OK so if you are totally new to what I write, you want to go HERE first, else this makes no sense:

s/7037826/1/Walking-Dead-These-bonds-that-link-us

This is the sixth story I've done on Walking Dead. I've only watched season one and kind of stick more to the comic storyline with some characters thrown in. Obviously I don't own anything to do with Walking Dead.

Matthew

"You should go get a shower."

Matthew half opened his eyes to locate the voice. He didn't want them to know he was awake, least they felt the need to conceal anything from him. It was a waste. He couldn't really see anything of interest. He felt, rather than knew that Daryl sat next to his bed-he could feel his hand on his. He also knew that Georgie was half sat, half slumped in the seat on his right, and to the right of her, Adele was lying in bed, under observation for a concussion. He was pretty sure that he'd been in the room for about two days now, but he couldn't be 100% certain. He didn't know where they were, nor did he really know who the people who ran the place were-apart from Jack and Danny. He liked Danny, an upbeat Londoner, with a bizarre version of British English that made Daryl and Adele squint in confusion. He did have a sneaking suspicion that Danny did make some of it up, to entertain and distract him.

This, however, wasn't Danny. It was a British accent, but it was female. Older, and clipped. The sort of voice that made Matthew instinctively want to stand up straight and do whatever the owner of the voice said. The voice wasn't outright threatening, but there was a definite sense that bad things could happen to people who disobeyed it He felt Daryls hand tighten ever, ever so slightly around his.

"I'm fine." There was a pause, then Daryl added as an afterthought. "Ma'am".

"Iris is fine thank you Mr Dixon," the voice replied in a tone that suggested that it was not. "And you are not fine, the pair of you are beginning to smell most unpleasant. I would suggest you go across to Sayids accommodation, where your friend T-Dog is staying-and incidentally where you would be too- take a quick shower, have some coffee and then come back. It wouldn't take a reasonable person more than 20 minutes. I'm sure you could manage it in 10. I will stay here and talk to Matthew, once his eyes are fully rather than half open."

Matthews eyes shot open and he stared up guiltily. Starting back at him, he saw Daryl and the voice. The voice belonged to an old woman, with short hair and eerie piercing eyes that were almost purple in colour. She stood very straight, both hands resting on a cane in front of her-more for show than for function and everything about her screamed power.

Matthew wished he'd kept his eyes tightly shut.

"Now." The voice-Iris-placed one hand firmly on Daryls shoulder. "We will see you in 10 minutes." She manoeuvred him out of his seat, in a way Matthew had seen old ladies manoeuvred people out of seats on buses, a mix of determination and a presumption that they would not be refused. Daryl was on his feet before he was really aware of what was happening. Somewhat dazed, he made his way to the door, leaving Matthew alone with Iris.

"Now then, Matthew. You and I need to have a chat. And by that I mean I will ask questions and you will answer honestly and fully. Would you care to take a drink before we start."

Obediently, Matthew sat up and reached over for the tumbler of water on the cabinet next to his bed. He briefly considered poking Georgie to wake her up, but didn't feel able to. Iris hadn't said he could. He put the glass to his mouth, and was surprised by how calmly he was able to sip the water down. He sensed some sort of trap, but he didn't know what it was, or how he was supposed to side step it. He tried to think of all the things that Iris might want to know. Who was in charge of their group maybe? Who would want to take over? Suddenly, he knew it. Jacci. Georgie and Jacci had had a fight, and now Jacci was dead, so now she wanted to know Georgies role. Well that was easy. It wasn't Georgies fault at all, it was Jacci. She'd threatened him and attacked Georgie. So that was all he had to say. She couldn't trick him there, because it was the truth. Settling the tumbler back on the cabinet, he turned to face Iris, feeling some sort of calmness.

"Is Mr Dixon your father?" The question stunned him. He looked at the old woman blankly. "What I mean is, do you consider him as a father figure. He is quite clearly not your biological father."

"I…" Matthew tried to make sense of the question.

"Please don't stall Matthew, answer the question."

"Yeah. He's like a dad I guess."

"I see." Iris nodded slowly. She glanced around the room, her eyes briefly resting on Georgie. "He and Georgina are in a relationship are, they not? Quickly please."

"Yeah, they are." Did he imagine the slight frown?

"Does this mean you consider Georgina as a mother figure?"

Matthew felt a swell of embarrassment at the question. It was logical that he should he supposed, but it wasn't like they had lived together in a house like a family. He would happily go to Georgie for advice, but call her mum? He muttered a jumble of words that made no sense even to himself.

"Speak up." Iris didn't sound impatient or angry. She simply wanted an answer.

"I don't know." He hoped Georgie wasn't awake to hear this. "I don't call her mum or anything."

"I didn't ask what you called her, I asked if you considered her a mother figure."

"Yeah. I do I think."

"You think?"

"Fine. She is." Matthew would have shouted, but there was something about Iris that made him think that it would be one of the worst ideas he'd had in a while. He stared at her cane and suddenly was struck with the notion that it actually concealed a sword that she would slice his head off with if he displeased her. Iris nodded again. There was a heavy pause, as she digested this information. Suddenly she spoke again.

"You have siblings? Within this family unit you have created for yourself?"

"Harry. He's my little brother. And Sophia kind of adopted Georgie as her mum."

"I see." Again that nod, that pause. "One more question. Why were you alone in that city?"

Was that the real question she had wanted to know? Suddenly tired and confused, Matthew just wanted Iris to leave and Daryl to come back, or Georgie and Adele to wake up.

"They thought I killed someone. The people who run the other town."

"Could you kill someone? A living person. Are you capable of that?"

Matthew sank down into his bed. "Yeah. I could do that."

"I see." Before Iris could say anymore, Georgie stirred and started to sit up, rubbing her eyes.

"Iris!" Georgie started to stand, pulling at her hair and clothes. "What are you doing here, was I supposed to come back? I thought we'd talked about everything you wanted…"

"Don't worry yourself Georgina. I was just leaving." Iris stood, waving Georgies words aside as if they were no more than flies. "I just wanted to have a chat with Matthew. He's been very cooperative." A confused look crossed Georgies face, and she slowly sat back into the chair. Both she and Matthew watched in silence as Iris almost marched out of the room without another word spoken to either of them. As soon as she was out, Georgie turned to Matthew.

"What did she want to know?" Matthew shook his head.

"Weird things. If Daryl was my dad, if I had brothers and sisters and…" He stopped as it hit him.

"And what?"

"She said "Could you". "Not did you." She asked why I was on my own in the city and I told her that people thought I had murdered someone. And she didn't ask me if I did kill someone, she asked me if I could kill someone." Matthew head started to pound. "Georgie, why would you ask someone that?"