| safe and sound | negan (#Wattys2017)

Chapter 8

"What you doing out here? Without any protection," he mocked at me.

"Negan's been badly injured, I was looking for a first aid kit," I pointed out, my voice short and raspy.

The man sneered, "he's left you all alone, huh?"

I gulped as he unzipped his coat and strode towards me, a evil grin on his face.

Suddenly he pounced on me, the moment he did I turned the switch on the cooker and pushed out the way. I heard him scream out in pain as the fire burnt his skin. I watched as he immediately moved away, looking back at his wounded hand. "You fucking bitch!"

"Charming..." I commented, quietly, before falling down onto the cold floor after tripping over my own footing as I tried to get away from him. He sneered down at me, hissing in pain. Nevertheless, he grabbed me with both of his hands, pulling me towards him as he kneeled down. I began to kick him senseless, attempting to do anything to stop him from touching me. I opened my mouth wide to try and scream, but his hand clamped down on my mouth - silencing me. I blinked away the fat tears that threatened to fall as the man crawled on top of me and began to rip my clothes. Screaming, the noise was muffled from his hand, but I prayed someone - anyone - would hear me. As I felt his sweaty, hot hands on my thighs, I tried with all my might to push away and crawl somewhere else, but his hot hand grabbed my thigh, holding me in place. I winced from his grasp.

Suddenly his hand began to take hold of my jeans zipper and yank it down. I then started to bite the man's hand on my mouth, it didn't work, he just kept pulling off my jeans. When they were halfway down, stopping at my knees, he started to work his way up and attempt to pull off my t-shirt. Using both of my hands to push him away, he was too large and heavy on top of me it was useless. I lean my head back and closed my eyes. The horror would be over soon. I felt both his hands twist my body, making me not see him. That was for the best, I suppose. I tightened my eyes as I felt his hands move everywhere, scarring my skin, dirtying it. Then I heard his belt, his zipper and his grunts.

I winced when I felt him, crying out a little - his hand still over my mouth. Suddenly the door slammed open. I kept my eyes shut, too ashamed to see what was happening or who it was. "What the actual fuck?!" Wait...I know that voice.

I felt the man move out of me, his hands were off me, but his whole body was pushed onto me. Like he was immediately scrambling away off of me. I cried out in pain when he crawled over me to get away from whoever walked in on us. I glanced up at him, his pants around his ankles, horror upon his face. I curled into a ball, crying silently, watching him intently. Then Lucille came across his face, causing him to fall to the ground. His face was bloody - blood splattered on the walls and even on me. I gasped loudly when the second hit came. Then the next. And the next. Until his face wasn't his face any more. Some were scattered on the floor and the walls.

I felt arms circle around me and I screamed - no hands to stop me, I screamed louder than ever. My back hit the oven, arms tight around myself; protecting me from anyone. Through the tears, I saw Negan on his knees looking at me, pain was in his eyes. "Cathy..." he whispered, I looked at him but I didn't reply. I couldn't. Turning away from him, I attempted to gather my jeans up to hide myself, but that would mean standing up. I couldn't stand, my hands and legs were shaking violently. "Let..." he sighed, "let me help you."

Eventually I let him. My shaking hands found there way to his shoulders as he hoisted me up slowly. Immediately he grabbed my pants and pulled them up, I whispered a 'thank you' and then we both walked out together. Although I secretly didn't want him to touch me, I pushed away the thought and was happy I was with someone who wasn't going to abuse me...well I hope not, anyways.

Negan reached for Lucille, and held her tightly as we ventured out of the kitchen compound. I was temporarily deaf for a while after I stood outside and everyone surrounded us.

I closed my eyes and tried to sense anything that was normal. I tried to picture a garden, or a lake. Anywhere that would stop me from thinking about the now. I heard the muffled sounds of Negan telling everyone to leave me alone and go fetch the body, but instead of waiting for them to listen and follow his orders I left on my own accord. The t-shirt was ripped, the people around us probably saw things as well as my jeans nearly falling down my legs. Ignoring it, I decided to skip into a light jog up the stairs towards Negan's rooms.

I didn't care whether I slammed the door open or shut, I just ran towards the bathroom. Placing the lock on, I slumped down onto the ground and stared off into the distance. Not caring about the state I was in, I glanced down at myself and winched. I'm disgusting. He used me. Suddenly, my hands were on my waist, legs, neck, clawing at myself trying to get his touch off of me. Then I started to cry out loud, screaming in hysterics because I wanted to be clean again.

I stopped reluctantly. The door was shaking violently, a fist pounding on the wood. "Catherine!" It was Negan. "Let me in! Please," he begged.

I cleared my throat, "n-no..." I stuttered out, "le-leave me a-alone!" I yelled back, answering. 

The door banged again, harder. I flinched and moved away from it, crawling over to the bath tub. I hopped inside and drew the curtains around me, and then closing my eyes.

Negan had always been strong. And the fact he broke down the door to get inside proved it. My eyes blinked open and I shrieked loudly when the hinged flew off and the door came down. I heard the loud footsteps getting nearer, and Negan's shadow lifting the door up and put it outside the bathroom. The shadow neared again, stopping hesitantly close to the curtains. I watched as Negan's hand reached forward and drew the curtains back. His eyes turned soft...and were also red. His arm was bandaged and his nose has been cleaned and stitched. Negan kneeled down and ever so slowly tried to touch me but I moved away. He brought his hand back.

"I'm so sorry, Cathy," he whispered, he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have let you go alone. My men are disgusting creatures, some respect my orders but in a world like this...it makes monsters of us all."

I bowed my head down, breathing in deeply.

"How do you feel?" He asked me, softly. I didn't reply. He sighed, irritated. For a moment I thought he was annoyed at me. "Of course you're not alright," he scratched his temple, frustration reading all over his face. "You need to get clean." He said, "let me help you," he got up, "I will not hurt you in any way and if you ask me to stop, I will immediately. Okay?"

I raised my head up. After everything, I still trusted him. He murdered Glenn, a dear friend to me...but I still loved him. And I hate myself for that.

I nodded. Negan helped me stand up and out of the bath. He told me that he had already locked the front door so no one could get inside. That calmed me a bit.

He moved to reach out and switch on the bath, the tap running warm water. "Sorry, we don't have any soap, we need to go on more runs." Negan apologised. I didn't mind to be honest. When the bath had got to a level that was suitable, I began to undress. I didn't care if Negan was there - we had been going out beforehand, as well as being engaged. When all clothing was gone, Negan picked them up and put them, on the bed - neatly folded.

He returned when I had got in the bath and began washing the blood and dirt off of me. There were places that stung badly, and so whenever I moved I hissed loudly causing Negan to shower me with apologies. I moved my hand to wash my other arm but a large scratch mark was evident there. Attempting to wash it would mean great pain, I was reluctant to do so. Negan - who was kneeled down, arms over the bath in the water, helping me wash my back. I left my arm and glanced down at my legs.

My eyes widened; large purple bruises were scattered over my waist down to my knees. I stifled a gasp but Negan noticed and looked down also. "Fucking hell," he hissed, his fists tightening under the water. I turned my head to look at him, I could feel his shot breath on my shoulder.

Leaning down, I placed my forehead on his. Closing my eyes, I whispered, "you found me."