Irredeemable ⇝ Negan

1 ⇝ Arrival

"Get up," a harsh growl sounded from beside Nicole's head, causing her to jolt into a sitting position. Her father, Ezekiel, grasped her hair and tugged her to her feet. She stumbled at first, trying to regain her footing so her father might let go. Nicole managed to get free from his grasp and Ezekiel began walking out the door, anticipating for her to follow. She was quick on his heels, not wanting to suffer through another beating.

Ezekiel tended to be a gentle giant, but never when it came to Nicole. She wasn't his daughter biologically, but rather by abandonment. Ezekiel's pre-apocalyptic wife had cheated on him and come home pregnant with a girl who would grow to be hated by her step-father. After Nicole was two years old, her mother ran off with her biological father and left her in the care of Ezekiel.

Days turned into weeks, which turned into months and eventually they turned into years where Ezekiel grew to despise the face of his ex-wife's child. Every time he saw her he was reminded of the woman he used to love, the woman who dumped him for someone better. Nicole was the child of that woman and the man she left him for, so the hatred only grew.

Nicole trailed behind Ezekiel as he moved towards the delivery trucks, preparing to leave and meet up for Negan's bi-weekly shipments. She was forced to watch as the 'King' treated his subjects better than he ever treated his adopted daughter. Normally she didn't tag along with the deliveries, but from the moment she woke up she could tell things weren't going to go as usual today.

The petite girl climbed into the passengers seat of the truck, sitting silently as she waited for her father. He got into the truck, giving her a slight glare before speeding off own the road with the others in tow. The ride was silent, which Nicole was slightly thankful for, though the tension in the air made her feel as though she was choking.

When they got to the delivery site, Simon was already pacing outside of his trucks as he waited for Ezekiel to arrive. Even though Nicole didn't usually go on runs, she had been on a few occasionally and with a knack for remembering names, she had quickly learned who was who within the ranks of the Saviors.

Ezekiel got out of his truck and moved around to Nicole's side, tugging her rather aggressively from the vehicle. Simon watched on with concerned eyes. The first thing he noticed was how poorly dressed this small girl was. All she had was a thin nightgown material draped over her body, barely protecting her from the cold Virginia winter. It was nearing the middle of October now and soon to be one of the coldest times of the year, yet here she stood in clothes that weren't even suited for walkers.

The second thing Simon noticed was how sickly thin this girl appeared to be. Along her skinny arms were bruises and cuts that no one even tried to cover. Simon felt as though he could look at this girl the wrong way and she would crumble to pieces. That's when it clicked in his brain. This girl had been on runs in the past, but since then it was obvious her living conditions within the Kingdom had only worsened.

"Here is the deal," Ezekiel began speaking, Nicole stopping silently at his side and keeping her head down like a puppy that had been beaten into submission. "We are slightly short on our delivery of supplies to you this time. As reimbursement, we offer Nicole." He nudged her forward and she took a small step, her head still hung as tears stung her eyes. One of the Saviors went to protest but Simon waved his hand to stop him.

"We'll take it," Simon stated firmly before taking a few steps towards Nicole. He lifted her face by her chin, inspecting it with careful eyes before speaking again. "Don't worry, we're going to take good care of you and these people will never hurt you again." Simon's voice was low, barely loud enough for Nicole herself to hear. His words shocked her but she chose not to react, clearly sensing that what he said was meant for her alone.