Daryls Sister {Book One}

196

(Trigger Warning ⚠️: Mention of Rape.)

While Judith was at her lesson with Liam and the other children, I was sitting on the steps outside the house. My thoughts were going haywire and I couldn't stop them I was brought out of my thoughts by someone speaking.

"What are you thinking about Maddie?" Negan asked. He was still in the cell.

"A lot of things that's happened." I said, standing up and going down the stairs and stood in front of the cell doors.

"Go on and talk to me, I'll listen." He said, pulling the chair we gave him closer to the cell door.

"I wouldn't know where to start. It's just that even though Rick is gone, I still talk to him like he's right in front of me. I guess it's just my brain saying that I'm not over him." I said.

"I know how you feel Maddie. I lost someone that meant the world to me. You never truly get over someone that's meant everything to you once they're gone. They stay with you and it's like your brain doesn't want you to forget about them." He said. "I had a wife and her name was Lucille. That's why I named my bat Lucille, I named it after her because that's the only I have left of her." He told me.

"I didn't know that." I said, when someone opened the door and Liam came running in. "Liam, what are you doing out of school?" I asked.

"I got in trouble." He told me.

"What did you do Liam?" I asked.

"I hit this boy that insulted dad, saying that he was the weak." He told me.

"Don't listen to them, okay? They're just trying to get under your skin and make you angry. So just ignore them alright." I said.

"How can I ignore them when they keep speaking badly about dad? I can't take it mom. They don't know what dad did before." He said.

"That's the only you can do Liam. I don't like people calling him weak either, he was one of the strongest men I knew. He never gave up, he just kept fighting no matter what it was. Did I tell something that happened when I was pregnant with you?" I said.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I got pregnant with you when me and the group was at this one prison. There was an aggressive flu strain that was going around from a sick pig we had. I caught that aggressive flu and I got really sick. I was getting worse each day and I was close to death but I held on as long as I can so you can come into the world. For your Uncle Daryl and for your father. That's what kept me fighting for my life. I was very pale. I had a high fever. I was coughing up blood and throwing blood up. I got so weak I couldn't walk. When I couldn't walk, I told someone named Hershel to tell Rick I was still alive and fighting. I fought for you, your father, your uncle, and everyone else." I said.

"Really? All that happened when I was in your tummy?" He asked.

"Yes it did. Me, your father and everyone else went through a lot of stuff before settling here. We even got to the point where we were starving. We couldn't find a lot of food or water. We stayed alive just from eating a couple of squirrels and it wouldn't that much." I said. "Now go in the house and do the homework you were given." I said.

"Okay mom. Love you!" He shouted.

"Love you too little buddy!" I shouted back. He closed the door and it was just me and Negan again.

"I can't believe you went through all of that." He said.

"I did. But I lived through it and I'm still here as you can see." I said.

"You've been through a lot Maddie. You're a strong woman." He said.

"Yeah and now I'm 41 with three kids." I said. "But I wish I was able to tell Rick I was pregnant again but he died before I found out." I said, tearing up. "Hell, I still can't believe he's gone. He got me through so many things." I added, a tear falling down my cheek. "But I know he's still with me in my heart but I can't seem to stop crying." I said.

"It's normal to cry about someone's death even after all these years. It means you still love them." He said. I feel like hugging someone and I don't care who it is.

"I'm still here because I don't want to leave anyone. I can't make lose them someone else. Everyone here is part of the family. I especially don't want to leave Judith, Liam, or Rick Jr. without their mother because they need me. When Rick died, I shut everybody out even Daryl. It was the same thing when my our other brother died. Daryl can't lose his little sister." I said, more tears falling.

"I understand how you feel." He said.

"Is it alright if I hug you? I need to hug someone." I said.

"Yeah you can. And you don't have to worry about me trying to escape." He said. I went to the door and unlocked then opened it. I stood in front of him and then threw my arms around him and started crying in his shoulder. After a minute, I stopped crying and pulled away.

"Thank you Negan. Even though you did bad things before, you made me feel comfortable hugging you. And I still owe you for that time you saved me from David. I can't thank you enough for that." I said, walking out of the cell and locked it.

"He was going to rape you and I wasn't going to stand for that." He said. "If you don't mind me asking, but I saw you and David had history together and I wanted ask you what happened between you two." He said.

"I guess I should tell you." I said. "When I was fifteen, me and David was dating since we were in high school. One day, he came over to mine and Daryls house with me after school. Daryl went hunting and it was just me and David in the house. We were in my room and he said that he wanted to do it with me. I told him I wasn't ready but he didn't take no as an answer and he raped me. Once he was finished with me, he broke up with me and left me there on my bed crying my eyes out. Daryl came back and he heard me crying. He came in my room and saw me with nothing since I didn't put clothes on. Daryl wanted to beat the shit out of him but I stopped him. I never dated a man after that. I was scared of all the men until I met Rick. He helped me out of my comfort zone. I haven't been with a man for 15 to 16 years. He showed me that not all men are like David. Rick taught me to love again." I said.

"Damn. I'm so sorry that David did that to you." He said.

"When you opened that door and caught him getting ready to rape me again and after you killed him, I felt safe. That's why I held onto you because I was scared and I was thankful you came into the room when you did." I said, slightly smiling.

"I would do it again." He said.

"Thanks Negan. Now I better go now, to do the things I have to do. Thanks for letting me let things out on you." I said.

"No problem. Bye Maddie." He said. I walked outside and went to do what I have to do.