Shambles- The Walking Dead [Alden x Maggie] [1/2]

54- A normal human being

"Kid!" Negan exclaimed as he sprung into action.

Alden, Maggie and Jesus scrambled towards Rose too, but Negan was faster. He tore the walker away from her and pushed her aside to safety. She fell down to her knees and caught herself with her hands before she face-planted into a rotting corpse. She recollected herself and Jesus hauled her back to her feet.

She'd expected them to help Negan with the walker already because he'd just saved her life. She knew she didn't have the right to be saved by him. She was the one sweeping behind; she was supposed to make sure no walkers were left behind. It would've been her fault if she was bit. Negan didn't have to save her, and yet he did. That favor needed to be repaid. But no one had helped him yet. He was still struggling to keep the walker's jaws away from him by pinning it back by the neck with his crowbar. Still no one was moving to help him.

She broke herself free from Jesus' grip. She didn't have the time to pick her ax back up and the swing would put Negan in danger as well. So she pulled her knife free and stabbed the walker in its head.

"Thanks, kid," Negan breathed out.

"Rose, are you alright?" Alden asked worriedly as he stepped up to her.

"No, don't give me that crap," she shot back as she took a step back from him, and thus closer to Negan. She still hated him but everyone was wrong for not helping him. "That walker was about to bite my neck and he saved me. And what did you all do? You were all standing right there and none of you moved a muscle."

"Kid, it's okay," he insisted. He didn't have the fight in him.

"We'll all cover each other's back from now on," Carl said because he agreed with her. He didn't hate Negan, unlike the others. He was pretty close to trusting him because he saved Judith's life. Even if he was the reason Hilltop burned down.

"And pay attention so we don't miss anymore," Maggie added.

"Pay attention?" Negan scoffed. He ignored the glare Laura shot him. "That's it? That's your new big plan?"

"Negan, this isn't helping," Carl hissed. All he wanted was to keep the peace within the group. But Negan ignored him too.

"Tell me, Maggie, anything in particular we should be paying attention to?" he continued.

Alden was starting to grow annoyed by him and took a step closer to him. "I'm real close to shoving a gag in your mouth," he taunted with a stupid smile on his face.

"Well, why don't you get up on your little tippy toes and try?" Negan shot back without missing a beat.

"Enough." Laura stepped in between them. "Both of you, cut it out. You hate each other; we know."

"She almost died." Negan pointed back to Rose.

"You don't give a shit about her," Daryl hissed back.

"No, she doesn't." Negan pointed towards Maggie with his crowbar. "And, what I really don't get, he doesn't either." He pointed back over his shoulder to Alden. "You're all letting Maggie play dictator since we left, not listening to me, and not even listening to Al of all people. We don't know if this tunnel even has a way out. Whoever or whatever killed these rot bags could still be down here. Has that thought crossed anyone's mind? Exactly. It has. So, then this is a death march and you are the goddamn Pied Piper. Now, ya'll wanna roll with that shit, that's fine. Knock yourselves out. But not me. Not today. I'm out."

"Me, too," Gage added hastily.

"What?" Alden asked, more concerned than anything else. Gage had practically begged him to be allowed to join.