A/N: And here we have it, guys! The end of this story! Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews and comments, all of the favorites, follows, etc. I am just blown away by them all! I hope you enjoy this last chapter! :)

Chapter 17 – Epilogue

Beth took a deep breath and smiled as she let it out, her eyes reopening to see Daryl looking back at her, a soft smile on his face. The couple was out on a hunt and Beth was enjoying the late spring air and the beauty of the green leaves and blooming flowers in the woods around the Alexandria Safe-Zone. It had been about five months since they had arrived and things were running incredibly smoothly. They had expanded the Safe-Zone, planted more crops and tamed more livestock over the last few months and things had been quiet. All-in-all, life was good. The only rough part of their setup was their relationship with Carol. The three had reached an impasse, understanding why she did what she did but undecided on what to do about it. The three were cordial, their friendship returning slightly over time, though Beth found she couldn't be alone with the woman. Something that Daryl seemed to share as he never gave them an opportunity to be alone together.

Beth walked up to Daryl and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss before walking off to work on her tracking skills with him following behind her, grumbling about her teasing him and how he couldn't wait to get her back in their bed. She smiled back at him and gave him a wink before returning her attention to the tracks in front of her. Everyone had sworn that they would not allow themselves to become complacent, always pushing for everyone to train and practice their weapons, fighting, and general life-saving skills to keep from being caught off guard again. So her and Daryl went on frequent hunting trips to keep their skills up; him giving her the crossbow for more practice using it.

She had gotten quite good at using his crossbow, she was able to load it by herself now and was in the process of getting used to using it as a bashing tool like Daryl could when time didn't permit a reload. If something happened to the Safe-Zone and Beth was separated from everyone again, she would be capable of surviving. She hoped it would never come down to that but she knew it helped Daryl sleep at night knowing that she could defend and protect herself as well as hunt for her own food.

"Maggie's pregnant," she announced suddenly and she could hear the slight stumble in Daryl's step at the news.

"Yeah?"

"Yup, I overheard her telling Glenn last night!"

"So you eavesdropped on their conversation and then gossiped about it to your husband instead of letting her tell us when she's ready?" he asked her, his voice light and teasing.

"That's what sisters do. They eavesdrop and gossip to their husbands." He "hmm'd" in response and Beth chuckled.

"I think she'll have a girl," she told him as she stopped and turned to him, watching him approach her.

"Prolly," he agreed, his eyes meeting hers. Beth smiled and turned to continue hunting but his hand on her arm stopped her. "Do you…do you want children, Beth?" Her eyes brightened and Daryl knew her answer before she opened her mouth.

"I always wanted children, before all this."

"I 'unno if I'd be a good father, Beth…My old man…"

"Is not who you are. You're going to be a great father." His eyes widened and he stared at Beth.

"G-going to be?" he stuttered and Beth laughed.

"Eventually, yes, I'm not pregnant. Calm down." Daryl breathed a sigh of relief and he shook his head. "Would it be so bad if I was?" she asked and Daryl shook his head.

"I never let myself entertain the idea of being a father, Beth, not before you. Especially after Lori…Christ, what if that happens with you whenever you are pregnant? Or Maggie?" It had taken Daryl most of the past few months to build a decent relationship with his sister-in-law and it was mostly because Beth wanted them to be in the same room without glaring at each other. His concern for his sister-in-law's safety mainly stemmed from the fact that Beth would be torn apart without her sister in her life.

"I don't think it will," she told him as she took his hands in hers. "Lori's situation…we were in a completely different place back then. We spent most of the early months of her pregnancy running, being malnourished, and stressed for our well being. That extra stress on her body may have led to the complications during birth. I'm not saying that we don't risk the same problems here, obviously there is a risk of needing to run and seek a new shelter at any time but at the moment, we live a relatively stress-free life. We're safe, for now. And that's what counts.

Months fly by and Daryl sighs into Beth's hair as he curls his exhausted body around hers after undressing from his watch shift, the cool fall air keeping the air of their house chilly. Beth suddenly rolled over and kissed his goatee.

"I've got some news," she whispers to him and he gives a tired grunt to show her he's listening, his hand moving slowly up her bare back along her spine.

"I hope you'll be happy to hear it, Daddy Dixon." Daryl's eyes flew open, his hand stilling on her back. His eyes met hers in the dim moonlight that shined through their window and she smiled, her hand moving his to her flat stomach. "Your son is growing in there," she told him softly. He swallowed heavily, his eyes moving to his hand on her stomach.

"You're…we're…a baby?" she chuckled softly at his stuttering and nodded, her eyes brimming with tears of happiness.

"I'm certain our Little Dixon is a boy," she sighed, "I want to name him after Merle." Daryl's eyes widened and he shook his head, swallowing heavily.

"We have plenty of time to think of a name…I'm a dad…" Beth smiled as she watched his face light up with happiness as the news sunk in. Daryl shifted his body so that his face was near her stomach and he gently laid his head on it, his hands holding her hips as he placed kisses on the flat plane of her stomach.

"Hey baby boy, daddy's here…I'm not goin' anywhere. I'll keep you safe, you and your momma." He whispered to Beth's belly before kissing his way up to her mouth and covering her body with his.

"You are never fucking touching me again, Dixon!" Beth screamed through a contraction, her hand squeezing Daryl's. Rick chuckled from Beth's other side and she turned her glare on him, yelling and cussing at him through the next contraction.

"Okay, Beth, it's time. Push!" the doctor instructed her. Beth clenched her teeth and pushed, letting out a scream, her grip breaking one of Daryl's fingers. He flinched but wisely kept his mouth shut about the pain, only opening his mouth to give the woman he loved encouragement as she brought their child into the world.

"God, I'm going to kill you for this, Daryl!" she panted before pushing again when the doctor instructed.

"Okay, I know, babe…come on, you can do it," Daryl encouraged, making Rick laugh.

"You realize you just gave her permission to kill you, don't you?"

"Oh god, you're on my list too, Rick," Beth growled out. She collapsed against the bed, exhaustion showing on her face.

"One more push, Beth, come on," Daryl told her, his anxiety and concern growing as she nodded tiredly. The doctor didn't seem too concerned so Daryl forced himself to ignore the feeling welling in his chest and to focus on talking to Beth through the next push. A sudden crying entered the room and Beth let out a sob in relief.

"A baby boy," the doctor told them as he cut the umbilical cord and checked the baby over quickly before cleaning him up and wrapping him in a soft blanket. The doctor handed their baby boy to Beth and Daryl felt all of his words clog his throat at the sight of their son.

"Jason Merle Dixon…" Beth whispered, her eyes tearing up at the bundle in her arms before moving to meet Daryl's. "What do you think of that name?" Daryl opened his mouth to reply but the words were still stuck in his throat, he couldn't get a sound out. He snapped his mouth shut and nodded, his eyes burning slightly with tears at the beautiful baby and mother.

"Daddy…" a soft, girlish voice floated to Daryl in his dreams and he instantly sat up, awake, his hand on his crossbow that leaned against his side of the bed. A flash of lightning brightened the room for a moment and Daryl could make out his two-year-old daughter's shape standing nervously beside him.

"Hey baby girl, the storm scare ya?" he asked, his voice groggy with sleep. A soft "uh huh" came from the girl and he slid his blankets back to allow her room to crawl in the bed with him and Beth.

"Don't roll over, Daryl," Beth's voice murmured sleepily from behind him. "Jason's in here too." Daryl's tired brain registered the presence of their four-year-old son behind him and grunted as their daughter, Skyla Grace, climbed across his stomach to curl up between him and Jason.

"We're gonna need a bigger bed," he grumbled. Beth let out a soft chuckle, her hand brushing their son's brown hair off his forehead before moving to their daughter's blonde curls and then finding Daryl's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"There's room for one more in here, Daddy Dixon." Daryl's eyes widened as he recognized the "Daddy Dixon" and what it meant and he sat up, looking at his wife, who nodded with a bright, albeit tired, smile on her face. She never called him "Daddy Dixon" except when she was announcing a pregnancy. He let out a groan before laughing, torn between the excitement of having another child and the concern for the woman he love's life.

Things were still going smoothly in the Safe-Zone and food wasn't a concern so Daryl's main concerns came with the child birthing but Beth was strong, he had faith in her.

"I-I can't…" Beth's voice was weak and Daryl's heart clenched tightly.

"Yes, you can, Beth. You're strong, you can do this. I need you to…" Beth's face lifted into a hazy smile but her eyes shined with tears.

"I'm sorry, Daryl…I'm sorry…I can't…" Daryl's eyes drifted to the doctor and the doctor nodded.

"The baby seems to be stuck…we're going to have to perform a caesarean…"

"No, no…no, you can't do that…She'll…" Daryl's eyes filled with tears and he glanced at Rick, who looked stricken. "We've had two healthy babies…two healthy labors…come on, Beth, baby, you can't leave me….Jason and Skyla…" Beth's hand moved shakily to his cheek and wiped at his tears.

"It's okay, Daryl…I won't leave you."

Daryl stared at the blue bundle in his arms, his third child, his second son. His heart felt that familiar warmth at the sight of their child but it also felt the heaviness of their situation. His eyes glanced up at Beth, who was sleeping in the bed beside him with Jason and Skyla sitting at the foot of the bed, both watching their mother sleep with tear filled eyes.

"She's…" Daryl cleared his throat, "she's going to be okay…" he told them. "I have faith…" His two children nodded, Jason's dark hair hanging in his blue eyes and Skyla's curls bouncing with the movement.

"What's our brother's name, daddy?" the little girl asked and Daryl smiled softly, wiping his tears away with his free hand.

"We liked Davin as his first name but we couldn't decide on a middle name. Do either of you have a suggestion?" His two children looked at each other and smiled before turning back to him.

"Hershel, after Grandpa Hershel."

"Davin..Hershel…Dixon…'s a great name…" Beth's voice was groggy from the drugs the doctor had given her before performing the surgery. Jason and Skyla instantly moved forward, hugging their mother tightly, making her wince at the pain before her hands went to their hair.

"I'm okay…" she told them softly and the two siblings moved back to their spot at her feet, nodding and crying. Beth's blue eyes met Daryl's before glancing at the bundle in his arms. "Is he…?"

"Healthy," Daryl choked out as his own tears fell. "You…scared me, Beth…"

"I'm sorry…I told you I wouldn't leave you. Never again." Daryl nodded, gently placing their son in her lap and collapsing against her, avoiding her stomach where her wounds were, and crying tears of relief and happiness that the woman he loved, the mother of his children, was still here with him.

"I'm never going to leave you, Daryl Dixon. I swore that when you found me all those years ago and we argued in that van. I swore that when I said yes to your proposal. I've sworn it every day since."

Daryl took a deep breath and nodded, his tears subsiding as Jason and Skyla climbed off the bed and wrapped their arms around him. He had his family, something he had never imagined having before the end of the world nine or so years ago. The door to the room opened and Daryl turned to see Rick, Michonne, and the rest of his family walk in. They filled the small space of the room but Daryl could not be happier to see them. They were strong in their faith and hope, and they were strong in numbers and as long as they were together, they were unstoppable.

The End