Last chapter!

Recap: Beth woke up with a terrible hangover. Daryl made fun of her slightly for getting drunk but he took care of Beth. Beth didn't get the chance to give Daryl his birthday present and felt awful and feels like she 'ruined' his birthday. Merle gave Daryl his motorcycle as a birthday present which Daryl loved.

A quick note to thank everyone who has read this story, followed, favourited and reviewed. I love all of you and appreciate all of the love and support so much. I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have loved writing it for you. Please check out my other Walking Dead fics, I'm sure you will love them. I have more Walking Dead fics on the way for you soon so keep an eye out!

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Waitress: Chapter 20: 6 Years Later

Daryl
I was never supposed to have this life. If I look back on what my life was 10 years ago, I never thought I would have ended up here. I was never one for relationships and I never saw myself getting married and having children but here we are, six years after meeting Beth Greene I have become a husband and a father. My life is so different now but I love it and I wouldn't change any of it for the world, my start in life was rough but I know the rest of my life is going to be 100x better than that. It's better than I could have ever imagined.

After Beth graduated college I decided that I wanted to make an honest woman out of her so three years ago Beth made me the happiest man alive and married me in a small ceremony on her parent's property. We only had her parents, brother, sister, brother-in-law and my brother there and her uncle who was the one that married us. It was perfect for us and it was the best day of our lives. We planned the whole thing in just a few months, I was worried about it being quick as he had only just gotten engaged but I regret nothing.

Her parents were really good to us and helped us move into our own place the next day. I had brought it when Beth and I got engaged but we both agreed that we didn't want to officially live with each other until we were married. We got a beautiful four bedroom house on the outskirts of town by the woods with nothing around but space. I had a garage to the side of the building and opposite the house Beth had made her own animal clinic. Her father has now retired so Beth gets all of his patients but her father does come to help when it's busy and took over for Beth when she was pregnant.

Our first son, Easton, was born 2 years ago and two short months ago Beth made me a father for the second time to another son, Ryder. Beth and I have discussed it and we have decided that when Ryder is a year old we are going to try for another baby. We would love a girl and we even had a girl name picked out in case Easton and Ryder were girls and we decided on the name Abigail. Beth loves it and I think it's a beautiful name. I always loved Beth but watching her go through pregnancy, labour, birth and the aftermath of birth just made me love her that much more. She went through something that looked traumatising and difficult but she never complained and she loved every minute of it. She is an incredible woman.

Dixie has been amazing with all of these changes; moving house, the animals coming and going for Beth's clinic, the kids coming and the new space. I honestly could not have chosen a better dog for my family. The boys love Dixie and she loves them too, she sleeps in the hallway between their rooms in case one of them needs her in the middle of the night. When Easton was first born I was a little apprehensive because she had never been around a baby before but she was perfect. She used to lay by his mosses basket and the cot every night and when he started crying she would either come and get us or howl until we came to see to him. Dixie is one of a kind and I know she's getting older now but having Beth do what she does for a living means we know what to do to give her a longer, happier and healthier life so we're working on it.

Beth and I love our boys to death but Dixie was kind of like our first child, she taught us how to take care of things and recognise signs for different things. Dixie taught us how to be good parents and we owe her everything for that. I also her Dixie everything for helping keep my family safe; thankfully since that awful night the bar was robbed when Beth was there we have never had an incident like that but Dixie has alerted us to things and been the best dog in the world.

The people at the bar miss Dixie because I haven't brought her down in a little while. I used to bring her down all the time but I prefer having her at home and keeping an eye on Beth and the kids. I never realised how tough my job was before having kids, I don't have as much time as I used to so Carol has been helping me out with the running of the bar. She actually took over the apartment with Sophia when I moved into the house with Beth. Carol has been a God send and when Easton was first born she was there for me and Beth, she took over the bar and told me not to worry about a thing and she would handle the bar if I concentrated on my wife and the baby... which I did.

Carol helps me out a lot with work and has made the whole thing easy for me. Without her I honestly don't know what would have happened to me or my bar, I could've lost it or lost precious time with Beth and the boys. Beth and I really cannot thank Carol enough for everything she does for us from doing the books to employing new staff to doing the work rotas on occasion. I'm so glad I hired her and I'm so happy to be able to call her a true friend.

Like I said, life has been really good to me. I have everything I could've asked for and more. I don't know what I did to deserve all of this and sometimes I can't help but think that Beth is slightly insane for being with me, she could get any guy she wants, but I'm glad she picked me. She is everything I could want in a woman; kind, loving, generous, peaceful, charitable, amazing mother, amazing wife and all round local Angel. Everyone loves Beth and you will never hear anyone say a bad word about her.

Even Merle has been living a good life the last few years. Two years ago he met this woman in my bar, she had just moved to town after a messy divorce and somehow she ended up with Merle! Marlene, his girlfriend has a couple a kids, 14 year old son called Mickey and a 16 year old daughter called Kayla, they were good kids. Merle has really changed since meeting Marlene; he's off the drugs and only drinks at the weekend. He's also been really good to Marlene's kids, their old man is a huge waster who knocked Marlene about but Merle has stepped up and I gotta say I'm proud of him. I never thought Merle would settle down like this, just a couple of weeks ago he was talking about asking her to marry him. I couldn't believe it! Merle married with kids, who would've thought it?

Beth
How did I become so lucky? I have an amazing husband and two beautiful sons. Daryl and I have been so happy together and I think that everyone is surprised that we have lasted, I think my brother thought we would have broken up by the time I graduated university. We've had some tough times during the years but we've managed to get through it and we've come out stronger. Just before we got married, I had a miscarriage and Daryl took it really hard and he fussed over me for months and he thought he had done something wrong. They were some dark days but we supported one another and with all of the wedding planning we soon got it out of our heads for a little while.

When I fell pregnant with Easton we were really concerned and we didn't announce the pregnancy until I was about 5 months pregnant. Daryl took such good care of me and he didn't let me do anything, he worried so much about me and I appreciated it but he was a little bit over the top. The second pregnancy with Ryder was much easier for both of us; we were a little more relaxed and positive about the pregnancy. We got to celebrate with everyone and we had a large gender reveal party at the house as well as a big baby shower thrown by Maggie. I definitely felt better with my pregnancy with Ryder and I am excited to have another baby with Daryl one day, we agreed that when Ryder is a year old we are going to try for one more baby. We're hoping to have a girl as we have two boys already but I will be happy with another boy if that is what I have.

I have been so fortunate, for example, right now watching Daryl in the yard playing with Easton and Dixie whilst holding Ryder was one of the best things. I love seeing him as a daddy, he took to it so well and so easy. When Easton was born, Daryl cut the cord and he was the first person to hold him. He looked at his son with so much love and admiration; a couple of tears even fell when he looked at him. He really is such an amazing daddy and I am a very lucky lady to have such a great husband.

Ryder started crying and I knew it was time for him to have a feed so I went out to Daryl in the yard and took Ryder from him.

"Are you hungry baby?" I rocked Ryder.

"Want me to feed him?" Daryl asked.

"No, don't be silly. You play with Easton, I'll feed Ryder," I pecked Daryl on the lips "I hope you're bein' good for your daddy," I said to Easton sternly.

"He's always good for his daddy." Daryl answered with a smile.

I took Ryder inside to feed him.

It's true; Easton is always good for Daryl. Don't get me wrong, Easton is a good kid but he pushes his luck with me sometimes but with Daryl... he'll do whatever he is told to do and when he is told to do it. I thought mommies and their sons were close but it seems that Easton is a daddy's boy and not a mommy's boy. There is an amazing bond between Daryl and Easton and sometimes I admit that I get jealous. I was the one who carried him for nine months, went through 26 hours of labour, 2 hours of pushing and then 4 stitches... I wish that Easton and I were that close but I'm glad that he has that bond with his daddy.

Maybe Ryder and I will have the kind of bond and closeness that Daryl and Easton have or maybe both of my sons will love their daddy more then they love me. I sound awful but I am a little bit jealous, Daryl thinks I'm being silly and Easton loves us both the same but we're different parents. Daryl is the fun one who takes him hunting, plays outside and lets him help tinker with the motorcycle whereas I'm more the disciplinarian who makes the rules and makes sure he goes to bed on time and makes him bath... which he doesn't like... like father like son.

The sound of Easton crying perked my interest and Daryl came in holding a sobbing Easton whilst Dixie followed in behind them looking worried.

"Are you ok?" I asked Easton.

"He's fine. He just tripped over and scraped his knee," Daryl replied.

"My poor baby," I said to Easton.

Daryl sat Easton down next to me and I put my free arm around him to comfort him, he leaned against me as Daryl bent down to look at his knee. He poked and prodded at it for a second before looking up at Easton.

"Well I think yer gonna live," Daryl stated "I'll get yer a band aid," He said and went into the kitchen.

Easton reached out and took hold of Ryder's hand as he ate. Ryder gripped onto his brother's hand and Easton smiled and stopped crying.

"You are such a good big brother," I told him.

Daryl came back from the kitchen and kneeled down to put the band aid on Easton.

"Do you wanna go back outside to play?" Daryl asked Easton.

"Ryder," Easton replied.

"Yer wanna stay with Ryder?"

"Yeah,"

"Ok. You stay here with yer momma and Ryder. I'm gonna take Dixie out f'r a lil' bit."

Daryl gave the three of us a kiss before grabbing Dixie's lead and that was all she needed. She saw it and got up, rushing towards the door. Daryl clipped her lead on and the two of them walked out the door, closing it behind him.

This is the best life I could have ever asked for. I have my boys, my home, Dixie and the career I've always wanted. When I was a little girl I always dreamed of falling in love with a handsome and kind man, marrying him and having children with him. I have everything I ever dreamed and I am the luckiest woman alive. I love the life I have and I wouldn't change anything for the world.

I've never been happier.

So Daryl and Beth got the best life they could have ever asked for. They are happily married, Beth has her dream job, Daryl still owns the bar, they have 2 beautiful boys, an amazing home and of course Dixie is still with her family. Everything has worked out pretty perfect for them. Even Merle has found some happiness with a woman who has calmed him down and made him responsible.

Thank you to everyone who has read this story. I hope it is the ending you were all hoping for, I have enjoyed writing this story for you and if you love Beth and Daryl as much as I do please check out my other Walking Dead fics. I have some more Walking Dead fics on the way soon so make sure you follow me to keep up to date!

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