"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 Thirty-Two

Daryl sat in the front window watching as the sun lifted about the horizon. It was early March now, sometime around daylight saving time, when that was actually a thing. The days were getting warmer and the nights less miserable and for that he was grateful. The house they'd holed up in was as good as any; a roof over their heads, a door that still locked, and a mattress on the floor. Anything of use had been taken long ago leaving a few cans of peaches and some stale crackers. They'd gotten through the winter better than most with Daryl hunting and Beth foraging they ate more than the average person and didn't need to scavenge day and night. Life on the road was hard, though, and as they went place to place he often wondered if they should return to the farm and try to make a go of things there. Every time they got close, though, another herd moved through and they were pushed farther away. They moved north all winter, not intentionally, but heading that direction all the same. He estimated they were somewhere near Springer Mountain right now as worn out signs for the Appalachian Trailhead appeared every few miles.

With the coming of spring and the thaw in higher elevations, they'd been talking about moving into the mountains and finding a cabin hoping that the elevation and seclusion would provide some protection from walkers. For right now, though, they were here in this house making it one day to the next. There'd been no sight of the rest of the group. Rick, Lori, Hershel, Maggie, and the others had all but disappeared and he knew it weighed heavily on Beth's mind wondering if they were still alive or not. Yes, they'd gone their separate ways but that didn't mean she still didn't care for her daddy and even her sister. Once in a while she would mention it, but mostly it was just another thing they didn't talk about. One more hard reality of this new world that simply needed dealt with.

"Hi." Beth snaked her arms around his chest resting her chin on his shoulder. Placed her lips on the soft skin behind his ear lobe she caused a shiver to roll down his spine. Even after all this time and everything they'd been though, this woman still had the ability to make him weak in the knees with just one kiss. Despite their life being harder than ever, the connection between them had only strengthened filling them with as much love as two people could have for one another. Reaching up he rubbed the back of her arm leaning his forehead against hers.

"You get some sleep ?" Beth nodded slowly.

"I sleep better when you're beside me." The corner of his lips twitched up as he shook his head. No place he'd rather be than next to Beth, but being out like this in unfamiliar surroundings he knew it would be foolish not to keep watch. They'd encountered enough herds over the last few months to know that a band of walkers could literally appear out of nowhere ready to rip a house down in mere seconds. Colder weather meant less to eat for everyone, walkers included, with a feeding frenzy liable to tip off at the slightly whiff of the living.

His eyes wandering back to the bed he notched his head, "You weren't alone." Maize still lay sleeping on the mattress, her big furry body keeping Beth warm all night long. Beth's lips curved into a smile as they fell into a comfortable silence. After escaping the farm, Daryl had worried that Maize wouldn't last long on the road. While a German Shepherd, she was nearly totally docile as well as utterly accustomed to the comforts of the farm. But he'd underestimated how completely loyal the dog was to Beth, and like everything else she'd changed in order to survive. They were a family of three moving across the deserted landscape of northern Georgia as if they were on another planet entirely.

"I think we should move today. See if we can head up the mountain; find something more permanent." Daryl grunted as he thought that over. They'd been holed up here for about a week now but without a fireplace or a fence they both knew the house wasn't good for long. Just a place to rest their heads for a few days and get their energy up. It's what they'd been doing all winter going place to place never staying for long. With spring coming, though, Beth wanted to find a place they could call home, build it up, and begin to grow plants of their own. In addition to her books on plants and herbs, Beth had also had the foresight to pack a bundle of seeds when they left the farm. Corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, and carrots just to name a few. They both knew it would be a while before they could settle down and build up a garden of their own, but it gave them both something to hope for and push toward all winter long. Now it was time to actually make that happen and heading into the mountains seemed as good a plan as any.

"Yeah…we'll head out soon as the sun's up." Tightening her arms around her his shoulders she sighed hoping what they were looking for was still out there somewhere.

He'd been with them for about a month now and everyday he thought this was enough; he was leaving, slipping off in the middle of the night and not looking back. He didn't owe them a damn thing, quite the opposite in fact, with his expert marksmanship saving their asses more than once. It wasn't any kind of existence to be proud of, moving place to place and taking what wasn't theirs. Simple survival, nothing more, and it seemed they were content with that. Just breathing, not actually living. Maybe he would have been too, and maybe he just should have been at this point. Wanting anything more was foolish, but for some reason he couldn't help himself from doing just that.

If it had just been Shane with Rick and the others, Carl having never gotten shot and the farm nothing but a glimpse in their rear view mirror, maybe he would have turned out like this. A man intent on survival at any costs, still obsessed with a woman and a boy that wasn't his. But that wasn't the way that things went. Lori made it more than clear- he wasn't wanted or needed. What they'd done was a mistake and she hadn't hesitated to erase the evidence, throwing him and their unborn baby out like yesterday's trash. He still couldn't think of his baby girl without feeling a lump of emotion in the back of his throat. Cold and alone in the woods, he often spent his days wondering who she would have been.

It was a miserable way to exist and perhaps he would have eventually lost himself to the savagery entirely, but he knew there was another way. A way to be tough and survive but also to still go on living. Most of that was because of Beth. Judith wasn't the only person he thought of nearly every day; he also wondered what happened to Daryl and Beth and if they had gotten themselves a safe place to call their own. He hoped for that…prayed for it too…they deserved that and he knew whatever place Beth was would not only be a house but also a home. A garden, a few chickens, natural medicines, and an outdoor kitchen; things most anyone would sneer at and think to be frivolous- Shane knew that was how you actually made a life. Adapting, overcoming, and finding the new normal were the keys to this new world. Not through violence or taking by force but by becoming self reliant. He didn't dare mention of a word of it to his present company, but in his heart Shane ached for that kind of existence again.

"Claimed." His eye flickered up and they walked down the cracked asphalt going no where in particular as usual. One of the other men had all but jumped on an abandoned backpack left along the road. Faded and soaked with morning rain, Shane surmised it had been here a long tome, probably since the moment it's owner had died and decayed- nothing more than a few scraps of clothes and a pile of bones left behind. He doubted anything of use would be in there and didn't pay the situation much attention. His assumption was in the minority, however, as the others clamored to see what was found.

"You straight ?" Joe, the unofficial leader of the group sauntered over. His graying hair fell in his eyes as he studied Shane closely. For his own part, Shane kept an impassive face. He knew Joe didn't give a flying fuck if he was alright. All he cared about was the stability of the group and his place at the top.

"Where we headin' ?" Shane's gaze flickered to him before looking back out at the forest around them. It was a question he'd asked before. All the walking in circles and shacking up in houses for a night or two with no real direction or purpose.

Joe let out a wry laugh. "Goin' wherever the road takes us." He knew that wasn't the answer Shane was looking for but he didn't much care. As long as he was staying with this group they were going to do what Joe said when he said it.

"Hmmm…" Shane hummed a dubious reply. As usual walking in circles, this time further north than they'd ever been following the tides of one herd after another migrating out of Atlanta.

"Somethin' wrong with that?" He stilled knowing Joe was inviting the challenge. Any man could voice his opinion at any time, that had been made clear on his first day, didn't mean anyone would care though.

"Nah man…just walkin' in circles. Want to settle down, start something." Joe looked at him for a moment, rolling a reed of grass between his lips before he let out a laugh.

"That's a real nice thought. But you know as well as I do that there's no place left for men like us." Beth and Daryl popped into his mind; if it hadn't been for them he really would have believed that. But he knew it wasn't true, knew he was something more, and that there was something more out there for him. Each day it was getting harder to believe but with everything he had left Shane held onto it, refusing to let go. "Come on, Shane…gonna try to make it to Springer Mountain before nightfall." Joe left him there looking down the road from the direction they'd just come. If he just started walking away would they stop him? Springer Mountain was the half cocked idea Joe had come up with just this morning. The trailhead of the AT, he fancied the idea of gear shops and tourist spots left abandoned and ripe for the plundering. Shane thought it was idiotic knowing those places were surely raided early on and this was nothing more than a wild goose chase; half the group would tire of the intense hiking and turn back before they even made it a quarter of the way.

Sighing he turned and followed behind wondering if this was it for him. Hating what he was doing but still doing it all the same, taking the easy path instead of the right one.

The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon as Daryl looked back at Beth and Maize following behind. They needed to make camp soon lest they be out fumbling around in the dark. As discussed they'd struck out from the house as soon as it was light out heading north toward Springer Mountain. A morning thunderstorm had forced them to take shelter, however, and they'd lost a few hours not making nearly as far as Daryl hoped before nightfall. As a result they'd be spending tonight out in the open- neither of them liked that, but sometimes it was just what needed to be done. Sure that he saw the tell tale rock formations of a cave up ahead, Daryl urged Beth on for a little while longer much preferring the idea of three walls and a roof over the wide open forest.

It had been a long day, however, and everyone was tired. Beth leaned against the tree catching her breath as the elevation gain had begun to take it's toll. "Go ahead. I'm going to catch my breath and scout some water." Daryl stopped eyeing her carefully. He'd be lying if he didn't admit his own calves were burning something awful. He hated splitting up, though, but also knew they were low on water and if his hunch proved to be a wild goose chase they would most likely both be too exhausted to pitch a proper camp and keep watch. Eventually he sighed and relented handing her his canteen and nodding toward the knife on her waist.

"Keep an eye out and I'll be right back." Beth nodded offering him a small smile and nod of reassurance.

It was simple enough. She stay back, rest up, and refill their water, he scout ahead and see if there was a safe place to spend the night. No more than fifteen minutes and a quarter mile between them. And yet it was more than enough time for everything to go horribly wrong.

The creek was a short distance away, maybe a hundred yards from the trail over a gentle hillside. Maize led the way, hearing and smelling water, she just as thirsty as they were. Beth wondered if there would be any fish in the creek. If so she could try her hand with the net they'd scavenged a while back. A cave, a warm fire, and fresh fish sounded like just the thing to turn a long day into something good. They had that knack, her and Daryl persevering through even the worst day to find something wonderful on the other side of their suffering. It didn't have to be much; a warm bed, a dry cave, fresh fish, or a grove of pecan trees growing wild. A bouquet of lavender tied to her pack and drying in the warm sun, a tomato plant someone had forgotten that reseeded itself and continued to the cycle of life. Everyday they found the beauty in the misery and because of that they loved each other even more- if that was even possible at this point.

Maize drank from the creek greedily as Beth smiled bending over to fill her canteen. Her mind full of what good things tonight could bring, she wasn't paying attention as much as she should have been. There were plenty of fish in the creek as she gasped with delight more worried about getting the net out then keeping a sharp eye to her surroundings. To her credit she could hear a walker coming a mile away; their perpetual hissing and moaning a dead give away when they were anywhere nearby. It had been weeks since they'd seen another person and at times she forgot there was anyone left in the world besides her and Daryl. It was foolish to forget that.

"Claimed." The voice took her by such surprise that she gasped dropping the canteen and unsheathing her knife. Barely getting to her feet a greasy haired man grabbed her around the neck from behind. Within seconds a group surrounded her, faces she didn't recognize that caused her heart to seize in her chest.

"Dinner too.." One of the other men leveled the barrel of their gun at Maize as the dog cocked her head not understanding what was happening. These weren't walkers but still they seemed just as dangerous. Hair standing up on her back, the dog growled softly. The gun cocked and Beth didn't hesitate. Taking the man's arm into her mouth she bit down hard onto his forearm causing him to release her as he howled in pain. Turning, her stomach churned and her heart sank knowing there was only one way to save the dog before it was too late. Hitting Maize across the face hard the dog yelped in pain before turning and running in the opposite direction

"GO !" Beth's voice bellowed as the German Shepherd disappeared into the brush just as a bullet skipped into the grass behind her. Beth barely had a second to breath before someone grabbed her around the throat and punched her in the face hard.

"Stupid Bitch !" The greasy haired man was now back together and intent on retribution for the bloody bite mark on his arm.

"Hey !…Get your hands off of her." Beth felt herself thrown to the ground as her heart stilled. She recognized that voice.

Shane's own heart lept into his throat when he saw Beth. She looked almost the same as he remembered. Her hair much longer, her face much tanner, but other than that she was exactly the same. Not until the gun went off and Len had her by the throat did Shane snap out of it and spring into action. Now it was Len who was being held by the throat and if nobody stopped him he would kill the prick right here and now.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah. Now let's all take a breath, gentleman." Joe stepped up putting a hand on Shane's shoulder. "Let him go now." The only reason Shane complied was because he intended to do whatever it took to keep Beth safe right now. Strangling this prick and catching a bullet in the back of the head because of it would not help her in the least. Joe bent over and offered Beth his hand.

"Let me help you up, Darlin. The ground's no place for a lady like you." She looked at his hand and hedging her bets took it deciding she was outnumbered and the smarter decision was to play along, at least for now. Once she stood up and brushed herself off, Joe got a proper look at her and let out a low whistle. "You'll have to excuse the fellas, it's been a long time since anyone saw something as beautiful as you." Beth allowed her face to remain impassive as she took the opportunity of their distraction for her eyes to wander. Slowly, their gaze met and she nearly wept with relief in seeing he was still the man she knew. The man she'd cried with in the woods just last year, the man who'd risked his life to save hers and Daryl's time and again. He was rougher, his hair was unkept and he had beard, but his eyes were still kind and that was all she needed to know. Looking away so as not to raise suspicion, she let out a small sigh of relief. They would get out of this somehow…

No one else but Beth knew the sound of a bolt whizzing through the air so well. By the time the rest of them knew they weren't alone, Len was on the ground convulsing with an arrow embedded in his neck. Turning to run, Beth wasn't quick enough before Joe grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his body, cocking his pistol, and resting it against her temple.

"A bowman !" He laughed a taunting cackle. "We've got a bowman fellas." Beth struggled but he only held her tighter and the other men minus Shane drew their weapons in the direction the arrow had just come. "Show yourself hunter or I blow her pretty little brains out." There was a pause and part of Beth wished that Daryl would run, save himself, but she knew he would never do that and a moment later he emerged from the trees. She felt Joe squeeze her before a startled gasp escaped his lips. "Is that Merle's little brother, Daryl ?"

Christ what were the odds. Probably not a billion to one. Daryl stepped out into the open his crossbow low as he eyed Joe up and down. Had someone told him Merle's meth dealing buddy would have survived this long he would have laughed. And yet here he was. Daryl swallowed hard as his eyes fell on Beth.

"Just let her go. She didn't do anything. Take me instead." Beth immediately struggled in Joe's arms.

"No !" Joe looked between them before he quickly put together what exactly this was.

"Well I'll be damned. Does this pretty thing belong to you, Dixon ?" Daryl's silence was confirmation enough as Joe continued, a taunting smile on his face. "You mean to tell me this girl wants your pussy ass ? You wouldn't even know what to do with her…" He looked down at Beth shaking his head. "Did Daryl tell you I was there for his first time ?" Immediately the other men began to cackle as Daryl's face turned three shades of red. "Well you see honey it was just a year or so ago…his brother wanted to prove he was no fag so he threw the ugliest, dirtiest girl his way." Beth looked away, she wasn't going to let this man use her to embarrass someone she loved. It didn't matter if Daryl had been with five or fifty women before her; what they had was special and it was entirely between them. "Two strokes and his eyes rolled right to the back of his head. Looked like a damn fire hose." The other men doubled over laughing as Shane took the opportunity to come up with a plan.

His eyes wandered to Len on the ground, momentarily forgotten and nearly bled out his eyes met Shane's for a moment before slipping closed. With Joe and the others still enjoying their laugh at Daryl's expense, Shane stepped up and took a hold of Beth prying her out of his grasp.

"Well hey now Shane, what's all this ?" The jovial mood quickly faded as Daryl became aware of the familiar face. Breathing the same sigh of relief that Beth had, he chewed his bottom lip knowing this changed things in their favor ever so slightly.

"She's mine now. Len's dead and I was second to claim her." Tucking Beth against his side he was careful to toe the line between possession and protection, knowing she felt the difference when she leaned into him. Joe was stunned for a moment, the shift in power happening before he even knew it. This was why he kept a close eye on Shane, why he was always worried about something he just couldn't put his finger on.

"Well I suppose that's fair enough for now. But you see Daryl there killed Len so there's going to have to be atonement to the group for that." His eyes settled on Beth. "And I'm thinking this might be how he pays." Beth felt Shane tense next to her.

"Alright." He paused staring Joe directly in the eye. "But I get the first round."

The blade of grass back between Joe's teeth he hummed as his lips twitched into smirk, "Let's make camp….and I'll think about it."

The bindings were tight, cutting into her wrists and making her hands tingle. Beth shivered against the cold ground as the bark of the tree scraped her back. The comfort of Shane next to her was short lived as Joe made a quick camp not a mile or so from where they all met. A grove of trees with a small clearing she could see the flicker of campfire just a short distance away. If a walker happened upon her here she wasn't sure what she could do but scream with no use of her hands and all weapons in the possession of her captors. Taking a steadying breath, though, she knew she should be grateful because both she and Daryl were still alive. Together with Shane they would find a way out of this.

Daryl's hearing and sight were better than most and despite being tied up with a gun pointed at the back of his head, he kept a close eye in Beth's general direction. Through the dancing firelight he saw her tied to a tree- alone- which both terrified and comforted him. Reminding himself to stay calm he stared at Joe through slitted eyes. Daryl had never known him to be the center of attention but here watching him hold court with his band of merry pricks he looked like he was born to be there.

"Gentlemen we have a dilemma tonight." They groaned and shook their heads. "Our brother Len is no longer with us and Daryl here is to blame." The ragged looking fellow holding the gun to his head jammed the barrel harder causing Daryl's neck to snap forward. "Now as we all know there has to be consequences for this. If you take….you have to give. Isn't that right, fellas ?" They hooted and jawed no doubt attracting every walker in a ten mile radius. "Shane thinks he should have her first…and by rights now that Len's gone he should get first dibs…" Joe paused for dramatic effect before his eyes landed on Shane. "But I don't think it can be that easy. Not for a prize like that." Daryl wanted nothing more than to wipe the smirk right off that smug bastard's face. "Shane if you want her, you're going to have to fight for her."

The hooting turned into jeering, yelling, all out taunting that everyone but Shane and Daryl found amusing. Squatted down next to the fire, Shane stared up at Joe. This dumb fuck had no idea what he was capable of. Taking down walkers, or some shit head along the road was nothing. Not when someone or something he cared about was at stake. "I'll fight any man who thinks they can have what I got."

"Ohhhh…Well oh boy. We're gonna have us an old fashioned duel here." Throwing a smirk in Daryl's direction he added. "I'll make sure you get a front row seat there, Daryl."

One of the guys immediately stepped up. Tony wasn't someone Shane ever spoke to. Always taking more than his share of everything; it was no surprise that he wanted the first shot. He wasn't a big guy but he also wasn't small and Shane knew if he was going to win this fight he would need to do something so savage that the others wouldn't dare challenge him. Once he got to Beth, they would figure out what to do next. Either way, he knew if things went their way neither Joe nor any of the men sitting around him right now would be alive when it was over.

Throwing his jacket on the ground, Shane turned back toward Tony who had his hands up as if they were going to box. The rest of the men gathering around and jeering not having any real entertainment in what seemed like forever. Shaking his arms out Shane knew that he had the edge here, being a professionally trained fighter. Tony, while scrappy enough, had probably cultivated his own skills in watery bar fights and backyard disagreements. Standing back Shane let him make the first and just as predicted Tony opened up with a huge punch that left his body exposed. Ducking the punch easily Shane drove his shoulder into the man's middle earning him a pained gasp as they both went tumbling to the ground. Not letting up Shane hit him in the jaw making his teeth rattle and his mouth bleed. The men laughed and taunted Tony calling him a pussy, demanding he get up and beat Shane's ass. In response he moaned clearly understanding that he he'd bitten off more than he could chew.

Shane stood up hoping that was it. Tony, however, had other ideas and leveling the playing field the only way a piece of shit like him could, he struggled to his feet and pulled his knife out. The men gasped and 'ahhed' knowing a line had been crossed but also not really caring. In the end it was Daryl who yelled out, toeing the line between giving their relationship away and making sure they all got out of here alive.

"Fight fair you pussy !" His voice caused Shane to turn just as Tony charged him with the blade out in front. For his own efforts, Daryl got cracked in the head with the butt of gun causing blood to run down his face and into his eyes. Shane knew he had to do something drastic, something to end this and make sure all the other assholes knew this was over. Beth was his and there was nothing else to it. Dodging the knife he summoned all his strength as he grabbed Tony by the jacket and threw him into the fire. The cheap leather he wore immediately catching as he rolled out of the pit still aflame and screaming bloody murder. The rest of the men jumped up from their seats yelling out in surprise. In the end it was Joe who slapped Tony a few times with a blanket putting him out as he lay moaning in the dirt, his face half melted away.

Shane stood, his dark eyes blazing, challenging any of the others to cross him. Joe met his gaze staring at him silently for a moment before nodding his head. "Well I do believe that's it then." Nothing more needed said; Tony took it to the next level by pulling the knife and Shane responded accordingly. Joe knew it, they all knew it; those were the rules they lived by, couldn't go changing them now.

Casting a look in Daryl's direction, Shane took his jacket off the ground half expecting another one of these idiots to step up for their own chance. When no one did, he nodded at Joe stepping away from the fire and into the woods.

Beth heard someone coming as her heart began to race. She'd prepared herself for the chance of being raped by one or all of these men, and she'd decided that if that happened she would go somewhere else. Into her memories so deeply it would only be a physical act, a procedure with no thought or feeling attached to it. That would be the only way she could survive such a thing and at all costs she intended to survive. She was determined to get back to Daryl no matter what it took.

She pinched her eye shut hoping that it was quick. Hoping that whoever he was didn't take his time or savor moment. Just get it over with. When the steps paused she opened her eyes out of reflex more than anything else. She gasped softly as Shane stood in front of her; their eyes met and he offered her a crooked smile. Beth couldn't stop the tears and as he cut her free she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"You ok?" He kept his voice low knowing the others weren't far.

For a moment she couldn't speak and instead wrapped her arms around him and cried softly into his chest. Her voice was muffled but he heard it all the same, "I'm so glad we found each other." Shane felt his stomach clench. Beth was such a good person it almost physically hurt him to see her like this. Even though the men he was with had tied her to a tree and threatened to assault her, she was still thankful for the situation because it had brought them back together again. People like Beth Greene just didn't exist anymore. They barely existed to begin with.

He hugged her back saying the only thing that came to mind; "I never stopped thinking about you or Daryl. And hoping I would find both of you again." He felt her lips twitch into a smile against the material of his jacket. Shane wished that he could handle what came next alone, but the fact was he couldn't. There were just too many of them and until they got Daryl free he would need Beth to back him up. "Beth we gotta get Daryl and get out of here." She pulled back casting a glance toward the fire and nodding as she wiped her face. He paused for a moment before meeting her gaze. "We're going to have to kill them." She stopped, the air in her lungs burning as her heart skipped a beat. "They'll follow us wherever we go; they done it before." Beth looked down working her lower lip. She'd killed someone before, all those months ago to get Daryl back when Randall's group had taken him hostage along the highway. Those men were nothing like these, it was still early in the outbreak and people had yet to become entirely deprave. If Shane said they would follow them, hunt them, stop at nothing to kill them and take her as their own….well he was probably right. And just like before the only thing that mattered was getting all three of them out of this safe and sound.

"Alright." He handed her his gun knowing it would be much easier than using the knife. He would do that, creep up behind the one holding Daryl and slit his throat, Beth would need to handle a couple of the others in the mean time; it wasn't a great plan but it was all they had. With Tony on the ground moaning in pain, that left Joe, Dan, Billy, and Harley-not great odds but it could be worse.

"I'm gonna flank 'em go round the other side and hit the guy holding Daryl first. When you see me come up behind him just start shootin'." He whispered in her ear and she nodded her heart pounding.

"I can do it." She said it more to herself than to him, still it earned her one of his crooked grins.

"I know you can." Squeezing her arm he nodded before disappearing into the forest cutting a wide circle around the group.

Beth watched him go before she began to creep toward the fire walking silently just as Daryl had shown her. Her hands shook around the gun with both fear and adrenaline as she waited for the sign. No matter what they were getting out of here, she told herself that and she believed it.

Daryl forced himself to look away from the path Shane had just taken. He supposed he should be concerned, angry even that this prick was about to go rape his girl but he knew better and knew Shane would free Beth and then come for him. He just had to wait. So as not to raise suspicion, he struggled against the bindings and threw Joe more than enough surly looks. It seemed to work because no seemed to think better of the situation.

He needed to be ready, that much he was sure of, because once things tipped off it was going to be chaos. Of course Shane could very well free Beth and take off with her, getting her some place safe before coming back for him. He would't blame him if he did, it would be the smart thing to do. Whatever happened to him didn't matter as long as Beth was safe and none of theses pricks laid a hand on her.

The first gunshot made his ears ring, full awareness not coming back to him until a gurgling scream went up behind him. The rest of the men jumped up startled that Harley and Dan were now on the ground. Beth stepped out of the bushes fully revealing herself as Daryl watched almost in slow motion as Billy reached for his gun. Shane went for Joe, and Daryl now half free struggled viciously to stop what was about to happen.

In a flash of brown, black, and gray something else darted straight through the flames jumping onto Billy and taking him down with a scream of pain. It took Daryl a moment to realize it was Maize and she wasn't alone, a gray wolf was with her. Like two wild animals they took Billy down, Maize clamping onto his arm with the gun as the wolf lunged straight for his neck pulling off a chunk of flesh causing blood to squirt out. Daryl had all but written Maize off as dead but again he'd been wrong in underestimating her loyalty to Beth. Where the wolf had come from, he was clueless not having seen a wild wolf in all the time they'd been out here. In the end it didn't matter much, because the two dogs had leveled the playing field taking down the threat to Beth and leaving only Joe and Tony still alive.

Joe and Shane struggled on the ground, fighting over the same gun as Daryl finally tore himself loose. In one swift motion, Daryl stomped on Tony's head fracturing his skull and causing him to go limp. Coming to Beth he took the gun from her hands and pushed her behind him, the blinking away the blood in his eyes he strode over to where Shane and Joe were pressing the barrel against Joe's temple.

"You screwed up asshole." Kicking the bastard over onto his ass Shane stood up brushing himself off and coming to stand next to Daryl. "You see Shane is an old friend." Joe's lips twitched up into a smirk of sorts as a wry laugh escaped his lips. Raising his hands he smiled at Daryl.

"Well little brother Dixon. You are a badass." Daryl kept the gun pointed at his face having no compunction about shooting this prick in the face. "Still…I'm not sure you can kill a man in cold blood. Especially not with your little goody two shoes little woman watching." Daryl's eyes dimmed a bit. Killing a man because they were a threat was a lot different than executing someone, especially in front of Beth. Joe laughed. "See..I knew it. You're still the same."

Shane knew this was where he stepped in. Daryl was as tough as they came, Beth too, but they were only in this situation because of him. Because he decided to throw in with these pricks. So he needed to make it right; it was the rules- the rules Joe himself had created. Taking the gun from Daryl's hand he notched his head toward Beth. "Get her someplace safe. I'll finish this." Daryl hesitated, meeting Shane gaze he nodded. "This is mine."

Nodding slowly he handed the gun over to Shane collecting their weapons and Beth on the way out. The two dogs followed them leaving nothing but Shane and Joe illuminated by the flickering of the fire. Not far off he heard the hiss of moan of a group of walkers closing in, no doubt drawn by the noise. A smirk crossed Shane's lips. "You're wrong, Joe. There is still a place in this world for someone like me and it's with them. We're going to build a life, make a home, go on living…everything you said didn't exist anymore." Joe looked at him a taunt on his lips. Shane didn't hesitate in pulling the trigger, a howl of pain going up. Pulling it again the man on the ground folded over. Shot in both his legs he would have no chance to escape the oncoming herd. Taking one last look at him, Shane holstered his gun and walked away.

TBC….

Daryl's words to Joe are the words Joe used for Rick in series, minus the Dearie Me which is decidedly NOT Daryl.

I'm not a great action writer so I hope this was a bearable way to move the plot along.

Plan going forward:

Next chapter: A settlement is created for our three and we'll see a flash forward of the prison group

Following chapter: Flash Forward 6 months with a great surprise and some much needed reconnecting of Beth and Daryl

Final Chapter: Flash forward a year or so with both Rick's Crew and B/D/Shane- tie everything up

There will be a nice ending and an ALT ending to tickle your imaginations ! Stay with me and please Review !