New or Old Love?

Stay Alive

Rick was hesitant to let you go, but after almost a full hour of you practically begging for him to let you, he caved. You knew the risks of going on a supply run with John, Dean and Scott; but at the end of the day, they were your only family, so of course you wanted to go with them.
"Somethin' on your mind?" John asked softly as you walked through the open field; John had invited you on the supply run simply to spend time with you, as well as Dean and Scott - as an almost whole family again. 
"Not really, just basking in spending time with you lot" you nudged him and smiled happily; you always used to go on supply runs with Moriarty's Gang, and in truth, you missed it.
"'Ow are things?" he asked, watching with a fed up look as Dean and Scott pushed and play fought together - something they only did on supply runs.
"Oddly great, I mean, since the treaty, they've improved. Rick's a lot more relaxed, as am I, he needs a break" you told him, tutting when Dean threw Scott over his shoulder and ran over to you and John; the treaty had been in action for almost a week, and things between you and Rick couldn't have been better.
"Guys, I can see Dwight's bike. We best hurry up" Dean panted, dropping Scott onto the floor - a loud 'oomph' escaped the ginger's mouth and you laughed - and jogging back across the field, you, John and Scott jogged behind him until you all stood in front of Dwight's bike and gaped. 

Walkers surrounded the abandoned harbour, the chain link fence only just held them back from you; Dwight crawled towards you and looked up at you with pained eyes. 
"Are you bit?" you asked, helping him to his feet; John checked him for any bite marks and shook his head, but even though he wasn't bitten, Dwight was bleeding. Badly. 
"S-shot" he gasped out, groaning in pain as Dean took him from you and began to run through the field, you, Scott and John hot on his heels. 

That's when you felt it. 

A pain tore through your back you fell to the ground, clutching it in agony as blood spewed out from the small of your back; you tried to crawl but you couldn't move. You could feel your death creeping upon you. 
"Y/N!" the distant, distorted voice of Scott rang out like an ambulance siren. You had pondered what death would be like; would there be a beat? A melody? 
No. 
You could hear nothing. You felt nothing. You saw nothing. 

"What happened?!" Rick burst through the medical wing of the Sanctuary, as it was closer to the field than Alexandria, John looked guilty and was weeping. 
"We brought her in a half hour ago. She lost a lot of blood on the way in" John almost sobbed, trying to stay calm as the doctors Negan had gathered worked on you. 
"Is she alive?" Rick cried, feeling tears dig trenches on his cheeks, his azure eyes gleaming, his voice trembling. John didn't answer. 
"Yes" Scott answered solemnly, his emerald eyes just as dewy and foggy as Rick's; his hair was ragged and matted from blood. Scott hoped you would stay alive. So did Rick. John wanted you to live more than anything. Dean and Dwight were in the other part of the medical wing, where the beds were kept. 
"Can I see her, please?" Rick held onto John's shirt tightly, the cockney doctor swallowed thickly and nodded, leading the way. 

"Y/n" Rick whispered, clutching onto your almost lifeless hand. You knew you wouldn't last long, but you were glad that Rick was going to be the final face you saw. 
"R-Rick" you coughed, weak from blood loss, eyes foggy and unfocused, "I wish I had listened to you, Rick, I love you. I love you so much, Rick. I love you"
"I know, I know, I love you too, y/n" Rick kept his tears behind bars, despite their violent protests. 
"I tried to crawl, I did everything I could" your voice grew weaker with each syllable, and you wanted to tell Rick how much you loved him. How much you cherished him. 
"I know, I know. You did everything just right"  Rick didn't want to lose you, he wanted you by his side until the very end. He wanted you to go out fighting alongside him. 
"I-I tried to do what you would, Rick. I love you" you whispered, a shaky sigh escaping your lips.
"I know, save your strength and stay alive" Rick couldn't keep his tears back any longer. Negan walked into the room, shoulders slumped and hickory eyes ablaze with tears. 
"Negan!" Rick gasped, Negan shook his head and sat down on the other side of the bed, gently taking your other hand. 
"Is she breathing, is she going to survive this?" Negan asked, voice just as woeful as Rick's. 
"Stay alive, y/n" Rick whispered, giving Negan a look that was void of hope. 
"Who did this, Rick, did you know?" Negan cried, Rick shook his head and let the tears fall and he looked down at you. You were watching them with dewy eyes. 
"Negan, I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me" you whispered, your voice breaking. 
"Y/n" Negan placed a finger to your lips to try and silence you and get you to save your strength. 
"We practised how to survive things like this" you croaked, Negan closed his eyes and let a few poisonous teardrops fall from his eyes. 
"I taught you things like this" he echoed, he was whispering but in the deafening silence of the room, you could hear him. 
"You would put your lips on mine" you turned to Rick with a guilty look and a small sob. Rick simply nodded at you and gave you a hopeful smile.
"You changed the situation every time" Negan swallowed thickly, bringing your hand up to his face and leaning against your touch.
"I would always change the scene" you laughed weakly, knowing that you didn't have a lot of time left.
"Shh, I know, I know" he reassured, giving Rick a nod. They knew you wouldn't last.
"I would always change the scene" you whispered, tears falling quickly as you remembered how Negan would teach you how to survive in different situations; you always changed it, whenever he said about a warehouse, you would change it to a house, when he said about a knife, you would swap it for a gun. 
"I know, I know" Rick and Negan echoed in unison, trying to get you to rest and save your strength. 
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine" Negan counted, an attempt to get you to sleep. 
"One, two, three four, five six, seven, eight, nine" you were almost silent. Rick looked down and choked back a sob. 
"Good, stay with me" Negan sniffled, feeling your hands become limp, just as Rick did. 
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine" Rick and Negan said in unison, Rick stroked back your hair and Negan rubbed circles onto your knuckles. 
"One, two, three, four, five, six..." you fell silent. All touched limp. 
"Seven, eight, nine" Rick and Negan whispered, sharing a teary hug. They had lost you. 
"Seven, eight..." Negan cried, Rick sobbed.