Sadie's POV

When we finally arrived at the Sanctuary, we were met with such praise

Praise that, while it had somehow become the norm since leading the winning battle against Negan, I was not now, nor did I ever see myself becoming used to it.

"Hey, that's Sadie!" Someone pointed out, from a distance. "Everyone, Sadie's here!"

"That's the lady that ended the war!" Another one shouted out, over the crowd, followed by cheers from said crowd.

"And Gareth!" I called back out. "Gareth's here too, he was just as much a part of it as I was."

Gareth, apparently amused by that, chuckled. "Yeah, but I wasn't the one who beat him with his own bat."

"And neither was I, I only passed the honor over to someone more deserving of it." I chuckled. "..now, will you shut up and accept the praise for once?"

"Mmm, never." He snickered.

"Yeah, well you know I wouldn't be here without you." I reminded him.

"Still pretty sure you got that backwards."

I snickered at that in amusement, as I gave him a quick kiss and we continued on our way through The Sanctuary.

—

—
As we did, another one of the men approached us with some concerns he had.

"You see our crops, Sadie?"

I nodded. "I did."

"Spring storms will be here in a few weeks, help us out. But we need a boost in the meantime.

"And you'll have it. I assured him. "We came back with farming supplies, heirloom seeds. We're all gonna pitch in, make sure The Sanctuary has what it needs, so that you all can get back on your feet."

God, as much I stand by Maggie's decision to spare and allow a much deserved life of peace to any and all of the Saviors who actually surrendered…..and I DO, I wasn't anymore used to the idea of helping them either.

Saying all that took EVERYtHING out of me.

I smiled politely, reassuringly, anyway.

"Bless you, Sadie." He said. "Thank you."

I nodded.

—

—

The next person to approach us was Daryl, who specifically wanted me, and was gesturing for me to come follow him, presumably to ask me about whatever it was Maggie was telling me he wanted.

Naturally, I agreed, and proceeded to follow him out of the crowd and up the stairs, to a more private area.

—

—

"Alright, you got my attention. What's eatin ya?" I wrinkled my nose, as if the place actually smelled and I wasn't just disgusted by the idea of it all, as I looked around. "I still don't see how you can stand it here.

He leaned up against one of the railings, resting his arms down on it and sighed, taking a glance down at the crowd below us before addressing me.

"...Well, that's just it. I don't think I can anymore." He admitted with a sigh. "And quite frankly, I just don't wanna be leading these people anymore."

"Alright…" I chuckled. For once, we're actually on the same page. "I can understand that."

He looked back at me, as if he expected to have to explain himself further, and shrugged. "It just doesn't feel right, you know? Being back here, behind these walls."

I nodded. "Daryl, I think you and I both know that, besides you, I of all people probably get that better than anyone….hell, I'd be getting stir crazy here, even if this place didn't bring back….." I sighed. "...well...what it brings back."

"Mmhmm…"

"You're like me in that respect. You do a hell of a lot better when you're out there than when you're anywhere, I can see that."

He just scoffed at the idea.

"What?"

He gave another scoff and shot me somewhat of a glare.

"Look, just cause you ended things, and we're all grateful that you did, don't mean that we're gonna be best buddies from here on out…..some of us haven't forgotten what else you did."

I returned the glare. "...I think you know what I actually meant. I just know a like minded person when I see one, even if that is the one, sole thing we have in common."

"Mmhmm…." He remained pretty damn unconvinced that I wasn't about to continue pleading my case or start begging him for forgiveness or some shit.

"Right…...anyway, I'll see to it that you get taken off duty, here. Just give me a few days' time to find someone who's up for replacing you."

He nodded. "Thanks."

I nodded back. "Don't mention it

It was already pretty late, by the time we finally got back to Alexandria.

Maybe it was because I had just had the conversation I'd had with Daryl, who would never speak to either of us if he had any say in the matter, that brought it to my mind when we eventually pulled up to the gate and Michonne, who had gotten there just a little while before us and thus was one of the only ones awake to do so, let us in, but I just couldn't help but wonder something to myself.

Why would SHE never give us the dirty looks that Daryl would give us for so much as even BLINKING in his direction, and even go as far as to greet us with the warm smile she normally did?

She, of everyone in that group, should hate us the most, me ESPECIALLY, after what I did.

Even with as much respect for the kid's vision for peace as she clearly had, she should at least carry it out a little more….begrudgingly, at the very least. Most of the others sure do, and for good reason. Hell, I would too. Wouldn't anyone?

I shook my head, as if that might help clear those thoughts from it.

Problems for another day.

—
We stopped by the armory to drop off what few guns we had taken out for the trip, only one for each of us, just before wrapping up the evening by picking up an already sound asleep Alex from Jessie's and tucking him in when we got back home.

After which, Gareth beat me to the bed, as he normally did, while I took my time getting undressed for the evening.

Just still mulling over some thoughts from earlier, with the additional alone time.

A smirk spread quickly across my face, as I opened the bedroom door to find Gareth laying there, shirtless and with the blanket laid almost perfectly beneath his bare chest.

I then decided to remove my own shirt, having already removed my bra, before crawling into bed and snuggling myself up against his bare chest.

A devious little smirk of his own spread across his face as he held me closer.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the famous Queen Sadie, herself."

"Jesus Christ, don't you start now." I couldn't help but snicker a little as I playfully smacked at his exposed chest.

"Well, the people at The Sanctuary sure think you are." He tried to defend with a chuckle.

"Case in point, they're fucking Saviors!" I reminded him with a chuckle. "They've had that Goddamned dictator running their lives for so long, they don't even know how else to act when they're graced with someone who's above them. It's quite sad, actually. I almost feel bad for them."

"Almost." He chuckled. "Does this almost extend to Alden?"

"God, fucking Alden." I sighed. "What does Tyra see in him?!"

He chuckled again, considerably more amused.

"Beats me, but you know, Alex always said the same thing about you. Hell, he's probably turning in his grave over us naming our kid after him, as we speak."

"I see, and how is this to Alden's credit?"

"Mmm...because if my brother was wrong about you, then maybe you're wrong about Alden." He snickered, as if this were a point to be proud of.

"Goddamn you!" I muttered, trying to stifle my own snickers. "You know I hate when you make good points."

"All I heard is that I make good points." He teased.

"You're an asshole, is what you are." I teased back.

"Yeah, but I'm your asshole, and you love it." He snickered just as proudly, kissing m forehead.

I shook my head, though snuggled even closer up to him, laying my arm across him now anyway. "Unfortunately." I sighed. "It's a real problem."

"Terrible, really. I should really be stopped." He chuckled.

"Don't tempt me, I still have that machete, you know." I teased. "Don't worry, I'll make it as quick and painless as I can."

"Oh, how thoughtful of you." He chuckled even more.

That got an even bigger laugh out of me.

"Alright, fiiine, suppose I'll put up with you a little longer."

"Oh, will you?"

"Maybe I will." I teased. "If you're lucky."

"Well, I do have…" He started putting up each of his fingers,as if he were using them to count. "...going on seventeen years of you putting up with me, I'd say I'm feeling pretty lucky."

"Oh, you would, would you?"

"Yeah, I do." He laughed, catching me off guard by lifting me up from my spot in the bed, just enough to get me onto his lap…..as if I needed much persuading.

"Aahhh! GARETH!" I shrieked in a fit of even more laughter. "Cut it out, you're gonna wake Alex up!"

"Oh, I'm gonna wake him up?"

"Yes, you!" I scolded playfully, smacking his chest again. "You knew the kind of reaction this would get."

"And so what if I did?" He asked with a smirk.

I shook my head. "Seventeen years with you….fifteen of them in marriage…" I sighed a little more happily than I cared to let on, as I tried to tease him. "...and yet you still think you have to butter me up to get into my pants."

"All that matters at this point is if it worked." He teased.

I smirked even more deviously and yanked the blanket away from him, wasting no time in reaching for his belt buckle and very quickly and swiftly undoing it as I gave him…..the look. "You tell me."

An equally satisfied grin spread across his beautifully perfect face as he grabbed me to pull me closer, til I was laid against his almost bare body, as he reached down to continue shifting his pants further down as we made out.

—

—

...Yeah….suppose you could say, he wasn't the only one who was feeling lucky that night.