Happy New Year everyone! So it's been a while, I haven't had much time to write lately. I have decided this will be my last chapter for this story. It will be set a few months after the last chapter. I wanted to wrap it up nicely and I hope it does just that. I'm sorry it won't be longer. I didn't want to force the story to be longer. I have other short stories in mind though so I'll get to those next. I hope everyone enjoyed reading and I appreciate all the love shown. Enjoy!

Beth woke in his arms, the sunlight just beginning to filter into their room.

Their room. It still felt odd being able to call something their own. To have something permanent.

When the group was first recruited to this place, this . . . safe-zone. . . Beth and the others had been suspicious to say the least. They had insisted on being boarded all together, no matter how tight the quarters. Rick had also insisted they be allowed to keep their own weapons.

Both requests had been met with no objections, but everyone had still been on pins and needles about the place. They had been tricked before and did not intend to let that happen again.

Gradually though, they began to get comfortable. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. They all found roles in the mini-society easily enough. Security, cooking, hunting, childcare . . . there was something for everyone.

They even accepted the offer to have individual housing finally.

Rick, Carl, Judith, and Michonne were given a small town home. Carl was ecstatic to have his own personal space again and had already plastered the walls with what posters he could find and littered the floor in comics.

The town home next to them was given to Glenn and Maggie. Maggie had wanted Beth to join them, had offered several times in fact. Beth had kindly declined, instead taking the next town house over with Daryl. She could have her own home but still be close to her family, so it suited her just fine.

Everyone else had ended up in apartments the next street over. It felt strange, not seeing their little family every waking moment anymore. They found ways to make up for it though; they shared every meal together that they could and visited each others new homes often.

It was still odd to Beth, having her own little home. But waking up to Daryl every morning and falling asleep next to him each night comforted and thrilled her. It was a steadiness she had sorely missed and something Daryl had been searching for his entire life.

She looked over at his sleeping form beside her and felt a warm, peaceful feeling wash over her. The way he was sleeping so deeply filled Beth with joy; they had found a place that offered some stability and safety. A place where you could actually sleep through the night without waking in fear. A place with like-minded, good people.

No more running. No more hiding.

The Alexandria Safe-Zone had strong walls enclosing them and more than enough manpower to protect those walls. They weren't even close to short on supplies and had even taken to growing their own produce. They had small school systems in place and the beginnings of a medical clinic. Everyone had a purpose here and everyone had the same goal. To live, actually live, not just survive.

Beth snuggled in closer to Daryl, breathing in his scent. She didn't want to wake him, but couldn't resist the urge to lean in and kiss him. His blue eyes blinked slowly open and he smiled sleepily at her. He smiled a lot more these days, she'd noticed.

"Mornin'," he yawned, stretching out beside her.

"Good morning'." she replied with a smile.

"You been watchin' me sleep?" he grumbled. His voice was still gruff with sleep.

She shrugged playfully. "Maybe."

He grinned and pulled her in snuggly to his chest. She sighed as she rested her head in the crook of his arm, nuzzling her face into his warm side. He slowly traced his fingers up and down her back and she melted into his touch.

"Need to get up soon. Got guard duty today.'

Beth nodded against him. She had to help in the kitchens while he had watch, but the soft bed and Daryl's warm skin under her fingertips begged her to stay a little longer.

"We have time." She murmured.

And for once, since the prison anyways, that was true.