On his knees, the second time Daryl thinks about seeing Pandora, just now. The empty look in her eyes when she stared at him, at. She had pleaded with them, begging them all to serve him as she serves him. A cold rage had boiled inside him when he watched Negan touch her. Negan hides her in the curve of his arms as if he was the one protecting her. Negan was the one she needed to be protected from he would never hurt her. But, he almost did hurt her. He knew about the van filled with explosives, even with seeing her he still let Rick give the order. That was on him. Still watching Pandora step into Negan's arms filled him with hot rage nothing but white hot rage.

He has no right to be angry he knows; he remembers what he told her that day huddled in the truck. To stay alive and wait for him. He hadn't come through, the day he got away he didn't come that was on him. It was impossible to get to her that day, not in the state he had been in. Jesus had said as much, promised he would help find a way to get her but today was not the day they did that.

Logic was great, but it did not ease the hole in his chest at the thought of leaving her behind. No matter how many times he tried to rationalize actions there was always the guilt. It had eaten away at him since the day he left; he was harsher more short tempered. Daryl had left her with Negan, the first opportunity he had he had run, without her. It some something he would spend the rest of his life making up to her.

At least out here he had done this, attempted to get her back to kill the man keeping her. It hadn't worked and when gunfire exploded the first time he had to suffer through watching her get dragged away a second time.

He looks for her now from the ground, lets his eyes wander over the saviours. Daryl doesn't see her though, wonders what happened to her. Hopes she isn't bleeding somewhere from a stray bullet. He knows Negan is talking he sees him leaning over Rick, but all Daryl can hear is the blood boiling in his ears. She's gone somewhere in the panic, Negan had managed to get Pandora way from him again.

Then around him everything changes, he sees a flash of orange and black, hears men screaming. Shots are going off again and he is on his feet faster than he realizes a gun already in his hands. He fires again if it moves he put a bullet in it. From the edges of his vision be spots Maggie and men from the Hilltop behind him.

"Phalanx out, the third group, now!"

"Move up! Now we got your backs!" Daryl is shouting and moving as he does so. He never stops firing either.

He follows Negan thinking where he is Pandora might be, at his side. That's all he thinks about finding her, in the chaos and gunfire he can find a moment to get to her. Negan moves too fast for him though, and Daryl is running now. He runs for the gate following the backs of Negan's men as they try to disappear through the smoke.

The gate is shut when he gets there though, something tied around the lock to jam is closed. So. he follows those garbage motherfuckers up the ladder to the garbage truck. If he can just see her, just make sure Pandora made it. But the trucks are already too far down the road, and she's gone.

He takes a moment sits on the top of the wall take a few deep shuddering breaths. It hurts more this time, watching her disappear. More than all the other times he got only a glimpse of her in the Sanctuary. It takes a few moments before he knows his eyes are clear enough to get down to face everyone.

Maggie stands by the gate, she's breathing hard hand on her knees. He stands beside her for a second.

"Ah lost her again." He whispers eyes on the open road in front of them.

"We will get her back, I promise. We will end this and bring her home."

Daryl only nods, next time it's her above everything.

Pandora is still hunkered down to almost the floor when Alexandria is long gone,, he pulls her up into the seat. The drive back is tense Negan rages and plans, calling out on the walkies to whoever he left behind. When they roll into the gates, she thinks she will be taken back to her room.

Instead, Negan wraps his hand around her upper arm, "With me Princess"

The world is still seems a touch out of focus, but she walks with him. They go up a set of stairs. Under her, she can hear the thumb of people, but she doesn't look down. She blinks looking down at her feet. Negan had lost, he had to run. Rick had won the first battle in the war, and Negan is not happy.

What will happen to her now? Why keep her alive if he knows Rick doesn't care if she lives or not.

They are heading out to the back of the building. Pandora has been down here before her room faces this side of the Sanctuary. The back entrance where most of their cars and trucks come and go. The drugs still swim in her veins she is too calm for someone who may be walking to her death.

"Everyone is on blue just say the word and they are ready to go."

"That's good."

Pandora realizes Negan has let her go, but she continues to follow beside him. They stand near a balcony. With a blink, she reaches out for Negan her hand resting on his arm. The leather of his jacket is warm, it's the arm he had hanging outside of the truck. Her fingers curl around his forearm sucking up the warmth that sits there.

"Negan? Are you going to kill me now?" The question isn't one that holds any kind of emotion. She asks it.

Negan looks at her in a flash the rage is gone from his face. There is a soft look in his eyes. His hand reaches out stocking her cheek touch feather light.

"Oh no, Princess. I'm not going to kill you. Why would you say that?"

There is a heartbeat of stiffness in her muscles then she is relaxing resting her head on his palm. "You said Sacha was alive and then she wasn't." She assumed she was next kill her and send her back to Alexandria as a message. It had been a trick with Sacha too hadn't it that is the only thing that makes sense

"I know Princess and I'm sorry that happened." He sounds sorry she thinks as she looks at him. Eyes searching his own. "How the hell do you think she wound up dead in that box?"

Negan didn't kill Sacha, she doesn't know why, but she knows he is telling the truth. Negan lets his hand drop from her face when he turns to look back at Eugene. Is he worried about dying as well? She can't help but think she will still die. Eugene might think the same. Pandora knows what he is doing, his survival plan differs from her own. He is trying to make himself important, too important to die. Like before, she remembers that story. Eugene lied to everyone pretending he was a doctor who could save then all. That earned him protection had people following him to keep him safe.

"My, um, best possible points fingers at the tarp. That sealed up said box good and tight. She ran out of air." Eugene answer seems unsure.

Ran out of air. That sentence knocks around in her brain. She pictures Sasha trapped in the darkness struggling to breathe. It's a terrible thing to picture. She hopes that's not what happened Sacha deserved better. Must be happy now, happy with Abraham wherever people go.

Before the world exploded, she studied the Viking idea of heaven Valhalla where you go to dine with the God's after a warrior's death. It doesn't seem like it, but she thinks everyone now would go to Valhalla. If you were left in this world you were a warrior and anyway you die is with honour.

"Princess?"

Negan is right beside her leaning down his face filling her vision. He has that look on his face that everyone used to get when they had been talking to her for a while. Blinking a few times she tries to focus on him again.

"What?" She's trying to bring her head back, trying to remember what he had just said.

"You want to go back to your room?"

Her room? No she doesn't want to go there. In her room, she's alone, really alone. No way to tell what thoughts will spring into her head then. It's better to be with people, with Negan. It's better to be with Negan, so he can watch out for her.

She is tired though, drugs pulling heavy at her eyelids now that she has a moment to breathe. She doesn't want to hear them plan to wipe out the people she used to call her family.

"I'm tired." She mumbles rubbing her hands over her eyes now.

"Dave?" Negan snaps his fingers, behind her Dave appears. "Take her back to her room. Then find Frankie and have her keep the Princess company."

"Come on than Pandora."

Dave takes her elbow, she doesn't flinch away from him. Instead, Pandora lets him lead her back toward her room. They walk up a few flights of stairs, and only when they have been alone for some time does he speak.

"You didn't try to escape today." Dave makes the comment off-handed throwing a glance her way.

Pandora glances at him stopping for a second in her tracks than she keeps moving with him. That wasn't even a thought that had crossed her mind. Maybe it should have, but it didn't. There had been nowhere for her to go. Besides Rick had tried to blow her up, on that platform he had given the order. She wouldn't have survived that blast.

"I have nowhere else to go."

"You could have tried to go back to them, your people."

Pandora only shrugs she could have tried, but she didn't what did that say about her. She had thought she was a fighter, some time ago. It feels like a lifetime ago, really. She had tried to become what Daryl was, someone who could take care of themselves. Someone who would be useful to them, but she wasn't. That wasn't who she was.

They don't speak again as they walk to her room. Dave takes her silence as an indicator to stop the conversation. She finds it interesting that he thinks she would run. Where would she even go where Negan couldn't find her?

The hallways are abuzz with activity people move past them with all kinds of things. Food, weapons other supplies.

'They are going to war.' \there is no mistaking it as anything but getting ready. She wonders what Alexandria looks like right now. Are they getting ready for war, or they already ready?

In the hallway, Frankie stands in front of the door to Pandora's room. She is dressed in all black, legs made long by black heels. A sigh escapes her she had forgotten Negan was going to send her. All Pandora wanted to do now was sleep and forget this whole day.

But Frankie smiles and dips her head, eyes sweeping the floor under her feet. Pandora can see that her hands are shaking, as hard as Frankie is trying to hide it.. She has to be here as much as Pandora does, the same fear Pandora has Frankie has. What might happen if Pandora turned her away, refused to allow Frankie to keep her company?

"Hey, Pandora," Frankie's voice is a hushed whisper. "Someone is bringing food."

Dave pauses for a second a glance flicking between them both. Pandora stops in front of her door, waiting. Dave opens the door and lets them both inside, he shuts and locks it behind him.

Pandora stands there just for a moment, just taking a second or two to breathe.

"You should sit." Frankie gestures towards the bed.

With a shrug she shifts her weight and heads for the bed. Her back against the pillows she pulls her knees to her chest. Frankie gets one of the chairs from the window and turns it around to face the bed. Frankie doesn't relax the way Pandora does she sits leaning back only a fraction, her legs crossed.

"Thank you." Pandora whispers. As much as she didn't want the other women here at first now she is grateful for the company. Soon everything will be too loud and too hard, so right now she doesn't want to be alone.

"I heard about what happened with your friends." Frankie looks down at her hands curled into a ball in her lap. "I'm sorry."

"I kept most of them safe." She whispers running her fingers through her thick hair, best to keep her hands busy. Pandora had tried too stood up on the bed of the truck and begged them to stand down. She just wanted them to understand, it wasn't bad this was the only way. If you fight you die, she didn't want anyone to die.

"You did. You are doing the right thing."

Pandora believes her. But part of her is so sick watching herself bend and break so easily. Hardly work to mould her into any shape he wanted. He does it so easy too already has her praising being in his service. It is easy like this. Easier to just do not think, to lay everything at Negan's feet so she can keep going.

A knock on the door breaks the odd silent moment they have fallen into together. Pandora curls up a little bit tighter, Frankie gets up to answer it.

"Thank you, Robert!" Frankie grins at the man at the door taking the plates from the young man standing at her door now.

"No problem Frankie," He flashes her a grin ducking his head. "I'll be outside if you need anything."

Their voices lower and she can't catch the rest of their conversation. The door shuts then and Frankie heads back to the bed. Pandora holds out her hands taking the plate from her. They eat in silence now, the only sounds are their forks scraping on the plates.

She's eating grilled chicken on a salad mixed with fresh fruit and nuts. It's amazing, the food here always is. When both of their plates are empty Frankie gets up to take them to the sink.

The drugs are swimming in her veins still pulling her down deeper, eyelids heavy with sleep. It's always hard coming down from the pills, the higher you go the further you fall. Pandora is falling hard, her blinks becoming long and slow.

"Hey you can go to sleep, I'll keep you company." Frankie smiles and shifts in her chair tucking her legs under her body. Her posture is relaxing Pandora can see that much.

Pandora can't argue with her, knows it is no use. "Ok," She pulls the sheet off the bed. It's cool between the fresh sheets, she's grateful for it. The cool touch helps to ground her wakes her up a little more just for a second.

"Thank you, Frankie."

Then she is gone slipping away into darkness.

In the woods, the wolves come for her, but all of them wear the faces of Negan's men. Robert stumbles forward a W carved into his forehead, he grins at her reaching for her. His hand closes on his shoulder, the under one reached between her legs fingers searching. A scream rips through her she kicks at him pitching her body to the side, more men materialize behind her holding her steady. She isn't screaming anymore, instead she sobs for Negan.

Negan appears then, materializes from the darkness. Lucille in his hands he swings hard, bat connecting with the side of his face. He swings again and again until she is free sinking to the ground on her knees.

He laughs as he reaches for her, shaking his head at her. His hand takes her, "Come one Princess, I got you."

When she snaps awake someone she shaking her. Pandora screams again and bucks trying to throw the weight off. She pictures hands on arms, feels the heat of mouths on her skin. Screaming again she tries to lift her arms nothing but a grunt and an increase in pressure on her.

"Hey, hey come now Princess."

A light flicks on behind her illuminating Negan's figure in front of her. His hands are wrapped around her upper arms, keeping her still. She had been dreaming. She had fallen asleep The scream dies in the throat then, changing to a broken sob when it passed through her lips.

"There you are Princess, it's just a nightmare." Negan hasn't let her go yet, instead, he pulls her forward. Her head is now resting on his chest. His head beat thunders in her ears, it drowns out the rest of the noise in her head.

Her frame relaxes against him going limp in his arms, he relaxes his hold on her arms and wraps his arms around her instead. The gesture should bother her she should

"I, I, I," Pandora wants to explain it to him. Tell him his men were the wolves in her nightmares now. She can't get the words out though, they are all jumbled in her throat.

"Shhh," He coos. "It's all right Princess."

There is a muffles conversation behind her, she can't make out the words. Not that she cares, she can't concentrate on it. The rumble of his voice calms here. Reminds her of Daryl holding her still while she screams. By the time she has stopped crying and calmed down Negan is breathing deeply and beside her. Sunlight streams through her windows now, casting long shadows on the floor.

'He's sleeping.' She thinks opening her eyes. Pandora didn't even notice him falling asleep beside her, maybe she dozed off for a few moments as well. She must have, there is a feeling of missing time. He felt safe enough around her to sleep, she had done the same. A few long minutes pass where she doesn't move, just lays there still.

This is not where she ever imagined she would end up, here sleeping bed with Negan beside her. She's half under the covers, everything from her waist down is under the heavy blanket. Her top half is exposed half turned and turned into Negan's side.

Beside her he grunts in his sleep, colour creeps up her face. This is not where she should be curled next to a madman. It about twenty steps to the bathroom she can make it without waking him. If she heads for the bathroom though she will come out and he will still be there. She needs airspace to clear her head sort through whatever the fuck is going on.

The picture in her mind is so clear now. She is there on the roof, sun shining down on her. Holding her breath, she slips from the bed. She is still wearing her tights, her sweater is laying on the floor. Pulling it on she heads for the door. She knocks threes times all quick. When the door opens Dave is back, that makes her sigh in a way of relief.

"I need to go to the roof." she doesn't give him a chance to speak hopes the desperation in her eyes is enough to make it happen. Dave must know Negan is in there, has to. "Please."

She thinks he will refuse her but the please must have been just convincing enough because he opens the door wider. She doesn't miss the way his eyes travel from the top of her head to her toes. Or the sharp glance behind her trying to see Negan.

"Shoes." He says jerking his head to her bare feet.

Panic is a bright flash, she doesn't remember where she left them.

"Right there." Dave jerks his head to the left bringing her attention back to him. He seems flustered eyes darting back and forth from her to the bed.

"He's not dead." Pandora snaps annoyance building in her gut.

He's right though her shoes are sitting to the left of the door. She tugs them on she is out the door quickly. It closes silently behind her she holds her breath for a second. But the door remains closed, and there isn't a sound from the other side. She's free.