Reflections - TWD

18. Closest thing I've got.

The whole group was gathered in the cell block, well, except for Merle. Since Daryl had arrived back, Isabella wanted to stay by his side every second of everyday.

She stood by him on the top floor, his hand on her shoulder softly stroking her hair as his other arm rested on the railing.

"We're not leaving." Rick announced firmly as he clocked his gun.

"We can't stay here." Hershel replied.

"What if there's another sniper?" Maggie snapped back, making Isabella remember the man she shot down. "A wood pallet won't stop one of those rounds."

"We can't even go outside." Beth complained.

"Not in the daylight." Carol reminded.

"Rick says we're not running, we're not running." Glenn raised his voice.

Isabella sighed and leaned on her elbows, which were already resting on the railing.

"Ya a'right?" Daryl cooed, leaning in.

Isabella nodded. "Just don't like the fighting."

Daryl nodded in agreement. "Yep."

"No, better to live like rats." Merle chuckled in his grading voice.

"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Isabella scoffed, Daryl nudged her arm, saying stop.

"You got a better idea?" Rick asked Merle sarcastically.

"Yeah, we should've slid outta here last night and lived to fight another day. But we lost that window, didn't we?" Merle said, more seriously this time. "I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

Daryl left Isabella's side and walked closer to his brother. "We ain't scared'a that prick."

Daryl's words made Isabella and Carl share a look, knowing just who she got her habit of swearing from.

"Y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that's just him ringin' the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind, but he's got the guns and the numbers- and if he takes the high ground around this place, shoot, he could just starve us out if he wanted to." Merle told the group in a menacing tone.

"You done with your speech yet, we ain't scared of that prick." Isabella replied, repeating the words she had heard from Daryl.

Hershel shot Isabella a look. "Language." He reminded the young girl, making her roll her eyes.

"Let's put him in the other cell block." Maggie said, deadly serious.

"No. He's got a point." Daryl looked down.

"This is all you! You started this!" Maggie accused the older Dixon.

"What's the difference whose fault it is? What do we do?" Beth said, moving to the stairs.

"I said we should leave." Hershel reminded the rest of them. "Now Axel's dead. We can't just sit here."

Rick started to walk off, completely ignoring Hershel's words. So, Hershel grabbed his crutches and stood up. "Get back here!" Hershel yelled, for the first time, making everyone fall silent.

"You're slipping, Rick." Hershel told Rick as he moved over to him. "We've all seen it. We understand why. But now is not the time. You once said this isn't a democracy. Now you have to own your to that. I put my family's life in your hands. So, get your head clear...and do something." Hershel demanded.

Rick had walked away, grabbing his gun and leaving the rest of them. Isabella knew there was something going on inside of his head, so she was going to help him.