Rivers & Roads || The Walking Dead Fanfiction

23. He's Gone.

Chapter 23
4,014 Words
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           One thing I noticed at Alexandria was the camaraderie. Everyone was friendly to each other, even stepping up to take the blame for something they didn't do. I haven't seen anything quite like that, even back at the prison, I don't feel like the whole place ever operated at one. Even though I helped build the place, I always felt like an outsider with the new people we took in.

I hope I get to join Alexandria soon though, help them fight to keep that place. That's what it's going to come down to, the same thing it always does, fighting. These days, you survive each fight just so you can fight again, hoping that after you'll be able to flourish, only to have to fight someone else. It never ends.

When I get back to the Sanctuary, the first thing I need to do is talk to Mason. I have to get the ball rolling on how I'm going to get Daryl, Mason, and I out of there. I can't stay anymore, every mile we drive farther away from my family feels like it's causing me physical pain. I can't just go back to the sanctuary and pretend things are okay.

The Sanctuary looks as ugly as always when I spot it over the trees, our trucks soon pulling into the compound. I hop out from the truck and watch as saviors unload the captive Mullet Man from another truck. The man has his hands bound and a cloth bag over his head. Negan walks around the truck and looks at the man with a wide smirk when a savior rips the bag off of mullet man's head. Negan spreads his arms wide, as if to welcome the man.

Negan's lieutenant Laura leads the man inside and brings him to god knows where, poor guy looks like he's about to shit his pants. Negan looks over the rest of us that remain outside.

"Good work today guys, now go get yourselves some grub." He turns to look at me. "Except you, Jen. I think you and I need to have a little chat." He says with a point and beckons me over. The other saviors disperse and I make my way to Negan, who is already smirking down at me.

"What's up?" I ask him. Negan smiles and places his hand on my back, leading me towards the door.

"Why don't find somewhere more private." He says with a smirk, and I roll my eyes. If he thinks I'm sleeping with him right now, he's dead wrong.

Negan leads me upstairs, but only to the 2nd floor. The same room he held the meeting with his lieutenants in before the lineup. We sit at the long table and he leans back in his chair, legs up on the table and arms folded behind his head as he looks at me. I sit with a chair between us, leaning my elbows on the table with my hands clasped. I give him a weird look when he doesn't say anything.

"So.." I start, "You wanted to discuss something?" I ask him, wanting to get to the point with whatever this is and get down to dinner already. I'm not sure what this is about, I don't think I let on around him that I know some of the Alexandrian's, or Carl for that matter. And Olivia definitely didn't have a chance to snitch.... So what is this about?

"Do you remember what I told you the last time you were in this room?" He asks me calmly, studying my face. I look down and think back over what he told me at that meeting before the lineup. I scan my memories for a moment before it come to me, the promotion. I had almost forgotten about it with everything going on, plus, Negan hasn't really brought it up since he first asked so I figured he decided not to. I look back up and him and nod.

"You said, you were thinking of promoting me to a lieutenant." I say flatly. Negan nods with a smile. "Have you made a decision?" I ask him quickly. My stomach is growling and I want to hurry this up.

"I most certainly have." Negan says with a chuckle. He pulls his feet off of the table and stands. "I just have one more question that I need to ask you, something I just need to know." He says as he walks around the table towards where I sit. "Now, I know you've been with me for a good amount of time, and I've seen what you can do. And although I do think your approach to the job is a tad 'softer' than most, you do get shit done." Negan says as he sits on the edge of the table next to where I sit, he looks down at me. "Since you got here you fell right in line, and have done everything I've asked of you, and more." He says with a wink, and I try to keep my face straight from cringing, forcing a smile instead.