Follow You Down - Bethyl Fanfiction

Boss of The Prison

The rest of the day went as usual, Beth had Judith duty that afternoon which she didn't mind. Judith generally slept most of the afternoon if Carl had her in the mornings. He liked to wear her out with entertainment in the form of wooden toys he had crassly knocked together for her. Beth settled on the stairs of the cell block with the sleeping baby, humming absently to herself while watching the others plan runs for food and formula.

Through the barred door she could see Michonne, Carol, Rick, Tyreese and Sasha talking over a map they had found the week before in a strangers shack. Usually there was a certain archer who joined the discussion, but he wasn't around. Beth chastised herself for noticing it, like she cared or something. Stupid. Maggie and Glenn weren't there either, why didn't she make a mental note of that? Because Beth could guess they were making the most of some alone time. Her eyes drifted to her cell and to her pillow, where the book lay hidden beneath. She had to get rid of it. It couldn't stay in her room. She had too many young visitors who liked to rummage and Beth didn't want any other adults - especially her dad - knowing what she had read. 

Shuffling for a few minutes to make it look like she was getting uncomfortable, Beth eventually stood with Judith and headed to her cell . Still humming, the blonde paced the small room a few times before reaching down to get the book, making a big effort to seem nonchalant. The book was slipped into Judith's blanket. And the mission was on. Next, to the library where the novel would be expertly hidden on a very tall shelf and never read again.

The library wasn't far and it was usually deserted as people tended to take the books to their rooms. Judith fussed a little in her sleep, making Beth feel guilty for using her to hide the evidence of her crime. She stood by the door and listened to check if anyone was around, but alas, silence. Halfway through the door, a voice caught her of guard.
"Hey there lil' ass-kicker!" Daryl was walking towards them, eyes fixed on Judith wrapped in the blanket, her little hands sticking out. Beth panicked and headed into the library, pulling the door behind her.

Daryl's hand stopped the door before it closed and he was right behind Beth, looking over her shoulder at Judith who had just been wrapped a little tighter in her blanket. 
"Hey, can't I say hello to the boss of the prison?" He questioned. Beth walked away from him further into the library, fear causing her heart to stutter.
"She's sleepin'" Beth argued in a forced whisper. Daryl still didn't look at her, seemingly forcing his eyes to say on Judith. He followed her, door closing softly behind him, approaching Judith, hand heading for the blanket. Beth tried to back up more but found a table behind her and felt her eyes widen as Daryl's fingers pushed the blanket down to stroke Judith's cheek. "I told you she's sleepin' see?"
Again Daryl didn't look up, but he let out a sound of agitation.
"Pfft, she don't mind me checkin' on her."

Beth held very still as Daryl looked over Judith, held tightly in her arms. There was nothing she could do. Beth for the first time in a long time hoped for something shocking to happen, some disruption of the peace that would make Daryl turn and run for the door to help. But there was nothing. Beth's cheeks were already bright red before he gently tugged the blanket down to find Judith's chubby neck. She could feel the confusion rolling off him in waved as he spotted the off white, bent pages, his hand went to grab that instead. Beth couldn't do anything without disturbing Judith and her crying would only bring more people in. So she let him pull the book out the blanket and look over it's cover, frowning at it's very normal appearance. 

"Beth, why're you hidin' a book?" He asked slowly. She didn't answer, too busy thinking about the way he says her name and too embarrassed to tell him the truth. She just averted her eyes as he stepped back and looked the book over, as if it was some kind of weapon. Beth's hopeful mind suggested that maybe he would just leave it alone, but she knew him better. His dirty fingernails caught on the pages as he flicked through quickly, not actually reading any of the words before stopping at the dog- eared page. Beth looked towards the library door, thinking about making a run for it. She could just avoid him forever, she could just always stay in her cell. Hell,  he might not even connect the book to himself. 

Daryl's eyes were following the words on the page that had been folded over by someone who had read it before Beth, not that he would know that and she watched his mouth open and close a few times as he read, not looking up. Beth gently bounced Judith to keep her sleeping while he read, leaning back against the table, mentally preparing for him to berate her or something. 

Beth couldn't bare it. There was just silence as he read those same words that had her heart racing the night before. The words she had been so thankful to read alone. He read them in front of her, occasionally swallowing the air he was taking in. Eventually he pressed the pages together, holding the book in one hand.
"Beth..." His voice was low and measured.
"I- I was putting it back, I didn't want to keep it, I-" The look he gave silenced her. He looked at her with heavy eyes that said things she wasn't certain she understood and she saw his tongue hovering just behind his parted lips. His shoulders seemed to rise and fall more than before and Beth could feel a bead of sweat roll down the back of her neck. Without another word, Daryl turned and left the room, free hand clenched into a fist. Beth let herself breathe and looked down at the sleeping Judith, who looked much more comfortable now the book was gone. Then Beth realised that as he left, the book was still in Daryl's hand.