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𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 ✞
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𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐃𝐈𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐘  𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐁𝐘 —— 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐀𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌.

It didn't matter to Odette that she had a fairly comfortable bed to sleep on or a warm room, she would rather be back in that old abandoned house sleeping in the closet, because at least in the house she knew Negan wasn't somewhere wandering the halls.

A sigh left her chapped lips as she laid on her back staring up at the ceiling, her tired big blue eyes seeing shapes begin to form that weren't really there. The dark had always played tricks on Odette.

The brunette blinked her eyes a few times, trying to get the shapes to disappear — they did eventually and she was thankful for that. If Ozzy were here he'd know what to do. He'd know what to say, but he wasn't and Odette needed to learn herself.

Ozzy had taught her, Rigby, and Gia so much when the world went to shit. He was their rock. He had always been Odette's rock ever since they were kids. Life hadn't always been gentle to Odette, but Ozzy was there for her — always.

The bed let out a small squeak is Odette sat up in it. She took a look over at Rigby — the small girl was still sleeping peacefully with a book wrapped tightly in her arms. A small smile formed on Odette's face at the sight of her daughter. She hadn't seen Rigby look this peaceful since before the new world took over, leaving destruction and carnage in it's path.

Odette quietly got up and made her way towards Rigby, softly taking the book out of her tight grip, placing it on the old wooden nightstand before tucking the blanket in. She wished she could do more for her daughter. Odette had felt so weak when she let Negan take them back to this place. It made her feel like the old Odette — naïve and weak. She couldn't go back to her old self. It would get them killed.

Taking one last look at Rigby before exiting the warm room for the chilly Virginia night air. Odette wasn't one to leave Rigby alone, but oddly she felt as though Negan wouldn't allow anything to happen to her daughter — no matter how fucking crazy he was.

The low groans of walkers meet Odette's ears as she stepped outside, the cool air hitting her like a punch to the face as it made goosebumps appear on her arms. She wrapped her arms around herself and sat down, her doe like eyes watching the struggling walkers hanging from the fence.

"Trying to run away mama bear?"

Negan's voice startled Odette from her daze. She tore her eyes away from the fence and onto the smirking bearded man.

"No." She shook her head, her doe eyes widening in fear. If Negan had thought she was trying to escape she didn't even want to think about what he'd do to her.

A chuckle left Negan's mouth as he sat down next to her, "Don't look so scared. I know you wouldn't leave without your baby cub."

Odette nodded a sigh of relief leaving her lips as she turned her attention back to the fence and the walkers.

Negan studied the small brunette. Her eyes were wide and doe like as though she were always on alert, waiting for something to happen to her — or her daughter. Negan understood that look — the world was a dark place to live nowadays. He sometimes thought the walkers had it easier. Odette looked delicate and soft to him like she could break at any moment, but she held herself together strong.

Negan found her interesting and he didn't know why.

"How old are you?" Negan questioned as he kept his intense gaze on her.

Odette turned her head at the question. It made her eyebrows furrow as she looked at the man with a quizzical look. She hadn't expected him to ask her that or anything really. She didn't understand why he was still outside sitting next to her as though they were old friends just catching up.

"I'm not going to run." Odette spoke softly, not answering Negan's question. Maybe if she told him that he'd leave her alone with her thoughts.

"I know you're not." Negan chucked, though his tone held no playfulness. "That's not what I asked you though. So, let's try this shit again, how old are you?" He repeated.

"How old am I?" Odette softly mumbled to herself as she stared at the annoyance growing on Negan's face. "Twenty six." She answered quickly, hoping not to annoy the man any further.

"Well damn, you can answer a question." Negan chucked as he ran a hand over his beard. "How old is Rigby?" He questioned, saying the young girl's name instead of 'baby cub' felt weird coming out of his mouth.

It felt weird to hear Rigby's name come out of Negan's mouth. It felt heavy and sticky as though peanut butter was stick to the roof of his mouth. Odette wondered if it felt as weird to him as it did for her.

"Seven." Odette said as a ghost of a smile appeared on her face at the memories of life with Rigby before this cruel new world.

Negan caught the smile form on Odette's face and it made her wonder what the woman was thinking about. He hadn't seen her smile since he met her in that abandoned house. Hell, this was the most she had talked to him and he knew it was only because of fear.

"No wonder you're a mama bear," Negan spoke as his eyes danced over towards the fence. "you had her when you were just a cub yourself."

Odette nodded. It wasn't in her plans to get pregnant at nineteen, but it happened and it was the best thing that could of happened to her.

"Where's papa bear?" Negan questioned, turning his attention back onto Odette.

Negan wondered if the girl's dad he died during this shit show of a world, wondered if Odette had to be the one to put him down.

Odette closed her eyes at the question. It was one she hadn't been asked in a while — not that people had time to ask such personal questions nowadays.

Odette had trauma in her life long before the dead started walking the world. Trauma that she buried deep inside of her as the days wore on. It was trauma that would eventually get her killed if she didn't find a way to deal with it, but how could one deal with their trauma in a place like this? In a world like this?

"He died." Odette's voice was soft. "Years before this all started." She added while tucking a piece of her dark hair behind her ear.

Negan studied Odette as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, her face looked defeated as her blue eyes glossed over. He knew what it was like to loose a loved one — his dear Lucille was gone and the only reminder he had of her was his barbed wire bat he named after her. It wasn't just the walkers that got the people you loved , it was the way the world was before too. No one noticed it, but it was just as cruel before the walkers started roaming around. It was just now that everyone started to notice it.

"Go to bed mama bear." Negan spoke. It wasn't a suggestion either.

Odette nodded as stood up quickly. She knew not to questioned him.

"I don't want another late night wake up because you couldn't sleep. Stay in your room." He demanded as his once nicer demeanor quickly changed into his usual Negan one.

"Okay." Odette spoke with a nod before quickly heading back inside of her new home.

Odette quietly made her way back into the room, checking on Rigby before climbing into her bed and closing her eyes, hoping sleep would come quick.

𝐀𝐍 —
Sorry for the random ending, I wasn't sure how to end it. So, we learned a little bit more about Odette, and I know I said this before but ,oh my god the shit I'm gonna put her through. Don't hate me lol. Thank you for the votes and comment! Oh, also next chapter will be about Ozzy and Gia !