Back: A Bethyl Survival Story

Remnants

Remnants

"Carol..." I stare blankly at the aged woman in the doorway and nearly have a heart attack. I haven't seen her since Rick sent her away. Her hair is slightly longer, her face looks older, and her blue eyes a little duller than when she found Sophia.

"Daryl! Beth! Where have you been? Come inside.Quickly." She ushers all of us into the living room and we stand awkwardly.

"Look who's up! It's Judy...." Tyreese comes out with Judith walking beside him holding his pants leg. I can see Beth nearly faint from seeing the little girl, who's practically her daughter. "oh my god! It's you two! Yer both alive! I'm so happy."

"Nice to see you too. Could I talk to you both in the kitchen... alone." I suggestively walk toward the kitchen and Beth takes Judith, Bentley, Dr and Sarg into the living room to sit. Getting into the kitchen I'm bombarded with hugs from Carol and a bro hug from Tyreese.

"How have you been man?" Looking up at Ty, he seems a little older too, not really in his body, but his hair.

"Fine. Listen that guy out there believes. That Bentley is Beth and mine's son and that Beth and I are married. He took us in and we had to cover so yeah. If y'all could play along that'd be great."

"Why don't you just tell him the truth...Pookie? Carol adds and I cringe. I care about her, but not like that, not any more.

"Carol, We can't tell him the truth. we'd been lying for almost a month. And... well Beth and I are kinda together now..." I can see pain rush to her face. Tyreese agrees with pretending and walks out. Staring at the floor I can feel Carol's body shake. I hate having to do this to her, but I do love Beth and honestly couldn't think of myself with anyone else but her.

"So you really care about her don't you?"

"Yes, deeply." I look up at her and she quickly wipes a tear away.

"Well I'm glad for you both. Be hard to say I didn't develop some sorta feeling for Tyreese over the past few months." I cringe at the thought of Carol and Tyreese together.

"You think you love him?"

"I don't know yet. Do you love Beth?"

"Absolutely...."

"Then I'm happy for you both." She smiles and gives me another hug. We head out to the living room where Beth is snuggling Judith like crazy and Dr is talking to Tyreese.

I sit beside Beth and Judith inches toward me from Beth's lap.

"Hey lil Asskicker! I've missed you so much."

"Now who is she to you?" Dr naturally questions. We all look at each other.

"She's.... my sister's kid. Judith. My sister passed away from the the child birth and I sorta adopted her, but after our one safe place got over thrown, I lost track of her from all the commotion. Thank God Carol and Tyreese found her." I lie and Beth just smiles. Carol and Tyreese nod in agreement to their new found roles.

"Well, you are quite the family." Dr smiles and Bentley comes over and sits on Beth's lap as he looks at Judith.

"Didn't you miss her Bentley? Aren't you glad Aunt Carol took care of her for Daddy?" Beth asks and Daryl feels sick.

"Yeah. I've missed you." He kisses Judith on the top of her head and Judith smiles at the boy.

"Y'all must be starving. Let's fix ya something and get ya settled in." Carol smiles and her and Tyreese make their way to the kitchen.

We all help out with cooking. As we eat we ask about how Carol and Tyreese got out and all the way up here in West Virginia.

"Well after we left the Grove, we walked and walked until finally we found a car dealership. Well, it wasn't raided completely. So we found enough gas to get us halfway here and then we found a few more gallons to get us in West Virginia before our car just completely died. Finding this little spot was like Heaven. Has very thing we need. Solar power heating and lighting, fenced in yard, enough space for people and has it's own garden full of fruit and vegetables." Tyreeese happily gnaws at his ear of corn.

"Plus Tyreese and I found three stock houses full of food and supplies."

"Carol, what's a stock house?" Bentley asks as he takes a piece of bread in his mouth.

"It's a big place where farmers, and other people store their food, supplies, and other goods that need to be distributed into stores." She gladly explains. I look at Beth who is helping Judith eat her corn. She's so natural and lovely taking care of Judith, simply perfect.

"Well looks like you've been set up in here nicely. How is the walker count though." Dr looks concerned as he sips his water.

"Very decent actually. Last big herd was only about 5 or 7 very small." Carol spoons more green beans onto her plate.

"Do you think it's cause of the cold or cause it isn't really populated here?" Beth pours some more water into Judith's sippy cup, who drinks it graciously looking at Beth.

"It must affect them both ways. I think the cold freezes their blood and we are in the country side of West Virginia, so I'm assuming that that is why we're so fortunate." Tyreese comments.

After dinner Carol shows Beth and me to ourroom, giving one room to Bentley and one to Tyreese.

"Come one Judy time for bed." Carol calls to Judith from the upstairs bathroom where she gave Judith a bath. Beth heads toward her room and Judith chases her down. "Judith yer room is this way."

Tugging on Beth's hand, Judith smiles up toward Beth and Beth just feels her heart fill more with love.

"Mama!" Judith smiles at Beth and Carol just leans against the door frame to Judith's room. I feel kinda bad for Carol. Sure she barely used to take care of Judith, cause it was Beth's one responsibility, but she has had Judith for the past few months, it probably hurts hearing her call Beth Mama, which she technically is cause she always took care of Judith.

"Judy! You said yer first word! That is her first word right?" Beth looks from Judith to Carol who nods.

"Yes. Hasn't ever spoke before. Just started walking about a week ago. You should be proud of yer girl there." Carol smugly and sadly says before going to her room and shutting the door. Beth walks into our room along with Judith and I finish coming up the stairs. Beth looks happy, but sad at the same time. I come in and snatch Judith up into my arms and throw myself onto the queen sized bed.

"Rawr! I got you you little monster!" Judith laughs as I tickle her in my chest. Beth just comes over and sits beside us.

"Daryl?"

"Yeah?" I sit up an sit against the head board with Judy on my lap.

"Do you think Carol hates me?"

"No! Why would you think that?" I play with Judith's hands and Beth scoots closer to us. I can feel her shake a bit.

"Cause she hasn't really been friendly since dinner, which she glared at me the whole time."

"Bethy, Carol is just adjusting."

"She still loves you... you know." I pull the covers over her shaking body and pull her close to me.

"Beth, that might be true, but I love you and nothing's gonna change that. Now why are you shaking so much?"

"I'm just scared."

"Of what?" She looks away from me and shakes her head no before the tears hit. "Beth? What is it?"

All of a sudden a bang comes from down stairs and everyone is now in the upstairs hallway except someone's missing.