A/N So sorry for the delay, after being sick last week, this week we had a disaster in my almost 70-year-old kitchen. The plaster ceiling decided to cave in on us. Luckily no one was hurt, but it sure screwed up my writing and posting! I promise I will attempt to have a quiet week and post on time next week! Enjoy! And as always, not my sandbox, I just play!

The whole group was silent while Hershel finished weaving his part of the tale, not noticing when Carol slipped into the parlor. Daryl saw her first and jumped up from his spot on the love seat to grab a chair. Setting it down beside the small sofa he shared with Beth and Hershel, he sat in it, whispering for Beth to move over. She did, taking Daryl's hand as Carol slid into the spot Beth had just vacated. Carol smiled at Daryl and Beth then at Hershel and apologized for interrupting his story-telling.

"I know how much you love to spin a yarn, Hershel, please excuse me for stoppin' it."

Carol grinned at her husband as he laughed at her. Taking her hand, he kissed the back of it and looked back at the group.

"OK, now where was I?"

Before Hershel could get back to his story, Rick cleared his throat. "I really hope you are going to get to the explanation of how you ended up married?"

Andrea agreed. "I think this is a bit much to take in right now. I'm assuming there are more surprises in store? And how is Maggie? Maybe we should wait so that she can hear everything too since we are obviously getting to the point where we all got split up after the farm?"

Carol nodded. "I imagine surprise is a word you could use to describe us, amazing might be better." She smiled at Andrea, then addressed the rest of the room. "Maggie will be fine, she's just exhausted from everything. Dottie is stayin' with her until y'all go to bed, you probably ought to have someone sleep on the couch in her room, though, in case she or the baby wakes up in the night." Carol looked at Hershel and he nodded. "And it probably would be best to only have to tell this one time. We can meet again tomorrow evenin'"

Hershel smothered a yawn and added. "I think it's time to leave y'all to rest. We have a busy day around here tomorrow, so we all need to get some sleep too."

Rick stood up and stuck his hand out to the four as they rose to leave. "Thank you, Daryl, Hershel. I don't know what we would have done if we couldn't have stayed here." He turned to the rest of the Cove's Council as they rose and made their way towards the door. "Thank you all."

The council members bid their good nights and made their way out of the Hotel, followed by Daryl, Beth, Hershel, and Carol. Each of the four was hugged and thanked, and Rick's group made their way to their rooms for some much-needed rest. Before Rick left them at the door, he asked. "What do we do tomorrow?"

Daryl pursed his lips. "Come on up to the house early. We eat breakfast about seven, so be up there around eight. Sun'll be up by then and we'll go from there."

Rick nodded in thanks and watched as the two couples walked down the steps and into the dark. Before they disappeared completely from sight, he called out. "Wait! How do I know when it is eight in the morning?"

"Clock's in the hall."

"Right, the clock's in the hall." Turning back into the boarding house he shut the door to find Michonne waiting.

"What's tomorrow?" She asked.

He shrugged. "More answers, I hope, and maybe a start on this new life. Now, have you seen a clock in this place?"

Michonne shrugged and took Rick's hand, leading them up to bed. The grandfather clock in the downstairs hallway rumbled the hour, following them to their room. Michonne grinned as Rick closed the door.

"Found it."

The next day dawned crisp and cool. The smells of Autumn, of wood smoke and the sweet odor of fallen leaves overlayed with the rich scent of late-season apples permeated the damp air. There was a light frost already coating everything in delicate white feathers. It wouldn't be long before the hard freezes started, and winter set in.

The Dixon home was already awake and bustling with activity by the time the sky started getting light. Beth was standing at the stove stirring something in one pan and watching another when Daryl came shivering in from the backyard.

"Gettin' cool out there." He said. "Here's ya milk, darlin'. I already fed the chickens and got the eggs so you don't have to do it. I know ya got to get to town this mornin'."

Beth set the spoon down on the spoon rest and turned to embrace her husband after taking the bucket and setting on a shelf over the stove. "Thank ya, you didn't have to do that."

Pressing his lips to her temple, Daryl returned the hug. "Yeah, I know, but we're a team, always have been. Imma go wash up now, Rick'll be here around eight."

Beth went back to her breakfast preparation. "Be back in here in about ten minutes, everything will be ready."

Daryl didn't waste any time heading to the bathroom, and Beth laughed when she heard him swear after hitting his hand on the door on his way out.

"Best hush up girl imma get ya for laughin' at me!"

Beth just laughed again and finished putting breakfast on the table.

Daryl and Beth were just finishing up eating when there was a knock on the front door. Daryl went to let Rick in, and the two men soon returned to the warm kitchen. Beth offered Rick a seat at the small farmhouse table and poured him a cup of tea. He sat and sipped the hot beverage while Daryl finished his own, and filled Rick in on what they would be doing that day.

"We got people finishing up harvesting the apples that are ripe now, we also got some late grapes and muscadines to pick. Beth and some a her girls will be fillin' pantries for winter, and the beehives have to be seen to for the winter..."

Daryl's voice trailed off when he realized Rick was staring at him and not really listening.

"Somethin' the matter, man?"

Rick shook his head seemingly to clear it. "Just what exactly IS this place?"

Daryl just smiled that half smile of his and looked at Beth. "Home."

After a moment, Daryl slapped his hands on the table and informed the other two that sitting around wasn't getting anything done. Beth agreed, but put her hand on Daryl's shoulder when he started to get up.

"Just sit 'til I finish the dishes. Won't take but a minute and I can walk with you to the general store."

"A'ight, got any more tea in that pot?"

"I believe there's enough for the both of ya."

Rick shook his head. "Oh, no, you drink the tea, Beth. I'm fine."

Beth just shook her own head. "I won't drink it, I've had enough this mornin'. If you don't drink it I'll just pour it out."

Rick smiled his thanks and slid the cup towards Beth. "Thank you. I can't believe how good it is."

"Didn't you have anything in Virginia? I thought you had a pretty good place." Beth asked, gently prodding Rick for some answers before turning to the sink and washing up the breakfast dishes.

She thought he was going to ignore her at first, but then he started talking. "We didn't have tea, but we did have cans of lemonade. We had some chickens and gardens, but mostly we were living off of canned goods and what little meat we could get from hunting."

Rick looked at Daryl. "Sure coulda used you in Alexandria. Who knows what would have happened."

Daryl just stared at Rick impassively, waiting for him to continue because he knew what was coming. He wasn't disappointed.

"Your fightin' and huntin' skills would have helped us a lot. Maybe we'd still be there, maybe... "

Beth interrupted before Rick could continue or Daryl could respond. "Don't try and guilt my husband for not being with you. That is on you. We had a plan and y'all left us."

"Beth, enough. Go on and get yourself ready to go. Don't want ta be late now."

Beth drew up like she would argue, then bowed her head and left the room. Rick was staring at the table, tracing shapes in the wood as he sat there waiting for Daryl to explode. He jerked his head up in surprise when he apologized instead.

"Sorry 'bout that. Beth's real protective of me. has been for a long time. But I'm the same. Don't ever upset her again or you'll be sorry ya found us. That girl ain't done nothin' but grieve y'all since the farm, don't throw it in her face that ya didn't give a damn about her."

Daryl stood up from his seat at the table. "Soon as she's ready, we'll go. I told Doc we'd come find him and we'll show ya around. Don't make me sorry I stood up for y'all."

Rick nodded, biting his tongue and wishing that he had just kept his comments to himself. He hoped Carol wouldn't find out because her warning had come back to him as the words were already spilling out of his mouth. He sighed and grabbed Daryl's arm.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Tell it to Beth. She's the one hurt. I know what they thought 'bout me, ain't nothin' I ain't ever dealt with before."

Rick started shaking his head as Daryl talked. "No, man, you're wrong. Most of us knew who you were then, and we trusted you to help us. Don't you think we noticed Hershel trusted you with his baby girl? You were the rock we ALL relied on, even if we didn't want to admit it or believe it. We have missed you, brother."

Daryl chewed on the inside of his cheek while he thought over Rick's words. He knew that the man was partially correct, there WERE some that relied on him - his strength, his knowledge, his skills. He also knew that some didn't care too much for him either. But overshadowing the part that made him feel proud, and maybe even useful, was the part that reminded him that Beth had been forgotten, had been thrown to the side like so much trash. That part made him rage inside, and that was something that he didn't do much anymore. The rages that had torn through him as he grew up and as he followed his brother, and then as he learned his new place in this new world had been tempered by Beth. His saving grace, his angel had smoothed the rough edges and eased his pain and anger. Oh, he was still hot-headed, still fierce, still willing to kill, but Beth had given him a reason to feel those things, to have a reason to feel them other than just anger or boredom. His Beth deserved more from their family and friends than to be forgotten and unloved.

Before he could say anything to Rick, Beth came back into the kitchen. She was pulling on the horse blanket Daryl had made into a poncho that first winter they were on the run after the farm. He couldn't believe the damn thing was still any good, but Beth had taken care of it. As she adjusted it around her shoulders, Rick cleared his throat.

"Beth, I owe you an apology. I hope that I haven't made you feel unneeded or forgotten, but if I have, I swear it was not intentional. Please know that you are as much a part of our family as any of us."

Beth nodded her head as she wiped her eyes. "Thank you, Rick."

Daryl pulled her into a hug and nuzzled her hair. "Ya a'ight? Ready to head to town? Them girls gonna burn down the kitchen if ya don't get a move on."

Daryl's teasing drew Beth out of her sadness and made her laugh. "I'm ready. You just want me to get that apple butter finished."

"Ya figured me out, girl. Ya always do... "

The walk back to town was quiet, but not in the way Rick remembered from the first time he made his way up the mountain. This time, it was companionable. Thankfully, Beth was quick to forgive, and it seemed that Daryl had better things to do than beat the hell out of Rick for hurting his girl. Rick marveled at the relationship he saw between the two, the relationship he now recognized as having begun at the farm. He was sure that Beth and Daryl hadn't actually been together back then, but he could see that their camaraderie started with the hunting and tracking lessons. Somehow it had bloomed into what he was seeing today, and the more he was around them, the more he was interested in hearing how they got to this point. His curiosity also ran towards Carol and Hershel. That was a couple he would not have bet on in a million years. In fact, he had always been sure that there was something between Carol and Daryl. That man had gone through so much to search for Sophia, to find the daughter for the grieving mother. Rick had been sure there was a romance there. Beth and Daryl as a couple just came out of left field!

Rick's musing was disrupted when Daryl pulled Beth into his arms and hugged her tightly. That was something else he would have to get used to... Daryl allowing himself to be touched, much less loved on. Beth returned the embrace enthusiastically, even slipping a quick kiss to Daryl's cheek.

"See ya at lunch, girl. Don't work too hard, and no burned hands today."

Beth blushed fiercely, and Rick mused that there was another story to tell as he watched the interaction.

"Love you, Daryl." Beth smiled and turned to walk towards a wrought iron gate guarding a covered pathway.

"Hey... "

Beth turned back around. "Yeah?"

Daryl's lips twitched, but his ears were turning pink where they poked through his long, shaggy hair. "Love ya."

Beth smiled and went humming through the gate.

Daryl sneered at Rick. "What ya lookin' at?"

"Just never thought I would see Daryl Dixon domesticated."

Daryl grunted. "Yeah, ain't never had a reason 'til her. You ready to see Doc?"

Rick recognized a dismissal when he heard it, and decided it was best to leave it alone. He knew more answers would be forthcoming later that night, but his curiosity was eating him alive. However, he knew better than to pick on Daryl. At least, he thought he knew. This new Daryl was a bit disconcerting. He thought he knew how to act with him, but he was realizing more and more that things had certainly changed while the groups had been separate.

Rick saw that Daryl was staring at him, blank-faced as usual. "Oh, yeah, I'm ready. Just lost in my head a bit."

Daryl nodded but looked at him oddly. It made him think that Daryl knew exactly what he had been thinking.

Rick shook it off and followed when Daryl turned and walked down the street.

Hershel and Carol Greene lived on a side street off the main drag. It was a short street that had several houses and ended at an extensive pasture where Rick could see cattle grazing. The house they lived in was closest to the pasture and was a small clapboard house with a wrap around porch. Carol had hung windchimes all around and they were tinkling sweetly in the light breeze. As the two men walked up to the front steps, the door opened and Hershel stepped out.

"Thought you'd never get here, Daryl. Carol's been up since dawn working on the list for the run to Talladega. I'll be glad when that is over with for the year. I'm ready to settle in for a few months."

Daryl smiled at his father-in-law. "Yeah, it'll be nice to stay close to home for a bit."

Turning to Rick, Daryl asked, "are you ready to see the place?"

Rick nodded and followed as the two men led him around the house. He was surprised to see a rather new wagon standing with a horse already hitched to it.

"Welcome to the Cove," Hershel said as he climbed up onto the seat with Daryl's help and took the reins. Rick and Daryl squeezed in with him, and Hershel chirruped to the horse who started to move in the direction of the main street.

"Do you all use wagons and horses?" Rick's curiosity was running rampant. Even in Virginia they still had trucks and cars.

"Around the Cove we do," Hershel answered. No need for anything else and a horse can get to places other things can't. No need to worry about gas and oil and such either."

Rick nodded. "That makes sense. I just haven't seen anyone go to these lengths before."

"That's because most people can't face the fact that the old world is over. Can't hold on to things we lost, we have to embrace what we have." Hershel admonished Rick. "We have seen people fight and die over things that are worthless now because they are finite. Gas goes bad, canned goods don't last. If you don't step out of the old world, you won't make it in this one. Now, let's show you around the Cove. What do you think Daryl, the orchards or the fields?"

Daryl shrugged. "Don't really matter, we got time for both before Beth expects us for lunch."

Hershel smiled. "Well alright. Why don't we start with the orchards and make sure everything is running smoothly, then we will head over to the fields. I need to speak to Joshua about seed counts."

Rick settled back on the seat while Hershel drove and Daryl pointed out spots of interest as they headed away from town and made their way out towards the orchards.