This kind of almost serves as an epilogue of sorts. I hope you like it because I write domestic Bethyl fluff and that's exactly what this chapter is. Thank you so much for supporting me through another Daryl x Beth story. I can't thank you all enough.

…

Chapter Twenty-Six.

Beth shuts down her computer for the day and makes sure all of the papers are filed and her desk drawers are locked before she stands up, grabbing the phone that calls into the guard pod within the jail.

"You heading home, Beth?" The guard who answers asks.

"Yep. You have a wonderful weekend," she smiles and she can see the guard through the several panes of glass that separate intake from where the offenders are kept. She gives him a little wave and the guard smiles to her in return.

Making sure she has everything one more time, Beth then slings her purse over her shoulder, grabs her car keys and heads out of the jail, grateful that it is the weekend. Most days at the jail, she can handle with no problem. She's been doing this job long enough now and she doesn't want to call herself some expert at it, but she thinks she's pretty darn good. No two days are alike and that's what she likes about it. But sometimes, the days wear on her. Like today. She had had to handle intake on seven juveniles who had been brought in with handcuffs on their wrists and sometimes, days like this just made her sad and she couldn't wait for when she was able to leave and go home again.

Mondays are usually bad days, too. There is no intake on the weekends so those who are arrested over the next couple of days and nights have to sit in the jail at the police station until Monday. But Beth's not going to think about that right now. She is not going to let her entire weekend be ruined. Mondays come and go and she always gets through them. Right now, she has two free glorious days and she is going to relish in them.

With her own two children in school, Miranda Morales has begun her own small tailoring business from out of her home and she is such a wonderful woman, volunteering to watch Lucy during the days when both Beth and Daryl are at work. Miranda loves having a little child in her house once again now that her children are a bit bigger and Lucy absolutely loves her as well, loving to help: handing her pins carefully from the tomato pin cushion when Miranda asks for one and helping her chalk off measurements on a pair of pants or a dress she is hemming and Beth knows she never has to worry about her daughter during the hours they're apart.

But today, Daryl had called her an hour earlier, telling her that he's already been to the Morales apartment and has picked Lucy up, taking her home. He finished with work for the day – Tyreese deciding that it was too damn hot and he couldn't have any of them passing out from heat exhaustion – so Daryl was going to take Lucy and head home to start dinner.

Beth is more than ready to get home as well, but first, she makes a quick stop to Milton's drugstore and hurries inside, going straight for the aisle she needs. She looks over the choices for a moment, deciding that she doesn't want to buy the cheapest one, but knowing that she doesn't need the most expensive one either. She finally decides on the brand that she had bought when she had thought her to be pregnant with Lucy three years earlier and had needed it confirmed.

Taking the pregnancy test box from the shelf, she makes a quick detour to the snack aisle and grabs a couple York Peppermint Patties before heading to the front counter, where Milton is standing, counting out a customer's change. When it's Beth's turn, he smiles at her and she smiles in return, setting her purchases down.

When Milton scans the pregnancy test, he looks at Beth with a little teasing smile. "Very interesting," he comments.

"Oh, hush," Beth says, but does so with a smile and Milton smiles wider.

As Beth slides the money across the counter, Milton takes a small brown paper bag to put everything inside so no one can see what she's buying. Once he hands her back her change and receipt, Milton gives her another smile.

"You have a great weekend, Beth," he wishes her.

"I hope so," Beth smiles back and then with a wave, she hurries back outside to her car.

Daryl's truck is parked in the driveway of their home and Beth pulls in next to him. The garage door is open, but she doesn't see Daryl and when she gets out of the car, she can hear familiar laughter from the backyard. Sometimes, Beth has these moments, when she pulls into the driveway and looks at their little house. She gets such a wave of disbelief. Is this really her life? Is this really her house where she lives with her husband and daughter?

When she left home three years earlier, she had hoped, but she had never actually thought that things would be as good as they are right now in her life. As perfect.

Instead of going into the backyard first, she climbs the front steps and enters the house. It must really be hot outside because Daryl has actually turned on the air conditioner.

Beth heads up the stairs to hers and Daryl's bedroom. Lemon is lying in the middle of their bed and he lifts his head and gives a lazy flick of his tail when he sees her. Beth smiles and stops to give him a quick rub behind his ear and he gives her an appreciative purr. She then continues on into the small attached bathroom to put the pregnancy test box in the cabinet beneath the sink for the time being. She'll take it later tonight once Lucy is in bed, sleeping.

Leaving the bathroom, Beth goes to the closet to kick off her heels, but she leaves her dress on. With it so hot outside, wearing dresses just feel better. She places the York Peppermint Patties onto the top of her dresser and then heads back downstairs.

Daryl hadn't spared an expense when he, Tyreese and Karen worked on the house's renovation. He asked Beth's opinion on everything and found out the things she wanted in her dream home – even though she told him more than once that she didn't need a claw-foot bathtub in the bathroom or a Dutch backdoor in the kitchen, but he had listened to her only to ignore her and give her exactly those things.

The three had also restored as much of the original woodwork as they could – the dark polished wood all throughout the house now and they had even been able to save the small original stained glass window in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs. It is such a beautiful home. Beth doesn't doubt that it's probably the most beautiful home in Scott, if not in all of Georgia. Daryl had worked months on it, making sure that it was absolutely perfect before he even thought of giving the okay for Beth and Lucy to leave the apartment and move in.

But that's who her husband is. He is protective of both her and their daughter to the point of nearly acting like a crazy person.

Beth heads through the kitchen, seeing that the bottom portion of the back Dutch door is closed, but the top portion is open, allowing the early evening sun to shine through, making a warm square patch on the wood floor and the oven timer is counting down to something.

She follows the laughter outside and stepping onto their back deck, she smiles instantly.

With the heat, Daryl has pulled Lucy's plastic little swimming pool from the garage and filled it with water and has changed her into her pink swimming suit. The two-year-old now splashes around and laughs as she has the time of her life and Daryl stands, watching her closely. He has even put orange floaties on her arms to make sure she doesn't drown in the ten inches of water.

"Mama!" Lucy exclaims the instant she sees her. Daryl lifts his head, too, and smiles when he sees her and Beth smiles at them both, coming down the steps and stepping into the warm grass with her bare feet. "Mama!" Lucy exclaims again as Beth gets closer, slapping the water and kicking her legs before gripping the side of the pool, pulling herself up to her feet.

"Hi, baby girl," Beth smiles, stepping into the pool. The water is a bit warm from being out in the sun, but it is still refreshing, and not caring about her dress, she bends down and hoists Lucy up in her arms. "Did you have a good day today?"

"Good!" Lucy nods her head eagerly and Beth laughs a little, kissing her on the cheek, before returning her down to her feet. She holds onto her hands strongly as Lucy then begins hopping up and down as best as she could in the water, laughing as she splashed.

Beth lifts her head to find Daryl watching them both.

"And how was your day?" She asks him with her smile.

Daryl shrugs. "I was fine. Tyreese was the one who wouldn' stop bitchin' 'bout the heat."

Beth laughs a little at that. "Well, I'm glad he was. I don't need you passing out."

"Dixon men don't pass out," he grumbles with no bite and she laughs again. "And how was your day?" He then asks, his hands moving out when Lucy lets go of Beth's hands and plops down in the water, giggling to herself as she makes a splash.

And even though work had been pretty awful that day, that's not what she's thinking about. She's thinking about the pregnancy test upstairs in the cabinet beneath the sink and she's unable to stop the wide smile from spreading across her face. She hopes she is pregnant – she feels like she is – but if she's not, it will be the perfect opportunity to talk with Daryl about her wanting another baby.

Since they have gotten married, they've actually never had that conversation. He is Lucy's dad in every sense of the word and he loves her more than anything and he's such a fantastic father, but Beth actually doesn't know if he wants another baby. When it had just been her, alone and pregnant and just trying to get through the days, Beth had never even thought of having another baby; just wanting to get through having this one first. But now, with a husband and this life, she doesn't want Lucy to be an only child.

Beth very much wants to have Daryl's babies.

Her smile is enough answer for Daryl and he smiles a little bit in response.

"Good," he says and then glances towards the back door. "Did you see how much time was left on the oven?"

"A few more minutes."

"A'right. You watch this one. I'll go in and set up for dinner," he says and she nods.

He steps to the pool's edge, close to her, and leans in, his hand sliding onto her cheek. She is still smiling as his lips go to hers and he finally gets the chance to kiss her hello. The telephone begins ringing from inside, but Daryl doesn't walk any faster towards the back steps to reach it.

Beth gathers her skirt so it doesn't hang completely in the water as she crouches down, smiling as Lucy scoops her hands around a little bug that has flown into the water and the baby – toddler now – chatters away to it as she then gently deposits it outside of the pool.

She has the thought about fifteen times a day.

Lucy is the best thing she's ever done.

And thank goodness that she looks like her with blonde hair and blue eyes. She had been so nervous that there would be traces of Aiden in her and maybe there will be someday; when she's older and more of her personality will be formed. Maybe there will be mannerisms that will make Beth stop in her tracks because it will be so Aiden, but for now, Beth doesn't worry because there is only one father that Lucy has ever known and hopefully, that is the father that Lucy will take after instead.

"Show me your hands, Dot," Beth smiles and the girl giggles as she holds them out. "You've become a little prune," Beth then says, taking a gentle hold of the girl's wrinkled fingertips and Lucy laughs as Beth kisses them. "Let's get out so we can eat some dinner. You can swim again tomorrow," Beth promises her, standing straight.

Lucy pouts at that, but she takes hold of Beth's hands and Beth helps her to her feet. She then lifts the girl back into her arms and kisses her cheek again. Lucy's pout disappears and she smiles and her fingers begin playing with the delicate chain of the heart pendant that is hanging around from Beth's neck that day.

Inside the kitchen, Daryl is pulling a casserole dish from the oven and he has already set plates out for him and her at the table and has Dot's high chair pulled up as well. Beth puts Lucy down on her feet and gently pulls her orange floaties off her arms.

"My big strong man making dinner for me," Beth teases him with a smile and Daryl just smirks, carrying the dish over to the table, setting it down on the potholder he had put out.

"I was hungry," Daryl replies and she laughs a little at that.

After taking Lucy upstairs and getting her changed and dried off, she stops to get herself and Daryl glasses of water and Daryl swoops Lucy up, the girl laughing in delight, and he kisses her on the cheek as he settles her down in her high chair.

"Who was on the phone?" Beth asks once they are all settled and Beth begins serving the creamy chicken and rice casserole Daryl has thrown together for dinner that evening.

"Lori. Jus' wanted to make sure we're still comin' Sunday," Daryl says.

"She's so silly. Of course we're coming. We can't miss Judith's birthday party," Beth replies.

"Judy!" Lucy exclaims upon hearing her best friend's name.

"Michonne and I have already promised that we'll even be over early to help Lori decorate," Beth says and Daryl smirks a little, shaking his head.

"Girl's turnin' four. Love her, but 's not like 's a national holiday or somethin'," Daryl comments before pushing another forkful of food into his mouth.

Beth looks at him with a raised eyebrow and amused smile. "Oh, really?" She asks. "I'm pretty sure I remember a petting zoo being in our backyard not that long ago…"

"That was different," Daryl says, leaning back in his chair, taking his glass of water with him and it's obvious to Beth that he's trying not to smile. "Dot only turns one once."

Beth just smiles, almost laughing at that, and she shakes her head before leaning in and wiping Lucy's face with the bib hanging around her neck. Daryl is amazing – both as a father and a husband – and she can't wait to tell him about the pregnancy test. He'll be happy. She knows he will be. But still, she can't help, but feel a little nervous about it.

…

Their night is how their nights usually are. They eat dinner and then clean up and then get Lucy ready for bed, giving her a bath and changing her into her pajamas and since it's Friday, she stays up a little later than she normally would. They sit on the couch in the living room – the L-shaped couch Beth had bought from Salvation Army when she first moved here – and they watch a movie. Always Disney and Lucy always falls asleep in the middle of it.

Beth carries her upstairs as Daryl stays behind, turning off lights and locking up the house for the night. When he comes upstairs as well, Beth is already in their bedroom, changing from her dress into her pajamas and Daryl stops into Lucy's room to kiss her goodnight.

"You're actin' weird tonight," Daryl informs her as he steps into their bedroom.

"That's usually my line," Beth laughs. She then turns away from the mirror where she is brushing her hair. "How am I acting weird?"

Daryl shrugs, sitting down on the edge of the bed to pull off his socks. "You're smilin' at yourself like you got some joke you're tellin' on me, but won't tell me what it is."

Beth sets her brush down and then goes to him. She comes to stand between his knees, brushing back some of the hair from his face that is hanging in his eyes, and Daryl lifts his hands to rest on her hips, warm and heavy through her tee-shirt.

"I went to the drugstore after work," she begins, figuring that she should just jump into it without dancing around it. Daryl is so direct and she knows he'll appreciate her being so right now. "And I bought a pregnancy test."

Daryl's hands instantly tighten on her hips. "Are you?" He asks her, staring up at her and Beth is trying to determine whether he's happy about this or possibly petrified.

She shakes her hands. "I haven't taken it yet."

"Well, what the hell are you waitin' for?" Daryl asks. "Get your ass in that bathroom, girl, and pee," he says and gently swats her ass, making her laugh. She leans down and she kisses him before she steps away from him to go do just that, her stomach fluttering and her heart in the base of her throat.

She stops though in the doorway between their bedroom and bathroom and she looks back to him. Daryl looks at her, too, and he stands up from the bed.

"I love you very much, Daryl Dixon," she decides to tell him as if he has any doubt.

"I love you, too, Beth Dixon," he replies without any hesitancy on his part; not that Beth was expecting him to hesitate as if he had to think his response through. He is staring at her intently and he gives her the slightest of smiles – his usual smile – and Beth beams back.

She knows he loves her. She knows now that she never knew what love was before Daryl, but as strange as it sounds, getting pregnant and getting her heart broken were the absolute best things to ever happen to her. It led her here, to Scott, and to Daryl and this is where she was always meant to be.

"Now get your ass in there and pee," Daryl tells her again and again, Beth laughs as she turns, going into the bathroom.

…

The End.

Thank you so much for reading and please take a moment to review one last time!