Deadland

Chapter 85- Reunited

Daryl.

Michonne.

Rosita.

Glenn.

Damien.

The three closest people to me, one person closest to Damien.

Daryl has blood leaking down his arm and a blanket over him. We both lock eyes as we realize. 

We forgot to say I love you when he left. 

"Alright,' The man celebrates. "We got a full boat." Every time he speaks, I feel my body tremble. "Let's meet the man." He smiles, knocking on the door of the R.V.

Time seems to stop as the R.V. doors open and a man with a salt-and-pepper beard steps out. Wielding a barbed wire bat and wearing a black leather jacket.

The man who saved me from Nick.

Negan.

I don't know whether to run and hug him or to run and strangle him. If there's time, I may do both.

"Pissin' our pants yet?" He smiles, stepping forward. "Boy, do I have a feeling we're gettin' close." He scans our line, "Yep. It's gonna be pee-pee pants city here real soon."

Oh my god.

He walks to my side of the line, closest to Eugene, farthest from Glenn. 

His eyes lock with mine. 

"Ho-ly shit!" He exclaims, "Is-is that Rattlesnake I see? Damn, you're still just as angry-eyed as ever." 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see everyone look at me in horror. Now knowing that they know I know Negan makes me want to wretch- just as much as the bright lights do. 

I don't say anything, I just glare at him, no matter how much I want to tell him everything that's happened these past few years. Good and bad. 

He smiles, "No hello? No, 'Negan, I missed you so much'? Damn, times have changed, haven't they?" 

"They sure as fuck have." I spit through gritted teeth, my eyes narrowing into a death stare. 

He chuckles and shakes his head, "There's that familiar fire in you." 

Seeing Negan, for the first time in years, ready to kill one or all of us- is the most horrifying scene I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of fucked up shit. 

He smiles and looks at my legs, "Are those my shorts?" 

My face reddens but I don't falter. The "boy-shorts". The ones everyone made fun of. The black, big and baggy, sweatshorts that I've worn all the time to make me feel closer to Negan.

I can't tell if I want to rip them off and burn them or not.

He chuckles, "Damn. I've been wonderin' if you still wear those. On this chilly of a day? Damn...I gave those to you years ago." He flashes me a grin. "Guess I had an impact on you...huh?" 

He chuckles, probably expecting a response but when I don't give him one, he moves on, pointing to the group. "Which one of you pricks is the leader?" 

"It's this one." The man from before says, pointing to Rick's shaking body. "He's the guy." 

Negan looks at Rick then approaches him, "Hi. You're Rick, right? I'm Negan. And I do not appreciate you killin' my men. Also, when I sent my people to kill your people for killin' my people, you killed more of my people. Not cool." Negan's voice is as hard as ice no matter how much he smiles.