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Chapter Twenty-Five

(Daryl's POV)

"Dude your wife is pretty badass." Glenn's grinning at him. "Maybe we should form a club."

"Yeah the 'don't piss off your wives if you wanna live' club." a soft southern accent says.

Glenn curses and turns but Maggie just smirks at him and keeps walking to join Carol, Seraphim and Mika in the grass beside the lot where Mika is using her bow next to Carl.

Glenn jerks back around eyes wide. "What and you couldn't tell me she was standing right there?!"

"Hell you looking at me for, she's your wife."

"Yeah, but she's a little—" Glenn whispers the last word looking freaked, "hormonal."

Rick claps him on the shoulder grinning. "Not afraid of your pregnant badass wife are you Glenn?"

The other man pulls a face looking uncertain for a moment. "Not exactly…"

"Then what's the problem?" Rick leans against the car hood watching obviously more focused on watching his son laughing and talking to Mika now.

"I dunno, this morning she's all over the place; one minute she's screaming at Beth for something; and then next thing I know she…" Glenn pauses looking flustered. "She wants to have sex…again! She's all over me; I need sleep!"

"Your right that's weird." Rick is laughing, "Welcome to the second trimester." Glenn only looks more confused.

"Hell was she fighting with Beth 'bout?" He can't help but notice the petite is blonde is one of the few people not outside today enjoying the cooler weather…and it can't be because of Judith; Michonne has her he notes as she approaches them. Rick grins seeing them both.

"We're gonna have to do something with that back door or the roof exit; this little lady's getting a lil big to carry down a ladder." Michonne informs them. Rick nods glancing at Daryl.

"I thought about that too, Especially with Maggie expecting now. We'll bring it up tonight, try to figure out our options."

Michonne lets the kicking little girl down and she immediately shoots across the lot on her tiny little legs; knees pulled up comically high with each step over the pavement enthusiastically shrieking displaying the universal joy of all toddlers set loose on an unsuspecting world.

"Great, now we'll never catch her…" Rick starts laughing and chasing after Judith even though Michonne is barely a foot behind the little girl's tottering form both of them already halfway across the lot to the rest of the group; her hands posed ready to snatch Judith up the second she looks unsteady or gets into trouble.

She reaches the other side of the lot without incident and Seraphim scoops her up before she can tumble over the curb and into the grass. Daryl chest tightens watching her dancing the shrieking toddler on one hip spinning the tiny girl around while Mika makes silly faces at her before handing her back to Rick when she reaches both arms excitedly for her Daddy.

"Anyone check on Beth this morning?" He frowns turning away before she can look up and catch his expression.

"Uh," Glenn looks guilty suddenly coming to the same realization. "No, I can have Maggie…"

"Nah, you really wanna send your hormonal wife to talk to her lil sister after they already had a fight? I'll go find her." He's been meaning to see what the Hell has been going on with her for weeks. If she's fight'n with Maggie it can't just be him. Might as well suss this shit out now while everyone is elsewhere. He feels like he owes the young woman that much respect.

"Be back in a bit," he offers moving back toward the warehouse ladder. Glenn nods and moves off towards the rest of the group without another word.

:: Walking Dead ::

It's oddly quiet in the warehouse with everyone outside. The voluminous space beneath the rafters they call home generally filled with diverse amalgam of fresh sounds and echoes in the cavernous space around the shelves. The vast majority of the warehouse's interior now lies empty after the efforts over the past winter of the entire group to expand the living space Seraphim originally constructed before their arrival. It took them several months of painstaking work to breakdown and reassemble the rest of the warehouse's multi-tiered shelves into an expansive open sided apartment that now fills one corner of the warehouse in a large square with a courtyard of sorts in the center directly beneath a bank of skylights. The light now filtering from above keeps the four lower levels better lit throughout the day. Even the lowest level thanks to the open space below is now brighter than many of the places they had to walk on a regular basis in the prison. The food stored around the edges no longer hidden in shadows under three solid ply-board floors.

Daryl pauses at the edge of the top floor, hands pressed to the wooden railing they added to keep Judith and young Molly and Mika safe from the steep edge. It suddenly occurs to him that without Judith's loud babble or a cooking pot he's not sure where to look for her.

"Beth?" He calls down to the lower levels waiting. No answer. Daryl frowns; if she's in here she should be able to hear him clearly without the noise of the others. Which means she doesn't want to be found, or she doesn't want to be found by him. He considers leaving again, letting Maggie deal with it later; but something stops him. A gnawing knot of guilt in the pit of his stomach he can't shake off.

He leaves the railing moving around the top of the square quickly eliminating the little plastic sheds around the edge that serve as separate bedrooms on this floor. He moves to the second level, checking the few here as well; though most of them are on the top floor Sasha likes to sleep on the second level Molly too; he suspects the little girl has a fear of heights.

Daryl finally locates her hidden away in a pink beanbag chair in a corner of Seraphim's library room. A book clasped in her hands quietly ignoring him.

"Beth," He moves closer not wanting to shout across the room at her incase the others come back inside.

"So you found me huh?" Her voice is dull, monotone and dejected. She doesn't look up from the green spine'd book in her lap. The pen in her hand pauses it's scratching. He recognizes it from their time together after the prison. Her diary. Maybe that's why she's down here. He wonders briefly if he made a mistake bothering her and should leave her alone with her thoughts. But something about her hollow expression when she lifts her eyes to him makes him pause. "You wanna explain what the Hell is going on with you?"

"What, like you care?" Beth sneers snapping the small book shut with one hand.

"Hell is your problem girl?"

"So what, now you're suddenly interested in me?" Beth snaps at him. "Bullshit. You won't give me the time of day with her around. You're just like everybody else!"

"Hell are you talkin'bout?" He's rarely seen the little blonde so worked up.

"Everyone wants to pretend life's so perfect here, but it's not! It's just another lie! And I'm sick of it!" She's on her feet, slamming the book down so it's cover slaps flat against the floor with enough force to make a resounding thump; louder then he'd have given its tiny size credit for.

Daryl feels his lips pinch into a tight line, jaw clenching for a moment trying to work out what exactly she's talking about. "Is this about Seraph—"

"It's about Maggie, and Glenn! And Rick! And You! And Carol, and Judith…" She cuts him off her eyes overly bright, rimmed suddenly with unshed tears as she rattles off names voice waivering. She stops pursing her lips gaze darting away from his face to stare out over the warehouse through the open fence holes. "Ya'll are so damn busy with pretending life's a fucking fairytale. Everybody gets their happy ending expect for me."

He waits, unsure what to say watching her swipe furiously at fresh spilled tears tracking down her cheeks flushed with spots of pink after her outburst. Her pale blue eyes almost grey in the filtered light. He's still not sure what to say when she continues finally spilling apparently months of pent up frustration and hostility on him.

"Maggie barely notices me anymore, she's said two words to me all week! And this morning she tells me I'm selfish! That I'm some kind of spoiled brat when I cook, and I clean and I slave day and night over a baby that's isn't even mine!" She drags in a shuddering raspy breath, shaking with too many pent up emotions to contain her trembles. "And now she's pregnant and guess who's gonna be taking care of that baby too?!" Beth snaps.

"Your sister aint—"

"My sister struts around her like she's Xena Fucking Warrior Princess! Her and Michonne, and Fin!" She practically spits the last name, snarling. "And what do I get? Laundry duty! Cooking! I get all the dirt and none of the glory!" She sneers at him glaring through red tinged eyes past the shine of tears. "I certainly don't get the man."

He frowns trying to understand the look she's giving him, guilt curling through his chest. "So this is about Zach? Look Beth I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken him on that run—"

He stops when she bursts out laughing. The sound is bitter, and cold: dead. "Zach." She shakes her head looking appalled, when she turns back to him she sneers. "I was only with Zach because the person I wanted didn't see me at all. Treated me like a little girl. I'm not a little girl Daryl."

She steps towards him hands clenched into fists against her sides. "I didn't get it. When we were at the farm you didn't even look at me; but then after we were at the prison, you started talking to me. You'd come by and check on me; hold Judith and ask if there was anything we needed before you went on runs. You said more to me then my big sister off chasing her boyfriend. My own Daddy was too busy playing farmer with Rick to remember my birthday was that spring he didn't remember til that summer that I was Eighteen, and then he was too busy playing Doctor…getting himself killed. He worried about everyone but me…but you acted like you cared." Her tone is wounded; it contrasts starkly with the anger still etched in the tight lines of her face, the hard set of her spine. "I thought you cared about me."

He's shaking his head; trying to make her understand, somehow unravel this mess. "I do care Beth, just…not like that." He never meant to give her that impression. He was just trying to be nice; she almost lost her father had already lost her mother and step-brother; Hell he'd realized later during the clean-up outside the barn that it was his shotgun at the farm that took her step-brother down.

She was barely seventeen in a nightmare world. Beth was so frail looking and delicate he wasn't sure when they lost the Farm she'd make it through the winter. She reminded him so much of a frightened child; weighed less than a sparrow, shook like a leaf anytime Walker's came near…she reminded him of Sophia… and then after Lori died; seeing Judith.

Daryl thought the baby clutched in Maggie's arms the first time he's seen her was dead—all covered in blood, skin ghostly pale against Maggie's blood splattered shirt clutched desperately in her arms. When he'd realized she was alive, so fragile and tiny; like Beth. That tiny baby girl already without a momma was the most heart wrenching innocent thing he'd ever laid eyes on. He was just trying to make sure that Judith and Beth were okay…he never meant for her to take it like this. "It was never like that…"

"I know," Beth tells him, looking sad. "I thought after the prison fell apart and we were on our own that first week in the woods…I thought maybe you were starting to see me—that things would finally change. You were showing me how to track, how to use your crossbow. Finally someone was treating me like a person; not just a thing! But then she showed up. Fucking Prom Queen of the Apocalypse!"

"Beth—" Daryl warns but she's not listening, smacks her hands against his chest forcing him to take a step back.

"Why did she have to be so God Damn Perfect? She can track, and fight, and hunt! She's everything that I'm not…and then Luke and Chris showed up and I saw how much she hurt you. No! You can't deny it Daryl!" She points her finger at him cutting him off when he opens his mouth to speak. "I saw what she did to you! It's wasn't enough that she'd already stolen your attention she had to have Chris's too! And even after that, after she hurt you; you still went back to her! And worse she made the one person who'd said more than two words to me that didn't involve Judith or Laundry in months leave! You certainly didn't notice me anymore." She sniffs.

"Chris left because he didn't belong here!"

She shakes her head, blonde ponytail swaying behind her. "Chris told me Fin was lying to you; to all of us; and he was going to prove it! And that after he did she would leave for good!"

"Chris was trying to get back at Fin because she rejected him! He was trying to get you and Carl killed!"

"Bullshit! Chris wouldn't do that! He promised me I wasn't in any danger! And he told me what happened that night; so don't feed me that crock of shit! She picked a fight with him after she realized he liked me; because he asked me to spare with him and she was jealous, because she realized he wanted me! Chris told me all about how she attacked him, she was furious because we were already together and he didn't want her."

A twisting knot forms in the pit of his stomach, tightens as her words form a picture in his head that makes bile rise in the back of his throat. "Oh God, Beth tell me you didn't…"

"What do you care? You going to pretend you give a shit now? She gets to fuck anyone she wants—"

His hands close around her arms stopping her pacing, it's the only thing he can think to do so he doesn't punch the wall; risk breaking his hand. "Beth, did he hurt you?"

She laughs again jerking her arms from his grasp and stepping back out of his reach the sound morphing into a snarl of frustration. "I'm not a little girl! I'm almost nineteen years old! And considering all the shit we've lived through I feel thirty, but everyone here treats me like I'm twelve!" She turns taking in whatever expression is on his face, he's not sure what she sees so many emotions are tumbling around in his chest. "I have feelings and needs and I'm sick as shit with people pissing all over them!"

"Beth, please tell me you didn't sleep with Chris…" He's very certain it's horror clawing through his gut. He should have kept a closer eye on the bastard; after what he did to Seraphim; the way he was always looking at her, he should have known to keep an eye out for Beth…he failed to keep her safe when the danger was right under his nose…

"What are you so upset about Daryl? That I had sex? That it was Chris? Or that it wasn't you? You're just jealous that someone else wanted me—"

"Jealous?! Fuck girl! What the Hell are you Thinking!? Chris was a fucking Monster! He lied to you, to Luke and Fin; He didn't give a Shi—"

"You don't get it!" She screams. "I waited for years just for you to notice me! I was there for you the whole time, I thought you cared—"

"I do care…"

"No! Liar!" She snarls, voice breaking with a sob, "And then she leaves again and betrayed us all, and I thought you'd finally see that she wasn't good for you but no she comes back and she's…she's so Fucking Perfect that not even the monsters can touch her! She was supposed to leave and never come back! You would have forgotten about her, realized how much she hurt you! But no, now she's Perfect, and she's never going to go away like the rest of us…like Shawn or Zach or my Mom…she's never going to be just ripped away from you!" Her hands gesture wildly between them fingers wrench through the air like claws angry tears tracking down her cheeks.

"You get your perfect fucking happy ending with her!" Her face falls, the anger washing from it in a single split second, her lip trembling eyes hauntingly washed of color with her pain almost dove grey against her porcelain skin the only color left in her face the splotches of pink against her cheekbones from her tears. "It was supposed to be mine…" Her voice trembles, has gone very small with defeat cracking on her last words. "You we're supposed to be mine..."

"Beth," He's totally out of his league. No fucking clue what to say to make this right; he doesn't think it can be…

"Bethany Madeline Greene," Maggie's sharp voice brings them both up short. Beth goes very still in front of him at hearing her name. Her eyes dropping to the floor in front of her feet, shoulders hunching forward with silent sobs she hides behind both hands.

"Daryl, I'd like to have a word with my sister," Maggie is moving toward them, voice softer as she takes in her younger sisters visibly deflating form. "In private."

Daryl turns and leaves, all but flying towards the stairs not sure if he should go find Glenn before those two kill each other or just find someplace quiet to hide and think.

Maggie's soft spoken, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea you were going through so much." And Beth's echoing sobs now muffled into her sister's shirt decide for him.

Hide and think it is.

:: Walking Dead ::

It's several hours later before Maggie finds him alone on the rooftop. He left Seraphim downstairs with Mika and Carl, Carol eager to spend time with her as well was happy to let him take her turn at watch, usually a mere formality with the Walkers protecting the warehouse and their remote location…other than Chris and Luke who Fin told where they were located they've yet to have a single human visitor. He needed the space, the wide open sky and the quiet to think. His insides still twisted up with guilt over a crush he can do nothing about—didn't realize he was encouraging just by trying to be nice.

He turns hearing her soft footfalls; surprised for a moment to find his company is Maggie and not Seraphim. He watches as she moves to sit beside him; Glenn nowhere in sight oddly. He turns back to the empty lot below them when she's seated beside him.

"You here to kill me?"

Maggie smiles without humor. Red rimmed eyes watching the rolling clouds for a moment in the late afternoon sun. "Not your damn fault," she finally speaks. "I shoulda known." She pauses face pinching looking physically pained.

"You alright?" He can't help but notice her hand pressed over her abdomen, after a conversation like that…

Maggie glances at him, following his gaze seeming to realize for the first time her hand is absentmindedly pressed over her still mostly flat stomach. "Yeah, it's not this," She waves a generalizing hand at her abdomen sighing. "It's all that." She waves the same hand over her shoulder. "I feel like I should be apologizing to you." She admits after a quiet moment staring down at the pavement below their perch.

"What the Hell for?"

"I knew she had a crush, even back at the farm…I just; I thought it went away after the farm; and the prison…Dad…" she inhales slowly looking lost. "I didn't realize it was this bad, she built this whole fantasy in her head…" she trails off breath huffing out shoulders collapsing.

"Feel like I've done something awful." He admits quietly trying to identify the crawly sick feeling twisting through his insides after her words. Maggie shakes her head turning towards him again. "No, you didn't do anything wrong Daryl. I screwed up. Hell, Dad screwed up. Beth was right about that. I've been so wrapped up in Glenn I forgot what this must be like for her—and my Dad. He was so busy teaching Rick and Carol those last few months, spending time with the council trying to make sure that he passed on as much of his knowledge as possible; he kind of forgot her too. And I'm not going to make excuses for her—but she's always been the baby. Beth was always Mom and Daddy's little girl. Hell when I was fourteen I already knew what sex was; I already knew wearing tight jeans and wiggling just a little when I walked made guy's mouths fall open; made me feel powerful watching grown men tripping all over themselves staring at my ass. I used it to get what I wanted."

Daryl frowns.

"My point is," Maggie continues noting his discomfort. "When Beth was seventeen she was still braiding up her hair with ribbons and giggling about holding Jimmy's hand behind my father's back—and I don't know when that changed."

"She really sleep with Chris when he was here?"

Maggie nods slowly. "Yeah, I don't know if it was her idea or his; but apparently it happened more than once."

He curses and Maggie shakes her head. "I didn't even know what Chris had done to Fin until after what happened with the door…after they left Rick told us he attacked Fin after she rejected him…I wanted to punch the shit out of him." She purses her lips at the sky eyes narrowing. "Now I wish I'd shot his ass."

Daryl grunts his assent, it's not the first time he's wished he'd done just that. They're silent for a few moments. "Hell do we do now?"

"Not sure, but it starts with me paying more attention to my sister. I can't believe she thought I was going to dump my baby on her…" Maggie's arms close reflexively over her middle answering his unspoken question of just how long she was standing there before she spoke up. "And Judith…I thought she liked taking care of her—she's always liked babies and kids, and I would have helped her more…but it just…it reminded me of Lori; and what happened…" she swallows, not quite tearing up—but almost before pulling in a slow steadying breath. "Stupid hormones," she mutters looking away and swiping at overly wet eyes.

"What should I do?"

"Nothing, She fell in love with a fantasy. Lots of girls do that." Maggie shakes her head. "it's just most of them are in High School and it's usually the captain of the Football team. They get their hearts broken when he asks out the head cheerleader and they get over it." She shrugs one shoulder grinning at him suddenly. "You better learn this stuff; house bet is you and Fin pop out your own lil' Asskicker soon and all the money's on it being a girl."

"Who the Hell started that shit?" He grumbles fidgeting uncomfortably.

Maggie grins wider. "Carol."

"And here I thought she liked me."

:: Walking Dead ::

It's late, well past nightfall when Tyreese takes over watch with a curt nod. He's a little surprised when he climbs down the ladder to the main floor that Rick and Michonne are still up though it's well past ten by his count. Carol is with them Maggie and Beth too. The later is tucked under one of her sister's arms refusing to look at him, her eyes fixed to the fire pit lighting the majority of the space around the group. Daryl shifts his weight uncomfortably eager to leave, guilt and a twisting unease sliding through his gut in her presence after her outburst earlier, her words still too fresh in his mind.

"Carl still downstairs?" He was when Daryl left for watch keeping Seraphim and Mika company.

Rick nods, "Yeah you'll probably have to kick him out; they've been inseparable for hours. Send him back up here he should be in bed anyway."

"They were playing cards when I left." Carol tells him, "I'll be down in just and minute and grab Mika, she should have been in bed hours ago. We were just discussing whether it would be possible to build stairs."

"Stairs?"

"Yeah, it's gonna be awful hard to carry another baby up and down the ladders," Rick fills him in. "I'm pretty sure we can come up with something on the inside here," Rick waves his hand toward the center of their square space. "Build some kind of staircase so we can all get around here easier, should have tried it before now. Don't know why we didn't think of it. We're pretty handy, think we can work that out?"

"Yeah sure," he shrugs. "Talk about it tomorrow?" Rick is always eager for a project.

Rick nods grinning at him. "Yeah, get out of here,"

He turns to the ladder quickly making his way down the three floors to the lowest level, crossing through the back room to reach the hallway leading to their room. He stops just inside the entryway still created with a tall wall of boxes near the far end of the hall. Carl and Mika are still there, but they're all asleep. The little blonde's head is tucked under Seraphim's chin. Carl's flat on his back his shoulder close enough to press to Fin's back; one of his arms flung over his eyes playing cards still somehow grasped in his hand even sound asleep. Carl is snoring softly.

Daryl frowns, he'll have to wake them up; get them off to their own beds. Footsteps in the hallway behind him draw his attention. Carol coming to collect Mika obviously. "There's a blonde and a brunette that don't belong in my bed." He grumbles.

Carol just shakes her head. "Better get used to it, another year or two and you'll have kids in your bed every night."

He scowls, eyes narrowing as she stops next to him crossing her arms and taking in the three sleeping figures.

Daryl crosses his arms as well. "This have sumthin' to do with that bet I keep hearing about?"

Carol grins at him. "What? Don't look at me like that, sound travels you know; not like you guys are exactly quiet down here. I'm surprised you haven't knocked her up already."

Daryl nearly chokes, sputtering, "The Hell—"

"Oh relax! What else are we supposed to all talk about? You can only place so many bets on where Maggie and Glenn will get busted next..." She grins wider taking in his expression. "There may or may not be a bet on where you two get caught next…"

Daryl scowl darkens further. "One time. Whole Damn family gossips like old women. People are a pain in my ass. You need a new damn hobby." he grumbles.

"Yeah well, this pain in the ass has four shifts of overnight watch riding on you two popping out a little Asskicker in the next few months," Carol smacks him on the shoulder ignoring his flinch. "So get cracking."

Carl stirs sitting up. "Shit, what time is it?"

"'S Time to get your ass upstairs, and outta my bed." Daryl growls. Carl grins at him gets up slowly completely indifferent by Daryl's tone. To think there was a time when the kid would have scattered the second he looked at him.

Carl stretches circling the bed to tap Mika on the shoulder. "Meeks? Let's go Daryl's back." The little blonde rolls over waking up Seraphim who sits up at the same time yawning. Mika crawls out of bed rubbing her eyes still looking half asleep. Carl starts escorting her down the hall with one hand on her shoulder, "but the playing cards…" she mumbles passing by him.

"We'll get them later," Carol assures her winking one more time at Daryl and following the other two down the hallway.

"Hell was that all 'bout?"

"Go fish," She says, gathering up the few spilled cards and tucking them back into the thin box before placing it on the egg crate that serves as a nightstand.

He scowls. "Go fish where?"

She snorts. "No Daryl, 'Go Fish'; it's a card game." She's shaking her head at him. "I'm surprised you took watch the first night we got back." He frowns. "What is it?"

"Nuthin, I just—had an awkward run in with Beth earlier."

"Beth?" She frowns. "Is she okay?"

He's not sure how to answer that. "I don't know, Maggie talked to her."

She's staring at him, silent for a long moment. "Is it about me?"

Not exactly. She's watching his expression, bites her lip looking down at the bed spread twisting it in her hands. "I knew it; I told you not everyone would be okay with me coming back. Daryl I'm a freak." She pulls her knees up and tucks her head down wrapping her arms around her shins.

"It's not that," He flops down on the bed exhausted laying back. "She's pissed off at me."

"Because you brought me back here." She mumbles voice muffled by her legs.

"No Because the girl likes me." There he's said it. He waits, almost holding his breath. She lifts her head turning to stare down at him.

"She's pissed off at you because she likes you?"

He huffs staring at the ceiling, guilt clawing through him once more. "I was nice to her, and she got the wrong idea."

"So she hates me because she's jealous, and she's pissed at you for not picking her."

"Hell, Girl's only Nineteen! She was like Mika an' Carl when I met her a child! It aint like that! Never been like that."

She blinks staring down at him. "Wait, You don't think I'm upset do you?"

"You're not?"

"She's young, and you're…memorable," Her lips twist up. "I can see how she could have a crush on you." She grins suddenly. "I seem to remember a certain gruff redneck telling me 'there weren't many girls left' when I was dealing with a similar situation, same could be said for good men."

Daryl snorts. "Shit, Carl wasn't the one with the crush problem; I was."

"Even back then?" She leans over him, so close he can feel her lips twist up into a grin, her breath tickles across his chin sliding down his neck like the warmth spreading through his chest.

"From the moment I laid my damn eyes on you in the woods." His fingers curl against the back of her neck pulling her down to kiss. She pulls back a few moments later curling up against his side one hand pressed to his chest over his heart.

"Try not to tear yourself up about Beth," She pats his chest. "She's young, and she has a lot to deal with; can't blame her for wanting something good too, fixating on it. I can't imagine being her age and living like this." She shakes her head against his chest. "Try not to let it get to you, you shouldn't feel guilty for being happy."

"I don't…Not exactly." He clenches his jaw staring up at the darkness over their heads.

"I know," she turns tighter against his side. "I get it, but there isn't really anything else you can do. Hopefully time passes and she can move on, heal." She pauses for a moment. "I mean unless you want to leave me to be with her."

He snorts. Turning to wrap his arm around her pulling her tight against his chest, her head tucked under his chin. "Only been a few days, Wife. You already trying to get rid of me?"

She shakes her head against his chest. "You wish; you're stuck with me for life. However long or short that might be; I'm not going anywhere." His arms tighten reflexively around her back dipping his head to breathe her into his lungs. The soft familiar scent of vanilla and alluring spices wrapped around him like a cloud. She sighs against his chest mumbling right before she falls asleep. "an' tomorrow…we have to find out exactly what this bet is I keep hearing about…"

That'll be an interesting conversation, he thinks closing his eyes ready to fall asleep.

:: Walking Dead ::