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Survival Isn't An Option	By : Pilgrim Category: S through Z > The Walking Dead Views: 6774 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of the characters from the series. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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*AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for the lovely review PrincessNoelle! I love reading all of your reviews and hope you all continue to enjoy my story x

Isabelle woke on her front, her semi-naked upper body scratched by the blanket of the prison and no heat of Daryl nearby. Silently she wriggled around and pulled the blanket about her chest. Wondering how she’d managed to put her bra back on without remembering. She blinked repeatedly and realised it had been nothing more than a lust driven dream provoked by the unrealised activity with Alex. The bed destroyed by her own thrashing, not in the throes of pleasure and certainly not in the arms of Daryl. Isabelle groaned and placed her head in her heads. How was she supposed to look him in the eye now?

What she wouldn’t give for a cup of seriously strong hot coffee right now. She needed a cold shower first though, pulling her jacket on, not caring that her bra was visible where it gaped open she made her way out. Everyone had seen everything she had to offer yesterday anyway, what was the point of modesty now. The showers were thankfully empty and she stripped naked to stand under the cool constant stream of water. Turning her face into the water as it ran colder still, she gasped at the sensation and ran her fingers through her hair working the sparse amount of shampoo into a lather. Silently she stood until the water finished running and then stood for a moment longer in the chilled room. Her hands ran over her body, she was working hard at getting stronger and it was paying off every day, hard muscles flowed beneath her smooth skin. Wringing her hair she stepped up to where her clothes were piled and squeaked at the shadowy presence of someone else, her hands covered her intimate areas quickly as she span around.

“Sorry, didn’t think anyone else was up yet,” Daryl called out as he rattled a shower curtain across between them.

“Doesn’t matter, nothing you haven’t already seen I’m sure,” Isabelle called back wrestling herself into her clothing once more as quickly as was physically possible. “It’s all right, I’m decent.”

          The shower curtain rattled back as she approached. Daryl couldn’t meet her eyes, choosing to stare at the floor instead as he mumbled another apology. Isabelle dashed from the room, not wanting him to see her blush or hear her stutter at the memory of her dream. Beth shouted a greeting and asked if she’d seen Daryl, he hadn’t come back to the cells last night. Isabelle shouted his location back as she pulled a clean tank top and jeans on, they still hung loose but they were comfortable at least in comparison to the oversize shirt she typically wore to bed. Throwing her bow and quiver over her shoulder she headed out to the field and started to tack up Chance. Isabelle took her reins and led her towards the gateway calling out to Maggie and Glenn to open the gates. They grudgingly appeared from the watch tower and let her out. Isabelle mounted swiftly and urged the mare past the increasing horde of walkers in a steady lope.

          Once in the forest she let herself breathe freely again. It was calm out here, peaceful and she no longer felt as if she would die if she was forced to be on her own. Instead she felt alive out here, alone or with others, this was where the world was. Gently she guided the mare through the forests, avoiding branches and other noise creating objects. Isabelle asked her to stop as a young deer crept into a glade less than twenty feet away. Slowly she pulled the bow from her body and knocked an arrow into place. She pulled it taut and released, missing by a mile as the deer shot off. Laughing at herself she dismounted and led Chance to where the arrow had landed, tip embedded in a tuft of grass. The mare grazed quietly beside her as she cleaned the tip of mud. Her eyes caught the mushrooms growing at the base of a nearby tree and she drew a knife to harvest them. There was all sorts in the forest if you knew where to look… Daryl had taught her. Isabelle frowned as she removed the mares bridle to let her graze more easily. There was a lot Daryl had taught her and she obviously wasn’t going to escape thinking about him out here either.

          Silently Isabelle drifted further from the prison camp, Chance happily following as they foraged their way through the forest and Isabelle filled her saddle bags. Berries, mushrooms, she bagged a squirrel and surprised herself more than the squirrel when she hit it straight in the head with an arrow. A couple of baby rabbits followed, not quite quick enough to escape. At one time in her life she would have fainted at the thought of doing this but now it was almost second nature. She stroked the fur of one and contemplated how to skin it to make gloves. Smirking at her own strange thoughts she wandered on, not hearing her follower carelessly stumbling along behind her horse. Further down the woodland path she found a stream, chilled and crystal clear as it bubbled over smooth pebbles. Isabelle knelt to drink directly from it before filling her water bottle, her eyes taking in the surrounding terrain. There was little disturbance in the foliage and the mud was barely disturbed, showing no signs of human passing and a few deer prints. This would be an ideal spot for setting a snare.

“You stupid bitch,” The familiar voice Alex hissed from behind her and her blood ran cold.

          Isabelle spun and stared at him wide eyed. He was holding his arm, a walker bite still fresh on it and the blood would be drawing other walkers closer. Sweat was already beading on his brow, he was nearing the end of his infection. Soon he’d be joining their vile ranks, the fever was on her side but his determination and timing was not. The madness in his eyes screamed of how he was going to gut her and let the walkers eat her alive. Isabelle stumbled backwards and away from him, into the stream. It flooded into her boots and she felt her feet slip on the slick pebbles, her arms waving to help her keep her balance. At that moment of instability Alex lunged and sent her flying. Her feet, already unstable, abandoned her completely and she rolled under the surface of the stream and came up gasping for air having swallowed a large portion of freezing water. Spluttering she dragged herself to the edge of the stream and scrabbled to get out. A hand grasped her ankle and pulled her back, Isabelle shrieked and grabbed for anything, her nails ripping through earth, sand and stone for purchase as she screamed.

          A hand slammed into the back of her neck and pushed her head underwater. She pushed against the stones with her hands until the dead weight of a body landed on top of her. The cold realisation that Alex was sat on her shoulders sent a frozen terror through her core, he was going to drown her! Isabelle panicked, barely able to breathe and water trying to force itself into her mouth and nose she resorted to trying to bite Alex’s legs but his army boots covered the only areas she would have been able to reach. The weight was lifted off just as her mouth opened to try to breathe.

Gasping, spluttering and coughing she scrabbled on all fours and made her way onto the bank. Coughing up water she collapsed when she reached the grass a few feet away. She lay on her chest, fingers splayed in the grass as the air burned her sodden lungs dry. Hands turned her over by her shoulders and she went to punch at a face before pausing as she looked up at Daryl before sinking into another coughing fit. Pain raced through her chest and she curled up on her side in an attempt to ease the cramps plaguing her ribs. His hands patted over her ribs, dislodging more water until she pushed him away spluttering more.

“What the hell were you thinking coming out here alone?” Daryl furiously shouted at her as she gasped again and glanced back at him.

“I was foraging, I needed some space,” Isabelle spluttered, pushing sodden hair from her eyes as she shuddered for breath. “Thank you, but I can handle it from here.”

“What if I hadn’t followed you today?” Daryl kept shouting, angrier than Isabelle had ever seen him. “You’d have been killed.”

“I don’t need a chaperone,” Isabelle snapped back as she stumbled to her feet and brushed his hands away from helping her. “What do you mean today? Have you been following me every time I’ve come out on my own?”

          The realisation hit her hard, whenever she had left Daryl was usually preparing to go out too. Whenever she returned to the prison he returned at least a couple of hours after her. She had never encountered any walkers close to her even when she’d made careless amounts of noise. All this time she thought she’d been making her way independently, had been surviving and prospering in the new world and he’d been there every single step as overwatch.

“You’re an idiot. Don’t you get it, this isn’t some English countryside with little foxes and hedgehogs… odd pheasant running around…” Daryl snapped, his hands hanging helplessly by his sides.

“I’m well aware of that, I did wander around out here on my own for a year! Alone,” Isabelle shouted wringing water from her hair.

“You can’t just wander around out here anymore, it’s not safe!” Daryl stared at her as she started to laugh at him. “What’s so funny?”

“You’ve been following me around for the past fortnight making sure I never get chance to test what I’m capable of. Making me think that I can survive this world on my own! Now… you’re mad that I’m not afraid anymore,” Isabelle laughed at the irony.

“No, I’m mad that you’re not careful. I’m mad that you don’t have a clue what you’re doing,” Daryl gestured wildly to the area around them.

“I know what I’m doing now compared to when you found me, and I was surviving then,” Isabelle pointed out coldly.

“No, you were dying when I found you. Belle, you’re not made for this world, you don’t understand it,” Daryl whispered, his anger gone as he looked at her sincerely.

“What are you so afraid of?” Isabelle asked with genuine confusion. “You can fight, you can survive, and you know more about the world than anyone else I’ve ever met. So what if I’m not made for this world, so what if I won’t survive it. Isn’t that the point nowadays? We go on until we’re killed. What do you have to fear?”

“I ain’t afraid of nothing,” Daryl snapped, pointing a finger at her to emphasise his point. “What, you think you know me now?”

“Afraid of nothing? You’re afraid of being alone! Afraid of being near someone, afraid of caring while you care too much. Why else would you trail my sorry ass around? Why else would you give an iota of concern that I come back alive?” Isabelle shouted back shaking with anger.

“You don’t know me,” Daryl retorted coldly stepping closer.

“The only person abandoning you is yourself, no one else is leaving you alone,” Isabelle shouted pushing him backwards and away from her carelessly. “You run off into the woods, the forests, the cities so you don’t let yourself get close enough to feel something. Think that if you take all the risk you won’t have to feel something for someone else, won’t have any guilt if they die. Then you shout at me for wanting that same peace because apparently it’s dangerous for me! Tell me Daryl, what the hell does it matter if it’s dangerous for me…?”

“You know nothing about me,” Daryl shouted furiously, stepping back up to her until his face was almost pressed into hers.

“I know you better than you know yourself and that’s why you’re afraid of me. You think you’re the only one bearing scars from the past world? Think your past is the only one with a sob story to it,” Isabelle screamed at him, her cheeks colouring with her anger. “Guess what sweetheart, the world doesn’t give a shit. You’re born alone and you’ll die alone,” Isabelle felt the tears track down her cheeks and wiped them away angrily as she stepped backwards. “You think you understand people, understand me, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. Grow up precious, the world isn’t waiting for you to find yourself, you stand still for too long and you’ll always be on the outside looking in.”

          Isabelle turned to storm off in the direction of the prison, the mare trotting after her. A hand landed on her shoulder and tried to stop her but she shrugged it off and continued. Daryl called after her, using her full name for once. She let her feet stop and slowly turned to look at him. He stood barely five feet away, she felt water droplets run down her face from her still soaked hair as she shivered at the chill but still held his gaze fiercely. His fingers were twitching nervously as he seemed beyond indecisive, she wondered for just a moment if he was going to hit her for her arrogance. She already regretted what she’d said, right or not she had no right to throw his insecurities in his face. She hadn’t thanked him or even acted slightly grateful at his protection of her over the past months. Isabelle shook her head and started to turn away again deciding she no longer cared but once again he stopped her, turning her back to face him. His hand stayed on her shoulder this time and slowly trailed up to her neck. Clumsily his thumb stroked her cheek as his eyes met hers.
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Survival Isn't An Option