Not That Bad

3 ~ The Others

ANNA'S POV

Today was the day. The day Negan would make those people pay for killing his people. Simon and a bunch of men had already left to start pushing the group where they wanted them to go while Negan and Atlas were getting ready to make their arrival.

Anna was sitting on Negan's bed as he tucks his red scarf into his leather jacket. She helped him pick out that jacket. It used to be her favorite, but now he wears it for business, flecks of dried blood on it. Lucille would be pissed.

She might be more pissed that Negan named a bat after her though and beats people with it. The sight of the bat alone made Anna sick to her stomach. It was a symbol of the new version of Negan. The mean and cruel version of him.

Atlas sat on the couch, sharpening his knife when he looks at his sister, a hint of cruelty in his eyes. "You sure you don't wanna come Anna Marie?"

Anna glares at him and crosses her arms. "Why? So I can watch you and dad murder people?"

Negan scoffs and turns to her. "After they murdered our people? They have this coming Anna, don't forget that. We're not that bad guys here, they are. Maybe you should come along so you can see that for yourself."

She freezes and stares at my Negan. "I don't wanna dad. I don't like watching people die, bad guys or not."

He continues staring for a moment longer. "Fine, but someday you'll have to suck it up and kill some people with me. Understood?"

Anna nods, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I understand dad."

He turns and grabs Lucille, motioning for Atlas to stand. "Let's go." He turns to his daughter as he walks towards the door. "Listen to Laura and don't cause any problems."

She nods and watches him leave. The room falls silent as they exit, punctuated by her quiet breathing. She was alone, something that was becoming more and more common for her nowadays. Lucille never left her alone and by herself, but Negan didn't either but now he does it all the time.

She hates being alone. She misses the basement days when they all had to stay together whether they wanted to or not. There was always someone for her to talk to and play with, but not anymore. She could always talk to Laura or Dwight but they don't understand her and see no faults in Negan.

Anna hates how loyal people are to her dad. All because he's got the big scary bat and a smart way of doing things. Laura says Negan is charismatic, but Anna don't know what the hell that means. She wonders if her mom ever called him that.

Anna lays back on her dad's bed, sinking into the soft mattress. It reminds her of the bed he and Lucille used to share. The nights when Anna was little and would crawl into bed with them for comfort. She can't do that anymore, you never know who my dad might have in bed with him. She hates that too.

The door pushes open with a creak. Laura stands there, a slight smile on her face. "Hey, kiddo."

Anna waves at her from the bed, refusing to move. Laura chuckles quietly and wanders over, sitting down beside the young brunette on the bed. They look at one another for a few moments in silence before Laura jerks her head towards the door.

"Let's go eat dinner."

Anna sighs and sits up, climbing off the bed and following Laura out of the room. All the food is usually on the main floor unless it's personal food stored in their rooms or something made by the wives. She's not thrilled about going to eat and having to go on the main floor, but Laura isn't known for taking no for an answer.

Laura and Anna grab some soup from a vender and head upstairs, sitting with their legs hanging over the edge, beneath the railing. Laura tells Anna about her day as they eat, and talks about how she wishes she could have gone with my dad and make that group pay for what they did.

Anna tunes Laura out and stares at the people below them. These people were just as trapped as she was. Once you joined Sanctuary, you weren't allowed to leave. Something about people being resource or some shit. Anna thinks it's unfair. Some of these people were starving because they didn't have enough points for food. It's bullshit.

"Anna? Are you listening?"

Anna shakes her head and looks at Laura sheepishly. "Sorry. I was thinking about some stuff..."

She nods, not pressing for details and grabs Anna's empty bowl, taking it to be washed. After they spend the night watching some Disney movies that Laura found while searching a house. They watch Anna's favorite movie, Mulan, for the millionth time.

It's late morning when Negan returns. Anna watches from a window as he jumps out of the car, whistling and saunters over to a van. Moments later a man is pulled from the van. He looks dirty and angry. He struggles against the Saviors holding him until someone hits him with the butt of their rifle.

Then they drag the man inside, probably to the cell. Negan waits for Atlas before heading inside. Anna waits in her dad's room, beside Laura who paces around excited to hear the details of the night. It's not long before Negan makes his entrance.

"I'm home sweetheart." He grins, nodding a thank you to Laura who leaves to talk to Atlas for details.

Negan puts the bloody Lucille in one of his seats and smiles at Anna. "You should've been there Sunshine, it was fucking epic. I even brought back a souvenier." He walks over and sits on the bed with her, his arm dropping onto her shoulders.

"What's his name?"

"Daryl, ain't that some hillbilly shit name?" He laughs and glances at his daughter. "I don't want you around him until he's trained, okay? Too dangerous."

She nods, already planning on stopping by the cell to meet Daryl. Yeah, she'd get in trouble if Negan found out, but this Daryl guy looks really interesting.