I fell in love with the devil |The Walking Dead| NeganxOC |CarolxDaryl

Chapter 103 - Home

Quinn, Negan, Daryl, Gabriel, and Elijah, in the forest

We were cuddling with Negan a little bit further away from the camp. I told him all of my feelings and he didn't say anything, just hugged me. I didn't understand, but I didn't want to question him. I felt embarrassed enough already.

"We should get back to the others. Squirrels probably ready," he said gently.

I nodded approvingly and we headed back. Gabriel and Daryl were talking while a walker was approaching them. I grabbed my knife as I got back to the camp, Daryl did the same, then an arrow shot through its head. Jesus and Maggie walked back behind the walker. Negan became slightly tense at the sight of Maggie. She and Jesus weren't in a good mood. Gabriel asked Maggie about Alden and she gently shook her head. I knew immediately it took so long for them because they had to bury him. Jesus waved hi to me and I waved back with a slight smile. Maggie glanced at Negan, then at me, then turned her back on us and crouched beside Elijah to say hi to him. Jesus looked around and got two more logs for him and Maggie to sit down. Negan and I sat back to our original places. Maggie sat next to Daryl, to be close to Elijah. Jesus sat next to Gabriel on the other side of the campfire. Daryl divided the squirrels equally, so everyone got a bite. No one said anything for a while. We were all tired and some of us were really down. Maggie helped Elijah drink some water.

"I'm going to sleep if you don't mind. I just can't stay awake a minute longer," said Gabriel apologetically.

"Go on. I'm watchin'" said Daryl without hesitation. Gabriel nodded thanks and headed back to the carriage to lie down on the seat.

"You should sleep a little too, Maggie," said Jesus gently. Maggie glanced at Negan, who was staring at the fire, spaced out.

"I'm good," she stated and turned back towards Elijah who was already asleep. Negan glanced at Maggie, then at me.

"Do you want to sleep?" he asked quietly. I shook my head gently.

"No. You sleep," I said. Negan nodded and went back to our carriage to lie down on the seat like Gabriel did on the other carriage. I watched him as he got comfortable. We could see them clearly because of the light the fire made. When he stopped moving, I glanced at Maggie, then at Daryl, then finally at Jesus.

"Are you okay, Jesus?" I asked quietly. I didn't have many opportunities to talk to him during this journey. We were almost always separated.

"Fine, yeah, thanks. And you?" he asked smiling slightly.

"I'm okay, thanks," I answered.

"Yeah, I was lucky this time. Not even a scratch. Aaron will be happy," said Jesus still smiling. As I was sitting, something touched my ankle, I almost jumped as I got surprised. It was the frickin' walker skin mask, it fell out of my pocket.

"Shit," I said under my breath, grabbed that piece of crap, and threw it into the fire. Jesus and Maggie also took theirs out and throw them into the fire. Maggie took Elijah's walker mask as well and did the same, as he was sleeping. Daryl watched the scene without saying anything. He patted dog's head. I glanced at Negan, he was sleeping on the carriage. He would probably still keep his mask for "sentimental reasons"...

There was an awkward silence once again and I wanted to start a conversation, but I didn't dare because of Maggie. She hated me for Negan and she was mourning. Jesus was mourning too and Daryl had every possible problem on his mind. So I didn't dare to say a word. We were just sitting in silence, everyone deep in their thoughts. I grabbed a twig and started playing with it. I put the end into the fire, then I watched it for a couple of seconds as it burned, then I started drawing circles and squiggles on a rock. When I got bored with it I put the twig into the fire. Daryl glanced at the squiggles then he turned his eyes back at the fire. Didn't say anything. It was a long night, with us sitting in silence. I couldn't tell whether the danger was worse or this. At least we were in peace now. So I guess this one was better. I replayed my conversation with Negan inside my head. Why didn't he say anything? Was I too much? Did he not feel the same way about me? I glanced at him again as he was sleeping, then from time to time, I glanced at him more often. He turned around in his sleep until I could see his face. I didn't realize I was staring at him for a very long time. There was a stray hair that got in front of his forehead. He looked so handsome. I wanted to kiss him, but he would wake up and it was not the right time for that anyway. I got distracted when dog lay down between me and Daryl and brushed my leg with his tail while doing so. I glanced at the cute doggy, smiled slightly, and petted his head. Daryl patted dog's back and our eyes met. I smiled at him gently. He still looked so weary. I got a barely visible half smile back, but it was more than nothing.

"You should sleep a little too," I said in a whisper to Daryl. He shook his head slightly, and his smile vanished completely.

"Can't," he said simply. I had a feeling he would say that because he was so troubled by his thoughts, so I just nodded understandingly. And then again, silence till morning.

...

When the first rays of the sun started to glow, Daryl put the fire out. Jesus and Maggie gathered themselves up, I did the same. Maggie gently woke Elijah up and with the help of Jesus they put him up on the carriage which Gabriel was sleeping on. This time, Elijah got to sit on the platform, because there weren't more seats at the front and this way he could stretch his leg. Maggie then woke Gabriel up, he glanced around sleepily. I stepped to Negan. He was still sleeping with that one stray hair in front of his forehead. I got mesmerized for a second, then I gently caressed his healthy cheek. He opened his eyes and looked at me sleepily.

"Good morning," I said with a slight smile.

"Morning," he replied and sat up. He stretched his back a bit, then climbed down. "You didn't sleep at all?"

"I will, on the road," I said. Negan stood up and stretched a little more, then disappeared behind the trees for a moment. Everyone was getting ready to continue our journey. I glanced at Gabriel and Jesus, they were helping Elijah, then Jesus checked one of the horses, while Daryl checked the other one. After doing so, Jesus sat at the front of the carriage, next to Gabriel. Maggie joined them, without looking at me at all. Negan was coming back towards the carriage but he avoided looking at Maggie as well.

Daryl put his crossbow over his shoulder and stepped in front of the carriages. I climbed up and sat down, then Negan climbed back up and sat next to me. When everyone was ready, Daryl nodded, whistled to dog, and led the way on foot again. I didn't like that he wanted to walk all the way back to Alexandria, but at the same time, I understood him. He just had to do something, he needed to keep moving, so his thoughts could race. So I didn't ask him again to sit on the carriage. He needed to walk. I glanced at Negan, he wiped his eyes once more while Jesus got their carriage going. We waited for a little while, then we followed them, Negan driving. I took out my flask and drank a drop of water, then I handed it to Negan. He did the same, then gave it back. We didn't say anything. Soon, I drifted off to sleep.

...

I felt a gentle touch on my cheek. I opened my eyes sleepily and saw Negan's warm, brown eyes, then he turned his gaze back at the road, then glanced at me once again.

"We're almost back," he said.

"Thanks," I mumbled as I wiped my eyes, then I glanced around. I knew this road, it looked way too familiar. It was the one where I tried to take my own life, years ago... I quickly shook these thoughts out of my head, I let out a sigh and stretched my back a bit.

"Not so comfortable," said Negan. "My back still hurts."

"Good to know," I said as I was trying to stretch but it hurt even more. "Doesn't matter, we get home and sleep all day in the comfy bed."

"Sounds like a plan," said Negan smiling at me. He looked so cute. He still didn't say anything about all the things I told him last night. I was feeling really embarrassed by now. And I was definitely not going to mention it again. Hopefully, he'll forget about it. Hopefully, I'll forget about it too.

Daryl glanced at me as he heard I woke up, then he turned his eyes back to the road. I glanced at Elijah, he was sitting on the platform of the carriage in front of us. He was either still asleep or just resting with his eyes closed, I couldn't tell. We were all still so weary. I was so glad that Jesus and I survived that night without a scratch. I was very lucky this time and I knew it.

Then my thoughts started racing once again. We were almost back. Carol, Judith, Henry, RJ, Lydia... I missed them so much. My heart started pounding heavily. Not racing like it does because of Negan, but it was a little bit of excitement to see them again. Maybe Eugene's group returned too while we were away. I hope everyone was okay.

As I thought through all this, the walls of Alexandria started to become visible above the trees. I let out a sigh. We were home.

...

Author's notes: There's no song this time. Imagine the clopping sound of hooves as everyone sits in quiet, approaching Alexandria. ❤

Thank You for reading! ❤