I shuffled through my closet, looking for an outfit that I could wear to the party coming up. Rick stood in the doorframe, Rosita was leaning against my dresser, both of them watching me sift through the clothes and hangers.
"You only go through with it if you know you can get away with it," Rick rumbled, keeping his voice low in case Negan appeared.
"They're throwing a party on Saturday night," I started to explain just how I would get away with letting Daryl go. "Everybody will be distracted, it's the perfect opportunity."
"Does Daryl know about this?" Rosita joined in. I shook my head.
"Not yet, I'm going to take him food soon and I'll fill him in," I pulled a short black dress from the rack, examining it closely. It was identical to the dresses his wives wore, but it had a matching set of lace gloves. I took it off of the hanger before folding it and gently placing the fabric in my sack, along with the gloves. I sat on my bed as I looked between my friends, preparing to explain my plan to deal with Negan.
"Rick," I began, he nodded his head in my direction as he urged me to continue. "Did Carl explain my plan to you?"
"He did," he nodded his head in confirmation. "I don't think you should follow through with it. I don't want you getting killed."
"What plan?" Rosita chimed in, confirming that she hadn't heard my idea. I looked at her, our eyes meeting.
"I was going to kill Negan. Earn his trust, slice his throat," I shrugged my shoulders as my heart dropped when the words came from my mouth. I found myself wanting him to live the more time I spent with him. "But that plan is changing," I looked back to Rick. His brows furrowed in confusion, unsure of what I was going to say next.
"What do you mean?" He catechized. I took in a deep breath before answering, knowing they wouldn't like my answer.
"I think we can come to an agreement. If anybody can convince Negan to take it easy on Alexandria, it's me," I started. "Maybe we can coexist," I continued before I was interrupted by Rick's deep chuckle.
"You think we can coexist?" He asked rhetorically. "You were there, Jade. You saw what he did to Glenn and Abraham, what he did to Spencer. We cannot coexist with him, we need a better plan to kill him-" he ranted, I cut him off as soon as the word kill slipped from his mouth.
"Rick," I sighed loudly, gesturing him into my room. He stepped in and closed the door behind him. "I'm not taking his side, you are my family. All of you. But we killed an entire outpost, almost thirty people died because of us. And I get it, we thought that was all of them, we thought we were protecting our people. Had that been the case, Glenn and Abe would still be here. But we were wrong, there were more Saviors, and now we're living in shit. Do you think Glenn wanted to kill all of those people?" I asked, silence was the only response.
"I was there," I continued. "I was with Glenn at the outpost. He didn't want to kill those people, and he suffered the consequences. All I'm saying, Rick, is that I don't want more people to die because of your pride. Either of you, including Negan," I crossed my arms over my chest, frustrated with the situation and Rick's reaction, even though I knew he wouldn't like my proposal.
"We're living in shit?" Rosita questioned, evidently pissed with me as well. "You aren't here, Jade. You don't know half the shit we're going through right now." Her brows furrowed as she narrowed her gaze in my direction, her hand moving to her hip.
"You're right," I nodded, "But I can't see you all live like this anymore, that's why-"
"No, Jade," Rick interjected again. "You know this is the only way-"
"Let me talk to him first," I cut Rick off before he could continue, becoming irritated that he wouldn't let me finish my sentences. "Let me talk to him, and if it goes bad, I'll tell you."
The two stood there in silence, sharing expressions of uncertainty as they communicated through their eye contact. Rick nodded his head, giving me a chance to go through with my plan. Rosita immediately stormed out of my room, her footsteps echoing down the staircase, followed by the slamming of my front door. I watched as Rick brought his hand up to his face, running it from his forehead to his beard, then reaching to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Nobody will agree with this, Jade," He said as he forcefully shut his eyes, still holding the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb.
"I know," I agreed, "But we have to start a new civilization somehow."
"I doubt he'll be okay with coexisting once you help Daryl escape," Rick says, bringing a conflict to my attention that I had yet to think about.
"You might be correct," I started, "But you don't understand, Rick. He has a soft spot for me, a pretty fucking big one at that. There is a chance this could all work."
"Do you have a soft spot for him?" Rick queried, catching onto my newfangled feelings towards Negan. He looked at me, his eyes portraying disappointment, as did the rest of his features. His body seemed to sulk, hoping that I would answer correctly. I paused for a moment, carefully thinking over my response.
"I just don't want anybody else to die," I said, rising from my seat on the bed. I picked up my bag and flung it over my shoulder as Rick and I made our way out of my bedroom and down the stairs. We came to a stop at the base of the steps, each of us turning inward to face one another, Rick looking at me concerningly. He brought his hands up to my shoulders, holding me firmly.
"As much as I detest Negan, I don't think Glenn would want us to kill him either," he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "If you think this can work, do what you have to. But, Jade, if he so much as lays a hand on you," he brought his hands up to my face, his calloused fingers holding my cheeks steadily.
"He wouldn't," I said in an attempt to put his mind at ease, my gaze flickering back and forth between his eyes. "That's why I need to try this, for Glenn. For Abe."
He nodded before pulling me in for a tight hug, the two of us standing in silence with nothing but the low hum of my air conditioner running filling our ears. I wrapped my arms around his torso, hugging him back. Rick reminded me a lot of my father. Kind, generous, loving, humble, unbelievably smart, but also willing to listen to new perspectives and ideas. That's what made him such a great leader.
We released our grips simultaneously, and Rick made his way to my front door. He turned to look at me as he swung the door open and offered me a kind smile.
"I believe in you," he spoke gently, before turning and sauntering out the exit and closing the door behind him.
I shuffled into my living room and toward my bookshelf, which was lined with books and CDs. I rummaged through the selection, plucking out each book and CD that caught my eye and stuffing them in my bag.
"She's in here," I heard Rick's voice call outside of my house, just before the door opened. I turned over my shoulder at the sound of the latch, watching as Negan walked through the door that was being held open by Rick, with Lucille resting on his shoulder. He grinned from ear to ear as we made eye contact, and the door closed behind him. I returned a kind smile, before turning back to continue scanning through CDs.
"Have I told you that you look gorgeous as fuck today?" His voice purred, low and gravely. His hand snuck around my shoulder like he did when we arrived. I looked down at my outfit, I was wearing the usual dark jeans, a black v-neck and boots. I looked at my vacant shoulder, eyeing my blonde hair that cascaded across the fabric of my shirt, then to my other shoulder, where Negan's gloved hand rested. "Can I put my arm goddamn around ya now?" He asked as he watched me looking at his hand.
I rolled my eyes, deciding it was okay since we were alone.
"What're you doin', honey?" He asked as his eyes scanned the shelves.
"Picking out music we can use at the party," I mumbled as I continued to pull CDs from the shelf, reading the tracklist, and placing them in my sack. As I placed another case into my bag, Negan's hand dropped in an attempt to look through the contents. I quickly pulled the bag away from his grasp, his eyes widening at my sudden movement.
"What're you hiding from me?" His eyes narrowed as he looked back and forth between me and my bag.
"My outfit for the party is in there," I stated.
"Well I want to fucking see," he said as he reached for my bag again, causing me to turn to face him and fling the sack further behind me.
"It's a surprise," I said softly, nibbling at the inside of my bottom lip. His eyes flickered down to my lips, then back to my eyes, as he reached for a strand of my hair and pushed it behind my ear.
"You'll look stunning no matter what the fuck you put on," he murmured as a grin reappeared on his lips. I couldn't stop the smile of my own that was mirroring his features, which only caused his to grow further, his dimples becoming prominent behind his stubble. It was easier to be kind to him, to work my way to his good side, especially how he treated me. "Are you warming up to me, darlin'?"
I swatted at his chest with my hand, causing him to chuckle as I began toward the front door. As I approached, I took the knob in my hand and pulled the door open before gesturing him out. He walked over, with that zealous swagger in his step. He knew that I was taking to him now, his words were beginning to linger in my mind and he knew that. Negan passed through, his boots connecting with the wooden deck and then the steps before he waited for me on the street. I closed the door behind me and followed after Negan.
I sat in the passenger seat of the truck, waiting for Negan to join me in the cabin. His back was turned toward the truck, with Lucille slung over his shoulder as he was in conversation with Rick, whose eyes occasionally connected with mine. Are they talking about me? My inner voice questioned. As if on cue, Negan turned to face the truck and shot me a cheeky smile before he turned back to Rick, firmly patting him on the shoulder once. Negan spun on his heel and began strutting in my direction, a shit-eating grin plastered between his cheeks. He passed in front of the truck before opening his door and hopping in, passing Lucille in my direction. I took hold of her by her handle and placed her between my legs.
As we took off down the gravel road, I thought now would be a good opportunity to bring my idea to his attention. I turned to face him, earning a glance from him.
"How did the pick-up go?" I asked, hoping to play it safe.
"Pretty good," Negan said as he turned to face the road again. "Your friends actually did a good fucking job this time."
"What if we skipped a week?" I suggested. Negan quickly looked back to me, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He shook his head before looking back to the road, remaining quiet. "You said they did a good job," I repeated his praise of the Alexandrians.
"That doesn't mean they get a fucking break," he sneered.
"Negan," I reached my hand over to grab his arm, both of his hands gripping the wheel as he drove along. "Would it kill you to be a little nicer to them?"
"Yes, Jade," he said coldly, "it fucking would. I have a reputation to uphold."
"I'm not saying you aren't in charge anymore," I said as I gently squeezed his bicep, his head turning in my direction as he looked between me and the road. "You call the shots, you're the boss, right?"
He nodded his head, "damn fucking straight."
"So nobody will question your reputation," I said, hoping this conversation was moving in the right direction. "I know my people, they'll appreciate it more than anything."
He sighed loudly without responding, his gaze now locked on the road before us. I pulled my hand away, and the sound of gravel kicking underneath the truck began to fill the air as I turned to look out of the window, watching as the trees flew by in an emerald blur. Negan slammed his palm against the steering wheel, causing me to turn and look at him.
"Shit, fine," he said sternly. "The things that I fucking do for you," he mumbled as he shook his head. I smiled to myself before thanking him profusely. He smiled in response as he continued to drive, moving his right hand from the wheel to the gearshift. I admired him as he was, his dark black hair slicked back with the occasional grey hair peeking through. His strong jawline was covered in a short stubble, and his crimson scarf wrapped around his neck, gently tucked into his leather jacket. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, a smirk growing on his lips.
"Are you checking me out?" He asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow. I shrugged my shoulders, not giving him a vocal response. We sat in silence as we drove back to The Sanctuary.
-
I pushed the cart of prisoner meals through the dingey hallway of cells, only Daryl's meal remaining on the plastic grey surface. Saving his meal for last meant I could tell him my plan without the others becoming restless. As I approached his door, I reached for the keys on my belt, placing the proper key in the lock and turning it as I revealed Daryl, who was sprawled out across the floor. His head turned at the sound of the door opening, his eyes growing wide as he realized I was the one delivering his meal. I quickly reached for his trey of food, consisting of rice and beans, and shuffled inside the close quarters. Daryl took the tray from my hand and immediately shoveled the food into his mouth with his hands. I closed the door behind me.
"Jade, how did you sneak this to me?" He asked inbetween bites, his voice low to decrease risk of being caught.
"Don't worry about it," I swatted the air, taking in his appearance. The cell stunk, he obviously hadn't showered in a very long time. His greasy hair fell over his eyes and his facial hair had become scraggly and untamed. He needed out of here. "Keep eating, I have a plan to get you home," I said. He stopped, though, and looked up to meet my eyes.
"Huh?" He urged me to continue.
"Keep fucking eating, Daryl," I gestured to his tray and he happily obliged. I sat down next to him, giving him a quick side hug before explaining. "There's a party tomorrow night, I'm going to leave your cell door unlocked when I bring your dinner, okay? You sneak out about ten minutes after I leave. Follow the hall to the double doors at the end, it leads outside, the guards should be on the other side of the building by then. You can easily climb the fence, okay?" I brushed his hair away from his face as he turned to look at me, nodding with his mouth full. I looked to his now completely empty tray and realise he must have been starving. It pained me to see my best friend like this, he seemed destroyed. Whatever happened when Negan found out about Daryl escaping, and me helping him, it would be worth it as long as Daryl was safe and healthy.
I took Daryl's tray and stood up before pushing the door to his cell open again, seeing myself out. I turned back to him before leaving him alone in darkness again.
"You fucking run and don't look back," I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Don't you worry 'bout me," he said lowly.
"Can't help it," I shrugged, a genuine smile playing at my lips. "You know I love ya."
"Love you too, JJ. Now go on, get outta here," he nodded toward the door before hanging his head. I closed the door and locked it once more, then quickly set his empty tray on the cart next to the rest of the empty plates. If anybody saw me on my way back to the kitchen, I would just tell them it's mine.