A/N: I originally wrote this story for NaNoWriMo in November and it took me this long to revise it and get it posted. The good thing is this story is complete and will be posted in 5 parts so no waiting around for me to finish it! Hopefully you all like it! Thanks for reading!

"Hey man, come on in," Glenn greeted, patting Daryl on the shoulder as he gestured into the house. "Pizza's on the table, we're just arguing over a movie right now."

"Y'all ain't picked one yet?" Daryl grunted, closing the door behind him and following Glenn into the kitchen to put the six pack of beer he'd brought in the refrigerator.

"Same old, same old," Glenn said by way of an explanation. "Maggie wants a romance. I of course can't think of anything worse to spend my Friday night watching. Rick is arguing for some old western no one's ever heard of and Michonne is campaigning hard for Kill Bill."

Daryl snorted, "Yeah, sounds 'bout right." He glanced towards the living room and asked, "Beth want some indie movie with people singin' and dyin' or something?"

Glenn laughed, "She's been kind of quiet tonight but I expect she's letting some of the other candidates drop out before she lobbies for Once."

Daryl shrugged, grabbing a beer and two slices of pizza, "That one ain't half bad, least no one dies."

Glenn shook his head emphatically and insisted seriously, "No, man, don't side with her. You gotta help me here. I'm trying to get them to okay Jurassic Park and I need your vote."

Daryl eyed him for a long moment then responded, "What we gotta take down to win?"

Glenn replied with a noticeable shudder, "The Notebook. I expect once the western and Kill Bill get shot down Michonne will rally behind Maggie on principle. Rick will follow her so he can show his wife he's capable of compromise."

Daryl nodded seriously, "Yeah, can't let that happen. I ain't sittin' through that movie again." He glanced back towards the living room and focused on Beth's ponytail. After a moment he glanced at Glenn and said in a low voice, "I can get Beth to vote with us. She thinks some of the dinosaurs are cute and she secretly enjoys the raptor parts. Let me talk to 'er."

Glenn's face broke into a smile as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "It just might work. If we get Beth, Rick will jump ship on the Notebook and risk Michonne's wrath." He glanced towards the living room too and winced slightly, lowering his voice, "Maggie's watching. Better get in there before she expects any sabotage."

Daryl shook his head and grumbled on his way to the living room, "It's like the freakin' CIA 'round here."

As he approached, Beth turned her head to look up at him and smiled brightly, "Hey! Wasn't sure you were going to make it!"

With both couches taken up with the married couples, Beth sat on the floor next to the coffee table, a few large floor pillows available nearby. Daryl groaned as he took a seat next to her, "Shit, how you sit down here all the damn time?"

Beth rolled her eyes, "You say the same thing every week." She nudged his side with her elbow and asked, "I thought you were going to have to work late tonight."

Daryl shrugged, taking a swig of beer before replying, "Got it all done. That old Harley wasn't as bad as I thought, didn't take long."

Beth relaxed a little and smiled gratefully, "Good, I'm glad you were able to come." She glanced over her shoulder at her sister and brother- in- law where they were cozying up on one couch while Michonne and Rick spoke softly to each other on the second couch and sighed. She looked back at Daryl and whispered conspiratorially, "It feels a little like date night around here and when you don't show up I feel like a fifth wheel."

Daryl eyed the couples too and responded honestly, "I get that." Remembering his conversation with Glenn he leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Hey, you gonna vote for Jurassic Park or that chick movie with the old people that write letters and shit?"

Beth snorted, "You mean The Notebook?"

"Ain't gonna bother rememberin' the name," Daryl replied with a quick flick of his wrist.

"Well," Beth replied, drawing the word out with a smirk.

Daryl groaned and argued, "Aw, c'mon girl. Don't make me watch that shit! Ya like the dinosaurs and think the guy with the leather jacket is hot, or somethin'. Let the men in this room actually watch a movie we like for once."

Beth laughed at his interpretation and nodded, considering, "You make some valid points." When Daryl continued to watch her impatiently she finally conceded with a grin, "I was going to vote for Jurassic Park anyway. I actually really hate The Notebook."

Daryl leaned back with a smirk twitching against his lips and looked over at Glenn who caught his eye. Daryl jerked his chin upwards and Glenn nodded, glancing at Rick who tilted his head to the side in understanding. Beth watched the whole exchange and rolled her eyes again, muttering with good humor, "You guys are sad."

Daryl shrugged, "I ain't married so I ain't gonna judge 'em."

"Everyone ready to vote for a movie?" Glenn asked loudly, glancing at his wife.

Maggie smirked at him and declared, "I nominate The Notebook."

"And I nominate Jurassic Park," Glenn announced, desperately trying to stay strong in the face of his wife's glare.

"I'll vote for The Notebook," Michonne said with a nod to Maggie.

Rick eyed his wife before looking at Daryl with a slightly anxious expression. Daryl cleared his throat and grunted, "Jurassic Park."

"Surprise, surprise," Maggie muttered, smirking at him. She looked at her sister and asked with certainty, "Bethy, you want The Notebook, right?"

Daryl fought the urge to nudge Beth to remind her of her promise but she responded without hesitation, "Actually I'm in the mood for some cute dinosaurs and a young Jeff Goldblum. I vote Jurassic Park."

Maggie's eyes widened in surprise but she conceded, "Okay, fine. Rick?"

Rick shifted uncomfortably but answered quickly, "Uh, Jurassic Park."

"No!" Maggie cried, turning on her husband.

Glenn held up his hands and replied evenly, "I had nothing to do with it but the votes have been tallied and tonight's feature presentation is… Jurassic Park!"

Maggie slouched against the couch and shook her head, "Fine, whatever. I guess I'll just have to drink my way through it."

"I'll be happy to get you another beer, babe," Glenn offered as he stood up to pop the dvd into the player.

Maggie stuck her tongue out at him and Beth giggled lightly, watching the exchange. She glanced at Daryl and said in a low voice, "See what I mean? Date night."

Daryl turned his head to look at her as Glenn turned out the lights and the light of the TV lit up the loose strands of her hair. He nodded once and replied seriously, "Won't leave ya on your own with them again."

"You better not," Beth whispered as the opening credits began to play through the room. She focused on the movie, taking intermittent bites of pizza as she watched.

Daryl found himself watching more of her than the movie, especially when about a quarter of the way through she handed him a large pillow and they laid down on their backs side by side like they always did, Beth inching unconsciously closer as the movie grew more and more intense. Normally he hated being this close to other people but after months of Friday night movie nights he'd grown used to having Beth nearby, the blue glow of the TV making her hair look white and her face so easy to read that he actually found it more entertaining to watch her rather than the movie.

When the final scene with the raptors cornering the characters in the atrium played out, Beth's hand found his and she gripped it tightly with an apologetic smile, whispering, "Sorry but this part always scares me a little. You mind?"

Daryl shook his head, watching her as she went back to watching the movie, eyes wide until the T-Rex inadvertently saved the day. As she started to relax when the characters reached the helicopter, she started to pull her hand away but Daryl just held on, not looking at her but seeing her smile softly to herself out of the corner of his eye. He liked this, being close to her, holding her hand when she was scared. He wasn't ready to let it go just yet.

Once the credits rolled, Maggie declared, "Thank God," and rose to get the lights.

"Come on," Glenn argued, "It's a good movie!"

Rick got to his feet too, stretching for a moment before holding a hand out to Michonne. She took it, glaring up at him as she added, "You're gonna get it for making me sit through that, Rick Grimes."

Rick smiled at his wife and replied, "It was worth it." Michonne rolled her eyes, fighting a smile, and the pair prepared to leave.

Michonne gave Maggie a quick hug and said apologetically, "Sorry to watch and run but we need to relieve the babysitter. Who knows how long he's been on the phone to his girlfriend and ignoring his sister."

Maggie nodded in understanding, "Is Carl still dating that girl from his English class?"

Rick groaned and affirmed, "Yes and when he's not skipping school he's blowing up my phone bill. Kid's gonna meet an early end if he doesn't watch it."

Michonne smiled at her husband indulgently and commented, "Big words coming from you."

"Hey, I can punish him when I want to," Rick argued as they headed out, Maggie walking them to the door.

Daryl sat up with a groan, feeling strange still holding Beth's hand when the movie was over. He released her without a word, avoiding her eyes as she glanced at him curiously. He grabbed both their plates and drinks and headed for the kitchen, trying to put some space between them until he could sort out what he was doing. He could hear her laughing with Glenn in the living room and relaxed slightly. Apparently she wasn't too weirded out by him holding her hand like that if she was making jokes with Glenn.

"You giving Bethy a ride home again?" Maggie asked him, appearing in the kitchen with a handful of dirty dishes.

Daryl nodded once, eyes focused on the plates he was running under hot water in the sink. He held a hand out for the plates Maggie was holding and she released them, moving to stand next to the dishwasher so she could load it with the dirty dishes once he'd finished rinsing them. They worked in silence with an ease developed over the last few months of movie night clean-ups until Glenn and Beth joined them.

"Thanks for having me over, Maggie," Beth said, giving her sister a hug.

"You say that every week," Maggie commented, hugging her back while being sure to keep her dishwater hands off her sister's clothes. "Daryl's going to drive you home, okay?"

Beth nodded, smiling at her sister, "You don't have to always be feeding me and finding me rides, Maggie. I'm not a kid."

"I know," Maggie replied, absently drying her hands before lovingly tugging her sister's long braid to hang over her shoulder.

Daryl finished at the sink and shook Glenn's hand, nodding to Maggie before looking at Beth. He felt his ears warm as he asked gruffly, "Ya ready?"

Beth nodded with a bright smile and hugged her sister one more time then Glenn before following Daryl out the door as she always did, walking beside him as they headed for his pick-up truck across the small parking lot.

As they climbed in Beth asked, "You sure you don't mind driving me every week?"

Daryl glanced at her as he started up the truck then shrugged, "Nah, you're on my way."

"Okay," Beth replied, smile hesitant. She focused on the window, watching the world go by as they drove across town to her apartment building and humming softly to herself.

Daryl found himself listening to her quiet voice in the silence of the cab, wondering what she was thinking. After a moment, Daryl asked, "You got any plans this weekend?"

Beth glanced over at him and smiled, shrugging, "I may go to the farmer's market with Amy, that is if she gets home early enough to get up at a reasonable time."

"She out with that boyfriend of her's again?" Daryl asked, looking at her and noticing her look of barely concealed disgust.

"Yeah, they go out all the time now, he's always around," Beth replied, her voice hardening a little.

"You don't like 'em?" Daryl observed.

Beth shifted in her seat and tried to smile, "He's okay, never been mean or anything but… " Her voice trailed off and she stared straight ahead, not finishing. Daryl reached across to nudge her lightly, raising his eyebrows silently. Beth smiled apologetically and continued, "He just makes me uncomfortable for some reason. He's very… friendly, I guess, and Amy doesn't see a problem with his behavior so I guess I'm just imagining it."

Daryl watched her as she spoke, noting the way she folded her arms across her chest defensively. After a moment of quiet, he suggested quietly, "You ever got a problem, call me. I'll come get ya."

Beth's eyes shot to meet his and this time he didn't look away. He wanted her to understand how serious he was. He didn't like that she felt uncomfortable in her own home. He'd been there and didn't want that for her. After a moment she nodded slowly and smiled, saying quietly, "Thanks, Daryl."

It wasn't long before Daryl pulled up in front of Beth's building, throwing the truck into park as he glanced at her.

Beth's eyes searched the parking lot and she let out a sigh of relief, smiling shyly at him, "Amy's car is here but his is missing."

Daryl nodded, "He ain't here?"

Beth shook her head, visibly relaxing as she reached for the door, "No, guess they had an early night." She climbed out then turned to look back at him, the yellow light of a street lamp lighting up half of her face, "Thanks for the ride."

Daryl muttered, "Yeah, no problem."

"Maybe I'll see you later this weekend?" Beth asked then, breaking their usual routine. She normally got out, said thanks, and hightailed it inside.

Daryl blinked at her for a long moment before jerking his chin upwards, "Yeah, maybe see ya at the farmers market."

Beth smiled at that, asking, "Oh, you go to that too?"

"Hate grocery stores," Daryl clarified with a grumble and Beth laughed lightly at the explanation.

"I'll keep an eye out for you and you be sure to say hi if you see me too, okay?" Beth asked, looking at him with mock severity.

Daryl lifted a shoulder to shrug, "Yeah, alright. Get inside."

Beth bit her lip as she fought a smile that threatened to ruin her stern expression and waved quickly, closing the door and darted up the sidewalk to the stairs that led to her second floor apartment. He waited as he always did until she waved to him from the second floor balcony, raising a few fingers off the steering wheel in response before putting the car in reverse and heading for his own home.