Discovery

"There's a safe haven about six miles from Sanctuary. We'll all go, see if it's suitable….set up arrangements and all that other boring shit," Negan paced in front of Turtle, Leo, and Dwight, Lucille swung across his shoulder. "It's got all kinds of fuckin' goodies."

Dwight glanced at Turtle. She cringed at the hard stare he was giving her, desperately trying not to meet his gaze. Nothing about him, not even the horrific burn on his face, had frightened her until just about now.

"We aren't just leaving her," Dwight said slowly. "Dropping her off and ditching…"

"Don't get your panties all in a wad, Dwight. Jesus fuck, you really think I'm that fucking stupid?"

Dwight's face fell. He coughed and looked away. Turtle resisted the urge to smirk, or better yet, laugh.

"Leo will stay with her," Negan gestured to the man on the opposite side of Dwight. He was a portly, bald, with an unassuming face.

"We leave in a hour. Get your shit and gear up," Negan met Turtle's eye. "I'm trusting you with this shit, Turtle. Don't fuck up - don't fuck us up."

"I'm playing with fireworks. I'll try not to," Turtle murmured. "I….intend to do my best for you…boss."

"Boss?" Negan let out a loud laugh that caused Turtle to flinch. Next to her, Dwight smirked. "I fucking like that. Wish my men were as submissive as you. Fucking suck-up."

Turtle shifted, leaning her weight on her left leg. Once again, she tried to puff out her chest and look stronger. Negan, for once, took notice, letting Lucille drop to rest against his leg.

"You aren't tough, girl. Quit trying to act like you fucking are. I've seen people like you act a fool and get themselves killed. Don't let that be you."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Turtle countered. "I wouldn't be here if…"

"You wouldn't be here if I hadn't saved your sorry ass."

Turtle let out a breath. Negan gestured for her to follow, dismissing Dwight and Leo to ready their vehicle. Turtle obeyed, trekking next to him as he led her down the hallways of the compound. Down the hallways of Turtle's new home.

"You know how to use a gun?" Negan asked. Turtle nodded. "Only a handgun. That's all my dad managed to teach me.

"You'll learn, in time," Negan nodded his head, reaching into his waistband and pulling out his gun. He thrust it towards Turtle, and she took it by the hilt. "You sure as fuck will learn. But for now, this is yours."

"I can't-"

"You can, and you will. Don't fucking argue with me. We can't have your ass dead, now can we?"

Turtle didn't reply.

"No. We sure as hell can't."

Turtle reached forward and flicked Negan in the ear. He jumped, gripping Lucille, awoken by Turtle's playful quip. Next to him, Dwight rolled his eyes, hands gripping the steering wheel.

They were halfway through the trip and had yet to cross a single roamer. Turtle could see them, moaning, stumbling silhouettes in the trees. The road before them was clear, littered with dead leaves and debris, but passable.

"The fuck was that for?" Negan grumbled.

Turtle shrugged.

"Since when did you become a fucking comedian?" Negan rolled his shoulders, working out the kinks in his neck. "Fuck...and I was just about to fall asleep, to."

"It's a good think she woke you up," Dwight said. "We're here."

The truck pulled to a stop. Negan hopped out first, swinging Lucille and sending the brains of a stumbling roamer splashing across the truck door. Dwight followed, then Leo, then Turtle, coaxed from the interior of the truck by Negan's barking voice.

"Excuse me? This is your time we're wasting. Come the fuck on. Don't be a pussy," Negan gripped Turtle's arm, though not too hard. Dwight trudged behind him, gun dangling from his fingers. Thrust from the confines of the truck, Turtle felt vulnerable. The gun at her hip and the knife in her belt gave her no comfort.

The trees began to thin, and Turtle soon found herself stepping onto torn train tracks, withered, and held down by rusting bolts. A metro car lay abandoned next to the last stop it appeared to have made. Just a few meters away the earth opened up into a tunnel that swallowed the remaining tracks.

"We are not going in there," Turtle said, her mouth dry. "No way."

"Yes fucking way we are. We cleared this place out months ago," Negan replied. "We'll be fine. Right, Leo?"

"I was here," Leo reassured Turtle, though it wasn't a convincing type of reassurance. He sounded more as if he were making a statement than anything else. "We killed a bunch of biters. Set up barricades on the north side, let a downed train block the east side."

"Come on," Negan tugged on Turtle's sleeve. "Let's go."

Turtle didn't move.

"Let's fucking go," Negan barked. "Oh my God. You're not fucking pussying out on me, are you?"

"No. No, I'm not," Turtle took a step forward, then stopped. Her heart was pounding. The ground shifted beneath her, and her cheeks felt very, very hot as Negan, once again, pulled on her sleeve. She was very aware of Dwight's stern gaze on her.

"Dwight, Leo, go ahead of us. Make sure everything is clear so we don't get our asses eaten," Negan waved a hand. As quickly as Dwight and Leo disappeared, Negan was in front of Turtle, all but glaring down at her. "I'm very temped to knock your ass out and drag you down that tunnel."

"Or you could just leave me here. Find someone else who can make bombs..."

"Not happening. You're going."

"What if I said that I'm scared."

"Suck it the fuck up. No such thing as being scared anymore," Negan. "You chose to be here."

"I didn't have any other choice. You said it yourself...I have to contribute. I have to give something back - I owe something back to you, since, you know...you saved my life."

From within the tunnel, someone shouted. It sounded like Dwight.

Then, gunfire. More sounds - shrieks of pain. A female shriek, followed by curses and the moaning and the undead.

Negan took off like a rocket, but stopped halfway when he noticed Turtle hadn't moved with the same sense of urgency. She still stood, feet planted on the ground, hands trembling.

"Fuck!" Negan cursed, holding Lucille in a vice grip. "Listen, I don't give a fuck whether or not you're afraid. To be honest, I've been shitting my pants since the whole fucking world decided to fuck everyone in the ass. Yes, you owe me shit. Yes, you're gonna have to make that shit up to me, and you are going to, right fucking now. Right fucking now, by following me and making sure I don't get my ass shot. Can you do that? If not, then we're finished and I'm leaving your ass here to be roamer food."

Turtle stood, motionless.

"Wake the fuck up!"

Turtle, fingers trembling, unsheathed her gun and sprinted after Negan, the gunfire from within the tunnel growing louder and louder, sharp flashes of light illuminating the tunnel like bursts of fireworks.