Fighter

~207

Daryl and Isabell arrived back to the camp just as they said they would; before the sun had gone down. They wandered through the camp in search of Carol, finally being told that she had been in the camper for most of the day.

Isabell entered first, looking around, noticing the cleanliness of the area. She smiled thinking that Carol had at least tried to be productive today instead of moping around the camp as she had been. Isabell had hoped it was because of everything she had shared with the other woman last night.

Both walk to the back of the RV, joining Carol as she worked on a sewing project. Isabell sat on the couch she had sat on with Carol the previous night and Daryl stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

“I cleaned up.” Carol said, looking from her project for only a second. “Wanted it to be nice for her.”

Daryl chewed on a piece of straw he had. “For a second, I thought I was in the wrong place.”

Carol smiled.

Isabell looked up at Daryl.

Daryl pulled a beer bottle, he had found for the flower, out from behind his back and set it on the shelf next to Isabell.

Carol looks closely at the bottle. “A flower?” She questions.

Daryl took the piece of straw from between his lips. “It’s called a Cherokee Rose.” He paused. “The story is that when the American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much ‘cause they were losin’ their little ones along the way.”

Isabell, as well as Carol, were hanging on Daryl’s every word. She hadn’t ever heard of this legend, and was surprised Daryl did. Had he told her that’s why he was bringing the flower back to camp, she probably wouldn’t have given him hell for it.

“They died from exposure and disease and starvation.” Daryl looked to the rose and shook his head. “A lot of ‘em just disappeared. So the elders, they said a prayer; asked for a sign to uplift the mother’s spirits. To give ‘em strength and hope.” Daryl continued to watch Carol for a moment before he looked to Isabell, noticing the tears in her eyes.

Carol looked to the rose.

Daryl continued. “The next day, this rose started to grow right where the mothers’ tears fell.” He took a breath. “I’m not fool enough to think there’s any flowers bloomin’ for my brother. But I believe this one bloomed for your little girl.”

Carol smiled and looked to Isabell before averting her eyes back to the project in her hands. She took a breath and laughed, looking to Daryl with tears in her eyes.

Daryl nodded and turned to leave. Before the camper door opened, he paused, looking back. “She’s gonna really like it in here.” He took his leave.

Carol smiled and looked at Isabell.

Isabell tried hard to erase the obvious tears on her face.

“You were right,” Carol said, gaining Isabell’s attention. “He’s a good man.”

Isabell nodded, unable to stop herself from crying. She leaned her arms down on her knees, lowering her head. “He was a good father, too.”

!@#$#@!

Ten Years Earlier.


Isabell had been asleep for a good few hours, which was rare now that she had her daughter. There wasn’t ever much sleep to be had. Isabell didn’t mind though. Harley was her little ball of sunshine. Before Isabell could even begin to think that she was way in over her head, she’d look at her baby and realize that the thoughts weren’t worth it. She loved Harley. Harley needed her and that’s all she ever thought about most of her days.

When Isabell woke up, she glanced to the clock on her nightstand. She had noticed that it was slightly past Harley’s feeding time, but she hadn’t yet heard her daughter’s cries for attention. Isabell groaned and rolled herself out of bed, onto the side where Harley’s crib was set up. She reached into the crib through the dark, automatically, like she had done so many times, but Harley wasn’t there. Isabell slightly panicked, but then realized that Harley was barely a few months old and couldn’t have gotten herself out of her crib. Then she heard his daughter’s small whine.

Isabell grabbed one of Daryl’s plaid shirts that he had in her room and put it on over her tanktop just in case Merle was around. She didn’t like being barely covered when he was in the house. Isabell walked quietly out of her room and into the main living area.

Daryl was sitting in his armchair, with the back facing Isabell. He had Harley in his arms, holding her as she ate from her bottle. “‘At’s my girl.” Daryl said out loud. “You eat up so one day, you’ll be big and strong, just like yer mama. And if yer anything like yer mama, you’ll need that strength to keep all the boys off’a ya.”

Isabell stood behind, leaning against the door frame, listening in.

“When you’re a little older, Daddy’s gon take you out all the time. Ima treat you like the princess ya are, like ya know ya are. But yer gonna be tough, too. I’ll teach ya to hunt and fish. Mama will teach ya how to cook what ya catch. Yer gonna know how ta take care of yerself. And yer gonna know that even when ya can’t, daddy’s always gonna be there when you need him. And so’s mama.” He leaned down softly to kiss his child’s forehead as she fell asleep gently. “We love ya, baby girl.”

Isabell pushed herself off of the wall and made her entrance to the room. “Yes we do.” She said, moving to sit on the arm of the chair that Daryl wasn’t using to hold of Harley. “I can take her.” Isabell said.

Daryl shook his head. “Nah, I got her. How long you been standin’ there?”

“Long enough.” She said, smiling and leaning down to kiss the top of the man’s head.

“I’ll bring her back in a little bit. You go on and lay down.”

“I’ll wait.” Isabell said, moving to the couch to put her feet up and watch the two.

Daryl leaned down, looking at Harley. “Ya know, yer mama’s a piece of work, Harley?”

“Am I?” Isabell joked.

Daryl nodded. “But you know it.”

Isabell smiled, and watched the two of of them together. The minutes went by in a peaceful silence as their daughter fell asleep. Isabell had managed to nod off herself until she was gently shaken by Daryl.

“Izzy, c’mon, let’s get the two of you to bed.” Daryl said.

Isabell slowly opened her eyes from her half asleep state. She got up and followed Daryl towards her room.

Daryl placed Harley in her crib, slowly, receiving only a little bit of protest from his child.

Isabell climbed into her bed, curling herself into the covers.

“I’ll see ya in the mornin’, Iz.” He said, moving to retreat to his own room.

“Nah,” Isabell said, pulling back the other half of her comforter. “You come sleep here tonight.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Isabell said, being slightly jostled as Daryl joined her in bed. After he had gotten himself comfortable, Isabell curled into him, with her head on his chest and his arm around her. Isabell yawned. “Ya know, yer gonna be really good at bein’ a dad.”

Daryl smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Thank ya. Good night, Iz.”

!@#$#@!

Present Day.


Isabell wakes up to the calming sounds of the farm around her. She slowly opens her eyes, taking a deep relaxing breath, remembering that they are safe again. Isabell smiled, and leaned up gathering herself and putting on new(ish) clothes for the day, realizing that Daryl had already left for his morning run-around. Isabell left her tent and went straight for Carol’s, seeing her sitting at the opening, putting on her shoes. “Mornin’ Carol.”

“Good morning.” Carol responded, quietly.

“Laundry Day, innit?”

“Yeah, I’m wonderin’ where Lori is. She’s normally up to help me by now.”

“We could let her sleep. Everybody needs to sleep in sometimes. Let me help you out today.”

“You sure?” Carol asked. “I mean, everybody has jobs. You’re normally out with Daryl.”

“There were a couple times yesterday that he didn’t seem to want me there. I think I get in the way a lot, but he just puts up with it. ‘Sides, he’ll be fine just one day.” Isabell lends down her hand to help Carol to her feet.

Carol took Isabell’s hand, using it to pull herself up. “That'd be lovely. Thank you.”

Isabell leaned down, grabbing one of the baskets that Carol had, while Carol snagged up the other. They worked on the laundry in silence for a bit before Carol spoke.

“Harley.” Carol said, making Isabell’s head snap up towards her. “That’s your daughter, right?”

Isabell felt it was weird to have someone else of the group besides Daryl say her daughter’s name. “Yeah.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “That was her name.”

“How old was she?”

“She was ten. When…” Isabell answered quickly, but couldn’t finish.

“Right, I’m sorry.” Carol said, turning her head back to the laundry. “I shouldn’t have asked.

“No, it’s okay.” Isabell insisted. “I just - I haven’t really talked about her since.”

Carol nodded, ending the conversation so she wouldn’t upset Isabell.

“She and Sophia would have gotten along great.” Isabell said, this time, earning Carol’s head to snap up. “Harley was a good kid. Despite having Merle for an uncle. I always told her that anyway that Merle does something, is wrong.”

Carol smiled. “You know, before all this happenin’ with Sophia, I couldn’t picture Daryl being a father.”

“Well, Harley wasn’t exactly planned.” Isabell smiled, recalling the day she told Daryl that she was pregnant. “She was a big surprise. Daryl nearly fainted.”

Carol laughed at that.

“Don’t tell him I told you that.”

Carol shook her head, stating that she wouldn’t. “I’m just saying, seein’ him now. How mindset he is on findin’ Sophia.” Carol nodded over to where Daryl sat against a tree, sharpening his bolts with his pocket knife. “I see it now.”

Isabell looked over at Daryl, too. “Yeah, he’s definitely got ‘Papa Bear’ written all over him.” Isabell turned back to Carol. “He just hasn’t forgiven himself yet for her. He thinks finding Sophia will make up for it.”

“He’ll get there.”

About an hour later, Isabell noticed a shadow beginning to stir in the Grimes’ tent as she and Carol were starting to hang the laundry to dry.

Lori put on her shoes and walked over towards the other women. “I can’t believe I slept in.” Lori moved to grab some clothes and begin to hang them.

Carol shrugged. “You must have needed. You feelin’ alright?”

“Next time wake me, alright?” Lori asked, ignoring Carol’s question. “Especially on laundry day.”

“I had Isabell’s help. We managed.”

Isabell smiled. “We all need to sleep in some days.”

“Aren’t you going out to help Daryl?” Lori asked, seeming to not want Isabell around.

“Not today.” Isabell said, hesitantly shaking her head. “Carol had an idea that I think would be a nice gesture Hershel and his people.”

“Oh yeah?” Lori asked, looking to Carol. “What’s that?”

“That big kitchen of their got me thinking. I wouldn’t mind cooking in a real kitchen again. Maybe we all pitch in and cook dinner for Hershel and his family tonight.”

“I didn’t know you could cook.” Lori said to Isabell.

“I’m full of surprises.” Isabell smiled. “Somebody had to cook all the stuff Daryl brought home after a weekend hunting.” Isabell shrugged. “It’s mainly for Carol anyway.”

“Kind of looking for things to keep my mind occupied.” Carol explained.

Lori nodded. “After everything they’ve done for us, seems like the least we could do.”

Carol looked down at the article of clothing in her hands, nervously. “You mind extending the invitation?”

Lori showed Carol a confused look as she walked to get more items to hang.

“It would just feel more right coming from you.”

“How so?”

“You’re Rick’s wife. It sort of makes you our unofficial first lady.” Carol said.

Isabell hoped that Lori wouldn’t let that thought get too far into her head. Isabell’s eyes followed a newly appeared Rick as he passed by the camp.

“Mornin’ guys. Let’s get going.” Rick said. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”

Isabell set the shirt that she held in her hand back into the laundry basket. “I’m gonna go see what the plan is. Say goodbye to Daryl. I’ll be back.” Isabell began to walk towards the car the others were gathering around after the women nodded to her.

Rick had placed the survey map on the Cherokee just like he had done the yesterday. “Alright, everyone’s getting new search grids today.”

Daryl set his crossbow down and attempted to put his flannel on.

Isabell smiled at the trouble he had getting the shirt on his arms from his soreness. She helped him put his shirt on.

“If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Isabell found, she might have gone further east than we thought.” Rick explained.

Jimmy, Beth’s boyfriend, came towards the car awkwardly. “I’d like to help.” He said. “I know the area pretty well and stuff.”

“Hershel’s okay with this?” Rick asked.

“Yeah. Yeah, he said I should ask you.”

“Alright then, thanks.”

Shane sat down in the passenger seat of the car. “Nothin’ about what Daryl and Iz found screams Sophia to me.” He complained. “Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse.”

“Anybody includes her, right?” Andrea asked.

“It was a small pantry, Shane.” Isabell reminded him. “There’s no way an adult could have been sleeping there.”

Daryl scratched his nose and nodded. “Whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay-high.” He motioned a correct height with his right hand.

“About as tall as Sophia.” Isabell insisted.

“It’s a good lead.” Andrea encouraged with a nod.

“Maybe we’ll pick up her trail again.” Rick said.

Dale came up from behind Daryl and Isabell with the gun bag so the other’s could prepare for their journey.

“No maybe about it.” Daryl insisted, stepping forward, pointing towards the map. “We’re gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here. Take a bird’s-eye view of the whole grid. If she’s up there, I’ll spot her.”

“Good idea. Maybe you’ll see your chupacabra up there, too.” T-Dog joked.

Isabell smacked Daryl’s arm lightly and smiled. “You told them that story?”

“Wan’t no story.” Daryl insisted.

“Chupacabra?” Rick asked.

“You never heard this?” Dale asked, unzipping the gun bag. “His first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of a time he was squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra.”

Jimmy laughed.

“What are you brayin’ at, jackass.” Daryl threatened.

“Daryl.” Isabell chastised, earning a quick glare from Daryl.

“So you believe in a blood-sucking dog?” Rick asked.

“Do you believe dead people walkin’ around?” Daryl asked.

Jimmy reached for one of the shotguns that Dale had laid out.

Rick put a hand over his, stopping him. “Hey, hey. Ever fire one before?” he asked, taking the shotgun off of the car.

“Well, if I’m going out, I want one.” Jimmy said.

Daryl smirked and shook his head, lifting his crossbow from the ground and throwing it over his shoulder. “Yeah, and people in hell want slurpees.” Daryl flicked his head so that Isabell would follow him.

Isabell stayed on his heels as he walked towards the stables where the horses were kept. “I’m gonna stay here today. If you really don’t need me with ya.”

Daryl stopped, looking her way with a furrowed brow. “Ya sure?”

Isabell nodded. “Yeah. Carol, Lori, and I are gonna make dinner for Hershel and his people. We’re gonna use the kitchen. Have a big get together tonight.”

Daryl bit his lip and looked from her over to the white house. “I don’ want ya gettin’ comfy here. They’re gonna kick us out soon as Carl’s well enough.”

“I know.” Isabell said, even though she forgot that Carl was the reason they were here at all. “Just trying to help out. He fixed up Carl and lost someone in the process. We gotta do somethin’ for it.”

“Alright.” Daryl nodded. “Just be here when I get back.” Daryl said, worried about splitting up.

“I know that we’ve not really been separated since you found me at that mall, but I’ll be okay. As long as you come back.” Isabell smiled. “And don’t make me wait up all night.”

“Wouldn’t think about it. You got your knife?”

Isabell nodded. “I’m good.”

Daryl moved forward and kissed her forehead.

“You be safe, alright, D?”

“I will.” He said before continuing towards the stables.

Isabell watched him for a moment before she walked back towards the area with Carol and Lori. She looked to Lori, who held the last piece of clothing to hang in her hands. “Have you asked Hershel yet? ‘Bout the dinner tonight?”

“I asked Maggie.” Lori responded shortly. “She said it’d be fine.”

“That’s good. I’m sure Carol is excited.”

“Yup.” Lori hung the flannel shirt on the clothesline.

Isabell narrowed her eyes and watched Lori for a second. “Hey, you alright?” She asked.

Lori flicked her bangs out of her face. “Of course.” She snapped.

“I’m just askin’. You seem frazzled.”

“I’m fine.” Lori insisted.

“Alright then.”