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Rick trudged through the snow on his way to find supplies. The man had been walking for what felt like a lot longer than he expected. He was hungry and out of food which was why he left his home in the first place. How ever now he had miss calculated how far away this town he was going to check out was. Rick's legs started to feel like they were about to give out under him. The man let himself fall, faceplanting into the snow. He thought to himself how he spent all of this time alive just to go out because he couldn't go on in the cold. A small chuckle of regret left his mouth. A half an hour of the man just laying in the snow later he started to hear foot steps. He had no idea how a walker was still moving in this snow but he couldn't get up to defend himself. Rick let the footsteps get closer and closer. Once they were right next to him he shut his eyes in anticipation. The bite never came though, instead he was lifted up. He struggled for a few trying to get free but his struggles were weak."Will you fucken stop?!" A gruff voice came from the person who picked him up. "Save it for the sheets." Rick stopped he recognized the voice. He opened his eyes and saw Negan. Rick couldn't believe Negan was saving him after everything. He shut his eyes feeling oddly safe in the mans arms. Negan kept going back to the saviors. He had no idea what rick was doing so far from his group but he wasn't just going to let the man die out there. Negan got looks of confusion as he carried the now asleep Rick inside. Dwight had been the most confused as Rick had actually gone missing as far as anyone knew. The man followed Negan but the leader turned to him."Do you need something?" Negan asked in anger at being followed. He just wanted to get Rick into a bed with a meal."I just wanted to know why you were hauling Grimes in." Dwight said pure confusion washed over his face."So he can suck my fucking dick." Negan rolled his eyes. "Look at him the man is in really bad fucking shape. Go get a tray of food and bring it up to my room." Negan left no time for Dwight to respond. He stormed up to his room and dropped rick on the bed while pulling off his pack. The man tossed it to the side before he started wraping Rick like a burrito in the blankets. Dwight soon came with the food."His group reported him missing a month ago." Dwight explained as Negan took the food. "He just left one day with no warning apparently." "Stupid fuck." Negan said as he closed the door leaving Dwight on the other side. "Why would you do something as dumb as that?"Rick only muttered back. Negan sighed before he sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you want to eat?" He held the food out to the man. Rick slowly looked over at it. He gave a nod and freed his hand to take the plate. Rick sat up carefully as he sat the tray in his lap. "Mind telling why the fuck you went out there alone with out telling anyone." Negan looked Rick dead in the eyes. Rick however looked away. He stayed silent looking down at the food."I.... I wasn't the best leader. I got many of my people killed due to my choices I made." Rick sighed and took a bite of the food. "Then after your people attacked I realized maybe I shouldn't lead." Negan looked at Rick in disbelief. He slapped the man in the back of the head. "You are such a fucking pussy. You have to be shitting me. Your shitting me right? You made some mistakes. So fucking what? Learn from them and lead your goddamn people. Dwight told me your people are fucken worried sick and now your telling me you think you can't do it?"Rick looked at the man in shock. "You can't be serious I di-"Negan slammed his hands down on the bed. "You almost died out there because you are running from your fucking problems. The man I knew behind those gates wouldn't have ran. You stood up to me this long. You're not allowed to pussy out now.""Why are you like this?" Rick put another bite of food in his mouth. "You can't seriously be saying that was reasonable to turn down your help.""Your people don't like me. You did what you thought was best as their leader. Now if I come back again for supplies your gonna fucken give them to me because now you owe me. That or you're going to suck my damn cock."Rick gave a glare as Negan laughed. "But no seriously you fucken owe me Grimes."
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Rick stayed with Negan a bit longer than he meant to while recovering. He felt angry at himself for letting him get in this situation. The man had no desire to go back to his camp and tell them they now owed Negan almost half their food. It was another stupid choice he made that now his group was going to have to live with. He knew they weren't going to be happy. Last time he had left there was almost no food as is. Definitely not enough to share with Negan. Rick walked outside of the building and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well I did it again." He said lightly under his breath. Dwight watched him for a moment before walking up to him. "So I told your group you were found." He said but there was nervousness in his tone. Rick raised a brow at his tone."If you think I am going to be mad about it I'm not." Rick said as he rubbed the back of his head."No I didn't thing you would how ever they are." Dwight shook his head. "And at first they were very excited to hear you were alive." Rick perked up a bit when he heard they were excited. Dwight however put his hand up to stop him from being more happy about it. "But now they don't want to give up food to get you back." As Dwight said this Rick sat down leaning his back against a fence. He put his hands over his face. "How are we going to tell Negan. He's been wanting me to go back for a while now." Grimes said lightly. Dwight put his hand on the mans shoulder."I'll go let him know. Worst case scenario he will probably just kick you out." Dwight walked away as Rick rolled his eyes. Rick wasn't really comforted by the fact he was going to be out there alone again. As he thought more and more about how he shouldn't have left his group he felt something hit his side. He looked down to see his pack, but it was empty. He grabbed it and quickly stood up. Negan was standing near him with Lucile in hand. "Before you start fucken yelling at me I didn't take anything." Negan started. "All of your shit is on a bed in a room I picked out for you. I need you to get us further into a nearby city. Rumor has it your good at that." Rick eyed the pack and then looked at Negan. "You're letting me stay." "Of fucken course I am. You almost died out there and you got a nice ass." Smith winked. Rick let out a small disappointed groan at the joke but he slipped the pack on nonetheless. "Look if I am going to do a city run I have to have a small team of at least two others. Preferably agile people. I don't now how soon you can have them but if you want me to go out today then you need to get them to me soon." The ex-sheriff stated as put his arm nub in the palm of his hand."Look at you. I give you orders and your bark them right the fuck back at me." Negan pointed Lucile at him and smirked. "You make bad fucken choices Grimes. You still have that leader's boner in you." Negan walked away to get the people Rick needed. Rick watched him for a minute before he looked out at the forest. He felt like Negan liked him a bit more than he lead on. Negan saw something in him that he didn't. At the same time he realized he owed Negan a lot. He belonged to Negan now. It made him wonder how long he could get away with demands like that. "Hey boss said to come over here." A voice came from the left of him. He turned to the voice a tall skinny blonde man and a shorter red haired man approached him. "Yeah he said you needed a couple of guys to come over and help you." The red haired man started. "I'm John and that tall man is Baily. Why only two of us though? If we are going deeper into the city shouldn't we have more?" "I'm Rick, and no we don't need more people than this." Rick shook his head and smirked. "We aren't doing this in any traditional fashion. We are doing this the way I was taught." Baily and John exchange looks of slight discomfort at the mans words. Rick gave a smirk and a chuckle."Don't worry about it to much. But I do have to ask do you boys have strong stomachs?"
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Baily watched rick in horror as he hacked away at the walker in front of him. When the man had asked him and John to put on the disposable ponchos they had no idea why. There was no clouds in the sky. They had turned down the idea of roof top hopping because they thought it was unsafe but this was on a whole entirely different level. John backed away a bit, scared of the idea."Fuck this shit man. I ain't just walking into a horde of those things." He said with fear in his tone. "And there is no fucking way I am putting that shit on me. Your crazy.""Yeah look I thought it was a little weird when Negan said you could get in the city and now I'm seeing why its weird." Baily stated just watching Rick."I have done this two times now." Rick started. "If you don't want to do it that's fine. I would rather you not go in if you can't keep calm that's how two people died doing this.""T-Two people died doing this?" Baily asked, hesitation written all over him. "Then why the hell are you doing it?""Because if you don't panic you're fine." Rick bluntly stated. He started to pull out the gore and internals of the zombie before rubbing them over the poncho. John ran over behind a bush while Baily took a step forward."If this is going to help us get supplies then I want to help." The blonde put a hand over his chest. "I won't panic or freak out I promise.""Will you be able to keep your word once you get in there?" Rick handed him some of the zombie. "It's easier said than done.""I think I can." Baily started to rub them on his poncho before he switched to helping rick get his back. "It is a scary idea and I wont like I am nervous but you said you did this twice and you are alive. That's defiantly something.""You wont catch me doing that shit!" John called out from the bushes. "I'm fucking going home."Rick watched him storm away before he shrugged. "Well that's fine I doubt he could have handled it anyway. I only wanted two of you so we could carry more anyway."The two finished up helping each other before they started to head into the city. The walk through was slow and tedious both men trying not to bump into any zombies more than they had to. Rick was impressed how calm the tall man had been through this so far."I hope you join me on more of these." Rick said lightly. "You are the first person to really not show any fear while doing this.""Nah trust me I am scared shitless right now. I just don't want to set these things off." Baily gave a light smirk. Rick gave a slight chuckle as he nodded. It was quite for a few moments as they walked before Baily looked at Rick's missing hand. "If you don't mind me asking what happened there?"Rick looked at it and frowned. "Ah some guy who called himself the governor chopped it off a long time ago. I have long since learned to work with it.""Damn. Nothing that bad has happened to me but I did escape a big city back in the day.""We can talk later I don't want the walkers to catch on that we are different."Baily gave a nod before returning to focus on why they were there. After a bit of walking the two came across a store that seemed fairly intact. They looked it over and determined that most of the supplies had been left because once people realized canned goods where way more valuable it was far to late to get in to the city."This is amazing." Baily whispered as he pushed the broken sliding glass door aside. "There is so much food.""We may need to make a few trips even more since your friend bailed on us." Rick followed him in and pulled his pack off. "Even then once Negan sees this brings results maybe we can get a few more runners. Big groups are a bad idea but a group of four can get in and out if they are careful.""I mean fair but do you really think four is safe some of those zombies out there were looking at us funny." Baily started to carefully put cans in his bag."It will be fine. We will just need to cake more crap on us." Rick gave a chuckle and started filling up his bag. "The first time I did this I noticed they didn't seem to care if we talked. As long as we smell like them it's fine.""Seems weird but alright then.""You get use to it trust me." Rick quietly zips up his back pack and carefully puts it back on. "We need to be careful on our way out try not to bump into any of them with the pack."Baily gave a nod as he slipped his pack on and followed Rick out. They grinned with their new way to survive.
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Negan looked at John with displeasure. Lucille laid on the desk before him as he stared at the man glaring, unsure of what he was going to do. Negan wanted to murder him for just abandoning Rick. John looked at him nervously. He told the man the truth about how Rick and Baily just walked into the horde."So you were to much of a fucken pussy to go help?" Negan asked as he looked down at his bat."Y-You can't be serious. You can't really believe that was a good idea." John shuddered. Shocked at Negan's anger."Trust me, I believe it's fucking insane what that man did." Negan stood up and gripped Lucille. "But that man has survived this long." He glares hard at John. "And if he fucken died out there you will follow him." Negan put Lucille on his shoulder and walked out. John just watched in horror."Baily was my friend you know!" John said. "We did everything together."Negan didn't break his stride as he scoffed. "Well then you are a shitty friend. You left him to die."Negan slammed the door behind him. As much as he hated to admit it, he really was worried about Rick. With how much that man had been through he was going to be an amazing asset, but even then he found himself thinking more about how he actually liked the man. Negan shook it off as he walked to the front of the base. He looked up to the tower he sent Dwight to."Any sign of dick bag yet?" Negan asked with a laugh."No not yet." Dwight rolled his eyes. "It's a shame to I have seen how resourceful Rick can be. I really doubt he died out there but maybe he got hung up or something."Negan looked up at him and frowned. "Just keep fucken looking then. If he isn't back by tonight I'll send a goddamn search party." Negan shook his head as he walked away. Dwight watched him with a confused frown. Once Negan was out of sigh he turned back to what he was doing.Dwight held up the binoculars and peered through them looking for any sight of the two men. The man had to admit he was worried about the as well. John had indeed told them that they just walked into a mass of walkers. Dwight looked over the horizon and he swore he saw something."Could it be?" He muttered to himself as he adjusted the binoculars. Rick and Baily were heading back to the saviors wearing what looked to be really full backpacks. "Holy shit."He climbed down from the tower before meeting them at the gate."Jesus you guys look like hell." Dwight watched them walk in. "And you smell like shit what happened out there?""We ditched the ponchos a while ago but I guess the smell lingered." Rick laughs. "If you take this stuff to Negan and we get a quick shower I'll explain everything.""From how John was explaining it, it sounded like you two died.""Yeah that sounds like something he would do." Baily sighed as he pulled off the pack and set it down. "He didn't really trust Rick. To be fair neither did I at first."Dwight takes the packs from them. "Alright well go catch a shower. Meet Negan in his room after Rick."The two embarked for the showers as Dwight took a look at the packs. He was surprised at the weight of them. He heaved them over his shoulders and took them to Negan."The boys are back." He said walking up to the man. Negan looked at Dwight and then to the packs."Are they okay? Were are they?" Negan asked slight worry in his tone."They just went to shower they smelt super bad." Dwight raised a brow at the worry and lack of cussing. "Told Rick to meet you in your room.""Fucken perfect." Negan took one of the sacks off of Dwight and started to root through it. "Holy shit this is a lot of stuff. Imagine what the could have brought back if john stuck with them. I think I am going to go kick that fucken asshole out.""Seems a bit harsh." Dwight said lightly."Fucken guy deserves it." Negan angrily stated. "He just watched them fucking walk into a horde and did nothing about it." Negan grabbed a can of fruit for himself and Rick. "I am going to my room let Rick know he can just walk in."Rick took a bit as he savored the shower. Once he was finished he got into clean clothes and headed out. From there Dwight told him to to head on up to Negan's room. Grimes walked up to his room and carefully walked in."Hey Negan you want to speak with me?" Rick asked as he pushed the door open. Negan was sitting on his bed eating from the can."Hell yeah I do." Negan ate the bit in his mouth as he pointed to Rick with the spoon in his hand. "You are a fucking insane son of a bitch if what John said was true.""I don't know what he told you but we walked into the city no problem and grabbed some stuff." Rick rubbed the back of his head lightly. "It's not a huge deal. Just kind of happy it went well for once."Negan raised a brow. "For once?""Well the first time it rained. Washed the smell right off of us. I was almost bit that day. The second time..." He trailed off looking to the side. Took him a moment to muse over his thoughts. "Well the second time, it was my fault." He couldn't even look Negan in the eyes. "I forgot most kids weren't like my own. It was even worse when I realized that the people there, they had relied on the the safety of that wall for years. One of the walls fell and the walkers swarmed in." Rick now shut his eyes. "I wanted to get them to a safer spot. It was to much for them.""Shit... Rick I..." He saw a tear roll down the mans cheek and quickly jumps up. He set the can down and walked over to embrace him. "Don't say another damn word okay. Its fine, I'm fucken sorry I made you bring it up. What you did today was fucking amazing okay? You saved us. You found a way for us to get more supplies than we can handle."Rick didn't speak just grabbed the mans arm and buried his face in it. Smith pulled the other leader to the bed before laying him down. He laid down next to him and just held him."You have been through hell just rest. Don't worry about the fucken past right now." Negan felt bad, he had no idea Rick had been through so much. For all he knew it could have been worse. Rick's sobs echoed in his ears as he gave the man a worried look. "Shit Rick.... The child died and you blame yourself?"Rick nodded burying himself further into the mans embrace. "So many people died because of poor choices I made. My wife died because we had something another man wanted. I wouldn't give it up." He grit his teeth as he let out a low gasp trying to catch his breath. "When your people attacked I just.... I."Negan held him even closer a pained look in his eyes as he realized what he put Rick through. "No wonder you didn't fucking trust me. I'm so sorry.... Shit."
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Rick had woken up way before Negan. He slowly slipped out of the bed and wandered outside to the fence. Rick wasn't really sure how to feel knowing that the man he held so much resentment to had a softer side. The world had changed them all for the worst but deep down they were all still human. It was all down to how trauma was handled. The sheriff looked down at his stubbed hand as he realized truly how much he has changed as well."Hey fuck face." A voice came from behind him. Rick turned to face the man. It was John and he really didn't look pleased at all. "You know you are going to get us all killed with your bullshit."Rick crossed his arms and sighed. "I don't really see how that is true. I have survived this long.""Maybe you have." John pointed at the man with a glare. "And maybe you have everyone else fooled. But I talked to your old group. You got so many fucken people killed because you made the worst choices you possibly could.""When the fuck did you talk to my group?" Rick sneered."Last night while everyone else was sleeping I only just got back now." He walked up to rick. "I was suspicious when you said that two people died doing the shit you tried to pull on me.""I wasn't trying to pull anything. You guys needed supplies I knew how to get them."John rolled his eyes and pulled out a hand gun pointing it at Rick. Rick flinched as he looked at John in shock."You may have everyone fooled but not me." Johns hands slightly shook as if he hadn't planned on pulling out the gun in the first place. "But I will not let you kill me or any one else.""Look just put the weapon down." Rick held his hand out, palm down. "We can talk about this. I am not in charge here. You don't have to scavenge with me.""Shut up!" John yelled. "Baily would go with you again. I don't fucken want to see him dead because some fucken asshole told him that something was safe!""He doesn't have to go either. I know he is your friend just put the gun down kid." Rick pleaded."I am not a fool!" John yelled with vexation. "I will no-" He was cut of but the thwacking of wood hitting the back of his head. John dropped the gun and fell harshly to his hands and knees. Blood trailed from the back of his head."You sound like a fucken fool to me." Negan laughed and stood over him. "Lucille was thirsty to perfect timing asshole."Rick looked at Negan in relief. The man didn't even have time to put on his jacket just ran out here in a tank top and his pants. Lucile rested on his shoulder little chunks of Johns hair and skin clunk to her. Rick has never been more happy to see her."N-Negan?" John gasped out, betrayal in his voice. "W-Why?"Negan shook his head and tsked. "You do not fucken pull a gun on our own people you fucken dumbass."By now a small crowd had formed to watch. Most had just woken up from the commotion. Rick searched the crowd finding Baily in the back. He looked crushed at the situation. Rick gave him a look of sorrow and told himself he would need to track down the man later. His attention turned back to Negan who was squatting near the mans head so he could hear him better. Rick couldn't really hear what they were saying but it ended up with Negan standing up and frowning."Negan maybe we shou-" Rick started but stopped in horror as he watched Negan bring his bat down over Johns head. The sickening crack of the mans head rang through out Ricks head as it brought back the memories that he yearned to forget. Rick ran off, he didn't need or want to be there for the rest. Baily watched him and ran off after him."Hey wait up!" Baily called out. Rick slowed down a bit but kept a fast pace wanting to get out of ear shot of what was happening."Look I didn't provoke the fight if that's what you want to know." Rick said with sadness in his tone."Oh I know." Baily walked briskly beside him trying to match his pace. "John has always been sorta a hard head like that. It got so much worse when the zombies hit. He probably said something really stupid to Negan.""You don't seem that upset for someone who just lose a close friend." Rick cocked a brow."Truth be told I saw it coming for a month. While it is really sad and I will miss him, he has been pushing Negan's buttons for a while now." Baily put his hands in his pockets. Honestly him bailing on us really upset me to." He rubs the back of his head. "You ran pretty fast back there was that your first time seeing him to that?""Second. I am not really over the first time it happened." Rick rubbed his arm and looked down. "Do you know if Negan is really as bad as he is?""Well I have seen a softer side to him." Baily puts his hand to his chin in thought. "He really likes to play the tough guy role but when he cares about something he really puts his heart into it."Rick looks down in thought for a moment before looking back at the crime scene. "Look I should probably go find him. I want to hang out later though.""Alright man I will see you around. I should probably go do my chores anyway."The two wave goodbye and Rick jogs back to go find Negan passing John's body as he did.
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Negan looked over where the garden is and smiled at his bat. The winter was cold, it left the desire for spring so he could start planting food again. He liked to make a small sunflower patch off in the corner as well. Gave him something to do while everyone else was busy. The soft crunching of footsteps in the snow took him from his thinking. Negan gave a side glace back."Hey sorry for running off like that." Rick gave a weary smile. Negan turned back to the garden."I don't blame you." He said with a huff. "I bashed that fuckers skull in. Probably wasn't what you needed to see first thing in the damn morning. I wasn't about ready to let him lay their and fucken insult me either."Rick frowned before walking closer to Negan. "He pulled a gun on me I would have probably killed him as well." He runs a hand through his hair. "I guess I was just taken off guard due to how... well you know.""You don't have to hold it over my fucking head asshole." Negan turned his head at Rick and glared. "Besides you aren't the victims. You killed so many of my fucken people. I only killed one of yours."Rick shot a glare back. "Are we really going to argue about this shit again? It's still clean trauma for me you cant just expect me to forget what you did.""I saved your damn life prick." Negan pressed a finger into the mans chest. "You best forget before you say something you will really fucken regret and I will have to beat your ass.""You'd like it to much." Rick sneered."Well fuck me was a that a Quip?" Negan looked at Rick in slight shock. "It was a weak as fuck one but damn.""Oh bite me. You don't respect me."Negan shook his head lightly and gave a small tsk. "That is the furthest from the truth. If I didn't respect you I wouldn't have saved your ass twice. You are a fucken idiot some times you know that? The only reason why you are even here is because I think you are capable. You just need to use some common fucken sense once in your life. You didn't get this far because you are an idiot though. Do not ruin what I currently think about you by trying to start shit with me."Rick listened to him carefully. Another speech, something Rick never understood was why Negan was so hell bent on helping him."I like it when you fucken stand up to me." Negan continued. "It shows me you have some balls left in you. But you will not go around trying to pick fights with me because you will fucken loose. I forgave you for killing my men. Can you forgive yourself for killing Glen."Rick hesitated as he looked Negan in the eyes. He thought the man was joking for a moment. Nothing in Negan's eyes said he was. He thought about what Baily had said, what he had seen of the man. Grimes looked at his own hand and his stub. He killed Glen with his choices. His longest friend through this mess was only killed because he chose to not share supplies in the moment."Only if you can forgive yourself for not figuring out a more efficient way of getting supplies first." Rick gave a smirk. He wasn't going to dwell on it at the moment. "You needed a cripples help."Negan blinked, he had expected to see Rick cry. Smith gave a light laugh. "Well damn you got me there. Honestly rubbing your self with that nasty ass shit just seemed like a bad idea. You are probably the only shit head brave enough to try it first. Now that we know it works though I can send in a few more with you next time."Rick looked around a bit to make sure know one was around. "So really though why are you actually upset about Glen if in reality it is my fault?""Because your pussy ass cried about it in bed okay just drop it. It's over." Negan turned away from him and blushed softly from embarrassment. "Go eat some breakfast or some shit." He muttered as he walked away."Well the more you know." Rick gave a smile. After last night he had figured that maybe they came to more of a understanding. Todays fight hadn't given him much hope but hearing that, that was all he needed to confirm Negan truly had a softer side. "But why is he such an asshole?" Rick muttered lightly to himself."Probably something to do with his past." Rick about jumped when he heard Dwight behind him."Jesus Christ man do not fucken do that." Rick gasped as he looked at him. "How long have you been there?""I just came strolling up. Mostly to check on you." The man sat on a bench not bothering to move the snow. "Heard you two yelling.""We always yell." Rick smirked. "It's how leaders show affection don't you know?""Careful." Dwight chuckles. "He is rubbing off on you.""In all reality I think we are understanding each other slightly better." Rick stated looking back to where Negan walked off to. "He really is something different. I bet his roots run deep. He has probably lost a lot.""Eh yeah he did. Not really my place." Dwight gave a shrug."Yeah I will let him come to me when he is ready for that talk." Rick sighs. "I should probably go eat. I want to check the fence while I have time.""Why are you worried about the fence?""Ah just had a few break on me already. I notice you guys sometimes let the walkers build up. It's a better safe than sorry thing.""I can't really argue with that. Though it has held up this long. But if you say it needs to be looked at then I can at least get started while you eat.""Thank you. It will help. The safer we can make this place the better, even if it already feels safe." Rick stated as he walked off. He walked into the cafeteria area and grabbed himself a tray of food. It really looked like Negan had stoked up during all this time and the trades with the other committees probably helped. Rick sat down and started to eat. It wasn't the best food but it was keeping him alive."What was that?" Some one near by him asked. Rick listened closely as the room went silent. Screaming was heard outside.
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Rick ran down the hall to the source of the screams. He was scared, this new safe place once more became a nightmare. Was he just bad luck at this point? He ran outside to see a mess of people running. The fence was in fact down, the zombies flooding in. Grimes reached for his gun but he realized he left it in his room. Softly he muttered a curse to himself as he looked for any escape. Panic filled his mind about as fast as it had filled the yard.He went to lunge over the railing and run but stopped short as he saw Negan running to save his people. Rick's mind wandered back to the first day Negan brought him back. How he said that Rick could be a decent leader if he would stop running. Grimes groaned before looking around. Finding a small hatchet some one had dropped he jumped the railing to go help Negan push them back. Negan looked at the man."Just push them fucking back long enough for the others to get out." The man told the sheriff with a grunt as he swung his bat. Both of them honestly knew that there was no way they were going to completely fend them off on their own."What even happened?" Rick asked as he brought his axe down on a walkers head."Dwight said a goddamn herd wandered up and before anyone could defend the fence it fell." Ricks face fell in horror as Negan spoke."We didn't shoot off any guns though.""They must have already been heading this way."Rick grunted as he took a few steps back. The zombie horde was getting to thick now for the two to manage and before Rick could say anything Negan scooped the man up and took off running. Baily had been throwing supplies into a jeep while the two where holding back the walkers."Get the fuck in the drivers seat and go!" Negan yelled as the threw Rick in the back seat and hopped in with him. Baily got in and speed off."What about the others?!" Rick yelled as he looked back. He quickly looked at Negan who was looking away. "We can't just leave them!""We can't fight the herd by ourselves." Negan sighed. "We gave enough time for people to get away and that's all we could do. Dwight helped get people out. I hate running from shit like this."Rick watched the man, listened to him and his eerily soft tone with a lack of cussing. He could tell that Negan cared about his people, bailing like that hurt him. Rick sat down before leaning on the man. He knew the feeling, the feeling of helplessness in having to run. Baily watched the two in the rear view mirror for a moment while giving his own sigh. The ride was silent for the most part. Rick held Negan's hand to comfort him, Negan gave it a soft squeeze to acknowledge it."Hey Baily can you find us a place to hunker down and stay safe for the night?" Rick asked gently."Yeah I think I know a place just up the way actually." Baily responded matching Rick's tone. "There is a fenced in auto repair place just up the way. It isn't near a town, not close enough for it to be a issue anyway.""Sounds fine just a place to rest, calm down, and regroup is all we need." Rick leaned back. "Man was I naïve when I thought all of this was going to blow over.""I think deep down all of us thought it was going to end when it first started." Negan muttered lightly as he looked out the window.Baily cleared his throat. "I uhh.. well came from pretty nice lifestyle. I was pretty rich and happy. I defiantly fell off the deep end when all of this started." He rubbed the back of his head, choosing his words carefully. "I did body work you know. John was actually my manager not really a friend. He was more delusional than me when this first started to happen.""You did porno?" Negan gave a snort of amusement."Yeah yeah laugh it up." Baily rolled his eyes. "I didn't really want people to know and John didn't want my body to "get ruined" as he put it. Its why he flipped out so hard on Rick. John said he would keep my secret as long as I stuck with him.""Man that's kind of crazy. Maybe I should have bashed that fuckers head in sooner.""Some times I wish you did. He was pretty restricting didn't let me do a lot." Baily turned into the parking lot of the auto shop. "It's kind of nice to be free from that.""Well it does explain why you weren't upset." Rick stated as he jumped out of the car. He then wandered to the building to clear it of walkers. Negan stayed behind to talk with Baily a bit more."So are you two an item or something?" Baily asked with a brow raised."I think so." Negan held Lucile over his shoulder and looked at the door Rick disappeared into. "We cuddled one night and held hands the whole fucken way here. We do fight but Rick starts shit half the time. He's a really interesting man though can't say he didn't catch my eye back when we first met. Man has a hot ass what can I say.""I'd say its pretty flat but you do you." Baily chuckled."It's clear." Rick walked out of the building and to the gate. He closed and locked it. "No beds though but that can be a tomorrow issue.""We can do a food run tomorrow as well." Baily said as he pulled a pack out of the back of the car. "I managed to to get some from the base before it got to bad but this will only last for a month at most.""Wont be a issue." Rick waved his hand. "Once spring comes we can garden and get some canning supplies to. If we end up staying here I want to enforce the fence better as well."Negan nods. "Yeah that needs to be the first thing we fucken do. I'm not loosing all my shit again."Rick pulled the pack from Baily before starting to search through it. He pulled out a can of peaches wit the can opener and sighed. "I jinxed it. I told Dwight we should check the fences. I noticed a bit more pile up than normal.""Can't really blame yourself for bad timing." Baily shrugged. "After all its winter they don't normally move that fast during this time.""It has been warming up." Rick lightly spoke. "I haven't been keeping track of the days. I don't know if you have been but we might be coming up on spring honestly. Even with the snow still on the ground its not as much."Negan and Baily look at him. They both knew he was right they all must have lost track fully some where. Rick walked back inside with a blanket. Negan watched him for a moment."I really hope I'm not reading him wrong in all of this." He sighed and grabbed a smaller pack. "He is a little prick though so I wouldn't be surprised if he was just messing around.""I'll leave you two alone and take first watch." Baily waved him off and looked for a way to get on the roof. Negan walked inside and looked around for Rick. Rick had set up in the lobby on the ground. He was silently eating the peaches. Negan laid his blanket next to Ricks and smirked."Well prick its just us for a while." The man chuckled and sat down. Rick gave a glare, he hated that nickname and Negan knew it. Negan gave him a light punch. "Hey calm the fuck down. We just survived almost dying."Rick looked down at his can. He held it as he lightly shook. "I can't..." The sheriff shook his head. "I don't want to love again. Everyone around me who I did love died. I don't want you to die."Negan paused for a moment before giving a soft sorrowful look. Expecting rage and anger from the man, this caught him off guard. Smith pulled his jacket off as he tossed it around Ricks shoulders."I wont die I promise." He ran a hand over Rick's cheek. "I'll be here for you, for when you are ready to love again."