…she will also be there…
This sentence was running through his mind, since Rick had told him about the party this morning.
Deanna will make a house party tonight.
At first Daryl didn't know what to think about this. What did Rick expect from him? Daryl was never the type of guy who loved to go to parties like this, where everyone was looking at you from your head to your toes, making stupid conversation or even go dancing. Daryl was definitely not the type of such a guy.
But when Rick ended his sentence Daryl exactly knew what his friend wanted to tell him.
…she will also be there.
Rick didn't say anything after that, he even didn't really look at him, but Daryl understood the message from his friend and who she was.
Beth.
Since the day she had found them, since the day she had walked through the gates of Alexandria, he hadn't spoken one single word with her. Daryl even didn't know anything about her story.
The only thing he still knew was how her lifeless, cold body had felt in his arms, while he took her down the hundred of stairs in that damn hospital and outside to her sister. How he had finally fell on the ground, her body still in his arms. He wasn't thinking about anything in these minutes. He didn't know what to think about. What to feel. He was empty. He just cried and tried to breath somehow.
When Glenn finally pulled Maggie away from her dead sister Daryl looked down at her bloody face. If there wasn't any blood he would have thought, that she would just asleep. Like all the nights Daryl had watched her sleeping, while he took watch, when the two of them were alone after the prison. These memories were so far away, while the tears were running down his cheeks and finally had fallen on her beautiful face. Somehow he thanked God that Beth's eyes were closed, because he wouldn't endure it, if her beautiful eyes would look numb up at him. Without any life, any hope, any sparkle, but maybe with some blood in them, like everywhere on her beautiful face. Just the thought of her eyes made him cry even more.
Daryl had lowered his face to Beth's and had kissed her with shaking lips on her forehead. He had wanted to say something to her, even when she couldn't hear him any more. But he hadn't known what to say, what to do. So Daryl had just kept on sitting on the ground, his little angel in his arms, close to his chest, his trembling lips still against her skin, while he tried to inhale her forever in his lungs.
Suddenly they had to leave because of a walker herd. Daryl hadn't want to leave her behind, but Rick said that they had no other choice and he should lay her into the trunk in the car next to him. Rick promised him that they will come back for her body tomorrow. With a heavy heart Daryl had finally laid her in the car and left her. Again.
Daryl couldn't close his eyes one minute in the first night Beth was gone. He couldn't remember what he had done the whole time till the next day, but he did remember that his eyes never got dry. He had cried the whole time, till Maggie, Glenn, Rick and he went back to the car at the next day, before the sun had even rose up. Daryl still wasn't thinking about anything, maybe he will never think about anything other than Beth Greene is dead in his life again. Beth Greene was dead. These words had repeated his mind, since she got shot in front of him.
When Daryl was finally able to open the trunk from the car, in which he had laid Beth yesterday, he stopped breathing again, like when he heard that gunshot from Dawn's weapon. Beth was gone, just gone. Again.
Daryl's feelings had changed then from sad to angry and finally to hysterical. Maybe it wasn't this car, Daryl had told himself, shortly after he looked in every car for her, but she wasn't in any of them. He had yelled at Rick, because it was his damn idea. Daryl hadn't wanted to leave her behind and now she was gone. They should have left Daryl with Beth alone, so he at least could have died with her. But now he was alone. Again.
Daryl couldn't remember what he had done the days, the weeks after losing her. Again. Finally they all ended in Alexandria, weeks after the hospital. Daryl had tried so bad to find Beth's body, but he couldn't fin her. He wanted to find her so she could bite him and before he would turn, he would kill her, because she didn't deserve it to be a walker, but Daryl did, because he wasn't able to protect her. His life hadn't a reason, since she was gone, he had already completed his life.
One time, when Daryl was together with Aaron outside the walls, he really thought that he had found her, tied up against a tree, but it wasn't her. Somehow he was disappointed. Of course, Daryl was still damn afraid of finding Beth as a walker, but he wanted to end his stupid life. He was sick with helping the people in Alexandria, hunting or find with Aaron new people. He wanted to fall asleep, forever.
Today it was ten days ago, ten days ago when Rick had run to his direction, while Daryl was helping Aaron repairing his bike and Rick screamed to Daryl's direction that she was alive. First he didn't know what or who Rick meant, but when his friend's face became brighter and brighter, Daryl got it, but he could't believe it. No, this couldn't be true, he told himself. But still Daryl followed Rick, until he saw Maggie, Glenn, Carl and all the other standing in a small circle like they didn't want to miss even one second of this happening. But after some seconds the circle became bigger and Daryl finally saw Beth in the middle and he really couldn't believe his eyes. And again he didn't know what he was thinking, while he was watching her just standing there like nothing had ever happened.
The only thing he did remember was, that his breathing had stopped, his heart had began to jump in his chest and his eyes had swum like they did every night. The next thing Daryl knew was that he had turned around and ran to his house as fast as he could. He shot the door behind him and fell on the ground like he got shoot. Daryl hadn't left the house the whole day long. He hadn't even got up from the ground, he cried so long there, until he had fallen asleep long after midnight, but just for a few hours.
When Daryl woke up he thought that everything was just a dream, until he saw Beth again, standing next to Maggie. He held back the need to run away again, but she hadn't seen him, so he just kept his distance to her.
Nobody said anything about Beth to him and he was damn glad for that. Nobody told anything about her, when he was in the same room. And Beth herself never came to him, or with other words Daryl never gave her the chance to. He knew that she was with Maggie all the time, so he tried hard not to be near them. Daryl didn't really know, but he thought that maybe Beth still hadn't even seen him. Daryl made his work far away from her during the day and at night he was alone in his house, like always. He simply could have left Alexandria, but he didn't brought that over his heart. How would he knew than that she was save?
He told himself that it was the best for her, when she didn't see him or talk to him. Daryl didn't deserver Beth, so he just had to leave her alone. She will have it better without him.
But anyhow Daryl was standing on his porch and looked down the street, where he could see the people going to Deanna's party and he was thinking that maybe he should really go there too. Daryl took down his crossbow from his shoulders, so he could lean against the wall, while he was still watching the other.
Since Beth was back he hadn't seen her near or had looked at her to make sure she was okay. Daryl really wanted to know if she was okay, but he didn't want to talk to her, because he just didn't know what to say. He just wanted to see her again for only one second, that would be enough for him. But Daryl still didn't know how he should do that.
When he lighted up his seventh cigarette in a row he thought that maybe he could just enter the party, look at her for one short second and then leave again. That was a damn idea, he thought. Maybe he should just ask Rick if Beth was okay. But he also didn't want to speak with other people about her, they will probably ask stupid question, like why he was hiding himself from her or why he still hadn't talked to her and if Daryl was serious he didn't have an answer to these questions. They wouldn't understand it anyway.
Finally Daryl came to the decision that he still didn't know what he should do so he entered his house again. Maybe it would be a good idea to go there when it was already dark so nobody will see him. But until sunset it was still almost over one hour.
So he lowered himself on the couch in the living room. Daryl looked around like he saw the room for the first time. Maybe he did. He already lived in this house for months but he had never gone upstairs or looked close into the rooms downstairs. Daryl still hadn't taken a shower and even the fact that he had a kitchen didn't make him feel any better. He was still eating squirrels or rabbits every evening around a little campffire in his garden. He also didn't sleep in the bed, he knew it was upstairs, instead he tried to sleep on the couch for a few hours.
Daryl looked to the shelf next to the window. There were some books he hadn't notice till yet. After minutes of staring at them Daryl got up and took the red one in his hand. He didn't remember the title or the author, because it didn't matter, he just needed something to pass the time till it was getting dark. Daryl went back to the couch and opened the old book. Because Daryl had left school when he was only 14 years old and the time he had spent in school he hadn't learned that much, Daryl couldn't read very well. He just couldn't focus at school because his thoughts were always far away, by his brother, his death mother, his father, the fact that he got beaten from his father with his belt last night again, the fights and the screams.
Anyhow he began to read the first side but stopped during the third because the most words he didn't really understand and he almost needed 30 minutes to read the few sentences. So he closed the book again and laid it on the little table in front of him.
Daryl took his hands in front of his face and closed his eyes. With a helpless sound he leaned back. Why was he so damn nervous? It was just Beth. Yeah, maybe because of that. She was Beth! Maybe he was a little afraid about how she will react, when she will see him. A little? He was damn afraid about that. Would she be angry about him? Oh yes, she definitely would be. Daryl had left her behind, twice in a few weeks. It was all his fault. He didn't know what had happened to her in that hospital, but he knew that it weren't nice things, because why should she try to kill the police woman then? He wanted to tell her that he was sorry about everything, but he didn't know how to say that to her, while she would probably look up at him with her big, endless blue eyes. Beth probably wouldn't believe him anyway.
Don't you feel anything? The things he was feeling at that time weren't as bad as the feelings he had right now. Sad, lost, angry, hysteric, nervous and one other feeling deep in his belly Daryl couldn't name. Maybe Beth was still thinking that he didn't feel anything, but he did, only because of her.
He was afraid too, that maybe the time in the hospital and the time she was probably on her own had changed her and she wasn't the sweet, hopeful Beth any more he knew and liked so much. But maybe she was still the same. Maybe she would be happy to see him. Maybe she wasn't mad at him.
Damn it. Daryl will never find it out, when he won't go to this damn party tonight. With that he opened his eyes again just to notice that it was already dark. Quickly he stood up and left his house. Daryl almost ran outside, before he could be able change his mind again.
Beth. I have to go to Beth, I have to see her, see if she was okay, he thought to himself. These sentences were running through his head the whole time, while he was going with quick steps on the dark streets of Alexandria. Deanna's house was around the corner, Daryl was almost there. When he wanted to cross the street he suddenly stopped.
His hands began to sweat, he didn't get enough air inside his lungs and his heart wanted to jump out of his chest. Daryl leaned next to a tree and tried to calm down. He closed his eyes and tried to get a regular breath again. Damn, why was he so damn nervous? While Daryl still tried to calm down, he could hear voices coming from the house. Happy voices, even laughs and somehow these noises made him even more nervous. They had fun, they had a good time. Beth had fun, she had a good time. She didn't need him. She never needed him. When Beth was with Daryl it was always bad. She got kidnapped one time and the other time she almost died. Daryl wasn't good for her. He just wasn't good enough for her.
Maybe she was dancing with another guy in this moment. One of the good looking, young guys from Alexandria. Somehow he felt sick, when he just thought about it that Beth was with another guy. But it was for her best. She really should be happy and forget what had happened to her in the last time. It was the best for her, when Daryl won't be close to her or even talk to her. He will try to give her enough space so she won't have to even look at him. Daryl wanted Beth to not even notice him. It hurt him, but it was all he could do. Daryl could at least do that for her, after he had failed already so often.
He looked up to the big window again, probably the window of Deanna's living room. The curtains were closed but he could see the shadows, because of the light inside. Maybe this one was Beth, or this one. He couldn't say for sure. What did he think when he wanted to go to the party? What did he expect? He never could do such things. He was a Dixon. He just never deserved it to be happy.
With a heavy heart he turned around and went home again on the dark streets of Alexandria. He had so many feelings again. Sad, angry, confused, disappointed and the one feeling Daryl couldn't name deep inside his belly, which made his heart always jump and hurt at the same time.
His hands deep in the pockets of his dirty jeans Daryl slowly went on the dark street of Alexandria, when he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Daryl?" He slowly stopped and looked shocked at the ground. He closed his eyes and told himself that this was just in his damn mind, like the other hundred of times. But he could hear steps behind him. He was still shaking his head, like it made it so easier to him to believe that this wasn't true.
"Daryl?" This time it was almost a whimper, closer to him. And it sounded so real, so damn real. He just had to look, even when he knew that he would be damn disappointed and hurt again, when he will finally see that she wasn't there. Daryl took his hands in front of his tired eyes and tried to wake them, before he finally turned slowly around.
And there she was. At least he thought. Beth Greene was just standing there. In the middle of the dark street of Alexandria, with a light blue dress and a little smile in her face. She was so damn beautiful, that was his first thought Daryl could remember. And Beth hadn't changed one bit, except the three scars in her face, Daryl only knew from one how it had happened. Her light blond hair still in a high braid with this one braided lock of hair. Her big, blue eyes, which were looking up at him, almost begging him to look at her. Daryl would do anyway. Her sweet nose, her light pink cheeks, her sweet mouth. Beth was thinner, of course after the things she had been trough. She had matched the beautiful dress with new booths, she probably got from Maggie. She just looked like an angel.
Only then Daryl noticed that he wanted to go to a party with still the same dirty clothes on, he was already wearing since weeks. He probably smelled like a dead animal.
Beth's mouth angle went up to a bigger smile, like she wanted to encourage him to say something, because he probably had stared at her the least two minutes. But Daryl's mind was empty. There was only one word in it, which he finally whispered into the darkness. "Beth." Daryl got an even bigger smile from her then.
He didn't know what to say and he even less knew what to do. His hands were shaking, like an earthquake was inside his body. He could feel how it got hot down his neck and his knees began to strike his bodyweight. Daryl wasn't ready for this. He just wanted to run away. Let her be. She didn't need him. He wasn't good for her.
Maybe Beth had noticed his uncomfortable movements because she came closer to him, but not too close and somehow he felt better even when at the same time he knew that it was false. "Why aren't you at the party?" Beth asked him with her sweet voice. After a few seconds Daryl managed to bring his shoulders up to his head, because there still weren't any useful words in his mind. But that wasn't answer enough for Beth, she was waiting for more. Finally Daryl found the words he needed to say for one whole, correct sentence. With much courage and after clearing his troath Daryl said "I.. I don't like such parties." That wasn't a lie but also not the first reason why Daryl wasn't there. "Me too. I mean, I was so long on my own and being around with so many people scares me somehow now. I just have to get used to this again." Beth said, while she looking up at him and Daryl was afraid that maybe she could read his thoughts.
After moments of staring at each other, Beth tilted her head, watching him and finally she asked with narrowed eyes "So what are you doing here alone in the dark streets of Alexandria Mr. Dixon?" Daryl frozen by Beth's last two words, no, the tears in his eyes weren't frozen, because he could already feel them building up. Daryl quickly tried to blink them away and focus on his shoes. Nobody had ever called him that in his life, expect her. It had something respectful and sweet at the same time, because she said it. Also a little teasing too, but Beth could say whatever she wanted to him, he would always like it somehow, because she was speaking with him. He hadn't heard this two words from her mouth since such a long time and Daryl almost forgot how much he loved it.
Uncomfortable he shifted his weight from one foot to his other and was biting nervous on his thumb. He couldn't tell Beth the truth, he just couldn't. So he gave her an answer, but not an answer to her question. "I just wanted to go home." Beth nodded understanding and now it was her turn to look a little uncomfortable. Daryl watched her and still couldn't believe that this was all real. That she was standing in front of him. Finally Beth asked with a shy voice "Can I go with you?"
Daryl stopped breathing and probably he was looking confused, because of that she quickly added "I mean I don't want to be with so many people in one room, but I also don't want to be alone. I.. I want to be with you Mr. Dixon." That was it. Like Beth stabbed a knife in the middle of his lungs. Daryl couldn't believe what she had just said to him. His mind told himself to breathe again otherwise he will faint in a few seconds. This all just had to be a dream. Not a nightmare, a wonderful dream, the nightmare would begin when he would finally wake up again.
Beth was still looking up at him with questioning eyes, because she was waiting for an answer. But Daryl needed the less air he had to breath, so he just nodded his head in response. Just that lighted up Beth's face. But she didn't move. Of course, she didn't. Beth didn't know where Daryl's house was. So he finally managed to make his legs moving again. She followed him with light steps.
Quietly they went next to each other on the dark streets of Alexandria. There weren't any sounds around them and he still had to get used to the uncomfortable silence here, because outside the walls silence meant danger. Shy Daryl looked down to the girl walking next to him and he was surprised when he saw that Beth was looking up at the sky. She was watching the stars above them like she saw them the first time in her life. The full moon was reflecting in her big eyes and Daryl just couldn't look away from her. Even when he would want, he just couldn't look away from this angel. This moment was so damn beautiful, Beth was so damn beautiful. She was still seeing the little beautiful things in this crazy world, the little things that made herself. That made this place a better place.
Finally Beth turned her head to Daryl and again he hadn't the will to look away from her, he wanted to look at her, forever. The first time tonight he felt almost good, even when that feeling in his belly was still there.
After some moments of walking down the dark streets of Alexandria and looking into each other eyes, like they saw them for the very first time, Beth smiled up at Daryl and she took his hand in hers like back when they were in front of that grave. Her fingers found the space between his bigger ones and they rested there. Filling his hand with a warm feeling and also Daryl's whole body. How much he had missed her well meant touches. And if Daryl would see a shooting star on the sky right now, he would wish that this angel next to him will never let go again. And he also wished that this street would never end, but finally they were in front of his house and Daryl had no idea what to do next.
But Beth helped him again, when she asked "Can we stay on the porch a little? The stars are shinning so bright tonight." Maybe she knew that he never could say no to her, like this time. Daryl just noticed that Beth was holding his hand the whole time, when she finally let go and the cold night air hugged his palm.
She lowered herself on the old wooden floor of his porch, her back against the handrail. Daryl sat himself next to her, almost like they were sitting at the moonshine shack. He didn't want to, but he was watching her the whole time from the corner of his eyes. How she was looking up with her big eyes at the stars and her sweet mouth opened a little, while she was smiling up to the moon and the little stars. Daryl never wanted that this moment would end, but Beth finally looked in his direction and asked "You tried to go to the party right?" She did really know him good. Because Daryl couldn't find the right words again he just nodded. Beth smiled at him, because she knew that she was right. "I think you don't miss anything, I mean I was there for almost one hour, but I didn't know what to talk about with the other and I also didn't want to go dancing or drinking something, it was just.. strange for me." Daryl nodded understanding, when she finally looked at him again.
Beth gave him a little smile then, before she was looking up at his house. Daryl watched how her eyes were looking at it, how her long eyelashes were going up and down, how her neck became longer when she looked up to the roof, but finally her eyes stopped at something near his door and she said with an amused smile "So Daryl Dixon forgot his crossbow here, because he wanted to go to a party."
At first Daryl was confused, but then he followed her look next to his door and saw the weapon leaning against the wall, like he had placed it there just hours ago. Beth was right, he had totally forgot about it. He never had before. Beth giggled when she went on "I thought you didn't want to go there, so about what was Daryl Dixon so excited to leave his beloved crossbow back here?" She caught him and it made him damn speechless.
Beth looked at him for an answer, but there won't come any words out of his mouth soon, so he just stared at her. Like back when they were in the funeral home, enjoying their dinner next to the candles. After seconds of silence, which felt like hours to Daryl, Beth's look changed from teasing, to confused and finally to understanding. After some more silence she said quietly "Oh.. So I bet you really missed me when I was gone Daryl Dixon?"
And that was it for him. These words, which had haunted in his head for a perceived eternity, made his walls broken and his body control was gone. He could feel the tears building up in his eyes, but this time he didn't fight them back. Daryl could also feel how his lips were starting to shake and his heart pounded fast in his chest. With a broken voice he finally whispered "You have no idea how much I have missed you, when you were gone Beth Greene." The first tear ran down his cheek and before the second followed Beth was already at his side. "Oh Daryl." She whispered, before she hugged him tight and leaded his head to the protective spot between her neck and shoulder.
Daryl knew that he cried like a little baby, but he didn't bother. Beth was hugging him and that was all he ever needed. One of her soft hands were stroking carefully his head, while the other took him close to her warm body. First he just had his hands by his sides, but when the last brick of his wall broke he also wrapped his hands around her tiny body and maybe he was pressing a little too much, but she didn't say anything, so he kept his arms that way.
Beth craddled Daryl to calm him down a little, but the only thing that was really helping was her sweet voice next to his ear, when she whispered "It's okay now. I'm here. I won't go anywhere. Everything will be good. I got you."
After some time Daryl managed to take away his head from Beth's warm body, so he could look up into her eyes. He was a little surprised, when he looked in wet eyes too. Beth gave him one of those smiles, which wanted to make him smile too. Carefully she took the strands of wet hair away, which were almost covering Daryl's whole face. He was watching her the whole time and only then he noticed how close she was and that he still had his arms around her. Slowly he took them away, even when he didn't want to, but he also didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
"I'm so sorry Beth." Daryl said to her with a still shaking voice. Suddenlyher look changed from happy to worried. "Daryl, don't think that. Not even one second. Nothing that have ever happened was your fault." "You got kidnapped and you almost died." "But I made it and nothing from this was your fault, even when you tell it yourself. It wasn't your fault. I made it. I'm here. You are here!. That's all what matters." Daryl nodded slowly his head, even when he didn't believe her. Like she noticed it, she went on "The time I was with you was a good time. I don't regret anything and what happened in that damn hospital happened, it's history now. I have found you again and I want to have a good time with you again. I need you in my life, because for a short time you were my whole life and you are still a big part of my life Daryl Dixon."
This just had to be a dream Daryl was thinking, but anyway he tried to smile a little for her. It was a dream so he could say this to her. "You are still my whole life." When Beth touched his arm with her warm hand, then Daryl knew that this wasn't just a dream and he almost got afraid of telling her something like that, but she didn't pull away, she even got closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Daryl leaned his head against hers and exhaled slowly. Her hand was wandering to his fingers again and they sat like that a half eternity, but Daryl didn't care, he was just damn happy to have Beth again.
When Daryl turned his head, his lips were so close to her skin, when he whispered "What happened to you there? What did they do to you?" He didn't want to push her, but he just had to know because the unknowing made him crazy. Beth took her head away from his shoulder and was looking up at him instead. "I haven't talked with anybody about this, because I just didn't want to, but I want to talk with you about it."
Daryl took his arm around her back and pulled her closer, like he wanted to make it so easier for her to speak about it. Beth told him everything she still knew, how she got kidnapped, her first days at Grady, about the policewoman Dawn, the doctor, what they did to the people in there and the rules of this place. When she finally told him about that policeman Daryl got his hands into fists and he had the feeling of punching something to make room for his anger. But Beth quickly took his hands into hers and stroke them a little. When she told him that she had killed the man he just couldn't act otherwise than smiling and being damn proud of her. I can take care of myself.
Beth said that she couldn't remember much about the time after she got shot. She just knew that she had left the city as fast as she could, after waking up in the car trunk and since that day she was on her own. Till she had found them again, till she had found him again. "Do you know what helped me to go on all this time?" Beth asked him. "You don't need anything to go on, you are strong girl." Daryl answered. She gave him a half smile and ignored his answer.
"It was you. All the time. Your voice inside my head told me what I should do, how I can survive. You helped me even when you weren't there. When I was in the forest alone, I saw you sometimes. You never spoke to me and I couldn't touch you, you very always a few feet away from me, but you showed me where I could find water and something to eat. I also think that it was you, who had showed me the way to Alexandria. It was always you Daryl. Without you I wouldn't be her.! I have also missed you so bad when you were gone Daryl Dixon."
Daryl looked down at her and Beth was looking up at him, the tears running down her cheeks. Gently he wiped them away with his thumb and took her closer to his chest. Beth rested her arm around his belly and laid her head near his neck. Daryl tried to calm her down like she had done before. His lips were very close to her forehead again, but he didn't kiss her, but her golden hair was tickeling his nose, but he didn't care. "It's okay girl. You made it. I have always knew that you are damn strong. You are save now, nothing ever will harm you again." Daryl whispered into her hair.
Somehow Beth calmed down, but she didn't pull away from him. After some silently minutes Daryl whispered into the darkness "I saw you too you know, all the time. I knew it was just in my mind, but I needed it to go on. When I found the other, I didn't feel happy or something like that, I just felt so fucking bad, because you should have been the one who should have found them, because you always believed that they were still alive, but you were gone. Just gone. I searched for you every minute and when I finally found you I just wanted to run that damn hospital, but things got different and I lost you again. Really lost you this time. I didn't just missed you Beth Greene, I fucking missed you and I fucking need you. I thought you were walking around like one of these creatures and this thought just made me damn sick. I wanted to find you, so you could bite me, but I would have killed you before I would turn, because you didn't deserve it to be one of them, but I do, because I failed saving you. I failed everything. My life hadn't a reason or any hope left, when you were gone. But then you were standing here in Alexandria like nothing had ever happened and it was just too much for me.. I'm so sorry."
Beth lifted her head from the place it had been resting the last minutes and she was looking up at him with her big beautiful eyes. Without saying anything she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. Daryl cried at her neck again, but not that much this time. The tears were just running silently down his cheeks. They stayed like this for minutes, but Daryl didn't matter, he wanted to spend the rest of his life in her arms. Beth was almost sitting on Daryl's lap and he could feel her body pressing against his and he just loved the feelings it gave to him.
Finally Daryl could feel Beth shivering, even when she was still in his arms. "You cold?" "Just a little." Beth whispered back. Slowly Daryl pulled away from her and solve the comfortable hug. He took off his west and helped her to get in the fabric. Beth thanked him with a sweet smile and it was all Daryl wanted. He rested his hands on her arms even when Beth had the west already around her body. Daryl looked at her and still couldn't believe it that she was here. That she wanted to be here. It gave him goose bumps, but not because he was cold, because Beth Greene had chosen to be with him.
Even when Beth probably wasn't so cold any more Daryl said "We should go inside. I mean if you want to." "Yeah, I can't imagine a better place to be, than in Daryl Dixon's house." Beth smiled up at him and for the first time this evening he really smiled back to her.
Daryl helped her to get up and when he entered the house she took his crossbow with her and only then he remembered how fucking cute she was looking with his weapon and also now with his west on.
Beth looked curiously around. She went from the corridor to his kitchen and he would let her do whatever she wanted because she was Beth. She gasped when she saw the modern kitchen. "Oh my God Daryl. You have an even moderner kitchen than Maggie and Glenn. And it looks so clean, I have never believed that Daryl Dixon put much worth on cleanness." Beth was teasing him again and Daryl just loved it. "It's so clean, because I have never used it." Daryl answered her curious. She just looked confused at him, so he went on. "I don't know how to cook, I just know how to grill a rabbit on a fire. I mean this whole house here isn't really my house. I just use the living room. I sleep on the couch and at the beginning I slept on the floor, because I just.. I just.. I don't deserve this."
Beth got closer to him and laid her soft hand on his arm , which made Daryl close his eyes for a few seconds when he felt her touch. "If anybody ever deserve a home like this then you Daryl Dixon." Beth whispered into the darkness. "It feels so wrong." Daryl told her. "You just have to let yourself feel it and you will get used to this. You deserve every bit of this and more Mr. Dixon." Beth said while was smiling up at him. When Daryl smiled back at her it was answer enough for Beth.
Beth looked down at the crossbow still in her hands and said "I don't know if I can still use it." "If you want I can show it to you again?" Daryl asked her shyly. "You would do that again?" Beth asked him like she didn't believe his words. "I would always do that again." And Daryl also wanted to say that he would do everything for her, but he didn't have to courage to tell her so.
Beth leaned the weapon against the kitchen wall and followed Daryl into the living room. He lowered himself on the couch, just then he noticed how damn tired he was. Daryl watched Beth while she went with quietly steps in his living room, looking at every detail and he just thought that this was better than every damn movie he had ever seen. Just watching Beth Greene.
Finally Beth ended at the couch next to him and when she noticed the book he had tried to read earlier she said amused "So Mr. Dixon is reading books before he goes to bed?" He gave her a look that should tell her to stop teasing, even when he didn't want her to. "Nah, I just tried it earlier to pass the time until.. until it was getting dark and I could.. could go to the party so nobody will see me." Beth understood what he meant, of course she did, because somehow they were almost the same now. They both didn't want to be around too many people.
So she nodded and took the old book in her hands. Daryl watched how her long fingers were touching it, like just with that she could tell if it was a good one or not. After some seconds looking at it Beth opened the book slowly and she began to read out loud.
Daryl closed his eyes and breathed out loud. Her voice filled the room and it was the most soothing thing he had ever heard. He didn't really follow the story, he just listened to her voice and somehow it took him to another place, where things were so easy, so light. Daryl let himself fall into the couch deeper and deeper and finally his head found the pillow. After some time his eyes felt so damn heavy and he just closed them. Beth's soft voice took him to sleep with every new word and finally he drifted off.
Daryl woke up because something was tickling his nose. He wanted to touch his nose, but before he even got there he touched something else. He quickly opened his eyes and almost jumped when he noticed that something was laying on him. When he was looking down at himself he finally he saw it.
It was Beth.
Beth Greene was laying on his chest, the book still in her right hand and her other around his belly. She was sleeping peacefully like he was the best pillow she ever had. Daryl could feel her chest rising up and down on his belly and he watched her relaxed face, while she was sleeping and Daryl just smiled to himself. Only then he noticed that he had his left hand around her back, like he pulled her closer during sleep. It was still dark outside, he hadn't slept that long, but he also knew, even when he didn't want to, that Beth had to go home, before her sister would worry about her. His mouth was again very close to her forehead and this time he places a soft, quick kiss against her skin.
Beth slowly began to move then and finally she was looking up at him and Daryl just had to think that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his whole life.
While Beth was still cuddling herself against his chest she asked "What's wrong Mr. Dixon?" Daryl took his arms closer to her body and finally he said "I should bring you home. It's late and your sister probably worries about where you are."
Daryl thought that she knew that he was right, but she didn't move, nether did he. Daryl closed his eyes one more time, before he pulled away, because he could tell that Beth will fall asleep otherwise, when they won't get up now. When he was finally standing he looked down at her sleepily face and asked with a half smile "Should I carry you home?"
Beth shook her head with an amused smile and finally she stood up too. The second she was on her feet Beth took Daryl's hand in hers and together they left his house. And when the cold night air found the way under their clothes Daryl pulled Beth closer to him.
When they finally stopped in front of her door Beth stroked his hand with her thumb one more time before she let go. She wanted to take off his west, but he just shook his head and told her to let it on. Before Beth went inside, she gave him one last smile and whispered "Good night Mr. Dixon. I will see you tomorrow." Daryl smiled back at her and also whispered "Good night girl."
When he finally went home on the dark streets of Alexandria, he just knew that he will sleep damn good this night.