luna mortimer-smith had long learned not to trust anyone, staying in the middle of the woods as to avoid any contact with the dead or any other humans.
one evening, she'd gone out to check her hunting traps like usual. little did she realize, thoug...
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Luna stared out at the pond, slow ripples moving across the otherwise calm surface. Her hands were tight on the railing of the gazebo as she tried to take slow and steady breaths, but it was becoming increasingly hard. It was finally hitting her, all at once, that today would be the day her father died. Truly, really died. It was overwhelming to say the least. She was glad the threat would finally be gone, but the thought of someone here, someone she loved, killing him...it almost hurt more than knowing he was going to die. Even though most everyone had taken lives before, this was different.
"Lu." Carl's voice brought her out of her thoughts. She didn't have to turn around though, as his hands rested on her hips and second later his chest was pressed against her back. "I know it's hard, baby." She sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. "We just have to get through today. Okay?" She nodded wordlessly, lifting a hand and placing it on the side of his head, lightly stroking his hair. She swallowed hard when Rick called for them, knowing that she couldn't avoid the inevitable for any longer.
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Luna checked the ammo in her rifle for probably the fifth time, and she heard the Scavenger woman next to her scoff. She, Carl, and three Scavengers were on the platform next to the gate's guard tower, where Rick and the Scavenger leader Jadis were. Rosita, Daryl and Aaron had set up a truck with explosives outside the walls where Negan would likely pull up his truck, so Rosita was standing near the gate. Everyone else was either on posts or in front of the gate as well, with Michonne being off on a sniper post with another Scavenger on top of the brownstones. Everyone was ready.
"It's gonna be okay." Carl's voice was soft in her ear. "Everything's gonna be okay." She nodded, looking over at him. Before she could say anything, the loud roar of the trucks made her heart jump to her throat. It was real. It was happening.
"All points are covered." Much to everyone's surprise, Eugene's voice sounded from a megaphone. Though, they couldn't see him as they were ducked down in hiding. "Every contingency is already met. I come armed with two barrels of the truth. A test is upon you, and I'm giving you a cheat sheet." The sounds of breaks squeaking filled the air as the trucks came to a stop in front of Alexandria, the engines cutting off shortly after. "H-Hello. I come salved with the hope that it is my dropped knowledge that you heed. Options are zero to none. Compliance and fealty are your only escape. Bottom-lining it-you may thrive, or you may die. I sincerely wish for the former, for everyone's sake. The jig is up, and in full effect. Will you comply, Rick?"
"Where's Negan?" Rick called out after a few moments.
"I'm Negan." Though Eugene's voice was no longer coming through a megaphone, everyone heard what he said. Luna couldn't help as her head hung. She'd remembered Rosita telling them how Eugene refused to leave with her and Sasha, but she figured he must've just been scared. But this? This wasn't him being scared. This was him turning on them. Turning his back on all the people who'd saved his life countless times. Luna looked back up, looking over at Rick. He was looking up at the sky, but then he turned to look down at Rosita. After a moment, he nodded and ducked. But nothing happened. No explosion came. It didn't work. Just as Rick went to grab his gun, Jadis stood up and aimed hers at the back of his head, the other Scavengers following her lead in a second.
Luna looked over at Carl, her breath caught in her throat. The gate was pulled open by one of the Scavengers who'd stayed on the outside, and the Saviors began to pour out of their trucks. Negan also got out, alongside Dwight and Simon, as Eugene climbed down from the flatbed he'd been standing on to meet with Negan. Rick stood up, his hand still resting on his gun.
"You ever hear the one about the stupid little prick named Rick who thought he knew shit but didn't know shit and got everyone he gave a shit about killed? It's about you." Negan's voice soon filled the silent, tense void. "You're all gonna wanna put your guns down now."
"No one drops anything." Rick spoke. "We had a deal." He looked at Jadis.
"Tamiel came for the boat things. Followed ones who took." Jadis spoke. "Made a better deal."
"You push me, and you push me, and you push me, Rick." Negan spoke. "You just tried to blow us up, right? I mean, I get me, my people. But Eugene? He's one of yours. And after what he did-he stepped up. You people are animals. Universe gives you a sign and you just shove your finger right up its ass." Negan held his middle finger up towards Rick, a smile on his face before laughing. "Dwight, Simon, chop-chop." Negan then looked at the crowd behind the gate and whistled lowly. "I'm not seein', my Lu. Where is she, Rick?" Rick looked over, nodding at Luna who stood up on shaky legs. "Ah, there you are baby! Now, why don't you come on down here? This is something I don't think you need to be involved in."
"No." Luna's voice was rough when she spoke. Negan looked taken aback for a second, and then he looked angry.
"Did you just say no to me?" He asked, pointing a finger up at her. "That shit isn't gonna fly. So get your ass down here before you get in more trouble, young lady."
"No." She repeated. "I'm not going with you. I'm not leaving Alexandria." Negan's expression darkened. "You'll have to kill me first." Luna then noticed the now upright, silver casket standing where Eugene had been. Negan sighed, climbing up onto the flatbed.
"You and I will have a discussion about this later, Luna." He spoke. "And you will come to see things my way. That I promise you." Next to her, Luna could see Carl rising to his feet in her peripheral vision. The others on the other posts had also risen to their feet, Scavengers behind them with their guns raised. "So Rick, you don't like Eugene anymore. You guys gotta like Sasha. I do, too." He tapped his bat against the casket. "Got her right here packaged for your convenience, alive and well. Now I brought her so I wouldn't have to kill all of you, and not killing all of you could get complicated. See, I know there's a lot of firepower left in there, Rick.
"So I'm gonna make this simple. I want all the guns you've managed to scrape up. Yep, I know about those, too. I want every last grain of lemonade you got left. I want a person of your own choosing..." He held up his bat and pointed to it. "...for Lucille. Daryl...Ooh, I gotta get me my Daryl back. Luna-never should let you come back to this place anyway, it's time you came back home. Maybe that'll help get that behavior under control, huh? And the pool table and all the pool cues and chalk. And I want it now or Sasha dies, and then all of you. Probably." Rick and Negan stared each other down. "C'mon Rick. Just because I brought her in a casket doesn't mean she has to leave in it." Rick still didn't respond, so Negan sighed as he rubbed his forehead.
"You know what?" Negan called out. "You suck ass, Rick. You really do. I don't want to have to kill her, but that's exactly what you're gonna make me do."
"Let me see her." Rick spoke up, stepping forward again. Negan chuckled lightly.
"Alright. Just give me a second." Negan nodded. "I might have to get her up to speed. You can't hear shit inside this thing." Negan turned around, banging his bat against the casket. "Sash, you're not gonna believe this crap."
