A/N Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. In this new multi-chapter story Daryl's a 20-something man with some heavy responsibilities, Beth is a young woman whose dream and faith have been crushed. One morning they meet at the Solo Café.

Possible trigger - Alludes to Suicide Attempt

I hope you enjoy.

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Smithton, Georgia 1954

Prologue

Ever since people first started talking, they've been talking about other people. Not all of it is malicious or meanspirited, sometimes folks are just curious or intrigued. In Smithton, Georgia, Daryl Dixon is a particularly popular topic of discussion, and speculation.

He arrived here in Smithton just about four years ago, back in 1950, looking as coarse and scruffy as a young man can look. He certainly didn't appear to be a person of means, but looks truly are deceiving because he clearly had enough money to purchase the old tire and auto shop downtown. He cleaned the place up real nice and within two weeks he'd hung an "Open for Business" sign in the window.

That wasn't the only major purchase he made. He also bought a little house, one of those Sears & Roebuck craftsman style places. Like every other house on the block, Daryl Dixon's house was built from a prefab kit that came in on a railroad car back in 1919. The railroad put up a bunch of those places for worker housing. They're not fancy at all, they're certainly not large, but they're real nice quality, comfortable homes. Dixon's house is just three blocks over from his shop, and he keeps both places up real nice.

What shocked folks most about him, and has had tongues wagging all over town since day one, is the fact that Daryl Dixon wasn't alone when he came to Smithton. There was someone with him, a little fella not more than six months old.

You can just imagine the talk and the questions folks are still asking, "what's a man like him doing with a baby?" and "Where's that poor child's Mama?" They never have gotten answers to those questions.

Who knows? Maybe if someone just asked him he'd tell them. That would be considered rude though, and besides, everyone is a little reluctant to talk to him about anything other than business. They say he's unapproachable. In fairness to Dixon, maybe that's because no one ever approaches him.

There is a local couple he's quite friendly with, Dale and Erma Horvath over on Wilton Street. Dale's been retired for about five years now and him and Erma tend the little Dixon boy for Daryl every weekday morning while his Daddy's at work. Dixon and the boy even go over to Horvaths' on Sunday for dinner, except in the fall during hunting season. Teddy stays with the Horvaths then, and Daryl goes off on a little hunting trip for a couple of days. He never fails to bring home deer and game birds for their freezer and his own.

Of course, no one's asking Dale and Erma any questions about Dixon, no one wants to appear rude or nosey. And truth be told, the older couple don't seem at all inclined to volunteer any information about Daryl and little Dixon anyway.

Shoot, it took three weeks before anyone even learned the child's name. It was the folks at the Solo Café that found out that bit of news. One day Dixon was in the place having his breakfast and the little fella started getting fussy. They say his Daddy set his fork down, held the fussy baby tightly to his chest, gently nuzzling his face into the child's little neck while he rubbed his back and whispered to him, "Daddy's here. What's wrong Teddy? Ya got a tummy ache?" As hard as it was to believe, they'd swear to you it was his Daddy's soothing touch, and the suddenly soft tone of the man's gravely voice that calmed the little guy.

Everyone was pretty stunned that morning when they saw how loving and tender Daryl Dixon was with that little fella. Now though, after four years of seeing Dixon and the boy together, the townspeople all know that small child is that rough-looking man's whole world.

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1950

It's already become a routine for him, every morning he and Teddy have breakfast at the Solo Café, well just Daryl eats breakfast. Teddy's too little, he stays cuddled in the crook of his Daddy's left arm, watching the man eat and smiling and cooing occasionally. Daryl always takes the stool down at the far end of the counter, same stool every time, and he orders the same breakfast every day. Eggs over medium, grits, bacon and a biscuit, no gravy just lots of butter and jam.

Daryl sets his coffee down long enough to scoop himself up a bite of his grits and eggs, and looks down at Teddy while he chews. The little fella is sucking his lips and kicking his little legs like he wants a bite. The waitress, Olivia, could swear the man almost smiles when he softly promises the boy, "Ya already had your breakfast Teddy, I told ya then, just as soon as you grow enough teeth I'll buy you a real breakfast," then he leans in and kisses the baby's forehead.

As Daryl's finishing his meal the excitement of this big day, the day he'll finally open his own business, has his mind wandering back to a long ago time. He was just 13 years old that summer and trying to get his brother's dilapidated jalopy running. He never enjoyed anything more than working on that broken down old engine, and he did get it running good, in fact, his brother drove that old beater around for a couple of years after that, until their drunken Daddy wrecked it one night.

He doesn't dwell on that part though, he thinks about his 13 year old self beginning to plan for, and save for, his dream. A dream of one day owning his own auto shop, and he recalls how he started doing everything he could to make a little money. He scrounged up pop bottles, gathered newspapers, mowed yards and washed lots of cars. He never turned down work, he did anything he could do to earn two pennies or two dollars.

He had a hidey hole under a tree out in the woods, that's where he kept his money safely tucked away in an old cigar box, buried two feet down. It was important to keep it hidden, if he didn't his drunken old man would sniff it out and spend it on booze or pills. Or his brother Merle would find it and spend it on beer and women.

His plan was simple, to keep taking every odd job he could until he got a little older and was able to get regular work, something after school and on the weekends. He had some good luck when he was 15, he got hired-on at Bud's Garage on Main Street. Working at Bud's he learned a lot more about auto mechanics, and added quite a bit more money to his hidey hole savings account.

He thought what he'd do was, once he graduated from high school he'd go full time at Bud's, maybe he'd even get a second job working nights and weekends at the filling station. After three or four years he might have enough saved to open his own shop.

Everything was going along just fine, when suddenly everything changed. That was December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States went to war, and Daryl Dixon went to war too. He remembers how he saw himself, he thought he was a man when, as a skinny 16 year old kid, he said goodbye to high school and joined the Army to fight for his country. He found out he wasn't a man quite yet, but fighting in that war turned him into one in a hurry.

His brother Merle joined up too, he signed on with the Navy, but all their worthless Daddy did was run off. He went into hiding. Daryl hasn't seen him since; he hasn't missed him either. He was a heartless and cruel son of a bitch.

Daryl recalls how the army decided right away what he was best suited for, the infantry. As it turns out, that worked quite well for him. More than one time in the field he'd been called upon to use his mechanical skill to get a jeep running, or a transport vehicle, once it was a tank. One time he was even called on when the field radio got damaged, he managed to get it working. He just seems to have a knack for fixing things.

The memories almost make him smile. He was known for being good at what he did, a good soldier, a good mechanic, and the best poker player any of his fellow soldiers had ever known. The regular card playing started when a private named Martinez invited him to join a game and Daryl gladly did, and Poker opened up a whole new source of income for Dixon. What Martinez and the other's didn't realize was, Daryl had a leg up on them. He'd been playing poker since he learned his numbers. His Dad and his brother taught him the game and the three of them spent plenty a night playing when they were all out hunting in the woods. Of course, his Dad and his brother also cheated more often than they didn't. Daryl didn't play that way, especially not with his fellow soldiers. Besides, he didn't need to. He has a way of reading people, and yet he's damn near impossible to read.

He stayed in the army until the war ended, and when they sent him home he had a pretty good pile of poker winnings and army pay saved up. He took that money, and the money from his hidey hole, to the bank and deposited it. With all that dough he made, and saving like he did, and the fact he never spent a dime he didn't need to spend, he had enough to start his business. He just wasn't quite ready yet. Not in his head anyway, he was still only 20.

Fresh from the army he went back to work as an auto mechanic at a fancy new Chevrolet dealership just outside Atlanta. Within a year he was their top mechanic, getting paid well and living on the cheap. Still saving every cent he could and working on a five-year plan for opening his own business.

The five-year plan blew up like an atom bomb when Teddy entered the picture.

Daryl raises himself off the stool, digs in his back pocket for his wallet and hands Olivia some cash. She brings his change, and he slides a quarter under his plate. She appreciates that about Daryl, he's not one of these nickel and dime tippers, he's real generous. Not all of her customers are. She smiles and tells him, "Good luck today, Daryl. I hope your business is a great success."

He nods his acknowledgment and says, "Thank you."

He cradles little Teddy, quietly reciting a children's rhyme to him over and over as they walk the two blocks to Erma and Dale Horvath's house. Erma and Dale are the man reason Daryl Dixon chose to start his long dreamed of business here in Smithton. He knew didn't want to raise a child in Atlanta, it's just too big. He also didn't want to go back home and raise Teddy anywhere near where he grew up. Everyone there knows the Dixon name, and although people never mistreated Daryl because of who his Dad is, he didn't want Teddy growing up with the legacy.

Dale and Erma encouraged him to come to Smithton, and they were anxious and willing to help him with the baby. To Daryl, Smithton seemed like the perfect place to raise a child. Medium-sized so he'd have enough business to make a go of it, and Dale and Erma assured him over and over, although people would certainly be curious about him, they didn't believe for a minute the child would be judged on the fact his Daddy is a single man.

Daryl knocks on their front door and it quickly opens, Dale and Erma are always so happy to see Teddy. The couple never had children of their own, and now in their older years they have nothing but time and love to devote to the baby.

As Erma takes the little bundle from him, Daryl does something the townspeople never see him do, he smiles, then he tells the woman, "He ate a good breakfast, pablum mixed with some mashed banana and a bottle. He should be able to hold out til 9:30 or so."

She lays a hand on his arm and smiles, "Don't you worry about us, Daryl. Teddy's going to be just fine."

"Yes Ma'am, thank you."

Dale Horvath reaches out a hand and he and Daryl shake, "Good luck today son, Erma, Teddy and me will be here rooting for you."

Erma interjects, "And saying lots of prayers."

"Thanks folks, I appreciate it. I'll see ya at the noon hour."

He's been worried no one will come around his place and give the business a try. What if it's a failure? He's spent damn near every dime he has, and he has Teddy to worry about, shit. This has to work.

That first morning a couple of fellas come by who are willing to give the place a try, or maybe they're just curious. It doesn't matter what the reason is, the important thing is they find out Daryl Dixon knows what he's doing. It's not just the work, they get their automobiles back with the windshield clean, the floorboards whisked and the ashtray emptied. They spread the news about that first class treatment all around town.

Dixon's got an ad in the yellow pages, and one in the services section of the local paper, but it's word of mouth that gives the new business the push it needs; word is, Daryl does good clean work for a fair price. Within six months Dixon's Tire and Auto Shop is thriving.

The mystery of it all remains the owner, Daryl Dixon himself. He's polite, and he takes the time to listen while the owner of an auto explains how it's acting up, and once he repairs it, he always explains what he did to fix the trouble. It's just that he doesn't make small talk. But even though he's not a conversationalist, and he never seems to smile, you wouldn't say he's mean or anything. Nothing like that. He just looks like he could be mean if he wanted to be.

There's another element to Daryl Dixon. He may appear scruffy and like some kind of tough guy, but he sure isn't ugly. He's square-jawed, lean and muscular with broad shoulders and steel blue eyes, and more than one fella has accused his wife of being a little bit too fascinated with Daryl Dixon. There's women in town who have been reproached by their husbands for making up excuses to walk by the auto shop, or even for stopping in and asking Dixon some conjured up question about their supposed automobile. Just so they can get a closer look at the mysterious Mister Dixon.

The men don't need to worry. Daryl's totally unaware those women are interested in him, and besides, Dixon isn't looking for a woman, especially not some other man's woman.

1954, Present Day

Not much has changed with Daryl's routine in the four years since he and Teddy moved to Smithton and the shop opened. Daryl and Teddy Dixon still make their daily stop at The Solo Café for breakfast. Nowadays though, when Daryl walks in, Teddy's walking too, holding his Daddy's hand. They go to the far end of the counter, Daryl gives the boy a hand up to his own stool, and they order their breakfast.

Daryl's order hasn't changed, but now that Teddy isn't a baby any longer, he gets a breakfast like his Daddy's, just a much smaller portion. There's also orange juice and milk for Teddy. Daryl sets his Thermos bottle on the counter, and before he leaves Olivia will fill it with coffee and add just the right amounts of sugar and cream. After four years she doesn't even have to think about it.

When the Dixons have left, Olivia jokes with the owner and cook at the Solo Café, Jim, about how she's often tempted to simply call their order in as soon as she sees them walking down the street. She hasn't done that yet, but she laughs and says someday she will. Jim laughs along with her, but warns, "That'll be the day he finally orders sumthin' different."

This morning starts like any other weekday at Daryl's house. Him and Teddy are up 5:45, washing their hands and faces, brushing their teeth, combing their hair, and getting dressed for the day. Teddy's still having trouble trying to tie the laces on his little boots, and his Daddy tells him the only thing to do is to just keep trying, "You're kinda young ta be doing that stuff anyway. It'll come when it comes. Here, lemme show ya again."

They finish packing their lunch, check the house to make sure everything's locked up, then Daryl takes the little boy's hand and they walk the three blocks to the Solo Café.

Like every day, they take the stools at the end of the counter, but this day isn't like every other day at the Solo Café. There's a big change. A blonde woman comes walking from the kitchen carrying two breakfast platters. She smiles as she sets them down in front of Abraham Ford and Eugene Porter, and says, "Here you go gentleman, can I get you anything else for now?"

Abraham responds, "No thanks Honey, that pretty smile and these eggs oughta do me for now."

The blonde woman nods, fills two glasses with water and sets them in front of Daryl and Teddy, asking, "Good morning, can I get you gentlemen coffee and maybe some juice or milk?" She's got the words, the motions and the smile all just right, but her pretty blue eyes don't match her smile. Daryl sees the sadness in them. He also notices the watch on her left wrist. The band is wide, more like a man's watch than a woman's, and he sees something else, there's a scar she's trying to hide with that watch.

Before Daryl can respond, Teddy says, "Yer not Miz 'livia."

His Daddy places a hand on Teddy's shoulder and says, "Don't be rude son." But he's as curious as his son about what's going on.

The young woman looks at the little boy and smiles, Daryl could swear her eyes are moist and for some reason he feels concerned, yet she sounds cheerful when she answers, "You're right. I'm not Miss Olivia. She got called away so I'm going to be here now, my name is Beth, and I bet your name is Teddy. Miss Olivia told me about you, she said you're her favorite customer."

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A/N I hope you enjoyed the beginning of our story. Please leave a comment. There's a chapter photo on my tumblr blogs, gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please check that out. Next chapter we'll learn about Beth and how she wound up working at the Solo Café, I hope you'll come back next Thursday for that. Thank you all so much and remember, I love ya large, xo gneebee