A/N Daryl has a beautiful heart and he may not think he's all that romantic, but Beth doesn't need anything grand. He's pretty much all she wants, but he's pulling out all the stops tonight! I am so sorry this took a while to get here... but here it is! Enjoy!

Daryl stopped off at Walmart on his way home. It's all part of his grand plan, the one that has currently got his anxiety amped up past uncomfortable bordering on abort mission. Okay, maybe it isn't that bad. He has to admit, at least to himself, that he's a little excited that he's going through with this.

She hadn't believed him. They were lying in his bed wrapped up in each other, still reeling from that post-orgasmic high. She had been going on about how peaceful it was at his cabin and how the stars probably lit up the night sky out here.

'Can't see much from my apartment, too many lights. I remember sleeping outside during the summer and feeling like I could reach up and take a handful of stars and hold them in my hand.' She sighed and it was such a sad sound he couldn't help himself.

'Shit Beth, I'll drag my mattress on the back porch an we can sleep under the stars if ya want.' He whispered it against her neck, her hair sticking to his lips. He'd kissed his way from her mouth to that sensitive spot behind her ear. She was warm and smelled like soap and sex and her skin tasted salty. Her laughter, soft and melodious was bringing a certain part of his anatomy back to life and she slid her arms up around his neck.

'You gonna sleep naked with me out there on your back porch Daryl?'

He doesn't do this, has never done this. He showered, put on a t-shirt and basketball shorts that hang low on his slender hips. Now he's on his back porch wrestling with a queen size air bed. He's hot and sweaty and wants this to be perfect. So yeah he's never done this before, never wanted to impress a woman. And it really isn't even about impressing Beth because he's sure he doesn't need to do that. She isn't like that. She's a sweetheart and she'd probably be happy if he spread out a sleeping bag. He wants to do this with her.

The thunderous retort of a Chopper has him dropping into a patio chair and lighting up a cigarette. He could try and hide the evidence, but it's too late for that. Merle comes sauntering around the side of the cabin. When he spots Daryl he smiles that big shit eating grin of his and Daryl cringes inside waiting for the teasing to begin.

"Oh, ho baby brother! Whatcha got going on out here?" He climbs the steps up to the deck and eyes the flat air mattress. "Going camping?"

"Somethin' like that? Where ya been? Haven't heard from ya at all since last Saturday night." Maybe Daryl can get Merle talking and he'll forget all about the mattress.

"Ah hell, I been working my ass off. Trying to be somewhat respectable. Worked out on tha' other side of Atlanta all week on a pipe job. I was over ta T's Tuesday night, thought I'd call but.."

"Yeah what the fuck did ya give Andrea my number for?" Daryl stubs out his current cigarette and lights another.

"Thought y'all was friendly? 0h, wait a damn minute!" Daryl is giving him a death stare and he's slapping his thigh and laughing. "Ya got yerself a pretty little blonde? Y'all took it ta the next level!"

"Shut the fuck up Merle." Daryl grunts as he stands and heads in his back door. Merle of course follows. He glances at the clock and grabs a beer from the fridge. He and Beth never decided on a time. He just told her to come out. He definitely wants Merle gone before that.

"Cain't be mad at me little brother. I had no idea. So ya serious about this girl?" Merle grabs a beer and pops the top all the while watching Daryl.

"I'unno, I like her." Daryl leans against the counter in the kitchen and fidgets with the cap from his beer.

"Uh huh. Ya, do now do ya? Well shit.. hey I'm sorry, didn' mean to cause any problems with that." For once Merle actually sounds sincere. Daryl feels the slight vibration of his phone and he pulls it out and glances at the screen.

B- 'Hey the tests took a little longer than I thought. Norman is fine thou. I'm gonna go home and clean up. I'll be out by 6. Can I bring anything?'

"Fuckin' Norman." Daryl chuckles more to himself than anything else.

"Who tha hell's Norman? She ain't stepping out on ya? Not that girl, she's an angel. Now Maggie.." Daryl cuts him off real quick before he can ruin the moment.

"Zip it, bro. Get us another beer then ya gotta get yer ugly ass outta here." Daryl focuses on his phone.

D- 'Glad to hear N is ok. Don't get to clean, dirty is good.. ;) Just bring your beautiful self.' Hitting send he looks up at Merle who is smiling at him.

"Wha?"

"Yer a goner boy. My baby brother's got it bad for the farmer's daughter!" Merle shakes his head and downs the rest of his beer. "Tha' mattress out there, ya gettin' all romantic?"

"So?" Daryl feels his cheeks flush and he folds his arms and looks down at his skinny, hairy, white legs. He needs a damn tan. But Beth likes his legs. Doesn't she? Fuck.

"Ya need some help getting that mattress blown up? Com'on let yer bro give ya a hand." Daryl follows him out to the back porch after glancing at the clock again. 4:15. Plenty of time.

Merle hooks the hose on the little pump up to the mattress and motions for Daryl to grab the other end.

"Ya remember tha' time I took that chick out on the lake cause she wanted a romantic moonlight float or some shit? See I know romance." The mattress is slowly inflating.

"Uh huh.. an ya tipped the boat over cause you were so fuckin' drunk. Girl had ta save yer ass."

"Yep. That's romance boy! Those were some good times!" Daryl smiles as his brother starts in on another time he was the epitome of romantic.

X X X

Beth pulls up in front of Daryl's cabin right at 6:00 pm sharp. She gathers her bags, one overnight bag and a bag from Krogers. Daryl had said not to bring anything, but she felt funny coming over again empty handed. It's just ice cream and peaches. She doesn't even know if he likes ice cream or peaches. But she bought them anyway. She's fixated on the ice cream when the door opens before she can knock. And Daryl's there smiling that sexy little half smile of his.

"Hey you," he says, reaching for her bags.

"Do you like ice cream? What about peaches?" Beth blurts out and cringes inside at how ridiculous it sounds. And now Daryl is looking at her like she's lost her mind.

"Uh, yeah?" He's peeking in the bag and holding the door so she can come in. He takes the bag over to the counter and leaves her giggling nervously, holding her overnight bag just inside the door.

"That was random. I'm sorry I just never asked.." Before she can finish and say something else equally ridiculous, he's back and he's got his arms around her kissing her quiet. When they have to breathe Beth looks up at him.

"Hey," she whispers.

"I like ice cream an peaches, thought I tol' ya not ta bring anythin' but yer beautiful self." He fingers the little braid nested in the curls of her ponytail.

"I know Daryl. I wanted to though."

"Least ya listened to the beautiful part. Damn Beth ya look so pretty." His voice is husky and they're both blushing. In her white strapless sundress and cowboy boots she feels sexy and even though Daryl has never made her feel anything but perfect, there's still that little seed of doubt in the back of her mind thanks to the other relationships she's been in. The way he's looking at her right now though pushes that doubt right out of her head. She takes a minute to appreciate how good he's looking. Wearing a black sleeveless t-shirt and faded jeans, his hair is still damp from a shower, she imagines just what that looks like. Daryl in the shower.

"You look pretty good yourself." She runs her fingers through his damp hair. "Those Nike slides are doing all kinds of things to me." And then because she can't help it, she breaks into a fit of giggles.

"Ya laughing at my shoes? Most comfortable thing I own got these little massagin' bumps on 'em." He kicks one off and points down at it and Beth giggles harder. He's so damn adorable.

"Go on, try it out."

Reaching down she pulls off her boot and slides her small foot into his big shoe. She wiggles her toes.

"You're right they're pretty comfortable, maybe I need to try them both." Daryl takes his foot out of the other slide and when she has them both on she clomps around the kitchen while he laughs.

"Gimmie my shoes back woman," he growls and grabs her from behind, pulling her against his chest. He's kissing her neck and his scruffy beard is tickling her. She kicks off his shoes and squirms out of his arms.

"Okay, okay, you win." She's breathing heavy and notices the food on the counter and the dishes on the table. "Something smells really good Daryl! Did you cook dinner for me?"

The tips of his ears are pink. He slides his feet back into his shoes and goes over to the stove where there's a plate wrapped in foil.

" 'S nothin'. Go on and have a seat." She watches him for a couple of seconds as he pulls salad from the fridge and grabs the bread and beans off the counter.

"Let me help." He has his hands full, nods his head towards the fridge.

"There's some water and a bottle of wine if ya wan' it. Or I got my beer too. Can you grab that?" Beth nods and grabs a bottled water and a bottle of beer and follows Daryl to the table. His kitchen table is a slab of thick dark wood with chairs that are a little lighter. It's rustic and really beautiful. Beth sits down and runs her hand over the table top.

"This is really beautiful. What kind of wood is it?" Daryl sits in the chairs beside her instead of across from her and she likes that.

" 'S reclaimed wood, mix a' pine and oak, but I stained it darker to match." He busies himself with the foil covered plate. Beth knows he doesn't like compliments all that much, but she can't help herself. The table is gorgeous.

"You made this? Dary this is amazing. I didn't know you made furniture too!" Now it's not only the tips of his ears that are pink. There is so much about him that she doesn't know, so much she's learning. It would be easy to look at him and think he's just a rough biker who likes to ride and drink. But he's so much more and she knows that that is part of the reason she fell in love with him in the first place.

"Com'on now hand me yer plate." Beth does and watches him as he puts a small piece of meat on her plate. He's avoiding looking at her. "Don't know how much yer gonna eat so I cut up some smaller steaks. It's venison. I didn't even ask if ya like it." Handing her the plate he keeps his eyes averted and her heart aches a little at the fact that he can't even accept praise (which he so deserves) without feeling uncomfortable.

"My daddy hunted. We had venison filling up the freezers. My momma wasn't a big fan, but she used some in recipes and then shared the rest with the church congregation." She didn't tell him that she wasn't a big fan either. The meat was always so gamey. It wasn't something she had a taste for. Cutting off a small piece she did the polite thing and took a bite. This wasn't her momma's venison that was for sure.

"Daryl this is, it's delicious!" She's aware she's gushing and his cheeks are bright pink now. Taking another bite she lays her fork and knife down. "I didn't want to say anything, but I don't usually like venison. My daddy brought it home and pushed it on us and I felt like my momma did, too gamey-"

"Beth I can make ya something-" he started, reaching for her plate.

"No, this, well it's not anything like what I had as a kid. This is really good Daryl! How do you cook it?" Popping another bite in her mouth she peers at him. He's scratching his head and looks like he wishes he was anywhere, but sitting here with her listening to her go on about him.

"I soak it in milk and let it set up in the fridge 'fore I cook it," he mumbles, but at least he looks at her this time.

"Well, it's really good." She smiles at him and that seems to ease his discomfort a little. He shrugs and starts cutting into his own steak. Beth reaches for the salad bowl and serves herself some and pushes the bowl towards him."Do you have any dressing?" He jumps up and still chewing heads over to the fridge again. Beth can't stand it anymore and she follows him.

"Daryl-"

"Sorry, I was meanin' ta grab it-"

"Daryl, wait, stop." She moves in front of him and takes the bottle of dressing from his hands and sets it on the counter. "Rick told me where you were yesterday afternoon and last Saturday night when I was here I kinda saw your calendar. I know when I say nice things about you it makes you uncomfortable, and you've certainly tried to make yourself out to be less than the man I see, I'm not really sure why. All I see standing here in front of me is a good man. You may have done some things in the past and might even do more in the future, but all I've ever seen is a good man. And that's who I fell in love with okay? I don't mean to put you on the spot Daryl." Beth feels her eyes filling up with tears as she takes hold of his hands. "I want you to know how special you are to me." She says this last part softly and ducks her head so he doesn't see her tears. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her in close and she breathes a little sigh of relief.

"Fuck girl, I don't wanna see them tears. 'M jus' not used to being told such nice things. I don't see myself tha' way ya do, I guess." She feels his warm breath on the crown of her head as he kisses her.

"Maybe you need a last minute hair check mirror," she whispers and he chuckles.

"Don' matter what I do ta my hair, still jus' an ugly redneck looking back at me." Beth swats him on the arm.

"Ugly? Yeah right! God Daryl, you don't even know how hot you are! I mean those arms and your eyes, have you seen your eyes?" She's teasing him, kind of, and he growls into her hair which is the reaction she was hoping for because that growl, it's something. "I do have to be honest about the slides, massaging bumps or no, please never wear them out in public with me." She blinks up at him, hoping her face conveys the fact that she's totally bullshitting him.

"Uh huh, now yer jus' hurtin' my feelings, gonna make ya pay later," he says as he leans in and kisses her, taking her bottom lip between his teeth and biting down until she moans a little. She feels his smile against her mouth. Pulling away he does look at her, "Ya done now woman? Can we eat this dinner I slaved over?" She reaches for the bottle of dressing and lets him lead her back to the table.

X X X

All through dinner and afterward washing dishes, Beth insisted he let her help, Daryl watches her. He isn't trying to figure her out because he really doubts he can do that. She's smiling and laughing, talking about Norman and splashing him with soapy dishwater, and he's wondering how he got so lucky. How did he, a redneck asshole, find and fall in love with such and sweet and kind woman? She loves him back. That's the kicker.

Beth is going on about something and all of sudden she just stops talking and she's staring at him.

"Daryl?" He realizes she's staring because he was staring, just looking at her, lost in his thoughts and he wasn't aware that she noticed. Until now. He looks down where he's rinsing a dish, the same one he's been hanging onto for about 2 minutes now. His side of the sink is full of soapy, clean dishes waiting to be rinsed. He clears his throat and sets the dish on the drainer and grabs another making fast work of it.

"Sorry, was zoning out I guess." He feels the heat in his face.

"I was probably taking too much, wasn't I? I do that a lot, Maggie says-"

"Nah, yer fine. Let's get these dishes done, got somethin' I wanna show ya." She giggles then which is probably one of his favorite sounds now and how fuckin' corny is that? She lets her hand brush up against his ass as she moves to the other side of him and starts drying the dishes he has haphazardly stacked in the drainer in his attempt to finish the job he was slacking on while he thought about her. Shaking his head he pulls out the drain stopper and grabs her towel and wipes off his hands.

"Hey!" He hands her the towel back and leans in for a quick kiss.

"Finish these up fer me okay? I gotta do something. Don't come out back and no peeking! Got it?" He runs a finger along her cheekbone and tugs gently on her ear. There's a tiny gold star there. He never paid attention to her earrings before and he thinks that this suits her. This little star glinting in the overhead light. He looks back at her face and her eyes are sparkling.

"A surprise?" she breathes.

"Ain't nothin'. Jus' do what I say okay?" He moves away from her and starts for the back door, but stops and looks over at her. She's got a pan in her hands, wiping it dry and smiling that big ole smile. " 'M glad yer here with me Beth." He doesn't know how to thank her for all the damn compliments she's been piling on him tonight. It makes him uncomfortable, she got that part right, but he also likes it, the way she makes him feel like he's good enough. When she looks up from drying the pan and her eyes meet his, he swears her smile is bigger, if that's even possible.

"I am too Daryl," she says softly.

X X X

Beth finishes the dishes and puts them all away. Daryl came in once and told her not to look while he did whatever he did, grumbling as he went out the back door a second time. The door opens and he slips in, closing it behind him. He's in sweats, no shirt and she's admiring the flat plane of his stomach as he walks over to where she's standing.

"Thanks, fer puttin' all that shit away." He lets his chin rest on her head as he slips his arms around her.

"It was no problem. So do I get to see whatever you're hiding out there?" she asks running a finger inside the elastic waistband of his sweats. She feels him shiver and he lowers his hands to her hips and holds her against him.

"Mmm hmm. Ya want somethin ta drink?" His hands are big and he can almost span her waist with them. This makes her shiver.

"Oh, um, yeah. Hey, this is our first Friday off a those barstools! We were gonna have a date on your couch." That conversation seems like a lifetime ago. It's amazing how much things can change in just a few short days. This man, who was just the brother of a guy her sister knew, has become the most important person in her life.

"Got somethin' better than tha' couch." He moves to the fridge opening it and grabbing a beer.

"We should at least do a shot of whiskey for old times sake!" Beth covers her nervousness with giggles. She's feeling a little overwhelmed at how much she feels for Daryl. She loves him and she knows now she's never really loved anyone for real. It's never been like this. He's reaching up in the cupboard for the whiskey and she lets her gaze rest on his scars for just a second. It's another thing that amazes her, how such violent acts have become a thing of beauty striped across his back. He's a survivor. There's a story written there and maybe someday, when he's ready he'll share it with her. She turns away before he notices what she was looking at. Making him feel uncomfortable because of that is the last thing she wants to do. She ducks into the fridge and grabs a water.

"Okay girl here's your shot." He slides the little glass in front of her and picks his up."Wait, what're toasting ta?" he asks.

"Us. To us." The whiskey burns like it always does as she swallows it and she thinks that's why she drinks it. The taste has never appealed to her, but the burn, it makes her feel alive. Daryl slams his glass on the counter and reaches out and takes her hand.

"Com'on." He leads her to the door and puts his hand on the small of her back directing her out first. She stops and a little gasp slips from her lips. There's a blow-up bed on the back porch covered in sleeping bags. Candles flicker on the little patio table. The stars, she said she loved sleeping outside and looking at the stars. And he did this.

"Daryl… This is.." She doesn't even know how to put into words what she's feeling right now. He just keeps doing things for her that make her feel like she wasn't really living until she met Daryl Dixon.

"Toldja I would. Said ya liked looking at the stars.." She shivers as his arms come around her from behind.

"So you made us a bed on your back porch." Moving from the circle of his arms, she tugs at her sundress and lets it fall down around her ankles.

"Girl wha' the hell are ya doing?" It sounds to her like he's having trouble speaking and she giggles and slips her tiny white panties off too.

"I said I was gonna sleep naked, remember?"

X X X

So much for looking at the stars. Oh well, they can do that later. Because Beth is lying here naked with just the candle glow on her skin and Daryl doesn't think he'll be able to concentrate on anything else except her. And they've got all night. Setting his beer on the floor beside the bed, he hooks his fingers in the waistband of his sweats and yanks off. Beth was rolling around and giggling, but now she's silent and he looks over at her. Her eyes are on him, on a specific part of him. Crawling across the bed, he hovers over her, cock heavy between his legs and she slides down until she's lying between the v his thighs make. He isn't sure seeing her there like that feels right until she wraps her hand around his thickness and whispers softly, her warm breath making him jerk in her hand.

"Let me make you feel good Daryl." He leans back and does his best to keep his weight off her. She's so fucking tiny, he could crush her, and god her mouth is making it almost impossible to maintain. Maybe a little bit of it is the fact that he's got her underneath him, that he's bigger and stronger. He may have the dominant position, but she's in control.

"Jesus, fuck Beth!" Her mouth is warm and wet and she's looking up at him with big blue eyes and there's no way in hell he can keep this up much longer. She must sense it too because she leans back into the bed letting him slip from her mouth and rest on her lips, coating them with precome. He groans and slides back a little because he just can't look at that. It's too much. He can already feel the tightening in his balls, and he isn't gonna last much longer.

"Where, do you.." She's struggling to get up on her elbows and Daryl leans back and grabs his sweats. What she's asking for, it's in the pocket, they're in the pocket. More than one because it's gonna be like that. With her. Tonight. She takes it from his shaky fingers and breathes out a laugh. "Lemme." He sits back on his heels now that she's no longer underneath him. And he watches as she tears open the condom, crossing her legs, settling between his as if this is gonna be a big deal. "I never did this," she says more to herself than him and she's biting on her bottom lip as she puts the tip of the condom on the head of his cock. Goosebumps pepper his skin as her fingers unroll it down over his shaft. She puts her hands on his thighs and pushes herself up to him, curls a hand around his neck and kisses him hard. She leaves her lips against his mouth as she tells him to lay down.

"Woman.."

"I'm not done with you, I'm gonna ride you Daryl and you're gonna come." She's got her hands on his shoulders, pushing him onto his back, climbing up and over him, straddling him, and lowering herself on him with a little whimper. Her tight hold on that control is slipping and he grasps her hips in his hands once again noting the fact that she's so small. His hands engulf her, the brown skin a stark contrast next to her ivory softness. Rocking slowly back and forth, she lets her head loll to the side and she smiles at him. It's good, so good, but it's slow and easy and it's driving him crazy. He wants to flip her over and fuck her fast and hard. He knows what she's doing, making him feel good, sure, but making him wait, drawing it out, it's blissful torture. But he can give it back to her. He rubs a hand across the delicate skin of her tummy, brushes a thumb at the top of her mound, tracing the curve of it before slipping it between her pussy lips where her swollen clit glistens with her slick. She moans and falls forward, hands on his chest.

"Gonna come fer me, baby? Huh?" He's aware the skin on his thumb is coarse and drags it in a circle around her clit. She lifts up so achingly slow until he's barely inside her. Growling he grips her hips and flips them over eliciting a squeal from her. He snaps his hips and buries himself inside of her leaning over and teasing her nipples with his tongue.

"Oh my.. Daryl.." she's whining and he kisses away a bead of sweat in the hollow of her throat.

"Fucking driving me crazy Beth, can't have that." He lifts her legs up, ankles on his shoulders. "Play with yer pussy, lemme watch." She's a mess and doesn't hesitate and the minute her fingers slip down between them he loses it. He feels her muscles flutter and then clench around him. Her legs, slippery with sweat, shudder as they slip from his shoulders. With one last thrust, he follows her over that final precipice, collapsing against her in a tangle of sweaty limbs and pounding hearts. He feels her lips on his jaw, soft kisses that border on being ticklish. Covering the crown of her head with his hand, he lowers his lips to her forehead. Her mouth is warm against his neck as she whispers,

"Wanna look at the stars now?" Her fingers are in his hair tugging him down to her lips and he nods as he kisses her. And when she laughs against his mouth he can't help but chuckle too. The fact that he had mind blowing sex, again, with this woman and now they're rolling around on an air bed cracking up is just about perfect.

X X X

They're lying on the bed facing each other. No covers, no clothes. Beth's fingers are lightly tracing the contours of Daryl's face.

"Gonna put me ta sleep doing that." Daryl sighs. He rolls over on his back and reaches an arm out for Beth, cuddling against him, she gazes up at the sky. The stars are infinite. And she's lying out here under them with the man she loves.

"Tell me something, Daryl." She presses her lips to his ribs and enjoys the feel of his skin as he shivers against them. Under her hand that's resting on his chest, she feels his heart beat.

"Like wha'?"

"Tell me something I don't know." He's silent for a few seconds, and then he clears his throat a little.

"Wasn't gonna stay 'round here. I was thinkin' on gettin' a million miles away from this place, from Merle. Maybe try things out on my own." She feels a tightness in her chest. Now that he's in her life she can't imagine it any other way. And what if he'd left before they'd met?

"Where would you go?" She wants to see his face and his eyes while he talks to her, but she thinks he wouldn't be as open as he's being right now if he had to look her in the eye.

"I'unno. Florida maybe. New York, upstate. Don' think I'd like the city. I never been outta Georgia."

"Never?" She can't imagine anyone never leaving the state, not even for just a day.

"No reason ta go nowhere else." He lays his hand over hers and lets his other hand slide down her back until it rests on the curve of her hip.

"I couldn't wait to leave for school. I wanted out of here so bad. I wanted to be Beth who didn't try and commit suicide. I couldn't do that here. Not with Maggie and Daddy breathing down my neck all the time."

"They love ya, they was worried."

"Maybe. Funny thing is, I got to a point, right before graduation, that I wanted to come back. I mean I knew that eventually, I would, but I really wanted too. I wanted to come home." She can remember that feeling distinctly. College had given her the chance to stand on her own two feet and she'd done it. But home was here, with her family.

" 'M glad ya came back." Daryl murmurs against her hair.

"Me too. And I'm glad you stayed." Stretching against him she kisses his chin, then his cheek and slides her leg up over his thigh.

"Ain't going nowhere unless ya come with me." His gravelly voice against her skin and the way he effortlessly pulls her up on top of him has sleep slipping her mind. His too from the way he's breathing.

"Come with me now Daryl." It's a breathless plea as she grinds against him, knees clamped against his hips.

"Fuckin' hell Beth, where them sweats I had on.. can ya.." he stops talking and she looks down at him from where she's straddling his body. His eyes are dark with lust as he's fumbling for the sweats. She reaches for them and starts to move off him when he lays a hand on her thigh.

"Stay." He takes care of the condom and lifts her enough to lower her over his hard cock. His hands are resting on her thighs and he hasn't taken his eyes off of her the entire time. How he can just look at her and make her feel like she's beautiful is something she doesn't understand, but he does it, is doing it now and it makes her feel so loved and also extremely turned on and she pushes up with her knees and lets herself fall back down on him, riding him, like she knows he wants her too.

"Daryl…" She's already there, at the edge of losing herself. It happened so fast and maybe it's the heat or the stars that she sees when she throws her head back. Everything is so surreal until Daryl is pushing himself up holding on to her and whispering hotly in her ear, bucking his hips up and into her.

"I can feel ya, Beth, all around me, so fuckin' tight." They're both falling back onto the mattress, their bodies covered in a light sheen of sweat, hair sticking to foreheads and cheeks. Once again she goes to move away from him and he holds her against him with his palm at the small of her back. "Don' care if 's hot. Don' leave."

X X X

Two more times after the first two. Daryl doesn't believe his old body can even function that way. But then there's never been anyone like her. Beth. They talked in-between. About Merle and his recent visits to the Kroger where Carol works. Merle might actually be worming his way past Carol's resolve to never date him if she's paying attention to how he cleans up like Beth said she was. He doesn't know how he feels about Merle dating Carol. His brother's an asshole and Carol is a good person, his friend even. Then again someone like Carol could be good for Merle.

The sky was turning pink on the horizon the last time they fell asleep. Now it's up and shining relentlessly down on them. He never let her move away from him last night. When a bead of sweat rolling down his neck wakes him, she's still there wrapped in his arms, her skin shiny and flushed. She must have felt him moving because she's pushing herself up off of him, moaning.

"Oh my god, I'm wet!" Daryl can't help how his body reacts to that statement. Especially with her sitting there naked.

"Yeah?" He smirks looking her up and down. This earns him a smack on the arm and he watches and she climbs off the bed.

"Come on, we need a shower, preferably cold! And coffee and food.." He follows her, pushing the door open for her.

"An sex?" He watches her ass as it disappears through his bedroom door and she giggles over her shoulder.

"Oh Mr. Dixon, that's a given."

X X X

There was more laughing than moaning at their first attempt at shower sex. In fact, there has been a lot more laughing overall and that feels right. Beth's surprised to find out that it's Daryl's first time ever having sex in the shower too. He admitted it to her and with that admittance the mood changes. It goes from silly to something else, something soft and close. Being able to share firsts with Daryl makes her so incredibly happy. Rinsing the conditioner from her hair she moves behind him so he can do the same. She comes face to face with his scars. He told her they were there and she touched them, she just hadn't ever seen them, not like this. He doesn't want her pity, doesn't need it. But it's hard not to stand here face to face with the results of the horrors he endured and not feel something. Daryl's body goes rigid under her hands that she's placed against his scars. He turns and she knows he's looking at her, but she can't look up at him. Not with what she knows is in her eyes.

"Ah Beth, I don' need ya feelin' sorry fer me." She finally glances up at him and there's a little bit of defiance flashing in his blue eyes.

"I don't, it's not that. My heart just hurts for the little boy that you were."

"I toldja, my daddy he wasn' a good guy. Took his belt ta my mama and my brother and when they was gone, took his belt ta me. Drugs, drinkin', I don' know. But I won't have no one lookin' at me like a puppy who's been kicked. I done let it go." His words make her shiver, she didn't think anything of the sort.

"I love you Daryl and it's just-"

"Mmm hmm. I know baby girl. Com'ere." His arms are around her and even though her mind is reeling this is a good thing. "Ya got a heart too big for its own good, always hurting ya I think. So if ya wanna cry cause my scars hurt ya, go ahead. But don't cry fer me. Enough a tha's been done already. Tears ain't gonna fix all tha'." She doesn't let the tears fall, not how she wants to. Maybe later when she's alone. He says he let it go, whether or not that completely true, she'll honor it. For him. Looking up at him she pushes the wet strands of hair from his forehead.

"You're a strong man Daryl Dixon. And a good man too." He barks out a laugh.

" 'M strong, both a us are. As fer being good, yer everything that's good, me. don' know 'bout that. Might have ta keep remindin' me if yer determined to get me ta believe it." Beth smiles up at him and just shakes her head. He's stubborn, that's for sure. She'll get through his thick skull one of these days. In the meantime, she can tease and torment him.

"You have to know how damn sexy you are all wet though right?" He growls and buries his face in the crook of her neck, nipping and licking at the sensitive skin there and she screams and giggles until he pushes her up against the tiles and she's already moaning as he drops to his knees.

X X X

Beth's picking at the bacon Daryl has frying on the stove. She's trying to be sneaky about it, pressing up against him from behind and snatching a piece while he's distracted.

"Girl.. ain't gonna be any left to go with the eggs!" He glances over his shoulder at her and she sighs and drops the piece she's holding back onto the plate.

"Okay, okay. Then let me help. I can do some amazing scrambled eggs and cheese." He wanted to cook for her, let her relax at the table with a cup of coffee. But she's already downed two cups and she's been bouncing all over the kitchen distracting him in one way or another. He about burned half the bacon when she threw her head back, laughing at one of his Merle stories. He suddenly had a flashback of her naked, straddling his hips, throwing her head back and moaning his name. He's also been thinking about everything he said to her in the shower about his scars and not wanting her pity. Hell, she doesn't pity him. That's not her. And when did he develop diarrhea of the mouth? He says more to this girl than he has ever said to anyone else in his life. It's all her. She isn't trying to change him, but he's changing. Or it's quite possible he's experiencing life in a different way and with her beside him, he's better.

"Go on then, make yer eggs. Jus' stay away from my bacon." Delighted she continues to bounce around the kitchen gathering the things she needs and making Daryl's heartache with a happiness he doesn't think he's ever known. Finishing up with the bacon he shuts off the burner and covers the plate with a paper towel. And then he leans against the counter and just watches her. She's whisking the eggs in a bowl that she's added water too. She must feel his gaze on her because she glances over at him.

"What?" her voice is soft. Smiling, he shakes his head.

"Nothin', jus' lookin'." And he is, but he's thinking things too. How she's beautiful in a way that he's never been allowed to be privy to before. And he's allowing himself to think that maybe he does deserve this. With her.

"Daryl." she's laughing softly, her cheeks tinged pink. He loves when he makes her blush, that he can make her blush. "Last night was amazing. I don't think we spent much time looking at the stars though."

"Didn' wanna stop lookin' at you, better than any stars," he mumbles. Words like these, coming from his mouth, feel awkward and out of place. And in any other case he'd just keep his mouth shut, but with her, he can't seem to shut up. Unless. He goes up behind her, presses himself against her, just like she was doing to him. There's no bacon to steal so instead he kisses the soft skin where her shoulder and her neck meet. Kisses all the way up behind her ear. Her skin is soft and clean and smells like his soap. That's definitely a fucking turn on right there.

"Daryl, stop, oh.." she's definitely leaning into his kisses now. Then giggling she pulls away. "I have to makes these eggs. I think I ate half the bacon, You're gonna need these." Grumbling he heads over to the coffee pot and pours himself another cup. He's still watching her, he'll keep his hands off, but not his eyes.

X X X

After she finally convinces him to pick what kind of cheese he wants in the eggs, he wanted her to pick, she spoons out fluffy little piles on their plates and he adds slices of bacon. As they're walking to the table she notices he has about six slices and she has two.

"Hey how come you have more?" she asks elbowing him teasingly.

"Cause ya already ate more than half yer share!"

"Afraid I'm gonna get fat?" she sits in the chair next to him and he reaches out and slides his hand up between her thighs.

"Nope. I jus' like bacon." And as if she needs proof, he shoves a whole piece into his mouth. Laughing she leans over and kisses the grease off his lips. They eat in a comfortable silence and every time she tries to steal a glimpse of him, she catches him looking back at her. He finishes first and leans back in his chair with a coffee cup in one hand and the other resting on her thigh. She's just about cleaned her plate when her cell phone rings. It's Maggie's ringtone.

"KInda early for her to be calling," Beth says looking around the room for her phone.

" 'S on the couch." Daryl reaches out and stacks her plate on his, carrying both to the sink. Picking up the phone she sits down on the couch.

"Hey Mags, what's-" Her eyes meet Daryl's as she listens to her sister on the other end of the call. Daryl's phone starts vibrating on the island and Beth watches as he answers the call, his brow furrowed.

"Yeah, Rick." His body language changes immediately and she notices this and tries to concentrate on her sister's voice even though something is going on. And it isn't good.

"Oh my gosh. Everyone is okay though? Thank god the pizza place had cameras."

"Wha'? Where was he? Fuck! And he didn' start it? Nah, okay. Yeah, I'll be there." Beth hasn't looked away from Daryl and she sees the anger and worry written all over his face as he ends the call.

"Yeah okay, I'll talk to you soon." She clicks off her call and hurries over to Daryl. "What's wrong?"

"Merle got jumped. Parking lot of the Kroger." Daryl heads towards his bedroom. "I gotta go ta the ER." He stops and turns to her. "I mean we, if ya want ta come." She almost runs into him and he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Of course I'm coming with you, I mean if you want me to." She gives him a small reassuring smile, but his face is blank, his eyes hard.

"Yeah. I do." He turns away from her and starts changing into jeans and a t-shirt. Grabbing her bag she pulls his t-shirt that she put on over her head and slips into the sundress she had in her bag. With her bikini and towel. They were supposed to go to Rick's, swim, barbecue, enjoy the day. Now they're on the way to the hospital.

"What else Daryl?" Because she knows there's more to it. Just a few minutes ago he'd been joking around with her, kissing her. Now he looks ready to kill someone. Merle gets into trouble all the time. This wasn't the same. Unless Merle's hurt badly.

"Wha'd yer sister want?" he asks, slipping his boots on.

"Oh. Glenn's family restaurant, it was vandalized last night. The windows were broken out and I guess some stuff was spray painted on the walls." Slipping her flip-flops on she stands back and watches him.

"Everyone okay?" he asks as he pulls a small revolver from his dresser drawer, checks the safety and then tucks it in the back of his jeans. She didn't mean to let the gasp slip out, it just did.

"Yes, they're fine, their... Daryl tell me." She reaches for him and this time when he looks at her she sees a little bit of fear lurking in the back of his blue eyes.

"It was that MC, from the other night at the bar. Tol' Merle I better watch my back." Daryl pulls her up against him and she slips her arms around his waist. "Said I better keep tha' pretty little blonde close." His voice tremors a little on the 'pretty little blonde'. Her stomach rolls and all the bacon and eggs she'd eaten feel like a rock in her gut.

"Daryl?" She looked up at him questioningly. She isn't necessarily afraid for herself. She's actually more afraid of what he'll do because he's always got his brother's back. And now. Well now he's got her and she's pretty sure he feels exactly like she does, if anyone hurt him, she'd make sure they paid for it.

"Don' you worry. No one messes with my family." He kisses the top of her head and she doesn't miss how he includes her in the reference to his 'family'. "Com'on, let's go check on my brother."

A/N Cliffhanger.. you guys I struggled with this chapter! I couldn't find a stopping point! And it's long, which I know isn't a bad thing, but I needed to stop somewhere! So there's a cliffhanger. I was influenced by a wonderful writing buddy and her recent cliffie! Lol... And I re-wrote the entire ending after seeing an inspirational post of Chiara Bautista's beautiful art... it's up on my tumblr. Check her out. She's amazing! Anyway.. you knew that all that sweetness had to be interrupted by some angst. Just a bit. Enjoy! And big huge thank yous and hugs to everyone reading and reviewing! I appreciate you all!