The Replacement

Part Twenty-seven

Warning:

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After having waited on the rest of the team to arrive, Maggie them soon realized that the Reapers had tracked them down to the neighborhood that house the supply depot.

It was a close call, but thanks to Daryl they had managed to escape without being detected.

"Wait... take a minute" Maggie pauses as they rushed through the forest.

"We're almost there, about three miles out."

"You can't be serious...?" Negan remarks in disbelief.

"Daryl just told us to go home."

"I didn't hear that" Maggie remarks.

"Well, I think he was being subtle" Negan comments.

"He said, they were armed with lookouts."

"And Daryl knows I would never turn back" Maggie retorts.

"How ya gonna keep going Maggie, huh? With what army?"

Maggie doesn't respond, causing Negan to sigh out.

"C'mon Gabe... back me up here?"

Gabriel silently shakes his head.

"Our people are about to starve... I'm not going back to my family having failed."

"Ah, Jesus..." Negan mutters out in disbelief.

"At least admit what you're asking of us... walking to our deaths for what? a sack of beans."

"You're more interested in saving yourself than protecting the people back home, protecting Y/N...?" Maggie remarks, instructing him then.

"You can go. We don't need you..."

"We both know that's not true" Negan replies, a bit offended at the low blow she had thrown at him.

"Alright... I tell you what, you make me a promise. In front of the Goddamn priest and I will stick around."

"Promise you what...?" Maggie sighs out in frustration.

"I do this for you... and we're even. We're good... I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder."

"We will never be even" Maggie responds.

"Then you're gonna be down a soldier that you desperately need" Negan informs her.

"Your call..."

Everyone silently stared at Maggie as they await her response.

Maggie sarcastically smirks then.

"Take a promise from me...? Really?"

Negan silently nods.

"Yeah... I would. Assuming you are a woman of your word... I've always been a man of mine."

Negan silently takes a step forward; reaching his hand out toward her, Maggie makes a quick handshake of agreement with him then.

Negan gives a short smirk of satisfaction, but the entire mood suddenly changes when something is heard in the nearby distance.

"What is it?" Gabriel asks looking behind him.

Hearing the distinctive growling, Maggie and the team go to look.

A female Walker slowly approached them and Maggie steps forward to put her down, silently turning around to give Elijah a sympathetic stare.

"It's his sister's best-friend..." Maggie explains.