Walking Dead 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is my way of dealing with the death of such an amazing character. It's based on some theories I've been seeing on Tumblr, and I hope at least one of those is true because if Beth is really dead, that is really shitty writing(this is coming from somebody who studies Literature absolutely every day as an English major).

* * *

Pain. That's the first thing Beth was aware of when she awoke. She was currently experiencing the worst headache she had ever had. The entire right side of her head felt as if it was on fire. The next thing she noticed was that she could not get enough fresh air. Finally, she noticed the darkness. Where was she? What happened?

Daryl. Where was he? The last thing she remembered was sitting at the table with him.

"_What changed your mind?"_

_Daryl muttered an incoherent answer._

"_Don't un-uh. What changed your mind?"_

_He looked at her for a long moment._

"_Oh." She realized._

She was so confused. Where was she? She reached up and felt the dirt over her. That was when the panic set in. She was buried alive.

* * *

Once they finished their makeshift funeral for a girl who deserved so much more, the group began moving on. They decided to make their way towards DC even though Eugene had lied. They had nowhere better to go and they couldn't remain where they were for a corpse. Everybody was crushed, but nobody more than Daryl Dixon. He had been so close to getting her back. She was within arms reach of him and then she was gone. Gone because she lost her temper, like he had done so many times before. Why had he survived nearly forty years, constantly living on the cusp of violent outbursts, but she couldn't survive being pushed over the edge by the woman who had tormented her? If there was a God, he had a sick sense of humor.

He looked over at Maggie, leaning on Glenn as she sobbed and walked with the group. He was furious with her. He'd seen the sign she'd left for Glenn. Why hadn't she thought of Beth? Why was Beth only on her mind once it was too late? He knew that Beth had been right when she accused him of seeing her as just another dead girl; he had at the time. He sure as hell didn't after their time together. But, her own sister should have known better. She should have seen what Beth could do.

He thought about what he would be doing if everything had gone as planned. What would _she _be doing? Would he have told her that she was right? That it was her who had changed his mind? Would he have admitted that he was in love with her? That he'd been in love with her since she had suggested that they burn down the moonshine shack in her sweet little voice? That he'd realized he was in love with her when she sang at the funeral home? Probably not. He knew she would never have felt the same. She was nineteen years old and beautiful and kind. She'd never want anything more than friendship with a dirty old redneck like him. He would have been grateful for that friendship. He would have protected her until the day he died. He loved her so much. So _fucking _much. How could this be happening? He should have known that she couldn't survive in this world, not because she wasn't strong. No, because she was just so good and good things didn't survive long in this world.

"How're you doing?" a voice asked, breaking him away from his thoughts. It was Carol.

" 'm fine." He muttered.

"No, you're not."

"Well, that's what you're 'spose to say. Ain't it?" He asked. He honestly had no idea what he was supposed to do. He'd been eight when his mother had died and he'd pushed it all inside. There was no room for it when he was getting the shit beat out of him by his father. He didn't give a shit about his father when he'd died. Even when Merle died, he'd had to deal with the Governor's bullshit and then the prison. He hadn't had time to grieve.

"You're not _supposed_ to say anything, Daryl." Carol said soothingly. "There's no wrong way to grieve. Especially when you were in love with the person."

"I wasn-" Daryl began, before he looked at Carol's face. She wasn't having that.

"Yes, you were."

"How'd you know?" He asked her, he didn't think he'd been that obvious.

"Pookie, how could I _not_ know? You've changed, Daryl. For the better. You're more optimistic. At least you were before. It's not fair that you never got to tell her and unfortunately that's going to add to your grief, but she made you an even better man than you already were."

" It doesn't matter. She's gone and even if she was here, she wouldn't want me." Daryl countered.

"You don't know that. Beth had good taste." Carol chuckled. "But, seriously, it does matter. Had you ever been in love before?"

"No." Daryl told her. Even if he had been, they would have never compared to Beth.

"The fact that you were able to feel that way for her shows that you've changed. You've always been a good man, but I don't know if you were always capable of a love like that Daryl. I know you. You would have been happy just watching over her, nothing else. That shows purity that I don't think you were capable of before. I don't think most people are capable of that."

Daryl didn't have an answer for that and Carol seemed to understand that he was done talking. She understood him in a way that nobody else could, well, except for one person. Daryl had often thought that Carol was the older sibling he'd wanted when he was a kid. Merle had never been around, even when he wasn't in juvie or prison. He'd always been out of the house. Carol was always there for him and he appreciated that, but she wasn't who he wanted right now.

* * *

If her throat didn't feel so dry, she would have been screaming. She started frantically digging herself out of the dirt and before long, she felt the cool air that lay above the surface of her grave. She was almost there, until a hand grabbed hold of hers.


	2. Chapter 2

She had survived being buried alive and now Beth Greene was going to be killed by a walker. The hand pulling her up certainly helped her get out of the ground quicker, but it wouldn't make any difference. She had nothing to defend herself with once she got out. Even if she did have a weapon, whatever was wrong with her head would keep her from defending herself. Her head was pounding and she was incredibly disoriented.

Beth was quite surprised once she came face to face with a living man. His eyes were not glazed over and nothing on him was rotting. She would have been extremely happy about this if he wasn't holding a gun to her head.

"No, please! I'm alive." She rasped out, her throat dry. His look of shock was the last thing she saw before her legs gave out and she descended into darkness.

* * *

It was the day after they'd buried Beth and the group had just made camp for the night. Daryl insisted on taking watch and he was even quieter than he usually was. He was surprised when Maggie approached him, he thought she'd know better.

"Hey." She said a bit awkwardly as she sat down next to him. She wasn't sure where to begin. She knew Daryl was pissed at her and she knew why. She was angry with herself for writing Beth off.

Daryl grunted in response.

"I know you think I gave up on Beth." Maggie began, fighting back her tears. "You're right, I did."

Daryl just looked at her. What was the point of stating the obvious?

"I should have left notes for Beth too. I shouldn't have gone with Abraham's group after we were all reunited. There are so many things I'd do differently. I wish I could go back in time. Maybe if I'd been there she would have lived. I know you think I gave up on her because I didn't think she was strong. I didn't. I knew my sister was strong. She's a Greene, after all." Maggie smiled sadly and continued, "I couldn't allow myself to have hope. I didn't hold out any hope for the rest of you to be alive either. The only person I let myself hope for was Glenn and I obsessed over finding him. I made him my mission. I'm not sure why I picked Glenn over Beth. It could have easily been her. I just- I had to forget about her, about everybody except Glenn. If I thought about her, I needed to accept the possibility that she could be dead." Maggie paused. "Daryl, I think you're the only person who understands how I feel. You and Beth were close and I'd like to hear about how that happened. I need to talk to somebody who cared about her."

"I didn't just care about her." Daryl said quietly. "I loved her."

Maggie sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you go after her when you found Glenn?" Daryl asked. He understood what Maggie was saying, somewhat. He got that. If you don't let yourself hope, you can't be let down. He had been there before, hell, that had been his entire life until Beth. Beth had given him hope.

"I don't know." Maggie answered, tears running down her face. "We met Abraham's group and I figured it would be selfish to forgo saving the world for something I wanted. I guess I also still didn't want to get my hopes up. Then Terminus happened and I needed to go to DC so they'd stay and help. You have no idea how happy I was when Michonne told me Beth was alive. I let myself get my hopes up and they were crushed."

Daryl was silent. In the past, he'd have been yelling at Maggie already. He couldn't bring himself to rage, he was broken. He was still angry at Maggie, but he also knew that she had loved Beth too. She was the only person who understood some of what he was going through.

"What happened when you got out?" Maggie asked. "Please, I need to hear more about her. Maybe you can tell me some of your stories and I'll tell you mine."

"Did you know she never drank before?" Daryl asked.

"I guess I should've figured." Maggie laughed. "Daddy was so against it once he got sober. I just figured she was like me and drank with friends in high school. Should've known better, she was always the good one. I was the black sheep."

"She told me she needed a drink." Daryl continued, his heart warming at the memory of her. "Made me leave camp and we found a country club. All they had left was peach schnapps."

"You did not let my baby sister have peach schnapps as her first drink!" Maggie gasped.

Daryl laughed quietly, "Nah, I grabbed it out of her hands and smashed the bottle. We went to a moonshine shack. She made me play this game, 'I never.'"

Maggie started laughing, "I'm sure you loved that."

"Yeah, I started yelling at her because I took somethin' the wrong way and even though I'd yelled at her she ended up comfortin' me." Daryl continued. "Later that night she told me we should burn it down. And we did."

"I guess she got a bit of teenage rebellion." Maggie sighed. "She was always so good, so sweet. I always made fun of her for being boring. I figured she'd get to have some fun in college. I'm glad she got a little taste of that."

"It don't bother you?" Daryl asked, confused.

"What?" Maggie asked. "I mean, it's irresponsible that you burned a building down. If she were here, I'd probably yell at her, but who cares anymore?"

"No, I meant that I'm in love with her. That I was in love with her."

"No. I mean, maybe I'd be saying different if she were here. I'd like to think I wouldn't. But, I'm glad someone loved my sister. She deserved that. Jimmy and Zach were sweet, but I don't think she really loved them. Maybe she loved you. Like I said, who cares anymore? Did she know?"

"No." Daryl answered. "I didn't really know myself until right before she was taken."

"I'm sorry." Maggie told him, again.

"Don't matter." Daryl answered gruffly.

"It does matter." Maggie told him. "I know you probably think she wouldn't want you, but you might've been surprised. My sister knew you were a good man when we were in the prison, I'm sure she got to know you even better afterwards. I just wish you would've had the chance to find out."

Daryl remained silent and Maggie realized that that was the most she'd get out of him today.

"Daryl," she begged. "Please don't shut me out. I know you're still angry, but you're hurting and so am I. The two of us knew her best and we loved her the most. I'd really appreciate it if we could keep talking about her. Y'know, I read a book once. It's called _The Things They Carried_ and the author compares being dead to being a book. He basically says that you're only really dead when people stop thinking and talking about you. I know you're not much of a talker, that's ok because this is the most I've talked since it's happened. I get it, but maybe if we keep talking about her we can keep her memory alive. It's when we stop talking about her that she's truly dead. You don't have to say anything else. I'll leave you alone now, but I want to keep her alive, Daryl. I need to and I think you do too."

Maggie got up and walked back to Glenn, leaving Daryl alone once again. It had helped to talk to Maggie, to tell her his stories about Beth. He wanted to hear hers. He _needed _to. He just wasn't ready to say more yet. He'd already spoken so much in the last few minutes. He wasn't sure where it came from; it wasn't like him. Beth, as well as her loss, had changed him so much. She would've gotten a kick out of it.

* * *

"Beth!" Someone called her name. "Beth! Wake up!"

She tried to open her eyes, wincing at the brightness from the sun. A man's face came into focus. He was the same man who had been holding a gun to her head, now he was looking at her with concern.

She tried to sit up but he gently nudged her to lie back down.

"It's ok, girl. Take it easy, you've been shot in the head."

"What?!" She exclaimed, confused. People didn't survive gunshots to the head, did they?

"That must've been why your people buried you. Probably figured you couldn't come back from that and maybe your pulse and breath were too faint to detect. If I still believed in God, I'd say this was a miracle. You're lucky. I stitched your head up with what I've got in my first aid kit. I got some antibiotics and Aspirin for you. That's about all I can do. Hopefully you'll be up and about in a few days."

"How'd you know my name?" Beth asked.

"You must've been loved, they made a marker for you." The man explained and then recited "'Beth Greene, Beloved Daughter and Beloved Sister'"

"What's your name?"

"Morgan." He answered simply.

"Y'have people, Morgan?" She asked, curiously.

"Maybe soon and I'm thinkin' you know them. I've been following this man I know and his group. I'd just missed them here and I'm thinkin' you couldn't have been buried too long. His name's Rick Grimes. You a part of his group?" Morgan asked.

"I was." Beth answered. "Me and this guy, Daryl, we got separated. The whole group got separated. We must've found them again."

"You don't remember?" Morgan asked her.

"The last thing I remember is sitting at a table with Daryl." Beth told him, smiling slightly at the memory. "I don't know how I got shot and how we got back to Rick."

Morgan nodded. "Is this Daryl guy your man?"

Beth sighed, "It seemed like we were heading there, if he'd let me in. I don't know. Obviously some time has passed since that night."

Morgan smiled. "Well, Beth Greene, I'm gonna get you back to your man. You work on healin' up and then we'll get on the road."

Beth smiled back, "I like that plan."

* * *

**A/N:** I hope Daryl isn't too ooc, but my feeling is that losing Beth really changed him. He's just so broken over it that he doesn't have the strength to scream and yell. I also think that he wouldn't be able to help himself from talking about Beth, it's all he can really do. I'm having a lot of fun writing this, but finals are coming up so updates may not be that frequent but I would really like to keep this story going.


	3. Chapter 3

Slowly but surely, Beth was getting better. She still didn't remember what happened, her head still hurt like hell and she'd noticed that the left side of her body was not as strong as it once was, but she was getting stronger. She began to form a bond with Morgan, he told her about losing his wife and son, and she told him about losing her mother, Shawn, and her father. She told him how her family had met Rick's group. She explained that they weren't just a group they were family. She told him how she hoped Maggie and Glenn were with Rick's group, that Daryl had to be. She told him about Judith, her Lil Asskicker, how she hoped she was reunited with Rick and Carl. Mostly she spoke about Daryl.

"How'd you meet him?" Morgan asked one night, after they'd made camp. It was the first day Beth had been well enough to travel so they'd made camp pretty early. He didn't want her to lose her strength. He was hoping they could find a car pretty soon.

"Daryl?" Beth asked, wondering why he'd want to hear about that.

Morgan nodded, "Might as well, stories are the only entertainment we got nowadays. How'd you fall in love with him?"

"He was with Rick's group. I didn't really have much interaction with him at the farm. He scared me a bit. He seems like this tough and surly redneck, but he's not once you get to know him. I mean he's still tough and he's still a redneck, but he's a good guy. He'd do anything for the people he loves. When he got to the farm, he was lookin' for this little girl, Sophia. She'd gone missing after the group encountered a herd of walkers and most of 'em had given up on her. Daryl didn't until he saw for his own eyes that there was no hope. That's when I knew he was special. Then we left the farm and found the prison, Rick's wife had her baby and died. Judith needed formula and he went straight out, he refused to let her die too. That's when I developed a bit of a crush, I guess. Then the prison fell and we got out together. We got drunk and I yelled at him for thinkin' I was just another dead girl. I guess now he thinks I am." Beth sighed sadly and continued, "We burned down an old moonshine shack and then we found this funeral home stocked with food. Daryl thought it was too good to be true and I told him there were still good people. The last thing I remember is him admitting to me that he thought there were still good people in the world. I asked him what had changed his mind and he didn't give me a real answer, but I think I did. We had a moment and I know that sounds so hokey and romantic, but we did. I just wish I knew what happened next."

"You will one day." Morgan assured her, falling into the role of father figure he had left behind long ago. Beth was older than Duane had been but he was starting to see her as a daughter. "We're gonna find 'em."

Beth smiled at him. "I hope so."

Daryl, on the other hand, was not getting better. He hadn't really spoken after his conversation with Maggie. At first, she'd worried that maybe she had made him feel worse, that he wasn't ready to talk, but Glenn assured her.

"No one can make Daryl do anything. You didn't force him to talk; he did it on his own. He's just grieving in his own way."

Daryl didn't know how he'd get through this. Sometimes he'd wondered what the point of going on was, and then he remembered that Beth had thought that once too. She'd even gone as far as slitting her wrist, but she'd decided to live. Maybe there wasn't anything to go on for, but he knew that Beth would want him to live. So he decided to protect their family, he'd always done that, but now he was even more determined.

He'd always been a lone wolf, but now he was even more so. They'd made some good time with the fire truck, but they'd had to leave it behind when they had run out of gas. So when they walked, Daryl walked by himself, he preferred watch by himself but when he couldn't be alone he preferred somebody who wouldn't try to talk to him, like Michonne or Abraham.

Sometimes he'd hold Judith, but he couldn't bare to too often. All he thought about when he saw her was that she had lost not one, but two mothers. She would never know either of them. This whole situation was bullshit.

"How're you doing?" Rick asked him, walking over as Daryl looked up from his watch post.

Daryl shrugged.

"We all miss her." Rick told him. "It wasn't your fault, you know that, right?"

"She shouldn't have gotten taken in the first place." Daryl told him.

"You're right, she shouldn't have." Rick began, "But it wasn't your fault."

"I was 'spose to protect her." Daryl answered.

"From what Noah tells me, they would've tried to take her even if you'd been there. It might have become a firefight. They could've killed you." Rick told him.

"Maybe not." Daryl told him.

"Jus' let me know you're gonna be ok." Rick told him. "We're worried about you. Beth wouldn't wa-"

"I'm not gonna off myself if that's what your thinkin'." Daryl growled. "Thought about it, but you're right, she wouldn't want that. Just don't see anything to live for anymore. I'll protect our people till the day I die, Rick. But any hope I had left died with her."

"I understand." Rick nodded, thinking for a moment. "You would've been good for each other and it kills me that you didn't have that chance."

"D'ya really think that's what I'm so broken about? That we were never together?" Daryl asked, seething. "I don't care if she was alive and never looked my way again. She'd be alive. Yeah, I was in love with her, 'parently this whole group knows it, and I wonder what could have been sometimes. But, it's not about that! It's about the fact, that out of most people here, she should be alive."

Rick began to apologize, to explain that that wasn't what he meant.

Daryl ignored him, "I'm goin' huntin'." And with that he walked away.

Daryl was just so fucking angry. Why? What was the point of all of this if people like her couldn't survive? It wasn't just that she was good or strong or that he loved her, she had tried so hard to prove that she was a survivor, she'd proved it to him. He just wished she'd had the chance to prove it to the rest of them No matter what Carol or Maggie or Rick said, they didn't really know who she was. Not like he did. He thought that while the pain would eventually heal for the rest of them, it would never heal for him. He would be mourning and pining over Beth for the rest of his life. She was it for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Morgan and Beth continued to track the group for a few more days. They seemed to be about two days behind them. It was starting to kill Beth that they kept missing them, but they'd found a car so they could've been even farther away from them. Each day they came across the campsite that had been left behind. It was them, she knew it, but she wished she had something to hold on to. It was usually only garbage that was left behind.

Until one day, there wasn't. One day there was a baby blanket left behind. Judith hadn't had it at the prison, but Beth knew it was hers. The first thing she did was bring it to her face and smell it. It was Judith. All she could smell was that wonderful baby smell all babies had and she knew it was Judith. How could she not? She'd cared for her from birth. Beth carefully folded the blanket and put it in her bag. She'd give it back to Judith once they found her family.

* * *

Daryl nearly lost it the day their group crossed into South Carolina. He thought about what Beth would have said. She probably wouldn't have said anything; she would've nudged his shoulder and gave him a smile.

That evening, while everyone sat around the fire, Daryl sat next to Maggie.

Maggie looked up, surprised, and Glenn left her side with the excuse that he needed to ask Rick something.

"Tell me a story 'bout her." Daryl requested. He didn't say anything more and Maggie didn't need an explanation.

"Y'know how you told me the two of you burnt down a house?" Maggie asked, smiling.

Daryl nodded, indicating she should go on.

"Well, I remembered that arson wasn't the first crime Bethy committed. She stole a car once." Maggie laughed.

"What?" Daryl asked confused.

"Yeah." Maggie said laughing. "She was about fourteen and she had sweet talked Otis into letting her drive his car around the farm. She told him how she felt left out because Shawn and I could drive and she couldn't. Otis knew better, but most people couldn't resist Bethy's big blue eyes."

Daryl nodded again, he understood how convincing Beth could be when she wanted something.

"She'd driven my car up the drive once or twice and did fine, she didn't account for the fact that Otis drove a stick shift."

Daryl laughed, the first time he had in a while. "What happened?"

"She couldn't get very far and then Daddy saw what was goin' on and ran out of the house screamin'. She panicked and started driving in circles, trying to get away. I guess she didn't really steal the car, but Daddy almost killed her. Went on about what would've happened if she'd wrecked Otis' car. She vowed she'd never drive stick again." Maggie finished, laughing.

"Thanks." Daryl told her, enjoying the image of Beth, alive.

"No problem." Maggie told him, she was silent for a moment and continued, "She'd kill me for tellin' you this, but she had a crush on you. Seems so silly and she never admitted to it, but she did."

Daryl looked at her in disbelief.

"She did." Maggie told him earnestly, "After Judith was born and you went out for that formula and called her Lil' Asskicker, I know- knew my sister, Daryl. She had feelings for you. She was so mad when you left with Merle. I guess she figured you wouldn't want someone so young, so she moved on, but I bet those feelings never went away."

"Why're you tellin' me this?" Daryl questioned, not sure if it made him feel better or worse.

"Because I would want to know if it were me." Maggie told him, "I can understand why it may make things worse, but maybe it will make you feel better about your feelings. Maybe she loved you too after all was said and done. I know it may make you hurt worse, but I think she would've wanted you to know now."

A few days later, they made camp in an abandoned house somewhere near Greenville. Once everybody was sitting around the living room, Rick stood up to make an announcement.

"This is the best place to stay we've found in a while. While we've been making good progress, I think it's time for us to take a break for a while. Carol and Eugene aren't in the best shape right now. They've been doin' well, but I don't want to overexert them and end up setting them back. I think it's best we stay here for at least a couple days if not a week. Most of us are also mourning and that's taking a toll. We need some rest."

Most of the group nodded, Abraham, who had been on a mission for so long, was about to protest before he realized that there was no need to rush anymore.

Daryl didn't really care much either way. Here, on the road, Washington, what was the difference? She wasn't in any of those places. She never would be.

* * *

Beth thought about Daryl when she and Morgan crossed into South Carolina, he finally made it out of Georgia. She decided that when she saw him again she'd work on making some of his other "I never's" come true. She'd get him a gift for Christmas(or winter, because who really knew when Christmas was anymore?) and maybe someday they'd be able to take something resembling a vacation. Together.

Beth wondered what their relationship would be like when they reunited. Had they gotten together in the time between the funeral home and when she woke up? Sometimes she liked to imagine that something had happened, that somehow she had gotten Daryl to admit that he loved her too. She'd started having feelings for him around the time Judith had been born and their experience on the run together had just made those feelings stronger. She liked to think he felt the same way. Before their night at the funeral home, she would have thought she was crazy. It would have been insane to think he'd want a kid like her, but his face changed her mind. He felt something too.

Beth pulled Morgan's jacket tighter around her as they walked, it had started getting colder and he'd given it to her one evening when he noticed her shivering. He told her it looked better on her anyway. Sometimes Beth hoped that nothing had happened between her and Daryl yet. She wanted to remember everything and there was a good chance she wouldn't get her memories back.

Sometimes she had dreams, dreams that she thought could be memories. Sterile white walls, scrubs, a woman telling her she wasn't strong, an elevator shaft. These dreams scared her, she hoped they weren't true.

Morgan's voice broke her out of her thoughts, "I think they're headed to somewhere near Greenville. We'll probably be gettin' there tomorrow. Doubt they'll stay long enough for us to catch 'em, but we will one day."

Beth nodded, hoping that day would come soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Morgan and Beth kept tracking the group, Beth began leading the way because she had had the best tracker she knew teach her, after all.

"Who taught ya to track like that?" Morgan asked her one day while they were walking through the woods.

"Daryl." Beth answered, smiling. "He's the best tracker I know."

"He must be impressive if his student is this good." Morgan complimented her.

"He is." Beth agreed, remembering the feel of his arms around her as he helped her aim the crossbow.

The compliment and talk of Daryl made her feel a little better, they'd been put a day behind because of a herd of walkers so she'd been feeling like they'd never catch up to them. Morgan tried to assure her that it would happen eventually, she'd be with Daryl soon. She was just anxious to be with her family.

They were in a wooded area outside of Greenville when they came across an abandoned house. They heard voices inside. Beth reached for her knife but quickly stopped herself once she heard how familiar those voices were.

"It's them!" Beth whispered excitedly to Morgan.

"Let's go then." Morgan urged.

"You go ahead, I need a minute." Beth needed to collect herself before she saw everybody. She took a deep breath as she heard Rick's voice and Morgan's answer. She began making her way towards the door.

She was home.

* * *

It was about noon on the third day they'd been at the house when there was a knock on the door.

Daryl had been sitting by himself, making some new bolts, when he'd heard it. Rick handed Judith to Michonne and grabbed his gun as he got up. Daryl grabbed his crossbow, ready for a fight. He had no faith in people anymore, not without her in the world.

Rick opened the door, cautiously, and the first thing he saw was Morgan. "I'll be damned." He laughed.

"It's been a long time." Morgan agreed, slapping Rick on the back.

"Everybody, this is Morgan. He helped me when all this first started." Rick introduced the man. "You already know Michonne and Carl."

"Are you alone?" Daryl asked, suspiciously.

Morgan didn't have a chance to answer before Maggie screamed and Daryl dropped his crossbow. Beth was standing in the doorway.

He'd lost it. That was the only thing Daryl could think in that moment. He was finally breaking like Rick had after Lori died. But then, he noticed the look of astonishment on everybody else's faces. She was real. He ran to her.

Beth barely had time to register the faces of her loved ones before she was wrapped in Daryl's arms. "How?" he asked when he let her go.

Beth didn't get a chance to answer before Maggie was holding her.

"Bethy, I'm so sorry. I thought you were dead! I should've looked for you before that. I'm sorry I wasn't at the hospital in time."

"Give her some space." Rick ordered, ever the level headed one, "She's recovering from a gunshot wound."

"I just don't understand how you're alive." Maggie told her. "You were shot in the head. We buried you."

"Whoever shot me must've missed the most important parts of my brain." Beth answered. "I got lucky."

"I found her while I was trackin' y'all." Morgan added. "She was tryin' to dig herself out of her grave and I thought she was a walker. Luckily she stopped me before I put her down."

"I don't remember what happened." Beth continued, looking around the room and stopping on Daryl, "The last thing I remember was when you and I were sittin' in the funeral home we holed up in. Can you tell me what happened?"

"We got overrun by a herd, I told you to run and by the time I got out you'd been taken by this car. It had a white cross on it." Daryl explained, looking into those beautiful eyes he thought he would never see again. "I ran after it for miles before I gave up. You were taken to this hospital in Atlanta, but Noah can tell you more about that."

"Noah?" Beth asked, confused.

"That's me." The boy answered. "I lived there. They would take in injured people, fix us up and make us work off our debt. Problem was, you never could. Every meal added to the debt further. It was run by this police officer, Dawn, and her force. The two of us tried to escape, I got out, you didn't."

"Noah found Daryl and me." Carol continued, "Daryl had seen another car with a cross and we followed it, hoping to find you. We found each other in Atlanta and planned to go in and get you, but I was hit by one of their cars. They took me too and apparently you saved my life."

"Daryl and Noah came back to us." Rick said. "Daryl, Noah, Sasha, Tyreese, and I went back to Atlanta for you and Carol. We captured three of Dawn's cops, one got away and we had to kill him, and we planned to make the switch for the two of you. Dawn had agreed, we had you and Carol back with us, but then she made a power play. Claimed she needed Noah because we had only given her two cops. Noah wasn't part of the deal."

"I volunteered to go." Noah told her, "But you wouldn't have that. You went up to Dawn, and I guess after all the abuse she'd put you through you couldn't take anymore, and tried to put surgical scissors through her chest. I guess you didn't realize she was wearing a bulletproof vest or think about the fact she was armed, you were just so angry."

Beth was shocked that she'd do something like that, she was never the type to be brash or violent. She couldn't believe that she'd been so stupid.

"She shot you." Daryl told her. "Through the head. I killed her, but I thought you were gone Beth. I carried you out, I didn't feel a pulse or you breathing. I'm so sorry."

Beth's heart broke because he looked so crushed. She knew he was already prone to blaming himself for things, she didn't want him blaming himself for this. "It's not your fault Daryl, it was probably really faint." Beth reassured him. "It's also not your fault I got kidnapped, it's the kidnapper's fault."

He grabbed hold of her hand. "I missed ya so bad when you were gone, Beth Greene." He whispered, too low for anyone to hear.

Beth smiled and answered, "I missed you too."

"I think someone wants to see you." Michonne told her, handing Judith to her.

The little girl squealed with delight when she saw Beth.

"I'm surprised she remembers me," Beth said, tears clouding her eyes. "She's grown so much."

"You're her mama, how could she forget you?" Daryl asked her, smiling wider than she'd ever seen.

"Daryl, can you hand me my bag?" Beth asked, trying to hold back her tears. "I found her blanket last week, promised myself I'd give it back to her."

Daryl looked in the bag, fished the baby blanket out, and handed it to Beth.

She handed the little girl the blanket, but she ignored it. She was too distracted by Beth.

"Y' missed me too, huh?" Beth asked her and the little girl giggled in response.

Beth was home.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait for a chapter, but I've been dealing with finals and papers so I'm going to be pretty busy until right before Christmas. I hope the reunion doesn't seem to rushed, but I didn't want to prolong it too much(my heart couldn't take it lol).


	6. Chapter 6

"You weren't at the hospital, were you?" Beth asked Maggie that night, once things had calmed down a bit. Maggie hadn't left her sister's side since she had arrived. "Why?"

"I didn't look for you after the prison." Maggie admitted, guiltily, "I chose to look for Glenn and once I found him we just followed Abraham's group. I just couldn't bear to think you were alive only to find out you were dead, so I forgot or tried to anyway. Then we were at Terminus."

Beth shuddered, she had been told about Terminus earlier.

"Daryl told me you were alive, he never lost hope, Beth, but I couldn't let myself hope. So Glenn and I went with Abraham's group, we had to make a deal so they'd stay and help with the Terminus group. You have no idea how happy I was when we came back and Michonne told me you were alive. I let myself believe, but then when I got to the hospital, you were dead. At least I thought you were. Please forgive me." Maggie begged her, crying.

"I wish you'd had hope in me." Beth told her. "I've already yelled at Daryl once for thinkin' I was just another dead girl. I forgive you, I'm just so happy to be back with everyone. I never could hold a grudge."

"No, you couldn't." Maggie agreed, laughing but she got serious again and added, "But I'd understand if you did this time."

"No, it's not worth it. Life is too short nowadays." Beth told her sister, hugging her. "I'm gonna go see Daryl."

"He loves you." Maggie told her, smiling because she was happy her little sister had someone, "He loves you so much. I've never seen anyone so devastated when we thought you were dead."

"I know. I love him too." Beth told her sister with a smile.

Daryl was on watch; he'd decided to give the Greene sisters some time together. He was surprised when he heard her footsteps on the porch.

"Hey." She greeted him.

Daryl nodded in response.

"What do you think would've happened if the funeral home hadn't been overrun?" Beth asked him after she sat down.

"I dunno." Daryl answered her.

"You must have an idea. I mean, I changed your mind, right?" Beth asked.

Daryl hesitated and then decided he'd be honest. He couldn't deny her anything any more. He'd never had much willpower when it came to Beth Greene; after he thought she died and she miraculously returned to him, he had none. "Yeah, you did."

"I'm glad." Beth told him. "But, I think there's more between us than that. Isn't there?"

"Yeah." Daryl answered again.

Beth smiled at him. If it were anyone else, she'd get aggravated by his singular syllable answers, but this was Daryl. "Think we would've kissed by now?" she asked, watching his face for the panicked reaction that was sure to come.

She wasn't disappointed; he looked like a deer caught in headlights. "I think we would have." She told him. "I think you'd probably sulk about it for a while. Worryin' about the age difference and what not, but then I'd yell some sense into you and you'd've gotten over it."

He was still silent.

"Don't be afraid of this Daryl. Let's skip the sulking part." She said as she slid closer to him. "I'm in love with you and neither of us knows how much time we have left. You've already lost me once, let's not waste anymore time."

Daryl realized that she was right. Maybe before he'd thought he lost her for good he could have put his feelings aside, could have been selfless and let her move on to somebody better, but he couldn't find it in him. "I sure as hell hope so." Daryl told her, in answer to her earlier question, before he caught her lips in a kiss.

Beth had never been kissed like that in her life. She'd never had a kiss with so much love and passion behind it. Kissing Jimmy and Zach had been nice, but they didn't compare to Daryl Dixon. She had never thought she'd be into something this rough, but she didn't miss their gentleness. The way his tongue met hers and how he sucked and nibbled on her bottom lip was heaven. She shouldn't have been surprised, she'd never been attracted to anyone as much as she was to Daryl.

When they broke apart, Beth smiled up at him. "I love you too." He told her, saying those words to someone for the first time in his life.

"I know." Beth giggled as she cuddled into his side.

Daryl smiled down at her. "Just don't understand why you love me. You could do so much better."

"No I couldn't." Beth argued back, hoping he wouldn't talk himself out of this.

"You're beautiful, Beth, you deserve more."

"You're extremely handsome, Daryl, and if you haven't noticed, I'm not that beautiful anymore." Beth shot back, gesturing to the three scars on her face.

"Shut up, you're just as gorgeous as you've always been." Daryl scolded her. "I'm too old for you."

"How old are you?" Beth asked, curiously.

"Thirty-six. I think." Daryl told her.

"Well, first off, I'm nineteen now. I'm more than past the age of consent. Two, my daddy was twenty years older than my mama. And three, who cares anymore? What else have you got, Mr. Dixon?"

"I'm not a good person." Daryl told her. "I've never been a good person."

"Maybe you weren't good before all this, but you are now. Remember I told you that you gotta stay who you are, not who you were?"

Daryl nodded.

"I want you, Daryl Dixon, and nothing is gonna change my mind. You're stuck with me." Beth said sternly.

"Stuck with you ain't so bad." Daryl told her simply, conceding and putting his arm around her.

"Y'know," Beth began, "Morgan calls you my man."

"Am I?" Daryl asked, unsure.

"If I'm your girl." Beth told him.

"Then I guess I'm your man." Daryl told her, pulling her even closer to him.

"I've never done this before." Daryl confessed, "The relationship thing, I mean."

"That's not a big deal." Beth said, trying to soothe him. "I don't think I really have either. Jimmy was a high school boyfriend and we probably wouldn't have been together as long if he didn't end up living at the farm. He was just the type of guy girls like me were _supposed_ to date and now I realize that he wasn't my type. Zach wasn't either. He was nice, but I didn't have feelings for him. Not like I do for you."

Daryl was silent.

"Let's play 'I never.'" Beth suggested.

"There's no liquor." Daryl pointed out.

"We don't need any. This is so you see that there are things both of us have never done. Like I said, the past doesn't matter, it's who you are now. Put all ten fingers up and when you've done something, put one down. I'll start: I've never been in love before you."

Daryl still had all of his fingers up. "I never thought I'd have this." He said.

Beth still had all of her fingers up as well.

"Aren't girls supposed to dream about this stuff?" Daryl teased her.

"I guess I did, but I could never imagine feeling this deeply for anyone. I never thought it would be like this." Beth explained. "I didn't think it was possible to feel this way about someone."

Daryl nodded. He could understand that.

Although this wasn't really a very competitive game, Beth was a competitive person. She knew exactly how she'd win and get a reaction out of Daryl. She also felt like she needed to let him know now so it wasn't a surprise later.

"I've never had sex." She told him, blushing.

Daryl was silent. He felt like he'd have an aneurysm from all the emotions going through his head: fear, love, arousal, and excitement. He put a finger down.

"Why'd ya tell me that now?" He asked her, looking down at her.

"I wanted to see what you would say." She told him, laughing, and then she got serious. "Is that ok?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Daryl asked her, confused.

"I know some guys are weirded out by it." She told him, making him remember just how young she was.

"Darlin', they were boys." He told her. "I just wish you'd let me know this somewhere where we could get more privacy."

Beth giggled and snuggled into him even more. "One day we'll have that privacy and you can show me exactly what I'm missin'." She promised.

"I'll hold you to that." Daryl teased her.

"Yes sir, Mr. Dixon." Beth quipped, having noticed his reaction to the title before.

"You're gonna kill me, girl." Daryl sighed.


End file.

Walking Dead