What Changed Your Mind? [Wattys 2017]

Chapter 8: Moving On

{ } = flashback

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Beth:

I stood, still frozen as Glenn and Maggie stumbled out of the bush. "Oh my God!!! Maggie!" I stumbled trying to run up to her, eventually getting there and throwing my arms around her, apparently before she realized who it was, because she stood there for a minute thinking, and when she registered where she was and who she was with, she burst into tears and I did the same. Daryl walked up to Glenn, pulling him into a hug (honestly kinda out of the ordinary for Daryl but I didn't mind), and introducing him to Leigh and explaining the Noah and Andy situation to him. I hugged Glenn and asked him to explain what Daryl told him to Maggie, and he nodded. I was so happy to have my sister back again and I was going to make sure I didn't lose her again.

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[The next day. . . about 9:30pm]

Daryl:

I took watch again and Beth insisted on goin' out with me again. She was gettin' better and stronger by the day. {It took at least an hour for the story to sink in for Maggie. She cried, especially when Beth took her hair out and showed Maggie the stitches and shaved spot on the back of her head.}

Beth walked over to me, a blanket around her shoulders, her hair still down, showin' the healin' gash on the back of her head. I cringed lookin' at it and thinkin' back to the day it happened, and dragging Beth through the tunnels in my lap. I shook my head, tryin' to get the image outta my head. Beth leaned into me and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, kissin' the top of her head. She looked at me and stretched up on her toes to kiss my lips. "Oooh! I see you've made a move!" Beth rolled her eyes, turnin' and raisin' an eyebrow at Leigh. "You and the redneck. I knew it." She grinned. I laughed as Daryl chimed in. "Yeah? And how'd you know that?" She smirked. "Are you kidding? You guys made it pretty obvious." Beth blushed next to my shoulder and I smiled down at her. We were gonna be okay. . . for now.

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[6 months later. . . ]

Maggie:

I had overheard Leigh, Beth, and Daryl talking about his and Beth's relationship (if that's what you wanna call it) from inside the tent six months ago. I confronted Beth about it the next day and she told me everything. I playfully scolded her for not tellin' me first thing when Glenn and I found them, but I was really very happy for her. Daryl was a good man: loyal, respectful, protective. He'd take good care of her even after I was gone. We all knew Daryl would most likely outlive us all. Against all odds we had made it six months in the woods, in a tent. Beth and Daryl's friends Andy and Noah never came back though.

We made the decision to look for a more permanent place to stay without leaving the mountains because walkers weren't able to get up here as easily unless they died up here.

Beth:

I walked alongside Maggie, chatting about all the things I'd gone through in the few days since the prison attack. For the most part, she just nodded, asking a question or two along the way. She turned around and walked backwards, facing me. "So you and Daryl. . . How's it goin' for you two?" I blushed. "Good. I guess." I giggled when she raised her eyebrows at me. She nodded, smiling. "Good. You seem happy, so I'm happy for you." I hugged her. She gave me a little shove towards Daryl. "Now go see your man." I grinned and let out a laugh. "Okay." I walked up to Daryl and he slid his free arm around my" waist, resting his hand on my hip. "Hey." I grinned up at him. "Hey." He looked at the back of my head. My hair had grown back in, but it was a lot shorter in the middle of the back than everywhere else. "Your hair's back." I put my hand over it. "Yeah but it's uneven." He took his hand off my hip and moved my hand away from my head. "It's beautiful." I smiled lightly. "Thanks. But maybe Maggie can help me find something to cut the rest of it with to even it out." He nodded, wrapping his hand around mine and intertwining our fingers. We walked in silence for a while until we stopped for the night.