Man with the Bat || a Negan novel

Chapter 36: To Die or Not To Die

Glass shattered, walkers moaned, gunshots echoed.

Fear instilled itself within my heart for the first time in what felt like forever

"Mia!" Negan shouted, my neck feverishly snapping to the left as I spotted him, limping as he vigorously smashed walkers skulls in with Lucille, in hopes to get to me.

"Mia!" A gruffer voice called, my neck snapping to the right where Rick was mowing down mobs of walkers, in hopes to get to me.

And all I could do was kick the walkers down the steps as they too hoped to get to me.

I was helpless, I was scared, and I didn't know what in the hell to do.

Earlier that day, I would've never have guessed we would've ended up where we did. I woke up like I usually did, but surprisingly I was up before Negan this time. Which led to me simply admiring his strong features, the soft fall and rise of his chest as he breathed, the way his lips were slightly parted in exhaustion.

I left bed, being careful not to wake him and heading to get my morning coffee and something to eat. The breakfast hall was quite empty when I arrived, which meant everyone was already off to their jobs. I greeted the kitchen guys and grabbed my food, heading to the steps to watch the sunrise and eat my breakfast.

Eventually, Negan found me. I followed him around as he worked on his usual daily activities, which basically consisted of ordering men around and hitting stuff with Lucille. It was always an eventful day. 

But today, Negan had a, "board meeting." 

"I'd let you sit in babe, but I just can't," he shrugged as he leaned on the door frame, "And you know I can't."

I lowered my eyes at him, but kept my mouth shut.

"But yet, Eugene gets to sit in," I averted my hand towards him, who looks slightly offended at pointing him out.

"Yeah, yeah," Negan waves his hand, "But, Eugene is proven to be 110% Team Negan, you on the other hand..."

I rolled my eyes.

"Babe, I'm just kidding," he laughed at my frown, "You know you're obviously too emotionally invested with Rick's side, we can't discuss matters like this with you present."

I frowned, again.

"See! Like that! If you gave me that look during the meeting I'd immediately adjourn just to make it up to you," he sighs, reaching up to balance my chin, "I don't like that frown," he groaned. 

A smile twitched at my lips, which made him smile too.

In all reality, I understood why he deemed me incapable of sitting in on one of his "Rick meetings." After all, I loved Rick and would fight against anything that seemed even remotely harmful towards Rick or the others. But the fact he didn't let me sit in scared me as to what they were even talking about in the first place.

"I promise it won't be long," he pulls me towards him, too exhausted to resist him as he presses a kiss to my forehead, "I'll come find you when it's over."

I nodded, turning away from him before I could fall victim to his apologetic gaze and set out to find something to do to preoccupy my time. Which evidently meant finding my way to the roof to indulge in some more literature. 

It was very different here, obviously. Back with Rick's group I was always used to slaving away at something everyday. Just because so much always needed to be done, but here, it felt like there was nothing for me to do. There was stuff that was always being done, but Negan made sure I did none of it. Here I was treated like royalty, he would make sure I was treated like nothing less.