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PART 1

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They don't go far to bury her, wanting to lay her to rest as soon as possible.

They head back to the church for the service, all with varying degrees of sorrow and pain on their faces. Daryl's expression is completely blank, his eyes to the ground. There are no more tears that he can shed. He feels numb to all that around him. He can't even look at the small grave because it's just too much. He doesn't even hear Gabriel, who didn't even know her, speaking her eulogy. He doesn't hear the sobs from those around him. He just doesn't feel anything anymore.

Piling into the truck, they take off quickly, dust flying in the wind as they leave behind the girl- the woman who had brought so much sunshine into their lives, who had given them hope and strength and love. No one speaks.

Her gravesite is small and the freshly turned dirt that covers it is still.

The air seems to shift for a moment.

Suddenly a hand shoots out from below, earth flying everywhere. It claws the ground, looking for purchase. The hand grows into an arm and then blonde hair emerges from the dark.

Beth takes a deep gasp of fresh air, blood in her eyes and hair as she tries to manage the pain and understand what is happening. She heaves herself over and onto her back. She's panting as one hand moves trembling up to her jaw which is bleeding heavily anew. She's gasping in pain and trying to stay conscious. The pain is excruciating but she manages to stay awake.

Twigs crunching nearby have her on alert and she tries to remember if there's a weapon nearby or on her but she comes up empty. She braces herself and tries to see who is walking towards her. God help whatever walker tries to eat her now.

It is a man. But he is not of the dead.

His hood and mask hide his face but Beth knows he is alive. He walks closer to her, his steps cautious. She continues to take deep breaths, all thoughts of pain gone, only thoughts of survival reside.

He is next to and above her now and she wishes she had a weapon. She wishes she weren't so vulnerable.

The man says something but her ears cannot catch it.

"W-what?" She gasps.

He pauses. And then he takes his mask off.

Beth doesn't know it, but it is Morgan.

He leans down and gently assesses her wound. When he reaches for her she tries to bat his hand away, but her strength is lacking horribly at the moment and she only manages a weak swatting motion.

The man pauses again. "You need medical help. I have it. Do you want it?"

Beth studies him, narrowing her eyes, feeling the blood still seeping. She takes another breath, this time more calming.

"Yes."

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Daryl is on watch along the wall again. He can't bring himself not to be, unwilling to be around anyone anymore. He continuously scours the trees that surround Alexandria, looking for any possible danger, knowing it is probably unlikely. There haven't been many walkers around these parts for a long while.

He is just about to turn back in the other direction when movement out of the corner of his eye catches his attention.

It is a man.

Daryl is already lifting his crossbow when something else catches his eye.

The man has a companion. They are petite, despite the man's average size, and Daryl realizes with a jolt that they are alive.

Then he catches sight of the companion's face.

His heart stutters to a stop.

His crossbow crashes to the ground below and he is jumping off the wall and running towards the gate as fast as possible.

He is screaming for them to open it, his voice hoarse from lack of use from the past few months. They look at him like he's crazy but he pays them no mind because they don't matter.

The doors creak open and Daryl wants to fall to knees but cannot find the energy to do so all of a sudden. He cannot believe his eyes, but there she is.

Beth is standing right in front of him and he thinks maybe this is a dream- or maybe he's finally waking up. He doesn't know anymore.

She looks like she did at the hospital, looks like she did at the funeral home, looks like she did after the fall of the prison and before, but she is also different. There is another scar along her jaw to match the ones on her cheek and forehead. Her eyes are hardened and dark but when they land on him they brighten and shine.

He stumbles forward.

"How are- I thought-" he shakes his head, "I saw you die, Beth. I buried you myself. How are ya-?"

She smiles softly at him and walks towards him.

"You know, Mr. Dixon, it wouldn't kill ya to have a little faith," she teases. But her eyes are bright and he sees how her hands are shaking and suddenly his feet are flying towards her and she is in his arms and he is never letting go again.

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