Negan's POV:
I was sat on the hospital bed in the Hilltop Infirmary. My little girl is cuddled up to me how she always is. She's been in terrible pain because of that little bitch that tried to kill her. My baby has been through enough shit in her life, she doesn't deserve this. She's in a deep sleep though, I love hearing her heavy breathing when she's snoozing. I even crack a small smile when I hear her talk to herself in her sleep. I may have been an arsehole throughout the years but I always did my best to protect and keep my number one safe - my Athena. No matter how old she is she'll always be my baby girl, I love how she still enjoys cuddling up to me and being near me. I miss how small she used to be. My Athena is my entire world.
——————————————-
It's my Athena's first birthday. I've only just woke up and my little girl is cuddled up to me snoozing away. I can't believe it's been a year since I first held my baby girl, it's flew by. I checked the clock and it was 7:30am. I slowly got up out of bed and wrapped my little girl back up. I sat and had some coffee at the table and watched my little girl sleep. I couldn't help but smile seeing my baby wrapped up and sleeping in a bed that's extremely too big for her, she's so adorable.
It's 9am and my little Athena finally started to wake up. I went over to the bed and sat down and watched Athena rub her eyes and yawning. "Hey there sweetheart. Looks like someone had a good sleep." I smiled down at her as she looked up at me. "Is it someone's birthday today darling? Is my little girl a year old?" She started to giggle and lifted her arms up for me to lift her up. "Happy Birthday Athena darling." I smothered my little girl in kisses which clearly tickled her because she was giggling uncontrollably. For her birthday I got her some adorable new clothes , I got her some new toys to play with too. Her little face lit up. Nothing made me happier to see my baby happy.
I sat on the floor with Athena, one of her favourite new toys is a little soft ball I bought her. "Ok Athena are you ready for this one?" I rolled the ball to her and she was clapping like crazy. "That's my girl. Come on give it back to daddy sweetie." Athena threw the ball to me this time it hit my leg so I put it to my chest as though it hit me there. "You got me baby." I fell back as though I'd been shot. Athena started giggling and crawled up to me and climbed up on my chest. "Does daddy get a kiss?" Athena leant forward and gave me a kiss. Dwight and Simon came in with my little girl's cake, it was beautiful. It was shaped in a one with Athena's name on it. "What's that baby? Is that your cake?" Athena started babbling excitedly as Dwight and Simon left. I left Simon and Dwight in charge for the day so I could spend my little girl's birthday with her. Me and Athena had some cake and she loved it. Over half of it was smushed around her face but she still had the biggest smile on her face.
I cleaned Athena up after having our cake and we laid in bed. I put a movie on for us to watch - she always gets excited when watching Annie so I put that on for her. She'd bounce about dancing every time a song came on, I just smiled at her and felt my heart warm up. After a while I looked down at her and she dozed off bless her, it was getting late and my little girl had an amazing first birthday. I didn't have to change either of us into pjs as we had a lazy day so I turned off the movie and got back in bed. Athena woke up as I got back in bed. "I'm sorry I woke you up baby, you gonna cuddle up to daddy?" I whispered. She smiled tiredly and climbed onto me and laid down on my chest. I gave her a kiss as I wrapped us both up and as she fell back asleep.
——————————————-
Athena's three and to be honest she's really shy around people. Even around Dwight and Simon. It's been about a month after the incident with the walker and Athena is hell of a lot more attached to me.
We had to go on a run to meet some allies at a place called the Junkyard. I put Athena in her car seat in the back of the car and as soon as I started he car she dozed off. The Junkyard was about 3 hours away from The Sanctuary. Athena was having a good sleep bless her, we weren't far from the Junkyard. But then she started screaming for me in her sleep. Fuck. She's been having nightmares a lot lately. My poor baby. I stopped the car and thankfully there were no walkers about so I got out of the front and sat in the back, took Athena out of her car seat and sat her on my knee. "It's ok Athena baby daddy's here. Shhh. It's ok sweetheart." She woke up and her eyes were soaked with tears. "D-daddy th-they were gonna g-get me." "It's ok baby, I won't let anyone get you. You know daddy will keep you safe sweetheart." I kissed her head and then she started screaming like crazy, there was a walker outside. "It's ok sweetheart I won't let it get you." I reassured her. "Come on let's get you back in your seat baby." I put my crying little girl back in her car seat and smashed the walker's head with Lucille, then got in the drivers seat. "Daddy's here baby. It's ok." I reached over and gave Athena a kiss before starting the car back up.
We got to the Junkyard and there was a woman with short brown hair standing there waiting for us. I got myself out the car and took Athena out of her car seat. "You must be Negan?" The woman approached us. "I'm Jadis." We shook hands and Athena had her head rested on my shoulder. "Who's this little beauty?" Jadis averted her eyes to Athena. "This is my little girl Athena. She's a bit shy." I chuckled, but what surprised me was that Athena put her hand out to Jadis. "Are you coming sweetheart? Shall I give you and daddy a tour of The Junkyard?" Athena smiled and allowed Jadis to carry her. Usually my little girl is too shy, I couldn't help but smile to see her like this. Athena really liked Jadis. Jadis was brilliant with Athena. The Junkyard was quite impressive. There were these big containers which was where everyone slept. Jadis and Athena ended up playing a cat and mouse chase. Athena was giggling her little head off bless her. Athena tripped over whilst running, she's crying her little eyes out. Jadis picked her up and handed her over to me. "It's ok sweetheart daddy's here." She sobbed like crazy. "My leg. It hurts daddy." She had a big bloody cut on her leg. "I've got some bandages in my container, we can go get her leg cleaned." Jadis said. I nodded and Jadis led me and Athena to her container. I sat down on a chair with Athena on my knee and Jadis sat in front of us after she got a bandage and something to clean Athena's leg. "Ok Athena sweetheart this might sting a bit." Jadis said softly to Athena and she nodded. She cleaned the wound and Athena was screaming."I'm sorry honey." She said quietly, she felt bad. I kissed Athena's head and she rested against my chest. Jadis bandaged up her leg and then Athena sobbed, "Daddy I'm gonna be sick." Thankfully Jadis had a bucket in her container so she held it for Athena as she puked and I rubbed her back to help her puke it all up. "I'm s-sorry." She choked. "It's ok sweetheart, you can't help pukin." Jadis stroked her face and Athena smiled weakly. These two were bonding really well. "Come on darling let's get you home." I said to Athena who was still puking.
Athena was puking all the way back home, bless her. I couldn't do anything and it killed me to see my baby poorly. As soon as we got back I changed her into her pyjamas and we laid on bed. "Is that better darling?" "A bit daddy." I rubbed her stomach to help soothe it. We were up almost all night, Athena wouldn't stop apologising for keeping me awake. "Darling listen to me. You can't help being poorly. Daddy would go days without sleep to make sure you're ok." She smiled up at me but then carried on puking. It was around 6am when she finally stopped and she fell asleep cuddled up to me.
——————————————-
I smiled to myself thinking of everything me and my little girl had gone through together and she started to wake up.
Athena's POV:
I woke up and saw dad smiling. "What you smiling at daddy?" I yawned. "Just thinking of everything we've gone through together baby." I rolled my eyes and smiled. I started to sit up but winced in really bad pain. "Be careful sweetheart." Dad said concerned. "I need to pee, really bad." I said. "Ok sweetheart let's get you sorted." Dad helped me get out of the bed but it killed. It always did when I needed to go to the bathroom. As soon as dad got me out of the bed I had no balance and fell. Thankfully dad had hold of me so I didn't fall to the ground. "It's ok baby, daddy's got you." Dad had his hand around my waist to keep me up. "Daddy it hurts." I sobbed in agony. "I know it does baby. I'm sorry." "Dad it's not your fault." Dad helped me to get into the bathroom and helped me on the toilet but turned around whilst I emptied my bladder. It hurt like fuck and I was crying again. When I was finished dad helped me back up. We got back in the bed and I just broke down. "Daddy-" I sobbed before dad cut me off and grasped me into a hug. "I know baby, I know." Dad said sympathetically, stroking my hair. "When that piece of shit beat me up I actually felt like I didn't wanna live anymore." I sobbed. Dad had tears in his eyes and he lifted my face up softly to look at him. "Athena sweetheart, I never want you to think like that. I wouldn't be able to cope without my little girl." He tried not to cry. "I'm sorry daddy, the only reason that stopped me from wanting to was you. And Jadis. You two are my only reason to survive." I sobbed. Dad hugged me tighter to try and calm me down and I rested my head on his chest. "Don't be sorry baby." Dad kissed my head. I couldn't stop thinking about my near-death experience the other day. "Um dad?" "Yes sweetheart?" "You know they other day when I, When I almost-" I started to cry again. "Well you know when you and Jadis both shivered?" Dad looked confused. "Wait, how can you possibly know that baby? You were unconscious." I took a deep breath and sighed. "I had an out of body experience. Kinda like Michael J Fox on The Frighteners but not as creepy. And mom and Carl was there waiting for me and well they showed me why it wasn't my time to... you know. Well they brought me in here and well I gave you both a hug and kiss. Which caused you to both to shiver. You didn't know it was me but you felt it. Mom told me that the reason it wasn't my time because you two needed me and I needed you. And that Jadis is an amazing mom to me." Dad looked at me in surprise then smiled at me. "I'll always need you daddy." Dad wiped my tears and smiled, "I'll always be there for you baby." I was shivering really bad so dad wrapped me up and cuddled me so I could warm up. "Why'd you have to grow up eh? When you was a baby I told you to stay small but you didn't listen did ya?" Dad told me off, in a humour way so I laughed. "Daddy no matter how old or big I am I'll always be your baby." "You don't have to tell me that sweetheart I know and I wouldn't change you for the world." I wrapped my arms around dad and hugged him. "Dad, did you and mom want kids?" Dad stroked my face and smiled. "We wanted kids for years sweetheart. When we found out that we were going to have you we were really excited. I was worried that I wouldn't be good enough for you though. When we had you I knew I was the luckiest man in the world sweetheart. But when your mom passed away, well it broke me but I was determined to keep my little girl safe and I knew I didn't want anymore children as I had the perfect daughter. And I know at The Sanctuary I had 'wives' but none of them would be good enough to carry my child because none of them are your mom." I looked up at dad and smiled. "Daddy you're more than good enough. You've done everything to keep me safe. You're the best dad ever." Dad stroked my face and kissed me. "I love you Athena sweetheart." "I love you too daddy."
I was in a dungeon type of room. I was pinned down by Enid as she had her foot on my back and had my hair in her fist. I look up and see dad, being held down by Daryl. Rick paced to dad and bent down to his eye level. "Now killing you would be too easy at this point. I wanna see you suffer." He whispered. What did he mean by that? I don't wanna see dad suffer. Next thing I knew Enid kicked me in my side, I screamed in pain. Then she started yanking my hair and beating me up. I was literally crying my eyes out. "No! Leave her alone! Athena!" Dad yelled. Enid then yanked me up by my hair. "D-Daddy." I sobbed and I looked into my dad's tear-filled eyes. We both knew what was coming but we didn't wanna face it. I felt Enid's knife touch my throat. "No ... please." My dad pleaded. Before anything else could be said I felt the knife slit my throat. "ATHENA!!" Dad yelled heartbroken. I blacked out...
I sat up screaming and choking. "Athena sweetheart it was just a bad dream." Dad yawned. I broke down in tears. "Th-they killed me and m-made y-you w-watch." I stammered as dad pulled me into a tight hug. My stomach was killing like crazy still. "It's ok baby, daddy's got you. Shh. I'm here sweetheart." This was getting to dad as he was crying a bit himself. The door burst open and Rick came in looking pissed off. "Do you not realise what time it is? You've woke half of the community up!" He snapped. This caused me to cry even more which annoyed dad. "She has nightmares! She can't fucking help it. She can't control when and what time she has them! So don't you dare give her shit for it." Dad snarled. Rick glared at dad and said, "you're both going back to your cell. I don't care if she's healed or not. So move!" Dad looked guilty, but he picked me up as gently as he could which caused me to wince in pain. "Fuck sorry sweetheart." He was trying to fight back tears. "It's ok daddy." I said quietly.
We got back to the cell and Rick locked us in. Dad sat down and rested me on his knee."I'm sorry we're back in here baby." Dad sobbed. "Daddy it's not your fault. Rick just upset me." I said quietly. "He has no right to honey. You can't help having these nightmares." Dad said quietly. "I'm sick of them. I feel awful when I wake you up." Dad kissed me and wiped my tears. "Don't you dare feel awful baby, it's not your fault. Come on let's get back to sleep." Dad laid me down gently and as he laid down I rested my head on his chest and cuddled up to him. I was still in agony. Dad put his hand on my stomach and rubbed it to try and ease it. I winced again which caused dad to stop and felt bad. "My poor baby." I sobbed into my dad's chest. I finally dozed off after about twenty minutes. Dad held me tight and close to him as we both fell back asleep, back in the cell.
Sorry it's hell of a long chapter guys!