The Only One | Negan

8. All The Same

The ride back to the Sanctuary was quiet except for Sherry's muffled sobs in the backseat of the pickup truck. Negan's fingers gripping the wheel were turning pale, as well as mine, holding onto the edge of my seat. He was mad and it made me mad too. Not just at him, for not listening, but mostly at Dwight whose fault it was that this even happened. I didn't know if Sherry would've done the same for me, but I didn't really care. She didn't deserve to die or be punished just because she fell for the wrong guy. In all honesty, Negan didn't have the right to keep them here against their will, but maybe because it was their second time running away, he felt obligated to catch them and punish them. He couldn't let the other people think that it was okay to defy him and his rules.

Love was blind, and even though I've never experienced it to the fullest myself, I'd imagine that I would be just as foolish as Sherry. I've always told myself that I should see things from the other person's perspective. And that's what I did. I knew Sherry didn't deserve all of Negan's wrath on her because she was naive. But he also had a point - naïveté gets you killed. And apparently so does love.

Even if my feelings for Daryl were long gone and I loved him differently now, I would still catch a bullet for him. And if he told me to run, I would run, if he told me to follow, I would follow without a trace of doubt. Imagining that Sherry and Dwight were together even before the world went to shit, her feelings for him were strong enough to make her follow him. I couldn't blame her. Not one bit.

When we parked outside of the huge doors to the so-called "meeting" room, which was more of a "punishment in front of everybody" room, Sherry stopped sobbing and went completely silent. Negan sighed in annoyance and exited the car, slamming the door with force. I opened the back door for Sherry and offered her a hand which she gratefully took. Just as I started leading her to go inside, she pulled on my hand and my sleeve and turned me around. Her eyes were puffy and red, her bottom lip was trembling uncontrollably. She sniffled and looked up at me.

"Don't let them kill him. Please. Just...I love him still and...I don't want him to die. Please, you've got to help him." She whimpered through tears. I sighed and wrapped my hands around her shaking shoulders. "It was my fault, it's all my fault..."

"It was not your fault, Sherry. Don't blame yourself. I'll see what I can do. But I can't promise you anything. You know how Negan is and Dwight really fucked up this time and almost got you killed." I whispered in her ear. "I will try my best to convince him not to kill Dwight, but you got to promise me something in return."

"Anything," she interrupted me eagerly.

I pulled away from her, my hands still on her shoulders.

"You've got to promise me that you will never get back with him again. Never talk to him, see him. Anything. Alright? I know you love him, Sherry, but he's not a good person and he'll only drag you down. You deserve so much better. You've got to keep your distance." I wiped away a wayward tear off her cheek. "Okay?"

Sherry whimpered but nodded her head.

"Okay."

I wrapped a comforting hand around her shoulder and walked towards the entrance. Negan was leaning against the railing, toothpick between his lips as he stared at us. I gave him a nod and walked Sherry to her room where I commanded her to take a shower and then go to bed.
Then I went back downstairs and outside to smoke a cigarette because my nerves were on edge. Negan was still there, his head tilted back with closed eyes, letting the late morning sun rays caress his face.

"Negan." I said quietly as I stood beside him.

He hummed in response, not opening his eyes. Damn, his side profile was so attractive.