(Just so everyone knows, all of the songs I quote in this fic are actual songs by Emily Kinney. The titles are Mess and Be Good. Enjoy!)
Mess
Jimmy was gone. She couldn't believe it. He'd up and left her just like that.
Beth Greene sighed to herself. She was sitting in a small, urban café in the middle of Atlanta, trying to figure out how to focus on her writing. She'd been trying for an hour to get a song written, but it was no use.
Jimmy had left her. So now, she had no boyfriend, but even worse, she had no drummer. They'd started the band together – sure, she wrote all of the songs and did most of the work, but he'd still been her drummer. She didn't know where she would go to find someone as talented as him.
It had been three weeks since her stupid boyfriend, no, ex-boyfriend had sat her down and told her the news. He'd gotten another girl pregnant. Some girl named Julie. Beth had been shocked, but ultimately not angry – at least not about the other girl. They'd been growing apart for months. He hadn't stayed over in weeks. But she was pissed when he told her he was leaving the band. How dare he? After all they had been through together? They had a national tour coming up in a few months (okay sure, it wasn't a major tour, but it was something – a bunch of gigs in small bars and clubs around the south) and what the hell was she supposed to do? Find a new drummer?
Beth scoffed angrily into her coffee cup before realizing that her surrounding neighbors were staring at her. She stood up to go.
They'd have to hold auditions. The band (minus Jimmy, the bastard) had decided that they'd have a few open call sessions. But two had come and gone, and they'd found no one. This was the last straw.
Beth walked over to the counter and waited for the cashier to be unoccupied.
"Hi, uhm, sorry, but I was just wondering if I could put up a couple of fliers on your bulletin board? My band is looking for a new drummer."
The girl behind the register nodded quickly and turned away to do something. Beth turned bright red. How embarrassing, she had resorted to putting up stupid signs all over town. At least this was her last stop. Maybe someone with actual talent would see it and come to the open call tomorrow. Beth didn't have much hope, but she figured she'd give it one last try. She put up her signs quickly and ducked out of the shop.
Daryl Dixon was late.
He cursed himself under his breath as he quickly dodged past people on the sidewalk, trying to get to his destination before the last minute ran out.
His stupid motorcycle had decided to break down today of all days. He had finally gotten a damn job interview and he had no way to get there but walk. Or, in this case, run.
Running was of no use, because of course, by the time he'd violently pushed his way past the doors of the coffee shop, there was no one there to interview him. He looked over at the clock on the wall and cursed again. He was 20 minutes late, there was no way they'd still be here waiting for him. How the hell would he pay his rent now?
Maybe his interviewer was late – maybe he should just get a coffee or one of those brownie things he secretly liked and wait. Daryl huffed as he turned to stand in line – but suddenly something caught his eye.
There was a flier on the bulletin board across from him with "HELP WANTED" in big letters. He stalked over to the board and gave it a look. "Seeking professional drummer, salary included." He squinted at it, trying to read the fine print. It said something about an open call tomorrow, and a national tour. He felt his spirits lift a little. Maybe this was it, maybe he could make some money doing something he actually liked for once.
Daryl had been playing drums since high school. In fact, it was one of the reasons he'd done so badly in school. He had spent more time with his drum set than anything else. It drowned out the depressing white noise that was the rest of his life – he'd been so happy to find something he was finally good at. He and his band (comprised of himself, his brother's drug dealer, and Merle) had actually done pretty well for themselves back in the day. They'd even found someone to sign them before Merle and the dealer had a falling out (sending them both to prison).
Sure, high school may have been a few decades ago, but Daryl still had a drum set. It was his most prized possession. He'd kept going at it, even when no one wanted to hear him play anymore (not that anyone really had to begin with).
He would go to that open call. He would go and make the best of it – maybe he'd even get hired. Wouldn't that be something.
It had already been an hour, and no one had impressed them. Beth sat with the rest of her band and watched as one by one, drummer after drummer had tried their best to entertain them. A couple of performances had been so bad, Beth had had a hard time keeping a straight face. But as time passed and they still hadn't found a drummer, her sense of humor started to dwindle as panic began to rise.
"Maybe we should look outside of Atlanta," Shawn said to her dispassionately. Her brother played bass for her band – and he was damn good at it too. "I mean, maybe we're limiting ourselves too much."
Beth glared at him, her temper threatening to give out. "Shawn, Atlanta is a huge city. If we can't find at least one good drummer, we're screwed."
"Uh, guys," Michonne (their second lead-guitarist) said, "this bickering is really fascinating and all, but I think we have one last guy." She nodded her head towards the door at the front of the room. A man was standing there in the shadows, hanging back as if he wasn't sure if he'd come into the right room.
"I'm so sorry you had to hear that," Beth said loudly to him. "Are you here to audition for us?"
"Yeah," said a gruff voice, as the man stepped forward.
Beth felt her breath hitch in her throat. He was gorgeous.
No, maybe gorgeous was the wrong word for a guy like this. But he was certainly mind-bogglingly hot. His dark hair came down past his ears, but he had piercing blue eyes and a scruffy yet striking face. He was all in black, and had absentmindedly placed a cigarette behind his ear that he must have forgotten about. Beth couldn't help but notice how snug his shirt was, how well it clung to his arms.
Shawn kicked her under the table.
"Oh! Uhm, whenever you're ready to begin." She was blushing, she could feel it.
The man walked cautiously over to the drum set directly in front of them and sat down. He pushed his sleeves up a bit.
Oh, I'm in so much trouble, Beth thought to herself, watching him closely.
And suddenly she couldn't think anymore. Because the mystery man had started his set, and damn was he good.
Daryl hadn't really known what to expect. When he had finally found the right building, he realized he was late. Again. He walked up three flights of stairs and overheard people talking. It sounded a bit like arguing. When he pushed open the door, he realized that no one had noticed that he'd entered.
The people – the band – looked like an eclectic group. On one side of the table sat a woman with dreads who looked like she could kick your ass without moving a muscle. On the other side sat a tall blonde guy – pretty average looking. But Daryl found himself staring at the girl in the middle. She was blonde, too. She had a round face and big eyes, and she was speaking angrily to the guy next to her. Daryl didn't know what it was about her, but he couldn't stop staring. She was blinding, even in the dim light of the room. When she turned to speak to him, he felt frozen to the spot.
He realized, too late, that he still had a cigarette stuck behind his ears, and must look like a moron. Trying not to think about it, and completely avoiding the gaze of the pretty blonde, he sat down to play.
By the time it was over, Daryl realized he hadn't remembered a thing about what he had just done. He might have completely fucked it up. Instead of paying attention to the drums, he'd spent the whole minute hoping that the blonde wasn't looking at him. She intimidated him somehow, which was ridiculous, because when she stood up to walk him out, he realized how tiny she really was. A full head and a half shorter than him.
As they walked down the steps together, he heard her talking, but didn't quite register what she was saying. He was too busy staring at her face. He'd never seen anything like it.
"…let you know in a few days, but I think it went really well. You're a perfect fit."
He realized too late that she had complimented him. As they reached the landing, he gave her a pained grimace and made to walk out the front door, internally cursing himself for being so weird.
"Oh!" she said quickly, grabbing his arm to stop him from leaving. "I don't think I caught your name!"
He stared at her hand for a second, still resting on his arm. She dropped it quickly, blushing, as if he had burned her.
"I'm Daryl," he said quietly. "Daryl Dixon."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Dixon," she replied, the redness in her face still apparent. "My name's Beth."
"You can call me Daryl," he said quickly, realizing what she had said. He hated being called Mr. Dixon. It reminded him of his father.
Beth smiled at him. "Okay, well, nice to meet you Daryl. I'll be in touch – I mean, we'll be in touch. I mean, it'll be me but on behalf of all of us. I mean, we'll all decide together and then I'll call you and tell you and…" she stopped talking quickly, clearly embarrassed.
"Sounds good," he said. He wasn't a man of many words. He nodded at her again and pushed the door open, stepping out into the city.
As much as he tried to deny it, Daryl Dixon was pretty sure Beth would be on his mind all day.
The decision was unanimous. Daryl was the perfect drummer. Beth was glad she hadn't been the only one to think so, although she was worried about sounding too enthusiastic when her band mates had agreed with her.
As she walked home, Beth couldn't help but feel happy. She was happy they'd found a drummer. She was happy he was talented. She was happy he was so handsome. But she also realized how silly she was being – she couldn't date another band member. Especially not another drummer!
Calm down, Greene, he didn't seem to like you much anyway, she thought to herself, trying to slow the thoughts that were racing a mile a minute. Daryl Dixon hadn't said more than four words to her, and here she was, already planning their first date.
By the time she reached her apartment, Beth Greene had decided on two things. First, Daryl was the perfect addition to their band. And second, she would keep her distance and be professional about it.
Daryl had spent a day trying not to think about his audition. He'd never been to one before, and didn't really know if he had embarrassed himself or not.
But by the evening on the second day, he was really worried. He was worried he hadn't gotten the job. He was worried that he wouldn't have enough money to pay his rent on time. He was worried that he might actually be terrible at the drums after all. And he was worried he'd never see that blonde again.
Stop bein' an idiot, he thought to himself, over and over again.
He had just pulled out the newspaper and turned to the page with job listings when his cell phone rang. He pulled it out quickly and looked at the number – no caller ID.
After staring at it for a moment, he accepted the call.
"Daryl?"
His voice caught in his throat. Of course she would be the one calling, she had told him that herself. It still caught him off guard.
"Yeah," he said again, mentally kicking himself for not saying something better like Hello or Who is this or really anything other than Yeah.
"It's Beth," she said slowly. "You know, from the audition the other day?"
"Oh, right, hi," he said, as if he hadn't been waiting around for two days for this very call.
"I was just calling to tell you that I thought you were great, I mean we all did, (she coughed), and that we'd love it if you wanted to come to rehearsal tomorrow and see if you think this is the right fit for you."
He breathed a sigh of relief.
"That'd be great," he said into the phone. "Thanks."
"Oh, good!" she said enthusiastically. "Okay, well, we usually start at ten, and it's in the same building as before, but on the first floor. You just go down that hallway and turn left. I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Yep," he replied. "See you tomorrow."
"Great! Have a good night!"
She hung up. Daryl stared at his phone for a second. Then he looked around his apartment cautiously before quickly adding the number to his contacts. He'd be seeing her again. And he had her number. Daryl felt like he had won the lottery. Until suddenly a weird sense of panic rose up in his throat. Shit, he'd be seeing her again.
Beth was so nervous, she arrived an hour too early to rehearsal. But it seemed as though she wasn't the only one.
As she turned the corner and walked up to the building, she saw Daryl disappear through the front door. She stopped.
Oh no.
She stood for a minute out on the street, trying to decide whether or not to follow him. It might be good to teach him a song or two before the rest of the band arrived. On the other hand, she wasn't sure she could keep her cool if it was just the two of them.
Beth stood up taller and made up her mind. She was in control, she wasn't some dumb college girl who couldn't keep her hands (or thoughts) to herself. No, she was a smart college girl who knew how to be kind and courteous and totally professional. This wasn't going to be a problem.
With a steely resolve, Beth pushed her way into the building and down the hall. She could hear him as she walked closer to their rehearsal space. He was banging out something awesome.
As she reached the door, she wondered if she might actually be interrupting him if she walked in.
Stop being a wuss, she thought to herself, and she walked inside, clearing her throat so as not to surprise him.
Daryl hadn't expected Beth to be early. He'd actually hoped for some time alone so he could work his nerves out over the drum set. But when she walked into the room, he realized how much lighter it seemed with her in it.
"You know, I could teach you one of the songs right now so you don't feel like such a newbie," she'd said to him.
And she did. Watching her work was incredible – Daryl actually felt like he was interrupting something intimate when she started to sing. He got the beat down pretty quickly – the song was simple and sweet. It wasn't really his style of music, but he didn't dislike it. Especially not when Beth was singing – she sounded like an angel. By the time they'd gone through the first song a few times, he was sure it'd be stuck in his head forever – not that he was complaining.
After about 20 minutes of work, Beth turned to him and planted her self on the ground.
"So, Daryl, where'd you learn to play the drums like that?"
He looked at her. No one had ever really taken much interest in his musical abilities. He wasn't quite sure what to say.
"I used to play in a band with my brother and his friend. Back in high school."
She nodded, smiling.
"I bet you guys were popular with the ladies."
Daryl could feel himself turning red. She couldn't have been more wrong. He had never been popular with the ladies. In fact, he had all but given up in the lady department. He was always too awkward, too strange. Women didn't throw themselves at him, they barely even looked at him. His brother had always been the ladies man.
"Nah, my brother was always the hotshot."
"Was? What happened to him?"
This was a new one, too. No one ever asked him about Merle. No one really ever bothered to ask him about anything.
"Prison," he said matter of factly. "He's been in and out for drugs since high school. Kinda broke up the band."
"Oh," she said plainly. She didn't seem to be judging him, which was a nice change. "Well, I'm sorry you've had to deal with that."
"S'alright," he replied. He didn't really know what else to say. "My dad was the same, it's nothing new."
"That's rough," Beth said with sincerity. "But it looks like you turned out pretty well."
This girl was full of surprises. Daryl hadn't had a conversation this long with any woman for as long as he could remember. It was nice.
He shrugged, trying to ignore how warm he was feeling in her presence. "Guess I did."
They were silent for a minute – but it was a comfortable silence. They looked at each other, each sizing the other one up.
"Okay, well," Beth said, breaking the silence. "Let me tell you a bit about my band so you don't feel like a total stranger when they get here."
Daryl nodded again.
"Michonne is our guitarist – you know, besides me. She's a lot of fun, very down to earth. She writes some of our songs. And she's not always at rehearsal because she has 3 kids to take care of. But you'll like her a lot – she's sort of a free spirit, and an amazing cook, which I'm sure you'll find out about soon enough. She's probably already planning a dinner for you at her house."
This made Daryl nervous – he wasn't good with people. A dinner would be the perfect opportunity for him to embarrass himself completely and get kicked out of this band before he'd even begun. But Beth kept talking.
"Shawn is on bass. He's my brother, and we sort of fight a lot, so that might take a little getting used to. But he's a funny guy, really charming. And he's got a lot of talent. You'll like him too. Oh! Here he is, speak of the devil!"
Daryl swiveled in his stool to see the tall blonde man entering the room.
"Hey, Beth and new guy," he added with a grin, "Michonne's gonna be a little late. Apparently Judith had the flu last night so she's dealing with that 'cuz Rick had to get up early for work. And Carl had school."
"No problem," Beth responded, "I was just showing Daryl 'Be Good' since it's our closing act. Judith and Carl are Michonne's step-kids," she added quickly for Daryl's sake.
"Great!" Shawn said. "Let's get to work. I have an idea for a new opening number that you might like."
In the following three week that passed, Beth realized how lucky she and her band had been to find Daryl. Not only was he talented, but he adapted quickly. And his input (although scarce) was useful. He improved upon a lot of the songs they had been playing for ages.
As Beth had suspected, Michonne invited the entire band over to her place for dinner on the coming Saturday night. They wanted to make sure Daryl was comfortable with them, that he felt included. (Although she tried not to be,) Beth was excited – she'd finally have an excuse to see him outside of rehearsals. Try as she might, she couldn't stop herself from glancing at him every so often. He was quiet and shy, but there was something about him that made her want to write a song. Actually, she'd written quite a few since he'd joined their band, and although she wouldn't admit it, his influence over her had played a big part in it.
As Saturday approached, Beth found herself getting more and more nervous. Maggie had stayed the night at her place, and the two of them were rifling through Beth's closet, trying to find her something nice to wear.
"It's no use, everything I own makes me look bloated," Beth said to her sister after 20 minutes of trying things on. She plopped face down on her bed. Maggie plopped down beside her.
"Oh man, Bethie, you really have it bad for this guy!"
Beth lifted her face to glare at her sister. "I do not."
"You might be good at lying to yourself honey, but you can't lie to me." Maggie was grinning at her. "I'm glad I get to finally meet him!"
Maggie and her long time boyfriend Glenn had been invited too. Michonne was an old family friend.
Beth groaned into her pillow. This was going to be so embarrassing.
"Maggie, don't say anything to him, okay? I don't think he knows how much I like him. Plus I don't think he sees me that way at all. I'm technically his boss."
Maggie laughed at this. "You're his bandmate, not his boss."
"Yeah but I hired him. It's just weird, okay? Plus, I told myself no more drummers."
Maggie laughed even harder. "Oh, this is gonna be so fun."
Daryl slowed his motorcycle as he pulled up to the house. It was located on the outskirts of the city, so the property itself was large and beautiful. It was so perfect, it was almost intimidating. He was pretty nervous about the whole thing. Sure, he'd been playing in a band with these people for a few weeks, but this was something new. This was hanging out and getting to know each other beyond the professional relationships they had formed. He wasn't so sure they'd like him if they got to know him – most people didn't. And he wanted Beth to keep looking at him like she did when she thought he wasn't looking. At least he thought she was looking at him. It had been a strange few weeks – she was always very friendly, but he couldn't help but wonder if maybe there was something more… he usually dashed these thoughts pretty quickly. Beth was pure and young and wholesome and totally wrong for him – he would be a stain on her life. He couldn't be with someone as perfect as her. He tried to remind himself of this as much as possible. Besides, she probably didn't like him like that anyway, he was too old and strange and quiet. She was just nice to him because she was nice to everyone.
As he pulled up, the door was thrown open and Beth came dashing down the front steps of the porch.
She looked incredible, and Daryl had to steady his breathing as she approached. As she ran towards him, her long flowy sundress danced in the breeze behind her. Daryl had only seen her in her rehearsal clothes so far – jeans and t-shirts. And although she looked great in them, the dress she was wearing now was on a whole new level. And as she came towards him slowly, he realized something else. It was backless.
Control yourself, Dixon, he thought to himself quickly, as she came over to give him a hug. She smelled like lemons – there wasn't anything better in the world.
"You made it!" she said enthusiastically, as if she wasn't sure he'd be at the dinner thrown in his honor (technically).
He grinned at her. She was so cute and beautiful at the same time. It was really endearing.
"Come on, let me introduce you to everyone!" She tugged at his arm and pulled him inside quickly.
He took a liking to Michonne's boyfriend Rick instantly. The man was smart and had a great sense of humor, he made Daryl feel comfortable almost immediately. Rick handed him a beer before introducing him to the three kids, Andrè, Carl, and Judith. He never thought of himself as a man who was good with kids, but these three were awesome. Carl was clearly the leader of the little gang, and Daryl couldn't help but like him.
Next were Beth's sister, Maggie, and her boyfriend Glenn. They were so happy to meet him, it was actually a bit surprising.
"I've heard a lot about you this week," Maggie had said to him with a grin. Daryl didn't know what to think of that. But Beth kept looking at him. And he didn't know what to think of that either. He'd never been in a room filled with so many people happy to meet him. He liked it.
As the evening progressed (and the younger kids were sent to bed), everyone proceeded to get pretty tipsy. They were a merry group, everyone laughing and telling jokes. Daryl found himself opening up to this group, and he was surprised to find them laughing especially hard at his own funny stories. At one point, Glenn actually spit out his water from laughing so hard.
Michonne had served a fantastic meal; she specialized in Thai food, something Daryl had never had before. It was amazing, and she actually made sure to wrap some up for him to take home. He was actually jealous of the kids - they got to eat like this every day.
By the end of the night, everyone was pretty drunk, and Daryl wasn't sure riding his bike home was a good idea.
"You're in luck, Dixon," Glenn had said to him, "you can come stay with us for the night, it's just a fifteen minute walk away."
It turned out that Beth and Maggie had grown up on a farm – now Maggie's farm. And it was close by. Beth grinned at him, nudging him in the ribs, "Wanna walk with me?"
Oh. Oh. So they would all be staying there tonight.
"We have plenty of room," Maggie said quickly, noticing the look on his face and misinterpreting it. Daryl wasn't worried about staying the night with them. He was worried about staying the night in the same house as Beth. Being drunk and near her in public was hard enough. He shook the thoughts from his mind – he really shouldn't be operating any kind of vehicle, it was his best option.
So twenty minutes later, Daryl found himself walking side by side with Beth Greene down the road, as she pointed out the constellations to him and told him stories about Orion the hunter. "He reminds me of you, somehow," she said with a tipsy grin. God, she was great. He was in way too deep.
Beth found herself getting more and more nervous as the four of them walked up the pathway to the Greene Farm. She'd spent many nights here with Maggie and Glenn, but never had she ever brought a guy here.
Not that Daryl was a guy in that way, she reminded herself. But still, she would have to give him the tour, and he would see her childhood bedroom (as pink and girly and silly as it was).
But she needn't have worried. Daryl seemed to love everything about the house. He stopped in the hallways and grinned at the pictures of her childhood, her parents, her family. She showed him to Shawn's old bedroom, across the hall from hers, where he'd be sleeping. She somehow avoided showing him her own room. Everyone was ready for bed, and Beth found herself feeling an immense relief. It wasn't awkward at all. It was nice. She quickly changed into pajamas and walked downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of water.
Maggie was in the kitchen when she arrived, rifling through the refrigerator.
"Beth!" she said, "I've just had the best idea." She giggled, clearly still tipsy.
Beth squinted at her.
"I found some beer, and I figured you could take some upstairs with you and maybe give one to Daryl and hang out!"
Maggie was grinning mischievously now. She always had these bad ideas when she was drunk. The only problem was, Beth usually went along with them.
"It's late, Mags, don't be silly."
"No it's not, it's only midnight! You're young, Bethy! Live your life!"
Beth looked at the beers in her sister's hand. Well… maybe… it could be fun. Daryl didn't seem interested in her, but maybe they could hang out as friends.
She grabbed the beers without a second thought and headed back upstairs. The door to Shawn's room was open, and she could hear Daryl plucking at one of Shawn's many old acoustic guitars. She chuckled - he should really stick to drums.
She knocked on the doorframe and he looked up at her, turning red.
"How do you feel about a nightcap?"
Daryl woke up the next morning feeling warm and fuzzy. The room smelled like lemons… and something else. He didn't want to open his eyes yet.
Suddenly he heard a small sigh, and his eyes flew open.
He was lying in his clothes from the night before, his shoes were off, but he clearly hadn't gotten into the bed. But there was an arm wrapped around his torso. He turned to look to his left. Beth Greene was curled around him like a cat, still fast asleep. She was in her pajamas – her bunny slippers still stuck to her feet. Her hair was everywhere, her eyeliner was smudged, and she still managed to look heavenly.
Daryl couldn't remember falling asleep, but clearly it had happened at some point last night after they had spent hours messing with the instruments in Shawn's room, writing a song, and laughing at each other's jokes. It had been a great night, the best night of his life, even. He didn't usually open up to people they way he had last night with Beth.
He looked down at the arm wrapped around his middle when he saw them – a few thin scars along the white skin at her wrist. He gently grabbed her hand and lifted it, trying to get a closer look. This girl was still such a mystery to him.
"I did that when my Mom died."
Daryl hadn't realized that Beth had woken up. She sat up slowly, keeping her hand in his. He looked at her.
"It wasn't an unexpected death or anything, breast cancer takes its time. But I wasn't the same after she died. Not for a long time. And for a while I didn't want to live anymore without her. So I tried to kill myself."
Daryl didn't know what to say. This was a kind of closeness he had never experienced. Even more so than he had last night. He looked at her slowly. "But you made it."
"I did, yeah," she replied simply, still staring at him, a small smile playing out on her lips. "My music isn't just a hobby, it actually saved my life. I don't know where I'd be without it."
"I know somethin' about that," he responded.
For a moment they were still.
"Last night was nice -"
"I had a fun last night – "
They spoke suddenly at the same time. There was an awkwardness hanging in the air that hadn't been there before.
Daryl detangled himself from her and stood up quickly, remembering that he still didn't know this girl who had fallen asleep next to him. She was still too good for a guy like him, anyway. He walked quickly over to his boots and bent down to pull them on. When he straightened up and turned around, he jumped unexpectedly, she was right in front of him.
"Well… uh… I guess I'll see you at rehearsal tomorrow," he said casually, trying to save face.
But Beth was too close for comfort. He wanted to reach out and grab her and pull her to him. But he stopped himself.
"Daryl, you don't have to go yet, it's Sunday, stay a while."
She was moving closer to him. He swallowed nervously, knowing he should step back, but was completely unable to. Her eyes were so big.
But as her face got closer and closer to his (Daryl was sure he could count her freckles at this point), he started to panic. She was too good for him. That was his new mantra. She was too good for him.
Glenn suddenly banged the door open, and Beth and Daryl stepped apart quickly, each blushing bright red.
"Oh… uh… sorry… Beth, I was just about to come and get you. Maggie's making pancakes. Daryl, you're more than welcome to have some too, man."
But Daryl mumbled something about having to go, and he pushed his way past Glenn and down the stairs. He made sure to mumble a quick thanks to Maggie quickly before he was out the door and walking back in the direction of his bike.
Beth wasn't sure how to feel. Sure, she had told herself from the beginning that she was being silly, that he didn't like her the same way she liked him. But then last night had happened. And it was just everything she ever wanted. When she was a kid, she pictured liking someone and going on dates and feeling exactly the way she had felt last night. And then something went wrong. Maybe in the morning light, he realized she wasn't enough for him. Maybe she was too immature, or too silly, or maybe she was just boring.
Beth wasn't hungry anymore, and told Maggie she wanted to sleep off her hangover. She headed back upstairs and stopped when she realized that they'd written a song. Realistically, she'd written the song, but Daryl had helped her by strumming out certain guitar chords for her, by helping her out with wording, and by smiling so damn much. She walked into Shawn's room, looking for the sheet of paper. They'd only actually written two verses, but it had the beginnings of a great song:
"I got bruises on my body
Scratches on my face
Cookie crumbs, empty bottles all over the place
And my bathroom mirror seems to lose its shine
When you leave you always seem to leave a little mess behind
When you leave you always leave a little mess
Oh I'm cleaning out my cupboards
Dusting off my frames
Scrub myself with soap so I can't whisper your name
Sweeping around in circles
Trying to get you off my mind
When you leave you always leave a little mess behind
When you leave you always leave a little mess"
Beth stared at the lyrics they'd written, remembering the melody they had decided on. She wanted to finish the song – even if Daryl wasn't around to help her by smiling and cracking jokes. She grabbed the paper and stalked back into her room. She wouldn't spend the day upset over what could have been – she'd spend the day writing this song. Writing songs always made her feel better. This wouldn't be any different.
Daryl didn't show up for rehearsal the next day. He felt like it would be too awkward. He couldn't keep things strictly professional anymore. Not after yesterday. He didn't know what to do, so he called Shawn and told him he was sick. He knew Beth would see through the lie. She was probably upset, but ultimately it was for the best. He was saving her from himself. He was no good for her.
Staying home only resulted in Daryl having the worst day ever. He got a phone call around 1 pm. It was Merle. He hadn't heard from Merle for about three months, and it was an unexpected surprise.
"Hey, little brother," he heard through the phone. Merle's voice was unmistakable.
"Merle!" Daryl had said loudly, "What the hell, man, where the fuck you been the past three months?"
"Calm down, Darylina. I've been workin' a few gigs in Savannah. Guy I met in prison hooked me up with one of his men, I've been on security detail."
This sounded exactly like something Merle would be up to. Daryl didn't speak; there really wasn't anything to say.
"Anyway, I've got some business down in Atlanta I needa take care of… was wondering if I could crash at your place for the weekend. You wouldn't say no to your big brother, would you?"
And there it was. The reason Merle had bothered to get in touch at all.
"What sorta business are we talking about, Merle?"
"The kind that ain't none of your business, Darylina."
Daryl figured as much. It was something illegal, and probably something dangerous. But he couldn't say no to his older brother – he'd never quite learned how.
"Fine, but just for a few nights. And I don't want any trouble."
"Knew you'd help me out, thanks, man! I'll be there in few hours!"
And that was it. He'd invited his brother to stay. Daryl groaned. This was turning into the worst week.
Beth didn't see Daryl all week. Shawn had said something about a stomach flu, but Beth could smell the bullshit from a mile away.
At first she was pissed, and she spent Monday and Tuesday in a rage, fighting more with her brother than she ever had before. It was a stressful week, especially without a drummer, because they had lined up a gig for the coming Saturday. Beth had scheduled long rehearsal hours and she wanted to be sure everything was perfect for the show. But Daryl not being there ruined her plans.
"Beth, he might not be well enough to play on Saturday, we need to try and find a replacement – just for this show. My buddy Eugene could do it."
Beth hated Eugene. Well, no, not hated, but he was crap at the drums. Everyone was crap at the drums if they weren't Daryl. She was livid with him. How dare he leave her like this? It was Jimmy all over again, only this time it hurt a lot more. And why did it hurt more? Beth wondered this constantly. Jimmy had been her boyfriend – Daryl had been her… her… drummer. That was it. But she was pissed and she was sad and she was stressed, and this week was going terribly. By Wednesday, Eugene had joined their rehearsals and they made do. It was enough, but Michonne and Shawn agreed that they needed Daryl back as soon as possible.
When Beth had Michonne call Daryl again on Thursday, he had the same stupid story. He wasn't feeling good, he was sorry he had to miss the show, blah blah blah. Beth knew it was a lie. She'd done something wrong, clearly. She'd made him uncomfortable, had been unprofessional. She needed to make it right. So on Friday, after their final rehearsal for the night, she headed to his apartment – or the address she had for him on her phone. She wanted to invite Daryl to the show and tell him how sorry she was about everything. That they should forget about what happened. That he could come back and join the band and everything would be fine.
When she approached Daryl's apartment door, she could hear noises coming from inside. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she knocked quickly on the door and straightened up as tall as she could get.
The door opened. Beth's mouth dropped open. She was facing a gorgeous brunette whose boobs were practically spilling out of her tight (and barely there) top. And she wasn't wearing pants. "Oh, hi! Do you need something?"
Beth was speechless. And then all of the anger and sadness and spite that she'd felt all week came tumbling out of her.
"Yeah, will you tell Daryl that Beth just came by to say sorry and invite him to the show this Saturday, but then she changed her mind and realized how much better off she was without him?"
The brunette stared at her. "Ooooookay… sure thing sweetie!" And suddenly the door was slammed in Beth's face. She heard giggling. That was enough. She booked it down the hall and into the elevator, all the while feeling hot tears streaming down her face.
Daryl was in a terrible mood when he walked into his apartment. It wasn't made better by the sight of his brother naked on his couch with some trashy brunette with a boob job.
"What the fuck, Merle? I told you this kinda thing wasn't okay at my place!"
Merle and the girl scrambled to cover themselves with their clothes. "I'm sorry Darylina, I know the sight of naked women disgusts you."
Daryl slammed the door. "Man, what the fuck are you still doing here? I thought you were clearing out this morning!"
"Uh… I think I'm gonna go," the brunette said as she stood to leave, quickly pulling on her jeans and zipping them up.
"Uh, yeah, that's a good idea," Daryl snapped.
The brunette glared at him. She made for the door.
"Oh, and there was someone here named Beth looking for you. She seemed kinda pissed. She said she was sorry and wanted to invite you to a show, but then she said never mind and that she was better off without you. Anyway, that was a few hours ago. Bye, asshole."
And with that, the brunette was gone.
Daryl whirled around to face his brother. "What did she say? Was there someone here for me? Oh, fuck, please tell me you were the one who answered the door."
"Nah, man," Merle responded absentmindedly, "I was in the shower. Randie told me about it when I got out."
"Fuck," Daryl said, realizing what must have happened. "Fuck, fuck, fucking fuck."
"Woah there, Darylina. Only big boys can curse like that."
"Fuck you Merle," Daryl responded, turning on his brother. He had had enough. "You were supposed to be gone hours ago. Get the fuck out of my house, and stay the fuck outta my house. Seriously, man, I want you gone in the next hour or I'm calling the damn cops."
"What the hell?" Merle protested, but as Daryl reached for his cell in his back pocket, Merle gave in. "Alright, alright, I'm goin'. I'm goin'."
By Saturday night, Beth had made up her mind. Eugene was their new drummer, her band wouldn't ever sound the way she wanted them to, and they would most likely sound terrible tonight at the show.
Michonne and Shawn had picked up on her bad mood almost instantly.
"C'mon Beth, don't be like this. You can't go onstage all huffy and annoyed, the audience will know," Michonne pleaded with her.
Beth took a deep breath. Michonne was right. She was being stupid. Daryl Dixon was old news, and she had a show tonight. She had to get her shit together.
By show time, Beth decided she wouldn't think about him at all anymore. In fact, she wouldn't ever need to think about him again, he was nothing to her. Nothing had happened.
But as the night went on, Beth found herself getting disappointed when she didn't see his face in the crowd. After about three songs, she could feel her happy face start to fade. She started slipping up on her words. Shawn kept glancing at her.
"Beth, are you gonna be alright to play that new song you wrote? You seem kinda off tonight," he said to her as they finished yet another song.
"I'm fine, Shawn," she snapped back, regretting her tone of voice instantly. Her brother didn't deserve this. She had to grow up and pull it together.
Beth walked over to the microphone, strummed her guitar and started to sing.
"I got bruises on my body
Scratches on my face
Cookie crumbs, empty bottles all over the place…"
Daryl was late. A-fucking-gain.
He had slept through the first half of the performance – he just knew it. By the time he reached the small clubhouse, he could hear Beth's voice loud and clear. The show had started at 10:00, and it was almost 10:40. What the hell was wrong with him?
He pushed his way into the crowded, dimly lit room and almost froze when he heard her singing.
"….When you leave you always leave a little mess behind
When you leave you always leave a little mess
Your cigarette smell and your leather jacket taste
It lingers in the air and it never goes away
You're like the black hand stamp that I can't rub off
You're like a tethered ankle bracelet, that I can't seem to unknot
And if you want to come around then call…"
The song continued, but Daryl was dumbfounded. That was the song they had written. Or it was the rest of the song that they had started to write. And it was wonderful….and was about him – he was sure of it. He wondered when she'd written the rest of it, if she'd invited him to the club tonight so he could hear it. She had said she was sorry, after all. Daryl shook his head – Beth had nothing to be sorry for. He was the asshole. He had made the mistake. He had been the coward. Daryl pushed his way to the front of the crowd.
"…Come over come over, we're both in town
Come over, come over, because I want you around
I want you I want you, to grab my waist
I want you I want you to make me a mess."
By the time he reached the front of the stage, the song was over, and Beth was clearly prepping for their closing act.
"Beth! BETH!" Daryl had to shout over the noise of the crowd – they had clearly liked the song. He didn't blame them – he had loved the song. No one had ever written a song for him before.
Beth saw him and her eyes widened. Then they turned into angry slits.
"Oh you show up now, huh, Daryl? Not sick anymore? Where's your new girlfriend?"
She was pissed.
"Beth, I need to talk to you, can you come down here for just a minute please?"
She glared at him again. Then she whispered something to Shawn and dropped down off of the stage and onto the floor.
"Ladies and Gents, we'll be right back with one more song after a quick water break. So sorry to keep you waiting!" Daryl could hear Shawn speaking to the audience as he pulled Beth into the back hallway by the restrooms. It was empty.
"What the hell, Daryl?"
"Beth I'm sorry. I've been an idiot, okay? I didn't think you liked me, and then when I realized you might it scared the hell outta me. I mean look at me, I'm old and grumpy and I'm not good for a girl like you."
"Oh but you're good enough for that booby brunette I ran into yesterday, huh?"
"No, Beth, I wasn't home! My brother's been staying at my place. She was there with him!"
Beth looked at him again, but her glare had softened. "Why would you think you're not good enough for me? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life."
"Well," he said slowly, turning red, "look at you. You're smart and funny and kind and gorgeous, and I'm just me."
Beth wasn't angry anymore, he could see it in her face. "Daryl, I like you because you're you. I like how quiet and thoughtful you are. And I like how unexpectedly funny you can be. Who cares if you're a little older than me? Who cares if you're grumpy? I can be happy enough for the both of us."
Daryl grinned. "That sounds alright."
Beth grinned back. "So you're back in the band?"
"Yeah, I'm back in the band."
"You wanna come and play this last song with us? I can't wait to get rid of Eugene, he's terrible."
Daryl laughed. "Yeah. There's something I gotta do first, though."
Beth looked puzzled. "Daryl, what the hell could you possibly have to –"
He cut her off by pushing her back up against the wall and grabbing her face. His lips were on her immediately, hungry, as if they had been waiting a lifetime to find hers. He felt her arms wrap around his neck, as she pulled him in to deepen the kiss. There was no space left between them now – they moved together as one. No kiss had ever felt like this in his entire life. This was pure bliss.
He pulled back, panting. Beth grinned. She was trying to catch her breath, too.
"Okay, well, I'm glad you did that first."
"Yeah," he said. "Me too. But c'mon, we've got a show to finish."
They headed back to the front of the room, hand in hand. He gave her a leg up onto the stage. She helped pull him up.
"Eugene," she said, turning to the man, "you can go now."
"Oh, thank God," Eugene responded, standing up quickly and handing the drumsticks over to Daryl.
He sat down and got comfortable.
"You guys all know what we're playing right?"
Daryl smiled – hell yes he knew. He started the beat.
Beth gave him a beaming smile before turning back around and facing the microphone.
As she sang the words, Daryl could feel himself getting happier by the second. This was the job he wanted. This was the girl he wanted. And this was the best song. Everything else was just background noise.
"…And we'll buy a beer to shotgun
And we'll lay in the lawn
And we'll be good."
(Please comment and review! Thanks for reading!)