iris --- the goo goo dolls
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[POV]
JJ looked different. Her hair had been bleached back to all blonde rather than the black streaks that had been running through it, per Negan's request. Her nails had been painted a bright, warm pink, which matched her lips perfectly. The mascara had made her blue eyes pop even more and she smelled like fresh laundry hanging to dry on a summer's afternoon. JJ couldn't remember a time that she ever looked as such. Even on prom night, she stuck to deep reds and black accents. She'd never been one for a bright, preppy style.
Negan's room was extravagant, filled with all the luxuries, and he had shared it with his newest fiancé. JJ felt disgusted and embarrassed, but Daryl mainly occupied her thoughts. She hoped and prayed that he was okay.
"JJ." Katie greeted. "Good morning. I brought you a warm croissant with butter." She sat the plate beside the bed, moving to draw back the thin curtains. "Being Negan's wife comes with perks."
JJ moved the sheets to cover herself as she sat up. "Why are you here?"
"Because I'm bringing you breakfast."
"No." JJ scoffed. "Why are you here? As one of his own personal dolls."
"Wives." Katie calmly corrected. "And I'm here because I want to be. Negan chose me."
"You're full of shit. You wouldn't even let Jimmy fill in for Marcy on drums just because he was a guy. And now...now you're being treated like last season's Playboy magazine."
"You're here because Negan wanted you to be. He chose you. You should be grateful."
"Grateful for what? Living like a 14th street hooker? I'll pass."
Katie took a deep breath in, knowing she had the upper hand, "Do that, and you'll go right back to pleading for whoever you came here with's life. Except this time, Negan won't be so forgiving."
JJ quieted down. As much as she wanted to throw punches at Katie, she resisted.
Once Katie noticed her retreat, she huffed, "We put your underwear, dress and heels in the bathroom. Don't take too long getting ready."
♮♮♮
The dress was red, per Katie's suggestion. She'd mentioned that red was JJ's trademarked color in the band. The dress hugged JJ and outline her curves well. The heels, which were similar to the other wives', were black and simple, but a pain in the ass to walk in. She much preferred her regular red, block-heeled boots, which were safe behind the walls of Alexandria.
To make his presence known, Negan whistled as he entered JJ's room, standing next to Katie.
"My, oh my." He grinned, licking his teeth. "You sure know how to dress up. Too bad I'll have to wait to undo that until after I get back." JJ remained quiet, secretly curious of where he was going. Negan saw it as an opportunity to taunt her. He leaned forward, lowering his voice, "I'm paying your brother a little visit today, checking out his progress."
She made eye contact with Negan.
"Now, what's that look for?"
JJ didn't think she was giving a look. Negan smirked, noticing her uneasiness, "You wouldn't want to come with, would you?"
She briefly debated in her mind how she should answer. It could be a game to Negan.
"You know what, no," Negan declared, "I've decided for you."
JJ's brow barely twitched.
"See, it just played through my head how your brother's gonna react to hearing that you've agreed to marry me to save Daryl. And that is something that I do not want to miss out on." She took a deep breath as Negan smirked and his tone became serious, "Now, listen...a little warning before we get there...your buddy Daryl's going with us. But if you so happen to look at him funny, I will make sure that you are the one to spoon feed him rat poison. Understand?"
Her heart rate was well into the triple digits by now. The mixture of anger and fear caused it to race.
She nodded, but Negan wasn't sufficed by the silent agreement. "I need to hear you agree."
"Yes, I-" JJ breathed, "I understand."
♮♮♮
[JJ]
I was sick to my stomach as we drove to Alexandria. I rode in between Negan and the driver. It reminded me of a much better time when Rick, Daryl and I had gone out in search of Sorghum, but somehow ended up where we are now.
We pulled up to the gate and Negan waltzed up with his bat, banging it against the metal. "Little pig, little pig! Let me in!"
Spencer opened the gate, standing there confused, he asked, "Who are you?"
"Oh, you better be jokin'. Negan, Lucille." He introduced. "I know I had to make a pretty strong first impression."
By then, my brother had walked out to meet Negan at the gate. I felt comfort seeing him. Even if the toughest of times, he always made me feel like everything was gonna be okay.
Negan smiled, "well, hello there." His smile fell once he realized my brother wasn't opening the gate, "Do not make me have to ask."
Rick gave in. "You said a week. You're early."
"I missed you. Oh, Rick," Negan spotted a walker that had snuck through the trucks. "I'm calling it!" He took out the walker with one swing. "Easy peasy lemon squeezy! All right, everybody, let's get started. Big day."
I was standing diagonal to Negan to where I couldn't see Daryl.
When Rick's eyes met mine, I immediately looked away. Every ounce of dignity I had, had been stripped away in a matter of days. I didn't want to look at him. Not like this.
"Hey, Rick, you see that, what I just did? That is some service! I mean, we almost get turned away at the gate. Who is that guy anyway? Do I get mad? Do I throw a fit? Do I bash some ginger's dome in? Nope! I just take care of one of these dead pricks that could've killed one of y'all. Service." He walked into the streets of Alexandria, handing Lucille to Rick. "Hold this."
"Hot diggity dog! This place is magnificent!" Negan exclaimed. "An embarrassment of riches, as they say. Yes, sir, I do believe you are gonna have plenty to offer up."
Negan's men had moved in, bringing Daryl in my line of view. I kept my head down but eased my eyes up to get a good glance at him. It looked like he'd been through hell, but they hadn't killed him.
Rick tried to get close to him, "Daryl, hey-" But Negan was quick to put an end to the conversation.
"No. Nope. He's the help. You don't look at him, you don't talk to him, and I don't make you chop anything off of him...Same goes for everyone." He drifted to Rosita's path. "Right?" He smiled as she angrily moved out of his range. "And it's not just you guys. Actually, right before we came, I told JJ the exact same thing, or, I should say, my fiancé now."
Rick's mouth slightly opened, not sure if he should question it or not. His eyes- they were narrow. Filled with confusion, but rage at the same time.
Negan leaned back to me, "See, told you his face wouldn't be something you'd wanna miss out on."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about how your super-hot sister is about to be my super-hot wife." Negan raised his voice, "All right, enough of the chit-chat, let's get this show on the road. See what kind of goodies you got in the cupboard."
"We put aside half the supplies." Rick informed.
"No, Rick. No. You don't decide what we take. I do. Arat!"
Arat stepped forward, "You heard the man. Move out!"
The men moved in, filling the streets of Alexandria. Daryl, Dwight, Negan, Rick and I were left at the gate.
"They're just gonna search the houses a bit, keep the process moving." Negan looked to my brother, clapping his hands, "All right. You gonna show me around, or not? Well?"
Rick pushed past, following Rick. "Come on, sweetheart. I'll let you tag along." Negan motioned to me.
♮♮♮
Alexandria felt different. Daryl, Rick and I walked behind Negan's lead through our own home. I would often glance over to Daryl, hoping for a glance back, but there was nothing. He refused to look at me.
"You see this? This is the kind of thing that just tickles my balls. A little cooperation and everything is pleasant as punch. You see, we really are reasonable people once you get to know us. Honest." Negan opened a cooler, taking a soda out of it, drinking it, and throwing it to the ground. "Damn, I love this place."
"Negan!" One of the men brought up a video camera. The one that Deanna used to tape our interviews with. "Somethin' you might wanna see."
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? I got my fingers crossed for a little freaky-deaky." He watched closely to Rick's interview on the tiny screen. "Is that you, Rick, underneath all that man-bush? Shi-it. I would not have messed with that guy." He held up the camera to Rick's face. "But that's not you anymore, is it? Nope! I really gotta shave this shit." He ran a hand over his beard. "I don't know, honey, what do you think?"
I shrugged, biting my lip from the humiliation.
He grinned, "That reminds me, whatever happened to that sick girl? That seemed like a hell of a stressful night for her. The way she was carrying on, she was married to number two, right?"
Maggie
Rick shot Negan a death glare. "Careful. Careful how you're lookin' at me, Rick. Widows, especially ones that look like that... they are special. I love 'em. Right after their husbands go, they are just... empty inside. But usually not for long. Ahh, where is she? I would love to see her."
Gabriel had stepped up behind Negan. "Would you care to pay your respects?"
No. Maggie can't be. Not Maggie.
"Ho-ly crap! You are creepy as shit, sneaking up on me, wearin' that collar with that freaky-ass smile."
"My apologies. I'm Father Gabriel."
Negan turned back to Rick. "She didn't make it?"
"Maggie's dead?" I butted in.
Rick solemnly shook his head. Then, showed us where her grave was. Seeing it, seeing where she was buried, I still refused to believe it. My best friend- my sister- was dead. One of the people I cared most about in this world, the one who helped me become who I am today. The reason that I was alive. She was gone.
"Damn tragedy." Negan commented. "That's what this is. Well, this must really suck for you guys. Number one? That was on me, no choice there. Lessons had to be learned. But number two? That didn't need to happen. Daryl, there, he forced my hand. Probably put her right on her back, huh? Damn. I was gonna ask her to come back with me."
I shook my head. It wasn't on Daryl. Negan was sick. He enjoyed it. Every moment of it.
"Oh, I know what you're thinkin'. How could I have a shot? A guy that just bashed her husband's head in. You'd be surprised. Boy, people, they-"
Negan was cut off by a distant shot.
It was Carl. Of course, it was Carl.
He had a gun to one of the savior's heads.
"Carl, Carl, put it down." Rick instructed.
Carl didn't budge. "He's taking all our medicine. They said only half our stuff."
"Of course. Oh, really, kid?" Negan stepped int he way.
"And you should go before you find out how dangerous we all are."
"Well, pardon me, young man. Excuse the shit out of my damn French, but did you just threaten me? Look, I get threatening Davey here, but I can't have it. Not him, not me..."
"Carl, just put it down." Rick told him again.
"Don't be rude, Rick. We are having a conversation here. Now, where were we? Oh, yeah. Your giant, man-sized balls. No threatening us. Listen, I like you, so I don't wanna go hard proving a point here. You don't want that. I said half your shit, and half is what I say it is. I'm serious. Do you want me to prove how serious? Again?"
Carl sighed, dropping his gun and handing it to Rick, which was then taken by Negan.
"You know, Rick, this whole thing reminds me that you have a lot of guns. There's all the guns you took from my outpost when you wasted all my people with a shit-ton of your own guns, and I'm bettin' there's even more. Which adds up to an absolute...ass-load of guns, and as this little emotional outburst just made crystal clear...I can't allow that."
Rick shot Carl a look.
"They're all mine now. So tell me, Rick- where are my guns?"
♮♮♮
[POV]
Olivia slowly opened the garage door to the arsenal for the saviors.
"I figured you were coming."
"Show him where the guns are, Olivia." Rick told her.
"The guns are inside." She led.
Negan questioned, following, "you run the show in here?"
"I...I just keep track of it all, the rations, the guns."
"Good. Smart. Don't let me stop you. Take her out, boys. Show 'em the goods." Negan stood in front of Rick, keeping JJ back too. "While they're at it, I just want to point out to you that I'm not taking a scrap of your food. Slim pickin's in here. And I can't be the only one to notice that you've got a fat lady in charge of keeping track of rations, can I? Either way, you starve to death, I don't get shit, so for now, you get to keep all the food. How bout that?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know, Rick. How about a thank you?" Negan got in Rick's face. "Or is that too much to ask?!" He backed off, chuckling, "I know we started off on the wrong foot, but what can I say? You forced my hand, Rick. But it's like I've been tryin' to tell you- I'm a very reasonable man as long as you cooperate. So, let me ask you a question, Rick. Are you cooperating?"
"What's it look like?"
"I know what it looks like. But what I really want to know is if we're gonna find all the guns back there or if maybe you got a few just waitin' for their moment...just like my Lucille.
"They're all in there, to the best of my knowledge." Rick answered.
"Mm, I am counting on that, Rick."
Negan walked back into the armory and Rick lowered his voice to nothing.
"Are you okay?"
JJ shook her head, "it's bad, Rick."
"I know. I know." He sighed. "I just need you to be strong. We'll figure it out."
The men started to load all of Alexandria's weapons into the truck.
"You know what today is, Rick? Today is a banner day. Yes, it is. I think this little arrangement we have is gonna work out just fine."
Daryl walked up the steps from the armory with a pile of guns in hand. Negan stopped him, choosing one off the top. "Hold up. Let's see if you've been taking care of my guns." He pointed it at Daryl as he walked by, showing no emotion. Instead, he shot a window. "Feels good. Sounds good! Oh, I do believe Lucille's getting a little jealous."
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[JJ]
The inventory was off, so Negan had threatened to kill Olivia. Luckily, Rick was able to find the hidden ones. Negan made me wait at the gate until they were ready to leave.
Some of the trucks had already headed back to the Sanctuary. There was only a handful of us left.
"Hell of a place you've got here, Rick." Negan complimented. Rick looked past him, eyeing the building behind.
"Give me a second."
Negan turned, "no."
"Please, can you just- give me a second?" Rick asked again earning a nod of approval.
He wasn't gone long, and when he returned, Michonne was with him with a deer slung over her shoulders.
"Look at this!" Negan exclaimed.
"Thought she was scavenging. She was hunting." Rick handed over a rifle. "This one never came inside. We kept it near the line."
"Look at this. This is something to build a relationship on. Good for you, Rick. This is reading the room and gettin' the message. I've said it before, I'm gonna say it again- you, sir, are special."
Rick looked down, "Now that you know we can follow your rules..."
"Yes...?"
"I'd like to ask you if JJ and Daryl can stay?"
"Not happening." Negan thought about it, "You know what? I don't know. Maybe Daryl can plead his case. Maybe Daryl can sway me." Daryl stayed silent, which Negan knew he would. "Daryl? Well, you tried. Now what you got to do is get over that tall wall of yours and try harder out there. Earn for me. Because we're coming back soon and when we do, you better have something interesting for us. Or Lucille, she's gonna have her way. I want you to hear that again."
Negan came closer to Rick's face, "If you don't have something interesting for us...somebody's gonna die. And no more magic guns. Arat, grab that deer. It's getting late. Let's go home."
Michonne dropped the deer off her shoulders, landing with a thud, and walked back to the house. "Man, I love a gal that buys me dinner and doesn't expect me to put out." Negan chuckled.
"But speaking of! I'm about to go home and screw your sister." Negan widely smiled. "Did you know that she has a tramp stamp? I know, I was shocked too! Pleasantly. A little butterfly right above her ass crack."
My cheeks turned bright red and I felt sick to my stomach. It was humiliating in a way that I had never felt. Hell, at least Shane didn't broadcast it to my brother, my friends and whatever guy I was into at the time.
The loud rev of Dwight, which had been Daryl's bike, saved me from any more looks of embarrassment. He walked it up to Daryl, "You can have it back. Just say the word."
Daryl was silent as Dwight drove off.
"So, nobody died. And you know what I think?" Negan held his arms out as if he was proud. In his sick mind, he was. "I think you and I, we've refined our understanding. Let me ask you something, Rick. Do you want me to go?"
Rick paused, nodding, "I think that'd be good."
"Then just say those two magical words."
The hatred rang when Rick fulfilled Negan's request.
"Thank you."
Negan knew it too, but it only made him smile. "Don't be ridiculous. Thank you." He spotted a walker, "Another one. You need our help. Davey, hand me that candlestick over there. You know what I think, Rick? I think we're both gonna come out of this winners. Watch my form!"
As Negan was distracted by the walker, I eyed my brother, who's grasp tighten around the handle of Lucille, but loosened it when Negan turned back around.
"Yep. Win-win." Negan tossed the candlestick to the ground. "You should clean that up for me for next time. Let's move out!...Oh, wait. How careless of me. You didn't think I was gonna leave Lucille, did you? I mean, after what she did, why would you want her?"
Negan leaned in, taking back his prized possession, "Thank you for being so accommodating, friend." He admired the bat, lowering his voice, "In case you haven't caught on...I just slipped my dick down your throat, and you thanked me for it."
♮♮♮
[POV]
It had been a few hours since the convoy returned from Alexandria. While a meeting occupied Negan, JJ sat quietly, but removed from the other wives.
"JJ, come with me." Sherry motioned.
Katie looked up, "Where?"
"She hasn't been checked by the doctor yet. We all had to, Katie."
"Right." Katie's face showed that she didn't completely buy it, but passively agreed. "Go ahead. Don't let me get in the way."
JJ, who remained silent during the conversation, followed Sherry to the basement.
"I already, uh- I already went." JJ told her, confused as to why she was being led back to the doctor.
Sherry nodded, "they're in between shifts. There's not enough time to escape, but I figured it might help to at least speak to him."
JJ looked to the cell doors lining the hall, realizing that Sherry was giving her a chance to talk to Daryl.
"You have about twelve minutes before someone comes back. I'll come get you when I hear someone coming."
JJ nodded, "thank you."
She wanted to speak with Daryl. To hear his voice. But part of her didn't. She knew it was only going to hurt worse when she would have to leave in less than twelve minutes. Twelve minutes wasn't enough time.
The only thing heard through the hall was the clicking of JJ's heels, which stopped when she found Daryl's cell. She slid down the wall, sitting on the ground next to it, careful to not block the bottom of the door that was feeding light into the cell. She remembered when she had stayed there. The only source of light was from the already dim hallway.
"JJ?"
Daryl was sitting on the other side of the wall, same as her.
She was already biting the inside of her lip to keep from crying. "Yeah?" Her voice cracked.
Daryl paused, "I'm sorry."
Her lip quivered, "It's not your fault."
"It is." He admitted quietly.
"I meant it." She told him, "When I said that I loved you."
"I didn't mean it when I said you weren't worth it, JJ. I haven't felt like anything's ever been worth it- 'cept you."
JJ's eyes became cloudy with tears, "I don't wanna be his wife, Daryl." The brokenness of her voice pained Daryl. His frown quivered. In that moment, he didn't care about where he was, all he cared about was JJ.
Daryl placed his hand as far up under the door frame as he could. Once JJ noticed, she did the same, intertwining her hand as best she could with his.
After the lingering silence, and JJ calmed her voice, she told Daryl, "I don't wanna be his wife, I wanna be yours. I wanna be your wife."
He remained silent.
"After we get out, when we're back in Alexandria..."
"You will be." Daryl answered.
JJ scoffed to herself, wiping tears from her face, "Are you proposing right now, Daryl Dixon?"
Daryl slyly smiled.
"Only if you're acceptin', JJ Grimes."
Although they couldn't see each other, she returned his grin.
"Well, in that case, I guess I should start packin' for the honeymoon. I've always wanted to go to Paris."
♮♮♮
[JJ]
"Thank you." I walked next to Sherry as we went back upstairs before anyone found us there.
She glanced up, "I only wished someone would've done the same for me."
"Dwight-"
Sherry nodded. "He used to be like Daryl. He wasn't one of them. Not at first." She paused. "If I see a moment, I'm going to get you and Daryl out."
I thought, letting us walk in silence for a moment.
Then I stopped, "If not us, then him. The second there's a chance, swear to me you'll get him out."
"JJ, if I do that, I won't come back."
"It'll be easier to focus on getting one of us out rather than both."
"But-"
"Please. Swear to me that he'll be your priority."
Sherry was hesitant, but she nodded.
"Okay."
a/n: sorry for the delay in updates, besties. i extended the chapter just for you guys