A/N: I've put in this little background snippet to remind you guys that it wasn't Beth's choice to stop seeing him all those years ago. Please don't be mad at her! She was only eight!

Also, you guys should check out my newest YouTube video. It's Bethyl, so you should enjoy it. The link to it is in my bio!

A Case of the Blues: Chapter 10

** 19 YEARS EARLIER **

"Mama, please let me go and see him!" She begged, tears making tracks down her innocent face.
"No Beth, that's final. The maid will stay with you at all times to make sure you don't sneak out again".

Beth was distraught. She would never be able to go and play with Daryl again. Personally, she couldn't see an issue with it – but her parents thought otherwise. Luckily, before the maid was hired to practically spy on her, Maggie helped her sneak out one or two times. The last time she was there, she gave him her mamas music box. She couldn't bear to part with him and not leave him something to remember her by.

Beth ran up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door shut, sliding down and landing on the floor with a thud. She held her head in her hands and she cried. Her shoulders racked and she could barely breathe, and she hated it. She would never see her best friend again.

** PRESENT DAY **

Daryl continuously turned the ring around in his hands. "What have I done?" he asked himself, before jumping at a familiar voice.

"You okay lil brother?" Merle asked, walking into the room.
"I asked her to break up with Jimmy. Why the hell did I do that, Merle?!" Daryl yelled, putting the ring back into his pocket and scrunching his eyes shut, trying to shut out the world for just one minute.

"Because she is meant to be with you, Darylina, not some weak ass kid called Jimmy," he snorted in reply, but didn't continue to laugh when he realised that Daryl wasn't appreciating his joke. Something was up. "Daryl, you havin' second thoughts?"

"I'm not the one for her. I'm so fucked up an' she's so perfect. I don' deserve her, not in a million years."

"Now now, baby brother, let's not think like that, she's chosen you, right?" Merle asked, walking up to Daryl, standing in front of him to gain his full attention. "Daryl."

He looked up to his older brother. "I guess so… But, I jus' feel so fuckin' guilty Merle."
"Baby brother, come on-"
"No Merle!" He yelled, pacing around the room. "It's been twenty fuckin' years. She was right, we ain' the same people no more. We're different, we ain' kids no more. She has her life, and I have mine. That's all there is to it."

Merle watched his brother in silence, trying to figure out what was going through his head. "That ain't all there is to it. Hear me out – she's leavin' her fucking fiancé for you, an' you're just gonna leave her with no one? No one at all?"

"She'll be better off without me."

"Pfft. I fuckin' doubt that."

"You don't know nothin', Merle. Get out, I wanna talk to Beth alone when she gets here," Daryl said, facing away from his brother.

Merle simply nodded and remained silent, leaving the cabin reluctantly.

** ONE HOUR LATER **

Beth came stumbling into the cabin, clutching her chest and breathing heavily, clearly having ran the entire way here.

"Daryl…" she whispered, before sitting down against the wall catching her breath.

Daryl stood up from the sofa and walked over to her, sitting down in front of her. He seemed distant – this she noticed when he didn't return her smile.

"Daryl, is everything okay?"
"I'm okay."

She tilted her head, trying to read him. There was definitely something wrong.

"No you're not."

Daryl sighed and failed to meet her eyes with his own. He couldn't bear to lose himself in her crystal blue eyes that shimmered with desire whenever they met his.

"Beth, I… It was a bad idea to try and get you back. It was selfish of me. I don't deserve you."

Where was all this coming from? Just the night before they were making love and now he wanted to get rid of her? "Daryl? I'm confused."

"I'm sorry."

"I was coming back for you," she began, "I broke up with Jimmy earlier. I had to make a choice and I picked you. Because I love you. Picking you was the best choice I ever made, no matter what happens," she whined, unsure what was happening.

He stayed in silence, still unable to meet her eyes. "Do you even care?" She whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.

"I just have to say somethin'."
"Say it."
"I love you. That's probably one of the most selfish things I've ever said in my life. But I will never, ever stop lovin' you, Beth. We jus' can't do this, me and you, us. I can't be selfish with you. I won't."

There was a long pause. A long silence. Both of them gathered their thoughts. Beth wiped the tears that ran down her cheeks, not wanting to look weak in front of him.

"I don't think Jimmy is ever going to stop loving me. He's gotten under my skin, and no matter what I do, I can't shake him. He's always going to be there, Daryl. But when I'm around you, I don't notice him. He's invisible when you're here. Please… Please don't leave me…"

"I'm bad for you, Beth! I can't change myself, I can't change my past. I've done some bad things, gone through a hell of a lot. And I'm jus' not for you."

Another pause. More silence. This was deafening.

"Why didn't you run as far away as you could when you saw me at the diner that night?"
"Because I love you!" She yelled. "Because I chose you!"

"Now I'm choosing," he whispered, finally meeting her eyes after so long. "And I'm choosing to let you go."

"What?" Beth stuttered, her ears not believing what she was hearing. No. He couldn't do this. Not now. "No… You can't…"

"This is the right choice, Beth. I'm choosing to relieve you for having to put up with me and everything I have ever done for the rest of your life!" He stood now, pacing again.

"Stop," Beth said, calmly. She stood up too, walking over to him. "Stop acting like I'm perfect. I've done horrible things too! I just broke a mans heart! I cheated on my fiancé! Do you really think I am going to stand here and judge you?"

Daryl looked at his feet, shifting nervously. "I won't change who I am. I can't. But I refuse to change you. You're too good for this world."

"Why are you pushing me away?" Beth said angrily, her vision becoming blurred. "Because you can try, try all you fuckin' like, Mr Dixon, but I am NOT leaving you. Not now, not ever."

Daryl grabbed Beth's face and crashed his lips against hers, fisting his hand into her hair to pull her closer. She squirmed slightly, becoming very confused.

He pulled back, both of them gasping for breath. "I don' fuckin' know what I'm doin, Beth."

She looked up at him, lifting his chin to make him look back at her. "We can take this day by day. No need to rush. I don't wanna lose you, Daryl. You can't push me away."

Daryl shook his head and stepped back. He ran his hands through his hair and growled slightly.

"Does this feel wrong?" She asked him.
"I shouldn't have tried to push you away. I'm sorry."

He walked up to her again and pulled her into a crushing hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed, inhaling his scent.

"I promise you I will never push you away again. I'm so fuckin' sorry. You're jus' way too good for me."

She pulled back and smiled up at him. "That's for me to decide."

And they kissed.

A/N: Tricked youuuu! I'm sorry if this all confused you, I just wanted a bit of angst in the relationship. It's not going to be plain sailing, there's going to be complications. But they're going to stick by each other til the end!