Blake lifted the spoon to her lips once again, taking a grateful sip of broth, as Negan gave a laugh, shifting back to his original position surveying the room.

But after a second or two Blake felt him dig her ribs with his elbow.

"Hey, doll-face," he muttered in a low, but excitable drawl. "Lover boy's here."

Blake immediately looked up from her food, knowing exactly who Negan was talking about.

And there he was indeed…. David…walking into the large room, alone.

He was still in his blue shirt and blue pants from earlier, but he was scratching at his sleeve, glancing over his shoulder looking slightly harassed.

He, in fact, looked much less confident than earlier, but that didn't stop Blake from feeling slightly nervous as she saw him….the bruise at her arm still throbbing….

"Now Davey-boy over there," said Negan, with nod over towards Blake's fiancé. "Now he's been given a nice room and all….nothing compared to yours, mind you….but unlike you, he is on the points system. So unless you can give me what he promised you could, very soon he is soon going to have to start finding other ways to earn those points."

Blake gave an immediate gulp, which she noticed Negan catch, but right now she was filled with worry….for she knew what David would do if he had to start working for his food.

David had been an art student when Blake had met him….and even though she spent long hours in the office at her admin job, she had always been the one to come home, make dinner and do all the housework…..and even after the world had gone to utter shit, David had still had a hard time fending for himself.

Soon after they had left Atlanta, they had made friends with small group of people and had travelled around with them for a while, scavenging as best they could. It had been hard and they had, of course, like everyone, lost people along the way….but whereas Blake had thrown herself into the tasks that needed to be done, David wasn't quite so familiar with a gun or a knife. He wasn't particularly good at hunting…and at best could take a 'walker' down with a headshot from a few feet away.

He had always struggled by himself.

Blake always feared that that was the real reason he had kept her around this long….and it wasn't long after they had arrived in Alexandria, when the resentful stares and vile comments had started creeping in. He no longer needed her, or the group they had come in with, there. There was no need to leave the gates of the community if you didn't want to….but despite being a 'kept' man there at Alexandria, David hadn't even thrown himself into work either. He had just stayed holed up…..listening to records, reading and painting….but obviously feeling so frustrated, that he would often take it out on Blake….

Her breath caught in her throat for a second before she lowered her eyes to her lap.

"C-Can I talk to him?" she asked giving a gulp, part of her hoping that Negan would say no. But the tall, dark-haired man at her side, merely gave a wave of his hand.

"Be my guest," he said scratching at his stubbly cheek.

Blake placed down her spoon, getting to her feet once again and crossing the room, finding David at the end of the line for dinner.

She knew that Negan's eyes would be fixed on her the entire time. Not that she was willing to try anything right now anyway.

Negan's hold on her was a clever one. She felt strangely protected with him.

More protected than David seemed to be anyway.

Her blonde haired fiancé stared up at her suddenly with wide blue eyes, his mouth set in an uneasy line as he caught sight of her.

"W-What are you doing here?" he asked her bluntly as she approached him.

He did not make a single move to hug or embrace her….which Blake was sure that Negan would catch. He was as perceptive as anything, and knew there was not much that slipped past his dark gaze.

Blake gulped, watching as David's eyes slipped past her looking directly at Negan himself.

The cocky man gave him a wave, with the hand that was now holding Lucille.

It was David's turn to now give a gulp. His eyes flicking back to Blake.

"Have you given him what he wants yet?" he asked, through gritted teeth, his hand suddenly moving up and clutching at her neck.

From anyone else's viewpoint, it would look to be a loving Fiancé staring deeply into the eyes of his true love. Embracing her.

But as David pulled her slightly closer to him, she could feel his grip on the back of her neck tightening…his fingers looping their way around a strand of her hair, tugging hard.

"Well, have you?" he asked, with a grunt, barely moving his lips as he spoke. "Because I've had Negan's men at my door the last hour watching me."

Blake pursed her lips. "I-I have to try and think of something-" Blake began, but obviously this reply wasn't good enough for David, who tugged at her hair, his hand obscured by her lengthy caramel locks.

She winced, letting out a shaky breath, her eyes flickering away from his….down towards the floor.

David held his lips close to hers, looking for a second as if he was about to kiss her.

"You always were fucking useless," he whispered, baring his teeth in what looked like a smile….but in reality it was far from it. "We could have had a good life here. I could have had a good life here, but as always, you just screw things up for me..."

Blake felt her heart plummet into her stomach as his grip tightened around her neck.

Maybe she was as useless as he said. The more he said it, the more that fact seemed to get drummed into her skull….over and over…

Maybe all this was her fault.

But David gave her hair another tug, leaning in towards her ear.

"I don't give a shit what you have to do…get on your knees and blow him for all I care…" he spat. "Just fucking do it."

With that, he pulled away from her abruptly, running his soft hand over her cheek as though admiring her, but Blake's eyes were now on the floor, filling with tears.

She took a hurried step away from him, keeping her head bowed low….and gave an obedient nod.

"Now fucking smile at me like you love me," he ordered, his hand slipping away from her cheek.

Blake looked up at him, praying that the tears wouldn't slip down her cheeks just yet. and flashed him an award-winning smile.

Every part of her hurt now…..and that was no longer due to the bruises. The irony was that she did love him. More than ever.

But she wasn't good enough for David. She knew that now. And so all Blake could think to do, knowing the conversation as over, was turn on her heel and leave…

She just wanted some fresh air…to clear her head….frightened that the sight of her oncoming tears would be a dead-giveaway to Negan that they weren't the perfect couple everyone expected them to be.

And there was no way she wanted to get David in trouble….not now….not after all the pain and anguish she had obviously caused him….

And so Blake fled the room…walking as fast as she could…murmuring something about going to get some air to Dwight, who was stood by the door with a gun, as she passed him.

She wasn't quite sure if that was allowed, if she was able to just wander off on her own like this… but thankfully Dwight didn't stop her.

Blake knew of course that Negan was watching her. He would ask where she had gone to. But for now she needed to get out of there to dry her tears before anyone saw them….

She rounded a corner hurriedly, her chest feeling tight and painful.

She needed to breathe…she needed air….

Her feet pounded along the corridor, walking faster and faster…

Before suddenly, she pushed open a wide set of doors, bursting out into the warm evening air.

She took a big gulp, filling her lungs with oxygen once again, doubling over. Letting out a loud carrying sob…but thankfully there was no one else out here to hear it.

The outdoor area here was small….looking like a delivery entrance of sorts, but abandoned nowadays and disused. A large chain link fence ran the entire way around it, sealed shut with a large set of locks that Blake knew she had no chance of escaping through.

But this wasn't the reason she had ventured out here anyway….

She placed her hands to her face, crouching down on her knees and let out another soul-wracking sob….feeling the tears falling freely now….slipping down her cheeks…

She couldn't help it. All this, it was too much for her to bear.

David was relying on her and what had she done? Just let him down again? Maybe he was right…maybe she was useless…maybe she always had been.

She was sickened by herself….distraught that she hadn't been able to do more….

But what David had suggested she do….she was supposed to be his fiancé…and for him to speak about her like that….

Her stomach twisted into knots….

Blake was confused…in pain…in more ways than one…

She knew that more bruises were already blooming on her neck…where David had dug his fingers deep into her flesh….pulled at her hair…

She had seen in his blue eyes how angry he was…how bitter he was that she hadn't given Negan what he wanted yet. But for what ends? Did he expect them to live the perfect life here together? Or was Blake not even in the equation?

She swiped at the tears that had run down her cheeks with her fingers….willing them to stop…

Willing everything to stop.

Blake looked suddenly skywards….just as a flock of birds swept overhead…..the same birds from earlier today…..

They looked so free…..able to escape everything.

And right at that moment Blake wished she could escape too….not just from the Sanctuary…or from the Saviours….but from all of it….from life itself….

She worried at her lips.

Right now David's words of disgust tolled through her head over and over….never stopping….

Blake pulled herself slowly to her feet, with one last heaving sob and ran her hands down her face.

Her entire body seemed to be trembling but she knew she had to stop….Negan or any of his men could walk out here at any moment…

She knew he wouldn't leave her for long unsupervised.

But as the minutes drifted by, Blake coming to sit on the ground, back against the wall… she found herself still alone.

She was grateful. She needed this. She needed time.

These last couple of days had been intense for her, and far too overwhelming for words.

And so she sat…until the sun began to set, its last few rays of golden sunlight falling back over the horizon.

She brushed at her knees, now all dusty from collapsing onto the floor like that…..

…..just as the door behind her was shoved open.

Blake didn't look up….expecting to hear the angry voice or Negan….or Dwight….or even David….

But to her surprise a softer voice spoke to her…..one she had certainly heard before…

"Coming here a-and mixing with these people can be difficult…..your first time, I can tell you that by personal experience."

Blake looked up suddenly into the eyes of-

"Eugene?" she said in what was merely a whisper, giving a frown.

She had of course known Eugene back at Alexandria…they hadn't had much to do with one another, but when he had been taken by the Saviours, everyone had presumed that he was now dead.

But here he was, with that same old worried expression…that same old haircut….but now his clothes were different and something about him made him look more confident.

"I thought you were-" Blake started, her mouth half-hanging open, but Eugene cut across her.

"Dead?" he finished for her. "No… I-I survived on request of Negan. He's kept me alive…given me a room….allowed me to work for him."

Blake's eyes roved across his face….into his eyes that stared pensively out towards the fence.

"Sounds like he's starting quite a collection of us," Blake said scathingly, tearing her eyes away, just as Eugene looked back at her.

"Negan…well…. he's a good leader. I have seen that now," he uttered in matter of fact voice, giving a nod.

But Blake pursed her lips placing her hand to her knees.

"Funny….because I think he's an asshole," she said with a grimace, cocking an eye up towards Eugene once again.

Eugene didn't respond to her comment, merely staring back at her blankly.

"He's built this place…..made his people trust that he can do the job of leader….he's able to do what most people in this apocalypse couldn't. He's made me what I am," Eugene paused before speaking once again. "I am Negan now,"

But Blake shook her head, giving a dismissive gulp.

"You've been brainwashed," she said, breathing hard.

But Eugene let out a sniff.

"Not brainwashed…" he mumbled. "Just give a chance."

Blake frowned hard. "Rick gave you a chance, Eugene," she said sadly.

But Eugene's lips twitched as he stared back at her.

"Actually, I do not know that he ever did," he said turning around and hauling open the door once again and making to step through it.

Blake turned away, looking skywards once again…

The birds were now gone…leaving nothing but a dark sky.

But Eugene, his hand on the door, paused for a second, turning back towards her.

"Negan wants to see you…in his quarters…." he said giving her one last curt nod. "Take the stairs to the top floor…take a right, then a left, then another right….and you'll see it."

And with that, he disappeared. The door swinging gently shut behind him…

…leaving Blake all alone once again.

But she knew she couldn't sit out here all night….she knew it was likely that from her and David's conversation earlier, that David had now made Negan another promise that Blake would need to fulfill….one that didn't involve any information at all….but involved something else entirely…..something that Negan could quite easily take from her if he so wished….and that frightened her incredibly.

But Blake gave a gulp and got to her feet…her heart pounding as she did so…

She was doing this for David, she thought to herself, as one last lone tear slipped its way down her cheek…She loved him…and maybe now….after this…

…..he would love her again too….

Sorry for the delay in updating. I'm on vacation at the moment. I hope some of you are still interested in reading?

Thanks to reads2much, JudithMosalii, Shadowlover1222, FriendsWithTheMonster, Arkham, elljayde and bhanna for reviewing the last chapter.

Sorry that was sad chapter. I promise it will get better for Blake…..next chapter coming soon.

Please review!