Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Forty-eight.

Pay the price.

Iris slowly opens her eyes as she feels Daryl gently kissing her on the forehead, "where are you going?" she mumbles, grabbing onto his hand before he can leave, "i'm going out. Stay here rest. You need a day off" Daryl whispers, leaning down again and kissing her on the lips, "I love you, be safe" Iris mumbles, "I love you" Daryl says before leaving. Iris pulls the blanket over her head and she goes back to sleep again.

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

After a few more hours Iris wakes up again, rubbing her eyes as she sits up, she stands up and grabs her bra, putting it on before finding her shorts and pulling them on, she slips her boots on before making her way out of the house, sitting on the porch chair and lighting a cigarette.

"I dont think i've ever seen you wake up so late" Maggie jokes walking up the porch steps and sitting on the chair next to Iris, "i got a day off" Iris says, Maggie looks over at Iris, shocked, "what?" Iris asks, looking at the woman, "i've never heard those words come out of your mouth" Maggie says, Iris rolls her eyes at Maggie.

"Well, i'm tired and need to heal" Iris says, "you're finally listening to your body, good" Maggie says, smiling at her friend, "it's only a day" Iris says, looking back out at the street and smoking her cigarette, the two women fall into silence again, sitting and enjoying eachothers company, Iris takes one last drag of her cigarette as she watches Rosita walking over to them, Iris presses the stick into the arm of the chair.

"Hey" Rosita smiles, walking up the porch steps, Iris stands and walks over to the woman, "hey" she says, carefully taking Coco from her, "how're you feeling?" Iris asks Rosita, gently bouncing Coco as she walks over to the chair, "I'm good. How are you?" Rosita asks, leaning against the bannister in front of Iris and Maggie.

"Sore but i've felt worse" Iris says, "she slept in and is taking the day off" Maggie says dramatically, "it's not that big of a deal" Iris sighs, looking down at Coco "i'm surprised she knows what that is" Rosita jokes, Iris just lets out a sigh and ignores the two women.

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

Iris walks down the street, looking around as she waits for the kids to be done with school, she stands outside the house and waits for them to come running out. "How was school?" she asks, watching Judith walk out of the front door with RJ and Lydia, "it was good" Judith says, "lydia, how was school?" Iris asks as the three of them stop in front of Iris.

"It was fine. I'm gonna go do some training" Lydia mumbles before turning away, "hey, i'll keep you a plate of dinner" Iris calls out as the girl walks away, "come on then" she says to RJ and Judith before walking back to the house, "what do you think about eating by the pond?" Iris asks the kids, smiling as they cheer and says yes.

"Okay, get started with your homework and i will make some sandwiches" Iris says, RJ sits at the table with Judith as she starts her homework, Iris glances up at them every now and then as she makes the sandwiches.

Iris, Judith and RJ sit by the water as they eat their sandwiches, talking and laughing about different things, Judith laughs as food spills from RJ's sandwich and onto his top, Iris cant help but chuckle as she helps the boy.

..........

Iris lifts RJ's blanket over him, leaning down and kissing him on the forehead, "goodnight" she whispers, standing and walking out of the room, she walks downstairs and finds Judith sat at the table doing homework, "it's almost time for bed kid" Iris says before she starts tidying the house.

"Okay" Judith says, Iris looks up as Carol walks into the house, Carol stands and stares at Iris, the redhead puts the plates in the sink and walks over to Judith, "come on" she mumbles, closing the girls books, Judith stands up and Iris follows her to the stairs, not looking at Carol as they walk past.

"Goodnight Judith" Carol says as they walk up the stairs, Iris tidies the girls room while Judith brushes her teeth and gets into her PJ's, Judith comes out of the bathroom and climbs into her bed, "you okay kid?" Iris asks, sitting at the end of the bed and looking at the girl, noticing somethings wrong.

"What happened between you and Carol?" Judith asks, Iris lets out a sigh, she lays the blanket over the the girl, "she was reckless and i had to pay the price" Iris explains, she stands up and kisses the girl on the forehead, "i love you, goodnight" Iris whispers, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her. Iris walks downstairs and sits on the living room couch, noticing Carol has left, she kicks her boots off and curls up, slowly falling asleep.

...........

Iris scoops oatmeal into four bowls, she sets them down on the table before walking upstairs, she walks into RJ's room, gently waking him up, the boy fights it off but Iris picks him up and makes her way to Judith's room as RJ lays his head on her shoulder, falling back to sleep.

"Judith, time to wake up" she say gently stroking the girls hair from her face, as Judith wakes up Iris walks to Lydia's room, knocking on the door, "Lydia, time to wake up" she calls out, Iris carries RJ downstairs as Judith follows behind, Iris sits with the boy still holding onto sleep in her lap, "eat up, you've got school and then training today" Iris says to Judith.

The woman starts helping RJ eat as he struggles to wake up, Lydia sits at the table and eats her food in silence, Iris eyes Carol as she walks into the room, "theres oatmeal on the side for you" Iris mumbles, looking back at the boy, "thanks" Carol mumbles, picking up her bowl and sitting at the table.

Once RJ has woken up more and has finished eating Iris follows him upstairs and starts to help him get ready, the boy follows her downstairs and they wait by the front door for the other two, "come on guys we gotta go!" Iris calls up the stairs, Judith rushes down the stairs, Lydia following shortly after.

Iris walks the kids to the school, "have a good day" she says waving to them as they walk inside the building, Iris walks back to the house, making her way down to the basement. She kicks off her boots and lays back on the couch, pulling a blanket over her body and falling back to sleep.