Chapter 26

Daryl approached Carol from where she sat in the commons area. Rick had already had a chance to speak with her and while it had been a tense first meeting, by the end they had seemed to come to an understanding. Daryl had felt a tug on his heartstrings when Carol had broken down in front of Rick and told him how sorry she was. While Rick hadn't condoned what she did, he had let her know that the only thing they could focus on now was that their family being back together. Rick had hugged her then and told her how much he appreciated her bringing Judy back to him. Even Daryl had gotten misty-eyed watching the tender moment between the two of them.

As they separated, Daryl walked up to Carol and looked to Rick first. "I need to talk to you in a minute if you got a chance," Daryl said to his friend.

Rick nodded, "Sure thing, Daryl. I'm gonna go check on Carl. I'll be there if you need me." Rick clapped Daryl on the back and made his way to the room that held Carl. He was making steady improvement according to Bob.

Daryl looked down at Carol who was studying him carefully. "What's on your mind?" Carol looked up at him and in looking in her eyes, he noted that it was no longer the same Carol from the prison he was talking to. He had heard the story of what she had to do to Lizzie and he knew it couldn't have been easy on her. Hell, Daryl figured he was the most hard-ass person anyone knew and he wasn't sure even he could have done what she did. He sat down next to her and straddled the bench facing her.

"'M glad you came out of that room," He said, kind of uncertain about how to start the conversation but knowing that they needed to clear the air between them.

"Me too. I have Beth to thank. She's a very special person." She smiled at Daryl then, finishing, "But I suspect you probably know that better than most, huh." She winked at him and that was enough to break the ice for Daryl. He could sit and talk all day about Beth and what a rare person she was.

He nodded slightly, "She's somethin' alright." His lips upturned in an involuntary smile.

"She makes you happy." She said, smiling softly at him.

"She really does," he looked at her sheepishly then. "Listen I don't really wanna talk 'bout what happened before. I know you already went through all that with Rick and it ain't necessary to rehash it all," Daryl said carefully. "I just wanted you ta know we're all glad you're back with us." Daryl looked at her and she had tears welling up in her eyes, but her eyes didn't look sad at the moment. He figured they must be happy tears. God knew he had enough experience from Beth on that front. Females and their emotions were not something he understood completely but he was getting better at it.

Carol reached out then to hug him and impulsively and he hugged her back. He knew things would never really be the same with her again but he was glad that they had at least cleared the air a bit.

Pulling away, he smiled at her then. "I gotta go run somethin' by Rick, but I'll catch ya in the mornin' at breakfast," he stated and she nodded at him.

He knocked on the doorway right outside the room where Carl lay. Rick turned to look at him and put his finger to his mouth and Daryl nodded. Carl had fallen asleep again. Rick got up and followed Daryl out of the room and they found a table back out in the courtyard.

"He seems to be doin' better," Daryl remarked.

Rick nodded his head, "Yeah, I'm grateful for it. I hadn't had a chance to thank Beth yet for takin' such good care of Judy. Where is she?" He asked.

"Ah, she headed up to our apartment, getting the girls ready for bed," Daryl replied. "I'll tell her you asked after her," and Rick just nodded his head, looking at Daryl thoughtfully.

Daryl balked for a minute about what he was about to ask him, but decided to just plunge ahead. They had killed what seemed like a world full of walkers together, lead their family to safety multiple times and Daryl thought it shouldn't be that hard to ask a guy to be his best man. "Me an' Beth are gettin' married soon," He began and Rick just nodded at him again, his expression warm and understanding.

"Yeah, I heard that. It's great you two found what you did in each other," Rick said, encouraging Daryl to continue and get whatever it was off his mind.

"I ain't never had a family before, but you're about the closest thing I got and I was wonderin' would you maybe stand up with me that day," Daryl moved his thumb up to his mouth and began to chew on the tip absently.

"'Course I will," Rick said. "I get it. You've been there for me more an' anyone else. We've been through a lot together. I'd be honored, Daryl." Rick said, reaching out and clasping Daryl's shoulder. "'M happy for you."

Daryl felt the corners of his mouth turn up, "Thanks, man. I don't even know when it's gonna be yet. You don't know how much I appreciate it." Daryl looked at him and tried to say what he was thinking, knowing that Rick understood Daryl's silent communication probably better than anyone, besides Beth of course.

"Wouldn't have it any other way. You're not just my friend Daryl," Rick paused as if searching for the right words, saying finally, "You're my brother." Daryl looked at him for a long minute, surprised that he willingly defined what they were to one another, and just nodded unable to swallow past the lump in his throat.

It was true. He did view Rick as his brother. His own brother, God rest his soul, had his faults and they hadn't gotten along much but once he and Rick had gotten past their initial differences, it had become apparent that they shared a common bond. They clashed at first because they were so much alike. Once they got past that, it was smooth sailing, each complementing the other in leadership skills. Daryl was proud that Rick thought so highly of him.

"Thanks, man, I'll let ya know soon as the women folk tell me, about it," Daryl said.

"Hey just the two men I wanted to see," Beth said as she pressed a kiss to Rick's cheek and to Daryl's lips and hoisted herself up onto the table, sitting on the slab of concrete, dangling her feet off the side.

"Hey, Beth," Rick said, "We was just talking about you." He said and she raised her eyebrows.

"I knew there was a reason my ears were burnin'," she teased and Daryl placed a hand on her thigh.

Daryl watched her, wondering what it was she could have to see the two of them about. "Did ya ask him yet?" Beth looked back and forth between the two of them, two of the three most important men in her life, the last being Daryl, who nodded his head.

Beth beamed at Rick, "Well don't kill me," she began, "but I got a question of my own." She looked at Rick and he was smiling at her.

"Ask away, I'll pretty much say yes to anythin'," Rick said jovially, "you been takin' such good care of Judy. I can't believe she's walkin' now," Rick shook his head.

"I'm happy to do it. I love that little girl so much," Daryl noted her smile went all the way to her eyes when she spoke of Little Ass Kicker. "I came to ask you if you'd walk me down the aisle. I always dreamed of Daddy doing it, but since he's not here, I know he'd like you to be the one to do it." Beth said.

Rick looked at Beth and smiled at her, feeling his eyes getting a little misty. That she would entrust one of the most important days of her life to him touched him beyond words. "Of course I will, Beth. I'd be honored. Your father was a good man." He looked to Daryl then. "I think he would have really liked the idea of the two of you together," Rick said thoughtfully, looking back and forth between the two of them.

In that moment, you could have knocked Daryl over with a feather. He valued Rick's opinion more than any other man he'd ever known in his life. So for Rick to say something like that validated everything that everyone had been trying to tell him about how Hershel would feel about his little girl bein' with someone the likes of Daryl Dixon. A redneck nobody.

Daryl just nodded and Rick understood why he couldn't say anything. He was a man of few words although he couldn't help but notice that since the prison he'd opened up a lot more. He was willing to bet that it was all due to the love of a good woman.

"When is the wedding?" Rick asked.

"Funny you should ask. That's the other thing. I was hoping we could do it tomorrow. Bob said we can make a make-shift cot for Carl out here in the courtyard. Do it right here in the open." She hesitantly met Daryl's eyes and he smiled at her.

"So tomorrow huh?" He said and he felt his mouth go dry. They had already talked about it. Talked it to death, but now that it was upon him he couldn't help but be nervous. Still, he knew that a life with Beth was what he wanted more than anything, so nerves or not, he was going to have to get over it.

"Sounds good to me," he finally replied and her face lit up in a blinding smile.

And that was worth it all to Daryl. He figured he'd agree to anything as long as she shot that smile back his way.

She leaned over and pressed her lips to his. "We're getting married tomorrow baby. It's all set up. Rin's uncle is gonna do the ceremony before lunch. Then lunch can be our reception."

Rick got up from the table, "Well looks like I better go see what I can find to wear tomorrow."

"Maggie and Glenn are taking care of that," She dismissed it. "All you have to do is show up." She informed Rick, smiling prissily.

Rick smiled at her and Daryl both. He could not imagine two people more perfect for each other which was kind of strange because back at the prison he would have never been able to reconcile these two with one another, but it just made sense. "Congrats again you two. I'm gonna go back in and sit with Carl for a bit. I should be ready to take Judy back tomorrow night." He looked pointedly at Daryl then and chuckled lightly.

"Pshh," Daryl said, his face flushing as he caught Rick's meaning. Their wedding night. He looked sharply at Beth who seemed pretty unaffected by the whole thing.

"G'night, you two," Rick called out as he made his way back to Carl.

Daryl turned on the bench and Beth parted her knees and Daryl reached up and placed on hand on each knee. "So tomorrow then. Wait. What about rings?" Daryl had given her the pebble but she couldn't exactly wear that on her finger.

Beth waggled her eyebrows at him. "Thought you'd never ask." She said, smiling coyly. He knew that look. She was up to something.

She motioned for him to get up. He obliged and watched as she jumped down from the table edge. "Follow me", she said softly.

She led him to the side of the group of buildings and he followed her through a side door leading to one of the gift shops. She produced a set of keys from the pocket of her jeans. Sometimes he didn't know how she fit anything in her pocket at all, her pants were so tight. But he had to admit he didn't mind a bit. If wearing those jeans made her happy and he got to stare at her cute ass in them all day, then all the better in his mind.

She closed the door, locking it behind them and she got out a flashlight and walked over to where the cash register sat on the glass countertop, dusty and dirty.

She shone the flashlight down into the case and Daryl saw a wide assortment of rings in various sizes and most of them held some type of stone. He looked at her a little confused because these didn't look anything like wedding bands to him.

She reached inside the case and picked out a few varying sizes. "Maggie told me she found these the other day when she came in to get something for Judy." She picked up one in particular with a green stone. "The pebble got me thinking. If I could put it into a ring, I would, but these rings are actually perfect". She found another smaller ring that matched it and held it up.

He looked at her a little confused. It was a nice green stone but he had no idea where she was going with this. But if he knew Beth, and he did, it was going to be something pretty spectacular because that's just who she was. Finding beauty and meaning in everything around her.

"This is Chinese turquoise. I don't know how this little zoo came by it but it's perfect actually. It ties into the penguin stone story and this particular turquoise is believed to provide protection and peace to your lover while at the same time, ensuring love and fidelity in that bond. I can't imagine anything else for us." She placed the ring on her hand and pushed Daryl's his way so he could try his as well.

Daryl placed the ring on his hand and it slid on easily. It was a wide silver hued tungsten band with one turquoise stone in the middle and looked at Beth's hand, where her turquoise stone rested daintily in a delicate setting, a simple slim, silver band.

"What do you think?" She asked him, looking at him hopefully. She hoped he was going to go for this. She was running out of ideas but this one idea meant more to her than all the others combined.

"I think it's perfect Princess," He reached over and scooped her up in his arms, pressing her body to his. She pulled back to look at him.

"You really like it?" She asked him, beaming that 1000 watt smile at him again.

"'Course I do. Beth you could ask me to wear bread ties on my finger and I'd happily do it. You ain't figured out yet that I'd do anythin' for ya?" He looked at her tenderly and Beth was certain she melted on the spot.

"And I'd do anything for you." She replied and pressed her lips to his, slipping her tongue inside just slightly and felt him respond under her.

Daryl's mouth went dry then, thinking of the ceremony. He pulled away for a minute. "What about vows and shit?" he asked her.

Beth chuckled at Daryl's choice of words. This man was incorrigible sometimes, she thought, but she loved him beyond words.

"Yes vows and shit will be spoken tomorrow," she said sardonically, rolling her eyes at him slightly. "You want the regular vows or you wanna say our own?" She asked him.

"What do you want?" he asked her. Her opinion on this was the only thing that mattered.

"I want to say our own, but I'll go along with whatever you want." Beth said and in that moment he loved her even more for trying to make him more comfortable.

"We'll do our own vows, then" He said and she smiled at him. "Don't know what the hell I'm gonna say yet, but I'll come up with somethin'". He said looking at her. She was so stunning it took his breath away sometimes.

"Who has the girls?" he asked her, his eyes shining with barely contained desire.

"Maggie. She offered. She knew I had to come talk to you and Rick. This time tomorrow we will be Mr. and Mrs. Dixon." Beth remarked and it was all she could do to not skip all around the gift shop they were in but she didn't want to draw attention outside in the courtyard which right now was only a window away.

The skinny jeans she had plastered to her backside did nothing to quell the thoughts running through his imagination either. He reached towards her and looped one finger in a belt loop on either side of her jeans, pulling her towards him and the rings were suddenly forgotten. They stood behind the register and Daryl knew the same thought went through their minds at the same time.

They were locked in a store and no one knew they were there. The kids were being cared for. There would never be a better time.

They were on each other in an instant, Daryl's lips on Beth's and he probed his tongue into her mouth, punishing it, loving it, and punishing it again, his lips teasing and teeth biting. She moaned into his mouth and he swallowed it down on his next breath. Beth reached down grasped the hem of her shirt and as she pulled away, yanked her shirt over her head, baring her breasts to him and he brought his mouth down to lave over one nipple and flicked his tongue over the already hardened peak. He reached up with his hand and lightly pinched her other nipple and heard her gasp. He wanted her now and he reached down and fumbled with the buttons on her jeans. She stepped back from him and put her fingers to the button and while she looked at him, the passion burning in her eyes and threatening to set them both afire, she slowly stripped. She took her times as she slid her pants down her legs, leaving only a pair of white lace panties, the fabric of which was so thin he could see the wetness reflecting off what little light was left in the dim shop.

He watched her strip all while removing his own clothing. Before he knew it, she was turning her back to him and bending over as she looped a finger in each side of her panties and slowly, teasingly slid them over her pert ass, curvy hips and shapely legs until the hit the floor. All Daryl had eyes for was her backside and the way she was bent over exposing her wet lips to him making him want to fuck her senseless. He growled and reached down and grasped his cock in his hand, pumping his hand up and down a few times as she continued to wiggle her ass in his face.

Beth glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Daryl fisting his cock and she wiggled her ass at him again. He dropped to his knees suddenly reaching one hand up to her lower back pressing her over a little further while his other hand stroked over the curve of her ass cheek and teasing his finger along the crack. This was turning him on more than about anything else they had ever done, including the other night when they had sex with all the mirrors in the dressing room.

He wanted nothing more than to bury his tongue deep into her pussy. He reached up and grasped one cheek in each palm and spread them apart and she shifted her upturned ass into his face as he plunged his tongue deep into her, hearing her moan loudly. He guided her gently to her knees so he could access her better and knelt behind her, putting his tongue back to her now dripping center, lapping her juices. He decided that nothing tasted as sweet as Beth's pussy. He reached under her with his other hand and as he plunged his tongue in and out of her tight opening, he flicked his finger over her clit, applying a generous amount of pressure. He felt her clenching around his tongue and knew she was about to come apart. He sped up the pace of his fingers and his tongue, driving her right over the brink and his cock twitched against his leg in anticipation of being able to drive himself into her.

Once her orgasm was spent and she was panting still on all fours, he pressed her head to the floor and pumped his cock a couple of times. He moved, lining their bodies up and with one fluid movement, spread her ass apart again gaining better access to her now engorged lips. He groaned as he entered her, feeling her squeeze around him and grunted as he met with resistance, the tip of his dick reaching the end of her tight vault.

Beth was surprised by the quick motion at first and then that was quickly replaced by extreme pleasure. She had never done anything like this before and Daryl was doing it so well she moaned as he entered her, feeling him fill her all the way up. "Daryl," she breathed.

Daryl couldn't get over tight she was still and was even more amazed by the angle and wondered why they hadn't tried it sooner. He pumped himself in and out of her, feeling his balls slap against her ass, relishing the sound of skin slapping against skin and it fueled his pace.

He was wound so tight inside he couldn't even think straight. Her walls were clenching around his again as she cried out in pleasure. "Oh god, Daryl." She exclaimed, giving herself over to her second orgasm and he could feel his coming on, those coils coming unhinged and springing loose, every muscle in his body clenching and unclenching, wave after wave and he cried out on his own. "Beth." He had just enough good sense left to pull out at the last minute, reaching up and grasping himself, fisting his cock, letting the warm sticky liquid spill all over her ass. He collapsed to the floor, pulling her with him. He reached for his shirt and cleaned her off before rolling her over and pulling her to his side. They laid there for a good while, Daryl tracing patterns up and down her arm and Beth sighing contentedly.

"Think we should have waited for our wedding night?" Beth asked, giggling.

He snorted, "Too late now," he said. He had never felt more like a horny teenager than he did in that minute. They had just fucked on the floor of a gift shop.

Beth rolled over to face him, propping her head up on one hand, smiling sweetly at him. Her hair was tousled lightly from their lovemaking session and she had never looked more appealing to him. "You're so fuckin' beautiful." He said as he reached up and ran his hand through her hair as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"I love you Daryl," she said when they pulled apart.

"Love you too, Princess," They laid there for awhile, just relishing the moment. Daryl's mind drifted to the next day. Now about those vows, he thought. He'd always been a man of few words. The world hadn't changed him that much, in that regard, so it was still hard for him to express himself. But he had to try. He was making Beth his wife tomorrow it was the least he could do for the woman he loved more than life itself.

Sorry this was so delayed everyone. It's been a heck of a couple of weeks. Hope you like this update! As you can see, we are now gearing up for the big wedding! Hope this chapter was worth the wait. Thanks as always for all the love guys! You are the absolute best!