A/N Thanks so, so much for the reviews, messages, faves and for following. I think you all know how much I appreciate that and you. Shall we catch up with our Daryl and Beth?

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The next morning she spotted Trouble right away, he was standing there waiting for her as she stepped off the school bus. Just the sight of him made her little heart flutter. She'd wanted to try and play it low key with him but the minute she saw him she knew she couldn't, and instead she hurried over to where he waited. He reached his hand out just enough to graze her hand. "Mornin' Sunshine." He surprised her with the nickname and her smile grew.

"Good morning Trouble I mean, oh I'm so sorry, Daryl."

His face had immediately gone to a scowl, "Is that what ya think a me girl, that I'm nuthin' but trouble?" Just that fast he'd felt the knife to his heart.

"No not at all. I think I care for you a little too much and that makes you Trouble for me. You make me think about things I probably shouldn't be thinking about." She was blushing hard and she knew it.

And he almost smiled and she heard the softest of snorts come from him. "Is that so? Well then I guess I'm real damn proud ta be the Trouble ya got in mind." This time he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Rosita and Caesar had gotten off the bus just after her and they stood watching in disbelief. Rosita looked to her boyfriend, "Holy shit Caesar, Beth's lost her freakin' mind for sure. I'll be getting to the bottom of this you can count on it!"

And Caesar hoped she did because he was as baffled her. Why would the practically puritanical Beth Greene be making nice with the baddest badass in school?

He took her backpack from her, "I'll carry that for ya, we're goin' ta the same place an all."

She could tell something was on his mind but he seemed almost hesitant to tell her, "I couldn't sleep so good last night, I's just thinkin' too much I guess. Anyway so I done a drawin', it's that Iguazú Falls there in Argentina, the place we seen on the Internet. I liked the looks a that place, it's real pretty. It'd be the shit ta see sumthin' like that someday, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it's beautiful and oh my gosh I'm so excited to see your drawing." He just looked at her, studying her. The girl had a way about her, a sweetness to her he couldn't describe or really even understand. How can someone be so nice and so good in this crazy fucked up world? But she was, she was real and real special and she had a way of making him feel kind of special too, not like he was just some redneck asshole loser.

When they were seated at their desks he slipped the paper out from between two flat pieces of cardboard. She smiled when he handed it to her and when she saw what he'd done she was genuinely impressed by beauty of it. "Oh my goodness Daryl this is amazing you're so talented! It's just beautiful what more can I say? I can't believe you can do this. You're a real artist and the colors, it's just that well everything about it, it's wonderful." She knew she was gushing but she wasn't just saying it, trying to massage his ego, she meant every word of it. She saw her compliments seemed to please him but at the same time make him very uncomfortable.

His neck and ears had turned a little pink and he'd started chewing at the side of his thumb. He shrugged his shoulders, "Thanks Sunshine." Just before the teacher called the class to attention she reached across the aisle, lightly touched his arm and smiled that big smile that seemed to light up her whole face, and he felt like it lit up his whole world.

As they left homeroom he quietly asked, "Can ya meet me in the quad at lunchtime? We can go somewhere private."

"Oh, um alright." She wanted to spend that time with him more than anything but she was a little scared. What did he imagine they were going to be doing in "private?"

He squeezed her hand again and that's when she knew she'd go wherever he asked. "See ya then Sunshine."

She was walking to her next class and not paying much attention to anything, her mind was totally filled with thoughts of him. Suddenly Rosita came up behind her, grabbed her arm and in a one of those 'yelling whispers' she scolded angrily, "Beth Greene you'd better tell me what's going on with you and that Dixon boy right now!"

"That Dixon Boy? Seriously Rosita you sound just like my Daddy. His name is Daryl and what about him?" Rosita's attitude had immediately put Beth on the defensive.

"What about him? What about him Beth?! For hell sakes look at him Beth, he's rougher than shit, and the way he's always so bruised up he must do nothing but fight all weekend every weekend. And let's talk about the motorcycle shall we Miss Greene? That motorcycle he rides around on is so loud and I swear I think he's in some kind of motorcycle gang, that's what it looks like and it's probably true. And my God Beth he's just barely getting by in school and you'll end up being Valedictorian. That's what it is, that's why I'm concerned that my best friend may have lost her flippin' mind."

Beth didn't defend him and she didn't tell her friend what she now knew was probably the real truth; that Daryl wasn't a fighter at all, he was a victim. And she didn't mention that he was smart and she knew he could get good grades if he felt a reason to. She didn't say any of those things because she didn't want to let on to anyone, not even Rosita, what she was pretty sure was the truth. It wasn't her business and it wasn't her place to tell, and she didn't believe in telling tales. She'd picked up on things about him, she knew he was private and that he didn't tell his business to anyone, he hadn't even told it to her yet. She wasn't just going to repeat those things her Daddy had said.

"Quit being so dramatic Rosita, you're making a big deal out of nothing. Daryl and me we're just friends working on a report together for history."

"I'm not stupid Beth, it's obviously a lot more than that. I guess I'll just have to wait for you to remember I'm your BEST friend."

She met him in the quad at lunch just like he'd asked. It was where most of the kids hung out during lunch, eating, listening to music, socializing, and of course trying to get away with kissing, and sometimes just a little bit more, without any teachers seeing them.

When he saw her Daryl just smiled that world's tiniest smile, brushed his hand on hers and said, "C'mon Sunshine, c'mon with me I know a spot."

He led her back behind the maintenance building where they kept all the yard equipment and the cleaning supplies. He laid his sweatshirt down there on the ground, "Sit on that an ya won't get that pretty skirt dirty."

She smiled up at him as he plopped himself down, "You have such nice manners and you're so thoughtful Daryl, thank you." He just rolled those shoulders and looked down.

All he could think was how much he'd like to hold her, there was a lot he wanted to do with her. But there was the cold hard fact he knew nothing about that stuff. Just because he was feeling the urge that didn't mean he had a clue exactly what he was supposed to do next, or how he was supposed to do it. But more important she was so sweet and he knew she was innocent and he knew he wanted to treat her right. She deserved that, she was special.

"Where's your lunch Daryl?"

His hesitation told her the answer but what he did was shrug his shoulders and say, "I guess I forgot it, don't matter."

"Of course it matters, here have half of my sandwich."

She held out half of the chicken sandwich and as much as he wanted it he said, "Nah that's okay I'll grab a burger or sumthin' on my way ta work."

"Now if you won't share with me you're going to hurt my feelings, is that what you want?"

"Ya know better than that." She smiled and held the sandwich out again and he smiled and took his half.

Then they took turns taking bites of her apple. She wanted to laugh thinking about poor Mama, she'd faint dead away at the idea of Beth eating after somebody that way.

Mama had packed three oatmeal cookies, she gave him one, took one for herself and broke the other in half for them to share. She would have given him all the cookies but now she was pretty sure he wouldn't take anything more than what she had.

He'd never felt relaxed with people at all, but he did with her. She was easy to be around and so pretty to look at. And he wanted to kiss her so bad but he was too nervous. Instead he just reached for her hand and he held it, their fingers threading together, and then he looked at the sight of her hand in his and he really did smile.

"Thanks for sharing Beth it was all real good."

"If you think that was good wait until tomorrow's lunch, Mama's cooking a country ham today and it makes the best sandwiches." Then she realized she'd assumed. "I'm sorry maybe you don't want to have lunch with me tomorrow." Her little cheeks were the color of strawberries and he hurried to assure her, "A course I wanna have lunch with ya tomorrow, I wanna have lunch with ya every day that ya want me to."

She was afraid her smile was going to stretch her face and she felt even more color come up on her cheeks. She looked down, embarrassed.

Again he squeezed her hand, "Ya got a real pretty smile Beth, that's what makes ya like sunshine it's all warm an friendly, an it's sweet too." He'd made the color come up in his own cheeks.

The bell sounded the end of their lunch period and he quickly rose. He knew she'd want to be on time for her next class. He held his hand out to help her up and when their eyes met it was like a little electric current passed between them, it seemed almost like a spark, "Someday soon Sunshine I'ma give ya a real kiss." For now he leaned in and quickly kissed her cheek.

When they were in sight of the other students and faculty members in the quad he suddenly let go of her hand. When she gave him a questioning look he shrugged a shoulder, chewed on his lip a bit and responded to it, "I don't wanna embarrass ya Sunshine, they all think I'm a pretty nasty piece a work an I know that. Ya shouldn't be hangin' around with me where people can see us."

That was all the incentive she needed, she wasn't going to let him think for one minute that she didn't think he was good enough for her to be seen with. This time she took his hand and she leaned into him and gave him a soft and sweet little kiss to the lips. "I'm proud to be seen with you. Will you come for ham supper and studies tonight, please?"

He was surprised that after the kiss he could even get his words out, "Ya sure 'bout that?"

"I'm real sure, I'll let Mama know."

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What she hadn't expected and it was a shocker, was the way the news spread through school like wildfire, Beth Greene and Daryl Dixon were a couple! They were the talk of every classroom, restroom, hallway, library, the music room, the gym, cafeteria and computer lab, you name it. Every kid in school and most of the faculty was talking about it. And the fact that they seemed so completely mismatched made it all the more fun to gossip and speculate about.

According to the stories that were told the very sweet and very innocent kiss on the lips they'd shared, well it had become a full blown make-out session by the time the news had reached the entire student body. And what Beth found out on her bus ride home was; there were apparently several popular girls who were quite fascinated with Trouble.

One of those girls, the pushiest and the most forward of them all was Andrea Harrison. On the way home Andrea had slid herself right into that bus seat next to Beth. Before this very afternoon Andrea had never even given Beth the time of day, she'd never even acknowledged her existence. Andrea was one of the most popular girls in school, she was sexy with a real nice figure, and she had a reputation for "getting around" with the boys. She liked those boys and they liked her. She didn't have time in her busy social life for inconsequential people like Beth, they were the nobodies of the high school social scene.

"So Beth Greene, all this time I've been thinking you were just one of those goody-goody super-geek girls, but now I find out you're having some very serious playtime with the hottest badass in school. I had no idea you liked to walk on the wild side."

Beth was shocked, "Well if it's Daryl Dixon you're talking about we're not messing around Andrea, me and him are just good friends is all."

Andrea laughed a real loud and real phony laugh, "Nice try Little Miss Sweet and Innocent, since when do friends make-out right in front of half the school? I'm just sorry I missed the show you two put on; I heard it got downright hot and steamy. I had no idea Daryl Dixon would lower himself to dating high school girls, I thought he only liked older women. Now that I know the truth you can bet your butt I'm going after him, and I plan to have some real grown up fun with that badass boyfriend of yours. Anyway how long do you think a goody-goody like you can even hold the interest of a guy like him? You're probably the least sexy girl in this school. He must have just wanted a little taste of innocence," And again she laughed that laugh before she said, "You've been warned so don't be surprised when it happens."

Beth was shocked and a little scared. What in the world? And even though she was pretty positive Andrea was wrong about Daryl and older women, still it hurt to think that Trouble might just be playing with her. And exactly what was it Andrea was planning to do to try and "get him"?

Again he felt uncomfortable but it helped a lot that her Mama was real nice to him, and she did make the best ham he'd ever had and there was homemade mac n cheese and succotash, and of course biscuits. He couldn't believe how good they ate at the Greene farm, and he thought maybe he was in heaven when Mama handed him a big slice of peach pie with ice cream. But he also noticed her Daddy was shooting daggers at him from those eyes of his.

Beth asked to be excused from the table for just a minute, "I have something I want to show you Mama and Daddy."

Daryl had no more idea what she was up to than her parents did. She ran up those stairs and flew back down and put the paper in front of her Mama. "Just look at how beautiful that is Mama. Daryl did that for our project."

Mama gushed over the beauty of it and remarked three times how impressed she was with Daryl's talent. Even Daddy couldn't deny the artistry of the drawing. "It looks like you have some serious talent here son, you should put that to work for you."

What Beth noticed again was although he seemed to appreciate the compliments, he looked very uncomfortable. He shrugged his shoulders, "Thanks its' just sumthin' I like ta do."

Daddy asked, "Well this job you have, what exactly do you do there young man?"

"I run a drill press machining threaded screw holes in plastic parts; we make 'em for a big manufacturing company over outta Augusta. When I get ahead a the lathe I do maintenance on the other machines, cleanin' and such, an then I clean whatever else needs cleanin', floors, windows, bathrooms, whatever they need. Boss man promises he's gonna bring me up in the machinist trade. They're gettin' some of those computer programmed ones, CNC's, an he says I'ma be trained on 'em."

And again he shrugged and put the biggest bite of pie in his mouth Beth had ever seen a person take. She thought he was just so handsome and manly.

But what Andrea had said was eating away at her and she didn't think she could just ask him about it, she'd be way too embarrassed.

Daddy was real surprised to hear Dixon had a work ethic, the boys' Daddy sure didn't. He was even more surprised to know the kid actually thought about his future, and he had a goal no less. But he still doubted the young man; could he really make a break from the lifestyle he was being raised in? And he definitely didn't feel good about Daryl coming around Beth; he had the look of a boy who'd been around a little too much.

And then Daryl kind of shocked Daddy.

"I wanna try ta be better, ya know, than some a my family might be. I know ya know my old man an I appreciate that ya let me come here anyway. I want ya ta know I ain't like him, sir."

Again Daddy admired the boy, he had manners and he'd also spoken up for himself. But in spite of all the positive things Daddy still had very negative thoughts about him. As far as he could tell Daryl Dixon still looked like Trouble. "Alright well you two go on and study, I'll help my wife with the dishes."

As soon as they were alone in Daddy's den she whispered to him, "Oh Trouble…" And then she flung her arms around his neck and started kissing him in a way that didn't seem at all innocent.

He gave right into that, at least at first he did. He hadn't imagined anything like this might happen between them, at least not for quite some time. And as good as it felt something about it also felt wrong. He pulled back from her, "I sure don't wanna complain Sunshine cuz that was real, real nice an I liked it a lot, but sumthin' seems wrong. What made ya suddenly decide ta act like that? It don't seem like your way."

He saw tears come to her eyes but he could tell she was fighting them and they didn't fall. Again he asked, "What? Tell me now. Please."

She told him about the stories at school and about the girl who sat next to her on the bus, "Do you know who Andrea Harrison is?"

"Yeah she's that blond girl ain't she? The one in our history class that acts like she's better'n everyone else?"

Beth was fighting a smile now, "Yes that's her. She sat down right next to me on the bus today. She's never even spoken to me before. She said rumor was we were making out in the quad. And she said you only like older women but now that you're messing around with me, you know a high school girl, she's coming after you. She said she was going to get you and I'd been warned. She said you were only messing with me because you must want a taste of innocence, but you'd soon get tired of me. It upset me Daryl, that's all. I just wanted to prove to you I could be real grown up."

"Shit Sunshine why ya worryin' 'bout that stuff? What people say? I know they talk about me all the time an ain't none of 'em got a kind word for me. I ain't got no older women, shit you're the only girl I've ever even talked to. I ain't interested in no one else anyway, 'specially not that uppity Andrea. An Beth, ya ain't got nuthin' ta prove ta me. When ya kiss me like that I want it ta be cuz ya wanna, cuz ya like me that way, not cuz you're tryin' ta prove nuthin'. K?"

She didn't answer with words instead she kissed him again. This time it was sweet and tender and it seemed more like her and he did what came natural, he kissed her like he thought she was the only girl in the world.

That's when they heard Daddy's footsteps coming down the hall, they scurried to sit down at that desk and act like they were doing what they were supposed to be doing, not what they wanted to be doing.

Again that evening Beth walked him to the bike and they looked at each other with a longing in their eyes, knowing they couldn't share that kiss they wanted so much. But her Daddy was standing on the porch keeping a real close eye on them.

His hand brushed on hers and the little bit of contact made them both smile, he whispered, "I'll be waitin' for ya come mornin'."

"I'll be there," She whispered back.

As she walked back in the house the phone was ringing loudly. Mama answered, "Oh yes hello Martha what can we do for you this evening? Certainly I'll get him on the line."

She held her hand over the old phone's receiver, "It's Pastor Smith to speak to you, Martha says it's important."

"Yeah Stan, Hershel here…"

"Hershel I heard a terrible story and I know you're going to want to put an end to this behavior immediately!"

"What Stan? What exactly are we talking about here?"

"Beth and Will Dixon's younger boy, that Daryl, I have it on good authority they were seen engaging in some very inappropriate kissing right there in front of half the school today!"

By the time Daddy got off that phone he was on fire…

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A/N Uh oh... Thanks so much for taking the time to read along and please leave a review / comment x gneebee

To see the chapter photo of our teenagers please visit my tumblr bethylmethbrick. I'd appreciate you "following" the story, and also checking out my other Bethyl fics, including another new one, The Wood Sculptor. I hope to see you here next Saturday for more Trouble. Thanks so much and as I always tell ya, because I mean it, I love ya large, xo gneebee