Playing For Brains

The ride was awkward and full of suspense as Arlie sat in between Negan and Carl in the front of the truck. She was nervous to see everyone back home. Unsure on what the rules would be while she was there, how everyone would react to her being Negan's wife now.

Time seemed to slow down as the she got out of the truck after Carl, all eyes seemed to fall on her and she wanted the ground to swallow her up. Every hair on her body seemed to stand on its end. She was unable to take her eyes of the ground as she followed behind Negan.

"Come here sweetheart, how about a grand tour. Rick walked me around last time but I want the nitty gritty. Show me where you lived, what you used to do around here" Negan pulled Arlie towards him lacing their hands.

Arlie became very aware of the small amount of clothes that she was wearing. How it highlighted her body. What little protection it offered if she encountered the dead out here.

"Come on kid, you live round here too right. I gotta look after you till I can talk to your dad about what happened this morning" Negan laughed, causing the teenager to grimace at the memory.

"We used to live with Arlie and Daryl before you took them" Carl replied, the icy tone noticeable.

"It's this way. It was really crammed with us all in there. I'm sure you have more space now we aren't there Carl" Arlie intercepted, holding Negan's hand tighter.

"How is your dad? And your sister? I think I actually miss her cries every morning telling me it's time to get up" a smile spread across Arlie's face as she remembered the good memories of this place.

Negan stopped causing the others to stop. He looked at Carl for a moment before relieving the tension that was beginning to grow.

"You have a sister than I haven't met. I have to meet this young lady" he grinned as he carried on walking down the road.

They ended up on the path leading up to the house as Arlie stopped dropping Negan's hand.

"Hey, what's up?" Negan asked, turning back. Arlie just stood staring up at the window she spent many nights staring out of waiting for the sun to rise. The window Arlie saw Daryl storm off from that morning that felt so long ago.

"We'll catch you up kid" Negan patted Carl on the shoulder, the teenager giving Arlie a look before going inside.

"Come on, tell me what's really up" Negan grabbed Arlie's hands and held them in his, looking her directly in the eyes.

"I shouldn't have come back with you" she whispered, defeat filling her words.

"Listen, I thought this would be nice for you. To see the people you missed. I know that place isn't your home and that you don't have many people there to talk to. I thought it would be good for you to get away from there for a while, it isn't as nice as this place. I can't get you your own house like this place but I am trying. I found you your own building out back to make the cure in, it has all the medicine we could find and a group of workers under your control. It was a gift for you when we got back but I want you to know I am trying to give you somewhere safe to live, something to do during the day to keep busy and maybe if we have time later, we could go hunting. I don't really know how often you need to go out there and do that, but whenever you need to, you just need to ask and we can go. I enjoyed our time out there last time" he gave her a smile before dragging her up the porch and gesturing for her to show him around her home.

Negan had looked around the whole house and had used the kitchen to make some spaghetti for dinner. It felt weird to be sat back at the table eating dinner, but unlike their usual meals their found family wasn't here. It wasn't the same without a large group of people all bonded over their trip from Terminus.

"Carl, why don't you leave this little cutie here and go and get Arlie's friend. What was her name again?" Negan asked.

"Beth" Arlie replied, as she sat cutting the spaghetti for Judith into smaller pieces.

"She's not here anymore" Carl muttered, knowing she had gone to Hilltop to be with her sister but unable to tell anyone the truth.

"Shit, I didn't know I am so sorry sweetheart" Negan stood from his chair and went over to Arlie pulling her into a big embrace.

Arlie was devastated, she was too busy keeping Daryl safe in that place that she wasn't here to look after her best friend in this place. The person who had kept her going since she met this group back at Terminus. The only one who made being part of the undead a little less scary. And now she felt truly alone.

She felt herself shut down. Her body was numb since she became one of the dead but had never felt so dead inside until now.