My Little Pup

Chapter 19

From the bedroom window, I watch as the setting sun disappears behind the treetops, casting a warm glow across the sky. Its departure is usually an indication of Negan's impending return to the apartment for the night. However, I have yet to hear from him since being ordered inside hours ago.

All the while, I have not moved from the window. There isn't anything to see - Negan, Fat Joey, Simon, and Dwight had moved the bullet ridden vehicle to the other side of the compound not long after it arrived. Yet, I've remained fixed in the armchair overlooking the yard. The place seemed to burst with movement, more than the usual I see, including more Saviors patrolling walls in response to the bizarre event.

The adrenaline surging through my veins has kept me on high alert. My gaze meticulously scanned the thick brush of the surrounding forest for any signs of movement - a rustling of the vegetation, a reflection from a scope, the sight of a raised gun. More than once, my entire body tensed upon seeing the foliage move. I was ready to sprint downstairs to alert Negan of the enemy lurking beyond the fence more than once, only to see that it was just a squirrel or rabbit passing through.

There are countless questions swirling through my mind, but I only desire the answer to one - is my father safe?

How am I to know that he wasn't caught in the crossfire of all of this? Judging by the spray of the bullets on Fat Joey's ride, there may have been more than one shooter. It's more than possible that at least one bullet fired from the attackers found its way towards my father and his own vehicle....

Dammit, Sam! Don't get ahead of yourself. No longer able to sit still, I spring from the armchair and pace the floor in an attempt to calm my pent-up nerves. The entire situation is shrouded in unknown, resulting in nothing short of anxious energy from me.

Since the day I was introduced to Negan, I knew he was a dangerous man. Even he himself had told me danger had come with the territory, however I shouldn't have been so naïve to believe that his lifestyle would not carry a larger level of danger than I imagined. For the first time since Negan whisked me away, I'm more afraid of the harm that may come to my father and I from unknown attackers, than from Negan himself. They didn't hesitate to attack Fat Joey. What's to stop them from bringing the fight directly to Negan and the Sanctuary? What the hell would I do if that were to happen?

Hide...? Try to escape...? Fight back...?

I rub the pad of my fingers against my temple and sigh. There is just too much to consider, with so little information to go on.

Knowing that there won't be any answers until Negan returns, I crawl onto the bed and curl up on my side. Might as well get comfy, I reason to myself as the natural light in the room steadily dwindles with the setting sun.

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My eyelids are heavy as they ease open, awaken by the unmistakable sound of a jacket being unzipped. I must've been dozing for a while because the room is now nearly dark, only a few bands of light shine through the window. It's just enough light for me to spot Negan's silhouette by the dresser.

He shrugs his leather jacket off his shoulders, the fabric landing in a heap on the floor. He doesn't even bother to untie his boots, merely kicking them off his feet. A few low grunts spill from his lips as he peels off his t-shirt.

I sit up in the bed, causing Negan to whip his head around at the sudden noise. He stares through the darkness in my direction, appearing to search for the source of the noise. "It's just me," I say through the darkness.

Negan simply nods his head and returns to undressing. I turn on the table lamp and wait a moment for him to speak up, expecting some sort of explanation about earlier. When it doesn't come, I softly clear my throat to get his attention.