The fire burned and cracked in front of her as the house gave way. It was as if she was in a trance, watching her own personal hell turning into the visual she grew up with. It wasn't until she heard the low growls and moans of the walkers that she booked it, running to the car that had held her days before. Revving the engine, she peeled out of the dirt driveway towards the road. She hadn't seen it, since the house was so far back, but she assumed. And she prayed that there wasn't a gate blocking her exit, there was no telling how many walkers her little act of defiance had attracted at that point.

Zooming past the trees – and several walkers – she nearly sighed in relief when she saw the broken gate ahead of her.. Nearly sighed in relief. She couldn't recall the last time she felt relaxed.

Yes she could. But she didn't know if she would see the cause of her relief – that blanket of security that made her feel like nothing could get to her. But she wouldn't allow herself to think of him yet.

As she hit the dark pavement of the road, she tried to get her bearings. She had no idea where she was, so she took a left, hoping to see some road signs nearby that might tell her where she was. She had to...She had no reason to believe that Daryl was still anywhere near her. No reason to believe that he was even looking for her anymore. She was as good as dead in this world anyway, right? But she had to believe. She had to have hope. So she wanted to go where she saw him last. Maybe she could pick up his trail? She had gotten pretty good at tracking since she started learning from the best.

The night stretched on until the sun started peaking shyly through the trees at her. She wanted to smile at it, but she couldn't. She couldn't smile again until she found him. In the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn't smile, but she wasn't ready to deal with the reality of what she had just done. Not yet.

With a deep breath, she thought back to the night she was taken. Right before it all went to hell...things had taken an unexpected turn. She wanted to slap herself for being so blind, but she never thought...Daryl? He had feelings for her? That wasn't possible...he didn't actually say it, sure, but...she wasn't that naive. Beth had watched plenty of romance movies in her young life and she had never seen an actor pull off that look. Even now, she could see those steely eyes burning into her. It brought a warmth to her chest that she never thought she'd feel again. But what had she done when he looked at her like that? When the realization dawned on her?

She just froze.

God couldn't be so cruel – not after everything He'd put her through already. She couldn't have the last moments with that man be so...stupid. She should have grabbed onto him for dear life, crushed her lips to his and never let him go. They never should have answered that door, then maybe they would still be together.

The warmth in Beth's chest slowly turned into an invisible hand, clutching at her lungs from inside and she felt more than heard a sob erupt from her mouth. Images of the past week flooded her senses and that's when she looked down in the mid morning sun at her shirt – completely soaked in blood. Swerving all over the road, she ripped the fabric off over her head and threw it out the window. That's when she saw her wrists, bloody and bruised from the restraints she was kept in, and felt the cut on her back open up. As she continued her reckless driving, she thought that she saw a walker emerging from the woods...until she noticed the crossbow it was holding. Immediately, Beth slammed on the brakes, trying her best to not make them squeal. She didn't put the car in park so she could be fully prepared to speed away at any sign of danger.

She watched the figure move slowly, closer and closer until he was only a few feet away from the car. So close, she could see the guarded expression on his face. Her heart squeezed as she nearly broke the stick to put it in park. Forgetting for a moment about her still-healing ankle, she stumbled out of the car and stared at him.

They stood like that for less than a second, but it seemed like time stood still. A smile broke out on her face.

"Daryl?" Her voice cracked and she quickly realized that she was starting to cry. She couldn't find it in herself to care as she did her best to run towards him, so close to feeling that sweet relief again.

"Beth." His voice was so low that she could barely hear it, but it held so much in just her name. Relief, grief, happiness, surprise...it was amazing. He was amazing. He was hurrying towards her as well and it wasn't long before she crashed into him, the weight of the past week melting to the pavement as he held her close. When she felt his rough fingers on her bare skin, she realized that she was standing in the middle of the road in just jeans and a bra, but it didn't even make her blush.

Walkers began to shuffle towards them, forcing apart their embrace. As he gave her a once over, his eyes darkened in anger and something else she couldn't quite place. Was it guilt? Quickly, he slipped his vest off himself and over her slim shoulders, not even giving her the option of refusing it.

"C'mon. I'm driving." There was a smirk in his words, but not on his face. He did that somehow. Beth was in no position to argue, as she felt her eyes begin to droop. She simply nodded and slipped into the passenger seat as he sped off towards the still-rising sun.

Beth couldn't remember the last time she saw such a beautiful sunset. There was a bit of a nip in the air already – even accounting for her state of undress, she knew it was cooler now than it usually was this time of year. Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs behind her, she felt herself smile, but didn't turn to face him.

The car ride had been completely silent, until they got to their current camp on top of an abandoned office building. Even then, it was just about their plan for that night. No talk about what had happened, about what either of them had been through. Nothing. But something had changed, they both knew. While they may not have used their words, they did know how to communicate in other ways. Beth spent the entire ride sitting close to Daryl – it was an older car, the front seat was just one seat instead of the two separate ones. She was timid at first, not sure if she had imagined what they had before. When she rested her head on his shoulder and he instantly wrapped an arm around her, though, she knew she had been right. It may not have been an arrangement that old cops would like, but it suited them just fine.

"C'mere." Daryl said softly from behind her. "S'get you cleaned up."

Suddenly feeling a blush creep onto her face, she smiled to herself and nodded, slipping his vest off of her body and holding it carefully in front of her. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, because she knew he would see right through her. She was acting fine. She knew that she wasn't. She felt a cool, damp cloth touch her bare skin and jumped. Patiently, he waited until she relaxed and he continued cleaning the cut across her back. He used the alcohol sparingly, and bandaged her wound expertly. How many times had he done this in his life? She wanted to know everything about him, but she knew he wasn't crazy about personal questions. Maybe after this...after he saw her at her most vulnerable, he would think they were even and open up. He had come so far already.

Carefully, he tugged on her elbow until she turned to face him. She couldn't bring herself to make eye contact, so instead she just smoothed out his shirt in front of her. He allowed her to, but she could feel his eyes on her, and it did indescribable things to her heart rate. It was like a hummingbird was fluttering around inside of her chest.

"Lost a lotta blood." Was it time for the truth already?

"It's not...all mine." Her words came out with great difficulty, but she knew they had to be said. He was quiet for a long moment.

"Inside of that car smelled like smoke."

"Guess I got a taste for it." Her mouth twisted into a small smile at her joke, but she felt no joy. The crickets grew louder as he watched her, and as she continued to avoid looking at him. Then, his rough hand pressed against the base of her neck, thumb brushing her jaw tenderly.

"Lookit me." His order sounded more like a request, and as time passed and she didn't reply, it became astoundingly more like a plea. "Lookit me."

Blinking back tears in her eyes, she looked up at him, knowing that he needed to hear what had happened, but dreading the words all the same.

"I killed them." The words fell from her mouth, and before she could stop them, tears joined as well. "Three of 'em."

"They hurt you?" He was angry, she knew it was only a matter of time before it came out.

"Not in the way you're thinkin." She shook her head. "They were waitin' on some leader, I think..but one of 'em got impatient. I just got the better of him...Then took care of the rest." Taking a deep breath despite her tears, she allowed herself to continue. "Didn't want that leader to have anything to come back to...if he was even alive. So I took as much stuff as I could, then lit a match."

Beth wasn't sure what to expect after this confession. To be completely honest, she was leaning towards the thought of him just nodding and going about his business. No-talk Daryl Dixon would be back and they would just return to how things were back at the prison. She didn't want that. She wanted to be with him. But she wasn't sure what he had liked so much in the first place. Was it her...innocence?That was gone now, wasn't it? She just killed three men – living men. They were monsters, sure, but they were still human lives that she ended. Would he find her repulsive now? Was the attraction gone?

"Good girl." Her breath caught in her throat as she looked back up at him, only to see the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"What?" His eyes held more affection now, and he brushed his thumb briefly across her bottom lip, igniting that fire in her with just one small gesture.

"Let's finish cleanin' you up." He began washing the dried blood away from her stomach and she stared at him, a little dumbstruck.

"...Daryl?"

"Mhm?" She didn't move until he chanced a glance at her, and immediately her lips were on his, her thin frame pressed hard against his. Soaked rags forgotten, he wrapped his arms around her and held her to him. She didn't know their next move. She didn't know if they would ever find the rest of the group that they lost, or if the world would ever start to look normal again. What she did know, was that if she had Daryl Dixon at her side...she would be ready for whatever the world threw at her next.

Well? Too cheesy? Anyway, hope you like! It was really important to me to have Beth get out on her own, though I do really love the idea of our favorite redneck rushing in on a white horse to save his princess...anyway, again, hope you enjoyed!