Quinn, Negan, Carol, Daryl and Jesus, Alexandria

Suddenly Negan woke up and glanced around quickly. Jesus was sleeping sitting by the kitchen table, Daryl in the armchair, Quinn curled up in a ball next to Negan on the couch as he was sitting by her feet. Then Negan's eyes locked with Carol's. She was still wide awake. They could see each other in the dim moonlight.

"Still awake?" whispered Negan. Carol nodded. Negan continued: "How long I've been sleeping?"

"Couple hours. It's almost dawn," whispered Carol, glancing outside the window. Negan glanced outside too, then he turned his eyes to Quinn. She was still sweating and shivering but sleeping soundlessly. Negan shook his head disbelievingly.

"I'll go back and kill their walkers again," he whispered grumpily.

"Doesn't change anything."

"It would feel good…" Negan glanced at Daryl this time, then back at Carol. "How does he know so much about this?"

"His brother was a drug dealer, occasionally used the stuff too and Daryl saw how it went," said Carol glancing at Daryl.

"What happened to him?" asked Negan.

"If you want to know somethin', ask me," stated Daryl, now awake.

"You wouldn't answer," said Negan.

"Yeah, because it's none of your business," whispered Daryl grumpily as he gathered himself and headed outside.

"Surprised," said Negan equally grumpily. Carol was following Daryl with her eyes, then she glanced at Quinn, then at Negan.

"Let me know if anything changes with her," whispered Carol and stood up to go after Daryl. Negan nodded and turned towards Quinn, letting out a sigh. Jesus was still sleeping without a sound.

…

Daryl was sitting on the porch, smoking a cigarette when Carol quietly closed the door behind herself. Daryl glanced at her, then turned back and stared at the ground. Carol sat next to him on the steps.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to gossip or anything," she said. Daryl shook his head, glanced at her then back at the ground.

"Doesn't matter," he growled in his low voice. Carol knew exactly how much Daryl was tormented by his memories. It was almost as hard for him to watch Quinn in this state as it was for Negan. Except his reasons were different. After a couple of minutes of silence he spoke again: "Haven't thought about Merle for a long a time."

Carol slowly slipped her arm around Daryl's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that, didn't talk anymore. Daryl casually took another sip of the cigarette before he threw the stub away. He exhaled smoke, then he glanced at Carol on his shoulder.

"Didn't even ask if you wanted one," he said holding up the pack of cigarettes in front of Carol.

"No, I'm good," she said. Daryl put the pack in his pocket while Carol straightened up. She took her arm from Daryl's back too. He glanced at her.

"Always a bad timing," he growled. "Almost like we're cursed or somethin'."

"You don't believe in that stuff. It happened anyway, so you can't take it back now," said Carol, slightly smiling. Daryl chuckled softly.

"Ain't gonna take anythin' back," he said locking eyes with Carol. He had no idea how much his words melted Carol's heart, but she could still hardly believe it happened. She still had doubts and she was afraid of getting hurt.

"Are you ready to talk about Leah?" she asked unsurely. Daryl nodded, not taking his eyes off of Carol.

"At least it would distract me. What do ya wanna know?" he asked.

"I can't shake that note out of my head," said Carol, concerned. Daryl turned away his eyes for a moment and exhaled sharply.

"I wanted to run away because it seemed like you were living happily ever after with your king in your kingdom."

Carol frowned her eyebrows, her eyes filling up with tears.

"I had no idea I hurt you," she said quietly. "It was never my intention."

"I know," he said in his low voice locking eyes once again with her.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You don't have to be."

They were sitting close to each other, but nothing happened for a little while.

"Is it always have to be me who kisses you?" Carol asked. Daryl got surprised, turned his eyes away embarrassed, chuckling. He couldn't believe how outspoken Carol was about these kinds of things. Carol let out a sigh, Daryl glanced back at her.

"Nah," that's all he had to say. Carol was examining him with her eyes, but he didn't move or do anything that would indicate he wanted a kiss.

"Pookie," said Carol, mocking him.

"Not that again," said Daryl smiling, shaking his head disbelievingly, then poked Carol's side with his elbow. Carol smiled at him. Just as she managed to lighten up Daryl's mood a little, Jesus came outside.

"Quinn's waking up," he said. Carol and Daryl sprang to their feet at the same time and headed back inside. Quinn was sitting on the couch, quietly sobbing, while Negan was lighting a few candles.

"What happened?" asked Carol.

"She woke up and started crying," said Jesus. Carol stepped in front of Quinn, her eyes were wide open like she was scared.

"Quinn?" asked Carol gently, soothingly.

"C-Carol…" gasped Quinn. "Make them go away, please…" she whimpered and held her hands to her forehead, covering her eyes as well.

"Make who go away?" asked Carol. Quinn didn't answer, she kept sobbing. Carol glanced at Daryl for backup, he stepped to her immediately. Negan was watching from afar, standing with his hands in his pockets. Daryl crouched in front of Quinn.

"Quinn, look at me", he said. "You know who I am?"

Quinn sniffed quietly, adorably, and looked at him.

"Daryl…" she said.

"Yeah" he smiled slightly. "Do you remember Negan?" he asked. Negan jerked up his head, listening closely.

"Yeah," said Quinn.

"What do you remember?" Daryl asked. Carol got what he was doing. He was trying to make her remember, so she would come back to reality. Jesus and Negan were staring speechless, Negan holding back his breath, his heart beating heavily.

"I wanted to meet Negan so badly… I want to be with him…" she said quietly, sniffing one more time. Negan stepped next to Daryl. Quinn's eyes fell on Negan, her tears started to pour again.

"Quinn," said Carol gently, Quinn looked at her. Her pupils were still dilated. "You got drugged, but we brought you back home. You are safe," she said and took Quinn's hand gently. Negan stepped closer and sat down on the couch next to Quinn. She looked at him.

"Negan…" she breathed.

"I'm here," he said. Quinn glanced around like she was slowly recognizing everyone. "I was so scared…" she said quietly, her tears falling again. Negan grabbed her and hugged her tightly, struggling to hold back his tears. Carol was stroking Quinn's back, Daryl still crouching in front of the couch, Jesus standing next to them. Negan quickly wiped his eyes and backed away.

"You sh... You should try to sleep a little," said Negan, clearing his throat, his voice was almost breaking. Quinn glanced around once more with her huge pupils, then buried her face in her hands, pulled her knees up. Negan sprang to his feet and hurried outside. Carol followed him with her eyes this time. Jesus sat next to Quinn on the couch and put his arm behind her.

"It's gonna be okay, you're almost through this. Stay strong for a little longer," he said gently. Quinn glanced at him, unfocused.

"It's so bad…" she said her voice shaking.

"I know, I know it's bad, but it's almost over," said Jesus again gently. Meanwhile, Carol stood up once again and followed Negan outside. She exchanged glances with Daryl when she closed the door.

Carol found Negan on the back porch, sobbing like a child. She approached him slowly, stood next to him, and put her hand on his shoulder. Negan glanced at her, then buried his face in his hands.

"I know it's hard, but it's almost over," she said gently.

"You don't have to do this, I'm okay," said Negan with a breaking voice, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, you look okay," said Carol mocking him. Negan sniffed.

"You don't have to do this, really. I know you hate me too and it's not going to change, so just go back in there. I'll deal with my shit," he stated.

"I did hate you. But I can also see the change. And no one deserves to feel like this," said Carol and squeezed gently as her hand was still resting on his shoulder. Negan shook his head, staring at the ground.

"Just… give me a second. I'll get myself together," he said, his voice was hoarse this time. Carol let go of his shoulder, nodded, and headed back inside. Daryl was sitting in the chair, next to Quinn, Jesus on her other side on the couch. Quinn's head was resting on Jesus's shoulder, while she was looking at Daryl. She reached out and Daryl took her hand without hesitation.

"I always have to be saved…" she mumbled.

"She is not even sober yet and she already blames herself," said Jesus and leaned his head against Quinn's head.

"No… it's my fault. I left her alone," said Carol. "I thought with the whisperers gone, the forest is safe again. We weren't far from Alexandria…"

"Stop it," said Daryl. "I asked you to talk to me while she went ahead alone."

"Stop it, both of you," said Jesus. "It's nobody's fault, it just happened."

Carol and Daryl nodded resigned. Carol stepped behind the couch and put her hand on Quinn's shoulder.

"Quinn, honey, do you need anything?" she asked gently. Quinn shook her head slowly.

"It's nobody's fault… I'm a burden to everyone," said Quinn quietly.

"Hell no," said Jesus. "We are happy to help you."

"He is right, we are all here for you," said Carol.

"Quinn, do you remember when you saved Jesus? Does that make you a burden?" asked Daryl. "When you saved me?" he added speaking gently.

Quinn held up her head from Jesus's shoulder and shook it slightly.

"Look at me," said Daryl. Quinn looked him in the eye and Daryl leaned closer to check her eyes. "Pupils are still huge," he said as he leaned back in the chair.

"How long?" asked Carol.

"Probably a few more hours," said Daryl.

"I have never seen such a bad trip," said Jesus thinking out loud.

"Good for you," growled Daryl. Negan came back and closed the door behind him. Carol glanced at him, his eyes were red and puffy from crying. Daryl glanced at him too, then turned his eyes back at Quinn. She let go of Daryl's hand which she was holding and slightly turned around to look at Negan, then she slowly turned to Jesus.

"Can you please let him sit here?" she asked politely. Jesus nodded and sprang to his feet.

"Sure."

"Thank you, Jesus," she said genuinely, but still mumbling. "I love you so much, for staying here…"

"Of course, I stayed," said Jesus smiling while he relocated himself back to the kitchen table. Negan stepped to the couch without hesitation and sat next to Quinn. She stared at him with dilated pupils.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked gently, concerned. Quinn slowly shook her head, keeping eye contact with Negan. "Are you still hallucinating?" he asked.

"I dunno…" said Quinn, her voice was shaking.

"She probably can't tell if she is," said Carol gently. Daryl nodded in agreement.

"I just want you to stay here," Quinn said, her voice breaking.

"I'm not going anywhere," stated Negan. Quinn started crying again and nestled close to Negan. He embraced her, while she buried her face in his chest. Negan rested his chin on top of Quinn's head.

"When will this be over?" she asked devastated.

"A couple of hours," said Carol. "You'll be out of it in no time."

Quinn nodded and buried her face even more in Negan's chest. He embraced her and stroked her back. Daryl sat back into the armchair, Carol to the chair. As nothing happened for a while they all started to get drowsy again. As soon as Quinn fell asleep, the rest of the group started to fall as well. Carol still stayed awake. She blew out a couple of candles but left one lit by her side. All they could do now was wait.

…

Author's notes: Listen to "Bring me to life" by Evanescence.

Thank You for reading! ❤