Summary: Daryl avoids Beth after their reunion. [Tumblr Prompt - Day 5]
Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead. Yet.

Beth had pictured their reunion more times than she'd like to admit. Somewhere along the way her gripping desperation for him had turned into yearning, and then into dreaming.

There were other people on her mind. Maggie and her hugs of death. Judith and her wailing that she suddenly missed. Even Father Gabriel and his slowly expanding heart. But Daryl was always there, buzzing through her mind like a gnat that wouldn't leave no matter how much she swat at it. Nights were the worst. Without the distraction of imminent danger and survival her mind was free to fly; and it often went to their fleeting moments together.

There was the last time, when he thought of her more than himself. The look he gave that turned her into a one-syllable idiot. The cracking in his voice that night at the cabin. The way he broke. The way she broke. She even pondered about the intangible times: being angry when he left, seeing his eyes turn from her in the prison like he did to every other child. All of those times she wondered about the temperamental redneck, but couldn't find the courage to voice it.

So yes, she pictured their reunion. Because no matter what, Beth Greene was going to see Daryl Dixon again.

.

.

Father Gabriel and herself arrived in Washington by winter. She bit her tongue against the wind and pulled harder on the beanie that had survived the last few months. The safe-zone outside the capitol was slowly becoming a mini-city. People flew past her every which way, doing jobs and living in homes as if there weren't walkers a few feet away.

When she first arrived they gave kind smiles that leaked into pity. It would've bothered her if she didn't have more pressing issues. She listed the names of every person she knew at the prison. If she didn't know names she gave descriptions. Her toes bounced and her fingers rubbed against her temple trying to recall every detail. It must've taken half the day to get it all out.

She spoke of Daryl last. It wasn't intentional, but the trembles in her hand as she described him made the subconscious reasoning apparent. Beth went to lengths to explain his eyes, eyes that you saw were blue if you got him to glare at you long enough. His voice that switched from soft to brutal in moments. That worn leather jacket with angle wings sown onto the back. A crossbow that no one was allowed to touch (except me, she thought). The shaggy hair, his questionable age, the way he chewed his nail or would carry out entire conversations in mumbles and grunts.

She palmed her eyes as her voice became whispers. The man on the other side of the table said that was enough to go on. Beth was instantly grateful.

.

.

Father Gabriel quickly found his place leading a congregation. His entire face would light up during service, Beth usually in the back row with a hollow smile. She was happy to see his spirit revived.

Finding her own place wasn't as easy. Her knowledge of child-rearing led them to place her in childcare centers. The children were beautiful. It wasn't their fault that every infant reminded her of Judith, and every feisty pre-teen made her think of Carl.

It took effort and some yelling (still not sure if she was proud of that one) to get a spot at the main gate, watching for walkers and refugees. Beth convinced herself it was a chance to hone in on the skills she developed since the prison.

They gave her a gun at first, but the weight and noise of it was something she never enjoyed. She grabbed the first weapon that closely resembled a crossbow. It was like a bow and arrow, but made out of a sturdy material that was lighter and stronger than metal. Behind her someone listed the specs and a low warning about it's difficulty. But her small fingers splayed across the drawback wire and poked at the arrow tips til' she drew blood. She positioned it against her shoulder easily, and smiled at nothing in particular.

.

.

Her pulsed spiked at every car that skirted to the gates. In the beginning, each large group that ran down the road had her yelling at the person with binoculars to give a description. Her hands shook as they neared, and she didn't breathe again until see saw each face. She worried her heart would give out under the constant stress she was putting it through.

In early spring her efforts were rewarded.

A lone figure was striding toward them. Everybody was jumpy since news of walkers herding in their direction. As the figure came closer Beth watched the creeping turn out to be a confident stride. She brought down the bow and squinted her eyes against the sun.

"Greene! Raise your weapon!"

"I-"

She what? She thought she could recognize a walk from that far? Beth jiggled the bracelets on her wrist before raising her bow.

Slowly, painfully slow, she saw a man with unkept hair and a beard that should've been shaved ages ago. She saw his awkward right hand that seemed inseparable from his holster. She saw- she saw-

"Open the gates! Open the gates!"

Every person along the perimeter looked at the frantic blonde. Her head whipped around so quickly that strands of hair stuck to her cheek.

"Do you kno-"

"Yes! His name is Rick Grimes and I know him!Now OPEN the damn gates… please!"

She swallowed the dry lump that settled at the top of her throat. They were still exchanging unsteady glances, but the command was called and the gates were pulled apart. Beth jumped down instantly. She landed awkwardly on her feet and had to balance herself before taking off in a full-out run. Her bow was slug around her back. She sucked in what little she had to squeeze past the still opening gate.

"Rick! Rick!"

She probably looked like an idiot, screeching and panting and beginning to cry. It definitely startled Rick. He stopped mid-stride and sucked in a gulp of air. His head cocked to the side.

"Beth?"

She threw her frame against him in something that would be painful if she were normal size. The sheriff took a step back and grabbed her back for support. His dirty shirt was laced with the tears of the girl bracing him for dear life. He had to be sure. Just in case. So he took her arms and pulled her away.

Her pretty face was a mess, her voice nearly inaudible. She wiped at her eyes.

"Where is everyone? Are they here?"

He beamed down at her, so much like a father it hurt. Rick opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a shriek.

"Beth?!"

Maggie jumped from a tree branch like a clumsy monkey. She caught her footing better than her sister and flew to her. They met halfway in an embrace that sent them both to the ground and was damn near embarrassing. They intermingled dirt and sweat and elation from the pavement.

Around them the gang was reassembling. Tyreese had a smile that rivaled his sister. Carol approached with a grin and a gurgling Judith at her hip. Glenn was rubbing his mouth and saying something close to unbelievable. Even Rosita cracked a smile and nudged Eugene.

As soon as the sisters were up Beth felt a body hug hers from behind. The position made her pause, eyes slowly looking to the thin arms around her waist. Bigger than she remembered, but still not large enough.

"Carl?"

He pushed down the hat that'd rode up against her back. She absorbed his bright eyes and damp hair. Beth couldn't help it. She grabbed his face and kissed his cheek with force. He laughed, too happy to even blush.

"Judith's alive!"

On cue Carol emerged from the crowd. She put Judith in the younger girl's arms. The excitement around her made the little girl laugh beautifully. It made Beth sob until she hiccuped, the group rubbing her hair and hugging her from odd angles in support. They were sharing an understanding without words, which was good. Beth didn't know if she could ever speak again.

As soon as Carl took the baby from her, Beth's vest was being pulled from behind. The sway of her clothes was enough to draw her from the circle of friends. She stumbled out and reared her head. The smile on her face dropped, her mouth opened and she was looking into blue's deeper than her own.

His face was lined with near terror. She was kept at arm's distance as his gaze traced every patch of skin from her exposed collar to her pale face. His name echoed in her mind as it did nearly every moment of every day. The words were forcing their way out when her arms were crushed into his chest. The crossbow dangling from his fingers was dropped. It hit the ground and echoed.

His arms were all around her, seeking out every inch of her covered back and trying to draw it closer. Her eyes went to the trees surrounding them, the cracked street behind him, and finally settled on the crook between his neck and shoulder.

Beth exhaled slowly. She stood on her toes to touch her lips to his skin. Her nostrils flared at the scent of woods and earth.

It was then he noticed she was shaking. Not crying, simply trembling under his touch. Her blood was boiling and it seemed to saturate his skin in warmth. He kissed the top of her hair. He kissed her forehead and went for her nose before his mind willed him to stop. Instead his body suffocated her own. The oxygen drained from the sky as Beth placed this moment atop her pile of others.

At the guard tower her superiors were yelling at them to get inside. Neither of them noticed.

.

.

Beth laid on the empty bed that was now her own. She pulled the schrunchy from her long hair and catapulted it against the wall. It hit an invisible target and flung itself to the carpet.

Great. Another thing to add to the mess.

She bit her lip and wiggled her body under the covers. The room was too hot for blankets, but hiding herself beneath the fabric was the biggest comfort she could find. Before her group arrived Beth would drop on top of the sheets and pass out within seconds. She always felt guilt the next morning for not tossing and turning about the fate of her family. Now that she really was tossing and turning, every part of her wished to go back.

She always ended up with her left arm raised over her forehead and eyes glued to the ceiling. She'd shake her bracelet around and peak at the stucco above her.

It was two weeks later and Daryl was still busy.

They all were, really. Survivors - true survivors - were worth their weight in gold here. Most of them were given jobs as patrollers, taking out the walkers outside and around the city. Maggie and Sasha were the only ones put at the gate with Beth.

Their little group stuck together every chance they got. Only a few houses were split between them all. And even though Beth lived a little ways away from them, at least one member of her group came knocking each night.

Her days opened with patrolling and nights were closed with the company of her family. It was all so sweet that it took her back to the times at the prison. They had been on alert, as they would be for the rest of their lives, but the everyday companionship worked like a sedation. A sedation for everyone but Beth and her non-stop thoughts.

When she was alone for the night and fighting off insomnia, her mind was blind to everyone but Daryl. Daryl who had clutched her so close it hurt. Daryl who was the only one yet to see her. Daryl who's interactions with Beth had come down to, if she was lucky, short nods when they crossed paths.

She nibbled at the bracelets on her wrist. At first she thought he needed space. Their reunion had been the most overwhelming day of her life, which was saying something. It made since if he needed a breather from it all. It sounded like a Daryl thing to do. Beth had forced down the heart that told her to latch onto him. She kept a distance.

When the group gathered she tried her best not to memorize his face. She held onto his every word like it was hers alone. She told herself not to take it personal when she approached him with a smile and he responded without looking up.

Beth wasn't stupid. Daryl had feelings for her. Feelings he was struggling to suppress as hard as she was struggling to stay away. But she couldn't keep from wondering.

Did he feel guilty for not saving her? He had no reason to. Beth knew he did everything he could. It was her fault for being so weak at the time. Maybe… maybe he wondering about the others? Their embrace was enough to make everyone curious.

The only person who'd asked her directly was Maggie. She had come alone that evening, and the brunette sister was reveling in the idea of cooking and eating in a real kitchen, in a real home.

"So Beth, ya' know I love you right?"

She couldn't resist the eye roll.

"Yes. And I love you too. You know that."

Maggie held up her hands defensively, she must have got that from Glenn, "I just want you to know that I love you. You can tell me anything. I won't judge."

She made a face that made Maggie shrug. "Well I won't!"

"What is it Maggie?"

She took both her arms so Beth was forced to glare into those green eyes.

"I know that you and Daryl went through hell. He didn't say much but I could tell."

All seeing, all knowing, Miss. Omnipitent Maggie.

"He looked after you. And you changed him."

Beth's annoyed train of thought came to a halt.

"He's not the same, and neither are you. But Beth," Maggie dropped her hands to entwine them with her own, "that's not a bad thing, you know?"

The blonde took a moment before nodding.

Maggie sighed loudly before concluding her speech, "I don't want you to worry about what anyone else thinks, ya hear me? Whatever you and Daryl got goin' on is your business. No body else's. You don't have to separate because of us."

"T-that's not it."

"What is it?"

Beth took her hands from Maggie and rubbed them together. Her head turned to look at the simmering pot of spaghetti. Her pretty face twisted into a frown.

"I don't know."

She touched her arm, "Well what happened?"

"I-I don't know!"

The edge in her voice made Maggie hug her. She probably feared Beth would burst into tears. She wouldn't, really. If anything she was angry. But the physical affection was just their way. Beth loved it, and she loved her sister. She hung onto Maggie right back, half listening to her attempts at comforting the child Beth once was.

Maggie hadn't brought it up sense. The stares seemed to subside after that, but maybe that was Beth's wishful imagination.

She kicked at her blankets. Her wonderful imaginations would be the death of her. They were the same daydreams that made her think Daryl took an extra second to stare when her back was turned. Beth felt foolish every time she looked back around and saw him carrying out his business. As if there wasn't something hanging in the air between them. As if she wasn't there at all.

Beth pulled the blankets back up to her chin. A cool wind must have gotten in.

.

.

She felt stupid standing there, hanging around the decrepit building that was used for supplies. Men and women in makeshift armor started to file out. It was shift change for the patrollers. Beth only knew the schedule because most of her group belonged to it, Daryl included.

She pressed further into the exterior and scanned. His walk was enough to give him away.

"Daryl."

Daryl froze and looked for the voice. He watched the small blonde fidget against the wall before stepping closer.

"I need to talk to you."

She was trying so hard to look fearless. It was difficult when all she wanted was to fold into him.

"I gotta go."

"It won't take long, please."

She stared him down and he sighed, "C'mon."

They walked past the last people to leave. Beth peeked around the now-empty storage building. It was one floor, with a large hole in the ceiling further down. Sunlight was poking through the gap and casting a weird glow in an otherwise pitch-black space. Most of the walls were lined with racks and hooks to hold up equipment, uniforms, and the occasional weapon. The good ones had likely been picked by now. Beth unconsciously touched the wire of her bow. It'd been glued to her back since she spotted it.

Daryl watched the movement before clearing his throat. The big eyes of his dreams and nightmares focused on him entirely. He knew the look 'cause he taught her it. The one of an observer, a tracker. He flicked his eyes to her pretty lips before looking away.

"What'd ya want?"

"We should talk," she fisted the wire, "about us."

He rubbed the back of his neck. Beth noticed how far he choose to stand from her.

There's nothing to talk about was on the edge of his tongue. Instead he settled on, "I gotta go Beth."

His words were so similar to the prison that she froze. With another glance he was headed back for the door. Her opening was being swallowed before her eyes.

"No."

He stopped his tread, closer to her now than in any time in the past two weeks.

"No?" He looked at her with disbelief, her attempts to order him around not taken lightly.

"Daryl Dixon, you will stand there and you will listen!"

Her voice was cracked but strong. His eyes widened a fraction and Beth knew she had his full attention. She wondered if this brought him back to the cabin, where their frustration had bubbled until they were reduced to a shouting match.

"Do you ever think about me? Did you ever-" she rubbed at her eyes as a warning to any tears, "did you ever wonder what happened to me?"

"Beth-" That familiar break in his focal chords that made her loose the battle and tears trickle.

Both hands tugged at her pants. Her clouded eyes tried to focus on the ground and not the lost expression on his face.

"B-because I did! All the time. You were the only thing that kept me going. And if you didn't care then fine, but you can't-"

Beth saw his tanned arm reach for her. She veered back like she'd been stung. She wouldn't fall for this again. She couldn't loose him a third time. It would break her.

"You can't do this to me again Daryl. You can't."

"I'm sorry, alright?!"

His voice was so demanding that they both halted. The arms she folded in on herself untangled. She took in all of him- the bags beneath his eyes, his hand that rubbed against the back of his neck aggressively.

He took a breath and looked at her. Anger radiated but his voice was toned down, "What do you want?"

She huffed. "Nothing."

"Woman, I'm serious."

His silly jargon made her lip turn up. The tears were beginning to dry against her skin.

"I don't know. What do you want?"

He looked at her like she was the stupidest thing he'd ever seen.

"You, dumbass."

The only words to describe the profound silence around them: awkward. He wanted to pull those words back from the air and digest them. But fate was an asshole. This time he didn't look away from her parted lips and beautiful face. Beth realized that he was searching for something, any answer that would excuse him to cave in on himself and never look at Beth Greene again.

She wouldn't give him that.

"I want you to stop pretending." Because they both knew Daryl really, really gave a shit about her.

His adam's apple bobbed, "I know."

Daryl reluctantly invaded her personal space again. He was impossibly close when Beth backed away, his last words popping up like an epiphany.

"You called me a dumbass!"

He nearly smirked, "Cause you are."

She swung at him with her right fist. It collided weakly with the chest much harder than her own. Her big eyes glanced up. Daryl was still approaching, that damn smirk stretched across his face. She hit with her left and he caught it.

Beth wanted to pull away but his grip was too strong. The smirk had fallen as he rubbed his fingers against her bracelet. He pushed them up, one by one, until she felt his callouses against her scarred wrist.

They were nearly chest to chest. There was no way he didn't feel her pulse elevated. It beat so hard against her ribs it was drowning out all other noise.

When his eyes finally looked to hers, she knew he knew. There wasn't distaste, or anger, or pity. She was given a new look so foreign and yet readable that her face enflamed.

He had to lean down to kiss her. A simple one against her hair, just like two weeks ago. Her eyes fluttered shut at the feel. His next graced her forehead, her breath coming out harsher. His grip on her wrist was painful. She had to use her other to touch him while he kissed between her brows.

Beth grabbed for his hand. Her fingers ghosted up his arm until she was feeling his bicep. It made his restraint wane. He took his hand from her wrist and fisted it into her back. He tugged and then they were touching from hip to chest.

His hand cradled her head to his and it was all kinds of awkward. A thrill shot through her like adrenaline, making her bite her lip and ache for more. A soft kiss to her nose, lips that breathed over her own. He stopped there.

Beth didn't open her eyes in fear that he was looking back at her. Watching her bottled up longing splash across her face like water color. Watching her and wondering if this was a bad decision.

No, she couldn't do that either.

She glanced at his lips and went for it. She pressed her entire being into him. Every ounce of control he hadn't stolen from her was used against him. The hand behind her neck clenched and unclenched into her hair. She held on and tried to take in all of his soft lips. There was something against her that made his want apparent. But the redneck was stubborn, seeming to enjoy the attention without giving anything back.

Beth pulled her lips away a fraction. She teased him as he did earlier, getting close but pulling back when his eyes gave away his secret desire.

Against his lips she whispered, "What are you, my chaperone?"

That did the trick.

Her ponytail was fisted and pulled back with little force. It was enough to get her mouth open, and then he was diving in. He kissed both lips. He gave her a chance to close her mouth and kiss him back. Her chin pointed up as Daryl pulled her closer, kissing her with a passion that teased at more.

She whimpered when he pulled back. The smirk that was gonna form faded. Her bit on her upper lip and ran his finger across her lower. His tongue teased her entrance until it was inside. The hand against her back dived lower until he grabbed her ass. Her tongue met his and he groaned against her. He lifted her ass up higher until it was rubbing against his growing member. Beth panted against him, repeating his name in desperation-

"Ewwww."

Beth yelped and Daryl nearly threw her off of him. Carl was poking out from behind a storage container.

"What were y'all doing?"

Daryl looked like he wanted to break the kid in half.

"The fuck did it look like?"

Carl smirked, "About to fuck?"

Daryl launched something at his head.

Carl ducked, "Need some condoms?"

"The hell you doin' here? Don't you got shit to do?"

"Your boss told me to-" Carl avoided another flying object, "-get you. He said you needed to get your ass to work."

Daryl huffed like a petulant child. "Tell him I'm coming, and get the hell outta here."

"I bet you are." Carl snuck that in before snickering the whole way out. Beth rubbed her forehead.

"Kid needs a fuckin' leash."

Beth nodded, "Uh huh."

"Never in the damn house."

"Right."

He was looked in every direction but hers. His face was dusted pink, but her's definitely glowed red.

"I gotta patrol."

"Ok."

He picked up his crossbow from the ground and looked at the blonde. His started to bit his nail, on the edge of saying something. Beth touched his arm and summoned control over her frazzled nerves.

"Don't leave me again."

He hesitated. She leaned in as he kissed the top of her head.

"I won't."

AN: I told myself I wouldn't write a TWD fanfic, but Bethyl week on tumblr inspired me! The day 5 song inspiration was Wonder by Lauren Aquilina. First time writing for the fandom, sorry about the clique plot, terrible editing and rushed ending :(. But hey, it was fun!