Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter Eighty-three.

We live.

The group begins to load the RV up with supplies, "hey Paul, how's your head?" Iris asks as she hands the man a basket of vegetables, "it's fine thanks" he says laughing slightly, "and call me Jesus" he adds, Iris nod's as she follows him with her own basket putting it in the RV, "Even Negan didn't get this much up front." Jesus tells them.

When they're ready they all pile into the RV and they start their journey back home, Iris watches Maggie and Glenn as they look down at the ultrasound picture, they pass it around and show everyone, Iris looks down at the picture in Daryl's hand, she leans her head on Daryl's shoulder as he hands the photo to Abraham, she picks the skins around her nails, Daryl watches her and gently grabs onto her hand, stopping her from hurting herself anymore.

.......

"And we can work with the Hilltop. Maggie hammered out a deal. We're getting food-- eggs, butter, fresh vegetables. But they're not just giving it away." Rick explains to everyone sitting around the church, "These Saviours, they almost killed Sasha, Daryl, and Abraham on the road. Now, sooner or later, they would've found us, just like those Wolves did, just like Jesus did. They woulda killed someone or some of us. And then they would try to own us. And we would try to stop them. But by then, in that kind of fight, low on food, we could lose." he continues.

"This is the only way to be sure, as sure as we can get, that we win. And we have to win. We do this for the Hilltop, it's how we keep this place. It's how we feed this place. This needs to be a group decision. If anybody objects, here's your chance to say your piece." Rick says, everyone looks to the back of the room when Morgan stands "You're sure we can do it? We can beat them?" he asks.

"What this group has done, what we've learned, what we've become, all of us-- yes, I'm sure." Rick says "Then all we have to do is just tell them that." Morgan says, Iris turns back and looks at Rick, "Well, they don't compromise." "This isn't a compromise. It's a choice you give them. It's a way out, for them and for us." Morgan explains "We try and talk to the Saviors, we give up our advantage, our safety. No, we have to come for them before they come for us. We can't leave them alive." Rick says

"Where there's life, there's possibility." Morgan argues "Of them hitting us." "We're not trapped in this. None of you are trapped in this." Morgan says "Morgan... they always come back." Rick says "Come back when they're dead, too." "Yeah, we'll stop them. We have before." "I'm not talking about the walkers." "Morgan wants to talk to them first. I think that would be a mistake, but it's not up to me. I'll talk to the people still at home. I'll discuss it with the people on guard now, too, but who else wants to approach the Saviors, talk to them first?" Rick questions the rest of the group.

"What happened here, we won't let that happen again. I won't." Aaron says, "Looks like it's settled. We know exactly what this is. We don't shy from it, we live. We kill them all. We don't all have to kill. But if people are gonna stay here... they do have to accept it." Rick says walking out of the church.

..........

"How you feeling about the plan?" Daryl asks, looking up at the stars, Iris looks over at him "i dunno" she says, "how about you?" she asks looking back out at the sky, "i dunno" he answers. Iris lays her head on his shoulder "y'know... after the prison. I thought you were dead. Beth didn't. She said 'Iris is the strongest person I know. She can't die'. But I still thought you were dead" Daryl explains, "I did too. I thought I was dead. My hell was having to walk the earth not knowing if everyone else made it." she admits, nervously picking at the skin on her hands, "but when i found you... I felt a little less dead. I thought that if I was in hell... at least I had you by my side" she explains.

Daryl wraps his arms around her and lays his head on top of hers, "i'm glad you found me" he says, turning his head and kissing the top of her head before laying his head back on hers and looking out at the stars, "no matter what happens with this fight. I'll be happy with you by my side" Iris says, "i'll always be by your side" Daryl says, the pair fall into a comfortable silence, for the first time in a while the world goes quiet, Iris stops thinking about punishing herself and they both stop thinking about the war they will possibly start.

"Y'know what i said back there to Abraham?" Daryl questions "yeah" Iris mumbles, "i think people can settle if it's with the right person" he explains, Iris lifts her head and looks at him, "it's dangerous. Shit can go bad" she says "shit always goes bad. But we make it through" he says, iris looks ok into his eyes "what if we dont?" she questions.

"We will" he says, pulling her head into his chest, Iris's heart breaks as she hears the man trying to convince her, she cant give him what he wants, she cant give him a family. "What?" he asks, looking down at the woman and noticing her mind in a different place, she stays silent for a minute, thinking what she should tell him, should she tell him what she's thinking about or should she lie, she looks up at his concerned face and finally answers him, "you deserve a happy ending Daryl Dixon".