I didn't plan on posting this story until I had it done but I keep going back over it and changing/editing this part instead of adding to the fic. I'm hoping that by posting this I'll be able to get it done! I apologize for posting another half finished story :)
TWDTWDTWD
He watched the child sleep wondering just how his life had turned as it had. One day he was a gym teacher in an ordinary middle school, the next he's fighting for his life with the most extraordinary child he'd ever met. When the virus hit, he didn't believe the hype the news outlets were putting out, figuring they were just sensationalizing the whole thing for better ratings. Within weeks however, the school was overrun with the dead and he was running for his life. He was never so glad that the cancer got his wife before things became too bad. Yes he had a mistress, but he adored and loved his wife and he couldn't have handled her being eaten or killed by some idiot wanting their food and water.
Everything he believed, everything he thought was right, everything he was changed that day. He'd always been an arrogant prick, but he'd learned to curb it just enough to make people wonder if he was an being an asshole or joking around. If he didn't, he would have never kept a job or had the life he always dreamed of. Then everyone died, ran or turned and he knew that there was no time for niceties or the need to hide his true personality. It was kill or be killed, survival of the fittest and he was damn well going to be at the top of the food chain. Then he met the child lying beside him and knew she was the key to his salvation.
He and his wife always wanted children, but after years of trying they were unable to get pregnant. He guessed that was why he spent so much time with the children at school and coached the ping pong team. When he saw this child fighting off a hoard of walkers, using skills he'd never seen before or could explain, he knew he'd hit the jackpot. He helped her escape and they started to travel together, eventually bonding as a father and daughter, sharing their histories as well as their dreams for the future they would build. The girl seemed to enjoy fighting and with her abilities she was unstoppable, making his life much easier. To be honest, she sometimes scared him when she got that look in her eye before she mowed down the groups of walkers they ran into. He figured that as long as it wasn't directed at him, he was safe. He wondered if she would be the same way if they were human and knew he would one day find out as supplies were getting hard to come by. Lucky for him she was such a good thief or there would have been a lot of bloodshed by now. Unfortunately the decent folk were being killed off as time went on leaving the undesirables and he knew the day would come where they would need to fight or kill something other than walkers to stay alive.
The sun had risen about an hour ago and they needed to keep moving until they could find a safer place to hole up. "True, come on honey. Time to get up." When she didn't move, he landed a moderate swat on the exposed backside. "Up or that one smack can multiply and get much harder."
She glared up at him. "I hate you sometimes."
"I know." He pulled her to her feet. "Get cleaned up and dressed. I'll get breakfast started."
True groaned and pulled on her boots then joined Negan beside the fire and took the plate he handed her. "Beans again?"
"All we have."
"Well, I ain't eating anymore of these!" She tossed the food on her plate into the fire.
Negan's eyes flashed fire. "Damn it! What did I tell you about wasting food?"
"Ah don't get your panties in a wad! I'm going to get us some real food."
Negan grabbed her collar and pulled her up onto her toes. "Where do you think you are going to find it? We've been through every house and store in the area."
True pulled herself free and pushed away. "There's a camp not far from here. I'll just take what they have."
Negan didn't bother asking how she knew that. He found out long ago about her abilities and figured she'd talked to some rabbit or something. "You better get us something. You don't and you and me are going to have problems. Clear?"
True gave a sullen nod, wondering not for the first time why she let him have authority over her. There was just something about certain men that made her feel comfortable enough to give up control and let them take care of her for a while. She grudgingly admitted that she needed someone to keep her in line and safe from herself. With the breakdown of social norms and the chaos that reigned after the virus hit, she knew that she would slide completely into the savage clan member she was trained to be. She did not want that to happen, not after everything she'd gone through. Many people worked hard to show her how great life could be, that she was loved for who she was and she didn't want to disappoint them or herself. There was a trade off though.
Negan hooked his thumbs into his belt, his fingers tapping the buckle. "Excuse me? Do you really want to push me right now?"
And there is was. "No Sir." She'd learned quickly that he didn't really care what she did as long as she was respectful and obedient. She had enough life experience to tell that he was just this side of crazy. He was a good fit as he didn't care what she needed to do to keep them alive but also provide the external control she needed to remain who she wanted to be.
"Pack up. We're going to find this camp of yours."
TWDTWDTWDTWD
True wiped the sweat from her brow as she watched the campsite. There were two men, rather scary men if she was being completely honest. She could take them, but didnt know if she could do it without a weapon. If she had time to observe their daily pattern she would be able to sneak in, grab what she wanted and go. The man breathing down her neck was going to make that impossible. "Can you give me some room?" She huffed and took a few steps away from him. "I cant think with you glaring at me!"
"Gonna do more than glare if you don't get us some food."
True rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, I will! Seriously, like I want to go hungry today!"
Negan grabbed her by the scruff of the neck. "One more smart ass remark and you are going to be very, very sorry. Got me?"
True winced when he tightened his hold. "Yes sir."
Negan let her go, swatting her backside hard for good measure. He'd learned to shut her shit down or things would escalate quickly. "You got your knife?"
True nodded. "Don't plan to use it though." She rubbed some dirt on her face and clothes and mussed her hair, then turned her big baby blues on Negan, a lone tear trailing down her cheek leaving a line in the dirt. "Think I look like a pathetic lost little girl?"
The look she gave him made him want to grab her up and protect her. The girl was a damn fine actress. "You'll pass."
"I'll be back." She slipped through the trees, dredged up some tears and took a seat on a log close enough so the men would hear her. She gave a thumbs up to Negan before turning on the waterworks, being sure to sob loud enough to get the attention of the men. After a few minutes the older of the two slowly approached her from the front while the younger one held his crossbow on her. "Hey sweetheart, you lost? You got anyone with you?"
True sniffed and shook her hear. "They're all gone!" She wailed. "The monsters got them!"
"Hey now, don't cry. Ole Merle will help you out. You hungry? We just caught us some squirrel and Darryl here was just getting ready to cooked up a mighty fine stew."
Darryl watched his brother in awe as the little girl took his hand. The man was the meanest son of a bitch there was, but something about kids softened his personality so he was tolerable. He followed him over to the camp where Merle wet his kerchief and wiped the dirt from the kids face.
True waited until stew was done and was sure to eat her fill, smirking into her makeshift bowl when she thought about Negans reaction to her dawdling. He was very specific about what she is to do when taking supplies from other people. She was supposed to get in, get the food or whatever and get out. They'd then split the bounty even though most of the time it was barely enough to sustain them and move on. She was surely going to pay a hefty price but it would be worth it to have a full stomach before she returned to him.
She made her move when the men started to clean up, quickly knocking the older one out with a nearby stick magnified by her powers. The younger tried to attack but she kicked him in the chest and knocked him on his ass. She was on him with her knife to his throat before he could recover and forced him on his stomach so she could tie his hands behind his back. The pot was cool enough to touch so she grabbed it and the supplies in sight and took off.
Negan was livid when she finally returned to him but the need to get out of the area before the men came after them took precedence so he settled for a few hard swats to her disobedient backside. "You're gonna pay for that once we find a safe place to hole up." He grabbed some of the stuff from True and they both headed off to safer territory.
They found an old abandoned house and took refuge inside. Negan directed her to a corner and settled down to eat. He'd used the time it took to find this place to calm down. Children needed guidance and discipline, not abuse. He wasn't angry about her eating her fill, she was a child after all and kids needed to eat more that adults. What pissed him off was the fact she didn't follow the plan and obey his instructions. You never knew who you were stealing from or if they were sick bastards that liked to hurt children so he told her to get in and out quickly to lessen the chance of something going wrong. He didn't know what she was playing at this time but she was going to be punished severely. He couldn't stand the thought of something happening to her so he needed to make it clear that disobedience would not be tolerated.
When he finished eating he stood and moved directly behind her, smiling when he saw her hands twitch as if to cover her rear but stop and fall back to her sides. Apparently that lesson was finally learned. "What were you playing at today?"
The time in the corner gave True time to think about what happened and she grew angry at his overreaction to her getting them something good to eat. "I wasn't fucking playing I was getting food because you keep feeding me fucking beans!"
Negan shook his head in disbelief at her being angry at him for wanting to keep her safe and swatted her several times. "Don't. Make. Me. Count."
Those words caused a chill to run down her spine. There was a whole new world of hell if he had to count, a hell she was not prepared to go to today. Not over something like this. "I was hungry and wanted a fresh hot filling meal. It's been so long since we had one and I needed to wait for it to get done." A harder smack landed and it took all True had to not rub at the sting.
"One."
God she wished she could turn around to put her butt safely against the wall but she wasn't allowed to move until he said she could. "Okay! Okay! I did want a fresh hot meal but I also wanted to tick you off because you smacked me this morning when I tossed my food into the fire." She winced when another swat landed. "Not that you shouldn't have! I shouldn't have done it! I was just being a brat!" She quickly added before he could say two. She knew well that every number he counted added to her punishment and she definitely never ever wanted him to get to three again.
"Turn around."
True slowly faced him and looked up to make the required eye contact.
The look on her face made him wish he had time to explain and reason with her or employ other forms of discipline but how do you ground a kid from nothing or keep them safe in this new world without harsh consequences? Plus she'd broken one of his major rules and he couldn't allow that. "You disobeyed me and could have gotten hurt. Do I allow disobedience?"
"No sir."
"Do I allow you to purposely put yourself in dangerous situations?"
True gave a small smile. "Yes sir."
That made Negan pause and smirk. "Ok let me rephrase. Do I allow you to purposely put yourself in dangerous situations without my say so?"
"No sir."
"Then you will be punished." He pulled his belt off and laid it over his shoulder then guided True to face the table. He unbuttoned her pants and lowered them and her underwear to her knees. "Bend over."
True did as instructed and cringed when she heard him fold the belt and put the buckle in his hand. She cried out when the first lash hit but tried to stay quiet for the rest. The last thing they needed were walkers to come investigate the noise. Negan never did anything in halves so she was a sobbing mess when he finished. He fixed her clothes and sat in the chair beside her to rub her back while she brought herself under control. She finally stood up and rubbed her rear with one hand and the tears with another before looking up at her guardian.
"I'm sorry. I have no plans to disobey you again."
Negan noticed she didn't say she would never disobey him again but didn't call her on it as they both knew she would. "If it happens again this gets a whole lot worse. Understood?"
True didn't know how it could get worse but kept her mouth shut. She really didn't want to know. "Yes sir."
Negan pulled her onto his lap and put his arms around her. The girl snuggled in, latching onto his leather jacket and dropping her head onto his chest. He always envied the fathers he saw everyday interacting with their kids, hugging them and playing with them. Now that he had True he could finally do the same and enjoy moments like this, even if he did just have to punish her. He dropped a kiss onto her tousled hair. "Want me to carry you over to the couch so you can sleep?"
True looked up and yawned. "Can I stay here for a while?" She loved the feeling of safety and love his presence provided. She was sure he loved her. She doubted he'd ever say it but she could feel it when he held her like this.
"You don't even need to ask." He stood for a second to grab a near by blanket and wrapped it around her. "Sleep. I'll keep watch."
