Reflections - TWD

79. Go wild.

Isabella just stared back up at Daryl. She didn't know what to say. She did know, she didn't want to know.

Daryl rubbed his face. "I didn't mean it. Just need ya to be more careful, talk to me more, yeah?"

"Talking to you isn't gonna stop them," Isabella retorted. It sounded kind of sarcastic in the tone how she said it, but she didn't mean it like that. It was true. Daryl was one man, he couldn't stop the Saviors.

Daryl wanted to tell her how she was wrong. How he'd have crossed an ocean for her. Because all he wanted to do was protect her in the way that nobody ever did for him.

Daryl just nodded. He didn't really know what else to do other than nod. Isabella wanted to hit and punch him. She knew he couldn't protect her from the Saviors. Seeing him say it? That was another feeling.

She just walked away, out of Barrington house and slouched down onto the table. She knew that Daryl didn't really mean it. He'd do anything he could to protect her and this was a total misunderstanding. But talking about the Saviors, that was a sensitive topic for her.

"Hey," Maggie interrupted Isabella's intrusive thoughts. "How are you? Haven't seen you in a while."

Isabella looked up at her shamefully through her eyebrows. "I'm okay," she couldn't return the words how are you? to Maggie, because Maggie wasn't okay. Glenn was dead. Glenn was dead because Isabella didn't want to take one stupid goddamn look at Abraham's smashed in brains.

"That's good," Maggie sat down on the bench next to Isabella. "Daryl didn't mean that in there. He's mad about it too, you know that. He just don't deal very well with this sorta thing."

Isabella nodded. She wanted Maggie to go away. Actually, no. She just wanted Glenn to come back. That way, Maggie wouldn't hate her. But why was Maggie acting fine with her? Isabella was almost a hundred percent sure that Maggie would hate her and blame her forever.

When Maggie didn't leave for a few minutes, Isabella finally worked up every ounce of strength in her and turned to the woman. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I-" her eyes welled up with tears, but she managed to hold them back for now. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Maggie."

"It wasn't your fault. It was his. Negan's. Not yours, not Daryl's," Maggie gently rubbed the back of the girls head.

Isabella nodded, not really believing her. So, Maggie leaned forward to get a clearer view of her face. "I mean it. Nothing that happened that night was your fault, it wasn't anybody's fault except for the Saviors, that's why we're gonna fight 'em, right?"

Isabella nodded and turned to face Maggie, finally believing her. "I really am sorry."

Maggie smiled sympathetically and pulled the girl into a tight hug. Isabella found it amazing, after everything Maggie had been through, every person she'd lost. She still had that same sweet smile.

"I just want this to be over. I want Negan to go away. But that won't bring Abraham or Glenn back. Nothing will. Nobody can fix this, we can't win this. Even if Negan gets what he deserves, they'll still be dead. They still won't come back," Isabella ranted and pulled away from the hug. She didn't know why she said all that, of course, it was true. Nothing could bring them back now, once you're dead, you're dead. That's the end.

It seemed like it was Maggie's first time hearing these words, because her face seemed to drop slightly. Isabella was worried that she had offended her. But Maggie's smile returned again. It wasn't the same though, it was just her mouth smiling this time. Her eyes were still the same, sad, maybe angry. Maybe at Negan, maybe at Isabella.

—

Isabella and Freddie sat on the bed playing cards whilst Daryl packed his bag.

"How long are you gonna be gone for?" Isabella asked. He was going back to Alexandria to fight the Saviors, they had both silently decided to forget about their disagreement earlier.

"A day, maybe a couple," Daryl responded, still packing bolts into his bag. "Maggie's comin' to Alexandria tomorrow, you two stay here."

"Is Carol gonna come back soon?" Freddie asked, and then looked down and picked at the blanket. "I mean, have we heard anything from her? Is she at Alexandria? Does she know what happened?"

Daryl knew what he should tell Freddie. But he couldn't. Carol had made it clear she didn't want to come back.

"I don't know, bud," Daryl sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I'll let you know, a'right?"

Freddie nodded. "Thanks."

Daryl finally zipped up his bag and then walked over to the two kids. He gave each of them a quick kiss on the top of the head and a small smile. "Don't do anythin' stupid. See ya both soon, 'kay?"

"Okay," they both replied and smiled to him as he walked out of the room.

It was silent for a moment before Freddie spoke up. "What do we do now?"

Isabella shrugged. "I don't know. He just said we can't do anything stupid, but that's pretty much all we do."

"Wanna trash Gregory's office?" Freddie suggested almost instantly as if he already had it in mind, making Isabella's eyes go wide.

"What? What the hell has gotten into you? You're the golden child most of the time," Isabella scoffed a laugh and raised her eyebrows in amusement.

Freddie shrugged. "I don't care. Gregory made fun of you and your ear, so we should trash his office. Payback."

Isabella considered it for a moment. What was the worst that could happen? Daryl would shout at her. It would be worth trashing Gregory's office for a little telling off.

"Okay."

So, they both headed out onto the stairs and sat down. Gregory was in his office at the moment. Isabella had her bag on her back, it had paints, pens and pencils in it.

They both waited until he left, he went outside and didn't notice either of them. Giggling, they both scurried down the stairs and into the office. Freddie locked the door behind them.

Isabella dumped her bag out onto the desk. "Go wild!" She laughed and picked up a paintbrush.

Freddie and Isabella both signed their initials on the wall in a red pencil. This was probably the most childish thing they had ever done. But what was there to lose? It was just fun, and Gregory was an asshole.

They both put handprints all of the walls, smearing paint across the floors and on Gregory's desk. Basically, anything that Gregory owned looked like a unicorn had threw up all over it.

Isabella liked unicorns. She didn't like Gregory.

Once they were done, and their clothes were decorated too, they both took a step back, still laughing and out of breath.

"I like it, it's modern," Freddie nodded, looking around at the now rainbow place.

Isabella laughed and started to pick up her paints, piling them all back into her bag and then the kids ran off back upstairs and into the room that they shared with Daryl.

It was only a matter of minutes before they heard Gregory curse.

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super sorry about the shitty chapters, s8 will probably be a lot shorter as Isabella isn't really going to be involved in the war and I have a lot more planned for after the time skip. I thought that writing s5 was bad but this is torture icl there's barely any Daryl content in s7

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