There was noone in the halls and she headed towards the stairs. She was careful not to place her hand on the railing. When she reached the next floor she saw noone in the halls. It was dark except for the occasional light on the cieling. She walked through the halls careful to not make any noice. She passed many rooms all with their doors shut. She placed her ear to a couple but couldn't hear anything. The floor was huge. She walked around before deciding to move to the next floor. The next floor was similar but there were many of Negan's soldiers walking around. She hid by ducking from hall to hall. She came across many rooms that had their doors open. Men and women casually lounged inside. She could see that many of them had weapons.
Guns included. As she was ducked in one of the halls a woman passed that she recognized from when Negan and his soldiers were in Alexandria. Arat was her name. She had short curly black hair the tips dipped in blonde. As she passed the hall Ophelia decided to follow her. She copied her steps making no noice. Arat entered a room and Ophelia stopped by the door frame. Placing her back against the wall.
"Can you believe this shit?" A man said angrily. "Going out this late just to pay another group a visit. Bullshit."
"We need to show them we have no time limitations. We'll be surprising the fuck out of them." Arat voiced in defense.
She continued to the next floor. She saw nothing of interest continuing to the second floor. There were more rooms and people walking around. Ophelia tried ducking out of their view but was suprised when she was spotted by a man walking down the hall who only smiled at her. She straightened herself and continued on deciding this must be the floor where everyone's who's not a soldier stays. When she reached the first floor the doors were larger. There were many doors leading to the outside that were propped open. Air drafting in as men and women walked through them. Soldiers walking around preparing to leave. Ophelia ducked behind anything she could to avoid getting spotted. Boxes of supplies. Stolen from other communities no doubt.
She eyed a group of men who were all looking in the same direction. She followed their eyes to see Sherry beginning to walk down a hallway. She waited until their eyes had left and sped forward following her. She walked down the hall. A long distance away from Sherry not wanting to get too close. When Ophelia reached the end of the hall she stopped. Peeking around to see multiple doors and Sherry walking forward who was stopped by Negan and his soldiers coming down another set of stairs.
"Let's bring Daryl along on this adventure.
Put him to some actual fucking use." Negan stopped in suprise as he saw Sherry.
"Hello dear." His voice was soft.
She looked to him cautiously. Negan looked slightly to his right at Dwight.
"What brings you down her?"
Sherry was silent.
Negan let out a smile. He then motioned with his hands to one of the rooms. Soldiers promptly opening it and dragging Daryl out. Ophelia stepped forward out of instinct but quickly stopped herself.
They brought Daryl up to face Negan. Two men at either side of Daryl holding him by the arms. Daryl was in the same beige long sleeve shirt and pants as before when Negan had brought him along to Negan's first visit to Alexandria.
"Daryl. You'll be coming with us. We're going to be visiting another community. I'm going to show you how you'll be fucking doing things from now on. How we get motherfuckers in line. I think you're going to enjoy this." Negan said smile wide. He stepped around Daryl and walked to Sherry. Placing his now gloved hand on her face. Lucille at his side, wood being gripped skin.
"Don't worry babygirl, I'll still have some fucking energy for later. I mean energy for fucking." Negan chuckled releasing her face. She stared up at him with no emotion on her face. His eyes darted back to Dwight. Dwight's eyes were in Sherry but not for long. Negan let out an order "Move it out." And soon they were all walking towards the hall Ophelia was in. Negan leading followed by Dwight, the two men clutching Daryl and more soldiers behind them. Ophelia quickly darted from the hall approaching the stairs. Few people turned to look at her but she ignored them knowing that they soon would be ordered by Negan to move out.
She returned to her and Carl's room. He was still sound asleep. She sat in the chair not wanting to disturb him. She knew where Daryl was being held now. She started thinking of ways to help him escape but was interrupted by herself falling asleep.
She was awoken by her body violently being shook with suprise as there was a loud banging on the door. Carl shot up from sleep as well. Their eyes squinting as sunlight shown through the window.
Ophelia walked to the door. Sleep completely gone from her body as her heart was now racing. She stood by the door not saying anything. Carl was sat up in the bed.
"Rise and shine. Open the fucking door." Negan voiced loudly.
She opened the door and Negan stood their smiling widely.
"How'd you sleep?" Negan gave them no time to respond, neither one of them planned on it anyway.
"We've got fucking work to do. Let's go." Negan said stepping to the side motioning his free hand outside of the room. Lucille placed on his shoulder. Carl rose from the bed grabbing the pile of clothes Ophelia had fallen asleep on.
"I need to change."
"Alright kid. Meet us outside." Negan said as he looked to Ophelia.
She stepped forward closing the door behind her as both her and Negan began walking together. They walked side by side.
"How is it?" Negan said looking at Ophelia to his side. He now walked with Lucille at his right side. Ophelia cautious of her as she was too on his right side.
She reached to her forhead applying a small amount of pressure.
"It actually feels alot better. Thank you." Ophelia voiced without thinking. She immediately chastised herself.
Fuck.
"You're welcome doll." Negan voiced softly with a wide grin.
They were now on the first floor exiting the building. They came to the spot where Carl had killed Negan's men. Many trucks parked inside of the gate laced with walkers.
"When we get done unloading, we'll take a trip back to Alexandria. We'll drop you fuckers off and hopefully Rick will have some more shit for me. Hopefully better than what these fuck heads had." Negan said as they now reached the back of one of the trucks.
"More shit?" Ophelia said annoyed.
"You just took our shit yesterday and you want more?"
"Fuck yes. His boy just killed my fucking men and I didn't harm one single hair on his fucking head. I've got to get something out of this." Negan said angrily.
There were some men carrying small boxes out of the back of the truck.
Ophelia glared at Negan before glancing to the inside of the truck. There were a couple of boxes but besides that there was only a large pile of clothes. Ophelia looked confused as Negan continued to gaze at her.
She returned her gaze to Negan and then to her.
The sunlight was shimmering off of her. Rays of shine reflecting of her multiple points of metal. Wire tracing around and accentuating her curves. Her solid figure boasting smoothness. The wood under the wire soaked with red. Ophelia could see that the blood was fresh. She thought about all the blood that must of been soaked into her. All the layers of human that he must of cleaned off of her. All the bits of everyone who must still be inside of her. Soaked inside. Into her core. Forever a part of Lucille.
They were in there.
Her shoulder jolted in pain. She too was in there.
Negan could see her staring at Lucille. He brought her in front of his face looking to her admiringly. He picked a long scratch of skin from her barbs and threw it to the ground. Wiping the blood away on his jacket. Placing her by his side.
"They didn't have much." Negan said repeating his earlier words.
"Did you?" Ophelia's voice was quiet.
"Start unloading." He said sternly avoiding her question. But Lucille had already giver her an answer. Ophelia's eyes beamed with anger and her thoughts went back to the way Rick had felt when he returned that day. She gripped her fist in protest against her thoughts, against Negan. She turned pulling herself up into the truck. She widened her arms, bending down and scooped up a large amount of the clothing. She turned and jumped from the truck. The feel of the clothes against her arms and under her chin left a heaviness of discomfort against her skin. She began walking in Negan's direction.
Her head throbbed. Her body stiffened. She jolted to a complete stop. Her nostrils flaring with the scent of pain.
Ophelia's head moved back and forth. Grinding up and down in dirt.
Her hair had become knotted in the dirt and twigs. She dug her heels into the dirt, toes gripping so hard that the muscles in her ankle began to knot up in pain. She stayed like this for a while. The only thing changing were the faces of the men. The pain, was not the worst part. The only thing that mattered to her was hearing her sister cry and beg. But soon she too had stopped crying aloud.
Her father had pleaded with them. But it didn't work. They held onto him. Hands on his face. Holding his head up.
She had fought back as the man in the dark green jacket started with her sister. Another man beginning on Ophelia. She was beginning to get free when the man brought a long knife straight down her forearm. Piercing straight through her arm into the dirt. The ridges of the knife jarring her muscle as she tried to free her arm.
Multiple men. The man to start with her sister was the man to finish with Ophelia. He was almost young looking. Bright blue eye and straight teeth. Buzz cut and smooth voice. Licks of the fire reflecting off the metal patches on his jacket. He leaned forward placing his mouth by Ophelia's ear as his breathing quickened. She breathed in.
Soon they killed her sister. Then her father. Then they shot Ophelia. But she lived on. Physically.
Ophelia quickly dropped the pile of clothes to the ground. Staring straight forward wide eyed and not blinking. She brought her hand up to her neck. Clenching so tightly that the pressure of blood rushed to the wound on her head. Breaking through. Breaking skin.
Carl had been walking towards them as Ophelia stepped from the truck and was now running to Ophelia. Negan stepped forward. Worry plastered on his face.
Carl reached Ophelia and pulled on her wrist. She did not budge. He used his strenghth but she didnt move. Blood now rushing from her forehead from her bandage as her grip continued to press the blood flow to its open gates. Negan stepped forward eyes wide. His soldiers began to circle them as well.
Negan reached them now placing his ungloved hand on her right shoulder gripping tightly. The pain from her wound allowing Carl to place his left hand against Ophelia's chest pulling her wrist with more stability releasing her grip against her neck. Her hand falling to her side. Carl's falling back to his. She yelped out from the pain and her lungs lurched as they filled with air. Her breathing now quick. "Pheels?" Carl voiced concerned.
She looked to Carl then to Negan and the rest of the soldiers circling her.
"I'm alright." She said wiping the blood from her forhead and dusting it on her pants.
Negan looked to his soldiers annoyed.
"What the fuck are yall doing. Get back to fucking work." They quickly began to rustle around.
"What the fuck was that?" Negan asked worriedly.
"Come on Carl. Help me so we can get the fuck out of here." She said ignoring his question turning to the back of the truck once more. Not only did she not want to answer Negan, but she needed to know why she had smelt that again. The smell that had clung to the inside of her nose, the inside of herself. The one that would forever linger in her mind, to be there to jerk her back to that day.
She pulled herself back into the truck. Rustling through the remaining clothes. The nerves in her nose continuing to be sliced. She saw nothing. She dismissed the thoughts. Her mind had played tricks on her before. This must be one of the more cruel ones though.
One of Negan's men began to pull himself up into the truck. Ophelia decided against carrying anything else. Jumping from the back.
"Are we going to be leaving soon?" She said as she approached Carl and Negan.
She wanted to get Carl home as soon as possible.
"I'm fine." Ophelia said motioning to her bandage.
Her and Carl were placed in the back of the same truck she had first arrived in. This time it was empty. One truck full of soldiers behind them.
The ride was silent. They drove straight taking few turns. They came to a long stretch of road and drove straight for a while.
"What the hell?" Negan voiced angrily. Ophelia and Carl looked to one another curiously.
Carl placed himself on his knees looking out the front window.
"It's my dad." Carl's eyes began to gleam.
Ophelia began to rise too only to Tobe stopped by Negan.
"Sit the fuck down. Both of you. And stay fucking down."
They both took their seats.
The truck slowly stopped and Ophelia could hear the soldiers behind them stopping. She also heard a vehicle in front of them. She tried peeking through the
Rick, Michone, and Jesus began piling out of the small suv parked in front of them.
Negan approached them smile plastered on his face. Lucille on his shoulder.
"Just the man I wanted to see. How mother fucking convenient it is to meet you in the road like this. Where were you headed?"
"To see you." Rick voiced coldly.
"My word. And you were headed in the right direction. How fucking strange. Well if I didn't know any better I'd suspect..."
"Where's Carl?"
"I can't fucking wait until you see what I've done to your little boy!"
Rick took no time extending his head to Negan's nose. Bones crashing with a loud whudd.
"You crazy fuck!" One of Negan's men voiced as they began approaching rick.
"No he's mine!" Negan said kneeling on the ground holding his now bleeding nose.
Rick rushed forward with his knee slamming it directly I to Negan's body.
"My son! What What did you do to my son?" Rick yelled as he was now on top of Negan.
Negan brought his hand up clenching it around Rick's throat before pulling him off of him and o to the ground.
"Off me..!" Negan said as their positions now reversed. Negan on top of Rick.
"Have you lost you're fucking mind!?"
"Well!?" Negan boomed boomed as his fist made contact with Rick's face.
"Stand the fuck up you fucking fucker, before I fuck you up even more." Negan said pulling Rick to his feet. Rick threw a punch only for it to be cought by Negan. "Now im super fucking pissed off." Negan's arm now placed around Rick's neck.
"You have no clue just how much you're going to regret having done this in a couple of minutes."
"Grab the boy." Negan voiced to his men. Rick opened his mouth bringing his teeth down and around Negan's arm. Bone ripping through flesh as blood began to pour down Negan's arm. Negan brought the butt of his knife to the side of Ricks face hard. Knocking him to the ground.
"Did you fucking bite me!? For fuck sake man."
Michone began to approach Negan slowly. Hand on her katana.
"Stand down woman. You've all gotten this far without being slaughtered. Don't press your luck." Negan warned her.
Carl was now on his knees next to Ophelia. It had taken all her strenghth for her to hold Carl in place. They were both jolted from the scene as the back of the truck slid up. Carl took no time turning and jumping from the truck paying no attention to the armed men who reached for him but failed. Ophelia followed quickly after him.
"Let's all just take a deep breath and calm the fuck down. Fuck." Negan voiced trying to slow his breathing.
Rick was in his knees. Blood flowing from the wound where Negan's knife introduced itself to Rick's face. His voice straining. "My son. My son."
"Dad!" Carl yelled as he ran towards Rick. The pain in Rick's face instantly drained as he looked up to see Carl running towards him. Carl slamming roughly into his dad meeting him with a hug.
"Poor choice of words I'll admit. What I should of said was I can't fucking wait until you see that I've done nothing to your little boy. I'll admit, I was trying to instigate you. That's on me. I didn't think you'd fucking take my bait so easily. I... you cought me off gaurd. Shit." Negan chuckled soflty.
Everyone's attention was on Rick and Negan.
"Can I say something?" Negan said interrupting Rick and Carl's embrace.
Rick turned to look at him face distorted from anger.
"I don't quite understand the hostility in that look. No fucking sir. I gave you your son back without so much much as harming one exposed bone
on his head. I said bone not hair. Heh. That's not even getting a chuckle? Well I thought it was funny you stoic piece of shit. I hand deliver your son back to you even after he killed my men! On the flip side there's me. If you got the kind of beating i just did Rick, you'd kill the person who dished it out. Yeah not me though. I'm a special kind of person. I don't fucking rattle. Instead here I am. Patient as ever. Bloody fucking nose and all. You even made me drop Lucille." Negan said picking her up off the ground. "You have any fucking clue how much she hates being on the ground. Still here I am. Friendly as a fuck less fuck with no fuck on free fuck day.
"What's got you being so nice all of a sudden?" Rick said as he pulled himself and Carl from the ground.
"I've got a lot to make up for. You think I've got all these little communities at my feet because I roam the country side bashing in Asian American skulls. That's no fucking way to make friends. Everyone toes the line because I provide them a service. I keep them safe. We're the Savoirs. Not the kill your fucking friends so you don't fucking like us at alls. Are we going to kill your friends if you don't cooperate!? Abso fucking lutlely. I'm pretty sure I've established that. And now that I've establish that if you do cooperate, as I believe you are we won't do bad things to your son even though he killed a few of my men because he didn't know any fucking better. You following this?"
Rick motioned for Carl to move towards the car. Michone saw and moved away from Negan grabbing Carl by the arm, both moving towards the car.
"I think so. Yeah." Rick said dryly.
"Then why are you still giving me the stink eye? Aren't we fucking friends?"
"I will cooperate I've told you this already. You don't seem like the type of guy that likes being lied to. I'm not going to waste my breathe or try to muster up some sort of emotion for you. You wouldn't believe me if I did anyway."
"Point taken." Negan said raising his brows.
"Okay then. This feels like progress to me. Yeah. This was good. I'm feeling really fucking good here."
Negan walked around the small space enclosed by his soldiers. Looking to everyone.
"Just so I'm absolutely crystal fucking clear there was a clear message I wanted to convey here today. That message is..." Negan rose his hands in the air along with Lucille.
"I can be reasonable. I can be completely fucking reasonable. In fact I fucking prefer it that way. I don't want to do the bad things I do. I only do them them to set boundaries, to make people aware of the consequences of their actions." He brought Lucille down. Grabbing her with both hands now.
"I take no joy in those deeds. Lucille on the other hand. Thanfully she's not in charge." Ophelia furrowed her brows. She knew he was lying. Negan directed his attention to Ophelia.
"Here's yet another example of how reasonable I can be." Negan said pointing Lucille to Ophelia. Motioning for his henchemen to release her. The henchemen released her arm with a slight push. She began walking forward. Rick along with everyone else eyeing her. She walked past Rick who looked concerned when he finally took in her bandage. She continued walking until she reached the vehicle Rick and the others had arrived in. Stopping by Carl and Jesus. Negan had now come closer to Rick. Talking directly to him. Ophelia could hear Negan say Davey's name and she knew he was telling Rick what happened.
With everyone's attention on Rick and Negan once more Ophelia turned to Jesus.
"Are you alright?" He voiced motioning toward her bandage.
"Yeah I'm alright. You know where the Sanctuary is now don't you?"
"I do. I followed some of Negan's men from Hilltop. We were on our way there now."
"What was the fucking plan?" Ophelia said with a light chuckle.
"Rick said he was just going to knock." Jesus said with a light smile.
"Of fucking course he did." Ophelia and Jesus shared a small chuckle. Jesus' eyes went to Ophelia's neck. Eyeing over the light bruising.
"Ophelia are you still..."
Ophelia looked to the ground quickly before returning her gaze to Jesus.
"I'm sorry Jesus."
"No. You don't have anything to be sorry for. You'll be okay." Jesus said placing his hand on her shoulder. She flinched in pain. Jesus quickly retracted his hand.
"Hopefully that's the last time I meet Lucille." Ophelia said trying to make light of her wound. Before Jesus could respond Negan began speaking louder.
"One of my guys tried to hurt one of your people Rick. And I took him out. Even though she basically begged me to let her do it." Negan said directing a wide smile to Ophelia. Ophelia's anger rose and her wound began throbbing as blood rose to her face.
"I kept her hands clean. For you Rick." Negan turned once again facing Rick.
"And now, I'm going to let her go home. Even after threatening me and lying about her gun, which is the one I used on Davey by the way. That part I did for her. Only after Lucille got a little drink of course." Negan rose a finger in the air.
"Oh and did I fucking forget to mention she disrespected me and my wives. But I'm still letting her go home."
"Reasonable." Negan said with a smile.
"So are we good here? Good. We'll be making another supply run shortly. We'll see you then." Negan motioned his finger in the air making a circle. He then turned beginning to walk towards his truck. Men doing the same. Rick began walking towards Carl and the others.
Ophelia gave Jesus a smile before turning and embracing Carl in a hug.
"I know where they're keeping him I'm going to bring Daryl home." She whispered into his ear. It was now quiet without Negan and Rick's voice and she didn't want Negan or his men hearing.
"You too." Carl said as she backed away. Eyes meeting. She smiled a quick smile. But she knew she would put Daryl's safety over her own. Carl knew this too. She didn't deserve her new family. But Daryl did. She would make sure he got home safely, even without her. She quickly looked to Michone giving her a slight nod before turning walking in Negan's direction.
On her way she passed Rick who promptly stopped her by her arm. Rick looked to her brows raised. Her eyes were filled to the brim with bitter sweet emotion.
"Negan!" She said directing her attention to him, now walking away towards the truck. Rick gripped her arm tighter.
Negan stopped in his tracks. He turned around slowly.
"Yes doll?" He said, now fully turned, a wide smile on his face.
"Miss me already?"
"You lied."
"What?" He said anger rising in his voice.
"You don't enjoy it?" She said mocking his previous words.
"You were made for this world right? Made to do the bad shit."
"Holy shit. Are you really mocking me. After all the fucking generosity I've shown?"
Ophelia released a small chuckle.
Negan was now walking towards her.
Rick pulled on her arm. Her eyes darted to his before Negan reached them.
She stared up at him.
Ophelia let out a small smile.
Negan raised his brows.
"I get it now. There's a difference between the will and the want. I belong here. More than you ever will pretend to." Ophelia wasn't sure if she was acting now, or if she actually believed herself.
"I need to be somewhere the want will benefit me. Somewhere I can put it to use instead of it sitting on my insides rotting me away."
"Are you fucking saying what I think you're saying?" Negan stroked his beard and his eyes went to Rick. His tongue came out first gliding over the side of his top lip then the side of his bottom. A wide smile followed. Eyes returning to Ophelia.
"You want to be one of my men?"
Negan rose his brows.
"Load her up."
"See Rick. Even giving your people. Well now my people, job opportunities."
"Reasonable." Negan said one last time before turning back to walk to the truck.
"Ophelia. Come home." Rick pleaded.
Ophelia was now being grabbed by Dwight. Ricks grip didn't loosen until Ophelia's arm was extended all the way. Rick finally let go. She turned facing forward walking with Dwight.
"She'll ride with us." Negan directed to Dwight. Negan pulled himself in the truck. Dwight began walking Ophelia to the back of the truck walking by the driver side, only to be stopped by Negan voicing towards the driver seat door
"D. She can ride up front. She's a soldier now." Negan said with wink.
Dwight backed up walking Ophelia in the direction of the driver side door. He released her arm as he slightly shoved her in its direction. She pulled herself into the truck. Awkwardly stepping over the driver seat, and gear shift. There were only two seats in the truck. The driver seat and the one Negan was seated in, that one being larger than the driver seat. She placed her hand on the dashboard giving her leverage as she lowered herself onto the small space Negan left on the seat. She instantly brought her arm closer into herself as it came into contact with Negan's. Only one full leg fitting on the seat. Her other hanging off halfway. Dwight pulled himself into the truck, starting it.
She could see Negan eyeing her from her side.
"Shit, sorry doll." He said with a smile as he pulled himself closer to the window allowing a few inches between them. Giving her more room to scoot over. But she didnt budge. He looked annoyed and immediately moved back over. Legs coming into contact. She wanted so badly to move her leg away from his but couldn't as she would lose her balance from the seat. She delt with the heavy uncomfortable feeling his form left on hers as the truck pulled away.
"What made you change your mind?"
Ophelia was silent. She didn't want to say anything to him. She didn't have to either. She didn't have to worry about him hurting Carl anymore. He faced forward.
She hadn't planned on going home. Not until she got Daryl home. She knew, especially after finding out where Daryl was that she was going to stay. She had made sure Carl got home safe. Now Daryl.
*The part where Negan is on his way to return Carl to Rick and he ends up meeting Rick on the road and they have a tussle is straight from the comic. Almost that whole scene and dialog. I made a few changes though*