Chapter Twelve

Daryl took another sip of his beer. The cold brew sliding down his throat in a way he never thought he'd feel again. While the warmth from the fire, keeping the cold at bay as they sat huddled around the fireplace. Merle by his side, spouting off some nonsense story to the others as he precariously held his beer. They found a whole pack in the basement, packed away at the bottom of the stairs. So, with the claimers gone, and Merle returned to him, they decided to celebrate.

For beating too many close calls.

For surviving to tell the tales.

Rick sat across from him, Lorie in his arms with Carl lying on his stomach near by reading some book that was suggested to him. Maggie and Glenn, T-Dog, the lot them together. Telling Merle about the CDC and the farm, and him recounting his own stories. Though Daryl believed most of them to be exaggerations, or full of horse shit. The others knew it too, but they still laughed. Using the moment to unwind.

Sure, they really shouldn't be drinking, and yes, someone should have been guarding the house for walkers, but as Daryl took another sip of his second beer he cared a little less. The smirk on his face growing as the room fell silent for a moment. Everyone getting lost in their own memories until a small blonde moved from the couch to the spot between her sister and Hershel, looking at the beer being shared between Glenn and Maggie.

Beth looked at her sister, giving her a silent nudge and then nod toward the bottle in her hand. Maggie narrowed her gaze at the girl, a smile slowly spreading across her face just as Hershel piped up, "I'm old, not blind. Don't even think about it."

"But Daddy," Beth whined, turning to her father.

"No," Hershel reiterated. His focus going back on the fire that he leaned forward to poke, bringing the flames back up. There was a finality in his tone that made Beth slump her shoulders in defeat. "Be better off gettin yourself a bottle of water. "

A slight, "hmph," came from the small girl and she stood to head for the kitchen. Her feet pounding a little harder than necessary on the wooden floor as she moved away. Daryl watched her go. His eyes trailing her as he downed the last of the beer in his bottle and moved to stand up, looking at Merle in the process.

"One more?" he asked, holding his hand out for the bottle as Merle downed the last of his own.

Merle held the empty bottle up to his little brother and muttered, "why not."

Daryl turned to Rick and the others, silently asking if they wanted another, and they all shook their heads. Rick muttered something about, "gotta stuff to do in the mornin."

Daryl almost snorted at him as he walked away. There was always something to do. Something that needed to boarded up, fixed, hunted, or skinned. Since the world ended they hadn't gotten a day to just relax. This was the first moment in a long while where they were sitting around a fire, just talking and having a good time. Hadn't had a moment like this since the CDC. When they realized the whole world was fucked and no one was coming to rescue them.

Daryl shook his head at the thoughts, just stepping into the kitchen to find Beth coming from the pantry with a water bottle in her hand. She gave him a sour face, almost like she was going to blame him for her predicament, when Daryl reached into the box of beer and popped one open. Holding it out for her for a second before pulling it back as she reached for it. "One sip," he whispered, not wanting the others to hear him in case Hershel came in here.

Beth smiled, nodding her head in agreement as she took the beer and swung it back. Her throat bobbing up and down as she gulped nearly half the bottle before Daryl pulled it away from her. "I said one sip, girl," he snapped, glaring at her as she wiped her mouth grinning.

She laughed. "Right, cause I'll be gettin another sip real soon." She rolled her eyes at him, as his gaze narrowed on her.

Looking to his now half empty bottle and then back to her, a thought formed in his head. "You've drunk beer before, haven't ya?"

Beth nodded, a guilty smile on her face as she looked down the hall to ensure they were still alone. "At a high school party. They started a game of 'never have I ever' and I got so drunk I had to call Maggie to come rescue me."

Daryl laughed as he leaned against the counter. Relaxing a bit now that he realized he wasn't going to be the only one getting into some trouble should Hershel come in here. "Not as innocent as you look, girl," he muttered, meaning for the words to be whispered, but the smile on her face told him she heard all the same.

She barely tapped his shoulder and replied, "looks are deceivin, Daryl."

"Hey Lil' brother, where's that beer at?" Merle hollered from the hallway. Daryl pushed off the counter, his hand flying into the box to grab another beer as he stepped further away from Beth to head the other way. The small girl gave him a narrowed gaze, staring at him with confusion written all over her face as Merle came sauntering into the room. Freezing at the doorway to stare at the pair of them.

"Ah, I see," Merle drawled, his lips turning up into something akin to a sneer as he looked from Beth to him. Eyes shining with amusement as he continued looking back and forth.

Daryl tossed his beer at him, walking around the counter as he said, "you see nothin' ya drunk ass." He shoved his brother in the shoulder, leading him back to the living room with everyone else before turning back to see a confused look upon the small blonde's face.

Daryl hoped she let it drop. That she wouldn't read too much into Merle's words and glances. Didn't need her getting skittish around him when all he wanted to be was her friend. He liked talking to her, liked teaching her things. Made him feel useful, and wanted. Something he never felt before. Not before finding this group, and getting to know these people. Never had someone look up to him before, and now he found himself looking for ways to continue to help the girl grow. Make her stronger, more independent. Though it dawned on him that one day she wouldn't need him anymore.

That thought made him queasy, and he didn't dwell on it too often. Not when there was still plenty that he could show her, and teach her. Though with Merle around, their time together would be even more limited. Merle would find ways to keep him away from her, and everyone else at the camp. Not something he was planning to let happen, but he knew eventually, maybe.

Heading back into the living room, he moved to poke at the fire another time, adding another log before he sat back next to his brother. That all knowing grin still spread across his face whenever he glanced over at him. Daryl decided to ignore the man, continuing to sip on his half empty beer as he listened to Glenn and T-dog recount something that happened before they came to the quarry.

Beth joined them a second later, sipping on her bottle of water and sitting on the other side of Glenn. More than likely to keep her father from smelling the beer on her breath. When things grew silent again, Hershel turned to her with a smile on his face.

"Sing somethin, Bethy," he said, giving his youngest an encouraging smile. Maggie looked expectantly at her and the others slowly followed suit, waiting for anything to come out of her mouth.

Beth merely smiled, shaking her head as she asked, "like what?"

"Why don't you sing that Lynard Skynard song, what was it brother?" Merle asked, looking to Daryl like he knew all the answers. "The one you always liked."

Daryl hesitated for a moment, his brows furrowing as he tried to guess which one his brother was talking about, "simple man?"

"Yeah, that there one." He grinned back at Beth.

"Haven't heard that one in a while," she said, shrugging her shoulders as she tried to get out of singing it.

"But you know it, Beth. Shawn listened to it all the time after..." Her words trailed off as Hershel and Maggie glanced at each other before she swallowed and continued, "I'll help you." Maggie smiled at her, encouraging her as Beth finally agreed to it with a simple nod.

Daryl glanced between the two, wondering what that was all about before focusing on Maggie as she started singing.

Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day

Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman and you'll find love
And don't forget, son, there is someone up above

And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me, son, if you can

Beth joined in, her voice slightly above Maggie's as they bellowed out the course and then lowered still as they continued on with the song. Daryl leaned back, closing his eyes to listen to the two sisters sing. The sound oddly calming as they moved through the second course and then the finish. When the room grew quiet again, Daryl looked up at Beth. Noticing the red tinge on her cheeks as she gave Maggie a grateful smile. Her gaze traveled over to him, the smile growing even bigger as their eyes met.

"That was beautiful," Lori said, giving her a small smile. The sister's returned it, muttering a quiet, "thank you" as the woman glanced at her husband. "I'm gettin tired," she whispered, moving to stand. Rick moved with her, helping her up before saying good night to the rest of the group. Carl went with them, only partially protesting as his parents dragged him upstairs.

T-dog nodded in agreement, moving to stretch out on the couch and cover his eyes with his arms just as Maggie leaned over to whisper in Glenn's ear. The smile on Glenn's face told everyone what she whispered and that Korea wasn't going to be making any arguments. So, the two of them stood up, saying their good-nights to everyone as they drifted off. Daryl looked around the room, waiting to see who else was going to head out and was surprised to hear Hershel say, "why don't the rest of you head on up. I'll keep watch tonight."

"Ya sure?" Daryl asked, hesitant to let the old man stay up in the freezing cold just so that they could get a couple of hours of shut eye.

"Positive, you and everyone else had one too many beers for me to feel comfortable letting you take watch. Sleep it off and you can take over in the morning." He gave Daryl a small smile, reassuring him that he meant no harm in his words, and Daryl nodded. Not finding a reason to argue. As he stood, he looked out the windows, noting the placement of the moon before looking back at the old man.

"It's already pretty late," he said, eying Herhsel to see if there was any signs that he would pass out on watch.

"I'll stay up with him," Carol chimed in, her own reassuring smile joining Hershel's as Daryl looked from one to the other.

"Alright," he muttered, before looking for Merle. His brother was already lying down on the floor, his arm resting behind his head as his eyes drifted close. Not seeing the point in making the man move, he headed upstairs. Looking forward to having the last bed to himself for the night. He poked the fire up one last time, ensuring that its flames would stay lit for a while longer, and then headed upstairs. His eyes already dropping low.

A dip in the bed caused him to spring up sometime later. The moonlight outside, allowing him to catch a glimpse of a small shadow coming toward him, but it was the smell that told him who it was. The smell of woods, sweat, and something flowery. The smell of the woods and sweat was on all of them, seeing as they were all trapped camping outside for a couple of months and unable to bath. It was the flowery scent that he couldn't place and yet was so familiar to him. It clung to Beth, like a second skin, and as he grew accustomed to spending time with her, he grew accustomed to the smell. Expecting it to come from her, no matter the situation.

It was that flowery scent now that invaded his senses, making his muscles grow taut as he gripped the blanket, watching as she steadily crawled forward until she knelt at the top of the bed, looking at him with his brows furrowed as he tried to figure out what she was doing here in the middle of the night before he finally barked out, "What'cha ya doin, girl?"

Beth froze for only a moment, her mouth gaping open like a fish before she said, "the fire died out and that living room is freezin' and Merle too the thickest blanket." She explained, glancing at him like that should be explanation enough.

Daryl rubbed at his forehead, the three beers that he had, having some effect on him as he tried to process her reasoning. "Why can't you sleep with your daddy?"

"Cause Daddy's still on watch with Carol, Maggie's still in the other bedroom with Glenn, and anyone else would just be too... Weird." She shrugged like she hoped to blow off the situation.

Daryl raised an eyebrow at her. "Cause crawlin in bed with a strange old man ain't weird?"

"You ain't strange, and definitely ain't old," she said, looking him up and down. Averting her eyes when she looked back at his face. A hint of uncertainty entering her gaze as she looked down at the bed, suddenly hesitant as she sat there, chewing on her lip.

Daryl's brows furrowed even more, still trying to decipher her body language in the dark, but giving up as he closed his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he laid his head down and placed an arm over his eyes, mumbling, "just lay down."

The bed moved some more until he could feel Beth laying down next to him. Her small body shifting until her head touched his shoulder and he could feel her nearly pressed into his side with the blanket pulled up around her shoulders. Even with her layers of clothing still on her, he could feel her trembling under the blankets and he gave her the briefest of glimpses before scooting a few inches closer; allowing his body heat to radiate into her.

"Your like a furnace, Daryl," Beth mumbled, her shivering ceasing even as she said the words.

"Mm-hmm," he moaned, closing his eyes again. "Now go to sleep."

The night passed in relative silence after that with Daryl slipping into a deep sleep. Beth fell into a deep slumber herself. No nightmares disrupting her sleep that night, no tossing or turning, and definitely no waking up in a cold sweat. With a fear that could only be soothed as either her father or Maggie ran their fingers through her hair. Making "shh" noises until her breathing returned to normal. She loved her family. She really did. She just didn't like how they continued treating her like a child.

How they insisted that she needed to be taken care of, no matter how many times she proved that she didn't. That morning she woke up to a warm body pressed against her back. His arm swung over her side, and his breaths sweeping down the back of her neck, making goosebumps rise up over her skin as she turned to look at him.

"Daryl," she whispered, not really wanting to wake him, but needing to know if he was aware of his surroundings.

"Five more minutes, girl," he mumbled with his eyes still closed.

Beth smiled, her gaze taking in his resting features. Noting how he looked younger when he was like this. When there wasn't a million demands being pressed upon him, and nothing was threatening him at that moment. It was a good look for him.

Unable to resist, Beth reached her hand up to brush a few lingering hairs from his face. Liking how the strands fell over his eyes. She hoped he wouldn't want it cut. Knew that she would do it if he asked, but secretly hoped that he wouldn't. He looked younger with his hair long. A lot less brutal than he did when she first saw him on the farm. That could also be because she knew him now. Knew that it was all an act to keep people away. That he liked his walls, and the protection from the outside world that they provided him.

She brought her hand back to brush through his hair again, knowing she should stop, but not finding it in her to actually do so until his hand came up. Wrapping around her wrists, and stopping her motions as he said, "don't touch me like that."

Beth looked into his eyes, finding the sharp blue pinned on her. Swallowing as her eyes grew wide and she tried to stammer out, "I was just..."

Her words were cut off by Daryl as he moved her hand away saying, "Just don't."

Their eyes met, her wide ones taking in his hard face. Traveling over the lines that appeared the moment he fully woke up, and compared them to the softened features that were there moments ago on the sleeping man. Almost memorizing them as Daryl moved away from her and said, "and don't look at me like that either."

"Like what?" Beth asked, confused now. She wasn't looking at him in any particular way. Just observing him. Much like he observed her sometimes when they were all sitting around the camp fire.

"Like," he started before he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Forget it. It's time to get up."

Beth's brows came together, trying to work through what he wasn't saying, and giving up as he sat on the side of the bed. Barely glancing at her as he barked out, "c'mon, Greene. Those traps aren't goin to set themselves."

"What traps?" she asked, pushing up onto her elbows in curiosity. She knew there were still trap's in the forest. The ones that they hadn't been able to get to in the past couple of days, but didn't expect Daryl - or anyone for that matter- to agree to take her out again.

"You know what traps, now c'mon. Daylight's burnin," he snapped, already up and moving toward the door.

Beth let out her own heavy sigh as she rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, sir."

The door opened and Beth looked up from tying her shoes to see her father standing in the hallway. Looking even more tired and ragged than he did the night before, but stopping long enough for Daryl to say, "gonna take Beth to help reset those traps."

Beth stood at that point, catching her father's attention and watching as he narrowed his gaze on the her and then Daryl before shaking his head. "Not today. I need her, Maggie and Carol here so that we can go over how to do a C-Section. Just in case."

Daryl nodded, not saying anything else as he looked back at Beth and nodded toward the stairway. Beth sighed, already feeling bummed about the day as she exited the room, and moved to give her father a hug.

"You slept here last night?" he asked, whispering the words into her ear.

Beth nodded. "Got cold, and you and Carol were outside talkin, soundin like you were gettin along just fine, and Maggie was with Glenn." She looked to her father with pleading eyes. Hoping he would understand in the same way she pleaded with Daryl.

Hershel pulled her closer, his grip tightening for a just a moment as he mumbled, "just be careful" into her ear. Beth pulled back, giving him a reassuring smile before following Daryl downstairs. Found him in the kitchen, once again grumbling over the canned food that Carol served up, and talking to Rick about the morning plans.

"Thinkin about headin out to reset those traps," Daryl explained as Beth jumped onto the stool next to him. Taking her own canned food, and spearing the peaches inside.

"Sounds good," Rick mumbled, taking a bite of his food. When he swallowed, he pointed into no particular direction and said, "got to send a group back to that grocery store to pick up some building supplies sometime today."

Daryl nodded, knowing where Rick was going with this as he looked out the window. At the wide expanse of yard sitting empty in front of him. "Also need to bring our vehicles back. A couple of damn hand- outs just sittin there."

Rick nodded in agreement, sighing as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Yeah," he agreed. With the plans laid out, he looked to Hershel as the old man came down the stairs. "What are your plans?"

"Going to be teachin these girls to be midwives," he said, almost smiling at the thought. Beth held in the groan. Knowing she would rather be doing runs with Daryl and the others, and only slightly happy that Maggie was going to be stuck here with her as well.

"Yeah, because butcherin the livin is so much fun," Beth mumbled, more to herself than anything and only realizing that it came out when she felt someone pinch her side at the same time her father said, "Bethany."

She turned to Daryl with her mouth wide open, unable to believe taht he actually pinched her before whipping her head around to her father, where her face turned to a grimace and she looked to Rick and Carol with a muttered, "sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud."

Daryl pinched her side again, this time causing her to flinch as she squealed, "ow" for them all to hear before holding he fork up, and glaring at him. "Would you stop that."

"Watch what you say then," he snapped back, moving to pinch her side again. This time Beth moved out of his reach, her fork coming down in an attempt to stab his hand that he quickly dodged.

"You gonna stab me?"

"With my fork if I have to," she said, her eyes going hard. His hand moved out like he was going to pinch her again, and Beth held up her fork, ready to attack when her father bellowed, "Bethany" for the second time.

Both looked to her father with the scowl on his face. Beth's own face turning red as she noticed Rick with his shoulders shaking, hiding the smile across his face and Carol moving to the other side of the kitchen to wipe down an already clean counter before looking back at her father with a bit of an apology already forming on her lips. Though she wasn't sure what she had to be sorry for.

Hershel waved her off, already breaking his glare with her and Daryl as he looked to the counter and said, "go and get my supplies and find her your sister." Daryl kept his gaze down even as his muscles tensed and his ears turned slightly red.

"Okay," Beth mouthed, not really sure what just happened to make everyone's mood change, but not willing to argue with her daddy at the moment as she back away from the counter with a glare at Daryl and another point of her fork as if to say, "I'm watchin you" before turning on her heels. Feeling someones eyes on her as she retreated until she was just around the corner and was able to spot Daryl glancing at her, then her father before clearing his throat and saying, "so who's goin on this run?"

Beth found her sister still in the bedroom with Glenn, the sound of them talking making her brave enough to knock on the door and holler, "daddy's lookin for ya."

Her sister's quick reply of, "alright" sent her away from the door and into the master bedroom where Lori was rolling up Carl's bedroll. She knocked as she came to the door, despite it being opened, and pointed to her father's bag.

When the woman nodded, Beth stepped inside, barely glancing at her until she noticed Lori rubbing at her stomach. Absently stroking it as she continued packing things away.

"Can you feel it, yet?" she asked, honestly curious about the baby though she still maintained it was stupid of her to even get pregnant. She really should have known better, but Beth could only guess she was under a lot of stress. Losing her home, husband, and then having him come back out of nowhere.

"No," Lori explained, smiling at her. "Not for a few more weeks, maybe longer. Your daddy guesses I'm about two, maybe three months."

"Oh," Beth said, shrugging as she moved back to the door. "Guess there's no way of really tellin, is there?"

Lori shook her head, a sad sort of look coming across her face before she turned away. Beth glanced at her one more time before heading back down the hall. Knocking on Maggie and Glenn's door again and hollering, "daylight's burnin!"

"Alright already," Maggie shouted back and the sound of footsteps could be heard inside the room. With a satisfied smirk on her face, Beth made her way back downstairs and into the dining room where she found Carol and her Daddy waiting. The both of them sporting two wide grins as they sat together, laughing about something as she settled into a chair across from them. Hoping this lesson would be short, and she could find something else to do.

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