"Beth." Daryl bent over her where she was curled up in a pile of blankets by the fire. Despite the availability of a big bed upstairs, she somehow always seemed to end up asleep down here every time she'd slept in the two days they'd been here. Naps or night time, it didn't matter. She said that she just wasn't used to the bed anymore, but once when she'd come down half asleep to curl up next to the fire (and him), she'd admitted as she drifted off that it was lonely up there, away from him.
So now when she slept and he took watch, they were always together. Usually he would wake her after four hours, and let her watch why he rested right there on the couch or the floor beside her. Tonight, though, his four hours weren't nearly up before he woke her.
"Beth. Wake up, Beth."
She blinked blearily up at him, and Daryl was struck for a moment by how she looked like this, all hazy with sleep and framed by a halo of blonde hair.
"S'matter? S'my time for watch?"
"No, it's only been two hours," he murmured, gently tugging at her blanket. The urge hit him to just scoop her up into his arms and carry her to the thing he wanted to show her, like an overeager kid on Christmas, or something.
(Not that he really knew what it was like to be an overeager kid on Christmas. Not from experience, anyway, though sometimes lately when he was around her, he kinda felt like he might be able to guess what that was like.)
He resisted the urge, but barely. It was easier when she suddenly got this worried look in her eyes, and sat up amid her cocoon of blankets. "Is something wrong? Did something happen?"
"Shhh... Nothing's wrong." His hand briefly squeezed her arm before he pulled back and rose back up to his feet from his crouch, to offer her his hand. "C'mon. Got somethin' I wanna show you. Found it while I was out patrollin'."
He took her hand and tugged her to her feet. For just a moment he realized his fingers wanted to linger, wanted to hold her hand and tug her along after him. There was a warmth in his hand from where they touched, gently filling his whole body until he abruptly and awkwardly pulled his fingers away.
"C'mon," Daryl said again, gruff this time but still obviously pleased with whatever it was he'd found. He waited just long enough for her to put on her shoes (it was the most they'd risk, changing clothes for bed just wasn't safe when they might have to run at any moment) and led the way out of the little cabin with his bow in hand.
As they moved silently through the forest (he was pleased to find that even half-asleep, she knew how to walk quietly like he'd taught her), Daryl murmured softly, "Thought I'd heard something, off over this way. Turned out right, but 'cept instead of anything bad, I found... This."
He trailed off just as he pushed carefully through a couple bushes, and then stepped aside to reveal his surprise to Beth. It was a small little pond, fed by a pretty little waterfall that trickled down from some rocks; the end-point of a little stream. Nothing big, just small but beautiful, and peaceful too.
(It reminded him of her, though that was nothing he'd admit out loud. Just like he wouldn't admit to the hopeful anticipation in his eyes as he looked over at her, trying to read her face and decide if she was pleased.)
It didn't take him long to figure out just how right he'd been to bring her here. For a few moments she just blinked, taking it all in, and then a warm smile curved up her full lips. "Oh, Daryl. It's so pretty! Oh, it's just so lovely!" She walked right to the edge and hesitated only a moment before toeing off her boots.
"What're you doin'?" His slight pride turned to confusion as she dipped her toes in the water, but Beth just looked at him and softly laughed.
"I'm gonna go in, that's what I'm doing."
"S'middle of the night!" Daryl looked up at the dark sky, as if somehow she might have forgotten and needed reminding.
"So? Daryl, I haven't had a swim in forever. You think I even remember the last time I got to rinse my hair?"
He looked baffled by her and yet, a tiny part of him was amused. Pleased, even. She was so much feistier than he'd ever have guessed, back when he barely knew her. She had this way of setting her mind on something and just going for it, full throttle, until she got what she wanted. Like she was right now, down by the edge of the lake... it was only after a moment of watching her that he realized that she was stripping off her jeans, right there in front of him.
"Beth!" He hissed her name at her.
"What?" Lord, why was that little over-the-shoulder smile so damn distracting?
"What're you doin'?" He tried to sound scandalized, but his voice just came out a bit gruff.
"Told you, I'm going for a swim." She folded up her jeans and set them aside, and for a moment he was acutely aware of her long, pale legs, and how surprisingly shapely they were stretching out from underneath that yellow shirt, and the little hint of white underwear she had on. "Don't worry, I'll keep my shirt on, okay? Just hate swimming in jeans, they get so heavy."
He watched, mesmerized and trying to act like he wasn't as she just waded in the water. Even the way she shivered as she felt how cold it was didn't seem to stop her, and before he knew it she was up to her waist and lowering herself down into it with a blissful smile. He couldn't look away. She sank down under the water, and when she came back up he realized that the moon was hanging perfectly in the sky, as if it had been waiting just for this. It light her up, shimmering on her slick blonde hair, illuminating the way her shirt now clung to her thin but slightly curvy body.
He shifted in place, uncomfortable, and yet still unable to look away from her. When her soft voice called out to him, it took him a moment to focus on the words through his distraction.
"You should join me."
He shook his head instantly.
"C'mon, Daryl. The water is amazing, I know you'll love it." She didn't mention him needing a shower and for that, Daryl was grateful. He didn't really need the reminder of how dirty he was, especially when he was face to face with the complete purity that was Beth Greene right now. (He didn't need to think about that contrast, or how representative it was of the two of them.)
"Tomorrow," he agreed roughly (if only because he knew she'd keep pushing), scuffing his foot on the ground as he watched her. "You enjoy it. S'your treat. I'll keep watch."
It wasn't like he was gonna complain. She just looked so happy, rinsing off her hair, spinning around in the water, soaking every inch of herself. When she swam to the waterfall, he found himself following her, moving along the edge of the little pond. He was glad that he did, because when she stood there and reached up to touch the rocks, and the water ran over her fingers and splashed down on her head, her face lit up with this expression that had to be the brightest, happiest thing he'd ever seen.
It was joy, pure and simple. Complete and utter unadulterated joy.
And she deserved every moment of it.
