NOT DEAD YET | C. GRIMES

100K SPECIAL - ALT ENDING

hi, i know this is probably a weird upload, but ever since this book hit 100k (thank you so much, btw) i've been trying to figure out how to celebrate properly. i finally got the idea of an alt ending, so here it is lol

this picks up from chapter forty-nine, when negan has carl and rick on their knees and is about to kill carl, so if you want a refresher of the chapter you'll only need to read to there. i also include a bit of the chapter as well if you don't want to go back and re-read.

also, keep in mind that a lot of stuff will be different to the original ending, hello butterfly effect!

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"You said I could do it, Rick." Negan reminded, pulling his bat back. Just before he swung it down, the unmistakable loud roar of a tiger sounded out. Shiva jumped out of the bushes, tackling a Savior to the ground. Saviors began to scream and run, Negan among them. A moment of clarity came to Luna and she turned, grabbing the pistol from the holster of the Savior who'd held her and shooting him. She then stood up, firing shots as where Simon and Negan were running away. She hit Simon and few times and he went down, so she ran forward-ignoring Rick and Carl's calls behind her. Coming up on Simon, she pushed him onto his back with her foot and he groaned in pain. She leaned down, picking up his gun before he could grab it.

"Do it." Simon said. "You don't have the-" He was cut off by a single gunshot, Luna lazily tossing her now empty gun on the ground and checking the one she'd taken from him before looking around. Ahead of her, she could see Negan and Dwight running towards the gate. She grit her teeth, raising the pistol in her hands and aiming down the sights. One shot, square in the back, and Negan was down. Dwight turned around, seeing her lowering her gun. She took her time, numbly walking over to where Negan was now writhing on the ground.

"Get out of here, Dwight." Luna said, not looking up at him. "Daryl's gonna kill you if you don't. Go find Sherry." Dwight looked between them, hesitating. "I'm serious, go."

"Thank you." Dwight nodded before running out the open gate. Luna pushed her foot against Negan's side and rolled him onto his back before squatting down next to him. He had a single bullethole through his stomach, but he was still alive.

"How...how could you?" Negan choked out. "I'm your father."

"No, you're not." Luna said, ignoring the tears streaming down her face as she settled onto her knees next to him. "My father died the second he step foot out of that house. I never saw him again." She breathed, adjusting her grip on her gun in her hand. "You're not him." She then put the barrel of the gun against the side of his head.

"Wait! Lu-Luna, wait!" He cried, one of his hands moving up to grab her arm-though his grip was weak. "I-I can change, Lu. I can. Don't do this."

"I have to." She said, shutting her eyes. "You killed Glenn. You killed Abraham. Spencer, Olivia, Sasha...Michonne..." She choked out. "No one else. I won't let you kill any more of my family."

"Luna, please!" Negan begged. "J-Just look at me, Lu. Look at me." Luna didn't open her eyes. "Lu, please." Something about the way his voice shook made her crack her eyes open. They widened, and she found herself staring down at a crying, shaking Negan. "Luna, don't do this." Letting out a shaky breath, she tried to refocus herself. Her hand retightened on the grip of the pistol, but she couldn't bring herself to even touch the trigger, let alone pull it. She tried, but her finger stayed frozen where it was.

Finally, she allowed her hand to go slack into her lap, letting out another shaky breath. "Thank you." Negan's voice drew her attention. She shifted the gun in her hand, not giving Negan any time to react as she swung the gun up and brought the butt of the gun on the side of Negan's head. She let the gun clatter onto the pavement as she wiped her face, then turning her attention to the gunshot in Negan's stomach. She hadn't noticed the ringing in her ears, the gunshots all around her or the smoke that filled Alexandria, allowing what little of the Saviors and Scavengers to escape.