Tarot

by eldritchMortician

Summary:

In an attempt to curry favor, a settlement brings Negan a gift--an unmated Omega in chains. Negan doesn't care for people who indulge in that sort of treatment to women, and makes his feelings known.

While she mulls over his offer to be her Alpha, Negan houses Olivia with his wives and sets her to work in the infirmary under guard. But he can't be everywhere at once, and an Omega is quite a prize.

Notes:

A series originally started on Tumblr, hopefully to be finished here!

Chapter 1: 0--The Fool

The Fool represents new beginnings, having faith in the future, being inexperienced, not knowing what to expect, having beginner's luck, improvisation and believing in the universe.

---

 

Olivia kept her head down as Kevin tugged her toward the compound gate. The metal cuffs chafed her wrists, and he was tall enough that for every step he took she had to take two, but she didn’t dare complain, or even make a noise when she stumbled. The men at her back had no compunction about shoving or hitting her if she ‘made a fuss’ or anything that might give them an excuse. 

The gates loomed high above, and the dead moaned, trapped tethered to the chain link. The scent of decay was thick in the too-hot air as they waited for the doors to open. They’d approached the compound openly, in vehicles, and already there was activity from guard towers and on the ground. The response was fast, sure, and aggressive. Clearly they were practiced. The place was enormous and imposing, and if the chatter from the others on the way over was anything to go on, the Saviors were taking over the entire area. She shuddered to imagine what sort of monster might keep a place like this under his rule. She supposed she wouldn’t have to imagine very long, considering.

They’d parked several yards away from the gate, approaching on foot. Trying to make a peaceable first contact she imagined. Kevin took the lead of course, standing confidently in front of her as they waited for someone to come down and talk to them. He kept a pleasant smile on his face, even when he turned to glare at her.

“Best behavior, Omega,” he hissed. “You screw this up for me and you’ll regret it.”

She swallowed, looking down. Knowing he’d want some sort of acknowledgement she nodded. She didn’t trust herself to try to speak, but that didn’t matter. He prefered her silence. He’d made that much clear in the weeks she’d been in captivity. Had it only been two? It felt like an eternity.

Activity at the gate distracted her and she dared a glance up as the doors opened slowly. Three men exited, all armed, but she only really noticed the one in the lead. Even before his scent reached her she knew. Alpha. This had to be Negan, king of the Saviors. The man Kevin meant to make her a gift to. 

He was tall and lean, his dark eyes sharp in an achingly handsome face. His grin was wide, toothy, and predatory as he stepped out, flanked by his minions. He spread his arms wide, a barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat held loosely in one hand. 

“Well, what the hell do we have here?” he asked, with deceptive cheer. “A whole little envoy at my gate, hats in hands.” He paused, nostrils flaring, his pupils dilating as he caught her scent. 

“You might say that,  Negan, sir,” Kevin said mildly. His whole manner was a lie. She’d seen the arrogance and volatility that was his usual personality. The primary reason he was in charge of the little compound of survivors was that anyone who questioned him bore the brunt of his wrath. She’d seen it when another Alpha objected to his plan to broker peace with the Saviors by offering her. And she’d felt it when she’d tried to run. 

Negan’s grin widened, if such a thing was possible. “I’m guessing my reputation precedes me,” he purred. His eyes flicked to her, mostly hidden behind Kevin, and she dropped her gaze to his worn black boots. “So, I take it you’re here to ask to be in the fuckin’ fold and avoid us having to convince you?”

“Yes, sir, that we are.” She could tell Kevin was smiling from his voice. And why shouldn’t he? Things were going smoothly. “Our community has a lot to offer. Good workers, we’ve gotten some good salvage locations scouted out. We’d like to work with you, Negan, sir. I’ve even brought a down payment.”

The big man’s laugh had an edge to it as he clapped his hands slowly. “Well, will you look at this, Simon?” he asked the man next to him. “This fuckin guy is a fuckin go-getter. Why the fuck can’t we have this all the time without all the bullshit? What’s your fuckin’ name, friend?”

“Kevin. Kevin Masterson.” He was practically glowing with pride. “I’m the boss up at the old horse farm, a couple miles from here. We’ve fortified it pretty well, doing okay for ourselves. And as for our down payment…”

The yank on the chain startled her. Olivia stumbled forward as Kevin pulled her in front of him. Before she could react, he had a hand in her hair, pulling her head back to expose her throat. 

“An unmated Omega,” Kevin said, undeniably proud of himself. “No idea how she managed this long, pretty as she is. Redhead, too.” He chuckled, forcing her head from side to side to prove she had no mating mark on her neck. “Might as well be a unicorn. I figure that’s worth something, huh?”

Kevin didn’t seem to notice what she did. Negan’s expression hardened as Kevin forced her forward. His dark eyes flicked to the chain, then up to her face. His jaw worked, and his hand tightened on the bat. Kevin had expected him to be pleased. He was not.

It made it all the more terrifying when he smiled, a wide stretch of teeth. “Well would you look at that. Kevin here’s giving me a sweet little Omega as a fuckin’ present.” He reached out, snatching the chain from the other man’s hand. Kevin released her hair, giving her a little shove toward Negan. 

She was close enough to really catch his scent then. Leather, and something like cedar mingled with musk and whiskey. Despite herself she responded, pulling in a deep breath. Kevin, and the other Alpha at the farm had smelled wrong to her. Too sharp and sour and sickly, like metal and rust. From everything she’d heard, Negan was a monster to be feared, but in that moment all she wanted was to bury her face in his chest.

He caught her by the shoulder, steadying her, his eyes fixed on Kevin. More gently than she expected, he moved her to one side, handing off the chain to the man he’d called Simon. 

“I gotta tell you, Kev. That ain’t no way to treat a fuckin’ lady,” Negan said pleasantly. “Makes me wonder what you’ve got goin’ on with your little farm.”

She saw the play of emotions across Kevin’s face. Puzzlement, then anger. He squelched it as much as he probably could. “Look, she’s an Omega we found wandering. Any other Alpha would have taken and knotted her by now,” he began.

“But not you, Kev. You haul her off in chains like a fucking dog to give to an Alpha you think’s more dangerous than you are. Not like you give a fuck, huh?” Negan rumbled. “You gonna show your belly and piss yourself, too?”

Kevin showed his teeth at that, his eyes darkening. “You’re the one going around demanding supplies. I figured you of all people would appreciate a little Omega fucktoy.”

The barbed wire wrapped bat made a sound unlike any she’d ever heard when it collided with Kevin’s temple. He went down like a felled tree, crumpling at Negan’s feet. His people reacted with shock as Negan continued, the bat rising and falling with a savage violence she’d never seen, even since the world ended. 

She stumbled back, Simon catching her shoulders and turning her face away. It didn’t block out the sounds, though. 

The horrible wet noises went on for an eternity. When it was finally over, the hush was unbearable. 

“Now then. First of all, which of you sorry fucks has the key to that girl’s cuffs?” Negan’s voice was a knife’s edge. 

Olivia didn’t dare look at what was left of Kevin, though it was easy enough to imagine given the state of Negan and his bat. Gore dripped thickly from the barbed wire, and when he glanced back, she saw blood spattered across his handsome face. She closed her eyes, trembling. Simon patted her shoulder in what she was sure he thought was a reassuring manner. 

“I--I have it,” said Alan. The other Alpha. The one who’d wanted to keep her for himself. He was cowed, afraid. He handed over the small, silver key without a word of protest, his eyes on the ground submissively. 

Negan plucked the key from his hand. “All right, let’s get this crystal fucking clear,” he growled. “I’m going to be visiting your fucking compound. Half your shit is mine. I fucking own you. I fucking own your shit. You fucking exist at my pleasure, and because of this dead fucker here, you’re on fucking probation.” His voice was loud, commanding. “If I get there and you’re treating women or Omegas like the dearly departed treated this little girl, we are going to have fucking problems.” He pointed the bloody bat at Alan. “Do we fucking understand each other?”

Alan’s eyes were wide. He looked like he wanted to bolt, but didn’t dare. “Yes, sir,” he said. 

“Good. Then get the fuck out of here. We’ll be visiting in a week to take our shit,” Negan grated. “And don’t even fucking think of bucking up on us.”

The group fled, as she imagined they would. Alan was an Alpha, but he knew his limits, and he knew when someone else was a bigger threat. Since the world ended, Negan was the biggest threat she’d ever come across. And now, he had her.

The man strode over to her, towering head and shoulders above her. “Let’s see those wrists, baby girl,” he said. 

She didn’t dare look up, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground as she held up her wrists for him to unlock the cuffs. She’d thought about running, or fighting. That was the reason for Kevin’s warning; he knew there was fire in her. Despite her situation, despite being an Omega. Faced with Negan, however, she was much too afraid to do anything.

He unlocked the cuffs, making a dissatisfied noise at the chafing around her wrists. She resisted the impulse to rub at them as the chain fell away. She tried to remain as still and small as possible, though it was a silly thing to do. She already had his full attention. 

A big, leather-clad hand caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. 

He was handsome. It was unfair, really, that such a terrifying Alpha would have a face that was so very appealing. Beautiful dark eyes, a salt-and-pepper stubble across his cheeks and chin, a hint of dimples as he smiled down at her. 

“There we are,” he said, his voice soft. “Damn. That dead fucker was right about one thing. You’re pretty as can be, doll. How the fuck can you not be mated?” He shook his head, grinning down at her, sharp white teeth on display. “What’s your name, doll baby?”

It took her two tries to speak, her voice lost in her dry throat. “Olivia,” she said finally. 

His thumb feathered over her lips. “Well, hello there, Olivia. I’m Negan. Welcome to Sanctuary, little Omega.”

Chapter 2: 1--The Magician

Summary:

Negan introduces Olivia to Sanctuary, and has a proposition for her...

Notes:

When the Magician appears in a spread, it points to the talents, capabilities and resources at the querent's disposal to succeed. The message is to tap into one's full potential rather than holding back, especially when there is a need to transform something.

The gate closed behind them with a very final sort of sound, and Olivia wasn’t certain her situation had improved. She wasn’t in chains any longer, but she was surrounded by people she didn’t know, including an Alpha who had just beaten someone to death in front of her. That it had been a man whose bruises still ached on her back, and who had put the chains on her in the first place was of little enough comfort. Negan could be more brutal for all she knew. He’d paid lip service to treating women and Omegas well, but she was well aware that an Alpha in front of people and an Alpha behind closed doors could be very different animals. 

“Olivia,” the voice of said Alpha lanced through her thoughts, and she jumped, cringing instinctively. Negan frowned at her, his eyes darkening at her reaction. “You don’t need to be jumpy, babydoll,” he said. 

She swallowed, dropping her arms, half-raised to ward off a blow that hadn’t come. “Sorry,” she said softly. 

Negan sighed, scratching his beard. “Don’t fucking apologize,” he said gruffly. “Just settle down. I get that watching that dead fuck get what he had coming was probably a little rough.” As if to emphasize the point, he flicked the gore-slicked bat, spattering blood and bits of skull on the ground. The motion was casual, practiced, as though he did it often enough it was second nature. “But look, doll,” he continued, “no one’s gonna hurt you.”

She wasn’t really sure of that. Since the dead started walking around biting people’s faces off, she’d heard that line more than once. A lot of people meant it. They wanted to band together, try to survive. They were willing to share and willing to help. Half the time it was the dead that ended that. The other half of the time it was people who decided the end of the world meant they could take what they wanted. An unmated Omega was all too often a thing they wanted very much. 

Glancing around, she saw the looks. Negan was the largest and most obvious Alpha, but there were others who clearly wouldn’t mind having her to themselves. Even a few of the Betas eyed her like a piece of steak. She looked up at Negan, afraid her skepticism showed. 

“Y-yes, sir,” she said softly. 

He sighed, shaking his head and chuckling. “You don’t believe a word of it, huh? That’s all right, doll, you’ll see.” He beckoned her to follow him and she saw little to do but obey. 

The first thing she noticed as he led her back toward the main structure, was how everyone reacted to him. As they passed through the yard, people sank to kneel to him, heads bowed. A few glanced up, some looking at her with curiosity, others at Negan with fear. Negan seemed to take no notice of them. Clearly it was expected. Most Alphas tended to like authority, but now that the world ended it seemed some liked to indulge that a bit more. Negan was a king on a stroll through his kingdom, nothing less. 

Olivia kept pace with him as well as she could; he was quite a bit taller, and practically had to jog after him as he led her through wide, industrial looking corridors. 

“Should I be bowing to you, too?” she asked. She didn’t mean it to come out quite as acerbic as it did. 

Negan glanced down at her, slowing his pace a little. To her relief he smirked slightly. “Well, that’s going to be a subject under discussion,” he drawled. “First things first, though, we gotta go over some things, and Lucille needs a bath.”

She raised an eyebrow at that, puzzled. Noticing her expression, he held up the bloodied bat, grinning toothily. “She got a little messy with old Kevin back there. That fuckstick shouldn’t have been in charge of anything, so it was the best thing for him in my opinion. Can’t imagine you’re too broke up about it.”

“No,” she admitted, shaking her head and dropping her gaze.

“I get the impression he didn’t know how to treat a lady. Lucky for you, babydoll, I fucking do.” He chuckled, pausing in front of a door, holding it open for her and making a sweeping gesture with Lucille. “Come on in, have a seat, we’ll discuss your future here, huh?”

There wasn’t anything for it but to do as he said. The room was an office, a desk with a window behind it, a few chairs. She perched on one of the chairs while Negan got a cloth and cleaner out of one of the cabinets, carefully laying the bat on the desk. She tried not to look at it.

She was afraid. From her quick stroll through Sanctuary, it was massive. And it was well guarded. She was a single woman, red haired and delicate, and an Omega besides. She couldn’t fathom of a single scenario that would see her outside the gates and unharmed if she tried to run. She knew damn well she was trapped, and Negan knew it too. She looked up, watching him strip off the leather jacket.

“I assumed my future here was limited to getting knotted,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. 

Negan paused, the jacket halfway off. He frowned again, tossing it over an unused chair and sitting down, regarding her across the desk. “Straight to the fucking point, huh? You got a mouth on you for an Omega.”

“As it turns out we aren’t all the same,” she spit back before she could stop herself. Her heart pounded. She’d never been a ‘proper’ Omega to some people’s way of thinking. Never quiet or meek enough, too much sarcasm and anger. It was what earned her a beating at Kevin’s hands. God only knew what it would earn from Negan, especially with the still-bloody Lucille right there.

She was sure the surprise showed nakedly on her face when he laughed. 

“Well damn. Aren’t you a little fucking spitfire? Here I was thinking you’d be fucking boring, but look at you.” He grinned wolfishly, shaking his head. “A tiny little badass.” 

Despite herself, she felt a blush rising in her cheeks. “Most people pronounce it ‘bitch’.” she told him.

Negan smirked. “Most people are fucking idiots,” he said bluntly. “Find a little treasure like yourself and beat on her? I wish I could kill fuckin Kevin again.” He took up the cloth, saturating it with cleaner. “So first of all, doll, let me clear something up. We are not monsters here. Despite my brutality toward Kevin, despite what rumors you may have heard. We’re not called the fucking Saviors for nothing.” His dark eyes flicked up to hold hers. “So any idea you have of getting knotted when you don’t want it you just put out of your head, because that’s not fucking happening. Anyone who tries…” He patted the bat fondly. 

It wasn’t the conversation she’d been expecting to have. She watched him in confusion as he began lovingly cleaning the blood off the weapon. “I’m… I don’t understand,” she said.

Negan glanced over at her, smiling slightly. “I know, doll. I can’t imagine you’ve run into many people in this shitshow of a world we have currently that were as good as their word, at least not to an Omega.”

“That’s what Alphas think we’re for,” she said. “At least nowadays. Fucktoys with no laws to protect us anymore.”

Negan frowned, his eyes on the barbed wire. “There’s fucking laws here, doll. And rape is against the fucking rules. I ain’t running some fucking Mad Max shit. We’re rebuilding society, and protecting folks that can’t protect themselves. With everybody off the hook as far as police, that’s gonna include you, little Omega.”

Now that they were in close quarters, it was hard to ignore his scent. Leather, whiskey, musk… She was at least a week away from her heat, but he still smelled delicious. It was hard to know what to do with that. She’d spent a good deal of time trying to avoid being alone with Alphas, avoiding the knotheads in college, and taking suppressants. Now that medication was no longer available, she knew she would be in trouble. 

“So, back to the subject,” he said, interrupting her worries. “What to do with you.” He set the cleaned bat on the desk, tossing the bloody cloth aside and leaning back in his chair to regard her. She tried not to notice the way his chest and arms filled his white tee shirt. 

“Unless you have suppressants, I can’t be out around Alphas when I’m in heat,” she said.

Negan frowned deeply. “We don’t,” he said. “Those fuck your system up anyway.” His voice was curiously flat. “And don’t worry, you’ll be behind closed doors for that. Some of these guys are still young enough they might lose their fuckin heads, rules or no rules. So you’re going to be safe, I’ll be fucking sure of that.” He steepled his fingers. “So, what we need to decide is how this thing’s gonna work out. See, doll, everybody has work to do here. We got limited resources and we need people to pull their weight. So you work for points. Points buys you things, food, extras, laundry, medicine, you get the idea.”

She nodded. “Every kingdom needs peasants to work the soil.”

Negan’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Doll, you are going to get into trouble if you keep sassing.”

“So what else is new?” she sniffed. 

He chuckled. “Yeah, I fucking figure you’ve heard that one before. Anyhow, if you can contain yourself a minute I can finish up my offer?” He raised an eyebrow and continued. “So, working for points, we can assign you somewhere, or maybe you have an applicable skill?”

“I used to be a nurse,” she admitted. “I mean, psychiatry and oncology. But I got my degree same as everyone. I know emergency would be more useful. I mean, psych is… well, psych. Oncology is--”

“Cancer,” he cut her off, his voice flat again. After a moment he shook his head, staring at her. “You mean to fucking tell me Kevin had a nurse, a medical professional, and fucking wanted to give you as a present to some other fucking settlement?”

She swallowed, nervous. “Seems that way.”

Negan slammed a fist on the desk, making her jump. “That fucking little fuckstick. Death was too fucking good for him,” he snarled and rolled his eyes. “God fucking damn. You are a fucking unicorn.”

Olivia took a breath. “Thanks?” she ventured. 

Negan sighed. “All right then, that expands option 2. Because I fucking need you as a nurse. That’s valuable, and as you can imagine, we need medical staff a lot around here. So I’m going to set you up in the infirmary. The doc’s a beta and old as fuck besides, but I’ll still tell him to fucking keep his hands off. Same goes for patients.”

She nodded. “A-all right. That sounds reasonable. And I assume I don’t get points while I’m out with my heat…”

Negan paused a moment, thoughtfully. “Well, sweetness, that brings us around to option 2. I’d still need you as a nurse, but you wouldn’t have to worry about points.”

Olivia felt a little twist of nervousness begin in her stomach. “And option 2 is…?”

Negan grinned, sharp white teeth on display. “Well, darlin’. Option 2 is you becoming one of my wives.”

Chapter 3: 2--The High Priestess

Summary:

Negan gets Olivia settled in, housing her with his wives. Not everyone seems happy about this arrangement.

Notes:

High Priestess is a card of mystery, stillness and passivity. This card suggests that it is time to retreat and reflect upon the situation and trust your inner instincts to guide you through it. Things around you are not what they appear to be right now.

Olivia stared at Negan, open mouthed for a moment before she found her voice. “There was… a lot wrong with that sentence,” she told him.

He chuckled, clearly amused at her response. “Now, don’t be so hasty, lil’ Omega. There are a lot of perks to being a wife.”

“‘One of’ you said. ‘Wives’ you said. Implying there are multiples already.” She wrinkled her nose, glaring at him. “So in plain language you want me in your harem.”

He shrugged. “Look, I won’t force you. Just giving you the option.You can be my wife, not worry about having to earn points, live in luxury and have anything you want.” He paused, his dark eyes sliding up to fix her. “And of course, when you hit your heat you won’t have to worry about being without a mate.”

“No,” she said flatly. His suggestion made her recoil. She knew when her heat came it would be difficult, but she would die of the fever before she let some post-apocalyptic despot knot her, much less mate her. No matter how easy on the eyes Negan was, or how aroused the thought of his teeth on her throat made her.

Negan raised an eyebrow. “Feel free to take a moment to think on it,” he said drily.

“No,” she repeated. She looked away uncomfortably, wrapping her arms around herself. He was asking, at least. It was better than she’d expected, but clearly he still wanted her. If she went into heat, or he had a rut, would it still be a question?

“All right, doll. We’ll let it go at that. I won’t guarantee the question won’t come up again, but for the time being we’ll table it.” If he wondered at her reaction, he didn’t mention it. “I’m still going to put you in with my girls, though.” He held up a hand as she started to object. “Don’t get upset. It’s the safest place in Sanctuary. I’m not going to put you out there with everyone.”

“You don’t trust your people?” she asked.

“Fuck no,” he snorted. “They mostly obey the rules, but I don’t want anyone tempted to mess with you. Or for someone to lose their head because an Omega’s on the property. I don’t want you hurt, and I don’t want to have to kill any of my folks for hurting you.”

She frowned at that, glancing up at him. He’d killed Kevin without a second thought, but that had been a show of dominance to another settlement. Would he really kill one of his own people? The look on his face said he was serious. “I guess if that’s what you think is best,” she ventured.

He nodded. “No one, and I mean no one, gets to go near my wives’ rooms. Except me, of course. And Sherry is an Alpha. She’s got no interest in women so it’ll be like having a mama bear between you and the knotheads.”

“What about you?” she asked.

Negan smiled slightly. “I’m mature, doll. And I’ve been mated. My rut hits the same time as your heat I’ll stay away--if you want me to--but if it’s one or the other I can deal with it.”

She wasn’t sure she trusted him fully, but it was more safety than she’d had in a long time. “All right,” she said finally.

“Good. See? Progress,” he chuckled. “I’m even gonna skip the points for tonight, since you don’t look like you’ve been properly fed in a while. You can eat upstairs with the girls. I’ll show you around and take you to the infirmary for work tomorrow. Sound like a deal?”

It was hard not to respond to his smile. Wide and toothy, dimpled… He was handsome. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t notice. Between that and the heady, attractive scent of him, there was a part of her that wanted to take him up on his offer. But she’d only just met him, and she couldn’t be certain if his charm was only a front. “Yeah. I think I can live with that,” she agreed softly.

“Well then, in that case we need to talk rules,” he said.

“This where you tell me I have to drop to my knees and bow before you?” She didn’t quite mean to purr the question, but it was what happened.

Negan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his smile turning a little predatory. “Baby, I can’t deny the sight of you on your knees sounds hot as hell,” he rumbled. “But, yes. You’re not a wife, you’re just one of my people. And my people pay proper respect. Which also means much as I like that sass, if you’re in front of anyone else, you need to keep a lid on it.” His expression turned serious. “Because I like you, sweet thing, but if you mouth off where people can hear it I’m going to have to address it.”

She hesitated, nervously. “Address it…?”

“I’ll have to punish you,” he said calmly.

Olivia’s eyes flicked to the bat instinctively, and she felt her mouth go dry.

“Calm down, little Omega,” he said gently. “I told you, we aren’t monsters.” He sighed. “I won’t kill you for sassing off to me. Jeez, you need to lighten up, babydoll. You break the rules here, you get punished. Might dock your points, you might get a night in a cell…” His eyes slid over her hungrily. “Might put you over my knee.”

She felt her cheeks flood with warmth and she looked away. Despite herself, she felt a shock of arousal between her legs at the thought. She jumped a little as she felt his fingers on her chin, turning her face to look at him.

“Yeah, I think that might just be the most effective, hmm?” he purred, his thumb feathering over her lips.

She almost melted under his touch, but made herself pull away. She swallowed against the dryness in her throat. “Kneel to you, don’t sass. What else?” She tried to sound firm, but her voice was breathy and low.

He smiled, sitting back in his chair. “Well, now we get into the more serious issues,” he said, as though he had no idea of the effect he had on her. “No theft, no slacking on your job, no attacking others, stuff I don’t expect you to be a problem about.” He drummed his fingers on the desk. “And you don’t leave Sanctuary without my express permission. Hell, in your case probably not without me along. I’ll keep you safe, keep you fed. Abandoning your job and your community after what I’ve given you… that shit don’t fly.”

She nodded a little. So she was a prisoner there. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but at least she knew her situation a bit more clearly.

“Gonna have a few more for you, to keep you safe around here, but the rest is details. The girls can fill you in some. You seem like you’ll be good for me, though, right, baby?” He winked, almost teasingly.

“Yes, sir,” she said, forcing herself to ignore his flirtation. If she was in fact a prisoner, however gilded her cage, she wasn’t at all certain she wanted to get close to her jailor. Or, considering that he was trapping her there and paying her in scrip, her overseer.

“Save the formal shit for public, doll,” he drawled. He stood, hefting his bat over his shoulder. “Come on, let’s show you where you’ll be staying.”

Olivia followed him out into the hallways again, and he led her past more people, this time mostly armed. There seemed to be more Alphas sprinkled through the guards, and she tried to keep her head down and avoid eye contact. They knelt just like the rest of the workers outdoors, but there was a more powerful air about them all. His elite guard, she imagined. She caught a glimpse of one of them, a man with blonde hair hanging in his face, who raised his head as they passed.

One side of his face was a mass of scars with a melted-wax texture she recognized immediately as burns. His eyes caught hers, hard and cold, and she shivered, forced to look away.

She followed Negan up a set of metal stairs and down a far less populous hallway. She could smell perfume and hear music before they got to the door he paused at, rapping sharply before he came inside.

“Knock knock!” he called. “I hope no one’s decent!”

The room they entered was lavish by post-apocalypse standards. It was situated into a sitting area, complete with a stocked bar on one wall. There were plush looking chairs and couches, and in the corner a small stereo played music. What caught her eye most, however, was the other women.

There were five of them, all in sleek black dresses. Olivia suddenly felt very self-conscious of her ragged jeans and threadbare shirt. The tallest woman, with nut-brown hair, stood, her nostrils flaring as she sniffed the air. Her eyes fixed on Olivia.

“An Omega?” she asked, frowning slightly.

Negan put a hand on Olivia’s back, gently pushing her forward. “Ladies, I’d like you to meet Olivia. Some asshole brought her to give to me as a present and she’s feeling a little nervous about shit right now, so be nice.”

The woman who’d spoken stepped forward, and Olivia caught the scent of Alpha, cinnamon and vanilla. “No mating mark,” she murmured, and looked up at Negan. “She’s lucky.”

“Damn straight,” Negan replied. He glanced down at Olivia. “Ok, doll. This is Sherry.” He pointed at the others in turn. “Tanya with the black hair, Frankie the other redhead, Amy with the blonde braid, and Amber drinking me out of house and home.” He said it all pleasantly enough, but the blonde at the bar gave Olivia a withering look.

“Wife number six?” asked Amber sharply.

“No, Liv here isn’t a wife yet.” He gave her a wink. She tried to ignore it. “But I’m rooming her with you ladies because it’s not safe for an Omega to be out among the general population.”

Amber sniffed, taking a drink of wine. Olivia began to doubt that they would be friends.

Sherry, on the other hand, nodded. “You’re right,” she said. “The minute someone thought they could get away with it…”

Negan smiled, tipping her chin up in his hand. “And that’s why I brought her here, doll. I knew you’d take care of her.” He kissed Sherry deeply.

Olivia looked away, an unwanted surge of jealousy rising in her chest. She didn’t want Negan to mate her. She didn’t want him to knot her. She didn’t want him to look at her. She had no reason to be jealous.

She was startled out of her reverie when Negan’s hand dropped onto her head. He winked down at her. “I’ll send up food in a bit. You be good and listen to Sherry. And I’ll see you tomorrow, babydoll.” With that he walked out, leaving her alone with the wives.

Olivia drew into herself nervously. All eyes were on her, and it felt uncomfortable. Like she was cornered. Then Sherry smiled down at her.

“You must be scared shitless,” she observed. “Come have a glass of wine before Amber drinks it all.” She caught Olivia’s hand, pulling her gently to the bar.

“I… yeah I’m kind of intimidated,” she admitted. She accepted the offered glass, sipping appreciatively.

Sherry shrugged. “It’s okay. You’re safe here. Negan put you here to keep you out of everyone’s reach.”

“Except his,” Olivia muttered.

“Well, he’s the boss,” Sherry laughed. She took a breath and frowned a little. “To be honest I can’t believe… An Omega on her own without a mate…” She reached out, brushing back Olivia’s hair gently. “You’re lucky. After everything went to hell…”

“I was a target,” Olivia finished. “I know. I knew it was going to get bad and that a lot of Alphas and even Betas would be after me. I managed this long. If Kevin hadn’t decided to give me to Negan…” She shuddered.

Amber snorted from her perch on a barstool. “So she’s a fuckin’ Omega. That’s no reason for you and Negan to act like she’s some kind of special edition.” Her blue eyes narrowed. “Maybe if they’re so weak we’re better off if they get fucked to death.”

Olivia took a step toward the other woman. “Say that again--” she began.

Sherry’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. While it was unlikely, given Sherry’s orientation, that they would bond as mates, the brunette was still an Alpha. The command, even unspoken, stopped Olivia in her tracks, silencing her.

Sherry turned to Amber. “Don’t talk to her like that again,” she said calmly. “Omegas are what they’re meant to be and there’s nothing weak about that.”

Amber rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything else.

“Now, Olivia,” Sherry said, turning back to her. “Let’s get you settled. There’s a room next to mine. I imagine you have a lot of thinking to do.” She slipped an arm around Olivia’s shoulders gently, leading her away from the bar. “It’s okay to be nervous. You haven’t figured out what’s going on yet and you need some time. If you need to talk things out I’ll be around. But things aren’t as bad as they seem, I promise,” she said gently.

Olivia dearly hoped she was right.

Chapter 4: 3--The Empress

Summary:

Now in with the wives, Olivia gets cleaned up and acquainted with everyone. An incident at dinner, however, sours Negan's good mood.

Notes:

The Empress is traditionally associated with maternal influence, it is the card if you are hoping to start a family. She can represent the creation of life, romance, art, or new business.

Sherry led Olivia through the lounge to a hallway lined with doors. Most of them were closed, though a couple stood cracked open, allowing her to see into fairly well appointed bedrooms. Sherry pointed to one of the closed doors. 

“This one’s me,” she told her, and opened the next door. “And this will be you.” 

The room was plain, which didn’t surprise her. It had been unoccupied for some time, after all. There was a dresser, a small table serving as a desk, and a double bed with cobbled-together bedclothes. It was better than anything she’d had since the world ended. 

“Thank you,” she said, looking up at Sherry. 

Sherry chuckled, ruffling her hair. “It’s not much, but once you start earning points you’ll be able to fix it up a little. I can help with that if you promise not to tell Negan,” she winked. 

Olivia grinned a bit. “Won’t say a word,” she promised, taking a tentative step inside the room. There was no lock on the door, she noticed, but it still felt safer than most places she’d been. The windows were set high in the wall, too small for someone to climb into. She could barricade the door if need be. She shook herself. She was safe here. She didn’t need to think that way. 

“We’ll go ahead and get you some fresh clothes, and a shower. I’m sure you’re dying for both,” Sherry said, leaning on the doorframe. 

She nodded eagerly. “I am. I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin.” She was also desperate to lessen her scent. Any Alpha close to her would know what she was, but a proper shower, with soap and maybe even perfume, would make it a little less obvious. She hesitated, glancing at Sherry’s outfit. “Do I… have to wear a dress and heels?”

Sherry laughed, shaking her head. “This is just for wives,” she said. “So, advantage or drawback depending on your point of view.”

“I’ve never been much on heels,” Olivia confessed. “I can’t move in them very well.” She wondered, perhaps uncharitably, if that was why Negan liked his wives in them. 

“No one can,” Sherry smirked. “Honestly half the time I just have on slippers and save these stupid things for public purposes. But I’ll grab you a few changes of clothes, and some shoes. What’s Negan going to put you to work doing? Did he say?”

Olivia nodded. “I used to be a nurse. So he’s going to have me working in the infirmary. Starting tomorrow I guess.”

Sherry raised an eyebrow. “Huh, that should pay a lot of points. So you should be pretty good as far as the essentials.”

“Hopefully. I’ll be out for a week every couple months,” she sighed. “Without suppressants it’s hard to get out of bed, much less to try to work. Not to mention being around other people.”

“Well, Negan’s sure not going to let you go roaming around if you’re in heat,” Sherry agreed, sympathetically. 

Olivia frowned a bit. “I’m pretty sure he thinks he’s going to mate me.” He would be a safe choice in some ways. He was dangerous, but he was strong. More than equal to the task of keeping her safe, considering what he’d built with Sanctuary. Still, the thought frightened her. 

“Probably so,” Sherry said. “But he’s under the impression he’s irresistible. My advice? Even if you decide to say yes to him, make him work for it some.” She gave Olivia a sharp-toothed grin. “He doesn’t force anyone to be his wife, but there are undeniable benefits all of us take advantage of for one reason or another. And Alpha and Beta females aren’t in terribly short supply. You, little Omega, are unique. Don’t let him forget that.”

“I don’t know if I want to say yes,” she admitted. “He scares me.”

Sherry nodded. “He should. He’s dangerous. But if you’re his, he’ll put that toward making sure you’re safe. And he’s good to us.”

“As long as you obey him?” Olivia let a little sourness creep into her voice. 

“Well,” Sherry sighed. “I won’t deny that he likes being in charge. He likes people to be afraid of him, he likes people to obey him, and yes, he likes having a harem of wives. But,” she tapped the tip of Olivia’s nose with a long, elegant finger. “He’s good to us. And he’s not usually very hard on his wives.”

She thought about responding to the ‘very hard’ part, but chose not to. Sherry was being kind to her, and she didn’t want to seem ungrateful. Even so she couldn’t help but muse that even a gilded cage was still a prison. Then again, what alternative was there?

“Hey,” Sherry’s voice cut into her thoughts. Olivia looked up, and the other woman smiled. “Cheer up, sweetie. You’re going to be fine, I promise.”

Olivia nodded, giving her a small smile. “Thanks,” she said softly. 

“Now, I’m going to get you some fresh clothes, and we’ll find you some things for a nice bath. That’s generally warmer than a shower around here.” She winked. “You say yes to Negan and sometimes he lets you use his bathroom. He usually has hot water.”

Of course he did. Rather than say anything, Olivia just nodded again. 

Sherry ruffled her hair. “Sit tight. I’ll be back in a few.” 

Olivia sat down on the bed once Sherry had gone, not sure what else to do. Any belongings she had were left back with her old community, so there was nothing to put away. Nothing to rearrange. Biting her lip, she pulled her knees to her chest, feeling alone. 

It was better than being with Kevin, she reminded herself. At least Negan gave her a little bit of choice. And, if she were to believe him, safety. When Kevin found out she was an Omega, it was almost as though dollar signs lit up in his eyes. She’d ceased to be a person, and had become a bargaining chip. Chattel. She wasn’t sure if it was better than him claiming her or not. In her situation it seemed likely that in the end Negan would end up knotting and mating her. Sherry had been reassuring, so maybe--just maybe-- he wouldn’t be cruel. But she’d had more than enough of Alphas who wanted more than she was willing to give. It seemed almost inevitable that most of them wound up violent.

She might have ended up brooding until Sherry returned, if there hadn’t been a knock on her door. She approached cautiously, afraid it was going to be Amber back to torment her. Instead, it was the woman Negan had introduced as Frankie.

The other redhead smiled. “Hi,” she said.

“H-hello?” Olivia still felt more than a little nervous. She didn’t want to alienate her suite-mates (other than Amber), but she didn’t know what the other woman could want. 

Frankie seemed fairly relaxed, however. Her smile only widened, crinkling her nose. “Hey, sorry if you want to be alone,” she said. “I just wanted to say a proper hello. Sherry kinda tucked you under her wing and ran off with you.” She giggled softly. “She does that.” Frankie put out a hand. “I’m Frankie. The other ginger,” she said drily.

Her charm was disarming, and Olivia smiled, taking her hand. “Olivia. The Omega. Since that seems to be my claim to fame.”

Frankie nodded, almost eagerly. “Yeah. So I heard from Amber’s bitching.” She leaned against the doorjamb. “So, sorry about that. Amber…” She shook her head. “She’s kinda a trainwreck. The whole apocalypse thing fucked her up. Try not to pay her any mind.”

Olivia shrugged. “Wasn’t planning on it.”

“Good call,” the other redhead chuckled. “Anyhow, look, I did want to let you know I used to be a massage therapist. And we took classes on Omegas in heat. So if you need some help once that rolls around, and you’re not a new wife…” she trailed off, glancing over with narrowed eyes.

Olivia frowned slightly. The offer was a good one. Perhaps a little too good, now that the world had ended. No one did things as favors anymore. She hesitated. “In exchange for what?” she asked, cautiously. 

“Nothing much,” Frankie said earnestly. “I didn’t really mean it like a Godfather favor or anything.” Her cheeks turned pink as she looked down. “Just, you know. More an open-ended thing. Like watching each other’s backs and helping each other out if we need it.”

“I can’t tell if you’re flirting with me or trying to ask for an alibi,” Olivia said after a moment. 

Frankie laughed. “You’re so suspicious. I’m just trying to be friendly. We’re all in here together so helping each other out is for the best, you know?”

Olivia relaxed a little, chuckling. “Yeah… sorry. It’s been rough for a while. It’s hard to trust anyone. Even a Beta female.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Frankie said softly. “You’re lucky you made it this long without something awful happening.”

She couldn’t quite meet the other woman’s eyes. “Plenty awful happened,” she said. “But I didn’t get killed or forced into mating. So there’s that.”

Frankie nodded. “That’s good, hon,” she said gently. “And you’re safe now. Nobody’s going to cross Negan. Even if you aren’t a wife.”

“That’s what I keep hearing,” she replied, sighing. 

“God, you too?” Amber’s sneering voice made Frankie turn. The blonde was standing in the hallway, arms crossed. She wrinkled her nose. “She’s short and weak and she stinks,” she continued. “And she’s only here because Negan wants to knot her.”

This time there was no Alpha to hold her back. Olivia growled. “You spend weeks in the woods and see how nice you smell,” she shot back. “And keep running your mouth and we’ll see who’s weak.” She chose to ignore the last part of Amber’s commentary. That, at least, she was pretty sure was right. 

“Amber, having someone new here doesn’t mean there’s going to be less goodies for you,” Frankie cut in, her voice reasonable. “Olivia’s going to be working, so she’s not going to be taking anything meant for you anyway.” She arched an eyebrow. “And I don’t see why you’re acting so jealous. It’s not like you care if Negan sleeps with you or not.”

Amber sniffed, turning her nose up. “I don’t care if he’s panting after some Omega bitch. I just don’t think she should be here smelling up the place and getting a free ride. She ought to be out there with the rest of the workers if she thinks she’s too good to be a wife.”

Olivia’s nails bit into her palms. “I don’t think I’m ‘too good’,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Frankie laid a hand on Olivia’s shoulder. “It’s different for Omegas than us Betas, you know that… It’s not something she can take back later…”

“So? Why’s she got to be here while she’s mulling it over?” Amber sneered. 

“Because Negan said so.” Sherry’s voice cut through whatever Amber would have said next. She strode up the hall, a cloth tote slung over one shoulder, her expression hard. “That’s all you need to know, Amber. If you don’t like it, I’m sure you could take it up with him.”

Amber flinched at the suggestion. She cast a dirty look at Olivia, and tossed her hair. “Whatever,” she growled, stalking off to another room and slamming the door behind her. 

Sherry sighed, rolling her eyes. “That woman has a real attitude problem,” she said. She smiled at Frankie. “Hope everyone else was getting along.”

Frankie grinned. “Yeah, so far so good,” she said, and patted Olivia’s shoulder. “I’ll leave you with the mother hen, but I’ll see you around later,” she said. 

Olivia couldn’t help but chuckle, waving at Frankie headed back to the lounge. 

Sherry passed her the bag. “I found you some clothes, and some soap and shampoo. Go ahead and get washed up, dinner should be here before too long.”

The bathroom Sherry showed her to was fairly spacious, and already stocked with towels. As she’d been warned, the water was on the tepid side, but she didn’t much care. It was the first time she’d had warm water and soap in so long she’d almost forgotten what it felt like. 

Olivia scrubbed every inch of her skin, washed her hair, and luxuriated in the feeling of being clean. She felt much less self-conscious once she had washed up and put on fresh clothes. She thought most of what she had on was probably a loss, discolored by ground-in dirt and sweat and even blood. Even so, she bundled them together in the hopes that she might get them washed.

In the mirror she examined herself, frowning at her visible ribs and spine, and jutting hip bones. She might not have lasted long if she hadn’t wound up with a group. Still, the bruising across her back, ugly blue and purple stripes, reminded her she might not have lasted long with one either. Negan at least seemed like he’d be… well, perhaps not kind, but so far not abusive. And he’d been right; Sherry seemed like she would be in Olivia’s corner.

She chose a pair of soft drawstring pants and a tee shirt with a cartoon cat on it. The clothes were comfortable, if a bit large on her. Soon she was dressed and feeling better than she had in months. Her belly growled, and she remembered that Negan had promised food. Quickly stashing her new clothes in her new room, she headed down the hall. 

Olivia could hear him before she got to the lounge. The baritone laugh carried down the hallway, along with the scent of something delicious. Despite her hunger, she approached cautiously, peering into the room from the doorway before she let her presence be known.

Negan sat on the couch, one arm thrown around Frankie’s shoulders. He’d left his leather jacket behind, still wearing that white tee that clung so enticingly to his chest. Lucille, the barbed-wire wrapped weapon, leaned against the wall next to the door. Even with his wives, he apparently didn’t go unarmed. 

The other wives sat in chairs or at the bar with plates of food. Olivia’s jaw almost dropped as she finally recognized the smell of tomato sauce and realized Negan had brought honest-to-god spaghetti.

Negan paused, a beer bottle halfway to his lips, and his nostrils flared. He turned his head, dark eyes catching her, and grinned widely. “Well, hey there. No need to be shy, sweet thing. Come eat. You must be hungry.” He indicated the empty spot on the couch beside him. “I saved you a seat.”

She might have balked at his presumption, but she was hungry. She padded in, avoiding looking at Amber. Negan leaned down, opening the containers on the coffee table, and portioning a small serving of pasta and sauce onto a plate.

“I know you probably ain’t been fucking fed right for a while,” he said as she sank to the couch beside him. He handed her the plate and a fork with a smile. “So start with that. If you’re still hungry we can try a little more, but don’t eat yourself sick.”

She nodded, almost nervous that she would drop the plate. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Negan’s grin was toothy. “You’re welcome,” he paused, dark eyes dropping to her shirt, “Kitten,” he said, his voice a low and almost sensual rumble. He chuckled as her cheeks grew warm. 

Olivia ducked her head and concentrated on her food so that she wouldn’t have to look at the large Alpha next to her. It took an effort to keep from wolfing her food down. After subsisting on canned food and foraging for so long, pasta that had actually been boiled, and sauce that was cooked tasted like heaven. 

Sherry chuckled softly. “As I was saying, Negan, Olivia is settling in fine. I think you should let her rest a day or two before you put her to work, though.”

Olivia looked up, swallowing a mouthful of noodles. “N-no, I’ll be fine,” she protested. “I have to start earning points.”

Negan laughed again. “Well, you were right, Sherry, I owe you a beer,” he said. He looked over at Olivia with a smirk. “She said you’d say that. Don’t worry so much, Kitten. You can afford to coast a day or two.” 

He gave her a teasing swat on the back. It wasn’t hard, by any means, nor was it malicious. It wouldn’t have hurt if she wasn’t covered in bruises. 

Olivia flinched, as much in fear as pain, hunching her shoulders and yelping. She managed not to spill her plate, and managed to keep her seat. Negan froze, eyes widening in surprise. Then they narrowed, a dark fire behind them.

Sherry sat forward, putting her plate down. “Livvy, you okay?” she asked quickly. 

Olivia made herself straighten up, forced a smile. She avoided looking at Negan directly. “Y-yeah. I’m okay. Sorry. Just a little sore.”

Negan’s mood never quite made it back to relaxed and jovial the rest of the meal. He smiled at their conversations, chuckled at Sherry’s jokes, pulled Frankie to his side teasingly. But something clearly stuck in his craw. 

Olivia was afraid it was her. Negan didn’t try to touch her again, and when she emptied her first plate he was quite solicitous about being certain she got enough. He included her in the conversation, never probing too deeply, not mentioning her earlier reaction. Even so, she could feel the weight of his gaze on her. 

Despite her worries, the time passed quickly, and soon enough she was yawning. Sherry chuckled. 

“Come on, Liv. Let’s get you to bed,” she said.

Negan waved for her to stay. “I got it,” he said. He stood, holding a hand out to Olivia. “Come on, Kitten. I’ll tuck you in.”

She wanted to object. She knew the way back to her room, and she certainly didn’t need him to tuck anything in. But the heaviness of his dark eyes told her that he wasn’t asking. Swallowing, she took his hand and let him walk her down the hall.

Chapter 5: 4--The Emperor

Summary:

Negan finds out a little more about Olivia's time before coming to Sanctuary, and gives her a tour.

Notes:

The Emperor is a powerful leader who demands authority and dominance. He is most comfortable in a leadership role where he can command and direct others. He likes to be in a position of strength, where he can exert control and bring a sense of organisation to his activities. He often represents a solid establishment that is built on strong foundations. As a leader, he rules with a firm but fair hand. He will listen to the advice of others but he will always have the final say. He is not afraid of war and/or conflict and he will not hesitate to use his force and power to protect those he cares about. The privileged few whom he favours always repay him with the loyalty and respect he deserves.

Negan pushed open her door, letting her in ahead of him. As she feared, he followed her, closing the door behind him. 

Olivia swallowed, shifting nervously. The room was small, and in the enclosed space the scent of him settled around her warmly; leather, cedar, musk, whiskey. She imagined it must be much the same for him, with her so close.

“Show me,” he said quietly. 

She looked up at him. She wasn’t sure why she was so reluctant. She supposed she didn’t want to look weak, but they’d passed that when she’d been dragged in front of him in chains. “I-it’s nothing.”

Negan’s frown deepened. “The way you yelped it didn’t sound like fuckin’ nothing, Kitten,” he said. “Let me see it. You might need it checked by the doc.”

Olivia took a little step back, looking away and hugging herself. “It’s fine,” she insisted. “Just a few bruises.”

“Turn around. Show me. Now, Omega,” he growled. The Alpha command thrummed through her, making her legs weaken. She faltered, her next objection dying in her throat.

She sucked in a breath, her body obeying almost on its own. She could have stopped herself, had she tried, but she didn’t. She turned her back to him, pulling the shirt up to show him what Kevin had done to her. 

Their settlement had once been a horse farm, which meant that there were all sorts of items someone like Kevin could use for various purposes. 

She felt the heat of Negan’s body as he stepped closer. “Jesus, Kitten,” he sighed. He sounded suddenly very tired. “What the fuck happened?”

“I got scared… Kevin… he beat this other guy almost to death. For questioning him. I tried to run, but… he wasn’t going to let an Omega go. He didn’t like it when I fought back.” She bit her lip. “So he beat the hell out of me with a riding crop. Didn’t want to scar me. Less valuable.”

Gently, Negan took her shirt from her hands, pulling it down over her back. He turned her, taking her chin in his fingertips and making her look up at him. She couldn’t read his expression. 

“You aren’t going to have to fucking worry about that here. Anyone fucking touches you, I’ll feed them feet first to the fuckin’ biters,” he said. 

“You said if I broke the rules you’d punish me,” she began. 

“Damn right I will,” he responded. “I’ll dock your points if I have to. I’ll let you spend a night or two in a cell if you really piss me off. But I’m not going to beat a woman like that. Especially not an Omega. That shit’s just not right.”

Olivia hesitated searching his eyes for any hint that he was less than sincere. From his reaction to her bruises, she believed he was. 

Negan kept his hand on her chin, his thumb feathering over her lip as he gazed down at her. “Rest a couple days, Kitten. Get healed up some.”

“Just because I’m an Omega doesn’t mean I’m weak,” she blurted.

A little smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “I know you’re not. You’re a tiny little badass, remember?” He leaned down, and with surprising gentleness, he kissed her forehead. “But you’re still going to rest a couple days because you deserve a fucking vacation after the shit you been through.” He grinned, winking at her. “And I figure a little taste of what you’d have all the time as a wife can only sweeten the pot.”

She looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. “That’s the least romantic proposal I’ve ever heard,” she told him. 

Negan laughed, ruffling her hair. “Get some rest. I’ll take you on a tour tomorrow, so you can start getting used to the place.” He glanced back as he left the room, his dark eyes softening. “Goodnight, Olivia.”

Despite herself, she couldn’t keep from smiling, a little warmth spreading to her cheeks. “Goodnight, Negan.”

It had been a very long time since she’d had a bed and a room, and longer still since she’d felt safe. Sleep came quickly once she settled down, and the next thing she knew sun was streaming through the little window. She blinked, uncertain what woke her, when a knock sounded at her door. 

“Mm? Y-yeah?” she called, sitting up and rubbing a hand over her eyes drowsily. 

Sherry cracked her door open, smiling slightly. “Hey, sleepyhead. Want some breakfast?”

Olivia yawned, stretching. “What time is it?”

“Who cares?” she responded cheerfully. “You don’t have to work for a few days, so all you have to worry about is it’s morning and there’s food.”

It was an excellent point, so Olivia dragged herself up, wincing at the soreness in her back from the bruises. It felt a little better after a good night of sleep, and likely having a real meal had helped as well. 

She didn’t bother changing out of the clothes she’d worn to bed, and wandered out to the sitting room with her hair probably standing on end as well. She was too hungry and drowsy to be much concerned, though once she caught sight of Negan she regretted it.

The wives had on silky robes and nightgowns, their hair brushed sleekly, dainty feet in ballet slippers. She’d arrived with messy hair, in an over-large tee shirt and shorts, mismatched socks on her feet. She blushed as Negan looked up, grinning wolfishly. 

“Well hi there, Kitten,” he drawled. “Don’t you look cute. Come here and have some breakfast, sweetness.” He patted the seat next to him.

Amber, sprawled in one of the soft chairs, eyed her up and down and smirked at her. She was sure to hear about her disarray later. Part of her wanted to run back to her room and change, but Negan had called her over. He wasn’t her Alpha, but he’d been kind to her. There was no reason not to do as he asked. She settled on the couch beside him, mouth watering at the scent and sight of fresh pancakes dotted with blueberries.

Negan grinned, deftly constructing a plate with a modest portion of food. “We’ll start small again today,” he said. “But there’s plenty if you want more. How’d you sleep?”

“N-not bad,” she said, trying to smooth her hair as he cut a piece of pancake with the fork.

“Good to hear,” he said, lifting the forkful of delicious-smelling food to her lips. She might have balked at being fed, but couldn’t resist the scent. She parted her lips and let him place the food on her tongue.

“Good girl,” he murmured, his voice deep and thrumming. It wasn’t fair of him, using the Alpha tone of voice to praise her. It left her wanting more. It left her wanting to beg.

She gave him a reproachful look, though she imagined it was marred somewhat by the blush she could feel settling over her cheeks, and her mouth being full. He chuckled, handing her the plate and fork so she could feed herself. 

“Once you’re ready I’ll give you the grand tour,” he told her. “Let you see some of the place, drop by the infirmary. Make sure you know your way around and all.” He paused, arching an eyebrow at her. “That last part is not meant to imply you get to run around on your own around here.”

“I thought you might say that,” Olivia sighed. “You know, I have survived this long without a settlement even.”

Negan chuckled. “Well, we’ll revisit that later maybe. There’s places around here I for damn sure don’t want you wandering into, even with an escort.”

Olivia blinked. “We’re inside the walls, and, I know you said you worried about your people when I was in heat but…”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean the whole place is safe,” he said, before she could finish. “Now, eat your food, doll. Daylight’s burning.”

It was a beautiful day outside, and Olivia was momentarily dazzled by the sunlight as she stepped outside behind Negan. 

He’d gone back to his leather jacket, Lucille casually on one shoulder as he sauntered outside. While he had a good deal of swagger and confidence behind closed doors, out and about there was no mistaking him for anything but the lord of his domain. Society had, if not tamed, at least altered the way in which Alphas arranged hierarchies in centuries past. Now that society had fallen to ruin, she supposed it was only a matter of time before communities went back to more primal ways of organizing. Negan was the Alpha here. As such, this was his territory, and he wasn’t about to let anyone forget that. She was aware that parading her around like this was in part a further display of dominance and power, like making everyone kneel, but she couldn’t work up much annoyance about it. Not after seeing that glimmer of gentleness the night before. 

Sanctuary was even larger than she thought, with more people than she’d seen in one place since before the dead rose. He pointed out places he didn’t take her to, but bragged about nonetheless, like the laundry, armory, and where they’d parked a fleet of vehicles. He didn’t take her too close to the walls, and he frowned and changed course when he saw a group of men in gray sweatsuits working outside. 

He did, however, take her to the gardens. 

It was warm out, and most of the plants were thriving, rich green leaves and brightly colored vegetables and fruit everywhere. She could smell the berries ripening in the sun, and there were even a couple fruit trees. She gasped softly, barely noticing everyone around them dropping to one knee as Negan entered.

He waved a hand. “As you were,” he said. “Just lookin’.”

She glanced up at him for confirmation before she wove among the plants, excited by the prospect of fresh fruit and vegetables. “Do you grow herbs?” she asked. “There are lots of herbs you can use as medicine.”

Negan nodded. “Yeah, so we’re told. The garden staff is workin’ on getting that sort of thing going in the greenhouse.” He followed along behind her, Lucille casually on his shoulder, looking proud as he could be. She suspected he was showing her off as much as he was showing off to her. It wasn’t very surprising. Doubtlessly there were at least a couple other Omegas here, but they’d surely be mated, making them not particularly desirable. Negan was the emperor of his domain, and he wanted to show that she was his. It might have made her angry, if it hadn’t been in large part to protect her. Even if she wasn’t mated, being seen with him this way was a clear message that there would be consequences to trying to take her. 

She tried not to think too much on that, though. Since the apocalypse, it was almost hard to remember she was a person, and not just an Omega. Few enough people seemed to remember that, either. 

She turned, about to say something to Negan just to break her own tension, when he held a plump, ripe strawberry to her lips. The scent was incredible, warm and sweet and mouth-watering. The grin he gave her was cocky and teasing, but also strangely warm and sweet as well. She took a bite, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor, almost too intense on her tongue. 

“Resorting to bribery?” she teased, though she was all too aware her voice was breathy and low. 

Negan chuckled, feeding her the rest of the berry. “Is it working?” 

“Little bit,” she admitted. 

He leaned down, brushing his lips over hers, just a little, then straightening, his tongue darting out as though he could taste her on his lips. His eyes never left hers, and she was forced to look away first, her cheeks hot. “Y’know, Kitten, you smell just like strawberries and cream,” he rumbled. “Damn if you aren’t just as tempting.”

Before she could reply, he’d hefted Lucille onto his shoulder again, turning to lead her out of the garden. “Well, let’s show you where you’ll be working, huh?” he said, his voice casual.

She tried to ignore that her legs felt a little weak as she hurried after him. 

Notes:

***Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing! I got behind on writing due to the holidays so hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon!***

Chapter 6: 5--The Hierophant

Summary:

Negan's tour of Sanctuary continues, and Olivia has a talk with the doctor.

Notes:

The Hierophant stands for tradition and convention. It can represent marriage in an arranged setup. It can also mean a teacher or counselor who will help in learning / education of the querent. It symbolizes a need to conform and social approval on the one hand, and mercy, forgiveness, compassion, conformity, and inspiration on the other. This card means that you know how to solve your problem even though it isn't very easy.

The infirmary was housed in one of the buildings outside the main Sanctuary, and was surprisingly well-appointed. Beds lined two walls, many even having curtained dividers, and there were rooms set aside for medications and supplies, as well as a surgery. Everything was as neat and clean as could be expected considering the situation, and Olivia could smell alcohol and disinfectant. 

No one else was in evidence at first, the beds empty and the rooms quiet. Negan stepped in with her and raised his voice. 

“Hello, doc! Come on out here, I’ve got something for ya.” He glanced down at her with a wink. 

A man moved quickly out of one of the back rooms. He was white haired and used a cane that he gripped for support as he knelt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come in,” he began. 

Negan waved away the apology. “Doesn’t look like it’s busy right now.”

The other man pulled himself back upright, watching Negan warily. “No, though we should get a group back from gathering tribute soon. Usually there are a few scrapes and bruises to take care of.”

Negan nodded. “Well, good, gives us a minute.” He nodded down at Olivia. “Meet your new nurse. We’ll have her in here in a day or two, once she gets to feeling better. She’s a genuine RN. Olivia, this is Doc Carson.”

She nodded politely as the older man looked at her, then back to Negan. He seemed surprised, but nodded. “That’s--that’s helpful. I’ve got a few people working with me but no one with formal training.”

“I haven’t done as much medically as you’d probably hope,” she said. “Mostly oncology and psychiatry.”

Carson shook his head, smiling now. “No, no, that’s fine. I’m just thrilled not to have to start from scratch, and to have someone who’s demonstrably capable of learning. Having someone who knows what she’s doing with the smaller injuries will help tremendously.”

“Good deal,” Negan rumbled, and put a heavy hand on the doctor’s shoulder. The older man froze nervously. Negan paid his reaction no mind, merely smiling and continuing. “Now, the thing is, doc, my girl here is an Omega. And currently unmated. So you can see the position she’s in.”

The man nodded. “Yes, but that’s workable. Even having her unavailable on occasion for her heats is better than we sit currently. And if we could get hold of some suppressants…”

Negan shook his head. “Don’t poison her, doc,” he said. “That shit causes cancer.”

“Well, only in 1 of 100 cases could be traced--” the doctor began. She saw Negan’s grip tighten and he stopped talking. 

“What I was saying,” Negan continued, his voice harder. “Is that I know there’s going to be a knothead or two around here who might get the bright idea to put their paws on her. We have rules about that kind of thing, but you know and I know that it only takes one asshole with a lapse in judgment to fuck everything up. Either me or Sherry, or someone I trust will walk her to work, but I don’t want to hear of you letting her wander off by herself. Do we understand one another?” He smiled, but it wasn’t particularly friendly. 

Doctor Carson swallowed, his eyes darting toward Lucille, held loosely in Negan’s free hand. “O-of course. She’ll be quite safe here.”

Negan thumped him on the shoulder jovially, all grins and good humor now. “See, that’s what I like to hear. We’re gonna let her rest up a few days, because she’s been through some bullshit. Go ahead and take a look at her back, see if we need to do anything else.”

Olivia opened her mouth to protest. She was only bruised, after all, and she saw no reason to show them, yet again, to another man. But Negan raised an eyebrow and she stifled her objections. Likely in front of the doctor was in public enough that she needed to behave. 

“Of course, let’s go into the exam room, just in case someone else comes in,” the doctor said. 

Negan made no move to follow them, leaning against the wall and smiling at her, clearly pleased she wasn’t being argumentative. Annoyed, she adopted a passive-aggressively submissive stance, head bowed, as she followed Carson into the exam room. 

Once she sat on the table, she pulled up her shirt to let him see the bruises across her back. He gave a huff of disapproval. 

“Someone worked you over pretty badly,” he observed. Gently he probed her spine and ribs. “It looks to be mostly surface damage. Tell me if there are any sharp pains.”

She nodded, sitting patiently as he pressed various places on her back. The bruises hurt, but seemed better than they had. 

“I take it Negan’s planning to claim you?” he said, blandly.

“I--I don’t know. He probably thinks so,” she replied. She wasn’t sure how much to say. 

“Well, it’s better to have him as a friend than anything else,” he said. “Even then it’s a gamble. But I suppose he tends not to be too rough with women.”

Olivia bit her lip. “Everyone seems afraid of him.”

“They should be,” he replied, moving his hand over her shoulderblade. “He hurts people.”

“But he keeps this place safe,” she ventured. She’d seen what Negan had done to Kevin, and was not naive enough to think he was the first, but she didn’t imagine he did such things for no reason. 

“Mm. Safe and under his thumb. Once you’re his there’s no turning back. He’s a brutal man. And he can be cruel, even to his own.” He finished checking her other shoulder and pulled her shirt down. 

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked, brow knitting. She knew Negan had it in him to be vicious. She knew he liked having control of Sanctuary. But the doctor’s description seemed miles away from the man who’d been so gentle to her the night before. 

He sighed, helping her down from the table. “Because, he’s focused on you. And you should know what he is before you get in too deep and get an unpleasant surprise.”

Olivia frowned, looking down. “Maybe,” she said softly. “But right now the world is cruel. Especially to people like me. And he’s the first person in a long time to treat me like more than a piece of meat.”

Doctor Carson sighed, squeezing her arm. “Just be careful.”

She nodded, trying to school her features into a calm mask as they exited the exam room. Negan was sitting on the desk, Lucille at his side, idly playing with some paperclips. 

“Nothing’s broken,” Carson said. “The bruises are fairly deep, whoever hit her didn’t hold back much, but they’ll heal. I can get some ibuprofen for the pain and tissue swelling.”

Negan pushed himself off the desk, grinning. “Well, that’s good news, doc. We’ll go ahead and take that and leave you to it. I imagine you’ll have incoming here soon. I’ll let you know when Livvy is ready for work, huh?”

Carson nodded, and shortly thereafter she had a bottle of ibuprofen and was trailing after Negan into the courtyard. Negan twirled the bat, whistling cheerfully. Everyone seemed to be going somewhere, doing something. Possibly giving Negan a wide berth. He settled Lucille on his shoulder and looked down at her, his expression calm. 

“So, Kitten. You think I’m a monster now?” he asked. 

She almost stumbled. She looked up, frowning. “W-what?”

He smiled a bit. “I know Carson’s scared shitless of me. And I know he warned you I was… brutal and cruel, wasn’t it?” he mused. 

Olivia swallowed nervously, looking up at him. “You were listening?”

“Yep,” he said, arching an eyebrow at her. “I’m surprised you didn’t think of that before.”

She frowned, dropping her gaze. “Please don’t be angry at him,” she said.

Negan snorted. “That old asshole? If I punished everyone who said I was a big meanie I wouldn’t get shit done for all the ass-kicking I’d have to be doing. I don’t give a shit, if they’re scared it keeps ‘em in line.”

She couldn’t help giving a little chuckle at that. “I suppose that makes sense.”

“So,” he said, his voice more serious. “You think I’m a monster?”

She looked up at him. They’d paused in the courtyard, the sun high above them, bathing everything in golden mid-spring light. He was frowning slightly, looking down at her, searching her face. 

“You didn’t hear what I said?” she asked.

He shook his head, smiling slightly. “No, I had to go sit on the desk and be nonchalant so I didn’t give Carson a heart attack.”

She smiled back. “That’s considerate of you,” she said. She stepped closer, looking up into his dark eyes. “I told him you were the first person in a long time to treat me like I’m not just a piece of meat. You could have done anything to me, but you were kind instead. I… know you have to be hard. I might not like that but I understand. So no, I don’t think you’re a monster, Negan.”

He sighed, smiling a little and cupping her cheek briefly. “You’re a sweet little thing, doll. It’s always the sweet little things this world is hardest on,” he said. 

She raised an eyebrow, giving him a little grin. “If that’s today’s attempt at getting me to be a wife, I’ll tell you now you need to work harder.”

Negan laughed, his odd mood evaporating. He ruffled her hair and settled Lucille on his shoulder. “There’s that sass again. Come on, doll. Let’s go get some lunch and meds in you.”

Chapter 7: 6--The Lovers

Summary:

Olivia starts work and life starts to settle a bit, when a chance encounter and Negan's love life leave her reconsidering things.

Notes:

The Lovers represent relationships and choices. Its appearance in a spread indicates some decision about an existing relationship, a temptation of the heart, or a choice of potential partners. Often an aspect of the querent's life will have to be sacrificed; a bachelor(ette)'s lifestyle may be sacrificed and a relationship gained (or vice versa), or one potential partner may be chosen while another is turned down. Whatever the choice, it should not be made lightly, as the ramifications will be lasting.

Life was quick to turn into routine. 

The novelty of her arrival was of course bound to wear off eventually. Even so, given the harshness of the world since the dead started rising, an Omega without a mate remained something rare and precious. 

She rested for several days as the bruises faded and moving was less painful. Having regular meals and a place to sleep was better than Olivia had experienced in some time. Adding being able to bathe and wash her clothes made her feel like she was almost human again. 

There were, of course, always things to remind her again that she wasn’t. 

A few days after her arrival she insisted to Negan she was ready to work. And he insisted she needed to be escorted when he wasn’t there. Considering he was the Lord and Master of All He Surveyed (™), he was only occasionally there to walk her back and forth from the infirmary. 

Most days were unremarkable. A few people managed to sprain their wrist or ankle while gardening or building. A couple scrapes or cuts on people who were clumsy. The occasional person who needed something for a chronic condition. Doctor Carson was kind enough, and let her work on her own when people came in that had minor ailments. Before a week was out, she had a page full of suggestions for herbs to use as medicine and medications the salvage teams ought to look for. 

She felt like she was helping, at least. Being there freed up the doctor to see to more serious injuries when they occurred, and working together gave them a little time to organize supplies and streamline the infirmary process. And earning points made her feel a bit better. She was still living with Negan’s wives, but at least working made her feel less like she was just being taken care of because he wanted her. 

Unfortunately news traveled quickly, and it seemed that every time she turned around there was another Alpha with vague complaints coming in the door. Most of them were easily dismissed, but a couple made her nervous. A dark haired man named David moved uncomfortably close and flirted so aggressively while she was bandaging a scrape that she almost threatened to report him to Negan. And when he came by to pick up medicine for something or another, Negan’s second, Simon, watched her with hard, hungry eyes. Both of them made her uncomfortable, though she tried to dismiss it. Dangerous living since the dead rose had her paranoid. 

She also saw somewhat less of Negan. He was busy for several days, going on supply runs and dealing with other settlements. It left her to be walked back and forth from the infirmary by Sherry or occasionally one of Negan’s Saviors. She missed him when he was gone, she had to admit. She wasn’t about to let herself fall for him, or let him add her to his harem, of course. But she did miss his presence. And she worried about him.

It was a great relief when he came into the infirmary after the latest supply run, even if it was with a few injured Saviors. The doctor saw to the worst of them, freeing her up to go to Negan.

He’d planted himself on one of the beds, Lucille leaning against the wall, his jacket open casually and that wicked grin showing his teeth. 

“Well hey, if it ain’t my favorite nurse!” he said as she approached. 

“Well, I’m your only nurse, so that’s not saying much,” she replied. No one was close enough to hear their conversation, and to be honest she  missed their banter. 

He chuckled, and rubbed his chest rather theatrically. “Aw, come on, doll. I’ve got this awful pain. I think it’s ‘cause I missed you. Anything you can do?”

Olivia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “I suggest a laxative. Because you’re full of shit.”

Negan laughed, shaking his head. “Not even a kiss to make it better? Damn, you’re cold, Kitten.” He winked. “You holdin’ up okay here? Been a couple days, figured I’d check in. And y’know, let you know I’m back from the run in one piece, if you care.”

She smiled, despite herself. “Of course I care. I’m glad you’re back. Everything go okay?” She glanced over to where his Saviors were waiting for treatment. No one looked particularly bad off. 

“Mmm. Mostly,” he said. “Nothin’ to worry about. Still looking for some of your damn plants, but we did good. Brought you a present,” he grinned. 

“Thought I was working for points like everyone else,” she chided. God, she hoped Amber didn’t get wind of him bringing her gifts. They’d managed to avoid and ignore one another the past few days, but she knew the other woman would complain bitterly about any special treatment. She wasn’t even sure what her problem was, other than that Olivia was an Omega, and that for some reason put her out. 

Negan shrugged. “I’m the boss. Gifts are bestowed at my whim. I’ll bring it up tonight.”

She smiled. “Well, you’re spoiling me again I see.”

“Yep,” he agreed, standing up and taking her chin. “But right now I gotta go make sure no one fucked anything up while I wasn’t here. You’d be surprised how fast shit falls apart if you don’t watch it. I’ll see ya at dinner.” He leaned down, kissing her forehead.

She smiled, leaning into his touch and closing her eyes briefly. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I’ll see you tonight.”

The remainder of her shift dragged, though she put that down to anticipation. She still had no intention of being one of Negan’s harem, but she did miss him when he was gone, so she looked forward to that evening. She probably could have decided to leave early, she doubted Dr Carson would complain on such a slow day, but she worked out her time like she was supposed to. If she was going to work for points like everyone else, she was going to be responsible. Using Negan’s fondness for her as leverage wouldn’t be fair.

The afternoon was warm, with a light breeze that felt nice after being inside the infirmary most of the day. Her escort that day was a wiry, dark-haired woman who often worked as a runner, bringing orders or announcements from Negan or one of his inner circle. She never engaged in conversation beyond surface pleasantries, at least with Olivia, but was polite and generally willing to make a detour into the garden when she wanted to visit it. 

That day, however, Olivia was more interested in getting back to the wives’ suites so that she could get a bath and perhaps change before Negan visited. She reminded herself the effort would only encourage him, but… well, it never hurt to look your best in front of the leader of the community. 

She stretched, enjoying the breeze as they ambled slowly toward the main building, when movement caught the corner of her eye, causing her to turn and pause. 

She’d seen a handful of men in gray sweatsuits working here and there around Sanctuary. Negan always steered her away from them when he was with her, as did Sherry. Apparently it was some form of punishment, doing the tedious and unpleasant jobs that most people didn’t want. Olivia had never been very near them before, but apparently some of the salvage brought in that day was for the infirmary. A few of the men were close by, carrying crates, and one of them stopped and stared at her. 

His eyes were very blue; she could see it even from a distance, and hooded, making him look perpetually wary. Hair hung lank and dirty around his face, and his beard was unkempt. Despite that, he was handsome. The sweatsuit, spray-painted with an orange A that puzzled her, did nothing to disguise his build, lean and strong. The other men working kept their eyes down, their shoulders hunched in defeat. This man carried himself like a predator, his gaze sharp and steady. She didn’t need to scent him to know this was an Alpha. He was a lion on a leash, and she wondered how long it would hold him. His nostrils flared. She was downwind of him.

Olivia knew better than to linger. She might not be his, but Negan had made no effort to hide his dislike for other Alphas showing an interest in her. He’d likely be doubly angry with someone already being punished. 

She tore her gaze away and quickened her pace, putting distance between herself and the man. There was bound to be someone supervising him, and she didn’t want to get him into trouble. She doubted stopping to ogle an Omega was an excuse for not working. 

There was something about him, though. She’d never seen him before, and he’d been too far away for her to scent in the breeze, but she was intensely curious about him. He was so different than the others. The way he carried himself reminded her a bit of Negan. There was no swagger or showing off, true, but there was something hard and savage and powerful about him.

She chanced a look back, and saw him gazing steadily after her.

Her escort gave her a questioning look. “Did you know that guy?”

Olivia shook her head, making her voice light. “No. I guess it’s just gawk at the Omega day. Again.” 

It was good having Negan back. He brought dinner up to them, as well as more alcohol for their bar and clothing and lingerie for his wives. He teased her about getting dressed up for him, and flirted shamelessly. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, even Amber, who at least ignored Olivia rather than glaring for a change. 

When dinner was finished, and the other women were going through the box of clothes, Negan reached into a pocket and pulled out a little velvet pouch, handing it to her. 

He grinned. “Saw this and thought of you,” he said.

“That could be good or bad,” she joked to cover the little thrill of happiness that flooded her. He watched her open the pouch, pouring the contents into her hand. 

It was a gold chain with a pendant of a round-cut green stone. The setting was made with little ears and whiskers, creating a stylized cat’s head. Olivia giggled, delighted. “Negan, it’s lovely,” she said. 

He chuckled, taking it from her and clasping it around her neck. “Like I said, I thought of you, Kitten. It matches those big green eyes.” 

She blushed, looking up at him. “Thank you,” she said softly.

“Anytime, doll,” he replied. He stretched. “But I gotta get some rest. Care to join me?” he asked, winking. 

Olivia smiled, shaking her head. “Mmm. Still no,” she said.

Negan chuckled, ruffling her hair. “You're a hard nut to crack, doll.” He leaned forward, kissing her forehead and stood, stretching. “Ok, ladies, I’m going to say goodnight. Except to Frankie. Not done with you yet,” he purred, looping an arm around Frankie’s waist and leading her toward the door.

Despite herself, Olivia’s chest tightened as she watched Negan propel the other redhead out the door. She knew he slept with the others. After all, that was explicitly the arrangement. But for some reason, seeing him heading off to bed with her… hurt. Was she jealous? It wasn’t like she hadn’t been invited first…

She caught Amber watching her, a little smirk on her face, and she realized she hadn’t hidden her expression quickly enough. Perhaps too late she feigned indifference, and headed to the bar to pour herself a glass of wine before she headed to her room. 

It shouldn’t bother her, she reminded herself. She toyed with the little cat pendant as she lay in bed, and somewhat guiltily wondered again about the Alpha in the gray sweatsuit. 

Notes:

I very much had "This Magic Moment" by Lou Reed from the Lost Highway soundtrack playing in my head when I wrote the Olivia/Daryl encounter.

Chapter 8: 7--The Chariot

Summary:

After a sleepless night, Olivia is irritable, leading to a louder than usual confrontation with Amber.

A chat with Negan reveals some things about Sanctuary, and Olivia has a long day at work that ends poorly.

Notes:

The Chariot is a card about overcoming conflicts and moving forward in a positive direction. One needs to keep going on and through sheer hard work and commitment she will be victorious.

Frankie came back sometime in the night. Olivia heard the door open next to her room and the other woman moving around in her bedroom. 

She hadn’t been sleeping well, barely having drifted off. She was too irritated at Negan and the situation, and too curious about the other Alpha, to close her eyes. She was a little surprised to hear Frankie back.

Slipping out of her room, she hesitantly tapped at Frankie’s door. 

Frankie’s hair was mussed, her lips plump and swollen with kisses. A couple little bruises stood out on her throat and neck along with pink beard burns. Her smile was languid and satisfied.

Olivia wasn’t jealous.

“Oh, hey, sorry, did I wake you up?” Frankie asked.

“No, I just… I heard you come back. I thought maybe something was wrong,” Olivia said. She wasn’t sure how convincing that sounded. 

Frankie chuckled, shaking her head. “Nah. A good time was had by all.” She leaned on the doorjamb and shrugged. “Negan just likes to sleep alone.”

Olivia frowned a little. “Oh,” she said. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Frankie nodded. “I know, not super romantic of him. Kinda hit it and quit it, I guess, but he generally makes sure we both have a good time.”

“Before he kicks you out of bed,” Olivia said, before she could stop herself. 

Frankie laughed. “Yeah, well, I don’t mind so much to be honest. Men can be annoying to sleep next to. I know it’s all romantic ideals and shit, but they snore and twitch around and hog the real estate.”

Olivia managed a small chuckle. “Well, I guess that’s not exactly the romantic image of falling asleep in each others arms.” 

Frankie rolled her eyes. “No way. Someone’s hand falls asleep, and you’ve got hair in your mouth, and someone’s sweaty. It’s way less lovely than it sounds.” She gave Olivia a little grin. 

“That seems to be a recurring theme,” she sighed. 

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Frankie agreed, and yawned. “I’m gonna get some rest. It’s late, you should be asleep too.”

After they’d said goodnight, Olivia returned to her room but still had trouble settling down. 

Clearly, she was being silly. She’d known what Negan was like from day one. He’d never even pretended to be anything other than what he was; an Alpha ruling a kingdom and keeping a harem. And, if she decided to let him mate her, well, she would have to live with that. 

Sherry and Frankie she could probably live with. Both of them were nice to her. Amy and Tanya ignored her for the most part, which was hardly ideal, but at least not actively bad. Amber was mean every chance she thought she could get away with it.

She sighed, huddling under the covers. Did she really want to be one of six others? Negan was kind to her at least. He was handsome. He was strong. She liked his scent, and his smile, and he would protect her. But eventually the novelty of being an Omega would wear off, surely. Alpha/Omega couples bonded tightly, but it did always seem that the Omega was the most affected. Would she be able to stay content while he took his other wives to bed instead of her? Or added more? Maybe, if it were just Frankie and Sherry. But it wasn’t. 

Her thoughts flitted to the other Alpha, the one on the punishment detail. The way his eyes held hers, his posture and the lines of his face. She hadn’t been able to scent him, but he’d caught hers. Strawberries and cream, Negan said. She wondered if Negan would even let her near another Alpha, let alone one who’d apparently done something wrong. 

She eventually drifted off to a fitful sleep, her dreams filled with empty corridors and the voices of people she could never seem to find. 

Olivia was in a foul mood the next morning. Lack of sleep left her eyes feeling grainy, and her body ached. The bruising on her back was almost gone, but not getting rest made every tiny uncomfortable spot on her body feel ten times worse. The water in the bath that morning was tepid. Everything in her wanted to go back to bed rather than report for duty at the infirmary, but she knew if she didn’t she would be shirking her duties, so she stomped into the sitting room to eat something before she went.

Negan wasn’t there so far, but there was food, scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, and even some sliced strawberries. There was hot tea as well, which she pretended was coffee as she sipped at it, trying to ignore everything else around her. Tanya and Amy seemed content to ignore her back. Frankie doubtlessly was sleeping in. Sherry was taking a bath, and of course Amber was up just to top off the morning. 

At first, Olivia thought she would get out of breakfast without comments. Amber merely smirked at her when she came in, and Olivia focused on her breakfast. Of course, it couldn’t last. 

“So, sleep well?” Amber asked sweetly. 

Olivia knew a trap when she saw one, so she shrugged. “Yeah, fine. You?”

“Mm, not as well as Frankie, I bet.” She chuckled. “You looked like you were rethinking your whole aloof princess bit last night.”

Another time, Olivia would have stopped listening. But she was tired and irritable, and Amber’s voice wormed under her skin. “I don’t have an ‘aloof princess bit’,” she growled. 

“Please,” snorted Amber. “You’ve been acting like you’re too good to be one of Negan’s wives since you got here.” Tanya and Amy were listening now, trying to act like they were occupied with their strawberries. 

Olivia snorted, shaking her head. “Whatever.”

Amber smirked. “I’m just saying, you looked all forlorn when Negan took Frankie with him last night. I thought you might just drop that pretentious little attitude of yours.”

“Pretentious? Is that what you call it when someone doesn’t jump on the first cock in their field of view like you do?” Olivia snarled. The words were out before she could think better of them. 

Amber was on her feet in an instant. “Fuck you, you walking fleshlight, you don’t know shit!”

Olivia was up as well, hands balled into fists. “I know you’re a heinous bitch that needs her ass kicked,” she snapped back. Amber was taller, but Olivia was pretty sure she’d be able to take her in a fight. It looked like she might get to test the theory. 

“Oh, you think so, Omega? You think Negan’s gonna let you walk if you come at me? Just because you’re so fucking special?” Amber sneered. 

“We can find out,” Olivia spat. 

“You stupid bitch, you have no idea how good you have it, and you act like you’re above it all, too precious to touch. Negan should throw you out of here and let the other Alphas use you. At least then you’d be good for something!”

The words felt like a slap in the face, briefly stunning her. She was spared the need for a reply however, when Negan’s loud voice came from the doorway. 

“What the hell is going on in here?” 

Amber’s mouth snapped shut immediately, and she went pale. Olivia hunched her shoulders nervously, looking toward the door. 

Negan looked greatly annoyed as he set Lucille down against the wall, and frowned at her and Amber.

“I come up here to see my girls, and you two look like you’re about to tear each others hair out,” he said. “Sit your cute little asses down right now before I wear ‘em out with my belt.”

Olivia wasn’t sure how serious he was about the threat, but sank back down to her seat. Amber hesitated, but did likewise. 

Negan crossed his arms, looking back and forth between them, and pausing to look over at Tanya and Amy who were watching with rapt attention. “Alright. Who’s going to explain this shit?”

Before Olivia could open her mouth, Amber spoke up. “Negan, she’s taking advantage of you! I’m sick of it! She’s going around here acting like she’s too good for you while you bring her food and presents and I’m just sick of her!”

Negan raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re just concerned about me, huh?” he said drily. “You think I can’t handle my own affairs, Amber?”

She looked away, scowling. “No, I just…”

Negan turned to Olivia. “Well, Kitten? What’s your side?”

Olivia frowned, glancing over at Amber. She’d been nasty to her since the beginning, but she didn’t really want to get her in trouble. Then again, she doubted Negan would do much in any case. “She’s been antagonizing me since I got here. I just got up and wanted to eat and go to work and she started in on me. So I yelled at her.”

Negan sighed, rubbing his eyes. “This is such a goddamn pain in my ass,” he grumbled. 

Amber smirked, and Olivia’s gut twisted. He was about to kick her out. After all, she wasn’t a wife, she’d refused his advances, and now she was causing strife. She swallowed. Where would she go? How could she stay safe with the other Alphas prowling Sanctuary, if she wasn’t under Negan’s protection?

Negan shoved a hand through his hair. “Amber, go pack your shit and fuckin’--just go live with your mother.”

Amber gaped at him. “W-what? But Negan--”

He waved a hand impatiently. “Look, you don’t want to be here, you’re a pain to deal with and I’m just tired of it.”

To her surprise, Amber looked like she was about to cry. “Negan, please… I… my mother…”

She wasn’t sure what was going on, but Amber seemed on the verge of panic. She bit her lip. “Negan, I… it’s partly my fault. I shouldn’t have taken her bait.”

He looked over at her, his gaze softening a little, then he sighed, rolling his eyes. “Goddammit. Look, Amber. I’ll give you a fuckin job that’ll pay enough points you don’t have to worry about it, ok? You and your mom’ll be fine, just do your fuckin job, leave Livvy alone, and I dunno, quit being such a bitch. Go get your shit and I’ll give you your assignment tomorrow or something.”

Amber looked stunned, glancing back and forth between Olivia and Negan. “Really? Y-you’ll… you’ll do that?”

Negan huffed, annoyed. “Yes! I said so didn’t I? Now get your shit and go home, damn.”

Amber nodded, eyes wide, and darted off to her room. Negan scowled at Amy and Tanya, watching from across the room. “The fuck are you two looking at?” he growled. They concentrated on their breakfasts. 

Negan huffed, sitting heavily on the couch next to Olivia. He turned to her with a slight frown. “Well, that was some shit,” he grumbled. 

She nodded. “I-I’m sorry,” she said meekly. “I should have ignored her.”

He waved off her apology. “Whatever. She’s been wanting to run off for a while, so I guess it’s fine. Don’t really want someone to be here if they don’t want to be. She was just here ‘cause her mother can’t do work. Ain’t really fair to give her a job paying that many points but fuck it.”

Olivia frowned a bit. “She… was your wife so she could support her mother?” she asked. “I… I know people have jobs here but not everyone can work…”

Negan sighed. “Kitten, I know where you’re goin’ with this and yeah in an ideal world we’d be able to absorb that shit for everyone. But you and I both know it ain’t an ideal world. Only way to be sure we don’t run out of supplies is to use the points and work systems. It sucks, but the simple fact is there’s not enough of everything to go around for everyone. No one’s starving, no one’s sleeping outside or getting eaten. Medicine and stuff like that… that’s gotta get rationed.”

She didn’t like it much, but it made sense. She’d seen their stores of medical supplies, and they weren’t what she would call robust. “I… just wish it were different,” she said finally. 

Negan smiled a little, stroking her hair. “I know,” he said. 

Amber cleared out with little fanfare. She didn’t seem particularly upset to be going, and no one seemed terribly broken up about her leaving. Or very surprised, for that matter. 

It was nice to look forward to getting back to a peaceful living situation once she got out of work at the infirmary. Particularly since as the day wore on she felt her lack of sleep more and more. 

It was a busy day, with a number of injuries coming back from a supply run. Mostly scrapes and bruises from various mishaps, but there’d been a misadventure with a rotted footbridge as well, resulting in one broken leg and several deep cuts. By the time her shift was over, she was itching to leave. Doctor Carson was finishing up with the last of the cuts, and still no one was there to pick her up.

Well, it was only a walk across the yard and someone was probably on their way. 

“I’m headed out,” she called to the doctor, waving from the door. He didn’t look up from his stitching, but gave a little wave of acknowledgement. 

She took a deep breath of fresh air as she left the building. It was nearing sundown, and a soft breeze stirred the grass and caught her hair. It was nice out, and birds chirped in dozens of trees. As she walked past some of the outbuildings, she squinted at the sky, trying to identify the birds flying overhead. She was so distracted she didn’t know the man was there until he grabbed her. 

It was fast. So fast she didn’t even have time to yelp in surprise. Strong arms wrapped around her, a hand over her mouth. He lifted her, darting between some of the outbuildings. She hit the ground hard, stunned and gasping for breath. She looked up wildly at the man standing over her. She recognized him from the infirmary, even as she caught the scent of an Alpha, coppery and sharp like blood on the back of her tongue. He smiled, showing far too many teeth. 

“Hello, Omega,” said David.

Notes:

I apologize for being slow--I've started back to school and it's kicking my ass. I hope to have more time soon though!

Chapter 9: 8--Justice

Summary:

David attacks Olivia, and help comes from an unexpected place.

Negan explains the rules. Graphically.

Notes:

(Chapter contains attempted sexual assault and graphic violence.)

The Justice card indicates that the fairest decision will be made. Justice is the sword that cuts through a situation, and will not be swayed by outer beauty when deciding what is fair and just.

Olivia stared up at David, stunned. Did he have any idea what he was doing? If Negan were to catch him, there was no way he’d talk his way out of this. And she’d seen firsthand what Negan was happy to do to people that made him angry. 

She darted a look around. This side of the building wasn’t very populated most of the time. And David had pulled her into a little alleyway between close-set buildings. With a chill, she realized the chances of someone happening on the scene weren’t good. 

She glared at him. “What do you even think you’re doing?”

He chuckled. “I think that’s obvious, don’t you, sweet thing? Apparently Negan doesn’t have the balls to mate you, so I figure that makes you up for grabs.”

“No, it doesn’t,” she snarled, trying to get her feet under her. 

He kicked her, sending her sprawling back in the dirt. It wasn’t enough to break anything, more of a shove than anything, but it was enough to slam fear into her. He was serious.

“Stay down,” he said coldly, his voice thrumming with the Alpha command tone. “This’ll be a lot easier if you’re a good little Omega.” 

The command froze her where she was, making her body reluctant to react. It took precious seconds to shake off, during which he was advancing on her. Heart hammering, she tried to scramble away. “How do you think it’ll go if you do this and Negan finds out?”

David shrugged, shucking off his jacket and throwing it aside. “Oh, everyone knows how Omegas are. Ready to lift their hips to whatever Alpha comes along. You regret it after, well, that’s too bad. ‘Cause then, it’s my knot or nothing. So if Negan gives a shit about you, well, he has to let me have you.”

Olivia kicked out, trying to catch his knee. He reacted too quickly though, and her foot struck his shin instead. “Get away from me! I’ll rip your face off!”

He chuckled. “I like it when they put up a fight.”. He grabbed her ankle, yanking her off-balance. Her back hit the ground, and before she could scream he was on her, one hand around her throat, holding her thighs down with his knee. She scrabbled at his arm with her nails as he fumbled with his belt. She left bloody gouges, but he ignored it. 

Panicking, she thrashed, trying to throw him off. She couldn’t reach his face with her flailing hands, and he was almost immoble on top of her. Her breath caught in her chest, and she couldn’t scream. Quickly, she began running out of air. HIs grip was relentless, and she couldn’t get him to let go. Spots danced in her eyes, and the edges of her vision started going black. It occurred to her, distantly, that he might just kill her to cover his attack.

She wasn’t entirely certain what happened then. One moment he was on her, the next it was as though something tore him away, leaving her panting and gasping on the ground. She managed to get herself sitting up, back pushed against the side of the building.

The Alpha in the sweat suit was there. He stood over David, stance wide, fists at the ready. David started picking himself up off the ground, his nose bleeding. 

“You fuckin’ asshole,” David growled. “I’m gonna feed you to the biters.”

The other Alpha didn’t respond, maintaining a wary readiness, positioned between David and herself. 

His scent reached her. He was unwashed, the stink of body odor and sweat clinging to him. Underneath that, however… woodsmoke, pine, bread fresh from the oven, and the green scent of fresh cut grass. Being unshowered made it almost overpowering.

David threw a haymaker at the other Alpha, who dodged fluidly, coming up to slam a fist into his gut and bring an elbow down on his kidney. Her hearing and eyesight were clearing now, and she could hear shouting from both sides of the buildings. 

A man she didn’t recognize, a Beta, came around the corner at a run, shouting to “get back here.” Neither combattant seemed to hear him, the fight getting serious. David was vicious, but the other Alpha was clearly a practiced combattant. He was quick and guarded, and soon had David backed against a wall. 

Then a loud voice cut through everything. 

“What in the fuck is going on here?!” Negan’s voice. 

She thought she’d seen him angry before. That first day with Kevin, she’d seen the dark look in his eye before he killed the man. Looking at him now, she realized what angry actually looked like. 

There was no hint of his usual cocky grin, no casualness in the way he held Lucille. His hand was white-knuckled around the bat, his jaw clenched as he stalked forward like a predator. His eyes were hard and dark and roiling. He cast a glance at her and she wanted to curl into a ball and hide. 

David scrambled to his feet. The other Alpha went still, straightening, his narrow blue eyes on Negan, his expression blank. The Beta skidded to a stop, looking wild-eyed. 

“There are about six things going on right now that have me extremely pissed off,” Negan grated. “Somebody better tell me what the fuck’s happening here before I start bashing heads in.”

Olivia doubted that included her, but he was so angry she wasn’t willing to bet on it. She knew with utter conviction that whatever way this fell, she was in a lot of trouble. 

It was the gray sweatsuited Alpha who spoke. “Caught the scent of an Omega in distress,” he said. His words carried the slight drawl of an accent. “Ran over, saw him on her. Stopped it.” He looked Negan in the eye, his voice and gaze steady, despite Negan’s stare. 

Negan’s nostrils flared, both in anger and testing the air, she suspected. He swung Lucille to point at David. “Explain,” he said shortly. 

David put on an ingratiating smile. “It’s not like that. She wanted it. Asked me to come over here. Said she liked it rough.”

“You fucking--” Olivia began.

Negan glanced at her, and her voice died in her throat. She was one of the six things he was angry about and it seemed prudent to be quiet. 

He turned back to stare at David. “Bullshit,” he said. Negan was suddenly very calm. It was far more frightening than the anger. 

David hesitated. “Well, boss, I mean, her strolling around like that smelling so sweet, what could I do?”

For a moment, Olivia thought he was going to bash David’s head in then and there. Instead, he turned to his men who had come to see what all the noise was about. “Put him in a cell. Tell Simon to fire up the furnace. I want fucking everyone in the furnace room in an hour. And I mean everyone. Get the sorry fucks out of their cells, pull people off their jobs. Everyone but the fuckin kids and whoever’s got to keep them safe.”

“Boss, boss, wait, look, I’m sorry, I--” David began. 

Without warning, Negan swung the bat against the side of David’s knee. She heard the snap of bone, and he went down screaming. The other Alpha watched silently, not even flinching, even as Olivia cringed.

“I do not accept your apology,” Negan growled. “Get this sack of shit out of here.” He turned, not even watching to see if his men obeyed. He knew they would. They dragged him away, still screaming, leaving a trail of blood from his ruined knee. 

Negan turned his attention to the other Alpha, tilting his head to one side. They regarded each other for a long moment, neither saying a word. It was strange to watch. There was some sort of history there, she could see it in the way they interacted. 

“Well. It seems I owe Daryl here a thank you,” Negan said finally. 

Daryl stared at him coolly. “Didn’t do it for you.” 

Negan chuckled. “Yeah, but you rescued my Kitten. So I figure, hey, maybe it’s time for a little carrot instead of the stick.” He turned to the man who’d been chasing Daryl, who was clearly afraid he was in trouble for losing him. “Take Daryl here and get him a shower. A real one with hot water and soap and shit. Clean clothes too.” He grinned at Daryl toothily. “What the hell, let’s feed him from the cafeteria tonight. Fresh veggies and all.”

The Beta seemed surprised, but nodded quickly. “Yes, sir,” he said. 

Daryl merely stared at Negan, expressionless. No, not quite. There was a hardness in his eyes, and a stiffness in his posture. Olivia realized what it was: hate. Under his calm, expressionless mask, he despised Negan. She wondered at the reason for it. 

Negan continued smiling, though she was sure he had to see it too. “In fact, you know what? Let him stay in one of the nice cells tonight. With a mattress and no music.” He stepped a bit closer to the other man. “Let him see how nice things could be if he joined the winning team.” Negan glanced at Olivia, then back to Daryl. “Might even find a lil’ Omega of your own if ya did.” 

The last comment made Daryl’s eyes narrow, though he didn’t say anything.

“Ok, go on, get him washed up, I want everyone in an hour,” Negan said, waving Daryl and the Beta away. 

Daryl turned to follow the other man, though he glanced at her as he passed.

“Thank you,” she said softly. 

He didn’t reply, but he did give her a tiny smile. 

And then she was left alone with Negan. 

He was silent for a moment, gazing after Daryl and his handler to make sure they were gone, then he turned to her. 

“Little girl, you are in a whole world of trouble,” he said quietly. 

She cringed nervously, looking down. “I--I can explain.”

He advanced, looming over her. She didn’t even realize she was retreating until her back hit the building. “By all means. Explain,” he said. She chanced a look up and regretted it. His dark eyes were roiling. His calm tone unsettled her; she almost wished he was shouting instead. 

She swallowed. “I… no one was there to pick me up yet, and it was a nice day. I--I told Doctor Carson I was going. He was stitching someone up so I knew he’d assume someone was there…”

“God dammit, Olivia!” Negan exploded. “What is it? Did you think that I didn’t have a reason for the rules, or that they didn’t fucking apply to you?” He slammed his palm against the wall near her head, effectively trapping her. 

“No, I just--I thought--”

“You didn’t fucking think! I was coming to get you, and got caught up in something. I run this whole fucking place, remember? Sometimes I have to do work to keep this place going. The rules are there for a reason. To protect you and everyone else!”  He hissed through his teeth. “Do you--god dammit, do you have any clue what that would have done to you? If that fuckin’ redneck hadn’t come by and stopped him--”

Olivia looked down, feeling pricks of water come up in her eyes. Between the terror of the attack, and Negan’s displeasure, she felt herself breaking down. She tried to will the tears back, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. “I-I’m sorry, I…” Her voice cracked. 

Negan gave a frustrated sigh, then pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “Don’t cry, Kitten,” he soothed. He stroked a hand through her hair. “I shouldn’t be mad at you for what that fucker did.”

She whimpered softly, burying her face in his chest and his scent. Cedar, leather, musk, whiskey. It was soothing to have an Alpha so near, so protective. Even if he was still angry with her. “I… I forgot for a minute. That things weren’t normal.”

“Yeah, I know. And it sucks.” He took her shoulders, pushing her back gently so he could look down at her. “But I am pissed you broke the rules. And I am going to do something about it.”

“Y-yes, sir,” she said softly, hunching her shoulders. Well, it was fair. He’d warned her after all. “Are you gonna put me in a cell?”

“No, I don’t guess so,” he said gruffly. “I have half a fuckin’ mind to put you over my knee, but…” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, looking tired. “I’ll figure it out. In the meantime I’m marching you to the infirmary to apologize to Doc Carson for tricking him. And to make sure he understands exactly how serious I am about you having an escort.”

She swallowed nervously and nodded. She hadn’t wanted to get Carson in trouble, and she felt bad about it. Being taken to the infirmary like a kid being made to apologize for a broken window just made her feel even worse.

Carson was cleaning up the remains of bandages when they entered and looked up, surprised. 

“Doc,” Negan said, surprisingly pleasantly. He nudged Olivia forward. “Livvy here has something to say to you.”

Mustering what she could of her dignity, she took a breath. “I… I’m sorry. I led you to believe my escort was here when I left and they weren’t. I… I shouldn’t have done that and I won’t do it again.”

Doctor Carson looked nervous about the whole thing, and glanced up at Negan. “Sir, I was stitching and didn’t--”

Negan waved a hand. “Yeah, she told me. That’s why she’s here apologizing instead of me coming in here pissed. But I don’t figure we’re going to have a repeat of any part of this, are we?”

“No, sir,” Carson replied, his voice tense. “Absolutely not.” 

Negan grinned. “Good man,” he said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’ll have to do for yourself tomorrow, Liv’s in trouble so she ain’t gonna be here. Also, come to the furnace room in an hour. I got some things to say to everyone.”

The doctor nodded. Olivia gave him another apologetic look as Negan propelled her out the door.

They walked in silence for a moment before he spoke again. “What I’m gonna do to David ain’t going to be pretty,” he said finally. 

“I remember Kevin,” she said softly. 

“This one’s gonna be different,” he said. “I’m gonna make an example of him. Because apparently some folks need a refresher course. You can stay in your room if you want.”

She considered it. She wanted no part in the violence she knew was coming. And if Negan said it wasn’t going to be pretty, even after what she’d seen with Kevin, she knew it was going to be bad. At the same time, the reason he was going to make an example of David was because he attacked her. If she hid in her room it would make her look even more powerless. 

“You said everyone except the kids,” she said. “And he’s being punished because of what he did to me. If I don’t show up it’ll look bad for both of us.”

He glanced down at her. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “But I know you don’t like seeing that sort of thing. Or seeing me like that.”

She nodded a little, fidgeting with her necklace. “I don’t. But you’re doing what you have to do, and so will I.”

Negan paused, pulling her to him and kissing her hair. “That’s my tiny little badass.”

He escorted her up to the wives’ suite. Sherry stood the moment they entered, and on seeing Olivia’s face, pulled her into a protective hug. 

“You’ve been crying,” she said, and frowned at Negan. 

“She’s all right,” he said, ruffling Olivia’s hair gently. “A dumb shit thought he’d get away with grabbing her. He got caught, but she’s a little shaken up.”

Sherry’s expression darkened. “Is that who you’re going to have in the furnace room?” she asked. Apparently the summons had already gone out.

“Yeah,” Negan said. 

“Good,” she replied, coolly. 

Negan left her in Sherry’s charge. She was nervous as they walked to the furnace room, all the wives together in their black dresses, and her like a mismatched wineglass. The entire population of Sanctuary seemed to be there, pulled together in little knots of families or friends or workmates. Apparently this sort of meeting wasn’t unheard of, but oftentimes it was in smaller groups. 

The furnace was roaring, the big door open and glowing orange, the air wavering with heat. She could feel it even from a distance. Despite the large room and high ceilings, she imagined it could get stifling if it were left going for too long. 

Negan wasn’t there yet, but they didn’t have long to wait. He appeared above, on the metal catwalk, clanging Lucille on the handrails like an alarm. She almost forgot to kneel with everyone else, but quickly did so when she felt the motion of the crowd. 

He let them stay that way for a long moment. It was a display of dominance, as well as to build anticipation and dread. The atmosphere was tense, and no one dared make a sound. 

“On your feet,” Negan called from above. He watched everyone rise, his expression hard. “I called you all here, because it seems that some of you may be unclear on some of the rules here.”

There was a soft, nervous murmur from the assembled crowd. 

“You know, you’d think some shit would be fuckin’ obvious, but I guess there are always the assholes who think they don’t gotta abide by the rules. So I’m gonna make it crystal fuckin’ clear. We are trying to rebuild society here. This ain’t some lawless fuckin’ wild west shit. We’re here to protect people. That’s why we’re the Saviors. That’s why we’re Sanctuary.”

He slammed Lucille on the handrail again, the metallic sound ringing out like a gong. 

“So when I say rape is against the rules, and when I say Omegas aren’t yours for the taking, I fucking mean it !” he roared. 

A couple of his men dragged a whimpering David into the cleared space in front of the open furnace. His knee was useless, buckling as soon as they let him go. Olivia didn’t realize she was half huddling against Sherry, until the other woman’s hand closed around hers, squeezing reassuringly. 

Negan took his time walking down the stairs, the tread of his boots echoing in a room that had gone silent except for David’s half-garbled pleas for mercy. After an eternity, Negan was standing over him.

She thought he might say something else, but he didn’t. Negan swung the bat fast and low, taking David in the jaw and sending a spray of blood across the concrete. More blows followed, the crack of bones and David’s screams echoing off the walls. He wasn’t quick, like he’d been with Kevin. There was no merciful killing strike. 

Olivia huddled against Sherry, trembling. The other wives clung to one another, eyes full of horror and fear. The entire room seemed stunned and terrified by the bloody display. Except for Daryl. She saw him, across the room, expressionless, staring at her.

She knew the worst was coming when Negan grabbed the broken man off the floor. His face was a blood spattered mask of anger. His jacket had worked its way open during the beating, his white shirt stained red. With strength fueled by anger, he shoved the beaten man into the furnace.

The screaming didn’t last long. She was glad about that at least.

Negan turned to the silent crowd, his chest heaving with the effort and his own fury. 

“Anyone got any questions?” he asked, his voice hard and cold. 

No one did. 

 

Notes:

This was a long one! I hope everyone enjoyed! Thanks for reading!

Also I love comments so thanks to everyone who's posted comments <3

(I'm a Leo, I love attention!!)

Chapter 10: 9--The Hermit

Summary:

In the aftermath of the David incident, Olivia serves her punishment, and has a long time to think.

Notes:

The Hermit suggests that you are in a phase of introspection where you are drawing your attention inwards and looking for answers within. You are in need of a period of inner reflection, away from the current demands of your position.

 

She was still trembling a little when they got back to the suite. Sherry poured glasses of brandy for all five of them, handing them out and insisting they drink. Frankie looked sick. Amy and Tanya were pale and shaken. Olivia took a great gulp out of her glass, the burn down her throat a welcome distraction. 

Sherry stroked Olivia’s hair gently. “You okay?” she asked softly.

Olivia nodded. “I think so,” she said, though her voice was still unsteady. 

“It’s been a hard day,” Sherry said. “Do you think you can sleep?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, resting her head on Sherry’s shoulder. “I think so.” She bit her lip. “Is it bad that I’m glad he’s dead?”

“He tried to hurt you, so no, I’d say that’s pretty fair.”

Olivia nodded. “I… don’t think it was his first time doing that kind of thing. If Negan hadn’t… done that… it probably wouldn’t be his last.”

Sherry kissed her hair. “It’s a hard world now. At least Negan has rules.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I just wish I didn’t have to have so many,” she said glumly. 

“Maybe one day you won’t, but for now, well. Like he said, it’s a bit wild west nowadays. Some folks will pull together, but others are going to take the opportunity to do whatever they want.”

Olivia sighed, and was about to reply when there was a knock at the door, followed by Negan entering. 

He’d cleaned up, she was glad for that. The blood was gone from his face, and he had on a fresh shirt and jeans. His usual grin was still missing. If anything, he looked tired. 

“Hey, ladies,” he said. 

They all greeted him, their voices a bit quiet and reserved. Negan didn’t seem to be particularly concerned about that. Instead he trudged in, sitting down heavily on the couch next to Olivia. He seemed almost hesitant to get too close to her, as if he thought she might be afraid of him now. 

Part of her was a little unsettled. His rage, the violence, the coldness with which he’d beaten and killed David. It was a side of him she had an idea of after their first meeting, but seeing it was much more visceral. 

Even so, he was the same man who kissed her forehead so gently, and told her he’d keep her safe. 

She shifted so that she was leaning against him and he smiled, wrapping an arm around her. 

“Frankie, doll, get me a drink, would ya?” he asked. The other redhead nodded quickly, going to the bar and pouring a generous portion of golden whiskey.

He took a sip appreciatively, playing a hand through Olivia’s hair. “Now, we’ve had a bit of a rough day all around, so I’m gonna let you girls rest for the night. Have a little drink, get a nice bath, all that shit.” He looked down at Olivia, a bit more seriously. “You are still in trouble, Kitten. I’ll come get you in the morning. Don’t wear anything nice.” 

She was a little puzzled by his instructions but nodded. She wasn’t about to argue with him, though she was a little anxious about what he might decide was an appropriate punishment for her disobeying his rules. He didn’t seem angry anymore at least, and that was her main concern. He’d said he wasn’t going to put her in a cell, so she had no idea what she was in for.

Despite her worries and the gruesome display that evening, Olivia fell asleep almost immediately when she got into bed. Her dreams were restless, full of paths between buildings that never seemed to end or lead to anything familiar. She woke disoriented at first, before she recognized the sound of knocking at her door. Yawning, she sat up as the door opened and Negan leaned in, grinning at her. 

“G’mornin’, Kitten. Come on and get some breakfast,” he said. He seemed to be in a good mood again, at least. 

She nodded, trying to smooth down her hair. “Y-yeah. Coming,” she mumbled. 

Negan chuckled. “Remember, don’t wear anything nice today.”

Olivia shrugged a little. “I… don’t really have anything nice.”

He paused, thoughtfully. “Well, guess we’ll have to do something about that later. But for now, get dressed. Daylight’s burnin’.” 

Still puzzled and somewhat concerned, she did as he told her, pulling on a pair of worn but serviceable jeans, and a tee shirt before going out to join him for breakfast. 

Sherry and Frankie were already up, Tanya and Amy wandering out of their rooms just after Olivia did. Breakfast was somewhat subdued, with most of them still a little shaken from the night before, but Negan didn’t seem to mind. If nothing else the food was good, though all too soon Negan beckoned her to follow him. 

She figured it wasn’t the time to try arguing, so she obediently trailed after him as he led the way through Sanctuary. She recognized much of the journey as heading toward his office, though they passed that, moving a bit deeper into the building. It wasn’t anywhere she’d been before, and the halls were sparsely populated. She bit her lip nervously as they finally came to a door and he produced a key from his pocket to unlock it. He pushed it open and gestured for her to enter. 

It was a large room, dominated by a huge bed. A few shelves stood against one wall, as well as a dresser, a wardrobe, and a mirror. He even had a loveseat in one corner, facing a TV. There were rugs on the concrete floors, and a doorway that led to a large bathroom. Blinking, she realized she was in Negan’s bedroom. She looked up at him apprehensively. 

“Alright, Kitten,” he said, looking down at her. “I decided on what your punishment’s gonna be.” 

“I-is this your room?” she asked, glancing around. It looked like him somehow. Masculine, done up in dark wood and metal and shades of red and brown. More tellingly, his scent clung to the room, just on the edge of her perception, making it seem as though he was everywhere.

“Yup,” he replied.He made a gesture toward one corner, and for the first time she noticed what was there; a broom, mop, bucket, rags, and an array of cleaning products. “You’re going to clean every inch of this room and the bathroom,” he told her. “Laundry will come up around ten to take the sheets and towels and give you fresh ones. I expect everything to be scrubbed, dusted, the bed made, the towels hung up and the rugs shaken.”

It wasn’t what she expected. She looked up at him. “Are you just gonna sit here and watch me?”

Negan chuckled, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “If I were, I’d have a cute lil’ maid outfit for you,” he teased, grinning wolfishly. “But no, I got shit to do. Somebody’ll bring you some lunch, and I’ll come get you for dinner. Don’t dawdle, ‘cause if you don’t get done you’re comin’ back tomorrow.”

She glanced around the suite. It wasn’t messy by any means, but there was dust on the shelves, scuffs on the floor, other signs of being lived in. It was also large, so cleaning everything, including the wide windows she assumed she’d be shaking the rugs out of, would take some time. And, she realized, he was going to leave her alone all day to work. She sighed.

“Now, don’t you pout,” he said, ruffling her hair. “You know damn well what you did to get here, and I want you to remember that there are much bigger and messier bathrooms you could be cleaning. Just in case you decide the rules don’t apply to you again.”

He was right, and she really couldn’t muster an argument. It was just so frustrating to have to be baby-sat constantly. She sighed and nodded. “Yes, sir,” she said, resigned. 

Negan chuckled, his hand sliding over her hair to the back of her neck to pull her closer. “That’s a good girl,” he said, and laid a kiss on her forehead. She felt her cheeks redden. 

He released her, heading to the door, but raising an admonishing finger. “Now, I expect good work out of you, Kitten. Don’t disappoint me.”

“I won’t,” she promised.

And then she was left in his room alone. 

Looking around again, she knew she had her work cut out for her, particularly if he expected her to mop all the floors. It was a big room, and the bathroom was likewise generous. The best room in Sanctuary, she imagined. Now that she took a closer look, he had a stereo system and a collection of CDs he probably wouldn’t mind her listening to while she worked. The windows overlooked the garden, which was nice, and the day was warm and sunny. She supposed things could be worse. She tied her hair back, turned on some music, and got to work. 

The first task she decided on was stripping the bed. It was piled with feather pillows and a down comforter, and the sheets were so soft she was tempted to climb in. His scent clung to them strongly, warm and comforting musk, leather, whiskey, and cedar. It made her body respond, a little longing stirring low and deep. Her heat was still some time off, but holding his scent so close was still arousing.

Unfortunately, as she pulled the sheets off, his scent became mingled with another. She recognized Frankie’s perfume. 

She wasn’t jealous, she reminded herself, stuffing the sheets into the waiting hamper. She still intended to refuse Negan the next time he came to her with one of his little proposals. 

Maybe she’d even choose Daryl instead. Oh, Negan would hate that for certain, but, well. If he really respected her and she insisted…

She pushed the thought out of her mind. She knew nothing about Daryl, other than he was an Alpha, and that he despised Negan for some reason. Likely it had something to do with why he was on the punishment duty. Perhaps they’d fought for dominance over Sanctuary? On the face of it leaving a rival for leadership alive seemed a poor choice, but Negan must have respected him. That would make his comments about Daryl joining the winning team make sense. After all, at some point you had to stop just killing everyone who pissed you off, didn’t you? Even so, the hate in Daryl’s eyes was deadly serious. Even for an Alpha like Negan, that seemed dangerous.

Clearly there was more to the story she hadn’t sussed out yet. For some reason she was reluctant to ask Negan about it. She couldn’t very well ask Daryl, as she was sure no one was going to let her get close enough again. She tried to tell herself that perhaps it was better that she didn’t know, but that rang false. More information led to better decisions, after all. She wondered if Negan would even tell her anything if she asked. 

As she worked, another thought troubled her. She couldn’t be too far off from going into heat. 

She’d been lucky to find suppressants for the first while of the apocalypse, but that luck had run out some time ago. She’d hidden herself away in basements and attics, stayed away from Alphas, anything to keep herself safe when they’d hit. She’d half-drowned herself in icy streams, and cried herself to sleep with the cramps and the fevers. 

Now that she was in Sanctuary she was safe, Negan had promised her that. On the other hand, she had an Alpha there, ready and willing to protect her. Getting pregnant was probably a bad idea, all things considered, but she knew Doctor Carson had plenty of contraceptives. There were, however, no suppressants. She’d asked about it, but apparently Negan didn’t want them scavenged on runs, and so they weren’t.

It would be so much easier to give in. Accept Negan as a mate, stay safe and cared for. She was an Omega; that was rare, but how long until the novelty wore off? He had four other women to choose from, and could easily get more besides. And there she would be, bonded to him and unable to do anything but lap up whatever scraps of affection he would give. 

She had a little time to think on it before her heat hit. Maybe she could even find some way to talk to Daryl again. Negan at least gave lip service to giving her some freedom. She supposed she might put it to the test. It was a fair bet he wouldn’t like her interest in the other Alpha. Honestly it wasn’t even a question. He was already possessive, and showing interest in another wouldn’t look good for his standing in Sanctuary. And it probably wouldn’t do Daryl much good to have that sort of attention from Negan.

The time passed quickly as she worked, contemplating her situation, and before long she’d shaken out the last rugs, and smoothed the last wrinkles from his bed. The open windows brought fresh air into the suite, and let her hear the birds outside and the calls of people out in the garden. She’d turned off the stereo because someone was playing a violin outside, and the music drifted in along with singing. She wished she could go out with the others.

Still, she’d finished up with plenty of time before Negan got her for dinner, and she was feeling a bit grungy after all the mopping and scrubbing. Surely he wouldn’t begrudge her a bath. 

Sherry had been right when she’d told Olivia that Negan usually had hot water. Rather than the generally anemic warmth in the wive’s suite, the water that chugged into Negan’s tub steamed delightfully. It was almost too warm when she first sank into it, but quickly became pleasant. The tub was large enough she could stretch out her legs, and she folded a towel to cushion her head, sinking up to her neck in the warm water. How long had it been since she’d had a properly hot bath? Perhaps one day Negan would let her bring some bubble bath in. Sighing, she closed her eyes, luxuriating in the heat. 

She didn’t realize she’d dozed off. The bath had unknotted tense muscles, relaxed her back. With the towel cushioning her head, it was all too easy to drift. 

The next thing she knew the water had cooled off a lot, and Negan was standing in the doorway, rapping his knuckles on the frame.

“Made yourself at home, huh, Kitten?” he asked. His grin was wicked and his eyes were not on her face. 

Olivia squealed, folding her knees to her chest. “N-Negan. I just wanted to… wash off…”

He chuckled, his tongue darting out to moisten his lips as he appraised her. “Mmm, well. Normally I’d want you to ask first, but I’d say I got a bit out of the deal too.” He winked, teasingly. 

The heat in her cheeks had little to do with the now cooled bathwater. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long, but you can’t blame me for enjoying the view for a second,” he drawled. “If you want I could always return the favor.”

Summoning as much dignity as she could, she picked up the towel she’d been using as a pillow. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get dressed.”

Negan grinned, tongue flashing over his lips again. “Alright, Kitten. I’ll be right outside.”

He took his time turning around, making no effort to hide the way he was looking at her; as if she was something he was contemplating devouring. She didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until he closed the door behind him. 

Olivia sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face. It would be impossible to talk to him about anything serious, let alone another Alpha, now. He’d be teasing and flirting all evening, and making sly comments about her tits. She couldn’t believe she’d let herself wind up in that position. 

At the same time, there was a small part of her that was at least a tiny bit pleased at the effect she had on him. Even if it hadn’t exactly been planned. 

Sighing, she climbed out of the water and toweled off, pulling her clothes back on before going back out into Negan’s bedroom. There was no sense in trying to delay the inevitable.

He was closing the windows as she came out, her hair damp around her shoulders. He grinned wolfishly. 

“Well, I had a look around. Can’t accuse you of slacking off,” he said. 

“It wasn’t exactly messy to begin with,” she admitted.

Negan chuckled. “Yeah, but I figured this was more constructive than sticking you in a cell or something. Needs to be done, and I could be damn sure where you were and that you were safe.” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not going to have to escalate this, am I, Kitten? You’re not gonna decide the rules don’t apply to you again, are you?”

Olivia looked down, shaking her head. “No, Negan.” Part of her wanted to argue for more freedom, but she knew if she got stubborn just then it wouldn’t help. She had to be patient.

“Good girl,” he said, ruffling her hair. “Come on, let’s go get some dinner.” He looped an arm around her shoulders, leading her to the door. “And by the way,” he said casually.

She arched an eyebrow at him. 

Negan grinned wolfishly. “Great tits.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’m not hearing the end of that anytime soon, am I?”

He laughed, kissing her hair. “Come on, doll. You gotta give me the one. I’m only human.”

“The one,” she allowed. “Any more than that and I’m gonna kick your ass.”

Negan grinned at her. “Damn, one afternoon on your own and you get all feisty.”

“I’m always feisty, remember?” she smirked. “I just had to save it up all day today.”

“Just for me? I’m touched,” he grinned, ruffling her hair. “Now come on, I’m starving. Less talky more walky.” 

She couldn’t help smiling as she followed him. 

He really was charming when he wanted to be.

Notes:

Hi, all, sorry to be slow adding chapters, it's kind of a weird time to be working in a hospital as you can imagine. I'm a nurse in psychiatry so not dealing directly with the virus so far, but that's pretty up in the air with the way it's spreading. Everyone wash your hands, try not to touch your face, and practice social distancing. Be safe, and thanks so much for reading. <3

Chapter 11: 10--Wheel of Fortune

Summary:

After her embarrassing incident, Olivia is dismayed that Negan has to leave for a few days.
What could go wrong in a few days?

Notes:

A common aspect to most interpretations of this card within a reading is to introduce an element of change in the querent's life, such change being in station, position or fortune: such as the rich becoming poor, or the poor becoming rich.

Negan at least didn’t say anything in front of Sherry or the others about her inadvertent nudity, though he was annoyingly cheerful during dinner. He was all jokes and grins and teasing, and Olivia tried her best to huff and roll her eyes but was unable to hide her amusement. Despite her embarrassment in the moment, she couldn’t help but feel at least a little flattered by his flirting. 

Sherry noticed his extra attention and quirked an eyebrow at her, glancing at her neck, but said nothing. Olivia shrugged, hoping the other woman didn’t catch the blush that crept into her cheeks. Her amusement with Negan aside, she wasn’t sure she wanted to admit what happened.

When it came time for him to leave, Negan tipped her face up with one hand, his eyes warm and full of good humor. “Want to come back to my room? Have another hot bath?” he asked, winking. 

She was tempted. She genuinely liked Negan. He was good to her, he kept her safe, and lord knew she was attracted to him. But she could still hear the others giggling and chatting further in the suite, and she shook her head. “Mm, I better not,” she said.

Negan chuckled, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. “You stick to your guns, I gotta respect that, but you know I gotta try. Go get some rest, I expect you back to work at the infirmary tomorrow. And I expect you to be good from here on out. Don’t think for one second I won’t make you scrub a communal bathroom if you get in trouble again.”

Olivia smiled a bit, ducking her head. “I know, I know. I’ll be good. Promise.”

“That’s my girl,” he replied with a grin. “I’ll see ya tomorrow.”

Once they’d said their goodnights, she headed back to her room. She’d barely gotten down the hallway before Sherry and Frankie popped out of their rooms. 

Sherry leaned on her doorway, arms crossed, an amused smile on her face. “Well, he must not have been too hard on you,” she observed.

Frankie shrugged a little, apologetically. “We were… well, not worried exactly, we knew Negan wouldn’t hurt you or anything, but we didn’t know what he actually was going to do. I thought he might have you in a cell overnight or something.”

Olivia shook her head. “He made me clean his room and bathroom. Windows, tub, the whole nine. Not terrible but pretty boring. I screw up again and he’s threatened me with scrubbing communal bathrooms. I think I’m sufficiently deterred.” She shrugged, chuckling. 

“I knew he’d be soft on you,” Sherry said, smiling slightly. “But it’s good to hear you’re not going to take that as permission to ignore the rules.”

“No,” Olivia sighed. “Honestly the worst part was him marching me back to apologize to Doctor Carson. I felt awful for tricking him. I could have gotten him in trouble too.”

Frankie winced a little. “Yeah. Negan would not have gone easy on him.” She shrugged a little, giving Olivia a smile. “But, important thing is you’re okay.”

Olivia hesitated, glancing between them. She couldn’t talk to Negan about some things, of course, but Sherry and Frankie, well. She could trust them, right? 

She bit her lip. “I… there was an Alpha that attacked David,” she ventured. “I-in a gray sweatsuit. Negan called him Daryl? I guess he’s on punishment duty or something? Or was a rival?”

Sherry frowned, as did Frankie. They exchanged a glance. Clearly they knew something.

“That’s…” Frankie began, and trailed off, looking at Sherry.

“He’s from another settlement,” Sherry said simply. “They attacked one of Sanctuary’s outposts and killed a lot of people. Negan had to deal with them.”

It wasn’t the answer she’d expected. Daryl had run from his handlers to protect her, hadn’t he? It didn’t seem like the action of a man who’d attack an outpost without provocation. Had he been fighting to keep her safe, or to keep her for himself? It didn’t seem likely, considering he was a prisoner; he’d never have gotten away with grabbing her, not with his keeper chasing him. She might have thought he’d done it to make himself look good for Negan, except that what Negan said indicated that the offer to join Sanctuary had been on the table for a while and Daryl had rejected it. 

She’d gotten used to Negan. She’d become accustomed to his smiles, and his teasing, the gentle pats on her head and the care he showed her. She’d known his reputation, the one that frightened Kevin enough he tried to buy Negan’s favor by offering her as a gift. She’d seen what he’d done to Kevin, and to David. She wasn’t naive enough to think they were the only people he’d killed so brutally.

She swallowed, looking down. “O-oh,” she said softly. 

“He wants Daryl as a savior but, well. As I understand it, things got pretty nasty. I don’t think Daryl’s going to bend, and I know Negan’s not going to,” Sherry said. She sighed, taking Olivia’s shoulders and rubbing up and down her arms comfortingly. “It’s a hard world, sweetie. I wish I could say he was just a bad guy, or a rival. But he’s a man trying to survive and keep himself and his safe, just like Negan. And it got ugly when that clashed.”

Olivia nodded, not quite trusting her voice. It seemed so unfair that everyone couldn’t work together. She knew Negan wasn’t blameless. He had a reputation for a reason. If he didn’t, though, where would they be? They were safe because Negan was feared. And he was feared because he did ugly things when he needed to. 

“Hey, come on,” Frankie said, squeezing her shoulders. “Maybe since he helped you out, something good will come of it.”

The smile Sherry put on said she didn’t agree, but she nodded anyway. “Well, there’s nothing to be done about it tonight,” she said. “The important thing is that you’re all right.” She hugged Olivia, and then gave her a gentle push toward her room. “Get some rest. If you’re late to work Negan’s going to have you playing Cinderella again.”

She couldn’t help a small chuckle at that, and nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Frankie tugged a lock of her hair. “G’night, Livvy. It’ll be better tomorrow.”

Saying her goodnights, Olivia went back to her room, managing to fall into a restless sleep, dreaming of running down endless alleyways between buildings, the sound of Daryl and Negan fighting each other always just ahead. 

Unfortunately the morning proved Frankie wrong.

Negan arrived with breakfast as usual, but all of them could see immediately that he was in a mood. The lines of his mouth were tight, and he was restless. He didn’t seem angry, really, more annoyed than anything. No one seemed inclined to say anything, Tanya and Amy keeping quiet, and Frankie and Sherry pretending nothing was going on. Olivia figured if she wanted to know, she’d probably have to ask. 

He sighed, ruffling Olivia’s hair when she came to sit down next to him. “Mornin’, Kitten,” he grumbled.

She raised an eyebrow. “You okay?” she asked. “You seem grouchy.”

Frankie widened her eyes at Olivia, probably surprised at her temerity, but Negan chuckled. 

“Well, that would be because I am,” he said, and sighed. “I got some reports back early this morning, and apparently there’s several pains in my ass I gotta take care of.”

Olivia bit her lip, pausing as she filled her plate. “Did something happen last night?”

He shook his head. “Couple days ago at one of the settlements. I swear sometimes I wonder how these people take a shit without me fuckin’ there to help them with their pants,” he growled. “So, shit went pear-shaped and I gotta go in to straighten it out.”

Olivia winced a bit, not wanting to speculate on what that might entail. 

Sherry nodded. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” she said. 

Negan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Poetic fuckin’ way to say it, but the short version is I gotta take an annoying as hell trip for a few days.”

“I don’t suppose it’s something you can delegate,” Olivia ventured.

Negan frowned at that. “Not this time, Kitten. It’s going to need a personal touch. Probably from Lucille.” He paused, considering her a moment. “But maybe after I get back… I know you’ve been feeling cooped up as hell. We’re due to pick up supplies at the Kingdom before long.” He grinned. “Wanna pet a tiger?”

Olivia stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. “A tiger? As in, giant stripy alive 800 pounds of cat?”

He chuckled, taking a sip of coffee. “Yeah, all that shit. I’d bring ‘er back for you but I’d have to bring Ezekiel too since he’s the only one that can control the damn thing, and I’m not doing that. Still, we ask all nice, I’m sure he’d let you pet her.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “I can’t tell if you’re teasing me or not.”

“Well, guess you’ll have to wait and see,” he grinned, pulling her to him and kissing her hair. “Eat your breakfast and get to work. I’ll stop by before we head out and say goodbye.”

She hated to see him go that afternoon. She always felt a bit safer with him at Sanctuary, and she liked his visits for breakfast and dinner. More than that, though, she had a bad feeling about the trip.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. The feeling of dread grew from a tiny seed into a roiling mass of butterflies by the time Negan came to say goodbye, intense enough that he’d asked with some concern what was wrong. Olivia knew she was just being silly, but couldn’t help making him promise, several times over, that he’d be careful. 

He left with his usual grin, promising he’d bring her back something nice. 

She tried to keep busy the rest of the day, and the next. The feeling of worry never quite left her, and she pestered the occasional Savior for news when they came to the infirmary. Negan had estimated a trip of three days or so, but it was always hard to put a solid timeline on things after the apocalypse. 

Her gut feeling got even worse when she left work that evening and found Simon waiting for her. She recognized his heavy mustache and slightly receding hairline immediately, though it took a moment to realize he intended to be her escort. 

He smiled brightly. “Hey there. The boss has me looking after the place while he’s gone. I know he likes you walked home after work, so I figured I’d take the opportunity to come say hi.”

His tone was reasonably friendly, but his eyes were as hard and hungry as ever. His scent wasn’t entirely unpleasant; fresh cut lumber, rain, the tang of oranges, but underneath that there was something sharp and metallic, like a handful of pennies.

She couldn’t see any way to refuse, so she nodded. “Oh, okay, thank you. I was expecting Sherry or Arat,” she ventured.

Simon chuckled, sauntering too close to her. “Ah, well, Arat went on the run with Negan. And I told Sherry to take it easy. Figured I’d take the opportunity to get acquainted. Boss has been keeping you either busy in the infirmary or all to himself.” He paused, glancing back as Dr. Carson came to the door to be sure she had an escort. Simon grinned, giving the older man a wave. “Hey, doc. I’ll take it from here.”

Doctor Carson frowned slightly, glancing from Simon to Olivia uncertainly. She knew he wanted to object, but in Negan’s absence, Simon was in charge. In the end the older man nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Olivia,” he said, and withdrew, leaving her alone with Simon.

“Shall we?” Simon said pleasantly, inclining his head toward the route back to the main building.

Seeing no alternative but to try to bolt, which would in no way end well, she nodded.

He was quiet for the first few minutes as they walked across the yard. Olivia glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Daryl, or even one of Negan’s Saviors that she trusted more, but luck was not on her side.

“So,” Simon said casually, putting a hand on top of her head like she was a pet dog. “You gotta have the boss wrapped around your little finger, huh? What he did to David,” he shook his head and whistled. 

It felt like a trap, and she shrugged. “As I understand it, David broke the rules.”

Simon barked a laugh. “Well, yeah, but shit. Usually Negan would just kill his ass, but that was a whole dramatic presentation.” He glanced down at her, patting her head and thankfully removing his hand. 

Olivia shrugged again. “I guess he wanted to make a point.”

“Sure, sure. Gotta do that occasionally. People get complacent, start breaking the rules. Gotta show ‘em where they stand once in a while.” He opened the door for her, ushering her inside. She hoped he would wander off, but he seemed to want to take her all the way back to the suite. “It’s easy to forget your place sometimes,” he continued. 

She began to suspect where that line of conversation was heading, and chose only to nod. She’d be back at the suite soon and rid of him.

“Yeah, and, well. The boss is the boss. He can bestow favor on whoever he wants,” Simon went on. Clearly he enjoyed the sound of his own voice. “But he does get bored, y’know? I guess that’s why he collects up wives like he does.”

The comment stung. She liked Sherry and Frankie, and was at least civil with Tanya and Amy, but she couldn’t deny that seeing Negan with them was part of the reason she was holding back from getting closer to him. “Maybe,” she replied. 

“But hey, listen to me goin’ on and on. You haven’t said two words yet, sweet thing,” he said, looking down at her expectantly.

“You seemed to be fine handling the conversation yourself,” she said, before she could think better of it.

Simon’s eyes narrowed and he gave a short huff of irritated laughter. “Well, listen to you. You mouth off to Negan that way?” he asked, his voice hard.

Afraid he would see the lie if she told it, she looked away and shook her head.

“That’s what I thought,” he said. “You’d best learn to mind your manners around Alphas, little Omega.” He caught her shoulder, stopping her, forcing her to look up at him, his dark eyes sharp. “Especially the Alpha in charge while Negan’s gone,” he said.

There was no one else in the corridor, and they were too far from the suite for her to try to outpace him and run for Sherry. She swallowed thickly. “I-I’m sorry,” she said softly. 

Simon’s face split with a wide smile, and he patted her on the cheek, just a little too hard. “There we go, that’s a good girl! I’d hate to have to toss you in a cell until Negan gets back. We don’t wanna disappoint him, now do we?”

“No, Alpha,” she said softly. Her heart was pounding. She could scent the aggression on him. Everything in his look and body language said he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her if she pushed back.

“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?” he purred, laying a hand on her shoulder, his grip not tight enough to be painful, but enough to remind her that it could be easily. He started walking again, propelling her through the corridors.

“So, as I was saying,” he said, as if nothing had happened. “You’re still new here, and I don’t guess you’ll really get how things work all at once. That’s fine. But, you know, someone ought to show you the ropes a little more.”

She glanced up at him. “Negan’s shown me around,” she began.

“Yeah, I’m sure, but it never hurts to know a little more,” he said. “And like I said, wouldn’t mind spending a little time with you myself.”

They were almost to the suite. She glanced up at him, hoping her look was innocent. “I’m sure you’re busy, though. Especially with Negan gone.”

Simon smiled, squeezing her shoulder. “Oh, don’t you worry about that, sweet pea. We make time for things that are important. I’ll pick you up after work tomorrow, huh? I know you’ve never eaten in the cafeteria with the rest of us, that’ll be fun, yeah?” he winked.

She didn’t see any way around it, so she nodded. Hopefully Sherry could help her come up with something before then. “Well, i-if you’re sure it won’t be a problem.”

They’d come to the suite door, finally. Before she could pull it open, Simon leaned casually on it, cutting off her escape route. “Naw, no problem at all, little Omega.”

He crossed his arms, still leaning on the door so she couldn’t open it, and regarded her a long moment. “Y’know, I’m guessing your heat isn’t too far off,” he said. “And I’m guessing Negan’s angling to be the one to take care of that for you.”

Olivia swallowed, not sure what to say to that. He was right, of course, but the situation was a bit more nuanced than that. She doubted he would appreciate her input though.

“But, well. He’s got those other girls. I worry that you’d be neglected, you know?” He reached down, tipping her chin up. She wanted to pull away but didn’t dare. “Sweet little thing like you deserves to have an Alpha’s undivided attention. Now, I’ll grant you, we’d have to work on that mouth a little, but you seem like you’re a smart little cookie. I am unmated at this time, I’m Negan’s second in command, and I wouldn’t make you work in the infirmary all day.” He traced a fingertip down her cheek. “And I got a knot you wouldn’t forget,” he said.

She kept very still, afraid to move. There was an unspoken savagery in him. It was different than Negan, who had the potential for violence, but didn’t vent himself on her. Simon, she was very afraid, would have no problem hurting her if she didn’t do as he liked.

She swallowed, trying to find her voice. “I--I should--”

Simon smirked, stroking his mustache. “Don’t gotta answer now, sweetie. Just think about it a little huh? If you’re a good little Omega, I’ll get you anything you want.” He leaned down, nuzzling into her hair and pulling in a deep breath. “You smell so sweet. I can’t wait to scent you when you’re in heat. Just thinking about it has me half-hard.” Before she could react, he straightened, patting her head again. “All right. See ya tomorrow, Olivia,” he said brightly, and sauntered off down the hall. 

She was trembling when she finally managed to grip the door handle and stumble inside the suite. Sherry was on her feet immediately. 

She took Olivia’s shoulders, her face shot through with worry. “Oh, sweetie, are you okay?” she asked, stroking her hair.

Olivia huddled against the Alpha, burying her nose in the scent of vanilla and cinnamon. “S-Simon…”

“I know,” Sherry said, pulling her to the couch. “I’m sorry. He’s in charge while Negan’s gone. I was afraid of what he had in mind when he said he was going to be your escort. I tried not to let him but…” She frowned. “He threatened to lock me up.”

“We can tell Negan,” Olivia ventured. She held on to Sherry like a lifeline, curling her legs under her. 

“We can. And he’ll tell Simon to be nice, but probably nothing more will come of it,” she sighed. “When Negan’s here he turns all loyal and obsequious. He’s valuable, so Negan never does too much. He knows exactly where the line is. And he’s good at spinning his story so he’s in the right.” Sherry picked up a glass of amber liquid and pressed it into Olivia’s hands. “I shouldn’t be encouraging self medicating, but in this case I think you need it,” she said. 

Olivia sipped the beverage and winced at the burn in her throat. “He… sort of proposed,” she said. “Said he’d be a good mate and--” she shook her head. 

Sherry frowned. “I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be,” she said. “I know Negan’s frightening sometimes but he’s purposeful. Simon… Sometimes I think he’s just sadistic.”

Olivia forced down more of the drink, feeling muscles loosen in her back. “He wants to pick me up and show me around tomorrow. I couldn’t say no.”

“Well, maybe you should be sick tomorrow,” Sherry said. “We’ll think of something.”

“Yeah. I don’t think he’ll do anything. But I still don’t want to be alone with him.” The glass was empty, and Olivia was already feeling the warm pull of alcohol. Not enough to feel drunk, but she was already feeling sleepy. 

“That’s probably a good idea,” Sherry replied. “Come on, hon. Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out. Go ahead and take a nap before dinner, huh?” She gently guided Olivia to relax on the couch, tucking a pillow under her head and covering her with a blanket. Between the alcohol and the quiet, Olivia soon drifted off.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep when she opened her eyes. The sunlight coming through the windows painted the floor an orange-red. It hadn’t been too long, she imagined, considering the west-facing windows, if the sun was setting. She wasn’t immediately sure what woke her, until she heard the murmur of voices at the door.

She recognized Sherry’s voice, and heard a man. Too low to make out any words. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, blinking the sleep away. She heard the door close, and glanced toward Sherry. 

“Mm, was that dinner?” she asked, then froze when she saw Sherry’s face.

The other woman was pale, her expression stricken. 

Every bit of drowsiness left her as she felt the flood of fear wash over her. “Sherry?”

Sherry was wide-eyed. “Livvy… Livvy, honey. They just got word from Negan’s Saviors. The settlement--they attacked the Saviors. A-ambushed them.”

Olivia felt her gut twist. “Ambushed? But… But Negan…”

Sherry’s voice shook. “They-- they’re saying Negan… Negan didn’t make it. 

Notes:

Virus, work, school... I've gotten slowed down in my writing, but hope to be back at it more regularly soon!!!

Chapter 12: 11-Strength

Summary:

With Negan rumored to be dead, Sanctuary is thrown into chaos, and Sherry knows it's only a matter of time until Simon gets around to trying to take everything Negan had...

Notes:

The Strength Tarot card is the Major Arcana card of inner strength. It represents mastering raw emotions in order to bring calm to yourself or a situation. It is similar to the Chariot in that it represents overcoming challenges. However, the Strength card usually refers to inner challenges. Overcoming the obstacles we face in relation to our own doubts, fears and anxieties. In a general context this card indicates that you are learning to master your fears and anxieties, to be courageous and daring. You have all the skills you need to be successful, the focus now is to conquer your inner worries and believe in yourself. Take the time you need to master your emotions, be patient and compassionate with yourself and you will find a new confidence in yourself and your abilities. Strength, as well as being representative of taming your emotions, can also represent taming someone else’s wild ways. This is not done by trying to dominate the other person but by gentle coaxing, positive reinforcement, encouragement and compassion.

Olivia’s mouth went dry. She felt like she’d been dunked suddenly into icy water, stealing all the strength from her limbs. “Didn’t… make it?” she said softly. “That--there has to be a mistake.”

Sherry paced, arms folded tightly, a look of concentration on her face. “It’s not for sure,” she said. “The report is sketchy, so…” She shook her head.

“No, it can’t be right,” Olivia said. “Negan can’t be…” She felt dizzy, nausea threatening in her abdomen. “He can’t.”

Sherry frowned, going to Olivia and crouching down. “Okay, Livvy, I need you to listen,”

She heard the words, but they didn’t quite penetrate the static suddenly filling her ears. “It’s not true. He’s fine. He’s fine, it was a mistake,” she panted, unable to get her breath.

“Livvy,” Sherry said, taking her shoulders.

“He’s going to come home and everything’s going to be okay.”

“Olivia! Listen to me!” The Alpha command tone thrummed in Sherry’s voice, cutting through her racing mind.

She winced, blinking away moisture and meeting Sherry’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m sorry I had to do that, but I really need you to hear me right now,” she said seriously. “I’m going to go get more information.” She held up a hand, cutting off Olivia’s objection. “Frankie and the others will be back soon. You won’t be alone long. Once I know where things stand, I’ll be back.”

Olivia frowned, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t understand,” she said. 

Sherry pushed her hair back gently. “Honey, if people think Negan’s gone, things are going to change, and fast. I want you to be safe.”

She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “But, he’s coming back,” she insisted. “He’s fine.”

“I know, sweetie,” Sherry soothed. “But people may get up to bullshit before that happens. I’m going to go see which way the wind is blowing. Just stay here.”

There wasn’t anything to do but nod.

Sherry cast a worried glance back at her and left. 

Olivia wasn’t sure how long she sat there. She couldn’t quite bring herself to move from where she huddled on the couch, her mind spinning.

Negan couldn’t be dead. It had to be a mistake. Even with an ambush, Negan was much too clever and careful to be caught. His Saviors would have protected him. There were just too many reasons that she couldn’t believe Negan was gone. 

She squeezed the necklace he gave her, her hands trembling. It was a mistake, and he’d come back, just as cocksure as ever, with a laugh about them writing him off so easily.

She flinched when the door opened. Frankie rushed to her side, Amy and Tanya following behind her, looking frightened and confused. 

“You heard?” Frankie said.

Olivia shook her head. “It’s not true.”

Frankie stroked her hair. “Well, no one’s sure yet,” she ventured. 

Olivia shrugged, looking down. “Sherry went to see what’s going on.”

“The news is going fast,” said Tanya. “Everyone’s talking about it. Simon has his hands full getting everything settled down.”

Frankie squeezed Olivia’s shoulder and went to their mini-fridge, bringing her a bottle of water. “Here, sip this. Sherry probably went to find Dwight. He should know more of what’s happening than most people.”

She sipped the water in silence. None of them really knew what to say. It was like the air had been sucked out of the room. A time or two Frankie tried to engage Olivia, asking how she was doing, but the answer never really changed much, and there wasn’t anything to do to help it. 

An eternity later, Sherry came back in, her face grim.

“Simon’s already acting like he owns the place,” she said. “I don’t like it. It’s like he planned for this.” She shook her head. “I guess being second in command he’d have thought about this eventuality, but…”

Olivia frowned. “He picked today to walk me back here,” she said. “When Negan left before he didn’t do that.”

Frankie’s eyes were wide. “You don’t think--”

“It’s too convenient,” Sherry said. “I can’t shake the feeling he has something to do with what happened. I’ll grant you, Negan’s slippery as hell and tough to kill, but even if he escaped it’s going to take time to get back here. Simon can do a lot in that timeframe.”

Sherry took a breath, looking around at them. “Anyone who wants plausible deniability needs to leave the room now, because I’m about to break a lot of rules.”

For a long moment, no one said anything.  Finally, after glancing at Tanya and Amy and receiving nods from them both, Frankie shrugged. “We’ll make it up to Negan later.”

“If he comes back, he’ll probably be pleased. Simon’s going to be pissed. I’m not afraid to deal with that,” Sherry said calmly. “I’m getting Livvy out of here.”

Olivia blinked, looking up. “What?”

“Think about it,” Sherry said. “He wants to have Negan’s throne. One of the biggest statements he could make there is stealing the Omega Negan’s been showing off around Sanctuary.” She gave Olivia an apologetic smile. “Sorry, hon. Hate to put it like that, but--”

Olivia managed a small smile. “I know. He loves showing off.”

“Between what just happened, and his visiting you today, I’m sure Simon is going to try to claim you. He might wait for your heat, or he might not. Either way, you’re not safe here without Negan.” Sherry squeezed Olivia’s shoulder. “Pack up a bag. There are backpacks in the hall closet.”

Olivia put her hand over Sherry’s. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. Simon… he scares me.”

Sherry smiled, showing the tips of white teeth. “He doesn’t scare me, sweetheart. Don’t worry.”

She had no idea what sort of plan Sherry had, but she figured it needed to be taken care of quickly. There wasn’t much in her room to pack aside from her clothes. The novelty of having a bed and regular meals hadn’t worn off enough yet for her to start collecting much. What she did have had mostly come from Negan gifting her little things like a hairbrush, a hand mirror, and a few slightly worn books. It all fit easily into the backpack. She paused before she left the room, wondering if she would ever see it again. Wondering if she would see Sherry and Frankie. Wondering if she would see Negan. She swallowed, closing her hand around the little cat necklace he’d given her. He would want her to be safe. And for now, that meant running. Steeling herself, she turned out the light and closed the door behind her. 

Sherry was waiting for her, holding a small bag that she packed into Olivia’s backpack. “Supplies,” she said. “You probably won’t need too much, but this’ll help out just in case you get delayed.”

“I don’t know where I’m going,” Olivia said nervously. 

“That’s okay. I’m sending you with a guide.” She sighed, cupping Olivia’s cheek. “I think you can trust him. I know you can trust him more than Simon at the very least.”

Olivia was puzzled, but before she could say anything else, Frankie had her enfolded in a hug. “Take care. Be safe, okay?” she said. 

Olivia hugged her back. “I’ll do my best.”

Tanya and Amy were, as usual, less demonstrative, but still squeezed her hands, wishing her luck before Sherry was ushering her out into the corridors.

Sherry moved swiftly and quietly, winding them around a back way Olivia hadn’t been before. She tried to keep up with the taller woman’s stride without jogging. 

“What are we going to do?” she asked. 

“I’ve talked to Dwight,” Sherry said, checking around a corner before motioning her to follow. “He’s going to set up a distraction so we won’t have to deal with any guards.” She pressed a folded sheet of paper into Olivia’s hand. “This is a sketch of the route you should take. There should be minimal guards, if any at all, until you reach the barricade. There are vehicles over there, and it’s far enough away from the main portions of the building no one should hear it if you start an engine.”

When Sherry led her outside, Olivia was surprised at how dark it had become. The sun had sunk below the horizon, leaving only a sublimated glow to the west. The sky above was the rich blue of twilight, a few stars beginning to sparkle. 

“Dwight left at least one weapon over near the barricade. I don’t know how long it’ll take for them to notice the breakout, so you should avoid the main roads. I’m sure he will anyway,” Sherry continued as they crossed the yard. It was a place Olivia didn’t really recognize. She’d seen this side of Sanctuary from a distance, but Negan never took her there. With a jolt she realized it was where she sometimes saw the men in gray sweatsuits.

Olivia looked up at Sherry. “I-is Daryl my guide?” she asked.

Sherry nodded. “He doesn’t know it yet.” She paused, facing Olivia and taking her shoulders firmly. “I’m going to have to help Dwight make sure no one comes down that hallway for a while. You’re going to go in, and find the door with the chalk mark over the knob. The key will be on a nail in the hallway. You tell that man that he’s to take you out of here safely, and get you to somewhere you can hide from Simon. Don’t go with him until he agrees to that. Don’t give him the map or tell him about the weapon unless he gives his word. You understand?”

“Do you think he’ll keep his word?” she asked, though she already thought she knew the answer. He’d risked himself once for her already, after all. 

“Yeah. I think so.” Sherry said. “Go in that door there,” she nodded toward the outcropping of gray concrete wall they’d been headed toward. A dark door stood out against the pale wall. “Go to your left and find the cell.” She took a deep breath and kissed Olivia on the forehead. “Be safe,” she said.

Olivia felt prickles of moisture well up in her eyes. “You too,” she said softly, and wrapped her arms around the Alpha.

Sherry squeezed her tightly, then released her with a little nudge. “Be quick. Distractions only last for so long.”

She hesitated, watching Sherry head off in another direction for a moment before she took a deep, steadying breath. She was scared. Any number of things could go wrong. She could be caught, Daryl could turn on her, they could run into an ambush themselves… But the alternative was sitting and waiting for Simon to decide to come after her. She somehow doubted he would take a no as gracefully as Negan had. 

The corridor she entered was lit much more brightly than she’d been expecting. She’d also been unprepared for the smell. Unwashed bodies, waste, mildew, and the coppery smell of blood mixed into an aroma that almost staggered her. Under all of that she couldn’t detect Daryl’s Alpha scent. Of course, by that same token, it was unlikely a patrolling guard would detect hers either. Trying to breathe shallowly, she moved as quickly and quietly as she could along the hallway, past door after door. Behind some, she heard whimpering, behind others scratching, movement, cursing. The door she found with the smudge of chalk over the knob had only silence behind it. 

As Sherry had told her, there was a keyring on the wall. Her hands shook as she grabbed it, but she forced herself not to freeze up. The door unlocked with a click, and eased open with a quiet grind of hinges. 

In the far corner of the room, Daryl sat up, squinting against the intrusion of light, holding a hand up to shade his eyes. He blinked at her, recognition registering along with puzzlement, and then wariness. “What’re you doin’ here, Red?” he asked, his voice low. 

The risk was enormous for them both. God only knew what had been done to him before now; she wasn’t naive enough to think, after the scent of blood and waste in the air, that the prisoners hadn’t been mistreated here. If they were caught, Simon was unlikely to be merciful to either of them.

Olivia swallowed her fear. Negan had called her a tiny little badass. Maybe it was time to earn the title. 

“I’m getting you out of here,” she said, and was proud her voice barely shook. “And you’re getting me out of Sanctuary. And we’ve got minutes at best to make good on our escape. You in, or am I locking this door and going by myself?”

A little smile played at the corners of Daryl’s mouth and he stood. “Ya put it that way, guess I’m in,” he said. “Let’s get the hell outta Dodge.”

Chapter 13: Illustration--Negan and Olivia's first meeting

Summary:

Commissioned illustration

Notes:

An illustration I commissioned from Elloizius Marcelo ([email protected]). I highly recommend his work!!!

Olivia and Negan

Pic by Elloizius Marcelo ([email protected])

(Couldn't get the image to embed, sorry for the link)

Chapter 14: 12--The Hanged Man

Summary:

Daryl and Olivia escape Sanctuary, and talk a bit on the road to Alexandria.

Rick delivers some unwelcome news.

Notes:

When the Hanged Man appears in a Tarot reading, your projects and activities may be coming to an unexpected and abrupt halt. Don’t keep pushing forward, hoping that more force will drive you to where you want to go. Instead, surrender to the opportunity to pause and view it as your chance to reassess and re-evaluate where you are on your path. Something new is emerging, and you won’t be able to see it unless you allow the time and space for it to come through. The Hanged Man can sometimes reflect that you are feeling stuck or restricted in your life. What is holding you in this ‘stuck’ position? What is preventing you from moving forward? On one level, the Hanged Man is asking you to surrender and let go. Instead of investing in specific outcomes or resisting your current circumstances, accept them and allow yourself to flow with life. On another level, you are being called to change your perspective and shift your energy and may find that separating yourself from your everyday life is helpful, whether it’s going for a walk in nature, going on a retreat or moving to a new country. Change up your routine so you can start to shift your energy and flow more freely again.

Olivia held up a hand as Daryl came toward her, and he paused. 

“You have to promise me you’ll get me out of here. That you’ll take me somewhere safe, and you’re not going to hurt me,” she said, wishing her voice was more firm. 

He frowned slightly. “‘Course I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said. “And yeah. We get out of here, we’ll go someplace safe.” He was clearly puzzled by her request, but he seemed sincere. “Swear to God, if that’s what you want.”

She nodded, stepping back to let him out of the cell. 

He wasn’t as tall as Negan, but he had a powerful build and a predator’s grace about him. He was wary, but there wasn’t any fear in him as he led her down the hallway. He’d barely glanced at the sketch Sherry had given her, but he seemed to know where he was going anyway. She imagined he’d thought out plans for escape long ago. 

They paused at a nondescript room that had a dingy toilet and a disused spigot in one corner, and Daryl tore through some storage lockers on the wall, pulling out a few articles of clothing. He seemed unbothered by her presence, and started stripping his gray sweatsuit off. Olivia blushed, looking away, though not before she saw the scars crisscrossing his back. 

“T-there should be a weapon or two hidden near the gate,” she said, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor. “And Sherry said they were going to try to distract the guards. I think they have a vehicle or two near the gate, and it’s far enough away they might not hear anything.”

“We gotta be quick,” he said. She heard the zip of jeans and looked back at him. He’d pulled on some nondescript clothes; a plain shirt and pants, a baseball cap pulled down low. He was tightening the laces on a pair of shoes that looked a bit too big on him. “Keep close and quiet.” He stood, motioning her to follow him. 

It was full dark when they emerged outside, and happily, she didn’t see anyone nearby. Daryl led the way to the spot indicated in Sherry’s sketch, and Olivia was relieved to see that there was indeed a stash of weapons there--Daryl shoved a pistol in his waistband, and grabbed up a long metal pipe. He handed her a large hunting knife in a leather sheath and she clipped it to her waist. She preferred to avoid fighting when she could, but all things considered it was probably best she had something to defend herself with. 

It wasn’t far to the gate and no alarms were going off, but Daryl moved fast and all she could do was try to keep up. As they darted to a few motorcycles parked in a row near their exit, Olivia thought they’d slip away entirely unnoticed.

Then, someone came around the corner. 

He was a heavyset man, one she’d seen a time or two coming and going with the Saviors or patrolling. He seemed just as surprised to see them as they were to see him. He froze, his eyes widening in something close to terror when he saw Daryl. Then his eyes flicked to her. 

“Oh, no,” he said.

Every line in Daryl’s body was hard and tense. His knuckles blanched white as he gripped the pipe and his body lowered, ready to spring. 

The man they’d surprised started to back up. “Hey, look, man… Look, we can work something out--”

Daryl charged.

Olivia squeezed her eyes closed before the first blow landed, but it didn’t shut out the wet, thick sound of the pipe meeting his skull. Daryl was chillingly silent as he continued bringing down the pipe, blow after blow, long after there was no movement from his target. 

It reminded her of her first meeting with Negan.

Finally he stopped, straightening, his breath coming hard and fast. He threw the pipe down, stalking back to where Olivia crouched next to one of the motorcycles. Wordlessly, he found the key waiting in the ignition and started pushing it toward the gate, glancing back at her. She had little choice but to follow. 

Once they’d gotten some yards from Sanctuary’s walls, Daryl mounted the bike, its engine roaring to life. 

“Hop on and hold on tight. We gotta get off the main road. It’s gonna get bumpy,” he told her. 

She’d never been on a motorcycle before, and riding one in the dark through the woods didn’t seem like a great place to start, but there wasn’t much to do about it. She clambered on behind Daryl, locking her arms around his waist. His muscles were as solid as they’d looked; it was like hugging a statue. 

The bike was far too loud to allow anything close to conversation, even if she would have dared distract him. He seemed sure of himself, but the ride was rough, and now and then branches grabbed at them as they passed through thicker growths of trees. 

Olivia had no idea what time it was, or how long they were riding, but eventually the adrenaline wore off, leaving her weary. She would have thought it was impossible, but eventually she found herself drifting, her head nodding against Daryl’s back, her grip loosening. She shook herself, but it happened again. The third time she startled alert, he was slowing the bike and easing to a stop in a small clearing. 

“I’m okay,” she insisted.

“We’re far off enough they shouldn’t be able to find us for a while,” he said, dismounting and digging through the saddlebags. “We’ll stop and get some rest a couple hours. I ain’t slept today either.”

It seemed reasonable, so she got down and tried to stay out of his way as he found a flashlight and lighter before turning off the bike’s headlight. He handed her the flashlight and she held it steady while he cleared a small patch of ground and built a little pyramid of dry twigs, coaxing the whole thing into a small campfire. 

“I-is that a good idea?” she asked. “Won’t they see it?”

Daryl shrugged. “Maybe. We got some cover here, though. And anyone coming at us this far out will have to have a vehicle. We should see ‘em before they see us.” He gave her a small smile as he settled next to the campfire, poking at it with a branch. “Don’t suppose you packed us a lunch?”

“Maybe,” she said. She sat down with her backpack, near him, but just out of arm’s reach. She hoped that she could trust him, but she wasn’t about to take it for granted just yet. Digging through the pack, she found the bundle of provisions Sherry had given her. She pulled out bottles of water, along with some bread, dried meat, dried fruit, and a hip flask.

Daryl didn’t reach for anything, though his blue eyes followed the food with a focus that said he was more than a little hungry. 

“Looks like we have a good bit here,” she said. “Not sure how long a drive we have, but this should get us through a little while.” She took a bit of everything for herself, then passed the lion’s share to him. 

He immediately tore into the bread, gulping down a chunk, following it with a mouthful of the dried meat and a long pull at the water bottle. Once he had a bit of food in him, he slowed down, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and looking over at her curiously. “My name’s Daryl, by the way. You got a name, Red?”

Olivia smiled a little. “I know. I… that day with David, I heard Negan call you that. I’m Olivia. But Red’s fine too.”

Daryl nodded, his posture relaxing a little as he ate, clearly feeling better. “So. What happened?” he asked. His tone was casual at first, though his eyes held her. “You were with Negan a while. I heard about you before I saw you. What changed tonight? You get a wild hair? Get tired of him?” His eyes flicked to her neck. “He get tired of you sayin’ no?”

She frowned, looking away from him, feeling a bubble of emotion well up. She pushed it down as best she could. “Negan… Negan went missing,” she said. “He’s going to come back to Sanctuary, but… That guy Simon, the Alpha that works for him… he’s trying to make a move to take over.”

Daryl gave a sniff. “Yeah, I can believe that.”

Olivia shrugged, wrapping the remains of her meal up. Suddenly she didn’t have much of an appetite. “He wants what Negan has. Negan’s okay with a no. He’s never tried to… to force me. Simon’s not like that.” She sighed, looking up. Daryl was silent, watching her. “I know you don’t like Negan,” she began. 

“You don’t know the half of it,” Daryl replied flatly. “Not gonna lie. I hope he’s dead.”

She flinched at the words. “He’s not.”

“Alright,” he said. 

They were both silent a long moment, Daryl finishing his bread as she stared into the fire. 

“He saved me,” she said finally. When Daryl didn’t interrupt her, she continued. “I… I’ve had to hide a lot. Move around. It always seemed like I’d find a group and it would be okay, and then either the dead would get to them, or there’d be an Alpha that decided to try something.” She swallowed, unscrewing the cap of the hip flask and taking a gulp of the contents. She held it out to him and he took it, likewise taking a drink.

“It ain’t exactly a great world for an Omega,” he agreed.

She nodded. “I got sloppy. Things hadn’t been great, and I was alone. Tired and hungry, not at my best. I found this horse farm and I thought the people there would be okay. Then… Kevin locked me up in a stable. He figured I’d be a nice down payment for the Saviors. Beat the hell out of me when I tried to get away.”

Daryl took another swig from the flask and passed it back. “Some people turned into fuckin’ savages once shit collapsed,” he said. “Some of ‘em didn’t need the excuse.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I don’t feel like it was Kevin’s first time abusing an Omega.” She shrugged, taking a sip from the flask. “He dragged me to Sanctuary and gave me to Negan as a present. Negan beat him to death and gave me a safe place to stay, and food, and people.”

Daryl’s gaze was steady on her. “He murdered my friends,” he said. 

Olivia frowned. “I… heard your group attacked an outpost,” she ventured.

“Negan rolls up to settlements and takes from them. It ain’t trade. He takes. And if you don’t wanna give, he starts killing people. We fought back. And he made us watch him kill two of our friends.”

She shook her head, unable to reconcile the Negan she knew with what Daryl was telling her. She knew he was brutal, she knew he could be dangerous. She knew he killed people. But what Daryl described was almost sadism.

“He killed Glenn in front of his pregnant wife. ‘Cause I punched him.” There was a note of bitterness in his voice. “That ain’t even touching on what he’s been doing to me while I’ve been locked up.”

Olivia swallowed against the lump in her throat. “I--that can’t be--”

Daryl shook his head, the firelight reflecting off his eyes. “You only seen the side of him he wants to show, Red.”

She hugged her knees to her chest, eyes misting. It was a horrible thing to learn about the man she had come to care deeply for. It was so difficult to believe that Negan-- her Negan, was this monster that Daryl described. The man who teased her, who was so kind, who kept her safe and fed and always respected it when she said no to him… 

At the same time, she had seen what happened to Kevin. And to David. She knew he had darkness inside him. And she knew people feared him. And hated him. 

Daryl hated Negan. His people, who had seen their friends killed, could only also hate him and surely want revenge.

She glanced around them at the woods. She’d seen Daryl move; if she ran she wouldn’t make it three steps. 

“Are you going to kill me?” she asked finally. 

Daryl looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “What?”

She took a slow, steadying breath, trying to keep her voice even. “Negan killed your friends,” she said. “You hate him. And I’m close to him.”

He frowned, brow furrowing. She saw a little anger flicker, then he just looked weary. “Look--ah, shit,” he sighed. “That ain’t the way I operate. Or how my friends operate. I’d be pissed you even suggesting that but--” he shook his head. “Don’t guess you got much faith in humanity left, all things considered.”

She watched him, a little wary still, but his offence at the suggestion seemed sincere. His scent wasn’t aggressive, and he’d seemed genuinely surprised.

“I’m not gonna hurt you,”  he said. “Ain’t any of my folks gonna hurt you. And anyone tries to hurt you I’ll break them in half, you get me?” He gave her a little smile. “Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I always got taught an Alpha protects an Omega. World’s gone to shit, but there’s some decency left.”

Olivia felt dangerously close to tearing up, so she looked away. “O-oh. Okay. I-I’m sorry.”

Daryl sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Don’t need to apologize,” he said. “Hell, I get where you’re comin’ from. Try an’ get some sleep. We can’t stay here too long.” 

She folded up the leftover food and capped the flask, stashing it all in her backpack while Daryl poked at the embers of the fire a last time before settling his back to a tree and folding his hands. A little hesitantly, she scooted a little closer to him, not quite touching, but near enough they could reach one another if need be, and settled on the ground. 

The sky was tinged gray with pre-dawn light when Daryl shook her awake, his hand gentle on her shoulder. She shook herself, looking up at him and he gave her a little smirk. 

“G’mornin, sunshine,” he drawled. “I let ya rest as long as I could, but we need to get moving.”

She sat up, rubbing her eyes. She felt tired and a little stiff from laying on the ground, but better than she had when they stopped. “Did you rest enough?”

“Yeah, I’m good for now,” he said, kicking dirt over the ashes of their fire. “Not too much more of a ride to Alexandria. It’s a gamble going there, but they’ll have word on what’s goin’ on, and supplies.”

Olivia stretched, pulling open her backpack. “You hungry?”

“Yeah,” he said, and smiled as she handed over the bundle of leftovers. “Thanks.”

She swallowed down some of the dried fruit and a few gulps of water, leaving the rest to him. She had little doubt she’d been eating much better than he had of late, and she really had little appetite, her anxiety over Negan making her stomach queasy. 

It didn’t take long for them to be on their way again. She wrapped her arms around Daryl’s waist as he drove. It was a temptation to nuzzle into his back. As close as she was to him, the woodsmoke, pine, grass, and fresh bread scent of him was heavy in the air. She wondered if it was similarly distracting for him.

The trip wasn’t as harrowing with more light, though being able to see more clearly brought its own anxieties. Once they left the woods and pulled onto a stretch of road, there were walkers. There weren’t many, it was true, but it was surprising how quickly she’d become unused to seeing them. At Sanctuary there were only the ones along the wall, where Negan never let her wander. Seeing them wandering along the side of the road, watching them stumble futilely after the motorcycle, she shivered. 

Daryl reached a hand down, squeezing hers reassuringly. “We’re a hell of a lot faster than they are,” he called back to her over the roar of the motorcycle. 

She knew that, of course, but it was nice to be reminded. She tightened her arms in a hug in reply. 

The journey was long and tiring, but eventually they were pulling up to a set of gates that were already being opened for them. People called back and forth excitedly, and when they entered, several people were jogging out to greet them. 

Daryl leaped off the motorcycle almost the moment he stopped it, running up to meet a bearded man with an embrace. Olivia climbed off more slowly, taking in her surroundings nervously. 

The area was dotted with houses, looking fairly well-maintained for the apocalypse. Several people had come out to meet them, including the man Daryl was hugging, and a tall, powerfully built woman with dark skin and intense eyes that she didn’t have to scent to know was an Alpha. A young man, just on the cusp of presenting she thought, stuck close to the other two. He had a bandage over one eye, a hat that was a bit large for him pulled low. 

“Good to see you, brother,” Daryl said, grinning as he broke away from the embrace. 

“Damn, it’s good to see you, too,” the bearded man said, keeping his hands on Daryl’s shoulders. 

The woman smiled, slapping Daryl on the back. “Saves us the trouble of going to fetch you,” she said. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed the air. Olivia realized her scent was likely clinging to Daryl. She hunched her shoulders as the woman looked over at her. “You have a friend.”

Daryl glanced back at Olivia, giving her a smile and motioning her over. “Come on, Red. They ain’t gonna bite,” he said. 

Cautiously, she approached, glancing around at the other people who’d come out to watch the proceedings. She didn’t like being the center of so much attention; it was impossible to tell at the distance many of them were at if they were Alphas. 

The bearded man smiled at her in what he likely thought was a friendly way, though he seemed almost out of practice. “Hello,” he said. 

“This is Rick,” Daryl told her, and nodded to the woman, then the younger man. “Michonne, and Carl.” The young man sniffed the air, staring at her curiously. 

Now that she was closer, she realized that Rick was an Alpha as well. So many in one place at one time was nerve-wracking. “H-hi,” she said, hating that she instinctively dropped her chin, submissively. “I’m Olivia.”

She saw Rick’s eyes flick to her neck, and saw his surprise that she was unmated. “Well, good to meet you,” he said. He raised an eyebrow at Daryl. “Was she at Sanctuary?”

“Yeah,” Daryl said. “She sprung me. Negan’s missin’, that guy Simon was sniffing around her.”

Michonne smiled. It was a cold, dangerous one. “Oh, we’ve heard some things about that,” she said. 

Daryl darted a glance at Olivia, brow knit, but before he could say anything, Rick spoke, grinning widely. 

“Oh yeah. We’ve been monitoring things. We’re working up some battle plans actually. Sanctuary’s vulnerable, everything’s in chaos over there.” He chuckled. “Apparently someone managed to kill Negan.”

She’d been sure that once they found others that Negan would be back at Sanctuary. She’d been sure that he’d have made it home, and she could make her way back as well, and everything would go back to normal. She was sure that everyone would know it had been a mistake, and that he hadn’t been hurt at all. 

She swallowed, her throat dry. “N-no, that can’t be right,” she said softly. 

“Rick,” began Daryl. 

Rick smiled at her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It is. You don’t have to worry anymore,” he told her, sincerely. “Negan got shot in an ambush near the city, and they burned down the house he hid in. He’s dead.”

Chapter 15: 13--Death

Summary:

On reaching Alexandria, Olivia tries to get used to her new reality.

Thanks for sticking with me, all! Between school and a new job it's been really busy, but I *am* working on this, I promise!

Notes:

The Death card signals that one major phase in your life is ending, and a new one is going to start. You just need to close one door, so the new one will open. The past needs to be placed behind you, so you can focus your energy on what is ahead of you.

Another meaning is that you are going to go through a major change, transition, or transformation. The old version of you needs to ‘die’ to allow the new you to be created. This can be a scary time for you because you may be unsure of what will happen in the future. Even if you are scared, you should welcome the change because you are opening the door to new life events.

“You’re wrong,” Olivia said firmly, glaring into Rick’s blue eyes and knocking his hand off her shoulder. It wasn’t a tone she’d normally ever have taken with a strange Alpha, let alone in a group of three, but there was a buzzing in her head that threatened to overwhelm her, and her throat was tight. 

Rick frowned, almost looking puzzled. Michone’s expression was darker, though she said nothing. 

“Rick, not just now,” Daryl said, his voice quiet and even. “Red’s been through a lot. Let’s you and me talk, let her rest, yeah?”

Olivia darted a look at Daryl, shaking her head. “I’m--I’m fine.” Negan wasn’t dead. They were wrong. “You’re worse off.” She wrapped her arms tight around herself, trying to ignore the way the Alphas were looking at her, the little flare of nostrils as they caught her distress on the wind.

“Been through worse,” Daryl said. “But this probably ain’t much more than a pit-stop. That Simon guy notices we’re both gone, this is the first place he’ll look. So let’s get you some rest and food. I hear anything at all I’ll let ya know, deal?” Daryl reached out a hand to her, his movements slow and deliberate, like he was trying not to spook a skittish cat.

She hesitated, glancing over at Rick and Michonne. The woman had gone from looking suspicious to pitying, and Olivia grit her teeth to keep from snarling. She looked back into Daryl’s hooded eyes; he seemed sincere at least. She nodded, grasping his hand. “All right.”

Under normal circumstances, she would have been impressed by the community. Instead of the huge factory complex that made up Sanctuary, it was a collection of houses, all looking relatively normal. Yards had been made into gardens here and there, and the walls were reinforced with scraps, and windows were boarded up, but otherwise she could almost pretend it was a neighborhood before the dead rose. 

All she could think of was Negan.

He couldn’t be dead. Ambush or no, even shot. It would take more than that to kill him. He wasn’t someone who could just be taken out in some mundane attack. 

She felt Daryl looking at her, and glanced up. “What?”

“Was about to ask you the same. You got a hell of a grip on my hand.” He gave her a crooked little smile. “Ya don’t have to be scared here. Ain’t no one gonna hurt you.”

She swallowed, forcing herself to relax her fingers, wrapped white-knuckled around his hand. “Sorry,” she said.

“S’alright,” he replied, and hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. “Y’know, Red, you’re gonna be okay,” he said gently. “Even if, well, even if you wind up havin’ to stay. For whatever reason. You’ll be safe with us.”

She didn’t want to think too hard about what he was implying--why she would end up staying there. She forced a little smile. “I trust you,” she said.

Daryl nodded. “Alright,” he said. 

He led her to one of the houses, much the same as all the rest, and took her inside. “There’s some stuff in the kitchen if you’re hungry,” he said. “And beds upstairs. Nothin’ fancy, but it’s shelter and safe. You didn’t get much rest, so get some shuteye if you want. Ain’t no one gonna bother ya.”

Olivia glanced around. The house was clean, furnished, and almost looked normal. It was almost strange. “Thanks,” she said.

“I gotta talk to Rick some. You and me might have to take off for somewhere else. Kingdom might be our best bet if Simon comes looking.”

She felt her throat tighten. “They--they have a tiger there.”

Daryl paused, looking mildly surprised. “Yeah, Ezekiel has one. Damn thing is big as hell.”

Olivia tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. “Negan was--was going to take me sometime to see her.”

She wasn’t sure what it was about that thought that broke something in her, but tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to stop herself, not wanting to break down in front of Daryl, but the harder she tried to hold back, the harder and more wracking her sobbing became. 

Negan wasn’t… he wasn’t...

She didn’t know if she grabbed onto him, or if he pulled her into an embrace, but one way or another she found herself on the couch, her face buried in his chest.

Daryl didn’t tell her not to cry. He didn’t tell her she would be all right. He didn’t tell her to calm down. He just held her as she wept, stroking her hair and humming softly, a gentle tune she didn’t recognize. 

Negan was good to her. Maybe he’d been harsh, even cruel to people. He’d killed, he’d stolen, he’d hurt people. But he’d kept Sanctuary safe. He’d kept her safe. Maybe it made her a bad person too, but she couldn’t hate him. She couldn’t be happy at the thought that he might be gone.

The idea that she might never see his teasing grin, that he might never again be there to pat her on the head or call her kitten made her chest ache like a chunk of her had been torn out. All of her fear and exhaustion and pain crashed over her like an enormous ocean wave, dragging her helplessly into darkness. 

She had no idea how long it was before her tears ran out, leaving her wrung out and boneless, taking little shuddering breaths. Daryl’s shirt was damp against her cheek, and his hand rubbed soft little circles on her back. 

It was instinctive that the scent of an Alpha was calming and reassuring. Particularly when it was a scent the Omega found pleasant. Daryl hadn’t showered, but even the scent of unwashed flesh didn’t overshadow the pleasant woodsmoke, pine, grass, and fresh bread. She still ached with loss--potential loss, she reminded herself sharply--but he felt like a shelter against the storm.

After long moments, even the hitching breaths trailed off, and she rested against him, listening to the steady beat of his heart and his soft humming.

She swallowed, finally, chancing a look up. “I’m--I’m sorry,” she said.

Daryl gave her a small, sad smile. “S’okay, Red. God knows we all been there more than once since the world went to hell. And before that, too.” 

“I know you--” she began. 

“Shh,” Daryl said, brushing her hair back gently. “Ain’t about me right now. You’re hurtin’. Ain’t my place to to say shit about why.” He left his hand on her head lightly. “You look rode hard and put up wet, though. Think you can get some sleep, maybe?”

Olivia shrugged. “I don’t know. Got some booze? I drink enough I probably could.”

Daryl smiled slightly. “That’s not a great idea. I’ll get ya somethin’ warm to drink.”

She let him lead her upstairs and into a bedroom, and she curled up on the bed trying not to think. She felt exhausted, her throat dry, her eyes burning. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Negan. His toothy grin, a teasing smirk, the rare softness in his eyes that was for her alone. 

It was intolerable thinking that she might never see him again. That he might be gone. Her chest ached at the thought that he might be out there somewhere, burned in a building and all alone.

She was too dehydrated to cry anymore, but couldn’t stop the agonized whimpers that clawed up her throat. 

Eventually the door creaked open, the scent of herb tea and whiskey making her look up.

Daryl gave her a little smile, offering a chipped mug, steam rising from it. “Here, try this.”

Olivia took the mug, giving it a curious sniff. 

“It’s some hot tea, put in a splash of whiskey and a lil honey. Ought to help ya sleep some.” He sat down next to her on the bed, watching her sip gingerly. “My grandma called it a hot toddy. Don’t know if that’s the proper name, but it’ll help.”

She nodded, taking slow drinks, letting the burn of the whiskey sit on her tongue before she swallowed it down. “I made something like this sometimes when I had colds. I don’t know if it helped the cold, but after a while you didn’t mind so much.”

Daryl chuckled. “Yeah. Should at least help you rest a little.”

She wrapped her hands around the warm mug, staring down into the amber liquid a long moment. “Thank you.”

“It’s gonna be okay, Red,” he told her. “Drink that up, get some rest.”

“You’re going to be nearby?” she asked. It was frightening, being in this new place alone. Yet again surrounded by Alphas she didn’t know. She hated being so weak, but she was acutely aware of how vulnerable she was. 

“Yeah,” Daryl said. “I’m gonna look out for ya. Don’t you worry about that.” He hesitated, then laid a hand lightly on her shoulder, patting her gently and almost awkwardly. She wondered, suddenly, if he’d ever mated an Omega. If she were to go into heat, that could make things...awkward.

“Thanks,” she said softly. “I appreciate it. It’s not exactly a great world for my sort right now.”

“I know,” he said. “But you’re safe.”

She nodded. She wasn’t quite so sure of that, not with the hard looks she’d gotten from Rick and Michonne, but she felt at least mostly confident that Daryl wasn’t going to harm her. That was better than nothing.

“Get some rest. I’ll check up on ya later.” He gave her a small smile and left her alone with her mug and her thoughts. 

If nothing else, the warm alcohol made her sleepy. When she woke the splash of sun on the floor had changed angles, and she was hungry. She climbed out of the bed and slowly opened the door. 

The house was fairly still, but she heard the murmur of voices downstairs. Quietly she padded down the stairs. Daryl had said she was safe, but until she was more certain of that, she didn’t want to make her presence known. 

The voices came from the kitchen, and she paused just outside. She didn’t intend to eavesdrop at first, but once she heard the group speaking, she hesitated, listening. 

“She’s gonna be fine,” Daryl was saying. “She did fine this long. If we gotta lay low, we’ll do it.”

“That man--Simon--she was probably right. I imagine he’ll want her back.” It was Michone’s voice. 

“He’s going to want a lot of things,” Rick’s voice said. “We need to fortify. With Negan gone he’ll probably come through trying to reestablish control. If we want to do something about him, we need to make a plan now.” He huffed a sigh. “I have a feeling your Omega might be a symbolic prize for him, if she was Negan’s.

“Yeah. Wouldn’t surprise me,” Daryl said. “He figures out where she is, he’ll come at us double hard.”

“She’s going to hit her heat soon,” Michone said. “I can scent it on her. That’s going to make it hard to travel, and harder to hide her. Especially without a mate.”

Olivia bit her lip. She knew she was getting close. She had expected to be sequestered with Sherry and Frankie helping her get through it. Now…”

“She’s done ok til now,” Daryl said, his voice held a little hardness. 

“No one’s suggesting anything,” Rick said.

“Don’t bullshit me, brother,” Daryl replied, tiredly. “We both know what we’re talkin’ about here. And if it were to come ‘round to that, it ain’t you I’d be hashing it out with.”

“Of course,” Michone said, sounding offended. “We’d never suggest anything otherwise. But you like her, she likes you, and she’s going to need a mate. One that can take care of her and keep her safe. Much longer and it’ll be dangerous for her.”

She heard Daryl sigh heavily. “Look, it ain’t that I don’t--” he gave a frustrated growl. “It ain’t like picking out a shirt. Mates means somethin’.”

“That’s why we brought it up,” Rick said. “I know it’s not ideal, but we both know that’s not the world we’re living in right now. If we want to keep everyone safe, we’ve got to think about these things.”

“That what you’d say if it was Judith?” Daryl asked.

She heard the hiss of breath through teeth and there was a long silence.

“If it was someone I trust like I do you? Yeah,” Rick said, though his voice was strained. 

There was quiet for another long moment. 

“I’ll… think about it,” Daryl said finally. “And I’ll see how she feels before anything.”

Olivia swallowed, forcing herself to turn away from the conversation and creep back up the stairs. 

It was hard to be too angry, even at Rick and Micchone. An unmated Omega was a target. Not only for Simon, but potentially for any number of Alphas in their community. Since she was unmated her heat would be overwhelming, both to herself and any Alpha near her. She would be a liability, a distraction. With a mate, she would at least have protection. And she could certainly do worse than Daryl.

The thought sat like a rock in her belly as she sat on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest. How could things have changed so drastically so quickly? Life with Negan wasn’t ideal--particularly now that she knew the extent of the violence he’d done--but she’d felt safe. She’d felt cared for. She squeezed the little cat necklace Negan had given her, her throat tightening. 

Wishing wasn’t going to change what had happened. And Michone was right; Simon was almost certain to be after her. She could wish things were different for the rest of her life, but it wouldn’t help anything. 

Taking another shuddering breath, she got up, and headed back downstairs. There was nowhere to go but forward.

Chapter 16: 14--Temperance

Summary:

Olivia and Daryl prepare to flee to the Kingdom, but not before Olivia is confronted with stories of Negan's cruelty and struggles to balance her affection for him with her horror for what he's done.

Everyone is the hero of their own story... but may be a villain in someone else's.

In a field somewhere, a cabin burned to the ground.

Notes:

Temperance is the card for bringing balance, patience and moderation into your life. You are being invited to stabilize your energy and to allow the life force to flow through you without force or resistance. It’s time to recover your flow and get your life back into order and balance.

This card calls on you to remain calm, even when life feels stressful or frantic. Maintain an even temperament and manage your emotions.

“Hey, Red,” Daryl drawled as she entered the kitchen. He was clearly making an effort to be casual. The atmosphere was still tense, but he smiled. He’d showered and changed while she’d been resting, his clothes in better repair and a better fit. He looked good in the dark blue shirt he’d chosen, and the scent of him made her pull in a breath.

She caught the scents of Rick and Michonne as well, his like fallen leaves and warm cider, hers of crisp, cold water and wildflowers. It would get overwhelming after too long in a small space with so many Alphas, but for the moment it was almost reassuring.

“I’m sorry, did we wake you?” Michonne asked. She seemed sincere, though Olivia was sure she was also trying to find out if they’d been overheard.

Olivia shook her head. “No… I slept pretty hard, I think. Mainly woke up because I got thirsty.”

Rick smiled, fetching a glass and filling it from a pitcher of lemonade. “Well, that’s one problem that’s easily taken care of,” he said, handing her the glass.

“Rick has his people getting us some stuff together,” Daryl said. He watched her as she slid into one of the kitchen chairs, swallowing her drink. His blue eyes seemed to follow her every move and he made no effort to hide it. “We need to head out soon. Won’t take Simon long to come sniffing around here. He knows it’s the first place I’d run. Wouldn’t have, but we ain’t going to get far without weapons and supplies.”

“Are we still going to the Kingdom?” Olivia asked. “He’ll probably check there as well.”

“Yeah, but their setup with the Saviors is a little different. If he’s smart, Simon ain’t going to want to upset the apple cart too much at one go. By the time he manages to get in, we’ll have moved on. If we’re lucky, he’ll be spending time getting Sanctuary under control, too.”

Rick crossed his arms, leaning back against the counter. “We plan on holding him up as much as we can once he gets here, too. He’s probably too stubborn to give up easily, especially with Negan’s–” he caught himself “--with Olivia being involved.”

‘Negan’s Omega’ was what he’d almost said. Olivia felt her throat tighten a little, and she stared at her glass so she didn’t have to look at any of the Alphas. They meant well, but in the end she wasn’t someone they really knew. She was an Omega, which overshadowed everything else. Something an Alpha possessed. A status symbol for Simon to prove his ownership of what Negan had.

“That man shouldn’t be within ten miles of an Omega. Or anyone else, for that matter,” Michonne said darkly.

“He catches either of us it ain’t goin’ to be pleasant, so we best make sure he don’t.” Daryl gave Olivia a gentle punch on the shoulder, smiling slightly. “We’re a hell of a lot smarter than he is anyhow.”

She couldn’t help returning his smile, albeit weakly. She believed him–her limited interactions with Simon told her that he wasn’t as clever and perceptive as Negan. Even so, the enormity of everything made her want to curl up into a ball and cry. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Nothing would be gained by giving in to despair.

“Do you know how to handle a gun, Olivia?” Rick asked.

She bit back a sarcastic reply, reminding herself that they didn’t know she’d been on her own for quite some time before she’d been imprisoned by Kevin and given to Negan. “Pistols mainly. I’ve used some lighter rifles. Nothing particularly powerful, but I can generally handle those.”

“Good. We don’t have anything particularly powerful we can send with you, unfortunately,” Rick said apologetically. “But we’ll give you what we can.”

“I appreciate it, brother,” Daryl said. “Once things are back to normal, we’ll get ‘em back to you.”

“Just keep yourselves safe and we’ll call it even,” Rick replied.

Olivia started as the front door clattered open, followed by quick footsteps into the kitchen.

It was a woman Olivia hadn’t seen before, pretty, with chin length hair. She set a cloth bag on one of the counters, and her blue eyes fixed on Olivia with a surprising coldness.

“This her?” The woman said, her voice hard. She was a Beta, but her stance and obvious strength would make it easy to mistake her for an Alpha.

Rick straightened, holding out a placating hand. “Now, Maggie–”

The woman barely glanced his way before her hard eyes turned back to Olivia. She had no idea what she’d done to anger Maggie, but it was clear the woman wasn’t kindly disposed toward her. Before Olivia could pull back, Maggie seized her chin, turning her head to each side, roughly. Looking for a mating scar.

Olivia slapped her hand away, standing up. “What the hell?”

Maggie scoffed. “I thought she was Negan’s.”

“She sprung me from Sanctuary–” Daryl began.

Olivia showed her teeth, her anger about to boil over. “Negan wouldn’t push me into that.”

Maggie gave a sharp, humorless laugh. “Bullshit. You have no idea how lucky you are that he’s dead.”

Rick glanced at Olivia, worriedly, stepping toward them slowly. “We don’t know that for sure.”

Olivia felt her nails digging into her palms as she clenched her fists, trying to control her rage. “You don’t know anything! And he’s not-–”

Maggie narrowed her eyes. “He better be,” she hissed. “Otherwise I’ll kill him myself, and I’m not inclined to kill him quick.”

Before Olivia could reply, Daryl was suddenly between them. He wrapped an arm around Olivia, holding her back as though he expected her to lunge at the other woman. “Simmer down, Red. And Maggie, leave it alone. She ain’t got nothin’ to do with what happened.”

Maggie stepped back, staring hard at Daryl a moment before turning her gaze back to Olivia. “I know,” she said finally. “But she needs to know. That man you love so much? He was a monster. World’s better without him.”

“He saved me,” Olivia said, her throat closing. Negan wasn’t dead. He wasn’t.

“He did it so he could claim you, Omega. That man doesn’t give a shit about anything but himself. He beat my husband to death in front of me. And you know what he did? He laughed. That sound like a ‘savior’ to you?” Maggie asked coldly.

Olivia’s breath caught in her throat. She’d seen Negan kill. She’d seen the perverse joy he’d taken in beating Kevin to death. That had been to protect her… to protect others Kevin might have harmed. He wouldn’t have killed someone for no reason.

Would he?

“Maggie, leave it,” Daryl said. He’d caught the scent of Olivia’s distress, and his voice was soft. “Even a man like that’s loved by someone. And she ain’t done you no harm for you to be takin’ things out on her.”

Maggie grit her teeth, but looked away. “Doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. You’re better off.” She took a deep breath, and turned to Daryl. “Brought you some supplies. Food, water, first aid kit. A few other things just in case.”

Daryl let Olivia go, but stayed close to her. “Thanks, Maggie. Appreciate it.”

Maggie nodded, turning to leave. She hesitated a moment before looking back at Olivia. “Daryl’s a good man. He’ll keep you safe.” With that, she turned and left.

Olivia didn’t realize she was trembling until Daryl laid his hands on her shoulders, squeezing gently. “Hey, Red. Look at me.” He said. When she raised her eyes to meet his, he smiled a little. “You ok? Sorry about that. Maggie and Negan… they got some history.”

Olivia swallowed. “Sounds like a lot of people do,” she said softly. “I… I’m sorry…”

Daryl pulled her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin and rubbing her back in soft little circles. “Ain’t your fault. Just about everyone’s bad guy is someone else’s good guy. It’s easy to forget no one ain’t just one or the other.”

Woodsmoke, pine, grass, fresh bread… She nuzzled into Daryl’s chest without thinking about it, seeking the soothing warmth of an Alpha’s scent. She missed Negan’s scent, so protective and reassuring… but she felt safe with Daryl as well. It was... confusing.

Rick sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. “We better get you two moving.”

Daryl released her, looking almost bashful to have hugged her in the presence of others. “You ain’t wrong. Time to saddle up, Red.”

Olivia took a slow, deep breath, trying to steady herself. The day was far from over. If she wanted to stay out of Simon’s grasp, not to mention keep him from doing something awful to Daryl, she had to keep her emotions under control.

She managed to give him a small smile. “Let’s go see that tiger.”

---

The building had once been a small cabin or hunting lodge. Now, it was a pile of ash and charred timber, still smoldering in places. Thin streams of smoke drifted upwards, carried by the wind and vanishing as they dissipated in the fresh air. A deer grazing nearby raised its head and flicked its ears nervously, hearing movement. A sudden crack from under the blackened floorboards sent the deer running, white tail flicked up in alarm as it bounded for the safety of the forest.

More cracks and thuds alarmed a few crows, who flew off into the sky, cawing their alarm. The floorboards shattered, weakened both by fire and the relentless assault of a hardwood baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. Negan pulled himself out of the basement, coughing with the soot stirred up in the air. He paused, sucking in deep breaths of clean air. He was covered in blackened soot and mud from the unfinished basement. Blood caked on his jeans from a bullet wound on his thigh. But he was alive. Oh, he was very much alive.

And he was very, very angry.

Notes:

It's good to be back! I think I have my creative groove back on, and I've been working on writing again. Apologies for my absence, but I hope you enjoy this chapter and what I have in store!

Chapter 17: 15--The Devil

Summary:

Fleeing to the Kingdom, Olivia and Daryl are introduced to the King, and Olivia finally gets to pet a tiger.
Meanwhile, the search for the two fugitives is on, and things are more dangerous than anyone suspected.

The Devil Tarot card can represent sadness or addiction in a generic sense. It might also indicate a sense of confinement or entrapment. This Major Arcana card in the tarot reading encourages a sense of being constrained by external forces or circumstances that are out of your control, leaving you feeling helpless and victimized. But The Devil conjures up an illusion like this. You are responsible for your own actions and are only constrained by the attitudes and behaviors you choose to display. Maintain your resolve and refuse to cede control. You are under no obligation to put up with anyone's negativity, criticism, trickery, or mistreatment.

---

Daryl and Olivia had only been gone a few hours before the Saviors arrived at Alexandria.

Simon looked harried. He banged at the gate with a crowbar, barely pausing to give them a chance to acknowledge him before he did it again, harder. When Rick and Michonne stepped out, he was breathing fast, his grip on his weapon white-knuckled. The Saviors behind him looked almost nervous, watching the Alpha more than their surroundings.

“You’re early,” Rick said, keeping his voice even.

Simon showed his teeth. “Cut the bullshit. You know that’s not why we’re here.”

Rick and Michonne looked at each other, feigning confusion. “I don’t follow,” Rick replied.

Simon’s entire body tensed, his jaw working as his dark eyes fixed on Rick with absolute malevolence. His scent was heightened, aggressive, his posture making it obvious he was barely containing his desire for violence. Rick felt himself bristling, and beside him he sensed Michonne taking a defensive stance. The realization hit him that the situation was far more dangerous than he’d at first supposed.

Simon was in a rut.

That certainly explained the anxiety running through the Saviors with him. An Alpha in a rut was on a hair-trigger at the best of times. God only knew what an already violent sadist like Simon would be like. Little wonder he was after Olivia so aggressively. What he would do if he caught her didn’t bear thinking about.

“Tell us what you want,” Michonne said, her voice low and calm.

Simon’s eyes flicked to her, then back to Rick. “Alright. We’ll play the game. Your buddy Daryl slipped his leash. Killed one of our guys, stole a motorcycle, and stole an Omega.” He smiled grimly. “Seemed, all things considered, he might just have wound up here. Maybe along with a cute little redhead.”

Rick shook his head. “We haven’t seen him.”

“No, no, you see… I just don’t buy that, Rick,” Simon growled. “You telling me your boy would go anywhere but home? Pick up some supplies, maybe stash the girl?”

“He hasn’t been here,” Rick said calmly. “We haven’t seen Daryl. We haven’t seen an Omega who wasn’t already here. And if Daryl got away from you people, he wouldn’t be dumb enough to come back here. Right where you’d look first.”

Simon showed his teeth again, his jaw working. “Well, too bad you didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. Because when I catch him? I’m going to take him apart real slow.”

The aggressive scent of an Alpha in rut was making it very hard to stay calm. Rick felt his anger rise. He barely caught himself before he stepped forward, wanting to assert dominance, wanting to drive Simon away from his territory.

Michonne’s hand closed on Rick’s arm, tightly. “You aren’t going to catch him here,” she said, her voice even. 

Simon gave a huff of laughter, his disposition suddenly bright, though his smile didn’t touch his cold eyes. “Okay. Just had to check.” He turned, signaling his men. He turned a look over his shoulder. “I find out you were lying, I’m coming for your kid, Rick,” he said cheerfully.

Only Michonne’s grip on his arm kept Rick from launching himself at the other Alpha. 

As they watched Simon and his men drive away, both of them relaxed a little. Rick had half-expected Simon to try to force his way inside despite the small crew he’d brought.

“Let’s get inside,” Michonne said, her grip on his arm melting into a caress. “Daryl will be fine.”

Rick nodded, feeling the slow release of tension as he watched the vehicles drive off into the distance. “Let’s hope so. The Saviors only had a skeleton crew that time… Simon must have left most of them to impose order. Even if they try the Kingdom I don’t think they have enough manpower to force the issue.”

“Trust our friends,” Michonne soothed. “Now come on, we have work to do.”

Rick nodded and followed her back inside the gate.

 

---

“Who goes there? Dismount and declare your business!”

While not the typical greeting she’d expect driving up to a settlement, Olivia found the formality vaguely charming. Daryl rolled the motorcycle to a halt in front of the gates and showed the guards his hands as he climbed off the bike. 

The guards wore armor she’d have associated with a renaissance faire back in the old world, though it had been retooled to be tougher–she was pretty sure she saw kevlar vests peeking out from under decorative leather. The men weren’t aggressive, waiting patiently for them both to dismount before approaching. At the top of the wall, a woman watched, a bow held casually.

“I’m Daryl of Alexandria,” Daryl drawled, inclining his head in greeting. “This here’s Olivia. We’re being hunted and we’d be grateful to talk to King Ezekiel about asylum.”

The two guards looked them over, cautiously. The taller of the two stepped forward, and she caught his scent. He was an Alpha, and smelled of snowy days and pine. “Well met, Daryl of Alexandria–” he began, then sniffed the air, his gaze turning toward her. He smiled warmly. “Ah, and you, my lady. Certainly the king will want to have an audience with a princess and her knight.”

Olivia glanced at Daryl, confused, and received an equally puzzled look in return. He shrugged.

“Sure, we’ll go with that,” Daryl said.

The guard signaled for the gate to be opened, and turned back to them. “Please, be welcome… we will of course ask you to leave your weapons with your vehicle for the time being.”

Daryl nodded, unslinging his crossbow to leave with the motorcycle, and Olivia reluctantly relinquished the knife he’d given her. She followed Daryl as he rolled the bike through the gates, parking it out of the way.

The guard smiled, motioning for them to follow. “Please, allow me to escort you to the king.”

The settlement was much like Alexandria in some ways, with houses, yards, and an array of people going about their business. Much as Olivia cared about Negan, and had felt safe in Sanctuary, she had to admit there was always a slight tension there, particularly around Negan and the Saviors. The Kingdom, in contrast, seemed almost cheerful. People smiled, waved, nodded, and one or two even gave fanciful little bows as they passed by. 

Olivia fell into step beside Daryl. “What’s that ‘princess’ thing about?” she asked quietly.

“You know as much as I do,” he said, shrugging. “Takin’ a guess, it’s ‘cause you’re an Omega. I know you ain’t much on bein’ treated like a china doll, but I expect it’s meant to protect you.”

She nodded. “I figured as much. Seems it got you a promotion as well, Sir Knight,” she teased, grinning at him.

Daryl smirked, glancing down at her. “You’re fetchin’ your own dropped handkerchiefs, Princess. Can’t let all that power go to your head.”

Olivia giggled, pushing him gently with her shoulder. Her mood was… strange. She knew she ought to be afraid of their pursuers, and she ought to be worried about Negan, but instead she felt almost giddy. She didn’t have time to think much about it, however, as they were conducted to an old theater and ushered inside. 

The theater was dimly lit except for the stage, and it was all Olivia could do to keep from gaping openly. 

King Ezekiel was an imposing figure, calm and powerful on a wooden throne, his hands resting on the golden head of a cane like it was a scepter. His hair hung around his shoulders in thick salt and pepper locs, and his dark eyes were bright and clever. At his right hand stood a heavyset man in leather armor, leaning on a spear, grinning like they were the highlight of his day. And then, of course, was the tiger.

As they followed the guard, the tiger stood up, lashing its tail restlessly and giving a low, rumbling growl. She was quite thankful for the heavy chain on the beast’s collar, though it was debatable if it would be enough to stop the cat if it really, truly wanted to eat them.

Their guard stepped forward, giving a bow. “Your Majesty, I present to you Princess Olivia, and her knight, Daryl of Alexandria.”

Ezekiel smiled broadly and Olivia attempted a curtsey that made Daryl chuckle softly. 

“Friends, please, you are very welcome. I’m most pleased indeed to entertain a princess!” Ezekiel grinned, motioning them to come closer.

The heavyset man at his side smiled brightly. “The king is most pleased!” he blurted.

Ezekiel cast a look of good-natured exasperation at him. “Jerry.” He sighed, leaning forward with a welcoming gesture. “Please, approach.” 

As they reached the edge of the stage Ezekiel stepped forward and knelt, holding out a hand to Olivia, bowing slightly and kissing her knuckles lightly. She didn’t miss the soft breath as he took in her scent. He was an Alpha, of course. She expected no less. His scent was crisp, ozone, fresh cut wood, and raspberries.

The King smiled slyly at her as he slowly released her hand. “You do us a great honor, my lady.” He settled back on his throne, leaning back comfortably. “What is it that brings you here to the Kingdom?”

“Well, bein’ up front… Red here and I are runnin’ from the Saviors,” Daryl said, without preamble. 

Ezekiel tapped his cane on the floor, thoughtfully. “It seems we have a common… antagonist. We have dealings with them. Though the rumor on the airwaves is that Negan is no more.”

Daryl laid a hand on Olivia’s shoulder before she could reply.

“Maybe. I don’t put much stock in rumors, and it ain’t Negan on our tail,” Daryl said. “His right hand man’s after Red. Started sniffin’ around before any of the Negan rumor even started up. I’ve been held by the Saviors for a while. She sprung me so we could get the hell out of there before it got real ugly for us both.”

Ezekiel gave Olivia a small, proud smile. “Ah, my favorite type of princess. One who saves herself.”

Olivia shook her head slightly. “I had help,” she said softly. “A-a couple of Negan’s… wives.” She hesitated, knowing how that sounded. She couldn’t really blame Ezekiel for the dark look that crossed his face. “I… I’m worried about them. Simon probably knows they helped me.”

Ezekiel nodded, reaching down idly to scratch the tiger behind the ears. “A difficult position to be certain. One thing at a time, however. The Kingdom offers you asylum, Princess Olivia and Daryl of Alexandria. You are welcome here.”

“Thanks, ah, your Majesty,” Daryl said. “And we don’t expect to freeload on ya. I’m sure you got work for us.”

Olivia nodded. “I used to be a nurse. If you need help in the infirmary.”

Ezekiel smiled. “Always. We’d be grateful for it, my lady.”

“We are most grateful!” Jerry proclaimed, unable to contain himself.

Ezekiel gave him another look. “Jerry, man, come on!” Olivia couldn’t help smiling at the sudden disappearance of his accent.

Daryl smiled slightly. “We’re glad to help out.”

Ezekiel inclined his head. “We all should strive to do what we can for our fellow survivors,” he said. 

Olivia nodded, feeling a little guilty. How much of what Negan gave her had been tribute strong-armed from other settlements under threat? The Saviors patrolled and cleaned up walkers, but she knew that he also took a lot from them. Including people. Daryl had lost friends, and had been held as what amounted to slave labor at Sanctuary. While she believed Negan when he said he was doing what he had to do to keep people safe and alive, she couldn’t help thinking that there had to be a better way than subjugation and fear.

“Ok, Red?” Daryl asked softly, frowning down at her. Ezekiel was also watching her closely. She was probably starting to smell distressed. She was usually better at controlling her emotions. It had been a difficult few days, though. 

“Y-yeah,” she said, giving them a smile. “Just… just a little tired I guess.” She looked up at Ezekiel. “Can I pet the tiger?” she asked brightly.

The king broke into a wide grin. “Certainly, come up, Princess Olivia. Come meet Shiva.”

Excitedly, Olivia climbed the stairs up to the stage as Ezekiel stood, coaxing the huge cat into standing as well. He held out his hand, and when Olivia gave hers to him, he placed it on top of Shiva’s head.

“Shiva, this is Princess Olivia. Be polite.” Ezekiel admonished the cat. 

Olivia let her fingers sink into the beast’s shaggy fur, It was thicker than she’d imagined, and up close it was readily apparent how large the tiger was, and how long and thick her fangs and claws were.

“Hi, Shiva,” she said softly, as the big yellow eyes fixed on her face. “Pretty kitty. Nice tiger…”

Ezekiel chuckled. “She’s always a bit more gentle around a princess or prince,” he said.

Olivia smiled a little, looking up at him. “Is… that what you call Omegas?”

He smiled, inclining his head. “Indeed, here in the Kingdom we give great respect to our Omega friends.” He scratched Shiva’s ears, his expression suddenly sad. “In this new world… well… I’m certain I don’t have to tell you that all too often there are those who take the lack of law to mean they are free to predate on your designation. It was a problem before the world fell. Now… though I know it may not sit well with you in all ways, you need to be protected.”

She nodded, sighing. “I know. I just feel like a china teacup. Locked up in a cabinet because I’m so fragile.”

“It is frustrating, I know. Which is why we are so careful to make this a place of safety, so that within our walls you may be free.” His eyes flicked to her neck, then to Daryl, still at the front of the stage, smiling slightly as he watched her pet Shiva. Ezekiel paused a moment, his expression concerned. “My lady, please forgive me for asking…” he began.

“Negan didn’t… do anything to me,” she said, anticipating his question. She looked down at Shiva so she wouldn’t have to make eye contact with him. “I know… I know everyone hates him. And I understand why. I really do. But to me he’s not that person. I don’t expect you to believe me. I don’t think Daryl does either. But, Negan was very good to me. He never pressured me. He never hurt me. He protected me.”

Ezekiel was silent for a moment, then sighed. “We are not always the same person to everyone. And no one thinks they are the villain, only that they are doing what they must. Which Negan is the true one, yours or ours? If we are honest, we would have to say both. So, little princess, I would not call you a liar, though you describe a man I do not recognize. And I could not fault your feelings for the man that you know.”

“Thank you,” she said. “For at least understanding how differently I see him.”

Ezekiel laid a hand on her shoulder, making her look up. His dark eyes met hers steadily. “I understand, but I will tell you this. If he is truly gone, while you may mourn him, precious few others will. And I will count you very lucky that he was not your mate.”

Tears threatened at the corners of her eyes, and she was peripherally aware of Daryl straightening and taking a step toward the stage. She took a breath and nodded, sinking her fingers into Shiva’s fur one more time. “I… I understand that too.”

He nodded, squeezing her shoulder, then stepped back, raising his voice to address both herself and Daryl. “Rest for today, friends. Partake of our food and drink. You should try the fruit, we have a great variety. The pomegranates are particularly good this year.”

Olivia looked up, smiling a little. “I… like pomegranates.” She wasn’t going to believe Negan was dead. Maybe she was a fool for caring about him so much. Even if she was, she couldn’t just turn off her emotions like a lightswitch. The others wouldn’t ever truly understand, and it would only start setting off every Alpha in the area if she gave in to her distress. It felt like she was boxed in from all sides. A teacup locked up in a high cabinet. 

Ezekiel smiled broadly. “Then pomegranates you shall have, my lady.”

When had she last had a pomegranate? Years ago, she was almost certain. If nothing else, she and Daryl were safe for the time being, and the Kingdom seemed well run and fairly prosperous by post-apocalyptic standards. It would mean time to breathe, and time to think about her situation. Despite how it felt, she had options. Even if some of them she didn’t want to have to think about.

She hopped down from the stage, and turned back, giving Ezekiel another awkward curtsey before she and Daryl were escorted out of the theater.

Daryl looked down at her and smiled slightly, mussing her hair. “Come on. Let’s get you some of that fancy fruit.”

Olivia smiled. “Sounds good.”

 

---

“KNOCK KNOCK!!!”

The voice was unmistakable. 

The sun was low in the sky when the trucks pulled up. It was a small crew, not unlike the group Simon had been with, but they were well armed.

And they had Negan at their head.

Rick couldn’t hide his surprise when he went to the gate, stepping outside. 

Negan looked a little worse for wear. His white shirt was smudged with soot, and his jeans were bloodstained around a hole that showed a fresh bandage underneath. He was also quite clearly in a particularly bad mood.

“Where is she?” Negan demanded. He looked just slightly wild-eyed, though his scent, under the smell of burned wood, wasn’t rut.

Rick kept his voice low. “I don’t know who you mean.”

Negan’s jaw worked. “Do not fuck with me, Rick. Not on this. You understand? Not. On. This.” Unlike his typical show of temper, Negan’s voice wasn’t raised. It was low and even, and deadly serious.

“Simon came by this morning. Looking for an Omega. I already told him we haven’t seen her.” Rick replied.

Negan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Simon,” he hissed. “Simon was looking for her?”

With Simon in a rut and Negan this angry and territorial, it occurred to Rick that a fight was inevitable. A fight that could leave the Saviors vulnerable.

“Yeah. You… didn’t send him?” Rick tried his best to keep his voice neutral.

Negan snarled. “Which way did he go?”

“East.” Rick answered, truthfully.

Negan stared at him a long moment, then took a slow breath. “Okay, Rick. I’ll tell you what’s going to happen.” His voice was chillingly calm. “I’m going to take you at your word. But if I even suspect you’re lying, and hiding her somewhere, I’m going to come back. And I’m going to take this settlement apart piece by fucking piece until I find her.”

Rick held up his hands. “Whoever you’re looking for is not here. The only Omegas here are the ones who have been here the whole time.”

Negan nodded, taking a step closer to Rick. “I’m going to find her. One way or another. And, Rick…” Without breaking eye contact, Negan lifted his barbed-wire wrapped bat, bringing it up so it was almost touching Rick’s cheek. “If I find out that you or your people hurt her? I will burn this place to the ground with you in it.” Negan turned, striding back toward one of the trucks.

“We wouldn’t do that. We aren’t like you!” Rick called at his back.

Negan paused, turning a look over his shoulder. “Aren’t you, Rick?” He said, and climbed into the truck without another glance back.

Notes:

This one got a bit long!

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Please comment if you have observations/thoughts/predictions! I love comments :)

I'll try to get the next one out in a reasonable time, but I have a con coming up which will cut into my writing time. The good news is I'm going to a ton of writing seminars and workshops, so maybe my writing will be improved next chapter!

Chapter 18: 16--The Tower

Summary:

Settling in after a warm welcome to the Kingdom, Daryl and Olivia have some time to talk. Olivia opens up a bit about her past.
Daryl gets some news, and Olivia makes a realization.

When The Tower card appears in a Tarot reading, expect the unexpected – massive change, upheaval, destruction and chaos. It may be a divorce, death of a loved one, financial failure, health problems, natural disaster, job loss or any event that shakes you to your core, affecting you spiritually, mentally and physically. There’s no escaping it. Change is here to tear things up, create chaos and destroy everything in its path… but it’s probably for the best.

---

The Kingdom was pleasant. It was more open than Sanctuary, and it felt somehow safer. The guards at Sanctuary were better armed, and the walls more formidable, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the Kingdom still seemed more peaceful. Friendlier.

The thought nagged at her. Negan had told her why he ruled through fear and harsh rules, and she understood his reasoning. After all she’d seen some of the worst in humanity. On the other hand, this settlement seemed almost idyllic. The resources seemed plentiful, and everyone was pleasant and even cheerful. 

Appearances could be deceiving, she knew, and having Daryl as her constant companion likely discouraged anyone from trying to take advantage of her. Still, she couldn’t help but notice the sincere admiration King Ezekiel’s people had for him, seemingly untouched by fear. Even with a 500 pound tiger padding by his side.

“Ya ok, Red?” Daryl’s voice broke her out of her reverie. She realized she’d been rolling a couple of pomegranate seeds between her fingers long enough to dye her skin magenta. They were in a covered picnic area near the center of the Kingdom, a place for communal meals and socializing. A few guards, their helmets resting on a table, laughed among themselves as they had drinks.

She smiled, shaking her head. “Yeah. I’m just thinking about how different settlements can be from each other.”

“Anything in particular?” He asked it casually, but she knew what he was really asking.

She sighed. “I have to admit it’s less… tense here than Sanctuary. I have to wonder what’s keeping people in check here.”

“The thought of bein’ put out of a safe place is enough to keep most people playin’ by the rules. But I’d say not letting the bad ones in, or weedin’ ‘em out quick is part of it.” Daryl picked up a couple of the pomegranate arils from her plate and examined them skeptically before popping them in his mouth.

“You’re probably right,” Olivia admitted.

Daryl chewed the fruit thoughtfully and gave her a little smirk. “That ain’t half bad. Not sure it’s worth stayin’ in Hell over, but not bad.”

She chuckled. “I think a lot of retellings have Persephone eating the fruit on purpose because she actually wanted to be with Hades. And I guess we could tell it that way from now on if we wanted. Or make a new mythology about how the world used to be. Or should have been, maybe.” She sighed, dropping her gaze. “I’m sorry about… everything that happened to you and your friends.”

He nodded, taking a few more arils. “Ain’t your fault. But thanks.”

“When I was at the horse farm, when Kevin had me. I… had a chance to escape one night.” She didn’t look at Daryl as she spoke. It wasn’t a story she’d told anyone, even Negan. She stared at her hands on the table, her nails digging into the wood.

She felt Daryl’s attention shift to her, though he said nothing.

“He had me in a walk-in closet at first. No lock, but he was right outside in the bedroom and figured he’d hear it if I tried to leave. I waited until the middle of the night. Timed all my movements to when he snored. It took forever. I was so scared. But then I was standing over him. And there was a knife on the nightstand.”

Olivia had been sure the scent of her fear and distress alone would be enough to wake the man up. She’d planned to slip out of the bedroom door, but decided to see if there were keys on the nightstand. Either to the farmhouse or one of the vehicles. There had been no keys, but there had been a long knife in a leather sheath.

“I knew if I just ran, he’d probably chase me. And with me on foot… he had a good chance of catching me before I made it far. The others were more cautious And… less sadistic. They went along with Kevin but… if he were out of the picture, I figured they’d just give up on me. Especially if I’d been the one to kill Kevin. Especially if I made it messy.” She looked up at Daryl finally.

She could see that he’d realized where the story was probably going. He frowned slightly and nodded for her to continue.

“I got the knife. And I stood over him.” It felt like she stood there for an eternity trying to will herself to bring the blade down. One quick, decisive motion was all it would take. If she did it just right, if she stabbed him in the throat, he wouldn’t even be able to scream. 

“You couldn’t do it,” Daryl said gently.

Olivia shook her head. “I couldn’t. I tried to convince myself it was like killing a walker but… I’ve never had much stomach for that either. If I’d just brought the knife down…” 

“It’s different when it’s a person. Even if it’s someone like that.”

“So, he woke up. While I was standing there trying to make myself kill him.” She didn’t want to tell the rest, but what she’d started needed to be finished. “He got the knife away from me. Dragged me to the stables. Tied me to a post and beat me with a riding crop until I passed out. Then threw me in one of the stalls and padlocked it.”

There was something in Daryl’s expression that she didn’t expect. A strange sort of recognition, of familiarity. As if somehow he knew how it felt to be so helpless in the face of cruelty. “I’m sorry, Red,” he said softly. “Civilization ended and too many people showed how awful they were inside.”

Olivia nodded. “He needed to die. Or he was going to keep hurting people. And… it would have made the others think twice too. But I couldn’t do it.” She looked into his blue eyes. “Someone… someone has to be able to do it. Even here.”

Daryl sighed, glancing over at the group of guards for a moment. “Even here. You ain’t wrong.”

“It gets easier after a while, doesn’t it?” She glanced up at him. She knew he’d killed before the incident with the guard back at Sanctuary. He hadn’t hesitated, had sprung like a predator.

“It does. I don’t think it’s a good thing, but… it changes you. I won’t deny that.” He gave her a small, sad smile. “I get what you’re sayin’, Red. The world’s fucked up and so’re we. Some people got to be forced to act right.”

Olivia nodded. “I started thinking people were just… generally bad, you know? That people would be cruel and violent if there weren’t any repercussions. But now I think there are good people too. Even though they have to do bad things sometimes.” She looked up at him. “I… was afraid of you when we first met. Just… less afraid of you than I was Simon.”

Daryl nodded, unoffended. “That’s fair. First person we met outside I took out. Between that and the other stuff you told me, I don’t blame ya.”

“Well, now that I know you, I don’t think you’re a bad person. I trust you.”

He smiled slightly. “Thanks.” 

Olivia smiled back, feeling a little blush rising in her cheeks. Daryl was kind to her, after all. He had nice eyes, a lean, hard body… and he smelled good; the smoky, fresh bread, pine, and grass scent was like the scent of home…

She shook herself, feeling suddenly guilty. Certainly Daryl was attractive, but she was surprised at herself for letting her thoughts turn that way. Negan was only missing, and she was thinking about other Alphas like that? 

Fortunately, Daryl didn’t seem to notice her sudden embarrassment. He had his eyes fixed on the theater across the courtyard. She followed his gaze.

King Ezekiel had come outside, Shiva stretching and yawning in the afternoon sunlight. What seemed to have caught Daryl’s attention was the flurry of activity around him. A blonde woman spoke to him urgently, pausing only when someone else ran up with an apparent message. Whatever it was, it looked serious, even Jerry’s perpetual smile replaced with a worried frown.

Olivia glanced at Daryl. “Do you think that’s about us?”

Daryl frowned slightly. “I’m guessing it is.” He gave her a small smile. “I’ll go check. Just relax. We’re safe here.”

She nodded, watching him stride over to the group and join the conversation. There was a strange knot in her stomach that was only made worse by the thought that her presence was putting everyone in danger.

 

---

 

“...going back to Sanctuary, but he’s definitely going to be checking here before long,” the blonde woman was saying when Daryl walked up.

King Ezekiel motioned him closer, his face grim. “Ah, my friend, this concerns you.” He glanced across at the tables where Olivia was. “Probably better to leave the princess out of this for the oment,” he murmured.

“Somethin’ going down?” Daryl asked calmly. “Didn’t figure they’d be on our tail this fast. We haven’t exactly advertised that we’ve ever had dealings with the Kingdom. Figured they’d look closer first.”

The blonde woman, a tall and sweet-faced Beta glanced up at him. “No visits here yet. And no reports of anyone coming. You’re good for now.”

“Though what we have discovered… may complicate things,” Ezekiel said. “We’ve been monitoring radio chatter and we’ve had reports from scouts. It seems there has been some activity among the Saviors.”

“What kind?” Daryl knew Simon would be after them and wouldn’t give up easily, but he knew it was possible someone else might object to the change in leadership. Especially with Simon away from Sanctuary and unable to take control personally.

“Unusual,” said Jerry.

Daryl had guessed that much, and only quirked an eyebrow.

“As expected, the rumors of Negan’s death and then Simon leaving left Sanctuary in an unstable place,” Ezekiel said. “We’d gotten some reports of one of their outposts sending a contingent out unexpectedly, armed and in vehicles.”

Daryl frowned thoughtfully. “You thinkin’ they’re breaking?”

“At first.” Ezekiel frowned, glancing again at where Olivia was sitting, and fixing Daryl with a serious gaze. “We just intercepted communication, however. The one who took the contingent from the outpost was Negan.”

Dary’s eyes widened a little, and he forced himself not to turn and look at Olivia. “So, he’s alive.”

“Seems that way,” said the blonde. “He made a stop at Alexandria then headed to Sanctuary. Best guess is he’s going to set his house in order and crush whatever rebellion is going down… but he was pretty specific about what he wanted at Alexandria.”

Daryl grunted. “He wants me and Olivia back.”

“According to what we heard, he only mentioned her,” she replied.

That didn’t sit well with Daryl. Having an escaped slave was the sort of black eye that a controlling leader like Negan would never normally tolerate. Certainly, losing an Omega to another Alpha would be a blow to his perceived power, but in that case he’d probably be after Daryl twice as hard to soothe his pride. That he was only looking for Olivia pointed to conclusions he found… uncomfortable. From Ezekiel’s expression, he’d come to the same conclusion.

Trying to find her alone meant he had an emotional attachment. And neglecting to obscure that he had an attachment meant he was near frantic. Even in anger, Negan was calculating. 

If Daryl was a colder man, it would be an opportunity. If Negan actually cared about Olivia, she could be used as leverage. She could be used to force Negan to surrender. Or they could take a page from Negan’s book and hurt her to break him.

The idea disgusted him the moment it flitted across his mind, but he knew there were people who had the capacity for that sort of cruelty, and not all of them were at Sanctuary.

“I think perhaps we should keep this news to ourselves for the time being,” Ezekiel said quietly. “I… fear that if she finds out, Olivia will wish to return to him.”

“I don’t feel great about lyin’ to her,” Daryl said.

“Nor do I, but it will give us time to decide how to handle things,” Ezekiel replied. “And it will let us keep her safe. From Negan as well as others.”

He imagined that Ezekiel had a similar thought as he did. Generally their settlements were safe. Generally they had good people. But Negan had built up a lot of bad blood with a lot of people. And anger could push even a good person to do terrible things.

“Yeah. I won’t tell her for now. But we got to make a plan.” 

---

Olivia sighed, watching Daryl talk to Ezekiel and the others. Part of her wanted to join them, but she felt uncharacteristically lazy. It was hot, despite the shade, and the bench she was on felt too hard and rough.

She stretched, arching her back to try to dispel the uncomfortable tightness settling in from their travel. She wondered if she could ask to go to whatever room they were going to lend her. She was uncomfortable being outside, with the hard bench and the strange ache starting along her back and sides. She wanted a bed with pillows. 

She wanted–she gazed across the courtyard at Daryl for a long moment, imagining that she could catch his scent in the air still.

The realization hit her like ice water dumped down her back.

She was going into Heat.

Notes:

Apologies that this was a long time in coming. I'm attempting to post more regularly but Baldr's Gate 3 ate my free time.

Chapter 19: 17--The Star

Summary:

As her heat takes hold, Olivia tries to keep herself together, but comes to an emotional realization.
Daryl makes a decision that could lead to disaster, or to opportunity.

The Star brings hope, renewed power, and strength to carry on with life.

To receive the Star in your reading means that you have gone and passed through a terrible life challenge. You have managed to go through this without losing your hope. While you suffered, you perhaps were not aware of your own strength, but you are now perhaps recognizing that the loss helped you discover your own resilience and inner power. It is only now that you can really appreciate all that you have.

---

Olivia sat stock-still for a long moment, trying to fight down a surge of panic. She’d been so careful before now. Catching the signs, staying away from any Alphas as much as possible, tracking the days. She’d been irregular, sometimes too stressed for her body to allow a heat, but she always kept close watch on it.

And now that she was safe, fed, and relatively comfortable, her body had stopped fighting itself. 

Every glance from an Alpha guard or worker suddenly felt lustful and appraising. It was her imagination–her scent wouldn’t have changed so quickly–but it was still unnerving. A scent came to her mind, so vividly it was almost physical. 

Leather, cedar, musk, and whiskey.

Her throat tightened.

It was a ubiquitous, if tasteless, comment usually disguised as a joke that when an Omega was emotional they ‘must be in heat’. Olivia had always hated that she seemed to fit that stereotype. She’d spent years suppressing her emotions, keeping a calm demeanor even in the face of outrageous circumstances. Trying to avoid being called emotional and irrational by Alphas who regularly snarled and threw things when they didn’t get their way. So when she felt her throat tighten and her eyes prickle, she swallowed hard and blinked the tears away. She could keep it together until she was alone.

Olivia pushed herself to her feet, glancing over where Daryl was still talking to Ezekiel. Daryl was sharp–he’d know something was wrong even if he couldn’t scent what just yet. She wanted to avoid adding to his concerns for now, and moreover she didn’t want to be too close to any Alpha at the moment, even him.

When they’d left their audience with Ezekiel they’d been pointed to where they’d be put up for the night, one of those old style stores with apartments above it not too far from the theater. Olivia left the rind of her pomegranate and strode swiftly toward the lodgings, praying whoever was there wasn’t an Alpha.

To her relief the former store had been converted into a small workshop making clothing, and the only person there was a young Beta, his arms full of salvaged cloth. 

“Hello!” he greeted cheerfully, laying the cloth aside and adjusting his glasses, squinting at her. “Sorry, don’t mean to stare. Haven’t been to the optometrist in… well, a long time.” He chuckled.

“It’s fine, I understand.” Olivia hesitated, taking a breath. “I–well–I came here with Daryl from Alexandria… we were told we could room here and I’m a bit tired so–”

“Oh, the Princess!” He gave her a slightly teasing smile. “We have some extra rooms upstairs. I’ll show you.” He motioned for her to follow, heading toward the back of the shop.

Olivia trailed after him, concentrating on keeping calm. Breath in, hold, breath out, hold… As the man led her up a narrow stairwell, she realized he was speaking to her.

“I’m Bertram by the way. My enemies call me Bert.” 

She chuckled, despite herself. “Well then, Bertram it is. I’m Olivia.”

Bertram smiled, leading her down a hall and opening a door for her. The bedroom was small, but comfortable. The bed even had a headboard and footboard, as well as a quilt she suspected was made of reclaimed scraps from the clothing making downstairs.

“Make yourself at home. Let me know if you need anything.” Bertram said. 

Olivia hesitated. “B-Bertram, is there a doctor or someone here?”

The young man’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Are you feeling bad? Did you get hurt?”

Olivia shook her head. “No, I just…” Despite them being alone in the hallway, she felt compelled to lower her voice. “I need to know if they have any Heat suppressants.”

“Oh,” he said, eyes widening. “I don’t know. Medication’s hard to come by but… I can run get our doctor for you.” He paused. “You know… no one’s going to hurt you here, right?”

“I do. And I know the suppressants aren’t good for me.” Unbidden, the memory of Negan’s frown when he told her ‘that shit causes cancer’ floated to her mind and she had to swallow hard against the ache in her chest. “But… these are special circumstances.”

Bertram nodded. “I’ll check with the doctor. Go ahead and rest for now, and I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you.” She kept up her smile until he’d closed the door behind him, and she could collapse onto the bed, clutching one of the pillows, her eyes burning.

Negan was gone.

She wanted, desperately, to reject the thought. After all, it seemed impossible. It hadn’t been long since she’d seen him, all toothy grins and teasing. How could he die just like that, so suddenly, so meaninglessly? Before she even got the chance to be honest with him, and with herself?

Daryl was a good man. If things went that way, she had no doubt he would be a good mate. He was kind to her, he was gentle, he was handsome. He would keep her safe and he would be good to her.

But she loved Negan.

The thought, once she finally let herself admit it, felt like a knife in her chest. She buried her face in her pillow, swallowing thickly and trying to stifle a sob. It wasn’t fair that things had gone this way. She would live, she knew, but it hurt so much to finally know who she wanted to be her Alpha, and for him to be gone.

She lay there for some time as her tears rolled down her face, and her abdomen began to develop the telltale heat and ache that would be her reality for the next week or so. It would only get worse if she didn’t give in to her instincts.

A rapid knock at the door shook her from her thoughts.

“Red? You okay?” Daryl opened the door a crack, his brow furrowed with worry. “Ya took off so quick, and Bertram just said he couldn’t find medicine for ya…” He was halfway across the threshold when he froze, his pupils dilating, his muscles tensing. “You… are you…?”

Olivia sat up slowly, still clutching the pillow. “I… I asked Bertram to see if there are any suppressants. I’m sorry.”

Daryl’s grip on the door was white-knuckled. “Not–not like you–not like it’s on purpose.” He shook himself, clearing his throat. “It’s okay, we’ll figure it out.” He looked at her more closely, frowning. “You’re crying… is it hurting? We can get you something…”

She shook her head, miserably. “No I just…” She looked down. How could she tell him she missed the man he hated so much? That she wanted to be with Negan. “I’m… just worried about what’s going to happen.”

Daryl moved as though he wanted to go to her, but held himself back. She’d been in the room long enough she was sure her scent filled the air. For an unmated Alpha, it would eventually be damn near irresistible and they both knew it. 

“I ain’t letting anyone near you if you don’t want it,” he said, his voice rough. “And… and I’ll stay away. We’ll figure it out.”

“I know. I trust you. I just–I wish I could be–” She cut herself off, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter now.”

Daryl was still and silent for so long she looked up to see if he was still there. He stared at her, blue eyes intense, his expression flickering between indecision and something like anger. “You wish you could be with Negan?”

She flinched, looking away from him. “It doesn’t matter. He’s gone.”

“And if he wasn’t? You’d want to go back to him?” Daryl’s voice was softer.

“I’m sorry. I know  you hate him–” she began.

“Yes or no. Honest answer.” He didn’t use the Alpha command tone, though she could hear it in his voice that he wanted to.

Olivia swallowed, and nodded. “I…yes.”

Daryl heaved a sigh. “Fuck,” he said, voice weirdly resigned. “He’s alive. He’s been lookin’ for you.”

Her head snapped up and she stared at him with wide eyes. “He–he’s alive?”

Daryl grimaced. “Be easier on us all if he wasn’t. And I ain’t happy about it.” He met her eyes, almost looking sad. “I shoulda’ just–” he shook his head. “I must be goin’ crazy.” Daryl’s jaw worked as his expression moved from indecision to a grim sort of determination. “Fuck me. Get cleaned up, best you can, put on fresh clothes and meet me at the gate. I’ll… I’ll take you home.”

She almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. There was no reason for it, no possible advantage, nothing to be gained and everything to be lost for him. “You’d do that?”

Daryl scoffed. “I said so, didn’t I? Just do what you can to minimize your scent otherwise… I don’t think I’ll make it,” he said, and turned to go.

“Daryl… why… why would you do that…?” she asked breathlessly, caught between gratitude and a deep sense of sadness.

He glanced back at her with a wry shrug. “Oh, hell if I know, Red.”

---

Ezekiel didn’t approve of course. Olivia got the impression Daryl tried to be cagey about where he was taking her, but the king was not so easily taken in. He looked grave when he bid them goodbye at the gate, his dark eyes meeting Daryl’s.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said.

Daryl gave him a half smile as he started the motorcycle. “So do I.” He sighed, looking at the sky for a moment before turning back. “It’s a shot in the dark that it’ll help. But either way, I can’t leave Red miserable.”

Ezekiel smiled and laid a hand on Olivia’s head gently. “I hope things work out for the best, Princess.”

“Thank you,” she said, giving him a small smile.

She waved back at him as they drove out of the gates, the afternoon sun high overhead. She knew they’d never make it to Sanctuary before dark, and it was a risk. It was easy to miss walkers in the darkness, to say nothing of obstacles in ill-maintained roads and the ever-present danger of other survivors seeing the headlight coming and setting an ambush.

The first part of the drive was smooth. The sun was up, and though being so close to Daryl was distracting for them both, it was bearable. Olivia tried to concentrate on the goal, getting home, getting to Negan.

She wasn’t sure what she planned to do then.

Hiding away back in her old room, with Sherry and Frankie and the others to protect her was an option. It was what she’d planned to do before the whole debacle with Simon. The problem was that her feelings for Negan had changed. Or, more accurately, she was able to admit her feelings to herself.

Feelings or no, it wasn’t an ideal situation. Did she really want to share him, even if she’d grown close to the others? Could she live with being just one among several? While she loved him, and wanted him, there were issues she couldn’t avoid forever.

Unfortunately, as they drove her heat crept inexorably higher, slowly eclipsing any thought other than the need for her Alpha. Much as she tried to consider consequences in the future, she couldn’t concentrate. The thrumming vibration of the motorcycle between her legs didn’t help her situation at all, nor did having her arms around Daryl.

Olivia only noticed she’d gotten closer to him when he stiffened slightly. Her thighs pressed against his hips, her hands had crept up to his chest, her nails digging in just a little. His scent wasn’t the one she craved, but it was good. Pine, woodsmoke, fresh-cut grass, bread hot from the oven. She nuzzled into his back before she could stop herself. 

He let go of one of the handlebars and caught her hand as her fingers started to slide between the buttons of his shirt.

“Red,” he called back, over the sound of the engine. His voice was hoarse and tight.  “You keep that up and I ain’t gonna make it to Sanctuary.”

His words made her shake herself, blinking, some of the hormone-induced haze clearing from her mind. She pulled her hand back to a more neutral position. “I’m sorry.”

“”Sokay. Just hang on, kiddo. Just a little longer.” Daryl patted her hand gently. She knew what this trip must be costing him, how hard he must have been working to keep control of himself. 

She leaned back, breathing deeply of the evening air, fresh and clean and head-clearing. She drank in deep gulps of the wind, trying to get a hold on her baser instincts. Above them, the sky was fading into the rich blue of twilight, stars appearing as it darkened. She tried to count the stars, find constellations, anything that wasn’t paying attention to Daryl’s scent and her growing need.

She felt Daryl grow more tense as they traveled, his shoulders hunched, his back stiff. It probably helped that she was behind him as they drove, but she knew it wasn’t easy.

It seemed like forever before they were in sight of Sanctuary, the tall fences dotted with lights, guard towers jutting above. It was perhaps the most dangerous part of their journey. There was no guarantee that they’d let Daryl go without a fight. Even if he delivered her back. 

“You can drop me here. I’ll walk the rest,” she called to him.

Daryl shook his head. “You’re not goin’ in there unless Negan himself comes to get you. I ain’t leavin’ you here just on a rumor.”

It wasn’t a possibility she’d even entertained. That the news Negan was back was only a rumor. That it might not be true. If it wasn’t, what then? She and Daryl would have to run, hide… And there was little doubt in her mind that if they had to go to ground, their instincts would overwhelm both of them. 

Spotlights found them quickly as they drove up, and she heard shouting as the guards mobilized. They had a dozen guns on them by the time they rolled to a stop outside the gate. 

Daryl raised a hand to shield his eyes from the light and called out. “I’m talkin’ to Negan and only Negan!” he announced.

“I’m Negan!” cried a voice she didn’t recognize in one of the guard posts. The words were echoed by several others.

Daryl gave a growl of frustration. “I ain’t here for that bullshit! You tell Negan that Olivia’s here, and I ain’t leavin’ her unless I see his face! Y’all try anything stupid and we’re takin’ off.”

There was a murmur then. Activity behind the walls. She imagined someone had gone to fetch Negan, if she was lucky. Simon if she wasn’t. The voice called back down. “What if we just shoot you and take the girl?”

Olivia looked up, squinting against the light,  her heart hammering. She gripped Daryl’s arm with one hand. “If you want to risk shooting Negan’s Omega, go right ahead. I’m sure he’ll forgive you,” she called up, surprised at how loudly her voice projected in the still night. Her reply was answered with total silence, but here and there she caught the motion of guns that were aimed at them moving to point elsewhere.

The wait was tense. Daryl kept the motorcycle idling, ready to take off the instant things seemed off. She stayed behind him, gripping his waist, ready for them to move in an instant. No one spoke. No one moved.

And then, there was a screech of metal on metal as the gates opened. Just enough to let one person through.

Negan looked haggard, dark under his eyes, the hint of a limp. He hadn’t bothered to zip up his jacket or slick back his hair. His dark eyes sought her, widening just a little. 

“Negan,” she breathed. The sight of him loosened a knot in her chest she hadn’t realized was there. She swallowed hard as she felt a sob climbing up her throat.

Daryl gave a soft sigh. “Alright, Red. It’s okay. Go on  to your Alpha.” His voice was a little sad, but he gave her a smile as she climbed off the bike.

“Thank you…” she whispered, before darting toward the gate.

Negan took two long, quick strides, his arms open to receive her when she threw herself at him. He gripped her tightly, nuzzling into her hair. “Livvy… Oh, kitten…” he murmured. Then, with a quick, deep inhale, his expression became more serious. He glanced up, eyes darting to his men, then to Daryl.

Negan straightened, relaxed his posture, and tucked her into his side to leave the hand holding Lucille free. He grinned, wide and toothy. She saw the affectation for what it was. He’d had a coup. He had to maintain his reputation and part of that was the unbothered confidence with which he ruled.

“Well, damn, Daryl. You brought me my kitten back,” he drawled.

Olivia looked up at him, alarmed. Daryl had been a prisoner, and it could undermine Negan’s reputation that he’d escaped. “Negan…” she began softly.

He didn’t look down at her, but gave her a gentle squeeze, rubbing his thumb in soothing little circles on her back.

“I guess I owe you my thanks,” Negan continued.

Dary’s eyes flicked to Olivia and she gave him a small, sad smile. He nodded, almost imperceptibly and turned his attention back to Negan.

“Didn’t do it for you,” he said, coolly.

Negan’s expression sobered, his toothy smile melting away. He inclined his head in acknowledgement. “That’s… that’s fair.”

They stared at one another, Daryl’s gaze cool and Negan’s serious, before Negan finally broke the tension. He waved Lucille dismissively.

“Let him go.”

“Sir?” one of the guards asked, clearly startled. 

Negan shot him a deadly look. “Did I fucking stutter?”

“N-no, Sir…” the man replied quickly.

Negan turned, his arm still wrapped around Olivia, and guided her back inside the gates. She looked back just before they closed, giving Daryl a little wave.

He smiled back at her just before the gates clanged shut.

Notes:

I'm so sorry this took so long!! Rest assured I *am* working on things and *will* finish this fic.

Thanks everyone who's stuck with it, and everyone who enjoys my writing, and everyone who comments. You really keep me going :)