A New Home

The Battle- Facing Death

You awoke with a start, dazed and confused as you forgot where you were in a fleeting moment of panic. You could still hear bodies brushing past the door, but they were slowing down, and becoming fewer and fewer. Soon, there would only be a small huddle milling about outside your hiding spot, and that would be the perfect time to catch up with the others and to take out any more walkers on the way. Groaning, you sat up, your throat burning as it choked your breathing.

"How you doin' sleeping beauty?"

Negan was still leaning back against the door, and he was flicking an empty pills container up into the air with one hand and catching it with the other, a tedious game to pass the time. Though, you weren't exactly sure how long you'd both been there for. He seemed to read your mind as he began to brief you on what was going to happen.

"You've been out for about 40 minutes."

Huh, you thought, not long at all, but your pounding head and heavy eyes made you feel like you'd been asleep for days.

"I've checked, and there's hardly any more of them coming up- quite a few have split off and are just roaming the halls. If you're up for it we can continue on up and re group with the others, or we can bail and go down and out. No shame in it, you've been through the wars and to be honest you don't look fighting fit."

You shook your head furiously, pulling your knife from your belt and pointing up towards the ceiling, 'Oh no, we are not giving up, we're doing this', and proceeded to clumisly push yourself up off of the floor, instantly regretting it when your head became flooded with dizziness. You slapped a hand on the wall to steady yourself, and managed to come around. Chuckling, Negan also stood up but with more balance and coordination, moving towards you and stopping low to scoop up the painkillers you had left on the floor.

"Ok fine, but we gotta be quick and we gotta be quiet. They should almost be up there by now, so they can help us through when we get there."

You nodded, your brows set in determination as you looked off to your side, thinking about what might happen. There was no point in trying to guess the future but you couldn't help but do it. As you were lost in your thoughts you absentmindedly raised your hand to your throat, brushing your fingertips over the tender skin. You were brought back to reality by the feeling of something cold being pushed into your hand, and you realised it was the pills.

"You should take some. It might take the edge off."

He was standing so close that he could have trapped you between the wall and his body if he wanted to, and there would have been nothing you could have done to leave the room. Your hand wrapped around the bottle, your skin brushing against his for a split second before you raised the hard plastic to your parted lips and allowed two pills to slip down into your throat. You instantly started coughing as they scraped slowly through your swollen neck, wishing that you atleast had some water to wash them down with. Instead, you just had to wait as they travelled painfully down to your stomach, wanting to curse that freak that had done this to you. You placed the rest gently back on the shelf, not wanting to draw the attention of any walkers that may have been lurking outside. As you looked back up, you found yourself face to face with him, his eyes burning into yours. They dropped down to gaze at your neck, which already had hints of a large bruise forming, and small indents of the sole of the boot responsible. His brow furrowed and the soft expression he wore just moments ago hardened.

"I should have taken more time with him. Made him really sorry."

You shook your head, a small smile appearing at the corner of your mouth, 'No, there wouldn't have been any time', and you placed your hands on either side of his face, guiding his gaze back to yours. You gave him a reassuring look, explaining you were fine, and that,