Tell Me I'm Alive

There were far too many of them now, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon and Beth was exhausted. The herd of walkers that had been tailing her and Daryl had been gaining ground on them for hours, gradually getting larger as smaller groups merged together. Beth was starting to slow down; she was hungry, thirsty and tired. Two long, hard, days on the road were taking their toll. She needed to stop, to find someplace safe for them to hole up for the night. She needed to sleep, and she needed time to rest and catch her breath. Although Daryl hadn't done much more than grunt in her direction, she knew he was feeling exactly the same, but he was too stubborn and too proud to ever admit it.

The trouble was, there was nothing but miles of empty road and woodland ahead of them. Nowhere they could shelter or hide from an ever-encroaching herd of hungry walking corpses that never grew tired or hungry.

"Daryl?" Beth paused before finishing, she knew he'd see her as weak for what she was about to ask, but she needed to ask it, for both their sakes. "I need to stop, please… there must be somewhere. Maybe we can detour through the woods? There might be a house, a barn? Somewhere?" Beth asked, sounding exasperated as she panted her request out quietly into the hot and humid Georgia air.

Daryl didn't respond, he was a few feet ahead of her now, so her first thought was that he maybe hadn't heard her. Then she realised it was more likely he was just being a jackass. They'd hardly spoken or interacted since they'd run from the burning prison together two days ago.

Beth somehow managed to muster together enough energy to jog up behind the archer, squeezing her fingers gently into his forearm until he had no choice but to look down at her. He jerked his arm away from her touch as if she'd burned him. His face was set and right away she knew he'd heard her just fine.

"Daryl?" Beth's eyes were wide and filled with trepidation as she looked him directly in the eyes and repeated herself, bracing herself for the bark that would surely follow.

"I heard ya," he growled, and there it was, the curt gruff snap as he begrudgingly spoke to her. He averted his eyes from the blonde, focusing on the road in front as he kept walking.

"Answer me then. Can we stop, rest? Just stop bein' a jackass. You've gotta be tired, too," Beth snapped back, as she smacked her palm against his bicep, refusing to let him know she was becoming upset by his growing distance and constant indifference.

"Just keep walkin'," the archer grunted as he hitched his crossbow into a more comfortable position on his shoulder. It wasn't an answer at all, but it was nothing less than Beth had come to expect from the filthy, uncouth and surly redneck she'd had the misfortune to be lumbered with.

God, he infuriated her beyond reason. She was the one that had just watched the decapitation of her father, watched her family become scattered to the winds, not knowing if they were dead or alive, but she still made the effort to be civil to the only other living person she might ever see. She had no idea what his problem was, and at this very moment she couldn't have cared less either. She needed food, water and she needed to stop, to sleep, and although he'd never admit it, so did Daryl.

Beth somehow kept up with Daryl's punishing pace and at last it seemed as though they were putting some distance between themselves and the herd. They were climbing a pretty steep gradient, and although Beth's lungs felt like they were on fire, sweat beading along her every curve, and her legs trembling beneath her, she was determined to not allow Daryl Dixon the pleasure of seeing her break. She would keep up even if it killed her. Which at this point, seemed a very real possibility.

As they descended the other side of the hill, she could see what looked to be a shimmering tangled heap of about four cars. They were bashed up pretty badly; doors and trunks popped open, glass from smashed windows covering the tarmac and dead people's belongings scattered across the width of the road. Maybe it looked worse than it was, perhaps they could get one of the cars working, maybe they'd find food or water hidden away somewhere… or maybe it would end up being nothing more than a distraction, giving the herd behind them chance to close the gap and finally catch them.

At this point Beth wasn't even sure she cared anymore. She'd physically survived so much, much more than she, or possibly anyone else had ever expected her to, yet emotionally and mentally she could feel herself dying. If the only person left in this world cared so little for her he wouldn't speak, and would probably leave her the first chance he got, what was the point? She wasn't naïve enough to think she could survive long out here on her own. She knew she'd already be dead if it hadn't been for Daryl grabbing her and leading her to safety. If he hadn't run blindly with her for miles, run until their lungs burned, run until their muscles throbbed and their bodies refused to move one more inch, she would be just another dead girl.

That was why she was so confused. Why would he save her, help her like that if he didn't care and she only annoyed him? Since they'd fled the prison, he'd been acting like he was already dead, that nothing they'd been through, none of the people they'd loved and lost had meant anything to him. He was emotionless and totally removed from everything that had happened. She knew that couldn't be true though, he may have been a moody jackass but he had loved them, all of them. She knew he'd have sacrificed himself for any one of their family, so why was he treating her this way? She hadn't wanted any of this to happen anymore than he had. It wasn't her fault she hadn't died there with the others. Maybe she should have, and he should have grabbed someone more capable like Michonne, or Carol, or Maggie, and run with them instead. Maybe then he wouldn't have become so depressed and angry and… well, scary.

Logically, Beth knew she shouldn't be afraid of him, he was only Daryl after all, the man who had done so much to protect their family, the man who had been respected by her daddy and by Rick… but right now that's exactly what she felt. Scared.

He was acting like an injured and cornered animal, planning on attacking as soon as a chance arose. And even though she knew he was building fresh walls to protect himself from more heartache, even though she knew he was probably concentrating on the here and now to stop his tears, it didn't make her feel any less alone, or isolated, or desperate.

Daryl stopped abruptly as they reached the cars and without even looking at her, started to rummage around in amongst the carnage strewn over the seats and road.

Beth decided to put away her emotions too and follow his lead, choosing another vehicle to scavenge. All she found was a book of matches, an opened packet of chewing gum and a half bottle of water. She slumped behind the steering wheel and turned the key that was hanging from the ignition. Nothing happened. She wasn't surprised, but it still made her heart sink. She knew the walkers would already be gaining on them by now, even though they'd only been stopped a few moments. Just as Beth was about to duck out of the driver's seat she noticed a crumpled packet of Marlboro stuffed down the side of the seat cushion. She retrieved it to find around five crumpled but untouched cigarettes inside.

She smiled to herself knowing how much Daryl would like them, before remembering how much he also didn't deserve them. Beth was just about to throw them to the floor in spite when she thought better of it. Maybe they would come in handy as a sweetener, or maybe she'd just smoke them herself to piss him off… finders keepers. She shoved them into her backpack along with everything else and moved onto the next car.

She didn't fare any better in that one, finding only a blanket, a can of lighter fluid and a small first aid box, which to be honest wasn't worth carrying. She took out the antiseptic lotion, painkillers and gauze and put them in her backpack. Just as she was focusing on trying the ignition in this car, Daryl startled her, casting a shadow over her as he leant into the open door.

"C'mon," he growled, roughly grabbing Beth's arm and leading her to the huge black Impala closest to the tree line. He popped the trunk and virtually manhandled her into it despite her protestations, and despite her admission of not doing at all well in small spaces.

"Ya gotta get in," Daryl instructed through ragged hoarse breaths, this time sounding a little more sympathetic.

He grasped her arm with more care this time, more in a show of understanding than to actually help her. Beth took a deep breath and swallowed thickly. She quickly crawled to the back of the trunk and tried to get comfortable, trying not to think too much about where she was. As she lay flat out on her back, legs raised slightly, the archer unceremoniously threw his crossbow and their backpacks in behind her knees. Daryl then climbed in and took his place beside her, sliding down as low as he could and squeezing his outstretched body alongside hers. Daryl pulled down the trunk lid, leaving only an inch of daylight showing, just enough to see the outline of anything moving out there.

"Hold this," Daryl mumbled as Beth tried her best to sit up.

It was an impossibly small space and she couldn't help but accidentally press her body further into his as she stretched forward over him, her mind still trying to distract her from her growing panic. Her fingers brushed softly over his as she finally took over holding down the trunk lid. Daryl's eyes went wide as they shot up from under his bangs to meet Beth's. The blonde swore she saw him catch his breath, swore she saw his throat bob as he swallowed hard, in fear, or maybe just awkwardness or embarrassment. It happened too fast and it was too dark inside their hiding place to tell for sure.

Daryl turned away from Beth's intense stare, reaching down to unlace the string that was permanently wrapped around the bottom of his pants. He reached for the latch, his fingers hesitantly skimming over Beth's before looping the string through the lock and securing the trunk lid in place. Beth left her hand where it was though, under his, a cold shiver shuddering through her body as the rough warm touch of his skin moving on hers caused her insides to tighten and her breath to catch. Daryl glanced up at her again, hearing and sensing the change in her, his eyes burning through her as he chewed down nervously on his lower lip. Beth lowered her eyes and laid back down, trying to stop the strange and new sensations firing off around her body. Daryl took a beat too, inhaling deeply before rolling onto his side to face her. The lack of space left him with no option other than to press his face and body against Beth's as he reached his arm over her waist to retrieve his bow, before rolling back to lie flat out once more.

Even in those few seconds, Beth could feel his warm breath on the already hot and clammy flesh of her neck. She could feel the warmth radiating out of him as his firm muscles pressed hard into her body. She could feel the tension and the rage he was feeling, she could see it in the set of his jaw and the stiff awkward way he moved himself. He was uncomfortable around her and she wasn't at all sure it was just because he was angry and sad.

They were now both stretched out as best they could be in the space they had. Daryl had to pull his knees up as he lay with his crossbow poised and aimed out through the small gap in the trunk. The tell-tale distant groaning and shuffling of the walkers told them the dead were getting close. They would be piling past the abandoned cars soon and Beth's heart was thumping as she prayed Daryl's idea would keep them safe, keep them invisible to the hoards of hungry corpses outside.

"Daryl?" Beth whispered, seeking reassurance and distraction, but Daryl just shushed her, his blue eyes glowing fiercely in the darkness of the trunk as he snapped his head around to look at her. Their faces were so close that Beth could almost feel the intensity of his fear and nerves, and even though it was uncomfortable and swelteringly hot laid there in the stale stagnant air of the trunk, his stare and his softened mood somehow caused an icy chill to shoot along her spine. She shuddered, goose bumps littering her flesh as the chill stopped dead between her thighs, leaving her insides throbbing and a cool sticky wetness in her panties.

His eyes were still staring deeply into hers, dark and full of the same unidentifiable something she was feeling for him. Then without thinking, a blind panic taking over her body and mind as she listened to the walkers approaching, she pressed her lips into his and squeezed her eyes shut.

When it came to it Beth didn't want to die, she'd come to that decision a long time ago. As soon as she'd sliced her wrist and felt her life force draining away as warm red blood spilled from her open vein, she decided she wanted to live. Now she could feel her life about to be extinguished, she realised again she wasn't any more ready to die now than she had been back then. There was so much she hadn't done or experienced, so much of life she'd never know if they were to die here in this trunk.

As Beth's lips remained locked with his, she realised that what had started in her centre as a tiny flutter of lust was now crashing through her whole body in waves of uncontrollable desire. The reactions overwhelming her body would only allow her mind to think about one thing… the fact she was a virgin. The dead were coming, and it was the end of the world, but her lips were pressed into Daryl Dixon's, and she ached so badly that all she could think about was not dying a virgin.

The walkers had come just before she'd had chance to get to that point in her relationship with Jimmy, they hadn't done much more than kiss… then he was gone. Then Zach came along, but before they'd had chance to do anything more than heavy petting he was gone, too. Now there was Daryl, he was here but maybe he would be gone soon, too, before she'd had chance to tell him what she wanted and how she felt. In the blink of an eye their lives could be over, as if they'd never even existed to begin with; no grave, no funeral, no legacy… just decay and then dust.

Daryl's palm pushing weakly on Beth's shoulder pulled her from her daydream. She knew it was an attempt to push her away, but it lacked conviction. His eyes darted across her face in confusion and his breath came in hard unsure bursts until Beth couldn't stand it any longer. She had to know. Beth lifted her hand and tentatively stroked her fingertips across the whiskers on his set jaw. He flinched at the uninvited touch, but didn't stop her. So she leant in to her previous position and brushed her lips over his once more, noticing how he didn't pull back. Beth carried on moving her soft lips around his jaw and mouth, feather light kisses then gentle swipes of her tongue against the join of his closed lips until she could feel the tension in his hard and rigid body begin to melt away, as if her fire was melting his ice and breathing life back to where there was none.

"I've never... I don't wanna die without knowin' what it feels like. Show me I'm still alive," Beth whispered as her lips continued to graze his, her fingers twisting in the hair at his nape.

Daryl pulled away from her this time. "Stop. We ain't gonna die, Greene… not here," Daryl mumbled back, before turning away to awkwardly stare through the gap in the trunk, grasping his crossbow and gnawing on his lip for security.

Beth took a second to gaze at him. Even in the darkness of the trunk she could see he was glowing pink. She wondered if it was just because she'd embarrassed him or if he was feeling the same rush she was. Sweat was beading on his temples and trickling along the side of his face, highlighting his beautiful features, parts of him she'd never noticed before. Beth leaned forward to look over his shoulder, feeling the heat radiating out of his every pore as her cheek pressed lightly against his neck. Under his sweat soaked warm flesh she could feel the throb of his pulse, racing fast as he breathed hard. In that moment she wanted to touch him so badly, trail the tip of her tongue over his heated flesh and lick the trickle of sweat from his face, kiss and suck at his throat until she could feel his pounding heart throbbing under her lips.

Beth heard a noise so pulled her gaze from Daryl and glanced up through the gap in the trunk. The walkers were descending the hill now and the sun was setting behind them. It would be dark in a few minutes and they would be surrounded by hundreds of the walking dead. They would be trapped for the night. Maybe forever if they were found. That thought had her stomach churning in fear and panic, but also in need. A need to feel loved, to be held and touched by the only man left in this godforsaken world. The man lying under her cheek, impossibly close but still so far from her. The man that smelled of leather and grease and forest and sweat and everything that a real man like him should smell of.

She couldn't stop herself from thinking about him, despite how much he angered her with his indifference to everything. She hated herself for being so weak and wanting him so badly. She hated that she needed him and wanted him, when he didn't want or need her for anything.

Beth did want him though, more than she'd ever wanted Jimmy or Zach, or in fact anyone or anything, and as she watched in panic at the walkers closing in, hearing them groan, she decided she was going to have him.

The blonde placed her small trembling hands on top of his. She stroked her fingers slowly across his knuckles until he finally loosened the death grip he had on his crossbow. This time he didn't resist, so Beth decided to push further, hoping he would give her what she wanted and take her mind off this nightmare. She pressed her lips into the soft greying whiskers on his jaw and trailed a line of kisses upwards to behind his ear.

"Show me I'm still alive… show me what it feels like," Beth repeated herself, her words hardly even a whisper as they ghosted over the shell of Daryl's ear.

Before Beth could do anything more, or Daryl had chance to react, the walking dead started to crash into and rock the Impala. Loud thuds, hungry groans and gnashing of teeth echoed loudly around the confined and stuffy space of the trunk, and Beth found herself grabbing on to the archer, burying her head into the crook of his neck as the partially open trunk lid began to shake and it became even darker inside. Bodies smashed into the chassis of the car as walker after walker stumbled by, banging its limbs into the metal. Beth wanted to scream, to sit up and run as the image of dying in this cramped and suffocating tomb ingrained itself into her mind. It all became too much as panic started to flood her tiny body and sobs threatened to erupt into the silence as her fear took control, her mind drifting into dark territory as she struggled for air.

Daryl rolled onto his side to face Beth and grabbed her head, tangling his fingers through her golden locks before jerking it up from his shoulder and pulling her close. He clamped his lips over hers and filled her mouth with his tongue to silence her. He wasn't gentle or careful about it, but as soon as she felt their flesh connect Beth's breath steadied and her mind drifted back to where it had been moments before. Thinking of nothing except the delicious feel of his rough warm lips and how they fitted so perfectly with hers.

She wondered if it had been the only thing the archer could think to do to stop her imminent squeals from attracting attention. She hoped it was more than that, she wanted it to be more… for him to be kissing her because he was feeling something in that stone-cold heart of his after all.

Whatever the reason, Beth felt more alive than she could ever remember as she let the archer play with her and tease her. His soft wet tongue twirling against hers, probing the far reaches of her mouth as his demanding lips clamped around hers, absorbing the moans of enjoyment she was unable and unwilling to stifle. The blonde's body had been wound so tightly for so long with fear and panic, hatred and frustration that the release of feeling something so pleasurable, something that told her she was still alive, was almost too much to bear.

Suddenly there was a deafening thud as something fell on top of the trunk, closing it shut and plummeting them into complete darkness. Beth was pulled from her reverie and into her fear once more. There was now a constant barrage of stinking corpses hitting the car, rocking it sideways and threatening to bury them alive where they lay. The noises weren't subsiding, the walkers seemed to be hovering around outside instead of passing through, as if they knew there were two frightened humans just waiting to be feasted upon in the trunk of this car. Beth's heart was banging so hard against Daryl's chest she wondered if that was what they could hear. The smash of muscle against bone, fuelled by her fear. Or, if it was the smell of arousal and need, fuelled by her wanton desire.

Daryl panted hard as he broke the kiss, pulling away just a bit as he tried to make out the outline of her face. He rubbed the tip of his nose sweetly against hers in a show of real affection, an action that Beth knew instantly was nothing to do with keeping her quiet, but everything to do with showing her he cared. He pushed his forefinger between their faces and pressed it softly into her swollen pink lips, his long sweaty hair falling against her hot flushed face as he leant his forehead against hers.

"Sshhhhh," Daryl soothed, almost too quietly to hear. Beth had adjusted to the darkness now and could see his eyes were blackened… filled with desire, his lids were heavy and his breath raspy as he pressed his lips to her jaw. "Yer still alive, and I'mma keep ya that way. Don't make a sound," he continued, so quietly Beth thought she might have been dreaming it. But then his hand moved to her ass and he pulled their entire bodies flush, crushing them together in the most beautiful and dominating way. His hand grasped lower, around the back of her thigh to hitch her leg into place over his hip.

Beth couldn't care less that Daryl was crushing her, or that they were buried under a ton of rotten bodies, or that they could die at any moment. Her irrational fear of confined spaces and her real fear of the walking dead melted away instantly under his confident firm touch. Despite everything going on around them she felt safe and needed. Daryl's quick thinking, his strong arms and firm body were keeping her from harm.

His mouth found hers again and she was suddenly unable to catch a breath as he greedily sucked every last drop of air from her lungs, as if he needed it more than she did. Beth moved as much as the space and Daryl's embrace would permit, sliding her fingers through his long damp hair, pulling him impossibly close and kissing him back with purpose and confidence as he massaged her ass in slow deep kneads and ground her centre over the bulge in his cargo pants, helped along by the steady rocking of the car. A low deep rumble started to build in her throat, threatening to erupt as sweet moans of pleasure collided with dirty groans of need. She knew she needed to keep silent, but she was powerless to stop the erotic sounds from spilling into his open mouth. Beth needed him to know how good him rubbing himself against her felt, how he was making her body throb with something indescribably wonderful as he teased her this way. Encouraged, Daryl began to rock her hips with more force and she could feel the ache inside her intensify as her wet centre slid over his hardened cock. He thrust his tongue deeper and harder, both muffling her sweet sounds and causing more.

The banging and groaning was still all around them, like an orchestra of death rocking them closer to the end, but neither seemed to notice nor care anymore. Beth had resigned herself to the fact if it was her time to go, then she'd go out on a high, she'd leave this new world holding onto that slither of hope she'd carried with her from the old... and she wouldn't be alone. Daryl wouldn't be alone either, she would love him as best she could until their last breaths.

Daryl's fingers had somehow worked their way from squeezing Beth's ass, to running over the lace front of her panties inside her jeans, without Beth realising. It was the slow torturous movement of his rough fingertips sliding back and forth over her panty clad pussy that finally tore her from her thoughts. She was already soaking down there, so much so she could feel her arousal seeping through her underwear and jeans, trickling between her ass cheeks and onto Daryl's fingers, and she suddenly wondered if she should be embarrassed. Was she supposed to be this wet? What if he thought it was gross? Daryl had hardly even touched her yet but she could already feel the tell-tale throb of orgasm bubbling to the surface. A feeling that usually took her an eternity to reach on the few occasions she'd tried to masturbate.

Daryl pushed the lace barrier aside and slipped his already soaked and sticky fingers between her folds, rubbing along the length of her slit with long and slow strokes before circling her hardened and sensitive nub until she was instinctively rocking her hips against his touch, wanting and needing more, but not understanding what exactly. She wished they could talk and she could ask him if she was doing it right, she wished she could ask him how he possibly knew how to make her feel like this, and she wished she could find some release by screaming out loud how fucking good it felt.

Daryl peeled his lips from hers and Beth gasped out in shock, when without warning his middle finger sunk deep inside her tight virgin pussy, filling her completely. His other hand came across to gently cover her mouth. Even in the darkness Beth could see him smirking and running his tongue over his lips, then she felt the hardness of his erection stab her inner thigh as he jerked forward and slid his finger deeper inside her body.

Beth's eyes went wide in response to the new sensations of being taken to orgasm by someone other than herself... by a man. By this man in particular. Daryl's finger curled and pushed against the front wall of her pussy, rubbing hard and rhythmically over something that made her want to pee, something that was making her body shake and sweat and pant, and causing her mind to fall apart. His hand clamped tightly over her mouth, leaving her breath coming in long hard bursts from her nose as he sealed in every filthy noise she couldn't stop, and didn't even want to stop her body from making. She would be bruised, she knew it… later when it was over, if they survived, she would be bruised. But she would be alive, and she would be a woman. His woman.

Daryl began kissing softly along the contours of her face and neck, his lips searing a trail of desire into her already flushed and hot flesh. Beth thought she heard him speak, it was hard to be sure though over the din still going on around them. "C'mon, show me yer still alive. I wanna see ya come." The words were hardly words, spoken so quietly they were like the flutter of angel wings brushing against her flesh until she was burning as much on the outside as she was on the inside.

He pulled back, locking his dark eyes with hers; asking, begging. So, Beth let it happen, she let him see exactly what he'd done to her as she felt herself falling over the edge and into oblivion. She somehow knew it would all be okay because Daryl Dixon would be waiting for her.

He rubbed against that rough patch inside her once more and pumped his finger back and forth through the squelchy mess that was now covering them both. The last thing Beth remembered thinking before climax ripped through her body, was that she should be embarrassed about both the mess and the noise her pussy had made as Daryl had fingered her to orgasm. Then everything stopped and it went quiet, there were bright exploding lights as her insides turned into a convulsing and throbbing vice around his finger and the most exquisite sensations flooded every single inch of her tingling body. Her brain was closing down her senses as it all became too much, too intense to handle in the constrained and restricted confines of their hiding place.

When Beth could finally see and hear again, she found herself wrapped tightly in Daryl's muscular arms. He was calming her shaking and jerking body, holding her steady. Beth's face was tucked into his chest to muffle any lingering moans, and she could feel his mouth kissing softly into the damp golden hair on her crown as he murmured something she couldn't understand.

Beth noticed the sounds outside had petered out, the banging was less frequent which obviously meant the walkers were fewer. It was completely dark outside now though, just a silvery slither of moonlight shining into the gap of the trunk. Beth knew they would have to stay until day break at least, it wasn't safe to wander at night. The thought of staying all night in Daryl's arms, exactly as she was now, made her smile, it made her heart race until she felt breathless.

"Roll over," Daryl instructed, mumbling into her hair with more clarity this time. Beth smiled wider as she obeyed without hesitation, realising he wasn't done with her. She awkwardly turned away from Daryl to face the back of the trunk. She shuffled her ass backwards until she bumped into his groin, then she felt Daryl's hand on her waist, sliding around and downwards into her already open jeans and panties before peeling them from her sticky sweaty body. He managed to reach down to her foot and knock off Beth's boot before peeling her jeans and panties completely off her right leg. Beth felt his hand working behind her to undo his own pants. He was quiet and fast and his hand was back on her burning skin before Beth knew what was coming. He grabbed Beth's naked right leg, curling it backwards over his now naked right hip and pulled Beth's small body flat against his chest. He bent his knee and positioned it firmly between the blonde's thighs. He squeezed his hand down into the gap behind Beth's ass, and after a second, Beth felt the silky smooth warmth of his cock sliding through the wetness between her legs and sitting hot and heavy against her opening.

Daryl gently cupped Beth's face and turned her head until she was looking over her shoulder at him. With his eyes fixed to hers, he smiled, well Beth thought it was a smile… then he traced his nose lovingly upwards along her neck, kissing her Eskimo style again when his nose reached hers. Beth tried to keep silent but when she felt the head of his cock break through her tight and now sore entrance, she whimpered out in pleasured pain. Daryl steadily pushed inside, moaning against her mouth as he gripped her hip and pulled her onto him, pushing forward and bottoming out. Daryl's mouth hungrily claimed hers once more, nipping at her lips and sucking on her tongue as if he wanted to draw out every sound he could from the blonde.

Daryl stroked in and out of her a few times, slowly and gently as Beth panted, listening to him holding back his own groans. It was a beautiful sensation, nothing at all like what she'd expected. She'd expected him to be rough and careless, to finish up then turn over and tell her it shouldn't have happened.

That wasn't what she got. Not even close.

Daryl leant his face over her shoulder as much as space allowed, nuzzling and groaning into her neck as one hand wound itself into Beth's hair and tugged her head back for better access. Beth arched her spine, pushing her ass out in an invitation to give her more. His free hand stroked and squeezed both her ass and hip as he carried on slipping his cock in and out of her tight wet pussy. He took his time, his mouth and tongue lavishing attention on her lips, her neck, the curve of her shoulder, his fingers paying just as much attention to the hardened nipples poking through the thin fabric of her t-shirt and her aching clit. All the while his cock hitting that same spot inside her his finger had found earlier.

Beth couldn't groan anymore, she could hardly breathe, her body and mind were so reliant on his every movement now that he was all she could think about. He was her whole world, and she thought maybe he always would be. Right in this moment she knew she'd never need anything else if she had him beside her… the need to let go again was suddenly overwhelming, nothing else existed except Daryl moving inside her, pushing her into that abyss once more.

Beth threaded her fingers through his hair and held on tight, her body was alive, it was singing and she knew it was on the edge of orgasm once more as her insides tightened and her veins fired off electric pulses through every sinew of her body. Daryl buried himself deep inside the glistening sweaty blonde, his tongue in her mouth and his cock in her pussy. His fingertips circled with speed and pressure over her slick swollen clit until her walls were pulsing crushingly around his cock, her warm juices slicking them both as her body trembled and shook under his strong steadying hold.

Beth wanted to turn over and hold him and kiss him, but she knew he wasn't there yet. She pressed her ass backwards, clenching her still pulsing walls around him until he got the message and started to move faster. Faster and harder until Beth thought she might pass out from pure ecstasy as he pounded her cervix and made her gasp words of praise and groan out in pleasure.

Daryl lifted his hand to her mouth and worked the tips of two thick fingers inside it. Beth could hardly breathe but it stopped her noises as she set to work at sucking and biting them, rocking her body against his, letting him take whatever he needed to finish.

He pounded into her hard and deep, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Seconds later and Beth could hear a change in him, his panting became laboured and he was squeezing her hip almost painfully as he slipped in and out. She knew that would be another bruise, another mark to show she was his now.

Daryl groaned out and slowed down his thrusting, his cock growing momentarily bigger and harder inside her as his balls tightened. Beth only got to stroke her walls along his length once more before he finished.

She felt everything at once, the beauty of it rivalled even her own climax. She felt the warm thick flood of cum releasing deep inside her in waves as he hit orgasm, the wonderful feeling of utter suffocation and being needed as he held her, squeezed her and smothered her with his mouth and body, but mostly she felt the love. Well, maybe it wasn't love exactly, but it was something akin to love. She felt it erupting from his every pore as he clung onto her with care and softness and a desperate passion she never thought Daryl would be capable of. She knew then that nothing they'd just done was anything at all to do with keeping her quiet or distracted. It was because he'd wanted it to happen as much as she had.

They lay wrapped up together, semi-naked, silent, spent and satisfied. Minutes went by before Beth heard anything other than Daryl breathing heavily against her ear. It was soothing and warm and she never wanted it to end. But when she listened past his breathing, she noticed there was nothing to listen to. The walkers were gone. There was no banging, gnashing, groaning or moaning. The night was silent. They had survived one more day, and things had turned out pretty good. More than good.

Beth pulled herself from Daryl's crushing embrace and turned in his arms to face him, well not exactly him, she wanted to look over his shoulder through the gap in the trunk. She wanted to make sure they were really safe and she wasn't actually dreaming.

Daryl loosened his grip enough to allow her to turn but not enough for her to move her head from his chest. "Daryl, I think they've gone. Let me check," Beth whispered in frustration as she tried to battle against the huge strong arms curled around her.

"Don't matter. We ain't movin' till sun up."

Beth looked up at him and sighed. "I know, I just need to be sure."

Daryl begrudgingly relinquished his hold on her and Beth grinned at him, repositioning herself over his chest to see outside. It was clear. It was quiet. They really were safe, for now at least.

Beth turned again and shuffled to the back of the trunk, awkwardly rifling through her backpack to find the water and cigarettes. She was so thirsty right now, and hungry, but they had no food so she would have to wait until morning, maybe Daryl could catch them some breakfast she idly thought to herself.

"You want some?" Beth asked, grimacing as she took a gulp of the hot water.

"Could do with a smoke, but water'll do." Daryl held out his hand and Beth actually thought she saw him smile.

"Left or right?" Beth quizzed as she wiggled her eyebrows at the archer and giggled.

Daryl narrowed his eyes and looked curiously at the blonde before answering. "Left."

Beth crawled back over to lie against Daryl who was now laid flat out on his back, knees bent up. She curled up against his side and slipped the packet of Marlboro into his hand and watched as a grin erupted over his face.

They awoke at daybreak exactly as they'd fallen asleep, curled around each other, legs and arms entwined and chests pressed together. Daryl woke first. Beth had no idea how long he'd been awake though, only that he was the first thing she saw when her eyelids fluttered open.

The first flush of happiness and excitement of seeing his face was soon replaced by an overwhelming feeling of doubt. Would he regret what they'd done? Would he return to being the indifferent surly redneck of old and pretend last night hadn't happened? Had she just made things weird between them? Just as her thoughts started to take a downward spiral, Daryl touched her, jolting her back to the present.

He ran his fingertips gently through her hair and held his lips against her temple. "Mornin', Princess," he mumbled into her skin. Beth's stomach somersaulted at his term of endearment, but also at the softness in his voice when he said it. That was not the Daryl Dixon she knew from before. The only time Daryl had ever called anybody anything remotely endearing was when he'd christened Judith Lil' Ass Kicker. Knowing he obviously didn't regret anything about last night, made her heart skip a beat.

"Hi," was all that Beth could muster in response as she smiled up at him shyly, hoping she wasn't as bright red as she felt.

Daryl lifted Beth's head from his chest and shuffled downwards until his face was level with hers. He played nervously with her hair, twirling it around his fingers as he began to chew on his lip. He looked scared, as though he wanted to talk, tell her something important but didn't know where to start, or maybe he just wanted to kiss her. Beth waited… and waited, her eyes burning into his as she tried to convey in the cold light of day that she didn't have doubts or regrets, so whatever he was feeling was okay. They'd work it out.

The silence was deafening, Beth waiting for words that weren't going to come. She decided she needed to start.

"Tell me what you're thinkin'. This is never gonna work if I'm gonna have to guess what's on your mind… please. If last night was a mistake, if you don't…"

"Sshhhh. That ain't it," Daryl interrupted as he pressed his finger to her lips before continuing. "I ain't real good with talkin' about my feelin's and shit is all. Better at... I'unno… showin' ya."

Daryl twisted round and quickly untied the makeshift lock on the trunk lid, pushing it upwards and letting in the glaring sunshine and giving them room to breathe. He turned to look at Beth who was grinning madly at him now she knew he had no regrets, beckoning him to take his place back down by her side. "So, if you don't wanna talk, what do you wanna do?" She asked, swallowing thickly.

Daryl gently lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingertips one by one. "I wanna be with ya," he whispered truthfully. "I wanna take care a' ya." He wasn't sure where that brave admission had come from, but his mouth was back on hers before he could feel embarrassed about it.

Beth enjoyed letting him play with her for a while, letting him kiss her slowly and deeply as he ran his rough warm hands underneath her t-shirt, pushing it up to expose her small pale breasts. She let him suck and lick at them until her nipples were turned to hard pink buds and her insides were moist and throbbing. Beth then pushed him away and sat upright, enjoying being able to stretch out fully for the first time in hours.

Daryl looked utterly crestfallen as Beth tugged down her top and rolled her bright blue eyes at him.

"Not now, is all, silly. I'm hungry. And I smell. We're so gross, Daryl! We need to wash, and we need to eat before we do anythin'. If you won't tell me how ya feel, you can show me, by fetchin' me breakfast and makin' yourself useful for once," Beth suggested sternly through a grin as Daryl let a smirk pull at his own lips, amused by her brazen and confident manner.

"Thought I'd already done that," Daryl sighed, shaking his head and gazing up at her from under his bangs. "Ya need it explainin' again, huh?"

Then, with a lust filled growl he was on her, not taking no for an answer however much she pretended to protest.

They made love right there, in the open trunk of the Impala; under the searing heat of the sun, under the beautiful clear blue sky, and Beth felt truly alive once more.