Reflections - TWD

17. Just a lil' girl.

Isabella didn't sleep that night, Rick's words haunting her mind. The image of Daryl walking away stuck like fresh paint to her memory.

Hershel had told her that the cut over her eye wasn't deep enough to scar, but she had to be careful not to reopen it so the blood wouldn't get into her eyes.

Rick had been outside for at least an hour already, he wouldn't tell anyone what had happened the night prior and he had left with the cell block no context.

Once everyone had finished their breakfast, Isabella didn't have any, they all gathered around a chalk-drawn map on the floor, so Isabella got up and leaned against the doorway, watching as Glenn added some final touches.

"Now, you said you found Tyreese's group here?" Glenn questioned, pin-pointing his finger on the map.

"Yeah..." Carl mumbled as he nodded.

"We secured this." Glenn stated, clearly a little confused.

"Well, he thought he came through here." Carl circled the air with his finger.

Glenn sighed and took a look. "Means there's another breach." He rubbed his face for a moment before speaking again. "Okay. The whole front of the prison is unsecure. If walkers just strolled in, then it's gonna be cake for a group of armed men."

"Why are we so sure he's even gonna attack?" Beth questioned. "Maybe you scared him off."

"He had fish tanks full of heads and a little girl locked in a cellar with her dead cousin. Trophies. He's coming." Michonne confirmed, her tone confident.

"We should hit him now?" Glenn added.

"What?" Isabella said.

"He won't be expecting it. We'll sneak back in and put a bullet in his head." Glenn responded.

"I can't, he's my uncle. Of course I want him dead for what he did to you and Maggie, but I can't do it with you or be there." Isabella said, stepping back.

Glenn nodded and Maggie spoke up. "And you."

"Huh?" Isabella asked, confused.

"He did some pretty messed up stuff to you to, hon." Maggie said, giving Isabella her signature sympathy smile.

Isabella nodded and walked back to her cell, sitting on the bed. She wanted Daryl to come back so badly, she wanted it to be like he never left. But she knew that would never happen, he left and he wasn't going to come back for her, not for any of them, because he didn't know what family meant. Family isn't just blood.

Beth came and sat down next to her. "You okay?" She asked softly.

Isabella nodded, but she could still feel tears pushing at the back of her eyes.

Why can't I stop crying?

"I can braid your hair, if you want." Beth offered, leaning in slightly.

Isabella nodded, picking up the blue hair ties and giving them to Beth. "Can you to two?" Isabella voice came out dry as ever.

Beth smiled. "Yeah, of course."

Isabella sat in-front of Beth as she kneeled on the bed, Beth had a hairbrush now so she was using that to brush Isabella's hair. "You're hair's like mine." Beth added.

"No. Yours is really pretty, mine is a mess all the time." Isabella said, making Beth giggle.

"They're just your baby hairs, they'll grow out soon enough." Beth said causing Isabella to smile slightly. "Maybe one day we can braid Judith's hair together, when hers is long enough." Beth added.