A/N I know I say it every week, that's because I mean it every week - thank you all so much. We pick up where we left off, right after Daryl lets Beth know he wants her to come home.

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They stood in the hallway a moment longer. He worried she might have a tear in her eye as they kissed just one more time. She was going to help her Mama in the kitchen, while he'd see if her Daddy could use a hand.

"Daryl why don't you let Timmy help Mama for a while, they seem to be enjoying each other's company. I'll come for you if he needs you."

"Alright if you're sure, but if he gets cranky ya come K? I don't want him disrespectin' your Mama."

"Please quit worrying so much Daryl, he's a good boy and he'll be fine. Now go on before I weaken and don't let you leave me at all."

He groaned a little as he whispered, "Damn girl don't tempt me like that," and lightly brushed his hand along her cheek.

She walked in the kitchen to see that her Mama had Timmy sitting on the counter in his paper hat, while she was pulling pans of food out of the oven. "I'm sorry Mama I should have been here helping you."

"It's okay daughter, I'm sure you and Daryl had some things to talk about. Besides I didn't need you, I had a very capable helper." And she saw Mama and Timmy beam at each other.

"I'm glad Timmy was able to fill in for me. Daryl and I did need to talk Mama, and it's something I want to talk to you about, but not while tiny ears are listening."

"Alright I'll be anxious to hear." Mama already had a pretty good idea of what may be coming.

They were setting the pans on the wood-topped kitchen island as Timmy looked on. Beth explained to him exactly what they were doing and what everything was, as they uncovered each pan and set the food in warming pans and chafing dishes. Then she uncovered the cabbage. He let out a loud shriek and immediately began to cry as if he was in physical pain. Mama was shaken and moved quickly to put her arms around the little boy. "Timmy my goodness child, are you okay? What in the world happened?"

The little guy pointed a finger at the cabbage and cried as he said, "No Man, no!"

Beth was working so hard at swallowing her laughter it almost hurt. She went to the little boy herself running a hand through his curls as she assured him, "Timmy, Honey you don't have to eat the cabbage I promise. Some other people are going to eat it but you're not."

It was then that Daryl walked in the kitchen, he'd come to get sweet tea for her Daddy and himself. He hurried over to the women and the little boy, "What happened?" His voice was tense, worried as he lay a hand on the little guy's cheek wiping away tears with the pad of his thumb.

In her own concerned and nervous voice her Mama told him, "I don't know Daryl everything was fine, then Beth uncovered the pan of cabbage and he started to shriek and cry. He pointed toward it and yelled 'no!'."

As controlled as Daryl usually was and as reserved as he most often was, this time he lost it. He just couldn't help himself and when he started laughing Beth lost control of herself. Now Mama was completely baffled. Timmy was a little confused too as he looked from his Daddy to Beth. His crying had turned to sniffles and Daryl took him in his arms cuddling him close. "I'ma just take Shadow out ta help me an Mister Greene, Beth will tell ya the whole story."

"Daryl!" She pretended to punch his arm. He just smiled and left the room as Mama called after him, "Beth will bring your tea."

She turned to her daughter then, "Alright now Miss, what's this all about?"

Beth told her Mama how Daryl had picked the onions out of the New Year's Eve dinner they'd made, trying to slip the food by the little boy. She told her how much Timmy loved the pork and the hoppin' john, and then about the bite of cabbage followed by the big drink of milk. And then she told her about the vomiting that immediately followed the milk. And following that the cleanup, the bath, the showers and laundry. Mama started laughing herself, "It's no wonder you were all sitting around in your pajamas. Timmy sounds just like you Bethie. Now go take those boys some tea so we can get this work done." This wasn't Mama's first experience with a little person.


Their guests would be arriving in the next hour or so and the food would be served buffet style. For now the elder Greenes along with Beth, Daryl and Timmy sat to enjoy their New Year's Day meal as a family. Daddy said the prayer thanking God for the bounty before them and asking His blessing on all of them. He prayed for peace and he prayed for the health of the soil and fair weather for the crops. Then it was time to eat.

Mama uncovered the dishes of food including a bowl and plate she set in front of Timmy. The bowl held plain buttered noodles with small pieces of ham, and a buttered biscuit with jam was on the plate. When Hershel saw what it was he smiled at Annette, "Just like Beth, huh?" Mama smiled and nodded, "Exactly."

At that Daryl finally relaxed. These were good people, he knew it before but this had sealed the deal. "Thank ya Ma'am that's real nice a ya ta go ta extra trouble for Timmy."

Timmy may not have understood what was going on but that really didn't matter when he said, "Tank ya Man."


Guests came and went and Beth was certain they were all looking at her like they'd heard something about her and Daryl, and she was sure they probably had. She'd lived in a small town nearly her whole life, she knew news traveled fast. Anyway she really didn't mind at all that people knew. She felt very proud to be seen as Daryl's girlfriend, and she was also proud of the well-mannered little boy.

By 5:30 Annette was sure the last of the guests had come and gone. Daryl helped with the cleanup until six when Mama got firm, "You need to get home now Daryl, you and Timmy have an early day tomorrow and you both need your rest. Beth and I can take care of the rest of this tomorrow, we've got all day. And I want you to take some of these food gifts too, there's no way we can use all of this. Why don't you take the macaroni and cheese, Timmy will love that and take that pot roast too."

"That seems too much Ma'am, too generous. We ain't needy, we got food."

"I have no doubt you're a good provider Daryl, that isn't why I offered. Think about it, what am I going to do with it all? Hershel and I can only eat so much and Beth will probably be spending more time with you and Timmy than with us."

She'd caught him and Beth both by surprise with her remark and she knew it. She couldn't help herself, she laughed and said, "I may be old but that doesn't mean I don't know about love." Now they were really shocked, they had yet to speak that word.

Flustered and not sure what to say Daryl just looked at her as calmly as he could and nodded, "Yes Ma'am."


He loaded the car first then Beth walked him and Timmy to the vehicle. Mama didn't want to be nosey but she just couldn't help herself, she was peeking out through the kitchen curtain watching as Daryl opened the door of the big Jeep. He had the little boy on his hip and was holding him tight with one arm, when he wrapped his other arm around Beth's shoulders. Immediately his head dipped down nuzzling into the curve of her neck and hair. As Mama watched with a smile she remarked out loud, "Now that's a man in love."

She didn't know her husband was standing right behind her, "Annette shame on you! It's not polite to snoop. Now pull that curtain a little further aside so I can see." They smiled at first but when the embrace ended and the little boy held his arms out to Beth crying hard, well it broke Mama's heart and definitely put a crack in Daddy's.

They watched as Beth took the child from Daryl and held him tight rocking him in her arms, then Daryl reached for him and put him in the car seat and the child was still crying. He took Beth in his arms, kissed her quickly and started to get in the vehicle but paused and looked back at her. It was obvious to the window peekers he was reluctant to leave her.

It was true that he didn't want to leave her and she didn't want him to go, but they both knew he needed to get the little boy home. He gave her one more quick kiss and hurried to get in the rig and leave before he felt compelled to stop and kiss her again.

Daddy looked to Mama, "Our daughter's going to be leaving home Annette."

"I know and I'll be sad to see her go, but at least they'll be living nice and close to us. And Hershel, we get a sweet little grandson to spoil." Mama was all smiles at the thought.

When Beth walked in the front door the tears were falling and that was all it took for Mama. She hugged her close, "I know it's hard Bethie. Both those boys love you and I know you love them."

"Are you sure it's love Mama?" That's when Daddy said, "pfftt well if it isn't then I'd like to know what the hell it is."

Mama gave her husband a stern look, "Hershel Greene you watch your language now, but daughter I think your Daddy's right. The big question is just what are you and Daryl going to do about that?"

"Like I said, he'll be by to pick me up after work tomorrow and we're going to talk about things, then I'm going to talk to you. Okay?"

"That sounds like a good idea. I think we've all worked hard enough today, we can save the rest of this for tomorrow. Let's you and I go upstairs and chat while Daddy watches his program." Hershel didn't mind a bit, he knew his wife would fill him in on anything important.

Annette and her daughter sat next to each other on the edge of Beth's bed, "So Daughter talk to your Mother."

"It's hard to put it in words Mama, everything about it seems so strange and yet so normal. I mean how we met isn't strange really but the weather definitely wasn't normal. To think we'd be snowed in that way and that there was no chance I could possibly make it home, at least not at first. But everything at Daryl's was so routine Mama, just really normal every day stuff. We cooked, we cleaned up, we took care of Timmy and played with him. We were all living so close and stuff it was almost like we were suddenly a family."

"Until Daryl's accident there wasn't one thing that was out of the ordinary. Except I felt this deep attraction for him that just seemed to happen so quickly, and I knew he was feeling it for me too. I'm not just talking about some physical attraction either Mama. I honestly liked and admired Daryl so much right from the start. I have a lot respect for the fact he's a man who knows exactly how he wants to live his life, he knows the person he is and he's content in that. And he's such a good Daddy to Timmy. And Mama, that little guy, how could anyone not love him? He's such a precious person."

Mama was smiling at the things her daughter told her but she did have a question, "What about Timmy's Mother? Daryl told Daddy the poor woman had passed, Daddy didn't want to ask the circumstances. Is Timmy close with her family?"

Beth told her Mama what she felt she could without betraying Daryl's trust, "Timmy's Mother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Daryl said she had no family and that she grew up in foster care. I'm sorry Mama but Daryl told me the whole story in confidence and I have to honor that trust. He also said if things got serious with him and me and we were thinking about taking it further, he'd tell you and Daddy everything. I think that's how it should be. The story should come from him."

"I think so too and I promise Daddy and I will be open-minded, we know life doesn't always follow a script. And just so you understand our position and you feel comfortable talking to us, Daddy and I know something else. We know love doesn't have a timetable, it doesn't use a calendar. When love comes it comes. You and Daryl seem to have that feeling between you already."

"I think so too and I think Daryl thinks so. It just seems like there's so much emotion, so many feelings so fast and all at once."

Her Mother hugged her and Beth whispered, "Thank you Mama. It'll be good for me and Daryl to talk tomorrow."

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Timmy did calm down after a few minutes and it was a huge relief to his Daddy. He hated seeing the little boy so sad, especially when he was every bit as unhappy himself. He felt it so strongly, this wasn't right at all, this was all wrong. Maybe she'd only been with them a few days but that didn't matter. What mattered was she belonged there. He knew it, she knew it and he was sure Timmy knew it.

He hated the idea of more tears, he just didn't think he could deal with it tonight and he didn't think Timmy could either. So with a half-guilty conscience he decided to forego the little boy's bath time. Instead they watched Frosty again, Daryl didn't mind because he wasn't watching anyway. He was too busy thinking about her.

He'd accepted the truth of his feelings and once he did, he wasn't sure why he'd been trying so hard to fight those emotions. Why didn't he just admit them to himself and to her? He'd told her he wanted her to come home, but he hadn't told her why. He hadn't expressed the depth of his feelings. It shouldn't matter whether it had been seven days or seven years, he cared for Beth. He felt pretty sure she was feeling the same kinds of things for him as he did for her. Yes he was sure. The time had come to talk about some kind of next step, and to let her know about the feelings he had.

He got Timmy tucked in and then got their things together for the next day, lunches made, snacks for Timmy, water for them both and juice boxes for his son. He went on line and checked for messages, found he had three new job requests waiting, and finally decided to try and get some sleep. It didn't come easy but it came.

ooo00ooo

Talking to Mama had helped ease her mind and it also brought a lot of clarity, as well as the good feeling that came from knowing her parents were supportive. Mama's reassurances that it wasn't crazy, it was a little unusual and fast yes, but not crazy or impossible that they'd fallen so quickly and so hard. It was comforting and gave Beth both the confidence and the push she needed.

Daryl wanted her to come home and that's what she wanted too.

She also gave a great deal of thought to Timmy. Mama had asked her if she was ready to be a mother. It was something she'd asked herself several times a day since she'd first rubbed those tiny feet on Christmas Eve morning. She felt sure she was ready to take it all on, all the sweetness and happiness that seemed to just be in the child's nature, and the things that were definitely far less pleasant like the tears, the bedwetting and even the vomit. She felt she had a good grasp of the big picture. There would be some rough times but the good things more than made up for all of that.

And the biggest reason she felt ready was because she knew she loved Timmy. She had no trouble at all understanding how Daryl had completely and unconditionally accepted his role as the child's Daddy. And the truth of it was she'd seen it in her own family. Mama had always treated Maggie as her own, just like Daddy had always treated Shawn as his own. There was never any question they loved all of their children equally.

She felt it deeply, a longing for Daryl and Timmy to be her family. She was so sure now that it was how it was supposed to be, the three of them together. She couldn't wait to talk to Daryl, to tell him how she felt and to tell him she wanted him to take her home.

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When Mama made a peach pie for Timmy first thing in the morning, Beth knew for sure the little guy had stolen her heart too. It meant so much to know her own Mother had accepted the child and obviously had deep affection for him.

The two women worked hard all day getting the holiday decorations put away and the house back in order. Despite the work it was fun for just the two of them to have this time of being together in a casual and comfortable way.

Daryl texted her late morning, "Hey, can we just eat at home tonight? Just the three of us?" She didn't hesitate to respond "Yes xo," or to smile at his use of "home" rather than saying his house.

She explained to her parents at lunch that she and Daryl had talking to do and he and Timmy wouldn't be staying for dinner. After lunch Daddy took her hand and smiled, "We understand Bethie but I want Daryl to understand too. I want him to come to me and your Mama and tell us about himself and about Timmy. We don't want to judge him, but if you're serious about him then as your parents we feel we need to know him better."

"I'll let him know Daddy, he told me before he'd tell you everything."

He and Timmy were there by five all smiles and happy to see her, and she was smiling herself as she walked to the truck. The three hugged for a long moment and he whispered, "Missed ya Beth, real bad." And she whispered, "I missed you more." And Timmy was just saying, "Bef, Bef."

"I need to tell Mama and Daddy goodbye and get my bag."

"Yeah Shadow an me need ta tell 'em 'hey,' an I'll carry your case."

Daryl smiled when Mama handed him the pie and said, "This is for Timmy but I'm sure if you ask he'll share."

"Thank ya Ma'am that was real nice. I hope he does share." He turned to his son, "Look here Shadow Miz Greene made ya a peach pie. Whaddya say?"

"Tanks Man." The little boy smiled up at her and she couldn't resist leaning down for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Mama and Daddy held hands as they watched Daryl's truck head back down the drive, and they wondered aloud if their daughter would ever spend another night in their home without Daryl. In this moment they were sure the answer was no.


She insisted on getting the dinner ready, warming the pot roast and fixings Mama had sent him home with, "You go ahead and get your work stuff organized for tomorrow and have your shower. Timmy and I are going to take care of dinner, aren't we Timmy?"

"Yes Bef hungwy pwease."

"I'm sure you are. I know you've been working hard all day and that makes a man hungry." Daryl walked away with a smile. He wondered how he'd gotten so lucky but he'd made up his mind he wasn't going to overthink it, and he wasn't going to question it. He was going to accept and enjoy his good fortune.

After dinner and cleanup they sat with Timmy on the sofa watching a nature program about tropical fish. The little boy was fascinated by the colorful fish and the music that played in the background, but the adults weren't really paying attention. They had their arms wrapped around behind him as the three sat close, and they kept glancing at each other, smiling in an almost shy way. They both knew there was a big talk coming after Timmy went down for the night and each was feeling a little anxious.

It wasn't so much they didn't know what to expect, it was more that they knew exactly what to expect and in its way, and as much as it was what each of them wanted, it was daunting. Commitment was a big word with an even bigger meaning. He'd never made a commitment to a woman and she'd never made one to a man.

Then it seemed to happen for them at the same time. They each took a deep breath followed by a look at the little boy, and then a long look at each other. It was like any doubt or anxiety they may have been experiencing lifted in that moment. This was it, right here. It was what they wanted and exactly what they were happy and anxious to commit to, the two of them and the little boy being together was everything.

Timmy was happily splashing in the tub as she knelt beside it folding the magic washcloth. Daryl was kneeling next to her watching them both and smiling. "Everythin's so much better, like it all just smooths right out when you're here with us Beth. I'm happier an Shadow's happier, ya make our life better."

As if on cue the little boy turned his head to look at her, "Bef yuv." She could feel the emotion welling up inside her as she ran her hand over his curls, "I love you Timmy, so much." And the look she gave to Daryl seemed to convey she may have those same feelings for him.

They put the little boy to bed together, all of them sharing hugs, kisses, wishes for happy dreams and most of all love. As they walked from the child's room he took her hand and simply asked, "Ready?"

"Yes."


They sat cross legged on his bed, they were looking at one another in a serious way as he talked of days gone by. Occasionally one would reach out to lightly touch the other's hand, or arm or leg, while Daryl told her the story of the life he'd had. He didn't hold back or try to pretty up what was often a very ugly reality. It was nothing to brag about but also nothing to feel ashamed of, it was simply the story of what had been.

It had been a hostile household where hateful beatings were often the order of the day and fun, laughter and love were non-existent. He told her there had been some love at one time when he was very small, before his Mom completely gave herself up to the bottle, but he recalled very little of it.

What he did remember was being eight years old and out with the neighborhood children riding a bike Merle had stolen for him. He saw the smoke and heard the sirens, both coming from the direction of their house. By the time he got there it was mostly done and gone, and not just the house. His Mom was gone for good too. The fireman said it was an accident, they said she'd fallen asleep with a cigarette in her hand. In that moment Daryl admitted to Beth something he'd never shared with anyone, he'd often wondered if it had really been an accident. Life was so bad at their house he wouldn't have faulted his Mom if she did it on purpose.

He shared with her what was the brutality of his growing up years after his mother was gone, the hunger and more beatings and what it was like to live with constant fear, anger and hate. She fought her tears not wanting him to mistake them for pity, or to stop his story thinking she couldn't take it. It was hard to hear but she knew it was a part of him and she had to accept it, she had to know about the life he'd lead to fully know him. He often spoke of the man he used to be before he became the man he was now. She wanted to know everything about both those men.

He went into greater detail than he had before about how he and Merle had lived and the things they'd done. "Ya had it right when ya asked did I miss him. I do, I miss that redneck asshole every day a my life. But when Merle died it was like that part of my life died with him. He was the last of any family I had, I was the last man standing. I knew I could never give up, never falter and never fail cuz I had that little man in that bed in there. I needed ta care for him an I needed ta do it right. Caring for him was what helped heal me up. Sometimes I just look up at the sky an I think, 'Thanks brother, thanks for trustin' me ta care for the best thing ya ever done in this life.'"

So powerful to her were these words he had spoken and the things that he'd told her. As she looked in his eyes she spoke her own truth, "I love you Daryl Dixon."

The tears came to his eyes then, and as he reached for her he said it clearly and with both deep affection and deep conviction, "I love you Beth Greene."

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A/N Lots of questions, answers and big emotion in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave a comment / review and let me know what you think. Thanks! x gneebee

The chapter photo is posted to my tumblr blog bethylmethbrick. Next chapter we'll pick up right where this one ended. I thank you all so much, and I hope to see you back here next Wednesday for more One Cold Night. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee