50

2.2K 110 138
                                    

Hello my friends. Well, I'm back! I have spent the last month reacquainting myself with this story and developing it to the end. So I'm exited to get back into the swing of things. I hope you enjoy the direction I've decided to go with it! Thank you all so much for being patient with my little hiatus.

Happy Reading!

><><><><

Jo

I lay the last pan on top of the precarious stack in the drying rack. Lunch was done and there would be a couple hours until dinner rush started. I was still on edge, waiting to hear about Dwight.

I chewed on my lip. I should have noticed there was something going on with him yesterday. I spent more time with Dwight than anyone, but I had been so wrapped up in my own stuff I had missed all the signs that now seemed so obvious. I couldn't imagine what made him feel so trapped that he felt such a risky thing was his only option. I had never met his wife or sister-in-law, but neither worked in the factory. It wouldn't be easy taking two people completely dependent on you out on the road. His real mistake had been stealing insulin other people depended on. I agreed with Negan's decision, we couldn't just let him go because of that. Had he left empty handed everything could have ended fine, but now Simon was out hunting him.

Simon was another problem. Negan didn't seem worried about him, but there had been a gleam in Simon's eye that told me he wasn't as submissive as he pretended. I never asked how Negan took power of The Sanctuary. The truth was I probably didn't want to know, but I had a sneaking suspicion is started a little like Simon was behaving now. I didn't know their personal history, but my instincts told me we couldn't trust Simon. It was hard won, but I had finally learned to trust my instincts.

I missed a lot while I had been hiding down here washing dishes. Maybe Kate's accusations of me being selfish weren't that far off. Everybody had lost someone, everybody was grieving. I didn't get to stop just because Merle was dead. He, possibly more than anyone else, would be incredibly disappointed in me for being so weak. I owed my sister an apology.

I stared down at my hands in the soapy water. Negan was struggling and I couldn't leave him alone to deal with all the problems by himself. As good as he was at acting like he didn't care and nothing touched him, he must have felt like he was surrounded by enemies. It looked like it was time to get back out there.

"Hey," Arat called startling me from my thoughts.

I jerked and swung around to face her. She didn't flinch away from me, just looked apologetic. If any of my strange reactions had ever bothered her she didn't show it. Instead, she just continued to go about her day.

"Sorry," she said, tossing a towel onto the counter.

"It's not you," I promised her. "How long do we have until dinner?"

Arat glanced down at her watch. "Couple hours."

"Great," I said drying my hands and tossing the towel away. "Follow me," I headed towards the swinging door.

"Why?" she asked, frowning in confusion.

I turned back to face her, a glimmer of excitement growing in my chest. Having a purpose was energizing. I needed to move, needed to do something. Arat had helped me when I needed a place to recover, and I could repay the favor. She had told me she wanted to learn to fight. That I could do.

"I'm about to make you like a whole lot more interesting," I promised her.

"Seriously?" Arat asked excitedly as she trotted after me.

Last One Fighting ~ Negan FanficWhere stories live. Discover now