Daryl's Angel: Saviour (Book Two)

Chapter 50: Devotion

I trail after Negan, keeping my distance as Rick leads him to the armoury, waiting for my chance. More and more Saviours gather up around him, coming from all directions, crawling all over Alexandria like a bunch of roaches.

Rick leads them around to the garage, where our pantry is, and I stop dead when I notice Daryl among the crowd of Saviours. I have to clap my hand over my mouth to stop myself from calling out to him.

God, he looks awful. He wears this horrible tan tracksuit decorated with a bright orange "A" across the chest, and there's a strap of leather sewn between the shoulder blades like a handle. His hair is stringy and greasy, far more than usual, hiding his face from view, and he keeps his head down.

The sight of him emboldens me. I just need a chance to speak to Negan, but he's keeping Rick close, and Rick cannot hear what I want to ask.

The garage door opens, and Olivia greets them, leading them inside. I come a little closer. Rick and Negan stand just inside the open garage between our pitifully empty shelves, Negan speaking to him in low tones.

Negan isn't all that much taller than Rick, but he ignores personal space, leaning as close as he can without touching him, and it makes him seem so much bigger. I don't know how to announce myself, how to do it without ticking him off.

"I know we started off on the wrong foot," Negan is saying as I get within earshot, "but what can I say? You forced my hand, Rick. But it's like I've been trying to tell you. I'm a very reasonable man as long as you cooperate."

I can cooperate. I can do so many things. I'll make this work.

"So let me ask you a question, Rick," he murmurs. "Are you cooperating?"

"What's it look like?" Rick says, deadpan.

Negan laughs and leans in close again. "I know what it looks like. What I really wanna know is if we're gonna find all the guns back there or if maybe you've got a few just waiting for their moment...just like my Lucille."

"They're all in there, to the best of my knowledge."

"I am counting on that, Rick."

Negan's gaze flickers upwards, finally tearing away from Rick, and he notices me. I freeze like a rabbit in a fox's sightline, suddenly regretting everything that carried my feet here. Negan's eyebrows lift.

"Well," he says. "Hello."

Rick gives me a stern look, but I stay rooted in place. "Negan?" I ask.

His smile is way too white. He must get first dibs on toothpaste back at his camp, because of course he does. "The one and only," he says. He steps closer to me. "You...were in the infirmary with the kid, right? You the doctor?"

I nod. "Yes..." After a second, I add, "Sir."

He chuckles. "Oh, you're really getting with the program, aren't you? Rick, you should learn a thing or two from..." He looks back at me. "Name?"

"Hope."

"Well, that's gotta be some kind of cosmic joke, huh?"

"I...I've heard that before."

He comes up right close to me and, yikes, that 'lack of personal space' thing is even more intimidating when you add in the fact that he does not shy away from eye contact. It takes everything I have to meet him head-on as his tongue flicks against his teeth.

"So, doc," he says, and it sounds like a taunt. "What tempted you to follow us all the way over here? You got something special hiding away, just for me?"

Is he flirting, or is that just how he talks? I think it's the latter, because he talked to Rick the same way, and I don't like it if it is. I cast a quick look at Rick, who tilts his head at me and again gives me that stern, warning stare.