I stood outside the gates of Alexandria with Negan by my side, my head slumped over and eyes fixated on the ground. I didn't wanna be here, not to strip away the supplies from my home.

"Daryl," Negan drawled, turning towards him. "Why don't you come up here and hold hands with your woman?" My heartbeat sped up. Was he joking or being serious? No movement occurred until someone impatiently shoved Daryl forward, him almost completely falling on his face. He cautiously slipped his hand into mine after shifting his eyes around the group. He gripped my hand tightly. I caught a glimpse of his face. He was petrified as was I. Negan slapped Daryl on the shoulder happily. "You deserve a little affection after all you've been through," Negan beamed at him, taking a few steps closer to the gate. He knocked Lucille against the metal bars. The sound echoed through the air. "Little pig, little pig, let me in," he bellowed slyly. The protective tarp over the gate slid open, revealing Spencer. He stood there with his brow furrowed in confusion, Rosita and Rick speedily approaching us. "Hello there," Negan smirked.

"You said a week," Rick huffed, glaring at him. "You're early." He slid the gate open, allowing us to enter.

"I missed you," Negan grinned as a biter hissed from behind him. "Watch this." He motioned to the biter, swinging Lucille and crushing its skull. Negan guffawed as it hit the ground. "You see what I just did there? Now that's some service! I mean, we got stared down a lil' bit at the gate," Negan shot Spencer a glare. "And I was wondering, who the fuck is that guy, anyway... but did I get mad at him? Did I throw a fit? Nope. I just take care of one of those dead pricks that could've killed you. That's service." Negan sauntered forward, handing off Lucille to Rick. "Hold this," he demanded. I squeezed Daryl's hand as the group shuffled forward. I recklessly turned my head to gaze up at him longingly. He returned the look, squeezing my hand back. A somber smile swept across my face and he bowed his head, tearing his gaze away to save the both of us. "Hot diggity dog," Negan hollered happily. "This place is fucking magnificent: an embarrassment of riches as they say! Yes, sir, I do believe you're gonna have plenty to offer up."

"Daryl, Aften—" Rick began, motioning to us. I snapped my head up to look at him, startled by the shakiness of his voice.

"No," Negan snapped. "Daryl's the help; you don't look at him, you don't talk to him and I won't make you chop anything off of him. Same goes for Aften; I own her now and if I catch a wandering glance so much as in her way, I just might as well cut your dick off," he threatened in a low voice before clapping his hands together. "Today's a special occasion, now, ain't it?" Negan turned towards the two of us. "Daryl, I hope you don't mind; I had me a warm slice of Aften pie last night and it was delicious!" My jaw ever so slightly dropped, my cheeks bursting into flames. I felt my body immediately begin to shake in anger as I blushed deeper and deeper, my heart slowly sinking down into the pit of my stomach. Daryl faintly growled, his grip on my hand crippling me. "And let me say, you're really missing out. No wonder you're with her."

"You said he'd be safe if—" I blurted out through clenched teeth, Negan quickly cutting me off.

"Hey," he bellowed. I flinched, strongly fighting the urge to burst into tears. I couldn't cry anymore, definitely not in front of him. "Don't you dare talk back to me, you understand?" I frantically nodded, a cold chill running down my spine. Negan turned back to Rick. "The mouth on that one," he chuckled. "I love it!" He waved his hand, motioning for his men to raid the grounds.

"We already put aside half the supplies," Rick stated in confusion as to why everyone was going through their things.

"No, Rick, you don't get to decide what we take. I do," Negan growled at him as we followed him over to a truck, people tossing all sorts of things into the back.

"Negan," a man hurried over to him with a video camera. "Something you might wanna see." Negan gasped with excitement.

"What do we have here?" He turned on the camera, beaming. "I'm crossing my fingers for a little freaky-deaky!" He quickly flicked his tongue out over his lips to wet them, his eyes flickering over to Daryl and I. "Hopefully of you two; I'd love to see that shit. Y'all are probably some freaky motherfuckers!" I glared at him, feeling like vomiting as he laughed in our faces. He turned his attention back to the screen. As he watched the video, Negan's brow twisted in confusion. "Rick, is that you underneath all that man-bush?" He began to snicker. "Shit, I would've not messed with that guy." He suddenly bit his lip as if in thought. "What ever happened to that sick girl? Wasn't she married to number two?" My body tensed as my mind traveled back to that night; that awful, horrifying, monstrosity of a night. Negan stared in my general direction and sauntered over to me, covering my ears. I could feel the low rumble of his husky voice, but I was unable to hear the words coming out of his mouth. Just as he uncovered my ears, Father Gabriel appeared outta nowhere.

"Care to pay your respects," he respectfully asked.

"Holy crap," Negan drawled in a somewhat startled manor. "You're creepy as shit sneaking up on me, wearing that collar with that freaky ass smile."

"My apologies," Gabriel muttered. "I'm Father Gabriel."

"Wait," Negan paused. "She didn't make it?" It went silent. I nervously looked around at everyone's expressions. Maggie wasn't really dead, was she? "Damn shame. This must really suck for you guys. Number one: that was on me, but number two didn't have to happen. Daryl, here, well he forced my hand." Daryl tensed. "Fuck," Negan sighed. "I was gonna ask her to come back with me." He locked his eyes with mine. "If you didn't mind, darlin'."

"Not at all," I hissed. As much as I didn't want her to be in that situation with me, having Maggie with me would be comforting. Negan chuckled, biting his lip again. A gunshot exploded in the distance, everyone startled by the noise. Negan growled angrily.

"Stay put or you're dead," he threatened over his shoulder to Daryl and I, stomping off. The both of us were now alone, out in the open.

"I don't wanna go back there," I whispered to him. "I don't wanna go back with them." Daryl leaned over, discreetly brushing his lips against my cheek to calm me as I whimpered.

"S'okay," he muttered in my ear. "We'll get out," he promised with Negan approaching before pulling away.

"Let's get going on those guns, shall we," Negan grinned. "Get to work," he didn't hesitate to demand. Daryl ran his thumb over my hand before abandoning my side. "Aften, my love, why don't you keep an eye on the boys for me?" I nodded, obeying him and stepping down the stairs into the armory. I sat down on the first large box I laid eyes on. I barely watched the men, zoning out and focusing in on the fact that this was the only free time he'd probably ever give me.

Daryl and I made brief eye contact every time he entered the room, each one giving me butterflies. A smile almost spread across my lips but quickly left when Simon entered after a while, taking a hold of my wrist and yanking me back out into the daylight.

"There she is," Negan beamed, snaking his arm around my waist. I flinched at the sudden contact. He leaned down and whispered something salacious in my ear but I ignored it completely, keeping my whole face and mind blank. "Hell of a place you got here, Rick!"

"C-can I have a moment," Rick asked assertively. "Please, can you just give me a second?" Negan stayed silent as Rick hurried outside the gates. Once he disapeared, so did Negan's hand up the back of my shirt, his hand traveling farther and farther up for every moment Rick was gone. Negan eyed me, chuckling. I stayed still, my face blank once again. Internally, I wanted to scream and punch the shit outta him but on the outside I was stiff. When Rick finally came back into view, so did Negan's hand. "She was hunting," Rick stated, Michonne following him with a doe over her shoulders.

"This is something to build a relationship on! Good for you, Rick. You are special."

"Now that you know we can follow your rules, I'd like to ask if Daryl and Aften can stay," Rick butted in. My stomach fluttered with excitement, my mind flirting with the possibility of staying back.

"Not happening," Negan immediately answered. I closed my eyes, exhaling through my nose. "You know what? I don't know. Maybe they can plead their cases. Maybe they can sway me! Daryl," he asked, turning to him for an answer. Daryl stayed silent, knowing better to not speak. Negan grinned down at me. "You're up." I didn't realize I was holding my breath in fear until I began to talk.

"This is the only place I belong." My voice wavered with terror. "I have to be here. People need my help." Negan burst out into laughter, making me jump.

"Oh man, I didn't even think you'd try!" He gripped my arm tightly, intending to hurt me. "It's not that easy, silly girl," he hissed through gritted teeth. I winced at the pain he inflicted. He kissed my cheek before letting me go. "Let's move out," Negan commanded. "And someone, grab that deer while you're at it." Everyone dispersed to their respective vehicles, Simon rounding up Daryl and I into the same wagon we came in. The engines of all the trucks revved as Negan sauntered back over to us with Lucille resting on his shoulder. I locked eyes with Rick through the large cloud of dust as we sped off. I struggled to choke back tears as he grew smaller and smaller.