"They should have been back by now," Rachel frowns, playing absently with the locket around her neck.
She'd been sat on the steps outside the sanctuary for the last hour, keeping an eye out for Negan.
"I'm sure everything's fine," Gareth says.
"Then why hasn't he been on the radio?" She frets, shifting uncomfortably on the step.
Gareth opens his mouth, not quite sure what to say. But the sound of engines in the distance, is answer enough.
"It's them," Rachel smiles, getting to her feet. She watches the trucks drive through the gate, and breathes a sigh of relief, as she sees Negan in the passenger seat. Rachel walks over to him as he steps out, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I was worried about you," she says against his chest.
"Makes a fucking change, you worrying about me," Negan smiles, running his hand through her hair.
Rachel looks up at him. "Did it go the way it was supposed to?"
"Pretty fucking much. They thought they could outsmart us, and that didn't work out too well for them," Negan smiles. "I think i got them onboard."
"Don't be stupid! You're surrounded, you try anything and you won't make it out of there alive!" Dwight yells.
Rachel turns her head. "What's going on?"
"Some asshole from Alexandria. He'll make a good soldier though, once we've worn him down," Negan grins.
Rachel looks over at Dwight, grabbing someone from the back of a van. "Oh my god," she barely whispers, her throat suddenly dry. Rachel sways on her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. "Daryl?" She mouths, barely audible.
But Negan hears her, and what's more, he sees the look on her face.
"Daryl!" Rachel shouts. Her legs suddenly regaining the ability to move, as she attempts to make her way to him.
Daryl glances over at her. "Rachel?" He mouths.
He's a mess. His face is pale, and he's bleeding from his shoulder.
"Daryl," she repeats, her eyes brimming with tears, as she makes her way towards him. Rachel feels a hand on her arm, pulling her back.
Negan pulls her towards him. "That's Daryl? As in, the Daryl from your old group?" Negan frowns.
"Yes! What are you doing? What's he doing here? I got to go talk to him," Rachel stresses, trying to shake Negan's hand from her.
"I don't fucking think so," Negan says coldly. "Take him to the cells!" Negan orders.
"Negan! Let go of me!" Rachel yells, as she watches them take Daryl away.
Negan wraps his hands around her waist, refusing to let her go.
"Let me go!" Rachel shouts.
"Rachel! Would you fucking stop it!" Negan frowns, as he tries to keep hold of her.
"Let me go then!" She kicks her legs out.
"I'll let you go, if you promise not to go running after him! He's not going anywhere!" Negan shouts.
Rachel stops squirming, and Negan loosens his grip on her. She turns to him. "What the hell is this?" She demands, as tears fall down her cheeks.
"I'm not doing this here!" Negan moves in closer. "Not in front of my men," he lowers his voice. "Let's take this inside."
"But Daryl-," Rachel starts.
"Like i said. He's not fucking going anywhere. We've talked about this before, Rachel. You can't act like this in front of my men," Negan frowns.
Rachel wipes at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Okay," she barely mumbles.
Negan closes his bedroom door, and turns to Rachel.
"Why is he here? What the hell happened?" Rachel demands to know.
"Okay. First of all, could you ask one question at a fucking time," Negan says.
"I'm not playing, Negan!" Rachel snaps. Her eyes widen. "Is it Rick? Is he leading Alexandria?"
Negan stares at her, clenching his jaw. "Yes, he is. And why the fuck you ever followed that asshole, is beyond me?"
Rachel holds her head in her hands. "Did you know it was Rick?"
"No. How the fuck was i supposed to know? There must be a million fucking pricks named Rick out there," Negan points out. "But you know what? I wouldn't give two flying fucks if i did know! This is the same guy, that stormed through our outpost, that killed our people while they slept! That almost killed you!" Negan paces the room. "You think i'd go easy on him because you used to follow him once upon a fucking time? Fuck no!"
"Negan-," Rachel starts.
"No! You don't get to fucking look at me like i'm the bad guy! Not after what they did! Or have you already forgotten?" Negan asks coldly.
"Of course i haven't! But this is Rick! He must have had a bloody good reason for doing what he did!" Rachel shouts.
Negan breathes deeply, and places his hands on her shoulders. "Rachel. Listen to me. I don't know what he was like when you were following him, but he isn't the same guy anymore. You saw what he did. I know you like to see the best in people. I understand that. But you can't excuse what he did. We lost a shitload of people because of him," Negan wipes at a tear on her cheek. "Don't let this come between us, Rachel."
Rachel looks up at him. "I need to talk with him. With Rick."
Negan shakes his head. "That's not fucking happening."
"Why not?" Rachel asks.
"Because i don't want him poisoning you against me. And because i fucking said so," Negan frowns.
"If you have nothing to hide, then you wouldn't have a problem with me speaking to him," Rachel says.
"I don't want you speaking to him, because he's a fucking prick! A prick, that almost got you killed! Now, you can ask me any fucking question you want, and i'll answer it. But you're not speaking with him, and that's fucking final," Negan says. "And would you stop fucking looking at me like that! I fucking hate when you look at me like that!"
"Like what!" Rachel yells.
"Like you don't fucking know me! After all this time, all the shit we've been through, you still don't trust me, do you?" Negan frowns.
Rachel looks up at him, her eyes not leaving his. "No, i don't."
Negan clenches his jaw. His eyes burn into hers, not with lust, but with anger. "Fuck!" Negan kicks at the coffee table, flipping it over. He grabs a glass from the dresser and smashes it against the doors.
Rachel flinches, her hand going to her cheek.
Negan eyes are ablaze with fire. He glances over at Rachel, and his face drops as he sees blood dripping down her cheek. "Rachel," he rushes over to her, holding his arms out. But Rachel takes a step back, her hand covering her cheek. "I didn't mean to..i'm sorry."
Rachel turns away from him, and leaves.
She stands in front of the mirror in her room, cleaning the cut on her cheek. It's not much more than a scratch, and certainly won't leave a scar. The ache in her chest far outweighs the scratch on her cheek. Rachel stares at herself. What do i do? She's been asking herself this question repeatedly for the past fifteen minutes. She rolls the heart locket on her chain between her fingers. It's Daryl. You know Daryl! She thinks. But do you? She counters. Rachel knows she isn't the same person she was when all this started. People change. Maybe Daryl changed? The Rick she knew would never kill people in cold blood. So maybe Negan is right?
She hears a knock at the door. Rachel opens it, greeted by a very sorry looking Negan.
Negan looks at the cut on her cheek. He looks at her like a dog looking at it's master in shame after piddling on the floor. "I'm so sorry. I never mean't to do that, i swear."
Rachel softens slightly. "I know," she relents, stepping aside.
Negan walks slowly into her room. "Have you been to Carson with that?"
"No," she shakes her head. "It's barely a scratch."
Negan nods his head. "I'd never purposely hurt you, i mean that. I just.. i'd trust you with my life, Rachel. Why can't you trust me with yours?"
"Because you hide things from me. How am i supposed to trust you?" She reasons.
Negan rubs his temples. "You know we have to make hard decisions. And i know, you don't always like the decisions i make, the way i handle things. But it has to be done, you know that."
"Why is Daryl here?" Rachel asks calmly.
Negan walks over to Rachel's chair, and sinks into it. "He's Rick's right hand man. Rick pissed me off, so i took him. I thought he'd make a good soldier."
Rachel sits on the coffee table in front of Negan. "Is he hurt? He didn't look too good," she swallows, her throat dry.
"Dwight shot him in the shoulder. It isn't fatal though, he'll be fine, provided he plays fucking ball," Negan assures her.
"Daryl won't break. I can tell you that now. Whatever you do to him, he'll never betray Rick," Rachel warns him.
"Really?" Negan raises an eyebrow.
"Really," Rachel nods.
"So what would you have me do?" Negan asks.
"Let him go," Rachel pleads, a tear falling down her face.
The sight of her crying for Daryl, only infuriates him. Negan struggles to keep his cool. "I can't do that."
"Why not? I know you Negan, you don't want him here," Rachel reasons.
"No, i don't fucking want him here. Not now i know who he fucking is!" Negan grimaces.
"Then why?" She asks.
"Because it's the best way to keep Rick in line! Do you realise how it'll make me look if i give him back?" Negan frowns.
"Don't hurt him, please," Rachel pleads.
"You're going to leave me, aren't you? First chance you get, you're going to run off with that redneck piece of shit!" Negan fumes, his eyes watering.
"I thought you said you trusted me?" Rachel frowns.
"I know how you feel about him. Trust goes out of the fucking window when it comes to shit like that," Negan's fingers dig deep into the arms of the chair.
"You don't know anything about how i feel, Negan," Rachel says.
Negan sits forward. He strokes her cheek. "You won't leave me, will you?"
"That's the last thing i want. But i won't watch you hurt him either. I can't sit back and let that happen, i can't!" Rachel cries.
"That doesn't have to happen. Like i said, if he-,"
"Negan," Rachel cuts in. She takes his hands in hers. "Daryl, will not break."
Negan sighs. "This isn't a debate, Rachel. You know i care about you, and normally, i'd do pretty much whatever to please you. But Daryl is mine now. And nothing you say is going to change that."
Rachel hangs around the corridor near Daryl's cell. She watches David speaking with Dwight. As David leaves, she heads towards Dwight.
"Dwight," Rachel says softly.
Dwight stares at her. "You're not supposed to be here."
"Dwight, just give me five minutes. I need to talk to him," Rachel pleads.
"I can't," Dwight shakes his head. "If Negan finds out, it'll be me in there," he turns away from her.
"I helped you," Rachel frowns.
"You shouldn't have," Dwight says.
Rachel stares at him, clenching her jaw. "No, i shouldn't," she says, before heading down the corridor.
Rachel sits on her motorbike, adjusting her gloves.
"If you go to Alexandria, don't expect Daryl to still be breathing when you get back," Negan says from behind her.
Rachel turns her head. "Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise," Negan says.
She steps off the bike, and stands in front of him. "You're painting yourself in a very bad light, i hope you know that."
"See it however you want to fucking see it. I see it, as keeping you safe," Negan says.
"By keeping me here?" Rachel frowns.
"I didn't say you couldn't leave. You're my girl, not my damn prisoner. But i won't have you going to Alexandria, and if i find out otherwise, then bye bye Daryl," Negan waves.
"You, bastard," Rachel scolds under her breath.
"Hey! There's no need to be like that!" Negan scowls.
"Screw you!" Rachel spits, storming back inside.