Prompt: Beth is a nurse taking care of Will Dixon at the end of his life. Daryl hasn't seen him in years and Merle tricks him into coming. Will is a changed man thanks to Beth's care.

Saved Him

Daryl walked into the house and looked around. It looked like the same shit hole he'd grown up in; empty beer cans all over the place, a half full ashtray on the coffee table, threadbare floors, and the stench of sweat, smoke, and alcohol. If Merle hadn't said it was an emergency he wouldn't be here. "Merle, where are you?" he called out.

Instead of Merle a drop dead gorgeous southern bell walked out from the hallway and looked at him. "You must be Daryl," she said smiling. "Merle said you were coming."

"Who the hell are you?" he asked. He figured she was one of Merle girls, but she looked too pure to be fucking around with Merle.

"Daryl?" His heart dropped into his chest as rage bubbled up inside of him. His father came around the corner and stood behind her. He looked like shit. He was nothing but skin and bones as he shrank around his cane and his skin was pale and gray, his eyes not much more than hollow holes in his head. "Good to see ya son."

"Will, you need to get back to bed," the girl said. She gently took his arm and helped him back, which surprised the hell out of Daryl. Nobody ordered Will Dixon around, not even a cute thing like her. He followed slowly and watched as she helped him into bed and covered him up. "I'll get you something to eat, okay?" She smiled at him and crossed the room to Daryl. "He's been awake for a while, I don't know that he'll be able to talk long," she told him before walking out.

Daryl crossed his arms, leaning on the door frame and looked at his father. The cancer had finally caught up with him. "Who's that?" he asked, nodding his head in the general direction of the kitchen.

"Beth, she's my live in nurse," he rasped out. "She's a sweet little thing." There was another shocker. Daryl didn't know 'sweet' was in Will's dictionary. Will looked at him, his eyes somewhat sad as he stared at his son. "I'm glad you're here."

"Merle said it was an emergency." Daryl slowly walked into the room and looked around at all of the medical supplies around the place, keeping his father somewhat alive.

"I need to apologize." That grabbed his attention. Will Dixon did not apologize. Daryl stared at him. "I treated you and your brother like shit, wasn't much better to your mamma, god rest her soul." He sighed and rubbed his head. "I should have been better."

Beth came back from the bedroom and sat at the table with Daryl. "He's asleep," she told him as she took a sip of her coffee. "It's been a long day for him."

Daryl nodded his head, staring at the newspaper he wasn't really reading. "He's been good to ya, right?" he asked.

Beth smiled. "Will was a little…difficult in the beginning, but he's a sweetheart, I really enjoy him." She frowned and stared down at her mug. "It's always the hardest part of my job. I love my patients, I really do. Living with them, you bond and it makes it hard when they go." She sighed and looked at him. "I'm glad you came, Merle said you wouldn't but, it's what Will wanted." She smiled a little. "He's different now."

Daryl looked up at her. "You did that to him." He sighed and rubbed his jaw. "He wasn't like that. His whole life he was a miserable bastard who wasn't happy unless he was making everyone else miserable too." He looked back at her and shook his head. "I can't believe that was the same man."

Beth smiled a little as she took another drink of her coffee. "He does love you." Daryl sighed. He knew she was right, but he was forty year too late. She put a hand on his arm and smiled. "Give him some time; he's still got at least two months left.

He watched them lower his father into the ground and squeezed Beth's hand. She was crying beside him. The grave stone read 'loving father' and as Daryl watched the dirt fall over the coffin he nodded his head. At the end of his life, Will Dixon had been a loving father, and Daryl had the love of his life to thank for that. He kissed her head and led her back to his bike that waiting for them. "C'mon baby, let's go home."