A/N Okay so I know this might seem like the characters are a tad OOC right now but it's a different time and they're young and I have to have fun with their teenage hormones okay?

The first thing Beth felt was throbbing in her forehead. As she tried to open her eyes she was blinded by whiteness and hissed as a sharp pain shot through her head. It slowly faded as she kept her eyes closed. She was comfortable though besides her head and she was warm, warmer than usual. That's when she realized the presence of another breathing person beside her. With her eyes still closed (because it was far too painful with them open at the moment) she tried to recall what was going on and why her head hurt so badly. It took a few moments before it all slowly flooded back. She popped her eyes open and this time she bared the sharp pain again and the light offending her eyes.

She was in her bed and Daryl was asleep sprawled out next to her. He never slept in her bed and at first it had her worried but then she remembered it was Daryl and well…He was Daryl. She was totally okay with him no matter what. She was still in her dress which had risen up on her while she slept; she self-consciously pulled it down even though Daryl was still fast asleep. She remembered most of what had went on the night before. Daryl and she had gone to the bonfire and she had played beer pong and she remembered feeling really good. Then she was alone with Daryl and she remembered becoming really sad all of a sudden and started thinking about everything terrible all at once and she had hated herself for it but she couldn't help it. In the moment it felt almost nostalgic like it would be the last time she would ever get to tell him she needed him like he was going to leave her. She guessed she had wanted to tell him how she felt all along about wanting him to never leave her. She always remembered her daddy saying 'drunken minds speak sober thoughts'. She blushed remembering everything that had happened after. He kissed her.

And it was not the other way around. He had kissed her first. She took pride in the fact that Daryl himself would initiate such a thing. He had advanced on her and he hadn't even had that much to drink, meaning it was his free will. She'd be lying if she said it didn't make her want to jump up and scream like a girl and dance around with joy (but she wouldn't right now because she felt like she had been hit by a train) but maybe later. The rest of the night came back a little foggy but she knew that had been the only kiss and then he had taken her home and she had crashed the second her head hit the pillow obviously Daryl had too judging by the light snoring coming from him next to her.

Beth tried to slowly and gently get out of the bed without disturbing him, but as she stepped down her foot landed on the heel of one of her boots and one thing led to another and somehow she ended up on the ground with a thud. She heard Daryl shift in the bed above.

"M'Beth?" His voice was gravely and filled with sleep.

She looked up to see him peeking over the bed at her, his hair was ruffled and his eyes were tired and his cheeks were flushed with sleep. She couldn't help but burst in to a fit of giggles.

"What're ya doin down there? He said sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"I was trying not to wake you but…" Beth winced holding her forehead with her hand; her laughing had caused her head to throb more.

"Ya okay?" He asked standing to help her up.

"Yeah I just- my head hurts a bit." Beth held his hand as he pulled her up from the ground.

"Yeah figured it would…" He eyed her slightly weary but she just returned him with a small warm smile.

"Imma go find some aspirin or somethin…" Beth mumbled before sleepily walking towards the bathroom.

Beth took care of business and tidied herself up a bit, her head was till aching but the ibuprofen she found would kick in soon enough. She came into the kitchen and found Daryl sifting through the cupboards in search of food.

"I could make pancakes?" He questioned.

Beth almost laughed because of how domesticated he could sound sometimes, because he was anything but.

"Nooo. We all know how you make pancakes…" Beth giggled.

Last time Daryl had tried making pancakes they had been lumpy and there were clumps of mix and it didn't not turn out well at all.

"Watch it Greene." There was a hint of playfulness in his voice but he was still acting odd and she noticed.

"I'll make 'em." Beth scooted her way around him grabbing the mix and the milk from the fridge.

"Ya sure, ya said yer head was hurtin. Ya don't gotta."

"No m'fine it's not that bad." Beth shook her head continuing to gather ingredients.

Daryl nodded watching her carefully like he had since the moment he had woken up as he took a seat at one of the stools that sat at the bar-like counter they had on the other side of the kitchen. He sat drumming him fingers lightly on the counter as he looked between her and the countertop.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Beth asked quietly as she mixed up the batter keeping her eyes trained on the bowl.

Daryl looked up and eyed her sheepishly.

"Nah."

Beth let out a small sigh to herself and lightly shrugged.

"Okay…"

It was like that until the pancakes were done. She cooked while he watched her from afar looking like he wanted to say something but never attempted to. Beth knew how Daryl worked and she would let him work out whatever war was going on inside his head for a little bit longer before she would confront him about it. It was already ten o'clock and Beth had figured that Maggie had must have just gone to work from Glenn's. She was thankful she hadn't come home since Daryl and her were passed out in bed and probably smelled like campfire and beer. Beth served Daryl his food even though he complained she shouldn't and that he was perfectly capable of doing it himself, Beth did anyway.

Beth sat next to him at the bar. Both eating in silence at first mostly because they were pretty hungry and Beth's pancakes were pretty delicious if she didn't say so herself. I mean it was bisquick but she made them good.

Beth slowed her eating and looked over to Daryl who was only about a half a foot away from her face. He continued to just eat even though she knew he was acutely aware of her gaze on him.

"Daryl…"

He didn't look at her yet as he took another bite.

"Hey…Daryl." Beth spoke softly with a small smile.

He still didn't look.

"Daryl Dixon you look at me…" It sounded like it should be stern, but it wasn't it came out soft and sweet.

He finally turned his head looking at her plainly.

And just like that Beth planted a chaste yet sweet kiss on his lips.

Beth knew that's what he was acting so off about; she prayed it wasn't because he regretted it because well… It had just happened again. It was only a kiss, but it was a big thing for both of them. It was new and unchartered territory with them, but for some reason it felt right.

She heard Daryl audibly swallow.

She smiled at him knowingly before putting her attention back to her pancakes.

He pushed his plate away from himself as he stood from the stool; she looked at him hoping she hadn't pissed him off. But that's certainly not what she had done.

His hands were on her face and he was leaning down, his lips on hers. Beth stood up bringing herself closer to him. This kiss was feverish and a lot more than the kisses before. His hands moved to her hair and she latched on to his neck scratching slightly at his nape. Before either really knew what or how it happened she was sitting on the counter and his hands were on her hips while she tugged at his hair as their tongues danced. Pancakes forgotten.

Beth had to believe that they had both secretly wanted this even if they weren't necessarily aware of it yet, because she felt like she couldn't get enough. The need to breathe ceased to exist at the moment and all she craved was more Daryl. It was crazy because she had never kissed anyone before Daryl, let alone like this. Daryl was her first kiss. And she was totally going off of instinct on what to do because she hadn't had any practice, although he seemed to be pretty good at it so she would follow his lead.

That was before of course… Maggie walked in.

…

…

Beth and Daryl were drawn out of their heated make out session to the noise of keys hitting the tile floor.

There Maggie stood mouth agape and her eyes as wide as they would probably go.

"Oh m- M'sorry for interrupting." Maggie bit out even though she was blushing as furiously as Beth and Daryl were.

Beth slid off the counter straightening out her shirt and shorts she had changed into earlier. Daryl looked like he was going to pass out.

"I uh left my wallet home last night and it's my break right now so I thought I'd run home quick to grab it…" Maggie said awkwardly grabbing the wallet that sat on the dining room table.

"I uh gotta go…" Daryl mumbled gruffly while scratching his neck before making a very speedy exit avoiding eye contact with Maggie at all costs.

"Daryl…" Beth called after him but he was already gone, she heard the door shut behind him.

Maggie eyed her sister confusingly.

"Okay…Well when did that start happening?" Maggie's words were slow and shocked.

Beth let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"It's recent." Beth shrugged not really knowing what to do or say.

"Recent? That looked a little more-" Maggie trailed off.

"Well I don't really know what happened back there…" Beth shook her head at herself biting her lip. Thing had gotten a little…heated.

"Oh my…My Bethy is growing up!" Maggie squealed and ran locking her in a bear hug.

Beth was confused by her sudden change in attitude, she thought she'd be pissed which sort of seemed like that was where it was heading at first but apparently not.

"Wait what?"

"I mean as much as I would prefer not to see you eating each other's faces off, I think it's sweet. Bout damn time…" Maggie rolled her eyes as she stuffed her wallet into her purse.

"Maggie we're not…" Beth shrugged not knowing how to explain any of this really.

"Together? Well it sure looked like it."

"Yeah but it's not like that, I mean- I don't even know what's going on." Beth rubbed her face trying to make sense of everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.

Maggie gave her a small considerate smile.

"Okay well I gotta get back to work but we can talk later okay?" She kissed her head.

Beth nodded as Maggie disappeared through the front door leaving Beth to her thoughts.

Lord help me. Beth rubbed furiously at her face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Daryl got in his truck and he drove until he was running low on fuel and he needed to head towards a gas station or home.

Everything seemed unreal at the moment. What was he doing? He didn't know.

All he knew it he liked kissing Beth. A lot. More than he probably should, but he didn't want to beat himself up about it because he really did care about her. That's one thing he knew. Daryl knew that he would do anything for Beth and that she deserved everything she ever wanted and more. That brought him to his other problem…He couldn't give her that. He couldn't give her everything she needed; he was just some abused assholes son who didn't know the first thing about taking care of someone or loving them. That's the third thing he knew…She didn't deserve that and he didn't deserve her.

Now he didn't really know what to do. If he should go back and apologize for walking out or if he should just stay away. He promised her he wouldn't leave her like that, but maybe she was better off. He would only cause her problems and pain and he didn't want that.

Daryl drove home and parked in the driveway of his house and sat for a moment trying to get enough nerve to go inside his own house. He was a pussy, he knew that. He could hear his father's words now though screaming at him about not helping out and how he was a waste of space and how if he would get his dick out of the girl next door he might actually be able to think straight. That's what got to Daryl the most, is when he would talk about Beth like that. So then he would fight back and yell and it usually resulted in both of them covered in bruises and blood… Daryl was honestly afraid one of these days that his father was going to mouth off something that made him so mad that he was gonna snap and just kill him. He'd thought about it before…As terrible as it was to want to kill your own father Daryl had thought about it. More than once.

He sat for several minutes but he couldn't bring himself to do it…He didn't have the energy to fight with him tonight. He wanted to go see Beth in all honesty, god he wanted to see her face. He honestly could care less that Maggie had seen them earlier, yeah it had been embarrassing at first but it made him think more about it more than anything. It made it seem real.

Maggie's car was there meaning she was home but he wasn't too nervous about seeing her, she already thought that Beth and him had been sneaking around for years or something.

He knocked on the door waiting patiently in the warm Georgia night. He didn't even know why he was coming here or what he was gonna say to her, he just wanted to see her.

Maggie opened the door her eyes widened tad before she smiled at him knowingly.

"Uh hey- Beth home?" Daryl shifted awkwardly under her gaze.

"Mhm. You know where to find her." Maggie nodded and turned heading back to do whatever task she had been doing and leaving Daryl.

Daryl walked down the hall to Beth's bedroom. Her door was slightly cracked and he could see her on her bed writing in her journal. He tapped lightly on the door with the back of his knuckles pushing it open a tad. Her eyes shot up, turning from a curious look to admiration at his presence. She sat up crossing her legs Indian style while shutting her journal.

"Hey…" Her voice was soft.

"Hey." His voice was opposite and gruff.

Beth watched him as he carefully made his way to her bed sitting at the end up it fiddling with his hands.

"You okay?" She spoke again.

"Mhm." Daryl mumbled with a slight nod. He answered a little too quickly and she picked up on it.

"M'sorry about earlier. I didn't know Maggie was gonna show up…" Beth's cheeks flushed at the thought and she shrugged.

Daryl let out a short laugh.

"No need to apologize." His brows raised and he shook his head. She had absolutely no reason to apologize for what she had done earlier; he should praise her for it.

She laughed nervously turning a few shades of red darker. Suddenly she felt very warm and the air felt thick.

"What are we doin?" Beth looked up at him expectantly, wanting him to have all the answers. She hadn't been specific but they both knew what she was talking about.

…

"I dunno Beth…" He honeslty didn't.

"Right…" Beth let out a small sigh.

Daryl eyed her not knowing what to say or do. He knew what she needed. She needed to be told how much he cared about her and what his intentions were by kissing her in the first place and that he loved her. Holy shit did he love her? Yeah of course he did, there was no doubt in his mind that he did. But Daryl also knew that love didn't always feel good. Love was the smell of whiskey and a bottle of pills as they laid next to your mother's lifeless body, love was the empty feeling you got gnawing in your chest when you're lying alone at night, love was the sting of countless hands connecting and marring your skin. He had tried to love. He had tried and it hurt. It hurt like a bitch.

"I aint good with words…ya know that Beth…"

She gave him a sad smile.

"I know. Your eyes say everything anyway…"

"They always have." She finished softy.

A few moments ticked by before Beth crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around his torso burying her face into his chest. He didn't hug her back at first as she spoke again.

"We'll figure it out Daryl. We always do."

He let out a breath feeling relieved. God she was so patient with him. She always had been. He didn't know exactly what was going on between them now or where they would go with it but he knew he would always crave that feeling. The feeling of being with Beth.

A/N Okay so this chapter is not my fav, more of a filler chapter. Hopefully you still enjoyed it though, so please leave me a little love in the box below. xx