Disclaimer: Don't own Walking Dead

Title: Knight in a Cowboy Hat

Pairing: Carl/Beth

Rating: T

Summary: Beth is attacked in the prison. When Carl saves her, will love bloom between them?

AN: Am I the only one that now ships Carl/Beth after watching the Season 3 premiere? Carl giving her the look when he had the riot gear helmet on and Beth smiling back at him and that small conversation they had in the cell block got me onboard the Carl/Beth train. You'll see more oneshots of them from me.

Spoiler from the first episode of Season 3

Beth was staring in the mirror of the prison barbershop, looking over her dirt stained hair with a frown on her face. Spending the entire winter out on the road was exhausting and frustrating and it took its toll on her in a good and a bad way. The good way that it took its toll on her was that she was stronger than she was before the farm was lost. The bad way was that she had to change her appearance and change who she was. No longer was she the shy girl of the group or the suicidal one. She had grown to accept this world for what it was and fully integrated herself into it when she killed her first walker. It was scary at first, not having to face one so close before. But after words of encouragement from an unlikely source, she was able to plunge her axe into the walker's skull before it could bite her. Finding this prison was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing in the sense that they finally found a safe haven to stay for a good long while and it was a curse in the sense that it took her father away from her.

Hershel Greene met his end when he was bitten on the ankle by a walker that seemed to be dead. Rick had decided that it was the perfect time to test their amputation theory. If someone got bit, they would cut the limb off to see if the person would survive. Rick hacked off her dad's lower leg and brought him back to the cell block to save his life while Daryl and T-Dog stood behind to watch the prisoners that they found locked inside of the cafeteria that they took shelter in when her dad got bit. Needless to say, he didn't make it and died of blood loss due to the wound that was left when Rick amputated his leg. She was a mess when it happened. Someone else that she cared for died and there wasn't anything that she could've done to save him. She felt worthless to the group now. Even more then she felt back at the farm. Back then she could pass on some excuse about how she didn't know how to take care of herself, but now? What could she say?

The funny part was that the same person who gave her the encouragement to kill her first walker was also the same person to comfort her after Rick put her dad down before he could turn.

His son, Carl Grimes.

It was obvious to everyone that the boy had a crush on her. Beth herself could see that very clearly. He tried to get to share the same cell as her, only leaving when her dad had told him to go find another one. The pout on his face was so adorable that Beth couldn't help but smile at him when he reluctantly left. He also tried to look cool in front of her with the riot gear helmet, flashing her one of those cool guy smiles. He was so comforting to her when her dad died. He was confused at how to start off, trying to wrap his smaller arm around her shoulder, but couldn't get it all the way around. Just the sight of Carl miserably trying to wrap his arm around her was enough to get Beth to giggle at that moment of despair. He then gave up and settled for wrapping it around her waist, seeing it as the only place where his arm can go all the way around and gave her his own version of the comfort words his dad gave him when they killed Shane. He said that this world wasn't safe and you couldn't save everyone and on the bright side, her dad was free from having to live in this cursed world anymore. She found his attempt sweet, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

Beth was flattered by his crush, but didn't have that strong feelings for the younger boy. He was cute with that cowboy hat of his and that badass look in his eyes that he got when he was out killing walkers made him look tough. He was a cool kid, but Beth wasn't looking for a relationship right now. She wanted to get past the stage of grief that she was in right now first. Afterward, maybe she'll give Carl a chance.

Looking in the mirror again, a man in a prison jumpsuit appeared in the barbershop along with her. Rick said to not go anywhere near these prisoners until he was sure that they weren't a threat to them. She was about to turn and leave when the prisoner pulled out a knife from his pocket. Beth froze in place, never having to face a crazy human all alone before. Her ax lay a few feet away, leaned against one of the chairs. She was gonna tidy up her hair a little bit in this barbershop to try and get a old feel from the old world back into her life. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

"Time to take your medicine you slut!" the chubby man with the glasses snarled as he lunged after Beth. Beth ducked under his swing. The prisoner- Thomas she believed his name was- hit the mirror behind her instead, broken shards of glass colliding into the ground. Beth scrambled across the ground and made a desperate attempt to her ax. Thomas made his second attempt to the girl, ready to plunge his knife wherever he wanted to put it. Beth reached her hand out to grab her weapon, able to feel the handle against her skin. Thomas pinned her wrist under his boot and held the knife against her cheek, a trail of blood starting to flow down her face. "All of you are the same!"

Only one thing left to do.

"Help!" Beth screamed, hoping that someone would be able to hear her. The bad part was that no one would be around here. They were off making sure that the prison didn't have anymore lurkers that would jump them. She was alone with no one to help her. She was gonna die. She felt worthless. She couldn't even defend herself from one man when he had a puny knife and she had an ax. Thomas' hand covered her mouth, muffling her screams. He placed the knife in the middle of her throat, preparing to cut her head off.

"No one is gonna save you, you whore."

BLAM!

Thomas jerked back and landed on the ground behind him, his head banging against the bottom of the barber chairs.

Beth huffed and wiped her face with her hand to get the blood off. She looked to see Thomas with a bullet in his head and the sound of someone panting in anger. She turned to see Carl standing there, one hand on his hat and the other holding his gun.

He looked pissed.

"Don't you darehurt her!" He forced out through his gritted teeth. He took a few breaths to calm his nerves and walked over to Beth, not the slightest bit upset that he just killed a man. Guess that's what the world changed him into. He set his gun in his holster and held his hand for her to grab. He smiled at her, "Hey, you okay?"

Beth grabbed his hand and used him as a leverage to get up. Carl noticed the mark on her face and frowned, "I'm glad I killed him. He hurt you." Carl used his index finger to wipe the blood from her face. "You're still pretty."

Beth embraced Carl in a tight hug, "You saved my life."

Carl blushed a bright and clearly visible red. "Dad said to always protect those you lo- He said to always protect the group." He quickly corrected himself. He almost slipped up with his words there.

Beth smiled, "Thank you," she cupped his cheeks and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "You're my Knight in Shining Armor."

Carl grinned, "How about you're Knight in a Cowboy Hat?"

Beth giggled, "Okay, my Knight in a Cowboy Hat." She softened her expression more. "Are you okay? You just killed someone."

"That's how this world is now, Beth. It was either I kill him, or you die. I don't know what I would do if you die." He lowered his voice. "I like you."

"You're so cute, Carl." Beth hugged him again. Beth kissed his cheek again, "Thank you again for saving my life." She raised her eyebrows. "How did you hear me?"

Carl pulled out a can of food from his back pocket. "Mom was hungry and asked me to go get her some food. I was going back when I saw this guy," he indicated to the corpse of Thomas. "Coming in here. I was about to go past when I heard you scream. I rushed and saw that he was on top of you and was gonna kill you. I pulled out my gun and shot him to save you."

Beth looked over the dead corpse of Thomas and looked back at he savior. "Wanna go for a walk around the fence?"

"Like a date?" Carl asked excitedly.

"That's as good of a date as I can think of," Beth admitted. With the world the way it was now and with them stuck in this prison, there wasn't any other ideas for a date.

"Can I suggest something?" Carl asked.

Beth smiled, "Go ahead my knight."

"Maybe I ca-"

"I heard the gunshot!" Glenn exclaimed, running in with his shotgun in his hands, pointed inside the barbershop and looking around panicked. He noticed Thomas and looked to the two kids. "What did I miss?"

Carl and Beth looked to one another and grabbed each other's hands. They looked at Glenn innocently.

"We got a date."

Glenn sighed, "I didn't get my first date till I was seventeen, and Carl gets his when he's thirteen? Life sucks," he moped, the two kids laughing at him. Glenn went to tell Rick what happened and to get Thomas' corpse out of here while Carl and Beth focused on their upcoming date. Beth might've almost been killed, gotten a permanent scar and Carl might've killed someone alive for the first time, but they were now getting closer, feelings starting to surface and Carl became Beth's savior.

Her Knight in a Cowboy Hat.

End of Knight in a Cowboy Hat

Expect more Carl/Beth from me for a LONG time.

I was pissed when Hershel got bit and sadly, I don't think he'll live. If Beth does get attacked and Carl saves her, as people think that Beth will get attacked by a prisoner, you saw it right here first.

Maybe I'll write about their date. What idea does Carl have? Do you wanna see? Let me know.