Of course it caused an uproar.

Most of Alexis' people of course didn't understand why she made the deal with Negan. They just lived too far away from reality. Many of them haven't seen a walker in ages, so they surely couldn't get what a war with a Saviors would cost them.

She stood in front of the farmhouse that was the center of her communities. Every one here lived in RVs, they had countless of them, and the farmhouse was common space. One room was reserved for the doctor, one an meeting room, a former bedroom gave space for a makeshift kindergarten and the huge living room was the place where people got together. Sometimes the gathered and watched a movie from their collection of five DVD's.

The crowd consisted of fifteen people, the usual people that always annoyed her and questioned her authority, and shouted at her. Oh, how she would've loved to bash all their brains in. Her hand clenched around her bat when she imagined how much of a release it would be, while she blocked their voices out. But unfortunately she couldn't. Not if she wanted to live another day.

"Do you think they would've let us live if I simply did nothing? Like that they at least don't take all the shit we have from us. From now on we work together in peace with the Saviors. End of story. You guys won't even notice a change. It's me who has to bother with these fucks, so if you could just please stop complaining and do something productive?"

It's the third 'revolution' in four days they wanted to start and Alexis ran out of patience. Her voice was calm, but her cold eyes bore into every person in front of her. It wouldn't be the last. Alexis pushed through them, when suddenly a guy put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

But even more quickly, Alexis rammed her bat harshly into the guy's stomach. He laid on the ground, holding his middle while the female hovered over him. Finally the other people cleared the area around them, finally getting that they shouldn't push her buttons too much.

"Touch me again, asshole, and I cut you in pieces and feed you to the walkers."

She hissed directly in the guys face. He looked up to her in fear. But that wasn't enough. Alexis grabbed him by his collar und pulled him up.

"Got it?"

Eagerly he nodded.

"I can't hear you."

Alexis continued to stare her down, his face close to hers. She could feel his unsteady breath and enjoyed it that he finally learnt to fear her.

"I understand, Alexis."

"Good."

Letting him fall back down, she stood up and cleaned her jeans off dust and walked straight to her RV. There was no second glance needed. She knew that look on their faces. They reconsidered that she was ruthless and that she would everything necessary to keep the peace inside and outside their community.

She took a deep breath when she closed the door behind her. The RV was the only place in this world where she could be herself. Here she could allow herself to be weak for some minutes...and to be the mother of the little girl that currently sat on the bed and played with her doll.

"Hi mummy!"

The toothy smile of the three year old girl always made this rough world around her shatter and let Alexis be softer than she was on the outside. Her daughter held her doll up in the air proudly. She was obsessed with the toy, she cherished and valued it. Alexis had found it two weeks ago along with some stuffed animals that she still hid so she could surprise her with it later. It was strange that toys were actually things that were pretty tough to find, considering humans nowadays had trouble finding basic needs. But there were still enough children in this world and toys were probably one of the few things that could bring them at least parts of their childhood back.

Alexis didn't cry often. The only thing that really made her cry since the apocalypse was the thought that her daughter would grow up with guns in her hands and death around every corner. She didn't want that for her. How much she wished for her to have the same tiny problems Alexis herself faced when she grew up. She had a rough start into life, but after her parents adopted her, she had everything she could wish for. The only troubles she had were boys and her mother's constant bickering about her playing way to much shooters and her liking of slasher movies.

She sat beside the little girl and combed her thin blonde hair with her fingers. Kitty looked so much like her father, despite the striking blue eyes that definitely came from Alexis' side.

"Are you sad, mummy?"

Alexis shook her head and watched as Kitty play with her doll carefree. Of course the little girl couldn't remember the horrors that unfolded shortly after she was born. Since they were here, she lived a relatively normal life, met other kids and was growing up just fine. This was the reason why she clung to this community so much. She could easily survive on her own, but with a child it made things more difficult.

"No, Kitty, I'm fine. Are you hungry?"

She sometimes just noticed too much. Often she surprised her mother by showing her that she couldn't keep all the problems from what happened around them away from her. Kitty often knew when Alexis was bothered or upset and she had no clue how long she would believe her lies about it.

"No, I'm not."

Then a knock on the RV's door, ripped Alexis out of the small little bubble that developed every time she was around her daughter. Sighing, she stood up and opened.

It revealed Marcus, a dark skinned, dashingly handsome man that already lived in the community before Alexis came here. He supported her since the beginning and in the mean time they've grown really close.

"Are you ok?"

His voice was low when he noticed that Kitty was in here. Alexis stepped aside and let him enter. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and shot him a look. The small smile that could spread to a dashing brightness appeared. It was obvious that this smile was underused since the world went down. He was a cheery person, but this shit really could make everyone bitter.

"Yeah. I think the douches learnt their lesson."

"That's not what I meant."

Of course he was again pushing to the Negan-situation. Marcus and Alexis often disagreed on how to manage things, but they usually figured it out. The Saviors were something entirely else. He was all in for fighting or just wait it out.

"It's still some time until they come. So everything is just peachy."

Marcus moved closer to her and tried to look through her, but like always she was literally locked. She never really let anything important slip.

"Lexi..."

"Can you please stop calling me that?!"

She hissed, her piercing eyes shimmering dangerously. Alexis was on the edge of her nerves.

"Well, fine, I have my answer. You can stop pretending that this whole thing is freaking you out any less than anyone else."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she took a deep breath to calm herself. Marcus trying to get her to speak about emotions was the thing that was actually freaking her out.

"You don't know a shit. Can you just please let me handle things my way? It's not like you have a say in this."

Her words may sound harsh, but Marcus knew that she meant well. She struggled to let this whole thing not influence the lives of her people. At least to a possible degree. Alexis took this all on her small shoulders and the dicks that just tried to uproar were still spoiled asses enough to blame her.

Marcus wrapped his strong arms around her waist and wanted to lean down and kiss her, but her eyes shortly flickered to her daughter. Thankfully, she was so deep into her game that Alexis could allow herself that moment. She stood on her toes while she hungrily reached for Marcus' lips. His fingers quickly played with the hem of her shirt and she slapped his hands away chuckling.

Suddenly, another knock on the door startled them. Marcus pulled back with a groan, his heated gaze still on Alexis who could hide her emotions more quickly.

"They're here, Alexis!"

Someone shouted through the door and everyone immediately knew who was meant. She cursed under her breath and turned to her lover.

"You stay in here with Kitty. Just make sure she doesn't come out, she learnt how to unlock the door."

Nervously, she looked for her bat, while Marcus helped her into her leather jacket.

"Are you sure I shouldn't come with you? I don't the hell trust him."

Alexis laughed bitterly and glanced at her daughter instinctively, doing the check up on her she always did, even if there wasn't danger in the RV.

"Do you think I trust him? I'm not stupid. Marcus, the only thing you can help me with is keeping my baby save. I know how to handle Negan."

She pecked him on the cheek and told Kitty to listen to Marcus before she jumped out of the RV, not waiting for him to reply. Leaning her bat on her shoulder, she walked beside one of her men back to the central house and took position in front of it, watching as the guards let the Saviors in.

There weren't as many as the first time they visited. This was probably Negan's connotation of a peace offering. Still, she could see guns with every movement the men did. That was where her community was at a fatal disadvantage: they didn't have many weapons. Alex herself never carried a gun, she got used to use the bat and knifes, but in an open fire they wouldn't stand a chance against anyone.

"Oh my god, this is like a freakin' candy shop!"

Negan's booming voice was the first to be heard. He swung Lucile excitedly and bent his back pretty unhealthy as he hopped out of one of the massive trucks that drove in and walked towards Alexis who just stared him down.

"Sorry, no candy for little, rude boys."

She replied snidely.

"Oh, I'm far from little, baby doll."

Alexis rolled her eyes and noticed that her people and the Saviors similarly watched the exchange with curiosity written all over their faces. Some of the guys that she put in place earlier were watching too, flinching whenever her gaze fell on them. Cowards.

But most of her people carried a certain hostility, which she could understand. Until now, they lived in kind of a peaceful situation, far away from any other humans and that way not bothering anyone. That was over now. By allying with Negan, they also inherited his probably many enemies.

"You're early."

Negan gazed over his shoulder to his men and then let his eyes scan the area around him. It was impressive. Countless RV's rowed up in the fenced place. In the center was the average sized farm house, that he expected to be Alexis' residence. Well, if he was in her shoes, he would've claimed it as his. He couldn't help but be impressed. It was clever to use RV's as a home, some were probably still working if filled up with fuel, so they would've a home on the road if they had to flee. And of course right now they were saving much space and could live in this area hidden by the forest. He wondered where they got them.

"Well, me and my guys were nearby and I thought we'd pay you a friendly little visit. I couldn't wait to see what you've built here, sweetheart. I'm hella sorry if we came fucking unpleasant."

She gave him the pokerface. Of course Alexis knew that this was planned from the beginning on. He wanted to make her nervous with this surprise visit. But she wouldn't let him succeed. She had nothing to hide.

"Not at all. Let's start then, I don't have time forever."

Negan continued to stare at her and a smirk spread on his face. He so much wanted to get a glimpse at what her true agenda was. Her motives to survive.

"One day, little Brit, you'll have to tell me how you came over the big pond and dived all into this gross mess."

"By plane, darling."

She shot, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. Negan immediately wanted to reply anything equally snarky, but he was interrupted by a child's voice.

"Mummy!"

When Alexis heard Kitty's voice way too close behind her, her eyes widened. Rough curses, directed at herself and Marcus slipped her lips and then she felt small, soft arms wrap around her neck. She knew that Marcus stood in front of the RV staring at the child, cursing equally.

Every one around them turned silent. They all held their breaths. But not Negan. His smirk turned darker while his eyes met Alexis', finally having his question answered. He loved it if things figured themselves out, especially in the most unexpected moments.

"Well, if that isn't one hell of a surprise."

Negan crouched down to eye level with the little girl. On the side he noticed how tensed Alexis was. It was the first time he saw her react to something that she couldn't have calculated before hand. She obviously wanted that child to be kept secret for her, meaning that this one meant more to her. The girl called her her mother, which explained much.

She clung tu mum's legs, hiding her face, but her blue eyes showing so much curiosity for the man who was in front of her.

"Kitty go back inside. I'll be there in a minute."

"Oh no, there's no need. I love kids."

Alexis had no clue what to do. He now had something to threaten her with. And Alexis would do many things if it concerned her daughter. She stayed silent, her smart mouth at a loss of words for the first time since she met Negan.

"Mummy, is that the bad man?"

Again it was a moment where Alexis was baffled by how much Kitty noticed. She never talked in front of her about Negan. At least not that she knew.

Negan chuckled and held his large hand out to the girl.

"I'm a friend of your mummy's. Right, Lexi? I'm Negan."

He even held his tongue for any filling curse words and just smiled. Kitty looked up to her mum and slowly loosed her grip around Alexis' leg. Her comparably very small hand shook Negan's politely.

"I'm Kitty."

Who named their child Kitty? Judging Alexis correctly, that wasn't the girl's full name. Negan shot another look at the mother who still looked horrified and hostile at the same time. A true mother bear.

"Well, Kitty, your mum was just about to show me around. You wanna join us?"

The girl nodded and Negan was about to stand up again, when she lightly tabbed his shoulder. He tilted his head in question.

"Can I sit on your shoulders? You're so tall."

A booming laugh erupted from the leader's chest and without asking Alexis for permission, he grabbed the girl and sat her on his broad shoulders, feeling her little fists grab into his hair.

Alexis threw him a death glare that said it all. She would kill him mercilessly if he even dared to hurt her. A part of him admired that. To love someone so deeply to a point that she would risk her life must be amazing.

"Don't worry, milf. I'll be careful."

He started to whistle as he walked towards the farm house with the little surprise safely on his shoulders.