It wasn't that difficoult for Daryl to find Merle, after he had stopped the car on the roadside and followed him into the forest. The two brothers were fighting and yelling badly, for Daryl it even felt like hours.
They only focused on their fight and forgot about the fact that their loud voices were attracting every walker nearby, when suddenly one already came out of nowhere and almost bit Daryl in his upper arm, if Merle wouldn't have saved him.
Before they started running away from the walker horde, Merle screamed at Daryl that he was right, about everything. His little brother was hopeless lost without him, he had just seen it again right now. What would he did without his big brother? He would die within less than one hour out here alone.
While they were running away, Daryl yelled back that he wouldn't even been out here, if he wouldn't have been so damn stupid. It was all Merle's fault, because he was such a stubborn and too proud to change himself. And Daryl had survived already so many months without him and that was a fact, don't matter if Merle wanted to believe it or not.
The fight went on like that, till the walkers prevented the Dixon brothers to get back to their car and they had to run deeper into the woods instead, always trying to get away from the horde. It was almost sunset, when they had enough head start and found a safe hut, where they could hide. After they had made sure that no living or dead thing was inside here, they just started to calm down, when Merle rammed a rusty nail and slit up almost his whole left upper arm with it.
Painstakingly and quickly Daryl stopped the bleeding wound with wrapping a enough clean looking fabric around his brothers arm. "Who needs who now, huh?" Daryl said, after the wound had finally stopped bleeding and Merle's face became a more normal looking colour again.
They stayed that night in the hut, Daryl kept watch, while Merle was sleeping on the old couch, which had so much blood spots from before now. With a chair next a window, Daryl was looking outside, while his fingers were playing nervously with the knife in his hand.
He was feeling so bad, because he knew Beth was still waiting for him to come back, like he had promised her. Daryl knew she was damn worried and scared. Beth probably thought that he had broken his promise, but he hadn't. He will come back to her, he will always come back to her.
It needed again almost two hours the next morning, till Daryl had finally talked Merle into it, coming back with him to the prison. He told his older brother, that he didn't have to stay, if he didn't want. But at least he should take doctor S or Hershel a look at his wound. He could go then if he still wanted, but Daryl won't come with him. That's for sure.
"Why did you come after me then? Why didn't you just let me be?" Merle asked confused and also annoyed, after his younger brother had explained him the situation. "Because you are my brother. We are family, if you want or not. And I just don't want to lose you a second time, but I sure as hell also won't prevent you a second time from your biggest mistake." Daryl answered with a strong, determinded voice. He wanted his brother to finally get it, to understand it all and that he wasn't the little boy without his own opinion anymore. Daryl was a man now.
Without Merle's will, but finally understanding that Daryl was right, that he had to get the wound examined, he followed his brother back to their car. They got almost without any trouble this time, Daryl always close to his injured brother to protect him, if it will be necessary.
It was in the middle of the afternoon, when they finally saw the gates of the prison and Daryl looked over to his brother's mad expression and said "It's not that bad like you think Merle. It's a chance, a new start. It doesn't hurt. You should really try it."
Merle didn't answer anything, he was tired of trying to tell his brother the contrary. Daryl felt a little more relieved, when his brother kept quiet. Rick and Carl opened the gates for them, while Daryl just couldn't wait any more to see Beth again, to show her that he hadn't broken his promise, that she could stop worrying and thinking that something bad had happened to him.
The second he had stopped the car and just wanted to get out of it, he could already hear the voice he was imagined about the whole last night long. Next to her beautiful face of course. "Daryl!" Beth screamed relieved, while she was already running down the whole way from the prison to their car.
Even when her expression told Daryl, that she was even more afraid and worried about him like he had thought, he still had to smile to himself, while she came running closer and closer, because he was so damn glad to see her again. And the best part was, when she finally crashed against his chest, her arms tight around his belly, her face pressed against his chest.
Daryl didn't care about Merle watching the two of them, when he wrapped his strong arms around Beth's tiny upper body and pulled her even closer. He could feel her shaking body against his, while she was crying tears of joy and fear into his shirt.
"Hey girl. Everything is good. I'm here. I got you." Daryl tried to calm her down, while his nose was buried deep inside her golden locks and he took in her sweet scene, he already had in his nose for the last couple of hours, since he had left her.
"I thought you have changed your mind. I thought you won't come back again." Beth whimpered, while her cheek was still pressing tight about his chest. "But I have promised you sweetheart and I won't ever break a promise I have given you." To secure her that he meant his words serious, he placed a quick, but well-meant kiss on her forehead, which made Beth finally looking up at him.
Daryl felt even more guilty, when her glassy and tired eyes met his, she had probably stayed the whole night up, to wait for his return. But now he was here, safe, next to her and she didn't have to worry any more, so Daryl tried to cheer Beth up with giving her a little smile, which she response easily.
Daryl just wanted to ask her, if she was alright, when Beth's eyes suddenly caught Merle standing all annoyed and even a little uncomfortable next to the car, waiting for the two of them to stop their embrace. Slowly Beth let go from Daryl's body, went over to his brother and gave him also a short, shy hug.
First Daryl was looking perplexed at the two of them, but when he saw his brother's shocked, confused and almost disgusting expression, Daryl began to smile to himself, because even when Merle won't ever admit it, the younger Dixon knew he liked it to get a hug from such a sweet, pretty, young woman like Beth Greene. Probably Merle's first well-meant hug from a girl like her in his whole life.
Even when Daryl stood a few feet away from the two of them, he could hear Beth telling his brother grateful "Thank you for coming back. Both of you." Merle was still feeling damn uncomfortable, while Beth was standing so close to him. Even after he had made a few steps backward, he still wasn't able to speak, but he didn't have to, because his expression already said everything. Only then Beth saw the bloody, soggy fabric around his left upper arm.
"Oh." She said, after she had got it why Merle came back with his brother. "What happened?" Beth asked curious, before Merle answered nonchalantly "Just a small wound. It's nothing, probably only has to get cleaned."
With eyebrows up to her hairline, Beth looked at his arm, to Merle's face and then back to the complete bloody fabric again. "I don't think so. Looks more like it needs to get stitched."
"Whatever." Merle said, after he had rolled his eyes dramatic. "C'mon Merle. Let me take a look." Beth told determined the older Dixon, who was looking still shocked at the blond girl, before he finally started without his will to follow her.
But before Beth got into the direction of the prison, like Merle was already doing, she came back to Daryl, throw her arms one more time around his neck, pulled his face closer to her lips and kissed softly his cheek. "I'm so happy you are back. Are you also injured, Mr. Dixon? Do I need to take a look at you?"
Daryl exactly understood Beth's innuendo, which caused his dick to jump inside his dirty pants, before he answered her truthfully "Nah, I'm not that clumsy like my brother. I'm alright girl. Don't worry about me."
After a few more seconds looking relieved into each others eyes and smiling happily, they finally let go just to see how Merle was waiting impatient for the two of them, that annoyed look already in his face again.
While Beth was taking a look at Merle's wound, Daryl leaned himself against the door frame of his brother's cell. Merle hissed and whimpered like a little boy and Daryl got the feeling that maybe Beth was doing this a little on purpose, after what Merle had done to his little brother and also gave her so many worries last night.
"Yeah, I have to stitch it." Beth said determined, after she had looked close at the bad looking wound. "Are you even able to do that blond.." Merle suddenly stopped, when he caught his little brother's narrowed, warning eyes and shaking head.
"Yeah, my daddy has taught me that. It will probably hurt a little, but for someone like you it's probably nothing." Beth teased Merle, which made Daryl almost to laugh out loud.
While Beth was working with the needle, Daryl could see in Merle's expression, that it wasn't just nothing for him. With his teeth biting down on his lower lip, he tried not to whimper, tried to stay strong.
After Beth was finally finished, she carefully cleaned his arm, when she had decided, that she had already teased him enough for today. "You should better rest yourself now." Beth let him know, and Merle just wanted to response, that he will leave this place here right now, when she interupted him with "If you won't rest now, you won't be able to get away from here. Just a well-meant advice."
Again against his will, Merle stayed at his cell and took a nap, while Daryl took a shower and Beth stitched the holes in his pants and shirt and washed them meanwhile. After Daryl made sure everyone was alright, he had talked with Rick about what had happened outside. Of course, not the real story, ony that they hadn't found any useful things and then got in trouble because of Merle's arm.
It was time for dinner, when Daryl just wanted to get to his brother's cell, when Beth's voice filled the air. "Either you come downstairs to us for dinner or you won't get anything to eat at all. How you came even up with the idea, that I will bring you something upstairs. You are feeling well enough to leave, but not to get downstairs? Yeah, sure. I get it."
With that Beth stepped out of Merle's cell and easily she caught Daryl's look and they were both smiling at each other. Damn, this girl really had some balls, Daryl thought to himself, while he was watching her pretty body getting downstairs.
"Damn it. Stupid, blond bit.." Merle cursed, while he also stepped out on the corridor, but stopped in the second he caught his younger brother's presence. "You alright?" Daryl simple asked, while he tried to suppress his smile. "Yeah, everything alright man." Merle answered offended, before also the two Dixon brothers got downstairs to get themselves some dinner.
Merle wasn't speaking even one word during dinner, maybe because he was still offended or the fact that Beth had finally set herself next to them, while Daryl and she had looked at each other for over twenty minutes.
"So, you want to stay?" Beth asked Merle curious, after she had taken the last bite of her dinner. Murmuring something incomprehensible in response, Merle didn't even want to look at her any more. "Sorry?" Beth asked, because the topic wasn't done for her.
"Think so." Merle simple answered, he even managed to look up at her for the first time, since she had lowered herself next to them. "That's good, even great. We need someone like you inside here." Beth answered truthfully, earning a shocked look from Merle, the same look she always got from Daryl every time she was telling him he was useful.
When Maggie called for her sister and Beth got away from the Dixon brothers, Daryl began to feel damn tired. Hell, he hadn't slept for even one minute the last thirty-five hours. So they stood up and Daryl wished the other a good night, even Merle muttered something like that, before they got upstairs.
Merle just wanted to get inside his cell, when Daryl stopped him with saying "It's not that bad inside here bro. Just try your best and you will be glad for not leaving." Even when he was still unsure, Merle nodded understanding, but also tired his head, before he finally really left for the night.
Even when Daryl was so damn exhausted, he just couldn't fall asleep. He was thinking much, but if he was serious he was only thinking about one thing, about Beth. Daryl always liked it to think about her, to daydream the whole time long. To imagine her face, to hear her voice, to feel her soft fingertips on top of his skin. Damn, how much he wished to have her close right now.
Daryl had never felt that lonely in his bed like tonight. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, the fact that he hadn't had Beth close since such a long time or that two days ago, he had thought he won't ever see her again, that caused him to feel this way right now.
It was in the middle of the night, when Daryl could hear light footsteps on the corridor and without even seeing the owner, he exactly knew, who had stopped in front of his cell. Damn, could she read his thoughts, Daryl asked himself, when in the next second Beth's head already looked through the curtains.
"Hey, Mr. Dixon." She whispered into the darkness of the room. "Hey girl." Daryl whispered back, while he straightened himself on his elbows. "Do you also can't sleep?" The blond girl asked softly, while she leaned herself against the door frame. Trying to match her tilted head, Daryl answered truthfully "Nah. You too?"
"No." Beth simply answered, which made both of them smiling. "So, do you want to join me girl?" Daryl asked, like it was one of the most normal things in the world. Wildly Beth nodded her head, before she got into his direction and Daryl just wanted to make place for, when Beth easily climbed with her sweet pyjama on over his body to the free place between him and the wall.
Daryl's hands automatically found their places around her hips, supporting Beth and finally helping her to lay down. Protective Daryl pulled the warm blanket around their bodies, before he wrapped his arm around Beth's lower back and pulled her closer, so she could cuddle herself against his body heat.
"Why can't you sleep sweetheart? You have to be damn tired, after not getting any rest last night." Daryl whispered, his lips so close to her forehead. He could feel Beth smiling against the thin fabric of his shirt, when she answered "I wasn't the one, who had risked his life outside the walls."
They both got silent then. They couldn't hear anything except the sounds their bodies made. Daryl closed his eyes to enjoy this moment even better, feeling Beth so close to himself, feeling her heat, her breathing against his skin, even her heartbeat. It was the only thing Daryl wanted, maybe only wanted in his life.
He had just began to think that maybe Beth had fallen asleep in his arms, when she whispered "I'm so happy you haven't left. I couldn't have stood it. I need you, no one understands me and what I want like you, Mr. Dixon."
Beth lifted slowly her head, so her light blue eyes were looking directly into Daryl's midnight blue ones. Stroking lovingly her warm cheeks with the back of his fingers, he asked himself how only one human could be so damn beautiful and cute like her.
"I'm also glad I wasn't so stupid and left. How could I even think about leaving you girl." He whispered, while he kept on stroking as gently as possible Beth's soft cheeks. But there was still one question which bothered him, since the last hours.
"Did you were alright last night? I mean, did you have a panic attack again, when I didn't come back like promised?" Daryl asked worried, only the thought about it caused his belly to cramp. She shouldn't get in such a state because of someone like him, he just wasn't worth it.
Daryl only began to breathe again, when Beth shook determined her head and told him "No. I mean at some points I was close to, but then I remembered your promise, Mr. Dixon. But still I was so damn worried that something has happened to you and I couldn't be there to help you."
Daryl's heart began to warm up every time Beth gave him the new, strange, but also beautiful feeling, that she cared about him, even much. And like all the other times before, he asked himself, how he ever deserved her worries, prayers and compassion.
"I have also felt bad for not being by your side. I have seen it in front of my inner eyes, how you were laying helpless and alone in your bed, having a panic attack and I just couldn't be there to help you sweetheart." Daryl admitted and Beth response a warm smile up to him. "It's a stupid feeling, right?" Beth said, while they were both looking deep into each other eyes, his fingertips still rested on top of her rosy cheeks.
"Yeah. A damn stupid, helpless feeling." Daryl repeated, before he began to trace with his thumb Beth's tender underlip, trying to hold back the need to lean down and cover that soft flesh with his lips. Moments passed by, while Daryl was staring at her beautiful lips, till they began to move and Beth's whispers filled the air.
"You are still feeling guilty about the things that happened back on the farm, right?" Beth asked carefully, while she wrapped her hand around Daryl's and began to stroke the back of it with her thumb. "I will always feel guilty about that." He answered her truthfully, which caused Beth's lips to form a thin line.
"I know." Beth simple answered, before she added. "But you know, you don't have to. More or less I have always known it, that you were the one who has done it." Confused and also shocked Daryl was looking down at Beth, not knowing what she meant with that, but she gave him the answer pretty soon.
"I mean, they both came in your direction and then they suddenly fell to the ground." Beth said and Daryl finally understood. More or less she had always known it, and she had never stopped Daryl to do the things he had done to and with her. She came to him the very first time that early spring night, because she trusted him, even with the knowledge that it was probably him, who had shot her mother and brother.
And again Daryl felt so stupid for not telling her the truth sooner, because everything would have happened different then. They would have talked about it, figured it out. He would have got to know sooner, that she had just always known what he had done and she didn't blame him for anything. Beth trusted him, she still saw him as a good, decent man.
"You are wonderful, girl. Has someone ever told you so?" Daryl asked her still shocked, but obviously it was the right thing, because Beth began to smile instantly and even in the darkness Daryl could see how her cheeks heated up a little.
"No, Mr. Dixon. But you are also not that bad. Even very close to perfect." Beth answered playfully, while her teeth were biting down on her lower lip. "Don't overstate too much, girl." Daryl was teasing Beth, before he pulled her even closer and tickled her softly.
Daryl knew they weren't allowed to make too loud noises, so he quickly stopped again and when Beth's tired, small eyes met his, he said soothing "You should try to get some rest, girl." Beth response a lovingly smile, because of his over protecting way, before she whispered "You too, Mr. Dixon."
"Everything you say. Good night, sweetheart." Daryl couldn't remember what he was thinking in that moment, when he leaned down and place a long, tender kiss on Beth's surprised lips. Only when he finally pulled away again, he got it what he had just done.
Beth's lips were half closed, still surprised about Daryl's unexpected kiss. He just began to worry, that maybe he had done something wrong, when Beth suddenly closed the distance between the two of them again and kissed Daryl's lips as soft and tender like he had done before.
"Good night, my hero." Beth whispered against his lips, while her eyes were looking deep into his, so Daryl got goose bumps everywhere on his body. Finally Beth stopped their connection and placed her head on top of Daryl's chest, her leg she laid on his tights and her body began to relax above of his.
Dreamily Daryl played with his fingertips by the end of Beth's golden locks, it kind of soothed him down. He wanted to wait to make sure Beth had really fallen asleep, so he could also get his rest with the good conscience that the beautiful girl in his arms had found her sleep.
It didn't take that long, till Beth's breathing got deep and regular and Daryl knew she was already in the land of dreams, even when her right hand was still holding tight his shirt, like she wanted to make sure he couldn't simply slip away. He never would anyway. This moment right here was just too good, to even think about it.
Daryl was smiling relieved into Beth's golden locks, while he breathed in her own, special scent and the knowing that she was alright, still breathing and it made also himself entering the land of dreams and give him a restful sleep.
