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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~205 ~ 3819
It had taken a long while for Daryl to calm Isabell down. Even still, he couldn't get her to stop believing that everything that has happened was all her fault.
Isabell knew everything was her fault. She put herself in charge of Sophia and the little girl got lost in the woods. When Carl wanted to go with Shane and Rick to continue looking for Sophia, Isabell's irresponsibility continued to show when the boy got shot under Isabell's watch. She wouldn't ever forgive herself if Carl never made it off that bed.
The five of them in the group had made it the rest of the way to camp safely. Isabell trudged along, keeping to the back of the group, not wanting to explain her outburst.
Every few minutes, Daryl, who led the group, looked behind him to make sure Isabell was still in his sights.
When they came through the trees, Dale noticed their lack of a full group and instantly questioned it. "Where are the others?" He called.
Glenn climbed over the guardrail first and answered the man's question. "There was an accident. Carl was shot." The young man said, out of breath from the hike.
"Shot?" Dale questioned, not believing it. "What do you mean shot?"
"I don't know, Dale." Glenn responded, shaking his head. "I wasn't there." He said, turning to eye Isabell.
The blonde ignored Dale's questioning gaze and walked away from the group.
Glenn sighed. "All I know is this chick rode out of nowhere like Zorro on a horse, dropped off Izzy, and took Lori."
Dale's eyes instantly shot to Daryl, who was trying to climb over the metal barrier. "You let her?"
"Climb down outta my asshole, man. Iz came from wherever the hell they were with Zorro. Lori only took her place." Daryl said, ignoring any other questions and rushing after Isabell. "Iz!" He called after her.
Isabell didn't stop walking away from her friend. She didn't know where she was going, but she was angry and didn't want to be around the group for her outburst.
"Izzy!"
The blonde didn't even slow her pace to let Daryl catch up to her.
"Dammit! Talk ta me!" Daryl insisted.
"I can't, Daryl." Isabell shouted. "I need to break something."
"So do it." Daryl said, gesturing to a nearby car.
"I can't without makin' too much noise. There ain't nothin' on this goddamn highway that's the least bit quiet!"
"Yeah, includin' you."
Isabell scoffed at him, continuing her trek away from the group.
Daryl looked around, noticing that she couldn't break something without making a lot of noise. He put his crossbow on the ground. "Punch me." Daryl said simply, holding his arms out to the side.
"What?" Isabell paused, turning to look at him.
"You heard me." Daryl contended. "Punch me. Let yer anger out, 'cause seein' red ain't gon help nothin'."
"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? I'm not gonna hit you, Daryl." Isabell promised, recalling the last time she'd attempted to hit him back at the CDC. She faced one of the cars nearby and decided she would dig through it to find more supplies.
"Okay." Daryl said, taking a couple steps towards her. He reached down by her side, grabbing all the arrows that were in the small bag against her hip. Quickly, Daryl backed away from her, holding the arrows in his hand behind his back.
Isabell pushed herself out of the car and looked to Daryl. "Give those back." Isabell ordered, letting go of the suitcase she found.
"Can't do that." Daryl shook his head.
"You asshole." Isabell scoffed. "Give me back my arrows."
"Hell, no."
Isabell walked towards him, trying to reach for the bundle in his hand. Unfortunately for her, Daryl was a head taller than her and was able to hold the arrows above his head, so she couldn't reach them. "Daryl, give them back!" Isabell shouted, stepping away from her. "You know I fuckin' hate this game yer playin'."
"I know." He said with a smirk.
"Fuck you!" Isabell said, shoving Daryl back.
Daryl laughed quietly at her struggle.
"I fuckin' hate you." Isabell said, pushing Daryl again, this time with her fists.
Daryl stood his ground with his feet firmly planted on the road. His grip was wound tightly around the few arrows that he had.
Isabell kept throwing punches at him. The more she had, the more Daryl laughed, which just pissed her off even more. Isabell was struggling to keep her breath even as her fists continued to fly at his chest.
"That's right! Get mad!" Daryl encouraged.
Isabell stood closer to him, beating him on his chest with the sides of her fists. She managed to push him back against a car behind him.
Eventually, Daryl's back hit the passenger door of a broken down Honda Civic, but Isabell kept on hitting him. Daryl stood there, taking the blows, knowing that she needed this release.
After a while, Isabell's hits had slowed down. She was tiring out. Isabell's fists stopped heading in his direction. Instead, she hunched over, leaning on him. Isabell's forehead was against his chest.
Daryl lowered his arm and stuffed the arrows back into Isabell's small bag.
"Asshole." Isabell breathed, angling her bag away from him. She sighed, moving away from him and turning back towards the group. Isabell stopped for a moment, not looking to Daryl. "Thanks." She said, quietly.
Daryl nodded and picked up his crossbow, following her back to the rest of the group. The group was gathered around discussing what they should do. Were they going to stay on the highway, or would they take the trip back to the Greene farm?
"I won't do it." Carol cried. "We can't just leave."
"The group is split." Dale explained. "We're scattered, and we're weak."
"What if she comes back, and we're not here?" Carol asked, looking around to the others. "It could happen."
"If Sophia found her way back, and we were gone, that would be just awful." Andrea agreed.
"We wouldn't 'just leave'." Isabell insisted. "We'd leave things for her. Find a way to leave a sign."
"We'll make a plan then." Daryl said, stepping forward to have a more prominent place in the group. "I say, tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull up stakes. Give us a chance to rig a big sign, leave her some supplies."
"We'll check back every day for her," Isabell promised Carol, making eye contact with her. "But it's too dangerous bein' out here on the highway. We're like walkin' targets."
"I'll hold here tonight." Daryl reasoned. "Stay with the RV."
Isabell looked to Daryl. "I'm not goin' if you aren't."
"And if the RV is staying, I am, too." Dale said.
Carol nodded and looked to each of them. "Thank you."
Daryl nodded to her and looked over at Andrea, asking what she was doing.
"I'm in." Andrea said, raising her hand, not seeing another option.
Glenn spoke next. "Well, if you're all staying then I'm — "
"Not you, Glenn." Dale insisted quickly. "You're going. Take Carol's Cherokee."
Glenn scoffed. "Me?" He asked, pointing to himself. "Why is it always me?"
"You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people, and see what's going on. But most important, you have to get T-Dog there." Dale warned, pointing in the direction that T-Dog sat a little ways away from them. "This is not an option. That cut has gone from bad to worse. He has a very serious blood infection."
Isabell looked up at Daryl as Dale continued to talk.
Daryl caught her eye and then behind him at his brother's motorcycle, debating on what to do.
Isabell elbowed Daryl's arm, gaining his attention again. She nodded at him, telling him to share his supplies.
Daryl sighed and walked around Isabell to get to the bike. The group had turned to watch Daryl's movements. Daryl removed a dirty towel from his bike and then began to dig through his bag. He pulled out a Ziploc bag, handing the bag to Isabell and throwing the rag at Dale. "Keep yer oily rags of my brother's motorcycle." Daryl ordered.
Isabell put a hand on his lower arm, giving him a small signal to calm himself. She turned around to use the car behind her as a table. "You shouldn't have waited so long to say somethin'. We've had this bag since the beginnin'." Isabell started to dig through the bag. "Crystal. X. Yeah, that won't help. We've got painkillers. That might help T and Carl." She picked out a pill bottle and tossed it to Glenn before turning towards Daryl. "What's that stuff that Merle used for his, uh….problem?"
Daryl shrugged. "Doxy-somethin'."
"Oh, right." Isabell dug around the bag a bit more before she found the bottle they needed. "Doxycycline." She said, handing the bottle to Dale. "It's the good stuff."
Dale furrowed his brow, looking from the bottle in his hand to Isabell. "How did you get this stuff?" He questioned.
Daryl scoffed a laughed, before taking the bag from Isabell's hands. "Merle got the clap on occasion."
Isabell shot Daryl a look and turned back to Dale. "Hope that it helps until we can get T to the doc."
Dale nodded. "Thanks." He said, before rushing off to T-Dog's side.
Isabell followed Daryl towards his bike as he packed the drug bag back into his saddle bag. "You couldn't have left that part about Merle out?" She asked.
"Well, it's the truth, ain't it?" Daryl shrugged.
"These people spent weeks with Merle. Who knows who could have come in contact with him…. Now they find out he had an STD?" Isabell questioned rhetorically. "That'd freak anybody out."
Daryl huffed stopping to look at Isabell, straight on. "Look, you can hit me again. You can yell at me 'cause yer frustrated 'bout them kids. But don't start up some fight 'cause you don't wanna talk 'bout what's really goin' on with ya."
Isabell stared at him for a moment. She didn't want to talk to him knowing he wasn't that sensitive when it came to these emotional subjects. "I'm gonna climb up." Isabell said, pointing towards the RV's ladder. "Keep watch. Make sure the coast is clear."
Daryl nodded at Isabell, wishing that she would talk to him about what was going on through her head. He didn't like it much when Isabell got quiet. It always meant that something was wrong with her.
Isabell stayed on top of the RV, seemingly working on her tan, until it got dark. She left Dale to take over. After climbing down the ladder, Isabell went inside the RV. She sat at the table with her legs sprawled out on one bench and her eyes closed, trying to sleep.
Andrea had taken to the other side of the table, loading and unloading Daryl's gun, trying to get a handle on it.
Daryl laid on the floor, trying to get some sleep. He was having a hard time thought with Andrea being so active with the clip and Carol in the back, blubbering because she didn't have her child with her. Daryl sat up from the floor, looking to each of the women, staring at Carol and then Isabell the longest. He wasn't getting any sleep tonight. Daryl pushed himself off of the floor and stood in front of the table, reaching for his crossbow and wrapping it around his body.
Isabell eyes fluttered open at the sound. "D, what's going on?" She asked.
Daryl looked to Andrea. "Ima need my clip now."
Andrea looked to him and then handed the gun piece over.
"Daryl?" Isabell questioned, still waiting for his response.
"Ima walk the road." Daryl answered the blonde, finally. "Look for the girl."
Isabell started to push herself out of the seat, waking herself. "I'll come with you." She declared, looking around for her shoulder bag of arrows.
"No, you stay here." Daryl put a hand over hers on the tabletop. "Get some more sleep. Maybe try an' help her get there." He looked back at Carol and nodded.
Isabell sighed. "I'll try. Be careful." She leaned back against the wall of the RV, watching as Daryl tucked his gun into the waistband of his jeans and left. Isabell looked over at Andrea, noticing that she was just as restless as the rest of them were. "You know, you should try sleepin', too."
"Not gonna happen." Andrea said boredly, wishing Daryl hadn't left with his gun as it had been giving her something to do.
Isabell sighed. "Alright." She stood up. Isabell's eyes shot up because Andrea was also getting out of her seat. She shrugged it off when Andrea didn't acknowledge her and walked out of the camper. Isabell walked towards the back to try to talk to Carol. She looked to the older woman and announced her presence. "Hey, Carol." Isabell said softly. "Can I sit?" She asked, gesturing to the empty space by Carol's legs.
Carol nodded, her back to Isabell, moving her legs closer to the wall so Isabell could have more space. She looked back out the window and searched the line of trees in front of her.
Isabell sighed. "You know, I know you don't know Daryl much." She said, gaining Carol's attention. "All you know of him is when he was with Merle. And around Merle…. Daryl's kind of a jackass."
Carol laughed. "Can't argue that."
Isabell nodded. "But Daryl's always been a man of his word. As long as I've known him, anyway, which is my whole life." Isabell shook her head, smiling at the quick memories that passed through her brain. "When Merle ain't 'round, Daryl's a good guy. An' he's sayin' he's gonna find Sophia, so he's gon' find her. He'd search all of Georgia if he had to."
Carol hesitated, but nodded after a moment. She wasn't sure what to say to her. Carol looked out the window. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"Don't be." Isabell said instantly. "Yer a mom with a missin' kid. I'd've done the same thing." Isabell paused, thinking. She took her eyes off of Carol. "Hell, I did do the same thing. Difference is, we'll find your kid, and she's gonna be okay." Isabell looked back at Carol, expecting to see a surprised look, but what she saw instead was a look of understanding. Isabell smiled quickly. "You knew."
Carol shrugged. "I didn't, but I did." She wavered. "You always had this look on your face when you looked at Sophia. Somethin' about you that looked like I look right now."
Isabell's eyes watered, but she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She put a hand on Carol's knee. "You should try to get some sleep."
Carol took that as a sign that Isabell didn't want to talk about her personal situation anymore than she already had. "Thank you, but I might go outside for a bit. Wait for Daryl to come back."
Isabell nodded. "Alright." Isabell stood and returned to her spot at the table, watching as Carol walked by her. She leaned her head against the wall of the RV and listened to the crickets outside until she fell to sleep.
! #$# !
Eleven Years Earlier….
Isabell had been pacing her living room all day just waiting for Daryl to return home. She knew that Daryl was out with Merle, but she didn't know what they had been up to. Under normal circumstances, Isabell would probably be in bed, relaxing with a book and a mug of hot chocolate. This time was different.
It had been dark for a few hours when Isabell heard the front door's lock click, followed by the sound of it opening. The woman jumped from her spot on the couch and hurried to meet Daryl at the door. What Isabell hadn't expected was for Merle to be slung over his shoulder, drunk as a fish.
Instantly, Isabell's mood sunk even more. "Daryl, I thought we were done with this." Isabell chastised.
"We are." Daryl responded, walking by Isabell and making his way towards Merle's bedroom. "He ain't. Can't stop him from comin' back piss drunk. He's prob'ly a little high, too."
Isabell groaned, following after the two of them. "Where in hell were ya today?"
"Calm down, Blondie!" Merle slurred. "Baby's brother's fine. Robby wan't gonna shoot him."
"What?!" Isabell exclaimed.
"Merle, shuddup." Daryl pushed, finally being able to throw the man onto his bed. "He don't know what he's talkin' 'bout." Daryl lied, closing himself out of Merle's room. "Drunk off his ass."
"What the fuck is he talkin' 'bout, D?"
Daryl sighed, "It was nothin', Iz. Just a big misunderstandin'. It was handled."
Isabell bit her lip, sighed, and looked up at the ceiling out of annoyance for the man in front of her. "I'm not sure how much more of that I can take." She said, gesturing to Merle's closed door.
"What are ya talkin' 'bout?"
"I'm talkin' about Merle and all of his shit. I'm talkin' about the two of you just driftin' around, lookin' for trouble."
"Don't fuckin' tell me to calm down, Daryl Dixon." Isabell seethed between clenched teeth.
Daryl chuckled. "Look, if we're goin' all out and usin' full names, I guess I should start this one over, huh?" He laughed. "Calm down, Isabell Isaacs."
Isabell pushed him, forcing him against the wall of the small hallway. "Fuck you." She moved passed him, going to her room.
Daryl chased after her. "Awh, Iz, c'mon. I was jokin'."
"It's not fuckin' funny, Daryl!" Isabell shouted before she slammed and locked her bedroom door.
"Izzy, c'mon." Daryl banged on her door with the side of his fist.
Isabell stood in the middle of her room, staring at the closed door.
"Look, there ain't much I can do 'bout him. Merle's Merle. Stupid sumbitch." Daryl complained.
The blonde's eyes moved to the object that sat on the edge of her nightstand. It haunted her, standing out like police lights on a dark night.
"Okay, I'm sorry." Daryl dragged out.
"Sorry doesn't fix everything." Isabell said, moving to her nightstand and grabbing the stick from the top of it. She slid the object through the crack under the door. "Certainly won't fix that."
"What the — ?" Daryl started cursing when it hit his boot. "The hell is this?" He asked, reaching down to pick it up. "Isabell, talk to me." Daryl banged on the door a few more times. "What is this?"
Isabell took a deep breath and opened her door just a little, enough to show her face to Daryl. "You know what it is." She said, quietly.
Daryl looked up at her. "It's yours?"
Isabell nodded. "Not sure who else's it would be."
Daryl looked down at the small screen that showed two small, pink lines clear as day. "What's it mean?"
"Exactly what you think."
Daryl looked back up at her, waiting for her to confirm it with her words.
"I'm pregnant, D."
Daryl stumbled to get a single word out. "Yer…." Daryl fell backwards, hitting the opposite wall and falling to the ground.
"Shit, Daryl! Jesus, you okay?" Isabell asked, throwing her door open and crouching in front of Daryl.
"Yeah, 'm okay." Daryl insisted. "Things're just a little dizzy."
Isabell nodded. "Okay. Let's sit for a minute." She sat down in front of Daryl, her back leaning on her door frame. A minute turned into ten minutes with them just sitting there, Daryl's eyes glued to the test and Isabell's glued to him.
"Are you sure?" Daryl said after what seemed like forever to Isabell.
"Pretty sure."
"Damn." Daryl cursed.
Isabell sucked in her lip and bit down on it hard, fighting her tears. She spoke, her voice shaky. "If I knew you'd be so upset about it, I'd've not told you and taken care of it myself." Isabell pushed herself off of the floor and went back into her room.
Daryl quickly recovered from his spot on the floor, stood up, and caught the door before Isabell could slam it. "What do ya mean, 'take care of it'?"
"I'd've gotten rid of it. I'm sorry I burdened you with this." Isabell shook her head. "Forget about it. I'll handle it."
Daryl banged his fist hard on the door, making Isabell jump backwards away from the loud sound. "Nah, I don't want you to handle it!"
Isabell looked up at him with hopeful, tear-filled eyes. "What?"
"It's no burden, Iz. I'm just surprised, is all."
"Yeah, I am, too." Isabell stood back and scratched her arm.
"I mean, I always thought about it. Bein' a dad. I don't know how good I'd be. Guess I getta find out."
Isabell's heart lifted fully in her chest. She smiled and threw her arms around Daryl's neck, nearly knocking him over again.
Daryl laughed quietly and caught himself, grabbing Isabell tightly and lifted her off of the floor.
"Thank you." Isabell said, not really knowing why she was saying it.
"Listen." Daryl said, putting her firmly on the ground and grabbing her face between his calloused hands. "You and me, we're gonna have this baby. And we're gonna raise her right. She's not gonna have the childhood we did."
Isabell laughed. "It could be a boy."
"For all our sakes, let's hope not." Daryl joked. "Ain't no reason for another pig-headed Dixon fella in this world."
"Ya damn right."
Daryl chuckled. "I love ya, Izzy."
Isabell smiled at him, eyes shooting away for just a second. "Me, too."
! #$# !
Isabell was pulled out of her sleep by the slamming of the RV door. She quickly sat up and rubbed her eyes, noticing that Carol was the one that was causing the commotion. "Is Daryl back?" Isabell asked.
Carol didn't answer. Instead, she retreated back to her spot in the back of the RV.
The door opened again a second later, Daryl trudging inside.
Isabell looked up at him, hopeful.
Daryl shook his head slightly.
Isabell swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.
Daryl she his crossbow from around his shoulder and took the gun from out of the waistband of his pants. "Hop out." He said to Isabell.
Isabell got out of the bench and Daryl took her place.
"C'mere." Daryl said, making room for Isabell to sit herself between his legs.
The blonde sat back down on the bench, leaning against Daryl to use him as a pillow. Isabell sighed, making herself comfortable against the man's chest.
"I know you been thinkin' a lot 'bout Harley with everythin' that's happened." Daryl said, making Isabell's throat feel like it was closing. "But these kids ain' gon' end up like her."
"I know." Isabell said, not sure if she could believe herself or not. "Get some sleep, huh?"
Daryl looked down at her empty expression and sighed. "Yes, ma'am."