In Hope Of Falling In Love (A Walking Dead Fanfic)

Chapter 38: A Promise Of Perfect Things

BIT OF A FILLER-IN CHAPTER FOR THE ONE I'M WRITING NOW.

A BIT OF FLUFF AND CARL AND AISLYNN DISCUSS THEIR POSSIBLE FUTURE.

"You never did tell me who killed those two people," Rick said, his voice quiet and soft, as if trying not to scare her away.

Beth shrugged, staring helplessly at the ring on her left hand, a small smiling creeping its way upon her face. "Does it really matter now?" she asked, kicking Rick's foot under the table accidently. A blush crept its way upon her face as she muttered "Daryl" and put her feet under the chair, scared of kicking him again.

"It does," Rick replied with a nod, placing a hand on top of hers. "I need to know. Was it Lori? Did she ask you of this? Andrea or your mother-"

"No," Beth interrupted. "I don't want to talk about my mother, please. It wasn't Lori or Andrea... It was Merle. Merle Dixon, alright? He made me promise to take care of Daryl after he was gone and I agreed; I promised. Now he's dead I can't break that promise; I promised that no matter what it would took I would keep his younger brother safe and he told me that if I had to, had to kill, I would."

Rick stared, in a state of utter shock until he removed his hand from the top of hers and looked down at the wooden table, pinching at the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry," Beth sighed softly. "And you can't tell Daryl; ever. Especially after this," she said, flashing her ring into Rick's view. "He'll never forgive me."

"You're a Dixon now?" Rick asked, changing the subject.

Beth glanced sideways at Carl as sat with his sister talking to Maggie as she held Nevaeh, both heavily engrossed in conversation.

"I don't know if I'd take away the Greene yet. If this thing is ever over we might have a chance. If neither of us die that is and with you taking him on another run this evening... I know I shouldn't ask this of you but please take care of him. I need Daryl back here. Last time you went on a run you were gone for two days, I thought you'd all died."

Rick muttered that he would before they heard someone clear their throat from behind them.

"Hey, Elizabeth," Chloe said, "Can I talk to Richard?"

"Just Rick, not Richard," Rick corrected.

Beth stood from her seat, grabbing Chloe's shoulder and whispering a quiet "Now or never" before making her way to Cell Block D. If Daryl was anywhere, he was there with Aislynn.

She didn't know how long he'd spent the last few days in there but she knew if his cousin were to die, he would want to be there with her.

Like she'd want to be there with her father or Maggie.

The last time Beth had seen Glenn, he'd been taken to Cell Block D to keep him away from the small partly-healthy group of people not yet infected. Including her, Maggie, Daryl, Rick, Chloe, Hershel, Carl, Judith and Nevaeh.

Tyreese, Sasha, Michonne, Glenn and Aislynn had all fallen ill recently and were being kept in Cell Block D.

As she crept closer to the door, she heard Daryl talking to Aislynn through the glass as someone coughed.

"Congratulations on tha engagement," she heard Daryl's cousin say. He didn't reply and if he did, Beth didn't hear it.

"So, are ya thinking of having a baby? It'd be pretty cool to be an older sister-"

She heard Daryl laugh. "Ya realise I'm not ya dad right?"

"I know but I'm getting bored with Judith. By the time Beth finally had the baby, Judith would be almost two years old."

Beth couldn't help but giggle and she heard footsteps make their way towards her as she pressed herself against the wall to try and hide herself.

With a sigh, Daryl said, "Beth."

She just nodded. "I was just wondering if you wanted to... My cell? Tonight after dinner, okay?"

With a devilish grin on his face, Daryl pulled her to his body, caressing her face with gentle kissing as his erection pressed against his pants. His hands were on his hips as he pushed her against the wall.

"My cell?" Daryl said and Beth nodded; she preferred his cell to hers.

Her cell was next to her father's and very close to Maggie's and the last thing she wanted was her sister or father hearing her having sex with Daryl Dixon of all people.

"Your cell," Beth agreed, letting out a moan as Daryl's dry lips sucked at her neck and rubbed his hands on her hips. "I love you," she breathed between kisses and for a long while, he didn't say anything until he pulled back, pinning her gently to the wall and with an intake of breathe, he said, "I love ya."

Carl stared at Aislynn.

She looked worse than he thought she would and after her collapse and death scare the other day, he couldn't help but worry for her.

"So, Beth and Daryl are engaged," she said. "I'm proud of ma cousin, ya know? Got himself a pretty girlfriend-"

"Like me," Carl interrupted.

His words won a huge grin from Aislynn as blood coated her teeth. She looked, if he was being honest, like complete and utter crap. As soon as he saw her she told him that she was "fully aware" she looked like shit and if he brought it up she was going to cough all over him.

Her threat was meant jokingly but once she said it, he had to turn his head to hide the oncoming onslaught of tears that were waiting in her eyes.

"Carl," Aislynn cooed. "Do you think we'll get married? After this, I mean. Do you think we'll ever end up like Beth and Daryl or Maggie and Glenn?"

He nodded. "I think, because I love you, that when this is all over we'll find a big house and I can be a sheriff and you can be a housewife and you'll look after our kids. We'll own a big bit of land and we'll teach our kids to shoot and hunt. My father can live with us and Daryl and Beth can have a little house right near us that they'll share with Glenn and Maggie and Hershel will live with them too. Every day before work, you'll wake up extra early and make us pancakes and we'll shuffle downstairs. I haven't shaved yet and when we kiss, you giggle because the scruff on my chin tickles your cheek. You'll yell at me to get the kids up and my father will watch crappy shows on television and sometimes visit the station-"

"- Okay."

Carl smiled sadly at her. "You'll be alright. I promise-"

"-No. Don't do that. Please don't do that."

He pressed his forehead to the glass and Aislynn did the same. "We'll own two cars. One will be a little Hyundai for when we take the kids to a theme park or to get ice-cream and my dad will tag along. The other will be my police car which I'll ride to work everyday and you'll kiss me goodbye and wait for me to get home then when I get home, you'll have dinner ready and the kids will sit with us as a family and we'll talk about our day. Our daughter will tell us she likes this boy and our two sons will fight because they both wanted the last piece of bacon. Dad will laugh and call us idiots and he'll wash the dishes and we'll go upstairs and sleep. And before we fall asleep, you'll whisper ever so quietly in my ear that you love me and I'll say it back. It'll be perfect."

When Carl opened his eyes, which he never knew were shut, Aislynn was sleeping with her head still pressed against the cold glass as she snored.

Pressing his lips to the glass where her head was, he sat back in his chair and let the tears cascade down his face.

Here was safe. No one could see him cry or break down; no one could see what a mess he was.

And it was perfect.