"Mmm," He could feel himself waking from the first good night's sleep in what felt like a millenium to the sound of Beth's sweet voice. She moved from his side only for a split second before he felt his shoulder being pushed and a light pressure of her body on top of his. He kept his eyes closed, feeling her soft skin against his. He smiled, breathing her in as she kissed his jaw, then the sweet spot on his neck. Her fingers grabbed the loose hair near the back of his head, making him chuckle at the needy way she touched him.

"What're y'doin?" But he knew exactly what she was doing. He couldn't remember the last time he had remembered her being so persistent, so needing. With his eyes still closed he felt his way to the small of her back, pressing calloused fingers close to where her underwear sat. He knew she was smiling as she progressed from his neck down to his chest, trailing warm kisses that made his skin raise.

He could hear the silence in the room and the world around him. And though his eyelids stayed shut there wasn't a doubt in his mind it was a little past dawn. The birds stayed quiet and not a single sound was dominating Beth's soft whispers against his stomach. Daryl's free hand went up to her hair blindly, brushing the loose curls out of her face and behind her head.

"I missed this," She cooed, "I miss this."

Daryl nodded, though she probably didn't see, she knew just as well as he did. His eyes flung open once his skin met the cool air again. She sat up on her knees, sleep still plastered onto her face, and smiled shyly at him. Her eyes barely made him out in the darkness surrounding them, but they connected, staring at each other quietly.

Daryl didn't say a word. Beth neither. She watched him put his arms back behind his head, as if anticipating a show from her. She knew better than that. Her eyes traveled from his face to his lips, and then to the bare chest underneath her.

He did the same, watching her eyes travel down his body. He looked down from her face to her pale skin that contrasted the dark room. She let her hair down last night, which was a rarity, and it pleased him to see her blonde curls covering some of her face and shoulders. He loved when she let loose and felt comfortable enough to do so.

"Been awhile," He grunted, watching as she reached to take her shirt from over her head. He watched her hold on to the baggy fabric, messing with it in her hands while she broke eye contact with him.

"Yeah," She smiled softly, though he could sense sadness, "Seems silly saying we were too busy before all this, but we were, weren't we?"

He kept quiet for a bit, watching her fidget on top of him. What passion she had in her just a moment ago seemed suttle now. There was split second he thought his comment ruined what he had missed so much before she looked back up at him, lips curled slightly.

"I want you."

The t-shirt crumpled next to her as she made her way up to him, pressing her bare chest into his. Their lips connected briefly before Beth felt his body lift beneath hers and flip her over. He now covered her, trailing his lips down her body just the same as she did for him just moments ago. She giggled then moaned at the fingers that caressed the sides of her stomach and then her thighs. He worshipped her in this moment, kissing and brushing up against her quietly.

"Daryl…" Her soft voice was interrupted by a bang on the wall next to them; Merle's loud cursing followed.

"Daryl!" Merle's yell was urgent, but it didn't help that Daryl groaned in protest. Beth sank from her elbows and lay back on the bed, obviously flustered and frustrated as well.

"m'sorry," He crawled up her bare body, kissing her mouth softly before rushing to throw his shirt on and claim his crossbow from the desk near the door.

"God dam-son of'a bitch!" Daryl could hear his brother shuffling in the room, obviously distrested by something ruining his sleep. Daryl pointed his crossbow at the door before kicking it near the knob, opening it up in an instant.

"What the-" Daryl watched his brother stumble towards backwards towards the door, eyes and gun pointed towards a young man pinned against the wall, frightened out of his mind.

"I'm sorry man! I wasn't gonna do anything to you, I swear! I just wanted to leave," The boy's skin complexion was almost as dark as the room; he wasn't well hidden though. His frightened eyes switched back and forth from the men in front of him pointing weapons towards him while his hands were raised and empty.

"How the hell did you get in here?!" Merle's voice roared in the small room, waking most of the others as Daryl felt Rick's presence behind him.

"N-Noah. Please don't kill me. I was holed up in this place and didn't know where else to go when you guys came here so I hid," He flinched when Merle walked closer to him, gun still raised, "I hid in the bathroom and fell asleep in the tub. I'm sorry, but please just don't kill me."

"You're a filthy bastard. Took a piss in there yesterday and you were in there!" Merle eyed the boy with less intensity now that sleep left him and he was fully awake. He dropped his weapon, walking away as Rick and Daryl walked closer-Daryl kept his weapon up.

"I'm sorry-"

"Quit apologizin' already, damn kid! You're givin' me a headache." Already Merle's voice was back to the normal rasp he always projected with just a hint of annoyance.

"So you've been here this whole time?" Rick looked Noah up and down, noticing the way he dropped his hands, now messing with the belt loop on his pants.

"Yeah, I just couldn't leave until I knew you guys were asleep. I guess I just was too noisy," He laughed nervously. Daryl kept his stance facing Noah, looking towards Rick for approval. Rick nodded, striding towards the kid. He flinched when Rick's hands first made contact with his clothes, but relaxed when Rick quit patting him down. He found no weapons, no anything.

"Is anyone else here we obviously missed?"

"No, just me. My family…" He went quiet, looking down at the ground to hide the tears coming out.

"It's okay," Rick grabbed his shoulder, "We have people here. We aren't bad. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to. You can stay with us as long as there isn't any funny business."

"You sure about that?" Daryl furrowed his brow at the officer next to him. He seemed to be the only one still weary about the kid. He mentally kicked himself for not finding him in the bathroom when they checked the place out earlier.

"No, I'm not, but we can't just kick him out. He was here first."

"Daryl? Is everything okay?" The archer looked behind him to see Beth gripping the doorway, Bill by her side along with Shane who kept a handgun firmly gripped in his lowered hand.

He nodded towards her, looking back at Noah and Rick before going towards Beth.

"A kid was hidin' in the bathroom. Think Merle pissed his pants while he was knockin' shit over," Beth smiled at him and rolled her eyes. They walked back to their room, leaving the door open in the process.

Daryl eyed her, noticing the loose hair he had his hands in earlier was now pulled back and her body was completely covered with last night's clothing. She crossed her legs on the edge of the bed, watching him rub his head as an ache settled into his mind.

"It'll be nice to have an extra hand," Beth shrugged, "We're better in numbers anyways."

"It's gettin' to be a little much," Daryl heard Shane's protests towards Noah's stay and Rick's explanation as they walked past the door.

"Yeah, but we'll manage," He felt her arms wrap around him from behind; her head lay on his back and her lungs breathing in his closeness.

"Come on you two, gotta find me a pack of smokes and start this day off," Bill hit the door frame with his hand while he walked past. Beth giggled into Daryl's back at Bill's gruffness.

"He's getting a little hormonal without his cigarettes. It's only been a day, too."

"Don't blame him," Daryl's lungs itched for an unneeded smoke. Beth didn't like when he would have a cigarette between his lips, but she would never mention it. Especially now when the stress of the dead around them arose.

"Lets get dressed," Beth nudged his side, pushing him away from the door she shut softly. He stared at her, confused as she pulled the shirt she had just put on, off.

"What-"

"Do you have a problem?" He gulped, realizing how stupid he was for questioning her. He shook his head, watching her walk up to him, tugging the collar of his shirt. He accepted, following her towards the bed again and letting her pull him on top of her until they were tangled into the sheets once more.

A/N: Wow! Did you miss me? I never thought I'd get back to this story, but tonight something just clicked. I'm glad to be writing this again, and I would apologize for a short chapter, but I am more sorry that I had abandoned you guys for so long! I'm glad to be back, though :) Enjoy, at let me know what you think about Noah and everything in general!