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"Belle?"

Isabelle snaps out of her memory and looks over to see Daryl trying to get her attention. She sighs and nods her head before writing.

"Sorry. Lost in old memories."

He nods and glances at the fence. "I get that sometimes…less and less nowadays."

Isabelle frowns quietly at him as he heads towards the fences. Before she could write anything, Beth comes over and squeezes her shoulder. Isabelle looks over at her. "Don't bother. Daryl is a nice guy, but he's super quiet about his past and even things that have happened to us. Doesn't like to remember bad memories."

Isabelle nods as the two of them take up at the opposite side. Isabelle climbs up the ladder and glances around, seeing some people staring at her, and some people staring at Lydia on the ground, who was helping out Magna with some of the closer walkers. When they get to the top, Isabelle starts to write again.

"Are they always this scared about people?"

Beth sighs and sits at the edge of her post. "They didn't use to be. Hilltop was the more…welcoming of the safe zones. Hear me out." She turns to her. "The story of us is that there were four safe zones. There was Hilltop, Alexandria, Oceanside, and the Kingdom. We had all come together to take down the Saviors led by a man named Negan. I don't think you've met him yet but he's…different. Kind of a dick. But I think he's changing for good. Anyway, after some time, we lost a man that was close to us, who was trying to unite us…and then from there, stuff just started happening to make people drift apart. Maggie, my sister, had gone off to help this woman make more safe zones with her son, and I haven't heard from her since…says she'll be back and I hope she will…the Kingdom fell when the Whisperers attacked and burned it, so now most of those people are here taking asylum. That's why some aren't that keen on letting you guys in."

Isabelle nods, understanding the reasons. She didn't blame them. She had moments in the past where she was very wary of trusting anyone that came close to her family. That, in turn, had to lead to them getting separated, and her being alone like she was now. Daryl had been the first man she had trusted in God knows how long.

Ever since Beta had hurt her – she didn't keep track of time, but she knew it was a little bit of time ago – trusting people didn't ever come easy. Why she went with Daryl? She didn't know. Maybe he was different. Maybe he had a different look in his eyes that didn't scream evil. He seemed like he had genuinely wanted to help her, and she had wanted to believe it.

Maybe it was true.

"How old were you when this started?" Isabelle writes out.

Beth chuckles, shaking her head. "Sixteen. You?"

Isabelle writes back. "Twenty. I was getting my undergrad at NYU when the shit hit the fan."

"Damn," Beth mumbles. "It's a shame I never got to experience anything like that. College, I mean. I don't think I'll ever get the chance again, either."

Isabelle shrugs before writing quickly. "It wasn't anything crazy. Just a lot of work and drinking. Kinda just sounds like how it is now."

"Yeah, but wouldn't you give for that kind of work again? To just have a sense of normalcy?" Beth asks. "To not be killing these things that are constantly following us. To just…I don't know, talk about the shitty life of dating and binge eat pizza and all that shit. I wish I could have that."

Isabelle smiles sadly at her and takes her hand, squeezing it. Beth sighs and gently smiles back at her, happy that at least one person understood that. When Isabelle pulls away, she writes again.

"I could find a shitty movie and we can eat food," Isabelle suggests.

Beth snorts. "In my dreams. If you can, I'm down."

Isabelle smiles and nods, putting away her notepad. And then the two sit in comfortable silence, looking ahead for the walkers that were coming.

~%~

Later on, when night had fallen, Daryl had been released from his shift duties. He could see that Lydia was tired and encouraged her to head into one of the trailers and rest. She smiled sleepily at him and did so.

He had to admit, the girl was putting in the work. She was really trying to pull her weight in killing all these walkers and people were starting to take notice. But he knew that there were still people who would gladly trade her over to the Whisperers still.

He would need to keep his eyes open.

He watches as Beth helps Isabelle down from the ladder, seeing the girl smile at the young blonde. Daryl had to admit; it felt good to see her smile after the state he found her in. And he had noticed she had taken out some of the walkers too with her pistol. Her arm still clearly looked hurt, but at least she was trying.

Beth looks over and nods at him. "Daryl, I'm going to take the small trailer for the night. You mind of Isabelle stays with you before we leave tomorrow?"

Daryl clears his throat but nods. "Uh, yeah, sure she can." Isabelle smiles gently at him before heading into the same trailer Lydia did. He follows after her and watches as she sits down on the couch. Lydia had already fallen asleep in one of the bedrooms in the trailer. "Ya know, ya could take the other bed if ya want," he says to her quietly.

She tilts her head before writing down. "Don't you want to be comfy?"

Daryl snorts before shaking his head. "Isabelle, ya don't gotta worry 'bout me. I've been sleeping on hard surfaces my whole life. Take the bed. Ya need it more."

Isabelle nods and stands, heading into the bedroom. Before she does though, she turns to Daryl and sees him sink into the sofa. She nods at him and then suddenly signs with her hands. 'Goodnight.'

Since his lessons with Connie, he signs back. 'Night.'

That made her smile brightly, a real grin from cheek to cheek. And for the first time in forever, he felt all warm and tingly inside at seeing someone so happy. She closes the door behind her and Daryl shakes his head to try and get whatever the hell that was in him out of him, before sighing lowly.

"I am gettin' way over my fuckin' head," he mutters to himself before passing out.

~%~

The next morning, Daryl woke up to hear laughter outside. Although the sound of children laughing wasn't strange anymore, at least to him, it was still very early and the sound wasn't a child laughing. It was a woman.

He glances outside and sees the sun had just barely risen. Whoever was up was crazy to be getting up at this hour, but who was he to talk since he did the same thing?

He quickly puts on his boots and heads outside, before stopping at what he saw.

There was Isabelle, playing with Dog right out in the open. She had on a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a pair of what looked like Beth's sweatpants, but they fit her well. She was throwing a bone and Dog was playing chase with her, coming back and forth.

It was the cutest damn thing he ever saw.

When Dog noticed he was there, he barks at Daryl. Isabelle turns around and instantly, her cheeks turn a dark red, something that made Daryl internally snort. She tries to speak but nothing comes out. Daryl shakes his head and walks over to her.

"I ain't mad," he says quietly, causing her to let out a breath of relief. "Fact, it's good. He needed some exercise." She smiles a little as she throws the bone again before Dog brings it back within seconds. "He likes you," Daryl murmurs, glancing down at her.

She takes out her pad and quickly writes. "I like him too." Daryl nods at Dog, who runs back to the trailer. Isabelle stops Daryl before he could go back, writing something quickly. "When did you learn how to sign?"

Daryl rubs the back of his neck before sighing. "I, uh…ain't really good at it. I started learnin' because one of my friends here can't hear, so I wanted to talk to 'er too. I know ya ain't fully deaf, and yer ear ain't that bad, but I figured since ya can't talk well yet, I could at least sign a little."

Isabelle writes quickly before showing him the pad. "It surprised me. I really liked it. If you want, I can give you lessons."

Daryl laughs for once, a full laugh that made her smile too before he shakes his head. "I ain't really a good student."

"And I'm not a good teacher, but I can try," she writes.

Daryl looks down at her before nodding quietly. "Alright…I'll take ya up on that some time."

Isabelle's smile turns soft, and he felt himself feel a little bit good about responding to her offer. Before he could say anything else, there was a sudden burst from his trailer, and Lydia came out looking haunted.

"Daryl, I just found this on my chest," she says, out of breath, gasping for air. "I…I don't know what to do."

Daryl takes the piece of paper she was holding and looks at it, feeling his rage start to build. Isabelle glances at it and felt her heart stop.

It was a drawing of her and Lydia, with their heads on pikes, and the word scribbled beneath it, 'We will end you both.'

He had a good idea who was behind this. He narrowed his eyes and gestured for Beth to come over with Yumiko. Both of them saw what was on the page, and their expressions turned to one of anger.

He had a feeling that the Highway men led by Margo and Alfred, not to mention Gage and Alden were behind this. They were the ones who had been in protest at the meeting. They had to be the people behind this.

He was done being sympathetic. It was time to teach these people a lesson.

~%~

Yumiko and the rest of the Hilltop Council had thrown Alden into a cell but allowed Earl to speak with him. Beth could hear the older man pleading with Alden to stop hurting Isabelle and Lydia, as he personally didn't blame them.

"Tammy wouldn't want this, and neither would Enid, son. You know that deep down. All you're doing is that you're listening to Gage, Alfred and Margo's bullshit. Were you gonna roughen them up or beat them to death?" Earl asked sternly. "They have done nothing wrong. All they were, were the victims."

Alden didn't respond at first. But judging from the horrified and offended expression on his face, Daryl would guess correctly that Alden didn't want to actually hurt the two girls.

"I wouldn't do that to them, Earl. I don't trust or like them, but I wouldn't hurt them. Alfred, Gage, and Margo are the ones who would hurt them... I'm just sick of the fighting. I miss Enid...that's what it comes down to," he admitted quietly, causing Daryl to nod at Earl in thanks.

He'd be having a chat with those three.

~%~

Once the group returned to Alexandria, Isabelle helped Lydia with learning how to read. She also patrolled the area with Daryl, while her own eyes searched for her family occasionally along the wall.

There wasn't any sign of them; obviously they wouldn't show out of anywhere. But she knew they were alive. Her brothers and friends were too stubborn to give up. They had to be okay. They just had to be.

She had offered to cook dinner for Daryl – in return for everything he had done for her so far – because she felt a little better. Lydia had gone outside to grab the laundry that had been drying. Isabelle was about to go outside to find her and bring her in again for the dinner she cooked when she heard Dog growling.

Something was wrong. Dog could sense it.

Isabelle grabbed her knife as she hurried out through the back door. As she got closer, she heard cries of anguish, and she turned the corner to see Lydia being beaten up by Alfred, Margo, and Gage.

She saw red at that moment. She just lost her temper. Something that hadn't happened in a long time.

In seconds, she whistled, distracting Alfred, who screamed in pain when Dog mauled at his arm. She had learned how to control dogs a while ago for security purposes but still loved the hell out of them. Daryl had told her Dog was like that.

Isabelle moved away from Margo, who tried to stab her with her machete. She punched her hard across the face, breaking her nose.

The woman yelled out and grabbed her by the hair roughly, throwing her to the side. Isabelle cringes in pain at her shoulder, looking over to see Margo climbing on top of Lydia again. Isabelle tried to get up, but Alfred suddenly climbed on top of her and was choking her with his bare hands.

"Die, you fucking bitch!" he snarled enraged. Isabelle squirmed and felt around, trying to find something, and then grabbed one of her knives that she'd used to kill a walker this morning at the gates from her pant leg.

She slashed him with it with her free arm, causing the man to scream in pain as he threw Isabelle away. Her head hit the bottom of the pavement, pain surging through her. Margo was suddenly yanked off Lydia and flung into the wall. She heard a sickening crack and saw blood stain the surface of the building.

Black spots started appearing in her vision.

Daryl had rushed from the house, after hearing Brandon calling Negan's name. When he got there, he saw Margo slumped on the grass, blood around her head. Negan was standing there, clearly shocked and trying to talk his way out of how Margo died, but Daryl was more focused on the hurt girls in front of him.

Alfred and Gage were being restrained by Scott and Kyle. Beth was helping Lydia sit up, but what stood out to him was that Isabelle was out cold. Rosita was trying to help her up, but there was nothing else she could do.

Daryl instinctively held Lydia who sobbed into his shirt, already knowing what happened. Alfred, Margo, and Gage had tried to kill Isabelle and Lydia, but Dog and Negan had saved them. He looks over at Isabelle, who was now being held upwards. He could see blood trailing from her pale blonde hair, down her cheek, and looked down at Lydia to see her cuts as well. He snaps.

"Put them in the cells! They ain't going anywhere. And bury that bitch outside," he snarled dangerously. Laura nodded grimly and dragged Margo's body outside with a grim-faced Eugene.

"They need to get to the infirmary, Daryl," Beth said concerned. He nodded and helped them both up as they started walking to the infirmary, while Alfred, Gage, and Negan were taken to separate cells.

"We were just trying to scare them!" Gage begged pleadingly, but no one paid attention to his attempts at avoiding blame. Kyle shoved him forward into the house, where the council meeting would be held.

Time for some drama. And some cute moments between Isabelle and Daryl. But mainly drama.

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