Daryl and Beth: An Awkward Romance

Chapter 4: The Moonlight Talk

Beth's POV

Darkness was falling around us in sheets when I finally let go of him and wandered silently over to the porch.

Immediately Daryl followed, and after the long day we had had, we just sat and stared up at the indigo sky for what seemed like an age.

It was Daryl who finally broke the silence, "Mm sorry about earlier Beth, I can be a real bastard when I'm drunk"

"It's ok, at least one of us is a happy drunk" I replied jokingly and gave him a weak smile.

"Lucky," he mumbled, "I guess I just lost it, I grew up in a place like this and um.....it stirred up some bad memories" he spoke nervously, staring up at the sky.

"You can tell me ya know" I felt comfortable with him and right now I knew he felt the same. "Hmph, ok I guess I will" he replied hesitantly

"This place... I lived in a house identical, dad would always come home drunk and angry which always ended badly for me an Meryl..." he wouldn't look at me, and I kept quiet waiting for him to continue.

"Beat up every day and night, Meryl would be first, then me. I'd get drunk almost every day, best way to shut it out. I was a nobody, followed Meryl around more and more. Just did what he said we'd be doin that day."

"I've been trying so hard to leave it all in the past and I guess seeing it just made what I was trying to forget come alive again.... " his rough voice had become softer than ever now and I could see he was starting to regret opening up, and so I spoke.

"Daryl, " I said waiting to get his attention. He slowly looked up at me, "Mmhm" he murmured, "You've got to let it go, you have too. Otherwise it will eat you alive" He just stared at me, "I can't.. Beth it's impossible"

We just sat staring up at the moonlight sky for a while then, side by side, until Daryl broke the silence, "We should go back in" he said. "Well I think we should burn it down" I replied triumphantly, "C'mon" I said, giving him a slight nudge and a smirk.

He gave me a long stare, not saying a word and I could see him considering. He spoke up eventually "Gonna need more booze"

We drenched the house in as much moonshine as we could possibly find, and ran back outside with a lighter and some money that Daryl had found the basement.

"You wanna?" he said, handing me the lighter. "Hell yes" I beemed and I could swear he smiled back.

We did this several times over, until all the money was gone. Neither one of us said anything, just stood watching while the flames devoured Daryl's demons. It was a glorious sight, and whenever I glanced over at Daryl, I could see all those years of having that burden being wiped out like the house in the flames.

He finally noticed me watching him, and it brought him back. "Hey we should get outta here, before any walkers arrive"

"Sure" I quickly responded. He gently took my hand, and we walked away from the fire like that, neither of us looking back.