Hello all of you beautiful people!

Some of you may be wondering if this chapter is a little early but it's not... this chapter is coming to you all the way from Australia! I'm on holiday for the next few weeks here. I can't actually believe I'm here to be honest, when I saw the Sydney Opera House the other day I couldn't believe that I was actually looking at it, it was a weird and crazy feeling!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. We are going to see a couple of familiar faces that I think some of you have been waiting for.

Once again, thank you for all of the love and I'm so happy that you are all still with me on this!

Writer347
Xx

Disclaimer: I have tried and tried but I still do not own The Walking Dead

Home Is With You: Chapter 13

Daryl
Beth fell asleep and I heard her muttering in her sleep, I couldn't tell what she was saying but it didn't sound like she was happy about whatever she is dreaming about. She wrapped her arms around herself and a single tear slid down her cheek. I sat next to her and put my arms around her and she instantly curled into me and she seemed to calm down but she was still tense. It killed me to see her like this but I'm here for her and I hope she knows it, I know I've said it 1000 times but I can't wait to kill that stupid piece of shit... if I was locked in a room with him and a walker and two bolts in my crossbow, I would shoot him twice. He will get what is coming to him and it will be soon and it will be by my hand. That much I was positive on.

I don't want Beth to fear that shithead any more; I want to prove to her that I can keep her safe and that she can rely on me to make things better for her. When we tell Hershel we're together, I want her to be able to say that I killed for her and he has no reason to fear for her safety when she's with me. I want Hershel to understand the lengths I'd go to, to keep her safe. All I can hope and pray for is that he will trust me with Beth as much as he trusts Glenn with Maggie.

Looking down at Beth's sleeping form I realised that there was nothing I wanted more than to just live with this woman by my side, she's all I need and I hope that I am good enough for her. I know we come from two completely different worlds and we had polar opposite childhoods and if the world hadn't gone to shit we never would have even met one another but I actually can't see my life without her. She's the only person that I have ever pictured having a future with, I know it's not much of a future with the walkers and stuff but if it's with her then it can't be that bad.

I know Beth deserves better than me, hell, someone like Jimmy woulda been perfect for her. That is someone that she doesn't have to be dating in secret, they knew each other for years... practically grew up together and they were the same age. No one looked at him like he was a dirty old man, which is how I know they're all gonna look at me when the news breaks that we're together. Jimmy is someone she coulda had a family with, someone who wasn't fucked up like I am. Her and Jimmy had more in common than me and her do. He was a good kid and he didn't deserve to go the way he went but I'll say this, rather him then her. I'm glad Beth made it off that farm and made it to where we are today, she's stronger then she gives herself credit for.

God, if Merle could see me now. Dixon's don't fall in love, they don't deserve it. My parents weren't in love, they got married because my momma got knocked up with Merle and back then you had to get married if you had a baby, so that's what they did. Growing up I could tell they didn't love each other, they barely spoke to one another, they never smiled or had pictures looking happy. Both of them were sleeping with other people, it wasn't even that much of a secret; they knew what the other was up to. Watching them two together reminded me that when I had kids, I never wanted to end up like them. I mean, I know I'd never have kids now... it's not safe enough.

Strange to think that once upon a time I did wanna have kids but that ship sailed a long time ago. I love Beth and I think she loves me but I could never do that to her, not after what happened with Lori, I wouldn't risk it. I couldn't raise a baby alone and I know Beth would be the perfect momma, but I won't risk her life like that.

When we went to that drug store after we found that woman and her son at the day care centre, I got scared when I saw Beth looking at pregnancy tests... it really got me thinking about how reckless we had been and I know in the 'heat of the moment' you don't really think about it but we have to now. I can't risk it happening to her and Beth knows that, she agrees. She knows how dangerous it is to have a baby in these times and she doesn't want to bring a baby into this shit existence we have.

God, could you imagine Hershel finding out about us because Beth had to tell she was knocked up... I would be dead... he would cripple me and feed me to the walkers and then wait for me to come back as a walker to kill me again. It would not be pretty...

"Daryl?" Beth's voice questioned, just above a whisper.

"I'm here," I replied.

"Don't ever leave me," She said.

"Not in a million years." I promised and pulled her as close to me as possible and placed a kiss on the top of her head "Go back to sleep, I'ma be here when you wake up." I stated.

She was already asleep.

TWO DAYS LATER

I wasn't on watch last night so I had to chance to get a nice early night, after spending some much needed time with Beth, and get up early this morning to go hunting, I needed to get a clear head and hunting always does that for me. I don't even know if it's going hunting that does that or just being in the woods on my own, being alone in general helps me think... I want to tell Hershel tonight about me and Beth but I really need to plan how I'm going to do this, it's time we tell him. We can't carry on keeping this a secret, Beth and I are in this for the long haul and we love each other... he needs to know.

Yeah I know that it was me who suggested keeping this whole thing a secret but that's mainly because I thought that it wouldn't last, I thought I'd fuck it up and there wouldn't be anything to tell anyone. I know now that Beth is stuck with me now whether she like it or not and Hershel needs to know, he needs to know how much I love Beth and how well she'll be looked after when the time comes when he won't be around anymore. Also, I want to be able to hold Beth's hand when I wanna or kiss her without hiding away somewhere... of course I won't be kissing her in front of her daddy, I don't wanna get shot.

Man, if Merle could see me now he would call me a pussy whipped dick and before I met Beth it woulda pissed me off but I don't care if I'm whipped, I love that girl more than anything and as much as Merle was an asshole I wish he coulda got the chance to meet Beth. I think the two of them woulda actually got on, she would let Merle know when he was being a dick and he would take care of her if he knew how much she meant to me. He might take the piss outta me but Merle woulda known that I loved her and he would take care of her like she was family... well she is family, she's my family.

I know marriage isn't really a thing anymore, Glenn and Maggie are 'married' but no one official did the ceremony. Hershel just read things from the bible and they said a couple words to each other but if they would went back to 'normal' tomorrow, it wouldn't be a legal binding thing. However, with that being said, I would like Beth to be my wife one day. I want to be able to call her wife one day, not sure how she would feel being a Dixon but I'm gonna ask her one day... if we both live long enough. What am I saying? Of course Beth will live long enough, it's me that might not live to see it.

I've been out here for hours and not seen anything worth shooting. No squirrels, no rabbits, no deer, not even an owl. I can't go back empty handed; I won't go back empty handed. It's down to me to feed these people and I'm not gonna fail. I got a hungry group back home, Ass-Kicker got what she needs already, I always make sure that she has what she needs, even if it means others go without, and I won't let anything happen to that little girl. Ass-Kicker and Beth are the two most important people to me and the two I need to protect and care for the most.

A cabin I know was coming up, I'm gonna rest there for a bit and then try again, there has to be something out here. The weather's good and I've only seen two walkers since I came out here so I don't think anything's been eaten, there's no blood anywhere or carcasses. I don't know what's going on but I gotta get some luck soon.

The cabin came into view and just as I was about to approach it, I heard something coming from inside. Just a small noise, enough to stop me in my tracks so I made sure my crossbow was ready to go and my knife was easy to get to in case I needed it. I've been here before so I know the layout and know the door opens outwards so whoever or whatever is in there might not even know I'm here until I throw the door open which gives me an advantage.

I took a few steps closer until the door was within reach and reached out to grab the handle, I held my breath and stayed as silent as I could as I wrapped my hand around the handle. I waited to see if I could hear something on the other side but nothing, I threw the door open and was about to shoot the crossbow but I stopped.

"Daryl? Is that you?"

"Shit," I muttered and lowered my crossbow.

"Merle?" I questioned, not believing it "Andrea?"

What the fuck was going on?

"Hey, little brother."

Merle and Andrea are back!

I am so sorry for the shortness of this chapter; I have never had writers block so much then what I did for this chapter. It has taken me 3 months to write, believe it or not. I don't know what was wrong with me. I knew what I wanted to happen in this chapter but no matter what I wrote it just didn't seem good enough so I re-wrote this chapter at least 7 times and I am really still not that happy with it but I needed it finished so that I could continue with the rest of it.

I hope it doesn't take me that long to write the rest of the story, let alone another chapter... it really did drive me insane.

Anyway, thank you for reading, I know it's not the best chapter but a review, follow and favourite would be much appreciated.

Writer347
Xx