Author Note:

This story takes place before the outbreak- It is the prequel to the story Deception and the events leading up to it. It focus on Negan and Lucille as well as my Original Character Melanie and their friendship as well as Negan's rise to protect them.

In this story Melanie is the niece of Rick and Lori - Lori has a sister named Emily that had a child with Abraham. Emily remarried after Abe left her .

Quiet before the Storm:

12 weeks before the outbreak.

"Hey Fun-Size." A booming voice called out.

Melanie looked up hearing her nickname from her substitute teacher, she flashed a smile and tied her brownish-red curly hair into a ponytail, she looked at him with her blue eyes to see him better. "Hey Ass." She said rolling her eyes and looking up at him. She knew he was trouble and didn't really care. He was her favorite teacher in this hell-hole, of a town and school. She couldn't wait to escape, the only thing she would really miss was her gym teacher - which was really odd considering he didn't like to talk to any students outside of school - or inside of school for that matter.

Negan let out a laugh and rolled his eyes and shot a look down at the shorty in front of him. "I know I'm an asshole. Thank you very much." He said giving her a wink and a grin, flashing all his teeth. He fixed his baseball cap and took a drink out his flask, and shoving it away in his jacket.

Melanie got up from the grass, she was sitting outside on the track after school. "What's on your plans?" She asked glancing up at him with her blue eyes, taking a sip from the flask

"Lu wants you over for dinner, and by dinner. I mean take out - Lu still can't cook worth a shit." He laughed, looked down at her, watching her move around on the grass. He held his hand out to help her up.

She didn't like going home and he knew that. She disliked her step-down of a stepdad, Edgar - who was mayor of Greenbridge, Virginia. Her mom got remarried when Melanie was only 4 about a year after her real dad left them to go start a new family. They had only been together for 3 months but figured they could make it work. Dear mother ended up popping out a little girl, about a few years later.

Melanie smiled slightly, and got up fixing her shirt, she had on a gun's n ' roses shirt and jeans with holes in it, along with tennis shoes. "Thanks!" She said perking up and hugging him slightly. She let go grabbed her bag and followed him to the parking lot.

Negan had a black 1996 harley davidson sportster, she ran her hand over it lightly and watched him get on. She smiled slightly biting her lip, nervous about it.

"Hop on fun-size." He chuckled slightly, and handed her a helmet. She smiled and hopped on, putting the helmet on. She held on tight, as he drove to his house.

"Hey! Lu baby." He Laughed as he got off the bike and headed into the house with Melanie. Melanie followed him inside and took off her shoes. She smiled leaning against the wall and fixed her hair up into a loose bun.

Lucille came downstairs and smiled hugging Melanie, going right past Negan. "Mel. I haven't seen you at the nursing home lately." She frowned looking Melanie over, and looked at her husband. "Don't you make her eat lunch at school? She's all skin and bones!" She snapped.

"Am I her daddy?" He retorted, rolled his eyes, " I can't shove a damn funnel in her mouth and make her eat shit, Lu." He laughed slightly.

Melanie smiled slightly, "Just not hungry lately." She shrugged

Lucille smiled. "I'm starving. What should we order for dinner?"

"When aren't you hungry Lu. You eat every 5 minutes." He let out a laugh.

Lu just shot him a dirty look and grabbed the huge stack of menus off the counter and sat down with Melanie on the sofa.

"I'm in the mood for General Tsao's Chicken - along with Chicken Lo Mein."

"Alright. Alright. Write down what you want I'll order." Mr. Travis smiled sitting back, he know what he already wants to order.

Lu figured out what she wanted to order, and wrote it down, Melanie did the same and sat back on the sofa as Lu looked through the list of movies that she could rent.

They all got their food and sat back on the sofa eating and watching movies. They spent the good part of the evening together. Lu looked over at Melanie seeing it was 11 PM. "You're parent's are going to be pissed you're gone this late."

Mel shrugged slightly, she didn't really care. "I dont give a crap." she said laying back on the sand and watching him. "Step-down and madam don't even notice I'm around half of the time." she sighed slightly. "I'm just the trash that got dragged into this new life when mom couldn't get rid of me after my dad left."

She said sighing and playing with a button on her shirt. "I just wish I could move away right now." She sighed. She had a year left before graduating.

Negan ran his hand through his hair and Lucille elbowed him and looked up at him. Negan cleared his throat and looked down at her. "You know. We have that apartment above the garage.. Lu loves having you here, and you're pretty good company.." He said pushing her slightly to snap her out of whatever though she currently was in. He grinned seeing her flash him a big grin. Lu smiled listening to them and sat up a bit. "Please move in with us Mel." She asked

"Really?" She said sitting up straight and looking at them both.

"Hell yeah we do. You pretty much live here anyway.." He smiled back at her, "It's small but that's fine for you since, well your short anyway." He laughed. Lu shoved him slightly and rolled her eyes.

"She's close my height!" Lu snapped giggling slightly.

Melanie rolled her eyes and smiled. "How much for rent?"

"For you….. 20 bucks a month, and maybe cook us, supper?" He smiled running his hand through Lu's black straight hair. "Lu can't cook worth a shit. Burns it all the fucking time." He laughed.

Melanie smiled pushing her fallen hair from her eyes. "Deal!" She said hugging them slightly. "Thank you, Both.." She said softly.

"One Thing - Stop calling me Mr. Travis.. Just call me Negan.. Hell you're on a first name basis with my wife - might as well be on that same basis with me." He said rubbing Lu's back as she stretched out more cuddling with him on the sofa.

Melanie smiled slightly. "Thank you Negan and Lu." she said, she looked up at him and pushed her bangs from her face. "For everything." She smiled and sat back.

Negan swiftly nodded and got up, holding out a hand to help Lu up, he didn't realize how small she was compared to Lulu was at least 5'8, to his tall stature. He was 6'5 and she was 5'2. Melanie smiled back at him. " Thank you." She stretching and sighing softly. She pushed her shoes on and cracked her neck.

"Anytime." He said getting in the truck. "Pack up your stuff, We will help you grab what you need tomorrow?" He said after dropping her off at her place, it was Friday. So it make good sense to come help her tomorrow before his shift at the dealership. "Do you work tomorrow at the nursing home?"

"Sounds great. I'll be up around 8." She nodded. "Yeah my shift is at 2 pm though. I work second shift. Lu is working with me also tomorrow. I'm glad, I can't stand the other nurse that works there.." She smiled.

Negan laughed "Well. She likes working with you also." He nodded "Fan-fucking-tastic fun-size." He said grinning, "See you then." He said taking off in his truck.

Melanie adjusted her backpack and went into the house of horrors..