Blake paced around her bedroom, as the sky outside gradually darkened.

She still couldn't believe that Negan would have the gall to give her a dress and heels and expect her to go for dinner with him?

Just like that.

Blake gave another growl, shooting a look over towards the pretty summer dress and white strappy sandals Negan had provided as her outfit for tonight.

There was no way he was getting her in that dress.

Not a chance.

But as the hours seemed to tick by, with Blake's stomach grumbling uncomfortably, she had resigned herself to sitting back down on the bed, beside the items, shooting angry scowls at them at regular intervals.

She hated the dark-haired leader of the Saviours. She hated him.

How could one man possible manage to be so cocky? So confident that she would put on a little dress for him, like all his wives did. That, was not who she was.

Blake wrinkled her nose, folding her arms across her sulking chest huffily, as her stomach gave yet another hungry rumble.

Surely Dwight hadn't been serious about keeping her in here until she agreed?

Blake got to her feet, slowly padding across the room on bare feet and pulled open the door slowly, peering down the seemingly empty corridor.

It was empty.

She gave an inward sigh.

Dwight had obviously been kidding about keeping watch, she thought, as she slipped on out the door silently, making to head down in the direction of the canteen.

But before Blake could take even a single step into the gloomy hallway, the tall, skinny figure of Dwight suddenly appeared from her right, causing to Blake to almost jump out of her skin in fright.

"Jesus!" she yelled, suddenly clutching at her heart, and taking a small step backwards.

But Dwight didn't react to her moment of shock, merely looking her up and down blankly.

"I told you, I can't let you out of your room 'til you're wearing it," he said shaking his head, looking grim.

But this only caused Blake to scowl once again in his direction, folding her arms across her chest defensively.

"So…what? He's going to make me starve to death, to try and force me into a wearing dress for him?" she asked in an incredulous voice.

But Dwight just gave a sigh, looking seriously aback at her. "No, but if you don't do it, it won't just be you he'll punish, you realise that right?" he uttered frankly.

Blake scoffed.

Negan couldn't scare her.

"Oh yeah? Who's he gonna punish exactly?" she said in a disbelieving voice, shaking her head.

What exactly could Negan do?

With David gone, he had nothing on her now.

Dwight, shifted his weight from foot to foot for a moment, moving about the gun that was clutched between his hands.

"There's Eugene….the people you spoke to from the marketplace….the little girl…" he said in a low voice, listing them. "If you don't give him what he wants, he might not punish you for it, but he'll make the people around you pay. People you might care about."

For a moment Dwight looked a little distant, as if remembered from something like this happening from first-hand experience.

Blake paused, mouthing at the air for a long second, before pursing her lips tightly shut.

"He wouldn't…" she uttered firmly, before suddenly trailing off mid-way through speaking.

In fact, she didn't doubt that was something Negan would do.

"So if I say no," she began again, changing tac slightly. "You really think he'll hurt them?"

She looked at Dwight, a frown line lingering between her brows concernedly.

But Dwight just gave a tired sigh.

"You have no idea what he's capable of," he uttered, self-consciously shaking his stringy blonde hair across his scarred face, and staring down at the ground.

Blake paled for second.

Just because Negan had never done anything to hurt her, she knew full well what he had once done to Glenn and Abraham…not to mention Dwight's face too. That certainly had not been an accident, Blake was sure of that.

Deep down….despite the smart-remarks and the flirting. He had and always would be, a monster. And Blake just couldn't forget that.

She gave a gulp, with one hand on the door, finally looking over her shoulder, back at the dress and sandals that still sat in a neat pile on her bed.

Was she really going to give into him? Let get his way?

But what choice did she have right now? If she didn't put on that stupid dress, as Dwight had said, someone would surely pay.

And so with an angry huff, Blake turned back to Dwight.

"Alright, fine," she said stroppily. "But if he thinks he can get away with this easily, he's got another thing coming!"

And with that, Blake unceremoniously slammed the door in Dwight's face.


Ten minutes later and Blake walked silently beside Dwight, as he led her down the darkened corridors, in a direction Blake hadn't been before. This part of the Sanctuary was quiet, and far from the hustle and bustle of the canteen or marketplace.

Blake had, reluctantly, and with much huffing, got into her pretty pink and blue summer dress, which clung to her body neatly, skimming past her waist and hips, coming to a stop mid-way up her slender thighs.

She had even slipped on the sandals which fitted pretty snugly on her feet, cursing Negan as she did so.

Dwight took a sharp right, as Blake, her arms folded across her chest irritably, followed him through an unassuming black door and out into a small room, that was dimly lit by only soft lamplight and a single candle sat in the middle of a small table in the centre of the room, next to a large eight-paned window, that spanned the entire far wall.

It was dark now and through the window, Blake could see the brightest of stars that had appeared in the indigo sky.

But it wasn't this that had caught her attention fully.

It instead, was the figure slouched lazily in a chair parallel to the small table.

A figure with a large grin plastered across his long, bearded features, who cocked a dark eye up at her as she entered.

"Well look. at. you, Peaches," he said in a low grow of a voice, suddenly shifting in his seat. "Don't you look good. enough. to. eat…"

Dwight held the door open wide enough for Blake to enter, which she did so with an enormous scowl plastered across her face.

"Seriously? You blackmail me just to get me into a fuckin' dress?!" she said all of a sudden, marching with purpose towards the relaxed looking Negan, pointing a finger in his direction accusingly. "You are such an asshole, you know that?!"

But Negan gave an amused grin, showing off his pearly white line of teeth, as his sultry eyes looked her up and down.

"Oh it was worth it, Doll-face, believe me…." he uttered, titling his head to the side, his gaze travelling up her thighs as he pulled at his bottom lip, giving a whistle. "I mean….that. view…"

But Blake scowled angrily.

"Ughh, you can keep your eyes to yourself," she snarled, leaning in and jabbing her finger at him reproachfully.

But Negan just grinned again, chuckling.

"Duly noted, Buttercup," he said in a cheery voice. "But I can't promise anything about my hands."

And with that Negan made to reach out, to grab at her upper thigh, making to pull her towards him. But Blake almost immediately slapped his tanned hand away.

"Don't you fucking dare!" she said glaring at him and walking around the table. "Prick…"

Negan gave a whining laugh, leaning back in his seat once more.

"Y'know when you call me names like that, Sweetheart," he said with a sudden low growl, causing the hairs on the back of Blake's neck stand on end. "It just makes me wanna sit you up on this table, and see if you taste like peaches too?"

Blake felt her stomach jolt slightly as she stared directly into Negan's dark eyes, her breath hitching and a heat suddenly pooling inside her….

A sort of warmth she had not felt since she had been sat close to Negan back in that van.

But Blake pursed her lips, tutting, pushing all this from the forefront of her mind….and body.

Just as behind her, she heard Dwight suddenly give an awkward cough from the doorway, causing both of them to look up at him suddenly. The pair of them obviously forgetting he was still there.

"Go get us some dinner Dwight," Negan ordered, with a wave of his hand dismissively. "And no cheap shit either. Get them to make what I ordered from the kitchen."

Dwight gave a nod, avoiding Negan's eye, as he exited the room silently, pulling the door shut behind him.

But as soon as she found that she was now alone with Negan at such close proximity, Blake gave a huff, her face flushing pink, trying to right herself once again.

What was wrong with her tonight?

"I am not one of your wives Negan," she finally uttered in a matter-of-fact voice, shaking her head as she moved around the table, coming to stand by the chair on the other side from him, looking across at the tall-dark-haired man.

Negan, since earlier today, had gotten rid of his red scarf, and was now sat in just his leather jacket, grey t-shirt and pants, with his usual black boots at his feet, and that stupid grin of his, still plastered over his face.

He gave a small laugh.

"Oh, you are much better than them, Princess," he uttered, lifting his hand and rubbing it across his bearded chin. "Especially in that little number. You have no idea how many bad, bad things I would do to you in that."

He nodded towards her body, still wrapped in that clingy dress.

But Blake just scowled.

"Don't you ever stop?" she said, sliding into her seat, and rolling her eyes. "I've only known you a week, y'know…"

She cocked an eye up at Negan as she fiddled with the polished cutlery at her place setting absent-mindedly, not really knowing what to do with her hands.

The small table was, of course, set for two, with a neat, white tablecloth draped over it, and a dusty old bottle of red wine and two wine glasses sat in the centre, next to the tall candlestick.

"A week is like a fuckin' lifetime in this world, Darlin'," Negan said resting his elbow on the arm of his chair and lifting his first two fingers to his stubbly cheek, gazing at her. "And when two people are as hot for each other as you and me, then there. is. no fuckin' point in wasting time."

Blake sat back in her seat and crossed her legs, narrowing her eyes in his direction.

"When have I ever told you I was hot for you, Negan?" she said in a tired, bemused voice.

But Negan just gave a long sigh, leaning forwards and picking up the bottle of wine and beggining to pour the dark red liquid into both of their glasses.

"Oh you didn't need to say a fuckin' word, Peaches…" he said looking suddenly up at her through lowered eyelids. "I can read you like a fuckin' book."

At this, Blake felt her heart immediately began to pound.

Why the hell did he have this effect on her?

But Blake turned her gaze away, picking up her wine glass and taking a small sip.

The wine tasted slightly vinegary but not bad considering how old the bottle looked.

"Careful now, sweetheart," said Negan, giving a sudden widening grin, nodding at her. "We don' want you hurling in my bathroom like last time, now do we?"

Blake rolled her eyes, placing the glass down again and giving a tut.

He was so, so annoying.

"Uhhh, THAT was because you plied me with whisky," she said matter-of-factly, toying with the stem of her glass. "Now, wine- I'm good with."

Negan gave a small chuckle, his dark eyes still on her, she could feel them.

"Plied? You sound like I was tryin' to take advantage of you, Princess," he eventually muttered, taking a sip from his own glass.

But Blake cocked an eyebrow in his direction.

"Aren't you always?" she said shaking her head and tucking a strand of caramel blonde hair back behind her ear.

Blake couldn't say she hadn't made an effort tonight. She had pulled at her hair in the mirror, trying to tease it into some sort of shape…as well as putting on a single coat of mascara, from the tube she had picked up on their run.

Not that she wanted to impress Negan or anything….

As if…

She pursed her lips, giving a sigh, as Negan continued to look at her.

Blake's eyes flickered over to her right, towards the large window that showed nothing but dark blue sky and sprinkling of stars.

From this view there was nothing but that….

Just a world, in which the walkers in the lot, far below, did not exist.

But despite all this, it was still hard to forget.

She dropped her gaze to her lap finally, taking a small shuddering breath.

Just over a week ago she had first come here…with a fiancé…with a hope that things could get better. But it seemed like all that hope was gone now. David was gone now and there was no bringing him back.

And for the first time it had happened….all those long days ago…Blake finally felt something for the first time….

A sort of sadness…..

It wasn't regret. For she knew she had done the right thing. But it was a pain…a mourning for a life now gone…

She worried at her lips, blinking hard, as the door behind them was suddenly shoved open.

Dwight entered the room silently, placing down two plates full of tasty-looking food in front of them.

It looked like some sort of chicken, in a creamy sauce with green vegetables on the side, but Blake could feel her mouth watering as she glanced down at it.

It was probably the most decadent meal she had been given in a long, long time, remembering back to the days when she had eaten roadkill just to survive out there.

She doubted Negan had ever been forced to do that.

Blake looked up at him, as he grinned back at her, as Dwight left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Seven-foot-Pete downstairs used to be a chef in a fancy restaurant downtown," explained the tall, dark-haired Saviour. "Me and Lucille asked him, oh-so fuckin' kindly, if he'd rustle us up something nice and tasty tonight."

Blake rolled her eyes, knowing full-well how Negan and Lucille were likely to have asked…

"Well," continued Negan flashing her a charming smile. "Bon appetite, Doll-face."

Blake looked up at Negan for a long, unsure second, before slowly picking up her fork as the bearded Saviour did the same, and taking a bite.

The food was piping hot, and the soft creamy chicken almost melted in her mouth as she ate a mouthful.

Right at that second, Blake could have given a groan of pleasure, closing her eyes for the slightest of seconds as she chewed.

But this look, of course, did not go unnoticed by Negan, who grinned across the table at her, fiendishly.

"Ooh, well look. at. us!" he said in a loud voice, giving a chuckle and eyeing her. "Wine…dinner for two…candlelight…you in that fuckin' dress…."

He gave a nod in her direction, his eyes travelling down her body momentarily, as Blake scoffed.

"Hmmm….nice to see you dressed up for the occasion too…" she said in a simpering tone, batting her mascara-covered eyelashes in his direction, gazing at his usual haphazard attire.

Negan gave a laugh, taking a mouthful of food.

"Now what occasion is that, Doll?" said Negan looking at her suddenly, giving her a smile. "Because from where I'm sitting, this kinda looks like a date. I mean, this would probably make it our second, if I'm countin' right."

Blake glanced up at Negan with raised brows, unable to help her lips as they twitched up into a small smirk.

"And what exactly are you counting as our first?" she asked in an amused voice, picking up her wine glass once more and taking another sip. "If it's that time you got us stuck in that truck…"

But Negan smiled, leaning back in his seat easily and cutting over her.

"Well I wasn' gonna count the fuckin' time where I lent you Lucille to smash old Davey boy's ribs in, was I, Peaches?" he said in a sarcastic tone, raising both eyebrows back at her teasingly.

But this comment was not something Blake appreciated, her eyes blackening and a scowl shifting its way suddenly onto her face.

She paused for a long second, staring daggers at him, her eyes softening sadly.

"Don't…." she managed to utter after a long second, her voice now quieter than before. "…just…..just don't."

This was not something so wanted to discuss with Negan in jest. Not yet.

It was all too soon. All too much, to just be joking about everything.

But the grin soon dropped from Negan's face too, as he looked at her earnestly.

"Jesus…" he uttered after a long few moments had passed, dragging a hand down his face. "…I'm sorry, Doll-face….I was just kidding around….I didn' mean'ta'-"

But Blake cut across him, avoiding his gaze.

"It's fine," she insisted, shaking her head, but keeping her eyes lowered to the table before her.

But even so, she could feel Negan's chocolate orbs boring into hers. And it was only a second later before he spoke.

"You know you've been sayin' that a fuckin lot," he said peering through the candlelight at her. "And somethin' tells me you ain't fine at all, Sweetheart…See, I know you better that you think I do. And I know that you are a queen, but after what you've been through…with those fuckin bruises on your neck, you ain't just fine."

Blake gave a gulp, staring suddenly up at Negan.

He could, as he had always been able to, read her like a book.

But Blake couldn't talk about all this with him….could she?

She parted her lips gently, setting down her fork onto her plate and was silent for around a minute, before finally speaking. The words leaving her mouth before she could do a thing to stop them.

"We met when I had just left college and David was at art-school," she started, her fingers rubbing patterns across the crisp white tablecloth beside her, her heart thudding in her chest, as she began to slowly explain. "He was nice and kinda different to the guys I'd dated in the past…a-and in like a year we'd already moved in together, into this little apartment above a coffee shop. It was in a trendy part of town and great for David's art career. It was like his dream to open a studio, y'know?"

Blake looked distant for as second before carrying on.

"A few years passed and he eventually proposed to me….and I…well, I said yes," she muttered conversationally, showing a brief hint of a smile, before it slowly slipped away once more. "And I was happy…..we were happy….at least I think we were….I mean, at the time I thought I was…."

She shook her head, still not looking at Negan. As feelings and thoughts long forgotten-about, rose to the surface.

"Then one day we got up and saw all these reports on the news…..a-and they said we should pack up and get out of the city….take what we could….and at first we didn't believe them. Because why would we…and then…"

Blake let out a shaky breath, lifting her gaze to Negan, who was staring back at her, his lips covered with his fingers…his eyes locked on her face.

He knew what she was talking about. He knew why she couldn't finish that sentence.

Everyone who had survived in this world knew….

"And we moved around for a while…lost a whole bunch of people along the way," said Blake carrying on and tucking a strand of long hair behind her ear. "…but things were still good….me and David….I thought…I believed he still loved me….."

Blake gave yet another difficult gulp, her mouth feeling dry.

She reached over taking a deep swig of wine, before placing the glass down again.

"….and…well, we hadn't been in Alexandria long…a-and then one night…."

Blake gaped for a long drawn out second, before closing her mouth once again. Not able to finish what she was saying.

But it was all there, written on her face, as she took another sip of wine, tossing it swiftly back and draining her glass….

She breathed hard, running a slender finger over her pink lips, before looking at Negan once again.

"You mind if I-?" she said with a nod towards the bottle of wine.

This wasn't a hurling in a bathroom moment, but it certainly was a 'I need another drink' moment.

Even Negan could see that.

He looked at her…his eyes full of something Blake could not quite put her finger on…before nodding back…

"Help yourself, Buttercup," he uttered back to her in a low voice, as Blake swiftly did as she was told, pouring herself a third of a glass and taking another small sip.

She picked up her fork once again, taking a small bite of chicken and veg, before pausing after a couple of chews and looking up at the tall, dark haired Saviour before her.

"I did love him…..a long time ago," she said honestly, letting the smallest of frown-lines shift between her brows. "So that's why…as much as I know he deserved what was coming to him….."

She cocked her head to the side, her eyes wide and full of sadness.

"…it still hurts…"

Blake let out a small sigh, knowing she had explained herself….even though she hadn't needed to.

But she felt better for it. Better for letting Negan know she was fine…

..…but she just needed time.

Blake lowered her eyes to her plate once more…finally, after days of anxious nothingness, letting herself relax…

…letting go….

"Now…I am going to shut up and eat this food before it goes cold…" she uttered in a lighter tone, flashing small relaxed smile up at Negan, before looking down again.

But the bearded Saviour didn't reply…but merely looked back at Blake….like she was the most curious thing he had ever laid eyes on…before taking a long heart sip of his own drink…..

….his chocolate eyes never leaving her as he did so….


God, this one for some reason took me all day to write. I hope it was ok? Let me know what you thought. Next part coming soon (when I've written it!).

Thanks to Xmidniteangel15X, Dollfacex94, bhanna, Vany, Guest, Guest, Keward2592, FriendsWithTheMonster, Hmc09, Carmen Rae, booboo, JudithMosalii, shaywilliams4151 and Mika for reviewing! :)

Thank you for all the kind words about this fic. I'm so happy to hear you're all enjoying it. Your comments really motivate me to keep writing. So please carry on! :)

Please review! :)