The Way We Used To Be [Another Negan fan fic] [completed]

How?

Ann
I knelt there, staring. All that could be heard was heavy breathing, small sniffles. He hadn't taken his eyes off me. The moment I had always dreamed of was now a nightmare. For just a moment I thought I saw Negan, then the beating he promised repeated in my head and my stomach clenched.

"Get up." He said barely above a whisper. "Get up!" This time raising his voice to sound more like a commend. I stood and looked down at my family and then back to...this man.

"Keep them here." He gently grabbed me by the arm and walked me towards the RV. I could hear Rick start to speak up but I rubbernecked behind my shoulder, giving him a look and he understood. I was pulled all the way in as the man slammed the door shut behind us.

I sat at the table while fiddling with my hands. He was bent slightly over the counter of the kitchen with his hands in his face. It was an awkward silence and I watched, waiting for him to say something. "How?"

"How?" I raised an eyebrow and he turned around to face me. "How? How did you survive? What happened to you?" I looked at him but my eyes fell to stare at my dirty hands instead. "A man and his group took me in. I've been with them since this whole thing started." He sat down at the table, still gazing at me as if i wasn't real.

"When we got separated, I couldn't keep up with the herd, I fell and the pain knocked me out. By the time I woke up we were already miles out of the city. I was bed ridden for weeks. When I finally got a chance to go back to Atlanta, it belonged to the dead." I looked away, afraid of what he would ask next. But I knew he would. "My baby...our baby?" He looked at me with a hopeful stare and I took a deep breath, leaning my hand down to rub under my shirt to feel the clumsy scar on my stomach. "He died. After I woke up...he was already gone and buried."

"He...it was a boy?" I nodded. "Matthew. I named him the first day I visited his little makeshift grave.

"Matthew." He smiled and tried to grab my hand, but I moved it away. Maggie needed a doctor and there wasn't enough time to catch up about the past. Not while my family was outside with guns still pointed at their heads. This man still cared for me, though. I squeezed my hands together before standing with faux confidence in my stance as if I could bargain given the situation. "There's no time for this. So let's get this show on the road." I held my hands together, keeping myself from shaking in front of him.

"What?" His voice was thick with disbelief. "I'm not sure what you're expecting here. You were seconds away from murdering me out there. So, unless you plan to follow through with it, let me and my people go." He couldn't believe what was coming out of my mouth by the look of it. Neither could I. "You learn I'm alive and you want to leave?"

"Yes. Now what will it be?" I titled my head, hinting  at his bat that was leaning against the table. "I would never hurt you." His tone was low and nearly cracked. "Yeah? If i had looked up a second later then I did, my brains would be splattered on that gravel."

"I...I...didn't know." He began to stutter and couldn't seem to find his own words. "Well, you do now. You also know my people are out there and one of them needs a doctor. Now!" I stood my ground. The worry for them chose my words. "They aren't your people."

"Yes, they are. Denise was too, but that didn't stop your men from putting an arrow through her head."

"I'm your husband, I'm more to you than they will ever be." He tried to grab my hand again and I scoffed. "You're a monster. Either kill me or let us go."

"I can't do that. That group-"

"My people defended themselves against the attacks of your men. We were left with no choice by your own dictatorship." I looked him straight in the eyes. This man had led us here and yet he seemed as if he was blameless in the matter. That only made me more angry after everything it had cost us.

"Maggie, she and her baby are going to die if they aren't taken to Hilltop. So enough bullshit. What are you gonna do?" He gave me the same answer as before and I closed my eyes, realizing what i had to do. "Then take me. Let them go to Hilltop and I'll do whatever you want. But they need to go, now." He stared at me and there was silence for a moment.

"Hey," I ran to Rick and knelt down in front of him. "You need to get Maggie out of here. I have to stay, but I'll be ok." He started to shake his head and I could see his baby blues shimmering with fear. Even now, still trying to figure out how to get us all out alive. "There's no way out of this, Rick. Not now. Please, just take Maggie and I'll figure something out." He nodded and I went over to Maggie to help her up.

"You're getting out of here Mags." I smiled, keeping the tears at bay. "Just, when you have the baby, don't let Daryl name it or else you'll end up with something like little Asskicker 2." I hugged her and helped her to her feet. "What is he going to do?" Abraham leaned in, trying to whisper but I stopped him. "I don't know, but this is for the best." He hugged me. I stilled for a moment in his arms, unsure just how long I would be separated from them. If I'd ever see them again. "We're coming back for you." He whispered in my ear and I kissed his rough cheek.

The man walked up behind me with his bat still slugged over his shoulder. "Try anything and it won't end well for her." He clutched my shoulder with a blunt threat for Rick. His grip was tender while i shivered from his touch

I watched them disappear into the cover of woods and the small army began to dissolve around me. It was only then had it all hit me and I finally felt the crisp chill in the morning air. "Get in." The burned man I remembered as Dwight ushered me over to the RV. I could only comply and started my way up the small steps.

I plopped down on a booth and looked out the window. Imagining my body laying lifeless on the ground instead. He named the bat after me. I chuckled at the irony of being murdered by a weapon named in my honor. My thoughts were disturbed when a red blindfold was thrown on my lap. ''I had hoped we could wait a little before my payment'' I joked with a half smile as i looked towards my captor. ''In front of Dwight?'' He had snickered. ''As much as he'd enjoy that, gonna need you to put that on.'' I gave him a puzzled look. ''Either that or we could knock you out.'' I wanted to argue but looked towards the bat still sitting in its corner.

''Here. Allow me.'' I tensed when he stood. Closing the small distance between us, he grabbed the fabric from my hand and tied it around to cover my eyes. ''I know you like it tight.'' His breath was hot on my ear.