The journey back to the Sanctuary had been uneventful at best.

Simon, as promised, had arrived at their truck in less than ten minutes, receiving a hearty pat on the back from Negan, who had promptly hopped up into the front of the truck with his right-hand man.

Blake had sat in the back with the rest of the Saviours in the dark, listening to the rain which had started up again, harder than that before.

It was coming down in droves by the time they reached Alexandria an hour later.

Blake had gotten to her feet after the truck had pulled up, safe inside the gates, before following the other men, including Dwight and the woman Negan had called Arat, out of the back of the vehicle.

But she had barely made it a step or two out, wincing against the ever-falling rain, when she had felt a sudden figure at her shoulder. And she almost rolled her eyes, pre-predicting who it was.

It was of course the looming figure of Negan, Lucille in his hand, who placed at arm over her shoulders , a grin across his lips.

"Allow me to escort you back up to your room, Doll-face," he uttered into her ear in a charming voice, causing Blake to frown up at him and shrug his arm from her body.

Ok, she might have used him to keep warm for few minutes, but she certainly wasn't going to make this a regular thing.

She strutted away from him in her damp clothes, feeling his dark eyes on her, but kept walking until she reached the inside, stepping eagerly out of the rain.

She raised an eyebrow at Negan as he followed behind, smiling easily as he approached.

"I mean, I'm flattered," she uttered in a mocking voice, stopping in her tracks in the shelter of the building, as the rest of Negan's men all filed past her, disappearing off in the direction of the canteen. "But I'm sure I can find my own way."

But Negan just smirked, slowly coming to stand before her, gazing down into her face, raindrops running down his leather-clad shoulders.

They were on their own now in this quiet corridor. And that only caused to make Blake's heart pound that little bit faster.

"Oh, this ain't flattery, Doll," he said, his tongue poking through his straight white teeth. "And I aint fuckin' askin' either."

Blake rolled her eyes at his arrogance.

He always did this to her.

Riled her up and made her feel a little bit more defensive than she needed to be. Even here, in this place.

But Blake just tutted, raising her eyebrow in an unimpressed fashion in response, before stalking off, knowing that Negan would soon follow.

He always did where she was concerned.

It amazed her, that even with this vast empire he had built up here, that Negan was remotely concerned with her.

He had his wives (Blake making it perfectly clear she wasn't interested in becoming one of those). He had his men and women able to fight….so what was she good for?

He had stopped pushing her for information on Rick. And it was likely of course, he had seen right from the beginning she had had nothing to give him…being dragged here against her will, in the first place.

So what was he still doing here…at her side, as he had been for these last couple of days…?

She glanced over her shoulder narrowing her eyes, knowing it was only a matter of time.

And with that, Negan, as expected, did of course follow her, as she headed down the corridor.

Blake turned away, hearing his studded biker boots chinking along after her as she went.

"So, do I get to lay-in tomorrow?" she asked in a sarcastic tone, as she felt him fall into step with her at the long staircase, leading up toward her hallway. "Or are you planning to take me somewhere else where you almost get me killed?"

From her side, Negan gave a quiet sort of chuckle.

"Hold your horses there, Peaches," said Negan in a goading tone. "I thought I taught you a very fuckin' valuable lesson tonight."

But this only caused Blake to click her tongue at him, irritably.

"Yeah, not to trust you again," she uttered in a scathing tone, staring up at him and shooting him a look.

But Negan looked back at her, raising a dark eyebrow. "Well I mean, fuck me, Princess, I'm surprised that you ever trusted me in the first place."

But Blake gave a huff ignoring his comment.

Had she ever really trusted Negan? She wasn't sure…but even now, tonight he had confused her.

Him putting her in danger like that… it had only been for Blake to prove to herself…..to make her see that she didn't need David. That she was better than that.

She was still terrified of David of course, but what Negan had said….

What he had obviously seen….

But she felt weak and strained right now…like David had this hold over her that made her look like a tiny insect that needed to be squashed under his foot.

Was that what she had become? Was that what she looked like these days? Was this why Negan was paying her so much attention?

Because she looked fragile and unable to fend for herself?

This very thought alone got her back up. Made her question things she hadn't questioned before.

Feeling more confused than ever.

"Don't you have better things to do that to be walking me to me room?" she said a little snappily, glancing up at the grinning Saviour as they finally reached the top of the staircase, turning right.

He was oh-so irritating to her, and the fact that he just read her like a book, just caused to exacerbate things.

But Negan just gave a lazy shrug, causing droplets of water to run from his leather jacket on to the bare hallway floor below, as he wrinkled his nose, grinning.

"Ooh this is just like old times, ain't it?" he uttered in a playful voice. "You snapping at me…me takin' you back to your cell…."

Blake shot him a serious look.

"I swear to god, you take me back to that cell-" she said in a deadly, warning voice.

But Negan merely laughed, raising his hands in defeat, as they walked.

"Well Jee-sus, this pussy-cat's got goddamn claws," he said, his rounded shoulder bumping hers teasingly. "Don' worry, sweetheart. I've told you, a royalty like you, deserves a fucking palace-"

The pair of them came to a stop just outside Blake's room.

"-an' that's what I gave you," Negan finished, looking cockily down at her. "In this fucking pig-shit fuckin' world, anyway."

But this only caused Blake to narrow her eyes in his direction, looking his long, bearded face over carefully.

"Am I supposed to be grateful?" she said snippily, turning the handle of the door and heading inside.

She flipped on the light switch, illuminating the large room, as well as her dry and comfy bed, just where she had left it.

All she wanted to do now, was get out of these wet clothes, take a shower and sleep.

But Negan raised his dark eyebrows at her incredulously, following her into the room before she could stop him.

That alone, made her ever increasing irritation tonight, rise even further.

Maybe it was because she had shown so much vulnerability back there in that truck. Or maybe it was the fact that he had seen through her relationship with David instantly. The only person in the last six months, bar Eugene, who had seen it for what it really was.

"I mean you could show some fucking gratitude," Negan sudden replied in a matter-of-fact tone, checking the following off on his long, slender fingers. "I mean, I give you a fuckin' room of your own. A big one I might fuckin' add, none of that basement shit. I get you off the points system. I give you a fuckin' TV. And-"

"And, you almost feed me to a bunch of walkers…" said Blake cutting across him and frowning. She turned back around to face him before she reached her closet.

But Negan just stared over at her lazily, and to her utter irritation, settled himself on the edge of her bed, placing Lucille down beside him, as the mattress creaked slightly under his weight.

"Alright, alright, I admit," he said cocking his head. "Maybe I went a little too far."

Blake rolled her eyes and gave a loud scoff, before turning back to her closet and opening the doors wide, as the storm raged outside, the rain lashing against the windows.

"Hmmm…story of your fucking life," she muttered just loud enough for Negan to hear her.

She pulled out a fresh t-shirt and set of grey matching underwear, as she heard him growl playfully behind her.

"You know you gettin' to be quite the fuckin' potty-mouth, Peaches," he murmured back, as Blake turned back around to face him, pile of clothes in her arms. "Might have to get Arat to knock up a goddamn swear jar, if you keep this up."

But Blake gave a huff of annoyance as she eyed him, sitting on her bed as casual as ever.

She ignored his comment, instead strolling over towards him coolly.

"Don't think you're going to make yourself comfortable," she said in warning voice, a smirk twitching at her lips, staring down at him incredulously, and shaking her head. "I'm gonna shower, and change, and then I'm heading to bed…without you here."

But Negan's eyes glinted as she spoke.

He bit at his lip oh-so slowly, making sure she caught every second of it, throwing her a goading look through dark, narrowed eyes…..and all this only caused to make Blake's stomach jolt.

"Well, shit, Doll-face…I mean I was countin' on a slumber party…" he uttered, his smoky eyes never leaving hers. "..but I am more than willing to join you in that shower instead."

Blake gave a sudden gulp before she could stop herself, her breath catching for the slightest moment, inside her throat.

But she quickly overcame the feeling, knowing that she had to, shaking her head and pursing her lips, shooting the dark-haired Saviour a frown.

"Not a chance," she uttered in a firm tone suddenly, marching forwards and grasping Negan's arm, attempting to pull him from the bed. "Out!"

She half expected him to get angry with her for her insolence…but to her uttered surprise, Negan, almost at once, complied.

He chuckled, staring up at her, eyebrows raised, but got to her feet, taking Lucille with him.

"Shit, darlin', I mean, it's not my fault you're giving me mixed messages here," he said giving a mocking-pout as she manhandled him towards the door, her hand grasping his elbow tightly. "I mean, one moment you're trying to get to second base with me back in that truck, and the next minute you're kickin' me the fuck out-"

But Blake scoffed yet again as they reached the door, pausing, as thunder clapped loudly outside.

"You realise that one cuddle to keep warm, doesn't make me one of your wives, Negan" she uttered pursing her lips and rounding on him as he stopped. Blake narrowed her eyes in his direction, jabbing at his damp t-shirt covered-chest with her finger. "Go bother one of them instead."

But Negan grinned, biting at his lip again, and looking down at her desirously.

He took a single step towards her, closing the gap between them entirely. And Blake felt her breath catch almost instantly.

Negan leaned in towards her, his lips just a breath away from hers….as his fingers traced her waistline…

"Who said anything about you becomin' one of my wives," he said waggling his eyebrows at her fiendishly, knowing full-well he had teased her about this every day since had arrived here.. "All I'm suggestin' is one night of fun. Just you, an' me…an' the backdrop of a fuckin' thunderstorm. I mean it sounds like the start of some high-class porno, don' you think?"

But Blake just smirked at him, rolling her eyes, and giving him a gentle shove away from her, out through the door.

"Oh…just…...screw you," she muttered in a light voice of faux-seriousness, trying to find the words.

But Negan just arched his back, giving a groan of longing, his eyes twinkling at her. "Oh I fuckin' wish you would, Buttercup."

Blake felt her cheeks turn pink almost immediately.

"Goodnight, Negan," she muttered in a warning voice, before he could rile her up anymore. This….annoying man.

But Negan paused for the briefest of moments…a grin at his lips…as his eyes remained locked on hers….

…reading her again like a book…

Blake blinked up at him…her heart thudding in her chest.

"Night, Peaches," he finally replied in a husky voice, leaning in towards her for the slightest of seconds…his face lingering close to hers…..before turning on his heel, swinging Lucille up onto his shoulder, and heading off down the corridor, whistling a tune, before she could utter another word.

Blake waited there for a long second, watching him disappear off around the corner… before letting out a long, exhausted sigh and shutting the door closed with snap.

It had been a long day, that she was certain of.

But as Blake clutched at the pile of clean clothes in her arms tightly…shaking her head…..

….she was unable to stop the smile that seemed to dance its way across her lips…

Next chapter coming soon….and you might see David once again rear his ugly head in that one….look out Blake…. :|

Thanks to Lilsuccubus, ElysiumPheonix, elljayde, Xmidniteangel15X, JudithMosalii, Chelsea, rawbsten, Dollfacex94, leahscil, shaywilliams4151, whereshadowplays, Guest and Keward2592.

Hope that was ok? Let me know what you thought below. I'd love to hear whether you're enjoying it or not and whether you'd like me to continue.

Please review! :)