Daryl had hoped, as the days they were in Senoia passed, things would get less awkward. Not for his sake, but for Beth's. She was desperate for her family's approval. Beth was worried that the more they learned about him, the more they hated him. But, was she wrong? The introverted entrepreneur façade she had concocted from him had completely crumbled the moment they met him. He was just himself, which maybe they could have worked with. But, Beth couldn't see she was hurting her own cause. She was constantly on edge, spitting back at comments Shawn would make. She made things ten times worse whenever she tried to "defend" Daryl.

Beth was also exhausting herself by analyzing each and every word her mom said. Annette would make a comment about something Daryl fixed and Beth would spend hours questioning whether or not the woman was truly pleased. Daryl couldn't see how someone could be mad about a sink no longer leaking. Yet, Beth wondered if it could have been done better. He wasn't entirely sure how to help her, but Daryl didn't think that asking her to calm down would help.

He also had no news about the Blake. Merle was supposed to keep him updating, but all he knew was that Rick had taken an interest in Beth and Daryl's sudden disappearance. Rick was bound to follow a trail that would lead him somewhere. But Daryl's guess on where was as good as nothing. He wished he had more to say to Beth. Although, he hardly got to great her most days.

Her mom and sister had her to themselves almost every hour of every day. They drank tea in the living room and watched movies they'd already seen. They baked, a lot, and made dinner every night. Sometimes Maggie kept Beth up all night, gossiping, and Daryl would spy the blonde slipping into her room at four in the morning. He was happy she could find some form normalcy with some of her family.

When he wasn't around.

Annette and Maggie tried their best when they were with the two of them. They asked questions and replied as enthusiastically as they could to him being a mechanic that lived in the woods. Shawn avoided being in the same room as him unless they were eating. The kid had a serious chip on his shoulder and Daryl would rather try to make progress with Annette and Maggie than Shawn. They did, however, hit a bit roadblock with her mom and sister then they tried to drag Beth and Daryl into town again.

Beth was adamant she was not going. Daryl figured it was because she was afraid she would the friends she left behind and have to answer a never-ending list of questions. Although in a small town the news had probably already gotten around. The phone rang up to five times a day at the house. Sometimes Annette or Maggie answered, and sometimes they just let it ring. Daryl was sure it was nosy neighbours looking for confirmation.

"Please! Christmas is like a day away!" Maggie begged. "Have you even gotten anything?"

"No." Beth crossed her arms. "And I'm not asking for anything either."

"You basically just said, bah humbug, come on!"

"No," Beth repeated. "I can stay here with Daryl while you guys go."

Maggie and Annette shot nervous looks at each other.

"Oh, for the love of God." Beth rolled her eyes. "I promise we won't have sex in the house while you're gone, okay?"

Daryl choked on the water he was drinking. She really was pushing it.

"Beth," Annette warned. "Be a lady."

"Okay, okay." Beth huffed. The two women headed out soon after, leaving Beth and Daryl alone for the first time in what felt like a very long time.

"Where's Shawn?" Daryl asked.

"Probably playing video games at one of his friend's houses. I don't care." Beth replied.

"So, what do you want to do while they're gone?"

"Well, the barn isn't the house." She turned to him with a twinkle in her.

"Beth." Daryl mimicked her mom's voice. "Be a lady."

"Ugh, you're no fun," Beth whined. "I guess we can just hang out in the living room."

Daryl had gone into the living room once or twice since they arrived but he wasn't entirely sure when it turned into Santa's Work Shop. There were wreaths and garlands on the hearth and a big, half decorated tree was off in the corner. Beth groaned as she eyed the shoebox on the coffee table and picked it up.

"What's that?" Daryl asked.

"My decorations." Beth shook the box a little and the contents shifted. "We made a whole bunch in school over the years. They're God awful and tacky but kind of a tradition we put them on the tree."

"Want help?"

Beth laughed. "As if Daryl Dixon has an eye for decorating."

"You're really bold for someone who clearly decorated that stocking." Daryl pointed to bright pink stocking hanging from the mantle. The stocking was covered in weird-shaped felting and Beth's was scribbled on it in glitter glue.

"Excuse me, I was two…" Beth trailed off as her eye fell to an empty spot on the mantle.

They had not hung Herschel's stocking.

"Why don't we both prove each other wrong." Daryl stepped in front of her, blocking the view of the mantle, and grabbed the shoe box. He opened the box, and, to his surprise, on top of everything was a black stocking and single tube of silver glitter glue. "What the fuck?"

Beth practically snorted. "Oh, no."

. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"What do you think, Einstein?" Beth laughed. "Decorate it."

"Absolutely not." While there was no stocking for Herschel, there wasn't one for Daryl either. Which he didn't mind. He couldn't recall ever having one.

"Fine, I'll do it."

Beth snatched stocking and pen and sat down on the floor next to the coffee table. For about an hour he watched her from the couch. He had no idea what she was going, but she was really going in. He caught her laughing to herself a few times. As she worked, her cardigan slipped down off her shoulders. Which wouldn't have been a problem if she was wearing a long sleeve shirt. Instead, she had on a tank top, and he could see her scar as clear as day.

Dammit. Daryl thought. That scar was a constant reminder of how much danger he put her in. They'd both become accustomed to her just wearing long sleeves and sweaters everywhere she went. She'd kept the scar hidden from everyone in town and now she was hiding it from her family. Daryl tried furiously to put his mind to something else. He gave the room a once over. How had he not noticed?

"Hey," Daryl muttered.

Beth looked up. "I'm almost done!"

"Okay," Daryl replied. "I was just wondering if you knew how to play that thing."

Daryl jerked his chin to the piano near the door.

"Yeah." Beth grinned. "Did you want to…hear something?"

"Why not."

Beth pulled her cardigan back onto her shoulder and scurried over to the piano. "I don't know what sheet music we have right now? Are you okay with Christmas music?"

"Don't matter."

"Okay!" Beth replied as she turned her back to him as she sat down. "I'm a little rusty so don't judge."

Beth press on one key lightly, just to test it out. But, soon enough, she filled the whole living room with a song Daryl couldn't quite place. In all honesty, it didn't sound like a Christmas song. In fact, it sounded a little sad. Did they not have Jingle Bells? What the hell was she playing?

As Beth finished the last few notes she began to sing along. "I'll be home for…Christmas…if only…in my dreams."

She turned around to Daryl to see if he liked it. He got up and walked over to the piano. Beth shuffled over so he could sit beside her. "What else you got?"

"Well." Beth's grin got even bigger. "I got Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas…River…"

"…Why are all these songs so depressing?" Daryl asked.

"Because they sound better on the piano." Beth retorted.

Daryl rolled his eyes as she set up another sheet. As she played, Daryl couldn't help notice how happy she was playing. He also couldn't but think about how much he missed having her to himself. "Do you want one?"

"What?" Beth continued to play as she looked at him curiously.

"A piano, for the cabin?" Daryl asked. "Maybe just a little electric one for the time being." Pianos were expensive.

"Really?" Beth stopped playing and her eyes glimmered in excitement.

Daryl nodded as Beth threw her arms around him.

"Thank you, Daryl!" Beth kissed him quickly as she pulled away.

Daryl stopped her from pulling all the way back as he cupped her face and returned the kiss. Her cardigan fell back down her shoulders as she moved her body close to him. How long had it been since he even kissed her? A week? Two?

Maybe the barn wasn't such a bad idea…

HONK! HONK!

"Parties over," Daryl mumbled. "I'll go see if they need help with anything."

As Daryl got up, he absentmindedly hauled her cardigan back up where it belonged one more time. The piano had been an excellent distraction. The scar was out of sight and out of mind. For the time being.

…

Just like that, their alone time was over. How gracious of them to give them a few warning honks. As if she'd ever try anything ever again so long as she was in the house. Her mom had given her a really awkward, long talk about respecting the house rules. Then tried to ask her about birth control. Beth had absolutely mortified and promised her mom she would be on her best behaviour if she just stopped talking about it. All while Maggie cackled in the corner.

For weeks, she was on her best behaviour. She had hardly gotten a moment alone will Daryl, that's how good she was being. But, she missed his touch and missed sleeping in the same bed as him. Some night she considered sneaking into his room. But, Beth was convinced Shawn stayed up to the crack of dawn to make sure she stayed put. It was so frustrating. She'd done what she wanted for months on end and slowly any freedom she felt she had was disappearing under the crushing weight of her childhood home.

As Daryl left the room, Beth sighed and closed the piano. She let her mind drift to a happier place with an electric piano. She wondered what she could play for Daryl. She'd have to think of happier melodies that still sounded good. Maybe she could write a song. She had it in her mind that, on her days off, she could sit with a cup of coffee and scribble her own sheet music. Maybe, when Lori's finally reopened, she could set up there.

Beth couldn't help but smile at all her ideas. Honestly, she was little taken aback by his offer. Moreover, she was surprised he was being so affectionate. But the piano was a sign of something in her mind. Maybe he couldn't put it into words, but maybe…that was his way of…

"…Beth? Did you not hear me?"

Beth practically jumped out of her seat. Shawn was standing in the doorway. "No? What do you want?"

"I asked if you were going to play anymore?"

"No" Beth replied. Had he been home?

"Good." Shawn shot back. "It's out of tune anyway."

"Well, excuse me." Beth rolled her eyes.

"It's fine." Shawn went on. "Maybe Mr. Fix It can do something about it."

"MaYbE Mr. FiX It CaN dO SoMeThInG aBoUt It." Beth mocked him.

"Real mature." Shawn set his gaze on the coffee table. "What's that?"

"It's Daryl's," Beth answered. "I decorated it."

Without another word, Shawn made a quick exit. She wondered what had him so worked up. Then again, he was always worked up when it came to Daryl and had been his natural state for the last few weeks. But, she definitely didn't see what was coming next.