Sorry for not updating sooner… *hides*

This chapter sort of got away from me, it's pretty long but I just didn't want to split it up. So hopefully it makes up for not updating sooner.

She flew up gasping, fighting for air to fill her lungs.

This was night number four where she had woken up silently crying, trying to catch her breathe. Her hands trembled and her breath came in short ragged lengths. Beth sat wiping tears from her cheeks, but even after she woke she still continued to cry sometimes. Her dreams…her nightmares…

They were always placed at the hospital, the people she killed. It was guilt; they weren't the scary kind of nightmares that made you want to scream. It was pure guilt; it made her feel heavy inside...like she wanted to throw up. She felt disgusted with herself. Sure some of her actions that she made at the hospital were based off of purely trying to survive; to protect herself. But the one incident that continued to eat away at her was stabbing Dawn. Why should she feel sorry about that though, right? Dawn was a terrible person. It wasn't that though, Beth wasn't bothered that she was dead. She was bothered by the fact that she had tried to kill her with a pair of damn scissors, it was impulse and her temper that made her do it, but it didn't make it any less selfish. Dawn almost blew her head off. Beth was getting to leave with them and she risked it all, sure it had been partly for Noah but she had barely just met him. Her real family was there and she was going to get to leave. And there it was the part that was absolutely eating her alive…Daryl. He had spent weeks searching for her, been to hell and back to find her; to bring her back to her family… And she was going to just waste it. All of Daryl's sacrifice and risk, and she was stupid and acted before she thought…

Beth assumed it hadn't bothered her right away, only because she was still on the high of having her family back. But now the high had worn off and the guilt was beginning to be unbearable. Beth wasn't a person who dealt with guilt well. Mostly because she had never had to deal with it, she wasn't a selfish person.

{

"I'm not sorry. I couldn't let her keep hurting everyone."

"She almost shot you Beth…"

"I know…"

"Well don't do something like that again! I-We just got you back…"

}

She needed to apologize to him…

She was sorry.

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Beth didn't sleep well the rest of the night; she hadn't slept well at all lately. Beams of warm light started to shine through the curtains of her room. They had been at the lodge for a little over a week now. The group had decided to stay a couple weeks at the lodge, until they decide their next move. It was far enough out into the woods to stay off the radar, and there were limited walkers. Not to mention there was plenty of room for all of them, and then some. It was a good place to recuperate; Carol and Eugene were still injured. They would have been okay if they had to get on the run, but they really needed rest.

Beth got up and ready for the day and made her way downstairs, no one else was really up and about yet, besides Tara and Rosita who were on watch at the moment and were walking the perimeter. Beth stood on the large wrap around porch of the lodge looking out into the forest. Sure enough she heard rustling coming from the left edge of the property. Only to see Daryl emerge with a string of rabbit and squirrels in tow. She knew he would be back right about now. She had went hunting with him the first few mornings they were here, but after her nightmares started to occur she had distanced herself from him, meaning she stopped going hunting with him. Only because she felt herself pulling closer to him, and usually that wouldn't have been a problem… Beth wasn't one to shy away from what she was truly feeling, but the guilt she felt only made those feelings turn from happiness to fault. That she had been so selfish to someone she cared so much about. The only way it was going to be fixed is if she just talked to him about it. Which is what she planned to do.

Daryl hadn't made eye contact with her yet, but she knew that he knew she was standing there. Even if he hadn't looked directly at her, he knew she was there.

Daryl always knew.

He finally looked at her as he neared the porch, nodding at her and taking a seat on the porch steps preparing to skin his kills.

Beth went and took a seat next to him. Daryl glanced at her curiously before speaking.

"Hi."

He said it so casually and Beth almost laughed. He could be so cute sometimes. 'Not the point Beth.' She had to remind herself.

"You okay?" He asked before she replied. He glanced at her again.

Beth nodded, she wasn't really okay.

Daryl just looked at her still questionably.

"Ya sure, you look worn out?" He asked again.

Beth knew what he meant. She had dark circles around her eyes from not sleeping.

"Just haven't been sleeping too well." Beth replied blandly.

Daryl finally stopped what he was doing and turned his body to look at her.

"What's goin on?"

"What do you mean?" She pretended she didn't understand.

"Ya been ignoring me…again. Yer not sleeping? Every time I look at ya, ya look like yer on another planet?" Daryl said gruffly.

Beth let out a ragged sigh, but she already felt the tears forming. Between the guilt and sleep deprivation and her confused feelings about Daryl, she knew it was coming. Daryl was the last person she wanted to have a meltdown in front of, but truthfully he was the only one she did want to talk to about it.

"Daryl m'so sorry." Beth felt the tears let way and buried her face into her hands.

Daryl sat momentarily confused.

"Sorry for what Beth? Cryin? It's okay."

"No! I'm sorry…" Beth brought her head up and looked at him.

"I'm sorry for stabbing Dawn!" She cried.

"I was so stupid Daryl, she almost killed me! After everything you did to find me and I was so selfish…" Beth tried to control her breathing.

"Beth I told ya, were just happy ta have ya back. Don't beat yourself up over that bitch. You had every right to-"

Beth cut him off.

"No! I shouldn't have! It was so selfish of me to think that she wouldn't react to what I did. Other people could have gotten hurt…"

Beth was full on sobbing now; everything had caught up to her.

"Beth ya can't change anything now… But hey I aint mad at ya over here. Were good. No one blames you for what you did."

Beth kept her head in her hands resting on her knees.

"Beth look at me."

She brought her gaze to his. He couldn't help but think her eyes were unbelievably blue.

"I'm just so sorry Daryl."

"S'alright I was never mad at ya… Why are ya lettin it bother ya so bad?"

Beth let out a small sigh.

"The things I did at that place... Daryl I killed people." She let out a small sob.

Daryl grabbed her hand lacing his fingers like she always did with him, it wasn't natural but he wanted to comfort her like she did to him. He had killed people; he knew what that was like at first. He had gotten past the feeling that resonated in you after taking someone's life. The fear, guilt, and the disgust you had in yourself. This world called for so much more though; often they didn't have a choice. Beth wasn't like him though, and he knew that, she was tough, but it's a hard thing to get over…taking life from another human being.

"Beth ya did what ya had ta do to survive."

"Yeah but for what? At what costs? God knows how lon-"

Daryl cut her off.

"Hey I don't want ta here ya talk like tha! You made it. Beth ya did what ya had to do to, and yer here. Tha's all that matters. Ya told me ya gotta put it behind ya remember?" Daryl spoke gruffly.

Beth let a faint tug of a smile on her lips.

"Using my own words against me are we…" She squeezed his hand that she had just now realized was in hers.

"If that's wha it takes to make ya see that we've all had ta do horrible things, but it aint gotta change who we are and that we gotta keep going."

"Maybe ya just got keep on reminding me sometimes." She smirked at him.

Daryl straight out laughed.

"Don't be quotin' me Greene."

"C'mon you need to get some more rest." Daryl put off the task of skinning and gutting his kills for the moment and pulled Beth up to her feet.

"No." Beth shook her head.

"Yeah… ya aint been getting enough sleep." He all but practically demanded her.

"Hmh everytime I try, I just have nightmares…" Beth shook her head and sniffled.

"Then I'll stay with ya, ill wake ya up if ya start havin one."

"No Daryl I shoul-"

"Beth ya aint good ta nobody if yer walking around here only half awake." Daryl grabbed her hand and all but practically dragged her upstairs.

Maybe Beth couldn't see it because she was in a delirious sleep deprived state, but she was a mess. Especially after crying. They had somewhere she could actually rest peacefully so she needed to do so. That's what people do when they care about each other right? They make sure that they're healthy, and happy. Beth was anything but that right now. Daryl realized how much it must have been really bothering her over the past couple of days. He felt stupid for not just asking her sooner if she was okay, maybe he could've prevented her meltdown. At first he had figured Beth was getting sick of being around him, he knew that was ridiculous though. He knew Beth, and she wouldn't just pull away without a good reason, and she had actually been hanging around him the most of the time. Even more than with her own sister… So he knew that couldn't be it. He should have just manned up and went and asked her what was wrong a few days ago, instead of telling himself 'she just needed space'.

People were starting to stir and start their chores for the day. They passed Rick in the hall and Daryl just quietly said she wasn't feeling well and that he had caught some squirrels that were downstairs that needed skinned. Rick was genuinely concerned about her wellbeing at first and was asking if she needed anything, but once he looked at her and saw that it was obvious she had been upset and had been crying he didn't question any further and just nodded and patted Daryl shoulder. Rick hadn't confronted Daryl about his 'relationship' with Beth yet. If that's what you wanted to call it? He knew that Rick noticed though, how close they were getting. No one seemed to really question it though; not yet at least.

They reached her room and Daryl led Beth inside. She gave him a sleepy smile and crawled onto the bed, kicking off her boots in the process and under the covers. Daryl stood awkwardly not really knowing what to do with himself now, he spotted the small desk and chair in the corner and went to go take a seat. He had said he would stay with her, so he would. He had thought Beth had already fallen asleep but after a few moments she lifted her head from the pillow looking at him and patted the bed. Daryl's eyes widened and he coughed uncomfortably. He couldn't sit in her bed could he; it would be too weird wouldn't it? But the more he thought about it being weird, he changed his mind. It would probably be nice to sit that close to Beth… to lie next to her. And that was exactly the problem…he liked the idea… And that simply wouldn't do.

"Please Daryl, I'll feel better if you're close." She looked at him with those soft, large, blue orbs.

How could he deny her anything when she looked at him like that? God, if she asked him to walk through hell and back, he'd probably happily comply.

Daryl nodded to her awkwardly, and stood making his way to the bed. He sat on the very edge keeping his distance. Beth had other plans though and grabbed his hand lacing her fingers through his, forcing him to move closer.

"Is this okay?" She murmured sleepily with her eyes closed.

He grunted and murmured a small 'mhm' himself, and leaned his back against the headboard propping his feet in front of him.

"Don't let me-" Beth yawned mid-sentence.

"Don't let me sleep to long…" She finished and a few moments later she was out like a light.

Daryl watched as her breathing slowed and her mouth slightly parted. Their hands stayed linked as Beth slept. Meanwhile Daryl sat staring at the wall thinking about what it was he was doing. He should just stay away from her, he knew that. The attachment he was forming was unlike anything he's ever experienced and it scared him shitless. Thing was, he didn't think he cared anymore. He liked being around Beth. Hell, he just liked Beth Greene in general. She seemed to like being around him too. They were in this now, headed whatever direction it was going to take them. And as Daryl watched her chest rise and fall he couldn't find himself to give a damn about anything but the beautiful blonde right in front of him. He wasn't gonna pull away anymore, he didn't want to.

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Beth slept for about three hours if Daryl had judged the change in the lighting correctly. All while he stayed by her side. He didn't mind honestly, sure there were things he should have probably been doing, but he had told her he would stay, and if anything Daryl was a man of his word. For a few moments he had even let himself start to drift off, but was awoken by his head hitting the hard headboard behind him. Daryl gentle tapped her shoulder in efforts to wake her slowly, and not frighten her. She didn't even budge.

"Beth…" Daryl squeezed her shoulder a little harder, causing her to slightly stir.

"Beth ya said ya didn't want me to let ya sleep to long…"

Beth mumbled incoherent words and buried her face into her pillow.

Daryl chuckled at that and continued to watch her as she slowly raised her head to look at him.

"Rise and shine." He gave her a smug smile.

"You actually stayed?" She said quietly as she sat up and slowly rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Course I stayed." Daryl felt a little sting that she thought he'd leave after he promised her he'd stay.

She looked at him and smiled contently.

"Thank you, I needed that." She released her hair from its current ponytail that had loosened and had hair falling out and retied it; her small braid tumbling out the side of it.

"S'nothin." He shrugged and stood up pulling his bow on around himself.

Beth stood up also straightening her clothes and slipping on her boots.

"How long did I sleep for?" She asked.

"Fer bout three hours I'd say…"

"What?" Beth looked at him with wide eyes.

"You stayed in here for three hours and just waited while I slept?" Beth asked incredulously.

"Yeah, said I'd stay. Aint no big deal, there aint much ta do 'round here anyway." Daryl answered simply.

Beth smiled warmly at him and out of nowhere crushed him in a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder taking in his scent. Which smelled of sweat, leather, smoke, and something woodsy she couldn't identify? It sounded like it wouldn't smell that great, but it actually wasn't unpleasant. It smelled like Daryl. He still hesitantly put his arms around her, mostly for the reason that he didn't understand why she was hugging him. But after she didn't pull away after a few moments he welcomed the embrace and hugged her back, even if he didn't understand why she had did it. Eventually she pulled back and smiled at him again. Damn smiling, she was always smiling at him like that. Like he was giving away free puppies or something…

"Wha was tha for?" Daryl asked as she headed for the door and he followed closely behind.

Beth glanced back at him before stopping causing him to almost run over the top of her.

"Because you were there for me when I needed you, and so I don't know ….I wanted to..." Beth's face colored before she nervously reached for the doorknob and opened the door heading out into the hall.

"Oh." Daryl replied, that what the first he'd heard anybody say that they actually wanted to do anything to him other than hurt him.

They were halfway down the staircase when they heard it. Yelling. Neither one of them could make out who it was and it sounded distant but it was definitely yelling.

Beth back glanced at Daryl with panicked eyes. He pulled his bow around and took off in front of her making sure she was close behind.

They got down the stairs before they saw it; a herd of what they assumed was thirty to forty walkers.

"Shit." Daryl hissed under his breath.

"Ya got yer knife, we gotta go."

Suddenly they heard gunshots…that wasn't a promising sign.

Beth nodded looking around frantically.

He knew she was looking for her sister, and Judith. But only more and more walkers were making an appearance and some had made their way up onto the porch and were banging on the glass of the windows.

"We'll find em' but we gotta get outta here Beth!" Daryl said grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the back of the lodge, hoping to get out through on of the back doors.

They made it outside only to be faced with more walkers; only about ten at the moment but more than likely there would be more coming. Daryl took down the two closest to them dropping Beth's hand. More and more walkers came pouring out from the side of the building. When Daryl turned back to grab Beth she had already taken down three walkers with her knife and was knocking down a forth with foot.

"Beth!" He called and she turned following him off into the woods yet again. They didn't have any other choice.

Beth's mind was filled with painful memories; it was like the prison all over again. At least this time she knew Daryl, she wasn't as scared.

They both ran until their lungs burned and the moans of the dead grew more distant. Beth collapsed against a tree panting and chest heaving, as did Daryl.

"Shit." Daryl grumbled yet again running his hands through his sweat drenched hair.

"Do you think everyone got away?" Beth asked her eyes meeting his.

"Dunno…" Daryl heaved.

"Rick's got that meetin place just a couple miles out of the town just past here. The one he showed everyone 'member?"

Beth nodded. About two days after being at the lodge some of the group had went out and scouted for a place to meet if something like this happened again. There was a small town, they had talked about meeting up in a certain housing development, and Daryl had been there so he would know exactly where to go. After the prison, it made sense to do so. They wanted to be prepared if they ever got separated again, like they were right now.

"It's gonna take us about two days on foot by the time we rest and all…it's at least twenty miles" Daryl spoke again as he stood up.

"You good?" He asked her coming over to her and holding his hand out to help her up. He always did that. Beth liked it, even though she was perfectly capable of standing up herself it was sweet he offered. It was sort of like holding a door open for her, or pulling out her chair for her as if they were on a date, like the old world. At least that's the way she thought of it, she knew Daryl didn't even think twice about it and just did it because he was good like that. Plus the word 'date' might have made him keel over and die. Even if she wasn't implying it towards him.

"Yeah. You good?" She asked her hand lingering a bit longer than she had to just so she could feel that comfort she always got whenever they touched. She was okay, but still worried about where her sister was and who Judith was with. If they were both alive, but she couldn't think like that. They made it last time; this is just a walk in the park compared to the last time.

"Mhm, let's try ta get as much ground covered as possible before nightfall." Daryl answered grabbing his bow that was leaned up against the tree he had been sitting against earlier.

With that Beth took off following shortly behind him, they were alone again. Well alone together. She oddly didn't mind it was just the two of them again; of course she was concerned about the others and hoped everyone had made it out okay. Hopefully they would see them soon, but in all honesty being alone with Daryl had become to be her favorite thing. He understood her, even better than her own sister did now. She understood him.

They just understood each other, and Beth found confidence in that. No matter what happened, when she was with Daryl she wasn't scared. All the fear, anxiety, and pain went away… And it was just them. Them against the world…