Hey there readers! Thank you for giving my story a chance! Ok, so I've changed the title and it's now called "Bethyl in Alexandria" and I have no idea if I'll add more chapters after this one. I'm kind of putting Beth in the scenes that we saw in the show in 5B and also imagining things that she might do if she had made it to Alexandria so maybe I'll come up with more ideas. Anyway, this one takes place during the welcome party that Deanna threw at her house.
He doesn't even care about the stupid party. He's not going. Why should he? It's not like he's a people-person, he's never been. He'll hang around Alexandria and then go home and get some sleep. No big deal. The others will tell him all about it when they get back later anyway. He did manage to take a shower though, mostly 'cause he could and also because Carol looked pretty serious the last time she threatened to throw a bucket of water over his head if he didn't clean up on his own volition. In the house where he is staying he has a pile of new, freshly ironed clothes in a closet all for himself. He had picked a dark long-sleeved shirt, a pair of jeans and put them on. The jacket with the angel wings on the back he didn't give up just yet, he felt a little bit more confident with it on.
Now he's just strolling past the house where Aaron, the guy that had recruited them all and brought them to Alexandria, lives with his partner lights are on, he figures they must be having dinner given that it's past seven. Or maybe they've already eaten and they're just relaxing in the living room, or reading a book, or whatever. Here they can afford that, he thinks. They have walls around the town that make them sleep without worries. So they find time for silly stuff and for love, too. Like it's so normal, like it can't be swept away from them any minute. Daryl sighs. He moves past there, wondering why he's having such thoughts. He keeps walking, observing the other houses along the road.
Before he knows he finds himself near Deanna's place. It's a house a little bigger than the others, well kept, with a small yard. Muffled voices flow out, shadows pass behind the lit windows. Everybody's there, except for him. He considers going in but...no, he's just not in the mood. He doesn't feel like making small talk nor to share his personal story with complete strangers. He's already walking away when something stops him right on his tracks. The voices are now replaced by a melody, a piano playing. It's a nice tune, he thinks, and he might as well stick around a while to listen. But then the notes are accompanied by the words of a song. He knows that voice all too well.
Daryl goes for the back door of Deanna's house and he quietly enters from there, so he won't draw people's eyes on him right away. Her voice is loud and clear now, he stands by the open door that leads to the parlor where a bunch of party guests listen mesmerized like it's a mermaid's call. She's sitting at the piano, her back to him. Right next to her, Maggie hold a glass of wine in her hand and watches her sister with a glimmer in her eyes, like even she can't believe that she's actually there, alive and well, doing what she loves the most. Daryl's never heard that song before but he likes it anyway, probably 'cause he finds everything she performs pleasant and optimistic.
I saw the surprise, the look in your eyes, I gave it up
gonna be who I am, be who I am and give it up
I tried all the way
wait for me, wait for me
it's all better now, it's all better now
wait for me, wait for me...
Something in the lyrics makes him go back to a particular night, when he saw the surprise in her eyes when she realized that if he had changed his mind about the existence of good people out there it was all because of her. It was Beth. And then boom, there was no time for anything, it all disappeared before his eyes. She was gone and as fast as he ran he was never able to catch that damned car. God knows how many nights he had spent kicking himself for letting that happen, going over every detail to see if he could have done something differently so that she would still be with him. But it was useless, there was nothing that he could do, not up until the car with the white cross showed up again on his path. That was his chance to make it right, to find her. And now she was sitting at a piano, supposedly happy. For once things were looking up.
The song ends too soon and people start clapping right away. Beth turns around, humbled and maybe a little embarrassed for all the sudden attention but then she spots him through the crowd and her smile grows wider. He gives a couple claps himself, to show his appreciation and offers a hint of a smile. She thanks the audience, stands up and leans to her sister to whisper something in her ear. Maggie searches briefly around the room before her gaze lands on him. She nods at whatever Beth is saying and turns to Glenn. Now Beth is headed his way, shifting through the guests that pat on her back to compliment her. Daryl can't help but notice that she changed as well, she's now wearing a black pleated skirt that grazes her knee, a beige shirt and a dark-brown unbuttoned cardigan over it. The usual high ponytail is replaced by a neat side-braid. She looks absolutely beautiful. She always does, Daryl thinks, but it's so good to see her in normal clothes, not some garments found while scavenging around. They're finally face to face. "You came" she greets him, her smile unwavering.
Daryl puts his hands in his jeans pockets. "I wasn't going to but...yeah, I'm here"
"I'm glad you are" she answers.
"I liked the song" he adds.
She slightly blushes, tucking a lock of stray hair behind her ear. "It was Deanna's idea. I didn't want to but she insisted so..."
"It was good. What's it called?"
"'Wait for me'" she says like maybe she's giving him more than a simple title.
Daryl nods in understanding. He can't think about anything else to say. He can see some Alexandria citizens looking with curiosity their way, specifically at him, and he starts feeling like perhaps two minutes of presence at the welcome party are enough and he can leave now. Beth must have sensed that 'cause she places a hand on his arm and asks "Do you wanna go outside for a minute?"
"Hell yeah" he agrees, clearly relieved. They make a quick detour for some beer at the drinks table and once he's grabbed a bottle they step out on the back porch.
Beth leans against the banister, Daryl against the house wall. He takes a sip of his beer.
"You know, I've been thinking of what you said" she starts. "About Alexandria being too perfect and that we shouldn't trust people so easily. I think you're kind of right."
Daryl straightens up a little. "I thought you were all about believing in the good in people."
"Yes, I still believe that. But one thing is believing and another is jumping without a parachute. I'm just saying, we don't know how long we are staying here, maybe everything will turn out okay or maybe not and we'll be on the road again, but either way we should enjoy the benefits of Alexandria. We have real food, a roof over our heads, clothes, showers. It's pretty sweet" she explains.
Daryl weighs her words for a while before he speaks. "So basically we're hoping for the best..."
"...but expecting the worst, yeah. Though I'm still more on the hope side" she finishes his sentence with a smirk.
"It makes sense" Daryl says.
Beth fills the space between them in two steps. She encircles her arms around him, her gaze up to his face. "Just remember that we're in this together. You're never alone."
It's still too good to be true to Daryl that they can allow themselves movements like these. That he can brush her soft arm with his fingers as he's doing right now, that he can bring her even closer to his chest and kiss her on her perfect pink lips. He doesn't even care that somebody could come out and bust them, they're not doing anything wrong. He could have a little happiness too, with Beth. It's all better now.
P.S.: I had a hard time finding a fitting song but Kings Of Leon's Wait For Me seemed pretty good to me so I used it. I hope you liked it (and that you overlook the fact that it came out, like, in 2013 which means Beth couldn't possibly know it..!)