ok, so this might not actually be a one shot! If I decide to continue, I'll move it over and make it it's own story.

It's The End of The World As We Know It

Daryl kept his bow level with his shoulder and lifted his head. Someone was running in the woods, running hard and fast. The footsteps were too light to be Merle or one of the guys they had joined up with. There was safety in numbers, but Daryl hated those men. A flash of white broke through his line of vision and sure enough some of those motherless bastards were trailing behind. He blinked and realized it was a tiny woman when she jumped up and grabbed a branch, quickly pulling herself up the tree. The walkers stood at the bottom of the tree snapping and pushing, trying to get to her. Daryl notched his bow and let loose an arrow instantly killing the biggest one. He quickly reloaded and took care of the last few. He heard more footsteps and turned.

"Claimed!" He said meeting Len's eyes. Thankfully Joe and Merle were with Len, they witnessed his claiming. He wasn't listening to Len raping and sharing another person around. He walked over to retrieve his arrows and looked up before quickly looking back down. "Y'all stay back. Looking ain't free either." Daryl added when he realized she must have had to run from her house or cabin in the middle of the night. She was wearing a white nightgown, little slip on sneakers and nothing else. She hugged herself closer to the tree trunk and trembled. She had a messenger bag across her body. "You bit girl?" Daryl asked walking around the tree as she shook her head and smoothed the skirt against her body. It had been raining last night and earlier this morning, the girl had to be wet and freezing. "Don't make me climb up there, you hear?" Daryl said waiting with his hands free in case she fell. "What's your name?"

"Beth." The girl said softly. "I'm looking for my family."

"Well they're likely dead now." Len said inching his way closer. Merle grabbed him and pulled him back. Joe socked him in the face. Beth flinched half way down and froze against the tree.

"You know the fucking rules." Joe snarled as three more men worked their way into the little half circle formed around Daryl and the tree.

"You hurt?" Daryl asked as she lowered herself. He stepped forward, growing impatient at her slow decent and reached up and grabbed her around the waist and lowered her to the ground. She placed her hand against the trunk to steady herself.

"I rolled my ankle." Beth said softly trying to keep some distance between her and the men. She prayed that her Daddy, Maggie, hell even one of those strangers that had shown on the farm would show up. Daryl walked forward and took her bag from her and draped it over his body before dropping and checking her ankle out. He ran his hand over her legs arms and back. "I said I wasn't bite." Beth said softly.

"Just making sure. Don't want to be sleeping and you turning and killing me." Daryl said standing back up.

"I'll just be on my way, thank you for the help." Beth said holding her hand out for her bag. "There's nothing useful for you in there." Daryl took advantage of her outstretched hand and pulled her closer, stooping to lift her over his shoulder.

"Merle you want to explain to her what claimed means." Daryl said making sure his arm kept her nightgown over her ass.

"Well girly, Daryl here found you and rescued you, he claimed you. You're his to do whatever he wants with." Merle said. "He'll keep you safe too. You're pretty lucky. Had anyone else found you he might share, but Daryl is a selfish little prick with his toys."

"I'm not a toy!" Beth said. "Please I need to find my family. Our farm was overrun, I got separated a few days ago."

"Yeah if we run into them great, they can trade for you." Merle added.

"Both of you shut up." Daryl said as they came across the cabin they had set up for shelter for the night. Beth rested against his shoulder; she'd make a run for it when they were all sleeping. Daryl adjusted his grip on her as he stomped into the cabin and turned into a room and slammed the door shut tossing his bow and the bags in don't of the bed.

"Do I got to tie you to the headboard?" He asked as Beth crouched in the corner and hugged her knees. Beth shook her head and watched while he filled a kettle with water and placed it on a small wood stove that was in the room. He opened a dresser drawer and pulled out a large beach towel and tossed it to her. "Get warm." He said opening what she thought was a closet, but it turned out to be a small bathroom. He pulled out a huge metal bowl; it must have been for parties or something before hand and placed it on the floor. "We got buckets in all the bathrooms, if you take a dump fill the back of the tank and you can flush." Daryl said pouring some of the cold water into the huge bowl. He dropped a bundle of facecloths on the floor. "Give me your wet dress." Beth shook her head and crouched lower in the corner. Daryl was losing his patience. "Wrap up in the towel and give me your fucking soaking wet clothing before you get sick!" He said raising his voice. He waited another few seconds before walking over and lifting it off her himself, blushing slightly at her nakedness. Beth quickly covered herself with the towel only to be hauled back to her feet and walked towards the bed.

"Ouch." Beth said grimacing. Daryl tried to be gentler as he laid her on another towel and elevated her ankle. He sat with his back to her and poked around at her foot. Beth tried to keep still and quiet but she was tearing up, her foot might have been worse off than she thought.

"Doesn't feel broke." Daryl said as he reached under the bed and pulled out another bag. He pulled a first aid kit from the bag and cracked an ice pack and put an ace bandage on the bed just as the kettle started to whistle on the stove. He sauntered over and used a facecloth to lift the kettle and poured the boiling water in the bowl with cold water in the bowl. He dumped her bag out on the bed. "You weren't kidding, ain't much in here." He said. There were a few bags of jerky, some trail mix, one of those frilly scarves women loved, a water bottle that actually looked pretty useful and a dull knife.

"It's not mine. I found it in the woods." Beth said watching while he dipped a facecloth in the warm water. She was surprised when he started wiping the mud off her legs and arms. He wiped the bit of walker guts and blood that had sprayed her in the face before dipping a clean cloth and handing it to her.

"You can clean the rest." He said turning away. Beth wiped down her chest and watched while he riffled through his things and came up with a ratty looking shirt. He tossed it to her. "Ain't much but it'll have to due till your dress is dry. I might be able to trade one of your jerky bags for clothes from one of the other rooms if there was anything in there. I can go ask."

"You could only claim one room?" Beth asked. "If they don't need the clothes, they won't just give it to you?" Daryl shook his head. "Are you asking? I thought the jerky was yours now."

"I'm not going to steal your stuff." Daryl said picking her knife up and pulling out his sharpening stone. "This knife is duller than a spoon. You use it?"

"Their heads were pretty soft." Beth said as she pulled the towel around herself for warmth. Daryl grunted out a little laugh and continued to clean and sharpen her knife, testing the edge along the edge of one of his arrows.

"You can have this back when we're in the woods. No offence I don't really trust you not to stab me in the middle of the night."

"I've never stabbed a living person before." Beth said softly. "If you think you can trade some of the stuff from the bag that's not useful for things we'll need go ahead." Beth said. Daryl looked up and was pleased she had put the t-shirt on.

"I think Merle got a room with a few things in it. He likes Jerky." Daryl said grabbing a bag. "I got a can of ravioli in my bag. We're eating that for supper." Daryl added on his way out the door. Beth rubbed her stomach at the thought of food. Besides drinking some water from a puddle and eating a small snack bag from the bag, she hadn't eaten anything since the farm. She stood up and stumbled over to the window and looked over the yard. There was an overgrown garden by a small, she thought it was an outhouse, but it might be a shed. She'd have to ask Daryl if it was claimed. She was pretty sure there were still a few edible plants; she'd need a better look though.

"Ain't much in the house." Daryl said coming back in with a pair of knee socks, stretchy pants, a hoodie and a pair of cowboy boots. "These might be too big." Beth noticed he had taken her sneakers to measure. "Should be alright with the socks and ankle wrap.'" He said pulling a pot from under his bed and the can of ravioli.

"Don't open it yet." Beth said pointing to the window. "Someone claim the garden?" Daryl frowned and looked over the top of her head. "I mean if you take me down I'm sure I can find enough for a vegetable soup."

"Come on then." Daryl said wrapping the towel around her again. Beth slipped her feet back into her sneakers and followed him back to the living area. "Garden out back is claimed." Daryl said pulling her along past the men that were stretched out eating from cans. Merle got to his feet and followed them.

"I got to talk to you." He said waiting while Daryl checked the garden over before letting Beth investigate. Beth started pulling back weeds and soon had a pile of carrots beside her, some spinach and a few soft looking tomatoes. She tugged on some green onions and smiled when she pulled up actual onions. She was right; there were even a couple potatoes.

"Len's grumbling. He seems to think that if you aren't going to use her you might as well share. Said only a homo wouldn't already be on top of that. As of right now the boys aren't listening." Merle whispered. "I got to say if they think you just claimed her so they couldn't a few might side with him."

"Who says I'm not using her?" Daryl said gesturing to Beth over on her hands and knees in the garden, he quickly stood in front of her when he realized her shirt kept riding up as she bent over. "She's cooking me a home cooked meal tonight, they're eating cold tin cans." Merle smirked and left for the house again. Daryl watched while Beth piled the veggies into an old planter box and walked over to carry it for her. "I think there's some spices in my bag. I know there's salt and pepper." Beth nodded and followed behind him.

"Are you going to use me?" She asked softly, staring at the ground as they approached the cabin. Daryl was about to shake his head but he noticed Len watching them and he wasn't sure if he had heard the question or not, and what Merle had told him was still playing on his mind. Was he willing to take a beating, which would likely cause a beating to Merle, for her? Was he going to get taught the whole way, which would also lead to Merle getting killed.

"I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want with you." Daryl said reaching behind for her and hauling her along. "Fucking whining and asking me questions all the time. I jut got you cleaned up, dried off and warm, you'd think you'd be fucking grateful!" He said loudly as the entered the cabin. He grabbed a large pot and pushed her along, making sure that the other boys saw her crying. "Go on." He said pushing her into the room and slamming the door. He went out to the pump and filled the pot halfway with water and carried it back into the room and caught Beth opening the window to sneak out. "Are you trying to get killed?" Daryl seethed walking over and putting the pot on the stove before grabbing her around the waist and tossing her on the bed. Beth curled into the fetal position and covered her head whimpering. Daryl took advantage and looped a bandana around her wrists before quickly tying a rope around them and securing her to the bed. "Stop crying!" Beth kept her face turned into the pillow and sobbed quietly while Daryl got to work cutting up all the veggies she had found and adding them and a few sprinkles of all the spices he had found to the pot. He looked over at the bed, noticing that she was likely cold, all she still had on was that shirt, that fucking shirt that kept riding up, so he covered her with a beach towel again.

"Why do you care if I'm cold if you're just going to use me?" Beth finally asked turning her head from the pillows. Daryl looked over and felt bad that her face was all red and puffy from crying, but he still felt mad that she had been trying to escape.

"Won't be able to use you as long if you get sick now will I?" He said turning back to stare at the wall while the soup cooked. "If you're thinking about kicking me don't." Daryl said when he felt the bed move slightly. "I got no problem tying your legs down too." He said standing up and pushing the shutters closed and latching them. He stared out the window and noticed Len was now out in the yard looking over the garden. He could raise a fuss if he wanted too, he had claimed it, but he knew they'd be moving on in the morning and couldn't find it in him to care. He had no desire to see him beat just for the sake of entertainment.

"I wasn't going to kick you." Beth finally said.

"Why are you wiggling like a stuck pig then?" Daryl asked from the stove as he gave the soup a stir.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Beth said.

"Should have thought about that before trying to escape, shouldn't have you?" Daryl said placing the lid back on the pot. Beth crossed her legs and closed her eyes. He'd have to let her go to the bathroom, he wouldn't want to sleep in a bed that she wet. Or touch someone covered in pee. She felt the bed dip and opened her eyes, watching while he untied her from the bed. He grabbed her arm and helped her up and walked her to the bathroom. Beth held her hands up. "You think I'm untying you?" Daryl snapped. "Walk backwards." He said walking her into the bathroom. She felt the back of her knees hit the toilet and waited.

"Please don't watch me." She said looking down. Daryl nodded and turned, leaving her to her business. Thankfully she only had to pee, she hoped she would not have to go go. She could not imagine having to ask him to wipe her clean. She patted herself dry with some toilet tissue that looked like it had been chewed on by vermin,but she was still grateful for any tissue at all and made her way back to the room. Daryl had flipped a milk crate upside down and had two tin mugs filled with the soup. He handed her a plastic fork and continued eating the vegetables ignoring her as she tried to lower herself to the ground across from him with no hands.

"Tomorrow we can try leaving you untied again, we'll be moving on. If you try anything fucked up, I'll tie you to my belt." Beth nodded and ate in silence, looking up when she heard the sound of a soft drink being opened. He chugged down half a can of veggie juice and handed it over. "Drink up. I should have added it to the soup. Waters is boiling. It shouldn't take long to cool, we'll have lots for tomorrow." Daryl added before lifting himself to the bed and stretching out with an Archie Comic.

"Can I use the towel to make a bed on the floor?"Beth asked as she used a face cloth to wipe out their mugs. Daryl looked over the book and watched while she cleaned up as best she could and checked on the water. The boiling water that she could throw on him. He sat up and motioned her over. He grabbed her and laid her next to him and reattached her hands.

"Bed is big enough for both of us." He went back to the comic, holding it up so she could look too if she wanted to. "You cold?" He asked after a few minutes. Beth nodded and involuntarily tugged on the rope. Having her arms up like that was starting to hurt.

"A little." She admitted, figuring she had nothing to lose she added that her arms hurt a bit tied like that. Daryl grabbed his bag and pulled out his sleeping bag and unzipped it, tossing it over her before settling back down against the pillows. Beth tried to ignore the pain while he read on. She regretted trying to escapes so quickly. He had been pretty good to her.

"If I untie the ropes are you going to try anything?" Daryl asked when she wiggled some more next to him. He'd get absolutely no sleep with her moving around like that. Not that he expected to get much anyway. Both he and Merle were off tonight as far as watches went, he just didn't really trust anyone else enough to let his guard down.

"I swear." Beth said turning to look at him. Daryl reached over her head and easily worked his knots loose. Beth smiled as the blood started to flow down to her hands again and settled with both hands that were still tied with the bandana under her chin.

"Better?" Daryl asked. Beth nodded and he went back to the comic. "Your nightdress should be dry soon. I think it's probably best we get up and dressed and your foot wrapped before we go to sleep. Just in case we got to run. We'll rest till the water boils then pack up." He turned to sneak a look at her when she didn't answer right away and found the she had fallen asleep. He wasn't too surprised, she had been running all night from her farm, wherever that was. Maybe he'd ask her and they could head back there to check for supplies and to see if the walkers had moved on. He heard his door creaking open and placed his hand on the handgun he had by the floor. "What?" He said softly as Merle walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Got any more of that soup?" He asked walking to the stove. Daryl nodded and pulled the sleeping bag tighter around Beth.

"Got water on too. She had a pretty good refillable bottle. You find anything sides that old soda bottle?' Daryl asked keeping his voice down.

"Found a 2L one. It'll do." Merle said. "Why are we whispering?" Daryl shrugged his shoulders towards Beth. Merle shook his head and grabbed one of the beach towels he had used. "You were always the sweet one. I'm going to go tell them you done tired her out. We heard the bed creaking earlier. I waited till it stopped before coming up." Merle teased. "You should bar the door somehow though." Daryl grunted as he rolled from the bed and closed the door behind his brother. Beth sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Go back to sleep." Daryl said over his shoulder as he flicked the flimsy lock on the door and crammed a chair under the handle.

"You want my help?" Beth asked yawning and gesturing to their bags and the water.

"Nah, get some more rest." Daryl said taking the boiling pot off the stove and placing it on the floor. He dumped out the two bags again and re packed everything useful and heavy into his. He watched as Beth got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. He was surprised when she came back out with a few facecloth and the roll of toilet paper. He packed them into the little messenger bag she had with a packet of nuts. If they got separated he didn't want her to starve while he looked for. Where had that thought came from? What did he care if she got lost again? Beth picked up the tights he had found and pulled them on. Daryl frowned when he realized the only went to slightly below her knee. "I thought they were pants." He said.

"They are. Just Capri pants. You wear them to do yoga or workout. The socks are long, I'm already warmer." Beth said with a smile. Daryl shrugged. She didn't have to make him feel better. Joe had traded him the few clothes they thought might fit Beth, and he had gotten the large pack of jerky she had for it.

"You sure?" Daryl had half the mind to bring her out and point out that Joe had lied and traded for a pair of shorts. She was right too though, the knee socks went over where the pants ended. She looked pretty funny in black tights, a pale yellow ripped up shirt that was 3 sizes too big for HIM, and knee socks, but she was better off than when he found her in a nightdress. He reached up and grabbed her nightie and handed it back. "It's dry." Beth went back to the bathroom and came back with the nightgown under the shirt. She pulled the hoodie on before climbing back under the towel and sleeping bag. Daryl grabbed a ladle and started filling the water bottles. "I still got to wrap your ankle."

"Thank you." Beth said softly. Daryl looked up and noticed she was blushing. "I'd be still up that tree or dead if you hadn't found me." Daryl nodded, agreeing with her. "Or wishing I was dead if someone else, someone bad found me." Daryl ignored her, unwilling to accept she was calling him good. He grabbed her leg and pulled her to the end of the bed and pulled off her sock before kneeling and wrapping up her ankle. He put her sock back on, making eye contact as his hands trailed up her leg. He dropped her leg and helped her get her sore swollen foot into the boot. He slipped the other one on and helped her to her feet.

"They fit alright?" Beth nodded and tested walking around. "Seem to be walking better with a bit of support. You going to be able to sleep with the boots on?"

"I think so. I should be helping you though. There anything else you need me to fold or clean to pack up?"

"Not sure if there's anything else useful in the medicine cabinet. I took the Advil and some first aid ointment. You can double check." Daryl said reaching forward and untying the bandana too. Beth walked into the bathroom and he heard the cabinet open and items being moved around. She came came with the few tampons and panty liners that were in there, blushing when she shoved them in her bag, a nail clipper, a comb and three hair ties. "Never thought about the, uh, girl stuff." Daryl said.

"This too." Beth said handing him a tiny little minute tub of Vaseline. "It's good for chapped lips, dry skin." She said sitting down and combing through her tangly hair.

"Didn't see this at all." Daryl said adding it to the first aid baggie he had.

"It was behind the dentures." Beth said parting her hair and starting on her braids. Daryl finished the bags and stood up stretching. He turned towards the bed and almost let out a string of words that would have made her blush. Did she have to be putting her hair in pigtails? He was relieved when she used the third hair tie to pile it all up on her head.

"Look, let's just try and get some more sleep. We'll eat the last of the soup in the morning and head out." Beth nodded and climbed back under the covers. Daryl stretched out beside her and zipped her into the sleeping bag, making sure he was lying on part of the zipper so she wouldn't be able to get out of bed without him knowingness case he fell into a deep sleep.

"Won't you be cold?" Beth asked. Daryl looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"Figured this was a nicer way to make sure you stayed put then tying you up again." Beth pulled her hands from the sleeping bag and held them out.

"I don't want you to be cold because of me. I promise not to run." Beth said. "I understand why you don't trust me though, you don't have to." Daryl looked at. "I have to trust you."

"Yeah well I'm not too worried about you running. I was worried about you wrapping your hands around my throat or poking my eyes out." Daryl said unzipping the bag so it covered them both. If they ever had to sleep outside he'd just be climbing in with her anyway. He shoved her hands back under the bag. "Don't want your freezing hands touching me." He mumbled. Beth thanked him for leaving here untied, turned her back to him and tried to go to sleep. Both of them dozed within inches of each other till Daryl woke with the sun. "Got get the sleeping bag rolled up and attached." He stared at the still sleeping form, reaching out and touching her back. She was still breathing, she hadn't died in the night.

"Five more minutes." Beth mumbled pulling his sleeping bag tighter around herself. Daryl stared at her for a few seconds before reaching over and pulling the bag off of her. Beth shivered and curled her legs into her body, but stayed sleeping. Daryl re zipped the bag and rolled it up, attaching it to the bottom of his bag before putting the pot of soup back on. Merle made his way into the room and laughed at the ball of mismatched clothing Beth was wearing.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" He asked sitting with his back against the wall.

"Let her sleep." Daryl said loudly, knowing that if Merle was up the others were too. "Be lucky if she'll be able to walk today." Daryl mostly meant because of her foot, but knew the guys would take it another way too. Once the soup was heated he leaned over again and shook her. "You gotta get up. Go to the bathroom if you need to. We're leaving soon." Merle helped himself to some of their boiled water and added the 2L bottle to his and Daryl's things. He attached his sleeping bag as well.

"Wish we had room to bring the pillows." He said as Beth finally rose from the bed and grabbed a few squares of tissue for their bags and made her way to the bathroom. Daryl pulled out a can of iced tea and opened it. "You treating her?" Merle asked gesturing to the beverage.

"Shut up." Daryl said drinking half the can. Beth came back out and looked at the bed. She wanted to crawl back in and sleep. "Here, drink up." Daryl said handing her the half can. She took a few sips and leaned back against the bed and let her head fall.

"Blondie did he ride you all night over something?" Merle finally asked. Beth blushed and sat up straighter. She looked at Daryl, waiting for him to answer for her.

"I told you she's just tired." Daryl said lifting the soup. Merle took one of the mugs, he handed Beth the other and started eating the serving the was left in the pot. "Me and Merle usually track while we move. Can you move quiet?" Beth nodded her head. "We'll try. If not you'll stick with him while I hunt. I want meat tonight." Beth looked over at Daryl's brother, he winked at her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. She'd make sure she could follow behind him, soundlessly if she could.