Heaven in Hiding (Negan)

Part 6

Negan walked over to Rick. Looking down at his with a victorious smirk. He let out a small scoff.

"This must be hard for you Rick. I mean. You've been king shit for so long." He spoke as she started looking around in the cabinets. I got up and helped. Opening the one near Rick. A first aid kit and towel. I held them up to Negan. He took it and walked to the table, yanking the axe out. Negan really liked to hear himself talk, that was for sure. I honestly learned to tune out his monologues. I heard his demeanor change and looked over. Rick didn't want to take the axe but he did eventually. Negan pulled Rick up and to the door. "Come on Prue. Let's finish this up." He said kicking the door open and throwing Rick out. I followed behind and Negan dragged Rick back to his group. Negan talking again to the group. While he has a way about him. A way that demands full attention, I've grown so used to it it's on the verge of annoying.
"Get some guns to the backs of their heads." Negan demanded. The saviors quickly obliged. He looked over to the boy. "Kid," Negan said and wiggled his finger for him to come over. My eyes widened a bit not knowing what Negan was thinking. Which was rare. I usually knew what he was thinking of but now. With this kid. I wasn't sure. "Right here. Kid. Now." Negan spoke in a stern yet soft voice. It was definitely a voice you use on a kid. It came so natural. I wondered if he had kids before.
"You a southpaw?" Negan asked as he undid his belt.
"Am I a what?" The kid asked genuinely confused.
"Are you a lefty?"
"No."
"Good." Negan said as he wrapped the belt tightly on the upper part of the kids arm. "It hurt?"
"No,"
"Well it should. Now get on the ground kid. Next to daddy." The kid went down and opened his arms as he laid down. "Simon. You got a pen?"
"Yeah." Simon said as he grabbed a sharpie from his pocket. He tossed it over bad Negan caught it easily. He opened the market and drew a line across the boys arm.
"Please." Rick begged. "Please don't."
"Me? I ain't doin shit. Rick. I want you to take your axe. And cut your sons left arm off." I looked at Negan in disbelief for a second before regaining my composure. "I gonna need you to do it Rick. Or alllll these people are gonna die."
"We understand." One of the women in the line muttered.
"Oh I know you do. But I don't think Rick here does."
"Negan-" I spoke but he held his hand up. I closed my mouth.
"I'm gonna need a clean cut. I know it's fucked up. But we got a great doctor. He'll be fine." Negan said shooting me a quick glance to calm me down. He did know what he was doing. "Rick. This needs to happen now. Chop chop. Or I'm gonna have to bash his skull in myself." Negan spoke quietly.
"It can be me," Rick mumbled as he sniffles back tears. "Me. Do it to me."
"Nope. This is the only way. So pick up that axe. Pick it up Rick! Don't make me start a count. Pick. It. Up!" Rick just sat there. "Alright. 3!" Negan shouted.
"No. Please." Rick pleaded.
"2!" Negan shouted and bent down. He slapped Rick across the face and gripped his chin. "This is it Rick." He said seriously as he stood up. Rick grabbed the axe and held his sons hand. "1!" Rick held the axe up with his shaking hand and went to put it down. Negan stopped him. "You answer to me. You provide for me. You belong to me." He told a shaking Rick. Rick just nodded. Negan snarled and grabbed his face again. "Speak when you are spoken to!" He shouted. "You answer to me. Provide for me. Belong to me! Right?!"
"R-right." Rick said in a trembling voice. Negan smiled.
"Not that's like look I wanted to see!" He said standing up. He gave them another small speech before looking over. "Dwight. Load him up." He said pointing to the redneck. Dwight quickly shoved him into a van. "I like him. He's mine now. Wanna try shit with me I'll cut pieces off of... the hells his name?"
"Daryl." Simon told him.
"Wow that actually sounds right. I'll cut parts of him off and leave at your door step. Or. Better yet! I'll bring him to you. And make YOU do it. Welcome to a new beginning you sorry shits!!" He took a breath. "I'm leaving you a truck. Use it for all the shit you're gonna cart for me. We'll be back in one week for our first offering. Till then. Tata," Negan said and walked off, motioning for me to follow him. I stood there for a bit looking at the broken group then jogged over to him. "You're riding with me Doll. Let's go." I just nodded and hopped in his truck. He got in and drove off. "I saw that look you shot me."
"Huh?" I asked looking over at him.
"That look. You really think I was gonna let him chop his own kids arm off?" Negan asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah kind of."
"Well I wouldn't. You should know I don't hurt kids."
"I guess. But you were really pissed. I never saw you that upset."
"Well Rick the prick was a hard one to break. But you," he said and gave me a quick clap before returning his hands to the wheel quickly. "You were badass! I don't get to see you out there working but fuck. I feel like I'm missing out."
"Oh you are." I laughed.
"You know what else I found out I'm missing out on?"
"Hmm?"
"Kissing you. Like damn Doll." I felt me cheeks heat up and I turned my head to look out the window. I heard him chuckle. "What's the matter? Your secrets out now."
"Secret? I don't have secrets." I said looking back over to him.
"Come on Darlin. You don't have to lie. You got the hots for me." I scoffed.
"You wish. If I didn't know better I'd say you got the hots for me!" I argued defensively.
"How's that?" He asked amused at my reaction.
"You're the one who kissed me. I was just chilling and bam. You're the one macking on me." I told him as I crossed my arms.
"That how you saw it Doll? Because I saw it as you were all hot and bothered by the beautifully brutal blood bath that happened."
"Oh I was. But not to you. To the blood and guts. You just happened to be the one who did it" I told him cockily.
"That so?" He smiled.
"Yup." I smiled back. I felt my cheeks start to heat up again. He really did have a nice smile and I did like the Negan he was was behind closed doors. When he's not around people and it's just is. "Oh. While we're talking about this I wanted to bring up Amber."
"Amber? Why?" He asked cocking an eyebrow at me.
"She's been really weird lately."
"And you care?" He asked confused. He knew I hated his wives. Just because I feel like they took the easy way out but Amber has always been a butch toward me.
"A little. She's been sneaking lots of drink from the bar area."
"She's a wife. You know she doesn't have to use points for that."
"Negan. You're not hearing me. She's drinking. A lot. The last few times I ran into her she's been drunk off her ass. Haven't you noticed?" I asked him. He looked like it was thinking.
"I mean she's been tipsy when we get together but not out of her mind drunk."
"I'm just worried about her health." I told him honestly. As much as I disliked Amber I didn't want her getting stuck in an addiction. "My mom was an alcoholic and I see all the same things in Amber." I felt Negan put his hand on my thigh and lightly squeeze it.
"I'll look into Prue. Okay?" He said with a smile. I nodded.
"Thanks."

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Negan drove for another thirty minutes before he pulled into the Sanctuary. He put the truck in park and looked over to Prue. She was asleep. Negan sat there for a moment, deciding if he wanted to carry her in or wake her up. He decided to carry her in. He got out and opened the passenger side door. As he went to put his arms under her legs and behind her neck her eyes fluttered open.
"Can I help you?" She asked in a sleepy voice. Negan pulled his arms back and looked at her.
"You can. Get outta my truck." He said. Prue rolled her eyes and stretched before she got out.
"How aren't you exhausted?" She asked as they walked side by side.
"Oh I am tired as shit. I just don't show it." He said putting Lucille on his right shoulder. Prue smiled and looked up at him. Negans heart skipped for a moment as her smile melted through his rough exterior. "Sure you don't wanna come back to my room?" Negan asked her with a wink.
"Yeah no. I'm good. Thanks. I'm just gonna get a shower and crash." Prue said as she broke away down a separate hall. "See you around Boss." Prue said with a wave. Negan watched her walk away then make his way to the wives room. When he walked in they were all doing their own thing. Sheri was playing chess with Frankie, Tonya was reading and Amber was sitting by the window drinking a glass of wine. Maybe Prue was right. The girls all stopped what they were doing and walked over to him.
"Welcome back," they said with forced smiles.
"It's good to be back Ladies. As you were." They nodded and started back to their spots. "Amber." Negan called. She put her glass down and walked over to him.
"Yes?" She asked a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"You alright?" He asked her.
"Yeah. I fine." She said flatly.
"Don't bullshit me Amber. You've been drinking a lot. Stealing shit from the bar and -"
"I am not. Who the hell told you that?" She asked angrily.
"Prue told me." Amber let out a scoff as she crossed her arms.
"Well how would she know? Is she stalking me? You should take care of-"
"Amber. Knock it off ,you know damn well the saviors grab a glass after their runs. You on the other hand have no reason to drink as much as you have been."
"No reason? I'm stuck here!" She shouted making Negan hold back his rage. The other three wives now watching the pair fight.
"Stuck here? Really? Amber your here because you chose this. You accepted this."
"I didn't want to I had no choice!" She yelled.
"You did have a fucking choice Amber! You could have easily worked for points but no. Your prissy fucking ass wanted to sit while everyone else does the work for you!" Amber looked up at Negan with tears in her eyes. Negan ran his hand over his stubble and tried to collect himself. "Listen Amber. Prue was fucking worried about you. Then she made me fucking worried. You don't need to be a damn wife if you don't want to be."
Before he could finish talking to her Simon walked in.
"Hey boss." Simons voice rang into the room.
"This had better be good." Negan gritted.
"Its Prudence." He said. Negan felt a twinge of fear as her name rolled off his tongue. He looked to Amber.
"We'll finish this later. I want an answer." Negan said before he left the room following Simon. He could tell they were going toward the infirmity. "What happened?"
"Don't know. Found her passed out on the ground. Fat Joey took her to the Doc."
Negan hid his worry perfectly as they quickly made their way to the room. What happened. She couldn't have gotten bit. Or hurt. Negan watched over her like a hawk. Maybe it was something more serious. Quick flashes of his old wife. The one he had before everything went to shit. Flashed in his mind. He remembered when she got sick. She'd have fainting spells. Negan brushed the thoughts from his mind as he and Simon walked into the room. Prue was sitting up in the bed drinking a small carton of orange juice while the doctor was cleaning her head,an IV drip connected to her arm. There was a small gash but nothing too serious. She looked over at the door way and rolled her eyes.
"Why are you guys here? I'm fine." She said looking over at them.
"The fuck happened? I can't leave you alone for five minutes can I?" Negan asked as he walked over.
"I'm fine Negan. Honest. Tell him." She said looking at doctor Carson.
"She's okay now. It seems she passed out due to exhaustion and dehydration. I have her on the IV drip and I'm making her get a day of rest."
"And her head?" Negan asked.
"Just from the fall. It's nothing serious. She has no signs of a concussion."
Prue finished her orange juice and looked over at Negan.
"Told you. I'm fine."
"Well you look like shit." Negan said with a chuckle.
"I feel like shit." She laughed.
The doctor pushed everyone out so Prue could get some rest. Negan looked to fat Joey and nodded in thanks. Fat Joey returned the nod. Negan did his best to keep his feelings inside and not too obvious. He was the leader after all he couldn't let his people see him weak over a girl. Especially one half his age. Negan had to get these thoughts out of his head so he went back up to the wife room. Maybe Amber had an answer and if not he could fuck one of the others to clear his head.