What Do We Do?

Part Four

Part Four

Rick sits on his bed looking at a map he found in a desk in the front office of the center. He had no real ideas where they were, but he knows they're farther North than the prison. He looks up from the map when he sees Daryl knock on the doorway.

"Come in." He doesn't seem happy, but he doesn't entirely seem pissed off. Daryl walks in and leans against the wall across from Rick.

"How come I feel like I jus' got called down to the principles office." He can't help but snicker at the comment. He was always in the principles office as a kid, mainly for beating up other kids who picked on him.

"I don't find this a laughin' matter, Daryl." Rick's face is now stern and Daryl shrinks a bit in his stature. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Don't chide me, Rick! It happens!" Daryl yells at him with brute force in his voice. He's getting tired o people's shit.

"It doesn't JUST happen. Maggie wants you gone. And I have to make the best decision for the group!" Rick stands with his one hand smoothing back his hair and the other on his hip. He doesn't know how to handle this. Daryl's his best man and he is going to be a father.

"So yer' jus' gonna make me leave! Leave Beth, my baby, and the security of the group 'cause Maggie doesn't want to face facts that 'we sister ain't a child any more and can make 'er own decisions!" He slams his fist into the wall. "Is that how this is gonna end?! That's BULLSHIT!"

"Listen, yer' a grown ass man! What made you think you could have sex with Beth and not have to feel the wrath of Maggie?" Rick hakes his head. He knows it's not right, but he has to do his job. "Brother, you know I don't believe this shit, but Maggie's adamant that you leave. Or at least sleep in the back building away from Beth."

"Fuck this!" Daryl throws his hands in the air and storms out mumbling something. He storms down the hall and grabs all his shit from his room. He can't believe he's being betrade by his own friend who calls him brother. His head is about to explode. He can't take it.

He storms back down the hall past Beth an Maggie's rooms. Both see him pass. Beth runs after him and Maggie just stands in the door way too ashamed but mad to follow.

"Where are ya goin'?" Beth says graving his arm. He instantly pulls it away. "Daryl!"

"Fuck you want?! Haven't I done enough?" He screams in her face. Beth just takes it in and Maggie an everyone now comes to see the commotion.

"Daryl! What are you talkin' 'bout? We jus' figured this out and yer' gonna be an..... an ASS!?" Beth goes toe to toe with him, making sure he feels the bite of her own pain. He starts walking away from her and toward the door when she adds."Fine! You wanna go? GO! Why'd I ever think you could love me or this baby, when you can't even love yer'self!"

Daryl stops in his tracks. He did love her and that baby. It wasn't his choice, it was Maggie's.

"Yer' gonna miss me so bad Daryl Dixon! Makin' a God damn mistake you are!" As he reaches the door, Beth can't take it any more. She starts to cry and then adds. "I loved you and all you do is take, take, take, and leave when yer' done takin'. I loved you! You have to decide! Me or them?!"

"It'll always be you! But you can't have me, cause of them! Thank yer' sister!" He slams the door behind him and leaves everyone staring at Maggie. She starts to blush and tries to avoid looking at Beth. Beth immediately runs into her room, grabs her bag and jacket and sprints after Daryl. Maggie grabs her arm.

"Beth!"

"Will you let go of me! Yer' ruinin' my life! All of you!" She runs out the door and sees Daryl starting down the road. She sprints up to him and grabs his hand. Looking at his face she sees the tear streaks staining his face.

"What are you doin'?" He glances at Beth an tries to pull his hand away from her, but her grip is too tight.

"I'm not losing you! We survived before with jus' each other, we can do it again." Daryl can't help but smile at her grand gesture.

"As sweet as you are, it's not safe any more out here for you. You need to go back."

"Fuck that! I'm not losing you. Daryl Dixon, I'm not losing the man that I ACTUALLY love!" She stops in front if him . Looking him up and down, she only wants him.

"What about Maggie or Judith?" He shyly looks at her and then back at his feet. She walks until she's chest to chest with him and kisses him. Standing on her tippy toes, she wraps her arms around his neck and continues her conquest of making her point. She finally let's go of him and her heels touch back to Earth.

"I love them both and will miss 'em. But yer' my family too. An important part for that matter. If she can't see that, then she'll have to learn to live without me." She wraps her arms around his waist and nuzzles her face into his chest.

"Beth, I love you too, but we can't do this."

"No, yer' not doin' this. Yer' not leavin' me." She starts her soft sobs again and he feels guilty.

"Okay. Okay Beth, we'll go." They walk about a mile or two still holding each other. Daryl knew it wasn't a great idea, but if this is what needed to happen to have Beth, then he hopes it's the right decision Beth on the other hand didn't care what really happened, as long as she had Daryl.

A few hours pass and the familiar SUV comes blazing up behind them. It's driver, Maggie Greene. They both stop and turn around to look at her stepping out of the car. Her face is beat red and she's evidently been crying. Beth grabs hold of Daryl's arm tighter as Maggie comes up. She wasn't running into her arms, not this time. After getting Daryl pushed out of their new home, she wasn't about to give anything to Maggie even if he is her sister.

"Beth, come home please." She pleads as Beth steps herself and Daryl back. "I'm sorry about everythin'. Daryl yer' not a bad guy, I was, huh, I was just upset and scared. Beth you know I love you both and don't want either of ya' to leave us now that we're bak together. Please come back." Beth steps forward to Maggie, who is on her knees with her hands folded.

"On two, no, three conditions."

"Anythin'!"

Beth looks at Daryl an then back at Maggie.

"First off, yer' gonna stop treating me like I'm some child. I'm an adult now and soon to be mother. You can't keep bossin' me around and makin' decisions for me."

"Okay sure."

"Two, yer' gonna apologize to Daryl and mean it. I'm not bringin' this baby up without him and yer' not gonna make him feel like shit cause yer' pissed off. He gets a say, jus' like Glenn does and everythin'. So stop treatin' him like he's nothing."

"Of course."

"And third, hmm. Third, I want Daryl to be in my room with me." Both Maggie and Daryl look at Beth like she's reaching for a hot pan. "He's the father and I don't wanna sleep in my room without him, jus incase I need him. He's not staying in that dinky storage room in the other hallway and people better not give him shit about sharing a room with me or being back. If that's alright with you." She looks at Daryl who looks at Maggie, who looks a lot unsure about this.

"Alright fine, but that's it." Maggie agrees and Beth goes to hug her and then hesitates. She grunts and nods in the direction of Daryl, and Maggie knows what she wants. "Daryl, I'm so very sorry about everything. Yer' a wonderful part of the group and a great new valuable member of this family. I shouldn't have overreacted. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yeah. I forgive ya'." They give each other a hug and all climb into the SUV.