INTO THE SHADOWS. Negan

Title

The cell block was silent enough to feel unnatural.
Cold. Heavy. The only sound was Dwight's breathing — steady, controlled, like he had already accepted whatever came next for him.

Rick stood in front of the bars, arms crossed. Daryl hovered to Dwight's right, fury radiating off him like heat. Tara was on the other side, jaw tight, eyes sharp. And Tessa stood just behind Daryl — not touching him, but close enough that their shared anger crackled between them.

Dwight looked up finally, bruised and hollow.
Rick didn't waste time.

"Why are you here?" he asked, voice low but dangerous.

Dwight swallowed once.
"I want to help."

Rick stepped closer. "Why?"

Dwight shifted, shoulders tense.
"When we first met... things were different. Sherry and I, we should've kept running. But I thought it could work with him. With Negan."

Dwight's eyes lifted — scanning the group, landing on each face.
But when his gaze hit Tessa, something in him stalled. His expression changed — not guilt, not pity, not fear...

Something closer to recognition.

A flicker of memory.
A wordless apology.

He didn't speak it.
Didn't dare.
But his eyes dropped briefly — a small, silent acknowledgment of everything she went through at the Sanctuary.

Tessa's jaw clenched. Dwight kept talking, voice cracked around the edges.

"Sherry's gone. She left because of me. I messed everything up." Tessa felt a spark of bitter anger twist through her chest. Sherry wasn't the only one Dwight had stood by and watched suffer.

Dwight continued, "I'm here because I know how Negan works. I know what he's planning."

Rick's eyes narrowed. "What's he planning?"

Dwight inhaled."Negan's coming. Tomorrow. With everything he's got."

The room went still.

Rick asked, "How do you know?"

"Because I slowed them down," Dwight said. "I cut down trees on the road. Blocked them. You'll have time." Before Rick could answer, Daryl snapped.

He seized Dwight by the jacket, slamming him back against the bars with the full weight of his rage.

The knife was at Dwight's eye instantly —

"Say somethin' worth hearin'," Daryl growled, voice shaking with fury.

Tessa stepped forward too, anger rising sharp and hot under her ribs. She didn't reach for Dwight — but she didn't stop Daryl either.

"Answer him," she hissed. "You owe us that."

Dwight's voice stayed calm, but his breath hitched as the blade pressed closer.

"You want to win?" he rasped. "You let him take his shot tomorrow. Let him think he's got you cornered. And while he's distracted... I'll be there. I can get your people inside."

Rick studied him closely, eyes hard, jaw tight.

"You expect us to trust that?"

"No," Dwight said. "I expect you to win."

Then, from the doorway, Rosita's voice broke in — quiet, but heavy.

"They have Sasha."

Everyone froze.

Rick turned sharply.
Tessa felt her chest tighten painfully.

Rosita stepped inside, hands clenched at her sides.

"She went in. I got her as far as I could. But they caught her."

Daryl's knife trembled. Tessa felt guilt stab through her — Sasha had been standing beside her not long ago. Asking for help. Asking for a way.

Dwight finally spoke again.

"Sasha's alive," he said. "Negan won't kill her. Not yet."

Rick stepped closer, face carved from stone.

"What happens next?"

Dwight didn't blink.

"You kill him."

Silence filled the room — thick, final, electric.

Rick let out a slow breath.

"Daryl," he said quietly. "Let him go."

Daryl pulled the knife back reluctantly, giving Dwight one last shove before stepping away. Tessa watched Dwight slide back to the floor, looking both relieved and hollow.

Rick looked around the room — at Daryl, at Tara, at Tessa — before speaking.

"We end this. Tomorrow."

Tessa swallowed hard.

Because tomorrow wasn't a rumor anymore.
Tomorrow wasn't fear.
Tomorrow wasn't talk.

Tomorrow was war.