Solitary {2} : The Walking Dead

Chapter Seventy-six.

 A New Deal.

"We've come so far. Lost so much... It's hard to trust when anyone can go at any time. But the people who die and the people who go aren't lost forever... I believe that. I have to. And remembering their voices... is how we keep them alive."

.........

"Drop your weapon!" "Hold it right there!" "Put the knife down! Do it, or we will shoot! Let him go! Now!" the soldiers shout, Iris bites the inside of her cheek anxiously, "Everyone stand down!" Mercer orders.

Iris watches the man walk towards them, Pamela, Carol and Negan behind him, Daryl turns Lance, keeping his knife pressed against the mans neck, he pushes him back, Iris moves to behind Daryl, keeping her gun high.

She glares at Pamela as she stops in front of Iris, "You heard him. Lower your weapons." the woman says, Iris glances at Mercer before looking back at the woman, pointing her gun at the soldier watching her.

"This is not just about you. I need him alive." Pamela says, "Dixon." Mercer says, slowly stepping closer, "Not here and not like this." the man says, "You choosing this piece of shit?" Daryl questions, "If I was, you'd already be down." Mercer says.

"Do what you fuckin' gotta do." Daryl says, Mercer looks at Iris, the redhead looks him in the eye before lowering her gun but not moving away from Daryl, using her body as a shield for his, "Daryl." Carol says, stepping forward.

"What have you done?" Daryl questions, "I made a deal for us." The woman says, Daryl looks back at Lance, letting go of him and lowering his knife, as Lance looks away Daryl grabs his hand, holding it down and driving his knife into it.

The man screams as Daryl steps back, looking over at Pamela before pulling the knife out, he grabs onto Iris's hand before walking away, "Don't worry. He'll live." he says to Mercer before dropping the knife on the floor and continuing to leave.

..........

"So the slate's just wiped clean?" Aaron questions, "Debt, deaths on both sides. We get supplies, water, weapons. Pamela provides everything that we need to finish rebuilding. Free and clear." Carol explains.

"Then we just go home?" Gabriel asks, "That's up to everyone to decide." Carol says, "What does Pamela get out of this?" Maggie asks, "Hornsby. We tell the people what he did. Out here, back at that house where... Where folks died. He takes the fall for it." Carol says.

"So this is about saving her son." Daryl says, "It's not our problem anymore." Carol says, Iris looks at Daryl "We'll talk about it with our people when they get here. There's a lot to think about on our end." Annie says.

"Right. Yeah. Like how they killed most of our people." Negan says, "Anybody else?" Carol questions, everyone looks over at Daryl, he looks down at his wife, "I think the most important thing is that we're together. I don't want to go it alone anymore. I don't trust them. But if you say that this deal gets us back in our homes, with our own rules, then I think it's worth the risk." Maggie says.

Daryl walks over and takes two apples, "Alright." he says, turning back to Iris and giving her one of the apples, "thanks" Iris mumbles, taking the fruit and biting into it, she looks out at the field, something still doesn't feel right.

..........

Iris and Daryl stand next to each other as they listen to Pamela make her speech, "Lance Hornsby abused his position and caused untold suffering for others. But thanks in part to the assistance of friends and allies... Along with our dedicated armed forces, he was unable to escape." the woman explains.

"And I promise you all... Justice will be served." Iris looks over to the crowd as they start cheering and applauding, "Now, tomorrow is Founders Day. An opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate what truly makes the Commonwealth great... Its people. And we will celebrate. We will not forget, but we will rise above this. Because we are the Commonwealth." Pamela continues and the crowd applauds once again.

..........

Iris throws a bag in the back of the trailer, "hey" Darl says, gently grabbing Iri's arm and turning her to look at him, "you sure you wanna go?" he questions, Iris places her hand on his chest, "I have to go" Iris says, Daryl pulls her into a hug, she wraps her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest as he kisses the top of her head.

They pull away and go back to packing up, Iris looks down at Judith, "you good kid?" she asks, the girl thinks for a minute, suddenly she wraps her arms around Iris, "i'm glad your back" she says, Iris reaches down and strokes the girls hair out of her face, "me too kiddo" Iris smiles.

Iris turns to Lydia, "so" Iris smiles, walking over to the girl, "you and elijah?" Iris questions, Lydia shakes her head with a smile, "we're friends" she says, "it was good to see you" Iris says, "yeah, i've missed you" Lydia says, "be safe out there" Iris says before walking away, "you too".

Iris waves as she watches Aaron, Jerry, Lydia and Elijah ride off, she looks back at Daryl, smiling sadly at the man.

...........

"So, your back" Iris says, staring at the man, "yeah, i am" Negan says, the two stay silent, "you never left" Negan says, "i couldn't" Iris sighs, she look down at the floor, "you're having a kid" she mumbles, "yeah, Annie is amazing" Negan says.

He stares at the woman, watching as she looks down at the floor, "red i-" "it's good, Juniper would've been happy" Iris says, she forces a smile on her lips before walking away from the man.

Iris makes her way to the apartment, she opens the door to see Daryl on the other side, "Judith is gone" he says, "what?" Iris questions, panic setting in, "she doesn't want to leave" Daryl says, "you go look for her, i'll stay here with RJ and pack" Iris says, she moves to the side and watches Daryl walk out of the apartment.

"RJ have you packed?" Iris asks, walking into her and Daryl's room, she picks up her backpack and turns to look at the boy, "RJ are you listening?" she questions, the boy keeps reading his comic book.

Iris pinches the bridge of her nose and lets out a sigh, she kneels down in front of the boy, "listen kid, i get it, you don't want to leave" she says, "but we have to" she adds, RJ doesn't speak, the woman sighs and stands up, walking back to the room.