Daryl was right, he had slept like a baby last night. And his day also began pretty good, when he went outside and saw Beth Greene with her sister and Glenn walking down the street and she waved at him with a big, bright smile. And Daryl couldn't act otherwise, than waving back at her like a little kid. He thought about her the whole day long and he also caught himself sometimes, when he was smiling to himself just because he was thinking about her.
Daryl was at home only 15 minutes, when someone knocked against his door. He thought that maybe it was Aaron, because if someone would knock at his door it would be him, but when Daryl opened the front door he knew that he had forgotten about someone. Beth Greene was standing on his porch with his vest in one hand and a basket in her other. "Hey Mr. Dixon." She said with a big smile on her lips. "Hey girl." Daryl answered, while he tried to suppress the need to look at the beauty in fron of him from her head to her feet, but he failed pitifully. "Can I come in?" Beth asked with a half laugh, because he had probably stared at her for almost a whole minute. Daryl could feel his cheeks heating up and embarrassed he finally let her in.
Inside Beth gave Daryl his vest back and he instantly asked himself if it smelled like her now. "If you want I can make ourself some spaghetti with the things in here." Beth told him, while she was looking at the basket in her hands and then up to him again. Daryl didn't need to answer, because his empty stomach did it for him. Beth giggled when she heard the sound his body made and took it as a yes.
Quickly she began to cook and Daryl was just able to watch her doing so. During Beth told him about what happened at school today, because she was teaching the children there, and Daryl loved it watching and listening to her. When they finally ate at the dining table, Daryl had never used before, he just had to tell her that nobody had ever cooked a dinner just for him and he had never eaten such delicious spaghetti before. Beth smiled at this and almost blushed a little. She was so damn cute.
They were sitting at the table almost one hour, even after they had finished their dinner. They were talking the whole time, or with better words Beth was talking most of the time, but Daryl didn't care, because he loved it listen to her soothing voice.
Finally they got up and washed up the dirty dishes. Daryl helped her and sometimes Beth had to giggle watching him dry up the dishes. It was almost dark when they were finish and even when Maggie knew where Beth was today, Daryl brought her home again. He knew he didn't have to, because Alexandria was safe, but he just didn't want to let her walk alone on the dark streets of Alexandria.
When they were finally standing on her porch and said good night to each other, Beth asked "Would a casserole be okay for dinner tomorrow ?" Before she left inside Daryl answered with a smile "Damn okay girl."
Daryl was right again, when he had thought that his vest probably smelled like Beth. He had worn it the whole day long and it always gave him that feeling inside his belly, when he smelled her on the fabric. But he could also smell other things and Daryl decided that he will take a shower before Beth will come tonight.
While the clean water was running down his back he just had to admin, that he had totally forgotten how fucking good it was feeling taking a shower after a hot day. Daryl had one pair of jeans and one shirt that were looking clean enough and didn't smell that bad, so he put them on, just in time when he heard a knock against the door. Daryl almost ran to it with a damn smile in his face.
When Beth saw him standing in the doorframe, she began to giggle and Daryl could feel how his ears were getting red. "I didn't know that Daryl Dixon can look so clean." Beth was almost laughing now. Daryl rolled his eyes in responce and finally let her inside. "You look like a wet animal with your hair." Beth pulled some strains of hair away from his face to see his eyes better and finally she said "But you are looking pretty handsome too." Daryl thought that his whole body was on fire now, but it seemed like Beth didn't care, because she went into the kitchen without looking back and started cooking.
This time Daryl tried to help her, even when he knew that he probably wasn't such a big help for her. Beth told him what she was doing at the moment, while she was cutting the vegetables and took the noodles in a pot. When they were eating she told him about her day again and this time Daryl also told her a little about his work with Aaron.
After washing up the dishes they went outside on the porch with a cool drink in their hands. It was a nice, warm late summer evening and they were sitting like that and talked until it was getting dark and Daryl brought Beth home again. "What do you think about pizza tomorrow?" Beth asked Daryl, her hand still in his.
They were doing this already over one week. Every evening Beth came to Daryl's place, after he had taken a shower and together they made themself a delicious dinner. After they just talked about random things or they were sitting silently on his porch, while Beth was writing in her diary and Daryl was cleaning his crossbow. On one day she read out loud from that one book again, but this time Daryl didn't fall asleep, he just listened to her voice and watched her the whole time.
Daryl could tell that in the end of every day Beth didn't want to leave him, nether did he that, but she just had to go home, but with every new day she stayed a little longer and Daryl enjoyed every more minute he could spend with her together. Daryl always brought her home, it was already like a ritual for them and Beth always took his hand, while they were going on the dark streets of Alexandria.
Yesterday Beth had told him that she will have to work longer next day, but she will come to him as soon as possible. Daryl thought about it a lot, till he finally made a decision.
After work he quickly went to the little store of Alexandria and picked up the things he needed to make spaghetti. Daryl tried the whole time to remember which ingredients Beth had taken at their first dinner. When Daryl finally left the store, he went home with fast steps and hoped that he had everything he will need. He took a quick shower, before he began to cook. He almost cut himself in his finger twice, but somehow he managed to make it almost look like Beth's spaghetti. He tried a spoon full, but even when it almost looked like her's, they didn't taste one bit as good as Beth's. But Daryl didn't know what to do, which spices he should use, but a knock against his door brought him out of his thougths.
Daryl quickly went to the door, opened it and he just had to smile that stupid way down at her. "Hey Mr. Dixon. You know what? Yesterday we have forgotten about to deside what we will cook today so.. What smells so good here?" Beth said and was looking a little confused up at him. Daryl didn't say anything, instead he just took her by her wrist and gently he leaded her inside. When they reached the kitchen he let go from her and somehow he felt damn stupid about trying to make dinner on his own for them. Beth let go the basket, which she was still holding, and hugged Daryl with a big momentum.
Daryl was surprised about that, but after some seconds he responded the hug and held her gently against his chest. He could feel how her back was trembling. Was she crying? But when Beth finally pulled away, just enough so Daryl could see that her eyes weren't wet, she said with a smile "Daryl Dixon tried to make dinner. I can't believe it." "Don't celebrate too early girl, you haven't taste it yet." Daryl told her and he couldn't hide his own smile. Suddenly he could feel how Beth's body became taller in his arms, because she got on her toes and the moment Daryl asked himself what she wanted to do she placed a quick kiss on his cheek. "All what matters is that you have tried it. And now let us have dinner, because I'm damn hungry."
Daryl took his fingers up to the spot, where her lips had just pressed against his cheek seconds ago, and he could tell that his whole body was damn hot. He watched Beth, while she was leaning over the pot and looked into it. She took a spoon and tasted a little of the sauce and finally she opened one of the loads and took something out. Daryl didn't even know that there was something inside. Beth took something from the content of the packing into the sauce and stirred one last time before she turned around and asked him, because Daryl was still just standing there "Isn't Mr. Dixon hungry tonight?" Daryl's lips formed a smile, before he went over to her.
After dinner the two of them were sitting on the couch and after some silent moments Beth asked him "Do you still haven't looked into the other rooms?" "Nah, I haven't even looked in this one close." Daryl looked around him. He just never wanted to, he didn't know why he should do that anyway. "Okay, then we will do it now." Beth took Daryl's hand and leaded the two of them upstairs. Damn he would follow her everywhere.
Beth opened the first door upstairs. It was a second bathroom and she teased him again, when she said "Oh look Mr. Dixon has a second bathroom." Daryl just rolled his eyes in response and shoved her out of the room with pushing his shoulder against hers.
Beth opened the door next to the bathroom and the two of them slit inside. He couldn't really name what this room was or what it should have been, because there was just an old couch, a big, dark case and a very old box in it. "I think it should have been a children's room one day." Beth said, while her eyes scanned the room. Of course, it should have been, Daryl thought to himself. He would have never thought about that, because he never had one room for his own. He also never had a bed for his own.
Daryl watched Beth and when her look finally stayed on something at the ceiling of the room, he followed her look. "There you can go to the loft." Daryl told her. "I know, we also had something like that at the farm." Beth respone. "Do you want to go there girl?" "Hell no, there are probably hundreds of spiders. Nothing will ever bring me up there." She said with widened eyes. Daryl began to laugh and finally he managed to say "So badass Greene is afraid of spiders? Interesting." "Shut up Mr. Dixon." Beth answered him, but she also couldn't hide a big smile.
She began to look around again and started to go over to the case. Beth told him, while her head was deep inside it, that there were some blankets, pillows and shoes, which were looking almost new. After Beth was finish she went to the box, which was empty, so she turned around to him and they both went into the next room.
This room Daryl could name, it was a study. It was smaller than the room before but also brighter. There was a big desk in the middle with an almost bigger, comfortable looking chair next to it. A shelf with even more books in it than as in his living room and a big empty cork board. "I love this room. It smells really good in here." Beth told him, while she lowered herself on the chair. "Yeah, probably because of the books." Daryl said to her, while he went to the big window and looked outside. From here he couldn't see Alexandria, but he could see the forest and the meadow before.
Then he remembered about something. "Do you still want to go hunting girl?" Beth looked up at him from the load she was searching in and gave him a big smile. "Oh yes." "Tomorrow?" "Sounds well." Daryl just nodded into her direction and waited till she was finish looking for everything and nothing in this room.
Finally there was just one door left upstairs and when Beth opened it she creaked, ran into it and let herself fall into the big sky bed. "Oh my god Daryl, this is the most comfortable bed I have ever been in my whole life." Beth told him, while she was pressing one of the pillows against her chest. Daryl leaned himself against a case and watched her, while he smiled to himself. After some minutes she finally crawled out of the bed and Daryl just had to laugh, because her hair was a mess now.
"Why are you laughing?" Beth asked him nervous. He pointed to the mirror behind her and when Beth finally saw her result, Daryl could see the reflection of her face in the mirror. How her cheeks were getting red, when she finally noticed what she had done, while she had rolled herself on the bed. Suddenly Daryl felt damn stupid, because he had laughed that stupid way at her. While Beth was trying to get her hair into control again, Daryl stepped behind her and stopped a feet away from her back.
With a very quiet and shy voice he whispered "You are still looking pretty." Beth turned around then and gave him one of her sweetest smiles, while she was still trying to control her hair. "Come on Mr. Dixon, we still have to look into the case, if there are some new clothes for you." Beth was teasing him again and Daryl was damn glad about that, because he almost thought that he had offended her with his stupid laughing. And really there were some new clothes or at least some clear ones in it and they seemed to fit him.
After they have looked everywhere upstairs they went downstairs again. The kitchen and the bathroom they already knew so there was just the living room left and in one of the shelves Beth had finally found what she was looking for. "What is this?" Daryl asked her, while he was looking at the box in her hand. "A playing box, what else." She answered him, while she lowered herself on the ground, the little table in front of her. Daryl also never had a playing box when he was little. He lowered himself opposite from Beth on the couch and listened to her, while she taught him the playing roles.
It needed almost 40 years and an apocalypse, until Daryl Dixon had finally played ludo. After the third round and losing it again Daryl looked out of the window. It was already dark and he hadn't even noticed, that Beth had lighted up a candle during one of their games, because he was so focused. "It's already late girl." Daryl said to her. Beth looked also out of the window, when she said "Yeah, you are right. I will better go home now, so you won't lose a fourth round." Beth was teasing him again, but when they went outside she automatically took his hand in hers and their fingers found each other, while they were going on the dark streets of Alexandria.
The next day after work Daryl picked Beth up from Maggie's and Glenn's house. Quickly they were outside the walls and made their way into the woods. After some minutes he handed her his crossbow and yeah, Beth still looked damn cute with it. Daryl showed her again how to hold the crossbow right, but she remembered the most, so they started hunting.
Most of the time they spoke about random things, like what the children in the school were telling her or what Aaron and Daryl did today, but sometimes they were just walking quiet next to each other and somehow Daryl enjoyed it. Not because he didn't like to speak with her, but he loved watching her, see her focus, see her trying to make it good, hear her breathing. He had just missed this so much. He had missed her so much.
Suddenly she whispered to him, while he was still watching her "Daryl, look." He followed her look and saw the rabbit she meant. Daryl nodded to her, but she didn't move. So he went closer to Beth and shoved her a little and whispered "C'mon girl, get it. I know you can."
Slowly she creep closer to the rabbit and when Beth shot and the arrow found the animal, Daryl began to breathe again, even when he hadn't even noticed that he had ever stopped. "Have you seen this Daryl?" Beth turned around to him with big eyes and a happy smile. "Yeah, good one Beth." Daryl smiled back to her.
Suddenly the forest became silent. Daryl couldn't hear any birds or other animals any more, couldn't hear the wind in the trees or his own breathe, his whole focus was on Beth. How she was standing there, his crossbow still in her hands, her eyes so bright like the sky and a smile that was telling him that she was just happy. And somehow he thought, that Beth probably saw the same, when she was looking at him.
Abruptly her look changed and before he could even ask himself why, she screamed "Daryl, behind you!" Something was taking him before Daryl could even turn around. A walker was grabbing his vest and tried to bite him. Somehow Daryl managed to turn around even in the walkers grip and he wanted to get to his knife, but his hands were too engaged to hold the walker with his teeth away from him. Daryl wanted to step back, but he stumbled because of a stone and fell on the ground, the walker on top of him. It almost got him, but Daryl managed to push him away a little, just when he saw how Beth's knife penetrated into the walkers head. The walker's fingers relaxed and Daryl pushed the lifeless body away.
In the second Daryl was standing again Beth threw her arms around his belly, her head was pressing against his chest. For a moment Daryl was just standing there, but then he took his arms around her tiny body and leaned against her. He lowered his head, so his chin was resting on top of her head and he could smell her. He closed his eyes and somehow he wished that she won't ever let go. He could hear how her heart was beating loudly against her chest, next to his belly. Finally she said quietly "Daryl." "Yeah, Beth?" "You aren't allowed to leave me alone, you know that?" She was looking up at him and Daryl could see the way from two tears on each of her cheeks. "I'm not gonna leave you Beth. I mean as long as you are my chaperone." He got from Beth a little smile then, before she leaned her head one last time against his chest. Daryl kissed softly her hair before he said "We should take your rabbit and get back."
Daryl made the rabbit ready for dinner in the kitchen and Beth was making a fire outside in the garden. They decided to make it like in the good old times and Beth said that she hadn't eaten a rabbit from a campfire since months. When they had finally reached Alexandria they were playing their teasing game again, because they were in a normal mood again, after what had happened earlier.
They were eating peacefully their dinner around the fire and Beth admitted that she was damn happy, that she had shot a rabbit and not a squirrel, because she never really liked squirrel for dinner. The two of them were laughing much and Daryl thought how much Beth had changed his life again since the one night from Deanna's house party.
Daryl was laying more wood into the fire, because it was already dark and colder, when Beth came outside again, after bringing the dishes inside, with a blanket in her arms. She opened it and took it around Daryl's shoulders, while she lowered herself very close next to him, almost on his lap. The blanket wasn't that big and Daryl thanked her silently for taking this one so she had to move even closer to him. He took his left arm up, so she could rest her head between his neck and shoulder, the blanket covered their bodies and held them warm.
Daryl knew, when he could see her eyes closing that their teasing game was over and they were Beth and Daryl again, not 'girl' and 'Mr. Dixon'. He leaned his head against hers and also closed his eyes. The campfire warmed his face, but the heat Beth was giving him was so much hotter. Daryl could smell the fire in her hair, but also her shampoo and the one special smell that only Beth had. He smiled against her hair, when she took his right hand closer to her and their fingers interloped again. And there was this feeling inside his belly again.
They were sitting like that a half eternity and Daryl thought that maybe Beth already had fallen asleep, but then she suddenly whispered into the night "Can I ask you something Daryl?" Daryl was feeling like he had a big knot in his belly, not because she wanted to ask him something, it was because she asked him for asking him something. She had never done this before. "Sure." He simply answered and the weird feeling became even stronger. Still looking into the flames Beth finally asked "What changed your mind?"
Daryl exactly knew what she meant, of course he did. And deep in his heart he knew that she would ask this again one time. Beth didn't look up at him, like she wanted to make it easier for him to answer and somehow it was. Daryl went closer to her ear and whispered "You. It was always you, Beth Greene." She still wasn't looking up at him, but he could tell that she was smiling and he was wondering, if she already knew it that she, and only she, was the reason. Slowly Beth took his hand up and pressed a soft, warm kiss on it.
She exactly knew how to break Daryl's walls, so he went on "I have never thought that someone could break my old redneck stubhorn, but you did Bet.! You did so easy with just being yourself. Yeah, I wanted to stay at the funeral home, but only with you, only because of you. You taught me to have hope, to see the good in the world and in the people, to think positive, to enjoy my life. I wanted it all, I wanted to try it for you, with you. If I'm serious I didn't care about what happened with the other as long as I would be with you. I wanted to stay there forever. You were the first and the only person in my life, who made me want to go on, not because I just had to, because I really wanted it on my own. You didn't just changed my mind, you changed my whole life Beth Greene."
And this time Daryl could feel the tears running silently down his cheeks. For the things he had lost and the things he got back, or with other words he just cried because of Beth. Like already so many times. Daryl had his eyes closed, when he was feeling two warm hands on each of his cheeks. When he opened his eyes again he looked straight into Beth's beautiful ones. She stroked his cheeks, while she spoke soothing "You changed my life too Daryl, you know that!? After what happened at Grady I just wanted to find you. Not Maggie, Judith, Carl or the other, I just wanted to find you. I hadn't any power left, when I saw the walls of Alexandria. I haven't eaten anything since days and I just had one half bottle of water left. I hoped that they were nice people and that they will help me. Maybe they know where you are, I thought. But when I came closer I couldn't believe my eyes."
"First I thought I would just imagine Rick and Michonne standing there on the guard tower, but finally they saw me too and opened the gates for me. Maggie was at my side in seconds, next to Glenn, Carl and all the other, but my eyes were just searching for you. And the first thing I asked Maggie was where you are. If you are okay. Rick told me, that he will look for you and bring you here. Everyone asked me so many questions and they were standing so close to me, but I didn't want to see them or hear their stories, I wanted to see you and ask you if you are okay. When Rick finally came back I asked him where you are and when I looked in the direction Rick pointed you were running away. I thought that maybe you were mad at me for the things I have done. That you don't want to see me, because you are disappointed. The days after I have seen you sometimes from far away and I always wanted to run to you and tell you that I'm sorry, but then I remembered that you don't want me any more, so I didn't. Daryl I was lying, you aren't just a big part of my life, you are my whole life."
"Oh Beth. I'm so sorry. Believe me I wanted to go to you, but I just couldn't. I thought that you were mad at me. Every time I was near you something bad happened to you, because of that I didn't come to you. But believe me I wanted, I wanted so bad." "When will you ever get it that nothing what ever happened was your fault?" Beth asked him with a little smile. "Probably never. Anyway how could I ever be mad at you Beth?" Daryl asked her back and he got a smile and a tight hug as an answer from her.
"Maybe you are right. Maybe not everything what happened was my fault, but if I could change it, I would change everything. I would have gone to you earlier, would have told you that I have missed you so bad and that I need you. I wouldn't have left you in the damn drunk and let you waking up alone and scared back there. I wouldn't have let you get shoot, hell I would have taken the pullet instead of you. I wouldn't have allowed Rick to change the plan, I would have run that damn hospital to get you back. I wouldn't have let you get kidnapped from these bastards. I wouldn't have opened that damn door and let all the walkers inside. I would have told you that you have changed my mind. I wouldn't have been so damn angry and aggressive to you, while we were alone. I wouldn't have let it happen that the governor killed your dad and destroyed the prison. I would't have killed your mother. And if I could I would make that the apocalypse never happened, I would do all this for you. You don't deserve this world Beth, you deserve so much better."
Daryl's hands were shaking, when he was finish and somehow he felt damn sick. Beth stroked carefully his belly, while she was telling him with a soothing voice "I know you would do all these things for me Daryl, you are my hero. But it's okay Daryl, it really is. The things that happened, happened. Yeah, they were awful, scaring and terrible, but they are over now. I'm here, next to you and I will never ever leave you again.! You need to complete the past Daryl, or it will kill you remember? Here." This time Beth didn't take her hand to her heart, like she had done at the moonshine shack, this time she took her hand on his chest, on top of his heart. And the second Beth touched his shirt Daryl thought that soon she will have his heart in her hand, because it was beating so hard and fast against his rips. He knew that she could feel it, but she didn't say anything. Beth was just looking up at him with her big, endless eyes.
The fire gave her body a nice, warm color and he could feel her hand still resting on his chest. Finally he managed a little smile and he took her closer. "What would I do without you girl?" Beth didn't answered him, she just stroked his left hand with her soft, warm palm. When she discovered the scar by his thumb she stopped her movements, but when she touched it again she finally got it what this was and so she asked him worried "How did you got this scar? Did someone hurt you?"
It was damn sweet, when she was worried about him. Daryl shook his head, because he didn't know how to tell her, but he knew that she will ask again, when he won't tell her the story, so he began "It happened before we got to Alexandria, maybe a few days before. We hadn't so much water left, so I went into the forest looking for some. No, it was just a excuse, because I didn't want to stay by the other. I.. I just wanted you..but you were gone, so I wanted to be alone. I found a barn and the second I saw it I thought about the moonshine shack. It wasn't the same, but it remembered me of it. The feelings got too much, so I lowered myself against a tree. Still looking at that damn barn."
"I didn't know where to start looking for your body, what to do next, what to think, what to feel. I looked up at the sky. The sun was shining down at me and somehow I know that it was you. You were looking down at me, you wanted to give me hope and faith like you always did, but I couldn't handle it at that moment. I lighted up a cigarette just to get it that they were useless. I got it that they weren't what I needed. My body was empty, my thoughts weren't there still a long time, I couldn't feel anything, expect the pain that hurt so bad deep inside myself. I felt it every time. It never got away and somehow I thought that it will probably kill me, if I won't feel anything other in my life again. So I burnt out the cigarette on my skin and I felt nothing. The pain inside me didn't go away, it just grow and I began to cry. I was crying like a baby, because I knew that the pain will never ever go away, that I will never make room for it. I will live with this pain for the rest of my life."
Beth didn't say anything when Daryl was finis. She just took his hand up to her mouth and kissed carefully the scar. "You are really gonna be the last man standing." "Not without you Beth."
She was looking into the fire when she told him "I also don't feel that comfortable here and I know you aren't. I mean I love it to have them all back, but I can see that they are all still looking at me like I'm a kid. Like I made it because of luck, not because I'm strong. I also know that Maggie gave up on me a long time ago, before Grady. I can see it in her eyes. You are the only one who isn't looking at me like that. You know me better than my sister ever will. You told me that I'm strong, already back at the moonshine shack. I don't feel comfortable in Alexandria, but I feel comfortable when I'm with you." Daryl gave her a little smile, while he pulled her closer to his chest, when he whispered "Me too girl."
They were sitting in each other arms until the fire went out. "I will bring you home now." Daryl said to Beth, while he began to move. Beth yawned long before she answered "I'm so tired. Maybe Mr. Dixon will carry me home?" Daryl smiled at her, before he turned around and said "What are you waiting for girl? It's a serious piggy back."
Beth started giggling loudly and finally she hopped on his back. Daryl knew that she was tired, but anyhow he went on the dark streets of Alexandria with slowly steps, because he didn't want to end this moment. On her porch Daryl let Beth down again and when he said good night to her, he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.