Reflections - TWD

73. Guts.

Daryl had finally gotten out of the cell. Sherry had helped him, he was walking past the other cells when he heard crying.

"Please, dad. Please don't."

Daryl used the match and clip to unlock the door. "Hey, hey," he looked down...Freddie?

"It's alright, it's me, bud. It's just me," Daryl held out a cautious hand. He knew that Isabella and Carl were already at Alexandria, he saw them in the truck.

"Daryl," Freddie shot to his feet and hugged the man. Daryl rubbed his back to reassure him.

"C'mon. We're gettin' outta here."

—

Isabella had managed to breath. She hadn't exactly calmed down, but she was breathing. She walked out of the infirmary. She kept her head down while she walked. A crowd was formed on the street, she looked up and saw Carl and Olivia on the porch. So, she went around the crowd on the grass and joined them.

"Are you okay?" Carl asked, he could tell she had been crying. Anyone could, her eyes were all red and puffy and her cheeks were blotchy. Isabella just nodded.

"Talk to me about Rick," Negan shot his pool cue along the table. Why the hell was Spencer playing pool with Negan? She couldn't see them through the crowd, but now she could.

"I get what you're trying to do here, what you're trying to build. I'm not saying I agree with your methods, but I get it. You're building a network. You're making people contribute for the greater good. It makes sense."

Spencer spoke so casually to Negan. He wasn't there that night. He didn't have to live with it. And if he was, he wouldn't be playing pool with the murderer.

He continued to talk after a minute. "But you should know that Rick Grimes has a history of not working well with others."

"Mhm," Negan hummed as he moved around the table. "Is that so?"

What the hell was Spencer doing? In Isabella's eyes, and probably everyone else's, Rick had done nothing but made Alexandria stronger. If he wasn't the leader when the Saviors attacked, only God knows what could've happened.

"Rick wasn't the original leader here. My mom was. She was doing a really good job of it. Then she died, not long after Rick showed up...same with my brother, same with my dad," Spencer explained falsely. He was making it sound like Rick had killed them all, he didn't kill a single one of those people.

He only killed Pete. And once again, to Isabella, Pete deserved it for what he did to Jessie, Ron and Sam...and her best friend. Who she just wanted back. She didn't mind if he was a dingus or if he stole her cookies.

"So, everything was peachy here for what? Years?" Negan took a sip of what looked like brandy or liquor. "And then Rick shows up, and suddenly, you're an orphan? That is the saddest story I've ever heard. Good thing for you he's not in charge anymore."

The weird thing was...that was kind of a summary of what happened to Isabella on the farm. Except it did her favour.

"Doesn't matter," Spencer shot his pool cue. "His ego's out of control. He'll find a way to screw things up, to try and do things his way, to take over. That's what he did with my mom. That's what he'll do again."

There was a few seconds of silence before Negan spoke. "What exactly are you proposing be done about that?"

"I am my mother's son. I can be the leader she was. That's what this place needs. That's what you need," Spencer pointed his finger. Even Rosita, who was on-and-off dating him was giving him a nasty glare.