forty six

The next morning, Ariana awoke to the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the cracked blinds, a rare and almost unfamiliar comfort.

Her body was wrapped in soft sheets that smelled of leather and cedar, Negan's scent.

It was disorienting at first, waking up back in his bed. For a split second, she forgot where she was, her mind caught in the quiet space between sleep and reality. But as soon as the memories of the night before came rushing back, her heart tightened with a familiar sense of dread.

She rolled over, expecting to feel the weight of him next to her, but the bed was empty. Negan was gone.

Ariana sat up slowly, clutching the sheet to her chest as she scanned the room. Her gaze fell on a folded piece of paper resting on the nightstand next to her, the corners slightly crinkled from being handled.

Hesitantly, she reached for it, unfolding it with trembling fingers. His handwriting was scrawled across the page in a messy, hurried script.

Doll,Had to head out for a meeting. Don't worry, you're safe here. I'll be back soon and we'll talk more. You need anything just ask the guards outside.N x

She stared at the note for a long moment, her emotions swirling in a confused mix of relief, anger, and something else she wasn't ready to name.

A meeting. Of course. Even after everything that had happened between them, his world hadn't stopped turning. He still had his people to lead, still had his responsibilities as the man in charge.

But what about her?

Ariana crumpled the note in her fist, a surge of frustration bubbling to the surface. She felt like a pawn in his game, moved from one place to another, told what to do, what to feel, without any real control over her own fate. The fact that she had woken up in his bed, a place she had once thought she would never be again, felt like a cruel reminder of how entangled they were.

Of how much he meant to her.

She tossed the note onto the nightstand and swung her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet touching the cool floor.

Her mind raced with thoughts she couldn't organise, each one louder than the last. She wanted to scream, to cry, to fight against the weight of everything crashing down on her. But instead, she just sat there, staring blankly at the door as if waiting for something to change.

Her hand unconsciously drifted to her stomach, her fingers brushing lightly over her skin as the reality of the situation hit her again. The possibility of being pregnant hung over her like a dark cloud, suffocating her with every passing second.

What would she do if it was true? How would she raise a child in this world, let alone with him?

A soft knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts, and she tensed, pulling the sheet tighter around herself. The door creaked open just a fraction, and one of Negan's guards, Tom, she thought his name was, peeked his head inside.

"Boss said to check on you." Tom said, his eyes flicking over her briefly before he stepped back, not wanting to intrude too much. "You need anything?"

Ariana shook her head, her voice caught in her throat.

"No." She whispered, feeling a wave of discomfort at the idea of anyone knowing she was here, in Negan's room. "I'm fine. Thanks."

Tom gave her a curt nod. "He'll be back soon. You can rest if you need to. Place is secure."

With that, he closed the door, leaving Ariana alone once again. The silence of the room was oppressive now, each second stretching into an eternity. She could hear faint voices and footsteps echoing from the hallway outside, the life of Negan's Sanctuary moving on without her.

She stood slowly, letting the sheet drop to the floor as she moved to the chair where the clean clothes Negan had left for her still sat, folded neatly.

Pulling on the shirt and trousers, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her face was pale, her eyes dark and hollow from lack of sleep. She didn't even recognise the woman staring back at her.

After getting dressed, she paced the room, her thoughts spinning out of control. What was she supposed to do now? Wait for Negan to come back and pretend like everything was okay? Pretend like they weren't living in the aftermath of everything he'd done, everything they'd both said?

Her hands clenched into fists as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Negan might have been trying to make amends, but that didn't erase the damage. It didn't change the fact that she was still trapped here, caught between hating him and... and still something else.

She moved toward the window, pushing the blinds aside to get a glimpse of the outside. People moved about below, soldiers and workers all under Negan's rule.

This was his world, his kingdom, and she was an officially part of it now, whether she liked it or not.

As Ariana sat back down, the sudden roar of gunfire and the deep rumble of trucks jolted her into action. Her heart pounded in her chest as she darted to the small window, peering out into the chaos.

Below, a line of vehicles had formed a makeshift barricade in front of the Sanctuary's walls. Metal armor plates had been attached to shield those behind them from the relentless barrage of bullets coming from within.

The unmistakable sight of Rick and her old friends preparing for an assault confirmed the grim reality... the inevitable war had begun.

Her breath quickened as she struggled to make sense of the noise outside. Through the din, she could barely make out the distinct timbre of Rick's voice, followed by Negan's harsh replies. The urgency and tension in the air were palpable, every sound magnified by her growing anxiety.

Without warning, Tom burst into the room, his face a mask of urgency and concern. He moved swiftly toward her, his expression tense. "Negan needs you. Now."

Ariana's eyes widened, her voice trembling. "Where? What's happening?"

Tom's grip on her arm was firm but hurried, his gaze flickering back toward the door. "No time for details. We're heading to the command center. Move."

As he pulled her towards the corridor, Ariana's mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of information. The imminent danger, the clash between Rick and Negan, and her own precarious situation all collided into a whirlwind of fear and confusion.

Tom dragged Ariana into the expansive room where Negan held his meetings. The door leading out to the platform overlooking the Sanctuary was heavy and imposing.

Ariana's heart hammered in her chest, a rhythm quickening with every step as the sounds of conflict outside intensified.

From the vantage point, she could see the platform where Rick and Negan faced off, the tension between them palpable. Ariana immediately understood Negan's cruel strategy.  He wanted her as a visible piece in this grim chess game, a bargaining chip to provoke and pressure her old community.

Her eyes darted between the two men, recognising the high stakes. Rick, despite his reluctance to harm innocents, was prepared for brutal decisions if necessary. But she knew he preferred to avoid unnecessary bloodshed whenever he could.

Negan's voice cut through the din, loud and provocative. "I get it, Rick. You don't like me. Everybody gets a chance if they surrender, except for me. But as you can see, no one walked away. So you're gonna have to kill all of us. Are you that ruthless?"

Rick responded calmly, though his voice carried a trace of frustration. "It's not what I want. But this is the only time I can guarantee your safety. Anyone who chooses to stay with you will have to face the consequences."

Negan shot back with bitter defiance. "There's a lot of good people in here, Rick. They can all just go to hell, for all you care?"

Rick's reply was blunt, laden with contempt. "Good people don't follow you."

The words hung heavy in the air, a brutal exchange that underscored the desperate, high-stakes confrontation between them. Ariana stood on the edge of this volatile moment, her mind reeling as the reality of her situation settled in.

"That might be easy for you to say about a bunch of people you don't know shit about. But what about someone you do know?"

The words hung in the air, sharp and cutting. Just as Rick's gaze turned toward Ariana, Simon abruptly swung the door open. He dragged Ariana out onto the platform, her eyes squinting against the glaring sunlight. She stumbled forward, her feet unsteady on the uneven ground.

Negan's expression shifted from calculated to concerned as Ariana reached out for support, grabbing onto him to steady herself. His grip was firm, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of genuine worry as he glanced at her.

Rick's gaze locked onto Ariana, the intensity of his stare reflecting his internal struggle. The platform's chaos was a stark contrast to the tense, quiet exchanges between the leaders. Ariana could feel the weight of their scrutiny, her presence now a focal point in the high-stakes standoff.

Negan's gaze remained locked on Rick, the tension between them palpable.

"So, Rick." He called out, his voice carrying a challenging edge, "You ready to make a decision? Or do you want to keep talking while the real world goes to hell?"

Rick's expression was a mixture of resolve and anguish, his eyes flickering between Ariana and Negan. "This isn't how I wanted it to go down. But if you keep pushing, we won't have a choice."

Ariana could hear the murmurs of her old community from behind the makeshift shields, their faces peeking through the gaps to catch a glimpse of her. The weight of their gaze made her stomach churn.

"Even Ariana?" Negan's voice cut through the din, challenging. "Hell, how would the woman you love feel about you killing this girl who's like a sister to her?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Ariana whispered harshly, her voice trembling with fear and frustration.

"Trust me." Negan replied, his hand gently squeezing hers for reassurance.

"Let her go, Negan." Rick demanded, his voice taut with urgency. "Ariana doesn't need to be here. She doesn't need to die."

"She's here of her own free will." Negan retorted, his grip on Ariana tightening protectively. "We have something good, something real. She's not well at the moment and we're looking after her. She finally has a place where she belongs. Are you really going to take that away from her?"

"Stop hiding behind her like a fucking coward." Rick spat, his frustration evident. "Let her go. If she's unwell, we can take care of her. She doesn't need to be a part of this."

"Oh, everybody's a part of this, Rick." Negan responded, his tone defiant. "You came here and dragged everyone into this mess... men, women, children. I'm giving you one chance to walk away from this shit. You really want to see all these people die just because you wanna play my dick is bigger than your dick?"

"Negan, please." Ariana begged quietly, her voice filled with desperation. "Let's go inside."

"You lieutenants, you're gonna have to make up your minds." Rick's voice rang out with icy calm. "You can save yourselves... and get her out of here."

There was a murmur of hesitation among Negan's men. Gavin, always the most reluctant of the bunch, cleared his throat.

"Maybe... we can take a time-out here." He suggested cautiously, glancing at Negan with wary eyes.

The sharp, warning look Negan shot him could've cut through stone.

"No. This has to happen now." Rick's voice hardened, any trace of negotiation gone. "This is the only way."

Negan straightened, his grip on Ariana tightening, as if daring Rick to move.

"Maybe your people should be asking themselves if they wanna die for someone who sacrifices innocent lives." He shouted back, his words echoing across the tense battlefield.

Rick's eyes narrowed. "You gonna make me count?" The question sliced through Negan's attempt at manipulation like a knife, cold and sharp.

The silence that followed was suffocating, thick with the weight of the moment. Then a sound, unexpected, low, broke the quiet. It was Negan, chuckling softly, as though this whole standoff was a joke only he understood.

"Okay." Rick said, his voice unwavering. "I'm counting."

Ariana's heart jumped in her chest.

"We have to go Negan, please!" She shouted, the desperation breaking through her fear as she tried to yank herself free.

"Ten! Nine!" Rick's voice boomed, steady, unforgiving.

"He's bluffing." Negan muttered, his eyes darting between Rick and the lieutenants, his grip on Ariana firm.

"Eight! Seven!" Rick's countdown was merciless, each number delivered like the cock of a gun.

"He's just trying to scare us into-" Negan's words were cut off by the sharp crack of gunfire.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Ariana's scream tore through the chaos as bullets whizzed past her, the deafening sound of gunfire filling the air. Negan cursed loudly, yanking her down with him as they ducked, scrambling for cover.

Everything was a blur of noise and motion, Negan's hand, strong and desperate, holding onto her. But in the confusion, in the rush of adrenaline and panic, his grip slipped. Ariana felt herself lose balance, arms flailing as she teetered at the edge of the platform.

Before she could regain her footing, the ground disappeared beneath her, and she fell.

The world spun as she plummeted, the air rushing past her ears before her body collided with the hard, unforgiving ground below. The impact knocked the wind from her lungs, and for a brief, terrifying moment, everything went black...