Chapter 51

The group remained hidden outside of Alexandria's borders; not too close, but near enough to view what was going on, and what they saw was grim. Their arrival was belated; irredeemably so. They had taken too long, spoken too many words, taken too many steps, and now Alexandria's only allies watched as they were killed again and stripped of any weapons or goods they had left.

Maggie stayed crouched low, a hand on her belly protectively as King Ezekiel towered over her, peering through the trees. His soldiers surrounded them in a semi-circle, armed and vigilant, but it seemed as though their presence was not needed. She tore her eyes away from the massacre in front of her, the echoing of the explosions still ringing in her ears, and met Jesus' eyes.

"We have to do something."

Jesus wanted to agree, but he pressed his lips together, his jaw hardening, as he looked back at the destruction in the distance.

"It would be unwise to interfere at this instant," King Ezekiel's voice spoke, low and advising.

"Well, when would be a good time?" Maggie snapped up at him. "When they're all dead?"

"Maggie," Jesus warned softly, "if we go now, we will be slaughtered. They've overpowered them, and we're outnumbered now."

"Bullshit!" Maggie spat angrily. She glared at Alexandria's walls, wishing she could see through them. "We should've come earlier. We should have been here before they were!"

"Alas, we were not, and penitence curses us with a cold hand. That is one of the many unfortunate downsides in all of this," King Ezekiel sighed, gazing down at Maggie. "The Alexandrian's are too vulnerable. Our presence would cause more pandemonium and death. We must retreat and conjure a new strategy. One battle lost does not mean we forfeit the war."

"I agree," Jesus chimed, and Sasha threw her hands up incredulously.

"They are being murdered!"

"And we will be too if we don't keep our tones down." Richard stepped forward as a fellow soldier dispatched a small group of roaming walkers. "We go in now and we're all dead. If we stay here any longer, we're dead. The only option is to go back while we can."

"I'm sorry, Sasha." Jesus placed a hand on her shoulder, but she gently shook it off. He turned to Maggie. "We need to get out of here. Before the Saviors leave and catch us on the road."

Assorted sets of eyes were fixated on the billows of smoke rising from the faraway structures and the bodies that went back and forth, carrying various items to the trucks parked in the street. Maggie dug her nails in the bark of the tree she crotched beside, hating herself for her inability to help. But she couldn't deny the logic to retreat. It was dangerous, and as much as she hated to admit it, Negan had won again.

"Fine." The words burned her throat. "But I'm coming back here tonight."

"Me too," Sashed joined.

"Let us discuss the possibilities beforehand," King Ezekiel requested. "It may still be hazardous-"

"The only possibilities left are we're all exterminated or we win." Sasha cut in. "I need to get in there. I need to see if everyone is okay."

"In the meantime," King Ezekiel redirected his point, "we will confer our next advancement. We would be fools to do otherwise."

Fools, Maggie thought. Just what Gregory had called them earlier. The realization stung, but she was beginning to feel exactly like one. She stood on shaky legs, the loyal part in her screaming to charge forward, but she put her back to the home she'd been forced to abandon.

"Let's go."

"I'll stay and scout." Jesus offered. "I'll come back when the Saviors leave. If I can, I'll check on the Alexandrians before I head back."

"Thank you, Jesus. That is very noble. Please return to us safely." King Ezekiel nodded to him, and then beckoned to his soldiers. "Make haste. I fear we will be caught on enemy lands if we linger much longer."

His men and women turned, disappearing into the brush. The king glanced back at Maggie and Sasha before moving forward, a final farewell should they choose not to join him. The pregnant widow moved forward, a sour frown on her face, but she stopped when she sensed no one behind her.

"Sasha?" Maggie asked.

"I'm going to stay and watch. I'll come back with Jesus."

"Are you sure?" Jesus asked.

"Always." She replied.

Maggie was mute, wishing she had the option of staying behind, too. But she glanced down and saw the bulge that stretched her shirt. With a sigh, she turned and slid through the trees, blocking out the distant siren call that sang to her.


The Saviors had taken nearly everything. They took a larger portion of the food, medicinal supplies, clothes, and various other items of their choosing. It was all subjective, taking what suited them and throwing whatever was left into a large fire that occupied the middle of the street. I had pled to Negan to let them be, but a stern glare from my future husband made me ashamedly stand down. Now they had nothing.

"While it's been a lovely visit, my fiancée and I really must get going. We made a hell of a lot of noise fucking up your shit, and I'd rather not stick around to see what comes stumbling up to your blown in fucking door." Negan smiled at the fragile group before him and then came to me, putting an arm around my waist. "I'll be back in a week to check up on you assholes. See how you all are farin' with living off of practically nothing. I have a suspicion making a bonfire with your belongings might slightly inconvenience you, but considering how resourceful Mr. Prick the Rick is, how hard could finding new shit honestly be?"

Negan titled his head as he glanced down at Rick who still writhed on the asphalt. I attempted to sniff back the tears but they had been flowing down my face of their own volition the past hour. My gut felt like a pincushion when Negan faced Daryl who sat bound and guarded on the road.

"Saviors! Dwindle this shit down and get ready to roll. We've outstayed our welcome."

As Negan's soldiers started back through the torn gate, the men who secured Daryl grabbed his arm, pulling him up to his feet, but Negan stopped them with the raise of Lucille.

"Not so fast, Daryl," he smiled slowly. "I told you I was bringing you home, and here you are. I did what I said I was going to do… What I'm having a hard time figuring out is if I should leave your sorry-ass here or drag you back with us. Either way, it won't be easy for you, but what will be more fun for me?"

Daryl had no answer, and the crackling of the fire a few hundred feet away from us kept the air busy, masking the silence. I chanced a look at him, no longer able to keep my gaze at my feet, and I only saw loss. The exact thing I'd been trying to avoid this entire time.

Negan squeezed my side and directed his grin to me. "What do you say, wife-to-be? Do you think Daryl should stay here or come on back with us?"

"Here," I rasped, my throat clamped and sore. My answer was definite. If he came back with us, Negan wouldn't go easy on him. At least here he had a chance.

"Really?" Negan seemed surprised. "Wow. You hear that, Daryl? It's been only an hour and your ex is already over you. I haven't even gone ten inches deep into her yet."

"Fuck you!" Daryl roared and whipped his shoulders back and forth, trying to break free from the men who held him.

"No, Daryl. I believe that's what I've already done to you and pretty soon to my new fiancée." Negan laughed as Daryl continued to rage. He flicked his head to his men, signaling for them to load him up. "Oh, come on, Daryl. I can't leave you behind. You're too fucking entertaining! Hey, how about this. After I get done with this one," he held Lucille to my chest, "I'll give you a visit and we can compare notes. Maybe you can give me a couple of tips on what she likes."

"Stop." It meant to come out as a plea, but I said it with such fervor that it sounded more like a demand.

"Are you talking to me or him?" Negan asked me seriously, his smile gone.

I almost gave him the wrong answer, glaring up at him through the wetness that gathered in my eyes, but I looked away and at Daryl.

"Stop," I said again, but the word lost all of its gusto.

Daryl calmed significantly, but the ire hadn't released him. His feet were still planted solidly on the ground, his arms bulging against the pull of the men who held him, and I repeated myself more firmly, hoping it would spark some sense into him. The Saviors yanked on his arms and finally Daryl gave in.

"I love you." The words left me in a hurry as he passed by, and while I knew it was a mistake I needed for him to know this situation didn't change how I felt for him. His reciprocating words helped assuage the ache in my heart a bit.

Suddenly, Negan gripped my chin, pulling my face toward him as he glared hotly down at me. "I'm going to pretend like that didn't just fucking happen because if it ever does again, I will make sure those will be the last words you ever say to that trailer trash asshole. You're mine now, and you can love whoever the fuck you want. I can't help that, but if you're going to say it you only say it to me. You will be my wife, not his. Do you understand me?"

I gulped and nodded. "Yes."

"Yes what?" Negan demanded.

"Yes, sir," I squeaked.

"Good girl." He smashed his mouth to mine harshly.

"You're a sick fucking psycho!" Rosita yelled.

"Shut up, girl!" A pot-bellied Savior yelled as Negan pulled away from me, his frivolity back.

"Eat a dick!" Rosita balled her fists and Tara grabbed her arms, whispering to her and pulling her back.

"Oh, Rosita," Negan sighed contentedly. "It's always a pleasure."

"Voy a mear en tu tumba, tu jodido coño!"

"What the fuck did she say?" Theodore asked as he strolled up next to us and watched Tara and Eugene pull her behind the group.

"Who the fuck knows but it turns me on every single time she does that." Negan winked at me. "One more thing before we go home."

He let me go and meandered over to Rick who hadn't moved from the spot where he bled on the road. My former leader grunted in pain as Negan bent down next to him and tapped Lucille next to his broken hands causing him to flinch with each rap.

"I've got a little request for you, and before you go and worry yourself, it's a simple one." Negan licked his smiling lips. "I'm gonna leave some of my men here to watch over your dumbass to make sure neither you nor anyone else does anything else fucking irresponsible. If you do, they have my full permission to take you down. During their stay, I expect you all to treat them like you would any other asshole you let in your walls: with kindness. You do that and I say you're well on your way to earning back some semblance of faith from me. I might not have to mix your brains in with the mud after all. Think you can handle it?"

"Ye-" Rick struggled to speak, and he shook with the effort to control the pain that was apparent on his face. "Yes."

"Fantastic… Didn't I tell you, Rick? Didn't I say that when I'm at your door you better let me in or I'd knock it down?" He winked and patted the broken man on his sweaty cheek. "See ya next week, Prick. Till then, rest easy."


It seemed as if we were back at the Sanctuary in no time at all. The sun was lower in the sky and the air was significantly cooler, but the last thing I remember was standing in Alexandria, watching my former home practically crumble down. I wasn't cognizant of the ride back at all, and I only became aware of where I was when Negan tugged on my wrist, pulling me out of the truck after him.

I scanned the trucks for Daryl, hoping I would catch a glimpse of him before I was ushered inside but as Negan goaded me forward I was forced to face the opposite direction. Looking over my shoulder for him would be too obvious, and after the warning I had been given back at Alexandria, I decided not to push what luck I had left.

Negan led me upstairs to his quarters, whistling the entire way while Lucille twirled merrily on his shoulder. My mouth was dry and I felt like I was going to be sick. Anxiety weighed so heavily in me I was surprised I was functioning coherently. The fear of what would happen next, what would happen when I was alone with him, was a nagging worm in my brain. The hole it formed grew bigger and deeper the further up we ascended the stairs, and when he finally reached his landing, my breath disappeared.

"After you, dear." Negan held open the door and gestured for me to go before him.

I cast him a fleeting glance and stepped into the hallway, his fingertips along my spine urging me forward as the door slammed behind us. I was caught in a trance as we ventured down the hall. It was so quiet up here and the atmosphere so placid that I felt out of place. This area wasn't for me; it was never meant for me, yet I was stuck here. This place was my new home.

He stopped at a set of double doors and faced me, a soft smile dimpling his cheeks as he brushed my hair behind my ear.

"Before I open these doors, I want you to know how serious this is. Marrying me isn't a temporary shtick to save Carl's head. You're my wife until I say you aren't. So, if you think you're going to regret this tomorrow morning, I need you to tell me now."

"I won't," I whispered but my heart pounded in my chest.

"You're aware of what being my wife entails… Right?" He asked, his fingers still in my hair. "And Daryl, he won't be an issue going forward?"

"Yes." I swallowed. "And no, he won't."

"That's right. Should I go into detail what will happen if he does become one or is Dwight's fucked-up face enough of a deterrent?"

"He won't be an issue." Anger rose in my chest but I pushed it down.

"Then I think we'll have a very happy marriage."

He slipped his hand back to rest his palm against my cheek, cupping it gently. Slowly, he leaned down, his face growing closer to mine but not quite meeting it. It was a prompt, a test, to see if I'd reciprocate. Putting my emotions to the side, I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips to his. They were soft, firm, and caressing…but they weren't Daryl's.

I pulled away disgusted with the situation I was in. It wasn't right, forcing myself to be with someone I didn't care about and forsaking the love I did have. However, I would do it again given the chance if it granted Carl, or anyone else, their life. Self-sacrifice was payback for losing Mason and abandoning him. I couldn't let that happen to someone else, and while it hurt like a bitch, I was willing to deal with the pain of forfeited happiness.

Not seeming to notice my inner turmoil, or simply not caring, Negan gave me a smile before opening the door into a large and beautifully decorated room. Inside were several women; women who I knew to be my new sister-wives. I spotted Sherry among them and her eyes widened marginally as she caught sight of me.

"Ladies!" Negan beamed. "My beautiful ladies, I have someone special I'd like all of y'all to meet."

Negan glanced back at me still lingering in the hallway and gestured me forward. Sheepishly, I shuffled in and avoided Sherry's gaze, crossing my arms to my chest to feel some sort of comfort.

"This here is Everly." Negan held my shoulders and pressed me to his side. "You might have seen her around here, but you will be seeing her much more often from now on. She's my new fiancée, and I fully expect all of you to treat her with care. Show her the ropes and…make sure she's up to par in what I expect from you all. Everly," he smiled down at me, "don't be shy. Meet my other wives and settle in."

He ushered me forward and I plodded to the center of the room awkwardly. The wives looked me up and down, taking in my appearance and my quick judgments of who I was. Sherry came beside me and took my arm to lead me to a nearby couch which provided little ease despite how plush it was.

"Amber."

A blonde-headed woman jerked up instantly at the sound of Negan calling her name. She seemed timid, scared, and I wondered if that was how I'd look for the rest of my time as his wife too. Hesitantly, she moved over to her husband by the door and he took her to the side, saying words to her that I couldn't hear.

"So, we've got another one, huh?" A redhead asked me teasingly, and I nodded. "I'm Frankie, and this is Tanya."

A short brunette waved to me with a smile. I returned it but I wasn't sure how sincere it was. I gazed around at the other expectant faces, waiting for the next women to introduce herself as I wondered how they could look so serene.

"Could you guys give us a minute?" Sherry asked politely. "We'll do all the introductions later. Let her gather herself a bit."

"Sur-" Frankie began but a loud sobbed stopped us, and we all looked at the source.

In the opposite corner of the room was the blonde woman named Amber bawling as Negan glanced back at us, a look on his face that said, "Yes, I'm an asshole but what can I do?"

"Uh oh," a dark-skinned woman uttered and all the wives looked at one another with grave expressions.

"Frankie," Negan called, his voice impatient, "come comfort Amber while I get Mark up here. As many fucking crocodile tears she's shedding, you'd think she'd care more about our marriage. I guess you just don't know what's important to you until it's gone, right, girls?"

"Yes, Negan," they all chimed, and I disguised my rolling eyes by quickly focusing them on the floor below me.

"Everly." I met Negan's smiling gaze. "You'll take Amber's old room. She should have plenty of shit in there to keep you occupied and dressed until you get your own. You may need to clean out the numerous wine bottles she's got hoarded in there, but save a few for me. I'll be by to see you tonight."

Mutely, I nodded, but a small, stabbing pinch under my arm prompted me to answer him verbally with a yes. Negan, seeming satisfied, left without a word, his merry whistling drifting down the hall.

"Sorry I pinched you, but always speak to him when he speaks to you. It's one of the rules," Sherry apologized.

I huffed and slumped back into the cushions, tired of this bullshit already.

"What the fuck happened?" She asked, turning very serious.

"What do you think? Negan, or rather, Lucille." I answered vaguely, but I wasn't in the mood to be questioned. I was sure she got the gist of what I meant, anyway.

"Come with me." She stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me up from the couch and to a door off of the side of the room.

Once we were in, she closed it softly and latched the lock, blocking out Amber's pitiful wailing and the hushed murmuring and searching glimpses of the other wives. I sat in a chair and worked to find something good for myself out of this predicament. There were plenty of perks that came with being one of Negan's wives, but since optimism was a virtue I rarely had, it ran through my fingers as I kept falling short of discovering anything rectifiable.

"Tell me what happened," Sherry said as she pulled a chair up beside me.

"He was going to kill Carl." My eyes burned with fresh tears, and I blinked rapidly, taking a moment to calm myself. "I couldn't let him. He already killed so many. I didn't know what else to do."

"It's okay," Sherry soothed as she ran a hand up and down my arm. "Everything will be fine."

I shook my head. "How can you say that?"

"Because I am still here." Sherry's voice had a sharp edge to it, catching me off guard. "We all are. Negan may be a monster, but he's tolerable. I know that isn't what you want to hear. I didn't want to hear it either when I first became one of his wives. Just take one day at a time and play along. It will get easier."

"I don't think I can."

"You will because you're strong. Even if you can find no common ground with him, it doesn't hurt to pretend. Negan thinks he knows everything but he can be just a gullible as another other man."

"Sure," I answered sarcastically, but didn't argue further. "I'm worried about Daryl."

Sherry seemed to think about that, taking her hand from my shoulder and placing it in her lap. She sat back in her chair and the silence between us lengthened before she finally answered.

"You always will, but he needs to go to the back of your mind for now. Don't let him distract you."

"It's not that simple."

"I know, but you have to do it anyway for him and yourself."

"How did you do it?" I asked, hoping she'd catch onto my undefined meaning.

"I found the softer side of him and then it was easier. At first, I shut myself down, but after a while it…grew better." She confessed.

I shook my head again, dismayed. "We were supposed to leave tomorrow."

"And you will leave. Just not tomorrow."

I looked at her then, a sliver of hope coming back to life. "What do you mean?"

"You can still leave, Everly. It can't be tomorrow, but soon. Be patient. We will get you out of here."

"But I thought…" I pondered the woman in front of me, completely confused by who she was and where her loyalty lied.

"I'm helping because I know who Negan is. I'm not blind. A small, twisted part of me does care for him but I know… I know what he is." She took a minute to think about what to say next. "If I went up in flames with him tomorrow, I'd be okay with that. I don't want anyone else to turn out like me, and right now, you are close to doing exactly that, but I promise that you won't be here for long; neither you nor Daryl. Dwight and I will make sure of it."

She took my hands in hers as an intense and desperate stare bored into me. I realized then that she believed we were the solution to defeating the megalomaniac that controlled us all. But why us when we had failed so many times before? When we had lost already?

I dropped my hands from hers, the last tendril of faith burning to ash.

"No," I stated simply. I didn't believe her.

"Everly, do not give up," her voice wilted. "You'll be losing everything if you do."

"I already have!" I yelled at her.

"You haven't! This is far from over."

I watched the passion on her face, saw it light up her eyes, and I felt it gradually hypnotizing me.

"I can never take back the happiness that was stolen from me, but you still have a chance," she tried to convince me. "You will get out of here with Daryl, and if you ever come back here, it won't be as Negan's bitch. By then, he'll be yours."


Edited by lolasskicker.

Hey, guys. Sorry this is late. I've been sick since last week, and I didn't get this to my beta until Monday evening.

Anyway, thanks for all your reviews! I'm going to respond to them soon when I get some energy back. :) And maybe this chapter answered some of your questions, BlueMoon! Lol

Also, the part where Rosita yells at Negan in Spanish is supposed to say, "I'll piss on your grave, you fucking pussy." Haha. Google translate is either a hit or miss, so if anyone knows Spanish and is wondering what the hell I meant to write, that's it.