I am so happy that so many of you love this House Call universe. When I first wrote House Call, I never thought it would expand like this but I'm so glad it has because this universe is my happy place. And I'm so glad it makes you happy, too. Thank you for reading and wanting more and for all of the suggestions for later chapters!

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Chapter Eighteen. Aiden.

He still picked her up at the daycare center most evenings. The school bus dropped the boys off in the afternoon and they stayed there with Beth for a couple of hours until Daryl left the garage at the end of the day and came to get them to go home.

When he came that evening, it was a few minutes after five and the center was experiencing their second rush of the day – the first being in the morning – of parents returning from work to pick up their kids for the night and he saw Beth helping a little girl put her shoes on. He found their own kids in one of the back classrooms, Luke sitting on the floor with Abby, both plays with tubs of Play-Doh, and Hunter was lying on his stomach on the floor, a pop-up book open in front of him, his legs kicking in the air.

"Dad!" He exclaimed when he saw him. "Did you know that the velociraptor was actually covered in feathers?" Hunter had recently discovered an interest in dinosaurs and it seemed like at least five times a day, he shared a newly learned fact with someone in his family.

"I didn' know that," Daryl said as he stepped further into the room and sat himself down on the floor with Luke and Abby, Abby smiling at him and instantly handing him a ball of green Play-Doh. Daryl smiled at her in return.

Daryl had better hearing than most. Could hear the tiny scamper of an animal in the woods. Could hear when the slight breeze blowing changed directions. And even with the noise of kids and parents alike in the daycare center, he could hear Beth. She was laughing – soft and light and Daryl's ears twitched at the sound of it.

Curious, his eyes went to the door as if expecting to see her there. She wasn't though and he could hear the voices of others and then Beth's laughter again. A minute later, she appeared in the classroom and smiled when she saw all of them.

"You guys ready to go home?" She asked.

Hunter leapt to his feet, taking the book with him. "Can I take this home with me?" He asked, holding the pop-up book in his hands.

"We'll have to bring it back tomorrow," Beth nodded and then smiled at Daryl as he was tying Abby's tennis shoe. He then lifted his head and looked at her, flicking his head to get the hair out of his eyes.

"Hey," he grunted. "Everything a'right?" He asked.

She looked at him curiously. "Yes. Why wouldn't it be?" She asked.

And Daryl had no idea why he had asked that. There really wasn't a reason to. Most people didn't laugh if there was something wrong. And if there was something wrong with her, Beth wouldn't be able to hide it from him. She had always had a shitty poker face and Daryl had been always able to read her within a few seconds.

They got the kids together and Beth grabbed her jacket and bag and Daryl drove them all home for the night. Kyle spent most of his days outside and the cat was now sitting on the front porch, his tail swishing lazily back and forth as he awaited their return – and for his dinner inside.

It was the usual night. After dinner, Luke did his homework at the dining room table and Hunter went upstairs to read his dinosaur book and Daryl went into the basement, where he worked at his workbench as he did when it got too chilly in the evenings to work outside in his shed. Abby came down to stand on an overturned milk crate and watched him as he smoothed down planks of wood that he was using to build her a playhouse for the backyard. And Beth was in the living room, giving a weekly piano lesson to Judith Grimes, who rode her bike over to their house from hers.

And the next day, their routine began all over again.

They got up and got themselves ready for the day and ate bowls of cereals and pieces of toast before Beth and Daryl watched Luke and Hunter get onto their school bus and then Daryl drove Beth and Abby to the daycare center. The daycare center had a woman, Jessie, who taught preschool and Abby was enrolled that year, learning colors and letters and numbers and as she was in her classroom with the other four and five-year-olds enrolled, Beth and Lori Grimes handled the younger children for the day and Daryl worked his nine hours at Dale's Auto Garage.

He came back to the daycare center around the same time that evening as he always did and this time, he instantly heard his wife singing. He walked into the large front classroom and sat Beth sitting cross-legged floor on the floor with children around her and her guitar in her arms, her fingers plucking at the strings. A few parents were standing around, everyone listening to her as she sang a soft song about going to California.

"Someone told me there's a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair/Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let them tell you that they're all the same/The sea was red and the sky was grey, wondered how tomorrow could ever follow today."

Daryl stood in the back with his arms crossed loosely over his chest and his eyes set on her. Even after all of their years together, he never got tired of listening to her sing. And as if she could sense his newly arrived presence, Beth lifted her eyes then, instantly spotting him, and a faint smile graced across her lips.

"You're Beth's husband, aren't you?" A voice appearing from beside him asked.

Daryl turned his head and looked at the guy. It was a small town and he and Beth had been together long enough but he looked at the guy with too white teeth and a head of dark, neatly cut hair and he didn't recognize him.

"Aiden Monroe," he said, reading Daryl's mind, his smile staying in place. "Me and my daughter, Cassie, just moved to town."

Daryl grunted but didn't say anything.

"Beth's really good with her. The divorce was a nasty one and Cassie's a bit sensitive at the moment – what with the move and being away from her mom and everything. But Beth can make her smile as if nothing's happened at all," Aiden went on and Daryl only listened to him with one ear as he kept most of his attention still focused on Beth. "So, you're Beth's husband, right?" Aiden asked again.

"Yeah," Daryl finally grunted his answer.

There was a beat and then a "Huh," from Aiden that made Daryl look at him again.

Aiden smiled at Daryl's frown. "Just interesting," he said with a shrug and Daryl's frown grew heavier towards him but he didn't say anything.

When he and Beth had gotten married after sneaking around for a year, he became used to these sorts of reactions from people. If they weren't mad about the whole damn thing, they were confused – not understanding how sweet, young and pretty Beth Greene could marry redneck trash like Daryl Dixon. He was older and people with his last name didn't have the best reputation around these parts but Beth never saw any of that and eventually, others stopped seeing that, too.

Aiden being new to town and being confused once he found out about Daryl and Beth was just part of the norm but Daryl couldn't stop frowning. He had just met him but there was something about Aiden Monroe that made him want to frown.

Beth finished her song and the kids and parents alike all clapped for her and Beth laughed softly, thanking them as they all got to their feet. She set the guitar aside and bent down, hefting Abby up in her arms, before coming over to Daryl.

"Hey, you," Beth smiled up at him and then raised herself on her toes, kissing him.

"Hey," Daryl said in return, much quieter, and took Abby from her arms into his.

"That was amazing, Beth," Aiden said and Beth turned her head to him, her smile constant on her face but Beth smiling at another guy didn't worry Daryl. He never worried; didn't see a point to it. He trusted her; no reason not to. They were married and had three kids together. He was pretty sure Beth was sticking with him. Besides – Beth smiled at everyone.

"Thank you, Aiden," Beth said, sounding gracious as always. "Will you be coming by Gareth's tonight?"

"Definitely," Aiden answered without hesitation. "Seven o'clock?"

"Seven o'clock," Beth nodded, still smiling. "See you there."

Daryl didn't say anything as he and Beth, again, got the kids ready and Daryl drove them back home where they ate dinner and went about their nightly routines – though tonight was a little different. One Wednesday and Thursday a month, Beth would perform at Garth's coffee shop – a gig she had had since before even marrying Daryl. And Daryl went with her to every performance and one of their family members came to babysit the kids for the couple of hours they were gone.

Tonight, it was Merle and just as Beth had gone upstairs to get herself ready, Daryl heard the rumble of his brother's truck coming up the dirt drive and Hunter ran outside to meet him. Merle came into the house, Hunter on his back, and Abby came hurrying over to greet him as well, Merle grinning and picking Abby up, giving her a loud smacking kiss on her cheek and making the little girl giggle.

"You know where the numbers are," Daryl said, grabbing his jacket.

"I think I can remember the number for 911, lil' brother," Merle grinned.

"There better not be a reason to call it, Merle Dixon!" Beth shouted from upstairs, having overheard him say it.

"Not my fault your kids are damn pyros!" Merle shouted back.

"And it's too late for them now so no more sugar," Daryl said.

Hunter immediately opened his mouth to argue as he slid from Merle's back and Merle gently placed Abby down on her feet.

"Not even pudding?" Hunter asked. "Why did mom make it if we can't eat it?"

"'Cause we like to torture you," Daryl commented back.

"You used to have three," Merle commented, looking around but not seeing Luke.

"He's up in his room. Got some test tomorrow that he's studying for," Daryl said.

Merle grinned, chuckling a little and shaking his head. "Must get that from his mama," he said and Daryl smirked a little because he couldn't argue with that.

Beth came down the stairs then, her hair down with a few locks pinned back from her face, and she wore a black dress and cowboy boots, and Daryl looked at her as he usually always did.

"I already said good-night to Luke," she said and looked to Hunter. "And you make sure you leave him alone. He needs to study." She looked to Merle next. "If you know anything about the presidents, maybe you can help him."

Merle just snorted. "All I know 'bout presidents is we're better off without 'em."

Beth gave Hunter and Abby hugs and kisses and made them promise that they would be good for their Uncle Merle and she then made Merle promise that she would come home to find all three kids still in one piece.

"Don't know if I can promise you that, honey buns," Merle grinned at her.

Beth rolled her eyes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Be good," she then said to all of them, Merle included.

Daryl drove his motorcycle whenever they didn't have the kids to cart around, too, and Beth sat behind him, her arms wrapped snuggly around his waist and her body pressed against his tightly from behind. He smiled a little when he pulled to a stop in front of Gareth's because he looked at Beth and she almost looked disappointed that the ride was already over.

"We need to do that more often," She told him as he took her hand and helped her climb off and he nodded because there was no way he was going to refuse when it came to her suggesting they take more rides together.

They had dropped her guitar off at the shop on their way home earlier that evening and it was now set up on the small stage, waiting for her as long a microphone and a stool though Beth hardly sat down while performing.

Maggie and Glenn were already there and Daryl went to go get his usual cup of black coffee before joining them. It was pretty full that evening, Daryl noted, and as Maggie talked about the new neighbor that had just moved in next door to them that blasted Black Sabbath at all hours of the day, Daryl's face quickly fell into a frown when he spotted Aiden. Sitting at the table in front of the stage as if he was Beth's biggest fan. He was smiling at her as Beth stepped onto the stage and she saw him and smiled in return.

"You're scowling," Glenn pointed out to him.

"How can you tell?" Maggie teased.

Daryl ignored them both though in favor of staring daggers at Aiden. Daryl actually didn't hate a lot of people. Took too much energy to hate people who didn't really care about. If anything, he was mostly indifferent towards most. But he had just met Aiden Monroe that afternoon and he was pretty sure that already, Daryl hated him.

He couldn't be too sure what it was about him. Actually, that was a lie because he knew exactly what it was. While Beth smiled at him with her warmth and kindness as she smiled at everyone, Aiden smiled at her as if he was undressing her with his eyes. And the more Daryl watched Aiden smiling at his wife, the more he just wanted to go over and punch Aiden flat on his back.

Daryl had never been possessive over Beth before. He wasn't that kind of guy and why should he be? Everyone knew they were together and even if they didn't, he and Beth knew it and no one mattered more than that.

But Aiden Monroe had found Daryl's annoyance button and was just holding it down without end. Aiden knew that Beth was obviously married and he didn't seem to care because if he did, he wouldn't be smiling at Beth like that or looking at her like he was trying to imagine what she was like in bed.

Beth began. Her set was never that long. Just a few songs. Some covers and some she had written herself and that night, she began with some Taylor Swift song and the only reason Daryl knew it was a Taylor Swift song was because Beth was listening to her newest CD constantly lately as she learned the music for herself.

After each song, everyone in the coffee shop clapped and cheered for her and Beth always laughed a little as if she was embarrassed and Daryl noted that Aiden seemed to be clapping louder and harder than everyone else. He felt his fist tighten.

Daryl was never one to punch people or get into fights. That was more of Merle's thing. And Daryl was teaching his kids – especially his sons – that they shouldn't fight to sort out their difference with others and he reminded himself of this now. But some guy leering at his wife wasn't just some small difference. It was almost as if Aiden was asking to be punched in the face.

He was more than used to guys smiling and looking at Beth and most of the time, he couldn't blame them. Beth was the prettiest girl in town and one of the prettiest in the whole state – of that, he had no doubt. But it never bothered him before because he knew that Beth was coming home with him and sleeping with him and none of those other guys stood a chance and they knew it, too.

But with Aiden, Daryl knew Beth would never smile at him in any other way except her usual kind way but this time, it bothered Daryl because he knew that Aiden actually thought he stood a chance – as if her last name or the ring on her finger meant absolutely nothing.

Aiden Monroe – whether he knew it or not – was just begging to be punched.

The loud applause dragged Daryl out of his thoughts and he saw Beth taking off her guitar and thanking everyone so much for coming out to listen to her. He had missed her entire set and it just made him scowl more. Aiden was messing with him in more ways than one.

Aiden said something to her as she stepped down from the stage and Beth smiled, clearly thanking him, before heading towards their table, her smile even more bright now as she came straight to Daryl. She slid her arms around his neck and settled herself down on his lap, his own arm winding around her waist.

"So, when are you going to get a record deal already?" Maggie asked and Beth laughed a little, her cheeks flushed.

She looked to Daryl and Daryl turned his head to look at her and with a faint smile and without a word, she lifted her index finger and ran it over his forehead, smoothing out the lines there furrowing his brow.

"I'm surprised you haven't punched him yet," Beth then commented casually.

Daryl looked at her for a moment before smirking. It didn't really surprise him that Beth had been able to read his mind because even though he kept his face blank most of the time, no one knew him like Beth.

"Not gonna punch 'im," he shook his head and tightened his arm around her. "I know you can take care of yourself."

And Beth giggled lightly, looking damn pleased that he knew that, and she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. When she pulled back again, she was still smiling at him and his own lips twitched in a little smile of his own. She turned her head towards Glenn and Maggie and started talking with them but Daryl honestly didn't hear a word.

He couldn't help but have his eyes slide back towards the table in front of the stage, finding that it was now empty and Aiden was gone. His smile grew a little wider.

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