Broken

Storm

Gabriel and I get Negan to the meeting room, "What is he doing in here," Alex asks from across the room. "He can't stay in his cell, he'll freeze," Gabriel says. 

The room is warm because of the fire, I move to stand with Mika, she's reading a text book to Judith and the other kids. 

Mika smiles up at me. I smile back, "Aunt Laine, what color should I use?" Abraham asks. I look over at his coloring book, he's coloring some superhero blue. 

"I think you should use red for his logo," I say as I point to the center of the man's chest. I move over to where Julia is sitting with Milo. 

I sit with the girl, "Hey baby," I say as I sit next to her. She cuddles against me, "Your hands are cold," I say as reach into my pocket. 

I dig out a small pair of mittens that I managed to knit then make the inside warmer by using fleece fabric scraps. I stand after she gets them onto her tiny hands. 

Gabriel chains Negan to a bed. The man is so excited to be out he doesn't even care that he has to be restrained. 

I get Julia and RJ settled and warm on the other side of the room. They play quietly while others chat. 

I rub my hand over my stomach, it's noticeably pooched out under my layers of clothes. I sit on a chair beside them to watch over them. It's almost an hour of us sitting and talking. 

The storm is starting, at first it's just a light snow, then the wind picks up, hard enough to start throwing twigs and small objects against the windows. 

I close my eyes for a little bit. I look up when Negan starts spouting shit. 

"I have memorized every square inch of this room and it still feels like a party," Negan says with the biggest smile. Rosita chuckles from beside me, "A never ending party from hell." 

"Okay sure. I mean it smells like a goddamn barn in here and you're all bored shitless but-," "Language!" Judith yells from her seat by the window. 

"Sorry kiddo," Negan says, "But I mean we've got ourselves this hot little love triangle here to entertain us," Negan points to Rosita, me, and Gabriel. 

There's nothing between Rosita and I, we just want our kids to grow up as siblings. He is right about Rosita and Gabriel seeing each other. 

"You know it's like Christmas to me," Negan says excitedly. 

"Maybe they're just as miserable at Aaron's or Rosie's," I say. "Mm," Ro says, the twins are now playing with RJ and Julia. 

"We can only hope," Rosita mutters, I smile as RJ tackles Julia, and she pushes him off easily. 

"Jude, don't sit so close to the window," I say as I stand and move toward her. "I'm worried about Dog," she says, "Dog?" I ask. "Yeah, Daryl told me to take care of him until he got back," Judith says. 

I frown, Dog's outside and it's below freezing out there. "Come on," I say as I grab her hand and pull her up from the chair. "He's a smart dog, he probably found somewhere to hide out the storm," I say. 

I don't even believe my own statement but it's better than telling the truth. "Daryl told me to take care of him while he helped move the Kingdom to Hilltop. What if he freezes?" she asks. 

I hug her to my side as I lead her from the window. "Can we talk?" Alex asks as he grabs my arm, "About?" I question. 

Alex pulls me away from the people chatting and the children playing, "I have feelings for you, I know you're having trouble with Carl. I know you feel something too," Alex says.