Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Seventy-nine.

 Do it again tomorrow?

"So long prick!" he shouts and Iris laughs quietly, Daryl and Rick look at each other, glad she's having fun, Daryl sits his feet on the dashboard and Iris lays her head on his shoulder, she watches as Rick leans forwards and turns the music back on, a soft smile on her face as she sits comfortably. For the first time in a while Iris feels less tense, Daryl pulls out some chocolate, handing some to Rick and then Iris, she lifts her head and takes it.

She begins eating it as Rick starts to talk to them, "Still worked out. Today still is the day." Daryl reaches over Iris and hands Rick more chocolate and Iris looks at him, she looks down at his boots and notices something, Beth's laces tied around the bottom of his jeans, Iris smiles and looks back out the window, "Hey, look at that." Rick says pointing, "Yeah, a barn." Daryl says, as Rick turns the truck a loud thudding is heard from the roof.

"You hear that?" Iris asks, both men start listening closer and Daryl turns the music down as the thudding continues "think that son of a bitch is on the roof." Daryl says "Hold on." Rick says, Iris grabs onto the chair and Daryl holds his arm out infront of her, as Rick slams on the brakes, stopping her from flying forwards.

They all watch as Paul rolls off the roof and lands on the grass in front of them, he stands up and looks at them for a minute before turning and running the other way, Rick starts speeding after him, Iris notices Daryl grab onto the door handle, "Daryl" she says as he opens the door and jumps out of the moving vehicle, running after the man.

Iris moves to the window and pulls out her gun, she opens the window and leans out, pointing the weapon at Paul, "can you keep it steady?" she asks Rick, trying to shoot at Paul's feet but failing because of Rick's driving, "im trying" Rick says "not hard enough" Iris says, "shit" she says realising she could hit Daryl she puts her gun back on her thigh.

Rick stops the truck and Iris jumps out, she pulls out her knives and starts getting rid of the walkers, she turns back when she hears a gunshot, she runs over to the truck to see it rolling back into water, Daryl and Paul still inside of it, "Daryl! Get out!" she yells, running closer, both men manage to get out in time, Paul getting hit in the head with the door and passing out.

Iris and Daryl walk over to Paul's body, Rick joining them as they watch the truck sink deeper into the water, "You all right?" Rick asks, "Yeah. Law of averages. That's bullshit, man." Daryl says, "Let's go check them cars, get the hell out of here." Iris says turning to walk to the cars but stopping when Rick speaks up "What about the guy?" "What about him?" Daryl asks "Well, he helped you." Rick says "Maybe." "He ever pull a weapon on you?" Rick asks "Fine. Let's put him up a tree." Daryl says walking over to him and dragging him by his arms.

Iris gets one of the cars working while Rick and Daryl put Paul in the back seat, Daryl sits next to him so Iris doesn't have to, just to be safe and Rick starts driving back. As their driving Rick swerve's the car, Iris looks at him confused but when she sees the mischievous look in his eyes she understands what he's doing.

Iris turns and looks back at Daryl, trying her hardest to not laugh at his annoyed expression, "He took a pretty hard hit. Denise needs to look him over." Rick says, "Yeah." "You wouldn't have gone through with it. You wouldn't have left him." Rick says, "I would've, right up in a tree. I would've." Daryl says, Iris just laughs at the man's pettiness "No. I know. Almost as soon as we got to Alexandria, you got it. You saw-- you... and Michonne, Iris, Glenn, you all tried to tell me. So shut up." Rick says, swerving the car more this time, making Paul fall on top of Daryl, Iris watches the man glare at Rick as he shoves Paul off of him.

Iris smiles at Daryl who tries his hardest to keep the glare on his face as he looks at her smile, Rick smiles when he sees how happy she is, "'Cause I'm finally listening" Rick adds. As they drive, Iris rests her head on the seat, leaning her back on the door, Daryl watches as her blinks grow longer and longer until she doesnt open them again.

Iris opens her eyes noticing that the sun has gone down and they are driving up to the gates of Alexandria, she moves in her seat so her back is on the chair and she can get out of the car, "You know, I was thinking... back before we went out to the quarry. The morning after Reg and Pete. You said we shouldn't be looking for people no more. You were right." Daryl explains "No... I was wrong. You were right." Rick says, pulling to a stop in front of the gate.

They pull up in front of Denise's house, Iris climbs out and walks in front of Rick and Daryl as they carry Paul, she knocks on the door and waits for Denise to open the door "Sorry to wake you up." she apologises, looking at Denise and Tara, "Who is this?" the doctor asks, "Come on, man, he's heavy. Oh, that thing, uh, didn't work out. It's this asshole's fault. Sorry." Daryl says and they carry him inside "Lay him on the bed." "All right, take a look at him. He ain't staying, though." Daryl says, Iris walks in after them and closes the door behind her.

After getting him checked over Rick, Iris and Daryl move him into the room they've decided to use for holding people, "We'll see." Rick says, putting a note next to Paul's unconscious body, "It is pretty stupid of us to go out there, isn't it?" Rick asks as they start walking out, "Yep. Do it again tomorrow?" Daryl asks, "Yep."