There we go! We finally have the Christmas Special! I hope it was worth two years of waiting, and don;t worry! We will have another part to it coming out soon! Within the next Twelve Days of Christmas! No, unfortunately not for everyone night for the next twelves days, but then, this chapter is nearly 20k words long!

Anyway! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good creampie!

... And watch out for the mistletoe! ;D Enjoy! -JustAnotherWriterLikeYou

There was so much snow outside the window, and the glowing lights hung on the multiple buildings outside only made it look more magical. There was a fog forming on the window as well as the young girl breathed on it, and when she actually took note of it she drew a small smiley face into the fog. Ah, the mind of a child. What some would see to be pointless, even the young ones of the apocalypse still found the time to enjoy the little things.

Chaya sighed softly before standing up. She had about enough of her endless questions going without answers. She needed to ask the old people. The smart people! Like Ish! Or Susan! For sure they would know why all these lights were hung up on the homes all around, as well as all the tree decorated in shiny and colorful bulbs.

And so she walked out of her room to look for the two older persons. She had a lot of curiosity to appease, and there was no stopping it until she knew. Maybe Ish could tell her some stories. That would be a lot of fun. Hear about back in his day and stuffs like that. Yeah. She liked that idea. It was time to find the man already and ask him of this seemingly special time to waste energy to power nearly useless lights, as well as time wasted on decorating pine trees and the other trees in the park as well.

And then little Chaya found the man, sitting at a table with Susan. Both seemed to be very interested in their separate books. For Susan, it seemed to be that book Chaya got her as a congratulation. It was all about babies. And Ish? Well, Joel had given him those special combat and medical books to help build things to make fighting easier, as well as make medical kits that did more to heal people.

Before Ish knew it Chaya had jumped up onto his lap, and she just stared at him. Oh boy. She wanted to know stuff. He better just put down the book if he knew what was good for him.

"Why are there so many lights outside?" She asked in a rather flat, yet curious tone. "Won't bad guys see them?"

The man smiled from behind his mask, though didn't set the book down as he kept on reading. "Nah. The walls take care of that issue. As for the matter of why they're there… It's Christmas time, silly! A celebration of various different things, a get together of family, one where many presents are shared and such. Plus it adds to morale. Thus the energy spent is well worth it." He informed her softly, not knowing of the wrath building up in the little girl as he read his book. This was Chaya's time! Not reading time!

"Oh! So what's Christmas?" She asked on, still having no clue exactly what it was, or why people really celebrated. He really didn't do good with that brief explanation, after all. "And what's… 'morale?'"

"It's uh, it's a holiday. It all depends on how you think about it, but it's a time for family to get together and spend the day together celebrating whatever they feel like really, even each other's company. Religions founded it, though. It's called Christmas in Catholic and Christian religions because they say it was the day Jesus Christ was born." He said softly with a chuckle, "And morale is what keeps someone moving, and wanting to move. Like… let's say when your mommy and daddy return. We'll all be happy and willing to work."

"I see…" She stated quietly, biting her lip as she pondered these things for a bit. Then she looked up at the man again. "Who's Jesus?" She asked, tilting her head. "Why would everyone celebrate someone else being born but not hang up lights on my birthday?"

He chuckled, "Jesus is a religious figure. Someone the Christians worship." He informed the girl before lowering the book finally and booping her on the nose. "Holidays are always handled differently. Now I know how to set up your birthday."

Chaya giggled, and nodded. "I can have lights set up in my room?!" She asked, her excitement ever growing now. Oh boy. He was going to have a little ball of jumpy joy on his lap soon enough.

The man smiled before shrugging, "Maybe… What kind? Christmas lights?" He asked her softly. She was absolutely adorable when she was excited.

The girl nodded quickly, and excitedly. "Yes! And I want Beth's room covered in lights too! She'd love them!" Chaya exclaimed, and then hugged the man tightly. "What else do people do for Christmas?"

"Spend time with each other, get presents for each other…" He said softly as he hugged her as well, "And just enjoy the fact that they have each other. I'm sure the Avenue will have some big event, no doubt. They're like a large family." He added with a chuckle.

"Presents?" Chaya inquired, pondering this thought for a few moments. Presents… That sounded like fun! She liked gifts and surprises! "Can we go get some? I want to get you guys some presents and Beth and Winry! And Serena too! Oh! And when Mommy and Daddy come home I want to give them stuff!"

That was when Ish looked over at Susan, the beautiful woman that meant more to him than anything else in the world. She was reading a book, but then overheard the conversation and easily substituted the book for watching and listening to the two on the other side of the table. She nodded at the man, telling him silently that she was alright with it.

"I think it's a lovely idea," She stated happily, and with a smile, "We can go today, actually, once everyone is ready!"

Ish then looked at Chaya, "Sounds like we're going to go get some presents, cutie." He informed the girl with a soft chuckle.

"YAY!" Exclaimed Chaya before hopping off of Ish's lap, and then gave the woman a big hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She said before rushing away to tell Beth the good news as well.

Which, unfortunately for the blonde-haired girl, she had been entering the room at the time with a tray full of screws, small tools, and spare parts. Well, Chaya crashed right into her, and EVERYTHING went flying before crashing onto the floor with loud clanging and light jingling! Chaya was waaaay too excited right now, and she would have to be thrown out to play in the snow at this rate!

"S-Sorry!" Chaya said, looking around as she rested atop the now empty-handed Beth, all her things strewn about like a box of LEGOs. Then Chaya got off of her sister, and began picking the things up. "We're going Christmas shopping, Beth! It's gonna be great!"

Beth groaned lightly as she slowly sat up, "Christmas shopping… what…?" She asked as she looked around the room.

She hadn't expected to be tackled when she entered the area, and so she was rather dazed by Chaya's actions. She thought she was just going to get some cool air outside whilst she worked, but instead she found her back against the hard floor without any wind supporting her need to live. Thankfully all the effects only lasted for a few moments and she stood up, dusted herself off, and then proceeded to pick up with Chaya.

"What do you mean Christmas shopping?" She asked her sister, whilst Ish and Susan began talking among themselves upon seeing Beth was alright.

Chaya shook with pure glee, and then placed the last screw on the tray. "We're going to get gifts for everyone! It's going to be so much fun!" She said before hugging Beth tightly. "We better get ready! I don't want to wait another minute!"

And with that the little brunette girl ran off, way too upbeat for most people to even understand. Ah, the mind an innocence of a child during the holidays season. It was nice to see that the Avenue truly was a place that was trying to do more than just survive.

Beth looked over at Ish and Susan, who had both looked back over at her and shrugged with smiles. The girl huffed before picking the tray up and retreating back from where she had come from. She was just going to place her gear away before returning and going 'shopping' with that girl. Beth had to admit that she was a little excited, but no one would ever be able to get as excited as Chaya did sometimes.

"I love you." Ish said as he looked over at Susan, watching the woman as she got up from her chair and walked over to him.

From there she took a seat on his lap and lifted his mask, leaning forward and placing perhaps the most gentlest of kisses upon his lips. It was a sweet kiss, and one that they'd both be able to remember for quite some time. The man wrapped his arms around her, placing a hand upon her stomach as he recalled the shock that was her confirming that she was pregnant. For the longest of times he had speculated, and believed that it would happened, but… He didn't know it would actually happen.

In reality, how could someone expect it not to happen? They were both healthy, and they weren't exactly protected each time they had made love together… It was an inevitability that Ish thought would never actually happen. Dumb man. Lucky, though, dumb and lucky. A good mix. One that Ish liked, and Susan quite obviously loved. When the kiss ended he smiled, and they more or less cuddled together as they sat there.

"I love you too, handsome…" Susan muttered quietly as she rested her head upon his shoulder, and they awaited the two to finally return.

Soon both Chaya and Beth were back in their winter clothing. Chaya, though her coat was a bit tattered, looked so cute on her! Beth looked quite pretty as well in her thick wool trench coat, and a fur collar was around the hood and neck to keep in the extra warmth. They both looked ready to go, and that was good. It was too bad they still had to wait for the grownups to get ready! Geez! Old people took so long!

"Come ooooon, Ishy!" Chaya grumbled impatiently, tugging on his sleeve. "We need to goooo! You can snuggle later!"

The two adults chuckled before Susan got up and Ish followed her, "Alright kids, let's go find some places to shop at. What're we looking for first?" The man asked as he lowered his mask back onto his face.

Beth thought briefly about that for a moment, "Guns? Maybe some clothes. Oh! We could split up, someone could take Chaya and someone could take me!" She suggested softly.

Susan shrugged, "We could do that, but it would be smart for us to stick together. That way we each go to the same shops and no one is left out."

Ish looked over at Chaya and shrugged, "Your opinion?" He asked her with a grin behind his mask.

Chaya bit her lip as she thought for a few moments, and then smiled. "We could go to the same places, but we split up inside the shops!" She offered giddily before looking over at Susan. I can go with her on one, Beth goes with you, Ishy! Then we switch every shop!"

The two of them chuckled before they nodded and set out on their way with their partner to go shopping. This allowed them to all get presents for each other, which was nice. Susan and Ish didn't really want any presents, as they already had a big one on the way, but they knew that the girls would get them something regardless. They were stubborn and innocent like that. Well, Beth wasn't innocent, she was just a nice girl who didn't like people feeling left out.

Meanwhile, inside of the Clan's Hotel, Winry was having a rather nice and relaxing drink. She didn't care about the time really, and it helped take the edge of multiple things off. No one was in the main lobby, as most of them had jobs that needed to be done. Part of the agreement for their temporary housing was for the men to help either train the soldiers, or guard the Avenue. Most of them preferred training to guard duty, and Winry couldn't blame them. It was hell to not be able to do anything of action, at least to their types.

Winry was a soldier, the warriors of the Clan were soldiers, and they were meant to either be killing, or keeping their strength up. Not sit down and recover over a nice cold bottle of beer. She wasn't complaining, though. The Avenue was definitely something else, as her drinks usually came in a wooden cup, not a glass bottle. Then again, the Clan never really focused on making things from the Old World return. Only certain things got through Harald's thick skull. The man thought with his sword rather than with his back. Hard work was good, but with some of the things Harald was ordering his men to do? She was surprised more didn't have back problems.

The dark haired goddess knew something was going on today. A holiday of sorts. She really wasn't much for holidays. Lucas liked them because of food, and booze. She liked them because it meant she had a lightened workload, but after several days of that same thing it was making her grow restless. Oh, and Lucas embraced the religion of the Clan somewhat. Claimed that it was because of the Gods' favor that he could down FEDRA QZ's on his own. That thought alone made her chuckle, knowing he was becoming more like her as time passed on. There wasn't anything out there watching, other than humans and 'shrooms on two legs.

She took a final gulp of her beer, emptying the bottle completely before allowing it to rest upon the table beside her. She sighed as she leaned back on the couch in the main lobby and closed her eyes. The biggest reason why she wanted to just run, to actually engage in something that would potentially put her life in danger was one simple thing. Her mind was being tormented each second Joel was gone, her brother was gone… She knew she had Ish, and Susan, and Beth, Chaya… But that wasn't enough. Was it? She didn't know, hell, she didn't even give it a try.

Her restlessness grew up unto the point where she got up, groaning as her leg ached, but she had healed enough to properly walk about. Her goal was the cooler in the lobby, the one they kept stocked with drinks of various sorts. She opened it, and saw the two bottles she had drank missing. She gave it brief thought, but pushed any negative ones aside as she reached forward to grab something.

A hand grabbed her by the forearm and pulled it back, in the process pulling Winry back away from the cooler. It was another woman's grasp, and she soon found the dirty blonde of the group, her brother's torturer, right in front of her closing the cooler by kicking it and smiling. Winry groaned as she saw her, of all people, preventing her to drink.

Serena caught onto the woman's gaze, her inner thoughts, and simply smirked as she spoke calmly, "That stuff is bad… It'll kill you."

Winry retorted without much thought, "Stopping me from doing what I want will also kill you."

That was enough to make the blonde laugh, her beautifully well-kept teeth showing as she shook her head. She knew that was a bluff. Winry wouldn't do anything, as Lucas showed that he was accepting of her to some extent. After all, she was still alive. If he wasn't accepting, he wouldn't have let her live that day back at the house. Then again, Lucas had plenty of reasons to keep Serena alive. There was no misery in death. Where would be the fun in that? He left her with two broken shoulders, even if they were only to some extent. Heavily bandaged and recovering much better than the makeshift job they had done on the road. She could even move them somewhat better now.

"No, Winry, it won't. Come on. It's Christmas, and you've got to put a smile on those beautiful lips of yours for the children. You know Beth looks up to you, and honestly, I'm willing to bet Chaya does just as well." Serena whispered softly as she watched Winry back away from her, ripping her arm from her grasp to do so.

Winry huffed as she returned to the couch, sitting down on it and sighing. "You really think that they know what they're thinking about? They don't know my story. Your story. Lucas' story, they only know masks. Something we put on for show."

Serena replied quickly after, "Then does Joel know you behind the mask? Does Lucas? If you think these children don't see what goes on around them, you are foolish. Everyone knows what I am, what I did… My mask was transparent since the moment you first met me, remember? You said that you didn't trust me, that I was just someone who would lead your brother astray. Give it a few years, and what did I do? Exactly what you said back when we were younger."

Winry nodded, albeit with a rather sour expression on her face as she didn't like Serena being right about a few things. "They may know what I am, but that doesn't mean they know my story. Nor do I want them to."

The blonde shrugged gently as she made her way over to Winry, taking a seat beside the woman who smelled of alcohol. "Be that as it may, it isn't too late. It is never too late to make amends, to tell your story and ask for forgiveness if you need it. Part of that is why I'm here, actually…" She paused briefly, "...Winry, I know what I did was wrong. I supported everything Daniel did, and it was just so I could have a little more of a grasp on power than I did. I wanted to lead, to be worshiped, everything a young girl has in her mind but usually grows up to realize she won't get."

The woman beside her took a sharp inhale of breath before speaking quickly, "My brother worshiped you. He had a position of power, and you just used it to get information for that disgusting fuck. And don't you dare talk about what happened there again, or I will blow your head off even if it means I get thrown into the Avenue's fucking prison." She hissed with her anger apparent.

Serena lowered her head, "I didn't mean it like that… I just want your forgiveness for everything I've done to you. I intended to ask Lucas for his, but he was gone before I even had the chance. I was going to confront him right before he hopped in the Humvee, but he was busy kissing up on Elsa."

Winry's eyes opened wide as she turned her head and looked over at the blonde, "Elsa? Are you sure? That doesn't sound like something he'd do with Ellie to call his own."

"It wasn't anything like that. They had a thing back in the Clan's glory days, and it was evident Elsa didn't want to get between those two. It was just something they couldn't resist. Something two romantically interested people do to each other when in moments of intense emotions. From what I gathered, Lucas thinks he's going to die on this mission, and Elsa is trying to suppress that reality from her mind." Serena informed her with a brief smile, some guilt displaying upon her beautiful features as she rested her head on the back of the couch. "Look, if we're going to be serious about this, we need to make up. It doesn't sound like I'm leaving the group, as Ellie refuses to let me, and if that happens I can't feel like everyone wants me dead. The kids don't need that, our fellows in the group don't need that, and we don't need that."

Winry nodded calmly, looking down at her hands before placing one on top of Serena's. "For all intents and purposes, Serena, from this day on I forgive you for your past actions. But I will not forget what you've done. I'll watch you closely. If you fuck up, or start to fuck up like that ever again, I can't promise I won't hurt you. I'm not going to see what happened to everyone before, happen again to the people I care about. But I'm not the one you need forgiveness from. That's my brother. You may have been a part of what happened to me, but you weren't the one who actually did it. But you did everything to Lucas. He was made emotionally unstable because of you, and you have to accept that blame on yourself, as there is no one else who can accept it. Get his forgiveness… and all will be well."

The youngest of the two simply gave a single chuckle, "I may need your help, Winry. I… I mean, we both know Lucas isn't the most forgiving person. Especially with me. But with you there at my side, I am sure you would help him understand, and I am sure he'd find it within his heart and mind to do so." She informed the woman of her plan before turning her hand so they were more or less holding each other's hand now.

Winry noticed the act and looked down at their hands, leaving them as she responded in an almost curious way. "Me at your side?" She asked, "...Serena, what do you mean by that?"

The woman huffed, "It… It's what it sounds like, alright. I know no one but you, and I-I guess I want to turn to you should I ever need anything. A-And I could return the favor…"

The dark haired beauty simply laughed as she heard Serena talk to her about such things, pulling the woman's arm over to her so it was just that much more comfortable for her. After all, with Serena's arm being stretched, she didn't have to do the same to her own which was rather sore. Good exercise for the blonde's wounds as well. This allowed her shoulders to re-adapt to what they'd be doing on a daily basis. Stretching, moving, and the like. Regardless of the 'joke' that made Winry laugh, she was actually listening and processing what she said. Then something flashed in her mind and she shook her head slightly, her once laughing face turning to something of a serious look.

"Serena… I have Joel. As much as you think it may be a man's fantasy to be with a woman who also likes other women… I don't think he adores the concepts of sharing. I mean, I'll be there for you every step of the way. I'll try and keep Lucas calmed, and to maybe make him see forgiveness… But I don't think I'll be there with you in that way, babe. It just isn't gonna happen. The day you get approved by Joel to do such things, maybe we'll talk about making that a thing that goes on between us. Maybe." Winry said as she looked into the woman's eyes, "Okay…?"

Serena took a deep breath, looking at Winry closely before moving in for the kill. Before the woman could even stop it, she found Serena's soft lips pressed against hers, the woman shifting her body in a way that made it very hard for Winry to protest in any way. But she really wasn't trying to. She didn't want to protest against whatever was happening. Why would she? It would only make things more difficult, and probably provoke issues down the line. Besides, the woman's kiss… it was soft, passionate… and she tasted of strawberries. Damn it. She was one to talk, taking away Winry's beer privileges when she had something much stronger than any beer…

So the eldest of the two quickly pushed up, managing to lift Serena and gently place her back against the couch as they refrained from breaking the kiss. It kept going, and Winry felt Serena start to feel her body up. Yeah… the sniper's mind was slightly cloudy from her drinks, but she wasn't as bad as one would think. If Serena thought she was the only one who could get her way by seemingly giving people what they wanted, she was wrong. Hell, it was one of the reasons Winry was doing this. If she gave Serena what she wanted, she'd allow her to go without a problem. That was really Winry's goal, though as much as she tried to repeat that in her mind, she was having a hard time believing it. She was attracted to Serena, who wouldn't be? Every woman had to admit that Serena was one of the most beautiful girls on the planet in that day and age, and Winry was open to both sides of the story of love. Those shared with women, and men alike. She didn't see the need to stick to one side, save for the fact she was to be married to Joel. Probably. At least he seemed like the type of man to pop the question soon enough. He was a good man, and from the olden days when people got married when they spoke of children. That's how most of the stories went, anyway.

The kiss ended, and a bridge of their saliva was there briefly before both of them giggled and Winry wiped it away from her lips whilst Serena licked her own to take care of it. "I won't lie, Serena… Your counterargument is very persuasive…" Winry remarked as she looked into the woman's eyes, though eventually pulled away, finding herself to be straddling the woman.

Winry was definitely another one of those few women that looked like goddesses on that battered planet. Nature was a rough mistress, but her children were definitely as beautiful as it. Well, most of the time. There were bad things nature brought forth, and there were bad people out there that wanted nothing more than to cause the destruction of nature and their fellow humans.

Winry felt Serena's hands explore her body, admiring her stomach in particular, as the blonde knew that there was something growing in there at this point. There was no way with what Joel and her had been doing that there wasn't a baby in there. Still, her stomach looked just like one would expect a fit woman's to look and feel like. Smooth, yet strong. It was evident that Winry could take a few punches before any serious pain was brought about for her. Hell, she was trained to ignore pain as best as she could. Serena admired that about the woman. She was so damned strong, especially with all that had happened to her. Not even Lucas handled his pain as well as Winry. Pain simply clouded his mind. But Winry? No… pain didn't do anything but get in her way later. Something Serena honestly didn't know.

Winry gave a soft hiss as she felt Serena's hand grasp at her covered breasts, massaging them as soon as her other hand joined in on the fun. "Serena…" She purred softly before placing her hands on the woman's side, holding her only briefly before she leaned down and kissed her.

"W-We can't do this…" Winry muttered as she pulled away from the kiss, "J-Joel…"

Serena giggled as she leaned up and kissed Winry on the neck, "...wouldn't mind this. Trust me… it isn't like we're marrying each other, or anything. And it isn't like I put you at risk of pregnancy. You'll still be his, and he doesn't even have to know... " She interjected before Winry could continue on with what she had to say.

Winry rolled her eyes before nodding, "...I… Fine. But if I bring the idea up to him and he doesn't like it, it's over. It won't keep going on. Until then, it's our damned secret."

The young lady underneath her smiled and nodded, "Good… Now, we really should go find some presents or the group. I saw them going out to do the same, so it'd be nice to participate."

"You fucking bitch…" Winry grumbled as she got up and stretched.

Serena quirked a brow as she sat up and looked over at her, "What? What'd I do?"

"You get me worked up, and then say 'let's go shopping.' That's being a bitch in my book." Winry teased before looking over at her, "C'mon. Let's go. Get up. Make Chaya and Beth's Christmas something worth celebrating." She encouraged her companion with a wink.

Serena giggled as she stood up and started walking over towards the stairs, "Don't tempt me…"

White fluff. A dash of cotton-like puff flowing around in the light afternoon breeze. It was beautiful to see, really. For Ish and Susan there really could be no greater joy than to see two young girls playing in the snow and throwing it at each other, whilst they themselves walked side-by-side, arms around each other as they thought back on Christmases past. It was good to hold onto the older days. To tell stories and how their families has similar yet very different traditions as to how they celebrated this glorious holiday.

And the thought of Susan's little 'well-wrapped gift' inside of her just starting to take form only made things all the more joyous for the couple. They really could see nothing wrong at all in this moment, lights blinking their beautiful little dances on the trees, just peeking out of the snowy blanket that Mother Nature had covered the ground with. The only thing anyone could really see 'wrong' with this was that not everyone in their group was present. But they would return before the month was up. At least that was the plan.

"Cute, aren't they?" Ish asked his wife as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the neck.

Susan nodded her head slowly as she watched Beth and Chaya go about their shopping with her own smile on her face, "Yeah… Especially Lucas' little one. I can't imagine the things she's been through."

Beth walked over to Chaya with a top hat on and looked at her, "How do I look, sis?" She asked with a giggle, awaiting to see the young girl's reaction.

Chaya giggled too, and nodded before seeing one for herself, and then she put it on. It was a cowboy hat, but it was still a bit big for her yet… "You look so fancy!" She giggled again, tilting the hat as far back as she could without it falling off of her little head. "I'm Joel now! Let's go ride some cows like his Texas type do!"

"Yeah~! Let's do that!" Beth said with a smile, ditching the top hat and substituting it with her own cowboy hat. "Oh! We should totally get Winry and Joel these!" She suggested with a big grin.

Chaya nodded quickly, and then looked up at Ish and Susan with big puppy eyes. "Can we? Pleeeeeease?" She asked in an adorable tone that most kids could do. At least, back in the day it was well-known. Seemed some things just still stuck.

Susan nodded slowly with a smile, "Of course. You've each plenty of money to buy everyone multiple presents if you really wanted to." She informed them, "But don't go overboard, okay cuties?"

"Okay!" Beth said with a smile before looking at Chaya, "This one is Winry's, okay~?"

Chaya nodded, literally shaking with excitement as they went on their way. There was so much they could do! And it was going to be so much fun picking out everyone's things! The only issue was that Chaya needed to get things for Ish too, and so she looked at the man and crossed her arms.

"We're going to go get your things now, so you can't come!" The brunette informed the two adults as she took her sister's hand. "Promith not to peek?"

"Promise." Ish stated softly in response as he watched the two, up until he and Susan shifted so they were facing away from the majority of the store.

Beth giggled and hugged Chaya, "Let's split up! We'll find things faster this way!" She suggested, about to sprint through the store with Chaya's acceptance of her idea.

Soon the two had split, but as Beth rushed through the store she ended up rounding a corner. That was when she ran right into someone, and ended up bouncing off of the person before landing on her behind with a "Oof!" When she looked up she saw a man standing above her. At first he seemed annoyed, but then when he saw that it was a young lady he quickly reached out to her.

The man in question was rather… sturdy looking. Very handsome, even though his long dark hair covered his eyes, though parted down the middle, leaving most of his forehead and nose visible to her. His jaw was also perfectly squared, a profound yet perfectly chiseled chin at the base of his head laid the foundation to the rest of his handsomely dirt-covered face. His facial hair, unkempt and light in color, was about three quarters of an inch long, leaving him a nice dirty blonde goatee.

His nose was not too big, nor too small either. It was rounded, though in no way woman-like in shape or width. It led up to his brow, which was slightly furrowed as he watched her for a few moments as they both stared at each other in light shock. And his blue eyes nearly glowed with the darkened color of the sea, depending on just how the light hit his icy gaze it could also look like a bluish green. If there was any man to compete with the handsome features that Lucas had, this man seemingly had that chance.

What poor Beth also failed to realize as her eyes gushed over his manly features was that, since she was wearing leggings and a pleated skirt that the skirt itself had flipped up, and her legs were parted. This was allowing the man to get a good view of the skin-tight pant-like material right between her legs, though his eyes quickly diverted back up to her own. He didn't want to be perving on this poor girl after all. She seemed pretty young, and spying on her lady parts wasn't something he did often to any woman. It just wasn't in his character. Only time he ever did that was the rarity of finding a porn magazine, and needed to crank one out every blue moon or so. After all, survival mattered more than pussy. Better to spend your time searching for ammo and arrows for his crossbow that chasin' tail.

"Ya alright?" The man in question asked her softly, his tone deeper and more gravel-like than Joel's! He even seemed to have a much stronger accent than Joel!

Beth simply looked at him, paralyzed for a few moments before whimpering. She saw that he had extended his hand, but she wasn't sure what to do with it. His voice alone gave her goosebumps, and she was made nervous further by his appearance. Sure, he looked like your average survivor… dirty and not really well kept at all… But that didn't subtract any of his looks. At least, not to any extent.

The man heard the girl squeak quietly, "I-I'mgoodthankyoubye!"

She had delivered the sentence at a pace that was unbelievably fast, and not many could match it. Just like her sentence, she scurried up to her feet and ran as fast as she could through the clothes and other items for sale. She had to get back to Ish and Susan, her face beat red from all of the embarrassment. Well, it was mostly due to her being a very shy person. Especially when it came to good looking men. That's why she had an issue when she first met Lucas, and still did to some extent.

Meanwhile Chaya had bumped into a man as well as she was rushing around, but rather than falling back the man caught her as she bashed into his front, and she looked up at him slowly. She was a bit dazed at first, but she quickly made to rush off again. After apologizing to him first, that was. But she did leave her cowboy hat behind. She was so adorable. Too bad the older man would have to hunt her down to make sure she got her thing back. She was so fast!

The man huffed before leaning down and picking up the hat, heading over towards his friend Daryl's last known location to inform the man of what he would be doing. That was one thing they did frequently; alert each other to their positions so if anything went down they'd have help. It may have been in the same store, but every building had quite a few hiding spots. Especially stores.

Once he reached Daryl he sighed lightly, "Hey man. Some girl bumped into me, and dropped this. I'm planning on finding her, so… yeah. I won't be in the same spot as before. Alright?" He asked with a chuckle.

Daryl only huffed lightly, nodding as he readjusted the crossbow that rested on his shoulder, thanks to a sling attachment. "Yeah. Same thing happened t' me too," He said with the shake of his head. Then he groaned lightly. "Kids are weird."

The man chuckled lightly, "Aye, I s'pose you can say that. They're just more hyper than most." The man stated softly in an Irish accent before walking away from him, heading towards the main lobby of the building.

He had intended to find that girl before she left, and found herself without a cowboy hat. That wouldn't be cool, and if he knew kids, it was something that she would never forgive herself over. Especially since it seemed to be a present of some sorts. She seemed eager to carry it around the store, but not really sport it in any way whatsoever. Hell, that's why she lost it when she bumped into him. Eventually the Irishman found a group of people that the girl was talking to. Great. He didn't like groups of people. It made him feel outnumbered really easy. At least he did have Daryl hanging back just a bit to have his back if he needed the help.

The man straightened his worn combat uniform up, and walked forward towards the group and placed his hands behind his back. This caused the cowboy hat to be hidden as he approached, and soon Ish and Susan had spotted him. The man bowed his head before clearing his throat and introducing yourself.

"Hello there! My name is Bear, and I couldn't help but see you lot over here. Your little girl bumped into me on the other side of the store." He informed the two, and Ish raised an eyebrow.

"Sup? Oh… I see. Well, I apologize. They're just really excited about-"

The Irish man smiled and shook his head, "Ah, nah man it's nothing bad. In fact, I'm just here to return something she dropped really." He informed him softly with a chuckle, looking over at Chaya who was on the other side of Susan and Ish, slowly moving his hands in front of him to reveal the cowboy had in them. "I believe this is yours, right?" He asked the girl.

Chaya nodded, and stepped forward. She was shy, but she wasn't going to be the cliche little 'hide behind the parent's leg' kinda girl. No, she was polite, but did remain rather quiet when meeting a new person. Well, usually. For someone like Lucas or Ellie, or really anyone in her group she was then as free as a bird. It's just how she was. Excited little girl raising everyone's spirits.

"Thank you," She said softly, and took the hat before putting it on again. "I'm sorry for running into you. It's just my first time shopping for Christmas!"

Bear chuckled, nodding in understanding. "It's alright. I remember back in the day when I got to shop for presents for my family. It was fun."

"Oh! Bear, sorry for being rude. My name is Susan, this hunk beside me is Ish, and… Girls introduce yourselves to the man." Susan said with a chuckle, focusing her attention on Beth who was clinging to her side and still blushing like a mad woman.

"Yeah. It's nice to meet you two. What's your name, friend?" Ish asked as he looked over at the man's rather… dirty friend beside him.

Daryl stepped forward from behind the clothing rack, and nodded to the people. It was worth noting he had a crossbow in his hands, like almost ready for something to go down. They no doubt had hit some shit just recently on the road if they were still keeping the head on a swivel.

"Daryl. Nice t' meet ya'll," He said quietly, looking around at the much cleaner faces. And then he saw that blonde girl who bumped into him. He only gave her a small nod as well to let her know he acknowledged her presence.

"Nice to meet you both as well." Ish said with a smile.

Beth, upon realizing that she had been noticed by Daryl, sunk further into Susan. Ultimately she buried her face into the woman's side, instantly heating her up with the intense heat that was her burning cheeks. The older woman definitely caught onto what was going on, and could only giggle at the girl's nervousness. It seemed young Beth found someone she liked. It was a shame she wasn't more outgoing about things. Otherwise she'd probably end up having fun. Then again, that meant she'd be getting into trouble. Susan was rather glad that wasn't happening.

"Well, then, Ish. What is it you lot do? Do you live here in the Avenue, or…?" Bear asked as he opted in to making idle banter.

"Yes and no. We are kinda resting up here and awaiting for the rest of our group to get back. Then we'll decide if we want to live here or try it out on our own, out on the other side of the walls." Ish informed the man.

Bear tilted his head, "You've more?"

"Yup. We're a small group, but we're efficient when we work together and are always looking for more to join us. Those that are willing to give an extra hand are always welcomed, and become a part of our family." He said with a smile before patting Chaya atop the head. "It's how we came to meet, the other half of the group as well as my own. Isn't that right, Chaya?"

The young brunette nodded, and smiled before giving the Ish a big hug. "Yep! We're going to be wrapping presents after this, and then make supper! Ish said if he can we'll have a chicken, or a ham! I've never had a ham before!" She exclaimed with great excitement.

Daryl only looked around, before going into a slightly more rested he looked at Beth for a few moments, curious as to what was wrong with her. He didn't really understand the mind of teenage girls. Was this some kind of embarrassment issue when she ran into him?

"S'all right 'bout earlier," Daryl told Beth with a shrug, hoping she could hear him, or at least know he was trying to make her feel better. "I get that y'all were excited. Been a nice snowfall. Nice lights too, I guess."

"I-I… Yeah…" Beth said softly, half-muffled by Susan's body before she shook her head, "I-It has been a good snowfall, a-and I never saw lights like this… b-before." The nervous girl stuttered, though Daryl could easily catch on to her slowly becoming used to him being there. Especially now that he talked to her.

Bear chuckled, "Well… My friend here and I have been looking for a group to call home. We've been getting tired of just wandering around on our own."

Ish nodded slowly, "Well, we can definitely talk about it. You two seem to be decent enough from what I've seen. Not many would go out of their way to return a mere cowboy hat to a girl." He said with a chuckle, making Bear grin.

"Aye. Too many forget about the old ways of doing things. Even though they're good for keeping morale and the will to fight up more." The Irishman replied as he looked down at Chaya, "You look familiar…"

"I do?" She asked him, tilting her head. Her nose scrunched up as she tried to think about the way his face looked, but she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't remember you…"

"Wait a minute, Chaya? Abbey Sobol's youngest daughter?" He asked her as he crouched down, "Really? My, you've grown…" The man said softly as he bit his lip, remembering all that had happened not too terribly long ago.

Ish looked at Chaya and tilted his head, "Wait, you two know each other?"

"Aye… I loved her mother. I tried to help them, but…" He hissed sharply before shaking his head, "I'm glad you're safe, Chaya."

Chaya scratched her head as she tried to think, but his face wasn't quite ringing a bell. Well, he did look very familiar, but she just didn't quite know… And then she remembered just a little bit. He brought them food! She didn't see him very often, and even fewer times in person directly. She was mostly sitting in her mom's car or from her apartment window.

"I… I think I remember. You gave me a lollipop and a can of spaghetti one time," She said, recalling one of the times her mother let them meet face to face. "Mommy said you were a nice man. You helped us when daddy was away…"

"Aye, that was me…" He said somewhat sadly as he looked down, then back up at her. "I was too slow. Your mother and me, we were plannin' to get all o' ya outta there. By the time I returned… That bastard…" He huffed as he lowered his head yet again, this time not bringing it back up. "Is he still out there? Do you know? He… vanished after that. The coward couldn't even dare to face me after what he did."

Ish bit his lip as he looked down between them, worried about what was going on. Sore topics were never the best to bring up, but they shared a common topic. One that affected them both greatly by the sounds of it. Ish compared what the man felt to what he would should anything ever have happened to Susan. And that… That was not a good feeling at all. Just thinking about it sparked hatred and anger in Ish over a fictional antagonist, and thus hearing their story in better detail sparked hatred and anger over Chaya's father.

Chaya's eyes began to tear up, and slowly she moved forward before hugging Bear. He would have never known she was crying had he not felt her shoulders heaving. The thought of her mother and baby brother always made her feel very sad inside, and even with all the joy and excitement from earlier such a topic just made it crash down in a ball of flames.

"H-He's dead… T-They all are," Chaya whimpered almost silently into the man's coat.

Daryl looked around, feeling a bit uncomfortable. He hadn't been around for that time, or at least, he was never present with Bear when he went to see this woman and her children. In all honesty Bear would have known that Daryl would have said not to waste the supplies on them. That they had to think of themselves in order to make it through that winter. For Bear it would have been better just to show up with them out of the blue and say he found them on the road, cold and needing help.

Bear wrapped his arms around Chaya, hugging her rather tightly as he closed his own eyes. Such a thing caused the tears building up to finally pour over, causing streams to fall down his face as he buried his face into the girl's neck as best as he could. He was glad she was alive, but there was a lot he blamed himself for. They should have all been alive, and they would have been if he would have acted sooner. But no, instead when he returned he only saw his loved ones dead.

"I failed you three… didn't keep me promise and I'm sorry for that, sweet girl." He whispered silently as he supported Chaya as much as she did him.

Beth's nervousness faded away to complete and utter sympathy for the two, even standing close to Daryl as she watched them. She didn't say a single word, or really even think anything of what was happening right before her very eyes. It was never easy when two people reunited, especially with such painful pasts as theirs. She simply hugged herself as she looked down at the ground. Well, that was until Daryl found her head resting upon his shoulder. Weird how that happened, and Beth didn't even know she was doing it. Subconscious support system for seeing something like that, would be her guess after she calmed down from panicking for even allowing herself to do something like that.

Ish knelt down and patted Chaya on the back gently, "I… really shouldn't step in, but… know that they're in a better place now, watching over you two as you go through your journeys with a smile on their faces. We can even bring them back in spirit today, at the celebration the Avenue is throwing tonight."

Chaya slowly looked up at Ish, her eyes wet as she tried to wipe them. "W-We can?" She asked softly, thinking that they could actually bring her family back. She didn't quite understand what Ish was saying. After all, she was just a child.

Daryl looked down at Beth, and huffed lightly. He didn't even know how she had gotten there, or realized when she had. Was he really that uncomfortable with all of this? He liked to be distant. It kept him dependent only on himself. But the thought of Bear actually looking and even the possibility of finding a group… It just made Daryl believe that he might have to go off on his own in the middle of the night yet again. Bear did deserve a group, but Daryl? He just wanted to survive without worrying about losing anyone else who had the potential of mattering in his life.

Ish frowned, "Not… completely like that, sweetie. Unfortunately that isn't possible. But we can bring their memories back. Celebrate the memories you have of them, and to make sure that they are always there with you in your mind and heart." He informed her as he placed a kiss atop her head.

Chaya looked down, another tear rolling down her cheek. "M-My Mommy always lit candles on cold nights when it snowed. Nine, I think," She said quietly as she looked at Ish, and then Susan. "Can we get some candles? P-Please?"

Susan nodded as she wiped one of her own tears from her eyes, "Of course we can… We'll just have to ask around to find some." She said with a smile, and watched as the man beside Chaya stood up, stretching.

Ish did much the same, though minus the stretching bit. He let out a small huff of air before looking over at Beth and chuckling softly, his voice still a bit hoarse from the emotions he withheld. The girl didn't know why until she felt warmth beside her, and when she looked she noticed that Daryl was right there beside her. That was when she turned completely red again and quickly turned away so he couldn't see that. Damn her! Why did she have to do that?! She didn't even recall walking over to him!

Chaya sniffled before looking up at Ish, and held up her arms. She wanted to be picked up. She needed the support, and she just needed some time to be normal again. It may have been yet another holiday in the world, as the Avenue was slowly making the things the Old World a possibility, but it didn't make Chaya feel any better right now. But given time, she would. She just needed Ish to hold her, and so he did just that. His strong arms picked her up, and her own smaller ones wrapped around his neck before she rested her head on his shoulder.

Meanwhile Daryl watched Beth a little longer, and sighed softly. "Mind if I walk with ya'll while ya shop?" He asked the teen, figuring it'd be best if he just let her do her thing. She seemed in need of his support. For some reason that made him slightly more confused about the way girls worked.

"We all love ya, sweetie. It'll be alright." Ish whispered softly to the girl as he rubbed her back and looked over at Susan, who nodded.

The woman smiled, "Let's get everything bagged and get some wrapping paper to go with it. We all know Lucas is going to love tearing up paper. It'll be almost like that one time he found an office building and returned home stuffed full of blank sheets of paper." She said in idle chatter as they walked over to pay for their goods.

Beth nodded at Daryl, "S-Sure… I-I'm almost done though, a-and then I'm gonna go back to my room in the Tavern and finish fixing t-that security system I got from Mister Freeman's office... "

The young man nodded slowly, and sighed. "That's s'alright," He said simply before slowly putting an arm around her. Girls liked that, right?

Beth almost felt like fainting right there on the spot. She hadn't expected him to do that! Luckily she was slowly learning to compose herself better, and accepted it as a sort of friendly gesture. That didn't mean she was blushing any less, though. No, she was still lit up like a Christmas tree due to her nerves and shy nature.

"I-I mean… w-what are your plans for the day?" She asked him with a very quiet, hushed and weak tone of voice.

The man thought for a few moments, and tilted his head with a very lazy shrug. "I dunno. Guess look for some arrows at the local gun shop. Maybe a hat. Stuff like that," He said as he looked back down at her. "What'cha so red for?"

The girl looked away, down at the ground as she bit her lip. Damn it, he noticed! How was she supposed to respond? 'Hey I think you look good, and I'm nervous being around you because…' That was when poor Beth's mind starting questioning why she was nervous at all. She had Lucas to deal with on a daily basis, and that man was much more open about everything than Daryl seemed to be. Plus, she was raised in hardship. Why was she acting like a some weird girl around him? She then looked up at him and sighed lightly.

"Nervous… I-I guess." She replied as she remained still. "I-I can help you shop for that stuff if you'd like…"

Daryl looked at Ish and Susan before sighing. "I don't think they'd think that very wise," He said with a light chuckle, and then looked around. This was a clothing place, so there was probably a winter hat in her somewhere anyway. Honestly he was just trying to think of something else other than the cute blonde girl under his arm.

That was when Beth muttered under her breath, "They wouldn't think stealing a security device from the Avenue to fix it and make it much more receptive of things is very wise either…" She grumbled before shaking her head, "Please…? I've nothing else to do…"

Daryl nodded very slowly. "Jus' run off without tellin' them?" He asked her quietly. This whole situation just confused the man very much.

Alright, so to recap in his own mind about what had gone on today; He and Bear are fighting for their lives on a bridge, killing off infected coming from one side whilst also dodging bullets from Bandits on the other. They finally have to take their chances and jump off a three story bridge into freezing water with ice over it. It's somehow barely froze over, and so they break through the thin layer with ease.

From there they find the Avenue and dry off. Apparently it's a place of safety, but neither really trust it too much. They get a few drinks, a warm meal and a cozy seat by the fire to warm and dry off, though don't get a room because they aren't sure they're staying. Finally they decide to buy some new clothes, and then run into this little group of people that Bear seems to know the little girl.

Theeeen Daryl seemingly befriends a blonde girl who looks not older than eleven, save for some features that do indeed prove she is older than that, but only barely. And now she wants to go around town with him, even though he could be a danger to her? What the fuck was going on in his life?

Beth nodded, "They're used to it. Besides… I have been taught well if you were to try anything. I'm willing to bet my reflexes are a bit higher than yours." She replied, seeming to not be nervous anymore as she winked up at him. "So, to the stores…Then we can return just in time for the celebration!"

Daryl sighed before nodding, and then moved through the store with her by his side. Unless she pulled away. Or the isles got too thin to fit them both. It would then be up to her to either get back to his side after that or to just follow nearby.

"I'm not gonna argue a lady who knows her stuff,"Daryl replied simply.

Best not to argue with a woman, after all. Some of them could get a bit… edgy, for lack of a better word. Then again, if he did challenge her, it could have been interpreted as disrespect. He knew how to see both sides of the coin. Other times he would just be blunt. Daryl felt the former approach was best, since he actually found her company to be better than most. In the last two or three years it had been a one Bandit group or another, and then the most recent being Bear. That man, thus far, seemed like the wisest choice. He may have been a bit old, but he was quick, and great at fighting. That alone earned Daryl's respect for the man who had survived all the way since before the beginning of this bullshit known as a global infection. No cure in sight either.

Well, not in Daryl's, anyway. He hadn't met Ellie or Lucas yet…

"So… arrows, huh? I see that crossbow you got. A smart choice, though I don't think I'd want to use it in quite a few situations…" She stated as she inspected him, "Anything special about it? Crossbows suck at close range, and reloading them in a firefight is worse than trying to get dried mushroom blood out of your hair that has been in there for weeks…"

The man huffed yet again, and shook his head. Ah, she was one of those people. Always getting after him about his choice of weapon. Did no one see the big-ass knife on his hip? Sure, his little handgun was hidden in the back of his pants, but come on. They didn't have to take him for some redneck idiot.

"I got an M4 back at the hotel," He grumbled lightly, rolling her eyes when she wasn't looking.

Beth continued on, "Hey, don't take it the wrong way. I like the idea of using a crossbow, and your knife will help in very close situations. I'm just more of a trap person, sure I am good with a few weapons, but I prefer to outsmart my opponents in general. Guns have issues, bows have issues, and melee weapons don't reach as far as I'd like." She then giggled, "Men… always getting so worked up when someone comments on their choice of weapon. It's like they feel they need to compensate for something… You'd get along well with Lucas."

"I ain't need t' compensate for nothin'," Daryl said simple, weaving through the racks of clothing, and finally to where the hats were. "An' unlike other guys, I'll break it out right for a bitch if she asked. But you blush after a simple run-in anyway."

That was when the man felt a very sharp jab right near his kidney, and when he looked he saw Beth's elbow right there. "Are you calling me a bitch, Daryl?" She grumbled, "And I have absolutely no control over that!"

"I didn't… I never said it was directed t' ya," He said as he shook his head. Oh boy. He really stepped in it now. "Sorry." Was all he said after that. Yeah, just shut up, Daryl. It'll resolve itself. And if she left because she was angry, well, he was no worse off than before he met her.

Was she cute? Sure. But was it worth arguing over? Nah. Not really. Well, somewhere his mind did was to tell him it was, but really he saw no real point. She was a stranger, after all. Just someone who apparently had something for him at first. But if she was going to be pissed off because she read too deep into his sentence then he was just going to let her go. No point in angering her more if he said something else like that.

"Pssh. No fun." Beth said with a sigh, "I wasn't actually mad. I just wanted to see how you would react. Part of me was hoping for an argument or something. It's been awhile since I've been a part of one." She informed him with a giggle.

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Fine. That reply definitely sounded like a kid's excuse," He quipped again. She did ask for it, so yeah. Ask and ye shall receive, and all that lovely bull.

"Oh come on! Now you're just being a people pleaser!" She said with a giggle before seeing a hat, quickly grabbing it and putting it on his head without his consent.

It was a simple beanie, one that would keep his head warm though would mess with his hair. Though judging from what it already looked like, Beth didn't think that would be an issue for him. The hat was good, actually, and it was rather high quality. It fit rather well on his head, snug, but not to the point it was uncomfortable.

"Hmm… spin around for me so I can see it on you. Does it fit well?" She asked with a smile.

Daryl groaned. Was she really asking him to do that? Why? What was the point of that? But he did it anyway with a simple and grumbling, "Whatever." This girl was strange.

She smiled as the man only fed her more material to use against him. See, she was doing this to test how far he'd go just to keep up appearances. The poor guy was more or less an unwilling test subject. He didn't even know that he was being tested on his reactions. She simply nodded and then straightened it a bit.

"Get a balaclava, goggles, and you'll be set to operate in winter conditions without too much issues!" She said with a smile, "You look good, by the way. What's your secret?" She asked.

"I don't wear masks," He said simply, and she could tell there had to be some bad history behind that one. Whoops. He was clamming up again. Then he just took the hat off and began walking towards the counter. "Come on. We need t' get t' the gun shop before they close an' get some arrows. Maybe a new gun."

"Okay." She said softly, sounding just like normal though she was scolding herself.

Then again, they just met and it would be smart to test which paths were safest to take. She now knew to avoid that one at all costs. Daryl may not have been a fan of his past, but Beth wasn't about to even question why he didn't like masks in general. They're utilities, and in his case it'd be more for warmth than anything else. It wasn't like he was Lucas. He wasn't a monster with a mask on, that would harm anything in brutal ways that tried to harm his people.

It didn't take long at all for the two to get walking out of the store(of course after Daryl had paid for his things). He was rather quiet again, and unless the girl tried to get close, or remained at his side he wasn't going to try and get cozy with her. She seemed like the type who asked lots of questions, break him down into a category and then label him. That was fine. She wanted to do that she could go right at it. But he wasn't going to just give in. He didn't know her. Why be so trusting? Still, he couldn't get over how nice she seemed to be, and her shy nature was fun. She opened up fairly quick as well. That was nice. Not a chatterbox yet, but then, neither was he. And she did say she fixed things. A tinkerer of sorts, he guessed.

"I wonder if they have any good arrows there. Not many here choose that path, especially when it comes to a crossbow." She informed him, "If not I can make you some. I'm really good at it, and it's not like I have anything better to do. I got told to stay put when I should be out there with my friend, fighting and getting stuff done…"

Daryl only continued to walk, but after a few moments he decided to give her an answer. "I probably won't even be here long enough for ya t' make the things," He told her honestly. "Prob'ly goin' back on the road. Bear can stick with a group, but I… don' think I'd fit in."

"You'd be surprised." Beth said softly, "We're not all perfect and our group understands that better than any other one. Besides… if you keep running from companionship you're just going to end up another nameless stray somewhere out there who had a story but didn't get the opportunity to tell it." She informed him as she walked up and more or less cuddled up to him as they walked. "Just give it a shot. I mean, Bear is doing it. You can too. Trust me."

"Tsh," Remarked Daryl as he flipped his hair out of his eyesight. Well, kind of. It was always in the way. Just now it was slightly less so. Then he looked down at her. "Yeah? An' ya know all about this because? How long you been with this group for?"

"A looong time. I have been with Ish and Susan for about two years, Lucas and Winry for four, and we kind of… absorbed another group of three. We now have two leaders that work together, though one is more of the spokesman." Beth informed him, "They're good people, trust me. A lot of them have very bad pasts…"

Daryl only thought silently for a minute or two. Then they got to the doorstep of the shop of which he hoped had arrows for his bow, and nodded slowly. "I'll think about it. Not gonna make any promises on stayin'," He informed her simply. Still, he gave her just a small smile, which probably gave her hope.

It was starting to get dark out by the time Daryl had finally returned Beth to her people at the Tavern. They had lost track of time in various places, including the park where he showed off a bit by shooting a squirrel out of a tree and offering the girl beside him the best part of it. It wasn't much, but hey, he had a good mindset. Already he was proving he was willing to hunt for the sake of collecting food and feeding her. Sure, it may have been a classic 'feed the girl and win her heart,' but it wasn't like he could just take her for a coffee. Well, he didn't even know what that was. But if he did, well, he would find that the Avenue actually had it. Yeah, it was really starting to look like Old America here. Well, without all the political garbage, people whining over elections on either side of the race, and religious arguments as well. Yes, people were allowed to believe in whomever they pleased here, but if it became destructive it was quickly destroyed. If the people continued to be destructive, then they were removed from the Avenue. There was little room for such tolerances.

Anyway, they were 'home' now, and so the man nodded to her. "Guess this is the place. Ya sure yer ready t' turn yourself in?" He asked in a lightly teasing manner.

"Yeah…" She said softly, "I gotta get to celebrating with everyone. Thank you for allowing me to accompany you, Daryl… I hope I can see you around here again. In fact… why don't you just join in for the celebrations? Everyone is invited."

The man then shrugged, shaking his head. "I-I don' think that would be…" He started, but then she grabbed his arm, and dragged him right inside.

From there he was mildly annoyed again, but she was also prepared for that. After all, he was fun to have around, and she might have someone to talk to. Maybe crush on a bit… No way she would let this man go so easily, right? Indeed, he would not get away easily. He would have to pry himself away from her in order to succeed in such endeavors. And who in the hell would want to do that?!

"It's a good idea, and you should loosen up. The world isn't all bad anymore." She grumbled, "Besides… I like you being around, and if you left I'd be sad. Aaaand besides, this is a good way to meet everyone in the group, and some people in the Avenue."

Daryl huffed lightly, and then began shedding his leather cut and then his winter coat. Then after that was done his leather was back on, and he sighed. "Fine. I don' know where I'm gonna sleep though. My place ain't in this one. Different hotel thing."

"You can always sleep in my room. There's plenty of space." Beth said softly with a shrug, "I don't mind sharing, especially since you're agreeing to stay because of me. Or at least, I like to think that's why." She added with a chuckle.

Daryl watched her before moving on to where he thought was the kitchen. And it was correct to guess that, because now he saw that woman Susan and her man, Ish, working on making something to eat. And when he looked over in the dining room he saw Bear and that little girl cutting paper and wrapping presents.

"I doubt your parents would like a boy stayin' in your room either," He informed her quietly so he was not heard. Then he nodded to the couple as they prepared their Christmas Eve dinner.

They acknowledged him briefly, trying to get their dinner well underway. Every family in the Avenue was contributing to this. Something of an event that they held every year. The group was excited, and there'd be quite a bit of people there. A few minutes had passed and then Daryl felt Beth wrap her arms around him and laugh.

"What parents? And no… I'm sure they'll be fine with it. A-Ahh~!" Daryl heard the girl practically moan behind him, something causing her to press up further against him.

Serena was standing there with her partner in crime beside her, Winry. Serena just pinched her butt! What was the deal with that?! The woman only chuckled quietly as Winry examined the man, and then Beth with an almost scolding look in her eyes. Uh oh, that didn't look too good doubled by her crossing her arms.

"Since when did you get a hunk?" Winry asked.

"W-Winry~! I-I… This is Daryl! He's a good guy!" Beth said softly as she looked over at the woman, who was shaking her head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, what would Lucas think…" Winry asked before looking at Beth, "Well. At least you've got good tastes."

Daryl looked at the two woman, and sighed. Oh boy. "Great. Some kinda bullshit with women an' jealousy or some shit," He said with a huff, and then crossed his own arms. "Then again, you two are lesbians, so what's tuh get jealous over, right? Or do you two jus' like preyin' on the younger lot jus' t' get a rise outta it?"

Ouch. He got them there. Or at the very least he was giving some burns. He was smart, though getting into an argument with them probably was not the smartest of ideas. Still, he just wanted to find a quiet place, and with these bitches in his way, yapping and teasing he would never find that. And before one could say, 'oh, he could just go already,' no. He wanted to have Beth come with. She was the only person he knew here aside from Bear, and he wasn't about to take that guy away from the young one he seemed to know from before. If Daryl knew anything, it was that this would help Bear with any guilt over that situation.

Winry and Serena got a good chuckle over what the man said and simply shook their heads, the latter walking away. "No, we just like finding out what mischief she is getting into today. Especially since she's bringing guys around as soon as Lucas is gone." She informed the man with a wink, before moving passed them and into the kitchen.

Beth huffed as she crossed her arms, "She likes to tease me because I used to have the biggest crush on my savior. I still do to an extent, but he's getting married, so…" She informed the man, "I found something else I am starting to like. So, where to? A secluded table? A room?" She asked him out of her curiosity, looking around to ensure no other ambushes were imminent.

Daryl let out a loud, groan-like sound. "So am I jus' a substitute now?" He asked with a chuckle. Then he just shook his head. "Room or whatever you want. I don't giv'uh shit."

"Not really." Beth stated simply, "Why would you be a substitute? It's not like if we get that far, I'll just ditch you for him if he is ever free. And c'mon. My room is upstairs. I will warn you that it's a bit of a mess…" She said before guiding the man up the stairs.

Bear watched the two as they made their way upstairs, and raised an eyebrow. What were they up to? Was Daryl seriously trying some of the bait? At least, that's what she would have been called back in the day. The man simply chuckled before looking back at Chaya, and then finished wrapping Ish's present from the girl. He wanted to help her out, and thus he had the difficult job of actually wrapping the presents. It was a lot harder than it looked.

"There. Now all ya need to do is tape it!" He said proudly with a smile, "In like four different spots because it was a bit difficult to wrap."

Chaya nodded as she stuck her tongue out, trying to fold it like he did. After all, he was teaching her how to do that so she could pass it onto the next generation, should she be allowed to live that long. Hell, she could just pass it on to her father and mother and it would be fine. The more who knew how to do these things, the faster this world would slowly reform.

And then it was done! The last gift was ready to be put under their tree! It may not have been decorated by them, but whoever did in this case had done a great job. That would have been the bar staff, and even more specifically, Lana, the barmaid.

"It's looks beautiful! Not it just needs a bow!" Chaya giggled before sliding across the table to Bear again. He was the official green-bow-knotter… guy.

The man chuckled before he went to work, and within moments he had an official bow to put atop the present. With a simple, light press against the wrapping paper it was done. Complete. There wasn't anything left for them to do. He examined all the presents and smiled, wishing for a great many things that would never come to be again. He lost that change. But such negative thoughts were pushed aside as he looked at Chaya.

"Well, that's that done. But the real question is… what now? Go bug Ish and Susan in the kitchen? Maybe set up those lights in your room you were talking about? Find a place to put the candles… oi we've more left to do than I thought…" The man asked with a laugh.

Chaya nodded, and giggled with glee. "I only needed eight or nine, but you guys got, like, twenty! That's so many!" Chaya laughed some more, and soon she was up and grabbing a handful with her tiny hands. "Come on! Let's put some more up! The fireplace needs some, and the living room too! Ishy and Susan could use a bunch in their room! Auntie Susan talked about how it would be romantic to do that tonight in their room! She even got a big one that smells like flowers!"

He smiled and nodded, grabbing everything he needed to assist her. "Well then, we've got quite a bit of ground to cover. We'd better get to work. Fireplace first since it's the closest?" He asked with a loving smile on his face.

He thought of all of Abbey's children like they were his own. She only had two, but he looked upon them as a father would. He looked upon Abbey as a husband, and thus it hit him harder than most to see two of the three pass away. Hell, it send him down into madness, as he had thought Chaya experienced a worse fate. He was glad she didn't, at least to his knowledge.

He was brought up to speed, however, and didn't intend on overstepping boundaries. He didn't want to challenge that Lucas Edwards guy as a father. Nor would Lucas do the same to him, from what he heard. The man seemed honorable, and once he understood they'd more than likely just share the role if at all possible. Or Bear would simply remain there as Chaya's protector whilst Lucas did all the father stuff. Which was being a protector… Well, and threatening the lives of future boyfriends. Now that was something they'd both do together. Damned whippersnappers trying to do stupid shite.

Thankfully for both of those men that day for Chaya was very far off. But Lucas would probably experience something like that with Beth. Yeah, she would have to be very persuasive in order to get him to stand down and let Daryl even share a room with the girl. And that was a room that was not her bedroom!

Speaking of which… Where were they? And what were they doing up there? What could possibly be so interesting for two strangers who had just met only a few hours ago?

Beth was busy at her table, working on getting the security system boosted. "I need to get this back before tomorrow morning or else I'm a dead duck. This thing can be tracked if the battery dies, and the only way that will stay alive is if it is on the wall where I snatched it from." She informed Daryl before looking over at the man, "Say… where do you come from, anyway? I was born in Georgia." She asked.

Daryl gave a very light shrug, and looked at her as he sat on the floor, his back against the wall. "Same. Jus' out in the country an' shit. Ma didn't make it too long after that. Jus' have my big brother 'til about five years ago," He informed her, and then grabbed a flask out of his vest before taking a small drink from it. No getting lit. Just a little something to warm him up. "Been on the road most of my life. Got t' Bear 'bout two years ago? Somethin' like that."

Beth looked over at the man and tilted her head, "Two years, and you're so eager to just up and leave?" She asked, "If anything, I'd think the companionship between you two would be enough to warrant you staying."

The man looked up at her, and then looked back down. He wasn't sure how to answer that. Why did he run so much from groups? Well, he really did know why. It was worse when they were torn to bits by a pack whilst he was the one still standing. How could he not feel something like that? It was such a big trauma to go through, even though he would tell himself and others that it 'jus' happens,' and then leave it at that.

He then shrugged, "People die. Guess I jus' don' wanna be a part of that," He stated simply.

Beth sighed lightly, snapping the pieces of the security system back together before shrugging. "Death is life. We're all used to it. We all know it sucks. But… if there isn't anyone left to take over, to keep the memory of a person going strong… Their life was for nothing. Abandoning Bear just because he's joining a group and you don't want to is stupid. I mean, shit. If anything, the chances of people dying drop down because you're there."

That was when she stood up and wandered over to the bed, sitting down beside him. "I tried something like that, after my mom died. Lucas came in and saved me, but I tried just packing up and leaving. Each time, I was tracked down by him, usually ending up caught in some mess with Hunters, and eventually I just gave in. I learned that that certain path was one I don't regret to this day. It's good to have family again."

The man nodded lightly, and then just leaned back. "If ya say so," Was all Daryl could reply with. He still didn't trust groups. They either tore each other apart, eventually, or were torn apart by outside means. And somehow he always got out alive. It was like a curse or something, having to live with it whilst watching others around him die.

Then he just sat there, thinking on it a little longer. She was just a kid, right? How did she know all of this? What advice could she possibly be giving him? He had gone through so much more here and yet she had figured it all out? He wasn't so sure about that, but he was willing to get into at least a light debate with the girl. Or at the very least ask a few questions about her first.

Then she heard his voice speak up again. "How old are you, anyway?" He asked her in a mumble. When she looked up at him, he shrugged. "Jus' curious. Figured since you ask so many questions I at least get one or two on ya."

That line in itself should have been enough to make her blush a bit.

Rather than blush, however, she simply shrugged. "Fifteen. I'll be sixteen soon, though, and before you go on a rant about how I'm young and don't know my stuff… I saw my family get torn apart, saw myself get tortured and almost bit, and also did my fair share of tearing things apart…" She grumbled rather defensively. It seemed people underestimated her because of her age in the past.

The man held up his hands, giving her a nod. "Sorry. Jus' looked younger, I guess," He told her before standing up and sitting down in the chair across from her. "Least you're doin' good now. Glad you got a good family with ya now." He added, still seeming a bit on the fence as to if he would stay or not.

"We got old Hunters, bandits, vikings, a cute girl, a succubus, and a hot ass sniper lady. The best part is that they are all welcoming of others. Especially those like you, who have no one." She informed him softly before laying back, "But that's up to you, I suppose."

He then sighed. "Like I said, I'll give it a try, for your sake," He said simply, and then looked away towards the window.

Everything was now lit outside. All the colorful, bright lights were on, and he could see the snow once again falling, and the Avenue Humvees pushing snow off of the main roads. People were also shoveling their walkways, all doing their part to make it easier on each other. Maybe this place wasn't so bad. He hadn't truly seen a reason to condemn it yet. But that still didn't mean he wanted to stay. But when he looked at Beth… She was young, but there was something about him that wanted him to keep his promise to her. He didn't know why. He didn't really want to look deeper into the meaning. He would just sigh quietly and agree to it that it was in his best interest to stay. For now.

But another little part of Daryl also knew that he liked this girl, even if she had a little crush on him as well. It was dangerous to let someone in so early, so he put up his walls for the most part and just let whatever was going to happen, happen.

The Tavern had become rather full of people. Soldiers that were off duty, their families, and even the higher ranks were there right now to celebrate this holiday. It was something that was to be done each Christmas, keeping everyone in a good mood. Ish and Susan had made their own dishes, reserving some for their group on a separate carrier tray whilst the rest would go to the bulk of the people. It was rather nicely organized with the help of Lana, and it was evident she had done this many times before. Whilst the group would have their own section, so too would the other tables. A damned fine setup.

Ish's stomach was cramping and growling like a demon at the smells and sights of the food. He just wanted to slam his face right into each and every food item there so he could eat. That… would have earned him a harsh scolding and probably a smack from Susan if he even tried, though, so he refrained from doing so.

Before they knew it, they were wheeling the cart out, and over to their table. Once there, Susan and Ish began to set the food items down on the decorated table, chuckling as they saw the glares of the others penetrate deeply into the food. Chaya in particular, as she was eyeing perhaps the best part. The pie. Ish had to admit, if he were sitting down at the table, he'd be doing much the same. After all… He was hungry! And he liked food! And the Desserts! Especially the desserts…

"Here we are, guys." He said as he lowered the potatoes and final dish onto the table. "Food!"

Chaya then let out a cry of cheer, her hand instantly lunging at the first easy target; A sweet roll! Fresh out of Susan's oven and ready to be buttered and eaten! But then the woman lightly smacked Chaya's hand away, and the little one whimpered in shock.

Daryl too was already dishing himself up, not really waiting for the others. He didn't know about this shit. Never was old enough, and Bear only mentioned it a few times. But he was a fast learner, and from the glares he figured it'd be best to just stop and wait. Fucking people were weird. But when no one was looking he did sneak his own roll over to Chaya under the table, and slowly she brought it up to her mouth, tilting it to the side and nomming on it very slowly.

The little girl's eyes watched Ish and Susan as they were doing their own thing. If she was caught, she'd probably get in trouble. But she was so hungry! Couldn't she have at least one little bite? What was the big deal in waiting?

Luckily for her she wasn't caught, and the two simply said something to each other before taking their own seats, with Ish being between Susan and Chaya. It seemed there was something similar about Christmas to Thanksgiving, as they weren't allowed to eat unless something was spoken. Rather than give thanks, though, it was merely Ish welcoming the two at first.

That was when the young girl felt someone lightly poke her side, and when she looked it was Winry with a most devious grin on her face. Uh oh. She had been caught… just by someone who adored her almost as much as her father did. That meant she'd get away with it! But also probably teased relentlessly about it. Poor girl.

Serena on the other hand was seated beside Beth, and Winry. She was simply sitting there and listening to everything going around her, being patient and waiting to dig in. It was a confusing day to say the least, and she was most surprised by what had occurred during it. Thankfully it was coming to a close, and the celebrations would allow everyone to have fun and unwind together.

"I'd like to welcome our two newest people to the group. Some of us are away right now, helping the Avenue on a mission as well as finishing our own cross-country mission. I know that if they were here right now they'd be giving you all a warm welcome, as we like to keep those in our group close like family, because that is what we are. A family. A strange one, but one that gets things done. I'd like you two to know that we are all here for you, and if there are any issues that arise, you can come to us and together we'll see that they are resolved." Ish said with a smile, "I'd also like to just congratulate everyone for their hard work this year, and well… thank you all for being here after years in that Hell. It looks like the world is changing. Thank God for that… And Freeman. Most definitely Freeman. And the Clan. They're influencing the change as well."

Chaya reached forward, leaning to try and grab her glass. It nearly tipped over, but thanks to Winry she was able to get it. Then she stood up, and giggled as the others looked at her. She was going to give a speech too! She was, after all, becoming a big girl, and she would have to do these things soon enough when she had kids at her table!

Then she raised her glass, wiggling a little as she tried to keep her balance as she was 'so' high up. "I want… I thank everyone here for being my friends! And family too! I'm glad to have my new mommy and daddy, Ishy, Auntie Susan, Auntie Winry and Auntie Serena, and… and…" She said, blushing brightly as people around the table giggled and aw'ed at her cuteness. Then she gave a brief scolding look. "I'm not done!" She huffed before clearing her throat. "And I'm thankful for my big sister too! I just hope her boyfriend doesn't steal her from me…"

Daryl let out a puff of air, shaking his head. Oh boy. Little girl thought he was stepping into her territory, and she was making it known. Well, at least everyone seemed to get a rise out of that as well, even if now all the attention was briefly put on him, and worse, Beth. If she wasn't red now, she was very good at hiding her embarrassment. He was afraid to put his eyes on her as well, and so he only gave a small glance in her direction.

All eyes were on Beth now, smiles and chuckles escaping from their lips as they just watched her. She herself was chuckling at what Chaya had said, though her face was slightly pink in embarrassment. That was mostly due to something Serena had whispered into the girl's ear more than from what Chaya had said. Nah, that would be a lie. It was about 50/50 since Beth hadn't expected Chaya to even say something like that.

Regardless, in a minute's time all eyes returned to Chaya as they knew she wasn't done. After all, she hadn't sat back down or concluded her statements. Once she thought everyone's attention was away from her, Beth let go and just like that she was blushing hardcore. He was not her boyfriend! Now everyone would think that he was! They just met!

Daryl got a light rise out of this, and then bumped into the girl when all but probably Serena weren't looking. And then Chaya cleared her throat, her tiny voice carrying on so she could finish her little speech.

"I love you all, and I thank you for a great first Christmas! It's really cool! I can;t wait to do more Christmassy things soon!" She said before looking around at the faces once more around the table. "Merry Christmas! And Happy Hanukkah!" She then moved to sit down, but then got back up quickly, her cheeks red as she started to become shy. "O-Oh! And I have a song! My mommy teached me it, and so… I want to sing it!"

Ish chuckled lightly at the girl's immense cuteness and nodded, "Go ahead, then, sweetie." He said softly as he watched her, briefly looking around the table.

Chaya nodded slowly, then took in a breath before starting to sing in her mother's language. Well, at least the one that her mother spoke in during times like this. And was little Chaya's tone sweet. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but she had the potential to sing when she grew up, and probably make something of herself here in the Avenue. A little star.

And her lyrics went something like… "Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tsivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah..." She started out nervously, tripping over a few.of the words before finally remembering them, and continued on with her blessings in song… "Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, she-asah nisim laavoteinu v'imoteinu bayamim hahaeim baz'man hazeh... " She bowed her head lightly before getting back down, and lighting one small candle with another. "Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higianu laz'man hazeh."

And then little Chaya was done. She went quiet as she sat down, and looked up at Ish next to her with a happy expression on her cute face. "How was that?" She asked him softly.

"It was beautiful…" Ish informed her with a smile, slowly patting her shoulder before looking at the others who were clapping.

Hell, a lot of the others in the Tavern caught onto Chaya's singing and were clapping for her. It seemed she had a talent in singing. And being cute. Most definitely the latter without a doubt. It eventually died down and Ish nodded slowly, giving a huff of air as he wanted to laugh but restrained himself. Ah, joyous times were all too rare in the world.

"Anyone else have anything to say?" He asked, with Susan and Beth shaking their heads. Winry and Serena did the same after some brief thought. "Then… I don't see no reason to not dig in."

And so the feasting began. Ish of course had the honor of carving the meat and passing it out, and soon the bowls of different foods were passed around for everyone to enjoy and share with one another. Even Daryl felt a bit warm from all of these festivities and such. He smiled lightly as he passed the bowl of mashed potatoes to Beth, and as the girl went to grab it her hand covered his. He just looked at her for a few moments at this exchange, and then withdrew his hand from the bowl. Well, both hands.

What was that about? Why had he freaked out anyway? Was he starting to show a nervous side? No. That was unlike him. What was happening was a brief amount of nervousness and then fear of growing too attached. Already he was in deep water, and he didn't like it. But he couldn't just detach himself either. That would have been unfair to the blonde who literally did nothing wrong.

Beth noticed, but didn't think too much about it. She added the potatoes to her plate, before passing them onto Bear, who accepted them with thanks. It had been a while since he had a good potato to eat, and he took the most he could before endangering the others getting some. With a half-plateful of potatoes, he passed it on to Susan who chuckled. She noticed that the bowl of potatoes was considerably lighter, but didn't mind at all. It just meant people liked them. She then passed it on to Ish, who skipped and eventually sat them down in front of Chaya.

"There you are, sweetie. Some good potatoes for ya." He said with a soft smile as he kept his mask atop his head, rather than down on his face.

Chaya shook her head, and then pushed it towards Ish again. "You need some too!" She exclaimed, noticing his lack of white fluff on his plate. "They're really good! I even got to lick the spoon when Auntie Susan was done!"

Ish chuckled as she did that and nodded, slowly taking the spoon and shoveling some of the potatoes onto his plate. He never was a big potato eater. Something about them just seemed to be useless to him. They tasted good, but Ish preferred to be healthy with what he ate. Regardless, he wanted to show his thanks for his wife by eating her cooking. She had worked hard on it, and now Chaya had a reason to eat some herself. It seemed she wasn't going to let Ish get away with some things. That's what he got for putting her as his second in command.

"There," He said with a smile, "Your turn."

Chaya did just that. Soon everyone was served up, and they were all partaking in a great feast with each other, and the Avenue around them. For a place that was pretty packed it wasn't too loud in the place. They didn't have to yell over each other. Just everyone enjoying the company of their family and the delicious nature of their meals.

And then finally they were all done. Not one from the small group had 'survived.' They all felt fat as fuck, their bellies warm and filled to the brim without the thought of this actually happening until it was too late. Whoops. Everyone would be sluggish tonight. The ladies would probably be hating themselves for a little while too. Then again, was weight really an issue these days? Or figure? Fat was not something one came across very often. Being heavy set usually meant you were basically screwed in an situation that couldn't be solved with a spoon.

And plus, the ladies didn't care about their 'perfect' figures that much. It would be easily ran off in a week. THeir bellies were full. That was an accomplishment for anyone these days. And with real food! How many people could truly say that, huh?

Daryl was the first to stand, and then he stretched. He huffed as he looked around. It was time to find a quiet place to just retire. Roll over and die, was a better way of putting it. Even he had eaten too much, and he had been rather sparing with how much he took! Probably because his stomach still had to stretch after so long of being hungry. And so he went towards the stairs, just as Lana was done putting up an ornament. The woman walked away and he shrugged. Three little green leaves and a few red berries. Huh. Well, it looked pretty at least.

Oh, it was indeed pretty. Beth thought so as she followed the man with the same intent. She was going to go to her room before they heard laughter. Wait a minute… She looked up and inspected the decoration better. Damn it! She should have known! Her mother told her of its purpose because it just so happened to happen to her with Lucas rather often back at the QZ they had come from.

"Shit…" She muttered, "Daryl… that's a mistletoe…"

"The hell? I don' see any damned rockets on that thing," He said with a light grumble, shaking his head as he was about to continue on. "An' I don; see no toes either."

"Not like that, silly! A mistletoe is a decoration for Christmas, that when two people end up under it they have to k-kiss…" Beth informed him quietly, stopping him from continuing. "S-So… you can't continue until y'know…"

Daryl gave her a strange look, and then shook his head. Why would anyone do that? He didn't quite understand why, even if it was a tradition, that she would just want to uphold it just for the sake of tradition to kiss a complete stranger. But he wasn't going to argue. Plus… kissing her sounded fun. And then he gave her a grin before he grabbed her hands and pulled her forward. No hesitation on his part. Sure, he might scare this girl, but he was going to give her a kiss to remember! His excuse? It was the holidays, right?

Beth felt the man's lips crash against her own, and he wrapped his arms around her as he closed his eyes, holding her tightly to him. She was bent back a little like that old black and white photo of a sailor kissing that lady, and her head swam as his lips only moved against her own. He let out a soft groan as well, sounding rather sexy whilst he did it. Her lips tasted sweet, and he loved them for that. Soft and sweet.

Beth reacted how anyone would have expected. She turned boneless in his arms, just going limp as she fell into the kiss. She didn't expect such actions from the man, nor did she even really want something like that. He was a good kisser despite his looks. One would expect he would have sucked at it, but he was actually very decent. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. In this case it was because they were both running out of air, and when the kiss broke she simply looked into his eyes… stuck in place as if she were completely frozen.

Then the man found her arms wrap around him and she was smiling rather heavily, "T-That was amazing~!" She panted as she held onto him, licking her lips and just standing there and holding onto him.

Daryl chuckled lightly, nodding. He knew it wasn't that good by other people's standards, but since she was a young lady he knew she couldn't have shared too many kisses. At least, he hoped not. He kind of wished that was one of her first, if not the first. But anyway, he shook off such thoughts and kissed her yet again. Another 'great' kiss by her standards. Probably better, since he even snuck his tongue into her mouth when she gasped. Risky moves, but that was all worth it to him. She had licked her lips, meaning she liked the taste. She wasn't really all that shocked either. Just crushing hard. That should keep her from at least killing him.

Then he pulled away, stilling smiling down at her. "You taste good," He chuckled lightly, and then straightened up.

Most of the people who had seen were either cheering or whistling, but at least Susan and Ish had to be feeling that parental moment where they just wanted to strangle the man and lock away their 'daughter.' Or however they saw her. After all, they were the closest thing Beth had to parents, aside from Lucas and Winry. Although in reality, the two were more fearful than anything. Lucas was not the most understanding of men...

Once Lucas found out, and he would find out, Daryl was in for a whole new world of pain.

And that's all folks! Enjoy the new chapter, and have a good Christmas. -Saren