Chapter 21

"You shits behaving yourselves down here?" Negan asked the men as he came jauntily down the stairs, Everly stepping down slowly behind him.

The five of them sat in the living room in tense silence, Dwight and Judith being the only ones who were relaxed. She played in Carl's lap, smacking his chest with a stuffed toy rabbit and blubbering to herself while Dwight had an arm draped across the back of the couch with a glass of water in hand. Rick had stood up at the sound of their footsteps descending down the stairs and he worriedly examined Everly as she made her way into the room.

"You alright?" He asked her and ignored Negan. She looked at him with large, sheepish eyes but cast them quickly down when Negan looked back at her.

"She's fine, white knight. Keep your dick in your pants," he answered for her. He looked out of the window facing the front yard to see Daryl leaning against the porch, head down and arms crossed. "Well, good fucking job, guys. You all actually listened to me for a damn change. I'm impressed."

"I got a look at the items this guy has been jizzing his brony shorts over since we got here," Dwight flicked a thumb in Eugene's direction. "I'm not sure how impressed you'll be once you see them, but they're interesting."

"What the hell is a brony?" Carl asked with a perplexed look on his face.

Negan rolled his eyes and fixed Eugene with a resigned look, "Alright, Van Halen, it's show and tell time, but first, tell me about what you've got before I waste the energy to go look at it."

"One transistor radio, which should prove its usefulness when broadcasting picks up, and a bicycle-powered generator. It is small, but with enough manpower you could generate enough energy to power small devices. It should engender roughly 100 to 150 watts but that will all be dependent on how fast and how long it is pedaled. It also provides a decent amount of exercise," Eugene finished, a small look of pride illuminating his face.

Negan stared at Eugene for a minute, a small incredulous smile creeping up his face. He arched an eyebrow at him, lifting a hand up skeptically and looked over at Dwight. Dwight smirked and shot a humorous look at Eugene.

"Are you fucking serious? A bicycle-powered generator?" Negan asked Eugene, his eyes settling on him again.

"Uh," Eugene began, confused at his reaction and sweat beading on his forehead, "well, yes sir, I am."

"If I plugged it into my ass would it motorize my dick and make me last longer with my wives?" Negan's smirk grew broader by the second.

Eugene directed his confused look to Rick, deploring him for an appropriate answer and shifting uncomfortably in his seat on the couch. Rick swiveled to face Negan, ready to answer for Eugene, when he let out a boisterous laugh and clutched his stomach.

"Oh, I'm just yanking your rattail, man!" He laughed out. "I know it wouldn't motorize my dick! I'm not a walking fucking dildo! Hell, even if I was, I don't think any of the stupid fucks I've got working for me could pedal fast enough to even get me hard. My dick is that fucking huge."

Rick let out a silent sigh and focused on Eugene who had gone mute and beet red. He fiddle with the bottom of his plaid shirt nervously as Negan finished laughing.

"Come on, man, lighten up. That shit sounds fucking awesome! Show it to me!" Negan obliged him and swung out a hand in a gesture for him to stand up.

Eugene awkwardly stood up and looked back and forth between him and Rick. Rick nodded his head and Eugene stepped forward, an exulted expression forming on his features. He began giving detailed descriptions of each item as he walked to Negan, animatedly going over how he was able to obtain and build each one.

"Just show me the goddamned things," Negan said.

Eugene nodded, the smile dropping from his face, and he walked past Negan toward the garage. Negan followed, rolling his eyes with a sigh and patting Eugene's shoulder apologetically, expressing that he really had no interest in a bicycle-powered generator but that it sounded fucking rad nonetheless. Their echoing voices disappeared as they exited the house through the kitchen.

Rick watched Everly as she leaned against the banisters by the stairs. She had a faraway look on her face, the middle of her brows creased and her eyes worried. He took a step forward intent on asking her again if she was okay now that Negan wasn't here to stop him, but Dwight cleared his throat when he saw what he was planning.

"Negan's still here in case you forgot about that," Dwight reminded him, pointing at himself. He gulped down the rest of his water and placed the glass on the end table next to him.

Rick stopped the snarl that began to form on his face and put his head down instead, slipping his hands in his pockets and keeping his feet stationary. He glanced sideways at her and was hoping she would look up at him if just for the tiniest of moments so that he could communicate with her in some small way, but she kept her eyes on the back of the loveseat in front of her, zoned out.

"So," Carl said breaking the silence, "how'd you get the scar?"

"What, you gonna share your story if I share mine, kid?" Dwight asked.

"Maybe," Carl shrugged apathetically and bounced Judith on his knee.

"I don't fucking think so," Dwight rolled his eyes away from him and shook his head. He wasn't about to tell any of these people how he came to be a less idolized Two-Face by the hands of Negan. The memory was embarrassingly painful enough without having to repeat it out loud. Besides, he didn't owe any of these people a story about his life. They didn't mean shit to him.

"Well, are we just going to sit here in silence then? If so, that shit sounds really fucking boring," Carl agonized, twisting Judith back and forth gently as she cackled.

"Carl," Rick reprimanded him and gave him a piercing look. Dwight smiled.

Carl returned Rick's glare with a glower of his own that proclaimed he had done nothing wrong and he shrugged his shoulders again with a tacked on roll of his one eye, "I was just saying."

"Well, don't," Rick's tone proved he was on edge. "You're supposed to be a role model for her, not teaching her how to how to curse."

"She can't even talk yet," Carl argued.

"Yeah and 'fuck' will be her first word if you keep it up!" Rick exasperated, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Well, now who's the one saying the curse words?" Dwight jumped in. He presented Rick with a critical smile. "If you're gonna give the boy shit at least don't be a hypocrite about it."

"Like you aren't one yourself," Everly's voice spoke and they all looked at her.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Dwight asked her.

"You know what I mean," she took a couple steps forward to stop behind the loveseat that he and Carl sat across from. "You give me shit constantly for standing up for myself when I know you're dying to do the same. I see the way you look at him when you think no one is watching you. You don't hide it as well-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there before you make an ass out of yourself," Dwight clutched the crossbow that lay across his lap, his body tensing up at her words.

"Me make an ass out myself? Once again, you're one to talk. Honestly, what the hell is your problem?" She kept on going. She wasn't afraid of him.

"My problem?" He gave her a quizzical look. "I don't have a fucking problem, but it sure as hell seems like you do. And from the bitchy ass look on your face I can tell I'm gonna hear all about it against my will."

"Fuck you, Dwight," Everly snapped at him. "You have no right to talk about anything being taken against your will. Last time I heard, you gave up whatever rights you had when you handed yourself over to Negan and let him regularly stick his dick in your wife. Sorry, Carl," she gave Carl a brief apologetic look before fixing an angry gaze back on Dwight. "Daryl, I and everyone else in this town weren't given much of a choice when the whole lot of you came in here and force fed us this bullshit saviors-of-the-new-world crap. You guys aren't saviors of shit! You're terrorists and you're cowards."

"Okay, Everly, just relax. You've made your point," Rick chimed in as he took a step toward her and raised a placating hand.

Dwight's eyes were murderous as he regarded her and he held the crossbow tightly in his hands. The moment was intervened by the sound of Negan and Eugene's voices as they came back through the kitchen. Everly broke eye contact with Dwight and she hastily took a few steps back to lean against the banister again. Dwight settled his features and loosened his grip on the handle of the crossbow as Negan and Eugene strolled back in to the room.

"I will admit that your ingenuity has me stunned and I could use your skills back at the Sanctuary. Think of it as a step up from the bullshit child's play you've been horsing around with here," Negan finished.

"Uh, well," Eugene stammered and avoided eye contact with him, "I mean… That is to say…"

"I think Eugene would be more productive in a setting that he's familiar and comfortable with," Rick butted in. "Just let us know what he can do for you and we'll get the supplies to get things moving along."

"Oh, excuse the fuck out of me, Rick," Negan responded, a heated glimmer flickering in his eyes. "The Sanctuary is plenty fucking comfortable, thank you very the fuck much. And I sure as hell can bet you he'll be producing top notch quality shit with all the supplies you manage to scrape up since I'll be storing it with all the other shit you've already given me… Jesus, you can't hold everyone's fucking hands all the damn time. You've got your fist rammed so far up everyone's tightly clenched assholes that they look at you half the time before they even process what's being said to them," Negan pointed to a very rigid Eugene. "He's the fucking epitome of a hollow man. Do you think for him, too? Let the man speak for his-goddamned-self and take a fucking breather for once in your life. Eugene?"

Eugene whipped his eyes back and forth between the two of them, his mouth opening and closing and his voice like a squeak toy as he worked on what to say.

"Jesus Christ, where's the fucking restart button?" Negan threw a hand up and sighed. "Sheesh, no damn wonder you fucking talk like a robot. Your sheltered ass isn't used to human communication with Rick speaking for you all the motherfucking time, is it?"

Eugene closed his mouth and looked down, his face and neck blooming red blotches. The room was silent and Negan grew impatient waiting for an answer as he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I would be most satisfactory here," Eugene quickly answered with a nervous tremor in his voice. "My father always told me that when pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered and I wouldn't want to get too big for my britches. Stayin' here will keep me humble and unobtrusive."

"Now was that so fucking hard?" Negan asked him seriously. He looked Eugene over, contemplating if he should heed their suggestions or not. "Okay, I suppose I can let you stay here. I mean, you are still working for me either way, and you've done an alright job so far. Next time, though, really work the creative gears in your head and build me something that's worth a damn. Alright, boy scout?"

Negan gave Eugene a hearty smack on his shoulder, his fingertips digging into him as he shook him. Eugene nodded his head timidly and vowed to do so next time. Negan shoved him away and Eugene stumbled to the middle of the living room, walking apprehensively past Rick to join Carl and Judith on the couch. Dwight stood up as he sat down and made his way next to Negan, the crossbow firm in both of his hands.

"Hey, kid," Negan settled his sights on Carl. "Why don't you be a sport and go fetch me a nice, cold glass of water. I'd ask for some lunch, too, but," he gestured to Rick who stood very rigidly with an irritated look on his face, "I have a feeling I've overstayed my welcome."

"Certainly," Carl replied sarcastically and handed Judith over to Eugene. He'd do almost anything to get him out of there. Negan smirked at the boy as he brushed past, letting out a low whistle at his open insolence.

"Well, at least someone knows how to treat a guest around here. Even if the hospitality is lacking a bit," Negan smiled at Rick, giving him a playful wink. "Dwight, go round up our friend from outside and bring him on in. Rick wants to spend some quality time with him and my new girl."

Negan glanced back at Everly to give her a sideways smile, a salacious glimmer in his eye. She didn't smile back. Dwight stepped up to the front door, opening it to beckon Daryl inside as Carl came back in and handed a glass to Negan, his stare as cold as the ice water it contained.

"I really hope you didn't spit in this, kid," Negan said as he lifted the glass to his lips. "Although, it wouldn't surprise me one damn bit if ya did. You've probably got the biggest set of balls in this room if not the whole damn town. Not including mine, of course."

Negan then chugged the whole glass, a small droplet running down the side of his mouth and into his beard. He brought the glass down with a satisfied smile and wiped the corners of his mouth, handing it back to Carl. His eyes wandered over to Daryl who stood by Dwight at the front of the room before resting on Rick.

"Alright, Rrrrick! I'll give you five minutes. Five minutes to pour your little bitch hearts out to one another and that's all you get. I'm sure you all will behave yourselves," Negan took a few slow steps forward to stop right in front him, getting into his personal space. He whispered, "Now you can't say that I don't treat my people well."

Rick maintained eye contact with him, trying hard not to show the pure hatred he was feeling for the man in front of him. He nodded his head imperceptibly and looked over to Daryl, taking a step back from the intruding presence Negan always seemed to have.

"Ya mind if the three of us speak alone in the office back there?" Rick asked Negan and pointed to a small room off the living room behind his shoulder.

"Sure thing, Rick," Negan lifted his eyebrows in a carefree expression. "Just don't choke on that thank you when you're done. I know it's hard to spit out, but you can do it just like you did the first time."

Negan smiled again and Rick remembered when he had thanked him and his smartass comment after it. Rick jerked his head at Daryl and Everly and turned to walk inside the office, not speaking another word to anyone. When they had all made it in, he slid the pocket doors shut and locked them inside.

Once the doors were shut and I saw Rick lock the latch, I strode up to him and threw my arms around his neck.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to him, unable to say anything else at the moment. It was horrible watching how Negan treated everyone here, but seeing his constant degradation of Rick was almost unbearable. He patted my back, returning my hug with a tight squeeze of his arms.

"It's okay," he replied. "Ain't nothing I can't get over."

I pulled away and took a step back, giving him a small smile that he reciprocated. He glanced over at Daryl and stepped up to him to grab his extended hand, pulling him into a tight hug as well. They clapped each other on the back before separating and turning to face me. Rick looked us over once more like he was checking us for any damage he hadn't noticed before and sighed in relief when he found nothing wrong.

"I know it's a lot to ask," he started, taking his time with his words, "but I have to know…need to know…how you guys fairing in there. He treats you both…okay?"

Daryl and I exchanged a guarded look. We could either admit what had been done to us and tell him how much a maniac Negan really was, or we could lie to placate his conscious. I didn't think he'd believe any lie we might manage to come up with, especially not after this visit, no matter how small.

"We're…" Daryl began, struggling between a lie and the truth.

"Surviving," I decided for him. "We're still in one piece, at least. It's no vacation, but we've made it this far still whole and breathing."

Rick nodded. He looked like he expected as much, but he seemed disappointed nonetheless. He sighed again and brought one hand to his hip as he seemed to think about something.

"Have you guys learned anything? Anything useful?" He asked in a low voice and I got the hint.

"All we know is that there are a shit ton of them and they're organized, ready," I replied in a soft tone, glancing at the closed doors warily as my heartbeat began to speed up. I was afraid Negan would burst through them at any moment. "We attacked them with blind confidence, Rick, you already know that. We really didn't know what we were getting ourselves into when we made that pact with Gregory. We thought they were a small army like us, but they're anything but."

"Michonne saw as much when she scouted a week or so ago. I just wanted to be sure, hear from someone who's seen it up close," Rick admitted angrily.

"It's true. Their numbers are in the hundreds and more're comin' each day," Daryl confided. "They're stocked up and experienced. They've got their fingers dipped in every community from here to bumfuck Timbuktu and there ain't no shortage to their resources neither."

"But we can still fight, though. We have to try. I mean, all the stories you guys told me about before I met you, what you all went through and what we've been through together this past year… We can triumph," I desperately wanted to believe that was true, but the look Rick gave me made my stomach sink.

"I'm not so sure about that anymore, Everly. You said yourself they're strong in numbers and resources. We just don't have that luxury anymore," he said, throwing a hand out and then running it through his curly hair.

"Are you kidding me?" I exasperated and Rick put a finger up, quietly shushing me. I continued a bit more cautiously. "What about the prison? The Governor and all his people? As crazy as you guys made him out to be, you beat him. You guys won. Are you saying we can't do that now?"

"Everly, you weren't there at the prison. It was a horror show…," Rick stopped, his eyes cast to the floor. He started to speak again, but stopped with another sigh and shook his head. He opened his mouth, closing his eyes for a brief second before they met mine. "Phillip, the Governor, he was a lunatic built up on vengeance and it got good people killed. Good people I cared about and there isn't a minute that goes by that I don't feel some sort of guilt for every life we lost that day… But while the Governor was calculating, he was stupid. He acted on emotion with nothing in mind but our death. This," Rick gestured to the closed doors and what waited behind them, "is different. Negan has a set goal and it isn't our heads in the grinder. He's even said as much. It's clear now he doesn't just kill out of impulse. He does it as a lesson or if there's a threat and I can say that I've learned a lot from him, however much it pains me to admit it. We need to take a different path now, different from what we did before. I don't want to risk losing anyone else. We've come too far, built up too much. We're secure even if we're on our hands and knees licking shit from his boots. We've got to stay in a straight line for as long as we can."

"Rick…," I tried to reason with him, "We have to fight. We can't just…go along with this anymore. This is no way to live."

I looked over at Daryl and pleaded with him silently to agree with me. He crossed his arms and gazed back at Rick with a look of uncertainty.

"She's right. I mean, we've been in that shithole for nearly two months now and we ain't got jack to show for it except for some PTSD and new scars."

"That's not true. You've learned a hell of a lot about that place and that is going to count for something. Battle scars included…," he reasoned with us and a worried look settled on his features again. "We will fight back…someday. Hopefully sooner than we all think but for now, we don't have many options in what we can do, he's just too powerful. We don't have the manpower, and for the time being, I don't think we have much to worry about in terms of survival if we just keep our heads down."

"Rick," I begged.

"Everly, just pretend. I don't want you dead before you're supposed to be," he reached out a hand and gripped my shoulder, bringing me closer to him. He looked to Daryl and he got the hint to step up to us. Rick lowered his voice even further, "There's a plan at play. We've been corresponding with Hilltop. Maggie's been keeping us in the loop and planning with Jesus, but we're still in the early stages of things. In the meantime, I need the both of you to learn as much as you can and blend in. I know it'll be hard, but you're both capable…and please don't get yourselves hurt anymore or, God forbid, killed. I need you guys standing by my side for the fight. We're not giving up."

"Will Hilltop be enough for us to start anything?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know. That's why we're taking this slow. Jesus spoke of some other communities that might be able to help, but he hasn't gone into specifics yet," Rick replied. "And of course, Negan doesn't know Maggie is there. He thinks she's dead, and as far as he knows, our knowledge of Hilltop is nonexistent. Our next advantage is that you guys are in on the inside. You've already learned a lot and you can learn more. I want you to gather as much intel as you can while staying safe."

"How are we supposed to provide any information to you? We're prisoners!" I was getting shrill again and I took a moment to calm myself. I whispered harshly, "It's not like we can just visit whenever we want or send a fucking letter!"

"We don't have to be nomore. We ain't locked up at the Sanctuary still, we're here," Daryl muttered. "And Negan's lettin' us talk alone. That tells me we're on to being somethin' more than just captives."

I stopped. Daryl had a point. While most of the day we had been forced to keep our heads down and not speak to anyone, Negan was actually giving us some fleeting moments of freedom which was much more than I expected out of the day. Not to mention my talk with him earlier and the intentions he had for us. Soldiers. I shuddered.

"Okay," I conceded, "but writing down secret notes didn't exactly work out so swimmingly for us before."

"It doesn't have to be notes. It can be as simple as a look to confirm an offhanded comment or a brief, private discussion just like this. We'll keep it short and quick and try not to draw attention to ourselves. Just trust me," Rick squeezed my shoulder again.

I looked back and forth between the two of them, not sure if this was the best plan. I was growing anxious. I didn't want a repeat of what happened the first time we plotted something, but I trusted Rick with my life. And if we were going to fight and win we had to start somewhere.

"Okay, just… Let's not make the same mistakes as last time," I looked at Daryl. "Nothing can be traced back to us and we can't be overheard."

"Sounds like a damn plan to me," Daryl agreed.

Suddenly, four loud knocks rattled the door and I jumped back with a start, a hand to my chest to calm my fluttering heart. Rick and Daryl straightened up quickly, taking a few steps back and tensing up for a fight.

"You're time's about up in there. Got about…thirty seconds!" Dwight's voice boomed through from the other side of the doors.

"We got a plan?" Rick asked us in a whisper.

"Yeah," I shortly replied and nodded despite the warning signs firing red in my mind.

Rick clapped a hand on Daryl's shoulder and Daryl returned the sentiment, a significant smile on his face.

"We'll do what we can, Rick," he said. "For you, for us, and for everyone. We'll be there and we're gonna kick some fucking Savior ass."

Hi, everyone. Thank you to my guest reviewer; I die a bit inside, too, but hopefully this chapter assuaged that. :)

I want to let you guys know that updates will be slowing down. Possibly after I post Ch. 22. I really wanted to be ahead of whatever chapter I posted each week, but it all caught up with me and now I'm behind. I haven't written anything past Ch. 22 yet, but I'm going to keep working on it. So, MAYBE I can continue with weekly updates. If not, it will be bi-weekly, if not sooner; say between a week and two weeks per update.

Edited by lolasskicker.