Bloodlines.

Chapter Twenty Six: Negan Takes Alyssa home.

4 Hours Prior to Rick's and the groups Arrival at Alexandria

At the sanctuary:

Negan was still in the room with Alyssa, holding her tightly in his embrace. He hadn't moved, hadn't even attempted to let her go. For once, the room was quiet, the usual bravado and tension replaced by a fragile stillness.

Negan's voice broke the silence, quieter than usual. "Look... I'll get you home. I'll make sure you get back there. But I can't look soft. I can't. Not to my people."

Alyssa stiffened, wriggling out of his grip. She moved to the corner of the room, still clutching herself, her arms wrapped protectively around her body. Her lip trembled, but her defiance remained.

"I'm still going to kill you," she said, her voice low but firm.

For once, Negan didn't smirk, didn't laugh. He simply nodded, leaning back.

"Hell, if I was you, I'd want to kill me too," he said quietly, his voice lacking the usual sarcasm.

Alyssa's gaze flicked to him, surprise flashing in her eyes before it was replaced with cold determination. She didn't know what to make of this version of Negan—the man who had taken so much from her, yet now seemed... human.

Alyssa sat against the wall, her torn shirt hanging from her shoulders—a brutal reminder of Simon's assault. He hadn't fully succeeded in violating her, but the damage was done. He'd hurt her in ways she never thought possible, stripping away parts of herself she hadn't realized were so vulnerable.

She clutched at the fabric, her hands trembling. For someone who had always prided herself on her strength, on her ability to stand tall in the face of everything the world threw at her, this felt like the ultimate betrayal. Not just by Simon, but by her own body, her own mind. The memory of what happened wouldn't stop replaying.

Alyssa's mind wandered to Daryl. She thought of his quiet strength, his loyalty, and their bond—so complicated, yet so deeply rooted in trust and love. Before this, she'd hoped that, maybe, in the future, she could explore those feelings with him, even if it meant stepping outside her comfort zone. Even if it meant she stepped outside of her Gay identity. That together they would figure that out.

Now, the thought of being close to anyone in that way —man or woman—made her stomach churn. She couldn't imagine letting anyone in again, couldn't imagine trusting someone not to take control of her body. Simon had ruined her in ways she didn't yet have the words for.

Negan watched her, his usual grin nowhere to be found. He could see the damage, the way she held herself now—shattered but holding on. She wasn't the same fiery young woman who had marched into the Sanctuary, spitting defiance and daring him to fight.

And he hated it.

For all his brutality, Negan had never allowed this kind of violation in his ranks. He could justify his violence, even his cruelty, but this? This was different.

"You're not okay," Negan said softly, breaking the silence.

Alyssa shot him a look, her eyes blazing with a fury that was as much directed at herself as it was at him. "No shit, Negan. But don't think for a second you get to care."

He nodded slowly, his jaw tightening. "I'm not saying I deserve to care. I'm saying I see it. And I'm gonna fix it the only way I know how."

Alyssa scoffed. "You can't fix this. You're the reason I'm here."

Negan sighed deeply, leaning back against the wall as he looked at Alyssa. For the first time, his usual cocky bravado was absent, replaced by something closer to vulnerability. He ran a hand through his slicked-back hair.