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theblackhate · 1 month ago

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Home Is Where The Heart Is | Negan Smith

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Summary:

There is no longer a home, no place of comfort in that world. One survives to live, risking life to move forward and protect one's people.

But there are always two sides of the same coin. So, is the villain truly the villain? Or is He just the villain in your story?

Pairing: Negan Smith x reader

Word Count: 9k

The Sancturay

Days passed, each one blending into the next as the group continued their search for a place to call home. The landscape remained relentlessly cold and empty, a frozen wasteland with no end in sight. Every day felt like a test of endurance—finding supplies, keeping Orion fed, and trying to find some semblance of safety in a world that no longer seemed to care about those things.

But then, one cold morning, Negan’s eyes lit up as they approached a small industrial area. The towering remains of what looked like an old factory loomed in the distance, its windows boarded up and walls streaked with rust and decay. He grinned, and for the first time in a while, Delilah noticed a glimmer of something like hope in his expression.

“Well, well, well,” Negan said, his voice dropping to a low, amused murmur as they neared the factory gates. “Look at this place. Welcome to The Sanctuary.”

Laura, walking beside him, snorted with laughter. “The Sanctuary?” she said, the skepticism clear in her voice. “Looks more like a deathtrap to me.”

Franklin, who had been silent for most of the morning, raised an eyebrow. “It’s a hell of a lot more than we’ve got right now.” He looked around, taking in the decaying buildings, the overgrown weeds poking through the cracked concrete. “If we can clear it out, it’ll work. Might be our best shot at surviving the winter.”

Delilah stood back, watching the group begin to assess the area. The factory was huge, sprawling across several acres, with thick metal gates that had been partially torn apart. She could see the faint shadows of walkers moving in the windows, but they weren’t swarming—at least, not yet. It was quiet, unnaturally so, and that gave her a sense of unease.

Negan, being Negan, was already stepping forward, his usual bravado on full display. “Alright, crew, let’s get to work. We’ve got ourselves a sanctuary to free.”

Laura laughed again, shaking her head. “You really think that’s going to catch on, huh? ‘The Sanctuary’?”

“Hell yeah,” Negan said with a wink, glancing back at her. “What’s the alternative? ‘The Death Factory?’ Nah, this is where we rebuild.”

Delilah didn’t say anything. She couldn’t bring herself to engage in their lighthearted banter, not when her mind was preoccupied with the idea of clearing out another place to live. It felt impossible. How many times had she thought they were safe, only to have that safety torn away? But still, she couldn’t help but feel a spark of curiosity. Maybe this place would be different. Maybe they could make it work.

Either way, she wouldn’t be around to find out if it did.

After a quick discussion, they split into two groups. Negan and Franklin would take one side of the factory to secure the perimeter, while Laura and Delilah would clear out the other half. Delilah grabbed her knife and nodded at Laura, who was already moving forward.

“Ready?” Laura asked, her voice sharp, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

“Yeah,” Delilah said, more to herself than to her. She wasn’t ready, not really. But she couldn’t let herself fall behind. Not anymore. She could be a death weight.

They moved cautiously through the back entrance, the faintest creak of the door sounding like a thunderclap in the eerie silence. The air inside the factory was thick with dust and rot, the floors littered with abandoned crates and debris. Walkers shuffled in the distance, drawn to the sound of movement, but they weren’t close enough yet to pose an immediate threat.

“Stay alert,” Laura warned, her voice steady. She moved quietly, her boots barely making a sound on the cracked floor. Delilah followed, keeping her distance, her gaze darting from one corner to another, half expecting a walker to jump out at any moment.

They cleared several rooms, each one progressively darker and more claustrophobic, the smell of mildew and decay thick in the air. Delilah’s heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline flooding her system. She wasn’t used to working in close quarters like this. The tension was suffocating, the pressure mounting.

And then, it happened.

A low, guttural growl broke through the silence. Delilah barely had time to react before a walker lunged at her, its decomposing face twisted into a grotesque mask of hunger. She stumbled back, the walker’s hands reaching for her throat, its stench overwhelming her senses.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Delilah’s mind raced, her body locked in place, too slow to move. But then, she heard it—a sharp crack of a gunshot. The walker’s head exploded in a spray of gore, its body collapsing to the ground.

Laura stood a few feet away, her gun still smoking in the air. Her eyes were cold, but there was something else behind them. Something understanding. She nodded at Delilah, as though acknowledging the moment between them.

“Don’t freeze up like that,” Laura said, her voice low but not unkind. “You’ve got to stay on your feet. You’re faster than that.”

Delilah swallowed hard, wiping the sweat from her brow. She nodded, unable to speak, her pulse still racing.

“Thanks,” she finally managed, her voice barely a whisper.

Laura didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she reached down and pulled a knife from her belt, slicing through the walker’s decaying arm to check for anything useful. After a few moments, she stood up, brushing off her hands.

The two women continued clearing the factory together, their steps more sure now. As they moved through the factory, they encountered more walkers, but they fought with an ease that hadn’t been there before. Laura was sharp, efficient, and quick, while Delilah had learned to trust her instincts. They worked in tandem, watching each other’s backs, their silent deal strengthening with each passing moment.

As the hours wore on, the factory began to feel less like a deathtrap and more like a place they could call their own. They cleared a few more rooms and started to mark the areas that needed immediate attention. By the time Negan and Franklin returned, the worst of the walkers had been dealt with, and the factory was starting to feel more secure.

Negan grinned, his eyes scanning the area. “Well, well. Looks like my ‘sanctuary’ is shaping up.”

Laura shot him a look but didn’t say anything. Delilah, for the first time in days, felt a flicker of hope. The factory was far from perfect, but it was theirs. It could be home.

And maybe—just maybe—it would be a place where she could stop running. Where she could let herself finally breathe.

Delilah didn’t want to stay. She told herself that over and over again as she stood in the shadows of the factory’s vast halls, watching the others work. They’d made quick progress since deciding to turn this place into a refuge. Walkers were cleared from the main floor, and Negan had already begun mapping out which areas could be used for sleeping, storage, and defenses.

It was smart, she thought. Logical. But it wasn’t for her.

She couldn’t stay.

And yet, for the first time in longer than she could remember, she felt... safe. It wasn’t a comforting kind of safety, not the kind that wrapped around you like a warm blanket. It was the fragile kind, like a thin layer of ice over a lake. She could feel it beneath her feet, but she didn’t trust it to hold her.

Orion, ever the social butterfly, spent his time with the others. The little dog had claimed a spot in the main room of the Sanctuary, curling up near the piles of supplies Negan had started organizing. He seemed content, as though he already belonged here. It made Delilah’s chest ache.

She stayed apart from them, retreating to the darker corners of the factory whenever she could. It wasn’t that they pushed her away—they didn’t—but she couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

After the initial clearing was done, the grueling work of cleaning began. Days were spent hauling corpses, burning them in a pit Franklin had dug outside. The stench clung to her skin, her hair, her clothes. It was exhausting work, and by the end of each day, Delilah’s body ached in ways she hadn’t thought possible.

The others worked tirelessly, but they did it together, often sharing quiet jokes or grumbles about the endless labor. Delilah, true to form, kept to herself, even as her exhaustion grew.

She slept alone in one of the smaller side rooms, her blanket barely enough to keep the chill at bay. The factory’s high ceilings and concrete walls seemed to trap the cold, and every night, her breath fogged in the air as she tried to sleep. She could hear the faint crackle of the fire from the main room where the others stayed, the sound tempting her with its warmth, but she resisted. She didn’t want to feel like she needed them.

But the cold was relentless.

One particularly frigid night, as the temperature dipped dangerously low, Delilah gave in. Her fingers were numb, her teeth chattering uncontrollably as she stood at the threshold of the main room. The fire burned brightly in the center, its warmth spilling into the space where the others had set up camp.

Laura was the first to notice her, glancing up from where she sat sharpening a knife. She didn’t say anything, just gave a slight nod toward the fire, her expression unreadable. Franklin was snoring softly on his makeshift cot, oblivious to the world, while Negan sat nearby, poking at the fire with a metal rod.

He looked up, his brow quirking as he noticed Delilah hovering at the edge of the room. “Decided to stop being a popsicle, huh?” he said, his voice low but teasing.

Delilah didn’t respond. She simply walked over to an empty corner near the fire, her blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Orion, who had been dozing by the supplies, perked up and padded over to her, his tail wagging. He settled into her lap, his small body warm against hers.

For a long time, none of them spoke. The fire crackled, its warmth seeping into her frozen limbs. She felt the tension in her muscles begin to ease, her exhaustion catching up to her all at once.

Laura glanced at her again, her tone surprisingly neutral. “Smart choice,” she said simply, as if acknowledging Delilah’s presence was enough.

Delilah rested her head against the wall, her eyes half-lidded as she watched the flames dance. For the first time in days, she felt like she could breathe. The cold was still there, lingering at the edges, but the fire’s warmth—and the quiet presence of the others—pushed it back.

Her thoughts drifted as sleep began to pull at her. What would she do when she left? Where would she go? The questions felt heavier now, harder to answer. She didn’t want to think about it, but the uncertainty gnawed at her.

She told herself she would leave. It was the only way to protect herself, to avoid the pain of being left behind again. But as the fire crackled and Orion snored softly in her lap, she couldn’t help but feel a small, fragile hope taking root.

Maybe she wouldn’t leave.

Maybe, just maybe, this place—the Sanctuary—could be something more.

And she didn’t yet knew how much big it would become in just some weeks.

The days had been grueling. As the group worked to establish the Sanctuary, the factory began to transform bit by bit. What had once been a decaying shell of industry now felt like the beginning of something more. It was slow going, though, and with supplies dwindling, the next run was critical.

Delilah stayed quiet as they prepared. She was used to this by now—watching, listening, waiting. Orion followed her closely, his small paws padding against the factory floor as she helped pack up the van. The dog had settled into the group far more easily than she had. He moved between them like he belonged, wagging his tail at Negan, nuzzling Laura’s hand, even curling up at Franklin’s feet during the coldest nights.

Delilah envied his ease. For her, every moment still felt like walking on a knife’s edge.

The town Negan had spotted on the map was about an hour’s drive away, its name long since faded from the road signs. The van jostled over frozen potholes as Negan drove, humming a tune to himself. Laura was in the passenger seat, methodically cleaning her rifle, while Franklin and Delilah shared the back. She kept her spear close, her fingers absently tracing the rusted edges as she stared out the window.

Negan’s voice broke the silence. “So, Delilah. You planning on gracing us with some words today, or are you just here to look pretty?”

She didn’t bother to respond, keeping her gaze fixed on the passing trees.

“You know, I’m starting to think you just don’t like me,” Negan continued, his grin audible in his voice. “But that can’t be right. Everybody likes me.”

“Give it up, Negan,” Laura muttered, smirking without looking up. “You’re not her type.”

“Oh, so now you’re her spokesperson?” Negan shot back, chuckling. “Didn’t know you two were besties.”

Franklin snorted softly, his gruff laugh echoing in the cramped space.

Delilah ignored them all, her jaw tightening as she shifted her grip on her spear. She hated how Negan always managed to get under her skin, how his constant teasing made her feel seen in ways she didn’t want to be. It wasn’t that she hated him—no, hate would have been easier. It was that she didn’t know what to make of him.

The first stop was a hardware store. It was relatively uneventful—just a few walkers to clear, their decaying forms barely putting up a fight. The group worked efficiently, gathering tools, duct tape, and anything else they could carry. Delilah stayed near the back, letting Laura and Franklin handle the heavy lifting while she kept watch.

The grocery mart, however, was different.

As they stepped inside, the faint sound of voices reached them. Delilah froze, her grip tightening on her spear. It wasn’t the guttural groans of walkers—it was people.

Negan held up a hand, signaling for silence. He moved forward cautiously, his bat slung over his shoulder, his steps light despite his size. Laura followed close behind, her rifle at the ready, while Franklin stayed near Delilah, his posture tense.

The voices grew louder, clearer, and then they saw them—a group of five people, scattered near the store’s shattered shelves. They were armed, but their weapons were lowered, their postures cautious but not immediately hostile.

Negan stepped into view, raising his hands slightly. “Easy there,” he said, his tone calm but commanding. “We’re not looking for trouble.”

One of the newcomers, a tall man with a thick beard and a weathered leather jacket, stepped forward. His eyes darted between the group, lingering on Negan. “Neither are we,” the man said. “Just trying to survive.”

“Aren’t we all,” Negan replied smoothly. He tilted his head, his grin widening. “Name’s Negan. And you are?”

“Simon,” the man said after a brief pause.

“Well, Simon,” Negan said, his voice steady and measured. “Looks like we’re both in the same boat. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the habit of turning strangers into enemies. So what do you say we keep this friendly?”

Simon glanced back at his group, then back at Negan. “Friendly, huh? You in charge here?”

Negan chuckled, leaning casually on his bat. “Something like that. What about you? You the big man in your group?”

Simon’s lips twitched into a faint smirk. “You could say that.”

The two men seemed to size each other up, their postures relaxed but their eyes sharp. Delilah watched from a distance, her grip still tight on her spear. She didn’t trust anyone outside the group—hell, she barely trusted the group itself—but Negan’s ease in handling the situation was... surprising. There was something about the way he spoke, the way he moved, that made people listen.

“Tell you what, Simon,” Negan said after a moment. “This store’s got enough for all of us. We don’t need to step on each other’s toes. You take what you need, we’ll take what we need, and maybe—if you’re interested—I’ll tell you about a little place called the Sanctuary.”

Simon raised an eyebrow. “The Sanctuary?”

“That’s right,” Negan said, his grin widening. “Little slice of safety in this messed-up world. We’re building something there. Something worth sticking around for.”

Simon exchanged a look with his group, their expressions skeptical but curious. After a long pause, he nodded. “Alright. We’ll think about it.”

By the time they returned to the factory, Simon and his group were following behind in a beat-up truck they’d salvaged from the store parking lot. Delilah stayed near the back of the group, watching silently as Negan welcomed them inside, his tone warm but firm.

Simon seemed to fall into step with Negan immediately. The two of them shared the same sharp humor, the same ability to command attention without raising their voices. Over the next few days, Simon and his group proved themselves useful, helping with the ongoing cleanup and even suggesting new ways to fortify the Sanctuary’s defenses.

Delilah watched from a distance as Simon quickly became a fixture at Negan’s side. They planned supply runs together, assigned tasks, and rallied the growing group of survivors. Simon wasn’t just following Negan’s lead—he was becoming his second-in-command.

And Negan...

He wasn’t the man she’d assumed he was. She could see it now in the way he spoke to people, the way he inspired them. It wasn’t just bravado or manipulation. He believed in what he was doing, and that belief was contagious.

Delilah didn’t want to admit it, but as she watched him work, she realized something unsettling: Negan wasn’t just a good leader. He was the kind of leader people could follow. Even her.

But that thought terrified her more than anything else.

The Sanctuary was bustling now, no longer the hollow, empty factory it had been when Delilah first arrived. With the addition of Simon’s group, the numbers had swelled to over a dozen people. The main floor echoed with the sounds of movement—footsteps, conversations, the occasional laugh. Supplies were sorted and rationed, new sleeping areas were claimed, and the beginnings of a defensible perimeter were taking shape.

For Delilah, it was overwhelming. The Sanctuary no longer felt like a refuge; it felt crowded, suffocating, even tho there weren’t many people. She withdrew further into herself, finding corners to hide in whenever she wasn’t forced to help with chores. She kept her eyes on her work, avoiding the growing community as much as possible. Even Orion seemed to sense her unease, sticking close to her side wherever she went.

The others seemed to thrive under Negan’s leadership. He had a way of bringing order to the chaos, of making decisions that left little room for argument. He gave clear instructions, dividing tasks among the group and ensuring that everyone pulled their weight.

But the more he asserted his authority, the more Delilah’s unease grew. There was something about the way he carried himself, the way people seemed to hang on his every word, that made her stomach twist. He was charming, yes. Charismatic. But there was something darker beneath the surface, something she couldn’t quite name.

But then, one night everything changed and Ngean became her Savior.

It was late when it happened. The Sanctuary was quiet, most of its inhabitants already asleep in their makeshift quarters. Delilah had stayed up, lingering near one of the side rooms to avoid the main gathering area. Orion was dozing at her feet, his small body curled into a tight ball.

She was about to head back to her room when she heard footsteps behind her. They were heavy, deliberate, and when she turned, her stomach dropped.

It was one of Simon’s men—a broad-shouldered guy with a leering grin that made her skin crawl. She didn’t know his name; she hadn’t bothered to learn it. But his presence set her on edge immediately.

“Hey there,” he said, his voice low and slurred. He reeked of death, his breath hot and sour as he leaned closer. “What’re you doin’ all alone, huh?”

Delilah stepped back, her heart hammering in her chest. “I was just—just heading back,” she said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He moved to block her path, his grin widening. “No need to rush off,” he said, his tone oily. “We’re all friends here, aren’t we?”

Orion stirred at her feet, letting out a low growl. The man’s expression darkened, and he kicked at the dog, sending him skittering back with a yelp.

“Leave him alone!” Delilah snapped, her fear momentarily giving way to anger.

The man laughed, a harsh, ugly sound. “Feisty, huh? I like that.”

He grabbed her wrist, his grip bruising, and Delilah’s mind went blank with panic. She struggled, trying to wrench herself free, but he was too strong.

“Let go of me!” she hissed, her voice trembling.

Before she could scream, a sharp whistle pierced the air, cutting through the tension like a knife. Both of them froze, and Delilah turned her head to see Negan standing a few feet away, his bat resting casually on his shoulder. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that made her blood run cold.

“Well, well, well,” Negan said, his voice low and dangerously calm. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a little situation here.”

The man let go of her wrist immediately, stumbling back a step. “I wasn’t—I didn’t mean anything by it,” he stammered, his earlier bravado evaporating.

Negan tilted his head, his grin razor-sharp. “Oh, you didn’t mean anything by it? Funny, ‘cause it sure as shit looked like you were about to mean something by it.”

The man held up his hands, his eyes darting nervously around the room. “C’mon, Negan, I was just messin’ around—”

Negan didn’t let him finish. In a flash, he swung the bat, the barbed wire wrapping around the bat slicing into the man’s face with sickening precision. Blood sprayed across the wall as the man crumpled to the ground, gurgling and choking as he tried to crawl away.

Delilah stumbled back, her hand flying to her mouth as she watched in horror. The room seemed to tilt around her, the air thick with the metallic scent of blood.

Negan didn’t stop. He raised Lucille again, his movements methodical, almost practiced, as he brought the bat down with a sickening crunch. The man’s struggles ceased, his body slumping lifelessly to the floor.

The noise had drawn a crowd. The other inhabitants of the Sanctuary gathered around, their faces pale as they took in the gruesome scene. Negan turned to face them, his bat dripping crimson, his grin wide and wild.

“Let me make one thing crystal fucking clear,” he said, his voice booming in the silence. “This place? The Sanctuary? It’s not just a name. It’s a promise. A promise that we look out for each other. That we don’t fuck with each other.”

He gestured to the corpse at his feet. “This? This is what happens when you break that promise. I don’t care who you are or where you came from—you step out of line, you hurt one of mine, and you’ll be lucky if all you get is a fucking warning. Do I make myself clear?”

The crowd murmured their assent, their eyes wide with fear and awe.

Delilah stood frozen, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the bloodstained bat, from the raw power emanating from Negan as he asserted his dominance over the group.

For the first time, she noticed the bat’s name—Lucille—scrawled in faded letters along the handle. It seemed almost absurd, naming a weapon like that, but the thought was fleeting. Her mind was too clouded with fear, confusion, and something she couldn’t quite name.

Negan turned to her then, his grin softening slightly. “You okay, kid?” he asked, his tone almost gentle.

She nodded stiffly, unable to form words.

“Good,” he said. “Because no one’s gonna fuck with you again. Not on my watch.”

He walked away, leaving the room in stunned silence. The crowd began to disperse, some muttering under their breath, others avoiding eye contact altogether.

Delilah retreated to her corner of the Sanctuary, her mind racing. She couldn’t reconcile the man she’d seen tonight—the brutal, unflinching enforcer—with the charismatic leader she’d started to respect. She avoided everyone after that, withdrawing even further into herself. Even Orion seemed unsettled, sticking close to her as she tried to process what she’d seen.

Negan had protected her, yes. But at what cost? And why did it feel like the fragile sense of safety she’d started to feel was now laced with something darker?

But more importantly, why did Negan became like a Savior in her eyes?

The Sanctuary had grown. What had started as a ragtag group of survivors was now a thriving faction. New faces filled the halls—Dwight and Sherry, who had stumbled upon them after weeks of wandering; Tina, with her quiet resolve and sharp eyes; Gordon, a steady hand in tense situations; Maria, whose resourcefulness was only matched by her dry wit; Arat, with her no-nonsense attitude and deadly aim; and Justin, who, despite his brashness, proved useful when it came to heavy lifting and clearing walkers.

By January, the snow had begun to melt, revealing patches of muddy earth and skeletal grass. The air, though still cold, hinted at the promise of spring. The Sanctuary bustled with activity, the newcomers helping fortify the defenses and organize the ever-growing stockpile of supplies.

Amidst the noise and growth, Delilah faded further into the background.

Orion, now bigger and stronger, roamed the factory floor, his playful bark echoing through the halls as he chased after scraps of fabric or investigated the newcomers. People joked that he was the Sanctuary’s unofficial mascot. They joked about Delilah, too—that she’d finally decided to leave, slipping away silently into the night.

No one saw her, not during the day, not during meals. She had become a ghost within the walls, avoiding everyone with practiced ease.

Negan found her by accident. It was late, the kind of deep night when even the most restless souls had finally surrendered to sleep. The Sanctuary was quiet, the distant hum of the wind the only sound. He had been walking the halls, restless himself, when he caught sight of movement near the stairwell that led to one of the factory’s higher vantage points.

Curious, he followed, climbing the metal stairs with a practiced ease until he reached the top. There, sitting against the wall with her knees drawn to her chest, was Delilah.

She didn’t look up when he approached. Her spear leaned against the wall beside her, and Orion lay curled at her feet, his ears twitching as Negan’s boots scraped against the floor.

“Well, well,” Negan said, his voice low but carrying a hint of amusement. “The ghost of the Sanctuary. Thought you might’ve pulled a disappearing act for real this time.”

Delilah didn’t answer. She kept her gaze fixed on the horizon, where the faintest hint of dawn was beginning to lighten the sky.

Negan didn’t press. Instead, he lowered himself onto the ground a few feet away from her, letting Lucille rest across his lap. The silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was quiet, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

After a while, he spoke again, his tone softer this time. “You’ve got people worried, you know. Well, not worried worried—more like confused. You’ve got a whole crew down there wondering if you’re sticking around or if you’re just waiting for the right moment to bolt.”

Delilah’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Maybe I am,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible.

Negan tilted his head, studying her. “Yeah? And where would you go?”

Her shoulders tensed, but she didn’t answer.

“That’s what I thought,” Negan said, leaning back against the wall. He let out a soft chuckle, the sound devoid of his usual bravado. “You know, when I first started this little operation, I wasn’t exactly what you’d call the ‘stay and settle’ type. Thought it was just me against the world. Hell, sometimes I still think that.”

Delilah finally looked at him, her brow furrowed. “You don’t seem like the type to second-guess yourself.”

Negan grinned, but it was softer than usual. “Oh, sweetheart, I second-guess myself all the damn time. Difference is, I don’t let anyone see it. That’s what being in charge means—you fake it ‘til you make it, and you keep the rest of the world guessing.”

She frowned, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her sleeves. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I’ve been where you are,” Negan said, his voice losing its playful edge. “Sitting on the sidelines, keeping my distance, telling myself I didn’t need anyone. But you know what I figured out?”

He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on his knees. “You do need people. Not just to survive, but to live. And the second you stop fighting that, the second you let yourself actually lean into it... things start to make sense.”

Delilah looked away, her throat tight. “It’s not that simple.”

“No, it’s not,” Negan admitted. “It’s messy as hell. People let you down. They screw up. They get hurt, and you get hurt right along with them. But they’re also the reason you keep going. They’re what makes it all worth it.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

Negan nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, well, the fact that you’re still here? Tells me you’re already trying, whether you know it or not.”

The words hit harder than she expected. She looked down at Orion, who was watching her with wide, trusting eyes, his tail wagging faintly as if to remind her that she wasn’t as alone as she thought.

“You’ve got something good here,” Negan continued. “Not just me—though, let’s be honest, I’m pretty damn great—but everyone. Laura, Franklin, Simon... hell, even Justin, pain in the ass that he is. They’re building something here. We’re building something. And you’re part of it, whether you want to be or not.”

The first rays of sunlight began to creep over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink. Delilah watched in silence, her chest tight with a mix of emotions she couldn’t fully name. Fear. Hope. Confusion.

For so long, she’d been running—from people, from places, from the idea of home. But now, sitting there with Negan, the warmth of Orion at her feet and the promise of a new day on the horizon, she realized something had shifted. She didn’t want to run anymore.

She didn’t say it out loud—she wasn’t ready for that—but the thought lingered, heavy and certain.

Negan let out a soft sigh, pushing himself to his feet and slinging Lucille over his shoulder. “Well, I’m gonna take that as a win,” he said, grinning down at her. “See you downstairs, Ghost.”

He turned and walked away, leaving her alone with her thoughts. But for the first time in months, the loneliness didn’t feel quite so unbearable.

Delilah stayed there until the sun fully rose, the light washing over the Sanctuary below. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but for the first time, she thought maybe—just maybe—she was ready to find out.

And she wouldn’t do it alone.

It started with a joke.

Delilah was in the main hall, grabbing some rations before slipping back into the shadows of the Sanctuary as she always did. She didn’t talk much—if at all—and whenever someone looked for her, she seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was Justin who said it first, laughing as she passed by him and Gordon.

“There she goes. The Ghost.”

Delilah froze mid-step, her grip tightening on the bag of supplies. She didn’t respond, didn’t even look back, but the name stuck. By the end of the day, half the Sanctuary was calling her that, and not unkindly. It was more a reflection of what she was—a quiet, almost spectral presence that drifted through the halls without truly engaging with anyone.

At first, she hated it. The name felt like a reminder of how disconnected she was, how much she didn’t belong. But over time, she realized it wasn’t said with malice. When Maria handed her a meal, she’d grin and say, “Here you go, Ghost.” When Simon saw her heading out to one of the higher floors, he’d call after her, “Don’t vanish, Ghost!” It was almost... affectionate.

Negan called for another supply run a week later, this time assigning Laura and Delilah to go together. Delilah hesitated when he handed out the assignment—working with Laura had always been tense, their relationship built more on necessity than camaraderie—but there wasn’t much room for argument.

“We need more medicine,” Negan said as he handed Laura the map. “There’s a few towns on the outskirts of the county we haven’t touched yet. You two should be able to cover some decent ground. And Ghost,” he added, smirking at Delilah, “try not to scare the crap out of her while you’re out there.”

Delilah rolled her eyes but said nothing, slipping her spear into the strap on her pack.

The first few hours of the journey were quiet. The town they’d passed through was already picked clean, leaving only scraps of canned goods and a few useless trinkets. They drove on, the van rattling along the cracked road as Laura navigated from the passenger seat.

“You know they call you Ghost, right?” Laura said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Delilah didn’t respond right away, keeping her eyes on the road.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Laura added, smirking slightly. “It’s kind of badass, actually. You’re like one of those silent, mysterious types in the movies. Show up, save the day, then vanish into thin air.”

Delilah snorted softly, surprising even herself. “Yeah, right.”

Laura glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “Did the Ghost just laugh? I think I might faint.”

“Shut up,” Delilah muttered, but there was no bite in her tone.

The two women fell into an easy rhythm as the day went on. Laura, ever the talker, filled the silence with stories about her childhood, about Franklin’s gruff parenting, about the little moments of normalcy she’d found in the chaos of the apocalypse. Delilah didn’t say much, but she found herself listening, her guard lowering with every mile.

Finally, Laura broke the silence.

“You ever wonder what Negan’s deal is?” she asked, her tone casual but laced with curiosity.

Delilah glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Laura smirked faintly. “I mean, the guy acts like he’s got it all figured out. Like he’s been running the world since before it went to hell. But it wasn’t always like that.”

Delilah leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. “You’re saying he used to be... different?”

“Oh, yeah,” Laura said, chuckling softly. “When my dad and I first met him, he was... well, let’s just say he wasn’t the guy you see now.”

Delilah stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

“It was maybe a year after everything went to shit,” Laura began, her hands steady on the wheel as she navigated a turn. “My dad and I had been on the road for months. We’d been through a couple of groups already, but you know how that goes. People get desperate, and desperate people do stupid shit.”

Delilah nodded faintly, her fingers tightening around her sleeve. She knew that all too well.

“We were holed up in this little gas station, trying to wait out a storm. It was just the two of us—no one else wanted to stick around with Franklin. He’s not exactly the warm and fuzzy type.” Laura smirked, her tone affectionate despite her words.

“Anyway, we heard someone banging on the door in the middle of the night. My dad wanted to ignore it—said it wasn’t worth the risk. But I couldn’t. I mean, what if it was someone who needed help? So I opened the door, and there he was.”

“Negan?” Delilah asked quietly.

Laura nodded. “Yeah. But not like he is now. He looked like hell. Scruffy, gaunt, bleeding from a cut on his arm that looked like it was starting to go septic. He had this old jacket on, and he was talking about someone, Lucille”

Delilah frowned, trying to picture Negan like that—weak, vulnerable. It didn’t fit with the man she knew now. “Lucille? Like, like the bat?”

She nodded “My dad wanted to kick him out right away,” Laura continued. “Said we couldn’t trust him, that he’d bring trouble. But I don’t know... there was something about him. He wasn’t like the others we’d run into. He didn’t try to take anything or threaten us. He just stood there, asking for help. Like he didn’t have anything left to lose.”

“What happened next?” Delilah asked, her voice softer now.

“We let him in,” Laura said. “I cleaned up his arm, gave him some food. But he kept talking about this Lucille, that she needed help and my father gave him some things that could help him but just some days later, when we started to get ready to leave the place he just showed up. With the sick wired bat ”

She paused, her gaze distant as she remembered. “It wasn’t easy. He didn’t talk much at first, and when he did, he was... angry. At himself, mostly. He kept saying he’d failed Lucille, his wife, that he didn’t deserve to be alive. But over time, he started to change. Started helping out more, started talking more. It’s like he realized he could still do something, you know? Like he could still matter.”

Delilah didn’t know what to say. The idea of Negan being anything other than the confident, commanding figure she knew was hard to wrap her head around. But at the same time, it made sense. There was a weight to him, a shadow in his eyes that hinted at things left unsaid.

“So he rebuilt himself,” Delilah said finally, her voice quiet.

“Yeah,” Laura said, glancing at her. “And he rebuilt everyone around him while he was at it. My dad still doesn’t completely trust him—probably never will—but I’ve seen what he’s done for people. For us. He’s not perfect, but he’s trying.”

Delilah looked out the window, the passing trees blurring into a wash of green and brown. She thought about the Sanctuary, about the way Negan had fought for it, built it up from nothing. She thought about the way he’d protected her, the way he’d defended the people he called his own.

“He scares me sometimes,” she admitted, surprising herself with the confession.

Laura laughed softly. “Yeah, he has that effect on people. But trust me—if you’re one of his, he’ll fight like hell for you. Just don’t give him a reason to fight against you.”

Delilah stayed quiet, the weight of Laura’s words settling over her. Maybe she was starting to understand Negan, just a little.

She had many question for him, about his past, but how could she ask him even if she wanted tho when they became like strangers again? She didn’t considered him a friend before, when they still just the four of them on the road, but he talked to her often, at least, he tried.

But now things were different and it was her fault, she had this voice that kept telling her to leave, that The Sanctuary wasn’t her place and that caused her to isolate herself, more than before.

What she didn’t know is that the actually became a Ghost, and she will live up to that name.

By mid-afternoon, they reached a long stretch of road that cut through dense forest. The air was crisp and cool, the remnants of winter still clinging to the land. They were scanning for signs of small settlements when they spotted it—a looming, gray structure surrounded by tall fences topped with barbed wire.

The prison.

Laura slowed the van, her gaze narrowing as she studied the building. “Think it’s worth checking out?”

Delilah leaned forward, her eyes tracing the prison’s weathered walls. The place looked sturdy, almost fortress-like, but something about it felt wrong. It was too quiet, too still, the air heavy with an almost suffocating tension.

“No,” she said after a moment. “Too much work for too little payoff. It’s probably crawling with walkers.”

Laura nodded, easing the van back onto the road. “Yeah, you’re probably right. But man, can you imagine? Prison life in the apocalypse. Bet they had it rough.”

Delilah smirked faintly. “Bet they got out of there as soon as the gates opened.”

“Or didn’t make it out at all,” Laura countered, a grim edge to her tone.

They didn’t dwell on it, the prison disappearing in the rearview mirror as they drove on. Delilah couldn’t help but feel relieved as the building faded into the distance. Some places weren’t worth the risk.

And that was the first time, thought she didn’t know, that she was near her family in months.

The next few stops proved more fruitful. They came across a small gas station with a hidden stockpile of medical supplies—expired, but still usable. Farther down the road, they found an abandoned farmhouse, its pantry untouched. Laura whooped in triumph when she opened the pantry door to find rows of canned vegetables and fruit.

“Jackpot!” she said, grinning as she stuffed the cans into her bag.

Delilah, standing by the kitchen window, couldn’t help but smile. “Don’t jinx it.”

“What? You think saying it out loud is gonna summon a herd of walkers?” Laura teased, tossing her a can of peaches.

“You never know,” Delilah said, catching it and slipping it into her pack.

The last stop of the day was a small community tucked into the woods—a cluster of cabins and RVs surrounded by a makeshift wall of scrap metal and wooden planks. It was clear the place had been abandoned for some time, the smell of decay faint but lingering.

They searched the cabins methodically, finding little of value. Most of the supplies had either been taken or ruined by the elements, but they managed to scavenge a few blankets and some tools from the RVs.

“Not bad,” Laura said as they loaded the van. “Could’ve been worse.”

Delilah nodded, her gaze lingering on the community as they prepared to leave. “Do you think they made it?” she asked quietly.

Laura paused, glancing at her. “Probably not. But who knows? Maybe they moved on. Found somewhere better.”

Delilah didn’t respond, her mind drifting to the Sanctuary and the people waiting for them there. It wasn’t perfect—not by a long shot—but it was something. And maybe, just maybe, it was better than the alternative.

It was nearing dusk when Laura and Delilah pulled the van into the outskirts of a small town. They’d been on the road for hours, the low hum of the engine the only sound breaking the silence between them. Both were exhausted, their earlier banter replaced by the quiet focus that came with long days of scavenging.

“This place looks promising,” Laura said, scanning the cluster of buildings ahead. A few houses and a gas station dotted the area, their windows dark and cracked but not completely destroyed. “Bet we’ll find something in one of these.”

Delilah nodded, gripping her gun tightly. Orion jumped out of the van first, his small frame bounding ahead a few steps before stopping to sniff the air. He wagged his tail but stayed close, a sign that the area seemed clear—for now.

“Let’s make it quick,” Delilah murmured, her eyes scanning the shadows. The fading light made her uneasy, every corner a potential hiding place for danger.

Laura smirked, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. “You got it, Ghost. Quick and clean.”

The two women moved in sync, clearing the first house methodically. It was barren, save for a few scraps of cloth and a broken chair. The gas station yielded slightly better results—an unopened can of peaches, a dusty first-aid kit missing most of its contents, and a small stash of batteries. Not much, but enough to make the trip feel worthwhile.

As they exited the gas station, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the sky in shades of orange and purple. Delilah was the first to notice it—a faint rustling sound coming from the direction of the woods.

“Did you hear that?” she whispered, gripping her gun tighter.

Laura froze, her hand going to her rifle. “Yeah. Stay close.”

The rustling grew louder, closer, and then they saw them—three figures emerging from the trees, their weapons drawn. Two men and a woman, all armed with knives and a single rifle between them. Their faces were hard, their eyes darting between Laura and Delilah with a mix of suspicion and menace.

“Drop your weapons,” one of the men barked, his voice rough and commanding.

Delilah and Laura exchanged a glance, neither making a move to comply.

“I said drop your weapons!” the man shouted, raising his knife.

“You’re making a mistake,” Laura said, her voice calm but edged with steel. She didn’t lower her rifle. “We don’t want trouble.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come here,” the woman snapped, stepping forward. She was older than the others, with graying hair tied back in a loose braid. “Who are you? Where are you from?”

“Just passing through,” Laura replied evenly. “Same as you.”

“Bullshit,” the man growled. “Nobody’s ‘just passing through.’ You’ve got a group somewhere, and you’re going to tell us where.”

Delilah felt her pulse quicken, her grip on her spear tightening. She glanced at Laura, who gave a barely perceptible nod—a signal to stay calm, to follow her lead.

“Look,” Laura said, lowering her rifle slightly but keeping it ready. “We’re not looking for a fight. We’re just scavenging like everyone else. Let us go, and we’ll do the same for you.”

The second man, younger and wiry, stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. “Not until you tell us where you came from.”

Laura hesitated, her jaw tightening. “We don’t have a home.”

“More bullshit,” the woman said, her voice rising. “You’re too well-fed for drifters. You’ve got people somewhere, and we want to know where.”

Laura took a slow step back, subtly positioning herself between the strangers and Delilah. “Fine,” she said, her voice dripping with irritation. “You want to know where we came from? We came from the coast.”

The words made the group pause. The older woman’s eyes widened slightly, and the younger man glanced at her as if seeking confirmation.

“The coast?” the leader asked, his tone skeptical. “You mean Oceanside?”

Laura didn’t blink. “Yeah. You heard of it?”

The name sent a ripple through the strangers. The woman frowned, her grip on her knife tightening. “If you’re from Oceanside, you wouldn’t be out here scavenging.”

“Why not?” Laura asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not like the dead care where we live.”

The leader stepped closer, his knife glinting in the dim light. “Prove it. If you’re from Oceanside, tell us something only someone from there would know.”

Delilah’s mind raced, her chest tight with fear. She glanced at Laura, whose expression remained calm and unreadable.

“We don’t owe you any explanations,” Laura said finally, her voice cold. “If you want to pick a fight with Oceanside, go ahead. But don’t come crying to me when they track you down.”

The leader hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. Behind him, the woman muttered something under her breath, her expression uneasy.

“Let’s go,” the younger man said, tugging on the leader’s arm. “We don’t know how many more are out here.”

The leader gritted his teeth but finally nodded. “Fine. But if I find out you’re lying—”

“You won’t,” Laura said sharply, cutting him off. “Now go.”

The strangers retreated, disappearing back into the woods as quickly as they’d come. Laura and Delilah stood frozen for a moment, the tension in the air almost suffocating.

“Coast?” Delilah asked finally, her voice low. “What the hell was that?”

Laura exhaled, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. “I don’t know. First thing that came to mind. Guess it worked.”

Delilah frowned, her pulse still racing. “Oceanside. They acted like it’s a real place.”

“Maybe it is,” Laura said, shrugging. “And maybe they’ll head that way instead of coming after us.”

Delilah didn’t look convinced, but she let it go. “Next time, let’s not mention the coast.”

Laura smirked. “Noted.”

They loaded the van in silence, the earlier tension lingering between them. But as they drove away, the woods fading into the distance, Delilah felt a strange sense of relief. For the first time in a long time, she hadn’t been completely alone in a dangerous moment. Laura had stood by her, faced the threat head-on, and gotten them out of it.

“Thanks,” Delilah said quietly, breaking the silence.

Laura glanced at her, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Don’t mention it, Ghost. Just another day in paradise.”

Delilah rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, settling into her seat as the van rumbled down the road. Maybe she was starting to trust Laura. Just a little.

By the time Laura and Delilah pulled into the Sanctuary’s gates, the sky had darkened into deep shades of indigo, the first stars just beginning to prick the horizon. The van rattled to a stop in the main courtyard, where a few of the Sanctuary’s inhabitants milled about, working late into the evening.

Delilah jumped out first, Orion following close behind as always. Laura stepped out a moment later, hefting her rifle and stretching with a groan.

“Long day?” Simon asked as he approached, his hands in his pockets and his usual smirk in place.

“You have no idea,” Laura muttered, brushing past him. “Where’s Negan?”

“Inside,” Simon said, jerking his thumb toward the main building. “Probably plotting world domination or figuring out how to ration the last of the jerky. Same old, same old.”

Laura didn’t laugh. “We need to talk to him.”

Simon raised an eyebrow, glancing at Delilah, who was quiet as usual but visibly tense. “This sounds serious.”

“It is,” Laura said sharply. “Tell him we’re back.”

Simon gave a mock salute but quickly disappeared into the Sanctuary. Delilah followed Laura inside, her stomach twisting with unease. The encounter with the strangers still replayed in her mind—the way they’d demanded answers, the flash of recognition when Laura mentioned the coast, the name Oceanside.

By the time they reached the common area, Negan was already waiting, leaning casually against one of the tables with Lucille resting against his shoulder. Simon stood nearby, along with a few others, including Franklin and Maria. The room buzzed with quiet anticipation as Laura and Delilah stepped in.

“Well, well,” Negan drawled, his grin sharp but curious. “Welcome back, ladies. You’ve got Simon all worked up, so I’m guessing this ain’t just a social call.”

“It’s not,” Laura said, dropping her pack onto the table. “We ran into some people. Armed. Not friendly.”

The room went still. Negan’s grin faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. “Go on.”

Laura explained the encounter in detail, her tone even but firm. She described the strangers—their weapons, their numbers, their aggression—and how they’d demanded to know where she and Delilah had come from.

“They didn’t buy the ‘just passing through’ line,” Laura said. “So I told them we came from the coast. They thought that we were rom somewhere called Oceanside.”

At the name, Franklin frowned, leaning forward. “Oceanside? You think that’s a real place?”

“They seemed to think so,” Laura replied. “The second I told them yes, their whole vibe changed. It’s like they’d heard of it before.”

Negan tilted his head, his fingers drumming against Lucille’s handle. “And what did they say after that?”

“They backed off,” Laura said. “Didn’t want to press us too hard, but they weren’t exactly friendly about it. If Oceanside is real, they’re either scared of it or want something from it.”

Negan chuckled softly, a dark gleam in his eyes. “Well, well, well. Sounds like we’ve got ourselves a little mystery. And you know how much I love a good mystery.”

Delilah shifted uncomfortably, her fingers curling around the strap of her pack. She hated how easily Negan could make light of things, even when the stakes were high.

“So what’s the plan?” Franklin asked, his voice gruff. “If this place is real, it might be worth checking out. But it could also be a trap.”

“Everything’s a trap until proven otherwise,” Negan said, his grin returning. “But I’ll tell you this—if there’s a group out there strong enough to put the fear of God into some well-armed strangers, I want to meet them. Maybe they’re potential friends.” He paused, his grin widening. “Or maybe they’re competition.”

Laura crossed her arms, her gaze steady. “If we go, we go prepared.”

“Damn straight,” Negan said, pushing off the table. “Simon, round up a crew. Not too big—I don’t want to scare these people off before we even say hello. Laura, you’re coming since you’re our resident expert on these fine folks.”

“And me?” Delilah asked before she could stop herself.

Negan turned to her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. “You want in, Ghost?”

Delilah hesitated but nodded. “If they’ve heard of this place before, maybe they’ll recognize me too. Two of us might make them talk.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Negan’s face, quickly replaced by a grin. “Well, look at you, stepping up. Alright, Ghost, you’re in. Don’t make me regret it.”

#negan x reader #negan smith #negan fanfiction #twd negan #twd #the walking dead negan #negan smut #negan smith x reader #negan smith x you #negan series

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hypegirl1 · 1 year ago

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May the Evil rise again (part 3)

Part 1 Part2 AN: First of all,TYSM for the support,i love it,second,sorry for posting this late I'm so sorry

Summary:After Aurora finds out who and why the magic was destroyed,she wants to bring it back no matter what

Word count:2809

I had to bring the magic back...

I was going to my room and think about a plan,until my mom stopped me

"Aurora,did you had lunch with your uncles?You weren't here at lunch time so I assumed you ate with them"

"Yeah,I had lunch with auntie Eclipsa uncle Globgor and Meteora,we had a lot of fun,sorry if I made you worry"

"No honey it's fine,you were with your family at the end"

I couldn't help but smile,my mom always was so nice with me,and I love that.I went to my room and layed on my bed thinking about my plan,how was I supposed to bring magic back?

"Alright Aurora,just...concentrate and think about it"

"Think about what honey?"

"Oh my god!"

I didn´t even realized that my dad was in my room,I could have spoken too much and probably get grounded for life.

"Dad!You scared me,what are you doing here?!"

"I was looking for my hoodie,have you seen it?"

"It´s in my closet,I took it from yours,why?It doesn´t fit you anymore why do you want it?Besides,you have like 20 more in your closet"

"Alright,you can have one,you´re my daughter at the end"

"Thanks,and next time,please knock before entering"

"Sorry hehe..."

My dad left,now actually leaving me alone

"Alright,think smarter,not harder...if my family destroyed the magic using the whispering spell on it,maybe if I use it again with what used to be magic it will get back?"

Was what I was saying making sense? I didn´t knew,I had to test it.

"But...how am I gonna find that sancturay?Auntie Eclipsa said it was close to the forest of Certain Death,but what is close to it??ughh,come on Aurora,think,think...oh,the lake!but I don´t remember seeing anything on that lake?or...maybe yes?"

I was confused,I didn´t had an exact location at all,didn´t knew if my plan was going to work or not,what was I supposed to do?

"I need to clear my head for a second,I´ll go wash my face"

And I did,I went to the bathroom in my room and washed my face,it relaxed me

"Much better"

Or so I thought...when I saw myself in the mirror I screamed in horror when I saw a tiny figure in it,it was a blue creature with a beige gown,it had a pink gem on its forehead

"OH MY GOD!MOM!"

When I looked behind me there was,nothing?Did the figure just disappeared?Or was I hallucinating?

"Aurora!What happened?!"

My dad entered the room kicking the door,my mom was by her side,they both look like they were ready to fight

"I-I saw something in my mirror,and it wasn´t me,there was a kind of blue creature next to me!But it´s gone now?"

Both my parents were surprised,their faces became white as snow.

"How did it looked like?"

My mom sat on my bed and made me sit with her

"It was blue and small,around my hand´s size,it was wearing like a beige gown and it had like a pink gem on its forehead..."

"It might have been an allucination sweetie,are you tired?"

"Well,kinda..."

"It might be that,rest some time,there is no one in the house except us 3"

"Alright"

My parents left the room leaving me sitting in my bed,speechless about what just happened.

MARCO AND STAR´S POV

"Star...do you think she was talking about...Glossaryck?"

"No!I mean,yeah! I don´t know Marco,she described him perfectly,but he disappeared with the magic years ago,remember?"

"Yeah I know...but he did the same thing when we thought Ludo killed him,you started having some kind of hallucinations about Glossaryck and he ended up being alive"

"Maybe Aurora is actually hallucinating,but she never met Glossaryck...do you think he might be?..."

"Impossible..."

AURORA´S POV

"What was that thing I just saw...he looks kinda familiar"

And that´s when it clicked,that thing I just saw was the same creature I saw in all the paintings of the queens that were in the castle,but what was he?

"Was he a secretary of the queens?He was in every painting,so he might have been important.Wait,I´m forgetting my main plan,alright,what should I do then?I have to find the sanctuary and pronounce the spell on the magic,but what else?what I´m supposed to do when the magic gets back?"

That was the hard part,maybe if my plan worked I could actually bring the magic back,but what could I do?I never knew any spell other than the one auntie Eclipsa taught me.

"I should write the spell in case I forget it"

I took a notebook from one of my drawers and wrote the spell before I forgot it,maybe I could use this notebook as my spell book?That sounded kinda weird knowing I don´t know any spell,but maybe I could learn somehow? I took some markers and wrote on it "Aurora´s book of spells" and decorated it with some doodles.

"This might work,but I should hide it,if mom and dad find out this,I will get grounded for life"

I took the notebook and put it under a lose tile that was on my floor,my parents never knew about that so they will not find out.I put the tile back in and again,I saw it,on the reflection of the tile I saw that blue creature again.

"What the! What are you?!"

This time,the creature didn´t vanished when I saw it.

"I should take a picture"

I got up and took my phone,but when I got back the creature was gone

"What?...but it was here just now"

This was too much for me,I had to act fast,I was loosing time.

"What time is it?"

The clock said it was 8pm,still daytime knowing it was summer,perfect,I had time,I put my dad´s hoodie,took my backpack with me and put the notebook,a lantern and my phone.Went downstairs and outside,I was running I didn´t even saw my parents on the living room.

"Aurora,where are you going with your backpack?"

"Oh,I´m just going for a walk you know?"

"You just came home a few hours ago,you are leaving again?"

"Uhhh,yes,because I´m going to go get some apples that I saw on the way here"

"Alright then,have fun I guess"

"Bye!"

I left the house running to the forest of Certain Death,was I making a mistake doing this?I don´t know at this point

"I am not entering here,she said it was close to the forest,so maybe I should go around"

And I did,it took me a few minutes,but I found a lake.

"It must be here,but I don´t see any kind of building around...oh my-!"

I startled myself when I realized that there was an alligator on the water,oh no,what was I supposed to do?That thing could eat me in seconds...

"Maybe it wasn´t a good idea to come here...no no,step back!"

The alligator started coming towards me,I got scared and climbed a rock that was behind me,but the alligator just looked at me and did nothing but a sound

"wa"

"huh?did you say wa?"

"wa"

"uhh,well,at least you´re not eating me"

"wa"

"what do you want from me if it´s not to eat me?!"

"wa"

I was confussed,the alligator didn´t hurt me at all,it just kept saying wa

"uhh,I´m lost"

"wa"

"wa?..."

"wa"

"wa?is that what you want?"

The alligator went back to the water and disappeared

"That was weird...but I need to find the sanctuary"

I got up and was about to walk,when I heard a sound coming from the lake,I got close to the edge to see if there was something

"What is going on?"

Suddenly,a big building appeared out of nowhere

"Oh my! Did that thing came from underwater?how?"

I checked around to make sure nobody was looking or following me,I followed the rock paths into the building.

"Maybe this is the sanctuary,it is very well hidden"

I entered the building and I was amazed,a lot of images of that blue creature where everywhere,fountains everywhere,a big one on the center,where some kind of dark green mud was coming out of it,I was so distracted that I didn´t realized I accidentally stepped on it

"Eww,it must have been years since no one enters here,what´s this?A vending machine?"

It was,a vending machine that looked like it sold food and drinks only made out of corn,because it was empty and it was full of wrappers

"What is a vending machine doing in a place like this?Ugh,the mud got in my shoe...no,Aurora,concentrate,I have to do the spell on the magic,but how does magic look like now?I don´t even know what it looked like before,how am I gonna do this?"

I was stuck in the situation,I had a plan,but I didn´t knew how to execute it

"Uhhh,alright,auntie Eclipsa said the magic came from the fountains of the sanctuary,so,the magic might be this weird mud?I guess I could try...so,they pronounced the spell on the magic?I´ll have to put my hands in here then...ew..."

I could at least try,there was nothing to lose,because the magic was already lost,the only thing I could do was bring it back.I pulled out my notebook and chose the page with the spell,sat on the cold stone floor and put my hands in the mud.

"Alright,let´s try this thing...break the bond,tear the fabric,cleave the stone,stop the magic..."

Nothing happened...

"Ugh,this is stupid,do I really think I can bring the magic back just like it was nothing?!I´m so dum- WHAT THE?!"

He was here,again,that blue creature was here again,he was reflected on the mud

"What do you want from me?!I´m just trying to bring back the magic!Are you trying to stop me!"

It just looked at me straight in the face with a serious look

"Is this your...house?"

No answer

"What are you trying to say?!You just suddenly appeared when I said I wanted to bring the magic back,what even are you?!"

The creature looked at my notebook,I think it was actually trying to say something

"My notebook?What about it?"

That thing didn´t took its eyes out of the notebook,it looked like he was actually looking at the spell...

"The spell?...maybe I´m saying it wrong,I´ll try to change it,if they said this to destroy the magic,maybe if I change the last words it might get back.Alright let´s try again"

I sticked my hands on the mud and pronounced the spell again but with a twist

"Break the bond,tear the fabric,cleave the stone,revive the magic..."

No effect...

"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY?!Ugh!"

The blue thing didn´t took its eyes out of the notebook,maybe I was saying it wrong again

"Alrigh,I´ll try my last option,saying it reversed,uhh...alright I got it"

Saying it reversed was my last option,I didn´t knew what else to do at this point,if this spell had no effect,I would have failed my mission...

"Alright...cigam eht e pots,enots eht evaelc,cirbaf eht raet,dnob eht kaerb...what is?-"

I could see a little yellow spark under all the mud,my spell was...working?But it wasn´t enough,I had to say it again

"cigam eht e pots,enots eht evaelc,cirbaf eht raet,dnob eht kaerb,cigam eht e pots,enots eht evaelc,cirbaf eht raet,dnob eht kaerb...oh my-god,I-I have to continue,It´s working!"

The creature suddenly disappeared,I could see how the mud started to turn yellow,the spell was working,I was bringing back the magic...

"cigam eht e pots,enots eht evaelc,cirbaf eht raet,dnob eht kaerb!"

I could feel something in my cheeks,I didn´t knew what it was until I saw my reflection on the magic

"What are those marks...wait,I´ve seen them before..."

In the paintings at the castle,every queen had those cheekmarks,I guess they were magic cheekmarks?Mine looked like a yelowish sun,and they were shining a lot...I kept saying the spell until something started to make a sound from the main fountain,when it suddenly exploded,I was fine,but something had happened...

"The spell...worked?"

I still had those cheekmarks,and I could see that something was coming to the surface,I wasn´t wrong

"Ohhh my god!It´s hideous in there,thank god I´m back again"

"Yo-you are that creature"

That blue creature I kept seeing everywhere now was alive and speaking

"Who are you?!You´ve been following me everywhere!What do you want from me?!"

"Calm down Aurora,I´m not going to hurt you"

"How do you know my name?-"

"I know everything,and I know that you´re not that smart as your mom,it took you some time to understand that I wanted you to bring the magic back"

"I´m sorry?!You were trying to tell me that?How was I supposed to know?!"

"It doesn´t matter now,what matters is that I´m alive,the magic is alive,all thanks to you"

"But mom and dad said- MOM AND DAD OH MY GOD!How are they going to react when they realize that I brought the magic back?!"

"Ohh they will not be happy,I know it"

"Because they said the magic is dangerous!"

"No Aurora,ugh,this will be a long way,the magic is not dangerous,the person and the use they give it is what is dangerous"

"If you say so...but who are you?!"

"I´m Glossaryck,nice to meet you dear,you look a lot like your mom and dad wow,they did a great job"

"What?-"

"It´s not important,because look at that"

I saw in the direction that Glossaryck pointed,a big bubble of magic started floating,it exploded leaving what looked like a little sun with wings attached to a stick,well,maybe that wasn´t the best description of what that thing was...

"Take it"

I took that thing and the sun in the center of it started shining with my cheekmarks

"This is now your wand"

"My-WHAT?!"

"Oh my god,it´s always the same thing,your wand,you can do magic with it,but be careful,you don´t know how to use it yet"

"Al-right?"

I was shocked,I brought the magic back,I had a wand now,I had those cheekmarks,some thing called Glossaryck knows everything about me and everyone and it was speaking,what did I just do?!

"Glossaryck...now what is gonna happen?"

"Look at the door"

"AURORA BUTTERFLY WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

They were my parents,they looked very mad,oh no,what have I done...

A few minutes ago,Star´s and Marco´s POV

"Star do you think Aurora is okay?"

"Yeah,why do you say so?"

"I don´t know I´m just worried abo-OH MY GOD"

"What?what is going on?is there a bug on my head?"

"No,worse...Star,your cheekmarks...they are...back"

"Wha-what?"

Star searched for a mirror,she was horrorized when she realized that her heart cheekmarks where back,but things only got worse when she saw Marco,and he had his moon cheekmarks

"You-your cheekmarks Marco,you also have them..."

"What?No,no,this can´t be,who and-"

Star gasped at the sudden realization,Aurora,it must have been her,who else could it be?

"Aurora...all those questions,her going to Eclipsa´s castle,Marco,she brought the magic back..."

"Impossible..."

"We must find her,right now"

END OF THE POV

"Mom! I-I can explain it I swear!"

"Star!Marco!my favorite couple,I missed you a lot"

"Glossaryck?You´re...alive?So,all those visions Aurora had were real?"

"Yeah,I was guiding her to bring the magic back"

"You did WHAT?!Glossaryck please! You know what happened last time!"

"Star,you never realized right?"

"Realize what?"

"Mina was never invencible,neither your mom or her were the problem in that whole situation,Solaria was the problem since the beggining of her reign,if she didn´t had that mentality,nothing like that would have ever happened"

"Aurora...what did you do?..."

"I...brought back the magic,because that´s what I had to do..."

Part 4 coming soon...

#star vs the forces of evil #svtfoe #marco diaz #star butterfly

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