Chapter Fourteen

I sat across from Simon, food settling in the bowl in front of me as it turned cold. I sniffled as blood began to well up inside of my noise in a nose bleed again, it was quickly wiped away as Simon paused to watch me. His own bruised face seemed to shine through the boarded and cracked windows of Sanctuary. The bleeding had stopped from the gunshot in his shoulder but I could tell he was still in immense pain from it

The Warehouse had been cleared out for the last twenty minutes, we had walked in and the crowd parted like water as we all awaited Negan's return from Alexandria.

"Why didn't you just leave me?" Simon asked as he put down his fork.

I stared down at my hands, dried blood still staining them.

"Stop asking that. Negan would kill me if I let you die, Simon."

"Melaney- "

"Please stop asking me questions." I sighed and placed my hand over the bite mark on my arm as he nodded in response.

3 DAYS EARLIER

"What is this?"

I was standing in Negan's bedroom as he lounged on the bed with Lucille next to his hip, he looked at me blankly before smiling at the garments on the bed.

"Clothes? What's it look like?"

"Why?"

"Why am I giving you clothes?"

"Yeah."

"Because you've fuckin' ruined the two dresses I gave you."

I looked down at the said ruined dress and scuffed up heels, he noticed the expression on my face and sat up on his elbows.

"Visiting Daryl every day in that dirty ass cell has taken a toll on your wardrobe and damn it to hell if my main girl is walking around with scuffed up shit."

"What, so I'm being demoted? Then just steal another dress."

"You say that like you wanna be my wife."

I shut up at that. Negan sighed and got up, taking my hands in his and leaving Lucille to roll down into his dip in that bed.

"Laney, I know this is hard for you Baby girl, I know. But you've been proving to be respectful and resourceful since our trip to your hometown. You've gone on three runs and haven't fucked them up. This is a promotion Baby girl."

"So?"

"So, I think you're remembering what it was like to be here. You helped Davey out from that shit show of a run last Saturday too, you could've just left him out there and bleed out on the watch. You didn't have to bring him in yourself."

"He would have died."

"Exactly. He could've died." He kissed my forehead and handed me the clothes and grabbed Lucille, "Change and meet me in the courtyard.

He left swiftly and I waited until the door closed until I threw the clothes back onto the bed and began pacing.

This was significant, far more significant than anything I could have anticipated when I came here, he had always been adamant about me wearing the dresses, I had even asked about clothes the other day and he had refused to give them back to me. 'For people, I can trust' he had said; he was trusting me again.

I stopped pacing and touched the several shirts and leggings he had laid out, they were the old clothes I had come here in…even my wetsuit that I had gotten to protect me from the sun, even my ragged button up was here. For a moment, I felt my throat tighten, he had saved my clothes after all my time. They even smelt like a mixture of me and him I realized as I held them up to my face.

He was right, I had saved Davey from death. I could have let the Savior die, there had been no reason to jump the fence and drag him back in while fighting off Walkers with my stilettos, for some reason it had been like cried blurred. Nobody had been willing to grab him, they had just stared through the fence as he cried out for help, leg broken but he was still walking on it to get back in. The line between wanting to destroy the Saviors from the inside and bringing them down wasn't even looking like a line anymore.

I shed my dress and put on my old clothes, sighing in relief when I traded the heels for my boots. I paused as I threw the dirty dress on top of the pillow, it landed right next to Lucille…Negan had left Lucille.

I grabbed the bat without thinking and exited the loft, she felt heavy in my hands as I jumped down the steps of the warehouse and went out into the courtyard where the Saviors were milling about doing their duties. I spotted Negan next to one of the older cars we had found and fixed up, both were lounging lazily against the trunk grinning and laughing.

"You forgot it." I held Lucille out to him and he smiled before taking it from me, giving me a wink.

"I know." He nodded to Simon who popped the trunk and began shuffling through it, "I've got something for you to do for me."

"Oh yeah? What?"

Simon handed me my holster of machetes and guns, I just stared at him as he held them out to me. Negan laughed as he looked between us.

"Fuckin' hell you'd think we just handed you a dead puppy from your face, Baby girl! I need you and Simon to go visit a potential trade house, scout it out for me." He took the weapons and shoved them into my arms, "I need you both armed though, don't know who the fuck runs the place."

"You want me to go out with Simon?" I looked down at my weapons and began strapping it onto me, "On a run?"

"You made me happy with Davey the other day, I think it's time you have a little wiggle room. Don't fuck this up or Daryl will pay for it."

I stared at Negan, waiting for him to laugh and take my holster away again but he didn't, I even looked to Simon to see if he was joking but Simon didn't do anything. The holster weighed down around my waist comfortably, it was a weight I had missed for a very long time. It was like being whole again.

"Good, all set. Simon, don't let anything happen to her, in four days we visit Alexandria. I want you guys back here in three."

"Got it, boss." Simon nodded and went to get in, Negan blocked me from walking to the passenger side.

He pulled me in for a tight hug and kissed me, his brown eyes seemed to soften as he smiled down at me.

"Be safe, Baby girl. I need you by my side."

"O..kay."

He walked me to my side and shut the door then waved us off. As we exited Sanctuary with Negan at the gates watching us drove away…I felt more like a failure than I had ever felt in my life.

I woke up to the sun barely setting with Simon driving us through more woods while humming to herself. I yawned and stretched, making sure he hadn't tied some part of me down to the seat.

"How long have I been out?"

"Not long, but don't fall asleep again I don't wanna wake your ass up."

"And where is Negan making us run too?"

"We're almost there." He swerved around a couple of Walkers in the road smoothly, I watched them try and shuffle after us but ended up tripping over themselves and falling onto their broken faces, "He trusts you again, we think it's a dumb idea."

"Well you're all smarter than him then."

"He thinks you're ready for some strange fucking reason- "

"Fuck off Simon."

"Fake bravado, I can appreciate that. Better keep more of it where we're going."

"And that is where fucking exactly?" I watched him shrug and it made me uneasy, "Negan didn't come for a reason."

Simon just remained silent for a moment before looking at me and smiling politely.

"What was it like in Alexandria?"

"It was good…I liked it until you guys came and fucked everything up." I rolled my eyes and he pulled off the road and into some dirt.

"Get the guns out of the trunk, we've got a couple mile walk to go through there." He hid the keys under the tire as I got out and grabbed the rifles, "Grab the bag of food!"

I watched Simon go off a little way to pee and for a second I let my hand wander to my machete; I could steal the car and kill him and drive back to Alexandria. I could not be a total failure, I could-

Simon handed me a bottle of water as he traded the rifle I had for the shotgun before shouldering it and sticking another pistol in the back of his pants. I followed him into the forest and left my thoughts behind me.

After ten minutes of walking through brush and woods behind Simon I stepped up next to him.

"What's with this group?"

"What?"

"What are we scouting for exactly? Usually Negan does this, takes in a whole army."

"Scouting, who the hell…fuck, I forget you used to be with us." Simon stopped for a second then laughed, "Rumored survivors, it's what Davey was coming back from before he got attacked on the highway."

"He's still knocked out cold…we're the second wave team?"

"Poor choice sending an idiot like that out, we're here to finish what he started. Negan has better things to do than this shit, you know that." He gave me a look, "You know more than I do about this crap though, you've been with Negan longer, you know the plans."

We began to track downhill, mud and leaves slipping under us. Simon held out a hand as we jumped across a stream and back onto level ground.

"It's not a big place, simple shit. Negan said it's a possible enemy too."

"Head count, buildings…we're sneaking in, aren't we?"

"Yep. Shit girl, you sure you're with that pansy ass group back there? You act more like us the longer you're around."

"I'm here to make sure Daryl stays alive. That's it."

Simon huffed and we continued in silence, stopping every hundred feet to drink and rest. We were taking a break on a rock, eating some fruit he had packed along when Simon looked at me up and down.

"Steven told me that you had run away when Negan beat the hell out of you."

I stopped eating and stared. He didn't' look like he was mocking me, he looked genuinely curious. I sighed.

"Yeah. He killed my parents, it was my breaking point."

"What's it like? Lucille?"

"It hurt, he hit me with the handle but it still hurt like hell. Split my face, made my eye swell up and did a number to my body I can't even remember." I touched the scar on my face, "He changed after that, I can see it now that I'm back again."

Simon whistled low.

"Damn sorry to see that."

"Behind you!" I shot up and drew my machete, Simon immediately dropped to a crouch and drew his gun.

Four Walkers came stumbling out of the trees, oblivious to us. Simon nodded to me and took his knife out, we cut through them together easily. The last one I got creative with and used both of my machetes to slice off its head. I was rusty, I hadn't fought like this in a long time.

"Damn, two handed samurai. Good thing we took those away when we did."

"He taught me."

"Who?"

"Negan. He taught me everything, showed me how to use them and taught me how to kill."

"Fuckin' sucks. Can't win in a fight against him then, like punchin' a mirror." Simon laughed and we wiped off our weapons in the dirt and continued our walk.

We finally came to the hill overlooking the rundown buildings Negan had directed Simon to. We were hiding underneath a bush, Simon had his binoculars out while I was keeping watch, listening to him mutter under his breath was annoying though.

"No movement outside for the past fifteen minutes." He put the binoculars down and stayed quiet, "Not even one fucking guard."

"It's almost nighttime."

"So?"

"Dinner time? Sanctuary eats at like what, nine or ten? There's no more bedtimes for us anymore, Simon."

"Could be right." He looked through again as I turned back to watch the trees. I paused as I saw a shadow move behind a cluster of branches.

"Simon. Movement." I whispered as I raised my gun and nudged him.

"How far away?" he replied, not moving from his position.

"I don't fucking know, almost of out my line of sight." I looked through my scope and still saw nothing, Simon got up and began loading his pistol up, "What- "

"Stay here. I shoot three times, you run back to the car."

"No."

"Yes, you will. Negan put me in charge of your ass." He whispered and cocked his gun, "Three times non-stop, you go and get help."

"…Okay."

He handed me the food bag and I put it on as he got up and disappeared towards where I saw the movement from, he took care to duck into the shadows as the sun continued to go down. I had the strange moment again, I could run back to the car anyways right now and go back to Alexandria and leave Simon stranded out here.

But I wouldn't do that, I was too tense hiding in this bush, I could hear crickets and everything else in the dead silence. I scanned in front of me, trying to listen for Simon some more. My heart jumped in my throat as I heard a frog belt out somewhere to my left. Fuck, I hated being alone.

"Don't move."

There was a sudden cold pressure in the middle of my back. I stilled and felt the air around me grow cold as I was beckoned up with the gun pressing into my back. The man behind me struggled to get through the bush to where I was. He must have scaled the hill with invisible feet somehow for us not to hear him.

"Lower your weapon."

I set the rifle down slowly, feeling the gun leave my back for a second as he managed to get one leg over the bush.

In one motion, I twirled the machete out of the holster and sliced his hand open, immediately he cried out and dropped the gun. I kicked him in the ribs and slammed the hilt of the sword into him blindly. He fell back and disappeared back down the hill, screaming bloody murder.

"SIMON! AMBUSH!" I screamed towards him, my voice sounded like a demon as I screamed again to run, where ever he was.

There was a shot in the air followed by a second almost immediately. I took off towards the sound, he did say to run at three and since there was no third then I was going in.

I ran up on Simon fighting bare knuckled with two other men, his weapons were kicked all over the place as they teased him with tasers and stun guns, moving in a slow circle smiling. I swung out with the machete, attempting to cut his hand off but a third man stepped into my line of vision and hit me in the knee, throwing me to the ground and nearly landing on my weapon myself. He shoved a stun gun into my neck and I screamed before my body convulsed in agony.

I couldn't describe it, it was just white, hot-cold searing pain. When the man stood over me, taser I hand, I watched Simon take one to the chest as he tried to punch one guy in the face. He struggled to stay standing and turn around to take off but a jab to his back sent him to the ground like me. The man over me threw me over his shoulder as he jolted me for a second time, making me see stars. My muscles felt like jelly and I was pretty sure I was drooling, I was too far gone to even say Fuck You. Before I passed out on the brute's shoulder, I saw Simon being dragged after us by the foot.

Negan wasn't going to be happy.

The Next Afternoon

I woke up groggy, like I had drunk too much the day before but even worse. My body was sore and I was freezing. I stayed laying on the tile floor as my vision began to focus again very slowly.

Simon was sitting next to me, passed out leaning up against a wall. I stayed on the ground as my senses came to me, there was a weight on my ankle and- oh fuck I felt like I had been drugged or took too much fucking drugs, some shit like that. I felt like shit, fuck.

I rolled to my back in agony, hearing chains rattle at my feet as I focused on breathing. In a cell again, anyone could figure that out. It smelt like sweat, blood and dirt all around me, like the floor was stained with it. I numbly threw my hand toward Simon, hitting him in his side which jolted him out of his drugged sleep too.

"Si…Simon." I whispered, my mouth was so dry I could barely say his name.

He didn't make any response so I let my head rest back on the ground, hair covered my face as my body strained to keep up with me moving around. I allowed myself to pass out again.

A few minutes later I was woken up by a slap to my forehead. My world vibrated for what felt like hours before I looked up to see Simon awake and alert as he had ever been, he jabbed my shoulder this time as a resounding 'Chop' was heard outside the cell we were in. We couldn't see anything through the bars, just a blank wall. He immediately went limp and closed his eyes as we heard someone begin to drag something our way; I watched through my hair as the figure dragged a bag past us and continue down the hall. It had left a red stain.

"Shh." Simon shook his head as I tried to get up. I stayed on the ground, turning towards him with my back to the bars

"Simon, what- "

"Be quiet Laney."

I obeyed and we sat there listening, hearts racing as we heard doors open and close and things move around once more as the person came back in and past our cell. I gagged as the smell of blood and sweat hit me once more as another door opened next to our cell.

"The pets are awake!" a voice boomed out and echoed around us.

Simon opened his eyes finally as I felt people come up to the cell, I flinched and got up as well, my body was finally responding right. A man around twenty-eight, incredibly good looking and resembling Morrissey like no other was smiling at us through the bars.

"Well, well little lady look who's up." he watched me slide up next to Simon's side before he cleared his throat and looked to someone out of sight," You mind grabbing the yellow one, Anthony?"

He was attractive and the gun strapped to his hip wasn't his, it was mine.

"So, caught you two snoopin' on our property, not very happy about that honestly. I don't even know who you are." He shrugged as a massive guy with a dead expression on his face came into view and dropped a mutilated body at the guy's feet, "So…you probably know what happens to intruders now. This."

"Meat." Anthony the butcher voiced, giving a toothy grin.

"I don't like lying to people, doesn't really build up a sense of trust so I'm going to be honest with you. You're gonna be killed, used for meat, there's no use hunting anymore and we already went through your food bag so, I'm sorry."

"You're cannibals." Simon voiced and the guy wiped blood off his shoe as Anthony dragged the blonde woman's carcass away.

"Hot dog day is in a couple days and she had tainted skin, all those tattoos you know, and I'm pretty sure there was some funky disease going on down there but you two are actually pretty dang fine looking. Just a hot lady and a hunk." He winked at us, "I'm Lenoi. First though, I'm going to need to know who you guys are and why you were spying on us."

"We weren't-"

"You had binoculars and guns. I'm not stupid girl, I graduated college on the dean's list so I know my way around tricks." Lenoi snapped at me before sighing and taking out a walkie from his pocket, "I'll be back in a minute and I'm not going to be nice about asking questions anymore."

He left quickly, Simon and I let out a sigh of relief before I began to freak out next to him, body shaking in anxiety as my mind raced.

"What the fuck are we going to do?!" I barely kept it at a whisper as I jerked the chain around my leg, "We need to get out of these fucking things!"

Simon's hands were bound together in his lap and he watched me shake some more in anxiety before slapping my own hands.

"Shut up! We have at least two days before they kill us, you heard him. We fuck him up the last day."

"What kind of fucking plan- "

I was interrupted by the door opening with Lenoi lazily walking back in with water and two plates of food and pills.

"We don't know what the last thing you guys ate and I don't really want to know so these pills are just cleansing pills, got some food and water for you." He gave the trays to two armed guards out of sight, "First, you need to tell me what you were doing on my hunting grounds before you can eat."

"Hunting." I spoke up and Simon nodded in agreement, "You have deer in these woods, right?"

"When the Corpses aren't milling about we do." Lenoi seemed to buy the answer.

"We tracked one to here but lost sight of it since it was dark. You guys ambushed us…with tasers."

"We don't like tainting potential meat with buck-shots or bullets." Lenoi explained then unlocked the cell doors, "We'll be transferring you guys to our other lockers to eat and sleep, keep you cool."

He came and unlocked our chains, letting us rub circulation back into our arms and legs before carefully standing up.

"Watch your step." Simon whispered as Lenoi beckoned us to follow him.

I stepped over the blood trail as we followed into a meat locker. Bodies of people, kids and animals were hung up like cows in a slaughter house all around us. I covered my mouth and nose as we went up a stair well and through another door. Lenoi grabbed a clipboard off a door and smiled at us before opening it up.

"Home sweet home. So, for the hunk over here we'll be using your fattier parts on your body so you don't have to worry about working out to look good for us. As for you girl, your body is pretty much perfect. Breasts, thighs, ass…looks all good to us. Anything you guys have that we should know about?"

"Herpes."

"AIDS."

Lenoi looked at us before laughing and writing it down on the clipboard.

"Good ones. Usually I get like 'cancer' or 'shingles' but those were better. More believable. Alright, my guys here will see to you shedding your stuff so we can monitor you better."

"Shed our stuff?" I looked to Simon.

"Strip. Now." Lenoi sighed and had the guard motion with his gun and I froze. Simon shielded me from them as they stepped closer.

"What for? What do you mean by fuckin' monitoring us?"

"Make sure you're not trying to hide shit on you to kill yourself or us. Strip now." One guard rolled his eyes and pushed Simon away and reached for me.

"N-no!" I tried to side step him but he just grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back and slammed me on the bed, spreading my legs apart and holding me down, I screamed again.

"Hey! Hey what the fuck do you think you're doing!?" Simon fought against the other guard as I began to cry as the guard on top of me wrestled with my shirt, "Melaney, Laney calm down it's okay!"

"Hold her down harder, she's just a chick." Lenoi seemed annoyed as he moved to help hold Simon back.

"Simon!" I cried out as the guy gave up on my shirt and reached around to my belt.

"FUCKING STOP!" Simon screamed as the guy ripped my pants down to my boots and decided to tear my shirt in half with his knife swiftly, "You mother fuckers!"

Simon punched the guard in the mouth, Lenoi ducked out of the way and backed up to the door, watching us with fascination. Simon jumped to me and ripped the other off me. I slid down to the ground crying, pants around my ankles with my ripped shirt hanging open, exposing my back. I sobbed into the scratchy blanket as Simon stood over me. The guards were pissed and aimed to fire.

"I go first, let me give you my shit first. You don't just go around ripping women's close off, fucking monsters." He spit at them and took off his shirt as they lowered their weapons, "See? She'll do it after."

Simon stripped down to his boxers, chucking his boots at their heads on purpose but they just brushed it off.

"Melaney, take it off sweetheart, I'm right here." Simon touched my head softly and I refused to budge, "Melaney, please."

He helped me stand up, blocking me from them as he carefully ripped the shirt to take it off easier. He bent down and undid my laces and slid the boots off, letting me take my own pants off before hiding behind him in my own underwear.

"There, you have our shit. Now fuck off."

"Not yet. Need a medical evaluation." Lenoi opened the door and whistled, a minute later Anthony the butcher came through with a small metal rod.

I began to shake and even Simon was wary.

"Do the guy first, chick will flip out." The guard tossed our stuff into the hallway and Simon stepped forward bravely.

The butcher poked and prodded Simon, muttering things to himself before highlighting things on the clipboard Lenoi had earlier. He turned Simon's face to the side and peered into his eyes before opening his mouth and grabbing his tongue. Simon gagged but the butcher seemed content.

"Her." The butcher shoved Simon away and Simon put his hand on my shoulder.

"Just close your eyes, I'm right behind you okay? I'll be right here."

I screwed my eyes shut and held my breath as the butcher began to prod me too. The metal was cold on my thighs, when he pinched my sides, commenting on 'meat' or 'no meat here' I felt like I wanted to vomit. I began to shake again as the butcher hands followed the metal rod over my back and across my chests.

It ended swiftly after the rod pressed against my ass, the butcher seemed excited there. Simon pulled me back behind him roughly, guarding me again.

"Stay behind me."

Lenoi took the clipboard from the butcher, he looked pleased at what he saw.

"Thighs, chest and your ass are the main qualities about you. No use for hands or back though," he winked at me, "You, on the other hand, make fine lean meat though, could probably stretch you out for days."

Simon didn't say anything to that, he didn't even move.

"Leave us." Lenoi handed the clipboard to the butcher and they closed the door behind them, "Please take a seat."

We sat on the single bed and Simon pulled the covers over me, Lenoi waited patiently.

"You two seem like strong people, which is why I'm sorry to do this to you two. But from the weapons we got off you and the amount of fresh food we found in your bag…I know you two come from someplace big. I know you weren't hunting in my area, no deer come through here anymore." Lenoi adjusted his collared shirt, "So, I'm going to ask you. Who are you and where do you come from?"

"We-" Simon started but Lenoi waved him off.

"I want to hear it from her."

Lenoi got up and walked to me, crouching in front of me and putting a hand over my exposed knee, Simon made a move to push him away but I stayed still. Lenoi had blue eyes, it looked like his irises were lined with gold. I leaned forward very slowly, almost nose to nose. Lenoi inched back.

"I am Negan…we are all Negan."

I smashed my forehead against his nose, Lenoi yelped and fell back on his ass. I laughed as the guards rushed in and aimed at us. Lenoi got up, holding his bleeding nose, staring at Simon and I wide eyed.

"You'll pay for that." Lenoi left, flipping us off and the guards closed the doors, locking us in.

The sun filtered in though a half-boarded skylight, Simon got up and let out a deep, slow breath.

"That was fucking awesome…but we need to do something." He took the trays from the floor and began eating, I stared at him, "What? They're going to be killed in a day or two, might as well eat their food and shit everywhere."

"So, you're saying to sit and wait pretty much until Negan comes?"

"No offense Laney but sitting like a bitch every once in a while, has its rewards."

"I'm not waiting for Negan to come and save me, he won't even come looking until we're missing in three days. He gave us two days, Simon. We're going to be killed in two." I got up and paced around the room.

"Melaney."

"What?"

"As much as I like a woman's ass in my face, I would appreciate it if you sit down." He rolled his eyes and I sat next to him again, he handed me my food as he drank from the jug of water, "I can see why he's so fond of you still."

"Negan?"

"You're his life, Melaney. Sure, the twisted bastard has Wives but I've never heard or seen him fuck one of them before. He doesn't even touch them."

"He says he does all the time." I mumbled and honestly, why should I care if Negan did or not…but I did care.

"What he says ain't always true. It's just part of his charm. But you're strong too, you cry for a bit and then you're ready for action, revenge. Almost just like him."

We both looked up as somebody screamed in the hallway, I dropped the tray of food and the ceramic broke. The scream was followed by the crackle of tasers and stun guns before it went dead silent. I grabbed one of the sharper pieces off the floor as Simon shoved more food in his mouth.

"Grab whatever you can, we take them out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

"Simon, you can bitch and moan all you want but I refuse to be made into hot dogs. There can't be more than fifty people here, this place is small. We've taken out more than one hundred in safe camps on half assed runs."

"We?"

"You. The Saviors." I corrected myself but Simon just smiled anyways and shrugged.

"Whatever you say girl, but you got it."

He broke off some of the tongs on the fork and held up his new knife. Now we had to wait.

MORNING

The guard dropped to the floor holding his neck together as blood poured out like a river. Simon stood over him cursing about the broken weapon jammed in the guards…well, what was left of his mangled neck.

"Next time pull him off me before you slit a dude's throat." I hissed, wiping the arterial spray off me as I got up from the bed.

"Then maybe you should've went with my plan. Didn't have to get him in here with you half naked and ready." Simon shot back as we stripped the guard of our stolen weapons.

I cocked my pistol and grabbed the taser off his belt as Simon lovingly gripped his rifle. He kicked the dead man in the arm before he opened the door and peeked out.

"I hear the butcher down there singing." He whispered as we began to slowly move out.

"The gun will be too loud, we'll have to surprise attack him too." I muttered, trying to wipe the blood off me more and testing the taser, "Watch your step."

Simon looked down right as he stepped in a blood smear, he made a face but we continued down. So far, the plan was going good, Simon had pretended to kill me and the guard had rushed in and bam, here we were.

We stopped at the bottom and peered around, the butcher had his back to us and was skinning an upside-down corpse. The blood at his feet had to be an inch-thick Simon squatted and ducked under the table closest to us and gestured to the taser in my hand before jerking back at the butcher who was still oblivious to us. I gripped the taser in my hand until it was hot.

"HEY!"

The butcher jumped in surprise and dropped the skin he was holding and the meat slicer. I jumped at him and blindly threw the taser into him. The heavy apron absorbed the shock into his thigh and he slipped on the blood, going down to the floor. I yelled to Simon as we splashed around in the blood, trying to find our footing and not gag at the stench.

Simon came over and slammed a meat pounder into the side of the butcher's head as I dove for my taser in the blood, the butcher went down and I jabbed him in his throat. He opened his mouth to scream but nothing came out, he grabbed my arm as he began to convulse from the electricity, I felt a jolt go through my arm and I slammed myself back away from him. Simon finally stuck a knife into the butcher's skull before helping me up off the floor. The butcher laid there on the floor bleeding out into the other pool of blood, looking at us with wide eyes.

"God you're slimy." Simon grabbed a dry cloth and tried to wipe off the fried blood all over my body but gave up, "We need to get out of here, no more surprise attacks from you though."

"Yeah, I've probably got some disease now." I agreed quietly.

We left the room of death quickly and entered bright sunlight outside. I attempted to wipe the blood off my skin and my underwear but it was useless. Simon was only slightly bloody but he looked just as ridiculous in his boxers as I did.

"We're in the furthest building, there's three more buildings until we get to the hill we got nabbed at." Simon explained as he peeked around the corner, "Two to the right, I'm guessing one is the food hall from the smell and the other must be some living shit."

"Which one do we approach first.?"

"Mess hall. Be easier to take them all out there since it's looking to be feedin' time." Simon sniffed the air and cringed, "Human meat doesn't smell nice at all. Shit."

"What?"

"Guard just went into the mess hall, almost saw me." He laughed and winked at me, "Lucky day."

"You're going to kill me."

"Move out."

We sprinted to the side of the mess hall and hid behind the trash cans as Simon peered through his scope to view the other building across the way.

"Curtains closed, no movement. I say now or never."

I clicked the taser on and cocked my pistol in the other hand as Simon checked his bullet, Simon winked and we got up and walked to the entrance, leaving bloody footprints behind. Simon flung open the doors and I came up behind him to see about fifty people sitting at tables eating a human corpse.

"Chow time ladies and gentlemen!" Simon smiled.

"Intruder!" The one and only guard in the entire cafeteria got up and ran towards us with his own gun raised, "Weapons own!"

Simon and I shared a look as he charged us, he shot him in the head without looking at him and the guards' weapons slid across the ground towards us as he fell like a rock.

The people began to scream.

I grabbed the assault weapon from the ground and we sprayed the entire hall with bullets. We moved around as adults, and only adults, ran around the room trying to escape. They fell in groups and even tried to charge us but it didn't work. It felt better than anything I had been through, to be able to see these pathetic beings run around fearing for their lives while the flayed open body of a young teenager bled out over their tables.

I ran to block the kitchen door and tackled an older man wearing Simon's holster. I smashed the butt of the gun into his nose and was immediately pulled off by other cannibals. Simon aimed and they're heads popped open and fell besides me. I grabbed Simon's belt off the man and turned around just in time to see an injured cannibal run out the front door as Simon engaged in a fist fight with more people.

"Simon! Hurry up!" I screamed at him and he sliced them in the stomach before taking off after the escapee.

I took care of the rest of the people, I didn't care anymore about the blood, new and old, surrounding my feet as I slaughtered the cannibals. I felt nothing. There was a shout outside and I ran out, tossing my used pistol to the side along with the taser.

Lenoi was holding Simon against his chest, gun to his head as my holster of machetes was wrapped around the lead cannibal's waist. I felt anger begin to bubble inside of me as they backed up each time I came forward. I aimed at his head but he quickly moved behind Simon.

"Melaney, we can talk about this like rational human beings. Honestly, I think you over reacted the way you two did."

I shot at his feet and Lenoi yelped in surprise.

"That was a warning. Release him and I'll let you go run off into the woods." I kicked the shell casing at my feet away and aimed again.

"You'd sacrifice- "

"He's not one of my men." I cut him off and Simon looked at me, "Whether he dies or not I don't really care at this point, but he did help get me out so…"

"You mother fucker!" Simon spit at me and I shrugged.

"I'm thankful you got me out Simon, but if you thought I was going back to Sanctuary after this, when there's a car not to far from here…then you're dumber than your dead brother."

"Then we- "

"Shut up Lenoi, I still want you dead. I have cover to the left of me, let's think rationally. You have nothing, all you have is Simon and even then, that's not much cover. Let Simon go, or I will end your life."

"That's not how- "

"I warned you." I whispered as Lenoi continued to talk.

I pulled the trigger and they both went down, Lenoi fell backwards with a thump and Simon fell on his face. I walked to Lenoi as Simon rolled onto his back and groaned in pain, holding his shoulder as it bled out. I kicked Lenoi's gun away from him as he gasped for breath, trying to hold his shoulder together from the bullet hole.

I kneeled on his chest and took my machete from his waist, holding it to his throat.

"Bitch." He glared at me.

"I don't give more than two warnings."

Lenoi punched me in the side and elbowed my head back until he rotated himself on top of me. I shoved my fingers in the hole in his shoulder and he screamed before he bit into my forearm and tore skin. I shoved my knife into his side and pulled it to the left. Lenoi screamed, blood poured out of his mouth and onto my face.

"Cover your eyes." Simon came up and I closed them as he blew Lenoi's head off.

The fearless cannibal leader fell next to me, Simon held his hand out to me and pulled me up as Walkers began to descend from the hills around us, attracted by the gunfire and screams.

"We gotta get out of here." He held his shoulder as I grabbed my weapons from Lenoi's corpse and fit them around me again.

I nodded and winced as I tried to stop my arm from bleeding, he had bit deep and hard, fuck it hurt. I followed Simon weakly back to the woods, both of us were so exhausted and in pain. We paused to see Walkers enter the buildings and a few screams could be heard from the mess hall but they were silenced quickly.

We collapsed in the car seats what seemed like years later, half naked and heaving until the pain hurt us too much. Simon looked at me as he started the car.

"You could have just left me there, shot me in the head and killed him instantly instead."

"I wasn't going to leave you there, I didn't mean any of it." I sighed and rested my head against the glass as he pulled out and we started off down the road in silence.

An hour later, we were certainly a sight to see as we sped into Sanctuary and got out, naked and covered in bruises, dirt, and blood that was a mix of god knows who.

The Saviors gasped at us as we walked towards the Warehouse, holding our injuries as tight as we could.

"Where's Negan?" Simon asked as Saviors opened the Warehouse for us.

"He'll be back in an hour, he went to Hilltop."

"Let him know we're here, get the Doctor and some food for us, everyone else CLEAR OUT!" Simon nodded and the Saviors in the warehouse milling about obeyed immediately.

We sat at a clean table and I looked up as Amber rushed in with a couple of the cooks.

"Melaney! Oh my god are you alright?" She tried to reach out and touch me but I pulled away.

"I'm fine, Simon said to clear out though…don't want you in trouble." I turned away and rested my head on the table as the Doctor was brought in.

I felt Amber stay for a second before walking out, her heels were the loudest thing in my head as I closed my eyes and let the Doctor grab my arm.

I woke up from my pained sleep in time to hear Negan yell outside. Simon was still spooning soup into his mouth looking like he wanted to kill himself. He pointed to my bloody body with his spoon as I yawned.

"He's not going to be happy."

"At least you're not stained with blood, I don't even think any of its mine." I took a bite of my half-eaten sandwich again and stood up.

"You're the one that kept fucking slipping." Simon hissed back.

"MELANEY!" Negan crashed through the doors looking wild, his jacket was open and his scarf wasn't even on right. He ran to us and went to grab me and pull me in but stopped at the sight of the blood, "What the fuck happened?!"

He touched my skin softly and looked at our soiled underwear in bewilderment.

"Group ended up being disposable. Nothing we would have wanted." Simon shrugged and picked up his soup bowl, "Lost our clothes on the way."

"And all this fucking blood?!"

"Simon saved me, Negan. The run wasn't his fault, it was the group we ran into." I spoke up and Negan ran a hand through his hair, looking like he wanted to murder someone as he took me in again with his fiery eyes.

"Disposable you said?"

"Yes, Negan." Simon nodded.

"What the fuck does that fucking mean?"

"Cannibals. Laney…she killed the leader. They're done with now." Simon winked at me and I couldn't help but smile back, "Should be proud of her."

"Your arm…" Negan held my bitten arm in his, going to undo the bandage but I stopped him, "Laney…oh fuck Baby girl please don't tell me…please don't fucking…Baby…"

"I'm not. Lenoi- the leader- he bit me. I'm not infected." I shook my head and Negan let out a sigh of relief and finally pulled me into his chest in a tight hug.

I could feel him shake in relief as I wrapped my arms around him too and buried my face in his chest and inhaled.

"Simon?" Negan stifled a sniff as he turned to the half-naked man eating a bowl of soup like he wasn't in immense pain.

"Yeah?"

"…Put some fucking pants on, take a few days to rest and get that shot checked out again in the morning." Negan lowered his voice and Simon nodded.

"Thank you." I whispered to Simon as he exited with his bowl of soup, he gave a small wave before Negan looked down at me.

"They hurt you." He was rough and soft at the same time as he began to lead me back to the loft, "Gotta get you in the shower, I'll help scrub this shit off."

"I'm sorry." I felt my throat tighten and he shook his head as he led us into the bedroom and to the bathroom.

"Don't be sorry Baby girl, I was the one at fault. I sent you out on that shit mission. I should've known something was wrong with Davey coming back all fucked up." He stripped himself of his clothes before coming over to me and helping me out of my dirty underwear.

There weren't any sexual feelings as he held my face in his hands and brushed my tears away. He kissed me but it wasn't going to lead to anything more. It was just him. Just Negan. The man I had been with and the man that wanted to keep me safe…this man…

We stepped into the hot shower and the water burned away the blood and my tears as I finally began to cry from what happened. He held me close and I felt like…like I was home.

I had failed, I wouldn't be able to kill them, I was never going to be able to kill this man. Here in Negan's arms felt right, it felt like my world. But the worst part wasn't realizing that as he gently scrubbed my back and whispered how much he loved me.

No, the worst part was that I was forgetting what Alexandria felt like and who the people were there.

And I wasn't sure if I wanted to remember it at all.