The Replacement

Part Twenty

Warning: swearing

***********

A few days had passed since the Whisperers battle, and everyone was busy doing their part in rebuilding Alexandria. You had nothing more to do, so you joined in helping Negan with the rebuilding.

You found yourself constantly sending silent glimpses Negan's way as you worked, still trying to figure out on how you were going to bring up the topic that you were pregnant. "Hey..." Negan stops what he's doing to walk over to you. "You ok?"

"I'm fine..." you brush off his concern.

"You sure?" Negan frowns at you, "because you keep staring at me like some kind of stalker."

"I was just thinking..." you try to shrug his concern off with a small chuckle.

"About what?" Negan presses further, reaching a hand up to cup your cheek.

You close your eyes, letting out a tense breath, "I'm..." you pause then. Maybe this isn't the right place to tell him. "I'm just glad you're home and that you're safe..." you flash him a faint smile.

"Sure that's all?" Negan stares down at you with furrowed brows.

"Yeah..." you nod with a broader smile.

"Ok then..." Negan smiles back at you, stepping away to return back to what he was doing.

Negan had been working cheerfully for the next few minutes, when suddenly he paused midway through hammering. "Hey, you ok?" you ask as he silently stood looking at something on the outside.

You walked up next to Negan, and that's when you notice, Maggie along with her group walk pass as they made their way into Alexandria. "Hey..." you place a hand on Negan's back in support, "it'll be fine."

"No, it won't" Negan mutters as he continued to stare at the group. "She's back, which means, I'm on notice."

"She has been gone for years" you remark, "things have changed, you've changed."

"Doesn't matter" Negan grunts in response, "she still wants me dead. I can see it in her eyes."

"Just steer clear from her" you tell Negan, and he nods in agreement and goes back to working.

*****

It was late evening while you were busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, there was a knock at the door. "Hey" you greet Daryl when opening the door.

"Hey" Daryl returns the greeting, "ya got a minute?"

"Sure, come on in" you respond with a frown upon noticing something was wrong with him.

"Negan here?" Daryl asks, scanning the living-room.

"He's still out working" you shake your head in response, "I left early to start on dinner, or what can be considered it, with what little supplies we have at this moment."

"Gabriel told me, we're running dangerously low, even with what ya managed to save" Daryl nods, "that's why I'm heading out tomorrow to see what I can scavenge."

"Ok..." you nod, still confused as to why he was there. "That why you here? To inform me about it?"

"Nah" Daryl responds with a head shake. "Came to warn ya."

"Warn me?" you furrow your brows in question.

"Carol told Maggie that Negan was with the Whisperers when they burnt down Hilltop" Daryl tells you.

"Carol can't keep her fucking mouth shut!" you growl out in anger.

"It woulda came out in any case" Daryl remarks, "just thought I'd give ya a heads up."