DAMNATION.

chapter thirty-six, a brand new day.
[ season eight, episode fifteen ]

TO KATHLEEN, EMOTIONS HAVE never been a thing. She's never felt proper emotions. She has known anger, sure. But nothing more,  nothing less.

She's hurt people. She's killed people. She helped Negan set up the lineup that she knew would kill people that trusted her. They should've never trusted her in the first place. Cole should have listened to Theo. Theo should've told everyone about how he felt, not just Cole.

The former leader of the Hilltop remains at the Sanctuary while the Widow takes charge of his former community.

Gabriel is also still a current prisoner of the Sanctuary. He's sick. Incredibly sick. Doctor Carson says it's an infection, he tells Kathleen it isn't contagious. So Eugene asks permission to have Gabriel on his line of Bullet Making People. Kathleen grants him this.

But as Kathleen slowly becomes the leader of the Sanctuary while Negan is missing, Simon nonverbally challenges her. He and his people go to the dump where Jadis and her people reside. Well, resided. As soon as the new of the mass murder hit her ears, she was fuming. She immediately called for Simon and Simon only to come to the meeting room.

Kathleen may be sociopath but Simon is a pure psychopath.

As of right now, she's sure she might chop of Simon's balls and force them down his throat.

She sits across from the man in the meeting room. A sneer rests on her face as she stares at him. Simon stares right back at her. He tries his damndest to keep a straight face but there is a hint of fear in his brown eyes.

As the corner of her lips tug upwards, Simon tries to hide this fear. He's almost one hundred percent sure Kathleen can smell his fear. She's a predator and he is the prey. He is so utterly and royally fucked. 

"Simon," Kathleen starts. "I want you to remind me who you are. Right here and right now. What's your name?"

Simon's eyes narrow every so slightly. "Negan." He tells her.

"Hmm," Kathleen hums to herself. "I don't think so, Simon. Do you want to know why I don't believe you're Negan anymore?"

Simon leans forward in his chair, resting his arms on the table. "Please, enlighten me."

Kathleen smirks. "You went against his orders. Negan's orders. Don't kill anyone you don't have to. And what did you do? You tried to play a game of My Dick is Bigger than Everyone Else's. And let me remind you, Simon. My dick is ten times the size of your itty, bitty dick. So, let's keep this going, shall we? You went and killed an entire community of people we still had a use for. Jadis and her people may have been two-sided but we still could have used them."

"I thought they killed Negan." He responds.

"No," Kathleen laughs. "You didn't. We all know what happened to Negan. Rick ambushed him and then you wouldn't let us go after our leader. You pulled a gun on me. That was your first mistake, Simon."

"Are you threatening me?" Simon snarls.

"Do you want me to?" Kathleen throws her arms out. "Simon, I'm right here. If you want to challenge me for the role of leadership while Negan is gone then please... do so right now."

Simon stands in a flash. Kathleen remains seated, not at all intimidated by Simon's fury. Before Simon can get a word out, the door opens. Negan's whistle fills the air.

Kathleen smirks to herself as Negan himself walks through the door. Followed by Dwight and several others.

"Simon!" Negan greets sarcastically. "How are you?" He claps his hand on Simon's shoulder. Then he forces him back into his seat. "Don't answer that."

Dwight, Arat, DJ, and Gary all find their seats. It's an odd group. Regina is working for Eugene and Gavin is dead. Kathleen didn't feel anything when she heard of their deaths. She just knew things would be different without the same people in leadership.

Regina liked to do things her way, just as Simon does. Gavin tried to see things differently than everyone else and he was murdered by a kid. Things will be different now. Whether it be for the best or for the worst.

Negan begins to question Simon about the entire group he and his people went and murdered. Kathleen can tell that Negan isn't happy. Not in the slightest.

"I thought they killed you and that you were gone, like—" Simon snaps his fingers, "like that."

Negan doesn't say anything.

"I lacked discipline. And I made it personal. And that's why I moved thing from infection to extermination at the Hilltop. Yes... things went bad. Though I think it's possible we may have found ourselves in a similar tactical situation, regulates of approach. We don't know that. So I'll own it. I just ask that you give me a pass on this one. I'll make it up to you. I promise you that." Simon tells Negan.

Negan chuckles. "You know, I remember when I took this place." Everyone watches as he stands. "When you and Kathleen helped me take this place. Wasn't sure I wanted to keep you on board." Negan stalks closer to Simon. "I mean, before me, before there was a system in place, what you did, killing all those men, those boys in that settlement so long ago, a lot of people would think that is some psychotic shit. Like that is the work of a demented, broken, goddamn ghoul. Like that's not someone that you want to work with, let alone stand next to. So I figured I'd keep my eye on you. And I did. And everything seemed to work out right up until this point."

Silence lapses.

"You pointed a gun at my best girl. That right there is enough to get you killed. So... I'm gonna need you on your knees." Negan says.

Simon glances back at him before he gets to his knees. He's gone pale in the face. Kathleen smirks to herself.

"You gonna make a move, or is that it?" Negan asks the man.

"No move to make," Simon replies.

"No. There isn't." Negan says. Anticipation fills the room as Negan stands behind him. "All is forgiven," Kathleen's eye widen. "Get your ass up. We're good."

Simon stands to his feet, fear still hidden in his eyes. "I won't let you down," Simon assured his leader. "Not you."

"I appreciate the hell out of that," Negan says. "But first, I want you to apologize to Kath."

Kathleen smirks as Simon turns to face her. A struggle takes hold of his face. So he grits out the words, "I am sorry, Kathleen."

"For?" She raises her eyebrows.

"Pointing a gun in your face and trying to steal leadership from you during the time you were the rightful leader of the Sanctuary while Negan was missing," he says lowly.

"Thank you," she says.

Negan taps his bat on the table. DJ pulls out a map. He sets it on the table.

And so, their planning begins.

─────────

Hours pass.

As Simon gathers people outside by the fence, two people hide behind the dumpster, two people eavesdrop on what's being said. Two murders are being plotted by the man. Their own.

Kathleen gives Negan a glance and he gives her a nod. Two whistles pierce the air. And as a result, Simon's blood runs cold. He knows then that he's signed his own death certificate.

Negan and Kathleen emerge from behind the dumper. Negan wraps his arm around Dwight's shoulders. "Thank you, D. I'll take it from here."

Negan steps toward, keeping his gaze locked on Simon as he begins to count down. When he reaches the number one, silenced gunshots fills the air. Everyone that sided with Simon drops dead with gunshot wounds in their heads.

The only people remaining alive are Negan, Kathleen, Dwight, Simon, and Gregory.

Arat, DJ, and several  others rush from their hiding spots with their guns pointed at the traitorous man.

Kathleen side steps as Simon lunges for Dwight. DJ and another Savior are quick to grab him and yank him back. Negan smirks. "There's the Simon I know. He comes right at you instead of that backstabby bullshit."

"Why? After everything he did to you, huh? Why do this?" Simon hisses at Dwight.

"He'd win." Dwight responds dully.

"You killed all the garbage people, Simon. You pointed a gun at Kathleen and threatened to kill her," Negan reminds him. He slams Lucille down onto the head of one of the dead Saviors. "After I specifically not to do that shit." And then another. "And after all this, and me being me... I'm still gonna give you your shot." Negan steps closer, getting in his face. "You wanna be the man, you gotta beat the man. If you can do that then, hell... you should be the man."

It doesn't take long until everyone is gathered in the work area of the Sanctuary. Kathleen stands behind Negan, her gun in hand. It's just a precaution. Just in case Negan starts to lose. Kathleen doesn't plan on playing by the rules today. Not when Negan told her to make sure he wins. He reign isn't over. Not yet.

"Everyone! After this is done, we get to work," Simon announces, like he already plans on winning. "Just know that I didn't any this. But the Sanctuary must stand. This is not the man to prosecute this conflict. Just wanted to say... a grateful enclave—" Kathleen's eyes widen as Simon whirls around and sneak punches Negan directly in the face. "Thanks you!"

Another punch.

Simon drags Negan into the fighting circle the people of the Sanctuary have created.

Another punch. 

Negan grabs Simon and slams his elbow into his back. Kathleen watches with a straight face as the two men continue to fight.

Then Negan gets Simon on the ground. And once they're on the ground, it's over. Kathleen was taught this during her time at Wilderness Therapy. She watched a boy beat another to near death. An older girl looked down at her and whispered, "once you got 'em on the ground, you got the upper hand. Get 'em on the ground and you can kill 'em."

Kathleen remembers that to this day.

She watches Negan straddles Simon, bringing his hand down around the man's throat. "You went for it all at the Hilltop. You got Saviors killed and then you ran away like a coward! You got shown up one too many times. Those people, they are always gonna know that there's a loophole, a way to skate." Negan hisses as he strangles Simon to death. "They are always gonna be lookin' for that chance to push back, so now I gotta kill all of 'em just like I'm gonna kill you!"

With that, Negan crushes the bones in Simon's neck. He retracts his hands but remains on the ground. Silence lapses over them. The only sound they can hear is Negan's heavy breathing.

Finally, he stands.

Everyone looks to him for guidance but all he says is, "what an asshole."

Kathleen smirks.

As evening settles, Kathleen stands inside Dwight's room with Arat and Laura. Kathleen had been right about Dwight being the traitor. Her thoughts were confirmed when Negan returned with Laura who told both of them what happened at Alexandria.

Dwight turned against his own people and killed them. He's the rat. He's the one that's been working with Rick and his merry band of pricks.

When the door to Dwight's room opens, Dwight stops cold. Laura stands. Dwight turns around to flee but several Saviors emerge from behind the walls.

"Well, you look surprised, Dwight." Negan starts. "Yeah, see, I found her on the side of the road." Kathleen steps forward and takes Dwight's gun. "Laura, why don't you tell D what you told me and Kath?"

"That night in Alexandria, he turned on us. He killed our team. I ran, and I kept on running. I was hurt. But what kept me alive was the thought of getting back here and exposing you for the scum weasel you are." Laura hisses.

Negan chuckles. "It all makes sense now. You told Rick when to attack. How to get to the outpost... you keep us locked in her, slippin' them workers guns. Maybe you even lied to me about killin' Sherry. Oh, hell. You, for sure, lied to me about that. So, what? Hmm? You think you're some sort of a hero? No. You are nothin'. A nobody in way over your head. But when I said you would come through for me when I needed it, oh, I meant that a hundred and ten percent. See, I knew that I could count on you to deliver my plan to Rick, my brilliant, if I do day so myself, fake-ass plan."

Dwight bows his head.

"You used Gregory for that, right? I mean, I was thinking maybe you'd take some kind of field trip of somethin', but... no, you got yourself a little delivery boy. Good for you. To deliver all that intel to Rick and the piss patrol that's gonna lead them directly into the line of fire. They are not gonna know what hit 'em, all thanks to my new third-in-command. Now, see, I— I thought about killin' you, and then... I thought maybe that'd be too dignified for a backstabbin', double-crossin' dirtbag such as yourself. No, Dwighty boy, I got plans for you." Negan chuckles and presses his head against Dwight's.

"Kath," Negan says as he leaves the room.

Kathleen turns to Dwight and hits him directly across the face with his own gun. Dwight stumbles into his shelves. Different things fall around him.

Kathleen let the others take it from there.  She backs out of the room and walks away as she listens to blows being landed on the man she considered to be her friend once.

The next day, the fence crew chains Simon to the fence. It's the start of a brand new day.

_____________________________

word count: 3,367

i love love love this chapter. as much as i despite kathleen, writing her chapters are some of my favorites. i get to write her leadership role at the sanctuary and i get to explore her sociopathic behaviors a lot more when writing chapters from her point of view.

anyway, a lot happened in this chapter.

firstly, kathleen is actually terrifying. the way she's so calm in that meeting with simon is enough to send chills down my spine. the way she put that pee-wee dicked man is so girl boss of her. it's one of the few girl boss things she's done.  other than manipulating the fuck out of rick's group.

and then negan came in right as simon was towering over kathleen. negan was fr like no sir, but let's be fr. negan should've killed simon right then and there. but it's okay because he killed him later.

speaking of simon's death, i loved that scene. i freaking despised simon. i still do. but anyway, simon is officially dead in the wastelands series and dwight has also been discovered as the rat. kathleen was right about if from the very start. she's just too smart.

okay, moving on from the chapter. i'm thinking about adding one last oc to the wastelands series.  he'll be played by ben barnes but it'll be a while before he's introduced because if i add him, i plan on introducing him at the very end of season ten or season eleven. he's from the commonwealth and he's mercer's second-in-command and one of the best fighters at the commonwealth. he knows all about pamela and sebastian's crookedness and he'll be odessa very own personal villain. like how kathleen has been for theo and (kinda) for odessa. but way, way worse. so what do y'all think?

there's also one chapter, let me repeat that, ONE CHAPTER left of act two and then we're finally moving onto the third and final act of damnation!!