Chapter 20

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Negan's POV

It had been a month since Rick rolled up threatening me. He had been quiet. It had not gone unnoticed. I upped security ten-fold. We would not be caught with our pants down. Simon had started working on the tunnel. Made some good progress. We stood outside the Sanctuary, at the side of the main building.
"It seems real fucking obvious. It's sticking out the side. Can't we make it smaller? Look like a vent or some shit?" I questioned Simon.
"If she wasn't pregnant, and if there wasn't possibility of her holding a baby while she escapes, then we could. But the safest option is stairs rather than a ladder." He said.
"You're right. I just...hate that they might shoot at it. I don't know. It's fine. How's the rest?"
"Coming along. We have about half a mile to go before we're finished. The way we're working the people, tunnel should be finished in two weeks. We have a team cleaning up the house. Stocking with supplies, medicine. Should be all ready in two weeks." He said.
"Just...work as fast as you can without killing anyone." I sighed and walked away. I didn't know if we had two weeks. I didn't know if we had two days. Everything was uncertain now.
I opened the door to my room and frowned as I noticed it was fucking empty. I looked around for a minute, until I heard humming from the nursery. I walked in to find Mary looking through the books we found, putting them in the bookcase. It fucking broke my heart that she might not get this nursery. That the baby might not get a nice place anymore.
"You supposed to sit on the floor like that? I could do this ya know." I sat down next to her.
"Well, my back does hurt. But I think I'm capable of putting books on a shelf." She smiled.
"No doubt. You know....this might be for nothing. Getting it ready." I sighed.
"Stop. Rick may be a dick. But he probably won't hurt me." She said looking back down at the books, clearly not convinced by her own words.
"I needed to get away from the noise anyway. They were particularly loud finishing the stairs today." She motioned to our room, where the new door to the escape route was. I watched her for a moment as she looked through the books, her hand resting absent mindedly on her small belly. She had just started to show. It was adorable.
"Come on, sitting like this can't be good for your back. Let's have dinner." I said pulling her to her feet.
"Alright, you persuaded me. I can't turn down food." She laughed.
"I know! Look at that belly!" I put my hands on her stomach. She laughed and smacked my arm. We made our way to the cafeteria, sitting at our table. A few minutes later a shaking teenager placed trays of food in front of us and ran off.
"I'm drawing you up a map and instructions for how to get to the safe house. Should be pretty easy." I told her. She looked at me confused.
"Why? You'll be there, you can just show me." She shrugged and went back to eating. I sighed and put my fork down.
"Sugar, I probably won't be. If something happens, I'll need to try to defend the place. I'll have to buy you some time." She looked at me, there was sadness and anger in her eyes.
"No. You're coming with me." She stated.
"Sugar, you'll need time to get the fuck out of here. It's my job to give you that. But I'll come for you as soon as I can. I'll be there." I told her.
"I can't do this without you. I won't. You better fucking come back to me." She growled.
"I'll do my best. Just for you." I smiled.

Mary's POV

I sat in the rocking chair in the nursery, thinking. This was perfect. It looked like a proper nursery, a nice one too. But I couldn't hold on to it. It seemed I didn't get a chance to enjoy having a baby. That's what is supposed to happen. You're supposed to be all happy and getting ready and thinking of names and buying cute clothes and just excited. We didn't get to have that. It was back to survival mode. But it was different now. Now, I had another life to worry about. One that wasn't even born yet. It felt like too much. I put my head in my hands and started to cry. I wanted a normal life. But that didn't exist anymore. I didn't hear Negan walk in, but felt his hands on my thighs. I looked up at him with raw, red eyes.
"I just...I just want to be with you, I just want to be happy with you. I don't want to fight anymore!" I sobbed. He wrapped me up in his arms. I clung onto him, burying my face in the crook of his neck.
"I know, Mary. I know. We just have to fight a little longer." He rubbed circles on my back.
"I don't know if I can..." I sighed.
"I know you can. But I'm gonna fight for the both of us. And we'll be okay. We'll have the baby and be a great big happy fucking family. Wearing shit-eating grins all the damn time." He said.
"Just...promise you'll come back to us." I sighed.
"Always will." He cupped my face in his hands, wiping the tears with his thumbs.
"Maybe we can negotiate a truce. Maybe if I talk to him, he'll see we don't need to do this." I sniffled.
"I'm not sending you there to talk to him. I know he's your father, but I won't take the risk." Negan sighed.
"He won't hurt me. He wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman. He's not gone that crazy." I said.
"I can't do it, Mary. I can't put you in danger like that."
"Negan, let me try to get through to him. Maybe Michonne will listen-"
"No! It's too dangerous and we have a baby to think about! We already almost lost them. I can't take it again..." He stood and walked out of the room. I followed him in the room. He wouldn't face me.
"Negan...I just hate that there isn't anything I can do. I feel like I should be doing more." I sighed.
"You're doing more than most. Can't that be enough? Can't you just stay here and be safe and that be enough?" He said his head hung low. I put my hand on his back.
"Negan..." He abruptly turned and pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around him, confused by the sudden emotion.
"It fucking hurt to see you like that, when we almost...it fucking hurt. It broke my damn heart that we almost lost them. I can't go through that again. I fucking...can't." I felt drops fall onto my shirt. I clung onto him tighter.
"I know." I whispered. I pulled away to look at his face. I don't think I'd seen him cry. He told me he did when I was shot, but I never saw it. His face was red and puffy, his eyes were bloodshot. I held his head in my hands.
"I won't bring it up again. I'm happy here, I'm happy with you. I guess I just want to protect all of this. But I have to stop now. I have to give it to you. It's hard for me. I always defended my family and myself. I never had a moment when I could just stop." I sighed.
"I'll make sure you're both safe and happy. You never have to doubt that." He said pulling me to his lips. We were interrupted by a knock at the door. I leaned my head against his forehead.
"Just, don't answer it." I sighed.
"I won't." He smiled. The banging continued.
"Boss! Boss, he's here!" Simon's voice called. Our heads shot up and we looked at each other as if it might be the last time. Negan pulled paper from his pocket and handed it to me.
"Follow the instructions. The tunnel isn't built all the way, but there is a way out where they finished for the day. Things are more vague then I'd like but you'll make it. Walkie?" I ran to the bedside table and pulled it out of the drawer.
"Channel two. Simon will give you the signal to go." He told me. He started for the door.
"Negan! Wait!" I ran after him, he met me halfway. I pulled him to a kiss, tears streaked down my face. He held onto me for a long while, Simon banging on the door.
"I love you." I sobbed.
"I fucking love you too, Sugar. Remember, get out of here fast when you get the signal. I'll come get you when I can. Or...Simon will. Somebody will find you." He sighed brushing the hair from my face. He opened the door and left. I sat on the bed, tears streaking down my face, alone. My hand fell to my belly. I started to wonder if I would have to do all of this alone. I started to wonder if I could.

Negan's POV

I ran down the halls. My mind racing. Would she make it there? Would they figure it out? What would she do if I had to kill Rick? I shook my head. I needed to focus. I walked out onto the platform. Rick and his crew had cars around the front gate, metal welded to the cars. They were shielded completely.
"I'm sorry, I was in a meeting." I smiled.
"Now it's no use wasting lead on ya, with your redneck barricade. I won't march my people into the line fire because I wanna play my dick is bigger than yours. It is. We both know it. But I'm also comfortable enough to accept the fact if it wasn't. I'm certainly not going to let my people die over it, like you're about to. So let's talk." I said.
"You're Simon. You're Dwight, your name is Gavin. You...what's your name?" Rick called from behind his metal shield.
"Regina."
"Give up now. You will be shown mercy." Rick called. I laughed.
"Come on Rick, what about me?" I said.
"I told you already. You're going to die." He growled.
"Killing your son-in-law, father of your grandbaby. That isn't a good look Prick!" I snarled.
"She's coming home with us. You brainwashed her, we'll fix it." Rick said.
"I. Did. Not! Brainwash her! She loves me with her own free will!! You come here, threaten me! Insult me!" I growled banging Lucille on the metal railing.
"You took her from me!!"
"I offered her a safe place, where she can be herself, be independent! She took it! Can't blame me for your failings Prick!"
"Stop!!! Just stop!" I squeezed my eyes shut. Her voice breaking through all other noise.
"Please, Mary, go back inside." I turned and pleaded with her.
"Just...just let me try." She said looking up at me with her big doe eyes. I rubbed a hand down my face with a sigh. I gave a small nod.
" This has to stop. We can negotiate. Work together." She said walking closer to the rail, I could feel their shaking guns pointed at her. My blood was boiling.
"Mary, stop this. I've had enough, you're coming home whether it's on your own or by us taking you." Rick yelled.
"You'd take me from a place that I'm happiest? From the person who makes me happy?" She asked.
"He's not good for you! He's a monster!" Rick growled.
"He's my husband, he's the father of my baby." Her voice cracking, her hand resting on her belly. All of this was making me nervous. There was a long pause. It was silent. I could feel Rick's wheels turning from where I stood.
"Mary, you tried. Now, go back inside.Please." I whispered to her.
"Just...give him a minute." She begged.
"Please, go inside. For them." I put my hand on her belly. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. She gave a nod.
"I want to kiss you, but I think it might aggravate things." She whispered. I nodded and she disappeared back inside. I cleared my throat before speaking again.
"Now, Rick. What happens now?" I asked. There was more silence. Maybe she did stop it. Maybe she fixed all of it. If anyone could, it'd be her.
"Now!" Rick's voice screamed. Gunfire screamed in the air, they aimed at the glass, they hit the windows, glass raining down on us. Their RV came bursting through the gates. I ran for cover behind a large bit of metal that fell from the RV. I couldn't catch my breath. I felt a sharp stinging in my leg. I looked down and saw red seeping through my pants. They clipped me, dammit! I had to get out of here or I'm lunch for the dead fucks! I had a small window to run from the gunfire and dead fuckers. I took a breath and ran. I brought Lucille down into more than one walker. I ran into the trailer. Fuck. How the hell was I getting out of here.

Mary's POV

I heard the gunfire start, despite myself I ran toward the door. Simon caught me and held me back.
"You can't go out there! You can't! It's overrun." Simon told me.
"Where is he? Simon...where is he!?!" I grabbed his shirt.
"Mary...he got clipped. He fell, I couldn't grab him. I don't know. I don't know if he made it..." He shook his head. I looked at him aghast.
"No...no. Simon we have to get him! He might need our help!" I said trying to shake him off, but he kept his firm hold.
"He'd kill me if I let you out there. We can't go out there without a plan."
"You're wasting time!" I yelled.
"I'm not putting anyone in danger without a plan!" He yelled.
"Just let me go!"
"You have to stop!! You're being stupid and selfish! You got a baby in there to think about!!" Simon yelled, shaking me. I looked up at him surprised. He'd shaken me to my core. He was right.
"I...I can't do this without him..." my voice cracked.
"Yes, you can. But we don't know if he is dead. Let's go figure out what's next." Simon sighed. I nodded and walked away toward the conference room. My hands won't stop shaking. He can't be dead. I feel it. He's alive. I need him to be.

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