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GREY KINGSTON
i sit on the floor in the doorframe of judith's room as she naps in her crib. the sound of creaking on the stairs behind me makes my head turn.
"sorry." carol mouths out. she quickly ascends the rest of the stairs and then comes to sit with me. "you all right?"
i nod my head, giving her a soft smile as she gives my cold hands a squeeze.
"i feel like a fraud for not being out there with you guys that night." her blue eyes are glistening wet with tears. "i watched one group head to hilltop for maggie, and the other group head out after daryl to look for you."
"you stayed back to protect this place—our home."
"yeah, but—" she sniffles. "i had no idea what was happening out there, none of us did. it's ... unfathomable. abraham, and—and glenn—"
i reach forward, hugging her without another second passing by.
judith lets out a single cry pulling carol and i apart.
"i'll stay with her." carol whispers as i stand up. "you go rest."
i look over at judith who's still asleep, hugging her giraffe stuffed animal, "okay, thanks."
instead of heading to my room, i head downstairs and outside because i can't rest—not when negan is walking the streets of our home.
i cross the street with a brisk walk to stand with michonne and carl on the sidewalk, "you're back. did they see you?"
"yeah, they took my gun." she says. "carl was telling me they're taking whatever they want, even more than what we've scavenged for them."
"yeah," i nod my head as i look around at the saviors scattered throughout our streets. they're raiding our houses, taking all our food, medicine, personal items just to be dicks—it makes my stomach churn with anger. "fuckin' assholes. hey, have you seen your dad?"
"by the front gate with negan." carl tells me.
"thanks, i'll be back."
i head down the main street toward the front gate where the saviors' trucks sit. rick notices me at the same time negan does.
"she's still napping, carol's sitting with her." i inform rick before he can even ask about judith.
"we were just talkin' about you." negan says in a nonchalant way.
"what about me?" i ask, my eyes trailing over to rick who subtly rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
"i was just apologizing for the other day, what i said to you. rick's made it clear you're his." negan lets out a dramatic sigh. "i've never met someone so stubborn before! my wives gave up being with their husbands to be with me so they could live!"
