Save Me

40. Leader To Former Leader

Negan tries to give Molly leadership advice but soon realises that she doesn't need it and can hold her own without him. Is Negan threatened by or supportive of her actions?

Negan's POV//

Suddenly the door flung open and I saw her again.

My Molly.

She looked pissed as she marched in and stood in front of me.

'Welcome home' I said smiling as I looked up at her.

'What the fuck are you playing at?' she asked sternly.

I was silent for a minute.

'I know you wanted me to be all goody goody but I had to leave Molly. You know me, it was killing me' I answered.

She just sighed and said, 'look I want real answers and I'm told you'll only give them to me'.

She was hurt that I didn't want to try and she let that emotion slip out.

'So, tell me. Why the hell did you come back because I know for damn sure it wasn't for nothing' she said sternly.

'Well, in fairness to Gabe it wasn't all his fault. You can't keep a big dog down, sooner or later he's gotta run' I said smirking.

She smiled, saying 'yeah but you ran back, so what kind of dog does that make you?'.

I chuckled at her wit and stood up to get closer to her.

'I'm glad you asked, you know I went to Michonne's, could've bashed in some heads...' I said taunting her.

'Mhm, you know you'd be a dead man if you tried. You're an asshole, not an idiot. No, I think you took your shot out there and out there spit you out, so you dragged your sorry ass back here. That's it isn't it?' she answered frowning at me.

I got closer, wrapping my hands around the bars now.

'Well, you're right that the world has changed, but you know so have I' I answered.

'What do you want?' she asked tiredly.

'If y'all are not gonna kill me, at least learn to trust me a little bit' I replied.

'You chose self-preservation over revenge and you think that that earns you their trust?' she retorted.

'You all are keeping me in here to remind everyone how merciful the great Rick Grimes was, I am telling you I can be so much more than that. I can help you' I said pleadingly.

'You wanna be helpful? Start playing by the rules and that means no escaping the fucking compound!' she yelled.

'I thought you wanted me to be happy' I said slowly.

'I do, but you gave up on us!' she yelled as she turned to walk away.

'You left! Shit, you lecture me on how I valued power over you and here you are doing the exact same fucking thing!' I shouted.

She turned around now.

'Who told you?' she said softly as she folded her arms.

'C'mon, I'm not an idiot. I know things' I replied smirking, she just raised her eyebrows and nodded.

'Before Rick died, he asked me to lead the Sanctuary...' she said looking at the ground.

'Hm' was all I could mutter as I processed what she was saying.

'You didn't want it?' I asked looking up at her once again.

'I couldn't. You know why' she replied sadly, 'I'm sorry' she added.

'Molly we both know that it's me who should be apologising, never you. I put you through that. But, just so you know, I know that you are an amazing leader. I've seen it and I'm so fucking proud of you' I said almost choking on my words as I smiled at her.

She ignored my words and changed the topic of conversation.

'Judith told me that she let you go, that true?' she asked seriously.

'Mhm' I said nodding.

She sighed, 'of course she did' she whispered.

'She's just like you, you know, sees the best in people' I replied.

'Yeah, well, I don't think Michonne would be too happy about that, or all this' she said gesturing to the cell.

'I'll talk to Judith but I'm not gonna tell Michonne' she said.

'You really love her don't you?' I asked.

'yueah, she's my niece, my family. I'd die for her, all of us would in a heartbeat. I think you would as well' she said smiling.

I smiled back, saying 'I would'.

She nodded in response till her expression turned serious.

'Just promise me that you won't try this again?' she said more calmly now.

'I promise darlin' I answered.

'They're lucky to have you at the Hilltop and hell if you ever led the Sanctuary, you would do wonders to that place. Like you did before...' I added, trailing off my speech at the end.

She just nodded in gratitude.

'You asked me why I left...I took the position at Hilltop because I couldn't be around you' she softly answered.

I just smirked and nodded.

'That's not what you wanted the last time we were alone here...' I said chuckling.

She just shot me an annoyed look and scoffed.

'Tell me' she said more seriously now.

I sighed before saying 'I'm strong as shit, but I need to be of value and I could be to a place like this, they just don't want me' I answered.

She threw her hands in the air and said 'because you won't try! they don't trust you for obvious reasons Negan, they don't know you like I do. Give them time, show them that you're not trying to work against them, against this. Show me!' she pleaded.

I just nodded, saying 'alright, for you darlin'...anything'.

'You can't deny that we're the same. You're just like me, I've said it from the start' I said smirking.

She just scoffed at this.

She could pretend we weren't the same but deep down she knew we were.

'Molly' Gabriel said as he knocked on the cell door.

She opened it and asked him what he wanted.

He told her that new people had arrived at Hilltop and that Tara had brought them in.

They needed welcoming and investigating by their leader so she knew she had to leave.

She looked at me sadly and slightly annoyed that she couldn't finish our conversation when she nodded to Gabriel.

I saluted her sarcastically and said, 'they await their leader'.

She just sighed, knowing that I was right.