RETRIBUTION

Synopsis: Heath is alive and back at Alexandria, but on his way back he found someone - Nikita, who has just recently escaped from Negan. She wants the same thing as Rick and Maggie - to take down Negan once and for all. She wants revenge.

I've had this idea for a while, especially a fan fiction involving Heath returning. This is eventual Daryl/OC. It is quite dark (obviously) and a slow burn romance. This is set during season 7 - timelines will become very clear in next few chapters.

The prologue is quite slow but the next few will introduce Alexandria and we will see more of Nikita's story come to play.

Please review and enjoy!

PROLOGUE

"Kill me instead..." She begged, fighting to get free from the Saviour who had a tight grip on her arms. "Please...please don't do this - please!"

He took a few steps towards her and readjusted his bat so that it was right in her eye line. "All the beggin' in the world will change nothing... You and your friends screwed me the fuck over and I will not stand for that!" She swallowed shakily, shaking her head furiously. "I get it! It's hard for you, sweetheart - but rules are rules!"

Nikita opened her eyes and exhaled shakily, fighting against every bone in her body which just wanted to collapse. Her breathing was shallow and small dots started to appear in her vision. All she could see was brown and green, which was ironic. She always loved nature - before and after the event. But now, it seemed she was going to die surrounded by it. She knew that was the case, she wouldn't go back there. No way in hell. She flinched as she adjusted slightly, her hand still applying pressure to the wound. In an ideal world she would have hit him and killed him - but even though she tried and got away, she wouldn't be away from him for long. He was coming for her - that much was clear. It was the last thing he told her before stabbing her.

Nikita closed her eyes for a moment, envisioning a piano. The sound of the keys and a melody from what seemed so long ago. She would give anything to go back to normal life. A life where the dead wasn't the only thing she had to fear and where she wasn't well and truly alone. She frowned, opening her eyes as she picked up the sound of footsteps, approaching from behind her and closed her eyes in frustration. There were only two options - It was either one of those things or one of Negan's men. Either way, she was going to die.

"Make it quick, you son-of-a-bitch." She said out loud, her brown eyes starting to water with the closeness of death. Strands of her brown hair tickled the side of her face, as she craned her neck to try and see which it was.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." A man's voice said, the footsteps getting closer to her. She held her breath as she heard the footsteps approach and a man entered her vision. He had long dreadlocks, several scratches on his face and wore clothes which looked like they hadn't been washed in weeks.

She shook her head as he crouched down. "You're gonna have to kill me before you take me back there." She quickly said, wincing at the pain on the side of her abdomen. She blinked back tears and glared at him with determination. "I'm not going back."

His eyes widened in concern at what she said, holding both hands up. "Okay...I don't wanna kill you or hurt you. Nothing like that - My name's Heath and I'm gonna help you." He noticed the way she was glaring at him and nodded slightly. "If you'll let me."

She sniggered lightly, regretting the action instantly due to the pain that radiated through her. "No... you're not."

He frowned, looking down at her blood covered wound on her abdomen. "Walker?" He asked, to which she frowned in confusion. "Y'know - them."

Nikita shook her head. "I got stabbed - by the man you work for."

He sighed, kneeling down in front of her. "Lady-"

"-Nikita."

"Okay, Nikita - I don't work for anyone. I'm just trying to find my way back home to my friends..." He glanced down at the floor, inhaling sharply before looking back up at her. "Is he far? The person that did that?"

She looked around slightly. "On their way - They'll find me eventually." She eyed him cautiously, not wanting to trust her gut instinct that he was trustworthy. He seemed genuinely concerned and it was rare that one of the Saviours would be working alone. Hell, from the time she was there all of the Saviours were anything but kind. "Who are you?"

"Heath - I just said earl-"

"-no. Who are you?"

He frowned, looking at her wound and then to the top of her head. "Did you hit your head or something?"

She smiled lightly, feeling reassured that Heath did not work for Negan. "I'm just having some trust issues."She motioned with her head to her wound. "As you can tell."

He glanced back towards the direction where he came from. "I've got a car on the road, you'd hear them if they were driving..." He paused for a second, deep in thought before nodding to himself. "Okay, listen - I know a place, a community - Alexandria. I had, have friends there - they can help you and you can trust them."

Nikita took in the information with a pinch of salt, it was virtually impossible for her to trust whatever people told her, but there was something genuine about Heath. "Do they work for him? Do they work for Negan." It made her feel sick just saying his name after what he had done to her. Images of her friends...no, her family... quickly sprung to the front of her mind and she blinked rapidly.

"Knowing them - I doubt it. And besides - I leave nobody behind, not now." He stood up, extending a hand to help her up. She tentatively accepted, wincing in pain. "I can't leave you here, I got food in the car and I'm guessing we could be there in half hour." She groaned slightly in pain, feeling a wave of nausea rush over her. Heath hurried to her side and carefully placed an arm around her to guide her towards the car. "I ain't gonna hurt you - These people can help. They did the same for me... Tough sons of bitches but you need to be nowadays, right?" She grimaced slightly in pain and he paused for a second. "You okay?" She quickly nodded and started to walk again. "Your accent - you're, uh, British...Australian?"

"Trying to change the subject...smart..." She commented dryly, ignoring the dark dots that started to cloud her vision. "I'm from England." She admitted, carefully walking towards the road, catching a glimpse of a red 4 x4 car. She quickly froze, her blood running cold and eyes widening. "That yours?"

"It is now." He dryly replied and she let out a sigh of relief. "Lie down in the back, I've got food and weapons - just in case."

She exhaled shakily, glancing down the empty road half expecting to see the vans speeding by at any second. "Yeah...just in case."