Wildfire || A Modern Bethyl AU.

Swimmin' Hole || Chapter 2

Swimmin' hole || Chapter 2

Beth woke up in her bed. She sits up confused. She's still dressed in yesterday's clothes, but her shoes are off. She quickly gets up and trades yesterday's clothes for a bikini, tank top and shorts. She trots down the stairs to the kitchen. Maggie making sandwiches.

"Finally sleeping beauty!" she sings. Beth jumps and sits on the counter next to Maggie.

"Yeah." She says playing with her hands. Maggie hands her a bagged sandwich and Beth puts it in the Punic basket. Beth hesitates to ask her how she got back in the house, when she fell asleep by the fire.

"Hey, uh, do you know how I got in bed?" she asks. Maggie gives her a look.

"Very carefully?" Maggie laughs. Beth pushes her shoulder.

"No seriously.. I fell asleep by the fire and I woke up in my bed." Beth says bagging another sandwich. Maggie shakes her head.

"Don't know sis. Maybe you don't remember walking inside to your room." She says handing her napkins. Carl knocks on the screen door.

"Hey Carl. I'll just be another mintue." Beth says jumping down from the counter and grabbing the potatoe salad and pickles from the fridge. He stood silently at the door just watching Maggie and Beth do their thing.

"Ready?" Beth asks and he nods. She takes the lead and runs into someone almost knocking her back.

"I'm sorry." a raspy voice says. Daryl grabs her arms to steady her.

"It's okay." She smiles. If she didn't know any better she would have sworn she saw a blush working it's way across his face.

"Your dad said you were goin' to a swimmin' hole. Thought I'd tag along." He says moving out of her way.

"Sure. Glenn and Maggie are coming too. She's finishing up the picnic stuff now for lunch." Beth says walking off the porch, With the boys following. She walks to the powder blue truck and opens the tail gate. They always kept the swimming stuff back there.

"Hop on." She says gesturing them to jump aboard. Carl goes first, but Daryl waits. Carl holds his hand out to help her up, but Daryl is already lifting her and setting her in.

"Thanks." Beth says smiling. She knew by the butterflies in her stomach that she's developing a crush. Maybe even a little one.

Maggie comes out with Glenn not far behind. She holds the picnic basket up in the air and Beth and Carl whoop with cheers.

"Let's get this party started." She says jumping into the cab of the truck. Glenn sliding into the drivers seat and starting the engine. The truck jolts and then crawls forward gaining speed. Glenn beeps a few times and they all wave to the group back out by the fire pit.

On the dirt road, Beth's hair is flying everywhere. She sits with her back against the cab's glass back window. The sun already high in the sky pour warmth down on everything.

"So, uh, Carl. I have to ask. Do you know how I got into my room last night?" Beth asks loud over the wind. Carl smiles and nods toward Daryl who has his eyes closed and his head tilted back a little. She smiles and watches him. She studies his face. A scruffy face she notes. She feels Carl's eyes on her. She quickly looks away.

10 minutes later they arrive at a fork in the road and Glenn parks on the side road.

"Alright ready to trek in the woods!" He calls out. he opens the hatch and Carl and Daryl jump down. As Beth comes to the edge of the tail gate, Daryl holds his hand out as she takes it and jumps down. She smiles and walks to the others as they go into the woods opening.

"Better start singing Bethy. It's warm enough for the bears." Maggie calls back from the front.

"What should I sing to them?" Beth asks.

"Big Butts." Glenn says and they laugh.

"No.." Beth says.

"Let her go! that song." Maggie says.

Well you only need the light when it's burning low. Only miss the sun when it starts to snow.Only know you love her when you let her go.

Beth circles around Carl and then skims Daryl's arm as she circles him.

'Only know you've been high when you're feeling low. Only hate the road when you're missin' home. Only know you love her when you let her go. And you let her go.'

She skips ahead of everyone.

'Staring at the bottom of your glass. Hoping one day you'll make a dream last. But dreams come slow and they go so fast.'

She turns around and faces the group as she sings. Her eyes land on Daryl and a smile spreads across her face.

'You see her when you close your eyes. Maybe one day you'll understand why. Everything you touch surely dies.'

They come to a clearing and a beautiful waterfall comes into view. Beth squeals and starts running toward the rocky edge.

She strips her tank top and drops it to the side. Carl stands next to her.

"Ready for this?" Beth asks and he nods. He strips his shirt and his jeans.

"Move over ladies. Pro coming through." Glenn says running toward them. Beth pulls Carl outta the way and Glenn jumps from the edge. Flying for a few seconds and then falling the 20 feet into the blue pool below. Maggie's the next one to jump and splash below.

"Hey what's that?!" Beth asks pointing to the tree line and Carl looks. As his heads turned Beth laughs and pushes his shoulders and he tries to hold onto her but she evades his grip and falls with out her. She's left at the top laughing.

"You think that's funny?" Daryl says behind her. He grabs her by the middle and jumps. She clings to his bare chest. His arms cradle her as they hit the water and get pulled apart. she kicks and floats to the surface.

"Totally not cool!" She says as Daryl surfaces. He smirks and splashes her a little. Beth stick her tongue out. She leans back and floats. Watching the clouds roll by. She can hear everyone around her swimming and splashing. She's glad she has this moment with everyone. Soon it will be over and she has to leave again.

Theres a pressure change as bubbles erupt underneath her. someone's hands skim her back and in a blink of an eye she's flying and lands. Maggie and Glenn are cackling as Beth resurfaces.

"Bethy, I didn't know you could fly!" Maggie laugh and earns a splash.

They splash around and act like children. Soon Beth would be gone away to college. She wouldn't have this. She sits on one of the rock on the bank. She watches as they play chicken; with Carl on Daryl's shoulders and Maggie on Glenn's. She stretches out and leans back on her elbows. There's a splash and Maggie is in the water. Daryl and Carl high five and Carl falls back into the water.

"Okay, my turn.. I spy with my little eye something red." Glenn says taking a bite of his sandwich. They all look around.

"Beth's dotted bikini top." Carl says.

"Well at let's we know where his eyes wander." Glenn says laughing. Both Beth and Carl's cheeks warm.

"Well now their cheeks are." Maggie says. Beth just puts her face in her hands. They gone on with their game till the foods gone and the sun is crawling across the sky.

They pick up their blankets and basket and make their way back to the truck. Beth walking at the back with Daryl and the rest walking in front.

With every swing of her arm Daryl tries to catch her hand, but to no avail.

In the truck bed Daryl sits a little closer but Carl and Beth are talking about School and college. He only brushes by her leg with his knee but it's sends a wildfire up his leg.

With every passing moment he just watches her. Her laugh, her hair flying in the wind, her eyes, and her warm smile, that ignites a fire in his stomach.