Broken

Chapter 18

Negan wakes, Eve whimpering lightly by his side.

She woke him most nights, and usually all it took was him wrapping an arm around her to get her to settle again. But as tears stream down her cheeks, he knows he'll have to wake her.

"Eve." Negan shakes her gently.

She flinches away from him, her eyes wide and almost animal like. Negan's heart aches, as he's reminded of how she was when they first found her.

"It's okay, Eve. I'm here. It was just a dream."

Her face softens, and she offers him a weak smile. "Sorry."

"Don't be."

Eve runs a hand through her hair, sitting up atop the covers with just a thin sheet covering her. "I need to see Carson tomorrow."

"Shit. I forgot to tell you. He's gonna be gone for a few days."

"What? But, i need to talk to him."

Negan rubs her back. "I know that, sweetheart. But someone at Hilltop needs him. He'll be back soon."

Eve nods in disappointment.

"You can always talk to me.. if you want to."

She looks at him, her brows furrowed. "I don't know."

"You don't have to."

"It's.. my dreams. They've changed."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Eve shakes her head. "I'm not sure it is. I.." she drops her head, tears on the brink.

"Hey." Negan sits up, wrapping an arm around her waist. "What is it?"

"It's.. the man i killed. Gareth. He comes to me in my dreams, and he's asking me why. Why did i do that to him?" Tears spill down her cheeks. "I wish i hadn't. I wasn't thinking straight. But none of that matters, because he's gone, and that's on me."

"I.." Negan drops his head, not wanting to lie to her. "He is gone, and it is on you," he says softly. "But.. you're gonna make it right. The more you make it right, the easier it'll get, i promise."

Eve nods. "I wanna make it right, i do." Negan smiles, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "Im sorry i woke you."

"Don't be silly. I was having a shitty dream myself."

"What was it? Was it your wife?"

"No actually, it was you. I.. i keep dreaming about the cabin. I can.." Negan shakes his head. "Fuck this, you don't need to hear this shit."

Eve curls her fingers round the back of his neck. "Yes, i do. I wanna hear it."

"I.. can hear you.. screaming. I'm trying to get to you, but i can't. Every step i take forward just puts me three fucking steps back."

"You wanna save me.. you already have." Eve kisses him softly, stroking his hair.

"I think you saved me," Negan says, brushing his nose against hers.

"We're saving each other." She smiles. "It's still late, we should go back to sleep."

Negan wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her close as she buries her head in his chest.

~

"We're nearly there."

"Yes, i know that. I have been to Hilltop before, i used to live there," Carson snipes.