Disclaimer: I don't own 'The Walking Dead'.

Iris

Chapter 1

I blinked slowly staring up at the bunk covering mine. What woke me up? I laid there for a minute listening before I heard it. Muffled cries from an almost one year old baby echoed from one of the cells. Sighing deeply I got up from my bed moaning the warmth I lost as my feet touched the cold floor. My toes were instantly frozen. I walked out of my cell/room (I'd rather liked to think of it as my room, sounded homier than what it really was) and went to Carol's where the baby would most likely be. I peeked around the corner looking into the small cell only to see Carol passed out, snoring lightly and ignorant of the cries coming from the crib against the opposite wall of the older woman's bed.

Shaking my head at the sight I walked over towards the crib smiling softly when I laid my eyes on Judith Grimes. She wiggled and whined some more upon seeing me and I couldn't help but smile brighter at the sight of her. My heart swelled at the way she looked at me. Reaching down into the crib I quickly took up Judith securing her in my arms effortlessly. The baby smiled looking around herself now that she was out of her bed. 'At least someone's happy being out of bed.' I thought briefly before leaving Carol's cell to let her sleep in more.

Lately Judith had become more of a handful with teething and wanting to be up at all times of the night. She was wearing everyone out with her constant crying so I wasn't surprised that Carol succumbed to sleep even with the baby crying in her cell. Looking around it seemed no one else was up at the moment so I went about getting Judith settled with some food before working on a whole breakfast for the rest of them.

The quietness was relaxing to me as I moved along the small makeshift kitchen just outside the cells of Block D. I would head over to the actual kitchen when it came to making breakfast for everyone, but Judith's food we kept close by. I hummed softly as I worked; it was almost robotic as I went about my business. I was so use to doing this it was second nature at this point. Even so I kept an ever watchful eye on the baby who was sitting in the middle of the floor on a big rug that had kitties on it with a toy to entertain her. That brought a smile to my face as I remembered how Carl and Glenn came back from a supply run with the rug. They were so proud of themselves that they forgot to mention that the place they went to was overrun and they couldn't get anything the prison actually needed except for a rug that wasn't specifically needed.

I snorted as the memory replayed in my mind. That was how I lived nowadays. Just remembering the good times from before the end of the world and finding the light of most situations. I had to have been the only person who wasn't upset with the boys on their failure, well no one was actually upset but no one seemed to find the humor in it till much later unlike myself who laughed upon seeing the bright smiles on their faces as they held up the rug like it was a prized buck.

Judith seemed to like it just fine too, after we scrubbed and washed it three or four times. Could never be too careful anymore, carelessness could get you hurt or worse…killed.

I pulled the mushy food into a bowl setting it down on the table to cool off before feeding Judith, instead I walked over to sit and play with her for a bit. Just as I was about to sit down on the rug I heard one of the doors groan metal on metal as it opened and soon enough someone was entering the room. I continued on my descent especially after seeing it was Daryl coming in from watch. He nodded his head to me before patting Judith on the head in passing and heading up the stairs to his cell.

I watched him quietly before he was gone out of my sight. He really wasn't much of a talker after taking third shift on watch. I shook my head and continued to play with Judith for another five minutes before deeming the food eatable for the baby. Even so I still blew on every spoonful as I fed the little girl.

"You could have woken me up Beth." Carol commented hiding a yawn behind her hand as she entered the room. I shook my head as I continued to feed the baby.

"You looked so tired I thought you could use the extra minutes of beauty sleep." Carol gave me a funny look as she patted down her wild bed head.

"What beauty sleep? I look like a crazed animal." We both laughed lightly though I quickly patted down my own hair wondering if I too looked a bit insane. "I'll go start up breakfast for everyone else and you can stay here with Judith." Carol proceeded to exit as she spoke.

"Are you sure? I could come help after." I called out just before Carol disappeared from sight. The older woman popped her head around the corner with a smile. "It's okay dear, you just relax." I nodded turning back to the six month old trying to wrestle the spoon out of my hand.

"Judith!"

I walked around outside feeling the light breeze blow by me. Judith was with the other children and Carol giving me a much needed break. The teething issue was getting worse each day and the poor baby was becoming quite the handful. It was times like those that I wished to be an ordinary teenager again. Of course I would never give up Judith for anything but that didn't keep me from getting nostalgia when I thought about my friends and the farmhouse. I missed going to school, driving, and horseback riding. I missed the freedom.

As I looked around the area a sense of entrapment came over me. Everything was closed off, barred from the open plains and wooded areas. The fencing though it protected us also caged us in and I hated feeling that way. This wasn't the first time I had felt like this either. I always felt the feeling when coming outside and especially every time someone went on a run.

'It's not fair.' I thought walking pass the lone guard tower. 'I never get to go on any runs, heck I've never left the prison since we got here.' Well that wasn't entirely true I amended. I left once but that had been when the Governor came in with his small army to try and kill us all. A shiver ran down my back as I remembered that day only a few months back. Though we had everything planned out down to even small possible errors I still felt fear lick at my heart. Even if we covered all the bases there was always a chance for a mistake to be made. Luckily for us Rick thought that all through and everything went according to plan.

Well not everything.

Carl was never meant to be any part of the action. Killing that boy who was only a few years older than he was should never have happened, but it did. I sighed rubbing my hands up and down my arms even though I wasn't the least bit cold. Sometimes when I thought too hard about it I would blame myself. I should have said something, I could have done something! Instead I stood on the sidelines hiding, too afraid to say or do anything before Carl shot the boy. I turned my face towards the sun letting it heat my up while I tried pushing away the awful thoughts. There was no need to rehash this out again; there was nothing I could do to change what happened. It was all in the past.

A bit of commotion to my right drew my attention from the torture I was putting myself through. I turned to see Sasha and Tyreese killing walkers through the fence. Smiling at the new distraction I headed their way. Maybe stabbing a few dead people with a pointy pipe would help make me feel better. As I neared the two siblings I could make out the conversation they were having. Well more like bickering.

"So that's five for me and…two for you." Sasha started writing down in a small notepad. Tyreese frowned at her crossing his arms with the pipe in one of his hands.

"What are you talking about? That last hit was mine." Sasha rolled her eyes as though her older brother was speaking gibberish to her.

"Not according to the score board, says here I'm at five and you're at two." He reached over to snatch the notepad but Sasha was faster and back away from him quickly. I mused that the woman couldn't hold it out of reach since her brother happened to be taller than her so she would have to dodge him to keep her notepad in her hands.

"That last walker was mine! I should be at three and you at four." I stood close by keeping a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't laugh out loud. Their sibling banter reminded me of way back with my brother. Since we were closer in age they were constantly bickering as Maggie stood on the sidelines watching. An ache throbbed in my heart as I thought about Shawn.

"Stop being such a sore loser Ty! Clearly that last one was mine." Sasha said confidently giving her brother a smirk as though that proved it all.

"Well if you would stop cheating we wouldn't be having this issue." Tyreese did not look amused. They both kept going back and forth before I decided enough was enough. Clearing my throat I gained the siblings attention from their cut-throat bickering. Sasha immediately brightens up upon seeing me. "Hey Beth!"

I returned the smile. "Hey guys got room for one more?"

Sasha turned to Tyreese who glanced between them. Everything went sort of silent for about a minute. I felt my smile slowly erase off my lips as they almost seemed hesitant. I wondered why, it wasn't like this was the first time I had ever done this.

"Well…we're just about done for the day and…" Sasha looked back to her brother waiting for him to fill up the rest of her sentence. "There's not many walkers left at the moment. Next time?" Tyreese finished giving me a shrug. I looked between the two before nodding. I got the feeling they didn't want me to be a part of it but didn't want to hurt my feelings.

"Yeah, sure. Next time." I turned around and started walking away feeling rather useless. Even if there was a next time would they let me then? The word 'no' echoed around my head.

I had killed quite a few walkers through the fence, it wasn't anything new. So why did they reject me? Just as I got near the watch tower my eyes zeroed in on a lone figure leaning against the railing over the ledge, staring out into the woods. It was Carl.

Maybe Carl could help teach me to shoot better? I could only reason to myself that, that had to be why Sasha and Tyreese wouldn't let me join. They both had guns on them unlike me. It made sense thinking about it now, I didn't much like having a gun on me but I also didn't know how to handle one either. I only got that one training session way back at the farm. The only other time I shot one was when Merle was fighting with Maggie and Glenn. I quickly ascended the stairs up to the tower.

Carl was still leaning on the railing once I made it to the top. Though his back was towards me I was sure that he knew who had come up. I was bluntly staring up at him with my hand over my eyes to shield the sun from my sight.

I walked towards him looking out to the field to see Sasha and Ty still playing their game. 'Not many walkers? Yeah, right.' I came to a stop leaning against the railing like my friend. Carl glanced at me but didn't say a word. I felt sadden by his recent coldness towards everyone, well everyone aside from his baby sister. I didn't like how he was withdrawing from everyone including myself. At one point I felt like he was my best friend. He always stuck by me, protecting me, and confiding in me. Now it was like pulling teeth to get him to even say 'hi'.

"How's your watch so far?" I asked avoiding looking to my right. I really didn't want to think about those two at the moment. Carl shrugged his shoulders opting to stay silent. A frown tugged at my lips. Here we go.

"When does your shift end?" I was anything if not persistent. I was going to get him to talk to me so he mind as well resign himself to it.

"Noon." I sighed softly glancing up to see where the sun was positioned.

"When's that?" Daryl had taught everyone how to tell time by the position of the sun. He even made a sun dial but I must have missed that class. Or more specifically everyone who went on watch or runs was taught it. Bitterness erupted inside my chest but I held it back. For now…

"Hour." Carl barely looked at the sun before answering. Again it was one word though I should be use to this, the most he said would be a sentence and that's if he was actually interested in the conversation at hand or wanted to tell you to shut up.

"So after lunch…" I twiddled my fingers on the railing as I collected my thoughts, "Do you think you can teach me how to shoot better?" I turned to stare at him waiting for a response back. There was a frown on his face making him look far older than he was. Carl opened his mouth then closed it like he didn't know how to react to my question.

"I…I'm gunna be busy after lunch." He looked my way before turning back to the woods. I felt dishearten by his answer. He couldn't spare thirty minutes for me?

"How 'bout tomorrow?" Somehow I was able to keep my voice chipper but it was hard. Carl shook his head keeping his eyes trained on the fields and woods straight ahead.

"Busy." Again with the one word replies. Frustration reared its head.

"Carl-."

"No Beth. No." he cut me off glaring at me. His eyes looked tired but fierce. My throat felt tight as I willed my voice to speak. "Why?"

I felt so hurt by his rejection. That was the third one today if I included Carol's from this morning; not that it bothered me but I just felt like everyone was pushing me away. I clenched my teeth as my eyes watered trying my best to hold in my anguish. Carl shrugged his shoulders again. A minute went by before I came to realize he wasn't going to elaborate beyond the gesture. I pushed off the railing whipping around to leave the boy alone. I wanted to be the adult in the situation but his blunt rejection and unwillingness to tell me why was like a stab in the back. Never had Carl ever made me feel as much of a burden as I do right now.

A tear escaped one of my eyes and I wiped it away angrily. I was tired of crying but I knew it was more out of frustration than being upset. I walked down the steps trying to think of something I could do to keep my mind occupied. My eyes landed on Rick Grimes walking around seeming to enjoy the nice day. 'Maybe Rick will show me how to shoot better." I wasn't sure why I was suddenly fixated on learning but now that it was in my head I couldn't push it out. Anyway I would have to learn eventually. No one got by in this life without learning how to use a gun.

"Hey Rick." I called out waving my hand to catch his attention. Rick looked up from the ground to smile at me. It looked like he was in deep thought and I mused that maybe I shouldn't bother him right now but he was already heading my way.

"Hi Beth, how are you?" A smile replaced the anguish that had been there only a moment ago on my lips. Not once had I ever felt like Rick asked how anyone was doing just to say it. He actually wanted to know, that he cared about everyone's wellbeing.

"I'm well; actually I have a question for you." Rick nodded giving me his full attention. That was another trait I liked about him. "Go on." He encouraged leaning more on one leg as he listened.

"Well, I was wondering if you had time that is, if you could teach me how to shoot better?" I looked up to him with hopeful eyes. I hoped if I gave him my best puppy dog eyes reserved for my father when I want something would work on Rick. He seemed to be breaking under my stare before sighing.

"Sorry Beth. I have a lot going on right now. Problems to fix and such. Why dontcha ask Maggie, I'm shore she would be willin' to help her sister." I felt just a bit defeated as he declined to help me. It wasn't a rejection like the others, but that didn't make it hurt no less.

"Okay thanks Rick." I gave him credit that he did look apologetic and I knew that he had a lot going on right now so it was no hard feelings on my end.

'Maggie.' I was unsure how this would come about. Honestly I was doubtful my sister would agree to help at all. Maggie was so overly protective of me to the point that she didn't want me going on runs or even handling a gun hence my doubts. But then I wasn't giving her the benefit of the doubt. With the way life is nowadays Maggie could very well say 'yes', even be excited to teach me. I just wouldn't mention going on runs or anything that's all. Smiling and hoping I wouldn't get shot down once more I walked along looking for my sister.

It took forever to find her though and I should have known my sister would be wherever her fiancé was. That seemed to be a given and had I thought about it before I wouldn't have wasted almost an hour looking for her. Maggie was giggling about something Glenn said. I got the feeling it was perverted because once they noticed me they both went beet red in the face. There were many times over that I was happy my sister had found someone like Glenn, this moment just happened to not be one of them. Really I didn't want to be reminded my sister was having sex.

"Beth! Hey, what are you up to?" Maggie glanced back at Glenn then to me. I shrugged my shoulders acting nonchalant at first.

"I wanted to talk with you." I also went with being vague on the matter; mostly I didn't want Glenn there. Any time I wanted to talk with Maggie on something important Glenn stuck around and she ended up asking him for advice. If I wanted his advice I would have asked him myself. More than once I was talking about something embarrassing to my sister who evidently asked Glenn his opinion. To say I was mortified was an understatement.

"Okay shore, what is it?" Maggie asked crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back against the wall. I frowned lightly turning my eyes to Glenn hoping he would get the message to leave. I didn't want to be rude but I knew Maggie wasn't going to say anything. "It's private." I finally said eyeing him over again this time he got what I meant blushing like earlier. Of course that wasn't what I was going for but hey whatever made him leave faster.

"Uh yeah, sure I'll just go check on Carl." Glenn said in a slight rush before hightailing it out of there. We both had equally amused smiles at his exit.

"So it's private?" I turned back to Maggie and shrugged lightly. I walked around the small loading bay we were standing in as I thought how to start the conversation.

"Well…" My bright blue eyes stared up to the dark, dank ceiling in thought, "I wanna learn how to shoot better. Will you help me?" My eyes then moved to bore into my sisters. We had a sort of stare down before I couldn't keep eye contact with her and looked towards the ground. I figured with the silence that followed that my sister was leaning towards a 'no'. I withheld a sigh, I really couldn't think of anyone else who could help me. Carol maybe but who would look after Judith? Michonne was another I could ask but I was way too intimidated to approach the woman much less ask for training.

"Yeah, sure I'll teach ya." I whipped my head to Maggie in surprise.

"Really?" I didn't want to appear too hopeful but I couldn't believe my overprotective sister was willing to help me. If anything I thought Maggie would much rather lock me away in a cell than say yes to teaching me, but then maybe I wasn't giving her enough credit.

Maggie smiled lightly pulling some loose hair behind her ear. It was getting longer than I knew that she liked or was use to. "Can't baby ya forever. Plus I think I would feel better if ya knew too."

I felt a grin threatening to split my face at how big it got. I ran over to Maggie giving her a tight hug. This was gonna be great, we really needed more sisterly bonding going on. If only I knew what I was getting myself into…

"Do it again!" Maggie barked like a drill sergeant with her arms crossed standing just a bit beyond my right shoulder. Again she says. I had been shooting at an empty can for half an hour now and I had yet to hit it once. Rick hadn't wanted us to use any of the ammo in case of an emergency or real danger. I understood that my training wasn't top priority so we ended up using a BB gun found on a run not too long ago.

The BB gun matched the same weight of a real gun but I knew that the BB's weight was much different than the bullets of a normal gun. Maggie explained that a real gun would have more of a kickback in my hand which I nodded vaguely remembering when I last used a gun. That had been when Merle was still alive.

I raised the gun up again spreading my legs and lining up the shot. I exhaled lightly and pulled the trigger. A whine of annoyance escaped my lips when the BB overshot the target.

Maggie sighed rubbing her forehead. I turned to see a frown on her lips. "Come on Beth! This really isn't that hard."

"Well I am trying!" I flung my arms out exasperated from my sister's constant nagging me.

"Well obviously not hard enough!" Maggie huffed walking over to me to take the gun from my hands. "It's real simple. First you get into stance." Maggie spread her legs out, giving her balance. "It helps you brace for the kickback. Second you raise your arms in line with your chest, the center of your body." She quickly demonstrated. "Third you straight your arms out for impact and adjust your hold on the gun." Maggie locked her elbows and fixed her hold on the gun. "Lastly you align your shot with your sight. This is the most basic but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take your time."

I watched as Maggie stared down the gun towards the target. After a minute she pulled the trigger and we heard the clank of the BB hitting the can. "Simple as that." Maggie turned around with a smirk on her lips. I sighed taking the gun.

"Show off." I commented getting back into position. I did exactly what she did even took more time to better align my shot but still I overshot it.

"Shit Beth! Do it again!" I turned around shaking my head.

"No I'm done." I went to hand the gun to Maggie but she refused to take it. A stern frown was directed to me.

"So that's it? Ya just gonna quit without really trying?" I felt my jaw drop. Without really trying?

"I've been trying for forty-five minutes now!" Maggie gave me the look. It was the same look Shawn would also give me when I was supposively being a brat. At this point I didn't care I was tired, and annoyed by my sister's high expectations of me. Though Maggie did teach it simple enough I just couldn't get the hang of it from her and I wasn't quite sure why. There was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that was telling me it was simply my sister that was making it worse.

"I didn't peg my baby sister to be a quitter." Maggie commented dryly knowing full well how it would only irritate me. Since she wasn't gonna take the damn gun I set it on the ground though really I wanted to throw it in a fit.

"Whatever." I turned to walk away. Why the hell did I think it would be fun to have Maggie help me? What possessed me to even ask?

"Quitter! Go on and cry to Daddy 'bout how much of a quitter ya are!" I tried my best to ignore her and not let her words get underneath my skin but Maggie knew how to dig deep enough. What were siblings for anyway?

"Shut up!" I tried to not stomp away like a little child. I closed my hands tightly.

"Quitter! Quitter!" A rage that I hadn't felt in a long time consumed me. I turned around feeling red in the face.

"Go to hell!" The instant those words left my lips my hands clapped over my mouth with wide eyes. Maggie looked at me with equally wide eyes.

"Elizabeth!" Suddenly I went pale. Slowly looking over my shoulder I saw my father standing there on his crutches. A look of disappointment with his brow dropping down and a frown lines that became more pronounced around his eyes greeted me.

"Daddy…" I whispered as I turned towards him fully. My shoulders dropped and I felt like crying as my eyes connected with his. The last time I disappointed him had been back home at the farm. I closed my hands together; I then bowed my head as I walked towards him.

"I know I did not raise my girls to curse, especially towards each other." My father stared down at my bowed head. I could feel the heat of his eyes while tears welled up in mine. I had no idea what came over me to ever say that.

"I'm sorry Daddy." I lifted my eyes from the ground to see him shaking his head.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." I nodded turning to my left to see Maggie making her way to us. A lump had formed in my throat and I felt terrible.

"I'm sorry Maggie." She nodded giving me an apologetic smile.

"Now I can't punish you much like I use to but I would like you to spend the reminder of the day in your room." I nodded. Pretty much that translated to me being ground for the reminder of the day. I walked pass my father heading inside the prison. How did today go from wanting to learn something to benefit myself to making a total ass out of myself?...

A/N: So that's it for the first chapter. It was actually much longer but I separated it into the next chapter, was getting too long. So this is my first story for 'The walking dead' and I hope ya'll enjoyed it. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out soon. I am dividing my attention between Naruto, X-men, and now TWD so please bare with me. This is also my second story where I am doing 1st POV so tell me whatcha guys think? I rather enjoy writing in it plus I feel like you're much closer to the character that way too. Also I haven't watched the new season but I know snippets of what's going on, this is pretty much like three months after the Woodbury people join the prison, as a general time line for ya'll.

Also this is Beth's POV period, no Daryl's or anyone else. I thought it would be interesting to see it through her eyes compared to all the stories that split their views in 3rd POV. I read a really good story for these two in Beth's POV so I wanted to give it a shot myself. This will be rather long winded and the actual romance part won't be here till laterish. More realistic that way. I'll update soon I promise!

ALCzysz17 ^_~