Chapter 1: Coming Home
Daryl was ready to get back to his life in Senoia. He wasn't sure if he'd get his old job back or if his old cabin in the woods would still be standing, but he was eager to see if that fiery little blonde that nearly burnt his world to the ground last summer would still be there.
She came into his life when he wasn't looking for anyone or anything. He sure as hell wasn't looking to fall head over heels for this girl or fall into his bed night after night with her, but he did.
They kept the nature of their relationship a secret, more for Beth's reputation than anything. While Beth didn't care what people thought about her or the fact they were seeing each other, Daryl did.
He was this nothing, nobody and most people in town saw him as one of those no good redneck Dixon's. Beth was sweet, kind and damn near perfect and he was going to keep it that way.
After Merle had wrapped his motorcycle around an electrical pole, Daryl had no choice to but to leave Senoia to take care of his brother. Beth was leaving for college and as much as he cared for her, he knew she was better off without him, even told her so. This was his chance to get a clean break, so he took it.
He felt like a jerk for leaving without a goodbye or explanation, but he was saving Beth from herself. The way they were carrying on, someone was going to find out. Her sneaking out of the house every night to come see him wasn't right. She deserved a man that could pick her up for dates, buy her pretty things and give her a life he never could.
The only problem with leaving Beth behind in Senoia was, he left his heart there too. It only took one week of living in Atlanta to figure out, he had fallen in love with Beth Greene and he'd never be able to love another.
He tossed the last of his things in his duffle when Carol popped her head around the corner. "Are you sure we can't talk you into staying?"
"Nah, Merle and you need yer space. I'm glad he has you, to help him with the last of his rehab. Never thought Merle would find a good woman, ever. Thank you fer givin' him a chance." Daryl gave Carol a hug as he picked up his duffle to leave.
Carol had been Merle's physical therapy nurse and she was a little ball buster. There were days Daryl thought he was going to lose his shit on Merle during a session, but Carol would come over and take over.
Before he walked out the apartment door, he looked over at Merle sleeping in the recliner. The last year had been pure hell with Merle, but he was family and family sticks together.
Hopefully Beth would understand that when he saw her again, if he saw her again. Part of him needed to see her, make sure she was alright, but if she had moved on it would break him, but he'd try to be happy for her.
He'd asked for this, for leaving her the way he did. Perhaps part of him left like a ghost in the night because loving Beth scared him shitless. Now he would have to face the wrath of this little blonde firecracker and hope they could find their friendship again.
Daryl tossed his duffle over the back of his bike, grabbed his helmet and sat down. It was Senoia or bust and he would drive all night if he had too.
The cabin was still standing. The weeds and wildlife had taken over, but it was still there. Daryl grabbed his belongings and made his way inside. A year's worth of dust covered everything, including his heart.
The bed, the kitchen table, even the damn broke down couch reminded him of the girl that stole his heart one long, hot summer ago.
He pulled the ragged covers off the bed, tossed his shit on the floor and laid down. All he could do now was wait for the sunrise and for the pain in his chest to stop.
~~XX~~
Beth ran out of the farmhouse to the man she had been waiting for all day. Aaron got out of the car, waving at her as she made her way to him. She had missed him since she left college. Dropping out had never been her intention, but after her whirlwind summer romance she didn't have a choice.
Hershel walked out on the porch, holding the most precious blue eyed three month old baby boy.
"Beth… I need to talk to the Aaron." Beth took the baby and walked inside
Aaron greeted Hershel as he walked up on the porch, watching Beth as she disappeared in the house.
Hershel stared at Aaron as he sat down, the two men locking eyes. "I know this thing between you and Beth wasn't planned, but it happened. I just want to know you're going to be here for her and Beau."
"Of course I will. Beau isn't a mistake, that's not how I see him. I know how you feel about drinking, Hershel and now I understand that more than ever. One drunken night between two good friends got you a grandson, but we are still friends. Beau is all that matters now. I'm here for them and when I find a job, I'll make sure Beth and Beau are taken care of." Aaron felt the heat of Hershel's stare on him. He had graduated college a few months back and if Beth hadn't gotten pregnant she would have too.
The fact that Beau wasn't really his and that he was lying to keep Beth's secret was fine with him. He loved Beth, loved Beau and loved that she help him get through college and coming out to his parents. That fiasco didn't go the way Aaron had hoped. His father told him to never come home and that's when Beth told him to come live on the farm with her. He'd been staying with his Aunt Deanna, but after failing to get a job, he decided to take Beth up on her offer.
Her sister Maggie was a little harder to fool, but since they were technically friends, there was no need to carrying on as anything but.
Beth had found out she was pregnant two months after she started her senior year and she wanted to crawl inside herself and hide away. Daryl had left Senoia without a trace. No goodbye, no explanation, he was just gone. She'd would have asked the town sheriff, Rick, to find him for her since they seemed close, but she couldn't give away the fact that they had been seeing each other.
No, this was her new reality. She was pregnant by a man she still loved and she had no idea if she'd ever see him again. Aaron was brave enough to step up and accept responsibility, taking the brunt of the weight off of her. His fabrication was just what she needed to explain the fact she was coming back home, pregnant.
Every time Beth looked at Beau she saw his father. Those crystal blue eyes, that round little nose and the turn of his chin. Everything about her son was a Dixon and it crushed her inside that he'd never know his father or bare his last name.
Maggie walked in from the kitchen, taking Beau from Beth and stared Aaron down. "So, I hear you're staying with us until you get a job and get on your feet. You can take Shawn's old room, next to Dad and Ann. Aaron, I'm not sure what's going on here, but it all seems a little fishy to me."
Aaron smiled back at her as he picked up his suitcase. "I'm not sure what you're talking about Maggie, but I assure you there is nothing going on. I'm here for Beth and for Beau… that's all."
"Would it kill you to call him, your son? I don't think I've ever heard you call him that once. I swear, I think you're ashamed of him." Maggie gave Aaron a nasty snarl as she went back in the kitchen.
Beth came over to him, patting his hand. "Her bark is worse than her bite, trust me. Go get changed. Dale said he'd like to meet you and I think if you play your cards right, you could be the new manager at Horvath's Garage."
The memory of Daryl hit her hard as she thought about the garage and the late nights she'd hide out back waiting for him to get off work. Now it only seemed fitting that Aaron work there, maybe it would be exactly what she needed to help her start to heal.
They left Beau with Maggie so they could go downtown to the garage. Beth wasn't looking forward to walking in there. She hadn't been back since Daryl left, but for Aaron she could muster up the cougar to see it all again. Dale greeted them both as they walked in. He hugged Beth and asked her about Beau. They enjoy some small talk before they get down to business. It only took Dale a few minutes with Aaron for Dale like him and hire him to run his garage. Since his wife was diagnosed with cancer, Dale had been spending less and less time there. With Aaron running things, he didn't have to worry about the day to day anymore.
Aaron felt quite proud to have nailed the job interview. Beth made him a special dinner in his honor, hoping this was the first of many more great things to come.
After Beau was out for the night, Aaron took Beth's hand and asked to go for a walk. She smiled at him, knowing he must have something on his mind.
They had just climbed over the fence when Aaron spilled out what had been eating at him since dinner. "Beth, you know you're my best friend and I love you and Beau. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, but what if he comes back. It could happen. I know you think he's long gone and it's been a year since you've heard from him, but someday he could come back and then what. I will carry your secret till I'm six feet under, but one day I hope to meet a nice guy, maybe get married and live in the suburbs. I won't start a relationship out with a lie and I don't think you'd want me to. Beth, we can't live this lie forever."
Beth looked back at him with teary eyes and kissed him on the cheek. She ran back to the house, needing to have a heart to heart with her mother. Annette had always been Beth's rock through everything. When Shawn died from a brain aneurysm when she was 16, she felt lost until her mother found her again.
Annette was getting ready for bed when Beth walked in the bedroom. Hershel was downstairs reading his Bible and Maggie was talking on her cell to her boyfriend Glenn. Now just seemed like the perfect moment for Beth to get some things off her chest.
"Mom… you got a minute?" Beth walked in and took the brush from her.
"Sure, baby girl. What's on your mind?" Ann scooted forward on the bench, letting Beth sit behind her.
"What if I have a friend that is a big secret, but she's afraid to tell it?" Beth brushed her mother's hair, wondering if her mother can see through her ruse.
Annette took the brush back from her and grinned. "Bethany… you're 21 not 12. Spit it out and give me the truth. What secret are you keeping, besides the fact that Aaron's gay?"
"What? How did you know?" Beth blinked back at her mother, watching her smile get wider.
"When he came back with you last fall, I saw the way he looked at Jimmy. Sweetie, I'm old, not stupid. I know what flirting looks like. Now… what's your secret?" Annette looked back at her as if she could read her thoughts.
"Okay, so Aaron's gay. He came out to his parents and got rejected so he's not ready to face more rejection. I know you and Daddy aren't like that, but he's still not ready. Mom, I think you know my secret, you just don't know who?" Beth looked down at the floor as she picked at the hem of her shirt.
"I'm a little disappointed in you for letting Aaron take part in your lie. It doesn't matter who Beau's father is, but the truth does matter. When you're ready to face that truth, you owe it to your entire family to tell us. Right now, you need to do some soul searching. I love you, always will." Annette hugged her as Beth began to cry. She had disappointed her mother and those words cut harder than she thought.
Beth went to bed that night with a very heavy heart. Could she do it? Could she tell her family about Daryl and that summer? For Aaron she knew she had to. Things had been slowly closing in on her since she'd had Beau, but now they were on the edge of caving in.