Simon holds her head in his hands, body shielding her frame from view, as if to hide the indecency Negan slapped on her.

Audrey grips his hands, trying to pry his fingers from her hair, "Simon, I'm fine."

The corridor is empty apart from the pair. The meeting is over and everybody has been let go. Audrey feels her heart sink when she thinks back to the point when all her instincts were telling her to jump in front of Simon and protect him. She was sure that Negan was going to hurt him.

But he didn't. Instead, he grinned and waved Lucille around, after which he dismissed all the Saviours in the room.

She thinks that this is the best thing that could have happened. But Simon seems to be angrier that Negan did nothing.

She looks up at him, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Why did you come?" he asks, hands on her shoulders.

Audrey is at a loss for words.

"Why?!" he yells, making her jump.

"I didn't… I didn't know he was- "

"You're saying he forced you to fucking show up and wear this?" he gestures to her dress, making her look down at the skirt.

Simon takes a step back and runs his fingers over his moustache, taking a much-needed deep breath.

Audrey leans against the wall, ashamed of herself. Is this her fault? Negan didn't force her to do anything. No, technically, he didn't. It was her choice. She put on this dress and sat on her boss' lap in front of Simon. She had a choice.

And she made it.

Her heart sinks further into her stomach as she thinks back at when this 'relationship' started. It was going so well. And then it was ruined by her mistakes.

"No, sweetheart, don't cry," Simon sighs, pulling her into a hug. She presses her face into his shoulder, looking over at the empty hallway.

She has no place to question him after her actions, but it comes out anyway, "What was Negan talking about?"

"When?" he rubs her back.

"When he said something about a community. And how you killed them."

She shuts her eyes; afraid he might get mad again. However, he just kisses the side of her head, continuing the circling of his hand on her bare back.

"I did what I had to do," he breathes.

"I don't understand."

"You will. Eventually."

Audrey pulls back, wiping her wet cheeks. He watches her, guilty for making her feel like this. It was all Negan. That manipulative snake. He shouldn't be blaming her.

She shakes her head in disbelief, wrapping her arms around her waist, "I need to get changed."

Simon chews on his cheek, watching her, "I'll walk you to your room."

"No," she shakes her head, "I'll see you later."

As the days went by, the pair started talking less and less. It appears to Simon that whatever Negan tried to do worked. Did he want to poison Audrey against him? Was that the plan all along? It brings him to wonder why… and he can pick out plenty of reasons.

Negan found out about Jadis and her people, and it's obvious that being a prick and doing what he did was his ultimate revenge.

He should have approached him. Hell, he should have bashed Simon's brains in. That would be fair. Audrey has nothing to do with the messes he makes. And he should leave her out of it.

She received her triple points soon enough, but she cannot bring herself to spend them. This is dirty money. It only reminds her of what she has done to Simon.

Both are in the wrong, she thinks. They are not perfect.

At the end of the day, this issue was born in between Negan and Simon. She should not be interfering with their fallouts. And she won't. That is why she has broken ties with Simon.

She almost drops her plate when he walks into her kitchen late at night, looking determined and dangerous.

She wonders if he came to grab his late-night meal.

"Erm… I'll warm it up," she reaches for a plate.

"No," he raises his hand to stop her, "I'm not here for that."

Audrey licks her lips and unties the apron from around her neck. She tosses it onto a chair and walks up to him, leaning against a table. He does not take his eyes off her. He looks out of breath. He normally brushes what is left of his hair back, but right now it is sticking up from all angles.

She steps away cautiously, at the same time wanting to wrap her arms around his neck.

"What is it?"

Simon looks down at the floor before pitching the bridge of his nose, "I don't know."

Audrey tilts her head, "You don't know?"

He smirks slightly, taking a seat on a nearby chair. She watches him, wondering what is going on inside of his head.

"I missed you," he says simply. She smiles at him, feeling the familiar rush of heat on her neck. This happened the first time.

She stays quiet, watching him lift his head.

"I'm sorry I was an asshole before," his brown eyes glisten, "You did nothing wrong. And I snapped at the wrong person."

She brushes some hair behind her ear before taking a seat next to him. He watches, eager for her response.

"I'm sorry too," she nods, feeling the blame from before. She is by no means innocent.

He holds her gaze and their shoulders go down along with the tension. Simon jumps up and takes her hand.

"Come on, sweetheart," he grins, "Show me what you got for me tonight."

Just like every night for as long as she can remember, they eat at the table together. He digs into his meal without hesitation, starved from the stress inflicted by his boss. Audrey watches him, nibbling on her piece of bread. Have they talked since? Is the atmosphere clearer? Maybe she should ask.

"Have you talked to Negan since then?"

"Yes."

She raises her eyebrows in surprise, "Really? What did you say?"

Simon smiles softly, swallowing his mouthful, "Not much. We went through a plan concerning Rick. The Alexandria community," he clarifies.

Audrey nods slowly, hanging onto every word.

"I don't want to bore you with the details, sweetheart," he says, "There's a diversion attack, which will make them think that one place is safe, while in reality they'll be entering a warzone."

She knows what a diversion attack is. Did he have to clarify it?

"He wants to finish them, then?" It doesn't sit well with her, but her opinion is irrelevant.

"He does," he says, "But he won't."

"What do you mean?" she bites her lip, watching as he wipes his mouth with a napkin.

Simon thinks for a minute before speaking, "I have to kill him."