Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead. I also have no claim on any pop culture references that I may use throughout my writings. I only own my OCs. Enjoy the read.
0o0o0
~104 ~ 3454
Today was the day. It was the day that Daryl and Isabell would take off and leave the group to be on their own again. Daryl would probably want to find Merle.
Isabell decided that she would be okay with that. Whether she liked it or not, Merle was family. Family doesn't get left behind. Even if they leave you behind. Twice.
Daryl would make Isabell move past all the hate. He couldn't stand the conflict between her and Merle. Most of the time, though, Daryl was the reason behind the fights between Isabell and Merle.
Merle always believed that Isabell was 'turning his brother into a pussy'. At least, that's how he always put it.
That wasn't Isabell's doing, though. Daryl was hard, on the outside for sure, but his soft side was hardly ever out around others. The little gestures like kissing her forehead and rubbing his thumb along her shoulder were just about the only thing that he would do to show affection when people were around. Isabell didn't like the PDA much either, but part of her always wanted that feeling that someone gets when they are kissed in the middle of a crowd.
Isabell woke slowly, turning over in Daryl's bed, uncovering her arm from over her eyes. The tent was empty for Daryl was missing. The tent opening was zipped up. This, no doubt, was a flimsy form of protection from the dead ones.
Daryl was probably checking out her sleep station now and then to be sure that she wasn't attacked.
Isabell saw her bow leaned against the other side of the tent. She got up to grab it and put it around her body, but seeing the state her shirt was in, she stopped. The sight almost made Isabell lose what little food was in her stomach. The shirt was caked in blood and dirt. Isabell looked around for Daryl's pack to find another shirt. After grabbing the bag, she dug through it, looking for her shirt. Thankfully, one of Isabell's old flannels was still in there. She traded that one out for the one that she was wearing, leaving the undershirt that was still ripped from her leg wound.
It was hard for Isabell to believe that she'd only received that injury yesterday. It was such a long day between her finding Merle, almost dying, and being kidnapped. Yesterday had been too taxing on everyone. Being in the group seemed to make it harder on Isabell because all of their emotions and sadness were rubbing off onto her She didn't know these people, not even their names, and she had cried herself to sleep over them. Isabell could only assume that it was the kids that had done her in. Children shouldn't be in this kid of world. In the end, they probably wouldn't make it.
After wrapping her bow around her body, Isabell left the tent, She stood by it with a good view of Daryl dragging a body with the help of a Hispanic man.
Glenn walked over to the two of the men. "What are you guys doing?" Glenn asked them. "This pile is for geeks. Our people go over there." The kid pointed towards another pile.
Daryl shrugged as best he could as he dragged the body. "What's the difference? They're all infected."
Glenn was at his breaking point since last night and Daryl's arguing had only made it worse. This group was Glenn's family. They were all he had left. "Our people go in that row over there." Glenn stressed, his voice cracking near the end of his sentence. "We don't burn them! We bury them. Understand?!"
Daryl looked past Glenn and his eyes found Isabell's
Isabell nodded, telling him that he should comply with Glenn's request.
Daryl groaned and rolled his eyes, but moved in the opposite direction, towards the pile Glenn had pointed to. Daryl removed his hands from the decomposing body and walked away.
Isabell could tell by the look on his face that he was going to have an outburst.
"You reap what you sow." Daryl cursed.
The man who was helping Daryl stood straight. "You know what? Shut up, man."
"Y'all left my brother for dead! You had this comin'!" Daryl shouted, walking over to Isabell.
Isabell shook her head at him. "Daryl…" She warned.
Daryl glared back at her. "What?"
Isabell shrugged. "Your fights aren't needed. These people are goin' through enough without you screamin' at 'em."
Daryl scoffed at her. "Iz, don' talk to me like I'm some stupid kid."
"I wouldn't have ta if you would stop actin' like one." Isabell hissed. "Everyone knows you're upset about Merle. They are upset about losing most of their camp."
"I thought you hated all this. The groups."
"That doesn't mean that I don't know what they're goin' through." Isabell argued. "You, of all people, should know. I've lost loved ones, too, and you told me to fight through it."
Daryl shook his head at her talk.
"You've already moved on from Merle. Look at how easily it was for you to leave the city and come here."
"I thought Merle was here!" Daryl said angrily, stepping close to Isabell to get in her face.
"But he's not!" Isabell said just as harshly, standing her ground. "I'm sorry 'bout that." Isabell took a breath to even out her emotions. "I am sorry he's not here. But if I know that stupid son of a bitch, he's still alive out there."
Daryl let out a long frustrated sigh to calm himself and smirked. "Y'know it's kinda sexy when you stand up ta me."
Isabell rolled her eyes and pushed him away from her. "Don't do that, Daryl." She said, walking towards the main camp.
"A walker got him."
Isabell paused, hearing the voice of the black woman who was stepping away from the man who talked about the holes last night.
"A walker bit Jim."
Everyone gathered around the slender man.
Daryl stepped in front of Isabell, picking up a pickaxe.
Jim became very panicked saying over and over that he was fine.
"Show it to us." Daryl demanded, clenching the axe tightly in his hand.
Jim tried to run away, scared. When he didn't submit to Daryl's wishes, the redneck repeated himself.
Jim picked up a shovel from nearby, probably planning to use it as his defense weapon.
Shane noticed his move and tried to calm him. "Easy, Jim."
Daryl didn't want to go easy on Jim though. He continued to advance on him. "Grab him." He said.
"Jim, put the shovel down." Shane said, gently. "Put it down."
T-Dog snuck up behind Jim, grabbing both of his arms, making him drop the tool.
"I'm okay." Jim insisted, repeating himself, trying to convince the group. Sure, Jim was okay now, but give him a few hours. He'd be trying to chomp down on one of the group.
Daryl stepped towards Jim to lift up his shirt and get a glimpse of the bite. There was a giant mark, close to his side, but Jim still seemed convinced that he was okay. Daryl and T-Dog backed away from Jim, joining the group. Daryl moved to Isabell's side, pulling her away from the dying man.
Jim stayed sat by the RV while everyone gathered in a circle a little ways away.
Isabell looked to Rick. "What are we gonna do about him?" She asked.
"I say," Daryl started, "we put a pickaxe in his head. And the dead girl's. Just be done with it."
Shane looked up from under the visor of his sheriff's cap. "Is that what you'd want, if it were you?"
Daryl nodded. "Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it."
Isabell shot him a look, even though she remembered the deal that she made with the Dixon brothers when shit hit the fan.
"I hate to say it." An older man spoke up, coming from the RV. "I never thought I would, but maybe Daryl's right."
Isabell could sense that the man spoke with reluctance. It made her think that Daryl's group didn't think very highly of him.
"Jim's not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog." Rick said irately.
Dale shook his head. "I wasn't suggesting — "
"He's sick." Rick insisted. "A sick man. We start down that road, where do we draw the line?"
Rick's wife tried so shush him.
"The line's pretty clear." Daryl said. "Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be." He said, sending a glare in Jim's direction.
"Daryl's right." Isabell shared. "If he and I are gonna stick around, I've gotta be sure String Bean, o'er there, isn't gonna attack us while we sleep."
Daryl looked to Isabell, shocked at her statement about the two of them staying.
"He's not gonna attack anyone." Shane said, looking to Isabell. "Who the hell are you anyway?"
"I'm part of the reason you have those guns from last night." Isabell pointed out, glaring at the deputy.
"Shane, this is Isabell. She's with Daryl." Rick explained. He glanced to Jim, feeling sorry for the man. "What if we can help him? I heard the CDC was working on a cure."
"I heard that, too." Shane said doubtfully. "Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell."
"What if the CDC is still up and running?"
"What if it's not?" Isabell challenged Rick's question.
"Man, that is a stretch right there." Shane shook his head. He removed his hat and rubbed a hand through his hair.
"Why?" Rick asked. "If there is any government left, any structure at all, they'd protect the CDC at all costs, wouldn't they?" He guessed. "I think it's our best shot. Shelter, protection."
Isabell looked over at Daryl to see that he was biting his lip, looking rather antsy. She put a hand on his arm, but he wouldn't calm. Isabell let out a long sigh, knowing where his brain was and that there was no way that she could stop him now.
"Okay, Rick, you want all those things, alright?" Shane said. "I do, too, okay? Now if they do exist, they're at the army base. Fort Benning."
"That is a hundred miles in the opposite direction." Rick's wife pointed out.
"That is right." Shane agreed. "But it's away from the hot zone. Now, listen to me If that place is operational, it'll be heavily armed. We'd be safe there."
"The military were on the front lines of this thing." Rick explained. "They were the first to be overrun. We've all seen that. The CDC is our best choice and Jim's only chance."
Daryl looked to Isabell for a moment, weighing the options in front of him. He looked back at Jim with a devious look in his eyes.
Isabell caught Daryl's sight, and she shook her head at him. "Daryl, don't." Isabell warned.
Daryl shook his head. "You go lookin' for aspirin. Do what you need to do. I gotta take care o' my own." Daryl turned to Jim, tightening his grip around the pickaxe in his hands. "Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!" He readied himself, pulling the tool back over his shoulder to swing at Jim's head.
"Daryl!" Isabell shouted, trying to stop him.
"Hey!" Rick screamed at Daryl. He cocked his Colt, pointing it at the back of Daryl's head.
Shane moved between Daryl and Jim to protect the bitten man.
Isabell took in the scene, seeing that with the pull of the trigger Daryl could be dead. "Whoa, Rick!" She ran over, pushing Rick away from Daryl and stepping between the two men. "Rick, c'mon! He's just tryin' ta protect me!" Isabell argued. "And the group. Your family is a part of that!" Isabell was shaking as she begged for Rick to lower his gun.
Daryl hadn't let go of the axe and Rick hadn't lowered his weapon either.
Then suddenly, Isabell's own words gave her an idea. "Your family. Do you remember how devastated you were when you woke up and thought they were gone?"
Rick's eyes darted to Isabell, but his gun stayed in its position, poised at Daryl's head.
"Daryl is my family. My only family." Isabell's eyes began to water. "Please, Rick. Don't take him from me." She pleaded. "I just got him back."
Rick looked to her, then back at Daryl.
Daryl turned around, facing Rick, and lowered his axe.
"We don't kill the living." Rick stressed.
"That's funny." Daryl scoffed. "Comin' from the man who just put a gun to my head."
Shane shook his head. "Y'know, Rick and I, we may disagree on some things." Shane admitted. "But not this. You put it down." He urged. "Go on."
Daryl groaned and slammed the axe into the ground before walking away from the two cops.
Isabell put a hand on Rick's lower arm after he had lowered his gun. "Thank you. I'm so sorry."
Rick nodded at her apology. "I know he's angry."
"He'll get over it." Isabell shrugged, then following after Daryl. "Daryl!" She whispered, but the man didn't stop. "Daryl, c'mon. I gotta talk to ya." Isabell jogged to catch up to him and caught Daryl's arm with her hand.
Daryl pulled angrily out of her grasp, stopping at his tent.
"Daryl, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"His stupid ass is gonna get us killed." Daryl grumbled.
"I've been trying to tell you that this whole time, but you can't just kill a man. Jim is still human, D."
"He won't be for long. And like you said, Jimbo could turn at any second and when he bites you — " Daryl stopped himself. He had a pained look on his face.
Isabell shook her head, speaking in a softer voice. "I'm not gonna get bit." She promised. "The people here will keep a close eye on him. We'll get him when he turns."
"We?" Daryl finally questioned. "I thought you didn't wanna stay. What all that back there? We gonna stay now?"
Isabell shrugged. "The group's not as big anymore. It's weaker. They're gonna need all the help they can get." Isabell had other reasons. She wanted to protect the kids. Isabell knew that their parents were here, but Rick's wife and the woman with short hair didn't look capable of defending themselves, let alone their kids.
Daryl stood in front of Isabell, biting his lip.
"So, we're stayin'." Isabell stated. "And I know that you're angry about Merle, but don't take it out on them. Yell at me if ya need to. I can handle your shit. I'm the one who let him walk out of the room."
For a moment, Daryl broke down his barrier and grabbed Isabell's hand.
Isabell was confused and tried to pull away.
This only made Daryl hold on tighter and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her neck in a hug. "We'll find Merle. If you can make it, he can." Daryl said hoarsely in her ear. "I'm just glad I gotcha back."
Isabell couldn't completely agree with him. They weren't back together, but they had each other. Isabell squeezed him back anyway. She was glad that Daryl was alive. Isabell had missed him.
In a minute, Daryl's body went rigid.
Isabell knew to pull away. While she wasn't happy about it, she complied.
Daryl cleared his throat. "Got some work ta do."
Isabell nodded as she watched Daryl walk away. She sighed, wishing that he wouldn't close her off so quickly. Even though Isabell didn't want anything to happen between them romantically, she still wanted the comfort. Getting away from her thoughts, Isabell decided to follow Daryl. She needed to help out around the camp if she was going to stay.
Daryl and Isabell went over to the area where they had piled up the dead people that were part of the group. They needed to be sure that their people wouldn't turn. Daryl grabbed his axe from earlier and Isabell started to line up the bodies. He brought the axe down on a few heads.
The woman with short hair walked over to watch the two work. She started to stare down at one body in particular and Isabell had taken notice.
"He yours?" Isabell asked.
The woman added. "My husband. Ed."
"I'm sorry." Isabell wavered back and forth on her feet.
"It's funny. I'm not."
Isabell looked at her, confused. She didn't want to push the woman on it though. Isabell didn't know either of them and judging wouldn't do much. "I'm Isabell."
"Carol." She nodded.
Isabell's eyes wandered to the children who sat at a camping table, working in workbooks. Her eyes glazed over at the little girl with shoulder-length hair. Isabell remembered Carol hugging her the night before.
"My daughter, Sophia." Carol informed. "She's twelve."
Isabell was scared for the little girl growing up in this world. "She's beautiful." Isabell said with a smile.
Carol turned back to Isabell, very surprised at the words she heard. "Thank you." She said, meaningfully.
Isabell nodded.
"Izzy." Daryl called.
Isabell turned her head towards him questioningly.
"Got one more." He said, gesturing to Ed's body at their feet.
Isabell looked to Carol.
Carol seemed to stare long and hard at her husband's body, debating in her head. "I'll do it." She said, holding out a hand for Daryl's axe. "He's my husband. I should do it."
Daryl nodded and handed Carol the tool.
Carol was getting emotional. She put the axe over her shoulder, struggling a little.
Isabell couldn't help but watch her. The pain was written clearly on Carol's face. Or was that relief?
Carol was crying, so she was sad about it. She took a deep breath and threw the axe down onto her husband's head.
Figuring that Carol was done, Isabell moved to help her dig the tool from Ed's head.
However, Carol picked up the axe again and threw it back down. The woman kept slamming it down on him. The only to explain this behavior was that Carol and Ed weren't exactly the happiest of married couples.
Isabell looked to Daryl, noticing that he was watching with Carol with a knowing look.
Daryl knew what she was feeling.
Isabell took in a short sharp breath, realizing that Carol had been abused by Ed.
Carol started to slow her violent acts and began to cry harder.
Isabell went over to the woman and put an arm around her shoulders, taking the axe and handing it back to Daryl. "Carol, why don't you go take the kids down by the water? Daryl and I will handle this from here." Isabell said comfortingly.
Carol nodded. She needed to get away from this situation. "Thank you."
Isabell smiled as Carol left to join her daughter. She turned back to Daryl. "I don't know whether to feel relieved or sorry for her."
Daryl shrugged. "I'm gettin' the truck. We gotta load 'em up, take 'em to the hill." Daryl went in the direction of his own truck and a minute later, had it backed up.
Isabell stood on the bed, pulling the bodies that were handed to her into it.
Daryl helped her to jump out through the side of the truck. "How's yer leg?" He asked.
Isabell shrugged. "Stitches popped last night while we were joggin', but it can hold off. I'm fine."
"No, ya ain't, Iz." Daryl insisted. "You gotta stitch it up again."
"And I will. When we're done here." Isabell gestured around her. "No sense in stitchin' it if they'll only pop out again."
Daryl thought for a moment. "Alright." He said, climbing into his truck.
Isabell sighed and got into the passenger seat. The two drove in silence to the area where Rick and Shane were waiting, holes already dug. Rick and Shane were also arguing.
Daryl and Isabell hopped out of the truck and the two stopped fighting. Daryl spoke up. "I still think it's a mistake. Not burnin' these bodies." Daryl shared. "It's what we said we'd do, right? Burn 'em all, wasn't that the idea?"
"At first." Shane agreed.
"So, Chinaman gets all emotional, says it's not the right thing to do, and we just follow him along?" Daryl questioned angrily.
Isabell quietly told him to calm down. "Rick these people need to know who's in charge. They need to know the rules." Isabell enforced.
"There are no rules." Rick responded.
"Well, that's a problem." Rick's wife said, taking Isabell's side. "We haven't had one minute to hold onto anything of our old selves. We need time to mourn, and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do."