Beth felt herself falling through the air suspended in space but still holding onto something, someone solid. Daryl.

A breeze blew past her face her loose hair flying in all directions. She would feel weightless if it weren't for her anchor. This was immensely different from what she had felt in other dreams with him when he was consciously at her side in some sense, even in a dream state.

Here he was there with her but in his own head and in this vision. She tried to push through to call out to him but felt no response or tug, nothing.

Trembling she brought her arms up to shake his shoulders to meet his face only to see his eyes closed peacefully, the illusion of a grin dancing on his lips. Where was he?

Daryl! Please, wake up! she tried desperately to cry out to him only resulting in a tightening around her waist and he pulled her closer to him but the sensation only became greater.

I got you, Beth, he mumbled and his eyes fluttered open slowly. Two tiny blue planets, cerulean neptunes that shone against the whites of his eyes.

Where are we going? she wondered pulling her face down to his chest as her stomach dropped.

She was sure that this would have to come to an end. Either they would wake up or hit the ground before Daryl would ever realize what was happening.

Just let yourself feel it, Beth.

The words echoed into her head over and over again until she felt a soft fluttering around her face gradually bringing her back to consciousness.

Beth, wake up, Daryl thought as he caressed her face, her cheeks, her chin. Trying to gently get her to wake up from the dream.

It had been foggy at first but slowly he began to feel it too, to hear Beth's pleas but Daryl knew that they were safe. Gradually her eyes fluttered open as she collected her surroundings recalling the night before. The sting in her head became stronger the more her eyes focused and adjusted to the light.

Ya hungover? Daryl smirked, tracing his fingers along her back still bare from the night before.

She'd forgotten her inhibitions had kind of gone out the window the night before but she didn't feel embarrassed being exposed to Daryl like that. He already knew her inside out.

Smiling at him meekly she nodded slowly trying to contain the blush rising from her cheeks to her chest.

"Ya alright, Beth?" He whispered softly out loud so he wouldn't wake up Merle.

"Yeah…" she started awkwardly trying to find her voice after a night of sleep. So often transitioning from thinking to speaking left her a little confused in the early morning hours. Even more so with alcohol in her system.

"Yer head hurt?" He asked in that crackly, gravely voice buzzing inside her head and out painfully but almost in a good way.

She nodded her head slowly touching her fingers to her temples. Not only did her head hurt but her stomach felt like a bottomless pit. This was much worse than the time Daryl had drank and she'd felt it the next day. An ache spread deep throughout her muscles all over her body.

"Everything hurts."

"Hit that stuff a little too hard I guess," he chuckled.

"Yeah," she huffed getting up from the bed to get dressed with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. "Don't think I'll be interested in drinking when it comes time for my birthday after all."

"Nah, don't say that. Probably shouldn't have chosen whiskey for yer first drink is all."

"Not like I had much choice in the matter," Beth laughed as she slipped a loose sundress over her head.

Never had she felt so fortunate to be off work for the morning. Lori would need her for a couple hours in the afternoon but at least she'd have time to rest. Nursing a hangover and looking after a toddler didn't make for a winning combination.

"Guess Maggie could have picked somethin' worse then," he shrugged not making any effort to get up out of his own bed.

In turn her hangover was wearing on him in addition to the stress of everyday life. Merle had been keeping out of his hair the past few days and as much as he didn't want to wonder what his brother was doing, he found it better to welcome the little vacation.

"True. When she was in high school my parents caught her with a bottle of peach schnapps."

"Can't think of anything worse than that. I'm gonna get ya a real drink, darlin'. None of that shit."

The thought of him making plans and wanting to see her, whenever that would be, sent a flock of butterflies rumbling through her stomach. A feeling she held onto every time she could because she knew he could too.

"When?" Beth smiles at him blissfully not even caring about the mass of knots she's got snarling through her hair.

"Soon, Beth."

"Holding you to it, Dixon."

"Uh huh."

He continues to watch her get ready for the day and they talk idly about the dream from the night before. The sensation of falling together hadn't felt like anything he'd imagined skydiving could be like. Still somewhere in a deep slumber Daryl only felt her clinging to him and the air rushing past his body. It wasn't until he came to that he realized what was going on but he never felt and danger or any real threat. Subconsciously he knew the powers they harbored together would always keep them safe.

Every dream and every vision that came to him since their bond had strengthened only made him feel closer to her despite the physical distance. Whatever it was that was drawing them together could not wait much longer. He knew then that it wasn't just Beth who was eager to see him face to face, but the longer he thought of being apart from her made him antsy, restless.

Whatever this thing was, he still wasn't sure, all he could do was give into it.

Considering Merle hadn't been around the apartment much Daryl was pretty sure he was up to his old tricks but didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet. He had picked up a few random jobs helping the handyman around the complex but nothing concrete yet and Bob was pressuring him to keep up the search. If he didn't find a job soon he'd be back in jail in no time. Not that Daryl cared much one way or another. Merle could make his bed and lay in it too, but that didn't mean he had to go dragging baby brother along with him. He'd had enough of his this shit. Years of it in fact and he'd be damned if Merle was going to fuck up again on his watch.

He had been going to one of the narcotics anonymous meetings at the church downtown or at least he had told Daryl that much. So he'd decided to wait around after the first meeting to take Merle to a couple of places around town to pick up some resumes. If a little encouragement didn't get him somewhere, he didn't know what would.

Slipping a lone cigarette out of his pocket Daryl marvels at the sleek, seductive look of something he'd once loved so much before. Now that he'd quick for a couple weeks it felt different. Insignificant in comparison to the vice he had now. Beth.

There was no way she could cross his mind without a smile forming on his lips. Not many people had been able to do that to him but she'd made things happen. Made him see and feel things he'd never known were possible and he couldn't get enough of it. Enough of her. How was it a girl he'd never seen in person could have him this smitten? That morning if she'd asked him to drive out to here then and there he would have done it. The pull she had on him was like nothing else he'd ever experience. Daryl was hooked.

The way her eyes cast on him, he could feel her gaze on every part of his body. When her eyes followed the lines of his body every hair stood on end electrifying his senses. Nothing about the way they felt, their certain unique brand of touch made any sense to him. Touching her in his mind, in a dream state felt like complete and total bliss. No part of him could question it because he could not fathom the power it held over him. Now that he had felt her in his arms and against his lips, there was no going back.

Taking a quick look at his cell phone Daryl notices the meeting should be up just about any minute but before he can get up and go look for his brother he hears the all too familiar hum of motorcycles in the distance. Only a few moments later Len and Joe rolled into the parking lot with the same shit eating grins they'd given Daryl that day at the shop. There was no doubt in his mind they were there for Merle.

"Hey there, baby brother!" Joe cackled loudly with the sound of his engine turning off. "Where's Merle at? Still inside boo-hooing?"

"Never thought I'd see him doing that huh?" Len interjected.

"People change," Daryl growled. "Or at least that's what I hear from his probation officer."

"That's right. We ain't gonna let anything happen to 'em. Gonna sting all them chips on a necklace so he can wear it around and everybody will know Merle Dixon is a changed man."

The heat rushing to Daryl's face was so intense he was sure he had to be beet red. He'd never been one to be able to hide his anger. They'd have to be total idiots to think he'd fall for this sham. Whatever Merle was up to, they were clearly involved.

"If y'all are so supportive, why aren't ya in there with him, huh?"

Joe picked the cigarette up off the bench that Daryl had pulled out earlier and put it between his cracked, grey lips.

"We've been to a couple of them, Daryl. Your brother didn't tell you? Even brought cookies to go with the coffee."

"No. Merle hasn't exactly been keeping me up to date on what he's been doin' recently so forgive me if I'm not in the know," Daryl narrowed his eyes at both the men as a warning. They'd threatened him before and he wasn't about to let that happen again.

"Well no worries there, son. We'll make sure to let you know what old Merle is up to, alright?" Joe shot him that slimy smile that made him want to tear him up right then and there but he knew he wasn't worth it. Not by a long shot.

"You pickin' him up then? 'Cause I was gonna take him to look fer a job."

"Sure thing, buddy," Len patted him on the back causing Daryl to draw back uncomfortably from the sudden contact.

"I got a couple of interview lined up for him, Daryl. Don't you worry."

Daryl started to inch his way back to the truck suddenly not caring one way or another whether or not Merle ended up back in jail.

"Sure, Joe. Just make sure Cinderella makes it home before curfew, alright?"

Slamming the door tightly the entire truck shakes and Daryl feels his anger seething throughout every part of his body. Only Beth is there whispering in his ear, his internal comfort. The soothing sound of her voice drowning out their laughter.

Just drive, Daryl, her breath tickles in his ear, Go home, sweetheart. This isn't your battle to fight anymore.

"Don't worry, Darlene. We'll have Cinderelly home by the stroke of midnight."

Driving away from the church Daryl felt his anger melt away as she sang that song, the same sweet lullaby she sang to Judith so many nights ago. It didn't put him to sleep but it opened his eyes and so clearly showed him what lay in his future if Merle stuck around. Every part of her that was now equally a part of him a flag, a map indicating where to go.

By the time Beth had to get to work to watch Judith, Daryl was fast asleep. The exhaustion of the situation hitting him head on in addition to the hungover she'd given him had been too much to handle. The second he's walked in the door to his apartment he stumbled into his bedroom, collapsing on the bed, almost taking her down with him.

Having been able to talk him away from those frightening feelings from his past, the need to take care of Merle were still present in the back of his mind. Despite his brutish force and often ignorant perspective on his younger brother's life, some part of Merle had wanted happiness for his brother on his terms. That had never been what Daryl wanted. Cheap, easy money. Scamming everyone and anyone he could to make an extra buck was no kind of life he aspired for.

"He's not your responsibility anymore, Daryl," she pressed trying to make him see how free he truly was.

Merle was an anchor that may have held him down for most of his life but only he had the key to unlock it and walk away from it all.

"Don't ya think I wanna leave, Beth? They're cookin' or sellin'. Doin' somethin' for fuckin' sure. I can't fuckin' deal with this right now."

Hands balled into fists Daryl hit the bed over and over again. The anger, the rage, every blow hitting her knuckles with savage force.

"Daryl, let it go. It's going to destroy you - destroy us both if you don't. You can't let him have this power over you."

The crystal blue of her eyes came into clear view and he could not deny the tears that brimmed there because they so clearly matched his own.

"I don't want this shit for either of us. I'm gettin' the fuck out of here as soon as I can, darlin'. Gonna make my way to you, okay? I promise."

He didn't realize how hard the two of them were shaking until he reached out to embrace her. Fistfulls of her golden hair tangled through his fingers, lips anxiously finding her purse to assure himself that she was real despite the doubt that lingered somewhere within the insecure man he feared he'd always be.

"Everything is going to be okay, Daryl," tears flow freely between them and she makes no efforts to wipe them away, only traces the line of his jaw, his trembling lips. "I carry you in my heart everywhere I go and I...I'd never let anything happen to you."

He lets out a laugh that makes him choke back the tears because in the time he's known her, known her for real, she's been willing to fight for him more times than Merle ever did.

"I'm gonna get there real soon, darlin'. Get all this shit figured out and I'll come to you. I…" he chokes out. "I don't know for how long but I need to see you. Okay?"

She nods kissing every part of his face, the salt of their tears meshing together as their minds have done so wholly. Beth wonders how it is they can become more submerged in one another than they already are.

"Sleep, Daryl. I have to go to work but you need to rest. Tonight we'll make a plan."

The warmth of her body leaving him doesn't leave him feeling lost but content. He thinks back to the sound of her voice enveloping him and falls into a deep slumber.

Arriving at work Beth tries to channel her energy into helping Lori clean the house while Judith takes her afternoon nap but all thoughts drift back to Daryl. The need to keep him close and protected was becoming stronger and stronger all the time but now that things were becoming serious with the situation surrounding Merle her feelings were becoming frantic.

He had already been through so much in his life and now Merle carelessly dragged him through another disaster as if it didn't even phase him. If Daryl didn't get out of that situation, hopefully for good something bad was bound to happen.

"You alright?" Lori nods in her direction tossing Beth a magic eraser to scrub at the artwork Judith had created that morning while Rick wasn't paying attention. "I told Rick she's too young for crayons. Normally she eats them but now she's learned to actually color with them. Only not on paper."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired."

"Up late with that older man of yours?"

"Um, something like that," Beth blushed furiously covering her mouth with her hand.

"How are things going with that?" She smirked setting down the glass cleaner to kneel on the floor where Beth was working.

"Really, really good," she gushed excitedly. Being able to tell someone about Daryl even without specifics was something she'd been dying to do. "Also really, really complicated at the same time."

"Because of the age difference?"

"No," she shrugged not really even thinking about that. It seemed silly in comparison to all the other things they had to deal with. "He doesn't live here in town and he's trying to come see me soon but I feel like I'm crawling out of my skin."

"Honey," Lori rubbed her back sympathetically. "There's no one in town you'd rather spend time with? Long distance is hard."

She had to hold back a snort at that. Long distance was an understatement. Having him so close yet so far away, dangling in front of her was agony. Having him and not having him was exquisite torture.

"No, he's different. I can't explain it but it's what I want."

"So the distance is the only problem? You've had an easier time expressing your feelings to him?"

Together they started working on the crayon masterpiece which went all along the baseboards in various colors.

"It's hard to put my finger on it, you know? I want to make him see what kind of future we could have together here if he came to stay for good. I mean...that's what I really want."

"What would your parents do?"

Beth shrugged. It wasn't something she had put a whole amount of thought into because regardless what her parents thought Daryl wasn't going anywhere. As far as she knew he was in her mind for good. For the most part he always had been. Once in snippets and dreams to the man she'd come to quickly fall for without question.

"My daddy is fifteen years older than my mama. I suppose he'd get over it. Wouldn't he?"

Lori shot her a grin setting down the scrubber to wrap her arms around her.

"Hell yeah he will! You're almost twenty-one and if you want to run away with this mysterious dream man then he can't stop you," she pushed back a lock of loose hair behind Beth's ear. "Just don't stray too far because I'd hate to see you go."

"I'm not going anywhere," Beth laughed pulling away from the hug. "I just want him here."

"Well, when is he coming?"

"Soon, I hope. He's got to deal with some things with work before he can make the trip over. It's only a few hours but still."

"Even if you won't tell your dad about this I'm glad you told me, Beth."

The tears that had spilled from her eyes earlier begin to fall again and everything comes rushing back. The overwhelming feelings for Daryl flooding over her mind.

"I love him so much," Beth lets out a stifled sob. "I just want to know that when he gets here things will be okay."

"Of course they are, honey. We're going to back you up. Rick and I. We're always here for you. Since Judy was born you became a part of this family too, Beth. You're old enough to make your own choices and your father will see that in time. Enjoy this and love him without hesitation because life is too short."

Beth nodded her head wiping away the tears with the back of her hand. Lori had been right. The only way to fully embrace this bond was to face it full on and help him through anything they needed to face to be together.

Not surprised to find messages on the voicemail from Bob at home wondering how many job applications Merle had submitted that week, Daryl decided to leave them unanswered. Beth had been right. It was time to focus on what he wanted now and staying around was only going to put him in more danger. If he didn't end up fucking things up for himself the only other option was to get him into a halfway house or something. In the morning he promised himself he would call Bob back and figure it out. Find a way to get the fuck outta dodge and make his way to Beth.

Senoia was so close he could almost smell the Greene family farm. Images of Beth back when she had been Alice flashed through his mind. Merely a hazy glimpse of a hallucination back then he still marveled at her beauty. Running around barefoot without a care in the world. The cool evening grass tickling her toes as she ran along the outside of the barn.

He hoped in only a matter of days, if not a week he could be there with her. Finally embrace her in his arms fully. Fulfill this aching in his chest to wrap her up and never let her go again. All of those thoughts and images made the present bearable. Beth made things bearable. Maybe she really had become his vice.

Stripping down to his boxers he crawls into bed like so many evenings before. Settling into a deep slumber there is only the sound of her voice and the warmth of her body against him. Her legs tangled in his and her head nuzzled into his chest as if she can't possibly get close enough to his heart. Just to make sure it's still beating as he does with her. As her singing subsides Beth whispers so many soft words he can barely make out between kisses and giggles in the dark.

He clutches her closer and unlike any of the other dreams this one feels so real because they're in his bed. This dreamscape feels too comfortable and familiar in a way that makes him so eager it's almost frightening. The need drawing him closer and closer to her is a constant reminder. He needs to get to Senoia.

Waking up suddenly he looks around the dark of his bedroom. No noise from outside the door indicates Merle would be home. No surprise there. Looking at the clock he realizes he's been asleep a few hours.

Getting up from the bed he quickly hones in on Beth and finds her at the kitchen sinking scrubbing dishes. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she's wearing that same sundress from earlier that ties around her neck. The blue and grey paisley pattern complimenting her eyes beautifully. Before he knew he'd felt this way he'd feel guilty looking in on her like this. Soaking up every inch of her creamy, delicate flesh. The flush on her cheeks from the heat of the summer added to the heat of the kitchen. The oven behind her still cooling down.

Wish I could give ya a hand with those, darlin, he chuckles in her ear.

I'd make you wash. Shawn usually helps me dry them at least but, ya know.

He watches her slender hands set the rest of the dishes in the rack to dry and towels off quickly. No matter how mundane the task he loves to watch the way her hands move. Everything she does an elegant orchestra compared to his clumsy mitts.

What are you doing? She smiles at him coyly. Your hands are a lot nicer lookin' than mine. And those arms...

He laughs out loud at her in embarrassment but he feels a little smug knowings she wants his hands on her like she does. Even though he still feels dirty and clumsy with hands that have seen and done what he's done he's glad that she wants them. Glad that she wants him.

She says a quick goodnight to her parents and heads upstairs for the night. Getting ready for bed and taking her hair out of the ponytail she gives him a kittenish grin.

"I can't stop thinking about seein' you in person," she gushes blushing deeply.

"I'm gonna talk to Bob tomorrow and figure it out."

"Are you okay? After what happened today?"

He nods his head a couple of times before lying down on his side, propping his head up under his arm.

"I know it's time to go and it scares the hell outta me but I'm glad you're the reason I'm goin'."

"It's complicated and messy," she laughs untying the knot at the top of her dress. Beth shimmies out of the dress and pulls a large t-shirt over her head. "I know it's scary too but everything is telling me it's time, Daryl. We can't wait anymore."

"I know, darlin'. Nothin' good ever came easy or worth fightin' for."

Crawling into her bed she reaches out to touch his shoulders, shocking him instantly making them both jump. He turns to face her and his vision aligns with hers, face to face, that same sapphire blue shining brighter than any stone.

Not with sadness or tears but love, utter realization and acceptance.