A/N I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to read this story. I thank you all.

They'd been home from their honeymoon a month and they were still on a kind of "high" from the great time they'd had.

Daryl

We're definitely settled back into our routine, but it feels different, much different. I've heard people say, "It's only a piece of paper." But that ain't true, that ain't all of it, it feels so much deeper than that. It's a promise we made, ta love, ta honor, ta be there for each other no matter what, always.

Me n Beth, it didn't come easy for us gettin' here, she stumbled, then I stumbled, but now we're firmly rooted. There's no doubt in either of our minds, what we want more than anythin' is to walk through this life together.

I gone so many years livin' a life a routine, but I never did really feel settled, never felt quite like I fit, everythin' was always tinged with that feelin' of loneliness, especially the years Merle was in prison. Now I have Beth, I love her and I know she loves me, we got a great home in a perfect spot, my business just couldn't be goin' better, I finally have that feelin' in my life that it's good, life is good.

My brother Merle, the only family I had for so long, he's finally found him some happiness, some peace. He's got a place he feels like he belongs, a real nice wife and two beautiful little girls. I'm happy for him, and I'm happy for me cuz I got my brother back. Merle may seem like a mean bastard to a lotta folks, but I know Merle, I know I'll always be able ta depend on him, I don't care what he done, Merle's a good man. We don't hardly ever tell each other, but I love Merle n I know he loves me.

So now I'm ready ta just settle into this life, and the good news is my wife Beth, that's just how she feels.

We've thought about maybe makin' the house in the mountains an annual honeymoon trip, we'll see how we feel when it's closer ta the time.

Right now, we're ready ta stay put, get back ta just doin' what we both love ta do, hikin', campin', fishin', huntin', ridin' the bike and ridin' them awesome horses.

We do have a promise ta keep, we need ta visit the ranch, n I already begun makin' those plans for the holiday season. I gave my top accounts the news, I'll be shuttin' down the business for eight days over Christmas. No one seems ta mind the idea, in this line a work that close ta Christmas ain't really the busy season, an I like the idea of my guys n Jacqui gettin' ta spend holiday time with their own families.

Beth

I'd never traveled much until I met Daryl. Gosh, the start of our lives together was on the road. Then there's all the trips we've taken here and there, and the worst of course, the trips to and from Atlanta when Daryl was so badly hurt, so many surgeries, so many follow up visits. We put on a lot of miles, and the pay-off was worth it, I have Daryl back with me whole and healthy.

Now I just feel like I want to be settled into our home. I want us to have time to get back to doing the things we love, the shoot outs, hiking in the woods, the camping and fishing, and of course now we have our horses and we've enjoyed them so much, especially Daryl, he became an accomplished horseman in record time. My husband has such a way with animals

As much fun as we've had in the miles we've traveled, I think we've become homebodies. Home is where we want to be enjoying this life we have together. I don't mind that a bit. I feel like as long as I'm with Daryl my life is always going to be happy and full. If Daryl decided tomorrow he wanted to hit that highway again I'd be right there with him, he's my husband and I love him.

Even though we don't feel much like traveling, I am looking forward to our trip to the ranch, it'll be wonderful to visit my family, for all of us to be together, and I'm so grateful that Daryl wants to go as much as I do, and that he's figuring out all the details, he's always so good with details.

Beth Two Weeks Later

I've been suspecting this ever since about three weeks after we got back from our honeymoon, so today I bought a test. Even though I knew it was true, I still couldn't believe it when I got that plus sign. I can hardly wait to tell Daryl, I think he's going to be surprised and so, so happy.

At least I think he will be. We've talked about having children, but not quite yet. We thought we'd start trying after we'd been married a year. We'd give ourselves a chance to get used to being married before we added anyone else to the family. I feel settled in, I feel ready for this, in fact, I can't wait for this. I hope Daryl will feel the same.

She'd fixed one of his favorites for dinners and made his favorite dessert.

When he walked in that door he smiled and she went right to him. They hugged, had a sweet kiss, and he asked, "Hey Baby, did you have a good day?"

"Yes I did, it was better than good in fact. How about you Daryl, did you have a nice day?" Something seemed odd right there, like she had more to say, but she wasn't ready to say it. He had to watch his thinkin' though; sometimes he just imagined something was wrong when it wasn't. He wasn't as bad as he used to be about always thinking worst case scenario, but still, he had that tendency.

So he just answered, "Yeah, it was good, picked up a real nice contract for a planned community outside Atlanta. It's gonna be upper income level gated housing, so I get ta design n build nice cabinets, not the cheap stuff. I also got a trophy home outside a Savannah, so that'll be interestin'. What smells so dang good, I mean besides you?" He smiled that little half smile that still made her heart leap.

"That's one of your favorites, and I don't think we've had it since the wedding, fried rabbit and I made you the cheesy grits." And now she smiled that smile at him that always made him want more of her.

"Well I best get washed up, I'm a pretty hungry boy n that sounds real good. Oh, should I open wine?"

"You know, I'm not really in the mood right now, but I may change my mind, if you want a glass you definitely should go ahead." Geez, she hoped she didn't sound like she was babbling, but she wasn't ready to tell him until they sat down.

"Ah, nah I'll just grab a beer, that's probably a better pairing with rabbit and cheesy grits anyway." He smiled at his little joke, and she was happy to see him so happy. She wanted this to be good news to him.

He'd enjoyed the rabbit and now he was starting in on the cobbler, they were chatting about the new jobs and the other things that had gone on during the day. She'd told him about the garden and what she'd been able to harvest, and the horses, every day small talk, then she asked him, "Daryl you're such a talented carpenter, I mean a person just has to take a look around here to see that. And everyone just admires your work so much, every time I'm around your guys or the contractors, they're always saying how great you are, so I'm just wondering, have you ever thought of making some baby furniture?" The forkful of peach cobbler was halfway to his mouth when she asked, he froze and looked in her eyes, then he took a deep breath, set that fork down and went to her.

He knelt down in front of her, arms around her waist, "Are you Beth? Are we gonna have a baby?"

She was smiling even bigger than usual, "Yes Daryl, we are, I'm so excited I couldn't wait until you got home so I could tell you!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and they hugged tightly for just a minute before he pulled back enough to kiss her.

"Wow Beth, wow I can't believe this, this is just the most excitin' news, damn." Then he paused and asked, "But how, I always use…" and they both smiled, and together they said, "The Hot Tub."

xxxx

It had been a life-changing year on so many levels, there was no denying that. First had come the trial, sentencing, and subsequent death of his father, certainly it was hard to mourn the man, but never-the-less, it was a major life moment.

It hadn't been too long after that they'd married, and it had been such a wonderful and happy day for them both, and for their families. Lifelong bonds had been formed, not just for Daryl and Beth, but for their families as well.

The honeymoon had been perfect, more than they could have ever hoped for. And the Honeymoon had also brought about a small and wonderful life altering event.

They'd traveled with Merle, Carol and the girls to Wyoming for eight days over Christmas. The Greene's had rolled out the red carpet, but in a fun and casual way. A highlight for Daryl had been a wild snow machine ride in the snow covered mountains, four men, four machines, Merle, Glenn, Shawn and himself. They'd explored, raced, and generally raised hell. He'd been a little nervous when they rode those machines across that ice covered lake, but damn, that had been nothing but a good time.

Daryl loved to see Merle get relaxed and cut lose that way. Like Daryl, he'd never had a childhood so when they got a chance to act like kids, it was a very big deal.

And of course everyone was excited about the baby on the way. Beth's Mom, Maggie and Amy talked about babies non-stop for a week. Maggie was so excited for Beth and Daryl she'd started to talk to Glenn about them having a little Rhee. Glenn hadn't seemed that interested in the idea, but Daryl figured Maggie was just the women who would help him decide he wanted this.

He'd made all the baby furniture and it was a true labor of love. He was grateful to have the ability to do this for his child, for Beth.

And now here they were in this hospital delivery room, he and his beautiful wife. He admired how she'd said she was doing this all natural, nothing to ease the pain at all. Hell, he didn't think he'd have the balls to do that.

She'd been in labor for what seemed to him like a helluva long damn time, almost 12 hours. He was tired of seeing her in pain, wanted her to have some relief from it. She kept reassuring him she could do this, and the reward would be the baby they'd soon have. He wouldn't have thought he could love her any more than he did, but when he saw the grace and joy she managed to have while going through this, he knew she was the toughest cowgirl God ever made, and he knew there was no end to the love he was capable of feeling for her.

And then the moment arrived, the doctor told her to push, push, and he arrived, their precious little boy.

They'd chosen a name for him based on what they'd lived together, it had been a true journey, not always smooth, but in the end far more than worth the trip, they named him Miles Dixon.

The End

A/N I hope you enjoyed the journey. I appreciate you all so much for your support of this story, and for your encouragement along the way. I hope you'll consider reading my newest Bethyl fic, Deep Blue Funk, as well as my other Daryl and Beth stories. I have one shots and more multi chapter stories to come. Thank you again, I'd appreciate you leaving a review, xo