A/N: Hello dear readers, thank you for checking in again! This one is a bit longer, I hope you'll enjoy!

She opened her eyes as bitter reality began to sink in. All she could feel was the cold seeping through her body, and all she could think of was how hard it would be to stand up after kneeling on the ground for so long. That is if she ever got the privilege to stand up again.

Emma looked to her right to see Maggie and Beth. There was a graze gunshot wound on the left side of Beth's temple that she had received when Dawn's gun went off and shot her sister at the hospital. It was a miracle from somewhere above that Beth survived, but Emma couldn't say the same for the former warden of Grady Memorial Hospital when pure shock and anger was sent straight into Daryl's veins and shot Dawn point blank in the head. It wasn't a loss that Emma felt any sadness over. The despotic warden governed the hospital in a ruthless and corrupt manner, no matter the new world order, and she had been damned if she allowed herself and Beth to remain there another second.

Beth was looking straight at the ground trying to remain calm, but Emma could see the youngest Greene sister slightly trembling from the cold and fear taking her body, but refused to show it on her face. Her blue eyes then flicked towards Maggie. She was barely keeping herself together and she looked so pale and so sick, and she began to fear the worst for her and her baby. She felt her heart constrict painfully at the terrible thought that she could possibly miscarry from the all of the stress in the moment. Emma blinked away her tears and held onto Maggie's hand in reassurance as she tried to block out the fear surging in her veins. Without moving her head, Emma then flicked her eyes towards Rick. He looked so shocked and defeated. He couldn't believe that this was really happening. They had been caught and there was nothing that they could do that could get them out of the situation.

Then, the Saviors began to unload out of the van. Emma and the others saw their people coming out from the trunk. They had Eugene, Rosita, Michonne, Glenn, Jack, and Daryl. Emma could hear Beth gasped at the sight of him. He looked pale and the color was drained from his face just like Maggie. He was shot and bleeding, and appeared be breathing unevenly. The moment Daryl spotted Beth, he began to struggle out of a Savior's grip that was holding him. He grunted and kicked, but it did nothing to avail, and he was forced on the ground.

The minute Glenn saw Maggie, he started yelling for her. He was nearly hysterical, eyes training on her, and Emma knew that it was taking all of his strength and being to stay still where he was. Emma had to force herself to look away. She knew deep within her heart that not all of them were going to make it out alive. She wanted to run. Just grab her sisters and run far, far away, back to before, when all of it was a bad dream. It was all pointless. There was just nothing that they could do. They were all here and they were all in danger. All they could do was just sit and wait for a man named Negan to come out the RV. Negan. The name sent chills throughout her body now. To say that she was scared was an understatement. Their group had heard so much about him, and how he was dangerous and cruel; however, there was one thing that Emma was certain about: whoever this Negan was, he was smarter and more calculating than the rest of them. Emma grimaced over how foolishly naïve she and the others had been. They had crossed his and the Saviors' territory and killed so many of their people. How could they believe that once they turned back around no one would be coming back for them. Just like the serpentine Hydra that she once read in one of her books, the moment they killed their people, more immediately came back after them. They had bitten off more than they could chew and now they were in the midst of the lions' den.

"Alright! Got a full boat! Let's meet the man!"

Then, the RV door squeaked opened.

Emma squeezed her eyes shut, silently choking on the air in her lungs. The door groaned as it was shut, before slow, controlled footsteps began to sound. He appeared to be a tall man, but he remained in the shadows as he moved closer.

"Pissin' our pants yet? Boy … do I have a feeling we're getting close."

The voice was dark, raspy and deep. The accent was different from the distinct southern drawls of Georgia, more upstate. The footsteps were deliberate, heavy, and she lifted her eyes just enough to see thick black boots. Emma forced herself to look at the man they called Negan. At first glance, he would be considered handsome. He had short dark hair that was slick back with flecks of silver shining through his rugged beard and dark eyes that gleamed almost black. He was intimidatingly tall of solid muscle and an athletic built, leering at them with a wicked smile. His bat, wound with barbed wire, rested on his shoulder with pride as he paced up and down the line. He was talking again, and how jovial he sounded over the whole affair was unnerving. Emma swallowed and straightened her back, refusing to shed any tears in front of this man.

"Yep… It's gonna be pee-pee pants city here real soon." He was mocking them and toying with their lives, and all Emma could feel was the fear suddenly boiling into anger. "Now, which one of you pricks is the leader?"

Emma tensed and clasped onto Maggie's hand tighter as he stepped closer, stopping in front of Rick.

"Hi. You're Rick, right? I'm Negan." She looked straight ahead as Negan told Rick how "fucking uncool" it was for killing so many of his men.

"You are so gonna regret crossin' me in a few minutes." A slow, deliberate vicious smile made it's away across his face as his eyes gleamed in malicious glee. "Fuck yeah you are."

He got closer to Rick's face with the bat pointedly at his face. "This is Lucille. And she is awesome. All this, is just so we can pick out which one of you gets the honor."

He swung the bat towards them, demonstrating the terrifying presence that was enforced by Lucille. Emma felt her heart sink in her chest. Slowly, she lifted her eyes watching his back as he made his way down the line, carrying on about the new world order, what their jobs were, and that they now worked for him. Once he was sure that he had gotten his word across, he began scoping the lot of them out, looking at Daryl from one end to Carl from the other. And then everything around Emma seemed to stop, time standing completely still, as Negan stopped right in front between her and Maggie. She could barely breathe, her heart pounding so hard that she thought that she might crack a rib.

"Huh. Well, what do we have here," he said as he knelt in front of them, stroking his beard as he leered at Emma. She refused to look make eye contact with him and forced herself to look at the ground. It took everything in her will power to not stare when all of a sudden she felt him drag her closer to himself, his salt and pepper beard scratching her face as he brought his lips closer to her ear.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, darlin," he whispered softly, the quiet threat threading along the line.

As much as she hated to admit it, but she knew that antagonizing him would only make the situation much worse for her and the others. Steeling herself and swallowing down her fear and pride, she glared directly up into the piercing eyes of the monster kneeling before her. Negan chuckled to himself as me moved a strand of blonde hair away from her eyes to have a better look. She appeared strong despite her small stature as he raked his eyes slowly over her body. And observant too as he realized she was watching him studying her. She was stick thin, though he did however notice that there were some curves hidden underneath her clothes. Her hair was blonde, cascading down her shoulders and framed her long neck and heart shaped face that was decorated with scars, and with a slight upturned nose. Her eyes were wide and almond shaped, a pale blue, that now held a fire within, but Negan could see the slight trepidation and fear in her orbs.

"You're a pretty little thing despite the scars, aren't you?"

Emma remained silent and raised her chin in defiance with a matching stare, trying to act like she wasn't afraid, but the rapid rise and fall of her chest betrayed her. Chuckling slightly, Negan stood up with his eyes still lingering on Emma's before turning to Maggie.

"Jesus! You look shitty," Negan smirked as he took in Maggie's weak and disheveled appearance. "I should just put you out of your misery right now."

Beth placed her hands on Maggie's shoulder and Emma immediately put her arm in front of her older sister as Glenn shouted, "No!". He tried running to her before he was caught and was beaten again, Maggie tearfully begging them to stop.

"Get him back in line." Negan said as he started to chuckle before turning serious.

"All right, listen. Don't any of you do that again. I will shut that shit down, no exceptions. First one's free. It's an emotional moment, I get it."

How could someone be so jovial one second and then bat an eye and become something so terrifying? Emma thought to herself with a shudder. She wasn't sure what scared her the most if it was just for show or if this man was really insane. Whatever psychopathic mechanisms this man had it was clear that there was a method to his madness. It was as though he was using this enigmatic and jovial charisma that masked something ruthless and sinister underneath as he mocked, cursed, and intimidated them. Emma knew that this was hell on earth, and that she had now come face to face with the devil himself.

She watched Negan looking at each and everyone one of them once more, but it looked like he couldn't decide. Everyone tried to keep calm and remain quiet as the leader of the Saviors walked among them to and fro from one end to the other. He actually appeared that he was amused watching them fidget under his stare and keeping their heads down to not meet his gaze, pointing Lucille at each and every one of them. Finally, Rick had had enough with the games as Negan got closer to Carl again and figured out two and two together that he was his son.

"Just stop this!" Rick shouted, losing any shed of self-control he had left as panic began to visibly take over. His eyes were wide and his whole body was trembling. It was though being caught and belittled by Negan had stripped their leader of his confidence and all that was left was a shell of who he was.

"Hey! Do not make me kill the future little serial killer! Don't make it easy on me!" Negan admonished, as if the idea actually pained him. "I gotta pick somebody. Everybody's in line waiting for me to order."

That wicked smile of his appeared once again, as he paced back and forth in front of the lineup again, whistling to himself. A simple mocking little tune that Emma knew would resonate in her head as a recurring nightmare if she or anyone else survived what they all thought was their last day on earth.

"I simply cannot decide." He thought aloud, enjoying their ever growing discomfort. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and his sinister smile grew wider, his gleaming black brown eyes crinkling and dimples showing.

"I got an idea." he chuckled, before placing the bat in front of Daryl's face, one by one moving it before their faces and started going all around them again.

"Eenie meenie miney mo,"

Emma never believed that a children's counting rhyme could be so terrifying until now, knowing it was the death knell for someone among them. And not knowing who nearly caused her to lose her resolve.

"catch a tiger by his toe."

She looked at her sisters, all three clasping their hands together tighter.

"If he hollers let him go."

She finally allowed tears to flow from her eyes.

"My mother told me to pick the very best one and-"

you,"

Rick...

"Are,"

Abraham...

"it."

Maggie...

"No... No... No!"

The bat was right at her face and she released several tears she had been holding as she looked at the devil. Glenn and Beth began shouting, and as Negan raised the bat over his head, there was suddenly a bloodcurdling scream that was louder than the rest that Emma heard before she realized it was her own. Her throat felt raw and dry, heartbeat pounding in her ears and blood pumping through her veins. She took in a few deep breaths, mouth slightly open ajar and chest heaving. She dared look at Negan, feeling so small as he towered over, as she blocked Maggie with her body like a human shield. He watched her with wide eyes and mouth slightly opened, clearly written on his face that he hadn't expected such a course of action.

"You fucking get away from her!" Emma said bravely, but stilled as she realized she had done. She looked up and saw Negan's eyes glisten with anger and... impression? She was surprised by the snarl in her voice and even daring to talk out against the man before her. She began to internalize as she watched the black eyes shift and change, fearing she had done the inevitable to have all of them killed on the spot.

"Excuse me?" Negan finally asked, his voice low and deadly with a look as if he had just been insulted.

"Please…don't." Emma changed her voice a lot lower and soft now. "Can't you see she's sick?"

"All the more fucking reason to end her misery," Negan replied with a shrug of his shoulders, smirking. Gritting her teeth, Emma felt a spark of anger ignite.

"She's pregnant!" She spat, feeling horrible to tell this man of her sister's condition, but took in with grim satisfaction Negan's shocked expression for a moment before returning to neutral. "Do you really want a woman and her unborn child's blood on your hands?"

"Emma..." Maggie muttered and shook her head not wanting, her younger sister to get any more trouble or end dead on her behalf.

"Shit," Negan cursed, rubbing a hand through his beard in thought. He silently looked down at the two women in front of him when suddenly a look of clarity dawned on him.

"Oh-" he began to laugh. "I get it. This is your sister, right?" Emma and Maggie didm't say a word, which only confirmed Negan's suspicions.

"Yeah, I figured. Could tell from the eyes," he continued to laugh, looking over Emma's shoulder to at Maggie and said, his tone sarcastic, "Be lucky that this little lady here told me- not usually one to go around and kill pregnant women."

"Please, just leave her alone." Emma interceded, causing Negan to glance her way again.

He crouched down to her level and stared at you her a moment, putting Lucille under her chin. Emma cringed at the feel of the barbed wires against her throat, but kept her blue steady glare on him.

"Emma, if that's what I heard right darling'?" He asked with a mocking smirk. Fighting off the revulsion over the nickname, she slightly nudged the bat off her chin and nodded her head yes. Maggie, their group, and Negan's men watched the two as they waited for what was about to unfold next.

"Well Emma, you're a brave little lady, aren't you?" He took his finger tracing the silver caduceus necklace on her collar bone, his finger purposely going below the necklace close to her cleavage. He smiled when she grimaced at his touch. Then, he turned serious once more, quickly standing up straight with his back resting on his shoulders.

"However, I really don't like to be interrupted." A dark chuckle escaped his lips. "You still killed a lot of my people and that will not go unpunished. So I suggest you get out of my way before I smash your brains in."

The laughter and his gall to threaten her family and friends were more than Emma could take. She found her own anger flaring up at the sound of the laughter, at the sound of someone mocking her concern for the life of another human being. Without thinking, she bolted to her feet and squared her shoulders. "You want to punish someone so badly for messing with your goddamn new world order and killing your men? Fine! Then do it! Kill me!"

The monster's laugh ceased. Maggie, Beth, and the others yelled no, but Emma refused to falter. She had taken a risk to challenge this man that could probably kill her with just one swing of his bat, but she would rather give up her life if it meant her friends and family were safe.

Negan lifted his hand up to his ear and leaned in, though he had clearly heard the blonde the first time.

"What was that?"

"Me. Kill me," Emma repeated, with a deep breath. "You want one of us to 'fucking pay' as you so eloquently put it, and I am willingly offering myself. Just let them go."

Negan didn't say a word. Instead he moved around her like a vulture circling its prey, enjoying how her eyes would flicker towards him as she waited for his next move. He stopped in front of her and smiled viciously, revealing a row of many white teeth that looked like a lion's.

"I have a better idea. It's simple. You-" He pointed his deadly weapon towards her. "Get to choose either to let me smash one of your friend's heads in and we'll let you go on your merry way, or..." he paused for a moment.

"Or what?"

"Or, you'll come back with me in exchange for my men and supplies, and I promise that I won't go after your family and friends. Now wait just a minute, doll. If you come with me, you may never see them again. I can't expect you to go run off whenever you feel like it each and every second."

After he finished his proposal, Emma weighed in what he was offering her. She felt a lump rising in her throat. She would be trapped among a den of lions and wolves. What would they do to her? Keep her in a cell for the rest of her life? She couldn't just leave them behind. She was their doctor, and she needed to be there for Maggie and her baby.

But if she didn't go with him, he was going to kill one of them. She couldn't let him do that. Emma looked behind her shoulder at her sisters and the friends she had grown to view as family, each weary face bearing a look of devastation. It wasn't really a choice. She loved them, and thus she knew her decision was resolved. Looking into their eyes for what was to be the last time, she whispered "I love you." and turned around to make a deal with the devil himself.

"If I go with you, do you promise that you won't go after them?" She asked quietly. "That you'll leave them alone?"

He grinned. "You have my word."

She tilted her chin. "Then you have mine. I will go with you."

Beth and Maggie cried out while Daryl, Jack, Abraham, and Rick leapt up simultaneously in protest, but were all six were forced silent when Negan's men raised their guns ready to fire until Negan raised his hands signaling them to lower their weapons.

"Emma, no please don't do this!" Maggie sobbed as Beth held her back. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"She's not going anywhere with you!" Jack snarled.

"Shut up!" Emma flinched at how loud Negan's voice was screaming over her head.

"There's no other choice!" Emma snapped, trying to ignore her heart breaking. "This is my decision. No one decides my fate, but me." She turned her attention solely back on Negan.

"So we have a deal?" he smirked, his fingers reaching out and with a touch that felt like a soft wind, brushing against her cheek and hair. "Because there's no going back, darlin'. You do this, you can never return. You'll belong to me and the Sanctuary."

"I understand. I'll come with you," she answered with a shaky voice. Negan smiled, satisfied with her answer.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you heard the woman!" the smile grew wider, making Emma feel more uncomfortable.

"Emma you don't have to do this!" Glenn argued.

"I swear to fucking God when will you little fuckers ever learn to shut up?!" Negan kicked him in the gut and making Glenn fall over in pain. "Dwight! Get her in the RV now while I deal with this."

"What-" Emma gasped as rough hands squeezed her arms, and pushing her forward.

"We had a deal! You promised you wouldn't harm them!" Emma screamed, struggling to get free.

"You're far too trusting, doll," The devil looked back her with a leering grin. "Get her in the RV! She doesn't need to see this…"

"No! No!"

"Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father and then we'll start. You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."

Emma continued fighting to get free and yelling as she saw Negan raise Lucille in the air and swung with a loud CRACK, hitting Glenn on the side of his head and being knocked face down into the ground.

Emma was shoved into the RV, the door immediacy slammed behind her before she could get out. She crumbled to the floor, numb and paralyzed. She gasped as the weight of what just took place crash into her as she continued to hear her family and friends' screams and the hard thwacking of Lucille. Silent tears were suddenly released as she laid on the floor. She had agreed to be this monster's prisoner, his slave for who knows what. She belonged to him now. She trembled at the thought and felt the bile rise in her throat. She was back where she started in Atlanta. She had lost her freedom and she lost the people she loved the most. She was truly alone.