A/N: This was turning into a super long chapter so I decided to split it into two smaller parts. The second half should be up before too long, just need to finish it! Thanks for reading!


Daryl watched as his brake job pulled away from the garage, taking a drink of water in the cool office. Dale eyed him for a moment before suggesting, "You know if you don't have any appointments and your bay is clean you can go. One of the others can handle any walk ins and I know you're dying to get that cabin of yours finished."

Daryl lifted a shoulder and took another drink of water as he responded, "I'm on for eight hours. Ain't gonna cut out early on my shift." His eyes shifted from the empty parking lot and focused on his boss as he added dryly, "Unless you don't wanna pay me."

Dale let out a laugh, his dark brown eyes going from serious to sparkling with mirth. "You got me," He conceded, clapping Daryl on the shoulder as he passed him on his way to the back office, "I'm just being cheap."

Daryl snorted in response and returned to watching the parking lot, hoping someone would show up. It was an unusually slow day and his one appointment was already out the door, leaving his afternoon wide open. Despite his banter with Dale he didn't want to leave and Dale didn't want him to feel like he should. Daryl wanted to work as long as his shift required, longer if they were busy, and Dale seemed to understand Daryl's need to keep his word above anything else.

Daryl was about to go tidy his bay again, clean what was already clean and maybe see if one of the other mechanics needed help, when a small hatchback pulled up in front of the garage. Daryl stood up from where he was leaning against the counter and called to Dale, "I got this one."

"Yep," Dale agreed from his office, not lifting his eyes from the newspaper spread out before him.

Daryl walked outside, waving the car towards his bay. He waited for the driver to turn it off and step out of the car, squinting a little in the bright sun. His eyes registered a halo of blonde before the person asked somewhat incredulously, "Daryl?"

He lifted a hand to shade his eyes and blinked. Of course. "Beth," He responded stupidly.

She smiled at him, removing black sunglasses and hoisting a slouchy purse onto her shoulder, "Hey, I thought that was you! I didn't know you worked here."

"Yeah, couple months now," Daryl replied, still taking her in as she stood in the sunshine, reflecting it like it was a part of her, something that she took within herself and then spread out into the world. He cleared his throat, trying to shake himself out of the stupor he found himself in, and added, "Used to work a few towns over but wanted somethin' closer."

"Well, Dale's is the best. My family has been bringing our cars here for years," Beth continued conversationally.

"Yeah, it's a decent shop," Daryl agreed, shifting in place before asking, "What's goin' on with your ride?"

Beth turned towards her car as if she'd forgotten why she was there then answered with a small laugh, "Oh, sorry! Oil change."

Daryl nodded and flicked his wrist towards it in what he hoped was a casually confident way and stated, "Shouldn't take too long, if you wanna wait inside."

"Oh, okay," She agreed, quickly darting towards the side door that lead into the air conditioned office.

Off-handedly and almost without meaning to, he called out to her, "Or ya can wait out here if ya want, won't bother me none." When she spun around to peer back at him with her eyebrows raised in a hopeful expression he tacked on, "Up to you, do what ya want."

"Okay," She replied, taking a step closer, away from the office and towards him, a small hand reaching up to brush a loose strand of pale hair behind one ear. She glanced around, no doubt taking note of the other mechanics who were currently studiously attending to their own work, and declared, "I'll stay out here then, if you're sure you don't mind. It's such a nice day."

Daryl lifted a shoulder to shrug, not sure why he'd offered but not regretting it one bit. He liked listening to her talk and something about her was just easy, comforting almost. She rolled her eyes at his nonchalance and he turned away before she could see his smile in response, heading for his bench. She sat on one of the worn, old chairs that were scattered about the garage and pulled a phone from her enormous purse. She seemed to be texting and he went about the oil change, a little confused and equally amazed that he didn't feel uncomfortable about her sitting there, watching him work.

A radio played through the speakers in the garage and after a while he noticed she was singing and humming quietly along to almost every song. He listened to her for a while, liking the clean, pure tone of her voice in his ears, before he casually noted, "There a song ya don't know?"

"Oh, sorry!" She quickly apologized, looking up from her phone with a worried smile. "I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time."

"Don't mind none," Daryl reassured her, wishing he'd kept his damn mouth shut. After a moment of awkward silence he tacked on, "Ya got a good voice. I like it." He felt his ears go warm and he quickly ducked down to disappear under the car, hearing a light laugh behind him.

"Thanks, Daryl," Beth responded with genuine gratitude, her voice finding him even beneath the car. She kept singing, voice still soft but he could hear it and again his damn lips betrayed him with a smile.

He finished up the oil change in what felt like record time and he almost considered stalling a little, maybe finding something else to fix on the car, but he knew that wouldn't be right so he finally stood up and stated, "All done."

Beth looked up, stopping her humming mid-verse, and asked with surprise, "Really?"

Daryl shrugged a shoulder, "Wasn't a hard job. Could do oil changes in my sleep." He wanted to slap himself hard, realizing he was bragging a little and hoped Beth didn't notice.

"Okay, well, let me run inside and pay so I can get out of your way. I'm sure you have others customers…" She replied, turning to gather her purse and put the chair back.

"Nah, been slow today," Daryl corrected, reaching a hand back to scratch his neck anxiously. He didn't want her to go but he didn't have a good reason to make her stay. He watched as she disappeared inside and turned to quickly clean up any grease smudges he might have made on the paint of her car.

"You should take her to lunch, man," T suggested from the other side of the garage, his smile wide.

"Yeah, she likes you," Zach observed, "She chose to stay out here rather than sit inside and she sure smiles a lot at you."

"That's just her," Daryl defended absently, wondering if that were really true or if she did smile at him a lot more than she did other people.

"No girl smiles that much unless she has a reason to," T observed wisely, his eyebrows raised knowingly.

Daryl shifted uncomfortably, wondering if they were right. Zach started to work his way over, taking his gloves off, and declared, "Well if you aren't going to ask her, I will."

Daryl raised a hand and flicked it at his co-worker, growling, "Get the hell back to your station, man."

Zach raised his hands in surrender, eyebrows raised in an I-told-you-so manner, and T laughed loudly as he called, "You ain't gonna ask her but you won't let anyone else either. You can't tell me you're not interested!"

Beth pushed through the office door, silencing the other mechanics, and approached with another bright smile, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she stated, "Dale told me to tell you to take me to lunch." She laughed nervously and tacked on, "You don't have to, I just promised to pass on his message."

Daryl blinked at her, realizing the longer he stayed silent the more uncomfortable she got, before finally blurting, "Yeah, alright." He glanced down at his hands covered in grease and oil and added, "Lemme wash up first."

"Okay," Beth replied, her confidence back as she blasted him with another thousand watt smile.

When he stepped into the office, heading for the small bathroom, Dale called from his office, "Beth tell you what I said?"

"Yeah, gonna take her to lunch," Daryl replied with a small grumble. He wished he'd had enough guts to ask her himself without his boss and half the garage getting involved but found he couldn't be too mad at any of them if the end result was more time with Beth.

"Good!" Dale approved, still calling from where he sat at his desk with the daily newspaper still spread out before him. "Take her to the diner, she'll like that I think."

Daryl grumbled to himself as he washed up then headed back out, jerking his head towards the door as Beth approached, "Wanna walk? The diner ain't far, they have decent food."

"Okay, sure," Beth agreed, as they headed for the door, soon falling into step beside him as they headed down the sidewalk.