FLASHBACK: VA - Fort Belvoir (Day 40-142)

[DarkSideCookie]

Fort Belvoir

A United States Army installation in Fairfax County, Virginia.

[Kristi Lynne]

Since that awful moment they had learned the fate of Ingrid and Lucille’s parents, the days had stretched into weeks. Though honestly it was hard to keep track of how much time had passed. But the weather was getting colder, and it was becoming more difficult to find food either by hunting in the woods or scavenging among abandoned stores and homes. So their journey had finally brought them to Fort Belvoir, in hopes that the Army base would offer the security of walls and a roof over their heads.

The men still manning the gate were skeptical of the trio, and understandably so. They needed assurance that these newcomers would not be a drain on existing resources or a danger to those already staying there. So as a show of good faith, and against Negan’s wishes, Nora had offered up her truck (with working transportation now a precious commodity) and what was left of their medical supplies. Along with an agreement to surrender their weapons, it was enough to at least get them inside the gate. She could hardly bare Negan’s glare when they had pried Lucille from his hands.

They were loaded into a Humvee with a couple of uniformed and armed soldiers, and driven to a place where they would wait to meet the colonel who was in command. On the way, they passed a hospital and rows of enlisted housing. And people. People who looked safe and content and well-dressed. People who hadn’t been forced to fight to survive. They walked, rode bikes, played with their kids like it was any other day.

The Humvee came to a stop in front of a fancy two-story house that Nora guessed belonged to a senior officer. They were ushered inside, led to the living room and instructed to take a seat until the colonel could speak to them. Their soldier escort then left the room.

Nora felt uncomfortable sitting on the couch or in any of the chairs. Being in a strange place, not having her gun or knife in hand in case something was around the corner or up the stairs. She paced along a wall of built-in bookshelves and a roaring fireplace, its mantle bearing multiple family photos from happier times. “This could be good,” she finally said, unsure if she was trying to convince Negan or Ingrid or herself. “I mean, if they agree to let us stay, this could be good.”

[DarkSideCookie]

Negan sat there in silence, his teeth grinding, while they were awaiting the colonel's appearance. This felt just wrong. Maybe not wrong, but not like what he had seen for their future. This wouldn't become more than a way station, if even. But what was bothering Negan the most wasn't his feeling about something being wrong with this place but about the feeling that had come over him when these men had pried Lucille from his hands. Along with ire and somewhat the pain of real loss, which made him realize how important this bat really was to him, there had been another feeling. It had been more of a thought than a feeling though. One that should have given him a chill for the mere imagination. But for some reason, it hadn't. The thought was to oppose and to bash the soldier's head with Lucille in his hands until no more than bloody scraps of bones and skin would have been left.

The ghost of a smile, or rather a mischievous grin, flashed over his face when it was just that thought that reappeared back on the surface and for one moment let him forget the emptiness in his hands.

“This could be good,”, suddenly someone said and brought him back into the here and now, back to the realization of sitting here with empty hands. And back came the harsh expression to his face. “I mean, if they agree to let us stay, this could be good.”

Negan stayed motionless, not showing any reaction to Nora's words at all. Good. He actually wished he could concentrate on their situation, but he couldn't. There was still just this thought...

[Ariel]

It was a house. Outside, the sparkling cement dawned the outside of the porcelain white house that stood tall above the green shrubbery and grass lawn below. Framing the front door was a front patio, decorated with a picket fence and swinging chair. And inside was the most homely living room you could imagine, a cozy fireplace and towering bookshelf full of novels and non-fiction alike adorned the walls of the enclosed space with armchairs and a couch right in the middle of it all accompanied by a sophisticated coffee table of metal and glass. It was a house, indeed. But it wasn't home, nor would this place ever will be to Ingrid. She thought this as she sat straight up in between Nora and Negan on the couch, her hands clasped together tensely in her lap. They had just given up everything they had - the truck, their weapons - for a touch of survival, safety even. Ingrid's gaze lingered along the family photos on the mantelpiece that sat above the fireplace, and the eerie silence of the house grew along with the uneasiness that she felt in this moment. It had been so long since they had been immersed in the world of man again, and Ingrid wondered if they had made the right choice to come to this place. Quickly shaking her doubts, she knew that they had to try and would kick themselves if they had passed up any sort of opportunity that would add greatly to their survival in this new world.

“This could be good,”“I mean, if they agree to let us stay, this could be good.”

Ingrid nodded in Nora's direction, "No harm in trying, what more do we have to lose after all?" Ingrid spoke in a reassuring voice before shrugging her shoulders, in hopes that they were right, "What do you think's gonna happen to us, you know, if they let us stay?" Ingrid asked with concern. She wasn't familiar with the army and it's end of the world protocols, and if the army kept them there then Ingrid could only hope the conditions wouldn't be too severe. The unknown made Ingrid feel both impatient and anxious, and she wondered if they would even like it here, if they were better off on their own. They simply had to try, at all costs.

[Kristi Lynne]

"No harm in trying, what more do we have to lose after all? What do you think's gonna happen to us, you know, if they let us stay?"

"I don't know," Nora answered honestly. "But we don't have a lot of options. Winter is coming, we're low on everything, and there is strength in numbers now. Army bases are like self-contained cities. They have their own hospital, housing, stores, weapons, probably even power. All of it safe behind walls. So maybe we stay long enough to get the lay of the land, see if these people can be trusted, get them to trust us...it's better than taking our chances on the road."

Nora figured Ingrid would be the easier of the two to convince, even before she voiced her willingness to give it a shot. It was a risk but so was everything these days. People were becoming as dangerous as the dead -- desperate to hold onto what they had or to take what was yours. She feared the three of them would soon find themselves outnumbered.

"You've been very quiet," she said to Negan. "I don't like it when you're quiet. If you've got another suggestion, I'm all ears."

[DarkSideCookie]

"No harm in trying, what more do we have to lose after all?""What do you think's gonna happen to us, you know, if they let us stay?"

Negan hated the thought of laying their fate into anyone else's hands than their own. He hated the thought of being obedient. Also, he was damn sure that he wasn't even able to act like that. No, there had been a point in his early past that got to close this door. What he really wanted was to build something up on their own. Sure, he knew they had nothing right now, but that didn't mean to bootlick some guy who was thinking to have any power over them.

Once again Negan watched the emptiness in his hands. And once again was that adding to his anger.

"I don't know,""But we don't have a lot of options. Winter is coming, we're low on everything, and there is strength in numbers now. Army bases are like self-contained cities. They have their own hospital, housing, stores, weapons, probably even power. All of it safe behind walls. So maybe we stay long enough to get the lay of the land, see if these people can be trusted, get them to trust us...it's better than taking our chances on the road."

It was sounding plausible, it really did. But it was not the road he saw them taking. This here just went against the grain for him.

"You've been very quiet,""I don't like it when you're quiet. If you've got another suggestion, I'm all ears."

Getting Lucille back and bashing the stupid little face of that guy who had dared to take her away from me...

"I haven't.", Negan said as he raised his scowl up from his hands to Nora. "But you better don't expect me to kiss anyone's ass. For damn sure I won't." And with that, his eyes were wandering back down his hands. Waiting for whatever would be waiting for them.

[Kristi Lynne]

"But you better don't expect me to kiss anyone's ass. For damn sure I won't."

Nora was about to reply that she would never expect that when a sudden bustle of activity at the house's front door caught her attention, throwing them all into a cautious silence. She stood to face whoever was entering the room, out of a sense of respect but also readiness. The sound of the door closing was followed by the entrance of a tall, balding but well-built man in green Army fatigues. He had a casual, confident air of authority like most career military men or veterans that she had served alongside.

"Please, take a seat," he began with a welcoming smile and a Southern drawl to his voice. "No need to stand on ceremony anymore. Not these days. I'm Colonel Lutrell," he explained, "Head of command here at Fort Belvoir. I imagine you had a tough time gettin' here. I do apologize for the welcoming committee, but I'm sure you understand when I say it's for your safety as well as ours. I have responsibility for all the souls on this base; it's not something I take lightly."

"We really appreciate you taking the time to meet with us, Colonel," Nora said quickly. "We, uh, we were wondering if we were ever gonna' find a safe haven."

"Well, this safe haven is only temporary, I'm afraid," the Colonel advised. "Our resources are finite. You don't know me, I don't know you. Blind trust is a luxury we no longer have. You and your friends can stay the night. We'll give you what provisions we can spare, and then you'll leave in the morning."

[Ariel]

Ingrid's heart hammered against her chest as soon as she heard the door to the house opening and the sound of boots clanking in their vicinity. In walked a sophisticated army man in a green uniform, and to Ingrid he come off as stern as many in his position could appear to be to normal folk such as herself. But he did carry himself in such a way that he could command an entire room of people if he wanted to. Ingrid's eyes shot to Nora who stood straight up upon the man's entrance, and ever so slowly did Ingrid rise to her feet as well to meet the army man, but mainly out of anticipation of what was to happen to them next.

"Please, take a seat," "No need to stand on ceremony anymore. Not these days. I'm Colonel Lutrell," "Head of command here at Fort Belvoir. I imagine you had a tough time gettin' here. I do apologize for the welcoming committee, but I'm sure you understand when I say it's for your safety as well as ours. I have responsibility for all the souls on this base; it's not something I take lightly."

"We really appreciate you taking the time to meet with us, Colonel," "We, uh, we were wondering if we were ever gonna' find a safe haven."

"Well, this safe haven is only temporary, I'm afraid," "Our resources are finite. You don't know me, I don't know you. Blind trust is a luxury we no longer have. You and your friends can stay the night. We'll give you what provisions we can spare, and then you'll leave in the morning."

In the morning?! Ingrid's breathing began to quicken as her mind slipped into a slight panic. They had only just gotten here, and they were already being told to move on?! "With all due respect Colonel...," Ingrid glanced momentarily at the name stitched onto the front of his uniform, as she had forgotten his name out of nervousness,  "...Lutrell. We've only just arrived, and it's surely been difficult trying to stay warm and find food rations during these cold months. We're good people. We can work. Just please don't send us away," Ingrid did not break contact from the Colonel once as she pleaded their case, "Let us prove that we can be of great value to your company."

[DarkSideCookie]

Negan was the only one of them who didn't flinch and didn't stand up either at the sudden entering of a man, obviously being the big boss of this place. Also, he was listening to the Colonel's speech with only half an ear. He anyway knew what this was about. These places and their leaders were all alike. Too blind to see that people were the real resource. One day all of these places will go down and then their leaders will look up into the eyes of someone who did comprehend just that right from the start of this new world order.

"With all due respect Colonel...," Negan started to slowly shake his head, obviously half amused. "...Lutrell. We've only just arrived, and it's surely been difficult trying to stay warm and find food rations during these cold months. We're good people. We can work. Just please don't send us away,""Let us prove that we can be of great value to your company." For him this was sounding pretty much like starting the pleading already. Oh no, sir. Not with him.

A sudden chuckle echoed through the room before Negan finally add something to the conversation. Something that most certainly wouldn't change the Colonel's decision. "Told you that I won't kiss anybody's ass here just to get permission to stay.", he uttered with a wave of his hand in the Colonel's direction but without looking at him.

[Kristi Lynne]

"With all due respect Colonel...Lutrell. We've only just arrived, and it's surely been difficult trying to stay warm and find food rations during these cold months. We're good people. We can work. Just please don't send us away. Let us prove that we can be of great value to your company."

"Told you that I won't kiss anybody's ass here just to get permission to stay."

Nora shot a glace at Negan before picking up Ingrid's attempt to plead their case. She didn't expect him to be happy about it, but she didn't need resistance either. They were a package deal -- it was all of them or none. "Look, sir, we don't expect you to roll out the red carpet. Everybody has to be careful these days. We're just asking for a chance," she stated. "I used to be a sheriff's deputy over in Spotsylvania County, Ingrid...she can hit anything with her bow from walkers to squirrels, and Negan..." She waved a hand toward the leather-coated, sulking man. "Well, he's resourceful. And we're not looking for handouts, we will earn our keep. If you'll let us."

The colonel stayed quiet as he considered their offer. "I don't like sending people back out there," he finally said. "Not if I could have done something different. I'll speak to each of you individually, see if we can't come to a mutually agreeable arrangement. Fair enough?"

"More than fair, sir," Nora agreed eagerly. "Absolutely!"

"We'll start with you, Miss Ingrid," he said, leading the way to a study across the hall and opening the door. "After you."

[Ariel]

"We'll start with you, Miss Ingrid,""After you."

Being singled out suddenly, Ingrid grew a tad warm as she paused nervously to look at Nora then Negan as if to gain their permission before following through with what Lutrell wanted. Returning her gaze back to the colonel, Ingrid nodded briefly before bringing herself wordlessly to her feet, following the officer into the isolated study. 

** In the study **

"...There's nothing to be nervous about, Miss Ingrid, this is only protocol for our sake as well as yours. We just want to get to know you and see if we can come to some sort of arrangement."

Ingrid peered around the bookcase studded room as she grasped onto the arms of the chair she sat in across from the colonel. There was nothing that gave her more anxiety than interviews, and sitting before this formal man with her knee nervously bobbing up and down from where she sat gave her flashbacks to the disappointment of countless of failed job interviews she had painfully faced before discovering she could make her passion into a full time job. But that was then, and this was something much more than making enough dollars to keep rent afloat. This could be their one shot at a better life and Ingrid knew that she had to make it count. She drew in a breath before nodding in agreement to Lutrell, "Okay. What would you like to know, sir?"

"Your people outside this room, did you know them before the outbreak?"

"No. Well, yes. Only one...Negan," Ingrid stumbled over her words slightly before managing to grab a handle on herself front and center, "He married my sister Lucille, though I never really got the chance to truly know him until after her passing." Ingrid peered down slightly into her lap after the realization that it had been some time since she had actually spoken about her sister had stopped to slap her right across the face. She had forgotten just how long it had been since she had uttered her name even.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I can tell that the passing of your sister had a big impact on you."

"We were like two peas in a pod, me and her. And after she died, everyone I had held close to me was gone and I had nobody left. All except for Negan.  Negan hadn't always been the greatest brother-in-law, and losing Lucille wrecked us both pretty bad. But no matter how badly we hurt and regardless of the past, at the end of the day we knew that we needed each other to keep going. Negan wears his loyalty with pride and takes care of his own," Ingrid spoke with affirmation as she grew slightly more comfortable in her seat as her nerves simmered down a bit, "And when Nora came into the picture, it was like everything had come full circle. Her level headed mind balances Negan's bold ways of thinking, and she's saved our asses more times than I can think."

"Officer Nora sounds like quite the fighter, as does Negan. Sounds like three of you have been through a lot together."

"Hell, I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for either one of them. We've come so far to get to this point of survival. Negan and Nora...they gave me a reason to live. And that reason is family."

"I think that is all the questioning I have for you for now, Miss Ingrid. Thank you for your time. Allow me to escort you back to the den."

** Back in the den **

Ingrid and the colonel emerged from the study and approached Negan and Nora. A bit more calm, Ingrid was still slightly nervous as she had hoped that she had given the colonel enough information to work on keeping them around. Ingrid sat back in her spot in between Negan and Nora before Lutrell called the next survivor into the study.

"Negan, If you could please follow me into the study, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

[Kristi Lynne]

Nora placed a reassuring arm around Ingrid's shoulders as she returned to the couch. No doubt the girl felt the weight of their future was on those shoulders, but she wanted to reassure her that wasn't the case. Whether this place accepted them or not, they would face whatever came next together.

"Negan, If you could please follow me into the study, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Actually, I wonder if I might speak to you next, sir," Nora offered. 

The colonel briefly looked between her and Negan before nodding his approval. "Ladies first, I suppose," he agreed, with a hint of a smile and a sweeping arm gesture toward the study.

** In the study **

"Nora, right? You said you were a deputy?" the colonel asked, once they were both seated. "Before all this?"

"Yes, sir. Spotsylvania County."

"And how did you come to make the acquaintance of your traveling companions?"

Nora inhaled deeply to prepare for story time, what seemed like ancient history. "My agency was called in to provide security and logistical support to a hospital in Fairfax County. Unknown disease spreading fast, multiple deaths with no explanation, people were starting to get antsy. Ingrid's sister, Lucille, was there. Had been for a while, undergoing cancer treatments," she recalled. "My mom died when I was really young. Lung cancer. I guess I felt like I knew what she was going through.

"And then Negan showed up. Lucille's estranged husband. A force of nature in a black leather jacket. He got there just in time to see it all go south. We got out of the hospital together. Found Ingrid later on. We've been traveling together ever since."

"And you want this to be your next stop? Something permanent?"

"If it would suit you, sir," she replied. "I mean, have you been out there? Everything is falling apart. Nowhere is safe. You take what you can, you hold onto it, or you lose it. As your men drove us here, I saw people within your walls that have no idea what the world is really like."

"You want them to know?"

"Don't they deserve to?" she retorted. "Maybe then they wouldn't take all this for granted. Food, shelter, clean water. To be able to sit and breathe and not live in fear every moment of every day. And you need us."

"Why is that, deputy?"

"Because you need fighters," Nora advised, leaning forward in her chair. "When people find out about this place, if they don't know already, they will come for it. You will need wolves to protect your sheep."

The colonel gave her a joyless laugh. "I have hundreds of well-trained, well-armed men at my command. You think that's insufficient?"

"They fight by the rulebook, sir. The rulebook got tossed out and burned a long time ago," she said. "Give us a chance. The loyalty we've shown to one another, we would show that to you. We just want to stop running."

"Your friend, Negan, doesn't seem the type to take orders."

"You're right, he's definitely not. But he and Ingrid are my family now. And if he believes something is his, he will die to defend it."

The colonel silently considered her words. Nora tried desperately to read his expression, his body language, but the officer was giving nothing away. "I believe that's all the questions I have for you." He rose from his chair to escort her back to the living room.

** Back in the den **

Nora returned to her seat on the couch with a relieved exhale. She'd made her case and she hoped it had been a convincing one.

"Last but not least, Mr. Negan," the colonel declared.

[DarkSideCookie]

Negan sat in silence. Waiting. Waiting... and waiting. And although he grew extremely impatient and annoyed with every further minute, he swallowed his anger; maybe for once in a long time. Actually, if it was only him, he would have gotten up from this seat and done something probably stupid but something a lot more his nature long before the colonel would have walked through this door. Through this door, Negan silently had to watch both his companions follow him one after the other. He knew they would find the right words to prevail upon the man to let them stay. But then it would be his turn in the end, and as much as he wanted to be a team player for these two women and their joint future, Negan knew that, after all, he will blow it.

The door opened just another time and back in came Nora. Negan's eyes wandered into her direction for a short moment in which he caught her gaze at him. She said nothing, just as Ingrid hadn't, but he was able to read the message behind. They were counting on him. But could he really be a team player?

"Last but not least, Mr. Negan,", the colonel declared.

Negan pulled himself up free of the couch without protest, but with the reluctance seeable on his facial features. And wordless he followed the man as the last of them to get interviewed.


** in the study **

Different from the interviews with Ingrid and Nora before, the colonel remained quiet for a while, just sitting there in his chair opposite from Negan and watching him in silence. Actually just that was what was driving Negan even more nuts.

"Shouldn't you just start with tell me your story or somethin'?", Negan eventually broke the awkward silence as he looked up at the man to give him a sneer.

For a moment he thought he wouldn't get any answer and instead would be watched for another felt hour until the colonel finally spoke up as well.

"I don't want to hear another story, Negan." What had Ingrid and Nora told him, Negan suddenly wondered. "Instead of the past I'd like to hear something of the present."

"Like how I feel about sitting here and being asked stupid questions?"

"If that is what you'd like to tell me."

Negan really wanted to be a team player but this guy wasn't making it easy for him. Instead he seemed to like to annoy the hell out of him for not coming to the point.

"Okay, listen, asshole! I'm doing all of this for no other reason than for Ingrid and Nora's sake.", he clarified as he rose from his chair and occupied a rather bossy position. "Because they are who need a home, or if not a home then at least a damn place to finally draw a deep breath. If it was up to me, I would have broken your man's arm for taking Lucille from me right away."

The colonel looked like he was wondering about the barbed wire bat his men had taken from Negan actually had a name, but remained quiet and allow him to continue right away.

"You wanna know why I didn't?"

Once again colonel Lutrell said nothing in return, but obviously not because he was speechless but because he had decided to allow Negan taking over the control of their interview. Maybe for good reason, maybe not.

"Because I didn't want them to look at me like I was the guy who had spoiled their chance to live again.", Negan was adding more calmly, only to continue with his bossy speech a second later though. "However, this also means that if you're fucking with us, I will do worse than just breaking somebody's arm because I would fucking kill for them."

Yes, he would. And it was just the moment he had said it out loud, that Negan realized how much they actually meant to him. They were family. The only people he really cared for.

Another pause of silence until suddenly the colonel locked their little single session with a nod. "That's all. Thank you for your time, Mr. Negan. Let me escort you back to the den."


** back in the den **

When the colonel and Negan emerged from the study and back to the den where the other two were still waiting, Negan had actually no idea what just had happened. He wasn't able to assess if he had spoiled it or not. With still a hard expression on his face, though for some reason a lot more relaxed than before, Negan placed himself by the window, exchanging silent looks with Ingrid.

[Ariel]

Silence eclipsed the room as Ingrid sat on the couch with Nora, waiting for the final interview to have finished. Negan's interview. Ingrid allowed her eyes to wander around the room out of nervousness as she attempted to fixate on any sort of peculiar details that stood out in the room to distract herself from the dull muffled mix of Negan and the Colonel's voices coming from behind the closed door. Her gaze fell upon the family photos one the mantle once more. The cheesing smiles that dawned the faces of the parents and children was warm and inviting on top of the cozy fireplace. Yet this feeling to Ingrid was nothing but a ghost of the past, and she wondered where this family was now. If they were still in this complex. If they had survived, or met a terrible fate just as the rest of her family had.

Negan's sudden entrance back into the room broke Ingrid's painful train of thought, and she was glad to have snapped back to reality before she dipped too deep into tormenting herself with reminiscences of her past. She watched Negan as he walked across the room and found a place for himself beside the window. He returned the glance as he looked back at her with his usual stern expression, though seemingly a bit more at ease now that he was out of his one on one with the Colonel. Ingrid was well aware of Negan's feelings about the Colonel and this whole damn place going into the interviews, he made it crystal clear that he did not care to answer to anyone just to get a roof over his head and food in his stomach. But having no other choice but to stick together and survive these past months, Ingrid knew her brother-in-law well by now. She knew that regardless of how Negan felt, that he knew how much this opportunity of surviving the winter in a stable place like this meant to herself and Nora. Although he seemed to carry an act of despise towards this place and the Colonel, Ingrid had faith that Negan had vouched for them in that uncomfortable interview. And knowing that Negan went in there and tried the best that he could possibly do, Ingrid couldn't help but to shed a slight grin of thanks from the corner of her lips to Negan before the Colonel came into the room.

"I have listened to each of you share your story and state your case as to why you have a place here among Fort Belvoir," The Colonel stood at the front of the room as he made eye contact with each person in the room, talking to everyone directly, "And every single word of yours has been taken into careful consideration on my part. So," Shifting his weight from one leg into another, the Colonel eased his stance a bit before delivering the news to the eagerly anticipating trio, "I have decided that I will allow the three of you to stay for now. However, actions speak louder than words. I expect the three of you to earn your keep here and pull your weight as active citizens in this community. Now, if that is clear and we have come to an agreement," The Colonel motioned two fingers in the air as two officers entered the room, "I will have Officers Trompton and Cole escort you three to your new housing arrangement."

Ingrid jumped up to her feet in a heaving sigh of absolute relief as she heard the good news, "Thank you sir, thank you so much. We will not let you down," Nodding rapidly, Ingrid agreed to the fairly reasonable conditions with uttermost gratefulness as she looked to Nora and Negan for a mutual response.

"Let's hope not, Miss Ingrid," The Colonel nodded in Ingrid's direction before addressing the group as a whole, "Ladies and gentleman...Welcome to Fort Belvoir."

[Kristi Lynne]

"Thank you sir, thank you so much. We will not let you down," 

"Let's hope not, Miss Ingrid. Ladies and gentleman...Welcome to Fort Belvoir."

Nora's stomach had been in knots while Negan was talking to the colonel, and now that the man who was deciding their fate was standing in the room. When he declared that they could stay, she let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
Finally smiling for the first time in what felt like forever. Of course, there would be conditions to be met, trust to be gained, rules to be learned. But all that would be a cakewalk compared to how things had been. Housing arrangements, running water, maybe even a hot shower -- all sounded like heaven on earth. They would contribute, they would work, and they would live in a previously unknown peace.

"Yes, thank you, sir," Nora echoed. "This chance means everything to us."

[DarkSideCookie]

Even though Negan wasn't returning Ingrid's slight grin, he was thankful for it, because it meant that he had done the right thing, spoiling things or not. If fate would be giving them this roof over their heads, fine. If not, they would leave to find another. Together.

And then, when the colonel finally had announced the verdict, which could only mean that Ingrid and Nora must have given their all in these interviews with him, Negan was yet the only person in the room who didn't exhale a held breath. This was good news, so why didn't it feel like just that? Anyways, as soon as his eyes met his companions' smiles, like he hadn't seen in a long time, maybe not even ever before, Negan finally came to ease as well after all. In these smiles, he could see something that made this world, the fucked up situation outside there, a better place all of a sudden. He just hoped that his bad feeling about this place wasn't right as he would act on the threat he had given the colonel inside his office. He will kill every single man of this community, would kill every single man on earth at that, to avenge for anyone smashing these smiles and harming his family.

Negan might haven't been aware of it himself, but the look at Nora's smile had been lasting for a little while longer than at Ingrid's for he was sure that he had never seen anything like that on her face before. And for some reason, it made the promise of his given threat even more emphatic. But for now, he would try to not spoil it and to be a player for the team. The surviving trio.


***

[DarkSideCookie]

---

One day later

---

It had been an unusual if not disconcerting feeling to sleep beneath the same roof with people that seemed to be either optimistic enough to not allow the shit around to get to them or, which was more likely, foolish enough to simply ignore it for thinking a wall would be enough to blank it out. Anyways, this last night had left him rather sleepless although it had been a while that he had got the chance to sleep in a real bed. These people even had gotten him a single room, probably because no one was willing to share one with him though, while Ingrid and Nora had to share one with each other.

Also, with every elapsing hour Negan grew more impatient as for not being allowed to get their weapons back; above all because the barbed wire bat he was missing meant so much more to him than a regular weapon would. He was sure that Ingrid was bothering the same thing though for the bow they had taken away from her meant almost the same to her.

To add to the disconcerting feeling about everything around, a dude and his sexy chick had been knocking on their doors to invite them to a welcoming party this evening. Negan really had no idea what to think of that but as Ingrid had asked him nicely to just play along, he was willing to do her this favor as good as he could. The first real struggle though had hit him already when they had been confronted with the fresh cloths these people lent them for the party.

***

It was more than obvious that Negan wasn't feeling very comfortable in the smoking he was wearing as his eyes constantly wandered down at himself while everyone else seemed to enjoy another occasion to just ignore the shit that was surrounding them with only a wall between. Since the three of them were staying in different rooms, Negan had no idea if it was only him feeling this way or if his companions were actually right with him at that.

[Ariel]

The comforts of fresh linen encased Ingrid as she lay in a proper bed for the first time in months. Yet there was nothing comforting about the insomnia that kept her wide awake that first evening. This is all she had ever wanted, a blanket of security with a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs. She searched for an explanation for her anxiety riddled gut keeping her awake that night, yet it was beyond her knowledge. Ingrid glanced to the wall across from where her bed was, only to remember her bow was not there. She frowned slightly, remembering when the officials of the Fort took it away. Ingrid didn't bat an eye in that moment as all she wanted was for her, Negan and Nora to find solace and comfort. But now being thrust back into the norm of civilization, she felt almost naked without it.

The thrust into the norm of civilization became more of a reality the next day, when Negan approached Ingrid and Nora to inform them that they had been cordially invited to a welcome party.  Ingrid had assured Negan that the three of them attending this party would be a good idea, for they had to at least try to play along.

Yet, Ingrid didn't have the slightest clue how hard it was going to be to assimilate back into a normal society again until they all got hit with a dose of reality later that day.

                                                                         *****
Ingrid stood tensely by the refreshment table as a couple attempted to make conversation with her. Cracking a smile was easy even if it wasn't genuine, yet conversing was hard. The three of them had been in the real world, scared for their lives every waking moment in hopes that they would find any sort of morsel to eat before they got eaten themselves that Ingrid felt as if she had completely forgotten how to be a normal person. As the couple bragged on about their house and children, Ingrid scanned nervously around the room and finally spotted Negan off to the side by himself, looking just as uncomfortable as she was. Ingrid excused herself from the conversation she felt that she had never truly been apart of anyways, then picked up a couple cups filled with alcohol and made her way through the party crowd over to Negan.

"Hey," Ingrid walked right up to Negan. Being around someone she knew put her slightly at ease as she passed the liquid filled cup into his hands, "You look like you could use one of these as well." The corner of Ingrid's mouth formed into a grin before she made her place beside Negan, "Please tell me I'm not the only one whose forgotten how to do this." Ingrid chuckled slighly, half joking as she looked around the room for a Nora in sight.


                                                        

[Kristi Lynne]

Nora felt like a foreigner, wearing strange clothes in a strange land talking to strange people. But this was what they'd worked so hard for, yearned for on those cold nights camped out in dark woods where they couldn't risk the attention that a fire would draw. Everything seemed so noisy here -- people talking, grilling hamburgers, playing games. A sudden slam of the screen door by one of the children running around had caused her to reach to her hip for her gun, only to realize it was no longer there. Because, theoretically, she no longer needed it.

She sighed and gave the chatty woman sitting next to her at a picnic table her practiced empathetic look. The one she used to need on traffic stops when the person offered all sorts of excuses for not having their license, having an expired tag, a broken taillight, and oh by the way that crack pipe in plain view totally was not theirs. The things Nora used to care about, that seemed so very important.

"...So we were at Crystal City for a while," the woman was continuing. "The kids loved it there -- all the shops and restaurants. And it was underground, had its own power supply, we figured we could wait it out. But one of the transformers blew so we lost air-conditioning and refrigeration. No more ice cream. Eventually DOD got a convoy of buses to bring us down here to the fort. It's been real tough, but we were lucky."

"Yes, yes you were," Nora nodded, barely containing her resentment. Tough, this woman said. 

"And there's all sorts of stuff here to fill your day. We've got book club, knitting circle, sunrise yoga. If your husband's into sports, there's intramural softball -- "

When Nora realized the woman was looking at Negan, she nearly spat out the bottled beer she'd been nursing. "Oh, hell no," she blurted. "I mean, he's not my husband. We just -- we've been traveling together. Actually, we all just want to help the community in the best way we can. I worked in law enforcement, so I figure I can help with security."

"A cop?! Well, ain't we lucky to have you?"

"Ain't we just," she agreed with a polite smile.

[DarkSideCookie]

Other than his two companions, Negan wasn't confronted with a lot of chatter as the people that came by were either scared of his hard facial expression right from the start or quickly indignant at his inappropriate way to pick up on the try of any conversation. None of these conversations didn't matter, just like the people didn't, at that. They didn't matter because each one of them wouldn't be able to survive only a minute outside of this charade. In Negan's eyes there was nothing wrong about forgetting shit for a while and sharing two or three drinks, but when shit would be hitting the fan again, none of them could be useful. Wasted resource, no more.

Negan had a look up at the festive scenery another time when yet again someone approached him to start a chat. This time though this chat would be appreciated since it was Ingrid, holding a couple of glasses in her hands and looking just the same out of place as he did.

"Hey,"

It seemed that for the first time there appeared something like a genuine smile, mixed with relief, on his lips when she came closer. "Hey." He was glad to see someone who was having no fun here either.

"You look like you could use one of these as well."

"You fucking bet.", Negan replied as he received one of the glasses, raising it up to his lips but then pausing to just reminisce about past times in which he had been enjoying a drink in an actual glass. It really felt like ages ago.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one whose forgotten how to do this."

Negan smirked, lowering the glass before he even had taken a sip. "So you think I'd have been part of such a lame club ever before?" With a quite hiss, half amused and half scornful, he finally took a gulp of the liquid filled glass in his hand.

With the glass still resting on his lips, Negan suddenly caught sight of another person not looking too pleased with this party. A slight smirk flashed up his face as he watched Nora dealing with a woman who seemed trying to make her part of the lame club. None of the three of them were made for this, at least not nowadays.

[Ariel]

"So you think I'd have been part of such a lame club ever before?"

                                                     

"Touché," With a nod of her head, Ingrid pressed her lips together in a grin at Negan's remark as she recognized it as an attempt to shake off this terrifying plummet back into society as a 'lame club'. She couldn't blame him though, for it was hard to admit that being suddenly shoved back into a normal day to day life and asked to completely forget the threat that still loomed beyond the Fort's walls was frightening as hell. Ingrid could only hope that they would eventually get used to it if they were so fortunate to be allowed to stay long term. Then again, after the things they had seen and some of the things they had to do to survive...she wasn't so sure if they could ever get used to any of this.

"Well at least this lame club has good taste in gin, so I'll drink to that." A slight smirk played on Ingrid's face as she raised her glass in front of her before tipping the edge to her lips to take a small sip, "So you're telling me you and Lucy never mixed and mingled at lame affairs such as these?" Ingrid's eyes glanced around the room as she asked Negan the question. She didn't mean to bring up Lucille out of nowhere, and they really hadn't talked much about her at all since the discovery of Ingrid's parents whom had turned into walkers by the time they caught up to them. It just kind of happened and she wished that she could go home and call her sister up to tell her just how ridiculous the whole party was. And she couldn't help but to feel that Negan was missing her in this moment too.

[DarkSideCookie]

"So you're telling me you and Lucy never mixed and mingled at lame affairs such as these?"

Ingrid's sudden question had Negan turn his attention away from Nora in the distance, her lookings this evening privately turning him on, to be honest, and instead back to his sister-in-law. His facial features hardened a little but not as much as they had before when someone mentioned Lucille to him. It still hurt but every wound would heal to just another scar at some point. Although in this case, probably the longest and most ugliest scar.

"You bet she tried. Maybe she even dragged me to one or two events.", Negan stated with a toneless chuckle before he added more serious: "But nothing was ever lame with her." Then he took another gulp of the drink in his hand, actually for the mere reason to place an action between the option of more questions of this kind.

"So, how about you?", Negan eventually asked with a sudden grin on his lips. "I bet there was a guy or two who took these hips to the floor. Or a girl, for that matter."

[Ariel]

"You bet she tried. Maybe she even dragged me to one or two events."

Ingrid's gaze finally drifted to Negan as she watched his complexion morph softly as his recollection took him down memory lane. Her smile beamed genuinely as she pictured sweet, playful Lucille dragging this big tough guy out to a social gathering or two. But it was clear to Ingrid that no matter what had been said or done, Lucille and Negan had truly brought out the best in each other. And it was apparent that she was still bringing out the best in him, even from the grave.

"But nothing was ever lame with her." 

Ingrid's heart squeezed in her chest at Negan's words, and a sudden affliction of heartbreak washed over her face. Although their individual love for Lucille was different, they both had witnessed just how amazing of a human this sister and wife truly was and that was something special that no one could ever take away from them. Not even the lashing cruelty of this new world. So before she could burst into tears, Ingrid muffled her emotions by taking another swig of her stiff drink.

"So, how about you?"
"I bet there was a guy or two who took these hips to the floor. Or a girl, for that matter."

Ingrid nearly choked on her gin at Negan's 'hips' comment before making a swift recovery, her eyes dawning upon him in slight surprise. Though, it wasn't so much the comment that surprised Ingrid. For the first time ever, Negan was making an attempt to get to know her for the person she was, beyond being Lucille's little sister. And she wasn't sure if it was really him or the liquid luck talking, but instead of questioning him Ingrid decided to roll with it.

"A couple of crushes here and there, but nothing ever really grew past that," Ingrid snickered to herself as she peered down into her cup in reminiscence of her old life, "Archery was a full time job, and my bow was my pride and joy. It still is. Lucy thought I was one of the weirdest teenagers she knew, to be sixteen and rather shoot targets than chasing boys. But she loved me anyways," Ingrid chuckled to herself as she exhaled inwardly, returning a side gaze back onto her suited brother in law, "You look good tonight, by the way. New blazer?" Ingrid smiled lightly before her nose dipped back into her glass, though her comment came from a place of sincerity. She never thought this day would come, but after getting to know the man behind the act she had grown to finally become fond of Negan - the family she once never wanted, but now needed in her life more than ever before.

[Kristi Lynne]

The woman was still listing the amenities of their new community, and Nora was doing her best to seem interested. But her gaze wandered again to where Negan was standing with Ingrid, wondering what they were talking about. If they were both regretting the decision to stay. Ingrid looked well-dressed and bored, as a normal young woman would at forced family gatherings, and Negan ... well, he cleaned up nicely, she had to admit. And though she missed the beard that once adorned his now clean-shaven face, it was now easier to see the prominent dimples that appeared with his mischievous grins.

“Hey, Patty," a pretty brunette interjected, approaching their table, "your husband says he needs some help with the potato salad. He doesn't know which serving spoon to use.”

"What? I left it right beside the tray!" 

“Well, you know how men are.”

"Ugh, let me go rescue him. Husbands, am I right?" Patty chuckled to Nora before walking away.

“Sorry, it looked like you needed rescuing," the newcomer explained, while taking the seat that was now vacant.

"Yes, thank you," Nora agreed with a grateful sigh. "I'm not sure how much longer I could fake enthusiasm about knitting groups or book clubs. You're Sherry, right?"

Sherry nodded in affirmation. "Glad you all could come to the cookout. And Patty means well, she just ... she hasn't really accepted how things have changed. She likes to talk about her family's harrowing experience spending a week in a mall, as if she deserves a medal. When you and I both know there’s a lot worse out there.”

"Kind of an understatement," Nora remarked, taking another swig of her beer. "How long have you been here?"

“Couple months now," Sherry replied. "We were really fortunate that they took us in, gave us a place to stay and work to do. My husband, Dwight, is a runner for the Colonel. He and another guy take their motorcycles out to look for supplies. I used to ask if I could go with him, but he said it would be worse worrying about my safety. And I need to be here for my sister, Tina.”

"Yeah, it's hard when you're worried about other people," Nora observed. "But then you wonder if you would have made it this far without them."

[DarkSideCookie]

"A couple of crushes here and there, but nothing ever really grew past that,", Ingrid stated, surprisingly open-hearted. Negan didn't expect something like a veridical answer to his question maybe not even an answer in the first place, yet he would lie if he said there wasn't at least a little bit of curiousness about the person Ingrid really was. "Archery was a full time job, and my bow was my pride and joy. It still is."

"And that is not to blame.", Negan chimed in before he raised his glass to his lips once again, adding in mind: because that makes you useful and special, different from all these dumbheads around.

"Lucy thought I was one of the weirdest teenagers she knew, to be sixteen and rather shoot targets than chasing boys. But she loved me anyways,"

"Well, your sister rather dated the asshole right in front of you than a more presentable boy her age.", he said with amusement as he gestured to himself. "And up until that day, I think the only dates she had was with the characters in her books. I don't think she really thought of you to be weird." Negan chuckled, knocking down the rest of the drink in his hand in one go.

"You look good tonight, by the way. New blazer?"

"For some reason, these people think a worn out leather jacket and jump boots aren't adequate for a party. Just as they seem to think this would be a party." And with that Negan placed his empty glass upon the plate of a passing woman as he caught yet again a glimpse of Nora in the distance, obviously having been freed from the chat with the house mom and instead now talking to quite an eyecatcher indeed.

"Well, hello there! At least they have some really hot chicks in here. I might get used to this place after all." He chuckled, making no secret of his flirty looks upon Sherry.

[Ariel]

"Well, hello there! At least they have some really hot chicks in here. I might get used to this place after all."

Ingrid followed Negan's thirsty gaze over to the young brunette that conversed with Nora. Ah, there it is, Ingrid rolled her eyes at Negan's objectifying remark as she remembered who her brother-in-law was. She felt rather irked as they had been talking about Lucille one moment, and then the next he was gawking over some new woman. Though, Negan's history with women was a complicated subject and Ingrid knew that all too well. She would just have to buck up and get used to Negan moving on. Ingrid knew Lucille would want him to be happy, anyways.

"Well then," Ingrid tossed back the remaining few drops of her drink before turning to Negan, "Our little pity party was fun. But I guess we should play nice and introduce ourselves." Ingrid grinned at Negan before motioning her head in Nora's direction. She took the initiative to head on over and hoped Negan would be trailing behind her, for they both needed to pull it together and try to fit in.

Ingrid situated herself silently net to Nora as she immersed herself into their bubble. Scanning the woman before her, Ingrid eyed her features closely as she looked awfully familiar. But how could she have met someone from around this area before? Then suddenly, Ingrid's memory flashed back to weeks ago when everything officially went to shit and Ingrid's reaction molded into utter surprise. "I know you," Ingrid spoke in a tone of disbelief, before turning to Negan and Nora "She was at the hospital the day that it got overrun...she and her husband saved my life."

[Kristi Lynne]

Nora continued to listen with interest as Sherry talked about their own arrival at the fort, and how they had assimilated into the neighborhood with Dwight doing runs, her working at the cafeteria, and her younger sister Tina looking after others' children when necessary. it all sounded promising -- helpful distractions to keep from going crazy and/or losing hope. She became aware of Ingrid's presence next to her at the table and tried to discreetly offer her plate of green jello to the girl. Nora had never been a fan of unnaturally-colored desserts.

"I know you! She was at the hospital the day that it got overrun...she and her husband saved my life."

The outburst took her by surprise. "Really?" Nora looked between Ingrid and Sherry, her face scrunched up in confusion. Of all the forts in all the counties of Northern Virginia?

"Yes, I...I think you're right," Sherry replied, her own eyes narrowing in study. "We were in one of the stairwells. We followed it all the way down and finally made it to the outside at the the back of the building. But then you took off. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Well, I guess we owe you," Nora stated. "For more than just the dinner invite."

"I like to think anyone would have done the same."

"Oh, you'd be surprised."

"This is like an unplanned reunion!" Sherry beamed, with seeming sincerity. Then her eyes flicked upward to take in the man who was lingering behind Ingrid and Nora, even though she'd felt his gaze on her the whole time. "Mr. Negan, were you also at the hospital that day?" 

[DarkSideCookie]

With the new eyecatcher at this so-called party, Negan was suddenly excited enough to follow Ingrid's steps to other company outside their little pity party or how she had been calling it. Once they had reached the two women though, he couldn't help but throwing a quick glance at Nora as well; grabbing at one, actually one for each of his hands, of those delicious looking desserts (he always had been a fan of desserts of any kind) on the plate while Ingrid seemed to recognize Miss Sexy from somewhere before.

"I know you," At that Negan's chomping face turned back to the woman he was sure he'd never seen before. She was at the hospital the day that it got overrun...she and her husband saved my life."

"Really?"

"What do you know!", Negan finally chimed in with a smile as he placed the bitten into rest of the desserts back on the plate. "It's a small world, isn't it?"

"Yes, I...I think you're right,""We were in one of the stairwells. We followed it all the way down and finally made it to the outside at the back of the building. But then you took off. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Well, I guess we owe you,""For more than just the dinner invite."

"I like to think anyone would have done the same."

"Oh, you'd be surprised."

"This is like an unplanned reunion!" Suddenly the woman's eyes met with Negan's who appreciated that; other than her sudden question, for it made him remember a day he had promised himself to forget. "Mr. Negan, were you also at the hospital that day?"

"I was.", he answered truthfully, trying to not let the upcoming memory get the better of him, which was why instead he turned it into a chance to have a little flirt. "I'm damn sure though we haven't met." He stepped closer to her to give her one of his charming grins. "You would remember me."

[Ariel]

"I'm damn sure though we haven't met."  "You would remember me."



Shaking her head, Ingrid rolled her eyes at Negan's overzealous attempt to be charming and flirty, although they had just mentioned that the woman had a husband. Yet, if Ingrid knew Negan well, she would know that it wouldn't take a committed man to keep Negan from obtaining what he wanted.

"Oh, would we have now?"

Ingrid turned her head around to find the very man she had been pondering his whereabouts, walk right past her and straight to his wife. Gently placing a hand around Sherry's waist, the husband didn't take his glare off of Negan as he continued the conversation.

"Would that have been before, or after you would have decided to make an ass of yourself and flirt with a married woman?"

Ingrid's gaze had landed on Negan's, as had everyone else's as they all held their breath. Negan wasn't one to be reprimanded for his actions, and Ingrid could only imagine the millions of ways Negan was thinking of strangling this man for talking to him in such a way. 

"Good to see you're alive and well, girl."

Ingrid shed a halfhearted grin at the man before she took a couple of steps forward, "Ingrid, actually. And this is Nora and...well, this is Negan. I know I had cut the introductions short the first time. Sorry about that," Ingrid said sheepishly as she stuck her hand out in front of her.

"Nothin' to be sorry about, Ingrid. We were all working through some of the hardest shit of our lives that day. Some of us still are. Name's Dwight. And this here is my wife, Sherry, but y'all probably already knew that," Dwight chuckled lightly as he introduced himself,  "So, are ya folks just passing through? Or will ya be making us neighbours?" Dwight asked the trio, keeping a cautious eye on Negan every now and then.

[Kristi Lynne]

"I'm damn sure though we haven't met. You would remember me."

"Oh, I'm sure you stood out in that crowd," Sherry retorted, seemingly unfazed by Negan's boast.

Nora figured she was the kind of woman that was used to amorous attention, apocalypse or no. But now Negan had fresh hunting grounds and an army base full of housewives who no doubt were intrigued by the handsome stranger. "He makes a terrible first impression," Nora proclaimed, "and it's usually downhill from there." She didn't like the way he was sizing up this Sherry. And she really didn't like that she cared how he was looking at Sherry. 

And suddenly they were joined by her husband, Dwight -- one who had helped Ingrid escape the hospital. His long blonde hair and unkempt beard reminded Nora of a folk singer, but the way he carried himself made him seem ready for a fight. Then the man all but confirmed it with his challenging words to Negan. Well, after all, this was his home turf. She exchanged glances with Ingrid, anxious about where this conversation was going to go, then stayed silent as the two caught up.

"...Name's Dwight. And this here is my wife, Sherry, but y'all probably already knew that. So, are ya folks just passing through? Or will ya be making us neighbours?"

"Well, we're hoping that Colonel Lutrell will see fit to let us stay," Nora replied. "We've been on the road a while, and it'd be nice to have a place to call home. We don't expect a free ride, though," she added hurriedly. "Sherry was just telling me about the jobs some of you guys do. We're all willing to work. And to fight, if need be."

"Babe, you need someone else to watch your back when you go on runs," Sherry concurred, letting her well-manicured hand play with the collar of Dwight's shirt. "Someone that knows how to handle themselves out there. It sounds like Negan does."