Fighter

It had been about a week since the CDC. While Isabell wasn’t quite sure exactly how she felt about losing someone that wanted to go, she was happy that Jacqui was safe and happy wherever she was now. She wouldn’t tell Daryl, but the thought about staying had crossed her mind only for a second. Then she looked at Sophia and Carol and how sad they were about not getting a choice to decide their fate and she noticed that it wasn’t worth it. Given the chance, she chose to live. To fight through with the family that she had left. Daryl, and now Carol and her little girl had become her family.

Sophia was no longer the shy little girl that Isabell had first met. When they stopped in a town to gather supplies, Sophia would cling to Isabell. The two would make jokes and play games like ‘I Spy’. Carol would smile when she saw Sophia having fun. Carol’s smile would make Isabell happy.
Of course, she sometimes felt a little weird about bonding with another woman’s child. In their kind of situation, they needed all the friends they could get. That’s what Sophia was to Isabell. Something to keep her going and her mind occupied.

Traveling with the group wasn’t easy. They would go town to town. They would siphon gas from cars they spotted. Daryl decided to drop the truck and take the bike. His and Isabell’s camping supplies were stuffed in the RV, but Isabell still had a backpack full of necessities as she rode behind Daryl on the bike. Isabell had insisted on it, more as a precaution in case anything happened and they got separated. Daryl had argued. He knew that even without the bag, the two of them would be able to live off of the land. Daryl had spent enough time hunting with his brother to know how to survive with nothing.

Even though she wouldn’t admit it to him, Isabell liked the time she had alone with Daryl. The wind flowing through her hair. Being able to hold tightly onto Daryl without him throwing a fit about her being too close. It was almost like they weren’t in a world after The Turn. But then, Isabell would see a lone walker limping through the trees alongside the road and the fantasy was broken.

Isabell liked to watch. It was something she had picked up from Daryl . When they were younger, he would have moments when he wouldn’t say a word. Daryl would be looking around at the people passing him by. After he spotted something, he would lean over to Isabell and tell her something that he had picked up about the people. A couple, he’d noticed, who were recently engaged. Or even one going through a bit of a rough patch. Daryl could always tell stories about people after reading their body language.

When Isabell looked around at the group, she would always notice that Shane was staring, longingly, over at Lori. Sometimes he’d be looking at the Grimes family as a whole. Isabell could tell that Shane was jealous of what they had. He would look desirably at Lori most of the time. Isabell asked Daryl about it and it turned out that Shane and Lori had an affair before she joined up. In their defense, the two of them thought that Rick was dead.

Rick was back now, though. Shane’s little love affair had to end before it tore the group apart.

The motorcycle was in front of the caravan, Daryl leading the way. Taking the highway was definitely different now that there were no moving cars on it. When there were car, they seemed to be jamming up the entire road. The motorcycle was the only vehicle that could make it through at some points. Daryl never noticed. He swerved through the parked cars and around an eighteen-wheeler that was on it’s side.

Isabell tapped Daryl’s shoulder, taking him from his trance. “They can’t get through!” She shouted at him.

Daryl turned his head, noticing the group caravan had stopped and nodded. He turned the bike around and headed back the way they came. The bike slowed and approached the driver’s side of the RV.

Dale looked out of his window. “See a way through?” he shouted to Daryl. Daryl looked back at the roadblockage and nodded. He gestured for Dale to follow him through the wreckage. Daryl went slower this time through the car, letting the rest of the caravan keep close behind.

After a minute of weaving through, there was a loud banging noise behind them and Isabell jumped. It was only the RV. Isabell sighed.

Daryl stopped his bike and turned it off. Both him and Isabell walked towards the group that was gathered around the RV’s engine.

“I said it.” Dale affirmed. “Didn’t I say it? A thousand times. Dead in the water.”

Shane followed after Dale, shotgun in hand. “Problem, Dale?”

“Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of - ”

“Dale.” Isabell interrupted with a laugh. “Take a look around.”

Dale turned around in his spot, recalling how many cars they were surrounded by.

Daryl was already digging through one of the cars’ trunks.

Isabell shook her head at him, smiling, but let him continue.

“Okay, that was dumb.” Dale said to himself.

Shane laughed once. “If you can’t find a radiator hose here…” he trailed off, everyone knowing how that sentence would end.

“There’s a whole bunch o’ stuff we can find.” Daryl finished, as he dug through the trunk of the car.

Isabell joined him, announcing her presence next to him with a hand on his arm.

Daryl looked at her for a quick second before getting back to work.

T-Dog stepped forward. “I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start.

“Maybe some water.” Carol asked.

Isabell nodded to her. “Or food.”

“This is a graveyard.” Lori stated.

The group stopped what they were doing for a moment to give Lori a look.

Isabell was indifferent. It was a graveyard, but what were these people going to do with this stuff? They didn’t need it anymore.

However, everyone seemed to be a little weirded out by it just as Lori was. “I don’t know how I feel about this.” Lori finished.

Daryl looked to Lori, and then turned his head to Isabell, almost as if he was asking how she felt about it.

“Go ahead.” Isabell said to him. “Just be respectful.”

Daryl nodded and started to rummage again.

“Alright, alright.” T-Dog cheered. “Here we go. Come on, yall. Just look around. Gather what you can.”

Everyone walked alongside the cars almost as if they were window shopping for the time being.

“D?” Isabell uttered.

Daryl looked up at her.

“I’m gonna follow Carol and the kids.”

Daryl nodded and returned to his work. “Your knife in your boot?”

Isabell nodded, when Daryl glanced at her again quickly, nodding in acceptance. Isabell turned and walked towards the kids.

“Be safe.” He called after her quietly.

Isabell smiled at the acknowledgment. It was Daryl’s was of showing that he cared about her.

“Kids, don’t look.” Carol informed the children as Isabell approached their small group.

Isabell walked up to a car with its trunk open and unlatched one of the suitcases. She pulled out a shirt and looked to Carol. “Carol, here.” She said, throwing the shirt in her direction.

Carol caught the shirt with ease and unfolded it.

“I think that’ll look good on you.” Isabell said with a smile.

Carol held it up to her body and smiled.

Lori turned to look at Isabell and Carol. She almost glared when she saw Carol enjoying the clothes shopping she was doing.

Carol’s smile faded when she saw Lori’s look and took the shirt away from her body.

Isabell walked over to stand next to Carol. “Don’t worry about it. Take it. The dead don’t need them anymore.”

“Ed never let me wear nice things like this.” Carol admitted.

“All the more reason to hold onto it.” Isabell encouraged.

Carol smiled and reached further into the car for another suitcase. “We’re gonna need clothes."

Lori nodded solemnly. She wasn’t happy about it, but Carol was right.

Carol took the suitcase over to another car next to Lori.

Lori grabbed a flashlight and walked away putting her hand on Carol’s shoulder. “Hey, Carl.” Lori said, to the kids, before bending into another car. “Always within my sight, okay?” She ordered.

“You, too, Sophia.” Carol directed. “Isabell’s, too.” Carol said, smiling at Isabell.

Isabell nodded, signalling that she would also keep an eye on the kids. The women scavenged in silencer for a while as Lori was still sour about digging through people’s things.

Rick came running through the cars after about five minutes of searching. “Lori!” he whispered. “Under the cars!” He said, signalling his order with his hands. “Carol, Sophia , get down now!”

Isabell turned her head to look in the direction Rick came from. There was a herd of walkers headed their way. Isabell grabbed the closest child to her, which was Carol, and pushed him under a nearby car with her.

Sophia took the next car over.

Isabell had her arm around Carl’s back, holding him under the car. She was the closest to the car that Sophia was under. “Sophia!” Isabell whispered when she noticed Sophia freaking out. “You’re gonna be fine. Just stay under the car until I say, alright?”

Sophia looked back at her with tear-filled eyes, but nodded anyway. She was scared.

Isabell could see that she was. She knew though that as long as Sophia listened to what Isabell told her, she would be okay. Isabell heard Lori start to shush Carol. The two were under a van together.

Carol was scared for her little girl.

Lori had to put her hand over Carol’s mouth to keep her from crying out.

Isabell gestured to Carol with her hand, hoping to calm her down. She knew Sophia would be fine. They would all be fine as long as they didn’t draw attention to themselves.

Carl started to scoot closer to Isabell as the walkers started moving past the car they were under.

Isabell held him tightly.

Rick was watching them with careful eyes.

Isabell looked to him and nodded. They were okay. Hopefully all of them were. Isabell’s thoughts flashed to Daryl. Where was he?

Once the herd calmed down, Isabell looked to Sophia to make sure she was still okay. Everyone was looking all around their cars, just to be sure that the coast was clear. Isabell held a finger up to Sophia telling her to wait another minute. Isabell turned to look at Rick who was telling them to wait as well.

As her back was turned, Sophia started to crawl out from under the car. She got halfway out when a walker started treading by. She started cowering and screaming.

Isabell’s head snapped back towards her. She looked to Rick who was starting to get out from under the car. “Carl, stay under the car until your mom says, do you hear me?” Isabell ordered.

Carl nodded.

Isabell rolled over until she was out from under the car.

Rick had already worked his way into the woods after Sophia.

Isabell didn’t see where they went. She ran into the trees anyway. She had been taught a little bit about tracking. Maybe she could find where the two were by using what she knew. Things became difficult for her when she didn’t see any footprints. Isabell ran anyway, running in any direction she thought a child would if they were running through the woods.

Isabell was looking in every direction wondering if she could even spot a little bit of the blue shirt that Sophia had been wearing. Still, she saw nothing. Isabell slowed to a job to catch her breath. She turned in a circle, wishing she could find something. Sophia being lost in the woods was one of the worst things that could have happened.

Instantly, Isabell felt bad for grabbing Carl under the car instead of Sophia. If she had taken that extra step, she could have grabbed even both of them and shoved them under a car with her.
Isabell felt her eyes water and a lump form in her throat. Her only hope now was Rick finding Sophia and bringing her back to the highway. Isabell sighed and turned around running right into a walker. She screamed and stumbled backwards, landing on the ground.

The walker tripped over her and landed on top of her.

Isabell used all her strength holding the walker over her body.

The walker was chomping at her, wanting to get a bite.

Isabell was scared. She had no weapon within reach and she couldn’t slide her leg up to get her knife from her boot. She wasn’t strong enough to push the walker off of her. She was going to die.

Suddenly, the walker went limp.

Isabell’s breath didn’t slow. “Hello?” She called, trying to look around to see who had shot the walker. The walker was lifted off of her in the next second by Rick. Isabell sighed in relief.

Rick held a hand out to help her off the ground.

“Thanks for that.” Isabell said, using his hand to pull herself up.

Rick nodded in response.

“Is Sophia okay?”

Rick nodded. “Told her to head back to the highway once I led some walkers away. Checked back where I hid her. She wasn’t there. She should be back when we get there.”

“Good.”

The two walked quietly for a minute back towards the highway before Rick spoke up. “Thank you.” He said. “For grabbing Carl.”

“No problem.”

When the two returned to the highway, they were swarmed by the people of their camp.

Carol approached Isabell. “Where is she? Where is Sophia?”

“She’s not here?” Isabell questioned.

Daryl quickly joined the group, moving right in front of Isabell, pulling her off to the side. “I heard ya scream. You okay?” He asked, looking her over.

“D, I’m fine. Had a run in. Couldn’t get my knife.”

Daryl scoffed, shaking his head. He should have gone after her.

“Don’t worry about me. Rick got there in time.” She paused. “Are you sure Sophia isn’t here?” Isabell looked up at Daryl with hopeful eyes.

Daryl shook his head. “Ain’t nothin’ come through them trees, but you two.” He said, gloomily.

Isabell bit her lip to stop the new lump forming in her throat. “Then we have to go back out there and find her. You’re coming.”

“What?”

“Daryl, please. She’s a little girl.” Isabell stressed, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m not gonna let her die out there.”

Daryl nodded after a minute of studying Isabell’s pleading look. He gathered a small group of Shane, Glenn, Rick, himself and Isabell to go back out and look for Sophia

Rick led them to the place where he hid Sophia from the walkers as he led them away.

Daryl was in the water with Rick, leaning over the spot where she was hidden. “Sure this is the spot?”

Rick came over to the small cave. “I left her right here.” He insisted. “I drew the walkers way off in that direction up the creek.”

“Without a paddle. Seems where we’ve landed.”

“She was gone by the time I got back here. I figured she just took off and ran back to the group. I told her go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder.” Rick explained, pointing towards Isabell, who was standing outside the creek, between the trees.

Daryl followed his gesture and started that way out of the creek.

“She’s here somewhere.” Isabell insisted.

“Hey, Short Round, why don’t you step off to one side?” Daryl suggested to Glenn. “Yer muckin’ up the trail.”

Glenn took a few steps closer to Isabell.

“Don’t mind him.” Isabell whispered to Glenn. “He’s just worried.”

“Daryl?” Glenn questioned. “Worried about a little girl? Since when did he care what happened to other people?”

Isabell sighed. “If you people were patient enough to find out, there’s a lot about Daryl that would surprise you.” Isabell turned back to watching the guys.

“That’s assuming she knows her left from her right.” Shane offered.

“Shane, she understood me fine.” Rick claimed.

“She knows her left from her right.” Isabell told the group. She noticed all the eyes were on her. She sighed. “When we play our games at stops, I give her hints. ‘Look to your left’ or ‘it’s on your right.’ She always looks in the correct direction. She knows the difference. She’s probably just tired and scared, probably got a little lost.”

“She had a close call with two walkers. Gotta wonder how much of what you said stuck.” Shane told his friend.

“Got clear prints right here.” Daryl pointed out, moving some bushes out of the way. “She did like you said. Headed back to the highway. Let’s spread out.” Daryl ordered. He reached up, taking Glenn’s hand to help him out of the water. “We’ll make our way back

“She couldn’t have gone far.” Isabell said, following Daryl back towards the highway

Daryl was crouched down, examining the footsteps.

“I tried that.” Isabell told him. “But I’m not good at tracking. I couldn’t pinpoint her steps. I wish I had paid more attention on hunting trips.”

“She was doing just fine ‘til right here.” Daryl said, pointing to a spot on the ground. He looked up at Isabell and saw how worried she looked. Daryl sighed. “Iz, look here.”

Isabell crouched to get a better look.

“These ones are hers. Tell me something.”

Isabell took a deep breath and followed the smaller footsteps that Daryl pointed out. “She was going the right way. But turned off that way.” Isabell said, pointing behind her. She looked up to Daryl for confirmation.

Daryl nodded, earning a smile out of Isabell.

“Why would she do that?” Glenn asked.

“Maybe she saw something that spooked her. Made her run off.” Shane suggested.

“A walker?”

Daryl shook his head. “Her’s are the only footsteps.”

“So, what do we do?” Shane asked. “All of us press on?”

“No,” Rick shook his head. “Better if you and Glenn get back up to the highway. People are gonna start panicking.”

“Little late for that.” Isabell said in regards to Carol. She stood. “I’m gonna go, too. I’m’ sure Carol could use some comforting. I’ll tell everyone the progress we’ve got.”

“Make sure you keep everybody calm.” Rick ordered.

Isabell nodded with a smile. “I’ve dealt with him all my life. I’m the master at keeping people calm.”

“I’ll keep ‘em occupied.” Shane said. “Scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores.” Shane gestured for Isabell and Glen to follow him.

Isabell nodded.

“One sec.” Daryl said, stopping the three of them. “I needa talk with Iz.” Daryl grabbed Isabell’s arm gently and pulled her to the side.

“What’s up?” Isabell asked.

“You okay?” He asked.

Isabell nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Daryl gave Isabell a look, knowing that she knew what he was talking about. “You’ve gotten awful close to that girl.”

“I’m fine, D.” Isabell said, looking down at her hands, picking at her nails. “Just find her, okay?”

“Yeah.” Daryl said. He put his hand on the back of her head, and pulled her close to kiss her forehead. “I’ll do my hardest.”