#ch: siddiq

[bamby0304]

Victoria Grimes VIII: War

Ch.11: It Happened...

Series Masterlist

Summary: Daryl and Victoria have worked through her mistakes made at the Sanctuary and have decided to keep the truth between themselves. But with the war between their communities and the Saviours brewing, their bond will be tested all over again. Lies, death and the threat of defeat are coming for Vickie… will she be strong enough to come through in one piece?

Warnings: Angst. Slight violence.

A/N: I'm giving two chapters because this one follows the show really closely... and I got a really nice review on AO3 that made me want to post :)

Bamby

RPOV

We buried Carl. In the empty lot beside our home. We buried Carl.

I’d never felt a pain like this before. Never felt this kind of loss. I’d almost lost myself after losing Lori… this felt worse.

Things wouldn’t stop, though. There was no time to grieve. No time to mourn. Not yet. Not when we’d declared war and the Saviours were out there. Carl had to wait… the rest of my family, my people, they could not.

“Hey.” Michonne came to rest a hand on my shoulder as I packed a bag full of as much food as I could. “We got to go.”

Nodding, understanding that our town, our home, was beginning to be overrun by the dead, I grabbed the bag and followed her outside and onto the street. We’d found a van that hadn’t been taken or destroyed, and packed it with as many supplies as we could. Throwing my bag in the back of it, I noticed Michonne staring at something in the distance.

It was a gazebo. A small little outdoor sitting area. One I’d seen Carl by many times before.

It was on fire.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “He used to sit on the roof.”

“We have to go,” I reminded her, hating that we really had to choose right now.

There was only slight hesitation before she ducked into the van, pulled out the fire extinguisher, and then ran to the gazebo.

Not wasting any time myself, knowing she was going to need help, I grabbed the other fire extinguisher and hurried after her. This was important to her, and therefore it was important to me. The hell we’d found ourselves did not mean we were going to lose everything. I wasn’t going to lose all of my son.

The fire extinguishers weren’t going to be enough to fight the flames, though. Before long, the fire grew, and walkers began to crowd us.

“Michonne!” I called out, warning her that one was getting far too close. “Michonne.”

Knowing we were fighting a losing battle, the two of us cut down the walkers in our way before making a break for it. Jumping into the van, we drove off, out the gates of Alexandria.

Our home. I’d wanted to start this fight with the Saviours to save what we’d had. I knew we were going to lose people and things on the way. I never imagined we’d lose as much as we had.

Carl had, though. He’d told me on the road after I shot in the air to scar Siddiq away at the gas station. He’d known things were only going to get worse.

“What do you think he meant?” I looked over at Michonne briefly before turning back to the road as I drove down it. Now that I was thinking about Carl I couldn’t stop. “Did he want us to stop fighting the Saviours? Just surrender to Negan?’

“We could pull over,” she suggested. “We could read what he wrote.”

I started shaking my head in response before she’d even finished. “No. Not yet. Not me.”

There was a pause as she looked at the letter in her lap before she froze. “Rick. He- Carl- he wrote a letter to Negan.”

My grip on the steering wheel tightened. I wasn’t sure what he might’ve written to Negan. I wasn’t sure if he was going to try and tell him the same thing he’d said to me. Maybe he wanted the Saviours to stop, too? No matter what he’d written, I wasn’t ready to read that, either.

“I need to talk to Jadis.”

“What?”

I nodded, seeing a new path form in my mind that could help us and our people. “They have weapons… people. We can't just give that up.”

“Why now?”

“They went with me to the Sanctuary. The Saviours saw us there. They're gonna be a target, too. We still need them. They're ours, not theirs.”

NPOV

“Hilltop is covered,” I assured Arat over the walkie.

I’d tasked her and a few others to find Rick’s people. There was no way I was letting them sneak away like they thought they had. We’d find them, and then there’d be hell to pay.

“The roads and then some. They are out there somewhere, so let's get balls deep in every nook and cranny they might hole up in.” The door opened as Simon stepped in. I lifted a hand to tell him to come in and stay quiet while I finished up on the walkie. “Nooks, crannies, and holes, people. All that shit outside the box.” Tossing the walkie onto the table, I turned to Simon as he paced at the other end. “Appears our friends at Alexandria had themselves an escape plan. Rick's little one-eyed pride and joy played me.” I scoffed, shaking my head, impressed. “Damn. That kid… that kid is built for this shit.”

He was something else. Both Grimes kids were. The way they fit in the world today was like nothing I’d ever seen. He was ruthless, smart, always thinking outside the box. She was just like him, but damaged. It gave them character. Made them useful. Made them lucky.

I knew when people were worth saving, and those two were it. Sure, I would still kill the people they loved to teach a lesson, but they had a get out of jail free card. I could use them, and I planned to do just that.

“Let me go out and close this thing,” he offered.

“Arat's got it for now.” He was tense, I could see it. Antsy. He wanted to be out there, doing something, but Simon was a loose cannon sometimes. I needed to keep him on a short leash. “How'd the Hilltop go?”

“As requested.”

“Good job.” I nodded. “With an extra attaboy on top given I know you didn't want to play it that way.”

Ignoring my comment, he went on, “You hear anything from Gavin?”

“Not yet. But it's coming. Gavin may be perpetually pissed off, but he keeps his shit dry and tight.”

He paced, hands on his hips. It was amusing seeing him so frustrated and agitated. “If I'm not running down Rick and company, where do you want me?”

Gesturing to the seat on my right, I waited for him to take a seat. “Garbage people.”

“Good. Eliminating those who reneged might leave us a tad short on ammo, but it's worth it.”

My jaw ticked as I clenched it, pissed that he still didn’t get the big picture. “I need you to hear me on this, Simon. Those piss-stained double-crossers may have pulled a triple-cross, but it doesn't change the fact that they are still a resource. So you're gonna choke back whatever shit is stirring up inside you and remind them that a deal with the Saviours is a lock, stock, suck my barrel deal. Deliver the standard message, take one out, and the rest will fall in line.” I gave him a pointed look. “Just one, Simon.”

He did not like the plan, and I’d expected just that. He was bloodthirsty. Always had been, and I had come to the realisation that he always would be. That didn’t mean I couldn’t trust him, it just meant I had to be very clear.

“If you've got something to say, say it,” I told him, giving him the metaphorical mic.

“Maybe we should cut our losses here,” he suggested tightly. “These people can't learn the lesson, no matter how many times we teach it. Alexandria, Hilltop, Kingdom, these garbage rats they're not seeming to understand the situation. Not one little bit. So maybe we learn our lesson. Scrape the plates into the trash. Move further out. Find other communities to… save.”

Again, I clenched my jaw as I watched him carefully. “Oh, I am doing my best to hold it together right now. You wanna cut your losses, take your own advice. Killing everybody to solve the problem that is the easy way, not our way. What we do, saving people, it is hard. But it damn well works.”

“Not lately,” he argued.

“Once I clip Rick,” I grinned, “everything's aces again, Simon.”

I believed in the plan, and I knew most of my people did, too. Rick was leading the war on me and the Saviours. He was the one taking charge, making decisions, calling out orders. Killing him would show the others that there was no hope, no reason, no winning. Killing Rick would show them that we were untouchable.

A knock on the door pulled our attention to it.

“Yeah?” I called.

Gary walked in, carrying a nail gun as he waited for two more men. They were carrying a large box, and by the sounds of it… there was a walker inside.

Simon and I stood as they placed the box on the table and then stepped back.

Eyeing the box, I stepped up to Gary. “What the hell is that?”

“A delivery from the Hilltop,” he explained. “I brought you something to deal with it.” He handed the nail gun over. “It's charged.”

“Out,” I ordered.

Once the door was closed Simon stepped up to the other end, a knife now in hand, before he began to pry the lid off the box.

“Little bit more.”

Doing as I said, he lifted the lid a bit more. The walker reached out and grabbed for me, but I simply pressed the nail gun to its head and pulled the trigger.

Simon got a good look at the walker then, and he was pissed. “That's Dean. That means the other ‘38’ that the Hilltop are holding are from the Satellite Outpost. Those are my people. I'm gonna kill every last one of those farmers!”

I tried to remain calm as I reminded him, “You will do exactly what I asked.”

“We can't let 'em get away with this shit.”

Having had enough of his bullshit, I snapped, “You will do your job!”

With a tight nod, he stormed out of the room. I had no doubt, despite how much he clearly hated the plan, he would do as he was told.

DPOV

We were hiding under a bridge, all of Alexandria hiding in the bushes and long grass. I’d taken the lead, knowing the rest of us who could do the job on a normal day weren’t up for it now.

Saviours were above us, listening to a message being sent on their walkies. They’d been up there for a while, unknowingly keeping us from continuing on our trek to Hilltop.

“Patrols, we got an Orange Situation. Dr. Carson and the priest. Might've split overnight, maybe this morning. Jeremy's green sedan is MIA, so could be in that. Go for standard search and cover in our perimeter around Hilltop. Eyeballs open.”

“Patrol Four copies,” one of the Saviours above responded to the message.

“C'mon, let's hurry it up,” another called to their group before the sound of them pilling into the car was followed by the sound of them driving off.

Once I was sure the coast was clear, I gestured for the others to come out of hiding.

“Best to stay off the roads, head into the woods right there,” I told them. “Come on. Go. Go.”

They all followed my orders, keeping low and sticking to bushes as they did so. The large group slipped into the tree line without a word.

Not even Vic made a sound.

She wasn’t speaking. She wasn’t even looking at anyone, or anything really. I could imagine the pain she was in. I’d lost my brother. I’d lost Merle. But Carl was different.

Carl had been a good man. He had been a good son and brother. He’d been a rock for Vic their whole lives. Those two… there was a bond between them that I hadn’t understood in the beginning, had then grown to envy, and then had become grateful for it. I’d always known that if I couldn’t be there for her, Carl would always be by his sister’s side.

Vic had been through so much already. She’d lost so much. Her home, her friends, her safety, ever herself sometimes. She’d lost her mum, and she’d lost this family she’d built several times over the years. Losing her brother was going to hurt her like nothing else had. It could break her, and that scared me.

“Daddy.” Aly came over to grab my hand, pulling my attention from her mother as we walked at the back of the group, watching everyone as we made our way through the woods. “Are Pop and Michonne going to meet us at Hilltop?”

When things got bad, Aly tended to refer to loved ones as their title rather than their names. Hearing her call Rick Pop made it clear that she was scared and hurting, which broke my heart.

I couldn’t show it, though. I had to be strong for her.

“They’re just gonna be a little behind us.” I nodded at her. “They’re just gonna make sure Carl is-” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence. I didn’t know how to tell her what they were going to do without making it sound terrible.

“They’re gonna make sure he’s not hurting anymore,” she finished for me.

Looking back down at her, I met her gaze and had the wind knocked out of my lungs. She looked so mature and grownup. She understood what needed to be done, and she understood that I couldn’t say the words to her.

I nodded. “Yeah. They’re gonna make sure he ain’t hurtin’.”

The sound of a walker had our group scurrying away as it came out from some bushes. The children gathered behind adults, keeping safe. Others lifted the few weapons we had to defend themselves and those who couldn’t fight.

“I got it.” Tara stepped forward, pulling her knife out as she moved to deal with it.

“I'll cover you,” Dwight offered.

Instead of killing the walker, though, Tara threw it at Dwight.

“Tara!” Rosita yelled.

She shrugged. “What? It got away. He can handle it.” She watched as Dwight struggled to throw the walker to the ground before he stomped on its head, killing it. “See?”

“Hey. Just keep 'em moving,” I told all of them, gesturing forward.

Once again, they all listened as they continued walking.

Rosita turned to me once the others- including Aly- were far enough away that they couldn’t hear us. “Did you hear them talking on the walkie about Carson and Gabriel?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Probably heading to Hilltop, same as us.”

“Hopefully better than us,” she sighed.

The two of us started for the others then, making sure to catch up quickly. I couldn’t trust Tara wasn’t going to put her need for revenge before the needs of the others. No one else in the group could protect them, not in the state they were in. Not even Vickie.

Rosita and I needed to stay close if we were all going to make it to Hilltop together and in one piece.

RPOV

Michonne and I had walked through the unmanned doors to the place Jadis and her people call home. Honestly it was a dump, but it was theirs and they had it the way they wanted. There was no point in commenting, not when we had so much at risk, and they could be what helps us win this war.

Unfortunately, that assumption seemed to be wrong.

As we walked into the main, first, open area, junk from above the sea container that served as the entrance collapsed. The way out was blocked.

It was a trap.

The sound attracted dozens of walkers as they appeared to come from every way.

“Dammit.” I moved to get back-to-back with Michonne as we tried to find somewhere safe.

“Come on!” Grabbing my arm, she pulled me over to a mountain of garbage.

We fought our way through the crowd of walkers, pushing and killing anything that got in our way. When we reached the mountain, we started to climb, pulling things out of our way, and towards the walkers, so we could climb further, and they couldn’t follow.

As we made it to the top of the mountain, we looked down at the scrambling walkers. It was then that I realised they were all of the garbage people. There wasn’t a single stray walker down there. This wasn’t an accident. They’d been killed.

“Rick.”

Michonne and I turned and found Jadis sitting on the top of the mountain, stripped of her usual clothes and left in a dirty, flimsy, white night dress. Her feet were bare, her skin was dirty and sweaty. She looked nothing like the usual put together person we’d come to know as the look of her and her people. She looked a mess, frantic, and desperate.

“What happened here?” Michonne asked.

“The Saviours.”

It was pay back. I didn’t need to be told that to know what it was. They’d seen her and her people with me. They’d shot at us. Breaking a deal with the Saviours is a death sentence unless you’re prepared to fight. They were clearly unprepared.

Michonne didn’t make a comment or ask anymore questions about what had happened. There was only one thing that mattered now. “Well, how do we get out?”

The answer was simple. “Get out how you got in.”

We were going to have to fight through the walkers and dig through the junk in order to get out of here.

“These weren't heaps before,” Jadis went on. “It was just trash laid out, as far as the eye could see. I used to come here to find things to paint on. Metal sheets. Fabrics. And then after everything changed, I realised this whole place was a canvas. That we were the paint. We could create something new. We could become something new. We did. This was our world. Apart from everyone else. In every way.”

All her words meant nothing to me. She had double crossed us, caused the death of people, shot me, locked me up, screwed us over, and over, and over. If they had kept their word in the first place, then none of this would have happened. Our people would be safe and alive, and so would hers.

“You did this. This is because of you.” Turning my back on her, I grabbed a broken car door from the pile of crap.

Michonne watched as I bent the exterior detailing, so it stuck out. “What are you doing?”

“We're gonna run for it,” I explained, holding the door in front of me so that the bent handle could be used against the walkers.

Jadis stood, grabbing a broken chair to hold in front of herself. “Let me come with you. Just until they're gone.”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “Nah. I'm done with her games. She can't help us, anyway.” Turning my back on Jadis, I looked over at Michonne. “Come on.”

We started our decent then, heading down to the walkers as they continued to try and grab at us, and climb the mountain of trash. Using the door, I pushed back the walkers in front of us, while Michonne had her sword out, killing anything that reached for us from behind.

Getting closer to the exit, I held the door with one hand and pulled out my gun with the other to shoot a few of the walkers getting closer.

Michonne used her sword, covering the back of us as I cleared a path. Once we were close enough to the exit, I dropped the car door and started pulling things out of our way. Michonne was still behind, taking my hand once I offered it to help her into the shipping container that used to be the way into this community.

But the community was gone now. Now it was just a pile or rubbish and rubble, like it was intended to be.

“Wait!”

Just as I was about to leave, Jadis called out. I stopped and turned. She was no longer on the mountain of trash, now. She stood on the dirt, holding the broken chair she’d grabbed.

“Wait! Please!” she begged. “Just- just let me get out!”

I lifted my gun and aimed it at her, before directing it to the sky and taking a shot. The walkers descended on her then.

Whether she survived or not I didn’t know, and I didn’t care.

If she had kept her word in the first place, then none of this would have happened. Our people would be safe and alive. Carl would be safe and alive.

Bamby

[undauntic]

&& unheald // rosita.​

Corners of lips began to pull upwards at SWEET words — Siddiq is such a gentle soul and there’s not many like him left in the world. RARE to find and at risk of easily being snuffed out — but he’s still here. No one in this world has made it this far without both seeing and doing unspeakable things, but Siddiq is still good. It doesn’t seem to have tainted or tarnished him. There was something about that Rosita liked, something she ADMIRED. She wasn’t the same. She had let the world get to her, though she knew it hadn’t beaten her. That was one thing she was certain of, she knew that she was capable, knew that she could handle herself.

“ Yeah? ” Head tilted with her question. Perhaps she was admittedly indulging herself. But whatever this was — she liked it. She appreciated how kind he was, how GENTLE. Rosita was more used to the rougher side of things, Siddiq was a welcome change. “ Why don’t you tell me more? ”

To say that he loves her? That plays out clearly in his eyes, in the tone of his voice. How he regards her with nothing short of affection and adoration each time he peers into her eyes. One glance at him when her back’s turned and that same adoration is tripled when she isn’t looking. She’s his world and he’s content with that. What started out as two friends blowing off steam grew into something deep. They’re there for each other. They care for each other. There’s nothing in this world he wouldn’t do to keep her safe. To make sure she knows she’s cared for and loved. And he knows she’d do the same for him. Nothing would be the same without her in his life. So, when he lets go a little bubble of his thoughts--about when he knew she was someone he wanted to let in? Closer than he’s let anyone in years? He simply let the words go rather than hold them back..

Her reaction is uniquely her. A smile eases onto his expression and he scoots in and places one hand on either side of her shoulders, bracing himself against the back of the sofa they’ve been sitting on watching the fire dance inside the fireplace. Squinting as if he’s got to strain to find the words, he grins as shoulders hitch the best they can. “Must’ve been your charm. Either that. Or how good you are with a gun? Sort of feel like I’ve got my own army when you’re around. Kind of hard to pick between the incredibly sweet person I get to see behind closed doors or the bad ass everyone else gets to see. I mean.. They’re both pretty great..”

[memoryhallowed]

“i know you think you have to get through this by yourself, but you have people here to help you.” || @healsiick​

Aaron gave a watery laugh, head dropping as he sniffed, wiping at his eye with one hand. “Sorry, I -” he shook his head. It’d been a week since he’d been cleared to be at home again, his stump well on its way to healing, and he’d thought - he’d thought he’d be able to jump right back in like nothing had happened. But it was hard, relearning how to do everything one-handed and having a toddler running around didn’t make anything easier. And then there was just - Eric. Some days he would start to say something and realize halfway through that he’d been talking to Eric, but Eric wasn’t here. He wasn’t here and he wasn’t coming back and this was so hard - the grief and raising a kid and now he was down an arm.

But everyone else had more than enough to deal with - Rick’s death, no one was coping well. “I know,” he managed, swallowing hard as he looked over at Siddiq. “I just - I need to be able to do this.” He had promised Gracie when he’d brought her home that he’d be there for her - always, that he’d do everything he could to raise her right.

[baabulilm]

MeriTs of Hadhrat UMAR(Radiyallahu Anhu)

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

Hadrat Umar ibn al-Khattab ibn Nufayl ibn `Abd al-`Uzza ibn Rayyah, Shaykh al-Islam, Amir al-Mu’minin, Abu Hafs al-Qurashi al-`Adawi al-Faruq (Year of passing away. 23 AH) -  Among the Companions who narrated from him: Hadrat `Ali, Ibn Mas`ud, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Hurayra, and especially his son Ibn `Umar(RA) upon whose narrations Malik relied in his Muwatta’. He was described as fair-skinned with some reddishness, tall with a large build, fast-paced, and a skilled fighter and horseman. He embraced Islam after having fought it, in the year 6 of the Prophethood, at age twenty-seven. This was the result of the Prophet(peace be upon him)’s explicit supplication: "O Allah! Strengthen Islam with `Umar ibn al-Khattab." In his time Islam entered Egypt, Syria, Sijistan, Persia, and other regions. He passed away as a martyr, stabbed in the back while at prayer by a Sabean or Zoroastrian slave, at sixty-six years of age.

Hadrat `Umar al-Faruq(RA) was second only to Hadrat Abu Bakr al-Siddiq(RA) in closeness to and approval from the Prophet(peace be upon him).Hadrat `Umar(RA) was given the gift of true inspiration which is the characteristic of Allah’s Friends named kashf or unveiling.He was unique in his power of separating truth from falsehood and the Prophet conferred on him the title of al-Fârûq.

Some narrations about his excellent merits are being narrated below.

Hadith #1 

According to Hadrat Abu Hurayra(RA), Allah's Messenger(peace be upon him) said : "In the communities that preceded you there were people Allah would pour things into their hearts(i.e. they would become conscious of things spiritually). And if there is one in my community , it is Umar!"►{al-Bukhari in al-Sahih;Kitab Fadail al-Sahaba, Ch. Virtues of Hadrat Umar(RA), Hadith #3486;Sahih Muslim , Fadail al-Sahaba Hadith #2398;al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan Hadith #3693;Ahmad ibn Hambal in al-Musnad Hadith #24330;al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak Hadith #4499}

Hadith #2

According to Ibn Umar(Radiyallahu Anhu), Allah's Messenger(peace be upon him) said , "Allah has placed the truth on the tongue of Umar and in his heart."

Ibn Umar(Radiyallahu Anhu) also said:"Whenever some problem raised its head and the people gave their opinion about that and Umar or Ibn al-Khattab also spoke about it,the Qur'an(in that matter) was revealed congruous to what Umar opined." ►{al-Sunan Al-Tirmidhi,Kitab al-Manaqib,Chapter on virtues of Hadrat Umar(RA), Hadith #3682;Sunan Abu Dawud al-Kharaj wa al-Imara wa al-Fay,Hadith #2961;Ibn Majah in Al-Sunan,chapter on excellent merits of Companions,Hadith #108;Al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra Hadith #12503}



Hadith #3

According to Hadrat Aisha(Radiyallahu Anhu), Allah's Messenger(peace be upon him) said , " I see that the satans of humankind and the Jinn have fled from Umar(in fear)!" In one report: "He said:" 'Satan is surely afraid of you, O Umar!'"►{al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan,Kitab al-Manaqib,Chapter on virtues of Hadrat Umar(RA), Hadith #3691;al-Nasai in al-Sunan al-Kubra Hadith#5957; Imam Ahmed b. Hambal in al-Musnad Hadith #23039;al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra 10/77;Ibn Hibban in al-Sahih Hadith #4386}

Hadith #4  

According to Hadrat Anas Bin Malik(Radiyallahu Anhu): "The Prophet(peace be upon him) ascended Uhud, and so did Hadrat Abu Bakr,Umar and Uthman(RA). (Overjoyed) it started swinging (on their arrival), so he said : "Stay firm,Uhud, for you have on you a Prophet, a champion of the truth and two martyrs!" ►{al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, Fadail al-Sahaba, 3/1344 Hadith #3472;al-Tirmidhi in al-sunan,Kitab al-Manaqib , Hadith #3697,Sunan Abu Dawud Kitab As-Sunna, Ch. concerning the Caliphs Hadith #8135;Ahmad b. Hanbal in al-Musnad Hadith #22862}

Hadith #5

According to Hadrat Abu Said al-Khudri(RA) : Allah's Messenger(peace be upon him) said: "No Prophet is without two viziers among the people of heaven and two viziers among the people of the earth.As for my two viziers among the people of Heaven,they are Gabriel and Michael, and as for my two viziers among the people of earth, they are Abu Bakr and Umar!"►{al-Tirmidhi in al-sunan,Kitab al-Manaqib , Hadith #3680;al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak Hadith #3047;al-Daylami in al-Firdaws Hadith #7111}

Hadith #6

Allah's Messenger(peace be upon him) saw Hadrat Abu Bakr and Umar(RA), so he said:"These two are (for me) the hearing and the eyesight."►{al-Sunan al-Tirmidhi,Kitab al-Manaqib,Chapter concerning the virtues of Hadrat Abu Bakr and Umar(RA), Hadith #3671}

[write-havoc]

This Is How I Disappear Ch. 52

Summary: A girl named Chuck finds herself in the exact place she doesn't want to be, living with violent men in a desolate nursing home. After her former gym teacher finds her, will he be the savior she was looking for?

Fandom: The Walking Dead AU

Pairing: Negan/Original Female Character

Status: Ongoing

Contains: swearing, violence, sexual assault, blood, smut

Intended for readers 18+ of age only

Masterlist

——— Negan’s POV ———

I have no fuckin’ idea why Eldritch’s men hauled ass out of his compound yesterday. We stayed up all fuckin’ night ready for an attack from them, but nothing ever happened. I even warned Hilltop and Alexandria to be on the fuckin’ lookout, but they didn’t see shit. I also radioed my guys watching Eldritch’s compound to see if they started to move the fuckin’ biters, because I do not want a fuckin’ surprise herd on my goddamn doorstep again. But the dead never fuckin’ moved. So I’m fuckin’ stumped about it.

Something got them all riled up, but fuck if I know what. I can only hope that it doesn’t mean bad fuckin’ news for Chuck.

As it is right now, I’m on the fuckin’ road with my usual guys to pick up my picture. But I’m taking extra precautions. Namely, I’ve loaded the fuckin’ car with extra guns. Well, maybe it’s not just for precaution sake... I know it’s fuckin’ dumb, but part of me is itching for a fight. All this shit is fuckin’ getting to me and I’m like a goddamn powder keg ready to blow. I don’t know how much fuckin’ longer I can keep playing nice with Eldritch. I’m doing it to keep Chuck safe, I keep telling myself that, but my nerves are fuckin’ fried. Not to mention that I feel like a goddamn pussy for not busting that fucker’s head in every goddamn chance I get.

If I get another picture like the last one, I’m gonna fuckin’ kill every motherfucker at that fort. I know it. I can’t take seeing fucking Eldritch with his hand on my girl. And I can’t take seeing her look like she just got fucking hurt.

“Maybe there was some sort of emergency,” Arat breaks me out of my thoughts from her seat in the back. “Maybe Eldritch has guys posted away from his compound that were in trouble and that’s why all his guys left yesterday.”

I shake my head. I don’t think that’s what it was. If Eldritch wanted to have guys outside his compound, they would’ve occupied my fuckin’ empty outposts. But they’re still fuckin’ empty. He hasn’t done shit with them.

One of the other guys in the back throws his two cents in. “Nah. He’s gearing up for something.”

That sounds more goddamn likely. Just as I turn my body to address the guys in the back, I see a fuckin’ car headed straight fuckin’ for us coming from a side street. I don’t even get a chance to say a goddamn thing before the car t-bones us on the back driver’s side. Dwight overcorrects which causes us to fuckin’ veer to the left and flip. I’m not sure how many times we go ass over end, but we end up on our fuckin’ roof.

It takes a few seconds before I realize what’s going on after we stop moving. I groan in fuckin’ pain and look around. Me, Dwight, and Arat are all hanging upside down by our seatbelts. My other two guys weren’t so lucky. One isn’t even in the car anymore. I guess he got thrown out of one of the broken windows. And the other is so fuckin’ mangled that I know he’s fuckin’ dead.

In my periphery, I see movement outside of my window. Some guys are coming toward us, but I can’t really see who it is. Though I have a fuckin’ feeling. And my feeling proves fuckin’ correct when I hear a voice.

“You still alive in there, Negan?” Eldritch fuckin’ yells in a teasing voice.

Arat groans behind me and unlatches her seatbelt, sending her to the floor with a thud. Well, the roof , I guess.

“Can you fight?” I ask her quietly, still upside down myself. I can’t get my hand to the goddamn button on the seatbelt to let me out.

“Yeah,” she whispers back.

I can hear her moving around, no doubt looking for a fuckin’ gun.

Eldritch’s voice calls out again. “If you’re not dead already, I’m gonna fucking kill you, Negan. You know that?” He’s not messing around anymore. He’s not trying to do that calm, smug shit he always does. Now he just sounds fuckin’ unhinged. “And you better believe that I will make damn sure that it’ll be after I kill all the rest of your people and burn that ugly fucking factory to the ground.” He laughs like a fuckin’ crazy person. “And I will make you watch , Negan. Watch your people die . Watch your home crumble . And watch as I make that sweet girl of yours mine .”

Gunshots ring out and some of Eldritch’s fuckin’ men fall to the ground. Arat was always a good fuckin’ shot. And she keeps shooting, making Eldritch and his men still standing scramble behind their car. The car that’s not totaled on the side of the road, that is.

“They got weapons in the back!” someone calls out.

“Not a man of your word, Negan!” Eldritch screams in a fuckin’ rage.

Then, fuckin’ bullets start to hit our car.

“Fuck!” I’m a sitting fuckin’ duck like this. I somehow get my knife out of the sheath and cut my seatbelt off, making me fall like a sack of fuckin’ potatoes onto my shoulders. I land on something and realize that it’s a fuckin’ rifle that must’ve come loose out of one of the hiding places in the crash. I get into position on my belly, sorta, and join Arat to shoot out of my broken fuckin’ window at Eldritch and his men.

It doesn’t fuckin’ look like Eldritch has a lot of guys with him. And they’re shooting fuckin’ blind. Obviously they’re not as well trained as my saviors.

I send a bullet right into one of their foreheads about the same time that Arat drops one with a shot to the heart. Eldritch is losing men fuckin’ quick. I guess he fuckin’ recognizes his predicament, because he and the rest of his guys get into his Escalade and speed off.

“Mother fuck !” I growl out. My adrenaline is still pumping, so I’m not feeling much pain, yet. But I suspect I’m gonna have some fuckin’ injuries.

Arat shimmies out of her window and comes over to mine to help me get the fuck out. “You okay, sir?” she asks as she pulls me by the arm.

I crawl out then bend back down to get Lucille before I answer. “I’ll live.”

We both round the car to see about Dwight. He’s out fuckin’ cold, which isn’t a good sign, so Arat kneels down to check for a pulse.

She looks up at me. “He’s alive.” She turns back to him. “Dwight. Dwight, wake up.” She pats him on the face, but he doesn’t wake up.

“Let’s get him out.” I hold onto Dwight as Arat crawls in the passenger’s side to cut away his seatbelt. I feel his weight fall into my arms and awkwardly pull him out of the car. Before I get him back on the ground, he starts to groan. The movement must’ve finally fuckin’ woke him up.

“Come on, Dwight,” Arat says, coming back over to help me set him gently on the road. “Wake up.”

“Ung.” Dwight starts to open his eyes and looks around randomly. “Shit,” he croaks.

“You gonna live?” I ask when his eyes finally focus on me.

“Ugh. My fuckin’ ribs hurt,” he rasps. “And my shoulder.”

I pull his shirt up to inspect his fuckin’ torso. He has an angry bruise forming across his chest from the seatbelt. Probably has a broken collarbone and busted ribs. Hopefully no internal bleeding, but there’s no way for us to fuckin’ know that yet.

“You’ll live,” I say to him, sounding more confident than I am.

Arat looks relieved. “I’m gonna check that other car.” She walks away toward the car that hit us that’s now crashed into the guide rail.

“You gonna be able to walk?” I ask Dwight. “Cuz we gotta get the fuck outta here.”

He starts to get up, so I help him. “I can walk,” he answers.

Arat comes back over to us. “Car’s fucked. And two of Eldritch’s guys are dead in the front.”

“Dumbasses,” I mutter then scrub my hand down my beard. “Alexandria’s a few miles away. Guess we’re hoofing it there.”

We empty our car of weapons and start walking, but it’s fuckin’ slow. I end up having to practically carry Dwight most of the way, with Arat carrying the duffle with the guns behind us.

“Why’d he attack?” Dwight asks from beside me. “I thought he wanted tribute.”

“I have no fuckin’ idea.” I answer.

Arat suggests, “You think he found out we kept the weapons from him and was pissed?”

“It didn’t fuckin’ seem like he knew we’d be fighting back.” I let out a sigh. “We’re probably gonna find out pretty fuckin’ soon what all that was about. I’m fuckin’ guessing this was just the goddamn beginning.”

We finally walk up the road to Alexandria’s gate. It opens before we even get there with Rick and Daryl walking out at first, then rushing over to us when they see we’re fucked up.

“What happened?” Rick asks as Daryl takes Dwight from me. And I let him. I’m starting to feel that fuckin’ car crash now.

“Eldritch fuckin’ ambushed us on the way to the goddamn meet. T-boned us on the road.” I bring my arm not holding Lucille around my waist when I get a fuckin’ twinge of pain from my ribs.

Rick puts his arm around me and under my other arm to help lead me through the gate. “You okay?”

“I’ll fuckin’ live. I always do.”

“We have a doctor now,” Rick starts. “Well, he was a resident before the turn, but he’s more of a medical doctor than Denise. Me and Carl found him a few days ago. His name’s Siddiq. He can look you guys over.”

“Get Dwight to him,” I reply. “I need to get on the radio to call The Sanctuary.”

“Let Siddiq check you out,” Rick pleads a little. “You’re moving pretty slow.”

“I had to carry Dwight’s ass for two miles. I’m just a little fuckin’ tired.” I push away from Rick, but I immediately regret it. I don’t think my ribs are broken, but they sure as fuck are bruised. Maybe cracked. Not that I’m gonna tell Rick any of that.

“Look, Negan.” Rick clears his throat. “The Sanctuary radioed in a few hours ago. They said Eldritch’s people tried to come in, but they fought them off.”

“What?!” I yell.

Goddamn it! Eldritch must’ve had guys attack The Sanctuary after I got out of radio range! Then fuckin’ attacked me, too!

I turn my head to glare at Rick. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me that in the first place?!” I trudge along as fast as I fuckin’ can to get to their radio, but I’m in fuckin’ pain so it’s slow. Rick follows me the whole time, like he thinks I’m gonna fuckin’ fall over and die any second.

“Negan,” he starts again, “they said they fought them off. You really should just sit down for a minute.”

I fuckin’ ignore him and get on the radio to call out to my fuckin’ home.

Laura answers. “ Negan? You’re at Alexandria? ”

“What the fuck is going on?” I need goddamn answers.

“Eldritch’s guys tried to come in, but Simon wouldn’t let them. They fired on us first, so he had to defend ourselves. Took a bunch of theirs out. Lost a few ourselves.”

“God-fucking-damnit,” I mutter to myself. “You still have your guys ready for an attack?” I direct at Rick.”

“Yeah,” he answers.

“Good. It’s probably gonna fuckin’ come to that. Soon, I’d fuckin’ guess. ”

“ Negan ,” Simon’s voice comes through the speaker. “ What’s going on? ”

“Eldritch attacked us on the road,” I answer. “Me, Dwight, and Arat got to Alexandria.”

“ Shit. I’m sorry, brother. They attacked us. We had to fight back. ” He sounds guilty. Like he thinks I got attacked because of what he did.

“It was coordinated, brother,” I respond. “Eldritch didn’t know I had weapons when he attacked us. It wasn’t because of you.”

“ What about Chuck? ”

“I don’t know,” I answer truthfully. “All Eldritch’s men retreat?” I change the subject. Because I can’t think about her right now. About what all this could mean for her.

“ Yeah. They lost some men then cut and run. ”

“Fuckin’ cowards,” I say to myself. “They didn’t know who they were fuckin’ with.” I hold down the button to speak to Simon again. “Did Eldritch start moving the fuckin’ dead?”

“ No. I thought about that, too, so I called the guys watching Eldritch’s compound. They said the dead haven’t moved. ”

“Good. I’m gonna head out in a few so we can start to fuckin’ discuss what the fuck it is that we’re gonna do.”

I really don’t want to attack Eldritch’s fuckin’ compound while Chuck’s still in there. Especially if I’m gonna use the fuckin’ dead. And that’s the only way I can see to get to the guys inside. Fuck.

“ Alright, brother. Stay safe. ”

I turn to Rick. “Is it okay if Dwight stays for a little bit.”

“Yeah,” Rick answers. “You should get checked out, too, before you leave.”

“Jesus, Rick, I’m a married man. Maybe get off my dick.”

Rick rolls his eyes and we walk back outside. As soon as we get on the street, though, we see people starting to scramble around. Including fuckin’ Daryl, who runs right for us.

“What is it?” Rick asks quickly.

Daryl answers. “Lookouts said trucks are headed this way. Fast.”

“God- fucking -damnit! Eldritch is coming after me.”

We all run to the gate and up to the guard towers to look down the road. Not long later, we start to see them.

“Here they come!” Rosita shouts.

———   ———

  The sound of vehicles flying down the road and past Chuck’s car wakes her up with a start. She keeps herself ducked down in the seat, though, not wanting anyone to see her. Because she assumes that procession of cars was Eldritch looking for her. Even if Conner hadn’t told anyone that Andy had escaped with her yesterday, she knows that Eldritch would have to know that they’re all missing by now.

All the things that happened yesterday flash before her eyes, no matter how hard she tries to stop them. Shooting Conner. The way his blood flowed over her hands. The same blood that’s still staining her coat. Andy’s coat.

Chuck feels her eyes sting with tears at the thought of him. “I’m sorry, Andy,” she says aloud as she remembers how he felt lying lifeless in her arms. “You didn’t deserve that. This is all my fault.” She sobs even harder.

Before she can fall too deeply into her guilt, though, she feels a fluttering in her stomach. The same fluttering she had first felt several days ago.

Chuck sniffles and wipes her cheeks. “Oh, baby,” she whispers to her belly as she rubs it, comforting herself in the process. “You’re right.” she wipes her eyes of the last of her tears and steels herself. “I gotta get you out of here.”

Chuck carefully sits up and opens her door, stepping out onto the road. That first step is painful, her bare feet being all raw and sore from the walk yesterday. But she has to proceed.

The cars that had gone by were heading in the direction that she was going, which gives Chuck pause. She doesn’t want to be caught on the road if those cars circle back, but she doesn’t have much of a choice. The woods that surround the road are too harsh for her to walk on anymore. So as she heads down the edge of the road, she makes sure to keep her ears open for any vehicles approaching. If she hears one, she wants to make it to the woods quickly to hide.

As she walks, the wind seems to turn even colder, chilling her to the bone. She wraps her arms around herself to try to keep warm, but it’s not helping much. Not only that, but her constant shivering seems to be slowing her down even more.

When a sign comes into view saying that Alexandria is two miles away, Chuck lets out a sigh of relief.

“Thank god,” she says to herself and speeds up a little in excitement. As much as she can, anyway. She’s tired, in pain, and definitely dehydrated. But every time she thinks about stopping or slowing down, every time sorrow threatens to overtake her, she feels that flutter in her belly as her baby moves and she pushes on.

The forest thins out into a residential area, which is potentially more dangerous. Any place that was more populated before tends to have more biters hanging around. Chuck had always avoided them when she was out here on her own after the turn. But she knows that she’s getting close to Alexandria, so she hopes that they cleared the area, much like Negan has done around The Sanctuary.

Chuck isn’t exactly sure where the settlement of Alexandria is. She’s technically in the city of Alexandria right now. Well, the Alexandria of before, anyway. But the settlement of Alexandria just comprises one neighborhood. That’s what Negan and Aaron had told her. They also told her that it has a wall around it made of metal sheeting, so that’s what she’s looking for.

While she’s searching, gunshots ring out not too close, but not exactly that far away from her. She cautiously walks toward the noise, figuring that it’s coming from Alexandria. Eldritch must be attacking them for some reason.

  Maybe Eldritch knew I would go there and he’s tearing the place up to get to me. Oh god. Maybe I should hang back.

But if Rick’s people are as good of fighters as Negan has said, they should be able to hold their own. Right?

  Chuck decides to continue on in the direction of the firefight, despite her fears. Even after there’s a large explosion, she pushes on, though she’s being very careful not to be out in the open by ducking around cars and buildings.

She finally gets to where she can see the wall surrounding Alexandria. But instead of hearing gunshots anymore, she starts to hear cars start up. As fast as she can, Chuck runs around a house down the street to hide in the backyard and waits for everything to go quiet.

When Chuck’s sure it’s safe, she slinks out from behind the house and heads for the gate, albeit, pretty slowly. Even though her destination is in sight, her feet are dragging. She’s willing her body forward, but it seems like it’s failing her. She’s simply running out of energy.

With her hands around her belly, she shuffles forward, staring down as one foot falls in front of the other. When she finally lifts her head, she sees the gate start to open about fifty yards away from her.

  ——— Negan’s POV ———

Eldritch and his fuckin’ men are driving down the street towards Alexandria. There’s a truck out front, followed by a bunch of cars. And I immediately recognize what’s gonna fuckin’ happen. It seems like it’s Eldritch’s fuckin’ MO.

“They’ll ram the fuckin’ fence!” I warn.

Sasha readies her rifle beside me. “Not if I can help it.” She starts to shoot and, boy, does she make those bullets fuckin’ count. I swear she gets the driver right between the eyes, his head practically fuckin’ exploding across the window. Her next shot takes out the left front tire causing the now driverless truck to veer off and slam into one of the burned out buildings just outside the gates.

“Atta fuckin’ girl!” I call out.

Rick’s people, plus me and Arat, ready our weapons for a fuckin’ fight as the rest of the cars pull up. But no one gets out, so we wait. Then Eldritch’s fuckin’ voice rings out through a goddamn bullhorn.

“I just want Negan, Rick,” he says, smug as fuckin’ ever. Like his plan is going off without a hitch, even though it definitely fuckin’ isn’t. I’m sure he’s fuckin’ pissed that I am wrecking shit for him. “There’s no need for your people to die for him, Rick.”

“You’ve taken this far enough,” Rick calls out without hesitating. “Leave now and we won’t be forced to fire on you.”

“Rick, Rick, Rick,” Eldritch tuts in a damn singsong way. “I was going to leave you alone. For the time being, anyways.”

Eldritch’s men start to fire, but the Alexandrians return it fuckin’ quickly. And they aren’t fucking around. Rick said he had some fighters in his group, and he wasn’t fuckin’ lying. Eldritch’s men start to drop like flies. Some of Rick’s guys fall, too, but not as many by a long shot. It seems like Eldritch and his guys are fuckin’ shitty in a fight. That’s why he takes pot shots by using the fuckin’ dead and ramming shit with fuckin’ vehicles. And kidnapping innocent girls.

Outta fuckin’ nowhere, one of Eldritch’s cars fuckin’ explodes. I turn my head to the other guard tower to see that huge ginger fuck, Abraham, with a goddamn rocket launcher on his shoulder.

“Fuck, yeah! You guys got a fuckin’ RPG?! That’s awesome!” I yell to him and he gives me a salute.

After that, Eldritch wisely tucks tail and fuckin’ runs. With a few less people than he rolled up with.

Me and Rick climb down the towers leaving Sasha and Rosita on one and Abraham and Tara on the other.

“Watch out for walkers,” Rick yells up to them. “All that noise’ll attract them.”

They all nod and turn their fuckin’ eyes back to the road. The rest of the Alexandrians start to get their wounded to the sickbay, with Rick overseeing.

I’m just standing in the middle of everything trying not to fuckin’ pass out. Now that the adrenaline of the attack is wearing the fuck off, I’m feeling like shit again. Goddamn, maybe I should go to the doctor.

Arat comes up to me. “You okay, sir?”

“Yeah. Fuckin’ peachy,” I growl out.

“Got a walker,” Rosita proclaims as she raises her rifle to take it the fuck out. She lines up the fuckin’ shot, but doesn’t get the chance to take it.

Sasha quickly puts her hand on the barrel of Rosita’s gun and pushes it down. “Wait!” She then raises her own gun up to look through her scope. “That’s not a walker. She’s alive.”

“Looks like a walker to me,” Rosita retorts.

Sasha seems to study whatever she’s fuckin’ seeing through her scope for a moment before she speaks again. “It’s a girl. She’s holding her stomach, but she’s alive.”

My whole body starts to buzz. I don’t fuckin’ know why.

There’s no way... How could it possibly be...?

“She a redhead?” I call out as I move closer to Sasha. I don’t know why I’m even fuckin’ thinking it. It’s just gonna break my damn heart when it ends up being someone else.

“Yeah.” Sasha answers and I start to move before I really even process it.

“Open the fucking gate!” I don’t even wait for anyone to do it. I rip the gate open and start running. “Chuck!” I can’t see her. I can’t see shit, I’m so fucking frantic. But then I hear her.

“Negan?!” It’s my girl. It’s my fucking girl!

I finally see her. She looks hurt. But she’s running to me. Not fuckin’ fast, but I make up the distance. I throw Lucille down and run flat out to get to her. When we meet, I throw my arms around her and pull her into me, lifting her off of her feet.

———   ———

  As soon as Chuck hears Negan yell her name, she starts running.

“Negan?!” she screams.

Chuck can barely see him running towards her through her tears of joy. But when she feels his strong arms lifting her up and holding her tight, she knows she’s safe.

“Negan!” she sobs into his shoulder.

“Fuck, baby girl.” He kisses anywhere his lips can touch. “I love you so much, baby girl,” he chokes out. He suddenly pulls away to look Chuck over, his eyes wildly scanning her body. “You’re bleeding!” he cries as he looks at the blood staining her clothes.

“It’s not mine!” she calls out. “I’m okay!”

He looks into her eyes. “You’re okay?”

“I’m okay,” she repeats.

“Fuck, I missed you so much.” Negan kisses her fervently then falls to his knees. He hugs her torso tightly, crying tears of joy into her stomach as she wraps her arms around his head.

Chuck bends down to kiss the top of his head, her tears falling from her cheeks to land in his hair.

She’s not sure how long they stood there holding each other, but when she finally looks up, there are two men, Rick and Daryl, along with Arat standing around them. And Rick is carrying Lucille.

Rick starts to speak. “We should get her inside. The dead are starting to come out.”

Negan wipes his face discretely and stands before turning back to him. Rick holds Lucille out to Negan, but he doesn’t take her.

“Carry her in for me. And be fuckin’ gentle about it.” Negan turns back to Chuck and wraps his arms around her, lifting her up to carry her inside. She wraps her legs around him and allows him to cradle her in his arms as she buries her face in his neck.

Once they get inside the gate, Aaron comes running over. “Oh my god! Chucky!” He runs his hand over her head that’s resting on Negan’s shoulder as he holds her to his chest. “The doctor is this way.” He turns to lead them, but Chuck’s voice stops him.

“I’m okay. I just want to rest.” The only thing Chuck wants is to be alone with Negan. She knows she’s not really hurt; she just needs food, water, and rest. And she can take care of the minor cuts on her legs and feet by herself.

“See the doctor, baby girl,” Negan pleads.

“Just give me a first aid kit. I’ll deal with everything myself.” She shifts to look into Negan’s eyes. “Please, Negan. I just want you.”

Negan lets out a huff. “You got a place for us, Rick?”

“Yeah. This way.” He starts to lead them to a house. “This one’s empty.”

“I’ll get the first aid kit.” Aaron runs off in a different direction.

As they walk, Negan talks with Rick. “Call Simon and tell him Chuck’s here. And get him to go over my plan with you to take that motherfucker down. I want that goddamn compound destroyed by sundown tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Rick agrees. “I’ll coordinate with him and get my people briefed. We’re gonna help out. I don’t want this guy living anywhere near us anymore.”

When they get inside the house, Rick gently sets Lucille down on the coffee table. “If you guys need anything, just ask.”

Aaron comes rushing in with the medical supplies and some clean clothes. “Here’s the first aid kit. And clothes.” He sets it all down and goes over to Chuck, still being held by Negan. “You sure you don’t want to see the doctor?” he whispers as he tucks some of her hair behind her ear.

“Mmhmm,” is how she answers.

“Okay, Chucky.” Aaron kisses her on the head. “I love you.” He turns and leaves with Rick trailing behind him.

Still holding Chuck, Negan picks up the first aid kit and heads upstairs to the master bath. He sets Chuck down on her feet and she watches as he wordlessly goes over to the shower and starts to run the water.

Chuck strips off her bloody jacket and nightgown, leaving her standing naked in front of Negan. He stares at her, his eyes moving all along her body, his expression stern. She allows her own gaze to fall to herself, seeing the bruises and scrapes that punctuate her skin. Her arms are littered with fingerprint bruises from Eldritch’s manhandling, while her legs show the injuries she incurred during her fall down the hill yesterday.

“I’m really okay, Negan,” Chuck tries to reassure. She takes a few short steps forward and unzips Negan’s jacket, pushing it off his shoulders after. Negan stiffly pulls his shirt over his head, which allows Chuck to see his own bruises.

“Negan,” she whispers with a gasp and places her fingers gently on the purple bruise across the right side of Negan’s ribs. She saw that he had some small cuts and scrapes on his face, but this is much worse. “What happened?”

“Let’s just get cleaned up, then we can talk.”

She nods then helps Negan undress further before they both step into the shower. The hot water feels amazing on her aching muscles as Negan lathers up a washcloth and gently rubs it over her, cleaning all the blood and dirt from her skin. She returns the favor, washing Negan, too, but making sure to be extra gentle on his bruised ribs.

When they get out, they dry off and wrap their towels around them, in lieu of getting dressed. Chuck picks up the first aid kit and takes it into the bedroom to set it on the bed.

“Sit down,” Chuck says to Negan. “I’m hoping they have some ice in the freezer downstairs so I can wrap those ribs.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Negan responds while he nudges Chuck to lay down on the bed. “I’m gonna get you something to eat, then I’ll clean those fuckin’ cuts out.”

“You’re more hurt than-“

“Just listen to me, Chuck. Please.”

Chuck nods, then Negan leaves. He reenters a few minutes later with a sandwich, a jug of water, and ice cubes in a large ziplock bag.

She leans back on the headboard and swings her legs up to lay them straight in front of her. “My feet...” she points down her legs.

Negan tilts his head to look. “Shit, baby girl.” He inspects her feet closely. “They’re chewed to shit.”

“Yeah,” she says with a sigh. “Make sure you clean them out good.”

Negan diligently disinfects Chuck’s feet as she scarfs down the sandwich and guzzles the water. After he wraps her feet in gauze, he runs his hand up her leg soothingly. “Feel a little better?”

Chuck gives him a weak smile and a nod. “Yeah. Now let me take care of you.” She swings her legs over the bed as Negan moves to stand in front of her, stripping off his towel to leave him completely naked. Chuck touches the ice bag to Negan’s ribs and he lets out a hiss. “I’m sorry, Negan. How did this happen? Was it in the firefight? I saw the tail end of it.” She wraps a bandage around him as he answers.

He shakes his head. “Eldritch fuckin’ slammed into my fuckin’ car on the road. The crash killed two of my guys. And fucked up Dwight. That’s why we’re here. The crash was a few miles away.”

Chuck looks down. “He attacked because I escaped.”

Negan nudges her head up to look at him. “It’s not your fault, baby girl.”

Chuck finishes wrapping up Negan’s ribs and cleaning out his cuts. “Lay with me,” she says to him as she gets rid of her towel. All she wants is to feel Negan’s skin on her own.

Negan obliges and cuddles her into his chest on his uninjured side after he pulls the blankets up over them. They lay there holding each other for several minutes before Chuck starts to speak.

“It was Andy,” she almost whispers.

“What did he do to you?” he replies quickly, apparently misunderstanding her.

“No. He saved me. He got me out.”

“He fuckin’ kidnapped you, didn’t he?”

“Yeah. But he was just following his brother.” She takes in a deep breath and lets it out. “He realized that what Eldritch was doing was wrong, so he escaped with me. But...” she sighs again, “Conner found us. I shot him in the neck.”

“Jesus,” Negan whispers.

“Andy finished him off.” The memories of all of that brings tears to Chuck’s eyes. “Andy shot himself in the head because he was bit and I wouldn’t leave him,” she chokes out.

Negan squeezes her into him more. “I’m so fucking sorry, baby girl. None of that should’ve happened to you.” He gives her a hard kiss on the head then lets out a heavy breath. “Did Eldritch... hurt you?” he asks quietly.

“He didn’t-“ She clears her throat, knowing what Negan’s really asking. “Not like that. I was scared he would... he touched my belly. Made me wear dresses and have dinner with him. And that stupid nightgown...” She pauses. “He undressed me. Looked at me.”

Negan lets out a tense breath, obviously affected by what she said.

“He said he attacked The Sanctuary,” she says almost like a question, wanting to change the subject.

“He crashed our gate and sent the fuckin’ dead in. Rick led them all away, so... there wasn’t any real fuckin’ damage.”

“So everyone’s okay?” she asks, hopeful.

Negan lets out a sigh. “All the lookouts... All the fuckin’ guys I had out in the open are dead.”

She gasps. “Oh no...”

“He’s gonna fuckin’ pay for this, Chuck. I promise you. He will fuckin’ pay.”

Chuck shifts so that she’s straddling Negan, her face hovering over his nose to nose. “Good.” She places her lips on his softly, but the kiss quickly turns heated.

They’re slow with each other, like they’re relearning one another’s bodies all over again. Hands running over curves. Fingers skimming skin. Hips meeting each other slowly. But it still feels like home to Chuck.

“Oh, Negan...” Chuck moans as she grinds her hips into his. She runs her hands up his chest to brace her weight on his shoulders to get better leverage.

“Fuck,” he groans, letting her do all the work. “I missed you so goddamn much.” His hands move up her hips to grip her waist.

They move together, plunging over the cliff simultaneously. The intensity of it all makes Chuck emotional, her eyes welling up with tears.

“Hey, hey,” Negan whispers and turns them over so he’s hovering over her. He swipes her sweaty hair from her face and cradles her cheek in his hand. “What’s wrong?”

“I was so afraid I’d never see you again,” she chokes out then caresses his cheek. “But you’re here. And I’m so happy.” She smiles at him through her tears.

Negan kisses her lips sweetly. “I’m never gonna fuckin’ leave you,” he whispers. “Not ever again.”

Chuck hugs her husband’s head to her chest and listens as his breathing deepens as he falls asleep. It’s only then, knowing that she’s safe, her baby’s safe, and Negan is safe, that Chuck can finally fall into a restful sleep.

[islamfamily]

Answer to What is the brief/detailed information about the life of Abu Bakr Siddiq (Ra) in the German language? by Abdur Rahman https://islamfamily.quora.com/What-is-the-brief-detailed-information-about-the-life-of-Abu-Bakr-Siddiq-Ra-in-the-German-language-1?ch=18&oid=326803934&share=1c706ac2&srid=hhTjlS&target_type=answer

[wasnothin]

redid my tags again

v   ;   season 1. v   ;   season 2. v   ;   season 3. v   ;   season 4. v   ;   season 5. v   ;   season 6. v   ;   season 7. v   ;   season 8. v   ;   season 9. v   ;   ravager-in-law. v   ;   nobody. nothing.

ooc   ;   dirt dad’s dirt dad. ooc   ;   ask memes. ooc   ;   keepsakes. ooc   ;   starter call.      ooc   ;   inbox call. ooc   ;   open starter.

ch   ;   daryl. ch   ;   rick. ch   ;   carl. ch   ;   michonne. ch   ;   glenn. ch   ;   maggie. ch   ;   negan. ch   ;   merle. ch   ;   tara. ch   ;   carol. ch   ;   hannah. ch   ;   suhad. ch   ;   jeffrey. ch   ;   siddiq. ch   ;   jesus. ch   ;   aaron.

[dpr-lahore-division]

With the compliments of, the Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab, Lahore Ph: 99201390

No.1274/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

CM ASKS LINE DEPTS TO REMAIN 24/7 VIGILANT

LAHORE, August 11:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed the administration and WASAs to remain alert round-the-clock to cope with the situation resulting due to monsoon rains. The weather situation should be continuously monitored and implementation of rainwater's drainage plan should be ensured. He added that necessary machinery should be fully functional and drainage of rainwater should be completed in the minimum of time. The CM reiterated that citizens should not face any difficulty during rains and added that no negligence will be tolerated in this regard. Similarly, the flow of traffic should remain smooth and the concerned officials of the line departments should be present in the field instead of their offices during rain. The report about the drainage of rainwater should be sent to the CM Office along with the timeline, he added.

+++++

No.1275/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

ASSEMBLY MEMBERS FROM RAWALPINDI CALLS ON CM PUNJAB

LAHORE, August 11:

A delegation of assembly members of Rawalpindi district led by Federal Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan called on Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office and discussed matters of mutual interest. Talking on the occasion, the CM reiterated the journey of public service will be moved forward with speed under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan while the conspiracies of opponents of development will not succeed. The government will continue to respond to the negative politics of propagandists through public service, he added and advised the critics to look into their own inner self. Overcoming corona is a big achievement of the government as business activities have been resumed in the Punjab and anti-corona strategy of PM Imran Khan has been acknowledged everywhere. He regretted that the opposition tried to politicise corona and added that those who levelled allegations will be left behind and new Pakistan will move forward under the leadership of PM Imran Khan.

The CM assured that problems faced by Rawalpindi city will be resolved and pointed out the reconstruction of lai nullah will help to overcome flood-related damages. A total of 85 billion rupees will be spent on lai nullah and expressway project, he added. This project will be completed through public-private partnership and four interchanges will be constructed along with setting up a plant to separate rainwater from sewage. The dream of the expressway is the right of locals which will be materialized by the PTI government, he added.

The CM mentioned that tree plantation will help to overcome environmental degradation around lai nullah expressway and road movement of the locals will also be improved. Meanwhile, various online services have also been provided to the citizens through police application besides setting up protection centres for the transgender community in Rawalpindi. On the other side, ten thousand recruitments are being made to fulfil the shortage of staff in the police, the CM added.

Amjad Mahmood Chaudhary, Muhammad Latasab Satti, Raja Saghir Ahmed, Javed Kauser, Ch. Sajid Mehmood, Ch. Muhammad Adnan, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Ejaz Khan, Amaar Siddiq Kiyani and Umer Tanvir were included in the delegation.

++++

No.1276/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

CM MESSAGE ON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

LAHORE, August 11:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said the role of youth is pivotal in making a new Pakistan.

In his message, the CM said that a major portion of the population consists of youth and the government is committed to empowering it in the real sense. He expressed the satisfaction that the tiger force is engaged in public service adding that investment on youth is the priority of the government because youth has tremendous potential. Pakistani youth has brought laurels home and the nation has attached many expectations to the youth. The objectives of the new Pakistan will be achieved by providing resources and opportunities for the empowerment of the youth, the CM added.

****

No.1277/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

CM TAKES NOTICE OF HOOLIGANISM OUTSIDE NAB OFFICE

LAHORE, August 11:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has sought a report from Chief Secretary Punjab and IG Police about an incident of hooliganism outside NAB office and directed that legal action be initiated against those involved in it. No one can be allowed to take the law into one's own hand and rule of law will be fully ensured. Law will come into action against those who are involved in agitation, the CM added.

                   +++++

No.1278/QU/Zahid

HANDOUT (A)

CM CONDOLES DEATH OF MOTHER OF HIS CAMERAMAN ABDUL SALAM

LAHORE, August 11:

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has expressed a deep sense of sorrow over the death of the mother of his cameraman Abdul Salam. In a condolence message, the CM has extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.

+++

[bamby0304]

Victoria Grimes VIII: War

Ch.9: It's Gonna Happen...

Series Masterlist

Summary: Daryl and Victoria have worked through her mistakes made at the Sanctuary and have decided to keep the truth between themselves. But with the war between their communities and the Saviours brewing, their bond will be tested all over again. Lies, death and the threat of defeat are coming for Vickie… will she be strong enough to come through in one piece?

Warnings: Angst. Violence. Death.

Bamby

VPOV

The sun was golden in the sky, that beautiful colour it got before sun set. It was beautiful and warm.

I was laying down on a blanket in the field across from home, with Judith by my side. She was happily playing with her toys, watching Aly and Houdini run around us. Giggling and happy barking filled my ears, making my heart swell as I enjoyed the peace while I could.

Carl was only a few feet away, finishing off planting a tree he’d decided to plant in the field across from our home.

The day had been nice. It was a different pace that I’d really needed after the hell I’d been through for weeks now.

I couldn’t remember the last time things had been this quiet, this easy. Even when Daryl and I had our moments, when we allowed ourselves to get intimate and just enjoy each other while we could, things were never like this.

It wasn’t going to last, so I was going to enjoy it for as long as I could.

“Daddy!”

Aly’s voice had me sitting up on my elbows as I watched Daryl head towards us. My mood shifted in an instant.

Pulling myself up, I told Aly to wait with Judith while I headed over to my husband, meeting him halfway.

“You left.”

He nodded, chewing his lip. “Yep.”

“You went to the Sanctuary.”

“Yep.”

“Without me.”

“Couldn’t take you with me. Couldn’t risk it.”

“So you can risk yourself but not me?” I shook my head at him. “What happened to ‘Where you go, I go’?” When he didn’t respond right away, I stepped closer. “Daryl… is it ‘cause you don’t trust me.”

That got his attention.

He stopped chewing his lip as he met my gaze and held it. “I trust you, Vic. Aint trust no one like I trust you.”

“Then why did you go? Why… why did you leave me?” I felt my voice break a little as tears began to brim my eyes. “I was alone and I didn’t know if you were gonna come back, and I thought… I thought if you died out there, today, without me, you’d die hating me.”

Suddenly he was pulling me to his chest, holding me to him. I cried, letting out only a bit of the stress and emotions I’d been bottling up for far too long now.

“Never hate you, Vic.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Just did what I thought I had to. Had to protect you from that place. From those people.”

He didn’t have to say it, but we both knew there was only one person he wanted to protect me from. Negan.

“Won’t do it again. I promise. Won’t leave you again.”

I nodded against him, letting him hold me close as I cried a little more.

CPOV

I thought it would be safe when night fell. I thought I could sneak into the underground sewer tunnels to check on Siddiq. I thought I would go unnoticed. No one ever noticed when I snuck over the fence, so why should this be any different?

I’d been wrong.

As I slid the cover back onto the manhole I tried to be as quiet as possible. Once it was in place I turned, ready to head back home. Instead I came face to face with Michonne as she headed my way.

“Carl,” she called, a questioning look furrowing her brows. “I've been lookin' for you. We're about ready to head out. What are you doing?” she asked as she looked behind me at the manhole.

There was no point in lying, and if there was anyone I could trust it would be Michonne.

“I'm helping someone,” I admitted. “A traveller.”

“In the sewer?”

Before I could explain or defend my actions, the sound of something banging on the town walls had as both freeze and turn in the direction it was coming from.

The front gates.

Feedback rang through the air, followed by a voice we did not expect. A voice that made our blood run cold.

“You may be wondering why the hell your lookouts didn't sound the alarm,” Negan started. “See, we are polite. I mean, I don't know when they're gonna wake up from that kinda shot, but they should wake up. So let's just cut through the cow shit. You lose. It's over.”

My heart was racing. We were unprepared and outnumbered.

Dad wasn’t here. Hilltop wasn’t here. The Kingdom had fallen apart. There were women and children. Elderly people. People lived here that could not fight and could not run.

We were running out of time, and we were running out of options.

“So you're gonna line up in front of your little houses, and you're gonna work up some apologies, and then the person with the lamest one is gonna get killed.” Negan’s voice rang through the town. I had no doubt everyone was listening. “Then I kill Rick in front of everybody, and we move on. You have three, count 'em, three minutes to open this gate, or we start bombing the shit out of you!”

Michonne’s eyes were wide with fear. “They got out.”

“Come on.” I turned and headed towards the houses as Negan began whistling. “Michonne,” I called after her when she didn’t move. “Come on!”

We didn’t have time to waste.

MPOV

With his eyes on the road in front of us, Jesus drove. We were headed for the Sanctuary like we’d all planned. Cars full of our people followed as we drove through the night. Jesus and I were in the front, with him behind the wheel, while Neil- one of the Hilltop people- and Diane sat behind us.

Sighing, Jesus broke the silence, “Do you think they'll surrender?”

“They will.” I believed it. “Eventually.”

“Not now?”

I turned to give him a pointed look. “Would we give up that quick?”

“No, we wouldn't.”

“Damn straight,” Neil agreed from behind me.

“They don't surrender today, they will soon.” It was only a matter of time. “Just need to run out of food water choices.”

Turning back to the road, I focused on the plan ahead. We had one goal, one mission, one destination in mind. It was a road we’d taken several times before. One we knew like the back of our hands. So when something changed it didn’t go unmissed by me.

“Slow down,” I told Jesus as I shifted in my seat, suddenly tense and alert.

“What is it?” Neil asked.

I nodded to the road up ahead. “Tree in the road wasn't there before.”

“Could've fallen on its own,” Jesus suggested. “Trees do that.”

I knew better. “It's them. Something happened.” Grabbing the walkie talkie, I didn’t miss a beat before sending out orders, “Bertie, turn around.”

But there was no response.

“Bertie!”

I looked behind us for a moment to make sure the cars were still there.

“Maggie.” Diane nodded to the front of our car.

Turning again, I watched as a truck rolled down the road. It curved around the fallen tree and turned so the back was facing us before coming to a stop.

Sitting there, all of us tense as the anticipation built up, I found my mind reeling as a million scenarios played out in my mind. I had no doubt this was the Saviours, that was sure. I just didn’t know how they’d managed to get free.

Behind us we heard car doors opening and closing as other Saviours surrounded our vehicles. Then the back of the truck opened, revealing a few other Saviours… along with a beaten-up Jerry, and a wooden coffin.

One of the truck’s doors opened as Simon stepped out, toothy grin in place. “Hello, hello, hello!” He stretched with a groan. “Ahh. What a damn nice night.” He started to walk forward, thumbs hooked into the loops of his jeans. “You all know the drill. Due to your recent decisions, everything has changed. And yet, nothin' has changed. Everyone needs to hand over their guns. Gary, shoot that beautiful bastard if anyone tries anything. Same goes for everyone in the cars.”

With that order, Saviours reached in and took our weapons, their lights shinning in our faces. The coffin from the truck was dragged over and set on the trunk of car. It was all we could look at if we didn’t want to see the state jerry was in.

Glare set in stone, I watched as Simon headed towards me window. He sighed before bending down and leaning against the car to look inside.

“How'd you get out?” I asked, voice tense and full of venom.

“Three guesses.” He shrugged when I didn’t respond. “Well, let's just say we figured it out.”

“What'd you do to the others-”

He cut me off before I could finish. “Oh, yes! That's exactly where I was going next. Right now, Kingdom is getting its innards splayed out for the world to see. And the Saviours will be taking possession of that property, starting tonight. Same with Alexandria. As long as they don't make it complicated. But Hilltop? The farmers? The breadbasket of our nascent civilization? It's your lucky day. You've been chosen to keep producing. Gregory made a little bit of a fool out of me in front of the big man, so I am hoping that you are the one to make things right.”

He paused, leaning back to listen to something in the distance. It was music, coming from the direction of the Sanctuary.

“You hear that? I need you to shift into active listening,” He told me as a wide grin found it’s way back onto his lips. “Eugene! Who, by the way, I was admittedly sceptical of, but, man, worked out like gangbusters. He helped us get out of the situation with the masses of the cold and impolite. And now my guys are leading the rest of the herd away. So this can go one of two ways.

“One, I can kill this likable gent on his knees over there, drag you out of this car, and put you in this box.” He pulled back to knock on the coffin. “Hmm? In which you will not suffocate to death like your friend. Sasha.” He leaned back into the car and continued on, “And then we take you to Hilltop, gather everyone up, and kill you in front of the whole place. And then drag you back to Sanctuary and put on the spike in front of HQ. And then my people will lead the walker herd to the Hilltop and pull off the same move that your people tried unsuccessfully at our place.

“What a pain in the ass for everyone concerned. Hmm?” He shrugged. “Or two, you turn around, go home, start watering that sorghum, save everyone, and, most importantly, me, a lot of trouble. And, yeah we're gonna have to kill one of your people. But then we're aces.” Stepping back from the car, he turned to the Saviour pressing a gun to Jerry’s head. “Nah, Gary. I got this.”

The shot rang through the car as Neil’s head exploded. Simon had shot him. He’d killed him. Without warning or hesitation.

Snarling, Simon leaned in close. “I just really needed you to know what I was talkin' about. I need you to smell it. Now tell me I don't got to kill this gent with the lustrous mane. Tell me I don't got to go down the line! Tell me, Maggie!” He barely gave me a moment to respond. “Gary!”

A gun cocked as Gary got ready to do the same to Jerry as Simon had done to Neil.

“No!” I cried, stopped Gary in his tracks. “You don't need to do any of it.” Tense, tears brimming my eyes, I swallowed it all as I shifted in my seat. Now was not the time to snap. It was not the time to react. Not now. “I just want to ask you a favour.”

“What is that?”

“I'd like that box. Take Neil home, to bury him in.”

Simon nodded. “Favour granted.”

Pulling away from the car one more time, he headed towards the truck and got in without looking back. The other Saviours followed suit, leaving the rest of us there to turn around and head back home.

VPOV

Carl was taking charge. We were all alert, listening to him as he spouted orders, a plan already firm in his head.

“You need to make it look like we're escaping out back,” he explained as he scavenged for things we might need out of the little amount of supplies we had at Alexandria. “Get to the woods, halfway to the quarry, and cut the lights. Get enough of a lead on them, hit them, and get away on foot. You know where we'll be. Just have to get the guns, get everyone else here, and we'll meet you there.”

The plan was simple enough. A group of us would make it out, just a little ways down the road, not too far from home. Then we’d trap as many Saviours as we could and shoot them down. Meanwhile everyone else would be home, being ushered into the sewers while Carl kept Negan distracted.

There was a problem, though. I had a problem… I didn’t want him doing it on his own.

Carl was my baby brother. I’d been in the hospital the day he’d been born. I was there the day Otis shot him. I was there for him after we lost Mum. He’d been there for me, too. We I was found months after the farm it was Carl that I reconnected with first.

He was my lifeline, my childhood, my… my best friend. Before the world crashed and burned, and after it all went to hell, Carl and I had been there for each other.

Was I really ready to leave him here knowing there would be nothing I could do when the Saviours eventually broke down the walls?

“Two minutes, people!” Negan’s voice rang, pulling me out of my head. “Dig deep. I want these apologies to be memorable. Bonus points for creativity. Work up a poem, sing a song. I love that shit.”

Carl turned to those who were staying to get our people to safety. “Get going. There's gonna people in the infirmary. They're gonna need your help.” They ran off without question.

Tara stepped forward then. “Look, we got guns. We can fight them.”

Rosita shook her head. “We will, but not now. Carl's right.”

Surveying the area, taking in our home, Michonne turned to my brother. “Carl, we can't just let them have this place.”

“We can,” he assured her.

It was just a place. Just one more place we’d called home. But as I’d come to realise just a few weeks ago, it wasn’t really a home.

Home was wherever my people were. Home was wherever Aly rested her head at night. Home was wherever Judith would grow up. Home is wherever Daryl was. This place was just that, a place, and it was replaceable. The people here weren’t.

“Carl’s right.” I looked to the rest of the people gathered around. Tara, Rosita, Michonne, Daryl, Carl. “This place can burn and we’ll be fine. We always end up fine. This isn’t about saving our home, it’s about saving our people.

Carl nodded. “All you need to do is survive tonight.” His gaze landed on Michonne as he stepped towards her. “This is my show. You said it. This is my plan, and you're gonna do it. You're all gonna do it. So let's go!”

I grabbed Carl’s arm before he could run off. The others went to do their jobs, except Daryl. He waited for me.

“I can’t leave you here to do this by yourself.”

He looked down at my hand as I continued to hold him in place, before he looked up to meet my eyes. “You can’t stay here. If this doesn’t work out, if I fall… Dad needs you. Everyone needs you.”

I glared at him, feeling tears sting my nose. “Don’t talk like you know whats gonna happen. Don’t talk like you’re already dead.”

“One minute!” Negan called. “One. Minute.”

Pulling me in for a hug, he gave me a quick but tight squeeze. “I’ll see you when you get back.” Slipping from my grasp, he then ran off.

I watched as he hurried for the gate, towards the enemy.

“Vic.” Daryl’s hand landed on my shoulder. “We gotta go. Come on.”

Swallowing the tears that threatened to spill, I turned and let him lead me towards the others. If Carl was going to be in charge then I was going to make sure his plan went as smoothly as possible. I wasn’t letting us lose anyone tonight.

NPOV

“Okie dokie. Brought this on yourself, Rick,” I called on the megaphone as I paced in front of Alexandria’s gate. “See, was willing to work with you. All you had to do was follow a few very simple rules. Now? Well, now I see that you got to go. Scorched earth, you dick!”

“He's not home.”

My people spun around, aiming their guns up at the lookout, where someone now stood. Someone I did not expect.

“Oh-ho-holy shit! Everybody hold your fire,” I ordered, grinning up at the kid. “It's Carl.” They all did as I said, however the guns remained trained on the kid. “Look at you. Answering the door like a big boy. I am so proud. Daddy's not home, huh? What about big sis Vickie? My girl in there somewhere?” I asked looking to the gate, waiting for it to open.

Ignoring my questions, he did something I did not expect from him. He tried to convince us to hold fire. “There's families in here. Kids. My little sister and niece.”

The smile fell from my lips. “Well, that shit just breaks my heart. There's kids at the Sanctuary,” I countered. “You must've seen 'em. Even had a little baby at one of the outposts. I wonder what happened to her.”

Gracie. She was one of the worker’s kids and now she was gone. There was no body, so she wasn’t dead. At least I hoped not. I wondered if she was on the other side of the walls. I wondered if that was where Vickie was. She was a killer, but she was a mother, she’d protect all the babies until she had nothing left in her.

“None of this shit's fair, kid. Hell, you know that. You had to kill your own mum. That is screwed up. Ergo, we need someone in charge who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that shit doesn't happen.” I shrugged. “Oh. Wait. That's me.”

“Bad stuff does happen, but we can figure this out,” he argued. “We can stop this.”

“Oh, now you want to talk?” I dropped the megaphone, choosing to yell out at him instead. “See, your dad had it that I died. He gave my people a choice. Not me. Now we're gonna need a new understanding. Apologies, punish-”

He cut me off, “Kill me.”

My blood ran cold. “What did you say?”

“If you have to kill someone, if there has to be punishment, then kill me. I'm serious.”

“You wanna die?”

He shook his head. “No, I don't. But I will. It's gonna happen. And i-if me dying could stop this, if it can make things different… for us, for you, for all those other kids, it'd be worth it.” I could see he was. I could hear it in his words, in his tone. There wasn’t an ounce of a lie in him. “I mean, was this the plan? Was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?”

I couldn’t do it. Not because of the deal I’d made with Vickie. No, that shit had folded the second this war started. No, I just couldn’t kill the kid because I couldn’t. I liked him. I wasn’t lying when I said I’d want my son to be exactly like him if I’d had one.

He was a better man than his father, that’s for sure.

“They got a convoy out. We’re on ‘em.”

My eyes were drawn down to a Saviour behind me and their walkie talkie. The others we’d brought had been outside the other gate of the community to hold the people inside. By the sounds of things, that had gone according to plan.

As I looked back up, the kid was gone.

“Son of a bitch, Carl! Was that just a play?! I thought we were havin' a moment, you little asshole!” I turned to my people. “Bombs away!”

VPOV

I was crouched in the bushes with Daryl, Michonne, Rosita and Tara. We were waiting, knowing it was only a matter of time before the Saviours who had followed us found us. At the same time, though, I knew it was only a matter of time before shit hit the fan back at home. The longer we were out here the more at risk are people were.

My daughter.

My sister.

My brother.

My people.

“They didn't get out because of what we did with the truck.” Tara’s voice had us all turn to her.

“Even if they did, it was just a mistake,” Rosita assured her. “And I made one, too. If I hadn't gone to the Sanctuary to kill Negan, maybe Sasha would still be alive. Maybe she would've gone herself. Maybe everything would've ended up going exactly the same way. I didn't want you guys to do it, but maybe you needed to. Maybe you needed to play things out to figure shit out.”

I was not blaming anyone. I had a feeling things would have gone to hell even if the other’s hadn’t gone back to the Sanctuary despite the plan. Negan always had a way of getting his way. I’d seen it time and time again.

“Where the hell are they?” Michonne was growing impatient. We all were.

The sound of vehicles approaching had as all duck down a little more as Daryl watched, waiting for our moment. Rosita snuck up to the edge of the road, throwing a smoke bomb out in the middle of it. The cars didn’t stop, though, not until they were covered by the fog.

“Now!” Daryl called.

We all aimed and fired, shooting down the unprepared Saviours as they tried to scurry to safety. Shooting down one each, Daryl and Michonne took two more down before we turned to the last couple.

Laura and Dwight.

“That's why you didn't want to block the gate with the trucks. That's why you drove right up to this! It was you! All of it!” Laura yelled, taking a shot at Dwight. “You tell them to stop!”

Aiming my gun, I caught sight of her and pressed my finger to the trigger. She was quick though, ducking out of the way as if sensing danger. She ran off into the bushes, leaving Dwight on the road. Whether he was alive or not we weren’t sure.

“It’s over!” Dwight called.

Pulling myself out of the dirt, I took the lead. The second I saw him I knew he was fine. “You’ll live.”

“Maybe not,” Daryl grunted as he stormed up to Dwight and pressed his gun to his head.

Dwight’s hands were up in surrender right away. “I made sure you guys could get out the back. I drove the convoy right up to the roadblock. I knew what it was. I can't go back. One of 'em got away. She's gonna tell them.”

Daryl didn’t let up, though. “How'd they get out? Was it what I did?”

“Eugene.”

I knew it. I knew they would have figured out something, and of course it was because of the one who had betrayed us. Eugene had been a sight for sore eyes when I’d been at the Sanctuary, but now he was just a thorn in my ass.

“I can still help you,” Dwight offered frantically, knowing his life was at risk.

I could have saved him with one word. He had helped me while I’d been away from my family. He’d helped me escape. I could have spared his life like he’d done mine. I didn’t make a move to, though. This was Daryl’s fight.

“I know how they work, how Negan thinks.” Dwight was scrambling now. “I want you to win. I want Negan to die. And we can settle up after.”

Reaching forward, I rested a hand on Daryl’s shoulder. “He’s right. We’ll settle this later. Right now I need to make sure our family is safe.”

Michonne nodded as she started grabbing guns from the bodies of the people we’d shot down. “We need to get back.”

Bamby

[memoryhallowed]

“how long has it last been since you slept?” || @healsiick​

“Day or two, what’s it matter?” Daryl gruffed, staring over at Siddiq with slitted eyes. He was a good man, good doctor but that didn’t mean Daryl wanted him poking his nose into his shit - he was fine. Tired, maybe, but who the hell wasn’t these days? He and sleep had never had that good a relationship anyway - but it definitely didn’t help that all this shit was goin’. So long as he could still see straight, he was good to go - they were in the middle of a war, he wasn’t about to let his guard down long enough for shit to happen while he was getting shut eye; he’d sleep when it was all over, or he was dead, whichever came first.