I don't own TWD, the comics or the show and any of the characters, only my OCs. Sorry for any grammar mistakes! Enjoy!
This is also the last chapter!
'' I'm so glad to see you all well and alive! We were worried! '' The big man said as he hugged her tightly.
Theo stood shyly behind her, fidgeting with his hands as he observed the scene.
She laughed as his thick beard tickled her face: '' Not as glad as I am! I was waiting for you! I had trouble here…''
They were surrounded by the 34 others and all were smiling, happy for the reunion.
Pascal released her and frowned: '' Trouble? I knew you had some since you didn't come back by the 2th of May, but to be honest…the people here look kind and well organized.'' He pointed out.
She shook her head and brought her kid into her side: ''It's not the people here the problem…it's their neighbors…I'm stuck with them… ''
The tall man nodded and knelt on one knee before holding his hand out to the little boy: ''Hi, I'm Pascal…you must be Theo, right?''
This one nodded and grabbed the offered hand. ''Yeah… ''
Amelie glanced around: ''Pascal…there are 35 people here…did you bring your whole group or what?''
Chuckling, he explained: ''No…we were 37, but recently, two other groups joined ours and we're looking around for people…the place is bigger now… We're actually 93!''
Her eyebrows shot up: ''Wow…that's great! I can't wait to be there.''
Becoming serious again, Pascal deposed a large hand on her shoulder and motioned for the others to come closer: ''Speaking about leaving…what are we expecting?''
The girl sighed: ''To be honest…I don't really know what will happen, but the circumstances are in our favor: there are only 8 Saviors here and Rick won't intervene…so we have the numbers…we probably won't have to fight.''
Someone asked: ''who are the Saviors?''
''It's another group…there was a war here a few months ago…now they are all a part of an alliance…the Saviors are the most numerous…they are also dangerous. '' She explained.
Another man she knew, David, came closer: '' how could you possibly have trouble with them?''
She rubbed the back of her neck and looked away: ''It's complicated…the leader of the Saviors…practically a king among his people…he's not letting me go…''
Pascal scowled again and crossed his arms over his chest: ''Why?''
'' I-well… it's a long story…But he's dangerous, he has power and I need your help. I'll explain later, okay?''
''I don't like that, but we'll support you; someone is holding you here against your will and this is not acceptable.'' He declared in a deep voice.
The others around nodded, agreeing with him.
David spoke again: ''so…what are you expecting from us?''
''Really? Nothing. Just be there and support me…hold on to your weapons…make mean faces…I was more counting on an intimidation tactic.'' She confessed.
Amelie turned to Pascal and grabbed his shoulders: ''You on the other hand…are downright scary. You stick by my side, alright?''
''Downright scary?'' He repeated, offended.
''Pascal; you're like 6'5ft, you're carrying an axe around…the beard…'' She trailed off.
The girl stepped back and observed him before rolling the sleeves of his plaid shirt to his elbows and opening a bit more his shirt at the chest to reveal the hair there.
''okay…I need you to frown, show teeth a bit and to use that deep voice of yours.''
''What the Hell?'' he asked.
She patted his chest:'' You are a leader of men: act like it.''
He raised a brow: ''Why did you roll my sleeves and open my shirt, eh?''
''It's all a show. You will broadcast your male superiority.''
The others were chuckling a bit around.
''To who? This is so stupid…'' Pascal questioned.
''This is not stupid: you men are all the same. You will soon be faced with another leader; you will need to stand your ground. '' She warned.
The girl knelt to face Theo: ''Kiddo… I will need you to stand with the people over there okay? And to stay there no matter what…Can you do that?''
He slowly nodded, looking uncertain: ''Stuff is about to happen, isn't?''
''Yes…we might go to Canada soon.'' She said.
Theo hugged her and went to where she indicated and just at the same time, they all heard a loud, booming voice: '' SHOW YOURSELF YOU FUCKING LITTLE WEASEL!''
Negan was looking for her…
Pascal bent a bit toward her:'' Hum…that would be you?''
''That's me…''
Soon enough, Negan arrived, flanked by three Saviors, Rick and Michonne, Lucille in hand. They stopped a few meters from them.
She grinned cockily at him: ''Hello, why so…tensed?''
He pointed his baseball bat at her: ''Don't you dare look so fucking satisfied with yourself.''
Rick patted his arm, silently telling him to calm down and walked forth, addressing Pascal: ''So…you're not from Michigan…''
''Sorry about that…but the rest of our story is true: our group was incomplete and now it is. We're going back to Canada, my men and I.'' He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Amelie was observing Negan; she knew he was trying to control himself…his eyes were burning holes in Pascal. She saw him take a deep breath: ''Amelie…I will give you one chance to get your ass back here and follow me back home. ''
The girl's face became hard:'' You are in no position to give me orders. I will not follow you back to the Sanctuary; you heard my friend here…we're leaving.''
He growled and his eyes narrowed: ''You fucking planned this…''
Her voice rose, clear and sharp: ''Did you really think I would come back within a hundred miles radius from you without a plan?'' She advanced toward him: '' You had lost this game before it has even started.''
The man swung Lucille around, unnerved: ''You're clever…I won't fucking argue with that: but I'm not letting you go so easily.''
She looked back at Pascal and this one made a signal with his hand: all the Canadians here began to move, circling the Saviors and trapping them. The bearded leader walked to stand at her side: '' Rick, Mister Savior, we want no quarrel with you. Amelie wishes to come back with us; you can't keep her here against her will. ''
Calm as ever, Rick and Michonne exchanged a glance and then nodded: ''I agree with you. '' He turned to the other leader: ''Negan: don't be stupid…the girl wants to leave…there is no need to fight…you are not enough anyway.''
Greeting his teeth, this one rumbled: ''…And the kid? He's mine too.''
The young woman acquiesced: '' yes…I won't force him to come with me: you've taken care of him for a long time and he has affection for you. I'll let him choose. ''
She turned her head to look behind her: ''Theo! You can come now!''
The little boy quickly trotted to them and waited by her side. She knelt beside him: ''Theo…I'm leaving for the Canada…back to my home… but I won't force you to come with me. You only come if you wish to. I know Negan is your dad and you love him. You can stay here with him if you wish: I'll come back in October.'' She explained slowly.
Abruptly, the child started to run toward Negan and threw himself at him. Kneeling and deposing his baseball bat on the ground, this one hugged him tightly. Amelie could tell the little boy was murmuring something in the man's ear because this one was nodding every once in a while.
Amelie felt her heart tighten; she knew how much Theo loved Negan…
However, the two separated themselves and the leader ruffled the kid's hair: ''It's alright kiddo… I'm not angry at you; you watch her for me okay? No man's allowed to touch her without your consent. ''
Theo nodded seriously and hugged the man again before coming back to her: ''I'm going with you, but you must promise me that we're coming back in the fall.''
Negan was staring at her and she did the same.
''I promise.''
Members of Pascal's group were starting to head toward where their cars must have been and so Amelie turned her back on the people she was previously facing.
''Is that all!? Not even a fucking goodbye?!''
The girl stopped dead in her tracks and faced him again with a smile: ''Ah yes…I was forgetting…''
The young woman walked straight to him and halted just until a few inches separated them. Placing her left hand on his right shoulder, she stood on her tiptoe to whisper in his ear: '' if you or your Saviors ever come after this group… or harm them…I will hunt you down…every one of you….I will hunt all of your men, leaving a trail of blood and grieving women and children in my wake… and you will be the last one to die…and you know I will never stop…I will keep you last… for dessert. '' As she murmured the last part, she nipped at his earlobe before taking a step back.
With a large grin, she continued as if she didn't jut threaten him: '' I will see you in October…And I will admit…I will probably miss you at some point. '' she said, as she began to trot back to Pascal.
Negan stood there, staring with big, surprised eyes.
Rick approached his ex-rival, curious: ''What did she tell you?''
'' I think she gave me a boner.'' Was all he said.
Xxxxxx
*7th of May 2016, 2pm*
Pascal was driving a truck in front of the cars processions and they had been on the road since yesterday afternoon. They had talked a bit and now Theo was sitting on her, his face against her chest. The girl idly caressed his soft hair as the man observed them.
'' Negan was not his real father right? Because, I'll really feel guilty…'' He began.
She shook her head: ''No… I adopted him when he was three and Negan acted as a fatherly figure later.''
Theo sighed and mumbled her skin: ''I will really miss Negan…''
Hugging him, the girl tried to comfort the boy: ''I know…I think I will miss him too you know…even if he's an annoying jerk.''
The little kid chuckled and Pascal gently bumped his fist against his thin shoulder: '' You know Theo…you will like it back to our town…North Bay…well it's not exactly there, but it's in the area…there are other kids and plenty to do!''
Theo snuggled deeper into her and hummed a response.
The bearded man at her side became serious again: ''This man…Negan…he was…intimidating…''
''Yes he is….he's a natural leader…you did good Pascal. He's not someone easy to face…you don't want to have him as an adversary.'' She said softly as she stared outside.
Pascal shifted in his seat: ''so…what's the story?''
Theo suddenly decided to speak up: ''Negan loves Amelie.''
Amelie scoffed: ''Absolutely not Theo…He has a sick form of attachment to me at best…''
The man at their side was observing them quietly. The child straightened in her laps: ''That's not true! He was sad when we thought you were dead! I was sad!'' he exclaimed accusingly.
Raising a brow, Pascal asked: ''Dead?''
''Yeah…I kind of faked my death to escape this place…and I'm terribly sorry Theo…you know I am, but I couldn't support it there anymore…and if I would have taken you with me Negan would have come after us…I didn't want to put you danger.''
''''It wasn't so bad…'' The kid trailed off as the man was silently asking questions with his eyes, not daring to question her out loud.
'' Kiddo…I was forced to do things I hated doing all the time…he forced me… And I just had had enough, one day. That's all Theo.''
''But…you were in his bed yesterday!'' he protested.
Amelie turned a deep red color: ''Theo! That's a grown up talk and it's complicated kid, okay?''
Xxxxxx
Darren sat beside him in the mess hall: ''You're pulling one of these faces…''
''Yeah… '' He grumbled.
He had one huge ass headache; he was totally hangover.
''Rough night?''
The leader snorted: ''You can fucking say it.''
The elderly man hummed: '' Your girl's not with you?'' he asked, clearly knowing Amelie had not come back with him.
Negan looked away: ''No; that weasel had been scheming and planning for a while…before even coming here…If she keeps the promise she made to our kid, we'll see her again in October.'' He mumbled.
Darren sipped what could pass for coffee: ''You're not going after her?''
''Fuck no! I'm not risking my men's lives or mine.'' He scoffed.
The other man cocked a brow: ''that bad?''
''That fucking bad and the Canadians are numerous… Their leader told Rick that if we had any problems, they could seek help north. It's better to have them as allies…And it is not the first time we have that kind of…battle, her and I. She won that round…because she had planned in advance…now I have 5 months before me…''
The other man made a face, acknowledging his words and nodded: '' Women…I still can't figure them out and I've been married twice before all this shit. They could love you and still stab you in the back, so don't take her departure to harshly.''
'' I guess so.''
xxxxxx
*9th of may 2016, midday *
Pascal stopped the car before the gates, grinning at her and Theo: ''This is it! We're home! ''
He lowered his window and got his head out, shouting: '' IT'S ME! WE'RE BACK!''
Someone bent a bit over the wall, saluted them and made a signal: the gates opened and the cars began to enter the town.
Theo was looking around, fascinated and curious; Amelie bumped her shoulder with his: ''We're home kiddo.''
-The End.-