Molly was now at the top, earning the favour of the King. She was infiltrating his every thought, controlling his every move and she knew it. But with both of them playing the same game, one was bound to lose. Unless, someone decides to change the rules...
I felt powerful being in that meeting room.
It was like knights of the round table type shit, Negan sitting at the top and all of us lower down, Dwight, Simon, Arat, Laura and now me.
I was expecting to uncover something important, maybe their plans of attack on my family, but nothing. Not even a word.
I knew they must be retaliating, we had taken out one of their outposts, killed over fifty of their men and all Negan wanted to discuss was farming and food supply.
Perhaps he didn't trust me. Perhaps he had separate meetings, ones where I wasn't there and they discussed Rick then.
I looked around the room, each one of them kept staring at me. Dwight just looked down.
He knew something, I always recognised that guilty face.
Negan asked each one of us for our ideas, all of them came up with something similar to the set up they already had.
I suggested that while they were already growing crops at the Sanctuary and that was kind of working, the land wasn't fertile enough being a factory area, so they should outsource a plot of land at one of the farming communities.
Provide the seeds and they grow them.
Give them more than just 'protection' in return for their service.
It would not only lighten the load from the communities needing to scavenge to provide for the Saviours but it would make them more subservient and get them on their side.
Negan sat in silence as I explained, just slowly nodding and smiled widely once I'd finished.
'How lucky am I, my gal's a genius!' he said whacking Lucille down onto the table as he chuckled.
Simon just scowled at me.
'Alright, plan A that works and we don't kill anyone, plan B if they resist we take a flyer on the place and kill everyone there. Unfortunate play, but other communities will get the message' Simon barked.
Negan scowled at him and slammed Lucille onto the table, adding more marks to the table's surface.
'People are a resource', whack!, 'money on the table. People are the foundation of what we are building here!' he yelled, hitting Lucille onto the table on every word.
I jumped slightly, everyone else looked down while Simon was wide eyed, like a rabbit in headlights.
He glared at Simon, breathing heavily and lent over the table, hands pressed firmly on the surface.
'Who the hell do you think you're talking to?' he said calmly but sternly.
'Are you confused about who we are? Are you confused about who is in charge? Are we backsliding Simon?, please tell me we're not backsliding' he growled almost smirking.
Simon was nervous and almost stuttered 'we are not...backsliding' he forced out quietly.
A smile grew across Negan's face as he stated, 'plan A, they get the fuck on board willingly, plan B, we kill the right people, including Rick, in an instructive and public way and make everyone get on board'.
Simon just sat silently, as did we all before he dismissed the room.
'Darlin, wait' he said calmly as I tried to walk out.
Worry crept across my face as he mentioned Rick, but I hid it well turning around to face him.
Simon looked back as he walked out, scowling at me as he did so.
'Sorry about all that. I knew you were a goddamn smartypants' he said tiredly, I smiled back at him as he said that.
I didn't know how to bring up his plan for Rick, even though I knew it was set in stone ever since we attacked them.
'I want you to come on a run later' he added.
I paused not knowing how to answer.
'What you got plans doll?' he said mockingly.
'No, thanks to you. A run where?' I asked curiously.
'Don't worry it won't be to visit your buddies. Just to this office building, Arat checked it out briefly the other day but said it would need back up. So, you in?' he said smirking and bending down almost pulling me in for a hug.
I smiled, looking into his beautiful eyes and said 'depends. Would you be there?'.
He chuckled, saying 'Aw darlin, have you got a soft spot for me?!'.
I rolled my eyes and sighed.
'In your dreams. Besides I thought you didn't do that stuff you call 'grunt work'' I said teasingly.
'Well maybe I could be persuaded...ya know, to keep an eye on you' he said jokingly.
I scoffed 'ha! I don't need your protection, we both know that. But fine, it'll be nice to not be a prisoner anymore'.
'You're one of us now doll, but don't go making eyes at the boss' he said smirking and strutting out of the meeting room, leaving me speechless.
Later that day...
A couple hours later, Dwight knocked on my door and told me it was time to go.
I felt strangely nervous yet excited.
I hadn't been outside the compound in months and finally I could go out and kill something again.
Trust me, small victories.
Plus, when I went down to the armoury I got my gun back with my engraving M.C. on the handle plus my two machetes.
I suited up, putting my knives into the holsters on my thighs and the gun in my waist band.
I packed my bag but left my bow behind, thinking I wouldn't need it.
Boy, was I wrong.
As I stepped outside to see the group chatting away and Negan leaning against the truck waiting.
He was looking at Lucille till he looked up and saw me.
His eyes seemed to light up, engulfed in flames as his brown eyes caught a glimpse of the sun.
This was the first time I had my weapons back and I felt complete, I was finally not a prisoner but an equal.
But never a Saviour, more like the help.
His eyes widened as a smile rose across his face, revealing his pearly whites.
I smiled back as he audibly said whew! 'Look. At. You!' he said leaning.
'C'mon darlin, hop in' he said opening the front door of the truck.
I looked confused and turned around saying 'but, I mean? Up front? With you?'.
He just nodded 'uh huh'.
I smiled slightly at this, he only ever let his right hand man sit up front but after what went down in the meeting, Simon was more like public enemy number one.
I hopped in and buckled up while he passed me Lucille.
I'd never held her and even though she was just a bat, I didn't want to disrespect him so I placed her carefully in the middle of our seats on top of my bag.
Looking out the window, Simon looked genuinely worried about his position as he saw me in his seat, he hated me now for sure.
We set off, I looked out of my window for most of the journey, rolling it down and smelling the warm sun soaked grass and trees as we drove past forests.
A smile spread its way across my face without even realising.
In this moment, I was content and felt truly safe.
When I shifted in my seat to look straight ahead, I caught Negan in my peripheral staring at me for a split second in awe.
When he turned back to look straight ahead, he was smiling.
It was different this time, no smugness, no humour just happiness.
He felt just as content as I did.
It was peaceful.
Time seemed to fly by and before we knew it we were here.
It was a tower of a building and looked fairly untouched, strangely there were only a few walkers around which we took out easily before walking inside.
Negan had instructed everyone to split up and work on different levels of the building, gathering up any worthwhile shit they could find and load it back into the truck.
I immediately made my way up the stairs all the way to the top floor.
Negan spotted me and called out 'Molly, what the hell you doin?'.
'I used to work in an office like this one, all the best shit is always kept on the top floor' I shouted back down climbing up further.
He chuckled.
'Of course you would know that' he said following me up the stairs.
Once we got up the top, I was bending down to sort through a stack of papers when a walker came for me out of the closet.
As I spun around, hearing it growl and gargle, Negan entered the room just in time to take it out in one swift blow.
He exhaled and said chuckling 'what was that you said about not needing me doll?'.
'I would've got it' I said shrugging my shoulders.
He rolled his eyes in response before going to work in another room.
It felt like we'd been searching for supplies for ages.
We'd found most of the food supply on the top floor, people radioed Negan to let him know that they'd found ammo and a bunch of water coolers.
As we were just packing up, Arat radioed Negan to let him know that they'd packed up and were ready to go back if he wanted.
Just as everyone was gathering into the trucks, Negan radioed that we'd be right down.
It was now that I got up and looked out of the window to see a hoard of walkers seconds away from the back of the building.
Fuck.
I shouted for Negan, he came running in and we both saw them.
Arat radioed that they were surrounded and wouldn't make it out if they didn't get back right now.
She made the decision to drive away, the other trucks following, leaving us stranded.
As soon as we made our way down to the first floor, we saw walkers at every window on every side of the room.
We were surrounded and couldn't get out at any side.
I placed my bag down carefully, pointed silently to one side and then mouthed to him 'you go that way'.
He nodded and readied Lucille in his hands as I stealthily walked in the opposite direction with my knives up to my chin.
I tried to be as quiet as possible as I moved swiftly between the five walkers on my side, stabbing at their skulls as I ducked and lunged.
As much as I tried to keep my focus on the walkers, my gaze drifted across the room to make sure Negan was okay.
I heard the bat smashing something but when I looked over in his direction he had smashed the windows in and pushed the walkers out.
The last walker lunged at my face while I wasn't looking and I gasped as I stuck my knife in the side of its brain in reaction.
It dropped at my feet I exhaled and swept a loose strand of hair from my face.
I walked over to him and said 'that was too close'.
He just ignored me and took off his leather jacket.
I knew something was off with him, but I didn't know what.
Negan wasn't as angry as I thought he would be, he just slumped down to sit on the floor against a wall.
'Aren't you even the least bit pissed that they left?!' I said breathlessly.
'Arat did the right thing. They'll work something out' he said calmly, like he wasn't the least bit phased.
I just shrugged my shoulders before sitting down next to him.
He was silent for a while before saying 'you've got the chance to take me out now like you wanted to. You could escape, find your way back to Rick the prick and his band of merry men and without me, the Saviour's would crumble'.
I looked down, he wasn't trying to get a rise out of me, he was simply stating facts.
'I could. But I wouldn't, you know I wouldn't' I said softly.
This made him smile sweetly as he said almost mockingly, 'is that so? So you do have a soft spot for me after all'.
I scoffed, trying to deflect from what I was feeling inside and said 'and again, you wish' as I patted him on the arm.
Usually he laughed at our banter but instead he just sat silently in reflection.
I turned my head to the side to look at him and frowned at his stern expression.
'What is it?' I asked, knowing this wasn't about the situation with the Saviours.
He squinted before looking down and then to me, 'Alright, let's talk. We can pass the time while we wait for the walkers to die down. I wanna know more about you'.
I raised my eyebrows and said 'alright' sceptically.
'You said you were a lawyer before?' he asked softly.
I looked in his eyes and nodded.
'I was an attorney in DC. I went to Dartmouth before that'.
His eyebrows rose at this before he chuckled, 'goddamn! alright smartypants'.
I could tell he was relaxed now that we were talking more openly.
He took a moment, though I knew exactly what he wanted to ask next.
'What about your family? was there a Mr. Chambler?' he asked sadly.
I looked at him quizzically 'how did you know my last name?'.
'Arat and Dwight looked through your backpack after you tried to kill me and found a necklace' he said bemusedly.
I nodded smiling and reminiscing, 'my locket' I said softly knowing the engraving of my initials on the silver and our names on Tara's photograph.
I looked down, cleared my throat before saying quietly, 'there was. I was married, but he didn't make it'.
He looked at me attentively, 'i'm sorry' he said, all the while leaning in, wanting to know more.
'His uh name was Henry. He was in the army and when I came back home to Georgia to see my family, he had wanted to surprise me. This was before everything went to shit and he was the first person I saw turn. He had gotten bit and I found him in our house, I was the one who had to put him down' I said sadly.
I looked down at the ground sadly, thinking about how strong and brave he was and how I'd changed since that day.
I continued, 'he was strong like me...so it's his gun that I carry now'.
He nodded and looked down, like he understood completely but also scared to tell me what he had wanted for a while.
He suddenly picked up Lucille and traced his fingers along its barbed wire. 'I had a wife. A real wife. Her name was Lucille, she had cancer and uh died just before all this' he said nervously.
He started to tear up as he said 'I was weak back then, I couldn't put her down when she turned. But she got me through that life, so I named the bat after her so she could get me through this one'.
I looked at him, it was like seeing him again for the first time, he was different.
Somehow he seemed less monstrous now, more human.
'So I guess we're not different after all' I said stroking his arm. He smiled up at me and wrapped an arm around me.
'Now you're about to tell me that you survived because Rick saved you and gave you a real family' he said mockingly.
I turned to him seriously, 'They are my family and Rick did save me', at this he rolled his eyes.
'After I lost my dad, it was just me and my sisters for a long time so I will always be grateful to Rick for letting me in' I retorted, almost angrily when he insulted Rick.
He smirked, 'where are they now? your sisters?'.
I looked down, 'they're dead'.
His face dropped, 'jesus doll, I'm sorry', I just nodded.
I couldn't tell him about Tara. No matter how much I wanted to trust him, trusting people gets you killed and more importantly it would put Tara at risk and I couldn't lose her.
I looked up at his face, examining him more intensely now, trying to figure out whether or not I should trust him.
His face was cut up pretty bad when he broke the glass window. I don't even know what he was thinking but I couldn't help but feel bad for him.
I took his hand in mine and ushered him over to a crate so he could sit down.
He looked at me sceptically, wondering what I was up to but still silently obeying my command.
I brought my bag over and took out my med kit.
'Your face is a mess, hold still' I said as I stood in front of him.
He looked up at me confused, like he was amazed that I would help him.
I gazed back at him as I took out an alcohol wipe and some gauze.
'It's gonna sting, sorry' I said as I stood closer and held his face while I dabbed the wounds across his cheek. He didn't even flinch or wince at all.
'You don't have to do this ya know darlin' he said softly as I applied some antiseptic to the areas.
I smiled slightly, 'I know but I can't help it. I care about people, and this would get infected if I didn't treat it'.
He smiled sweetly and his hands trailed up the sides of my legs until he rested on my hips, wrapping his arms around me.
'You care about me?' he asked mockingly.
I rolled my eyes at this as he pulled me closer, smiling at me with a twinkle in his eyes.
'I said people, not you specifically' I chuckled as he nodded like he didn't believe me.
I applied the gauze now with a smile etched across my face.
'You are something else you know that?' he said still staring at me.
I tried to focus on the wounds but my eyes kept finding his, 'I'm just being a decent person, I'm not a hero' I mocked.
He stood up once I'd finished and held my hands in his as he towered over me.
'No, I know you hate me and yet you still help me. That's just who you are...' he said softly as his lips came closer to mine.
'I don't hate you' I whispered against his lips as he brushed against mine. Literally millimetres from our lips pressing against each other's.
I closed my eyes tightly in frustration and stepped back, 'I can't, I cant betray Rick'.
Negan sighed and opened his eyes. He started to frown when I mentioned Rick.
'You do know that your friend Rick is an asshole right?' he said seriously.
'You do know that you're an asshole right?' I retorted.
He chuckled 'yeah, I am. But he killed dozens of my people'.
I was silent for a minute before saying quietly, 'So did I'.
He looked at me seriously with a raised brow as he said 'what?' and stepped back.
I sighed before saying that 'I was there, that night at the outpost'.
He was hurt and as I looked up at him slowly he scoffed and started to pace around the room.
'Oh, you killed my people while they were sleeping. Well look at you!' he said spinning around, looking genuinely upset now.
'I also blew up your guys on motorcycles' I said softly.
He was angry and surprised, I could tell because of the smile that he did that was overly sarcastic and his eyes were hardened and piercing.
'That was you that blew up little Timmy and the dick brigade?!' he scoffed, almost chuckling.
He walked back over to me with a frown plastered across his face.
'Why are you telling me this now?' he asked sternly.
I sighed. 'I just wanted you to know. We don't know how long we have so I wanted to clear my conscience'.
'You wanna know what I think? I think you're sabotaging this' he said angrily.
I scoffed, 'what? what is there to sabotage?! This isn't a relationship, I don't owe you anything...'
He looked at me more hurt than angry now.
'You know what I think this is? I think you're scared, because god forbid you let anyone get close to you. You've just opened up to me about your wife and now you're backing out. That's why you have multiple wives right? Sex without any strings, so you never let yourself feel' I retorted.
'You seriously think that little of me?' he said with pain in his voice as he walked closer.
I stared back into his eyes silently, already regretting what I just said.
He looked at me for a second and nodded. 'Alright fine, we're doing this' he said sternly walking towards me.
I looked at him sceptically, wondering what he was about to bring up.
'Are you screwing Dwight?' he said scowling at me.
My mouth parted in shock, that was not where I thought he was going with this.
'Excuse me?!' I retorted.
'Or is it Fat Joseph? or both?' he said mockingly.
'Why do you care?! You don't care about anyone' I asked, filled with rage.
'Oh come on! You're telling me that those two spineless sacks of shit are sniffing around your skirts and your not even putting out?! God, I feel sorry for them' he said smiling.
That was it. I slapped him hard right across the face.
He wasn't angry, just surprised. My body was racing with conflicting emotions as my heart beat faster. I didn't know whether to punch him or kiss him.
'First of all, even if I was screwing them, which I'm not, it would be none of your goddamn business! You may think that you own people here, but you certainly don't own me' I said angrily.
I sighed, calming myself down and knowing we weren't getting anywhere.
'Admit it, you're jealous. You have feelings for me and it scares you because you're scared of losing someone again' I said seriously as I stepped closer.
He was frustrated but came closer until there was no gap between us, 'be my wife' he said softly into my ear.
I looked up at him in confusion, 'what?' I said angrily.
'I can't stand the thought of you with anyone else' he said softly.
There it was. The words that changed everything.
'You want me to be like them?! To sit in that room all day and wait to see which one of us you fancy fucking like some goddamn harem?!' I yelled tearfully.
He just looked into my eyes registering my sadness as I pushed him away defensively, feeling that he was peering into my soul.
'I've told you before, I don't want luxury and comfort. I want to be free, go on runs if I want and most importantly, be with a guy who doesn't fuck other women! If you honestly think that that would be something that I would ever want then...I guess we are different' I said sternly.
He looked down before trying to come closer before I stopped him, 'look darlin, I want you. But I'm not gonna give up my wives, even for you' he said sternly.
I smirked sadly, 'I wouldn't expect you to. So we'll just have to see which one of us gives in first'.
He started to smirk, 'Trust me doll, you'll be practically begging me soon enough'.
I chuckled 'yeah, well you'll be waiting a while then'.
Suddenly, a walker broke through a boarded up window, halting our argument as we sprung into action.
Negan looked at me thinking exactly what I was thinking.
I stuck my knife in its head while Negan pulled its body through into the room.
He used Lucille to smash it open and got down onto the floor saying 'fucking sucks, but looks like we gotta risk eating it by eating it'.
I stood over him, 'I don't understand' I said confusedly.
He squashed the body more before saying 'you never done this trick with the guts before?'.
I just nodded and said 'Uh huh'.
'These are putrid decaying organs, dead blood, piss and shit that had been cooking all day in the Virginian sun' he said sighing with a smirk.
'None of your people ever gotten sick from this?' he asked while digging out the guts.
'We're from Georgia' I said while kneeling down and started covering myself in guts.
'Aha! you lucky shits' he scoffed while he also started covering himself in guts.
We both just looked at each other in disgust, the smell was horrific but I couldn't help but smile at the fact that I knew he hated ruining his leather jacket.
'Well looks like my people aren't coming, so, let's make some noise' he said annoyed not wanting to stay here with me any longer.
He whacked Lucille against the office door while we both yelled at the top of our voices.
Negan opened the door and we both stood there in silence as they flooded into the room.
Negan walked out first, bat in hand and it was working. We moved through the crowd of walkers, none of them bothered by us until I tripped over a walker lying on the ground.
As I fell, I saw it snapping its jaws at me which triggered others to come after me.
I rose to my feet just as a walker tried to grab onto me, Negan turned around and whacked it across its head.
This triggered more of them to turn to us, one tried to grab onto Negan when I shot it in the head, sending it tumbling down.
We carried on moving swiftly, Negan using Lucille to shove them away as I shot others who came around us.
Suddenly, Negan virtually battery rammed a walker into a wall outside the building, cracking its head open and clearing my path.
They had started to crowd around me, encircling me further when he reached his hand out as he did when we first met and pulled me from out of their grasp, intertwining our fingers with each others.
Through the gate and shutting it swiftly behind us, we had made it. We had survived together. We walked for miles, both of us exhausted and even though we didn't need to hold hands any longer, we did so.
It just felt right being with him. So we walked, side by side, hands interlocked in each other's all the way back to the Sanctuary. We were still in a fight but that wasn't on our minds right now.
When we eventually got back, we were met with complete commotion in the hallway.
Simon and Arat were yelling at people to stay calm and ensured them that they would try and rescue Negan when they could. Nothing about me. What assholes.
We could hear Simon ranting about how even if Negan was gone, he would take his place and run the Sanctuary now. Negan's smirk turned into a scowl as we walked around the corner.
We heard Regina and a gunshot, someone had asked 'where is Negan?!' and she shot them saying 'I am Negan!'.
Screaming and commotion ensued until Negan started to whistle.
As we appeared in front of them, Simon was wide eyed and everyone was shocked, all of them falling to their knees.
Negan chuckled, 'Ah Regina! Now why d'ya have to go and do that. I am guessing that a lot of you fine folks thought I was dead, chewed up never to be crapped out again. Well, here's a little refresher on who the hell I am, I wear a leather jacket, I have Lucille and my nut sack is made of steel. I am not dying until I am damn good and ready!'.
He turned to look at me briefly before saying 'now, if you'll all excuse me I am in deep need of a sandwich, a shower and some of that ah wilting lion orchid deep tissue shit that Frankie learned in San Francisco. Hell, I might do it all at once'.
He was punishing me, psychological warfare just took on a whole new meaning. Talking about Frankie, one of his wives. Knowing that she would be touching him, rubbing him.
Stop thinking about it, I told myself.
I snapped out of fixating on my jealousy and returned to what Negan was saying.
He looked at me again briefly, smirking at the effect his words had had on me.
'But after that, we got some serious business to attend to, like talking to my right hand man. You see, we gotta figure out how all this could happen, like it happened, and then, then we're gonna get back to what we're doin' what we have always done...we will save people!'.
Negan turned to walk away just as a woman shouted 'thank you Negan! Thank God for you!'.
He smiled, turning back around to me 'and that is why I am here' he said quietly.
He looked at his guys, 'Gentlemen, gently escort Molly to her room. Gently' he said warningly.
They came up either side of me and said 'this way please', one walking in front and one behind all the way to my room.
A freaking escort, what was I gonna do? Run?
I couldn't sleep that night, all I could think of was Frankie's hands all over Negan. Goddamnit. She probably slept with him after.
I was pissed and I couldn't be, that was the worst feeling.
Well, two can play at that game. I smirked, closing my eyes ready to sleep.
A plan already hatching in my mind that would destroy him.