Strange Allies
A Walking Dead Fanfiction by Sassy Lil Scorpio
Disclaimer: Carol, Daryl, Negan, Alpha, Lydia, and Beta are from The Walking Dead and the creative imagination of Robert Kirkman. This author makes no claim of ownership. No monetary gain is being made from this work.
Summary: Carol forms a strange alliance with Negan, unbeknownst to Daryl. Daryl doesn't understand why Carol is acting so strangely. Lydia is terrified of her mother, but trusted Negan, so why did he betray her? Negan joins Alpha and the Whisperers, although Beta doesn't trust him. Alpha finds out too late about Negan's true intentions. A set of drabbles about the events in TWD Season 10. [10x100]
Rating: T
Author's Notes: 10x100 is a form of fanfiction, in which there are ten drabbles, each one exactly 100 words, connected by a common theme.
Dedication: This fanfiction is dedicated to Melissa McBride, Norman Reedus, Samantha Morton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Cassady McClincy, and Ryan Hurst for their wonderful portrayals of the characters Carol, Daryl, Alpha, Negan, Lydia, and Beta. Thank you for being so entertaining in the 10th season!
What Alpha Doesn't Know…
I – Carol Can she trust Negan?
She meets him in the dead of night when everyone's asleep. With steel bars separating them, they unite and plan against the Whisperer threat.
Taking a chance on trusting him is risky, but Alpha has to die. She's noticed he's protective of Lydia— and she knows Lydia doesn't want to return to her crazy dead-skin-wearing "we're all animals" mother.
Still—how do you look into the eyes of the man who laughed as he brutally bludgeoned your friends? Carol knows if she's to work with him, she'll have to get past the fact that Negan is Glenn's and Abraham's murderer.
oOo
II – Alpha Negan will be her new Beta
Alpha isn't open to outsiders—especially ones who think they're "civilized" simply because they live behind four walls. She's over this false (laughable?) idea of "civilization". Anyone who thinks they are "civilized" are naïve fools.
Negan strikes her as different and impressive. He's open to walking amongst the dead. He even kneels to her, showing her that he respects her as his superior.
He knows that Alpha is his Alpha.
Beta doesn't trust Negan, but Alpha pays him no mind. In fact, Alpha considers having Beta and Negan switch places. Perhaps Negan will be Beta and Beta will be Omega…
oOo
III – Carol Keeping secrets
Carol is at odds with Daryl—and herself. He's her best friend and the man she's loved since their time in Atlanta—but she can't share with him what she's plotting.
All it takes is one random something to throw everything off and that skin-freak who murdered Henry remains above ground.
Carol wants Alpha's head on a pike, but patience isn't her virtue. Her desire for revenge blinds her to everyone's safety, resulting in Connie and Magna trapped in a cave. She never meant to hurt anyone. She hopes Daryl will forgive her.
His silence and steely glare say otherwise.
oOo
IV – Alpha I'll make a Whisperer out of you
Beta doesn't hide his annoyance when he shares with Alpha that Negan was acting queasy when skinning his first walker. He even shows slight hesitation when she tells him to whip her arm.
Despite Beta's misgivings, Alpha believes Negan has potential: he warns her to keep an eye on Gamma and he's eager to have his "skin-suit." Later on, he wears the skin-mask as he walks amongst them.
She decides to give the crass man a crass reward. Not only for warning her about a possible spy in her group, but because her animal instincts are strangely attracted to him.
oOo
V – Daryl Disturbed by Carol's behavior
Daryl has always loved Carol, but he doesn't know what to make of her downward spiral. He knows she's been through hell. She's always grown stronger—but now she's unrecognizable.
Trapped in the cave, he shares his truth with her. He understands her best, and yet, she won't talk to him. She wants revenge—but she's putting others in harm's way. Why can't she see that?
They used to be on the same team, but now they're so far apart.
He tried talking to her.
After the explosion, he doesn't hate her—but he has nothing to say to her.
oOo
…Will Kill Her
VI – Lydia Who is her friend? Who is her enemy?
Lydia doesn't know who to trust.
She can't return to the Whisperers—she never wants to see her mother again. The woman who birthed her killed Henry. Is it possible for one human to be capable of giving and taking away life?
She remembers Negan, who she thought was her friend. He defended her against the bullies in Alexandria. No one wanted her or him around. They bonded as outsiders.
It's why her smile fades and is quickly replaced by sheer terror when he drops the skin-mask and snatches her up. One thought rings repeats uncontrollably: why'd Negan betray me?
oOo
VII – Negan The stage is set
He must get his plan to work— and he will. He's come this far. Carol's counting on him and if he misses this opportunity, it won't come again.
He's regretful about frightening Lydia, but he knows Beta will kill her if he finds her first. So he hides Lydia where no one can find her.
Later, while walking with Alpha, he realizes the woman who walks with the dead has no qualms about killing her own daughter. He knows he did the right thing to protect Lydia.
Now all he has to do is get Alpha alone and lure her…
oOo
VIII – Lydia First, terrified; then, shocked.
She wakes up tied to a chair in an abandoned cabin. Struggling to free herself, Lydia's driven by one undeniable fact: she must escape before Negan returns with her mother.
Her relief when running into Negan was short-lived. The instant she saw the skin-mask, she knew Negan joined her mother. There's no time to wonder why—she has to get out of there.
Free of her bonds, Lydia rushes to the door and throws it open, knowing that Death—in the form of her mother—is on the other side…
…and her shock heightens when she sees the open field.
oOo
IX – Negan The moment of truth
He slashes open her neck before she can confront him.
Confusion flashes across Alpha's face. Anger barely registers. There's gotta be a million thoughts running through your fucking brain, Negan thinks as he gently cradles Alpha, lowering her to the ground. She will never fully process what just happened—and why it did.
He remembers saying that he liked killing the right people. Murdering Alpha wasn't pleasurable, but sad. The woman was a monster, just as he had been a monster. Had…guess I'm still a fucking Savior after all…
He waits until she's stopped breathing to begin slicing her neck.
oOo
X – Carol Mission accomplished
That late night meeting paid off, Carol thinks when she sees Negan approaching. Blood drips from the bag he's carrying. It could mean only one thing…
Alpha's reanimated head rolls out and stops at her feet.
"Took you long enough."
Carol feels smug and Negan stays silent, which is unusual for him. Carol's not concerned. Negan kept his promise to kill Alpha.
Still, she wonders what he's thinking, just as she wonders if she can finally tell Daryl everything that transpired—her strange alliance with Negan. And she hopes Lydia will feel safe, now that her mother is finally dead.
-The End-