The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 92: Halloween Spikes

"I am not wearing this!" Standing in Beth's bathroom, Daryl fumes as he glances at the dark free tights Beth had thrown at him earlier today. Why he couldn't just wear green sweatpants is beyond him.

"It's for Kensi! So, YES! YOU ARE!" Pulling on her Wendy night gown, she starts fixing the bow in her hair and finishes with doing her make up when Daryl comes out dressed. His Peter Pan outfit with some blood and tears looks amazing, but his blank, angry face doesn't look so good. "Here, let me do your make..."

"I am not..." Beth death glares him and he sits down beside her and zips his lips. Why is she so ornery today? She starts on his make up and he just glances at her. Something is definitely going on. Placing his hand on her knees she haughtily continues his make up but soon slows down. Stopping in the middle of applying his eyeshadow, she just sits and stares at her hands. "Are you okay?"

"I just thought I'd be helping with four costumes...not three..." Immediately pulling her into his arms, he embraces her for a long time before letting go slightly and looking deep into her eyes.

"Honey, I know it's hard. I know..." Looking down at her, she's crumpled into his body and tears are streaming down her made up face. "Sweetie, your make up is running."

"Shit... I, um, I'm gonna go fix that." She stands up and runs to the bathroom, tears hitting the floor like rain from a cloud. Slamming the door behind her, she leans against it and looks down her front. "I can't..."

After about fifteen minutes in the bathroom, Beth finally comes out, make re-done and blue eyes storming over. Daryl and Kensi are playing with some of Beth's old toys- a horse and an wolf- guess which one Daryl had.

"Look mommy! Daddy's a pitty pink pony!" Kensi- who's dressed like a Zombie Tinker Bell points to Daryl who's half made over and sitting on the floor playing with the pink horse. "I's a big Wolfy gonnas eat him pony!!"

"I see that. Come over here Daryl, I gotta fix your make up." Beth tiredly says. Daryl, kisses Kensi's head and hands her the pony- which she immediately pretends is being eaten by the wolf. Going to Beth, he still can't put his finger in what's different about her. He knows there's something, he just doesn't know what it is. Guys- aren't really good at noticing things- have a tendency to be wrong with their guesses. She's so angry and sort of emotional today. Sitting on her Vanity's bench, he's still and quiet as she finishes up his zombie make up. When she slows down, he holds her hips and looks up at her. Chest expanding with nerves, Beth just looks deep into his eyes. This world for them has always been difficult- between losing Carter, the Kensi thing, and Teddy- there never seems to be a break for them: life will never be simple.

"I love you Wendy." Smiling, Beth shakes her head and kisses Daryl.

"I love you, Peter Pan."

**Commence Trick or Treating**

Holding Kensi's hands, Daryl and Beth Walk with her in between them through town. Daryl, who's holding Kensi's pumpkin basket, watches Beth through his peripherals. She has that small fake smile on her face- the one she had on when he told her he was seeing Julie. Something's wrong- and it isn't about Teddy or Ozzie. House after house, their little girl acquires more and more candy as the night drags on. When they finally call it a night and head back for Hershel's Halloween Party, Beth seems more distant than usual. Going upstairs, Daryl heads into Beth's bathroom to take a leak. Letting his bladder go, Daryl looks in the mirror and shakes his head at how ridiculous he looks. Glancing down into the waste basket, he sees something distantly familiar. When he's done, he flushes the toilet, washes his hands and grabs tweezers from the cabinet.

"Oh Beth..."

Going downstairs, passes Glenn and the Rhee's, who are dressed like the Simpsons, and then Rick and Michone, who are dressed as The Joker and Harley Quinn. Finding Hershel dancing with Kensi and Carol and Merle- who came as the Clinton's- having a drink, Daryl approaches them, but they point to the front porch knowing who he's looking for. Going outside, he finds Beth with a lantern and Tiny by her side- who ironically is Nana- up at Teddy's grave. Heading up there, his heart is pounding more and more as he approaches her.

"Hey..." She weakly says and Daryl just wraps his arms around her from behind so his hands are cupping her small stomach- the tiniest bump intruding his space.

"Congratulations, sweetie..." His voice is soft and warm on her neck.

"It's too soon Daryl. It's too soon to be having a baby." He can hear her tears welling up in her eyes and he just kisses her neck.

"Beth, I know it hurts, but you have to stay positive for this baby. They need you. Unless..."

"Unless what?" She half angrily and half sadly asks.

"Unless you don't want it... I wouldn't want you to become more depressed. Or think that you're replacing Teddy- cause your not. We conceived this baby on our honeymoon. We had too. This baby has been through our pain. But I understand what you're feeling." Turning in his arms, Beth looks up into his shadowed eyes.

"I wouldn't want anything to harm this baby. I want it. I'm just scared."

"Everything will be okay."

"No, I'm scared that I'll lose this one too..." Their bodies both sink at her terrible truth.

"Beth..." She cries into his shoulder and he gently squeezes her.

"Honey, we won't. We just need to stay positive and happy okay? I promise you."

Silence rolls through the fields and engulfs them. Their twinkling lantern sparks in the black atmosphere and their worries drift off into the darkness.