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Life as the daughter of the most feared man in the apocalypse can be hard sometimes. You never know who actually cares about you and who is only playing nice, so they don't get their head bashed in. "Hey, Simon, when is my dad supposed to be back?" I walk up to the older man in khakis as he orders the workers around. He instantly turns around at the sound of my voice, face red from the beaming hot sun. "Sometime later today, do you need anything?" he asks with a straight face as if he doesn't want to be bothered with my problems. "Um, No. I just really need to talk to him"
"about what? If you don't mind me asking" before I continue explaining, I think to myself whether I want to tell Simon about it. He is the second in command of the Saviors, I don't know how he would react to me wanting to join the ranks. "About...maybe... starting to go on supply runs and stuff" I admit nervously as I twist my hair between my fingers probably making myself seem even more ditzy than he already thinks I am."Knowing him, he'll probably say no. He doesn't even trust most of the Saviors around you" "I know but-" interrupting my sentence a man runs up to Simon pushing his away in between us. "Sir, Dr. Carson wanted me to let you know we're running low on medical supplies." The man looks at me for a brief second then focuses his attention back to Simon. "Okay, I'll let Negan know," Simon says rubbing his hand over his face in frustration. The man walks away after glancing at me for a second time with a look of confusion on his face before returning to his work. "Anyways, Elena, I got a lot going on right now. Can we talk later?" This is his way of nicely telling me to get lost. "Sure. I'll be in my room if you need me" I smile at him and walk away, as the sound of him yelling at his men fades into the distance. -I walk back to my room, lonely and bored. The only people I ever talk to are Simon and Dwight, but they're both busy. Everyone else in the sanctuary are scared to talk to me, the most I get from them is a 'sorry', or an 'excuse me'. Once I get to my room I lazily throw myself onto the bed. Pressing my cheek into the comforting texture of my velvet pillows. It's times like these where I wish I had an actual friend. There are only a few teenagers here but even they avoid me. I know my father can be intimidating but it gets tiring being judged because of it. I wish people would just take the time to get to know the real me, they would see that I'm nothing like him.Later that day, I walk to the cafeteria to get lunch, skipping lines of people. The lady that keeps track of points hands me a sandwich, and a water bottle. "Thank you, " I say to her, and she nods. As I am about to walk out I hear Sherry shout from behind me. "Elena, come sit with us!" Sherry is one of my father's wives, he has 5 to be exact. Which should make them my stepmoms, but I don't see them that way. I only tolerate them because my dad gets pissed when I don't bite my tongue. I don't understand how he can honestly expect me to be their 'loving little step daughter when they're trying to take the place of my mom. I roll my eyes and drag myself in her direction. The rest of the women smile at me, but I don't smile back. I quietly sit down at the table and begin eating my food. "So, have you meet anyone you're interested in?" I put my food down and look up at her "what do you mean?" I don't know where she gets off asking me these questions but something tells me my dad might have something to do with it. Before she can get another word out the woman next to her interrupts and tries to explain, "we're just wondering since you're getting older now and -" "No, how can I when no one will talk to me and I never get to leave this place." I scoff at her and continue eating my food. Finding a boyfriend is the last thing on my mind when I hardly can even make a friend. "Well, maybe we can help you with that!" Sherry jumps back in the conversation, her voice more joyful than before. "I don't think my dad would like that very much. And I know that none of you would want to risk him getting angry so why even bother?" I stand up from the table and leave throwing my garbage away as I exit the cafeteria. I can't waste my time even entertaining the idea of a boyfriend, it will cause nothing but disappointment and heartbreak. As I walk through the hallways I hear the familiar sound of my father's boots heading in my direction. I quickly search for him, turning the next corner. I run and jump into his arms "Dad! I've been wanting to talk to you all day" he chuckles and lifts me, kissing me on my forehead. "What's going on sweetheart?" "When are you going back to Alexandria?" his facial expression changes and I can tell he's caught off guard. "In couple of days, why?" "I was wondering if I could go with you" I smile big giving him a confident and reassuring look. He puts me down and rests his hands on my shoulders "it's too dangerous for you out there, I know you're sick of being stuck here all the time but that's how I keep you safe". I sigh and put on my puppy dog eyes I know he can't resist. "Sweetheart, the answer is still no" "but please, dad, I promise I won't cause any trouble" he stops and thinks for a moment. My heart begins to race waiting for his response. "Fine, but only one time" he gives in, his voice sounding a little hesitant. I scream and jump excitedly. I'm finally going to get to see what the world is like outside of these walls. "You're the best, I promise I won't let you down" I sprint back to my room and began going through all of my clothes to find the perfect outfit to wear on my first trip out.
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three days later... "You ready to go, Elena? everyone is waiting" Simon calls from the other side of the door as I finish brushing my hair. "I'm coming Si!" I rush and throw the brush into my bag and open the door. "I'm ready!" Simon stays quiet and looks me up and down. "You know, we're just going to Alexandria. No need to get all dolled up" he chuckles and leads the way. "Whoa there sweetheart, what the hell are you wearing?" My dad nags as we approach him. "It's just shorts and a shirt," I say defensively "No shit, but those shorts are so small they look like underwear" "dad, I wear these all the time" I walk past him and get into the back seat of the truck. Not wanting to give him a chance to change his mind about letting me go to Alexandria. He and Simon follow suit, Simon sitting next to me, and my dad sitting up front. Luckily he doesn't continue to argue. "Let's get going" he motions for the Savior to start the engine and at that moment we're finally on our way.As each of the trees past, happiness grows inside the pit of my stomach, the sensation of butterflies filling my body. "Elena, when we get there I want you to stay in sight and don't do anything to draw attention" "sure thing, I won't do anything to mess this up"-"Little pig, little pig, open up" My dad bangs on the metal gates, with his bat he calls the same name as my mother, 'Lucille'. I stand beside the other saviors as an unknown man approaches him, "Well? Um, who are you?""Oh, you better be jokin'. Negan, Lucille. I know I had to make a pretty strong first impression" My dad laughs swinging his bat back and forth.Watching this whole interaction is interesting to me, this is my first time seeing my dad converse with anyone outside the Sanctuary. "Well, hello, there," The man says nervously. "Do not make me have to ask" my dad orders. I can tell that his patience is running out. "You said a week. You're early." Another man comes to the gate and opens it. "All right, everybody. Let's get started. Big day!"In an instant, the Saviors flood into the community. They begin plundering threw the houses and loading valuables into the trucks. I stand awkwardly as I take in the new environment. Watching my people practically rob the place, makes me feel a little sympathy for the townspeople but at the same time I know it's what has to be done. Lost in my thoughts, I don't notice a walker come up behind me. "Elena, watch out!" Simon yells. I turn around and scream at the top of my lungs as a disgusting walking corpse staggers towards me.In the final second, my dad comes to my rescue and slams his bat over its head. "Ha ha ha! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!" This was one of the first times in a long time a walker has ever gotten that close to me, I have to be more careful.My dad leaves my side and continues to talk to the leader of Alexandria. After only being here for a couple of minutes I realize that the gate area isn't safe, so I venture deeper into the community until I come to a house that stands out from others. The outer aesthetic matches the houses around it however I notice a lot of activity in and out of this house in particular.I know that my father doesn't want me to leave his sight but he is so busy antagonizing the leader that he won't notice if I'm gone for a couple of minutes.I look back to see if my dad or Simon is paying attention, neither of them seem to be watching so I walk up the porch steps and enter the house. It's beautiful and meticulously clean. I only go as far as the kitchen before I hear a few saviors upstairs ransacking the place.I don't want them to see me cause I know they'll tell my dad, I was in here.As I'm about to leave out the door I hear a loud clicking sound and feel cold metal against my back. "How much did you take?" The voice of the young man whispers as he pushes the barrel into my back. "N-nothing, I didn't take anything" I cry as my life flashes before my eyes. Before I could scream for help, he puts his hand over my mouth, "be quiet" he whispers as he pulls my hands behind my back and leads me into the garage. "Please, don't hurt me, I didn't take any of your stuff!" He pushes me to the ground and points the gun at me. "Who are you? I didn't see you last time" he asks staring me down. "I-I'm Elena" I look up to see a guy about my age wearing a blue flannel, and a Sheriff hat. Tears rolls down my cheeks and soaks my shirt. This has to be the worst situation I've ever been in."I'm sorry, " he says as he puts the gun in his back pocket. His sudden kindness takes me by surprise. He holds out his hand offering to help me up, I take it not wanting to piss him off again. "I'm Carl," he says as I wipe my eyes. I give him a nod, and a silent moment of awkwardness ensues. "I didn't mean to scare you I was just trying to protect my family" his face tensing up as if he feels guilty. "It's okay, I understand. The saviors can be a pain in the ass" I joke trying to lighten the mood. "Are you one of them?" "Not exactly, but Negan is my dad" when I tell him this, his eyes grow wide and his tone becomes stern again "you should get out of here". I notice his immediate change in demeanor "yeah, I should..." I slowly start to step backwards until I feel the door leading back into the house. I quickly twist the knob and turn around, running through the house and back out the front door.
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I stop to catch my breath leaning up against a tree. That Carl guy scared the shit out of me. I'm surprised he even let me go, my dad always tells me about how evil men are outside the Sanctuary. I'd hate to admit it but I have to say that what he did was justified. If there were random people stealing from me I would react the same way.The rest of our visit I stay on the sidelines watching as my people collected what we are owed."You good?" Simon asks approaching me. "Yeah, I'm just ready to go" Simon lets out an exaggerated laugh "really, after all this time of begging to tag along?" "It's not what I thought it would be" I hang my head down in shame, playing with the grass beneath me. "Well, what did you expect?" He sits down next to me. "I don't know, I guess I thought things would be more fun""fun? Did you really think that all we do all day is have fun? It's a tough world now honey, you're lucky to have the Sanctuary""I know, Si"He smiles and stands, "I'll catch you later, I got work to finish up" "Okay, see you then" He waves walking away.For the next couple of hours, I stayed in the same spot. I couldn't risk running into Carl again, he already knows Negan is my dad, I can't imagine what he might do if he sees me again.As I notice that the trucks are starting to become full, I stand up, making my way towards them but before I can a savior named David stops me. "Elena, I got something for you!" I turn around to see him holding a bra and panty set with a creepy smile plastered across his face. "It's a little something you can wear around the Sanctuary""fuck off, David!" I yell flicking him off. I turn around and walk to my father's truck. I open the door and sit down. Usually, I would tell my dad about something like this but not this time. I don't want him giving me shit about starting drama when I've only been around for one day."This has been a nice productive day I'll see you next week Rick" I hear my dad shout as the savior's all returned to their vehicles. "So how was it?" He says to me as he gets into the passenger seat. "It was a cool""I'm sure it was, being that you didn't follow any of my rules." I didn't think he would notice. "Yeah sorry about that dad, it won't happen again""I'm not mad at you I just wish you would follow directions, I give you them to keep you safe"I nod"Now Let's get home, sweet pea"Carl's POVI lay still in my soft bed under my warm sheets, gazing up at the glowing ceiling, but my body won't rest. I can't get that girl, Elena, out of my head.The way she looked me when we're in the garage, made me feel a way that I've never felt before.It's something about her that's irresistible. I couldn't believe it when she told me Negan is her dad.She's the enemy, I should hate her but I can't.Elena's POVWhen we make it back to the Sanctuary I go straight to my room without eating dinner or talking to anyone. I have to be alone right now.I take a shower and put my pajamas on, ready to go to bed, when someone knocks on the door. I just want to go to sleep, I contemplate ignoring them, but the person continues to knock. "Ugh, I'm coming," I yell, forcing myself off the bed and opening the door. "Hey, I just want to talk to you for a minute," to my surprise its Sherry, What could she possibly have to say that can't wait until tomorrow? "Sure, come in" I motion, inviting her in. "I'll cut to the chase, I need you talk to Negan about letting me go back to Dwight" I stare back at her blurry eyed and exhausted, "I'd rather not, I don't like to be in the middle of other people's bullshit." She rolls her eyes "come on, Elena, isn't it weird to you that he has multiple wives? I know you have to be uncomfortable with us replacing your mom" Sherry's mention of my mother is enough to make all the old emotions I stored away come out. "Don't ever talk about her, you don't have the right!" I scream, tears escaping from my eyes as I spit venom with each syllable. "Elena, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to-" she scrambles words together to try to apologize but I'm so pissed I don't even want to look at her anymore. "Get out!" I point to the door urging her out of my sight. She leaves without a sound.That bitch has some nerve. I slam the door shut behind her and lay in my bed trying to calm myself down but there is no use, I toss and turn, but can't find a comfortable position. All I can think about is my mom and how I never got the chance to have a real relationship with her, I was so young when she died but that doesn't mean it affects me less than it would anybody else. Leave it to Sherry to dig up something I've tried to bury so many times.
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Slowly and reluctantly, I uncover my face. I blink, close my eyes, and blink again. Rays of sunlight travels through the window and blinds me. I sit up, throwing my feet off the bed, and rubbing my eyes. Last night was rough, my old nightmares returned, like they always do when someone brings up my mom.As much as I hate to admit it, Sherry was out of line for trying to use me to get back with her ex, but I still shouldn't have screamed at her. I want to apologize but I can't, I don't know if I could control my emotions around her, right now. The best thing I can do is avoid her until this all blows over.Before getting ready for the day, I give myself a pep talk. Its seeming like it's more often that I need encouragement to be productive. After a few moments of self-pity, I force myself out of bed and get dressed then I make my way downstairs and to the cafeteria for breakfast.When I finish eating I go to find my Dad in his bedroom. I knock on the door, and he answers. "Hey, Elena. You're just in time! Look who came to say hello" he swings the door open wider revealing the boy from Alexandria, Carl. "This future serial killer took out two of my men!"I stay quiet as Carl, and I stare each other down."Why?" I ask. He doesn't answer. I look back to my dad, wondering what he is going to do with him. My dad pulls me closer and whispers into my ear "I want you to talk to him, see what he'll tell you""What am I supposed to ask him?" I don't think Carl would trust me being that last time he almost killed me."Anything, I'm counting on you" he hugs me then walks out, leaving me alone with a psycho.I'm not very good at being social. This is one thing that makes me and my dad so different. He can talk to anyone for hours about nothing, but I can barely start small talk."So... How's it going?" I sit down facing him.He's eyes stay focused on the ground. "My dad won't hurt you I promise" I smile at him, but it goes unnoticed. "Come on, I don't like this any more than you do. Please just talk to me"Carl lifts his head."What's with the eye patch?" I try prying him for the second time.But still, he says nothing.I'm almost out of options, so I try a nicer approach. I get up and sit next to him, placing my hand on top of his. "I know you don't trust me but if you give me a chance, I can-"Suddenly I feel his lips push against mine. It's like magic. His mouth is so warm and the caress of his lips are softer than I could have ever imagined. At this moment, common sense leaves me and all I can think about is how good it feels to be kissed for the first time.His fingers drift to my hips and pulls me closer, but I put my arms up and push him away. "We have to stop" I manage to say overcoming my need for more of him. "I like you, Elena" finally he speaks to me for the first time today. "I came to see you, I couldn't wait" I stare deeply into his eyes, they are filled with passion and infatuation. His words sound sincere however I can't shake the thought that this might be some time of trick. "How do I know you're not playing me?""I took the risk coming here, I didn't know what Negan was going to do but it was worth it""That's so sweet, Carl, but we have to get you out of here before my dad does something..... bad" I stand up and grab his arm pulling him with me towards the door. I stick my head out into the hallway and look both ways, listening for footsteps. When I'm sure that no one is coming, we make a run for it downstairs. "There's a hole in the fence behind near the garden, you can go through there" I explain to him as we sprint through the sanctuary until we reach the outside. "See, over there" I point "stay down and go quickly. No one will see you""Alright, that should work. Thanks, I know Negan is gonna give you hell for this" He reaches his arms out and hugs me. "You welcome, just promise me you won't come back here. I don't want you to get hurt""I won't, I promise" he smiles and gives me a wink "catch you later Elena" he then runs, making his escape.I observe from a distance as he crawls through the fence and goes out through the other side. -----"I'm sorry dad, he must've escaped when I went looking for you" I lie to him using my cutesy voice. My dad is unpredictable when he is angry, I know I couldn't tell him the truth. If he knew that Carl and I have feelings for each other, he would never let me go to Alexandria again."How the fuck, could you let that happen, Elena?" He yells pacing back and forth. "I didn't think he would do anything". I try to explain, but he just won't listen."This whole fucking place is on high alert! You better hope no more of my people end up dead because of your careless actions!" He storms out the room, slamming the door behind him.My dad scares me when he gets like this, his temper is like a volcano erupting, He leaves a trail of destruction. If anybody tries to get in his way he would kill them.
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"Dwight, Did you guys find him yet?""No, he's long gone. We're probably gonna have to search Alexandria""Why? He's not a threat to us anymore" I didn't expect for this to become a big deal, I thought that they would give in when they figured out he wasn't in the Sanctuary anymore. "Negan thinks that the kid is a liability. He knows too much about our operations.""You guys aren't going to kill him, are you?" My heart thumps through my chest at the thought of something bad happening to Carl. "I don't know, why do you care?" Dwight looks at me with suspicion. "I don't, I just hate when my dad gets like this""So tell me, Elena, how did he actually get away?" He raises his eyebrow, "he just did, okay! I accidentally left him alone" I yell at him defensively. "I don't buy your story hun, shit ain't adding up".I roll my eyes and sigh "whatever, Dwight! ""Whoa, calm down you two!" Simon approaches us as we argue back and forth. "Elena, come on. You're riding with me""To where?""Alexandria. Negan wants me to keep an eye on you""No thanks, I don't need a babysitter! Being treated like this is exhausting not to mention I'm already practically on a leash 24/7""I know, trust me it's tiring for me too but it's what the boss wants""Ugh, let's just get this crap over with" I mumble under my breath.When everyone is packed for the trip we leave headed for Alexandria. The whole ride there was pure hell. I had to listen to Simon ramble on and on about a place called "Hilltop", I've never been there but from what he is describing the leader sounds like an asshole.---------"Now, when we get out the car I want you to stay close to me. We don't know how hostile this may turn out." Simon explains before coming over to the passenger side to help me out.I look around taking in a familiar scenery but this time around its different. A dark cloud is over my head, all I can think about is Carl and if my dad is going to have mercy on him."We're back, Ricky dicky!" My dad calls out waiting to be let in. "I know we're early but this is a special little visit" the leader Rick finally appears at the top of the wall, "What do you want, you didn't give us enough time to scavenge""We're not here for that! We're here to see that future serial killer of yours" my dad chuckles. "No, This is between us, Negan" the man's piercing blue eyes glare me, and my people down. "It was, but not anymore. When you sent that little shit to creep into my home, you broke our agreement, now open up!" There is a moment of silence and an exchange of dirty looks before Rick motions for the gate to be open. "Good! That's what I like to see, cooperation" The gate opens, and my dad enters leaving the rest of the saviors behind as back up. "Simon, Elena, bring your asses on!" He shouts, waving for us to follow him.We both run to catch up with him, knowing that he doesn't like to wait. "So, where's Carl?" My dad laughs swinging his bat over his shoulder. "I'm right here" a voice announces from the distance. "What do you want?" Carl appears stone-faced as he confronts my dad. "Oh, it looks like the kid grew some balls over the last couple hours!"For a quick second, Carl glances at me. His expression makes me nervous. I hope he doesn't do anything stupid."Well, let's make this trip short. Carl tell me how in the fuck did you manage to outsmart my daughter?" His question throws everyone off, it is evident by the look on everyone's face. Carl looks at me, giving me an apologetic expression, "I-I made her show me a way out of there" Carl says stuttering. My eyes grow wide, now my dad knows I lied. I want to be mad at Carl but I can't. He didn't know what I told my dad, so he had to improvise. "You got to be shitting me!" My dad looks back at me, "why didn't you tell me, sweet pea" his tone is both threatening but also sympathetic. "I was scared and-" "I told her that I would kill her if she told anyone" Carl interjects and tries to explain."I can't stand for none of this shit, Rick, you're little shit can't think that he can just hurt my little girl" my dad steps closer to Rick. "What do you think we should do about this Simon?"
"I don't know maybe we can cut the kids other eye out" Simon sadistically grins. "That would be great idea but I think Rick would probably get pissy about it. So how about we make a deal? Carl comes back with me, and we pretend this whole incident ever happened" Carl looks at his dad and nods his head. "Carl, no you're not doing this" Rick tries to reason with his son, but it does no good. "Dad, I have too. I made a mistake, and I don't want everyone to suffer because of me" "That's the spirit! Simon load him up!" My dad cheers as Simon takes Carl roughly by the arms and drags him off. "If you hurt him, Negan, I swear to god. You won't live to see another day" Rick warns him before he turns and walks away from us. "Thanks for being such a good sport Rick, we'll be on our way now!"--------
On our way back home, I ride with my dad while Carl rides with Simon."You know you can tell me anything right? I'll always protect you" My dad says as I stare out the window watching each tree past. "I know dad, I didn't want to risk it though" "It wouldn't have been a risk, baby-girl, your dad is one bad-ass motherfucker! If he wanted to hurt you, he would've had to go through me" I look at him and flash him a fake smile.----------When we get back to the sanctuary, Simon puts Carl in a cell, and I go to my room.I lock the door behind me and sit on the bed to calm the swarming thoughts in my head. My brain is conflicted with happiness because Carl is here but sadness because I know he's getting treated like shit.Carl's POVThe room is cold and damp. My eyes examine the blood stains on the floor and wall, I can't tell if they're from walkers or human but what I do know is Elena needs me to be strong right now. I could tell that she didn't want me to sacrifice myself for her but my conscience wouldn't let me leave her out to dry.What seems like hours past, when I hear someone unlocking the door. I stand up ready to face whoever is on the other side."How's it going, killer, thought I would check in on you" Negan steps into the cell. I don't respond to his comment, I scan his body to see that for the first time he's not holding Lucille. "So, what do you think about her?" I continue to ignore him, assuming that he's talking about Elena. "I see the way that you look at her" he chuckles then bends down to my level. "And you know what? I don't believe either of you but since I like you, I'm going to give you this one last chance to come clean" His eyes and mine meet as if they are challenging each other. "I already told you-""Bullshit!" Negan snaps pulling a knife from his belt and pinning me to the wall. "You are not to go near her again! She's not like you, she's naive. The last thing she needs is you fucking with her head"As he holds the blade against my neck I watch as his hand shakes in anger. At first, I was going to pay him the silent treatment but now it's obvious that he's not same Negan that he was in Alexandria. "Fine. But, tell me, how much do you even talk to your daughter? It can't be often or you would know that she's scared of you, Negan"The anger in his eyes grows deeper and his breathing becomes heavier. "You've seen her twice and you think that you know her better than me, her father? That's laughable""I've known her long enough to know that I'm not the one messing with her head you are!"Negan screams in frustration, throwing his knife against the wall. "You know I can't kill you, for the sake of the deal with Alexandria but don't push it!" He lets go of me to retrieve his knife then leaves me to myself.
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The next day... "This is where we start the first of our new staging posts" Negan points to the circles on the map as he explains his new plan to his top ranking saviors. "See we don't have to take the hilltop, we just have to make sure that the farmers can't leave. There will be teams 24/7 around that place, snipping one by one, day after day until we have full compliance" the saviors nod in acknowledgment. "Alright, everybody clear out! Except for you, Dwight" Negan dismisses them, so they leave."I have a little side mission for you. I'm going to let the kid out of his cell, and I need you to keep a very close eye on him. If Elena as much as looks his way, you need to shut that shit down"."Why are we keeping him, seems like its more of a hassle than its worth""because I have a little theory on how he might've escaped and I want to see if my suspicions are true"------------------Elena's POVI scan the room as I wait for lunch to be cooked. I notice my dad's wives sitting at their usual table."Hey Elena" a voice says behind be. I turn around, and a boy named Mason stares back at me. I've talked to him before but it's been a long time. "Hi, what's up? I haven't heard from you in a while" I nervously smile. "I know, it's just, my mom said it was best to stay away" His tone is remorseful, and his eyes glance down. "I can't blame her, I can be trouble sometimes" we both chuckle, making the conversation less tense. "I wanted to ask you about the other day. What were you doing by the garden?" My eyes widen in shock, realizing that I've been caught. "I-I was um""And I saw someone with you" he interrupts me as I try to come up with a lie."Listen, Mason" I cup his cheeks with my hand."This has to stay between me and you. Okay?" He nods. "Me and the guy you saw, we were just hanging out, that's it." I let go of him as I notice Dwight approaching us."Mason, don't you have shit you should be doing!" Dwight yells. Mason backs away from me. "Yes sir", he runs back to his work."I'm giving you a heads up that Negan is on to you about whatever it is that is going on" Dwight side eyes me."Nothing is going on, he's paranoid" That's one thing I've always hated about my dad. No one can ever get anything past him, eventually he will catch on."Well, he wants to talk to you""But I haven't got lunch yet" I try to stall time, not wanting to face my dad. Having these talks with him always ends up with me getting punished or him giving me more rules."I'll bring it up to you, now go" he nudges me on.--------------"Elena, we need to have a very serious conversation about how things work around here" his voice is stern as he speaks beside me on the couch. Tears begin to swell my eyes, but I keep quiet. "Rules are important to what I'm trying to build here, and I can't have people along for the ride who don't respect the rules" "I know" I say slightly above a whisper. "Of course you do, I raised you that way but teenagers can be rebellious little demons sometimes" he eyes pierce me more intensely as if he's trying to pick my brain. I shrug to not let on to my guilt. He chuckles and leans in closer to me, resting his arm over my shoulders. "You know, I remember when you were little, before the dead took over, your mother used to get so pissed off at me because you were such a daddy's girl" I look up at him and see his eyes are much softer than they are usually. We don't talk about my mom often but when we do, he exposes a side of himself that he only let's me see. "That why I'm so overprotective. You're the only person I can really trust will always be on my side""Yeah, I understand but I wish I had more freedom""Freedom? I don't know about that, I love you sweetheart but for some people, when they're given an inch, they'll take a mile" his voice returns to it's original sternness, the moment of vulnerability didn't last long. My eyes shift to the ground. "But don't worry, I have a fun little assignment for you"
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"All I want you to do is, fold all of these clothes and put them in my closet" my dad smiles as he hands me a basket full of freshly cleaned laundry."Why, Is this supposed to be punishment or something?"My dad isn't the type to give chores so I definitely didn't expect this, considering the fact that I thought he was finally starting to understand me."Not at all sweetheart, this is just a little test to see if I can trust you to be responsible enough to have more freedom"I roll my eyes and sigh "and how are folding clothes supposed to do that""It'll help me see if you can follow basic direction, that's how!" He gives me one more big smile before leaving me to get to work.About thirty minutes past, when a knock gets my attention."Negan, Sherry is asking for you!" A voice I recognize as Dwight calls.
I stop what I am doing and open the door."He's not here," I tell him with an annoyed tone."Oh, well where is he?""I don't know, it's not like he tells me anything" I start to close the door in his face but his foot stops me."Woah, hold on there. I got something I need to talk to you about too"I debate with myself on hearing him out. On one end, I do kinda consider him a 'friend' but on the other end, he is one of my dads best men and I'm not in the mood for anymore lecturing.
"Make it quick," I swing the door open, inviting him in."Basically I want to let you know that shit is going to hell with Alexandria and hilltop, and I have a funny feeling that you have a conflict of interest in all of this" his eyes look into mine as if he's trying to get a confession out of me."Why would you even say that? The sanctuary is my home, I don't care about what goes on outside this place" My voice is slightly strained as I try to convince him of my loyalty.Dwight deeply inhales and exhales "You don't have to pretend, Elena, I know about Carl""Carl? What about him""That you think you love him"My heart races unrestingly as my emotions gush to the front of my mind.
There is a brief moment of silence before the conversation continues."Elena, you know that nothing can happen between you two. Negan would never allow that so you need to cut it off before he finds out and does something crazy"My eyes quickly shift away from him and my gaze travels to the ground "I-I can't do that""Well you're going to have too, it's the only way. besides, he's probably only using you""Screw you!" I jump up and scream at him as my tears create a stream down my cheeks."I know this isn't how you wanted things too work out but trust me, Negan is starting to piece this shit all together"The sadness in his talk makes me realize that he is only doing this because he doesn't want me to get hurt."I don't know what to do, Dwight. I don't want Carl to think that I just gave up on him""If he does love you, he'll understand."I hang my head down in silence trying to come to terms with the position that I'm in."I can take you to him if you want"Wiping the tears from my face, I accept his offer "sure, I just want to get this over with"
After I finished putting away my dad's laundry, I go with Dwight to see Carl.
I follow him down the hallway until we reach a storage closet."He's in here" Dwight unlocks and opens the door."Elena!" Carl shouts and runs past Dwight to hug me."Hey, we need to talk" I pull away from him and stare sadly into his light blue eyes."What's wrong?" he asks worriedly."I'll give you two a minute" Dwight closes the door to give us privacy."Carl, I-I can't do this anymore" I fight back tears as I try to stand my ground on the decision that I've already made."What do you mean? you're not breaking up with me are you?"I hesitantly nod as tears slowly escape my eyes.
"We crossed the line, Carl, I should've never let it get this far"."Its gonna be okay Elena" he throws his arms around me again, pulling me close "you don't have to do this, we can work it out"."No, we can't. My dad is a lunatic and you know it. I can't hide this forever" I try to pry his arms off me but he doesn't let go."I know you're scared but listen to me" he places his hands on my cheeks and tilts my head until I'm looking directly at him.
"I know a place we can go, it's called the kingdom, I promise he won't find us there"The Kingdom? I've never heard of it before. It might not even be safe, for all I know the saviors could have eyes on that place."Are you sure?""Yes, I know people there, they will protect us"The idea of running away never crossed my mind. I've never really thought of a life outside the Sanctuary."I-I don't know, it sounds a little risky""Just trust me, okay?" he pulls me in for another kiss.As our lips dance with each other, my desire to fight for our relationship grows.Maybe leaving won't be bad after all...
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After a great long make-out session with Carl, Dwight comes back into the closet, "Come on, we need to get you back upstairs before your dad comes back" he hurries me."Ok, I'm coming," I say as Carl's arms wraps around me. I don't want to leave but I know I have too. If my dad finds us it will ruin everything."We can figure out the details tomorrow," I kiss him on the cheek. He nods and smiles.Dwight rushes me out, "I'll come back for you once a take her back," he tells Carl.The rest of the night I toss and turn in my sleep, my mind is filled with nothing but nightmares about what my dad would do if he found out about my relationship. Images flash of all the stories people have told me about the Saviors. He can be so heartless at times, especially if he feels disrespected.The next morning I awaken to the sunlight shining in my eyes, finally, the night was over. My feelings about everything aren't completely clear. I really like Carl but if I run away with him I would be putting all my trust into a guy I've only known for a couple of days. My life is so complicated now, but I need to go about my normal schedule. I wouldn't want my dad to notice that things are different.I force myself out of bed and quickly change out of my pajamas. Breakfast is the first thing on my mind, hopefully, Carl will be there. I walk down to the cafeteria as soon as I put my shoes on. When I get there I look around until I spot him sitting at a table alone.A spark of happiness ignites inside of me, I dash to grab a bowl of oatmeal for myself. As I walk up to Carl he turns around and smiles at me, I smile back then sit next to him."How was your sleep last night?" I ask him with concern. "I couldn't sleep, all I could think about is you. I can't wait to get to the Kingdom so we can really be together" he replies, placing his hand on my thigh."How well do you know the people in the Kingdom? My dad says that communities out there don't like outsiders" I press him for details. If I'm going to leave him with I need to know what I'm getting myself into."Trust me, people in the Kingdom are nice people. They're just like my people at Alexandria. Negan doesn't know shit. He's brainwashing you" Carl declares sternly. He's definitely confident in this."I'm not brainwashed..." I mumble."Oh, I didn't mean it like that Elena. I'm just saying Negan has a way of convincing people to believe certain things but it's not your fault", he explains further but what he says still stings. I have very conflicting thoughts when it comes to the type of person my dad is.I start eating my oatmeal in silence, Carl looks at me with remorse than pulls me closer. I can't help but feel safe in his arms but it all ends when I feel the familiar touch of my dad's hand on my shoulder.I turn around so fast I nearly fall out of my chair."Look what we have here. Two love birds, y'all are the cutest little couple" my dad's voice reeks of sarcasm."Dad, it's not what it looks like" I try to justify the situation but he puts his finger in front of my mouth to hush me. "shhh, let's not talk about personal matters out in the open like this", he pulls me up by my arm and motions for Carl to follow.It's a long awkward walk up to my dad's office when we finally get there he sits behind his desk and Carl and I sit next to each other on the opposite side."Carl, what are your intentions with my daughter?" he asks with the most serious expression I've ever seen from him."I really like Elena. I want her to be my girlfriend" he fearlessly confesses.My dad looks shocked, his eyes travel from me back to Carl many times. "listen, we already had a conversation about this. You know how I feel about you messing with my little girl""She wants this too", Carl asserts himself but Negan invalidates his statement, "she doesn't know what she wants, hell would have to freeze over for me to allow some scummy kid to have my daughter", he stares the teenage boy down.I hate hearing them fight about me like I'm not even here, "I'm old enough to make my own decisions dad" I stand up for myself."Not about things like this. The Sanctuary and Alexandria are enemies, do you understand that Elena? Rick's son isn't good enough for you. If you want a boyfriend so badly I'm sure I can find a Savior that would love to be with you", he rants at both of us with fiery energy."I don't want anyone else!", I jump to my feet and shout at him, completely disregarding everything that he had just lectured me about.He deeply exhales to calm himself down, then throws me a face of disappointment, "You can't be with him, sweetheart. It's just not gonna happen" his voice lowers.It pains me to see him so unhappy with me but I can't back down on this. This relationship is all I ever wanted in my life. While Carl and I exchange fearful looks, My dad pulls out his walkie talkie and gives orders, "Dwight I need you in my office pronto"What's going to happen next is obvious to everyone but Carl can't sit back and accept it, "Negan this isn't right, she has a mind of her own. You never take the time to listen to her" he tries to reason with him but it leads nowhere. Negan goes to his typical excuse, "she's my little girl and that's not changing".Before the two can continue their discussion, Dwight finally arrives. My dad gets straight to the point and begins interrogating him, "What do you know about this? Tell me everything" he asks with a smirk on his face."They've been getting close but I don't have any details" Dwight omits some information. He knows way more about my relationship with Carl but fortunately for me, he's not exposing everything. I relax a tad bit since our runaway plot isn't spoiled."What do you make of him? How does he treat her?" he continues to pry.He remains vague with his responses, "I can't say. I haven't seen much".My dad nods like he's heard everything that he needs to hear. "Elena, baby, I know you're gonna be upset with my decision but one day you'll understand. Dwight takes him to a cell and gets someone on watch," he commands for Carl to be taken away like I expected him to.Dwight points a gun at Carl and orders him to comply. All I can do is watch in horror and beg, "No please, dad. He doesn't deserve this!" I plead to him but he's set in his choice. "I'm sorry but I'm not changing my mind. You need to get your priorities in check. I realize that maybe there is somethings you don't want to talk to me about so my wives offered to have a talk with you. I don't think you love Carl, he was just the first boy you met outside the Sanctuary" he tries to rationalize things to me though I'm not buying his shit. He doesn't know anything about me, my feelings for Carl are genuine.I wipe the few tears from my eyes but I want to stay strong. He mentioned his wives, maybe they can help me convince my dad to let me and Carl be together, "they're going to give me the boy talk?" I inquire deeper into what he said."Yep, it's past due. I can't have you being so naive. You'll learn a lot from them" he pats me on the head like I'm a little kid. I resist the urge to argue with him and instead strike a deal. "If I hear them out will you let Carl go" I negotiate.He's silent for a moment, eventually, he somewhat agrees, "Maybe" he says with hesitation. The moment words leave his mouth, I waste no time to go talk to his wives. It's a small sacrifice to get the love of my life out of a cell. It's the only option now.
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My dad's wives surround me the moment I step into their room. They smile at me awkwardly and I smile back at them."So your dad told us about the boy, you've been interested in. His name is Carl right?" Tonya, his curly-haired wife asks me.I walk past them all and sit on the couch. If I'm going to have this dreadful conversation, I should at least be comfortable, "yeah, my dad said we can't be together" I explain the situation.All five of the women follow me, there trying to be comforting but I'm not stupid. My dad put them up to this.Tonya continues to lecture to me while the others only watch, "Listen, Elena, he wasn't what you needed anyways. Take it from us, you need a man, not a boy""What is that supposed to mean? Carl is enough for me" I glare to her without remorse. She's doesn't know anything about me or my relationship.Another one of his wives jumps in and adds to the tension, "He's weak. Negan wouldn't let you be with him because he knows that kid can't protect you" she places her hand on my shoulder. I want to push it off but I can't help but feel like a complete moron right now this was a planned ambush by them. I shake my head and let them all say what they want."Guys are like tools in a toolbox. You have to find the right one to use. Carl seems great now but what if the Sanctuary gets burned to the ground one day? You would need a real man that knows how to survive", Tonya questions Carl's ability to survive in this world. I ball my fist in anger, he's stronger than people think he is. He even stood up to my dad, most people don't, "Well, Carl's dad is the leader of Alexandria, I could go there if that ever happened" I respond back.She looks at me disappointedly, "How would you get there? Even if y'all found a car, you could still encounter trouble on your way. Which brings this full circle, Carl isn't cut out for this. Have you ever noticed Brandon? He's the youngest Savior, he would be perfect for you" she squeezes my shoulders and all the other wives take glances between one another.I don't know who this dude is and I don't care. I have a real boyfriend, "I never heard of him. What does he look like?" I go along with them though I have no interest in him.The blond wife Amy is more than happy to give me a description, "He's dreamy Elena. He's 6'2, brown hair and blue eyes not to mention he has a six-pack" she smirks like she wishes she could have him for herself."If he's so great why doesn't he already have a girlfriend?" I wonder out loud."I don't know but he's twenty and available, he's right up your alley", Tonya says in a matter of fact type of way."Twenty? I'm sixteen. We wouldn't have anything in common. Sherry, you know how stupid this all sounds", I turn to her with absolute shock. She's usually the voice of reason but to my surprise, she agrees with the other women, "It's not stupid. We're trying to help you. I think Brandon would be good for you".A twenty year old with a sixteen year old is beyond creepy, "What about what he thinks? Maybe he doesn't even want to be with me"Sherry assures me that this will work out, "He will, you're a pretty girl and you have a great personality. He would have to be crazy not to want you"I look at the faces of everyone, they're all wanting me to go along with this but I can't. I've finally met the guy I'm meant to be with and I'm not giving him up, "I appreciate the compliments but it's not gonna happen. Carl is who I want" I stand to my feet with my head held high. Tonya tries to pull me back down but I break away from her grip."Wait, Elena. He's a great guy, give him a chance" she pleads but her words fall on deaf ears. I promise my dad I would talk to them but that's it. Finding a new boyfriend was never in the picture.
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"I talked to them, let Carl go now" I slam the door behind me when I return to my dad's room.He chuckles at me, "Not so fast, tell me what you all talked about? I must admit I'm interested" he sits on the end of his bed."Boy stuff obviously and they mentioned some guy named Brandon" I hesitate to bring up the twenty year old but he should know."Brandon is a really solid choice. Do you want to meet him?" he offers but I decline. "No! You said you would let me be with Carl" I stomp my foot like a child throwing a tantrum."Hold on, I never said you could be in a relationship with him. I said I would let him out of the cell"My inner-self shouts at him and tears threaten to fall from my eyes, "Come on dad, please let me have my way with this. He's important to me" I wrap my arms around myself, imagining being in Carl's arms.My dad's face softens. He comes over to hug me and dry my cheeks, "Do one more favor for me, then I promise I will let you have the boy" he persuades."What else do you want me to do?", I give in to his demands. I don't have any other choice, I need to do whatever I can to rescue Carl."Spend some time with Brandon, you don't have to like him but have an open mind. He's very excited to get the chance to impress you", he pets my hair as I listen.My ears perk up at this remark, "You already told him about all of this? You used to hate the idea of me having a boyfriend but now you're all for it, very convenient dad."He keeps me in his arms and sways me back and forth, "I changed my mind. You're growing into a woman Elena, you're interested in boys. It's normal, but it's my job as a parent to guide you"."Will it get you off my back for real this time?" I ask for confirmation from him."I pinky promise", he hooks my pinky with his and shakes them.I roll my eyes, "Fine, I'll meet him but don't expect us to become a couple or anything" I give him a warning before this all goes down not to get his hopes up. I'm sure he's doing this only to get me to forget about Carl.He kisses me on the head, "Great, let's get him in here" he reaches for his walkie talkie but I stop him."Wait, we're doing this right now?", I nervously grasp at his arm. I'm not the best at meeting new people especially when I don't have time to prepare."Why waste any more time? I see that Carl has already managed to fuck up your head. Brandon will fix that in no time, you won't even think of that one-eyed little shit ever again" he smiles down at me then pulls out the walkie talkie. "Brandon, It's Negan talking. Your presence is needed in my room asap" he demands."Yes sir. I'm on my way" the man's voice answers back.I pout at my dad but he's not having it "Don't look at me like that. You better not be rude to him baby girl. I raised you better than that" he scolds me."I can't help it, talking to a guy isn't fun when I'm around you it's embarrassing", my eyes shift to the floor."I won't stay, when he gets here I'll be on my way and you two can have your chat here"I'm a little relieved but at the same time being stuck with a man I don't even know isn't exactly my favorite thing to do.A knock hits the door and my stomach flutters, "It's time Elena, smile and be friendly" he coaches me before allowing the man to come in."I know you've been waiting to get to know my daughter but don't forget the rules we spoke about earlier" he cautions the tall dark-haired man.As they talk to each other, I observe his impressive physique. His arms are so muscular, like a grown man. The differences between him and Carl are night and day. My boyfriend is a teen, they're nothing alike.Brandon shakes my dad's hand, "I remember. You can trust that I won't do anything to disrespect you, Sir.""I know you won't. See you two kids later!" he waves and leaves me alone with this mysterious person that I have never seen in my entire life.
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"So what did my dad tell you?", I start the conversation out with a fair question. My dad is such a manipulator sometimes, he could've told Brandon anything."That you were interested in me. Honestly, I was shocked, I don't think we've ever spoken to each other before" he admits as he thinks back to previous conversations.I try to hide my shock with a smile. This guy thinks I'm attracted to him or something. Even if this was true, I would never tell my dad that. This whole scheme is exhausting, but I have to play along with it. My dad is possibly listening through the door."How long have you been in the Sanctuary?", I change the subject to avoid any more awkwardness."About a year. I climbed the ranks pretty fast but never thought I would end up in this situation" he glances around the room in amazement."Me neither. My dad doesn't like me around boys, he used to say you all are nothing but a bunch of creeps", I give him a brief rundown on what my relationship with my father is like.He steps closer to me in a warm and welcoming manner, "I don't want to use you Elena, my intentions are pure. I want to show you that I'm someone you can trust."His body language makes it obvious that he has positive feelings towards me. I can't lie I kinda like it, "Thanks that means a lot", I twist a few strands of hair in my fingers.His perfect plump lips smirk, "So tell me about yourself, you seem like a cool chick".I pause and contemplate what I should tell him. My age is surely the most important detail since he's so much older, "Well, I'm sixteen and-""What? You're sixteen?" he stops me from finishing my sentence."Yeah, is that a problem?" I ask him, hoping that he'd get weirded out.He shakes his head, "No, of course not. Age is just a number I guess. You're more mature for your age. I was expecting you to be at least 18""Oh, sorry my dad didn't tell you." I apologize for him having to be put on the spot. However, he didn't give me the reaction that I was wanting. Any decent man wouldn't want anything to do with someone my age."It's fine I like younger girls anyway. It's no big deal", Brandon isn't bothered at all.Red flag number one but I can't do anything about it. Though this man might be handsome in society's eyes, I get strange vibes from him. Maybe I should tell him more about myself to get this conversation back on track."So, umm I like to read. I just finished a book on gardening. Hopefully my dad will let me help in the greenhouse one day", I tell him with optimism."It could use some help, I heard the vegetables aren't growing like they used to""It's probably not the right season to grow them. Gardening is simple once you know the basics", I feed him my recently acquired knowledge.His curiosity peers through, "doesn't Negan let you help? He can't keep you locked away forever""He used to be afraid of me being around Saviors, he's paranoid but not as bad as he was a couple of years ago. You being here is proof of that" I point out our current situation.He shrugs, "At least he cares about you. I grew up with a drug addict single mom and went to kiddie jail when I was ten for stealing. Trust me, Negan isn't that bad"Brandon doesn't know my dad, I can't blame him for believing this. "He can be overbearing at times..." I say vaguely."I would be too if I had a daughter as pretty as you", he leans over to kiss me but I turn my face away."What's wrong?", he caresses my arm."I'm not comfortable with this, we just met" I make my boundaries known. My first kiss was only a few days ago, I'm not used to this romantic stuff not to mention I wouldn't want to cheat on Carl."Shit, I'm sorry Elena. I come off too forward sometimes. Let me make it up to you" he insists with genuine remorse.I sigh but accept his apology, "It's fine, you don't need too". Looking at this from his perspective, he was under the impression that I was into him."Please you should come with me tomorrow. Negan is sending us to the satellite outpost, we got some cool shit over there." he goes on with a unexpected proposition."What type of stuff?" my eyebrows furrow."Weed, booze, and everything else Negan doesn't let us have access too" he whispers quietly.I've never done drugs before and quite frankly I've never wanted to. Then again none of that really matters since Dad wouldn't let me go anyways, it's not even a rational thought. This further proves how clueless Brandon is when it comes to how things work around here."He wouldn't let me go, I had to beg to go to Alexandria and that didn't turn out so good" I turn down his plans sounding disappointed but truthfully I wouldn't want to go anywhere with this man."It wouldn't hurt to ask" he suggests."Okay, I will but he doesn't let me out of his sight", I hide my giggles from him. It's going to be hilarious to see my dad's reaction. I struggle not to burst out into a laughing fit as I open the door to see my dad patiently waiting."How did it go, sweetheart?" he smiles with all he's teeth on display."Brandon wants me to go to the satellite outpost with him" I skip the small talk and jump straight into the question."Aww, my little girls' first date. You take good care of her" he turns to Brandon and smacks his shoulder.My jaw hangs low, "You're letting me go?" my spirit brakes."Maybe getting away from the Sanctuary will be good for you. You can take your mind off the recent drama", he urges me to tag along.Under any other circumstances, I would love to embark on this adventure but not with this guy. I'm going to spend the whole time curving his advances. I'm sure he's not accustomed to hearing the word 'no'."Brandon make sure your squad is ready for tomorrow. She needs to be protected and brought back to me without a single bruise or mark", my dad orders him to prepare."Yes sir I'll get in touch with the guys out there so they know we're coming" Brandon immediately begins his duties."Excited?" Dad turns to me and takes my hands into his. I nod and he pulls me in for a hug. I haven't seen my dad this pleased in so long, to him this is a victory.
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The next morning comes swiftly, after meeting Brandon for the first time I can say that he's decent but not my type. Still, my dad thinks he's perfect for me, so I have to play his game.I pack up a small backpack for my travels, the trip will only be one day so I'm packing lightly. One extra outfit should be enough. Then I change out of my pajamas to shorts and a tank top, pretty much the same clothes I wore to Alexandria.Now that I'm entirely ready, I stare into the mirror. I check myself out to make sure I'm presentable for the outside world.I don't wait for my dad or Brandon to come to get me, I make my way outside to find both of them already speaking to each other. I stroll up and hear the end part of their conversation."You take care of my little girl, Brandon. Keep her close and don't let her out of your sight" My dad tells him without an ounce of worry or concern."I will sir. She'll be completely safe with me. You have nothing to worry about", Brandon reaches out for a handshake. He gladly accepts the gesture, "I know I can count on you. You haven't let me down yet".He then acknowledges my presence, "And you be a good girl okay? Listen to what he says, he's responsible for making sure you come back home in one piece"The way he says this rubs me the wrong way, Brandon doesn't have any right to tell me what to do. I want to be argumentative but all of this is for Carl. I have to bite my tongue at least for now, "Sure Dad. I'll see you tomorrow", I flash a fake smile.He takes me into his arms, giving me the biggest bear hug ever, "Stay safe, Elena", his lips kiss me on the cheek. We both say our goodbyes then we can go on our merry way.In the truck, it's only me and Brandon. we have only left the Sanctuary a couple of minutes ago but it feels like a lifetime, "How far away is this place?", I ask peering out the window as trees pass."A couple of hours", he replies.There isn't much talking between the two of us but I try to keep the conversation going, "Is it secure like back home? I don't want to hear walkers at night when I'm trying to sleep, they're creepy"He sighs and takes his eyes off the road for a quick second, "Already complaining and we haven't even got there yet just relax. It's safe, I promise."I nod, although I won't believe him until I see for myself. I don't know much about the different outposts that my dad operates but from what he's told me, the Sanctuary is the best of all of them.We arrive at a giant satellite station with a fence surrounding it. It's not huge but it does appear that it can hold a reasonable amount of people."At least it's not a shack", I look over to him with relief on my face."Yeah, it's alright but it's what's happening in the inside that matters", he says as he gets out the truck then comes to my aid.He shows me to the entrance, I can hear so much racket going on from outside. When we get through the door, I witness the unusual scene. Everyone is so chill and lively, not stressed like they are back home."Rodney, how ya doing?", Brandon greets a long-bearded thin man standing across the room.His eyes instantly light up, he rushes over, "Fucking great. The plants are growing nicely and they hit hard"By plants, I assume they're referring to marijuana. supposedly they have a lot of that here but it doesn't really interest me. Getting high isn't something I've ever dreamed of."Hell, that's the best news I've gotten in a while. I'll be ready for some in a minute but business comes first", Brandon continues to talk to the man while I observe my new environment.It doesn't look like much work happens around here, I wonder what my dad thinks about this. There's no way he knows what's going on."What did Negan send you for this time?", Rodney questions."I brought a shipment of ammo and guns, the guys are bringing them in", Brandon explains to him the situation. This was a business trip after all, not a vacation.Rodney listens but gets distracted, "I see that's not all you brought with you" he references me."Uh shit, where are my manners? She's Elena, my girl." Brandon pushes me forward and introduces me. A small hint of anxiety rushes through me but I try my best to hide it. I'm not too sure about this Rodney guy."Pleasure meeting you Elena, I'm Rodney", he politely greets me.I smile at him but don't say anything verbally."She doesn't talk much. Good, just like a woman should. The ladies around here have to much fucking mouth, to say the least, they're the fighter types like Arat", he flaunts his outdated ideology."I could only imagine, bro", he pats him on the back.While the two men have their conversation, the other saviors carry supplies back-and-forth. Brandon notices and offers a helping hand, "I should go make myself useful and help those guys bring the stuff in""Catch you later", Brandon watches him leave then takes me by the hand and pulls me into a nearby room."Wow, It's nicer than I thought it would be", I scan the bedroom that's decorated similarly to the Sanctuary.He smirks proudly, "It's the biggest room in the whole outpost. Negan arranged for it to be ours for the night."I sit down on the bed, feeling the soft king-sized mattress, "I think I can get used to this. At least I wouldn't have to live under my dad's rules anymore""Yep, we have freedom here. The only pain in the ass we have to deal with is Simon but he doesn't stay here all the time", Brandon follows suit and rests next to me. He lays back and his eyes become heavy, I guess all the driving made him tired.I should let him sleep but I still have so many questions about this place, "Does he know about the weed?", I'm curious since drugs aren't commonplace in the apocalypse.He yawns and stretches, "Of course honey, you can smell it from outside but as long as we follow his orders, he doesn't care what we do in our free time"I nod but otherwise keep quiet. He slowly falls asleep and I use this as a chance to explore. My feet creep to the door and I leave him behind.The vibe of the place is casual and not uptight like I'm used too. As I wander through the halls, I get a glimpse inside a room with the plants Rodney mentioned. The door is opened and I invite myself in.It's quite impressive that they've grown so much indoors. They must have a skilled gardener, maybe I can learn a few things from them. I brake off a small branch and tuck in into my pocket. The leaves are cool, not like anything I see naturally growing here."Hey! the fuck are you doing?" an angry man shouts at me. I flinch at the sudden voice, too frightened to do anything."Are you a thief? I haven't seen you around here" he questions me with a bright red face."No, I'm from the Sanctuary. I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to be here", I apologize to the intimidating man.His anger fades away and morphs into confusion, "Why are you here anyway? By the looks of it, you aren't the type of girl that should be wandering around. You could get yourself hurt""I'm not by myself, Brandon brought me here", I tell him so that he knows I'm not here to start any trouble."Oh, you're that girl I heard about. Negan's daughter right?" his bright eyes light up."Yeah, but I won't tell my dad about the weed. I know it supposed to be a secret.", in the pit of my stomach I feel like a outsider. The man notices the somber mood."Have you smoked a blunt before?", he smiles at me friendly."Not yet but Brandon said he would let me try some"He pulls out two cigarette looking things, "Why not do it now?" he lights them up.The smoke radiates a somewhat pleasant forest smell, "Sure. He's sleep so I guess it couldn't hurt" I grab one of the blunts from the man and stick it into my mouth.
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Carl’s POV:My body aches against the cold concrete. It takes everything inside of me to turn over when I hear the door crack open. Negan steps into the cell and looks down at me with the world's biggest smirk."Where is she?", is all I say as I look up at the man.He bends down to my level and speaks only inches from my face, "I'm so glad you asked. My little Elena is on a date night with one of my soldiers. I'm sure they're having a fantastic time".I roll my eyes at his pathetic attempt to get a reaction out of me. Though I've only known Elena for a short time, I can tell she's loyal. She would never do this willingly.Negan notices my underwhelming response and continues to push for the reaction that he wants,"It's not bullshit Carl. She's a pretty girl, plenty of men want to be with her. You're not the only one."I ball my fist at the thought of another guy being with my girlfriend. I can't help but be engulfed with jealousy and rage, "She doesn't want to be with whoever you forced her with. We have something special" I stand to my feet."Hmm, we'll see about that. The guy she's with is better than you in every way. He's teaching her what it's like to be with a real man, she won't want to come back to you", he smugly turns his nose up at me like I'm beneath him. I hold myself back but he doesn't stop rubbing the situation in my face, "He took her on a trip too, they're at my satellite outpost"A red flag instantly pops up in my head. The satellite station was a point of interest with my father, "No! She's not safe there!" I warn him in absolute shock that this could be happening.My panicked self isn't enough to move him instead he questions whether or not I'm in a position to comment on these matters, "What the hell do you know kid? She's as safe as could be with him""You don't understand, that place is going to be attacked! My dad told me about it before I left."Negan plays the role of the skeptic, "You telling me the truth? No fucking games".I nod my head frantically, "Yes, Jesus Christ. She's in danger Negan!".This time he takes my concern seriously. His hand's fumble as he rushes to pull the walkie talkie from his pocket, "Brandon!" he yells but no response."Brandon!" He repeatedly shouts but his efforts are in vain.ElenaThe small room quickly fills with fog from the two burning blunts. I take a long drag but the only effect I get is coughs."It's okay just breathe. Those are what I call virgin lungs", my newly found friend, Tony, explains and roughly pats me on the back.When the air finally comes back to me, my eyes inspect the weed closely, "I don't feel anything" I tell him."Give it time. It will hit you out of nowhere" the man fades into a more mellow version of himself.I guess being calm is a side effect. I always thought that drugs made people crazy. Seeing his reaction makes me less scared, I deeply inhale a bunch more puffs to hurry the process."Damn girl, I hope you can handle yourself", he laughs and watches my face change once the weed finally settles in.My brain gets fuzzy and I fall from my sitting position onto the ground. A satisfying warmth comes over me the more I breathe in the drug, so much so that I'm unbothered when the door pushes open."There you are, Elena! I've been looking everywhere for you!", Brandon comes in with immense worry and confusion."You want some?" I offer him my blunt, figuring it would make him feel better.His eyes widen and he snatches it out of my hand, "I'm supposed to keep you safe, anything could've happened and I would've been the one paying for it" he analyzes the situation further. He looks over at Tony and shakes his head."Calm down, we're just having a little fun", the man tries to make Brandon go along with what we're doing but fails miserably."Get up", he grabs me by the arms but I struggle against him."No, I want to stay!" I pull away and manage to get the blunt back. I inhale fast until he smacks it out of my hand."Listen to me, Elena. You can't run off and do whatever you want. This place isn't as safe as back home." he goes to lift me but stops when he hears the sound of guns ringing out."What the hell?", he whispers to himself.Tony's relaxed body doesn't move a muscle, "They're probably just handling some walkers" he finishes off his blunt.My intoxicated mind is slow to comprehend the crisis. The feeling of danger is absent but some level of urgency comes to me when I hear Brandon's walkie talkie buzz."Rick's group is here, they're locked and loaded," the voice says."Elena! We need to get you somewhere safe" he rushes me to my feet and pulls me out of the room and into the hallway.He looks around frantically and listens for what direction the bullets are coming from, "the basement is our best bet" he mumbles to me but I'm too far gone to be of any help. Everything is blurred.He brings me down the hall and to a staircase. As we're about to descend a bullet pierces through his right leg, "Fuck!", he cries out then drops to the floor.My heavy eyelids glance up at see the gunner, "Rick? Is that you?" my mouth eventually forms words.He lowers the rifle and squint's to get a better look, "You weren't supposed to be here, is Carl here too?" he steps over Brandon's injured body and moves towards me."No, he's at the Sanctuary", I hold myself up with the wall until Rick helps me stand "You're fucking high" he sniffs me then rolls his eyes."You can't take her!" Brandon manages to speak through the pain."Shut up! You're lucky I don't kill you", Rick has mercy on him instead of murdering him. The exact opposite of what my dad would've done.Rick practically cares me out of the outpost, though I'm not in my right mind I know that this is bad. Rick's group went in with the intent to kill as many people as possible. I could hear screams as I was being brought out of that place."Not this girl again", A woman sighs when Rick approaches holding me in his arms."I know this wasn't part of the plan but we're not like Negan, I'm not going to kill his daughter. She's innocent in all of this", he lays me inside of their car then continues to talk to the woman."We need to get out of here before Negan shows up, he'll find out about this fast since his daughter is here", she paces around.I eavesdrop on the conversation as the sounds of gunshots slowly cease. The attack is finished, people who I assume are part of Rick's group emerge from the building."Everybody get back to Alexandria" he commands the group and they all follow his orders.Rick joins me in the car and starts the engine. He looks to me in the passenger seat but doesn't say anything. We drive off leaving the satellite outpost destroyed.
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The car tires travel up the dirt road with a subtle hum from the engine. I gaze up at the moonlight beaming down from the sky, all I can think about is Carl. I pray my dad is treating him well, It's all my fault. If I wouldn't have talked to him at breakfast maybe none of this would have happened."Does Negan know you're doing drugs?", Rick asks while still staring at the road."It was my first time. Please don't tell him", I plea to him that this stays a secret. Our relationship is already strained, I don't need to make it worst."I won't have to, he'll be able to smell it"The odor can't be that strong. I bend my head down to sniff part of my shirt, and he's right. I reek of weed.My heart aches with shame, but not simply because of the weed. Beads of tears drip down one after another, I wipe them as they hit my cheek.Rick glances over at me with a frown, "It's gonna be alright, you're his treasure I'm sure you won't get punished that bad" he makes an effort to reassure me but it doesn't help.I shake my head, "It's not just that..." I tell him while fighting the tears that are raining down."Well, whatever it is you'll get through it", he shares comforting words with me.After a few hours of driving, we reach at Alexandria.The gates open to let us in. It has to be past midnight but plenty of the townsfolk are awake and alert.I cautiously get out of the car, and Rick comes to my side gripping ahold of my arm. I don't struggle or swarm, I know he has to do this for the sake of his people.The short-haired woman he had previously spoken with comes over with celebratory energy, "We did it, that should weaken them at least for a while" she smiles then glares at me, "What are we going to do with her?""Keep her until Negan gives up Carl", Rick lets her in on his plan.She nods with a face of contentment, "sounds good. We could finally get some use out of that old cell"A part of me is angry at her for suggesting this but at the same time, my dad does the same thing. Carl is in a cell because of me so I guess this is my karma.Rick looks over at me but I don't meet his gaze. My eyes stay leveled with the ground. It's not my place to have a say in any of this."I was thinking of tying her up in Carl's room. She's not dangerous, she's just a kid" he advocates for me in a way I wasn't expecting. It's amazing how sympathetic he is to the enemy."Make sure the ropes are tight, she's our only bargaining chip once Negan decides to show up", the woman hesitantly goes along with the idea. The two of them finish their chat by wishing each other a good night then Rick takes me to his family's home. A few people gave me nasty looks but I tried my best not to notice them."Hands behind your back", he orders me and I comply. He uses the rope he found in his kitchen to bind me to the leg of a bed frame."Try to get some rest", is all he says when he closes the door behind himself.I slide onto the floor and stare into the darkness. The weed hasn't worn off yet so I'm way more chill than I would be otherwise. I find solace in the fact that I'm in Carl's room, it's like he's here with me.
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My eyes flutter open slowly, and everything is a blur. The urge to stretch my arms comes to me but I'm reminded that I'm tied up. My body struggles against the rope to no avail.My escape attempt catches someone's attention. The sound of footsteps travels down the hallway and the door swings open to show a man."Don't be afraid, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just here to make sure you don't do anything stupid", he explains with a southern accent.If my memory serves me right, the man's name is Daryl. I've definitely seen him when I came to Alexandria with my dad."I want to go home", I say to him.He shakes his head, "you're stuck here until Negan shows up and surrenders Carl"Him implying that Carl is being held against his will makes me defensive, "Carl doesn't want to come home" I tell him with attitude.His eyes narrow and his body tenses, "Who the hell are you to say that?" he steps towards me in anger.Seeing his reaction makes me instantly regret saying anything. I don't want to get myself hurt so I stare blankly at the ground.A small chuckle comes from him, "Not talking is the best thing you can do. I'm tired of hearing you and your dad's bullshit"I immediately get uncomfortable at the mention of my father. Bad things happen when he's brought up, I just want to get away from this guy. I know the perfect excuse, "I have to use the bathroom" I put on my innocent-sounding voice.He pauses for a moment than unties me from the bed, "Don't try anything", he says near my ear then pulls me to the bathroom across the hall."If I hear anything suspicious I'm coming in", he warns me.I nod my head then close the door. It is reliving to be freed but my circumstances remain the same. I'm pretty sure everyone hates me but it's understandable considering everything that's transpired.I don't stay in the bathroom for long. I take a ten-minute breather but I know I have to get back out there. I open the door slowly and of course, Daryl is still standing there. He grabs me again and leads me back to the bed."You got a mama?" he asks while he's tying me.The irrelevant questions push old feelings up but I bottle the emotions. Right now isn't the time for me to rehash everything so I keep my silence."What we're you doing at the satellite outpost anyways?" he continues to dig into my life."visiting with a friend", I simply answer him without providing details."I'm surprised Negan lets you out of his sight. He seems like he would be a strict parent"I'm amazed he can read my dad so well, "Usually, he doesn't but this time was different"We both share a stare then the man abruptly leaves. I guess he got what he wanted out of me, though I don't think I said anything incriminating.Daryl is a mystery. He's the hardest to understand out of everyone in Alexandria.Minutes pass when I hear a conversation between a couple of voices. I can't make up who these people are apart from Rick."Where is she? Negan is going to want revenge!", an unknown male voice says.Rick confidently vows that it won't happen that way. "No, he won't. He'll be thankful to have her back safe and sound"The unknown man gets louder and more panicked, "You took a girl hostage to get back at her father!" his shouts echo through the house.I can't help but be a tab bit delighted at their dysfunction. I keep listening quietly to their argument."No, I didn't, she wasn't supposed to be at the satellite station. It's a miracle she didn't get shot during the raid", Rick stays true to his point."Let me talk to her", the man demands.My heart races when I hear that this person is going to talk to me. Most people here are decent but I can't help but feel in danger in this unfamiliar place.My eyes dart over to the door when the man enters. I can't hide my fear when I notice his missing arm replaced with metal."We talked to your dad, he knows you're safe. He's coming to get you but I need you to tell me about your people's plans", he speaks to me from the opposite side of the room."I don't know anything", I tell him the truth of the situation."Don't lie. We're not like your people, no one is going to hurt you. I understand none of this is your fault"The man's expression changes to one of empathy. I can see he doesn't want to do this but he feels like he has too.I wish I had more to say but I don't. I'm clueless to many things that happen involving my dad, "I'm sorry but my dad leaves me out of stuff like that. If I knew anything I would tell you".The man is about to turn away when another person barges into the room. she's a woman, "You don't really believe her do you?" she angrily questions him."I don't know what to believe, Rosita", he looks back at me.She doesn't buy anything that I'm saying. She pushes pass him and charges towards me, "Let me give it a try" she says before interrogating me."Listen, your dad has caused a lot of shit. He's not a good person. Tell us what you know so we can protect our family" she bends down to my face to intimidate me.This Rosita chick seems like the type of person that will never believe me unless I tell her what she wants to hear. So I do what I think is right, I lie to her, "He doesn't have any plans to hurt you, he just wants a partnership between the communities" the words come out smoothly although they're completely false. My dad is going to be pissed after this and will definitely want revenge.She glances back at the man, then back to me, "Are you sure?""Yes, he doesn't want violence as long as everyone corporates", I continue to feed her the fake story."We'll see about that", she raises an eyebrow at me then leaves my presence taking the man along with her.
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The beaming hot sun shines down on to my skin as Rick escorts me through Alexandria. I feel like I'm doing the walk of shame when I pass all the townsfolk. To them I'm the enemy but little do they know I actually care about this place.The woman named Rosita opens the gates when she sees us approaching. My eyes go directly to my father standing side by side with the other Saviors. They look exhausted but angry."Here she is, now show us Carl", Rick shouts to my dad from a distance.He grins at the sight of me then motions for Dwight to get Carl out of the truck. The atmosphere is tense as the boy is fetched from the vehicle.A small sigh of relief comes from Rick, then he lets me go. I run as fast as my body will allow me into my father's arms. He holds me close then tells Dwight to let Carl return to his people.He kisses me on the forehead and expresses his love for me in a low voice. It's not like him to be like this in public but this situation is different. We've never gone through anything of this nature. It almost makes me cry to think about how bad this could've ended.When the love fest is over, he searches me up and down for any injury but he finds something else instead. His nose crinkles as he sniffs me."What the fuck did you do to her?", he moves me to the side and yells over to Rick."What are you talking about? No one laid a hand on her" Rick looks at him and rolls his eyes in annoyance."She's high, look at her", my dad continues to demand answers and all I can do is bite my nails.It's the weed. He can probably smell it all over me not to mention the redness in my eyes."Dad..", I grab his arm to break the news to him but he is too focused on accusing Rick."Shh baby girl, let me handle this", he hushes me.The Alexandrians begin to take a defensive stance. They draw their guns and rush Carl to safety. "Don't point the finger at us, she was like that when we found her. Seems like you need to have a talk with your men", he explains with less patience than before.My dad turns to me with quickness, "Is that true Elena?" the concern in his voice is undeniable.I nod because I can't bring myself to say it out loud. It becomes evident to everyone that there's been a misunderstanding."You have her back now leave", Daryl adds to the conversation.I watch first hand as the realization comes to my father's face. He readjusts his leather jacket and swallows his pride, "That was the deal, and I'm a man of my word but don't think this is over".He motions for his men to go back to their vehicles. The Saviors obey his command and peacefully make their exit.The beginning of our travel home is silent, I can tell my dad is thinking of how to approach the situation but finally he does."You want to start explaining what happened and why you're high?", He asks me though he keeps his eyes on the road."Someone at the Satellite outpost gave me weed", I tell him the truth without a second thought."Where was Brandon when all this happened?", He inquires deeper into the dilemma. Brandon was someone he trusted so this has to come as a shock."Sleep", is all I say.His eyes show a fire in them, I knew he wasn't going to be happy about this."Is he still alive?", I wonder since the last time I saw him he was shot."Yeah, lucky bastard. Only three of my guys survived the attack. He was bleeding pretty bad but he's patched up now." his grip gets tighter on the steering wheel.With so much going on with me being kidnapped I never stopped to think about what actually happened at the satellite outpost. Alexandria attacked us, my dad has every right to feel vengeful. "What are you going to do about Alexandria?", I ask him though I'm fearful of the answer.He glances over at me, "I don't know yet sweetpea, getting you back was my first priority but trust me they're going to pay for this".Whatever plan he's going to come up with is going to be huge. I know my father when someone messes with me it's game over for them.
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When we get home my dad takes me upstairs to finish our conversation in private. The chat begins with me explaining everything about the night Alexandria attacked but then it veers off to Carl."I know that you two have feelings for each other but I just don't see how it would work especially not after what Rick did", My dad expresses his view to me.If only he could see things from my perspective he wouldn't have so much hostility towards Carl, "I understand but Carl has nothing to do with it"."He's still a liability. If he gets close to you, I'm afraid he'll find out something he shouldn't and tell Rick", my dad elaborates on his point then takes a sip of the whiskey in his cup. Alcohol is his comfort during uncomfortable moments."He's not like that", I pout and cross my arms in front of my chest.He chuckles at my brattiness then pulls me into a fatherly embrace, "Baby, in this world people are extremely manipulative. You can't truly trust that he has good intentions no matter how nice he seems"I relax in his arms and breathe in the familiar scent of his leather jacket. It's nice to be back home even though I was only gone for a day."Can't you just trust me, dad? Let me make decisions for my own life"He shakes his head, "I just don't want you to get hurt Elena".I sigh at his overprotectiveness and use my puppy dog eyes on him. He pauses for a moment then gives in to my demands reluctantly, "Fine. I'll let you be with the boy but there are some rules I need you to follow".I jump up from his arms with a smile so big that it hurts. I never thought my dad would ever let me be with him, something surely shifted in his mentality."Hold on baby girl. Listen to the rules first." he stops me from prematurely celebrating. "First off, no more secrets. I don't want you two sneaking around and getting into trouble."I take in what he has to say but honestly, nothing can make me unhappy right now, "That's good with me. I never wanted to do any of this behind your back" I agree with his terms then he continues to list the rest of the rules."And no telling Carl what we talk about. I need to know that I can have trust in you to keep somethings private," he says in a more serious tone.I nod quickly."Oh, I almost forgot the most important one of them all. Be smart and responsible. I want grandkids one day but not anytime soon", he suggests that I and Carl are intimate but I stop him from going any further."Dad! that's disgusting!" I nearly puke in my mouth at the thought of my dad knowing such personal information."I have to tell you this Elena, I was a teenager once too" he grins watching me freak out about this."We don't do....it", I assure him awkwardly."Good, keep it that way", he pats me on the head then goes to fill his cup up with more alcohol. After getting permission to be with the love of my life, my dad lets me have a walkie talkie so I can communicate with Alexandria. Now all there's left to do is share the good news with Carl."Hello. Is anyone there?" I call through the device with so much anticipation that it almost makes me sick to my stomach."It's Daryl. Who is this?" a confused voice answers back."Elena" I answer him with my head held high. Static takes over for a few seconds until he decides on what to say, "What do you want?", he resentfully asks."Carl. I need to talk to him please" I'm polite to him though he's being his typical rude self to me."He has nothing to say to you girl", His stubbornness makes this whole interaction worse but I have to stick it out. It's a small price to pay to be able to see Carl again, "I know this looks suspicious but you have to understand that I and Carl's relationship is genuine, you can ask him yourself" I lay it all out to him."I don't care anything about that. You're the devil's daughter. You won't manipulate me." He stands his ground firmly.I give him the biggest eye roll known to man, "Come on Daryl. When your people kidnapped me I didn't cause problems. If I wanted to I could've told my dad that you hurt me but I didn't". I try to make him feel some guilt about what happened yesterday.Luckily for me it works, "you can talk to him but I'll be listening in. If you say anything I don't like, I'm shutting it down".Finally he comes to his senses. My heart calms and I wait patiently until I hear a voice I recognize to be Carl's, "Elena, are you okay?""I'm really great", I tell him almost breathlessly. It's an unexplainable feeling."You sound excited. Did I miss something?""My dad is letting us be together" I blurt out without second thought.There is a moment of disbelief, "Wow, Negan being a good person for once? That's crazy" the joy in him shines through."So when are you coming back?". I can't wait to see him I need to know now. The sooner he comes back to me the better. We've been apart by force but now it's time for our happily ever after.Despite his initial reaction to the news, Carl seems to be unsure of what happens next. "I don't know if I can. My dad doesn't know about our relationship even if he did he wouldn't want me to live at the Sanctuary" he explains his dilemma to me."Then what are we going to do? We've come so far, I don't want distance to ruin things" I worry that Rick is going to become a new hurdle we have to jump over."I just need time to figure this out. I'll fill you in later, okay?" he rushes me off the phone but of course I can't let him go without telling him one last thing."Okay, I love you" my heart gushes for him."I love you too," he says in a way that would make any girl smile. The compassionate tone of his voice makes it clear to me that he's genuine contrary to what my dad believes.
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Carl POV:After talking with Elena I finally accepted that it's time to come clean to my father. Daryl listened in and now is in the know about our relationship. Of course, he's not happy about it. If I don't tell my dad, he will."When were you gonna tell us about this?" he asks with a slight touch of both anger and confusion."Come on dad, I knew you would hate it.", I confess in full honesty. I never once considered that my dad would be okay with it."How did it happen?" he questions me.Vivid memories flood back to me. "I met her when the Savior's first came around, I couldn't get the thought of being with her out of my head".My dad's eyes widen a little and Daryl jumps into the conversation. "We can't let him do this, his hormones are just out of wack. He'll forget about her in a couple of days".I roll my eyes at him but I keep quite. He's making the situation more complicated than it already is. The last thing I want is for my dad to think I'm going through a "phase".My father seems to be taking what Daryl says into consideration. He starts to doubt me. "Carl, are you sure about her? She's a spoiled brat and nothing but trouble. You don't need someone like that. What about Enid? She's a nice girl.""Enid is my friend but she's nothing like Elena," I tell him flat out. She's special to me not just another girl and I'm going to make him see that.The stress starts to show on his face, I can tell he doesn't want to fight with me but at the same time he doesn't want this relationship to move forward. "Carl, I get it. She's like the forbidden fruit but you need to think of the bigger picture. She's Negan's daughter which makes her an enemy. She can't be trusted", He continues to emphasize his point that she's supposedly not a good person.No one knows her like I do, nothing anyone can say will ever change what I think about her. I take it upon myself to explain the difficulties of Elena's life, "She doesn't like what her dad does. She hates every bit of it but she can't do anything about it. I won't judge her on that and you shouldn't either".My dad is a fair man, he gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. The way he shifts between his two feet is a sign that he's contemplating.My hopes get high that he'll see things from my point of view but there's only so much I can say to change his mind. I'm up against his disdain for Negan, only he can decide if he's willing to look past what has happened.To my disappointment he still has concerns, "at any time she can turn on you. Her daddy can get inside her head and manipulate her into helping him destroy us. We can't risk it."My spirit breaks, this sounds like defeat and to make matters worse Daryl expresses his agreement, "Rick this shouldn't even be a discussion. We both know what he's capable of".Once they come to a consensus it's pretty much final. "Carl, this isn't a smart move" My dad shakes his head.I don't wait around to hear anymore. I storm off back to my room to tell Elena the horrible news that this isn't going to work out how we wanted. It's such a crash from earlier, Negan gave us the green light but my dad didn't. I can't help but feel like this is my fault."Elena don't cry, I promise. I won't let anyone breakus a part", I whisper into the walkie talkie."I wish we could just leave, we'll never be together it we stay", her voice cracks and I can hear that she's on the verge of tears.As her boyfriend it's my job to keep her happy, even if I have to go to desperate measures, "Remember when I told you about the Kingdom?"Elena sniffles into the device, "Yeah"."We could still go there and create a new life. No one would know your Negan's daughter. It's our only chance at living without being judged", I lay out my plan to her again. The first time she wasn't sure of leaving but now it's different. This is our only choice.There's a tense moment of silence. I hold my breath anticipating her response."When can we leave?", she asks nervously.An immense feeling of solace comes over me. Thank God she wants to do this. "Tonight. We have a few working cars. I'll take one and pick you up. I know the way to the Kingdom like the back of my hand. It's an eight-hour trip.""Perfect. I'll be ready when you get here. The night guards are lazy, they won't catch on to us." Elena's voice becomes more cheerful and in turn makes me more confident."I'll be there around midnight. Make sure you have your walkie talkie on you. We have to be quick"The illumination from the moonlight shines down as I park the truck outside of the Sanctuary gates. Elena Should be here any minute, my eyes dart back-and-forth. I hate to admit it but I am scared. If I get caught I don't know what's gonna happen.Just as my nerves get the best of me a shadow runs up to the passenger side, "We need to get out of here before the guards see", Elena pulls open the door and says to me.I put the keys back into the ignition to start the engine, "You got that right".We drive off into the darkness leaving our entire life behind us. With our windows down the cool breeze from the night hits us and it feels like freedom."I can't believe you can drive. My dad refuses to teach me." She says breaking the silence. At first, we both didn't say much but now we can finally breathe easy knowing we got away with it."It's a survival skill. Daryl taught me a long time ago. Maybe I'll teach you one day." I say to her while keeping my eyes on the road."That would be awesome. Since we are on our own now, I need to learn how to function without my dad or the savior's help""We're not on our own. The Kingdom is a second home to me. They take care of us like we're their own" I put her at ease her."I hope so..." she stares out the window.
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Negan POV:The next morning.....My feet carry me down the Sanctuary hallway to my daughter's room. Her teenage ass is always sleeping in, "Elena, you're gonna miss breakfast!" I bang on her door with Lucille at my side.There's no answer so I try the doorknob. It's open. I step in but surprisingly she's not here. It's unusual of her to leave her room, most times she's either here or eating but I checked the cafeteria and she was nowhere to be found.I pull out my walkie talkie to ask if anyone might know where she is, "Simon have you seen my daughter anywhere today?"There's a moment of static before he replies, "No, but I'll ask around" he says nonchalantly.I scratch my head at the mystery maybe she's finally found some friends to hang out with. Whatever the reason is I need to find her, ever since the talk we had yesterday I haven't been able to get somethings off my mind.I continue my search on the first floor, I call her name but to no avail. As the minutes pass, worry grows inside me. The Sanctuary is a safe community but anything could have happened.It's been an hour and it's clear to everyone that something isn't right. "We looked everywhere Sir, I think she's gone," Simon says as he runs up to me.My heart instantly skips a beat. How could she be gone? So many different scenarios play in my head until I think of the most likely suspect in her disappearance, "It's that asshole Rick! I swear he has something to do with this. Get everyone ready we're going to Alexandria right now" the grip on my bat gets tighter.I round up the troops to go straight to Alexandria's doorstep. Last time I let them off easy but this time will be different. This is the second time he's fucked with my daughter, I won't let there be a third time.In no time at all, the entire Savior's force rolls up to Rick's community. I came ready to fight a war, we brought our biggest weapons and strongest fighters.I step out of my truck to face my daughter's kidnapper. The hot sun shines without mercy, as Rick stares me down from the top of the gate."Where is my daughter? I know you have her!" I yell up to him."She's not here and neither is Carl. We're getting a search party together to look for him", he gives me his famous annoyed expression.I don't believe him at first but the more I consider it, the more it makes sense. I just gave Elena permission to be with Carl yesterday, it can't be a coincidence that they're gone not even twenty-four hours later."Your kid is a fucking problem, Rick. He planned this little stunt and tricked my daughter into going along with it", I vent out my frustrations but of course, Rick has to come up with a smart ass comeback."How do you know this was his idea? She's not innocent", he questions me."Because she was happy the last time I talk to her. What about Carl, was he happy the last time you talk to him?"The smug look on his face fades, "that's none of your concern"."I'm gonna take that as a no. Which brings me to my initial point, this is his fault and yours too. If I don't have my daughter back by sunset you can kiss your little community goodbye" I threaten him with every intention of following through. Elena is everything to me, there's no question that I would kill for her.There is a tense silence, but it is interrupted by the voice of a teenage girl. "Rick, I think I know where he is", she says from the other said of the wall.A small glimmer of hope is given to the situation. "Tell me everything you know", he turns his attention to her."I can't be completely sure but he might have taken her to the Kingdom or Hilltop. One of the kids heard someone driving off last night" she tells him loud enough for me to hear. I eavesdrop on the conversation."Negan's men have Hilltop in their control, he would've taken her to the Kingdom. You're right Enid" Rick affirms her suspicions."Have you been hiding this community from me Rick? I never heard of it that's....interesting", I press him on the matters of this unknown place."That's not important now, we need to get them. Those two can't survive on their own. I'll show you the way", Rick hurries and gets down from the gate.I never thought I'd see the day that he would help me but I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.My people and I followed Rick all the way to this so-called Kingdom, it was a few hours drive but now we're at their main gate. I have to admit I'm impressed, I didn't expect to find another developed community around here.I make my men stay in their vehicles as we approach in a non-threatening manner."Rick, what the hell is going on?", A man with long hair emerges with confusion written all over him. He surely wasn't expecting any of this."Is my son here?", Rick gets straight to the point.The man nods, "Yes, he brought a girl along with him. He said you wanted him to get away from Alexandria for a little while""They ran-away. That girl is my daughter, where the hell is she?" I interject with a stronghold on Lucille. She's exactly the type of reinforcement I need right now. It this guy gives me any trouble, she'll bash his brains in."Everyone hold your horses. The kids are here, I'll show you where they're staying" the man looks at me with a warm smile.His friendliness puts me at ease slightly. I can tell Rick trusts this man, so I follow as he leads the way. It's a short walk to their quarters, the only thing that races through my mind is the hope that Elena is safe and sound.Once we get to their room door, I let myself in without knocking. My chest tightens at the sight of Carl sitting on the bed with my daughter, "Elena, what do you think you're doing? You had me come all the way over here for no good reason!" I shout at her before she even realizes what's going on.
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Elena POV:The familiar sound of my dad's voice pulls me back to reality. What once felt like an escape now feels like a nightmare, "I-I can explain" I jump up from the bed nervously. I can't believe he found us so quick."I don't want to hear your excuses. I gave you permission to be with Carl but you still went and did this! I'm so disappointed in you", he scolds me.My head hangs in shame as he berates me but Carl won't just stand by and let it happen."It wasn't her fault. It was my idea" he pushes me aside.I see the anger boiling deep inside my father's face, this is his last straw. Rick teams up with him to give us a piece of his mind, "Carl this isn't like you. Do you know how much danger you put yourself in? You need to start thinking about your actions".Carl and I both look over to Ezekiel for help but he can't be bothered. He leaves us to deal with our parents alone. When we first arrived he was so supportive of us but I understand why he doesn't want to get involved.The words from Rick and my father start to blend together. I don't want to listen to either of them but it's best to just let them vent. I and Carl stay quiet for the time being."So what do you have to say for yourself?" my dad asks me while Rick continues lecturing to his son."I'm sorry. It was a mistake" I plead for forgiveness but he's not convinced."This is more than a mistake. You put your life in jeopardy to be with a boy. That's completely unacceptable".I don't feel good about making my dad upset but I don't regret anything I've done. As he yells at me, all my emotions build-up, "It felt like we didn't have a choice. Rick doesn't want us to be together" I rationalize my decision."Listen baby girl Alexandria and the Sanctuary are enemies. You should've known from the beginning that this wasn't going to be easy. So many people wouldn't be happy for you", he speaks nothing but the truth to me.My eyes fill with tears and I turn away from him. There's always a constant reminder that we'll never be accepted. I feel like I'm crushing under the weight of other people's baggage.My dad steps closer to me and pulls me into his arms, "Come here, it's alright" he kisses me on the forehead. We hold each other in an embrace, as we overhear the argument happening right beside us."She's harmless trust me on this. She would never do anything to hurt us" Carl yells in defense of me to his father."She's just...not the type of girl I think you should be with", Rick struggles to find the right words to say."How?", the teenage boy folds his arms.Rick's aggravation reaches an all-time high, "She can turn on you at any moment, we already talked about this Carl." his eyes glance over to me."She came all the way here to start a new life with me. She didn't know anything about the Kingdom but she took the risk. That's loyalty."The father and son duo scream and shout at each other until Rick finally gives in, "Fine. If this is what you want then, go right ahead. I can't stop you, you'll have to learn the lesson the hard way" he throws his hands into the air.Carl smirks at me then back at his dad, "Then we're both staying here."My dad isn't happy at all with this resolution. "Hell no, you one-eyed bastard. My daughters coming back home where she belongs." his hold on me gets tighter.I wiggle away from him and rush to Carl's side, "This is the best way then no one will have to worry about either of us turning on each other. We can be separated from all the drama" I stand by my boyfriend's side. The looks on my dads face is one I'll never forget, "You're my little girl. You're too young to leave home, and won't you miss the people at the Sanctuary? They're basically helped raise you." his eyes show a sadness in them I've never seen before."Yes, I'm going to miss them but The Kingdom can be a fresh start at least for a little while. I won't stay here forever", I take Carl's hand into mines to feel secure in my decision. It's not easy to see my dad like this, he's the strongest man I know."Elena I don't know these people. I can't trust them to keep you safe", he desperately tries to find a reason to bring me home."Dad, have you seen this place? It's the definition of safe. There are children everywhere living their life without worry." I tell him with optimism but it doesn't help much."Elena, I-I can't make this type of decision on the spot. You know what happened last time I let you leave the Sanctuary. Maybe if I knew more about this place things would be different but for now, the answer is no" he shakes his head and sighs.Just as I am about to respond Ezekiel appears again, "I can show you around. You'll see how great it is for yourself" he interjects suddenly.My dad contemplates to himself then agrees to have a peek around, "I'll give it a chance but I'm not promising anything yet".Ezekiel acts as a tour guide for me and my dad. CarlAnd Rick decided to stay back, they had more to talk about in private."So, tell me, what do you think?" Ezekiel asks my dad after showing us around his community. The Kingdom is similar to Alexandria in many ways. People are free and happy, which is a stark contrast from what happens at the Sanctuary. Not to mention everything is well organized and secure. They are a high functioning community to say the least.My dad can't help but to give accolades where they're due, "It's better than expected. Your people look well trained, I would want Elena to be somewhere that could defend themselves. To be honest I'm quite impressed". I can tell the tour had a positive effect on him.Ezekiel accepts the praise without hesitation, "My people are living good Negan and so will your daughter. If it will make you happy, I will arrange for her to have extra protection", he generously offers."That would be appreciated. My little girl can be a wild child sometimes. She needs someone to keep her from doing anything stupid" he returns to his typical snarky self."So, can I stay?", I ask with an overwhelming amount of anticipation.He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before speaking, "Yes, sweetheart but just for a little while".I can barely hold my excitement back, I leap into his arms, "I love you daddy" I squeeze him lovely."but I will be coming to check up on you", he warns although it doesn't bother me at all. I know I'll eventually be looking forward to his visits."Will you be staying for dinner?", the leader of the Kingdom politely interrupts our father and daughter bonding session."For sure, I came all this way I might as well have one last meal with my sweet pea", he accepts the invitation.
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It was time. Time for him to leave. We had dinner with the community folk and had gotten acquainted with everyone. It was the final step in this long journey. It's symbolic of me leaving childhood into adulthood. My father can't be with me all the time and this is the moment I've made for myself to be able to have freedom. I never thought my dad would ever let me go but him and I both know that this is for the best and is only temporary. One day when things are different I'll come back home, I'll definitely be a changed person by then."You take care of my girl", My dad says to Carl in a somewhat serious and playful manner."I will", he smiles at my dad for the first time ever.My dad moves on to me, he can't help but be proud of his only daughter. "I'll make sure no one goes into your room" He plants a huge kiss on my cheek and I return the favor, "I'll be back in no time".It was a long goodbye but definitely worth it. None of this could've been predicted, I never thought I'd find love or even be able to pursue it but life has a funny way of making things happen when you least expect it. It does pain me that I didn't get to say goodbye to some people like Dwight and Simon but this isn't forever.Carl and I watch as our parents leave the Kingdom, this marks a new beginning for us. We'll finally be able to live the life we've always wanted, with the person we have always needed. We got all we could've ever asked for and more.......