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Negan's War

Confessions

Rick wasted no more time and started asking Daryl the hard questions. Who is Mandy? Why is she here? Can she be trusted? What happened between the night Glenn died and Daryl’s arrival at the front gates?

Daryl did his best to describe what happened to him since that horrible night. Told the silent rapt audience how Mandy had nursed him back to health after his gunshot, how Negan had brought them to Hilltop for a few days. That Negan had recruited him, not giving him any choice and then outlined what was expected of him. He described how women were considered property by Negan and his men and how Mandy had been assigned to him. He didn’t go into great detail about her history with Negan nor the abuse she had to be seen to suffer so Negan would let her go, he felt that was her story to tell, not his. “If ya wanna know more about her life there, ya best ask her.” It was his last word on the matter.

What he did tell them though was that Negan had underestimated Mandy, he had no idea how smart she actually was or what information she had gleaned during her two years there. It was for this reason Daryl informed them, that he had decided to help her get out of there and bring her back to Alexandria. He knew with Denise’s death, Mandy’s medical care would be a big help but it was more her knowledge of all things Negan that he thought was her best asset to them. He described how she had manipulated Negan, using her knowledge of him against him so subtly that it went completely undetected. If she hadn’t been a nurse by trade, Daryl felt sure she’d have made a good spy.

Daryl described his job interview with Negan, ending with the expressed thought. “The man s’a class A nutjob. He’s unpredictable. He’s ruthless. He’s the worst one we’ve come across, including those pricks at Terminus.” The room took a deep breath. That last comment was saying something.

“We have a choice here, ‘s I see it.” Daryl addressed the whole room. “We can buckle under, do as we’re told and try ta find some peace n all that.” He looked around from face to face, gauging the reaction to option one was not favourable. “Or we go ta war. But this ain’t some tit fer tat open war with rules n shit. Cain’t be. They outnumber us 10 to 1 in all ways – man power, fire power, resources. Alla it.”

“We have ta plan, strategize, find allies n go underground. Gonna have to be some covert guerrilla shit ta make it out on top, free n clear. N we have ta keep all our plans t’ourselves. No Alexandria folks, except maybe Aaron. This’ll be a long campaign, not a quick skirmish.”

Rick nodded. Abraham was impressed with Daryl’s military-like savvy when it came to warfare. He’d have made a damn fine recon scout back in the day. Coulda taught the army a thing or two, Abraham reckoned.

“Right. We all got something to think about. Let’s meet again when those assholes have left with our stuff.” Rick said, wrapping up the meeting so his family could get to the hot dinner that Michonne and Carl had prepared for everyone.

“One thing…” Daryl said quietly before everyone dispersed. They paused and looked at him. “Mandy is assigned ta me by Negan. That means she’s ma woman while Negan’s guys are here. We’ll have ta keep up this understandin’ with Alexandria’s folks too, even after they go away. It’s fer her safety as well as our own.”

Abraham’s lips twitched in amusement but he quickly hid his smile behind his hand as he turned to get his dinner. Imagine that. The loner redneck has a woman. A cute woman too. Abraham was happily involved in something new with Sasha but as a red-blooded male he had an appreciation for the female form and Daryl’s lady was all curves and pink smooth skin that he could see. Good for him. Lucky bastard.

After dinner, Daryl and Rick walked down to the clinic together to check on Maggie. As they walked, Daryl smoked a cigarette and Rick asked him the question Daryl knew he had held back. “Who hit her?”

Daryl took a big pull on his cigarette stopping dead in his tracks as he glanced at Rick. “I did.” Rick was stunned, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise but he waited for Daryl to continue. “That’s how I got her out. Her plan ta get free meant she had ta convince Negan that I was beatin’ and rapin’ her. He wanted her punished but gets off on other people doin’ the dirty work. He doesn’t allow rape in his group. Kills anyone rapin’” Daryl explained, Rick’s shock evident on his face.

“But I’m not in his group. I am now, s’far as he knows. But I wasn’t then.” He dropped his finished smoke to the ground and stood on it. “So t’was her idea. Make Negan think I was abusin’ her and he’d assign her ta me so it’d continue. Had ta make it look right so she had me hit her coupla times.” He dropped his eyes to the dark pavement. Rick whistled softly at the brave strategy she had devised.

“Bust her lip open, blacked her eye up an’…” He paused, suddenly ashamed as the memory of last night swept over him.

“And what?” Rick asked him quietly, drawing the last of the story out of Daryl.

“an’ staged a couple of attacks ta make it look like I’s rapin’ her.” His troubled eyes met Rick’s steady blue gaze, he could see the concern on every edge of his friend’s face. Daryl sighed suddenly. “T’was brutal, man. But she is strong n brave n smart n…” Daryl ran out of words suddenly.

“And what?” Rick prompted again.

“n I think I love her, man.” Daryl’s words were a whisper full of longing and fear.

Rick smiled. “That’s good, isn’t it?” He asked gently.

“Nah, Rick, don’ think it is.” Daryl shook his shaggy head. “She needed me ta get her outta there. Needed me for the lie ta work.” His blue eyes were full of a vulnerability that Rick didn’t know he was capable of. “She don’ need ME, Rick. I don’ know nothin’ ‘bout women n relationships n shit. You KNOW me. How’m I gonna be the man SHE needs?” Daryl started walking off to the clinic again. Rick stood still behind him, his mind churning over the turn of events.

His best friend, his brother, his lieutenant, the man who always had his back in every situation…in the course of 5 days, had fallen in love hard and had absolutely no experience, no skills or tools at his disposal to deal with even a corner of it. He smiled ruefully and followed Daryl who had lit another cigarette.

Notes

Comments

I just found this story! Love it! Looking forward to an update! xo

Spock Spock
8/9/16

OK, take your time. I will keep a lookout for it.

cactuscrawler cactuscrawler
5/21/16

@cactuscrawler
I am continuing, just taking some time to get happy with it.

Darylfan1969 Darylfan1969
5/20/16

Hope you are continuing this story, can't wait to read more.

cactuscrawler cactuscrawler
5/20/16

@Grimesgirl63
Thank you!

Darylfan1969 Darylfan1969
5/14/16