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

[313]

0o0o0 THEN 0o0o0

Isabell wasn't sure how long she had been asleep or even if she actually passed out. She regained consciousness to the sound of loud voices through her house. Isabell jumped out of bed and ran to the house's central area. "Harley?" She called, thinking Garrett and Harley had finally made it home.

Unfortunately, it wasn't either of them at their door. Merle was falling to the hallway floor, trying to catch himself on the wall for support.

Daryl watched from the front door as his brother staggered into the house. "The hell you been, man?"

"Campin'? Told you that." Merle said, his words slurring. "My shit's still on my bike."

Isabell looked up at Daryl, speaking silently to him. Her husband nodded, understanding. She wiggled the ring on her left hand, debating whether she should take it off or not. Not yet, she to herself. Merle wouldn't notice it with how plastered he was. "How'd you get here?"

Merle furrowed his brow, trying to focus on just one thing. "My bike, Bella. Damn, guess I'm not the only one who's faded. The hell is wrong with y'all."

"Did you not see the weird ones outside eatin' people?"

"The what?"

Isabell groaned. "Of all the people to show up on my doorstep right now, you were at the bottom of the list."

"Least I was on the list," Merle said with a husky laugh.

Daryl came back inside from Merle's bike, camping gear in hand. He dropped it on the floor close to the door. "We're gonna keep this with us."

"We need to get going in the next day. That bike probably brought all those freaks right to us." Isabell insisted.

"Nah, it looks clear. He came from backroads, not from town. We'll be fine to wait for 'em."

Isabell wanted to argue with him. She wanted to tell him that Harley wasn't coming. That she was dead. Isabell couldn't bring herself to. She knew what she believed, but he was allowed to if Daryl wanted to have hope. Instead of arguing, Isabell nodded and went outside to the barn, leaving the brothers to fight over themselves.

0o0o0 NOW 0o0o0

It was early in the day that Isabell got herself up and walking around. Rick, Hershel, and Daryl had left the prison to meet Andrea had given them two days earlier. Not everyone was okay with the idea of talking with the Governor, but it wasn't their call. While the three of them were gone, the others left at the prison were tasked with cleaning and then distributing the weapons and ammo that Carl, Michonne, and Rick had picked up on their trip to King County. It was a large haul, but it needed to be done to ensure everything was in working order.

Isabell looked up from the gun she was cleaning when she noticed Merle had entered the room from his holding cell.

Merle leaned against the metal beam near her. He had been especially combative when it came to the peaceful way of working things out between the two towns, and he was more than vocal about it. All three Dixons had been fighting about it for most of the day prior.

"Carl, c'mere." Glenn beckoned, breaking the silence.

Carl placed the handgun back on the table and walked around to join Glenn.

"You stash these at the loading dock, alright?"

Carl took the ammo boxes Glenn held out for him and nodded.

Glenn handed another couple of boxes to Beth across their table. "Beth, put more on the catwalk. If anyone gets pinned down, we need to make sure that they have plenty of ammo." He picked up a blowtorch, protective guns, and his rifle from the table. "I'll go work on the cage outside."

"What we should be doin' is loadin' some of this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to the Governor." Daryl insisted

Isabell lowered her pistol to the table. She groaned internally and rolled her eyes, knowing that this was what Daryl was talking about when he asked her to keep an eye on him. Merle needed to comply with the plan, and he wasn't off to a great start. "Don't fuckin' start, man."

"We know where he is right now. Right, Bella?" He asked, knowing that Isabell was the only other person in the room to have gotten a look at the map. Rick thought it was wise not to let anyone know if anyone else got twitchy.

"I'm not tellin' you where they are."

"Are you suggesting that we just go in and kill him?" Glenn asked.

"Yeah, I am," Merle said smugly.

Michonne turned around to look at Merle. The woman had been a godsend and agreed to help Isabell keep Merle in line. "We told Rick and Daryl that we'd stay put."

"I've changed my mind, sweetheart," Merle promised. "Bein' on the sideline with my brother out there ain't sittin' right with me."

"The three of them are right in the middle of it." Glenn reminded Merle. "No idea we'd be coming. They could get taken hostage or killed. A thousand things could go wrong."

"And they will."

Carl was following Glenn outside to drop off the ammo as he was told to do. Walking by Merle, the kid spoke to the older man. "My dad can take care of himself."

"Sorry, son, but your dad's head could be on a pike real soon."

Isabell's face heated up with anger. "Carl, go drop off that ammo," Isabell ordered. The boy went to argue with her, but Isabell shook her head. "Now."

Carl nodded once and left through the exterior door.

"Merle, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Isabell questioned. "Other than the obvious, I mean."

"You don't say things like that to him," Maggie warned.

Isabell nodded towards Maggie's comment noticing how spiteful she looked at the man. "Don't talk to him at all."

Merle studied Isabell, sensing the protectiveness she had over the boy.

"It's not the right move." Glenn insisted. "Not now. We can't take the risk of putting them in the crossfire. That's my decision, and it's final."

0o0o0 Daryl's Group 0o0o0

Daryl was getting tired of hearing the arguing inside. He noticed that Andrea came out of the building wasn't exactly optimistic. Daryl knew the blonde had no business trying to sell the group something the Governor wasn't willing to sell. Standing around pacing wasn't exactly going to solve the problem either.

"There's no reason not to use this time we have together to explore the issues ourselves."

Daryl looked up at the man who called himself Milton. The Governor's butler-secretary hybrid. Daryl scoffed.

Sitting on the ground near their truck, the other man shook his head. "Boss said to sit tight and shut up."

"Don't you mean the Governor?" Daryl joked snidely.

"It's a good thing they're sitting down, especially after what happened." Milton insisted. "They're gonna work it out. Nobody wants another battle."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a battle," Daryl said, remembering that night very clearly. It was more of a rescue mission turned into a coliseum fight.

"I would call it a battle. And I did." Milton held up a tiny notebook. "I recorded it."

"For what?"

"Somebody's got to keep a record of what we've gone through. It'll be part of our history."

Hershel nodded. "It makes sense."

Milton, excited that someone had taken an interest in his chosen job, approached Hershel. "I've got dozens of interviews -" The man was interrupted by the sound of walkers heading towards them.

Daryl, immediately on alert, walked towards the sound, aiming with his new crossbow. He thought about firing for a moment but didn't like the idea of turning his back on the other man who'd followed him. Daryl dropped the arm, holding his crossbow, and gestured forward to the two walkers they'd found.

The man nodded, knowing what Daryl was really doing. "No way. You first."

Andrea sighed between the two men and pushed her way through to knife the first walker in the eye.

The man watched Andrea and looked back at Daryl. "Pussy." He stepped forward, spinning his bat before swinging it into another walker's head.

Daryl wasn't having the insult, though, and joined as they took out the dead ones. They went back and forth, taking out the walkers, trying to outplay the other. Daryl downed the last one by throwing a knife at its head. He approached the dead walker with a smirk towards the man. He bent down over the walker to find a pack of cigarettes in the front pocket. He held them up for the show. "Look what he's got." Daryl took one and put it between his lips as he stood. Surprising the both of them, Daryl offered one up to the Governor's thug.

The man leaned against a nearby pole, shaking his head. "Nah, I prefer menthols."

Daryl scoffed, stuffing the pack in his pocket. "Douchebag." He pulled out his lighter, lighting the smoke and taking a long drag. "You army or somethin'?"

The man shook his head again. "Nah, I just - just hate these things. After what they did to my wife, kids."

Daryl nodded. "Sucks. Bastards got my kid, too."

The man narrowed his eyes at Daryl skeptically. He took a deep breath. "This is a joke, right?" He said, gesturing back at the building that Rick and the Governor were in. "They ain't gonna work anything out. Sure, they'll do their little dance, and tomorrow, next day…." He trailed off, shrugging. "They'll give the word."

"I know."

The man seemed to be reconsidering his recent choices. "Hey."

Daryl caught the drift, pulling the cigarette pack from his pocket and offering one.

0o0o0 Isabell's Group 0o0o0

Isabell was still working on making sure the guns were cleaned to perfection while the others took a break. She was sitting now, making sure to get her hands on every weapon to ease her mind that they would all work when the time came.

Merle came in carrying a duffle bag, heading straight for the pile she was working on.

Isabell glared up at him. "Merle, what are you doing?" She asked tiredly, hearing Maggie come in from the cell area.

Merle ignored Isabell's question and put his bag on the table.

Glenn showed up next from outside, surveying the older man. When Merle started to load his bag with guns, Glenn shook his head. "Hey, you're not going."

"I don't need permission."

"I can't let you."

"You can't stop me."

"If you're gonna live here with us," Maggie started, "It's gonna be on our terms."

Isabell looked back at Maggie, spotting Michonne entering, hearing the argument. "He knows that." Her head flicked back to Merle. "Don't you?" She questioned.

Merle scoffed, grabbing the bag and turning towards the exit to the courtyard.

"If Michonne can do it, why can't you?" Maggie asked.

Merle glared back at Maggie. "'Cause its my brother out there, that's why."

"And he's my husband," Isabell said, standing to her feet with a raised brow. "But I'm not doin' somethin' he doesn't want us to because I'm a little nervous."

"Man, what kind of ol' lady are you, anyway?"

"You are not questioning my loyalty to him."

Merle shot back Isabell's dark gaze with his own. He looked around the room at everyone who was against his leaving. "What's the matter with y'all?" Merle asked before trying again to make his exit.

Glenn blocked his way. "I'm not gonna let you put them in danger."

"Nut up, already, boy. This guy cops a feel of your woman, and you pussy out like this?"

"Merle!" Isabell shouted, chastising him.

"Shut up, princess," Merle said, barely turning his head away from Glenn. He refocused. "Get out of my way."

"No," Glenn insisted.

Merle nodded his head slowly. "Get out of my way!" He shouted again, grabbing Glenn by the stomach and trying to throw him back.

Isabell stepped out of the benched table and towards the fight. "Merle, stop it!"

Merle's hold on Glenn and Glenn fighting the man back caused the pair to roll down the few steps of the area to the main level. Merle held his hands tight around Glenn's neck.

"Goddammit, Merle, cut it out!"

Maggie rushed forward, putting Merle in a headlock and pulling back, trying to get him to let go of her boyfriend. "Get off of him!" She yelled.

Michonne got in, helping by grabbing Merle's other shoulder to pull him back.

Everything stopped around them at the sound of a gunshot.

Isabell's head turned quickly to see Beth standing behind them with a gun held in the air. She'd let off a shot to stop the fighting. Isabell nodded once towards Beth and turned her attention back to Merle. "We're stayin'. End of story."

Merle brushed off both Maggie and Michonne. "Let me go!"

Isabell looked up at them with a nod, and both women dropped their holds. "Consider this a warning." She stated once Merle steadied himself on his feet.

Merle scoffed and huffed back into his cell.

"I think we all need a break." Isabell sighed. "Maggie, you take over Beth's watch?"

Maggie looked at the blonde and nodded.

"Glenn, can I talk to you outside?" Isabell asked, not waiting for an answer and pushing past him to get outside.

Glenn followed her and found Isabell leaning against the chain-link fence surrounding the door.

Isabell sighed. "I'm sorry about Merle. I know him being here isn't exactly comfortable.

"You have no idea."

"We're trying our best to keep him in check. I just wish he could see things...not the way he does."

Glenn nodded. "He is kind of an asshole."

"Kind of?" Isabell joked. "At least he ain't yer family."

"That is a plus."

Isabell chuckled once before looking at Glenn seriously. Look, I won't speak for him because you need his apology for what happened, not mine, but I am sorry. For him, and for me freaking out when you guys came back."

"Iz, it's fine."

Isabell shook her head. "I was a mess. I thought I'd lost my family - my husband - in a way you wouldn't expect to in this world." She sighed, referring to him leaving her instead of dying. "I was so focused on that when I should've paid attention to you guys. Because you're my family, too."

Glenn smiled with one corner of his mouth. "Does that mean Merle and I are family?"

"Well, he's not invited to any family reunions, so that it wouldn't matter anyway." Isabell joked before letting out another sigh. "Is Maggie okay?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just feel so bad for what happened to her. Like I couldn't have stopped it, and I didn't." Glenn admitted. "Giving up the prison, giving up you guys, seemed too important. And what she went through was so much scarier than what I did."

"Glenn, she doesn't want you to feel bad for her. She wants you to be there for her." Isabell waited for a response, but Glenn's face was blank like he hadn't understood. "Look, I've been in her position, so I can't even begin to tell you how she feels right now. But it happened to her, and she was scared. More than you were, and you're still here blaming yourself for it instead of just being with her.

Glenn let out a heavy sigh, lowering his head, wiping his forehead with the back of his arm. "Why are women so complicated?"

Isabell shook her head with a smile. "We're not. Not really. I mean, girls like Maggie and I are pretty simple. We don't have high expectations or desires of you.

"So, what do you want?"

Isabell grabbed the rings still strung around her neck through her shirt. "I just want Daryl to be there for me. He'll fight and kill for me when he has to, but that's more of a him thing. In the end, he knows all I want is him next to me." Isabell shrugged, pulling the necklace out of her shirt. "And that's all that matters. That's why I married him." She said, letting the rings dangle in the sunlight. "Because no matter what, that's where he'll be."

Glenn stood, shell-shocked by the confession. "Damn, I didn't realize you were such a poet."

"It's not poetry, dumbass." The blonde scoffed, returning the rings to their spot. "It's feelings. And you need to go find out Maggie's."

Glenn nodded. "Thanks, Izzy."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll send you my bill," She said, holding the door open for Glenn to enter the prison. Isabell watched as Glenn made his way where Maggie would be on watch.

Inside the common area, Michonne was still focused on the task at hand, packing an assortment of weapons in bags to stash throughout the prison.

Isabell saw Merle leaning in the doorway between the common area and the cells. He'd calmed down, but she could still see the fire burning behind his eyes. "Hey, asshole," Isabell called, stepping down the stairs. "You eat something?"

"Not hungry."

Isabell met Michonne's eyes and rolled hers. Michonne grinned at the gesture, zipped the bag she was working on, and picked it up from the table. She grabbed her sword last and turned, heading towards the cells passing Merle.

Merle watched her, following with his eyes. "You know I'm right."

Michonne stopped, curious.

Merle looked between both women quickly, landing on Michonne again. "The folks here, they're strong, good fighters. But they ain't killers."

"You're wrong." Isabell insisted.

Michonne placed down both her sword and the bag. "Rick is. Maggie is."

"Me. And Carl put down his own mother."

Merle shrugged that off. "Mercy killing. That don't make him an assassin."

"Mmm," Michonne said thoughtfully, "But you are."

"Heh," Merle chuckled, looking towards his sister-in-law. "When I have to be."

"Are you counting when you left me for dead in that list because that's not the same thing?" Isabell reminded.

"Stop," Merle grunted, much like Daryl's done before.

"Then how do you explain letting me get away?" Michonne asked.

"I must have been seduced by your sterling personality," Merle said with an attempt at a sexy smile.

"Don't insult Michonne like that," Isabell begged. "We both know your tastes are more crack-headish."

Merle turned to stare angrily at Isabell. "So, are you two comin' with me or not?"

Michonne glanced towards Isabell, and the blonde showed the smallest of shrugs.

"Me and my brother, we have a few calls we use when we hunt. I'll give him a heads up. He'll warn the others—you shogun the Governor's ass. Me and the in-law will take care of the rest. We'll be home before you know it."

Isabell shook her head. "We can't."

Michonne was considering it, though. "And what about Andrea?"

"Bullets fly; she's gonna have to make her choice real quick." Merle shared.

Michonne frowned with a shake of her head. "You're on your own." Michonne reached for her bag and sword, picking them back up. "You get people killed, it's on you." Michonne looked at Isabell. "I'll be back," She said, gesturing to the bag.

Isabell nodded. "Thanks." At the sound of Merle's retreating footsteps, Isabell turned and followed him. "Well, that went well, didn't it?"

"More than I see you doin'."

"Are you gonna let this go? They should be back soon, and you still wanna fight?"

Merle scoffed. "You're certainly no help takin' care of the problem here."

"I told you. Daryl said we're stayin' put. That's what you're supposed to be doin'. Tryin'. Makin' something here. That's what you told me you'd do to keep me on your side."

"Ain't no sides, here, Bella."

Isabell chuckled at that. "That why you're here? And not with the Governor? That's not you pickin' a side?"

Merle pursed his lips. "I'm here for my brother."

"And that's why you're not goin' anywhere. Because of Daryl. Because this is what we're doin'."

"Fine. You win." He said, throwing up his arms in surrender. "We'll stay."

Isabell folded her arms across her chest. She had a thought, but she wasn't sure whether or not she should share it. Isabell took a deep breath. "Can I tell you somethin' without you pickin' on me about it?"

"Will you leave me alone after? 'Cause I'm about tired of havin' you up my ass."

"You gonna leave?" Isabell countered.

"I told you I'm stayin'. Want me to sign in blood?"

Isabell rolled her eyes. "It's about Harley."

Merle looked away from Isabell, going towards his holding cell.

Isabell followed closely behind him. "You remember that day you showed up at our door with that stupid plastic bow and arrow toy?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Merle asked, sitting on his bed.

"That was one of the best days of her life. She always remembered that day and the special gift you got her. Kept it until it inevitably broke. Then, you got her a new one, that last time you got outta prison. A real one."

Merle studied Isabell, waiting for her to get to the point.

"Now, both times, you remember, I wasn't very happy about it." Isabell continued. "But she was, and so we let it happen. We let you teach her how to use it, and you became her best friend."

"Couldn't just give up on that talent," Merle nodded. "Ace was made to hold a bow."

Isabell smiled at the memory, eyes tearing up. "That man, the one who handed my eight-year-old daughter her first bow and arrow and taught her how to use it safely: that's the one I'm rooting for." Isabell insisted. "He's not so bad, and he's in there somewhere."

Merle shook his head, not meeting her eyes. "He's long gone, sister."

Isabell copied his actions. "He's there. Underneath all that stubborn Dixon Dirt. And I'd really like it if you tried to be him. Even with Harley gone."

Merle quickly looked up, meeting her eyes.

"Just because she's gone doesn't mean you should shit on her memory." Isabell left Merle without another word, letting him stew on those thoughts.

0o0o0

Everyone had anticipated Rick's return to the prison. Were they going to be safe? Could everyone work it out to where they never had to see each other? Would there be a trading option? Isabell couldn't be sure. She didn't think a man like Merle described the Governor as would ever be okay with being on an equal level with another group. That kind of man wanted to lead. He wanted to rule and be listened to, worshipped even.

Isabell approached Daryl, standing next to him, so their arms touched as they leaned against the wall. Everyone was waiting for Rick to address the group with the outcome of the conversation.

Daryl saw his brother leaning on the wall across from him and Isabell. "How was he?" Daryl asked, keeping his voice low.

Isabell shrugged. "There was resistance. A bit of a fight. But he's still alive," she joked. "I'm not really sure where his head is at or why he wants this guy dead so badly."

Daryl scoffed. "Who knows with him?"

Rick took a step into the middle of the circle the group made. "So, I met this Governor. Sat with him for quite a while."

"Just the two of you?" Merle asked.

Rick nodded. "Yeah."

Merle shook his head once, pushing through Glenn and Maggie. "Should have gone while we had the chance, bro."

Daryl looked down at Isabell with a furrowed brow.

Isabell shook her head, telling him she'd explain later. She watched Merle head towards the back of the group.

"He wants the prison," Rick continued. "He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury." The sheriff paused, deliberating in his head. "We're going to war." Without saying anything else, he left through the central area.

Isabell's heart dropped with the words. She wasn't sure she was ready for a war, but she knew she had to get there.

Daryl bumped her with his arm, snapping her from her thoughts. He put an arm around her shoulder, trying to lead her upstairs to their shared cell. Daryl locked eyes with his brother, both of them knew this was coming without even being a part of the conversation.

"Daryl?"

Daryl turned his attention back to Isabell. He hadn't realized he had stopped walking.

"You okay?"

Daryl nodded, taking steps towards the stairs. "C'mon." He said, taking them to their cell. Daryl started to shed his gear from the day.

Isabell worked on pulling her necklace off of her.

"What are you doin'?"

Isabell unclasped the chain and pulled off his ring. She held out her hand, reaching for his. "I know mine doesn't fit. I'm sorry about that. I'm glad you came back for me." Isabell slid Daryl's ring on his finger where it belonged.

"I can find you somethin' else."

"No," Isabell said, shaking her head, an amused smile poised on her face. "I'm pretty sure all the stores are closed. Besides, This one means too much to me." She said, returning the necklace around her neck.

Daryl leaned forward, kissing her. "I love ya, Izzy."

"I love you."