A/N Vin's face claim is Ebba Zingmark if anyone was wondering. She's also the cover photo. I was going to wait to publish this, but my arm was twisted, heh. Feel better, Inky!

Well, that stopped her tears, but her facial expression isn't any better. "How long have you been doing this gym and sleeping in the princess tent thing?"

"Since I left the group home at eighteen."

"How did you join a gym without a credit card?"

"The manager knows my situation. He uses his card for my membership and I pay him in cash."

"You have a job, though. Aren't you able to get a one bedroom apartment?"

"I tried staying in a motel for a while but I couldn't afford it. I finally had a few thousand saved, but someone stole it last year. If I work hard through the summer, I'll have enough to cover the months of winter. I'm just fuck out of luck for this one."

"You can't live in a fucking tent for the entire Baltimore winter."

"I've done it all my life."

There it is. I knew it. Goddammit. I rub my brow in frustration. "I have so many questions, but I feel like it's none of my business. I didn't mean to blurt it out, I just got tired of hiding it."

Vin hasn't said anything for an eternity. She's just sitting in my front seat in a daze. Until, finally, something leaves her mouth.

Although, I would never have imagined it to be something like this.

"I could give you forty-five, maybe fifty a week."

"Fifty what?"

"Dollars."

"I don't understand."

"For your silence that I'm homeless."

"For my silence?" What?

"I make a little over three hundred dollars a week. Ted, my manager, he makes me pay him one hundred dollars of each check so I can use his residency for my checks."

"What?!"

"I don't have a choice. You need that to work unless I get paid under the table doing odd jobs, but that's how I got robbed. I feel safe at the store. I wish that I could pay you more, but someone else at the store found out and I have to pay him fifty dollars to keep quiet, too."

I can't even fucking believe what I'm hearing right now. "So you're telling me that you get about a hundred and fifty a week. Christ, Vin, that's not even a thousand dollars a month." Here I thought maybe she could go into low-income housing or something but she can't even afford that. Who fucking takes advantage of someone like this?

"I know and I'll try and get some extra shifts to pay you more. Please, don't say anything." She fishes out a coffee tin in her bag. "Here," she tells me, handing me fifty dollars from the tin.

"No." I move her hand back.

"But, Negan, I need the job at the store because it's only two blocks from the gym. I don't have my high school diploma. I only got to the ninth grade so my options are limited. Especially without a car. There are not many places even near here that will-"

I've heard e-fucking-nough and speed to the supermarket.

"What are you doing?! No!" Vin gets out of the car and chases after me.

All I see is fucking red at this point. "You," I shout, pointing at this suspender wearing motherfucker in the booth. "I want a fucking word with you."

"Excuse me?" He pushes open the half door and steps down. "You can't talk like that-"

I hit him so hard his toupee falls off. "Listen here, you little fat fuck piece of shit. Who's the other one she pays?"

His shaking finger points at some punk kid.

Lucky for him, I can't hit him or I will be fucked. "If you ever take money from Vin again, I'll be back. Do you understand? Nod, motherfucker!"

"Yes," the kid squeaks, nodding.

I turn my attention back to Ted. I spit on him as I pull him to his feet before throwing him against the booth.

Someone actually calls the police and they arrive before I can get Ted to fork over the money he owes Vin.

Fuck. I wasn't going to kill him… at least… not in front of everyone.

I sit in handcuffs in the stockroom ready to be taken to jail while they interview Ted, Vin, the cashier fuck, and a few witnesses.

"You're free to go. The manager has decided not to press charges." The handcuffs are taken off me.

Thank fuck. I hurry towards the front of the store to find Vin and Ted.

"Don't you ever set foot in my store again or you will go to jail. And you," Ted points at Vin. "You're fired. I'm keeping your last check as compensation."

"You can't do that!" The only reason I leave the store is that Vin goes running out. I catch up with her around the corner. "Vin, wait!" I grab her by the bicep.

"What have you done," she yells with a choking sob.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"What am I supposed to do now? Why couldn't you just keep your mouth shut?"

I feel like complete shit. "I just didn't want him taking advantage of you like that."

"Yeah, well, you can be assured he won't take advantage of me anymore. Let go of me!"

"Vin, wait!"

"Don't talk to me again, Negan."

My stomach knots as I watch her flee down the sidewalk. Fuck, what have I done?

"You're trespassing," Ted shouts at me behind the protection of the large glass in the store.

In that moment, I think of a lot of different things. The most enjoyable one is how I could throw a shopping cart through the window at this motherfucker. But then I'd go to jail and lose my job. I watch Vin until she disappears into the gym. I was only trying to help, but now I've fucked everything up and I don't know what to do.