Reflections - TWD

44. A burden.

When Daryl found Isabella, she was hyperventilating with her head in her knees. Her cries were squeaky and high-pitched. Isabella didn't even know he'd come back.

"Bells? Baby, what's wrong?" Daryl knelt down next to her and tried to wrap his arms around her, but she flinched and cowered away.

"Hey, hey. It's me, it's me." He reassured her and she looked up at him, her eyes red and sore.

"Dad." She sobbed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"What happened?" Daryl asked her gently, trying not to upset her any further.

Isabella looked down at her scars and all of her sadness was filled with rage. She started scratching and rubbing her arms until they turned red raw. "Why won't they go away?!"

Daryl quickly pulled her hands away and wrapped his hands around hers, making sure she couldn't hurt herself anymore. "No, don't do that. Tell me what's wrong."

"They're ugly. I'm ugly and everyone knows it. He said it." Isabella sniffled and tried to pull her hands away, but Daryl wasn't letting go.

"Who said that?" Daryl asked, and Isabella didn't know what to say. Sam called them weird, John called them ugly.

"A kid." Isabella half-lied because she didn't want to sound insane by saying it was John in her head. He wasn't there. Daryl was.

"Well, they're lyin'. They ain't got no right to talk to you like that." Daryl shook his head and reached out to wipe a tear from her face with his thumb.

He looked down and saw how red her arms were from all of her scratching. "Don't do that again." Daryl mumbled.

Isabella got up and tried to wipe the tears from her face the best she could, it was like everyone was watching now. It was all weird to her, everyone was so perfect. The people she grew up around would drink and do drugs, but not these people, they were picture perfect.

"C'mon. That surgeon guy said he wants to check everyone over, see if we've been injured out there. Abe is gonna take you." Daryl held her hand in his and started heading towards the door.

Isabella nodded and they headed out of the door together and down the porch steps. Abraham was down the street talking to Eugene, but when he saw Isabella and Daryl he headed over to them.

"Hey, honey. Ready for your trip to the doctors?" Abraham asked teasingly as he walked up to the pair.

Isabella shrugged, she couldn't really remember going to the doctors much. When she got hurt, John would just give her a painkiller and tell her to rest up.

Abraham chuckled and Daryl let go of her hand. Abraham noticed the red on Isabella's arms, but decided not to mention it. He noticed the red on her face too, it was always like that after she'd cried.

When Isabella walked into the medical room, Sam was sitting on the table with a woman, presumably his mom, and a man checking him over.

"Mommy! That's the girl who pushed me!" Sam pointed at Isabella.

The two adults turned to face her and Abraham put a protective hand on her back, ready to get her out of there or stand up for her if needs be.

"Maybe you should learn to keep your damn mouth shut then." Isabella hissed as she glared at the boy.

Abraham cleared his throat. "Uh, Deanna said we've all gotta come to get checked out. Isabella's the only one left."

The surgeon nodded and the woman helped her son off the table. "I'm Pete." He smiled at Isabella, but he wasn't really smiling.