Fighter

Isabell had spent most of the rest of her day inside the Greene household, more specifically in the kitchen. She enjoyed getting newly acquainted with Beth and Patricia. Isabell liked Beth and Patricia. They were sweet, but Isabell seemed to wonder how far being sweet got you in this world anymore. Isabell also noticed Lori wandering in and out of the kitchen. Something was bothering the other women, Isabell could sense it. However, deciphering what was wrong, would have been a task all of it’s own. Isabell was even afraid to ask Lori if anything was wrong because Lori could take it the wrong way and bite her head off. With her just starting to actually get along with everyone in their group, pissing off the leader’s wife wouldn’t be best.

There was only so much that Isabell could do in the kitchen to keep her mind occupied while Daryl was gone. As it got closer to dinner, less was needed to be done and Daryl was on her mind more. She needed more to distract her mind until Daryl came back. It was even more concerning that the other groups from the search parties had managed to come back and Daryl was still absent from the farm. Isabell pulled out a chair from the dining room table. “Hey, Beth, come sit. Let me braid your hair.”

“Why?” Beth asked.

Isabell shrugged. “I’m bored. There’s not much more to do for dinner.” She gestured her head for Beth to hurry over. “C’mon.”

Beth smiled. “Alright.”

Lori had come into the kitchen just before and she looked around before speaking. “It is nice to be cookin’ in a real kitchen again.” She agreed, mentioning Carol’s comment from that morning.

“Oh yeah?” Isabell asked.

Carol nodded, smiled. “I never thought I’d be so happy to see a potato.” She said, earning laughs from the other women.

“I’m just glad we’re not roasting squirrels over a fire in the woods.” Lori chimed.

“Hey, Daryl works hard for them squirrels.” Isabell joked.

“Oh, I wouldn’t doubt it.” Lori said, finally seeming like she was her normal self. “Thank you, Patricia, so much for lettin’ us into your house.”

“Thank you for cookin’ for us.” Patricia countered.

“We’re just trying to make good for everythin’ Hershel’s done for us while Carl’s healing.” Isabell told her.

“Well, if you folk cook like this one can braid hair,” Patricia said, putting a hand on Isabell’s shoulder, “I’m sure it’ll be lovely.”

Isabell took the elastic that previously held Beth’s ponytail, tying it tightly at the end of the braid. “You’re all set.” She told Beth.

Beth put a hand on the back of her head, feeling the perfect french braid. “Thank you.” Beth smiled, standing from the chair.

“No problem,” Isabell waved off. “I used to braid my daughter’s hair all the time.”

“You had a daughter?” Beth asked, facing Isabell.

Isabell froze, realizing that this was the first time she had ever told anybody about Harley, right out, besides Carol.

Lori looked to Isabell shocked with her eyes wide.

Isabell bit her lip and nodded. “Yeah. Harley. She… She was ten.” Isabell paused for just a second, watching as everybody looked at her like they wanted her to expand. “I’m gonna go get some air.” She said slowly, passing by Carol.

The other woman put a comforting hand on Isabell’s shoulder as she passed her by.

Isabell stood on the porch taking deep breaths. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for everyone to start asking her about her daughter. Having Carol ask her was one thing. Isabell thought that Carol would understand her with Sophia missing. They had bonded even stronger. Isabell was taken from her thoughts when she heard Andrea scream from the top of the RV.

“Walker!” the blonde shouted.

Isabell acted quickly, grabbing the knife out of her boot and running towards the camper. “How many?” She asked.

“Just the one?” Rick asked as well.

Andrea didn’t answer. Instead she picked up her binoculars to get a better look at it from far away. “I bet I can nail it from here.” Andrea said, putting down the binoculars and replacing them with a rifle. The rest of the group took this time to run and get their own weapons from their tents.

“No.” Rick ordered. “No, Andrea. Put the gun down.”

“You’d best let us handle this.” Shane explained, limping out from between the trees.

“Shane, hold up.” Rick said, trying to stop him. “Shane wants to deal with walkers.”

“What for, man? We got it covered.” Shane continued towards the tree line across the field.

Rick cussed, frustrated with his friend. He ran inside the RV to retrieve his fun from the gun back and hurries back out to catch up with the others.

“What are we supposed to do?” Isabell asked as Rick ran by.

“Stay there.” Rick ordered over his shoulder. “And don’t shoot.”

Isabell nodded even though Rick had already gone. She watched as all of the men ran off towards the walker.

Andrea earned Isabell’s attention when Andrea clicked the rifle’s safety off.

“Andrea, what the hell are you doing?” Isabell asked. “We were told to stand down.”

The blonde didn’t answer and lined up to take the shot.

“Andrea!”

Andrea lowered herself down onto her stomach so that she could hold herself steady and get an even shot.

“Andrea, don’t.” Dale persisted.

“Back off, both of you.” Andrea spat. Andrea took her shot. She smiled knowing she got the target.

Isabell’s head seemed to follow the bullet, waiting for a response from the others who had gone after the walker.

“No!” They hear Rick shout from across the field. “No!”

“Andrea, what the fuck did you do?!” Isabell shouted.

Dale had moved down from the ladder, making it easier for Andrea to climb down herself.

Hershel and the other inhabitants of the farm came out from the house. “What on Earth’s going on out here?” He yelled.

“I’ll go check it out!” Isabell shouted back. She broke into a sprint, with her knife in her hand, in the direction of the others.

Andrea and Dale followed behind her.

What Isabell saw as she approached the men wasn’t something that she ever wanted to see. It made her stop a few yards in front of them. Isabell nearly fell to the ground. She would have, if Dale hadn’t been behind her to catch her. “D-Daryl?” She questioned. Isabell gained her strength quickly and continued towards him. “Daryl!”

“Oh, my God!” Andrea cried. “Oh, my God, is he dead?”

Rick answered her. “He’s alright. Unconscious. You just grazed him.”

“Look at him!” Glenn gasped. “What the hell happened?” The younger man pointed to the string around Daryl’s neck. “He’s wearing ears!”

Rick quickly pulled the string of ears off from around Daryl’s neck and stuffed them inside his own shirt. “Let’s keep that to ourselves.”

Isabell took a deep breath, looking at Daryl. She saw red. And then she saw Andrea. ”You bitch!” Isabell shouted, charging herself at Andrea.

Glenn acted quickly and grabbed her so that Isabell couldn’t get to Andrea.

“Let me go, Chinaboy!” Isabell said angrily, fighting against him. “Goddammit, Andrea, this is why you stand down when you’re told!”

“Isabell!” Dale shouted, moving to stand in front of her to get her attention. “Calm down!”

“Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down, old man. She shot Daryl! She shot him and she could have killed him!” Isabell insisted, continuing to kick and fight against Glenn.

“He’s okay!” Dale reasoned. “He’s just hurt. Needs a few stitches. But beating up Andrea won’t solve anything.”

“It’ll sure make me feel better.” She growled.

“Guys, isn’t this Sophia's?”

The one phrase consisting of four words that came from T-Dog made Isabell stop fighting against Glenn’s hold on her and look to the other man. In T-Dog’s hands there was a doll. It was Sophia’s doll.

“Daryl had that?” Isabell asked, falling to her knees as Glenn’s hold weakened.

T-Dog nodded.

Isabell smiled. “He found a lead.”

“We need to get him to Hershel.” Rick said, continuing to help Shane carry Daryl back to the house. Each had one of Daryl’s arms over their shoulders.

“You good?” Glenn asked Isabell, worried that she would still try and go after Andrea.

“I’m good.” Isabell nodded, using Glenn to help her get to her feet. Isabell approached Andrea. “Consider this your first and only free pass.” She told the other blonde. “If you almost get me or Daryl killed again, they’re gonna need to do a lot more than hold me back from beating your face in.”

The men carried Daryl up the stairs and into a spare bedroom. Once Daryl was safely in the bed, Rick and Shane left the room, but Isabell didn’t leave his side. She couldn’t bring herself to even if he wanted to go. Isabell sat crosslegged on the other half of the bed in front of Daryl. She held a washcloth to the wound on his head.

Hershel stood over Daryl, working on stitching up Daryl’s side.

Isabell sighed, looking over Daryl in his hurt and weakened state. It was rare for Isabell to see him this vulnerable. She wasn’t sure that she liked it. “Hey, Doc?”

Hershel looked up for a moment and then returned to his work.

“If he wakes, don’t…don’t make a big deal of the scars. He gets a little - ”

“I wouldn’t have.” Hershel said, shaking his head. “It’s his business.”

Isabell nodded as one side of her mouth turned up.

Daryl must have started to feel the pressure from the stitches. He woke only a couple of moments after Hershel started.

“Daryl?” Isabell questioned, pushing herself closer to him on the bed.

“Izzy?” He mumbled.

Isabell smiled, her lower lip quivering and put her forehead to Daryl’s. She couldn’t stop the small tears from forming.

“Wha’s wrong, Iz? Why you cryin’?”

The blonde pulled back slightly, confused. Isabell furrowed her brow. “D, y-you came back with a bolt wound in your side. A-and then Andrea shot at you because she thought you were a walker.”

“Good thing she’s not a good shot, then, huh?” Daryl moved his head so he could get a good look at Hershel’s progress on stitching him up.

“Daryl, I thought you were dead.”

“‘M not.” He said simply.

Isabell sat up, averting her eyes away from him. “Yeah.” She said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

There were a couple moments of awkward silence before Hershel spoke. “You should get Rick.” He said, noticing Isabell’s uncomfortableness. “He’ll want to know where Daryl found the doll.”

Isabell nodded, pushing herself out of the bed. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll go get him.” Isabell walked around the bed, leaving the room and went downstairs. She sighed, finding much of the group sitting around in the living room, waiting for either dinner or to find out what happened to Daryl. “Rick?” she called, gaining his attention. “Daryl’s awake. If you wanna grab a map and talk to him about what he found.”

Rick nodded, looking to Shane on his right. They both pushed themselves out of their seats. Rick stood in front of Isabell. “Are you sure that he’ll remember? With that shot he took?”

“He seems fine. Normal. He’ll remember.”

Shane scoffed. “What exactly is normal for Daryl? Considering what he came back with.” Taking a step to move around Isabell and up the stairs.

“We’re not talking to him about that.” Isabell stressed, stepping in his path. “You ask him about the doll only or you’ll wish them walkers hadn’t just killed Otis.” She threatened.

“What’s got your panties in a bunch?”

“Shane…” Rick warned, lightly pushing Shane back from Isabell. He then turned to the woman. “We’ll handle it.”

Isabell nodded to him and then turned to walk up the stairs. The men followed close behind her. She opened the door and allowed the men inside.

Shane took the chair next to Rick that was against the wall.

“Daryl?”

“Hm?” Daryl mumbled.

“I was wonderin’ if you remembered where you found the doll.”

Daryl nodded to the best of his ability.

Rick unrolled the map over the bed.

Daryl studied the map for a moment, getting his bearings. He pointed straight to it. “I found it washed up on the creek bed, right there.” He said. “She must have dropped it crossing there somewhere.”

“Cuts the grid almost in half.” Rick noticed.

“Yeah, you’re welcome.” Daryl groaned, watching Hershel as he tugged at the skin around the cut on his side.

“How’s he lookin’?” Rick asked the doctor.

“I had no idea we’d be going through the antibiotics so quickly.” Hershel said, cutting off the end of the stitch. “Any idea what happened to his horse?” He moved to wash his hands.

“Yeah, the one that almost killed me?” Daryl asked. “If it’s smart, it left the country.”

“We call that one Nelly, as in Nervous Nelly. I could have told you she’d throw you if you’d bothered to ask for it.” Hershel admitted.

“You didn’t ask?” Isabell asked, accusingly.

“Is now really the time you should be yellin’ at me?” Daryl complained.

Hershel dried his hands. “It’s a wonder you people have survived this long.”

Isabell scoffed. The old man knew nothing about them and how they’ve survived. “You know what? I’ll get the rest of the stitches.” Isabell said, annoyed by the others in the room. “Go get ready for dinner. I’m sure it’s almost ready.”

“You sure?” Rick asked.

“Yeah.” Isabell insisted. “Daryl and I need some space.”

“Okay.” Rick said, leading Shane out of the room.

“I can get those if you need.” Hershel told Isabell.

“I’ve done it before. Obviously well enough that we’re still surviving.” Isabell stressed. “I appreciate it, but I can handle it.”

Hershel nodded, holding out the supplies to her.

“Thank you.”

Hershel left the room, closing the door behind him.

Isabell climbed back into the bed on the other side of Daryl. She sat in front of him, crossing her legs, and patting her lap. “C’mere.”

Daryl sighed, but put his head in her lap.

Isabell pushed the hair out of the way of the wound gently, so as not to hurt him. “Your hair is getting long.”

“So?” Daryl questioned. “Not like Ima be winnin’ any beauty contests soon.”

“I’m just makin’ conversation, D.”

“Well, don’t.” Daryl snapped.

Isabell sighed. She absolutely hated these moods that Daryl got. He didn’t get them often, but when he did it was almost like he was barrelling over everybody with his terrible attitude. Normally he’d get in these moods if he had been spent time with Merle. Isabell knew that hadn’t happened recently. For the next few moments, Isabell silently worked on the wound on Daryl’s head, being as gentle as she could.

Daryl started to play with the bandage the covered the wound on his side.

“Can I ask how that happened?”

“Got thrown from that horse. Tumbled down a cliff. One of my bolts went straight through.” Daryl explained.

“Good thing i didn’t go more towards the middle.” Isabell told him. “You’da never made it back.”

“I guess.”

Isabell bit her lip, wondering why he was being so uncaring. She waited a moment before finishing the stitch and tying it off. “You wanna tell me what the ears were about?”

“No.” Daryl barked.

“Okay.” Isabell nodded, reaching for the bandage to wrap it around his head. She patted him so that he would sit up in front of her.

Daryl sat facing her. He watched her as he moved the bandage around his head in circles. “You okay?” he asked.

“No.” Isabell responded shortly.

“Wha’s wrong?”

Isabell shook her head. “Nothing apparently.”

“Talk ta me.”

“No.” she forced. “You used ta always get on me about being emotionless, and now I’m trying to get through to ya and yer not havin’ it.”

“How can I if I ain’t got any idea what yer sayin’?”

Isabell sighed, tucking in the end to the bandage. “You looked dead, Daryl. You looked like a walker. There was no way that Andrea shootin’ you wasn’t dignified.”

“So she shot me. Big deal.”

“That’s just it. You don’t care that you could have died.” Isabell said. “You could have left me forever.”

“But I didn’t. And if I did, you’d’ve had people here.”

“I wouldn’t care about them. I care about you. And if you weren’t here…” Isabell shook her head. “I’m not sure what I’d do. Because right now, you’re the only thing that is keeping me going.” Isabell licked her lips. “I just don’t like the idea of finding anybody like that. Especially you.” She pushed herself off of the bed.

Daryl sighed. “Nah. Don’t go.” He said, pulling her back down to lay on the bed. “C’mere.”

Isabell layed down next to Daryl. She curled up next to him, facing him.

“I ain’t never leavin’ you.” Daryl insisted. “I’ll get bruised and banged up and i’ll take ten bolts for ya, but I’m never going anywhere without ya.”

Isabell looked him in the eye and put a hand on the side of his neck. “Alright.” She said before she leaned forward and kissed him hard. Isabell pulled away after a moment. She noticed a slight look of confusion on his face. “I’m sorry. I just want you to know I’m not going either. I’ll be with you until the end of it. Until we both go because I won’t go much farther without you.”

“I love ya.” Daryl said to Isabell after he took a breath.“Ya love me?”

“I do.” Isabell told him. “Just don’t do that again.”

“What?”

“Scare me like you did.” She turned over, curling into him. “Never give us a reason to think yer dead.”

Daryl put an arm around her waist and put his mouth to her ear. “I’m not gonna.”

As Daryl tried to fall to sleep after his difficult day, Isabell stayed in her place next to him. She didn’t let herself sleep. Even if she wanted to sleep, she couldn’t. Isabell’s brain was still so wired about what happened to Daryl and what he found. The possibility of finding Sophia just shot through the roof. They had a better area of where she could be, making it easier to narrow down the place where she could be hiding out.

Isabell sighed. She listened to Daryl’s even breaths deciding that he was finally passed out, Isabell turned over so that she could face him. She watched as his shoulders rose and fell as he breathed, happy to have him back and alive.

After about an hour or so, however long it really was Isabell wasn’t sure, there was a knock at the door.

Isabell sit up from the bed slightly.

Carol entered the room with a tray of food on her arm.

Isabell smiled at her and raised a finger to her. She looked down at Daryl. “D, wake up.” She said. Isabell reached for the sheet that was draped over his body, pulling it further towards his shoulders, knowing that he would be embarrassed if Carol saw the scars he was cursed with.

With the movement of the bed, Daryl’s eyes shot open. He grabbed and secured the sheet at his chest and turned his body to see Carol standing behind him.

“How are you feeling?” Carol asked him.

Daryl turned away from Carol and back towards Isabell. “As good as I look.”

Isabell sat up, crosslegged, to face Carol.

Carol looked away for just a moment, not sure how to go about the situation. “I brought you both some dinner.” She said, setting the tray on the bedside table. “You must be starving.”

Daryl turned to look at the tray and looked away again.

“Thank you.” Isabell said with a small smile.

Carol nodded. She leaned down towards Daryl.

Daryl cringed away slightly, but it didn’t stop Carol.

The older woman continued towards him and kissed his temple.

Daryl looked to her, accusingly. “Watch out, I got stitches.”

“Daryl…” Isabell chastised.

“You need to know something.” Carol said suddenly, preventing Isabell to talk some sense into Daryl. The two both looked to her. “You did more for my little girl today than her own daddy ever did in his whole life.”

Daryl looked back towards Isabell. He fluffed the pillow under his head to make it more comfortable. “I didn’t do anything Rick or Shane wouldn’t have done.”

“I know.” Carol said, then quietly continued. “You’re every bit as good as them. Every bit.” Carol continued to watch for a response from Daryl.

Isabell looked from Daryl up to Carol, meeting her eyes. She smiled and nodded her head, mouthing a thank you.

Carol nodded, smiled and then took her leave.

Isabell sighed. “You really did do a good thing for the group. Finding that doll is givin’ us a whole string o’ new leads to Sophia.”

“Yer welcome.”

“I’m not sayin’ it to be thankful. I’m sayin’ it so you know the people here know you can be good, too.”

“If ya didn’ know, I kinda had a long day. I’d like to get some sleep before long.” Daryl said, closing his eyes.

“Alright.” Isabell relented. “Get some sleep. I’ll wake ya in an hour to eat.” Isabell got herself off of the bed and grabbed her plate from the tray Carol left. She moved to the chair to sit down to eat.

“I love ya.” Daryl said.

Isabell looked up to see him watching her. “Me, too.”

“Ya sure?”

“Promise.” She smiled.