A/N Thanks so much for the comments/reviews, messages, follows and faves. You guys really do make my day! We're picking up right where we left off.

"I got no idea how to be a boyfriend, never been one." He looked kind of puzzled.

"I'm not worried Daryl, we'll figure this out together. I think that's going to be the most important thing we do, figure things out together." When she looked at him that way he almost thought there couldn't ever be a bit of trouble between them.

"I think I pretty much messed up already, shit I ain't even taken you on a date yet." He was chewing that bottom lip. "Hell, I don't even know what to do on a date, where to take you. I ain't ever been on one."

"I think we've had some very fun dates. We've been to the woods, we've been to Merle's, we've had dinner together, and this. This camping trip is the best date ever." Her smile was big and bright and he was thinking he should be kissing her instead of talking.

"Yeah well, I think I'm s'posed to take you somewhere you don't have to hunt for your own dinner. Like out to some fancy restaurant, an then a movie. Sumthin' like that. Do you wanna do that when we get back?" It was obvious all this thinking about what he was supposed to be doing was make him nervous.

"Not really, I'd much rather you invited me to your house and cooked me a hamburger. Then we could watch a movie and hold hands. When the movie ends you could bashfully ask me if I'd spend the night. I'd be a little shy about it, but it would be what I wanted, what I'd been hoping would happen, and I'd say 'yes'. Then you'd walk me home and patiently wait while I put my pajamas on and brushed my teeth. You'd crawl in bed and smile at me, I'd crawl in and get in your arms, rest my head on your shoulder and we'd hold each other close. You'd tell me you love me and I'd tell you the same right back. That's the best kind of date and everything I could want."

They looked in each other's eyes, he put his arms around her and whispered, "Ain't no one else in the world as special as you Beth."

They arrived back at the duplex Thursday early afternoon, put away the things that were theirs, cleaned up and headed to his brother's house to return what was his. Merle was at work, but Beth had a glass of ice tea with Carol while Daryl spent a little time in the yard with the Chaos.

"So Beth, was it everything you thought camping with Daryl would be?" Carol asked it with a little laugh in her voice.

"It was so much better than I thought it could ever be," She answered while her face turned a pretty rose color.

Carol knew then, their relationship had moved to a new level.

When they were back in the Wrangler Daryl looked over at her, smiled that crooked smile, "It's been a couple days, I should go talk to Rob or Tom, whoever's got a little time for me. Do you wanna go on that date after while? I can cook a damn good hamburger."

"That sounds great, and there's a group in 45 minutes I can make."

It was something they'd agreed on, if their lives were really going to work, both individually and together, they had to keep working on themselves, and they had to be supportive of each other seeing counselors and going to group.

They got back to the duplex and he reached for his cell phone. He connected with Rob who could fit him in for a counseling session in 15 minutes. "Alright I'ma stop by the store on my way back an get all them fancy dinner fixins. I'll see ya back here." She watched him ride off on that motorcycle sure he was the nicest and most genuine guy ever.

"This hamburger is delicious and the potato chips are the perfect accompaniment. Where did you learn to cook like this?" She smiled.

He gave her his best serious expression, "I went to one a them culinary institutes over there in France. Studied hard, finally learned." She couldn't help laughing. When she first knew him she never ever would have guessed Daryl Dixon had a sense of humor.

They'd agreed on a Clint Eastwood classic, The Outlaw Josey Wales. They sat close and he held her hand.

When the movie ended, he asked bashfully, "I don't want you to leave, would you stay here with me tonight?" She knew he wasn't acting, he really was bashful.

"Yes." He walked her to her place, waited patiently while she put her pajamas on and brushed her teeth, and held her hand as they walked back to his place.

He crawled in the bed and smiled up at her, she crawled in and lay her head on his shoulder, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close into him, "I love ya girl." "I love you too," she whispered, "This is the perfect date."

He got a more serious look as he moved a finger under her chin and lifted her face to his. She knew by the way he was kissing her what was next, she'd been anticipating, hoping for that attention from him. She returned his kiss with eagerness.

xxxx

They were starting to feel so comfortable with each other, they'd gotten in a sort of mellow routine. It was one where they knew they could each go off, do their own thing and know they'd be getting together, seeing each other again before much time had passed.

Friday he spent the day working on his bike, working out, going to group and having coffee with Tom. He went to the shop, got caught up with Merle and what he'd missed at work, organized his bay for his return to work the following week, and actually said "Hi" to the other guys.

She went to the Vet Center, had lunch with Maggie, went to the Shelter, and saw her therapist.

She was making pizzas when he showed up at the backdoor. "Hey you," He smiled. "Hey yourself, come on in."

She was rolling out dough and her hands were covered in flour, "Help yourself to a beer, I'm just a little busy."

"Whaddya mean, what are ya doin?" He smiled at his little joke.

"You're lucky I don't want to clean up any messes or you'd be wearing pizza fixings right now," She tried to sound tough.

"I don't scare easy Baby." Now he was trying to look tough. But he walked up behind her, put his hands on her hips, kissed the side of her neck and asked, "You want me to pour you a glass a wine?" She just smiled and nodded.

Everything was going so well, it was such a calm time for them both, they were basking in their newly declared love, both the emotional and the physical, and they were both so much more at peace with their pasts. They were ready for this big shift in their relationship.

Maggie had made a point of telling her to bring Daryl when she came for pancakes Saturday morning, that it was important.

She didn't think she could ever get tired of climbing behind him on that bike and wrapping her arms around the man she'd fallen in love with.

Glenn was working away at the stove flipping pancakes and frying bacon, but he always looked so happy when he was in full pancake making mode. It didn't even seem like he was working at it.

When they all sat down to eat Glenn reached for Maggie's hand, "Maggie has finally said 'yes', and we're getting married ASAP." He was all smiles.

Maggie pretended to punch his shoulder, "Are you kidding? I've been trying to get you to marry me for a year!" She looked to Beth and Daryl, "He FINALLY gave up and gave in."

Since he'd met them Daryl had thought they seemed like complete opposites who were kind of perfect for each other, and he got a kick out of their teasing. Beth jumped up and ran around the table to her sister, getting her in a fierce hug and squealing "Yay! I'm so happy, it's about time!" And then it was Glenn's turn as she got him in a headlock and gave him a noggie, "It's about time you agreed to be my brother in law! You're so silly and stubborn."

They were all laughing and it dawned on Daryl that Glenn really had been the one dragging his feet. Well, guys probably get more nervous about these things.

Beth wanted to hear all about the plans and Maggie shrugged, "There is no plan, we thought we'd get someone to marry us in the park, it's not like we have some big family and a bunch of friends who'd want to come. We were thinking you guys, Merle, Carol and the kids, Glenn's friend Rick and his wife Lori. We're going to ask Glenn's sisters of course, but we don't think any of them will come all the way from Michigan. We'll see. We could all just go to a restaurant or something after."

"No Maggie, that's not special enough. I have a beautiful yard, let's have it there and I'll make the food, I can decorate and stuff, it'll be so much nicer and more intimate."

"That's too much work Beth, you don't want to do all that cooking and stuff."

"Oh yeah right because we all know how much I hate to cook, and you aren't my only sister or anything like that so I'm just sure I wouldn't want to do this for you because, you know, it might be like work and all and I might not love you quite enough to want to just do this to help make your day special." She was looking sassy with her little hand on her hip, tapping her foot and rolling her eyes, and Daryl wanted to just get up and kiss that sassiness.

Glenn was trying hard not to laugh and Maggie totally deadpanned it when she said, "Fine, gawd you are so damn mean and pushy Beth."

Beth and Maggie volunteered to clean the kitchen so Glenn could take Daryl in the garage, show him some thingamajig on his car and get some advice.

"Hey congrats man, gettin' married, that's a big step. I can understand a guy not bein' certain its right, wantin' to wait n be sure." Being a buddy was something new for Daryl, but he was trying, determined to be part of this world full of people.

"Well you know how it is Daryl, I mean I've loved Maggie since practically the second I laid eyes on her. Then their world came to an end and I was happy to be there for both of them. It was tough on me, tough on them. The whole thing was just so awful. When Beth did what she did I thought Maggie might not get through it, but I was more than willing, hell I was happy to try and be there for them, to help in any way I could."

"But when all the money came, I had trouble dealing with that. I mean you know, I still have that old school feeling about the guy taking care of the girl and all. Geez, marrying a woman who has more money than I'll ever make in my lifetime, well it's just a little daunting."

"What money?" Daryl looked both confused and concerned.

That's when Glenn knew just how badly he'd screwed up, shit she hadn't told him and now Glenn didn't know quite what he should do or say, "Shit man, I…well I'm sorry, I figured you guys had talked about it or something. Anyway, I'm going to just shut the hell up from now on."

Daryl didn't know what to do, he could feel he was getting anxious, that hadn't happened to him in a long damn time. His breathing felt labored and his heart was pounding. He needed to get the fuck out of there, be alone, think. Fuck.

"Hey thanks for breakfast man, it was great, um I gotta go. Could you give Beth a ride home?" And he hurried out the garage door got on his bike and sped off.

Shit now Glenn had to go in and tell Beth, and crap, tell Maggie, what had happened.

Beth was mortified, "Oh my God it's just that I was trying to think of a way to tell him."

Maggie was trying to comfort her sister, "He'll calm down Bethie, he'll come around, realize it's not a big deal, its' just money it isn't you. Not every man is as slow as Glenn."

Glenn just wanted to disappear into the woodwork.

Beth

I can't believe how everything went from being so great to completely falling apart.

I wasn't angry at Daryl for leaving, not when Glenn said he seemed anxious and that his breathing had changed, that it almost seemed like he was in physical pain. I knew what it was, I knew it was the start of him having an anxiety attack.

I know I should have told Daryl about the money, and I was going to, it's just that, well I've seen how tough it was for Glenn to accept that Maggie is so wealthy. And gosh, the money just doesn't mean anything to me. I mean I'm grateful that I don't have to worry about things, I know how lucky I am to not have to agonize about paying rent and where my next meal is coming from. But I'm not impressed by money, I don't need a lot of fancy things and a great big house to make me happy. Besides the money cost me more in loss than it could ever replace.

What makes me happy is having Daryl, having Maggie and Glenn, and Merle and Carol and the kids. That's what brings me happiness.

But I know in my heart what Daryl was reacting to, it wasn't really the money. It was that I'd kept something from him. I know how important honesty is to him. How important it is that we don't keep secrets from each other, that we keep this real, keep it open, tell each other stuff. It's a very big thing I didn't bother telling him about.

I totally let him down, now he probably thinks there are all kinds of things I'm keeping from him. I know he can project. Heck I do that all the time myself.

I just wish he'd come home and talk to me. Gosh, it's almost dinner time. If he won't talk to me, then wherever he is, I hope he's talking to someone.

Daryl

Man it just caught me completely off guard. I didn't know what the fuck to think. Beth's been keepin' sumthin' big from me.

I'm not stupid, I know she don't have to work, but shit, I thought she'd got a little money when her family died, just enough to get the duplex, an that she was pretty much livin' off the rent I pay her.

Damn, she don't live like a woman with a lotta money. She's livin' real cheap an just doin' volunteer work, drivin' a five year old car, no fancy clothes, no big trips. I don't know. It's all so crazy.

And it ain't like I give a fuck about the money, hell that ain't gonna change how I feel about her. Nah, what I can't believe is she just kept sumthin' so huge from me. I mean the way Glenn said that, it's a whole lotta fuckin' money.

It ain't like we never sit down and talk about stuff. Shit, we just spent three damn days all alone doin' nuthin' but talkin' an well, you know.

I feel like I've told her everythin' and now that I know she kept this from me, I wonder what else she might be keepin' from me.

I'ma call Tom, see if he's got some time to meet up. I need to talk to someone who ain't involved in it, someone who can help me figure this out.

Daryl did call Tom and they met at the park, tried to walk off some of Daryl's anxiety, and talk. They talked a lot.

"You know my friend you talked to me a lot about Beth before. She seems like a real special woman, not the kind of gal who would keep big secrets from you because she has some ulterior motive. I'd wager a guess she was just afraid of what your reaction would be. Lots of guys are intimidated when a woman has more money than them, or makes a real good income. Apparently the brother in law had a little trouble accepting it, she probably worried you might too."

"And you know man, you've had enough therapy to know, she's the only one who can give you the answers you want, that you seem to need. You're going to need to trust her enough to ask her your questions and let her answer. You're in love with the woman, and shit man, love is all about taking a chance on another person." Tom smiled and clapped him on the back, and Daryl did feel more calm. Yeah, that's what he needed to do, he needed to just talk to Beth.

But first he was going for a ride and blow off some steam. That always made him feel better.

By seven o'clock Beth really started to become concerned, now she was the one projecting. Was he just never coming back? Was he so angry with her, did he hate her so much he didn't even want to ever see her again? Then she'd chastise herself, no Daryl's not like that. He's just somewhere trying to calm down so we can talk. But somewhere for seven hours trying to calm down?

Without even really thinking about it he'd driven all the way up to the lake, visited the spot where they'd camped. Sat and looked at that lake and thought about her. Thought about how much his life had changed since he'd met her. He knew he loved her, hell he wasn't mad at her, not really. All he wanted to do now was clear the air with her, work it out, have her in his arms.

He was on his way home, actually feeling pretty good about everything. Hoping she wasn't mad at him for just leaving her at Maggie and Glenn's. That was a shitheel move.

He was on that two-lane pulling a big hill, a semi behind him. That's when the asshole in the sports car decided to pass the semi and whip right in front of him, clipping his front tire. That bike slid across two lanes and down an embankment, taking Daryl right along with it.

She was so nervous. She couldn't seem to make herself calm down. She tried to read but she couldn't concentrate. She'd tried to watch TV, that didn't work either. She couldn't even seem to play a full song on her guitar. She felt nauseated from stress and lack of food. She tried taking a bubble bath, thinking that might calm her. It didn't help.

She finally went to bed at 11, but she was so restless. She must have fallen asleep eventually, because at just before 1:00am she was startled awake by a banging on the front door. She hurried to it and asked in a hopeful tone, "Daryl?"

"Nah its Merle Sis, open the door." He pulled her into a one arm hug, "Ya get dressed real quick now, we gotta go. There's been an accident."

She started to speak but he stopped her, "Ya go on now and hurry, I'll tell ya what I know on the way."

On the way to the he told her what the hospital had told him. Daryl had been in a bad wreck, somebody had clipped his bike and just kept on driving. A semi-truck driver had called 911. At the hospital they'd found his cell phone in his pocket. Merle's number was listed not by name, but by "Big Brother," that's how they knew to call him.

The only other thing Merle knew was where he was and that he hadn't regained consciousness.

She was so worried, so scared that she felt weak. Merle had an arm around her waist, half holding her up as they stood at that admissions desk. She heard him say, "Yeah, we're his only kin. I'm his older brother, this here is little sister. I got his power of attorney, I can make any decisions that need ta be made."

When the woman picked up a ringing phone Merle whispered to her, "Ya just keep quiet now Sis, let Ol' Merle handle everythin'." And all she could manage to do was nod.

When they finally got to see him Beth let out a gasp. He was a mess. His face was covered with black bruises and road rash, he had an IV in his hand and two plastic bags of fluid were dripping into him. He had bandages and bruises covering both arms and gauze wrapped around his head.

She started to cry and after a minute Merle put an arm around her shoulder, "I'ma let ya get that out for another minute or two, then yer gonna have ta knock that shit off and get tough. Little Brother's gonna need ya ta be strong Sis."

Merle

I hated ta have ta talk tough ta Beth. She's a real sweetheart an I know she loves Little Brother, and he loves her. But I know we're in for a long haul here, and she is gonna have ta be tough. I know she's strong, shit, she'd have to be to go through everythin' she's been through. I hate ta see her put through more pain.

And I got ta make myself believe Baby Brother can make it, get through this. Shit, they couldn't kill him out in that fuckin' desert, they sure as fuck aren't killin' him on a Georgia highway, it just can't happen.

He's gotta be okay, gotta be.

A/N I think Merle said what we're all thinking. I'm not going to leave you hanging, I promise a new chapter next week. Thanks so much for reading. Please comment/review xo