Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Eleven.

It's what we do.

Iris and Daryl walk back up the dirt path, looking at all the people waiting to fight behind the gates, "Daryl, what'd she say? Are they okay?" Enid asks, running over to them "Yeah, they will be." Iris says "We got to hand back the girl." Daryl says.

"Where's Henry?" Iris asks "I don't know. Why?" Tammy asks "He's gonna want to say goodbye." Iris says "Daryl, Iris. Tara and Yumiko went to get Lydia." Magna says "What?" Daryl asks "She decided while you were out there, when she saw Luke and Alden." Magna explains "Hey, she's gone." Yumiko says, running over to them with Tara following after her.

"Hell you mean she's gone?" Daryl asks "Her door was open, key was in the lock. Daryl, you know we have to do this." Tara says "All right, split up. Find Henry, we find the girl." Daryl says, Iris runs off and starts searching for the boy, she runs back up to the watchtower, anxiety building in her as she hears the baby cry.

She watches as the walkers start moving closer to the baby, Alden screams to try and stop them, Iris and the others start hitting against the metal, screaming, trying to get the walkers attention. "Hey!" Iris screams, she watches Connie run from the corn and grab the baby before running back into the tall crops.

Iris climbs down from the watch tower and runs to the tunnels, she runs to the corn, pulling out her knives and driving her blades into the walkers heads, watching them to see if they have weapons, she finds Connie running from the walkers, Iris stops and holds her hands up, showing her it's okay, she nods her head and they start running through the corn again.

Iris and Connie stop, they look around, Iris drives her knife into the walker's head as it grabs at her, she turns as another walker goes for her, Daryl suddenly stabs the walkers, stopping and looking up at her, "go!" he shouts, Iris follows Kelly, Tammy and Earl through the corn, they make their way back to the tunnels and climb the ladder back into the community walls.

Iris and Daryl hold onto Lydia's arms as they walk her out of the gates, guilt eats at Iris's gut as they walk down the dirt path towards Alpha, Iris reluctantly lets go of Lydia's arm and watches her walk towards her mother, Alden and Luke walk past Iris and Daryl, hugging their loved ones.

"Sorry, Moma. Thanks for comin' to get me." Lydia says, Iris tenses her jaw as she watches Alpha smack the girl across the face before pulling her into a hug, "You call me Alpha, like all the rest." the woman says "Yes, Alpha." Lydia says, Iris feels the vomit climb up her throat as she watches the girl walk off with the masked.

Daryl places his hand on her back, she looks up at him before walking back to the gate, "thank you. For going out there and helping Connie" Kelly says to the woman "it's what we do" Iris says, walking away, she walks to the medical tent and starts looking for supplies, "you hurt?" Daryl asks, watching her searching the draws, "I opened my stitches" Iris mumbles.

"Sit" Daryl says, Iris sits on the edge of the bed and pulls her top off, brushing her ponytail to her other shoulder, Daryl gets all the things he needs and moves over to Iris, setting the supplies next to her, Daryl pulls the bloody bandage off of her shoulder and inspects her injury.

"You shouldn't have gone out there. You need to heal" Daryl says, wiping the blood from her skin, "i couldn't let that baby die, and Connie needed my help" Iris says, Daryl carefully starts to stitch her shoulder, Daryl looks at the new scars on her back and her arm from her time on the road.

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

"Daryl. I have to come with you" Iris says, watching the man pack his bag, "no. you need to heal" he says, turning and looking at her, he gently strokes her hair behind her ear "stay here" he whispers, leaning down and kissing her, Iris holds onto he vest and pulls him closer, "be safe" she whispers, laying her forehead against his, "i will" he says, turing and picking up his bag before stepping down out of the loft, Dog following him.

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

Iris shoves her coat into her backpack before stepping down out of the loft, "hey" she says, walking over to Tara, "hey" tara says "listen, i was thinking of going back to Alexandria. Tell them what's happened" Iris explains "but you're still healing" Tara says "i'll be fine" Iris says, Tara lets out a sigh knowing she's not going to win the argument.

"Fine. Take one of the horses" Tara says "thanks. If Daryl gets back before I'm back, just tell him I'll be back here in a few days" Iris says, "I will" Tara says, pulling Iris into a hug, "be safe" Tara says, "I will" Iris says pulling away from the hug. Iris walks down to the stables and starts getting the horse ready for the journey, she climbs onto the horse, turning back and waving goodbye to the others before she starts her journey to Alexandria.

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

Iris climbs down from the horse, "that's it" she whispers, helping the horse to lay down, Iris takes her bow and arrows off from her back and puts them on the floor before taking her backpack off and throwing it next to them, she sits down next to the horse, staying close to keep warm. Iris leans her back against the horse, listening to the soft breaths from the creature, she looks out into the trees, keeping watch and trying to stay awake.