I am so sorry for not posting sooner, but nevertheless here is the newest chapter.
Thank you to everyone who is still reading and following the story.
Please note that I will also be posting my stories on AO3 under natreadsallnight, however I will always post my chapters here first on FF.
Read and Review guys, and I promise I will try and update more regularly from now on.
Chapter 14
Aaron grabbed the clock to see the glowing numbers through the darkness that coated his and Eric's bedroom before his eyes frowned at his phone that was beeping. Hearing Eric mumble in his sleep as he turned over in Aaron's direction, Aaron quickly grabbed his phone and swiped his finger across the screen.
"Aaron?" Eric asked, his voice thick with sleep.
Turning to where Eric laid next to him he smiled, "It's okay. It's just the alarm over at the site" he confirmed.
Groaning slightly he slipped from the bed, quickly grabbing his clothes before pulling them on. Catching a glimpse of the bed when he reached the door he noted that Eric had already swiftly fallen back to sleep. Shaking his head, he strode down the stairs and out the front door; grabbing his car keys on his way.
The alarm triggering at the construction site was nothing new, he'd already been out at least three times in the last month alone. Usually it was just a wild animal that had wondered out from the woods that circled the perimeter, whilst others it was a couple of local kids that jumped the fence to explore the grounds. He just hoped it was the former, rather than the latter.
Pulling up to the entrance he noticed a familiar truck on the inside of the gate and he frowned as he rechecked the time on the dashboard. Quickly pulling in, he shut of the engine and pushed open his door, his sights already capturing a lone light on the partially finished final property.
Stepping over pieces of lumber and tiles that littered what would eventually be the garden he made his way towards the area lit up and the dull thudding of someone hammering against the wooden frame.
"Daryl?" he questioned when he rounded the corner of the frame.
Daryl looked up, his hands freezing, from where he was just hammering a piece of framework, and a frown on his face.
"You triggered the alarm" Aaron explained to his confused face as he shook his phone in the air between them.
Hanging his head, Daryl stood from where he'd been working, "M' sorry" he offered, "I didn't think about the alarm"
"No harm done" Aaron replied, "You need a hand?" he inclined his head to the wood Daryl had been working on.
Daryl shook his head, "Nah, I got it."
Smiling gently, Aaron approached where Daryl stood and bent to pick up the next piece of lumber. His head inclining for Daryl to pick up the other end.
"So, what are you doing here in the middle of the night anyway?" Aaron questioned as they moved the piece in to place.
"Figured with me spendin' so much time at the hospital that I needed t' get some work done when I could" Daryl explained.
Aaron considered Daryl's words as he watched him pull out nails from his belt pouch to affix the wood into place. It hadn't crossed his mind that Daryl would be worrying about coming to work after everything that had happened with Annie and Beth, he'd just assumed that Daryl would take the usual time off that any of his employees did given the circumstances.
"Daryl, your jobs fine" he started before holding up a hand to signal for Daryl to let him finish, "You're entitled to time off, all of my men are! And besides, you're one of the best workers I have. You need time with Beth and Annie, we'll work something out! I'm not going to fire you just because you need time with your family"
Daryl looked into the man's face and saw the honesty and kindness he'd once seen in Hershel when he was just a boy. He wasn't sure what he'd done to deserve the chances he was being given left, right and centre, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Offering Aaron a curt nod of acceptance, both men continued to work in silence until the last piece of lumber had been nailed into place.
Finally, as the first signs of morning light began to peak on the horizon, Aaron and Daryl finally called it a night and began to return to their trucks.
"This isn't just about work, is it?" Aaron blurted as they neared his SUV.
Daryl looked back at his own truck and imagined the box on his passenger seat that Beth had given to him at the hospital earlier.
"What is it?" Daryl asked as he looked down at the large white office storage box in his hands.
Beth giggled at the expression on his face, "It's Annie's" she explained as she lifted the lid to show him, "I asked Enid to drop by the house to pick it up"
Instead of speaking, Daryl simply stared into the box at the items that Beth was picking up, "This is her baby book, I started it the day she was born, and this" she held up a tiny piece of plastic with a pink sticker, "this was the bracelet she wore when she was born".
Leaning forward he noticed it read 'Baby Greene 6lb1oz' and he couldn't believe how tiny it was. He was sure it would fit on one of his fingers and couldn't imagine Annie being small enough for it to fit around her ankle or wrist.
"Hershel" Beth started interrupting his thoughts, "He was always snapping the camera and stuff. He wanted to keep this for Annie when she got older, but also in case you ever came back. He said it would fill in the gaps"
Beth returned the lid and smiled, "Why don't you take it for a little while?"
"Are ya sure?" he frowned.
"Of course, you are her daddy" Beth confirmed with a smile and shake of her head at his question.
"Daryl?" Aaron pushed when he received no answer.
Pulling back from his thoughts, Daryl shook his head in answer to Aaron's first question, "Merle will be back at ours and I don't wanna face him jus' yet".
"Ah" Aaron replied, "And Beth?"
Daryl smirked, he never thought he'd hear someone say that to him since the day he'd left, "She's stayin' at the hospital with Annie"
Aaron smiled, "I know" he confirmed, "What I meant was, couldn't you stay at Beth's?"
Daryl shook his head, "We're gonna take things slow. We don't wanna confuse or upset Annie any more then we need to".
"That's understandable" Aaron nodded to himself, "How's she taking it so far?"
Daryl chuckled as he recalled his daughter, "She's takin' it better then when she thought I was an angel"
Aaron laughed out loud, Annie had always been a character, ever since the day Beth had brought her home from the hospital.
Looking back at Daryl, a thought occurred to Aaron and he felt himself asking before he realised he was talking, "Why don't you stay with me and Eric for a few days?"
Daryl's eyes widened at the offer, so Aaron rushed to add, "Look, we have the room. It's right next to Beth and Annie and Eric would kill me if I didn't offer!"
"I don't wanna impose on ya or nothin" Daryl replied as he began to pick at the dry skin around his nails.
Aaron leant forward and placed a reassuring hand on Daryl's arm, "You're not, if we didn't want you around, I wouldn't have offered"
Daryl contemplated the words his friend spoke and offered a nod in response, his longer hair flicking around his face as his head bobbed.
"Great!" Aaron exclaimed, accepting Daryl's nod as confirmation, "Why don't you head over and I'll lock this up until the morning crew come in"
…
"Here you go" Eric sang as he placed some bedding and pillows at the foot of the guest bed.
"Thanks" Daryl offered automatically as he looked around the clean, white room.
"He all settled in?" Aaron questioned as he stepped up next to Eric with a smile on his face.
"Uh huh" Eric replied to Aaron before addressing Daryl once again, "You need anything, just holler"
Daryl sank on to the soft mattress as the door clicked shut behind the couple that were being as kind to him as Hershel had ever been. For several moments, his eyes wondered the room taking in the fresh flowers that bloomed in a vase on the chest of drawers and the raised wallpaper that they'd applied to just one wall as a feature, before they came to rest on Annie's box.
Pushing himself up, he walked tiredly to where it sat before lifting the lid. Slowly he began to pull out a copy of her birth certificate and the same bracelet that Beth had shown him at the hospital. There was also a clean nappy that Beth had obviously kept as a momento and Daryl was sure it would fit a doll. Under this was the same hat he recalled Annie wearing in the photo in Beth's purse. Item after item he felt like he was beginning to know his daughter piece by piece.
As the contents began to filter out, his fingers found the cool binding of a case. Pulling it out, he examined the outside before cracking it open, inside sat a shiny disc. Looking around, he spotted a TV to one side and walked over. Popping in the disc, he grabbed the remote and headed to the bed.
At first he wondered if the thing was working, but then the screen turned from black to colour and he froze.
"C'mon Beth" Hershel's voice rang out from the TV, "Turn to the side and show me that bump you're hiding under that big ol' sweater of yours"
Beth chuckled and turned red, "Hershel" she whined as her fingers twisted in said oversized sweater.
The screen wobbled as Hershel placed the camera on some sort of surface before he too came in to view. Daryl watched as Hershel approached Beth, turning her so that they both looked into the camera, "This is Beth, twelve weeks pregnant" he stated like a proud father into the camera before turning to kiss Beth's temple, "I know this is hard for you, honey, but whilst we get to see this happening as it plays out, Daryl won't. Don't you want him to be able to witness everything that we did?"
Daryl watched as a tear slipped down Beth's seventeen year old face before she nodded. His throat tightened at the emotion he felt bubbling under the surface.
"Now, let's try this again" Hershel stated as the camera wobbled where he picked it up again. The picture lingered on Beth who began to smile before lifting her sweatshirt to reveal the slight swell of their child, her hands automatically cradling it as she turned to the side.
The picture flickered to black before coming back on again, "Beth?" Hershel prompted with a smile evident in his voice. This time Beth laughed, her hair falling in waves down her back as her head titled to the sky. Her hands lifted the flowing top she wore revealing a bigger bump than before, "twenty weeks" she chuckled before her face grew serious, "Hershel, quick" she cried, "the baby's kickin"
The camera wobbled as Hershel walked to where Beth stood, her bump now in full view on the screen before Hershel's hand covered the swell to feel the baby kick. Daryl watched in awe as Beth's skin rolled where their child moved beneath it.
The picture changed as if he was watching the filming of an earthquake before it turned to reveal a smiling Hershel and Beth on the screen, each of them smiling widely, "Well, what'd ya know" Hershel told the camera, "Beth's at twenty weeks and that baby is kicking up a storm. He's gonna be a football player for sure" he teased as Beth swatted his arm playfully, "Nah uh" she replied before the screen once again went dark.
"Beth is now thirty two weeks and growing by the day" Hershel stated as he walked across the room to where Beth reclined on a sofa, her feet propped up on a cushion and a look of tiredness covering her face.
"How're you feeling, honey?" Hershel asked.
Beth grimaced and ran her hands across her swollen belly, "Like a whale!" she stated.
"And, what a beautiful whale you are" Hershel chuckled causing Daryl to chuckle himself as the picture once again faded.
"Thirty nine weeks" Beth stated as she stood with a measuring tape around her waist.
"Well, how big?" Hershel asked from behind the camera where he was filming.
Beth blushed a deep shade of red, "Nope!" she replied a cheeky look on her face.
The camera spun until Hershel's face filled the screen, "One week left" he stated with happiness and pride before the screen went black.
Daryl smiled at the screen until the first grunt of pain sounded through the speakers, causing his smile to drop and his heart to lurch.
"C'mon, Beth, you can do this" Hershel encouraged as the camera jolted this way and that.
Tilting his head, Daryl could see that they were in the hospital and that Beth was in labour.
"I can't" Beth wheezed as she clutched her bump in pain, "I need him" she cried, "He should be here…I can't do this alone!"
Daryl felt the first tear fall down his cheek at her words and his heart felt like it was being broken in two at the desperation in her voice.
"You're not alone, baby girl" Hershel soothed, "And, that boy will come back one day. You just see if he doesn't" Hershel turned the camera to face himself and winked as if he knew that Daryl would one day see it.
Daryl focussed on the man's face and the lines that were deeper than the last time Daryl saw him. It was only when a voice in the background confirmed 'it was time' that the screen panned back to Beth, who was breathing deeply, her hair plastered to her forehead and her face scrunched in pain.
"That's it, Beth, keep pushing, you can do this" the doctor encouraged at the same time as Hershel.
Daryl listened to the cries that left Beth's mouth and the scared look in her eyes each time she used whatever energy she had left to bring their daughter into the world before the cries of a baby filled the room.
Hershel must have stepped back, because the next scene Daryl saw had him falling to his knees from his seat on the bed. It was a crying Annie being lifted into Beth's arms and for a moment, Daryl could believe that he was in the very room and was grateful that Hershel had made these memories for him to see.
"It's a girl" the doctor confirmed to a now crying Beth, "What are you going to call her?"
At first Daryl thought Beth looked at the camera, but when she smiled he knew she was looking at Hershel, "Annie" she replied before confirming louder, "Annie Dixon"
"Oh Beth" Hershel cried as he handed the camera off to someone else in the room so he could approach Beth and the baby, "You don't have to do that" he offered as he looked down on the mother and daughter.
Whoever was holding the camera zoomed in on the moment Hershel and Beth shared, "I know I don't" Beth explained, "But, I want to…and I know that if Daryl was here, he would want her to be named after Annette as well"
Daryl watched as Hershel bent and kissed Beth's head before holding out a finger for Annie to grasp. Beth was right in the words she'd spoken to Hershel and felt proud to have his daughter named after someone that meant so much to the person that had saved them both so very long ago.
As Annie began to cry, the picture cut out and Daryl held his breath as the ball in his throat tightened.
"Annie?" Hershel cooed to a sleeping Annie who laid on her front in a bassinet.
"You're gonna wake her up" Beth scolded playfully from somewhere off screen.
"Good" Hershel replied, "I wanna play with my granddaughter"
"She's a week old" Beth laughed.
Hershel spun the camera round to face himself and pulled a face and crossed his eyes playfully, "I'm old, Beth" he stated, "Who know's how many years I have left!"
Daryl knew he was joking, but if only he knew just how correct he was. Closing his eyes tightly, he pushed away the thoughts that tried to interrupt this moment.
"She's wearin' more food then she's eatin" Beth laughed as the picture changed to a child around seven months old in a highchair. Her skin and clothes covered in what Daryl assumed were oats or applesauce, but a gummy smile was on her small face.
"Hershel, quick!" Beth shouted as the screen once again changed, "She's crawlin!" Hershel's footsteps sounded in the background as the picture jumped around, "Is this thing even on?" Beth cried to herself before finally focussing the camera on his daughter who was rocking backwards and forwards on her hands and knees.
He felt himself move forwards where his hands gripped either side of the TV, his eyes focused on the child about to move. His heart beat in his chest as he imagined he was once again there witnessing the event in person.
He watched as her small hand moved, followed by the opposite leg and then another hand, until it repeated and she was moving slowly around the floor.
"Ya did it!" Beth cried as she handed the camera to a smiling Hershel before grabbing her daughter, the both of them smiling widely.
For a moment, the camera remained fixated on the two most important people in Daryl's life and he knew that Hershel was doing all of this for him, so he could savour the moment. He was so transfixed on the sight of his girls that he didn't even notice the screen going dark until their smiles disappeared.
"Happy Birthday, dear Annie" voices sang as the picture again focussed to reveal their daughter wearing a pair of pink dungarees and a party hat decorated with every colour of the rainbow. Daryl watched as her small hands clapped as everyone sang and felt the familiar pull of his lips twitch into a smile.
The familiar faces of Aaron and Eric swam into view as the camera panned out to those in the room. Realising just how much of a role model both men had been in his absence, he felt a surge of gratefulness flow through him and he made a mental note to fix the bike they'd offered to him only days ago so that they could finally take the ride they'd always wanted.
Another date popped up in the corner of the TV signalling it was Christmas day. Leaning back on his heels, Daryl's eyes swarm over the entire screen taking in the twinkle of Christmas lights that decorated every surface before falling onto the huge tree in the corner of the room.
Several presents decorated the base of it and Daryl felt something stir within him as he recalled all of the Christmases himself and Beth had never experienced as children, that was at least until they met Hershel.
Soon, the tree disappeared from view and the camera remained focused on the stairs where a smiling Beth carried down a wriggling Annie in her arms. And, although Daryl knew that Annie was far too young to understand Christmas, he was sure he caught her smiling at it all.
"Merry Christmas, Annie" Hershel boomed from behind the camera in much the same way he had when him and Beth had been kids.
Following Christmas, there were several general clips. One showed Annie's first haircut, whilst another showed just a general day at home as she played with her toys whilst sitting in her high chair.
"Say, Hi Daddy!" Beth cooed to Annie as she tried to encourage their daughter to wave to where Hershel stood with the camera.
The room seemed to still as Daryl focused on his daughter and whether she would indeed wave. It seemed like an eternity passed before she lifted her small hand and waved, mimicking Beth. A loud chorus of cheers went up, both from Hershel who held the camera and Beth who stood next to Annie smiling widely.
Blackness covered the screen before he had a chance to move towards it only to be replaced once again by twinkling lights. But this time instead of Hershel being behind the camera, he was in front of it.
Daryl noted that he seemed thinner and older than the clips before and assumed this was after his diagnosis. He watched as the camera focussed on Hershel and Beth, who had no idea they were being filmed, as Hershel pulled out an envelope and handed it to Beth.
He watched as confusion spread across her face before the screen zoomed in to capture the tears in her eyes.
"I remember that night" came a voice from behind him, causing Daryl to turn quickly.
"Sorry" Eric offered as he held his hands up slightly in apology, "I didn't mean to interrupt, I just wanted to see if you'd be joining us for dinner?"
Daryl stood from where he'd been kneeling and felt his knees creak, making him aware of just how long he'd been watching the video for. Looking to the window, he could also see the slight hints of the sun settling lower in the sky.
"So, dinner?" Eric prompted.
Daryl looked up as if being caught stealing cookies from the jar and felt the tips of his ears turning hot that he'd forgotten to answer someone that was so willing to allow him into their home.
"If it ain't no trouble" he replied huskily.
Eric seemed to slump in relief as a smile filled his face, "It's no trouble" he confirmed before moving towards the door.
"Wait!" Daryl rushed before Eric could fully leave, "Y' said ya remember that night" he thumbed in the direction of the paused screen.
Eric nodded and stepped back fully into the room and urged Daryl to press play, "It was me filming" he confirmed, "It was just before Beth's birthday and Hershel had been released from hospital just a few days before"
Gesturing to sit on bed, Eric waited for Daryl to offer a nod before he took a seat.
"Hershel had been sick for several months and when he got taken into hospital they told him he didn't have long" Daryl released a breath at Eric's words, "He told Beth he didn't want to be in there when it happened, so she had him released. Her and Enid cared for him right up until…" Eric trailed off.
"We all decided that it would be nice to have one last thing, you know, something that they would both remember. That was the night Enid was on about at the hospital"
Daryl frowned, "What'd ya mean?"
"Prom night!" Eric chuckled, "We strung up twinkle lights and flowers and it reminded them of your prom night. After wanting to know more, Hershel told us all about that night and what he did for you at the barn"
Daryl smiled recalling the night they'd experienced compared to that of their peers. It was a night he'd never forget, not just because it was the night himself and Beth gave a piece of them to each other, but because of everything Hershel had done to allow them to feel comfortable enough to experience a prom night the way they wanted.
"It was also the night that Hershel presented Beth with the papers to properly adopt her as his daughter"
Daryl's head snapped back to the screen before flitting in Eric's direction, "The white envelope he gave her when they danced" Eric confirmed as he gestured towards the screen.
"He loved you, you know" Eric offered, "I know it doesn't mean much to you now, but he did".
Daryl let out a "pfft" at the same time he stood from the bed and stepped towards the window, keeping his back to Eric so he wouldn't see the tears in his eyes.
"It's true!" Eric stated firmly as he too rose and stepped in Daryl's direction, "Ask Enid. When she started helping out as his carer, Hershel would tell her all about you and Beth. Hell, she began to live for the next instalment of the Beth and Daryl show whenever she had work."
Daryl turned to face Eric and knew what he was saying was true, "This isn't about Hershel though, is it?" Eric quizzed.
"What's that supposed t' mean?" Daryl shot back defensively as he shifted from foot to foot, his shoulders squaring automatically.
"You still don't think your good enough, do you?" Eric replied folding his arms across his chest showing he would not be intimidated no matter how much he already felt it.
Daryl moved forward, "The hell y' talkin' bout?"
"Hershel" Eric stated simply, "He loved you like a son and you think because you took off that you weren't good enough for him to continue loving you"
Daryl shook his head, but didn't speak, allowing Eric to continue, "And, now with Annie, it's the same thing! You don't think you're good enough to be her father, do you?"
Hitting the nail on the head, Daryl's shoulders dropped as if the air had been knocked out of him. Feeling Eric's hand touch his shoulder had Daryl jumping slightly.
"You're a good man, Daryl" Eric smiled, "Hershel loved you no matter what, and Annie! That girl's going to love you so bad that you'll miss her so much when she's grown and gone, Daryl Dixon!"
Daryl smiled at the man's words, "She ain't even five yet" he replied.
Eric rolled his eyes in exaggeration, "That may be, but before you both know it she's going to be eighteen and heading off to college. All those boys, all those parties, the world waiting for her and do you know what she'll need?"
Daryl shook his head, "She'll need her daddy and not just any daddy, but you Daryl, she'll need you! She'll need you when that first boyfriend breaks her heart, or when her car breaks down and she doesn't know how to fix it. You'll be the one she will come to when she wants to feel safe, when she wants to feel secure, and you will be the one there waiting for her when she does, because I have seen you look at that child the same way I've seen you look at Beth."
"Oh yeah, an' how's that?" Daryl snorted.
Eric smiled and shook his head at Daryl's obvious call out, "You look at your girls like they are the sun rising in the morning and the very air that you breath. You can fool yourself all you like that you aren't good enough, but we all know that you are!"
Daryl just stood staring at the man and his observations.
"You found your love and your happiness, Daryl" Eric added when Daryl made no move to speak, "Don't push them away. Hershel believed in you, he saw the man you were going to be before you even knew it yourself"
Moving to the door, Eric hesitated, "You're a good man, Daryl" he whispered only loud enough that Daryl just about caught the words before the door closed with a click.
Looking back to the screen he realised it had long turned black. Walking over, he removed the disc and placed it back in its case before returning it to the box of Annie's things Beth had given him.
About to place the lid back on, he stopped when his eyes fell upon an old photo. Reaching in, he pulled it out slowly and found himself looking into the eyes of the boy he once was. He noticed that himself and Beth couldn't have been more than seven or eight, so it was likely one of the first photos that Hershel would have taken of them.
Turning it over, he caught the familiar writing of the man that had practically raised him "Hershel, Daryl & Beth – The Greene Family – September 2005"
It was then that Daryl realised that every word Eric had spoken was true, he was afraid! He was afraid of screwing up again, he was afraid of losing his family and he was afraid that he could never apologise or make amends to Hershel for not being there at the end. It was just something he would always have to live with, but it was also something that made him more determined to be the man that Hershel wanted him to be.
Tucking the photo into the pocket of his flannel shirt, he quickly reapplied the lid of the box before rushing from the room.
Aaron greeted him as he sped through the kitchen "Where's the fire?" he joked at the same time Eric turned the corner, a dish towel in hand.
Seeing Eric, Daryl nodded in his direction, "I'm gonna leave dinner, if that's okay?"
Eric tried to stop the smile that fought to become free, "How come?" he asked innocently, already knowing the answer.
Daryl smirked knowing exactly what the man was getting at, whilst Aaron simply looked between them as if he knew he was being left out of something.
"Cos, I'm gonna get my girls!" Daryl stated.
Within seconds, Aaron's arms came around him, "Yeah, you are!" he cried slapping him on the back in a manly hug as Eric stepped up beside them.
"They've been waiting a long time for you, Daryl" he explained, receiving a nod in response.
…
Daryl wasn't sure how many stop signs he didn't stop at or how he'd even made the journey to the hospital, all he knew was that he had to get there.
Jogging up the stairs and through the halls, he recalled each clip from the disc showing Beth pregnant and his daughter being born as if he'd been there in person and was only just now remembering the memories of it all.
He passed nurses, doctors and people visiting their loved ones, but his sole focus was on the room at the end of the hall that housed the two most important people in his life.
"Daryl?" Beth rushed as she quickly stood from her chair as he burst through the doors.
The sun shone through the window as the last of the light sank below the horizon, the beams catching her skin and hair as if illuminating her like an angel. His heart beat quickly in his chest, but instead of answering her, he simply strode across the room to where she stood looking at him uncertainly.
His hands found her cheeks at the same time his lips met hers and for once he finally felt complete. He felt her hands gripping the t-shirt at his back as they fisted in the material, pulling him closer as if she thought he'd disappear.
Pulling back, he noticed her eyes glazed as if waking from a dream. Her lips swollen and her cheeks pink, she smiled lovingly at him.
"Daddy?" Annie questioned in her small voice from behind them, causing them both to turn in her direction.
"Hey, lil' asskicker" he smiled as he approached her bed and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"Why'd y' call me that?" she giggled as his whiskers tickled her soft skin.
His brows furrowed, "What? Asskicker?" her head bobbed in confirmation, "Well, for starters your real little at the moment and second, you were real sick but you kicked it's ass!"
Annie's eyes went wide and she looked around him to where Beth stood with her hand at her lips trying to stifle a chuckle, "Momma" Annie whispered loudly, "Daddy said a bad word".
Beth chuckled, "He did, huh?"
Annie nodded quickly before looking at Daryl. He looked towards Beth and then to back to Annie to see if he'd get in trouble. His daughter simply shrugged in his direction and looked back at her momma.
Beth looped her arm around Daryl's back and felt him relax into her, "I think we can let him off jus' this once. What'd y' think, Annie?"
Annie looked towards her father and placed a small finger on her chin as if deep in thought, "I don't know, momma" she started before laughing at Daryl's horrified face, "But, I think I'm gonna like havin' a daddy!"
Daryl mused up her hair at the prank she tried to pull and soon they were all laughing at her antics.
"She doin' okay?" Daryl questioned on a whisper a few hours later after Annie had fallen asleep.
Beth smiled and smoothed Annie's hair before walking around the bed and enveloping herself in Daryl's arms.
"Doctor says she can come home by the end of the week" she replied happily before pulling back to look into Daryl's eyes, "I was wonderin' about somethin" she started.
Daryl frowned and nodded for her to continue. Beth took a deep breath, "I was wonderin' if maybe ya wanted to….if ya don't I understand…but, well…if ya wanted…"
"Beth!" Daryl stated trying to get her to make sense.
"Annie and I, we talked earlier and we…we'd like ya to move in with us" Daryl looked to where his daughter slept in the large hospital bed, "We want us t' be a family" Beth finished.
Careful not to wake their sleeping daughter, Daryl bent at the knee before grabbing Beth and lifting her to spin her around with happiness.
"Is that a yes?" Beth gushed breathlessly when he placed her back down on her feet.
Daryl smiled, leant forward and placed a kiss on her lips, "It's a yes!"