A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update! Been super busy and I like to edit my chapters before I post them, so I had no time. Anyways, hope you like! Much love.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lie With Me

After a week of settling into the new community, Alexandria could now be called home. It was unlike any other place they stayed at in the past. It was a community, and Beth fell in love with it instantly. She presumed the others did too, even though they didn't precisely fit in with the people who have lived here ever since the infection began. These strangers never experienced life outside of Alexandra's sturdily constructed walls, and so most of them had absolutely no idea what it was like to encounter a walker, or even how untrustworthy and dangerous people have become.

Rick made a point from the get-go that he didn't like how Deanna and her people were so naïve to the world as it was now, and he already made plans to change that, especially when he and Michonne were appointed as the town's sheriffs. Beth, on the other hand, wanted to just leave it like it was. It was peaceful, and she was content. It reminded her of what life used to be like; what it should be like, and it's helped her forget about the walkers. However, Rick was stubborn, and no one else from the group seemed to share Beth's point of view, particularly Carol. Being young at twenty years old, and the fact that her vote was outnumbered, she knew that whatever she had to say wasn't noteworthy. At least that's what Beth assumed. So, to dispute for what she believed in was a waste of time.

On top of all that, Beth detected a change in Daryl's demeanor ever since they arrived at Alexandria. He'd become more standoffish as he held his lips in silence. She could tell he dreaded this place. He probably felt like a caged animal just longing to get out. Among all of them, he was the one that felt most uncomfortable and out of place. Beth was very pleased for him when Aaron and his boyfriend Eric gave Daryl a new bike and his very own job, a job that would solve his problems of feeling trapped and unwelcome. It was a chance to get out every now and again and help Aaron find some new people to bring into Alexandria, just like Rick's group was. Back at the prison and even a little while after that, Daryl wouldn't have agreed to it, but Beth knew his altered ideas were embedded inside him because of her. She certainly got through to him as he now shared the same beliefs as her as far as giving other people a chance.

"Beth?"

Beth heard a familiar voice call out her name, making her realize she was daydreaming again. Beth brushed her face with her hand and looked to her left, away from the pond in front of her. It was her sister. "Oh, hey Maggie."

"Beth, Deanna has invited us and Glenn over for dinner at her place and Noah too, apparently."

"Noah? Why him?" Beth questioned as she crinkled her face in puzzlement.

Maggie shrugged. "I haven't the faintest idea; I guess we'll find out soon enough. I was thinkin' it might be a good chance for you to get to know Deanna better." She stood there anxiously as her hands clasped together.

Beth grumbled. "How come she wants us to join her family for dinner?"

Maggie thought for a moment as she placed her hands on her hips. "Deanna trusts me; you know that, seeing as I'm her assistant now. I'm figurin' she's curious about you since you're my sister, especially since she never got a chance to interview you when we first arrived. It doesn't hurt to get on her good side after all."

"I guess you're right," Beth agreed as she stood up off the bench from where she sat.

"Also, I thought you should know that Glenn will be headin' out tomorrow again with Deanna's son, Aiden, and this time with Eugene, Noah and a couple others. I just pray it doesn't turn out into a heated fight like yesterday."

Beth could see a worried look in Maggie's eyes, and she immediately walked over to her sister and hugged her tightly. "Everythin'll be fine, I just know it."

As Beth pulled away and gave Maggie a reassuring smile, she could see the corner of her sister's lips beginning to tug. "Come on, you should get yourself cleaned up, dinner will be ready in two hours. I'll let Deanna know you've accepted the invitation."

"Sure," Beth nodded before she watched Maggie turn around and walk back to the street.

Beth wasn't planning on wanting much company tonight, but she supposed dinner wouldn't be so bad. She couldn't imagine Deanna being a bad cook, and the idea of a delicious meal did awaken Beth's suddenly growing appetite. Then, as she began walking towards one of her groups houses, she thought back at what was only three weeks ago. Daryl and Beth were munching away on peanut butter and pigs feet at that funeral home, and it certainly wasn't appetizing. This was a great change and she hoped one day Daryl would appreciate it also.

As she reached for the door handle after running up the ligneous porch steps, she was startled by another voice, but this time it was profounder and much less determined than her sister.

"You're in a hurry."

Beth smacked her hand to her chest as she gasped and turned to look at Daryl who sat quietly on the wickerwork bench in the far corner of the porch. His ability to stay undetected certainly was not to be underestimated.

"Daryl…" Beth mumbled as she regained her composure. "I didn't see you there."

"Didn't mean to scare ya."

Beth hesitated for a moment as she studied him, realizing that it was fairly abnormal for Daryl to be sitting about doing absolutely nothing. If he was sitting on the porch, he was usually accompanied by a dead animal that he had previously hunted and was skinning. This had also been the first time he made contact with her since they arrived at Alexandria a few days prior. As much as the distance bothered her, she knew it was important to give him space. It was one of the first lessons her mother ever taught her about men.

"What are you doing anyway?" She asked curiously, completely forgetting about why she was on the porch to begin with.

Daryl shrugged as he regarded his surroundings for a brief moment and then back at Beth. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say, but he withheld it as he fidgeted in his chair until he finally stood up on his feet. He took a few steps forward and the sun met his face, but he kept his eyes onto the street.

"I'll be headin' out with Aaron tomorrow mornin' to look for other survivors," Daryl explained as he scratched at the dirt around the creases of his nails. "Don't know how long we'll be out there."

"That's good," Beth replied, fighting every inch of her being not to beg him to stay at Alexandria where it was much safer. "It'll be good for you. It seems like everybody is going out tomorrow."

Daryl narrowed his eyes as he looked at her in perplexity. "Everybody?"

"Well, not everybody. Glenn, Noah, Eugene and a few others from Alexandria," Beth restated more precisely. "They are going to do a run for supplies."

Daryl quickly nodded in understanding. "So why're you in such a hurry for?"

"I was invited to dinner at Deanna's, along with my sister, Glenn and Noah," Beth replied, thinking nothing of it but it seemed to strike interest in Daryl's eyes.

"Hmm," he hummed in thought.

"What?" Beth lifted her brow, noticing his eyes squint as ideas played through his mind. She remembered back to their conversation about Noah and his trivial notions about him and her 'getting along.' It left Beth bemused, wondering if perhaps Daryl regarded the guy as a threat.

"Jus' seems like two families gettin' together. Odd that Noah is in the mix," Daryl gave her a side glance, curious for her response.

"I thought the same thing, but Maggie didn't know either, so I—" Beth began to explain, but was unexpectedly interrupted by Carl who swung open the front door with Judith in his arms, seeming as though he were desperate.

"Oh, Beth!" Carl said with relief, virtually passing the toddler over to her. "Can you watch Judith for me?"

"I—uh, sure," Beth stammered as she awkwardly took Judith in her arms. Normally she would have no problem with this, but she didn't have much time until dinner and on top of that, Carl seemed far too anxious and bothered. "Is there something wrong?"

Carl had already jumped to the bottom of the stairs and was bolting past the house, not stopping as he explained. "I just saw Enid climb the wall!"

Beth and Daryl looked at each other, slits in their eyes with suspicion as they found themselves once again alone.

"Are you going to go after them?" Beth was the first to speak as Judith clumsily tried to grab her golden braid.

Daryl shrugged with little interest as the curiosity left his eyes. "She's probably been doin' it for a while now. Good for her."

"Well, maybe that's fine for her but you should find Rick and let him know that Carl may go over the wall," Beth stated matter-of-factly. "I'd go myself but I gotta get ready for that dinner and take care of Judith in the meantime."

"Alright," Daryl replied, sighing in defeat as he jumped over the railing, making a loud thud on the ground when his feet touched the grass below. "Let me know later how your dinner goes." The tone in Daryl's voice seemed rather sarcastic, Beth thought, but the redneck had ran off too quickly for her to make some kind of remark. She wasn't in the mood to yell after him anyway.

With Judith in her arms, Beth walked inside the house and up the stairs. She passed the bathroom, and she instantly remembered how wonderful the sensation of hot water and steam from the shower felt on her body the first day she arrived at Alexandria. Beth had one every day since, not once taking it for granted. At the end of the hall was her bedroom which contained a dresser, a double bed and a dressing table with a mirror. The room had two windows, one that viewed the backyard and the other that viewed the east side of the house. Her closet contained a few articles of clothing, but nothing too spectacular. Beth grabbed the dressiest outfit she had. It was a black cocktail dress that was tight around her waist but opened up over her legs, cutting off just above her knees. It was given to her from Jessie; a kind lady with two sons who made the most effort (besides Deanna) in getting to know the group.

As Beth held out the dress in front of her, her thoughts drifted and her face strained with worry. As much as she didn't want to admit it to the redneck or herself, it bothered her knowing that he'd be gone for who knows how many days with Aaron. She knew he could take care of himself, but there was always the slight chance that he might slip up or run into someone dangerous and the worst could happen. However, she knew she couldn't ask him to stay because that might as well be like clipping a bird's wings, denying it of flight.

By the time Beth, Maggie, Glenn and Noah were ready to leave for the dinner, Rick and Carl had already returned to the house. He was not all too thrilled about his son's escapade after a girl, and decided to try grounding him as a result. Carl's reaction—though irritated—was still rather amusing to watch. After Beth slipped into her dress, brushed her golden hair and let it loose out of the usual ponytail, she swiftly ran down the stairs and met the others in the foyer. She instantly noticed the amazement on Noah's face, seeming unable to take his eyes off of her. Beth looked around quickly, but Daryl was nowhere to be seen.

"You look stunning!" Noah exclaimed. He fidgeted in his spot as though he were nervous about something.

Beth thanked him, as well as a few others who also made the same remark, but began to wonder if this was somehow a blind date. The thought crossed her mind earlier, but now it appeared more likely just in the way Noah greeted her at the bottom of the stairs, along with his subtly tense demeanour. Either way, Beth decided to go along with it as everyone seemed to be in such a pleasant mood. She didn't want to make things uncomfortable, especially if her hunch was wrong.

As the four of them journeyed down the street towards Deanna's house, Beth made a point once again to glance around for Daryl, yet still she could not spot him. As bad as it sounded, she wished it were the redneck walking with her to the dinner party, not Noah. Not like Daryl would ever agree in going to an event like this anyway, Beth presumed. Apart from that, Beth wanted to make sure she had a chance to say goodbye to him before he left with Aaron in the morning. She wasn't too worried about his disappearance though, specifically because he did ask her to tell him how the dinner went after it was done. Beth assumed he possibly had a plan to see her one last time before he departed. Well, at least she hoped he did.

"Welcome to the Monroe household!" Deanna shouted happily once opening the door to Glenn's knock from his fist.

"We thank you for the invitation," Maggie smiled as the four of them stepped over the threshold.

Beth instantly caught the smell of melted mozzarella cheese, basil and tomatoes, and her mouth suddenly began to water.

"You're quite welcome. I hope you all like lasagna! I made plenty for all of us," Deanna said as she watched everyone slip off their footwear.

Noah's lips beamed as a grin appeared on his face, almost losing his balance after taking the shoe off his right foot. "It's my favorite! I can't remember the last time I had it."

Beth smiled at his comment, and her stomach growled at the talk of warm food awaiting them in the kitchen. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until they entered the house. Deanna led them to the living room where they were greeted by Aiden, Spencer and her husband, Reg. When the dinner was eventually placed on the table in the dining room and they all sat down to eat, their conversations had mainly consisted of past stories, Aiden's supply run tomorrow and how pleased Deanna and Reg were to have Rick's group join the community. Then finally, Deanna's focus went directly onto the blonde.

"It's nice to finally have the chance to talk to you, Beth. I apologize for taking so long."

"That's alright," Beth smiled as she scooped up one of the last pieces of noodles off her plate. "You've been busy, and I know Maggie must have told you all about me by now."

Deanna chuckled as she lightly brushed her auburn hair with her fingers. "That she has. Do you like it here in Alexandria? I know most of you are still trying to get accustom to our way of life, particularity Daryl. I'm still trying to figure that man out."

Beth faltered as she felt her heart leap when she heard the redneck's name, but managed to let out a small smile. "I am. Living here is wonderful—almost unreal. I haven't seen a walker since we arrived. I would say it's a record."

Deanna clasped her hands together happily. "Good, I'm glad to hear it! As you know, I've given out several different jobs to your friends and family, including your boyfriend here, and—"

"Oh, um," Beth interrupted awkwardly and also rather surprisingly. "Noah and I are just friends."

Spencer cleared his throat quietly as his mother's mouth opened ajar in embarrassment. Glenn shot an uncertain look at Maggie. "Oh, I'm very sorry! I just assumed since he was invited here and you two were around the same age that you must have been a couple."

"Don't worry about it," Noah reassured her before smiling shyly in the blonde's direction.

"Yeah it's fine, I could see why you would get mixed up," Beth added, but flashed a look at her sister in confusion.

Maggie caught the blonde's eyes and she frowned. She knew then that she had been caught in a white lie, only because previously she acted as though she didn't know why Noah was invited to the dinner. Maggie made it seem like it was all Deanna's idea, but she didn't expect her to refer to Noah as Beth's boyfriend. She knew the blonde would be questioning her later, and instantly regretted the idea of inviting Noah so the two could have a chance to bond.

"Well in any case," Deanna continued as she attempted to change the subject. "I heard that you have quite the green thumb from working on your family's farm in the past, and I was hoping that you'd be interested in working in our garden."

Rather than answering, Beth knitted her brow. Her mind was still troubled by what had just transpired.

"You would make a great asset," Reg added, detecting the disinterest in her body language and lack of a response.

Beth looked up at the couple then, realizing that the job they wanted to give her was a bit of a disappointment. Sure, she knew how to plant seeds and grow them into vegetables and fruit, but it was never a task she really enjoyed doing. It was a chore she was taught because she lived on the farm, nothing more. Even though Beth was tired of seeing walkers, she'd much rather do what Daryl was doing or go on supply runs with Glenn. The thought of watering plants made her body shudder at the thought of how jaded it would be. "Could I maybe think about it?"

"We need the gardeners," Aiden retorted snappishly, assuming that that would be all she was useful for.

"Aiden," Deanna said sharply in a way that told him to shut his mouth, embarrassed by her son's rudeness. She then regarded Beth with a smile. "Of course you can think about it. Just let me know what you want to do when you decide."

Beth curved her lips inward as she struggled to smile, but she couldn't shake the feeling of just wanting to leave the table and walk back to the house. She wasn't pleased with her sister, and the unexpected impoliteness towards her from Aiden made her suddenly uncomfortable, more so than when Deanna thought she and Noah were a couple.

It was another hour of socializing before Beth could finally leave without it being impolite on her end. She departed rather quickly, and Maggie decided it would be best to catch up to her and explain before the blonde's negative thoughts about her sister continued to escalate. Noah was a little baffled about what was happening after they left Deanna's house, but Glenn knew all too well.

"Beth!" Maggie called out, but the blonde continued to make hefty strides down the street towards the house. "We need to talk about what happened. I need to explain!"

Beth turned on her heels and faced her sister, a tad angrier about the situation then she should have been. However, she figured it was a mixture of things that caused her to be upset but immaturely decided to take it out on Maggie. "You lied to me! Why?"

"Can you please keep your voice down? You're gonna cause unwanted attention," Maggie asked when she finally caught up to the blonde.

Beth lowered her voice, but sustained the firmness in her tone. "You told me you didn't know why Noah was going, yet Deanna didn't know either. Obviously it was you, so why did you lie?"

Maggie hesitated for a moment, but decided to make up an alibi. "I was hoping you might like Noah so I invited him to come along. Why are you so upset?"

Beth raised her voice again as she began to sound more shrill. "Because it was embarrassin'! Noah probably thinks I wanted him to be invited. I like Noah, but not in the way you're thinkin'."

"I'm sorry Beth; I'll straighten it out with him, okay?" Maggie sighed as she tried to place her hand on her sister's shoulder, but the blonde moved away.

"You're only sorry because I found out. I don't need you to play match maker for me, I can find someone on my own," Beth explained as she turned back around and headed towards the house once again.

Maggie held her tongue as she watched her sister go, wondering if that "someone" she was referring to was Daryl. She sighed, deciding she would have to stop playing games and go straight to the source.

. . .

Daryl was repairing the string on his crossbow as he prepared it for tomorrow when he heard the front door open and close abruptly, followed by footsteps that raced up the stairs. He stood up off the chair in alert before leaning his weapon against the wall beside the sofa. Daryl made it to the top of the stairs quick enough to catch Beth with her hand on the doorknob to her bedroom, right before she turned around to notice that he had trailed her into the hallway.

He cocked his head, concerned about her obvious frustration but also couldn't deny how beautiful Beth was standing there in a black dress with her hair flowing down, almost touching her elbows. As much as he loathed the idea of her having dinner with Noah, that all disappeared the moment he saw her face soften from his presence, and the stress she carried had immediately vanished.

"Daryl…" Beth said through her gentle puffs of air as she tried to regain her composure.

He took a few innocent, careful steps forward. The tone in his voice was quiet and caring. "Everything alrigh'?"

The blonde shrugged, instantly remembering that Daryl would be leaving tomorrow, and the whole dispute with her sister suddenly seemed insignificant. "Jus' had a small fight with Maggie, nothin' too serious."

The redneck knitted his brow, not quite believing her. "It seemed serious by the way you ran up them stairs—like a walker was chasin' you or something."

"Were you waitin' up for me?" Beth asked cheekily as a smile appeared on her face. When she spotted him chewing his bottom lip and his eyes averted from her, her smile turned into a grin. "You totally were!"

Daryl shrugged and he looked back at her, slightly uneasy with the idea that she figured him out so effortlessly. "Yer changin' the subject."

Beth drew out a sigh, feeling defeated as neither of them seemed to fool the other. "I guess…with what happened with Maggie and the thought of you going out tomorrow…it's just made me worried and upset." She looked down at the floor, kicking herself for admitting that to him.

Daryl was now several feet away from her. "I'll be fine out there," he said reassuringly as Beth glanced up into his eyes. "When I get back, I'll teach you how to work that bow."

Suddenly without a moment's hesitation, Beth leaped forwards and wrapped her arms around Daryl's waist and pulled him to her, causing him to almost lose his balance. She didn't quite know why she did it, but it was an urge she couldn't ignore. Beth grabbed tightly onto his leather vest, not wanting to let go. "Be careful…please."

At first his arms remained stiff to his sides, but the moment he heard her voice he slowly returned the embrace. They stood there for a few seconds before Daryl solemnly replied to her request, his breath tickled her neck. "I will." He pulled away and turned around, beginning to depart down the hallway after he said goodnight as he was unable to stand there another moment. He hated goodbyes, but he knew he'd be back in about five days; a week at the latest.

Beth stared at his back as she watched him go, but then her heart raced rapidly when an idea popped into her head. She wasn't finished with him just yet. "Wait."

Daryl stopped and turned around, a look of curiosity emerged on his face.

"Don't go." Her tone was calming and yet urgent all at the same time.

"I need to go. I'm fallin' into a rut just staying here."

Beth shook her head. "I'm not talking about tomorrow mornin'. I'm talkin' about staying with me tonight."

Daryl said nothing, but she could read his face like a front-page headline. The pleading tone in her voice made him wince with embarrassment. He fidgeted in his spot as thoughts raced violently through his head, uncertain about what she was actually asking. Daryl noticed the frown forming on her face as he took his time to respond, and he instantly felt guilty for crashing her fleeting moment of fervency.

"It's okay if you don't want to," Beth said rather hastily. "I just wanted it to be like old times…when it used to be jus' me and you." She kept her gaze on him, wondering if she perhaps made a mistake.

The low voices in the kitchen downstairs became audible in their silence, and Daryl decided to open his mouth and speak. "The others might wonder where I went."

Beth nodded quickly as she spoke in an understanding tone. "That's true, forget I asked. Goodnight Daryl."

Without another look in his direction, she turned around and opened her door before quickly closing it again after entering her bedroom. She felt completely ridiculous and self-conscious, wondering if he'd ever speak to her again after that incident. Huffing at herself, she walked over towards her dresser in search of something to wear for bed. After changing into a pair of sweatpants and a black tank top, she unexpectedly heard a soft knock on the door and her heart leaped to her throat.

When she opened the door once again, Daryl stood there silently, staring up at the ceiling and all the other empty spaces around her. Although they were both awkward about it at first, Beth invited him in and he willingly accepted. The only light on was from a lamp sitting on the night table, creating a warm ambiance in the room.

"I'm thinkin' about going to sleep," Beth explained, but he didn't reply. He only watched her curiously. "Thank you for staying, I just didn't want to be alone."

Daryl shrugged as he glanced around the room until his eyes settled onto a recliner beside the bed. "I'll take the chair."

Beth frowned but didn't say anything until after she switched the light off and lay on top of her comforter. She stared at the shadowy figure of Daryl sitting on the chair, wondering if his eyes were closed. "They want me to be a gardener." Daryl managed to let out a small chuckle, amused by the disappointment in her tone and how easily her comment put his uncomfortable demeanor at ease. Beth knitted her brow as she perched her head up onto her hand. "It's not funny, Daryl. You realize how boring that job will be for me?"

"Then say no. Simple," Daryl responded nonchalantly as he rubbed his jaw with his hand. The moon emitted a dull light on the foot of her bed where she leisurely elevated her legs up and back down again as she lay on her stomach.

Beth hummed in thought, wanting to admit to him right then that she'd much rather join him and Aaron on their runs. Instead, she remained quiet, deciding to keep the idea to herself for the time being. She kept her eyes on the redneck, then around the room and eventually back onto him, saddened that he chose the chair rather than the empty spot next to her. Her thoughts were bouncing in every corner of her brain, whispering inside her nerves like voices through phone lines: Just ask him.

Daryl gnawed at his bottom lip as the silence continued, and without putting much thought into it, he decided to compliment her. He felt that being covered by darkness gave him a little more confidence to do so. "You were gorgeous tonight in that dress. Not that you're never gorgeous…" he quickly corrected. "But…" His voice trailed off, deciding to stop himself before he said too much.

Beth smiled, and her heart melted at how awkwardly charming he was. She adored it. "Thank you Mr. Dixon."

There she went again, playfully calling Daryl by his last name just to tease him. Although it annoyed him before, it was starting to rub off on him. Of course if he heard it from anyone else he'd probably wring their neck. He didn't know what to say after that, though he felt calm. The quietness in the room made him slowly drift off, until he heard Beth's tiny, southern voice speak his name.

"Daryl?"

"Mhm?"

"Could you…" she hesitated briefly, wondering if she was about to push things too far. "Could you lie here next to me?"

Daryl froze in his spot, his muscles tensed up at her unexpected request. Perhaps it was his fault for putting himself in this position to begin with. He should have expected this might happen, though at the same time his subconscious wanted to be close to her.

"I'm not askin' for anything else. I don't want anything else. I just want you to hold me," Beth continued softly, figuring she should explain herself in case his imagination got the better of him.

Without another word Daryl got up to his feet, and she half expected him to walk out of the room and leave her there in the darkness. He stood there for a few moments, contemplating on his next move with a voice in his head screaming at him to run…but he didn't. Daryl ignored all of that. Instead, he inched his way towards the bed, sitting down and then eventually leaned back against the head rest. His body was stiff, except for his heart that raced violently, until finally Beth curled up beside him. Her head rested on his chest with her right arm draped over his stomach. The rhythm of his chest rising and falling was amazingly comforting to her.

At that moment, Daryl wasn't sure what to do next, wondering if he'd even be able to get some sleep in the position he was in. However when he heard her subtle, heavy breathing, his whole thought process changed. His nerves calmed, and his heart no longer raced as though it were running in a marathon. Beth fell asleep so easily in his arms and a slight smile curved on one corner of his mouth. He slowly wrapped his arm around her waist, letting his hand hang loosely over her side. In that moment, he realized that this thing they had—whatever is was—could work. It wasn't impossible. The way Beth captured him; the way she made him feel like a man…he was hers, and he had no troubles acknowledging that.

Lying with her was far more relaxing than he anticipated and before he comprehended what was happening, he slowly drifted off into a deep, peaceful slumber.