- Rick want's to protect his daughter, but there is only so much he can do. What Negan wants, Negan gets. -
"Oh, fuck." You grumble, as your tired eyes try to focus on the alarm clock on your nightstand. Groaning, you quickly crawl out of your bed. It's already late in the morning and you were scheduled for a few hours of guardshift on the wall, you're way too late. Within moments you get ready for the day, jumping around the room, trying to get into your pants while simultaneously brushing your teeth.
You need to hurry, the Saviors are most likely already in town and you really need to talk to Negan before something happens. He still has no idea Alexandria knows about you two and that you know about his wives. You stop involuntarily at the thought. It still hurts to think about it.
You weren't so naive to believe there wasn't someone waiting for him in his own community. He's a handsome man with a lot of power, he just had to be with someone at home. But with five other women? That really hurts like hell, but you have to ignore that ugly feeling that's tightening your chest for now. You take a quick glance into the mirror, adjusting your hair and once you feel presentable, you head downstairs.
Rick is sitting at the kitchen table, checking what seems to be today's inventory of the pantry. You've got half a mind, to just run past him without a word, but decide to quickly greet him with a rushed, "Morning," before dashing to the front door.
Rick's head snaps up and he calls after you, "Hey, where are you going?"
While hopping into your boots, you answer, "Late for my shift!"
"Uh-uh" Rick's shaking his head. "Back in here."
With quick fingers you secure your knife belt around your waist and turn around towards the kitchen. You're looking at your father expectantly, waiting for him to talk.
"No shifts for you today." He states, folding his arms on the table. "You'll stay in the house 'till they're gone."
"Did you turn off the alarm?" You ask, but your father doesn't answer. Annoyed, you roll your eyes. "Dad-"
"No!" He shuts your protest down immediately. "I want you out of their reach."
Now it's your time to fold your arms. "With theirs you mean his and if you really wanted that, you would have sent me out to another pointless run already."
Rick narrows his eyes at you. "You stay here, end of discussion."
Or so he wished.
You mirror his stern expression before starting to argue, "First of all, I am an adult and I'll be damned if I let you ground me in my mid-twenties. Secondly, you can't hide me forever, Dad. Why won't you just let me talk to him?"
Rick stands up from the table, picking up his hatchet from the counter. "Because you two have nothing to talk about." He insists while securing his weapon to his belt.
You're about to reply to that, but in the end decide to save your breath. Negan will come see you, regardless, like he always has. And if he doesn't, you will seek him out yourself. You two really need to talk about all of this.
"Where is your brother?" Rick suddenly asks you.
"Haven't seen him, literally just rolled out of bed." You lean against the door frame of the kitchen. "If he's not in his room, I'd guess he's strolling through town."
Rick's shaking his head. "I want you and him here at home during the pickup."
You suppress the urge to roll your eyes at him again. "Carl's old enough. He doesn't need a babysitter."
Rick casts you a warning glare, he is more than annoyed and done with your arguing. You just shrug your shoulders before pushing yourself off the door frame again and while going back up the stairs, you say. "Guess you'll have to fetch him yourself then. I've just been told not to leave the house."
Rick looks after his daughter. That girl can be infuriating at times. After a long sigh he decides to head outside. At the door he looks back up the stairs one final time before closing the door behind him.
People are already swarming around town, ready to face today's pickup. Rick's nerves are slowly getting the better of him as he's walking down the street. All kinds of emotions are swirling through his mind. Anger, Sadness, Fear. The Saviors are already a handful to deal with, the last thing he needs right now is the wrath of his own daughter.
She is angry, he gets that. He can't blame her for not seeing reason at the moment and he knows she'll come around eventually. Under different circumstances Rick would have laughed at the absurdity of having to lock up his adult daughter, but not today and not with the situation they are all in right now.
She wasn't wrong about the pointless runs. If he could, Rick would have sent her away again like he did before. But Negan made himself very clear last time. Someone would have to pay if she was absent again today. In this regard his hands were tied. But that doesn't mean he'd let that scum close to his daughter. If Negan wants her, he has to go through him first.
Rick speeds up his steps a bit. The Saviors are not here yet, but they should arrive at any moment now.
Negan's eyes wander to the side mirror to get a look of the convoy behind him. Six trucks are following him, way more than he needs for a pickup, but he wanted the man power today, just in case Rick didn't get the message.
When Alexandria's tall walls come into view, Negan quickly scans the guards on top. Just like in the weeks before he misses his Sunshine on her post and it's immediately souring his mood. I don't like how this is looking, Rick.
The gate opens when the trucks are getting closer and the Saviors drive inside. Already irritated, Negan jumps out of his truck. Where the fuck is she, he wonders, looking for her among the guards down at the gate. And again she's nowhere to be seen. Now he is really pissed. After a quick breath through his nose, in an attempt to keep himself calm, Negan slams the door shut and starts walking towards town when he sees Rick approaching.
Simon orders their men with a sharp whistle to start swarming out, taking up all of the parking lot. Rick's meeting them in the middle, together with the woman with dreads and a few others Negan doesn't care to learn the name of.
"Good morning, Rick!" Negan calls. His eyes quickly wander around the gathering people around them, still looking for Rick's daughter, before he hands his beloved Lucille to Simon for him to exchange her with a little gift he brought.
"You see, Rick", Negan starts, loud enough so everyone around can hear their little heart to heart. "Last time we talked you gave me the impression that you are doubting my intentions with your daughter. As it was kinda tradition for courting before the apocalypse, I brought the woman in question flowers." Disgust and anger reflect off Rick's features, bringing a large smile onto Negan's face. He takes a few steps closer and stops right in front of Rick's face. "So, where is she?"
Rick narrows his eyes at him, not stepping down. "She's here," he quietly admits. "But you'll stay away from her."
He's still not cooperating? Negan has to huff a laugh at that. "I'm sorry, I think I've misheard you. Sounded like you-"
"You'll stay away from Y/N." Rick interrupts harshly. "I won't tell you again." Negan's smile disappears quickly, instead he is scowling at Rick, his mouth forming a firm line as his anger is starting to show. "Let me make this clear," Rick hisses, staring Negan dead in the eye, "Over my dead body."
That daring asshole. Negan's scowl slowly eases into a small smirk. "That can be arranged." Without breaking eye contact, Negan calls over his shoulder. "Simon!"
And the Right Hand raises his revolver, aiming for Michonne. The other Saviors quickly turn and take aim on Rick's people as well.
Negan moves another step forward, towering over Rick, who seems to be completely unaffected by the threat. Both men stare each other down. "And I won't ask you again." But Rick is not backing down, angering Negan even more, who's patience is slowly running out. Fed up with Rick's disobedience, Negan raises his free hand but before he can utter an order, he suddenly can see defeat growing in Rick's eyes.
Rick's body slightly deflates at the realization that he is not in control of this situation, knowing there is nothing he can do but to cause more bloodshed. Eventually he steps down, letting his head fall a bit, with a small voice, barely over a whisper, he finally says. "In our house."
A bright smile splits Negan's face. "See?" He asks, his voice turning teasing. "Was that so hard, Prick?" Rick glares back at him, which makes this small victory taste so much sweeter. "Simon!" Negan calls while turning towards his men. "Take a look at what these fine people found me this week. I-" He turns around to face Rick again, grinning from ear to ear. "I will pay my favorite Alexandrain a visit."
While whistling his usual tune, Negan makes his way to Rick's house. The Saviors follow suit, walking past Rick's people to get to the pantry. Rick can't do anything but to watch Negan and his men go. Rage and adrenaline are flooding his system, causing his hands to tremble. He's about to follow Negan, when Michone lays her hand on his shoulder. "She'll manage," She tells him, trying to calm him down, "You know she will."
"And if she doesn't?" Even his shoulders are shaking now, "If forces her to-" Rick stops himself from speaking it out loud. The thought of the atrocity Negan's done to Y/N is so revolting, he can feel his stomach rebelling, like he'd throw up at any moment. "I'm gonna kill him." He all growls. Michonne tries to reach for him again, but he won't let her. He's too upset.
Once on the porch, Negan looks back down the street. Rick's still glaring at him. Good. While keeping eye contact, Negan knocks at the door, grinning at Rick.
You jump down the last few steps when going for the door before opening it without a second thought. When you lay eyes onto the visitor, though, you're taken aback. Negan enters without waiting for you to let him in, handing you a small bouquet of wildflowers. Almost hesitantly do you take them, looking at Negan with an arched brow. "The hell is that about?", you ask in complete bewilderment.
"It's just flowers." He states nonchalantly. "People used to do that kind of thing, when they were dating."
You want to scoff but manage to move past him without a sound, not sparing him a glance as you go to the kitchen. "So that's what we're doing - dating?"
"Sure," Negan follows you behind. "What the hell were you thinking?"
You open a cabinet to grab a large glass. When you fill it up under the sink, you just shrug your shoulders. "Dunno. Screwing? We never put a name on... this." You arrange the flowers in the glass and put it down onto the counter in front of the window. "Also, I don't date married men."
You can hear Negan chuckle behind you, before his arms sling around your middle. "Jealousy doesn't look good on you." When he's about to kiss your neck, you quickly release yourself from his grip and move out of his arms.
"Don't!" You snap before pushing past him. "Touch me." You quickly walk around the kitchen table to get away from him, to have some distance. "This has to stop, Negan." You tell him in a strict voice. His smile quickly turned into a frown in response to your sudden outburst, but before he can say anything, you continue. "Everyone knows about us and they're all assuming you're forcing me to be with you. I really don't want to give them another reason to hate you."
Negan's just looking at you in confusion. Eventually he asks, "What exactly is the issue here? My wives or your people?"
After a quick moment of consideration, you tell him "Both. I don't want there to be even more bad blood and I won't be your plaything."
Negan can see how upset you are, even though you are somewhat trying to conceal the extent of your anger. With a bit more caution, he tries again, "Sweet thing, come on. You know you're my one and only-"
"But I'm not the only one."
Negan lets a breath through his teeth. Leaning down on the table, he speaks again. "Okay, listen. If you wanna break this off, say so and I will take my leave. But I offer you something. Let me make it up to you, let me convince them that I am dead serious about you-"
Now you really can't help but to scoff, "Are you, though, Negan?" You look at him with an raised eyebrow. "Are you serious?"
"You know I am, doll." He sighs, pushing himself off the table again. "Thing is, it's getting quite lonely at The Sanctuary, when I have nothing but the memories of you to go by."
A bitter laugh escapes your lips and your head tilts to the ground as you take in what he's just said. "Uh-huh. And of course you're only thinking of me when screwing them."
"Believe it or not, but I do." He admits with a grin on his face. "The fire in your eyes, that fine ass of yours, your very skilled tongue and your damn hot moaning. The thought alone has me rock hard for you already."
You just shake your head in disbelief. "You really could not have said anything more atrocious." It's unbelievable that it was a compliment in his head. That he thought, you'd feel better knowing he was thinking of you while being with other women.
"But it's the truth, Y/N," Negan assures you, "We have a deal, nothing more. They wanted something, so I got something - that's it." You keep looking at him. Dispite how hurt you are about all of this, you still find yourself waiting to believe him, although you have a hard time doing so. "The deals were made before Alexandria," Negan rounds the table that is still separating you two. "The wives don't mean shit, Y/N."
You bite your cheek, looking anywhere but him. "Even if that was the true, people still believe-"
"And I'll make them believe otherwise," he claims with confidence, coming to stand right in front of you, "Promised." With one hand on your waist, he reaches with the other one under your chin, turning your head so you look back at him, "If you let me."
Your eyes stay locked with his, while you make up your mind. You're still angry like all hell, but there's something about him that makes him irresistible and you hate him for that. When he slowly leans down to kiss you, you let it happen. His hands move to the small of your back and you fold your arms around his neck.
You can deny it all you want, but deep down you know you're already too deep into this.
___
Carl watches in disbelief that no one stopping Negan from disappearing into the house. Why is no one doing something?
Although everyone tried to shield him from what's going on, he still learned about what that monster is doing to his sister and Carl swore to himself to never let that happen again.
Quickly the young boy sneaks through town, careful not to be seen by Saviors and Alexandrians alike on his way to the parking lot. How can everyone know about this but not do anything!? He is so angry at everyone, at Daryl, Michonne, but especially his father.
Finally at the gate, Carl looks around, making sure no one saw him. When he's certain the coast is clear, he climbs onto one of the trucks. It's already packend with goods from their latest runs. He rearranges the crates and boxes, making himself a little hiding spot. With a rifle he stole from Rositas secret stash, he buries himself in, waiting for his moment, for the Saviors to leave.
If his own father won't stop this, then he will!