Beth's Old Sweet Shoppe

Chapter 30:

Chapter 30:

Coming home with Rick in the passenger seat, Daryl is just happy that the weekend of Hell is over. He hates taking security tests over and over again, not to mention the question of health. He's always nervous that they'll flag him and put him through more testing and training than necessary. But coming home to Beth will make him feel better.

As he drops the squad car off at the station, he drives home and rushes upstairs.

"Beth..." He calls, but no answer comes back to him. Stepping into the living room he finds Jake and Bailey snuggled up on the floor and finds Beth's door shut along with Merle's. Going into his room he finds Beth asleep on her side peacefully. Laying down next to her, he kisses her temple before crawling under the blankets after kicking his shoes off.

"Daryl?" A tired and groggy Beth asks.

"I'm here, baby. I'm home." Turning over in his wake, Beth tiredly grabs ahold of Daryl and kisses his lips sleepily.

"I missed you."

"I see that. I missed you too honey. Lets go together back to sleep."

"What time is it?"

"7:30..."

"At night?"

"Yes."

"Fuck! I slept the day away." He gives her a small smile, though she doesn't see it with her closed eyes.

"It's okay. You said you weren't feeling good, so just stay in bed, sweetheart. Besides, I'm tired and wish to cuddle you." Pulling her close, he kisses her mouth a few times as she sighs and nuzzles her face in the crook of his neck.

"I can't wait to be married to you." She yawns and he smiles against her forehead.

"Really?"

"Yes....huh, we should just do it tomorrow..."

"Don't you want a big wedding, a dress, cake, a party."

"Huh...." She yawns again. "I just want you."

Closing her eyes, she falls asleep against him and he can't stop smiling and thinking about what she said. Getting up in the middle of the night Daryl wakes up to Beth thrashing on the bed in a nightmare.

"Beth, baby...baby...wake up." He gently calls to her and soon she jolts awake and flies into Daryl's grasp, crying and hyperventilating. "I got you baby... I got you."

"It was awful..."

"What happened?"

"...You...you died." Crying into his shoulder, he tightly holds her and kisses her head.

"Honey, I love you...It was just a bad dream." Rocking back and forth, he kisses her repeatedly and she can't stop letting her emotions get the best of her. Looking at the clock it's only 4:30 and he is just too tired, yet awake at the moment. "I got you."

"Don't ever leave me...don't let go." She whispers in his ear and he obeys.

"I won't. I promise." It occurs to him that Beth has almost the same fear of doubt that he has. It pains him to see her in this way- scared and worried. "Beth, why do you love me?"

"I love you cause yer brave and honest." She says with a hushed sob. "You are the most caring person ever and I love you more than anything."

"Oh."

"Why...do...so you not want to marry me any more?"

"No...of course I wanna be with you. I was just wondering why you'd choose me over other people."

"Daryl, since I've meat you, I've felt a change in me that I didn't know could happen." She scoots closer. "Like I'm important and loved and mean something. I love you Daryl. Please don't second guess it ever."

"I feel the same way...let's get to bed." Gently kissing her one last time, Daryl snuggles her close and soon they drift off to happy dream land.