Daryl was earlier at home today and even after he had showered he knew that it will take at least two more hours, till Beth will come to his place. He didn't know what to do with himself, when Daryl remembered about something. He went upstairs in that one room Beth had said it should have been a children's room one day. He looked up at the ceiling, where he could enter the loft. After some try he got the stairs down and he went carefully upstairs. It was very dusty and dirty and Beth was probably right about the spiders. Daryl began to look around even when he didn't know for what he was searching for. But he wanted to find something, which would make Beth happy, would make her smile. And behind a big box Daryl finally found something.
After cooking, having dinner and washing up the dirty dishes Daryl said to Beth "Close your eyes." She began to giggle, but still asked confused "Why?" "I won't tell you. You have to close your eyes." He answered her laughing. After some time, where Beth looked sceptical at him, she finally closed her eyes. "You don't see anything?" "Nope." "Good, c'mon." Carefully Daryl guided her into the living room and stopped in front of the little table. He went next to Beth, so he could see her face, when she will finally see it.
"You can open your eyes now girl." Daryl probably looked like a kid on Christmas morning, smiling the most stupid smile he had ever made, but he just had to, because the second Beth saw the gramophone records and the even older record player her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "Oh my God. Daryl where did you find them?" Beth asked with a high voice. "By your friends, the spiders." He answered her still smiling.
The second she threw her arms around his neck, Daryl had to admire to himself, that maybe he wanted exactly this when he had searched for something she would like. Beth was on her toes, because he was much bigger than her and maybe if he wouldn't hold her close she would stagger a little. How much Daryl loved such hugs from her. "C'mon girl, lets try it." Daryl finally told her.
He lowered himself on the couch opposite from Beth and watched her the whole time. How her soft fingers were sliding over the covers and she always said out loud, which one she was holding at the moment. Most of them Beth knew and she always told him a little story of each title, like when she had heard it the first time or why she knew this song. But there were also some she didn't know and she told excited him that she couldn't wait to hear them for the first time.
With a strong blow she took away the dust on the record player and opened it carefully. After she got it how it worked, Beth laid the first record in it and the music began to play. With the first tone her face began to light up and Daryl thought that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met in his whole life. Beth closed her eyes like she wanted to be a part of the music and when she opened them again there were some tears, which wanted to break free from her eyes. "Thank you so much Daryl." She whispered to him. "Always." Daryl smiled back at her.
While she sang and danced around the room, Daryl sharpened his arrows, but he watched her always from the corner of his eyes. How her perfect body moved around like she was floating, her beautiful voice filling the big room and Daryl got goose bumps every time a new song began.
It was almost sunset, when a new song began and Beth stopped abruptly her movements. Daryl looked up at her and wanted to ask her what was wrong, when she told him "I don't know this one. I have never heard it before." Daryl let out a little laugh. "A new 'I have never' huh?" Beth ignored his question and stopped in front of him. She looked down at him and Daryl thought that her smile should tell him what she wanted from him, but he had no idea. And the fact that she stretched her hand down to him also didn't let him get the answer. So he looked confused up at her happy face.
Finally Beth smiled even brighter, when she said seriously "I don't know this song, but when I will hear it again next time, I want to have a nice memory about the first time I have heard it. You know, that every time I will hear this song again, I just have to smile, because of that memory." Daryl understood her quote but still didn't get it, so she went on. "I want to dance with you Mr. Dixon. I want to have this memory with you."
A cold shiver ran down Daryl's back, when he finally got it what she wanted from him. He shook his head wildly and told her that he couldn't dance, but Beth didn't take her hand away, she just repeated "I want to have this memory with you Daryl. You don't have to know how to dance, I just want to have a nice memory with you together." "I don't think that it will be a nice memory for you, when I will probably step on your feet every few seconds." He told her unsure. "It would still be a memory. C'mon Mr. Dixon, I thought you ain't afraid of nothing." Beth was teasing him and after some moments Daryl took her waiting hand in his.
The second he stood up he already regretted it, because he felt damn uncomfortable and he didn't know how he should stand and what he should do with his hands. But it seemed like Beth didn't care, because she still smiled at him, not because she wanted to tease him again, no, because Daryl was willing to give her this memory. Finally she took his right hand in her left and she felt so good, so warm, so familiar and all Daryl did was praying that his hand won't begin to sweat and that she won't notice it, that his hand was shaking so bad. Beth placed her left hand on his shoulder and Daryl almost wanted to lean his head to her touch, but he suppressed the need and focused on her eyes again. Daryl didn't know why, but he got damn nervous. He was wrong, Daryl Dixon was still afraid about some things.
After a few silent moments, where only the music was playing Beth said seriously to him "You have to take your right hand on my waist Mr. Dixon." Daryl almost choked and he could feel how his head was getting hot. He thought that he probably had already touched her waist once or twice, but this time it felt different. Still waiting for his movement, Beth was looking up at him. Carefully he placed his shaking hand on her waist, he almost didn't touch her, but it still felt so damn good. He could feel her warm body under his palms.
"You are ready?" Beth asked him after he got a little more comfortable with the whole situation. Daryl nodded his head, unable to say anything. Beth just smiled up at him then and told him "Just listen to the rhythm and do the movements I do." When she began to move he just wanted to run away, but Beth was holding him and he knew that he won't go anywhere. The first few minutes were a little disaster. Daryl stepped on her feet every new movement, but it seemed like Beth didn't care. At the beginning they weren't on beat and Daryl just looked at his feet all the time, because he just didn't get the steps and he didn't want that Beth will see his red face. Daryl thought that they were looking probably damn stupid dancing together.
But finally they made it and Daryl looked up at her face, when his head didn't feel that hot any more. Beth was already looking at him and this time his whole body got red. "You are making pretty good." She told him, without teasing him. Daryl didn't answer her, because he still had to focus about what his feet were doing. With every new minute he got secure and more secure. Daryl stopped looking down at his feet and instead he looked into Beth's beautiful eyes. They weren't that close, their chests didn't touch each other, just their hands, but it still felt damn good.
After the third new song Beth tried something new. She let go her hand from his shoulder and danced away from him, just to get back a few beats later. His hand automatically found her waist again and his grip got tighter this time. She began to giggle and Daryl just also had to. Beth repeated this every few minutes and she also tried other things. Finally they both were laughing loud and didn't care about the right steps or the beat any more. They just had fun and Daryl really enjoyed it.
Beth got back in his arms just in time when a new song began. This time it was a slow one, where they couldn't do their funny movements any more. Daryl thought that probably Beth had enough and wanted to stop, but she didn't let go from him, on the contrary she got closer. Her chest was resting against his now. Their arms were touching and her left hand was almost laying on his chest. Slowly she guided them into the new rhythm and the fact that Daryl's heart was beating so strong against his chest, didn't make him nervous any more. Because he loved it having her so close, because it just felt right.
Daryl looked down at Beth and she smiled back at him. He could feel her chest rising up and down and it gave him a relaxing feeling. Her mouth was opened a little and Daryl just had to look at it and asked himself how her lips would feel against his and how they would taste. When he looked at her eyes again he could see her long lashes, while she was looking at his mouth too. Daryl asked himself then, what Beth was thinking, while she was looking at him.
Suddenly she leaned her head against his chest, so Daryl could rest his chin on top of her. He breathed her in, till his whole lungs were filled with Beth's own special scent. She smelled like cocus nut, probably her shampoo, but she also smelled like honey, the sun, the summer, the wind and the forest. All the smells Daryl liked. He could feel her chest falling like she was breathing him in inside her lungs, like he did. Beth's head was laying comfortable against his broad chest and Daryl got quickly used to her warm body. He closed his eyes and listened with one ear to the music and with the other to Beth's breathing.
Her hand slit behind to his back so she could press herself even closer to him. Daryl's hand also moved from her waist to her lower back, where he placed his hands like he wanted to protect her from something bad. They were still slowly moving in circles, when Daryl opened his eyes again, just to see, that it was already dark outside. He closed his eyes one more time, because he didn't want to end this, but Daryl knew that they had to.
So he placed a shy kiss on top of her head and whispered when the music was finally gone "I should bring you home." If they weren't standing Daryl would have thought that Beth had already fellen asleep, but finally she lifted her head and looked up to him. Her big eyes were looking at him, like they were searching for something, before she whispered into the silent room "Thank you Daryl."
He kissed her one last time on the forehead, before they were letting go from each other, but just as long as it took for Beth to take her things and then her hand found Daryl's again and together they went outside on the dark streets of Alexandria.
When Daryl heard the knock at his door the next day, he fast ran to it with a damn smile on his face. But the smile quickly got away, when he didn't see Beth standing on his porch, instead it was Glenn. Daryl knew that something was wrong, so he quickly asked him instead of responding to his hello "What happened? Is she okay?" "Yeah, Beth is okay. She just said, that I should go to you and tell you that she can't come to you tonight, because she ain't feeling so good."
Daryl didn't answer the younger man, he just walked past him to her house. He had to make sure with his own eyes that she was okay. Finally Glenn was walking next to him and together they entered the house. Daryl wasn't in here before and he didn't know where Beth's room was. After Glenn had told him, he went upstairs with quickly steps, stopping in front of her door and knocking carefully three times. After he heard a noise that should tell him that he could enter, he opened the door.
Beth was laying like a fetus in her bed, her head deep in her pillow. She didn't look up to see, who was coming into her room, she probably thought it was Maggie or Glenn. After a few seconds watching her Daryl said with a soft voice "Hey girl." Suddenly she lifted her head from the pillow and looked up at him. Beth's eyes needed a few moments to focus and to confirm her brain that it was really Daryl.
With a little smile she said "Daryl. What are you doing here?" Daryl closed the door behind him before he answered "Glenn told me that you don't feel that good. Just wanted to make sure that you are okay and you don't need anything." He looked embarrassed at his shoes. "That's sweet from you Daryl. I'm okay and I don't need anything. Thank you my chaperone. I just have a bad headache and I feel a little sick, but it will go over. I'm just sorry that I can't come to you tonight." "It's okay Beth. Hope you feel better soon."
Daryl didn't know what to do with his hands, so he took them deep into the pockets of his old jeans. Slowly he started to move to the door, because suddenly he didn't know about what he should talk with her or what he should do, because today he was standing in her room and not in his house and somehow it made him feel uncomfortable. But before he reached the door Beth asked "Daryl, can you stay? I mean only if you want. Just a little. Please."
He nodded in her direction, of course he willl stay by her side, forever. Daryl leaned himself against her clothes box, when Beth moved to the other side of her bed. "If you want you can sit here." Beth pointed to the now free space on her bed. Daryl looked at it for a few seconds before he went over to her and lowered himself carefully on the soft mattress. Daryl was still sleeping on the couch in his living room, but maybe he will try the bed upstairs one day, if it was as comfortable as Beth's.
Daryl looked down at Beth just to see, that she was pressing her head into the pillow again, her eyes closed like she was a vampire, who couldn't see the daylight even when her curtains were closed. She was in pain and Daryl hated it to see her like that. "Did you get already painkillers?" He asked her worried. She was just able to answer him almost one minute later, when the pain was gone again. "Yeah, but they never helped me. I often had such bad headaches, when I was younger, but I get them more often since the shot. But it was never like this before." Daryl nodded and asked "Maybe I can do something for you?" "Just tell me how your day was Mr. Dixon." Beth said to him with a little smile.
So Daryl told her about his day and that Aaron and he will make a run tomorrow. "Stay safe and bring something along for me." Beth smiled up at him. Daryl wanted to tell her that he will try to find something for her, when she pulled her head again deeper into her pillow. Daryl really hated it watching her, while he knew she was in pain and he just couldn't do anything to help her. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know how. Finally he took her hand, which was desperate holding the blanket, in his. Daryl stroked her soft hand with his fingers, while Beth was pressing his hand. Waiting till it will be over he didn't say anything, he just hoped that it will be over soon. After some time she stopped pressing his hand and she looked up at him with glassy eyes.
"Beth." Daryl whispered. Damn if he could, he would have the pain instead of her. With a small voice she asked "Would.. would you lay next to me?" Daryl looked surprised and if it wouldn't be Beth he would probably ran away as fast as possible, but it was Beth. His Beth. He would do anything for her so she would feel better. And the idea of having her that close made his heart jump. Suddenly he had the big need to lay next to her in this soft, warm bed, even when his heart was beating damn fast inside his chest, his hands began to sweat and this feeling in his belly got stronger again.
Daryl nodded, unsure what he should do next. Beth gave him a thankfully smile and she made even more space for him on the bed. It wasn't a single bed and also not a double bed. For only one it was a nice size of a bed, but you had to lay close to each other, if you wanted to lay together in it. Slowly Daryl lowered himself next to her, after he had gotten out of his shoes. His legs tense on the soft mattress, his shaking hands on his belly, because he didn't know what to do with them. Daryl could feel how his head was getting red and he could also feel that the mattress under him was still warm, where Beth's body was laying just a few seconds ago.
Because Daryl was too afraid, he didn't look at her, just at the ceiling. Unsure if he should get to her under the blanket or staying uncovered. Beth made the decision for him, when she pulled the warm blanket above his nervous body. As she bent over to cover his whole body, Daryl could smell her and he closed his eyes for one second, enjoying it. After Beth was sure that Daryl's whole body was covered with the blanket, she crawled closer to him, till her head was resting on his shoulder.
Daryl could tell that this all wasn't really comfortable for both of them and he wanted her to felt good, so he carefully took his hand away from his belly and up, till he had his arm around her shoulder. Automatically Beth got closer to him, enjoying the new comfortable place where her head rested on his chest. With his arm he pulled her even closer and stroked as soft as he could with his rough palm her arm.
After laying minutes like that, he was still listening to her breathing when he could feel her body tense. The pain got worse again and she automatically took his hand, which was still laying on his belly, and pressed into it. Daryl tried to stroke her shaking hand as soft as he could, while he was praying that it will be over soon. When Beth stopped pressing his hand he let go and stroked her cheek. Daryl wasn't really surprised, when he could feel that her cheek was wet from a tear.
Carefully he lowered his head, till he could press a quick kiss on her forehead. "Maybe you should try to sleep a little." Daryl offered to her. After feeling her head nodding on his chest Beth asked "Are you staying some time? It's not that bad when you are here." Pulling her closer he whispered into her hair "I won't leave your side Beth. I got you." She took her arm around his belly like he was her big teddy bear. Having his chin still on her head he could smell her the whole time. Beth wasn't just laying next to him, she was also inside him, in his lungs. Feeling her body tense he wished again that he should have got that damn bullet instead of her. Pulling his hand away from her arm he stroked her head and kissing her golden locks.
Daryl didn't know how long they were laying like that when he could hear her breathing getting regular. Beth had fallen asleep, in his arms. Suddenly Daryl asked himself what Maggie would say, if she would get into the room and see him laying like that, with her sister in one bed, under a blanket. Him, Daryl Dixon. He never asked himself before, what the othes were thinking about them, but now he worried a little about it. What did they think or say, when they saw Beth spending every evening at his place, when they spent time together, just the two of them. What would her father think about this? Daryl shook his head, these thoughts were stupid, because it was so simple. They just needed each other and if anybody would have to say anything against that they would already have. They probably did all see that they need each other and that they were good for each other. Maybe the other people of Alexandria didn't think the same like their family, but Daryl didn't care, as long as they were nice to Beth. Daryl tried to remember, but he thought that no one ever had looked at him like he was a pervert. And he definitely wasn't one. At least Daryl was thinking that. Yeah, Beth was the prettiest woman he had ever seen in his life, but he also knew that he was probably twice her age and he also knew that she wasn't interest in him. At least he was thinking that.
Daryl couldn't name what they had, but it was something deeper. Deeper than friendship and probably also deeper than love. Respect, a soulmate, the need to have each other, the knowing that there was always someone there for you, someone who would fight for you till death. Daryl would definitely do that for her. Maybe he should have done that already the first time. He thought about it what would have happened to Beth, after he would have been the one who got shot. Yeah, she wouldn't have to be the one to wake up alone in a drunk, surviving on her own in the forest, to have such bad headaches from time to time, but maybe she would have to be the one, who would have cried all days and nights long, who would have been the one, who was lost and maybe she would have harm herself. But she would be alive, with her family, she would be still breathing. Beth's words were running in Daryl's head nothing was your fault and he really tried to believe them, but deep in his heart he will always know that it all was all his fault. Maybe the voice in his head will get quieter with time, but it will never go complete away. But Daryl wanted to try it for her, to let it all behind, for her.
Just one other movement and everything would have happened different, but that was the past and in this second Daryl was laying with Beth together in one bed. Her warm body was pressing against his larger one. Beth's head was resting on his chest, rising and falling with his breathing, her ear on top of his heart and it almost started to beat faster again, just thinking about it. She hugged him firmly, like she wanted to make sure that he won't leave her side. Daryl never will. Alternately he stroked her head and her arm, holding her hand with his other the whole time. Leaning his head more against her's he closed his eyes. Sniffing her own, special perfume, while his breathing got similar to Beth's.
Daryl woke up, because his body was on fire. He felt so damn hot. The room was complete dark, he couldn't see anything and he almost began to get nervous when he noticed that someone was laying next to him. Then he remembered everything. Beth. His body relaxed again, but he still felt very hot. Daryl must have dreamed about something, but he didn't remember about what. Daryl could tell that it wasn't a nightmare, he knew how they were feeling, he had enough from them the last months, no it wasn't a nightmare, but he just couldn't remember what he had dreamed about.
Carefully he tried to move into a more comfortable position without waking Beth, when he stopped in the middle of his movements. It wasn't a dream that had made him that hot, it was the reality. While he was sleeping, Beth had put her leg up to his, dangerous near his middle. Just a few more centimetre and she would touch with her knee his balls through his pants. Damn, this thought made his dick twist and only then Daryl noticed that his manhood was stone hard. Beth's hand had gotten also lower during her sleep and it was almost at his belt. No, no I'm not a pervert, it's just the situation, Daryl told himself.
Trying to think about something other than her body he tried to get to know how late it probably was. He hadn't slept that long, but it was already dark and Daryl knew that he should leave soon, before Maggie will come in and see the bulge in his pants. Only this thought got his body to a normal temperature again, thinking about what her father would say made the bulge going completely away. Daryl didn't want to leave the soft bed and her warm body, but he knew he just had to.
Carefully he pulled his arm away, which was resting around her tiny body. He tried to slip away from where Beth's head was resting on his chest, but he failed and when he turned around he could even see in the dark room that her eyes were looking up at him. Sleepily she said "Daryl?" "Everything is okay sweetheart. I just have to go home." "Really, you have to go?" "Yeah.. I will see you tomorrow. Sleep well sweetheart." Daryl lowered his head and gave Beth a soft kiss on her forehead, before he opened the door he could hear her whisper "Thank you."
Daryl went downstairs and Maggie caught him before he could slip outside. He was a little afraid about what she was thinking, but her look told him that she wasn't angry, she almost looked relieved. Just like her sister seconds before Maggie said to him "Thank you Daryl. For everything." He just nodded and responsed "For her always."
After slipping outside he went on the dark streets of Alexandria to his house. The cold night air hugged Daryl and he already missed Beth's warm body.