Back: A Bethyl Survival Story

A Father's Hand

A Father's Hand

Getting inside, I wander to the living room holding Beth's hand. Sitting around the fire place is Bentley, Sarg, Judith, and Taylor. Carol an Tyreese are in the kitchen cooking, and I assume having some sorta filacio. At the sight of Beth, all children run to her. She holds each one of them in one way or another. Looking at Taylor, she seems just like Beth. I can't deny how adorable she is. Bentley breaks away from them and comes over to where I'm leaning against the frame of the hallway.

"Dad, Mom's back for good... right?" He gives me a questioning look.

"I believe so. What do you think of Taylor?"

"She's adorable."

"She's yer new sister." He stares at me blankly and then smiles.

"Really? Mom's?"

"And mine."

"Sweet! I'm gonna go play with Sarg for a while downstairs!" He hugs me then runs down the steps. I head over to Beth who is now holding Taylor and Judy in her arms. I take a seat on the couch and just watch as Beth swings back and forth with both girls in her arms.

"I've missed you so much." Beth kisses Judith's face and lil Asskicker smiles wide.

"Mama, I missed you too." Her sweet voice beckons Taylor's gaze.

Sitting next to me, Judith crawls onto my lap and I plant a kiss on her head. Beth looks at me and scoots closer. Looking up at me, Taylor shyly smiles from a hidden gaze. When I look directly at her she hides her face in Beth's chest.

"Taylor, this is yer daddy." Taylor looks up at me and my heart sinks. Her eyes are Beth's eyes. Her nose is mine and her smile her mothers. I put my arms out shakily and she slowly and unsurely crawls onto my lap. Looking at me she slowly smiles as I do. Out of the corner of my eye, I find Beth near to crying.

"Daddy?" The small girl, who can barely get words out that makes sense, sweetly calls to me as I hug her close. Tears fall from my eyes as I hold this small and fragile life in my arms. Beth gets up and walks away, blubbering like she were Judith.

"Daryl, dinner. Kids all in here, just need you an Beth." Carol pops her head in and I wipe my tears away.

"Thanks, I'll get 'er." I lead Taylor into the dining room and Carol puts her in the high chair we found a few years ago. Heading upstairs, I find Beth standing in our room, staring at our bed, holding her shaking self while trying to stop tears from coming out.

"Where had the time gone, Daryl? It seems only yesterday, this was our room. And Judith was small an Bentley shy and Sarg frisky. Where had all our years gone of happiness and peace?" Her hollow voice cracks like branches off a tree. I wrap my arms around her front and lay my head on her shoulder, flush to her body.

"Time has cut itself short to us all. Beth...where were you?" She turns in my arms and kisses my cheek.

"I was back at that hospital. The one I escaped. I thought yet were dead, but Jep, Axe, and Ben, they made it and well, they took me back to keep me as their... it doesn't matter, Daryl. I'm back here, with you." Pounding questions flood my brain and I can't stop imagining what went on there.

"You can tell me Beth. I need to know they didn't hurt you."

"Daryl, jus drop it... please. I'm safe, Taylor's safe... that's all that should matter."

"Beth, I didn't even know you were pregnant. You really tryin to make me believe that's my daughter when you weren't even around!"

"I don't want to fight God dammit!" Beth pushes me away and storms to the window. She's grown up for sure. Her voice is stern and her face slightly aged. "She's yer daughter! Jus accept that!"

"How can I?"

"Because I tried to tell you before I left! Every time I tried to tell you, something interrupted it! I'm sorry Daryl that it's hard for you to accept that she's yer child, but you can't fuckin blame me for trying to keep everyone safe and leave!"

"Keep everyone safe huh. Yeah good job you did of that. You left! They could've hurt you Beth!"

"They DID!" Silence befalls the room. I stare into her red face that seems tormented and weak. Stepping closer I try to pull her to my arms but she shoves me off, much like I had done to her at the moonshine still. "No. You don't get to touch me. Daryl, What they did to me was far less painful than what they would've done to you and Judith, Bentley...everyone. You'll never understand Daryl! And I don't want you too!"

I let her calm down as she sinks to the bed. Truth is, I don't want to know what they did to her. I don't want to imagine it. I kneel in front of her and rest my hands on her hips. She doesn't look me in the eyes, but down at my hands.

"I went through so much pain... with Taylor. So much pain. Daryl, I didn't think I was gonna make it. The only thing that kept me going, was our baby girl... and you." Her voice is now calm as evening waves slowly pushing their way to the shoreline of a beach. Her eyes glisten with a few tears and I realize, I missed it. I missed our baby girl being born. I missed that magical, but scary moment. And I'd never get that back.

"I wish I could've been there with you. To see our beautiful baby girl being born. I wish I could've held yer hand through it all... I failed you and I'm sorry, Beth." I lay my head in her lap, and she leans forward and lays her head on mine.

"Daryl, you would've been proud of me." She smiles and I look up at her sparkling blue eyes that glimmer with tears of joy.

"I am. I am so very proud of you Beth. My Beth." I kiss her lips and soon lay her on her back. Getting over top of her, I can see and feel excitement in her. I'm already hard and she feels it low in her stomach. We undress quickly and I take no time to waste. Placing my hard member inside her, I can feel her wetness seep around me as she quietly moans in pleasure.

"Mmm, Daryl, be gentle please. I haven't done this in a very long time." Her breathy moan lulls me slowly in and out of her. I keep the pace slow and we build up out orgasms to wondrous levels. I pump a little faster in her as my mouth tends to her breasts that are slightly larger than they used to be... thank you pregnancy and breast feeding.

"Oh! Daryl...." Biting her lip I can feel her peak. "Huhhhh.....mmmrrraa. Daryl...." She pants and I cum also.

"Huh.... oh Beth. Mmmm, baby girl, I love you." We stay like this for a few seconds before I pull out of her. I crash to the side of her and pull her in close. "I love you Beth. I love you forever."

"Daryl, I love you too... but I'm very hungry right now." We both laugh and I sit up, pullin her with me.

"Let's go eat then."

"Okay. We get up and dressed and I open the door.

"Come on Al-tugger."

"What?" She looks at me with confused eyes.

"I don't know, just something Merle used to say when we was kids." We laugh before headin down stairs.

What a beautiful winters day.