Falling

nightmares

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Robyn woke up in cold sweat. The dreams of her mother became worse every night. The image of her falling to the ground after scolding her father was the worst. Because now, the image changed from her beautiful face to the ugly monster she became in her final moments.

Turning on her small lamp she held the picture of Lucille close to her heart and cried. It had been years since the end of the world, but it still felt so new. She wondered if it would ever change. If it would ever feel old.

She tried to resist the urge to go to her fathers room, but one look out the window and seeing a disturbing shadow had her standing up with her blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

Trudging quietly down the halls of their  home the barefoot girl couldn't help but think of what her mother would say about her fathers behavior. Sure, he was always rough around the edges, but not this rough.

Robyn paused at the door. She heard sounds coming from the other side and cringed. Negan always told her that if she ever needed him during his nightly activities she should just do a special knock. Lifting her hand to the door she knocks and the noise comes to a stop. The fifteen year old took a step back to lean against the wall. Her father opens the door and one of his wives rushed out while a shirtless Negan nods his head towards his room, signaling his daughter to step inside.

"Nightmare?" He asked gently shutting the door behind her. She nodded before sitting down on the gray couch in his room. No way was she sitting on his bed after what he was just doing. Negan sighed before sitting next to his daughter. "Same one?"

"Yeah." Was Robyn's quiet answer. "I should be over her death by now daddy, she died two years ago."

"Thats one of the things you can never get over Robbie." He said wrapping his arm around Robyn's shoulder. "It's the way she went, too soon and we didn't get to say a proper goodbye."

"I wish the world hadn't ended." She whispers quietly. "She could've had a proper burial. Instead, she's laying on the floor of some dirty hospital."

Tears roll down her cheeks and she buries her face into her fathers chest. The two sit in silence until Robyn falls asleep. Negan gently lays her down on the couch and covers her with a blanket. It was almost dawn when she fell asleep. Knowing sleep was hard for the young teenager, he let her be.

Negan never went to sleep after that. Instead he grabbed the baseball bat he named Lucille and went off to work. Running the sanctuary wasn't easy, but it sure was fun scaring his people shitless. Even though Robyn didn't necessarily approve, it was his job as leader.

As he walked into the dining hall everyone kneeled before their leader, their king if you would.  When he gestured for everyone to stand up his right hand man stood up with a grim look on his face.

"Sir, the drop was light." Simon told Negan.

"They never learn." Negan said shaking his head tapping Lucille on the floor three times. "Guess we're paying a visit, start up the trucks Simon, I'll be there in a moment."

"Will do boss." Simon said before walking off, rounding up the men. Negan grabbed two plates of breakfast and went back to his room where Robyn was waking up.

Perks of being the king of his people? They ate like royalty. While everyone had some kind of scraps and paid with points, Robyn and Negan got the rare delicacies left in the world of undead. Being unusually quite, Robyn picked at her food and stared at the ground.

Negan stared at his daughter for a moment, trying to figure out the words to say. But instead of speaking, he closed his eyes and gave out a sigh before finishing his food.

"When you're done, get ready." Negan said with a smile. He figured his little girl needed some fresh air, what better way to get said fresh air than escaping the sanctuary for a few hours. "We're going shopping."

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Negan never allowed Robyn to come with him during these outings. She didn't object either, they both figured it was safer when she was back at the sanctuary. But now, her stomach was fluttering with butterflies. She didn't know what to expect.

Sensing her nerves, Negan placed a hand on Robyn's shoulder. "You'll be fine kid. Take whatever you want, and take no shit from anybody. We're practically royalty, they respect us."

"Where exactly are we going?" Robyn asked curiously. She wasn't used to leaving the compound, in fact the last time she had was roughly six months ago.

"One of the communities." Negan explained placing his hand back onto the wheel. "They were light on the drop. So, we're giving them a lesson or two."

"You're going to kill one of them aren't you." Robyn stated the obvious.

"Yeah, probably." Negan said. He hated the fact that Robyn could read him like an open book. She always could. "But you're not going to watch that, I'll have Simon  take you on your little shopping spree."

With that, the pair pulled up to the gates, ready to face whatever came at them.
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