twenty nine

It was a few days later and Ariana walked down the dimly lit hallway of the Sanctuary, her mind clouded with thoughts of home. Her head still throbbing from the events a few days before, the lump still visible, Negan urged her to rest, but she refused.

She had just finished organising the supplies in the infirmary and was lost in memories of Alexandria. The sterile smell of the Sanctuary's corridors made her yearn for the comforting scent of Michonne's cooking and the warmth of Rick's reassuring presence. She turned a corner, deep in thought, and collided with someone.

"Oof!" Ariana stumbled back, startled. She looked up, her eyes widening in shock as she recognised the face in front of her. "Carl?" She gasped, blinking in disbelief.

Carl stood before her, a mix of surprise and relief flashing across his features. His face had hardened since she last saw him, and the bandage over his eye served as a stark reminder of the dangers they all faced. Behind him, leaning casually against the wall with a smug grin, was Negan, his ever-present Lucille resting comfortably on his shoulder.

"Look who decided to take a walk." Negan said, his tone lighter than usual as he eyed Ariana with a warmth that he reserved only for her. His eyes softened as he looked at her, concern flickering for a moment. "You okay, sweetheart?"

Ariana's heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice, but she quickly masked her reaction, aware of Carl's eyes on her. She nodded, trying to keep her voice steady. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... wasn't expecting to see you two here."

Negan chuckled softly, stepping closer to Ariana, his gaze lingering on her face.

"Carl here was just showing me how much he missed me." He said, his voice teasing. "Right, kid?"

Carl's jaw clenched, his one good eye flashing with anger as he turned his glare from Negan to Ariana. "He's a monster, Ariana. I came to kill him."

Ariana's eyes widened, a jolt of fear rushing through her. She glanced at Negan, who merely raised an eyebrow, his expression more amused than concerned.

"Carl, are you hurt? Did anyone hurt you?!" She asked urgently, stepping closer to Carl, her hands hovering near his arms as if she wanted to touch him but wasn't sure if she should.

Negan shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Easy, Ariana. The kid's fine. A little rough around the edges, but aren't we all? I wouldn't hurt him, not unless he gave me a good reason."

Carl pulled back from Ariana, his anger palpable.

"You don't belong here, Ariana." He said, his voice rough with emotion. "You need to go back to Alexandria."

Ariana's heart twisted at Carl's words, guilt washing over her. She took a shaky breath, glancing quickly at Negan before looking back at Carl.

"Carl, how's your Dad and Judith? How's Michonne?" She asked softly, her voice full of longing. "Are they okay? Are they angry?"

Carl's expression softened slightly, some of the anger draining from his face. "They're worried about you. They're mad, yeah, but... they love you, Ariana. They just want you to come home."

"I miss them." Ariana whispered. "I think about them all the time."

Negan watched the exchange in silence, his usual smirk replaced by a thoughtful expression. He took a step back, giving Ariana and Carl a bit of space.

"I get it, kid." He said quietly, addressing Carl but keeping his eyes on Ariana. "Family's important. I'd never try to come between you and yours. But Ariana, she's here because she wants to be. Ain't that right, darlin'?"

Ariana glanced at Negan, her eyes meeting his, a silent understanding passing between them. She swallowed hard, turning back to Carl.

"I can't leave. Not now. There's more going on here than you realise. I'm... I'm trying to keep things from getting worse. For all of us. Please, Carl, try to understand."

Carl's face twisted with frustration and desperation. "Ariana, he's using you. He's manipulating you. You don't have to do this. You can come home. We can figure this out together."

Negan took another step back, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace.

"I'll leave you two to talk." He gave Ariana a meaningful look before turning and walking down the hallway, Lucille resting on his shoulder.

As Negan disappeared from sight, Carl turned to Ariana, his voice pleading. "Ariana, please. Don't let him get into your head. This isn't you. You're stronger than this."

Ariana's heart ached with the weight of Carl's words, her love for her family pulling her in one direction, and her complicated feelings for Negan pulling her in another. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"Carl, I need you to trust me. I know what I'm doing. I haven't forgotten where I come from, or who I care about. Just... give me time. Please."

Carl's shoulders sagged, the fight going out of him.

"I don't understand." He said quietly, his voice filled with pain. "But I'll try. Just... don't forget about us. Don't forget about me."

Ariana reached out and pulled Carl into a hug, holding him tight.

"I could never forget you." She whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "You're my friend. Always."

Ariana held Carl close for a moment longer, feeling the steady beat of his heart against her chest. She knew this was a rare moment of peace amid the chaos that their lives had become. She reluctantly released him, looking into his eye, trying to convey all the unsaid words she couldn't put voice to.

Before she could say anything more, one of Negan's Saviors, a burly man with a shaved head and a permanent scowl, stepped forward. He cleared his throat, signaling that it was time for Carl to leave.

Ariana's heart tightened in her chest as she saw the apprehension flicker in Carl's eye. He was so young, and yet he had already been through so much.

Carl pulled away from her, his expression guarded as he looked between the Saviour and Ariana.

"I'll be okay." He said, though his voice lacked conviction. He turned to follow the Saviour down the hallway, his shoulders squared, but Ariana could see the tension in the way he moved.

As they disappeared around the corner, Ariana's fear for Carl spiked. She turned quickly, her eyes searching for Negan. She found him leaning casually against the wall, watching her with that same thoughtful expression he'd worn earlier. He straightened as she approached, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in her worried face.

"Negan, please." Ariana began, her voice trembling despite her efforts to stay calm. "Don't hurt him. He's just a kid. I know he did something stupid, but... just don't hurt him."

Negan's expression softened, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He stepped closer to Ariana, reaching out to brush his fingers gently against her cheek.

"Hey, hey, look at me." He said softly, his voice soothing. "I'm not gonna hurt the kid. Hell, I kinda like him. He's got guts, more than most of the people around here. Reminds me of me when I was his age."

Ariana's breath caught, relief flooding through her. She searched Negan's eyes, looking for any hint of deception, but all she saw was sincerity.

"You're really not going to hurt him?" She asked, needing to hear it again.

Negan nodded, his thumb brushing against her cheekbone. "I swear, sweetheart. Carl's gonna be just fine. In fact, I'm gonna take him back to Alexandria myself, safe and sound. No harm done."

Ariana exhaled shakily, her shoulders slumping with the weight of her fear dissipating.

"Thank you." She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes, a mixture of relief and the overwhelming gratitude she felt.

Negan's smile widened, and he leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Anything for you, darlin'." He murmured, his voice low and sincere. "You know I'd do anything to keep that beautiful smile on your face."

Ariana's heart fluttered at his words, the conflicting emotions inside her pulling her in different directions. She still had doubts about Negan, about the darkness she'd seen in him, but moments like this made her question everything. She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, trying to keep her composure.

"Just... make sure he gets home, okay? Him and Judith are all Rick and Michonne have left."

"You're too good, you know that?" Negan said softly, his voice low and filled with a warmth that made Ariana's heart skip a beat. "Too damn good for this world. Too good for someone like me."

Ariana's heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to pull away, to keep her distance, but she found herself leaning into his touch instead. Her conflicting emotions were like a raging sea inside her, pulling her in different directions.

"Negan." She whispered, her voice catching. "I just... I just don't want anyone else to get hurt. Not Carl, not Rick or Michonne... not you."

He straightened, still holding her gaze, his hand moving to take hers.

"I know." He said quietly. "And I'm doing my god damn best to make sure that doesn't happen. But sometimes, this world... it makes it hard to be good."

Ariana swallowed, her throat tightening. "It doesn't have to be this way. We could... we could find a different way. A way to make this all work without so much fucking death."

Negan's smile was wistful, a shadow of his usual grin. He looked down for a moment, as if considering her words, then shook his head slightly.

"Maybe." He said, his voice tinged with regret. "But it's hard to change who you are. Especially when being who you are is the only reason you're still standing'."

Ariana bit her lip, frustration bubbling up inside her. She wanted to reach him, to make him see that there was another way. But every time she thought she'd made progress, he would retreat back behind the walls he'd built around himself. She squeezed his hand, trying to convey everything she couldn't put into words.

Negan's smile returned, more genuine this time, as he squeezed her hand back.

"I'll take Carl home, alright? No more blood, no more hurt. Just... trust me. Can you do that?"

Ariana nodded, though uncertainty still gnawed at her. "I'll try. But you have to promise me, Negan. No more killing. Not if it can be avoided."

Negan nodded, his expression earnest.

"I promise." He said. "For you, I'll do my best. Now, you get some rest. I'll take care of everything."

He stood up, releasing her hand reluctantly, and started toward the door. Ariana watched him go, her heart aching with the complexity of her feelings. She wanted to believe him, to believe that there could be a future where they didn't have to live in fear, where the people she loved wouldn't be caught in the crossfire of Negan's world.

Just as he reached the door, Negan turned back to her, his grin reappearing, though softer than usual. "And hey, once I get back, maybe we can have a little dinner, just the two of us. What do you say?"

Ariana managed a small smile, her heart aching with the hope she tried to keep alive. "I'd like that."

Negan nodded, his smile widening. "Good. I'll see you soon, sweetheart."

As the door closed behind him, Ariana let out a shaky breath, her mind still reeling from everything that had happened. She trusted Negan, but she also knew that trust was a fragile thing in their world. She could only hope that, this time, he would keep his word.