"Damn. This is like the king of houses" the older man said half breathless. The walk to the house seemed like it took forever.
"I just beat the living shit out of cancer dear, I wanted to give myself a nice gift. Plus, Janine is no where to be found" the man's wife Lucille said with a touch of venom in her voice.
Negan looked at the ground. "I'll never be able to apologize enough Lucille but I really am sorry. This is a beautiful house and the location is amazing. Plus, we've got that cute small little town, I think it's name was Kings county just minutes away" Negan said daring to grab onto Lucille's hand and to his surprise she took it.
"Your right, this is our fresh start" Lucille said taking a deep breath. Suddenly the doors opened and a beautiful woman with dark skin and a close shaved head walked out with a handsome man following behind.
"Welcome to Bly Manor. I am Hannah, the house keeper and that's Owen, the cook" she said in a thick British accent.
Negan looked at Lucille and said "damn mama, you got yourself a manor with a maid and a cook. I'm sorry I couldn't do that for you".
His eyes wouldn't meet hers as he said the last part. She was his queen and because of his temper he lost his job at the school and then he cheated. Negan slowly started to let his fingers unlace from Lucille's but she tightened the grip.
"Negan, I could've kicked your ass to the curb but I didn't. I know what kind of man you truly are. Janine was a snake in the grass. She waited until you were at your lowest point and even though you should've kept your damn pants on, she didn't have to be a bitch and a horrible friend. Now, I want to see the gardens" Lucille said pecking his cheek.
Regaining his grip on her hand, Negan smiled. "I'll show you around" Hannah said cheerfully. Kissing Owen on the cheek Hannah guided the couple around the property. She warned them about the dangers of the open well that needed fixed as well as the small lake.
"Quite a bit back, they dug out an old chest. The chest belonged to the original owner of the estate and her ghost used to walk here but no longer" Hannah said as though this was just a normal topic of conversation.
Lucille and Negan looked at each other and both knew by the tone in her voice, she was telling the truth.
As they arrived back at the front they noticed their stuff had been brought in and they could smell an amazing aroma coming from the kitchen.
"Mama, you sure we aren't going to get super spoiled with all this" Negan said laughing. "Honey, we deserve to be spoiled after the shit we just lived through" Lucille said planting a deep kiss on his lips.
Following Hannah in the four adults sat down and enjoyed a joyful dinner. Owen spent a lot of time teasing Hannah, who Lucille and Negan found out was his wife, about how much food she could actually put away.
After the amazing dinner and some chit chat over a glass of wine, Lucille and Negan took their leave.
While Lucille enjoyed a hot bubble bath, Negan took a look around. He found an old room that had a full length mirror covered by a white sheet.
His curiosity got the best of him and he removed the sheet and was amazed at the gold plate and the perfect glass.
After marveling at the design he looked in the mirror and groaned at the old man looking back at him. He had grown a few inches around the waist since he lost his job and his beard and hair had turned Gray. He was amazed Lucille didn't leave him just for that:
Suddenly the reflection changed to a man with his face but not quite him. He had on a leather jacket and his hair was slicked back and he had a wicked looking bat in his hands.
"Little pig, little pig, let's change places. See you have Lucille still and I want that so your going to come to my world of the goddamn dead where everyone wants me dead and I'm gonna shack up with your wife" the man said.
Before Negan could say a word he felt himself being pulled Forward and just as Lucille walked in the last thing she saw was her husband being pulled into the mirror and man who was but wasn't her husband standing in front of her.
"Honey, I'm home" the man said as Lucille just stared.
On another plane:
Negan's head hurt as he opened his eyes. He realized immediately he wasn't were he was.
A knocking on the door startled him and without thinking he opened it. There stood a young woman and a man with a burn on half his face.
"Who the fuck are you?" The woman said just before Negan felt something hit his head and he lost consciousness for a second time.
Yet another plane of existence
"It will be alright daddy," the young girl said as her silky black hair got matted to her face by her tears. "Baby, I have survived much worse than a cold, I'll be fine" said the man laying on the bed as he pushed her hair away from her face. The girl smiled as she covered him back up with the wool blanket they were able to find. After a coughing fit, the man closed his eyes.
The girl leaned back against the wall of the cabin and watched as her sister made some fresh hot soup for when their dad woke up. She glanced between the man on the bed and her sister and smiled. Her chosen family loves her ten times as much as her blood family, and they were kinder as well.
Closing her eyes she let herself drift back to the days she felt un-welcomed and invisible.
Her father, Glenn Rhee, had been beaten to death by the man she now calls father. But it's because of this man, Negan, that she finally has a place to call home.
She and her twin brother, Hershel, both knew the tragic tale and it stung both of them. But their mama, Maggie Rhee, always was more worried about her brother than her.
"Your father named you Hyun because he knew you would be bright and intelligent like your name implies and you are. I don't need to worry about you as much as I do your brother" her mom said once.
But Hyun knew that was a half-baked lie. Hershel looked like their dad and even dressed like him. He was a mamas boy as well. So from early on, Hyun knew that Hershel held a bigger space in their mamas heart.
When she had turned 15 a few months ago she had accidentally dropped hot water on her brother while cooking. It wasn't a bad wound but her mama made a huge deal out of her needing to be more careful.
Mad and hurt that her mama never checked on her burns, Hyun left the house and then the gates. She went to the lake and tearing off a piece of her shirt got it wet and wrapped it around her arm.
Tears filled her eyes as she laid against a tree and nursed her wound. She knew in her heart that her mama loved her but she needed her to show it.
The crunching of leaves made her jump to her feet and standing in front of her was the man who killed her daddy.
He didn't say a word he just handed her some burn ointment and went to the lake to fill a water jug.
"Hey kid, if you need a place I have a cabin with my daughter. She's probably around 30 by now but I bet she would love a sister" the man said as he walked by. "Oh and that burn needs more healing and she's also good at that, at-least let us help you with it".
Hyun sniffled, nodded and followed. Since then she has stayed with Negan and Lydia in their cabin. She visited her mom and brother everyday and even though they couldn't understand, they respected her decision even if her mom hated Negan she saw he made her daughter smile. It took some begging and a bit of help from Gabriel and Aaron but she finally gave in. Their relationship seemed stronger after she moved out as well.
Hyun didn't like how her mom kept so much hate in her heart but like her mom respected her decision she didn't fight with her moms.
A knocking at the cabin door brought Hyun back to the present. Opening the door her jaw dropped as she saw who it was and it couldn't be good since Hershel, Judith, Gracie, and Coco were all there.
"Sis, we have to talk" Hershel said and Hyun motioned them in and closed the door behind them.