Chapter 49-Taking a step back

Rick's P.O.V

Rick stood inside Maggie's office with Maggie, Michonne, Daryl, Alicia, Madison, Al, and Alden. "You armed the saviors?" Maggie asks in anger.

"We armed a few of the saviors." Rick corrects. "Arat, D.J, Frankie, Norris, Mark, and Nate. If they decide to use the guns for things that aren't good. They'll lose them and depending on what they do, we'll make it worse."

"Anybody else you decided to arm?" Maggie asks bitterly. Rick avoids eye contact. "Who?"

"Negan." Rick answers. Maggie looks at Daryl.

"He tell you about this?"

"Why would he? I ain't their leader." Daryl argues.

"Morgan, Shane, and John knew. They agreed." Rick says.

"Of course, they agreed," Maggie says. "Get out!" Rick sighs as they leave the room.

Maggie's P.O.V

Maggie sat in her chair as Al shut the door. Al walks over to Maggie and grabs her hand. "I know you don't like this, but when I left this morning, everybody was working together. There hadn't been a fight," Al says. "John made the right choice."

"They shouldn't be armed. They might not do today, or tomorrow, or a week for now, but they will hurt someone." Maggie protests.

"That's what the patrols are for. To keep people from getting hurt. They have done a good job." Al reassured her.

"Patrol's won't do shit when they decide to come together!" Maggie snaps in anger as she stands up and walks away from Al. "You and John weren't here when they decided to attack Alexandria or our convoy. We didn't know about them until they were right in front of us! Carl didn't know about Negan being at Alexandria until he spoke. We had people on watch, and they didn't do shit! They won't stop! They'll do the same thing!"

"So killing them is the answer?" Al argues back. "Or letting Cyndie kill them is the answer!? This way Maggie, nobody has to die!"

"Somebody will die! I don't know who, but somebody will!" Maggie says. "He will kill somebody! You don't know him, I do!"

"Maggie-" Al's eyes widened.

"Do you remember what you said to me when you came back from your first interview with Negan?" Maggie pointed into Al's face "You said to my damn face he'd be forgotten in time. That Glenn's killer would be forgotten in time! That didn't happen. He's not a part of all of this! He lives with Daryl and helps build the bridge! People are starting to accept him as one of us! You promised me he'd be forgotten. You Promised!" Maggie shouts. Al doesn't say anything as Maggie storms out of the room.

John's P.O.V

John watched as the Saviors and members of the Kingdom worked on the bridge. "It's working," June says as she walks up to him.

"I gave Oceanside the assignment of cutting trees down. I want to keep them as far from the saviors as possible. I think at least kind of peace had been made between the Kingdom and the Saviors." John says, at leas that was some progress so far.

"We'll still have our trouble makers," June tells John, who nods.

"I know we will," John says. "I'm going to go check on 'em," June nods as he walks away. John walks down to the bridge.

Charlie P.O.V

Charlie sat on top of one of the trailers with a book in her hands. "Why are you reading up here?" Rachel asks her as she climbs up.

"I wanted to climb," Charlie answers. "I thought you were at the bridge camp."

"I was. I came back with Rick for the day." Rachel says as she sits down beside her. "You should come."

"Why?" Charlie asks.

"Because you look bored, and it's not boring there. You're always doing something," Rachel explains.

"I think about it," Charlie says. "I have chores to do. You want to help?"

"Sure," Rachel says as she follows her.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan back up to camp for lunch. He grabbed his bowl of food and sat down near the medical tent. He looks at Siddiq as he walks over to him. "Mind if I sit down?" Siddiq asks Negan, a bit cautious.

"It's fine," Negan says. Siddiq sits down beside Negan and begins to eat. "I never got to thank you you know."

"For?" Siddiq asks, looking over, an eyebrow raised.

"Stitching up my neck." Negan answers to Siddiq gesturing to it, who nods.

"Of course. I'm a Doctor. I'm meant to save life, not take it...besides Carl talked me into it."

Negan grinned fondly "yeah...he's a good kid like that. Well not a kid for much longer, but you know what I mean."

The two fall into a comfortable silence as they eat.

Lilly's P.O.V

Kenny and Lilly were unloading more wood and metal from Kenny's truck. Lilly looks at Kenny. "How did you lose your eye?" Lilly asks Kenny, who looks at her.

"I pissed the wrong people off;" Kenny answers. "A man named Carver beat me with a radio. How'd you lose your arm?"

"Got bit," She answers. "I trusted the wrong people, and I lost my daughter and my arm because of it. I almost lost my sister as well."

Lilly sets down the metal on the pile and looks at Kenny, hesitant for a moment before asking "Have you ever considered ending it?"

"Yeah," Kenny answers. "After I lost my wife and son. After I got separated from my friend Lee and Clem in Savannah. Every day I would ask myself if today was the day I decided to turn the lights off. I got close, but I couldn't do it."

"I tried," Lilly admits as she sits on the tailgate. "In the prison, I was going to hang myself. I made the noose and everything. I climbed up on the chair, and I put it around my neck, and I was getting ready to drop."

"What stopped you?"

"I heard voices," Lilly says. "I heard Daryl enter the prison. I took the noose down quickly. I threw it under the bed and pulled my gun out. They saved me when they came into that prison."

"I'm glad you didn't do it. You're not bad company," Kenny says with a smile.

"You aren't so bad yourself," Lilly says teasingly. "Well, come on. We still got some work today."

Daryl's P.O.V

Daryl walked onto the balcony and saw Maggie watching the ground below her with a glass of whiskey. "Want a drink?" Maggie asks.

"Nah, I think if I take one, Alicia will hit me. She's with Beth, who told me you were out here," Daryl says as he walks up to her and leans against the railing. "I don't like it either."

Maggie looks at Daryl. "You have a problem with Negan having a gun?"

"No, I know Negan won't do anything without reason," Daryl clarifies. "I'm not so sure about the Saviors, or some of them being armed. I think Arat is trustworthy, but that's about it. I see why John did it, though. That bridge will never get done if they are fighting," Daryl looks down at Al, who was speaking with Carl and Earl. "You shouldn't be worrying about Negan, the Saviors, or the bridge right now."

"Shouldn't I?" Maggie challenged.

"No." Daryl said sternly "Look if you screwed up with Al, Don't mean you can't fix it. When they had Trey, I was going to do anything to save him. I didn't want to let Negan out, and I tried to think of a different way, but I couldn't. You get so mad at Negan even when he isn't here-"

"Is there a point to what you're saying?" Maggie asks, interrupting him.

"Yeah, you're letting Negan fuck with you even when he isn't trying. It's time for you to decide what's next. Are you going to spend the rest of your life being pissed about Glenn, or are you going to get out of the hole you are in?" Daryl asks. "I got out of the hole. Jesus did, your turn," Daryl says before he walks away.

Negan's P.O.V

Negan set the last piece of wood by the bridge. The sun had begun to set an hour before, and he was the last one down by the bridge. Negan lets out a sigh as he stands up. "Drop your gun," Negan turns around slowly and looks at the man holding a gun. Negan stared for a moment, grimacing "Luke, what the fuck are you doing?"

"I said drop your gun," Luke growls. Negan pulls the gun out of the holster and throws it to the ground.

"They'll notice I'm not back," Negan says.

"They know what you're doing. I have time before Norris wakes up," Luke says as he pulls the hammer back, eyes burning with both anger and betrayal. "You know...my friends died for you. My wife died for you. We trusted you."

"I'm sorry," Negan says. "I was a fool."

"Get on your knees." Luke orders. Negan just stared at him, and Luke ordered again "Get on your knees, or after I kill you, I'll go kill Dixon's bitch."

Negan glares at Luke as he falls to his knees. "How does it feel to be on the other end. I bet the widow would love this,"

"Probably." Negan says as Luke walks closer.

"I could kick you, and you would fall into the water," Luke says. Negan glances behind him and looks at the water.

"You could." Negan says. "We can let this go. Go back up to everybody and pretend this never happened. Just walk away."

"What was her name?" Luke asks.

Negan stared at him, thrown for a moment "Wait what?"

"What was my wife's name?"

"I don't know. You were part of an outpost. I don't know half of your fucking names," Negan says annoyed. Luke presses the gun against his forehead.

"Try again," Luke says.

"I don't know," Negan gritted his teeth, now just wanting this to be over with. And a part of him couldn't help at the irony of this situation "I don't."

"Any last words?" Luke asks him.

"At least let me die standing." Negan says. "Give me that."

Luke glared at him "What?"

"You owe me for that much at least." Negan said icily.

Luke takes a step back, and Negan stands.

Staring at the gun, thinking over what he was about to do...he closed his eyes and images flashed through his eyelids.

"Hold your fire it's Carl!"

"Pissing our pants yet?"

"No Exceptions!"

"Is this who you wanted to be?"

"People Are a Resource."

"You saved our Son. Thank you."

"I'll Keep Laura Safe."

"I got Cancer."

"I love you Sweetie."

"Is this who Lucille wanted you to be?"

Negan takes a deep breath before taking a step back "I'm coming honey."

Luke eyes widened seeing that and he shouted "Hey!"

A gunshot echoes around the bridge and camp.

Shane's P.O.V

Everybody in the camp heard the gunshot. John and Shane quickly stand up and start to run down the hill. They get to the bridge and see Luke with the gun. John draws his gun and aims it. "What you'd do?" John asks.

Luke turns and looks at them with a smile. "I avenged my wife."

"Where's Negan?" Shane asks.

"In the river with a bullet in him," Luke answers. Luke starts to laugh before he puts the gun under his chin and pulls the trigger. The body slumps to the ground. Shane walks to Negan's gun and picks it up, looking down at the river.

"We gotta get a search party." Shane says.

"It's dark. We won't see anything," John argues.

"He didn't say he killed. He just said he shot him," Shane says. "I'll go by myself."

John grabs Shane's arm. "If he is dead. You'll end up just like him,"

Shane rips his arm out of John's hand and goes up to Luke's body. He aims the gun and unloads the clip into Luke's head. He kicks the body into the water.

"We leave first thing in the morning," Shane says as he walks past John. He walks into the camp and looks at everybody. He holds the gun up. "Who's gun is this?"

Nobody speaks before Norris raises his hand. "I couldn't find it," Norris says softly. Shane walks up to Norris and grabs him by his shirt. He pushes him up against the tree.

"If he's dead. You die too," Shane says before he hits Norris across the face with the ground knocking him out. He looks at Dwight. "Tie him up."

"Shane-" Dwight says, looking at him wide eyed.

"Tie him up!" Shane shouts. Dwight nods as he grabs Norris. "I want triple the patrols for now on," He tells Amanda, who nods fearfully. He looks at Morgan and Rosita. "Go to Hilltop and get more people. The search starts tomorrow morning."

"For what?" Cyndie asks.

"Negan." Shane answers as he walks to his tent.

Thanks for reading. Negan's fate has been left unknown for this chapter. I thought about revealing it, but that will have to wait. Shane has once again gone a little dark. Next chapter, the search happens. Maggie speaks with Al, and Negan's fate is revealed. As always, suggestions, ideas, and feedback are welcomed. Until next time.