I do not own any of the TWD characters.

No MSG Please

"Anybody seen Daryl?" Negan kept asking. He checked all the offices, every wing, each floor of the firm looking for his favorite guy. It was already midafternoon and Negan had missed Daryl first thing that morning. The two guys always had their coffee and breakfast sandwiches together as they discussed all of the really important things in life. Things like where they were going to take their wives over the weekend, or what they were going to try and surprise them with for Christmas, or what they hoped would be served for dinner that evening. You know, the really important things in life.

"Hey" Negan asked Kelly, "Ya seen Daryl today?"

Kelly stopped his rapid journey down the hallway and returned Negan's stare for a few seconds. "Who?" he finally asked.

"Who?" Negan repeated. "Daryl, dipshit. Have ya seen or heard from him today? It's past two o'clock – got shit I need to talk to him about."

"Ohhh, Daryl" Kelly acted like he finally knew who Negan was talking about. "No, I haven't seen him."

Negan turned around, mumbling and cussing Kelly under his breathe. Who he said mocking Kelly's persnickety voice. I'll make him think who when I shove this boot up his ass. Since Negan was too busy grumbling he didn't notice that he nearly ran a petite red head over.

"Excuse me Mr. Negan" the little lady politely said as she tried to slink away from the head guy without garnering too much attention.

"Yeh, sorry" Negan replied. "Hey" he snapped his fingers causing the lady to nearly jump out of her skin, "Ya hadn't seen Daryl Dixon around here today have ya?"

"Mr. Dixon" the lady said thoughtfully. "No Sir, I haven't seen him, but I did take a phone call from a doctor's office a little bit earlier." Negan looked a little confused and was about to ask the woman smiling at him what the hell that had to do with Daryl.

"Oh" she went on to explain. "I work in the benefits department – they were calling to verify employment, insurance coverage, that type thing. You know"

Negan held his hand up to stop her rambling. "What kind of doctor?"

"What kind of doctor Sir?" she asked.

"Yes" Negan was growing impatient. "What kind of doctor?"

"Oh, I'm not real sure Mr. Negan, but I do remember that it was someone from the Prentice Women's Hospital" she happily reported.

Negan was very familiar with that facility, very familiar indeed. He thanked the lady for her information and made his way back to Daryl's office. Almost immediately upon entering Daryl's outer office Kelly was up out of his chair.

"Negan" Kelly started. "I already told you I haven't seen Daryl today." Negan couldn't help but think that Kelly seemed a little off, nervous even. Why, Negan saw the beginnings of sweat forming on Kelly's brow. "He's not in his office, so you may as well turn around and go back where you came from."

"So you've said" Negan answered. "About what time will he and Beth be finished at the doctor's office?"

Kelly looked as if he'd been slapped. "Well, I'm sure I don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Bullshit" Negan growled. "You know damn good and well where they are – how much longer do you think they'll be?"

"He's not coming in today at all" Kelly finally admitted.

"Thank you Kelly" Negan laughed. "Now was it all that difficult to share that information with me?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Daryl and Beth were giggling and struggling with packages as they exited the elevator.

"Are we done shoppin Girl?" Daryl teased. "At least with Christmas gifts" he wiggled his eyebrows at her. They'd been downtown after Beth's morning appointment for lunch and some more shopping. Beth had just a few more items on her Christmas list and somehow or another, they were easily lured into a baby shop. That's where they'd spent most of the afternoon and their money.

Beth was still beaming. "I think so" she answered. "Ya think Morgan will like the bourbon?"

"Yeh, that's a pretty safe option" Daryl replied. "So, he's really flying up from Miami to spend Christmas with your mom huh?"

"He's already there" Beth whispered as if there were someone around to hear them talking about her mother's love life.

"Movin kinda fast ain't they?" Daryl asked no one in particular.

Beth didn't justify that question with an answer, only a blank stare.

"What?" Daryl questioned.

"Is there such a thing as kinda fast?" Beth asked Daryl.

"Uh, well, yeh" Daryl offered. "I mean, she just lost your Daddy in October."

Another blank stare from Beth shut him up, on that topic anyway. "Where we gonna put this baby stuff?" he asked his wife as he fumbled with his keys to the front door. Beth pulled another fruit gem out of her candy bag, smiling when she realized it was a grapefruit one – her favorite.

Daryl didn't have to fumble for long because as they stood there trying to get into their own apartment and loaded down with packages, the front door flew open. Both of their mouths dropped in astonishment as they tried to desperately hang on to all of the packages, tubes of wrapping paper, and the few grocery bags.

"Well, looky here" Negan teased. "Where ya'll been all day?" Negan looked both of them up and down. He wanted them to tell him so badly. Please, please tell me he thought to himself.

Daryl tried to come up with something reasonable to explain where'd they'd been all day and Beth simply shifted her weight from foot to foot and started in on another sugared fruit gem.

"Uh, we had to finish up the Christmas shoppin so Beth can get everything wrapped" Daryl offered as his explanation. "Ya know, we're flyin down Christmas Eve mornin – just gonna spend a couple nights."

"Really?" Negan smiled back at Beth. "Lucy and I are flyin down too ya know."

"Oh yeh" Beth finally found her voice after swallowing the sugared disc she'd been savoring.

"Yeh" Negan chorused. "Annette called us last night, said she couldn't bare the thought of not having all the family together for Christmas."

"Mmmmm" was all Daryl could muster at that comment. "You think you need all that sugar?" Negan directed the question to the only one of them scarfing down candy.

"Mmmmmm" Beth shrugged her shoulders and simply mumbling.

"Need some help with all those packages" Negan finally asked. The three of them, and Sam were still standing in the foyer.

"No" Beth piped up quickly. "I've got them. Thank you though." She made herself scarce.

"There a reason you're waitin on me in my own damn house" Daryl asked Negan. Negan followed Daryl into the guest room where Daryl quickly tossed several bags into the closet.

"What was that?" Negan asked, pointing to the bags as they sailed into their resting place.

"What was what?" Daryl echoed.

"Those packages" Negan pointed again.

"Christmas gifts" Daryl responded and ushered Negan out of the guest room.

About that time Beth joined the men. "Neg, I'd offer a supper invitation but Daryl and I had a late lunch. I hadn't really planned on cookin tonight."

"That's alright Darling" Negan pulled her in for a hug and kissed her forehead. "I's just leaving. Unless, of course, ya'll got something ya need to tell me."

Daryl and Beth looked between each other and then back at Negan.

"No, not really" Beth said.

"Nope" Daryl confirmed. "I'll see ya at work in the mornin." Daryl began walking Negan to the door. Negan was all but dragging his feet. He couldn't believe they were keeping this a secret from him. The man was going to fucking explode – he just knew it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next week seemed to drag by. Daryl went in to work every day. Not only was he still trying to play catch up from slacking so much around Thanksgiving but Negan wanted him to close out some of Glen's projects – he trusted no one else to do Negan had told Daryl. Beth spent her days reading baby books, surfing the internet and trying to stay warm. She'd already gotten everything wrapped that they were taking home with them and decorated the small tree Daryl brought home for her. Noah had gone home to Virginia for the holiday for the first time since he'd started school at Northwestern. That meant Beth was on near constant Sam duty in Noah's absence. Beth didn't mind, not one bit but, it took her nearly all day to thaw out from a single outing with the beast. Beth didn't ever remember experiencing cold weather like Chicago cold weather. By the time she finally warmed up from their morning outing, it was time for an afternoon walk. Lord help, she sure missed Noah.

Daryl had offered to fly Noah back home to Virginia for the Christmas holiday as he had every year the boy had been with him, but this was the first time Noah had accepted the offer. Beth had been very persuasive in Noah's decision.

"Noah" Beth had talked quietly to Noah one day over a lunch of homemade vegetable soup and cornbread "You really should fly home and see your family. I'm sure they miss you like crazy."

"I know they do Beth cause I miss them like crazy" Noah reasoned. "But, that's just too much to accept from Mr. Dixon. I know it's not cheap to reserve a plane and pay a pilot. No telling what the fuel cost. I can't take advantage like that."

"Noah, now you stop that right this instant" Beth told him. "Daryl wouldn't offer if he didn't truly want to do it. You do so much for us. Please go home and visit your grandmamma and granddaddy."

That's how Beth had pulled it off – with a smile, a warm meal, and a reasonable argument. Daryl had to admit, he didn't think it could be done. After all he'd tried the previous two years with no success, but then again, his little lady never quit surprising him.

That's how Beth found herself outside, with Sam, waiting for him to "do his business". The wind blowing in off Lake Michigan was beyond frigid and her lips had already turned blue. She prayed her teeth wouldn't start chattering as she pulled her coat around the tiny pooch in her belly area a little tighter. If Beth's teeth started chattering and knocking together it would be all over. There'd be no way she could stay outside with Sam one second longer.

"Sam" Beth pleaded. "Come on Boy, please, please, please hurry. It's so cold out here. I just can't take it."

Seeming to understand the seriousness of the situation, Sam hiked his leg on a bush that had seen better days and finally did the deed.

"Thank you Sam. Thank you" Beth sighed. Her eyes watered from the cold and she thought that her eyelashes may have possibly frozen to her face and eyelids. "Now come on" Beth gently tugged on his leash.

Once they were back inside, Beth put fresh water out for Sam and gave him a midday snack of cheese cubes. "You really are a lot of work, ya know that?" she asked the gentle giant as he scooped up the final orange square Beth had accidently dropped. Beth figured this would be an excellent time for a cup of hot chocolate for herself. After that, it was nap time for the both of them.

Daryl found the both of them sprawled across his bed when he came in from work. He'd stayed a little later than usual since it was the last day he was working for a while. Beth was bundled up in what appeared to be all the blankets that she and Daryl owned. Sam had edged his way underneath the covers as well. The only thing visible of Beth was her little button nose.

Daryl loosened his tie, removed his jacket, then bent over to kiss her on said button nose. It was cold – very cold. He ran his hand over her forehead to find that she was a bit warm, but hell, he'd be warm too if he were under all those covers.

"Beth" he said softly. No response unless you considered an unlady like snort a response. Daryl smirked. "Beth" he said again.

"Yeh" she finally answered in a raspy voice.

"Ya alright Baby?" Daryl laughed. "Hell, it's eight o'clock. How long ya been asleep?"

Beth sat up and looked around the room. She was obviously disoriented. "Uhm, I don't know. Sam and I laid down around four o'clock I guess. I'm so sorry – I forgot to put something on for supper."

Daryl was removing more of his work clothing, hanging up what he could and placing the rest in a pile to be taken to the cleaners. "Honey, that ain't no big deal. I's just wonderin how long ya been out of it. We'll do take out. Ya wan't Chinese or something else?"

That got her attention. Beth sat up in bed. "Chinese" she said excitedly. "I want some of those dumplings."

Daryl laughed, "Dumplings it is."

"No supper cooked, but I did get us all packed though" she smiled.

"Thank ya Baby" Daryl grinned back at her. He sat on the edge of the bed in his boxer briefs and dress socks, phone in hand looking over one of the many take out menus they kept handy just for times like this. "What else ya want?"

"Anything" she made her way to the bathroom. Sam was just starting to stir, rooting around, and making grumbling doggie noises. "Everything! I'm starvin! No MSG please."

"Gotcha" Daryl smirked as if he didn't already worry about MSG with Beth and anything else that could set her crazy allergies off. He'd become obsessed with reading food labels, especially since their first baby appointment.

Sam grunted again and was pushing Daryl with two of his huge paws, trying to edge Daryl off the bed. "Dude" Daryl laughed "Ya in my fuckin bed sleepin with my woman."

Another noise from Sam, similar to a snort caused Daryl to just burst out in laughter. Daryl dialed the number of the nearest Chinese place that would deliver. They'd become regulars it seemed because as soon as Daryl began talking, the employee knew exactly what they wanted.

Beth came out of the restroom just as Daryl finished the phone call. "Hey, I'm gonna take Sam out for a walk, food'll be here 'fore we get back so I'll put the money on the table in the hallway." Daryl walked across the room, quickly put some jeans and a sweater on before kissing Beth properly. "Let's go Sammie" Daryl said and slapped Sam gently on his big rear. The dog hopped up, stopping by to get a rub from Beth.

"Don't be long" Beth hollered after Daryl. "Love you!"

"Love you too Baby" Daryl yelled. "Be right back."