AN: Apologise again all, things happen and fanfiction is the first that gets forgotten about. Enjoy. (Note, no flashbacks in this chapter.)
Three: Together
Daryl and Beth stayed in the room for almost an hour, catching up on their past. Daryl learned that Beth had dropped out of college the year before. When asked why, Beth had hung her head and explained the fate of their farm hand Otis. Daryl had to think for a moment before recalling Otis, the slightly chubby man who stayed in the close by house with his wife Patricia.
"Trish died of cancer about a week before anything happened so at first we thought it was a broken heart."
"Beth, what happened?" Daryl kneeled down next to her and took her small hand into his own, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. Beth recognised it as the nervous fidget that Daryl had always had with her.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Beth sighed heavily. "Daddy asked me to take Otis some dinner since he hadn't really left the house much after Trish died. I headed over there and… Otis was hanging in the house. He'd been dead for a few hours and after I screamed out for the others they all came over. Like I said, we thought it was cause of Trish but then Rick said he could smell something really faint… and he confirmed it."
"Beth, who did he smell?"
"Your brother. Merle killed Otis." Daryl didn't know wether to scream, punch something or just leave. He stood and gripped his head, her words finally sinking in. "Son-of-a-bitch just doesn't learn does he. Shacking up with that asshole does nothing, gonna get himself killed."
Beth stood and pulled his hands down from his hair. "Daryl, he's working for him, always has been. Ever since we took you in and not him. You shouldn't feel bad for him."
"I don't, fukin' traitor. He knows that if he comes after you I'll kill him." Beth smiled and touched his chest gently with one hand. "What happened though, after Otis died?"
"He called daddy, asked if he liked his gift. Daddy started yelling and screaming and he said 'I'm comin' to get what's mine,' and we all know what he thinks is his."
"NO!" Daryl yelled, grasping at her and pulling her close against him, hard enough for Beth to actually gasp, "He's not touching you. I should never have left, never should have left you."
Beth smiled as she melted into his arms. Five years of not touching him, of not seeing him or being with him made her miss him more and more each day.
"We need to head downstairs," she whispered in his ear and gently kissing his cheek. Daryl nodded and clasped her hand in his, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, kissing her forehead softly before heading downstairs with his wife.
The pack ended up convening over dinner that night, Daryl sitting beside Beth – his rightful spot – as Hershel went over the current situation. "As you all know, Daryl has returned to our pack and at a great time."
"Who needs 'im," Shane stuttered while sipping on a bottle of beer. He chuckled and looked over the bottle at Daryl, who frowned. If not for Beth's soft hand on his knee, he would have jumped over the table and pummelled the idiot.
"Shane, you will show respect to Daryl. He is the husband of my daughter, a pack leader in his own right."
"Yeah well, not in my eyes," Shane snapped, finishing his beer and leaving the table. Rick stood to follow him but Hershel held out a hand to stop him.
"No, let him go."
Rick sat back down and huffed. "Stubborn idiot," he stated, "It's gonna get him killed one day."
"Or I will," Daryl muttered out, Beth hushing him gently. Hershel cocked an eyebrow at his son-in-law by pack and smiled at his daughter. "We need a plan."
"And we will make one, one that will keep each of us safe as well as keep my daughter in your arms." Daryl nodded and took Beth's hand and placed both their hands together on the tabletop.
"No one will touch her," he promised, squeezing her hand and watching as each member of the table nodded their heads. "Not with me there."
Again, I'm sorry about the lateness but I shall try and update more often. The season final of Bitten was amazing and I cannot wait for season 2. I hope everyone is enjoying the story, I know that I am having a great time writing it. I am seeing this story wrapping up at about ten, maybe twelve chapters. Thanks again.
