I got such a positive response to the last chapter and I'm so grateful for how kind you are to me! I still think you're all far too nice. I really appreciate you all taking the time to not only read but also review my chapters and let me know what you think of them.

True to my word, this chapter contains the family dinner. I ended up writing this on my phone thought and I'm not one hundred percent happy with it for that reason but I just wanted to get an update out there because I'm working all weekend and probably won't get time to get on my laptop anyway. I hope you all still enjoy it, anyway.

Also, the first part of this chapter - you guessed it - contains smut. Please scroll down to the second part if you aren't into that sort of stuff!

For the first time ever, Beth woke up before Daryl.

They had spent a few nights together now and she was quickly learning of little habits and quirks that made him who he was and she couldn't help but she was beginning to fall in love with him. Sure, he was gruff and rugged and he didn't speak much at all but what he didn't tell her with words, he told her with his eyes and his body language and his general actions and Beth was starting to understand what he was saying to her, even when he wasn't speaking.

She slowly moved her head from where it was buried in his neck and propped herself up on her elbows so that she could get a good look at him. His shaggy brown hair had been growing quickly and was a lot longer than it had been when she first met him the night that he changed her tire. Beth couldn't help but reach out and brush it from his face, smiling when he leaned in to her touch in his sleep.

Beth had thought that he was attractive but now she thought that he was handsome. She wondered how many other girls in town thought it, too, because she couldn't help but marvel at his strong arms and broad shoulders and those big hands that did the dirtiest things to her. His eyes were closed now as he slept but sometimes when he looked at her she felt like she was going to melt because they were just so blue; and such a pretty blue, too. Daryl's blue eyes were a much deeper colour than her own and Beth wondered where he got them from because she recalled his brother's being much paler.

Daryl didn't speak much about his childhood or his parents and Beth still wasn't pushing him on it. She was being patient and she would wait until he was ready to tell her whatever it was that he had been through. Daryl had relaxed around her now and was used to her constant physical touches, but there were still times when she would brush against him or get too close when he wasn't expecting it and he would flinch or jump, his eyes widening and his body stiffening as though he was ready to attack.

Beth couldn't help but wonder what it was that had made him the way he was, but it wasn't her place to pry and she knew it. She pushed thoughts of what had happened to Daryl away and locked them up for another day. She was sure he would tell her eventually; and even if he never did, she supposed that it would be alright anyway.

Daryl was still flat out asleep and Beth wondered how because he always seemed to wake up as soon as the sun did. Flashbacks from their antics the night before appeared in her mind and she couldn't help but blush as she remembered how late it was when they had finally gotten to sleep.

The memory of the night before put a devilish smirk on her face and she remembered that Daryl had agreed to come to dinner at the farm later that evening. She was suddenly overcome with the urge to do something nice for him - after all, he was always doing nice things for her - and so she dipped her head underneath the covers and slowly began rubbing her hands over his crotch.

Daryl had gone to sleep in his boxers and she felt him stirring as she touched him through the material. She couldn't help but smirk as she tugged his underwear down a little, just enough to reveal the tip of him to her. Beth had never done anything like this before, but she had read enough magazines and listened to her friends (her sister in particular) talking about how to do it, so she supposed she had a good idea of where to begin.

Beth let her tongue slide over the tip of him and then she knew he was awake. She felt his upper body shift as he tried to look down at her, but she was hidden beneath the covers and was busy positioning herself comfortably between his legs and he couldn't get a glimpse of her. Beth began to flick at the head of his dick with her tongue and she heard him groan in pleasure before his head plopped back against the pillows once more.

Daryl murmured her name and Beth couldn't help but smile wickedly as she tugged his boxers further down. He lifted his hips to assist her and in doing so nudged more of him into her mouth. Beth's eyes widened at the intrusion and Daryl hissed at the sensation but she didn't stop. Instead, she began to suck on it and let her tongue swirl around it as she wrapped one of her hands around the length of him.

She continued like that for a few more minutes, edging more and more of him into her mouth until she couldn't fit him in any more. She had heard of deep throating before but it wasn't something she felt comfortable doing in that moment and it didn't sound like it was the most pleasurable thing for her, anyway. She supposed that this was more about Daryl than her, but Beth couldn't help but notice just how wet she was getting as she continued to please him with her mouth and her tongue.

Daryl began to moan her name louder and louder and she felt him harden in her mouth. Beth knew he was close and began to bob her head and flick her wrist at a faster pace. She suddenly felt a chill of air as Daryl flung the covers from over her head and she looked up from where she was positioned in between his legs, keeping her mouth wrapped around him and her hand pumping as she did so. Daryl was propped up on his elbows watching her work away and he said her name one more time along with several expletives before he came inside of her mouth.

Beth was shocked at the taste of him but she moaned as he filled her and she swallowed every bit of him down. Daryl's legs were quivering and he was breathing heavily when she eventually removed him from her mouth, flicking her tongue over the head of him several times more before she finally let him go from her hand. She crawled up the bed and offered him a dazzling smile, watching as he shook his head at her.

"Good morning," she grinned, placing a kiss to his cheek.

She pulled away from him but he quickly brought his hands up to cup her face and brought her back down to kiss him firmly on the lips.

"Are you ready?" Beth asked as they pulled up outside the farmhouse.

Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

"Ready as I'll ever be," he grunted.

Beth smiled at that and removed her seat belt, leaning over from the passenger side to steal a quick kiss before they left the vehicle.

Beth led the way up the porch steps to where her daddy was waiting for her, as always. Daryl's truck drove a lot smoother than hers and was quieter, too, but Hershel must have heard them approaching anyway. Beth greeted her father with a hug before she turned around and gestured to Daryl.

"Daddy, this is Daryl," she said, motioning between the two men. "Daryl, this is my daddy."

Hershel smiled at Daryl who nodded his head at the older man.

"Nice to finally meet you, Daryl," Hershel said.

As the farmer spoke, he stuck his hand out for Daryl to shake. Beth watched as Daryl looked at him for a moment longer before he placed his hand in his and shook it firmly.

"Nice to meet you too, sir," Daryl said.

Hershel chuckled at that.

"Please," he said. "Call me Hershel."

Daryl nodded his head and Beth couldn't help but beam at him as her father led the way into the farmhouse, telling them both that he hoped that they were hungry because Annette had gone a little bit crazy with the food.

That didn't surprise Beth. Her mother loved cooking and she was good at it, too, and she could never help herself when it came to portion sizes. The family always joked around that they were surprised any of them were skinny considering the amount that Annette cooked. Shawn had pointed out once that her daddy's farm hand, Otis, wasn't exactly on the small side; but Annette had shot him down with a glare and he had never brought it up again.

Before any of them could enter the kitchen, Annette was rushing through the hallway to greet Beth with a hug.

"Bethy!" she squealed as she pulled her daughter in. "How are you, sweetheart? It feels like it's been forever."

The Greene family was close, and Beth had tried explaining that to Daryl, but she wasn't sure he understood just how close they all were. Annette knew most of Beth's secrets and even though Beth was still hurt by her sister's actions, she would still admit that the two of them were best friends. It had nearly broke her mother's heart when Shawn had moved all the way to the city for work, and she was constantly complaining that he was too far away from them all.

Beth knew that Shawn missed home, too - she often wondered just how on earth he coped doing his own washing and cleaning and cooking. He called her every now and then, and they usually texted a lot - mostly because Shawn couldn't remember how to do certain things that he didn't want to ask him mother for fear of her scolding him or driving all the way up just to help him out. The latest of those texts consisted of him asking her what the difference was between the oven and the grill.

"It's only been a week, mama," Beth giggled.

Annette pulled back and looked like she was just about to say something else to her daughter before her eyes drifted to Daryl, who was stood a little bit behind Beth. Beth looked at her mother for a moment before turning to face Daryl over her shoulder, offering him a soft smile of encouragement.

"So this is the famous Daryl Dixon," Annette said, removing her hands from where they had been placed on her daughter's shoulders and scooting closer to Daryl.

Daryl just nodded his head at her and Beth swore that she saw him blushing.

"Ma'am," he said, and Annette smiled.

"Please, Daryl," she said, approaching him and pulling him in for a hug. "Call me Annette."

Beth could tell that Daryl was shocked by the contact, but he didn't say anything about it. Her mother told him that she was so glad to have finally met him and that she had heard so much about him, but Daryl didn't look exactly thrilled to hear that.

"All good things," her mother reassured him before she turned around to face her daughter and husband.

"I hope you're all hungry," she said before leading the way into the kitchen.

Dinner wasn't awkward at all and Beth hoped that Daryl thought so, too. She could tell that he was making a conscious effort to speak more than he usually did, even if that still wasn't a lot, and he had even complimented her mama's cooking. Both women had beamed at that and Annette had given Beth a knowing look.

Beth had already told her father a few things about Daryl, but he seemed adamant about confirming them all. She didn't doubt that her father believed her and she wondered whether his questions were an attempt to make Daryl feel more comfortable.

Whether it was or it wasn't, Beth appreciated the effort nonetheless. She had known that Hershel wouldn't just judge Daryl the same way Maggie did and that he would at least give him a chance before the older man decided if he was a good person. Her father had always been good at reading people and she had always marvelled at just how wise he was, too.

She supposed that wisdom was something that came with time and experience, and Hershel had had his fair share of both. Beth only hoped that she would one day be as wise and loving as her father.

"So, Bethy tells me you're a mechanic," Hershel said.

Daryl took a sip of his drink and just nodded his head in confirmation.

"Where is it you work?"

Her daddy already knew that, and so did her mama. It was questions like those that were making her more and more confident that her father's intentions were more to prove that he was making an effort to get to know the younger man and also that he was genuinely interested in what Daryl had to say about his life.

"Dale's garage, in town," Daryl said, and it was Hershel's turn to nod his head.

"I know Dale," Hershel said. "Nice man. It's such a shame about his wife. Did you know her?"

"Not very well," Daryl admitted.

"It's a shame you never got the chance to meet her properly, Beth," Annette sighed. "You won't remember Dale, but he used to come around here when you were a lot younger. He hasn't been the same since she passed."

"Daryl's a good friend of Rick Grimes, too," Beth said.

Both Hershel and Annette raised their eyebrows at that and Beth couldn't help but smile at Daryl from across the table. That was something she hadn't told her parents because she had only found it out for herself recently and it had completely slipped her mind until now. Daryl's eyes glanced over her face for a second before his lips turned upwards, too.

"Do ya mind me askin' how you know Rick?" Hershel asked.

Daryl shook his head no.

"Rick's a lil' older than me, but I went to school with his cousin. We weren't from the same part of town, but we was always knockin' 'bout together, 'long with my older brother. That was 'fore he left town, though, t' join the army, and Rick's cousin moved away for college when he got the chance. Ended up jus' bein' me an Rick."

Hershel looked thoughtful but didn't say anything else for a while, eating his food in silence whilst Annette took over the conversation.

"Rick's a fine gentleman," she said. "A real lovely man. It's such a shame to hear that he's not havin' an easy time at the moment. You be sure to take care of him as best you can."

"Yes, ma'am," Daryl nodded.

Annette nodded her head once and Beth couldn't help but grin.

After they had eaten, Beth offered to help her mama wash the dishes whilst her daddy asked if he could speak to Daryl in the living room. Beth was dying to press her ear to the door and listen to what the two men were talking about, but her mother had saw right through her and told her not to even think about it.

"I'm sure Daryl will tell you, anyway," she had said, and Beth just nodded her head.

"What do you think of him?" Beth asked as she began washing the dishes, impatient to hear what her mama had to say about him. It might have seemed silly and childish, but Beth had been hoping that her parents would take a liking to Daryl, especially after all of the things that Maggie had said to shine a negative light on him.

Annette smiled at her daughter, probably seeing right through her intentions. Her mama knew her so well and Beth knew that she would be honest with her about her opinion of Daryl. She had a good heart and kind intentions, but she also could be brutally honest when she wanted to be and Beth didn't think that her mother had ever told a lie to her before - not even to spare her feelings.

"He seems nice enough," she finally said. "Quieter than I thought he would be."

"Daryl's just shy," Beth said nonchalantly as she scrubbed the pots. "He talks more when you get to know him."

Annette nodded her head in understanding. Beth supposed it was true; Daryl definitely talked to her more now, even if other people wouldn't consider it to be a lot. But she was beginning to consider his actions as a way of him taking to her, because when she thought about it, she supposed that they were.

And since Daryl did a lot of nice things for her - like bring her special food for the plant that he had given to her, and prepare a romantic date in the woods for her, and fix odd things around her apartment that she had just forgotten to do, and change her flat by the side of the road when he didn't even know her - she supposed that he did talk to her a lot more.

"Do you think he's the one?"

Beth blushed at that.

"Mama!"

"What?" Annette laughed. "Well, do you?"

Beth shrugged her shoulders as she passed her mama a plate to dry.

"I don't know," she said. "Stop askin' me stuff like that 'bout every guy I bring round here."

Beth's words were serious but she couldn't help but grin at her mother's knowing expression. It was true, though - she did always do this. Beth supposed that she was just excited that her youngest daughter was back on the dating scene. After all, it had been a while, and her previous love interests hadn't been the best of choices for her.

"Do you love him?"

Beth didn't answer that straight away, thinking the question over in her head as she washed the next dish.

"I don't think so," she finally said. "Not yet. But I think - no, I know - that I'm falling in love with him."

Annette gave her daughter a knowing look and Beth couldn't help but blush. She had always been close with her mother and felt confident that she could tell her anything.

"I can tell," Annette said as she started drying the next plate that Beth passed her. "I can tell he feels the same, too. The way he looks at you..."

Beth's cheeks were on fire again and her mama was laughing now.

"I'm happy," Beth finally said, grinning at her mother. "I'm really, really happy, mama."

She bit her lip before she continued.

"Daryl makes me happy."

Annette was thoughtful for a moment, concentrating on drying the dish before she spoke again.

She looked at Beth with soft eyes and a warm smile that Beth couldn't help but return.

"I know, sweetheart," she said. "I know."

Beth huffed as Daryl shook his head at her.

"Please, Daryl," she begged.

All she wanted to know was what her daddy had said to him. They had left the farmhouse not long before and Daryl was now dropping Beth off at her apartment, unable to stay because they both had work early. This week, Beth's shifts were six in the morning until two in the afternoon whilst Daryl carried on with his typical eight until five.

She knew that she would probably end up staying at his sometime during the week, but she didn't want to overstay her welcome. Besides, all of her work things were at home and she wanted to have a shower and straighten her hair before work in the morning.

"It don't matter, Beth," he shrugged.

She knew that, but it didn't make her any less curious.

"I just want to know," she told him, pouting a little.

Daryl laughed at that and she couldn't help but grin when he placed a kiss to her lips.

"Then ask yer daddy," he told her before smirking and walking into the living room to grab his bag of clothes that she had washed for him.

He had insisted that he could do it himself, but it was all things that he had left at her apartment and Beth couldn't help but want to do it for him. There was something so domestic about it and she secretly enjoyed it. She had kept one of his flannel shirts for herself, though - her favourite one, a green and navy one that she was sure he had been wearing the night that they first met. Beth didn't tell him that she had kept it but she knew that Daryl would probably know considering he saw her wear it to bed almost every night that he was here, but he never mentioned it to her.

Beth knew that he liked seeing her in his shirts though, because whenever they stayed together and she wore her own pajamas, he went out of his way to make sure that he could get them off her somehow, and then he would always end up offering her one of his to wear to bed instead. Beth always accepted, never letting him know that she knew what he was up to. If she told him, she would probably embarrass him and scare him off and he might not do it again - and Beth thought it was cute whenever he did.

Beth sighed in defeat and followed him from where she had been leaning against the kitchen sink.

"When will I see you again?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing up on her tiptoes so that she could be closer to his height.

Daryl shrugged his shoulders and looked down at her.

"Whenever ya want," he told her.

Beth grinned at that.

"Really?" she asked, placing a quick kiss to his lips.

Daryl pulled back and frowned at her.

"Yer my girl, ain't ya?" he asked, and Beth just nodded her head. "Then why wouldn't ya see me whenever you wanted to?"

He looked genuinely confused and Beth almost felt bad for asking him in the first place.

"I just... I don't want to annoy you or be too pushy and clingy with you or anything. I know that I probably can be a little bit annoyin' sometimes and I just don't want ya to feel like -"

Daryl cut her off with a kiss. It was a longer kiss this time and Beth couldn't help but get butterflies in her stomach as he kissed her. She loved kissing him in general but it was even better whenever Daryl initiated the contact.

"Yer right," he said to her once he had broke the kiss. "Your presence is annoyin'. Wha', with yer constant yackin' on 'bout things, always wit' some silly smile on your face, an' that goddamned happy attitude. Shit," he said, and Beth quickly realised that he was teasing her. "That's the worst bit about ya."

Beth rolled her eyes and kissed him once more before she released him from her grip and hopped back down so that she was flat on her feet.

"You know what I meant," she told him, shaking her head. "I just don't wanna be overbearin', is all."

"Ya ain't," he said bluntly before he made his way to her front door.

"Alright," she told him, following closely behind him. "Then I guess I'll probably be seein' you soon."

Daryl nodded his head and she smiled up at him.

"Ya better be, girl."

The things he said to her weren't much - they weren't big long sentences about how much he cared for her and how he was incomplete without her and how he wanted nothing more in the world than to just be with her and her alone. But they were special in their own way and she felt her heart pound whenever he said something like that to her.

It might not have been much to anyone else, but to Beth, it was everything. He was still quiet and thoughtful and reserved but he was coming out of his shell around her and she couldn't help but feel like she was having a little bit of an influence on him in terms of his communication skills.

"I had a really nice day and evening, Daryl," she said as she leaned against the door frame. "Thank you."

"Ain't nothin'," he dismissed her. "Hell, ain't like I even did anythin', anyway."

Beth frowned a little at that.

"You did," she told him. "I'm so glad you came round to meet my family. I really appreciate it and I know that my daddy and my mama really liked you, too."

Daryl snorted at that before leaning down and giving her a quick kiss goodbye.

"Better be goin'," he said, and Beth nodded her head.

"Drive safely," she smiled before she waved him off, closing the door and locking it behind her once she had seen him disappear down the stairs of the apartment block.

Beth let out a happy sigh before she made her way to her bedroom, stripping off from her jeans and plain black tee into Daryl's flannel shirt and snuggling underneath the covers.

Just a fluffy little chapter for you all. I think I'll have Beth and Maggie confront each other again in the next chapter.

So, who wants to see Beth meet Merle? I'm definitely interested in writing that, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Should I have him drop by one evening when she's at Daryl's house? Or should he come to the hospital when she's working? Or would she just be out of the house in general and bump into him in a random place? There's so many options and I'd love for you to give me some ideas so please let me know if you have any!

Oh, and please review this chapter and let me know what you think! I love receiving your feedback!