My Exception (sequel to No Exceptions)

Twelve

"Do you think we'll find her here?"

"Maybe."

I discerned that they were both female by their soprano pitch; the first one being vaguely familiar, the second one more so. I scrunched my eyes closed as I tried to place it as the first woman continued, "after what she did she'd wanna hope not! It'll be hard to stick to Dwight's orders!"

"Hey, he only said to bring the bitch back alive; I can definitely work with that!" as she cackled I immediately identified her, a shiver running down my spine... Amber.

With this revelation I placed the other woman's voice as Negan's ex-wife Frankie. I heard their footsteps head towards us as I headed further back into the room, towards Maggie and Skye.

Frankie replied to Amber, "It's a shame what happened to Negan. Serves him right for trusting that outsider snake bitch! Kicking us all on our asses like that!"

I froze as I realised they were looking for me; that I'd put my friends and family in danger.

I looked for an exit sign somewhere close, there was nothing. I scrunched my eyes shut and breathed out a curse.

I need to get Maggie and Skye out of this.

I heard Amber snort as they drew closer to the door,
"dumb ugly bitch! Didn't her holier than fucking attitude just piss you right the fuck off? 'Look at me, I never do what I'm told and everything just works out picture perfect for me.' makes me sick!"

We crouched behind a counter as they flung the door open. Frankie squinted her eyes, attempting to suss out the room.

Thank God it's dark in here!

I watched as Frankie's usually soft visage sharpened into the physiognomy of a predator, "I can't wait to cut up her precious face!"

As Skye got a glimpse of them then subconsciously backed away, accidentally knocking a tape dispenser onto the concrete floor, the sound filling the room.

I looked at my family as Amber and Frankie were on us like shit on velcro. I heard their firearms cock as they aimed it at the counter we'd hidden behind; Frankie screeching at our crouched forms. "Stand with your hands up or we'll fucking shoot!"

Maggie looked at me as she cocked her own pistol, but I waved her off and shook my head, choosing to speak up instead.

I knew from their conversation that they wouldn't be quick to shoot me, the risk of fatality too high.
"Please Amber! I'm unarmed and pregnant, please don't shoot!" I stood with my hands in the air, taking any focus off my family.

She howled at me, "Well isn't that just perfect for you? Come out of all the bullshit unscathed, with a baby to boot?" She aimed the barrel of her rifle at my head, "oh princess, you are simply fucking too much!" They both edged towards us, Frankie feeding off Ambers feral nature.

Crazy nesting with crazy.

Frankie bared her teeth at me, "you know you're making it hard not to fuck you up right? Give me one reason not to shoot you right in your shit eating face!"

I chanced a glance past them; our men crouched with knives at the ready, ready to pounce. I snarled at my Harem mates, ensuring that their attention was on me, "because you'll never get out of this alive if you do."

A flash of arrogance danced across their lips, but was quickly extinguished by our saviors, putting them in choke holds with glinting blades lightly pressed against their throats. Our assailants dropped their firearms in shock.

Frankie let out a frustrated whimper as Amber just stared me down; quickly gaining composure and glaring at me as if nothing for her had changed. She darted her eyes to her captor then back to me, a devilish grin forming. "The redneck's the babies daddy, ha! Wait til I tell him!"

It was now my turn to laugh at her and her over-confidence. "Now what makes you think we'd let you go back to Dwight so you could tell him in the first place?"

Her grin deepened as she threw her head back to let out another cackle, "No..."

Before she could finish Daryl ran his blade over her throat; the initial spray coating everything in a meter radius, then gushed down to finally pool at her feet.

Glenn looked at him shocked as my partner's frenzy continued, plunging his blade into Frankie's temple. Both women fell to the ground as we tried to catch up with what just happened.

I looked at my lover's stance, hands set in claws and back hunched over. He panted as he wiped the blood from his blade onto his jeans before re-sheathing it. He looked up at me with cold and calculating peepers, blazing with the adrenaline of his kill.

Daryl growled with a tone I barely recognized, "no one threatens ma family an' gets te live!"

I had seen him kill before and understood that was just part of life. But, this kill had been different. Not a hint of hesitation or question had inhibited it; and all I could do was stare at him blankly. I was ignorant to the fact this was just upsetting him further.

He threw his hands up defensively, "I told ye we shouldn' be out here!" 

This was completely on me.

I stuttered, trying to find the right words but came up empty. I settled for: "I'm sorry."

The tears began falling as the sheer gravity of the situation hit me. I had put everyone in danger, for a stupid shopping trip. Maggie and I exchanged glances as I quickly ushered Skye out of the room while a reluctant Glenn finished off Amber. Maggie grabbed my arm and nudged me towards Daryl as they left the room. My protector looked down at the two women, grinding his teeth.

I closed the gap between us and placed my hand on his chest as he flinched; pulling him out of his trance. I pressed myself flush to him and wrapped my arms around his torso.

He wrapped one arm around me as the other gently rubbed my abdomen, "we can' do this no more, K?"

I nodded, "no more excursions."

Now that we knew that people were actively looking for me it would've been very foolish for me to disagree; I had put my babies in danger one too many times, and I'd have to live with that.

I hugged him tighter as he finally relaxed, enveloping me in return, resting his chin on my forehead, "I dunno how Rick dealt with Lori bein' in harms way fer so long."

I stroked his chest, "he did what he had to, so that's what we're going to do." I rubbed my tummy as remorse for my foolish actions set in, "I'm going to keep our babies safe."