Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Sixty-four.

Good luck.

Iris walks behind the group, looking around as they make their way through the courtyard, "Leave me here if you have to. Just make sure he's dead." Elijah says to Maggie as they stop, "I'm not going anywhere without you. No matter what happens. Okay?" Maggie says.

Iris and Maggie slowly walk over to Daryl at the front, "You ready?" he questions, he looks at Iris but the redhead keeps her eyes on the windows around them, "Yeah." Maggie says, "Here. Take this. Just in case." Daryl says, handing Maggie a handgun.

"Leah." he says into his walkie as Maggie tucks the gun into the back of her jeans, "We're here." Leah says through the radio, Iris looks over as the door slides open, "Come out. Throw your weapons on the ground." Daryl orders, "I need to see Carver first!" the blonde shouts.

Daryl grabs the hostage from Negan and walks him out into the open, "Come out! Throw your weapons on the ground!" Daryl orders, Iris nervously watches Leah and two of the soldiers walk towards him, "What are you offering?" Leah asks.

"Lose the weapons and we let you leave." Daryl says, "Is that all?" one of the men asks, "You head north, don't turn back. I see anyone, anyone at all, I'm gonna kill him. Once we're far out enough, I'll let him go." Daryl explains.

"Screw this shit, Shaw." Carver says, his words muffled by the cloth tied around his head, "Shut up." Daryl demands, "You expect me to trust you now?" Leah asks, "Yeah. I do. We're doing this all wrong. We survived everything for what? To keep fighting and killing each other?" Daryl questions.

"If that's what it takes." Leah says, "Don't have to... I'm giving you a chance to save what's left of your family. And mine." Daryl says, Iris watches Leah as she thinks for a moment, the blonde lifts her walkie "No more lies. Jenson."

A gunshot goes off next to Daryls feet, Iris keeps her eyes on Leah and the soldiers as everyone else looks for the sniper, "That was a warning! The last one! Everybody out!" Leah shouts. Iris steps out, Maggie and Negan behind her as they help Elijah, "Lower the knife, cut the rope." Leah demands.

When Daryl doesnt listen Leah brings her walkie up again, "Jenson. The red head" she says, glaring at Iris, "Fine." Daryl panics, letting go of carver and cutting him free, the man blows a kiss to Elijah before walking over to Leah, "Elijah, don't." Maggie says.

"No one moves! He takes one more step, he dies!" Leha warns as Elijah stumbles towards Carver "Josephine!" the teen shouts, "Carve, don't. Jenson, pull the trigger!" "Her name was Josephine." Elijah yells before collapsing onto the floor.

As Carver goes to kick the boy a bullet flies through his leg, "Jenson, what the hell?! Jenson!" Leah shouts into her walkie, "Nope. No Jenson here." the voice crackles through the radio, "Call me Gabriel."

"The other two better back off or they're next." Gabriel orders, "Stand down." Leah says to the men behind her, "Your deal still stand?" Leah asks, looking up at them, "You had your chance." Iris says, "You would've killed us. Picked us off one by one, right? Now Gabriel does the same thing to you." Maggie says from next to Iris.

"Maybe you're right." Leah says, standing up, "Your friend has the rifle. But I bet we take a couple of you down before he takes us all. You can have your town. We walk. You save your family. I save mine." Leah says looking over at Daryl, "Yeah." the man says.

"Negan?" Maggie asks, "You know what I think." the man says, "Drop your weapons and go." Iris orders, "Not without Carver." Leah says, "No." Iris says. "Do it. I said do it." Leah demands to the men behind her, they drop their weapons to the floor as she kneels down beside Carver.

"I'll see you soon." she says to the man before standing up and walking away with the other two behind her, Iris steps forward and watches the three of them walk away, "For Josephine. For all of them." Elijah mumbles, Iris looks down at Magie, the woman looking up at her.

"Do it" she says, Maggie stands up, pulling out her gun and walking after them, Iris walks with her, "Maggie, no!" Daryl shouts, Iris watches as the two soldiers drop to the floor, Maggie holds the gun out in front of Iris, "do it" the brunette whispers.

Iris takes the gun, aiming it at Leah and pulling the trigger, she listens as Leah screams in pain, running away from the two women, Iris hands the gun back to Maggie, "The hell was that?!" Daryl questions as Maggie goes back to kill the others, Iris reaches back and pulls out her sword.

"Iris!" Daryl shouts, catching up behind her, "she has to die" Iris mumbles, "Iris stop" Daryl pleads, the redhead slowly stops, "let me do it" he says, Iris shakes her head, she looks up at Daryl, hurt and anger filling her eyes, without saying anything she walks past him.

Iris walks back to the others, she stops next to Gabriel, she reaches into her front pocket and pulls out her ring, "give this back to Daryl" she whispers, holding it out in front of the man, he reluctantly takes the gold band, "thanks" she adds before walking away.

Ignoring their concerned looks as they call for her, but Iris doesn't stop, she keeps walking, she makes her way into the trees, covering her tracks so no one follows her.

After walking for a while Iris stops when she notices Negan, "what are you doing?" she questions, the man turns and looks at her, "same thing as you... i'm leaving" he says, Iris is taken aback by the man's answer, confusion fills her mind as she tries to understand her feelings.

"Why?" she asks, "it's time" the man smiles, Iris looks back at the familiar figure standing a few feet behind him, "but what about Juniper?" Iris asks, looking away from the blonde and back at Negan, "I don't feel her here anymore" Negan says.

"But i only see her when i'm with you" Iris whispers, Negan looks down and the floor, guilt eating at his gut, "I'm sorry red... but i've got to go" negan says, Iris lets out a sigh, "i get it... good luck" Iris says, "you too" Negan smiles before turning and walking away again. Iris smiles as she watches the man leave, Juniper's blonde curls flowing in the wind as they follow behind him.