Months had gone by and the relationship Beth and Daryl had, had grown in some ways, but also not at all. They were still close like always. Except every once in a while they'd be watching TV then somehow one ended on top of the other kissing until they couldn't breathe. Or she'd grasp his hand while they were walking and he'd let her. They ever addressed it as a romantic relationship though; they never called each other their boyfriend or girlfriend. They never talked about it. Beth never asked again because she knew Daryl, and she knew that's not what he wanted. He didn't talk about his feelings and if she asked he would bolt. If he was ever going to label or express what he felt about the newfound relationship they had it would be on his own terms, and Beth could allow him that.

At the moment it was late and Beth was sitting in her room on her phone. Maggie had gone to bed early saying something about having to get up earlier for a new job interview. She was trying to find something better than the grocery store to work at. Beth was startled by a small tapping on her window. She calmed once she realized it was just Daryl, it wasn't the first time he had done it. Not for the reasons you might think though. He usually needed refuge from his asshole 'father'. Beth found it hard to even call him that, for the reason he certainly did not treat Daryl like a son. More like a dog or worse.

Beth hopped up and opened the window cringing when it made a loud springing noise. Daryl crawled in more skillfully than she could have managed. It wasn't until she saw his face in the low light of her lamp she let out a small gasp.

Blood and bruises. Beth instantly felt her eyes sting. She didn't like to cry though not in front of him when something like this happened. Not over him, because he hated it.

"God Daryl…" Beth gently as possible placed her hand on the side of his face that wasn't as badly battered.

He cowered beneath her touch, wouldn't look her in the eye.

He had a black eyed and his lip was busted and bleeding. He had another decent sized cut above his eyebrow that had dripped blood along his cheek and saturated his eyebrow in crimson. Beth let out a small sigh watching him. Wishing he would look at her.

"C'mere." Beth grabbed his hand and led him to sit on her bed before going into her bathroom and finding peroxide and some gauze and little butterfly band aids for his cut. Also a warm wash cloth for his knuckles, which up until she had grabbed his hand didn't notice. They were bloody and scraped.

Daryl sat still looking straight ahead his eyes set in a cold glare. She'd seen him a little roughed up before but it had never been this bad, at least not on his face. She'd seen his back…It was a long time ago but she knew they were there, scars now. But that was never mentioned. Ever…

Beth crouched down in front of him on her knees and took the warm cloth gentle wiping away some of the blood on his cheek.

"Beth-"He spoke but still didn't look at her.

"Just let me…"

"Ya don't gotta-"

"Just let me take care of you Daryl. Please…" She said firmly yet soft, stopping for a moment wanting him to look at her.

He did. Slowly he brought his eyes to hers, blue on blue. Beth gave him a small, sad smile. She gently grabbed his hand pressing the cloth on them. Once she was done with his hand he moved it to her face, running his thumb up and down her cheek giving her a small half smile. She returned it before tending to the rest of his injuries.

He was finally patched up but he hadn't spoken anymore and neither had she.

"It's getting worse…" Beth murmured softly. She didn't want to upset him anymore than he already had to be.

…

He didn't reply.

"You could move in here..." Beth spoke again.

He eyed her sharply.

"You could. I could talk to Maggie. She wouldn't say no…" She couldn't Beth mumbled more to herself.

"No." He replied curtly.

Beth swallowed, she knew he'd refuse. That's who he was. He would look at it as charity and his pride was too large for that.

"Why not?" She was still quiet.

"Beth drop it."

She sighed looking at him as she felt anger bubble inside of her. She could feel the tears pricking at her eyes again.

"Daryl please he's getting worse… Look at you." Beth raised her voice slightly.

She felt the first tear tumble down her cheek. She furiously swiped it away with the back of her hand and mumbled a 'damn it' hating herself for letting herself cry. When she saw him like this though it made her feel like her heart was crumbling to pieces, to see what the person that is supposed to love him unconditionally does instead… She heard Daryl sigh.

"Damn it Beth c'mere…"

She stared him down as more tears made an appearance running down her flushed cheeks.

"No because you won't let me help you! I just want you to be okay Daryl. Please I just want you to leave that house and never go back! I'm terrified one of these days he just going to kill you! Or you're going to kill him, and then what huh!?" Beth knew she was probably being too loud, and she prayed Maggie would stay asleep. But her eyes burned and her heart throbbed. She was so terrified of what would happen to him if he stayed in that house any longer.

"Where am I s'pose ta go! Huh Beth? You want me to come live with you and Maggie and be one happy family? That aint how it works! Imma have enough money saved here soon anyway and I'll get a place of my own! Ya aint gotta worry bout it no longer how bout that!?" Daryl said gruffly standing up from the bed.

"Daryl…" Beth sighed dropping her head into her hands.

Daryl paced back and forth looking more like a caged animal than man.

"M'sorry I just- I just worry about you." Beth knew to just try and calm herself down because it would only get worse. They were both stubborn as hell.

She heard him let out a half growl half sigh before he sat back down on the bed running his hand though his unkempt hair.

"Ya shouldn't I can take care of myself…" He said gruffly.

Beth turned grabbing his face in both hands gingerly turning his head so he'd look at her.

"You shouldn't have to though- You don't have to…"

She brushed her lips against his lightly still minding his busted bottom lip.

Daryl shook his head as she pulled back.

"Damn it Greene…" He growled grabbing her and pulling her to him.

Beth sighed into his chest, taking in his scent that was now tainted with blood and peroxide but all the same it was him.

"Pain in your ass, I know…" She hummed into him smiling slightly.

"Mhm best pain there is…" He mumbled.

XXXXXXX

Beth woke alone in her room. She hadn't even remembered falling asleep, and at first she wondered if she had dreamt the night before…But then she looked to her desk and saw the bottle of peroxide and crumpled gauze wrappers.

It was only six in the morning still and Beth internally groaned because it was a Saturday. Why did she always wake up so early when there was no school? On the days she did have to go to school she would have gladly slept in until ten.

Beth made her way into the kitchen dragging her feet. Maggie was sitting at the table drinking coffee and scarfing down a bowl of frosted flakes with the paper in front of her.

"Hey…you're up early?" Maggie greeted her.

"Mhm morning…" She mumbled shuffling to the fridge looking for orange juice.

Maggie eyed her suspiciously. Beth turned and eyed her back the same.

"What?" Beth asked squinting her eyes at her sister.

"Daryl want some orange juice too?" She said taking a sip of her coffee.

Beth widened her eyes at her.

"Wha- Why would…?" Beth caught on and rolled her eyes.

"He's not here." She finished curtly while pouring herself a glass.

"I know I heard him leave this morning around five…" Maggie replied smugly.

"How do you know he stayed the night, he could have just stopped by this morning?" It was a weak argument and Beth knew it.

"Heard your guys little tiff last night. Like an old married couple I swear…" Maggie said rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you up." Beth replied honeslty, she really hadn't meant to.

"What were you guys fighting about?"

Beth sighed.

"His dad…"

Maggie eyed her considerably and in understanding. She knew to leave it at just that, and gave her a warm sisterly smile.

"Well he aint supposed to stay in your room ya know…"

"I know." Beth smirked calling back as she shuffled back to her room with a glass of orange juice in tow.

A few weeks later…

"It aint much, but it's what I can afford." Daryl had turned eighteen and had finally found a small place to live. Beth was just glad he finally got out of that house, like he had told her he would. He was showing her his new apartment at the moment.

"No I like it. It's enough." She smiled up at him sweetly. In a way she was excited herself. Her 'unofficial boyfriend' had his own place. Which in her eyes was pretty cool okay?

It was a small one bedroom apartment with a kitchen that was connected to the living room. It was small but he didn't need anything huge anyway.

She saw Daryl take a deep relaxed breath.

"Imma have to take a few more shifts at the garage. I borrowed some money from Dale for the deposit, he said he'd just take it outta my paychecks but-"Daryl said chipping some paint off the war in a corner it had been worn down on.

"It'll all work out. Dale wouldn't help you get into this place if he didn't think you could keep it…" Beth smiled.

"Oooh. Are you gonna let me decorate?" Beth chirped.

He shot her a wide eyed glance.

"Hell naw Greene. You aint touching nothin…Next thing I know things'll be sparkling and tha whole place'll smell like cotton candy or some shit. Uh-uh." He laughed shaking his head.

She swatted at him making a fake frown.

"You like it when I smell like cotton candy!"

He smirked and let out what Beth could only describe as a primal growl before grabbing her and lifting her up, she instinctively wrapped her legs around him. He buried his face in her neck peppering her with kisses and nipping at the soft flesh. Soft giggles fell from her mouth.

"You need a bed now…"

It tumbled out of her mouth before she had thought too much about it. She instantly felt her face get hot. Daryl put her down slowly and eyed her carefully; he didn't look as embarrassed as she did but still a little tense. She hadn't really meant for it to sound like that, well she had but she hadn't. They had never gone any further than kissing. Yeah sometimes things would get a little heated and it would get intense but then they slowed down. It had ever gone that far before…Beth had thought about though. She wouldn't lie, she had. The thought sort of intrigued her but at the same time she was young and scared and pretty clueless. I mean she got the just of it, but she lacked experience and didn't really talk to anybody about it.

Daryl snorted after a minute giving her a somewhat nervous half smirk and said something about going to smoke. Beth stood still a little petrified she had just said that. Did he take it the way it had sounded? Of course he did. Is that something he wanted? Beth didn't know she had never asked him about it. Of course it was probably something he wanted he was an eighteen year old guy, she wasn't stupid.

She suddenly felt anxious. What if Daryl and she were just close friends and the kisses and longing stares were temporary. They hadn't talked about it. What if the things Beth wanted from him, the things she felt were more one sided than she thought. Because she knew what she wanted, she did. But did he?

Eventually Daryl took her home. The car ride had been quiet on the way back and they both knew why. Daryl had said he had to go pack of some of his clothes since his dad was gone at the moment. Beth offered to help but he waved her off and told her to go get some sleep.

More months had gone by and Daryl was now settled in his apartment and school was out now... It was Beth's birthday and she was finally sixteen and she was so excited. She wasn't doing anything too special, she didn't want to. She was excited about one thing though, and that was getting her license. Maggie had let her drive them around a lot and Daryl had been teaching her how to drive his pickup that was a stick shift. She prayed she'd never own a manual, because she hated it. Daryl said it was good to know how though, so she had let him teach her. She had her driving test scheduled for the next day she had just finished taking her written exam. She sat waiting on the curb outside the DMV for Daryl to pick her up like he had said he would.

He pulled up not too much later and she hopped in full of her usual bright energy. They hadn't seen each other yet today.

"Hey Greene, how'd it go?" He asked pulling out of the parking lot.

"Good, I won't know my score until tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I passed it." She nodded smiling.

"Where we going?" She added noticing he wasn't driving in the direction of his house or hers.

"It's a surprise."

Beth eyed him amusingly.

"What kind of surprise?"

"You'll see I just gotta run by the garage real quick." He smirked his eyes never leaving the road.

Daryl pulled into the garage and hopped out before coming and opening her door for her. Beth was confused since she figured that he would just have her wait in the truck if he only needed to grab something real quick. She eyed him oddly but followed him.

"Wait…" Daryl said quickly coming behind her and covering her eyes with his hands.

"Dar- what are you doin!?" Beth froze not understanding.

"Shhh." He moved his face down next to her ear hushing her, causing Beth to involuntarily shiver.

He guided her with his hands still covering her eyes until he finally told her to stop.

"Daryl what's going on?" Beth giggled intrigued.

"Happy Birthday." Daryl whispered into her ear again as he removed his hands.

Beth opened her eyes blinking rapidly trying to focus them. She was standing in the garage in front of a little blue Jetta.

Beth turned eyeing Daryl slightly confused.

"What ya don't like it?" Daryl asked suddenly becoming nervous as he chewed on his thumb.

Beth looked between him and the car incredulously.

"What? The car?"

"Well ya? It's yer Birthday present." Daryl shrugged still looking so nervous she just wanted to squeeze him to death because of how adorable it looked.

Beth's jaw dropped in shock. That was short live though, before she squealed and jumped on Daryl crushing him in a hug. He made a slight 'oomph' sound taking a step back before he held onto her and chuckled.

"Oh my god! Daryl!" She released him and swatted him in the arm.

"What was tha for?" He asked grabbing his arm.

"You got me a car!?" She was excited of course, god she was thrilled. But she didn't like the idea that Daryl had spent his money buying her a car. Although at the same time it made her heart swell with affection for the guy in front of her.

"Well yeah…Maggie helped out, so it's from both of us. Bought it broke down for cheap and been fixin er' up for the past couple months. Maggie had said you really liked these little Jetta's…Not my ideal choice of a car but if it's what ya want?" Daryl rambled on.

"No, Yes! It's perfect I mean. You're perfect! "Beth laughed happily before kissing him eagerly.

He smirked looking pretty proud that she was happy with it.

"Well go check it out." He nodded towards the car stuffing his hands in his pockets watching as Beth skipped over and inspected her new vehicle.

It wasn't brand new of course, but it was in pretty good shape. Not to mention it was adorable, it was small but not too small and it was navy blue and pretty and had barely any scratches or dents on it. It was incredible for a first car and Beth felt like she was going to explode from all of the happiness that was bubbling inside her.

"So it's okay?" Daryl's tone had a hint of nervousness in it again.

Beth rolled her eyes making her way over to him.

"Daryl I don't know what to even say…this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." Beth hugged him but this time more affectionately and nuzzled her face into his chest.

"Thank you." Beth said warmly, it was all she could say.

She felt Daryl run his hand down her spine and hummed in acceptance.

It made him feel like he was on top of the fucking world to know that he had made her happy. He would do anything just to make her smile. He'd do anything for her in general. Walk through hell for Beth Greene if he had to…gladly.

XXXXXX

They were now back at his place and they had ordered pizza and were watching TV. Beth was sitting with her back on one arm of the couch and Daryl the opposite. He was trying to pay attention to the show they were watching but Beth was feeling feisty. It was her birthday after all; a girl had to have her fun. She kept nudging his foot with hers trying to get a rise out of him, but he was refusing knowing she was doing it on purpose. Which of course was actually getting a rise out of her, he was good at that. Smug little shit Beth thought to herself…

It went on for a few more minutes of her trying to get his attention and him ignoring her, she didn't miss the small grins that he kept making at her frustration. Beth had finally had enough of his attitude.

She slowly lifted herself from the couch and made her way in front of him and skillfully straddled his lap. Daryl tensed and she smirked devilishly. She brought her lips down on his slowly. She may have not been with many guys, but she knew how to kiss Daryl until he melted at her feet. She knew him.

He tangled his hands in her hair as she moved down his jaw and to his collarbone. She was usually never this bold. It caused Beth to involuntarily shift her hips and he grasped her sides tightly stilling her. She swore she heard him let out a growl. Suddenly Beth wanted it. She wanted it to happen tonight. So she did it again resisting his grip that only tightened.

"Shit…Beth." He breathed out sounding almost pained. This for some reason only gave her more confidence.

She kissed her way back to his mouth before pulling back just so their foreheads were together.

"I want to…"She fluttered her eyelashes against his. Her voice was airy and light.

He pulled back slightly to look her in the eyes better with a hint of shock before he averted his gaze.

"I want to." She repeated placing her hands on his face gently brushing along his jawline.

…

"Beth we aint gotta…" He mumbled lowly.

"Tell me. Be honest. Is that something you want with me?" Beth whispered. She didn't know why, it's not like she had to be quiet. It just felt like it was private and intimate and needed to be asked quietly.

Daryl eyed her cautiously.

"Course. But don't think ya have ta just cause- "He whispered back before Beth cut him off.

"I'm ready." Beth gave a small nod and stroked her thumb along his jaw her eyes searching his face for any emotion or sign as to what he was thinking.

Moments ticked by in silence as they gazed at each other before Daryl spoke again.

"Yer sure?" He had to ask again.

"Yes."

Daryl picked her up and took her into the bedroom, their lips never straying from one another. It wasn't heated or hungry. It was slow and careful but deep all at once. Beth was ready she was sure about that, but it didn't stop her from being anxious. She'd never done this before. A million 'what if's' ran through her mind until her back hit the mattress and her mind went blank from everything but Daryl.

"You tell me if you want to stop any time…" He looked her in the eyes seriously as he hovered above her.

She nodded pulling his mouth to hers once again.

It was all soft touches and kisses. It wasn't rushed and Beth was grateful for that.

He kissed his way down her neck before Beth tugged at his shirt. She felt the moment he tensed, she knew he would.

Softly she ran her fingers through his hair.

"It's okay Daryl."

Beth though more about it, and she honeslty didn't know if he had ever done this before either. She didn't think he had, unless he was living some other secret life. They were doing it together.

He pulled his shirt off as he watched her. Her hands slowly went down to his back. She felt the scars, but that's all they were… scars. Just skin.

It hurt at first. Worse than Beth though it was going to, but after the first initial sting it became dull, and was soon replaced with a different sensation. Suddenly everything was Daryl. Every touch, every breath, every feeling was Daryl. She didn't know how that was possible but it was. He went slow and was gentle and Beth was glad it was him; she couldn't imagine that someone else would have been as careful with her.

XXXXXXX

Neither had spoken yet, but they hadn't needed to. She was tucked into his side as she traced the letters of his mother's name a crossed his chest, he had gotten it as soon as he turned eighteen. She knew that he had loved her so much, and that despite her ways sometimes she had loved Daryl too.

"You okay?" His voice was gravely and low.

Beth nodded slowly humming a 'mhm' into in his skin.

He ran his fingers through her honey wheat locks causing Beth to be lulled further into her sleepy state.

"I didn't hurt ya?"

Beth looked up at him.

"You could never hurt me…" She blinked sleepily at him.

She heard him sigh a tiny sigh of relief as she laid her head against his chest. She didn't miss him whisper a 'happy birthday Beth.' though before she let sleep take her.

A/N Ah nervous about doing this, but it needed to happen at some point in this time period. I hope it was okay…Please review and let me know what you think about the huge step they just took and everything else! Xx.