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

Chapter 34: Lies and Masterpieces

IF YOU HAVEN'T LISTENED TO EMILY KINNEY'S (BETH GREENE) MUSIC I SUGGEST YOU DO. SHE'S AMAZING.

 

The body of a small Woodbury woman was dragged out of the room, as Daryl stared in wonder, blood streaks on the concrete beneath his feet as he watched the young girl.

The Woodbury woman was beyond dead and he could see her limp body dragged by someone small and blonde, their blue eyes shining in the darkness as they heaved the body into the prison courtyard, checking to make sure no one was watching.

It was quiet; far too quiet and everyone was sleeping.

The blue eyes, far too blue to be anyone but her, were shining elegantly almost as if the person belonging to them hadn't just killed someone.

"Beth," he said quietly.

The eyes were raised to look at him before they faded softly into the darkness, leaving Daryl alone apart from the dead figure of a small woman he had seen many times before.

And for once, the prison was truly silent.

 

Beth didn't sleep that night.

Poor Judith had been crying all night and Beth had found her alone. Beth sat with Rick's baby and Carl's sister until the prison bustled to life, the sound of coughing could be heard from Cell block D, where the sick were locked.

As soon as Michonne woke up, she sent a very-tired Beth to bed to rest.

Thanking the woman, Beth slid quietly into Daryl's cell expecting him to still be there, as he usually was this early in the morning, but he wasn't.

Sighing, she walked over and sank down in his bed.

It was cold so she could tell he hadn't been in the bed for a while. It still smelt strangely of his scent; cigarette smoke, alcohol and a sort of tangy smell that to Beth was unidentifiable.

"Ya wanna tell me something?" a voice said from the doorway.

Beth rolled over to look at Daryl and sighed. "Hey there, sleepy 'ead," she said tiredly, flashing him a quick smile before closing her eyes again.

When she opened them again, Daryl was still there.

"Do ya want to tell ma something?" he repeated, his voice either frustrated or annoyed. "I saw ya las' night."

Beth widened her eyes and shook her head. "Is there something I should be telling ya?"

She lifted herself to a sitting position and shook her head again. "What is this about? Is this about me not sleeping in here last night? I'm sorry, I had ta get up for Judith. I haven't slept, can I have a quick nap now?"

"I saw ya, Beth. I heard ya talking ta Maggie, I heard ya tell her it was gonna be okay. I think I'd like a say in whether or not you kill people."

"Is that so?" Beth said quietly. "What are you gonna do about it?" Standing and walking over to Daryl, to stand on her tiptoes and press her body to his, she added, "And I have no idea why you'd suspect me, Daryl."

Daryl gritted his teeth, pushing his body against hers in turn.

"I'd like to know why ya weren't in bed las' night and were instead dragging dead bodies around the prison. I took ya as strong but never as a killer."

Beth lowered her head, tears threatening to spill but she sucked them back up, determined not to show her weakness.

"Go and tell everyone I did it, okay? But I doubt any single one of them will believe a word you say. You expect me to sit by and watch Glenn die? Maggie and Nevaeh are growing weak; they are weak. But I'm strong. I'm doing this for them and my dad, he's in there every day and he might die. You might die and I can't just let that happen so easily. I won't give up without a fight!" she spat.

His hand was gripping her wrist, holding it tightly and harshly as she struggled to pull it back away from him.

"You're hurting me!" she hissed.

"You've changed," he said. "The Beth Greene I used to know would never do this. Is this what being with me has done ta ya?"

Beth pushed Daryl back against the wall, her lips consuming his. She deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and sliding it over his bottom row of teeth.

Her fingers clutched at the fabric of his shirt, balling her hands into fist to stop him pulling away.

"I've changed?" she whispered. "Well, you'll see how much I've changed."

Maggie pressed her forehead against the glass, holding back tears as Glenn stood on the other side, his face covered in sweat, and just seeing him like that made her cry.

Nevaeh, who was now a few days old, was held securely in her arms, screaming high-pitched into the fabric of Maggie's shoulder.

"I haven't seen her in ages," Glenn said, smiling at the sight of his beautiful daughter.

Maggie nodded, pursuing her lips to hold back tears. "She's missed you," she cried. "She won't sleep unless she sees you."

Clearing her throat, she added, " Did you hear about the deaths?". She held back a powerful onslaught of tears, trying to avoid the subject of her own pain when her fiancé was standing in front of her with a hopefully-not-fatal illness. She could see the blood in his eyes and the paleness of his skin and she sniffed back more tears.

"Beth..." she began but stopped herself. "How's my father?"

Glenn just nodded, coughing harshly into his hand which was balled into a fist. "Good," he replied. "If it wasn't for him, I might be-"

"No," Maggie warned.

He nodded.

"I'm going to check on Beth, okay?" she said, tears welling in her eyes as Glenn coughed again. "I'll see you soon," she promised.

The prison was silent for once.

The news of the deaths had hit the group right in the heart, turning many people against eachother as Beth tried to hold it together and pretend she didn't know what exactly what was going on.

Daryl kept shooting her looks as if to ask if she was going to spill but she kept her mouth shut.

"I've promised Gary that we'd find his wife's killer, if anyone of you know, please," Rick said quietly. He kept glancing back and forth between the small gathering in front of him of partially-healthy people.

Beth cast a glare at Daryl to warn him before slipping her hand in her sister's.

"Mags," she said softly, "It'll be okay. We'll keep Glenn safe; you'll be safe and Nevaeh. I promised remember? There's a reason God hasn't taken any of us yet, he's still making plans. Planning our journey and smoothing the roads. I said I'd take care of it, I will," Beth reassured.

She could feel eyes watching them and as she turned, she saw people's heads turning away from them.

Daryl's words were still ringing heavily in her ears and as Rick dismissed the group, a hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.

Daryl.

"Listen-" she began but it wasn't that familiar redneck, it was Rick.

"I just want to ask, I have to ask," he said nervously, "But..."

Here we go, she thought, he suspects me.

"Are you and Daryl still together? It's just... You aren't that close today suddenly. If you aren't, I don't want to upset you or anything but I'm just curious as to what's going on."

Beth nodded and then, with her voice gentle but venomous, she said, "I've changed," then spun and walked away.

And for once, Beth felt like she was doing the right thing; like she was making a difference.

If not for the reason she thought she would a few weeks ago.