Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Sixty-seven.

If you don't fight, you die.

They start walking the streets until Rick stops, Iris turns and looks at the man, wondering what he's thinking, he turns and walks back to Jessie's house, Iris following close behind. He opens the door and they walk in, "What are you doing?" Jessie asks, "You know Sam asked for a gun? To protect you." Rick says "You shouldn't be here." the woman cries "Jessie, in here, you can't see it, but it's the same. It's the same as out there. We have food and roofs over our heads, but you don't get to just live. You don't get to put it off or wish it away, Jessie. If you don't fight, you die. And... and I don't want you to die. I can-- I can help you. I can keep you and your boys safe. I can. All you have to do is say yes." Rick explains.

"Would you do this for someone else? Would you do this for anyone?" Jessie asks, Rick looks back at Iris then back to Jessie "I have" he answers, Jessie thinks for a minute before answering his question "Yes." "Rick." Pete's voice says from across the room, Iris looks up to the man, "What are you doing here?" the man asks "Pete." "What are you doing here?" Pete asks again, ignoring his wife and walking closer to them.

Iris eyes the man, giving him a look that could kill, "Listen to me." Jessie tries but is just ignored, Iris slowly walks forward, "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, Rick, Iris" Pete says, "No." Jessie says, standing up for herself, "Excuse me?" he asks, walking closer to his wife, Iris steps up next to her, clenching her fists and ready to step in.

"You need to leave." Jessie says, "What are you talking about?" Pete asks, towering over his wife, "Just go, Pete." "What have you been saying to each other? Huh? What have you been doing?!" he shouts, making his wife flinch, Iris feels her nails start to pierce the skin on her palms. "Pete, you and me are gonna leave now." Rick says "You come into my house..." "Pete, you and me are leaving." "You're leaving right now." Pete says, stepping up to Rick.

"You think you're the law? You actually think you have a say in anything here?" "Step back." Rick orders "Who the hell do you think you are?" "Someone who's trying not to kill you." Rick says, Pete swings his hand back aiming it at Ricks face, Rick dodges it and punches the man in the face. Iris quickly moves forward, grabbing onto Pete and trying to stop him from hitting Rick, Pete grabs onto Iris's hair and pulls her back, punching her in the face and knocking her to the floor.

Rick starts fighting the man again, Iris slowly stands on her feet again, regaining her balance, "Come into my house?!" Pete shouts, shoving Rick against the wall, Iris grabs onto Pete and tries to pry him off Rick, Pete reaches back one of his hands and smacks Iris across the face before pushing her to the floor again "Pete, stop it!" Jessie screams.

Iris listens to the shouts coming from everyone, when she manages to get up again Rick is throwing him and Pete out of the window. Iris quickly runs out of the house, the rest of the community running over to them, "Rick stop!" she shouts, trying to stop the man from killing Pete in front of everyone including Pete's kids, Pete rolls over and starts strangling Rick, Jessie tries to stop him but ends up on the floor after getting hit in the face.

Rick rolls over and pushes Pete into the road, Carl tries to stop his Dad but gets pushed to the floor, Iris quickly runs over to the boy, checking he's okay, "Stop it! Stop it right now." Deanna orders, "You touch them again and I'll kill you." Rick threatens, "Damn it, Rick! I said stop." Deanna says Iris helps Carl stand back up and she moves him away before stepping closer to Rick and Pete.

"Or what? You gonna kick me out?" Rick asks, pointing his gun at the men that try getting closer to him, Iris panics unsure of what to do, "Put that gun down, Rick." "You still don't get it. None of you do! We know what needs to be done and we do it. We're the ones who live. You, you just sit and plan and hesitate. You pretend like you know when you don't." Rick rambles.

"You wish things weren't what they are. Well, you want to live? You want this place to stay standing? Your way of doing things is done. Things don't get better because you-- you want them to. Starting right now, we have to live in the real world. We have to control who lives here." Rick continues "That's never been more clear to me than it is right now." Deann says "Me? Me? You– You mean-- you mean me? Your way is gonna destroy this place. It's gonna get people killed. It's already gotten people killed. And I'm not gonna stand by and just let it happen. If you don't fight, you die. I'm not gonna stand by–" Rick drops to the floor when Michonne hits him over the head.

Iris picks up his gun and hands it to Deanna before she walks to the infirmary, she grabs some supplies and walks to the bassment they are keeping Rick, she sits on the floor next to the mattress on the floor, "are you okay?" Michonne asks from the seat in the corner, "I'm fine" Iris says as she starts fixing up Rick's injuries.

She finishes up and stands "make sure to get yourself checked out" Michonne says before Iris leaves the room, she ignores everyone's looks and walks to the graveyard, she sits down on the ground next to Bears grave and she lets all her emotions take over, when Pete grabbed her hair it reminded her of her father, when he would grab her hair and hit her or drag her up the stairs into her room, it reminded her of when the governor had his fun with her.