Her light, his fire

14

Suggested Music:
(Never Let Me Go    - Florence)
"And the arms of the ocean are carrying me"

Fan art by AEROKNOT

NOW-
I stood at the top of the stairs as Daryl rushed through the door, he was dirty, hair and clothes covered in dirt, leaves, and blood, his eyes searching for something.. someone. "Daryl.." I called out as I leaned my body against the railing his eyes flew up locking on to mine. I felt my body freeze, he stared at me as if I was a ghost or just his mind playing tricks on him. i had played this exact moment a thousand times in my head, but now.. now that it was happening it happened so differently it felt so realz My chest heavy as He came up the stairs not letting his eyes come off of me, I backed away from the railing, my boot pulling against my leg as I moved as best as I could. He went to speak but nothing came out I could tell by the look on his face he was about to fall apart, "Beth..." Daryl fell down to his knees, then on his ass weeping, I tried to fight back the tears as I threw my body forward, dropping down to my knees, my arms flew around his neck pulling  him into my chest, my body sitting on top of his legs. He mumbled a thousand things as we both held each other tightly. I took in his touch, something I had craved for so long. Once we was able to speak we looked over each other about a thousand times making sure we were both real. Daryl had asked a thousand questions, if I was really there? How? Where have I been? Are you okay? All of his questions rushed as I tried to keep up spitting out answers. "Daryl!" I interrupted before he could ask another. "I'm right here, I'm okay.. I'm okay." I said cupping his face with my hands. Once he had realized I was there he smiled through his tears and roughly kissed me, his lips surprising mine once they touched.

Later that day after everyone got cleaned up and Eugene was cleared by Sedic We stood outside, everyone gathered for Jesus's funeral. I sat in a wheelchair they had as Rosita stood above me, Daryl beside me with his dog sitting at my feet. Aaron's eyes were red and puffy as they covered up the casket with dirt. "Jesus was a warrior, a leader, a great man, and a boyfriend. He was a light for all of us, though his chapter has ended, his story did not. Jesus will always be that light for hilltop." Aaron said as she fought back tears. "We have come across a enemy, one we weren't expecting to find. We have to come together.." He looked at Michonne, Tara, Carol, and Daryl. "We will not fall." He said. The hilltop citizens all repeated it. "We will not fall." They said, everyone began to spread out and head back to their jobs as Aaron laid a flower on top of the grave. "We need to talk about what happened tomorrow." Tara said, everyone agreed and began to head back to the house to rest. Rosita rolled me up as Daryl followed behind us. "I need to get out of this boot." I said. "Beth.. don't rush it." Rosita said as we reached the stairs. I began to sit up as Rosita came around to help me. "I got it." I said as I placed my boot onto the floor. Rosita pulled back and watched as I forced myself up the stairs. Daryl came behind me "Be easy.." he mumbled as he opened the door. I looked at him then watched the dog going flying inside. Tara helped put the wheelchair on the patio as we headed in. I went to a room Tara had prepared so I didn't have to keep going up and down the stairs. I turned the doorknob and wobbled over to sit down on the bed. Daryl came in closing the door behind me. "Hey." He said trying to grab my attention. "If your going to tell me to take it easy or take my time I'm going to kick your ass with this boot." I said laying them beside me. "Nah.. I ain't doin' that." He said with a smirk. "Good!" I puffed out. "I ain't banging you, I know you don't want them too either, but you've been gone for awhile-" I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Even better a lecture." I whispered. "Beth.. we all wanna make sure you're alright." He said, I looked up at him and noticed how serious he was. He was afraid to lose me again. "Daryl.. I'm not goin' anywhere." I assured him. He stared up at me as he leaned against the door, he leaned forward and came over to me. "Let's get you wrapped." Daryl got down on one knee and began to take the boot carefully off my foot. "Did you wanna change clothes?" He asked me noticing the jeans I was in. "Clean clothes? I would never." I teased before nodding my head yes. "Yeah yeah." He mumbled as he went over to the dresser and pulled out a large T-shirt for me to sleep in. He walked back over dropped the shirt on the bed as he waited for me to unbuckle my pants. I moved my hands down as I did so, I paused and then began shifting my pants down my hips showing my panties. Daryl awkwardly turned his head away as I slid them down. "Daryl.. could you-" Daryl turned and helped get my pants off my feet as I put my hands in between my thighs covering my panties. Daryl's eyes had looked over my milky legs then thighs he noticed the bracelet on my arm which made him smile. "You still got it.." He whispered before looking away from me, Daryl had seen me like this before, plenty of times, he then looked up at my hair. "Wha' made you cut it?" He asked. "It got too long." I admitted. "I like it." He mumbled as he laid my pants on the ground. I began to lift up the black shirt I had on, revealing my panties and the shape of my hips and stomach as the shirt rose up and over my head, leaving me in my bra. Daryl tried to keep his eyes on anything in the room until he looked over and seen a huge scar going diganoly across my stomach. "How you get that?" He asked. I slid the large T-shirt over my head and let it fall on my body. "It's nothing.." I said defensively, Daryl stared up at me before allowing me to shake off his question. "Okay." He mumbled. He grabbed the cloth to wrap my foot and began to do so. "Was Maggie happy here?" I asked, watching him wrap my foot and ankle. "She tried to be." He said looking up at me from time to time. "Truth is, she was hurtin' we all were. We lost to many people.. things just got cold round here." He admitted. "How'd it happen? Daryl knew I was talking about Rick, he cleared his throat as he stared down at my ankle. "Did it savin' us.." He mumbled. "Sacrificed himself.." Daryl stopped what he was doing then looked up at me. "He would've been happy to see you." He said, his eyes looked broken, I could tell he was hurting, I knew what Rick meant to him, what he meant to all of us. "I'm sorry." I whispered as Daryl finished. "Ain't nothin' to be sorry for.. I'm glad you're back." Daryl helped me slide onto the middle of the bed, keeping my foot stable. I tried my best to get comfortable as Daryl crawled in beside me laying his left arm under his head. "What happened out there?" I asked. "Got surrounded And once we thought we were in the clear Jesus went to kill the walker and he turned around and stabbed him.. it's people in masks.. crazy ass people. Had us on our ass." He mumbled. "I knew it was somethin' I just didn't know what.." I whispered. "I'm sorry about what happened to Jesus.. I know Maggie trusted him." I said. "We've lost so many.. hard to not be used to it." He whispered. "You shouldn't be used to it." I lifted my head to look at him, he looked down at me, then looked away. "Get some sleep Beth." He mumbled.

"Beth.." a voice whispered. I slowly opened my eyes looking at the man kneeled beneath me, a knife in his hand covered in blood, I knew his face.. I hated his face. He was holding my stomach, his eyes were white like a blind man, his mouth filling with blood, spilling down his chin and neck,
"Im sorry!" He screamed.

My eyes flew open as I gasped for air and reached for my stomach where the scar was imprinted, I let out a small cry as I put a hand over my mouth. Daryl slowly opened his eyes as he noticed me close to tears, he quickly jerked up and put a hand on my arm "hey, hey.. it's alright, whats goin' on girl?" He asked. "Nothing.. nothing. Just a bad dream." I whispered shaking my head. "Alright, you good?" He asked me concern written all over his face. "I'm okay." I mumbled. "Hey.. I got you." Daryl placed a kiss on my forehead and pulled me into his chest, I tried my best to get as comfortable as I could as he held me close to him. "I got you.." He repeated. I lifted my head and gave him a forced smile, I could tell he knew the difference as he didn't smile back, he stared down at me with a frown. "You get some sleep now.." He mumbled, running a finger across my face moving a couple strands of hair.

(DARYLS POV)
Once Beth had fallen back asleep I slid out from underneath her, sliding a pillow underneath her head, she rolled over slightly still fast asleep. Seeing her there warmed me, but it also scared the hell out of me. She was gone for six years, out there on her own, and by the look of her I knew she'd been through a lot. Goddamnit.. why did I stop looking for her? Because rick told me too? Nah.. that wasn't it, I could almost hear Merle tell me "cause your a pussy boy." I was scared.. scared to find her among the dead, or find her body in conditions id always remember, but if I had continued to search for her, maybe.. just maybe I would've found her before she found us so long after. I shook my head taking my mind out of thought as I grabbed my crossbow off the chair and headed out the room. I could see Aaron standing by the window peering out, he turned when he heard the door close behind me. "How is she?" He asked me. I gave him a slight shrug as I looked him over. "How are you?" I asked. He gave me the same shrug. "I'm alright.." he mumbled. "Gonna get some questions out that girl." I said walking past him, Aaron reached out his hand and grabbed my arm. "Thank you." He said to me. I nodded my head and gave him a small smile "Your welcome brother." I said as I pushed the door open. I looked over at the two women who Michonne had brought, they looked at me then looked away continuing their conversation. I went to the cellar where the prisoner was locked at, pushing the door open. She stood against the bars, her eyes looking for me. "A new face." She said with a crooked smile. "Not a friendly one." I growled as I took the chair and sat if in-front of the cell placing my crossbow across my lap. "Oh, too bad." She shrugged and sat down on the floor. "Go ahead.. ask." She said popping her knuckles. "Where are y'all from?" I asked. "A place your community doesn't belong." She said. "We belong here, we didn't come searchin' for you pricks." I growled. "No.. no y'all didn't, but you found us anyways, and we found y'all." She said as she leaned forward. "Y'all wear the dead's skin.. why?" I asked her. She chuckled at my question and tilted her head "it's smart ain't it?" I lowered my eyes "that ain't a answer." I mumbled. "You wear that crossbow do you not? It's a weapon.. the masks, their weapons." She yawned and began to push herself up in her feet. "You killed a lot of our people." She said. "And you killed one of ours." I said looking her up and down. "One.. wasn't that bad, it'll be more." She threatened. "Nah.. no it won't." I said sitting straight up. "It will, you know.. your a lot more like us then them." She said looking over me, her words caught me off guard, I picked up my crossbow and stood up. "I ain't nothing like you." I growled. "You are, and you know you are." She smiled again. I threw my crossbow on to my back and headed towards the door. "Hey.. that blonde one, the one y'all took from us. We want her back.." I stopped dead in my tracks as she mentioned Beth, I turned around and glared at her, I walked towards the bars of her cell she was leaned against them, I put my hands through pulling her by her shirt until her face was crushed against the bars. "If you touch her, if you look at her, if she gets hurt, sick, aythin' I will gut you like a fuckin' pig. Yah' hear me Lil' girl? Your not gettin' shit." I growled. She let out a groan as I finally let her go, her body flying back, she chuckled and rubbed the side of her face "Come see me again soon." She hissed. I pushed the door and let it slam behind me, I walked across the grass looking over at the graves where many of our people laid one of them were empty, nothing but dirt, that one was supposed to belong to Beth.. I looked up at the house and squeezed my eyes shut for a couple seconds before going back inside.