The afternoon finds her sitting on the rooftop. The man who had been waiting outside Negan's room when she got up is now standing at the door keeping the number of people low. It's too fucking crowded now with the dead surrounding than 20 deep.

Pandora had woken up alone no sign of Negan. Their new tradition of late nights and liquor were not bad for her sleep. The alcohol send her into a deep dreamless sleep; it was nothing short of heaven.

Once she had rolled out of bed and stepped into the next room, she knew Negan hadn't eaten before he left. The small makeshift kitchen was too clean, not a dish in sight. Pandora doesn't do the same she opens every cabinet until she can pull together something that looks like a meal.

Negans finds her on the roof, some time mid day she thinks because the sun it hanging directly above her. There is never enough nature here, it's too gray too empty. This makes the greenhouse her favorite spot, soaking up the rays of the sun under the glass ceiling.

When Negan steps into her field of vision he doesn't speak only lowered himself into the other chair to her right. This war is taking a toll on him, she can see the ever deepening lines on his face. Thinking about that makes her stomach uneasy, Negan needs to be in control that's how they all stay safe.

A few minutes tick by before she speaks, "There are too many fucking people."

A heavy sigh come from him, "Tell me about it. We are trapped in here like fucking animals. All thanks to Rick and his merry band of pricks."

There is a water bottle on the seat next to her, she doesn't think just hands it to him. Negan takes a long deep drink, Pandora help but wish it was rum in there instead.

"Do you have a plan?"

"I might want to find out?"

Before she had even thought about it he is already standing with his hand out. Was it a question or did she imagine that inflection in his voice. Not that it matters why not go with him. Taking his outstretched hand she allows him to pull her up.

Inside they go to the meeting room from yesterday, it looks the same all the painted windows still intact. She has not seen much of the rest of this place, Negan is careful to keep her away from the ugly it seems.

Negan moved to the head of the table pulling out a chair to his left for her. He is a watcher she can tell, Negan is always watching everything maybe that is how he always seems to know what she needs. As he slides into the chair at the head of the table, she cannot help but notice the impressive figure he cuts. Shoulders wide in the leather jacket, a shadow of a bread just beginning to ghost his chin. Lucille is over his shoulder one hand around her handle the other arm resting on the table.

"You look scary." She mutters tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear. Elbows on the table she is still watching him.

Negan only laughs his free hand rubs the stuble he has on his chin. "That's the point Princess, Dr. Smarty pants works better when he is scared."

That has her rolling her eyes, because he isn't wrong. She didn't know Eugene well, but he was not held in the highest esteem. Daryl always thought he was a coward lying to everyone for so long. It seems to her he might do better when he is frightened.

The door open flooding the room with the noise of the hallway. Eugene comes in, he looks tired. Like at any moment he might fall over and become one of the dead. She can understand that feeling with all the sounds around her. In Negan's room she cannot hear the dead but here she can hear them moaning. They are closer to the ground here outside the dead pound the windows and walls struggling to get inside. Behind them a bang makes her jump, Negan doesn't look over but puts his hand on her knee. A heavy welcome pressure that works like a wave washing over her muscles tension seeping out like water.

Eugene stands at the end of the table watching them in silence. He hasn't said anything since stepping in the door.

"If things don't get fixed soon a lot of people are going to die. My people, not me of course. I am living no matter what, I am too good at this shit." Negan leans back in the chair for a second then he stands one hand on her shoulder, a quick squeeze. "But others, and I can't have that. I don't want to see people get shot up chewed up, or chewing up the rest. I don't want to see you get eaten, Eugene. This place is all about pooling and organizing strength. And you, my friend, are strong. That spongy organ between your eyes and your spectacular mullet is strong and I just want to make sure you know that I know that."

Though she is following the conversation Pandora doesn't quite understand what's really happening. It sounds like Negan is threatening him, while also telling him how important he is. Mind games are Negan's favorite, and effective. She is walking proof in a way, as much as the thought pains her isn't she a product of his games. It is working on Eugene too she can tell, his face is somewhere between proud and terrified.

"Consider me made. Our pages are utterly and completely one and the same." Eugene has his eyes glued to Negan, but she doesn't miss the way he glances at her for a second.

Negan stands the hint of a grin tugging up the corners of his mouth. He swings Lucile as he walks, a movement that for some reason has Pandora mesmerized. Sitting on the table Negan is wearing a full grin now his holds out his free hand/ a few seconds pass and Eugene moves to kiss it, not before Negan draws it away.

Pandora can't help but find this exchange hilarious and it takes all her willpower not to laugh. Instead she pressed her hand over mouth in an attempt to hide the giggle she feels blooming.

Negan glances her way there is a sparkle in his eye, "Eugene I was going for a hand shake" His words are long and drawn out, the accent coming through thick. "Stand up" A flick of his fingers and the other man is standing shaking his hand. "Now I can see where you'd be confused as I rarely do that shit. A handshake is a sign on mutual respect, few people get that from me."

"There's work that needs getting to." Then he is gone out of the room as quick and as quiet as he came in.

"See that Princess easy pease." Negan stands again rolling his neck for an audible joint pop in several places. "Are you hungry?"

Pandora sets her hands back in her lap head tilting to the side, "I could eat."

"Come on then, let's go see what we can find."

Tara is out of the truck seconds after Daryl has put it in park, that girl is like a dog with a bone.

'So are you.' he scolds himself, he is here isn't he. All their carefully laid plans are moving to slow for him, there is no sign of surrender yet. He pulls out a notebook from his back pocket. Inside is a roughly drawn map of the upper levels of the sanctuary.

Daryl had drilled Dwight every change he got. What did she do during the day, who was around where, where did she go. In the book he had drawn a map of the upper levels, according the Dwight she was kept away from the lower levels. Negan didn't allow her to wonder on her own she had her own rotating pool of guards.

That bit of information he finds interesting it makes him picture her somewhat wild still, the guards there to protect the people from her. That was all a fantasy, and he knew it. He had seen her while they were in there, the light in her eyes was gone. she had moved differently too, eyes always on Negan when he is around her.

When the war started for real he had demanded she gets out before anything happened. Get her out in the night Dwight had enough pull he could make it happen. Dwight had only shaked his head said even he couldn't get that done. He would need more people than himself, and drugs to keep her calm.

"She would come she wants to come home."

"I don't think she does, it's different now."

Daryl could not hear anything else after that, instead he went into the woods and killed everything he could find until Dwight's words were silent. He had spent many nights after that going over every details of the plan with a fine-tooth comb looking for a way to get her out.

All of that had led them to this moment instead. They would blow the doors open and let the dead fill the inside. That would, they hope force them to surrender before they fought another battle. If everything went according to plan than Daryl could have Pandora home by tonight.

"You up for this?"

Michonne is sitting in the passenger seat beside him. He doesn't have to look at her to know her heart wasn't in it. Michonne cannot understand what this is like for him, to have her so close and so far away. He cannot wait for this any longer, Ricks plan is too slow. He has to get her out sooner, has to do something. Daryl is the reason he she is still in there, first chance he had he ran, without her.

"I came here cause I wanted to see things for myself. I wanted to know that things were gonna work. But you know what? I don't get to know that." She turns to him but Daryl drops his gaze. His hands tightened on the wheel of the truck "None of us do. What I do know is things are working now. So maybe we just need to trust that things are gonna keep working, because this what we are about to do it's not worth risking us." her hand moves to touch his arm. "It's not worth risking Pandora."

Her name sends sharp glass into his chest. Michonne doesn't understand, how can she everyone she truly loves is safe.

"It is for me." He whispers his eyes flick up for only a second before he has to look away. "It just is."

Pandora would want this for him, for them. She would want to burn this whole thing down to the ground, even if she is inside. He would burn everything down for what Negan had done to them.

"I hope it works." Michonne is shaking her head now, and \Daryl knows what's coming next.

He chest feels like it is break again but he doesn't move, only watches the dash swim in his vision. He can make her stay, he knows that.

"I really, really do. But I-I can't. I just can't,"

"Then you shouldn't" He won't get out of this truck and she knows it. Even if everyone else turns their back on this, he can't.

He doesn't move as Michonne gets out of the van, only keeps his eyes focused on the steering wheel. He gets so lost in his own thoughts the sound of the door shutting makes him jump.

"We got Morgan and the snipers." Tara says in the soft voice from outside his window. "We can do this."

"Yeah, we will." Or he would die trying.

They have lunch together in his room, he doesn't ask where she wants to go just takes her back there. It doesn't matter anyway, not to her. He gets them two sandwiches on fresh soft buns.

His room is different from her, it's much bigger. They are sitting in his kitchen, to her left is the living room. An old TV with a black three seater sofa, he had some paper scattered on the wooden coffee table. His room is through another door, in there is just a bed and a dresser. Still she didn't think anyone else here had two room.

"Thank you for lunch." Pandora doesn't speak until half the plate is empty.

"No problem Princess, thanks for the company."

Pandora finds his statement so odd, what kind of company is she. He cannot want to keep her around for the conversation, there isn't much of that happening between them. Not to say they don't talk at all, it's usually in the small dark hours of the night when she tells him her deeps thoughts.

Somewhere outside it sounds like the world is exploding, screaming and gun fire fill the air. Pandora is on her feet in seconds yanking the door to Negan's room open. She doesn't get too far Negan is behind her a hand on her arm making her stop.

"Princess don't you even think about it." Negan holds Lucille in his hand. "Do not leave this room wait for me."

Negan shoves her back inside the door slamming in her face. For a few seconds she is standing there shaking doing nothing but listening to the sound of screaming. People are dying out there, she can hear it.

The sound of guns grow, but locked in this room she can't do anything about it. So Pandora heads back to the kitchen finished her lunch and wait on the sofa.

An hour or so goes by until the door opens again and Negan steps inside. Pandora is on her feet in seconds moving to him her hands outstretched. His jacket is splattered in blood and gore, she doesn't care.

"What happened?"

"It's ok Princess." Negan takes her hands off his jacket shrugging it off his shoulder letting it drop to the floor. "Someone tell me what the fuck just happened."

"They drove a van through the service doors, let the dead inside. They overtook the lower level, but we blocked the stairs."

Dwight is pacing back and forth, by the door. Pandora has only just noticed that the room is full of his generals. That sets her teeth on edge and has her slinking away to the farest side of the sofa.

The door opens again and Eugene some stumbling through.

"I have a plan to get us out of this." Eugene steps into the room the door shutting behind him.

Negan grins leaning back in his chair arms crossed over his chest. Pandora can feel the smug look in his face, he knew all along Eugene would come through. With the right mix of praise and fear anything is possible.

Pandora watches from the corner of the room, still and silent. The rest of the generals in the room hold their breath waiting for Eugene to keep going.

"With the dead down at the stairs we blocked them be creating enough of a pile of dead bodies. If we have shooters at the windows above the walkers, we can fire enough bullets to create the same effect, leave enough of a path for a small team to get through and clear the way."

Pandora titles her head to the side shutting her eyes for a second. Her brain has always had a knack for plans seeing movements and how they are going to play put. Maybe that was what made her such a good gymnast, her ability to see her moves and their potential outcomes.

Her movement slow she gets off the sofa slipping soundlessly to Negan's side. The conversation does not stop when she joins Negan's side. Pandora doesn't like these men, so she leans down for only Negan to hear.

"What happens when they get out? Where will they go?"

Negan turns to her a wicked glint in his eyes, "Come sit at the table Princess."

Pandora feels the heat rising in her cheeks as she pulls out a chair to sit next to him. Somehow the room has fallen silent, she is not as unnoticed as she once thought. It bothers her to have them see her now, to know she is there. Glance around the room tell her everyone is watching her now, their conversation stopped.

"Come on now Princess what is your input." Negan had a hand on her knee now, a welcome grounding pressure.

"They need a plan for when they get out."

Negan looks at the room, his eyebrows raised. "Well Dr Smartypants? Answer her question."

Silence is his only answer, and everyone's answer until Dwight finally speaks.

"They go down service road south to the cars we have left there and lead the dead away."

"It will take an ass-load of ammo." Negan's hand is gone from her knee he stokes the stuble growing on his chin.

"It will," Eugene shakes his head and even Pandora sees there is no other way. "Even with shot discipline and p and q minding."

"Can my bullet maker fill my guns back up?" Negan has lost the smile he had, now he stares eyes hard.

That's right the whole reason |Eugene is here is to make bullets. Because he made one, for Rosita and she had almost killed Negan. What would Pandora had done if he had died. She had not been there for that, had not seen him go that day. Why she can remember maybe she was still in the box than.

"If you get me to my machines or my machines to me that is affirmative."

Pandora had not been in the same room with Eugene for so long before, it is making her uneasy. She wondering what he thinks of her, Negan's perfect little pet. Does he wonder what she thinks of him. She thinks he is doing the right thing, he is on the right side. Sometimes it's only about staying alive.

"You do realize the shit storm I'm going to dump on Rick as soon as I am clear of the shit storm he dumped on me."

"I do indeed."

Even pandora nods she knows they cannot let thing attack go.

"Goddamn Eugene how does it feel to be the second most important person here? How does it feel to save these good people?" Negan is standing now grinning he reaches for Lucille where she is leaning against the wall.

"It feels great. Got something else of urgency for you. Another item solved."

"More than a way out and a promise of bullets on the way Jesus Eugene you are magnificent."

Before he could say anything word, there is another knock on the door. Pandora looks toward the door, Aart and another women enter, Regina. This is too many people now, and her input is no longer needed here. Not with all his generals standing around.

So she retreats to his room, shuts the door to keep out the noise and pulls the first book she finds on his desk. The bedroom is more lived in than the living room. Here there is his desk scattered with pages, and half filled notes books. Pandora doesn't reach for any of those know better than to go through his personal notes, instead in her hands she holds "The Art of War." She cannot help but laugh at this, of course this is the book he has out right now.

Negan's bed calls to her, whispering of the sweet softness that must come from all those pillows. For a man she cannot help but think his room must have been designed by a woman. One of his wives maybe? It doesn't matter she likes them, so she nestles between the pillows and opens the book.

It's not her usual read, but there is enough of a dose of history in it to keep her interested. To her surprise the words actually suck her in, and before she knows it Negan is opening the door.

"Wondering what you might be up to in here Princess." he doesn't step in the room only watches her from the door frame arms crossed over his chest.

Pandora holds out the book to him showing off the cover, "I've never read this one."

"This one?"

Reaching over to the bedside table to marks her page with a blank page she had taken from the desk. "In school I always preferred Nietzsche."

Negan laughs shaking his head, "Every damn day you surprise me Princess."

That's because everyone thinks she is just crazy, no one thinks that maybe before all of this she was a whole person. Instead they assume that maybe she had always been like this, silent and insane. Not Negan though he knew better, recognized her from the first moment he laid eyes on her. He was the only one.

"It's getting too late to make this shit work tonight, but as soon as the sun comes up we are getting out of here."

"It's safe to sleep with all the dead inside?" This cannot be right how can they all just sit here with the lower level being over run.

"Are you scared?"

"Of being eaten alive? Always."

Negan moves into the room sitting on the edge of the bed his face falls for only a second before he puts himself back together for her.

"I admit it's not the perfect plan, but we can't shoot those fuckers in the dark."

"I guess."

"You already look pretty comfy why don't you stay here tonight Princess, I'll keep and eye on you."

A shrug of her shoulders is the only answer, but she will stay here tonight. Let him being in the room calm the buzzing nerves on her skin. "Can I go work out with Aart?"

"She busy planning for tomorrow morning, but I'll come with you Princess."

"Ok," The book goes back on the desk and Pandora looks down at her clothes, they will work. "I need my running shoes."

At first she thinks Negan will spar with her, but he doesn't change his clothes only walks her back to her room so she can get her shoes. On the way to the gym someone follows him updating him on the situation downstairs. They have blocked the open door with the bodies of the dead like they did with the stairs. A team is working on clearing the dead from the main level, there had been some lives lost mostly workers.

The man follows them to the workout room, but neither of them come inside. When Pandora opens the door, she is greeted with a few people she doesn't know. It doesn't last long to the moment they see her they are gathering there things to leave. In that moment she is of two minds, telling them to stay and being glad they are gone. They are gone before she can decide, so she works out alone.

On the far wall there is a new beam secured to the wall. Her heart kicks up a beat, it reminds her of the gyms she used to train in. That's the first place she goes propping one leg on the beam to stretch. It's painfully but the sweet kind of pain, that reminded her she has muscles to use.

Pandora is taking her bound up energy out on the punching back at the center of the room. There is a rack of gloves against the wall, only one pair has fit but it was a good fit. Her kick missed the bag the force of it sending her spinning to the ground the second Negan opens the door to step in.

On her back on the floor she lies there looking at the ceiling, "My kick missed." This is what she says in lieu of a greeting.

"Is that so?" There is a chuckle in his voice as he heads towards her. "Let me see."

She isn't sure she wants to get back up, but she does because Negan told her too. Picking herself up from the ground there are a few minutes of her collecting her breath before getting into position.

"Well there's your first problem." Negan is behind her his hands find her hips shifting her to the left slightly. "Your stance is off like this." His hands continue to move her ever so slightly until her hips are turned more towards him and her feet are more apart.

"Try like this, always protect your face." Negan is beside her now his hands closed into fists in front of his face. He lifts his left leg and kicks straight out. The punching bag swings away with the force of his kick when he finally lets his leg go, only for him to catch it as it swings back towards them.

"Oh, I don't think I can do that."

Negan only grins and steps behind the bag, "Now, now Princess that's not a good attitude."

"But!"

"Try it."

Pandora sighs shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath. In her head she replays the same movements Negan just showed her. Her hands tightened into fists and raise up to her face. In her head she replays Negan's movements in her head recalling the exact position of his leg.

"Raise your knee up, keep it straight and put all your weight behind it."

"Ok," Pandora opens her eyes shakes her arms and raises them again. Her knees comes up to her chest, then out and connects with the bag. Negan is behind it holding it steady so it doesn't swing but he grunts with the force of her kick.

"There you go Princess." Stepping out from behind the bag Negan is wearing a wicked grin.

It's contagious, and she finds herself wearing a matching one. Her leg is on fire though, the shock of the kick vibrating up her leg now.

"Fuck, that kind of hurt." she thinks now might be the time to wrap it up.

Negan has his hand on her shoulder with a light grip, "Come on Princess let's go back."