ELEANOR . NEGAN

102.

Eleanor cannot remember the last time she had to be this stealthy although the risks were really fucking high since Negan was with her. Their footsteps didn't even register on the stone floor as they creeped through the hallways. Hopefully, the residents of the flats have already gone into hiding.

The closer they got, the faster her heart began to beat. Six months and no action, no anything really besides those walkers. It was violence free, shit, she was literally helping a pregnant Annie for most of it while joking with Frank.

"Negan," She pulled him back before they got close to listening ears. He turned around with furrowed brows, tight and expressive as his eyes held this look he always had for her. "We're gonna be fine, yeah?"

Negan frowned, but it was sympathetic. He then cupped her cheek, ran his thumb along the softness of her lips before leaning down to kiss her. It was sweet, bittersweet. "Yeah, doll." He kissed her forehead. "We'll be okay."

Even if it wasn't true, or accurate, it was simply reassuring to hear. It brought a tinge of a smile onto her sharp features before they pulled away from each other with one last lingering touch.

Then they pushed further through the flats and stopped by the main doors. Eleanor could see the same leader she saw outside. Only this time, his hair was messily fallen in front of his eyes. Shit. He was leaning over a body... Ian. His hands were flat by his side as he stared off into the distance.

"This is how to make the world safe."

What a fucking prick.

In the distance, there was a loud clang and he sprinted off flimsily in seconds. His legs were too long to make it look natural or even professional, but it wasn't the right time to laugh right now. Silly guy.

Seconds later, the same white-armour officer stood guarding Gabriel in his hand tightly. Back straight, eyes forward; unnerving and concentrated like he was sticking to the books of his training. Aw shit, Elle tilted her knife close to her eyes and jilted it forward — the blade penetrating his neck as he dropped down.

"Damn, doll." He praised with a wink before rushing forward to help Gabriel.

It was hilarious actually. Gabe was concerned and maybe worried when Negan came into his view, grateful nonetheless though. "Negan." He sounded disbelieved, like he never thought he'd see Negan ever again.

But then, Gabriel cocked his head to the side and stopped altogether when Elle stood there with a great smile. "Eleanor!" He gleamed, capturing her in a tight hug.

"What the shit?!" Negan frowned. "We spent six years in a cage together, Gabey."

Elle scoffed. "He wasn't in there with you, quit your whining."

"Favouritism." He announced.

Gabriel and Eleanor rolled their eyes in unison but Negan didn't care, if anything he was actually just joking. Was he glad to see Gabriel? Jury's still out for that. But it made his girl smile so he didn't care.

When they pulled away, Gabriel took hasty steps towards the open door that was shielded by the sun meanwhile Elle twisted on her foot to pull out her knife. They couldn't stay here any longer, really. But when she joined Gabe's side, she frowned.

Aaron was under gunpoint by this Carlson.

Shit, shit, shit.

Carefully, she placed a hand to Gabriel's shoulder and gently pleaded to Negan. Right. "Gabe, we need to make a move."

"What? We can't leave him!"

Elle gulped. "We'll get him back... we just can't do anything right now."

"You go out there, we all die." Negan admitted. "I'm not taking that damn risk, now come on."

Gabriel grudgingly followed because he did understand, it was an automated death sentence. So they left as quick as they came through the hallways of the flats, hiding within the dark shadows of the gloomy place. Gabe followed Negan, and Eleanor followed Gabriel while the shouting commenced again.

They didn't stop.

-

It felt like hours went by of them just cramping in a small room with everyone else who was able to escape free. Elle was sat tiredly beside Gabriel as Negan kept his eyes on the woman.

"What happened, Eleanor?" Someone asked. She flitted her eyes up and saw Frank, his face full of fear and urgency. "What happened?!"

"I-" She was speechless. How could she explain when she didn't know herself?

"We don't know," Negan announced. "We don't fucking know, Frank."

The man looked deflated and worried but they understood why. His own girl was pregnant, Annie is pregnant, he can't risk his family in a fight that has nothing to do with him. Nothing to do with anyone really. The man just frowned and stood back besides Annie.

But then, everyone shot back up. There was a voice looming over the entire building via a megaphone; automated and electric yet powerful. "Residents of the complex," Carlson spoke. He sounded high up, roof. "You have been deemed enemies of the Commonwealth. One of you has stolen from us — that cannot stand."

Annie looked up over at Elle and forced a gulp. They both had the same look, worry. Annie was more in with the residents, she knew all their names and was quite frankly friends with them all. Eleanor was not. She was private, quiet, she just used her skills to make other people more skilful.

"Bad news is your warlord is dead." Some of the people inside the room looked down at the floor sombrely, others unnerved. "Good news is you still can make things right. Give us what's ours and we'll leave. That'll be that."

Elle could've honestly jumped out the window right there and then. Give back what's theirs? What the fuck did they have that was theirs?

"Where are the weapons?" Gabriel asked, eyes wide and frantic at the strong Annie.

Weapons?

"I don't know." She answered in a hushed voice.

The priest only got more frantic, worried if anything. "Then ask them quickly!"

"Gabe," Negan snapped. "If she says they don't have them, they don't have them—"

"You don't understand." He admitted. "I'm praying that you did steal them, because without them? We're dead. He's not gonna let any of us leave here alive!"

Elle bit nervously around her thumb, heart racing as her thoughts fired. Guns, guns, guns. This place was a shithole, there was no guns — no nothing really. "Gabe," he looked up at Eleanor. "We don't have the guns." She really needed Daryl right now, or Maggie. Leah took the guns, she knew she did. But what good will that do them now? Carlson was a maniac on a killing spree — they weren't going to get through that.

"Do you have anything?"

"I got a handgun under my pillow." Some people groaned, others sighed, Negan laughed. "Ian had one on him... he always did."

"Great." He pinched his nose in annoyance. "What do we do-"

His voice was silenced by the overpowering scream that ricocheted down the building. It was full of pain, sorrow, screaming for a second chance until they hit the concrete below in a loud thud.

And then a second scream followed after.

And another.

And another.

"Your people have let you down."