Whatever Happened To Normal?

Chapter 18:

After their moment in the kitchen, Daryl had taken Emily back to bed where they drifted off. His dreams were filled with her and for the first time ever, he felt relaxed and safe. She too, had a pleasant sleep being wrapped in his arms. Her whole body was wrapped up in him and it made them both sleep wonderfully.

Stirring in his arms, Beth lays her head on his chest and her hand plays with his goatee. When his eyes open, he involuntarily smiles- that has never happened- not having to think about smiling I mean.

"Mhmm, hi." He says and kisses her head.

"Hi..." She blushes and hides her face. It's too adorable for her own good.

"Well then. I guess you don't want another kiss." Daryl says and she looks at him quickly and her eyes plead. He chuckles before kissing her lips and placing a hand on her lower back. Turning on their sides, they begin to slowly make out and both feel infinate. His hand travels south and touches her rear- when she flinches and hides her face. "Sorry...."

She brings her face out of hiding and sniffs back tears and tries like hell not to look like a loser. Pulling her closer, he kisses the top of her head and just massages her back.

"Daryl...why was it okay to be with Michone who was pregnant but not me?" It bothers her that he wouldn't be with her cause of their baby but he was with Michone and hers. Swallowing, he feels trapped.

"I'm a jerk...I wanted to make Rick jealous because I knew it was his kid and..."

"And what?" She kind of angrily asks.

"And I just wanted you back because maybe I was jealous a little bit."

"Maybe?"

"Alright I was. Angrily so. I wanted you- I still want you. I feel so strongly about you that seeing you with Rick at Carl's party...it drove me insane." Laying his head flat against the pillow, Daryl stares up at the ceiling and takes everything in- finally speaking the truth. "I was starting to be happy when I gave up on Rick and we slept together. I stopped caring about him sleeping with other women- but I didn't like the idea of him sleeping with you. Rick can have who ever he wants because he's such a kind hearted guy. Guys like me...well, I'm just lucky if I have a friend."

"Daryl, when I first saw you on that couch, I knew you were the kind of guy I wanted. You were rough and unrefined- you didn't care how you acted or spoke, but you were in your own way caring. You made me feel challanged and I fought hard to gain an audience with you. I only went with Rick because I knew he was the loyal dad who would do anything to take care of the baby- I didn't do it for me or to smite you. I did it for our baby..." She begins to get upset and Daryl just holds her close. This pain will always harbor inside them, but with the help of each other maybe, just maybe, they could over come it just enough to find happiness.

"I gotcha..."

****

It was a hard week for them both. Daryl never left her side and she fought hard to try and over come her pain. Rick called every day to see how she was and Daryl told him the same everytime- she is doing just fine.

Now Rick felt terrible and responsible for what happened to Beth. His own mind was stiff and boarded off in his own kind of depression. He lost that baby too. True it wasn't his and he was decieved, but he still loved it. Hell, he started loving Beth. But now he had his own problems- Michone. Michone wanted nothing from him as she stated that night Beth left to find Daryl. She told him she was ready to be a single mom and that Rick didn't have to pretend to want to be responsible for the kid. He told her that he was prepared to be a new dad again because of Beth- which didn't really fair well in his offer. Michone's stubborness was once more a tactiful movement to get what she ultimately wanted- a family.

After years of being in an abusive relationship with a man, Michone finally made the effort to cut all ties with him- renduring her lonely and bitter. When she met Rick, he was the steryotypical white cop in her eyes- clean cut, by the book kind of cop, but when they first had dinner together- she saw him more for what he was, a laid back, kindhearted, handsome man.

She never meant to get pregnant by him or even date him, being tied down was not a thing she was willing to do again, but the longer she thought about it and with the opportunity presenting itself- she took a chance to figure out just what it was about Rick that made him so irresistable.

Now she found it. Seeing him with his kids the day after everything happened with Daryl- she found him completely enticing. The way he played with them- took them for walks, taught them morals and was just present- was enough for her to allow herself to give into his request of taking care of her. None of the guys she dated prior to Rick were willing to do what he does for his kids every mome t of every day. It's a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

The only this is, is she feels terrible for Beth.

She swooped in and stole him right from underneath her. Beth was so sweet and kind to her that taking Rick away from her seems tragic, but at the same time Daryl had no problem taking over for Rick. Daryl. That was another mystery man to her. He sot her out and took care of her for no reason, well now she knows. She knew the second she watched him, watch Beth that he was already taken and invested in her. The way he took care of her when they got back told her that he was and would never be her for his heart already belonged to the beautiful blonde.

Sometimes the easiest people to love are the ones you know you can let go of easily, but that also makes them the hardest.