Reflections - TWD

3. Dale.

Isabella and Daryl had both just sat in his tent for a while, in an understanding silence. Daryl understood Isabella, since he had endured the same childhood she had. But Isabella didn't understand why Daryl would want to help her, or why he cared so much.

The truck pulled back up outside and Isabella had heard it, but she didn't want to get up and see. She knew her father was gone and in the silence, so many questions raced through her mind, but they never reached the finishing line, they just kept running.

Why do these people want to keep me and not daddy?

Am I ever going to see daddy again?

Why do I want to see him again? He hurts me.

Why won't Daryl leave me alone?

Why does Shane want daddy to die so badly?

Where is daddy gonna go? He won't be able to find his way back to our group.

How long is it until these stupid people let me go?

When Daryl heard the truck pull up, he got up and Isabella vividly heard him say "stay here". But she was staying there because she wanted to, not because Daryl told her to, because Daryl doesn't control her. That's what she was thinking.

Closer to the house, Daryl was speaking to Rick who had just told him that they couldn't leave John and Randall there. Rick had a nasty purple bruise across his cheekbone.

"What do you mean, 'can't leave 'em'? That lil' girl is traumatised and she ain't gonna heal with 'im sticking around." Daryl defended Isabella, wanting to provide her with something no adult ever did for him, someone to rely on.

"Listen, we're gonna figure something out...we couldn't leave them there like that, man, it wasn't right." Rick said, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"Yeah, well, figure somethin' out quick then." Daryl snapped at him, before walking towards the barn, ready to confront John.

Meanwhile, Isabella crept out of the tent and timidly walked towards the campfire. She folded her arms, unaware that her father was still around.

Carl looked over at her, Lori wasn't watching him so he took this opportunity to approach Isabella, a scowl spread across his face.

"Hey!" He shouted, towering over her. "Your stupid dad punched my dad in the face! Apparently he tried to kill him!"

"What?" Isabella croaked out, looking up at him with bags under her eyes from all the tears she had shed just a few hours before.

Carl scoffed and rolled his eyes "I wish Shane would've shot him, right through his eyes."

Carls statement caused a wave of rage to flood through Isabella's body, she got up and harshly pushed him by his shoulders, she had to reach up a bit because of their height difference, but Carl was pretty small for a twelve year old anyway.

"Say one more thing about my dad, I dare you." She threatened him, looking at his weak body which had fallen to the ground, his hat tipping off the back of his head at the same time.

Lori and Glenn both noticed this and rushed over.

"Carl! Baby!" Lori exclaimed, kneeling down beside her son and hugging his head tight to her chest.

Glenn gently took Isabella's hands and led her to the porch to talk to her, he sat her down on a hanging chair and leaned against the railing. He watched as she folded her arms, a pout plastered to her face.

"Hey, wipe that look off your face." Glenn berated her, smirking slightly since he found the whole situation ever so slightly amusing.

Isabella didn't, so he kept talking. "Listen, I get Carl can be annoying sometimes, really I do. But you can't just push people like that, we don't hurt our own around here."