Hi! This is my first Bethyl Au, and only my second time writing for the beautiful ship that is Bethyl(I came late to the party i know). Shout out to my friend Gabs, my very own AU dispenser for this prompt, I hope you enjoy this.

It'd been exactly two months since Daryl could remember having a full nights' sleep. Ever since he'd found himself the sole guardian of Joshua Dixon, a sour faced blue eyed baby with a set of lungs like you wouldn't believe and a ravenous appetite that had Daryl going to the store weekly for more formula than he could afford. Daryl recalled being woken from a restless sleep that February night two months back by the police. They'd pounded on his apartment door, jarring him awake. He'd stumbled to the door figuring Merle had landed himself in jail for the umpteenth time. But no the deputy at the door wasn't there about Merle.

The next thing Daryl knew he was down at the station being filled in that a one Gladys Brown had abandoned the baby at the station with a note to Daryl claiming the baby was his. The department put out an APB for Gladys on charges of reckless abandonment-which had come up empty-and Daryl found himself being poked and prodded, losing an ounce of blood for testing. The results came back with no doubt about it-Daryl was the father.

Daryl wasn't one to shrink from his responsibilities, no matter his reservations toward fatherhood. From that point on Daryl had tackled being a single parent the way he did everything-as best he could. For the most part Josh and him got along just fine. During the days Daryl dropped the baby off at the Sunshine Childcare Facility, and worked at the local auto shop. Nights though . . . nights were the real problem for Daryl.

Josh, for whatever reason, hated sleep. No, he'd rather spend the hours from 10PM to 6AM crying up a storm. His wails loud enough to scare off any critters for miles. Daryl tried everything-bottles, music, pacing, rocking him, but none of it seemed to calm the kid. On this night particular, Josh had been crying for an hour straight without pause. Daryl was dog tired and at the end of his rope.

Cursing under his breath, Daryl loaded the baby into his car seat, buckled him into the truck, covered him with a warm blanket, cracked the windows a bit and drove into town at 11pm. Josh loved drives, they usually did the trick, boy almost never cried when Daryl had him on the road. This night though, a ride wasn't cutting it. With a muttered curse, Daryl racked his brain for some other way to calm the baby down.

A light bulb went off when Daryl caught sight of the Laundromat on 5th, lights still on and only one car was parked outside it. Daryl turned in, parking right up front. He unstrapped the car seat, hauling it and the sniveling baby inside. The bell rang loudly over the steady hum of the machines, three washers were going steady. Daryl glanced around, noting the owner, Glenn, was sitting behind the counter engrossed in his phone.

Daryl marched right up to the washer, setting the carrier on top of it. Daryl watched as Josh's eyes turned into twin blue colored saucers as the steady vibrations hit him. Daryl smirked, basking in the silence. But it only lasted an instant before Josh's face contorted once again and a wet wail broke past his lips.

"Jesus, Joshie-boy, what'd'ya want from me?" Daryl asked as he heaved the carrier away from the washer and onto one of the chairs.

Josh's only answer was to cry louder. Daryl heaved a sigh of defeat, throwing himself down into the chair next to the carrier. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this. Maybe the social workers and Merle were all right. Maybe Josh was better off being adopted by a family with two parents and all the shit Daryl could never possibly give hi-Daryl froze mid thought, shock racing through him.

It was quiet.

Blissfully quiet.

Save for the soft, angelic voice singing, the sound drifting over the machines.

Daryl's head snapped up, looking over at the carrier. On the opposite side of it was a girl, hair pale like platinum, wearing a long sleeved gray cardigan, a white sun dress, and clunky old cowboy boots. She was leaning over the carrier, singing to Josh, the baby seemingly entranced by the female. One of her small hands was braced on the side, rocking the carrier gently to-and-fro, the other was gently stroking the wisps of dark hair on Josh's hair lovingly.

Normally, Daryl would've told the girl to back the fuck away from his kid, but at that moment, Daryl wasn't sure if it was the sleep deprivation or just the shock of silence, he didn't much care; he was just damn grateful. He watched her with Josh, studying her closely. She was a young thing, clean and shiny, the kind of girl that'd been cared for and loved for all her life. There was an air of gentle kindness around her, one that made Daryl think of a doe in the woods. Completely nonthreatening.

She must have felt the weight of his stare, she looked away from Josh, and Daryl was struck dumb by the biggest, bluest eyes he'd ever seen. Facing him now, Daryl decided she was a pretty little thing, with features that rang with a sincerity and sweetness he had never seen in a human being. A gentle blush colored her pale cheeks, her voice trailing off. She sprung away from the carrier like a kid who had just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"I-I'm sorry. H-he was, I mean, I was just-" the girl's fumble of an apology was interrupted by Josh giving a watery cry of outrage.

Daryl felt a moment of panic, he unbuckle the crying baby who only wailed louder. Daryl glanced at the girl, who stared at him like a fish out of water.

"Dammit," he cursed. "Here."

Daryl thought the girl's blue eyes couldn't get any bigger, he was wrong. When he placed Josh in her arms, her eyes grew twice their size, her pretty little mouth dropping open in surprise.

"Jus'," Daryl began, flustered. "Jus' calm 'im down please."

Daryl expected her to tell him to fuck off, that's what he would have done if some stranger just plopped their baby on him. Instead, the girl turned her attention to the baby in her arms, and she began swaying gently, her hand rubbing his back, holding him close, singing softly as she danced around the Laundromat at midnight on a Saturday.

" . . . And in the dead of the day I find a light/On my knees I beg and plead and hold on so tight/No never again will I let this go/A promise made more for me than you/I'll show/For you I'll show . . ."

Josh quieted down almost immediately, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his little hands clutching at the material of her cardigan. Daryl watched in rapt fascination as the girl sang on, lulling the fitful baby to sleep. When his eyelids finally dropped close, the girl was on her second song, still swaying easily, her hand coasting down his back.

". . . Goodnight and The Lord be with you all."

She glanced down a smile touching her lips. She looked at Daryl, a look of satisfaction on her face.

"He's asleep." She said as she continued swaying, making no move to rid herself of the sleeping infant. "Hasn't been sleeping real good has he?"

"How'd you guess?" Daryl asked as he rubbed a hand over his face.

"You look like shit," she explained gently, a small smile curving her lips.

Daryl's head shot up, disbelieving that such a word had come from such an angel, her attention was solely on Josh, that look on her face again.

"What's his name?" she asked, as she carefully adjusted her hold on him.

"Joshua. Josh."

"Josh," she said drawing the word out as her lips curved into a smile, she looked over at Daryl, a blush touching her cheeks. "I'm Beth, by the way."

"Daryl," he answered as he pushed himself to him feet. "'M sorry 'bout this. I don't . . . I ain't the best at this thing."

Beth shook her head. "You're doing fine. He's just at that stage. S'not your fault at all. I saw you with him when you came in. My daddy used to swear by the washer trick. Was before they had those vibrating seat things," she chuckled. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I know better than to meddle but you looked . . . ."

"Fucking lost? Down shit creek without a paddle?"

" . . . Tired," Beth finished chuckling. "And Josh here was gunna make himself sick with all the crying. My daddy calls me the Baby Whisperer. Says I'm a natural nurturer."

"S'not too far off from where I'm standin'," Daryl said as he eyed the girl and his son. "Think he likes ya cuz you're a woman. Boy's prolly tired of my singing."

Beth threw him a grin that just about blinded him.

"I'm sure he loves your singing," she assured him as she laid the snoozing baby in his carrier.

Daryl sighed staring down at the boy. Couldn't help but wonder just how long this would last.

"So . . . D'ya sit?"

Beth blinked up at him, blue eyes clouding with confusion.

"Babysit, I mean, if you wanted, just at night really, I was thinkin' ya could help put him to sleep," Daryl fumbled, his words sounding blunt and stupid to his own ears, causing a flush to race up all the way to his ears.

Beth didn't answer for a long moment, Daryl was sure she was finally going to do the normal thing and tell him to fuck off. He'd foisted his kid on her out of the blue, she had every right to tell him to hike it. So when Beth finally spoke, her answer took him off guard.

"Sure. Yeah, I can do that," she said, her voice sounding sure, as though she was assuring herself that she could indeed do it. "What time?"

Daryl blinked, his mouth falling open and closing before he nodded, all the while kicking himself mentally for being so stupid.

"Ten good for you?"

Beth nodded, not even taking a moment to consider. "I can do that."

Daryl couldn't believe it. "Girl, you don't even know me. How'd'ya even know that's my baby?"

Beth's answer was a full force smile, and a dainty giggle that set Daryl's heart flipping for reasons he'd rather not think about.

"He has your eyes," she said, shaking her head. "And you don't strike me as the ax murderer type."

"Cuz I prefer a crossbow," Daryl said dead pan.

Beth just shook her head as she smiled, pulling her phone out. "Why don't you give me your number and you can call tomorrow?"

Daryl agreed as he rattled off his number, Beth smiled to herself as she finished typing.

"There, all done," she turned the phone towards him, Daryl frowned as he leaned forward to read his contact name.

SCARY AXE MURDERER.

Daryl snorted making the blonde's grin grow two fold.

"I'll send you a text so you'll have mine." Beth said as she typed quickly.

Daryl's phone buzzed in his back pocket. He reached for it, unlocking it to read her text.

*good night Daryl :)*

"I'll see ya tomorrow . . . Beth," her name feels so strange on his tongue, but Daryl decides he likes it.

Beth nods as she moved away from the sleeping baby. Daryl moved forward, hefting the carrier up and moving towards the door. Beth scurried forward, propping the door open for him. Daryl gave her a thankful nod, before he shoulder his way through the door.

He opened the truck door, strapping the carrier in place, mindful not to jostle it too much for fear of waking Josh. He eased the door closed, and he stood there a moment, just staring at his slumbering son, warring with the gut twisting urge to look back at the Laundromat and see Beth one last time before he left.

Why the hell did it mattered, he wondered, before he cursed his stupidity and glanced behind him. She was still standing there at the door, staring out at them. Her head was tilted to the side, blond hair hanging in front of one of her blue eyes, her bottom lips tucked securely between her teeth as she regarded him.

When she noticed him watching her, her porcelain face turned scarlet, a guilty smile touching her face, ducking her head she gave him a final wave before shuffling shamefully away from the window, visibly mortified that he had caught her watching him.

Daryl blinked, tearing his eyes away from the Laundromat, shaking his head.

He had a feeling that his life was going to get real interesting.

This fic will be a multichapter fic. Part 2 will be in Beth's P.O.V. I hope you enjoyed it, be kind in your reviews and please follow if it would please you to do so