Welcome to my newest story! :) It's totally AU, No ZA, Bethyl goodness. I've also taken the characters and made them a little more like their actors counterparts, Norman Reedus and Emily Kinney.
I hope you like this just as much, if not even more so, than my previous story, "It's a Strange World, After All."
With that, I leave you with my newest endeavor... -W.P.
(Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with TWD, not even the characters. I'm simply exercising my creative liberties and overactive imagination.)
"Wake up, Serenity. Wake up. We're here, at our new home." Beth gently shook her daughter awake in the passenger seat beside her. She was always adorable when she slept, so unaware of the world outside. Beth hated to wake her, but they needed to return the U-Haul and unhitch her truck before noon today or Beth would end up paying extra for a gas-guzzling truck she really couldn't afford.
Serenity slowly woke up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Beth smiled a little, looking at her baby girl like any mom would. Serenity was a princess in her own mind, so she wore absolutely nothing but her purple, tulle-filled princess dress, with her purple studded tiara and wand as necessary princess accessories. But right now, she just looked like a sleepy six year old who needed breakfast, a bath, and a decent princess bed.
Beth hopped out of the U-Haul and made her way around to Serenity's side. It was typically hot and muggy in L.A. this time of year, but the weather Gods had smiled on her today. It was sunny and 75, with the gentlest of breezes blowing her too-long blond hair around. Absolutely zero humidity. Perfection. She wanted nothing more than to take Serenity to the beach, introduce her to the surf, and let ice cream drip all over her tiny hands. Perfection. But for now, they'd have to stick with pizza for lunch, and probably dinner as well. They needed to move into the newly renovated apartment on the 12th floor, an old presidential suite reconfigured to a fully functional apartment just big enough for Beth and Serenity. It was all she needed to start over.
"Mama, I'm tired." Serenity whined as Beth picked her up and carried her into the lobby of the building.
"I know, sweetie. I know. We'll get upstairs and get you into bed soon enough."
Beth walked across the lobby to the main desk, confirmed everything with the concierge, and proceeded to walk back out to the truck…all while still carrying a surprisingly heavy six year old. Moms should be considered heavyweight champions. The thought amused Beth and she chuckled a little before opening the passenger door again and plopping Serenity back in the seat, buckling her in. Beth climbed into the driver's seat and breathed deeply. The key to their new home was sitting in her console, a new beginning. This was the hardest part, starting a whole new life in the city, far from anyone she personally knew. She was afraid, but not for her. For her daughter, the love of her life. She was the sweetest baby, didn't deserve all the crap Beth had chasing her. Beth sighed, thinking of the past. She'd come so far in the last six years, and been given a beautiful gift in the midst of it all. She couldn't go on thinking of the past now that things were finally starting to look up. She and Serenity could come out of the woodwork as new people.
With that in mind, Beth shifted the sputtering U-Haul into drive and headed for the garage, hoping the morning rush had passed enough to get a parking spot close to the elevator.
His head was killing him! Mornings in L.A. were no joke loud! Of course, it didn't help any he had a massive hangover, a reminder of last night's events. It'd been a long time since he'd been that drunk, probably not since Merle had gotten himself killed in prison. In retrospect, Merle probably wasn't the kind of person to lose your mind over, but he'd been the only family Daryl had left, and now it was just Daryl.
Groaning, Daryl managed to get up and shuffled down the hall to the bathroom. Damn! He looked like a Mac truck just hit him full force, felt like it too. His reflection stared back at him above the sink; he didn't recognize himself anymore. His hair was too long and shaggy, but the agents said it looked better that way. Got him more jobs, and that's all that matter. Get a job. Get it done. Pay the bills. Get another job. Simple as that.
He splashed his face with ice cold water. Best way to wake up, and sober up. It cleared his head, kept his wits about him. Daryl somehow made his way to the kitchen. He was in such a fog he just wanted to sleep the rest of the day. But no, he had that lunch with his agent in a few hours. Shit.
Coffee was going. That was all he needed. Anything else would be too much brain function right now. Sunlight poured through the glass windows in tidal waves. Despite the rough start, it was still going to be a nice day for a morning ride. Daryl could almost feel the wind whipping his shaggy hair around. Yeah, definitely nice. It'd be a much needed break from real life.
He strolled out to the deck of his penthouse, 14 stories up and all of L.A. sprawled out before him. Beautiful. Picture Perfect. Daryl smiled, turning back into the living room quickly to grab his camera. He may be a model but he loved taking pictures just as much as he loved being in them. The light was magnificent over the tops of skyscrapers right now. He wasn't going to miss it.
Daryl snapped a few frames, then looked down to the street in front of his hotel. Well, technically it wasn't his but he felt like he owned it living in the penthouse like some boos man. If the Old Man and his trailer park junkies could see this… Daryl shook his head. Didn't need those thoughts creeping up on him now.
He peered down the side of the hotel through his camera lens. A U-Haul was just pulling up in front of the building. He didn't know of anyone new moving in, but then again he'd been in New York for a photo shoot the better part of last week. Maybe someone was finally getting into the remodeled presidential suite. Daryl just watched as a pretty blond woman hopped out of the driver's side and made her way around to the passenger side. Long legs, blond hair, thin, nice skin…
Daryl's head spun around as his phone rang from the kitchen counter. Of all times! Daryl looked back through the camera lens one last time, but the pretty blond must've already gone inside. He sighed and made his way to the kitchen. He'd just have to look some other time.
