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

~212 ~ 3282

The hole.

Both the metaphoric and literal one.

It was gigantic. It was also impossible to ignore.

Isabell couldn't help but continue to stare down into the dirt. The blonde knew that the child was buried beneath the dirt, but something still didn't feel right about it. There would be no more search parties. No more grids being scoured. Everything that they had been doing for the past couple weeks was just done.

They had found Sophia, so why wasn't Isabell at all relieved?

Isabell glared at the hole with her brow furrowed. She was hoping the past few hours was all just a nightmare. In the morning, Isabell would wake up, and they would go off on a search and find the little girl. She looked over at Daryl for just a moment.

Daryl looked just as angry as Isabell felt. He rushed off away from the gravesite without a word.

Isabell sighed and hurried after him. She trailed close behind him, stopping just at the tent, waiting for him to say something.

Daryl crossed the strap of his crossbow over his body and entered their tent.

Isabell followed him into the small housing. She watched him as he stuffed as much of their stuff back into the few backpacks they had. "What's going on?"

"We're movin' camp."

Isabell pushed her eyebrows together. "Why?"

"I don' trust Shane."

"I'm glad we agree on something." Isabell smiled, shrugging. "But you wanted to help clear the barn. You were mad that it was kept secret. Why are you anti-Shane now?"

Daryl faced her. "Could ya just pick up yer shit, so we can go?"

Isabell complied, thinking about what was going on around her. "We're not leavin' are we? Like, for good?" She grabbed a few pieces of her clothes, glancing over at Daryl. "I can't do that to these people."

"We don't owe them, anythin', Iz!" Daryl seethed quietly.

"That doesn't mean that we can just leave."

"We can do what we want. We can make it. We've been there before."

"I'm not leavin'." Isabell stressed, standing her ground. "Harley wouldn't want to leave. She wouldn't want us to leave here."

Daryl stopped what he was doing. He dropped what he had in his hands. "The hell you just say?"

"You heard me." Isabell said. "We can't leave. We're not leaving. I will move camp, just to the outskirts of Hershel's property, but I am not leaving this group. We need these people, especially now."

Daryl just scoffed, turning back to packing his things. "Whatever."

"We're stayin'."

"Okay!" He said, facing her for a long moment. He shook his head. "Fine, we're stayin. But I ain't layin' my head anywhere near Shane."

Isabell looked to him for a moment, studying his movements. She was worried about Daryl. Isabell was worried about he was going to act towards the others now that Sophia was gone. She knew that once something bad happened to him, it was like he was riding an emotional roller coaster. Daryl would be angry at everyone one minute, and then he'd be standing by Isabell, lovingly protecting her in the next. Isabell was the only one left who seemed to understand Daryl and how he reacted to things. She was the only one who he would really ever listen to when he needed to calm down.

This was something Isabell wasn't sure that she could calm Daryl from. Daryl worked hard, nearly getting himself killed trying to look for little Sophia. All that kept happening was flashback to when they first realized Harley wasn't alive anymore. All the mood swings, anger outbursts, trudging about like nothing was wrong.

It scared Isabell, knowing what might be coming their way. It wasn't a couple weeks after they had found her brother's apartment covered in blood that Isabell got separated from Daryl. Shortly after that, while she was on her own, Isabell gave up. Then she found Merle on top of that stupid shopping mall and helped him out. Isabell injured herself in the process and was left to rot in a closet. She didn't want to go through that again.

! #$# !

Daryl had led Isabell across the farm close to a line of trees. This spot got very little traffic from walkers. Daryl dropped the folded up tent with a huff and started to open it up again.

"You know, I know you're upset about all the shit that happened today. It sucks. I fuckin' get it." Isabell snapped. "You can close yerself off from these people, Daryl Dixon. You can yell and shout at nothing all you fuckin' want, but don' you dare act all pissed off towards me." Isabell dropped her bag and machete to the ground. She faced him with a hard expression on her face.

Daryl paused in his efforts to put up the tent. He looked up at Isabell. "Don' I dare?" Daryl questioned, dropping the metal bar in his hand. He pushed himself to his feet, taking a few steps towards her. "God, Iz, the fuck do ya think you did after I couldn't find Harley?!" he shouted.

Isabell took a few steps back, trying to keep the space between her and Daryl. She only ended up with her back hard against the tree. Isabell was cornered by the man with a temper that could flare up any second. "I knew that whole weekend was a mistake! There was something wrong, and I felt it."

Daryl shook his head. "Don' say that, Izzy, don' you say that!" He ordered angrily. "I finally got you to agree to it — "

"And maybe I shouldn't've!" Isabell sighed, running a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face. "I tried to tell you about it. I saw it on the TV and I tried to wake you. You were dead asleep! Just enjoyin' the damn quiet!"

"What? Was I supposed to know this was gonna happen?!"

"No, but I told you! It was too quiet! If you'd woken up when I told ya, we coulda been gone and out the door quicker! We coulda found her! She'd be here!" Isabell shouted, not caring much for any attention that she could attract their direction. "I'd have my baby safe and sound next to me every night!"

"She'd've gotten lost in the mob you got lost in. Or lost with Sophia. Or layin' on the bed, shot, next to Carl."

"She wouldn't! I never woulda let her go!" Isabell screamed, realizing just now that she had started to cry hot, angry tears.

Daryl scoffed, turning his head away for just a second. "She's gone, Izzy!" He insisted. "Both Harley and Sophia are gone and there's nothin' we can do. Nothin' but move on. 'Cause yer here." Daryl stepped forward a couple more steps. He took her face in his hands and leaned his forehead onto hers, so he could look her in the eye. "And yer fightin'. Just like yer supposed to." Daryl maneuvered his legs between hers, holding Isabell against the tree with his body molded to hers.

"I'm tired, Daryl." Isabell finally said to him, closing her eyes. "There's nothin' else for me to hold onto."

"That's a lie." Daryl said quickly as Isabell kept talking.

Isabell pushed him away from her. "Nothin' for me to fight for! Findin' her was the only thin' keepin' me goin'."

Daryl shook off Isabell's pushed and grabbed onto her child. He might have grabbed her too hard, but it got her attention. "That's a goddamn lie, Izzy! And you know it. Yer supposed ta be here. Yer supposed to survive, 'cause yer strong." Daryl let go of Isabell's face. "Yer damn strong. Ya lasted this long and were on yer own for weeks."

"'Cause I was set on findin' you. I had somethin' to work for."

"Ya got me, Iz. You work for me. Ya need ta stay here with me." Daryl reminded her softly. "'Cause I ain' nothin' without ya."

Isabell relaxed into Daryl's arms, letting him, once again, push their foreheads together.

"We'll get through this. I promise ya we're gonna make it."

! #$# !

After her breakdown, Isabell had felt a little awkward around Daryl. She always knew that crying her heart around him was never productive. Isabell also knew that Daryl never really knew how to act with the aftermath of her emotions. Daryl wasn't one to kiss and make up to make it all instantly better. He would ignore the problem (and Isabell) for a while. Hours would go by before Daryl nodded in her direction to make sure that she was okay and that would be the end of it.

Isabell sighed from her place. She was seated on the ground, and leaning up against a tree. It was one of the nicer days on the farm. Since winter was coming up, it was a cool late afternoon; very different from the scorching nights they experienced all summer. Isabell glanced up from her recent task of sharpening her machete to watch Daryl for a moment.

Daryl was working on carving out some more arrows for Isabell to use. He must have felt her staring at him. Daryl paused in his work and looked to her. He nodded after a long moment.

Isabell responded with half of a smile and a nod in return.

Daryl nodded slightly one more time and returned to his work.

Closing her eyes, Isabell leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree. A couple minutes later, she heard footsteps in the grass heading in their direction. Isabell turned, peeking around the tree, to see Lori walking in their direction. She turned back and groaned quietly. "Ah, hell." Isabell whispered.

Lori came upon their camp and paused between the two. "Moving to the suburbs?" she asked, not earning a response from either Daryl or Isabell. Both seemed to be too preoccupied with their work to make conversation. "Listen," Lori continued, "Beth's in some kind of catatonic shock. We need Hershel."

"Yeah, so what?" Daryl asked.

Lori moved closer to Daryl and crouched down beside him. "So, I need you to run into town real quick and bring him and Rick back."

"No use in sendin' us out there." Isabell said, gaining Lori's attention. "Rick's gone on a run for the man, he'll come back. Nothin' to do but wait." She insisted.

Lori shook her head at the blonde and looked back to Daryl. "Daryl?"

Daryl stopped working on his project and looked to Lori for a second before speaking. "Yer bitch went window shoppin'. You want him? Fetch 'em yerself. I got better things to do."

"What's the matter with you?" Lori asked, standing to her feet. She looked between Daryl and Isabell. "Both of you? Why are you bein' so selfish?"

Isabell scoffed. "Don't you start with that, lady."

"Selfish?" Daryl asked, standing quickly to his feet.

"Here we go."

"Listen to me, Olive Oyl." Daryl said, gesturing with his arm. "I was out there lookin' for that little girl every single day. I took a bullet and an arrow in the process. Don't you tell me about me gettin' my hands dirty. You want those idiots? Have a nice ride." Daryl calms himself slightly and take a seat. "I'm done lookin' for people. Me and my — " He stopped himself and glanced towards Isabell. "Me and Iz are done."

Lori looked between them one more time before shaking her head and making her way back to the white house.

Isabell sighed. "I know you're mad, 'cause I am, too. But Lori didn't do nothin' to ya, and she was just askin' for some help." She offered.

Daryl scoffed at her in response.

Isabell got up from her spot against the tree. She walked over and sat next to him on a pile of stone brick. Isabell stopped him from his work by wrapping her arms around one of his. "I'm sorry."

Daryl easily shrugged himself out of Isabell's grasp. He continued to hack away at the stick he held. "Whatchu got ta be sorry for?"

"You looked really hard for…." Isabell stumbled, unsure if she could actually say her name, "Sophia. Just like you looked for Harley. It killed you then when we didn't find Harley and it's killin' you now with Sophia."

Daryl stopped shaving the stick, just staring at it. "Yer upset, too. I know it. 'Nd yer angry. But ya know, it wan't yer fault. With either of 'em."

Isabell leaned her head back on the rocks behind her. "Feels like it. I grabbed Carl instead of Sophia. Then it was my idea to drop Harley off with my brother. That whole weekend was my stupid idea." Isabell thought for a moment. "I never shoulda let her go."

"You didn' know that the world was gon' turn to shit overnight." Daryl told her. "If we'da known, I wan't gonna let her go either."

The blonde let out a long, slow breath and turned her head to look at Daryl. "Maybe. I just — I knew we were gonna find her. I could feel it. It was strong sayin' that we'd find Sophia. I knew it wan't gonna be like before." She shook her head. "I wan't gonna be angry or upset. We'd find her, and we'd all live. Sophia was gonna live."

Daryl caught Isabell's eyes and turned back to his knife. "Baby Girl was suppose to live. I couldn't find her neither."

Isabell smiled, "You should take yer own advice, Dixon. Harley and Sophia weren't yer fault."

"Maybe we just need ta listen to each other."

Isabell thought about that for a moment, wondering where it had come from. "Maybe." She sighed happily. "I'm gonna go take a nap. Wake me when you wanna start cookin' somethin'." Isabell pushed herself off of the rock and took a step forward.

Daryl grabbed onto Isabell's hand, and she quickly stopped on the spot.

Isabell turned slightly and looked back at Daryl questioningly, with her brow furrowed. "What?" she asked.

The man pulled her hand to his lips to lay a soft kiss on her knuckles. "I love ya, Izzy."

Isabell nodded. "I know."

! #$# !

After staring at the ceiling of the tent for a few hours, Isabell got tired of faking her sleep. She groaned and sat up, twisting her body so her legs hung over the side of the cot. As much as Isabell had tried to sleep, it wasn't coming easily. Everything that she had to worry about was starting to drive her slowly into an over-anxious state. Shane was going crazy. Rick couldn't get a hold on Shane. Carol was acting like nothing was wrong. Daryl was being the same as Carol in addition to being terribly moody.

Isabell was especially worried about herself. Knowing that she had thought about giving up before. Knowing that she could easily stop all her feelings of stress in the apocalyptic world.

The blonde pushed those thought from her head, suddenly remembering that Daryl would probably kill her himself if he knew that she was thinking about it again.

Isabell ran her hands down her face, rubbing strongly at her sleepy eyes. She grabbed the light sheet that she had been using as a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders before she exited the tent.

Daryl was sitting by the fire he made a while ago, since it had gotten dark.

Isabell joined him, sitting a couple feet from him.

Daryl passed her a plate that had a few pieces of meat on it.

The blonde looked to the plate, debating on taking it or not. She bit her lip and looked up at him through the darkness.

"Take it." Daryl grumbled. "I ate."

Isabell took the plate from him. "You were supposed ta get me."

"You were supposed ta be sleepin'."

Isabell's eyes quickly left Daryl's gaze. "I couldn't sleep. Too much goin' on."

Quick feet scurried towards them.

Isabell turned towards the sound to see Carol rushing their way. She groaned. "Are we ever gonna get a day of peace?" Isabell asked aloud.

"We can't find Lori anywhere." Carol said, when she finally approached. "And the others aren't back yet either."

Daryl scoffed. "Yeah. That dumb bitch must've gone off lookin' for 'em."

"What?" Carol asked Daryl before looking to Isabell for an explanation.

Isabell shrugged. "Lori asked D to go get 'em back."

"But I'm done bein' everybody's errand bitch." Daryl pressed. Maybe saying that was a little pigheaded of him, but even Isabell was fed up with it.

Carol looked between the two of them, dismayed that they hadn't said anything to anyone before. She took fast breath, both from her shock and her jogging to them. "And neither of you said anything."

"We got no control over what Lori does." Isabell reminded her. "Wouldn't want it if we did."

Carol studied Isabell for a moment before nodding at her statement and then starting to walk back to the farm.

Isabell listened as her footsteps left. She heard the woman pause and Isabell looked up at her.

Carol was standing outside their pitched tent, looking at it. She took a hard breath and turned to walk back towards Isabell and Daryl. Carol stopped between the two, looking at them through the flames. "Don't do this." She begged. "Please. I've already lost my daughter."

Daryl used his stick to help himself to his feet. He then made his way to stand in front of Carol. "Yeah, that wan't my problem neither."

Isabell, noticing how angry he was starting to look, stood up just as quickly to put herself between the two other adults.

Before Isabell could get there, Daryl stalked off quickly to the tent.

Isabell was left to stand with Carol She sighed, watching Daryl before looking to Carol.

Carol opened her mouth to attempt to say something to the blonde, but Isabell didn't want to hear it.

Isabell shook her head and followed Daryl into the tent.

"Isabell…." Carol called, trying to get Isabell to talk to her.

"I don't want to hear it, Carol." Isabell turned back towards Carol briefly. "You should probably go tell the rest of the group that Lori's not on the farm anymore."

Carol nodded, making her walk away from Daryl's set camp.

Isabell sighed, watching as the woman left her sight. She turned her attention back towards the tent where she could see Daryl's faint shadow against the flashlight that he had turned on. Isabell entered the tent and sat down on her cot, watching Daryl as he opened his backpack to grab the bolts for his crossbow. "Are you — " Isabell started to ask before Daryl interrupted her.

"Don't even try ta tell me to go after that sheriff's bitch." Daryl pestered. "She can either get herself back or get killed. Either way, it ain't my responsibility."

Isabell stared at him for a second before laughing once. "I wan't gonna tell ya to do nothin' of the sort."

Daryl picked up his crossbow and threw the strap over his shoulder, looking to Isabell quickly.

"'Cause yer right." Isabell agreed. "Lori's made her mess, she's gotta get herself out of it. Just like she did with the baby."

Daryl chewed on his thumb nail. "What then?"

"I was gonna see if you were gonna check on the traps tonight."

Daryl looked up to her, studying her for just a moment before he nodded his head. "Yeah, stay here."

Isabell nodded, watching him leave the tent. "Stay close. Be safe."

"You, too." He called over his shoulder.

Isabell sighed, laying back on her cot, whispering to herself with worry. "Come back soon."