My Exception (sequel to No Exceptions)

Eighteen

No words were shared for the longest time. Any addition to the moment threatened to tarnish this utter perfection.

My strong husband coiled every appendage around me, completely enveloped in his loving embrace. Large hands were placed on my belly; completely encapsulating the precious cargo beneath.

Burying my head into his neck, I grabbed at his dirty off-white shirt. Still fearful that this dream might come to a swift end; that I'd wake up and have to live with the fresh grief all over again.

My Negan, My Negan.

"Just wait! Give them a minute!" Skye's voice pulled me out of my daze.

"Lemme through! Punk ass, Rick an' I had a deal!"

Daryl barged through the door, chest heaving and eyes hooded. He remained still, fists clenched so hard they shook.

Skye quickly dodged them to get to me; she was close but didn't touch me. A pillar of control while my two worlds collided.

I stood from the floor; standing beside my step-daughter. I hugged myself, feeling a chill that had nothing to do with temperature.

"Did you know?" My words came out as barely a whisper.

Daryl held his hands up, revealing crescent scratches from his nail digging, "it's no' wha' ye thin-"

"JUST...stop." As all the pieces began to fall into place, the weight of them dropped on my chest.
"Did.you.know Daryl?"

He nodded, eyes darting away from mine.

"How long?"

He swallowed, "since I wen' te Sanctuary."

I whinnied, my lungs constricted without any signs of re-inflating. Tears forming in my ducts, dragging me further down the hole.

"So tonight when we..." the bile rose up, vivid images of Daryl and I assaulting my senses.

"Tell me ye'll never leave me."

His touch, his taste, his scent... all things I'd found contentment in mere hours ago induced a feeling of revulsion. I felt dirty, completely nauseated.

The love making transformed into something more sinister.

He fucked me. He fucked me over.

The realisation caused me to expel the contents of my stomach. Skye clipped my hair back, whilst also keeping them at bay.

The lover turned stranger walked towards me, but had the whole Negan bloodline to contend with. I struggled to lift my head, my husband taking advantage of his towering height. "That's close enough, pip squeak!"

Daryl closed the gap between them, looking up at his obstacle. "I'll kill ye if ye don' move righ' now."

The predatory display in front of me was building rapidly; my Savior's maniacal chuckle filled the space. His fuse burning down, "screw you redneck!" Noses were pressed together, neither party backing down, "you keep my pregnant wife away from ME, and you think I'm not gonna kill YOU first?" Negan reciprocated a push, "screw you kid!"

It all blew out with the first inevitable swing, Daryl's fist connected with my husband's jaw. The cracking sound followed by the squelch of blood sputtered filled my heart with disdain, my world completely askew.

How could he do this?

The traitor leant over my Negan's form, "Stay away from me family!"

"STOP IT!" I couldn't believe he thought he could waltz in and think that nothing's changed; that the fact my husband was alive wouldn't effect us.

Everything has changed.

I ran in between them, preventing the liar from hurting him again.

Ice irises framed with hurt and betrayal, "are ye kiddin' me?" Salty streams gushed, tone modulating from high to low, "ye said ye loved me."

My old lover placed his hand on my arm, his touch made my skin crawl. I could tell my recoil cut him to the bone.

But, I couldn't care less, "don't you fucking touch me!"

Negan straightened behind me, taking a large intake before wiping the excess blood on his long sleeve shirt. I glanced back at him, his face enigmatic. My husband didn't pay me any regard, eyes boring into Daryl's.

I pushed the man I once knew away, "just leave! I can't even fucking look at you right now!"

He gaped at me through his tousled locks, pleading with my already firm resolve. With my jaw clenched I turned my back on him; done with whatever bullshit he'd manage to weave up for me.

"To hell with all y'all then!" Agony laced through his parting words. Footsteps stamped toward the door, glass shattered before an engine roared to life.

Daryl was gone.

A concoction of conflicting sentiments clouded the air. The grief at the loss of someone I thought I knew, the guilt I felt for abandoning my husband when he needed me the most. But, there was undeniable love slicing through my oppressive thoughts; I thanked God for returning the love of my life back where he belonged.

I kissed his jawline, "I love you, so much!"

Negan's mouth clamped down, muttering through his teeth, "what did he mean about MY family?"

I gulped back the tears, as his blazing orbs pinned me down. "I'm sorry baby-"

Negan's hand connected with my face with such force my vision had to play catch up. The sound of the hit ringing in my ears as my body toppled over, head hitting the unforgiving concrete.

Skye immediately jumped in, caging herself around me, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"