Reflections - TWD

74. Stupidly cool.

⚠️conversation that alludes to suicide included⚠️

Isabella woke up in the infirmary with Rick and Michonne standing over her. Tara, Rosita and Carl were all also in the room standing off to the sides.

"What happened?" Isabella croaked. Michonne grabbed a glass of water and held it up to her, letting her take a sip.

Rick froze. Because how the hell are you supposed to tell a nine year old that half of her ear is gone. Rosita couldn't even look at Isabella, she was blaming herself.

Michonne looked around at everyone and then stepped in. "Arat shot off the top half of your ear."

Isabella's hand flew to her head, she felt the huge bandage that had been plastered to the side of her head. The tape was half tangled in her hair and the entire square bandage covered her temple and down to her neck. "No, no, no."

"Can you hear everything okay? Is it ringing?" Rick asked her.

Her ear was ringing at the moment. Maybe from shock, maybe from the injury. She just nodded. "A little, but- but I can hear you guys."

It was muffled because of the bandage. But she didn't know if her hearing would ever be the same again.

"We're going to the Hilltop, we're getting ready to fight," Tara piped up. That was the most angry and firm tone Tara had ever used.

That's where Sasha, Maggie and Jesus were. Isabella was going to have to face Maggie again. Maggie would probably hate her, blame her.

"I got her," Rosita helped Isabella down off the table and let her lean on her. She wasn't making eye contact, she wasn't making conversation. Isabella didn't blame her, not one bit. She loved Rosita.

Rick nodded slowly. So, they all left the infirmary and got into the RV. Rick was driving while Michonne sat in the passengers seat, holding his hand. Rosita and Tara sat in the back while Carl and Isabella sat around the small table.

The last time she was in this RV, Abraham was here. And she didn't speak a word to him.

Carl had his arm around Isabella. "You know, nobody's gonna mess with you now. You look super badass."

Isabella shook her head. "That's not true. People are just gonna pick on me more because my ear's gonna look all chewed up. It doesn't look cool or badass, it looks stupid."

Carl pulled back with a confused face. "It's not, I promise. Nobody messes with me after I lost my eye, right?"

Isabella shook her head. "No...but you're cool. I'm not."

"Are you kidding? You're totally cool. You're even cooler than me," Carl nodded with a grin. "It just makes you cool because nobody else has it, you know?"

Isabella shrugged, she didn't want to keep talking about it. Carl was just saying all this stuff to make her feel better.

Rick finally pulled the RV up and they all got out, walking up the hill and towards the gates. Maggie was on lookout. Once she saw the group, she had a big smile on her face. Isabella just stared at the floor shamefully.

"Sasha! Enid!" Maggie called out.

The gates opened after a moment and they all walked in. Rick made his way to Maggie, quickly embracing her. "You're okay?"

"I'm okay," Maggie pulled away from the hug to look at him. "The baby's okay...all of us."

All of us, except for Abraham and Glenn.

Isabella kept her head down whilst Rick looked up at Maggie after a moment. "You were right...right from the start. You told us to get ready to fight. I didn't listen, and I couldn't. I can now."