Negan laughed as he placed the bat back to the side of my face. I hadn't called him dad since I was really young. He knew he had won. I kept my face stone cold. He couldn't see how much he affected me. It would only make him worse. Negan lowered his bat.
"I'll come back to you, Puppet."
Negan walked by everyone else. I kept my head down, afraid of people's stares. As Negan paused Rick, Rick spoke.
"I'm gonna kill you." Rick's voice was so soft I could barely hear it.
"What?" Negan bent down to look Rick in his eyes. "I didn't quite catch that. You're gonna have to speak up."
"Not today, not tomorrow, but I'm gonna kill you."
"Jesus. Simon, What did he have, a knife?" Negan looked up at the man who introduced him.
"He had a hatchet." Simon answered him.
"A hatchet?" A smile played on Negan's lips.
"He had an ax."
"Simon's my right-hand man. Having one of those is important. I mean, what do you have left without them? A whole lot of work. Do you have one? Maybe one of these fine people still breathing? Or did I..." Negan gestured with his bat. "Give me his ax."
Simon walked over and handed Negan Rick's ax. He looked at it for a few seconds before standing to his full height. Negan placed the ax in his belt and pulled Rick up.
"We'll be right back. Maybe Rick will be with me." Negan's voice was darker than before, as he pulled Rick to the RV. "And if not, well, we can just turn these people inside out, won't we? I mean, the ones that are left."
Negan paused and turned back to me.
"You have till I get back to say your goodbyes, Puppet." He looked up at Simon. "Anyone tries anything, kill the Asian."
Negan pulled Rick into the RV. Leaving us in silence. RV sat silent for a few minutes, before it started and pulled out. I looked up at the sky as the sun started to peek over the horizon. I had until he got back to say my goodbyes. Was he going to kill me? Was I never going to see my family again?
This was it for me, wasn't it? I needed to give them closure. If I went with him, they would fight him and they would die. They would try everything to get me back. I was grateful to finally have a family that would do so for me. But they didn't understand the type of man he was. There was no stopping him. Not now. This was like a wonderland to him. No rules. No laws. Free rain. He could do whatever he wanted and there were no repercussions.
I looked up at everyone. A few met my eyes as others were focused on stifling their cries. Daryl kept his head down. Never looking up. I rose to my feet slowly and looked over at Simon. He nodded slightly knowing I was asking if it was okay to move and talk. I knelt down to Eugene first. His body was shaking as he held his hands over his eyes. Abraham and him had finally fixed things between each other. They had been together since the start, Eugene probably saw him as a brother. I placed a hand on his shoulder slightly. He uncovered his eyes and looked at me. Eugene had grown the most out of all of us. He was a coward, but now he was getting stronger. More confident.
"Stay strong, all right?" I softly smiled as I kept my voice low so no Saviors could hear what I said. "You aren't a coward and this in no way was your fault. Got it?"
He nodded slightly as I reached out my hand to shake his. He ignored it and pulled me into a hug. While we were hugging he spoke fast and low, making sure only I could hear.
"Molotov cocktails can get you out of a pickle easily."
I pulled away and nodded, understanding what he was trying to say. A few months ago he had taught me how to make them. I mouthed a 'thank you' as I stood to move to the next person. Carl. I knelt down in front of him. His face was solid. He was trying to hide whatever emotion he had. One look into his eyes and I could see how terrified he was. I wanted to tell him it was going to be okay but I couldn't bring myself to lie to him. I've basically seen the kid grow up, he's been like a little brother. He was the first to speak and his words broke me.
"You think you're gonna die aren't you? That's why you're saying goodbye. Cause you don't think you'll see us again."
"This might be the last time I see you in a while." I nodded slightly as I tried to avoid the thought of dying. "You take care of your sister and make sure your dad doesn't do something stupid."
I pulled Carl into a hug and pushed back tears. I couldn't cry, not now. I needed to be strong. Carl looked at me determined and spoke.
"I'll see you again, no matter what."
There was no way of changing Carl's mind. He could be a stubborn pain in the ass sometimes. I nodded before moving to the next person. Aaron. I still barely knew him but he was already considered family to me. He was the reason we got a home. The reason Daryl and I finally admitted our feelings to each other. If it weren't for Alexandria, we never would've. I kept it short knowing he would understand I only had a limited amount of time. That I was going to have a harder time saying goodbye to the next few people and that it would take longer.
"It's been a pleasure to get to know you and Eric."
"The same to you." He smiled softly and pulled me into a hug.
We nodded as our final goodbye and I moved to Sasha next. She looked broken. She had just gained someone and lost him all in 24 hours. I knew that look, I saw it on my face before. When I was ready to leave this world. To give up on everything. She and I were similar in ways, this was going to eat away at her unless someone helped her. No one would notice. She'd keep it hidden well enough that it would be hard to see unless you understood. I knelt down to her and pulled her into a hug. I wish I could stay. Help her out of this hole. I couldn't though. More of my family would die. If losing them all was what it took to make sure they lived then I was willing to do that. For Glenn. For Maggie. For the baby. For Daryl. For everyone.
"You keep fighting. This isn't the end." I said into her ear, knowing only she would hear.
She silently nodded as I stood to go to the next one. Maggie. This was going to be a lot harder than the previous ones. She had become the closest thing to filling the gap my sister left. I had done the same for her. I knelt down and looked her in the eyes. She was shaking and didn't look any better than before. She was the first to make a move. She pulled me into a tight hug.
"Just because he's family doesn't mean you have to do this." Her voice was low as she spoke into my ear.
"I do. I owe you guys that much. Plus your kid needs a dad and we both know Glenn's gonna be the best dad in the world."
We stayed hugging for a moment before she finally spoke again.
"Thank you."
Her voice was shaking. She was crying. My throat grew tight as a tear slipped down my cheek. She pulled us apart and revealed her tear stained face.
"You take care of that kid. I expect to meet the little one when I come back."
More tears streamed down her face as I tried my best to keep it together. She and I both knew that the likelihood of me coming back was low. She nodded slightly as I stood back up. I looked to the next person. Abraham's body laid between us. I sent a pitiful glance at him. I could've stopped his death, if only I spoke up sooner. I reached Rosita's side. We weren't close but still she was family. She and Abraham were together from the start. They had broken up but she still cared for him deeply. I pulled her into a quick hug.
"I'm sorry." I whispered softly.
"It's not your fault." Her voice was soft as she fought off tears.
I sent her a closed lip smile. It was my fault. If only I had the guts to speak up sooner. I moved onto Michonne. She was the only person Rick would truly listen to, besides Daryl. But Daryl wouldn't listen to what I needed to tell him, he would push it off and ignore it. Saying that fighting was the only thing there was to do. That giving up was unforgivable. Michonne was the only person I could say this to and know she would really listen. Really consider it. I knelt down and pulled her into a hug. I spoke quickly as I made sure only she could hear.
"He's dangerous. Unpredictable. He's nothing like the Governor, or Terminus. He's worse. Rick needs to stand down. He'll kill more people without batting an eye. I can't stop him if anything else happens."
We separated and she nodded. Her face was soft. She realized all that I was doing and understood that there was nothing else I could do.
"Give him hell." Her voice was soft and I nodded.
I stood and took a deep breath; only two people left. Glenn and Daryl. I moved to Glenn, knowing Daryl was going to be the hardest to say goodbye to. He looked at me broken. He was blaming himself. It made my heart break. I pulled him into a hug. Knowing I almost lost him.
"It's not your fault, it was my choice." A tear ran down my cheek as I struggled to keep my voice level. "You take care of that kid."
"You take care of yourself." Glenn pulled us apart and looked at me desperately.
I nodded and tears streamed down his face. He could've died. I could've lost more of my family tonight. There was no way I was going home tonight. Not after Negan noticed me. He's been looking for me, he said that much himself. He's been thinking about what he was going to do when he found me. That terrified me. What was he going to do to me? Was he going to go back to his old ways? Was he worse?
I stood and looked over at Daryl. He still hadn't looked up. His body was shaking. He was pale. He'd been hurt. His arm was covered in blood. I glanced over at Dwight. He hurt Daryl. I could see the pride in his face. I bit my tongue and restrained myself from attacking Dwight. I clenched my fist and slowly flexed it before making my way to Daryl. Negan could be back any minute and if I didn't say goodbye to Daryl it would eat us both apart. He kept his head down even after I knelt down in front of him. I placed my hand on his cheek and lifted his head up. Our eyes met as I realized he was crying. Daryl Dixon crying. That wasn't something that could easily happen. Seeing his tears, I lost my grip on mine. A few fell as I pulled him into a hug. His arms hesitated before wrapping themselves around me.
This was the man I had fallen so deeply in love with I didn't realize it. I would follow him to the end of the Earth. Yet here we were. I was leaving him. Something I never thought of doing. If I didn't, more people could die. One life for 50 or more. That didn't seem so bad to me. Daryl's face buried into my neck as I did the same. I was doing this for him. For everyone. There was no going back now and I never would. Happiness was something I learned to live without before. I could do it again.
I pulled away and placed my hands on both sides of his face. I pulled him in for a brief kiss. Doing this in front of the other Saviors was dangerous. If they told Negan, he would surely use it as leverage to get what he wanted from me. We pulled apart and I rested my forehead on his. His hands had found their way to both sides of my face. Tears streamed down both our faces as we looked at each other. Memorizing each part of our faces. This would most likely be the last time we saw each other. Last time we held each other. Last time we got the chance to talk to each other.
Daryl Dixon. He was everything to me. If anything ever happened to him I would find whoever was responsible and kill them. He was mine and mine only. I closed my eyes as I fought off a sob. Every part of me wanted to stay. Wanted to see what was left for us. Wanted to spend my whole life with him. There was still so much to figure out about each other. About us. I loved him and I needed him in my life. Without him I felt like I was empty.
I was caught off guard by Daryl pulling me back into a hug. This time was more desperate. Like he was terrified of letting go. Almost like if he let go he would lose me forever. That's what it meant. Me leaving. He was losing me. My body trembled as I realized the pain I was putting him through. I held on to him tight, not wanting to ever let go. He slightly flinched at the lightness of my hug. I loosened remembering his shoulder had been injured. My hand became warm and wet. Blood. Whatever Dwight did to him wasn't good. He was going to need the doctor almost as much as Maggie.
He had buried his face back into my neck. I wanted to say so many things to him. I wanted to tell him everything about me. I wanted him to have me forever. More tears slipped from my eyes as I came up with blanks on what to say. What do you say to someone for the last time. Someone who is your world. Everything I could think of seemed too little. I needed more time with him. I craved more time with him. I was so wrapped up in my head I almost missed what Daryl said.
"I love you."
His words were strangled. They were the same words that I played with inside my mind for weeks. I loved him. I always would. To hear him say it out loud made it harder to leave him. To have to end us. More tears left my eyes as I answered him.
"I love you too."
We sat in silence. Both of us latched onto each other. This was it we were over. I wasn't going to make it back to him. Not like the times before. This time there was a whole army stopping me from coming home. The sound of the RV returning made everything become all that more real. Daryl pulled us apart as the RV pulled back to it's old spot. His eyes were desperate.
"You find a way out and you come back to me. You come back to me. Promise me you will?"
His words were desperate as he searched for a way to save me. His eyes searched mine. I nodded silently, not trusting words. If there was a way to come home I'd take it. For Daryl. The RV's engine stopped. Negan would be out any moment now. I pulled myself away from Daryl and wiped my eyes. Negan couldn't see how this affected me. If he did he'd use it against me. I glanced over at everyone one. They all returned my glance. It was nearing my time to go. I made my way back to my original spot and made my face blank.
A few seconds passed before the RV's door burst open and Rick was shoved out by Negan. I wouldn't get the chance to say goodbye to Rick. Negan grabbed Rick by his collar and dragged him to the middle of the semi-circle. Negan pushed Rick to the ground who didn't bother to fight. He'd damaged Rick's spirit, but I could see it in Rick's eyes, he wasn't done fighting. Negan would do anything to change that. Even if he had to kill everyone here.
"Here we are." Negan smiled looking over all of us. "Let me ask you something, Rick- do you even know what that little trip was about? I'll let you sit on that one for a few minutes. Puppet, come here."
Negan snapped his fingers and pointed to the ground in front of him. Almost like he was commanding me like a dog. I stood and made my way to him. If I angered him he would kill someone. Negan used his hand to lift my face to look at him. He smiled as our eyes locked onto each other. It took every ounce of my body to keep my face blank. He made a fake pouty face.
"Damn did you get grumpy. Here's the deal, Puppet, your friends get to go home alive and you come back with me. All right?" I nodded at his words. "Good. I'm gonna finish talking to your friends while Simon takes you back to our camp. You try anything and I'll bash the asian's head in. Then everyone else's. Got it?"
I nodded as Simon reached our side. Simon gestured with a pair of handcuffs to me. I put my wrists out and allowed him to cuff my wrists. He nodded to Negan and grabbed a hold of my arm. I sent one last glance over everyone. My eyes stopped on Daryl. His blue eyes still looked broken. I nodded at him. Trying to convey that this was okay. That I was okay. Simon pulled me to a truck and pushed me in.
Simon started the truck and pulled out. I watched in the side mirror as my family disappeared. I stared out the window. Negan and I were similar in one way, and one way only. We stayed true to our word. I knew he wouldn't kill anyone else. I also knew he liked to find loopholes. He had probably already come up with one. He was probably still tormenting them right now. Probably mentally messing with them. Possibly even torturing them. I didn't say no more harming them. I said no more killing. That was probably his loophole. At least I hoped it was and that he hadn't thought of anything more sadistic.
~~Hi, Fallen_Angel here. So this chapter's a little shorter than others. I wanted to stop here so I could plan out the next chapter easier and not have like half of it in this one and the other half in the next. Also quick heads up. The next chapter gets really dark. So if you get bothered easily I would suggest skipping the chapter. Have a good day. Be good people.~~