Chapter Fifty-six.

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I couldn't save him.

As Iris looks down at the lifeless body of her dog her mind begins to play memories, like a movie in her mind. The day she found him at the shelter, she had just come out of a difficult time, her father had reached out to her after a year and a half of no contact.

The action had sent her into a spiral, and she began to hide away drinking and smoking, not speaking to anyone, and not eating. Rick visited her at her house and forced her to go somewhere with him, and they turned up at the animal shelter.

They walked through the building, looking at all the rescues, but she couldn't find a connection with any of them, until they stopped in front of one of the cadges, a black cane corso, with a small patch of white on his chest, cowaring in the corner. Iris looked into the eyes of the dog, finally finding a connection. She looked at the sign to see it said that he was waiting to be put down if someone had not adopted him. She read more and learnt that he was rescued from a dog fighting club. And when she looked at the dog again she knew she had to help him. And they would keep each other safe.

Iris blinks her tears away as she watches Bears body get lifted from her lap, she suddenly feels hands grab her and pull her up, the person leads her out of the RV, helping her walk as they enter a building, she looks down at the blood covering her, her hands begin to shake along with the rest of her body.

She gets taken to the corner and she watches as Abraham gently lowers Bear's body onto the floor. She sits on the floor, once again pulling Bear's body into her lap, letting the memories take over her mind once more.

Rick walks into the building with the others, his attention shifts from Aaron to his friend, sitting in the corner covered in blood and cradling the lifeless body of her dog, Rick looks back to Daryl, his eyes glossing over, Daryl shakes his head looking at the floor. Rick walks over to Aaron and another man.

Everyone stands in the room, waiting for Rick to come back, they glance over at Iris now and then, checking on the woman silently, worried and sorry for her. But Iris doesn't even know they are there, she doesn't hear Aaron come in and thank them and she doesn't hear when Rick walks over to her, sitting down in front of her and watching her.

When she finally looks up at the man, his heart breaks, the sight of her red eyes, the blood covering her. "I'm sorry" he says, and it's the first thing she hears since his cries, Iris looks back down at her dog, crying more, "i couldn't save him" she mumbles, her voice cracking, and then she shuts down again.

Rick stands and walks towards his children, hugging them both, and sitting down, watching the woman from afar. Daryl places his crossbow on the floor and sits next to Iris, but he doesn't try to speak to her, he just sits next to her. He reaches his hand out and places it on the side of her head, stroking her temple gently with his thumb, she looks to the man, the broken look on the woman's face breaks his heart, and brings tears to his eyes.

He wraps his arms around her body and pulls her into his body, letting her lean against him and she holds her dog. Her tears dry, and her eyes grow heavy and she slowly falls asleep in the man's arms, as sleep washes over her, the dreams follow shortly after.

.......

When Iris wakes, Abraham once again picks up Bear's body and carries him to the RV, Iris keeps her eyes to the ground as she walks closely behind him, Daryl staying behind her. Maggie finds a sheet and with the help of Carol she wraps Bear up in the white cloth, maggie takes Iris's hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze before moving away from her, Carol kisses her on the head, following after Maggie, leaving Iris to sit with her dog at the back of the RV.

Iris looks up when the RV stops, she watches as everyone walks out of the RV, after a minute she gently moves Bear's head off her lap and lays it on the seat before stepping out of the RV. Everyone quietly watches as she steps out and looks around for Daryl, she hears a whistle and looks up to the roof of the RV to see the man standing atop, looking down at her, carefully she climbs up the ladder, taking his hand and letting him help her up.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, still gripping onto her hand and looking down at her, "if im being honest... I feel nothing" she whispers looking down at their intertwined hands, "i cant cry anymore" she adds. "That's okay" Daryl says, the two stand in silence, watching their surroundings for any unwanted guests, their hands still holding onto each other.

"Aaron said you could bury Bear in their graveyard" he says, "that would be nice" she whispers, looking up at the sky and feeling the sun dance on her skin. The RV roars to life and Iris looks up at Daryl, before watching him climb down, he stands at the bottom and waits for her to climb down after.

She walks back into the RV, sitting next to the body before they start driving to Alexandria again, Iris lays her hand on top of the sheet covering her dog, looking out the window and watching the world pass by, when she told thee man she felt nothing anymore, what she truly meant was she feels everything but nothing, she feels pain but she feels numb. She feels like crying but she can't. But she mostly feels like she wants her companion back. 

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