I would like to start off by thanking all of you for your kind words during such a rough time for me. I'd meant to say something on the last update, but I was so focused on putting up the chapter that I'd completely forgotten to say anything at all. But I didn't want it to go unsaid. The last couple of months have been very difficult for myself and my family, but I'd really like to get back into my stories ( I haven't given up on Push :) )

So, here's the next update to Chance. I hope you all love it and I'm already laying down the groundwork for the next one.

"Alright, girls. Let's see what you've got for me today."

I hold the little iron basket in one hand as I make my rounds through the coop. It's usually an easy job but, every now an' then, I have to put up with a broody hen. I've had my fair share of pecks an' scratches over the years. Luckily, they all seem in a good mood today an' I get half a dozen eggs. Maggie always goes on about how she can't stand my chickens. She says they're filthy birds that wreak havoc on the vegetable garden. But you'll never once hear her complain about fresh eggs for breakfast or bakin'.

When I get back outside, I set the basket down an' open the old steel bin. Most of them followed me outta the coop. Now they flock around my feet as I scoop out a handful of feed an' toss it to them. One of the hens has chicks followin' her through the yard. I throw an extra handful in their direction. I close the bin, pick up my basket an' watch them all scratch at the ground.

I can remember back when I was a little girl an' I'd sit on the porch swing with my mama. If I close my eyes an' concentrate, I can remember the smell of her coffee in the mornin'. The soft, weathered feel of her old fleece robe as I sat in her lap an' rested my head on her shoulder. The two of us would watch her old hens peckin' around the yard for hours. My eyes open when I hear the truck comin' up the drive. Before he can see me, I wipe away the tears that threatened to spill over. I'm excited to spend the day with Daryl. I refuse to cry this time.

He pulls up to the house as I'm walkin' over. I watch him blow out smoke from the cigarette he just finished as he gets outta the truck. He's wearin' that thermal shirt from the other night. It doesn't cling to his body, but I can still make out the hard muscles of his chest an' arms. He seems to study the basket in my hand an' I shrug. "Can't beat fresh eggs, right?"

"Guess not."

Once I get next to him, I ask, "You wanna come inside with me real quick? I gotta put the eggs in the fridge an' grab the cooler."

With a small nod, he lets me take his hand in my free one. I stand on my toes an' gently kiss the corner of his mouth; my idea of a better greetin'. The stubble scratches at my lips an' I feel the muscles in his jaw clench, then relax. He turns his head infinitesimally an' his lips brush over mine. When one of his hands cups the side of my face, I close my eyes.

For a second, I'm afraid he can hear my heart poundin'. I can hardly hear anything over the sound of the pulse in my ears. His lips are soft an' pliable against my own. I hear a slight hum an', for the life of me, I can't decide if he made the sound in satisfaction or if it's the electric current coursin' through my veins. The rough pad of his thumb traces over my jawline, searin' a trail over my skin. I swear I didn't imagine the light breath of a sigh part his lips. Just as I'm ready to pull him closer to me an' allow his tongue to caress my own, he breaks our contact.

My eyes blink open an' are met by his own darkened gaze. There's a conflict there, but he looks away before I can work it out for myself. He'd been so gentle when he ended our kiss, but my mouth feels like a part has been torn away. I shake my head an' try to process through the dense fog blanketin' my better judgement. In the very back of my mind, I'm mildly relieved that he obviously has more control than I do. Who knows how far I'd let him take us if he wasn't the way he is with me?

Part of me thinks the intensity puts him on edge. Deep down, a little voice tells me how this must be new for him. It's either that, or he's been burned before. So he remains on the precipice, teeterin' between protectin' hisself or givin' in to the idea that he wants this. I'm not sure which makes more sense to me, but I store the thoughts away to dissect later. Instead, I tighten my grip on his hand an' pull him towards the house. There's no way I'm lettin' him slip away from me. Physically or emotionally.

"So, I just packed us some water bottles. You wanna eat before we go? Or should I pack somethin'?"

He's right behind me as we go inside an' turn into the kitchen. "What you plan on eatin'?"

"Um, gimme a minute to sort these an' then I can tell you what we have. Make yourself comfortable."

He leans forward against the island as I pull out one of the egg cartons from the pantry an' start to put them away. "Where's your dad an' sister?" he asks, almost cautiously. It's like he thinks we're wrong for bein' alone together. I have no idea why he'd think that, so I brush off his tone.

"My dad's helpin' a friend of the family out on their farm. He's been goin' over there all week."

"An' your sister?" he presses. Come to think of it, if there were anybody he should be afraid of, I guess it would be Maggie. Not that I think she'd be upset with this. But I do know what a fiery temper she has. It'd only take one wrong look or touch for her to fly off the handle.

"Maggie spent the night with Glenn. They'll both be here for dinner tonight, though." There's a questionin' look on his face, so I explain that it's tradition for us to have a big family dinner on Sundays. While I describe that to him, I can just imagine invitin' him to dinner as my guest. What would Daddy think of him? I quickly glance up, relieved to see he's too busy studyin' the pattern of the placemat in fronta him. The sleeves of his shirt are pulled up an' the muscles in his forearms are taut bands. His brow is furrowed in concentration an' I know that, whatever he's thinkin' about, it can't possibly be the placemat. As quickly as our eyes meet, he looks back down. "You always home alone?"

I turn away an' step over to the fridge. "Not always. Only some of the time."

Even though I don't see it, I can feel his eyes borin' into my back. I open the fridge door an' place the carton inside. Then I look around. "Okay, somethin' to eat. Well, we've got things to make sandwiches an' then there's some fruit an' veggies from Maggie's garden."

I look over my shoulder to see his reaction to any of that, only to find him liftin' the tin foil off a plate on the island. I roll my eyes an' close the fridge door. "Or we can eat some of those brownies."

He raises an eyebrow at me an' I see the corner of his mouth quirk up. I reach across an' pull the rest of the foil off the plate. I take one for myself an' hand one to him. He smiles at me just before shovin' the whole darn thing in his mouth. I feel my face screw up. "Gross!"

He laughs an' reaches for a second. Before he takes it, his eyes flit to my face. I smile at him. "Take whatever you want. Glad you like them."

He eats the second more slowly. I'm flattered when he tells me how good he thinks they are. When we've both finished, I cover the rest back up, grab the little cooler from the counter an' put some fruit in with the water. "Hope you like apples, Daryl. Lord knows we got plenty of them."

We head back outside an' he takes the cooler from me. "Y'all got an apple tree or somethin'?"

"There's two out behind the house an' a peach tree. Our horses love gettin' apples for treats. An' Maggie's always beggin' me to bake with the fruit. Just makes sense to have the trees, you know?"

He sets the cooler in the back of the truck. That's when I see the old fishin' poles an' a thing of bait there. I couldn't hide the excitement in my voice if I tried. "You're takin' me fishin'?"

The way his mouth tugs up at the ends tells me he'd been hopin' I'd like this idea. He chews on his bottom lip. "Mhm."

We sit in silence almost all the way there. It's not uncomfortable. If anything, it feels right. The two of us don't need to talk to avoid things gettin' awkward. I start to hum one of Judith's lullabies as he turns off the main road an' onto the overgrown path.

"Got music now." he says outta nowhere.

I glance over to him, his eyes on the road. He reaches to his radio an' turns it on. I'm surprised to hear it workin' an' that's when I first realize it's a completely new radio, all shiny an' such a contrast to the old dash. Daryl turns up the volume an', after a few notes, I already recognize a song I used to know. One that my brother would listen to on repeat when he bought the cd. Without thinkin', I start to sing along.

"No one knows what it's like to be the bad man. To be the sad man. Behind blue eyes." I sing softly. Just testin' my voice.

Other than singin' to Judith, I don't usually like to sing in fronta people. Not anymore. But somethin' about this feels different. I lift my voice slightly higher. Pay more attention to the rise an' fall of the words, the verses.

"But my dreams, they aren't as empty. As my conscience seems to be. I have hours, only lonely. My love is vengeance. That's never free."

Daryl backs the truck up to the same spot as before an' puts it in park. He sits quietly as the song comes to an end. I feel a little more self conscious knowin' he's just sittin' there, listenin' to me. But it's not enough to make me stop. Somethin' inside tells me he doesn't want me to.

"No one knows what it's like to be the bad man. To be the sad man. Behind blue eyes..."

He shuts the truck off when the song's over but doesn't move from his seat. I finally turn to look at him an' see he's leaned back against the door. He's chewin' on the inside of his cheek an' lookin' me over. Even though it's colder now, I feel myself get hot. More than likely from the way his eyes are burnin' into my skin. For a second, I almost think to take off my jacket an' try to cool down. I want him to kiss me, to hold me in his arms. Maybe I could try more than that if we go slow...

But I convince myself that takin' off clothes right now could lead to more harm than good, so I leave the jacket on. I don't wanna lead him on or make him think that I'm willin' to go further than I can. But I know I want somethin'. I clear my throat an' he looks like a veil's been lifted. He quickly drops his gaze to his lap. "Let's get goin'." he says in a low, hoarse voice.

I don't respond. I still feel the charge an' tension that just buzzed between us. Part of me had expected him to lean in, to kiss me passionately like he did the other night out in my yard. My lips almost ached at the thought of bein' denied what they craved most in that moment. When I finally clear my head, my hand goes to pull the handle. Daryl's already pushed his door open an' gets out. Just when I think I have no affect on him at all, I barely hear him murmur, almost curiously, "Somethin' 'bout fuckin' trucks..."

He slams the door shut an' I climb out, doin' my best to hide the smirk on my face. He's right, though. There's definitely somethin' about the close proximity in the cab of a truck. I think about our first kiss that night in the storm. The tension we felt, how I had to make the first move. I let out an exasperated sigh.

It's not so much that I'm irritated by him as it is bein' angry with myself. We haven't known each other long, but I've seen him enough to know that he has no initiative when it comes to us, not unless I drive him to the point of takin' that first step. It's beyond frustratin' that he seems to keep resortin' back to his timid tendency. He can't keep makin' progress, only to go back to bein' shy. I have to figure out a way to get him to be more bold. It's clear to me, now, that he wants the same thing I do.

We get outta the truck an' back to the bed. "How'd you know that song?" he asks. It almost sounds like he's still tryin' to understand what just sparked between us. Like he wants to distract hisself. He passes me a pole, picks up his own an' puts the worms in the cooler.

"One of my brothers favorite bands was The Who. He was really into all types of rock. Classic, southern, hard rock. He loved all of it."

He doesn't say anything else, only grabs up the cooler an' leads the way. When we get to the water, Daryl takes the worms out, opens the package an' threads one on his hook. He hands me the container but hesitates before lettin' me take it. "You, uh... You want me to do it for ya?"

He's gotta be kiddin' me. I roll my eyes an' take it from him, grabbin' my own worm an' baitin' my hook. I try to hide the agitation in my voice. "It ain't my first rodeo, Daryl."

He lets out a small chuckle. Under his breath, he says, "Fulla surprises."

It makes me smile as I sit down on the smooth rocks an' cast out. "Careful not to cross my line, Dixon."

"Whatever you say, Greene."

After over an hour with our hooks in the water, we still haven't caught a thing. A cool breeze picks up the hair that came undone from my braid. I'm glad I wore jeans today. The wind rustles through the leaves an' slowly stirs the cattails on the water. It's so quiet out here, so peaceful. The only sound comes from the bullfrogs an' birds. I crank at the reel of my fishin' pole, hopin' to attract a bite that way.

"Ain't no fish gonna take your hook if you keep movin' the bait." I jump a little at his words. It's the first thing he's said since we cast out.

I throw him a dirty look but he's got his eyes fixed on the water, watchin' his own line. "We'll see how you feel when I catch a big fish." I say, rather superiorly. More so than I'd meant to. Thankfully, he doesn't seem offended by my tone. Instead, the side of his mouth twitches an' he nods.

"We'll see."

We settle into silence again. I hum quietly; the song still stuck in my head. It makes me think of my brother. An' my sister. Like one of those old black an' white movies, a particular memory of Shawn, Maggie an' me plays over in my mind.

We're sittin' up in his old room, listenin' to his radio. Maggie's sprawled across the floor, lookin' through his car magazines an' sighs. "What I'd give for an old Camero. Black with white racin' stripes."

Shawn snorts. "Oh yeah, Evil Knievel? Gonna have an 8-Ball clutch, too? 'Cause you ain't goin' fast unless you got one of them." he adds sarcastically.

He turns back to showin' me different notes on his guitar. Outta the corner of my eye, I see Maggie stick her middle finger up at the back of his head. It makes me giggle. He looks back to her an' gasps. Then he raises his voice to a higher pitch, like he always does when he's imitatin' Mama. "Margaret, don't you go settin' bad examples for Bethy!"

We all laughed for almost ten minutes straight at that. I honestly thought I'd cracked a rib. When she finally caught her breath, Maggie wiped at her waterin' eyes an' said, "You just wait, Shawn. One of these days I'll have me a gorgeous Camero an' you'll be beggin' me to drive you around in it."

He laughs once. "If you could ever pass that damn driver's test, I might believe you."

The memory fades away. That was back when our lives were perfect. Back before everything fell apart an' our world went spinnin' outta control. I can't believe how much can change in the blink of an eye.

"What you smilin' 'bout?"

I look back at Daryl an' see I have his full attention. I'd almost completely forgotten where I was. He's got a curious look on his face. He isn't teasin' me. "Just how things used to be."

"Like what?"

I shrug. "I was thinkin' 'bout Maggie an' Shawn. How close we all were. You know...before."

He nods an' reaches into the cooler, pullin' out a bottle of water an' offerin' it to me first. I shake my head an' he sets it at his side, closin' the cooler back up. He unscrews the top of the bottle an' takes a few gulps. I watch his adams apple move as he drinks. I'd never paid much attention to a mans throat before, but I can't help starin' at his. He puts the top back on an' sets it to his side again.

"Tell me somethin' else 'bout 'em. Your brother an' sister."

I crank my reel again, only to hear him huff at me. "Well, Shawn's the one who taught me how to fish. He used to take me when we were younger. There's a pond at the farm an' Daddy's always kept it stocked full. We'd head out there all the time durin' the summer."

"He ever tell you to keep the line still?"

I laugh at him. "For your information, he's the one that told me to move it every now an' then. Told me fish liked lively bait. I suppose you expect the fish to just swim on by an' happen upon your hook, huh?"

"Movin' it's gonna scare 'em away. Fish ain't all that brave."

"Yeah, yeah. Like you said, we'll see."

"What 'bout Maggie?"

"Hm?"

"What's she like?"

Maggie. I could go on for hours talkin' 'bout her. Her beauty, how smart she is, how popular she'd always been. I probably don't say it enough, but I really look up to my older sister. I always used to tell her how much I wanted to be like her when I got older. She used to tell me that she liked me the way I was. Maggie's just like that.

"Well, for starters, she's got a really big heart. She'd do anything for anyone an' never expect somethin' in return. Our dad says she gets that from her mom."

I decide I'm thirsty, after all. I grab my own bottle of water an' take a sip. Daryl's quiet, watchin' me. I know he wants me to keep talkin'. It makes me a little nervous. I don't wanna ramble in fronta him.

"But she's also real bossy, like I told you the other day. Always gettin' after me over my school work an' things like that. I swear, sometimes she's worst than my dad."

He lets out a small laugh an' takes another drink of water. "What else?"

"She's the most stubborn person I've ever met. If she wants somethin', there's no stoppin' her from gettin' it. That's how it was when she first started datin' Glenn. She didn't care what anybody had to say on the matter." I take another sip of my water an' fool with my line again, ignorin' Daryl's irritation over it.

"Daddy used to get so frustrated with her over how much time the two of them spent together an' they almost always argued over her spendin' nights or weekends with Glenn. But she was in love an' nothin' in this world could've kept her from him."

I look at Daryl an' see a thoughtful expression on his face. He takes another drink an' looks at me. "You like her boyfriend?"

"Glenn's a really nice guy. He thinks the world of Maggie. An' Daddy's warmed up to him plenty, now. They even hold conversations when Glenn comes over for dinner with us."

Daryl laughs. "Yeah, but do you like him?"

"Of course I do. He's like another brother to me. Sometimes he even asks me to go out with the two of them. I rarely do unless Maggie wants me to. I mean, I don't wanna be a third wheel. How awful would it be to go on a date an' have your kid sister tag along?"

"Reckon it'd be weird."

I smile at him. "Why are you so curious about all of them, anyways?"

He looks away an' just shrugs. "You always smile when you talk 'bout your family."

His answer sends a warm feelin' through my body. Maybe it's just a small admission, but he let on to just how much he really pays attention to me. My grin spreads wider an' I have to look away when I feel the blush spreadin' over my face. "I think that's more than enough about me. Tell me somethin' about you. Somethin' you haven't told me yet."

I see the muscles in his jaw tick an' his eyes are fixed on his line in the water, but I know he isn't really lookin' at it. I speak more gently, "It doesn't have to be anything serious. You could tell me your favorite color or favorite food if you want."

I see him relax a little an' he lets out a deep breath. "There ain't much to know 'bout me. Ain't exactly the most excitin' person."

His eyes meet mine again an' they're a steely blue. I notice the small smile he's givin' me is almost sad. "Well, I think you're plenty interestin'. Even if you don't know the first thing about fishin'."

I get a genuine smile, then, flashin' his teeth at me an' all as he laughs. My heart kicks almost painfully against my ribs. There's no way he can possibly know how beautiful he really is. Even with his tough exterior, that smile can break a heart into a million pieces. It'll be my undoin'.

"Ain't really got a favorite food. Anything I hunt an' bring home's good enough for me."

"You mean deer?"

"Deer, rabbit, turkey. Hell, if I can shoot it, I'll eat it. Even like squirrel every now an' then."

I scrunch up my nose. I've eaten turkey. An' I've had deer before, but I think I'd rather starve than eat a cute little rabbit or squirrel. "You're not serious, are you? You eat rabbits an' squirrels?"

His lips twitch. "Hell yeah, I do. On a cold day there ain't much better than rabbit stew. Squirrel, if I ain't got no rabbit. Bet you'd like it. Tastes like chicken."

I roll my eyes. "Daryl, it could taste like apple pie an' I still wouldn't touch it. Poor little animals."

I pretend to pout an' he shakes his head. "Bet if there weren't no other food left an' you had to eat it to survive, you'd rip a man apart to have a little squirrel."

I laugh at him. "Yeah, well, when the world comes to an end an' I'm left to fend for myself in the woods, I'll probably die of starvation. An' there you'll be, livin' in some high up tree an' eatin' all the sweet little animals that crossed your path."

His voice's barely above a whisper when he says, "You'd be surprised what you'd do to survive."

I don't think he'd meant for me to hear it. In that very moment, he sounds years older than he is. But there's a weakness there, also, like a scared child. His voice cracked at the end, which makes me wonder exactly what he's done to get by all these years. For a mere millisecond, I caught a glimpse of a broken man. To try to lighten the mood, I say, "Well, I'd starve to death just tryin' to catch somethin'. There's no way I'd be any good at huntin'."

"I wouldn't let you starve."

His voice isn't as quiet this time an' I realize he means it. I feel a lump in my throat. It's silly to sit here an' talk about somethin' that could never even happen. But I feel butterflies in my stomach thinkin' about him sayin' somethin' like that. I stare at him, tryin' to put it all together. He clears his throat uneasily, obviously embarrassed by what he just said. "Damn, ain't no fish out here."

I see the diversionary tactic for what it is. "Guess not."

We sit there quietly for another hour or so, makin' small talk here an' there. Every few minutes I peek over at him, tryin' to figure out what he's thinkin'. I don't mind us sittin' here not sayin' anything, but I don't want him to slip back into hisself. I keep my voice down, but speak clear enough for him to hear me. "My favorite color's green."

He faces me again, piercin' blue eyes searchin' mine for somethin'. I almost feel anxious under his scrutiny. A small smirk plays at his lips. Like he's got a secret he doesn't want me to figure out. His voice's husky when he speaks to me, still lookin' deep into my eyes. "Mine's blue."

I don't know why I feel so shy all of a sudden. Part of me thinks it's because I felt so vulnerable with him lookin' at me like that. Like I was some puzzle that he was intent on puttin' together. The other part thinks he was lookin' at me like I was beautiful, like he couldn't look away if he tried. I'm almost positive that's the reason why my face feels so hot right now.

He lets out a heavy sigh an' I'm pulled from my thoughts. "I got an older brother."

That's somethin' I hadn't expected. There's no hidin' the shock in my voice. "You do?"

He's no longer lookin' at me, but he nods. "Mhm."

That's it? He can't just drop that bomb on me without elaboratin'. I try to act more casual, brush a loose hair outta my eyes. I feign indifference to try to ease his mind. "Oh, that's cool. What's his name?"

Even to my own ears, I sounded ridiculous. There's no way I can quell my own curiosity. His reply is gravelly. "Merle."

He's givin' me short answers but I'm thrilled. He's finally openin' up to me. I can feel a hopefulness bubblin' in my chest. I don't wanna push him too far, but I wanna know more. When he doesn't say anything else, I can't help myself. "So, what's he like?"

At first, he doesn't answer me. I feel bad for pressin' him. I should've just been happy with what he'd said. It's more than I already knew. Maybe I should've stuck with indifference.

"Mostly he's a jackass. Always has been." he says, an' I'm relieved he's still talkin'.

The next question's burnin' on the tip of my tongue, but I don't know how he'll react to it. I look down at my lap an' make my voice as gentle as I can. "You two aren't very close?"

After hesitatin', Daryl shrugs. "He's all I got left."

I can tell by the tone of his voice that he's not too comfortable talkin' about his brother like this. But he hasn't told me to stop, or that he wants to talk about somethin' else. That's gotta be a good thing. He's still starin' at the water an' I decide to dig just a little deeper. "Does he live around here?"

"Mhm."

"Oh."

I watch him carefully. He lifts one hand up to his face an' scratches at the scruff on his cheek. His mouth is set in a hard line. For a moment, I think that's all I'm gonna get outta him today. Then he takes a deep breath. "We live together. Have for a long time."

I nod, knowin' the gesture's lost on him when he isn't lookin' at me. I don't know what else to say. He has an older brother. A brother he never once thought to mention to me before. Maybe I'm too open in tellin' him so much about me. Maybe I should be a little more reserved like him. I don't leave a lot of mystery an' probably come off as borin'. But I convince myself that he's the one askin' me those things, so he must wanna know me better. There's obviously a reason he wouldn't bring him up before. That eases my mind a little. I move my line some an' feel a tug. I grin from ear to ear.

"I believe you just lost that bet, Daryl."

I let the fish tug again before jerkin' the pole up slightly. Then I start reelin' in. There's a splash on the smooth surface of the water as it fights to get away. It feels huge. I hear Daryl next to me, swearin' under his breath. "Don't fuckin' believe it."

It takes a little bit of effort, but I finally draw the fish in close enough to me. I stand, pole in hand, as I pull it outta the water. Daryl means to look put off, but I can see the hint of a grin workin' on his face.

"Big fight for a small fish."

I hold the fish up to examine it. Sure, he's small. But he put up one heck of a fight. I turn to Daryl with mock resentment. "Excuse me, sir, but I do believe it's not the size of the fish that matters. Just the fact that I caught one an' you didn't."

He laughs an' gets up, abandonin' his own pole at his feet. He stands next to me an' looks over my catch. "Ain't enough to make half a meal outta that little shit."

"Who said we'd keep him? I'm throwin' the little guy back."

He looks at me, almost in disbelief. I guess he'd never think to throw anything back. But he just shakes his head, reaches in his back pocket an' pulls out his phone. "Hold it up again. Like you just did."

I smile at him, holdin' the fish up an' pose for his picture. After he takes it, I work to get the hook out an' set the little fish back in the water. "You're free to go. Swim back to your family, little guy."

I feel Daryl move closer to me, his arm brushes against mine. I sigh dramatically. "What a brave little fish, goin' after the scary bait. You know, someone once told me that fish aren't all that brave."

He snorts an' nudges my arm with his elbow. "Smart ass. Let's head back."

We pick up our things an' make our way up the hill to his truck. I help him load everything in the bed an' we stand there for a moment longer. Daryl lights a cigarette an' pulls down the sleeves of his shirt. I zip up my jacket an' bury my hands into the pockets. I feel my heart sink slightly. I don't wanna leave yet. I love spendin' this time with him.

"We ain't gotta head out yet, if you don't wanna."

It's like he can read my mind. I smile at him an' he drops the tailgate of his truck. We both climb up an' sit there with our legs danglin' over the edge, facin' the little meadow. I watch the grass an' flowers sway in the breeze. The floral scent fills the air, mixin' with the pines an' the smoke from his cigarette. "I know I've said it before, but this place is so beautiful."

He nods; doesn't say anything, but he doesn't need to. I extend my arm an' run my fingers over the back of his free hand. He turns his palm up an' locks our fingers together, holdin' tightly. I breathe in the fresh air. This place has a magical quality to it. Like somethin' from a fairy tale or nursery rhyme. I cringe inwardly. I'm glad I don't say such stupid things out loud. I can just imagine what he'd say if I did. But I know there's somethin' out here. Somethin' that brings us closer together, somethin' that breaks down our walls an' exposes us to one another. He keeps bringin' me here for a reason. Maybe he believes it, too.

"This could be our special place, you know. The place where we can always go to get away from the rest of the world." I pause, then add, "I like bein' out here with you, Daryl."

I feel his hand squeeze mine. I know emotions are hard for him. I don't wanna scare him away. It's not like I expect him to profess his feelin's for me or anything. Besides, I don't think we're anywhere near that point in our relationship, yet. Relationship. I don't think that's what this is. Honestly, I don't know what we're doin'. I just know I don't want it to end anytime soon. He's the only guy I've ever felt this way for. I look back at him to see he's starin' at the ground, tappin' his cigarette on the edge of the tailgate.

He puts it back to his lips an' faces me. He's smilin'. Just a small one, but a smile nonetheless. An' I can feel those butterflies again. He angles away from me to blow the smoke out an' knocks more ash from his cigarette. I slide in closer to him. It's now or never, do or die. When he turns to me a second time, I close what little space's left between us an' kiss him.

It's obvious he hadn't expected that, but he seems to be just as eager as I am. It's like the entire mornin' had been buildin' up to this. Daryl's no longer shy as he lets go of my hand, liftin' his to the back of my neck an' holdin' me to him. I run my fingers over the front of his shirt as our lips part. He sighs when our tongues touch, his grip at my neck tightenin' as we explore each others mouths. After a moment, we pull away. Both of us breathin' a little raspier, his hand still on my neck.

His blue eyes hold mine as he takes another drag of his cigarette before grindin' it out on the tailgate. He blows out the smoke an' pulls me into him again. I tilt my face up just enough to touch our lips. I kiss him softly an' he melts into me with a quiet moan. His fingers gently run up the side of my throat an' he cups my cheek the same way he did earlier. I feel his thumb lightly tug at the corner of my mouth. When my lips part under the touch, he takes my bottom lip between his teeth an' bites down gently. The whimper I let out takes me by surprise, same as the new fire burnin' inside me.

He smirks against me when he lets go. I run the tip of my tongue over his lip an' he eagerly opens his mouth again, this time to accept me. I take his face in both hands now, holdin' him to me while our tongues move together. It nearly breaks my heart at how tenderly he caresses the inside of my mouth. The soft hum comin' from his chest reminds me to breathe.

I tilt my head back some, catch my breath an' trail my sight to his throat. I could almost swear I saw the pulse against his skin. I remember the way his adams apple moved when he drank an' I know that I want to push this only a little further. Just when he leans in to me, I swiftly place a finger on his lips, silently implorin' him to hear me out. He muffles a frustrated groan, pulls away an' I shift my sight back up to see him watchin' me.

His pupils are dilated, a thin ring of blue around black. There's no mistakin' the lust in his eyes. What little air I just regained catches in my throat. The shy smile he had earlier is completely gone, his lips are slightly parted an' his breathin' sounds a little heavier. That new feelin' I've only ever felt with him's back again. The pull deep down inside me that makes it hard to think straight with him so close to me. But it makes me bolder. My finger falls from his mouth as I place my hand flat against his chest. I lean in again an' breathe out against his lips. "I just wanna try somethin'."

It's what I said to him the other night right before I kissed him for the first time. I know I have to be careful not to push him. It's funny that it should be the other way around. After a few different emotions run over his face- curiosity, possibly fear an' then desire- he jerks his chin a little an' I take that as his approval. Apparently, desire won out the others.

My hands grab hold of the front of his shirt an' I gently tug at him, duckin' my head down. When my lips touch his throat, I can feel a low rumble rise from his chest. I trail small, open mouth kisses up to his jaw an' back down again. I can taste the saltiness of his flesh on my tongue. I think of how he bit my lip, how much I liked that, so I nip at the side of his throat.

"Ah. Fuck!" He growls out. It's an intimidatin' sound. I'm unsure if I hurt him or if he enjoyed it. But I barely have time to register what it means, he responds so quickly. His hand leaves my neck an' I feel his fingers tangle in my hair as he pulls me back to his lips. He kisses me roughly, without warnin', an' it's only just painful. I sigh when he moves down to my jaw an' continues along my throat.

It isn't the first time I'd gone this far with someone. There was that boy Jake that took me to homecomin' in junior year. He'd practically shoved his tongue down my throat when he took me down to the ball field to make out. I remember his hands runnin' over my dress as he sloppily sucked at my neck. Truth be told, I'd been more than relieved when another couple had gone back there, same intentions as he had, an' interrupted us. I'd told him it was late an' my parents were probably waitin' up for me. That's the first an' last time he ever touched me. An', of course, I'd made out with Jimmy. He'd been much sweeter than Jake. But I was his first kiss, so he never tried anything too crazy with me.

I sigh when Daryl's lips find the shell of my ear an' he gently pulls on the lobe with his teeth. He's a real good kisser. You'd never guess by lookin' at him that he could be so skillful at it, or so passionate. I could sit out with him the rest of the day an' let him do this to me. Lost in the moment, I reach back an' tug on his hair. He moans in my ear as I pull him into me an' lean us back. Even with my jacket on, the metal of the truck bed cools down my overly heated skin. I'm vaguely aware of Daryl leanin' over me, his knee between my thighs as he captures my lips in his again. Just when I feel I've reached euphoria an' thought nothin' in the world could spoil this moment, my phone vibrates in my pocket.

I want to believe I imagined it, but it buzzes again. I feel more than irritated as I gently push Daryl back an' sit up again. I smile sheepishly at the confused look on his face, reach in my back pocket an' pull my phone out. He grumbles somethin' unintelligible as he falls back against the bed at my side. He's so cute when he's frustrated like this. I almost want to ignore the call an' pick up where we left off. But I see the name on the screen an' all those feelin's wash away. I answer it as fast as I can. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bethy."

I glance down at Daryl an' he nods to my phone, his way of askin' who it is. It's obvious in the way he looks that he expects it to be someone important enough to interrupt us. That look sends a shiver down my spine, but I collect myself quickly enough to concentrate on the call.

"Shawn! Oh my gosh, I haven't heard from you in weeks! What've you been up to?"

I smile at Daryl an' the little smirk I get in return tells me we're okay. I hear Shawn's laugh on the other end of the phone an' grin wider just picturin' it. I haven't seen my older brother in months an' haven't heard his voice in a while. "Been busy workin'. Remember the promotion I told you 'bout last time we talked? Well, they ended up givin' it to the other guy."

My heart sinks. I know how badly Shawn needed that promotion. I sigh. "I'm so sorry, Shawn. That's awful."

"Well, it ain't like he didn't need it. Got three kids to feed an' all that. Guess I can't be too mad. Just me an' the dog out here. We get by alright on what I make now."

"What about your dad?"

"He moved in with his girlfriend a few weeks ago."

My heart sinks lower thinkin' about him an' that old retriever all by themselves in that little house. He lives in Alabama now, so it isn't exactly like I could just swing by to fix him meals or clean up after him.

"Don't you go worryin' 'bout me, now. I can take care of myself."

I smile again. "How'd you know what I was thinkin'?"

"You always worry over everybody but yourself. 'Sides, I ain't callin' to get you all worked up."

I laugh. "Then why'd you call me?"

I can hear the smile in his voice. "I wanna see you for your birthday. Maybe take you out to dinner or somethin'. I'll just get a hotel room that night an' make the drive back in the mornin'."

A hotel room. I'd been afraid of that. I take a deep breath, preparin' for his reaction to my next words. "Shawn, you don't need to stay at a hotel. You can stay at the house. Your room-"

He cuts me off abruptly. "I'm fine with a hotel room."

I wanna tell him how this whole situation eats away at me. I want him to know that it was hard enough losin' Mama, I can't stand the thought that I've already lost him, too. But I bury the words deep down inside. Almost as though he sensed that I needed it, Daryl takes my hand in his an' squeezes tightly. I tell Shawn that I'm excited to see him an' how much I've missed him.

"Miss you, too, Bethy. Talk to you soon. Bye."

"Goodbye."

I put the phone in my jacket pocket an' feel Daryl sit up. "What's up?"

"My brother's gonna come back to Georgia for my birthday."

I give him a weak smile an' silently pray that he doesn't ask me about the rest of that conversation, the part where Shawn all but confirmed that he's still feudin' with Daddy an' Maggie. He nudges my arm. "When's your birthday?"

Thank goodness. "Two Fridays from now, on the thirteenth."

"So, your birthday's on Friday the 13th?" He smirks at me an' I couldn't be more grateful that he's tryin' to make me laugh.

"Guess it is this year. Why? You're not superstitious, are you?" I tease him.

He just shakes his head an' pulls out another cigarette, his lighter an' cell phone. "Naw. I ain't superstitious."

He pushes hisself off the tailgate an' helps me down. Then he lights up an' looks at the time on his phone. "Best get you back for dinner."

"Alright." I say, an' he takes me by the hand an' walks me to the passenger side of the truck, openin' the door for me. "Thanks." I say. He averts his eyes an' mumbles somethin' about not needin' to thank him. Then he walks around the front of his truck, gets in an' rolls down the window so he can smoke. The ignition roars to life with the turn of a key an' we leave.

"Daryl?"

Smoke billows outta his mouth. "Hm?"

I think it through carefully an' look out my window, almost considerin' not bringin' it up at all. I take a deep breath. "You wanna come to dinner tonight?"

Silence.

I can't bring myself to look at him. Oh my gosh. Why did I have to open my big mouth? He probably can't wait to drop me off an' never see me again. When he still doesn't speak, I peek over in his direction, thanking God above that he isn't lookin' back to me. His eyes are trained on the road. To my surprise, he actually looks amused. Well, that's better than afraid.

His hand reaches just to the edge of the window, tappin' his cigarette before bringin' it back to his lips. "Ain't that a family thing?"

I'm beyond relieved that he's takin' it so well. He's so unpredictable sometimes, I almost wonder if I'll ever be able to get used to his reactions. "Well, yeah. But Maggie always has Glenn over."

I mentally kick myself. Maggie has Glenn over on Sundays because he's her boyfriend. Daryl isn't my boyfriend but, comparin' him to Glenn, I may as well have just said he was. What in the world's wrong with me today? "You think your dad an' Maggie wouldn't mind me comin'?"

For a second, I think my heart's stopped. If I didn't know better, I'd say he just about agreed to come. Or, at least, he didn't think the idea was completely insane. I need to conceal my excitement or he will think I am insane. "They wouldn't mind at all! I know they'd both love to meet you."

So much for hidin' my excitement. This time, he does glance at me. He takes a long drag of his cigarette an' speaks around the smoke he blows out. "You talk to 'em 'bout me?"

Oops. I never even considered that I shouldn't have mentioned him to either of them. But he doesn't sound upset. He actually sounds intrigued, like the idea of me actually talkin' about that to my family amazes him.

"Uh, yeah. Is that alright?"

He shrugs. "Guess so. They mind you hangin' out with me?"

I roll my eyes, knowin' he isn't lookin' at me. "I'm almost nineteen, Daryl. I don't need their blessin' to see anybody."

"If you say so." he mumbles.

"So? Do you wanna have dinner with us?"

I feel like I'm on pins an' needles waitin' for his answer. I wish he wouldn't take so long, it's drivin' me crazy. Finally, he says, "I actually got plans tonight."

Before I can stop myself, I ask, "With who?"

He turns to me with an apologetic expression an' says, "I promised Luke yesterday that I'd hang out with him this afternoon. Since I couldn't last night."

Luke. I think back to why that name sounds familiar an' remember that he's one of the little boys Daryl told me about the other night. I stare at him, unnoticed since he's watchin' the road. I can just imagine him spendin' time with a little boy. One of the many sides of Daryl, I guess. I wonder what he's like with the boy when another part of what he said piques my curiosity. "So, what'd you do last night?"

Silence again.

"Went out."

He's bein' evasive. Whatever he did, it probably isn't somethin' he's comfortable talkin' about. Which leads me to thinkin'...

"Were you out with your brother?"

He flicks his cigarette out the window an' rolls it back up. I'm fully aware that he's avoidin' my gaze. "Mhm." he answers.

I put his own question back on him. "Do you ever talk to him about me?"

Now he's lookin' just about everywhere but in my direction. He clears his throat nervously. "You, uh... you wanna turn that radio on?"

I do as he says an' look out the window, grinnin' from ear to ear.

I take the pie outta the oven an' set it on the stovetop to cool. Just as I pull off the oven mitts, the door opens. "Beth?"

"In the kitchen, Maggie."

I hear the two of them hangin' up their jackets an' Maggie's over night bag bein' dropped on the floor. They appear in the doorway as I turn around. Maggie asks Glenn to set the table. He turns into the dinin' room an' I hear him open the linen drawer, pullin' out one of the table cloths. When he comes back in, he gives me a warm smile. "Hey Beth. Excuse me."

I step aside so he can get to the silverware. I reach up to the other cabinet an' pull the dishes out, followin' him to the other room. I place the plates for the four of us an' he shadows me, layin' down the forks an' knives. "Dinner smells great, Beth." he says.

"Thanks. It's fried chicken, potatoes an' salad."

We go back in the kitchen to grab the food an' catch Maggie hoverin' over the pie. She pivots on the spot, eyes wide an' smilin' like a child caught sneakin' a peek at presents on Christmas Eve. "Oh my God. Apple pie?"

We laugh at her an' Glenn grabs the platter of chicken before he turns back around. I grab a hand towel to lift the steamin' bowl of potatoes when Maggie reaches to take it from me. "I got it, Bethy."

Somethin' sparkles when her hand moves, catchin' my eye. That's the first time I notice the ring on her finger. I nearly drop the salad I just picked up to the floor. "Oh my gosh, Mags!" I gasp, settin' my bowl down an' pointin' at her hand.

She sets the potatoes back on the counter an' lifts her left hand in fronta her face, eyes bright an' teeth flashin' at me. I take her hand in my own an' pull it closer to examine it. It's a simple, white-gold settin'. There's a gorgeous, round diamond in the center with two smaller stones accentin' the sides. They're emeralds. It's absolutely breathtakin'. I feel my eyes waterin' an' hear Glenn let out a small cough. I see him leanin' into the island, a lovin' smile on his face. "So? Did I do good or what?"

I laugh at him. "Glenn, it's incredible!"

I wipe at my eyes an' look from him to her. "Congratulations! Oh, I'm so happy for you both!" I squeal. I can't contain myself any longer an' I practically tackle Maggie in my attempt to hug her. I pull away an' see her eyes water, finally spillin' over. Glenn's at my side an' I wrap my arms around his neck, kissin' his cheek.

"What's all the excitement about?"

The three of us turn to the doorway an' see Daddy standin' there watchin' us. I cast a nervous glance at Maggie to see she's equally anxious. She sidesteps me an' approaches him. She holds her hand out for him to see. I see her stand still as stone, anticipatin' his reaction. He takes her hand an' holds it up, turnin' it over to inspect the ring. He cups it with his other hand, pulls it to his mouth an' kisses her knuckles. His eyes twinkle as he speaks. "Almost as beautiful as the woman wearin' it." he says, then adds, "I see you took my advice on the emeralds, son. Wise choice."

Maggie's jaw pops open. "You knew?"

Daddy laughs an' walks into the dinin' room to take his seat at the table. He calls back to her, "Glenn asked me for your hand, oh, I'd say a month ago Tuesday."

Maggie swats at Glenn's arm before comin' back for the potatoes. I hand them to her an' pick the salad back up as we follow Glenn into the other room. The three of us sit down once the food's placed an' Daddy clears his throat holdin' out his hands for Maggie an' me to take. We both grab one of Glenn's hands an' all bow our heads.

"Dear Lord," Daddy begins, "We thank you for this bounty you've spread before us. We thank you for the love we share under this roof an' ask that you may continue to bless this house. May you also bless my two beautiful daughters as well as my future son-in-law, Glenn. In Jesus name we pray,"

"Amen." we all say in unison. I stand to pass out pieces of chicken while Maggie spoons out potatoes to each plate. Daddy pats my arm once I sit back down. "What'd you get into today, darlin'?" he says. Leave it to Daddy to make sure both his girls get a piece of the spotlight.

I gulp down some sweet tea an' pour some dressin' on my salad, passin' it to Glenn when I'm finished. "Oh, not much really."

"Oh, yeah," Maggie interjects, "How'd your date go?"

"Date?" Daddy asks. I glare briefly at Maggie before he can catch me. She winces, realizin' her mistake.

"It wasn't a date, Maggie. I just went fishin' with my new friend. An' we had a great time, thank you." I try to keep polite at the dinner table, but I plan on givin' her a piece of my mind later. "How's Otis an' Patricia holdin' up, Daddy? Were y'all able to patch up the cow fence today?"

His tired, blue eyes meet mine an' he gives me an all too familiar look. I should've known better. "Well, the cows should be nice an' secure. As for Otis, I reckon he's doin' somewhat better. Doctor says he needs to take it easy. His heart ain't all that good, you know. Losin' his job didn't help that none. Patricia's doin' as best as to be expected." He takes a long drink from his own tea, wipes his mouth on a napkin an' looks expectantly at me. I dodge his eyes, takin' a mouthful of salad an' stirrin' the potatoes on my plate. Maggie watches us carefully while Glenn only digs into his food. Part of me thinks he's just tryin' to avoid gettin' involved.

"Beth," Daddy says, an' I slowly meet his eyes. "You had a date today?"

I swallow my food an' try to sound as sugary sweet as possible, my backup plan since changin' the subject didn't work. "It wasn't a date." I repeat. "We're just friends. An' we went fishin' on the river." Now it almost sounds like I'm tryin' to convince myself more than him. He nods patiently.

"Alright then, what's this friends name?"

"Daryl, isn't it?" Maggie says. I'm startin' to think that ring must be cuttin' off her circulation an' messin' with her head. Daddy laughs. "She seems to know more 'bout your friend than you do, Bethy. Does Daryl have a last name, Maggie?"

Glenn laughs but quickly shoves another mouthful in when Maggie glares his way. He gives me a quick wink when she turns her focus back to her food. If anybody understands what a know-it-all my sister is, it'd be him.

"It's Dixon." I say quietly.

I hear his fork scratch on the plate. "Dixon," he says, testin' the name on his tongue. "Why does that name ring a bell?"

Oh no.

"He wouldn't happen to live offa Woodbury, would he?"

I drop my eyes again an' silently pray that his recollection is nothin' bad. "I'm not sure." I say.

I watch him chew his food, elbows restin' on the table with hands clasped in fronta his face. His look changes from thinkin' to recognition in under a minute. His eyes come back to me. "He's gotta brother." That's not a question. He continues, "An' I believe their mother died a while back. House fire."

Leave it to my father to know every nook an' cranny of this county. I'm relieved to see how well he's handlin' this. I almost forget why I'd been so nervous.

"I don't reckon you're seein' the older brother. But I imagine the one you are is still a ways older than you."

Now I remember what I'd been afraid of. I almost overkill the sweetness in my voice. "Not that much older, Daddy."

"Beth's gonna be nineteen in a couple weeks, Daddy. She's old enough to date who she wants."

I appreciate Maggie tryin' to stand up for me, but I don't know how well playin' up to my bein' an adult can help me. He just nods. "Well, I reckon you're right. Now, when should we expect a weddin'?"

Maggie an' Glenn immediately jump on the opportunity to change the subject but the effort's in vain. I glance back to my father an' see his eyes focused on me as he listens to them. The look he's givin' me says our discussion on the matter of Daryl Dixon is only just beginnin'.

**A/N- "Behind Blue Eyes" belongs to The Who. The storyline is my own but the characters, unfortunately, aren't mine.**