Daryl held Beth as close as he could, without hurting her. One hand was around her back, while the other one he was holding the back of her head. Beth still had her arms around his neck and cried into the hem of his shirt. Her whole body was trembling, because she was sobbing so much, but she felt so real, so warm against his body. Beth was feeling so right.
Daryl also cried, he didn't know, when he had begun, but the tears were running down his cheeks, like they had already so many nights. And then he remembered the promise he had given himself. Trying to calm down a little, Daryl got with his lips closer to Beth's ear when whispered "I love you." Beth began to cry even more then, but finally she also whispered against the skin of his neck "I love you too."
Daryl had never thought, that he will get the chance to tell Beth that he loved her, but he got one more chance, one last chance. The last thing he had ever believed was, that she will tell him, that she loved him too, but she did. Daryl pulled her closer to his body, maybe he was pressing her a little, but he just had to feel her body against his. Daryl had one hand buried into her golden locks, while with his other he stoked her back and kissed her forehead the whole time.
He didn't know how long they were sitting like that, but finally Beth was looking up at him. And he almost started crying again, when he saw the big, blue eyes, he had seen every night in his dreams, but he hadn't believed, that he will ever see them in real life again. But here she was and Beth was looking even more beautiful than he remembered.
Daryl took her cheeks into his hands and brushed her tears carefully away with his thumbs. Obviously Beth couldn't believe, that it was really him. After some moments looking into each other's eyes, Daryl got closer with his face to hers. Closer with his lips to hers. And finally he leaned down and kissed her softly. It was like nothing had ever changed. Her soft, warm lips on his and he forgot everything.
Finally then Daryl knew, that she was real. Slowly he got up to her forehead and kissed her there too. Beth was safe now. She was back. She was his. Daryl looked down at her and saw her smiling happily. Daryl's lips also formed a smile then.
But suddenly Beth's look changed from happy to worried. "Daryl.. I.. I have to tell you something.. I.. You.. We have..." Beth started with a trembling voice, but he already knew, what she wanted to say and so he interrupted her. "Don't worry sweetheart. I know. I have found her. Rose is safe."
Beth was watching at him with even bigger eyes now. "Really?" Beth asked with a smile, but still unsure. "You can believe me sweetheart. She is safe with the others." For one second she was really smiling again, but then she was looking confused.
Daryl remembered, that she still didn't know that he had found the other, that they were alive. He began to smile bright and said "I have found them sweetheart. I have found everybody. They are all alive. Maggie, Judith, Rick, Carl. I found them, like you have always said."
Beth's eyes widened one more time, her mouth fell open and she was shaking unbelievable her head. But Daryl could also see the tears building up in her eyes. Lovingly he took her trembling hands in his and gave them a little kiss. "It's true Beth. I have found them. They are all waiting for you. You were right."
Obviously Beth finally believed him, because she started crying, she was so happy and glad. She was smiling and crying at the same time. She also squeaked a few times, while she threw her arms around Daryl's neck. After some wonderful minutes in her arms, Beth pulled away a little, just enough so she could look him in the eyes. "Is it really true Daryl? Is it all true? Or is it just a dream?" She said a little too worried.
This time Daryl didn't say a word. He just closed the distance between them and kissed softly her lips. His right hand went to the back of her neck, under her hair, while with his left hand he was holing her close to his chest. Beth had her hands around his belly and responded to his kiss with much love. They both needed to take a break to get some air in their lungs again. He was pressing his forehead against hers and they were looking deep into each other's eyes. "It's all true Beth. You can believe me. It's all real."
Beth answered with a little smile, which caused that some hair from behind her ear fell into her beautiful face. Daryl pushed it gently away with his hand. Only then he noticed the cut on her forehead. He thought that maybe she had gotten it, because someone had knocked her out. Her eyes were swollen too, but not only because of the tears. Beth was looking like she hadn't slept much the last few nights. On her neck and on her hands she had some cuts and bruises. Her whole body was dirty, next to her clothes.
Beth noticed Daryl's worried and sorry look. "Daryl." She said softly. "I'm so sorry Beth. I'm so damn sorry." "Don't be Daryl. Everything is good." "Did they hurt you?" "I will tell you later, okay?" Daryl nodded. "How did you find Rose?" Her look got happy again and his too. "I will tell you later, okay?" "Okay" She said with an amused smile.
"We should go back. I'm sure Rick is already waiting for us." Daryl stood up, her hands still in his. "Rick is here t.." Beth stopped in the middle, because she wanted to stand up and cried out a little. "Beth? What's wrong?" Daryl asked her worried. "It's okay. Just my ankle. It never really healed. It just hurts at the beginning, but it stops, when I walk for a while."
"No way." Daryl said quickly and took her bridal style into his arms. Beth let out a small laugh and put her hands together at the back of his neck. "Like the good old days, uh?" She said still giggling. "Yeah, seems like that." Daryl smiled too.
"Rick is here too?" Beth asked curious. "Yeah. We knew, that you were here by these ugly guys." Her look changed suddenly. "I had totally forgotten about them. Daryl we have to be careful, they are very dangerous." Beth said worried, while she was looking around for any danger. "They are dead." Daryl simply responded.
"You and Rick?" Daryl nodded, looking in her eyes. "Thank you." Beth said serious. "Now you are safe sweetheart." "I know." She answered and pressed a soft kiss on his left cheek. "Where are the other? Where is Rose?" "They are all at our camp, a few hours away from here. They are all safe." Daryl could see, that Beth wanted to ask something else, when suddenly they could hear another voice
"Oh my God, Beth." Rick ran to their direction. Daryl set Beth's feet on the ground again, so she could welcome Rick. A few feet away Rick stopped running and shook his head like he couldn't believe it. Then he took Beth in his arms, like Hershel would have done it. Even though Daryl could only see Beth's back, he knew she was crying. Some tears were running down Ricks cheeks too.
When they finally let go from each other, Beth came back to Daryl and wrapped her arms around his belly. While her head pressed into his chest, Rick was looking at them and said to Daryl "Good job man."
Because of the fact that it was getting dark in a few hours and they still had to get all the way back to their camp, they started walking. This time Beth jumped on Daryl's back and when she was comfortable she whispered into his ear. "Like the good old days, uh?"
The whole time they didn't talk about what had happened to her or to them, instead they were just talking about how much Judith looked like Lori now, the fact that Carl was bigger than Rick and about their new family members. Daryl wanted to tell Beth his story, when they were alone and he knew, that Beth wanted to do the same. It was sunset, when Daryl and Rick slowed down their steps and Daryl set Beth on her feet.
"Behind the trees is our camp sweetheart." Daryl kissed gently her forehead. When Beth was looking up at him, he could see, that there were already tears building up in her eyes. He smiled down at her and she did too. Finally she took his hand and together they went to their camp.
The scene was like every evening. They were all doing the things they were always doing. Rose was sitting next to Maggie and Judith. Maggie had a book in her hands and obviously she was reading something to the girls.
Rose was the first one, who saw them. With a big smile she screamed. "Mommy!"
The little girl ran with opened arms in her mother's direction. Beth sank on her knees and also opened her arms, when Rose got closer. Daryl could hear Beth whispering 'Rose' when their girl finally fell into her arms. It was such a beautiful moment, Daryl knew, that he would never ever forget it and the feelings he had right now.
Beth held little Rose as close as she could and stroked her little head. Daryl could see Beth kissing her tiny face and whispering something in her ear. His two girls were finally together again. Rose had her arms around Beth's neck and her face over her mother's left shoulder. Daryl could see, how happy she was, that she finally got her mother back.
Suddenly Rose opened her eyes and instantly they found Daryl. With the same happy voice and the same big smile she screamed "Daddy!"
Rose got free from the hug and ran, like a few minutes before, with opened arms to Daryl. Daryl caught her and took her with a big momentum in his arms. The fact that Rose was so happy to see him, although he wasn't gone for so long like Beth, made him cry even more.
Daryl had his eyes closed, when he felt Rose's tiny hands on his cheeks. "Daddy, why are you crying?" "Because I'm so happy to have the two of you sweetheart." Daryl gave her a kiss on the forehead and meanwhile he could see Beth a few feet away. Just standing there. Like she couldn't believe it. Like she was seeing the two of them for the first time. And it really was the first time. The first time Beth saw Daryl and Rose together.
Daryl was wondering how many times Beth had dreamed about it, seeing them together. Daryl smiled at her, Rose still in his arms. He could see the tears running down Beth's face, but she was still just standing there. Finally Daryl stretched out his free hand in her direction and she quickly ran to them and crashed into the other side of his chest, the side where his heart was. The three of them were together for the first time in their lives.
Daryl held his two girls as close as he could. Alternately kissing Rose's and Beth's foreheads, while they were both hugging him. Rose had wrapped her tiny hands around his neck and Beth had one hand around his back and her other hand around Rose, touching his right hand, which was holding Rose.
"I love the two of you so much." Daryl said for the twentieth time and he will say it as often as he could, that was his new promise to himself. Daryl stroked Beth's head the whole time and finally he stopped so he could lift her chin up. "There are also some other, who are probably be happy to see you again." Daryl said with a smile to her. Beth nodded, tears still in her eyes and she turned around.
The second she saw Maggie they both started crying loudly and ran into each other's arms. Beth's whole body was sobbing, while the two sisters were standing there and cried into each other shoulders. Daryl watched Beth the whole time, because he had never seen her so happy before. When she welcomed Glenn, Carol, Carl, little Judith, who she picked up from the ground and gave her many kisses on her little cheeks, Sasha, Tyrese, Bob and even the new ones. Abraham, Rosita, Eugene and Tara she was hugging as happily as the other.
Finally Beth came back to Daryl and Rose. She hugged them again and said "I love you two so much."