Man with the Bat || a Negan novel

Chapter 32: All's Fair in Love and War

"Fuck!" Negan seethes out in pain, his hand flying to the part of his shoulder where the bullet had hit.

"Carl!" I cry out, Negan putting his arm around me for support as I look towards the boy who still has his pistol raised.

"Back up Mia, the next one goes through his head," Carl blankly states, his eyes overpowered by a darkness I had never seen before.

"Mia, go" Negan seethes out, his distraught eyes finding mine, "I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm not leaving you," I don't hesitate to answer, turning back to Carl, "Carl, put it down."

He meets my eyes with his own, lowering in disgrace. "You're still gonna fucking protect him Mia?" He questions, a hint of angst to his tone, "if I take him out right now then the saviors have no fearless leader, there is no war, and you don't have to leave. So why? Why would you tell me to put this gun down Mia?"

"Because it's not right Carl," I blurt out, searching for a good argument.

"Not right? Ha! Did you forget about Glenn and Abraham? How about Spencer and Olivia? Was that right, Mia?" He spats my name like it's poison, "he doesn't fucking deserve to live, so get out of my way."

I stand still, positioning myself in front of Negan. He tries to get me to go behind him, but he's too focused on the pain from the bullet to really do much right in this moment. The adrenaline coursing through my veins was like none I had ever experienced before. And perhaps it was anger, perhaps fear, perhaps love, but I blurted out words that I knew would change Carl's perspective of me forever.

"You better shoot both of us then."

Carl hesitates, but he cocks his gun.

"3" he begins, my breath catching in my throat.

He licks his lips, his eyes not leaving mine.

"2."

I grabbed ahold of Negans hand that wasn't pressing to his wound, squeezing it as tight as I could.

Carl looked into my eyes, a look of pain, betrayal and sadness reeking from within.

"1."

"Drop the gun you little prick" a gruff voice behind us spoke, myself spinning to see Simon, he cocks his gun, "I won't count down to kill you."

Carl presses his lips together in aggravation, a hate filled glare on Simon. He hesitates, but he lowers his gun.

"Good boy," Simon smirks, "Mia, help Negan to the van, I'll make sure this boy doesn't do anything he'd regret."

I look to Carl, trying to find a way to apologize with a gaze. To let him know I loved him and that I was doing this for him. But he met my eyes with such a look, I knew he hated me.

So I turned, with Negans arm over my shoulders, I helped him to the van. Now I could see it, parked on the edge of the forest by the road. A perfect view of the forest itself from where it stood, but hidden well. That's how Negan had seen me but I hadn't seen him.

As soon as we got to the van, I threw the door open, helping Negan get in. He groaned as he moved his shoulder the wrong way, but he was tough so it hardly looked to faze him.

"I gotta," he whispered, "get the bullet out."

I nodded, "don't worry, when we get back Doc can help."