Coby was glad her check up had been brief. Carson had creeped her out a little, his expression miserable and almost sombre.

Negan led her down the corridor, his men kneeling as he walked past them.

"What's up with Carson?" She asked.

Negan turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Guy looks like he got slapped in the face with a wet fish."

Negan chuckled. "Yeah, he is a miserable fuck, i'll give you that. Fuck knows, sweetheart. I'm half tempted to trade him in for his younger brother."

Her eyes widened, Coby having not realised before that the Carson at Hilltop was his brother. They certainly didn't look alike, not even vaguely. "He's got a brother?" She asked, playing dumb.

"Yeah, a much better looking one, which is why i picked the older Carson in the first place. Don't need my wives getting tempted every time they go to the infirmary."

Coby stopped halfway down the corridor. "Your wives go ta the infirmary a lot?"

"I'm not sure what you're implying, sweetheart."

"I think ya' know exactly what i'm implyin'." She scowled.

"Whatever the fuck you've heard about me.. it's probably true. But i don't hurt women unless i absolutely fucking have to, and i certainly don't raise a hand to my wives. They're at the infirmary a lot because we're trying."

"Tryin' what?"

"To repopulate the fucking earth. Jesus, i would've thought that was fucking obvious."

"What in the holy fuck would ya' wanna do that for?"

"Because that's the whole fucking point, sweetheart."

Coby shrugged her shoulders. "Y'aint havin' much luck. I ain't seen no little ones."

"There's plenty of children here."

"Yours?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No."

Coby smiled. "So ya' got a whole bunch'a wives, an' ain't a one of 'em pregnant. Swimmers ain't workin' uh?"

Negan clenched his jaw. "My swimmers work just fucking fine."

"Really? Don't look that way ta me."

"You keep trying to get under my skin, and i'll throw you back in that fucking cell, understand?"

"Sure." Coby nodded. "So, if i ain't goin' back ta my cell, where am i goin'?"

Negan opened a door to his left. "Here," he said, stepping inside.

Coby glanced around the room. There was a single bed, a small kitchen area, and a faded brown chair. "Nice. What's the catch?"

"Fucking behave, that's the catch. Your friend Eugene is just a couple of doors down."

"The fuck is Eugene doin' here?"

Negan lifted Lucille, pointing to a bullet lodged in the wood. "This, sweetheart. Eugene is smart. He's gonna be making me a shitload of bullets."

"Someone took a shot at your bat?"

"No. They took a shot at me. Lucille got in the way."

"Lucille?"

"Don't ask too many questions. As long as you keep your head down, and you do as i tell you, then i won't hurt a pretty little hair on that beautiful head of yours, understand?"

Coby looked out the window. "How long i gotta stay in this shithole?"

Negan took a step towards Coby, looking down at her coldly. "Until i fucking figure out what i'm gonna do with you and that father of yours. Tell me, Coby, was he a good father?"

"The best."

"Then i suggest you do your duty as a good daughter, and don't do anything to piss me off. Because it won't be you that pays the price, you hear me?"

"Yeah, i ain't deaf, an' i ain't stupid."

"Well, i guess we'll fucking see, won't we." He smiled.

Coby sat in the faded brown chair in her new room. As she stared out the window, she wondered if her dad had been so lucky as to have his own room. She guessed not.

She could leave, now was the perfect opportunity. Coby had already stuck her head out the window and figured she could climb down and get over the fence without being noticed. But what then? Her dad was a dead man walking. As soon as Negan found him, and he most likely would, he'd kill him.

Coby clawed at the chair arms, unsure what to do. Was Rick looking for her, or would he just assume she was still out on a hunt? From what Negan had told her, he most likely had his hands full, what with Negan having killed Spencer, and with Carl making it back alive from the Sanctuary. She was furious with Carl for that, though she guessed she'd been pretty reckless herself, so she had no room to talk.

She got up from the chair and headed out the door, making her way down the corridor till she stood outside Eugene's room. Coby knocked on the door, footsteps coming from within.

Eugene answered, his eyes widening briefly. "Coby?"

"Can i come in?"

"I'm not sure that Negan would appreciate me inviting you in what with us being fellow-"

"I don't give a shit what Negan would appreciate," she interrupted, stepping inside.

"As much as i certainly appreciate seeing a friendly face, how did you end up here, Coby?"

"Came across that guy on the road. Forgot his name." She clicked her fingers, trying to recall his name. "Looks like he lost a fight with Freddy Kreuger."

"Dwight?"

"That's the one. I got careless. My dad ain't here, ya' know that?"

"Negan did mention it."

"They got ya' makin' bullets?"

"Once they find the necessary equipment then yes, i will most certainly be producing bullets for Negan."

"This is bullshit."

"I would advise that you do whatever Negan asks of you, i know i certainly will."

Coby turned to him with a frown. "Why would i wanna do that? Why would you wanna do that?"

"Self preservation. I have no wish to die and i'm certainly no hero, Coby."

Coby looked at him. She knew him well, and he was right. Though he'd had his moments, he was no hero. "I ain't no hero either. But i ain't yellow."

"I'm yellow, through and through."

"Y'aint that bad, Eugene. I've seen ya' be brave."

"But i'm not a fighter. I'm here, through no fault of my own, and i fully intend not to die."

Coby nodded. "You'll get no judgment from me, Eugene."

"Thank you, i surely appreciate it. What's your plan?"

"Honestly? Don't have one. I don't know where my dad is, i don't know if Rick even knows i'm gone. I hope they don't, not for a good while. Stop my dad from doin' somethin' stupid."

"Coby's gonna be over the moon." Rick smiled as he rested his hand against Daryl's shoulder.

"Where is she?"

"Alexandria, or she should be by now. She was out on a hunt when i left."

"I gotta see her. Ain't safe for her ta be out huntin', not with the Saviors bein' out there."

"You want me to have someone bring her to Hilltop?"

Daryl nodded. "Yeah. She'll be safer here."

Rick threw him a hurt look. "You don't think she's safe at Alexandria?"

"Nah. Ya' just lost two people, Rick. I want Coby here where i can keep an eye on her."

"We don't know if you're safe here. Negan's men are gonna be out looking for you."

"An' first place they'll look is Alexandria."

"Hilltop will be the second."

"I know. But i want her with me."

"I'll head back there soon. I wanna be there when the Saviors come looking. Soon as they're done, i'll bring Coby myself."

Negan sat on his leather sofa, his feet up on his coffee table as he sipped at a glass of whiskey.

He'd told Simon that if he found Daryl, he was to bring him in alive. The revelation of Coby being Daryl's daughter had made things much more interesting, and Negan wasn't entirely sure he wanted Daryl back anymore. Of course, Daryl had killed one of his men, and that couldn't go unpunished. But the last few hours he'd spent with Coby, Negan had seen so much more potential in her than he had Daryl. That and the fact that she was actually rather fucking beautiful, even if she did look like her dad.

Negan rubbed at his crotch. "Calm the fuck down," he whispered. "You've more chance of plaiting fucking snow than getting in those panties."

But fuck if that didn't make him want her more. Being a typical man, Negan wanted what he couldn't have, and the more unattainable it was, the more he had to have it.

Just imagine how fucking good it would feel to have Daryl's daughter spreading her legs for you, Negan thought, biting on his lip before he knocked back his whiskey. Fucking swimmers ain't workin'. He clenched his jaw. That one had hurt a little. He couldn't deny it, and yet he was rather impressed with how she'd not been afraid to say it. She was either very brave, or very stupid.

Whether he managed to get in her pants or not, he needed to know just how capable she was out there. He couldn't just have her sit in her room and do nothing, but he wouldn't have her mopping up piss like her dad either.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, swirling what little was left in his glass.

There was a knock at the door. Negan rose from his seat, topping up his glass.

"Come in."

Dwight entered, Daryl's crossbow hanging off his shoulder. "Simon checked out both Alexandria and Hilltop, there's no sign of him."

Negan smirked, shaking his head. "I very much fucking doubt he isn't there. They're just doing a damn good job of hiding him." He grabbed a second glass. "Take a seat."

Dwight sat down on the same chair Coby had sat in earlier, ruffling a hand through his hair. Negan handed him a glass. "Thanks," Dwight barely whispered.

"Tell me, Dwight. What would you do?" Negan sat down on the sofa, taking a sip from his glass.

"I.. i'd probably kill him. Daryl won't kneel."

"But we have his daughter now, that changes shit, don't you think?"

Dwight looked down at his glass. "I guess."

"Come the fuck on, Dwight. Have some fucking balls. If you were in my position, what would you do?"

"I'd keep her till I found him, then i'd refuse to let her go until he did what I wanted."

"See, that's what i'd normally do. However, what if she'd make just as good a soldier as Daryl? Can you imagine the message that would send out? The hold that we'd have?"

"I can. But, we don't know that she'd make a good soldier."

"She disarmed you."

"That doesn't automatically make her a good soldier, and even if she would make a good soldier, how would you get her to agree to that?"

"That's the easy part." Negan smiled. "Coby just loves her daddy, she doesn't wanna see him hurt. So, maybe I don't hurt him. Maybe I make her an offer."

Coby sat in her chair, sipping a glass of water. She rocked back and forth in the chair, her feet resting against the coffee table.

She glanced at the door as someone knocked on it.

"Who is it?"

The door opened, Negan stepping inside with a smile.

"I asked who it was, didn't say ya' could come in." She frowned.

"My apologies, i'll remember that for next time. You settling in okay?" He asked, making his way over as she lounged in her chair.

Coby shrugged her shoulders. "This is a very comfy chair. Might sleep in it."

Negan sat down on the coffee table in front of her, resting his arms against his thighs. "I have an offer to make you."

"Really? What kinda offer?"

"One that means I don't kill that fucking father of yours next time I see him."

Coby raised an eyebrow. "I hope y'aint try'na make me a wife, 'cause that'd make ya' an even bigger asshole than ya' already are."

Negan stared at her with a frown. "Excuse fucking me?" He shook his head. "Why the fuck would you think that?"

"Ain't that what ya' did with Sherry?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"I got ways of findin' shit out. Your men talk too much."

"Okay, first of all, fuck no, i'm not trying to make you a wife." Negan placed a hand against his chest. "I value my dick a lot, and I think you'd be more likely to bite the fucker off than be nice to it. And second, do you really fucking think i'd do that? Give you no choice?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "That's the impression I got."

"Well, you're fucking wrong. It was Sherry that came with the offer to me. Yeah, I was gonna kill Dwight, but he broke the rules, he knew what was fucking coming. They didn't have to come back here, but they did. That was their choice. Dwight's paid the price, and now he's one of my most valued soldiers."

"Still.. don't look like she had much of a choice. She meant ta just let her husband die?"

"They knew the rules. And they knew damn well what they were coming back to. Like I said, they didn't have to come back, i'd given up fucking looking for them when they walked right through the gates with their tails between their legs."

Coby picked at her nails, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"None of my wives have to be there. If they don't really wanna be there, then that's not on me, because they don't have to fucking be."

"Looks like I touched a nerve there." She smiled.

Negan rubbed at his temples. "I'm starting to wonder if having you here is a good idea. No one's wound me up as much as you have these last few hours."

"I'm honoured."

Negan looked over at her with a smile. "My offer is simple. You don't run, and I don't hurt Daryl."

Coby took a deep breath, picking at the chair arm. "That it?"

"Yeah. I want you to be Dwight's wing man tomorrow.. or wing woman."

"So that isn't it then."

"I can't have you sitting on your ass all day doing nothing, I wouldn't have thought you'd fucking want to either."

"Nah, I don't. But I don't wanna work with y'all either."

"Well, I guess that's up to you, but for now, that is the deal."

"Ya' want me ta work.. for you?"

"Yeah. Don't take too long to think about it."

"Fine, i'll do it. Long as ya' fuck off so I can get some sleep."

"No one talks to me like that."

"An' yet I just did, so there ya' go."

Negan smiled, shaking his head. "Make sure you're up at first light. And remember what I said, don't run."