Surviving The New World (Book Six in the Surviving The Walking Dead Series)

Fight For Your Rights

Negan sat across from me in my old office, silently picking at the bread I had shared with him. None of us looked at the other, not at first, at least. Negan knew I needed a moment to collect myself and I knew he needed to try and think of either some bullshit excuse or some way to flirt his way out of trouble, neither of which would work. "You didn't come just for me, did you?" Negan softly spoke, finally breaking the awkward silence.

"No," I muttered. "You were the main goal...but I needed to come here."

"Why?"

"I just needed to see it," I sighed. "Why did you come back?"

"I needed to see it, too. All that time I was in my cell, people told me that there was nothing out here for me, but I refused to believe them, not until I saw it for myself."

"I could've tried to plan a trip to show you, ya know. I mean, not without a shit ton of arguin' with Michonne, but I could've arranged it somehow."

"It wouldn't have been the same. I needed to come out here on my own and try to be on my own." Negan continued picking at his bread.

"What did ya need to see?"

"Everything," Negan mumbled. "I went to where I killed your friends and...just remembering it made me fucking puke."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Well, that and drinking creek water."

"Ya drank creek water?" I exclaimed quickly rising to my feet to examine Negan. "Are ya fuckin' stupid? Don't ya know that can make ya sicker than shit? Ya don't know what's in that water, Negan. Bacteria, dead walkers, shit that causes dysentery—"

"Nice to know you'll always care about me," Negan smiled. I rolled my eyes and smacked the back of his head with frustration.

"Be happy ya ain't got a fever."

"Always am," Negan chuckled.

"What else did ya see?"

"I got me a new jacket. I would've gotten myself more clothes, but I got chased by some dogs. Then I came here."

"Did ya find what ya were lookin' for?" I asked as I took my seat across from him again.

"I found you."

"Funny."

"No," Negan admitted. "I didn't find what I was looking for."

"And what exactly were you lookin' for?"

"A purpose outside Alexandria's walls." The space between us fell silent. "Rick...everyone was right, there's nothing out here for me, not anymore...I just needed to see it for myself."

"Well, I hope ya got a good enough look because we're leavin' soon."

"I'm not going back."

"Ya said there's no purpose for ya out here anymore, why stay?"

"Having no purpose out here where I'm free is better than serving as the example for what happens to criminals in Alexandria."

"Negan, ya got to go back."

"The fuck I do," Negan snapped. "For years I rotted away in that fucking cell! I can count how many times I got a shower per year, newsflash honey, it's eight!"

"Negan—"

"Out here I am free to do what I goddamn please and no one is there to stop me! I can take a walk, I can hunt, I can grow my own food, start my own community—" Negan paused. "Nothing will ever be the same again."