And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me" 

I can't help this awful energy God damn right, you should be scared of me Who is in control?

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Daryl Dixon.

With her distraction to look of behind her in fear of getting attacked, Negan had silenced Rick with another motion of his bat. However, it was Blake who then look back down to Daryl. His pricing blue eyes looking to hers as she felt the need to so badly throw up at the sight of him.

The fucking asshole who dumped her...But look where she is now.

"No!...Oh no." Negan proclaimed, gesturing off and all around as he walked in a small circle. 

"That? Oh my! That...is a nono...The whole thing, not ONE bit of that shit flies here." He reminded, Bending down to meet not only Daryl, but Blake as well.

The women, who was in an obvious dilemma of the fact that not only Rick, Carl, and Addie were here. But Daryl as well, her anger that cannot be just merely forgotten came into play for a moment. 

But then shut out again, as she masked her face.

"Do you want me to do it? Right here." She cooed, wanting Daryl to recognize her. Because even if there was a bit of coincidence that Merle was here, or he knew who Blake was to Addie...He would not know he was the father.

However, Negan just took the offered bangs from Dixon's head and pulled. Issuing a shake and a growl that only made her press down on his wound more. 

"No...No you don't kill that." He spoke, and she smirked, easing up a bit as she rose to her feet. Stepping back so the henchmen can drag him back to the boarders of his people.

She was still skeptical to put her pistol away, but did so anyway considering there were more than enough pointed at the backs of others. Surely enough she had done so, only to gain Addie's attention.

The last time the girl had seen her mother, she was still young. But perhaps it was the little things, the daughter's instincts that made her draw close with the women. If not feel sorry for the fact that she was the only one who survived, the young girl was only out because she wanted to get Maggie to the hilltop.

"Anyway, that's not how it works. Now, I already told you people...First one's free, then—then what'd I say? I said I would shut that shit down! No exceptions. Now, I don't know what kind of lying assholes you've been dealing with...But I'm a man of my word. First impressions are important." He continued to rally on his inner monolog that made Blake turn an insufferable gaze towards Arat once again.

Oh will they drink to this later.

"I need you...to know me." He smiled, his charmsmatic side gleaming out so vividly as he handled it so charmingly. But gripping his bat did Blake know what was to come. And she closed her eyes, she already pleaded with one life.

She couldn't go any further than that.

"So. Back to it!" Once those words had come out of his mouth, he angled his body off in the direction to the one who attacked him again. Daryl. His head had bounced up, and yet she had missed it. Only after did she give herself the benefit to see that Daryl had still been intact. As of now that is... "M....M...Ma...ggie."

"Buddy you still there? I just don't know. It seems like you're trying to speak, but you just took a hell of a hit. I just popped your skull so hard, your eyeball just popped out...And it is gross as shit!"

As the streams of blood gushed on out, and his throbbing head looked to me once before he fumbled to look at his wife. In his last few moments, did he gurgle out 'Maggie, I'll find you.' as he continued to throb back and force, choking and hoping to have the pain end.

"Aw hell...I can see this is hard on you guys. I am sorry. I truly am. I did say it. No exceptions." He reminded, but the dripping amount of actual dread was coming off his worth. If remembering correctly, he didn't WANT to kill anyone. But it was reconciled for what happened to his people, justice in a way. Or perhaps it's the mood of all these people crying their eyes out to their beloved friend who just died before their very eyes.

Again, that didn't stop him from naming the body down to a pile of bloody gravel to match his other victim. "You bunch of pussies! I'm just getting started!" He said in between swings, and allowed the people just a moment to endure what had happened.

But now...After all was said and done, and the leader couldn't do one possible thing in hopes of saving anyone. Negan was about to throw it all into his face.

"I'm gonna kill you," Rick promised, and at that moment she took a long heavy sigh. She knew him far too well, and if he sounded as dead and looked anymore adnormal. She would've claimed it to be a joke, however...This was a dead paned serious.

"What? I didn't catch that. You're gonna have to speak up." Negan taughted, granted it was pretty low of a mumble. High pitched and never-the-less a slip of the tongue.

"N-not today. Not tomorrow...But I'm gonna kill you." The women gritted her teeth at the threat, although she didn't know any names or anyone other than the given four. She still wanted to work with them.

She can forgive, but can they for this?
Having to admit that this was a hearty bunch was simple. Of course there would be crying and beggining, but here...The second number two had gone, everything plummeted down further into the depths of nothing. Cheeks running with tears, she felt out for the pregnant women. But still...This was revenge. It had to be bitter sweet sometimes.

"Jesus...Simon...What did he have, a knife?" Simon just listed in full order of what he had found. "He had a hatchet."
"A hatCHET?" The amount of humor rolling of Negan's lips was perfect competition for the sadness.

"Simon's my right-hand man. Having one of those is important...She's my second in command. Arat here? There she is, that's her right-hand man...what do you have left without them? A whole lot of work. Do you have one? Maybe one of these fine people still breathing...Oh...Or did I just..." The man clicked his tongue in annoyance and continued off with a witty smile as he demanded the ax. Simon threw it off towards Blake who caught it and handed it off.

For a moment he was showcasing it in front of Rick before rising and placing it within his belt. Being the man of the hour he took another big risk, taking a hold of the leader's neck to drag him across the ways to the camper. Throwing him without any issue what so ever. "I'll be right back, maybe Rick will be with me. And if not, well...We can just turn these people inside out, won't we? I mean...The ones that are left."

Negan made quick work to wink off towards Blake so she knew that he favor would still be relevant. But the second the vehicle was up and off, she nicked her head towards Simon to get a bit of an inside.

Arat and Dwight followed in persuit. "Daryl's mine." Blake chuckled as she nodded. "He's the one you've been to the woods and back with?... Hell I'm proud, you can keep some of your smokes tonight for shooting the bastard." She spoke, diligently and a hint of sarcasm as it dwelled to them that it was now how early in the morning it is.

"What kind of pistol did Rick have?" She questioned, and Dwight who had seen it within the masses went off to procure said weapon. And then and only then did Arat lean in and question. 

"You said something to him...What was it?" She questioned, and her eyes appeared dead to those around her but never the less sighed.

"Girl next to eyepatch, off limits. Don't spread shit around." She nodded as though it was an order, and perhaps it was as Blake didn't let up the actual means to be friendly at a time like this.

"Got it, nice piece if I must say." He handed it off and Blake almost choked once more as she took the python in her hands as it perfectly place like it had done so many times before at the range.

With Shane and Rick.

She blinked past those memories as she looked back to the bow. "You think you're willing to trade?" She spoke, placing it at the back of her jeans and stealing glances as this was a token.

But Dwight was reluctant to do so all things considering, shaking his head. And yet Arat nudged him, saying he still owes them each smokes anyway.

***

The sun started to come up, and although some men were complaining. It was just a simple glare in their direction that made them be quiet. Her group did no such thing, she trained them, she watched out for them, she made sure both them and their families were well taken care of.

All she wanted was their loyalty in return.

And so there it is, every last drop denounced to her. Whether it is at Sanctuary, on a run, or on a mission like this. Don't matter. Most of them were willing to go out nonstop to look for her when she was missing, even scouted the outpost in hopes to find her.

Daryl on the other hand, knew she had Rick's Python. His eyes trailed her. Every twitch. Every glance. She knew it all too well so she averted her gaze from Addie but still managed to peak when her back was facing an opposite direction.

Negan wouldn't kill Rick. Not himself. Perhaps that was putting it lightly since the situation he is in can pertain to more as in...Rick could still get himself killed.

Not long after, the R.V returned, however it wasn't a quick reveal. Dwight had stuck with Blake up until it had returned before going back over to his side behind Daryl. The personal vengeance was almost as cutting as her own. However, the thoughts racing in her head stopped the second she saw Negan drag Rick back to the center stage.

"Here we are...Let me ask you something, Rick...Do you even know what that little trip was about?... Speak when you're spoken to." Rick was breathing heavily now. His people were in fear that he wouldn't abide by the new decree of speaking, having their voices heard. But it was the carrier or Lucile that peered over to everyone in the group, scanning them over to see if they moved. A flinch of anything.

But they didn't.

Rick was breathing so heavily that Blake was urging for him to listen, if he continues down this road of silence it wouldn't end well for him or the group.

Since it was officially morning, light out, most of the men were tired and begging to get on with this show.

"That trip was about the way that you looked at me. I wanted to change that. I wanted you to understand. But you're still looking at me the same damn way...Like I shit in your scrambled eggs and that's not gonna work." He declared, and Rick was trying his best to stay down. Cowering away as that's all he could do without the danger of getting someone else killed.

"So...Do I give you another chance?" He offered, and Rick stumbled out the words. Barely audible but nodded with said attempt. "What do you think darling? You think these assholes deserve another chance?" Blake turned slightly, just a glance to Negan as her eyes trailed over the random faces of the rest of Rick's people.

They wronged her so she couldn't just state a quick yes.

"I think they'll learn pretty quick." She tried to make her voice sound a bit different, but the familiarity hit a few of them. Just not enough so stop the obsessive heart beating and struggle to stay sitting up. 

"All right then...And here it is...The grand-prize game. What you do next will decide whether your crap day becomes everyone's last crap day or just another crap day...Get some guns to the back of their heads." He ordered with the raise of his hand, with that a share of my men and Simon's orderly had it directly behind.

"Good. Now...Level with their noses, so if you have to fire...BOOM! It'll be a real mess." With that description he soon ordered the kid, Carl, to make front and center stage.

But he didn't listen on the first order.

"Kid...Now."

He rose, still holding his gaze towards his father before looking straight towards Negan who all so happened though that he needed his belt.

"You a southpaw?" 

"Am I a what?" The attitude was screaming his teenager self, and the recognition was now or never with Blake. The names were one thing, but she knew the boy growing up all too well. But seeing Addie, shriveling up to her shoulders. I looked to Arat as she was the one with a gun to my daughters head.

She nodded off towards her, knowing full well that the order is still lawful.

"You a lefty?"
"No." The belt was now firmly strapped around his fore-arm, and as disgusted as this situation is...Blake could say nothing.

He wasn't going to hurt Carl, she knows that. But even then was it still the fear in their eyes that tailed her own conscious. As the boy was now pushed to the ground beside his father, it drew to Rick what was going to happen. "Darling, do you have a pen on you?" He called out.

She pulled out the notebook in her back pocket, and managed to take the marker on out. The others knew it as it was the book that gave them food as her signature was good as gold.

Throwing the marker over did he too knee down to the boys, making a single yet thick black line on the boy's skin. It was then Rick understood what was at stake, which ending in an array of whinning and pleading.

"Me? Haha. I ain't doing shit...Ahh. Rick, I want you to take your ax...Cut your son's left arm off, right on that line. Now I know...I know. You're gonna have to process that for a quick second. That makes sense. Still though, I'm gonna need you to do it, or all these people are gonna die. Then Carl dies, then the people back home die...And then you, eventually." He dictated, gesturing off to the task at hand as Rick tried his best to deny it further.

"You...You don't have to do this...We-we understand...We understand." The black women had spoken, but that angered Blake as nobody should be speaking. And although it did sound weak, great respect for Negan's brutality.

"You understand. Yeah. I'm not sure that Rick does...I'm gonna need a clean cut. Right there on that line. Now, I know this is screwed-up thing to ask, but it's gonna have to be a salami slice...Clean, nothing messy. Forty-five degree. Give us something to fold over. We got a great doctor and she'll tend to it on the car ride over...The kid will be fine. Probably." Negan was quick with his little play of the aftermath.

To bring Carl to Sanctuary?

"...Rick, this needs to happen now...Chop chop. Or I will crush the little fella's soul myself." The sheer answer of 'no' coming from the little girl made Aurora close her eyes at the sight. The amount of burning tears pouring down her daughter's face only swelled her heart as she was sanctioned off with only two males to comfort her. And neither managed.

"It can—It can—It can be me. It can be me...I c-I can go with-with you." Yet the man holding the bat did not take that for a response. "This is the only way. Rick...Pick up the ax...Not making a decision is a big decision. You really want to see these people die? You will. You will see every ugly thing...Oh god...are you really gonna make me count...Alright Rick, you win...I AM COUNTING."

Blake started shaking her head, pacing in the background. Flinching at each numbed dwindled, and really had trouble in not acting on her trigger finger to end it all anyway. "THIS IS IT!" He finalaized, and with a drag of the ax into the air. Blake turned around, praying that she wouldn't have to fix the boys arm.

"Rick," Negan spoke, so delicately quiet that only he could've managed to hear him. "You answer to me. You provide to me. You belong to me...Right?...SPEAK WHEN YOU'RE SPOKEN TO! Answer me! You provide for me!" Rick turned submissive to the dominating feature Negan embarked, he was showing fear, completely and utter dedication. The broken and rendered down face just completely unmasked itself.

"We did it. All of us, together. Even the dead guys on the ground. Hell, they got the spirit award for sure...Today was a productive damn day!... Now I hope for all your sake that you get it now. That you understand how things work. Things have changed, whatever you had going for you...That is over now." He was keen on making their reality hurt more, to feel that unmistaken freedom revoked. That they were going to be under the constant strain of these people's feet.

The sun was brightly overhead now, the heat just barely starting to mask to their backs. Instead, the twinkle in Negan's eye was followed by a twisted idea. 

"Ah...Dwight. Load him up." The bat was directed straight towards Daryl, and the sudden sound of struggling was presented as he was whisked away from his spot from the group. Right beside the second kill and away from the women he tried to protect.

It was odd, seeing him jumping around like an untamed gorilla as he bounced each and every way from the point of his bow. Making Blake smirk, deep down she was pleased with herself. Seeing him in that state.

"He's got guts...Not a little bitch like someone I know. I like him. He's mine now. But you still want to try something? 'Not today, not tomorrow?' I will cut pieces off of...Hell's his name?" Negan was so pumped up to have a new recruit that he didn't know much about the man in his custody.
Simon, looked on off towards Dwight and smirked. "Daryl." 

"So...Daryl. Wow, That actually sounds right. I will cut pieces off of Daryl and put them on your doorstep. Or...Better yet, I will bring him to you and make you do it for me." The brutality was something these people must not have seen before considering how the threat sat with them so viciously.

"Welcome to a brand-new beginning you sorry shits! I'm gonna leave you a truck. Keep it. Use it to cart all the crap you're gonna fine me. We'll be back for our first offering in one week. Until then...ta-ta." He finished, taking one last theriactual swing and trailing right on towards Blake.

"How was that sugar?" She smirked so teasingly and tilted her head so he could see her eyes. 

"I guess you would've earned that drink anyway...Tonight, my team has run. Don't want these fucks getting any of it." Negan was pleased with his answer as he perked his lips, cupping her chin so throughly. "Tonight doll, tonight." It was a demand and a promise all in one, growling as he nodded towards a portion of the men as they were waiting on Blake.

"I want y'all to go on head home and get some rest, we head out in six hours!" She waved her arm and that allowed all but one truck that sat behind. Arat tried to look unquestionable, but it was obvious.

She yanked out her notebook, writing a quick note with against the truck. There was still a few factions around so it wasn't odd that they were still present. With the note stuck between the python's barrel did she head towards her daughter. Kneeing down and placing it in front of her, but managing to unload it so she wouldn't feel tempted to do anything against her.

She still had to explain to Negan who Addie was to her, so breathed out in a sigh as her daughter cowered away. Itching the python closer did she rise and scowl to the late group. "Let's move!" She shouted once again, heading back to the truck and one of the men helped her up to the bed and she knocked at the window allowing them to drive off.

***

The survivors just sat ideally, waiting for a sign of anything to gain hope. To gain the strength to move after losing so much. Addie had let out another cry, shielding it in her shoulder as she couldn't manage to hurt anyone else.

Arran, who had to watch the gruesome singularity of Addie moved closer to dare give her a hug and old her. Especially after everyone went off towards Maggie to share some comfort after Glenn's death.

But it was the pistol that gave Addie some clearence, that all is not lost. Especially since that women didn't take it away, why she didn't didn't phase through Addie. Instead she allowed herself the moment with very jumping fingers to reload the pistol. Only to discover the note her mother left.

'mama loves you,' it wrote, and in that particular handwriting did she let out a scream. One of which that had not only Carl rush over, but Rick and Michonne as well.

As she cried into her adopted father's arms, shielding herself into his neck and away from the note did he realize what was at stake as well.

"Blake..." He whispered, passing the note to Carl as he looked to the familiar script and signature. Addie, who was weak and couldn't handle anything more than the thought of her mother being one of the many of the group of Saviors. Having killed Glenn and Abe.

Her feeble body couldn't process it and so she fell quickly into subconscious level in hopes to avoid thinking of what is going on with Daryl at the current moment.

Like mother like daughter as she too was thinking of the outcome for Daryl, or how different of man he has changed to be throughout this entire said apocalypse.

But with him and Addie bound to one another, that meant Merle couldn't be that far behind...Right? It was thoughts like these that calmed her, and just as the truck parked itself. She saw her whole group waiting on direct orders. "I want everyone to get some rest, we still have that run in at the shopping center. Get something to eat, regenerate. We leave at 1400." She dictates, giving her enough time to take a shower and pass out. She'd eat when she'd return, there wasn't much room in her stomach for anything anyway.

Instead it was filled with a constant jab of wanting to return to her daughter.

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