Chapter 10: The L Word

                                    

                                          
Beth held her knees up to her chest; sighing heavily. "You dizzy?" her father asked. She shook her head, "I'm fine now, dad, just hungry."
                          
Daryl cleared his throat in the door way. "Can I talk to Beth alone?" he asked. Hershel glanced back and forth between the two, kissed Beth on the head and walked out past Daryl.
                          
"What?" she asked, as he sat on the end of her bed. "Don't yell at me," she whispered, hanging her head. He scoffed and moved closer to her. "I'm sorry." Beth looked up at him and watched him make his way over to her. Daryl pulled her to him and crashed his lips to hers. She drunk in the scent surrounding him as their lips hungrily devoured eachother.
                          
Beth pulled back and held Daryl away softly. "I love you," she said quietly. He didn't answer her but instead wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. "I love you too," he whispered so quietly that Beth had to strain to hear him. Beth relaxed against his touch and squeezed his waist. "Daryl," she said softly. "What if Maggie's not okay?" she asked, pulling back.
                          
Daryl could see the tears welling in her eyes.
                          
He gripped her shoulders tightly in his hands, trying to reassure her. "I won't let that happen," he told her gruffly but kindly. Beth nodded and pulled back into his chest.
                          
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"Daryl," Rick whispered, holding his gun out uniformly in front of him, "Take Beth that way, Glenn and I will regroup with you back at the prison."
                          
Beth glanced at Daryl somewhat curiously. Did he mean what he said? That... He loved her? "So, we're together?" she said, smiling up at him. "I guess we ar'," he replied, the ghost of a grin tugging at his lips. Beth skipped after Daryl, holding the gun he had given her at her side. She slipped her hand into his and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered, pulling back.
                          
Daryl leaned over, his breath hitting Beth's porcelain skin of her neck, "For wha'?"
                          
She sighed.
                          
"Everything," Beth replied. "I know this is har' for you- the love and hugs and kisses and the holding hands- but you're a good man, Daryl Dixon." He flinched at the her words and shook it off, "I ain't a goo' man, you didn't know me bufore this."
                          
Silence.
                          
"But I know you know, right? And you're alright in my books and God's." Daryl squeezed her hand self-consciously. "After your sister, you believe in that jerk?
                          
"I think... If I believe, I'll never lose hope. That there will always be someone there to catch me when I fall," she replied, her sweaty fingers tightly in between his. Daryl nodded slowly, as though he understood but Beth knew he didn't. He cleared his throat. "I'll always be there to catch you when you fall," he said quietly, as if not wanting anyone but her to know. Beth nodded and released his hand.
                          
"Daryl?" she asked. He looked at her and said gruffly, "Wha'?"
                          
Beth moved forward and pressed her lips to his, pushing him softly against a wall in a failed attempt to be spontaneous. "Sorry," she replied between kisses. Daryl grunted as he turned and pressed her to the wall. She gasped as his hands lifted her onto his waist and she put her head into the crook of his neck. "I love you, Daryl," she whispered.
                          
"I love you too," he said after a minutes silence, nibbling her ear.
                          
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Daryl lowered Beth down to her feet, kissing her soft lips again. "We better meet up with them, Rick will be wondering where we are."
                          
She nodded. Daryl watched her walk toe-to-heel and sighed. "Get on ma back," he said gruffly. Beth turned to look at him confused, "What?"
                          
He leant down, repeating himself and she jumped onto his back.
                          
They made their way to Rick, who was waiting outside without Glenn. Beth climbed down as he turned to look at them. "Where's Glenn?" she asked, worried. Daryl laid a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off. "Is he..." Beth asked afraid of the answer. "Dead?" she whispered.
                          
Rick puts his hand out in defence, "I couldn't do anything, it was too late. The Governor's here, we have to go."
                          
Beth choked back a tear and stepped back in to a hard figure. She sighed, "Sorry, Daryl."
                          
There was a growl and she fell to the ground, a hand clumped into a fist full of her hair. "Daryl, Rick!" she screeched. They turned and ran over, as the walker's teeth got nearer and nearer Beth's delicate throat.
                          

                          
SORRY FOR THE VERY SHORT CHAPTER AND THE VERY LONG WAIT. I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY BUT I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. OVER 200 READS, YOU GUYS ROCK! 
                          
AMY, XOXO.