Happy Friday, everyone! It has been a long week! Please enjoy and review! :)

Beth stirred in her sleep, squirming against him and nuzzling her head further up his chest. It was shortly after dawn, and Daryl had been awake for about twenty minutes, just watching the beautiful blonde who was asleep in his arms. She had one leg thrown over his own, and though the flannel she always wore to sleep in had ridden up to expose her thighs, Daryl did his best not to focus his attention there. Instead he absentmindedly played with the ends of her hair and marveled at how serene she looked while sleeping. He was unable to move without waking her, but Daryl was in no hurry to leave the bed.

It was the third morning in a row that he had woken up with Beth this way. He knew it probably wasn't wise to forgo taking watch overnight, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Beth after she fell asleep. Before Beth, Daryl had never experienced falling asleep with a woman, let alone waking up with one, and he had to admit that he liked the feeling of it. His encounters with women had usually been drunken one-night-stands, and he and his partners never hung around afterward. Daryl was still in awe that a woman would want to cuddle next to him all night. He wanted to bask in the feeling for as long as it lasted.

He was getting better at telling himself that it wasn't wrong to be with Beth, but it was still difficult to let go of the thoughts completely. He couldn't believe how patient Beth was being with him. It just made him think that he didn't deserve her even more, no matter how many times she told him that wasn't true. She was so positive and so beautiful inside and out, and Daryl couldn't believe that such a woman wanted him. She was patiently nurturing him and steering his thoughts in a more positive direction, which was also very new to Daryl.

He still hadn't allowed himself to take things further than just innocent kisses and touches, however. Beth was always the one to initiate things, and Daryl always stopped her before things got heated. He wasn't ready for that level of affection just yet. Despite the improvements in his thoughts, he knew that if he allowed himself to touch her the way he wanted to, he would end up taking two steps back and being disgusted with himself. Every time her lips began to press harder against his, he imagined throwing her against the nearest wall and fucking her ruthlessly, and the thoughts of dominating her in such a way still made him feel guilty and ashamed. His desire felt like a caged wild animal that, once released, couldn't be controlled, and the thought almost scared him. He was only just now getting used to showing innocent affection to Beth; he certainly wasn't ready to take things further. He was afraid of how far he would push things, and how much his mind would degrade himself for it afterward. He knew Beth wanted him to take things further, and he noticed the little disappointed sighs she gave when he pulled away from her, but he couldn't give in yet. Once he did, there would be no going back.

Beth stirred again in her sleep, bringing Daryl out of his thoughts. Her eyes opened slowly, and Daryl felt a warmth in his chest as a small smile began to spread across her face as she looked up at him. He smiled back at her.

"Morning," he said, his voice still a little rough from sleep.

"Morning."

Beth sat up and stretched. She glanced to the curtained window and observed the early morning sunlight leaking in around the edges of the curtain.

"Is it early?" she asked. Daryl nodded.

"Bout half an hour past dawn."

Beth nodded and crawled off the bed. She went to the dresser and pulled out some clothing to wear for the day. She began to unbutton the flannel to change, prompting Daryl to awkwardly clear his throat and stand from the bed.

"Gonna take a piss," he muttered, quickly exiting the room before she could remove the flannel. She had been changing in front of him shamelessly the past few days, and Daryl always tried to leave the room before he could see anything. It was hard enough not touching her when she was fully clothed, but seeing her in her lacy underthings drove him crazy. He realized that Beth was probably changing in front of him on purpose, as if she had an agenda to force him to see her body in an attempt to change his mind about touching her. But Daryl hadn't given in yet, despite how much he wanted to.

After relieving himself, Daryl grabbed one of the remaining bags of jerky from the pharmacy and tore it open, taking a few strips out to serve as a meager breakfast for him and Beth. They needed to find more food soon, and not just meat he could bring home from hunting. They needed fruits and vegetables. They were planning to visit Hogansville soon, but Beth also wanted to go back to the farm, and Daryl had realized the night before that the farmhouse might still have a decent stash of canned food if no one else had raided it since their group had been driven out. During their stay at the farm, they had always been well fed, which meant the farm had to have had a decent supply of food. If the farmhouse was still standing, it would be a mutually beneficial visit—Beth could visit her family's former home for closure, and they could possibly end up with more supplies.

Beth emerged from the bedroom, fully dressed and with her hair pulled into a ponytail. Daryl handed her a few strips of jerky, which she graciously accepted.

"Was thinkin' we could try goin' to the farm today," he suggested.

"Really? I would like that."

Daryl nodded. "I was also hopin' that maybe there's still some food there we could take. Assuming no one else has looted it already."

Beth's eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh, you're right," she said excitedly. "Patricia was always really into canning, and we had a bunch of canned fruits and vegetables in the cellar. I don't think anyone would have been able to get into the cellar. Daddy always kept it locked, but I know where the key is."

"Why'd he lock it?" Daryl wondered.

Beth looked at him a little sheepishly. "Even after he invited everyone to move into the house, he still didn't completely trust everyone with the food. He wanted to be the one to ration it out. So he kept the cellar locked to prevent people from taking anything."

Daryl smiled in memory of Hershel, silently thanking him for his paranoia, as it would now work out to his and Beth's benefit.

"Okay. Let me do a quick perimeter check and then we'll head out."

Beth finished her share of jerky and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth while Daryl checked the perimeter. Even though it may not have been the safest idea, she enjoyed that he had been staying with her throughout the night instead of taking watch. She also had to admit that she loved waking up with him in the morning, rather than being woken a few hours before dawn to take her turn for watch. So far, the spikes outside the cabin had been doing their job well. No walkers had made it past the spikes, and even if they did, they had a perimeter alarm that circled the entire cabin now, and that would alert them to potential threats. She hoped Daryl would continue to spend the nights with her.

"All clear," Daryl called as he came back inside. Beth finished brushing her teeth and went out into the living room. She grabbed her backpack, which contained necessities in case of any potential troubles on the road, and slung it over her shoulder. She also grabbed the map that was still on the coffee table from several days before.

"Ready?"

Daryl nodded and held open the front door for her, closing it behind them. They made their way over to the truck and Daryl hotwired it to get it started. The engine was loud in the quiet woods, and they were soon on their way.

"Head east once we get to the road," Beth instructed as she followed the route on the map with her finger. "Then when we get to highway 85, we'll take that north about 5 miles until we get to the farm."

They drove in silence, and Beth stared out the window feeling more nervous as they drove on. She wasn't sure what she was expecting to find at the farm. She hoped it would remain intact so that she could give the place a proper goodbye. She also wanted to find a family photo to take with her, so that she could always have a picture of those who were no longer with her.

As Daryl finally turned down the road that led to the farm, Beth took deep breaths to try to quell her anxiety. She noticed Daryl glancing at her often, and she tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. He reached into her lap and took one of her hands in his, and Beth felt the tightness in her chest ease a bit. Finally the farmhouse came into view, and Beth exhaled in relief to see that it was still standing.

Daryl parked the truck near the front door. He saw a few walkers shambling toward the truck by the charred remains of the barn, but at the present moment, they appeared to be the only immediate threat. He gave Beth's hand a reassuring squeeze before dropping her hand and exiting the truck, crossbow at the ready. Beth slowly climbed out of the passenger side and looked around, almost as if in a daze. She followed Daryl toward the three walkers that were heading in their direction. He swiftly killed one of them with his crossbow, and each of them pulled out their knives and made quick work of the other two.

"Don't see any more around, but that don't mean they ain't there. Keep your guard up," Daryl said as he retrieved his arrow from the ghoul's skull. Beth nodded, keeping her knife open and in her grasp as she followed Daryl back toward the house.

They quietly climbed the porch steps and approached the front door, which wasn't completely latched shut from their hasty escape all those months ago. Beth reached for the door, her hand shaking a bit, and pushed it open. Daryl held up a hand to stop her from entering and knocked loudly on the door frame. Nothing made itself known inside the house, and Daryl cautiously entered, his crossbow ready. Beth tentatively followed him inside.

Everything looked exactly as she remembered it, only now it was covered in a layer of dust. Beth swallowed hard as memories began to run through her mind. They were happy memories, but seeing the house this way now made her feel sad. She followed Daryl from room to room until the first floor of the house was deemed clear. Beth wandered into the kitchen, her mind flashing with images of baking with her mother and of the family dinners her father had always insisted on when Maggie and Shawn were home from college. She sat down heavily at the small kitchen table, unable to control the tears that spilled down her cheeks.

Daryl moved from where he had been watching her in the doorway to stand beside her. He awkwardly put a hand on her shoulder, unsure how to comfort her. Beth leaned into him and wiped the tears from her face.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "It's just hard to see it like this."

"I know," Daryl said quietly.

"But I'm glad it's still here." Beth sniffed and stood from the kitchen table, trying to compose herself. "I'm glad I got to see it again." She made her way over to the kitchen counter next to the sink and grabbed a ceramic jar that held kitchen utensils. She emptied the utensils onto the counter and retrieved the key that was hidden at the bottom of the jar.

"Key to the cellar," she said, handing it to Daryl. "We can go down there in a minute. But I want to go upstairs first. I want to grab a few things."

Daryl nodded and put the key in his pocket. He made his way over to the staircase and gently pushed Beth behind him.

"Let me go first," he said, hoisting up his crossbow. "Just in case."

She nodded and followed him up the stairs, trying to be quiet despite how loudly each step creaked from their weight. When they reached the top of the stairs, Daryl banged loudly on the wall. The upstairs was silent, however, and they cautiously moved forward. Beth stepped around Daryl and entered her room, a sad smile on her face from the familiarity of the room. Daryl stood watching her from the doorway as she looked around. She looked at the jewelry scattered on her dresser, the books on the shelf in the corner, and the photos of her friends around the room.

"All this feels like it was from a lifetime ago," she said softly. "I feel like I don't even know the girl whose room this was."

"Well, it's like you said," Daryl muttered, his voice quiet. "You ain't a girl anymore. You're a woman."

Beth turned to him, her sad smile turning brighter and reaching her eyes.

"You're right. That's a good way to look at it."

She went to her bookshelf and grabbed a few of her favorites, as well as a deck of cards, a ring that had been her mother's, and a pair of what used to be her favorite PJ pants. The weather was turning colder, and she knew she would be grateful for them when winter hit. She took a final glance around her room and sighed, mentally saying goodbye to the girl she had been when she had lived here last. She left the room and closed the door behind her.

"I just wanna grab one more thing from the dining room, then we can go check out the cellar," she said, heading back down the stairs. She walked into the dining room and smiled upon seeing the framed family photo on the wall. It had been taken about a year before the turn, and they all looked so happy. She pulled the photo off the wall and tucked it beneath her arm, trying not to start crying again at the memory of her deceased family.

"I'm gonna put this stuff in the truck," she said. Daryl nodded and followed her outside, keeping his eyes on alert for more walkers as she stashed her things in the truck. Then he followed her around the house to the cellar doors out back, fishing the key out of his pocket to unlock them. He hauled the doors open and descended into the dark cellar, whistling upon seeing the many jars of canned food lining the shelves in the cellar.

"Jackpot," he muttered, and Beth grinned.

"Told you Patricia was really into canning."

They both began eagerly piling jars into their arms and carrying them all back to the truck. It took five trips to clear out the cellar, and Beth already couldn't wait to bust into one of the jars of canned peaches.

"It feels so strange to be looting my own house," she said.

"Then don't think of it as looting. Think of it as comin' back for things you left behind."

Beth smiled at him and looked toward the house.

"I'm just gonna go say goodbye," she said. "Then we can be on our way."

Daryl nodded and leaned against the truck, watching her as she wandered back up the front porch steps and inside the house. Beth stood in the entryway, the silence of the home deafening to her. The house had always been so full of life and love. She missed her family and the good times they'd had in this house, but at the same time, she wasn't sure she even wanted that life back. As she thought of the man outside waiting for her who was quickly becoming such an important part of her life, Beth just felt thankful that she had such wonderful memories to carry with her.

She smiled sadly, taking one last look at the house she had grown up in.

"Goodbye," she whispered, bidding farewell both to the house and to the girl she had been. She turned around and walked slowly back outside, shutting the door tight behind her. She took a deep breath and decided to focus on what lay ahead, not what she had left behind.

This chapter was a little fluffy, but be patient, dear readers. The smut you crave is just around the corner. ;)