I do not own any of the TWD characters. Please note – I realize the timing of the Aquaman movie doesn't quit mesh up with late May/early June, but let's just go with it.

Oh My

Beth's mood had dramatically improved. Negan couldn't be sure if it was Annette's arrival last night, or that Daryl had been giving it to Beth pretty good here lately. He figured it was a combination of the two. Lucille told Negan it was none of his business, just to be happy that Beth wasn't so irritable and crying all the time.

And Good Lord, Negan was thrilled that there weren't tears. And huffing, and puffing, and bitching, and complaining around the clock. His princess seemed to be her sweet self again. Beth was up early every morning, usually insisting on cooking breakfast.

"Beth, let me take care of the eggs honey" Annette pleaded. "Go sit down, I'll bring you some juice."

Daryl, Negan, and Lucille all held their breath waiting to see if Beth would snap at her mother. Goodness knows she'd been snapping at them the past month.

"Oh no, Momma, I'm good" Beth replied in a sing song voice. "You sit down and I'll bring you some juice. Ya want apple or orange?"

Lucille looked at Daryl with a raised eyebrow causing him to reply with only that half smirk of his. They all turned when they heard a tapping at the sunroom door.

"Come on in Dwight!" Beth hollered.

"Morning everybody" Dwight said but ducked his head at the same time.

Dwight had taken up residence in the pool house. That's where he'd be for a good while to come. Negan had told him to plan on staying there even after the baby had come, at least for a little while. His primary job assignment at the moment was Beth – and any errands that Beth needed done. With Daryl at work during the day in the city and Beth all the way out at Negan and Lucille's they needed someone who could get Beth to the hospital quickly if need be. Dwight was their man. Beth had felt comfortable with him the minute she'd met him and Lucille had grown to love the young man just as much.

"Sit down Dwight" Beth ordered and Dwight did as he was told. Beth sat a glass of apple juice in front of him "I made cheese grits." Dwight tried not to smile too big, but he did smile.

Beth turned from the stove with the announcement that breakfast was ready. She had two plates in her hand, one for Daryl and one for Negan. Everyone else took that as their signal to get up and fix their own plates.

"Dwight, hon, it's good to see ya again" Annette began talking to the quiet man. "I hear you've been taking good care of our momma to be."

Again, he ducked his head, this time in acknowledgment. "Yes Mam I have."

"Well, that's just awfully sweet of you" Annette praised him and patted his cheek.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few days later, Morgan had flown in to join Annette out at the Negan's. Six grown adults in the house. It was loud and busy, probably nothing though compared to what it would be like once that baby got here. Negan wasn't complaining. They had plenty of room in that big old house, but Negan didn't ever remember having this many people in his home. He kind of liked it. It had always only been he and Lucille. Negan suddenly realized how lonely they must have been. It makes him a little sad. Negan glances through the sunroom doors all the way to the family room. He sees Beth stretched out on the couch watching the evening news, Daryl's rubbing her feet and they're enjoying some quiet time – just the two of them. Annette's in charge of dinner tonight, Lucille at her side for the company and conversation. Negan and Morgan sit in comfortable silence out by the pool enjoying a drink.

"Where's Dwight this evening?" Morgan asked.

"Think he had a hot date" Negan laughed. "I know I give the guy shit, but he's really come through for us. Taking real good care of Lucille and Beth when we can't be here. He's startin to grow on me."

"Hmmm" Morgan didn't really know what else to say.

"Ever think you'd be a grandfather?" Morgan asked Negan after a few more minutes of silence.

"Not in a million years" Negan smiled across at Morgan. "You?"

Morgan's smile slowly began to match the size of Negans. "Nope" he answered.

The two "grandfathers" clinked tumblers.

"To the two fuckin best grandfathers ever!" Negan snorted.

"Yep" Morgan agreed. Both men then returned to silence and sipping their bourbon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

They're all back at the breakfast table. Beth is trying her best to remain the happy go lucky girl she'd been for the past week, but she just ain't feeling it. She'd even allowed Annette to do breakfast this morning.

"Ms. Beth" Dwight spoke after he swallowed his last bite of bacon, "what time's your appointment today?"

Beth was pushing eggs around her plate. "Ten" she answered but didn't even bother to look up.

"Dwight, if ya got something to do today feel free to take care of it" Daryl started. "I'm not going in to work until after her appointment. If you could just be close to the office early afternoon, then you can bring her on home."

"Unless they keep me" Beth offered with hope in her voice. "Maybe they'll keep me and induce." She looked hopeful. Everyone around the table hoped so as well.

"They just might Baby" Daryl rubbed the top of her hand. "Got a bag just in case?"

Beth nodded with an eager smile.

"Now, don't get your hopes up too much" Daryl cautioned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So you're not keepin me?" Beth asked in shock.

"No. I think we can wait a little bit longer" the doctor responded kindly. Beth's face fell a bit. The doctor put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're anxious, but it won't be much longer."

Daryl was afraid this was going to happen. He'd told Beth not to get her hopes up. Now, he was going to have to take her back to the office, put her in the truck with Dwight and send her home to try and relax. They walked slowly, well he walked and Beth waddled back out to Daryl's car.

"Wanna go get some lunch?" Daryl asked her. "Anywhere ya want."

"Let's go check on the apartment" Beth said. "Can we do that?"

"Sure, if that's what you want to do? Ya ain't hungry?" Daryl asked her.

Beth shook her head that no, she wasn't hungry. "I kinda just wanta see how the nursery's coming along."

Daryl took Beth's hand and smiled at her. "Let's go look at Baby Girl's room then. We need to make a decision on a name, don't ya think?"

"Yeh" Beth giggled. "I think I've come up with the perfect name."

"Yeh?" Daryl elbowed her playfully.

"Yeh" Beth elbowed him back.

"Ya know what I want to eat?" Beth asked Daryl.

"No tellin" Daryl laughed.

"I want some cheese fries with jalapenos" Beth admitted and rubbed her basketball of a belly.

"How 'bout I text Dwight and have him pick our lunch up and it'll be waiting for us at the office" Daryl suggested. Beth's smile was all the answer Daryl needed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The apartment was practically ready. As a matter of fact, a lot of their furniture had already been moved in and arranged just as Daryl had requested. The nursery was complete and furnished just as Beth had described to Daryl. There were just a few more cosmetic things being done. Beth's spirits seemed to have been lifted after spending a few minutes in the nursery, running her hands over the soft blankets in the crib, winding the mobile above the crib and listening to the lullaby. While there, she and Daryl both agreed on the perfect baby girl name that Beth had come up with.

Once they'd arrived at the office, Daryl and Beth enjoyed their lunch and a few more minutes together before Daryl tried to send her on home.

"I'm not ready to go home" Beth told him stubbornly.

"Well, Beth" Daryl laughed "What are ya gonna do?"

"I don't know" she replied. "Ya think Kelly's got anything he needs help with?"

"Beth" Daryl sighed. "Honey, you need your rest."

"Daryl" Beth whined. "I'm so borrrreeeddddd."

"I know ya are, it won't be much longer and you'll be wishin ya had some time to yourself" Daryl teased.

"Beth, Baby, please go home" Daryl pleaded. "I'm not going to stay late. I promise. How 'bout we go to a movie tonight?"

"Will you take me to see Aquaman?" Beth cracked a sneaky smile. Daryl smiled back because he knew of Beth's secret fascination with Jason Momoa, well not so secret really. She practically broke out in a sweat every time his picture came across the television.

"Yes" Daryl said. "We'll go see Aqua Man. As long as you don't get all worked up."

"Daryl" Beth blushed and slapped at Daryl.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It had been a while since Beth had been to see a movie at the theatre. She'd forgotten how much she enjoyed it. Beth liked everything about it. She loved the overpriced buttery popcorn. She loved the extra fizzy cherry coke she got to wash down the greasy popcorn. She loved the squeaky chairs and lifting her legs up and down to make them produce the squeaky noise. She even loved all the previews. Daryl thought it was cute how Beth had to comment on every preview.

"Ohhhhhh, I wanta see that" or "ugh, no thanks" or "that looks too scary for me". Daryl tried his best not to laugh at her and he was also trying his best to get a handful or two of the popcorn he'd paid a ridiculous amount of money for.

The main feature had started and Beth had finally quit making the seat squeak. She'd quit chomping on the ice and smacking her lips. All she was capable of at that moment was looking at that tattooed beast up on the screen. "Ohhhhh my" she'd said during one scene. Daryl rolled his eyes and tried not to be jealous. Daryl watched as Beth's eyes glassed over and what he suspected was drool in the corner of her mouth.

"Oh my God" Beth said. Again, Daryl didn't say anything, just suffered quietly. "Daryl" Beth whispered.

She was so quiet Daryl wasn't sure if she'd actually said something or not. "Daryl" a little louder this time. Daryl knew he heard something, so he turned to look at his wife.

"I'm wet" Beth told her husband.

Now, Daryl's mind was somewhere completely different than Beth's was at the moment. Just a few minutes ago, his wife had been drooling and damn near moaning and groaning over Jason Momoa and now she was telling him that she was wet. Frankly, Daryl was a little hurt.

"What the hell Beth?" Daryl scoffed.

"Daryl" Beth's voice was panicked. "I'm wet. I think my water broke."

It took a second before it registered. "Oh, fuck" Daryl gasped. "Let's go!"