Hope || Bethyl Fan Fiction [UPDATING+EDITING]

chapter four (2/2)

Beth's POV

"There is wood in here!" I call out to Daryl, who is looking for wood in the back yard of the house like I am. There was a little shed around the corner that I wandered into and found the wood inside of.

Dayrl still hadn't come to me so I walked outside of the shed and looked around. He was nowhere in sight and it was dead silent outside for a few seconds. A twig snapped behind me and turned around to look.

"Daryl?" Still getting response I sucked in my breath and looked around all the trees. It was an open backyard with no fence, so I could see right into the woods. Still seeing nothing, I released the breath that I had no idea I was holding and took a step towards the woods.

Another twig snapped behind me, and I turned around, expecting Daryl or a walker, but intead nothing.

"Daryl, no more games," I said sharply, reaching for my knife in my back pocket.

"Boo," I heard someone say behind me and I froze, knife in hand when two hands were placed on my hips.

Daryl's POV

"Boom, your dead," I whispered into Beth's ear. I felt her body untense from under my hands and she spun around to face me, with my hands still on her hips.

"There's no time for playing, you scared the shit out of me," Beth sighed and I chuckled. She rolled her eyes and I removed my hands from her body, realizing where they had been. Beth looks down at my hands and quickly looks up to me. "I found wood," I follow her into a little blue shed by the house and help her take the wood out.

After we've created a fire, I let her handle putting leaves and making it viewable from a distance, while i gather us a small meal. Beth stays outside, huddled by the fire and I stop to glance at her. It isnt dark outside but the light of the fire lights up her face just a little bit, showing her tired expression. It's clear she hasn't gotten a good nights sleep in a while and anyone could guess that she wasn't as happy as could be. All she wants is her sister, and I understand that. Even though my brother wasn't the best person ever, I wish he didnt have to die. Beth only wants her family, she only wants to be with the people that she loves. She only wants the people she loves. I'm not one of them, and my heart takes a dive at the thought but she's better off with people who deserve her. Besides, I don't have any feelings for her, says my mind, but what does my heart say?

Beth looks up from the fire and up to me in the window and her eyes quckly dart away. I return to gathering food and join her outside.

Beth's POV

I catch Daryl watching me in the kitchen window, and feel heat rise to my cheeks. Inside my chest a soft flutter grows, but I push that feeling deep down. The way his hands felt on my hips earlier was different. Sparks and warmth had flooded my whole body and I had no control over what i was feeling. There was absolutely no way I would let Daryl Dixon have this effect on me.

Daryl comes outside and takes a seat next to me.

"I brought you some food." Daryl hands me a small plate and i take it, not looking at him, but smile.

I might not want this to happen but I'm sure somewhere I do. Daryl takes my hand, and I look at how his hand holds mine before looking at him.

He licks his lips and sighs, "I may be acting like an ass but i just want you to know I'll do anything to help you find your sister if it means you'll be happy."

I bite my lip and sigh. My chest feels like its on fire and my stomach is doing flips. I put my free hand onto his and smile, "There's a lot of things that could make me happy, and thanks."

I mentally smack myself, then grab my plate and stand up, heading for the house.

"I know." He says, and I stop for a brief second and nod. I walk into the house feeling his eyes on me, and it's the best feeling in the world. He follows me into the house and I smile to myself. "I care about you." He says, completely random and sudden.

"What?" I chuckle nervously. "Daryl Dixon cares?' I joke and face him. He rolls his eyes and takes a step towards me.

"Is it that unbelievable?" The space between us has closed in, and he smiles.

"Well, could you prove it to me again?" I bite my lip and hold my breath, scared of his response. I took a risk saying that, but I know it's what I want.

He places his hands on my hips and pulls me in.

"This feels so wrong," he whispers and pulls away. My chest sinks and I suck in a deep breath.

"It doesn't have to," I say, trying to hide that I'm hurt.

"But, I'm so much older than you, I'm such a bad person," Daryl says with a sharp tone and his back to me.

"I don't care. Who you are now is all that matters and from what I have seen, you're not as bad as you think." My feet drag me closer to him, and I place a hand on his arm, "Does this feel wrong?" I step in front of him and put my other hand on his arm, "Does this?"

Daryl doesn't look me in the eye, instead his eyes stay on the floor. His chest rises and falls quickly, "I'm sorry." He takes my hands off of him and walks up the stairs, leaving me alone.

For a minute I stand in shock. The way I had taken over the moment, with such confidence and he had turned me down. He hurt me, but he feels it, he just doesn't think it's right.

I take a deep breath and sit on the couch, and rest my eyes, trying to forget everything that just happened.