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.
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~106 ~ 3583
The light shone brightly through the now darkened night from inside the building. Isabell couldn't believe it. Granted, this is what she wanted, but she still couldn't believe it. The door had actually opened. Yelling at whatever hermits were locked inside had actually worked. Never again would Isabell doubt the power of a few choice words to those who need it. No one could ever resist children, nor could they live with the fact that they were about to send them out into a dangerous world.
The group moved forward quickly into the building. Rick showed that he was relieved that the door had opened.
Shane seemed bitter. The deputy hadn't gotten his way, and of course, Rick's plan had actually fallen through. Shane shouted out orders to the group while Rick and Isabell walked forward in awe. "Daryl, you cover the back."
Rick walked through the building, Isabell on his tail. "Hello?" Rick called. "Hello!?"
"Close those doors." Shane dictated. "Watch for walkers."
Everyone gathered around each other in what seemed to be the building's lobby. The group seemed to be a big shock to everyone that they had let their guard down, lowering their weapons. The inside of the building was huge. Very white. Very clean. Even the lobby seemed like it could be their home for a few days. That fact made Isabell feel comfortable letting the kids wander a short distance.
Rick looked around and called out again before the cocking of a gun was heard. Everyone's weapons quickly went up once again.
There was a tall, blond man that came out from a back hallway. "Anybody infected?" The man shouted.
Rick answered. "One of our group was." He paused. "He didn't make it."
Isabell sighed, rolling her eyes at Rick's comment. "In simpler terms, no."
Shane shot a glare in Isabell's direction.
Isabell shrugged her shoulders, trying to find Daryl. Why does he hate me so much?
"Why are you here?" The man asked. "What do you want?"
"A chance." Rick suggested, lowering his weapon a bit.
"That's asking for an awful lot these days." The man pointed out.
"I know."
The man took a look around the room, looking individually at each one of the group members.
Isabell looked to the children who had on their best puppy dog faces for the man. She smirked to herself, thinking what evil geniuses that they were.
No one said anything for a moment, unsure of what was going to happen next.
The guy seemed to be thinking about what he was going to do with all of them. "You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."
Rick nodded. "We can do that."
The man lowered his weapon and pointed to the door. "You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes, it stays closed."
Lori and Isabell stayed inside the building with the children while everyone else ran out to their cars to retrieve their belongings. Isabell was fine staying in the safety of the building. She didn't have but whatever was in Daryl's backpack, so they wouldn't need much out of the truck. Isabell was also able to keep an eye on Sophia since she had the little girl's hands wrapped around her lower arm. Isabell kept her close and away from the stranger, waiting for the others to come back inside.
T-Dog and Dale closed the doors to the building after the last person straggled in.
The man pushed a button on a panel next to the door and spoke into it. "VI, seal the main entrance." He ordered. "Kill the power up here." The protective metal shutters slowly closed and locked themselves into place.
Isabell let out a sigh of relief, instantly feeling that much safer. When she saw Rick walk over to the man, Isabell leaned down to Sophia, telling her to go with her mom. She moved over to Daryl and attached herself to his side.
Rick held out his hand for the man to shake. "Rick Grimes."
The man looked down at Rick's hand, but he didn't shake it. "Doctor Edwin Jenner."
! #$# !
The group took a single elevator ride down what felt like a few floors. Isabell stood in between Daryl and Carol with Sophia in front of her. Even though they were safe, Sophia looked afraid as she clung tightly to the doll that Morales' daughter had given her.
Isabell elbowed Daryl in the side when she noticed that he was sending Jenner hard, angry glares.
Daryl shook her off and decided to make a smart ass comment. "Doctors always go around packin' heat like that?" He asked.
Isabell rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. She lowered her voice. "Could ya keep yer mouth shut for a second. The man took us in, and he didn't have to."
Jenner shook his head. "He's just fine. Curious, is all." He directed his attention to Daryl. "There were plenty left just lying around. I took it upon myself to get familiarized." Jenner looked around at the group again.
Isabell got defensive and his wandering eyes and grabbed onto Sophia's shoulder, pulling the girl into her and Carol.
"But you look harmless enough. Except you." Jenner said, looking down at Carl. "I'll have to keep my eye on you."
Carl smiled shyly up at the man.
Jenner didn't seem dangerous, but that didn't mean Isabell was going to lighten her grip on the girl in front of her.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Jenner left out first, everyone else following shortly after.
Daryl and Isabell took up the back on the line with Sophia and Carol directly in front of them.
"Are we underground?" Carol asked.
Isabell had just assumed they were. They had entered the first floor and went down in the elevator.
"Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked her, turning to catch a glimpse of her.
"A little." Carol admitted.
Isabell took a large step to catch up to the woman and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Just try not to think about it, okay? We're safe."
Carol nodded. The group reached the end of the hallway and it opened up to a big circular room with desk areas. Each desk had some sort of computers on them.
"VI, bring up the lights in the big room." Jenner said aloud. The lights turned on in a quick circle around the computers. Jenner stopped walking. He took a look around the room before turning his head halfway towards the group. "Welcome to Zone Five." Jenner said, continuing to walk down the ramp to the middle of the room.
Rick led the group, following Jenner. "Where is everybody?" Rick asked, getting the courage to bring up with everyone was wondering. "The other doctors? The staff?"
Jenner got to the center of the room and stopped, turning around completely to address the group. "I'm it." He said, simply.
Isabell stopped at the bottom of the slope the second that the doctor's comment reached her ears.
"It's just me." Jenner admitted solemnly.
Rick looked down in defeat, hardly believing the man's words.
"What about the person you were speaking with?" Lori asked curiously. Her head tilted up to look at Jenner. "VI?"
Jenner nodded. "VI, say hello to our guests." He ordered. "Tell them, welcome."
"Hello, guests." A female voice sounded. Only it wasn't actually a voice. It was a computer. "Welcome."
Isabell let out an angry sigh. "VI isn't a person. It's a computer."
"I'm all that's left." Jenner informed with a nod.
Isabell was angry and in complete disbelief. She looked to Daryl, confusion written on his face. What Isabell also saw was that Daryl didn't look too surprised. It was almost like he might have already known that Jenner was the last one. From the look of the area surrounding the building, it was obvious that there was no one else. There were a few of the dead that were wearing doctor's coats.
"I'm sorry." Jenner said before he headed towards another room.
The group was expected to follow him, but with the shock of what they had just heard, it took them a minute to catch on and get going.
Isabell quickly joined Daryl's side. "D'ya really think we should be hangin' around this jackhole."
Daryl nodded his head up towards Rick. "Don't got much of a choice. Boss is makin' the decisions around here."
"Just seems weird to me. You?" She questioned, wondering if he thought the same.
Daryl shrugged.
Isabell nodded, realizing she should have known better. There was no way she'd get more than that. Isabell forced herself through the group in order to be the first one to have her blood taken. She wasn't all that fond of needles, and she wanted to get it over with. Isabell sat in the chair across from Doctor Jenner, letting him take the blood from her arm.
Daryl had his blood taken after her with Isabell standing over his shoulder.
Isabell kept herself attached to Daryl as they stood against the wall, waiting for Jenner to take blood from the rest of the group.
Andrea had her blood taken last with Jacqui standing behind her for comfort. "What's the point." Andrea asked. "If we were infected, we'd all be running a fever."
"I've already broken every rule in the book letting you in here." The doctor said. "Let me just, at least, be thorough." Jenner said before taking the syringe out of Andrea's arm and telling her that she was done.
Andrea stood up from the chair and got a little dizzy. She almost tripped before Jacqui caught her arm, pulling her back up.
"Are you okay?" Jenner asked.
"She hasn't eaten in days." Jacque told him. "None of us have."
Honestly, Isabell had forgotten that she hasn't had much to eat in the past day or so. She was hungry most of the time and it just started to feel normal. Isabell had ignored the hunger pains. However, as soon as she was in front of a table that was full of food, she didn't hesitate to enjoy it. Isabell also noticed that there was a small stock of booze available, and she grabbed a bottle for her and Daryl.
Everyone gathered around a big table, plates of food in front of them. Wine glasses and other drinks were available to them as well.
Dale was going on about children drinking wine, and he tried to persuade Lori to let Carl have a little.
Isabell laughed at the sight of the family, still going through their 'firsts'.
Carl took a small sip of the drink and scrunched his face up. He didn't like the wine at all.
"Stick to soda pop, there, but." Shane said plainly.
"Not you, Glenn." Daryl joked, pushing himself off of the counter he was leaning on to refill a few drinks around the table.
"What?" Glenn asked innocently.
"Keep drinking, little man. I wanna see how red your face can get." Daryl said, making the group laugh.
Isabell laughed quietly. She bumped Daryl with her shoulder.
Daryl looked to her with a full-blown smile on his face.
Isabell couldn't recall the last time that she'd seen him this happy.
Rick stood from his spot at the table to toast to Jenner.
Shane, of course, was the killjoy of the group and decided that it was the perfect time to ask Jenner some serious questions that no one wanted to know the answer to at the time.
Jenner informed the group that he was the last one left because many chose to run away or, as he had said it, opted out.
Isabell thought about what he'd said. About how many of the doctors had opted out or trying to survive. Isabell couldn't say that she hadn't thought about it, especially when she was alone. Isabell knew Daryl wouldn't like know that she'd thought about it.
Jenner was the only doctor at the time to try to keep it going and try to find a cure.
Only Isabell knew that there was no way that one man would figure out all that was going on.
! #$# !
After dinner, Jenner led the group down a small hallway with a handful of doors on each side. "Most of the facility has been powered down. Including housing, so you'll have to make due here." Jenner said, gesturing to the rooms on the sides. "The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage, if you like. There's a rec room down the hall that I think you kids might enjoy." Jenner said. He stopped and leaned down to the children's level. "Just don't plug in the video games, okay? Or anything that draws power." Jenner stood up, addressing the adults. "The same apples. If you shower, go easy on the hot water." He pointed to the adults before leaving down the rest of the hallway, leaving the group to their business.
Isabell tilted her head up to look at Daryl, a grin plastered on her face. "Hot water?" She sighed. "That sounds nice."
Daryl shrugged, choosing a room that was across from Carol and Sophia. He knew that Isabell would want to be close to the pair.
Isabell went up to Carol before she and her daughter disappeared into their room. "Carol?"
Carol turned and smiled at Isabell.
"If you need anythin', let us know." Isabell insisted. "Okay?"
Carol nodded. She looked to her daughter and then took another step towards Isabell, speaking quietly. "I don't understand why you're being so kind to me and Sophia, but I'm sure you'll tell me eventually. Thank you." Carol said earnestly.
Isabell tried to smile at the woman. "I gotta soft spot for kids. If you have the kind of childhood that I did, you try to hope for the best for other kids."
"You really think that any of this is any better?" Carol asked in regard to the dead coming back to life.
Isabell sighed. "Maybe not yet, but I'm sure we'll get there." Isabell faked a smile. "Before you know it, she'll be sixteen, and she'll get asked to homecoming by a boy she likes." Isabell looked down at Sophia. It was hard for her to see how young she was, living in this world. Isabell had to believe that it could get better. "I'll see you guys later." Isabell assured them before retreating to the room Daryl had chosen.
Isabell entered the room and saw that Daryl was shedding his shirt and heading to the bathroom. She quickly closed the door, knowing that he wouldn't want the others to see the scars on his back. Isabell smirked as she followed after him into the bathroom. She quickly hopped past him to jump onto the countered sink to sit on it. Isabell grabbed the bottle of alcohol Daryl had. She took a large swig from it and set it on the counter behind her. Isabell smiled up at him.
Daryl looked at her like she was crazy. "What?"
Isabell smiled and shrugged. "Just happy. No one's gotta keep watch tonight. My stomach isn't constantly groaning." She shook her head and tapped Daryl's leg with her toe. "We have a bed, D." Isabell furrowed her brow, thinking for a second. "Well, a couch. But we've had worse, even before the outbreak. But still, it's nice. Not havin' to worry 'bout what's going to happen for a while."
Daryl gave Isabell a look, biting the inside of his cheek. "Don't let yer guard down, Iz."
"Yes, sit." Isabell joked, faking a salute.
Daryl shook his head and scoffed. "Whachu doin' that for?"
"You're treatin' me like I'm some sorta soldier." Isabell pouted. "I'm your friend, D." Isabell held out her hand for Daryl to grab.
Daryl didn't take her hand, but he moved to stand in front of her. "And sometimes you're a child." He slurred.
Isabell laughed at him. "You're drunk."
"I 'member you likin' me when I was drunk." Daryl said. He took another step forward. Daryl put his hands on her knees and pushed her legs apart, so he could stand in between her thighs.
"Sometimes." Isabell stressed. "You were a lot easier to take advantage of. You let go when you drank and it was more fun." Isabell teased. If she was sober, Isabell probably wouldn't have ever let this happen. The alcohol she'd been drinking was clouding her brain. Isabell was in a safe place, drinking until she couldn't see straight, and she threw her morals straight out the window.
"How 'bout now?" Daryl asked quietly. "Ya gon take advantage of me now?" He smirked at Isabell, leaning his face in, touching his nose to hers.
Isabell shrugged, sliding her hands up his arms and down his chest. "I was actually thinkin' about takin' a shower." She pushed him out of her way to get the water going. "You can join me. If you want." Isabell smiled mischievously and stripped in front of Daryl. She entered the shower, moaning against the feel of the warm water against her skin. Isabell ran her hands through her hair, making sure to get it all wet. "D, you gotta get in here." Isabell begged.
In a moment, Daryl pushed the shower door open and joined Isabell under the steady stream of water. Without warning, Daryl grabbed Isabell and pushed her against the shower wall, holding her there at her waist. His mouth went straight to her neck, leaving soft kisses all the way up to her ear. "Only I'm supposed ta make you moan like that." Daryl whispered huskily in her ear.
Isabell whimpered when he bit down on her earlobe. "Well, go on then." She urged. Isabell pushed Daryl away slightly and looked him directly in the eye. "Make me moan."
! #$# !
Seventeen Years Earlier….
Isabell sat down on a rock in the middle of the woods. She remembered this boulder as the one that she and Daryl sat down on the same day that she found out what his father was doing to him.
Daryl had never shared with her why his father beat him that day.
Isabell figured that Daryl didn't want to talk about it. In all honesty, she had figured that he hadn't done anything. Daryl's father was probably just mad about Merle leaving and decided to take it out on the only other person there.
This day that was Isabell's seventeenth birthday, she was waiting for Daryl. The two had planned to celebrate the special day at her house.
Isabell's mom was either already passed out on the couch, or not even home. Often times, the woman would spend weekends with any random guy while his wife was away.
Daryl straggled through the trees and arrived at the spot directly between their two houses.
Isabell smiled and stood when she saw him. She ran to him, jumping into his arm with her legs wrapped around his waist.
Daryl smiled big and held onto her, digging his fingers into Isabell's skin. He let her down and kissed her hard on the mouth. "Happy birthday, Izzy." He mumbled.
"Mmm, thank you." Isabell said before kissing him again. She backed away before things could go any father right there in the forest. Being in the middle of the woods had never stopped them before, but tonight was different. Isabell wanted to enjoy being with Daryl before she slept with him. "Did you get it?" Isabell asked.
Daryl nodded. He pulled out a bottle from inside his jacket. It was something that he stole from his father's booze stash. Daryl's father would never even know that it went missing.
Isabell smiled. "C'mon. Let's go."
Daryl wrapped an arm around Isabell's shoulders and the two walked quietly back to Isabell's house. Isabell's mom wasn't home, so the two went straight to her bedroom and put in a movie that they had no intention of watching.
Halfway through the bottle and a movie and a half later, Isabell and Daryl were on the floor, paying more attention to each other than they were to the movie.
Daryl's hands roamed her body while hers ran through his hair. He slowed to a stop, something coming to his mind. Daryl held himself above her on his elbows. He stared at her for a minute.
Isabell looked up at him questioningly. There was a small smile on her face and her head had tilted slightly to the side. "What?" Isabell asked.
Daryl shrugged to the best of his ability and pursed his lips. "I love ya."
Isabell furrowed her brow. "What?"
"I love ya."
Isabell looked away from him and shook her head. Her hands moved to his chest and pushed him off of her.
"What?" Daryl asked. "I thought that's where we were. Innit that what happens?"
"It is, D. I just — That's what happens in the movies." Isabell said, gesturing her hand to the TV. She let out a sigh. "I guess I'm just surprised. I don't really expect that from you." Isabell admitted.
Daryl narrowed his eyes at her.
"You and I…. We're just foolin' around. We don't need the sappy relationship crap." Isabell insisted. "We're friends, Daryl. We comfort each other." She nodded. "That's enough for me." All while Isabell was saying this, she knew that she was being completely honest with him.
Little did she know, Daryl was being honest with her.