For my sister | Negan |

48 - He's bluffing

'Doctor!' Simon calls out from the hallway. I know better than to keep this asshole waiting, so I pull myself together and follow him.

'Come on, we haven't got all day', he says, urging me to walk faster. Other than that, we walk in silence. He takes me to the large room where Negan holds meetings with his officers. I know that the room is connected to the platform and a pit forms in my stomach. I'm not too excited to jump right into the line of fire and Simon's still hasn't told me what Negan needs me for.

Simon makes me follow him into the room and we walk all the way to the door outside. My heart starts to pound louder and louder as I hear Rick and Negan outside, testing each other out. I don't care what he wants, but I'm not going on to that platform. I know Rick. It wouldn't be his intention to hurt anyone innocent, but I also know that he's willing to make sacrifices if he thinks it's necessary. If Negan doesn't give him what he wants, I think he will open fire and anyone around will be in danger.

Fortunately, Simon does make me stop right before the door.

'Wait here', he orders me shortly, getting ready to walk back outside himself.

'Wait for what?' I hiss at him anxiously. 'I'm not going out there.'

'You will do what your leader demands of you', he says, sounding rather gleeful to me.

'If he wants something, he can tell me himself', I retort.

Why would Negan want me to go out there? I don't get it. It's not safe and all Negan's talked about is how he wants to keep me safe. Was I stupid to believe him?

'I get it, Rick', Negan calls out loudly from outside. 'You don't like me. Everybody gets a chance to live if they surrender, except for me. But as you see, no-one walked away. So you're gonna have to kill all of us. Are you that ruthless?'

'It's not what I want', Rick responds. 'But this is the only time that I can guarantee your safety. Anybody that chooses to stay with you's gonna have to deal with the consequences.'

'There's a lot of good people in here, Rick. They can all just go to hell, for all you care?'

'Good people don't follow you', Rick says, his voice full of disgust.'

This isn't going to end well. I need to get away, get to Ella if I can. I'm about to make a run for it, Simon be damned, but just at that moment, I hear Negan call out again.

'That might be easy for you to say about a bunch of people you don't know shit about. But what about someone you do know?'

Fuck, he's not talking about me, is he?

'Simon', he says loudly. 'You got our friend here?'

'Yes sir, I do.'

I'm too slow. Before I can get away, Simon had already grabbed my arm and drags me outside with him. I struggle against his grasp, but just like when he brought me here, it's no use.

I know I must look scared when I catch Negan's eyes, but his face betrays nothing when he looks at me. He just holds out his hand and lets Simon takes me closer until he can grab me and pull me to him.

'What are you doing?' I ask, sounding panicked when he holds me in front of him. I'm very aware that I'm right between him and any potential bullets flying his way.

'Trust me', he whispers to me.

I did. But now, I'm not so sure. I want to flee back inside, but I can't get away because he has a firm grasp on my arm.

'I know you remember Christina', he tells Rick. I flinch a little at the sound of his booming voice so close to my ear. 'Now, you've already proved that you don't care about your people by bringing them here, but are you willing to sacrifice your lovely former doctor just to get to me?'