"Daryl? What happened to you and who is this?" Spencer asked Daryl excited, while Beth and he came closer to the gates. "Stop questioning and open the gates man." Daryl answered him. The second they were inside, Daryl asked the younger man "Where is Rick, Maggie and all the other?" Looking confused between Beth and Daryl, Spencer finally answered "It's Wednesday, they are at the meeting right now, of course."
After muttering a quick 'thank you' to Spencer, Daryl leaded Beth into the direction of Rick's big house. The whole way Beth was looking around with big eyes and an opened mouth, while Daryl was still holding her shaking hand. "Are you excited sweetheart?" He asked her with a smile in his face too. Because Beth was probably just overloaded with the whole situation, she just nodded her head and looked up at Daryl with big, unbelievable eyes. "We are almost there." He said to her, while he stroked soothing the back of her hand with his thumb.
When they finally reached the porch of the big house, Daryl asked Beth "You ready sweetheart?" Quickly she nodded her head and whispered "I have waited for this moment for such a long time." Before Daryl opened the door, he kissed Beth lovingly on her forehead and whispered against her skin, that she should stay behind him.
Daryl was so damn excited and he could also feel Beth's shaking body behind him, when he stepped into the big living room, where their friends were sitting around the table. They were all just giving him an unbelievable look, till Rick finally stood up and said "Daryl. What.. What happened to you? Where were you?" Only then Daryl got it, that he was probably looking not one bit better, than any of the walkers outside.
He couldn't hide his smile any more, when he answered "I have found something." With that Daryl took one step to his right, so Beth wasn't hiding behind his body any more. With a fast beating heart Daryl watched Beth the whole time. Watched the tears glistening in her eyes, while she was looking at her beloved family, how her lips were trembling, while she was smiling happily against them.
They were all looking at the blond girl with big eyes and opened mouths, but finally Maggie found her voice and began to scream excited. With fast steps, she closed the space between her and her sister and hugged Beth as tight as never before. Daryl couldn't remember much about the next moments, because it was just too much for him to handle and everything happened so fast. Everyone finally stood up and got to their direction.
They were all hugging Beth and Daryl, were saying kind words to them or just watched the whole situation unbelievable. "Good job brother." Rick whispered into his ear, while he hugged Daryl. Only then Daryl noticed, that he was crying too, like all the other in the room. Even the one, who had never got the chance to get to know Beth. It was just a heartbreaking situation.
But Daryl knew, that he won't ever forget Beth's look, when she was hugging her sister, Rick, Glenn, Carl, Noah and all the other, after such a long time again. How her eyes were shining and her voice was broken every time she tried to say something. How the tears were running down her cheeks like little rivers, while Beth was holding little Judith in her arms.
After everyone had hugged Beth at least three times, her eyes were searching for Daryl's and the second they were looking at each other, new tears were building up in Beth's already red eyes. With a big momentum she threw her arms around Daryl's neck and cried tears of joy into the hem of his shirt. Holding her close to his body and stroking lovingly her shaking back, Daryl buried his nose into her golden locks and whispered "You are safe now sweetheart. Everything will be good. You made it."
Still hugging her, Daryl opened his eyes again and saw how Maggie was standing next to them a few feet away and she was looking at him, like he was poison. Daryl could tell it in her look, that she was thinking, that Beth and he were together now and she obviously didn't like that thought one bit. Maybe she was also afraid, that he had already told Beth, that her sister gave up on her since a long time.
After everyone had calmed down, they were all sitting around the big table. Carol made Beth and Daryl something to eat, when their family asked them about what had happened. Meeting Beth's eyes, Daryl knew, that she didn't want to talk about what had happened. Because Beth was looking nervously at her fingers on her lab, Daryl answered for both of them "Many things happened, but now we are here and that is what's important." Placing gently his big hand on top of her shaking ones, Daryl stroked the back of her hand with his thumb and whispered "It's okay sweetheart. You don't have to talk about it."
The two of them listening to the other's stories the whole time long, till Daryl said to Beth so only she could hear "I should take you to the doctor sweetheart, so she can take a look at you, to make sure you are alright." Beth was looking at Daryl with big eyes, probably because of the fact, that the doctor in Alexandria was female, in contrast to the doctor at Negan's place.
Without ever telling him, Daryl knew, that Beth never showed the doctor that part of her body, where Negan had burnt her so bad. She probably would have felt too uncomfortable then, but it was maybe different with a female doctor, at least Daryl hoped so, because he wanted, that Beth was healthy and didn't have any pain.
Finally Beth nodded and the two of them just wanted to stand up, when Maggie asked them, where they wanted to go. Daryl quickly answered her "I want to take Beth to Denise, so she can take a look at her." "I will come with you." Maggie quickly said, and Daryl got a little angry, because now Maggie was worried about her sister, but she wasn't one second worried, when Maggie was separated from Glenn.
Silently they went up the road to Denise's house, Maggie always one feet closer to Beth, than Daryl was, which made him even more angry. When the doctor finally opened the door, she was looking at Daryl like all the other had done before, and when Denise asked about what had happened, Daryl just answered "Can you examined Beth?"
Before Beth and Denise entered the doctor's room, Beth was looking over her shoulder to Daryl and he could see, that she was afraid and scared. Quickly he got closer to her and touched gently her upper arm. "It's okay sweetheart. Don't be afraid, she will help you. You will feel better after." With glassy eyes Beth was looking up at him and without thinking about it, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
After shoving her gently inside the room and closing the door behind them, Daryl could see Maggie's confused face, while she was looking at him from his head to his toes. Daryl already knew, what she was thinking, but he didn't care one bit about it. The whole time, while they were waiting for Beth, Maggie and Daryl didn't say one word. Each of them were sitting in one corner of the room, and Daryl could feel her eyes on his back, but again he didn't care about what she was thinking, he just wanted, that Beth was safe and healthy.
Finally the door opened again and Beth came out, her eyes still glassy and she was looking very tired. Daryl was quicklier next to Beth's side than Maggie was and asked "You okay sweetheart?" Slowly Beth nodded her head and told him "You should also let Denise look at your wounds Daryl." Suddenly Maggie said "Yeah, and I will bring you home Bethy." Before Beth could even say anything against it, her sister already guided her into the direction of the front door.
Daryl knew, that Beth was safe, but he was still worried about her, when she was looking with her big eyes over her shoulder into his direction, before Maggie closed the door behind them. With heavy steps he followed Denise into the doctor's room and let her take a look at his wounds, always making sure, that she won't see the scars on his back.
Finally Daryl said to her "You won't tell anybody about Beth's wounds right?" With big eyes Denise answered him "Of course not. But whoever did this to her, I hope he will go to hell." Half in his thoughts, Daryl answered "He already is."
It was almost dark, when Daryl entered Rick's house again. And of course the first thing he did was searching for Beth. He finally found her sitting with Maggie, Glenn, Carl, Rick, Michonne and Judith in the living room. Beth was wearing her sister's clothes and obviously she had taken a shower, because her golden locks were still wet at their tips.
After Daryl had made sure, that Beth was alright, she said to him "Maybe you should take a shower too Mr. Dixon. It feels pretty amazing and imagine that, there came warm water out of the shower head." Daryl smiled down at her, of course he knew that, Daryl was already living inside here before, but seeing Beth smiling was just priceless for him.
And yes, she was right. It felt damn good, feeling the warm water running down his head and back. Before he went to the bathroom, Daryl took himself some fresh clothes from the box in his own room. It felt so unfamiliar after everything what had happened. He had slept so many nights in this room, but it just didn't feel right now. It never felt right, if he was serious.
After Daryl was done with his shower, he went downstairs again and lowered himself next to Beth on the couch. She automatically leaned her head against his shoulder, and because of that Daryl earned a bad look from Maggie. They were still listening to their families stories, when Beth began to yaw and cuddled herself even deeper into the fabric of Daryl's shirt. "You tired sweetheart?" Daryl asked her, his lips close to her forehead.
Getting a nod from her as answer, Daryl just wanted to tell her, that he will sleep on the couch, so she could have his bed, when Maggie's voice broke their connection. "C'mon Bethy, there is a free bed in the room next to us. I will show it to you." Instantly Beth pressed her body closer to Daryl's, but when her sister stretched out her hand for her, Beth finally took it and the two women went upstairs.
Watching Beth the whole time, Daryl knew, that she was damn happy and glad to have her family back, but the whole situation was just too much for her to handle at the moment. He also knew, that she was traumatized after everything what had happened.
Before Daryl went to bed, he stopped in front of Beth's door and knocked carefully on it, like he had done so many times in their prison. After a few seconds she carefully opened the door and a smile was in her face, when she got it, that it was him. "Everything okay sweetheart?" Daryl asked her worried. "Yeah, I'm good. It's just, this all is.. so unreal." Touching carefully her upper arm, Daryl said "I know, for me too. But everything will be good sweetheart." Leaning closer to her, Daryl placed a quick kiss on her forehead.
"You should go to bed, let yourself have some rest sweetheart." Slowly Beth began to nod, but Daryl could see the panic in her eyes "I'm just at the end of the corridor if you need something." After Beth had whispered 'thank you' to him, Daryl let her alone and went to his own room.
He was probably already laying in his bed for over three hours, just looking at the cell, because he couldn't sleep, when Daryl heard light footsteps on the corridor. Even without seeing it, he already knew, who it was, when there was a shy knock against the wood of his door. Quickly he got up and opened the door, seeing a tired Beth with big, glassy eyes standing in front of him.
"Everything okay sweetheart?" Daryl whispered. With a small voice Beth answered him "Yeah, it's all good, but.. but.. I'm just afraid that, when I will close my eyes, that everything was just a dream and he.. he will come to me again and.." Because her voice was finally just a whimper any more, Daryl quickly took Beth in his arms and held her close to his chest.
"It's okay princess. Everything is good, you are safe. He can't hurt you any more. I'm here." Feeling her shaking back under his hands, Daryl asked her "If you want, you can sleep here and I will stay awake, so you will feel safe?" He was also damn tired, but he would do everything for Beth, everything.
She didn't give him an answer, but Daryl still took her in his arms, closed the door behind them and carried her over to his bed, because he knew, that Beth was just powerless after today. Protecting he placed the warm blanket over her tiny body and whispered "I will sit over there, if you need something." But before Daryl could go away, Beth took him by his wrist and asked with a shy voice "Daryl.. could you.. could lay with me?"
Daryl was shocked then, but only a little, because the two of them just got that close, while they were at Negan's place. Beth's look was so begging, that he just couldn't say no to her. Daryl never could. So he carefully lowered himself on the soft mattress next to her warm body. Automatically Daryl placed his arm around her and Beth cuddled herself into Daryl's side. Buring his nose into her golden locks, Daryl inhaled her scent and whispered "I got you sweetheart. Try to sleep a little." Making herself more comfortable, Beth said "Thank you so much for everything Daryl."
After minutes of stroking her tiny back, Daryl noticed how Beth's breathing got regular and she fell asleep in his arms. Only then he couldn't fight his own sleep any more and followed Beth into the world of dreams.
The next day Daryl woke up with Beth still in his arms. It was already late in the morning, but they both had needed their rest, after everything. Daryl stayed in bed and watched Beth the whole time sleeping in his arms, till she finally opened dreamily her beautiful angel eyes. "Good morning sweetheart." Daryl whispered to her, while she was stretching herself against his body.
Obviously Beth, didn't want to leave the warm bed yet, because she cuddled herself against Daryl's body again. "I haven't slept that good since years Daryl." She finally told him. He gave her a lovingly smile as answer and only then he remembered about the one question, he wanted to ask her since yesterday evening.
"What did Denise say sweetheart?" The second Daryl had ended this sentence, he could feel how Beth's body stiffened. But he just had to know, if she was okay or not. "She said, that the wounds aren't that bad. I will be fine." Beth finally answered him. Stroking with his thumb over her soft cheek, Daryl told her "Yeah, you will gonna be fine princess."
Finally the two of them decided to get out of the bed and when Daryl opened the door, of course Maggie was on the corridor too and caught them, when Beth and he went together out of his room. In that moment Maggie gave Daryl the worst look ever.
The weeks passed by and Daryl was every night sleeping on the couch in Beth's room, while she was sleeping in her bed. Even when Daryl loved it to have her soft body close to his, he also knew, that they just couldn't sleep every day in the same bed, so they decided it this way. Beth just needed him close during the nights and even when the couch wasn't one bit as comfortable as his own bed, he stayed by Beth's side the whole time.
Some nights Daryl had damn bad nightmares, about that Negan hurt Beth again or he even killed her, but his nightmares where nothing in the contrast to Beth's. Sometimes she woke up screaming and crying like he was really tortured her again. Always Daryl got up then and quickly crawled next to Beth's side and took her in his arms.
Sometimes it needed over one hour cradling her in his arms, till she calmed down again. These nights Daryl always stayed next to her in bed, making sure, that she could sleep peacefully, while he was watching her expression to make sure, that she didn't have any new nightmares.
During some nights Beth just whispered his name into the darkness of the room, because she wanted to make sure, that he was still there. Daryl would never leave her side, never. So he always whispered back her name, so Beth could fall asleep again. The two of them were always together, because they just needed each other close.
Like every morning Daryl waited, till Beth was up, so she didn't have to wake up alone and maybe get scared, and then he took a shower. Done with washing himself, Daryl got back to Beth to pick her up for breakfast, when he saw her sitting on the edge of her bed, still with her pyjama on.
Quickly Daryl got closer to Beth and sank on his knees in front of her. "Hey sweetheart. What's wrong?" He asked her worried. Her face was damn pale and Daryl could tell, that her hands were shaking. Finally she had enough power to answer him "Nothing. I.. I just don't feel that good today." "Can I do something for you? Should I take you something to drink?" Daryl asked her even more worried now.
Slowly Beth shook her head and said "Thank you Daryl, I just need some time." Getting it what she meant with that, Daryl watched her face one last time, before he stood up and said "I will be downstairs if you need something." With that Daryl left her and went downstairs to the other.
Normally Maggie was looking mad at him, because her sister was always close to him, but today she was looking confused, because Beth wasn't next to his side. "She just takes a shower." Daryl simply lied to her, so Maggie won't go upstairs to her little sister and annoy her with her many questions.
It took longer, than Daryl had expected, till Beth came downstairs with an even paler face than before. Everyone was already at their works, so it was just Daryl left sitting at the table in the kitchen. The second Beth entered the room her eyes widened, she covered her right hand above her mouth and nose and she quickly ran to the back door and out in the garden.
Not knowing what was going on, Daryl followed her, just to see, that she vomited next to the bushes. Carefully Daryl began to stroke her shaking back, while Beth spit one more time. When there was finally nothing left in her stomach, she almost fell into Daryl's arms.
"Shit. What the hell is wrong Beth?" Her whole body was trembling and she felt so damn cold. "I.. I don't know Daryl. I just smelled the bacon and then I couldn't hold it back any more." "I will take you to Denise now." Daryl told her and without resistance Beth let him lead her to the doctor.
This time Daryl didn't wait for Beth outside, because he was so damn worried about her, he went with her inside. Beth told Denise, that sometimes in the morning she didn't feel that good, but it was never that bad like today. The doctor examined Beth carefully, Daryl always standing next to her bed on which Beth was laying.
After minutes of watching the doctor nervously, Denise was finally looking up at Beth with big eyes. Daryl's heart stopped beating them and his whole body felt damn cold. He felt like he got shoot, when Denise said to Beth "You are pregnant."
