The ride to Negan's "Home" seemed unnecessarily rough. Turns were taken sharply which caused Regan and Daryl to be thrown into each other. Pot holes seemed to be hit intentionally as well, sending them both bouncing and slamming into the bed of the van.
"God damnit," Regan quietly growled as she rubbed the side of her hip that was getting pummeled inside the van. She really hoped the driver would be the one to open the door. At this point she didn't care what happened. Just as long as she got one good hit on that bastard. She looked over to Daryl. He hadn't made a sound or changed his facial expression. She wondered if he was as scared as she was.
The van began to slow. Regan tried to see her surroundings, but her vision was too distorted by a screen blocking the front of the van from the back. She heard tires on gravel and another sound above that.
The dead! Why are we slowing down!?
She started to panic, not having any way to defend herself against the dead that were outside. She looked to Daryl. He just shook his head. Suddenly, the van stopped. Daryl and Regan both went flying into the front of the van. Both of them grunted on impact. The man who drove the van, laughed as he got out. Muffled voices in the distance could be heard. The van door burst open, and there the driver stood.
"Come on assholes. We ain't got all day," the driver said, and motioned for Daryl and Regan to move forward and out of the van. Regan sighed and scooted toward the open doors.
"Aw sweetheart, what's the matter? Ride too rough for ya?" The driver then burst into laughter.
Now.
Regan snapped her foot up and made contact with the man's nose, effectively breaking it, by the almost deafening snap it had made. The man cried out and grabbed his nose immediately. Regan pushed herself out of the van and tackled him to the ground. Without missing a beat, she started to pummel the man into the gravel.
"ARE. YOU. FUCKING. KIDDING. ME. YOU. STUPID. SONOFA. BITCH!" Each word landing a new blow to his face, Regan did not stop until she was yanked off by 2 men. Another of the group walked over to Regan, ready to strike her. She didn't flinch or look away.
"Whoa! Nope! None of that fucking bullshit." The man moved aside and Negan strolled up to her.
"Now was that really fucking necessary, doll," Negan asked her, "You're being rude. Again." Negan flashed his charming smile.
"It's also fucking rude to drive like a cock-sucker and damage the goods in the process," Regan seethed, and then proceeded to spit on the man lying on the ground, "If I wanted to get beat up, I would've asked for the fucking bat."
"LUCILLE," Negan shouted, and caused Regan to jump, "Her name. Is Lucille. You'll do right to remember that." He turned and looked to the man on the ground.
"Get this piece of shit patched up. Dwighty Boy, why don't you get Daryl set up in his new digs," Negan turned to Daryl and smiled again, "I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable while you're here." Negan turned away from Daryl. Dwight grabbed Daryl by the scruff of his shirt and dragged him away. Daryl and Regan locked eyes before he was out of sight. He was scared for her.
"Arat," Negan bellowed. A woman stepped out of the crowd. She had darker skin and short curly hair. She walked over to Negan and he whispered in her ear. Arat looked over to Regan and nods her head.
"Make sure she's taken care of. Bring her up to me in a couple hours. Simon! Bring me her stuff," Negan turned back to Regan. The intensity that stopped Regan in the pharmacy reflected in his eyes again. She couldn't tell if it was pure lust or pure malice, but it was frightening.
"I'll see you later, sugar tits." Regan clenched her teeth as Arat grabbed her and pushed her along. Regan turned to see the towering factory behind her. It looked to be well fortified. There were guards everywhere and she finally saw where the sound of the dead were coming from. Just in front of the fence. The dead were chained and piked in a great number.
Interesting deterrent.
The butt of a stock gently came into contact with the middle of Regan's back.
"Keep moving, blondie. Don't make me shoot you. Better to ask forgiveness than beg for permission." The message was crystal clear.
Arat led her down a corridor to a locker room. Inside were showers. Regan looked questioningly at Arat.
"Yeah, we have running water. Now strip down and wash. Everything you need is that locker," Arat pointed her gun to a locker across from her. For a moment, Regan didn't move. Arat sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Today, blondie. I'm not leaving, so you'd better just get used to the idea of showering in front of me." Arat motioned with her gun as if to say "Get to it!".
Regan growled and turned to the locker. She opened the locker and was rather surprised. Inside was a towel, a white terry robe-
How is there anything THIS white in the world today!?
-a bar of Dove soap, a travel shampoo and conditioner, a toothbrush and-
"TOOTHPASTE!?" Regan exclaimed and hugged the the tube to her face. Only the recent chocolate bar had made her this happy.
It really is the little things.
Regan had showered and was now being led down another corridor in the terry robe and hair wrapped in the towel on her head. She clasped her clothes to her chest, not sure what to expect from the people around her. The floor was cold, yet clean against her bare feet.
Thank God for that.
They came to a stairwell.
"Up," Arat stated. Regan and Arat climbed the stairs. At the top of the stairs there was a hallways that seemed very out of place from the rest of the compound. The walls were pained and the lighting was more sophisticated. There were doors on either side of the hallway. They passed a set of double doors. Regan could see a group of women inside doing miscellaneous tasks. Reading, drinking, gossiping.
Odd.
"Keep moving. It's the door at the end, on the left," Arat said. As they approached the door, Regan moved her hand to open the door.
"STOP," Arat whispered loudly, "Don't just open it. Jesus. Let me knock." Regan put her hand up defensively and moved out of the way. Arat knocked on the door.
"Come the fuck in!"
Arat opened the door and motioned for Regan to enter the room. They walked in and saw Negan sitting on a sofa. Regan's belongings were placed beside him, Lucille leaned against the side of the sofa. Negan was no longer wearing his jacket, just a white tee-shirt. He stood when they entered.
"Well THANK you, Arat. Take her clothes and shit and get 'em washed. She can hang out with me here. We've got a lotta shit to talk about." Arat came and yanked the ball of clothes and boots from Regan's arms. Regan turned and watched Arat walk out of the room and close the door behind her.
Regan felt the tension rise. The silence felt as if it would suffocate her. She didn't want to turn and look at him, sitting smugly on the sofa. It was pointless to run, but that didn't mean she had to make it easy for him. Negan cleared his throat in an effort to get her attention.
"How about you come sit down," he said. Regan didn't move.
"That wasn't a question, doll." She turned to him.
"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stand where I am," she huffed back.
"Fuck that shit. Sit your ass down!" Negan bellowed. He stood up and pointed to the sofa across from him. Regan glared at him and walked over to the other sofa and sat down across from him.
"There now. See? It wasn't that hard! Well, maybe for you," Negan chuckled. Regan scoffed at the innuendo and moved her eyes to the coffee table in between them. Negan sat down and spread his arms across the back of the sofa. She could feel him staring at her, but he didn't speak. She looked up at him after a few moments.
"What?" She inquired. Negan just chuckled softly. Regan growled.
"Are you gonna spit it out, or what!? If you're gonna kill me, get it over with. No need to waste your resources, for fuck's sake." Regan scoffed, crossed her arms and legs and looked away from Negan again. She heard him get up off the sofa and the scrap of Lucille across the floor as he picked up the bat.
Here it comes. Wonder who will clean up the mess?
Negan walked and stood in front of Regan. Her heart raced in her chest. She didn't look up at him. Everything about this situation seemed wrong. Why let her get cleaned up, and use precious resources? Why even bother bringing her back? What could he possibly want!? He continued to stand there. She could feel him staring at her and it made her ridiculously uncomfortable. She didn't like not having a way to defend herself. If she had her shears or her gun, she knew she would feel more at ease.
Negan shifted and sat down RIGHT next to Regan on the sofa she occupied. Too close for comfort. She shifted and moved as far away from Negan as she could, adjusting the robe to try and provide some kind of protection for herself. He threw his head back and laughed.
"Don't fucking know what you're trying to hide from me, doll," he leaned in closer to whisper into Regan's ear, "It's not like I haven't seen it before." She quickly turned her head and was almost nose to nose with Negan.
"What the fuck are you even talking about? I don't know you! I've never seen you before the pharmacy! Even if I did, do you really think I'd willingly volunteer showing you an ounce of my skin?!" Negan shrugged and leaned back a little.
"Honey, just because the world went to shit, doesn't mean nobody's watchin. I'm sure you'll remember that next time you decide to rise that sexy ass outside in the rain." On instinct, Regan balled her fist and went to punch Negan square in the jaw. As if he anticipated the move, he grasped her fist and pinned it down on his leg. With his other hand he grabbed Lucille and moved it beside Regan's face.
"No no no. Do NOT piss me off, doll. You may be sexy as fuck, but I will NOT have you hittin me," Negan glowered and almost growled, "Settle the fuck down." Regan yanked her hand away and sat back against the arm of the sofa. Irritation coursed through her.
How the hell did he see me!?
At the sudden realization, she could feel the heat spreading to her face.
This psycho has seen me naked.
"God DAMN, that's fuckin sexy. Blushing and shit," Negan said as he stood up again. He reached and pulled the towel from Regan's head, revealing her blond damp hair.
"Hey!" she yelled.
"There now! No need for that bullshit. I like that hair on you. Suits you. Blonds really do it for me, too," his look turned to inquisitive, "Wait, you're not like, a lesbian are you?" Regan closed her eyes. She wanted to burst into laughter at the absurdity of the question. Instead, she stood up in front of Negan, and looked up into his eyes.
In almost a seductive whisper, she replied, "No Negan, I love dick just as much as you do, I'm sure."
Negan sucked in the air through his teeth and bent his face closer to Regan's and whispered back, "Baby doll, that's great to hear. But I hate to disappoint you. I love pussy, and I'd really like to opportunity to show you just how much I fucking do. I've got some time, if you'd like" It was Regan's turn to throw her head back and laugh.
"Not interested," she said, her face suddenly devoid of emotion.
"Whoo wee, you're fiesty. I like that. Now have a fucking seat," Negan motioned with Lucille to the sofa. Regan sat back down and combed her fingers through her hair. Negan walked back to the sofa across from her and sat down, setting Lucille down against the side of the sofa.
"Now then," he reached for her pack sitting beside him, "let's get started." He flipped the top of her pack open and stopped. He looked to Regan.
"Excuse the fuck outta me, but what the hell is your name, anyways?"
Ever the charmer.
"Regan. My name is Regan. Not baby doll, not sugar tits. Regan."
"But your tits looks good enough to eat, like sugar, baby doll," Negan teased. Regan planted her face into her hands.
"Just fucking get on with it. Fuck." He laughed, opened up her pack and began pulling items out. The first thing he grabbed was her phone.
"You still have a fucking phone? Does this even work?"
"That's what the solar charger is for."
"But, fucking hell, why?"
Regan sighed. "There are plenty of reasons why. I can still read my e-books, look at pictures and even watch a movie or TV show that I still have downloaded to my phone. How do you think I didn't go crazy out there on my own?"
Negan turned to look at Regan. "Just how long have you been on your own?"
She looked down at her lap, trying not to recall the people she's lost along the way.
"Since about 3 months after the world ended."