I love this universe because I love the particular Daryl and Beth in this particular one and I love the idea of them having a completely happy and fully life with just each other.

…

"You ready?" Daryl asks, coming back into their bedroom.

"Just about," Beth answers, giving her hair one more tousle before turning to look at him. "How do I look?" She asks.

Daryl doesn't even really look at her before he steps in and putting his hands on her cheeks, he gives her a kiss. "You look amazin'," he says and she smiles and blushes as she always does when he does and says something like that.

She gives herself one more look in the mirror. Skinny jeans, her black and white converse sneakers, and her black Lynyrd Skynyrd tee-shirt that she had bought at the last concert they had gone to; her hair is down and her lips are red with lipstick. Daryl is wearing blue jeans and his own black Lynyrd Skynyrd tee-shirt and she likes to think that they look like a pretty cool couple right now.

She has always enjoyed this band's music, but since marrying Daryl, Beth has definitely found herself falling in love with it. It's really the only band her husband tends to listen to so she hears it often enough and when the band goes on tour, Daryl gets them tickets to at least one of the shows; usually for lawn seats, and they bring a blanket and Beth is pretty sure there is no more perfect moment on earth than sitting in the dark between Daryl's legs, leaning back against his chest, listening to Simple Man.

It has become their thing. Annie Dixon, her sister-in-law, told her months ago, when she and Daryl first got married that every couple needs "a thing". Something they share and do together. It helps keep the marriage fresh, according to Annie. She and Merle go to roller derby about twice a month – and it may not exactly be romantic, but it's something both enjoy doing together.

Beth grabs her messenger bag, slinging it across her chest, making sure she has everything, and she then leaves their trailer, Daryl locking up behind her. She heads towards their truck and when he gets in behind the wheel and turns on the engine, sure enough, a Lynyrd Skynyrd guitar riff is playing in the background of the DJ.

"Hey, listeners. To all those heading out to Black Oak Pavilion tonight to see Lynyrd Skynyrd, you are in for a beautiful night. A steady seventy-five degrees and not a cloud in the sky. I hope you have a night filled with rocking out and make sure you have your lighters ready. And for everyone who can't make it tonight, I hope you enjoy this one."

Gimme Three Steps starts playing and as Daryl's favorite song, he turns the volume knob up as he drives down the dirt path that leads to their trailer, through the trees, heading out of the woods and pulling onto the road.

"I have a taste for a corn dog tonight," Beth tells him.

"That sounds good," he agrees, cutting a quick glance over to her with a little smile, before back to the road. "You got your license? Might need you to drive home."

Beth smiles. "Yep. Prepared as always."

Her husband doesn't drink except for the occasional beer when they go over to Merle and Annie's for dinner, but when it comes to Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts, he definitely likes to cut loose a bit more.

"'s my girl," Daryl smirks a little and Beth giggles as he merges onto the highway and when the song ends, she leans forward to turn the volume back down since the next song the DJ plays is a Molly Hatchet song and they're not her favorite. "And you got the tickets, right?"

"Daryl Dixon, you're the forgetful one. Not me," Beth says with a smile, but she reaches into her bag and pulls out the two tickets so he can see them for himself.

Daryl's brow furrows at her comment. "I ain't forgetful," he tells her. "Name me the last thing that I forgot. And it can't be forgettin' to put the toilet seat down," he adds.

"You were going to the store for turkey lunch meat, Swiss cheese and bread. What did you forget?" She asks, teasing in her tone.

Daryl grumbles something under his breath that she can't hear, but she can just imagine. "I got you that muenster cheese you like. At least I got you cheese, woman."

And the whole conversation is so silly, Beth laughs and leans across the bench seat, giving him a kiss on his cheek, feeling his lips twitch in a smile. When she settles back in her seat, he reaches his hand over and takes hers.

As they get closer to the Black Oak Pavilion where the concert is that evening, traffic gets a bit heavier and Daryl drives slowly into the parking lot, being directed by guys in neon green vests, waving vehicles on, showing them were to park. The lot is filling up quickly with other concert goers – some having tailgated and having gotten there earlier that afternoon, grilling out and drinking and blasting music.

Daryl takes her hand and Beth laces her fingers through his and they head for the front gate, Beth taking their tickets out of her bag, handing them over. They then each receive a green band, clasped around their wrists, to signify their lawn seats and they then get yellow bands as well to show that they are over twenty-one.

Black Oak Pavilion is a small outdoor theatre that is home to many outdoor concerts and plays – particularly during the spring and summer – and many bands touring like the venue for the more intimate atmosphere with their fans.

After security searches Beth's bag, Daryl leads them right towards the row of food booths. They stand in line and there is an Allman Brothers cover band for an opening act and Beth sings softly along with "Midnight Rider" and Daryl smiles a little as he listens to her. When he first met her, he never would have taken her as a Southern Rock fan. He's going to take full credit for her conversion.

They order two corndogs and a box of fries to share and Daryl gets his cup of beer as Beth gets a can of Coke and they head towards the lawn. The seats in the pavilion are beneath a large overhang and the lawn slopes upwards. They prefer the lawn. Everyone in the seats stands for the entire time and sometimes, Daryl just wants to sit when he listens to the music and if he's in a seat, he wouldn't be able to see anything besides someone's ass in front of him.

Beth hands Daryl her corndog to hold and she then carefully sets her fries and Coke down before taking the blanket from her bag, shaking it out and then spreading it on the grass once they have chosen a spot a little bit up the slope that will give them a perfect view of the stage. She takes her fries and Coke and sits down and Daryl sits down next to her, handing her back her corndog as he takes a long drink of his beer.

There are a couple of people playing Frisbee on the lawn and another group have brought their kids, currently running around, blowing bubbles. Beth watches them for a moment with a small smile graced across her lips and she imagines Daryl and her bringing a child to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert someday; if they ever have a child.

She actually has been thinking about that more and more. Becoming a parent. She has yet to talk with Daryl about it. She's not sure she will. She sometimes thinks about it at all and sometimes, she doesn't think about it at all.

They both know she won't be able to ever have their own children because of the various long-term health effects from her eating disorder and she and Daryl have discussed it and both have come to terms with it. They don't need a baby to be happy or to have a complete life. They have each other and for the both of them, that's more than enough.

But sometimes, Beth watches children playing in the park or now, on the lawn before a concert, and she'll watch her nephews when she and Daryl are over at Merle and Annie's and she can't help but think about it.

There's adoption, of course. That seems like the most obvious course of action if she and Daryl ever do decide that maybe they do want a child. But there's also becoming a foster parent and she thinks of her husband and the childhood he had. What would his life had been like if he had been able to get away from his dad and have good foster parents like Beth knows she and Daryl can be?

Daryl suddenly bumps his arm, gentle into hers, and Beth turns her head to him.

"You alrigh'?" He wonders. "You're a million miles away."

Beth smiles and shakes her head. She takes a sip of her Coke. "I'm just thinking," she tells him honestly.

Daryl takes his own sip of beer. "Seems like some pretty heavy thinkin' for a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert," he says.

A beat passes and then Beth laughs, making Daryl smiling. Turning towards him, she slides her arms around his shoulders and kisses him on the cheek.

These thoughts come and go and she knows it will be the same this time. She doesn't know what tomorrow will bring; or the day after that, but she knows that even if it's just her and Daryl for the rest of their lives, she couldn't imagine a happier life.

…

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