Five Years Later

Chapter Eleven: The Nightmare

The planning of the escape was hindered as quickly as it had begun. Negan had already made it clear that they could not be in a relationship, for fear of it setting a bad example for the rest of the base. There was no way that they would be able to continue being together if Negan found out, so they decided to try to keep it a secret to the best of their ability – which, in hindsight, was more complicated than it first appeared.

Dean was sitting in the meeting with the rest of Negan's soldiers, attemptin to focus on the task at hand. Apparently, a group of walkers was meandering toward the fences and there was worry that they might cave it in, given the sheer amount of them. Negan was looking for answers from his group, but Dean couldn't offer any suggestions because he was distracted by Cas, who was sitting opposite of him. They were trying rather unsuccessfully not to make eye contact with one another, in order to keep up the persona that they hated one another, but they continued to sneak in sly glances and half smiles whenever Negan's back was turned to the chalkboard.

"Dean, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Negan set the chalk down on the table, his brow furrowed in concern. "This is the eighth time you have coughed in five minutes, and not only is it disruptive to the meeting I'm trying to have, but it's damn annoying. You've been sick since I picked you up out of the gutter – when are you going to get better?"

"I don't know; I've been sick since last year." Dean coughed again, wincing as the effort stung his sore throat. "No one has been able to figure out what it is, but I'm not contagious, I swear."

"I don't give a fuck whether or not you're contagious, you're distracting everyone in this damn room while we are figuring out what to do about these walkers!" Negan snapped, and the room collectively grew silent. Dean paused a moment before moving his chair back from the table and sliding out of his seat, navigating along the wall until he reached the door for fear he might lose his balance.

A minute later he found himself outside in the hall, his legs weak as he tried to continue walking down to his room. Without warning, Jess passed him in a hurry, her pace much too fast for him to keep up with and her heels clicking against the tile.

"Hey, Jess—" Dean started, but she didn't stop, her eyes focused straight ahead. She did mumble something in reply, but it was inaudible at the distance between the two of them.

"Dean?"

Cas had come out from the meeting and was standing beside him, adjusting the collar of his trench coat and gazing after Jess as she sauntered down the hall, one hand protectively against her stomach.

"Are you okay?" Cas looked both ways and made sure the coast was clear before giving Dean a quick, short lived hug "You didn't look so hot in there."

"You're telling me." Dean rubbed a hand against his forehead, feeling the sweat that had been beading there begin to trickle down the sides of his face. "It was a million degrees in there."

"It was actually rather cold." Cas frowned, sliding his arm around Dean's shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe we should take you to see the doctor."

"If we are doing this, you can't come." Dean began shaking his head, and doubled over a moment later in pain. His stomach felt as though it was in the middle of a tempest – he was so nauseous, he worried he was going to fall over. His legs were barely strong enough to support him as it was. "The doctor visits are recorded here. It will be documented that you were in the room with me, and Negan will know. We're supposed to hate each other."

"I'm sorry we ever did." Cas kissed Dean's forehead nervously, as if unsure whether or not he was allowed to, only to push away a moment later as the door behind them creaked and one of the soldiers came out, heading toward the restrooms. "I can't live like this Dean – I thought it would be easier, but I can't sit there in meetings like that and just pretend like you aren't even there."