Hey lovelies! Lost a little of my mojo there :( I know where this story is going and how it'll end I just need to push myself a bit more. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and please let me know what you think! Xoxo

P.S. random thought before the chapter starts, I read this great book, Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas, and it was so good I have to recommend it (hopefully you're allowed to do that on these sites, oops? Lol). Thanks to Bethyl, I have a new respect for age gap stories and this one has an age difference probably similar to our couple so you definitely have to be open/into that to enjoy the romance side of things. If you have read or decide to read the book I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Our close call with the Atlanta cops shook us both up more than we realized. We barely left our home for days. If everything sounded as quiet as normal from the threshold of our door and our immediate area looked empty from that same vantage point, we didn't go any further. We both know that if the cop was coming back with his cavalry, he would have been here by now. Still didn't change how we felt in the beginning.

Beth and I have been curled around each other's bodies non-stop, we even eat our meals in bed to stay close. And other than asking how she is a few times, until she gave me a look that made me cower, we haven't talked about what happened in the woods.

Unfortunately, at the end of the world you can't sit on your ass for long and on day four we checked out the last two townhouses. Seems as if ours was the only one with inhabitants that stuck around when shit started hitting the fan and they more than likely cleared out the neighboring homes, stuffing our basement full. Our to-do list here is pretty much non-existent which makes our reasons and excuses to stay any longer null and void.

No matter what's happened to us out there, we have an unspoken agreement that we still want to venture into the unknown, for our family. Since leaving the house a couple days ago, even if was only to walk next door, it's been easier to go back to our daily routine. Beth has stopped waking up in the middle of the night and I'm able to stay asleep till almost dawn now. We're slowly but surely getting back to our old selves, and I'm so fucking grateful. I'll be honest, there were more than a few moments when I thought what happened may break us. Break her. And Beth gives me so much damn strength, I didn't know how, or if I could, carry us both through an emotional fuck-up as bad as this.

When the light fully returned to Beth's eyes and that same night she turned on the small CD player I found, for the first time since we survived the encounter with the uniformed assholes, I smiled a real smile. Not a Daryl smirk as Beth calls them, but a full on, my-teeth-are-showing grin. And then I scooped her up, kissing her until we were breathless before making love to her on the living room floor. We both fell fast asleep right there soon after.

I woke-up the next morning to a stiff back and a sunny room. No matter how much my old bones were protesting, I finally felt happy again. There was no use attempting to get up quietly, between being as rigid as the floorboards and my bones creaking something awful, Beth was awake before I made it to my feet. Awake and laughing.

"Something funny girl?" I playfully growled at her.

Beth was lying on her front watching me and buried her face in our discarded clothes, giggling.

"No old man, nothing's funny." She tells me between chuckles.

I hold Beth's gaze until her laughing stops and then I pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder and slapping her ass, making her shriek. "Daryl!" She half moans but I can hear the smile in her voice.

I don't say a word or stop moving until we're in the shower, the warm water already creating a cloud of of steam that engulfs us. I slide Beth down my body but only to my waist and proceed to pin her back against the shower wall. Then, in one fluid motion I grab Beth's ass with one hand, line my cock up to her dripping slit with the other and thrust balls deep inside of her.

"Oh shiiiiit!" Beth yells, throwing her head back.

"Not laughing now. Could an old man fuck you like this? Huh baby?" I pant against her ear before biting the lobe causing Beth to shudder. My hands squeeze and grip both of her supple cheeks as I keep up a punishing pace of my hips.

"Only you, god Daryl, just you." Beth moans, her words making my balls twitch.

My lips find hers and I lick into her mouth, the tangling of our tongues does nothing to help push down my rapidly approaching orgasm. I start cicrcling my hips so my pelvis brushes her clit and after s few more thrusts I feel her walls flutter and know she's almost there.

"Look at me." I demand.

Beth's full blown pupils meet mine and she whimpers a moment before yelling my name as her pussy clamps down on my length, strong enough to cause my own release.

"Beth, fuck!" I call, spilling deep inside her body.

Beth is wrapped around me like a vine, her face nuzzling my neck and then I feel it. More damn giggles.

"Gonna have to call you old more often if you do that to me after." She mumbles against my skin.

Her words make me shake my head and even chuckle. "I'll fuck you however you want, you don't need the fighting words." I tell her honestly.

Beth pulls back with a tired, yet lusty look in her eyes. "I love you." She says, her fingers running through my hair.

"Love you girl, so much."

Somehow I pull out of her and we both clean up and make it downstairs, fully dressed, to eat breakfast. Beth went quiet on me after our shared "I love yous" and I was just starting to worry she had slipped back into the darkness that surrounded us these last several days, when she finally spoke up.

"I've been thinking about our plan." Beth says before taking a deep breath. "I know it's time to leave here, go back to searching for them. But I don't want to just go out there to be stuck on some endless mission that won't end how we're hoping. Well, not forever at least." She keeps her gaze on her coffee mug and I have to turn and take her hands in mine to force her eyes to mine.

"Hey, I get it Beth, I do and I understand. So what is it you wanna do then?"

She holds me tighter. "I want to go and soon but before leaving we need to decide on how long we should be gone for. And when that time comes, if we haven't found anyone or any concrete leads as to where they could be, then we come back here."

Beth's words surprise me. She's reached a place where she can stop looking for our family and instead settle down just the two of us. I didn't think that would ever happen. And I feel like shit for how my heart jumps with happiness at her admission.

"You sure? You'll be alright here, just us?" I need to make sure she's thought this through.

Beth climbs onto my lap and wraps her arms around my neck before answering. "Of course I am Daryl. I'll always miss them and love them but we can't keep risking our lives and suffering through the disappointment of not finding them. And a life with you is so much more than I ever thought or prayed I would have. Even before the turn. I love you, you're my person, we're safe and stocked here. We're lucky we have this place to come back to if things don't work out how we're hoping."

Thing is, I don't know what I'm hoping for anymore.

Over the next couple of days we organize all the supplies in the house and then take whatever we can fit in our packs. We also reinforce the windows and doors to protect our home as much as possible while we're gone, which could be a while if we find the others.

It took some compromising but we finally agreed that we would search for them for one month before coming back here. I wish it was a week instead but Beth said that wasn't fair, and yeah fine, maybe she had a point.

We soaked up every last second in our little bubble, enjoying our amenities to the fullest and indulging in each other even more. Our last night in that big comfty bed came too damn soon.

Beth was sprawled across my chest, catching her breath after our love making when she spoke and it was like deja vu from the funeral home. "I'm gonna miss this."

I pulled her closer, my fingertips caressing her scalp.

"Me too angel, me too."

The next morning we triple checked the gas was off and that every possible way to enter the townhouse was locked or boarded up tight. Then, with one last, long glance at our own little oasis we set off, back on our original trail.

Our first two days were almost mirrored images of each other. We began our day just before the sun rises and kept trucking on till it's pitch black. Luckily, both of those nights we found some sort of shelter. The first, we sleptin an old mom-and-pop convenience store. It looked like it was boarded up before the turn and then was looted later on but it still had four walls and a roof. After being in our little home for so long, I'm thankful for it because I don't think I could've handled Beth sleeping out in the open yet. The second night we find an open plan, one room cabin with two walkers inside, and it doesn't look (or smell) like it's been touched since the turn.

I don't know what either of us are expecting to find day in and day out. We obviously don't want to put down roots anywhere and we also know it's not likely that we're going to find anybody anytime soon. Maybe ever. Hence, our back up plan.

The best thing that's happened to us so far is that it doesn't seem as though we've followed the path of the herd we encountered on our last failed outing. Thank fuck. And I dare use the word lucky to describe our walker encounters the first forty-eight hours after leaving the townhouse. The only close call was when we stumbled upon a group of half a dozen of the dead ripping apart a too small, fluffy carcass. Seeing as most of them were so occupied fighting over the entrails, we were able to take all of them out. Since then we've only had to deal with one or two at a time. I repeat, thank fuck.

When it comes to Beth and I, we fall right back into our routine. We have each other's backs, we don't need words to communicate and we touch, kiss and hold onto one another every chance we get.

But it just feels as if we're wandering now. Before, I felt like we had purpose, were on a mission. Now, all I want is to turn back and live behind those iron gates till my dying day. I don't tell Beth though, her plan is a helluva lot more fair than my own selfish wants and I couldn't stand to have her disappointed in me.

I knew this smooth running wouldn't last. And they do say the third times a charm, but they must not be talking about days because on day three everything started to go to shit.

Beth was already up and about when I opened my eyes and I could tell immediately she was unhappy. We had as good of a night as anyone can out here so I'm at a total loss of what to do or say. When am

I not though? I hope like hell Beth will throw me a bone and tell me what's going on, but when I get up and she ignores me, I know I have to grow a pair.

"Angel, what's wrong?" I softly prod.

Beth damn near gives me a heart attack when her eyes meet mine and the irritation that had been coming off of her in waves quickly turns into sadness as tears fall down her face. "I'm sorry Daryl. I shouldn't take my mood out on you." She hiccups.

I pull Beth into my chest, rubbing her back, her emotional one-eighty has me completely lost now. "Don't apologize. What happened?"

Beth looks up at me, her face and eyes red from crying, her hair a mess. Breaks my damn heart to see her so distraught and at how beautiful she is, even like this. "It's stupid and I'm being stupid." She huffs out at me. I want to tell her she's the smartest person I've ever met but if I interrupt I'm afraid she'll stop talking, so instead I just give her a look that says, don't talk about my girl like that. "I got my period this morning." She tells me on a sigh, looking at the ground now, my heart sinking with her gaze. "And I feel disappointed and sad and then shocked and dumb that I feel that way. Didn't want to scare you either."

"Scare me? About what?" My confusion is only getting worse the more she speaks.

"The fact that I was thinking and even hoping I was..." Beth blushes, still inspecting the forest floor, not finishing her sentence.

Pregnant. I easily fill in the blank.

"What you want, it doesn't scare me Beth. Maybe it should but it don't."

Her head snaps up at that. "Really?" I give her a slight nod. Beth smiles for a second and then looks away not really seeing anything, before continuing. "The world being how it is, what happened to Lori and the fact that this," she moves a hand back and forth between us, "is so new I know it's not a good idea. Might never be a good idea or time to have a baby. But I still want one, so bad, with you. One day."

Daryl from a year ago would've shit his pants and run away from the seriousness and emotion behind her words and their implication. But who I am today, Beth's Daryl, instead feels pride at the fact someone loves me for me, demons and all. This woman wants a life with me, a child. And no it's not safe and yes it's too soon, but to know our relationship runs as deep within her as it does me has my heart swelling.

"I'm been thinking about it too. And I want it more than I've ever wanted anything, except you. But now isn't the right time, it's too dangerous. Maybe this is fate stepping in."

Beth looked beyond happy for a beat there but by the time I'm done speaking her face falls again. "But what if I just can't have babies?" And there it is. The bigger issue, fertility. We're all so, understandably, immersed in surviving, that other legitimate concerns are sometimes never spoken of and instead eat away at us. The forest isn't the best place for a heart to heart but fuck it.

In all honesty, I'm not worried about our ability to conceive. The day the prison fell I started believing in fate, it's the only explanation that Beth and I ended up together. And I do think fate had a hand in not giving us a baby right now.

"You can."

"You don't know that Daryl. All we've done these past couple months is have sex." Beth blushes slightly, despite herself.

"And practice makes perfect." I get a death glare for that line. "Beth, you're fine and so am I. But besides the fact we're stuck on the road again, no help in sight, which ain't a good foundation for giving birth, I'm not ready to share you." Beth seems to calm at my admission, squeezing me with her arms, where they've never left my waist. "You're so young and I ain't that old yet, we have time." Age aside, we really don't, but she's making me be more positive and hopeful.

"You're right." Beth sighs. "And we are still getting to know each other. I don't want anyone else demanding your attention yet."

"No one will ever be as demanding as you." I joke.

Beth acts mock insulted but then just laughs before giving me a soft kiss on the mouth. "Let's eat and head out." And just like that, we've resolved a problem together, for now at least.

Not half an hour after we leave the cabin we see a group of over a dozen fucking walkers just ahead of us. There was no way we could take them all on but since we had seen them early enough I'm able to lead us out of the denser part of the forest towards the road. I know this will always be a continuous war I'll have to fight as long as we choose not to settle down permanently. The risk of the dead in the trees versus the living on the road. We stay just inside the line of thin saplings for the rest of the day, Beth and I keeping up the steady pace I set. We have to try and get as far away from the group of walkers as we can.

Twilight is upon us way too fast and I know I have to stop and make a plan with Beth for the night because taking in our surroundings, I can tell we ain't going to find anywhere to crash tonight. Meaning we need to start deciding where to make camp. Shit, really I should've done that already and I can feel the question behind Beth's gaze but she won't dare speak in the middle of the woods, no matter how much she wants to know what we're doing.

As I start slowing down, resigned to a stressful and uncomfortable night in the woods, I see ahead that the extremely thin tree line gives way to an open field on either side of the road. I silently curse myself because now we're going to have to backtrack, I really don't fucking want to cross an open area of that size when it's almost dark.

I halt us in our tracks to figure shit out when I see a flicker of light. It's mostly hidden behind an old truck that couldn't have been touched since the world came to an end but I can definitely see the flames of a very small campfire. I nudge Beth and nod my head in the direction of what I've seen and it doesn't take her much longer than it did me to notice that we're not alone. I can hear slight noises and just feel that there are still people around the fire, that it's not just been left to die out on it's own.

We stopped far enough away so they wouldn't be able to see or hear us. But for some ungodly reason I'm drawn towards the flame instead of hightailing it in the opposite direction with Beth.

"Let's try and get as close as we can without them seeing us. We can't stay here anyway so we're going to have to cross through this field or go back on ourselves. Might as well see if we can even get past them." I whisper so low I'm surprised Beth even heard me but she must have because she looks shocked at my plan. Me fucking too.

Although she has changed my opinion, for the most part, on the good in the world I'm still very wary of strangers, especially after our two recent encounters. So why am I doing this? Beth doesn't say a word, she simply nods with her knife in hand.

We both might as well be gliding through the forest we're so silent and after walking a short distance to our right I can see more of the hidden campfire. I push Beth's back against a tree so she can watch the sprawling forest behind me as I step out a little further to see how many people we're dealing with and what kind of vibe they give me.

What my eyes find just ahead of us has all the air leaving my lungs.

There are three figures huddled around the glowing fire. My gaze is immediately on the long, light colored handle of a large sword, standing out in contrast against the dark hair it rests against. But this isn't just any sword, it's a katana I've become very familiar with. Next to the first silhouette is a smaller one, a large brown hat resting on the ground bedside them. Tears are already stinging the back of my eyes and I don't even need to look at the last person to know who they are. They might not have any defining accessory attached to them but they don't need it. I immediately know from the strength emanating from this man that it's Rick.

Beth hasn't moved an inch or said a word but I can practically hear the anxious questions buzzing in her mind. When our eyes meet she reaches for me, concern clouding her features. I press a finger to her lips before she can speak. "You can't say a word Beth, nothin." I almost mouth to her as I nod my head to where I'm standing. A flicker of fear passes through her gaze before she composed herself and moves to stand in front of me. Thank god she's so close cause as soon as she realizes who's only yards away from us her knees buckle and I have to steady her.

I can feel her being pulled to them like a magnet but Rick will kill us in a heartbeat if we don't approach them right. I shove Beth behind me and walk us forward only enough to just be seen by three of the most important in the damn world.

"Hey samurai." I call as quietly as possible, the use of my nickname for Michonne hopefully keeping us safe.

Michonne, Rick and Carl move as if they're part of a synchronized dance routine, standing and turning in our direction with weapons ready in an instant.

Besides her eyes expanding into saucers, Michonne is a statue, while Carl tucks his gun away with a smile on his face that would rival the Cheshire Cat's. And then there's Rick. The tension and defensiveness deflates from him like a popped balloon as he lets out a shaky laugh, his face brighter than I've seen in too long. "Daryl." He croaks.

Beth can't contain her excitement any longer and pops her head around my side, tears streaming down her cheeks and her mouth split into a dazzling smile. Her tears trigger their own, even Carl's eyes are glassy and I see Rick stumble a second before he fights his stance.

Then we're all meeting in the middle, crashing into one another. Michonne scoops Beth up into an engulfing hug, it's the biggest act of affection I've seen from the woman since she showed up with a wound and powdered formula at the prison. I wrap an arm around Carl's shoulder before ruffling his shaggy hair, getting my own real smile out of him, hard to do with teens. And then Rick and I finally embrace each other. He's one of the few humans that I will ever willingly touch in any way. We're in a joint vice grip as Rick leans his forehead against mine. "Brother." He is all he says.

We're all part of their earlier dance now, switching partners. Beth squeezes Carl's arm affectionately as she moves towards his father. Michonne and I hug only for a moment, but it's enough, we're more alike than anyone would think and my heart is soaring knowing she's alright.

After the initial shock subsided, I didn't think I had room for any other emotion besides the beaming fucking joy running through my veins. But when I look at Rick and Beth, the pair hugging and then only pulling back enough so he can hold onto her face, looking her over as if she's a mirage before placing a kiss to the top of her head, jealously hits me like a freight train.

Even though Rick has never and will never look at Beth like a daughter, how could he after the way she cared for Judith, I also know he would never pursue her. He was simply one of many men (and some women) at the prison who appreciated the beauty that is Beth Greene. I understand how my best friend sees my girl because I would catch him looking at her when I was doing the exact same. His were only fleeting glances, appreciating her strength on fence duty, her long legs in her shorts during the summer months and the way she would sing and sway with Judith on her hip in the kitchen. Whereas, I was watching her, soaking in every detail about her. And I'm sure he was looking at the Woodbury women too. Unlike me. It was one of the few normal things left in this world, a momentary break from looking at everything dead and decaying and instead enjoying the beauty left behind.

I'm being an idiot, at least I realize that fact but I can't help myself. Beth is mine now and no matter how innocent they're actually being, it's makin my skin crawl. Finally they part and Beth comes to stand flush against my side, my palm brushing the front of her hand but neither of us move to intertwine our fingers. Tonight was the biggest curve ball life could throw us and Beth and I need to figure out how to deal with telling our first, and maybe only, family members about us. But right this second isn't the moment.

They lead us over to their campsite and we put our packs in the front seat of the old pick-up with their belongings, which are much more sparse than ours. We settle down around the fire after grabbing a couple of our cans of beans to share, and you would've thought we pulled out porter house steaks by the looks on their faces. Once everyone is warm and mostly full Beth leans over to me. "I got to use the ladies." She whispers. I just nod and get up.

"Restroom. We'll be back." I tell the group and the two of us cross over the road into the adjacent tree line, hopefully giving Beth a little more privacy. "Wait." I tell her, wanting to scope out the area so she ain't caught in a nasty situation with her pants around her ankles. The forest here is quiet and the trees are denser so it's as good a spot as any. "All good angel." Beth smiles and brushes against me as she disappears into the forest.

I make my way towards the others, adding to the air of privacy we never really have these days, and lean against the truck so I can watch where Beth is. A minute or so passes by when we hear a twig snap and by the time we all turn our attention in the direction of where the sound came from it's too damn late. There's five men surrounding us before we can even react. Two corner me, while Michonne and Rick's attacker's each point a gun at them and once Carl is dragged from the cab of the truck there's a knife in his face.

Fuck fuck fuck. All I can think and hope is that Beth sees the current shitshow going on while she's still hidden and stays away. I can't even begin to worry about me or the others, she takes over every part of me, the rest of the world fading away. Depending on how long they were watching us they could've seen me lead her into the forest and might go after her. But if she turns around right away she could get a decent head start. Who am I kidding? She would never do that.

The man standing behind Rick starts talking but I barely register the words coming out of his mouth because it hits me like a literal slap to the face, I know that voice. My blood runs cold when I realize these are the men from the garage. They seem to have lost a couple of members since then, if I counted the voices correctly the last time we encountered them, but they still outnumber us. Even if they didn't, their danger lies in the fact they've become savages and act without thought or remorse.

The leader, Joe, is recounting a story and obviously our family has had to deal with these pieces of shit as well, but in a much worse, more first hand experience. He then lists the order in which they'll...take...and kill us all. I feel like a total waste of oxygen when I I feel slight relief that a blonde isn't mentioned. Trying to apologize for my selfish thoughts, I speak up, hoping like hell it will help.

"Hey." Joe looks at me as if I've got four heads but I just keep going, maybe if I can stall them for even a minute it'll help our chance at surviving this. "I don't know what happened but these people, they're good." I say as I motion to my three family members. "I'll take whatever revenge you want to give, just let them go." I put my crossbow down and raise my hands in surrender, hoping my non-defensive stance earns me some trust.

Joe laughs, and it's a dark sickening sound. "The only sense you just made archer was the fact that you don't know what happened. You say these are good people, but this man," Joe pushes Rick's head with his gun. "strangled my friend. So I feel confident speaking on his behalf when I say, that would be a lie." Joe sighs, sounding exasperated. "Look, you're not one of us but you're going to learn our rules real quick, we don't tolerate lying." He eyes the two men that have me surrounded. "Teach him fellas, teach him all the way." They both holster their weapons and start beating me with their fists till I fall to the ground and then their boots join in as well.

I hear the telltale signs of shuffling and fighting from around me but I can't see a thing, my body in the fetal position, my arms and legs desperately trying to block my head and stomach from their brutal blows. A single gunshot sounds off and I think that maybe this is it, maybe we've gotten the upper hand. But the ass kicking I'm getting doesn't let up and I lose any hope that the bullet I heard ended up inside of an enemy versus a friend.

I decide to start thinking of Beth. Her fire and attitude, her goddamn gorgeous face and body, her unfailingly kind, giving heart. I flip through memories, mostly intimate ones, trying to get lost in the feel of her. Before I'm too far gone though, I'm jolted back to the present when one set of hands and feet stop attacking my body. I'm already fucked and instead of trying to see what's happened I take the easing of my beating as a window to roll over and jump to my feet in one fluid motion. I see now that one of my attackers is on the ground, clutching at his half slit throat, mouth opening and closing like a fish on land while blood pours down his front.

I look around to try and figure out what the hell just happened and that's when I see a flash of blonde. Beth. My heart leaps against my ribs painfully, with relief and dread. This is all happening in seconds and she's able to lunge at the other man before he can even piece together what's going down. He's almost as tall as I am though, so she never would've reached his neck like she did with the Gorman lookalike dying to my right. Beth purposefully aims at the soft under part of his bicep and the man whips around, stumbling towards her, losing copious amounts of blood already. She's able to take a step back since he's so unsteady but I watch in horror as his hand is close enough to still connect with her cheek, the force of it causing Beth to fall backwards.

I throw myself at the wobbling piece of shit before he can get any closer to Beth, and slam my knife through his eye. I quickly repeat this with the shorter asshole and then I'm kneeling in front of her in a flash. "Are you okay?" I demand, my hands shaking as they gently cup her face. The blow sliced open the skin of her left cheekbone and the dark blood stands out in stark contrast to the creamy skin of her face. Before she can answer me, I grab a clean rag from the stash Beth had slipped into my vest pocket to wipe her skin and apply pressure to her wound.

I quickly look to where Rick, Michonne and Carl are and I let out a sigh of relief when I see Joe and one of his men's dead bodies on the ground. Michonne is cradling Carl and scoping out our surroundings as well and I can see Rick's arm come up and then back down over and over. The truck abscures exactly what's he's doing but you don't need to be a genius to figure it out.

"Me? Of course I am. It's you I'm worried about." Beth says incredulously as she surveys my face, taking in the damage. And then she's switching our positions, my ass hitting the ground as she kneels over me, my rag filled hand remaining glued to her face. Beth has turned full nurse on me and is looking into my eyes, slowly moving my neck and head to really inspect me. She reaches for the hem of my shirt and stops short just before lifting it up, instead leaving her hands on either side of my waist. "Where's it the worst?" She whispers, rubbing circles on my sides.

"Arms and legs. They took almost all of it."

Beth's crazed expression calms a bit, if they had gotten my abdomen I could've had a broken rib, punctured lung or worse. Now she's pushing up my sleeves as far as they'll go, checking every freckle on my arms and then does the same with my pants and legs.

"I'm alright Beth. I'll be sore that's all. C'mere." I say as I pull her into my lap and wrap both of my arms around her body.

Her own go around my neck as her eyes find mine. "All the things we've been through, I've never been as scared as I was when I came out of that forest." Beth visibly shudders.

"You had to do it." I don't know how killing a living person, no matter how awful they were, is going to affect her.

"I know. I don't feel bad at all about it. That's more shocking to me than what I did, how I feel. It was instinct. I'll always protect you Daryl." Beth's face holds no remorse, only love for me.

My eyes feel like they're glued to her, needing the constant reminder she's here, safe, but I somehow force them away to take in our immediate area again. Carl is sitting in the cab of the truck now, Michonne leaning against the open door frame, shielding him, katana ready as her gaze flicks all around us. Rick is doing the same from the front of the vechile but I see both of them stop, sneakily, to look at Beth and I. Michonne's mouth twitches so fast I think I imagined it and Rick's eyes come slightly back to life as they take in our embrace.

Guess they know about us.

"I love you. You were so damn brave." I murmur to Beth as I put the dirty rag away, her face as clean as I can manage without using our first aid kit.

"I love you. You make me brave."

We sit wrapped up in each other for too long yet nowhere near long enough. We can't stay here so I help Beth to her feet and take her hand in mine as we walk over to our family.

"You two alright?" Rick asks.

"We will be. You guys?" I inquire right back.

"Us too."

"We need to go. The gunshot and the fighting could have walkers coming this way." I say, looking around at the death that encircles us. I don't need to voice my other thought, we don't want to be around them any longer.

Rick nods as his eyes fall on Carl. "You're right. We won't make it far at night but let's see where we can get."

And with that we grab our shit and get the hell out of dodge. The moonlight doesn't do much for us and after fighting and tripping through the trees for an hour I hear water which is, hopefully, an amazing fucking sign. I let out a low whistle and everyone stops to look at me. I hold up my hand, silently telling them to stay put as Beth and I follow the sound. Just ahead and to the right is a stream at the bottom of a smal rock ledge. It's too high for walkers to scale but low enough for us to jump down if needed. Stream on one side and trees on the other is as good as it'll get for a camping spot tonight.

We spread out and build a fire to warm some water. Everyone cleans up and then hydrates, attempting to rid the cold from our bones but not quiet getting there.

"Beth and I will take first watch." I volunteer.

Carl is already asleep so Michonne and Rick simply thank us.

"Let's do a last perimeter check." Rick says to me as he stands.

Beth is next to Michonne before I even leave our little nook. They're both eager to catch-up and it takes me a second to realize I've stopped in my tracks and I'm staring at the small smile on her face.

Once I shake myself out of my stupor I quickly follow after Rick and meet up with him in no time. We silently walk a large perimeter around the sides of our camp not shielded by the stream. Thankfully, everything is quiet, except for the stirrings of wildlife, a good indication the dead aren't near.

Rick stops short of the fire and the three loved ones waiting for us. From our vantage point, we can see them but the trees hide us from their view.

"You two being back with us, it's everythin." Rick says, looking straight ahead. He's used to me so when I look at the side of his face until Rick's eyes meet mine and I simply make a grunt of acknowledgement, he knows that means as much as a speech from anyone else.

We stay there in companionable silence for a few moments, just breathing in the fact we're together. Even if it's not all of us, it still means the world.

"So you and Beth..." Rick trails off, not finishing his question and also not looking at me again, leaving the innuendo in the air between us, letting me take it where I want. If we keep finding family members on our journey, Beth and I will be doing this a lot. Explaining. Not that we're doing anything wrong, it's just a part of our "surviving the fall of the prison" story. To me, Rick's opinion means the most, Maggie's a close second, so might as well swallow my fear at his possible judgment or exile, and be honest.

"Yea. Me and Beth." Those four words carry more meaning than anything I've ever said to him.

I can see from the corner of my eye Rick is watching me now, and when his gaze fixates on my chest it forces my own eyes down. The assholes from earlier ripped my shirt when they first started kicking the shit out of me so now more of me is exposed than I like. And right there, just under my collarbone is one of the marks Beth has left on me. It's clear this isn't a bruise from the attack and the sheriff next to me knows that.

"Is it serious?" Rick asks.

Rage fills my veins at his words. One hickey and he thinks this is just about gettin some pussy? I'm being irrational, but I don't give a fuck. Rick is just looking out for us both, I get that and he knows better than most that I don't fuck around so if I'm sleeping with Beth it means something. And really I'm thankful as fuck that she has someone as strong as Rick to look out for her, care about her and his investment in Beth will now be tenfold without Hershel. But I don't need him worrying about her this second and he never has to be concerned about Beth when it comes to me and our relationship.

It also really struck a nerve because this is what I've been worried about, the judgment. I'm too told, too dirty, too gruff. And more importantly, I'm scared people will think my intentions of being with Beth aren't meaningful and sincere. For Rick to maybe even be thinking along those lines crushes me. I take a deep breath and step back from the edge of a total mental breakdown before looking at him.

"I'm in love with her." I say, not breaking eye contact.

Rick can't hold onto his sheriff's poker face any longer. He lets out a small, shocked breath as his eyes widen like Michonne's had earlier.

"I'm happy for you brother." He says, once composed, and I can see he's being completely sincere.

"Really?"

"Of course. You're a good man Daryl, one of the best I've ever known. You deserve love and happiness more than anyone."

I can barely breathe I'm so relieved and fucking elated at his words. It gives me the courage to be honest about the doubts I have of the others and their understanding.

"I wasn't sure how you or anyone would take it." I mumble. I only care about what Beth feels and wants but obviously support from our family would be better than dislike.

"I ain't got to tell you she's young. But she's old enough and she's always been wise beyond her years."

I sigh. He thinks too highly of me to even consider my concern comes from anywhere else besides our age gap.

"She's too good for me."

The asshole actually laughs at that. "She's amazin, I'm a big fan of Beth. For who she is and how she cared for..." Rick clears his throat instead of finishing his thought, it's too heartbreaking to utter Lil Asskicker's name. "But I meant what I said. You have kept so many of us alive and fed. You're vital to our family. Once you see yourself the way I do and she does, you won't worry about crap like that anymore."

My throat is closing up with emotion at his words and praise. I felt as if I should have fit in at the farm and at the prison but I just didn't. Everyone was kind to me and appreciative, shit I ain't used to. But I've never taken Rick's opinions lightly and I won't start now. He's made me a little more hopeful that Beth and I can still be happy with our family around.

"Thanks brother." I tell him, my voice deeper from holding back more damn tears.

"She knows how you feel right?"

"Mmmhmm. Told her a couple weeks ago. She told me she loves me back." I can't help the shit eating grin plastered on my face.

Rick slaps me on the back and his face lights up as well. "You're one lucky bastard." He chuckles. "Now, you two be, uh, safe."

I can feel my ears burnin at his order and have to clear my throat before words will escape my mouth. "We'll try." No point lying to the man. I'm not one to "kiss and tell" as they say, but back when life was so called normal I never had anyone I could trust to talk to. Hell, even if I did I sure as fuck didn't have anyone or anything to boast about or be proud of. Now I get to show off my beautiful girl.

Rick's mask falls again, he looks shaken to his core that not only do I have a woman and a sex life but I've talked about both of them. Alright, it really sounds like the apocalypse is upon us now.

He shakes his head and whole heartedly laughs now. "And I repeat, you're one lucky fucking bastard."

Beth and Michonne are still quietly talking when we join them. I stride straight to my girl, honestly having missed her. Once I'm seated next to her I wrap an arm around her shoulders and drag her against my side and press a kis to her temple. She fits there perfectly, like she was made for me.

Women gossip so I assumed she told Michonne all about us but when the samurai chokes on the mouthful of water she just took, I realize that saying is right. Don't assume...

When Michonne has stopped spluttering and is breathing normally her face is as bright as the sun. My heart cracks with relief and happiness that two of our own are happy for us.

"You two are for real then?" She confirms.

Beth's smile must be hurting her cheeks. "Yes. Couldn't be happier." She looks at me as she speaks. I know she means what she says but she's also conveying to our family that she wants this, me, us, she wasn't forced and it's not something temporary.

"Me either." I stare right back and a small grin tugs at one side of my mouth.

"Well, this'll take some getting used to but congratulations. I'm happy for you." Michonne says with immense sincerity and I feel Beth relax a bit. "Guess I shouldn't have been surprised with the way you look at each other."

And just like that, we're not a secret.

We're all beat, who could fucking blame us? Rick and Michonne lie down near Carl and all three of their breathing evens out in no time.

"Finally I don't have to fucking share you." I groan. Beth and I are sitting with our backs against a tree, shoulder to shoulder, no space between our bodies.

Beth lets out a mix between a laugh and a sigh. "I know the feeling. This whole not being alone thing is going to take some getting used to." She doesn't sound impressed.

I press my lips to hers in a slow, passionate kiss that steals my breath away.

"We best not get eaten in our sleep while you two are over there necking." Rick grumbles, forcing us apart, but he has a smile on his face when I turn in his direction. Beth giggles and I can't help the small chuckle that escapes my own mouth.

I forgot how much easier life on the road is in a bigger group. Beth and I felt like we could actually sleep knowing there were three people around us, protecting our backs while we got much needed rest. And even though once we're back moving through the forest, more people can mean more noise, we're all so used to being stealthy that they move almost as quietly as I do. Plus, five sets of ears and eyes will notice trouble fast enough that we would get ahead of most hurdles we may encounter.

After Beth and I wake-up and everyone has eaten, we allow ourselves some time around the fire to tell one another what we've been through and how we survived since the prison.

Michonne tells her tale first, and once it intertwines with Rick and Carl's they add their piece. We all wanted to be the one to end the Governor but knowing Michonne had a hand in his death and saw with her own eyes that he won't ever be an issue to us again is enough. Their stories remind me what a tough son of a bitch Grimes is and makes me even more grateful he's sitting across from me right now.

When he recounts their fateful day with Joe and his band of assholes, I realize I didn't need to hear what happened to still be completely supportive of Rick and what we all had to do last night. Even if Beth and I hadn't dealt with them on our own, I would've been on Rick's side no questions asked.

Beth then starts our own story and I actually find myself adding to it, causing her to smile each time. We tell them almost everything, all of us eliminating certain details purposely or simply forgetting. We even include when things changed between Beth and I.

Questions are asked back and forth continuously, mostly about the Atlanta cops and the community we found. Rick is in agreement that we should go back there when we have more people in our group. Neither of us specify if those people will be our own or new ones. The entire watch Beth and I took last night was taken up with me marking our movements on the map to ensure I don't lose the way back to the townhouses.

We sit in silence for a few moments after Beth and I finish speaking, soaking in all we've just heard.

"Were you two headed anywhere in particular when you found us?" Rick asks.

"Not really. I didn't have much hope in the beginning that anyone else was alive but that changed quickly." I look at Beth as I say this, our eyes locking. "Since then we've always put looking for the family first."

"We tried to be hopeful too, it hasn't been easy. But that's why we're heading to Terminus. Did you see the signs?" Rick asks.

My stomach drops. I know they won't understand Beth not wanting to go to the supposed safe haven like I do and I don't know how this will go. Beth must be feeling the same since we both sit still and quiet a beat too long. Rick and Michonne look at each other before turning back to us, faces full of confusion.

"Okay, what's up?" Michonne prods.

I sigh and close my eyes for a second, figuring out the best way to handle this. "Yeah we saw the signs. I remembered their tag line from the radio on the way to the vet school. Did you?"

I can tell Michonne hasn't realized the connection until now, her face turning from neutral to slightly shocked before nodding in response. Between the two of us we quickly tell Rick about that fateful day before I continue.

"Well, we weren't going there and we're still not." I say firmly.

I can see Rick attempting to rein in his anger. The man knows me and my tone of voice leaves no room for discussion or swaying our decision. "Why not? Did you see how many tracks end up at that spot? If anyone else survived they could be there."

Before I can respond Beth speaks up. "It's my fault."

"Ain't no one's fault, don't say that." I interject.

Beth places her hand on my knee, instantly calming me. "However you word it, this started with me Daryl." She says softly. "I'm sorry if you guys don't understand, but as soon as we saw the first sign I just got a bad feeling. Daryl and I have trusted our gut all this time and that instinct hasn't let us down yet." Beth takes a breath and continues. "Look, we're not saying never to the idea of Terminus, but for now we've decided to head that way, check them out and keep going. If any of the others felt the same about the place or missed the signs somehow, they could be past there. We'll keep going for a while, see if we find the family and after a certain point we'll turn back."

Rick has calmed a bit and Michonne listened intently but I still don't think Beth got through to them like she did with me, not surprising.

"We don't want to lose you two again." Rick says solemnly.

"We don't want that either and it'll be different this time, it's on our terms and our time." I say.

Rick's head drops with his gaze and Michonne places a hand to his shoulder. I feel like shit but Beth isn't ready to face her sister and she's right, like we discussed the other day while planning our leave from our townhouse, there is a good chance some of our own didn't stop or even go past Terminus. Someone has to look for them, or at least try.

Beth takes me by surprise when she starts talking again. "You guys didn't see the other signs did you?" She almost whispers.

"What? No. Is there another sanctuary?" Rick is starting to sound overwhelmed.

"No, not those kind of signs." Beth stops to sigh sadly. "Maggie made these ones." I see our three friends eyes' go wide at her words, in both shock and confusion. The obvious question of, "why wouldn't Beth want to go to her sister?", running through their minds. "They were only for Glenn. No one else we know...not even me. I'm not ready to see her, I just can't yet. That's why Daryl is supporting me and why we planned to keep on searching for a while longer instead of stopping at Terminus." Beth is now the one hanging her head.

I don't care that the others are here. I scoop her up, placing her on my lap, squeezing my arms around her middle, holding Beth together in whatever way she needs right now.

It's silent for a while and I appreciate Rick thinking over his response versus allowing emotion to take control.

"Beth, I'm sorry I really am. I can't even imagine what that felt, and still feels like. It makes more sense now but I still want you both to stay with us."

"We'll stay till Terminus, make sure you guys get in alright and then head off. End of discussion." I tell him.

Beth give our three friends an apologetic smile before we get up and start packing up our camp.

No one utters a word as we organize our belongings or for the rest of the morning. It's not necessarily awkward or tense, just somber. I know our family means well and we don't want to lose them either but this is Beth and I's plan. One we're sure of and believe in and we won't change our minds right now. And no matter the circumstances I feel that this will all work out in the end, how it's supposed to.

We hadn't seen a Terminus sign all day and I was starting to think we were way off course when in the late afternoon we finally came across one. Looks like they spread them out more the closer you get and we're damn close.

"Says Terminus is only five miles north of here. Let's walk halfway and set up camp. I don't want to go there this late, need time to watch them before we head in." Rick says to the group.

A few hours later we're all together, eating our last meal as a group for a while and helping Rick, Michonne and Carl make a plan for tomorrow.

The silence falls over us again as settle down to take turns sleeping, the unknown of what is to come filling us with nerves and over active minds.