"No, Beth. I won't take them." Daryl said with arms crossed in front of his chest and a shaking head. "Why not? You need them. Even daddy said you should take them." Beth countered back, holding the little pill still between her fingers.
"No, really I don't need them. I'm alright. Save the painkillers for someone who really needs them." He answered, even when it wasn't the full truth he was telling her right now. Of course, he had pain, but as long as he didn't move, he felt good enough. They should really save them, because one day they will need them when there will be a more serious and dangerous situation. For someone who really needs them.
But Beth didn't believe him one word. Knowing she tilted her head and eyed him, like she was waiting for him to tell her the whole truth. Or at least so long, till he had to move and he will hiss out in pain again.
"Oh c'mon Daryl. You really can't tell me you don't need any painkillers. You got shot and operated not even two days ago and you want to tell me that you don't have any pain?" She asked once more, knowing about what bad lier he was. Daryl didn't have the energy any more to contradict to her, because he knew he was loosing anyway.
Because he didn't say anything, Beth stopped the teasing tone in her voice and finally said more calming "I know you want to be strong Daryl, but you don't always have to be. It's really nothing bad to take some painkillers, even when you are a Dixon. And I can't think about another situation or a more important person, than you right now. You need to get some rest tonight, without waking up every twenty minutes, because you are having pain again. I want the old, healthy Mr. Dixon back. Please take them. For me."
With big, begging eyes she was looking at him, because Beth exactly knew what this look made to him. Annoyed, but also amused, Daryl rolled his eyes, before he held his palm into her direction and said "Alright girl. You have won. Give me the damn pills."
With a bright smile in her face now, Beth handled him the painkillers and some water. She kept where she was, right on top of the mattress, close to him and her legs still in that cucumbers seat, till Daryl had swallowed the pills and showed her his opened, empty mouth.
It was already dark outside, even when a few weeks ago, it was still all bright by this time of the day. Autumn came faster than they all wanted. Like Beth had promised him before, she will stay till he had fallen asleep. Knowing that he was alright, when she will also go to bed.
She had also said, that she will pick up a book from the library, she will read out loud later for him, till he will close his eyes. And after Daryl had finally taken his pills and they had made themselves comfortable, she began to read out loud for him. Still sitting opposite from him on the bed.
If he was serious, Daryl didn't really listen to the story, he was just happy to hear Beth's voice and the knowing that she was here, till he will fall asleep. He could power off his brain now and just watch the beauty sitting there and just listening to her calm voice.
Even when nothing big, nothing exhausted had happened today, he was still damn tired and happy to be able to fall asleep so early. He could close his eyes whenever he wanted, knowing that Beth was here.
Merle had woken up the two of them this morning, when all the other also began their day and it probably wouldn't have take so much longer, till someone would have make their way over to Daryl to see if he was still alright or where Beth was.
His brother had shaken lightly the girl's shoulder, while she was still laying next to Daryl in the bed. Still all sleepily the two of them slowly woke up and looked with questioning eyes up at Merle. He explained them the situation and that he really didn't want to bother them, probably knowing about how urgently they both needed some rest, but soon doctor S or Hershel will want to check Daryl's wound. And Maggie will probably start to search for her little sister.
Thankfully for getting warned, the two of them finally loosened their embrace and Beth slipped out from the still warm sheets. After she had stretched herself and yawned long, she said "I will leave to two of you better alone now."
"No. I didn't want to throw you out Beth. You can stay." Merle offered politly to which the blond girl shook her head and answered with a thankfully smile on her lips "No, it's alright. You haven't talked to Daryl since he has woken up and I need to get a shower anyway. And I will pick up something for breakfast. It's alright, I think he is in good hands by you."
And with that Beth left the two men alone and slipped outside the room. Daryl tried then to bring his body into a more straight position, but he finally only hissed out in pain. "Wait, let me help you." Merle offered and in the very next second he was already by his brother's side to help him sitting up.
"Thanks. Damn, that hurts more than that stupid arrow back at the farm." Daryl said still between clenched teeth. Even when Merle didn't know about what he was talking about, he still nodded his head.
The younger Dixon was still busy with trying to deal with the pain deep inside his flesh, when Merle suddenly said out of nowhere "I have really thought that this was it now. I have thought you wouldn't make it."
Shocked about his words and even more about the tone in his voice, Daryl looked surprised up at his older brother. "If you would have seen yourself, you would know about what I'm talking about." Merle added with raised eyebrows and a nodding head.
Daryl bet that he was still looking pretty awful. Also some of probably his own blood he could still see on his arms and chest. "You know, it's the same blood that runs trough our veins. Dixon's don't give up so easily." Daryl answered and caused so Merle to smirk and look down at his metal hand.
"Yeah. But if Beth wouldn't have found you.. You wouldn't be here any more." The older Dixon said truthfully to which Daryl could only answer "That's right. If she wouldn't have found us in the right moment, that bastard would have shot me once more. How did this all happen anyway? Where you both looking for me, because Beth called for you after she has found me?"
Merle nodded agreeing his head, before he told his little brother the story "Yeah. She came running to me, saying that she can't hide herself inside the library any more, while you are outside there. She needs to find and help you. I told her I have seen you running inside the building and she asked me to follow her."
Understanding Daryl nodded his head and shocked he got it, that till now he hadn't even thanked Beth for saving his life. Something he will definitely do the next time he will see her. And of course he also had to thank Merle, which he did in the very next second.
Before the Dixon brothers could change even one more word, doctor S knocked against the half opened door and finally came inside with a grateful smile on his lips. While the man did examined the wound and changed the bandage, also Hershel entered the room and looked the same happy way dow at Daryl, maybe even a little happier and more grateful, than the doctor.
"How are you feeling my son?" The older man asked him relieved and Merle looked surprised over to the two of them by Hershel's last word. Daryl had to think about the first time the older man had ever called him so. When he had saved his life, after getting bit and sitting by his sickbed. Now Hershel was part of the team, who had saved his life and right now he was standing right next to his sickbed and still called him his son.
Daryl just wanted to answer his question, when Beth entered the room with a tablet in her hands and he just forget by looking at the beauty, what he had wanted to say. With a smile on her lips, Beth finally placed the tablet on the desk in the corner and with that she also remembered him that he got watched by Hershel, while he was looking at his youngest daughter like she was the sun.
Finally Daryl answered the older man "I feel like I look. Like shit. Would prefer the arrow now." Hershel laughed by the man's wisecrack, before he got even closer to him, laid his hand on top of his shoulder and said "I know, but you will gonna be alright again. You have been already trough so much, you will also make this. I'm happy you are still with us."
"Thanks for getting that damn bullet out of me." Daryl said to the older man, who just began to laugh again by his words. "You really shouldn't thank me for that, the doctor had done the whole work, I was only his assistant."
Doctor S looked up from his work to tell Hershel with his look that this wasn't the truth and that he had also done his best to save his life. "Also thank you doctor S for everything. Didn't want to give you all so much trouble." Daryl told them and he just also wanted to finally thank Beth for saving his life, when Rick entered the room.
He just gave him a quick nod, which Daryl response instantly, before the man got over to Beth and said something to her. Rick waited, till doctor S was finished and left the room. Also Hershel let the four of them alone then, after he had placed the package with painkillers on the little table next to his bed and told him to take them.
"Are you alright?" Rick finally asked and Daryl was glad for his chose to ask about his state. He was alright, but not more. "Yeah. Don't worry, in a few days I will be the same again and back by work." Beth just wanted to tell Daryl, that he couldn't go back to his job as a leader already in a few days, he needed time to heal and much rest, he could exactly read the worry in her eyes.
But before she could say even one word, Rick told him "Take as much time as you need Daryl. I'm back as my old job to be the leader, you don't have to worry about that any more. You should focus on getting all healthy again. The prison needs you as the one you were before. And thank you for everything you have done, while I was working things out. Whenever I will need a break again, I can do it with a good conscience, because I know you are the best man for this job."
Rick also placed his hand by Daryl's shoulder then, telling him so how serious he meant it all and that he really didn't even have to think about any problems any more. They shared a few more words, Daryl told Rick some things he had to know, before the man left with Merle together the room, because the older Dixon wanted to help the Sheriff with something.
Somehow a big weight had fallen off of Daryl's shoulder with not being the leader any more. Rick had said that he had done his job very good, even when Daryl didn't feel himself like that all the time. But he had done his best, had proved himself that he was able to do something right.
"Here, you should eat something Daryl." Beth finally took him out of his thoughts, when she placed the tablet on top of his lab. "Thanks girl. And Beth, wait." Daryl called for her, but she was already half way trough the door, when she looked back over her shoulder and told him "I'm back in a few minutes. Eat your breakfast, Mr. Dixon."
He finally did what he got told, even when he couldn't eat that much. Even eating did hurt and he didn't even want to know much it will hurt, when his stomach will finally digest the breakfast. Like Beth had promised him, she was back in a few minutes with a little bowl and a flannel in her hand.
She placed the two items on the table, before she moved with the chair from the corner closer to Daryl's side and she stole herself one piece of the apple she had cut for him. "What's inside the bottle girl?" Daryl asked curious, while he tried to swallow the bread down his throat with some water, trying to not show her how damn much it hurt.
"Just water. I have tried to clean your face, while you were asleep, but I also didn't want to wake you up, so I have only cleaned your face from the blood, before I have stopped. You needed the rest." Beth told him and Daryl understood now the meaning of the bottle and the flannel.
During eating their breakfast, he wasn't able to thank Beth, because he was so busy to suppress to cry out in pain and making Beth all worried again. But when she finally took the tablet away, after they had finished, and she finally started to clean his neck with the wet flannel, Daryl told her sincerely "You have saved my life girl. Thank you so much for everything."
Surprised, even looking a little shocked about his gratitude, Beth stopped her movements and eyed him lovingly, before she answered with tears slowly building up in her eyes "But of course I have Daryl. I just couldn't let you be out there on your own. I just couldn't. And you don't have to thank me. You would have done the same for me."
"Yeah, but you wouldn't have been so stupid to look for the attacker all on your own." Daryl admitted, asking himself still why he was so thoughtless. "No, you weren't stupid, Mr. Dixon. You were brave." Beth tried to cheer him up, showing him one of her best smiles.
"No, you have been brave girl. You have saved everyone's life inside here. If you wouldn't have killed the Governor, probably no one would have been able to do it and then he would have.." Daryl trailed off, looking into Beth's already now shocked expression.
"How long were you already close to us? I mean, how much have you heard about what he had said?" Daryl asked carefully, he didn't want to tell her the man's plan, if she hadn't already heard it on her own. He didn't want to scary her more than necessary and give her worries and nightmares.
"If I'm serious, I haven't heard anything. Of course, I have heard your voiceds but I really can't rememeber about what you were talking about. I just followed the voices." Beth told him truthfully, while she already eyed him curious, knowing that something did bother him.
Daryl just nodded understanding his head, while he thought about it, if he should tell her the part into which she was also involved or better not. But before he could make a decision, Beth asked "About what have you two talked about Daryl?"
He decided then, that she really didn't need to know about the Governor's plans, when he answered her "Nothing you have to worry about sweetheart, but.." But she had the right to know. At least that she was right back at that one night. He had to tell her. "Do you remember about the night we have spent on the roof top and you told me, that you have seen something by the forest?" Daryl asked her, hating it to cause this expression in her face and giving himself goose bumps because of her reaction.
"It was him. He had watched us and had tried to find a way inside the prison. You were right and I was wrong. It was my fault. If I had looked that night better, more closely, I could have already killed him back then. I could have stopped it that night. And I should have never stopped looking for this bastard. It was all my fault." Daryl told her bitter, he already started to hate himself for his stupid and lazy decisions again.
Quickly Beth took the flannel away from her hand, crawled closer to him and took carefully his hand into hers, before she told him sincerely "No, Daryl. Stop thinking this way. That's not true and you know that. It wasn't your fault, it just happened and nothing of it all was your fault. I'm just so endless happy that you are still alive and not already somewhere under the ground out there. Please stop thinking this way Daryl. It really wasn't your fault."
Like always he just couldn't stand her sadness and even less being the reason of these feelings he had just given her. Now tears were really rolling down Beth's cheeks, while she was still holding Daryl's hand and begged with her beautiful eyes to make peace with himself.
"I will try sweetheart, but I won't ever forgive myself for almost letting you get hurt." Daryl told her calm, while he tightened the grip of his hand by hers, telling her so that everything was good. Beth tried to give him a little smile, while tears were still rolling over the edge of her eyes. Finally she leaded carefully his hand up to her mouth, before she pressed a soft kiss against his fingers.
After washing the blood and dirt away from his skin, Beth helped him as good and carefully as possible into some new clothes. The rest of the day, someone always visited him and wanted to look how he was doing.
On the late afternoon Hershel checked one more time his wound, before Beth entered the room with their dinner on a tablet. After eating, they had their discussion about taking the painkillers or not and right now he was laying inside his bed and still listened to Beth's soft words.
Daryl's eyes finally became heavy and he didn't even try to fight it, when he closed them and he fell asleep, while Beth was still reading that damn romance novel to him.
Four more days he spent inside the bed. Daryl would lie if he would say, that he hated it to have Beth as his own, personal nurse. She almost spent her whole time by him. They ate all their meals together, played cards in bed, she took care of him with changing his bandage twice every day and he always fell asleep, while she read out loud for him from the book.
Expect yesterday evening. Daryl could tell, that Beth was already damn tired, while she was reading out loud for him. He told her to finally go to bed, because she couldn't really manage any more to keep her eyes opened. Daryl said he was also already tired and will probably fall asleep, before she will even enter her room.
Finally Beth let herself talk into it, but before she left she placed a long, lovingly kiss on his cheek and something was telling Daryl, that this wasn't the first evening she was doing so. On his sixth day of only laying in bed, he finally had enough.
But Daryl got it pretty quickly, that he wasn't that strong like he had thought, when he almost fell forward by his first steps, when Merle caught him in the veryl last moment. Slowly the two men and Beth went four time up and down the corridor, before Daryl really had to admit that he couldn't go on any more. He was way weaker than he had thought.
But with every day he got stronger again and soon he could almost do the same things as before. But Beth took an eye on him and whenever he was going to overexert himself, she stopped him and made him stay by her side.
Like the time he wasn't able to leave the bed, Daryl was thankfully that no one questioned it that the two of them spend so much time together now. He helped Beth with taking care of Judith and entertain the little girl, which wasn't always that easy.
Daryl would have never ever said it, he had also never even thought about it before, but being the baby-sitter of little bug wasn't an easy job, even when many probably thought so. It was hard work to which Daryl wasn't used to and even when he loved the little girl, he always fell damn exhausted inside his bed by the end of the day.
Most of the time the three of them were alone, and even when it would't have change anything, Daryl still waited, till Judith was looking away and he had checked three times, that no one was around, when he pulled Beth closer and started to kiss her.
First only her forehead, tremble or cheek, but it always ended with wild kisses and mostly with Beth sitting half on his lab, without hurting his wound. Daryl knew Beth was waiting for his kisses, because of the less hot time they got together lately.
But still she pulled one time giggling and all excited away from him and told him with red cheeks, that Judith had watched them the last moments. "You had your eyes opened while kissing girl?" Daryl asked her, trying to sound outraged.
Beth rolled her eyes dramatic, before she tried to tell him "Kissing just feels wrong, while little Judy is in the same room." Daryl smiled at the girl still sitting on his lab and he was holding close. "It's not like she will tell anybody about it." He let Beth know, even when he of course knew that she knew so too.
One more time she rolled her eyes, but her lips also formed a smile, when she answered him "Of course I know that Mr. Dixon. But.. I just feel bad, while she is watching us. Even when she doesn't know what we are doing."
They were only kissing, Daryl would have never done more, while the little girl was close to them, but he still understood Beth and her worries. "Alright. Then I will try my best and keep myself away from your lips girl. Little bug needs some fresh air anyway." Daryl said softly, before he moved the loosen strains of hair away from Beth's face and finally let her go.
When he picked up little Judith from her blanket, his still healing wound did hurt badly and pain destroyed his expression changed. Of course Beth noticed so instantly and took the baby from his arms into hers, giving him a compassionate smile, while doing so.
Seven weeks had already passed since that one fatal day. Daryl's wound was healing great, Hershel, doctor S and also Beth told him so every day. He also started with some light work again, because he couldn't just sit and watch the other working for the rest of his life.
Even when he still wasn't the same as before. He couldn't work so long and his side did still hurt badly very often. But Daryl never tried to show so, even when Beth knew it anyway.
He had really enjoyed the time they had spent so often and long together, when he wasn't feeling that good yet. Sometimes he had even watched out for Judith on his own, when Beth spent some time with her father or sister or just wanted to take a shower.
Some days they even had some time on their own and even when having sex with his still healing wound wasn't that easy in the begging, Beth always made sure that it was as satisfied as possible for both of them with giving him hand- or blowjobs. It was also another kind of satisfaction with being able to make her come with his fingers or tongue, but it was still great.
Last week they tried it for the first time again, since Daryl had got shot. Beth had offered to sit down on his lab and slide up and down on his length. It worked pretty good, even when it felt strange with the big distance she kept between their bodies, to not hurt him.
But it all still didn't prevent it, that had touched his wound unwanted for three times and Beth always excused herself for at least five times for hurting him, even when it wasn't even her intention. If Daryl was serious, he almost enjoyed the time with her together more than the sex, even when it was still the best he got in his whole life. Even with that damn wound by his side.
The less time they had on their own was still all great, but talking with Beth, watching her, being together with her almost the whole day long was even better for him. Daryl simply couldn't even imagine a life without her any more.
Today he had worked longer into the evening, making plans with the other about how to get the fences more robust and where they could find the material. After the meeting was finally over and Daryl had taken a quick shower, he searched for Beth because she wasn't in her cell like he had expected.
Daryl finally found her in the library. She had fallen asleep while reading in one of the books. Beth's upper body laid on top of the opened book on the table in front of her, her arms and the warm material of her sweater gave her a comfortable pillow.
From the door frame Daryl watched her with a lovingly smile on his lips. Like an angel, like a good damn angel she was looking at the moment, with her soft lips all relaxed. Her beautiful eyes closed, even when her long eyelashes still moved, while she was dreaming.
Beth's blond, opened locks were falling over her shoulder like a gold river and best Daryl wanted to cover her rosy, warm cheeks and her with freckles covered nose with plenty kisses. But he did suppress that need, even when he wanted to do it so bad.
Instead, Daryl got closer to Beth, looked at her sleeping self for some more moments, before he gently shook her shoulder. "Beth. Wake up sweetheart." Daryl whispered into the silent room, till she began to move and slowly woke up.
He let himself fall onto the next chair, while watched her the whole time getting it where she was. Still all tired, Beth stretched herself so Daryl could exactly see in her face, where the book and her hand had laid, having this cute lines in her skin now.
"Daryl. How late is it?" She asked still all dreamily, which caused him to smile lovingly down at her. "Shortly before midnight. You have fallen asleep while reading sweetheart." Daryl answered her and caused a shocked expression in her face.
"It's already that late? We should better go to bed now." Beth told him, before she already stood up and took the books laying on the table with her. "Yeah, we better should." He said, before he followed her.
Beth just wanted to place the last book in her hand at the very top of one of the shelves, when Daryl stepped right behind her and helped her to get it on its place. "Thank you, Mr. Dixon." She whispered, while she already turned around to face him.
With his right hand still against the shelve, Daryl watched her dreamily, cute face, causing a bright smile on his face, before he finally leaned down to kiss her warm lips long. They both knew that they were just too damn tired to have sex tonight, but just kissing was also a perfect ending for this exhausting day.
Finally Daryl framed her rosy cheeks with both of his palms and pulled her even closer, while Beth wrapped her arms around his neck, getting on her tiptoes while doing so. The both also knew, that it wasn't the best idea to kiss behind some shelves, when anyone could come inside and catch them anytime, but that still didn't stop them from doing so.
Maybe because they both didn't want to stop. Maybe because they didn't think about the conscience right now. Or maybe because they both didn't care about getting caught any more. Maybe they both would have been alright with it.
Weeks had passed since Daryl had that conversation with his brother about that he should better talk with Beth about what they will do, if they will ever get caught. And right now it got into the younger Dixon's head again and he had to think about this topic again.
When they pulled their lips away, because they both needed some air inside their lungs again, they both said at the same time "I have to ask you something."
Daryl and Beth looked surprised at each other, waiting for the other to say it out loud. To stop the silence, Daryl finally said "You first sweetheart." Agreeing Beth nodded her head, before she said it out loud "I'm thinking about this since a longer time. Since you had got shot, if I'm serious."
Understanding Daryl nodded his head by her words and he just began to believe, that maybe they had wanted to ask the same question, where thinking about the same, when Beth added "Let us go away from here."
"Huh?" He answered uncontrolled, surprised and shocked all at the same time. "I mean going away for some days. To have some time on our own. To not always expect someone to caught us. To relax, to be ourselves and away from everything here. Just the two of us. Let us go away Daryl."
