Touches Pt 2

Beth didn’t want to go back to her cell but she couldn’t stay in the library. She got dressed and watched Daryl pull his shirt on and carried his vest in front to hide his erection. She felt bad for him. It wasn’t fair she’d get to experience something so amazing and he received nothing in return.

“It’s not over is it?” she asked. “I mean…there’s other stuff to learn, right?” she said.

The truth was she didn’t want the visits to the library to stop. She hoped Daryl would come around and share more than his advice with her with regards to sex.

“There’s penetration,” he said. “That’s complicated with you bein’ a virgin.”

“You mean my hymen?”

He nodded.

“I had to have that removed when I was a kid. It got torn when I was riding Nervous Nelly.”

“I remember that fuckin’ horse,” he said sourly.

Beth laughed.

“What? She almost killed me!”

She was leaning against the wall next to her cell and Daryl thought he’d never seen someone so beautiful. He remembered that light brush of lips, how she’d sighed his name, and he wanted to press himself into her. He was still hard. He’d be in his cell beating off again tonight but it was worth all the torture of his own unmet needs to see her happy in every way.

She was now looking into his eyes. She reached out and hooked a finger into his pants and pulled his hips forward. Her eyes were now lowered to his lips before they climbed back to his.

“Beth…”

“Just a kiss goodnight.”

He put a hand on the wall above her head. She smelled like sweat and arousal. He could remember the way she’d tasted. She wanted a kiss. He did to. He brushed his lips against hers again with a little more pressure than before. He wasn’t going to tongue her, no matter how much he wanted to, but he did enjoy tasting her lips, if even for a brief moment.

“Goodnight, Beth.”

She nodded and turned into her cell. He closed her curtain and then walked off.

A moment later Hershel Greene emerged from the shadows and watched Daryl walk away.

…

“Rick, I need a word,” Hershel said the next morning.

“Okay, sure.”

Rick put the papers he was working on away. He hated the administrative side of leadership but they were necessary. He put the supplies list away, as well as Carol’s next round of duties, and gave Hershel his full attention.

“What I say stays between us?”

“That goes without saying,” Rick said, and crossed his legs.

“I saw Daryl kiss Beth last night.”

Rick blinked at him. He was at a complete loss for words. He tried to picture Daryl kissing Beth and just couldn’t see it.

“Are you sure you saw what you saw?”

Hershel nodded. Rick swallowed.

“Oh. We can talk to him. Maybe even call the council if you want,” said Rick.

“We don’t need to do all that. I just want to know what you think.”

“What do you think?” Rick countered.

Hershel shook his head no. “Just give me your visceral reaction. Anger? Confusion. Disgust. Happiness?”

Rick sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. God, he didn’t need a fuckup like this from his second in command. What could prompt Daryl Dixon of all people to kiss a teenager was beyond him. He knew Daryl wasn’t exactly developed emotionally. Perhaps someone like Beth was more on his level. He wasn’t sure. Then again he’d assumed Daryl was in love with Carol and something had been going on there. He just thought it was a slow burn with them. Now he knew it was more of a no burn if Daryl was kissing Beth.

“She’s not my daughter.”

“I know, that’s why I need your perspective before I tell you what I think. Be honest.”

“Well, when I was a cop I saw parents upset about older men dating younger women, eighteen and older. Some of them seventeen. The age of consent in Georgia is sixteen. Well, it was.”

“You think eighteen is old enough to know what she wants?”

“Honestly? Yeah. I knew what I wanted when I was eighteen. Beth’s not a baby and this world has forced her to grow up a lot faster than she would have if the turn had never happened. In fact, had none of this happened she probably wouldn’t consider a thirty-eight year old man as a partner and he wouldn’t consider her, either.”

“You have to adapt to life. You can’t be rigid,” Hershel said, nodding.

“What are you thinking?”

“I don’t like it but like you said, this world makes you grow up fast. Options here are limited and frankly, I can think of worse men for Beth to date than Daryl. I just wish she had someone closer to her own age.”

“You know he’d die for her,” Rick said, cocking an eyebrow. “You know he’d never lay a hand on her in cruelty. If any man would honor Beth, it’s Daryl.”

Hershel nodded. “I admit to feeling conflicted. I don’t know what’s going on with them.”

“Find out. Daryl faces everything head-on. He’ll own up to it when he finds out you know,” Rick told him. “Whatever you decide I’ll back you up.”

“I don’t want there to be a rift between you and Daryl.”

“Daryl and I are brothers but so are you and I, Hershel.”

Hershel smiled. “Really? I always thought of you and Daryl more as sons.”

Rick nodded, smiling. “I can live with that. Dad.”

Hershel got to his feet, ready to find Daryl for a talk.

“Hershel? Be careful how you approach Daryl. Listen carefully to him. He’s not good at verbalizing his feelings but he will always be honest. The man doesn’t have a lying bone in his body.”

“I know. That’s what stopped me from ringing his neck last night.”

…

Hershel found Daryl walking the perimeter looking for security breaches. He didn’t carry an umbrella even though it was drizzling.

“My bones tell me it’s gonna rain for a long time,” Hershel said, approaching Daryl, who only nodded.

“May we go somewhere to sit down?” Hershel asked. “We need to talk.”

“About what?”

“Come on. We’ll talk it all out.”

Daryl followed Hershel, a wary look on his face, and they went to the grill, which was empty. They sat under the overhang to get out of the rain. Hershel took a moment to get his feelings under control and to gether his thoughts.

“I saw you kiss Beth last night. I saw the…state…you were in when you did it. I saw her hair was mussed and her clothes were askew. I’ve had two wives and a couple of children so I know what that meant.”

Daryl nodded and looked Hershel in his eye, which Hershel admired. Daryl wasn’t going to hide from the conversation, from him, or lie.

“I ain’t slept with Beth,” Daryl said. He wasn’t going to get into the dirty details but he could honestly say that.

“Yet,” Hershel finished.

Daryl didn’t answer.

“Daryl, you’re a good man. I like you. I was mad last night. That’s why I didn’t talk to you then. I wanted to take some time to gather my thoughts. Then I discussed it with Rick.”

“Rick?”

“Yes. He had good things to say about you. He reminded me you’re a decent, honorable man who would do right by my Bethy, that you’d never hurt her. That you’d even die to keep her safe.”

Daryl nodded. As soon as he’d heard Rick knew he’d almost panicked, not that he’d let it show on his face, but he’d felt the fear. Then he heard that Rick had said good things about him, and defended his honor. Rick had once told him that he was his brother. Apparently even kissing an eighteen year old girl wasn’t enough to sway his opinion of him.

“Do you love her?”

Daryl gulped. “It’s a bit early for that.”

How could he tell Hershel he was only trying to teach Beth how to get herself off and planned to drop it after that? Or he had planned it until he’d kissed her, and then had her father confront him, and open his mind to the possibility he could have more with Beth.

Hershel nodded. “The last thing I want is for Beth to be hurt, Daryl. Don’t hurt my baby girl. If you’re just looking for satisfaction there’s other women here you could use for that.”

“I wouldn’t use Beth like that!” Daryl said, horrified at the idea.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t intend to but it could happen. I just need to know you’re not toying with her.”

Daryl emphatically shook his head. “No, never.”

He opened his mouth to speak but had a hard time getting his words out.

“Speak your mind, Daryl. I’m listening. This is important so don’t hold back. Say what you need to say before I say my mind.”

“I don’t want to bring trouble between you and Beth. I don’t want trouble between you and me, either. I respect you.”

Hershel nodded. “I respect you too. I’m not exactly thrilled at the idea of you and Beth but at the end of the day it ain’t my call, is it? Beth’s gonna make up her own mind, and you’ll make up yours. So, if you two are determined to do this I’d rather you didn’t feel the need to sneak around. That feels dishonest and I don’t like dishonesty. I don’t like sneaking and lying. It makes everybody miserable in the end. It’s more trouble than it’s worth. Plus, I don’t want either you or Beth to feel you have to be ashamed of the other. You two may make it as a couple, you may not. That’s for you two to work out.”

“I’m still not sure what you’re saying,” Daryl said honestly.

“I’m saying you have my blessing to give a relationship a try, even if I ain’t really happy about it. Not right now. I’m not okay with the age difference but I’m not gonna smother Beth, either. You’re a good man, Daryl so I’m gonna trust you with my baby girl’s heart. Don’t make me regret it. That’s all I’m asking for.”

Daryl nodded and Hershel took his leave.

When the old man was gone Daryl went back to his rounds but he was useless. All he could think about was Beth. A huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He couldn’t lie that the thing that held him back the most was the fear of her father and the others finding out and then they’d judge him for the worst.

With Hershel’s blessing then he and Beth could explore something deeper than what they had going on now. The trouble was he wasn’t sure he was ready. He’d only had one real relationship and it had ended badly. He’d stuck to meaningless trysts with women he didn’t even know the name of half the time. Usually he’d screw in the bathroom of some bar or in the woods or the back seat of some woman’s car. He’d had lots of sex but he’d never really known love. He’d never experienced true commitment. He wasn’t sure he was cut out for it. He wasn’t sure Beth was ready for it. What if they fucked it up and she ended up hurt? He’d lose Hershel’s respect. He’d lose Beth’s respect, too.

But damn it he wanted to try! He was sick to death of being alone. He wanted sex, yeah, but he wanted something more. He wanted to be in love just once before he was dead, which wouldn’t be long, he was sure. He looked at the walkers in their futile attempts to break down the reinforced fences and thought he could be on the other side of that fence someday, as one of them, and he didn’t want that to happen without being able to say I love you to a woman, and hear it in return. Hell, he even wanted to be a daddy someday, before he was too old for the job.

Slow down, Dixon, Daryl told himself. Babies were way far in the future and that may not even happen with Beth. Still…

His face split into a grin. He had her daddy’s okay. He could talk to her. He could see if she really wanted to be more. If she said yes then to hell with teaching her to pleasure herself. He’d do the job for her.

...

He found out Beth had guard duty that night and climbed the tower to talk to her. The rain had stopped but it was cloudy and wet. She stood with her gun and watched the grounds and road. 

"You talk to your dad?"

She shook her head. "He had to tend to Mrs. Landers. She had a heart attack."

"She live?"

Beth nodded. "I hear she's really bad off. What did he want?"

"He saw me kiss you lay night."

Beth swallowed hard. "I guess he told you to keep away from me. I guess you came to tell me you won't see me anymore."

"He don't like the difference in our ages. I don't much like it either but he said we have his blessing if we wanna try."

She let the gun hang by its strap and looked up at him.

"He days you're old enough to know what you want. I think he's right. I just... What do you want?"

"I want you. I want you to shut up and kiss me. Kiss me like a man kisses his woman when he wants her."

"Daryl!" Rick called.

"We for a breach! Out back!"

"Shit," he said.

"Come to my cell tonight. Wait for me if I ain't there."

"Should I come help?"

"No. Keep your post."

Beth watched him leave and felt a stab of worry. The back fences hasn't been worked on because of the rain. Now walkers had gotten in. Beth had always worried about her people when they had to fight, but now she had even more of an emotional investment in Daryl.

She watched him run and she knew... That was her man. He was going off to battle for now, to fight for her safety and the safety of their home, but when nighttime came she would have him all to herself. She'd be wrapped up in those big, strong arms of his, and she'd learn all he had to reach her about love, both physical and emotional.

 ...

She found her father in the common room and he waved her over. He was sitting with Maggie and he had a smile on his face so she figured what he had to say couldn’t be too bad. She kissed him on the forehead and then sat down.

“Did Daryl tell you I spoke to him?” he asked.

Beth nodded.

“Spoke about what?” Maggie said.

For once, Beth thought, she’s not in the loop.

Still, Beth worried. Maggie could be a hardass about some things. This would probably be one of them. She wasn’t looking forward to an argument but she was ready to face it.

“Beth is beginning a relationship with someone,” Hershel said, “and I want you to respect that, Maggie.”

Maggie’s brows shot up at her father’s choice of words. He was telling her that something was going to happen whether she liked it or not and no temper tantrums from her would change it. So, she put her arms on the table and leaned forward.

“Who are you seeing?”

“Daryl.”

“Daryl?” Maggie said, looking genuinely shocked. “Daryl Dixon? You’re dating Daryl Dixon?”

“I’m going to.”

Maggie looked at her father. “You’re okay with it?”

“I am. I don’t like the age difference but that’s not my decision. Daryl’s a good man. He’ll do right by Beth. He’d never hurt her, not intentionally, and I trust him with her safety.”

Maggie sighed and looked her sister over. She could still see so much of baby Beth in her sister but there was also a young woman shining through. If her father was okay with it then who was she to object? It wasn’t her place to boss Beth around and tell her who she could and couldn’t be with. She didn’t have the right.

“Can I be honest?”

Beth nodded.

“I don’t like the age difference either. Still, Daryl’s a good guy. I mean…it’s weird…but I’ll get used to it. I guess you gotta grow up sometime and so…congratulations.”

“Really?” Beth said, relieved Maggie wasn’t going to be difficult.

“Really. Daddy, could I steal Beth away for a few minutes? I need to have a talk with her.”

“Certainly.”

He watched his girls go and sagged in relief. He’d been genuinely worried Maggie was going to give them problems. He was glad she hadn’t fought it. She’d voiced her true feelings but she wasn’t going to try to neuter Daryl to keep him away from Beth and that was a relief.

Maggie led Beth back to her cell where she sat down on the bunk and offered her a bottle of water. They drank while Maggie gathered her thoughts.

“We need to be honest about everything so don’t be embarrassed. Okay?”

Beth nodded. “Okay.”

“You had sex with him yet?”

“No.”

“Okay. Well, sex hurts the first time, even if you don’t have your hymen it ain’t gonna be all sunshine and roses.”

“I know,” she said, blushing furiously. This brought a smile to Maggie’s lips.

“You make sure he knows he’s gotta be gentle with you, Beth.”

“I’m sure he does. He’s touched me before and he was gentle. We just haven’t taken that final step.”

“Well, you will so you gotta be careful. Here.”

Maggie opened a bag under the bedside table and took out a few condoms that she handed to Beth.

“You make him wear one every single time, Beth. If you don’t you’ll wind up pregnant. You know how to put one on a man?”

Beth nodded. “We had to learn in sex ed in school.”

“Good. I don’t want you to get pregnant yet. I know you’ll make a good mother, I’ve seen you with Judith, but it’s just too much too soon. This is gonna be your first adult relationship. Take time to enjoy it. God, I wish I could get you on the pill but we don’t have that option now. This is all we have and it ain’t fool proof. It’ll just have to do.”

Beth nodded and tucked the condoms into her pocket.

“Maggie, I really like Daryl. I know he feels something for me, too. I don’t know where this is going but I want to enjoy it.”

“And you should,” Maggie said, nodding. She brushed a stray lock of hair back from Beth’s face. “I love you, Beth. If you need to talk about your feelings and how you’re dealing with your first time having sex I’m here. I won’t judge. It’ll be an emotional experience. It’ll be intense so don’t hesitate to get me, even if it’s in the middle of the night. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Maggie.”

“Is he going to be in your cell or you in his?”

“He asked me to come to his cell. He’s off from other people so it’ll be a little more private.”

“That’s the thing about prison. You hear everybody’s business,” she lamented. “Now, you go take a shower and put on something pretty. Got any pretty panties?”

Beth giggled and that made Maggie laugh.

“The sexiest panties I own are some purple bikinis. They’re kinda skimpy.”

“Well then wear those. He’ll like them.”

Beth kissed her sister goodbye and then headed to the showers. She made sure to take her little purple panties with her.

…

Daryl wasn’t in his cell when she got there so she sat down to wait. She’d always been impressed by how meticulously neat he kept his personal space. Everything was clean, even if he didn’t seem to value looking clean-cut himself. She was anxious as she waited. She couldn’t hear anyone else since this block was mostly deserted. There was only poor Mrs. Landers at the end of the block and she was in the infirmary being treated. That was a relief to Beth. She didn’t really like the idea of someone overhearing her lose her virginity.

She wasn’t sure whether to sit, stand, or lie down on his bed. She ended up just sitting there, waiting.

Footsteps made her pulse quicken. She recognized Daryl’s footfall. He was coming to her. Any second he’d be in the cell and they’d be alone for the night. She’d lit three candles and now wondered if it was too bright for the mood.

He pulled the privacy curtain open and stood in the entrance of the cell, looking at her, his hair wet from the shower and a towel draped over his neck. She was wearing her best dress, something white and short and strapless. She’d let her hair down and it hung around her shoulders in waves. She looked so innocent sitting on his bed. He wasn’t sure what would happen that night but whatever it was would be good.

His eyes shifted to the bedside table. There were three condoms. He had a key so he pulled the cell door closed where it automatically locked. He pulled the privacy curtain closed. It was a heavy one that no one could see through from the outside. He wished he had a room with a door but this was the best they had. He threw the towel over the chair in the corner so it could dry.

“You took the top bunk down,” she said nervously. “You made a double bed. Nice and roomy.”

“Yeah, did it this morning,” he said. “You look good. I like your dress.”

“Thanks. You look good too. You always look good. I think you’re a lot sexier than you know. I’ll shut up now,” she said, knowing she was rambling. It was embarrassing. She was letting her nerves get the better of her and she was making a fool of herself.

Daryl rested a hand on her back and rubbed. It was soothing at first, but the feel of his hand on her, and memories of the previous night in the library, began to excite her. She liked the feel of his touch. She liked how he smelled.

“Everything okay with the breach?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Everything’s fine. Got Eugene working with a team to shore up the back fences.”

He brought his hand to the back of her neck and rubbed. Beth’s eyes drifted closed. That felt so good, and it put her at ease. It also felt good to feel his lips on her cheek.

“You tired?” she asked.

“I was until I came in here,” he said. She smiled.

“We don’t have to do anything, Beth,” he said. “We can just lie down.”

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I want to please you.”

“You do.”

“Lie down with me.”

She nodded and lay down. Daryl put himself between the wall and her body. He propped himself up on his right elbow and looked down at her. He stroked her hair away from her forehead.

“I feel like I don’t deserve a man as good as you,” she said.

“I’m the one getting more than they deserve,” he countered. “You said you wanted to be kissed.”

Beth nodded and Daryl leaned in to kiss her. His lips grazed hers. First one soft kiss, then another one, with more pressure. Then she parted her lips and he slipped his tongue inside. He went in deep and she moaned at the taste of him and the feel of his tongue. She brought a hand up tangled it in his still damp hair while he tongued her and made her pussy throb with want. His hand slipped up her right leg, lifting it over his hip.

While still kissing him she put her leg over him and felt his hand gently stroke the skin of her leg. The feel of his gentle, undemanding touch was driving her wild. The kiss had started off slow and gentle but as her need grew so did the pace. He dragged his lips down to her neck and lightly licked the flesh of her throat. Then he began to nuzzle her ear and it felt so good she moaned.

“I want to taste you again,” he whispered.

There was a name for that kind of spot, Beth remembered. An erogenous zone. He was driving her crazy whispering in her ear, with his breath hot on her neck and his hand stroking her leg.

His hand came up, lifting her dress, and he slipped his hand down her panties. He stared her in the eye as he pressed his palm flat against her womanhood. He knew just how to touch her. He could touch her better than she could touch herself. His palm was wet by the time he began to stroke her clit.

“Daryl…”she whispered.

She moaned, her eyes drifting shut.

“I wanna be naked with you.”

“Let me undress you this time,” he said, removing his hand from her panties.

They sat up and he eased her dress over her head, seeing she hadn’t worn a bra, and only had on a skimpy pair of purple bikini panties.

“I like these,” he said. “Tiny little panties…”

They were clearly wet where they’d absorbed her moisture. Seeing her juices stain her panties was driving him wild. He took a deep breath of them before he let them fall to the floor of the cell.

“Wait,” she said, halting him as he moved to bend over her. “You now.”

She lifted his shirt up and over. She’d seen him topless already. While that had been good, she wanted to see much more. She’d dreamed of undoing his belt and now it was a reality. She unhooked the belt and then moved to his button. She worked it loose and he watched her unzip him. His erection was straining against the material of his boxers.

Daryl remembered Beth saying she’d never seen a man before. She was about to see one now. He wasn’t hung like a horse but he was no slouch, either, and he’d always thought he’d been blessed in the balls department. They were heavy under his burgeoning erection and Beth actually moaned upon seeing him.

She didn’t know what possessed her but she took hold of him out of pure instinct, making him hiss.

“Did I hurt you?”

“God no,” he breathed. Feeling her hand on him was so damn good he’d almost lost it. He hadn’t been touched in ages by anybody but himself. Now here was Beth, his sweet Beth, naked in his bed and touching his cock.

“What do I do?” she asked.

“What you want to do with it?”

“Put it in my mouth,” she said honestly.

“Fuck,” he said. She wasn’t wasting time.

“It just seems right,” she said. “Natural.”

She reached up and brushed her fingertips over his balls. He showed her how to cup and gently squeeze them, how to rub them. He was moaning now, completely at her inexperienced mercy, loving every second of instructing her how to please him. He showed her how to jerk him.

“How do I suck it?” she asked.

Those words, so dirty but asked so innocently, were going to undo him. It took all his concentration not to lose it. He saw himself coming on her face and but his lip, hard.

He instructed her how to take him into her mouth, to be careful not to graze him with her teeth but to use her lips and her tongue. She started licking and suckling him, hungry, greedy for him, trying to get him as far into her mouth as she could. She began moaning, turned on by the act itself and the taste of him. He watched her head bob, fought the urge to thrust into her mouth, and looked on as his dick went in and out of her sweet mouth.

“Beth…God…”

He’d thrown his head back. Beth had never felt so powerful as she did now. She had the unbreakable Daryl Dixon whimpering her name. He was completely at her mercy.

“I’m gonna come…”

He pulled from her mouth and used her hand to beat himself off until it happened. He ejaculated in a hard gush. His come coated her hard, perky tits. He’d been kneeling but now he sat on his haunches, breathless.

Beth was dizzy with the heady scent of his semen, which coated her chest. Daryl urged her back and he used his shirt to clean his come off her chest. He was softening, she could see that, so she knew there wouldn’t be actual sex tonight. She was okay with that. She’d gotten something she wanted--to not only see Daryl fully naked but to bring him as much pleasure as he’d brought her.

Still, he wasn’t done with her. He was kissing her again. God, could the man kiss. Tonguing her into a newly aroused state before kissing down her chest, undoubtedly tasting some of himself on her nipples. His lips kept moving lower and she knew what was coming next even though she’d never experienced it.

The things he’d done to her with his hands paled in comparison to what he did with his mouth. It was basically the same techniques only better. He used his soft, warm, wet tongue to lick the length of her slit. He suckled her pussy, sending ripples of pleasure deep inside. She could feel herself building, climbing the heights of her arousal as he ran his fingers over her belly. He knew she loved that. He knew that was a spot that made her body tighten inside.

Then his tongue found her clit. She looked down to see his striking blue eyes gazing up at her as his mouth worked her. It was the sexiest thing she’d ever witnessed, the most pleasurable thing she’d ever felt, seeing his lips lost in the thick, soft curls of her snatch while his tongue stroked her clit. He occasionally sucked, putting pressure on her and making her back arch as she ached for even more.

“Daryl…Daryl…”

This time he did something different. He slipped a finger inside. Her pussy was so wet, so loose, that he slid right in, though he could feel how incredibly small her channel was. He had very thick fingers that were thicker than any tampon she’d ever used. Her body jerked up from the bed, eager to feel the penetration even though there was a slight bit of discomfort. She’d never liked tampons for that reason but then again, she’d never been this aroused.

“Please…” she panted.

He relentlessly tongued her clit and moved his finger deeper. Then he withdrew and went back in. Every time he entered her she felt her core tighten a bit more. He began to move faster, harder, making her whimper until she couldn’t take it another second. She climaxed, her thighs clenching his head. He didn’t stop flicking his tongue over her until her body relaxed and her legs fell limply onto the bed.

...

Daryl Dixon and Beth Greene were the talk of the prison. Almost as soon as they left his cell the next morning, holding hands when they came into the common area, people began to very obviously whisper and snicker. Some looked outraged or disgusted. Others simply frowned and shook their heads.

“Don’t let what they think bother you,” Beth said, feeling Daryl shrink in on himself. “My family accepts it and I’m proud to be your woman.”

Hearing her say she was proud was all the confidence boost Daryl needed. So what if a bunch of strangers didn’t understand or like who Beth had chosen for her man, or who he had chosen to be his woman. It was none of their fucking business.

They sat down with Hershel, Glenn, Maggie, and Carl to eat breakfast. Glenn acknowledged them with a simple nod of his head before going back to his eggs. They were discussing duty shifts when they heard an older woman say ‘Shameful’ right behind Daryl.

“Excuse me,” Maggie said, turning to her and pointing her fork at the woman. Normally Maggie was very respectful of her elders but now she was pissed off. “You have food to eat and a safe place to live thanks to this so-called shameful man. You’d do well to remember that.”

She stuck her nose in the air, picked up her plate, and stomped off.

“Immature,” Maggie said loudly, making sure the woman heard her and making her pick up her pace. The other people at the table were suddenly very interested in their food when Maggie looked at them, ready for them to say something.

Daryl was biting his lip, trying not to grin. Beth didn’t bother to hide her smile.

“What?” she said, when she saw her father and Glenn eyeing her. “Nobody is gonna pick on my family and get away with it.”

She picked up her empty tray and headed off to start her day. Glenn did likewise and smiled at Daryl. “You’ve got a sister now,” he said, and left.

He had a sister. One that stood up for him. He tried not to feel too pleased with himself as he tucked into his breakfast.

“I gotta go on a run with Michonne and Tyreese,” Beth said, draining the last of her lukewarm coffee. This was her first run without Daryl and he didn’t like it.

“You stick close to them,” Daryl said. “If you gotta run, run. Don’t be a hero--”

“Daryl, I’m gonna be fine,” she said, and kissed him on the lips, in full view of everyone there, before running a hand lovingly over her father’s hair. “I love you both. See you in a few hours.”

She left and Hershel looked to Daryl. “Don’t let other people’s opinions spoil your happiness, son.”

Son. Jesus. He not only had a sister but he had a father now too? He wasn’t sure what he felt, being brought into the Green family so completely and so quickly. He supposed that they’d always considered him part of the larger family. Now that he was with Beth it ran deeper than that. The truth was, he liked it. He liked it so damn much the idea of losing it all made his stomach feel heavy.