I do not own any of the TWD characters.
This originally was It'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight! I've made some revisions, with more on the way. I did want to put this back up though as it was one of my favorites. No timetable on updates – don't want to make any promises I can't keep.
A Summer Night on the Pier
Beth was unpacking the things from her carry on that needed to be hung up so that the wrinkles would go ahead and fall out on their own. She sure as hell wasn't planning on ironing anything this weekend. Maggie and Glen's entire wedding party were staying at the Doubletree in downtown Chicago for the next several nights. It was three weeks before the big wedding that would take place back home on the farm. Instead of having separate bachelor and bachelorette parties, they were opting for a combined weekend long affair of drinking and debauchery. Maggie, being the control freak she was, had planned the entire weekend herself. Beth felt a little useless as her sister's maid of honor, but honestly, she was relieved. Beth knew nothing about the city that Maggie had grown so comfortable in. As a matter of fact, Beth was scared to death – she was not a city girl at all, didn't want anything to do with the big city truth be told. Beth only wanted to survive this weekend, not get mugged or worse in the process and get back to her little apartment back in Newnan, Georgia. She had several job interviews the next week.
Maggie had planned the usual touristy type things because like Beth, most of the other people visiting them in the Windy City this weekend were just that – tourists. Michonne had spent quite a bit of her former life in Atlanta, but Rick was most definitely a country boy at heart. Tara could go with the flow with the best of them and so could Aaron, but Abe and Sasha were small town folk at heart too.
"I thought we'd just do Giordano's on the Pier since we're going out on a boat for fireworks later" Maggie said. "Now, we'll need to get there pretty early and get our number in to the host – we can go ahead and place our pizza orders too. It takes forever." Maggie noticed Beth had slipped off into her own little world. "We can go for drinks over at Harry Caray's while we're waiting."
"Mmmm, kay" was Beth's response. Beth dug through her makeup bag making sure she'd packed all her prescriptions – allergy meds, medicine for her anxiety, birth control. Ha! Beth thought to herself, what a fuckin joke. What the hell do I need with birth control? Beth zoned out thinking about her most recent flop of a relationship – seems like she was 0 for 2 now. Maggie could tell that she wasn't paying a bit of attention.
"Hey" Maggie snapped her fingers in front of Beth's face trying to get her attention.
Beth suddenly jumped to attention. "Yeh" Beth said.
"Where tha hell are ya?" Maggie asked her baby sister. "I said" Maggie continued now that Beth was looking at her. "I wouldn't unpack all that shit – Glen's probably gonna end up in here tonight."
"Well, that's just great Maggie" Beth blurted out. "Where the fuck am I gonna sleep?" Under her breath Beth mumbled, "Shoulda just stayed in Georgia where I belong."
"Beth, don't do that" Maggie said. "You always do that."
"Do what Maggie? What do I always do?" Beth asked with her hands on her hips.
"Play it safe. You always play it safe." Maggie said. "Ya need to put yourself out there, take a chance, live life. Damn, ya act like you're sixty years old or something."
"Excuse me Maggie" Beth was getting more and more flustered. "It just seems" then she abruptly quit talking.
"It just seems what" Maggie prompted. Beth stared at her blankly.
Tears were pooling in the corner of Beth's eyes. "It just seems, that every time I put myself out there" Beth used air quotes for the words out there "that it ends horribly. The whole Zach thing ended worse than the fucking Hindenburg disaster."
"Zach is an ass" Maggie deadpanned.
Beth resisted the urge to snort. "What about Jimmy? Jimmy wasn't an ass – Jimmy was perfectly acceptable. He was sweet, a gentleman and that still ended badly."
"Jimmy was too nice – he could've stood to be a little bit of an asshole. Jimmy coddled you - he let ya walk all over him. It eventually blew up in both of ya'lls faces" Maggie told her.
"So, Jimmy needed to be more of an asshole and Zach was too big of an asshole?" Beth questioned her older sister.
"Exactly" Maggie answered "Now, you're gettin it. Ya gotta find a man who's just the right amount of asshole."
It seemed as if time and the fact that they had to grow up at some point had spread the tight knit group of friends both far and wide. Glen and Daryl had been in Chicago for several years now, both of them up and coming architects in a city that had to completely rebuild itself thanks to Ms. O'Leary's cow back in 1871. Chicago was known to thrive and reinvent itself as needed with innovative ideas set in brick, stone, glass, and mortar.
Who would have thought that Daryl Dixon would ever turn into a city rat, but he sure enough had. He had an apartment on Ohio Street with an amazing view of Lake Michigan complete with all the bells and whistles. Ever since Glen had talked him into taking some drafting classes with him back in high school Daryl had never looked back. Daryl had proceeded to follow his buddy on to college to study architecture and since Daryl had been raised in foster care his last several years of high school, there were plenty of grants and other types of aid available. Daryl took full advantage of the help offered – determined to make something of his life. Daryl discovered that he loved the creature comforts that big city living offered. It didn't hurt any that he could afford those comforts either. If only Merle or his bastard of an old man could see him now – they wouldn't recognize him.
Maggie had met Glen at a college reunion one fall and the sparks that flew were immediate. Within the year, she'd joined him in Chicago and secured a position as a para legal with a prestigious law firm there. They were the very picture of a snazzy, metropolitan couple and it almost made Beth sick at her stomach. Beth had visited Maggie and Glen in Chicago a few times and she just couldn't get used to the constant noise of sirens and the hordes of people that seemed to be constantly milling about.
Abe and Sasha were living in Texas where he was stationed with the army, Tara was in the process of relocating to Knoxville, Tennessee while Aaron worked with the mayor of Atlanta. Rick and Michonne stayed busy raising his, hers, and their kids – they lived right outside Peachtree City. Michonne worked as a social worker while Rick was still with the sheriff's department. Ironically enough, Rick and Michonne had to do a lot of begging to arrange childcare for all of their youngins. They'd managed to persuade Lori and Shane to keep Andre, Michonne's son from her first marriage and Liza, Rick and Michonne's baby girl in addition to having Carl and Judith for the weekend. It was well known, even to the kids, that Judith's daddy was Shane, but both Carl and Judith went back and forth between households. Rick didn't even feel sorry for Shane in the least. Serves him right Rick chuckled to himself when they dropped all the kids and their stuff for the weekend. Lori was pleased as punch to have all those kids running around the house and screaming – Shane looked a little stressed.
"Call Annette and Hershel if ya'll need help" Rick hollered as they backed out of the Walsh driveway. Shane didn't miss the fact that Rick squealed tires getting the hell out of there before he changed his mind about keeping that passel of kids.
The entire crew, except for Daryl, was gathered at the bar seeing who could suck down shots the fastest. Glen had mentioned that Daryl had gotten stuck in a meeting and then he would need to check in on his dog, Sam before joining them.
"It won't take him long once he gets home – his place is real close by" Glen had told everyone.
Rick glanced over at Beth. He'd noticed that the smile she gave him upon arriving didn't reach all the way to her eyes – it hadn't for a long time now.
"What's wrong Baby Greene?" he elbowed her and then pulled her into a headlock.
Beth tried her best to wriggle out of his grasp. He always did this shit when he was drinking and she didn't want her hair to be sticking out in every direction. "Stop it Rick" she huffed once she was free of the Grimes Grip. "Don't mess up my hair!"
"Rick, leave her alone" Michonne cautioned her husband.
It was obvious that Rick was well on his way to getting shit faced and they hadn't even made it to supper yet. "Awww, don't be that way Beth. Ya know I love ya" he slurred.
Oh God, Beth thought. Here we go. 7:00 and he's already drunk. Beth rolled her eyes and made her way to an open table by the window, figuring she'd just sit there alone and watch the assortment of odd birds and weirdos walking by outside.
"Suit yourself!" Rick yelled at her from the bar where he was helping himself to another shot of Jack. Beth looked up to the waiter and ordered another vodka and cranberry juice for herself. Beth continued staring out the big plate glass window. She'd never seen so many people concentrated in such a small area. The taxis, and ubers, and buses just kept dropping hordes of people it seemed. "Just the rest of tonight, and then tomorrow night, and then you can go home Monday morning Beth. You can do this, you can do this" she whispered to herself.
"Who ya talkin to girl?" a raspy, yet very sexy voice asked.
Beth looked up to see none other than Daryl Dixon standing in front of her. Oh my God Beth thought to herself. He still looks amazing she thought to herself. At least she hoped it was inside her head and not out loud. Beth had thought of Daryl Dixon often since Maggie and Glen's engagement party six months ago. What a shit show that turned out to be!
Daryl was holding her drink. "Can I see some ID?" he joked.
"What?" she mumbled. Damn Beth! she chastised herself. Why are you so fucking awkward?
After a few seconds, Daryl finally spoke up again. "I'm fuckin kiddin" he said. "Damn, ya ain't got no sense of humor." Daryl sat down across from Beth and slid the drink to her, downing one of the three shots of bourbon he held in one hand. Beth gulped and tried to swallow past the cotton ball that seemed to be stuck in her throat. Good Lord, Beth broke out in a sweat. Look at the size of those hands – God, the things he could do. Wait, what the hell?
"Why ya over here by ya self?" he asked her and just stared into her eyes waiting for her to answer. Beth stared back temporarily losing the ability to even form words.
"Uhm, Rick's already drunk – keeps wantin to put me in a head lock" Beth finally answered.
Daryl let out a laugh, "Yeh, he never could handle the liquor very well."
"No. No, he can't. " Beth said "not really." Beth smiled at Daryl. "Besides" she said timidly and honestly. "It messes my hair up and it takes forever for me to get all the frizzes out of my hair."
Daryl stared at the girl in front of him. Damn Beth thought. There I go again just saying stupid shit.
"God, you're beautiful." Daryl said.
Beth blushed and looked down to her drink, then looked back up to Daryl.
"I'm sorry "Daryl apologized, "didn't mean to make ya uncomfortable."
For the first time, in a very long time, Beth smiled. A smile that she felt to her very bones. "No, that's okay, more than okay actually. Thank you." Put yourself out there Beth heard Maggie whisper inside her head.
Daryl continued to stare for a few more seconds before tossing the second of his third shot back. "So, what's the plan for tonight?"
"Well, we're waiting for a text from Giordano"s" Beth told him "and then I think we're goin out on a fireworks cruise, and then the party barge."
"God" Daryl blew out in a huff. "Maggie oughta know better than that fuckin tourist shit."
Beth was obviously shocked. "Well, I think Rick and Abe and them are kinda into it. If it were me, I'd just as soon be back home."
"And why is that?" Daryl asked her. "Got a man back at home waitin on ya?"
"No, no man" Beth laughed nervously. "I don't really have the best of luck in that department – men are just real difficult for me to figure out. Seriously, I'm thinking of joining a convent or something – just give up on men completely." Beth's eyes flashed to Daryl's and she laughed softly.
"Well, I've yet to meet a female that I could figure out" Daryl offered. "So, I guess we've got that in common."
"Want another?" Daryl had a slice of deep dish already on the server. He and Beth were sharing a two top table adjacent to the rest of their party. The two of them seemed to be hitting it off and enjoying just the conversation that they were engaged in. The rest of the crew were loud and boisterous and really weren't even paying them a bit of attention.
Beth shook her head no. "I can't hold another single bite" she smiled at him. "Thank you though." She'd finished the second cocktail Daryl had gotten her before they had supper and was now on her second beer. She was indeed loosening up a bit. Maggie was rattling around in Beth's head again. Take a chance she heard her sister say.
"I know you're a little bitty thing, but damn, I figured ya could handle at least one more slice" Daryl teased.
"I know something I'd like to try and handle" Beth said suggestively. Daryl's eyes shot up from where he had deposited the slice of pie onto his plate to look into Beth's eyes. Surely he'd not heard that correctly.
"Excuse me" Daryl questioned the young woman in front of him.
Beth had quite the wicked grin on her face. "Ya heard me" she said, "I didn't stutter."
Daryl liked the sass this little lady was starting to throw his way. He thought he'd push her a little further and see if she'd try to back paddle. "Well, Darlin, if you're willin, I'm more than able."
Beth kept her gaze on him. "I'm more than willing" she said in a husky voice that Daryl never expected this little thing sitting in front of him to ever possess. "And I feel like I'm able – I do know that I'm up for the challenge."
Daryl dropped his fork and it fell to the floor. When he bent over to retrieve it, he bumped his head on the table knocking over several glasses that crashed to the floor and broke. Everyone in their party stopped what they were doing and looked over in Daryl and Beth's direction.
"Fuck" Daryl muttered under his breath. Everyone else went back to their conversation and continued the ignoring of Daryl and Beth – they'd been in their own little world all through supper and no one had seemed to pay much attention to them.
"Is Big Strong Daryl Dixon nervous all the sudden?" Beth asked in a sing song voice.
Daryl cut his eyes at her while rubbing the knot on his forehead. "I don't get nervous Darlin" he drawled. "The question is, are ya nervous?"
"No, I'm not nervous" Beth said with indifference in her voice. "Should I be?" Live life.
"Girl" he growled underneath his breath. Daryl leaned in closer to Beth and motioned for her to bring her head closer. He looked at the rest of their group before speaking, "I'm gonna tear that pussy up."
"I'm countin on it" she responded.
Their waitress was looking for someone to hand the check to. She couldn't quite figure out who was paying for this crowd. Beth noticed the unsure look on their server's face and raised a hand to wave her over.
"I'll take that" Beth told the young girl. Daryl tried to reach over and snag it from her hand, but Beth had already whipped her card out and sent the girl scurrying off with it.
"I's gonna take care of that" Daryl told her.
"Didn't you already settle the tab over at the bar?" Beth asked him. Daryl nodded, "That don't matter – I's gonna take care of everything tonight. It's my duty as the best man."
"Well, it's my duty as the maid of honor to help out" Beth smiled at Daryl. Everyone else had already cleared out from the area where they'd been sitting and were standing out on the sidewalk. Rick and Abe had somehow found a place to purchase cigars, because there they were out on the sidewalk smoking a pair of stogies. Daryl tapped on the glass to get Glen's attention. He then motioned to Glen letting him know that he and Beth would catch up with everyone later.
"Ya bring a sweater or a jacket or something?" Daryl asked Beth as she was putting her card back into her billfold.
"No" Beth answered him. "Do I need one? Gosh, I don't want to walk all the way back to the hotel." Daryl couldn't help but give a half smile at Beth's pout.
"Hell yeh, ya gonna need something" Daryl told her. "Get's cold out on the water – 'specially at night."
"Oh" Beth said. "Well, the hotel's not that far away – will ya walk with me?"
"I got a better idea" Daryl told her and ushered her out of the restaurant to the gift shop right next door. Thank God for tourist traps Daryl thought to himself.
"Ya want a Chicago Blackhawks hoodie or a Chicago Cubs hoodie?" he asked her.
"Cubs please" Beth giggled. She fucking giggled and Daryl felt his pants getting a little tighter and it wasn't from all the damn deep dish he'd just scarfed down.
"Hey Bethy" Maggie said a little too loudly as she and Daryl were boarding the boat. "Where have you two been? Ya hadn't been gettin naughty together, have ya?"
Beth turned about ten shades of red and Daryl did as well. Not that he hadn't been thinking about it, but damn! "Stop it Maggie" Beth said quietly. "Daryl bought me a sweatshirt so that I don't freeze to death out here."
Maggie looked between Beth and Daryl with suspicion.
"And some candy – the candy shop in there had my favorite, those little Sunkist Gems" Beth started talking again. "Remember those?" Maggie nodded and suddenly became uncharacteristically quiet. "Wasn't that sweet?"
No response from Maggie except more judgmental staring. Glen had a goofy ass grin on his face as he rubbed Maggie's neck. And with that comment, Beth smiled up at Daryl and snuggled in close to him on the bench. Without a thought, Daryl pulled Beth in under his arm and placed a kiss to her head. It just felt right.
Rick, who had sobered up considerably since before supper, just stared at the two of them. "What the" he said and began to make his way over to Daryl and Beth for further interrogation. Michonne, however, was able to divert her husband's attention to the on board bar.
Abe and Sasha took the seats behind Daryl and Beth. As they got settled, Abe realized just how freaking close the two were snuggled up into each other. Daryl had Beth wrapped up and Beth was all pulled into his side. The hushed whispers, giggles, and stolen kisses alerted the military trained ginger that something was most definitely up with the pair in front of him.
"Have I missed something?" Abe punched Daryl in the back. "When did you two hook up? Did I miss a newsletter or something? Hell's Bells!"
The fireworks were spectacular and Beth couldn't deny that the cityscape at night was amazing. She and Daryl had continued getting more and more cozy throughout the night. Tara wasn't so sure that Beth hadn't been straddling Daryl at one point. She hadn't intended on staring at them, but she'd heard a gasp come from Beth and she just glanced over to make sure she was okay. Oh, she was more than okay. Daryl was so fucking hot Tara thought that she might even let him stick his hand up her dress too – if she'd been wearing one. Who wears a dress to something like this? Well, Beth Greene – that's who.
The boat docked and once every one was back on the sidewalk Maggie said "Okay, the party boat is at the very end of the pier." They all started to follow Maggie in that general direction, but Rick and Michonne held back a bit and were talking with Daryl and Beth.
"Listen, Chonne" Daryl said. "The tickets for the party boat are already paid for – under my name." Michonne nodded in understanding and Rick tried to reach for Daryl's card, but Daryl kept moving it out of his reach. There wasn't any way in hell he's gonna let Rick Grimes take his credit card. "You'll need my card though to settle the bar tab 'fore ya'll leave. Beth and I are gonna duck out of this – we're both tired."
"Wait" Rick said, suddenly sober once again. "Where ya two goin?" he asked.
"We're turnin in for the evenin" Daryl said and tried to leave it at that.
"It's not what I asked" Rick stated as he stared Daryl in the eyes. "I asked where ya two were goin."
"Rick" Michonne pleaded.
Rick held up his hand to Michonne as if he were shushing her. "Ya walkin Beth back to her hotel?"
"Yeh" Daryl said.
"And leavin, right?" Rick furthered his questioning.
"I'm walkin Beth to her hotel" Daryl said through gritted teeth. "She's gatherin her things, and comin to my place." Beth blushed ten shades of red, but pulled Daryl's arm closer to her side.
Rick began to open his mouth in protest.
"I'm fine Rick" Beth told the man. "It's not your job to babysit me. We'll see y'all for lunch tomorrow."
And with that Beth turned around, pulled Daryl along with her, and they walked back towards Jane Addams Park.