Sadie's POV

As I prepped my coffee to take with me in one of those travel type mugs, I'd found in one of the cupboards, I jotted out a note for Gareth just in case he by chance got up before I was back. Doubtful, though, the way he's been sleeping lately.

"Out for a walk and a couple smokes, didn't wanna wake you.

I'll probably be back by the time you see this, coffee's on me when I am….

Not literally, in case I have to specify after yesterday's incident.

Sadie (who the fuck else?)"

I snickered a little to myself at my own remarks about Gareth's little coffee incident as I grabbed my coffee and slung my crossbow over my shoulder to head out the front door.

I shuddered, briefly, to myself as the godforsaken clang of that massive front gate rang through the air as it was shut behind me.

I tried to shake it off as I lit up my cigarette and trudged through the woods in an attempt to clear my mind a little.

"It's oookay, Sadie. You're fine."

The immediate vicinity just outside the gates seemed peaceful enough, couple dead ones could be vaguely seen at a far enough distance that I wasn't worried about them being a problem quite yet, but otherwise quiet enough.

I suppose I spoke, or rather thought, just a little too soon about the quietness of it all though.

As I continued on my way, my previous train of thought was interrupted by the nearby snapping of some twigs under someone's…...or something's foot.

I took one last drag off my cigarette before quickly stomping it out and raising my crossbow at the nearby intruder.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" I commanded firmly.

I watched curiously, letting my guard down only slightly, as a kid who looked vaguely familiar to me stepped cautiously away from the tree he'd been behind.

His gun still raised in front of him and aimed at me, I could see the wheels turning in his head as some pieces seemed to fall into place and his focus on me turned to a glare.

"YOU….." he practically growled at me.

I chuckled to myself as I lowered my crossbow, slinging it back over my shoulder as I put my hands up in front of me.

"Alright, easy there, Cotton-Eye Joe…." I remarked, noting the bandage that was covering his right eye. "Just take a step back, alright? I don't even know you."

"Well, I know you well enough." He held his glare at me, glancing briefly down to the red handled machete that was secured to my belt.

The same damn one I took just two years prior to hack up that bastard, Rick, before he could do it to Gareth.

"Aaaaaand there it is…"

Suddenly it clicked in me who this kid was and why he was glaring at me, as if I'd just taken the biggest shit in his cheerios.

"Oohhh…" I chuckled, raising my eyebrows at him and then shaking my head to myself. "...Shit kid, I'm sorry. I didn't recognize ya with this whole eye thing ya got goin on."

I gestured vaguely toward that half of his face at that last part. He remained unamused.

"Geez, tough crowd." I snickered, about to take another cigarette out of my pocket as he abruptly aimed his gun slightly closer to me.

"STAND BACK!" He commanded. "...this is your last warning!"

I couldn't help but laugh as I slid my pack of cigarettes back into my pocket and put my hands back out in front of me.

"Jesus kid, you really are your father's son, aren't ya?" I snickered, watching as he held his glare to me. "...Look kid, I don't have any beef with you alright- "

"That's an interesting choice of words." He interrupted.

I chuckled at the implication. "Technically speaking, kid, beef is generally cow, not…..well, your friend. And anyway, we don't do that shit anymore…..although, I could go for a nice Chianti right about now."

He appeared slightly confused by the reference, though continued to hold up this tough little facade he had goin on.

I snickered at the thought. "...what? Your dad never showed you Silence of the Lambs?"

He still remained unamused.

I shook my head, chuckling again to myself, as I reached for the machete on my hip. "Alright, tell you what, kid….." I held it up as I offered it to him. "If you're so tough, why don't you at least do it right?"

He tilted his head, as if he were slightly curious now.

"Your dad threatened to hack up my husband, I hacked him up instead. Eye for an eye, ya know? ….aaand in doing so, I hacked up someone that you obviously care about, so here." I gestured again for him to take it as I got down on my knees. "...now's your chance to return the favor."

I shot him a smirk as he looked it over, clearly noting the bloodstain that remained from that night, as he lowered his gun but didn't accept it.

"...Keep it." He scoffed.

I shrugged, securing it back in place as I stood back on my feet. "Your loss then."

"...and what the hell are you even doing here anyway?!" He demanded.

"Well, I could ask you the same thing." I chuckled, glancing around the woods. "...this ain't exactly a small town."

"None of your concern."

"Fair enough." I shrugged. "...then it's none of yours either. Quid pro quo, my friend." I shot him a smirk as I lit up another cigarette and turned to leave, before he could say anything else. "...see you around then, I guess."

As I was returning the handgun I'd taken with me to Olivia, back at the armory, the loud and simultaneous revving of trucks and motorcycles could be heard pulling up to the front gate.

What the fuck?

"...They're early…" She uttered, suspiciously nervously, before I could say anything.

"Who's they?" I asked, barely glancing away from the direction of the noise.

She just looked back at me, still concerned, as if I should've known.

I gripped the strap of my crossbow, ready to aim it if need be, as I started for that direction. "You know what? Don't answer that."

As I approached closer to the gate, so did the dark silhouette of a man who was wielding a…..baseball bat? Am I seeing this right?

"Shit…" The guy, I just realized was standing next to me, muttered. Spencer, I think his name was.

I looked back to him, trying to make some sense of it.

Unlike Olivia's, just moments ago in the armory, his tone was one of more annoyance than concern.

Suddenly we were interrupted by the loud clanging of this stranger's bat as he hit it, near rhythmically, against the gate's bars.

"Dun dun dun duunnnn!" He hummed, clearly taking a little too much amusement from whatever he was planning. "Little piiiig, little piiig! Let me in!"

I scoffed, putting my hand up to Spencer and walking intentionally ahead of him, to find out just who exactly this guy thought he was. "I've got this..'

I slid the cover away from the bars, so that I could get a good enough look at this guy and whoever else he'd dragged along with him, before I let him in…..if I were to allow him the privilege, anyway.

The look on his face, when he saw who opened it, was of curiosity and amusement.

"Alright, alright!" I snickered. "Calm your shits, Jack Torrance. I don't believe we've even met."

He laughed heartily at the reference, looking me over. "We most certainly have not!" He gave another chuckle. "What's your name, Sweetie?"

"Ohhh hohhh…" I chuckled back, as I shot him a look. "You know, I also don't believe I remember telling you you could call me Sweetie….Sweetie. I smirked as I held my glare at him. "...It's Sadie…...got that?"

"Yes, Ma'am." He chuckled. "You gonna let me in now?" His tone was as if this was more an expectation than an actual request.

"Not before you tell me yours, sweetie." I answered, just as condescendingly, with a smirk.

"Sadie, just let him i- " Spencer started to interject from behind.

"AH!" I turned to raise a finger to him as I cut him off. "Was I talking to you?"

"Sadie-"

He finally gave up and was quiet after the next glare I shot him.

I redirected my attention, with that same smirk, back to the man, as I shot him another look.

The pure amusement never left his face, as it instead it evolved into an even more amused grin.

"Negan." He finally answered, lifting up his bat, and gesturing to it with his other hand as if it too needing some introduction. "Lucille."

"Great, so you're one of those guys too." I scoffed, moving to finally open the gate, as promised. "...this'll be fuuuunn."

"Indeed it will." He chuckled, stepping forward once it was open.

His crew, who'd been exchanging looks with one another, followed closely behind him.

I nodded. "You gonna tell me what you're here for?"

"Ohhh ho hooooo!" He chuckled loudly. "Ohh, you'd better be joking."

"We have a deal with them, Sadie. We- "

"AH!" I cut Spencer off again. "He's a big boy. He can answer, himself."

I turned back to Negan, shooting him a look for him to continue.

"Well, go on…"

He nodded toward Spencer's direction. "What he said."

I nodded, letting it slide this time. "What kind of deal?"

He smirked back at me. "Half your shit…" He turned his bat around, holding it out to reveal what appeared to be a dried bloodstain covering the top quarter of it. ...and none of your little friends here have to be next…...got it."

"Enticing…" I turned to look back at Spencer. "...is this guy for real?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you." He shrugged.

"Interesting." I muttered to myself, turning back to Negan. "Well, if what he's saying is true, suppose I'll humor you….for now. After all, a deal is a deal."

"Goodie!" He replied a little too giddily. "Alright then, everybody! Let's get started! Big day!"

I rolled my eyes, skimming over the crew that stood just behind him, til I noticed what appeared to be a familiar face in the crowd.

It wasn't til he noticed me too and shot me a glare that I noticed, beyond the ratty old sack he seemed to be wearing with a big red "A" on the front of it, that I recognized him to be the archer. The very same one from that group that kid had been from.

Jesus, how many of them were here? I thought to myself, scoffing aloud, as I looked back at him. And what is this, some Scarlet Letter type shit?

Negan seemed to have been observing the exchange, as he chuckled. "Friend of yours?"

"No." I answered with a little snicker. "He doesn't really like me, actually."

"Good." He chuckled. "...makes this easier for me."

"And how's that?"

"Because today…" He boasted. "Today, Daryl here is the help. You don't look at him, you don't talk to him, and I don't make any one of your fine people chop anything off of him. Got it?"

"Right I'll let ya know when I care about who you think I'm allowed to talk to." I scoffed.

"...Anyway.." He chuckled, not seeming to take that last remark seriously. ...Let's get this show on the road! See what kind of goodies you have in the cupboard."

"We set aside half the supplies- " Spencer started to say

"NO!" Negan cut him off firmly, glancing back to me. "...the hell's his name again?"

"Spencer, I think it was." I sort of snickered to myself, like a kid who was about to watch someone get in trouble.

"Spencer!" He sneered. "That is not how this works."

He remained silent, in place, as Negan approached him.

"I decide what we take!" He stated firmly. "Not you- "

This time it was my turn to cut off Negan.

"Ohh, the FUCK you do!" I boasted, just as proudly.

That triggered him to spin around and shoot me such a glare that….ooohh boy….

If looks could kill… I thought smugly to myself.

"I beg your pardon?!" He demanded.

"YOU HEARD ME." Something in him must've finally registered in him that I wasn't fucking around, because he finally took a step back. Though, he attempted to hold up his tough little facade, as if he were merely humoring me.

"Like I said before, a deal's a deal." I continued. "Correct?"

"That's right."

I nodded. "Well, it looks to me, your little deal was made under the understanding, at least on their part, that they had a say in what they let you take. Correct?"

He just stood, staring back at me silently.

"That was a rhetorical question, of course they did." I scoffed. "...and uh..ha ha, you're not the kind of coward to go back on your word…..are ya?"

"...No Ma'am, I am not." He answered hesitantly.

"Goodie." I sneered, mocking his earlier boast.

He nodded back before directing his attention to a woman, who'd been standing amongst his men.

"Arat!" He called out abruptly to her.

The woman stepped forward, glancing around to the men surrounding her. "You heard the man….MOVE OUT!"

The men all began to quickly spread out, making their way down the street.

I shot her a little smirk, chuckling to myself, as I turned back to Negan.

"I like her." I shot him a similar smirk. "...you ought to put her in charge."

He chuckled at that. "Ohh, you'd like that, wouldn't ya?"

"Immensely." I affirmed.

He nodded, taking a quick look around. "You gonna show me around, while they look through the houses, or what?"

"Do I look like your fuckin tour guide to you?" I tilted my head slightly as I shot him another glare. "...thought so. Anyway, normally I'd say you can show your own damn self around, but you know what? I also don't really trust you to, you know?"

No response.

"Rhetorical question again." I sighed. "Anyway, I'll tell you what? I'll FOLLOW you, just to make sure you stay in line with what these good people agreed upon with you….cool?"

I tilted my head, a little more condescending-like.

Shockingly, he just nodded.

"Awesome." I smirked, eyeing his clearly precious Lucille, as I snatched it from him and held it over. My own shoulder. "...I'll take this."

He looked as if he were about to say something but opted not to when I shot him another glare.

"We gonna do this or not?!"

He jumped at that, as if another woman had never dared speak to him in such a manner. "...yes, Ma'am."

I nodded, to him and then towards the direction we'd be heading. "I'll tell you where to go."

He nodded, walking just ahead of me as we started off.