Rachel sat with her feet up on Negan's sofa with a book in her lap, and music playing through a set of headphones. Things had been strained between the two of them to say the least. Seeing Daryl silently scrubbing the floors of the sanctuary wasn't helping either. Daryl had tried to escape, and had gotten a beating for it. Rachel and Negan had argued through the night over it. Then she had stormed out, and gone hunting for two days. Negan had been furious with her, as she hadn't even taken a radio. Rachel had wanted to go to Alexandria. Every fibre of her being had screamed at her to go. But Negan's words had played in her head. Knowing full well that Negan probably had men watching the roads to Alexandria, she had decided against it and gone back to the sanctuary.
The doors to Negan's room swing open, and she glances up from her book. It's Negan, and he's not alone. He opens his mouth, but of course, she can't hear. Rachel removes her headphones.
"Well now i know why you didn't hear the damn gunshots," Negan smiles.
"What gunshots?" Rachel frowns.
Negan talks, but she doesn't hear him. She's too busy staring at the boy beside him. Rachel doesn't recognise him instantly, as he's barely a boy anymore. It's his hat that she recognises.
"Carl?" She says, her eyes wide.
"Oh, fuck. I didn't even fucking think about that, of course, you know each other, right?" Negan grins.
Carl stares at her. "Rachel. What are you doing here? Are you.. one of his wives?"
"No," Rachel says instantly.
Negan pouts childishly. "Jesus, could you say that any fucking faster?"
Rachel makes her way to Carl, and hugs him. Negan doesn't attempt to put a stop to it. She holds him at arms length. "What happened to your eye?" Rachel throws an accusing look at Negan.
"Hey! Don't look at me. It was like that when i met him," Negan says. "Anyway, sweetheart. I hate to cut this reunion short. But Carl and i need to talk, man to man."
"What's he doing here?" She frowns.
"Little fucker was hiding in one of my trucks. Shot up a bunch of my men," Negan points his finger at Carl.
Rachel walks over to Negan. "Don't you hurt him. He's just a kid, if you-,"
"Chill your fucking boots," Negan waves a hand in front of her. "This, is between me, and him."
Rachel stares at him then looks at Carl. "Look at you. You're towering above me," she smiles.
Negan rolls his eyes. "Everyone fucking towers above you. Come on, sweetheart. I can't exactly have a serious fucking talk with him if you're gonna start crying like some long lost fucking Aunt."
Rachel looks from Carl to Negan, then leaves.
"If he hurts Carl, i'll kill him," Daryl says.
Rachel turns around in the corridor. "He won't," she assures him.
He shakes his head. "You don't know that."
"You think i'd leave Carl in there if i thought Negan was going to hurt him? Is that what you think of me, Daryl?"
"Nah. I just think you don't really know what kinda person he is. You can't see it, cos you're too close to it. And it's probably too late for you to step back," Daryl says.
"Nothing's the same, Daryl. We've all changed. You're not the same guy i met back at the prison, and from the sounds of it, neither is Rick," Rachel says.
"Keep telling yourself that, till it feels right," Daryl looks away, and goes back to cleaning the floor.
Rachel sits outside on the sanctuary steps. She opens her locket, staring at Negan's stupid grin. But it isn't stupid at all, in fact, it melts her heart. She hates that.
Rachel breathes a sigh of relief as she sees Negan stepping outside with Carl. She watches him head towards one of the trucks. "Where you going?" Rachel asks, making her way over to them.
"Taking this little shitbag back to Alexandria," Negan smiles. "See, i can be reasonable. Haven't hurt so much as one damn hair on his head."
"You want me to come with you?" Rachel asks.
"Later," Negan rolls his tongue over his lip.
"I'm being serious," Rachel frowns.
"Me too. It's a serious fucking business. My balls are damn near close to exploding," Negan chuckles.
"Negan," Rachel says.
"No, you can't fucking come to Alexandria. I thought i'd already made that fucking clear?" He raises an eyebrow.
"You can't keep me away from there forever. We're all supposed to be working together," Rachel points out.
Negan takes a deep breath. "I know that. But for now i can. I'll see you later. Try and make sure this place doesn't turn to shit while i'm gone, okay?" He says, kissing her forehead.
Rachel nods. She watches them leave, then heads back inside.
Rachel steps out of the shower, Negan's bathroom thick with steam. She wipes at the mirror with her hand, staring at her reflection. She gathers her clothes on the bed, then hears a knock at the door. "One minute!" Rachel shouts, throwing her clothes on. "What is it?" She asks, opening the door.
Gareth stands there, his breath heavy. "It's fat Joey. He's dead."
Rachel's eyes widen. "What?"
"Dwight just found him outside. Someone smashed his head in," Gareth says.
"Oh my god," Rachel whispers.
"There's more. Daryl's missing," Gareth adds.
"Since when?" Rachel asks.
"We're not sure. But one of the bikes is missing, that's where we found Joey," Gareth says.
"You think Daryl did it?" Rachel frowns.
"Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it was Daryl. But.. someone must have let him out, because he was locked up," Gareth says.
Rachel stares at him. "You're not looking at me, are you?"
"Hell no," Gareth shakes his head. "I wouldn't think that. Besides, i know you've been here for the last hour or so."
Rachel rubs her temples. "Negan's going to hit the roof."
"Tell me about it. He's not gonna be too happy with Dwight either. He was supposed to be in charge of Daryl," Gareth says. "What do you want us to do?"
"You're asking me?" Rachel asks, surprised.
"Well, yeah. You're the only person here right now that has the most authority," Gareth says.
Rachel stares at him, then nods. "Someone keep an eye on Dwight, make sure he doesn't leave the sanctuary. Get someone to count heads, make sure no one else is missing. I'll have someone sort out a burial for Joey," Rachel says.
"What about Daryl?" He asks.
Rachel glances down at her feet. "Send out an alert over the radio. Tell them to keep an eye out for Daryl. If they see him, he's to be brought back to the sanctuary, unharmed! I'll send a group out to look for him."
"Wouldn't it be better if you went out, what with your tracking skills?" Gareth suggests.
"It would, but i'm not sure Negan would like that," Rachel shakes her head.
"Okay, i'll get right on it," Gareth nods.
Negan drives through the gates of the sanctuary. He smiles as he sees Rachel waiting for him.
"Negan, something happe-," she starts.
"I already know," Negan cuts her off. "Heard on the radio."
"I sent men out looking for him," Rachel says. She stands back and takes a good look at him. "Jesus! What happened?"
Negan's smile widens, the blood on his face making him appear crazed. "Just some shit at Alexandria."
"What did you do?" Rachel frowns.
"Relax, sweetheart. I did Rick a fucking favour. One of his men went behind his back. Came to me like a sniveling weasel, wanted me to put him in charge," Negan says.
"So you killed him?" Rachel asks.
"Fuck yeah i did! And you know what else? One of his people took a shot at me. You see this!" Negan points at Lucille.
"Is that a bullet?" Rachel frowns.
"Yep! Can you fucking believe that? If it wasn't for Lucille, i'd be fucking dead right now. She should get the award for best wife ever!" Negan smiles. "Don't be jealous, baby. You're right fucking up there with her."
Rachel shakes her head in disbelief. "I'm not your wife."
"Fucking close enough. Any fucking hoo. I heard you stepped up while i was gone," Negan smiles.
"I had to. Gareth came to me, asked me what i wanted them to do." Rachel says.
"Good," Negan nods. "I like that. Though, i can't say i'm too fucking pleased that you ordered my men not to harm Daryl. But.. i guess i can let that slide. Least you stepped the fuck up."
"Are you going to keep it that way?" Rachel asks.
Negan raises his eyebrow, Lucille resting against his shoulder. "Do i have a fucking choice?"
"There's always a choice, Negan," Rachel says.
"Okay, we'll do it your way. I'll have my men keep looking for him, and i'll tell them to bring him back unharmed," Negan leans over her. "Know, that i'm only fucking doing that for you."
Rachel nods.
"Do we know who let him out?" Negan asks.
"No. But there has been another development," Rachel says.
"What's that?" Negan frowns.
"Sherry's missing," Rachel says.
"Fuck! I'm gonna have to deal with Dwight," Negan brushes a hand over his face.
Rachel glances over at one of the trucks. "Who's that?"
"That's our new bullet maker," Negan grins. "He made the bullet that almost killed me. I'm hoping he'll be useful."
"So, you've just taken him?" Rachel rubs at her temples.
"Yes, i fucking have. You should know by now. If i want something, i fucking take it. He's lucky he's still breathing, so it's a win for everyone really," Negan reasons.
Rachel shakes her head. "You know what? I just.. let's go inside, shall we?"
Rachel wanders through the woods. She'd been out long before sunrise, and hadn't caught anything yet. But going out on a hunt today, had more to do with getting some much needed space, than actually finding food. She had spent the night with Negan, and had woken up in the early hours feeling guilty. How someone could make her feel so good, and yet so bad at the same time, bewildered her. So she'd gone out on a hunt, to attempt to clear her head. She rambled on randomly, no trail in sight.
A branch snaps to her left, and she aims her arrow. She frowns, as she hears the telltale sound of footsteps. Not walker steps, but human.
"Who's there?" She calls out. The footsteps cease. "I know someone's there, so come out!"
She fully expects it to be one of Negan's men, keeping an eye on her. So she's quite rightly surprised, when a familiar face comes out with his hands up.
"Jesus?" Rachel tilts her head. "What are you doing out here?"
Jesus stops a few feet in front of her. "I was following you."
"Well that's not weird," she says sarcastically.
"We just want to talk, that's all," Jesus says.
"We?" Rachel asks puzzled.
She hears footsteps from behind Jesus. And then another familiar face.
"Rick," she whispers, her mouth suddenly dry.
