The next night had Alexandra thinking back to the Sanctuary days when Negan sketched out plans for the missions he conducted right when they first got together. He had been so focused on his plans but had always made time to check in with her, or give her some type of gesture that let her know he was thinking of her.

Alexandra watched him now as he sat at the kitchen table with a map of the area outstretched in front of him that he had drawn neatly on with red marker as he calculated how to go about the plan that the others had set into motion the night before. Sarah had dropped in several times in an attempt to keep up. Lucy had provided him with momentary distractions and he took a little time to play with her each time she approached him before returning to what he was doing.

"How's it going?" Alexandra twisted off the cap and set down a beer beside where he worked.

Negan leaned back in the chair and reached for the brew, taking a swig from the top of the bottle. "Not bad. This shit should be fuckin' easy." He sighed and looked at her more directly, "You're okay with this?"

She nodded. "I haven't seen you this focused and... happy in a little while."

"Focused maybe... happy no." Negan shook his head, "I'm happy with you."

"But you're happy leading these people too. It's okay to have both."

Negan half-smiled and nodded. "You get me like no other honey."

"I know," she said quietly and leaned down to kiss him on the lips.

"Where's my boy?"

"Sleeping." Alexandra grinned at him.

"I gotta spend a little more time with him." He ran a hand through his hair. "You going to give me a haircut or are you still a fan of it growing a little long?"

She chuckled and ran a hand through his full, salt and pepper hair that still favored the darker color, "I like it a little longer." Alexandra smiled and continued to toy with the hair that hung just barely over the tops of his ears before evaluating the back by his neck line. She nodded in a form of self-confirmation. "Definitely long."

"Alright," Negan agreed. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them after feeling her lips against his forehead.

"So you'll all just be starting a few fires and leaving the undead to walk into them?"

He nodded. "That's all."

"Sounds easy..." Sarcasm hung in her voice making Negan chuckle.

"I'll say I pulled a muscle if you want," Negan teased, "And stay home."

Alexandra laughed lightly. "Just be careful... I'm probably sounding like a broken record... or an old lady."

Neither of them said anything but Negan smiled at her as she played with the hair around his ears.

"I'll let you get back to it." Alexandra gave a final run through his hair with her fingers.

"That felt good." He smiled and pulled her in for a kiss again and then leaned back over his papers, "Thanks honey."

"You're welcome." She smiled back and headed away to leave him to his work.


"You all know this area," Negan said to a group of men and women that agreed to actively take part in a plan he allowed Sarah to name 'Ring of Fire'. "Vince is going to lead a team, Casey is going to lead another, then Matt and I'll take the fourth team. Each leader will give you a map and a station. We all connect and then we come back."

"Who's with who?" a woman asked from the back. She folded her arms across her chest.

"I have lists," Negan explained, "You'll go with whoever calls you out to go over the plans." He looked to Matt, "I'm thinking of taking this thing on by tomorrow since these things are apparently gaining ground on our place."

He nodded. "Yeah... yeah that works."

"Okay then." Negan looked around and pointed at the main players. "Take your people and head somewhere where you can go over this shit. We can all meet back here around ten o'clock to discuss it."

Vince was the first to say, "Okay," and then everyone echoed before Negan took his turn first calling out people to go with him.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Sarah rushed over to him when he didn't call her name. "I'm not going with you?"

"You're not going period." He informed her.

"That's bullshit."

"Yeah... I know it is," he admitted, beginning to walk with his selection. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"Still not going."

"Why?"

Negan glanced down at her as she kept his pace. "I need you to help with my kids," he said honestly. "Sit this one out will ya? If there's a next time I'll let you come as my wingman... or wing-woman, whatever."

Sarah wanted to fight him on it but decided not to. She nodded. "Alright."

"Thanks kid." Negan patted her on the back and kept going as she tailed off toward the house. "You can come check shit out if you want."

She shook her head. "Nah. I'll go hang with Alex."

Negan nodded with a wave. "I'll see ya at home then."

Sarah waved back and then took her time walking through the yard, up the steps and then in through the front door. She tried to be grown up about the decision Negan had made but couldn't help but feel a slight bout of disappointment. A fleeting thought crossed her mind to go spy on them but she decided to call it a night.

She kicked off her shoes and then quietly took the stairs. Sarah went to knock at the bathroom door at the same time Alexandra was coming out.

Both of them jumped back an inch or two, startled by the other and Sarah glanced down. Her eyebrows raised when she noticed a pregnancy test in her hand.

Sarah let her eyebrows fall. "And here I thought I was in for a boring night."