Claude opened his eyes to Sadie's head laying on his left arm. He chose not to wake her up and carefully exited the bed. 'Let her sleep.'
He looked around the house and walked into an average size kitchen. On a counter was a bowl of rotten fruit.
The cupboards were searched and inside were two packages of seeds. Claude looked closer at the labels. One was for carrots and the other for potatoes.
He set them aside and found seven cans in the back of the cupboards. He took each of them out and read their components. 'Four beef, one chicken, and two vegetables of some kind.'
He continued searching and opened a fridge. The scent was unbareable and was instantly slammed shut. "In order for one to learn, one must take risks." Claude huffed and opened the other cabinets.
There were four bottles of water and a pile of crumbs. He quickly took each bottle and placed them in the pile.
He scratched his head, sorting the finds by experation dates. "Perfect. We will wait until she wakes up."
Sadie sighed as Claude lay back down with her.
"Good morning." She stretched her arms and snuggled back under the blankets. "How is your head?" He sat next to her. "It hurts a little."
Frollo placed his right hand on her stomach. "How did you sleep?" "Your hand is so cold!" Sadie shivered. "I slept okay." She then pulled her bag onto the bed.
"I am glad to hear that." He watched her dump everything onto the mattress. "I honestly forgot what was in here." "I see. I have managed to find more in the kitchen. But keep in mind that you are most certainly not a pack mule."
She smiled and placed the old cans in a seperate pile. "I know. Actually,.." Sadie took them back. "..let's keep these to distract walkers. They'll eat anything. But we need to pay attention to the expiration dates."
He nodded. "Clever. However, all of them together will be extremely heavy." "How many did you find?" She scratched her head.
"Seven." "Wow! Okay then. Forget my ridiculous plan." She shoved them away and gathered all the small pieces from her bag. The old coins, thread, needles, plastic bags, bungie cord and rope were separated from the ammunition, arrows, and gloves.
Her puzzle books were left in the largest compartment. Sadie then stood up to get the cans that Claude had found.
"No no. I got it." "Oh. Awesome. Thank you." She placed the old bows on the ground and sorted the two piles into two separate compartments.
"Wow!" Sadie lifted her head as he walked back in. "I'm impressed. Certainly saved myself time by not climbing on the counters." He hummed.
"Let's see. We'll take the seeds, two cans of beef, the one can of chicken, one can of vegetables, and two bottles of water. It's not our responsibility to supply for people. It is survival of the fittest now."
He quickly nodded. "I agree completely. I assumed that would be too much." "Remember that I'm small. I don't need a lot of fuel to run. But uh..why did you bring this?" She took out his judicial robe.
"Can a man not have sentimental feelings?" Frollo took it from her. She shrugged and placed the seeds, cans, and water bottles in her bag as well. "Perfect!" She sighed and lay back down.
Frollo folded his robe and lay next to her. "I want you to inform me if the supplies becomes too heavy." "Are you sure?" "Positive. Your spine is only so short." She rolled her eyes then smirked. "Thanks."
He hovered on top of her. "What?" She softly smiled, baring her teeth. "Nothing." He placed a hand on her forehead. "Are you sure?" Claude huffed, wanting to see her naked. "Yes. I'm sure."
She shrugged. "Shall we get going then?" Claude stood up. "Alright. Whenever you are ready."
Sadie put on her hoodie, shoes, and baseball cap. She held her breath and placed her gun in her bag. Frollo helped fasten it onto her back. A bow was picked up off of the ground and she sighed, handing a spear to him.
'I want to do something special for her.' Frollo took the weapon from her. "Thank you." He folded up his robe as well as the rest of their clothes.
She took the other spear and walked down the stairs. Sadie opened the door for him with a light smile. Claude glanced at her and walked out. Sadie shrugged and followed him.
"Are you cold?" "No. I am not." He opened the car door and motioned her to get in. The girl sighed and continued to keep her mouth shut. He placed the clothes in the back seat. As Frollo sat in the seat next to her, he started the car.
Sadie placed her belongings on the floor and buckled her seatbelt. 'Don't say anything. If he is trying to avoid you, keep your mouth shut.'
"Sandra?" "Yes?" "I need you to understand something." "Okay." She shrugged. "What?"
"If I am not converting with you, do not provoke an argument. Is that understood?" She quickly nodded. "Yes sir." "Thank you."
With his eyes focused on the road, he resumed his thoughts of what he wanted to do for her. 'Something specific. What does she like?'
Sadie looked out the passanger window as the sun disappeared behind a large cloud. "There's a rest stop two miles from here." She spoke up as she saw a sign on the right side of the road.
"And?" He blinked. "We just left not even fifteen minutes ago."
Sadie shrugged.
"But if you are interested, I suppose we can pull over."
She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Sadie.." Claude warned her with a scowl.
"Sorry." The girl sat up straight in her seat.
He turned on the radio and Sadie couldn't help but shift her body to the rhythm. Claude turned to her for a minute and couldn't help but smile inside. "What are you doing?"
"It's catchy." She fixed her hat and continued to drum her fingers on her knee, not even ashamed that the lyrics were explicit.
Claude quickly changed the station and Sadie shrugged, not making a scene. 'It's not all about you.'
"Are you feeling alright?" "Yeah. I am." She turned to him. "Why? "Are you sure? I can tell that something is bothering you. You are being rather jittery."
She let her right hand fall down her face. "Uncomfortable flashbacks of my father. I'm fine."
"No no. Do not dismiss the matter." He parked the car in the rest stop parking lot and unbuckled his seatbelt. Claude motioned Sadie to sit on his lap. She did so and rested her head on his chest.
"We aren't living in the past anymore." He removed her hat and placed a hand on her head. "You are only with myself now." Claude ran his fingers through her hair.
Sadie sniffled. "It still hurts though." "I know. My father was just the same." "It would have been quite entertaining to see the both of them argue." She smiled. "Yes it would have. Come on." He stepped out of the car after she did and grabbed his spear.
Sadie put her hat back on and took her bag out of the other seat. After taking her bow, she caught up with him. "I'll bring a bowl of popcorn, few bottles of water, and binoculars. It'll be great!"
Claude reluctantly put an arm around her as they entered. The building was full of decaying paint on the walls, knocked over chairs, and plastic utensils scattered across the floor.
"Wow." She whispered. "So sureal. Hey!" The girl noticed a souvenir shop and ran into it. Frollo rolled his eyes and followed her. 'From her brief descriptions, her father was a narcissist as well.'
Two zombies looked up from an opened bag of potato chips and stumbled over to her. Sadie shot an arrow into one of the creature's head while Claude stabbed the other one.
Sadie retrived her arrow and wiped it off with an old newspaper. She looked around at the various magazines, postcards, knick knacks, and old stuffed animals.
Frollo scanned a display of hooks on the wall with keychains of both male and female names. He squinted his eyes, not only because he expected not to find his name, but because all of the ones with her name were taken. He sighed.
Sadie picked up a pen off the service desk and took a postcard with a picture of the Effiel Tower. She blinked before writing 'I love you' and drawing a small heart on the back of it.
She folded it in half and handed it to him before looking at the arrangement of snowglobes. Claude opened it and lightly smiled. He placed it in his back pocket and walked out. Sadie quietly followed.
"Well that was a waste of time. I apologize." "It is not mandatory to apologize for every mistake Sadie. That is what makes us human." He led her outside.
"Isn't it pretty out?" Sadie sat on the curb.
It was cold and there was a light breeze. The sun stood still behind the clouds. "You are fond of this weather?" He rose an eyebrow.
"Quite." She nodded and shut her eyes, letting the wind blow through her hair.
Claude looked at her and went to start the car again. Sadie stood up and followed him. She opened the car door and placed her bag on the floor.
"Oh. I forgot a map." She ran back inside to a pile of them on a stand. Sadie lightly screamed as a zombie emerged from behind one of the pillars and she ran out.
"I hope this is accurate." She softly panted. "May I see?" Claude held out a hand. "Sure." She handed it to him and lay her head back.
His right pointer finger moved across the map as he silently became familiar with it. 'The Sanctuary was probably somewhere around here, the other communities were spread out somewhere in this circle, and we are right..on the edge of the city of Alexandria. Okay.'
He backed up the car and continued down the road.
With his thoughts now clear, he pat Sadie on the head. "Accurate enough." "Cool. No real destination?"
He stopped the vehicle. "Sadie." He held her shoulders. "You need to stop worrying so much. I will figure it out." She held her breath. "Okay?"
Sadie blinked and stepped out of the door to move to the back seat. She started to take off her hoodie to use it as a pillow but stopped. 'Shit! That was close. I forgot I was half naked.' Claude turned to face her.
She blushed then smiled. He rolled his eyes and continued to drive. Sadie folded her arms, bored that Claude wanted the car dead silent.
Her puzzle book was taken out of her bag and she began a hard difficulty puzzle. 'At least I can concentrate now.'
Frollo glanced at her from the overhead mirror and smirked before turning on the radio again. The station was changed to soft rock. Sadie suspiciously blinked but continued to work on her puzzle.
The girl lifted her head an hour later at a neighborhood inhabited by hundreds of zombies. "We aren't stopping here are we?"
He slowly exhaled. "I am afraid that we don't have a choice. The gas tank is empty."
Sadie quickly put away her book and grabbed her spear. She slipped on her backpack. "No problem. I got this."
"Sadie." Claude placed a hand on her left shoulder. "Stay behind me. I can't let anything happen to.." He huffed.
"I understand. Let's go." She quietly opened the car door and gulped. "I hope they don't smell my blood." "They won't. You are very well bandaged." He led her through the area and accidentally tripped on a deceased body. Ten zombies lifted their heads and trudged toward them.
"I could have done without that." He knelt on the pavement. "Can you get up?" Sadie rushed out. Before he could answer, she turned around and sliced the heads off of three of them.
Sadie held out a hand to help him stand up. Claude grasped it and let out a groan. "Thank you."
She dislocated four other bodies and heavily panted. Claude mananged to slay the last three.
"Well this is bad timing." "What do you mean?" She asked, looking around for a possible medical facility. "I may be able to walk far."
Sadie glared at him. "You what?" She nearly shouted then calmly sighed. "I mean..let's find shelter then."
Frollo quietly followed her while using his spear as a walking stick.
Sadie held her breath and opened one of the house doors. There wasn't anybody else inside and she locked the door.
"Why don't you lay down and I will investigate?" Frollo took her by the arm. "Be careful."
She nodded as he sat on a grey sofa. Sadie held her breath and climbed a flight of stairs.
A young woman's scream was heard in one of the rooms and Sadie ran down the hallway. She killed the creature that was cornering her and huffed. "That nearly restarted my heart." She placed a hand on her chest.
"I'm sorry."
"No no. I'm sorry I trespassed. I thought this house was empty."
"Oh. Well this house isn't mine. I needed shelter."
"Everyone needs that in a time like this." Sadie knelt down. "Are you alone?"
"N..Yes. I am alone."
"What a minute. You almost said no."
"I..can't say." She looked away.
"Your words are safe with me then. I promise." Sadie held out a hand.
"My..name is Sherry. I.."
Sadie shook her head. "Wait a minute. Did you have a partner named Dwight?"
Sherry suspiciously narrowed her eyes. "Yes. I did. How did you know that?"
"And you came across a refugee called the Sanctuary?"
"Yes! Do you know where he is?"
Sadie nodded. "I just snuck out of there not even twenty four hours ago. I couldn't take Negan anymore."
"I couldn't either. That's why for my sake, I left too. Why did you?"
"This." She pointed to her bandage.
Sherry gasped. "He did that to you?"
"Yep. I could tell you the whole story but I don't want to bore you." "Oh you won't. Wait. You are alone correct?"
Sadie shook her head. "I'm not. My partner is downstairs on the sofa. He tripped over a corpse."
"Oh." She blushed and stood up.
"He's a little arrogant and self absorbed but he's still human." Sadie smiled.
Sherry smiled as well. "What's your name?" "I'm Sandra. But do call me Sadie." "Okay. Sadie."
They walked down the stairs. "I thought he was a considerate person at first but he really wasn't." "Yeah. The only thing Negan had going for him was that smoothe-talking voice." "That really is true." Sherry nodded in agreement.
Claude looked up and reached for his spear. "Sadie. Why are you communicating with this stranger?" She walked over to him. "She's not a stranger Claude. She fled from the Sanctuary as well."
He rose an eyebrow at her. "Really?" Sherry backed up the stairs. "Yes..sir." She huffed and motioned Sadie towards her. The girl hurried up the stairs. "Yeah?"
"His voice is so intimidating! I thought he was your father." Sadie blinked. "I do consider him a father figure to say the least. But nope. I guess you can say boyfriend but that term is used very loosely."
Sherry nodded. "You didn't have a father?" "No I did. He was just emotionally unavailable. I'd rather not talk about it." "That's fine." Sherry nodded. "So how do I talk to him?" "It's rather complex." She admitted with a smirk. "Watch me." Sadie led her down the stairs.
"She came from the Sanctuary as well you say?" "Yes. She did. This is Sherry. Dwight had mentioned to me that she left for a similar reason that I left Negan."
"Sherry." He looked at her then back to Sadie. "Well unless Dwight has managed to follow in our footsteps to leave as well, you may stay with us."
"She was here first." Sadie corrected, aggravating Claude.
"Would you like something to eat?" "Please." Sherry smiled. "I only brought one portion of food with me."
"Gypsy." Claude accused her with a straight face.
"What did he say?" "I'll explain later." Sadie glanced at his torn pant leg, noticing dark spots of red. "I'll stitch it up after making dinner."
"Pardon?" He scratched his forehead. "I meant the pants, nitwit." "What did you just call me?" Claude glared at her. "I said nitwit. It's rather clean language in my book." Frollo huffed and lay his head back.
"I know how to sew." Sherry spoke up. "Would you like me too?" "That would be great." Sadie unzipped her bag. "Thank you. Oh. You don't suppose that there is any medical supplies here do you?" "Hm. I can't say that I do. This town is rather deserted."
Sadie shrugged and took a can out of her bag. "Alright. Claude. Sherry's going to stitch your leg while I prepare dinner."
"And I should trust her why?" Sadie huffed. "Stop being so bitter! She's friendly and is doing you a favor. Right Sherry?"
"Um..how long does it take to cook this meat?" She grabbed the can off of the floor.
Sadie closed her eyes. "Around thirty five minutes. Stir it regularly." She nodded and left to cook it.
"Must you be such an arrogant stick in the mud?" She set down the needle and thread from her backpack. "Yes. I must."
"You make me sick." She tossed a blue blanket at his head. "Now lay down. And I am not going to spoon feed you."
"Where are you going?" "To retrive our clothes before someone else does." She grabbed a spear and left outside without hearing his approval.
Sadie huffed and quietly walked up the street. She looked around and opened the trunk of the car. "Nothing in here really. Just loose change and currency." The girl took the pile in her arms but left the door open to avoid any unwanted attention.
Sadie walked back into the house and locked the door again. "Present." She smiled.
Claude had removed his shoes and pants. He had covered himself with the blanket and turned his head.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to plague your robe again." She smirked and set the pile on the couch across from him.
He scowled. "You are not even remotely funny." He watched her begin to sew. Knowing he was in his underwear, Sadie blinked as she noticed he was becoming aroused.
"You know, for a self proclaimed man of righteousness, that's not how you should display it."
Claude was this close to choking her until she passed out. "Mock me if you will, but tonight should resolve the matter."
"No." Sadie dismissed his statement and began stitching. "Yes." "No Claude. Not when Sherry's in the house."
"I don't mind." She stood in the doorway. "I've had enough sex."
"Y..you're pregnant?" Sadie widened her eyes. "No no. I meant that Negan wanted it constantly even if I was bored with it."
"That's not how he treated me! I mean he treated me like an object but not that way." "How did he treat you?" Sherry continued to cook.
"Has Negan ever told you about his first wife? Before the apocalypse?"
Sherry's jaw dropped. "No he did not! He never told me anything about her."
"Hm." Sadie then quietly cursed as she pricked herself with the sewing needle. "It's not gossiping if we came from the same place. Anyway. He said that his first wife was named Lucille. But she died just as the apocalypse broke out."
"So that's why he named that bat Lucille! To avenge her kind of." Sherry fluttered her eyes. "How did she die?" "It was cancer. That really struck a nerve with me. Considering I lived."
Claude widened his eyes. "You never told me that Sandra!"
"Wow! So that's why he treated you differently! That's crazy!"
"Yeah. But he was super protective. Even if I spoke to another guy he would flip. Like him." Sadie pointed to Claude with her thumb. "But uh. I don't know if I should tell you who got me into this little mishap."
"No no! I want to know!" Sherry grinned. "I love the idea of getting revenge on Negan." She turned off the stove and separated the chicken onto three plates.
"Okay. Hold your breath for this. Claude was feed up with me not being only his. So.."
Frollo growled at her.
"..I hid in one of the cells where Daryl used to be held to cry. One of the Saviors found me and tried to cheer me up. We kissed." Her skin started to heat up.
"Who? Who was it?" She brought the three plates into the living room and placed them on a coffee table.
Sadie gulped and motioned her forward. She whispered in Sherry's ear that it was Simon.
"No!" She gasped. "Are you serious?" "Yep. One hundred percent." Sadie took a piece of chicken in her mouth.
"What?" Claude ate as well.
"It's girl talk. You wouldn't understand." She waved him off. "And I'm not going to lie, he's not a bad kisser."
"Woah woah! Oh! You like his right hand man! Oh my god. That's weird."
"Oh come on. It was totally worth it!"
"Sadie!"
She huffed. "Yes master?" Sadie drawled.
"You didn't tell me that!" "I didn't have too. You wished to never speak to me again anyway. But, alas, here we are and now you know."
Sherry awkwardly looked around the room as they were bickering at each other.
"Thanks for making dinner Sherry." "Oh you're welcome Sadie. Thank you for defending me from that walker."
Sadie finished her plate and stacked it on top of hers. She picked up her needle and thread. Sherry took the three plates to the kitchen and Claude lay back down on the couch.
"Sadie. I'm fine. That's not necessary. It's only minor." She shrugged and handed him his pants. "Can I at least clean it?" "Fine."
Sadie left to the kitchen to wet a paper towel and knelt down.
Claude tightened his eyes as the wound stung. He then put on his pants and folded the blanket.
"Suit yourself. Now I believe that there were two bedrooms in here when I went upstairs."
"There are." Sherry came back. "Across the halls from each other. It is getting rather late."
"Great. Thanks." Sadie helped Claude stand up and assisted him up the stairs. "Do you usually lock the front door Sherry? I locked it when I arrived."
"I do. If that's okay." "No that's fine." Sadie nodded. "Good night." "Good night Sadie."
She walked into an empty bedroom and took off her shoes. Claude watched Sadie undo her hoodie zipper with a lustful look in his eye. He quickly secured her arms behind her back.
Sadie groaned. "I'm getting impatient my dear." He unhooked her bra and scaled her back with his fingers.
She shivered and sucked in her stomach. "Claude please." "I'm glad you see the same way." He let go of her and removed his own shirt and pants.
Sadie scowled and reclipped her bra. "If I let you do this, will you please give Sherry a chance?"
"I allowed her to live didn't I?" He lay on the bed. Sadie let her shorts fall to the ground and she shook her head, making her hat fall off. "You're sick Frollo."
"Indeed." He hovered on top of her and removed his underwear under the blankets. Sadie lay her head down and nervously looked at him.
He blinked. "Sadie? Are you alright? Do you not want to?"
"No no. I do. I just haven't in so long." "If you want me to stop, I will."
Sadie slowly removed her underwear. "Okay." She spread her legs. "Alright."
He kissed her on the lips and then her neck. Sadie closed her eyes and ran her fingers through his gray hair. His teeth softly bit her neck as he slowly inserted himself inside of her.
"Ugh." Sadie panted and clenched her teeth. Claude groaned as her walls tightened around him. "Shh.." He whispered as he began to thrust.
"Please don't Claude." She opened her eyes. He rose an eyebrow then stopped. "What's wrong Sadie? You were fine the last time we did this."
"I'm just tense." She looked up at him. "Don't be Sadie." He rubbed her forehead, roughly thrusting by accident.
Sadie tightened her eyes. "I didn't mean that." She nodded. "Can we just lay together? Fall asleep and wake up to the morning sun?" The girl blinked.
"If you allow me to have what I want Sadie, then we can do that." Claude adamantly said. Sadie gulped and stared at the ceiling. "Fair enough."
Sadie calmly breathed as Claude thrusted deep inside her. 'Ow. This is so uncomfortable.'
He groaned and did so faster before leaving her body. 'Sadie wouldn't survive being pregnant at this point in time.'
Sadie opened her eyes to Claude's smile and they softly kissed. He fixed both of their underwear and opened his right arm. She smiled and lay against his shirtless body. Claude kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Frollo rose an eyebrow, feeling her stomach. "Have you lost weight?" He murmured. "Or gained?"
She shrugged. "I don't think so. Do you want me to?" Sadie turned to face him.
"No no! Heavens no. It's just been so long since it was just you and I. I apologize for bringing that up." "It's okay." She snuggled closer to him.
"I should have never asked that." "Why?" "A man should never question a woman's weight." Sadie looked up at him. "I'm not that sensitive Claude." She placed a hand on his bare chest. "It was only a question."
"Alright." He looked into her eyes and they softly kissed. "Where were you twenty years ago?" Frollo murmured and kissed her again.
"Well I was still in France. Just a different city. Besides, if I was in Paris, that would distract you from your work. And mantaining the law is much more important than falling in love with someone like me."
"That didn't stop myself with Esmeralda now did it?"
Sadie shrugged and lay on her back. "Good point."
Claude let his fingers roam up and down her body. "Good night Claude." Sadie huffed. "Good night my dear." He closed his eyes, still allowing his fingertips to wander.