GA - Woodbury - Town Square

[Kristi Lynne]

The Town Square of Woodbury, Georgia

And in happier times....

[DarkSideCookie]

*** Negan, Rick, the Governor, Nora, Dwight, Ingrid, Enid, Javier, and Merle enter from Governor's Apartment ***


Negan had taken notice of Ingrid and especially her eyes trying to reach out to him, and, of course, was he looking forward to a conversation between them, to hold her back in his arms, but, right now, he had business to take care of. And that couldn't be shunted to a later time. Some words had to be brought to the people of this town, same as some actions had to be punished.

With severeness upon his features, Negan, the Governor and Rick still in his grip, walked up towards the Town Square, knowing everyone else who had gathered in front of the Governor's house before following behind. Yet, he needed the attention of everyone. At this point, the center of the town was clean from walkers. Only a few of them were still wandering around but were taken care of already.

"People of Woodbury!" Negan's voice suddenly pierced through the air like a sharp sword, drowning all other voices around, as he reached the square in front of the town hall. "I claim your attention!" With the last words, he intensified the grip on the Governor and Rick, forcing them both to their knees on the ground. Then he bandied looks with Javier, who had Merle in his clutches, gesturing him to do the same with that man. Negan was waiting until the majority of the townsfolk was gathered around them. As soon as Negan saw Hazel, he gave her to understand that it was her task to make sure nobody would leave, although it seemed that they all were either scared or pretty impressed by the fact that he had made Phillip Blake kneeling on the ground like a rat.

"Who is in charge here?" Negan eventually asked with still harshness in his voice, throwing glances over at the people around him. While they might think this was a rhetorical question, for he already had met the Governor, it wasn't; Because Phillip Blake was not the right answer. Not anymore.

[Lady Lee-o]

Javier had placed Merle close by to the two kneeling men, staying close by, and watched as Negan began his usual takeover. If these people were smart they would do well to follow, Javier knew this man could be generous but he could also take everything away.

Paying attention to his surroundings, his mind couldn't help but wander to Santana. Once again he prayed she would behave herself and stay out of trouble. He hoped the people left behind brought her no harm- for their sake and his own.

"Who is in charge here?" Here we go...

[Ariel]

*** Ingrid, Enid, and Carl with Judith enter ***

Ingrid glued her hands protectively onto both Enid and Carl's shoulders as they followed Negan, coming to a halt once he did as to follow a silent command. They looked from Negan to Ingrid, yet Ingrid continued keep her gaze forward in an attempt to carry as much strength as possible. Her composure in this instance was absolutely necessary, as she was confident in Negan that he knew exactly what needed to happen. She scanned him from head to toe, only noticing a slight few more forehead wrinkles and a light shade of grey shadowing his facial hair. Signs of stress were recognizable, yet he still looked the same. And yet, the air he carried felt slightly different at the same time, but Ingrid couldn't place why. Not until she would finally be able to have a word.

"People of Woodbury!" "I claim your attention!"


"Dad!" Carl squeaked with great alarm. Ingrid continued to remain calm, yet her heart instinctively dropped in her chest at the sight of Rick being pushed down onto the same level of the Governor. She understood if Negan was trying to prove his point, and she wouldn't dare to disrupt his process of gaining respect from those who were just becoming acquainted with them. But Rick Grimes had saved her life on more than one account and was the reason she was still standing, so if it came to it, Ingrid wouldn't be afraid to fight for his life in return if she had to, "Your dad will be okay. I promise." Ingrid peered downwards to assure Carl, before returning her attention back to the situation unfolding before them. In those moments, the crowd continued to grow as Negan held the entire attention of Woodbury captive with his bold display.


"Who is in charge here?" 

Ingrid knew the answer to that easy question. She wasn't ready to speak up to him though, not yet. Her eyes darted around at the crowd to find anyone daring enough to address Negan, yet crickets fell upon all who had their jaws hanging open in shock at their leader bloody and helpless on the ground.

[Ariel]

*** Hazel enters with the residents of Woodbury ***

Most of the walkers at the hole in the wall had been taken care of, though Hazel knew it would only be a matter of time before more would intrude. They didn't plan on abandoning post, but with the news about the commotion happening at the Town Square spreading rapidly, Hazel knew she had to be there in case her testimony was needed. A few of the residents stayed behind to keep an eye on any unwanted by passers trying to get inside, while many made their way with Hazel to the main event. And Negan was already center stage, booming loudly over the crowd and his victims. As they crowded around, Hazel stopped in her tracks as she saw them. Philip and Merle. Her abusers, both laying at Negan's feet, sprawled about in their bloody and weak states. Definitely looking a hell of a lot different since the last time they had crossed paths, and deep down she reveled in this new look as they lay on the ground absolutely helpless and getting their servings of karma on a silver platter.

"Who is in charge here?"

Either no one present knew how to respond, or they were too chilled to their spines to even move a muscle in fear that they would be next. Hazel felt multiple eyes of the residents fall onto her, and in this moment she knew that she had to continue to lead these people with the confidence she fearlessly exuded. Slowly raising a single finger, Hazel's arm stretched out right in front of her as she pointed in the Governor's direction. The rest of the townspeople saw her response, and one by one the residents did the same as they all started to point in the same direction.

"Him. Philip Blake," Hazel's dead pan tone spewed with hatred as she glared downwards at him, "He's the Governor I told you about. The one that locked up Ingrid. And Merle," Hazel's evil eye moved from Philip to his watch dog who cowered low on the ground next to him, " He's the one that hurt Ingrid worse." Hazel shook her head as she looked upon Merle in absolute disgust. Hazel didn't give a shit about either one of them, and hoped Negan would give them Hell on Earth first before sending them there.

[Ariel]

"People of Woodbury!" "I claim your attention!"

It had all happened so fast. One moment, Rick was on his feet and the next, one side of his body had been smacked down onto the concrete. Laying on the ground, he peered to one side of him to meet the strewn, half there expression of the Governor whose face was caked in his own blood. Rick heard a third thud and turning his head to the other side of him, his shocked gaze met Merle's. Merle was looking in just as bad of shape as the Governor, and Rick figured that whatever Merle did to piss this man off that he deserved this. But not Rick. Which was why he was completely dumbfounded on the ground, wondering why he was receiving the same treatment as these horrible men at his left and right.

"Dad!"

"Carl!" Rick yelled out in Carl's direction, catching a glimpse of his worried son with his baby sister in his arms, standing with Ingrid, "I'm fine, son! Stay there, Carl!" Rick warned. He had no idea what Negan was trying to do here, but if he thought Rick was some sort of threat, then he was mistaken.


"Who is in charge here?"

"Him. Philip Blake," "He's the Governor I told you about. The one that locked up Ingrid. And Merle," " He's the one that hurt Ingrid worse."

You son of a bitch, Rick uttered internally as his gaze flickered over at Merle. Rick kept quiet as he continued to watch the situation unfold and tried to be on his best behavior to spare his life. Though, if this Negan flinched one muscle in the direction of his kids, Rick wouldn't be afraid to step out of line.

[Ariel]

"Who is in charge here?"
"Him. Philip Blake," "He's the Governor I told you about. The one that locked up Ingrid. And Merle," " He's the one that hurt Ingrid worse."

Philip was worse for wear and his blurred vision had tunneled ever since Negan had thrusted him outside and forcefully onto the ground. Yet, the voice that spoke up among the crowd rang familiar to him. Someone he hadn't heard from in a very long time. One he thought he used to love. Blinking hard through his one eye that wasn't covered with a patch, Philip attempted to prop himself up to bring into view who the woman was. And then finally, her silhouette cleared to show her grueling, hateful expression and a finger pointed in his direction.

"H-Hazel?" The Governor spoke out loud in disbelief, "You did this? Betraying me once wasn't enough, you had to bring your new boyfriend all the way here to kill me? Wow, I guess you feel you gotta wipe me from existence to get me outta your whore head." Even on his almost death bed, Philip had to find something to jab at the young woman who wronged him before facing a swift kick in the gut for speaking out of term.

[Kristi Lynne]

"Who is in charge here?"

"Him. Philip Blake. He's the Governor I told you about. The one that locked up Ingrid. And Merle, he's the one that hurt Ingrid worse."

"H-Hazel? You did this? Betraying me once wasn't enough, you had to bring your new boyfriend all the way here to kill me? Wow, I guess you feel you gotta wipe me from existence to get me outta your whore head."

Nora couldn't hide a knowing smirk as she watched the events unfold. Sure, this guy's fate was already sealed, but running his mouth and insulting Negan's newest wife meant that it wouldn't be quick. Negan would make it hurt. And now knowing that this man and the other one who'd been escorted by Javier had held and hurt Ingrid -- well, Nora was ready to punish them herself if Negan wasted any more time grandstanding. Of course, she had no idea of Negan's intentions for this community; while it had plenty of resources, it was too far away to be of use to those back at the Sanctuary. And every moment they spent here was putting their home in danger. 

[DarkSideCookie]

Negan paid no attention to the boy calling out for his dad, Rick Grimes, yet he would recognize the fact. Instead, he was still waiting for anyone to speak up regarding his question. He was rather surprised when Hazel did and, with that, started that group action of pointing at the one person the townsfolk knew as their leader. But that was not the answer he wanted to hear. How shall these people know, though? Hazel, however, should.

"Him. Philip Blake,""He's the Governor I told you about. The one that locked up Ingrid. And Merle,"

Negan followed her direction, remaining silent. She wasn't telling him anything new here, yet the mere mentioning of that man was bringing back that anger; about the things he had done to Ingrid.

"He's the one that hurt Ingrid worse."

"H-Hazel?" one of the assholes on the ground spoke up without permission. Negan slowly rolled his eyes. He hated when people did that. "You did this? Betraying me once wasn't enough, you had to bring your new boyfriend all the way here to kill me? Wow, I guess you feel you gotta wipe me from existence to get me outta your whore head."

"You are NOT allowed to SPEAK!" Negan suddenly rose his voice against Phillip Blake, after all. There was one thing he had to make clear here: The one being in charge right now was NOT this man. With sways of Lucille, Negan started to move a little, only so far that the three men on the ground still could be seen in the corner of his eyes, himself now grinning slightly. "None of you has given me the right answer to my question. So, I'm gonna tell you who's in charge here NOW! It's Negan! Right. That's me. The guy with the bat," he went on talking to the townsfolk before he stepped back closer to Phillip Blake, his eyes remaining on everyone around, though. "You might be wondering why that is." Then, without waiting for any reaction at all, and also without any forewarning, Negan took a sudden swing with the bat in his hands, hitting the Governor's shoulder, audibly bursting his bone. This was only the beginning...

[DarkSideCookie]

While their leader was still showing his pride and even throwing around more insults, Merle remained silent. At this point in his life, he was actually not afraid to die, and also not regretting his actions, but he was feeling no loyalty towards anyone anymore, as well. All he did was to let things happen. The only person his eyes were searching for was his brother Daryl, but they couldn't find him.

When, after all the talking, Negan suddenly swung the bat in his hands, Merle had already seen himself dead, but, instead, it was hitting Phillip Blake. Not deathly, but the scream right next to his ears made Merle wince, after all. It seemed that the wish to live was still there, no matter how much he had thought to have settled his affairs.

[Ariel]

*** Daryl - temp-played by Ariel ***

Daryl was exhausted. The hole in the wall had been barely won back over, but the people toughened up and thanks to the help of Daryl and some brave others it was managing. Yet, when Daryl had caught onto what was happening at the Town Square, he took off as fast as a lightening bolt without much of a word, in the way of the new action that was unfolding at Woodbury. The adrenaline carried him all the way to the Town Square, as he pushed shoulders to squeeze himself to the front lines of what was happening. There, on his knees was his brother Merle, shivering and cowering away from a crazy man with a swinging bat that was being caked with some fresh new blood.

"NO!" Daryl screamed, lunging forward into the square after his brother. The whole scene was such a blur to Daryl that he didn't see where the bat swung or whom it had hit first. All he knew was if this man before him was to kill his only brother, Daryl would want his head. A couple of men dressed in some sort of black makeshift uniform grabbed Daryl and held him upright in a restraint. Weeping for his brother, Daryl tried to rip himself out of their grip but remained unsuccessful.

[Lady Lee-o]

"Him. Philip Blake," That was the wrong answer and an automatic failure. Everyone started talking but the smart ones stayed silent, the ones who knew better.

"You are NOT allowed to SPEAK! None of you has given me the right answer to my question. So, I'm gonna tell you who's in charge here NOW! It's Negan! Right. That's me. The guy with the bat, You might be wondering why that is." The large crack, the sound of Lucille meeting flesh and bone- he heard it many times since he came into the service of Negan... and the screams.

[Ariel]

"You are NOT allowed to SPEAK!" "None of you has given me the right answer to my question. So, I'm gonna tell you who's in charge here NOW! It's Negan! Right. That's me. The guy with the bat," 

Anyone new to Negan's performances might shiver in terror, fearing anything unknown and witnessing the unexpected. Ingrid felt as if no time had passed and that it was just yesterday that she had watched him give a similar speech to a few unruly rebels in their own group who felt the need to stand up to the boss. This was typically business as usual, and they simply had to wait for instruction or stay on the sidelines until the act came to a close. Wincing as Negan hit his first target, Ingrid barely took her eyes off of the sight only to squeeze a whimpering Carl closer to her side. Being desensitized to his ways for quite some time now, Ingrid always forgot just how shocking Negan could appear to be to those meeting him for the first time. Ingrid's gaze flickered over to Nora who continued to stay professional and in position, but she could tell that her friend's mind was racing a mile a minute as they all stood there watching the events unfold.

[Ariel]

"None of you has given me the right answer to my question. So, I'm gonna tell you who's in charge here NOW! It's Negan! Right. That's me. The guy with the bat,"  "You might be wondering why that is."

Hazel knew she never fit into Negan's group for many reasons. Always giving him the wrong answers was one of them. And she was tired of it all. Trying to please someone who could never be pleased was getting to be exhausting. Hazel was done being a pawn and being kept around just for her 'pretty face.' Now, surrounded again by people who respected her for more than anything she had ever amounted to be in Negan's group, she was ready to feel like a human again, and after this hellish nightmare was over Hazel had a proposition for Negan that she only hoped he would lean into with a bit of a chance. Even if it meant putting her own life on the line. The cracking of bone that emulated throughout the crowd was horrifying and shocking, sending many into a bit of a frenzy. As for Hazel? The bastard was finally getting what had been coming to him for a really long time. Judgement day had finally arrived for the town of Woodbury.

[Ariel]

"None of you has given me the right answer to my question. So, I'm gonna tell you who's in charge here NOW! It's Negan! Right. That's me. The guy with the bat," "You might be wondering why that is."


Just as the bat was swinging it's way to the ground from the towering Negan above, Rick rolled out of the way instinctively. He winced as a slight splatter of blood decorated the cheek that was facing the action. Breathing deeply, Rick knew he needed to keep ahold of himself and focus. Through the shrieks and screams, his sight caught a glimpse of Daryl being held back by a couple of men. Everyone's faces were absolutely horrified by what had just happened. Looking over, Rick saw the Governor screaming helplessly in pain as his shoulder looked even worse than his knee, courtesy of Negan's bat. Rick's eyes began to haze over in shock, but he knew he had to keep holding onto reality in case he needed to dodge a bat swing himself. Rick knew that he needed to stay alive for Carl and the baby. He was the only parent they had left.

[Ariel]

"None of you has given me the right answer to my question. So, I'm gonna tell you who's in charge here NOW! It's Negan! Right. That's me. The guy with the bat," "You might be wondering why that is."

Philip's life flashed before his very eyes the moment he saw the wooden bat narrow in on him at lightning speed. Squeezing his eyes shut, he braced for impact. However, no amount of mental or physical preparation could have readied him for the agony he was about to endure. Yelling out in pain as his own blood and tissues splattered everywhere, Philip grabbed ahold of his shoulder to try and hold everything together at the bursted bone. Yet, he was in so much pain that he could no longer make sense of any other fact than that this was the slow, painful death he felt would be coming for him the moment he looked Negan in the face for the first time.

[Kristi Lynne]

Nora winced along with everyone else as Negan drove his barbed bat into the condemned man's shoulder. One could get desensitized to a lot of things in this world, but fresh carnage and the screams that followed still sent a shudder down her spine. Though everyone in the audience seemed to have been struck silent and still for now, she knew that scared people were unpredictable when things went sideways. And this sheltered community now had the one-two punch of a walker invasion and seeing their leader broken and bloodied. 

She knew it was a risk to interrupt Negan when he was on a tear, but handing out revenge had likely blinded him to the fact that they were severely outnumbered here. So she unholstered her gun and gestured to Dwight to do the same. While she moved to the right, he went to position to cover the left. 

"In case anyone else wants to get cute," Nora announced, loudly and with authority, "you should know we weren't the only ones that snuck in the back while your front door was wide open." The people didn't need to know how small this raiding party actually was. She could let that already planted fear continue to grow. If Negan had a problem, he could take it up with her afterward. They just needed to get out of here safely with Ingrid.

[DarkSideCookie]

Except for the usual screaming and crying, everyone around remained quiet, either out of shock or because they got that it was better that way, to keep things to the boss. Everyone but one person. Negan ignored the whimpering next to his boots but instead made one step further into the center of what had become a circle of people by now. For one moment, he turned his face to look at Nora and Dwight, paying them not much attention, though. Then he spoke to the townsfolk once more.

"You thought you'd known this man, right?" he made them wonder with his harsh voice echoing all throughout the place. "Wrong! I'm gonna tell you who this man really was." Negan used the past tense on purpose for, even if Phillip Blake was still breathing, he was long dead in his eyes. "Phillip Blake. A leader. A governor. But also a lier with plenty of fucking skeletons in his fucking closet. A goddamn kidnapper and a cursed torturer of innocent women. And surprise surprise - a harborer of walkers amidst your lovely home." He still avoided looking directly at Ingrid, but they both knew that he'd been speaking of her before and that he would avenge her. After all, Negan turned his attention back towards the crying man on the ground, forcing him to look up again by grabbing him on his burst shoulder and pulling him up a little. "Anything to say for yourself?"

[Ariel]

"In case anyone else wants to get cute," "you should know we weren't the only ones that snuck in the back while your front door was wide open." 

As both men restrained Daryl, his gaze narrowed in on the stern woman who spoke on her leader's behalf. He figured that she must be an important authority figure amongst this group. Daryl continued to pay attention to what was going on in the square, and was thankful that nothing was being directed at Merle in this moment. Yet, he still felt strongly that this whole operation these people were pulling on them was misguided. They weren't residents here, just people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even Merle.

"You're bluffing," Daryl growled in the authoritative woman's direction. His raspy tone was low but packed with anger, "I never saw anyone else out there...it's just you folks here," Daryl shook his head as he spoke the revelation out loud to the woman, "If your boss can't keep things under control, there's more of us then there is of you. You're outnumbered." Daryl stated the facts, flabbergasted that this woman would even try to lie about numbers when the odds were clear as day. 

[Lady Lee-o]

Javier kept silent because it wasn't his place to speak- not unless spoken to. Instead, he just held onto their new friend. "He's going to get himself killed." He spoke softly to the one kneeling next to him, this Merle.

"Anything to say for yourself?" Javier couldn't wait to hear this governor's excuse. Javier knew this guy was a dead man, nothing he could say could stop that from happening. But, what kind of begging and pleading would this coward do? Javier did what he had to do for his daughter, standing his ground and showing Negan his strength. In the end, he was smart and decided that giving him what he wanted was necessarily a bad thing. He showed Negan he could be an asset, but he would have to work on Santana once they got back. She let her emotions get the better of her, he just hoped she behaved while they were gone.

[Ariel]

Ingrid continued to standby as the gruesome scene unfolded. Her eyes darted left and right, trying not to appear as nervous as she truly was. She didn't begin to grow unnerved until Daryl tried to intervene. Rick and his group had shed nothing but kindness her way since that day that fate led them all to come together. If Negan were to try anything with any of her new family, Ingrid would feel inclined to step in. Though, she knew that faith and trust needed to be placed in her brother-in-law as she continued to pull the reigns back. Something she felt that she should have exercised a long time ago before everything between the two of them went to utter shit. Ingrid continued to hold Carl tight by her side as he gripped his baby sister swaddled in his forearms, waiting for the nightmare to be over.

[Ariel]

"Anything to say for yourself?"

This is it, Hazel thought inwardly to herself. She never thought that she would see the day when Philip Blake would finally reap all of the evil that he had sewn into this place. He was lucky that he was even being allowed a final word in the first place. If it were up to Hazel, he would have already been a dead man. I should have killed him when I had the chance, Hazel thought to herself, regretting that she didn't spike his drink with a lethal dose their last night together. She had still loved him then. Not anymore. Though, everything happens for a reason. And here she was, back in this town. But this time was different. Woodbury deserved better. The warm and kind people that surrounded her in that moment deserved so much more of the lives they could have in this place. She continued to watch silently from the sidelines as The Governor faced Negan's wrath.

[Ariel]

Rick felt as if he was getting whiplash from darting his head around in a fury. There was so much unfolding all at once. Rick groveled inwardly, looking upon Daryl with begging eyes to not get involved any further than he had. Rick understood his motives as his blood brother's life was on the line. But Rick knew he couldn't lose anyone else today. Not from his own family. His mind was in such a frenzy that he only heard half of Negan's speech. Little did he know that The Governor was about to meet us untimely demise right in the middle of the time square in a matter of moments. 

[Ariel]

"Anything to say for yourself?"


Through his pain, Philip allowed the question from Negan to simmer with him for a mere moment before belting out a maniacal chuckle that became interrupted with coughing up blood. Grimacing in pain, he knew that his time was up. This man standing before him was about to kill him. Rightfully so, he couldn't reprimand this man for playing the game of survival of the fittest. Through his uncovered eye, Philip peered slowly upwards at Negan with an unnerving smile, "You can kill me today...but just so you know: I've already won," The Governor spewed with an eerie sense of gratitude, "These people will always be my pawns, even in death. They'll never follow the likes of someone like you, not after today." Philip then closed his eyes, waiting for that final damning blow.

[Kristi Lynne]

"You're bluffing. I never saw anyone else out there... it's just you folks here. If your boss can't keep things under control, there's more of us then there is of you. You're outnumbered."

Nora knew this guy had helped Ingrid in some way, but she didn't know whose fate Daryl was invested in. And him running his mouth was likely to get more people killed than just the three who had been placed in the public square. She slowly walked over and forcefully connected the butt of her gun with his jaw. "Do not make this worse," she leaned in and whispered emphatically. Nora waited for him to look back up and make eye contact with her, to understand that she was serious.

She returned to her post, keeping an eye on everyone else, while Negan was busy dealing with the Governor.  

[DarkSideCookie]

"You can kill me today...but just so you know: I've already won,""These people will always be my pawns, even in death. They'll never follow the likes of someone like you, not after today."

Negan let out a chuckle, actually no more than a hiss. Even in a moment of facing the dead, this man would still not give up on his pride. It was almost a shame that he had to kill him. Men like that were rare these days. But they surely were dangerous if not on your side. This one would never be on his side, not even if Negan wanted him to be, which was out of question anyway.

He sighed heavily. "So sorry I won't be able to send you a card from New Woodbury once they will." And with these words, Negan lunged out for another swing with Lucille, this time directly to the Governor's head, cleaving it open like a watermelon. While blood splashed all around him and on his face and hands, a filthy grin played around Negan's lips. There had been occasions when he hadn't enjoyed ending someone's life, but not today. This was personal, and it had been overdue. But there was still more to do, even more personally.

Negan was leaving not much time for anyone to utter their shock about what just had happened before going into action once more. Without any warning, he turned towards the other man to his feet, Merle, and lunged out for another swing, not even willing to give last words here...

[DarkSideCookie]

"He's going to get himself killed."

Merle heard the words aimed at him yet didn't reply nor react to them in any way. He wasn't even sure if the man meant Phillip Blake or even Negan himself. But since he seemed to be one of Negan's little pawns, this might have gone for the first. At this point, however, Merle didn't give a fuck if the Governor would make it out alive of this or not. All he cared for, right now, was his own life and the life of his brother Daryl. It almost surprised him that Daryl's life was still even more important to him than his own, although his might be going to end soon; Maybe because he'd seen himself close to death so often, so that it had deadened him inside long ago.

"Anything to say for yourself?"

"You can kill me today...but just so you know: I've already won,""These people will always be my pawns, even in death. They'll never follow the likes of someone like you, not after today."

"So sorry I won't be able to send you a card from New Woodbury once they will."

Merle wasn't even averting his gaze when the man's bat brutally met with Phillip Blake's head, sensing little drops of blood on his face while he watched. It was this very moment, however, that he knew he was a dead man as well. Just little did he know that it would happen so fast and without any warning, watching his former boss beside him going down in one second while facing the same bat only one later...

[Ariel]

Just like that, The Governor had succumbed to death by Negan's bat as his skull exploded into bloody shreds. Rick trembled, absolutely horrified at what had happened. And so quickly, at that. Negan looked as if he was about to work his way down the line, raising his bat at Merle who was cowering beside him. Rick's eyes darted to Daryl who was acting out in absolute horror. Breathing heavily, Rick's mind raced with a million thoughts. Merle was a piece of shit and Daryl would be better without him, but at the end of the day they were family. Rick knew he had to do something.

"STOP! W-wait!...," Rick threw his hands up in the air as he made eye contact with Negan. Shaking all over, Rick slowly rose to his knees as he looked upon Negan with pleading eyes, "Please, spare him. I-I'll do anything. Anything you want." Rick was at a loss for words, and the only way he knew how to reason with this man was to offer him a proposition. Anything.

[Ariel]

Daryl watched with horrified eyes as The Governor's head was bashed into the ground. His body winced with fear as he watched brains and blood splatter just about everywhere. Negan wasted no time in raising his bat at his next victim - Daryl's brother. "NO!!" Daryl let out a cry of agony, as he violently wiggled his shoulders to escape the grasp of the men who held him back. Then suddenly, an intervention inserted it's way into the situation. Rick.

"STOP! W-wait!...,"  "Please, spare him. I-I'll do anything. Anything you want." 

No. There was no way in hell Daryl was going to allow Rick to reason with this crazy psycho. Daryl finally escaped the grasp that held him back, and without thinking he lunged at Negan and struck him in the cheek with a fist of fury. He didn't care what it would cost him. Merle didn't deserve to die - not like this.

[DarkSideCookie]

It was not the first scream that made Negan actually stop in the middle of his action. It was the one coming from Rick.

"STOP! W-wait!...," "Please, spare him. I-I'll do anything. Anything you want."

Negan's features were still rigid as he turned his head a little to face the pleading man. He was going to launch into an answer while his gaze changed into something more amused when, suddenly, the other man freed himself from the grasp of his men, directly lunging at him. Negan was too surprised to stop him, so this ended with one hard fist in his cheek. For a moment, Negan was just staring at the man, who quickly was brought back under control, but then his hard expression changed, once again, into amusement. "Damn! You guys really got some nerve!" One hand lifted to his cheek, Negan let out a chuckle even before turning towards Rick again only one moment later. "So, YOU are willing to do whatever I want?"