My Safe Space

twenty

"he's here."

the shared look on their faces made anna's stomach flip upside down. the pure terror that radiated off them told her everything she needed to know, everyone but carl. his gaze didn't move from her, instead gave a squeeze to the hand he still held. his pleading eyes was something she'd never forget as he stared into her. "can you really help?"

"yes." her voice shook before she let out a shaky breath. her arm was grabbed by rick as he led her out of the cage and up the stairs. when the door opened she was immediately blinded by the orange glow of the sun that began to set.

"what is she doing out?!" a man yelled as he jogged over along side another woman.

"she's going to help us glenn." carl nodded over.

"rick." negans voice rung out over the walkie he hand clipped to his belt. "open these doors before i drive right through them."

"there's no need for that." rick responded over the radio as he stared forward at the large gate that separated them from negan.

"you have something that belongs to me and i swear to god rick, if she has so much as a paper cut on her body-" negan paused as he talked through the mic as the thought about what could have happened to her in the time they held her captive. "well, i'm sure you know what's about to happen."

annabelle held out her hand for the walkie. rick glanced over to daryl and the several people who stood behind them before looking to carl. "trusting her is our only option."

"please." ricks voice softened as he placed the walkie in anna's hand.

"if he surrenders, if he agrees to end this. you don't touch him, you don't kill him. do we have a deal?" annabelle glared at rick. he paused for a moment before glancing back to the others. rick sighed and nodded to her.

annabelle pressed the button and held the walkie to her mouth. she hesitated to speak as she choked back her tears. "negan?"

"annie? are you okay?" negans voice flooded with concern as he stood just ahead of his truck at the metal gate. "did they hurt you?"

"no, i'm okay." she glanced over to daryl and rosita as she lied. she could see rositas expression soften before she broke eyes contsct and looked down at the ground. "negan please, i- i need you to listen to me, to every word."

"i'm listening princess, i'm right here." she could sense the fear, the anxiety through his voice.

"you need to leave these people alone. not just them, but the other group. i told you before, i told you it doesn't have to happen like this. we can work together with them." anna's voice trembled as tears slipped down her cheeks. all she wanted was to see him, to be safe back in his arms.

if he didn't agree to end this, she didn't know if she were ever going to get that chance again. if she were going to get out of here alive.

when he didn't respond right away, he finger instinctively clicked the button. she placed the walkie to her lips and whispered. "please negan, for me. i love you, so much."

"i love you." his voice was low. she could hear his voice call back to his men. "lower your weapons."

there was a moment of silence as his walkie clicked off. she glanced over to rick beside her as she waited for a response. "we can end this, open the gates."

"open them." annabelle nodded to them.

"how do we know he's not lying? that he isn't going to unload on us the second we do?" a woman question, diverting her anger toward rick.

"negans a lot of things, but he isn't a liar. and he wouldn't risk me getting caught in the crossfire." annabelle reassured them. "open the gates."

the moment the gate was opened and her eyes laid upon negan, it was like the fear that consumed her body for the last day disappeared. negan walked through the gate with his hands held high as he looked around for her. when their eyes finally met, she could see the panicked state he was in as his eyes roamed over her body.

"stop right there." rick ordered as his gun trained on negan.

"i'm unarmed. just let me have her and we'll leave and never come back." as negan spoke, his eyes never left anna. his eyes danced between the wound to her forehead and the bruise forming on her cheek.

"rick." annabelle moved in front of his gun and rested her hand ontop of ricks python. the fear that coursed her blood was indescribable but she couldn't let him shoot negan, she couldn't lose him. "this is how we end it."

she watched as ricks jaw clenched before he lowered the python. annabelle walked toward negan before collapsing into him. his arms enclosed tightly around her body as she sobbed into his shoulder. his hand held the back of her head as he rested his face into her hair. "it's okay princess, it's gonna be okay."

"we want our things back. the food you've taken from us, our weapons." ricks voice spoke from behind anna. she slowly broke away from negan just stayed at his side as negan chuckled, examining rick.

"all of us." a voice added.

negan chuckled as he examined the group behind rick. "should have known you'd be here ezekiel. i can do that."

"we can work together, you the man power, we have crops and livestock." carl spoke and glanced between negan and his father. anna's hand clutched negans arm as she stood at his side. her hands trembled at the relief of finally being able to go home.

"let me make this clear, we don't want you see you again. if you come near this place, if i see you on a run, if i catch as much of your scent - i will kill you." rick glared at negan as his hand adjusted his grip on the python at his side.

"okay." negan grumbled as pushed anna behind him.  negan began to lead her out of the community until her name was called from behind. when she turned, her eyes met those of daryl's.

the man didn't say anything, but instead nodded to her. anna flashed a soft smile before she continued with negan. the gates were quickly closed behind them. she was immediately engulfed in negans arms. she cried into his shoulder, taking in his scent. he mumbled into her hair. "i've got you, i've got you now."