Hand-in-hand Blake led Negan into their room, where the last of the weak, late afternoon light, could be seen to be waning at the window at the far end of the large space.

The blonde took in a slow and deep breath, as Negan dropped his hand from hers and closed the door behind the pair of them.

Feeling her stomach doing somersaults, Blake wiped her clammy hands down the sides of her jeans before turning to look at the dark-haired Saviour.

Negan was stood there now, facing her, his chin dipped low and his eyes wide and almost fearful now in the dim light.

Blake felt herself flush, tearing her gaze away from him for the briefest of moments.

"It's getting dark in here," she mumbled, moving over and switching on a tall lamp that sat near to the window.

She was delaying, she knew that, but all this, telling Negan, well it was far harder than she thought it'd be…

"Peaches…" said Negan suddenly his voice low and almost pleading.

And Blake could only swing around and look at him, pressing her lips together for a moment before speaking.

"I'm pregnant."

The words tumbled from her mouth before she could stop them. In that moment she hated how they sounded. So stark and unfeeling in the midst of everything.

To her dismay, Negan didn't say anything, his face blank and unreadable.

"I-I don't know how many weeks, I-" she stopped for a moment, swallowing hard. "-I...w-we...me and Carson...we didn't get that far. I just- I wanted to tell you."

Blake saw Negan swallow too, his adam's apple bobbing up and then back down his tanned throat.

"We were careful..." he finally said. "Jeez, I mean I was usin' a goddamn rubber-"

"I know," said Blake with a shake of her head.

The pair of them were only standing a few feet apart, but right now that distance felt like miles.

"Then how?" Negan asked, his face a picture of frowning disbelief.

Blake shrugged. "I-I don't know...maybe that time the condom broke.." she said worrying at her lips again, her eyes falling to the floor.

It had just been the one time.

Both of them panting and groaning, both basking in the afterglow of their orgasms, Negan had made to slide himself from Blake only to realise that the condom had split apart.

And while the both of them were in the midst of an argument afterwards about what they should do, Mia, from the next room had begun to cry, drawing both parents attention her way.

And so the moment had been forgotten..

Blake knew that it had been irresponsible and childish to think that that one slip up couldn't have mattered. But in this world, with winter on its way, with a harvest to store, and with Mia to take care of, Blake had had enough on her mind to distract her from such a pressing issue.

"Shit," Negan muttered, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he too remembered.

Blake chewed on her lip, watching him worriedly, folding her arms over herself.

All of a sudden she felt very alone, and very stupid. As though all of this was on her. And maybe it was…

Maybe she should have been more responsible. Maybe she should have been more on top of things.

These were similar to the thoughts the blonde had had when she was with David.

But Negan was not David. This was not the same.

And the dark-haired Saviour proved that, by marching suddenly towards Blake and pulling her to him.

"C'mere, Darlin'" he murmured, as he encapsulated her in his arms, where Blake could feel warm and safe. "We'll deal with this shit together, alright. Whatever happens, you ain't on your own, you understand me?"

Blake closed her eyes burying her face in his neck, breathing in his warm and musky scent.

She knew that he probably feared losing her again. But Blake was determined not to let that happen this time.

She just needed to face facts, see the reality of the situation and what was likely to happen.

This wasn't going to be a fairytale ending. It was likely their child would never be born. It was cruel and stark, but both of them knew that now.

Negan let out a shuddering breath, resting his chin on top of her head, his bristly beard ruffling her blonde hair.

"I don't think we should tell anyone," Blake said in what was almost a whisper. "I don't want anyone knowing."

This hurt her to say, remembering back to the last time, when Negan had strutted around the Sanctuary with his chest puffed out, looking every inch the proud father, letting everyone know that Blake was pregnant. He had been so happy then, so excited about the prospect of becoming a father.

And yet now, both of them knew there was likely no chance of Blake giving him that.

Blake wanted to cry, but Negan's warm arms around her seemed to stop her.

Together they would be ok.

She knew that now.

Blake let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry," she said sadly.

And Negan didn't reply immediately, merely pressing a firm kiss to the top of her head.

"Peaches, you have no fuckin' reason to be sorry," she heard him say, as he pulled back a little to gaze down into her face. "This world is jus' gonna continue to treat us both like shit until we're dead, we both shoulda' realised that by now. It's like we survived and Mother-nature, or God, or whatever motherfucker you wanna blame, don' wan' us here, and is just rainin' down shit on us, tryin' to make our lives hell, 'til we give up, or do something stupid enough to get ourseves killed. So, we jus' gotta deal with all this an' make it through. We gotta survive, Peaches. Together. You with me on that?"

Blake stared up at him, wondering for a moment how this man could ever be called a monster? Just how he could be feared or loathed? Because to Blake right now, Negan was her saviour. The man she who had done nothing but love and protect her. The man she was determined to be with until the bitter end.

This wasn't just love anymore. This was sheer devotion. All encapsulating, and ever-lasting.

"I'm with you," she said with a nod.

Negan reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand, before skimming it down the length of her arm, taking in a long breath of air as he stared down at the blonde before him.

"This is gonna be a fuckin' shitshow ain't it?" he said in a tired voice, as Blake nodded again.

"I think so," she agreed quietly. "But the less people that know the better. If I'm gonna have to go through this, I just want it to be in private, y'know? Y-You could just say I've got the flu or something..."

Negan sighed. "Lets' just think about all that when the damn times comes, alright, Peaches?"

Blake gave a single nod, taking his hand in hers. But neither got the chance to say another words, as suddenly there came a soft knock upon the door.

So much for somewhere where they wouldn't be disturbed, Blake thought, almost rolling her eyes.

Negan gave a sniff, standing up straight, running his thumb over Blake's cheek one last time, before turning around on his booted heel, looking once again every inch the Negan everyone else here knew.

"Come in," he barked.

The door was pushed open a moment later to reveal Arat stood on the other side with a tearful Mia perched on her hip.

"Sorry, Boss...B…" said the curly haired woman, who today was dressed in a baggy green shirt and black jeans, nodding first to Negan and then to Blake. "Mia was getting a little fussy and asking for you both."

Mia, who was red in the face gave a small wail making grabby hands for Negan who was nearest, who swiftly marched forward, grabbing the toddler beneath her armpits and hauling her from Arat's arms.

"Everything okay?" Arat suddenly asked Blake staring at the blonde woman over Negan's shoulder, her eyes sweeping over Blake's face. "John from the garden said you collapsed earlier."

Arat had been such a good friend to Blake, especially after what had happened after her last pregnancy. So it felt so awful now to lie directly to her face like this.

"I...uh...Carson said I was just a little overworked and a bit dehydrated is all," she said flashing Arat a smile. "I feel fine now."

But Arat's eyes lingered on Blake's face a little longer that Blake would have liked before she nodded a little unconvincingly.

"Cool, just wanted to make sure," Arat said tilting her head to the side, her brown eyes never leaving Blake's.

"Was there somethin' else you needed?" came Negan's sharp voice suddenly from their side, as he turned, angling an eye at Arat.

Mia, whose face was buried in Negan's collar, gave an audible snuffle.

"No, there wasn't," the brown haired woman said quickly,, turning on her heel and heading out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Negan gave an loud huff once the door was closed, looking to Blake.

"You alright?" he asked in a far gentler voice that the one he had used with Arat.

Blake just glanced at him, moving over and locking the door.

All she wanted was to shut out the world.

Mia could stay with them tonight, in their bed, because Blake knew that, right now, all they needed was each other.

"Mmmhmmm," she managed to murmur, pacing over to where Negan stood and brushing Mia's hair back from her sticky face. "We all will be."

Miles from the Sanctuary, as the last few threads of daylight left the sky, Rick dropped a large box he was carrying, to the ground with a clatter, causing the loud noise to echo off the walls of the open garage he was standing in.

"Throw any more like that and we'll have nothing to give the Saviours on Friday," came Michonne's voice from behind him.

Rick gave a sigh of frustration, scowling.

Their tribute this month unfortunately was a small one, and on top of that, with winter coming the Alexandrians were growing more and more desperate for supplies for themselves. So giving away more than half every month to the Saviours was becoming nigh on impossible.

"We can't keep doing this," said Rick in a hoarse voice. "Bowing down to Negan and the Saviours."

Michonne placed down her box quietly, before standing up straight once more and eyeing Rick.

"What are you suggesting we do?" she asked quietly.

Rick gave a shrug at this. "After this pick up, we send more people out to look for guns-"

"We don't have the resources-" began Michonne, but Rick cut across her.

"You know our people, Michonne," he said in a serious voice. "All of them would rather fight than starve."

Michonne contemplated Rick's words for a moment.

"Carl thinks there's another way. He's not going to be happy about us going out and finding more guns to piss off the Saviours…" the dreadlocked woman murmured.

But Rick gave a shake of his head.

"Well when we have the guns and the ammo, we won't just be going there to piss them off," he said, his brown eyes sparkling as he spoke. "We'll be going there to kill them. All of them. An' Carl can say what he likes, but I know how this story's supposed to end. And that's not with the Saviours in charge. Not anymore."