Okay so I'm the worst ever, and I am so sorry for not updating. Life has been a roller coaster the last couple of months with school and everything else. I had part of this chapter written for forever, but it was shit so I had to restart. I planned on updating when the fall semester ended, but I was so busy traveling during holiday I didn't have time. So here I am now, feeling like shit for neglecting this for so long. I am incredibly sorry, and I really hope to be able to update more frequently from now on. If I take too long to update, feel free to annoy the hell out of me. I swear I look at all of your reviews, and every time I get a follow or favourite it makes me very happy, and makes me wanna come back and write more. I'm not gonna drag this self pity rant out forever, so without further ado, enjoy more Bethyl fluff.

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Hey Daryl, can I talk to you for a second?" Rick pulled Daryl aside right after dinner.

"What's up Rick?"

"I was wonderin' if you and Beth wouldn't mind doing me a small favor tonight?"

"What is it?" Daryl questioned him, giving him a suspicious glance.

"Well, I know Beth wouldn't have any objections to this favor, but I figured I better ask you," Rick said nervously.

Daryl was growing impatient with Rick dancing around the question,

"Rick you got about two seconds to tell me what it is ya want, or I'm walkin."

"Alright, alright. Would you mind if Judith stayed with y'all tonight? Uh, Michonne and I would like some alone time….Carl is staying with Noah, and I know Beth wouldn't mind, and it would kinda be like a practice run for y'all."

Daryl didn't know what to say at first, but he realized no way in hell would he be able to say no. If Beth found out he told Rick no, he'd be up shit creek. He was in mid thought about what kind of suffering he'd have to endure if he said no, when a thought struck him.

"You already asked Beth, didn't you?"

Rick tried to look anywhere but Daryl's eyes, but Daryl could read Rick like an open book.

Daryl gave a gruff sigh,

"Well shit. Don't really look like I have much of choice, I either say yes, or the couch and I are gonna be getting very acquainted with each other."

Rick smiled, "Thanks brother. I really appreciate it."

Daryl started to walk away to find Beth, before he turned around and decided to get a little revenge on Rick.

"But, if she wakes up at 3 a.m. and won't stop crying till she gets you, I'm gonna come get yer ass out of bed. She's your kid, so if she has me up, Imma get you up."

Rick gave a nervous laugh at that, knowing that Daryl sure as hell would follow through on his threat.

Beth was talking with Maggie, when she saw Rick pull Daryl aside. She knew exactly what he was gonna talk to Daryl about, and it was hard for her not to laugh. She had stepped away from Daryl after dinner, hoping that if she was away from him for a little while, the soccer player in her stomach would calm down.

"Is Rick asking Daryl, what I think he's asking?" Maggie asked Beth.

Beth gave a sly smile,

"Oh yeah. He's askin' if we'll keep Judith overnight tonight."

Maggie could not help the small chuckle that escaped her then,

"He knows Daryl can't say no. If he says no, you'll get mad."

Beth smiled again, looking at Daryl,

"I'm waitin' on him to figure out that Rick already asked me."

Maggie gave Beth a look of astonishment, which quickly faded into one of pure humor.

"Oh this is gonna be good," Maggie told her, while trying to hold in laughter.

The girls focused all their attention on Rick and Daryl, when Daryl gave a frustrated growl and looked like he might punch something, the girls cracked up with laughter.

"Safe to say he figured it out," Beth got out between bouts of giggles.

"Oh yeah," Maggie barely got out.

About two minutes later Daryl started to make his way towards them, and Beth and Maggie were trying, and failing to stop laughing. Daryl looked far from happy when he got to them,

"You said yes to him, without talkin to me first?"

"You would have said yes no matter what. You can't say no to Judith."

Daryl made to argue, but knew it was pointless, he's hopeless when it comes to saying no to Beth and Judith.

"You could've at least asked me," he sighed.

Beth gave an angelic little smile,

"I'm sorry, next time I'll ask you."

Maggie was still trying to stifle her laughter, she loved how Beth could get Daryl to agree to almost anything to keep her happy.

"Y'all know she's gonna have a meltdown when she realizes Rick ain't there, right?"

Beth gave Maggie her 'no shit Sherlock face,'

"Yes Maggie, I have realized that, but I'm countin' on her stayin' asleep all night."

"And if she doesn't?"

Beth squinted at Maggie,

"I'll come get you."

Maggie's eyes went wide at that,

"Now I don't think that's necessary. You and Daryl will have it all under control."

"Uh huh," Beth fixed her with one last glare.

Daryl had decided to stay out of the sisters' little battle, he learned a long time ago it was best to let them figure things out for themselves. Daryl learned that lesson real quick, Glenn however was still learning. The poor idiot got a pan thrown at his head the other day when he tried to get the girls to stop fighting, he still won't go in the kitchen when both of the girls are in there. Daryl was ready to get home, and he could tell Beth was exhausted.

"You bout ready to go?" he asked her.

Beth looked at Daryl like he was the smartest guy in the world,

"Please. Your spawn has been going crazy all night, and it is time for us to collapse."

Daryl chuckled softly at her,

"Well, lets go get the little princess and head out."

They began to make their way over to Rick, who was now holding a sleeping Judith, which pleased Beth. If she was already asleep when they left, then hopefully they would not have any problems with her once they got home. They quietly approached Rick, not willing to risk waking the sleeping baby.

"Hey man, we're about to head home, blondie here is two seconds from fallin' asleep," Daryl whispered to Rick.

Rick nodded his understanding,

"Her bag and coat are by the door. I'll come get her when I wake up in the mornin', she's been sleepin' in real late recently, so y'all should be good."

Daryl nodded his head, and Rick very carefully placed Judith into Daryl's waiting arms. She didn't seem to stir, and Daryl began a slow mantra in his head hoping that she would not wake till morning. Rick bent over to give Beth a kiss on the cheek goodnight, before walking them to the door. Daryl shifted Judith in his arms so he could grab her bag, while Beth draped her little jacket over her. Rick bid them goodbye, and silently prayed that Judith slept through the night, not wanting a 2 a.m. wake up call from a disgruntled Daryl.

Beth thanked God that the cold had not woken Judith up on the walk home. They quietly tip toed through the house, up to their room, where Daryl carefully laid her down on the bed so Beth could get the baby ready for bed. While Beth was handling Judith, Daryl brought Judith's play pin into their room, they had decided it would be easier to have her close by incase she awoke in the night. By some miracle, Judith didn't wake up, and they were able to lay her down without any problems. Beth silently prayed the little girl would not wake during the night, she was so tired she felt like she could sleep for a month. They quietly moved to the bathroom to get ready for bed,

"I'm shocked she didn't wake up while we were outside," Beth whispered to Daryl.

"Me too," he murmured in reply, "hopefully she stays that way."

Beth nodded in agreement, not wanting to deal with a Judith meltdown over being away from Rick. Everyone was praying for her clingy stage to end, her last come apart had been epic to say the least. As they made their way back to their bed, Beth stopped to make sure Judith was covered well, not wanting her to get cold in the night. Daryl had already collapsed onto the bed, clearly ready to be lost to sleep. Beth crawled in next to him, and he rolled over she could cuddle into his side, as much as her growing stomach would allow her to. Daryl placed his hand on her stomach and was disappointed when he did not feel any kicking, he looked at Beth with a look of confusion. She smiled softly, before answering his silent question,

"Bubba is sleeping," she whispered.

Daryl nodded his understanding, and began to rub small circles on Beth's back. In a matter of minutes, Beth was as lost to sleep as Judith. It took Daryl longer to fall asleep, his mind distracted by thoughts of the future. Eventually, he joined Beth and Judith in the blissful world of sleep.

Daryl awoke to the sound of whimpering, at what he assumed was around two or three a.m.. He untangled himself from Beth, who was still sound asleep, to see Judith looking at him frowning. She was obviously displeased at waking up not in her own home; Daryl knew it was only a matter of seconds before she really lost it. He quickly and quietly got out of bed, and retrieved the unhappy baby. He really was thinking about making good on that threat and going to wake Rick up, but he knew Beth would more than likely not be a fan of that idea, so that idea was quickly thrown out. If Daryl was being honest, he really didn't know what to do to get Judith to go back to sleep, he tried rocking her and rubbing her back, but she just continued to look up at him with tear filled eyes. Suddenly a thought struck Daryl, Judith always fell asleep when Beth sang to her, so maybe she would if he sang to her too. Only problem being, he wasn't sure he knew too many kid friendly songs, but hell, it's not like she would understand everything he was singing right? After a few more seconds of deliberation Daryl decided to not risk singing something that might not be Judith friendly, incase she somehow repeated something. He decided on a song that used to be fairly popular before the world went to shit, a melancholy kind of love song.

"Will you go to sleep if I sing to ya' asskicker?" Daryl whispered to her.

Judith didn't give much of a response she just snuggled her little self closer to Daryl's chest. Daryl took that as a sign of encouragement and began to softly sing,

"You always had an eye for things that glittered
But I was far from being made of gold
I don't know how but I scraped up the money
I just never could quite tell you no

Just like when you were leaving Amarillo
Takin' that new job in Tennessee
And I quit mine so we could be together
I can't forget the way you looked at me

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything that you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'd never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

When you said time was all you really needed
I walked away and let you have your space
'Cause leavin' didn't hurt me near as badly
As the tears I saw rollin' down your face

And yesterday I knew just what you wanted
When you came walkin' up to me with him
So I told you that I was happy for you
And given the chance I'd lie again

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything that you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'd never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile

Just to see you smile
I'd do anything that you wanted me to
When all is said and done
I'd never count the cost
It's worth all that's lost
Just to see you smile."

By the end of the song Judith was out cold again, with her fingers tangled in the tips of Daryl's hair. Daryl carefully pried the baby's small fingers from his hair, before gently placing her back in the play pin. However, Daryl hadn't noticed that Beth had been watching him sing to Judith, with a smile plastered across her face. When he climbed back in bed, Beth rolled over to face him,

"You're gonna be the best dad."

Daryl looked at her startled, having absolutely no idea she'd watched him with Judith,

"Thought you were still asleep."

"I was," she smiled up at him "but I woke up when I heard you start singing. You have a beautiful voice."

Daryl was thankful for the darkness of the room, because he couldn't help the blush that began to appear on his face.

"I ain't that good. Sure as hell ain't as good as you."

Beth laughed softly at him, before yawning and snuggling into his chest,

"Whatever you say Mr. Dixon, but feel free to sing to bubba whenever you want, maybe he'll sleep too."

Before Daryl could even reply, Beth was back under the spell of sleep.

He smiled softly down at the mess of blonde hair on his chest,

"Goodnight blondie," then he placed his hands on her growing stomach, "goodnight bubba."

Soon Daryl joined Beth and Judith in the world of dreams, and he couldn't have been more at peace anywhere else than in that bed with Beth.

Once again I am truly sorry for taking so long to update, until next time I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Also, the song Daryl sings is Just to See You Smile by Tim McGraw.