Meanwhile, you are chasing Negan.

Negan runs towards a tree, and you raise your pistol.

BANG!

You miss, hitting a glass pane that hangs from a branch. Negan hides behind the tree as you shoot one more shot.

BANG!

You try to shoot more rounds, but your gun is empty. You run to the tree, but are tackled by Negan.

You recover and swing at Negan. He ducks, and hits you in the stomach with the end of Lucille. You hit Negan, and make him throw Lucille aside.

Negan lands two blows to your side. You feel the sting from your arrow wound days ago. You then grab Negan and tackle him to the ground. You both roll over a few times on the grass, until Negan gets up and kicks you while you are on the ground.

You: Aah!

Negan kicks you again.

You: Argh!

Negan takes a breath, as he picks up Lucille. You are still on the ground holding your abdomen.

Negan: Honestly, I shouldn't have played that number game back near the estates. I should've just killed you...would've made things a whole lot easier.

Negan continues to look down at you.

Negan: Or I should've just killed your girlfriend, maybe then you would've opened your ears and listened.

While on the ground, you kick Negan in the stomach, causing him to fall over. He joins you on the floor.

You: You're beat, Negan. Your people are down.

Negan groans as he gets on one knee.

Negan: I'll get out of it. I always do.

Negan gets back up, breathing heavily.

Negan: It's just you and me, Y/N. And you...you are torn open. I am bigger, I am badder, and I got a bat.

You sit up, still holding your abdomen. You try to talk to Negan.

You: Back then, you tried to protect me. My mom. My sister. You did what you could.

Negan listens.

Negan: What?

You: We appreciated you. I appreciated you. Like I said...you were like a father to me. There were many nights when I was little where I wished you were my father.

Negan grips the handle of Lucille.

Negan: Don't do this...not now.

You: What we had back then...we could still have it now. We can have a future.

Negan: I know I will.

You: Just give me ten seconds so I can tell you how.

Negan scowls.

Negan: No.

You: Just give me ten seconds...for me, your nephew.

You sigh, and get back onto your feet.

You: If not for me...then for Carl.

You knew Negan had a soft spot for Carl. You remember he wrote a letter to Negan.

Negan stays silent for a moment, then begins to count down.

Negan: Ten...Nine...

You start speaking.

You: It doesn't have to be this way...it doesn't have to be a fight anymore. Carl didn't want it to be this way anymore.

Negan: He was wrong. Eight...

You: No, he was right. He envisioned a future...where we can all thrive together. I imagined it myself...no fighting, just living. Families can feel safe.

You take another breath.

You: Me and Clementine are able to have a family, maybe a little girl to go along with AJ. You're there too...being the uncle I grew up idolizing...

Negan begins to acquiesce, and is nearly moved to tears.

He remembers what it was like before the outbreak, when he had his sister, you, his niece, and his wife. Maybe he can try again and be apart of your life once more.

Maybe the life Carl envisioned wouldn't be so bad.

Suddenly, you slash Negan's throat with the shard of glass you had picked up earlier.

SVAASH!

Negan falls to his knees, holding his bleeding neck. You look down at him.

At that moment, you don't know why you did it. You did mean some of the things you were telling him moments before, but the other part of you took over. The part that was still angry for all that things he's done to you and your friends.

Negan begins to speak weakly.

Negan: Look what you did. Carl didn't know a damn thing...

Negan then falls over to his side, still bleeding out.

You drop the shard of glass, and look at your bloody hands. You then look at Negan, who's still laying on the grass.

Suddenly, Rick shows up and grabs your shoulder. You look back at him, and see everybody else watching. You notice Clementine standing alongside Lee, eyes widened.

Rick: Y/N, look at me. You all right?

You were still in a state of shock from the act you had committed against your uncle. You give a nod as Rick looks at Negan. He pulls out his revolver.

You: No...

Rick stops before he can pull the trigger, he looks at you.

Rick: What?

You: Don't kill him. It's not what Carl would've wanted.

Rick takes some time to process what you said, but quickly understands. He wanted to honor Carl as well.

You walk over to the team, and call over Siddiq.

You: Save him.

Siddiq begins to run over to Negan. Maggie begins to yell as Michonne holds her back.

Maggie: No! He can't! No! He killed Glenn!

You just stand there, looking away from Maggie as she continues her outburst. Rick walks up the hill towards the team.

Rick: Y/N's right. We have to.

Maggie: We have to end it! We have to make it right! It's not over until he's dead! It's not over till he's dead!

Maggie continues to cry out, as everybody else stands idly by.

Rick: What happened, what he did....what we lost...there's gotta be something after.

Rick continues walking up the hill. He begins to speak to the surrendering Saviors and his group.

Rick: The ones who have 'em up, put your hands down.

Rick begins to explain that it was time to go home. Negan is alive, but his way of doing things was over. Anybody who disagrees would be dealt with. It was time to live in peace and fairness.

Rick: This world is yours, by right. We are life...

Rick then looks back and points at a herd in the distance.

Rick: ...that's death. And it's coming for us.

He turns back around.

Rick: Unless we stand together. So go home.

You walk up to Rick, who then puts a hand on your shoulder. He continues to speak.

Rick: Then the work begins. The new world begins.

You look at the crowd.

You: All this...all this is just what was.

You reiterate what Rick said before.

You: There's gotta be something after.

Rick gives a nod, and walks up the hill. Everybody else begins to disperse, and leave as well. Clementine and Lee walk up to you, and you give a hug to Clementine.

Clementine didn't say a word, she just gave you a kiss after the hug. Lee stood by, smiling.

You: It's over...we won.

Clementine: We did.

You look back at the tree where you were fighting Negan. Siddiq and a couple other Militia soldiers began carrying Negan up to the hill to one of the trucks. You look back at Clementine and Lee.

You: Give me a minute.

You walk to the tree, and lean against it. You look over into the horizon, seeing the trees in the distance and the herd that Rick pointed out earlier. You feel a cool breeze hit your face.

The war was won. Negan was still alive.

Why was he still alive?

You remember what Dale said back on the farm.

The world we knew is gone, but keeping our humanity? That's a choice.

You begin to mutter to yourself, as you keep your eyes fixated on the horizon.

You: My humanity...I try my best to keep that.