Deadland

Chapter 125- Teenager

"Okay, so who's gonna help you now? Who in here's got your back?" Duncan challenges. 

"I do, asshole." I announce, finally managing to shove Alyssa off and taking a step forward. 

"Why?" Maggie exclaims, turning to me. "Why the hell do you protect him?" 

"Because I knew him way longer than I knew Glenn and Abraham! I knew him way longer than I knew fuckin' Sasha and Denise and Olivia! I've known him longer than I've known all y'all!" I argue, making Maggie back down slightly. 

"You loved Glenn." Maggie says.

"Yeah? Well, I love Negan more! I've loved Negan more for like fifteen years! Think about it, Maggie. Who the hell killed his men first, huh? We did. Went into their goddamn outpost and killed their men. Now, if that happened to us, what the hell would we do? We'd retaliate! And that's what the Saviors did! They fuckin' retaliated just like we would've. Except, we woulda' taken them all out. He killed two of ours initially. Why the hell is it any different? Because we were the ones who suffered?" Everyone other than Negan and Alyssa stares at me in horror. I know Alyssa agrees with me, she just doesn't want to say it. 

"Negan brought you back to Nick." Gabriel adds, stepping forward. 

"Yeah, he did," I look at Negan, "And it was a shitty thing to do." Negan closes his eyes and looks down, sighing. "But have y'all never made a bad mistake? Exactly, you have. I killed Nick, I've moved on. Without being reunited with him, I never woulda' been able to. Yes, I'm pissed Negan brought me back, but-but listen to this Maggie." I lean in close to her. "It was...seven fuckin' years ago!" I gasp exaggeratedly. "Oh my god! People...move on? After almost a decade?! That's fuckin' insane. Crazy." I straighten up. "Maggie, how many husbands, sons, and fathers have you killed? Huh? Because...why is it any different for you to do it than Negan? So put on your goddamn big girl pants, and get the hell over it!" 

Maggie gapes at me, her eyes wide and glossy. I can feel everyone's eyes on me though, I don't give a fuck. This was long overdue. 

"What the hell is wrong with you, Adrian?" Maggie whispers. 

I take a step closer to her. "The girl you left six years ago is not the woman standing before you now." I whisper, quoting her from yesterday. 

After a few silent seconds, Agatha jumps in, "Nod and it happens. We can get through the city without him." Though she's speaking to Maggie, she's glaring at me, her eyes burning holes through mine. 

"Do it." I urge, grabbing my gun and cocking it. "Nod." I hold it to Maggie's head; I'm so sick and tired of her goddamn shit. Agatha quickly holds her bow and arrow to mine, "Watch it." 

"No," Alyssa jumps in, aiming her gun at Agatha's skull. "You watch it, asshole." I can't help but smirk.

Maggie stares at me, not breaking eye contact. But before she can respond, Gage's voice comes from the door behind us. "Help! Help me! Help!" He begs, banging on the metal door.

Maggie slowly backs away from me until I lower my gun. All of us quickly run through the train car and run through the first one until we get to the door opposite of the one we were trying to open. "Gage? What happened?" Alden asks, approaching the doors. 

"We got lost in the tunnels! Walkers are everywhere, they-they might have-" 

"How'd you get in there?" Negan asks, interrupting Gage. 

"I-I got a door open on the far end." 

"Did you close it?" Alyssa asks urgently. 

Gage pauses, "Uh..."