Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Sixty-five.

He left.

"I heard what you said. We're doing it wrong." Gabriel says, looking at the man across the fire, staring down at the ring in his hand, "I'm just thinking about choices. I mean, do they even matter anymore?" he says.

"Depends on who's making the choice. Doubt's important. But it doesn't make you wrong." Gabriel explains, "You telling me to have faith?" Daryl asks. "Yeah, I suppose so, yes." "What about you?" Daryl questions, "Yeah. I'm trying." Gabriel says.

Dog barks at the walker as Daryl stands to kill it, an arrow flies into its head and Maggie steps out from behind the wagon, "Alden?" Gabriel asks, Maggie shakes her head no.

"You see Negan? Said he'd catch up." Gabriel says, "He left." Iris says, stepping out from the trees behind them, "Negans not coming back" she adds as the others stare at her.

"Hey, Maggie." Elijah mumbles, Iris looks over at Daryl as he watches her, she tilts her head to the side, signalling the man to follow as she walks away from the group.

When they are away from the others Iris stops and stares up at the night sky, she looks at the stars peeking through the treetops, shining down on them, "you leaving?" Daryl asks, standing behind the woman and watching her stare off into the distance.

She stays silent for a minute, "no. I don't want to leave again" Iris mumbles, "do you wanna leave me?" Daryl asks, her ring still in his hand, Iris lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding, closing her eyes as the cold night air dances across her face.

"No" Iris says, she opens her eyes again and turns to look at the man, "i love you like i've never loved before... I never knew I could love someone like this. But-" she cuts herself off, unsure how to put her words.

Daryl's heart sinks, "the past few days have been pure hell. Having to follow Pope around like a dog. Having to agree with everything he said... having to tell him stories about my past because he wanted more control over me" Iris explains, tears filling her eyes.

"But every time I saw you, I saw her. Right by your side... and I hated it... you have been the light when I'm surrounded by nothing but darkness, and this time you couldn't be... i never want that again" Iris continues, a stray tear slipping down her cold cheek.

"I never want to think about these past few days again. I just want you" she finishes, Iris stares at Daryl nervously as she waits for him to say something, to walk away and leave her there. But he doesn't leave, instead he walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.

Iris wastes no time in wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her head into his chest and squeezing her eyes shut, Daryl pulls away and holds her out in front of him, "I only want you. I love you. I'm married to you" Daryl says, Iris connects her lips to his, gently holding his face as she sinks deeper into the kiss.

"I love you" Iris whispers, pulling away from the kiss, Drayl takes her hand and holds it in between them, Iris smiles as he slips her ring back onto her finger, Daryl kisses her one more time before holding onto her hand and walking back to the others.

Iris sits next her husband in front of the fire, she lays her head on his shoulder and stares into the hot flames, she cant help but feel a mixture of guilt, sadness and happieness all at once.

The guilt of all the soldiers they killed, they were just like her, failed by the system, lost. She cant help but think that if she hadnt found the prints in the woods that day, if Glenn wasnt on patrol, If Hershel didnt help her, if Maggie and Glenn werent on the porch when she woke up.

She would have seen all the people and left the farm behind her, she would have never healed properly, she would have left. She never would have found her family, she would never had known what happen to Rick, Carl, Lori and Shane. She wouldnt be with Daryl, she would never had met Judith or RJ, she wouldnt have the family she has right now. She would've been with Pope, worked as one of his soldiers, and she would have died.

The sadness she feels for Alden, another person lost. She probably wouldn't have helped him that day with the graves if it wasnt for Carl, him wanting everyone to work together is the reason she helped him, the reason she became friends with him, he became family. The sadness for not saying goodbye to him, but she knows he's with Earl and Tammy again.

The happiness she feels for feeling at home again, wrapped up in Daryl's arms, listening to his heart beating her favourite song. All the tiredness from the past few days slowly starts to get to Iris, her eyes slowly close, Daryl holds onto her as she lets the sleep wash over her, finally feeling safe enough to let her guard down.