Disclaimer: AMC owns the story and characters of The Walking Dead, I just like to play with them.

Author's note: As always the deepest thanks to Lara, the sweetest beta and loveliest friend, who lets me make her suffer every other day with my ideas. Please, don't kill me, some of this things ARE canon.

Before

Negan rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he saw Lucille asleep next to him.

He felt like shit.

Negan had tried to deny it for months, he knew logically that he had to be loyal to his wife, but his biology didn't agree with his logic very much these days. Lately, every time he closed his eyes, Negan saw radiant blond hair falling in lustrous waves instead of the dark curls that Lucille possessed.

Of course Negan was not stupid, he knew Susan had been trying to seduce him practically since they had met, two years earlier. His colleague was a gorgeous woman, he couldn't deny that either. When he had first met her, he hadn't cared for the way in which she acted around him, how she would be seductive and inappropriate in front of their students at the most importunate times. They were supposed to set an example of pristine conduct, which neither of them had.

Negan liked the sort of woman Susan Jo Kelly was: independent, honest and unafraid of what people said about her. He recognized strong women when he came across them, Lucille was that way too.

Doubt clouded Negan's mind for a few minutes.

He had married Lucille eleven years ago, they had lost two kids and things just didn't seem to be working anymore. Negan wasn't sure if it was routine or something else that had made him feel like he was drifting away from her.

They used to fight so much.

Now most of their days were spent in peace, talking about other people, living through the motions but not actually moving on. Sex had also become routine, with their creativity in the bedroom fizzling out.

Looking back at his sleeping wife, Negan wondered if he still loved her.

He respected who she was, what Lucille had done for herself, what she had done for them, but that burning passion wasn't all there anymore. Negan remembered, just how many times he had sworn that he would only ever love her. The words kept repeating themselves inside his head, over and over. He got out of bed and took his phone, as he texted and sent the message.

When no guilt came from his actions, Negan wondered if his marriage was truly dead.

Maybe it was.

Southern California

Tory was bored, yes, but her worry was bigger than her boredom.

She was the only kid in the waiting room, since no one wanted to let her into Grandpa Gary's room. The nurses had been kind so far and she had her iPod and a book, but Tory knew that you could read the same phrase a determined number of times before giving up.

For a twelve year old, Tory knew what was happening and why. She wasn't worried for her grandfather's health or the fact that he would die soon. She was worried about her mom, who still needed him.

Her grandfather was tired and he wanted to go with his soulmates. He missed them, Granny Eli's death had taken a big tool on him.

Tory thought he was brave.

"Victoria, dear, your grandfather wants to see you." Nurse Willis put her big soft hand on Tory's shoulder. She liked Nurse Willis because she didn't pity anyone, she was a truly compassionate person.

"Thanks, Nurse Willis." Tory said. "Will you take me?"

The nurse smiled at the girl and nodded, offering her hand to Tory.

When Tory entered the room, she found Mr. Jones standing with a styrofoam cup in his hand, the other inside his pocket. Her mother was sitting by Grandpa Gary's bed, her eyes were red rimmed and her nose was pink and raw from rubbing it too many times.

"Here you are, sweetie." Nurse Willis left in silence and Tory went to her Grandfather, who smiled weakly at her.

"Hello, princess." Grandpa greeted. "Come sit with this old man." He said, patting the sheets by his side. Tory obeyed and sat beside him. "Erin, love, I want to talk to her alone."

"But, dad!" Her mother protested immediately.

"Erin Jones, I'm still very much your father. You are going to let me talk to my granddaughter. Don't you see I am on my deathbed? I still have to teach Victoria a few things."

Erin opened and closed her mouth a couple of times but nodded and kissed her father's cheek goodbye. Mr. Jones shared a loaded look with his father-in-law, exchanging promises to care for his daughter and his granddaughter now that he would be gone. They nodded solemnly to each other and the Jones' left the room.

"You know why I called for you, my princess?" Grandpa Gary asked, holding Tory's chin softly with his wrinkly and rough fingers. Tory nodded. "I knew you would understand, my love." He smiled.

"I know you are tired, Grandpa. You want to go with them." Tory whispered, feeling her lower lip start to quiver.

Grandpa nodded.

"I miss them so much, princess. They are waiting for me, wherever they are." Tory noticed that her grandfather was smiling a bit wider.

"I don't want you to go, Grandpa." Tory's voice broke.

"Princess, we never want to be away from the people we love, but sometimes that is the right thing." Grandpa sighed. "You are so strong. I knew you were strong from the moment you were born." Grandpa's free hand started to caress Tory's curls softly. "You are stronger than any of the things that have happened to you, Victoria, and you will get stronger even. Life is hard, my love."

"Grandpa, I'll miss you." she murmured. "I don't want to forget anything."

"So don't!" he exclaimed weakly. "And take care of that mother of yours." He laughed and closed his eyes. "Oh, and when you see that idiot soulmate of yours, give him hell for us, princess."

Tory nodded frantically, as fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"My Eli would be so proud of you. Leonard too." Grandpa made a pause. "I'm proud of you. I love you, princess."

"I love you, Grandpa." Tory said.

Nothing had been left unsaid and Grandpa Gary gestured for Tory to lie down beside him as they cried. Tory watched the rising and falling of her grandfather's chest until it stopped. She stayed very still for a few seconds and then sat on the bed.

Her grandfather had given Tory his last smile ever.

Negan got dressed, forcing his mind to go through the excuses he could offer his wife to explain his tardiness.

Lucille had texted him three hours before, telling him he was already late for dinner. Negan opened the message but decided not to answer.

"Leaving already, handsome?" Sue asked from the bed. She looked sexy, her blonde hair was a mess and her lips were swollen after hours of using them in almost every wicked way.

"I have a wife, sweet cheeks." Negan said with a smirk, feeling no remorse over his actions. If he wasn't satisfied with his wife, why limit himself to be with Lucille only?

Sue laughed and fell back on the soft sheets.

"That didn't hinder your performance one bit, honey." Sue sighed.

Negan's smile grew as he thought about the mess they had made.

"I got more than enough for the two of you." He said cockily. "I'm that damn good."

Sue threw him a scrutinizing look as a smile appeared on her face. "I don't doubt so, but I don't think your wife would be inclined to sharing."

No, Lucille wouldn't share him, she was possessive; not that it bothered him, as Negan himself was possessive, but he thought that having more than one woman to his beck and call wasn't that bad an idea.

"Not that she will ever know." He declared lightly. "It was a real fucking pleasure, Sue."

"My door and my bed will always be open for you, Negan." The former cheerleader informed him with a sultry smile. "It was definitely my pleasure."

Negan arrived home to find a plate for him on the table.

Lucille had prepared his favourite spaghetti and a note about a beer inside the fridge. Lucille, though, wasn't home. There was a note about a doctor's appointment at six, so she was probably on her way back home. It dawned on him why Lucille had texted him earlier.

She might have not told him directly, but Negan should have remembered.

Shit.

With a sigh, Negan decide to re-heat his food and look for the promised beer. As he waited for the food to be actually hot, Negan sent Lucille a quick text telling her that he had been at a meeting about the next tournament the school was supposed to participate in. It wasn't a lie, and the meeting had happened, just that it hadn't lasted four hours.

As he ate the food his wife had prepared, Negan thought of his encounter with Susan. He felt no regret about fucking his colleague, she was hot and they both had wanted it. Negan felt light and his mood seemed to suddenly improve. Maybe he did need more variety.

His mind was occupied in some irrelevant stuff when Lucille arrived, making noise with her keys. It seemed as if she had dropped everything in the hallways to get to him.

Negan raised his head as Lucille entered the kitchen, her face and neck flushed pink in excitement, her eyes shining with elation, a smile on her pink lips.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted.

That…that was a fucking surprise.

They had agreed to stop trying for a baby after they had lost their second. Nothing had happened for almost three years and now, now this presented.

"What?"

"We're having a baby!"

Negan couldn't help the smile that bloomed on his face, not the warm feeling on his chest as he left his food and drink to hug his wife. His misdeeds gone from his mind as they embraced each other in the middle of their kitchen.

"I'm so happy, doll." He told her, kissing her passionately, holding her face between his hands.

"We are going to be parents, babe!" Lucille giggled after their kiss ended. "I love you so much, Negan."

Negan hugged Lucille again.

For some reason, he found himself unable to say the words back to her.