Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Twenty-six.

Silence The Whispers.

Iris and Daryl walk around Alexandria, the woman notices Negan talking to Lydia, she walks towards them Daryl following close behind. They move the sheets out of the way "Let's go." Daryl orders, "I'm good." Lydia says "Now." Daryl says, Lydia stands up and storms off leaving Iris and Daryl with Negan.

"She is just trying to fit in." Negan says "Yeah. Well, that ain't ever gonna happen if she hangs out with you, now, is it?" Daryl says, walking away, Iris looks up at Negan, "i get your trying to help" Iris says "i am" "but this... this is gonna make it worse" Iris says, turning and walking away. Iris walks down the street to Lydia and Daryl, she looks up at the house doors, 'silence the whispers'.

..........

"You do wanna live here, right?" Daryl asks, looking down at Lydia, Iris stays quiet "They deserved it." the girl says, standing up "I know. But you can't be doing shit like that." Daryl says "But they can just write whatever the hell they want on our door?" Lydia asks.

"we'll talk to 'em. we'll set 'em straight." Daryl says "No, please. I don't want you to fight my fights for me, okay? They want me to give up. I know that. But I'm not gonna, okay? I can't." Lydia explains.

"I get it. Can't you just avoid 'em?" Daryl asks, the girl picks up Henry's stick and storms away, Daryl lets out a defeated sigh "great" he mumbles, "hey" Iris says, holding onto his hand, "we can do this" Iris says, kissing him on the cheek and walking away.

...........

Iris walks through the streets, smoking a cigarette and looking up at the night sky, she freezes when she hears shouting, she drops her cigarette and runs to the noise, "whats going on?" Iris questions.

She looks down to see Lydia crying on the floor, "Holy shit. Margo. Margo." Iris looks down to see the woman on the floor, dead. She looks up at Negan "Shit." the man mumbles.

Iris kneels down on the floor as more people surround them, "i've got you kid" she whispers, holding onto Lydia, the girl grips onto Iris as she cries, Daryl runs over to them, dropping to the floor next to them.

"You freak. This is your fault!" Iris looks up at the man, "It was Negan! Negan killed her!" another shouts "No, he didn't do anything wrong. No, it wasn't... He didn't do anything." Lydia cries out, "Now get him out of here!" Daryl orders the others "Please." she cries "Move!" Iris shouts to them.

"No, he didn't do anything wrong!" Lydia cries "I know. I know. I know. I know. I know." Daryl says, holding onto the girl, "He didn't do anything wrong. No, please! Oh, please, no. Please.", Iris strokes the hair from the girl's face, "it's okay, i believe you" Iris says.

"Come on, let's get you out of here" Iris says, she stands with Daryl and he lifts the girl up, Iris picks up the cap she gave the girl and they start moving.

Iris stands back and watches as Dante ices Lydias arm, "Hold that right there. Easy, now." Iris looks back and sees Daryl walk in, "Okay. All good? I'll be back." Dante says before walking out of the room.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." Daryl says, Iris looks down at the girl in front of her, she notices the girl in a different place, "Lydia." Daryl says, gently touching her arm.

"He was so sweaty. Never liked deodorant. Said it... it made his armpits itchy. So I got used to it. Sometimes he smelled like garlic and onions. I miss him." Lydia explains "Who's that?" Daryl asks "My dad. My dad would've protected me." she cries.

Daryl sits on the bed next to her and sits his hand on her back "Tell us what happened." Daryl says "Negan saved my life." Lydia answers, Daryl pulls the girl into a hug, he looks up at Iris as she watches them, Iris nods to him before walking out of the house.

"Hey" Daryl says, walking out of the house and seeing Iris sat with her head in her hands, "you okay?" he asks, "i'm fine, i'm gonna go talk to Negan, you wanna come with?" Iris asks, standing up, Daryl follows the woman to Negan's cell.

When they walk in Daryl slams the door shut, Iris looks down at Negan as he lays on the bed "How's the kid doing?" Negan asks "She's banged up, but she'll be alright." Iris answers.

"You know, the people out there are talkin' about puttin' you down, sayin' Rick ain't around to save you no more, maybe they should have done it a long time ago." Daryl explains.

"If you came here looking for a confession... just keep walking. It was an accident. And for the record, screw her. She was a goddamn asshole beating on a kid. World's better off. But you already know that, don't you?" Negan says, sitting up and watching them.

"You came down here to look me in the eye because you don't know what to do with me. Shit, all that time you spent fantasizing about my death, all that time you actually tried to kill me, and now look at you. You're not so sure." Negan continues.

"You listen to me real close. You and I ain't never been in a room before, not toe to toe. And there ain't nobody to save you right now." Daryl warns "What do you want me to do, Daryl? I mean, the people out there... they are out for blood. Guys like you and me... we can smell that from a mile away." Negan says

"Why help Lydia?" Iris asks "You ain't no hero." Daryl adds "No. No, I'm not. I'm a sucker. See, I started believing in your way of life, your moral code. Hell, you even gave me a little taste of freedom, just so you could yank it away when I actually did the right thing. You gotta admit, that is pretty messed up. And we all know I appreciate some messed-up shit." Negan says.

"You're gonna get your chance to tell your side." Iris says, turning and following Daryl out of the building, "Hey." Daryl says, Iris looks up at Carol sitting on the steps, "Hey." Carol says "How you feelin'?" Daryl asks "Sore." "I bet." Iris looks down at the floor and walks away, leaving Daryl and Carol.