Sadie lightly groaned as she felt a stethoscope against her chest. She tiredly opened her eyes. "Good morning Sadie."
The girl anxiously looked around the room. "Wh..what time is it Dr. Carson?" "It is almost eight thirty." He replied.
"Eight thirty?" She shot up. "I'm going to be late!" "Woah woah woah. Late for what Sadie?" "I promised Negan that I would be on walker duty. Well I didn't promise exactly. I went to politely object last night but he either didn't listen or I wasn't being convincing enough. But I.."
"Take a deep breath Sadie." He lay her head back down and continued listening to her heart. "I see. How long did Negan say this would be for?" "Six hours." She blinked. "By myself. Please. I can't let him down. I just got here, earning his respect and trust."
Dr. Carson hesitantly sighed. "How are you feeling?" "Tired honestly. Sore in my back and neck. Dizzy." She hated to admit it.
He let her sit up.
"I don't want any special treatment. Please doctor. I won't lift a single finger tomorrow."
The room was silent for what had to be two minutes.
"Promise me Sadie. You need your rest."
"I promise. Thank you." She lightly groaned and stood up. The girl threw her hoodie back on and left out the door to meet Negan outside. "Deep breath. There is a gate between the walkers and I. I'm not in any real danger. I'd rather not eat than neglect my occupation."
"Mornin' princess." He widely smiled. Sadie stiffened. 'Please don't call me that.' "Hi." She weakly smiled. "You know what you gotta do right?" "Yes sir." She whispered but quickly cleared her throat. "Yes sir." The girl forced a nod and another smile.
"Fan-f*ckin'-tastic! Go get 'em. I'll pick ya up for lunch at three." He kissed her on the lips. "What the hell would I do without you?" Negan sighed with a grin and walked away, hollering at Simon.
Sadie groaned and picked up the spear off of the ground. "Damn it." She wiped her eyes and stabbed each zombie in the head, one by one.
After shaking her head and trying to wake herself up, Dwight walked over to her. He didn't choose to help out, but he wanted to check on her.
"Hey." Sadie gave a soft recognition smile while focusing on her job. "Sadie." She stopped and turned to him.
"You look awful." "Really? I haven't noticed." Sadie went back to work. "I almost mistook you for a walker." "Charming." She snarked. "What are you doing out here anyway? You should be inside getting some rest. Here."
He gestured to the spear with his hand. "Give me that and I'll take over." The girl shakily sighed. "Look. Long story short. I don't want to let Negan down. Now can you please leave me alone?" Dwight huffed and left.
'Good. One less mouth to hear run.' Sadie closed her eyes but immediately opened them as she thought Negan was hovering over her. She quickly turned around. "Nothing. Of course."
She rolled her eyes and stabbed a zombie in the heart. 'When is this shit going to be over? If I had my music with me I could at least be enjoying this. Wait! Do I?'
She dug her hand in the deepest pocket and almost screamed. "Yes! I was afraid I lost you!" She put in her earbuds and started to play some love song from the early two thousands era.
'You are fine. You are sweet. But I'm still a bit naive with my heart. When you're close, I don't breathe. I can find no words to speak. I feel sparks..'
She softly smiled, obviously thinking about Negan. 'I don't care if he's old enough to be my dad. I don't care!' "Music always passes the time." Sadie smiled.
After helplessly listening to her pop music for five hours, Negan went to come get her. She took out her earbuds as her playlist ended and softly yawned, feeling motion sickness and a shortness of breath. The girl forced her eyes open as he hugged her from behind.
"Let's get you somethin' to eat huh?" He set a hand on her stomach. 'Just say it.' "I'm not hungry. But thank you." "You haven't eaten anything all day! Don't give me that." "Is it illegal that I just want to lay down?" She couldn't help but snap.
Negan glared at her. "Damn. That is not the voice I wanted to listen to after barely seeing you all day." Her mouth ran dry. "Go lay the f*ck down then. And don't talk to me until you calmed the shit out."
She walked back into the infirmary room where it was just her. "Thank god!" Sadie threw off her hoodie and lay down on the bed, closing her eyes within a second.
"F*ckin' brat." Negan continued to mope for an hour, but it was actually a few hours. "Who the hell does she think she is talking to me like that? I saved her life, gave her a place to crash, and gave her a damn job!"
He grabbed Lucille from beside him and walked down the stairs. "Little piece of shit apparently has to be taught another lesson." Negan stormed through the warehouse.
"Sir. Rick and Carl are.." Simon started but Negan walked right past him.
"I'll show her. And she will regret.." Negan stopped in front of her doorway with Dr. Carson placing a cold cloth on her forehead. He motioned him to be quiet.
Hit with the biggest slap of regret, Negan lay Lucille against the wall and knelt beside her. "The hell's going on?" He whispered.
"She's been out for nearly four hours. May have been due to exhaustion. It was pretty warm outside."
"Ya think?" Negan felt her cheek and gulped. "She's burning up!"
"Yes. She is. Did she happen to eat anything today?" "No. She didn't. I tried to get her to but she refused." "Do you know why she refused?" "How should I know? Maybe she didn't feel worthy of a meal. But I'll tell you this. Damn right she is!" "Negan. Quiet down. Please."
"She's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me since my wife passed." He whispered and held her right hand. "She's the only reason I have to keep living."
Dr. Carson nodded and left the room to bring her something to eat.
"I know you hear me doll." Sadie huffed. "Negan?" She weakly asked. 'Oh thank god!' "Shh..yes it's me."
Her eyes slowly opened. "I'm sorry I yelled at you." He hushed her. "Don't apologize darlin'. I got carried away and worked you like a dog." 'What? Oh.' "What? That's a huge exaggeration. This is my life now and I don't need any special treatment." Negan shrugged, partly agreeing with her. "Am..I going to be okay?" She tried to change the subject.
"You'll be fine Sadie. But you and I need to have a little sit down." He sat in a chair. "Why didn't you have lunch when I told you to?" Sadie blinked. "Because I was tired. I told you that." He narrowed his eyes, knowing that she was hiding something. "I demand the truth." She sighed. "That was the truth! Okay? I honestly felt like shit this morning but I made the promise that I would defend the Sanctuary. I didn't want to lie to you." She hiccuped.
Negan deeply sighed and turned to the wall. "But you still lied. You played it like everything was all cool." Sadie closed her eyes. "Sadie. Listen. If you feel like shit, then tell me you feel like shit alright? I know that you wanted to please me but l do not want that to escalate to you risking your life. If you were as tall as..oh say..Dwight, I wouldn't have to worry about you. You're the smallest one on the squad."
She scowled at the ceiling, hating being called that. "I can tell you hate it when people call you that." He placed her left hand in his. "Hey." She stopped scowling and turned to face him. "Huh?" "Why don't you open those pretty brown eyes?" Once Sadie did, Negan sighed. "I like you." "Like? L-i-k-e? Jeez I'm flattered." She playfully gasped.
"There's that sarcasm." He grinned and kissed her softly on the lips. She hummed and kissed back but stronger, relieved that her trauma from this morning was a fallen memory. Her eyes closed as he lifted the cloth. "That's it darlin'." He whispered as his hand slid between her head and the pillow she rested on.
"Let's not risk breaking this bed." She winked once her eyes opened. "Damn. You have some way with words don't you?" "Of course. And I'm travel sized for your convenience." "Don't push it." He set the cloth back on her forehead. She pouted.
The door opened and they quickly separated. Although she was excepting Dr. Carson, Dwight walked in, holding a tray of food. Just his presence alone made Sadie tense up. "Dwight!" He looked over to Negan after placing it on the table. "Yes sir?" "I don't remember hiring you for f*ckin' room service." He smirked. "Stay a while."
Dwight sighed and stood awkwardly in front of the door. Sadie sat up and removed the cloth, setting it on the far edge of the dresser. "Feeling better Sadie?" He asked quietly but clearly. She nodded, hoping that he wouldn't escalate the situation. He slowly nodded and left the room.
"Hm. So. Where were we again?" Negan turned back to her. "Oh yeah." The tray was set in front of her. "Protein."
She moved as he was about to lay his hand on her stomach.
"The hell was with that? You still sore?" "I j.." "You know I wouldn't dream of hurting you. Unless you are really asking for it." "But he did." Negan groaned. "Claude really f*ckin' traumatized you. Poor thing."
Sadie took a bite of the food. 'Yeah. And it mentally scarred me. Every minute, every hour, and every day was a matter of life or death.' "Can you please stop sympathizing with me? It's making me uncomfortable. I just like to complain out loud a lot."
Negan huffed and grabbed Lucille. He stood up and left out the door. "I'm not a damn psychologist! You figure out what you want." She sighed. "Negan!" "What!? What do you want woman?" He folded his arms.
She pressed her lips. "Will you..lay with me? Please?" "That's a good question.." He unzipped his jacket. "..that requires a suitable answer. Why should I?" Negan said bitterly.
"I need you." She whispered then spoke louder. "Please? I'll shut up the rest of the day, week, month, whichever." "You really think that the silent treatment will resolve anything?" She nodded. "No. It won't."
He slid off his boots. "But I don't have the patience for your mental drama." She nodded. "Do you understand?" "Yes sir." Sadie whispered. "Negan." She caught herself. "Good." He picked up the empty tray and set it back on the table. "I wasn't expecting you to eat all that." Negan lay on his side next to her.
"What can I say? I love food." She hummed. 'Don't be such a coward.' "You can touch me. If you want to." She muttered in embarrassment. "Oh really?" He replied enthusiastically. "Well who the hell would pass up this f*ckin' opportunity?" He slowly removed the bedsheets and rolled up her shirt to just under her breasts.
Her body shivered at the room's lack of heat. Even without an hourglass figure or flat stomach, Negan smiled. "God damn. I am not going to place a mark on this." 'Aw. That's a sweet way of not wanting to have kids.' She smiled at his remark.
While reminded of her bandaged side, his hands moved hers above her head. "What on earth are you doing?" She giggled. "We're going to get caught!" "Oh no we aren't darlin'." He winked with a smirk. "Now don't move." "You're kidding me right? It's like forty five degrees in here!"
"Of course I know that. Little smart ass." He rolled his eyes. "And what exactly are you going to do about it? Say no?" She shut her eyes, unaware that Negan breathed on his hands to warm them up. "Of course I'm going to say n..oo." Sadie opened her mouth, letting out a moan as his rough hands were placed on her hips.
"I had a blanket on me! I would have been much more.."
"Bullshit. I wouldn't have heard your pathetic moaning then." Sadie rolled her eyes and covered her body with the covers, shooing away his hands. "Moan." She blankly teased. Negan smiled and shook his head. "You are one hell of a mixed bag aren't ya?" "The one and only."
Sadie looked over to his leather jacket. "What'cha looking at darlin'?" He placed his hands back on her stomach.
"Nice jacket." "Hm? Oh. Thank you." She sat up, his hands now at her waist. "Christ I need to shower." Sadie wiped her forehead with her palm.
"I wouldn't mind that. In fact, I just might join you." Negan scratched the back of her head. "On a positive note, Dr. Carson said you can take that tape and crap off. But you gotta put on a fresh one after. I would be one hell of a happy camper to do that."
The girl turned to him with a smirk. "Don't get your hopes up big boy." She pecked him on the cheek and went across the hall.
Negan chuckled once the door shut and was locked. "My god."
In the meantime, he strolled back to his room and rummaged through his closet. "Gotta get ya all primped up. Hot date in an hour." Negan breathed and took the smallest leather jacket he could find. "Jeezuh!" He compared his body to the jacket, which he wore when he was twenty.
After grabbing an old pair of jeans and a fresh white shirt of his, Negan waltzed back to the infirmary, lightly humming to himself.
Sadie let out a relieved moan as the water hit her chest. "That's better." She looked around and gave an obvious shrug. "Of course there would only be men's scented products in here. Not like that's a bad thing. Girl stuff is just a big freakin' scam anyway. While a guy can outrun a zombie hoard and still smell fantastic."
She smiled. "Huh. Negan with me in the shower." The girl thought out loud. "No. That probably wouldn't end well."
Once she turned off the water and wrapped a towel around her chest, she stepped out. 'I'm not hogging this bathroom am I? Huh. Rather not wait around to find out.'
She went to put her clothes on but couldn't find them. "Ugh. That little son of a.." Sadie stormed across the hall to find Negan sitting on the bed reading a magazine. "Well hello there." He looked up with a soothing voice and smile.
She groaned. "Stop screwing around. Where the hell are my clothes?"
"Hey." He slammed the magazine on the ground. "Little girls with a bad attitude don't get a present." He rose his eyebrows. "No. Not now Negan. Give me my clothes." She folded her arms. "Please?" Sadie chirped.
"That's better." He pointed to her. "Okay." She blinked. "Alright. Your clothes are on the hanger." Sadie tilted her head, confused to find a black leather jacket, black boots, a pair of blue jeans and a white t shirt.
Sadie looked back to Negan with a scowl. He simply smiled in return with Lucille on his shoulder. "Not cool. Those were my favorite shorts!" She then shook her head.
"Calm down hot pants. I folded them and put them back into your bag." "Okay. Thank you. Thanks for letting me borrow your other jacket by the way. I always wanted to try one on." "That's not mine. It doesn't fit me anymore."
She rolled her eyes. "It's still yours though." "Nope. It's all yours." Sadie shook her head. "What? Seriously?" "I am most definitely serious." Negan scratched his chin. "Why don't ya get dressed? I want to see how it looks on you." He stepped outside and closed the door. Sadie nearly squealed and dried herself.
Fifteen minutes later, she opened the door with her hands in the back pockets of the jeans. "Too shabby?" She spun around on her heels. Negan hummed. "Not the f*ck at all! How do you feel?" "Like a badass." He picked her up and kissed her on the lips. "You definitely are. But. First things first." He gestured to her to lay on the bed.
She sighed as he lifted her shirt. "Jesus Christ." Negan cleared his throat and cleaned around the black and blue areas of her skin. "Dare I bring up that silent treatment again?" "Nope!" He applied the bandage and helped her up. "Good as new. Come on. We got a date."
"A date huh? Can this day get any better?" She skipped behind him outside to the truck. "Mhm. We got some supplies to get." "Really?" "Yup. And it's a big one."
She giggled, knowing that she would be getting most of her stuff back.
"What are you peeing your pants about?" She cleared her throat. "Nothing." Negan huffed and drove the truck to Alexandria. "Now listen up kid." "Yeah?" She lifted her head off of the seat. "See that clock right there?" He pointed to the radio screen. "It says four fifty eight. We will be there for about two hours. After this shit, we will have dinner back at my place. And I will not fight with you on this. Clear?"
"Crystal." He nodded. "Good." He opened her door. She jumped out. "Woah! Slow down a bit." He patted her on the back. "Pretty sure you don't want to get pricked again." She shivered then nodded. They roughly kissed. 'Right. I despise needles. Had enough of that crap in my life.' Negan picked up Lucille and they casually entered the Alexandrian property.