Chapter Text
Sunday morning and he’s ready to hit the lake for a little fishing, although he’s getting kind of a late start. It was a long Saturday night. He didn't get the bar closed up and the register cleared until almost 4:00am. So for him, 10:00am is feeling plenty early. All his gear is loaded in the boat, it’s hitched to his pickup, and he has just one stop to make before hitting the lake road. That stop will be Betty's Hot Buns and Roasted Coffee.
The bakery isn’t far from his place and he’s in desperate need of an energy boost. What better way to get that than a tall black coffee and some super sugary breakfast pastry? He’ll also be getting a sandwich or two to have out on the lake.
The little bell on the door jingles as he walks in the place, takes a look around the room, and there she is. She’s sitting at one of the dainty little tables eating a muffin and drinking a café au lait and when she looks up their eyes lock. He gets bold. He walks to her table and says, "Deputy Greene, nice ta see ya in the light a day and without your partner."
She feels the big stupid smile on her face when she answers, "Good morning Mr. Dixon."
She’s all he’s been thinking about all night and now’s the time to do something about that. He’s got to step way outside his usual m.o. if he wants to spend some time with her. “Name’s Daryl, just call me Daryl. Ya mind if I keep ya company when I get my coffee?"
Her heart is leaping in her chest but she’s learned how to not let her emotions be heard in her voice, "Okay just Daryl, and when I’m not on duty my name is Beth. Yes, come sit." Is she crazy? Maybe. Does she care? No.
"Can I get ya anythin' else?"
"Thank you for asking, but no I'm fine." She wishes she would have taken a little more time getting ready this morning, but how was she supposed to know the most dangerously handsome man in the Great State of Georgia would be showing up at the bakery?
Shoot, and here she is with barely any make-up, hair in a ponytail, her old denim capris, a tank top and tennies. She isn't exactly dressed to impress. Then she looks over at Daryl Dixon standing at the counter and it makes her smile. He’s in faded jeans, well-worn lace up boots, and a t-shirt bearing the name of some long forgotten punk band. So yeah, neither of them looks much like a fashionista.
He comes back to the table with a cinnamon roll the size of his fist, which is quite sizable, a tall coffee and a white paper sack. He sits down, takes a sip of his coffee and announces, "I ordered ya a sandwich," then takes an enormous bite of the cinnamon roll.
"You ordered me a sandwich?" She’s baffled.
He smiles the sweetest little crooked smile and she could swear his neck is flushed, "Yeah, I was hopin' you'd wanna go out ta the lake with me today for some fishin'. I always take a sandwich with me and I got one for you too. I got water and beer in the cooler, oh yeah, and an extra cap if ya need one. So will ya come?"
She's never been asked out quite like this and she doesn't know whether to laugh at his suggestion, tell him he should go jump in the lake, or do what she really wants to do and say "Sure." He seems sincere, and for the roughest of the toughest, he seems kind of sweet and shy.
"What kind of sandwich?"
His smile gets a little bigger, "One's turkey, one's ham, you pick."
"Well I do like both ham and turkey and I do like fishing, and I'm not 100% certain yet, but think I kind of like you. So yes."
"I'm ahead of ya then, I'm pretty damn sure I like you. It’s obvious, ain’t it? I don't just go around buyin' women sandwiches every day." And he smiles that embarrassed little smile and oh yeah, she’s going fishing.
His pickup looks almost new and it’s really nice, and she’s also discovered the biker is a gentleman. He opens the door for her and holds her elbow while she takes the big step in, then teases, "Don't forget ta fasten your seat belt Deputy." Who knew her favorite biker would have nice manners and a sense of humor?
When they get to the lake he backs the boat down the ramp like he does it every day of his life, no problem. Then he parks the pickup and trailer, gives her a hand getting in the boat and they’re off.
He’s obviously very serious about his fishing, he has the nicest fishing boat she’s ever been on. It’s a very sleek Lund crossover, about 18 feet long with a 75 hp Mercury outboard, pass through window to the bow, a live well, and mounted rod holders. She wasn’t expecting the biker to have such a nice setup. Why wouldn’t he? Was she being judgy?
He has one cooler with the drinks and the sandwiches and another with the bait, and he asks "Ya good ta go girl?"
"I am. This is really nice.” Then she wrinkles her nose and smiles a big sassy smile as she warns him, “I'm looking forward to out-fishing you today Daryl."
"Is that so? Are we wagerin' anythin' on that?"
Uh Oh, is this when he starts the sexual stuff? She tries sounding confident, "That depends, what do you have in mind?"
"If I win ya owe me your time every Sunday for a month, how's that?"
Aw, and what a relief, "Sounds reasonable. And if I win you have to clean the fish and cook me fish for Sunday supper, every Sunday for the next month. How's that?"
He likes the way she thinks, "I see this ain't your first time wagerin' girl. Alright, I ain't scared. I already thought maybe I'd try and entice ya inta havin' fish supper with me later, so yeah now I'm kinda hopin' I lose."
She keeps it up, "I'm pretty sure you will. I have a reputation as the best fisherman in the Greene family, so watch out Biker Boy."
"Yes ma'am Deputy."
They float around the lake for four hours fishing, chatting, teasing and laughing and Beth continues to be more and more impressed with Daryl Dixon. Sure his looks and the muscles are what drew her in at first, but they’re no longer all of it.
Now she sees that underneath all that sexy roughness he’s a very nice, unassuming and thoughtful guy. The truth is, the more she learns about the man he is, the more handsome he becomes. She hadn't thought that was possible.
As much as he was attracted right from the get-go, he was also a little unsure. He wondered if she might be one of those uptight gals who wouldn't give a guy a second thought if he wasn't clean cut and looking like the all-American businessman, or maybe a fellow cop.
He can’t help but wonder if Shane has tried putting the moves on Beth Greene, and just how she felt about it if he did. As much as he’d like to know he won't ask her, any conversation about that should start with her. He knows about Shane Walsh and the kind of guy he is. He was the same way in high school and some things never seem to change. The guy feels the need to mess with every woman he encounters and tell everyone all about his sexual exploits with those women. He’s no class act, that’s for sure.
His favorite part of the fishing trip may have been when she pulled in her second to last fish, the fish that had given her the edge over him. She lifted it right to her lips, gave it a kiss and said, "Thanks for the win little buddy," and then released it back in the water. Daryl lost it, for the first time in a long time he found himself laughing out loud. It was then he knew, Beth Greene was the woman for him.
She ends up kicking his ass in the fishing contest, she's caught two more than him, but they only keep two. Just enough for dinner and release everything else they caught for another day.
They go to his house and she’s pleasantly impressed with the place. He has a real nice little two bedroom bungalow on Tybee Island with décor that doesn't look anything like the biker bar, not at all. It’s open, airy and light with a definite beach feel.
When she expresses her surprise that he would have a beach bungalow he shrugs his shoulders and smiles that cute little sideways grin, "I guess I'm like that song says, I like my toes in the water and my ass in the sand." He chuckles, but adds some truth, “I didn’t wanna live in a place that looked like my work, ya know? Sometimes I need a break from black n chrome.”
He doesn't let her help with the meal, "Nah I'm the loser here and as such, I get the rare treat of cookin' supper for a beautiful woman. I'm proud ta do it for you Beth." He insists she sit on the back deck and relax, and he pours her a glass of beer.
He just keeps impressing her. He’s made a very nice meal of the grilled fish, slaw and some sliced and grilled new potatoes.
"You've spoiled me Daryl and now I’m going to have to make you cook me supper every Sunday for much longer than a month."
He tried so hard to do this right and her words have him grinning, "I'll sign that contract."
She wants to at least do the dishes. "Nope, I got it, but that’s for later. For now, c'mon and sit on the couch with me."
They talk a while longer, but not too long. He’s got other things in mind when he smiles that little smile of his and softly places open hands on her cheeks, asking only, "Okay?"
She doesn’t need an explanation, she’s feeling it too, "Yes, please." The kissing starts and neither seems anxious to ever stop.
Merle, you remember Merle. At night as he’s sitting on the stool by the door he’s busy taking it all in, and he doesn't miss a thing. And let’s be clear. When it comes to his little brother he's protective, like an older brother ought to be.
You know how brotherly relationships are, he's the only one in the world allowed to give his brother heavy shit. Everyone else best back off the boy.
He’s also got a keen sense of people, and back at the bar when Beth first made her appearance with Shane Walsh, Merle saw what was going on right away. He knew that as hard-eyed as Daryl was looking at Walsh, he was still taking in every bit of that pretty little rookie, Deputy Greene.
What really brought it all home was the way little brother was watching as Deputy Greene walked out the door. Daryl’s got a case for the pretty blond.
There’s more to the story though. Much more. When Deputy Walsh and the pretty blonde deputy left, Merle stealthily watched through the window and as they walked down the street to their patrol car he saw that slimy Walsh trying to grab Blondie’s ass, and he saw her quickly jerk away. Now he knows she’s another one of Walsh’s victims. As if that didn’t frost the bouncer enough, the shithead laughed and tried again. Fucking asshole.
Merle was tempted to end it then, but he had other things to consider besides teaching Walsh a lesson. There's a lot of things at play. Merle has watched Walsh every Saturday night for the three years Daryl’s owned the Hawg Trough. He comes in just hoping to start trouble. Merle gets why, Walsh wants Little Brother to throw a punch at him, then he can shut the joint down. Daryl’s way too smart to take the bait.
He's also seen Walsh try to play grab ass with three other young female deputies who didn't seem any more receptive to his moves than Deputy Greene.
So, Merle makes a phone call first thing Monday morning. He knows Daryl's not the kind of man who would trouble his old pal Rick Grimes about his problems with Walsh. All this time Daryl’s just been waiting for Walsh to give up, wear out, find a new hobby.
That’s where Merle’s different. He doesn't mind stirring shit up and especially not now. He knows Daryl’s infatuated and he knows if Little Brother sees Walsh grab the pretty Deputy’s ass all hell’s going to break lose. Daryl will end up in jail and the bar will be lost. That’s not going to happen on Merle’s watch.
Merle’s never snitched on anyone but this shit has to cease. He’d like to beat the holy fuck out of Walsh himself and be done with it, but there’s more than one reason he can’t risk doing that shit any more than Daryl can. Little Brother might get caught in the blow back, but that’s minor compared to what else Merle would be risking. He’s got his own woman and two small children at home to think about. If Daddy goes to jail who takes care of them?
So, he calls the sheriff and makes arrangements and him and Rick have a nice little meet up over breakfast. That’s when Merle tells Grimes everything he knows. These are serious allegations and Rick immediately takes action.
He goes back to the office and calls in every woman who’s worked with Shane Walsh in the past five years. Most are reluctant, embarrassed and caught completely by surprise. But they tell the Sheriff their stories and those stories have Rick becoming more pissed off by the minute, and more and more disappointed with his longtime friend.
Like Daryl, Rick’s known Walsh since high school. He knows how boastful and arrogant the man can be about his female conquests, but he never thought Shane would pull this kind of shit on the job. Add harassing a business owners and it’s beyond serious.
The second step is to get an undercover officer from the other end of the county. He chooses a great big redhead named Abraham Ford. With his enormous fu manchu mustache and beard to match, he looks far more like biker material than a cop. Ford has just "come in" from working undercover for two years on a drug deal and he’s looking forward to a little change of pace.
Rick sets him up with the proper clothes, the wire and the cellphone.
He introduces Abe to Merle because Merle will have to act like they’re old buddies when the cop initially shows up at the bar. That will ensure that Daryl and the rest of the patrons welcome the Deputy and no one gets suspicious.
The plan works like a charm. Saturday night Walsh walks in and the undercover deputy records the verbal harassment. He also gets some good photos of Shane making a grab for Deputy Greene when they leave. Shane’s goose is officially cooked.
He’ given 30 days unpaid suspension, gets busted down in rank and has to take a six-month course in sexual harassment, during his off-duty hours. He will never be assigned another female partner. And he’s on probation for two years. It gets worse for him though, several of those females decide to press charges and two are taking him to civil court.
Rick decides he'll take Beth under his wing, become her new training partner. They have good working rapport and she feels like she’ll learn so much from him. There’s something else too, the Sheriff Rick knows the score.
They stop by the Hawg Trough every night just to say "Hi" to the patrons, and so Beth can spend her break time in the back office with her biker.
Those two are thick. Besides the fishing every Sunday and Daryl cooking fish supper every Sunday night, he’s started taking another night off every week, Monday, which happens to be her other night off.
Every Monday morning they get on his bike and they just ride. She’s developed almost as big a love for it as he has, but not quite as strong as the love that’s developed between them.
They start spending every moment they can together, sneaking time before work, after work, and on the occasional lunch break. Pretty soon she’s all but living in that little bungalow on Tybee Island.
One day she teasingly asks him, "Daryl am I your old lady?"
He laughs, puts his arms around her and kisses her hard, "Nah, I don't care much for that name Beth, not for you. I'd much rather tell folks you're my wife, whaddya think?"
She thinks he’s kidding until she looks him in the eye sees the seriousness in that steel blue stare. This is no joke. She smiles back, answering, "That does have a more pleasant ring to it, and yes, I would love to be Mrs. Dixon."
He holds her more tightly, kisses her more deeply and when he finally comes up for air he can’t help laughing, "I sure as hell never thought I'd fall in love with a cop."
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