Together

Chapter 6

JC's POV

I sighed and smiled as I saw Carl, Enid, Rick, and Michonne walk into their house. I really hoped they would stay for a while. They seemed like cool people.

I started walking back down the street toward my house. Actually, the house wasn't completely mine. Since I had no family with me, I shared a house with Kyle and Rylee, two members from my group. I got the bottom floor while they got the top.

As I walked down the street, I looked to my left to see two women from Rick's group sitting on their porch. Tara and Denise I think their names were.

I greeted people as they walked past me. But soon I saw Keith, another member of my group, running towards me with fear in his eyes.

He stumbled to a stop in front of me.

"JC!" he called. "At the gate!"

"Keith, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly. "Is it rippers?"

He shook his head furiously. "It's them!" he proclaimed. "They're here!"

My eyes widened in shock. "They're a month early! Why would they be here?!"

"I don't know!" Keith yelled. "But come on!"

I nodded and we both started running in the direction of the gate. We came to a stop in front of it.

I looked up at Alex, who was on gate watch that day. He had a terrified look on his face. "It's okay, Alex!" I yelled. "Open the gate!"

As the gate slowly started to move, I turned back to Keith. "Make sure no one from Rick's group comes out here," I ordered quietly. "They don't need to see this."

Keith nodded and ran off.

I took a deep breath and turned back towards the gate, which had opened fully.

I looked up and gave Alex a reassuring smile before slowly stepping through the gate.

And there he was. He had brought about 20 Saviors with him today, along with a big truck. I could recognize that barbed wire bat anywhere.

"Hello, Negan," I said calmly, standing about 10 feet away from him.

Negan chuckled. "Hello, JC. Long time, no see. Get it. Because like JC, no see?"

"Yeah, I get it," I said, putting my hand up to stop him, internally groaning. "Maybe next time you come, you can come with better jokes. Speaking of, why are you here? You're a month early."

"Well," he explained, watching Lucille, his bat, as he spun it in his hands. "I figured, why wait to take your stuff when I can take it right now?"

"We're not done getting everything we need to get," I pointed out, trying desperately to make up as many excuses as I can. "Why would you want to take a little right now when you can get a lot next month?"

Suddenly, I heard two sets of running footsteps behind me. I turned around sharply to see Carl running towards me with Keith chasing him down.

I gave Keith a death stare before turning back to Negan.

"Would you give me a second?" I asked, forcing a smile.

Negan nodded and I grabbed Keith's arm, pulling him out of everyone's earshot.

"I thought I told you to tell everyone to stay in their houses!" I whispered to him harshly.

"I did!" he said innocently, holding out his hands.

"Then why isn't he in the house?" I pointed to Carl.

"When I told him, he said, and I quote," Keith cleared his throat, "I will not stay in the house! I didn't do it at Hershel's farm, and I will not do it here! And then he took off."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know!" Keith whisper yelled.

I sighed in defeat and walked back over to Negan, ignoring Carl.

"Well, I've never seen this guy before," Negan chuckled, gesturing to Carl. "Who is he?"

"Just a kid that came here today with his group," I said, waving off the question. "Now let's get back to business."

"Ah, yes," Negan said. "We want everything now."

"You sure?" I asked.

He simply nodded.

Knowing that he wasn't going to give up, I sighed and turned toward Keith.

"Get his half," I told him.

He nodded and went back inside.

After I couldn't see him anymore, I turned to make eye contact with Carl.

He looked slightly guilty, as he should.

I sighed, giving him a reproachful look, before Keith and several others came back out carrying food, medicine, clothes, and tubs of water.

A few Saviors left the huddle and helped load everything into their truck.

Once it was done, Negan smiled and said, "It was a pleasure doing business with you." He then walked towards the truck.

"Hey, Negan!" I called out.

He turned to face me.

"Make sure you come when you're supposed to next time."

He chuckled. "We'll see." He then jumped into the truck and they sped off.

I sighed and turned back toward my group members. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about him for at least another month," I said, trying to be optimistic.

Everyone nodded sadly and walked back inside. Everyone except for Carl.

Once he saw that we were alone, he looked up at me, his eyes full of fear and regret.

I sighed. "Why didn't you just stay in your house?" I asked desperately. "Who knows what could've happened to you out here? Negan could've killed you just because he didn't know you!"

After a moment, I heard him quietly say, "I was worried about you."

Although that touched me a little, I shook it off and said, "You don't need to worry about me! I can take care of myself! You don't even know me!"

Carl opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times.

Tired of waiting for him to speak, I said, "You know, if you're trying to get me to like you, you're not off to a great start."

I pushed past him and walked back inside.

I could feel his eyes on me, but I ignored them, only wanting to go home.

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Author's Note: BAM I added JC's POV

What do you think of JC so far?

How do you think Negan and the Saviors will affect the story (if they do at all)?