Hi, Athlete Girl here! SOA Loving Mom wrote such a great chapter for Summer Fire (Beautiful) that I just wanted to post a little dessert with it (so read hers first). This is also in response to the awesome kiss that I got from Michael Rooker himself at Comic Con yesterday! It was scruffly with that grown out beard!

Valentines Day (Meth)

Beth sighed wistfully as she watched Carol take Daryl's hand and walk around the perimeter. It had been so nice getting Carol dressed up and giving her the dried flowers and seeing the flush on Carol's face when she finally saw Daryl. Daryl shyly took Caryl's hand and Beth felt tears collect in her eyes, part out of happiness and part out of longing. She watched them walk for a while, hugging her arms to her stomach unconsciously in the cool air. She saw their heads turn towards each other and she looked at Maggie who was smiling. She suddenly felt as if she needed air.

"I'm going to walk this way," she said to Maggie, nodding towards the motor pool. Maggie noted the sadness on Beth's face. This was the time in her sister's life when she should be worrying about prom and decorating her friends' yards with toilet paper. Instead she'd be lucky to survive into her twenties. She knew Beth was a virgin and that her dreams of love had been squashed when Jimmy died. She also knew it didn't help that she and Glenn were so happy.

She put her arm around Beth's straight shoulders. "I'll come with you to be safe," she said. They walked together and Beth asked, "What did Glenn get you for Valentine's day?" Maggie grinned. "I get a massage later," she said. "Plus extras!" The sisters laughed together as they entered the motor pool. "If I had a Valentine," Beth sighed. She thought about it for a few minutes before continuing. She thought of Merle's broad shoulders and hoarse voice. There had been a few late night encounters between the two of them when she made bottles for the baby. They mostly consisted of Merle raking her body with half lidded eyes and asking her double meaning questions in his Southern drawl. She always felt like a deer in the headlights, frozen in his stare. Once he had approached her and stood inches in front of her, searching her eyes with an impenetrable look and slowly leaning forward to lazily smell the skin on her neck. His breath had caressed her and she closed her eyes to savor it. Judith's cry had pierced the night, breaking the spell.

"I'd just want to hold him," Beth said softly. A tear slipped down her face and she tried to smile through it as Maggie gave her a one-sided hug. They rounded the corner by the gas tanks and found Merle there alone finishing up under one of the trucks. Maggie stiffened but Beth turned towards him. He heard them talking and looked up. "Gettin' dark," he warned. He ignored Maggie's glare and stole a look at Beth. She was smiling at him through sad eyes. Maggie pulled her towards the prison but Beth turned back around. "Happy Valentine's Day Merle," she said earnestly. He grunted something in reply and they returned for evening Gospel with Hershel.

TWDTWD TWDTWD TWDTWD TWDTWD TWDTWD TWDTWD TWDTWD

Beth lay in her bunk playing absently with a hole in her blanket. The lights were out but the moonlight softly shone into her room. She frowned when she heard the sighs emanating from Glenn and Maggie's room. She thought about the female Catholic saints and how many of them died as virgins. Maybe it's not too late to change religions she thought.

She looked up to see Merle standing silently in the doorway. "Hi," she whispered. He walked in and squatted down to look at her. "OK?" he asked. She looked down and nodded and he could tell she was lying. She shrugged and a long moment passed. "Merle," she whispered, looking up at him with eyes that plagued him in his sleep. He could hardly stand to look at the moonlight on her skin, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. The most beautiful thing he wanted to know. He nodded at her and she asked softly, "If you had a Valentine what would you do for her today?" He snorted softly. "Ain't the Valentine type little girl. I'd probly be out drinkin' and fuckin', maybe gettin' arrested."

Beth grimaced and nodded, looking at her lap and battling tears. Nobody had died today so that qualified as a good day. Sure didn't feel like a good day to her though. She swallowed her pride. "Merle can I kiss you good night?" she whispered. He nodded subtly and she raised her face to the side of his. He leaned in and she rubbed her soft cheek on his whiskers then she rubbed her nose slowly through the bristles to breathe in his scent. She mouthed the side of his face marveling at the softness of his beard and when she pulled away she turned to place a soft kiss low on his mouth. The feel of his lips moving against hers brought a smile to her face and she lay back on the pillow with her eyes closed, savoring the sensation. He straightened and rose, looking down upon her soft smile. As he turned back to his bunk he knew he'd die for her.

Please read and review – I need some love!