Before

It was the first time in weeks that she'd gotten any time to herself.

The blonde stopped the humvee and killed the ignition before stepping out into the snow. She felt the cold air fill all the way down into her lungs as she glanced around for any movement. Like always, this place was quiet and nearly untouched by the dead and decay of the world. And why would it have been? There was nothing here to scavenge, nothing needed for survival. She'd been visiting a few times a year for half a decade and she'd never seen any evidence of anyone passing through.

Some of the stones were no longer legible, but the cemetery was large enough that she was always able to find something. She had her favorites of course, the ones with lovely inscriptions or with just a simple 'beloved father' or' dearest mother', but it seemed like with every visit she was still able to find something she'd never seen before. Last time she'd found a barely readable 'Maggie' on one of the older headstones. Not a 'Margaret' or a 'Margie'. She dreamt of her for months afterward.

She decided to start by the mausoleums for once. She usually avoided them because visibility inside was hit-or-miss and she didn't want to get ambushed by either living or dead, but that meant that it was her least explored area. A few steps shy of the largest of the 3 structures labeled 'Sinclair', Beth stopped in her tracks and fought to take in a breath.

The reason the Councilor always visited the cemetery alone was because she could never trust her emotions when she was out here. It was the one place she allowed herself to feel and react naturally, and she couldn't let anyone at the Civic Republic see that or even know she was capable of it. She had an image to uphold.

But there, alone, Beth fell to her knees and forced air into her lungs as the cold snow leaked through her clothes. It was a large cemetery, plenty of names, plenty of possibilities, but she never considered that she'd see this here. Because his name and death did not add up in her mind.

'Dixon'

Now

She regained consciousness before she could open her eyes, and for a moment she thought she was back in the trunk. It was the only other time she'd felt pain radiating throughout her body like this. The only reason she knew that she wasn't there was that this time someone was squeezing her hand and whispering her name.

Beth swallowed down the pain she felt and forced her eyes open. They nearly closed again as a wave of nausea rolled through her. She swallowed again and tried to sit up. She was still on the gurney but no longer tied down, though she might as well have been the weakness she felt.

"Beth, relax, don't move," Carol said as she gently pushed the blonde to lay back down. "Just give it a minute." The older woman rubbed her thumb against the hand she held. "What happened?"

Beth shook head before she remembered and clenched Carol's hand. "Where's Daryl?"

"He's checking the hall for a clear path. Apparently he's gotten out of here once already…" she tried to joke.

The young woman shook her head again and tightened her hand even more as she lifted her head just enough to look Carol in the eye. She had to get this out before he came back and tried to argue. "When you escape—" Something that seemed to already be in progress. "You have to take him with you."

Confused, Carol's brows scrunched together. "Of course, we're all—"

" No ," she all but barked. "You have to get him out. If I go…they need something from me and they won't stop until they have it. Even if we make it home…it won't be safe if I'm there." She didn't have time to explain it all but she hoped her old friend would understand how serious she was. "You have to make him go no matter what. Drag him, knock him out, it doesn't matter. You have to, Carol," she begged. "Promise?"

A few quiet seconds passed as Carol processed her plea. "So there is a reason why you stayed away all this time." It wasn't a question.

There were plenty of reasons, but someone else would have to explain it to her later. They didn't have time for it now. "Do you promise?" Beth pressed.

The older woman considered her and then nodded. "Yeah, I promise."

Beth let out a breath she'd been holding and relaxed back onto the table. Now that she had Carol's word, she could think back on the events from before she blacked out. Fists flying, screaming, cursing, stabs with knives and needles. She pushed it down and promised herself that she'd take the time to handle her feelings about it if she survived long enough. "Help me sit up." Carol opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it and assisted the blonde. "How did you get out?"

The older woman slid a hand under Beth's shoulders to help her rise up. "One of those guys came back and I tricked him into opening the cell." She left it at that but the blonde was pretty sure that said guy was now dead.

Beth's chest heaved with heavy breaths as she tried to move her body into a sitting position. She got partially upright, but then she started to use the muscles in her legs for balance, and the pain made her let out a yelp as she dropped back to her elbows.

"Beth? Beth!"

The relief she felt when he came through the doorway lifted a weight off her chest she didn't know was there. But her anxiety rose once she looked him over. One half of his face was muddy with bruises and the other was crusted with dried blood. He had a limp from the wound to his leg, and it was accompanied by a drooping shoulder common after having been pulled from its socket. Her ease faded as he rushed to her side. "You have to go."

Confusion covered his face and he stepped into her space. "What? No, we can —"

"Daryl, look at me," she said as she locked her eyes onto his. "Your shoulder looks dislocated and you need your other arm to fight your way out of here. I don't–I don't think I can walk," she admitted, as she dropped her hand. "Just sitting up is—"

His face twisted. "I ain't leaving you behind!" he ground out, determined. "We can still carry you—" gestures between himself and Carol.

She reached out and gently placed her hand in the juncture of his neck. "I'm a lot heavier than I look." Beth smiled at him sadly, softly, wondering if he remembered one the the last best days she'd had.

Daryl searched behind her eyes for any chance that she'd relent. "Beth—"

"You need to go before you can't," she interrupted. "Go, Daryl."

His chest heaved as he looked her over and considered his choices. Meeting her eyes again he shook his head. "No, no fucking way." He brushed his hand across her jaw to rest it on her neck. They were mere inches away from each other when he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. If she wasn't already struggling to keep even breaths, his kiss would've elicited a gasp. He pulled away as suddenly as he'd moved towards her. "We're not splitting up again."

Beth simply nodded. "Ok."

A few elongated moments passed before a throat cleared behind them. They'd forgotten Carol was there. "I'll push, you lead?" she asked him, motioning towards the wheeled gurney.

Before she knew it they were through the doorway and wheeling her down the hall. Each bump and turn sent pain radiating throughout her body, but Beth stayed propped up on her elbows. If she couldn't walk, she'd at least keep an eye out for anyone coming after them. Somehow, their route was clear and, the further they moved along, the more unsettled she felt over their escape being too easy. She could tell by the looks on her companions' faces that she wasn't the only one feeling that way.

They realized why they'd been so lucky once they reached the courtyard.

Beth had been through a few battles before, both with the living and the dead, but the carnage in front of her was nothing like she'd ever seen. It was as if a bomb had gone off and coated every possible surface with blood and gore. They all looked left as a guttural snarl sounded and a walker unlike one she'd ever seen came sprinting towards them. She isn't sure if Daryl staggered into the gurney or shoved it on purpose, but suddenly she was thrown to the ground as it tipped over. Her body screamed in pain as she landed, but it was nothing compared to the fear she felt as the creature lunged on top of Daryl.