𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙙𝙮 : ̗̀➛ 𝙙.𝙙

96

Del sat on her bed, letting her fingertip run against the blade of the knife. Seeing her own wobbly reflection in it. She hadn't seen herself in days. It felt like months, so long, but it had only a week. She had kept count.

"So, he just gave it back to you" Sherry sat on the other side of the bed.

"Yeah."

"So... You can do it now. You can kill him."

"No. He knows something. He has something. He's manipulative."

"He's... He isn't that bad once you get to know him." Sherry muttered. Del turned to look at her, her eyebrows knitting together.

"How could you ever say that?"

"I mean after the first time... It gets better."

"I'm not giving up."

"It's not giving up... Have you went to see Daryl?"

"No. He has too many eyes on me. I can feel it. All the time, he has something hung over my head, something more than anything I know about-"

Knock. Knock.

The door flew open, Negan standing in the frame. She tucked the knife into her nightstand, staring him down.

"Long time no see, Red. Figured I should update you about our interruption from this morning. Sherry." He nodded out of the door. She immediately stood, like a dog, and followed his commanded, quickly exiting the room.

Negan stepped in, his hands behind his back. "Missed you since this morning, Red."

"What do you need?"

"Oh, that is no way to treat the person who just did you a goddamn giant favor!"

She stood, smoothing her dress out.

"What?"

He stepped aside, and in came two men, their hands clasped around pairs of arms. The feet stumbled into the room, and her entire world stopped. Her vision went blurry as the pair were thrown to the ground.

"For not killing these two yet." Negan grinned.

Del felt her fingers go numb, felt her heart thud. She ran, dropping to the floor, picking the boy from the floor.

"Oh my god..." She began to sob, yanking the familiar face into her arms. She felt the tight squeeze of his arms around her too.

"Jake, Jesus Christ." She cried out, turning her gaze to the other face, yanking him by his neck in.

"Carl." She cried out, holding the boys so tight. In that moment she felt the relief, she was young again, safe, like at the prison. Just for a moment. She broke away, grabbing Jakes face in her hands.

"What are you doing? Are you hurt? Is Beth okay?" She questioned through sobs.

He had tears running down his cheeks, gripping her arms.

"I'm okay, Beth is okay."

She turned to Carl, grabbing his arm.

"Your dad... Does he know you're here? What-"

"These two gunned down twelve of my men," Negan spoke up. Del snapped her gaze to him, hatered in her eyes as he nodded the men out the door, slamming it shut behind them. It was just the four of them now.

Del looked to Jake, feeling her hands shake.

"Did you do that?" She questioned. Not Jake. Carl had it in him, but not Jake. That wasn't him. He didn't have it in him like Carl.

"Yes," He whispered.

Del felt the lump in her throat swell. It was over, she grabbed onto the pair with her entire strength. She would not let him touch the boys, she would die first.