Chapter 3 : Ghost
Hi! Thanks to everyone reading this story, hope you like it, I will do my best to update it regularly, I promise.
Negan was definitely having a day full of surprises. Indeed, his sudden tolerance surprised him, but Rick and his friends surprised him too.
She's fucking pregnant.
And hearing her cry and Rick's panicked voice muttering something like "Shit baby!", something was wrong.
A bespectacled blonde woman rushed over to Maggie, still hunched over and now surrounded by several of Rick's comrades, examining her quickly and in fairly confident gestures, leading Negan to think she was a doctor. Rick had also rushed over to the young woman, helping Glenn and Denise lift her up.
He watched them take her to the hospital wing with Carol and Michonne.
Negan walked over and joined Rick, hands on his head and gazing lost, as he stood where the young woman had been moments earlier. He moved to her side, watching like Rick the direction the others had taken Maggie to.
"Shit… I'm sure she'll be fine, your doctor is taking care of her."
"She's not a doctor. She just has… a few basics. I know it's beyond her, we have to take him to the Hilltop, they have a real doctor who can- "
"We have a doctor. "
Rick turned around, surprised.
Negan seemed so too. After a few seconds of thinking, he continued.
"Our doctor could take care of her, I'm sure. But I need him to stay at the Sanctuary as well. Then she could come back with us for the proper care. "
No answer came out of Rick's mouth, who looked like he was in deep thought.
« Why? »
Really, this handsome bastard can't accept my fucking kindness.
"Negan. I've only known you for a week, but I already know that you're not the type of person to just help. You made it clear to me during the negotiations. So now I want to know why you are doing this. What do you want? "
C'était au tour de Negan de réfléchir durant de longues secondes.
Indeed, Negan didn't do this out of sheer kindness, it wasn't his style. Since he had met the chief of Alexandria for the first time, he knew very well why he was doing everything for a good understanding between the two communities. The reason was selfish, moronic, and spontaneous: he wanted Rick.
Not only on his physique, but also on his behavior and the strength of character he had perceived. The man he negotiated with was simply the reason Negan spared Alexandria. He knew he wouldn't have stood a chance with Rick if he had just done business as usual, that is, directly threatening the community, being careful to show how much better not to resist.
He stared into Rick's eyes, and a big smile curled his lips, a smile Rick was afraid to understand.
Negan was about to answer when Michonne came running towards them.
"Rick! We have to take Maggie to the doctor now! "
"We have a doctor. We take care of it. "
Negan had cut him off before he even spoke, waving a few of his men who left in the direction of the vehicles. Michonne gave Rick a confused and suspicious look, he gave the same look to the leader of the Saviors who responded with a simple wink.
Rick didn't ask for more explanation when he saw Maggie surrounded by Glenn and Carol come out of the hospital wing.
Negan motioned for Glenn, Maggie and Carol to get into one of the vehicles. Carol will make sure everything runs smoothly during the short trip, and Glenn will help his wife hold on.
He walked over to Rick while Maggie was seated.
"I know you don't trust me, but I can assure you that I will never hurt a pregnant woman. Especially since it's not in my best interests to start a conflict. I think I have already proven that. "
"I… I know. "
"So what are you doing? Do you stay here to manage your community which will do very well for a few days or do you come to make sure that everything goes well and, in addition, to visit my super kingdom? "
Rick didn't want to leave Alexandria out of command in a moment of doubt like this, but he didn't want to let Maggie, Glenn, and Carol go alone with another group.
He then spoke to Michonne, explaining the situation to her and she guaranteed him to take charge of the community with the help of Daryl and Tara.
Negan seemed almost too pleased with Rick's decision.
It had been a long and stressful journey, and Maggie's condition was truly worrying. She was pale, her eyes darkened and she was sweating.
Glenn's eyes were filled with worry, the helplessness to relieve Maggie filled him with anger and sadness towards himself. Rick put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, earning a sad smile from his friend.
The vehicle stopped, they had arrived at the Sanctuary by the end of the afternoon, when the sun was already low enough in the sky.
The entrance to the Sanctuary looked like hell, everything was dark and walkers hung from the gates. Negan was aware of the fear that such a sight inspired, and it was exactly the intended effect.
He got out of his car and approached the doctor who was waiting at the entrance to the building on Negan's orders.
"I'm counting on you, doc. It's in your best interest not to screw up."
"Yes sir."
He rushed over to guide Rick and Glenn who were supporting the pale, unsteady young brunette to his office, passing through heaps of dark-walled hallways. Carol had followed them as Negan left to take care of some important business, leaving Dwight to keep an eye on and guide Glenn, Carol and Rick to a room later in the late evening, while Maggie rested in the infirmary under surveillance. .
Negan had spent the rest of the day occupied with an unusual number of issues, definitely exhausting the Savior leader.
He was still roaming the halls though, when he ran into Dwight visibly accompanying Rick and Glenn to their temporary bedroom.
"Hey boys ! Damn, you look shitty, is everything's good with Maggie ?"
Glenn gave a weak smile, nodding his head before speaking.
"Yes for now, she fell asleep. Carol is with her."
Dwight also spoke.
"Negan, the doctor would like to talk to you."
"Tomorrow, D, it's been a fucking long and hard day, so now I think going to bed wouldn't be a bad idea."
They started walking again to follow Dwight when Rick stopped and turned to Negan.
"Rick?" Glenn asked, confused.
Negan motioned for Dwight to continue with Glenn, realizing he had something to ask.
Rick waited until they were alone to speak.
"I… I wanted to thank you. For Maggie."
"Oh you're welcome honey, I told you we were lovely people."
Rick's reaction to the nickname made Negan smile sincerely.
« Yeah, hum… By the way, you didn't answer my question. »
Negan knew very well what Rick was talking about, but he was in a teasing mood.
« Really ? What question ? Because I'm pretty sure that i always answer to questions. »
Rick wore a desperate face, but Negan thought he saw a hint of amusement in it.
"Well maybe a pregnant woman who needs a doctor quickly has confused you, because you didn't answer my question: What do you want? "
Still determined to keep making Rick blush, for the sheer pleasure of seeing his reactions, Negan slowly walked in his direction until he was only ten inches from the man, as he had grown accustomed to doing.
"Oh, that question. Well, it's not complicated.. "
He licked his lips, a movement closely followed by the former Deputy Sheriff.
« I want you, Rick. »
The subject's eyes widened and his complexion turned red, and God only knows Negan found his reaction fucking adorable. He stammered out a few incomprehensible words before managing to formulate a correct sentence.
« W-What ? What does that mean ? »
"I can't be more direct than that. But I will try to dispel any misunderstanding: I want to fuck you. You see? Simple."
There, Rick's face was really funny.
« S-Simple ? Are you kidding me ? Y-You have no fucking limits on your jokes, is that it? »
« Oh, Rick, you're adorable. Don't tell me no one has ever told you that before? "
Her face seemed to become more and more red with each passing second.
« Of course not ! Damn, i think nobody tell someone "I want to fuck you" like it's just normal. »
"Really? Not funny. Look, I'm very serious about what I said. You do what you want with this information, but I think it could be really cool, and I feel like... "
Negan placed his hand under Rick's chin to gaze into the smaller blue eyes.
"... that you've already thought about it somehow."
This time, he believed that Rick was going to die on the spot. He was redder than ever, and his mouth was opening in attempts to speak.
Dwight appeared in the hall again, and Negan pulled away from Rick after a few seconds of savoring his reactions. He whispered before walking away.
« Goodnight,beautiful.»
He walked away and returned to his quarters, proud to have elicited all these reactions from Rick, replaying in his head all the expressions of embarrassment and shame his beautiful face had passed through.
The next day, at first light of day, Negan left for the doctor's office to listen to what he had to say.
Arriving at the door, he took care not to slam the door when entering as usual. He was half surprised to see that Glenn had surely spent a good part of the night looking after his wife.
Negan walked over to the doctor, who was deep in the search for a document. He had noticed his boss's presence, however, and greeted him formally, before the two of them isolated themselves in a nearby room so as not to disturb Maggie and Glenn, dozing next to each other.
« So, doc, what did you want to talk to me about? »
He answered vaguely but seemed hesitant in his words, annoying the leader.
"Damn, I'm not going to bite you unless you don't say what the fuck you have to say. Speak."
"Yes, uh... Sorry. I think Maggie's condition needs to be monitored daily. If her condition ever relapses …"
The old man lowered his voice, afraid of being overheard by the couple in the other room.
"... she and the baby wouldn't survive."
He expected a negative if not mocking reaction to the implied request, but the Chief Savior sported a surprisingly serious and thoughtful expression.
After a few seconds of thinking, his face lit up and his usual smile returned.
The doctor understood that an idea had occurred to him, and it seemed to really please Negan.
It scared him, but after all it was about another community. He will only have to do his job.
"Well, thanks doc, I'll call you later today. Take care of her."
With that, he turned around cheerfully.
As he walked back through the room where the young woman slept, he met Glenn's worried gaze.
"Thank you. It doesn't matter why you are helping us, thank you."
The young man's voice was full of emotion and sincerity. His hand held tightly to his beloved's, bringing back painful memories to Negan.
This white room, the smell, the silence, the anguish. A set that reminded him of those hospitals perfumed with bleach, in which he could still imagine Lucille's silhouette wandering like a ghost.
These regular visits were the things he most feared before the dead rise to eat the living.
Negan kept a neutral expression, his gaze and voice surely betrayed.
« You're welcome. »
He left the room, now unable to think of anything else. Since Lucille's death he had been trying to block out memories of what seemed like another life.
Negan wandered the halls, unsure of what to do, and unsure of why or how, he found himself standing in front of the bedroom door where Rick and Glenn were staying. Confused, he hesitated to open the door. After all, having fun making Rick squirm in awkwardness might change his mind, and make this long morning a little more interesting.
Then it came to mind, that damn song, tirelessly accompanied by the sweet face of the only woman he had ever loved.
You are so beautiful
To me
You are so beautiful
To me
Can't you see
You're everything I hoped for
You're everything I need
You are so beautiful
To me
His eyes moistened against his will and he decided to just turn around in the direction of his room.
The sound of the door behind him almost made him jump.
« Negan.. ? »