When she'd first told him, he had frozen in place. The door which he'd just stepped through still wide open.
His crossbow had been half swung off of his shoulder and even though he lost his grip on it the moment those words left her lips the weapon didn't seem to hit the ground for a long time.
He knew he was expected to give a reaction of some sorts but his body didn't seem to cooperate.
Her lips moved again now but he couldn't hear her. There was only the sound of his skyrocketing heartbeat and blood rushing madly through his skull.
After a while his brain started forming coherent thoughts again, thundering through his brain like a massive herd of walkers. Through the chaos of it all he could hear her repeat those words again.
This time his body did respond, he felt a short word passing on a breath but didn't even know what it was he had just said.
Next he felt his feet clumsily stumbling backwards before turning and walking in the other direction, increasing the pace faster and faster until he had to rest on his knees to catch his breath.
The sun had already been hanging low in the sky when he'd returned, but now it was nowhere to be seen at all.
A flutter entered his chest, a pang of happiness quickly racing its way through his limbs, all the way to his throat where it came out as the lightest chuckle Daryl Dixon had ever let escape. As if shocked by the sound himself it caught in his throat and he had to swallow a bit before he was able to breathe steadily again.
He felt the beginnings of tears pricking in his eyes and wasn't sure if it was from the cool air stinging his face while running at the speed he had before, or if it had come with the sudden overwhelming rush of anxiety that he now felt in every corner of his body.
His mind was now contradicting his every thought.
He wasn't ready. He was too old. Too old for her. Too old for this.
This place was safe. Nowhere was safe. But she was, as long as it was up to him.
He wasn't worthy enough. But in her eyes he was, though. His mind knew but his heart still needed to be reminded of it sometimes with small gestures like a simple lingering touch or that small kiss just on the corner of his lips when she thought he had already fallen asleep.
He would mess up. He couldn't take care. But he already had, with her.
Hell, with the way she had been at the start there hadn't been much difference, but just look at her now. Sometimes he missed those days when he had to look after her every move just to keep her from stumbling over her own feet. That innocence was gone now, but more importantly it was replaced by survival. She would be able to last even without him. Not that he was planning to, but the preparation needed to be there, just in case. He didn't want to know about a world that did not carry a very alive Beth around, him included or not.
And despite it all, she was still so soft.
She could yell, would yell at him sometimes, only to silence his anger when she ended with a soft whisper that was barely audible. Eyes softening when he would cross the distance between them to hold her. Hold her until they would start fumbling impatiently at each other's clothes, until he could feel her soft skin under his calloused palms. Skin with the scent of spring, as if showers were still easy to get by. Skin that would bend and shudder with every little bit of attention he gave to her.
Daryl wasn't a man of many possessions. Never had been, and certainly wasn't after the world had gone to shit. But with Beth being fully his, he was convinced he was the richest man alive in this godforsaken world.
He supposed he had to alter that now though.
Without further hesitation he hiked his way through the trees to the truck, killing a lone walker with his knife in the process.
It was a bit after sunrise when he returned for the second time. He should be feeling exhausted by now but the adrenaline the news had brought on didn't seem to want to leave his body.
The door was closed back again and since he didn't know how welcome a sight he would be after his detour last night he decided that knocking on his very own door would be the best option here.
He waited for what seemed like an eternity but in reality was probably only mere seconds while his heart beat wildly in his throat before a very bewildered looking Beth swinged the door open.
She looked like she was about to say something but swallowed the words when she noticed the distance between Daryl and the door and the object that was causing it.
She gasped and her hand hovered in the air a moment before gently laying the top of her fingers on the edge of the crib. She dragged them alongside it as she moved around and took a closer look at the content within.
There were numerous of items strewn around the bottom of the crib. A pack of diapers, toys, multiple books on pregnancy and a set of tiny pink clothes.
He wanted to speak but he felt like he had just swallowed cement, so instead he watched her pick up the bundle with so much care that she almost made it look like porcelain in her hands.
The awe in her face made way for a smile while she turned to him, the girly baby clothes clutched to her chest. A smile so genuine that his face automatically shaped in the same dazzling happiness.
She kissed him soundly and he returned it with every fiber of love he had within him. And speaking of Beth, that was a whole lot.
The kiss broke and he brought one arm around to her lower back to tuck Beth closer into his side. He felt her smile in his neck while she whispered playfully in his ear, "already daring to bet with me on a gender?" before kissing his cheek.
He could only grin and hold her tighter, trying to bring her and the new life growing inside of her as close as possible. Certain that he had never felt so whole in his entire life.