FIC - The Walking Dead - Twitch (1/1) PG
Title: Twitch
Characters/Relationships: Daryl, Beth, Bethyl
Words: 560
Rating: PG
Summary: Post Terminus. Daryl has found the man who abducted Beth.
Twitch
“You so much as twitch and this is goin’ through your right eye.” Daryl Dixon’s voice was low, his anger barely contained as he leveled his crossbow at the shabbily dressed stranger. Standing half in a ditch the man’s hair was plastered to his forehead with the sweat running down his face and neck into the grimy priest’s collar around his throat. Daryl was exhausted, his body ached from bruises too numerous to count. He had been beaten, almost eaten, and run half the night in pursuit of the vehicle that was now in the ditch five feet from where he stood. He had run out of patience days ago and there was no way in hell he was going to let this guy escape, real priest or fake, until, someone confessed to where they had taken Beth.
“You got one more chance to answer my question. I’d recognize the ass end of that car anywhere. I know you’re the one’s took Beth.”
The man’s answer was dumb, terrified silence.
“Well, maybe this will convince you.” Daryl dropped the tip of the bolt so it was aimed at the man’s thigh.
“Daryl, no!”
Daryl froze, his heart pounding madly against his ribcage. Oh, God was it really. He did not turn, snapping his bow back up to the man’s head. He had waited for endless days to hear her voice, but his anger momentarily confused his heart.
“Please, Daryl. He’s helping me. He’s good people, Daryl.”
“He took you.”
“He tried to save me. I ran into the path of his car. He was afraid I would die so he took me to get help. By the time I came to and we went back to look for you, you were gone.” Beth talked so fast she sounded breathless. Like she was afraid if she didn’t get the story out fast enough he would so something stupid.
“I didn’t know where you were,” Beth continued, her voice pleading. “Then we saw Maggie’s sign. To Terminus. He was afraid to go there, but he agreed to take me. We would have got there but the tire on the car blew out and we ended up in the ditch. Please, Daryl. Look at me.
Daryl lowered his bow, and turned. Beth stood on the side of the road, leaning heavily on a cane, her left arm in a sling. The side of her face discolored by an old bruise that had turned a wretched shade of greenish purple. He took one deep breath. The sight of her so battered brought the anger boiling up again, but she had already taken two unsteady steps towards him. His feet were frozen to the ground, his heart beating wildly as his emotions swung from wanting to run to her and wanting to smash the idiot responsible for hurting her. He didn’t have to make the decision. She was standing an arm’s length away, a huge smile glowing through the tears that streamed down her face.
“Oh, Beth.” He choked out as she dropped the cane and laid her hand on his chest.
“I knew I would find you.” She said softly.
Before he could answer she had wrapped her good arm around him, resting her sweet head over his pounding heart, holding him as tightly as she could. “I knew it.” She said again. “I knew it.”
Characters/Relationships: Daryl, Beth, Bethyl
Words: 560
Rating: PG
Summary: Post Terminus. Daryl has found the man who abducted Beth.
Twitch
“You so much as twitch and this is goin’ through your right eye.” Daryl Dixon’s voice was low, his anger barely contained as he leveled his crossbow at the shabbily dressed stranger. Standing half in a ditch the man’s hair was plastered to his forehead with the sweat running down his face and neck into the grimy priest’s collar around his throat. Daryl was exhausted, his body ached from bruises too numerous to count. He had been beaten, almost eaten, and run half the night in pursuit of the vehicle that was now in the ditch five feet from where he stood. He had run out of patience days ago and there was no way in hell he was going to let this guy escape, real priest or fake, until, someone confessed to where they had taken Beth.
“You got one more chance to answer my question. I’d recognize the ass end of that car anywhere. I know you’re the one’s took Beth.”
The man’s answer was dumb, terrified silence.
“Well, maybe this will convince you.” Daryl dropped the tip of the bolt so it was aimed at the man’s thigh.
“Daryl, no!”
Daryl froze, his heart pounding madly against his ribcage. Oh, God was it really. He did not turn, snapping his bow back up to the man’s head. He had waited for endless days to hear her voice, but his anger momentarily confused his heart.
“Please, Daryl. He’s helping me. He’s good people, Daryl.”
“He took you.”
“He tried to save me. I ran into the path of his car. He was afraid I would die so he took me to get help. By the time I came to and we went back to look for you, you were gone.” Beth talked so fast she sounded breathless. Like she was afraid if she didn’t get the story out fast enough he would so something stupid.
“I didn’t know where you were,” Beth continued, her voice pleading. “Then we saw Maggie’s sign. To Terminus. He was afraid to go there, but he agreed to take me. We would have got there but the tire on the car blew out and we ended up in the ditch. Please, Daryl. Look at me.
Daryl lowered his bow, and turned. Beth stood on the side of the road, leaning heavily on a cane, her left arm in a sling. The side of her face discolored by an old bruise that had turned a wretched shade of greenish purple. He took one deep breath. The sight of her so battered brought the anger boiling up again, but she had already taken two unsteady steps towards him. His feet were frozen to the ground, his heart beating wildly as his emotions swung from wanting to run to her and wanting to smash the idiot responsible for hurting her. He didn’t have to make the decision. She was standing an arm’s length away, a huge smile glowing through the tears that streamed down her face.
“Oh, Beth.” He choked out as she dropped the cane and laid her hand on his chest.
“I knew I would find you.” She said softly.
Before he could answer she had wrapped her good arm around him, resting her sweet head over his pounding heart, holding him as tightly as she could. “I knew it.” She said again. “I knew it.”