A/N You guys are all just so gosh darn swell! Thanks so much for reading, following, faving and especially commenting. Lots going on this chapter, so put some peanuts in your coke, and let's get to it!

He opened the garage door and there was his pride and joy. He'd spent three years restoring that classic 1935 Chevy pick-up to original condition. Oh man it was cherry. He couldn't wait to take his favorite Bobby Soxer for a ride.

Once a month he got in the little pick up and drove the two hours to visit Merle in prison. Today was the day. Sundays were visiting day.

That shit for brains brother of his had gotten himself caught with lid of Mary Jane. And now Merle had six months in of serving a one year sentence. He didn't get why his brother couldn't give up shit like that. Dope was a bad scene.

But it seemed Merle just couldn't quit. And for some reason, he never seemed to mind going to prison for a year or two.

Of course Merle never had to worry about other inmates giving him grief, he probably got more respect on the inside than the outside. Merle was an ornery son of a bitch. No one much cared to start trouble with him.

Merle was Merle and he and Daryl were very different, but in their own strange way, they were also very close. There was a 12 year age gap, and they'd spent long stretches of time separated, but they always picked back up like they'd never been apart.

Maybe it was because they were the only family they had, and they shared a past that proved to them both they were survivors.

And that's why he made sure to make the drive and see his brother at least once a month.

But shit, he hadn't been able to get that little cream puff off his mind all night long.

He kept thinking about how sad she looked at the church with her Mama and sister. Thinking about how her Mama seemed to be yelling at her about punishment.

Then he'd think about how pretty she looked.

Mostly he was thinking about how good it felt to kiss her and hug her.


He only had a vague memory of ever having been in a church. He remembered being just a little tyke and Mama taking him and Merle to church on Easter Sunday. Daddy all drunked up and already passed out in his chair. Or maybe he was still passed out from the night before. Daryl never was sure which.

He thought maybe he could just sneak in that vestibule area after the service started. He could watch her sing one, then get on the road to see Merle. No one would ever know.

Except just maybe he could catch her eye.


She didn't want to go, but she knew she wasn't getting out of going to church. Mama would kill her for sure if she even tried. So she moved her breakfast around on her plate, cleared the dishes, and got herself ready.

Her family always had to be the first ones to arrive. Gee whiz they were so weird it was embarrassing.

And she could just swear Mama was trying to make her life even more miserable. She was bugging her about her skirt, about her hair, about her shoes needing to be polished. Golly, she was going to be wearing that gosh darn choir robe anyway, did any of that jazz even matter?

No. Mama just hated her and was trying to be sure that her life was completely ruined, over for good.

Maggie was kind of starting to feel sorry for her. Mama was on some kind of rampage and Daddy was just keeping quiet. He was probably relieved Mama wasn't giving him the business about something.

Last time Shawn was home from college the siblings had whispered about how crazy Mama was acting lately. They decided it was that change of life stuff and they all just shuddered.

And Maggie was thinking most about how she could hardly wait to get a load of Beth's diary. She was dying to know just who this teenage heartthrob was that had managed to get her sister in so much trouble.


He held back until he saw everyone had gone inside and the church bell started to ring. Then he slipped in and leaned against the doorway there in the vestibule. Trying hard to make himself invisible.

The choir was standing up in the front and he spotted her right off. Prettiest girl in the place.

He'd heard most of those church songs on the radio. Every Sunday that's all any radio station would play until noon. Then you could finally hear some good stuff.

The choir was singing Go Tell it On the Mountain and she looked like an angel up there in her white robe, just singing her little heart out.

She spotted him, they locked eyes and she smiled that pretty smile. It was like she was singing just for him.

Yeah, damn, it had been worth it to stop. He nodded his head, giving her a little smile back.

But something about her looked kind of sad. He didn't get what that could be.


Maggie saw her sister staring and smiling that nice warm smile, and she turned around to see just who that smile was for. And she saw that Biker guy, oh my golly! It was that criminal Merle Dixon's brother. And gosh almighty, this guy was no teenager, he was a MAN. She was sure he was even older than her, he'd already graduated high school by the time she started.

And he was probably a hoodlum like his brother.

What the heck was her little sister doing hanging out with him? Oh they were going to be having a serious discussion. She couldn't wait to get her hands on that diary!

They changed into their dungarees right after church. Beth went to work in the horse stalls and Maggie went to work in Beth's bedroom.

It didn't take long, it was right where she thought it would be, right under Beth's pillow. She lay back on her sister's bed and started to read it. And she was more than a little shocked. Mostly because it all sounded so gosh darn innocent.

She had expected to read about how he'd just swooped right in and ravaged her little sister, like in one of those romance novels. Like Beth was overcome with some kind of uncontrollable lust for a dark and dangerous pirate, then that whole burning loins stuff happened, like they always liked to put in those books. Sure, she'd read a few.

But no, he hadn't even kissed her until yesterday afternoon. The way it read it sounded like he was almost as shy as Beth. Hmmmm

Well maybe he was just one of those smooth guys, biding his time. Getting her to feel comfortable around him, and then he'd make his play. Probably leave her pregnant and alone. Oh geez louise, Mama would really come unglued then!

Well she'd be getting to the bottom of this.


He'd slipped out after the first song, giving her a quick little wave.

He was in his truck and on his way to see his brother, but his mind was on his favorite Bobby Soxer.

He didn't know how the fuck Merle did it, but dammit he could read him like a book. "Why Little Brother what the hell's the matter kid? Ya look like yer kinda happy. That ain't like my Baby Brother at all. Ya gettin' some regular nookie?" And he laughed that loud guttural laugh that was uniquely Merle.

"You best shut the hell up. Ain't gettin' none." Daryl was looking down, kind of squirming and nervous.

"Well I'll be dipped in shit an rolled in cornflakes Little Brother's got hisself a ball n chain!" And Merle's laughing got louder.

"If ya don't get off my back I'ma just split. Ya been workin' out or sumthin'? Yer all muscled up."

"Don't try ta change the subject Daryl, ya got ya a gal, I can tell. Now ya ain't bein' a fool are ya? Didn't meet up with one a them good girl chicks did ya? One who's gonna want ya ta tow the line, buy her a ring and set up housekeepin'. Fuck kid, tell me ya didn't do that."

"Merle yer a simple minded piece a shit. Ya best just lay off."

"Ah don't get yer titties in a twist Darylena. Ya gotta let me have a little fun sometimes. An speakin' a gals n fun, ya know that big ol' brunette, Cassandra, she been hangin' around Dirty's much?"

"Nah I ain't seen her since the last time I seen y'all with yer tongue down her throat. Why ya care?"

"That's what she told me, just seein' if it was the truth."

"Whaddya mean she told ya, how, when?"

"She's been comin' round on Sundays payin' ol Merle a visit. We was gettin' kinda close 'fore the heat caught me with the M."

"Well damn Merle, never thought you'd get ya a steady chick. She must have a high tolerance for bullshit." Daryl rarely laughed out loud, but this situation demanded it. He was kinda glad he came.

"Ah calm down Little Brother. Did ya bring me commissary money? I'm needin' ta buy some smokes, trade 'em for some good shit."

"Yeah I deposited a twenty spot when I got here, but Brother, can't ya just give that shit up?"

"Ain't talkin' 'bout that kid, I'm talkin' good stuff they don't sell here, cherry Kool-Aid and Twinkies. Shit like that. I love that sugared up stuff when I'm tryin' ta stay clean."


She was cleaning the stalls but her mind wasn't there, her mind was on the Biker. She'd tried to think about other things, but nothing else seemed to matter. Just Daryl.

Oh my gosh, it was just so sweet, he'd come to church just to see her. Golly he looked handsome leaning there against the doorjamb. She'd wanted to run to him, put her arms around him and kiss him.

Gee whiz could you just imagine that? Mama would really have a conniption fit!

She just wanted to be with him so bad. She wanted to go out with him. If she wasn't such a big chicken she would have told him 'yes' when he offered to speak to Daddy. But she was afraid if her folks saw Daryl, and they knew how much she cared about him, they'd lock her up forever.

She'd barely gotten in the back door when Maggie grabbed her arm and yelled, "Mama me and Bethie are going to the peach orchard, just for a walk. I need some fresh air. We'll be back in less than an hour."

She had no idea what her sister was up to. "Maggie I'm tired, I don't want to go for a walk. I just want to go to my room."

In a loud angry whisper Maggie dealt the blow, "And just why is that sweet, innocent little Bethie Greene? So you can tell your diary about Daryl Dixon?"

And it felt like her heart was up in her throat. "Maggie how could you?! You pinkie swore! That's so mean and you're a terrible person!" She started to cry and Maggie felt kind of bad.

They were well into the orchard now, Maggie half dragging her, "You've been getting in trouble all week Beth. Mama's lost her dang mind, and she's making everyone's life miserable. I had to find out who this boy was.

But holy gosh almighty are you nuts? Daryl Dixon must be 25 years old! He's a man, and probably a hoodlum, and you're just a kid!"

"He's 26 and he's not a hoodlum he's a mechanic, and a veteran and a very nice man. And he treats me like an adult. Everyone seems to forget I am an adult. I like being treated like one. I'm not a kid Maggie!"

"I know you're 18, so sure, legally you might be an adult, but well it's just that you're so innocent about guys. About a lot of stuff. And a lot of guys are just out for one thing, and that thing isn't love. Older guys like him, well they just expect a girl to want to, they expect certain sex things. Beth, what if he just wants to get in your pants?!"

"Maggie Greene that's a disgusting thing to say! Why are you being so mean to me? Isn't it enough that Mama has ruined my life, that she hates me? And now I can't even see him at all. He probably won't put up with this. He'll probably just find some woman whose Mama isn't so mean and heartless."

"Now Beth you know you don't mean that. Mama's just going through a time, and I think you've shocked her and hurt her feelings. She expects you to do what you're supposed to do, do what you say you're going to do. You've always been the good one, the perfect one. She doesn't set quite that high a standard for me and Shawn. And besides, you know what Mama has always said, 'My house, my rules.'

You really frosted her yesterday when you didn't show up to help make the treats. If you're going to be sneaking around, you need to get a lot better at it. Beth, if this Daryl Dixon Biker character really cares about you he's going to be willing to wait for a couple of weeks. IF he really cares about you and not just about getting in your pants.

Gosh, I go back to school in just over two weeks, it's not like it won't be until the turn of the century or something. Try to be patient, and whatever you do, play it cool. Don't let Mama down again, don't backtalk and don't give her any more reasons to punish you."

xxxx

He was keeping an eye out, waiting to see her walk up the street. But she didn't and he was getting kind of worried about her. And then her Mama's sedan pulled up in front of Ripley's, her sister was driving, Beth got out and went straight into the drugstore, didn't even look his way. But that sister of hers did. She was definitely giving him the hard eye.

He was anxious to have a chance to talk to her at lunch, find out what the fuck was the matter. Shit, had they been found out? Seemed like it.

She had wanted to look over at him, wave good morning, but she was afraid she'd start to cry. She had the note, well it was really more of a letter, in her apron pocket. She planned to give it to him as soon as he came in.

He practically ran across the street at lunch time and got right on his regular stool. She came his way, "Hey Beth, ya okay?"

He saw tears in her eyes as she slid the note over to him and hurried away. He opened it and read what she'd written about the punishment. He wasn't happy, but he kind of got why her Mama was ticked. He didn't even know she was supposed to have gone home long before she did.

He got to the part that said she'd understand if he didn't want to see her anymore, that she knew it was a lot of trouble. She wrote that he'd probably be happier dating someone who was older and didn't have to put up with a bunch of rules. Didn't have to sneak around.

She'd signed it "Love, Beth" and there were little hearts and stuff.

And he was wondering what the fuck she was thinking. Couldn't she tell he was nuts about her? Crap, didn't he kiss her like he was? Did she think he was such an asshole he'd just bug out on her because it got a little complicated? And he was starting to get pissed off at her.

Then she came over to him with a vanilla coke and she had those big, pretty tear-filled eyes, and well, he forgot he was mad. When she set the coke in front of him he gave her hand a squeeze and he looked her in the eye and softly said, "We'll figure it out Cream Puff, I ain't givin' you up."

She felt so much better all afternoon, until about 10 minutes before her shift ended, that's when she saw Maggie over at Dirty's, and oh holy gee willikers, she was talking to Daryl!

"Alright Daryl Dixon, just what's going on with you and my little sister?"

He was nervous, but he wasn't backing down, "Ain't nuthin' goin' on 'cept I like her an she likes me."

"Don't you think you're kind of old for her?"

"Yep, I do, but that don't stop me from likin' her an she said she don't care." And he shrugged cuz, shit, it seemed to him it was that simple.

"Are you sure you're not just interested in trying to seduce her? Put another notch on your bedpost?"

Well that just plain pissed him off, and he raised his voice, "Don't ya be accusin' me a shit like that with her! I ain't that kinda guy an she damn sure ain't some easy target! Ya oughta be ashamed a yerself for even sayin' it!"

And damn if Maggie Greene didn't smile then. "Go get in my car, she'll be coming out in a minute, but just so you know, the car doesn't go anywhere, and I'll be in the drugstore keeping an eye on you."

She walked in Ripley's just as Beth's shift ended, "He's waiting for you in the car, you've got 20 minutes while I have a cherry coke."

Then Maggie walked to the pay phone to call Mama and let her know she'd decided to have a quick coke and look at the nail polish, then she and Beth would be home.

Beth ran to the car, he was waiting in the back seat, and the Biker and the Bobby Soxer just wrapped each other up and held on tight.

A/N Well now just maybe our couple have found a co conspirator. Thanks so much for reading, please leave a comment / review! xo