It's Beth that sees it first.
Daryl's distracted. For sure this girl would kill him, because he's too busy staring at the way she moves in front of him. He don't want to, but he feels like he's fucking 13 and he's finding himself stealing glances at her shoulders, not-so-boney under all her shirts and sweaters. At the jut of her elbow. The back of her neck when she turns her head and her pony tail flops over her shoulder. He's trying to pay attention, to listen, because there's so many of them to feed now, but damned if he can. His eyes flit back to her, the way her sides twitch with every step, her hips. She seems steadier now, after some more solid meals, but still too thin.
He doesn't mean to, but he's realized he's been checking out her ass, all the shit in her back pockets. He tries to collect himself.
He just never... never thought they'd do this again. Him, trailing behind her. Her, asking questions occasionally.
He's about to call out her name, and he's not entirely sure what he wants to say, but it's something along the lines of how glad he is to have her back, or how much he missed her while she was gone, but she stage-whispers his name first. Her voice is tight.
He picks up the pace, coming up behind her back. "What?"
She toes something over with her boot, still holding the crossbow tight.
It's a torn scrap of heavy fabric, caked in what might be mud or shit. Daryl isn't sure. It's Beth that asks, "Is that a diaper?"
So I'm clearly flubbing the timeline for my own benefit because I didn't think this through before I started off on a 20 chapter fanfiction. So, not all of this will be what I think it going to show up on the TV or whatever, but I'll still try to keep it realistic and interesting.
Thank you to all reviewers, especially you guys that give super ego boosts (like asking if I'm secretly Gimple or a writer on the show), that's always pleasant!
Also, thanks to awolfcomeshome for all help and chatting. :D