Author's Note: This is the first fan fiction I have ever written and I would appreciate any feedback. The story is called Interphase because that is the time for growth in the cell and both Beth and Daryl's characters will hopefully do a lot of growing in this story. I am starting my story off right after the attack by the Governor on the prison. Daryl and Beth have escaped together. At the beginning, I will mostly follow the storyline in the TV series, except where I feel like embellishing. My plan is to get to the last episode of season 4 and then put in what I think will happen next and my theory of Beth and her kidnapping. The italicized parts are thoughts, in case that isn't clear. I hope ya'll enjoy!
Beth's POV
Beth's feet pounded against the ground. Her breath came in short, ragged gasps. Just keep running, don't think. She didn't want to see the fences being torn down. She didn't want to see the panic as people ran around crying and enemies came over the fences into their home. She didn't want to see Judith, who had been sitting in her baby basket all ready to go. She didn't want to see her dad die again and again in her head. She didn't want to see anything anymore. It was easy to keep running because as long as she did, the pain of reality would be held off. The immediate pain of her body kept her from seeing those images that she didn't want to see, that she never wanted to see in the first place. She had hoped that the prison was the end of their troubles, the end of their running and camping outside, but it wasn't. She shook her head to get those thoughts out of her head. Instead of thinking, she just kept her eyes on the angle wings on the back of Daryl's jacket and followed them, because that was all she could do. She watched those angle wings as they flew past tree branches and over bushes and she raced behind desperately, because they were the only connection she had left.
An hour later, Daryl finally stopped, falling to the ground, his breath rasping. She stopped too and suddenly her legs gave out. The grass and twigs were prickly but at the moment they felt like heaven. Heaven is where daddy is now. Her last thought before she fell into sleep was that her daddy was in a much better place, he didn't have to run anymore, unlike her.
Daylight came streaming through the branches, bringing Beth out of her slumber. She didn't open her eyes because for just a moment she could pretend that she was still back in the prison, back behind those safe walls with her family. The tweeting of birds told her that the jail was just an illusion now. Beth could feel the ache of soreness in her legs from the running, but that wasn't nearly as bad as the pain she felt in her heart. She opened her eyes and sat up. She was near a tree; the small area had been surrounded by string with various noisy objects on them. There was no sign of Daryl, which Beth was happy for because right now she felt like crying and she wasn't close enough to the tough man to feel comfortable doing so in front of him. A single tear trickled down her cheek and then the rest came. After sobbing uncontrollably, she began to pull herself together. Everyone has a job to do. That is what her daddy has always said and she needed to find one now to keep her from falling apart.
She stood up and stretched her aching limbs and looked around. There were trees for as far as she could see, which wasn't very far. There were a few items laying around that Daryl must have brought with him, she didn't know how he always managed to be prepared but she admired that in him. After considering organizing the few possessions, she decided against it. Better to not touch Daryl's stuff, he could be a bit scary. Of course, he wasn't scary in a bad way, just in a tough way. Beth knew Daryl was a good guy, he had always brought the group back food and did the jobs no one else wanted to do. However, despite the security that his presence brought her, she also felt very awkward around him. She had known him for years now, but they had never even held much of conversation in that whole time. Things are the way they are and you just have to deal with it.
Daryl's POV
The squirrel was climbing up the trunk of the pine tree. Daryl lowered his crossbow into position, getting a better aim at his target. The furry creature darted around before stopping halfway up the tree. That was a fatal mistake and the bolt pierced it before it could take another step. Daryl stood up, his knees aching from yesterday's run. He shambled over to the critter and lifted it, still attached to his bolt. This isn't nearly enough for the both of us. He had left Beth asleep at their camp site. He figured she could use the sleep after what she had been through. Beth wouldn't have to go through this if he had been more prepared or if he had stopped Hershel from leaving the prison. If he had just protected the place better, things could have been different. He had let Rick down, he had let Carol down, and he had let his whole group down.
He felt guilt taking over his mind and quickly shut it down. Nothing could be done to change the past. Right now he needed to focus on the task at hand, which was feeding Beth, the only member left in his group, and one squirrel wasn't going to cut it. He slunk through the forest with a quietness he had learned as a boy. He saw everything laid out before his eyes. Hoof prints marked the ground. The two parts of the hoof were close together, which mean the deer had been walking. It could still be in this area. Daryl began following the trail. He was about to take another step when the ground shifted a bit just in front of his foot. He stopped in his tracks and took in the long diamond back rattlesnake that was coiling up just under his boot. In a smooth motion, he whipped his crossbow around and shot it straight through the head. The reptile's body continued to thrash even though it was dead, very similar to how the walkers were. Daryl grabbed the snake and began to make his way back to camp.
Beth's POV
Beth finished the small hole she was digging. She was sure Daryl was going to come back with food, or at least hoped so because her stomach was twisting in on itself. She began scavenging for little sticks and twigs to begin the fire, being careful not to wander too far. Finally, she had enough. In Daryl's pile of things was a magnifying glass. She picked it up and used it to focus the sunlight on her pile of twigs. Smoke began to rise up and finally the pile caught fire, the flames began leaping up and dancing in the little pit. Beth ran around getting bigger sticks and built the fire up. Just as she was adding the last stick, a thud came from her right side. She jumped and what she saw didn't make her feel any better. A gigantic snake lay right beside her and she was about to freak when she saw that its head was cut clean off. She looked up, with eyes still wide, at Daryl who had somehow managed to get into the campsite without a single noise. "Dinner," he said and then he also threw a squirrel beside the snake. "How does he move so quietly," Beth wondered.
Beth took a moment to compose herself. "I don't know how to cook snake," she said without her voice trembling too much from her recent scare. Daryl stared at her a moment, probably wondering how she had survived without ever cooking a snake. Then, he nodded his shaggy head and picked up the reptile. Daryl reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife and set to work. Beth went and got the squirrel and began to prepare it.
Preparing the squirrel brought back memories. Carol had taught her how to skin squirrels and cook them, not that she had done it much with her always watching Judith. No! Don't think of Judith right now! Beth quickly turned her thoughts away from the precious little girl who felt like her own. She concentrated on skinning the squirrel and finding sticks to put the bits of meat on before roasting them in the fire. Daryl had the snake skinned real quick and he handed it to her to roast as well. She made a disgusted face and began to cook it too. Daryl settled down with his back against a tree and he began staring out in the forest. She had never been around the redneck much and had never gotten a really good look at him. The angle wing jacket he always wore was over a red sleeveless shirt, showing off his muscular arms. His hair was a long mess, but somehow he looked alright with it. He had little scratches on his clothes and his arms. Beth wondered if he had any more serious injuries after all the fighting he had done the other day. Suddenly, Daryl breathed in real deep and turned around to catch her staring at him. She froze like a deer in the headlights, not completely sure what to do.
"You are burning the damn snake," Daryl said. Beth whipped her head around to see a portion of the snake turning black. She pulled it out the fire and began blowing on it. Finally, she gave up trying to save it. That is the best it is going to get. She looked at meat hesitantly, Beth had been getting more used to eating questionable things but snake wasn't one of them. Daryl must have sensed her hesitancy because he held out his hand and took the snake from her and dug right in. She picked up the stick with the squirrel and bit into the meat. It tasted great, probably because she hadn't eaten in a while. Beth slide down the trunk of a tree and ate every bit of the meat.
When she finished, her mind started moving again, bringing up things that she couldn't push down. She missed the prison, her father, her sister, and having a bed. She stared into the fire as she began talking. Beth knew Daryl wasn't much of a talker, but she needed to vocalize the thoughts that were in her mind. "We can't be the only survivors. I am sure the others are out there, maybe even nearby. I'm sure Maggie got out, my sister is tough." Beth wasn't so sure if she was telling the truth or just convincing herself. Daryl gave her a grunt of acknowledgement. Something about his lack of concern just irritated her. After all they had been through, the least he could do was say something. "We should look for a house, something better than living out in the woods," Beth pleaded, "This isn't living, it is just not dying. I don't want to live off squirrels and sleep on the ground." Daryl just stared at her.. His lack of emotion seemed to increase the flame of her own emotion. Then, an idea came to her out of nowhere. Daddy always said drinking was bad, but that was before all of this. Maybe just a little bit would get rid of the memories, ease the pain.
"I want a drink," was all Beth said. Daryl took that in for a moment and then tossed her the bottle of water. "No not that kind of drink, a real drink, something alcoholic," she said, her voice rising. "Quit being stupid," Daryl replied tersely. That was the last straw, Beth stood up and started semi-yelling at him. "I want a drink, I never had one before the whole world went to shit and I want one now. If you aren't going to come then I will go by myself. I am not some child who needs permission." Beth knew she was being unreasonable but she couldn't help herself. Beth stalked past where Daryl was sitting and he didn't make a move to stop her. She began walking, not quite sure where she was going but determined to find a place to sleep and get something to drink.
Daryl's POV
After Beth stalked off he buried his head in his hands. He didn't know how to handle women, much less emotional young ones. One second she was sitting there eating her squirrel just fine and the next she blew up about wanting alcohol. Well, shit. He knew he needed to pack up their few things and follow her. She was the last thing he had to watch after and maybe he could make it up to Hershel by keeping his precious daughter alive. She was so young and innocent and not meant for living out here like this.
Daryl got up and quickly unwound the skinny rope from around the trees surrounding their campsite. He stuffed all the items in a bag and hoisted his crossbow over his shoulder. Then, he kicked dirt over their fire before heading out to follow Beth.
It didn't take long for him to find her but he stayed well enough behind that she wouldn't notice him. He didn't know how to make her feel better or what to say. No matter how long he had been in the group, he didn't seem to get any better with talking to people about emotional stuff and Beth was sure emotional right now. She was stalking through the forest with such ferocity that it wasn't a surprise when three walkers started heading toward her. He watched as they began moving in her direction. Suddenly, Beth seemed to notice them and she quickly moved behind a tree. Her eyes were wide with fear. Daryl raised his crossbow, ready to take action if the walkers noticed her. Two of the walkers got close but then lost interest and left. One of the walkers wasn't as easily fooled. It stumbled closer to the tree Beth was behind, stretching its dirty arms out. Just as Daryl was about to shoot the walker, Beth jumped out of her hiding space and planted a knife in its head. The walker slumped to the ground and Beth pulled the knife out, her breath coming in gasps. Daryl had to admire her courage. She hadn't been as exposed to all the violence like most of them had since she was always kept protected in her father's house or in the prison. However, it appeared that the blonde could do what was necessary just as much as any of them.
Daryl stepped out from behind his cover and Beth looked up at him with those big eyes of hers. He gestured forward and they began walking again, him a little bit in front, watching for danger.
Beth's POV
Once again, Beth was following the angel wings, wings she was sure she had memorized every line and curve of by now. Daryl apparently cared more than he let on earlier because he had followed her after she had left. However, she knew Daryl wasn't the most social out of their group, so he had probably not meant to make her mad. Beth felt embarrassment color her cheeks as she remembered how she had gotten angry at him. He probably thinks you're a child after that little tantrum. Beth was so lost in her thoughts that she almost ran straight into the hard back that wore the angle wings. She looked around Daryl's body to see that the forest had an opening with railroad tracks running through it. Daryl stood completely still, probably scooping out the area. He must have determined that it was safe because he began walking forward again. Beth followed him, a bit wary to be out in the open again but happy because that meant she was getting closer to what she wanted.
They hadn't been walking long when they came across a couple of walkers feeding on something in the middle of the tracks. Daryl raised his crossbow and fired until all the zombies were dead. Beth followed Daryl as he retrieved this bolts. The walkers must have been feeding on something small and that was when Beth noticed the tiny child's shoe. Suddenly, the emotions all swelled up and tears began sliding down her cheeks. Be strong, it wasn't Judith, don't fall apart. Daryl had finished retrieving his bolts and stood there being very obviously uncomfortable with the whole situation. Finally, Beth regained control of herself and she nodded at Daryl, who took that as the sign to continue on. Beth fell in line behind him and began staring at the angel wings again.