Too Good to be Bad | Negan |

62 - We surrender

We are given a few days of respite during which nothing really happens. We go on as usual even though everyone is tense, because we all know this won't last. We try to make the best of it, since these might be the last days of peace for a while. All of us spend our free time together. We play boardgames or I make drawings of my friends, we play with Karishma and we keep the kids distracted. I only wish Kieran was with us. But he's still at the outpost and Derek was the last to see him when everything went bad at Alexandria.

We spend our days and evenings with our friends, but at night it's just me and Derek. It is so good to be with him. I haven't been so comfortable with a man in a long time. He makes me laugh, we have the best talks and the sex is amazing. The only thing that bothers me is his late night shifts. I don't really sleep until he finally shows up and takes me into his arms.

But what we feared, comes to pass sooner than we like. I'm rolling my laundry cart through Negan's hallway when a door opens and two men come out. I lower my head when I recognize Simon and let him pass me with his new best friend, Gregory. Apparently, Gregory has fled the Hilltop because the Widow has taken over control from him. Negan killed her husband in the line-up and everyone thought she was dead, until she showed up with an army at Alexandria on that desastrous day. She sounds pretty much like a badass, to be honest.

Fortunately, Simon doesn't acknowledge me, but they're going in the same direction as me so I wait for a moment to put some space between us before I continue. I pass the doctor's office and glance inside for a moment. The new doctor Carson is making inventory of his medication. He looks younger than his brother, but more tired too. It's clear he doesn't want to be here. I haven't spoken to him yet, but he helped Nikolai, who was still recovering when the old doctor Carson got killed, get back on his feet and Nik thinks he's a nice enough guy.

I continue on my way to deliver some laundry to the officer's rooms and walk quickly past the war room where Negan is currently having a meeting with all of them and the new guy, Eugene. I hear him bang Lucille onto the table just as I pass it and feel especially glad not to be in there. A little while later, I'm just dropping off a pile of laundry in front of Dwight's room when an unexpected sound makes me drop the clothes into a messy heap. Gunfire. Only a couple of shots, but clearly shot by a lot of guns.

I can't see what's happening from the hallway, so I make my way back to the war room. Carefully, I peek around the corner. It's empty except for one guy. Gregory is hovering besides the door to the platform, looking nervous. Negan and everyone else have gone outside onto the platform. My heart is pounding fast. Is this it? Are they here to kill him? Are they here to kill all of us? Gregory doesn't notice me so I stay in position, because I can just hear Negan through the open door.

'I care about my people. I don't want to just march them into the line of fire, because I want to play my dick is bigger than yours. It is. We both know it.'

Sure, Negan, be a cocky asshole as usual. Is he even taking this seriously? Now Rick addresses the officers. He asks them to surrender so them and all of us inside get to live. It's just Negan that needs to die. I don't need to hear their answer. They'd never abandon Negan in a moment like this. Out of loyalty or out of fear, I don't know.

Negan tells Rick he doesn't have the numbers for this fight and a moment later Simon enters the room to fetch Gregory. I quickly hide myself from view and when I look around the corner again the room is empty. I have to know more. As quietly as possible I sneak inside and hurry over to the window next to the door to the platform. I stay safely at the side of it, so I don't catch a bullet if they start firing but at least from here I can see a little bit. They've attached metal plates to their cars to protect themselves. Smart.

'The Hilltop stands with Negan and the Saviours', Gregory announces. 'Any resident of the Hilltop who takes up arms or who support this ultimatum against the Sanctuary or any of the Saviors for that matter, will no longer be welcome in the colony.'