Authors Note: I do not own anything of Walking Dead series no matter what so thank you!

So now we come to the Sanctuary in the aftermath of the deal about a day later

Tara is dealing with her surroundings and she meets her new guards along with a talk with the leader himself.

And finally, HAPPY THANKSGIVING.


The room was bare, having only a bed along with the bare necessities such as a radio, a small washbin, and somewhat ragged looking clothes.

Tara sat on the bed, her arms around her legs, biting her lip. She had been taken to a massive factory which Negan had dubbed 'The Sanctuary', along with a monologue about who was where, such as his right hand man Simon, one of his lieutenants Dwight the man with the burn on his face and showed to her room.

She looked around, not knowing what was going to happen...then a knock came on the door...and soon opened without an invitation from her...

Inside stepped Dwight, who she now knew was the man who stole Daryl's items judging from what Daryl said a few months ago, along with a blond haired pretty woman with a slightly darkned complexion and leather clothes stepped behind him...closing the door.

After a moment, Dwight asked a little hesitant "had a good sleep?"

Tara hesitantly nodded.

"Alright uh...this is Arat and I'm-"

"Dwight." At his stare, Tara said "Daryl talked about you and Sherry. Your wife."

Dwight's face twitched as the woman named Arat said "alright uh..."

"Tara."

"OK Tara, come on up and at em. The Boss wants to talk with you." Arat motioned to the door...where Tara stepped out.

Outside was a massive group of people all running around, working, with guns.

Oh god, there are so many.

It reminded her a bit of Alexandria and her group almost...and eve-

Brian.

Her face tightened...not a day went by when she didn't remember him. How he ran their group for a time, then they attacked the prison...Lily, Meghan, Alicia...

She blinked back tears as she noticed Arat staring at her, but thankfully she didn't say anything. Soon they were led to a big office looking area overlooking the factory and Negan was sitting, his feet on the desk, as Simon leaned against the wall...the two looking up.

The leader grinned a friendly grin "well there's our little lady with the big cajones ha ha! How you sleep?"

"Fine." Tara gulped, trying not to set him off.

"Now now princess relax, I ain't gonna bite." Negan stood "so how you like this little shindig here? People, families...some of whom wanted to just wipe you all out. BUT I'm a reasonable sort, you told us where our missing community was, so I let you off easy...god knows what would have fucking happened otherwise. Ha ha."

Tara didn't respond...figuring the guy liked to talk.

Negan pointed at a stoic Simon "you know, Simon here was actually in charge of them you know."

Tara blurted out "so you killed all their males?"

Simon bristled "hey don't interu-"

Negan waved it off "now now, it's a reasonable question." Negan stared stonily at her "they were rebellious, what the fuck did you think I'd do? Let em off easy? FUCK NO! There needs to be discipline, order, PUNISHMENT. Sure, wouldn't have been my first call. Killing ALL the males, that's a waste of a good resource...like I fucking said I ain't growing a garden! BUT...you gotta do what you gotta do to survive. Now..."

He leaned forward "where. Are? They?"

Tara closed her eyes, hoping that Cyndie and Natania would see them coming, the town having prepared for this possibility...hopefully.

"I need a map. I can show you."

Simon said "Negan, if she comes with us, how do we know she won't escape and warn them?"

Negan grinned "then she knows what happens to her little friends."

"But how many people would die?" Tara tried to use what she knew of Brian's old easy tongue demanor, to be calm "you said your not growing a garden, and how many people would be killed if you go after them again...they know who you are now...you want to risk all of them dying if you attack again?"

Negan stared some more, then chuckled "wow, pretty and smart, a winning fucking combination..."

Tara stated "I like girls."

Negan blinked, thrown a bit..."wait really?"

Tara narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was insulting her or not.

"Whoa whoa, relax I ain't a fucking homophobe or anything. Just surprising. But anyways..."

He slung the bat over his shoulder, and glanced at Simon "get her a map or some shit, and you lead the men to them personally."

Simon's face hardened "wipe em out?"

"Wha? FUCK NO! But...kill the head lady...Natania right?" Simon nodded "kill her, and bring the rest, keep the deaths down. They'll be a good workforce...either that or they work on the fence."

"The fence?" Tara asked.

Negan gestured outside...where an ARRAY of walkers was tied and chained on the fence surrounding the compound, making her stomach turn.

"They work for me. One way or another...but I can be forgiving. Heck look at D here!" He gestured to Dwight "the guy actually tried to run off himself, along with his hot ass wife Sherry. But now...one burn later and he's become one of my top guys. Can be same to them, they earn some points work their asses off and all is forgiven."

Negan leaned back, pointing the menacing bat at her "why do you think we're 'Saviors'? We're saving the human race...and we protect them...they feed us, in exchange we clear the areas around our community's of the fucking dead routinally..."

"A protection racket."

Negan shrugged "you want to call it that sure. I call it grateful fucking hospitality. In exchange for this protection, I expect gratitude...these people serve ME." He pointed at Arat "who are you?"

"Negan."

"Who are you?" He pointed at Dwight.

"Negan."

"Who are you?" He then pointed at Simon, who came back with the map.

"Negan."

He gave Tara a grin "you see? I'm EVERYWHERE."

The map was rolled in front of her...Tara looked at it, remembering the route her and Heath took...after a moment, she pointed at the location from where she remembered, near the ocean and off the highway.

Negan stared then looked back at her "you fucking sure? Trust me, it's your ass if we find diddly squat there. Well not just yours but your little friends too."

"I'm sure sir." Tara said stonily.

"Ah fuck, don't call me that. Just call me Negan, everyone else does!" Negan spread his arms and looked at Arat "take her back to her room for the night...if Simon finds shit there, bring her back."

He then looked at Dwight "and grab a group, bring back your new playmate from Ricky's little town."

Dwight nodded without expression as Arat led her back down the halls to her room.

After a moment, Tara asked "why?"

Arat stared at her "why what?"

"Why are you working for him?"

Arat's face tightened "he keeps us alive, keeps us safe. No disease, no fear of the dead, we work together."

"I remember a guy I knew who had a good voice who promised to keep me safe, it didn't work out so well for him either." Tara said bitterly.

Arat stopped her, turning around fiercely "he can be reasonable, be thankful he IS being reasonable after you assholes slaughtered our people, some of them my friends...hell you even BURNED some of them."

"I wasn't there for that." Tara said defensively.

With a scoff, Arat said "yeah sure, you think your buddy Rick hasn't done things? Brutal things to keep you alive?"

We're not too far gone!

Remembering those pleading words, Tara said "he always offered a chance, a chance of peace...maybe he was brutal and attacked first...but things changed...he has shown mercy before...even to enemies who hurt him."

The Savior opened the door to the room. After a moment, Tara went inside...Arat saying "that's a world that doesn't exist anymore, now all anyone remembers is violence."

*SLAM*

With that, she slammed the door shut leaving Tara to her thoughts...the weight about what she just did collapsing on her...sliding down the door and started to sob.

I'm sorry Cyndie, I'm so sorry.


Outside...the Savior lieutenant heard the cry and paused...staring at the door...then shook her head and walked off.

Dwight catched up to her "any issues?"

Arat shook her head "nothing I couldn't handle." She looked at Dwight, the burn prominent and asked softly "that thing hurts?"

Dwight shrugged "good and bad days...you going with Simon? You were there for Natania's group remember?"

Arat paused then shook her head "I'll stay, see if the girl trys to escape."

"And risk her people getting put down? I think she's smarter then that." Dwight walked with Arat following.

"True, you saw the way Negan liked her."

Dwight's eyes darkened "yeah like he needs more woman with him."

Arat hissed "hey keep your voice down, you know the last time you pissed him off, you have that on your face don't you?"

Stopping, the two stared at each other...then Dwight looked away.

"Look I'm sorry, maybe I don't like that part of the deal, but this is the way it's gotta be."

"...I know."


Is it the way it's 'gotta be' or not? Who knows?

Happy Thanksgiving with this present for you all!

As you noticed, not a cell like Daryl, but not a cozy pad like Eugene's, kinda in the middle...being treated as a 'guest' instead of a prisoner or one of them.

So now she's given the location and now Simon's heading to collect their missing 'workforce'

And no...she has no idea Dwight killed Denise.

YET.

I'm mixed cause although Negan's EXTREMELY ruthless we all know, I don't think he would have approved Simon's genocide of Oceanside's males mainly cause it caused a depleted workforce...killed a few sure, but ALL of them? Not sure.