Solitary: The Walking Dead

Chapter 132.

A good heart.

Iris slowly opens her eyes, the sun peeking through the curtains, she looks down at Daryl's arms wrapped around her waist, protecting her from the world. She slowly pulls his arms away from her, slipping out of the room and walking downstairs, "morning" Juniper smiles from the sofa, "morning" Iris says, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a protein bar, Juniper watches her sister sit next to her on the sofa.

"Nice top, is it new?" Juniper asks, trying to hide her smile but failing, Iris looks up at her sister rolling her eyes, "stop" Iris mumbles, juniper laughs at her sister, Iris stands up and storms upstairs, the blondes laughs echoing through the house.

Iris slowly opens her bedroom door, noticing Daryl standing from the bed, "hey, where're you going?" she asks, shutting the door behind her, Daryl looks up and stops moving, "i was gonna look for you" he says, "i'm here" Iris says, walking over to him as he sits down on the bed, Iris stands between his legs, looking down at him, "we've got a lot to do around the community" Iris says, handing him the half eaten protein bar.

"I'm gonna head to the Sanctuary, help get things started there" Daryl explains "how long?" Iris questions "i don't know... you can come with" Daryl suggests, "i have to stay here... but i'll visit" Iris says, leaning down and capturing Daryl's lips with hers.

.........

"Drive safe" Iris says, standing next to Daryls bike "i will" he says, Iris wraps her arms around him, holding him tight and not wanting to let go, "i'll see you in a few days" she says pulling away and kissing him on the lips, she steps back and watches him say goodbye to Rick and some of the others. Iris crosses her arms in front of her as Daryl drives his bike out of Alexandria, the gate shutting behind him.

"Why aren't you going with him?" Rick asks, turning and walking with her, "we've got a lot to do here. I'm gonna take one of the horses and visit him in a few days" Iris explains, looking over at Judith in the man's arms, "i'll see you in a bit" Iris says, splitting away from the man.

"You here to kill me?" Negan asks the woman in the doorway, Iris looks down at the man laying in the bed, "no" she says, closing the door behind her so the guards don't hear their conversation. "Carl wants you alive. Why? I don't know. But that kid was smart, he had a good heart. Even in this world his heart stayed pure. After everything he went through, he was still good, he still wanted a man like you to live" Iris explains.

"I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what he saw in you. What Juniper sees in you. But I can't see it, all I see is hatred. Everytime i look at you i want to kill you, i want to make you suffer." Iris says, "why don't you do it?" Negan questions "because Carl is everything to me! And no matter what I feel, I have to do this for him!" Iris snaps, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Negan watches her, he really did like Carl, "so because of him i cant kill you. But I will make sure you suffer" Iris says, storming out of the room. As Iris walks down the stairs she finds Juniper walking into the house, the redhead forces a smile and leaves the house heading out to start rebuilding.

She walks to the ruins of the church, "hey" she says, standing in the doorway and watching Gabriel trying to walk with a stick guiding him, "hello" he says, Iris looks down at the floor, "do you want to talk?" Gabriel asks, Iris stays quiet and thinks, "nah... i was just coming to see how much work is needed" Iris lies. "Okay" Grabriels says, knowing she's lying "come talk to me when you're ready" he adds, "sure" Iris mumbles before leaving.

Iris walks over to the walls and starts helping the group build them back up, after working for a while she sits back for a minute and pulls out a cigarette, lighting it and bringing it her lips, she watches Juniper walk out of the house, leaving Negan, her focus moves when she notices something behind her.

Iris watches a large figure standing next to a smaller one, her eyebrows pull together as she watches their faces reveal, Abraham and Sasha stand in the street staring at her, Abraham raises his hand saluting her before walking away hand-in-hand with Sasha.

........

Iris opens the front door and freezes, "hey, little Red" Abraham says, "Abraham?" she whispers, "you ready?" he questions "what for?" Iris asks, looking at the man confused, "Deanna's meeting, it's starting" the man says turning and walking away, Iris quickly follows the man through the dark streets. "Wait" she mumbles, stopping and looking around, "what?" Abraham asks, looking back at her, "somethings wrong" Iris says, looking around at Alexandria, "why am I here?" she questions.

.............

Iris opens her eyes, looking around the empty room as she tries to catch her breath, she walks out the house to giggling and the sound of small feet running towards her, "hey you" she smiles, reaching down and picking Judith up "she kept asking for aunty Iris" Rick says, standing and smiling at them, "i am the best" Iris jokes, "what're you doing today?" Rick questions, walking down the street with Iris, "we're getting started on the houses today" Iris answers.