RULE THE WORLD | D.DIXON

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"Cas..." her father started but was cut off when she ran back to the house. "Shit."

Daryl rubbed his face, knowing his daughter was just as stubborn as her mother was and had a a heart of gold.

When Cassie got to her house, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before staring at the yellow writing on the door, 'Silence the whisperers'.

One of the reason why someone wrote it on their door was because Lydia was staying with them. Her father had seemly taken in the older girl, looking after her when nobody else will.

Cassie liked Lydia, she didn't care if the older girl was the daughter of the enemy; she was still going to be her friend.

Speaking of Lydia, Cassie watched as the older girl stormed towards her with her father trailing behind. It seemed that she was also caught with Negan.

Lydia came to a stop, staring at the writing before making eye contact with Cassie. "I'm sorry..."

"No, Lydia. It's okay. It's not your fault." Cassie said, shook her head. "Some of our people don't have their heads screwed on right. After what happened. But this isn't your fault, okay?"

Lydia nodded before walking off. Cassie pushed opened the door, walking inside before closing it again and went to find Carl.

***

Later that night, Cassie climbed out of bed, careful not to wake up Carl, and grabbed her holster wrapping it around her waist, placing her brother's knife inside it. She snuck out of the house, hurried down the steps and steps forwards Negan's room when she heard screaming down the road.

Without hesitation, she took off running towards the screaming. Footsteps followed her making her look back to see Negan following. Cassie rounded the building to where the landry was hanging.

When she got there, she was Lydia being pinned down by Gage and another room, while Margo was holding up a staff. Negan grabbed ahold of the woman, who struggled in his hold, before throwing against the wall of the house.

Cassie rushed forwards, grabbing hold of Gage's shirt and used all her strength to throw him off of Lydia. The second man lunges at her making her kick him in the chest and push him backwards away from Lydia.

She pulled out her knife, pointing it Gage and man as she stood over a crying and hurt Lydia. "Back off! I'll kill you if you touch her!"

Negan came over, which indicated the two men causing them to back off even more than they all ready had. The man kneel down, checking over the teenagers as Cassidy stood over her protectively.

"We were just trying to scare her." Gage said, his voicing breaking.

"Yo, Negan! What the hell's going on back here?" Brandon called, coming over to the scene.

"Holy shit. Margo." The second man said, looking at his friend.

Cassie looked towards where the man was and saw Margo leaning against the wall dead. Her head must have hit it when she thrown into the wall. Her heart dropped as she looked at Negan.

Soon a crowd had surrounded the three of them, Saddiq went over the woman and confirmed that she was dead.

"This is your fault, you freak!" Gage spat towards Lydia who still huddled on the ground.

"It was Negan! Negan killed her!" The second snarled.

"No!" Cassie and Lydia shouted together.

"He didn't do anything wrong." Lydia cried, holding onto Cassie's ankles. "No, it wasn't... he didn't do anything."

"Get him out of here!" Daryl yelled, kneeling down next to Lydia.

"No, dad! He didn't do anything!" Cassie shouted, looking at her father. "Gage and that man attacked Lydia! Margo too. Negan was defending her!"

Lydia pleaded were mixed with Cassie's shouting. Daryl shushed both of the girls as he helped the older girl stand. Cassie immediately wrapped her arm around the older girl's waist as they took Lydia to the infirmary.

Cassidy seat on the counter next to Lydia as Dante cleaned her up and gave her an ice pack for her busied ribs. The door opened and her father walked in, the doctor left, leaving the trio alone.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you." Daryl said, placed a hand on Lydia's arm. "Lydia..."

"He was so sweaty." The teenager said. "Never liked deodorant. Said it made his armpits itchy. So I got used to it. Sometimes he smelled like garlic and onions. I miss him."

"Who's that?"

"My dad. My dad would've protected me." Lydia replied, tears streaming down her face.

Cassie reached over and grabbed her hand as her father sat on the other side of the teenager and spoke. "Tell me what happened?"

"Negan saved my life. Cassie too." The teen said before letting out a sob.

Daryl wrapped on arm around the older girl as she sobbed. Cassie leant towards Lydia, carefully hugging her.