And here's chapter two! Hope you enjoy!


Daryl Dixon stepped off the streetcar and began walking along the downtown street in Atlanta. It was a little before 10 in the morning, and the lingering effects of a hangover were still bothering him. After his altercation on behalf of the beautiful blonde singer at the bar last night, he had fled the scene and sought refuge at the home of an acquaintance, Tommy, whom he had met through his older brother Merle years before. Tommy and Merle had been good friends for years, and though he and Daryl weren't close, the older man had still welcomed Daryl when he had turned up on his doorstep the night before. The two men drank more than they should have, reminiscing about old times, before passing out late into the evening. Daryl had awoken with a headache and a mouth that felt like sandpaper, and he quickly said his goodbyes to Tommy before going on his way. After making a quick stop to clean up at the dingy motel room he was currently renting, he decided to wander around Atlanta until he found something to entertain himself with for the day.

Daryl had finished his basic training at Fort Benning only two days prior. He was given a little over a week's leave before he would be shipped overseas, and Daryl had spontaneously decided to take a bus to Atlanta to see a few old friends before his deployment. Merle had been fighting in the central Pacific for almost a year and was now a sergeant, and Daryl had found himself somewhat lost without his older brother. It hadn't taken him long to decide to join up with the Army Ground Forces, and he was now just a lowly private who would be risking his life for his country. Still, it beat wandering around aimlessly with no real job or friends, and it actually felt good to be doing something considered honorable. He was much older than most of the recruits he had trained with, and for that reason, he hadn't really bonded with any of them. But that suited Daryl just fine. He never was much of a social person.

Daryl kept his head down as he walked at a brisk pace. It was a beautiful morning, though already quite hot, and many people seemed to be out and about downtown. He kept his eyes peeled for a restaurant of sorts where he could grab some breakfast. After walking a few blocks, he came across a small café with a patio outside. It seemed as good of a place as any, and he started toward it. Suddenly a glint of blonde hair caught his eye, and he realized with a start that the singer from the night before was sitting at a table on the patio. She had a coffee in front of her and a book in her hands, and she appeared to be alone. Daryl froze, debating whether he should try to slip past her unnoticed. He couldn't explain why, but the blonde made him nervous, even though he hadn't even spoken to her the night before.

Luck wasn't on his side, however. Just when Daryl was about to turn around and head back the direction he'd come, the woman looked up, and her eyes immediately found his. They widened a little in recognition. Daryl realized he was standing there idly on the sidewalk looking like an idiot, and he flashed her an awkward smile and attempted to start walking away.

"Hey, wait!" her clear voice called out to him.

Daryl sighed and paused, turning to see her putting her book on her table and hurrying over to him.

"You're the man who defended me last night!" she smiled as she reached him. Daryl gave her a single nod, but said nothing. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for what you did."

He shrugged. "Weren't nothin'."

The blonde's smile widened and she shook her head. "No, it most certainly was something. One of the girls I work with said she'd seen that guy harassing young women a few nights ago. He needed someone to put him in his place."

Daryl shrugged again. "Guess so."

She nodded and studied him for a moment, the smile still playing across her lips. "You ran off so quick last night that I didn't get a chance to thank you or introduce myself. I'm Beth Greene."

She held out her hand to shake, and Daryl took it, noticing how soft and small her hand was in his own.

"Daryl Dixon."

"Daryl Dixon," she repeated. "It has a nice ring to it."

He snorted a little, but couldn't help that he enjoyed the way his name sounded when she said it. She took a deep breath and her cheeks flushed a bit.

"Would you want to have some breakfast with me?" she asked, her words coming out in a bit of a rush. "I've got a table just over there and I haven't ordered any food yet. I'd love to buy you breakfast to thank you for defending me last night."

Daryl frowned, wondering if she was serious. Women never wanted to spend time with him, and he found himself growing suspicious that she was messing with him. He must have stayed silent for too long, however, because Beth's face fell a little.

"Or just a coffee?" she offered again, her voice sounding hopeful.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Sure," he said gruffly. "I'll join you for breakfast. But you don't gotta buy me nothin'. I can pay my own way."

Palpable relief washed over Beth's face and she grinned happily.

"We'll see about that when the bill comes," she teased.

Daryl scoffed and followed her back to her table, wondering what he had gotten himself into. He wasn't sure what had prompted him to accept Beth's invitation; he had surprised himself by saying yes. He tried not to focus on how anxious Beth made him as he sat down next to her. He felt like he wasn't good enough to be sitting at the same table as such a pretty girl, and he was sure she wouldn't want anything to do with him after spending the duration of a meal with him. But for the time being, his soldier's uniform hid the true nature of his upbringing and lifestyle, and he thought that maybe he could be someone else for an afternoon, just to see what it felt like.

A waitress noticed that Beth had another guest at her table, and she approached with a second menu in hand. Daryl ordered a coffee and a water and scanned the menu, Beth doing the same. He kept trying to sneak glances at her as he looked at the menu. She was beautiful, and he couldn't believe she wanted him to have breakfast with her. He told himself that he was only sitting here because she felt obligated, not because she actually wanted him here. That had to be the truth.

Soon, both of them had ordered their food and were sitting in an awkward silence at the table. Daryl had no idea what to say to break the silence. He had literally zero experience when it came to these types of situations, and he was at a complete loss. When his coffee arrived, he busied himself with it, trying desperately to shake the tension. He was out of his element, and it showed.

"So you're an enlisted man," Beth finally said a few moments later. Daryl hummed and nodded. "When do you ship out?"

"A week from Monday."

"Where are they sending you?"

"Sicily."

Beth nodded, taking a sip of her own coffee. "My brother Shawn is in Germany. He has been for a while now."

"My brother's enlisted too," Daryl replied. "Merle's been in the central Pacific for 'bout a year. He fought in the Great War and now he's a sergeant."

Beth nodded again and was silent for a moment, her blue eyes studying him and making him feel small. She smiled a little, but the gesture did nothing to put Daryl at ease.

"It's good of you to fight," she said. "You're very brave."

Daryl scoffed. "I ain't leavin' anything worthwhile behind. Ain't got anything better to do."

She frowned a little. "Where are you from?"

"Middle of nowhere," he grunted. "North Georgia. In the mountains."

"What about your family? Are they still there?"

Daryl's expression darkened a little, and he avoided Beth's eyes. "Ma died when I was a kid. Dad's a piece of shit. Merle's all I got. And he's overseas, so joinin' up just seemed like the best thing to do."

Beth nodded, her blue eyes still studying him and making him want to squirm under her gaze.

"Well, regardless of why you signed up, it's still good that you did. I'd sign up myself if they'd let me."

Daryl arched an eyebrow. "You don't seem like the type to be good at combat. No offense."

"None taken," Beth grinned at him. "You're probably right. But I do what I can for the war effort. My sister Maggie and I work at the Bell Bomber plant."

Daryl was surprised. Beth didn't seem like a factory girl. At least not like most other factory girls he'd met.

"What do you do at Bell?"

"Maggie and I route and label electrical wires before they're installed in the planes. It's tedious work, but it beats some of the other assembly line jobs there. And the pay is a lot more decent than any other work a woman can do. It lets us live on our own. We have our own apartment in Marietta. It isn't much, but it's enough for us."

Daryl nodded, his respect growing for Beth. As young as she was, she was independent, and her desire to help the war effort was admirable.

"You grow up 'round here?" he asked.

"Sorta. On a farm outside Senoia. My daddy wasn't too keen on his two daughters working in a factory, but thankfully he came to his senses on that matter."

The food arrived then, and Beth and Daryl fell silent for a few minutes while they began eating. Once again, he found himself trying to sneak glances at Beth, and the back of his neck turned red when she looked up and caught him in the act. She blushed a little herself and looked back to her plate.

"Your singin' is really pretty," Daryl blurted out suddenly. Beth looked back up at him and flashed him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks. It was only my second performance though."

"Really? Well, you're a natural. Looked like you belonged up there onstage."

Beth beamed. "I'm glad you think so. I've always loved singing, but performing is new for me. I really enjoy it."

Daryl nodded in acknowledgment.

"What do you like to do for fun?" Beth asked.

"I hunt," Daryl shrugged. "I like bein' out in the woods where it's quiet. And there's somethin' about being able to put a meal on the table that you went out and killed yourself that I like. Makes me feel useful, I guess."

"Well, I dunno about the actual hunting part, but I also like being out in the woods. It's peaceful. My daddy's farm has lots of woods bordering the property, and I used to like going out there alone to clear my head."

Daryl nodded again, and the pair fell silent as they finished their breakfast. Daryl glanced at Beth and noticed her studying him again, and once again, he had to stop himself from squirming under her stare. Her expression was thoughtful, and she soon broke the silence.

"What are you doing tonight?"

Daryl narrowed his eyes a bit. "Nothin' planned. Why?"

"There's a carnival in Marietta tonight. I know it sounds kinda childish, but it could be fun. I was wondering if you'd want to go with me."

Daryl had to stop himself from openly gawking at her. He couldn't believe that she still wanted to spend more time with him. He certainly hadn't done anything to warrant her interest in him. He suddenly found himself questioning the intent behind her invitation. Was she just being polite? Or was the invitation something more?

"You mean like . . . like a date . . . or somethin'?" he choked out, mentally smacking himself for sounding like such a hopeful idiot.

"Yeah. Exactly like a date," Beth replied with a sly smile.

Daryl's heart thumped harder in his chest at her words. He had never been on a real date before, and certainly not with a woman as beautiful as Beth. His mouth felt dry, and he cleared his throat.

"Okay . . . on one condition."

She arched her eyebrows in response.

"You let me pay for breakfast."

Beth grinned helplessly, the relief and excitement plain on her face.

"You've got yourself a deal then," she smiled at him.


Thank you for reading! Please review! :)