Blake gave a gulp as she stood beside her bed, staring down at the tiny Mia'-sized dress in her hands.

The toddler was currently sitting on top of Blake's mattress, playing with her own sock-covered feet and letting out small intermittent giggles that seemed to make Blake's heart swell and then crash painfully as she thought on her impending fate.

She didn't want to let her go. Not now. Not after everything. This had been their chance. Her chance at happiness, after months of hurt.

Blake folded the tiny pinafore dress and placed it neatly onto the pile of baby clothes besides her, letting a tear fall from her eyes as she did so.

This was how it had been all those years ago…..Blake folding up the clothes she had bought for the baby she had been expecting….placing them away never to be brought out again….

She was aching now. For so much loss in her life….and for the loss of dream that would now never become a reality.

Blake suddenly gave a loud uncontrollable sob before she could stop herself, before clutching hurriedly at her mouth as Mia peered up at her curiously.

The tiny girl tilted her head slightly.

"Wha 'rong wif Bwake?" she asked in a tiny voice, blinking her wide, blue eyes up toward the caramel-blonde woman.

But Blake hurriedly wiped at her wet cheeks, forcing a smile in Mia's direction.

"Nothing, sweetie," she said in a gentle voice, reaching down and lifting the little girl up into her arms.

Mia happily snuggled herself close to Blake, her tiny, sticky fingers toying with the collar of Blake's white t-shirt.

It was a lie. Of course it was, but Blake hugged the little girl closely, feeling her warmth…her soft mousy hair tickling her face.

She was the child that Blake never had, and she felt nothing but heartbroken right now.

But what choice did she have? They two people who had brought her up to be the sweet little thing she was, were sitting downstairs….probably heartbroken themselves right now, in no better position that Blake was.

And so, Blake gave another difficult gulp, and popped Mia gently down onto the floor.

"Right then," she said in a shaky sort of voice. "Shall we go for a walk?"

And with that Blake heaved up the pile of clothes in one hand, and held out her other, towards the little girl, feeling more tears slip silently down her cheeks.

But Mia, not understanding what was going on, just smiled, taking Blake's hand in his tiny paw and giving a happy smile.

"Yesh, I liak walkin' wif Bwake!" she squealed with delight, falling into step with the caramel blonde woman, as they headed out of the door…

…..Blake's heart aching with sadness as they went….

Negan dragged a hand down his face as he waited out in the hazy, sunny lot, beside the back of a large beaten-up truck.

He had been here for least five minutes, the sun's hot rays burning through the shoulders of his leather jacket, his fingers moving lightly across the smooth handle of the barbed-wire covered baseball-bat in his hand.

Negan's face was fixed, his dark eyes staring out blankly ahead, as Dwight, Arat, and a few of the other Saviours stood around them, guns all held aloft….just waiting…

And it wasn't long before the people they were waiting for finally appeared.

Negan, for a moment, felt his chest restrict slightly, as his chocolate eyes landed on the two figures padding slowly towards them…heads bowed low…talking to one another gently….

Negan parted his lips…lifting his chin slightly and surveying them….

There she was…the woman who had come into his life like a hurricane….messing up everything he had strived for…his relationship with his wives….his power….his dominance…all changed….because of her….

But Negan had wanted that…she had been like his shining light in the darkness of this world….making him finally feel something for the first time since Lucille.

She wasn't just another wife there to screw when he wanted…she was funny, and beautiful….and smart….

And as much as Negan had tried to fight it…he wanted her to be his queen…

But the dark-haired Saviour had heard just what she had said.

That without Mia…she didn't have anything….and that obviously included him.

And that hurt….caused a dark pit to form in his heart…making it feel blacker than before…

Blake walked towards him slowly, in tight black pants and her slightly rumpled white t-shirt, talking to the tiny Mia beside her, who clutched at her hand tightly.

The pair of them looked perfect together. But Negan had warned her that this wouldn't work out. That the Sanctuary was no place for a kid.

And the leader of the Saviours knew what needed to be done, whether it hurt Blake or not.

The caramel-blonde woman's eyes suddenly met with his…round and sad….full of pain and anguish…

But Negan dragged his own dark eyes away from her lazily….his face fixed into a blank, frowning stare….

For he would pretend not to care, if that's what it took. If that was what she wanted.

"Open the truck, Dwight," he suddenly called out loudly, just as Mia pointed happily up towards him. Not understanding what was going on.

"Hai, Eggy," she said giving him a wave, looking happy. "Me an' Bwake goin fo walk!"

Negan's heart immediately drummed in his chest at this, but he didn't look back at either of them. Merely turning on his heel, and arching his back, as Dwight lifted the heavily door of the truck, pushing it upwards with a heave.

He saw from the corner of his eye, Blake take a small step back, pulling Mia into her slightly, as two figures were suddenly revealed, sitting in the back of the truck, blinking up against the sunlight, wincing.

It was a woman and a man, both a little older than Blake, the man sporting a rather large bruised looking eye having been punched by Arat yesterday most likely. Negan recognising her work instantly.

But it was only a second or two before the woman, with a lined forehead, freckles and long vibrant red hair, scrabbled hurriedly to her feet, her eyes landing suddenly on the kid.

"Mia?" she said in a loud, carrying voice, drawing the little girls' attention at once to her.

The toddler stared up at the woman and man, and gave a wide smile.

"Hai, Amy," she said easily, waving at the red-head, just as she had done to Negan just a few moments ago. "Thish mai fwend Bwake."

But the woman called Amy, as well as the man with short brown hair beside her, suddenly, with one eye trained on the Saviours surrounding them, jumped down from the back of the truck and ran desperately forwards, towards the teeny girl.

Negan's eyes at once travelled to Blake, whose face was currently wet with tears, obviously trying as hard as she could to hold it together right now as the man and woman reached Mia, suddenly grasping her up into their arms…..pulling her swiftly from Blake's touch…

Blake intently parted her lips…mouthing at the air…making like she was about to say something…her eyes glassy and brimming with pained tears….as she watched the three of them embrace right before her.

"Oh Mia, we're so sorry, baby," uttered the woman called Amy rocking the little girl back and forth in her arms tightly. "We're so, so sorry."

And Negan saw Blake, at this, gave a sudden sob of her own, suddenly turning on the spot and facing away from not only the embracing trio, but Negan too.

Maybe this morning he'd have gone over and hugged her, kissed her temples, and told her everything was going to be ok.

But it was obvious that she didn't want him.

He just wouldn't be enough for her….he could see that now…

What the hell would a girl like her want from a guy like him anyway?

He was an asshole…a man who killed people because it was fun…he wouldn't never be good enough for someone like her.

They were cut from different cloth.

He was just Negan….he had his wives…he had his people….but he wouldn't have her…

And thoughts like that,…well, they would kill him if he let them.

So he needed to just stand here….showing no emotion towards her…because that was the way it had to be.

He gave a sigh and a small gulp and stepped forwards, his teeth gritted.

"Alright," he suddenly shouted, turning around and waving a gloved hand dismissively. "Load 'em up an' take up back to wherever they fuckin' came from."

He immediately heard obedient feet shuffling and the sound of guns been pointed at the figures in the centre of the lot, as he began to walk away.

But as he ran a hand down his tired, bearded face, he stopped suddenly in his tracks, as he heard a voice speak-

"If she's going, I want her in the front of a truck, not the back of it," Blake suddenly uttered in a shaky voice, loud enough for all of the Saviours and Negan himself to hear.

He glanced over his shoulder at the caramel-blonde woman, who was stood there trembling, hands balled into fists at her side.

She had already passed the man with brown hair the pile of Mia's clothes…staring at him and the red-head beside them.

"Take these clothes for her, and keep her safe," she said in a sudden warning tone, with a dark frown in their direction. "And if you ever leave her inside a fucking vent alone again, I'll find you and I'll kill you with my own bare hands. Are we clear on that?"

The man and woman both nodded hurriedly, looking terrified.

But Blake just raised her chin looking directly at Arat and Dwight who stood nearby.

"And if you don't get them home to wherever they came from safely," she said in a threatening tone. "Then I'll kill you both too."

And Negan in that moment could tell just how deadly serious she was…..seeing a flicker of himself in her steely gaze at that very moment…..before Blake suddenly turned away…..walking swiftly off….heading back inside…..

…..without even a final goodbye to Mia….

The toddler for a moment, reached a tiny, chubby little arm out in the direction Blake had disappeared off in, looking sad, as Amy rubbed at her back…whispering gentle, soothing words in her ear…distracting her enough to turn her gaze away.

And Negan could only, purse his lips, sighing heavily, before looking around with dark eyes, as everyone stared at each other a little unsurely…

"Well you heard the fuckin' lady," he yelled fiercely, as everyone instantly got to work, scurrying this way and that, as Arat ushered Amy, the man, and Mia away.

And Negan chanced one last look at the tiny girl as she was pulled hurriedly past him.

"Eggy, wher' Bwake gonn?" she asked him, curiously…her wide blue eyes staring up at him. "I wann Bwake."

But Negan didn't give an answer to the toddler…he merely stared after her…as she was gently pulled up into the cab of a truck and disappeared out of sight.

Blake licked at her lips, staring at the ceiling as she pressed her back to the dim hallway wall, trying as best she could to stop the endless tears from falling.

She had let her go.

Just like that.

Why had she not fought for her?….Demanded she stay here at the Sanctuary?

Salty tears slipped down her cheeks…overwhelming her…

Blake was angry, and frustrated, and in so much pain…

Pain that no bruises or broken ribs could compare to…

Things had begun to get better….she had found a good life here at the Sanctuary….with Mia…with Negan…

But now it was as if the tall, dark-haired Saviour had never cared at all.

She had seen the uncaring, dismissive look that had crossed his features out there in that lot. His inability to hold her gaze.

Was this what he was truly like? A man with no feelings, no remorse. For this was how people had described him all along… And maybe they were right. Maybe they had always been right.

Blake liked him….more than she could say….and so it wasn't just Mia leaving, that was causing her heart to break right now.

She had been so foolish to put all her trust, all her faith in him, and so soon after David had died too.

And so, now it was just her in this world. Alone. Just as it should be.

She needed to face the fact that she would never have kids. Never have the family so longed for…and that…that hurt her more than she could say.

Blake closed her eyes, giving a muffled sob, as she clutched her trembling hands to her face…feeling more emotion now, than she had after David's death.

For that had been the start of something. The start of a new chapter in her life.

But this felt the opposite. For this was like closing the book. Admitting to herself that this was how it was always going to be for her now. Just Blake on her own. For good.

She wiped her fingers beneath her eyes and let out a long, puff of air, trying as hard as she could to steady herself.

She needed air. Air away from this place…this prison of hers….she was choking…running out of time…out of hope that there would ever be anything there to fill the void.

She had hoped for a moment that Negan would have been the thing to do that….that ray of something good in the darkness of her life….but he had broken her heart today.

Perhaps he had become bored of her….bored of Mia too….that was why he had broken them apart….

Maybe Blake had told him no, too many times….maybe he preferred his wives to her…..maybe the chase had got stale for him…

Whatever the case…it was true that Blake had seen no utter longing or warmth in his eyes out there….

…only a darkness…a cold and indifferent gaze that had pained her to even look at.

Blake stared down at her feet, blinking slowly…the tears drying now on her cheeks….just as she heard a sudden set of heavy footsteps come walking down the long, gloomy corridor towards her….

…and without even looking up, Blake already knew who it was.

It sounded like the walk towards her was endless, as boots hit concrete, finally coming to stop just a foot or two away from her.

And it was another long moment after that, did Blake finally speak.

Her tone void of any emotion.

"Why?" she breathed, her eyes never leaving the concrete floor below her.

She could hear her heart thudding slowly inside her eardrums, as she waited for a response…but it was at least half a minute before one finally came.

"Whywhat, Peaches," came Negan's low, tired voice. His tone was stern and she could tell that he was looking right at her, feeling his dark chocolate eyes boring into her skull.

But Blake let out a difficult breath.

"You knew I loved her like she was my own, Negan," she said in a shaky tone, desperately trying to stop even more tears from welling inside her eyes.

But Negan's voice came again after a few long and drawn out seconds. Harsher than before now.

"I told you she couldn't stay here," he said in a quiet voice, repeating his word from earlier today to her. "I made that fuckin' clear. You're gonna have to remember who makes the fuckin' rules around here, Doll-face."

But Blake bristled at his tone of irritation, suddenly breathing hard and looking up at him.

"Is that it?" she said staring at him at a pained loss, giving a disbelieving, questioning frown. "After everything?"

She gave a gulp, her eyes searching his face in desperation.

"I-I thought we were good…" she continued, talking fast now…urgently. "...I-I thought you-"

But Blake stopped suddenly, before the words could spill out of her mouth, as she locked eyes with Negan.

He stared back at her sharply.

"You thought I what?" he urged, giving a pained and sad frown of his own, as if desperately urging her to say something.

But Blake couldn't.

Instead her eyes just fell to the floor once again.

"She was my chance…" said the caramel-blonde woman, with a stark sadness in her voice, wanting so desperately to explain to him why.

She wanted to just spew about all that she had been keeping locked away inside her for so long.

Admit to him that she had miscarried….admit to him that a family was something she had yearned for, for so long…something she had been denied for all these years, first by circumstances, then by David, and then by the apocalypse.

But as Blake looked up, titling her head, her green eyes meeting with his chocolate ones once again….she knew she couldn't…

She wasn't brave enough to tell him any of that.

But Negan's eyes were almost pleading now, that cocky look that he usually carried on his face, now gone.

Instead, he looked remorseful…

…human…

…tilting his own head, his tanned, rough hand, reaching gently for her face, his calloused fingers brushing gently over her cheek.

And at his contact, Blake closed her eyes, unable to help the tears that slowly began to fall freely now.

There was so much she wanted to tell him….but she knew that there was only one thing that she could manage to utter right now.

And she knew, deep down, that Negan knew what that was too…

"Ask me again…" she said finally in an aching voice, opening her tear-strewn eyes, but keeping them now trained on the floor…not wanting to look upon the face of the man she-

Her breath hitched, as she let out a small sob. God she couldn't even admit it to herself.

And Blake now knew, that what he was about to say, would finally break her heart for good.

Negan removed his hand slowly from her face, as the corridor fell deadly quiet.

His words being all that mattered now…

That one question, that would change everything for them.

And it was then that he asked it.

"You want me to take you home, Peaches?" he said in his low, drawling voice, raising his bearded chin.

And Blake couldn't look at him, as a tear splashed down onto the concrete floor beneath her feet, tolling her fate like a bell.

And she could only give a pained gulp, as she closed her eyes…

…giving a slow nod…

"….yes…" she whispered.

Sorry, sorry, sorry…that was a sad one. :(

Thanks to Dollfacex94, sreid045, JudithMosalii, Boohoo, FriendsWithTheMonster, wades wife, Hmc09, Leah, srosal1, guest, angelvoice15 and XMidniteangel15X for reviewing.

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