I do not own any of the TWD characters.

Low and Slow

Every day on the island was more of the same, routine but never boring. Daryl was always the first one up so he usually had some breakfast ready for his sleepyheads. They would spend their early mornings out and about. They visited the shipwreck and firetruck museums, and the turtle hospital just to name a few places. Lunchtime would always be an adventure at a new restaurant or sometimes one they'd already visited. By mid-afternoon Silas was ready for his swimming lesson followed by a nap. Daryl was really impressed with how much Si had accomplished at the pool – he would now jump off the diving board and swim to a waiting Daryl. Beth always fixed an amazing meal for supper and then they would have their nightly walk on the beach.

On Thursday, Daryl and Silas had a guy's day together and went on the Conch Tour Train while Beth got some shopping done. Daryl had given her the credit card and told her to "go crazy – but not too crazy". She tried to refuse the card telling him she had her own money that she could spend. The look Daryl gave her let her know real quick that she should probably just take the card and not say another word about it.

Thursday was really their last day on the island and the Dixon family took to the beach for what had become their nightly sunset stroll. It was just so peaceful and relaxing that it had quickly become Beth's favorite part of being on the island. Daryl didn't really care where he was, just as long as he had his girl and boy with him. Silas walked in between Beth and Daryl while holding each of their hands.

The two adults talked about everything on their evening walks: a wedding date – they'd settled on Thanksgiving weekend since they didn't want to wait any longer than they had to. A honeymoon location – right where they were at the moment since neither one of them could think of anywhere else they'd rather be. Building a house – Daryl had always wanted to build a cabin out on Cherokee Lake. He loved it there, loved the fishing, loved the hunting and the view was to die for. He'd banked nearly all the money his grandmother had left him in addition to the money from the sale of the house he'd grown up in, so he was pretty confident in the fact that he could afford to start on it anytime.

"Ya know I always wanted to build a cabin out there at the lake – already have a couple of lots right there together. And plenty of wooded acres that butts up against the lake frontage" Daryl started the next topic of conversation. Beth nodded that she was aware. "It's not really that far from the hospital and I have to commute to Atlanta anyway."

"Daryl, we'll go wherever you want to go" she smiled "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth." About that time, Silas took off ahead of his parents to chase the waves rolling into the shore. He must have spotted something he wanted to check out because he was bent over digging with his little plastic shovel and putting something into the yellow bucket he brought out to the beach with him every night.

Daryl was momentarily speechless at that comment. He was amazed at just how damn lucky he'd gotten to land the girl of his dreams and she always seemed to put him on a pedestal. He couldn't help but think that it should be the other way around. "Beth, I want you to be happy – that's all I want outta this life – for you to be happy and safe. You and Silas both – happy, safe, provided for in the way ya deserve."

"Why do you think your best is never good enough Daryl?" Beth questioned him "You're the most amazing man I've ever met. I could and should never want or ask for more than what you give me – you always go above and beyond."

Again, Daryl was blushing and ducking his head. "Well, I's thinkin – been thinkin a lot." Then he hesitated again.

"What Daryl? What is it?" Beth was starting to become worried.

"Well, don't think a cabin is gonna do it" Daryl said smiling.

"What? You saying I think I'm too good for a cabin?" Beth giggled.

"Naw, girl. Ya ain't ever thought you's too good for anythang" Daryl told her. "I's thinkin. Well, ya know I love Silas – he's my boy."

"Of course he is" Bethagreed. She and Daryl both glanced to Silas to make sure he was still within a safe distance of them.

"We hadn't talked bout this yet, but I want a couple more kids" Daryl stopped walking to look up at Beth to gage her reaction. When Beth didn't really respond, he continued "Is that somethang you'd want?" Still no response from Beth – just an open mouthed stare. "Cause if it ain't I'm happy with what we have – I'd never force ya to do anythang ya didn't wanta."

The tears were starting to form – wouldn't be long before they were streaming down her face full force. "Daryl, I'd love to give you more children" she cried "I just" she stuttered, "I just never realized until you came into my life that men like you existed. You love Silas so, so much and you want more children with me. I've always figured that most men viewed children as a burden – a burden they just had to deal with."

Beth was crying now. Daryl couldn't tell if they were happy tears, sad tears, or angry tears. He just didn't know so he did the only thing he knew to do. Daryl pulled her into a tight hug, while keeping an eye on his boy. "Beth, honey, don't cry. I didn't mean to make ya cry."

"You didn't" she sniffed "I mean I know men that genuinely love their children. Rick does of course, and my Daddy. Nobody loves his children more than my Daddy does. It's just that the men I've dealt with have not been the most nurturing – until you Daryl. Daryl, I'd say you're one in a million – there is not a man around that's as perfect as you are."

For the second time that night, he didn't know how to respond. Beth piped up, "How many more babies do you want? I'll give you as many as you want."

"Uhh, don't know" Daryl finally managed to get out "just know that I want babies with you – I want you to be the mother to my babies." Beth smiled up at Daryl and placed a quick peck on his lips, but Daryl wasn't through with her quite yet. Daryl pulled her chin back up so that he could look into those beautiful blue eyes of hers and began to kiss her – a long, slow kiss. Silas looked up to see them in a lip lock and figured he'd missed out on something. He ran back and forced himself in between them.

Daryl laughed at the interruption. "Let's start with one more and see how it goes from there." Beth laughed too and they turned to make the journey back to their condo. They still had packing to do since they were flying out in the morning – they had to make that homecoming ballgame after all. Daryl still hadn't finished his "cabin" conversation since he'd gotten into a whole nother conversation. That was okay though he told himself, we needed to have that conversation more than any other he supposed.

They almost made it all the way back to the condo before Silas tuckered out and Daryl had to pack him. Daryl was getting pretty good at reading the "I'm getting sleepy and I'm about to drop" signals that Si usually exhibited. When his boy could no longer walk a straight line and began staggering, it was time to pick the little fella up – he just couldn't do it anymore. Daryl laughed thinking about all those jokes he'd seen on line about how toddlers were just like little drunk people – yep, that's bout right he thought. Daryl checked the yellow bucket to make sure there weren't any live critters that should be released. There weren't, so Daryl picked Silas up and slung him over his shoulder effortlessly.

Once they were back inside, they were able to get Si into the bathtub for a decent scrub down. Beth knew that they wouldn't have time to bathe or shower him in the morning, so it had to be done before putting him to bed. While Beth was on Si detail, Daryl gathered up every dirty item of clothing in the condo to run a wash or two. He knew that they were supposed to have all the towels done up before they checked out and that would be a load in itself. Everything else, however, no matter what it was would be in one load. He thought he'd do that one first so that Beth didn't catch him washing all of it together. She was awful particular about laundry – he'd learned that the hard way one weekend when he ruined her favorite skirt. He still caught hell over that occasionally. That was probably their first squabble – he wouldn't really consider that a fight. He didn't reckon they'd had a fight. Yet.

Beth came out of the bathroom looking as if she'd been the one to have gotten the bath. Her hair was dripping down in her face, mascara was running, her clothes were wet – not that Daryl minded her white tank top being soaked through.

"What tha hell happened to ya?" Daryl laughed.

"Bathing a boy that's half asleep ain't no easy task" she said as she blew some hair out of her face. "I think I pulled something in my back – I slipped getting him out of the tub."

"Damn Beth – ya okay" Daryl rushed to her side and turned her around to check her over.

"Yeh, I'm alright" she sighed.

"I woulda give him his bath – just wasn't thinkin I don't guess" he said apologetically.

"I'll let ya make it up to me later" she smiled, which made Daryl smile devilishly. "With a back rub" she specified. Daryl's face fell in into an exaggerated pout. And then it happened. Beth opened the lid on the washer to "check" on the wash. He knew what she was doing – checking to see what all he'd thrown in together. She rolled her eyes and slammed the lid shut, but didn't say anything.

"Hey" he said, hoping to divert her attention away from the laundry, "ya need to drink this whole bottle of water before going to sleep tonight and take these." He handed her a bottle of water and two small tablets.

"What is this? You trying to take advantage of my injury?" she teased.

"Hell naw" he said "tryin to keep ya from pukin on the way home tomorrow. Ya need to take two more of them before we leave here in the mornin."

"Yes sir" she said. Beth knew not to argue with Daryl. He was, after all, their medical expert in the house. Daryl had attended school in Atlanta and was a certified paramedic long before he decided to go to flight school to become an emergency medical pilot. Any medical emergency or question that she ever had about herself or Silas, she discussed with him first. If he didn't know the answer or what to do about a particular situation, he had someone on speed dial that did. It was just the circle of people they associated with.

Daryl made sure everything was locked up tight, before turning in with his beautiful wife to be. He could tell she was pretty drowsy – probably from the motion sickness medicine he was already feeding her. Daryl pulled her in to him tight and placed delicate kisses up and down her neck. He took the quiet moans and gasps as a sign that she wasn't too sleepy and he should continue. So he did – all the way down her spine with the kisses and the tender touches until he came to that beautiful pert ass of hers.

"Beth" he said.

"Hmmm?" Beth responded.

"Ya so fuckin beautiful" he told her "don't know what I'd do without you." Beth turned over to look him in the eyes.

"Well, you'll never have to find out" she said. Beth began nibbling on Daryl's earlobes – that drove him insane! They made love sweet and slow – Daryl knew that she was hurting a bit from bath time with Silas, and they didn't want to wake the little guy either. Daryl realized that the next time he and Beth were in this bed together, they would be man and wife and they would be ALONE. He could get as loud and wild as he wanted to then, but for now, low and slow was the ticket, low and slow.