A/N Thank you all so much, you guys make me smile. When we left Trouble and Sunshine their wedding plans had been foiled, but they did come up with a new plan and a new apartment. They'll take a couple of big steps this chapter.

ooo00ooo

She dreaded the start of the school year. She didn't even want to think about going every day without Trouble. She'd miss him being there waiting for her as she got off the bus, carrying her backpack and walking her to homeroom, holding her hand and sneaking a quick kiss. And lunch, she'd really miss having lunch with him every day behind the maintenance building. Especially the very best part of lunch, when he'd lay her down on the grass after they'd eaten and kiss her until the bell rang.

It was all going to be just so miserable and lonely.

Once school did start it wasn't quite as bad as she'd worried it would be. She did miss him badly, just like she knew she would, but there was a bright spot; she and Rosita had grown close again. They'd always been best friends but when Rosita and Caesar got serious, and then Beth and Daryl got serious, they'd drifted apart a little.

In this new school year the best friends had rekindled that bond, and they had something new in common, they were girls who no longer felt like they fit in with the rest of the students. Beth had never been one of the popular girls anyway, and Rosita had found that since becoming a teenage Mother many of the girls shied away from her, like her situation was contagious or something.

They told themselves they didn't care what anyone thought anyway, they were just there to finish high school so they could move on with their lives. They had each other on the bus ride to and from school, and a couple of classes together, and they'd meet in the quad every day at lunch and go off to a corner by themselves.

One day at lunch, during the first week back at school, Rosita confided in Beth, "Gosh I hate leaving the baby in the morning. I know my Mom takes good care of him and all but I want it to be me taking care of Jose. The worst time is in the evening when I'm home and Caesar's home, we don't really get to have family time. You know where it's just me, him and the baby. My Mom and Dad are always there, and my Mom's always telling us what to do with the baby, how to take care of him, what we're doing wrong. I know she's not really trying to be mean or bossy, I know she thinks she's helping, and I really am grateful for all she does. But it just feels like she treats Caesar, Jose and me like we're all her little kids. Jose is just the littlest one. I can't wait until I graduate so we can move into our own place."

"Gosh Beth I know I sound like I don't appreciate Mom, I do, I just want us to be our own family. I know that's what Caesar really wants too. But I think he's going to miss my Mom's cooking when we finally do move." The girls had laughed but Beth understood.

"I get it Rosita, I mean obviously not all of it, Daryl and I aren't even married and we don't have a baby. But I understand about just wanting to be together, to be your own family in your own home. When I'm at the apartment it's just so hard to leave, to go back to the farm and Mama and Daddy. I can't wait until we get married and I can just stay with him." They were all just so ready to be grown up, to live their own lives.

Beth had shared their secret with her friend, and Rosita questioned her, "Are you still secretly planning to get married the day after your birthday?"

"Yes, it's what we want so bad, it's what we've wanted for a long time."

"I don't want to sound like my Mom Beth, like I'm telling you what to do or anything, but I think you should tell your Mama. I mean it's not like you have to tell her right now, but maybe you should tell her before you actually get married. Even if they raise a big fuss and don't want you to, you can still decide to just go on and get married. You'll be 18 and all. But Beth I know your Mama, I've known her almost as long as you have. If she doesn't get to see you on your wedding day it will break her heart. Now that I'm a Mom I understand these things a little better."

Beth studied her friends' face and thought about what she said. She couldn't stand it if she broke her Mama's heart; her Mother was always so good to her. And she was so good to Daryl too, "Maybe I will Rosita, maybe when the time gets closer. I'll talk to Daryl about it and see what he thinks."

Later when she mentioned it to Daryl, he told her, "It's your call Sunshine, but I think she's right. We don't wanna be startin' right out by pissin' everyone off."

ooo00ooo

Three weeks after school started she had a little talk with her Mother, "Mama do you think it would be okay if I used your car for school a couple of days a week, you know instead of the bus? I could pick Rosita up in the morning and we could ride together, and then I'd drive her home after. We could do our homework together and I could play with the baby. When Daryl gets off work I can have dinner with him. Please Mama."

It was a big step for Annette. Not the part about letting Beth use the car. Mama wouldn't even miss the car. She tried never to go to town more than once a week anyway, she had more than enough to do right there on the farm. If she absolutely had to go somewhere she could always use her husband's car. And she thought it would be nice for the girls to spend more time together. That wasn't it either. It was the part about putting her stamp of approval on Beth going to Daryl's apartment, the two of them being there alone.

It wasn't that she thought for even one minute Beth and Daryl had never spent time alone in the apartment, but she felt like she'd be saying she was okay with that. Maybe she should be. She knew she was old fashioned but it was hard to give those old ideas up.

She had very strong feelings about their relationship. In her heart she'd always had that sense about the two of them, that they would be together forever. She'd felt it the first day Daryl had come to the farm. She saw the way he looked at Beth and the way Beth looked at him. Ever since that first night they'd been so devoted to each other, and so protective of one another no matter what. It seemed to Mama they'd been destined to meet and spend their lives together.

Letting go can be very hard for a parent but Mama knew at some point she had to let go at least a little, "Alright two days a week, I just don't want you out too late Bethie. I worry about you driving alone at night. I'd want you home no later than nine and with every bit of your school work done. If your grades start slipping even a little bit then I'll take away the privilege. Do we have an understanding?"

Beth wrapped her arms around her Mama's neck, "Thank you Mama. I promise I'll do all my schoolwork and I'll get my chores done in the morning before I leave for school. And Mama, just so you know, Daryl and me are still being good."

Mama smiled just a little at Beth's words, "I appreciate you letting me know that daughter."

That first time she got to drive the car to school she was shaking she was so excited. She was at Rosita's early playing with Jose while her friend finished getting ready for school. As for the school day, it seemed to drag on forever until that last bell rang.

Luckily she'd managed to get a lot of her homework done at school, and as soon as they got to Rosita's she hurried to do the rest of it first thing. She wasn't taking any chances of losing her privileges. As soon as 4:30 rolled around she was telling Rosita, Jose and Rosita's Mom goodbye. She had somewhere else she needed to be.

Beth and Daryl arrived at the apartment at the same time, both of them excited as they ran up the stairs together. As soon as they were in the door they were in each other's arms and kissing like they'd been separated for months. "I missed ya so bad today Sunshine. It was like the day was just draggin' til I knew I's comin' home ta ya."

With his words she melted into him a little more, "Oh Trouble I missed you too. I hate it when we're apart." But when she heard his stomach growl she smiled, "You go clean up, I'll start dinner."

Saturday afternoon they'd done his grocery shopping for the week and they had the big dinner all planned out. Hamburgers, potato chips and corn on the cob. The first thing she did was make the instant pudding for dessert, chocolate. By the time she had that in the bowl he was coming in from the shower.

He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled as he told her, "I'm smellin' much better now Sunshine but nuthin's ever gonna smell as good as you."

That called for some more kissing, then she heard his stomach growl again. "We'd better get these burgers cooking before you faint from hunger."

The burgers were frying, the corn was in the pot, and the chips were in a bowl on the table. "Are we having cokes?" She smiled.

"Yeah I'll get 'em."

It was a feast fit for a couple of teenagers in love and they enjoyed every bit of it.

After dinner and as quick as they could get those dishes done they were on the couch. The TV was on but they had no idea what the program was, and they couldn't have cared any less. Once the kissing started it didn't take long before they were horizontal on that flowered couch with the pretty little coverlet. Soon his hand was in her blouse and her hand was in his t-shirt, and it got to the point where even the room felt hot. And this night something new happened, his hand went up her skirt and in her panties. He whispered, "Alright?"

She was feeling the heat every bit as much as he was and in a breathless whisper she told him, "Yes but not all the way. Not tonight Trouble but soon, I promise."

He simply responded, "K" as their exploring continued and he unbuckled his own belt and pants. He took her hand and guided it inside those pants, and she didn't object or try to stop him. They were curious and they were hungry for each other's touch, and they let things go so much further than they ever had.

But Beth had told him not all the way and he didn't try to force her. He just let her know, "I wanna have ya Sunshine, but only when you're ready."

Before she left she went in the bathroom and got a washcloth cold under the water, trying to cool down the redness of her face and neck, and the puffiness of her lips before going home. She didn't know if she'd ever cool down again.

And so it continued until one Saturday night in early December. They'd gone to the Horvath's to have dinner with the older couple and Merle, and although they put on a pretty good show, their hearts and minds weren't really there. They'd made a decision that this night would be the night.

They talked about it the day before and she told him, "Trouble I don't want to wait anymore but there's something I'm kind of worried about."

He'd taken her hand, put it to his lips and kissed it, "Ya know I ain't makin' ya. I'll wait Sunshine I swear I ain't mad."

"No it's not that Trouble. You never pushed and that meant a lot to me these past couple of years. I know you want this and I do too. It's getting pregnant I worry about. I know how hard it is for Caesar and Rosita and I don't want us to be like that. Are you sure those things will work? Caesar told Rosita what he was doin' would work too."

"Shit I coulda told him what he was doin' wasn't gonna do the job. Merle warned me 'bout that stuff by the time I's 12. But them other things, Merle says if ya use em right an ya never take a chance an decide not ta use one, they do work. That's all I know Sunshine. I ain't never done this either."

But they both knew one thing for sure, they wanted very much to do that thing with each other, they'd been good for a very long time.

Since it was Saturday night and he was driving she got to stay out until eleven. They just kept reminding themselves that soon she'd never have to leave.

They got back from the Horvath's and as much as they were excited to do what they'd waited for, they were nervous. "I think I'ma have a beer Sunshine, ya want one?"

"No I'll just have a sip of yours if that's okay." Once they sat on that couch together, holding hands and legs touching, their level of desire quickly surpassed their level of nervousness.

He stood and held his hand out to her, "Will ya come with me now?"

She took his hand and simply and shyly replied, "Yes."

As much as they'd touched and experimented over the past two years this was different, they knew what was going to happen. That seemed to change things. Instead of just laying down on the bed together with their clothes on, as they'd done many times, they thought this night maybe they should take some of those clothes off first.

He turned the covers down on the bed and then he turned to her. He unbuttoned her blouse and slipped his hands inside the fabric, lightly resting his palms on her shoulders while they looked in each-other's eyes, "I love ya Sunshine, you're my whole world." And with those words he gently slid the garment first off her shoulders and then off of her.

He cupped his hands to either side of her face, fingers in her hair and smiled that little half smile of his, "I got me the prettiest, sweetest girl." And with that his lips were on hers and they began kissing, slowly at first, almost tentatively. But as his hands began to wander to her breasts and her bottom, the intensity of those kisses increased.

He stopped just long enough to pull his own shirt off and as his lips went to her breast he unclasped her bra, and his mouth moved to her tight little nipple. She moaned at the sensation and the sounds she made heightened his desire. "Let's lay on the bed."

She was unsure, "I think I should take my jeans off first, I mean I guess. Should I?"

He didn't answer, he just undid the button and carefully moved her zipper down. His hands slid inside her waistband and he left them on her hips, clasping tightly and pulling her body into his. All the while he was kissing her mouth and whispering how good it felt and how much he loved her. Her hands were in his hair and she was responding with her own words of love for him. Soon her pants were on the floor and his lay there next to hers.

They were shy at first, uncertain, maybe a little awkward. In his excitement he fumbled with the small package and with putting the condom on. She took her hand to help him and with that they both felt added excitement.

Finally Trouble and Sunshine did what they'd waited so long to do and neither one regretted the decision.

ooo000ooo

Her sister and her sister's husband were coming home for Christmas. It was the first time they'd visited in three years and there was big excitement on the farm.

Daryl had heard all the stories from Beth about how Maggie had always been a little bit more wild than her, a lot more outgoing and daring. Then her sister met Glenn Rhee and everything changed. Maggie settled down and she and Glenn got married. Glenn was from Michigan and they lived there now. He'd started out as a pizza delivery boy in college, but now he owned his own Italian restaurant.

As nervous as Daryl was about meeting new people he found he was looking forward to meeting Beth's sister and her husband. These people were part of Beth's family and Beth was going to be his family, he wanted to have that feeling with them, all of them. He'd never felt it until he'd met the Greenes and the Horvaths and now he'd learned he liked being part of a group.

So that Sunday before Christmas he met Maggie and Glenn, it was Sunday dinner. Merle went too and Daryl felt good about having someone from his "side" there.

It turned out everything Beth told him about Maggie was true, she was different than his Sunshine in most every way, from the color of her hair to her louder more outgoing personality. She and Merle exchanged quite a few playful comments and even a couple of verbal jabs, but it was all in good fun. And Daryl liked Glenn real well. Unlike his wife, he was quiet and he seemed to give everything a lot of thought. What made Daryl think he and Glenn had something in common, that underneath it all they may be the same kind of people, was how the man was so protective of his wife.

Maggie seemed like a woman who could do a perfectly good job of taking care of herself, not like she needed any kind of protection. But he could tell just by studying the way Glenn behaved around his wife, he'd always put her first, that he'd risk himself for her.

With Christmas quickly approaching there was a lot of excitement in the Greene home. Daryl remembered when all of this had been new to him, this big deal over Christmas. Before Beth it had mostly just been another day of the year for him. But not anymore because now he knew how much it meant to Beth, it was her favorite holiday. So since they'd been together he did everything he could to make it special for her.

He felt real good about the fact that Merle was always invited to Sunday dinners and holiday dinners. Merle would never tell it, but Daryl knew how much it meant to his brother to be accepted, and to know he wasn't being judged on his past. And the Horvaths would be at the Greenes for Christmas dinner too. Daryl had worried about that. If they hadn't been invited he wasn't sure he'd be able to go. He couldn't see leaving them alone on a holiday. They'd done too much for him and they were an important part of his life.

He had her Christmas present, he'd had it for over a week. He was excited to give it to her but he didn't want to give it to her in front of everyone Christmas morning. He wanted it to be special for them, just the two of them. He asked her, "Sunshine, would it be okay if we went ta our spot on Christmas Eve, durin' the day? I wanna give ya your present in private, just us. After that ya can decide if ya wanna show it ta everyone. Whaddya think?"

"Alright, sure if that's what you want Trouble. Mama is planning a real simple Christmas Eve dinner, her and Maggie and Glenn are making pizzas. We do have to be at the farm by 4:30, because I have to help too."

"A'ight sounds good. Won't be long now Sunshine and we'll get ta be together a lot more. Shit we might even do some sleepin' in that bed once in a while."

He embarrassed them both but they laughed and kissed, and yes it was true they'd yet to actually sleep together in that double bed.

Late Christmas Eve morning they drove the pickup to their spot, he parked as close as he could. He got the sleeping bag from under the tarp and lay it down near the water. They sat there quietly taking in the serenity of the peaceful water and the beauty of the place.

He took her hand in his and looked in those big blue eyes, smiling that little smile she loved so much, "Ya know before I met ya I never really did have happy days. I had days that were better than others, days that were okay, days where I didn't have no trouble with anyone or anythin'. But I never really did feel like I's happy, like other people would say they were. The closest I ever got ta that was just ta feel relieved I'd lived through the day. I'd come out here and I'd feel okay about stuff, and I got excited if I got a rabbit or a squirrel or got some fish, it made me feel pretty good. But it wasn't like happiness."

"I never really knew what happiness was until you Sunshine. When ya came into my life ya brought happiness with ya. I been happy every day since the first day I knew ya. I love ya, I want ya ta marry me." And with that he took out the little box, opened it and showed her the ring.

Tears ran silently down her cheeks belying the smile on her lips, as she looked first at him and then at the ring. Finally she was able to speak, "Oh Trouble, I love you more than anything in this world. You're everything I want, all I'll ever need to make me happy is you. Yes, of course you know I will. It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. I can't wait."

Right there at the water's edge he slipped the ring on her finger, and they smiled happily as they both admired the tiny diamond on her finger.

He asked her if she wanted to show it Christmas morning, "I'm leavin' it up ta you Sunshine. If ya do wanna show everyone, then maybe that's the time for us ta tell 'em all we're gettin' married day after your birthday, whaddya think?"

"I think yes, I'm going to be so proud to show everyone my beautiful ring and even more proud to tell them we're getting married."

And they made love there by the water.

ooo00ooo

A/N Aw, it's official now, he gave her the ring and it seems they sealed the deal. For myself, I was happy to pay a little homage to Glenn. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'd appreciate if you'd leave a review / comment. Thanks! x gneebee

The chapter photo is posted on my tumblr blog, bethylmethbrick, please have a look. If you haven't already, I'd appreciate you checking out my other current Bethyl One Cold Night. I'll see you back here next Saturday for more Trouble. I hope you have a wonderful week and remember; I love ya large! xo gneebee