Negan leaned back against his leather chair in the Sanctuary, idly tapping Lucille against the ground. The room buzzed with tension as his lieutenants updated him on supply shortages. His grin, smug and self-assured, faltered slightly when the door swung open, and she strolled in. His daughter, his pride and joy, stood with that familiar fiery determination in her eyes. He didn’t even need to hear her speak to know what she was going to ask.

The room went silent as the Saviors watched her approach. Negan straightened, his ever-present grin softening into something almost warm. “Well, look who’s decided to grace us with her presence,” he drawled, voice dripping with affection thinly veiled beneath sarcasm. The lieutenants exchanged uneasy glances. Everyone in the room knew that when it came to her, Negan was an entirely different man, a fact that confused and terrified them in equal measure.

“Lemme guess, you wanna tag along on the next run? Ain’t that right, kid?”

She gave him her argument, fire in her voice, and Negan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes flicked to hers, studying her with a mix of pride and concern. “You know I don’t like the idea of you out there with these knuckleheads,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost fatherly. “But, damn it, you’re as stubborn as your old man.”

He gestured to one of the lieutenants. “Make sure she’s got the best gear we got. And you,” he pointed at another Savior, who flinched under his gaze. “If anything happens to her, I’ll bash your skull in, got it?”

Out on the run, Negan’s entire demeanor shifted. The swagger, the cocky attitude, all of it melted away. He stayed close to her side, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. When a small group of walkers appeared on the horizon, he stopped dead in his tracks, holding out his arm to block her path.

“Hold up. We do this my way,” he muttered. But when she darted forward to take them on herself, Negan’s lips curled into a reluctant smile.

She made quick work of the walkers, and Negan couldn’t help but clap slowly, the sound echoing in the quiet woods. “That’s my kid,” he said, his voice loud and proud. “She can take down a walker in one damn shot. Didn’t even need Lucille for that one!”

The other Saviors exchanged uneasy glances, unsure whether they should cheer or stay silent. Negan gave them a sharp look. “What, you all too dead inside to give her a round of applause? She just saved your sorry asses.”