Negan, Alexandria

It was freezing cold outside. Winter hasn't come this early before. Negan was in his cell, sitting on his bed under his blanket. His nose was red, his teeth were chattering. He heard someone was coming down, soon he saw Gabriel.

"Come," said Gabriel. Negan slowly stood up and shivered to the iron bars. Gabriel put a chain on his wrists.

"Whe… where are you t-taking me?" asked Negan.

"We have to keep you alive, so I can't let you freeze here. We are going to the hall, to the fireplace."

Negan nodded while shivering like crazy and followed Gabriel outside.

They entered the hall, where Negan felt warmer immediately, even though the fireplace was not going yet.

"Oh god… I thought you're gonna let me freeze down there," he said and sat in a corner, pulling his legs up and hugging them. Gabriel left him there. When Negan settled and got warmer, he glanced around the room. That's when he saw Rosita, Siddiq, Eugene, Judith, and RJ. At least they were the ones he knew. Judith glanced at him and said hi. The others were trying hard to avoid looking at him.

"Hi," said Negan with a wide smile. He kept looking around in the room. Gabriel came back with a couple of people who were startled by the sight of Negan.

"Welcome to Negan's butt freezing party!" he said chuckling. Judith smiled, then turned back to the window. People didn't really appreciate his humor, they tried to get as far as possible from him. Negan turned back towards Judith.

"What are you looking at, kid?" he asked. Judith glanced at him.

"I lost Daryl's dog."

"Aww… uncle Daryl's gonna eat you for dinner for that," said Negan giggling. Judith rolled her eyes. She was young, but even she did notice how differently Negan behaved. There were a lot of people and he had to perform. He turned into a bully, which Judith didn't like at all, so she didn't look at him for a long while. She was staring through the window, hoping dog will find his way back.

…

Sometime later Siddiq and Gabriel managed to get the fire going, while Negan insulted every one of them. However, he and Rosita smelled something strange and in the next moment, the fireplace just exploded. Judith was startled and she jumped next to RJ. Negan was on his feet immediately, near Judith.

"What the hell?" he asked. Eugene stuck his head inside the chimney to investigate and he explained to the others what happened. The fireplace was useless in short. They decided to relocate to Aaron's house. There was a snowstorm raging outside, so Rosita got an idea to hold a rope, while they were going. As everyone prepared to leave Negan snapped at them.

"Seriously? Not one of you assholes is gonna untie me?" he said, showing them the chains on his wrists.

Gabriel sighed, and with Rosita's permission, he got the key out of his pocket and stepped to Negan, who was smiling widely.

"Not that you could do anything in that storm, except freeze to death," murmured Gabriel.

"That's what I'm talkin' about," said Negan happily as he massaged his free wrists. Gabriel rolled his eyes, then stepped back to the people, they lined up, everyone holding on to the rope.

They stepped outside into the storm and slowly headed towards Aaron's house.

As they took step after step, Judith suddenly heard dog barking. She let go of the rope and ran into the storm towards the voice. Negan shouted after her, but she wouldn't stop.

"Dammit!" yelled Negan, and he let go of the rope too, ran after Judith.

As he was looking for the girl, he got into a strong gust, which was carrying debris. Something hit his leg and he collapsed on the ground, crying out in pain. He slowly got himself together and kept going to find Judith.

I'm gonna bring her back, even if I freeze to death.

Not long after he found her. Negan tied his leg to stop the bleeding, put his coat on Judith, then took the little girl in his arms, grabbed dog's rope, and headed slowly back. He could barely see anything, but he kept going.

After they talked a few words, they fell silent and Negan concentrated on getting the girl back to the people, but after a while, she continued.

"You know… You're so different when other people are around," said Judith. Negan glanced at her.

"What do you mean?"

"You are an asshole."

"Hey! I just warned you about language a minute ago and you're doing it again? That's not ladylike, miss Grimes."

"You didn't answer," she stated. Negan sighed.

"Alright… So you don't like me when I'm an asshole."

"No. I don't."

"Which means, I should be nicer to other people?" he asked.

"Yes. You should. Maybe my mom would forgive you."

"Not in a thousand years, kid. But… if you ask me nicely, I'll think about it."

"I'm not going to ask you. If you won't be nicer, I'll shoot you again," stated Judith. Negan jerked his head up.

"Really? Then I must watch my back from now on," he said, breathing heavily, but still smiling, then his smile slowly faded away. "You know… I'm an asshole, most of the time."

Judith looked him in the eye.

"That's only up to you. You just have to decide," she said.

"Maybe you're right"

As Negan was going, carrying Judith, soon he heard Gabriel and Siddiq yelling.

"Judith?! Negan?!"

"HERE!" Negan shouted. They headed towards each other. Gabriel took Judith from Negan's arms and grabbed dog's rope. Siddiq lifted Negan's arm over his shoulder to help him walk and they hurried to Aaron's house.

As they entered, Gabriel placed Judith by RJ's side, who shared his blanket with her.

"What's wrong with your leg?" asked Siddiq.

"Something hit me in the storm," growled Negan, his voice was hoarse. Siddiq took him to another room and looked at his leg.

"It's just a cut. We have to clean it and you'll be fine."

"Good to know," growled Negan, his voice was almost gone, because he was shouting in the freezing cold.

Siddiq glanced at him, he couldn't believe that Negan risked his life to bring Judith back. He hurried to get water and started to clean the wound on Negan's leg.

…

By morning, the storm settled and it was all too quiet and calm. Negan woke up and looked around in alert. Funny how everyone is scared of him and they despise him, yet he felt uncomfortable, lying there with a wounded leg. He felt vulnerable. But he didn't have to feel like that for long, because Siddiq came. He nodded with his head silently, towards the door, not to wake anyone. Negan gathered himself and he limped towards the door, after Siddiq. When they got outside Negan turned to him.

"Where are we going?"

"To the infirmary. Gabriel doesn't want you to be free among others longer than it's necessary."

"I see," growled Negan, but on the inside, he was happy he can be alone, in safety.

Siddiq brought him fresh clothes because his was sweaty and bloody, then he left him in a room. Negan changed and lay down on the bed. After sleeping in a sitting position on the floor, it felt like heaven.

Not long after, Michonne stepped through the door, Negan sat up on his bed.

"Well, look who's here," said Negan smiling.

He didn't expect Michonne to be nice to him. Not to mention that she sat down and had a proper conversation with him.

Michonne thanked him for saving Judith, then she told him about the skins. Negan was listening carefully. For a moment, he forgot he was the one whom everyone hated there. It felt good.

Michonne slowly stood up.

"You know… No one ever thinks that they're the evil ones," said Negan, reflecting on the skins and their conversation with Michonne. She frowned her eyebrows.

"In your story, we were the evil ones," said Michonne.

"Yeah…I admit I did things that I regret, that I shouldn't have done, but… I was trying to survive, just like you did."

Michonne nodded.

"Well, you're truly a savior now. At least to Judith," she said, mocking him.

"I thought I was a savior back then too, you know… helping people on my own way, but… I just messed up."

"You had some followers, who worshipped you. They used to attack people on the road after the Sanctuary fell. But they're gone for a long time now."

"Alright… You don't have to turn the knife in me anymore. And just so you know… I would gladly save Judith again. Anytime."

"Don't court me. It's not working," smiled Michonne. She was about to leave, but then, she stopped and turned back to him by the door. "You know what? I'll consider calling a meeting and voting about you."

"Vote about what exactly?" Negan frowned his eyebrows, but Michonne turned around and left.

Are they gonna vote about setting me free or about executing me?

Negan glanced at the door, still frowning his eyebrows. Then he lay back his head and let out a sigh. It felt good to save Judith. To do the right thing. To have Michonne owe him.

…

Author's notes: Listen to "Let me be your superhero" by Smash into Pieces.

Hero Negan. ❤

Thank You for reading! ❤