A/N: I think this will be the last chapter I post over here. Fanfiction is my roots, where I started posted fics when I was a young teenager, but it's just not it lol

The rest of the story will be posted only on AO3 :)

Warnings at the end of the chapter

"How's the ankle?" Daryl asked, taking a gulp of cola from the liter bottle.

"It's still really sore," Beth confessed. "But it feels a lot better now that I'm not on it all the time."

Daryl nodded, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Imma head out and check the perimeter of the woods for walkers. Maybe get us somethin' for lunch."

"Sounds good, I'll just hold down the fort," she grinned, eyes glancing up at the draping fabric above her head.

Beth could see the tips of Daryl's ears turning pink from where they poked out of his hair.

The night before, Beth had explained the whole storyline of the Sound of Music to Daryl in great detail, and even after some gentle nudging from him, she did end up singing Edelweiss. It had been very intimidating for her as he watched her mere inches away, instead of with her back to him, a good distance between them.

She had finished the story late into the night. The candles had burned down, her eyes had gotten heavy, Dooley had been sound asleep next to her, but she wanted to finish the story for Daryl. When she finished, she felt tears wetting her cheeks. She reached up to wipe them from her skin and laughed in embarrassment. Daryl didn't say anything about her emotions and they both laid down on the casket cushions without a word.

"I think the Sound of Music is my favorite movie," Daryl had mumbled just before Beth was pulled into sleep.

Beth locked the door behind Daryl after he left the house and hobbled down to their fort, pulling out her journal. She jotted down an entry that probably took up too many pages because all she could do was gush about the last few hours. She could feel it in her chest, the way she felt when she first started liking Jimmy in middle school, and when she first saw Zach walking through the gates of the prison. That feeling of warmth, of excitement, of giddiness. She almost stopped writing, but instead, she decided it was the best place to put her feelings; the only place. She had no one to talk to but Dooley and he was too busy gnawing on a stick.

"Edelweiss, edelweiss, every morning you greet me," Beth sang softly, doodling a field of flowers in the corner of a page. "Small and white, clean and bright, you look hap—"

Dooley shot up and began to growl.

Beth's heart began to pound. Dooley had never acted like this before. Maybe Daryl was back already and the dog just didn't realize it was him? She got up slowly, hand on the hilt of her knife, and crept up to the door to peer around the corner. As soon as she saw the two men standing just inside the front door, they saw her.

Both of them wore police uniforms and looked clean and well fed. The first man was white and shorter than his black partner. His beady eyes immediately sized her up as both of their hands went to the guns on their hips.

"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing," the first man drawled, taking a step forward.

The other man closed the door behind them and locked it, pocketing what looked like a ring of keys. They must have had a key to the door because she was sure that she had locked it behind Daryl.

"We haven't been here in awhile," the man spoke again, taking small, careful steps toward her, as if walking up to a spooked horse. "You look like you've made yourself right at home."

Beth's hand tightened around the handle of her knife, which drew the black officer's eyes to her hip. Both men immediately drew their guns, taking defensive stances.

"Now, let's not do anythin' we'll regret. Why don'tcha hand that over to me," the first man coaxed, coming close enough to touch, holding his hand out. His name tag read 'Gorman'. Beth slowly, reluctantly, handed her weapon over to the cop. He lifted his arm, reached through the spindles of the staircase, and placed her knife on a step. Dooley growled lowly next to her.

"Tell your dog to calm down, angel," Gorman ordered.

"Dooley, quiet," Beth hushed, putting a hand on his head to try and comfort him. Her mind was racing, trying to think of something to do. There was no way she could defend herself against two men. Dooley could probably do some damage to one, but she had a queasy feeling in her gut that told her they wouldn't hesitate to hurt her or her dog if it came down to it. She prayed Daryl was on his way back.

Dooley relaxed his bared teeth, but still growled low in his throat, stepping closer to Beth's legs.

Gorman motioned toward the room Beth had come from with the barrel of his pistol. Beth followed his silent command and backed into the room, never taking her eyes off Gorman while the second cop stayed by the front door. Gorman chuckled, looking at the fort behind Beth.

"I see you were waitin' for me. Looks cozy." he said, reaching out to touch the ends of her ponytail.

Dooley didn't like that. He lunged at the man, snapping his jaws viciously. Gorman cursed and kicked Dooley in the chest.

"Stop!" Beth screamed when Dooley tumbled back.

Gorman quickly grabbed Dooley by the scruff of his neck and threw the dog out into the hallway. He slammed the door shut and turned back to Beth.

"Jeffries'll take care of the mutt, while I take care of you." Gorman said darkly. His hands gripped her biceps too tightly, sure to leave bruises.

Dooley scratched at the door and then there were three quick thumps in the hallway. Beth felt tears sting her eyes.

Beth struggled against his grip as he pushed her back until her back was pressed against the casket cushions. No—no, not here. Not in this place of good memories, old and new. She started kicking at him until he pinned her legs beneath his own and she felt panic. Building in her lungs, unable to make a sound as she tried to wrench away from him.

"Just keep on tryin', honey," Gorman chuckled. "It's better that—"

The door burst open and before Gorman could say anything, he was ripped off of her. Daryl slammed him down on the floor and threw several punches to his face until Gorman's head was rolling on his shoulders, his mouth sputtering blood. Daryl stood, drawing his crossbow up and stomped the heel of his boot down onto Gorman's throat. Gorman struggled, trying to pry Daryl's foot off his neck, and his eyes went wide when he caught sight of Daryl's bow.

"Please," he choked, blood staining his lips.

Daryl clenched his jaw and shot a bolt through Gorman's right eye.

For a moment everything was still. Daryl and Beth both heaving ragged breaths, looking at Gorman's dead body.

Then, Dooley was at Beth's side, whining and licking at her hands and face. Daryl grabbed her bag and dropped it in front of her. "Pack your shit, we're leavin'."

And he was out the door without another word.

Warnings: brief attempted rape, brief animal abuse