Sometimes Daryl doesn't know what to do with so much happiness.

Maybe if he'd had some practice, if he'd had some experience with it, then it would feel a little more real and he would be able to relax into it, accept it easily.

He's not quite there yet, but he's trying, and day by day he finds himself forgetting a little more of what life before Beth was like. He hopes that one day it'll be that past that feels unreal, rather than the happiness he finds himself with. Beth is like the sun, sometimes so damn bright that he feels like he needs to shade his eyes, unable to take her in all at once. But she shines for him, and he, he basks in the warmth she brings.

He tries his best to be a man that's worthy of her, one deserving of her love. He might not be able to write her poems, might be at a loss for words even at the best of times, but he shows her how he loves her, shows her in all that he does. He knows a lot of the folks of Alexandria find them to be an odd pair, but their family is happy for them, and that's all they need. He's never cared too much about the opinions of others, and Beth seems to be largely oblivious to it.

But with happiness comes the fear of losing it and he worries sometimes, about what might happen. The walls might fall, enemies might come, he might lose her. Daryl knows now that it would kill him if he were to ever lose her again, he barely had the strength to get through the first time, if it were to happen again... But that's an awful lot of ifs and maybes, and for now they stay safe behind their walls, safe with their people.

They work at making it safer, each and every day. Rick has been tempted away from his vegetables to be in charge of security, and he has them making improvements on a regular basis, determined to ensure that they stay safe, that they can defeat whatever comes at them, whether it be walker or man.

Daryl and Beth, they do their bit. They help Morgan to clear, and scavenge supplies for the community, and when they find people out on the road, they decide whether to bring them back. Their community is growing slowly but surely, and growing stronger by the day.

There'll be one more member, come the spring. Maggie and Glenn are having a baby, and the moment they had announced the news, all Daryl could think of was a long ago conversation with Beth on the porch of a moonshine shack.

That's the way it should be

Are things finally the way they should be, or as close as they're gonna get? Have they made it through the hardest part, through the worst of all they've faced?

Daryl's sure he's made it through his own darkest days, the ones where Beth wasn't there, when he thought she was gone forever. He got through it, found her once more, and he thinks that together they might get through anything, that there's nothing he can't handle with her by his side.

He has to remind himself that now's not the time to worry about what might never happen, now is the time to live to the fullest, to snatch every moment that they can.

And so he holds her hand, and kisses her deeply, and spends long nights and lazy mornings loving her. For all that their first time wasn't perfect, he knows he's redeemed himself since then, a hundred times over. They've needed time to get to know each other's bodies, to understand exactly how to move together, and if there's one thing he's loved learning, then it's Beth Greene. There's nothing sweeter than the taste of her upon his lips, no better sound than her sighs and soft moans as they struggle to stay quiet so as to not wake the others. He's not sure that they succeed every time, from the knowing looks they're sometimes given in the morning, but they do try.

Don't want to be too bad of an influence on Pippi after all.

There are times when Daryl feels the walls closing in on him, when he feels once again that this ain't the place for them and he itches to take Beth and get as far away as possible. He's trying though, trying for her sake, for the sake of the kids - they deserve to grow up in safety and he wouldn't ask Beth to leave them, wouldn't want to himself. He recognises the same feeling in her though, a restlessness that won't easily go away. They're both too used to the wilderness now, to making it on their own, and that won't go away easily, that won't leave their blood.

Duncan's been talking lately about getting a group together to look for other survivor communities and make alliances, and Daryl's been thinking that maybe that's something him and Beth could join. A chance to be back on the road for awhile, doing something, though this time would be different. This time they would have something to return to, a family waiting on them, a place to rest, and that makes all the difference. He hasn't spoken to Beth about it yet but he will soon, he thinks she'll like the idea. He likes the thought of being out in the woods with her again, the stars over their heads, her slight form cuddled into his side as he takes first watch.

For now they have their room, theirs now officially since he moved his things in, his pack leaning against the wall, right next to hers. They still keep their bags packed, all the essentials there and ready to go at a moment's notice, but there's signs of them around the room too, signs of a home being made. Little knick knacks that Beth enjoys collecting, a plant on a windowsill, a painting they'd both agreed upon that they'd scavenged from an art shop; A guitar in the corner that he'd brought back as a surprise from one of his runs - Daryl can still remember her reaction to it, the squeal of happiness she had let out, her legs wrapped around his waist as she'd jumped up to embrace him, her fevered kisses later that night after he'd listened to her play an old Tom Waits song, her voice sweet as heaven.

Tonight is one of the quiet nights that he loves so much. Dinner's long since over, and they're back in their room, his head laid in her lap and his eyes closed as she runs her fingers through his hair, humming softly.

"Sing somethin'?" Daryl asks her, opening his eyes slightly to look up at her, at the gentle smile on her face.

"Thought you didn't like my singing." Beth teases, though they both know just how untrue that is.

"Always liked your singing, ever since that first time when your Dad asked you. Just never said." He smirks then, "Didn't want you gettin' a big head over it."

Beth playfully slaps his shoulder before she returns her fingers to his hair, and Daryl waits as he hears her humming change, knowing she's about to begin.

Now I've heard there was a secret chord

That David played, and it pleased the Lord

But you don't really care for music, do you?

It goes like this,

The fourth, the fifth

The minor fall, the major lift,

The baffled king composing Hallelujah

He waits until she finishes singing, let's the music wash over him and doesn't even try to stop the few tears that fall in the end, as she finishes upon her last Hallelujah.

"Daryl..." Beth whispers, stunned at his reaction as he reaches up to grasp the hand that has been stroking his hair, gripping it tightly.

"I dreamed of you," he admits, his voice hoarse with emotion, "It was one of my darkest times, when I didn't know how to keep goin' and I dreamed of you. Dreamed you came and stroked my hair like this, and sang me that song. Told me you'd make it right, that you'd be with me again." He chokes back a sob, brings her hand to his mouth and places a fervent kiss upon it. "I knew it was a dream, but it felt so damn real. Kept me going, showed me that no matter what I'd always have you with me."

Beth stares at him, obviously shocked, and he waits for her to speak, waits as he places yet another kiss upon her hand.

"I had a fever," she begins, "Such a bad fever, I don't know how long I burned with it but I had the most vivid dreams. I dreamed of Daddy, I dreamed of Maggie, and then I dreamed of you. I dreamed I found you by the roadside, that I held you and I sang you to sleep. Do you think... Daryl, do you think we found each other that night, just for a little while? Just enough to get us through?"

It means something, he knows it does, but he's not going to question it, or tell the others. It's theirs, this shared dream, a memory from when they were both still so lost that helped them to pull through and keep going. She'd found him in the darkness that night, and given him some measure of peace. Maybe he'd given her some strength too - to keep going, to make it to him alive.

Daryl pulls himself up then, reaches for her and brings his hands up to caress her face. "We were always going to find each other again, Beth. Just took a couple of tries. Now that I've got you back, I ain't going to lose you again."

"You won't," Beth whispers as he wipes a tear from her cheek with his thumb, leaning into her. "This is us from now on, Daryl. Here, together."

It's enough for both of them, here in this room that's theirs, in the world that they've made together. They've each had their journeys to make to get to this point, to be ready for what awaited them.

He's never believed in miracles, but he'll count his blessings aplenty, and never question how lucky he is to have her with him.

Alexandria may hold, or it may fall; their family may stay together, or they may drift apart; but she'll be with him, and that's enough to keep Daryl going, that's enough for him to know that whatever future they have together is going to be exactly as it should be.

So he pulls her down with him, settles her safely in his arms and kisses the top of her head, strokes her hair and asks if she'd sing a little more, sing them both to sleep.

And as Beth begins again, her voice clear and soft, Daryl thinks that maybe he's finally getting used to all this happiness, that maybe he does know exactly what to do with it.

He holds her, and he holds on tight.

A/N: and it's done! Thank you so very much yo everyone who has reviewed, favourited or followed. I've loved writing this fic and sharing it with you. If you've enjoyed it then please do let me know!