I am so sorry! I haven't updated this in awhile! I don't know why, but this story is super hard for me to write and I'm not quite sure why all of you love it! But thanks for being patient with me! Hopefully the next chapter will come quicker than this one did!
Beth and Daryl woke with a start. They were wrapped around each other, quickly untangling their limbs. Beth glanced to her bedside table for the time; it was four in the morning. It was a crash that had woken them up, but the alarm that followed kept them awake. Beth clicked on her light and flicked the covers off. "What was that?" She asked, rounding the bed to stand next to Daryl.
He didn't answer. "Stay here, I'll go find out," he said, hand grazing her elbow. He moved to the bedroom door and swung it open. Beth, being scared and rebellious followed him out of the bedroom. She shivered as she trailed behind him down the hallway. The alarm was getting louder as they entered her living room.
"Daryl," Beth whispered, hugging her arms around her body. "Don't go out there!" She hissed. Daryl gave her a knowing look. He knew the alarm all too well to know that it was his truck going off. He turned the lock on the door and pushed it open letting the frosty air in.
Beth watched from behind the glass door as he approached his truck. The headlights were flashing – it was the source of the ear piercing alarm. It was probably waking her neighbors up. His driver's side window and passenger window were smashed open. He stuck his arm through the opening and grabbed his keys that were left in the ignition and turned the alarm off.
Beth didn't have to think twice about who did this. It was Jimmy. She hadn't realized it, but her hand had drifted to her mouth and she was gnawing at her nails now. She hadn't done that in years. Daryl pocketed his keys and jogged back to the house. "Two busted windows," he said as he returned to Beth.
She backed away from him as he broke through the door. She rushed to turn on the lamp on one of the side tables. It wasn't much, but she could see him much better now. He was staring at her. "I'm sorry, Daryl," she murmured. She was embarrassed. She was going to be trouble for him and nothing more. "I understand if you'd like to go home."
Daryl shook his head. "C'mere," he said, opening his arms. Beth folded her arms around his torso, the material of his shirt still cold from being outside. He tucked his chin over her head. "I don't want to leave. I don't care what else he does, it's not going to make me leave," he told her.
Beth closed her eyes and hugged him tighter. It was what she needed to hear. "He's not going to stop," she whispered into his chest. "He'll do whatever he can to break us up because I never gave him what he wanted. He can't stand to see me with anybody else besides him." She pulled back slightly to look at him.
She was waiting for him to run and never return. "Let's go back to bed," he finally said. His hand slid down her arm and took her fingers in his, tugging her towards the bedroom. She clicked off the lamp before following back down the hallway. He let her climb onto the bed and cover herself with the comforter before sliding in next to her.
He wrapped his arms around him once again, laying together silently staring at the ceiling. "Do you want to come to the garage with me tomorrow?" He asked. "Stick around awhile while I fix the windows on my truck?" He asked, kissing her forehead.
Beth nodded. "I'd like that." Daryl knew that she didn't want to be alone. That much he could see.
He kissed her again and squeezed her tighter. "Sleep now, Beth," he purred her into her ear. She let her eyes fall shut as she listened to her own personal lullaby in the form of his heartbeat. It was only a few hours later when she woke still wrapped in his arms. He was watching her.
"How long have you been up?" She groaned, stretching and rolling away from him. Earlier, she didn't care what she looked like, but now she was painfully aware of her bedhead. Beth hid behind her arm.
He laughed, shifting so now he was sitting up fully. "Just a few minutes. Don't worry," he chuckled, plucking her arm away from her face. "You look beautiful as always," he promised, brushing a stray lock of hair from her eyes. A blush burned hot in her cheeks.
She yawned and stretched again before planting a kiss on his lips. "I need a shower," she admitted, flicking the covers back. She looked evenly at Daryl. He was definitely out of place in her bedroom. "I'll be right back," Beth said, biting her lip. After what had happened yesterday, she still wasn't ready to have sex with Daryl again.
He nodded as she turned to her dresser, picking out a comfortable outfit for the day. She figured she wouldn't be doing much but hanging out with Daryl at the garage and then heading to her shift at work later. She quickly picked out a deep purple turtleneck sweater and pair of dark jeans. She would tuck them into riding boots later.
Beth then scurried off to the bathroom to shower. She finished up quickly, dressing in the outfit she had picked out. She brushed her damp hair out and threw it up into a topknot. She put on two coats of mascara and a swipe of lip balm. When she returned to Daryl, he was already redressed with his boots and jacket and waiting for her on the couch.
He stood, smiling as she came down the hallway. "I hope you don't mind," Daryl started. "I kind of raided your kitchen and found a roll of duct tape and plastic wrap so we didn't have to deal with the wind on the way to the garage," he explained, holding up the items he had scavenged. She giggled, covering her mouth again.
"I don't mind. I thought you were going to say you ate my food. But either way I wouldn't have cared," she said, shrugging on her jacket and grabbing her cell phone. "Let's go get your truck fixed up for the time being." Daryl nodded and they headed out to his vehicle. They could at least get a better look at the damage Jimmy had inflicted.
Glass was all over the bench seat and on the ground outside the truck. Nothing else seemed to be harmed. Beth ripped off a large enough piece of plastic wrap and held it up to the window opening as Daryl duct taped it to the frame. "It should hold up 'till we get to the garage," Daryl shrugged his shoulders. "It'll still be cold, though." Beth shrugged her shoulders, too.
"We'll be fine," she told him. "Let's go." She climbed into the passenger seat after cleaning off the rest of the glass, as Daryl climbed into the driver's seat. He slid the key into the ignition and they were off. Beth blew into her clasped hands, trying to warm herself up. Daryl wouldn't turn on the heat or the plastic wrap would melt.
Instead, Beth slid across the seat, wrapping her arms around his chest. He shifted so he could cradle her with his right arm. "Is Merle going to be at the garage?" Beth asked, only slightly scared. Merle was not her favorite person and honestly did not want to see him again.
Daryl gave her a quick glance. "The chances are slim. He could be out towing someone or he could be at the garage or he could be out getting drunk somewhere even if it is nine in the morning," Daryl explained, rubbing her back slightly. "Everyone else is pretty nice. I think you'll like them."
Beth nodded. "If they're anything like you, I'll love them," she said as they pulled into the parking lot of the garage.
"Wait here," he said, opening his door, jumping out as she unwrapped herself from around him. "I have to go make sure there is a bay open for me, and open the garage door," he smiled, shutting the door gently. She watched as he entered the door off to the side of the building.
She buried herself farther down in her coat. It was cold. She was actually kind of nervous to meet Daryl's coworkers. He spoke highly of them, but she was worried they would turn out to be like Merle. It had been a few minutes since Daryl disappeared into the garage. There was only one other car out in the parking lot – a small dark green car. It was in worse shape than her own car. Kind of ironic for someone working at a garage.
A few more moments passed before she saw one of the garage doors start to lift towards the roof. Daryl ducked down underneath the ascending door and approached the car. He was smiling and shaking his head slightly. There was someone else standing by the opening garage bay. Daryl clambered back into the cab of the truck. "Who's that?" Beth asked curiously.
"That's Glenn. Great guy, he'll help me with the windows," Daryl said, starting the car again and pulled into the empty bay. She tried not to stare at Glenn as Daryl drove passed, but she was curious. He looked friendly enough.
"Plastic wrap and duct tape?" Glenn asked as Beth and Daryl exited the truck. A blush burned on her cheeks and she didn't know why. "I like it." Glenn's gaze then settled onto the blonde that accompanied Daryl. "And you must be Beth. I'm Glenn," he stuck out his hand for her to shake. It was only mildly covered in grease and dirt.
Biting the inside of her lip, Beth took his hand anyways and gave it a small shake. "Nice to meet you," Beth smiled, letting go of his hand. She tried not to make it a big deal when she wiped it off on her jeans.
Glenn turned to Daryl then. "What did you say happened again?" He asked, eyebrows knitting together. Beth's eyes flickered to his. Would he tell him the truth?
"Some kids were playing baseball, went straight through," he said, dropping his eyes to the floor. Glenn mused. He slapped his hand against the hood of the truck. "Well, let's get to work. Beth, there's a heater over there next to the seat. You can stay warm there while we work," he said. Without another thought, Daryl shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her. "Take my jacket and kept it toasty for me," he winked when Glenn wasn't looking.
Just then, the door clanged open, hitting the wall beside it causing a can of oil to fall from a shelf and spill to the floor. Merle was wiping his hands off, smiling in the doorway. "Well, well, well, look who's back."
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