Future Ghosts • TWD

164. Family.

"Negan," Rosie said, standing straight across from him. He wasn't listening to her. He needed to. He really, really needed to listen to her, but he just wouldn't.

They were getting ready to go back to the Reapers' outpost. The plan was for them to wear walker skins and blend in with a herd, like the Whisperers had. They'd lead the herd to the Reapers and sneak inside the compound. Then they'd find Daryl, get their food, and get the hell out.

The problem with that was that Liam was there, and he made a promise to Ian and Rosie. Not a promise they wanted to hear, but a promise indeed.

"If Liam sees you, he's gonna kill you. He doesn't give a shit what anyone says. He wants you dead. Your people killed his momma," Rosie tried to explain, her mind moving faster than her mouth, causing her to stumble over a few of the words.

"I heard you the first fifty-thousand times, Rosie. But I'm telling you, I don't care. I'm going with you guys. That was the whole damn point of me coming along on this trip," Negan insisted, pressing his fingers into his eyes.

"I think he should come," Ian chimed, bumping his arm against Rosie's.

"Shut up, Ian," Rosie sighed, rolling her eyes at him.

"Just saying. Would it really be so bad if Liam..."

"Shut up, Ian," Rosie said for a second time, giving him a mean glare.

"I admire your honesty, Ian," Negan joked, a small, humorous smile on his face.

"Shut up. Liam will go out of his way to kill you. I'm not kiddin'. You have to stay back," Rosie huffed, her arms crossed over her chest.

"If anyone should be staying back, it should be you two," Negan said, gesturing to both Ian and Rosie. Their faces were now clean, but the dark cuts and bruises stood out against the pale color of their skin. A grim reminder of what had happened. Of who had done what. "You guys are already banged up enough. There's no point in you going back there," Negan went on.

"Yes, there is. We can help, first of all, and second of all, we can show you the best way in," Rosie insisted, raising her eyebrows to emphasize her point. Really, she just wanted to see Daryl again as quickly as she could, so she could tell him that she was ok and she didn't blame him.

"We don't know if our way out was the best way in. It was the only way we knew," Ian pointed her, scrunching his face up with confusion.

"Ian, shut up," Rosie spat, growing more and more irritated.

"I don't know how you liked it in there, Rosie, but I fucking hated it. I'm not looking to go back there," Ian said, his tone tense and frustrated. Of course, he wanted to help, too, but if he had learned anything from this trip, it was that they were kids. Kids who weren't built to fight. Kids who should have been back where it was safe.

"We have to go back! The more people, the better. If we go with 'em, we have a higher chance at winnin' this fight," Rosie argued.

"Both of you shut up for a second," Negan interjected, holding his hands out between them. Rosie gave Ian one more glare before turning her attention back to Negan. "Rosie, you just proved my point. If we all go, we have a higher chance of getting what we want. So, if I'm staying back, so are you two. You're hurting and he was shot less than 24 hours ago. Either we all go, or none of us do."

"What about Liam?"

"If Liam kills me, he kills me. I deserve it, ok? He has every right to be pissed at me," Negan replied.

"No. Fuck Liam. He's killed people, too. He ain't any better than you," Rosie spat without thinking.

"Jesus, Rosie, listen to yourself for a second," Ian interjected, grabbing her upper arm and turning her to look at him. She ripped her arm out of his grip furiously. Before she could argue with him, though, he went on. "Negan is a grown man! He knows the difference between right and wrong, and he did horrible, shitty things! He killed Glenn and he killed Abraham, and he killed Liam's mom."