Chapter 55

A knock at the door startled her from a light sleep, and Everly slowly sat up in bed, squinting through the darkness at the door. She listened as she clutched the sheets to her chest and glanced at the microwave clock in the small kitchen. It read a little past midnight, and she was curious who was at her door in the middle of the night. She rubbed her eyes, contemplating ignoring the unwanted visitor and going back to sleep when another knock came, and she straightened up, perturbed.

She pushed the covers aside and ran slim fingers through her hair. She didn't bother with the lights as she padded to the door, thinking she would be back in bed soon, but a chill ran from her toes, up her legs, and through her spine to lift the hairs on the back of her neck. At the door, Everly reached to unlock the knob but hesitated. It was highly unlikely there was anyone on the other side of the door that she didn't know, but the chance of meeting a stranger - or someone who wished her harm - was still possible.

"Who's there?" She asked and tilted her head as she waited for an answer, but the only one she got was another impatient knock.

Everly gritted her teeth, unsure if she should just open the door or not. Her hand hovered above the knob and as she tried to make a decision, a forth knock helped convince her.

"Dammit," she whispered and unlocked the door, ready to scream bloody murder if it was someone she didn't recognize.

The door edged open, and she braced a leg on the inside so that she could slam it closed with her weight if need be, but as she blinked away the sudden brightness from the hallway, she saw it was Negan. He stood directly in front of her with his head resting against the jamb, his left arm concealed behind the wall he leaned on. He smirked down at her and she noticed his bottom lip was split and swollen as was his left eye.

"Took you fucking long enough, sleeping beauty." He placed the fingertips of his right hand flat on the outside of the door to widen the tiny gap where she peered up at him. "Sorry I woke you, but I just wanted to see your pretty face before I hit the hay."

"It's fine," she lied, glancing at his lip again and creasing her brows. "What happened to you?"

"Wanna join me in a nightcap?" He deflected the question and drummed his fingers on the door. "I promise I'll let you go back to sleep once we're done. I just want some company and yours is the only one I want."

"Isn't that scheduled for tomorrow night? It's late," she began to refuse.

"We'll make it a quickie." He winked at her and chuckled to himself when she rolled her eyes.

She took in a deep breath and stepped back. "Fine, but only one."

"Perfect." He smiled broadly and watched her turn to walk to the kitchen, his eyes running hungrily up and down the pale skin that wasn't covered by the baggy t-shirt and shorts she wore.

Without a backward glance, he slid past the door and set the camcorder he had hidden in his left hand on a table. He made sure Everly was preoccupied as he angled it just right and locked the door behind him. It captured her in the now dimly lit kitchen retrieving glasses and uncorking a bottle of wine, and while she was busy, Negan bent over the camera, making sure his mouth was close enough to be heard as he whispered a message.

"Enjoy the show, Daryl. It's all for you."

Hot water ran over me in a scalding cascade as it washed away all of my decisions, all of my choices and regrets. If only it could wash away my fears too. I scrubbed my skin until it was pink, wanting to be cleansed and wishing I could dig my fingers deep into my skull to wipe my memory clean of everything that had happened, not just of this past week or last night, but of all I lived through since the whole world became dark. I shook my head, telling myself nothing had happened so I had no reason to feel guilty or…dirty. But I did anyway, and so I soaped up the loofah once more and grated my skin again.

When I could stand it no longer, and figured I was as clean as I was going to get, I rinsed the suds away and shut off the shower. I stood there for a moment in blankness and concentrated on the droplets running down me, memorizing the feel of them as they marked a map on my body. My eyes closed and in my mind I saw their traces forming into shapes, making delineations on a fleshy canvas and branding me for who I really was. I told myself that I was a survivor, that everything that I had done and would do was to survive. That I wasn't enduring this hell alone but with those I cared about as every aspect of my life and the decisions I made affected them as theirs' did me. These thoughts took me away and set me at ease when all I felt before was the seed he'd planted in me; the seed of compliance and servility.

I got out of the shower, drying myself off and ringing out my hair. It was going to be another boring day of sitting around and doing jack shit while the other wives and I waited for His Righteousness to gift us with his presence. The last damn thing I needed was time to think. If anything, remembering his swollen lip and black eye would get me through the day. It was satisfying to see that Negan had finally gotten a taste of what he deserved and I wondered who had given it to him. Initially, I thought Daryl had been the one and my heart had practically come rocketing out of my chest, but Negan's lack of mentioning his name or whereabouts convinced me it couldn't have been. Surely if Daryl had, Negan would've made a huge spectacle out of him; burnt his face, smashed his head with Lucille, or something equally as gruesome, but no meetings were to be held and so far, nothing had happened.

Nothing…had happened. It was turning into my own personal mantra.

So, I got dressed up like I did every day since becoming a wife and joined my sisters in the lounge as I continued to speculate who could've attacked Negan. As soon as I stepped in, Sherry came and pulled me into the small dressing room off to the side. It was steadily becoming our secret rendezvous spot and I sat on a chair patiently as she locked the door behind us.

"Tonight," she said with an excited glimmer in her eyes. "You're leaving tonight."

I blinked at her slowly, my mind too preoccupied to absorb what she said. "What?"

The expectant smile Sherry wore faded a bit, and she grabbed a seat next to me and looked me in the eye.

"Dwight has a crew that is leaving tonight to corral a large number of the dead. Negan requested that Daryl goes, so the only person we need to worry about sneaking out of here is you. But don't worry," she winked at me. "I'm going to keep Negan busy all night while you and Daryl leave this place for good."

"No," I said, taking her words and turning them over in my head dumbly. "That won't work."

"What do you mean?"

"Negan is supposed to come to my room tonight. How can you keep him busy if he's with me?" I told her, knowing he wouldn't change his mind about our date. After last night, his expectations were clear and he had set them high. "He's…had you before."

I blushed as her smile died and she seemed to be solving the problem in her head.

"He won't make you if you don't let him," she said.

"I know, but he won't take a refusal forever," I responded despondently. I needed her to understand my desperate situation.

"You're missing the point, Everly." Her smile was back, but it was small. "You only have to refuse him one last time. After that, you won't be here anymore and he can't take anything away from you then."

I didn't have the frame of mind to quite believe her. "Are you so sure about that?"

"Is everything okay? You seem…down." Her brows furrowed as she looked me over.

I quickly straightened my back and held my head up. "I'm fine, just tired. I didn't sleep well." But immediately, I could feel my straightened posture begin to slip again.

I chose not to tell her that Negan had visited me in the middle of the night for fear she'd read something into it; something I didn't want known. I didn't want shared pity nor did I want anyone knowing he'd been there. It was like I had some dark secret that would unwind the strings of everything I cared about if it was brought into the light, and truthfully, I did. The truth was that I was slowly breaking, just like Negan said I would. He had been right all along, from the very beginning, I just couldn't see it. But now, I couldn't seem to see anything else.

"You do look exhausted…," she remarked and then her eyes lit up. "We'll tell him you're sick or that it's your time of the month. It might gross him out enough to leave you alone."

"It could work," I nodded, but I couldn't picture Negan being squeamish. He enjoyed watching people bleed too much that it might not matter where it came from. "We could try and see."

"Listen, I'm going to tell you the plan and then you go back to your room and rest. Get as much sleep as you can for tonight. When Negan comes, I'll cover for you," Sherry offered.

"What if he doesn't buy it?"

"I'll make him." She rubbed my shoulder. "You're leaving tonight, okay? It's all set."

A slight smile tugged at my lips and the fog that had settled around me started to lift. "Okay. Tell me the plan."

According to her, Dwight had been up to no good and was currently hard at it. I was impressed with everything he had accomplished so far and my trust for him grew with each word Sherry shared. He had given some of Negan's weapons from Somerset to the Kingdom, but Alexandria was still being closely monitored by Negan's sentries. All of that was coming to an end soon, though.

"The plan is for you guys to end up at the Kingdom, not the cabin as we originally planned. From there, Dwight, his men, your friends, and the other communities will take out Negan's outposts one by one until they end here," Sherry informed me. "By then, Negan will have already lost."

"And Kai is on board for sure? He isn't going to turn on us?" I asked.

"So far, so good," she shrugged. "He hasn't gone back on his word that we know of."

I shook my head, putting it in my hands and confessed, "I nearly fucked us with that one."

"You read the situation and did what you thought was best. It worked out, so don't feel guilty about it."

"Everything is in place?" I wasn't feeling entirely confident at the moment.

"The last step is getting you two out of here. After that, there's no stopping it."

"And when he realizes I'm gone?" I lifted my head up to meet her eyes.

"By then," she said, "Negan will be as good as dead."

He had spent his last restless night in the cell cramped, cold, and angry. His knuckles were bruised and raw where he'd hit the cement wall when the rage became too overwhelming, and it felt as if his ribcage would crumble in on itself at any minute, but he appreciated the pain. He took it for what it was worth and considered himself still human, still alive, and he'd remember this moment in the future when his faith and compassion were tested – if he even had one.

At the moment, however, it was his sanity he tried to encapsulate. It was slowly slipping away from him as each second drifted by. Like a slow dripping faucet, time seemed to move tediously. He wouldn't be surprised to find that days had gone by when the door to his cell finally opened. But Negan wouldn't keep him alive that long. He had plans for Daryl; terrifying, twisted plans. He envisioned how they looked, the patients of the now dying Dr. Carson. Some of them were already deceased and had turned, and some were trapped in the transformation; dying but not quite dead. Daryl catalogued their faces and put them into a space in a dark, haunted corner of his mind. He could never forget them, but he hoped the details of their terror would fade with time.

"You sure he wants him? He's supposed to be Dr. Avery's newest patient."

A deep voice speculated outside of Daryl's cell door and he tensed as the footfalls stopped outside. The coiled snake called fear tightened around his gut. This was it. This is where his death began, and soon he would know just what it was like to die.

"How many times do I have to fucking tell you?" Daryl could hear the impatience in Dwight's voice. "He was requested to be part of my crew by Negan himself, so open the damn door unless you'd rather explain to him why you're wasting my, and his, time."

"Alright. Whatever you say," the other man sighed and a key slipped into the knob of the door.

Just like last time, the dim hallway lights were like rays from the brightest sun. Daryl's eyes watered as he closed them and turned away, holding up a hand to block the obtrusion from his face.

"Fucking Christ, you look like shit man," Dwight remarked but his tone held an air of jest. "Was it you who got a few hits in?"

"Fuck you," Daryl grumbled. His mood was ten times worse than his physical appearance. "It was more than a few."

Dwight snickered and gave the Savior by his side a head shake. "This guy doesn't realize how fucking lucky he is."

The other Savior scoffed out a laugh. "Tell me about it. If it were one of us, our heads would be freak slop by now."

"He looks half-way there already," Dwight teased and then rapped his knuckles on the door. "Come on, man. Let's get you cleaned up and ready to go. We're leaving in a few hours."

Daryl squinted at the figures in the doorway, not fully understanding what Dwight had said. "What?"

Dwight sighed. "Get up and I'll explain as you freshen the fuck up. Do it before I fucking puke. You smell like shit."

Confused, Daryl pushed to his feet, bracing himself along the wall as he went. He glanced back and forth between Dwight and the Savior beside him, completely untrusting of the both of them, but something in Dwight's eyes made him shuffle forward and out into the hallway.

"I've got it from here, Pete," Dwight said and the other man shrugged and walked away.

"Are you supposed to be doin' this?" Daryl eyed Dwight with suspicion and the scarred man smirked.

"In fact, I am. Surprised?"

Daryl looked away as the fight he had stored in himself began to drain away. "Yeah."

"Good." Dwight smacked his back and looked around the empty hallway. He lowered his voice. "Gotta keep you on your toes for what's coming next. First, you need to take a damn shower and then I'll fill you in on everything. Don't ask questions; just do what I tell you."

Daryl didn't acknowledge him with an answer, but moved forward at the behest of Dwight's hand on his shoulder. He limped along the hallway to the locker room, but the farther he walked, the stronger his legs felt as they stretched and the blood circulated through them. All he needed now was some food and water. After that, he might feel up for what was coming next.

As Daryl showered, he thought about Everly and if whatever Dwight had planned involved her. He wanted to assume so, practically ached with wanting it to be true, but the way intent was always underlined with deception in this shithole, Daryl's already withered optimism was bone dry. He wouldn't fully believe anything that was said to him until he saw it with his own damn eyes and felt her in his arms; even then he might not accept that it was real. For all he knew, this was just a fantasy; an escape from the reality that he was still closed in with the darkness in that small, damp room.

Daryl rubbed the water out of his eyes and shut the shower off, toweling himself dry before stepping out of the stall and getting dressed. It was slow moving for him, but the warmth from the water had relaxed his sore muscles some, and he ignored the hideous bruising that purpled his skin.

"Follow me," Dwight told him and led him out of the locker room.

He took Daryl to a room; the same one they had met in before when Everly had returned from her trip with Negan. Inside were a few men Daryl didn't recognize, but he saw Alan and Shawn among them, and they greeted him with a handshake when he walked in.

"Okay, you assholes, this is what we've got." Dwight walked to the center of the room and bent over a table. On it laid a map with several markings and labels. "We'll head north right where I told Negan I ditched the mindless, but we'll be making a slight detour. Our first stop will be the Kingdom where we'll pick up more people and drop two of ours off; Daryl here and his girl, Everly. From there, we'll go up to Somerset, take over the compound and their weapons. Whoever wants to join us can and the rest will be monitored. After, we'll pack up and head over to Hilltop where we'll do the same, and then we hit Alexandria. Once we've secured each community, you all will split off to overpower Negan's outposts while I round up the massive dead up North and lead them here," Dwight pointed to a spot circled several times with red marker. "Negan's Sanctuary."

Around the room, men smiled with anticipation and Dwight looked satisfied.

"This should all go smoothly if we stick to this plan. No sudden liberties and don't chicken out. Once you're in, you're in for good. Is everyone clear on that?"

There was a chorus of agreement and head nods. Dwight looked at Daryl who stood silently listening.

"You've got the easy part," Dwight told him. "You and Everly stay at the Kingdom until we come back to get you. By then, we'll have Somerset and Hilltop people to aid us. It should only take us a day, but if it's more, get the weapons I've left and go to Alexandria to take it back. King Ezekiel should provide you with plenty of men to help get the job done."

"Alright," Daryl agreed, getting his mind ready.

"Sherry's going to get Everly to meet us in the garage, but someone will have to meet her along the way." Dwight looked around at everyone.

Daryl was going to take the responsibility when Alan piped up. "I'll do it."

Dwight nodded at him, but Daryl was less than pleased.

"I'll do it," he countered with a glare.

"No," Dwight refused instantly. "It'll be suspicious if you're hovering around the halls. Alan will get Everly and bring her to us. It will be the quickest and safest way. Trust me."

Daryl tightened his jaw and breathed through his nose but didn't argue further. He would do what he could to get Everly back and get the fuck out of here.

"Fine," he relented unhappily. He faced Alan. "Don't get fuckin' caught or I will kill you."

"Sure thing, pal," Alan promised. "And you're welcome."

Daryl crossed his arms. He was too angry and anxious to feel grateful. All he wanted was to be gone from here and for Everly to be safe with him, away from Negan. Then he'd start passing out thanks.

"So, we're all set?" Dwight asked the room, his warning eyes lingering on Daryl for an instant.

"We're ready to go, D," a man replied and the others followed suit.

"Great." Dwight tapped the map and folded it up. "We leave in two hours after sunset. Let's get our shit together and roll."

Edited (and a few lines written) by Nightperidot.

So, how was the Neverly scene? Was it subtle enough? Vague? Anything could have happened after Negan was a sneaky shit. What do you guys think went down? lol What do you all think of Dwight's plan? Will it go without a hitch? I don't know! You never can tell...

Well, sorry if this chapter is lame. It's a short one, too, but I do have more time this week to relax and write. By the next chapter, things will start to move more quickly. Hell, this story might be done in the next five to ten chapters or so. I'll have to see as I continue to plan the story and piece it together. It's my hope that I can tie it all nicely in the end, and I'm excited for what's to come.

Thanks for reading, guys!