.

"She doesn't qualify for that; she had no injuries and her MS has been stable."

Beth couldn't stop herself as she snapped, "She was just in a car accident." Donna looked at her quietly, not at all fazed by the outburst. Surely this wasn't the first time the family of a patient had taken out their frustrations on her. Daryl shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Beth sighed as she shook her head. "I'm sorry…really I am. I work upstairs I know how this goes." Running a hand through her hair she closed her eyes for a moment. "Everything tonight was just so unexpected."

Donna offered her a small smile. "I understand. But you can still send your mom to a nursing home if you want, it would just need to be private pay." Daryl stopped squirming around and stilled. Up until that moment he had thought this was all about something like treatment, bed availability, or doing what was best for Annette. But it wasn't about any of that…it was about money. He should have known better, should have known that nobody gave a fuck. His eyes flicked to Beth and he saw the resignation on her face.

"I can't stop working…they won't let me with everything that's going on." Donna nodded. "And I can't leave her at home by herself while I work…it isn't safe." Beth fell quiet for a moment as she sighed. "How much for one month ?…just until my daddy gets home."

Donna flipped through a few papers as Daryl watched her closely. She was just the messenger, and he knew that, but it still didn't change that the message she was about to give was one that he surely wasn't going to like. "Well…for one month at a skilled nursing facility…it will be nine thousand." Daryl damn near slid out of his chair and fell onto the floor. Nine thousand for one month of feeding and washing. What in the actual fuck ? He bit down on his tongue hard to keep himself from telling this woman exactly what he thought. He didn't want to mess anything up for Beth; wasn't even sure that was possible but, still, he didn't want to take the chance.

Next to him, all the hope in Beth's posture deflated as her clasped hands fell away from her face. When she spoke her voice was unsteady. "I….I don't have that. The farm has taken everything we have to keep running." Donna bit her lip offering Beth a small nod.

"If you want to apply for medical assistance I can give you all the forms." Donna began rummaging around in a folder on her lap. "I have to warn you, though, if your family's farm is still in your parents name the nursing home will claim it if you can't pay otherwise." Next to him Beth gasped quietly as her hands came to rest in a tight knot against her lightly quivering thighs. She knew this was possible, had even brought up to her daddy once or twice in the past, but as usual he balked; ranting and raving that this was his farm until the day he died. It was nothing more than his stupid, stupid pride.

"What do you mean they'll take the farm?" She was surprised to hear Daryl speak next to her, almost forgetting that he was there entirely until just now. Donna turned her gaze to him pausing for a moment. Maybe she was wondering how to put it, or maybe she was just wondering why she had to explain it to him at all. Daryl saw the slight downturn in her lips as she eyed him carefully. It pissed him off. He wasn't nothing to Beth, he knew that, just an employee who had become kind of a friend. At least he thought that was where they stood. But still, didn't matter who he was or wasn't, taking the farm just wasn't right. Beth and her family worked that land for generations and that made it theirs. No one who pushed a paper for a living was going to take it from them. He wouldn't stand for it.

Beth sighed as she turned toward him. Tearing his narrowed eyes away from Donna, who had apparently decided he didn't need an explanation, he softened. Working her bottom lip she shook her head, "Until all of your assets are drained, they won't qualify you for medical assistance….."She trailed off as Daryl's eyebrows furrowed. Beth gave a slight nod as she looked away, "First they go to your bank account, then my mama and daddy's retirement funds, and after that they take the house and the farm…..I tried to get my daddy to sign everything over to me a few years ago but he wouldn't. I was hoping it never came to this but…" Beth shrugged her shoulders looking defeated. "Every time my mama went into the nursing home before, her medical insurance covered it because she had a medical reason to be there. This time I guess it's different."

Daryl sat up in the chair. He was pissed and this was ridiculous. How could anyone be worried about money at a time like this ? Whole damn world was falling apart around them. Not to mention Beth was right there on the front lines ready to take care of patients and face whatever the hell this virus was head on. Girl couldn't do it all…she was already doing way too much. Now these assholes wanted her to give away her farm in exchange for a month of washing and feeding. Like hell.

"It's not different." Beth looked at him for a moment clearly not understanding where he was going with this.

"Daryl they won't let me quit working…not now with everything that's been going on. I can't leave her all alone in the house for all those hours; it's not safe." She sighed as she looked back at Donna. "I just don't see any other way right now." Donna smiled at Beth and for a moment Daryl wondered if she personally got some sort of kick back from the nursing home when you talk a desperate daughter, like Beth, into giving away everything they have.

"I'll help you." Beth froze as Daryl wondered if he had really said that or just imagined it. He didn't know the first thing about taking care of a person. Not to mention that Annette might not even want his dirty, greasy self anywhere near her. But still he couldn't stop himself.

"I can't ask you to do that, Daryl." Beth shook her head although her lips were twitching into smile not from his offer, but from the fact that he had just again proved what a good man he was.

"Didn't ask me. Didn't have to." Daryl stood up, he had heard enough. "Go get your mama, Beth. We're going home." Beth stared up at him for a moment before her lips spread into a genuine smile. Standing up also, she looked back to Donna who was shuffling her papers back into the folder. Offering the older woman a small smile, Beth disappeared back towards the treatment area to retrieve Annette.

Donna pursed her lips as she did a once over of Daryl. Shaking her head she looked him square in the face, "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

Daryl just grunted as she walked away. A kernel of dread turned in his stomach before he quickly pushed it back down. He probably didn't know what he was getting himself into. And frankly it terrified him. But he knew he'd never be able to live with himself if he just stood by while Beth lost everything she had.

The weekend went by faster than Daryl would have liked and before he knew it, it was Monday night and Beth was due back at work. They had talked briefly about the new arrangement to take care of Annette. After Beth left for work he would come into the house and set up on the couch at night. It wasn't necessarily a situation that he was comfortable with, but he also knew he couldn't very well look after her mama all the way out in the barn. Beth would feed her, and bathe her, and dress her for bed every night before leaving. All Daryl would need to do is look in on her before going to sleep himself and then be there throughout the night in case she needed anything. There would be no diaper changing or washing or anything else that Daryl wasn't comfortable with, Beth had assured him even thought she didn't need to. He had told her; whatever he had to do right now he would do…for her.

That comment flew straight from his mouth before he could stop himself; his face burning with heat and his stomach flopping the instant the words touched his ears. Beth, however, melted into a smile as she hesitantly put her arms around him pulling him into her for a hug. Daryl stood there stiffly not making a move to raise his own arms right away. The feeling of another person against him was completely foreign as he couldn't recall the last time anyone had hugged him. Beth had wrapped herself around him from behind on the bike and, believe you me, he was still turning that feeling over in his mind. But frontal contact was different. He felt her small breasts against his hard chest, the jutting of her hip bones against his own pelvis, and the warmth of her cheek against his shoulder. And he loved it…loved it a little too much because he began to feel a heat in the pit of his gut.

A thirty six year old man getting turned on from a hug. Goddamn pathetic. Slowly he raised a hand to ghost over the small of her back, hoping that the minimal contact would satisfy her before he embarrassed himself beyond repair. Perhaps it was enough or perhaps she sensed that pushing him any further would tread into strange, uncomfortable waters. Pulling back, Daryl was quick to pull his own hand away and they separated with Beth still grinning at him, and he still burning with embarrassment head to toe.

After that he kept his distance from her, coming around the house only to eat dinner which she insisted upon. With her mama confined to bed and her daddy gone the house felt so big and empty. So they ate dinner in front of the television both nights watching the never ending stream of new reports. The one patient in New York City had turned to five and then ten. Nobody said anything about what happened to the first guy and Daryl couldn't only imagine that it didn't end well. The rest of the people were in quarantine and again President Obama assured the nation there was no cause for panic. Beth stared at the screen pensively, occasionally asking him what he thought about this or that. It felt good to have someone ask him what he thought and actually want to hear the answer. Still ,he wished it was about something more pleasant than this. Daryl grunted and nodded, using few words and trying to be as reassuring as he could muster. The truth was he thought it was bad…really bad…and if the chaos in China or Italy meant anything, it meant that nobody could stop this. Not the doctors, or the cops, or even the government. Sooner or later it would be at their doorstep too.

It was then that he gently suggested they start fortifying the farm. Beth's brow had furrowed at that but she quietly listened to what he had to say. Nothing crazy like boarding up the windows but perhaps it was time to move the cattle out of the far corners of the pasture and centralize them near the barn. Along with that, Daryl had thought that building a fence around the perimeter of the house wasn't a bad idea. They needed to cover all the wells to preserve fresh drinking water and along with that can up any and all vegetables as they ripened. They couldn't afford to waste anything right now until they saw how this whole mess would shake out. Beth stared at him, her mouth falling open slightly as she paled.

"Do you really think it's going to get that bad?" Those words hung heavy in the air for what felt like an eternity before Daryl shrugged. He didn't know if anything would come of this but it was better to be prepared than not. Especially with Annette in the house needing round the clock care. If things were to worsen, as they had in other countries, they wouldn't have much time to get the farm ready for whatever was to come. Beth nodded slowly and eventually agreed to everything in moderation. Right now they couldn't spend any money with everything else going on. Daryl understood that and right away assured her that he could make nearly all these preparations with things they already had laying around.

Something was going to come of this, he could feel it deep inside of him. All the clues were there, in nature, and nobody was smart enough to look. Dead birds, no animals, and even the trees stood completely still. Daryl didn't want to give Beth anything else to worry about right now, though. She needed to go to work and take her of her mama, and he would take care of everything else.

They spent most of the weekend driving the cattle into the central pasture in front of the barn much to the animals' bellowing dismay. It was for their own good though, and the good of everyone else as they needed no invitations to bring anything unwanted onto the property. Daryl had spent his evening scouring the farm and woods for branches, old wood, and anything else he thought might be of use to construct a fence. Beth had canned everything that was ripe and had even taken Maize into the woods to pick blueberries and blackberries that grew wild. Daryl had almost stopped her but saw that she had her knife at her hip and instead gave her a nod, a nod of pride. There was so much more to this girl than what met the eye. All of this might be for nothing, but if it wasn't they would both be damn glad.

With Hershel gone, Daryl had worried that Beth would deflate into a mess of guilt and regret. Instead, she seemed happier and lighter. Daryl had always thought that Beth's issues were mainly due to her mama being so sick but he was coming to realize that it was actually Hershel and his addiction that had sucked all the air from their lives. A cloud had been lifted now that he was away, and although times were hard Beth didn't seem quite so weighed down. That was good, because they needed to keep looking forward and focus on what was to come.

Glancing at the watch on his wrist, Daryl saw that it was nearly six pm. Beth would need to leave for work soon, and he would need to get himself over to the house. Ducking behind the barn he quickly shed his clothes and scrubbed himself off with a bar of Ivory and the hose spray. Couldn't be smelly and greasy setting foot in the house, laying all over the furniture, and being around Annette. He rubbed the bar roughly over his short hair as he felt the sweat and grime roll down his shoulders. If he had more time he might let his mind wander a bit during this mostly private time. The feeling of Beth wrapped around him and in front of him was something that was never far from the front of his mind. He let himself think of it before when he was like this, naked and wet and with a bar of soap in his hand ready to do something he was sure he would regret. He would linger on the feel of her breasts against his chest and her pelvis smashed into his and wonder what it would feel like if she just stayed there. It never failed to make him twitch and ache and just as the first sparks of his erection began he quickly sprayed the semi-cold water onto himself quelling any further reaction. God, this girl was making him lose his mind.

Daryl quickly toweled off, pulling his pants on roughly as he shook his hair off like a dog. Thoughts like that would get him no where. Taking his blanket from the hayloft he made a beeline toward the house not wanting to hold Beth up while she was trying to leave on time. The sun was still high in the evening summer sky as he stepped onto the porch, the swing swaying gently in the breeze. Opening the creaky screen door he was met with silence as he looked around. Just about to shout Beth's name he heard soft voices coming from upstairs. Daryl stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was an outdoor cat, something that hunted and slinked around the barn looking for mice. This…being in the house…didn't seem natural or right. Taking a deep breath he shook his head; it was what Beth needed so it was what he was going to do.

"Mama…I told you this is the only way." He wasn't trying to listen, didn't want to listen, but his hearing was better than most and he couldn't help himself. Leaning against the wall he rested his head against the crisp white paint closing his eyes.

"Do you even trust him?" Daryl felt his heart clench painfully. Maybe this was a mistake.

"Mama ! Of course I trust him. He's a good man. He doesn't have to do this…but he's doing it anyway…for me." The pain in his chest loosened.

"Why didn't you put me in a home until daddy gets back?" Beth clicked her tongue, she didn't have time for this nonsense conversation. She needed to get to work before she was late.

"I already told you. We have no money and they'll take the farm, the house, and anything else they need to pay for your care." Annette laughed.

"Oh that can't be true. No one can take your house." Beth sighed loud enough for Daryl to hear it.

"I have to go. Your dinner is on the night stand, your pills are there, and you have the potty chair. Daryl will check on you before bed." Annette replied with something he couldn't hear and before he knew it there were footsteps on the stairs. Snapping his eyes open, he pushed off the wall trying to look casual like he hadn't heard a thing. It made a warmth bloom in his chest to hear Beth call him a good man but he also couldn't deny that Annette's judgment had hurt more than a little. "Hey !"

Beth appeared in front of him dressed in scrubs and with her hair pulled into a knot on her head. He grunted in reply not trusting himself with words at the moment. "My mama is all ready for bed. Just check on her before you go to sleep tonight." She was silent as she smiled at him. "I can't thank you enough for this Daryl."

" 's no problem. I'll keep an eye on her." Beth hefted her purse onto her shoulder as she nodded.

"I know you will." If only he felt that confident. Beth patted Maize on the head and nodded to him once more. "Thanks again." And with that she was gone and he was alone for the next twelve hours solely responsible for seeing to her mama. Taking a deep breath Daryl looked around. It was going to be a long night.

Shortly after Beth left and he had eaten the dinner she left him on the counter, he climbed the stairs quietly and peered into Annette's bedroom. She was safe and in bed, dozed off with the TV still on. He saw that she had eaten some of her dinner and he silently slipped the tray off the night stand and brought it back down to the kitchen scraping the unwanted food in the trash and washing the dishes stacking them in the dry rack. The sun was still up and he hated sitting around wasting time so he walked to the wells the surrounded the house and assessed each, shining a flash light to the bottom. Water seemed to be alright and they would do anything they could to keep it that way. Earlier, he had cut some large round discs out of plywood that they would used to cover the wells and now he rolled each into place hefting them over top of the rocky shafts. If the water went, there was a creek in the woods but it was a hike and they would effectively be screwed. They needed to protect their water source at all costs. Next came the food and the security of the house. They still had some time, though, even if this virus tore through New York tomorrow it would still take a few weeks to get to this far off corner of Georgia.

It was almost completely dark when Daryl stepped back into the farmhouse at a little after nine thirty. He planned to settle himself in about ten or eleven so he would need to check on Annette once more before then. The house was quiet as Maize lounged on the love seat, her big body occupying every corner. Daryl washed his hands and poured himself a glass of ice water as he leaned against the counter. The preparations around the house were coming along well and tomorrow he would start building the fence as Beth slept.

"Help…" It was faint but he swore he heard it. A shot of terror went down his spine as he raced toward the bottom of the stairs. It had only been three hours and already he had screwed up in some way. "Help…". He heard it again and this time there was no denying that he had screwed up and something had happened to Beth's mama. Fear knotted his stomach as he took the stairs two at a time. If she was on the floor he would never forgive himself. Coming to the top of the stairs Daryl burst though the bedroom door exhaling a sigh of relief when he found Annette still safe in bed. Flicking the light on, he blinked a few times as he saw she had thrown up on herself. Her night shirt, and the comforter needed changed. She turned her head toward the door and looked at him. "I need help." Daryl took a shaky breath.

"You want me to call Beth ?" Daryl looked at the vomit as his stomach twisted into a new, tighter knot. What if something was wrong with her ? Like something she needed a doctor for ?

Annette moaned as she shook her head, "It happens sometimes. My medication…I'm alright." Daryl took a moment to absorb that and steady himself before nodding.

"Alright…" What was he going to do. He looked around the room. First thing was he needed to get her out of bed. He hoped she could handle changing her own shirt. "I'm gonna get you out of bed…change the sheets." Annette seemed surprised that he would take charge so easily but nonetheless she complied swinging her legs around so that Daryl could help her to her feet. There was a cushy pink chair nearby that he moved next to the bed as he steadied her and then pivoted her to the chair. "Gonna strip the bed…if I give you a wash cloth and shirt think you can handle the rest?"

"Sure…I should be able to do that." He nodded, silently thankful that he wouldn't have to be put in the situation of dealing with Annette alone and topless. He pulled the comforter, and sheet off of the bed without much issue or ado. Wasn't like he never cleaned up vomit before. "You seem like you've done this before ?" Daryl paused as he gathered the linens up leaving them in a pile on the floor.

"Used to clean up after my brother all the time." Annette nodded as Daryl disappeared into the bathroom, thankfully finding another set of pajamas on the towel rack along with a fresh wash cloth. He ran the water in the sink until it was nice and warm, carefully wetting the rag and squirting a dollop of soap onto it. Reappearing he handed Annette the cloth along with a towel and the fresh set of pajamas. "I'm gonna take the sheets down and put them in the wash." He hoped that she would take that as her cue to do whatever she needed to do before he got back.

Daryl purposely took his time coming back upstairs, dreading that he would discover Beth's mama in some state of undress. After starting the washer he lingered in the cellar taking a mental inventory of the preserves they had one hand. Beth had done a good job canning everything she could get her hands on and so far the supply looked pretty good. There were still some things they could use from Walmart and he made a note to pick them up as soon as possible. Once any sort of panic set in, the shelves would be bare.

Exhaling Daryl started back upstairs. When he got back to Annette's room he was pleased to find that she was washed up and changed, at least her shirt was, and as far as he could tell that was all that needed dealt with. "Know where Beth keeps the extra sheets and blankets ?"

"In the hallway closet." She watched him carefully, clearly wanting to say something. "Where is your brother now?"

Daryl paused as he stared straight ahead. "He's dead. Drug Overdose…." Pulling the sheet downs he quietly began making the bed.

"And your mother and father?"

"My ma died in a fire when I was little, my dad was a piece of shit. Drank himself to death a few years back…" Daryl didn't know why he was telling her this other than she asked. Annette was quiet as she thought about that.

"My own father was a drunk….and then so was my first husband, Shawn's father. I thought Hershel would be different, and for a long time he was, but after Shawn he slid back into his old habits…" Daryl smooted a clean bed spread over the mattress as he looked up. "Beth sees something in you…something I saw in Hershel. He wasn't perfect but he was a good man." He stood bedside her as she pushed herself up and turned back into the bed, swinging her legs up and under the covers he pulled the chair away and back against the wall.

"Are you warm enough?" He was trying not to show that her words had caused his heart to thunder in his chest.

"Yes…" He flicked the light off before turned toward the stairs.

"I'll be down on the couch if you need anything else." Annette offered him a small smile.

"Daryl?" He paused. "Whatever happens…please promise me that you'll take care of her?"

Stepping back into he doorway he didn't hesitate to make eye contact. This was something easy, something that was in his heart and had been there for a long time. "I promise. I'll always take care of her."

They shared a look, "Thank you."

With an earnest nod Daryl turned and disappeared back down the stairs.

TBC…

Sorry for the hold up, been having some family issues that have taken a considerable amount of my free time.

This is a bit of a bridge and I intended to start some low key zombie action in this chapter but it will have wait until the next because I want to update since it's been so long. But….beginning of next chapter zombies begin to close in and panic begins to notch up.

Thanks to all who read and review !

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