I have found that I have fallen in love with writing this kind of Beth/Daryl and I have written the next short chapter - this one from Lori's POV. I have more ideas for this one and thank you so much to everyone who read and expressed an interest in reading more of this one.


Part Two.

Lori Grimes heard the familiar roar of the motorcycle outside and even though she knew who it was, she looked out the classroom window anyway. Daryl Dixon had parked alongside the curb in front of the daycare and remained astride the bike, smoking a cigarette. He was there everyday at five minutes after five, leaving his own job at a mechanic's shop to come and pick up his wife from her job.

She turned to look at his wife. Beth Greene. She still hadn't gotten used to calling her Beth Dixon yet and she didn't think she would ever get used to it. It just seemed so wrong to think that Beth – sweet young Beth – was now Daryl Dixon's wife.

Lori watched as she sat at the piano in the room, children dancing around and singing to the song, Beth laughing and playing and singing with them. When she and Daryl had run off and gotten married and everyone in the town found out, Lori hadn't believed it at first. She thought it was just a silly rumor that had been started for no reason whatsoever and held no truth.

But then, Beth came into the daycare center after the weekend and Lori saw the simple band on her left ring finger and the flush of her cheeks and the bright of her smile and just like that, Lori knew that it was true. Beth Greene had went and gotten herself married to Daryl Dixon.

And all Lori wanted to do was pull her aside and ask her what the hell she was thinking. Daryl was a Dixon and Dixons had a certain reputation in their town. And it wasn't a good one – at all. They were violent rednecks, criminals, drug dealers. They were trash, pure and simple, and now, Beth had gone and married one of them? What was she doing? Did she have any idea what she had done?

Each day that Beth showed up at the daycare center, Lori admitted to studying her carefully, looking for makeup hiding the bruises she was surely sporting. She admitted to not knowing that much about Daryl Dixon at all, he seemed to be the quieter one of the Dixon brothers, but he was a Dixon. What did she really have to know about him?

But Beth smiled as she always did and sang her songs and she never showed up to work with red eyes or a limp as if she had been beaten the night before. Lori admitted – reluctantly – that a couple of months later, Beth still seemed so happy. She almost reminded Lori of herself when she had first married Rick and was still in that wedded bliss where everything was perfect and wonderful. Lori wondered how long that would last for Beth. Would it still last past the first slap?

Lori looked out the window again to Daryl. Parents were beginning to pick up their kids and he remained sitting there, waiting, not looking impatient or angry. His face looked rather blank. He wore dirty jeans with holes in them, a sleeveless flannel shirt and a leather vest with angel wings on the back. He was usually dirty from his job, oil stains on his hands and sometimes his face.

She looked back to Beth. She wore a floral dress and cowboy boots and a yellow cardigan. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she was so pale and clean – Daryl Dixon's polar opposite.

Once the last kid had been picked up and Beth helped Lori clean up, it was twenty after five. Beth took her bag and slung it over her chest, giving Lori a smile.

"I'll see you Monday, Lori," Beth said, heading towards the door.

"You have a good weekend, honey," Lori said. "And you call me if you need anything."

Beth didn't say anything to that but she knew what Lori meant and she sighed softly to herself. She nodded slightly and gave another small smile before leaving the room.

Lori watched her through the window as Beth hurried to the motorcycle, Daryl watching her come. She said something and he shook his head. She bent down then at the waist and met his lips with hers in a short kiss before climbing onto the motorcycle behind him, her arms sliding around his middle. He said something to her from over his shoulder and she shook her head now, smiling, and Lori saw Daryl's hand touch Beth's arm, a light touch, dirty fingers lingering on porcelain skin, and then he started the bike and took off with a roar, disappearing down the street, heading towards their home in the woods.

Lori closed up the daycare center for the weekend and tried not to have her mind linger on Beth Greene. She picked up a pizza for dinner and she and Carl ate as Rick came in later from his shift, tired and quiet.

"Everything alright?" Lori asked later as they cleaned up the kitchen.

Rick nodded but didn't say anything else. "How was your day?" He asked.

Lori sighed heavily as if she had been waiting for him to ask her that. "I'm worried about Beth," she said, turning and leaning back against the sink, arms crossed over her chest.

Rick looked to her, his face neutral but his eyes revealing his alarm. "Why? Did something happen?"

"No…" Lori shook her head. "She's so happy," she then said.

Rick nodded and finished loading the dishes into the dishwasher. "Yeah…" he said slowly as if he didn't want to admit that, either.

They didn't talk further about it and the weekend was busy with the usual – running errands and going to Carl's soccer game. When Monday came around again, Lori was already in the center when she heard the roar of the motorcycle. She looked out the window and saw Beth already climbing off the bike before Daryl could even bring it to a complete stop at the curb. Lori took one look at the young woman and saw that Beth was furious. Lori recognized the look.

She began to storm away but Daryl cut off the bike and climbed off. "Beth!" He called her name and then taking a few steps towards her, he reached out and snatched her arm, stopping her.

Lori bristled at the sight and prepared herself to go out there and tell him to take his hand off of her but he removed his hand as soon as Beth spun around towards him. He didn't say anything and Lori watched as Beth seemed to be the one doing all of the talking, her hands in animated movement. Daryl shook his head at something she was saying and Lori's eyes widened as Beth reached up and pushed him in the chest. He moved back a step but didn't say anything and didn't do anything to stop her. Beth Greene had just put her hands on a Dixon and there was no retaliation.

Beth lifted her hands to her face, wiping her cheeks, and Lori knew she was probably crying now though she was facing away, her back turned towards the center and she couldn't see Beth's face. She could only assume.

Daryl stared at her for a moment and then he stepped towards her again, his hand lifting. Lori tensed but then she saw Daryl simply touch her cheek, saying something and then nodding at something Beth said in response. He then took another step closer and his lips brushed across Beth's forehead before he dropped his head, eyes lowering to the ground.

Beth took one of his hand in both of hers and began pulling him forward, towards the building. Lori stood there, frozen, her eyes slightly wide as Beth pulled Daryl straight into the center, into the main hallway where Lori stood in front of the front office. Her smile was big and bright, happy again, the tears completely gone from her eyes, and she smiled at Lori before looking back at Daryl, watching him slowly come up to stand behind her. He glanced to Lori and then looked down again almost as if he was too shy to meet her eyes.

"Lori," Beth said, her smile never fading. "I'd like you to meet my husband, Daryl Dixon."


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