Chapter Text
Daryl’s eyes track Beth’s movements around the yard from where he is sat on the ground, hunched over his crossbow cleaning it. His eyes tracking the tiniest twitch and tremor like a wolf watching a rabbit.
She looks stunning in a bright blue sundress that makes her eyes glow like the Georgia sky. He could watch his girl all day long, and he does, if he's not out on a run. His girl. He still can't believe she’s his. She brings Judith out into the yard so that he can keep an eye on her while he works on his bike or on the fence. She says Judith needs the fresh air or vitamin D or some shit but he knows she does it for him. Because she knows he doesn't like being away from her and she feels the same way. In these past four months they've barely been apart. If he's honest it scares him. He used to think he was better alone, used to keep everyone at arm's length but now being alone makes his skin feel too tight. So at night he slips into her cell once everyone is asleep and in the morning leaves before everyone is awake. He's always been an early riser anyway, but he’s really not sure if he’d be able to get to sleep without listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing. When she looks at him across the yard and smiles that secret smile it stirs an ache in his chest.
He’s sat just a few feet from the outdoor kitchen where people have gathered for lunch. Carol is busy frying something up using the copious amounts of oil Glenn and Maggie scored on a run. He snagged some on his way past and is using it to meticulously coat his crossbow using a red rag.
Daryl watches Beth through his overgrown fringe, face completely still save his eyes, tracking her as she brings a bowl of today’s lunch over to her daddy, Judith resting on her hip. Hershel’s eyes meet his over Judith’s head, causing Daryl to flush guiltily. Caught like some sort of Peeping Tom. Had the old man been watching him watch Beth? Hershel nods and gives him a friendly smile; it reaches his eyes. Not this time. Daryl hastily returns the nod before he looks down at his crossbow and busies himself coating the metal with oil. He should be more careful than to stare but he can’t help find himself drawn to her.
“Daryl”
He looks up and there she is, handing him lunch with a beaming smile that radiates from her eyes and stretches across her face. She’s damn near outshining the sun this morning. As he reaches for the bowl, his fingers touch hers and they linger. Her skin like silk under his rough callouses. His fingertips can’t resist circling her knuckles. Her eyes soften as they hold his. Daryl stares at her for a moment; then grunts and takes the bowl. Beth gives him another smile before spinning on her heel. As he follows her back to the make shift kitchen he meets Hershel’s eyes again, this time catching him drawn to the sway of her hips as she walks away. Daryl’s face darkens and he looks at the ground. Shit.
Before Daryl can start to worry about what Hershel did or did not see, there’s a sudden flare, then a scream. Beth’s scream. His blood runs cold. The pan has caught fire and erupts hot and fast like a volcano, spreading across the rest of the stove. Beth is turning away, cradling Judith to her chest, wrapping her body around her like a shield. He’s lunging forward like a man possessed, crossbow thrown to the ground, throwing himself between Beth and the grease fire.
He feels the burning heat through his vest and smells the hairs on his bicep singe as he curls around her back. As soon as he reaches her, his big hands frame her tiny arms and she practically glides forward as he manhandles her across the yard. Only when they’re a more than safe distance away from the spreading fire does he slow to a stop.
“You ok? You hurt? You on fire?” He asks, patting her down frantically, turning her roughly to check every inch of exposed skin.
“Yeah,” she answers, with a shaky laugh, “I’m fine, we’re fine” she adds, easing the tight grip she’s using to press Judith against her chest.
Daryl’s eyes flicker to Judith and he strokes the baby’s head gently with a giant hand, his eyes returning to Beth’s as he lets out a relieved breath, his other hand still gripping her arm protectively.
She holds his gaze, eyes softening at his furrowed brow and tight mouth.
“I’m fine,” she repeats, the corners of her mouth turning up into a reassuring smile that reaches all the way to the rose in her cheeks.
He hums, low and rumbling, his fingers finally loosening on her arm but his hand remaining. His thumb lightly strokes the flesh of her bicep where they touch, his pounding heart beginning to slow.
She breaks eye contact to look over his shoulder. A wave of guilt washes over him as he realises he hadn’t given a second though to the fire or Carol or the others.
He can smell the smoke before he sees it, turning his head to watch Carol throwing wet towels over the makeshift stove. With the plumes of smoke filling the yard, only then do people start to react, scattering and yelling.
Daryl’s head turns back to Beth to find her staring at him, her eyes sparkling. His own eyes start to narrow back at her when he notices Hershel approaching them. Daryl’s hand drops from Beth’s arm quickly and he takes half a step back away from her for good measure.
He looks at the ground, chewing on his lip as the old man stops in front of Beth, his arm reaching around her shoulders, pulling her to him and pressing a kiss to her temple. No words are needed, the relief is written all over his face as he and Beth exchange a familial look. He cups Judith’s head and places a kiss on her crown, before a smile stretches across his face to match his eyes which are two crinkled slits.
Daryl glances up through his hair, his head still bowed, in fascination at the love and affection between parent and child, so different from his own relationship with his father. The side of his mouth quirks, seeing how much Hershel loves his youngest daughter, and watching that love mirrored back at him. He suddenly feels as though he is intruding on a private family moment and turns to leave.
“Daryl”
Hershel’s voice, and the steady hand on his shoulder, stops Daryl in his tracks. Daryl tenses automatically, eyes jerk first to his hand warily, assessing the threat, then up to his eyes. Seeing that Hershel is still wearing the same broad smile, Daryl relaxes a little, forcing himself to meet the older man’s gaze.
“I wanted to thank you for what you did just now,” he says, grabbing Daryl’s hand in his own and shaking it firmly, “For keeping my Bethy safe.”
Daryl flushes under the admiration, eyes flying from Hershel to Beth, her eyes swimming at her father’s words, and then back to the ground in a shy nod.
“Ain’t nothing,” Daryl says, raising a hand to chew on his thumb.
Hershel stares at him, so intensely that Daryl is forced to look up and meet his eyes again. He’s met with a warmth that reminds him of Beth. The old man looks proud of him. He’s caught people looking at him his whole life and seen a lot in their eyes, disgust or fear mostly, on occasion pity, but never pride. Daryl doesn’t think anyone has ever been proud of him for anything in his whole damn life and the unfamiliar feeling makes his stomach flip.
“No,” Hershel says softly, “It’s everything.”
In his periphery, Daryl sees Beth’s eyes widen affectionately and her mouth open in a silent ‘oh’.
He nods curtly in response, pulling his eyes away, swinging them anywhere but the old man’s gratified gaze.
“So,” Hershel continues, lowering his voice secretively, causing Beth and Daryl to lean closer instinctively, “When are you planning to tell the others about you two?”
At that, Daryl’s heart stops in his chest and his eyes dart widely to Beth’s, her shocked expression mirroring his own as their eyes meet for just a moment before flying back to Hershel.
“You’d best tell Maggie before she figures it out, or she’ll cut your balls off,” He winks at Daryl, eyes sparkling.
Daryl snorts softly at that, remembering Maggie’s equally violent reaction when she had found out. Although it may have had more to do with the fact that she had walked in on him fucking Beth up against a wall in the watchtower. And with that, Hershel breaks the tension just enough that Daryl doesn’t think he’s going to hurl on the old man’s shoes. Beth’s eyes are flying from her daddy to Daryl and back again, too wide and a tight smile frozen across her face.
“How’d you know?” Daryl surprises himself by asking, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hershel’s smile softens, and something in that smile steadies the pounding heart threatening to burst out of Daryl’s chest.
“Because wherever Beth is, you aren’t far behind,” He explains, raising his eyebrows as he nods at his daughter. Daryl breathes out heavily through his nose. He’d known the old man had caught him watching her.
“I was worried about you, Beth. After the farm, I didn’t know if you’d be okay,” He hesitates; Beth looks away, eyes downcast, face flushed.
Daryl’s jaw tightens, remembering the farm and how Beth nearly opted out of this shit show. He watches her brow crease even as she tries to keep her face neutral. He knows she feels bad about what she did, that she was selfish and weak. That’s not how he sees it though, and he wishes he could tell her but he’s never been able to find the words. He didn’t know Beth back then, but he saw what she lost; her mother, her brother, Otis, Patricia. He saw how the grief consumed her and the brutality of this new world terrified her, to the point where she didn’t want to be in it. But against all that she came through it and decided to live. That’s brave. That takes strength.
Hershel cups her chin and tips it up, drawing her cloudy eyes to his.
“But now? I’ve never seen you so happy, Junebug. You’re glowing,”
Her lips quirk and her eyes flick to Daryl’s. His eyes lock onto hers, burning with something he can’t explain or understand but that fills him every time he’s around her.
“That’s the glow of someone in love, I’d know it anywhere,” Hershel tells them, matter-of-fact, “and I noticed that Daryl has that same glow. When I met him, I didn’t think he knew how to smile!” The old man grins at Daryl, who smirks back. Beth laughs, all breath, her eyes sparkling.
It takes a beat, but then Daryl swallows audibly. It catches Beth and Hershel’s attention, and their eyes fall on Daryl.
“You don’ mind?” He asks, cocking his head in confusion, the nervous habit of someone used to being met with hostility at every turn. Beth’s heart aches a little, and she watches her daddy intensely as she waits for his reply.
“Mind?” Hershel’s eyes widen in surprise, “Daryl, you’re a good man, and there aren’t many of those left,” his arm settles back on Daryl’s shoulder. “You make my little girl happy,” the hand on his shoulder gives it a squeeze for emphasis. “I can sleep a little easier knowing that you will keep her safe.” Hershel gives him a serious look, his lips pulled in a tight line, his forehead creased to convey the importance of his words.
Beth is staring at her daddy with wide eyes, watery at the edges, soaking up every word.
Daryl blinks slowly. Knowing Hershel is a man of his word and that he means every word he is saying, feeling honoured and perplexed in equal measures.
“Ain’t nothing gonna hurt Beth while I’m still standing,” he growls, narrowing his eyes.
“I can see that, son,” Hershel smiles, his expression softening again, “I’m happy for you both.”
Daryl hears Beth’s breath hitch and his own breath is stolen right out of his lungs.
“And the rest of the family will be happy for you too,” he implores, “So there’s no need to keep hiding. This is something good.”
“Oh, daddy,” Beth’s voice is a whimper as she walks forward to hug him tightly with her free arm, trapping Judith between them. Hershel smiles, leaning into Beth’s embrace, but keeping his eyes locked on Daryl’s.
Daryl looks back in awe, feeling the gravity of Hershel’s acceptance like a weight being lifted off his chest. He nods, the corner of his mouth tugging up into a smile, and spans his palm across the small of Beth’s back. She looks back at him, flashing him a cheeky grin that she couldn’t hold back even if she wanted to.