A/N: This is a busy chapter, it took me a while to get it written and I still don't feel like it's perfect, but I didn't want to make you all wait even longer for it. I hope you all enjoy it, the next chapter is already started because the start of it just flowed right from the end of this one. If you're reading for the first time, welcome, and please follow, favorite, and review!
Guest: Thanks for reviewing, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Bamby0304: No worries! I'm glad you're still loving the story. When you really click with someone, especially in an end of the world scenario, it's hard to stay away. Lots of drama coming soon
: No, this explosion was from season 6 episode 9 when Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham ran into Bud and his bang on their motorcycles. I won't say more in case you or any of the other readers haven't seen it, but it's a great scene, especially if you love Daryl!
KEZZ 1: Thanks! I have the next chapter in the works so hopefully I'll have it up soon.
Victoria0613: I kind of made myself fall in love with Bud, in a friendship kind of way and I hate that I had to kill him off, but I do want to keep my story in line with the show as much as possible and I think Bud and his crew dying was very important.
Lalilou10: Sorry I made you wait so long for this chapter! Enjoy
Enchantmentanjel: Bringing in Daryl is going to be awesome, I'm really excited as we get closer to that time. We still have some time before that happens, but it will be soon.
Raging Raven: When they time comes, yes she will!
Sexy Vampire Girl: We are, he's coming soon, only a few more chapters away!
CLTex: I'm a firm believer that there are always 2 sides to every story, and in a war, there is no good guy
missMW: Thanks for the reviews, I'm so glad you love the story!
BlueEyedBeauty: Don't worry, I love Daryl too so I won't be too horrible to him
Brekelly2021: I hadn't thought of that comparison before, but you're kind of right, I can see the resemblance, at least from the Suicide Squad movie. I struggle to read comics because I'm more of a novel reader, but I love the movies.
The drive back to Sanctuary was as quiet as the ride out. But it was a different kind of quiet. It was the somber silence of loss, so familiar to the new world. She relaxed into Negan's embrace. It was a small comfort to know he too was angered by the loss. She wasn't a fool, Negan didn't really care about Bud, or any of the men, the way she did. To him, Bud was a lieutenant, a loyal soldier, a tool, a weapon to strong arm his enemies. To her, he'd been a friend. One of the few friends she had.
The crew that found them were left behind to clean up the mess and salvage as much as they could. Most everything had been destroyed, but one of the bikes looked like it might still run. They could salvage some usable parts off the other 2 or 3 that didn't take a direct hit from the grenade or whatever explosive had been used. She recalled seeing a couple of guns that may have still been usable.
Negan picked up his radio for the somber announcement. "Everyone needs to listen and shut the fuck up for a moment of silence. We lost Bud, Timmy, and the rest of Bud's crew today. A mother fucking tragedy. This is a loss that will be felt not just across Sanctuary, but also across all of our outposts. I want every single one of you in the meeting room at 6pm to mourn this fucking loss. Outposts can run with a skeleton crew, leave the unimportant assholes behind to man them. This is a soldier's only event."
"You're hosting a wake?" she asked, honestly surprised at the gesture.
"I wouldn't call it a wake," he told her. "More like a bunch of asshole getting together over some drinks to swap war stories and shit like that."
"Still," she said, squeezing the hand he had on her hip, "It's a nice thing to do. We all need… something, after this."
The rest of the ride back was silent. Her ear was pressed into Negan's chest as she looked out of the window. The strong, steady beat of his heart kept her focus. Her eyelids were so heavy, the lack of sleep had finally caught up with her.
The late August Georgia air was hot and muggy. It hadn't been so bad when she'd been on the back of Daryl's bike, but now that they'd stopped she could feel the humidity clinging to her skin. She unbuckled her helmet. He hung it from the handlebars before he helped her climb off of the bike and stuck a fresh water bottle in the holder on the side of her backpack.
It was almost 3 in the afternoon and they'd been on the road since 10 that morning. He'd woken her early and told her to pack a backpack for a weekend trip.
"It's Tuesday," she groaned. "And I have to go to work. Weekend trips are for, you know, weekends."
"You ain't got nowhere to be 'cept with me," he answered. "I called your boss last week, Doctor B said ya could have today, tomorrow, and Thursday off. You gotta work Saturday though, sorry."
She sat up in bed. "Seriously? You planned out a real trip?"
"Yes ma'am, you bet your pretty 'lil ass I did. Now get packin' or we ain't gonna make it in time today. You need a bathin' suit, put it on under your clothes. We're takin' my bike so make it all fit in a backpack. And wear your hikin' boots."
"Daryl Dixon, where the hell are you taking me that I need to wear a bathing suit and hiking boots?" She smiled at him. It wasn't often he surprised her, she knew him so well that she almost always picked up on his nervous habits when he was planning something and she wouldn't give up until he told her what was going on.
His only answer was a shy smirk.
After she was packed and ready to go, she waited for him by his bike. She raised a questioning eyebrow at him when he pulled a fresh bandana out of his pocket and reached towards her head.
"Do ya trust me?" he asked.
"Always," she answered without a second thought and let him tie the bandana over her eyes.
Five hours later, they'd arrived. When he took the thinly folded bandana from her eyes, she could take in her surroundings. It looked like some kind of forest preserve or park. The trees were big and old. Other than the parking lot they were in, everything look untouched by humanity. They'd headed north the entire trip, but they were still in Georgia. He'd never left the state, just the idea of being outside of Georgia made him nervous.
He grabbed her hand and led her out of the gravel parking lot, empty except for his bike. There was a small trail in the middle of the thick trees he took her up.
"Where are we?"
"You'll see," he said, never letting go of her hand. The trail made a slow slope upwards as they hiked. It was cooler in the heavy shade of the trees. The air was crisp and clean, though the humidity still had her chest heaving more than it should have been considering she was in great shape and they hiked the local woods often. There were tracks all over the place, some deer, racoon, and possum tracks she spotted without really trying. But he hadn't brought his crossbow so they weren't hunting. She could hear the trickling of running water nearby. The water, rustling leaves beneath their feet, and the birds in the trees were the only sounds heard as they walked. The silence between them was comfortable, they didn't need words to communicate.
The sun was shining brightly through a break in the trees. He led her off the main trail, onto a faintly noticeable trail heading straight for sunshine. The sound of the water was growing louder as they approached. The bright light was blinding for a moment when they left the cover of the trees. When her eyes adjusted, she could see that the water wasn't a simple creek, it was a small river pouring down into a crystal clear swimming hole from a beautiful rocky waterfall. They were standing on the gray stone a few inches from the edge of the swimming hole. She could see the smooth stone sloped down under the water for several feet until it dropped away.
When she looked at Daryl, he was giving her the nervous half smile that, no matter how many times she saw it, still gave her butterflies.
"Ya like it?" he asked.
"Like it?" she said, surprised. "I love it!" She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down until his lips met hers. She slipped off her boots, kicked off her jeans, and tossed her shirt on top of the pile so she was left in her simple black bikini. She toed the water, but it was ice cold on her hot, sweaty skin. So, she came around to the side of the water where the bottom couldn't be seen and jumped straight in. When she resurfaced, her red hair floating around her, Daryl was still standing in the same spot, watching her. "I know you didn't bring me all the way here to swim by myself. Get your pants off and get in here!"
He smiled at her, a full, real smile and stripped off his pants, leaving him in his plain brown swim trunks and the sleeveless tan button down shirt he'd been wearing all day. He jumped in next to her and pulled her bobbing form against his. Watching the water dripping from his messy hair, wrapped up in his arms in such a beautiful place, though she hadn't thought it possible, she fell a little more in love with him.
"Time to wake up, baby doll," Negan's voice whispered in her ear.
She woke with a gasp, sitting straight up as she was woken from her dreamland memory. It took a second for her to realize where she was, still in the truck on Negan's lap.
"Wow, you alright?" Negan asked.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, just startled," she told him.
"You were sleeping pretty heavy. We're home." He opened the door and held on to her as she slid off his lap, until her feet hit the ground and he jumped out behind her. "Why don't you go to your room and get changed. It's 4 now, I'll meet you in the meeting room at 6, last door at the end of the hall to the left of the auditorium. I don't think you've been in there before."
"That's fine, I'll see you there," she answered as she headed towards the old factory. She couldn't shake the image of Daryl from her head. It was a rare day when she dreamed of him these days. She'd thought of him more in the last few weeks at Sanctuary than she had in a long time. The two days they'd spent together in Northern Georgia had been some of the best memories she had. Daryl had made love to her in the water, in the small cabin he'd rented in the park, and under the stars by the campfire behind it.
Now, thinking about him like that just made her… empty. Her stomach turned and even the sun couldn't warm the chill she felt deep inside. Being on her own, she had no need for human companionship. Loneliness didn't exist when there was no one left in the world you could trust. The only person she'd needed was herself. Sanctuary was full of people, people who respected her, looked up to her, and depended on her. She couldn't be a lone wolf anymore.
At 5:45, she was ready to make her way downstairs to the meeting room. Her freshly washed and dried hair was pulled up in a neat ponytail. Tinted lip balm coated her lips, the closest thing to makeup she'd worn in three years. She was wearing a clean, well fitted pair of jeans, tighter than she would ever wear on a run. Her grey t-shirt was also well, fitted, she'd never be able to hide a gun under it. Instead of her usual combat boots, she slipped on a pair of lightly studded, distressed leather cowboy boots. They were designed more for fashion than function, but when she'd seen them sitting on a table in the market a few days ago, she couldn't resist trying them on. They fit perfectly, so she's smiled at the shopkeeper and walked off wearing them.
Sanctuary was quiet, the workers had been released an hour ago to clear out the main floor and allow a skeleton soldier crew keep the place under control. When she opened the door to the room Negan had directed her to, the rumble from the beat of the music hit her in a wave. The large, open room was already packed. Tables and chairs were set up around the edge of the room, filled with plates of food and bottles of liquor. The middle of the room was jammed full of men, all soldiers, and an assortment women were scattered between them, dancing. Some of the women were their girlfriends or wives, but most of them she recognized as prostitutes.
She scanned the room for Negan. She took a step towards his table when she spotted him, but stopped when she saw Valerie at his side. She was in a short black dress, a pound of makeup covered her face. It reminded her of the prostitutes trying to whore themselves out to the highest ranking men to earn the most points. Negan was sunk down in the chair, legs spread like he was the most relaxed and confident man in the room. He probably was. She rolled her eyes to herself, then spotted Jason and his group at another table and headed their way. With Bud gone, Jason was the closest thing she had to a friend now.
Jason looked up and waved her over with a smile when he saw her. They were at a table in the far corner where they didn't have to scream over the music to talk.
"Hi boys!" she greeted them.
"Crim!" Jason said. "Grab a chair and join us!"
She took the first chair that was offered to her. Rob, Grayson, and Toby were sitting around the table with him. She sat herself between Jason and Grayson.
"What are you find gentlemen drinking tonight?"
"Jonnie Walker," Jason held up the bottle proudly, "blue label."
"A man after my own heart," she said, snatching the bottle out of his hand and filling a clean glass with it. She emptied half the glass in one gulp.
"You know, this is the good stuff, you're supposed to savor it."
"Oh I did," she grinned at him. "So, what are we talking about?"
"Toby was just telling us about the one time he went out with Bud," Grayson said. "Finish telling the story man!"
"We was out in the woods," Rob said and laughed to himself. His southern drawl was thick and slow. He knocked back the last swig of his whiskey and set his glass down. Jason refilled it for him. "He went into this house, tol' me to wait outside so I did. A minute later, he comes a runnin' out there like his ass was on fire, and a bunch of fat dead women in muumuus were right behin' him, chasin' him out. There were like, 12 of these things, I dunno how they all fit in that little trailer. He'd a never got up if one of them got on top!"
The table was cracking up, she downed the rest of her tall glass and poured herself another. The whistling beat to one of her favorite songs filled the room.
"I love this damn song!" she shouted to them. She wasn't drunk, yet, that would take a few more drinks, but she could feel the buzz kicking in and she was relaxing. The whiskey was running through her veins and she wanted to dance. "Excuse me boys, I'm going to dance!"
She pushed her way to the dance floor and was rocking her hips when Jason moved up behind her.
"One of your favorite songs, huh?" he had to shout into her ear over the music.
"Yeah, I loved this band!" she turned her head so he could hear her. "I had tickets to their concert, was supposed to go 3 days after the world went to shit. Go fucking figure. Why? You like them too?"
"You could say that."
She was about to ask him what that meant when the first lyric began in and he sang along, his lips hovering over her ear.
"Oooh. Oh."
Crimson, shocked to the point her jaw actually dropped a little, whipped around to face him, she stood still in the wave of drunks dancing around them.
"Oh my god! I knew I recognized you! You're the Jason, Jason Anderson from," she exclaimed, but he cut her off when he leaned towards her, shouting over the music but quiet enough that no one else could hear him.
"Shhh! No one knows. It's a secret," he smiled and winked at her. She could smell the whiskey on his breath. He closed the distance between them, close enough to sing to her and rocked to the beat. She laughed, covering her mouth with one hand and moved her hips with his, chest to chest. He was Jason Anderson, vocalist and guitarist for one of her favorite bands, Pop Goes the Devil. She hadn't recognized him with the longer, shaggy hair and thick beard. He'd always been clean shaven before. Celebrities didn't matter anymore, but that didn't stop the giddiness she got from her fan girl moment.
"Just shoot for the stars if it feels right
And aim for my heart if you feel like it
Take me away and make it okay
I swear I'll behave"
He was singing to only her. She could understand not wanting anyone else to know. The Saviors may not be so receptive to a guy who was famous for an amazing falsetto. Most of Negan's men were nobodies before the apocalypse and nobodies were often jealous of somebodies.
"You wanted control so we waited
I put on a show now we're naked
You say I'm a kid my ego is big
I don't give a shit and it goes like this"
She leaned in closer to him, though there wasn't much space between them, and joined in the chorus. Before the world went to shit, her favorite Saturday nights included whiskey at the nicer bar in town, and dancing and singing along to her favorite songs on the crowded dance floor. Depending on how much whiskey she consumed, dancing on top of the bar may or may not have been included. And Daryl was always sitting at the bar watching her, occasionally knocking out the first guy that got more handsy than he liked, but she didn't want to think about that part.
"Take me by the tongue and I'll know you
Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I don't need to try to control you
Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
Baby it's hard when you feel like
You're broken and scarred
Nothing feels right, but when you're with me
I make you believe that I've got the key
Oh, so get in the car we can ride it
Wherever you want get inside it
And you want to steer, but I'm shifting gear
I'll take it from here oh yeah yeah and it goes like this
Take me by the tongue and I'll know you
Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I don't need to try to control you
Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger"
Jason was silent when the song kicked over the the female vocalist that had collaborated for this song. He smiled as she sang. She knew she had a damn good voice, but it was the whiskey that gave her the courage to sing in front of him alone. Him, Jason fucking Anderson. Their bodies still swayed together, in tune with the music. She was starting to get hot, a bead of sweat was dripping down her back. She pulled the band from her hair to let down her long dark auburn locks.
"You want to know how to make me smile
Take control, own me just for the night
But if I share my secret you're gonna have to keep it
Nobody else can see this
So watch and learn I won't show you twice"
She ran her hands from her hips, up her sides, over her neck, ending with a flip of her hair.
"Head to toe, ooh baby, rub me right
But if I share my secret you're gonna have to keep it
Nobody else can see this"
She turned around, her back pressed into his chest while he joined back in for the final chorus. They moved together in perfect rhythm to the beat.
"And it goes like this
Take me by the tongue and I'll know you
Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you all the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I don't need to try to control you
Look into my eyes and I'll own you with them moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger
I've got the moves like Jagger"
She was laughing so hard at the end of the song that she could barely breathe. Really, who would have thought that all she need to meet, dance, and sing with the vocalist of one of her favorite bands was the end of the world? She certainly hadn't thought it, until now. They continued to dance as the next song started up, her back pressed into his chest, his hands on her hips as they rocked back and forth.
"I can't believe this. Seriously, this is insane! I can't believe I didn't recognize you sooner, even under all that scruff!" She leaned her head back on his shoulder so he could hear her.
He didn't have a chance to answer her, a firm grip on her arm pulled her away from him and straight into a very familiar chest. Negan. He didn't say anything, but his face didn't exactly look pleased as he led her off the dance floor, through the doors, and into the hallway. When the door shut behind them, she yanked her arm out of his grasp. She looked around, the halls were empty, they were alone.
"Is there a problem?" she asked him. She wasn't angry, but she was curious. He'd been sitting with his last remaining wife only minutes ago.
"How fucking drunk are you right now, baby doll?" he asked, his tone wasn't dangerous, but it was right on the edge. A nudge could send him in either direction.
"I'm a little buzzed, but I'm not drunk. It takes a lot more than one glass of whiskey to get me drunk. Now answer my question. Is there a problem?"
"Of course there's a god damn problem. I, and every other guy in the room with a fucking hard on for you, which is most of 'em, just watched you rubbing yourself all over that half-wit Jason and I sure as shit didn't like it." He took a step towards her, she leaned back against the wall, the brick was ice cold on her sweaty back.
"I don't see how that's a problem. I'm not your wife. Her, you left in there." She pointed a thumb at the door.
"Valerie ain't my wife anymore. She's officially fucking dismissed. I told her to pack up her shit and move back down to the general population tonight. I told you she was a shitty wife."
Crimson's heart was pounding in her chest. Negan dismissed Valerie? That meant there were no more wives. The last reason she had to say no to him was gone. How had that happened so fast? She looked up at him, locking his eyes with her own.
"So, you're saying…" she started, but he cut her off.
"That you don't have any more fucking excuses to stop me from doing this." His strong hand grabbed the back of her head and crushed his lips to hers. His tongue demanding entrance and she met it with her own, pushing into him, closing all space between them. Both of his hands gripped her ass, lifting her effortlessly from the floor. Her head was spinning. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He back pressed against the brick as he pinned her there, grinding his hard length into her core. His lips found the hollow of her neck. Her fingers gripped his hair as she moaned.
"Fuck," he growled. "You make another noise like that and I'm going to rip those pants off and fuck you right here.
"No," she panted. "You're going to take me up to your room. Now. And you can fuck me all night long." She pulled his head back by his hair so she could look him in the eye. "You've been talking an awfully big game, I want to see you back that up."
"Oh, baby doll, I'm going to make you come so fucking hard you won't walk straight for a week."
"I want to make sure we're clear on something." She brought his face to hers, her breath caressing his cheek. "I'm not a one night stand, or a multi-night fling. If we do this, I'm it. Some other hot things comes along later, you don't get to rebuild your haram, and you don't get to toss me aside. If you cheat on me, I'll cut your cock off and feed it to the dead guys on the fence."
He grinned at her, "Crystal fucking clear. That perfect little pussy of yours is all I fucking need."
Her legs didn't leave his waist and their lips never parted even as he carried her to the elevator.
A/N: The song is Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5