A/N Here we are… a little Christmas, some rain and other stuff an thangs! Enjoy!

When Beth was a little girl, Christmas was magic. The tree, the lights, Christmas carols around the piano, Santa…

A plate with only a few tell-tale crumbs and an empty glass, sooty 'footprints' around the fireplace, half a gnawed carrot on the porch steps, the evidence that Santa had indeed come to the Greene farm was almost more exciting than the gifts he would leave for her, Maggie and Shawn. After her mama died the only evidence that Santa even remembered her was his name on a gift tag that looked a lot like her sister's handwriting.

There were definitely more important things to be upset over, but for an 8-year-old little girl whose world had been turned upside down the loss of Santa mattered. It mattered a whole bunch. She came up with a ton of reasons why Santa no longer came- stories she told herself to make it okay in her head. But it never really was.

She kept hoping. She just buried that hope deep beneath the world she had to learn to live in. And she may have forgotten about it for quite a few years but it was there, just waiting for the right moment to remind her that she never really gave it up.

It's been showing it's self in bits and pieces all along. She can see it now and feel it and sometimes it hurts but she figures that's just part of it all.

It's there on the mantel, in her mama's picture next to a small musical figurine of angels that plays 'Silent Night'. It's in the boxes of her mama's clothes that her daddy took to church to donate. It's all over the farm as 'Papa Hershel' makes sure his granddaughter's eyes are wide with wonder like his own children's were all those years ago.

And it was in the kitchen with them tonight as Beth and Maggie made cookies with the little girls. Glenn and Daryl headed out to the barn but Hershel stayed inside and didn't need much coercing to sit at the table and help with the frosting and sprinkling that Abbi put herself in charge of.

It had been a good night. Even if Maggie took Beth's hand and gave it a quick squeeze when Amy pulled out aprons and the little girls clamored over to their mama squealing 'me, me, put it on me, mama!', because it was like an echo from a time and a place they never thought they'd visit again. Or if Beth stepped out into the hall for just a second to catch her breath remembering strong arms and feeling like she was all the way up in the night sky, a gold star clutched in her hands as her daddy held Abbi 'up as high as the tree Papa' to add the final touch.

They're healing and that's hope in action. Even if it hurts.

Beth finds Daryl out by the barn with Glenn. They're bent over the tailgate of Daryl's truck and Daryl has a flashlight that he's shining on something but when she gets close enough for them to hear her Daryl rolls up whatever it is and disappears around the side of the truck.

"Cookie decorating all done?" Glenn asks smiling at her.

"Yep. Maggie's waiting for you." Glenn's smile fades and he looks nervous all of a sudden.

"Oh? Well, I guess I better-" Daryl chuckles as he moves in behind Beth resting his hands on her shoulders and she thinks to herself how he doesn't even know she needed that. His touch.

"It's gonna be fine. My daddy likes you, Glenn. Plus you're giving him another grandchild. That right there is your guarantee." Glenn seems to have lost his voice and all he can manage is a wave as he heads off towards the house.

"Ya smell like cookies," Daryl whisperers in her hair.

"I brought you one." She hands him a cookie wrapped up in a napkin. Which he promptly unwraps and bites into.

"Ya all done in there?" he asks as he brushes crumbs from his beard.

"Yeah. I wanna sit by our tree. Let's go home, Daryl."

xxxxXxxxx

'Let's go home, Daryl.'

Every time Beth says 'home' it wraps around his heart and squeezes- he has a home and it's Merle and Carol, it's the kids, but ultimately it's become her. It's become them.

It's not a place. It's them.

But he'd like to make them a place. He's gonna build something for her that means home to him. A place where they can make the memories she's missing, memories he never had the chance to make. There might be kids running around one day calling him dad and baking cookies with her. It'll have an attic, a fireplace, and a piano.

It'll be good. It'll be theirs.

Rolled up behind the seat in his truck is the beginning.

He finishes the cookie while he watches her as she fidgets with her coat. Somethings bothering her, he can see it. She's hurting.

"Ya alright?" he asks.

"Yeah." She smiles but it falters and turns into a sigh that calls to him but he knows once he touches her she might cry and he wants to know what has her so down.

"Sure?" he pushes.

"It's- things are changing and my daddy is happier. And my mama isn't a ghost. She was real, she was here and I just- it's selfish of me, thinking of all I missed. The girls found mama's aprons and daddy held Abbi up to put the star on the tree.." She stops then and the breath she exhales is shaky like it gets when she's gonna cry. He knows that, knows her. And he doesn't really know what to say. But that's okay.

"Beth- com'ere," he takes her hand and pulls her close and kisses the crown of her head. She deserved better, hell he deserved a fuck of a lot better. Can't rewrite history though. All they have is what's in front of them right now and what might be ahead. That's better than anything he's ever had. "Can't help the way ya feel girl."

"I know. It's crazy. It was like a door opened and I saw the past. But the thing is I wouldn't change any of it if it meant I'd miss out on this, on you."

This.

"Les' go home."

It takes two minutes to drive home and another five to change into something comfortable. There's warm cocoa, the tree with its lights and their couch which she turned to face the tree because they hardly ever watch TV anyway.

"Want me to sing for you?" she asks like she doesn't know how he's gonna answer…

"Course I do."

And there's this too. Her guitar and her voice.

xxxxXxxxx

The night after the farm Beth dreamt about her mama. They were standing in the middle of sheets drying in the afternoon breeze. The sun had been so bright she couldn't make out her mama's face. Her voice was all around her though.

'This is what you hoped for baby girl, you still have each other and I'm not gone. I'm right here..'

Her mama had laid her hand on her chest and the touch had been so real that Beth had woke with a start. She sat up tangled in the sheets and comforter confused by the darkness for a minute before she realized she'd been dreaming. Daryl's touch was real and she curled into him willing herself not to forget the sound of her mama's voice.

Christmas came and for the first time in years she got up before the sun excited in a way she hadn't been in years. She made coffee and bagels and Daryl came out of the bedroom not long after with bedhead and something rolled up in his hands. He refused to let her see it. Yet.

"After." He'd said. After meaning once they opened the little pile of gifts under the tree. They'd both felt like gifts couldn't compare to what they already had so they decided to spend money on things for the kids and keep their gifts to each other simple.

She wrapped up a ledger for him to keep track of the custom jobs he does. Because even though Carol had a computer program and had been handling the business for the garage and would continue to do so for the construction business he kept a notebook of his own and jotting down things that were important to him.

"It's a ledger for-" He's got it in his hands and he's quiet.

"I know what it is… it's, nice. I like it," he says. But it's what he doesn't say that lets her know he more than 'likes' it. She got him t-shirts and flannels in colors he'd never buy himself but ones she likes on him and he'll wear them because of that alone.

He got her guitar strings and a pink hoodie that has a wings decal on the back and when she squeals he blushes said it was at the truck stop he and Merle get gas at and every time he saw it, it made him think of her so he finally bought.

"It's kinda corny," he says shrugging and she kisses him so he knows it's not corny to her at all.

He also found 'his' and 'hers' coffee mugs.

"Thas' so ya stop taking my favorite mug." he explains and she laughs as if he's ever gonna stop her from horning in on anything that's his. Like his lap which she crawls into when he motions for her too.

He unrolls the paper he has on the floor in front of them and she can see even without reading his notes that it's plans for a house. Merle's house is off to the side, a little rectangle labeled Merle. A rough sketch of walls and doors and windows and he said he was gonna build her house and marry her there.

"Daryl… this is…" She traces over it with her finger and feels his chin on her shoulder. "Four bedrooms?"

"Gotta have room for stuff," he murmurs.

"Stuff?" Daryl isn't one to have stuff, she knows that and he knows she knows. "Thinking ahead. I like that Mr. Dixon.What's this space? A loft?" Pointing to what could be a second floor, but it's a bit smaller than a whole floor.

"Attic." He shrugs and she can feel it. "For the stuff, we can't fit in them bedrooms." She remembers how he looked around the attic at the farm. All the memories tucked away for safe keeping. Or hidden until they could be taken back out and looked at properly.

"And this…" He's labeled a little space in the corner of what looks like the main room. 'Beth's piano'. "Oh." She's been doing her best not to get all emotional but he's making it impossible and what he says next does it for her.

"Already talked ta yer daddy, he says we can take your mama's piano when we're ready…" Her tears shouldn't confuse him but they must because he wraps his arms around her. "Or we can just get ya one-"

"No, no I want- it has to be my mama's. You decided. You- I love you, Daryl… I love this... I-" Scrubbing at her face she has an idea and she jumps up. "Come on get dressed, show me where.. Show me-"

"Hey slow up girl! I ain't got a place picked yet." He's getting up though, following her to their room.

"Then let's pick together, let's go look right now!" He's grumbling about how she lost her mind, it's freezing out there but he dresses alongside her tossing her his thick socks because she likes wearing them with her boots. Before they head out she throws her arms around him and kisses him slow.

"We were gonna keep our gifts simple. We agreed. And you…"

"Never had a house before, not my own," he murmurs against her lips. She wanted to give him his 'nevers'... this one he's giving to her too.

xxxxXxxxx

She's running around talking about views and afternoon sunlight and where a porch should be. She's wearing the hoodie and the wings and her ponytail flash in the sunlight.

"Are we having a porch? Because this would be a good spot-" And then she's off again long legs taking her somewhere else she's spotted. He stands there with his hands in his pockets thinking how she's living up to his expectations, not that she has to because he's learned not to expect much from life. But when he imagined giving her the plans he thought she'd be excited and have a bunch of ideas she'd want to share and well, she does and she is and that makes him incredibly happy.

"Uncle Daryl whata y'all doing out here? Supposed ta come ta our house for breakfast." His nephews are making their way towards him bundled up in new jackets and beanies.

"Are ya gonna build yer cabin?" He forgot DJ had seen the plans one day when they were cleaning up after making bolts. He'd asked the little boy to keep it a secret because he wanted to surprise Beth.

"Yep, pretty soon."

"Yer building a house? Here? Yer gonna live here by us forever?" Beau's grinning like it's the best thing he's heard all morning.

" 'S long as y'all don't get on my nerves." Daryl sniffs keeping his face neutral.

"I promise I won't uncle Daryl! Can I help ya build it?" Beau asks.

"Might needs some extra hands." Beau runs off towards Beth and Daryl looks over at DJ.

"See I kept it a secret."

"I knew ya would, 's why I trusted ya with it little D." DJ's smile is full of pride and it fills Daryl up too. Sticking his fingers in his mouth he whistles and waves Beth and Beau in.

"Com'on! Les eat!"

The boys run ahead and Beth, her cheeks flushed from running around grabs his hand.

"Do you think we could have a barn Daryl, just a small one?" She's breathless and all her ideas are starting to take shape in his head. A barn.

"With a loft?" he asks her smiling and pulling her closer.

"Yeah, with a loft." She raises his hand and puts it around her shoulders and slips her arms around him. "And every fourth of July we can sleep in it."

"Sleep?" he asks huskily and she giggles letting her cold hand slide up the back of his shirt effectively stopping him in his tracks. But before he can say anything she's pushed her self on her toes and she's kissing him with lips that are as cold as her hands.

"I love you, Daryl." She leans back and he cups her face in his hands and looks at her. His girl, his home, his forever.

"I love you too Beth."

xxxxXxxxx

"You're going to make yourself sick if you keep up like this Daryl!" He's leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms folded across his chest. His body language is telling her to back off but she can't. She's frustrated and worried and completely aware of the fact that she's going about this all wrong.

It's the second week of February and it's been cold and wet and muddy. They're having record rains this year with temperature's lower than average. They picked a spot to build and Daryl has been spending afternoons and evenings and some of the weekends clearing the area and getting it ready to start laying the foundation.

The weather hasn't been kind to him though and he's running himself ragged between their house and the art gallery in Peachtree.

"Can't get sick from cold weather." He says it through gritted teeth. She doesn't understand where the anger is coming from. She can understand the frustration over the weather but inclement weather was included in their estimation, she remembers Abe mentioning it.

Daryl's goal is September. They haven't picked an actual day yet, but they're getting married in Septemeber and he is going to marry her in their backyard come hell or high water. And she loves his determination, he's working his ass off for her. For this.

"Ok. But being run down and working in the weather we've been having-"

"I'm fine Beth."

"I'm worried, you look tired and you coughed all night." She takes a step in his direction.

"Sorry if I woke ya... Ya ain't even here most the time." Oh. She's at the University now and two days a week she's in Atlanta. All day. And there's a study group she joined so sometimes it's close to ten at least once a week. And there's her library job the other three days and a music lab on Saturday mornings. She's figured it out and she can take almost double the units she needs and graduate sooner.

"I- I'm just trying to finish school, Daryl."

"An I'm tryin' ta build us a house." Pushing away from the counter he heads towards the door.

"Where are you going?" He slows but doesn't look back at her.

"Gotta cover the tractor. Supposed to rain again." She could comment on this and the fact that he needs to let the rain ease up so he at least makes some progress. But there's no good reason to point that out. He's more than aware of it.

"I've got that lasagna thawed out in the fridge. I'll put it in the oven." They made it together at the beginning of the year. They took a whole weekend and put together a couple of lasagnas and some spaghetti sauce that Beth froze to use later. He spent the majority of the time sitting on the counter watching her, making her laugh and testing everything, even the grated cheese.

But they'd been together.

He pauses at the door, shoulders tense.

"Sounds good. I won't be long." He closes the door and she hears the thunder. He didn't take a jacket, he's just got on his flannel shirt but the mood he's in, chasing after him with a heavy coat will probably just piss him off.

Her schedule is pretty full and she is gone. More than she likes to be. But she thought she was doing good, making a sacrifice for what they want. Sighing she puts the lasagna in the oven and goes back to her laptop on the table. But it's no use trying to get any school work done because she can't concentrate anyway. She can hear the rain that's started and Daryl's not back yet.

He can just be pissed at her, she thinks as she heads into their room for her boots and coat. She grabs one of his big coats too and heads out into the rain.

xxxxXxxxx

The tractor is stuck. He's tried a couple of times now to just gun it and hope it catches on something and gets unstuck but that's wishful thinking. He also came out without a coat and it's raining now and he's soaked.

He wanted to pout. If he'd stayed and listened to Beth he might have started talking and it might have been okay or it might have been a pointless argument. He didn't want to argue. He wants to pout and feel sorry for himself because her new schedule is taking up a lot of her time and he misses her and he can't tell her that. Making her feel guilty about school is the last thing he wants to do.

But there's no rush to finish school. He can take care of her. And he's gotta build this house. He refuses to listen to the little voice in his head saying, hey dumbass there ain't no rush with the house either! He tries the tractor again but still no luck. The rain has eased up though and he hears her boots before he sees her. She's bundled up in her coat and it looks like she's carrying his. Hoping off the tractor he tries to block the tire that's stuck in the mud from her view.

"What the hell ya doing out here?" She never shies away from him when he gets too loud. She's little but she's not afraid of him at all. He doesn't want her to be, would be horrified if she was.

"It's raining, I brought your coat." She holds it out and tries looking around him. "Is it stuck?" He takes the coat and puts it on and it's so much better.

"Nah I got it," he says looking back over his shoulder.

"You've got it? You haven't moved it, it's still in the same place-"

"I'll figure it out. Jus' a little muddy is all, go on back up, 's gonna start raining again-"

"I'm not gonna melt! This is my house too and I can help! Just tell me what you need me to do. And if I can't do it I can go get Merle. You don't have to do this by yourself, Daryl!" She's standing there in the rain, hands on her hips glaring at him.

She's so fucking beautiful. And she's right.

He shouldn't have been a dick up in the apartment and he needs to tell her what's bugging him. She's not gonna let up. He should know that by now.

"Dammit Beth!"

"Daryl, I-" He takes her face in his hands and kisses her until he can't breathe. He doesn't let her go though, running his lips along her jaw he finds her ear, soft and warm and he knows he can say it, he can tell her anything and they'll figure it out.

"Fuck Beth, I miss ya... Don' wanna stay in the apartment when yer gone and I want our place done so I jus', I jus' come out here and keep doing the same shit over and over cause this fuckin' rain…" She's got her hands inside his jacket he feels them on his chest fisted in the wet flannel pulling him closer.

"I miss you too. These classes, I think I overdid it. I think- I want to be here with you cause I can help you know, I can learn." He chuckles as he lifts his head.

"I know ya can. I know.. Wanna get Merle. 'S gonna take all three of us ta get this thing moved." She nods but before she goes she kisses him again warm and soft and it takes all the self-control he has not to pick her up and take her home where it's warm and they can strip off their wet clothes, maybe take a shower. She lets go of him and then she's gone splashing through puddles to get to Merle's back door.

By April they've perfected the art of disagreeing and Daryl takes pride in the fact that he's saying what's on his mind, which isn't always the best thing to do but he's trying and he's seeing the changes in their relationship. Besides loving her and wanting her when and where ever he can have her, he respects her. She's his best friend, she puts him first and she's always his biggest cheerleader even when he's testing her.

"You're really gonna take off for the whole weekend?" This is a first and he hadn't thought about it thoroughly when he agreed to go. He still very much wants to go and he knows the timing isn't ideal. And he doesn't like upsetting her. But.

"I promised Rick and Carl over a month ago. Abe's gonna be here ta handle the permits for the foundation-" Just looking at her he can tell none of what he's saying is making any difference.

"I don't care about the stupid permits!" He sees her tears before she runs into the bedroom. He follows her and finds her curled up on the bed. He has no self-control when it comes to her and tears. Especially tears he inadvertently caused. So he stretches out beside her and reaches for her hand.

"Hey.. whas' really goin' on?" He could cancel the whole trip. But he doesn't want too. Because Rick is probably the person he loves the most after his family, her being his number one. But he doesn't want to hurt her either.

"I don't think the permits are stupid…" she says softly, "I just- we've never spent the whole weekend apart."

They haven't.

"Rick's bring that new fifth wheel he got. Said I could bring ya. He's been tryin' ta get Michonne to go too but she's got work-" She turns over and rests her head on his chest.

"I have my last lab. And, Daryl I'm not telling you not to go. I'm just gonna miss you."

"Guess we ain't been together long enough to enjoy our time apart huh.." He runs his fingers through her hair. It's down and still damp from her shower. "Cause I'm gonna miss you too."

"I don't ever want to be happy you're leaving. I always wanna to miss you, Daryl. Promise me you'll always miss me," she whispers as she moves up over his body, molding herself to him.

Promise," he whispers huskily as he flips her over so he's top of her. He maneuvers himself between her legs and grinds against her lazily. Just enough to let her know what she's doing to him but she takes it as an invitation and squirms around underneath him tugging off her jeans and laughing when he tries to hold her down.

"Stop, let me up... "

"Why should I?" She's glaring at him, her blue eyes are dark

"Cause I want you, Daryl... I want you… please…" He's got her right where he didn't even know he wanted her.

"Whata ya want Beth?" Teasing her might be more of a turn on for him. Getting her all worked up like he can. He's still holding her down and he nuzzles his way into the crook of her neck and sucks hard on the sensitive skin there.

"That! I want that everywhere… do that to me everywhere…" Her hands are in his hair tugging him down further but he's gonna make her say it. Or say something doesn't matter what he's hard now and anything dirty coming out of her mouth is gonna be good.

"I'm gonna let ya up okay? Take yer clothes off and tell me- tell me what ya want from me," he whispers as he sits back on his knees and pulls his shirt off. She's undressed before him and leans back against the headboard and watches him as he gets his jeans off. There's no mistaking the little whimper she elicits at the sight of his hard cock and maybe her words and the sounds she makes turn her on just as much as they do him.

Tossing his jeans onto the floor he looks at her leaning back against the headboard, legs spread just enough that he can see the soft curls there are damp. Cause she wants him. But she hasn't said anything yet.

"Change yer mind?" he asks taking his cock in his hand and stroking it gently. If he puts too much into it he's gonna be done right here all over his hand. But it has the effect he was hoping for. She's sliding down on the bed, legs spread even further, hands holding her breasts.

"I want you to lick my pussy Daryl," It kills him when she uses her voice in a certain way, all innocent like she has no idea what she's saying. She's teasing him right back and they're so good at this. Making each other feel good.

"Thought ya wanted me ta suck-"

"Suck, lick, all of it… just make me come and then I'm gonna fuck you."

"Jesus Beth…" he groans and her laughter fills him up strokes his heart like he's stroking his cock. Letting go of himself he moves back making room for her and when he lays down she rests a leg on each of his shoulders.

"I love you, Daryl… I love when you make me come like this.. you make me feel so good, so- oh!" He's not teasing anymore. She wants to come, he's gonna make her. Flicking his tongue over her swollen clit, just like he did to the skin on her neck he sucks hard and she arches underneath him, pushing herself closer, as close as she can get as her whole body tenses underneath him. He doesn't give her a chance to ride out her orgasm. Pulling his mouth away he slides up her body positioning his cock as he goes and slams into her with a grunt. Taking a deep breath he thrusts again speeding up the pace until he can't tell if it's her or him that's whining and then they're both falling and he can feel the pulsing as she comes again. Comes with him her small arms wrapped around him.

He likes to think he's in charge, but it's her, it's always her in the end and she shows no mercy until it's over and they're drifting and she runs her fingers along the planes of his face making him sleepy. Her lips are at the hollow of his throat and her warm breath and the motion of her fingers lull him. Wrapping his arms around her he pulls her close.

"Love you, Beth, always gonna miss ya, always gonna wanna come home. Promise."

Before he leaves on Friday he waits for her to come home like he said he would. And she's smiling cause he's there. Waiting.

He hands her a paper with a name and number on it.

"This is the guy whose comin' about the permit. Abe'll handle it but I'd like it if you was out here too. Just listening and making sure it all goes good. Would ya do that?" He's not just giving her busy work. He wants her opinion on it. All of it. It's their home he's building and she deserves to be involved.

"Of course I will. I don't know all that much about this permit but I'll be there. Go and have fun. I'm gonna miss you but I saw Rick yesterday and he's so excited. I like that he's your best friend, well second best friend." Her arms around him and the way she smells like books and flowers and just Beth makes him ache and he hasn't even left yet.

"Yer my first, last, and always girl, ya gotta know that." He kisses her once and then two more times before he gets in his truck and heads out shaking his head at her standing in the driveway waving at him.

The best part of leaving is knowing she'll be there when he comes back.

xxxxXxxxx

Turns out him being gone can be good in a couple of ways. She takes a picture of herself, a picture only Daryl can see, a picture she took and deleted at least fifteen times trying to get the right angle before she finally decided he would probably like it regardless. He won't see it like she does.

All he'll see is what he loves, her hands touching herself, for him. She sent it and waited for his response which wasn't a text but a phone call and his voice on the other end was deep and husky and she knew then he liked it.

"Yer tryin' ta kill me, girl. Aren't ya?"

"Did you like it?"

"Did I- fuck... Yeah, I like it."

"What are you doing?" It sounds like he's outside. Walking. He has to be alone or he wouldn't be talking like he is.

"Had ta take a walk. Lied and said I needed ta make a business call…" She laughed then and he growled and then he proceeded to ask her how she did it and how it made her feel and did she keep touching herself and make herself come.

She told him. Everything. Every detail until she heard him groan into the phone.

"Daryl did you- where are you?" Her heart was beating just as fast as it had been when she was taking the pictures and imagining him looking at it.

"Woods… and yeah I did. 'S all yer fault sending me that… can't do nothing in the trailer with Rick and Carl and- dammit girl that was fuckin' hot. But I wanna come home, wanna hold you." She can hear the muffled sounds of clothing.

"Me too, I want that."

"Leavin' tomorrow at noon. I'll be home fer dinner. Got a fish we can fry."

She's up early and she cleans a little, cooks breakfast for herself and finishes an assignment for school. It's only 10:30. She's got hours before Daryl gets home if they're not leaving until noon. That thought alone almost sends her back to bed but a call from Abe cheers her up. They were cleared on the foundation and the permit will be issued.

"I thought it was supposed to take at least twenty-four hours?"

"I got a friend," Abe says.

"Yeah, you got a lot of friends Abe." Beth is kind of teasing. But Rosita is dating someone new now and she's happy and that makes the whole Abe deal easier to swallow. That and the fact that he swears nothing happened between him and his friend Sasha until after he ended it with Rosita.

"You should meet her Beth. She's a nice girl. I know your friends with Rosita and I wouldn't ever expect that to change, but I think you'd hit it off with Sasha too. Just think about it okay? In the meantime we got clearance to start building!"

So besides the fact that she just wants him home now she has news, she's dying to share and she doesn't want to text it to him. She resorts to doing laundry. Anything to keep her busy and help the time pass. The boys are in the garage working on some super secret project and try and hurry her along because she can't see.

Laundry ends up taking 20 minutes.

She takes a shower and goes back out to switch the laundry. The boys have disappeared and there's no trace of the mysterious project.

She decides to take a walk out to their house site, which is now a concrete foundation and it seems so much more like a house that she's excited and she wanders around imagining where the walls will be and how she wants it to look eventually. The area that will technically be their backyard has been graded too. Merle was out here yesterday doing some work.

Stepping off of the foundation she heads towards the woods that start right where their yard will end. That's how they wanted it. Being able to just disappear into the trees is something Daryl loves. Now he can do it in his own backyard. Jogging a little Beth takes a step into the woods when she hears a snap and there's an excruciating pain in her right ankle that has her on the ground trying to catch her breath. Looking over at her leg she sees what caused the pain. Her foot is caught in what looks like a trap of some sort. A weird one and it must be old because it's covered in rust.

And it hurts. Not like it's broken or anything but it's definitely injured.

She can't help the tears that start. She's panicking as she searches her pockets for her phone when she realizes she left it on the kitchen table. She can't stand up, there's no way she can try and drag her foot with the trap all the way to Merle's anyway.

"Oh no.. what am I…" She hears voices, the boys.

"DJ! Beau! Help! Somebody!" She feels like an idiot screaming like she is but she doesn't have any idea what else to do. She even starts dragging herself towards the foundation. If she can get up on it she might have a better chance of getting someone's attention. If not she'll just keep crawling until she gets to the house.

xxxxXxxxx

Talking Rick into leaving early had been his plan and then Carl puked at breakfast and they'd left anyway. It had been disgusting and Daryl hadn't finished his own breakfast but the kid had saved him a few hours. He missed Beth. And he doesn't care if he's a pussy for doing so. He wants to see his girl and talk a little more about this picture she sent.

Pulling into the driveway he's waylaid by Merle and the boys.

"Yer home early! Couldn't stay away could ya?" Merle teases. Daryl just flips him off much to the delight of the boys.

"Did anybody catch anything?" Beau asks. He wanted to go but since he isn't even old enough to enter the contest Merle said he could wait.

"Yep we all caught some bass but Carl caught the biggest, an eleven pounder. He won $100," Daryl says. "Beth been down?"

"She was doing laundry earlier," DJ says. Daryl nods and heads up to the apartment anxious to see her.

But the apartment is empty. He heads back down just as his phone buzzes with a text from Abe.

Beth tell you about the good news- the permit?

Merle is looking at his phone too.

"Ya find Beth? Jus' got a text from Abe-" He looks up at Daryl smiling.

"Nah she ain't up there? She in with Carol?"

"Nope Carol and Sophia went to the grocery store."

"Well, where the hell-" That's when he hears it. Someone calling, no yelling but it's not loud cause it's a girl's voice. His girl. Taking off running in the direction he knows it came from his heart is pounding and he's scared because he could hear tears in that yell.

A/N Duh duh duh… we're almost to the end! I had to do it. And you all know what's going on. Daryl is the one in the dark. That stupid trap… He's gonna have to go rescue her again. Stay tuned! I love you all!