In Hope Of Falling In Love (A Walking Dead Fanfic)

Chapter 1: Adventures In The Dark

Beth couldn't sleep. She wasn't sure if it was the endless nightmares or fear of being torn apart by the drooling freaks but she wasn't going to sleep with the images still fresh in her mind.

She leant up in bed; sweat pouring from her forehead and her heart beating quickly.

Beth was terrified.

She pulled herself from the cot and slid into her boots; leaning on the edge of the bed carefully. Her fingers shook as she did the shoes up and she stood carefully.

Beth heard rattling and grasped the gun under her pillow in her hand, opening her cell and walking out. She stopped walking and looked at the scene in front of her carefully; examining it. "Rick locks them up every night, in case the Governor comes back with his crew," she said to Daryl, lowering her gun.

He turned, "You scared the shit out of me, girl," he said. Beth sighed, cringing at the choice of words and pulled the keys from her belt, "I was meant to hold onto these, but you can have them if yu' want," she said, relying heavily on her Georgia accent. She dangled the keys slightly and tossed them to the rugged man who caught them mid-air. "What are you still doing up? Ain't it past your bedtime farm girl?"

Beth put her gun back in her back pocket and said softly, "My daddy told me to get some rest, I just woke up." Daryl grunted, "Why aren't you resting then?" She hesitated and lowered her voice, "I had a bad dream and daddy told me to watch the perimeter if I couldn't sleep."

He scoffed, "Hershel got you calling him daddy now?"

Beth put her hands behind her back, "I have trouble sleeping with the dreams. Sometimes I sleep out here at night and go back to my cell before everyone wakes up; they don't need to worry," she replied innocently.

Daryl scoffed again, "Don't worry, they won't," he snapped.

Beth didn't say anything. All she could think about was her dreams and the creatures that controlled them. Her inner demons that she knew she would have to face. "I know," she said, softly.

Daryl looked at her and his expression faltered, "What?"

She sighed. "They won't worry," she replied, giving a small sad smile. "Are you going out? I mean... outside?" she asked. There was an unusual silence that was broken as Daryl cleared his throat. "If I am?"

Daryl didn't like being caught by a young girl while trying to leave. If he had died leaving then she would know and it would be on her conscience. He didn't need to leave someone with that on their thoughts and let alone a seventeen year-old girl. Daryl especially didn't like the way she was so forward about him trying to escape; she didn't tell him off but instead gave him the keys.

Beth shrugged and her pale blond hair curled around her face as she blinked her light blue eyes, "I haven't been out in a while... Well, at least not without Maggie or daddy," she said truthfully.

Daryl considered it and put the keys in the lock; he turned to look at her, "Yu' gonna tell them I snuck out if I don't let you come?" he said, his voice harsh but his expression soft.

She shook her head, "No, sir," she said, pursing her lips together tightly. Daryl turned the keys and pulled open the heavy door. Beth followed him out closely, "Judith needs more formula," she said, placing a hand on Daryl's back. He shrugged it off, "I'm pretty sure the little Ass-kicker will be fine," he said coldly.

Beth shook her head, and remembering he couldn't see her, tapped his back lightly, telling him off. "No cussing," she reminded him. Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

She yawned and clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself.

"Yu' tired?" Daryl asked. Beth kept her hand on the back of his shirt to help guide herself through the dark and whispered to him carefully. "I haven't slept," she told him quietly. He nodded in front of her and cursed loudly as he tripped.

Beth tumbled forward with her hand still on his back and held the heavy man up. "Thanks," he grunted as she released her hard grip on his shirt and coughed to clear the awkwardness. "Why do yu' want to go outside so badly?" he asked.

She looked up at the sky, too busy drinking in the stars and the smell of somewhat fresh air that she didn't notice that Daryl had stopped and walked into his back, hitting her soft face and falling to the ground. "Sorry," she squeaked, pulling herself from the ground to stand once again behind him.

Daryl turned and smirked. "Watch were yu' goin'," he said, his smirk still plastered on his face.

Beth rubbed her cheek from the accidental attack on Daryl. "Where are you going?" she squealed, jogging to catch up with him; not wanting to be alone.

He turned and looked at her, "Why do yu' want to go outside so badly?" he repeated. Beth sighed softly and brought her voice to a loud whisper. "I like the stars," she replied. "They make me feel happy." Daryl scoffed, "Girls and their feelings." He turned back and continued walking, putting a cigarette between his teeth and lighting it with a lighter from his right breast pocket.

Beth followed closely behind, pursuing her lips tightly together. "Daryl?" she said quietly. There was a brief silence but he decided to speak. "What do yu' want girl?" Beth considered whether or not to ask him in fear of angering him but decided to ask him anyway; what was the worst he could do? "Do you have any family? Apart from Merle. Kids or a wife?" she said innocently.

"What's it to you?" he snapped. Beth shrugged, "Well, I have my father and sister and... everyone needs family," she replied softly. "I have family," he grunted.

"Merle?" she whispered, scared. Daryl sighed, "The prison..." he said, "Everyone up there, they're my family," he stated, obviously annoyed by the question and the subject.

"Sorry," Beth squeaked, wrapping her arms around her thin frame. "Cold as tit's in 'ere," Daryl said, his breath coming out as a foggy white cloud.

"Can we go back inside?" she asked him. There was a long silence as she rubbed her arms with her hands and Daryl sighed. "Let's go," he said gruffly. "Before anyone wakes up."