It never gets old.

For nearly three weeks he's walked up the stairs in his house, to his room he shares with Beth and sees his son on her chest. For longer than that he's been seeing his ring on her finger, but for three blissful, beautiful fucking months he's come home from days out with Aaron to his wife cradling their child in their home.

He still hasn't got a goddamn clue how he landed on his feet like this. Hasn't got a clue how they managed to get here. The last three months of Beth's pregnancy were the worst months of his life and his wife is more than happy to agree with him. The prison fell because it was always gonna. They ain't just fighting walkers no more, there's people to think about too and the Governor wanted them bad.

Lucky for them after they lost the farm, they came up with an escape route and even though he grabbed Beth and ran without a single flying fuck about anyone else but his wife and child, she reminded him of the meet up point and he sailed on to it like he remembered the whole damn time. His throat closes whenever he remembers it.

Weren't no other person he went back for. Not Rick, not Carol, not even any of the kids, none of his family. It fills him with shame and he won't say nothing out loud but if he had to do it again, he would still save Beth first. Once the group were together again, the shock finally hit them.

They lost Hershel. Beth was crying herself sick all day long and worrying Daryl sick too. He didn't know what to say or do or how to act because what he really wanted to say was think of the baby but he knew his wife wouldn't appreciate it. They got married in private. Family didn't even know until they saw the ring on her finger.

He asked her the night before the prison fell and when she said yes he bent up a lollipop stick and wrapped it around her ring finger while Beth laughed with tears in her eyes. The next day, he pulled out the ring he was stashing under the bed in their cell because he didn't want Beth to know how damn pathetic he was keeping it hidden from the day after he found out she was pregnant.

It didn't seem like the right time, to ask her then, felt like he was only asking her because she was carrying his baby, not because he loved her to fucking insanity. He got one night. Just one amazing night where he got to bury his head between Beth's legs and lose himself in her scent, her smell, her moans.

Next morning the world went to shit and every day after that it got shitter. He was worried sick about Beth, the baby and how they didn't have no food, no water. He hunted until his arms ached to lift the crossbow, his lungs burning for all the animals he chased after holding his breath so he didn't scare them.

It got hopeless and that ain't something he's gonna admit out loud neither but it sure as fuck did. He's never felt like that, not in all the time walkers have been roaming the earth, but watching Beth cry and cry, watching the weight fall away from her face and thighs made his gut clench something awful.

Aaron saved them. Daryl ain't ashamed to admit it. Aaron did something he couldn't even do himself: he helped his family. Right in fucking time too because just like he knew it would, all the stress had Beth crippled with contractions. Aaron says that's the reason why he trusted them and brought them in.

Said that even if they were bad, he weren't gonna condemn an innocent child. Seen Beth sweating and groaning and rushed out to help them all. He owes that man his life and he knows it. Without him, he could have lost the baby or Beth or both. It's the only reason he hauls his ass out every morning to go recruiting because he don't give one damn about 'the cause' and he sure as shit don't believe in it.

Seen too much of human behaviour now to believe there's anyone good left. But Aaron, he could ask Daryl to lick his boots and he goddamn would. Until the day he keels over, he'll get his ass out of the gates and travel with Aaron wherever he wants to go.

"Hey daddy," Beth coos softly, pulling Daryl from his own head and forcing him to focus his eyes on her.

She's sitting in the rocking chair by the window with Daryl junior in her lap, staring at him with Beth's big eyes. It punches him in the gut every damn time to see his son, Jesus. To see his son and his wife at once just ain't fair to his heart cause it squeezes so tight he's sure as shit he's gonna keel over with heart failure.

Not to mention the rush of blood to his cock. There's something so damn satisfying knowing the connection him and Beth have now, one he don't have with no other thing on the earth.

"Hey," he whispers as he crouches in front of his son. "You been good for your ma?"

"Been suckin' on my nipples all damn day, he's such a pig," Beth says without seriousness, a smile lightening her face.

He looks up at her and just stares, his hands curling around his son's little belly and stroking him. Daryl thought she was gorgeous when she was pregnant but since she's had Daryl Jr., she's goddamn glowing. He smiles at her before he looks at the cooing baby trying to wriggle out of her lap.

He groans as he picks him up and stands, lifting him in the air. "Can tell, look at this porky belly," he teases, bringing the baby back down to his arms and tickling lightly.

There's a tiny, cute giggle from Daryl Jr. before he catches Daryl's hand and squeezes at his fingers. He glances up at Beth and smiles, still so awed by her, by their child, by the fact that their child has his name. He thought she would name him after her daddy or even her brother Shawn.

When she told him, she admitted that she'd thought about it but it would be weird. Her daddy and her brother had their own names which suited their own selves. She said Daryl was an empty shell waiting for love to fill him up and so she gave his name to their son because she wanted someone she could fill with love all the time.

Not even a minute goes by with the two of them looking at each other before Daryl's distracted by a tiny snore. Looking down, he finds the baby has fell asleep already and he snorts in amusement, moving over to the crib in the corner of the room to gently lie his son in his bed. Beth sneaks up behind him and wraps her arms around his waist, her fingers twining with his and bumping their wedding bands together.

"You been gone a while. Everythin' okay?" She whispers.

He lies, "yeah, fine."

He knows if he told her they nearly got trapped under a caved in wall she would freak the fuck out, despite him being right in front of her so he doesn't tell her. He's not down for lying to her but he's also not in the business of upsetting his wife, especially when all he wants to do is wrap his dirty hands around her and fuck her silly.

Beth hums into the space between his shoulder blades where her chin rests. "Gonna put him in the nursery soon. Couple more days."

Daryl hums back because he's been telling her do this for a while but she's been too scared. To distract the conversation before it turns into an argument, which it has before, he turns her to face him and grips her by the ass cheeks, pulling her body right up so she's flush against him, his stirring cock pressing into her pussy.

"Wanna fuck you right now."

She raises her eyebrow in surprise. "No shower?"

"Nah, no shower."

She squeals as he backs her into the rocking chair. He always insists that he showers before he gets into bed with her, but he's been out for nearly three days and he can't wait another second, not after walking into her with his child on her chest.

It undoes him every time.