It took Blake and Mia almost forty-five minutes of aimlessly wandering the winding Sanctuary corridors to finally find him, Negan, holed up in the long meeting room on the first floor.
"Can we come in?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow, as her eyes met with the sight of him, sat back in his chair at the end of the long table, arms folded grumpily, boots propped up on the desk before him.
Negan's dark eyes lingered on the pair of them for a long moment, stood in the doorway together, Mia settled onto Blake's hip, gnawing on her chubby fist.
He gave a small grunt of approval, causing Blake to almost roll her eyes with annoyance but close the door behind her with a snap anyway.
Mia, who had obviously been initially distracted by the change of surroundings, finally noticed Negan, immediately waving her now- drool covered hand in his direction.
"Hai, Daddy. We fowd you!" she said in a sweet little voice, giving him an untidy wave.
"You did, Beansprout," Negan said with a low murmur, a hint of fondness in his voice. But he kept his eyes firmly fixed on Blake's green ones, as though testing the water, trying to pre-determine what kind of mood she was in.
Blake could tell that he was just coming out of a foul one himself. Fresh dents littered the table beside an abandoned Lucille, a tell-tale sign that Negan had taken his frustration with the situation out on the table, in private, which Blake was obviously grateful for.
Not too long ago, he'd have taken his fury and annoyance down to the dining hall with him and made an example of someone for merely breathing the wrong way. But Negan was different now. And if Blake hadn't helped in that, Mia certainly had.
He was a father now, however he looked at it, and bashing in someone's skull right in front of her...well, even Negan knew how much that could damage a person.
And Blake hoped now that him seeing that this wasn't the future and the life that he wanted for Mia, was a way to win him around when it came to Carl's proposition.
The blonde eyed him, pacing over towards Negan slowly.
"You cooled down yet?" she muttered a little scornfully.
At once he frowned deeply, giving a huff and looking away.
"Maybe…" he growled out, causing Blake to purse her lips.
God, he could be so irritating sometimes.
But she was done with dancing around the problem.
And so, balancing Mia with one hand, with the other, she gave his heavy boots a shove from the table.
Negan wobbled a little in his chair, scowling at her. But Blake didn't care, merely, taking up their place on the table and coming to perch upon the edge of it, right in front of Negan himself, in between his now-splayed legs.
She crossed her own legs neatly, all the while keeping her gaze fixed to his.
Mia at once wriggled in her arms to get to Negan, but Blake held her steady, moving her around to sit on her lap instead.
Negan eyed them both, but kept his frown fixed between his brows all the while.
"So you not gonna talk to us?" asked Blake in a silky voice after a moment, a statement that made Negan shift in his seat a little, lifting his chin to stare at her.
"What do you want me to say, Peaches?" he huffed with a shrug of his angular shoulders beneath his leather jacket.
But the blonde gave a scoff. "Well sorry could be a start."
Negan's face softened a little in bemused surprise, raising both eyebrows coolly.
"S'far as I remember, Darlin', I ain't got nothin' to apologise for," he murmured sitting up a little straighter in his chair, as Mia gave a whining wriggle in Blake's arms.
"Oh, bullshit," Blake remarked loudly, causing Mia to jump in fright, her lip wobbling a little, obviously not used to Blake raising her voice.
The blonde woman quickly tugged Mia into her, stroking her hair soothingly.
"Sorry, baby, Mommy didn't mean to scare you," she whispered, but her eyes flashed up to Negan's, noticing his look was a far softer now as he eyed the two girls.
"Negan-" Blake tried again, in a voice, far quieter this time. But she trailed off, sighing and dropping her stare to the toddler in her lap.
Perhaps this was hopeless. Perhaps they were just reading from different hymn sheets these days...
But in a moment, Blake heard Negan drag a hand down his stubbly chin and give his own long sigh.
"Look…" he began in a slow voice, his gaze looking apologetic. "I AM sorry, Darlin', I never mean'ta…y'know...upset ya...or accuse you of shit..."
Blake looked up at him once more, tilting her head to the side.
"But seein' them strollin' on in here…." he continued with a hard shake of his head. "...when you could've been killed, Peaches. It's shit like that that I've gotta be seen to be doin' something about."
Blake understood, of course she did. Negan was the leader of this place and a leader needed to show that he was strong, that he protected his people, particularly those he loved. Even from those who tried to be allies sometimes.
"I understand," Blake said in a soft voice, reaching for his hand resting on the arm of his chair. He lifted his palm at once to hers, entwining his fingers with her own. "I'm just done with us arguing about all this. Look, I know you don't trust Carl and Tara, but I do. And I know what a night in that cell down there feels like..."
Negan sighed again and dug his cheek with his tongue staring up at her.
"If you're askin' me to hear them out again, Darlin'-" Negan said in a tired voice, running his other hand over his eyes momentarily.
But Blake realised how much of a bad idea that probably was right now.
"No," she said giving his hand a squeeze and causing him to look up at her again with tawny eyes. "Just let them out of those cells, please. They can stay in my old room tonight. And then tomorrow…"
She took in a long breath through her nose, giving a small, hopeful smile.
"...well, let's just see what the morning brings, shall we?"
Negan stared at her long and hard for several long seconds, as Blake brushed her thumb over his.
"You drive a hard fuckin' bargain, Peaches" he huffed finally, raising a single dark eyebrow and leaning forwards in his seat, his other hand sliding up the side of her jean-clad thigh affectionately.
Blake's smile widened at this. "Yeah but I'm worth it," she teased, clutching Mia tightly to her and leaning in, her lips meeting gently with Negan's.
She didn't like arguing with him. Not after so long spent apart. And although this ultimatum hadn't actually resolved anything, had given Blake some time to think things through and for Negan to calm himself a little.
And at least this way, if Rick ever did find out that his own son had come here, at least Carl couldn't say he was treated badly by Negan or the Saviours.
Blake felt Negan smirk against her lips as he kissed her. A kiss that only lasted a second or two before the couple were rudely disturbed by Mia's sticky paws reaching for each of their cheeks.
"Noh, Daddy, noh mor. Mommy mayn!" said the toddler in a bossy voice.
Blake pulled away with a smile, moving her lips to Mia's cheek instead. "Does my baby want kisses? Does she? Does she?" she said in a lighthearted voice, making Mia squeal out in delight, pulling her face away from Blake and letting out a loud giggle.
By the time Blake had relented, she caught sight of Negan grinning at the pair of them.
"What?" asked Blake coyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
But Negan just bit down on his bottom lip and shook his head, looking utterly infatuated with the pair of them right at this second.
"Just wonderin'' how the fuck I got this lucky," he said smoothly, his hand sliding even further up Blake's thigh and giving her a squeeze.
Blake smirked back, her green eyes flicking up to his.
"Anyone ever tell you you're a smooth talker?" she purred, narrowing her eyes in his direction.
But at this, Negan's own eyes twinkled as he leaned in towards her once more.
"That how I charmed you into my bed, Peaches?" he murmured back in a husky voice.
But Blake smiled, leaning in again, her lips brushing his seductively.
"I wouldn't exactly say charmed…." she whispered, wrinkling her nose slightly as she spoke. "I think maybe you just wore me down."
And with that she kissed Negan again, feeling him let out an appreciative chuckle against her lips as she did so.
Five minutes later and Blake was settled on Negan's lap, one arm looped around his neck, as Mia ran about on the floor beside them, distracted by several balled up sheets of copier paper that littled the floor.
She picked up the nearest one, covered in what looked like several years worth of dust, and carried it over to a pile she had made on the far side of the room, as the two adults watched her intently.
"So you both marchin' in here to find me," Negan murmured into Blake's ear. "You thought you'd just try an' put on the ol' charm offensive for Daddy huh?"
His wandering hands reached Blake's waist." Try an' win. him. over?" he said giving her middle a tickling squeeze with each word, causing Blake to laugh and paw him away.
"We might've. Us girls have gotta stick together after all," she replied, eyeing him with a smirk and holding him at arm's reach. "And what can I say. Predictably you fell for it."
Negan gave a scoff at this and was obviously about to make a smart reply, when his attention was suddenly caught be something else just over the blonde's shoulder.
"Hey! Beansprout!" he barked suddenly, a frown dancing between his furrowed brows.
Blake turned her head to see Mia staring back at them, an innocent look etched upon her features, as if butter wouldn't melt…
...but clutched in her hand, was a huge grey fluffy ball of dust, that had been on its way toward her open mouth.
"Don' put that shit in your mouth," Negan said in a tired-sounding voice.
And Mia, contemplating this for a moment, lowered the dust bunny, but no more than a second later, before either of the adults could do anything to stop her, defiantly the toddler had shoved the filthy pile of dust into her mouth and begun to chew.
"No, baby, stop!" cried Blake leaping to her feet and streaking over towards her.
But the tiny girl, gave a muffled shriek and dodged Blake, running under the table hurriedly.
But although she had been too quick for the blonde woman, she was in fact no match for Negan, who, by the time Blake had stood up straight with hands on hips, had grasped the wriggling toddler beneath her arms, hauling her up and onto the scrubbed-wood table top.
"Shit, kid, you wanna give us both a damn aneurysm?" he growled, reaching for Mia's mouth.
But the little girl held her lips tightly shut.
"Let the fuck up, Beansprout, before you choke on that shit. C'mon," he continued, squeezing her cheeks with one hand and trying to poke a finger into her mouth with the other.
But still Mia held on, her deep and committed frown matching Negan's now.
The dark-haired man gave an enormous huff of frustration as Blake stepped in.
"Come here," she said, wiping her hands on the side of her jeans and scooting in front of him. "Mia, sweetie. Are you gonna open your mouth for Mommy? You don't want to eat that yukky dust bunny now do you?"
Blake held out her hand in front of Mia's face patiently.
But beside her Negan scoffed and folded his arms across himself, giving an arrogant smirk.
"Good luck with that, Peaches," he remarked, leaning close into her ear mockingly as he spoke. "If you think she's gonna let up them you're dreamin'. Cause' that damn kid is stubborn as sh-"
But Negan didn't finish his sentence, watching in annoyance as Mia spat the grim looking now-wet ball of dust into Blake's hand, as if on cue.
"That's a good girl," said Blake in a bright voice, stroking Mia's hair back. "Thank you. Now shall we go see if we can get you something better to eat instead?"
Mia nodded innocently, allowing Blake to haul her from the table and onto the floor where she took her hand.
"Shit, kid, this how it's gonna be from now on, huh?" Negan said leaning back on his heels and marvelling at the pair.
But Mia merey stared blankly back at him, before turning away again.
And this only caused Blake to smirk, biting down hard onto her lip and staring at him over her shoulder.
"Well, like I said, Daddy," the tall, blonde commented in a simpering tone. "Us girls have gotta stick together."
And with that Blake gave him a dazzling smile, turning back to the door once more and heading out of it.
Leaving Negan shaking his head and grinning to himself.
Those girls really did have him wrapped around their little finger, didn't they?
Sorry, just a sweet little filler chapter.
Thanks to CLTex, stacey40 and buckeyecrzy for reviewing. Sorry my work hasn't been up to par lately. My health hasn't been too good. Trying to write when I can. Sad I'm not getting many reviews lately but I'm grateful for the ones I have, so thank you.