Wishes- Bethyl One-Shot

Wishes

The moon was full and the stars glittered and shone from above. You couldn't hear the moans of the dead in this secluded part of the forest. Daryl Dixon supposed that was a small victory in the battle that was life. Although he imagined the walkers saying, you've won a battle you haven't won the war.

Suddenly, crashing sounded from the bushes. Frustration threatened to overwhelm him as he readied his crossbow. The one place he thought they could be safe. The one place he thought they could stay in. A lithe figure with bright sea green doe eyes stumbled into the clearing. He sighed in anger

"Damn it Beth! I didn't even notice you were gone!" Daryl felt his heart clench and twist at the thought of almost losing her again. After the hospital when that shot to the head almost took her from him, he had nearly lost it. He didn't ever want to feel that way again. So he glared at her as hard as he could.

However, his harsh words and stern look didn't faze her. "It's all right Daryl. I just went a little farther from the group." Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she grabbed his hand. He tried to ignore the heat that coursed through his veins. "I went away because I found something amazing. And I want to share it with you."

She started pulling him down through the forest. Even though he was ten times stronger than her, he let her pull him through the woods. She finally stopped at a sight that even left him speechless. It was a maple tree surrounded by a pool of water. Fireflies swarmed and glowed around it, making it seem as if stars had fallen to the earth just be there for this moment.

"Do the others know about this?" She looked up at as if he'd just committed a crime. "Of course not!" Suddenly she seemed to realize what she'd just said. "It was meant to be only for you" she said in a softer voice. "It was just meant for us." She looked up at him in earnest. "Let's go sit in the tree." He shook his head. "Don't be crazy Beth. It's surrounded in water. Besides, the others are going to wonder where we are."

"Yeah. They'll wonder where you are." He turned to her, his heart twisting in pain at her bitter words. "Why do you say that?" "No one looked for me when I was with you, no one looked for me when I was taken. Maggie didn't care, no one did. So why would they now?" I cared you idiot! I looked! Why do you think we found you? Some magical fairy didn't do it, I did!

"Come on if you feel like it." She started off towards the tree, putting one foot in the water. He sighed. "I'm not going let you drown if it's deep. I never will." He followed her out into the water. She smiled at him as he walked beside her. They were making good progress until there came to be a pretty deep part and Beth slipped. Before she could fall he caught her by her waist and had her in a dip.

Beth's face turned an adorable shade of crimson. He didn't think that girl could ever get embarrassed. "Are you going help me up or are you gonna keep staring?" Now she had him. She let out a breathy laugh and he knew there was a blush on his face. He pulled her up and they continued their trek. When they arrived at the tree, Beth ran her hands along the trunk.

"It's so smooth. It must have been here for a while in order for the trunk to be like this." She turned to him, her eyes perfectly reflecting the stars. "Are you going to climb it with me?" "Of course." Why did I answer so quickly? Why did I say yes at all? Beth approached the trunk and put her foot in one of the few blemishes in it's base. "We probably shouldn't go far. It doesn't look like there are a lot of places to put your feet."

He nodded and fell in behind her. She settled herself on the lowest bough of the tree. He finished climbing and positioned himself beside of her. She looked up at the sky, and Daryl saw tears glimmering  there. He glanced at her. "Beth. What's wrong?" "I'm fine." "Your crying. That doesn't seem like all right to me." She scoffed. "Since when did you care if I was all right?" That's it. He was sick of it.

"Cut the bull crap Beth! Where did you get it in your head I didn't care?" "Why should you? I'm just another dead girl, remember?" Daryl watched as her breathing became shallow and labored. Her eyes grew wide in panic and she clutched her shirt in her fists. Daryl felt worry overwhelm him. She was having a panic attack. She often had these since coming back from the hospital. Suddenly, he realized no one else but him even knew she had these. Not even Maggie. He felt his heart clench when he realized she was right about one thing: the group didn't care.

Luckily, he did. He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. He moved his hands up and down her back. He whispered gently in her ear. "In. Out. In. Out." She trembled in his grip and sobs racked her fragile body. "No one cares Daryl. Not even Maggie. I wish I was useful. I wish the others loved me." He winced at the utter despair in her voice. "Beth. Look at me."  She turned her watery eyes on his.

"I care. I didn't chase after a car for two days or tear down a hospital for just anyone. I did it for you. You are useful, the group does love you. So wish for something else. Something happy." He couldn't believe those words had just come out of his mouth, and apparently she couldn't either. However, she smiled anyway. "I wish that I had a guitar." He grinned. "I wish there was a McDonald's around."

She wrinkled her nose at him in disgust. "I wish there was a stove around here so I could cook for you so if there was a McDonald's around you wouldn't have to eat there." "I wish you couldn't come up with such good comebacks because I can't respond to them." She smiled. "I wish Daryl Dixon could find his words." "I wish Beth Greene could be happier." She squeezed his hand and it was all he could do not to blush.

"I wish I could be happier too." They were both only looking into each others gaze, a sea green river on an ice blue ocean. "I wish Beth would realize that I care about her." "I wish Daryl  would realize the same thing." "I wish Beth wouldn't think she was useless." "I wish Daryl wouldn't think everything was his fault." "I wish Beth had someone to love." "I wish Daryl had the same thing." "I wish Daryl  could tell Beth he loved her."

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little. "Beth I-"  The words didn't have a chance to leave his mouth. Her lips were on his and he was surprised by her boldness. It took him a minute to get acquainted with this feeling, but once he did it was heaven on earth. Her lips tasted like honey and moonshine and her small breathes made him almost moan in desire. Once he got the feel of it, he pushed back. Their lips moved in a rhythm unknown to anyone but them, their movements a symphony of love and heartbreak.

When they broke away, breathless, Beth smiled. "I think he just did." So that's where Maggie and Rick found them next morning, curled into each others bodies on that tree branch. Maggie was absolutely horrified and Rick couldn't stop laughing. As Daryl helped her down she gripped his hand tightly and wouldn't let go. Beth called the tree the Lovers Wishing tree, because that was where Daryl had told her he loved her for the first time.

Even though there was always a chance of forgetting, they knew that the Lovers Wishing tree  would never fade away.