Walking Dead 1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Fiery Kisses

Beth backed up against the door of her apartment, noting the way Daryl was looking her up and down as if she was something to eat rather than her date for the evening. She had managed to successfully pull off the biggest scam of her life, convincing all her friends that this hunky man was her fiancé and not just her date. She knew he was playing a part right now, but she honestly wanted to pretend for just a minute that it was all true; that he was all hers.

As he placed his hands on either side of her hips, pulling her against him firmly, his hips grinding into hers, her heels having lent her the height needed to align their pelvises perfectly and Beth felt an ache spread through her at the thought of it. This wouldn't be the first time Daryl had kissed her but it would be the first time that she was relatively certain that they weren't going to be interrupted by anyone or anything and that was what made her nervous. He moved towards her slowly and deliberately and Beth knew if she was going to put the brakes on things, it was definitely going to have to be now. But she was slightly tipsy, the tiny bit of wine she had ingested at the reception having gone straight to her head. She knew she wasn't thinking clearly and right now she didn't give a damn.

As Daryl's head bent to hers and his lips met hers, his tongue instantly seeking to explore her mouth, teasing the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened her mouth for him, kissing him back like her life depended on it. And in a way, it did. With him, she felt like she was finally alive. Finally living. She had always done the right thing. Always followed all the rules and it hadn't gotten her anywhere, except a day job and a cat to come home to. For once, she wanted to lose herself in something, in someone. And tonight, she wanted to lose herself in Daryl Dixon, consequences be damned.

**Hi everyone, this is a new story! This is the teaser chapter, a prologue. A more detailed author's note is in the next chapter. Hope you will like this one! ;)**

**PS - Special thanks to jazznsmoke because, AGAIN, I would not have been able to get this posted without her. Thanks, as always for being bae. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: This Sorrowful Life

Daryl did not choose this life. It had chosen him rather and as stared at the perfect round ass of the redhead in front of him, he hated it. He pounded his cock into the pretty redhead, gripping her hips tightly as he gave it her from behind just like she'd requested. Here they were fucking in the coat closet of this old church in the suburbs of Atlanta and it was so cliché it was ridiculous. He wished he could count all the times he had banged a girl inside some part of a church in between the wedding and the reception. It seems that a lot of girls these days needed dates for weddings. It didn't matter to him, much. At the end of the day, it was just another paycheck to him.

He had been working for The Dating Game for going on two years now. It masked as a dating service but everyone knew what it really was from its reputation around town. It was a private owned and operated place and was the classiest in the business as far as escorts went. They had male and female escorts and Daryl had had to play his fair share of roles in the course of his employment there. But by and far, a date for a wedding was the most popular request. Seems there were a lot of ladies that would rather pay money and hire a date than to tell their bitchy friends the truth. The establishment was all above board and they made it clear that they did not condone prostitution in way, shape or form. Still, everyone knew that was what often went down behind closed doors after transactions were completed, paying for the intercourse that ensued with a hefty "tip" for a job well done. He smirked at the spiel he had just gotten that very morning when he had talked to his supervisor, a.k.a. his pimp he guessed, Andrea. No one knew who ran the place. No one asked anymore. It generally was not met with favorable results.

Daryl didn't want to be working there, but it was something that couldn't be helped. His old man, abusive fuck that he was had gone and had a stroke two years ago and Daryl and Merle had been left to try and scrounge up and find him a place to stay. The alternative of them staying with their father and taking care of him was not even an option. Merle flat out refused and Daryl knew if he slipped into that role of caregiver of his father, cantankerous as he was, even partially disabled now, he could not be held responsible for his actions.

So the only solution had been to put Will, the oldest Dixon, into a nursing home. Daryl's mechanic job was not enough to even come close to covering the hefty bill that came each month so Daryl had immediately started looking for a job. He had come across the ad on a bulletin board in the hardware store, though it hadn't taken long for the store owner to realize what it was and take it down immediately. It had advertised earning money while dating. He had thought he had nothing left to lose and had called the number. He had wanted to vomit the first few times he had had to fuck the women that hired him to carry out one ruse or another or just because they wanted company for the evening.

But gradually he had learned if he went somehere else, concentrated his mind elsewhere, he could get the job done. He paid attention to the girl's sounds, Terri, her name was, and knew she was about to come. He hurried up and let her finish and finished himself, replacing her dress back down over her backside and zipping his pants back up. He didn't mind the charm he had to ooze, he didn't mind taking them out to fancy dinners and ballroom dances and even baseball games. But when they wanted this extra special treatment, he hated it. Hated it with every fiber of his being, almost as much as he hated feeling like he didn't have a fucking choice. At the end of the day when the bills were piling up, he swallowed down his pride, telling himself that this would be the last time. And when he told himself that, he always meant it. But then he'd get home, gathering the mail out of the mail box and another couple grand of medical bills would be added to the steadily growing pile.

He stood and waited by the door while she rearranged her hair and clothes. "Ready for the reception, darlin'?," he drawled, using his best southern charm accent because that's what she had asked for when she had filled out her profile online.

"Thought you'd never ask," She said beaming at him. Daryl escorted her from the room, glancing to the sides to make certain no one saw them leaving. The last thing he needed was some bullshit Jerry Springer drama occurring because she'd decided that she had to have him right here at the church. She was the paying customer and the customer was right and all that bullshit.

They went on to the reception and he twirled her around the dance floor and made sure that she was the envy of all her bitchy friends, looking on while their husbands or fiancés wondered what the hell they were doing wrong in life. He bid her goodnight at her door and tried to ignore the wistful look in her eyes. They never got it. They never understood it. That it really was just a job for him. Sometimes he wished he wasn't so goddamned good at his job. It would make this part easier maybe. Or maybe it would never come to the point that he was sorry he had to tell them, in no uncertain terms, that he was not interested in taking things further. Not ever.

He sighed as he walked back through the door to his apartment and flipping on his laptop to check his messages. He didn't have a job lined up for the next weekend but Andrea had told him of a possibility in the works and to check his account when he got home. The screen came to life and he clicked on the icon that would take him to The Dating Game's website and logged himself in.

Sure enough, Beth Greene was requesting the pleasure of his services the next weekend and the weekend after that. She had purchased the premium package, which meant he would be going all out and meeting with her ahead of time to discuss details. It was often that way with the higher paying customers. For whatever reason, they had to make sure that he was up for the job beforehand.

He wondered what this Beth person had so important going on in her life that she needed him two weekends in a row. He had women request him for two days in a row, but two weeks solid. This job, though, he thought adding the figures up in his head, would allow him to sit back and relax for a little while. He checked his calendar for conflicts and was relieved that he didn't have any except for a brunch on the Sunday after this girl's final date.

He checked his watch and noted that the time was early and figured he'd better go ahead and get it all set up. Then he firmly planned on popping a beer and sitting out on his back patio, listen to the country sounds. It was his favorite part of year, summer, and most nights you could find him sitting outside. When he had the time, he still liked going hiking and camping, but as busy as he had been lately, that had fallen by the wayside.

He dialed the number on his screen and it rang twice before she answered.

"Hello?" her voice was silky, like warm honey over soft skin.

"I'm trying to reach Beth Greene." He said, careful to use his most professional tone. It was the one thing Andrea got onto him the most. He had even taken a class in accent reduction at her insistence and it helped. That is, until he got angry or he started drinking. Then his accent just let loose and he was powerless to keep himself from sounding like the redneck that he was. Would always be. It was just in his blood. He was a Dixon after all.

"This is Beth," She said, her voice lilting at the end.

"Beth, this is Daryl, you requested the services of The Dating Game." He ended the statement with a question. These first encounters always made him nervous, even if they were over the telephone. He just wasn't good with words, never had been. Andrea had to make his first calls for him for the first two months and then coached him for a few months after that. It had only been recently that he'd been able to do this on his own.

"Yes, I did," she answered him evenly and he thought he heard her whispering and heard a lot of movement and background of noise. She must be around other people. He waited a respectable amount of time and her cue. "Okay, I can talk now." She said, her voice low.

"Thought we'd go ahead and set up a first meeting to go over the details of our arrangement." He said smoothly.

Beth was amazed at his voice. He sounded so sure of himself and his voice. God, his voice. It sounded like. Sex. It made her nervous and shaky thinking about him.

"First details," She said and then realized that her words had come out scrambled. "I mean, first time." She felt her face turning redder and the heat was almost unbearable. "I mean, yes, our first date." And then groaned inwardly, certain that he was going to think the biggest moron in five counties had hired him. She could swear she heard him chuckling on the other line.

"Yeah, okay so I can meet you tomorrow. Did you have a place in mind?" He asked, amused that she was so flustered and they were only on the phone. He wondered if she was going to be one of those shy ones. Sometimes he liked to fuck with them a little because it was just so fun and he couldn't help himself. How else was he supposed to break up the monotony of taking out pretty girls and fucking them senseless in the back of limousines, in church offices and vestries, in hotel rooms sometimes when the occasion called for it.

Beth could have screamed as a crackle came across the line. "Mine? My place?" She was so confused.

"No, I said do you have a place in mind. To meet. You know, like for coffee or whatever." He said it slowly and she realized that he probably thought he should break it down simply so she could understand him. Since she was clearly an idiot!

"Starbucks?" she said weakly, wanting nothing more than this conversation to be over. "The one on Peachtree Boulevard close to the Georgia Dome?" she asked him.

"Nah," he said and then caught himself. "No, that road has a ton of construction going on. We'd never be able to get back out of there. How about the one at the corner of Peach Grove Road and Elm?" He asked her.

"That's fine. Noon?" Beth was grateful she was able to get those two half-formed sentences out without sounding like a complete moron.

"Noon it is. See you then, Beth." And with that he hung up.

Beth walked back into the front room where she had been visiting with Daddy and Maggie. She and her sister headed over here about every Saturday and Beth figured she'd better make an extra effort today since she was busy the next two weekends, first with April's wedding and then with her five year high school reunion the following weekend. It was going to be a whirlwind affair and while she knew she wouldn't have to see him at the wedding, his sister would be there and there was no way she was going alone. And there was no way in hell she'd ever let him know she still pined for him. He had broken her heart and now she was going to break his. At least that was the plan.

Her reunion was quite a different story. She and Zach had gone together since middle school and they had graduated together. They had broken up six months ago and she knew he'd be there. Those two events back to back were more than she could bear handling alone. Her close friend Carl Grimes had agreed to accompany her to both of the events but then he'd gone and broken his leg, rendering him out of commission for the long haul. Sighing she had finally resorted to the only thing she could think of, an escort service. She couldn't afford it on her meager teacher's salary so she had taken an enormous chunk out of her savings account, telling herself she was doing something for herself for a change.

"Who was that?" Maggie asked her as she sat back down on the sofa across from her father. Maggie was studying her face carefully and Beth knew it was still red from her fumbling conversation with Daryl.

She shrugged. "Just a guy." Beth looked at her sister and smiled coyly, hoping she was going to buy it.

"Ohhh, does 'just a guy' have a name." Maggie asked. "You've been talking about him for weeks. I'm starting to wonder if he actually exists." She said in her teasing tone. Maggie meant well, but sometimes she was too nosy for her own good.

"Yeah, his name is Daryl." Beth said, jutting her chin out and playing the coy card for as long as it was going to work.

"Oh yeah, Daryl what," Maggie challenged her.

"Just Daryl, you busybody," she scolded Maggie, and sticking her tongue out at her. "He'll be at the wedding Saturday. Too bad you can't go Daddy." A friend of the family's daughter was getting married. Zach's family was friends with the family too and she already knew Zach was planning on going. But there was no way she was ready to face him.

"I know, Bethie, but I'm not as young as I used to be. Don't think I could sit still out there in the heat all day."

Beth loved April but the girl had chosen to get married outside, in a field of wildflowers, in the middle of the most unforgiving heat wave Georgia had ever seen. "I know Daddy," Beth said as she smiled at him, reaching over to pat his hand.

"Mags, you ready to head back?" She said to Maggie, looking at her watch and wishing for simpler times when all she had to do was trudge up the stairs when she was ready for bed, she and Maggie whispering in the dark, sharing secrets and heartache alike.

"Yeah, traffic will probably be a bear this time of night," Maggie said and they both stood.

Hershel Greene got up and walked his daughters to the door. It was just him in this big rambling house now, Annette, Beth's mama having passed a few years back.

"'Night Daddy," the girls both said in unison as they stepped out onto the porch.

Hershel closed the door behind them and watched both girls get in Beth's car and was grateful that they remained close all these years. It hadn't always been that way between them, but since they had both grown into adulthood they were fast friends. His brow furrowed thinking of his youngest daughter and knew she was hiding something tonight but tried not to worry about it too much. Whatever it was, she usually came to him with it eventually. She had a good head on her shoulders, his Beth and he trusted her to make good choices. As he climbed the stairs his final time for the night, his old bones creaked and he groaned as he reached the top, but he was thankful for every breath he took nowadays. It was the circle of life he supposed. He only hoped that one day real soon that both girls would settle down, marry and give him some grandkids before he was too old to enjoy them. But his girls were like him that way. They had to do things their own way, make their own mistakes and find their own way in life. It was just the Greene way.

xxx-xxx

Beth closed the door to her apartment and reached down to pick up Mr. Whiskers, her solid black cat and he purred at her appreciatively as she carried him back to her room and sat him on the bed. She was so tired she knew she'd sleep good. She was insanely grateful that school was out for summer. Beth worked as a first grade teacher in the Atlanta suburbs. She had an apartment downtown as it had been most convenient when Beth had been going to school. Now that she had been teaching for nearly a year, she knew she needed to move closer to where she was teaching but she honestly loved living in the city. Loved the busy streets, the fast pace of life, the fact that she could get coffee at nearly any time of day or night. Even when the main places were closed you could always find some greasy spoon or old fashioned café open. Those places often had the best coffee anyway, she thought.

She felt a vibration from her phone, indicating a notification of some kind. She glanced at it and read over the display, wondering who could be texting her this late at night. "See you at 12:00, Starbucks, Elm and Peachtree – D." It was from Daryl. She went ahead and programmed his name along with his number into her phone and got ready for bed.

As she laid her head down on her pillow, she wondered what kind of person Daryl was. She already knew what he looked like. He was hot. She pulled the website up on her phone and quickly logged into her account, going to her recent transactions. Her heart thudded an extra beat in her chest when she clicked on his picture. He was the absolute poster child for sexy hunk of man; short sandy blonde hair, bright blue eyes almost crystalline in appearance, rugged, sharply chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and best of all, a smoldering gaze, so mysterious it sent chills down her spine. She clicked her phone off and set it on the bedside table, thinking that she was going to enjoy meeting him but she was nervous about the whole thing. She had never done anything like this before. It was scary, but exciting. As she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of the handsome stranger she hadn't yet met and wondered about the man behind the mystery.

**This is the first time I have attempted anything like this with Bethyl so I am a little nervous. We shall see how this goes. Not your typical AU. Not your typical Bethyl. So all the way around, not typical at all. In this story, none of the original things really exist so it may be a little OOC but hopefully I can still bring justice to their chemistry and their amazing love story. So let me know what you think of these two teaser chapters and see if it has potential. Let me know! Thanks as always for being so awesome. Until next time, xoxoxoxoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I'll have a double non-fat white chocolate mocha grande latte hold the whipped cream, please" Beth ordered her coffee on rote. She had her order memorized by now. If she was at her regular Starbucks, they would have begun fixing it as soon as they saw her walk up to the counter. She was predictable that way. Her entire life was predictable. "Wait, on second thought. I'll have something different. Make that a double non-fat caramel macchiato with an extra shot of expresso." She smiled at the cashier, hoping that they didn't get too mad at her for changing her order at the last minute.

It wasn't a life-shattering change, ordering different coffee, but it was something different at least. She had decided this morning that she was going to start incorporating changes in her life. She had thought when she moved to Atlanta that she could really do something different, be exciting, _be_ different, but she was a school teacher for goodness sake. Besides the fact that she was an introvert. There weren't a lot of things that she could to dramatically change her life. She sighed, looking at her phone again, checking the time. She had come early before meeting Daryl so she could be the first one there. She hated walking in to a blind date knowing the person was walking her walk towards them. In this case, it would make her even more nervous than she already felt.

They called out that her order was ready and she picked it up and chose a table by the far wall so she could observe the comings and goings of the patrons of the shop. Beth had always liked watching people and she was convinced if you sat at Starbucks long enough, you would see one of each person from every walk of life come in. The mall was an even better place to observe the phenomenon that was human nature. Even as a child, she had always been quiet, favoring books to playing with friends, favored listening to music quietly in her room rather than going to parties when she was a teenager. Even in college, when everyone else was out sowing their wild oats, Beth could be found in the library studying or writing a long line of term papers. She had tried studying in her dorm but that had been a joke. Her roommate was basically the campus slut and had a steady stream of boys coming in and out of her room. Beth found it unsettling and stayed away from her dorm room as much as possible that first year. After that, she got a private room, vowing to never room with anyone again, especially someone she didn't know.

Which brought her to her source of discomfort over having to resort to hiring an escort for her social needs. She had had boyfriends, sure, but she didn't have a ton of experience. She wasn't stupid, she knew the place that Daryl worked for was an escort service on the surface, but she had heard stories around town that if you wanted to, you could get more than just a date out of it. She didn't know if they were just rumors or not, but she tried not to think about it too much.

She honestly didn't think she had a choice. There was no way she was showing up to the wedding or the reunion without a date. And a good story to back it up. All those prissy little queen bees she had gone to school with already had great lives with husbands for the most part. Jessica, her childhood friend from all the way back in kindergarten was married already and had one kid. Her husband was some hot-shot attorney in New York City and she was a housewife. Mya was her best friend through high school and they had kept in good touch all through college and still did, and she was the only one of them she wouldn't begrudge happiness. Mya was still in grad school, getting her masters degree in healthcare management. She admired her tenacity and focus. The four years Beth had spent at university had been about all that Beth could handle. She had been ready to get out and embrace the world.

Beth loved teaching. Something about being a positive influence on young minds just thrilled her soul. She loved every minute she spent in the classroom teaching her students and it was the place that she was probably most at home, besides maybe at home with her guitar on her lap, singing the drabbles she made up from time to time.

First grade was the best grade to teach in her opinion. They weren't the unsure, reticent little faces of kindergarteners but they didn't know so much already that they were unruly. First grade, in Beth's opinion, was the molding year for students. It was the earliest year you could help them form the best habits for developing good habits for a better chance at education.

Beth picked up her phone and clicked through her notifications. Various e-mails, twitter notifications and texts cluttered up her screen. She dismissed all of them, seeking out the photo she had downloaded to her phone last night, the picture of Daryl from the dating website. He was so gorgeous and she wondered briefly if the photo was touched up. She knew sometimes sites did that. Brush away a wrinkle here, a freckle there, and voila, picture perfect!

She sometimes wished she took better photos. She knew people thought she was cute. She got that all the time. But she didn't want to be cute; she wanted to be beautiful. She glanced down at her outfit again, smoothing the bright floral sundress out over her lap. It was short but no so much that it left little to the imagination. She was a pretty conservative dresser. She had even donned a small white sweater to cover her shoulders. She was self-conscious of her shoulders; they stuck out a bit in her opinion. Maggie always insisted that she was crazy and told her she envied her small bone structure to which Beth always rolled her eyes. In her opinion, her sister was gorgeous and her beauty rivaled that of any model.

Beth looked back down at her phone, studying the photo as if she could materialize his presence. "See something you like, darlin'?" drawled the voice from right beside her. Beth jumped a mile before turning to see where the deep voice had come from, and flushing when realizing that it was Daryl. He had somehow come in without her realizing. _Probably because you were drooling over his photo_, she thought, berating herself for her stupidity. He already thought she was an idiot over their phone conversation and now he was going to think she was some starry-eyed, lovestruck teenager. She groaned inwardly and clicked her phone to stealth mode.

"Oh ummmm, hi," Beth began and felt the blush creeping up in her cheeks. This was _not _a good first impression. _Really eloquent, Beth, _she thought.

"Hi, I'm Daryl," He looked down at her and she made to get up. She was raised in the south after all and even if she was embarassed she wasn't about to forget her manners.

She was surprised when Daryl placed his hand on her shoulder, stilling her movements for a moment. "You don't need to get up," he said smoothly as he took the seat next to her, not across from her, but next to her at the tiny cafe table that seated maybe three people if they held their coffee in their hands. Her skin fairly burned with his touch and his voice so close to her, drawling very near her ear had her about to melt. They were out for coffee and she was about to spontaneously implode. This did not bode well for her.

She was very aware of his leg as he sat, so close to hers as it brushed against her bare leg. "I'm Beth," she extended her hand to him and he took it and shook it firmly. His hands were large, his fingers callused and work-worn and she found herself wondering what he did to get his hands to be that rough. She swallowed hard and felt her mouth go dry at the thought of what else he could do with those hands. God, Beth, get a grip on yourself. She was not some oversexed teenager. She needed to start behaving like it. She fingered her coffee cup, tracing the line at the edge of the cup and then lifted it with both hands, sipping the now finally cooling liquid.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked him, setting her coffee back down and trying not to let it slosh over the sides, hoping all the while that he didn't see how much her hands were shaking.

"I kind of figured you must be." She looked at him blankly for a moment. "You were the only girl in here with a picture of me pulled up on your phone." Beth's face flushed anew with his pointed remark. So much for hoping he would let that slide.

"I, yeah, ummm. That was," She looked at her hands, hands going to her coffee cup and decided to place her hands in her lap instead. She looked at him and was drawn instantly to his eyes. They were the bluest blue she had ever seen, except for maybe the ones she saw in the mirror and they drew her in like a magnet.

"Well Beth, I'm pleased to meet you", he said when he finally, finally released her hand.

"My pleasure as well, Daryl. Do you have a last name, Daryl?" She asked him and then wished she could take the statement. She had meant it to come out coy but instead it came out as an actual question, which was stupid. Because of course he had a last name. And besides that, he probably didn't want people to know what it was in his line of work.

"I do have a last name, but for now, let's just keep it simple. I'll be Daryl. You can be Beth. Although it's a little unfair because I do know yours is Greene, but for now why don't we pretend that I don't. It seems I make you nervous." He said.

Daryl had walked into the place a few moments ago, not sure what to expect of this first meeting. It was always a crap shoot, in his book. It always struck him though how it was usually a pretty girl that hired him out. He couldn't understand why these girls had to resort to an escort service to get a date. He had never asked.

And this girl sitting beside him, she was about the prettiest thing he had ever laid eyes on. Long blonde hair, hanging in waves and tumbling about her shoulders, her skin lightly sunkissed from the summer sun. She was gorgeous and he'd be lying if he didn't notice the way her sweater kept sliding off her shoulder, revealing a bare expanse of skin, smooth as alabaster.

Nervous? She knew her nerves showed but she really didn't need him to verbalize it, because it made it completely worse. "Nervous? No I'm not nervous," She tried to lie but knew she was failing miserably.

Daryl chuckled when she denied his statement. She was really kind of cute with her cheeks all red. She smiled at him then.

"Okay fine, you caught me. I'm nervous." She laughed a little and he smiled at her, revealing two rows of perfect white teeth and it went all the way to his eyes, that smile. She inhaled sharply, needing the extra oxygen. He was way more handsome than his picture on the website and she knew she had been wrong. It was not touched up at all. If it had been, it would have done him at least some justice. The man was just sex personified and that was all there was to it. She tried not stare too hard at his shoulders or his arms, which were tanned and completely ripped, all muscle and hard edges. He was wearing a light blue polo shirt and khakis with a pair of Sperry top-siders. He looked like he was ready for a day on the golf course rather than having coffee with her.

"You want to drink your coffee or do you want to get right down to business?" Daryl asked her. Some girls liked to draw the thing out and though he truly enjoyed teasing her, her nervousness seemed to make him nervous and that was actually different. He had never been nervous with a girl before. But her fidgeting with her cup, tracing her finger around the rim, had him thinking all kinds of thoughts he wasn't used to having. He had never been around girls much at least not this intimate of a setting. He just wasn't the courting kind. He was the get drunk and fuck 'em and leave before morning kind. Honestly it was the only thing he'd ever known. After all, he'd learned from the best. His brother, Merle, had always had a way with the ladies. Daryl figured he always would just as he figured _he'd_ never feel any differently about the opposite sex. He was too damaged for anything else. He didn't figure that was about to change either. Concentrate on the job, Dixon, he told himself.

"I umm...Yeah," Beth resigned. "I'm sorry, I have never done anything like this before. And I'm hopeless at it." She looked up at him, completely exasperated with herself. Now he absolutely knew she was an idiot. She had darn near admitted it, she thought. He smiled at her again, a litte half smile and she found herself smiling back slightly in response.

"It's okay, Beth," she liked the sound of her name tumbling from his lips. "I've been doing this for awhile so I know how this works. It'd help if you told me a little bit about why you hired me. Bitchy friends? Need to make an ex jealous? Need to impress your boss? Believe me, I've heard it all. And all this is confidential." He held up his three fingers, "Scout's honor".

"You were a boy scout?" Beth had a sudden vision of a blonde-haired little boy running around town and going camping to earn his badges.

"Hell, no," Daryl chuckled. A boy scout couldn't be further from the hell that was his childhood. He dismissed the thought and concentrated on the pretty blonde beside him.

"Then how am I supposed to believe you?" Beth giggled.

Her laugh. It was infectious and he laughed with her. She didn't have that annoying laugh so many had. Her voice was soft, lilting and the giggle erupted before she could stop it. She flushed again and he loved that her face did that. Just fired up red whenever she was embarassed about something. If he was being honest with himself, he kind of thought it was cute she was nervous. It might even turn him on a bit.

"Guess you're going to have to trust me then," He smirked at her, turning on the charm. He had gotten rather good at it over the past two years.

His eyes, god, his eyes. They seemed to look straight into her. They spoke volumes. And right now they looked like they could read what her mind was screaming. She was so attracted to him it was ridiculous.

"Okay, but you have to promise not to laugh or judge me." She said grinning.

He held up those three fingers again and the laughter bubbled up out of her throat. "You are impossible." She playfully swatted at his hand and then retreated her fingers back to her lap where they belonged. He looked at her, his eyes going slightly darker and her fingers tingled where she had touched him. She had been nervous before but he had managed to put her at ease. Now she had a nervous energy of a different kind. Like what his eyes might look like if they roved over her body as she laid beneath him. Jesus, Beth, get a grip, she thought. You're at Starbucks for god's sake, not the strip bar up the street. Not that she had ever been to a place like that. Her face reddened just thinking about it, especially in the presence of him.

She took a deep cleansing breath and began telling him everything, feeling more at ease the more she got into her story. He was a very good listener. She told him all about her the friends she had gone to school with and how she first grade school teacher. She told him about Zach. And all of it. She didn't leave out any of the details like she had when she had told Maggie. Of course it was a little easier to talk about now that some time had passed.

Then she told him the crux of it. How she had gone to Zach's place to surprise him one afternoon. She had used her key to let herself in as she was planning on making him a special dinner. He had been so stressed lately and working late at the advertising firm where he worked. She had just wanted to do something nice for him. So she was extremely surprised to find that he was home and occupied with a leggy blonde whom she later found out was his boss at the firm where he worked. It had been an ugly fight. She had accused him of sleeping his way to the top. He had accused her of being a prude. That he wanted an open relationship so he could screw whoever he wanted. It would have been better if he had taken a knife and cut out her heart. She didn't tell Daryl this part. She saved that just for her own tortured mind, something she took out every now again when she was feeling extra melancholy over the loss of the relationship.

She had broken up with him that day, throwing his 1 carat diamond engagement ring at his face. She wished now that she had kept it and pawned it but in the moment, she had been so angry, all she had seen was red. He was still with the woman according to their mutual friends and she knew his sister would be at the weddding and bitch that she was, she'd be watching Beth's every move. No, showing up without a date on her arm was just not an option.

"So you do want revenge?" Daryl asked when she had finally finished speaking. He was suprrised to feel anger while she was speaking. "He's an idiot, Beth. You can have any guy you want. Let's show him." He coaxed her gently. He could tell by the way she spoke of him that she was no longer hung up on him. She was angry. In his opinion, anger was the best emotion for something like this.

Beth thought it over for a moment and thought about how badly Zach had hurt her. How she wanted to take the high road but she just still was so mad about the whole thing. "Yeah, I think I do." She said. Then the more she thought about how Zach might react to her being with this jaw-droppingly handsome man next to her, twirling on the dance floor in his arms. "Yes, I do. I want revenge. I want him to hurt as badly as he hurt me. I know it's not a great thing to admit to, but I want him to pay. Even if it's just with his emotions." Beth said looking at him evenly and feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"So he will be at the reunion, but not at the wedding?" Daryl asked, needing clarification for the plan that was forming in his mind. He'd done this at least a dozen times before. He was good at it. He could do the revenge bit because he knew all the right moves to make. Knew all the ways to make a guy jealous. He had never been that kind of guy, the kind to get jealous over a girl, well because for all intents and purposes, Daryl had never had a steady girl before. Just a long series of one night stands and the occasional friends with benefits situation. Something to scratch an itch and that was it.

"Yes, his sister will be at the wedding and we never got along, but she and Zach are close." Not getting along was an understatement. Miranda had always been a bitch to her. She had never approved of her and thought she was not good enough for Zach. "She'll report back to him on everything."

"Okay, then," he said as he put his hands back on the table with the deal that had just been struck. "I have the plan in my head. And it'll work, but you have to follow my instructions." He said then looking at her pointedly.

"What's the plan?" Beth leaned closer to him, feeling like he was her co-conspirator and in a way he was. She had just revealed more to him in 30 minutes than she had to Mya in the whole span of their friendship probably. She wondered what it was about him that made her want to open up to him. He had the whole bad boy image going for him but she saw something else too, something a little darker, maybe even damaged. She wasn't sure what made someone be an escort and she was sure he had his reasons, but she knew that there was more to Daryl than met the eye.

Daryl looked at his watch. He hated to end this meeting but he had gotten another text from Andrea that morning. He was to meet another client in forty-five minutes and the beltway was going to be a bitch. He didn't even want to go now that he was sitting here with pretty Beth Greene, but a job was a job, he supposed. At least this wasn't going to be long and drawn out. From what he understood from her profile she needed a date to a business dinner two days from now and she was an out-of-towner. Those were the easiest ones to manage.

"Are you free for dinner tonight?" He realized that it almost sounded like he was asking her out but he didn't retract his statement wondering briefly what she was would if he did.

Beth was taken aback by his question. Was he asking her out? Was he wanting to meet again to come up with their plan? His eyes had gone dark again. She found herself staring at them and unable to break away. He had that smolder down pat, she thought. She realized that she hadn't answered him yet and finally stammered her response, feeling the surge of nerves again. What was it about this man that disarmed her so? "Yes, I'm free." She held her breath in anticipation.

"I know this little place, hole in the wall diner. It's quiet and we can talk without interruptions. Can I pick you up? I promise I won't bite. Not unless you want me to." Daryl smirked at her. He just couldn't resist. She was all nervous and her hands were fluttering about her coffee cup again, now empty.

Beth flushed at his words. The implications of his statement were not lost on her and she felt her breath hitch in her chest and go shallow at the thought of his teeth, his lips on her. Bolstered by the surge of adrenaline and clear desire, she replied flippantly, "But you don't know if _I'll_ bite. I was _not _a scout either." She was pleased with her response, smiling demurely at him.

Daryl's jaw would have dropped open had he not had his hand propped on his chin, studying her. Oh she wanted to play with fire, huh? He chuckled at her response. The girl surprised him that was for sure.

"So is that a yes?" He asked and watched her get flustered all over again.

The look he was giving her had her heart beating wildly in her chest. Was he asking if she wanted to bite him? Wait. She fought to control her breathing, as well as her runaway thoughts. Picking her up at her house, she thought. "Yes, yes, you can pick me up. What time?"

"Seven okay?," he asked and he could stay there teasing her all day but he had to get going if he was going to make his next appointment. Damn Andrea anyway, he thought. She nodded her assent. "Text me your address." He stood up then. "I hate to leave but I have an appointment across town."

Beth proferred her hand again to shake it, but he surprised her by taking it into his hand curling his fingers around her palm and bringing his hand up to his mouth pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand.

"I'll pick you up tonight, beautiful." He smirked at her as he dropped her hand and walked away, feeling her eyes on him the entire time.

Beth knew her jaw had dropped open and she tucked her hand back to her lap and willed her nerves to settle down before she finally gathered up enough wits about her to get up and leave the shop. Had he really just kissed her hand? Like they did in all the movies. Beth had never had any guy kiss the back of her hand. She'd kissed the back of her own hand when she used to practice kissing as an angsty teen, but this? Furthermore, he had called her beautiful. She couldn't even process that one yet.

Calm down, Beth, she told her herself. It was probably one of the things he did on a daily basis in his line of work. He probably had all the romance tropes down to a science. He was disarmingly handsome, sexy and he had the charm to match. It just left Beth wondering why in the hell the guy was doing this job instead of modeling men's underwear or acting or any number of things someone with his good lucks, magnetism and charisma could do.

She sighed as she walked up the sidewalk and got in her car to drive back to her apartment. She glanced at the clock on her dashboard and noted that she had several hours before he was coming to retrieve her from her house. Several hours in which to calm her heart rate and get it out of her head that what he had just done had anything to do with her bceause it was way more likely that it was just something to put on his resume. Still, her heart beat faster every time she thought of him kissing the back of her hand. And the more she thought about it, the more she got curious about how his lips would feel pressed to hers.

Daryl walked out of the Starbucks, internally berating himself for the way he felt about kissing Beth Greene's hand. Sure he'd called women beautiful before and in her case, it had seemed right, natural. But, never in all of his days working this job had he done anything as stupid as that. It was like some white knight shit on some Hollywood chick flick. _Good god, Dixon, you better fuckin' get a handle on this_, he thought to himself.

What struck him the most though was the look on her face when he did it. She looked at him like he was her prince. She looked at him like he hung the moon. She looked at him like he was something. But he wasn't. Daryl Dixon was nobody. He was nothin' and he best not forget it.

* * *

**You guys, I am SO shocked by the tremendous response this story has gotten. I told myself I would be happy that if got like 4 reviews and see how it went. But this story already has so many followers, favorites and reviews, my heart just soars! So thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am going to try hard to respond to all reviews here in a bit. :) You guys are the absolute best. **

**Now, before you worry that I am going to graphically describe every scene Daryl has that he has to "service", don't worry. It's going to be a short-lived thing him taking on those kinds of assignments, because as you know deep down he's just not going to be able to do it when he starts to realize stuff and thangs about Beth and him. Plus it nearly killed me to write that scene but as one reviewer said, it was kind of like showing what Daryl's world is really like. Not just the telling of it but actually seeing it and how he feels about it. Thanks for reading and all that jazz. Hope you like this chapter update. Please let me know so if I know to continue. k? You guys are the best! Until next time, xoxoxoxoxo **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Despite her better judgment and berating herself for putting more energy into this than she really should, Beth decided to take a shower before Daryl picked her up for dinner. She knew it wasn't really a date but that was kind of the point. She hadn't been on a date in what felt like forever. She had a couple of blind dates set up by well-meaning friends but they had crashed and burned and they hardly counted.

This didn't either, but she figured she was paying for it so she may as well enjoy it. Pretend that she was going on a real date with the sex god that was Daryl Dixon. That's what she had come to think of him anyway. She replayed him kissing her hand and telling her she was beautiful over and over again in her mind until she was nearly swooning, which was ridiculous considering the nature of their relationship. But she figured she could pretend for a little while even if it was just for pure entertainment purposes.

As she stepped into the warm spray, she tilted her head back and let the water sluice over her face and scrubbed the make-up off with her hands. She poured a generous dollop of shampoo into her hand and lathered her hair up, relishing the feel of the hot water washing over her and letting her mind wander.

Of course the only thing on her mind right now was Daryl. She thought back to how good he had looked earlier. She thought about his sandy blonde hair, sharply chiseled jawline, slight scruff, wide-spanning shoulders rounding down to bulging biceps. She thought about all those things but the thing that she was most curious about was his mouth. How his lips would feel pressed to hers. How they would feel pressed to her body. What his tongue could do to her. What he could do to her. She knew without even thinking about it that he could make her feel things that she hadn't felt in far too long.

She began thinking about how his hands had felt when he had gripped her palm. That led her to thinking about him kissing the back of her hand and thinking about what it might be like to have his mouth on other parts of her body. Her lips against his, his tongue dipping in at her neck, licking every surface as he moved lower, laving her nipples. Her breathing started to labor a bit and she slid her hands down over her neck, pressing her palms in when she reached her breasts, feeling her nipples, already hardened peaks, taut and firm and aching. She kept one hand on her breast and let the other drift slower, passing over her belly. She cocked one leg out to the side as she slid one finger down, parting her lips, and fingering her clit, applying firm rotating pressure.

She felt it then, that warm pleasant weight settling in, feeling the calm wash over her like a drug, her eyelids dragging down with gravity and seeping into her veins like liquid metal making everything slow down and speed up all at once. Her breathing was getting more shallow as she slid one finger inside her aching, wet center, pumping it in and out as she brought her knee up higher on the side of the shower wall, bracing her toes on the ledge of the tub. Gaining better access, she moved her other hand down further, putting her finger on her clit, rubbing furiously as she thought of Daryl's tongue replacing her finger, flicking it back and forth.

She groaned in anticipation, feeling her orgasm coming, barely noticing at first the temperature of the water.

"Damnit!" she swore loudly. Stupid apartment complexes and their tiny water heaters. She hurriedly turned off the water and wrung her hair out, quickly getting out and drying off. She looked in the mirror, her skin showing the telltale blush of arousal.

She was completely frustrated. She had been so close to orgasm and then the water had gone cold, effectively aborting whatever exquisite pleasure she had been about to experience. And now it was gone, all desire having been deflated by the blast of cold water.

Glancing at her watch, she hurried to finish getting ready, pulling on her favorite skinny jeans and her soft pink short sleeved sweater. She slid her feet into her favorite silver strappy sandals and admired the overall effect in the mirror.

She had arranged her hair so it cascaded over one shoulder, the blonde tresses hanging in perfect waves. She had decided to go with little make up, opting instead for the fresh faced look and her eyes seemed to stand out better that way. She frowned at the sweater. It had always been one of her favorite items of clothing but right now she was feeling like it made her look too soft, too innocent. On impulse she went to her closet and pulled out the tight fitting black shirt with the deep plunging neckline. Maggie had picked it out for her and it still had the tags attached; she had never worn it before because she'd been afraid it would show too much skin but as she re-surveyed her appearance in the full length mirror, she decided that this look suited her better for the mood she was in. All that fantasizing about Daryl in the shower may not have given her a mind-blowing orgasm, but it had sure rekindled her desire. She felt a surge in her libido as she put the finishing touches on her lips, sliding on her favorite nude lip gloss hearing the knock at the door. Steeling her nerves, she grabbed her small black purse and tucked her phone inside. With one final calming breath she opened the door.

* * *

Daryl had the shittiest afternoon ever. His client had been late for their meeting and she had been a complete bitch to him when she had finally arrived. No matter how he tried to turn on the charm and turn her thoughts elsewhere, she had looked at him just like he was some piece of goddamn meat. It was clients like these that really made him hate his job. The woman was pretty to be sure, long dark straight hair swept back from her face and smoky dark eyes. They had met at the park and it just seemed all kinds of wrong for him to be at the park on a beautiful Georgia afternoon with this bitch expecting something from him. Something he knew he was supposed to do but he didn't want to do it all the same. He tried not to think too hard on the fact that he would be picking Beth up in just a few short hours.

"So, sexy," she had said looking at him demurely, "what will it take for you to take me back to your place right now and ravish me."

Daryl fought the urge to roll his eyes at her blatant advance. He'd met more of her type in the past couple of years than he cared to admit. Sometimes the ones from out of town were the easiest and sometimes it was like this. A horny businesswoman, in for the week and just needing a good fuck and someone to show them the town. Daryl reprimanded himself for his bad attitude. He had just gotten another medical bill yesterday and he needed this extra money and hated that he did. Hated that he had to resort to this just to make ends meet, having to pay for his father's care. It made him hate him all over again when he felt this way; when he felt trapped in a situation he could not get out of. When he felt like the world was against him and it was never going to get any better than this right here.

"Well sugar, why don't we go onto your hotel if that's what you're really wanting this afternoon." He looked at her, gazing at him with obvious lust in her eyes. He swallowed past the lump that always formed when he knew that he was about to travel down this road and figured he'd just get it over with as soon as possible.

They arrived at her hotel room and she was on him as soon as they walked in the door. She turned her face up towards his, expecting him to kiss her.

"No kissing." It was his one hard and fast rule. He hadn't started out his contract that way but as time had gone on he realized that it was just too intimate for him. Sex he could do, but kissing felt too personal.

The chick shrugged and seamlessly pressed kisses to the side of his neck and he could not seem to get turned on by anything she did. He was going to have to step up his game if he was going to pull off this pay day. He started kissing her neck and put his mind elsewhere.

Pretty little Beth Greene's face popped into his head and he gasped. The chick was moving down his chest, her hands pulling at the hem of his shirt and skimming underneath, sliding her hands up his chest. He knew the woman kissing him was a client but for once he really let his mind wander and he imagined instead Beth's lips on his skin. Imagined it was her hands on him, pulling at his pants, divesting him of all of his clothing, imagined it was her with her fingers sliding his boxers off as his now hardened cock sprung free. He saw the desire in the woman's eyes and all he could think of was a pretty little blonde wrapping her hands around his rock-hard member and it had his pulse racing. He pulled her strappy dress off her shoulders and off her body in one move, dropping it to the floor and walked her back to the bed and flipping her around.

"Oh you're gonna fuck me hard aren't you," She purred at him.

"You bet your sweet ass, I am," he said as he yanked her panties down over her pert ass and slapped it for good measure, wishing like hell it was Beth's ass he was slapping.

She squealed and bent over, exposing her pink lips, glistening, wet, and he didn't waste time. He grasped his cock in one hand while he pushed her to the bed, guiding himself into her hot, wet pussy.

"Oh yeah, baby, give it to me," she practically growled it over her shoulder and he shoved her head down onto the bed.

"Face forward," he demanded as he thrust in her as far as he could go, feeling his balls slap against her ass, skin slapping against skin. It was better for him this way, fucking them from behind. Then he didn't have to fight so hard to avoid looking in their eyes, afraid of what he might see reflected back in them. He knew he pleased them; knew he was good at what he did. What he did to them. He just didn't want to see their eyes when he did it.

She moaned and shoved her ass back towards him with each thrust, and he set a pace that was maddening but calculating, effective. He closed his eyes at the feeling, giving himself over to the pleasure, feeling her walls clenching around his dick and it sent him over the edge. He finished and pulled himself out of her, pulling the condom off and depositing it in the wastebasket by the bed and began to dress.

"You aren't going already are you," she pouted from the bed where she had laid down.

"Afraid so, I have another client," he said by way of explanation, knowing that it was the one thing that usually shut them up.

As he finished pulling his shoes on, he looked back at her once last time. She was lying on the bed, watching him, not bothering to cover herself. He wondered what this woman was like in her normal environment. He was willing to bet she wasn't the sex kitten she was pretending to be now. She was pretty and sexy and her body was hot but there was one thing that stood out to him the most. She was not Beth Greene.

* * *

Beth opened the door and tried to keep her jaw from dropping open. The first thing she noticed was his face was cleanly shaven.

"Hey," he said and she noted that his eyes were different, colder. They were not giving off the same smolder they had just hours ago when he had kissed her hand.

"Hi," She smiled at him and his face brightened some. She guessed she would be smiling a lot tonight.

Mr. Whiskers chose that moment to come out of hiding and greet their guest, winding his way around her legs and Daryl's as well, meowing all the while.

Daryl looked down, "What's his name?" he asked as he reached down and the cat came to him readily. He scooped the cat up in his arms. "He's beautiful," he remarked stroking the cat's fur and Mr. Whiskers purred in response.

"Mr. Whiskers," Beth said shyly hoping he wasn't going to laugh at the somewhat goofy name she had for her pet.

"Good name, Mr. Whiskers," He crooned to the cat and Beth's heart melted. Zach had never gotten along with her cat, claiming that the cat didn't like him. She had to admit that the cat had taken an extreme hatred towards him, hissing at him when Zach came near and urinating on his items whenever he got the chance. Beth had been surprised by the behavior and had hoped it would get better. Then when she and Zach had crashed and burned, she figured her cat had known Zach better than she did; decided that he was a good judge of character.

"He likes you," Beth said, smiling softly as Daryl looked at her.

He smiled back at her and his eyes had gone a little softer, the hard edges having muted a bit with petting Mr. Whiskers. She decided her cat wasn't the only one that liked Daryl.

He put the cat gently to the floor and stood back up, "You ready?" He said surveying her. "You look very pretty tonight." He said as his eyes scanned over her and Beth's heart skipped a beat.

"Thank you, you look good too," Beth said, hoping her eyes didn't give too much away. He had changed into a blue chambray button up shirt and it was tucked into a pair of jeans that accentuated everything, not leaving much to the imagination.

She looked back up at him to see he his eyes had adopted an amused glint and he smirked at her, holding out his arm. Beth flushed, realizing that she had just gotten caught staring at his crotch.

The ride to the diner was short and they chatted pleasantly about mundane things like the weather and the Bulldogs and what kind of season they might have coming up.

Daryl walked around the car and noted that she had already gotten out on her own side. It made him wonder who she had dated in the past. If she had been dating the right guy, she would have waited for him to come around and open it for him. It made him sad for some reason to think of her not being treated the way she deserved.

They walked into the diner and Beth was instantly charmed by the environment. Just the right amount of lighting and well worn but functional booths lined every available wall. The place was surprisingly slow, she thought as Daryl placed his hand on the small of her back guiding her to a booth in the back. They took their seats and she followed Daryl's lead, pulling a menu from a wire rack from the edge of the table closest to the wall.

She grabbed her bag and pulled her glasses out. She had always needed glasses to read. She donned them and quickly scanned the menu, knowing full well she would not be able to eat.

"I didn't know you wore glasses," Beth looked up from her menu to see that he was staring at her intently and his eyes had gone all dark and stormy again.

She angled her menu down and looked up at him over her glasses, "Just for reading," she remarked, wondering what was going through his mind. His eyes were slightly glazed over and if she was not mistaken, his eyes had transformed into dark pools of desire.

Daryl's jaw dropped as she donned her glasses, looking at the overall effect and he remembered reading in her profile that she was a school teacher. When she looked up at him, her eyes peering at him over the rim of her glasses, he was gone. It had him imagining every single teacher scenario in his ever-expanding repertoire of bedroom tricks.

Daryl's gaze made her nervous but not in the uncomfortable way. Instead, she was imagining him again as she did in the shower that afternoon. She felt the heat creep into her cheeks with the memory.

"So what's good," Beth said after clearing her throat and trying to steer the topic of conversation to something other than herself and clear her mind of the errant thoughts seeping in.

"Everything really," Daryl said, picking his own menu back up.

The waitress came back over then, an older lady, her name tag reading 'Bea'. "Hi Daryl, it's good to see you in here again, I haven't seen you in a while." She remarked pulling her pad and pen out from her apron.

Beth noticed she was looking back and forth between the two of them trying to get a read on their relationship. "Can I get you something to drink sweetie?" Bea directed her question at her and Beth smiled up at her.

"Sure I'll have a Diet Coke," She replied easily and waited for Daryl to place his order.

"What about you sugar? Your usual?" She said, smiling sweetly at Daryl. She obviously had a soft spot for him, her gaze motherly and proud.

"Yes, Miss Bea," Daryl replied and as Beth looked at him she was taken aback by his change in demeanor.

Bea wrote down their drink orders and walked away. On impulse, Beth asked Daryl, her tone low, "So do you bring all your clients here? It's got a nice homey atmosphere," she remarked taking in the feel of the diner. It was a hole in the wall but these places often had the best food. Like the city's best kept secrets.

Beth looked back at Daryl and he had gone back to studying her again. "No, this is the first time," Daryl remarked.

"Oh," was the only thing that Beth could think of to say. He obviously loved this place and they knew him here. For him to bring her someplace that was personal to him struck her as odd but she was exhilarated by the thought of it.

Daryl realized that he had done it again. He had done something that was completely out of character for him. He hadn't even thought twice about bringing her here, never giving credence to the fact that he never brought his clients here. This was a first for him. It seemed that with Beth, everything was a series of firsts.

Beth responded honestly, "Well thank you for bringing me here." She said as she put her menu down, having decided on the chicken Caesar salad. She smiled sweetly at him.

Daryl couldn't figure it out, his thoughts were all over the place when he was with her. One minute he was insanely aroused by her and the next he was overcome with a feeling he couldn't define. Right now, he just felt warm all over, comforted somehow and it struck him that her presence alone could make him feel that way.

Bea came back with their drinks and took their order, smiling softly at them as she walked away. "Okay, now so what's the plan. You mentioned that I would have to follow it to the letter."

"First thing is, we have to decide how we met. I already thought of something unless you already have something in mind," Daryl said looking at her.

Beth thought for a moment but was drawing a blank. She was embarrassed to realize that she had not given her revenge plot much thought since she had actually met Daryl. She blamed the gorgeous man in front of her for that. She shook her head. "I'm all ears", She propped her hands under her chin, giving him her full attention.

"I work during the week at a mechanic shop. It was my old man's place. I now manage it and do most of the work myself. We will tell everyone we met when you brought your car in to be repaired." Daryl waited for her reaction.

Beth looked at him. This man was a genius. It was perfect and she felt giddy with anticipation. "I like this so far. But how did we end up going out." Beth asked him.

"That's easy," he replied. "It was love at first sight." As soon as the words left his mouth he rushed to add, "People eat that shit up."

She nodded at him, understanding completely but the thought of falling in love with Daryl at first sight had her thoughts racing. Her mouth was dry and she reached for her soda, relishing the cool liquid as it flowed down her parched throat.

"Okay so what else." She asked him.

"The rest is up to us," Daryl replied evenly. "It can be as good as we want to make it. I'll sweep you off your feet. Make it look good."

Beth simply nodded at him, unable to speak. She wished fervently that this was all real. _Get a grip, Beth, this man is just doing his job and you mooning over him isn't going to change that,_ she thought.

He took out a notepad, "So I know all about you and that douchebag you were engaged too, but I need to know you. I need to know everything Beth Greene."

"Should I be taking notes too?" She asked him, suddenly nervous again.

"No, darlin', this is all about you. I'll be focusing so much on you, no one will even notice me. All they will see is a beautiful girl being treated like the princess she is." He said smoothly and for once, it didn't feel like a line. He liked it. And it scared him.

Beth's heart nearly melted at his words. She knew it was probably some line that he had just pulled out of his notepad, but it made her fluttery inside all the same. She didn't know if she could form coherent words so she smiled at him instead.

She looked so goddamned beautiful sitting across from him, her hair falling down over her shoulders leading his eyes to her cleavage where she was leaning forward taking in every word he said like it mattered.

"What else do you want to know?" She asked him finally able to gain some control over her thoughts as Bea brought their food over. They thanked her and Beth picked up her fork, picking at the salad.

"Why don't you just start talking and tell me what you like, hobbies, interests. You're a teacher, right?" Beth nodded her head at him. "Good, then let's start there. What grade do you teach?"

Beth beamed at him, happy to talk about her biggest passion in life. She told him all about her love of teaching, how it was the only thing she had ever really wanted to do. She told him about how it made her feel to bring learning to those young minds and even told a couple of anecdotal stories from some of her most memorable students.

He chuckled at her latest story and realized that he had put his pen down long ago and just listened to her. For once he didn't feel like he was taking notes for some big test. He felt like he was really getting to know her.

"I liked my first grade teacher," He said, surprising himself by his openness. "Mrs. Motz," he said, his memories taking him back. "She used to bring me cookies sometimes. Sneak them in my book bag," he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. "They were the best cookies."

"So she brought cookies to the class a lot," Beth said. She often brought treats for her kids too, but tried to steer away from all the sugary ones knowing it wouldn't help them get their lessons done any faster.

Daryl looked at her for a long moment, as if deciding something, "No, just me. I think she felt sorry for me on account I didn't have the best home life." He looked at her a little hesitantly, unsure of how she would take what he had just told her, surprised that he had revealed even this much. He had never told anyone of his abusive past and hadn't been planning to now but there was something about her that made him want to open up.

Beth looked at him carefully and it clicked into place for her then. She had a student like that last year. A little boy, just six years old and already wearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. When she saw the bruises on him the first time, her heart had broken in half at the same time it set her blood to boiling. That someone could hit a child, someone so innocent and full of trust, was something she could not fathom. She had watched him for a few days, quietly observing and when she had finally talked it over with the school social worker, they had made the call to child protective services. She had cried all weekend and the middle of next week, she had received word that he had been removed from the home and would no longer be going to the school. She had been glad that he was out of that dangerous and hurtful environment, but so heartbroken that it had come to that.

Daryl looked at her and he didn't see any of the telltale signs of pity that he expected. She just simply nodded her head. He quickly changed the subject. "So what are your hobbies?" He took that moment to dig into the cheeseburger he had ordered, relishing the taste of it.

Beth beamed at him and launched into a full discussion of her love of music, how she sometimes wrote her own songs and played them out on her guitar. She told him about her cat, how she had found him as a rescue. He had been a hissing, biting, scratching terror when she got him.

"Seems like he got over that, huh?" Daryl chuckled at her description of the cat. From what he had seen, the feline was not capable of hurting even a flea. She giggled at his words and he found he wanted to sit here with her all night, listening to her talk about herself. Quite simply he was enchanted and it was a foreign feeling to him.

The rest of dinner went well although Beth mainly just picked at her food, taking small bites every now and then, unable to quell the surge of nerves that came in waves every few seconds.

Before she knew it he was walking her to her apartment door. She stood in front of the door with her keys in her hand, not knowing what to expect now. This wasn't a date, not really, so she didn't know whether he would kiss her but she desperately wished he would.

She remembered seeing a movie once where a guy was trying to teach men how to get women. One of the funniest scenes of the whole movie was when he walked the guy to his door in a mock exercise. He had told him if the lady jingles her keys while walking to the door, it meant she wanted to be kissed. Beth thought it couldn't hurt; it wasn't likely he had seen the movie anyway, but what did she have to lose? She jingled her keys lightly before turning around to face him, her back pressed against the door.

As Daryl walked her to her door, he was thinking of only one thing: how badly he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to see what her lips tasted like. She looked all nervous and was fidgeting with her keys and for reasons he didn't understand, it had him feeling nervous too.

"I had a nice time," she began, then countered with, "I think our plan will work out fine." She smiled up at him and noticed that he was standing very close to her.

Daryl moved towards her and looked at her for a long moment, what felt like an eternity, and in that moment everything had come rushing at him, the way she was looking at him, the way she had looked at him that afternoon, how her lips looked slightly parted and he watched, mesmerized as her tongue flitted out and ran along her bottom lip, leaving in its wake a sheen of moisture making her look even more kissable.

It went against everything in him and the one rule he had set up but as he looked into her eyes, he found he was helpless, being pulled to her like the proverbial moth to a flame and he knew he was about to get burned and he found he didn't much care.

Beth's eyes took in Daryl's moving over her face, zeroing in hungrily on her lips. She realized his intent and she braced herself for it and closed her eyes just as his lips reached hers. The kiss was soft, tentative, and achingly tender. His lips were warm, soft, pliant and barely moved over hers. She opened her mouth at the gentle probing of his tongue and kissed him back. It was warm, languid and Beth felt giddy and groggy all at the same time, all the slack going out of her muscles as she leaned heavily against the door behind her.

All too soon, he pulled back, sucking in her bottom lip before finally breaking the kiss. "Goodnight Beth." He whispered as he walked away.

She watched him go, her heart at her feet and her stomach in her chest. Everything in her was a jumble. Nerves, butterflies, and the sweet, sensuous feeling that she had been well and truly kissed. She sighed deeply, unlocked her door and went inside.

As she closed the door behind her, she risked a peek down the hallway and caught a glimpse of him as he turned the corner to the elevator, looking back at her. She grinned at him, knowing she looked a fool but she didn't care. He smiled back, a genuine smile and she closed the door, her heart feeling lighter than it had in months. Daryl had just given her the best kiss of her life and she hoped like hell it was the first of many.

* * *

Daryl stepped back out on the sidewalk, wishing for once that it was cool outside instead of the sticky Georgia humidity that had him feeling you could wring water right out from the air. His lips still tingled from the kiss. He didn't know why he had done it but he found he was glad. He found that he liked it. Worst of all, he found that he wanted to do it again.

He had known her for less than 24 hours and he didn't understand how one tiny, perfect, beautiful woman could have that much impact on him but for the first time in his life, he was looking forward to what came next. She had managed to without much effort at all, work her way under his skin like no one ever had. He waited for the loathing and disgust that might come from feeling that way, but it never came. Instead all he felt was a warm weight settle over his chest, making him feel like anything was possible. Maybe just maybe, he could do this. And maybe, if she let him, he could kiss her again.

**Okay guys, this chapter was an absolute beast to get done. I must have worked on it 50 times before finally deciding that it was as good as it was going to get. Hope you liked it and it met with your expectations. I am amazed at the sudden popularity of this story. Someone PM'ed me and told me that it was being circulated on Twitter by a few people. That just blows my mind y'all, so thank you! Thank you too to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed since last update. You guys are so freaking awesome. I'm glad this story has gained so many readers and I hope that I can do it justice. :) **

**Special thanks to Georgiegirl75 for the subtle suggestion that I should draw on the fact that Beth is a school teacher. Bravo dear, I like how you think. ;) Was it effective. **

**Oh and before anyone gets upset thinking that Daryl is just gonna bang all kinds of girls, I just wanted to include this particular part to let you know one thing; he is not okay with this life. He is only doing it because he has to. And Beth coming into his life is seriously going to eff up his way of thinking. **

**Also as always a VERY special thank you goes out to my bae Jazznsmoke. She is just the best y'all! Thank you girl for putting up with yet another of my diva moments. I couldn't have done this chapter without your help. In fact, I couldn't do this whole STORY without you! Love you! I gotta give a shout-out too to my great friend PrincessPears, but you might know her better as SlytherinPrincess. She is my inspiration for this chapter. You are the queen of this particular genre, thanks for being you! **

**Okay, well now the author's note is almost as long as the chapter itself. Sorry? ;) So until next time, xoxoxoxoxo **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**A/N: I just have to say that you guys are the freaking best ever! I can't believe this story has over 100 followers already. So yeah, my mind is blown with that. THANK YOU! Further notes at the bottom after the chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

Daryl walked back in Beth's apartment building, glancing about the floor because he couldn't seem to find his keys. He was sincerely hoping he had not locked them in his car. He tried to remember when he had last had them. The only keys that seemed to be in the forefront of his mind were Beth's dangling from her hand, slightly jingling, when was contemplating kissing her.

He hated the thought of walking all the way back up to her apartment. Walking away from her had been harder than he had thought. He found that he liked just being near her. It confused the hell out of him but he wasn't quite ready to analyze that yet.

He reached into his pocket, feeling his phone vibrating. He glanced at the display on his phone noting that Andrea was trying to contact him. Again. "What the fuck does she want?" he thought sourly.

_Andrea: Got a client. Can you meet them in an hour? _

He was quick to type out a reply.

_Daryl: What's the big hurry? It's getting late. I already met two clients today. _

_Andrea: It's one of your regulars. They are asking for you. Please baby, you know I can make it up to you. ;) _

_Daryl: Can't you find someone else? I can't be the only one you have on call._

And it was true. He knew of at least three others right here in the downtown area. Andrea had been getting pretty pushy lately and while he understood it was a business, there was only so much one man could do. As for her owing him, he'd pass on that and she full well knew he would too. They had had a brief affair when he had first started with the agency, her coyly suggesting that she needed to sample the merchandise. It was anything that he really wanted. She was attractive and had a rock hard body but he just hadn't been into it. He hadn't been into her. He couldn't remember being into anyone here lately, come to think of it, unless you considered a certain pretty little blonde who just happened to be right upstairs. He was still searching every corner of the entrance when someone came flying through and crashed right into him.

"Hey, watch it," he replied before he saw who it was. It was Beth.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, did you see my cat?" he must have been looking at her blankly because she further clarified, "My cat. I can't find him."

He looked down at her and she looked like she was frantic and about to cry. That should have had him hightailing it out of there and for reasons that he would later question, he asked her, "He wasn't there when you walked back in your apartment."

"I didn't seem him but I was, er, distracted," Beth finished. She knew when he'd likely escaped. When she had been watching Daryl back down the hall. She knew she sounded like an awkward idiot. What's worse is that she could feel the telltale signs of tears at the backs of her eyes, stinging and demanding to be released. Mr. Whiskers wasn't just a pet to Beth. He was her friend, her companion, and the closest thing to a child she was likely to get at the moment. As the first tears started falling, she saw Daryl staring at her and he looked something like a deer caught in headlights.

"Has he ever gotten out before?" He asked her and she shook her head miserably.

"I don't know what to do. It's dark and what if he got outside somewhere." She looked around anxiously and started calling for him again like she had all the way down the hall and down the four flights of stairs before she ran headlong into Daryl.

Daryl took a look at Beth calling for her cat and looking frantic and he swore to himself. He typed out a quick reply to Andrea.

_Daryl: Something just came up. It can't wait. Sorry_.

He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and turned back around to find that Beth was nowhere to be found. He followed the sound of her voice calling out in a loud whisper for her feline friend. Daryl followed after her, feeling helpless and wondering what the hell he was doing at the same time. Had he really turned down money to help this chick look for her cat? But the fact of the matter was that Beth was not just some chick, not to him.

He knew he'd regret it later, but he walked over to her and pulled gently on her shoulder until she straightened up where she'd been bent over looking under the potted plants down the hall. She whirled around and faced him and her eyes were unfocused and were flitting about.

He squared her shoulders and stooped down a bit to get to her level, face to face. He didn't even think twice about it. He figured he'd just kissed her not five minutes ago. Touching her like this, calming her down while she was in hysterics. That was okay, wasn't it? His heart galloping in his chest begged to differ. Just touching her was making him think all kinds of things. _Good god, Dixon, _he thought_, what the fuck is your problem? This girl just lost her cat and all you can think about is what she'd be like between the sheets? _

She faced him and he spoke softly to her, as if speaking to a child. "Hey, Beth, look at me," he said and felt a sigh of relief as she finally met his eyes, hers reflecting shadows of loss and worry. "We're going to find him. He can't have gone far." He stated and she looked at him for what seemed like an eternity.

"Why would you help me?" Beth asked him. He was her escort. It seemed that her brain needed a reminder of this, because her heart and the rest of her body didn't seem to have gotten the memo.

"Why not?" Daryl replied, shrugging his shoulders. "If my cat was lost, you'd help me right?" He figured that sounded logical enough.

"Of course," she said, sniffling back another round of tears. She looked up at this man and if he'd been trying to win her over, well then it worked. But she knew that was not what he was about.

They spent the next hour combing over every square inch of the apartment building. By the time they had scoured the area, Beth was crestfallen.

"I just don't' know where he could have gotten to," Beth said her voice forlorn.

Daryl looked at her and in that moment, having cried off all her make-up and her face red and wet with tears, she looked very vulnerable to him, fragile, and damn if he didn't want to pull her into his arms and make her world okay again. He didn't have a single clue of how to approach that but he just knew that he couldn't stand seeing her so sad.

She started crying hysterically again and Daryl led her gently back up to her apartment. "Let's go get you some water and we'll look for him again in a minute." She nodded at him as they walked back up the stairs.

They arrived at her apartment door and it was standing wide open. He looked at her sideways and wanted to yell at her about the danger of something so stupid, especially in downtown Atlanta, a mecca for crime these days. He settled instead for gentle admonishment instinctively knowing that the former would be met with more tears. "Probably shouldn't leave your door open like that," Ge remarked. "Want me to check your place out? Any weirdo could have wandered in?" He looked at her. "You know like a male escort or something." He'd added that last part on impulse and regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. It was so much easier, with Beth, to pretend that this was something else entirely. He hadn't intended it but she laughed a little, more like a snort actually and Daryl found it humorous as well and chuckled lightly before setting about to check out her apartment.

He walked through all the rooms and noted that she had really good taste in decorating, most of the place decorated in neutral colors but accented with the brightly colored cushion here and a spectacular painting there. She had a pretty little wooden table in her hallway and he stopped for a minute to admire the finish. Walnut if he wasn't mistaken and the carvings were impeccable. Daryl dabbled a little in furniture making. Carpentry had always been a hobby of his and lately he'd been making rocking chairs and dining sets and he sometimes sold them to a few people he knew for extra cash, usually for just a few dollars over what it had cost him for materials. There was something so satisfying and distracting about working with your hands, creating something, to make the everyday cares of the world fall off to the deepest recesses of your mind. Of course, lately, Andrea kept him so busy he didn't have time enough for sleep, let alone a hobby.

Feeling relatively satisfied that there were no hobos or serial killers in Beth's apartment he walked back out to the living area where Beth was perched on the edge of the sofa, sipping on the glass of water he had brought her. She looked like she was about to fall apart again, but she was doing remarkably well holding it together.

He thought if it wasn't for his fucked up past he might think she was over-reacting. But he knew all too well what it was like to lose a pet. He had been about 12 years old. He had found Axel on one of his long hunts out in the woods. He'd snuck food out to it for a month before his dad had found out one day. Daryl had crept out at night, sure that his old man had been passed out from his daily long binge, so he had been surprised when his father had taken the can of tuna and slices of bread from his hand and thrown them at the dog and with a yelp he had ran off, tailed tucked through his legs like the devil was chasing him. With what happened next, it may as well have been the devil that chased him off. Will Dixon had dragged him back by the scruff of his shirt and Daryl knew the moment he heard the belt whip out from his father's pants, each belt loop resounding a dull slap as the belt met with the barrier, that he was in for it. When he was a boy, he had never had a name for what his father was. Now he knew that he was just a monster.

He had never been able to find Axel after that and after the way his dad had acted, he couldn't really blame him. He often envied the dog for doing the very thing that Daryl was too chicken-shit to do. Run way.

He eased himself down onto the sofa beside Beth, taking her glass from her hand. She turned her face to look up at him and gave him a somewhat watery smile, "I know you think it's probably stupid. I know you think he's just a cat."

She lowered her eyes, her face a slight flush, and looked back up at him, the tears still shining and her lip quivering slightly and it wrecked him.

"Do you think he's just a cat?" Beth looked at him, the intensity of his gaze taking her breath away.

"No," he replied shaking her head slightly. "He's my world right now. And I know that sounds incredibly stupid and sad and like I'm some cat lady but I don't care. He's always been there for me. And now I can't be here for him." She let the tears fall then. Beth had always been one of those people that handled adversity fairly well, plugging along, doing what had to be done. It was when someone offered them their shoulder that she turned into a trembling, sobbing mess. This was one of those times, she decided.

"Then he's not just a cat, Beth." The way he spoke her name, it rolling off his tongue like a lover's call, pulling all the strings of her heart at once, threatening to cut off her blood supply. She wished she had drank more of the water instead of sipping mindlessly while her mind wandered. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and looked back up at him. He leaned towards her, his eyes not leaving her lips.

She took a deep breath at the shock of his gaze and the tension in his eyes, inhaling sharply like a drowning person surfacing from the deepest ocean. She closed her eyes, realizing his intent, and leaned into him just as his lips met hers. It was the merest brush of lips, barely could even qualify as a kiss but Beth felt it with such ferocity that it felt her heart was out of rhythm for a full 60 seconds after he pulled away.

Daryl reached up and smoothed Beth's hair back from her forehead. "You ready to look for Mr. Whiskers again", he asked gently, holding out his hand to her.

She placed her hand in his like it was the most natural thing in the world, only staring at their linked fingers a moment later trying to figure out how it happened. "You remember his name?" Beth asked him, looking at him quizzically.

"You trying to say I'm old?" he joked and she flushed.

"No, I meant that. Oh never mind," She said, hating the way her face had fired up with blush the moment she tripped over her words. She seemed to be making a habit of it with him.

"Beth, I was kidding." Daryl found that he liked her name. Like saying it, liked the way it slipped from his lips and ended in a near whisper, like she was some kind of secret. He figured in a way she was. With her breathtaking beauty, gentle curves, winning personality and single status, she might just be the best kept secret in all the state of Georgia.

Beth smiled up at him then and it lit up her face. Hell, he thought, it lit up the whole goddamn room.

He stood up and pulled her to her feet. They spent the next two hours trudging up and down the hallway, calling for her cat to no avail.

She had finally asked him why he was still anywhere near her building. She had thought he'd be long gone by the time she'd come back downstairs.

He'd explained to her that he couldn't find his keys. To which they had both started laughing, joking that they were impossible at keeping things. Daryl had thought that if she only knew the half of that statement where he was concerned. He didn't know why he became so self-reflective and pensive when he was around her but she seemed to bring out a different side of him, a side which he was completely unfamiliar with.

By the time they had made another round searching for her beloved pet, it was nearing 2:00 a.m. and Beth was alternately jabbering or yawning. She liked to talk a lot and he thought she might be yawning just from all the sheer gabbing she was doing. Funny thing was that he didn't really mind. He kind of liked it actually. It was a welcome respite from the normal silence that surrounded him, so profound that at times it threatened to deafen him.

"Want to rest for a bit and then we can start looking again?" he asked her as they just arrived back at her apartment door, hoping the cat had come back on his own and they could end this wild goose chase.

She nodded in his direction and opened the door to her apartment and trudged over to the sofa. She took another long swig of water from the glass on the table and was glad that she hadn't eaten much of her salad. If she'd eaten all of that salad, as tied up in knots as her stomach was, it was sure to be coming back up right now.

Daryl had sat beside her on the sofa and was studying her carefully now. She had changed clothes on one of their last rounds. He'd been sorry to see the tight jeans go but knew she had to be more comfortable without all the restriction they imposed. Still, she had the cutest ass he'd ever seen and those jeans had fit her just perfectly. Now she was wearing a pair of baggy sweatpants and a tank with thin spaghetti straps, the right one of which kept snaking its way down over her shoulder to rest against her arm. His fingers fairly twitched with the need to reach out and pull it back up into place. That thought was immediately replaced by the desire to push it all the way down her body, exposing her firm round breasts to him. He felt his cock twitch inside his pants and he shifted a little on the sofa, silently berating himself for his oversexed thoughts.

She leaned back against the back of the couch. "Thank you for helping me look for him. I'll call the local animal shelter in the morning. Post some signs."

Daryl shrugged at her, "Sure, it's not a problem." He noted that her eyes looked sad again and he wished there was something he could do.

Honestly now that they were not looking for her missing companion, he wasn't sure what he was _supposed_ to do.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket for the first time in several hours, noting that he had several missed texts from Andrea. "Guess I better call a locksmith."

Beth shook her head at him. "I know this is a lot to ask, but can you just stay here. Just for a little while longer?"

Well he had been wishing he could help in some small way; he guessed this was his chance. "Sure. Why don't you lean against me and take a quick nap?" He suggested, then wanted to kick himself, knowing full well it was going to be torture being that close to her and not being able to do what he wanted to do.

That puzzled him as well. On the very, very few occasions he had come across someone he did actually find attractive he usually had no problem with turning up the charm and succumbing to his primal urges. He always hated himself later and wished he could burn the money it earned him. In the end, when that happened, it only served to make him hate the job even more.

She looked at him then and smiled softly at him, just the barest hint "You know, I just met you today and you checked my house out for serial killers and burglars and it never even crossed my mind _one_ time that you could be one of them.

He laughed outright at that. She had been rather trusting of him. Hell these days, he guessed he could say he'd been rather _trusting_ of her. As she laid her head against his shoulder, that thought hit him in the gut worse than a sucker punch. Daryl Dixon trusting someone wasn't something that ever likely occurred since he had entered the world over three decades ago. He never trusted anyone. He was probably just like Axel in that way. Daryl was a stray, lost, wandering in the woods waiting for someone to come along and take him in. Daryl had never found that. He had never found that level of trust with anyone that allowed him to just be himself. Until Beth.

He looked down at her slumbering peacefully against him, her head resting against his shoulder and cutting off the circulation in his arm but he didn't care. He'd cut off his own arm if it meant getting to hold her the rest of this night, just like this.

Daryl awoke a short time later to the unmistakable sound of scratching and meowing. He disentangled himself from Beth whose head dropped back on the sofa, her mouth hanging open at a rather unladylike fashion and he stifled a laugh at how cute she was in her sleep.

Walking over to the door, he eased it open, the cat immediately meowing his displeasure at having been locked out. He scooped him up his arms, cradling him and stroking his ears, the feline pressing his head into Daryl's hand, readily accepting the affection.

"Someone has really missed you," he whispered to the cat and walked him over to the sofa and just set him down.

Predictably, the cat sauntered over to Beth and nosed his way up to her face, rubbing the side of his face against her chin.

Beth stirred and her eyes popped open at the realization. "Mister!" she cried, scooping him up. That's what she called him most of the time. Mr. Whiskers was such a mouthful. She looked at him, all bright eyed and her hair mussed from sleep, and Daryl had never seen anything so beautiful as he did in her smiling at him that moment. He felt like he had just won the motherfucking lottery the way she was looking at him. Again like he was some kind of hero. But he wasn't.

"He came back." She marveled.

Daryl felt the corners of his mouth turn up in an involuntary smile and nodded at her.

They stared at one another for what felt like an eternity. "It's late," Beth stated. "You should just stay here, I can make up the guest room. I think you've proved you're not a crazed lunatic." She looked at him sheepishly, "Although you probably think _I am_ crazy."

"Nah, you're fine." Daryl ran a hand over the scruff on his face. "I can just sleep here on the sofa." He suggested.

Beth stood up and nodded her head at him, depositing the cat on the floor. He stood up to see her out of the room, just like the Southern gentleman he was. She leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek simultaneously putting her arms around him for a hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

Daryl's arms hung out at his sides momentarily before he finally brought one arm up, awkwardly placing his palm against her back and squeezing just slightly in response to her spontaneity. He didn't have time to process the hug or the kiss on his cheek before she pulled herself from him.

"Goodnight Daryl," she said looking at him one more moment before walking back to her bedroom.

"Goodnight, Beth," he replied and as soon as she was out of sight, he sat back on the sofa, all the air having finally left him.

Daryl thought of sweet Beth Greene going to sleep in her bed and how it had felt when she had hugged him.

Beth thought of Daryl just a couple of rooms away, sleeping, in _her_ apartment and thought of him staying there, selflessly, and helping her find her cat.

Beth didn't sleep one wink rest of that night.

Daryl didn't either.

* * *

Across town, Andrea listened to the voice on the other line, the mystery man, the man behind the huge operation that was The Dating Game. "We have to upgrade our image and branch out. Some of the other agencies are starting to squeeze us out. We're not hard enough. We've been playing this too safe. The market is _right _now. We got to strike while the iron is hot". He said and Andrea could hear him inhaling a deep drag off a cigarette. He was a smoker; that was virtually the only thing that anyone knew about him.

"I understand," she replied. "What do you need from me?" she asked him, nerves biting at her, keeping her on edge.

"I need you to speak with your employees. Set them straight. They don't turn down any job. Ever. If they refuse, use whatever means necessary to make sure they follow through. I think you know what I'm talking about. Am I right?" His voice dropped an octave at his question, his tone laced with menace.

Andrea did not miss his point. She may have never met him but she'd definitely met his "handlers". "Yes, sir," she hated having to pander to his ego but knew it was necessary. The consequences were too dire. "I'll speak to them. You don't need to worry about a thing." She reassured him, hoping like hell she could make good on that promise.

"I'm not worried, Andrea." He said in an even clip. "We'll speak again next week." With that he hung up and Andrea looked at the display. Two minutes and three seconds. That as all it took to have her hands shaking, her stomach heaving and terror threatening to paralyze her at any moment. He wasn't worried, but she was. She had a lot riding on this and damn if she was going to let some two-bit escort stand in her way.

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**So…what do you think? Were you surprised at the twist at the end? What do you think is going on with Andrea and the mysterious boss-man? **

**This story is such fun to write and when I first started writing it, I had one purpose, to get it out of my head on paper so the idea would leave me alone. Now it has morphed into this huge project. I'm pretty sure I have the next 14 chapters mapped out, so we will see. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you have the others. Thanks again for reading, reviewing, recommending, and favoriting and just being all around AWESOME. You guys make this all worth it. Now if October would just hurry up and get here that would be great. Until next time, xoxoxoxo **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

For the second night in a row, Beth tossed and turned in her bed. She could not get Daryl out of her mind. He seemed to be ever-present in the forefront. He had texted her a few times since he had left her house the other morning. It was mostly stuff relating to their plan and little facts like favorite colors and favorite foods. Her lips still burned from his kisses. You'd think she had never been kissed before but the fact of the matter was that she had been kissed enough to know that it had never been nearly enough. She had always been left wanting. In fact, if Beth really thought back over her entire sexual history, she had largely always been rather unsatisfied.

Beth wondered if the internet would have any valuable information. Curiosity finally got the best of her and she caved, booting up her laptop and began an exhaustive search on escort services, male escorts and any other combination of terms she could find.

She read voraciously everything she came across. One caught her eye; it was an ad for a male escort. He called himself Flynn. He claimed that he could rescue you from your everyday life and make you forget your problems exist. He went on to explain that if all you need was a friend to listen then he was your guy. I'll be that person to simply listen to you and appreciate you just as you should be. She would have stopped reading there, as the bile rose in her throat, but the last sentence claimed her attention. It said that he would be an attentive and patient partner, making absolute sure that ALL her needs were taken care of.

Beth didn't know how to feel about any of this. Words like gigolo, hired husband, man for hire danced around in her brain taunting her. Putting the two facets of the ad together, she came to one conclusion and she wanted to be sick: He was attentive, thoughtful, charming and he was being very handsomely paid to do so.

After an hour or so of nonstop "research" trying to find something, anything that would refute what she had found, she finally gave up. She closed her laptop and walked back over to her bed where Mr. Whiskers was curled up on her pillow. She glanced at her phone display. Daryl had texted her. She read the display quickly, just as she had every other time he had texted her in the past couple of days.

_Going to bed, I'll text you tomorrow. Looking forward to Saturday. – D_

He had texted her exactly 12 times today including this one; she knew because she had counted like some stupid little schoolgirl and now she felt like the biggest idiot alive. It wasn't like it was some kind of secret that she had hired him as her escort. She had paid for it after all and she had resigned herself to it, chalking it up to one more experience. Kind of like an item being scratched off an inadvertent bucket list.

She debated on whether or not to reply. She was so angry that she had been sucked in by his charm and charisma. She thought of how he had looked at her. She thought of how he had kissed her and it set her skin on fire again, the blush creeping up, threatening to scorch her.

When he had kissed her, she had wanted nothing more than for him to keep on going. And in the back of her mind she was secretly thrilled at the thought that she may be getting ready to pay for sex. It scared her as much as it thrilled her and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why it should bother her. She knew what the terms of the contract were. She knew this was all part of Daryl's job. While she had not ever planned on paying for sex originally she had gradually warmed to the idea. She had rationalized by telling herself that she had always done everything by the book and now it was time to branch out beyond her comfort zone.

But when he had kissed her, it had felt so real. She decided that was where the conflict lay. She glanced at her phone again, finally deciding that it really wouldn't do any good punishing Daryl for something she had brought on herself. It would hardly be fair and in the end it would probably punish herself. She quickly tapped out a reply and set her phone back on her nightstand.

_Goodnight Daryl. Sweet dreams. :) - B_

She still didn't feel sleepy so she went over to her desk and grabbed her guitar, piece of paper and pencil scratching out some music to the ever-present lyrics running through her head. Sometimes it was a jumble and it was hard to tell which were supposed to go together, but once in a while when she put it to paper, it turned out to be something kind of special.

She thought back over how Daryl had been the other night, helping her look for Mr. Whiskers. She hummed a few bars of a song she had had running through her head, trying not to think too hard about the fact that she really was wishing Daryl was still in the other room on her couch, just a room away. She began to scrawl out the lyrics, writing in the music with her own personal styled shorthand. She glanced back over the finished product and knew she would probably re-write it twenty seven times before she would find it satisfactory. She picked up her guitar and began to strum the chords for the song and started singing. She had always been able to lose herself in a song before and she hoped her love of music would not fail her now.

If I had my way,  
I'd spend every day right by your side  
And if I could stop time,  
Believe me I'd try for you and I  
And each moment you're gone,  
Is a moment too long in my life  
So stay right here, right now

_[Chorus]_  
'Cause without you I'm a disaster  
(the moment you go)  
And you're my ever after  
(Just thought you should know)  
'Cause I need to know your answer  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I want you to say you're gonna stay with me  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I die every day that you're away from me

If the world ceased to spin,  
You could start it again with just one smile  
If the seas turn to sand  
With the wave of your hand it would rain for miles  
But the thought of you gone,  
Makes everything wrong in my life  
So stay right here, right now

_[Chorus]_  
'Cause without you I'm a disaster  
(the moment you go)  
And you're my ever after  
(Just thought you should know)  
'Cause I need to know your answer  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I want you to say you're gonna stay with me  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I die every day that you're away from me

Beth sat back after she finished it and looked at the paper and she truly loathed herself in that moment. She grabbed it up from the desk and crumpled it up, throwing it down to the waste basket, swearing when she missed and leaving the paper lying on the floor. She trudged her way back to the bed, slumping down and wanting to bury herself in the covers forever. She knew that she had asked for all of this; it was what she had wanted. Why, then did she feel so damned miserable?

* * *

Daryl swore for the tenth time in the last minute as he walked up to the woman's hotel room door. Andrea had been a complete bitch on the phone and he had wanted to tell her that so badly that he had been clenching and unclenching his fists for the past hour. He formed a half fist and put his hand to the door, knocking a little bit louder than he probably needed to.

Andrea had let him know in her surreptitiously bitchy way that she was the one in charge and he was never to turn down a job no matter the circumstances and more and more bullshit he didn't even want to think about. She did this every now and then when she was trying to boost the agencies numbers. She'd go hard core, business would boom and her mood would improve. This was just another of those times to bare, right. Still it pissed him off that she thought she had the right to act like she owned him.

The door swung open to a very pretty leggy blonde, standing in a negligee and a satiny aqua robe, parted and showing an ample amount of tits and he could already see her hardened nipples pressing against the fabric.

As soon as he opened the door and took in her attire, her pouty red lips, and her fuck-me eyes, he knew exactly what kind of job this had just become. He hated this part of it. Hated it with a passion and he was in no fucking mood, honestly for wooing her into bed. But unless he missed his mark she was ready for taking. And the mood that Daryl was in, he knew he had reached the point that he was wound so tight that there was only one way out.

He backed the girl into the room, dispensing with pleasantries and kicking the door closed, instead opting to descend his head on the swell of one tit even as he pulled her tightly against him. He ground his rock-hard cock against her, feeling her pressing herself tightly against him through the too numerous layers of fabric. He looked up at her then and she tried moving her lips down to his, trying to capture his lips with hers and he turned his head to the side, casually sidestepping the advance and pressing open-mouthed kisses to her shoulder. He buried his face in her neck, opting to bring in the sexy dialogue. May as well do it right.

"You like it dirty?" He rasped near her ear, letting his breath reach the hairs at the nape of her neck, exhaling a bit extra.

She purred her response, "Yeah, baby, the dirtier the better." It surprised him that he expected the voice to be different until he realized that he expected the voice to be Beth's. The thought almost had him unraveling but he reigned it back in, opting instead to forcefully pull the blonde back into his arms, cupping one hand on each bare ass cheek, grasping firmly, lifting her to straddle him. He carried her to the bed and deposited her on it and stepped back to remove his clothes, relishing the point when he dropped his boxers and the blonde's eyes went wide and her jaw went slack.

If he didn't have such a hard fast rule for oral sex, he might have let her suck his dick. Instead he'd satisfy the arrangement by fucking the hell out of her. He moved over her and pushed the nothing slip of fabric of her gown upwards, raking his hands over every available surface on the way up, skimming over her nipples with his thumbs and reaching out to tweak them none too gently, smirking when he hears her moan in pleasure.

He growled at her and finished pulling the nightgown over her head and instantly reached for her panties, yanking them down her legs and over her ankles, tossing them behind him, intent on one thing and one thing only. He was driven by frustration and blind lust; a primal urge.

He moved his hands under her hips, grasping the backs of her thighs and pushing her legs up over her head where they rested out from her, forcing her hips upwards and exposing her dripping wet pussy in a perfectly upturned position. He could see from how wet she was that she was ready for him. He reached down and grasped his already hard cock and maneuvered himself on his knees until he was perfectly aligned with her dripping slit. He took one look at her and knew she was into it. Her mouth was parted and her eyes had gone dark, black bleeding out the blue. He entered her in one fluid movement and he was taken over by need. He pumped himself in and out of her pussy, hearing her moans and sighs. He looked down and watched as her tits bounced around and it drove his pace up even further. He ground himself into her again and again. He looked down into the girl's eyes, the one place he always, always avoided and he nearly passed out when he realized that he wanted those eyes to be someone familiar. Someone he knew. He knew while he was here fucking this chick's brains out, that he wanted it to be Beth. He squeezed his eyes shut tight.

"You like it dirty, you dirty little whore." He said. "You got a name? It don't matter to me none. I can fuck you with or without your name." He growled the words at her and she was mindless with passion.

She managed finally, her breath coming faster, "I'm Erin." She said it breathily and it was sultry enough that he allowed himself to teeter along that edge.

"You're gonna come for me, Erin," He said, reaching down to rub that hard little bundle of nerves at the top of her sex. He felt the walls of her pussy clenching and unclenching, coming around his dick. "Come for me, Erin." Her screaming his name and meeting him thrust for thrust in the throes of her orgasm was enough to push him over that ledge and as he spiraled headlong into his orgasm, he wondered how in the hell he had gotten his mind in this state. How he had come to think of Beth as something other than a job. He wondered how the hell she had done it. How had she gone and gotten under his skin when he wasn't paying attention?

He collected his "tip" and left without so much as a backward glance. This was the point where it usually happened and this time was not any different. He hated himself so much that he knew he wouldn't be able to put it into words even if he tried. Daryl figured he hated himself so much he wanted to drink himself into a stupor. But he knew he wouldn't. He had grown up in that shitty environment enough to know that it lead to nowhere. Of course this lifestyle was not going anywhere either. He walked backwards through the thoughts in his mind trying to pinpoint where things had just gone to shit.

He started thinking about Beth and what she might think of what he had just done. It was still self-loathing, it just fell under a different brand. He went back to his apartment and showered. He went to lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling,certain that sleep would come. Instead images of a pretty petite blonde with a smile worthy of the sun, teased his consciousness. It seemed like no matter which way he turned his thoughts, one kept coming back like an old penny: Why did everything in his life seem to now relate to Beth and what the hell was he going to do about it?

* * *

**Song is Without You by My Darkest Days. This song is such a Bethyl song to me and it will most likely figure heavily in this story along with another one but I haven't introduced it yet. ;) **

**I hope I was able to adequately convey the fact that Beth and Daryl are equally horrified to find that they have actually become attached to one another in ways that neither of them had imagined. They are both tormented by thoughts of the other. Beth doesn't want Daryl to be an escort, she just wants him to be with her. Daryl really doesn't know what the hell is going on. He just knows he can't get rid of thoughts of Beth. **

**You guys? Seriously you took my A/N to heart and you left me the most beautiful reviews. It received 19 reviews in one chapter and I could not be happier. So thank you, that's largely because of you guys. SO THANK YOU! **

**Thanks for all my muses. You know who you are. ;) Until next time, xoxoxoxo**

**PS - it goes without saying that Daryl is a safety guy. He is using a condom every time. I just don't want to take away from the story in any way. Just a public service announcement. ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Beth raced into her apartment, realizing her walk resembled something like that of a duck as she tried to avoid messing up her freshly painted toenails. Once her door was shut firmly behind her she forced herself to slow down. It wouldn't do her any good at all getting herself all nervous.

Daryl would be here all too soon and she had to work to soothe her frayed nerves. She had tried everything she could think of to banish thoughts of him, but after two days she finally gave in. It was absolutely futile. She realized that it might be that she missed him, which was crazy. She hadn't even known him that long and they had exactly two encounters with one another besides the increasingly frequent texts they had been exchanging the past couple of days. It kind of freaked her out a little bit thinking about how powerfully attracted she was to him after such a short amount of time knowing him.

She didn't know what to think about the fact that she was attracted to more than just his rugged good looks. It went without saying that he was definitely pretty to look at, with those piercing blue eyes, sharp jaw line, and rock hard body. He had an aura about him that Beth knew would make her clothes fall right off if the circumstances were just right. But it was more than that, she thought. There was just something about him that drew her in made her want to get to know him. One thing that stood out in her mind the most was when he had revealed part of his past to her. There had been something so vulnerable, so real about him that she her heart had ached for whatever it was he had endured. She realized that it only made her want to know him more.

Her brain was at constant war with itself, vacillating between wonder at the way he had kissed her, the way he had touched her, to self-admonishment over knowing that this is what he was doing for a living and he did it very well.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and did a double take. Her watch must be dying again, she thought as she looked at the round display on her wrist. Sure enough she was nearly an hour ahead of schedule. She had been running around all day getting a few last minute things she had convinced herself she needed for the wedding and had decided on impulse to get a mani-pedi, something she rarely ever did, but had decided to splurge for the occasion.

She had already taken her shower but decided to go ahead and apply her make up. She began humming a bit as she usually did when she was focusing on a task. She started by applying a light shade of lilac eye shadow, rimmed her eyes with deep burgundy and applied one coat of mascara to her lush lashes. She finished the look by applying a light rosy blush to perk up her normally alabaster cheeks and a peach-tinted lip gloss.

She realized that she had had these words stuck in her head all day, singing them over and over again. They were the same words from the song she wrote last night. She had hated the lyrics after she wrote them but now that she was singing them she found that she liked them. Something about them spoke to her.

'Cause without you I'm a disaster  
(the moment you go)  
And you're my ever after  
(Just thought you should know)  
'Cause I need to know your answer  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I want you to say you're gonna stay with me  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I die every day that you're away from me

She walked over to her large walk-in closet and stepped inside so she could pull the dress on that she had bought for the occasion. Alternately humming and singing, she pulled the little slip of a dress on she had found on sale at the back of her favorite boutique. She had fallen in love with it instantly. It was a lovely shade of periwinkle accented with the tiniest lilac floral pattern. It had spaghetti straps, a slightly plunging neckline and curved in at her waist before flowing down to mid thigh. She pulled on her matching strappy sandals and set about fixing her hair. She began to pull her pale wavy locks to the side, fastening them with a vintage silver hair clasp. Standing back, she admired the look, deciding that it was as good as it was going to get.

She spun on her heel just as she heard a knock at the door. He was early! She stepped off the wrong way and felt the left heel break off her shoe. She swore as she kicked both shoes off and went to get the door. As she approached it, she stopped and took a steadying breath telling herself that it was just a wedding and this was just Daryl. This was what she had wanted.

Nothing could have prepared her for his jaw-dropping appearance as she opened her door. He was standing there with a three piece suit on. He was clean shaven and he was wearing a three-piece suit in charcoal grey, making the blue of his eyes even more crystalline than usual. She took in his broad shoulders, the hard lines in his arms, and the way he filled out his pants in all the right ways.

Daryl had known what Beth was going to be wearing. He had texted her after all and asked her to send him a picture of her dress so he could coordinate. He knew she thought he was crazy but it really did make sense in situations like these for them to really appear as a couple, as thought they might have chosen their clothing together for this wedding. So he had known what she might look like in the dress and had thought he had prepared himself for it, but when she opened the door, standing there in that little slip of a purple dress, her hair flowing smoothly down one shoulder and the way her eyes seemed to dance when she looked at him, he knew he stared for a little bit longer than was within the socially accepted norms. She was goddamn beautiful and it did nothing to quell his nerves at being here with again.

He cleared his throat and finally found enough words to form a sentence. "You look amazing, Beth" he smiled at her, feeling the words were horribly inadequate to describe how he felt looking at her.

Beth beamed at his words his eyes drawing her in. They were genuine. There was no way that this could be all an act. Could it? She was mesmerized looking at him. He oozed sex and he was looking at her like he wanted to set her body afire with kisses.

"You look pretty hot yourself," Beth said and she flushed at the words that spilled from her lips, not meaning for it to come out.

Daryl chuckled. "Hot huh?" He teased. He knew how her hands tended to flutter about like a bird when she was nervous.

Beth moved her hands up to smooth down imaginary fly-aways and then she put them back to her sides, laughing a little, feeling red all the way down to her toes. But he was hot and she couldn't help herself. Maybe she should just go with it. "Yes, sexy even," She openly flirted and didn't know where it came from other than the fact that the mood seemed pretty light-hearted. She motioned him inside.

"I broke my heel and now I have to find other shoes." She explained, pointing to her bare feet.

"I just thought it was a new kind of wedding. Barefoot in the park or something." He liked this easy banter with her, he realized and it was helping with his nervousness a bit. This was something that he was not used to. Being nervous around his clients.

It hadn't been a problem really until that client he had that looked so much Beth. The next three clients he had he had prayed to a god he wasn't sure was still up there anymore that she wouldn't be blonde-haired and blue-eyed. He had been fortunate in that avenue, however he had been unable to banish thoughts of her at all the past couple of days. He had spent the better part of the last 24 hours chewing on the idea that Beth might be something more than just a client, but it didn't bear thinking about right now in her presence where he could not think clearly.

"No, just your average wedding," she remarked. "And I'll be a less than average guest if I don't go find some shoes. Make yourself at home and I'll be back in a second." She gestured to the sofa, where he had slept just a few short nights ago.

While Beth made her way back to her bedroom, he noticed she was humming and it made him smile for some reason. He seemed to be doing that a little more here lately; smiling. He walked over to the sofa and sat down. Mr. Whiskers followed him into the room and sat at his feet, mewing pitifully. He reached down to pet him and still he was making all kinds of noise.

"Hey Beth, is this cat hungry. He's goin' on something awful right now," he called to the back hoping she could hear him. There was no way he was walking back that way. That would be a bad idea for way too many reasons to contemplate.

Beth was so frustrated trying to find a pair of shoes even half way decent to wear with the pretty new dress. She heard Daryl call out to her.

"Yeah, you mind feeding him? The food is under the sink." She called back to him, hoping her kitchen was at least relatively clean. She couldn't seem to remember.

As Daryl went to stand up something white caught his eye over by the table closest to the kitchen. He walked over to it and for whatever reason, picked it up. It looked like it had seen better days. All balled up it had tiny puncture holes and scratches in it, fraying the paper slightly. He wondered if Mr. Whiskers had been using it as a toy.

He smoothed the paper out, noting that it had writing on it and he didn't stop to think about whether or not he should be reading it.

_If I had my way,  
I'd spend every day right by your side  
And if I could stop time,  
Believe me I'd try for you and I  
And each moment you're gone,  
Is a moment too long in my life  
So stay right here, right now_

_[Chorus]__  
'Cause without you I'm a disaster  
(the moment you go)  
And you're my ever after  
(Just thought you should know)  
'Cause I need to know your answer  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I want you to say you're gonna stay with me  
(Just say you'll stay with me)  
I die every day that you're away from me_

With all the musical notes on the page, it looked like a song. The words were really beautiful and he remembered Beth telling him about her hobby of song-writing and playing guitar. Just as he was about to ball it back up and pretend he hadn't seen it Beth came back into the room.

"Did you find the food okay?" Beth asked as she walked back out to meet Daryl so they could finally leave. She had finally found a pair of light grey strappy sandals, the heel slightly higher than she would have liked, but at least she didn't have to go barefoot.

She looked on in horror as she realized Daryl was holding a piece of paper that looked an awful lot like the song she had written last night. The very song that she had just been singing as she looked for a pair of shoes to wear.

"'M sorry, I found it on the floor. It was in a ball." He said holding it out to her.

She flushed, wondering what he thought of her song, as she reached for the piece of paper. "Mr. Whiskers must have been playing with it. Sometimes he still acts like such a kitten." She joked, hoping he wouldn't notice how embarrassed she was. She normally didn't show her songs to other people much. Just family and close friends.

She looked back at him to find that he was staring at her intently and it was making it just a little bit harder to breathe.

"Why don't you play it for me?" He asked her, his eyes having gone dark, the blues suddenly absorbing the stormy grey of his suit jacket.

She balked for a minute, reaching up and tucking a non-existent strand of hair behind her ear. "You don't want to hear that?" It was a question that begged answering, she realized. He made this seem like such a normal request, like he had just asked to borrow her cell phone or a glass of water. But he asked in such a way that made her want to say yes.

"I asked didn't I?" Beth felt the intensity of his stare all the way to her feet and her heart almost melted under his gaze.

She smiled shyly at him. "Okay, let me get my guitar." She finally relented, thinking what harm could it do. They did still have a few minutes to kill.

Daryl sat on one end of the sofa and watched as Beth came back into the room, carrying her guitar. He realized that he liked the way she walked. She was determined but her step was so light with just the slightest swish of her hips, she made it look flawless and airy.

Beth smiled at Daryl. "Are you sure you want to hear this?" She said, a final attack of nerves threatening to get the best of her. She couldn't help it though. The way he was looking at her was very distracting and her heart kept beating in the most erratic pattern.

Daryl nodded, humming his answer.

Beth began picking out the chords of the song, mostly from memory, only having to look at the paper a couple of times, probably a direct result of having sung it all day long.

She began singing, watching Daryl as her voice carried in the room but as she got into the song, she closed her eyes, feeling the words in her heart like she normally did. Singing had always been a great outlet for her.

_If I had my way,_  
_I'd spend every day right by your side_  
_And if I could stop time,_  
_Believe me I'd try for you and I_  
_And each moment you're gone,_  
_Is a moment too long in my life_  
_So stay right here, right now_

Daryl had never heard anything more beautiful in his whole life. Her voice was soothing and he would have closed his eyes to let the music really sink in but he enjoyed watching her as she gave herself over to the music. This girl was not just a simple school teacher. She was not just some chick looking for revenge on an old boyfriend. She was passionate. She was tender. She was beautiful. She was more, but Daryl just couldn't seem to put a finger on any one word that adequately described all that was Beth Greene. All he knew right now was that for the first time in his life he was exactly where he wanted to be.

_[Chorus]_  
_'Cause without you I'm a disaster_  
_(the moment you go)_  
_And you're my ever after_  
_(Just thought you should know)_  
_'Cause I need to know your answer_  
_(Just say you'll stay with me)_  
_I want you to say you're gonna stay with me_  
_(Just say you'll stay with me)_  
_I die every day that you're away from me_

As Beth sang, she started to realize why she had written the song. The other night when she was trying to clear her head of how she felt about Daryl, she had been writing it about him. She looked at him and if she had to find one word to describe the way he was looking at her, it would be enchanted. She fell under the spell of his eyes and she continued the song, knowing that something was happening, she just didn't know what.

_If the world ceased to spin,_  
_You could start it again with just one smile_  
_If the seas turn to sand_  
_With the wave of your hand it would rain for miles_  
_But the thought of you gone,_  
_Makes everything wrong in my life_  
_So stay right here, right now_

_[Chorus]_  
_'Cause without you I'm a disaster_  
_(the moment you go)_  
_And you're my ever after_  
_(Just thought you should know)_  
_'Cause I need to know your answer_  
_(Just say you'll stay with me)_  
_I want you to say you're gonna stay with me_  
_(Just say you'll stay with me)_  
_I die every day that you're away from me_

Beth put the guitar down on her lap. Daryl was looking at her and his eyes flashed at her, looking like he had just come to some sort of decision. He got up from where he was sitting and came over to her and sat so close that she could swear he could hear her pulse thrumming in her neck. The breath threatened to leave her lungs as she looked straight into his eyes and what she saw there intrigued her as much as it frightened her. His eyes never left hers for an instant and she watched him, mouth dry, heart thundering in her chest. Her mouth dropped open a bit as he took the guitar gently from her lap and placed it behind him on the sofa. He turned back to her and then moved one hand up to each side of her face, eyes closing, pulling her to him gently and placing his lips against hers in the sweetest kiss she had ever had the pleasure to receive. It was tender, gentle, and achingly sweet and ended leaving Beth with one thought. What the hell had just happened?

**Hi guys! So wow! I cannot believe how many reviews this story got last chapter. I continue to be completely amazed by how engaged you guys are with this story and how lovely it is to discuss theories with you. Also very refreshing to be able to wail and complain about how long this stinking hiatus has been! haha **

**Seriously, you guys are the absolute best and I love, love, love your reviews. I need them. This is different from anything I have ever done with Bethyl so every time I get a new follower, I am scared I will disappoint someone. Hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. As you an probably tell, things are kind of building up for the both of them. It should make the wedding interesting. ;) **

**So let me know how I did. I love hearing from you by PM as well. I am still getting around to individual replies on reviews. I will get there eventually, I swear. Thanks again guys and I love you all. Until next time, xoxoxoxoxo**

**PS The song is the same from last chapter "Without You" by My Darkest Days **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

They were on the way to the wedding now at Senoia First Baptist Church. The ride was quiet but it was the kind of comfortable silence between two people who knew each other well, which was strange to Daryl because he had never felt this comfortable with someone before. He kept sneaking glances over at her, marveling at her and this time she caught him and she smiled at him.

He reached over and took her hand and moved it to his lap. She smiled even brighter. If anyone asked him what the hell he was doing, he would have told them he had no fucking clue. He was on foreign territory and he hoped that it didn't show too badly.

Beth had been looking out the window, not really paying attention to the scenery. Rather she was playing over and over in her mind that kiss. She had finished the song and when she looked up, he had this look in his eyes. A look she had never seen on any man's face, not even Zach.

"It's Dixon." Daryl said it softly and Beth looked away from the window to him, her expression slightly puzzled. "My last name. It's Dixon. I thought you might want to introduce me."

Beth looked at him in surprise. She actually hadn't thought much more about it, but he was right. "So is that your fake name you use for the business?" She smiled at him teasingly.

"No, it's actually my name." Daryl looked at her pointedly. He didn't know why he felt inclined to give her his actual name. Maybe it was the kiss. Maybe it was the way she was looking at him since then. Maybe it was the half dozen repetitive thoughts running around in his head. One thing was certain though, it didn't have anything to do with the job. He knew they were there to go to her friend's wedding but it just felt like a normal day to Daryl. Like it was an event they had both looked forward to and planned around for months.

Beth nodded. "Daryl Dixon." The name rolled off her tongue easily and she found that she liked it. "I like it." She smiled at him.

Daryl stopped at the light and stared at her for longer than he probably should but he couldn't figure her out. No one had ever said they liked his name before. Hell, no one had ever said they liked _him_ before.

They pulled up to the church and it was abuzz with activity. They walked in and were escorted to a seat on the bride's side. Beth relaxed against the pew and sat back to enjoy the ceremony. Daryl put his arm around her shoulders and she settled against him as she watched April and John exchange their vows. For reasons that were beyond her, Beth got misty-eyed when they said their I-dos. At one time, she had thought that she was headed in this direction, with Zach. She forced her thoughts elsewhere, knowing it was no good for her to continue that train of thought. She knew she didn't love him anymore, it was just hard having your whole life derailed and being able to recover with any semblance of grace.

Daryl sat back and watched the wedding. They had never really been his thing. He had only been to the weddings to which he had accompanied his clients. Weddings made him generally uncomfortable. He figured it had something to do with the fact that he was uncomfortable with the idea of marriage. Something about being here with Beth though, he saw the wedding in a different light. He saw the couple at the altar as a couple in love and for the first time he wondered what that might be like. What it would be like to have someone to love you so much that they pledged to spend the rest of their life with you. No, Daryl pretty much knew that life wasn't for him. And at the same time he wondered about it. Wondered about what his life might be like if things were different. If he weren't selling his services to desperate, lonely housewives and business executives. Sitting here at this wedding, watching the bride take her vows in the white dress that was supposed to signify purity, he had never felt so dirty. He started to daydream about when he could get out of the business. Maybe when his old man kicked the bucket. But like all bad things, Daryl wondered if his old man was just too fucking mean to die.

He took a second to steal a glance at Beth. She seemed to be enjoying herself. He saw her reach up and wipe a tear from her cheek and he marveled at her. She was just the epitome of everything that was good and right in this world. He thought back to that kiss after she had sung him the incredible song that she had written. While she was singing, he had felt that she was really speaking to him. That the song was about him. And as scared as he was about it, he found himself wishing that it was. That she had written for him and about them and what might be happening between them. Sometimes he thought he imagined it and other times he was sure there was something else there. Like right now, while she gazed back at him and reached over and put her hand on his leg, giving it a gentle squeeze. Like it was the most normal thing in the world. Like she did that shit every day. Daryl found, to his surprise, that he didn't mind this. He didn't mind this familiarity. In fact it was kind of nice.

The ceremony was over relatively quickly and he took Beth's hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm, keeping her close as they made their way to their cars and the prospective reception a half mile away at the country club. It was a bustle of activity as the plethora of cars made their way to the party that would congratulate the couple on their nuptials.

They walked into the reception and music was already playing. It was very classy, lots of greenery accented with soft pink and white flowers draped everywhere and candles lit at every turn. It gave the banquet room an almost celestial glow and turned the atmosphere from mediocre to enchanting.

"Here we go," Beth whispered to Daryl. She forced a smile as Miranda approached them.

"Beth," Miranda drawled out her name so it sounded like two syllables instead of one. Sometimes Beth thought she exaggerated her slight southern accent on purpose. She knew that at this particular moment, her syrupy sweet voice was solely for Daryl's benefit. "How have you been, darlin'?" Miranda was anything but subtle as she looked at Daryl pointedly after addressing Beth.

"I've been good Miranda. Enjoying my summer off," Beth began, but Miranda cut her off.

"I hated hearing about you and Zach, sugar." Miranda put her hand up to her heart and tilted her head to the side as if to convey sympathy but Beth knew insincerity when she saw it. "I see you have moved on. That's good. Zach did too. He's getting married soon." Miranda looked at Daryl again, clearly waiting for an introduction and Beth fought the urge to roll her eyes as Miranda ran her tongue over her bottom lip.

Daryl spoke up then. He hated this bitch and he saw right through her fake attitude. He knew women like this; it was his job to pick them out. "I'm Daryl Dixon, Beth's fiancé." Daryl said evenly, extending one hand politely for her to shake even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

Beth avoided looking directly at Daryl. What was he doing? This was not in the original plan, but she figured she would just go for it because it sure did feel good watching that smug smile on Miranda's face disappear in a hurry.

"Fiance?" Miranda echoed and forced a thin-lipped smile. "Well, Beth, where have you been keeping yourself these days? I had no idea you were even datin' anybody, let alone engaged."

Of course, knowing Beth's luck she should have expected it but she was surprised to see Rick and Lori Grimes sidle up to her. "Who's engaged?" Lori said as she leaned over and hugged Beth.

Beth smiled up at Lori. She and Rick were her friend, Carl's, parents and she didn't know why she hadn't thought that they would attend the wedding. "Me?" Beth said meekly and glanced to Daryl, mouthing help me, when no one else was looking.

"It's true." Daryl extended his hand to the man, swearing he looked a little familiar. "Daryl Dixon. I'm the lucky man she agreed to marry." Daryl didn't know where it had come from when he had said that to that Miranda bitch but Beth seemed to be going with it so he inserted, "I asked her just last night and she said yes".

Everyone oohed and aahed at that. Everyone except for Miranda of course. "Congratulations you two," Rick said smiling genuinely at the couple. "Bethie, you'll have to let us know when the wedding is. Carl didn't even tell us you were seeing anyone." Rick said, smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.

"You know Carl," Beth said, "He has his head in the clouds most of the time about Jenny." Beth said and Lori and Rick both laughed. Jenny was Carl's long-standing girlfriend. They had been going out forever and everyone figured they would get married someday.

Miranda glanced down at Beth's hand on Daryl's arm. "Well let us see the ring," she said, her eyes narrowing like a cat's.

Beth didn't say anything for a minute and Daryl ended up speaking up again. "It was far too big, so we sent it off to be sized." Daryl said. "Can't have you losing a 2 carat diamond just because your fiancé forgot to check your ring size." Daryl said, turning back to Beth and leaning against her and nuzzling her neck.

Beth marveled at how easy this was at the same time she sucked in a breath at the feeling of his breath on her sensitive skin there. She turned her head to look at him and he looked at her lovingly and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. The look on his face was intent and reminded her very much of the same look he had given her back in her apartment just a couple of hours ago.

"So, how did you guys meet?" Lori asked looking at Beth.

"Honey, you want to answer that or do you want me to?" Beth could handle this but she just wanted to see the look on Miranda's face when she used the term of endearment on Daryl. She snuck a glance at her and she looked like she had swallowed something bitter. Beth grinned and felt a surge of pride at her bravery.

"I'll tell them, Princess. You know how I love the story of how we fell in love." Daryl said evenly and looked at her again. Beth took a deep breath as her heart began to beat a staccato rhythm in her chest. She beamed at him and nodded, knowing full well she would not be able to speak at the moment.

Daryl looked at Beth for a long moment and when she beamed that smile at him again, he knew. He knew that this wasn't his imagination. He knew that she wasn't just some client. Still he was surprised at the words that tumbled out of his mouth, because it was not what they had rehearsed.

"I was in her apartment building visiting a friend and she came running down into the lobby looking for her cat Mr. Whiskers." He looked at Beth then, looked right into her eyes and Beth was suddenly very glad that she was holding onto his arm, otherwise she might have fallen right over. What was he saying? "Right babe?" He asked her for confirmation.

Beth nodded unable to speak for a minute. "Yeah, I was a mess. Crying and probably looked half crazy." Beth was able to recover and played off her nerves with a laugh.

"You were beautiful." Daryl said in almost a whisper and Beth wondered if the others had even heard him. "Anyway, we looked for hours but no Mr. Whiskers." He said. "We stayed up all night until he finally came dragging himself home looking for his mama." Daryl finished, looking at her for a long moment and then looking at the others.

Beth would be lying if she said her knees weren't knocking and her heart wasn't thundering in her chest. She grinned in spite of the nerves, "And the rest is history," Beth finished, smiling at Daryl softly.

"It was love at first sight." Daryl smiled back and it was the first time in a long time that he felt the smile go all the way through him.

Rick, Lori and Miranda all looked at them, a mixture of expressions. Lori was the first to speak. "That's the most romantic story I've ever heard, Beth." She looked at Beth and her eyes shone with unshed tears. Lori had always been a softie.

Beth smiled warmly at her. "What can I say, I'm a lucky girl." She looked at Miranda, that look back on her face as if she had tasted something rather unpleasant. She was looking at Daryl in wonder but Daryl was only looking at Beth.

In that moment, she really did feel like she was the luckiest girl in the world. Her heart was aflutter and her stomach was in knots. She was pretty sure her hands were shaking but she had never felt more elated. Was he really saying what she thought he was saying? Her heart soared at the thought. The minute they were alone, she was going to ask him and in Beth's opinion that couldn't happen soon enough.

"Well congratulations are definitely in order. Daryl, you aren't gonna find another girl as special as our Beth." Rick said and extended his hand again which Daryl accepted in a hearty handshake.

"I keep telling her I'm the lucky one." Daryl looked at her and his eyes were twinkling. He had never told her that before but he was planning on starting right now. He didn't know what this was between them but he was going with it, consequences be damned.

"Well congratulations you two," Miranda said and to Beth it was as if she had to force the words from between her lips. It was insincere at best but Beth accepted it nonetheless.

"Thanks so much, darlin'" Beth drawled, almost mockingly as she walked away.

Rick and Lori excused themselves before Beth even had a chance to tell them to keep their announcement between them. If word got back to her Daddy before she had a chance to stop it, she would probably die. For now though she put it out of her mind as she and Daryl got into the reception line to congratulate the newlyweds.

Beth looked up at Daryl. Now that she had her chance, she wasn't sure what to say to him. He pulled her close to him and pressed a kiss to her cheek, nuzzling her neck lightly. "You smell good," Daryl breathed into her ear and Beth felt a shiver travel all the way down her spine at the delicious feel of his breath on her tender skin there.

"Thank you. Uhm, Daryl?" Beth pulled away. It was now or never. "Why did you deviate from the story we rehearsed. I don't mind, but I was just, uhm, you know, wondering." And she was back to sounding like a bumbling idiot it seemed.

Daryl shrugged his shoulders noncommittally humming a nonchalant response. "I dunno?" He said looking at her shyly. "You know." He said, his eyes meeting hers and locking in.

Beth couldn't have looked away if she wanted to. But she didn't. Everything that she needed to see was right there looking back at her and she had her answer. "Oh" was her only response.

Beth stared at him, absorbing his words and what he was saying. with his eyes. "So I'm not imagining this," Beth stopped herself, not sure what to call it. "This thing between us?" She asked him and he slowly shook his head as he brought his lips to hers in the soft, sweetest kiss.

"It's not just you." He said as he pulled his lips away from hers and leaned his forehead against hers. It was bold and probably stupid but he was caught up in the moment. He was caught up in her. In Beth.

Beth's heart was in a whirlwind of emotions and her mind was spinning out of control and she had no way to reel it all back in. She wasn't sure she wanted to.

It was finally their turn to greet the couple. "April, congratulations, you look really beautiful." Beth gushed, hugging her friend.

"Thanks Beth!" April exclaimed, clearly still giddy from nerves. "Hey if we don't get a chance to catch up today, we will at the reunion right?" April was smiling from ear to ear and her new husband kept looking at her as if he had one a prize. April had always been a sweet girl and she was so glad she had found someone to make her happy.

"Of course," Beth said. "April this is my fiancé, Daryl." Beth said by way of introduction and watched as Daryl shook hands with April and John alike.

"Fiance? Beth Greene, you better fill me in on all the details later." She grinned and while Daryl and John were ensconced in a conversation about motorcycles Beth looked at April as she mouthed "He's so hot!" and Beth giggled.

"What's so funny ladies?" Daryl said gruffly, tugging on Beth's hand lightly.

"Girl stuff baby." Beth was surprised at how easily the term of endearment slipped off her tongue.

"Congrats again you two. It was a lovely ceremony." Beth finished and they finally bid the couple goodbye as they made their way over to the banquet tables. There was an array of different foods on display, ready to be eaten but Beth was far from hungry.

Dinner was a formal affair and after that began the couple's first dance. Beth watched them smiling, hoping that someday her future husband would spin her around on a dance floor after declaring their love for god and everybody. It was something she had dreamed about since she was a little girl and he guessed every little girl wanted that fairy tale, dream come true princess story.

As if she spoke it from a dream, she heard Daryl whisper gruffly in her ear, "May I have this dance, Princess?"

Beth could swear that she melted into a puddle at his feet. She glanced around and indeed other couples had started to take the floor. She looked up at him as he held out his hand and she took his hand in hers as he led her out onto the dance floor. She followed his lead and positioned her hands in traditional dance pose, her hands feeling small in his as he began to lead them in a slow waltz around the room with sure and steady footing. Beth had never felt more like a ballerina than she did in that moment.

Mama and Daddy had put her in dancing lessons when she was just a girl and she had kept up with them until she was 13 when she began to take a real liking to music and she had to choose between the two since her studies would not allow both. Her parents believed in a well-rounded upbringing but didn't want her getting so bogged down with activities that she lost track of her education.

Daryl used all the moves he had learned in his ballroom dancing class Andrea had made him take. When he had first started it, he had felt like a fish out of water. Gradually he had come to actually like it. It would never be his first choice in an activity. He'd much rather be out hunting or fishing. But right now, if given a choice, with Beth in his arms, he couldn't imagine wanting to be anyplace else.

Beth had thought if Daryl had taken her on the dance floor and making her the envy of all her friends, she would want to see the looks on their faces, especially Miranda's. Instead right now, in this moment, she only had eyes for him.

She looked up at him then and he was looking down at her and once their eyes locked they couldn't seem to break away. She could feel that people were watching her and her first thought was that the plan had worked. That was followed closely by wondering if what they were seeing was actually real. She replayed the words over and over again in her head. "It's not just you." And looking into his eyes now, it was clear. Something was happening. Something very real.

* * *

The ride home was quiet except for what was playing on the radio. A slow song by Jason Aldean, one of Beth's favorites, Burnin' It Down. Her face flushed knowing that the song was about a man and a woman, making love all night. And damn if that wasn't what she was thinking right now.

_You slip your finger through the tear in my t-shirt  
You stirrin' up dirty in the back of my mind  
You keep on flirtin'  
Cause you know that it's workin'  
You stuck in my head girl writing the lines  
Couldn't sing this song without you if I tried  
Let's light it up like it's our last night_

_We're just hanging around  
Burnin' it down  
Sippin' on some cold Jack Daniel's  
Jammin' to some old Alabama with you baby  
Laying right here naked in my bed  
I'm just doing my thing  
You love it when I sing  
Say it makes you feel like an angel  
We about to get a little tangled up right about now  
So girl let's keep burnin' it down  
Burnin' it down  
Burnin' it down_

Beth caught the lyrics again and felt her face get even hotter. She risked a glance at Daryl and by the look on his face, the song had not fallen on deaf ears there either. He had been glancing at her every now and then and she knew that if there was a way for someone to see into her soul, Daryl had that look down pat.

_Girl when you want it  
You know that I'm on it  
You know that I love lovin' up on you  
Let's hit the switch and let our shadows dance  
And light it up like it's our last chance_

_We're just hanging around  
Burnin' it down  
Sippin' on some cold Jack Daniel's  
Jammin' to some old Alabama with you baby  
Laying right here naked in my bed  
I'm just doing my thing  
You love it when I sing  
Say it makes you feel like an angel  
We about to get a little tangled up right about now  
So girl let's keep burnin' it down  
Burnin' it down  
Burnin' it down_

As Daryl put his car in park, Beth looked over at him and lost her nerve all the sudden. She was afraid if she kissed him now, they would end up having sex right here in his car. So she pulled on her door handle, not trusting herself to even look in his direction again. They made it up to her door and she looked up at him and he was looking at her intently just like he had right before he took the guitar from her lap.

She opened the door and let Daryl follow her through. Beth figured there was no since in trying to deny what was getting ready to happen or play coy. She wanted him, wanted him like she had never wanted a man before and she was nearly dizzy with this new emotion.

Beth backed up against the door of her apartment, noting the way Daryl was looking her up and down as if she was something to eat rather than her date for the evening. She moved her hand up to brush her hair back off her shoulder, a nervous habit just as he moved purposefully into her space, effectively trapping her. Beth's lips parted in anticipation as she splayed her hands over his chest.

As he placed his hands on either side of her hips, pulling her against him firmly, his hips grinding into hers, her heels having lent her the height needed to align their pelvises perfectly and Beth felt an ache spread through her at the thought of it. This wouldn't be the first time Daryl had kissed her but it would be the first time that she was relatively certain that they weren't going to be interrupted by anyone or anything or even their own agendas and that was what made her nervous. He moved towards her slowly and deliberately and Beth knew if she was going to put the brakes on things, it was definitely going to have to be now. She waited for that feeling, the one that would tell her she was moving too fast and that she should slow things down, but it never came. She could only think about his hands on her, his lips on her and she only wanted more.

As Daryl's head bent to hers and his lips met hers, his tongue instantly seeking to explore her mouth, teasing the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened her mouth for him, kissing him back like her life depended on it. And in a way, it did. With him, she felt like she was finally alive. Finally living. She had always done the right thing. Always followed all the rules and it hadn't gotten her anywhere, except a day job and a cat to come home to. For once, she wanted to lose herself in something, in someone. And tonight, she wanted to lose herself in Daryl Dixon, consequences be damned.

Daryl moved his hands down over her body, skimming his flexed palms over her sides and reaching down to grasp her hands and pull them above her head, pinning them in place with one hand while he pulled her to him, pressing himself into her. He knew she had to feel how hard he was through that tiny slip of fabric she was wearing. His only thought as he kissed her until they were both breathless was that he couldn't wait to carry her back to her bed and worship every single inch of her body. He didn't care if it took all night. He was ready for this. He was ready for her.

* * *

**Yeah, I know, I'm evil. ;) Hope you guys like this newest update. We are getting to the good stuff of course so prepare yourselves. It's gonna get hot real fast and of course there will be fluffy feels. **

**Oh and many of you have expressed your concerns over Andrea and our mystery man. All I can say is, it's not over til it's over and actually it has JUST begun. Again, yes I am evil! ;) **

**Maybe someday I will write a completely fluffy fic where no one has to worry about death, dying, old relationships or worst of all zombies. Who am I kidding? I could never do that. What's the fun of a story without lots of conflict for our hero/heroine overcome? Let me know how you feel about this chapter. Of course I would be remiss if I didn't mention my muses, you ladies know who you are. ;) Until next time, xoxoxoxoxo **

**PS – I will be updating And the Walls Came Tumbling Down next and then Heavenly Fields. Oh and I want to put it out there to be sure and read PrincessPears newest fic "Burning Desire". It's simply freaking amazing and I think everyone should read it. It's just sooooo good! Go there next. You will love it, I promise! **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_Girl when you want it, you know that I'm on it__  
__You know that I love lovin' up on you__  
__Let's hit the switch and let our shadows dance__  
__And light it up like it's our last chance__We're just hanging around__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Sippin' on some cold Jack Daniel's__  
__Jammin' to some old Alabama with you, baby__  
__Laying right here dreaming in my bed__  
__I'm just doing my thing__  
__You love it when I sing__  
__Say it makes you feel like an angel__  
__We about to get a little tangled up right about now__  
__So girl let's keep burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__I wanna rock it all night__  
__Baby girl, will you rock it out with me?__  
__I wanna crawl through the dark__  
__Just to feel your heartbeat against me__  
__[x2]__We're just hanging around__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Sippin' on some cold Jack Daniel's__  
__Jammin' to some old Alabama with you baby__  
__Laying right here naked in my bed__  
__I'm just doing my thing__  
__You love it when I sing__  
__Say it makes you feel like an angel__  
__We about to get a little tangled up right about now__  
__So girl let's keep burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__  
__Burnin' it down__I wanna rock it all night__  
__Baby girl, will you rock it out with me?__  
__I wanna crawl through the dark__  
__Just to feel your heartbeat against me_

_Burnin It Down by Jason Aldean_

The longer he stood there kissing pretty Beth Greene, the more he couldn't get out of his head what he wanted to do to her, what he wanted to do _with_ her. He thought of so many things in that three minutes of kissing, he was certain that it would take more than one night to get it accomplished. He slid his hands down over her perfect ass and cupped a cheek in each palm, pulling her slightly against him and then with one bend of his knees, he grasped her tighter and hoisted her up to straddle his hips. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him and wound her arms up around his neck and he began walking them back to the bedroom, all while never removing his lips from hers, not wanting to miss even one ounce of the indescribable sensation of kissing her.

He finally reached the bedroom and he let her slide to the floor as soon as they reached her bedside. He looked at her, meeting her eyes, half expecting to see self-pity and rejection. He was not in any way prepared for her blown pupils under half lidded eyes. He gripped her shoulders and looked at her, catching her gaze. "You sure this is what ya want?" He had to be certain.

Beth whispered her answer, air not sufficiently filling her lungs, as breathless as she was with desire. "Yes, Daryl. I want _you_." She had the thought for a moment that maybe he was asking because he wanted to back out. She looked at him sharply. "Do you want _me_?"

Daryl reached for her hips, pulling her roughly against him. "Good, god, Beth, you can't tell? I can't believe we are standing here talkin' about it instead of doin' it."

Beth looked at him and saw the unmasked desire there on his face. She let her eyes drift lower to his crotch and openly took in the obvious bulge, further proof that he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She closed her eyes as he moved towards her again, preparing herself for the moment and at the same time knowing that what they were getting ready to do was going to change everything.

Daryl's eyes smoldered at her as his lips descended on hers again. He slipped his tongue between her already-parted lips reaching one hand up to the back of her head and pulling it closer to him, needing to feel her as close as possible, threading his fingers through her hair, meeting with restriction at her hair tie. He deftly removed the tie and ran his fingers through the silky tresses while his mouth plundered hers. He drew back then and gently coaxed her to turn around to unzip the dress she was wearing. Beth bent her neck back where he could reach it and Daryl didn't waste time in beginning a series of kisses across the back of her neck, nipping her flesh lightly with his teeth and Beth gasped at this new sensation, it adding a whole new layer of feeling that was gathering between her legs.

Once her dress was unzipped, Daryl slid one spaghetti strap off her shoulder, dipping his head to press soft kisses on the smooth alabaster skin there. Her skin felt impossibly soft under his lips and he worried about marring the perfect surface at the same time that he wanted to brand her with his lips everywhere he touched her, making her his.

He slid the other spaghetti strap over her shoulder letting it drop over her arm and watched as the dress fell to the floor, leaving her standing in front of him in nothing but a lacy pair of purple thongs, exposing her perfect ass to him right away. He groaned as she backed up against him and pressed that sweet ass into his ever-hardening cock.

Beth pulled away suddenly and turned around, self-conscious of her exposed chest and she moved to cover herself and instantly felt Daryl's hands grasp one wrist on each side holding her arms out.

"Nah, I want to see you," his eyes roving over her small round breasts, the taut rosy nipples begging to be kissed. "You're fuckin' beautiful, Beth."

Beth flushed under the complement as much as she did his eyes ravishing her body and making her feel things she hadn't felt in a long time, if she had ever felt them at all. She reached out for him, hands going to his waist and deftly working at his belt, then the button to his fly and finally sliding the zipper downward and pushing the fabric over his hips, letting them fall to the floor with all the other offending pieces of clothing. She reached her hands upward then and began unbuttoning his dress shirt, her fingers shaking slightly. He shrugged out of the shirt and she rucked his t-shirt up and he reached behind him, grasping it at the collar and pulling it over his head in one movement. She smirked at him as her fingers drifted downward again and as she pulled his boxers down with one hand at the same time she grasped his cock in her other, expertly moving her hand up and down in a delicious rhythm that had Daryl breathing heavier. She let the boxers fall to the floor and looked back up at Daryl whose expression was one of pure lust.

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him and walked her back towards the bed, his eyes never leaving hers, easing her down onto it. As she laid down he reached down and she lifted her hips, instantly knowing his one desire, and he grasped the thin string of her panties on either hip, looping a finger in each one and pulling them over her hips, down her legs, and over her ankles, casting them aside where everything else was now resting.

As he turned back to her on the bed, she stole his breath away, equal parts awe and obsession, laying there as she was, her body curved in all the right spots, perfect round breasts, golden waves tumbling about her shoulders, a slightly darker patch of curls at the top of her sex. She scooted up to the top of the bed and he crawled after her, feeling his cock hit against his leg as he trailed his lips lower and lower. He looked up at one point, and gave a devilish grin as he spread the kisses lower and lower, her scent driving him wild and fueling his desire.

Beth looked up at Daryl appraising her body so closely and openly, and her pussy ached for him to fill it. She had never been this turned on before, not with anybody and she wondered for a moment if she had ever really known what true desire was all about. She had never had this heavy-lidded feeling, the weights of her eyes pulling down and a pleasant heaviness settled over her.

"Open your legs for me, Beth". Daryl was patient and waited as she had this cute little war with herself and then finally succumbed to the pressure and let her legs fall out to the sides. Daryl felt his cock twitch against his leg as he drank in the sight of her perfect pussy, the pink folds glistening with her arousal.

Daryl dipped his head lower and kissed the top of her sex and heard her groan and felt her fist her hands in his hair. He teasingly dipped his tongue in the hollow right above her clit in between her lower lips as he settled himself between her thighs. If Daryl had thought her scent would drive him wild, he was completely unprepared for how she tasted. She tasted sweeter than anything he had ever sampled and it threatened to overwhelm his senses and make him come undone. And that wasn't about to happen until he had made her come at least twice.

Daryl knelt on the bed before her and took a hand under each thigh and pushed her legs back towards her head giving him better access to her now dripping wet pussy. He bent his head towards her allowing her legs to wrap around his neck.

Beth could not believe she was letting Daryl do this to her. She had rarely let Zach, but then again he hadn't been all that good at it and never seemed to want to. Within thirty seconds of Daryl licking up and down her pussy, teasing her mercilessly with his tongue, she was hurtling towards her first orgasm.

Eating pussy had never been one of Daryl's usual trysts and in fact lately it had been non-existent as he drew a line in the sand with Andrea over what limits he was willing to let slide. That just didn't happen to be one of them. It was just something he wasn't willing to do with a virtual stranger. It was too intimate an act, but with Beth, it felt natural.

Daryl reached up with one hand as he licked and sucked her clit at a furious rhythm and traced his way to her wet, hot center as he pushed one finger inside and then a second. He continued to pump his fingers inside her as his tongue continued its relentless pace on that little bundle of nerves. He felt her begin to spasm around his fingers and the tightness was nearly driving him wild thinking about burying himself balls deep inside her. Her muscles clenched around him and he watched as she threw her head back and gave herself over to the pleasure, knowing he'd never find anything more beautiful than watching Beth Greene fall apart beneath him. He leaned down and continued to lap her up as her release abated. Satisfied that she was ready for him, he crawled back up her body and his eyes met hers, boring into them as he wiped one hand across the scruff of his chin, feeling her wetness that had gathered there and pleased that he could make her want him that much.

Beth watched with passion-laden eyes as he reached over to the night stand to grab a foil packet and ripping it open. She didn't remember him putting it there, but she was glad he had thought of it, she thought, as she watched him roll a condom down over his massively engorged cock.

He pulled back to look at her, seeing the mindless want in her eyes and she nodded her head at the unspoken question in his eyes. He reached down and firmly grasped his cock, sliding his palm over it a few times, placed it at her wet opening, teasing the sensitive flesh there with the head of his dick. He groaned at the sensation it produced, sending waves of pleasure up his spine. He eased his hips forward, feeling her squeeze around him with her impossibly tight pussy. "You're so fuckin' tight, Princess."

Beth groaned as he entered her finally, relishing the feel of him completely filling her up. She groaned again as he hit her sweet spot and she lifted her hips off the mattress, helping him seat himself completely inside her.

"Daryl," she breathed, "you feel so good." She rotated her hips instinctively needing more than anything for him to move and ease the aching pressure coiled tightly in her pelvis.

Daryl got her message loud and clear with her thrusting herself against him, begging for more. He jerked his hips backward, withdrawing almost completely before finally plunging himself back in. The angle was exquisite as he felt his the head of his dick pound into her cervix on each thrust. Beth reached up and gripped his back with her fingers and dug her heels into the tops of his ass cheeks as he began a slow rhythm for them, hoping he would last because she felt too goddamn good.

Beth had never felt so connected to anyone before as she did with Daryl right now. Not just connected physically but connected mind and soul as well. She looked deep into his eyes and it seemed that she found herself there. He stared at her intently and then dipped his head down and she met him halfway in a passionate kiss their tongues tangling and lips trembling with the passion between them, fueling their fire more and Beth was pretty sure they were going to ignite any moment.

"Please." It was a plea that spilled from her pouty lips as he drew his lips away from there and buried his face in her neck as he pummeled into her.

Daryl pulled back to look at her. "What is it, Princess?" he knew what she was asking, but he wanted to hear her say the words.

"Faster." She said, her words coming out breathless.

"What do you want faster, darlin'?" he coaxed the words from her.

Beth had never been given to talking dirty with anyone before but the expletives seemed to fall easily from her mouth with Daryl. "Fuck me faster, harder." She was going out of her mind, needing him like she had never needed anyone before. She didn't understand it and didn't try to.

Daryl smirked at her. "Thought you'd never ask," he said, as he complied with her breathy wish, jerking his hips backward, withdrawing almost completely before plunging back in, harder, pleased when she cried out in pleasure, digging her nails into his shoulder. He held himself up one arm, and snaked the other down between them where their bodies joined finding that little bundle of nerves, already hardened from arousal. He applied pressure, gently at first and then more rotating his finger, watching her face the entire time. He wanted her to come at least one more time and he was nearing the point of no return.

He continued to rub that sweet spot with his finger while he pumped in and out of her, feeling her clenching around him about the same time he felt himself slide over the edge he'd been hovering on, giving himself over to his own release, feeling the walls of her pussy milk his orgasm from him. His hips twitched involuntarily as he cried out her name, "Beth!" He moved in and out of her a few more times, spinning out the rest of his release until he finally collapsed half on and half on her, careful to keep his weight off of her. He withdrew from her and reached down firmly grasping the condom and depositing it in the trash can by the bed, finally rolling back to her and pulling her against him, both of them speechless for the moment.

Beth traced lazy circles with her index finger over his biceps, reveling in the impressive curve of his muscles. She wasn't sure what was supposed to happen now. She really didn't think there were any etiquette rules written for their particular situation. She fought to remember his words at the wedding and the words "it's not just you" came back to her. It wasn't much but it was a start.

"Daryl?" her voice was hesitant and raspy, her legs tangled in his and her head rested against his chest.

"Mmm?" Daryl was past the point of spent. He was in that half in, half out state but her voice called him back from the edge of that sweet abyss called sleep. He liked her voice and he was reminded then of her singing to him.

"What are we doing here?" She asked and it was the most honest question she could think of.

Daryl was suddenly wide awake then. He stretched and propped his hand up on his head as she did the same and they both lay on their sides, facing each other.

Beth shivered a little and Daryl reached down and pulled the quilt at the bottom of the bed up over both of them, reaching out and running one finger down her arm, which made her shiver all the more, but for different reasons.

Daryl looked right into her eyes. "Shit Beth, I don't know. I've never done this before."

Beth narrowed her eyes at him and he chuckled. "Well yeah, I've done _this, _but I ain't never been in an actual relationship before." There it was, the R word, a word he definitely wasn't prone to using. Now he felt like shit. He made a move to get up from the bed and do what he always did. Fuck and run. That made him feel even worse so he plopped back down on the bed, his mind a whirl of emotions and thoughts.

"I'm taking you never entered into anything like this with a client before?" She asked him.

He studied her for a moment. Man, she didn't pull any punches and she didn't beat around the bush. "No, I haven't. I have a confession." He looked at her and he didn't quite understand it, but there was something about Beth that made him want to bare his soul to her and let her see all of it. The parts that were raw and fucked up and the parts that were just now emerging, like there might be something salvageable in him after all. He knew if that was true, it was only because of her.

Beth nodded at him encouragingly. "I've never even kissed a client before." He let those words settle for a moment. "And I sure as hell haven't ever spent all night trying to help one of them find a cat."

Beth smiled sweetly at him. "So that's where that all came from?" Beth felt something pulling on her heartstrings then. This impossibly sweet man who had stayed to help find her cat was something else. That had meant so much to her. Now she was finding out that it had meant something to him as well. Still did from the look in his eyes. It astounded her the way this man conveyed his emotions through those powerful baby blues.

Daryl nodded, not sure how else to explain his state of mind. He was confused as he had ever been, but one thing was clear. He needed Beth. Needed her like he needed air. "I need you." Daryl said suddenly. "And I ain't never needed anyone, but I need you."

Beth's eyes welled up with tears then and Daryl leaned down to kiss the corners of her eyelids, tasting the salt and feeling what she felt. "That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me." Beth said, her voice raspy. "I need you too, Daryl."

It was not a great profession of love. It wasn't a pledge or an oath or a promise. They were real words spoken by real people in a moment more real than either of them had ever known. As Daryl dipped his head down, capturing his lips with hers, he could feel himself getting hard again. He wasn't really sure what was happening, wasn't sure he could define it, but he wanted her and needed her.

As they made love again, he knew eventually he would have to figure out where they went from here. For right now, he tried not to think too hard on it and concentrate on giving and receiving pleasure. For now, he tried not to think of what it might be. That he was falling in love with Beth Greene and falling hard.

* * *

**Okay, so yeah, you didn't think I was going to make you wait a whole week where I left that last chapter did you? I'm evil but I'm not that evil! Hope you liked this chapter. Yes, they are going to be getting into their feelings some. This is new territory for Daryl and in a way, it's different territory for Beth too. I want to encourage everyone to please continue to keep an open mind. Just because they have finally done the deed and they are attempting to tackle their feelings does not mean that Daryl is going to just up and quit his job. Besides the fact that he has an ailing, albeit asshole, father to care for, he is locked into this "shady" world of escorts. **

**Just a gentle reminder that the road is definitely not paved in gold from here on out, because what would be the fun in that right? **

**Hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know how you think I did. Also if you have any ideas of where you think the story might go, I would love to hear them. I enjoy talking to you all. **

**Now, I saved the best for last: Thank you times infinity and beyond for all the favorites, follows, and reviews and the extra stuff you have done to show you appreciate this story. One reader told me they tweeted this to their followers. Another told me they were reccing the story in their own A/N on their story. All these things thrill my heart! I am AMAZED that everyone likes this story as much as they do. I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. Until next time, xoxoxoxo **

**PS – An extra shout out to my girl PrincessPears. Thanks for making me just give up and go to bed last night so I could wake up and write this refreshed and make it "perfection". Hope I did it right! Haha Ly girl! **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

_Good Morning Beautiful by Steve Holy_

_Good morning, beautiful, how was your night?__  
__Mine was wonderful with you by my side__  
__And when I open my eyes to see your sweet face__  
__It's a good morning, beautiful day__I couldn't see the light, I didn't know day from night__  
__I had no reason to care__  
__Well, since you've came along, I can face the dawn__  
__'Cause I know, you'll be there__Good morning, beautiful, how was your night?__  
__Mine was wonderful with you by my side__  
__And when I open my eyes to see your sweet face__  
__It's a good morning, beautiful day__I never worry if it's raining outside__  
__'Cause in here with you, girl, the sun always shines__Good morning, beautiful, how was your night?__  
__Mine was wonderful with you by my side__  
__And when I open my eyes to see your sweet face__  
__It's a good morning, beautiful day__Hmm, good morning, beautiful day__  
__Hmm, it's a beautiful day__  
__(Good morning beautiful, good morning beautiful)__  
__Good morning, what a beautiful day__  
__(Good morning beautiful, good morning beautiful)_

* * *

When Daryl opened his eyes the next morning, he felt a smile spread over his face looking at the angel sleeping beside him. Her hair was fanned out above her on the pillow and draping over his arm as well. Her face looked so peaceful in sleep and he smiled too at the memory of what they had done last night, the most recent being just a couple of hours ago.

They had made love a total of three times and the worst part was he was already hard this morning and knew he could probably go another round if she was up for it. He only hoped in the clear light of day that things still seemed as they were the night before.

His emotions were still a jumble and his thoughts were in a whirlwind but what he had told her was true. He needed her. Needed her like he had never needed anyone before. He didn't know how they were going to navigate this thing between them but he was sure he probably wasn't the only guy in the world to date while doing this job. Date? Was that what he wanted? He had never really dated a girl before. Never taken her out on a date, hearts, candy and flowers and the whole nine. Looking down at the gorgeous blonde laying beside him, he knew that was what he wanted with her. He wanted all those things. He wanted to take her on an honest to god date, bring her flowers and open her car door and hold her hand walking down the street. He had done any of it and who better to experience it with than someone who was so deserving of it. Someone deserving of so much more than what he was capable of giving but he was willing to try just because of his sheer need to be near her.

He carefully extracted himself from underneath her and pulled his boxers on as he made his way to the kitchen, seeing if he could find them something for breakfast. He wanted to do something nice for her. He wondered if anyone had ever fixed her breakfast in bed. He worked quickly and as quietly as he could, taking time to stop and feed Mr. Whiskers who had been winding in and out of his legs since his feet had hit the floor.

He found the makings of eggs, toast and coffee and arranged it all on a tray he found on her countertop and carried it back to the bedroom. She was still sleeping and he stopped in the doorway just admiring her for a minute, the way her body was curved around where he had just left, one arm under her head and the other draped across her hip, her legs tangled in the covers, exposing the curve of her hip and the bottom of one luscious ass cheek. Seeing her like that left him with an ache, remembering how her body had moved with his the night before. The first two times had been passionate and urgent whereas the last time had been gentle and achingly slow. He had never thought he would be capable of being with someone like that but with Beth it had come easy as breathing. He found that he wanted to do it again but he knew they had things they needed to talk about things first.

He walked over to the bed finally and sat down beside her, setting the tray on the bedside table. He snaked one hand under the covers and ran his hand over her hip as he bent over and placed the softest kiss to her forehead, then another to the tip of her nose, her cheek, her chin, and finally moving back up to place a soft kiss on her lips as she finally came awake, winding her arms up around his neck and pulling his mouth to hers in a proper good morning kiss, her tongue probing his lips for entrance with which he happily complied. He finally broke the kiss, sitting back up to look at her.

"Good morning beautiful." He said. "You hungry?" Now that he was sitting here with her, looking at him so intently, he was a little nervous about the gesture he had just made but he pointed to the tray nonetheless and was rewarded with her brilliant smile.

"You made me breakfast?" She sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes, forgetting momentarily that she was completely naked and the sheet fell from around her breasts. She grasped the sheet and tucked it under her arms so she could rearrange her probable rat's nest into some semblance of normal. She looked at this man who surprised her at every turn as he lifted the tray from the side table and sat it on her lap.

"I didn't know how you took your coffee so I just brought everything." Daryl gestured to the sugar bowl and container of creamer on the tray.

"This is perfect, Daryl," Beth said, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "Thank you. No one has ever made me breakfast in bed before." She remarked as she grabbed a piece of toast off the plate, nibbling on the corner.

Daryl moved his thumb up to the corner of his mouth, chewing absently on the tip like he usually did. "Did you sleep well?" He asked her and she nodded her head after she finished her eggs.

"I did. Aren't you going to eat too?" She asked him, noting that he hadn't brought anything in for himself.

"I ate while I was fixin' it all" Daryl said, smiling at her loving how she dug into the food with gusto. They had worked up quite an appetite last night, he thought, smirking to himself.

Beth thought back over the night. She had sleep better than she had in a long time and she was guessing Daryl had something to do with it. Somehow safely wrapped in his arms, her body had felt free to let her mind claim sweet slumber.

She finished her breakfast and he took the tray from her and sat it on the table then he moved back under the covers as she settled against him.

"That was amazing, thank you." Beth murmured, moving her head from his shoulder and pulling back to look at him.

Daryl looked down at her with her face turned up to his, bright blue eyes shining into his and her lips looked so tempting he couldn't resist. He dipped his head down to hers and kissed her softly, sweetly, languidly for a moment before breaking it back off again.

"You asked me last night if I knew what we were doing. I still can't answer that." He said looking at her, trying to gauge her response.

Beth's pulse quickened at his words. Was this the part where he told her that he was just an escort and this was part of his job? She hoped not because she didn't think she could handle it. She was really starting to feel something for him and wanted to explore it. She knew what he did and they were obviously going to have to talk about it at some point. She moved her hand down to his and laced their fingers together.

"It's okay if you can't answer it. I know what you do for a living Daryl. This probably isn't going to be easy. Not for either of us." Beth remarked and Daryl nodded at her thoughtfully. He was at war with himself trying to think if he wanted to tell her about the other part. The part where he slept with women sometimes for the extra money. Their agency was discreet but he knew sometimes it got leaked what really went on behind closed doors. Somehow the thought of Beth knowing this made him want to bolt but he didn't.

"Do you know it all?" He decided there was no time like the present.

Beth nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think so. I mean I've heard stories. Do you? Do that, I mean?" Beth was genuinely curious and she had another feeling too and it wasn't one she liked or was all that accustomed to.

"I have. I did. But I don't want to." Daryl sighed in frustration. Maybe he should tell her. All of it. He finally relented, knowing that he really had nothing to lose at this point. "My old man had a stroke two years ago. He raised me and my brother after our mama died. He was a mean son of a bitch, especially when he drank." He told her then. He told her the beatings of his childhood, how his mama had died in that house fire, how the last time his father had beat the hell out of him he had vowed that he'd never be within three feet of him again, lest he might kill him with his bare hands. He told her how he had stayed away from Will Dixon for his entire life after he left home and how bad it felt to have an ailing parent that he cared nothing about except that he couldn't just let him rot and die.

Beth's heart ached listening to Daryl tell his story and she thought in those minutes that he was baring his soul, that she had never felt so connected to another person. She could hear the pain in his voice, see the anguish in his eyes as he talked about his family. She saw the shame that washed over his features when he told her what he did to make the extra money necessary to keep his father cared for in the nursing home back in Senoia.

"Well, what do you want to do?" She asked him, squeezing his hand gently to let him know she was not just listening to this story. She was part of it now.

"I think I want to get out of the business but I still don't know how I would pay the medical bills." Daryl wanted to scream. This was the part he hated. Powerless. Feeling like he had no say in this part of his life, because in reality, he didn't.

"Can you do that? Can you just quit if you want or do you have some kind of agreement with the company?" Beth had no idea how any of it worked she just had been hearing lately of some shady dealings with the agency Daryl worked for.

Daryl shook his head. "I don't know, I've been thinking about it lately but I don't know if I can. The stack of medical bills at my house are about a mile high." He looked at her and for the first time, he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The weight of his words had left him once he had talked to her. He didn't know what it was about her that made him want to bare his soul but he kind of liked it.

Beth looked at him, pondering his words and making a decision. "Then you shouldn't quit. You should keep doing what you are doing because it sounds like good money and you can't just leave yourself with no way of taking care of your father." Beth hated being reasonable but it really was the best thing. She eyed him warily because she had to know the answer to the next question. "What about fucking them?" She looked back down at the sheets not even knowing if she wanted the real answer to the question but this was reality and she needed to face it.

Daryl took a deep breath. "That's all it is, Beth. Just fuckin'. And I don't want to do it. I don't do that with every client, but it means less than nothin' when I am with 'em." He didn't want to tell her that the last client he had fucked had nearly did him in, all because she reminded him of this beautiful angel sitting in bed with him. He didn't want to tell her either that he felt like less than nothing when he fucked them. He looked down at the bed, not able to meet her eyes suddenly. He didn't want her to see how badly it hurt him what he did for a living. How degrading it was. How demeaning it was and how much he fucking hated it. "I want you to know, though, that I always use protection. _Always_. And I don't kiss them" He looked back up at her, reminding her of their conversation the night before. "I don't do anything other than just what I said. Nothing like what we did last night. It's straight sex, no oral, nothing else. Just sex." He said hoping that explained enough on his mindset where his job was concerned.

"Daryl?" Beth's voice was soft and it made him look up from where he was studying the pattern of the designs on the sheets again.

Daryl met her eyes questioningly and Beth saw the pain there, she saw the anguish. She saw the self-hatred and she wished more than anything that she could take that look away. "I went into this with my eyes wide open. I don't like it, you sleeping with other girls but I get it. I get that you have no choice. It really wouldn't be fair of me to ask you to stop just because I'm uncomfortable with it. It's your job. We'll just deal with it." Beth said, smiling softly at him. She didn't like it, not one bit and she tried not to think too much about it. But what she had said was true. She had gone into this knowing full well what he did. There were no surprises and it was actually kind of refreshing, so very unlike what she had had with Zach where he had slept with his boss behind her back, yet right under her nose. That relationship was built on lies and self-destructed because of it. Whatever was going on with her and Daryl, they were building it on honesty and leaving it steeped in reality. In Beth's eyes, it could only lead to good things.

She thought of something then and looked right at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So, if things hadn't gone the way they had with us, would you have slept with me if I wanted it?" It was a question that begged to be answered and Beth waited anxiously for his reply. Turns out she didn't have to wait long.

"Are you kidding me woman? You're gorgeous! Hell yes, I would have slept with you." He said, chuckling at the look on her face. "And now that I have, I don't really want to sleep with anyone else." He said the last part quietly. He really didn't. She had ruined him for anyone else.

His look turned serious thinking about what she had just said to him. He couldn't believe she was going along with everything and that she was accepting of what he did. Of course she didn't like it but she was so open about everything it was more than anything he could have ever hoped for.

"That reminds me," he began. "I want to do this right." He said, looking into her eyes.

Beth's gaze caught his and he seemed to see right through her. He also seemed to be trying to tell her something pretty important. "Do what right?" She was puzzled but smiled at him encouragingly. Daryl shrugged his shoulders, his head tilted to the side just a little and Beth found the move endearing as it made him seem so vulnerable.

"Us." He said, eyeing her, his expression slightly uncertain as if what he was saying might not be well received.

"I want to do this right with us." Daryl continued. "Ain't never dated anyone. Like real dates. I want that. Like in the movies. I want to court you." Daryl looked at her half expecting her to laugh at his choice of words. He'd been watching too many damn movies and it had finally made him go soft in the head.

Beth's heart melted at his words. He wanted to court her? Her face spread into a slow smile and she leaned over impulsively and grasped him around the neck, hugging him to her before finally pulling back to look at him. "You're amazin' you know that."

Daryl shrugged his shoulders again, "Nah, I just know that this is special. You're special. I don't want to fuck this up, Beth." He said then, searching her eyes and finding exactly what he had always needed, but just didn't know it.

Beth nodded her head, taking his hand back into hers again, linking her fingers with his and looking straight at him. "I think you're special too." She said, smiling at him. "So when does this courtin' start?" Beth asked him in wonder.

Daryl felt the corners of his mouth turning up in an unexpected smile. She seemed to be doing that to him more and more, making him seem like it was okay to be happy and with her, he realized, he really was happy. "It starts with breakfast in bed." He said, running his thumb over the top of her hand and bringing her hand up to his mouth, placing a soft kiss to the back of it. "And that is just the beginning. I'd like to take you out tonight. Beth Greene, will you go on a date with me?"

Beth looked into his eyes, answering him as much there as with her words. "Yes, Daryl, I will go on a date with you."

Their situation wasn't ideal or traditional in any sense but he was right. There was something special between them and Beth couldn't wait to see where it went. For the first time in a long time, she was excited about life again. Excited about love again. Was that what this was? Love? She wasn't sure but as she looked at Daryl, she knew she cared about him and she felt a tug on her heart that hadn't been there a few days ago, maybe not even yesterday. Somehow he had managed to sneak in and charm his way into her heart without her even realizing it. At least now she knew it was all real and not something she had imagined.

He grinned at her answer and pulled her into his arms, his lips meeting hers in the softest kiss. Beth opened her mouth under his and he didn't waste time slipping his tongue inside, running it over hers and then pulling back to suck on her bottom lip. Beth moaned into his mouth and he moved his hands up to the back of her head, pulling her closer to him, angling his mouth so he could deepen the kiss further. The sheet that Beth had been clutching to her chest fell away and he laid her back on the bed, intent on worshiping her body with his. He had a million things to do before their date but right now he only had one thing on his mind and that was making love to his girl. His girl? He didn't know if he could lay a claim to her like that but he wanted to because God knew she had just laid a claim on him. Beth Greene had claimed his heart and he wasn't getting it back and he was pretty sure he didn't give a damn.

**Whew! This chapter was a beast because of the sheer amount of dialogue and feeling that was put into it. I hope I came close to meeting your expectations because this was hella hard. It's such a delicate situation and they have just scratched the surface of their feelings. They've just barely managed to deal with the intricacies of his job and how it will impact their relationship. It will be interesting to say the least. Hope you enjoyed this but please, please let me know! **

**You guys, I cannot believe how many people read this story and review it and recommend it and all that jazz. You guys are the best reader a girl could ask for. Your reviews are like gold to me and I love hearing from you all and really try hard to respond to any questions you might have about the story and the direction it is taking or if I didn't explain something well enough. Thanks so much for being so awesome. This would mean nothing without you guys. **

**I have started yet another story because clearly I have lost my damn mind. It's called No Strings Attached and it is an AU where Beth and Daryl are closer in age and have known each other their whole lives. I will be updating my other stories this week, starting with Walls tomorrow. I also take prompts here and on Tumblr so just shoot me an email or an ask and I will be happy to add it to my list. Thanks again you guys and I will be seeing you soon! So until next time, xoxoxoxoxoxo **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Daryl answered his phone on the second ring, looking skyward when he saw the I.D. on the display. "Dixon." He growled it into the phone.

"Hey handsome. I've got a job for you tonight." Andrea's voice came from the other end of the line and that was all it took for his blood to begin that slow simmer.

"No fuckin' way, Andrea. I've worked the last several nights. I need a damn night off." His mind was scrambling trying to think of any feasible reason why he couldn't take the assignment besides that he was dating a client. This thing with Beth was all new and now way did he want to fuck it up out the starting gate by canceling on their first real date.

"I already told you. You are the best we have. They all want you, Daryl." Andrea's voice was dripping with sugar, so thick it made him sick to his stomach.

"I don't care. Call somebody else. I got plans." Daryl cut himself off before he could reveal any more. He was mentally kicking his own ass for letting that much slip.

"Since when." Andrea replied, her tone clearly disbelieving and it incensed Daryl further.

Trying to keep a tight rein on his emotions he said through clenched teeth. "Since none of your goddamn business. That's when."

There was a moment of silence on the other line before he heard Andrea speak again. "Fine. I will let you off tonight, but next time I call you better be ready."

With that, the line went dead and Daryl clenched and unclenched his hand to keep from throwing his phone onto the floorboard in a fit of fury. Sometimes he hated her.

He forced his thoughts elsewhere as he pulled into his complex and he only hoped that the jobs would hold off even if for just a few more days, just until he got his head screwed on straight.

* * *

Beth pulled the door open to the sight of Daryl in a pair of black trousers, crease down the front. Her eyes traveled upward to his light grey shirt straining at the pull of his broad shoulders. He was wearing a thin black silk tie. She smiled, looking at him curiously as he pulled his hands from behind his back, revealing a bouquet of bright white and yellow daisies, holding them out to her. She heard a slight whimper break out from her lips before she could stop it as she looked up at him. He was looking down at her, his expression uncertain, wary until Beth smiled at him and rose up on her toes and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Daryl." Beth said as she pulled away from him, turning into the apartment, motioning with her other hand to follow him inside. "I just need to put these in some water and I'm ready."

Daryl knew for a fact that he had never been so nervous as getting ready to come to Beth's to pick her up. He had made all the necessary arrangements but was worried that he was going to do something wrong. He had no guidebook and nothing to go on but the movies he had seen and his gut. His gut had told him to pick up flowers on his way so he did. His gut was telling him right now to say something. Something that she would remember as meaning something later, but nothing was coming to mind. He was stuck on the fact that she liked the flowers and he was glad he had taken the extra time to stop.

He watched her move around the kitchen, retrieving a vase and filling it with water. She was the most intriguing combination of sweet and sexy and he didn't know how she managed to pull off both but she did it with ease. She was wearing another dress, this time fire engine red coming to mid-thigh and as she turned and stooped down to get the vase, he found himself wondering what kind of panties she was wearing. _Get a fucking grip_, Dixon, he told himself, holding out his arm for her as they left her apartment.

He was having an internal battle again; his thoughts did that more and more lately. He figured he spent most of his waking hours thinking about Beth and he knew it wasn't likely to change anytime soon. As they walked out to his car, he found himself trying to think of something, anything to break the silence. Finally when he got to his car, he walked her around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. On impulse he gripped her hands for a moment. She turned to look at him, eyebrows arched just slightly.

Before Beth had time to register what Daryl was doing, she found he was staring at her lips, very hungrily she might add. He brought one hand up to cup the side of her face and he placed the other hand around her waist to rest at the small of her back, pulling her to him as his tongue explored, nipped and teased her mouth before he finally broke it off.

"Been wantin' to do that since you opened your door." He said, leaning his forehead against hers as he spoke right against her lips and Beth could feel his breath on her and she had already been pulled under by this point. Pulled under by this spell because when she was around him it was the most dizzying sensation and when she kissed him, it felt like everything was just the tiniest bit off-kilter. Beth stood there, absorbing the moment and the mood as he finally pulled away and motioned for her to get in, closing the door behind her.

Beth looked around at the scenery and noticed that they were actually heading away from town. She glanced at him curiously. "Are we going out of town for dinner?" She was insatiably curious and he must have known this about her.

"You'll see. Just keep an open mind, okay?" Daryl asked it so softly that she could barely hear him. She smiled over at him and moved her hand to place it on his knee.

"Hey," she said when he didn't look at her right away but when he did, she saw it there. He was doubting whatever decision he had made for them tonight. "I'm sure that wherever you are taking me, I will love it." She smiled at him and he returned her small smile.

They finally pulled up a few minutes later to an apartment complex much like Beth's. She looked at him questioningly and he didn't say a word, just looked at her with that slight smirk barely turning up the corners of his mouth. One of these days, she was going to convince him somehow that it was okay to just smile.

He just came around to her side of the car and shut it behind her as they walked back to a set of stairs leading to the second floor of condominiums. The place was clean, well-maintained and pretty quiet for an apartment complex. This must be his house, thought Beth as they stopped outside her door.

He turned to face her. "Wait right here, okay. No peekin'". He flashed her a rare grin as he went into the apartment and she heard a lot or rustling as she waited, leaning against the wall right outside. He appeared in the doorway again and stepped aside to let her enter.

"Okay, it's all ready now". She looked up at him one last time before entering, placing her hand on his arm briefly to give it a reassuring squeeze.

In stepping through the door, it was like she had stepped into some kind of enchanted evening, every surface of the front rooms covered with candles, lighting up the apartment in muted golden light, the shadows dancing and inviting her in. It smelled heavenly and he placed his hand on the small of her back to the small dining area where he had placed candles in the center of the table and places were set for two, complete with plastic wine glasses and a little kid's blue sand bucket filled with ice and a bottle of wine sticking out of it, chilled and ready to drink.

She looked up at him as they reached the table and she moved her hands up to his chest. "You made me dinner?" She didn't recognize the breathy quality in her voice as she looked up at him, gazing into his eyes and he had that slight little playful smile on his face.

He leaned over and brushed his lips over hers and it did nothing to stop the box of iron nails clanging around in his gut but his chest felt a little better just having her close. "More like a redneck supper" he said, grinning at her. He placed another soft kiss on her lips before pulling out the chair for her and allowing her to sit. He motioned to the makeshift wine bucket. "Sorry it's all I could find. My brother's kid left it here a couple weeks ago." Merle brought Tommy around every other weekend when he had him so he could see his uncle Daryl, or uncle 'Dawwel' as he called him.

"I think it's perfect" Beth said, smiling up at him sweetly. She couldn't believe he had done this just for her. Court her, indeed, she thought.

He went to the oven then and retrieved two plates, already heaped with spaghetti and meatballs and placed them on the table at their respective seats. "Oh, I almost forgot." He said as he walked over to his entertainment center and pressed a button his stereo system and the soft smoky strains of jazz started playing.

"Wow, you thought of everything" Beth said as she watched him walk back over to the table and sit down across from her.

"You don't mind that I didn't take you out to some fancy restaurant then?" He looked at her questioningly, his eyes searching hers.

She reached across the table, placing her hand on top of his, squeezing it slightly. "This is better than anything I could have imagined." She beamed. "Thank you, Daryl."

Daryl looked across the table at her and nodded. He couldn't believe she was sitting here in his apartment. He had never brought a woman here before and when he got the idea he wasn't sure about it but now that she was here, she looked like she belonged.

"This looks delicious, I can't believe you did all this for me. Spaghetti is one of my favorites. I didn't know you could cook." Beth hoped now that she would be able to eat the delicious meal he had prepared. For whatever reason, she had butterflies taking up residence in her tummy.

"Don't be too impressed. This is the only thing I can make 'sides peanut butter and jelly." He said, laughing a little at himself.

Beth chuckled lightly looking at him. "Well if that's what you had fixed, I would have been happy to eat it." She beamed at him.

His heart felt like it tried to beat a different rhythm looking at her shooting him that smile that lit up the room far better than the candles he had painstakingly lit.

He uncorked the wine and she held out her glass as he poured the rose colored liquid into it. "Mind if I make a toast?" He asked.

She quirked one eyebrow at him. This man was just full of surprises. "Definitely." She smiled.

"To us." The clinked the plastic glasses together and Beth grinned at him repeating "to us" as she brought it to her lips swallowing the deliciously crisp, slightly sweet liquid. His toast was simple, it was sweet and it was so Daryl. He was a man of few words and it wasn't the words that got her, made her feel like her heart had been splayed open for the world to see. It was in the way he looked at her, like he could communicate the deepest recesses of his mind and she could see the parts of him that he had buried just beginning to surface. Beth didn't know if there was anything more beautiful than looking at this man opening himself up to her and she was willing to bet that no one else had ever gotten to see this side of him. It made her feel lucky. It made her feel special. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the world. What she didn't know was that, to Daryl, she really was.

He picked up his fork and they began to eat, silently exchanging looks every so often. Beth decided there was really no neat way to eat spaghetti. They finally finished and Beth sat back groaning slightly. "That was delicious." She said as she sipped on her third glass of wine.

He watched her openly as she closed her eyes after she took another sip of wine. He was secretly pleased that she liked the music he had picked out. He had spent nearly an hour that afternoon choosing the right mix of music and as dinner ended, the songs changed over to a mixture of rock and country.

"'M glad you liked it." He looked at her a little uncertainly before finally speaking. "I didn't know what to do, but I knew I didn't want to be in a crowded restaurant. 'S too noisy. I'll take you out next time." Next time? His eyes flashed at hers then because he didn't want to assume too much. The point to this was to take it slow and see what happened, but his heart was hurdling ahead of his mind and he just wanted to lose himself in this moment, in her.

"Daryl I don't care about any of that. This has been perfect. Next time I can cook you supper." She emphasized the word next as if it was an eventuality and not something hinted at.

His heart relaxed against its fight to find its way out of his chest for a moment when she said that, her eyes reassuring him more than anything else. She was looking at him again in that way of hers like she thought more of him than he thought of himself. For the life of him, he couldn't understand it. Couldn't understand what it was she saw in him. He nodded at her finally.

Beth looked around the apartment again, the candles flickering in the dark, their shadows dancing in beat to the music. "Daryl no one has ever done anything like this for me before." She said looking back at him again and she didn't miss the look in his eyes. Her heart literally skipped a beat as she tried again to pinpoint what it was that she felt for him. "It's all so perfect."

He'd never get tired of looking at her he decided. If all they did for the rest of their lives was sit here at this table, looking at each other over full bellies and full hearts, he knew he'd die a happy man. Her eyes met his and he was lost in those sapphire pools again. "You're perfect." He whispered and was rewarded with another of her thousand watt smiles.

Beth's heart fluttered in her chest at his words and for the first time in her life, _her, Beth Greene_, was speechless. He got up from his chair as the next song began to play and Beth looked at him in surprise as he rounded the table and held out his hand to her. "May I have this dance?" He smirked.

Beth smiled demurely at him "I think I can find some room on my dance card." She quipped.

"I'll try not to take up too much of your time, Ms. Greene. I know you have a lot of other suitors." Daryl didn't know where he was pulling the shit from but he just knew he wanted to hold her in his arms. The song was just an excuse to get her there.

"There's only you, Daryl." She said as she allowed herself to be pulled along as he led her to the center of the living room and with a flick of his wrist, he spun her into his embrace, placing one hand lightly on each hip, the silk of her red dress catching on the calluses of his fingers.

He looked down at her admission. Only him? What was she trying to say?

Beth snaked her arms up around his neck, running her hands through the slightly longer locks at the back before resting on his collar. She looked up into his face as he began to gently sway to the music, knowing that she had never experienced anything like this before. Not with anyone. Not with Zach, not with Jimmy, or any of the others before them. She laid her head on his chest, needing a moment to absorb what she was feeling and unable to process what she was thinking at least not with any real clarity. She let the music wash over her as they swayed together.

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing_  
_Watch you smile while you are sleeping_  
_While you're far away and dreaming_  
_I could spend my life in this sweet surrender_  
_I could stay lost in this moment forever_  
_Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure_

_Don't wanna close my eyes_  
_I don't wanna fall asleep_  
_'Cause I'd miss you, baby_  
_And I don't wanna miss a thing_

_'Cause even when I dream of you_  
_The sweetest dream would never do_  
_I'd still miss you, baby_  
_And I don't wanna miss a thing_

Daryl held her close as he just barely shuffled his feet along and she followed with him as the music swelled around them, sweeping up the shards of his heart as they moved. In this moment, he felt something he didn't think he had ever felt before and as he tried to pinpoint what it was he finally found a word for it, the calm washing over him and it was peace. He felt a peace with her that he had never felt before, not in his entire miserable existence. For the first time in forever, he felt like he had hope. It was a foreign feeling and he was scared of it as much as he was enthralled by it. He wasn't sure if it was a dangerous thing or not, but all he knew as he danced with this angel in his arms he wanted to stay in this moment forever. Forget about his old man and the ever increasing debt. Forget about Andrea and the bullshit he had to put up with there. Forget about his past and look forward to the future. A future of candlelit redneck dinners, the soft buzz of wine blending with the lilting refrains of songs that made him believe that something like this did exist for him. With her. Only with her.

_Lying close to you feeling your heart beating_  
_And I'm wondering what you're dreaming,_  
_Wondering if it's me you're seeing_  
_Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together_  
_And I just wanna stay with you_  
_In this moment forever, forever and ever_

_I don't wanna close my eyes_  
_I don't wanna fall asleep_  
_'Cause I'd miss you, baby_  
_And I don't wanna miss a thing_

_'Cause even when I dream of you_  
_The sweetest dream would never do_  
_I'd still miss you, baby_  
_And I don't wanna miss a thing_

Beth kept her eyes closed and just let herself feel it all. The pleasant heady feeling of the wine hitting the back of her mind and making her see things just a little more clearly, the music beating in rhythm with the tap-tap of her heart. She could feel his heartbeat against her cheek and in listening to her own, she could feel them beating in sync and she decided then that it was all just falling together, all so perfect and all so sweet that she was intoxicated with this feeling.

_I don't wanna miss one smile_  
_I don't wanna miss one kiss_  
_Well, I just wanna be with you_  
_Right here with you, just like this_

_I just wanna hold you close_  
_I feel your heart so close to mine_  
_And just stay here in this moment_  
_For the rest of time, yeah, yeah, yeah!_

_Don't wanna close my eyes_  
_Don't wanna fall asleep_  
_'Cause I'd miss you, baby_  
_And I don't wanna miss a thing_

The song continued to play and Beth pulled back then to look up at him and he looked down at her and there was no hesitation on what the other was thinking as their lips met, no longer hesitant, no longer fleeting, but sure. His tongue licked lightly in between her lips and her mouth responded to him like an old lover coming to call, opening and accepting. The wait was over; she had found that one thing in life that was worth living for. Knew it without a shadow of a doubt that she was falling, fast and hard and it was dizzying, wondering. She felt the pull of passion behind her eyes, that warm heavy leaded desire pulsing through her blood.

He closed his eyes tightly, feeling an ache right over where his heart resided and he knew then as he helplessly fell over the ledge he had been teetering on that he loved her. She moved her hands from around his neck to splay her fingers on his chest and she curled her fingers into his shirt right where his once bruised and battered heart used to lay open for the world to crush at will. Her touch was a balm to the places that were open and scarred. Her fingers were the tools that were putting him back together one jagged and crooked screw at a time. Her kisses were the glue that sealed up the cracks in his soul. As he stood there kissing her in his living room, she became more than a visitor. She became a part of him. She had taken up residence in his life just as she had moved into his heart, bringing nothing with her but the hope he found in her eyes and the solace he felt in her kisses. He reluctantly pulled away.

"Don't move." He whispered against her ear as he pulled away and she watched as he moved to blow out all the candles in the room before looking back at her as he crossed the room towards her, his steps sure and purposeful. As he reached her, his chest heaving, he reached down and grasped her behind her knees, sweeping her up into his arms.

Beth squealed a little as he scooped her up and carried her, like he she was his bride on their wedding night, back to his room and she pressed her mouth to the side of his neck as he laid her down on his bed and he laid beside her. And it was ridiculous how many articles of clothing they had on but soon they were lying naked in other's arms, hands exploring, tongues caressing, breath sighing.

They made love and it was achingly sweet and maddeningly slow and they drove each other to unimaginable heights with the slide of a hand, flick of a wrist or tongue, skin against skin. They reached their climax and the beats of pleasure spun against them, settling into their veins like a leaden vapor pulling them under.

As Daryl gave into the sated, sleepy feeling and closed his eyes, he knew there were no words that he could have spoken in that moment that covered everything he was feeling. He pulled her a little closer and felt her answering sigh as she rested her head against his chest, one leg draped over his thigh.

Beth knew as she fell asleep in his arms that there was no other place in the world that she wanted to be. No other place she ever wanted to be again. She felt like she had come home. She felt like her heart had come home to stay and it beat just right behind the cage that once felt like a prison. As she drifted into blissful slumber, she thought she heard him whisper but she'd never be entirely sure as she slipped into her dreams.

Daryl felt the moment she fell asleep, her body entirely relaxed against him and he knew he could say it now, the words that had been engraved upon his heart and punctured his very soul. "I love you, Beth." She may not have heard him but he couldn't go to sleep without saying them. Those three words he had never spoken to another human being besides his mama. Some day he hoped he'd have the courage to say them to her out loud, but for now a whispered confession in the darkness of the night caught in a moment where their hearts had collided was just enough. It was just enough to lull him into the best sleep of his life. He had found her. She had found him. In each other, they had found something beautiful. Something rare. Something they both needed without even looking for it. Just a little something called love.

**This story is breaking me. As we draw closer to the season premiere, I find I am anxious. I want him to find her. I want her to find him. And more than anything I want them to find what they need in the other person. Yes, I am sappy. This pairing breaks me down a little more each day and I know you all feel it too. Thank you as always for making me feel like I am telling their story right. AU's are a funny thing. You can write their love story a million different ways and because they are your one true pairing, it hits you all over again. They are the same people, but they are different. **

**Okay, enough of that. Thank you to everyone! This response to this story continues to amaze me and I am just glad you are enjoying reading as much as I am enjoying writing it. **

**I want to address a couple of things real quick. No they are not ready to confess what they are feeling. It is so fast and it's so new and so unlike anything the other has ever experienced. It will take time but they will come to realize just how much they mean to each other. Yes, it will be messy. Yes there will be conflict. Lots of it. But that's all part of a really good love story. But hey, at least they don't have the threat of walkers right? Beth is okay with things right now because there is no immediate threat of the other women that he has to take out and wine and dine. It is absent from her mind as she gives herself over to what she is feeling for him. **

**As much as we want him to, he can't just quit his job. He has responsibilities. He hates it but he still has to do it. Don't worry, it will become a BIG problem very soon. Just as him having to do it will become a big problem for Beth. **

**Thank you again SOOOOO MUCH for all the love. You guys are awesome. As always, thank you to my muses. I could not do this without you guys. Until next time, xoxoxoxo**

**PS - the song is "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith. It's perf really. **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Daryl awoke early the next morning, thankfully in plenty of time for work. He had asked her to stay last night. That was one thing he was having a hard time wrapping his brain around. He never brought women back to his place and he sure as hell never let them stay all night. But Beth wasn't just some woman. What was she? For the life of him, Daryl could not pinpoint their relationship. Nothing really seemed to fit. He was too old to be her damn boyfriend. They weren't engaged. He didn't know what to make of it. He half wanted to ask Beth. She was better at this shit than he was.

The object of his thoughts was sprawled out on her stomach and she was facing his way. He hated to even move because watching her sleep was a precious moment. If she looked young in her waking hours, she looked positively innocent in her sleep, all lines erased and a softer quality about her, which didn't make any goddamn sense considering she looked like an angel when she was awake anyway.

Impulsively, he leaned over and kissed her shoulder, loving the soft feel of her skin under his lips. He thought about all the things they had done last night and some of it made even him blush. What was worse is that he couldn't get enough of her. His dick was rock hard right now but there was no way he would have enough time this morning with having to take Beth home before he even went to work. She had offered to take a taxi cab home but he had told her no. He had to be at the shop at 9:00 and it was not quite 7:00. He knew from their conversation the night before that Beth didn't have anything pressing to do today.

She stirred under his lips and he continued to spread kisses over her shoulder and then reached up and moved her hair from the back of her neck, placing open mouthed kisses on the soft flesh there. He grinned against her slight saltiness as she started wiggling her hips and giggling.

"Good morning Daryl." She said, lifting her head off the pillow. She tugged on the sheet and turned over pulling the blanket with her and effectively removing it from Daryl.

Her lips twitched upward when she glanced down and back up again having seen for herself how aroused he had gotten kissing her awake like he did.

"I can't help it." He smirked. "You are so damn sexy I can't get enough of you. He reached over and ran his hand down over her hip and squeezed the side of her thigh, kneading it slightly, cursing his testosterone charged body.

"Well I hate to make you feel deprived." Beth purred as she ran her hand down over his chest running her fingers through the smattering of chest hair, trailing them lower until she reached his hard member, taking him firmly in her hand and spreading her thumb over the tip, spreading the viscous liquid that had gathered there over the head, smiling as he groaned.

"Fuck, Beth, I gotta get ready for work." He hissed through his teeth even as he watched her work her hand up and down his shaft, making no attempt to move because it felt too damn good.

"So we'll just have a quickie," she said, giggling at his expression as she climbed on top of him.

"I think we said that last night too and look where that got us." Daryl was having to work at his breathing. They had tried to have a quick romp at 3:00 a.m. but it had turned into the longest love-making session yet which was why they had fallen asleep in the first place, completely spent from their vigorous play. But who was he to deny her climbing on top of him and hell, he was ready to go. They'd just hurry up and he would be on his way to work in no time.

* * *

The door to the shop chimed overhead when he walked in a good fifteen minutes late after dropping Beth at her house.

"Bout damn time you got here, baby brother." Merle drawled.

Daryl looked at his older brother as he clocked in and immediately went to the first bay to get to work on the truck he had been repairing on Friday. The guy would be by at noon to get his vehicle and Daryl just wanted to make sure it was working properly before he sent it back out the door.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and cringed as he pulled it out, hoping like hell it wasn't Andrea. He glanced at the display and then smiled.

Beth: Hope you have a great day. I miss you already. 3

Daryl typed out a quick reply.

Daryl: I miss you too. See you tonight. 3

He hesitated on the last part. He had to have Beth explain it to him the first time he had seen it. He had just learned how to text a few months ago at Andrea's insistence and he still didn't get some of the abbreviations used. Still he loved getting messages from her throughout the day even though most of the time it had him grinning like a fool.

He slipped his phone back in his pocket, looking forward to seeing her tonight. They were just going to watch a movie at her apartment. She hadn't wanted to leave Mr. Whiskers alone tonight after being gone all last night.

Merle was walking towards him now and Daryl wiped the smile from his face as he approached. "Oooo-weee, baby brother, you got a different look 'bout you this mornin'." Merle was nothing if not observant and he never had been able to slip anything past him.

He rolled his eyes skyward and turned around to face his older brother; his nemesis. "Da fuck you talkin' about Merle." Never was Daryl's accent more pronounced than when he was talking to him.

"You come in here, looking like somethin' the cat dragged in, late for work, and not even a second after you get here, you're pullin' your phone out grinnin' like some damn fool in love." Merle grinned at him, pulling a cigarette out of his pack and lighting it. "Ole Merle didn't know better, I'd be thinkin' you're sweet on somebody."

Daryl snorted. "Yeah, well you don't know nothin'." He concentrated on replacing the screws back in the alternator. He looked up at Merle who was studying him like some damn insect. "Wouldn't be none of your business if I did."

"She know about what you do?" Merle had known about him working for Andrea since day one. Sure Merle helped contribute where he could, but he could only do so much having a kid to help raise and all. He had to pay a hefty sum of money to his ex for Tommy but Merle never complained. He loved that kid. And as some kind of tacit agreement, Merle never gave him hell about his other profession, knowing that it wouldn't end well.

Daryl studied his brother for a long minute and decided that this was the closest he was going to come to being able to tell somebody about what was going on in his head. "Yeah, she knows. She hired me after all."

Merle let out a long low whistle. "You got yourself in a pickle baby brother. She knows and she still wants to be with ya?"

Daryl nodded. "Yeah, she does but it's complicated."

"She pretty?" Merle was genuinely curious now, Daryl could tell.

"Yeah, she's real pretty. She's a school teacher and shit." Daryl hated that he couldn't tell Merle exactly how he felt about Beth Greene. He shrugged his shoulders now to play down the effect she had on him.

"A school teacher? Well ain't that a kick in the teeth." Merle commented.

Daryl looked at him sideways and Merle continued. "A teacher hiring an escort. Now that's some special education right there. She give ya private lessons or you give 'em to _her_." Merle chuckled at his own joke.

Daryl felt his skin flush and his blood boil all at once and he had Merle shoved up against the truck pinning him down with one arm under his chin. "You don't talk about her that way, you got it?" Daryl was seething and it had been a long time since the wick on his temper had burned down quite that fast. He knew he was being a jackass for Merle saying what he had thought a thousand times in regards to a certain blonde being a teacher. It had fueled more than one fantasy for him. Still, it didn't sit well with him having his brother voice his most private and debased thoughts, especially about her. He let up his grip on him and Merle just stood up and looked at him before walking away.

He turned back and said one last thing, so Merle-like, always having to have the last word. "Was just thinkin' that it might not be so smart her being an upstanding member of society is all. She's got kids to teach. If Tommy's teacher hired an escort, I'd have a hell of a time being okay with that. That's all I was sayin'. You best get your head straight before Andrea gets wind of this." Merle's tone was a warning and Daryl wanted to punch him.

How the fuck had he been so stupid and not put all the pieces together before now. Much as he hated to admit it, Merle was right. Going back to work on the truck, he decided that he would just have to make doubly sure that Andrea never found out.

* * *

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Daryl would go to work in the morning and go see Beth in the evening and they would alternately make love and watch movies and go on walks. They had to skip Wednesday night because Daryl had to see a client. Thankfully it was only a business dinner he had to accompany the woman to and he dropped her back off at her hotel and headed home, resisting the urge to drive by Beth's, knowing it would never be a quick kiss or two. It was never like that for them. Once they were in each other's presence they couldn't keep their hands off one another and usually it wasn't ten minutes before their clothes were off and they were pressed up against some surface going at it like teenagers.

Daryl had to admit that it was the hottest sex he had ever experienced in his life. Beth was an adventurous lover to say the least and there wasn't much that they hadn't tried yet.

Now that he was on the way there to get her he couldn't help but be a little nervous that he was meeting her sister that night. She was bringing her boyfriend. Daryl had never met a girl's family before but if he was going to date her then he guessed he better get used to the idea. She had a father too and Daryl was terrified of meeting him. One step at a time, Dixon, he chided himself.

They were going to the annual 4th of July town fair that afternoon and meeting her sister for the fireworks portion of the evening. He hadn't been to a carnival in years and he wouldn't admit it to anyone but he was looking forward to a day spent riding Ferris wheels and eating cotton candy and winning prizes for his girl. His girl? He guessed that was what she was. He had spent entirely too much time trying to figure out their relationship and it was bugging the hell out of him. He knew she wasn't seeing anyone else but he got tied up when he thought about that because it wasn't like he could be monogamous with his profession. He forced all thoughts away then, concentrating his full attention on knocking on the door.

She pulled it open almost immediately and Daryl nearly had the wind knocked out of him at the sight of her. He groaned. "That what you're wearing?"

Beth looked up at him and grinned as he came in the apartment and kicked the door closed behind him, his hands going to her waist immediately.

She effectively ducked his advances. "If we're gonna have any day to salvage we gotta get going baby." She drawled, chuckling when he reached her again and was nuzzling his nose into the side of her neck.

He pulled back and looked at her. "You tryin' to kill me in those shorts aren't ya?" He complained. She was wearing the most impossibly tiny cut-off denim shorts and her shirt was showing her midriff. He figured he'd be spending the day readjusting himself to accommodate a chronic erection.

Beth leaned up and kissed his cheek and thought how impossibly sexy he looked in his khaki board shorts and white polo. He was wearing a pair of leather flip-flops and if they hadn't already had this day planned she'd let him go ahead and take her to the bedroom and ravish her. "Let's go babe. I promise I'll make it worth the wait later." She whispered in his ear before stepping back and opening her apartment door.

Daryl groaned and swatted her ass playfully as they walked back out in the hall. Once they were in the car and on the road, Daryl glanced at her sideways. "You think we could make a stop in Jasper. I promise it won't take more 'an thirty minutes." He brought his thumb to his mouth absently.

Beth looked over at him and studied him chewing on his thumb nail. He only did that when he was nervous. She nodded. "Sure, any particular reason?" She smiled and reached over and took her hand in his, effectively blocking him from the habit.

He grinned at her then, knowing he had been caught. He didn't mind it. Holding her hand was just another excuse to touch her. She laced their fingers together and he liked how her pale delicate hand looked so exquisite against his ruddier complexion.

"I need to make a stop at the place they got my old man." He glanced at her nervously before adding, "I can go early tomorrow or Sunday though." He didn't know exactly why it was he wanted her to go with him. It could be a good thing or it could end up a fuckin' disaster any given day he went to see the old man.

Beth sat up a little straighter at his request. She knew exactly what it took for him to include her on something like this and she was touched and felt honored that he was willing to share this with her. "Of course we can go. No problem." She squeezed his hand.

They pulled up thirty minutes later and Daryl told her to stay put. Beth was confused until she realized his intent. She grinned like an idiot as he came around to her door and opened it for her as she exited the truck. "Thank you."

"Told ya I wanted to do this right." Daryl said, leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled back and looked at her seriously gripping her elbow lightly.

"Listen, if he gets to be too much I don't mind if ya need to step out." He would say more but he didn't know how to explain the cluster-fuck that was Will Dixon.

Beth just nodded as Daryl took her hand and they walked through the sterile looking environment of the nursing home. Beyond the sterility though, Beth could see the home-like touches scattered about. Everything was safety and health oriented but the unit still held a homier feel than that of a hospital. They reached a door and heard garbled bellowing from within. "Da the fuck they do with mah television program."

Daryl walked into the room and Beth followed on his heels. "Dad, you gotta be quieter. Ya know these nurses don't have time to listen to your complainin'. Be glad you got a t.v."

"Oh well if it isn't the long lost prodigal son come back to grace me with his presence." Will Dixon even in his old age, was a broad man, a head full of thick grey hair and scraggly looking facial hair. In short, Beth looked at Will Dixon and saw a grumpy old man. But there was something oddly menacing about him as well in the way he leered at her.

"Who's this pretty little thing? You bring your old man a present. Maybe you got a drop of redemption left in ya yet, boy." The older Dixon chortled at his own joke. He started coughing and couldn't seem to get stopped.

Beth looked at Daryl ignoring the older man's comment. "Should we get somebody?" She knew Daryl's father was an ass but she didn't want him to choke to death or anything.

Daryl nodded his head, his blood in a boiling rage already, and went to the call bell and pushed it. A nurse appeared a few minutes later walking over to the suction equipment. Beth watched as she pulled out a long tube and suctioned his mouth out with it, the machine on the wall making a sickening sucking sound. Beth wasn't going to lie; it made her stomach turn something awful.

The nurse finished her job and looked at Daryl pointedly. "I need to speak with you before you leave."

"I think I know what the problem is. I'll deal with it, I assure ya." Daryl crossed his arms over his chest waiting for the nurse to leave. "What the fuck dad? I am gonna kick Merle's ass. He brought you cigarettes again, didn't he?" Daryl was seething. Merle didn't have a goddamn lick of sense when it came to their father's condition. Last thing he fuckin' needed is for the old man to get pneumonia further driving up the cost of him staying in the place. A stroke victim and smoking did not go hand in hand.

"You bet your ass he did. At least I got one son who gives a shit about me!" Will Dixon's voice boomed through the room and Beth marveled at his ability to speak with such force in his condition. She knew he was paralyzed on one side of his body but he still looked like he could come up out of the bed and cause some damage.

Daryl thought this was why he didn't want to come here but he felt he had to at least once a month if only to remind himself of why he did what he did. Besides that he needed to assure the people caring for him that he was not neglecting his responsibility. He just hated that he had brought Beth here. He looked at her and her eyes met his and she smiled softly. It went a long way towards easing the knot in his gut over arguing with his father.

"Whatever." Daryl muttered. "You gotta stop smokin' and you gotta stop hasslin' these nurses. They work damn hard to take care of your sorry ass. Least you could do is cooperate."

"Mr. Dixon," the nurse called from the doorway literally batting her eyelashes at Daryl. "Can I steal you away for a minute?"

Beth watched as the nurse flirted blatantly with Daryl and she felt just the tiniest bit of jealousy at that but Daryl was all business until he turned to look at her his face softening as he spoke. "Beth, will you be okay here for a minute?" He looked nervously between his father and Beth. "You can go out to the truck and wait if ya want." He didn't want to leave her alone but he also didn't know what the nurse was about to tell him.

Beth shook her head emphatically. "I'll be fine, I promise." Beth smiled sweetly at him and he reached over and squeezed her arm.

"Be right back." He said before stepping out in the hall with the nurse.

"Mr. Dixon," she began. "I need you to speak with your brother. Every time he is here he lets your father smoke and I don't think I have to tell you how detrimental that can be to him in his condition." Daryl nodded his head. He already had a hard enough time as it was without adding the toxic effects of smoking to the mix.

"I'll talk to him again. This won't _happen_ again." Daryl looked at her. "Was there anything else?" He noticed that the nurse kept sneaking glances back into the room through the window in the door. He knew she was probably insanely curious about Beth but he wasn't rising to take the bait.

She looked back at him. "Plans for the 4th today?" She gestured with her hand back towards the room.

He just nodded and her face fell. "Well just see to it that you talk to you brother. You have a great day." She brushed by him on her way back to the nurses station and Daryl rolled his eyes before going back to the room.

"You come on over here sugar and I'll show you what it's like to be with a real Dixon." He heard his father say.

"Dad!" he exclaimed and then turned to Beth. "I'm so sorry Beth." He looked back to his father again barely containing his rage but knew he couldn't cause a scene in the place. He was nothing if not professional when he came here, but only because he had to be. God knew what would happen if he got kicked out and there was only Merle to deal with everything. "We're leaving Dad. Come on Beth, let's go."

Beth watched the exchange between the father and son and she honestly couldn't fathom why Daryl even put up with his father. While he was out of the room, his father had made approximately 5 passes at her with rude gestures and comments. She was unfazed by it really but Daryl was really worked up at the moment.

"Oh yeah, you go on and run out, pussy boy. Just like your mama, pansy ass." The older Dixon chuckled and Daryl clenched his fists at his side. To say he was humiliated would be an understatement.

Beth felt Daryl's hand at the base of her spine gently prodding her out of the room. They climbed back in the truck outside and Daryl didn't speak a word for a full ten minutes. Only as they pulled back on the highway did he finally speak. "I'm sorry." Those were his only words.

"Don't be. You can't help how your father acts. Can I ask you one thing?" Beth said it gently. "You don't have to answer it if you don't want." She countered.

"Go ahead." He nodded, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders just like he always did after he saw the old man.

"Why do you do it? He was awful to you. Seems like he still is." They hadn't talked about them but she had seen and felt the scars on his back, deep rivets in his skin. It broke her heart but she never mentioned them. She never mentioned his past at all. She figured if he wanted to talk about it, he would.

Daryl shrugged his shoulders. "Guess it's a feeling I get. Like I know he's a bastard. But he's still my father. He treated me like shit. And yeah he still does. But just because he treats me like that, don't mean I gotta do the same." Daryl looked over at her, studying her reaction.

It clicked with Beth then just how special this man really was. For him to have suffered such abuse and neglect of love from one man and still be willing to do what he did was a true testament to the kind of man he was. He was a _good_ man. He was the kind of man, despite everything, that she wanted to bring home to meet her Daddy. She didn't know how her father would react to what Daryl was doing and hopefully she wouldn't have to find out but she knew that her father would love Daryl. It surprised her that her mind had gone straight to having Daryl meet her dad. She was all tangled up in what she felt for him and she was pretty sure he was too.

"You're a good man, Daryl Dixon." She said, looking at him, so very proud.

Daryl looked at her in surprise. "I'm not." He shook his head.

"You _are_." Beth insisted. "What you are doing for your dad is the most selfless thing I have ever witnessed."

Daryl thought about what she said. No one had ever said anything like this to him before.

"Daryl if you're gonna be with me, you're gonna have to get used to hearing me say things like this. And often." She said and she caught his glance and flashed him a smile and her heart soared when he responded with a small smile of his own.

He reached over and took her hand on the seat beside her linking their fingers together. He didn't know what he did to deserve her and he was pretty sure he didn't deserve her but the way he felt when he was with her made him feel like he could do this. He could be whatever she wanted him to be.

* * *

Beth squealed as the neared the top of the Ferris wheel and Daryl was rocking their car back and forth as it came to a stop at the very top. From up here you could see the whole tiny town of Senoia. She wished her father had been home today so they could stop by but he had a longstanding date in the next town over to play chess with his friends at the senior center. He had started going there at Maggie's and her insistence a couple of years ago and now he never missed it and Independence Day was not any different. She knew her father was long past the point of wanting to go to the town fair and watch the fireworks.

"Daryl stop rocking it, these rides probably aren't the sturdiest. It's probably the same ride from when I was a kid. Or worse, when you were!" She squealed again as he slid his arm down her back and tickled her waist.

"You saying I'm old?" He whispered gruffly against her ear.

Beth giggled helplessly. "No, I would never say any such thing." Beth looked up at him as he pulled her to him. Her stomach fluttered and she knew it had nothing to do with the height or the large amount of cotton candy and popcorn she had just ingested.

He was staring at her so intently and his eyes had gone that color they went to right before all their clothes started coming off. "Daryl." She breathed. He brought his lips to hers silencing her lips as well as her mind because all coherent thought always exited stage left as soon as he kissed her.

His tongue probed at her lips and she opened her mouth readily, greedily accepting his tongue. Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to get themselves trapped in up here. Just then the ride started moving again beginning the slow descent that would allow them off the ride.

They broke apart and Beth leaned her forehead against his. "I want you." She admitted, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

Daryl looked down at her in surprise and then got an idea. "You know that ride we passed on the way here."

Beth nodded her head. It was one of those rides that had roller coaster cars going in a loop inside an enclosure and played extra loud music as it raced in a circle of hilly track.

Daryl leaned down close to her to whisper in her ear. "When we get off this ride, I want you to go to the bathroom and remove your panties." He looked down at her shorts, making sure he would have enough room and looked back up at her eyes that had gone wide in anticipation and her pupils were already blown at the thought.

Beth nodded and ran her tongue over her bottom lip at how her mouth had gone suddenly dry. A few minutes later she was in the bathroom removing her already damp panties. Having nothing else to do with them, she stuffed them in her front pocket.

She walked back out of the bathroom feeling a little weird. As if reading her mind, Daryl whispered. "Don't worry, Princess, no one knows you ain't wearing panties except for me." His voice was gruff and Beth groaned just at him mentioning the fact that she was going commando.

The line was not long at all but it seemed an interminable wait as he held her hand and kept leaning over and whispering her ear every now and then how he was going to make her come. Something about it being planned had her clit throbbing already.

Finally they got on the ride and as it started, Daryl leaned over and his lips claimed hers as he plunged his tongue inside making her moan into his mouth. Beth was glad for the darkness of the enclosure so no one could see just how red her face was.

_Can you feel that?  
You better hold on  
This one's about to get bumpy  
Hahahahahahaha..._

_She's a ten, hellbent, I'm in heaven tonight_  
_Six speed sex scene playin' out in my mind_  
_One look, I'm hooked, motor runnin'_  
_Rev'd up, my heart startin' pumpin'_  
_Are you ready for the best damn ride of your life?_

_Gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah"_  
_Stand up right now_  
_And gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah"_  
_Stand up right now_  
_Get ready to go_  
_She ain't movin' slow_  
_She's takin' control_  
_Pushin' the pedal to the floor_  
_I'm beggin' for more_  
_You better hold on tight_

_Hey, hey, hey, hey_  
_Hey, hey, hey, hey_

_Got a taste, can't be saved, I'm a junkie for life_  
_She fuels my fire and adrenaline high_  
_My need for speed's got me gunnin'_  
_One touch, she screams "keep it comin'"_  
_Are you ready for the best damn ride of your life?_

_Gimme a "hell"  
Gimme a "yeah"  
Stand up right now  
And gimme a "hell"  
Gimme a "yeah"  
Stand up right now  
Get ready to go  
She ain't movin' slow  
She's takin' control  
Pushin' the pedal to the floor  
I'm beggin' for more  
You better hold on tight_

_Hahahahahahaha..._  
_Almost home_  
_Hey, hey, hey, hey_  
_Hey, hey, hey, hey (come on)_  
_Hey, hey, hey, hey (yeahhh)_

_Gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah" (hell yeah)_  
_Stand up right now_  
_And gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah"_  
_Stand up right now (right now)_  
_Gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah" (yeah)_  
_Stand up right now_  
_And gimme a "hell" (hell)_  
_Gimme a "yeah" (yeah)_  
_Stand up right now (right now)_  
_Get ready to go_  
_She ain't movin' slow_  
_She's takin' control_  
_And pushin' the pedal to the floor_  
_I'm beggin' for more_  
_You better hold on tight_

_Gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah"_  
_And gimme a "hell"_  
_Gimme a "yeah"_  
_Hell_

_Hey, hey, hey, hey_

As the music started Daryl didn't waste any time, knowing that they only had about 6 minutes at the most. It would be a challenge but he had gotten to know all her kinks and quirks pretty well by now and even if he left her wanting it just meant they'd have to ride again. He leaned over and made it seem that he was just pressed against her from the force of the ride but it would only be half true. He put his left arm up around her shoulders and braced himself just far enough away from her but still close enough so that he could whisper in her ear. He placed his hand on her thigh and smiled as her thighs parted willingly. He skimmed his fingers up the inside of her thigh, pleased when he reached her soaking wet folds, groaning himself as he delved into the velvety softness that was Beth's pussy.

"Damn baby, you're so wet." He whispered and his cock twitched at her answering moan. He circled his finger around her opening, teasing the entrance and feeling her legs trembling beneath his palm. He slid his finger down just at the edge of her pussy and dragged his finger back up, pulling her juices with his touch, stopping when he got to her already swollen clit. He flicked his finger back and forth over that tight bundle of nerves and heard or rather felt her moan as he leaned into her.

"I know you want my cock buried in that sweet pussy, but my finger is gonna have to do for now Princess." He whispered gruffly.

Between what Daryl was doing between her legs and the things he was whispering in her ear had her about to lose her mind. She was grateful for the loudness of the music because if not for that she surely would draw the attention of everyone on the ride with her moans. What he was doing was absolutely nothing short of delicious as it send prickling shivers of lightning all up her spine, leaking into her veins like molten lava licking a pulsing fire so deep in her belly and then she came completely unraveled all at once, the vibration from the ride and his fingers being far too much for her to hold it together. She screamed his name at the crest and then collapsed against his fingers as she floated down.

Daryl pulled his hand from between her legs just about the time the song ended. Beth watched, mouth parted slightly and her chest heaving again at the sight of him putting his finger to his lips, sliding it in his mouth and pulling it out slowly, licking her juices from his skin.

As they got off the ride, she thought she heard someone snicker behind her and she couldn't care less. This man made her feel things she had never felt with anyone and she found that she didn't care if anyone knew it. She loved him for doing this with her, for suggesting it. She found that she was still vibrating with need and one glance at him had her convinced he felt the same.

"You wanna get outta here?" She asked, completely breathless with want.

"Fuck yeah", he said gruffly.

They went back to the truck and Beth directed him to the closest place she could think of, the old spot all the kids used to go parking out by the lake. She didn't do it, because back when she was dating in high school she was considered one of the good girls and she never would have been allowed out late anyway since her dad was so strict.

There was no one out here tonight she guessed on account of everyone being at the fair. Or maybe no one ever came here anymore. She didn't much care. Daryl looked at her once they got there, Beth having given him directions to the best parking place in the whole lake area, the outcropping of weeping willows, providing nature's perfect curtains. She had been palming his dick over his pants all the way here, making him go perhaps just a bit faster than he should have.

So they did something neither of them had ever done. They got out of the truck and Daryl grabbed a blanket from the back of the cab and spread it out in the bed of the truck. They couldn't get their clothes off fast enough and Beth was grateful for the fact that it was summer and there were less clothes to worry about. It was blistering hot outside, cool in the shade but Beth's skin was on fire with his touches as he pulled her shorts off and they were finally naked. She laid on her back and spread her legs wide and he didn't waste time settling in there and quickly rolling a condom on. As soon as he finished he guided his dick to her slick folds and teased the entrance for a moment looking up at her.

Her eyes were begging him. "Please." She whispered it.

"Please what?" He wanted to hear her say it even though he was dying to bury himself in her and fuck her all the way through the bed of his truck.

"Please fuck me." Her voice was breathy and sexy as fuck and Daryl did as she requested. He fucked her. He fucked her until they were both breathless, panting, sweaty and lay in a tangled heap.

"That's one carnival ride I've never tried before." She said breathily after she came down from her second mind-blowing orgasm.

He looked over at her and started laughing. She laughed along with him until they were both hysterical with it.

She looked at him finally sobered and then broke into an ear-splitting grin. "I think it's my favorite one." She giggled.

He rolled over, holding himself off her and leaned down to capture his lips with hers in a long, slow kiss. He pulled back slightly. "You're amazing, you know that." It was the only thing he could think of saying without giving it all completely away just because he was not altogether ready to express that to her yet. He knew he needed to get his head screwed on right before he attempted to navigate everything he felt for this beautiful amazing woman.

As he kissed her slowly and languidly, Beth felt a tug on her heartstrings at his words and all at once it felt like her air had been cut just a bit short. She was suddenly so afraid that she was falling down the rabbit hole. She had just drank the potion and she was falling over the edge of being in love with Daryl Dixon.

* * *

**Okay guys, I think this may be the longest Shady chapter yet. Whew! I so hope you guys like this chapter. I feel like it was all over the place but a lot of this stuff was really necessary for obvious reasons. So let me know how you liked it, what you didn't like, if you hated it, whatever. Lol I am enjoying writing this and hope you are enjoying reading it though judging by the staggering amount of reviews this gets each chapter, I am guessing you like it right? Anywho thanks for all of it! Leave me love on your way out or if you just want to speculate Bethyl. That's good too. Until next time, xoxoxoxo **

**PS – The song is Hell Yeah by Rev Theory. Also I need to ALWAYS thank my muses. Y'all ladies know who you are! 3 **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Beth sat across from Daryl in the limo that had been rented for the evening and sipped her champagne feeling very much like a pampered princess. It would be an hour long ride down to the country club where the reunion was being held. Beth looked over at Daryl and he was watching her, his expression completely unreadable.

"I still can't believe I am riding in a limo." Beth exclaimed looking around at the running lights that rimmed the ceiling of the car. She could feel the pleasant thrum of alcohol running through her veins. She grinned at Daryl and he answered her with a smile.

"Are you havin' fun darlin'?" Daryl asked. He was enjoying every single minute of this. Beth was the kind of girl that deserved to be treated like royalty every day of the week not just for special occasions.

Beth giggled and nodded her head. She slipped her shoes off and tucked them up under her. There was not a whole lot of room to move in the her little black dress but she was definitely more comfortable. She tipped the glass back and downed the rest of her glass of champagne.

Beth had been hoping Daryl was going to get to meet Maggie and Glenn the night before but Maggie had texted her shortly after Beth and Daryl had finished their romp in the woods saying that she was not feeling well and maybe they could all meet at Daddy's the following evening. It had been disappointing but she and Daryl had still had fun watching the fireworks from the bed of the truck and then making their own well into the night. She smiled at the memory.

Daryl reached over to get another bottle of the bubbly beverage but Beth's hand stopped him. She reached behind her and grabbed the bottle of vodka. "Let's play a game." She said suddenly. "I always wanted to play this when I was growing up but I never did."

Daryl looked at her sideways. "A drinkin' game?" He had heard of these before but he just didn't see the point. He would not tell her that though.

She nodded eagerly. "It's called 'I've Never'. So I'll go first. I say something I haven't done and if you've done it, then you drink. If you haven't done it then I drink. Make sense?"

Daryl shook his head lightly and chuckled. "I guess. Just never needed a game to get lit before. But I'll play." He got out two shot glasses and poured them both a shot.

Beth beamed at him. "I've never ridden in a limo before tonight."

Daryl nodded at her and smirked and tipped his glass back. Beth nudged his shoe with her toe. "Your turn."

Daryl thought for a minute. He couldn't think of anything. The game had seemed easy enough until it was his turn. "I've never been to prom." He looked at her and fully expected her to tip her glass back but she didn't.

"You didn't go to prom?" He asked genuinely surprised. He had her pegged as the prom queen type probably the captain of the football team as her escort.

Beth shook her head. "I wasn't allowed." She wiggled her eyebrows at Daryl. She moved her toe over to his leg and ran her foot up inside his pants leg. He raised one eyebrow at her and she pretended like she didn't know what she was doing.

"Why not? Your parents that uptight?" Daryl knew the type. He'd seen it plenty of times.

Beth shook her head. "No I was grounded. I got caught skipping school two weeks before prom with my boyfriend Jimmy."

Daryl chuckled a little at that "You were a little rebel huh?"

"No, that's just it. I had been such a good girl up to that point. But was senior year and nearly everyone I knew wasn't even going to class anymore. The one time I skipped class to go down to the quarry to park with Jimmy the school called my dad. I was forbidden to go anywhere for a month, not even prom."

Daryl looked at her thoughtfully. "You should have been able to go to prom."

Beth shrugged. "It's okay. I don't think I missed anything special. My friends didn't think I did." She often wondered though, if she had missed out on anything important.

Daryl sat up a little straighter. "I'll make sure tonight is just like prom. Okay?" He said thoughtfully a small smile playing on his lips momentarily. It was brief but to Beth it was the world. "It's your turn, darlin'."

Beth looked up in surprise. Her mind had been anywhere but there. She thought for a minute, watching him watch her. "I've never had sex in a limo before."

His mouth went dry as dust then. He looked at her for the space of less than a millisecond and asked her. "Want to change that?" Daryl asked and he wasn't the least bit surprised when she nodded her head and sat her glass down.

Daryl reached over and hit the button for the privacy window that separated them from the driver. He then pressed a button on the intercom. "Jim, please see that we are not disturbed."

The answering reply from the driver, a small thin older man was a very respectful voice, almost reverent, Beth noted. "Yes, Mr. Dixon."

Beth liked that and found herself wanting to call him that. "Mr. Dixon."

It was the oddest thing in that moment. He hated for someone to call him that. It just reminded him of his old man. But in that moment, when Beth said it, it awakened some primal urge and he moved towards her quickly, feeling his blood hiss with electricity.

Beth swallowed thickly as something changed in Daryl's eyes when she called him Mr. Dixon. It had flashed from calm desire to anger to burning passion all in the space of time that it took for Beth to register that she had just gotten very wet. It was odd to her being excited at the thought of Daryl the way she now wanted him to come at her. Just before he reached her, she envisioned him just taking her, in every single fucking sense of the word. Even though she had nearly wished it into existence, there was still nothing she could do to squelch the breathy moan that escaped her lips as he roughly ran his hard callused hands all the way up her thighs, the roughness of his palms slightly scraping the tender flesh there. She gasped as he took possession of her mouth and delved his tongue between her lips. She moaned and bucked against him. She was coming unraveled and she needed him to rein it back in except that he wasn't. He was goading the whole thing and making it even more heightened and pronounced his fingers gripping her hips hard and shoving her dress up around her hips. He then wasted no time in reaching up and pulling her cute silky black thongs from her heat. She did not miss the look of pure lust that ran flush over his cheeks as he looked at her.

He moved one hand down to her knees and forced her legs apart in one abrupt move.

Daryl knew for a fact that he had never seen anything more beautiful than Beth's pussy. He'd thought it a million times and every time he got the privilege of seeing her in this primal, lustful way he thought it again.

He looked at her for one brief second, just enough time to note that Beth's hands were trying to find purchase with something, anything to anchor her to this realm. Without warning he dipped his head down and plunged his tongue deep into her pussy, lapping up her juices. She bucked against his mouth and he moved his other hand up to her hips and stilled them, gripping the tender skin there. He was hoping he wouldn't find bruises later but he was pretty much betting it to be the case.

Beth moaned and gripped Daryl's hair at the dizzying sensation he was creating between her legs. Then suddenly he was removing his mouth from her and she groaned in frustration. She didn't have time to even register the fact that she was about to come before he was inside her, thrusting himself deep within not bothering to ease into it. His grip was tight, his kisses were rough and he was fucking her as if his very life depended on it. She looked up at him and his face was fierce, intense and above all, it was the face of a man in exquisite pleasure.

"Fuck, Beth, you feel so fuckin' good." He growled. "You're mine."

"I'm all yours." She breathed back at him.

He leaned closer as he bucked his hips back into her and she groaned as he growled in her ear, "Come for me." It was a command that Beth was helpless to obey as she felt the hum in her ear, the hum around her clit fanned the flames along her spine and shockwaves chased them all the way back down, every muscle in her thighs clenching and unclenching in a delicious, dizzying rhythm her release a glorious falling apart. Daryl grunted against her again and again, animalistic and as Beth looked up at him she was stricken with the thought that she only wanted herself to see that look on his face. It was odd to feel so possessive and it made her come all over again, her second orgasm almost more powerful than the first.

Daryl had been holding off for as long as he could and he planned on bringing her to the edge at least four more times before finally letting himself come. He just felt the need to fuck her senseless at the moment, to claim every inch of her and make her his in every way. He wanted each thrust of his dick to feel like a brand on her skin, marking her. When she came the second time, it was all too, too much and he felt himself plummet over that edge, the shockwaves taking him full force until he was completely spent and collapsed beside her on the seat.

Beth looked over at Daryl, breathless as she tried to process what had just happened. It had been the single most erotic moment of her entire existence.

Daryl smirked. "Got any more things you want to change before we get there?" They both laughed and Beth leaned over and kissed him before retrieving her panties off the floor and sliding them back on.

They had just enough time to get themselves together before finally arriving at the country club.

Just before the walked in the doors, Beth smoothed her hair with one hand. "Do I have sex hair?" She asked.

Daryl grinned at her wolfishly, grabbing her and bringing her flush with his body. "Not yet, but you will." It was a promise he planned to keep.

* * *

They walked away from the registration table and Beth watched as Daryl pinned on his guest tag. It had his first name written in and to the side was the school logo and a picture of Beth as a senior in high school.

Daryl looked at her suddenly, turning the badge up so he could see it. "Is this you?" He marveled.

Beth groaned. "Yes, I was such a complete dork." She hated the picture of herself, her face too happy, eyes too big and hair way too blonde. She looked like she had the world held in her hand. Little did that girl know that world would threaten to crush her under its weight. She struck the thought from her mind. This was her reunion and it was supposed to be fun. And with Daryl by her side the person who had become such a big part of her life was such a bonus that she had one of those rare perfect moments where she felt untouchable.

"You were beautiful even then. You look about fourteen in this picture." He looked at her and his eyes narrowed. "You are really 22 right?" She saw the teasing glint in his eyes.

She playfully smacked his arm as they entered the ballroom where the main festivities of the evening were taking place. Beth couldn't help the sharp intake of breath. The decorating committee had gone above and beyond what would be considered a classy affair. Sparkling twinkle lights were delicately woven into every corner of the room and they were the only source of light in the room. The walls danced with the ambient lighting casting an ethereal glow on the whole room. The latest pop music was being played by a D.J. in the corner up by the dance floor.

The energy of the room was pretty mild but Beth noted that not a lot of people were not there yet. She heard a high-pitched squeal from across the room and she stopped in her tracks as she saw Jessica. She had not seen her in five years and Beth ended up letting loose a squeal of the same tone.

Daryl cringed and rubbed at his ear from the deafening girly scream coming from this slip of a girl beside him who then promptly launched herself into the other girl's arms. The two were chattering and chirping and they really did remind Daryl of birds. It amused him in an endearing sort of way; the sort of way that had Daryl thinking he'd be laughing about this at every reunion he went to with her. It was disconcerting the way his brain had automatically gone there.

Beth finally calmed down enough to breathe and she held her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gosh, I forgot my manners. Jessica, this is Daryl Dixon, my fiancé." If she was going to play up the lie, then she had to be fully committed even if she did feel a little bad about fibbing to the girl she'd ate paste with in kindergarten.

Jessica was short, a full inches shorter than Beth with short wispy dark hair. She looked like she had stepped off the runway of New York Fashion Week in Beth's eyes. She extended her hand which Daryl took. "It's nice to meet ya Daryl. You must be somethin' special. We always knew when Beth was serious about a guy. She would drop off the face of the earth." She looked at Beth pointedly. "I haven't heard from you in at least two weeks." She laughed it off though and it left Beth wondering at the validity of the statement. She had been feeling it more and more; the fact that she felt there was something much, much more than met the eye to her and Daryl's relationship. Just the fact that they seemed to spend nearly every waking moment together was something different in Beth's eyes.

They made small talk for a bit and Daryl laughed again when another couple of girls joined their group and he looked at the other dates, which he guessed were probably husbands, sympathetically. One guy, a big burly man with red hair and a handle-bar moustache looked at him, his hands thrust in his pockets. "Glad I'm not the only one here that looks as uncomfortable as hell."

Daryl chuckled and extended his hand. "I'm Daryl. I'm Beth's fiancée."

"Abe, Rosita there is my better half." His face was split into a grin when he looked at the source of his statement. She was a pretty one, dark hair and vivacious curves. But for Daryl it was all in the way they looked at each other. It reminded him very much of the way he thought he and Beth looked at one another.

The next moment would forever burn a hole in Daryl's memory and he would replay it in his head a dozen times wishing he could will it away. They were all talking and he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see what it was and came face to face with the one thing that he dreaded most in the world. He knew she knew him. And he knew she didn't want to be found out any more than he did. It still did nothing to soak up the dread that had just seeped down into his gut. He could feel Beth's eyes on him, knowing he looked like he had just seen a ghost. Little could she know that he had. The ghost standing before him was none other than a previous client. In that moment, Daryl wanted nothing more than to have the earth to swallow him up; claim his rotten soul and all the bad that he had done in his life, the bad that he knew would follow him as long as he drew breath whether he fucking liked it or not.

***ducks* Don't hate me! I tried to warn you it was coming. So sorry (not really sorry). I'm going to hide and you'll never find me! muahahaha **

**PS - the birth control in this chapter is definitely implied in case you were wondering**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Daryl had center himself to control his breathing. He was nervous as hell and he knew it showed. As it was, his palms had just gone clammy and Beth had to notice the difference. He didn't want to pull his hand away from her but it's exactly what he did. He slid his arm up around her shoulders hoping that would mask his anxiety. He glanced back at the girl and he couldn't remember her name to save his life. Cherry?

"Beth," Miranda oozed faux charm and it was grating on Beth's nerves something terrible. It didn't help that she had noticed an odd look pass across Daryl's face as Miranda walked up to them, Tiffany Martin in tow. She had always been a sweet girl in school and she couldn't imagine how in the hell she had gotten mixed up into being friends with Miranda, quite possibly the biggest bitch on the face of the planet. "I see you brought your fiancé back with you." She looked at Daryl and gave him the once over, making a point of licking her lips. Beth fought the urge to punch her right in her smug mouth.

"Of course," Beth oozed right back. "He wouldn't have missed this for the world. Right honey?" Beth slid her arm around Daryl's waist and he reciprocated by squeezing her shoulder.

Daryl looked down at Beth and he could tell she was extremely pissed. He was so torn between wanting to be sympathetic to her and having the intense need to disappear he knew his response was a little off but he managed to pull it off nonetheless. "Uhm," Daryl faltered, then cleared his throat. "Definitely. Beth's friends are important to her so they are important to me too."

Beth ignored Miranda altogether and turned to Tiffany. "How have you been since graduation?" Beth smiled.

Tiffany gave her a tight smile back. "I've been good. I'm married. Robby is away a lot though. But the twins keep me busy."

"Oh that's right you married Robby Peters, right?" Beth asked. It seemed that every single girl in their graduating class was married, except for her. Two weeks ago that thought would be nagging at the back of her mind. But now standing beside Daryl, this man she was falling in love with, she felt the first strings of hope that she might have that life some day.

Tiffany smiled and nodded and Beth again had the thought that she should take up with better friends. She had that thought until they walked away and she heard Miranda whisper and Tiffany's answering giggle.

"Did you see how tight she was hanging onto him? Better hold on tight honey."

It took everything in Daryl to not go back and give those bitches a piece of his mind but in light of the situation he thought better of it. He looked at Beth. He decided that the only way to deal with this was to tell her straight out. "Is there someplace we can go talk?" He asked her.

Beth looked up at him in surprise and noticed again how antsy he seemed. "Sure." She nodded and motioned for him to follow her. She led him outside into the breezeway between the fitness center and the country club. From the back of the breezeway there was a nice view of the swimming pool. She stood and leaned against the wall looking at Daryl openly as he took a pack of smokes out of the inside pocket of his jacket and lit a cigarette between his teeth. Having to endure that conversation with Miranda, she had the thought she might have one too, but she thought better of it. She waited patiently for him to unload whatever was obviously on his mind.

Daryl looked at her and hoped like hell he wasn't making some kind of mistake with what he was about to say. He just figured just in case it all went to hell somehow tonight, that forewarned is forearmed or some shit like that. He took another deep drag off his cigarette and exhaled feeling some of the tension leave the back of his neck.

"That girl in there. The one with Zach's sister." Daryl looked at her to be sure she was locked in on him and what he was saying. She nodded for him to continue. "She's a former client." Daryl took another drag thinking at this rate he was probably going to end up giving himself a headache.

Beth was stunned. She looked at him carefully and she could see the anxiety there. She could see it but she couldn't see past what she was feeling to pay it any mind. For the first time since they started this thing, she felt a crimp of doubt in the armor she had built around how she felt about Daryl. She forced herself to speak even though her mouth had gone dry. "Tiffany?"

Daryl snapped his eyes to her. That was her name. "Yeah that's her. I didn't want to tell you but I figured you should know. Just in case."

Beth looked at him sharply. She hated this. She felt like all the sudden they were a million miles away from each other. All because of one sentence. One circumstance. What the hell was wrong with her? She knew what he did. Knew it because she fucking hired him. "I have to say that I don't know how I feel about it." She looked at him and admitting how she felt, felt so freeing that she continued. "I mean I knew what you did before I ever even met you. Before it got to be what it is with us now." She flushed. They still hadn't defined what they were to one another. She knew he was special and she wanted to be around him all the time but beyond that, she wasn't sure she was ready to name it. Place a label on it, so to speak.

She watched him watching her and something broke in her looking at his eyes. He was all tied up in knots and it showed. And it really wasn't fair of her to act like a jealous bitch even though that is exactly what she felt like doing. "Daryl, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Running into a client I mean. So it was Tiffany. I can handle it. I don't like it, it'd be crazy if I did. But I can deal with it Daryl. I-" She faltered. She had been about to tell him she loved him. But she wasn't sure if now was the right time.

Daryl breathed a huge sigh of relief when she said she could handle it but it bothered the hell out of him that she seemed to be leaving something out. "You what?"

Beth groaned coming up to close the distance between them. She rested her hands on his chest and looked up at him. He threw his cigarette to the ground, something he never did, and stomped it out with his boot. He would pick it up in a minute but right now there were more pressing matters. Like putting his arms around his girl. He smiled at her, honest to god smiled, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Beth took a deep breath. "I need to know what we are to each other Daryl." She didn't care that they were at her high school reunion. She didn't care that it might not be the right time. She needed to know that she wasn't the only one in over her head.

Daryl looked down at her and sighed. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, barely moving his lips against hers before drawing back and looking at her. "What do you want us to be?" He whispered it, looking into her eyes, wanting to find that belief he always got from her. It was as if somehow Beth Greene was the redemption that he never even knew he was searching for.

Beth held her breath waiting for his answer and sighed again as he put the question back to her. She threw caution to the wind. "I want us to be more than just lovers. I want us to be everything to each other. I want us to be together." Beth spoke the words on her heart. "I love you." If he didn't say it back, it was okay. She would wait for him to say it. She could do that.

It turned out she didn't have to wait long. "I love you too." He whispered the words almost reverently.

Daryl couldn't believe he was saying it out loud and the thought of it threatened to bring him to his knees. So he did what he felt should come next. For every time he didn't say it before, he said it to her now. He whispered it against her ear as he placed a soft kiss just below the lobe, moving his lips softly against her skin, whispering it again as he reached the hollow of her neck. "I love you." And saying it again as he reached the other side of her neck feeling her weave her fingers through his hair. He shivered as he pressed another kiss to her cheek pulling back right before he got to her lips and looking straight at her watching those cerulean pools drink him in. "I love you, Beth." He whispered it again and he saw it then, the tears coursing down her cheeks. He pulled all the way back. "What's wrong? What did I do?" He couldn't understand what he had said that was wrong but she didn't exactly look sad either. It was unsettling to say the least.

Beth saw the concern in his eyes and she pressed her lips to his briefly before pulling back away and reaching up to brush the tears that were falling faster without her permission. She smiled at him. "Nothing. You didn't do anything. Not anything bad." She brought her hands up to grip his waist. "Daryl Dixon, you're amazing. Five minutes ago I was standing over there," She gestured with a toss of her head. "And I felt worlds apart from you. From this moment and now here we are. I just can't believe that I get to have this."

Daryl looked at her not quite believing the words she had just spoken, as if she had just reached over and plucked them straight from his own heart. "That's exactly what I was thinkin'". He whispered gruffly, pulling her against him and wanting more than anything to be able to just waltz their way away from this reunion, away from this town, away from his job, the demands of life. Just sweep her away to someplace that no one cared who they were or where they came from and he could just love her without feeling like one false move would shatter it all. "I know I'll never be able to figure out what it is you see in me, but I'm grateful all the same." He looked at her and he found it there. He found his answer, that belief, that hope shining back in her eyes as she took in what he was saying.

"Daryl, don't you get it? I'm the grateful one. You show me every day that it's okay to be who I am. It's okay to be imperfect. We are all flawed. All of us. The beauty is in finding the niche in someone else where your flaw fits just right. You're that perfect part of me that I can truly be myself." She smiled at him and he smiled right back.

"You're too smart for me. Hell, you're too smart for your own good. Those kids are lucky to have you as a teacher." He said and he meant it. He knew he would have considered himself lucky to have a teacher like her when he was a kid.

She giggled. "Don't be discounting your own wisdom Mr. Dixon. You are with me, after all." She said saucily and he laughed.

"Someone thinks highly of themselves. You're impossible woman. But it's okay 'cause I love ya." He said and Beth looked at him, her heart tripping over itself to right its own rhythm.

"I love you too. Now are you gonna go spin me around that dance floor like you've been promisin' or do I have to fill up my dance card some other way?" Beth walked away from him, putting just a tiny bit more swing in her hips than she normally would have. She barely silenced a squeal as she felt him come up behind her, snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her backward against him.

"What was that?" He growled against her ear, but he couldn't stop the smile from creeping up the corners of his lips if he tried.

She was a giggling mess and he loved it. "Nothing" He squeezed her ribs rhythmically and she squirmed against his grip. He released her finally and took her hand in his, threading their fingers together.

"Let's go. We got some heads to turn." He said confidently and as Beth followed him back into the building she knew that she was about to have the best night of her life.

* * *

Okay so you get an extra thing tonight or at least it will seem like it. Really and truly it just felt like these two parts needed to be split up. So let me know what you think. I am going to put the finishing touches on the next chapter which will be posted shortly. Thanks as always for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing and reccing to your friends. All the love is much appreciated! :) Until next time, xoxoxoxoxo


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Beth was out of breath by the time they came off the dance floor the third time. "Babe, I gotta go to the bathroom." She looked up at him and he grinned at her.

"I'll get us something to drink." He leaned forward impulsively and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

He had a smile on his face all the way to the bar and waited for the bartender to approach him. "What'll you have sir?"

"Just give me two bottles of water." He figured that was the thing that they needed most. They had all the champagne they needed back in the limo.

He glanced behind him noting that Beth was hugging some dark haired girl that had evidently just gotten there. He looked back to the bar and couldn't help but jump a bit at the girl right next to him speaking directly at him. He almost turned away but she put her hand on his arm, her grip gentle but it was the something in her voice that stopped him.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone." He looked to her and he thought she had honest eyes. He had gotten into such a habit with his profession of not looking them in the eye he had failed to see that on their first meeting. Maybe then he would have seen the desperation in her gaze, the surest sign that something was not quite right in her life. That maybe he wasn't the only one with skeletons in his closet.

"I'd appreciate that. I'm with Beth." He didn't say anything else. He didn't figure anything else was necessary.

"We'll just keep this between us. For what it's worth, I can tell." Her eyes searched his.

He looked at her puzzled at her words. "Can tell what?"

"That you didn't choose your life any more than I did mine." She patted his arm and walked away.

Daryl wordlessly took the water bottles handed to him by the bartender and went back to where Beth was standing with her friend. Daryl's mind was still reeling a bit at what Tiffany had just told him.

"Daryl this is my best friend Mya Jacobs." Beth and the girl giggled and he smiled, extending his hand, taking her smaller hand in his own.

"It's nice to meet ya." He smiled and put his arm around Beth's waist.

Mya smiled at him. "I've heard a lot about you."

Daryl glanced at Beth quickly and she blushed. "What? Can't a girl tell her best friend about her boyfriend?"

Beth looked at him nervously for a beat before he grinned and answered. "I guess that is your right."

Beth's heart flip-flopped. Daryl looked at her then in alarm and she was quick to put her palm up. "It's okay. I told her that we faked our engagement. So she knows. And she approves of operation revenge." She looked at Daryl seriously now. "You know I don't care about revenge anymore right."

Daryl looked at her in surprise. "You don't?"

"No, I don't care. Now that I have you. I don't need to worry about some stupid third grade revenge." Beth smiled at him sweetly and he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Mya rolled her eyes at both of them. "Oh god, you guys are so adorable. But seriously stop. I'm still a little queasy from the ride over." Mya grinned at Beth.

"You're just jealous." Beth giggled and she hoped Daryl didn't see Mya wiggle her eyebrows at Beth. She had already told Beth at least three times how hot she thought he was. Beth knew it was true but it was nice to hear that someone else thought he was attractive. She took the water bottle Daryl handed her and swallowed a large amount of it.

"Seriously you guys are completely perfect for each other." Mya smiled at both of them and Daryl pulled Beth closer to his side as she turned her face towards his and he leaned in and claimed his lips with hers.

"Looks like I should have hung around a while longer." The voice drawled from behind her and Beth clenched her teeth to keep from biting back her reply. She had sworn that she wouldn't make a scene no matter what.

She swallowed every bit of bile that had risen to the surface and turned to face him. Her ex. "Zach." Her gaze was cooler than her voice was. His boss was draped over his arm and there was more of her cleavage pouring out of the top of her way too small blouse than Beth cared to see.

Daryl didn't like the guy on first contact and he especially didn't like the way he was leering at Beth like he thought his gaze belonged anywhere in Beth's vicinity. He placed his arm around her and pulled her closer.

"Oh don't worry buddy, you can have her. Good luck getting her to put out though. She's a prude that one." Zach's voice was slurred and venomous and Beth was barely keeping a rein on her temper.

Daryl released Beth and make one move up to Zach standing over him, seeing nothing but red. He spoke with barely contained rage, between clenched teeth. "You don't speak to her like that. In fact, you don't fucking speak to her at all. You get me." Daryl never touched him. Oh, he wanted to. Fuck yes, he wanted to, but he didn't want to embarrass Beth. Still he wasn't going to stand here and let him talk about her like that.

"Daryl it's fine. He's not worth it." Beth pleaded. She could tell that Daryl was angry and she knew from things he had told her that it could go bad in a heartbeat. But to his credit and much to her relief he stepped away from him and walked back towards her.

"That's right, you hick, walk away. You're pussy whipped just like I used to be. Before I knew what an ice queen she was." Zach leered and his date laughed.

Beth took one look at his date's smug smiling bitchy face and she snapped. She calmly walked forwards and drew her hand back and slapped him across the cheek, feeling the sting in her palm. But it didn't not one ounce compare to how satisfying it felt to see the look on his face as she did it. She leaned close and whispered it, knowing no one else heard what she had to say even though she wanted to shout it to the rooftops. But she was at least better than that. "You ever stop to think 'I didn't give it to ya'" she mocked his words, sarcasm dripping from every syllable. "because you didn't know what the fuck you were doing?" Beth looked back at him, grinned smugly and turned on her heel, grabbing Daryl's hand as she walked away.

* * *

Mya was laughing hysterically as they rode down the road in the limo. They had been to two bars in the downtown Atlanta area all while the limo waited on them. They finally pulled to a stop before her hotel room. It was at least 3:00 in the morning already and they had literally taken on the town. "And then she hauled off and slapped him." Mya had replayed the moment over and over in narrative for them, even adding in the bit that Beth had confided to the two of them as they had all sauntered out of the place like some Bonnie and Clyde with a sidecar reject show. Beth giggled at her friend. "Mya this has been great. I wish we got to see more of each other."

"I know, two more semesters and I'll be done." Mya said as she leaned forward hugging her friend. She then turned to Daryl and placed her arms around his neck. "Thank you. For bringing a smile back to my Beth's face."

She looked at them both fondly as she stepped from the car. "Bye loves." She called as the door closed back.

Beth turned to Daryl, smiling at him sleepily. "It was a really great night." She yawned.

They pulled up at her apartment fifteen minutes later and he thought they would fall into the bed and fall asleep instantly. But he hadn't counted on Beth wanting to soak away the aches of dancing in a hot bath. He certainly wasn't expecting to join her midway through. And as tired as they were he definitely hadn't been expecting the hour long lovemaking session that followed. He hadn't been expecting any of it but he accepted it. If this is what life with Beth was going to be like, he was all for it. He had never been happier.

* * *

Beth woke early the next morning and rolled over to face the love of her life, not quite believing that this was hers to have. This life with him. No it wasn't perfect. But she didn't figure anyone's life really was.

She smiled as he opened his eyes. "Good morning." She whispered.

He moved is hand up to rub at his eyes. "Mornin'." She loved his early morning voice. He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before rolling away and getting up out of the bed, giving no care to his unclothed state. Beth let her eyes rove over her backside.

"I can feel ya starin' darlin'." Daryl chuckled as he walked into the bathroom.

Beth frowned when her phone rang on the bedside table. She reached for it and noted that it was her father. "Daddy, what are you calling for so early this morning?"

Her father's voice boomed from the other end of the line. "I would have called you last night but I knew you were busy. Did you have fun at the reunion?"

Beth was genuinely curious. His tone was odd. He didn't sound angry so much. "Yes, I did. Daddy, what is it?"

"I just wanted to call and see how you are, Beth." There was that tone again. "I haven't heard from you and I was just wondering when you were gonna tell me that you are getting married."

Beth's heart thudded in her ears. Suddenly the conversation that Lori and Rick had walked into at the wedding came flooding back to her. She had stupidly forgotten to do damage control. She now recognized her father's tone. It was much, much worse than the sting of anger. Oh no, that tone in Hershel Greene's voice was none other than disappointment.

**Okay, again, don't hate me. This is going this way for a reason. This is the second part. Again, this was necessary to split them up this way. The other chapter deserved to be on its own I think. But this is leading into the next chapter where it gets a little…..we'll just say crazy. So let me know what you think guys! I love you all so much and I love hearing from you all. I can feel that you guys love this story as much as I do and it is my pleasure to write it. Thanks again and until next time, xoxoxoxo **


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Oh Daddy, I'm so sorry. I'm not getting married." Beth's voice fell flat towards the end of the sentence. She glanced to Daryl who was eyeing her carefully.

"Well who is this young man you've had accompanying you to social events then Bethie." The oldest Greene's voice still held that sting of disappointment.

"His name is Daryl, Daddy. I really want you to meet him." She looked at Daryl then who noticeably blanched at her suggestion. She sent him a stern look as she grasped his hand. She took comfort in the fact that he laced their fingers together and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I'd like that too. You don't get down here much anymore though." He sounded sad, Beth realized and it made her sad too. The last person in the world she wanted to let down and here she was being an awful daughter. She hated the thought that she had given him even a minute's worry.

"Daddy me and Maggie were down there not two weeks ago." She said and though she knew it was true she wished she could get down to see him more often. She decided she would make a concerted effort.

"I know. You can't blame an old man for feeling lonely sometimes. I know you girls have lives. Shawn too. But you still didn't tell me how Lori and Rick came to the conclusion that you were marrying this man?" Her father stated. Beth could almost see his pointed glare as he spoke.

"Daddy, it was all part of this silly revenge plan I had against Zach." Now that she had spoken the words aloud, to her father nonetheless, it sounded more childish than ever. She was quick to add. "I gave that up. I realize now how stupid it was of me to dwell on it. It's all in the past. I should leave it there." Beth looked forlornly at Daryl, suddenly feeling fiercely guilty for involving him in this. Then she remembered how it was they actually met and she was back to square one again. She sighed as there was silence on the other end. She knew her father was mulling it over as he did with everything else.

"I get why you wanted to do that. I do. Anger is such a wasted emotion though Bethie. I know I raised you better." Beth rolled her eyes at that even as her heart knew her dad's words were true. "Maggie is bringing her young man to dinner tonight. Why don't you bring this Daryl and we can all sit down and get to know one another?" Beth balked at his suggestion momentarily.

"Today?" Her voice came out as a squeak and she glanced to Daryl and mouthed the suggestion to him. She saw the look of hesitation cross his face just before he nodded his assent.

"Yes, you said you wanted me to meet 'im. Now's your chance." Her father was nothing if not matter of fact.

"Sure Daddy. What time were you thinking?" Beth held one hand to her stomach to stop the nervous fluttering that had all the sudden taken up residence in her gut.

"Patricia will have supper ready at 7:00 sharp. I'm looking forward to meeting your gentleman friend." Beth rolled her eyes. Her father was so old fashioned sometimes; it was equal parts charming and annoying.

"Okay Daddy. I love you. See you soon." Beth hung up the phone with her father, feeling about two inches tall and that was maybe overstating things.

She looked at Daryl. "Well, so he wants to meet you." She squinted at him a little trying to gauge his reaction. He was being so damn quiet.

Daryl had listened to every word Beth said and he thought he caught the gist of what the other side of the conversation sounded like. "I never thought I'd be meetin' somebody's dad." It was true too. He had never imagined himself as the kind that a girl would want to bring home to meet her daddy. The fact that she wanted to really hit someplace deep in his heart, made it ache something awful. Just because he had never had someone hold him in that high regard. "Mainly cause I never thought I'd be in this situation." He gestured to her. "But I am now, so I guess I gotta do what comes with it. He ain't gonna shoot me is he?" Daryl looked at her uncertainly.

Beth burst into giggles. "Not unless you give him a reason to." Daryl's face was horrified so she had to add quickly. "I'm kidding baby." She crooned as she leaned over and kissed the side of his jaw. "He'll love you. He just has to. Because I love you." She said it seriously, looking deep into his eyes and finding the love reflected back there.

"I love you, too." Daryl's voice was gruff and thick. She was amazed at this man's strength and the fact that telling her he loved her broke him down in that way, made him all quiet and reverent, it always set her heart in a rhythm all its own, made tears dance behind her eyes. The happy kind. Sometimes the sheer intensity of her love for him threatened to topple her over. This must be what it's like to say you're falling in love. She'd thought before that she was falling down the rabbit hole. Now that she'd landed at the bottom it wasn't exactly the Wonderland she'd expected but nothing in life ever was. Least of all love.

* * *

Daryl had some errands to run and told Beth he'd be back to pick her up around 5:30. Beth had stayed home. She had some new curricula she needed to look over for the planning committee she was part of. She had so far this summer managed to push off all work responsibilities. It was the beauty of being a school teacher. But, as with all good things such as summer they did come to an end eventually so she sat down and laid the papers out before her, flipping through them as she sat on the sofa and took notes. It wasn't the most stimulating activity but she was determined to get through it. She forced her mind to not wander to what the evening might hold with Daryl meeting her father. She hoped it would go well but she tried hard to concentrate on the task at hand. She hardly noticed it at all when her lids began to get heavy and she drifted off to sleep.

_It was the dream again. She was headed up to Zach's place, two heavy sacks full of groceries in each arm. She heard the noises as soon as she walked in. Only this time the dream was different. She was puzzled and followed the noises to the back of the hall. The voices were different. She could hear Daryl's voice. She glanced back at where she had just come from and she was no longer in Zach's apartment. She jumped as Mr. Whiskers slipped past her, his fur grazing her thigh as he went. She looked ahead to her bedroom door and when she opened it she gasped. She'd been expecting Zach but instead she saw Daryl fucking Tiffany in her own bed. _

Beth sat up, drawing air into her lungs greedily. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't shake the mental images of the dream from her mind. She pushed the folder onto the coffee table, got up and walked to the bathroom. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, hair askew from her impromptu nap, face reddened and more than anything the thing she noticed was the tears making their way down her face. She knew it had more to do with seeing Zach last night than having the dream now. She also knew that Daryl telling her that he'd been with Tiffany hadn't helped much either. She knew all this but it didn't lessen the sting of jealousy by much.

She ran some water in the sink and splashed some of it on her face. She grabbed for the hand towel and wiped her face off and she was feeling better already. As she got ready for Daryl to pick her up, she tried to imagine how it would be Daryl meeting her dad and Maggie at the same time. She had a quick minute and picked up her phone.

_I know we said we'd help each other out, but I forgot to ask you to be nice. –B _

The reply came just seconds later.

_Of course I'll be nice Bethie. ;) I'm always nice.- M _

Beth grinned as she typed out her response.

_Remember. I can make the conversation turn to you in a hurry. You know I'm his favorite. –B_

_You know that's totally untrue. Shawn is his favorite. Haha–M _

Beth put her phone down, chuckling a little. It was an old joke between them. They all liked to argue that they were the favorite child of the senior Greene. She guessed most kids did, but the truth was that even if parents did have favorites Hershel Greene would never let it show. She knew he loved them all equally, just in different ways. Still, letting her lie spill over into her father's ears sat uneasy with her. There was a certain way she was expected to act according to her dad and she had gone directly against what that was. She sighed. Daryl would be here any minute. She'd better get a move on if she was to be ready on time.

* * *

Daryl had been busy all afternoon. He had spent the better part of an hour on the phone with the nursing home and then with Merle trying to figure out a way to make his stupid brother see that being Will Dixon's friend was not going to help him in the long run. It was utterly fucking exhausting sometimes dealing with his family.

He pulled up outside Beth's apartment building and made his way inside, feeling his pocket vibrate as he walked. He stopped midstride, an icy finger of dread making its way down his spine and groaning as he saw the display. Andrea was calling him.

"Dixon." He answered.

"Hey sweetness, I have a job for ya." Andrea's voice was no-nonsense.

"I had plans. I was just going out." Daryl bit back the retort that she was not his "sweetness". It would do him any good to get himself all worked up over that. He just hated the fact that she felt she could be that familiar with him sometimes.

"Well you'll need to cancel your plans. Enough is enough. I told you last time you'd owe me. That time is now. This is an important client. You can't fuck this up, Daryl." Daryl huffed. He liked it better when she didn't use his first name. He was starting to hate her more by the minute. He didn't know how Beth would handle this. He was supposed to be meeting her damn father for Christ's sake.

"What's so important about this client?" He needed to know.

"It's a personal favor from the boss man." Andrea sounded proud that she could deliver him this news. "What kind of plans did you have anyway?" She asked. Her questions made Daryl nervous.

"None of your damn business kind." He replied, hoping that would be enough to shut her trap.

"Be at the Crown Plaza on Peachtree by 7:30". Andrea hung up and Daryl had to clench his fists at his sides to keep from chucking his phone across the room. He'd already lost two phones like that.

He made his way up to Beth's apartment wondering how in the hell he was going to possibly break it to her that he couldn't go. He could take a lot of things but the thought of Beth being disappointed in him was almost more than he could bear.

* * *

Beth opened the door and the first thing she noticed was the slump in Daryl's shoulders. "What's wrong?" She asked as she ushered him inside, closing the door behind them. She turned to face him. He was slow to turn around but finally pivoted on his heel his expression crestfallen.

"'M sorry Beth. I can't go to your dad's tonight. I just got a call." He hoped that was all he'd have to say. He hated it. Fucking hated his life for this.

Beth looked at him and she was unable to speak a single word for a minute. She finally found the strength to speak. "A client?"

"Yes." One worded response. That was definitely not a good thing, she thought. "Can't you get out of it?" She knew by looking at him he'd most likely already tried but it couldn't hurt to ask. She hated this. She knew this time would come eventually but right now was the worst timing in the world. She couldn't stomach the thought of having to call her father and hear the disappointment in his voice. Again. It made her angry all the sudden. She flitted her eyes to Daryl's.

"You going to have to fuck her?" The words were out before she could stop them.

Daryl looked at her and blanked. He didn't know what to say. He knew he should be saying, hell no. But he also knew his lifestyle. He was stuck in the worst way someone could be stuck. Trapped in circumstances he felt helpless to change. He shrugged his shoulders. What the fuck was he supposed to say to that?

She could feel it rearing up before she even knew what hit her. The jealousy. The rage. Finding Daryl with-. She stopped the thought before it could work its way out. Finding Zach with his boss. Both of them being at the reunion. Miranda and her snarky attitude. But if she was being honest the thing she was having trouble with the most was picturing Daryl with Tiffany.

She closed her eyes. She felt the telltale sign of tears and she didn't want to, but she let them fall anyway, feeling them trace their way down her cheeks. There was something freeing in that moment. She may not be able to control Daryl's actions or her reactions but she could control this. So she let the tears fall, her heart feeling like lead.

"I can't do this." Her voice was nothing more than a whisper. She shook her head as she looked up at him.

"We can talk about this, Beth." Daryl moved forward even though everything else was paralyzed, including his heart. It had seized the moment he saw the hard set in her jaw and her thin-lipped question. But she was shaking her head and crying and backing away from him.

"No we can't. Not right now, Daryl. I can't. I can't do this. I thought I could, but I can't." Beth was broken. She was close to sobbing but she really needed him to leave first. Tears were one thing but when she broke down, as she suspected she was so close to doing, she needed to be alone. "Just go."

He moved to touch her and she jerked her arm away. "Just go!" she repeated it and her eyes, though watery, were fierce. He had never seen this look before, the blue of her eyes once warm like a summer sky had turned dark and stormy, brooding even but it warred with something else. It broke his heart in a million pieces with what he saw there. Hurt.

She opened her apartment door and he walked through it and hearing that door shut and click behind him was like hearing a nail in his coffin. You may as well bury him, he felt dead already anyway.

* * *

He didn't remember getting back to his car but somehow he made it inside and started it. He didn't remember going to the hotel to meet his client but he got there. Now he was sitting in the parking lot.

He was numb he guessed. It was over. It was over and it was all his fault. He sat in his car at the Plaza and put his hands on the steering wheel, his fingers gripping it so tightly, his knuckles turned white. His shoulders slumped forward and he had no choice but to rest his head on his hands. There was nothing left inside his head to hold it up. He was nothing, no one, and his heart held even less.

Then he did the one thing he didn't really ever let himself do. He cried. He cried for the life he had. He cried for the life he wanted. Most of all, he cried because he had hurt the one person in this world that had ever shown him the least bit of human kindness. Hell, she'd fucking handed her heart over on a silver platter and what had he done? He had taken it out and done what he always did. Ruined it. It's just what Dixons did. They shattered everything they fucking touched.

He stopped crying when he realized that he was wrong about it all. He shouldn't be crying for what he'd done. He shouldn't be crying at all. He never had it. Never had anything with sweet and pretty Beth Greene. He must have imagined it all. It was something he just wasn't meant to have. The sooner he wrapped his head around that, the better off he'd be.

**Okay, don't hate me. I told you it was coming. Imma go hide now!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

* * *

It had never mattered before. All the other times when he just didn't fucking feel like going to "service" a client, he would just put himself in that other place, the one he had gone to all those times his old man had beat him really. Just someplace far away where his thoughts couldn't reach him, where his father's venomous words couldn't reach him. He would slip away in the farthest recesses of his mind and just let that other part of him take over, the one with the basest of needs, the one he presented to the world on most days anyway.

But that was before Beth. That was before he had reached into his chest and pulled out his heart and handed the whole fucking bleeding muscle over to her; it was hers for the taking, hers to do with what she wanted. He wanted to be angry with her. But he couldn't fault her for doing what he'd known she would all along. That she wouldn't want him. He was nothing. Nobody. And how could he expect her to want him when he didn't even want to _be himself. _

So as he stood behind this chick watching her wiggle her ass all over the bed, turning her pussy up to him like some kind of fucking offering, all he could think was "why am I here?" He felt such hatred for his utter existence in that moment that he was pulled under and some other force took over. He reached down and pulled up his pants over his flaccid dick, not giving two shits that he couldn't perform. Why the hell should he care?

He walked to the door and ignored all the protests from the blonde on the bed, cursing the fact that she couldn't have been a redhead or a brunette. Anyone blonde would forever remind him of Beth. The whole situation piled up on him as he exited the lobby elevator.

He was filled with such loathing, hatred and utter fucking anguish in that moment that he wanted to drive all the way down to his father's nursing home and strangle the last breath from him. For putting him in this position, for putting him in this sorry life, for bringing him into this miserable goddamn world in the first place.

He was almost to his car when the knot in his gut gave way. It was bound to happen sooner or later. He doubled over and threw up in the bushes by the sidewalk. He heaved out every ounce of anything left in him. He vomited up the anguish, the secrecy, the hatred, and most of all the lies that he told himself every day. That he could do this for a little while longer. That he could manage it all and things wouldn't come crashing down on him like they were right now.

He stood up, swiped his arm over his mouth and pulled out his phone, not giving a good goddamn if Andrea showed up at his house and screamed down the entire fucking county at him backing out. He didn't care about the consequences, not anymore. He didn't care about anything except getting out. And he didn't fool himself into thinking that he could get Beth back. It was just not meant to be. He couldn't take seeing that look in her eyes again. Even if he could take back this morning, he knew it would always come down to the point that he would hurt her in some way. He knew it like he knew the sun would rise tomorrow. It was just something that happened, didn't have any control over it or the timing of it. It happened and that was that.

As soon as he strode through his front door, he headed straight over to the kitchen sink and reached under for the bottle he knew was there. Merle had brought it over the last time he'd been on a bender. Whiskey. Just like his old man used to drink. He was just getting ready to take his first swig of the night, something to dull the pain when he heard a knock at the door. He swung it open, never expecting the person on the other side. He knew who he was. Had looked him up after he had left the wedding with Beth that night. He had known he looked familiar then and he looked even more familiar now. Sheriff of Senoia, Rick Grimes.

* * *

Beth sat up slowly trying to acclimate her head to her situation. She must have fallen asleep. Then it all came back to her; Daryl having to cancel on meeting her family. That wasn't even the worst of it. She just kept imagining him fucking that other girl, some faceless nameless girl, and it made her feel physically sick at her stomach. She had never felt so much in despair in her whole life. As soon as he had walked out, she wanted to pull her words from the air and swallow them back where they couldn't hurt anyone. Where they couldn't hurt Daryl or her for saying them. For saying out loud what she had feared the most. That she wouldn't be able to handle the fact that he slept with other women for money.

Life was so unfair at times. She had missed out on so much with her mother and she wished she was still alive if only to hold her right now and tell her that the world wasn't really so bad. That it wasn't such a horrible place to live and that there really was something out there for her. That there was someone. She had really and truly believed that someone was Daryl but her heart had deceived her mind or maybe it was the other way around, she wasn't sure.

Her doorbell rang then and she dragged herself from her bed, where she had been for the past two days. She had hated calling and canceling on her father and sister but there was no way she could face them. She couldn't look them in the eye. She couldn't face anyone, least of all herself.

She looked out the peephole and swore to herself. Maggie.

"I know you're in there, Bethie, let me in." Maggie's voice carried through the door and it reminded Beth of all the times when they were kids and Beth had locked herself away. Maggie had never done that. She had dealt with life differently. Daddy always said she came into the world upside down and fists a swinging, that Irish temper flaring. Maggie had been the one to get into fist fights. She had always fought tooth and nail for what she believed in. She should have suspected that Maggie would come to her if she couldn't reach her.

She unlocked the door and stood back to let her in, trying not to look into her eyes. Something about looking into Maggie's eyes and she was helpless. She saw everything. For all the love Beth missed out on with her mother, Maggie had more than made up for. She sometimes felt so conflicted in her relationship with her sister. Wanting to tell her everything as a confidante but then that would risk her wrath as a mother figure. Beth sighed as she closed the door.

Maggie gripped her arms and wheeled her around to face her, bending down to peer into her eyes. "Elizabeth Ann Greene, you look at me." Beth brought her face up slowly, knowing she looked like hell and not caring one bit. She felt like it, so it was only fitting that she played the part.

Beth felt the tears brimming as soon as "the look" washed over Maggie's face. The look that Maggie got every time Beth had her heart broken. It was worse when mama had died. She had been in the pit of despair. Somehow this was worse and Beth guessed it was because she had loved her mama and she lost her but she knew she was in a better place, not suffering. With Daryl, she just absolutely knew that he was doing his worst to himself, berating himself. The worst part was she had put him there.

She dissolved into tears then and collapsed onto Maggie who took her in her arms. "What's this about Bethie?" Maggie whispered it as she led her to the couch. But Beth could only shake her head. She didn't know how to put into words how she was feeling.

Maggie placed Beth on the sofa and got up. "I'm going to fix you a toddy. Like Annette used to." She looked down at Beth who nodded up at her. Her mother always fixed them whenever they were sick or hurt. This was one of those times, Beth supposed. It was nothing more than tea, honey and a splash of whatever alcohol they had in the house. In Beth's case, Maggie knew she always kept a bottle of vodka around.

A few minutes later Beth had finally stopped crying and was mopping her face with yet another wad of tissues when Maggie sat down beside her and handed her the steaming mug. Beth inhaled the steam and a wave of fresh nostalgia washed over her and threatened to make her tear up again. Beth swallowed past the lump and looked at Maggie as she took a small sip. "This is good. Just like Mama's." She gave Maggie a watery smile, who reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Now you've been holed up here for two days. I know it's gotta be about a boy. So you may as well spill it. You and Daryl have a fight?" Her voice was gentle and it reminded her so much of when they were kids, when she could tell Maggie anything. She decided she really had nothing to lose by telling her the whole story so she just delved in.

She told her all of it, leaving nothing out, not even the bit about Tiffany. "I broke up with him Maggie. I told him I could handle it, this thing with his business. But I can't. I can't stand the thought of him being with another woman."

Maggie stood up then and Beth watched her worriedly. She turned back around from the window. "So he does this for money because his father is disabled?" Beth nodded. "But he doesn't like it?"

Beth nodded again. "He hates it. And his father is positively awful, Mags. He's a real prick. Used to beat him when he was a kid. He has awful scars on his back." Beth could tell that Maggie was really trying to be objective but that part got her. She used to cry into her pillow at night until Annette finally made her tell her what was wrong. Her friend Billy at school was getting beat every day after school by his stepfather. Annette had told the school and they had handled the situation. Rick had told them later that Billy was adopted by a very nice family. Maggie had always wished she had told someone sooner, gotten him out of that hell.

"Well then I guess that's that." Maggie looked at Beth pointedly and Beth shook her head.

"No, what do you mean?" Beth was confused. It wasn't like Maggie to pass judgment on someone so quickly.

"Well you said it. You can't stand him being with another woman. I wouldn't either. If Glenn was doing that, well I can't imagine it, but there is no way I'd stand for it." Maggie looked at her and Beth all the sudden got what she was saying.

"You think I didn't fight hard enough." Beth nodded, it was a bitter pill to swallow but she knew Maggie was right.

"No, I don't Bethie." Maggie shook her head. "That's not the Beth Greene that I know. The Beth I know would fight for what she believes in. She wouldn't stand for any of this. She'd figure out a way to make it work. You love him?" Maggie asked her.

Beth nodded miserably. "I do. I have never loved anyone like I love him."

"Let me ask you something." Maggie's tone changed. Beth nodded, not sure that she was going to like what she was going to say but she trusted her sister. "Remember when Daddy fell off the wagon that time. He almost lost the business and he turned to the bottle. But remember what happened?"

Beth nodded. Her mama had gone down to the bar and picked him up by the scruff of his collar. She had told them later. You don't give up on someone you love even when they are at their worst. She had told him. "Hershel Greene, you're coming home and you're never touching the bottle again." The story had been all over town and her mama was something of a legend because of it.

"Your mama didn't give up on Dad. You shouldn't give up on Daryl. Or what you two have. It sounds pretty damn special to me. You need to figure this out. I'd be lying if I said I was happy about his profession. I'm not. But I know that he is doing it for his own reasons. But I also know that you two can work through this." Maggie looked at her and Beth threw her arms around her sister, feeling a smile creep up on her face.

"I love you Mags. Thank you for coming over and giving me what I needed." Beth pulled back to look at her sister and they were both wiping tears from their eyes now, the memories flooding their minds as well as their hearts.

"A kick in the ass? Ya know I'm always gonna be around to do that, Beth. You're my baby sister." Maggie said smiling.

Beth smiled back and thought maybe for the first time there might be something she could do. That it wasn't all hopeless. She still didn't have any idea how they were going to make it work. She still didn't want him sleeping with other women, but they owed to themselves to figure it all out. It just wasn't every day that love got dropped into your lap. A love like this was once in a lifetime. And Beth wanted to spend that lifetime with Daryl.

xxx-xxx

Daryl stood there looking at the sheriff. He was really in no mood for any sort of social visit but this kind of seemed like something more than that. Daryl remembered him vaguely. He was guessing the other man remembered him too. It had been a long time ago but not so long that the memory wasn't clearly etched in the back of Daryl's memory. He had been little more than a kid at the time, some 19 year old punk, though the world owed him something. Merle had been older; old enough to know better than trying to pick up underage girls at a bar. Merle hadn't known the girl was underage; he just always took it as face value that they were if they showed up at County Line, the local drinking establishment in backwoods Jasper, Georgia.

"What can I do for you Sheriff?" Daryl leaned on the door heavily, fully intending to get back to his whiskey whenever this unpleasant business with the sheriff was over. He looked out the door, noting that Rick was driving an unmarked car.

"Mind if I come in? I don't want your neighbors to hear our conversation." Rick looked at Daryl pointedly and Daryl raised his eyebrow.

"My nearest neighbor is 2 miles either direction." Daryl said evenly.

Rick put his hands on his hips and looked at the ground, exhaling slowly. He had known that things wouldn't exactly be easy with the redneck. He nodded his head and met Daryl's eyes. "I get that. But what I have to talk about isn't somethin' that needs to be talked about on your front porch." Rick's eyes narrowed.

Daryl nodded and stepped aside, letting the other man pass through the door. Daryl closed the door behind him and motioned to the sofa. "Have a seat. I was just getting ready to have a drink. You want one?" Daryl walked back to his whiskey bottle and poured himself a small glass and winced as the amber liquid hit the back of his throat, scorching the tear-soaked tissue.

Rick just shook his head. "Nah, I'm on duty. I wanted to talk to you about your business."

Daryl ran his hand through his hair impatiently. "My business is just that. _My business._" Daryl glared at the man. "Why don't you just get straight to the fuckin' point." Daryl said, his tone clipped. He was barely hanging onto his anger at this point, truth be told.

Rick looked at him for a long moment. "Fine. That's the way you want it. I took the liberty of having you investigated. Beth Greene is a dear friend of the family. Her father and I go back a ways." Rick was being purposely vague.

Daryl was ansty to say the least. He picked at an imaginary piece of lint in his slacks. "Yeah so." Even Daryl heard the defensive tone his voice took on.

"I know all about the escort business. I ain't here to browbeat ya. I know Beth hired you." He shook his head. He'd never figure that one out, Beth being as pretty as she is, but he knew she must have had her reasons. Besides that, unless his eyes deceived him, there was a bit more going on between the two of them than what originally appeared to be.

Just hearing her voice made Daryl's heart clench something awful. He was all the sudden angry that this man even spoke her name. "You leave Beth out of this. She don't have nothin' to do with Merle."

Rick shook his head and held out a hand. The last thing he wanted was to make Daryl feel like he was out to get him. "Wait just a minute. I didn't say anythin' about your brother." Rick knew it was probably time to lay his cards out on the table.

"Listen, I came here for a reason. I followed you from the hotel. I was going to talk to you there, but you seemed to have something else going on." Rick didn't finish the sentence. He had been following Daryl for weeks now. Truth be told, he might know more what was going on than Daryl himself did.

Daryl looked up in surprise. "You fuckin' followed me?" He was seething with anger now.

Rick held up his hand as he spoke. "Why don't you go ahead and have that drink. I'll explain everything. But I need you to keep a clear head about it. Don't fly off the handle until I hand you all the facts. I know about Andrea and I know she's bein' squeezed by someone higher up than her. But this operation goes much deeper than you think it does. And it's far darker, far more sinister than a damn escort service or even prostitution. And I know from watching you the past week that you want out. That's why I'm here. I'm offering you a way out. But I'm going to need one thing from you in return."

**DUN-DUN-DUN! Surprised? I told you there was a method to my madness. So yeah, this was end game all along. I didn't want to bring this part of the story in too soon, it's why the vagueness with the chapter with Andrea and our mystery boss man. It's why I was vague about everything. I did it this way because I didn't want anything to detract from Daryl and Beth's love story. Hopefully I was able to achieve that. I threw in hints here and there but I didn't want to give it away. So tell me what you think! Also, maybe you hate me just a little less? I hope. Lol Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. Honestly, my muse has been difficult and I could not freaking write anything for like 6 days! It was awful. The closer we get to the premiere the worse it actually gets. But hopefully I can hold it all at bay for now. Until next time, xoxoxo **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

* * *

**Then**

* * *

_He'd told him, hadn't he? That girl was way too fuckin' young and now she was missing. What Merle had considered an adult was actually a 16 year old runaway from South Carolina, Megan Davis and a preacher's kid no less. Merle had brought her to the bar that night. Merle didn't see her age and he'd totally believed her when she had told him she was 21. Then two nights ago she had been reported missing and the whole shitstorm had opened up at that point and true to Dixon fashion, he had been dragged right into the middle of it._

_"I swear I didn't know baby brother." Merle kept rubbing his palms on his jeans. For once, he looked scared. They'd found her body the next day. Daryl would later learn that she was found completely naked with signs of physical and sexual abuse. It had turned his stomach but he knew Merle couldn't be responsible for those things. Merle might be a lot of things but he loved the ladies way too much to hurt them. It didn't do shit, however for proving his innocence. He was arrested later that day when pictures of the two of them surfaced. They were from the bar, the night she disappeared. Video footage of the parking lot revealed that she was the last one she was seen with._

_Merle was placed under arrest pending investigation and for violation of his parole. He'd done some time back in the day over a stupid car theft. Car hadn't even been worth stealin' but he guessed Merle and his shitty friends were willing to do about anything for their next high._

_That was when Andrea had entered the picture. She was a hotshot defense attorney and she'd been the only thing Merle had been able to go with seeing as he didn't have any money._

_Daryl had gone to visit Merle in jail._

_"They showed me pictures baby brother." Merle had cried and Daryl had sat there and watched him warily. It was one of two times he'd ever seen his brother cry. The other time had been when their mama died. Merle's face was a mask of anguish. "Whoever did it hurt her bad. She had burns all over her inner thighs just like the old man used to do."_

_Daryl cringed and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck at Merle's words, his own scars feeling like they were still charred flesh, the throb of the burns forever burned into his skin. "Did you fuck her?"_

_Merle's eyes had flashed to his. "I swear to god. I mean thank god I didn't." Merle looked at him._

_Daryl was relieved. He didn't think he had but Merle liked the ladies and for reasons that Daryl couldn't fathom, the ladies felt the same about him._

_"Better pray harder than that." Daryl remarked. There was no way in hell that Merle was seeing his way out of this one._

_Two days later, Daryl guessed that Merle had called in a favor to a higher power after all. The evidence had gone missing and lacking evidence and witnesses, he was a free man._

_Daryl didn't question it too much at the time. After all, Dixons weren't used to getting good luck dropped in their laps. But under the circumstances, Daryl and Merle went back to their lives and put the incidence behind them._

* * *

**Three months ago**

_Daryl hated this party. He didn't want to be there. He had told his new boss Andrea but she had insisted that he at least try it, pointing out that it was a good way for him to make some extra money above what he already made as an escort. As soon as he walked in, it was clear that this "party" was nothing more than a glorified orgy. He'd be telling Andrea a thing or two the next time they spoke. Of all the debased things he witnessed that night, there was one thing that would always stick out in his mind._

_He had decided to find someplace to get away from the large number of people, the noise and the general atmosphere. He had wandered to the back of the house and took the staircase to the upstairs. Mansion like this, it was easy to get lost so he carefully kept track of how many doors he passed, opening each one hoping to find a bathroom. One with a fire escape would be nice but he knew that would be too much to hope for._

_As he reached the middle of the hallway he twisted the knob on the door and fortunately no one inside turned to look at him as he stood there, jaw slack and hand frozen on the door facing. There were at least a dozen girls, varying ages, all of them way too fucking young to be a party like this, in next to nothing engaging in various acts while they were being filmed or photographed by people in the room. Daryl's gut had clenched at the sight of one girl in particular. Her eyes were gazing to the side, her lips parted. Daryl recognized drug addiction when he saw it. But the most striking thing about her was the fact that she could not have been more than thirteen years old. As he realized what exactly it was that he was seeing, he backed out of the room and closed the door, all at once relieved that no one had seen him and disgusted with himself that he didn't stop what was going on in that room._

_When he left the party later that night, he knew he'd never be able to erase those images from his memory. Even months later, the scenes played out in his mind like the worst porn he had ever seen. Sure he'd gone back to the party and done what he was supposed to do which was to service the rich bitches who had paid to be there, but his mind would forever be branded with things he had seen. The things that no one should see, much less participate in._

* * *

**NOW**

* * *

Daryl sat across from Rick now as he spoke, wondering how in the hell his life had come down to this. He guessed if you looked at it on the abstract that it was like any other fucked up event in the Dixon timeline. It still didn't lessen the tight knot in his gut, threatening to squeeze the breath from him.

"My contact tells me there is going to be another party." Rick placed his hands on his knees, wrists relaxed, palms resting lightly on his legs, but making sure to keep his face on Daryl's and make eye contact.

Daryl's head snapped up and he met the other man's disconcerting gaze. He remembered it from before. It was almost like the man could gauge everything through his eyes. "Ain't fuckin' doing it." Daryl drawled. He reached over and grabbed his glass off the table, taking a generous swig of whiskey, not taking his eyes off the sheriff.

Rick nodded at the man. He had known that the plan was not going to be an easy sell with the younger Dixon, but he had to try. He had gotten special permission to speak with Daryl by his superiors and from the liaison from the feds. This was his only chance to get Dixon to cooperate and see if he could help them. After that, the matter was out of his hands. He knew he had to word everything carefully.

"I know it's not your first choice." He held up his hand at the sight of Daryl shaking his head and opening his mouth to speak. "Just hear me out."

Daryl couldn't stop the exasperated sigh from escaping his lips but he shut his mouth and listened. At this point, he was tired and figured he didn't have anything left to lose anyway.

"My contact says this party is happening next Friday night. And it's not just any party. This one is being thrown by the leader of this organization. That gives us ten days to get you ready." He stopped there, not wanting to overwhelm the man by giving him too much information at once.

"Ready for what?" Daryl looked at him skeptically.

"We're going to run a sting. We're working directly with the FBI to close this operation down." Rick said carefully.

Daryl nodded. "And you need my help how exactly?" He couldn't quite keep the anger out of his face. Sure he wanted out but he didn't see what a backwoods redneck like him could do. He had tried to get out before a couple months before he met Beth. That's when the shit had hit the fan. Those pictures had made a reappearance, Andrea threatening to expose Merle and have the case re-opened. Merle had Tommy now.

Dixons had a code. It was simple and it wasn't much but it worked for them. They took care of their own. There was not even a question about it. So Daryl had told her that he would stay but he had one condition; he would never work another party. His mind flitted back to that conversation where Andrea had told him the company was stepping up their game. He thought it meant they were branching out. He guessed he was wrong.

"I mentioned that this was a whole lot bigger operation than just an escort service." Rick waited for the other man to indicate he remembered the earlier conversation.

Daryl nodded. He'd been suspecting that ever since that party.

"The service is nothing more than a front for the real business; child pornography. He's the head honcho of the biggest ring in the United States. This guy is nasty too. He does shit to women, girls now really, that make ya wonder if there is anybody upstairs, if ya know what I mean."

Daryl nodded and suddenly he was catapulted into the past where Merle had described the burns on the inside of that girl's legs. He remembered Merle telling him other stuff too but it was too horrible to even think about. He remembered those girls in that room and wondered if they had already suffered a fate similar to poor Megan. "That party. There were girls there. I didn't say anything. I should have. I know that now." Daryl hung his head. He knew he wasn't personally responsible and he also knew there was nothing that could have been done, least nothing that wouldn't have gotten him killed.

"I'm not surprised. Most always these girls he has his scouts to go after are runaways. Their always pretty head-turners, looking out of place. They don't fit in with their age group but they are not adults yet either. The scout approaches the girl and complements them, tells them he knows someone who could put them in movies or magazines. We know all this because we got a break. The last girl he took, you might have heard about her, she was a runaway but it turns out she was a senator's kid."

Daryl's eyes went wide. This was more serious than he thought. It had been all over the news in the last week. He had never really paid it any mind until this moment. He'd heard it enough to get the gist of it.

"Yeah, they found her but her discovery has been kept out of the media. She was left for dead. The guy or his henchmen probably thought she was. But she's okay physically. She had a psychotic breakdown and she is at Mercy Falls now." Rick met the other man's gaze. "Thing is this guy fucked up when he took her. Senator daddy is rich and he has paid for the best psychiatrists. This morning she cracked and told them who he was. Worst of all, she told them what he did to her and the other girls. She also told us when the next party is going to be. A lot of foreign nationals are going to be there. Though it's not been confirmed, we believe some of these girls will be sold off to the highest bidder. There's one more thing. Word is that this guy is going after boys now too." Rick delivered the final blow and let it sink in.

Daryl looked at Rick for a long moment. He didn't believe for one minute that this guy would let him do this sting operation if he wasn't relatively certain that they were going to come out on top. If Megan, those girls at that party, and that senator's kid weren't enough to sway him, the thought of something like that fucked up shit happening to Tommy thrust his decision upon him. He didn't even hesitate as he sat forward to find out just how this bastard could be stopped. There was just one thing he had to know before he committed to this.

"Why me? How do you know you can trust me?" Daryl leveled his eyes at the sheriff.

"You're the only _in_ we have. We're afraid Andrea might have been compromised. But I know Beth Greene. She and her family are good people." Daryl looked away and then back again when Rick said. "Hey."

Daryl's eyes met Rick's. "My point in saying that is that Beth's a good judge of character."

Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

Rick continued. "That means something in my book. Means you're good people too. I can tell this ain't you. This isn't the life you _want_. I also know you've been trying to get out it."

Daryl looked at him in surprise. He didn't think anyone knew about that. He had been trying to get out. It was after that party. But Andrea went to her office and produced a thick envelope. He had stared into the envelope and cringed. It was all the evidence of Merle and the last time Megan Davis had been seen alive. She had blackmailed him plain and simple. Tommy's mama barely let Merle see the kid now. The scandal alone reopening the case would cause would kill Tommy's chances at having a father.

Dixons had a code. It wasn't much but it meant something. They take care of their own, plain and simple and no questions asked. So he'd told Andrea he would stay if he didn't have to go to any more of those parties. She had agreed and that was that. He had the sickening feeling that no matter if he was doing this sting or not, Andrea never meant to release him from the service.

He looked up at Rick after the words he had spoken. He didn't know if the man actually meant the things he said, him being like Beth, or he was just feeling sorry for him, but he respected him all the same. "I'm in. Tell me how this works."

* * *

By that afternoon after Maggie stopped by Beth could hardly even stand being away from Daryl even another minute. She wanted to see him. No, she needed to see him. Her heart felt like it was being sucker punched every few minutes which was about as often as his name passed through her mind, sometimes even through her lips. She was in a hurry to see him and see if they could come up with a solution for this whole thing but she dutifully waited for the clock to hit six when she knew he got off from the shop. She knew no matter what after he got done at the shop he would head home, client or no client.

She squelched down the bit of anxiety that crept in at the thought of those other women. She had to keep an open mind until she talked to him. Until she saw him. Right now that was just a basic burning need, something akin to sun for heat-starved flowers.

She drove to his house, humming the bars of the song she had been working on for the past several days. She smiled as she glanced in the backseat, seeing her guitar just waiting for her to play the song for him that she had finally finished, the song that was now the anthem of her heart. "Without You" was by far the most resonant thing she had written in a long time.

She pulled up outside his house and parked, her hand fluttering up to her chest in the hopes that she could keep her heart from trying to claw its way out of its confines. This had to go well. It just had to.

* * *

Daryl stood up from his computer and backed away from the screen, intent on having a beer before he hopped in the shower. What he had just read about their resident bad guy was disturbing to say the least. He had come home and conducted an internet search for the guy. There was not a whole lot on there which he had guessed as much. If there was a wide range of information, he was willing to bet that he'd have been caught by now. Ghosts like this guy could slip through the cracks quite easily. However, a rough sketch of him on a conspiracy theorist's page and someone's comment that he looked a lot like a guy lurking in their neighborhood caught his eye. He printed out the photo of the sketch attached to the post. He pulled it out of the printer and compared it to the photo that Rick had supplied him with last night. His name was emblazoned at the top of the page. He was a slippery son of a bitch according to Rick but they were fairly certain they could corner him this time and make the charges stick.

Daryl was free of clients at the moment, courtesy of Rick's fake-ass doctor's note. He had fabricated that for him to convince Andrea that he really was sick and he did have a valid reason for leaving the hotel that night.

Comparing the two pictures of his boss side by side he reached into the fridge and heard a knock at the door. He swore and closed the refrigerator door back, clutching the pictures in his hand. As he opened the door, he realized he was hoping it wasn't the sheriff again. He couldn't handle that shit two days in a row.

He turned the knob and pulled the door open, the shock clearly written on his face. Because there was Beth standing there right in front of him. He couldn't imagine why she was there. She had broken it off with _him_ after all. He stared at her, unable to open his mouth. He knew he needed to say something but he couldn't force any words to come out.

"Daryl." Her eyes were bright and she smiled at him softly.

"Hey Beth." His voice finally came out but it was gruff and barely a whisper." He didn't know what it was about her that disarmed him so much. Still what Rick had told him raced around his brain, the thoughts chasing themselves. There was no way he was going to let that prick anywhere near her even if it meant the unthinkable.

"That guy." Beth stated, pointing to the pictures in his hand.

Daryl's eyes snapped up to hers, his eyes narrowing on her and what she was saying. He thrust the pictures behind his back. "It was on some flier." Daryl shrugged, hoping to play it off.

"That's his name? It's a weird name. I think I saw him outside my school. I thought about reporting him but my teacher friend convinced me not to. Said I was too paranoid and watched too much America's Most Wanted." Beth shifted on each foot back and forth, a little nervously. What was Daryl doing holding a picture of some random lurker? And why wasn't he inviting her inside? She tried not to let it bother her. It wasn't like she had called to ask him if she could stop by, after all.

Daryl looked back at the paper and his blood ran cold as he stared at the one name. How could one name in such a short amount of time become something synonymous with evil: Negan.

No, there was no way he was letting Beth anywhere near this guy. He didn't care what it took. Even if he had to send her away. He'd rather break her heart and his too than to think of the alternative. No, it'd be a cold day in hell before this Negan prick got anywhere near Beth Greene.

AN: Guys thank you so much for reading this story and for being patient with me. The hiatus is over and I'm am supposed to be calm and thankful that it's back on, right? WRONG! I am a mess over last week's episode and I am pretty sure I am going to be even worse this week.

So thank you for sticking with me while I thrash out my feels. I hope y'all like this chapter. Now, Imma go hide. Again.

PS - Don't worry, they are going to get back together. Eventually. ;)

PPS - Oh and lest anyone think I pulled this out of my ass last minute, this has been planned from the beginning. I didn't want to put anything in until now because I wanted everyone (myself too) to concentrate on Bethyl and their story of falling in love. Typical romantic suspense right? Until next time loves, xoxoxo That is if y'all don't murder me. Okay, hiding for real now.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"When was he at your school Beth?" Daryl demanded.

Beth blinked a few times trying to process the tone in Daryl's voice. He almost sounded mad. "I- I don't know." Beth looked at him as he shifted his weight back and forth on the balls of his feet, running his hand over his chin. He seemed a little frazzled, frantic even.

"When?" Now Beth figured out the tone behind his words. Fear. All at once and for reasons she didn't quite understand, Beth was afraid too. She hadn't really seen anything overtly menacing about the guy in the flier Daryl was holding but she had been uneasy. Daryl having this kind of reaction to him being at her school was shifting that unease into straight up fear. She narrowed her eyes at him taking in his disheveled appearance and eyes shifting to focus on something behind her. She turned her head to see if she could see what he was seeing. There was nothing there. She turned back to Daryl, her heart racing.

"Daryl, you're scaring me. Who is this man? Who is Negan?" She tried, but she couldn't quite keep the fear out of her voice. She stared at him and he seemed to not see her. She reached out to touch his hand but he jerked his arm away abruptly. It felt like a physical blow him pulling away from her like he was.

"You need to go Beth." His voice was low and menacing.

"Daryl, I came to tell you-" Her explanation died on her lips as he bellowed out.

"I said to get the hell away from me!" He yelled, his voice seething with anger, and she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips.

Trying not to let the tears creep into her vision, she turned to leave. There was no way in hell she was letting him see her break down again.

Whatever was going on with him, he obviously did not want to include her and she would be damned if she was going to stand here and beg him to take her back. Even if she had broken his heart, he was breaking hers right now and she was praying she made it to her car before her legs gave way and the tears spilled over. The pain in her chest was so searing and clenching she felt as if she might die from it. She longed to do nothing more than crawl in a hole for the rest of time and wait for the weight to lift off her chest. Right now it was hard to breathe, feeling like all the air had been sucked from the atmosphere and she was stuck in this mind-blowing, numbing void.

Daryl looked at her as she turned away as if seeing her for the first time since he opened his door. His eyes snapped to hers, so full of fear and something in him clicked awake. He hated the words that had just came out of his mouth as much or more than he hated his own father for continuing to take a breath.

He didn't think about what he was doing, he just acted. He took two steps forward and grabbed her hand, giving it a sharp tug as he guided her into his arms.

Beth took a sharp intake of breath, Daryl's sudden movement taking her off guard. The tears had already started to flow and now he was pulling her back to him. She looked up at him, the words on the tip of her tongue for him to make up his damn mind but the anguish she saw there stopped her and she found herself melting into him their bodies fused together in need and torment. His arms engulfed her and she buried her face in his chest and let the sobs take over, the events of the past couple of days overwhelming her senses. She felt the vibrations in his chest and it was like a dagger to her heart feeling his sobs echo her own, knowing that she had put that pain there.

She pulled away and her voice barely came out, cracking even as it did. "I'm sorry, Daryl."

Her voice was so small and she looked so fragile standing there, looking up at him, her watery pools of blue imploring him to open his heart again. And damned if he didn't let her do it. He pulled his arms from around her and brought his hands to her face, cupping her face in his palms. He concentrated all his efforts into rubbing the tears away with the pads of his thumbs and ignoring the tears that coursed down his own cheeks. "It doesn't matter." He whispered it not quite trusting himself to speak.

"It _does_ matter." The tears continued to make their way down her cheeks and his fingers were useless in making them stop or even slow.

"I broke your heart. I wasn't fair to you. And I'm sorry." She sobbed openly now and it surprised her when his lips sought out her cheeks. She let her eyes flutter closed and savored this feeling of Daryl taking care of her, literally kissing away her tears.

In one fluid movement, he swept her up into his arms, kicking the door closed behind him and walking to the sofa where he sat down, arranging her in his lap with her legs draped over him. She wound her arms around his neck and looked at him, her tears finally starting to subside.

She sniffed. "We will work this out."

Daryl nodded. He couldn't believe that she was here, right here, in his arms. He had imagined this moment time and time again over the past couple of days and had even dreamed of her the night before, but he didn't delude himself into thinking it would ever happen. Yet here she was and all at once, he was so grateful, so fucking grateful that she had come tonight. He didn't think at the moment about the fact that he was putting her in danger, letting her be here. He needed to be close to her. He needed to touch her. He brought his hand up to the side of her face, looking into her eyes.

Beth smiled at him softly. This was what she had missed the most, the way he looked at her. His eyes pierced hers with an intensity she had never felt with anyone else her entire life. His eyes closed and he leaned forward. A soft sigh floated from Beth's lips as his met hers. She had missed this too, the way his mouth fit over hers and his tongue flitted in between her lips, seeking out hers, licking inside her mouth and him gently sucking her bottom lip. He angled his head and his tongue sought hers more fully. She groaned, feeling instantly wet as his tongue plundered her mouth. She slid her hands from around his neck and her fingers found purchase against the fabric of his shirt, her fingertips finding the buttons of their own accord. She worked the shirt open and slid her hands beneath the fabric, slipping the shirt from his shoulders and letting it fall to the sofa behind him.

He was rock hard. One kiss from her saccharine lips and he was lost and found and needing her like he needed air. He pulled his mouth from hers, transferring his lips to the smooth column of her throat as she tipped her head back, lips parted, eyes closed and her breasts jutting out. He continued his oral assault on her neck moving lower, tasting salt and sadness and pent-up desire. He let his fingers trail his lips, sliding the strap of her sundress over her shoulder. He reached behind her for the zipper he had felt when he was hugging her and began to tug it down her back. He met with resistance as his lips met with the top of one creamy white breast. He felt his cock go even harder with the anticipation of her pert rosebud nipple in his mouth. He fumbled with the zipper and Beth reached back to help him but it wouldn't budge.

She pulled away from him and looked into his lust driven eyes, loving that stormy gaze he always got when he wanted her. "It's stuck." She breathed.

He looked down at her, his breath nearly leaving his body as he took in her blown pupils and heavy lids. Her face was full of want and he wanted to do everything in his power to satisfy her. "How much do you like this?" He ran his fingers down the front of her dress, gripping her hip through the offensive fabric.

She shook her head slowly. "I don't give a fuck about this dress."

The way her sultry voice hit his ears, giving him permission, was all the go ahead he needed. With a practiced hand he reached behind her and with a flick of both wrists and a sharp tug, the air was rent with tearing fabric and a soft gasp from Beth's sweet lips. An animalistic growl was ripped from his throat as her bare breasts were made available to his mouth. He dipped his head down and took one perfect nipple in his mouth as he kneaded the other breast. He felt Beth's hands come up to grip his head and holding his mouth in place as she ground herself down onto him. He was painfully hard now.

The things Daryl was doing to her were making her crazy and him ripping her dress from her body had been the single most erotic moment of her life. Daryl Dixon ripping her dress off? Yes, please. She gasped as he sucked hard on her nipple and she couldn't help the involuntary arch of her back pressing her breast more fully into his mouth. She couldn't help the "fuck" that slipped from her lips. She couldn't help the way she moved herself over him, repositioning herself to straddle his hips and grind her aching center down onto him. She reached down between them and with practiced fingers, undid his belt, button and zipper in record time.

He pulled his mouth from her other nipple then and looked at her. "Do you want to go to the bedroom?" He hated the thought of having her right here on his sofa but he wasn't sure he could make it that far.

She shook her head, her fingers shaking as she finally freed his cock taking his length into her hands. "No. Now. Here." Her words were brief, punctuated by the rhythmic stroking of his cock. She pulled her hand away to rub herself against him, the thin fabric of her panties creating a nearly unbearable friction. He groaned as she moved herself, undulating, over him.

Daryl reached between them where her center was resting over him and ran his finger down her slit, tracing her lips through the fabric. "These need to go baby." He murmured, his lips mere millimeters from hers.

"Yes, they do." Her breath hit his lips and he nearly lost it then, so desperate he was for some kind of relief of the unbearable pressure that had gathered at the base of his spine, pulsating towards his dick like some damn beacon. He slid his fingers down from her clit and pulled the elastic aside at her inner thigh, letting his finger roam towards her center. He moaned as his fingers met warmth and wet. She was soaking wet and he couldn't wait to bury himself inside her, needing to feel her surround him like she would never be apart from him again.

Beth moaned as his fingers sought out her clit again and he rubbed it in that tight circular pattern she loved, stopping every so often to apply pressure. She was nearly mindless with want, her hips moving of their own accord. Desperate for him to fill her, she reached down and knocked his hand aside. Pulling her underwear to the side she made enough room and with one movement of her hips, guided him into her. She gasped and he moaned as their bodies met, silk sliding against silk. She set a rhythm and looped her arms around his neck, looking into his eyes, hooded with passion.

All the sudden it became too intense of a moment just looking in one another's eyes. She was so glad to be here with him, making love with him, that she was struck with a fresh tug on her heart strings. Looking into Daryl's eyes he was feeling it too. She slowed her movements and leaned down to kiss him their lips meeting in the softest of kisses, slow, languid, sweet only breaking away when they could not longer breathe.

Daryl reached his arms all the way around her, drawing him closer to her as she rocked herself slowly over him, the rhythm slow but steady.

Beth marveled at how they fit together so perfectly, like they were made for each other and no one else. She looped her arms up around his neck, clasping them behind his head and leaning down to capture his lips with hers again. It was slow and perfect with them now and soon it was not nearly enough. As if sensing this, Daryl leaned back and he put one hand on her chest, forcing her to lean back. He reached down with his other hand, finding that spot that would make her fall apart.

As much as he missed the warmth of her body pressed against his, he loved seeing her lean back and receive the pleasure his fingers sought to give her. He knew he was nearing his peak as he watched their bodies move together. She began to pulse around him and her legs began to quiver as she gave herself over to her orgasm. Watching her come undone was all it took for him as he thrust himself up into her, his own release coming at him hard, fast and all at once he calls her name. "Beth!"

Beth closed her eyes and gave herself over to the sudden orgasm that overtook her, her body vibrating and pulsing out the beats of their passion. She collapsed against him, their bodies slick with sweat and the air thick with the sticky afterglow of sex. They rested this way for a few moments before Beth pulled back to look at him sheepishly, running her hand over the damp curls on his chest. "Maybe we should break up more often. That was hot."

Daryl's eyes narrowed as his fingers skimmed her ribs, massaging lightly as she squealed. "Don't even think about it, Greene." His voice was teasing. "I'll make it hot for you like that every single time. Just don't break up with me."

Beth didn't know whether to laugh or cry so she smiled instead. "You have my word." She paused. "Does that mean we are back together?" She looked at him uncertainly.

""s up to you." He shrugged, afraid for half a second of what she was going to say.

"I'm not gonna leave you again." She said softly, threading her fingers through his hair.

"Good, 'cause I ain't letting you out of my sight." Beth's heart thrilled at his words at first and then she remembered the look on his face at his door, much like the one that was creeping back into his expression again now.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Beth shivered involuntarily.

Daryl nodded. "Why don't we find you somethin' to put on since I ruined your dress. Then I'll fill you in."

His response was cryptic but he did have a point. She was naked except for her panties. While it might work for what they had just done, if they hoped to eat or talk, she would need something to put on. She flushed a bit with the memory of him tearing her dress from her body.

In the end she chose a button up flannel and nothing else. They sat cross-legged on his sofa while he told her everything, all of it.

When he got to the part about Merle and the girl, her mouth formed an 'o'. "I remember hearing about that I think." She whispered.

He finished his tale and sat back, awaiting her response and hoping like hell this wasn't going to scare her off. However, but what she had just told him, he doubted that would happen. He hated like hell that she was involved in this shit storm.

She looked at him for a long moment. "Should I be concerned he was there at my school?" Beth asked.

"I'm not sure. I guess I need to call this in to Sheriff Grimes." Daryl shrugged.

Beth still couldn't believe how all this tied together. She nodded. "Rick will know what to do."

They were silent for a moment. "I'm scared." She admitted. She was terrified that something would happen to him on that sting. She couldn't bear it.

He reached out and pulled her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. "You don't have to be scared. I ain't letting anything happen to ya Beth." His words were laced with certainty and bravery.

"That's not it. I am scared of what's going to happen to you." She looked into his eyes, finding they had gone a bit stormy again.

"I'm like a cat." He smirked. "Got nine lives. Real hard to kill." He grinned before pulling her in to kiss her again.

He pulled away to look at her, letting his eyes rest on hers. He could only do that with her, let her see all the way down into his soul. The thing was, he felt like he could see hers too and it was the purist thing he had ever seen. "I love you, Beth."

Beth's heart melted then. "I love you too Daryl."

Daryl sighed in contentment, his thumb caressing the back of her hand. Even if the dark ugly world did exist just beyond these four walls and it was full of pricks like Negan he couldn't bring himself to care right now. Beth was back at his side and that was all that mattered right now. Right now, it was enough. It was everything.

* * *

Andrea hung up the phone and sobbed, her nerves threatening to break her. This whole hopeless situation was beating down upon her, slicing her in two. She had been talking to the boss about the party next week and he brought up her sister.

"So did they find her yet Andrea? Did they find Amy?" His voice was sneering and sickening and Andrea would like nothing more than to reach through the phone and rip her sister's name from his mouth. He didn't deserve to speak her name.

"You know damn well they didn't." She was seething. "_You have her_." She spat the words.

The dark laugh filled the other end of the line. "Do what I asked and you'll have her back."

She had hung up then, knowing she had no choice. Hating that it had come to this but it was inevitable she supposed. She needed Amy. She couldn't stand the thought of that prick with his hands on her. She still didn't know who he was but come next Friday, she would. Come next Friday, she was going to make the bastard regret the day he had ever laid his filthy hands on her baby sister. She was going to make him regret the day he was born.

**Okay so what did you think guys? Sorry it has been such a long time between updates. It's been hard going back to work plus needless to say this season of the show has been intense and it has been hard to concentrate on everything. Let me know what you think of this chapter and I promise I will do better with updates. Thanks for being patient and until next time, xoxoxoxo **


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