It was grey cloudy morning, and despite the sunny weather yesterday, it really was no surprise to see a few scattered raindrops falling gently down onto the asphalt. Especially at this time of the year.

Negan was stood out by the trucks, Lucille cocked up across his left shoulder, jaw clenched, and watching, as his men filed past him efficiently.

Three battered old vehicles were there ready and waiting to move out at Negan's order, but here he was, waiting for one person, who he wasn't sure he wanted coming anyway.

Because, after all, this wasn't going to be a fun jaunt out.

This was a hunt. Tracking down Tony and his family and the guns they had stolen from Negan.

And Negan didn't want to be thinking of Blake and how he was going to protect her while doing so.

Besides…he was a ruthless fucking guy and wasn't quite sure how Blake would react to that out there…

Although what the dark-haired Saviour could not forget, was how little mercy she actually managed to show David….or the Wolves….or Steve…in the short period of time he had known her.

Each of their demises more brutal that the last…

Perhaps she and him were actually more similar that he once had thought.

Negan pondered this for a moment, before the sudden sound of footsteps behind him on the gravel, broke him from his thoughts

He swung around, leaning back on his heels as he did so, as his dark eyes came to settle on the tall, blonde figure of Blake strutting across the yard towards him.

Fuck, she was gorgeous. Dressed today in a pair of tight jeans, lace up black boots, with a fleece lined black jacket slung over her shoulders, and her hair up in a long sleek ponytail.

Negan could help but give a smile now, showing off his set of wide white teeth, as he stood there admiring her.

"So," she said coming to stand just a foot or so away from him and cocking her head to the side promptly. "Do I get a gun?"

Negan licked at his lips.

Fuck, she had some balls.

"Only as long as you ain't gonna shoot me while I got my back turned, Princess…" he retorted goadingly. "Cause' I know how un-fuckin' predicable you Alexandrians can get out there…"

He of course was remembering back to both Daryl's punch, and when that damn woman that had put a bullet in Lucille.

But Blake just rolled her eyes dramatically, scoffing loudly.

"Well I mean, I can always switch teams if you'd prefer the challenge," she said in a voice dripping in sarcasm, suddenly lifting her hand to her face and pretending to admire her nails dismissively.

But this game of their only caused Negan's grin to widen, as he ran his tongue, once again, over his lips.

He gave shallow, utterly fake sigh, before reaching beneath his jacket and tugging out a small black handgun that he had shoved down the front of his pants.

He had always planned to give her a gun, of course. Trusting her now, probably more than anyone else on his team.

Him and her…well, they had been through so much fucking crap together these past few months.

Negan had seen her at her lowest, and she had been witness to his depths too…and both of them had come out stronger from all that.

Alright, fuck, maybe they were 'just friends', but deep down Negan knew how he truly fucking felt about her.

And hell, if anything happened to her on this trip, he wouldn't fucking rest until the person responsible paid.

He handed the gun to her now as she eyed him, a small smile passing over her face.

"You still trying to think of a way to NOT have me come along?" she asked in a teasing voice, taking the gun from his grasp.

But fuck, she really could fucking read him like a book, couldn't she?

"Is it really that fuckin' obvious, Peaches?" Negan sighed wearily, pressing his tongue into the side of his cheek. "I mean I know that you are a badass. But out there, there's a lot of fuckin' shit that can go wrong."

But Blake, shoving the gun down the back of her jeans, merely strutted forwards, biting down on her lip and bumping her hip with his.

"Trust me," she purred gently. "I can handle this. I promise."

With that, Negan pressed his lips together wanting to argue, but relenting at the last moment.

He knew for a fact that she was far too fucking stubborn to back down now anyway. And refusing to let her go would only result in yet another fight between the pair of them.

"Al-fuckin'-right, I'll take your word for it," he said in a huffy voice, lowering Lucille from his shoulder and pointing the sharp end at Blake as she strutted over towards the nearest awaiting truck. "But I fuckin' swear, Darlin', any fuckin' sign of trouble and I am hauling your goddamn ass outta' there."

But the caramel-blonde woman merely grinned at him over her shoulder, wrinkling her nose as she did so, and flashing him a smoky-eyed look, that made Negan's chest constrict slightly as he stared at her.

"Deal…" she murmured back happily, as Negan blinked a couple of times, seemingly unable to take his eyes off her now.

God, the things she fucking did to him.

Negan had been fine until she had come along….

…he had had his wives, so that his need for sex was sated…

….his men had been loyal, so that he didn't yearn for company all the time…

But Negan hadn't quite known just how lonely he had been for these past few years…living in this godforsaken world. Ok, he had been the big fuckin' boss around here, but as much as he was revered, he really had had no-one he felt as happy with, as he did now, with Blake…

She was fucking everything to him these days.

A goddamn queen, and there was no way in hell he was gonna let anything happen to her.

Negan felt his entire body swell now, feeling possessive over her.

He had been right back in those woods all those weeks ago. She was indeed his weakness.

But now Negan realised, that if anyone did try and come for her and use her as leverage against him, he was willing to go to the depths of hell to protect her, at whatever the cost.

Although from the look of her today, it really didn't look like she needed his protection.

Hell, she WAS a fucking badass, strutting over towards one of the trucks eagerly now, the outline of the handgun, just about visible beneath her jacket.

He grinned after her, suddenly giving a sharp whistle now, gaining her attention once more.

He nodded over to the first truck in the line-up as she glanced his way.

"You're up front with me, Princess," he said flashing her is white set of teeth, as she smirked back over at him, slowly strolling his way again.

The journey along the bumpy roads on this dull and drizzly morning, truly did nothing for Blake's hangover. Although she had to say, that an entire bottle of water later, she was indeed feeling a hell of a lot better than she had done back in her room at the Sanctuary.

She had been cosied up in the front of a medium sized truck, with Danny in the driving seat, Arat next to him, and Blake squashed in between the curly-haired woman and Negan, who, of course, took this opportunity to paw possessively at her thigh for the duration of the journey.

Not that that mattered to Blake any more. Even just a few short days ago, she might have been embarrassed about the attention Negan had given her, but now, all of his higher-up generals now what he was like around her.

They even knew where to find him when he wasn't in his room for god's sake, predictably cosied up to Blake in her room instead, as they had been just this morning.

God, were they really that predictable?

But now, almost an hour later, after a long journey by their standards, Blake could just about see in the distance, the looing settlement of the Hilltop up ahead.

She had never been here before (barely having been at Alexandria for long before David had had her taken, against her will, to the Sanctuary) but she recognised it, of course, from the descriptions she had been given of the place.

She had no idea who lived here anymore….for even when she had been back at Alexandria all those weeks ago, Rick and Tara and the others told her nothing, in hindsight, probably not trusting her enough to do so.

They were currently being followed closely behind by another truck carrying Dwight and about six or so other Saviours. And so, as well as the eight of them in their own vehicle, that was surely enough bodies to intimate the people of the Hilltop, and this Tony, Negan had been talking about.

But was Blake including herself in this number?

She glanced around at Danny and Arat and of course the dark-haired leader of the Saviour's beside her, all packing weapons of varying description. Used to doing this kind of work on a regular basis.

But Blake was one of them now, and as much as she tried to believe and dream that perhaps she and Negan could live a happy and quiet life together, she knew that in this world, that could never be true.

She was part of the Sanctuary now…and any ties to Alexandria….as much as it pained her to say, had to be forgotten. For they had proved to her that night she had fled in that car, how little they truly thought of her, obviously valuing the word of David over her, after all he had done to her…tortured her….beaten her….

Far worse than Negan had ever done to her that was for sure.

Blake knew how much Negan worshipped every inch of her…and knew that despite how much of a monster other people considered him to be, he would never ever ever do the same to her, and damage her in the same way as David had.

The caramel-blonde woman chanced a glance up at him now, as the trucks slowed slightly, nearing the high fences of the Hilltop.

But the dark-haired Saviour's eyes were now fixed to the gates, blackly.

He looked like a wolf. Hungry and dark, his hackles raised, ready for a fight.

And he was the first to shove open the door almost the moment the truck rolled to a stop, stepping out on his long legs, into the damp morning air.

Blake soon joined Negan, shoving her gun back into its place down the rear waistband of her jeans, pulling her jacket over it to hide her from view.

In a second or two thirteen Saviours joined the pair of them, brandishing all sorts of frightening looking weapons, all gazing over towards her and the dark-haired man at her side now.

Blake took in a small breath, her eyes travelling over all of these men and women.

Months ago, she remembered just how scared she had been that first time she had stood in the dining hall surrounded by these people, as David had hit her across the face.

But now, as burly and as menacing as they seemed, they were still more her people now, than Rick and Michonne and those back in Alexandria were. And here they all were, right now, presenting her with as much respect as they were Negan.

But even so, Blake after a brief moment, stepped aside, turning as well, to face the tall leader of the Saviours.

"Alright, you know what to do," he merely uttered in a loud carrying voice that she knew that anyone standing inside the walls of the Hilltop would hear. "So let's see who is inside today."

And with that, Negan turned on his heel, taking a few long strides over toward the looming gates, bashing four times against the hard wood with the end of Lucille. The noise reverberated through the quiet space now.

Blake felt her chest rising and falling hard as she watched Negan, waiting.

And after a brief moment or two, he turned his head, gazing her way for the most minute of seconds, before dragging his chocolate eyes over instead staring straight at the curly-haired Arat, now stood beside Blake, her arms folded across herself.

"I guess there's no one in," Negan mused in a loud, yet sarcastic tone, giving a humungous shrug. "Well, I guess that settles it…an there really is no other option…."

And with that, he ran his hand over his bearded chin, letting out a humongous sigh.

"Arat," he suddenly barked. "Burn the place to the ground."

At his words, Blake let a gulp suddenly slide its way down her throat, but she didn't flinch, keeping her eyes trained on Negan.

But thankfully, before Arat had even made a move to step forwards, there came a screech of a large metal bolt being pulled across, and within just a few short moments the gates were slowly opened wide.

God, he really had done this a million times before hadn't he?

Negan gave a smug grin now, lifting Lucille up onto his shoulder and striding confidently forwards.

He looked just as he had when Blake had first met him. A showman, peacocking for not only her and the Saviours, but for the people on the other side of the fence too.

But Blake, not wanting to linger behind, followed, as did Arat, who Blake presumed Negan had asked to stick with her for protection.

"Wow, well isn' this place just somethin'," Negan uttered out, leaning back and shaking his head in a false show of admiration for the place, as he gazed through the open gates now.

And Blake, as she moved around, felt her eyes land on a group of thirty or-so people, all standing in an ample yard full of huts and makeshift homes, all surrounding a large magnificent building in the centre of the camp, set up on a small hill top.

But it wasn't long that within the crowd, much to her dismay and discomfort, her green eyes almost instantly met with the faces of two people she recognised…. recognition on seeing her appearing on their faces quickly enough too.

Jesus and Enid.

Both of them she of course knew vaguely from her time at Alexandria, and yet the two of them stared now back at her now in horror. Obviously never in a million years expecting to see her standing here with Negan and the Saviours.

But little did they know how involved in this group she really was….

"Damn. I mean, how the hell has it taken me so long to come down here and visit you fine folks in this stunning venue," said Negan enthusiastically in a loud voice, arching his back with every syllable he spoke.

The crowd of people all looked timidly up at the dark-haired Saviour and the group now standing just over Blake's own shoulder, with fear in their eyes.

But suddenly an older bearded man quickly stepped forwards from the mass of people, that Blake supposed from descriptions of him banded around Alexandria, was Gregory, the leader here.

"A-And you must be Negan," said the man, dressed in a smart shirt and beige pants, holding out his hand towards Negan politely, flashing him a forced smile.

Ugh.

Blake clenched her jaw at this.

She had met people like Gregory before….him instantly reminding her of David, with that same spineless and sneering look etched across his features.

But from the looks of it, Negan didn't take too fondly to him either.

He paused in what he was doing, his dark eyes narrowed, looking the old man up and down.

"An you must be….Greg, right?" Negan growled out.

"Gregory," corrected the old man, keeping his hand outstretched.

But Negan did not take his hand to shake, instead closing the gap between him and Gregory, raising both his eyebrows interestedly.

"Oh, I'm am terribly fuckin' sorry Gregory," Negan replied, sucking at his teeth, and lowering Lucille from his shoulder.

Silence fell now across the camp, as everyone's eyes were drawn swiftly to the barbed-wire covered baseball bat in Negan's hand.

But the dark-haired saviour merely gave a sigh.

"You see the thing is, an' it's a sad fuckin story," began Negan, with a dark nod. "But I woke up this mornin', with not only one hell of a fuckin' hangover, but to also find out that one of my men has gone AWOL overnight, with his wife an' kid, and taken a big stash of my guns with him."

Negan now took a step forwards until he was almost nose-to-nose with the leader of the Hilltop.

"Now you would mind if we took a little look around now would you….make sure he isn't hiding out here somewhere?" said Negan with an intimidating grimace. "…Greg."

Negan said Gregory's shortened name again with purpose, his eyes now beady and black like a shark…and Blake could almost feel the heat and bubbling irritation coming off of her mate now, even at this fairly far proximity to him.

But much to her amusement, Gregory looked at this moment, terrified, his hand at his side visibly trembling.

But even so he gave a shaky nod, timidly stepping aside and bowing his head for Negan to pass.

Almost at once, Negan gave a wide wolf-like grin, blinking heavily and glancing Blake's way.

Her breath caught in her throat.

She didn't smile back, but instead paced over towards him now, with her head held high, feeling a surge of confidence and power. And it wasn't until she was at his side, did Negan turn his head into her, and press his lips into her ear, out of earshot of anyone else now.

"Jeez, I mean get a load of this fuckin' guy, huh?" murmured Negan through gritted teeth, causing Blake to lick at her lips as they twitched up into the smallest of smirks.

She pulled back gently, eyeing him as he gave her a poignant sighing sort-of look in return.

God, how even in a situation like this, could he always make light of everything?

And it took Blake all her strength not to roll her eyes at him, as he barked back at their fellow Saviours.

"Al-fuckin-right then," uttered the dark-haired man, pressing his amused tongue to his upper molars and gesturing with Lucille. "Let's take a look around boys and girls, see if I can huff and puff an' find these little piggies."

And with that, all thirteen of the Saviours, with weapons held aloft intimidatingly, strode past both her and Negan making for the buildings….not wanting to leave even a single stone un-turned.

And Blake, not wishing to seem like the only one not able to handle herself, made to follow them, ignoring completely Enid and Jesus' stares as she went.

But in a moment, she felt a sudden hand clutch her wrist, stopping her in her tracks, and before she had even turned around, she knew exactly who it was…feeling his firm body press up against her side.

"Nuh-uh, Peaches," Negan growled in a deliciously dark voice, into her ear once more. "You're with me."

And with that Blake glanced his way, giving a devilish smile of her own, moving her hand slightly and entwining her fingers swiftly with his as he grinned back at her.

Fuck, they were a good match…

…both of them tall…

…good looking…

…and right now, very very intimidating…

And, with Negan taking the lead, the couple shoved past Gregory, making for the large mansion straight ahead….

…neither of the formidable pair, giving one shit about the meek and frightened crowd of people that watched them go.

Sorry it's a short one today. I just wanted to set up for the next chapter, which will be chapter 100 for me. I'll hopefully update it next week to coincide with the 100th episode. Probably not on Sunday but hopefully Monday or Tuesday. Eeek!

Thank you to CrimsonSurvivor, B, Monizzle, Boo, CLTex, Jam86 (you read my mind with that perfect review btw), angelvoice, rissbenzo, kaylee00, alliesmiley2, moglefrog, Keward2592 and NedStark39 for all of your wonderful reviews.

I hope you are all still enjoying this fic? I know a lot of you want to see Mia back in it asap, but bear with me….that is on the horizon I promise! But in the meantime I have a few other things coming up I'd like to try….and making Blake into that queen we all know she can be is one of them! :)

Please review if you get a chance to, and do let me know if you'd like to read more! Have a good weekend. And enjoy the start of Season 8!