Negan hadn't slept, the whites of his eyes a light shade of red as they stare out into the woods. The sun had risen ten minutes before, and yet they hadn't found her. As he sits there, tears on the brink, his mind races at the thought of what they may have done to her.
They'd spent half the night tripping over one another in the woods before Daryl had managed to convince Negan it was pointless. They weren't going to find her. So they had made their way back to the border, Daryl going over the plan with his men, whilst Negan stared out into the woods with his jaw clenched, his stomach rolling more and more with every hour that passed.
"You alright?" Simon asks as he sits beside Negan.
"What kinda stupid fucking question is that?" Negan snaps.
Simon clears his throat. "I guess it was stupid. You know Rachel though, she's a badass."
"Yeah, she is, but she's also just one woman. One woman who's being held captive by a bunch of fucking savages, and she's been there all damn night!" Negan spits.
"Sorry," Simon says sincerely, dropping his head.
"We should've kept looking for her. What if they've.." Negan shakes his head, the thought of what could be happening to her painful enough without saying the actual words. "If they fucking hurt her, i'll never forgive myself." He runs a hand over his beard, clenching his jaw to bite back tears.
"Daryl thinks they're gonna make a move soon. We've got men out in the woods, that way we can surround them."
"Well good for him," Negan sneers.
Simon nods, rising to his feet. "I'll seeya later." He smiles sympathetically before walking off.
"Here," Daryl says, holding out a bottle of water to Negan. "Don't need ya droppin down on us."
"What's the point?" Negan frowns.
"The point is we need ta win this war, i need my men strong."
"But Rachel is-" Negan starts.
"Rachel wants ta win this war just as much as any of us, that ain't changed. An if ya care bout her, you'll remember that," Daryl says. Negan grabs the bottle and nods. "This'll end today, one way or another. Let's just hope we're on the winning side."
"We fucking are," Negan says as he rises to his feet.
"Good. Now go see Jesus, he's got all the ammo, ya gon need plenty," Daryl says.
Rachel stumbles over the ground, Beta's large fingers curling around her arm as he all but drags her through the woods. He'd taken off the gag, but her hands were still tied behind her back, and with Whisperers and the dead in every direction, she'd seen no opportunity to escape.
"You won't win," she says.
"Is that so?" Beta sneers.
"Why don't you turn back while you still can? Kill me if you feel you have to, but if you keep going forward, you'll lose," Rachel tries to reason.
"Look at you, willing to give your life for that worthless maggot. If you think i do not realise the reason you wish me not to go forward, then you must think me a fool. You know i will crush that very maggot that you hold so dear. Maybe i will let you live long enough to watch him die, you can die together, that would bring me great joy." Beta smiles.
"Whether you kill us both or not, you'll die."
"Keep quiet, unless you wish for the dead to notice you," Beta warns her.
"Why should i care? I'm dead either way," Rachel points out.
"Because you people are selfish. You wish nothing more than to see your maggot one last time."
"I love that maggot you piece of shit, and if you think i'm going to keep going so he can watch me die, then you can get fucked!" She yells. Before she has time to open her mouth again, Beta covers it with his hand, motioning for the gag. She whimpers lightly as he pulls it tight, her heart pounding.
"Maybe you aren't selfish after all." He smiles. "But he will watch you breathe your last breaths. And just as you're on your last one, i will gut him like a pig. Now keep moving," Beta orders.
Negan loads his handgun, tucking it into his belt beside his knife as he makes his way over to Simon and Dwight.
"Any word from the lookouts?" Negan questions, becoming increasingly impatient with each passing minute.
Dwight shakes his head. "It's quiet out there." He gestures towards the woods. "We've got men all over, so i'll be surprised if they slip through without us noticing."
"Even if they do slip through, we've got them surrounded," Simon points out. "There's nearly twenty Saviors out there, and shit knows how many from the other communities. Those assholes won't win this war."
"You know what, the only thing i give a shit about is Rachel. Can you two tell me for damn sure she's gonna make it outta this?" Negan frowns.
"Negan, you know that's what i want. I care about Rachel.. in my own way. I mean, i owe her ten times over," Simon chuckles.
"You sure do, we both do," Negan says. "Do i want us to win this war? Fuck yeah. But do i see the fucking point if she doesn't make it? Fuck no."
"She'll make it." Simon nods. "They won't have killed her."
"I know they won't have, because cunty mcdickface is using her as bait. Motherfucker wants my head on a stick, knows that's the only way he'll get it," Negan says.
"So we don't need to worry," Dwight points out.
"It's not the jolly green giant i'm worried about, it's Rachel," Negan says, looking off into the distance. "I know her.." Negan shakes his head. "She won't let that happen." He bites on his lip, dropping his head as he sighs deeply.
"What do you think she's gonna do?" Dwight asks with a frown.
Negan rubs at his temples, crinkling his nose as thoughts race through his mind. "She.. she'll do something stupid. I knew i should've stopped her coming to see me, this wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for me."
"I won't argue with that," Dwight chips in. He clears his throat as Simon throws him a cold stare.
"Nothing you did would've stopped her." Simon rests a hand against Negan's shoulder.
"Maybe, but i could've tried harder."
"Everyone in position! Draw your weapons!" Daryl orders.
The others turn in his direction, racing towards him as their eyes catch the approaching shadows in the woods. They form a line facing the woods, Daryl, Negan, Simon and Dwight in the centre, their guns pointing down at the ground.
"No," Negan almost whimpers as he watches Beta step out of the shadows with Rachel in tow, a gag over her mouth.
Beta raises his hand. "Keep the dead at bay till my say so," he orders his men. Then he gestures over two dozen of his men forward, his grip tight on Rachel's arm.
Negan clenches his jaw as he goes to step forward, Daryl grabbing his arm.
"Don't," Daryl barely whispers. Negan turns to him, his eyes lit with fury. "You go doin somethin stupid, they could hurt her."
Negan steps back reluctantly, nodding his head.
Beta and his men stop around 100ft from them, and the Whisperers army looks pitiful compared to theirs, the communities having close to forty on the field, not to mention the forty or so hiding out in the woods.
Daryl know that means nothing though, since the Whisperers have more men hanging back, not to mention the vast sea of dead they have at their disposal.
Negan's heart drops to his stomach as he looks at his woman. Her face is bruised and grazed, and it takes everything he has not to run over and slit Beta's throat. "What did you do to her?!" He yells.
"Negan, don't," Daryl whispers.
Beta smirks, glancing briefly at Rachel. "This one truly is your soul mate, she is lucky i did not cut out her tongue."
"I swear, if you fucking hurt her, i'll make your death nice and fucking slow!" Negan yells. "Take that off." Negan gestures towards the gag.
Beta snorts, taking off the gag and tossing it away. "You have any last words for that maggot of yours?" He whispers.
"Fuck you," she sneers at Beta.
"Come forward, and lose the gun," Beta says.
"Don't, Negan!" Rachel shakes her head. She feels Beta's knife pressing against the small of her back. Negan steps forward regardless, tucking the gun into his belt. Tears fall down Rachel's cheeks, her lip trembling and her heart beating faster with every step Negan takes towards her. "Negan.. don't!" She shakes her head, struggling to free herself from Beta's grip.
"Your attempts are futile, i will end you and your maggot, and how sweet it shall be." Beta smiles.
Rachel turns to Negan, barely 50ft away from her. "I love you," she whispers, Negan frowning as he moves ever closer. Rachel bares her teeth and pushes herself backwards, Beta's knife plunging sickly into her lower back.
"What?" Beta's eyes widen.
Negan stands frozen, and yet the world feels as if it's moving at a ridiculous speed. "No.. no!" He screams as Rachel drops down, Beta's knife dripping with blood as he holds it in his hand.
"Now!" Daryl yells.
His men come from the woods in all directions, and the men beside him begin to fire at the Whisperers.
Negan races towards Rachel, but Beta knocks him off his feet, Negan falling backwards. Beta lifts his knife, but Negan brings his boot up into Beta's stomach, Beta dropping his weapon. He recovers quickly, his huge hands curling around Negan's neck. Beta glances towards Rachel, her head barely lifting off the ground as she looks in their direction.
"Now you watch each other die!" He sneers.
As Negan struggles to loosen Beta's grip, the first time he laid eyes on Rachel rushes through his mind. How she'd knelt down in front of him covered in blood with that sweet smile on her face, appearing almost as psychotic as him. Oh, how wrong he'd been, but he loved her for it.
Negan brings his knee up into Beta's crotch, Beta releasing his grip as his hands instinctively drop down between his legs. Negan takes the knife from his belt, swiftly slitting Beta's throat, blood dripping down on his leather jacket.
Beta gurgles, choking on his own blood, his eyes wide as he looks down at Negan. He opens his mouth as if to speak, but drops down before he has the chance.
Negan struggles to roll Beta off, his teeth bared as he rises to his feet. His face drops. "Rachel." He races over to her, Daryl not far behind him. Negan rolls her onto her back, holding her in his arms, her face deathly pale. She looks up at him, her hand gripping the top of his arm. "It's gonna be okay, baby," he assures her.
Rachel shakes her head. "I'm.. dying.. i.. can feel it," she croaks.
"No, you're gonna be fucking fine, you hear me?" Her eyes flicker shut. "Hey!" Negan yells, shaking her awake. "Don't you fucking close your eyes on me! You fucking stay with me goddamn it!"
"I.. it hurts," she whispers.
"Rachel, please," Negan sobs. "Don't leave me, you can't, because.. i fucking love you. You hear me, baby? I love you, you can't leave me. Please, baby."
Rachel smiles, lifting her hand to his face before it drops to the ground, her eyes closing.
"No! Rachel!" Negan yells, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Daryl kneels quickly down beside him. "Let me look at her."
"But she-"
"Let me look at her!" Daryl yells.
Dwight comes to the other side of her, checking her pulse. "We need to get her outta here."
"Isn't.." Negan swallows thickly, his throat dry. "Isn't there one here?"
"No," Daryl says, taking his shirt off and tying it around her wound. "We need to go, now!"