Special thanks to those who reviewed, especially lola0812, DarylDixon'sLover, and Guest. I plan on giving special shoutouts at the beginning of my chapters, because you all make my FF experience so much better :)
Bethyl Song Rec: Angels -The xx
He had never seen Beth Greene with her hair tossed freely around her shoulders, untamed and released from her signature tie. Curls fell loosely down her exposed back, just enough hidden to stay modest. A pressed and prim sundress covered much of her body, leaving long, slender legs in view. She was a completely different sight; an all too familiar figure leaning against the Rhee/Greene house, though her eyes stayed foreign. A blank gaze watched children run around her, and she was in her own world. She was a stranger before him, yet it brought comfort to the lone Dixon standing in his doorway.
She deserved to be blood free and without a knife attached to her hip. She deserved the convenience of the walls surrounding them more than anyone he could think of, and if that was all he had to keep him content in life, he could die a happy man.
Beth glanced at Daryl with a soft smile thrown his way. He had been caught staring, but instead of the awkward feeling that usual crept up on him when he was under her scrutiny, a warm ache pressed into his chest instead. She did this to him every once in awhile; sometimes he thought she remembered him for a brief moment, but when she'd look away he knew he was kidding himself.
The bullet was close, Morgan had mentioned sometime before.
"She was barely holding on. Tough girl right there."
Indeed, she was tough, she had made it this far, even without her memories, she had made it. So when she'd look his way, that special way she would, he'd nod in acknowledgment and keep his gaze straight. Maybe one day, one day she'd look into his eyes and something would click. He kept that tiny piece of hope in the back of his mind because she put it there, instilling it into his brain long months ago.
"Beautiful gal, ain't she, lil brother?" Daryl could hear the tenderness in Merle's voice, though he knew it was his own mind softening his brother's attitude towards Beth, "It's a damn shame she can't remember."
He wanted for that so bad. Sometimes the nights would be so lonely with her not by his side, laying in bed with him just like before. And what made things worse was the fact that she wasn't feeling the same loneliness as him, because she didn't have those memories they both shared back at the funeral home. They were only his now, and that's all it could ever be.
What snapped him out of his wandering mind was the fast flutter of fingers in front of his eyes.
"Thought I'd have to shake you outta that stare," Beth's thin smile warmed his ears, making it hard not to touch her. His fingers fidgeted at his sides as he shrugged her comment off, "I asked you 'bout two times, would you like to take a walk with the kids and I?"
He watched the way she fingered the pocket of her dress, curling her hand inwards and shoving them into the thin fabric the moment they caught his eye. He nodded, making her smile even more.
"Good, they've been pretty hard to deal with all by myself." He followed the young blonde, watching the way toddlers alike grabbed and hugged her legs. No matter the memories lost, Beth Greene had a knack for children.
"Y'never wore your hair down," He mumbled. For a second he swore she hadn't heard, but slowly she shook her head, taking in the new information.
"I don't really know what I was like before," Beth watched the kids run ahead of her. They had arrived at their destination, a beautiful park in the middle of the Safe Zone. Daryl made his way to a nearby picnic table, inviting her to his side without saying a word. She sighed, taking in the warm sun on her exposed arms and legs, "Could you tell me?"
Daryl's face fell. Bangs hid his eyes. He knew how she was before the bullet had ruined her mind and memories. He couldn't forget the way she braided a single strand of hair while redoing her pony tail from a short night's sleep. How could he forget the way she'd carry his crossbow, so huge in her small grasp. He could never forget the way her fingers pressed the keys of the old piano he swore could've been her own, playing melodies that matched the perfect pitch coming from her own mouth. There were so many things he could've told her about who she was; he had watched her grow from the suicidal teenage girl to the survivor, the woman he had fallen for.
"I hope someday you'll remember on your own," He bit the inside of his cheek, "You changed."
"In a good way, at least?"
"Yeah, in a good way. You're tough, that's never changed." He attempted a smile, and Beth couldn't help but blush at the man's words. She wished so bad she could remember the times with him.
She wasn't blind to the way he'd look at her, even when she busied herself and pretended not to notice. He was always in walking distance of her, and that was comforting. His broad stance and menacing glare did nothing to her, but to others, he was not one to mess with. And from what she saw, he treated her with nothing but respect before, and after she had lost her memory.
"Did you help me toughen up?" She nudged his arm, making him laugh.
"Yeah, but you did a lot of that y'self." She looked up at him with those big blue eyes and he swore she could've remembered all the times they had together. Instead of questioning what she could recall or not, he enjoyed the moment with her, enjoyed the children playing, enjoyed how normal everything felt, despite never having a normal moment in over four years.
A/N: A short update, but I felt like writing again, so I'll most likely do updates like this every day or two :) I enjoy the little drabbles of Beth and Daryl and I want to explore their relationship as if it were rebuilt. And who knows, maybe Beth will remember sometime in the future *wink wink*
