Disclaimer: I don't own a damn thing. :-)

A/N: Italics mean internal dialogue like thoughts or dreams. This story has not been beta'd, so please forgive any mistakes.

Of Saints and Georgia Peaches

Chapter 7: Coming Clean

They only slept for a few hours, but it was the most restful sleep Daryl had since before the fall of the prison…since before everyone started getting sick, actually. When Daryl woke, Beth was still sleeping peacefully at his side. He took the moment to just look at her. He didn't think anything; wasn't planning for today, or plotting out a course for their next destination, or worrying about the decisions he had made. He was just allowing himself a quiet moment. Looking at the beautiful woman beside him, Daryl wasn't entirely sure that he wasn't dreaming again. This was how all of his dreams started, after all, peaceful and happy. Suddenly he was afraid that Beth might open her eyes to reveal a blank dead stare. The panic rose in his chest and threatened to choke him. "Beth? Hey." He reached over and gently traced his thumb under one of her eyes, trying to urge her awake. He hated to disturb her, but he couldn't shake the images that haunted him from his dreams and he needed the comfort that he knew the light in her eyes could provide.

"Daryl...what's wrong?" Beth had opened her eyes to Daryl's soft caress and smiled at the touch. That was until she saw the look on his face. He tried to hide it from her but she was certain he looked afraid.

"Nothin'... Ya' hungry?" Daryl had tried to deflect her question, but it didn't work judging by her silence and the look she gave him. Beth was good with emotions, unlike him. He should have known he wouldn't be able to hide from her. "It's not anything. Just rememberin' a bad dream, s'all…" He tried to shrug it off, but ended up admitting the truth to her, "...maybe was more'n one."

The understanding on Beth's face was relief for Daryl. "I hadn't been sleeping good either. Well, not until now." She smiled at him as his mind raced. He was thinking how to proceed. He'd been wanting to know what happened to her, but he was still afraid he wouldn't handle the truth well.

Daryl turned on his back and crossed his arms on his chest. He thought maybe it would help both of them if he didn't look at her while he asked the questions that had been plaguing him about the men she was with. "They kept ya up, then? Didn't let ya sleep?"

"What? Connor and Murphy, you mean? Daryl, no, it wasn't like that. They tried to help me sleep, even took turns guarding me to try to keep the nightmares away. You always got bit and I couldn't help you. Dreamt you was a walker chasin' after me over and over. It helped to have someone to wake up to, but it didn't prevent the dreams."

Daryl glared at the ceiling and took a deep, steadying breath. Her dreams were just like mine. That made Daryl feel worse, somehow, not better. He knew what kind of pain those nightmares caused him and at least he'd gotten to wake up to family by his side instead of strangers like she'd had to do. "Did they hurt you, Beth? I saw that scar on your belly. Been wantin' to ask you about it. Those guys you were with..."

"They didn't do that. No, those guys that you...met…Connor and Murphy, Romeo and Brian…they saved me Daryl. They never hurt me. That's what I've been trying to tell you. They saved me from the monsters who took me from you. Those were the bad guys. One of 'em tried to...to...you know...that's how I got cut." Daryl knew what she was talking about and he immediately remembered Len's words – even imagined it was Len that had done it to her, even though he knew it weren't actually him that done it. Daryl felt his face grow hot, but he didn't say anything and didn't look at Beth. "Murphy killed him for doing that to me, you know." That sentence caused Daryl to pause in his thoughts. They had killed for her just like he was imagining himself doing right now. It was a confusing train of thoughts for Daryl. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. He was pleased to hear that someone had stepped up to defend her, but he felt…resentful...at the same time. That made him angry all over again for reasons he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"The boys treated my wounds, fed me, clothed me, and protected me, but they didn't keepme from doing anything. And they definitely never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do. They just treated me like I was glass 'til I wanted to wring their necks. I seriously thought about it a few times. Scolding them was like scolding puppies, though, and I just couldn't bring myself to get too mad at 'em. They're good people, Daryl. When we go back to meet up with them, you'll see."

No chance in hell we're doin' that. She's staying with me. Daryl just continued to stew and glare at the ceiling silently as he tried to figure out these feelings. Beth thought he looked angry with his jaw clenched. It seemed to her that he had completely clammed up on her again. Maybe he wanted to ask something else, but she wasn't going to push until he was ready. She already knew how well that scenario usually played out. Instead, she reached over and ran her fingers from Daryl's shoulder gently down his arm and intertwined her fingers with his. He finally looked over to her and smiled, just slightly, but still didn't say anything. Beth leaned over to him and kissed him chastely on the lips. "Ok. I'm gonna get up. We should check the house and see if we can come up with anything useful. Then we'll eat – I'm starved." She didn't wait for him to answer. Beth lifted herself from the carpet gingerly and made her way to the bathroom while Daryl stared after her.

Beth had to make do with the water left over from last night when she had washed. It was gross. So gross, but necessary she supposed. She didn't know where Daryl had gotten the water that he'd left for her last night, but she made a note to ask. She just took a quick bird-bath and combed her wild hair best she could. She was glad to notice that she was still just barely bleeding. She wasn't surprised. That was the way it had been since leaving the prison – malnutrition and dehydration she supposed. Convenient, in a way though, considering the turn her love life had taken in the last few weeks.

After the first time with Connor and Murphy, they had freaked out about not remembering protection. Beth had actually had to break up a physical scuffle between them after they started accusing each other of being a "stupid fucking idiot". Beth laughed out loud at the memory. They had been adamant about being safe ever since then but they'd been worrying themselves sick that it might have already been too late. Beth thought that the boys would be happy to know she wasn't pregnant for sure. She wished they were here so she could reassure them. She missed them terribly, Romeo and Brian too, but she was also elated about having this time alone with Daryl. They had so much to work through, so many pieces that had been left undone since the funeral home.

As Beth finished up in the bathroom, she heard Daryl scuffling about in the adjacent bedroom. She went through the door just as Daryl was slamming a drawer shut with force. "Find anythi.."

"Nope." Daryl cut her off mid-sentence. He turned and leaned his back up against the chest of drawers he'd been digging in. He gave her a big fake smile, which creeped her out. Beth also noted that he was bright red and sweating. It had grown hot in the house since sun-up, but not that hot. She wondered what was up with him. "Nothing useful in here. Come on. Let's check out the rest of the place." Beth almost laughed at him as he practically shooed her out of the room and slammed the door behind them. What was up with him? Well at least he was talking again, so she wasn't going to complain. Beth made a note to herself to take a look in that room later since Daryl was obviously hiding something in there.

They found a bit of food, enough for them for a few days if they stretched it. Some clean clothes, too. The best find had been in the garage. A propane camp stove with a full mini-bottle of fuel. Beth had placed it on the kitchen counter and used it to heat a can of soup for them to share. They stood and ate in the kitchen together, not bothering to sit. They were too busy catching glances at each other to get comfortable, anyway.

Beth watched every move Daryl made. He probably didn't even realize he was doing it, she mused, but his movements were sinful. Beth felt herself get hotter every time he popped a bite into his mouth and sucked and licked at his spoon. When he was done, he used his fingers to scoop the last dregs from the bowl and proceeded to lick them clean one by one. Beth almost choked on her last bite watching him do that. She was barely able to put her bowl in the sink without dropping it because her hands were shaking so much.

Daryl actually had known what he was doing. He saw the look in Beth's eyes and watched her desire grow as he put on his little show for her. He'd never liked much attention before, but this was different. He liked the way Beth was looking at him and he felt himself go hard thinking about the possibility of doing to her what he'd just mimicked with his food. Daryl finally looked up and grinned at her wickedly, letting her know he had done all that on purpose. "Enjoy the show?" Beth shook her head and felt her face flush crimson. For some reason she couldn't explain, it embarrassed her that Daryl Dixon had known what had been going through her mind and had actively egged it on. She shouldn't be shy after everything that had happened, but she was.

Daryl couldn't resist that innocent reaction from Beth. He set his bowl down and took the few steps to her side to crush his lips to hers. Beth moaned against him as his hands went to her ass and pulled her flush against him. She felt his erection pressing against her and it made her skin burn with desire. When Daryl's hands and mouth started to roam on her, though, Beth reluctantly pushed him away. Daryl instantly pulled himself from her like he had touched an open flame and looked her up and down. "Shit. Sorry. What'd I do wrong?" He hadn't done anything wrong, though. Beth had just remembered how grimy she still felt and how bad she probably smelled at this point.

"Nothin' Daryl. You didn't do anythin' wrong. I just…well I just really need a bath. I'm so gross."

"Pfft. Beth, you're fine. I don't care about that anyway." He moved to start over again, running his tongue up the side of her neck right over her pulse point, but Beth pushed him away gently and looked pointedly at him before grinning.

"No offense, Daryl, but you could use one, too." Then she wrinkled her nose to indicate that he didn't smell like a bed of roses himself. Then she laughed at him. Laughed! Daryl thought it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen and it made him want her even more.

"Alright. Fine, woman. I'll get you your bath." He turned to the kitchen window and pointed. "There's a creek out back that hatt'en dried up yet. I can haul in the water." When he turned back to her, she noticed he had a gleam in his eye. "You know, I can probably only haul enough in here for one bath. If you want me clean, too, you'll have ta share."

While Daryl went out back to find a container for the water and to start hauling it to the house, Beth cleaned up the tub. After sitting for two years it was full of bugs and grime. There was no way they were getting in there without some cleaning first. They, Beth thought as she cleaned the tub. She was about to take a bath in this tub with Daryl Dixon. The thought thrilled her to no end, but it also embarrassed her a bit too. She didn't know where this shy streak had come from this morning. She supposed in the light of day it was all just surreal. She never thought that Daryl would return her physical desire as he had. Now every time he looked at her she felt nervous and faint. It was so much different than what she had felt with Connor and Murphy and the other guys. Being with them just felt normal and comfortable. There was a deep loving connection with them, but they didn't make her feel like Daryl did. With Daryl, it was intense in a way that she hadn't known before.

Daryl had found a small rain barrel and a hand dolly to roll it on. With that, he would only need to make a few trips to have enough for a bath. Beth had offered to help bring in the last load, but Daryl refused. Beth watched as he closed the door behind him. She decided to make good use of her time alone and check out that bedroom that had made Daryl so nervous this morning. She found nothing of note in the closet or under the bed, but the chest of drawers was another matter. The bottom drawer was interesting, indeed. There were all kinds of...things in there. Adult things. No wonder Daryl had been so embarrassed and didn't want her to see. It looked like an adult store had been robbed. Beth was embarrassed, too, just thinking about what might have gone through Daryl's mind as he looked through all the costumes and gadgets. She was reluctant to touch anything in that drawer, but she did spy one thing that she thought might be interesting yet not over the top for her and Daryl later. She pocketed the find and quickly put the room back in order before Daryl could find her in there.

The water from the creek was sun-warmed and they hadn't needed to heat it. Beth watched as Daryl poured in the last of the water and rolled the container back out into the hall. She was still standing there unsure of what to do when he came back in. "Well? Ya gettin' in or what?" He propped himself against the counter and looked her up and down expectantly, but Beth just blushed again while she meddled with the hem of her t-shirt. "Hey." Daryl stepped over to her and cupped her face to look at him. "What's goin' on with all this embarrassment and nervousness today? I seen all a ya a few times already, ya know." He was barely whispering to her, his voice deep and gravely despite the gentleness of his words. That made Beth flush even more. She leaned forward with her face in her hands and hid herself against Daryl's chest while she tried to calm down.

Jesus. Daryl didn't know what to do. Beth was pressed into his chest and he had wrapped his arms protectively around her. She was trembling and he could feel the flutter of her racing heartbeat. It confused him. He'd never had a woman have this reaction to him. A part of his mind wanted to return to the thought that she was afraid or reluctant and that's why she was acting this way. But Daryl remembered their connection last night, he remembered the way she had looked at him, into him, and how she had given herself to him body and soul. No, Daryl knew after that Beth wasn't changing her mind. This was something else that was going on and he supposed he would just have to wait for her to explain it to him.

After she caught her breath a bit and steeled herself, she dropped her hands and let them wrap around Daryl's waist. She smiled shyly as she looked back up at Daryl. She couldn't help thinking that he looked so much younger now than before. He looked...happy. "Bein' around you makes me excited." Daryl raised an eyebrow at her and smirked. "Daryl! I meant...it's hard to explain, just excited and happy and nervous all at the same time. It's overwhelmin'. And I think...well, I know...I love you." She had finally gotten it out; even it did come out a bit under her breath.

"Oh." Daryl smiled as he purposely mimicked Beth's word from the funeral home. He already knew she loved him. He didn't understand it but he knew Beth wouldn't have said it unless she meant it, so he was just determined to accept it for now and sort through the why's and how's later. He loved her too; at least he thought he did. He wasn't sure what love was but if this wasn't it, he didn't know what would be. He still couldn't bring himself to say the actual words, though. He thought that they would seem wrong coming out of his mouth, especially if they were going to be directed at a girl like Beth. Pretty words like those deserved to be spoken by better, more handsome, more capable men than Daryl Dixon. She deserved to hear something in return, though. "Beth...you're mine now, ya know? Ya belong to me..." He chewed his lip as he looked at her big blue eyes. "...in here." He took her hand from behind him and placed it on his heart. "It's your's anyway now." It was the only thing he had to give her, he supposed, but she could have it even if it was far less than she deserved.

Only a girl like Beth could cry peacefully, Daryl thought. That seemed like a silly notion, but she managed it. Her tears fell slowly the whole time they bathed each other. Daryl had tried to kiss the tears away like he had done her bruises, but she hadn't let him. She'd just told him they were happy tears and he should leave them alone. So she continued to add them to their bath water. It brought a whole new meaning to "bathing in happiness", Daryl thought.

When they were done in the bath, Daryl had to admit that Beth had been right. It had been necessary. The water was a dark smoky grey. Gross was the word she'd said earlier. True. Daryl sat Beth on the counter wrapped in a towel and brushed her hair for her. Her bruises looked so much worse now that she was clean, but all of that was done and forgiven so Daryl forced himself not to dwell on it. Beth grinned at him the whole time he brushed her beautiful blonde hair and he thought of what Merle would say if he saw all this. Daryl liked to think he wouldn't say anything at all - just give him a smirk and a hard clap to the shoulder. Merle hadn't been as bad as everyone thought. He was rough but he'd had a good heart as long as he wasn't messed up on drugs. Daryl wished he was here now. He figured Beth might have been able to see the good in his brother, too. She coulda helped bring him back into the group.

The group…

Daryl realized then that he had never told Beth about Terminus or about finding Maggie and all the others. Holy shit, she's going to kill you. She's been wondering about them this whole time. You idiot! In his defense, though, he'd been pretty distracted.

"Beth. I didn't tell you somethin' real important. I met up with Rick, Michonne, and Carl on the road." Beth gasped and just stared at him warily. Daryl continued, conveniently leaving out all the parts about Joe and his men since she didn't really need to know all that, anyway. "We went to Terminus thinking we might find anyone else that made it out of the prison, or at least a safe place to make a new base while we searched for them." Daryl looked at her and smiled. "I…we found 'em Beth. Maggie and Glenn…they're alive. Sasha, Bob, Tyreese, Carol – all alive." Beth had startled at the mention of Maggie and she stared at Daryl in happy amazement. "Beth…there's somethin' else. Carol and Tyreese had Judith. She's fine. She's just fine." The tears were flowing...again…but now Beth was laughing happily.

Daryl had her pulled into his arms in a second. Wrapping her protectively against his chest, he relished the feeling of her joyful exhalations against his bare skin. After a few moments, she managed to pull it together, but looked worried again as she met Daryl's eyes. "Where are they, Daryl? Why are you not with them? Did somethin' happen?"

"Terminus happened. It was a bad place, Beth. There were signs saying it was a sanctuary, so we went there hoping that they took everyone in. They took us all hostage instead. They were…just bad people. We fought our way out and took to the road again. There were some new people that Maggie and Glenn had found. Said they were on their way to Washington to find a cure for whatever this is that's causing the walkers. They wanted all of us to go. Sasha, Bob, Tyreese, and Carol all voted for it, but Maggie, Glenn, and I wasn't going anywhere but lookin' for you. Rick and Michonne sided with us on it." Daryl smiled at Beth again as he thought of his "brother's" reaction to being asked to leave Georgia. "Damn. You woulda thought Rick was your own pop. Said he wasn't going anywhere til we found ya. So the two groups split. They went to Washington and the rest of us have been looking for ya and looking for a good safe place to start building a new home before fall and winter set in. I was…well…I was huntin' when I just happened to find that house y'all were set up in."

Beth felt like crying again, but she didn't. Damn PMS. She hadn't thought about it much, but now that Daryl mentioned her family she realized that she had lost some of her hope of finding them again. She had wondered about Maggie and Daryl every day but she had doubted that they were looking for her, if they had even survived. To know that they had been alive this whole time and looking for her; it filled her heart with warmth she hadn't noticed was missing.

"When are they expecting us...well, you…back?! They're probably worried sick, Daryl!"

"Nah, it's ok. They know I'm better on my own." He smirked at her. "Or I was before, anyway. It's a day's walk from here to where they're camped. It's too late today, but we can head back first thing tomorrow." Daryl actually allowed himself to laugh out loud. "Maggie's gonna shit! Maybe she'll kiss me for bringing ya back safe, though. Then I can get me some love from both of the bad-ass Greene girls."

Beth slapped him on the arm playfully. It was good to see him joking and laughing like this. It was something she'd never witnessed before and she liked it. A lot. Beth promised herself that she'd make sure he kept it up no matter what she had to do. "Ya better not be thinking of gettin' any love from any other girls from here on out, Daryl Dixon." She leaned forward and gave him a warm wet kiss as her hand started tracing southward. Daryl pulled back and gave her a funny look as he scratched his head. "Aw. Alright. But what about guys though?"

"Daryl!" They were both laughing now.

"Hey, come on. Rick's got a cute ass. I might want some'a that sometime." Beth thought she was gonna pass out from lack of oxygen for laughing so hard. Who knew Daryl had a sense of humor?

"Shut up, Daryl Dixon, and take me to the bedroom."

That definitely shut him up. "My pleasure..."

A/N: Ohhhh. Sorry for the bit of cliff-hanger here. It was going a little long. I wonder what's gonna happen now?! What do you guys think Beth found in that drawer, anyway? I bet someone out there knows. :-P The rest of you will find out next chapter. That should be up quickly. Promise! Thanks again for reading and thank you, thank you, thank you for all the positive reviews. I appreciate it so much!