ELEANOR . NEGAN

074.

"What is he still doing here?" Glenn begged the question as his hateful eyes stayed stuck on the working Negan. Elle would freeze up, complicated. "Did they all just forget he destroyed us?"

"He-" Maggie bit the corner of her lip and looked at Elle. How do I start this? "Take it as community service."

Glenn scoffed, half hate and half laugh. "Community service? Pfft."

"When did you get so sassy?" Elle countered, trying to change the topic but not without keeping her eyes stuck on Carol who was walking up to him. "He killed Alpha."

"The Skin?"

"Mother of skins." Elle answered. "I don't know, he's- yeah, he killed Alpha."

Glenn huffed and turned his back away from Negan but Maggie kept her eyes narrowed, "Do people think that he's changed 'cause of this?"

Elle swallowed a gulp. "I-" Oh, fuck it. "He has." And she regretted it when Maggie and Glenn turned to look at her. And as they stared, she realised really that she didn't regret telling it because it was the ultimate truth. "He has, honestly."

"Great." Glenn pushed his hands through his pockets. "He's changed because he doesn't have a weapon?"

Maggie sighed and put a soothing hand to the back of Glenn's arm, the man then turning to wrap himself around her. Sweet and comforting, full of love and trust. Elle forced her eyes away and looked at Negan but concern or maybe interest filled her body when she saw him waving at her. She opened her mouth, call out for him, but then Carol was waving too and the pair made their way through the gates of Alexandria.

"Where are they going?" Maggie asked.

I don't know. "Patrolling."

Glenn and Maggie shared that same revengeful look before they laced their fingers together and he brought them up to his lips. Elle looked away once more. Soon enough, they bid their farewells and turned to head back to Hershel. Leaving Eleanor alone once more.

Maybe it was deserved.

-

Hours went by of unnerving emotions churning in her stomach. She was resting on the patio beside Daryl, a cigarette to her lips. "Glad you said sorry." A cloud of smoke escaped her mouth. "Things feel better now."

"Had to." Daryl mumbled. "Ya was gonna bite my head off."

"Oh, shush."

He smirked and brought the cigarette back to his lips. "Where did yur guy go?"

She eyed him, carefully and intimidating and he just chuckled. "Negan. You tit." She looked back to the Alexandria gates. "He went out with Carol 'cause things with Maggie and Glenn are still sour, you know?" Elle dragged a hand down her neck and stopped at her necklace. "They left when he was a prisoner... and everything bad that happened was his fault. They haven't forgot. I don't think anyone has. But we've seen how's he changed, even if you don't want to agree, but they haven't."

Daryl hummed like he understood her, to which he did. "They're close to killin' him."

"I know."

Anyone could see it. Every time they walked outside to help the people of Alexandria, and the Kingdom and Hilltop, they would only catch gazes with Negan. Pure hatred and wishing of his ultimate demise. But it never happened because they weren't pushed to do anything. Negan was behaving.

Thanks to Eleanor.

"I mean it." She said firmly as Negan sat in front of her with hands dangling between his knees. "They've been on the road for a long fucking time. They have seen shit worse than anything you can fucking imagine. Keep. It. To. Yourself."