"Kara, come on! I didn't mean it." She leaves his bedroom slamming the door behind her. Now, he could have just followed her into the lounge, but what good would that do. Kara told him that she did not want to talk to him and that he should leave her the fuck alone. All he could think of were her eyes swimming with tears. He hated seeing her so, sad and being unable to do anything about it. Yes, it was his fault she left the room. He pushed her way too hard and of course she clammed up.

Shit like this never happened with his late wife Lucille. When he got on her nerves, she just called him on his shit. The thing is Negan never had this problem with the other wives. They only bugged him for stuff like makeup and clothes. He would step into the lounge pick or two to fuck and then they would leave. But, when Kara arrived everything changed. His attention shifted away from the wives after a while and towards her. He continued to fuck them waiting for her to be ready. Negan wasn't in the business of forcing any woman to fuck him. After, what Kara had gone through, he decided to take things slow with her. Everything wasn't perfect between them. He worked hard to gain her trust and once he had it that was a greater reward than anything else.

Negan wondered how the fuck could he fix this? The idea of getting her an early gift for Christmas was a good idea at first. Yet, would mean leaving the Sanctuary. Today, he vowed to stay in and spend some time with Kara. There's, no way in hell could he trust them to find a gift for her. No, this is something that he would have to find himself. He could not trust the men after the last time. Amber still won't let him hear the end of that. Plus, the other Saviors did not need to know that shit was rocky between him and Kara. One of them might be bold enough to try to squeeze in (key word try).

No, fuck that!

Then it dawns on his as he walks over to the black leather couches by the window. Maybe he could make something for her. Perhaps, he could cook. Something that he hasn't done in a while. People wait on him hand and foot. The kitchen staff makes sure to create special meals for the wives, his men and him. He always makes the person eat it in front of him before he touches it. Can't be too careful.

Kara doesn't eat much most of the time he ends up finishing her food. But, on the off chance that someone manages to make something sweet she eats all that. So, Negan decides that he will bake something for her. He sits down and makes a list of items that he will need. Simon comes to his door like he always does before leaving on the final pick up. He skims the list then raises his eyebrow. He leaves without saying anything.

Negan leans back flipping through a cookbook that the Saviors found a few weeks back. One that's been sitting on the coffee table for a while. The most random find, but one that would be useful at the moment. He locates a recipe for sugar cookies. It is the first thing that he locates on one of the weathered pages that crinkle at the corners. What are the fucking odds? If Simon and the men are unable to find all the items on the list then he will work with what he already has.

Three or four hours later and the caravan returns. Simon comes knocking with two others. They carry eggs, sugar and other stuff in baskets. Simon usual attempts to ask what the stuff on the list is for. Negan replies, "Do I ask why the fuck you have an entire collection of paintings in your fucking room? No, I don't. You need to stop being so, fucking nosey and take this shit to the kitchen. Tell Jack and the others to get the fuck out." Simon nods and leaves without another word. The others pick up the baskets and follow him out the door.

Negan gets dressed then leaves his room with Lucille over his shoulder. The wives pay him no mind. They continue their conversations sitting perched on the couches in small clusters. Fat Joey follows behind him like he always does in silence like a shadow with the cookbook under his arm. They take a trip down to the kitchen smiling as the Saviors kneel as he passes. One of the few perks of being king that always manages to make his dick hard. Down in the canteen, the tables are completely empty accept for some of the men sitting and eating.

He heads to the back in through the doors of the kitchen. Everything sits on the countertop. Joey hands him the cookbook then leans against the nearby counter. "I'm good." He hands him his jacket and informs him to "just wait outside. Don't let any of this motherfuckers disturb me." The doors swing back and forth as he exits. He places Lucille on the floor to his right.

With book in hand, he starts with step one: Mix the sugar and butter in a bowl. The recipe calls her for a hand mixer which he does not have so he does it by hand. A move that proves to be a pain in the ass, but for Kara he'd do anything to make her happy. The fact that she hasn't returned yet, troubles him. Where the hell is she? Part of him wonders if she's alright. But, he buries that fear. Kara wanders around this place more times than he can count. Is she in the library room reading or in the garden sitting with the flowers? Negan considers the idea of her hanging with the wives like she used to. No, she can only sit in a room with Amber for a few minutes. Any longer and Kara will want to kick her ass.

When the mixture looks something like cream, it's time for step two. That requires him to add vanilla and an egg. She's okay...she'll be alright is what he tells himself. By, the time he puts the flat lumps into the oven, he leans back against the counter looking down at the floor. The recipe said that the cookies should be ready after ten minutes.

He leans his head back to shut his eyes for a minute. One of the doors swing open making a swishing sound. "Shit," he says, "I fucking told Joey not to let anyone in here." He grips the counter behind him ready to go off until, he sees Kara. She stands in front of the doors watching him biting her bottom lip wiping tears from her eyes onto her sleeve. "Kara," his voice soften.

"I'm sorry, Negan," she cries. "I lost my temper.."

Negan smiles waving her over. She moves coming to stand a foot away from him. "No, I went too far Kara. I shouldn't have pushed so hard," he apologizes. She hugs herself looking down at the floor. A move that he's become used to from her. "Look at me," he asks her. She glances at him still, biting her bottom lip. "I want you to know that I'm not fucking mad. I'm really worried about you."

He pushed himself off the counter then approaches her closing the space between them. "Come here," he says wrapping his arms around her. She leans her head against his shoulder. "I couldn't talk about it," she reveals. "It's too painful." He glances over his shoulder at the oven and swears that out of the corner of his eye the dark lumps look browner. "I don't know why are you are so upset, but if it has to do with the holidays then I understand," he says. "I'll suspend all fucking celebration."

Kara turns her head towards his neck. "No, I can't let you do that. It wouldn't be fair everyone else especially the children." She exhales then continues, "I should have mentioned this to you a long time ago.

Christmas used to be one of my favorite holidays before all this. My family went all out with the decorations, tree, presents and cookies. Now I don't how I can celebrate without them." Kara's voice breaks as she sobs into his shoulder. Negan leans his head against hers kissing her hair. He whispers, "It's okay Kara. I understand. Just let it out."

The sweet buttery scent of the cookies fills the air. "Negan," she replies.

"Umhmm."

"It smells likes cookies in here. Are you baking something?"

He laughs a little then says , "Yes."

"So that's why the staff was running out of the kitchen?" she asks. "I saw them walking through the hall wondering what you needed the kitchen for. Why are you baking cookies?"

"I just wanted to do something nice for someone that I care about. And it wasn't fucking easy so, that person better like them."

"She lifts up her head to look him in the eye.

"You baked them for me?"

"Is it a more a surprised that I know how to fucking bake or the fake that I baked them for you?"

"A little of both." He lowers his arms down to her waist holding her away from him for a minute to look her in the eyes. he says, "Well I had to do something to make you feel better since I was being the world's biggest jackass." The oven makes a small ding sound drawing his attention away from her to check on the cookies. Hopefully, they looked somewhat like the picture in the cookbook.

"You didn't have to do this," she says leaning against the counter. Negan slips his hand into an oven mitt.

"You've been out of it. You might not think that I do, but I heard you cry yourself to sleep for five days straight. I decided to do something nice." He bends over grabbing the handle of the oven door. "Without any type of repayment, although, if you want to repay me then you can. I accept hugs, kisses and oral. I'd rather give than receive, but that's up to you." Kara laughs just a little. He removes the tray with placing it on the sink. The cookies are a light brown with slightly dark edges.

"See I knew that I could make you smile," he says with a laugh. "I don't feel good about celebrating Christmas here if it's going to make you fucking feel like shit."

"No," she says, "that wouldn't be right for you to do that just for me."

He comes back over holding a cookie in a napkin, handing it to her. "Now I want your honest fucking opinion," he says leaning next to her. Unlike, everyone else in the Sanctuary, the wives are free to say what they want to him. Kara has that privilege and then some. She looks at the cookie then takes a small bite. She chews and swallows it down.

"How is it?" he asks with a smile.

She smiles and says, "It's good. I can't believe that you made this."

"Yes, I did."

"Are you sure that you didn't make any help? Did the one of the staff at least off to help you?" she asks while taking another bite.

He chuckles and shakes his head. "Kara, you seriously think that I all I do is sit around without lifting a finger?" She nods her head taking another bite, "When was the last time that you cooked before this?" Negan remembered the last time that he cooked for himself was when he was on the run after leaving the hospital. He was more afraid of leaving Lucille than of those dead things outside of the hospital and in the hallway. Somehow on his journey, he talking a group of men out of robbing him back then. He came across his first walker herd while sitting around a fire talking. The conversation led by him as always came to a halt as he learned why the men had frightened looks upon their faces. Walker crept up surrounding them. Negan same fear creeping up again as a chill runs through him. "I see your point. It's been a while."

"So, all those cookies are for me?" she asks while taking another bite.

"Yes," he says suddenly lifting her up and putting her on the counter. "I'm not going to be able to finish them all," she revelas. "I think I'm going to give the rest to Joey and the kids."

"As if he needs to eat anything else," he mumbles under his breath.

"That's not nice at all. I don't care," she asks. "I'm still giving him some."

"Fine," he grumbles. She breaks up the last piece into a few smaller ones feeding them to Negan.

He licks her fingers after taking every bite. "I promise to show you my appreciation."

"How," he asks raising his eyebrows with that smirk on his face.

"You'll see when I get back."

He kisses her then asks, "Why not now?"

Kara smiles then says, "Because once I start you won't want me to stop."

The End