Redemption - The Walking Dead

Deja Vu

••• 10 months ago •••

"I'm lonely too." Carol was sitting opposite Negan in his cell.
She wasn't sure why, or even when, they had started having their regular little talks. But she knew they brought her distraction and gave her some structure to her otherwise empty days. He mostly listened but sometimes she couldn't get him to shut up. They talked, they laughed and today, they cried. Negan tried explaining to Carol what it was like to not have a friend in the world but it was a feeling she knew all too well.

Negan nodded and wiped his eye with the heel of his hand. "Yeah, I know."

Carol found herself throwing her arms around the tall man. He squeezed and picked Carol up in his strong arms, she hung on around his neck. Her fingers knotted in the hair on the back of his head. Their foreheads pressed together for a moment.

He put her down with a sigh. "You should just go."

Carol agreed and turned to leave. She didn't go back to talk with Negan again, not until she needed Alpha's head.

••• now •••

"What did he tell you exactly?" Carol had had enough of Daryl's coldness towards her. It had been 2 weeks since he and Negan saved her and Daryl had been avoiding her since she left the hospital. She caught him by the arm before he could walk away from her in the pantry room.

"He told me enough" Daryl pulled his arm away from her.

"Why do you care? It was only-"

"If it was anyone other than him I wouldn't care."

"You wouldn't?"

"Nah." Daryl turned away from her.

Carol felt her heart break, she needed him to care. "Well, then you shouldn't care about this either."
Daryl left.

•••

"Carol, hey. You're looking a lot better."

"I feel a lot better, thanks to you" Carol once again found herself standing in Negan's cell. It wasn't locked anymore but Negan still lived in there. He was sitting on his metal shelf of a bed. He was slouched forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Well Dixon did help."

"Yeah..." Carol gave a small shrug, she wasn't able to hide the hurt at the mention of Daryl's name on her face.

"You're a tough gal, but why did you follow me out there that night? You coulda got yourself killed. It was stupid." Negan sat up now, he clearly looked annoyed.

"I don't know why I followed you. I guess I wanted to stop you."

"Daryl thought you came to kill me."

"Yeah well he thought wrong. You could have left me you know, you could've got away from here."

"Oh I know." He sighed and raked his fingers back through his hair. "When I saw you all shot up, I thought that was the end for you. You were gonna die chasing me? I thought I caused another god damn pointless death. Sure I could've run. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself. And...", he let out a single laugh, "I guess I got a bit of a soft spot for you, cos I probably would have left anyone else. Guess I am still a shitty person."

Carol stepped closer to Negan. "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me."

Negan stood up, he cupped carols face with his hand. "Really?" His eyes squinted. He was smiling, his tongue ran slowly over his bottom lip.

Carol stood up on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his. She was surprised at the bolt of electricity that ran through her body. Negan must have felt it too because he immediately pulled away from her. He held her arms by her side. His eyes scanned hers.

"I don't think you're a shitty person." Carol whispered.

Negan's pupils dilated in want before he leaned in to kiss her again. Their mouths opened at the same time, their tongues pressed together.