For Daryl Dixon [part 1]

It's Negan (73)

When we wandered back to the camp after a few hours I noticed not everyone was still near the camp. Some were either sleeping in their tents or by the fire. I held Daryl's hand tight and saw him smile down at me. His smile sent shivers through me as I thought about the way he was holding be only a few minutes earlier.

"Find that fire wood?" Glenn asked Daryl with a sly grin as we joined everyone around the fire. I blushed with embarrassment as I made eye contact with Michonne, who was smiling at me, and I sat down. Daryl actually laughed instead of ignoring Glenn's side comments like usual. Before either of us could say something Rick came running towards us with Sasha on his tail. Everyone stood in alert and I noticed the blood across Rick's shirt and Sasha's face.

"What happened?" Michonne asked Rick as they got close enough.

"Grab everything! We have to go. NOW!" He shouted and we all did as he said. We had to leave the tents and left over food. All we had now were our packs and weapons. Rick was running full speed and we all ran to catch up. 

"Rick! What's going on?" Daryl yelled catching up to him.

I could hardly breath I was running so fast.

"He has Abraham, Tara, and Ashe." He said over his shoulder. 

"Who?"

"Negan." Rick shouted and everyone sensed the urgency in his tone. I wondered how in the world he found us but didn't have time to think about it much as we fought off a group of walkers. I went to stab one in the head and lost my balance. I felt Daryl's hand on my back and he steadied me. 

"Thank you." I said and before he said anything he was off killing another one. We caught up to the group as we stood in front of a large river. 

"The bridge is this way." Rick said and started off again.

"Rick. Wait!" Michonne said and pulled him back. "We need to have a plan before we just go busting in and play hero."

"They took our people." He said back angrily. Judith started to cry in Cara's arms and this pulled Rick out of his stubborn head. He took a few deep breaths.

"Just tell us what happened." Michonne said steading him with her hand on his. Then Sasha stepped forward.

"Abraham and I were taking care of those walkers we heard and then we lost sight of Ashe so we came back to get Rick to help us find him. Then Tara came too and when we found Ashe he wasn't alone. Negan had him tied up and he was bleeding so much we thought he was dead. We started shooting and tried to get him back but one of their men got Tara. So Abraham tried to get her back and they got him too. We came back to warn everyone." Sasha explained and caught her breath when she finished. "He had this bat with barbed wire wrapped around it." She said cringing at the thought of it. "He was hitting Ashe with it."

I felt my stomach turn at the thought of this and it immediately reminding me of the governor taking my dad's life. I felt a tear roll down my face and felt Daryl's hand lace in mine.