A/N As always, I start with a big thank you to all of you for reading, following, favoring and for the comments.

This is the chapter where we arrive at the third and final verse of the song. Most of you figured it out long ago. For those who haven't, I'll tell all in the closing notes.

Like most people, I'd heard the song hundreds of times but I never thought of using it as a prompt for Bethyl. Then FF and tumblr friend Lotus11 came to me and asked, and after thinking on it for a few weeks, this story came to life.

00

Late summer of that year and the months that followed. The year Daryl turned 21 and Beth turned 19, the year they got married, that's when their new life began.

That year brought changes in such different ways. These changes were all wrapped up in making adjustments and getting into the rhythm of living with another person; and building a life with that other person.

It wasn't like they hadn't lived together in the same house. Daryl had been staying with her and her folks for quite some time, but this didn't feel at all the same. This was just them making their own life in their own home. They'd been so anxious for it to happen. They'd finally be really grown-up and it would be just them, together.

Of course sharing a bed had been a big part of what they'd both wanted. They weren't at all disappointed in the way that was working out. They were young, they were in love, they had a long-established friendship, they had deep trust and a familiarity with each other. That all worked together making those intimate times just as special as they'd always hoped they would be.

But that wasn't the only kind of sharing they did, they were sharing in new and different ways. The simple things. Or what you'd think were the simple things. The "who does what around here and when" things. And the "that really gets on my nerves" things.

What Daryl and Beth had though, that many young couples don't, is a long history of "talking it out" and making a plan. That's just what they had to do when it came to mealtime. It wasn't really Daryl's fault and Beth understood that. He'd been watching Daddy and Mama's relationship for too long.

Daryl just assumed it would be the same with him and Beth. She would cook the meals and serve them to him, and she'd clean up. Beth didn't think so.

She let it go on for a couple of days, she kind of got a kick out of how he just settled into the old-fashioned ways. Then she straightened him out. That third night, as he was enjoying a plate of venison roast, mashed potatoes and green beans, she educated him.

He was shoveling in a big mouthful of mashed potatoes when she took his hand. He looked at her questioningly. He got his answer, "Daryl, you know one of the things I've always enjoyed is watching you eat. You love every bite like it was the first and like the food is the best food you've ever tasted."

He smiled, nodding his head, "It always seems like it is."

"Uh huh. That's very nice. I just want to explain some things to you about that. It doesn't just magically appear you know, someone has to make it appear. It's looking like you expect that person to always be me. And I guess you think I'm the one whose job it is to always clean up. Is that right?"

He stiffened as he stared into her eyes not at all sure what to do or say next. Then it came to him, that realization. "Shit I been actin' like I'm Mister Hershel an you're the Missus, ain't I? I shoulda been actin' more like I'm Merle an you're Karen, huh?"

"You catch on quick Mister Dixon." She wasn't mean, she was smiling. Daryl was Daryl, he wasn't trying to make her do it all, he just needed that reminder.

For him, what got under his skin was something else entirely. Clutter and little messes. It was the clothes casually tossed on the bedroom floor. Water and tea glasses left here and there. But by far the bathroom was the worst. Her "girl stuff" was everywhere. It covered every surface. Curling irons and blow dryers, mascara and face cream left on the counter, along with her comb, her brush, her hair bands and her body lotion. There wasn't a spare spot for him to set the can of shave cream down long enough to shave.

He'd never noticed any of these things before. Then it dawned on him. The Missus kept everything real nice and tidy. She'd been the one cleaning up after Beth. But they weren't living with the Missus anymore.

It was at the end of that first week he finally had to tell her. He started off the easy way, "I love ya Beth."

She smiled, not realizing there was more to it, "I love you too Daryl."

"Ya know what really bugs me though?"

That's when she knew. "What Daryl? What really bugs you?"

"Stuff layin' all over. Ya know, like clothes on the floor, dishes here an there an a bathroom that's harder ta navigate than a minefield. That stuff."

She wanted to laugh. She knew exactly what he was talking about. Mama had been getting after her Beth's entire life. "You're right. I promise to be better and to start picking up after myself."

Those were the little things and they walked through them easily enough.

Then there were the big things they faced together. Things on the farm. Now that Daryl and Beth had made their commitment to life on the farm, and life with each other, Daddy and Mama were turning over more and more of the responsibilities to them.

That first year they learned a lot about the business and planning side of farming. They knew about the labor part. The fencing, the field work, the harvesting and the caring for of the animals. Keeping the equipment and the vehicles running. The gathering of the eggs and the milking of the cows, the tending of the garden. All those things were just a part of life on the farm. Those were all the things they were used to.

There was so much more they didn't know. There was the planning. The trying to guess the weather based on the Farmer's Almanac, the government's long-range weather report and the feel in your gut. When would be the best time to plant? Would it be a wet year or a dry year? Questions arose each year like, should they plant corn? Or would there be a glut in the market this year and prices would be so low there would be no profit?

Then there were the finances. The budgeting, the taxes, capital expenditures and long-range planning. Those were the things that kept a farmer up at night.

Daryl and Beth relished in it though. This was the life they'd chosen and the life they wanted. They were determined to keep the farm successful, just as Daddy and Mama had done.

Even though so many things had changed, other things in their world stayed constant. They still went out with Merle and Karen every Friday night. Sometimes the children were included but not always. On Saturday night's they still sat as close to each other as they could get while they watched a movie with Mister Hershel and the Missus, and enjoyed delicious buttery popcorn. Once every couple of weeks they thought of a reason they needed to go to the library and the video store. They always asked her Daddy to come along and they always stopped for ice cream.

Merle and Karen, Evie and Wes still came every week for Sunday dinner. But there was one thing that changed on Sunday. Daryl now attended church with Beth. He'd just taken the notion one day, if he was her husband he should be doing this with her. He thought the whole thing would be awful but that he could stand it for an hour or so. He found it wasn't bad at all, especially with Beth sitting next to him.

When they weren't working on the farm or visiting, they worked on their home. Like their work on the farm it was mostly a labor of love. Even the messy and tedious parts, like sanding and staining the second-hand furniture they'd purchased. The pay-off for the work was they were truly making it theirs.

When they found an errand needed to be run, a trip to the grocery, or the hardware store, or the feed store, they'd go together. Daryl would pull into that little copse of trees and they'd smile at each other, they'd kiss and maybe his hand would wander inside her t-shirt. They'd smile again and tell one another how much they loved each other, and how they couldn't wait to get back home and finish doing what they'd started there in that little spot.

It wasn't long before Merle's 32nd birthday and Daryl's 22nd, that was the first time Daryl was in-charge of when and what would be planted. Even though the responsibility was huge he was glad it had been given to him. He was honored to be trusted and happy to know everyone, especially Beth, saw him as capable to make this big decision. And that summer, the summer when Daryl was 22 and Beth was 20, their hard work and planning paid off.

The house they'd built together felt complete. It was truly their home. Even the piano he'd been listening to Beth play since he was eight years old was now in their living room. The Missus had told him to please take it. No one else played, Beth should have it. Mama said someday when he and Beth had children Beth would teach them to play.

The thought of having children made Daryl smile. He and Beth had been talking about it lately. They'd take their walks in the evening after supper, strolling hand in hand and talking about the things they were so blessed to have and the things they'd like to have. The idea of children was on their minds and in their hearts, but they would wait a bit longer.

Daryl's first harvest was a success. The peaches came in just when he'd planned. The quality of the crop was topnotch, the market price was already high and his crop drew more. These were premium peaches. The corn and the beans were the same. It was a good year on the farm in so many ways.

Throughout that year when Daryl was 22 and Beth was 20 they continued to learn. They continued to grow into their chosen profession. Daryl even started going to the meetings at the grange hall with Mister Hershel and the other local farmers. He was becoming a respected member of the small farming community.

Beth had been cooking and sewing with her Mama for as long as she could remember. But she had new interest now. She wanted to follow in her Mother's footsteps. Not because she thought it was what was expected of her, but because she knew it would bring her both satisfaction and pleasure.

When she had her own little girl or boy, or maybe both, she wanted to be making their clothes. She wanted to be the Mama that donated the home baked cookies and pies and cakes for the bake sales and school parties. She wanted to be the woman who won blue ribbons for her jams and jellies and baked goods at the fair.

But Beth and Daryl were also still young, and still so in love and they still wanted to spend every minute alone together they possibly could. They still took the bikes out. They still went fishing and tracking and hunting. They still laid out on the grass, not far from their house and they held hands and talked, and they always seemed to end up kissing.

The year had been a successful one on the farm. And so that the spring, when Merle turned 33, Daryl turn 23 and Beth turned 21, Daryl and Beth made two big decisions.

The first was to hire Patrick full time. They'd had him on the farm part time for a few summers now. He'd grown, both physically and in his love of the work. He took the job seriously, he worked hard and efficiently and Daryl didn't see how he could ask for more than that.

The other decision they made was to try for that baby they wanted.

It didn't happen for them right away. In fact, they were starting to worry. They'd expected it to happen the first time they made love unprotected. He thought maybe there was something wrong with him. She thought maybe there was something wrong with her.

There wasn't a thing wrong with either of them, it just took the time that it took.

It happened that fall. Daryl took her to the doctor and nervously paced the waiting room while the doctor examined Beth. The doctor confirmed what they both had hoped so hard was true. They were going to have a baby.

They hurried over to the library and they got every book about pregnancy and babies they could carry. From there they went to the video store and actually found a movie they thought might be of interest. They also managed to find Mister Hershel an old cowboy movie from the 50's they were sure he needed to watch, The Searchers with John Wayne.

From there they headed to the ice cream parlor where they bought eight cartons of ice cream. Two strawberry, one for Beth and one for Evie, double chocolate for Daryl, vanilla for Mister Hershel, cherry chip for the Missus, rocky road for Merle, peaches and cream for Karen and chocolate chip for Wes.

They got home, got the goodies in the freezer and made their plan. They'd invite everyone over for dinner the next night to tell them the happy news. For the moment, they took themselves to bed and celebrated in the best way possible.

They were exhausted, happy and glowing from their lovemaking. Daryl lay on his back, one arm resting across his forehead and the other around Beth's shoulders. Her head lay on his chest and they both smiled while they softly shared all of the hopes and dreams they felt for their baby and what they thought their lives as a Daddy and Mama would be all about.

Beth fried chicken and Daryl made the mashed potatoes. There was corn from the garden that she'd canned that summer, and there was a double chocolate cherry cake to go with all that ice cream tucked away in the freezer.

They'd insisted on everyone staying seated while they served the cake and ice cream. Then they stood at the end of the table. Daryl wrapped an arm around Beth's shoulder and she made their announcement. "We have such happy news. Daryl and I are going to have a baby."

Daryl was sure the room would flood there were so many of those happy tears. Even him and Merle had tears in their eyes. In fact, Merle was the first one on his feet to congratulate the young parents to be. He did that rare thing once more, he grabbed Daryl in a bear hug. "Ah little brother, this is the best. You're gonna be a great Daddy an Beth's gonna be a wonderful Mama."

Beth took real good care of herself, Daryl made sure of that. They'd talked and she promised him no heavy lifting, no nothing that had even the slightest potential of hurting her in any way. She ate all the foods that were good for her, lots of fruits and veggies. She tried to stay away from the ones that were maybe not so good. She took her vitamins and except for a few bouts of morning sickness, the pregnancy went just fine.

They got all the baby things they thought they might need. They picked out a stroller and a car seat, a crib and a changing table. Beth and her Mama made diapers and sleepers and onsies. Ladies from the church made blankets and they knitted booties and caps. It was all so much excitement and it was fun for them. They could hardly wait to meet the little life their love had created.

Merle turned 34 that spring, just two weeks later Daryl turned 24, and just over a week later Beth turned 22. One week after her 22nd birthday Beth went into labor.

Daryl came in from the orchard to have lunch with her. She greeted him at the door, all smiles as she hugged him, "Daryl it started, I'm in labor."

His hands went to her shoulders and he held on tight as he leaned his head back and asked nervously, "Ya sure Beth? This is it?"

"I'm sure Daryl."

He took the time to pull her in for a hug. "Okay, okay, I'ma be calm now Beth. I'ma be there for ya, right there with ya every step a the way. I love ya so much. I love our baby."

"I love you too. You get the bag, I'll call Mama and Daddy and Karen."

They'd only been at the hospital 30 minutes when most of the rest of the Dixon and Greene clans showed up. Evie and Wes were with Carol and Zeke.

Daryl had taken those classes with her. He didn't want to take the stupid things. Shit, he'd watched enough things being born and so had she, they knew how it went. But now that he was in there with her he could see, this was so different. This was Beth and she was in pain.

He understood pain was part of the deal. How can a human being push its way out of your body and pain wouldn't be part of the process? He would have gladly gone through the pain for her. But seeing Beth in pain. It was so damn hard.

But he concentrated on being positive and encouraging. He did what he was supposed to do, he told her when to breath, and asked her not to push quite yet, and he let her damn near squeeze the life right out of his hand, and he didn't complain. He did it while telling her often how much he loved her, and how she'd always been not just the prettiest girl he'd ever known, but the strongest one too.

When their baby was born it was euphoric for both of them. The baby, their baby. A tiny fuzzy headed girl. Their perfect little girl.

He stood by Beth as they watched their perfect little baby get all cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket. The nurse lay the little girl on her Mama's chest and he and Beth smiled at one another. "I love ya, Beth. I love our baby. You're a Mama now."

She smiled that beautiful smile and she told him, "I love you so much Daryl. You're a Daddy now."

He went to the waiting room and he shared the wonderful news with her Mama and Daddy and Merle and Karen. The baby was perfect just like her Mama. Beautiful just like her Mama.

He couldn't stay away from Beth and he'd hurried back to her. It was about 90 minutes after the birth of their baby girl that Daryl noticed it. It was more of something he felt than something he could see. He just knew something was wrong. Something bad, something with Beth.

He told one of the nurses but she didn't seem concerned. Maybe someone else's husband would have accepted that. But this was Daryl and this was Beth and he wasn't taking any chances.

"Nah, ya gotta get the doctor back in her ta look after my wife. Sumthin' ain't right. I'ma raise hell like ya never seen if he ain't back in here in five minutes."

Although the nurse mostly chalked it up to Daryl being a young and nervous new Dad, she did call the doctor in. He and another nurse spoke and the doctor examined the new mother, then he turned to Daryl and he spoke quickly in a stern, no-nonsense voice, "Son, you'll have to leave the room. Your wife, I'm sorry son you're right, she's in distress. I won't mislead you, it's not good. She may not make it. Go now, let us do our job."

He couldn't believe his ears. He was shocked, he was scared, he was emotional and he was angry. "I can't leave her!" He yelled as two orderlies grabbed his arms. One, a big burly redhead told him, "It's better for her if you let em do what they gotta do. You'll just be in the way."

They dragged him through those big double doors and left him in the hallway as they hurried back. He fell to his knees and he did the only thing he knew to do, he begged and he tried to bargain, "Please God, please don't take her from me. Not her, please. Take me instead. Our baby don't need me. Beth don't need me. But I can't make it without her. She's a good girl God, she deserves ta raise her child. Please take me, not her."

The Greenes and the Dixons had come looking for him, wondering why he hadn't come to visit with them again while Beth was moved to her room. As they turned the corner Merle saw him and Merle knew. Something was wrong, bad wrong.

He ran to his brother and he grabbed him under the arms pulling him to his feet. "What is it little brother? Talk ta me now, what is it?"

Daryl collapsed into his brothers' chest, Merle held an arm tight around Daryl's midsection while his big hand went up and cradled the back of Daryl's head, "What's goin' on kid? What happened?"

Everyone listened intently as Daryl choked out the news. Then he looked to Merle, "They made me leave her Merle, it ain't right. She needs me. I need her. I need ta hold her hand, I need ta tell her I love her. I need ta beg her not ta leave me."

The old Merle came out then. The Merle who didn't give a fuck about the rules and the procedures. The Merle that said, "Come with me kid." He had Daryl by the arm as they pushed through those double doors and back to the room where Beth lay dying.

In a voice that seemed to leave no room for argument Merle demanded, "Ya let my brother be with his wife now. Ain't no reason she should go through this alone. He ain't gonna hurt nuthin'. She'll do better with him here."

By the time the words were out of Merle's mouth Daryl was at Beth's side. He was holding her hand in his and his other hand rested on her forehead. His voice was rough and raw with emotion as he whispered, "I'm here Beth. I ain't never gonna leave ya. Please, please don't leave me neither. I need ya girl, our baby needs ya. Please, please don't go."

00

Merle had turned 38 that spring and just two weeks later Daryl turned 28. It was just over two weeks after that and Daryl and Beth's little girl, Eloise was turning four.

He was sitting on the sofa across from her, watching his little girl just like he'd always done with her Mama. She reminded him so much of Beth in her little pink dress and sitting up so straight at the piano. Tiny fingers hitting those keys while she sang along to the tune she played.

He marveled at how much Eloise was like her Mama, and not just in her looks. There was that, the tiny body, the blonde curls and the big blue eyes, the sweetness of her smile. But it was everything. The attitude and the stubbornness, and all the goodness one small body could hold. He still couldn't believe how blessed he was to have this beautiful child in his life. She was so precious to him.

He thought about the day she was born and what had happened after. He didn't know what it was at the time. Later he'd remember they'd read something about it in one of the books. It was called preeclampsia. He still didn't really understand about it. Just that it had to do with a sudden rise in Beth's blood pressure and there had been pain and bleeding, and that day would forever count as both the best and the worst day of his life.

They'd gotten lucky though. One of the other nurses, she'd come from a hospital up North in Boston. She'd seen a case of it there once. She told the doctor what she thought and he'd agreed. They'd immediately started treating Beth with anti-hypertensive drugs and magnesium sulfate.

They hadn't tried to get Daryl away again. His presence did seem to have calmed the young woman. They administered blood platelets and improvement could be seen.

He heard the footsteps then and turned to see his wife. His own smile went wide when he saw her beautiful smile. She was carrying their baby boy, Cade. He had Daryl's darker hair but with a few soft curls. He squirmed to get down, running toward his sister, trying to say her name, "El, El."

Daryl had gone to his wife and she was in his arms. He never missed a chance to hold her. He'd come so close to losing that chance forever.

They'd had their biggest fight over Cade. She'd wanted another child. He'd told her he'd like to have one too, but that he'd rather have her. The risk was too high. She told him since it had happened once the doctors would be monitoring every breath she took. She'd told him he needed to have faith.

Then she smiled and said, "I'm not trying to be a damn pain in your ass Daryl. I think, no I know, it will be good. We'll be good."

He'd let her have her way just like he always did. Their little miracle boy would turn two in just another week.

Everyone came for dinner that night. Eloise was loving the attention and the little gifts. She was being spoiled by her grandparents and her aunt and uncle, and of course her bigger cousins and her little world was perfect.

Beth and Daryl's world was perfect too, just like they'd always planned it would be.

The End

A/N The song is Don't Take the Girl by Tim McGraw. If you've never heard it, and I suppose that's possible, it's on YouTube. It's a funny thing about song prompts, I originally thought I'd write a short three chapter story, one chapter per verse. I guess we see how that worked out. Plans, we talk a lot about plans. I will also tell you I fell in love with the young Daryl and Beth. So many of you told me you hated to see them grow up, I did too. But the good news is, they grew to be good people and they never faltered in their love of one another. Again, I thank Lotus11 for the great prompt, and of course all of you for reading along. I hope you'll leave a comment / review. The final chapter photo is on my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethylmethbrick, please check it out. I still have two open Bethyls, The Package and Christmas, Maybe, and I'll be posting more Bethyl soon. Thank you all, so, so much. Until next time remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee