I apologise for such a wait…so here is a seven page chapter for you to finish off season 9!
The storm was brewing, crawling closer to us. The skies became darker even in the morning, the air was cold, hardly anyone was leaving their houses. Not that I blame them. Not after what had happened during the few days. It was all too much for us to taken in, within a few days since Negan decided to return home to his cell. Men never listen to women.
Kingdom decided to throw this, fair, a trade fair. The leaders of each community had signed a charter, to band together against the Whisperers. As much as Luna Grace wanted to go to the fair. I wasn't going to risk travelling, I didn't want to leave the house. I'll admit. I was too scared to leave the house. Alpha, could be listening, could be anywhere and everywhere. I wasn't going to risk my life, my sisters nor my daughter's life just for a bit of fun. So, behind closed and locked doors in the house, we stayed safe. Even if we were bored out our minds. I was being safe; I was being a mother.
We did spend most of the day on the other side of the jail bars, Luna Grace and Negan drawing pictures for each other and together. If that was what made my daughter happy, aside from being at a fair, then it's what she could have.
I did find it a little awkward though. Negan and I…we weren't together, well, I honestly didn't know. After his little stunt he pulled, I didn't know what to think of our relationship. Instead I focused on our daughter.
"Mummy. I'm cold" I turned away from the kitchen window which stood above the sink, seeing Luna Grace holding onto her arms. Picking up my daughter I kissed her cheek.
"You are cold baby girl. Let's find some blankets" I told her as she headed upstairs with her daughter in her arms.
"Shit. It's cold. Don't we have heating?" Clara asked coming out of her room, rubbing her arms as well.
Looking at my sister, I sighed. "No. We have water, just not heating, maybe one day" I added opening the cupboard in the upstairs hallway, grabbing some blankets. "Let's all sit down on the sofa, wrapped in blankets, shall we?" I asked them both.
"Okay mummy" Luna Grace mumbled, holding me closer to keep her warm. "Mummy, is daddy going to be warm?" She asked me.
Shit. Forgot about that. "Good point. Clara, take baby girl, I will go give Negan some blankets"
"Sure, you don't want him to freeze out there? Give him a lesson?" Clara teased taking her niece into her arms.
"I'm not cruel. Neither are you" she said grabbing a couple more blankets and heading down the stairs. Grabbing my own coat and other essentials like my scarf and hat, and my boots. I clutched the blankets to my chest, leaving the house.
The ice-cold breeze hitting my face. "Holy shit" I cursed, hugging the blankets to me. Trying to fight against the strong winds and the snow hitting my face. I walked to the basement underneath Michonne's house, seeing no one on guard. Entering the basement, I looked seeing Negan holding onto his arms. A coat on his body, but that wasn't enough. He looked up at me and frowned.
"Luna Grace was concerned about you being cold" I commented. "So, I bought you blankets" I said shivering. It seemed colder in the cell than outside.
"That's my girl" he commented, standing up from the bed he slept on, he walked over to the bars. "Blankets look comfy" he said. Passing them through the bars, our fingers touched. We were both frozen from the cold, but I could still feel the warmth he gave to me, every time we touched. "You know there's another way of keeping warm" he smirked.
Rolling my eyes, I pulled my hand away. "Always have to ruin the moment with something sex related" I sighed.
"There was a moment?" Negan asked me. "I miss our moments"
"Yeah, well you will have to miss it a lot more"
"Are you going to torture me for a mistake I made?" he asked. I scoffed at him.
"Answer me this, Negan. If you returned to the Sanctuary and found it filled with life, your people, welcoming you back. Would you stay?" I asked him.
"I would return and bring my family back with me" he commented.
"The Sanctuary is no place for a kid, Negan. As much as I wanted a kid with you all those years ago, I know it wasn't the right place to have a pregnancy and raise a baby"
"I thought it was because of the wives?" he asked confused.
"That's why it wasn't the right place" I sighed rubbing my face.
"You okay, Angel?" he asked me concerned.
"I've no idea. A lot has happened during these days…too many deaths to be one"
"Wait. What?" Negan asked concerned.
"Alpha…she, she managed to get into Hilltop, take a bunch of people, she beheaded them, stuck their heads on spikes at her border" I said saddened.
"Who? Who did she kill?" he asked.
"Err…from the names I remember, because I knew them…Enid, Tara, Henry and Frankie. There were others, but I didn't know them" I added.
"Wait…Frankie? As in- "
"Yes, Frankie. The red head massage therapist who you fucked" I added, feeling anger rise through me. The mention of any of the wives made me angry, dead or alive. "Luna Grace wanted to go to the fair"
"You didn't though, did you?" Negan asked concerned.
"No. I told Luna Grace to stay home, and she also wanted to spend time with her father…but sometimes I couldn't help but think…what would have happened if we did go? My head, Clara's head…even Luna Grace's head could have been on a spike…Alpha doesn't give a shit about what age you are…" I suddenly became speechless, the horror of images running through my mind. Negan dropped the blankets, and tried to move me closer to him, trying his best to hug me.
"Hey. Luna Grace is here, alive and the happiest little girl in the shitiest world I know. Continue what you are doing. You are an amazing mother; you've raised that little girl to be the sweetest little angel we know" he smiled kissing my head. "Just continue being amazing, Lexi" he whispered. I looked up at him through the bars. So many things were going through my head right now. Wondering if I was making the right choice I was probably about to make. But Negan made that choice for me. His lips placed softly onto mine. Our lips moved in sync, like always.
"Lex- "The sound of Gabriel coming into the cells, caught us off guard. "Lexi" he nodded to greet me.
"Gabriel" I said. "What's wrong?" I asked him.
"Your sister said I could find you here…we are moving everyone to the church. The storm is getting too much, so safety reasons, we want everyone in the same room. Clara and Luna Grace have been escorted by Rosita to the church already. I've come to get you" he said motioning for me to follow him.
"Hold up. You are forgetting someone" I said. Gabriel looked at me confused, then realised I was talking about Negan. "Gabriel. You are a man of God, I assume…" I said "Leaving a man in the freezing cold, to freeze to death…how would the Lord almighty feel about that? How would you tell our daughter about that?" I asked him, crossing my arms, then holding out my hand. "Keys please" I asked him.
"There are security issues" Gabriel said.
"Then get me a pair of fucking handcuffs, I will cuff him myself" I told him.
"Damn baby, last time we had handcuffs together- "I cut Negan off with my eyes.
"I will get some cuffs" Gabriel nodded heading upstairs to Michonne's house.
The doors of the church, opening, the snow flew in, as Negan, Gabriel and I entered the church. People looking at me to why Negan stood beside me, chained.
"Daddy!" Luna Grace squealed, squirming from Clara's grip, running to her father. Negan didn't hesitate in picking her up.
"Hey baby girl. Damn your cold" he said holding her closer. Clara handed him a blanket, as they wrapped each other up warm. I looked at Gabriel.
"Don't ever suggest leaving her father behind" I warned him, joining my sister on the bed. A blanket wrapping around her bodies.
"Told you it was fucking cold" Clara chuckled, holding me close.
Time went by, and the air was still cold, nothing was helping.
"I swear to god; I have memorized every square inch of this room. And it still feels like a party" Negan chuckled.
"A never-ending party from hell" Siddiq commented
"I mean, sure, all right" Negan sighed. "It smells like a goddamn barn in here, all bored shitless, but…"
"Language!" Judith cursed. I could help but chuckle, wondering why Luna Grace didn't scold her father, seeing her sleeping close to Negan's body.
"Sorry, kiddo" Negan chuckled, before his eyes went to the love triangle couple. "But, I mean, we've got ourselves this hot little love quadrangle here to entertain us, it's like Christmas to me"
"Negan" I warned him. But this was Negan for you.
"Gabe, your girl's doc is also your girl's baby daddy, which kind of begs the question…"
"Negan" I warned him again. He only chuckled in response.
"Do you ever wonder what the hell was going on in there when she has her appointments?" He asked.
"You could try to be a little less predictable" Gabriel commented.
"Ahh. That hurts, Gabe, truly" he chuckled.
"You know, we're all grown ups here, and none of us would ever let the ruin the longstanding friendships and mutual respect we have" Gabriel commented.
"You know what? You're right. This is very mature attitude, Father. 'Not the father'" Negan spoke. I couldn't help but scoffing in amusement. Okay, I had to admit that was funny, even Clara had trouble holding the laugh in.
"Ha" Is that unpredictable enough for you?" Negan asked laughing.
"Jude, don't sit so close to the window" Gabriel requested to Judith, sitting by the window.
"Hey, kiddo, you still worried about that mutt?" Negan asked her.
"Daryl told me to take care of him while he helped the Kingdom move to Hilltop. I don't know where he is"
Sighing to myself, I frowned, smelling the air. Even Negan caught the smell in his nose.
"Does anybody else smell something?" He asked.
"Can you stop being such an asshole?" Siddiq asked.
"No, he's right" Rosita spoke, walking to the fireplace.
"Something does smell funky in here" Eugene spoke, before widening his eyes. "Get away from there!" Eugene pulled Rosita back from the fireplace, before it exploded. Clara and I quickly covered each other, while Negan covered Luna Grace was the blast, wakening her from her sleep.
"As I suspected. The chimney flue is completely gunkified. What singed your nostrils earlier was no doubt a toxic mixture of creosote and HO. Blizzards done some tearing and blaring. And our chimney's ventilation capabilities are nil to none" Eugene explained in some what English. "It would be unwise to spark up another blaze, lest we plan on ceasing all respiratory functions, aka, smoking and choking"
"God, I missed you, Eugene" Negan commented. I remember those days. Eugene had everything from the Sanctuary, yet turned his back on us.
"I can't say the same" Eugene added.
"Ouch" I mumbled.
"You know, without the fire, we'll never get these people warm enough" Gabriel told Rosita, Eugene and Siddiq.
"Yeah" Rosita sighed. "We should leave before the temperature drops any lower"
"Okay, folks" Gabriel started "Contingency plan. We're going to Aaron's house. It will be tight quarters"
Nodding. I took Luna Grace from Negan, Negan and Clara making sure she was tightly against me, and was warm.
"I need you to make me a promise, baby girl" Negan asked his daughter.
"Yes, daddy?"
"Keep your head close to your mother's chest, don't life it up, okay? Keep it down until we have reached the destination" Negan advised her.
"Okay, daddy" Luna Grace nodded, holding her face close to mine. Negan looked at me worried.
"She will be okay" I assured him, I watched as everyone started heading towards the doors of the church to leave.
"Seriously? Not one of your assholes is gonna untie me?" Negan asked. I had noticed they chained Negan with chains to a construction of the house.
"We could tell Michonne it was an accident" Rosita commented.
"What an example you are setting for a little girl, Rosita" I said "Maybe we will chain either Siddiq or Gabriel up when we have another storm and your kid is here?" I asked her. "Who would you prefer? The doctor or priest? Or both?"
"Okay, okay" Gabriel nodded, unchaining Negan.
The air was fucking cold for sure; the wind wasn't helping at all. We all kept together, Clara in front. Luna Grace and I in the middle, Negan behind me. Negan was trying his best to hold onto me, but his wrists were still cuffed.
"Are you okay Angel?" Negan shouted out as the wind was blowing through the air.
"Yeah!" I shouted, glancing at Luna Grace, her face still attached to my chest, keeping the air and snow out of her delicate skin and face.
The wind continued to howl, before barking…wind doesn't bark…does it now?
"Dog!" Judith shouted out "Wait! Dog! No!" Judith shouted out as dog ran off. And I thought dogs were smart.
"Judith!" Siddiq shouted at out.
"Judith!" Negan shouted at the little girl, before letting go of the rope and running off.
"Negan!" I screamed out to him "No!"
"Daddy!" Luna Grace heard her father's voice, before seeing him run off, and disappear into the snow.
"Shit!" I cursed out loud.
"Do not let go! Keep going! Hold the rope!" Rosita shouted out the instructions.
We reached Aaron's house finally, without Negan. Luna Grace wouldn't stop crying for her father. Gabriel handed out warm drinks for us all.
"He will be okay; this is Negan we are talking about" he commented.
"Say's the guy who was going to leave him twice, once behind bars, the other chained up. Your compliments about Negan, mean nothing to me. Father, not the father" I told him. Gabriel walked away shameful, before Negan finally made it, with Judith and dog in tow.
"He's hurt!" Judith said to her caregivers currently.
"Daddy!" Luna Grace squirmed from my lap and ran to Negan, clutching onto his good leg. I quickly rushed over to him.
"Don't ever scare us like that again" I warned him, before looking at his face. His face red, from the intense cold weather.
"Let's get you sorted" Siddiq told Negan.
"I want to come!" Luna Grace told us both. Picking her up, I followed Negan, and Siddiq upstairs to a bedroom.
As Siddiq attended to Negan. Luna Grace clutched to her father's chest.
"If what you did, didn't redeem yourself to others, there is something wrong with them…you saved Judith…I don't see anyone else running after her, shouting her name doesn't do much" I sighed, seeing Michonne enter the room. "Don't worry, I'm staying" I told her, crossing my arms.
"Well, looks who's here"
Michonne sighed in response. "Thank you. For saving her. You always did have a flair for the dramatic" Negan chuckled.
"Well, last time we were here together, Rick had just slit my throat open"
I closed my eyes, trying to forget about being told by the girls that happened. Worst day of my life, probably.
"So, this…" Michonne motioned to his damaged leg.
"Hell, this ain't nothing" Negan chuckled. "She's a special girl. A damn spitfire. And you…you've been through enough" He commented.
"Get better" Michonne spoke, about to leave the room. I frowned at myself.
"You know. Dr Baby daddy said that you got caught in the storm with the Royalty Brigade. Is everyone okay?" Negan asked concerned.
"Do you care?" Michonne asked.
"If he didn't, he wouldn't have asked" I suggested to Michonne.
"Look, I don't know about of those people from Adam. I do know what it's like to lose a kingdom, see things fall apart. And it sucks ass" The Sanctuary was falling apart after Daryl decided to drive a vehicle into the wall, killing so many people. Yet, he was an angel in people's eyes.
"The Sanctuary's a shit hole now"
"Daddy! Bad word!" Luna Grace scolded him. Negan couldn't help but smile at his daughter. I think Luna Grace was a little bit too much like me.
"Sorry, baby girl" he smiled.
"I could have told you about the Sanctuary" Michonne stated.
"Already tried that" I mumbled. "Look, Michonne, it's been one hell of a day for all of us…I need to know something" I told her.
"What's that?" she asked me, turning to face me.
"Has Negan redeemed himself today? Because from what I witnessed, no one else went after Judith, only Negan did. Judith could be an ice cube if Negan didn't do what he did…and it made us proud…there's only so much Negan can do to prove he is a different person now" I added. "Luna Grace needs her father; I think all those years behind bars have been enough" I said. "Please…I'm sure Judith would agree, I think she would have agreed long ago…everyone has a past, and it's a past for a reason. But right now, we have a bigger and worse enemy than Negan ever was"
"Thanks? I think" Negan asked confused.
Shaking my head, I stood up. "Mother to mother. Don't let my daughter suffer for longer…five years is enough, especially when she has a father who wants to be there, raise her to be the kindest little girl you have ever known, aside from Judith…at least think about it. Think about how Negan saved your daughter" I told her, before walking to the bed to sit with my family.
Negan had redeemed himself, people had to move on. Alpha was the worst of them all.
"Is daddy coming home?" Luna Grace asked tiredly. I looked at Negan and took his hand in mine.
"I hope so" I whispered. "I really hope so"
