"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.

Author's Note: Graphic sexual scene followed by more action ! Don't usually write this sort of thing but I thought it was appropriate here. Let me know what you think!

Chapter Twelve

The house was quiet as Beth sat on her bed crosslegged brushing her wet hair. She wore her pajama shorts and a t-shirt against the warm night air. Next to her, Maize licked her paw absentmindedly as the tension radiating off of Beth was enough to even make the dog nervous. It was dark now, nearly nine pm, and she was ashamed to say that it took the better part of the day for her to calm down after what happened at Walmart. Thank God for Daryl; that went without even saying. If not for his quick thinking and grabbing her just in the nick of time she shuddered to think what might have happened. She'd checked the news on her phone, they blamed the whole situation on a bad batch of heroin, but that had nothing to do with drugs. The boy was dead, she knew it having checked for his pulse herself. He came back to life, reanimated, but he wasn't alive like a human being should be. He was an animal, out for blood and attacking the first thing he saw.

Biting her lower lip Beth placed the brush on her dresser as she pulled her damp hair into a braid. A low roll of thunder echoed in the distance. Despite the dire nature of this afternoon, she couldn't deny that the whole thing had stirred something deep inside of her. The parking lot and the ride home were a blur, Beth grappling with the near miss of having her own face nearly eaten off. But when they got home, she could barely make her legs move to get out of the vehicle. She would have never figured Daryl to be so good at taking care of a person. Gentle and reassuring he guided her out of the passenger seat by the shoulders and over to the porch swing where they sat for what seemed like the rest of the day. Most of it was in silence just rocking back and forth.

It was both difficult and comforting in its own way. Beth was someone that needed words- reassuring words of kindness. She was also someone who needed to talk things through in order to deal with them. Whereas Daryl often felt that words failed him, having very little to offer aside from his strong steady presence. In addition to that, Beth also craved touch. Loving, comforting gestures like being held were the norm for her throughout her life. Daryl had never known such a thing most frequently equating touch with something very different. Sitting there next to him she wanted so badly to cuddle into his side and feel him hold her close. For him to tell her that everything was going to be ok and he would be here. To feel the warmth of his body, listen to his steady breathing, and know that she was protected no matter what.

But that wasn't Daryl, and it never had been. He was closed off, awkward, unsure. Beth knew the gesture of sitting here next to her for the better part of the day was huge for him and she valued it more than he would ever know but still…..she wanted more. Needed more. Her body aching to be touched and held and, shamefully at a time like this, warmth pooled between her legs. Her body had a mind of its own apparently as nothing about this moment should inspire that sort of desire. But it did…it really fucking did.

Throughout the afternoon they had subtly scooted closer until their bodies were pressed against each other. Beth knew that was likely the most she was going to get from him, and not wanting to push him into something that made him uncomfortable she took it. She took the comfort she drew from that and relished in it, the trauma of this morning slowly ebbing away. Eventually they parted, Beth retreating into the house to see to her mama and Daryl relegating himself to finishing the fence. Standing there staring up at him doe eyed and thankful beyond belief she couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in tight. Daryl, while tense at first didn't resist, and eventually returned the gesture chastely keeping his hands light against her back. She felt every inch of his hard body in that moment and while it was like heaven it didn't help the want that had been simmering inside of her all afternoon. Even now, hours later, she had the overwhelming desire to retreat to bed and see to herself, expunging the tightly wound spool of tension inside her.

Pressing herself into the dresser her hand between her legs, her eyelids fluttered as a light gasp escaped her lips. Daryl had awoken an electrical current inside of her that she had never known. Fumbling around with Jimmy and casual encounters with Zach had never felt like this. This deep, deep aching want that made her nearly shake with desire. And here it was, at the worst possible time, a time when the world itself seemed to be coming an end. Outside the farm's boundaries the world was becoming terrifying and uncertain but inside these familiar walls she still felt safe and protected. And indulging in her own body's needs didn't seem like the worst thing; nobody would know but her.

Opening her eyes, a tremble ran down her spine as she removed her hand. There was still something that needed done first, something very important. Giving Maize a look, the dog knew she needed to stay put as Beth opened the door to her bedroom shutting it silently behind her. Across the hall her mama was asleep, the TV off, a nightlight casting a small circle of light on the floor. Annette had resigned herself to silence as nearly every channel was broadcasting one horrifying thing after another. It was shocking when it was half way around the world, now that it was here she was terrified just like everyone else. Quietly Beth padded down the stairs, across the kitchen and down another step into a small room at the back of the house. It was nothing special, servant quarters from the early 1800s, just a bedroom off the kitchen with a small bathroom attached. Otis and Patricia had stayed here when they worked the farm with her daddy. After Patricia died, Otis lived here alone keeping mostly to himself in his unbound grief. Only emerging for a day's work, dinner, and services on Sunday but nothing more. Simple with a queen sized bed, a dresser, and nightstand; the room had stood empty since Otis left for Alabama. Beth had come down earlier, before she showered, and changed the linens so that they were fresh also placing a clean towel and new bar of soap in the shower. With everything happening out in the world she planned to insist that Daryl move into the house and stay there. She would have offered it sooner but she knew he would have balked and refused, not wanting to feel like he was taking advantage of her in anyway. Things were different now, not only was it not safe, Beth also wanted him close to her. Exiting the bedroom via the door that led to the outside, she walked across the grass toward the barn intent on laying her offer out and not hearing a single sigh of protest. This was just the way it was going to be and that was that.

Daryl finished working on the fence just as night was beginning to fall. Now the house was completely encased and he was damn happy about it. After what happened at Walmart they couldn't take anymore chances, not even here at the farm, they needed to be on guard always. Laying down on his bed in the hayloft, Daryl sighed as he scrubbed a hand over his face, sticky with dried sweat. Problem with all this was that in the last few days he had become closer to Beth than ever before.

Physically closer

It made Daryl shudder as he recalled the feeling of her body pressed against his all afternoon. Touching and physical comfort had never been part of his life before, he didn't understand it. A long, lonely walk in the woods had always comforted him far more than someone touching him. And yet…here he was and he found he didn't mind it at all. He knew that Beth had grown up with loving embraces and physical affection. He knew that she wanted it from him, and God he wanted to give it to her, he just didn't know how. Didn't know when to do it, how much, or how far to take it. So he didn't…he gave her the most that he could, paralyzed all afternoon with fear that he would screw it up.

Still, she had open a flood gate of want inside him. He'd never had physical touch before but he found that he craved it from her. Her body pressed against his as it was this afternoon. Through the thin fabric of his shirt he felt her tiny breasts, her flat tummy, and her hip bones pressed against his. Without consciously thinking about it, Daryl's hand floated down and rested on his crotch. He was hard just thinking about her and it took every ounces of restraint not to slip his hand inside his boxers right now. This physical wanting was something entirely foreign to him; having never felt anything like it before. When Merle and his friends taunted him about being gay and liking it "up the ass" as they would heckle drunk and high, he would always desperately find the first girl who was willing to take her clothes off in order to shut them up. It wasn't often, less than a handful of times, and he had never wanted it- gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as a stranger ran their hands over his body. He got off, of course he did, his body having a mind of its own and nature taking over and doing what he couldn't.

Figures this would come at the worst possible time. His pining and dirty imagination had almost gotten her killed his afternoon. He should have been paying more attention to her and less to his dick. She was so close to getting bitten, literally by a hair. And he was just standing there in some dream like trance like a fucking idiot. He promised her it wouldn't happen again and it couldn't….simply could not. Sitting up, an anger flooded his veins, here he was incredibly turned on by just the idea of her when he needed to focus on keeping them all safe. Flesh eating freaks running around and he's got his hand on his junk lost in some kind of fantasy.

Disgusted wasn't even the word for it. Taking the ladder two rungs at a time he hit the dirt floor hard snapping his towel off the hook. He was going to handle this shit once and for all. Goddamn ridiculous at a time like this. Coming around the barn, Daryl saw lightning flash in the distance. He had time for a quick, cold…very cold shower to calm himself down. After this, there would be no more thoughts, no more physical reactions, no more daydreaming like a horny teenager. He would be focused on the task at hand and nothing more. Whatever Beth needed, whatever it took to keep this place safe he was prepared to do it. Turning the water on he stepped under the hose spray expecting ice cold well water to come pouring over his head. But it wasn't…it was warm, even hot and he sighed knowing that she must have turned the valve back on after her own cold shower the other day.

Standing under the spray completely naked, Daryl put his arm up against the barn resting his forehead onto it. He let the hot water roll over his tired muscles onto the raised platform he had constructed, pooling momentarily and then draining away. His heart was pounding as every nerve ending in his body tingled, begging for one thing. Maybe if he did this, let it all out, that it would be over. He would feel what he wanted so desperately to feel and then it would be done and he could go back to concentrating on what mattered. Did he actually believe that? Probably not, but right now it didn't matter because he wanted this so badly.

A shaking hand slid down his side as he tentatively took his hard length into his own hand and squeezed. A moan escaped his lips as he struggled to catch his breath. How long had it been since he last did this? He couldn't even remember the last time anything made him want to, and honestly the few times that he did, it was simply a way to release tension. Not because he was turned on or desperately wanting something…someone…he couldn't have. Just a procedure, a means to an end. But this wasn't that…this was wanting and he was fool to think it would make anything go away.

Daryl lathered his hand with soap as he returned to his throbbing dick sliding his hand up and down the length, stopping at the tip each time rub his thumb around the head. He groaned biting into his forearm to keep himself from making anymore noise. And then his mind began to wander; everything about her was sexy as hell. For some reason he was preoccupied with her thighs, though. Maybe it was because the night he gave her the knife she asked him to look and that was the first time he actually looked. Eyes landing on them in the darkness he instantly became enraptured. They were toned and impossibly milky and just perfect. He thought back to the feeling of them wrapped around on him the bike. Clenching, squeezing, holding; Daryl's hips jerked forward as he pumped himself harder. His dick jumped with excitement in his own hand. He thought about kissing every inch of them and what they would feel like wrapped around him. He gasped feeling a tingle in his spine.

The barn was quiet as Beth stepped inside, maybe Daryl was asleep already. Climbing a few rungs of the ladder she found the area empty as she wondered where he could be. A slight fear built inside her as she worried that something could have happened to him. Then, just as quickly as that fear had came it was gone when she heard the water running behind the barn. He must have been showering. Knowing that Daryl liked privacy when he was exposed like that, she turned deciding that she would come back in a little while. Then something akin to a moan caught her attention.

The Greene's barn was old and the planks were gapped letting light, wind, and some rain inside. It was something her daddy and Shawn planned to fix before everything happened. Lightning illuminated the area briefly as she took a few hesitant steps toward the sound. Between the planks she could see Daryl showering. Her first inclination was to turn, face burning with blush, and hurry back to the house. But then another, stronger desire overrode that. Her want for him…her physical attraction and the way he made the space between her legs warm. Pressing herself against the planks she eyed his naked body and gasped softly.

Daryl pumped his length as his forehead slipped off his wet arm coming to rest against the worn wood of the barn. God he was so fucking close. Two minutes under the hot spray of a hose and thoughts about a grown woman's thighs and he was practically torn apart like a horny teenager. Beth watched as he slid his soapy hand up and down himself and she longed to run back there and do it for him. She knew Daryl would be mortified if he knew she was here right now but she didn't care. Slipping her own hand into her pajamas shorts she found herself slick and ready as her thin fingers slid over the sensitive nub at the top of her slit. Beth groaned, shocks radiated throughout her body. Pressing herself forward, only a plank of wood separated them right now as she she stroked herself desperately. Lightning flashed again as Daryl huffed hot breaths through the gap which tickled her face and only spurred her frantic pace. She wanted this so bad.

Daryl felt the low hum of his release as he let himself go for a moment. His chest was heaving, his heart was racing, but he wanted this moment to last forever. Just felt so damn good thinking of her and feeling this. Re-lathering his hand he went back to himself almost jumping at his own contact. He was so sensitive right now it was unbelievable. Fucking the tight circle of his clenched fist he knew there was no turning back this time. He wanted to know what it would feel like if this was her hand. He wanted to know how she smelled, how she tastes, what her face looks like awash in sheer bliss. He wants to be the one to put it there, wants to hold her close afterwards, and he wants to wake up next to her everyday. Daryl's mouth falls open, he can't believe he's thinking these things right now.

Beth white knuckles a table with her free hand so that she does't fall over. She imagines Daryl's rough fingers inside of her, teasing her, stroking her, bring her to the edge and back again. She imagines his lips on her face, her neck, sucking her breasts and swirling her hard nipples. Her legs begin to shake as she feels the first sparks of her release swirling into her pelvis. She wants this…wants him so goddamn bad right now it hurts.

Daryl leans all his weight forward, needing the rough hewn wood to hold him up as he begins to tremble. Fist his feet, then his legs, and then his hips; his muscle rippling and spasming out of his own control. His hips jerk forward into his hand as he searches for that last bit of sensation, that last ounce of friction.

Beth watches him fall apart, she watches his legs tremble out of control, she watches him buck his hips into his hand desperately. She hopes she isn't being a complete idiot thinking that she is on his mind right now just as he is on hers. She hears him whimper and she knows that's it for her. Her own quivering legs give out as she falls onto the floor of the barn, an explosion of pleasure radiating throughout her body. A low rumble of thunder masks the sound of her moaning and for that she relieved. She's boneless, paralyzed, and completely spent but it doesn't stop her from watching him finish.

Thunder echoes through the valley as Daryl feels his release gush out of him. Halting, jerking spams as his hand can't help but to keep pumping, milking every last ounce of sensation as his legs give out and he comes to rest on his knees. Leaning against the barn he closes his eyes, his now softening dick still being gently stroked with the pad of his thumb. His mind briefly wiped totally clear. Beth watches his chest heave, she watches the way he holds himself long after every last drop had been drained, and she watches his eyes remain closed in absolute relief. Pressing herself against the boards, she thinks she can even feel the heat of his body radiating through the gaps. Her shorts stick to her, wet and tacky from what she had just done but she didn't care. It had felt so damn good.

The relief in Daryl is quickly replaced with guilt. He had just jerked off to the idea of Beth, and not just jerked off…came harder than he ever had in his entire life. How the hell was he going to face her now knowing what he'd done. To think that this would help in some way was the dumbest thing he had ever thought. The literal fucking dumbest. Pushing himself up he shut the now cool water off with a huff of frustration. Snatching his towel he dried himself no less disgusted then when he came out here. Beth saw what was happening and not wanting to have Daryl realize what she had just seen quickly scrambled to her weak legs. Moving quietly out of the barn she broke into a run across the yard back to the house, ducking around the corner and into the door she had come from. Once inside her chest heaved with both excitement and exertion. More than anything she wanted to be the one doing that to Daryl. She wanted to be the one who made him tremble and lose control, the one who made him groan and whimper helplessly. God…did she ever. But they were standing at the edge of something huge, something that was going to change everyone's life and she also needed to stay focused on that. Still, that didn't temper the wanting inside of her, if anything it only made it worse.

Sitting in the driver's seat of the Camry, Daryl chewed his thumbnail. For the most part he'd avoided Beth all day, keeping himself busy out in the fields and walking the perimeter. All the fences on the property seemed secured and while they were just split rail, meant to keep the cattle in, they would provide some measure of deterrent for everything else. She'd trekked out to meet him, a wide smile on her face, and laid her offer out for him to move into the house, in Otis's old room. It made sense and yes things were getting more unpredictable so he agreed without much ado. Mostly because if he didn't she would have stayed longer and said more ,and he would have not been able to keep his face from turning bright red. He had been such an idiot, thinking that jerking himself off while thinking of her would fix anything. It made it worse, a hundred times worse, because now he knew how good it felt.

As he promised, he was taking her to work and picking her up, not wanting her to be out on the road alone when God only knows what might happen. Annette would be safe in the house for a little while now that he had the fence complete. He was a little surprised that she wanted to go to work after everything that had happened, but she insisted and he was in no position to tell her what to do when it came to her job. If this all blew over in a few weeks, she would need her job to go back to. Turning his head he saw Beth locking the front door tightly as she opened the gate he had built, making sure it was secured before walking away.

The passenger side door opened and Beth got in with all her things giving him that same wide smile again. "Thank you so much for doing this, Daryl."

He grunted shaking his head, "No trouble." They bounced down the rocky driveway as Daryl made a left onto the main road, heading toward the highway. "You sure about this?" Daryl didn't know why he asked that, he already established that this wasn't his business. And yet he couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth.

Beth swallowed hard as she nodded looking out the window. "It's not here yet…not like other places. I need to go just in case…" She trailed off, in case what? He wanted to ask but he left it at that. Surely Beth was trying to do the right thing, as she always did, and didn't want to leave her coworkers high and dry. Daryl didn't really understand it. Girl was damn near inconsolable after her last shift, showering in ice cold water afraid to take even a speck of what this was inside the house to her mama.

But again it wasn't Daryl's place to force her to stay home, to not show up to work and jeopardize her income. Maybe she was right, maybe this would all blow over in a few weeks and this corner of Georgia would be spared the worst. It was hard to believe after what happened at Walmart, and yet it was even harder to believe that no higher authority could fix this. The Federal Government had to fix it; it was their job and what they always did. This just couldn't be it…could it?

Beth fell silent as they cruised down the highway toward the hospital. Normally at this time in the evening traffic was heavy in both directions but today it was lighter than normal and she was glad. She should have been alarmed wondering where the fuck everyone was. She didn't want to tell Daryl the real reason she was going to work, because she wasn't sure what he would say to that. Stealing drugs to have on hand just in case something happened to her mama and there was no place to go.

It was a scary notion both ways. If she took drugs and this whole thing blew over, she could lose her job and her license. If she didn't take them and this was it, the end of everything they knew, what would she do if…not if but when…her mama got sick, fell, or needed some kind of medical care. She wasn't stupid, she knew Annette was weak and that she wouldn't last long if this thing really took hold. But that didn't mean she wanted her to suffer, to spend her last days in excruciating pain. That would kill Beth, so her mind made up, she knew she was doing this.

Daryl pulled up next to the curb as she got out collecting her bags. Pausing for a moment she looked at him. "You'll be back in the morning ?" It was a question as much as a statement.

He nodded, "I'll be right here." A genuine smile tugged at the corners of Beth's mouth as she nodded in return. "Call me if something happens…alright?" It didn't take much figuring to conclude what "something" might be. An outbreak of dead, skin munching freaks. She resisted the shudder that ripped through her body. Looking around everything seemed quite normal…ordinary in fact.

"I'll be fine." Closing the door she smiled and waved but Daryl didn't move. In fact he stayed right there until she was safely inside the building and only when she turned peering from the glass doors did she see him pull away. Lost in her thoughts, Beth was surprised when she came up against a check point. A table of security guards and one nurse that she recognized from the outpatient center.

"Have you been feeling sick at all ma'am? Any fevers, chills, do you have any open wounds ?" Beth swallowed hard as she shook her head.

"No…I feel fine." The security guard nodded as he looked back down at the paper in front of him. The nurse stepped around the table aiming a forehead temperature probe at her.

"98.1" She announced for all to hear as Beth subconsciously let out a sigh of relief. The security guard satisfied, he nodded before continuing on.

"Have you had contact with anyone who is sick with the aforementioned symptoms ?" Beth shook her head again. "Have you been in contact with any of the infected, the psychotic, or the violent?" She averted her eyes to the floor as she exhaled. She would need to lie. Biting her lower lip she looked back up.

"No." Daryl had been just as close and he wasn't sick. It didn't transmit through the air, at least she didn't think so. It was the bites…it had to be. And yet…yet the boy at Walmart hadn't been bitten anywhere. At least no where that she could see. He just overdosed and died. The guard studied her for a moment before letting her go, passing a yellow surgical mask across the table.

"Please wear the mask while you're on hospital property. Any signs of illness report them immediately to your supervisor." Beth nodded her understanding as they let her pass on to the elevators. Slipping the mask onto her face she jammed the button for her floor and waited.

It was dark as Daryl walked the perimeter of the Greene property yet again. His crossbow at his back he inspected every inch of fence looking for anything unusual. He'd seen to Annette as he had when Beth worked before. Unlike the drama of last time, tonight was relatively mundane. Like before Beth had gotten her cleaned up and ready for bed, made her dinner, and got her settled. When he got back, Daryl had taken her plate away and washed it, leaving it dry in the rack. He also got her a second blanket as the night was cool, helped her with her pills, and assured her that he was right downstairs. A few hours later he found her sound asleep with Maize next to her in bed keeping a watchful eye. Like he had before, Daryl left a note next to her phone before heading out to walk the property. Looking at Maize he nodded at the dog as she cocked her head.

"Protect her." She let out a little whine before settling herself against Annette, her big head coming to rest on the old woman's leg. Satisfied, Daryl left the house making sure to lock the door and the gate. He would keep the house in sight at all times, it would be alright. Hissing in the woods drew his attention as he swung his bow around to the front. Daryl stood there, heart pounding as he brought the bow up level. The trees rustled and just when he thought one of those freaks was about to pop out a bird flapped over his head. Big with a large wingspan he'd never seen anything like it before. Letting the crossbow drift down he relaxed for a moment as the woods fell quiet again. Looking back to the sky he thought of the bird and what it meant.

Thunderbird

The first time he'd heard the word he immediately thought of the car. But as it turned out one of Merle's drinking buddies was part Cherokee. Not one to enjoy the benefits of diversity, Merle kept him around because he knew who was selling all the best coke. And one night, tweaked out of their minds on said coke, the Cherokee brought up the legend of the Thunderbird. A mythical, powerful creature in native lore that protected humans from evil spirits. Daryl shook his head, he hoped it was a sign even though he didn't believe in that shit. Still he hoped, because he would do anything if it meant that this place would be safe. That Beth would be protected. That no matter what happened they would find a way to make it.

It was nearly one am when Daryl got back to the house. Letting himself in through the back door that led to the small bedroom he locked the door behind him. Then before settling himself in, he went to each window and door making sure they were locked tight. He went upstairs and saw that Annette was asleep with Maize still by her side. Satisfied, he went back downstairs and for the first time in months he laid down on a real bed. Sighing he was exhausted, it had been another long day and he would need to be up in a few hours to get Beth. Setting his alarm he closed his eyes and as he drifted off to sleep a hissing noise echoed in his mind.

A fog settled over the farm as crickets chirped in the distance. Near the woods line a hissing and moaning, shambling steps, the rotting stench of death. A split rail fence was all that separated the the reality of then versus now.

Beth sat at her desk rubbing her forehead. Outside room 12 with her was Pat, Rosita, a handful of security guards, the Manager of the Hospital, and Siddiq. They stood with their arms crossed over their chests as they all stared at the woman in the bed.

"She's MY MOTHER….why can't I take her home ?!" A woman in her late fifties stood, hands on her hips. Her dyed blonde hair fell across her reddened face as she stared at Siddiq.

"Ma'am she won't live without the machines we have her on." He tried to sound pragmatic but she wasn't having it.

"She won't live if she stays in this place much longer….pretty soon ya'll are going to be overrun with those things…" The Manager of the Hospital stepped in.

"The hospital is secure and we are screening every person in the building. There is no reason to believe that anything will happen here."

The daughter looked at the woman and laughed. "Bullshit !" Turning to Siddiq she jammed a finger in the air toward her mother. "Get that shit out of her now !"

Rosita turned to Beth as she raised an eyebrow, "Looks like it's about to go down." Beth sighed as she shook her head. The unit was largely empty, most people staying away from the hospital no matter how sick they were. In addition to that, many of the nurses had called off or simply not shown up. Beth now feeling not so bad about it if it had to happen. Her family and Daryl were number one to her, not this place.

Siddiq, ever the professional, gently took the daughter's hand leading her to the bedside. Turning the Epinephrine drip off he waited a moment before pointing to the monitor. "See without the medication her blood pressure drops almost immediately…" The daughter stared at the monitor but there was no sign of understanding on her face.

Beth watched with trepidation as she ran a hand down her thigh to the cargo pocket in her scrubs. A vial of Lidocaine, two vials of antibiotics, and one vial of Morphine that she had taken out to given the woman in 12 a couple hours ago. She told Rosita she had been fighting the vent. Another lie, she was pretty much flaccid in the bed all night. She drew it up and then when no one was looking she squirted it back into the vial and slipped it into her pocket. Since that moment the Morphine had practically been burning a hole in her pants as she fingered it every ten minutes.

"Ya'll are a bunch of goddamn liars." Before anyone could stop her, the daughter reached down and ripped the breathing tube right out of her mother's throat. "Oh my God !" Beth, Rosita, and about five security guards rushed into the room. Siddiq immediately grabbed an Ambu bag from the shelf. Security laid hands on the woman but it was too late as she curled her fingers around the central line next and ripped it right out, blood squirting everywhere. Security brought the woman to the floor cuffing her as everyone else tried their best to fix the situation.

Hours later, as it was just beginning to get light out. Beth stood alone in the room looking at the body of the old woman in the bed. She was dead, her daughter's hysterical actions sending her so far off the rails no one could pull her back. They tried for two hours, but it wasn't enough. Without the medications and the ventilator she quickly went into cardiac arrest. Siddiq re intubated her, Beth and Rosita both found IVs in her arms, and Pat worked the crash cart, but she was too fragile and just a nudge in the wrong directions was all it took.

Removing her gloves Beth covered the body with a sheet. Poking her head into the room, Pat sighed heavily. "Don't do anything with her, the police are coming." The daughter had effectively killed her, although Beth couldn't totally blame the woman. The level of hysteria in the public was mounting and she could only imagine what a mess she would be if her own mama was in here hooked to a hundred machines. Normally Beth would clean the body and place her in a body bag wheeling her down to the morgue. It was six fifty and leaving a corpse for the next shift was considered poor form.

Turning to leave, her eyes fell on the open crash cart. Shifting her eyes toward the curtain she knew no one could see her. Rifling through the drawers, she grabbed Epinephrine for allergic reactions, Dextrose for low blood sugar, and another two vials of Morphine. They counted the narcotics when the cart got back to the pharmacy but by then she would be long gone with no way to prove it had been her. Exhaling a shaky breath she slipped the vials in her pocket.

"Hey !…" Rosita snapped the curtain back as Beth jumped back in surprise. Thank God the Morphine was already in her pocket. Rosita looked between the cart and her. "You bagging her up or what?"

Beth let out a nervous laugh as she shook her head. "No…The police are coming."

Rosita crossed her arms over her chest as she shook her head. "Fucking nuts." Looking back to Beth she notched her head toward the door "Come on…let's go punch out." She disappeared around the curtain and Beth sighed. Walking out behind Rosita, Beth pulled the curtain shut not giving the situation another thought. Behind her, however, the woman stirred in bed. Her fingers clenching the blood stained sheets.

Daryl pulled up to the front of the hospital and put the Camry in park. It was seven sharp and he was actually surprised to see Beth and another woman walking out the front door. He figured it would take a little while for her to wrap up whatever needed done. He wound down the window as they chatted on the sidewalk for a moment. Rosita, at least that what he thought her name was, waved a hand in his direction, and he did the humane thing and returned the gesture.

Gunshots…

They came from inside as both Beth and Rosita turned. More gunshots as the white truck in front of him revved and roared.

"Get your ass in here… MOVE !" A voice bellowed from the truck as Rosita bolted for the open passenger side door. Beth yelled something at her before flinging herself into the car with him. The truck peeled out and Daryl followed suit, Beth staring back at the hospital as they went. What the hell just happened ?

The ride to the farm was thankfully uneventful and they exchanged minimal words, both tense. Beth managed to slide the drugs from her pocket into her purse without Daryl noticing as she breathed a small sigh of relief. She felt herself relax even more when the driveway to the farm came into view. She was home and she was safe. That relief was quick lived, however, as they rounded the bend and she laid her eyes on two police cars and Jimmy leaning against his truck. Her first thought was her mama but if that was true an ambulance would be here also. Swallowing hard Daryl brought the car to a stop as they both got out.

She recognized the sheriff from the night Shawn died although she didn't know his name he certainly knew hers. "Beth…I'm Sheriff Bennett." He extended his hand as she shook it hesitantly. Notching his head toward Daryl, "This here your hired man, Dixon ?"

She felt Daryl stiffen beside her as she nodded hesitantly, "Yes Sheriff, but he isn't just my hired man, he's also a close friend." Her eyes bounced between the Sheriff and Jimmy, who stood behind him, a grim look on his face.

"Well I'm sorry to tell you that we have reason to believe he may have killed someone…" Turning he jammed his finger toward the woods. "Right back there in the woods." Beth gasped but she didn't waver in her support.

"That isn't true." Daryl knew where this was going and he knew there was no way to stop it. Didn't matter whether he killed the old man or not, they had made up their mind. The dirty fucking red neck was guilty as charged.

"I'm afraid to say that it is, ma'am." The other deputy grabbed Daryl by the bicep and began to slap the cuffs on. He didn't resist knowing that it would only make it worse. Beth put her purse down on the hood of the car as she took a step toward the Sheriff.

"No…NO ! This is a mistake. Daryl's a good man, he wouldn't do that." The deputy pushed him toward the car as the Sheriff looked down his nose at Beth.

"We found Old Man Mitchell last night in the woods, he was killed with a cross bow.." Stepping around her he looked in the rear seat of the Camry. A low laugh escaped his lips, "Similar to that one right there…" Opening the car he confiscated the Horton. "That's mine now." Daryl bucked against the deputy's hold as Beth lunged toward Jimmy.

"This is all your fault…" In her anger she knocked her purse off of the hood of the car as its contents spilled onto the ground.

Beth realized what had happened when the Sheriff whistled behind her. "Well would you look at that." Bending over he picked a vial of Morphine out of the dirt as he looked back at her. Beth felt her heart sink into her stomach, her head spin with nausea, and her hands begin to shake. She had no explanation, no reason to have stolen narcotics in her purse. And just as she was about to open her mouth Daryl cut her off.

"They're mine…" Everyone including Beth turned to look at him. "Slipped them in her purse when she wasn't looking."

"No…Daryl…" Tears came to her eyes as she fell to her knees.

The Sheriff gathered the Morphine up as he laughed, "Looks like old Daryl here is going away for a good long while."

Meeting Beth's eyes Daryl nodded seriously. "Don't worry about me. Take care of yourself and your mama." They shoved him into the patrol car roughly as Beth began to sob. After the police pulled out, Jimmy came to squat down next to her, slapping his hand away roughly she met his eyes, anger shining bright.

"Don't touch me…this is all your fault, Jimmy. All your fault."

TBC….

Way more action to come in the next chapters as the ZA is now in full effect !

Hope you love this and that the beginning was in good enough taste and appropriate for the story line.

Please Review !