Five years later

As Daryl traced his lips down the curve of Beth's ribs and over the flat plain of her belly, he thought on how much life had changed for them in the past five years. She'd graduated from med school top of her class (of course, she always was an over-achiever, his girl) and scored a residency at Duke. After that, they'd been lucky enough to be able to move back to Georgia and Beth opened a small practice in Senoia, across from the pharmacy.

Five years ago, he'd stood with her on a beach very uncertain about their future and now…well things couldn't be more perfect. Right after they'd gotten back from their trip, which in looking back now, he knew it was a major turning point in their relationship and he'd always be glad he insisted that they take that much needed mini vacation to the beach. After they'd gotten back, they'd moved in together as planned and after that, life had just happened fast for them. Until now.

In the last two months, things had slowed down quite a bit and right now he was enjoying the moment of solitude, just him and his wife, alone in their bedroom.

Yes. They'd taken the plunge a few months back and he'd never regretted it. The biggest part for him had been working up his nerve. Though he knew it wasn't likely she'd say no a second time. They had long since worked past all that and he knew then even as he knew now that her only reason for saying no at the time was her intense fears that were all tied up in the asshole that had very nearly ruined all the good that was Beth Greene. Then there was him. There was still a tiny something in him that didn't think he deserved all this. This perfect life with this beautiful woman, naked beneath him, pliant under his touch. Like there was nowhere in this world she would rather be than with him. And he knew it to be true. And that's what kept him grounded. That faith in her love for him; that faith in them that that they worked so hard to find.

Now this cold winter night, he smiled as her fingers wove through his hair as he worked his way down her body, slowly, so slowly. Not so much to make her beg. Well, actually that was his intent exactly, he thought as his lips curled into a smile and he pressed his nose to her belly. She was writhing her hips impatiently as she often did when he was getting closer but not letting her have what she wanted right away.

The once gentle grip of her fingers in his hair turned rougher, her grasp stronger, as if to pull his head exactly where she wanted it, which was right between her thighs where she was warm and wet and waiting. He chuckled quietly as she impatiently thrust her hips upward, pulling his hair even more. It was slightly shorter now with his new job as senior foreman of the construction company he was now working for and as such she didn't have as much to grip as she once did.

He knew her well, Beth Greene, now Beth Dixon, he reminded himself. He knew the quiet sigh as his lips traveled south. He knew the stutter of her breath as he kissed the inside of one supple thigh and then the other, savoring the moment. He knew the quiver of her muscles as he gently pried her legs open, his eyes taking her in, pink and glistening with want. He knew the breathy moan that erupted from her throat as his tongue finally slid home, his fingers holding her folds open so his mouth could give her its proper attention. He knew the ramrod tension in her spine as his hands worked their way up under her ass and he pulled her fully into his face so he could bury himself in her. He knew the final laxity of her body as she gave him full control over her pleasure, trusting him to "get her there."

He didn't know if all women did this, but he knew she did. Knew it all, like he knew the inside of his own palm, every line of her body, every curve, every dip, every nuanced sigh that came from her trembling lips as she shattered under his mouth and that warm oasis poured out of her, thighs trembling in his grasp, and he drank every last drop from her core.

He rested his head against the pale warm flesh of her inner thigh, contentedly watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest as she recovered from her orgasm, her breasts fuller, heavier now, her nipples pointy with barely quenched desire.

It had been a while.

"God that was good." She said softly, her voice husky and she looked down at him where he was positioned between her thighs, stroking her belly absently, tracing her curves. He didn't think he'd ever tire of this with her or at least he hoped he wouldn't. It was a hell of a place to be, in bed with his wife.

He smiled up at her. "Ain't done yet." He couldn't have kept the smirk from his face if he tried. She knew all his tells and always had.

Her bright blue eyes crinkled in the corners as she laughed that throaty laugh she had when she was particularly amused by something he'd said.

"Come here." She said softly and what was he do to but crawl his way up her body and comply. He placed one hand on each side of her head, regarding her, taking her in, hair mussed, cheeks flushed, legs still spread for him and he knew he had never loved her more than in that moment. He dipped his head down and slotted his lips over hers, letting her taste herself on his tongue.

She moaned against his mouth as he slid his tongue inside. He kissed her slowly, his movements exaggerated, languid, his tongue licking and teasing the inside of her mouth, sliding alongside her own tongue that matched his movements with practiced ease. They had always been good at this part.

He remembered the first time she'd kissed him. In her apartment. Back when they were just friends and when all of this was something that had never crossed his mind. Well, maybe this part, he thought wryly. But marriage, a house, a life. A baby. No he'd never dreamed any of that could ever be possible. And yet here he was.

As if on cue, the monitor beside the bed started flickering with sure signs that their son was awake down the hall. Daryl moved to get up. It was his turn to get up with him after all.

"It's ok, I'll go." Her hand on his arm stopped him as she reached for her robe at the end of the bed. It barely qualified as such and he still marveled that she could fit into tiny clothing after watching her belly expand over the months as she grew their child inside her womb. But it wasn't like that now. Her body had seemingly morphed straight back into the tiny little thing she had been before her hips had bore their firstborn, Owen Merle Dixon.

There were subtle differences, her hips were a bit fuller, breasts a tiny bit heavier from providing nourishment to the little guy. It was an odd thing, still being attracted to someone after watching her body go through that metamorphosis but hell if he could figure it out. She might be the mother of his child, but she was still smoking hot.

"Don't go to sleep. I'm not finished with you yet, either." She said saucily, her long blond hair sweeping over his arm as she got up from the bed. He shook his head at her and chuckled to himself as she turned around and winked at him and then swished her hips as she walked back out the door. Yeah, like he could really go to sleep with his cock still rock hard like it was.

Shifting his focus elsewhere (because fantasizing about Beth riding him wasn't going to get her back in the bedroom any faster anyway), he thought about when they'd first found out they were pregnant. She had been tearful, of course; terrified that she would lose the baby. Also it hadn't exactly happened at a convenient time; she had just opened her practice in town and as such, could not take a ton of time off from work.

As luck would have it, another doctor moved into town and agreed to take over her patient load while she was on maternity leave, but that was nearly over. She was to go back to work next week, though she'd curtailed her office hours for the first three months to make it easier. It would be a challenge, but they would handle it together.

He listened to the sounds coming across the monitor and smiled to himself. Whatever misgivings Beth had early on about the pregnancy, she was undeniably an amazing mother. And as for him, he'd adjusted to being a dad quite well. He'd been so busy taking care of a very sick mama-to-be in the beginning to worry about what he was supposed to do with a tiny human being and by the time he'd held his son in his arms for the first time, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. It's just what life with Beth had done to him. Making the most out of reach things reachable; like all the stars were within his grasp after all.

Predictably a few minutes passed and he heard her begin to softly sing. She must have had to nurse him back to sleep. All the books they'd read said not to do that, but "what harm can it do really?" she had said and he tended to agree. Then again, his wife was a smart woman; she was usually right. Also, he was smart enough to know not to argue with her, he thought with a wry grin.

"Hush-a-bye, Don't you cry,

Go to sleepy, little baby.

And when you wake,

You shall have a cake,

And all the pretty little ponies.

Paint and Bay,

Sorrel and gray,

All the pretty little ponies.

So hush-a-bye, Don't you cry,

Go to sleep, little baby.

"

She crooned to their son and he could hear the tiny coos coming across the monitor. "Say goodnight to Daddy, Owen." She said sweetly then with a tad bit of emotion in her words. "We love you, baby."

He could swear he could hear the smile in her voice and he couldn't help the curve of his lips as he whispered back though he knew they couldn't hear him. "Love you both."

He could tell as her voice got quieter towards the end of the song, fading out to a mere whisper that Owen had gone back to sleep. He couldn't blame the little guy. His mama had the voice of an angel and Daryl knew she'd sung him to sleep many a night, her song a quiet melody in his ears and her breath warm on his neck.

He smiled as she reentered the room a couple minutes later, looking every bit worn out as she climbed back into bed with him. She curled into his side and laid her head on his chest, yawning as she did so. "I didn't think he was going to go back to sleep there for a minute." She looked up at him, the apology already in her eyes. She was whipped.

"Go on to sleep, baby girl." He wasn't going to be coming any time soon tonight but he knew just from looking at her, she was spent. And honestly, he didn't mind it one bit.

"You sure?" She whispered, but her eyes were already dropping closed. Soon after, she was snoring lightly.

He chuckled to himself and pulled the covers up over her sleeping form after watching her for a couple of minutes.

If someone would have told him ten years ago that he'd today be married to his best friend with a kid of his own, he wouldn't have believed them. Hell, he probably would have punched them in the face for even suggesting something like this with him and Beth.

Then again, it seemed like something that maybe was always meant to happen. Once they'd set down this road, there hadn't been any turning back. It might have taken her a little bit longer to meet him on that path but she got there eventually and the only thing Daryl could think as he drifted off to sleep, was she was worth the wait.

They might have started this thing out as a light romp between the sheets with no strings attached, but here they were, soulmates, and very much happily tethered to the other for a lifetime of love.

Finis

Okay, I know a lot of you might be a little disappointed with the final chapter coming from only Daryl's point of view, and while this was their story, the culmination of their relationship was really his. So I thought it fitting that it come from his point of view only with subtle nods to how Beth is feeling about things. I hope you enjoyed this story and I am sorry that it took me so long to finish it but I just could not figure it out.

So I hope that you like the final chapter of Beth and Daryl figuring this out together and I so much appreciate you waiting as long as you did. Hope it was worth the wait (sorry, could not resist that pun). As always, please let me know how you liked this (or didn't). Until next time, xoxoxo

PS- Do not be at all surprised if I visit this universe again in the very near future for Bethyl AU week coming up. I can easily slip back into this verse, it turns out. Thanks again guys!