Chapter Seven: Protector

Daryl woke up to the sound of Beth humming quietly in the bathroom. His eyes opened and he looked over and saw her standing in front of the mirror, sectioning off her hair into braids before tying it back into one big braid.

His lips twitched. He never really understood this morning ritual of hers, since her hair looked beautiful down or pulled back, but he enjoyed listening to her sing.

He remembered the first time she had sang in front of all of them, back in the prison. Her song seemed to lift everyone's spirits and he had been awestruck by the sound of her voice and the twinkle in her blue eyes.

"And I've got my hands in your heart, you've got your hands in my hair
I don't know these people, let them stare
And I've got you wrapped around my finger, you've got me wrapped up in your chest
We keep whispering 'Why aren't we together yet?'"

Beth turned around and saw Daryl's stare and smiled. "Morning," she said.

"Mornin'," he replied.

"Deanna says she's got a job for me," Beth said, crouching by her bag. She pulled out a shirt, then slid out of the one she was wearing.

"What's it?"

"Well, she saw how good I am with Judith, so she asked if I'd like to help out at their daycare they have. You know, watch the kids, maybe teach them a little." Beth tugged her fresh shirt in place before she glanced back at him. "Did she give you a job?"

"Didn't ask for one," he said, sitting up.

"Why not?"

He shrugged as he stood, pulling on his own shirt, then his leather vest.

"You should," Beth stated, walking over to him. She rested her hands flat against his chest, her lips curving. When Daryl only lifted a brow, she sighed. "C'mon, Daryl."

Then she leaned up on her toes, pressing a kiss to his lips. When she looked into his eyes, she touched his stubbly jaw with her fingertips. "Promise me you'll at least talk to Deanna."

"All right."

Beth smiled widely then kissed him again. "I better go," she said when she pulled away. "Deanna is probably waiting outside."

Daryl let her go and watched her walk out of the room, smiling at him one last time before she disappeared down the hallway.

Ooo0ooO

Constable.

Rick considered that word all morning. He knew what the word meant- a public officer responsible for keeping the peace, typically in a small town.

He eyed the uniform that Deanna had issued him. It wasn't all the different from the sheriff's uniform he had worn in the past.

"Lookin' sharp, Sheriff."

Rick glanced over his shoulder and smiled slightly at Carol. She leaned against the door frame, arms crossed.

"Michonne is waiting for you downstairs," she told him.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Didn't you hear?" she asked teasingly. "I'm the new cook."

Rick's smile widened briefly before fading. "Keep your eyes and ears open," he instructed.

"Always do," Carol replied before walking away.

Rick looked back into the mirror, adjusting his uniform one last time. He dragged a hand over his now smooth chin, having gotten rid of the beard the previous night.

When he went downstairs, Michonne was standing at the front door. She looked up when she heard him coming and her brows lifted. "Oh. I've never seen…" She gestured towards her own chin.

"Figured it was time," he said with a shrug.

"Ready to keep the peace, constable?" she asked with a wry curve of her lips.

"Sure am. After you, constable," he replied, opening the door and motioning for her to go first.

As expected, Deanna was standing on the porch with her hands folded in front of her. She smiled kindly when she saw them both. "Oh, good! I just got back from showing Beth our daycare. Shall we?"

Rick nodded and followed Deanna as she headed down the stairs. Michonne followed him quietly.

Deanna began explaining Alexandria's rules and policies, what was allowed and what was not, and the punishments enacted if rules were broken. Rick listened, taking in as much as he could.

"I expect with your prior experience this should not be a challenging task for you," Deanna commented, aiming another smile at him.

"No," Rick agreed slowly. "Peace is easily kept if the people wish it to be."

"Wise words," Deanna said, giving him a considering look. Then she looked over at Michonne. "Are you prepared for this?"

Rick didn't miss the way Michonne's eyes flashed.

"Yes," the other woman replied, her tone matching Rick's.

Deanna, either ignoring or not noticing their tones, smiled once more before continuing her explanation of Alexandria.

Ooo0ooO

Something was tickling her nose. She gave it a twitch but it didn't help.

Tara's eyes flew open and the first thing she saw was a mop of messy brown-black hair.

Ken kept sleeping despite Tara's quiet laughter. She stayed curled up against Tara's side, her head tucked in the crook of the other woman's neck. Her hair, messy from dying overnight, kept tickling Tara's nose and cheek.

They had both fallen asleep after cleaning up in the downstairs bathroom. Both of them had collapsed on the large couch in the living room, with Ken nestled up to Tara.

Tara smiled a little. She never took Ken for a cuddler, but she didn't mind. It was…nice. Comforting.

She knew she would have to get up soon to begin her duties. Like many of the others, she had been elected by Deanna to become a supply runner for the community.

Ken had sighed when she had been assigned that job, and Tara hadn't missed the longing look the other woman had given the constable uniform that Deanna had passed to Rick and Michonne.

"You want to be a keeper of the peace?" Tara had asked her.

Ken had shrugged. "It just seemed like more fun."

"But now you get to get out of here."

"True," Ken agreed. "This place gives me…I dunno, the willies."

Tara had laughed at that.

Suddenly, Ken sighed softly. She shifted, putting her chin down on top of Tara's chest. She smiled at Tara sleepily. "Hi."

Tara smiled in return. "Hi. Sleep well?"

"Mmm," Ken hummed before leaning down to kiss Tara softly.

"We got to get up soon," Tara reminded her quietly.

Ken scrunched up her nose, making a face. "Five more minutes," she said, snuggling closer to Tara.

Tara chuckled. "Come on, lazy bones, get up," she encouraged, pushing and shoving.

"No," Ken protested, grinning when Tara began poking at her sides. She swatted at Tara's hands playfully but then suddenly she lost her balance and both women went toppling over the side of the couch onto the floor.

"Oof," Ken breathed as she broke the fall for both of them.

"You okay?" Tara asked after a beat.

"I don't think anything's broken," Ken joked.

This time, Tara was the one who folded her hands over Ken's chest, smiling down at her. "Your hair is a disaster," she stated, running her fingers through the short mass.

Ken's eyes narrowed. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked in a low voice.

"No, of course not," Tara replied, keeping her expression neutral.

"Are you guys done being gross?"

Tara and Ken jumped at the sound of Rosita's voice. Both women gave her a sheepish look before they stood up.

Rosita rolled her eyes. "We have to go soon," she informed them. "We're making a run to the nearest town."

"For what?" Ken wanted to know.

"I don't know. Stuff." With that, Rosita turned on her heel and strode out of the house, her boots echoing on the porch steps.

"That was specific," Ken muttered, arching a brow.

Tara shrugged. "She's not a morning person is all. Cut her some slack."

Ken exhaled, running her hand through her hair. "Well, we better not keep the others waiting."

Both women used the bathroom and brushed their teeth. Tara tried to comb Ken's hair, but was shooed away. When they were done, Ken reached out and took Tara's hand. "Ready?"

Tara nodded. "Ready."

Ooo0ooO

The daycare at Alexandria wasn't a typical daycare, mostly since it sported kids of all ages, starting from babies and ending with a couple of twelve year olds.

Beth smiled to herself as she walked around the large room that had been set up in the town's community center. She had spotted Carl earlier with kids his own age, who seemed to have free range of the place.

She kept her eye on Judith, who was lying on the pile of blankets with the other toddlers, sleeping soundly.

"Miss Beth!"

Beth turned and smiled down at one of the six year olds. What was her name again…? "Cassie," she said when she remembered. "I thought you were playing with Brady."

"He stole my yellow marker!"

Beth smothered a smile at the young girl's indignant tone. Instead, she nodded and took Cassie's hand, leading her back towards the other young boys and girls who were drawing in coloring books that Deanna had scrounged up.

Brady was a little towhead with large brown eyes. He sat with Cassie's stolen yellow marker, scribbling outside the lines that depicted a smiling sun.

"Brady," Beth began patiently. "Did you take Cassie's marker?"

Brady looked up at Beth owlishly. "No," he said, but it sounded more like a question.

"He's lying, Miss Beth!" Cassie cried out, stamping her foot.

"Am not!" Brady protested.

"All right, all right. How about this? Brady, you can use the yellow marker until you're done, then you give it to Cassie. And Cassie, you use the other markers until Brady needs them. Okay? Sharing is fun."

Cassie and Brady seemed to consider Beth's words before they both nodded. Cassie then sat next to Brady, picking up a green marker, and began to color in the grass below Brady's sun.

Satisfied, Beth went back over to the toddlers to check on Judith. She smiled when Rick walked inside, his eyes searching for his daughter. When he spotted Beth, she motioned for him to come over.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Just fine," she assured him. "Been asleep for about twenty minutes now."

Rick nodded.

Beth glanced at him curiously. "What have you been up to, constable?"

"Just keeping the peace," Rick replied evenly.

"And the others? Carol, Michonne, Daryl…?"

"Michonne has been helping me, although I don't need much now, so we split up the work. Heard Carol was baking cookies. Daryl's with the others getting ready for a supply run."

Rick glanced at Beth and saw the worry in her eyes. He reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They'll be fine. Nothing they haven't done before."

Beth nodded, lowering her gaze.

"Thank you for watching Judith," Rick continued, looking down at his daughter. "I truly appreciate it."

Beth smiled. "Of course," she said. "It's the least I could do."

Rick looked around the room. "How are the other kids?"

She chuckled. "There was an altercation over a marker, but I don't think we'll need our constable."

"No," Rick agreed with a smile. "I think you have things under control here."

"I do," she replied, beaming. "Now, go back to your civic duty and protect us or whatever."

Rick smiled and nodded. He looked at Judith one last time before walking out of the room.

Beth sighed and went back to the group of six through eight year olds. "All right!" she called out, clapping her hands together. "Who wants me to read a story?"

A chorus of "We do's" rang out, making Beth smile widely again.

"Okay, what will we read today? Let's see…"

Once a book was picked, Beth sat with her legs crossed, surrounded by the younger kids. Cassie leaned against Beth while Judith was curled in Beth's lap, and the other kids were either lying down or sitting in front of her, watching her as she read the story. They all giggled when she did different voices and made funny faces.

Only for a moment did Beth's mind drift back to Daryl, sending out a small prayer that he was safe with the others.

But her lips curved and she reassured herself that if anyone could take care of themselves, it was Daryl Dixon.

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.

Author's Note: This chapter included the song "Married" by Emily Kinney.

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