I think I liked you better when you didn't have a knife in your hand, Peaches

What did you just say?

It was early afternoon by the time Negan made it down to the large parlour at the far end of the third floor hallway, to find the doors as always, wide open.

The wives were currently sat around their large open-plan lounge area, talking animatedly with one another, by the time Negan strolled through the doorway, with Mia still balanced on his hip.

It was of course usual for these women to fix him with resentful stares the moment he walked into the room, but today all of them stopped in their conversation and gazed up at him., blinking slightly.

They were all today out of their usual garb of the short black dresses Negan had chosen them to wear a long, long time ago. And even he had to admit, it was good to see these women in pants and shirts, looking, well.....fucking comfortable.

He knew that all this was Blake's doing, and he had faux-begrudgingly agreed that they would remain like this for the time being.

Because, fuck, it wasn't as though he still needed the wives. But Negan still felt like he owed these gals something. For as a promise of them being with him, Negan had agreed to provide them with protection and a life not on the points system like the rest of the workers here. And so by removing them from this life, he was taking away all he had promised them all those many years ago. And Negan was a man of his word.

"Ladies," he said addressing them in a low and firm voice. "You seen Peaches?"

He had hoped that they'd have at least seen her in passing.

But Frankie, who was sat on the couch nearest to him, twisted herself around, and shook her head.

"Not since first thing this morning when she came to collect Mia..." the redhead said sounding concerned. "Is something wrong?"

But Negan gave a huff, his dark eyes flickering down to the toddler who was waving her hand shyly toward the group of women, her other drool covered paw stuck into her mouth.

"You gals alright to watch the kid for a while?" the leader of the Saviours muttered promptly, before he stared back over towards the gaggle of women, some of which were waving back at Mia happily.

Frankie instantly stood, making her way over to Negan.

He could tell how cold she was towards him. How cold all these women had always been if truth be told....

But as the red-haired woman reached up, easing the tiny little girl into her arms, he saw a warmth and a happiness, the likes of which had never seen in her, flood over Frankie.

"Of course we can take her," she said in a silly, baby voice, pulling Mia to her chest, as the toddler squealed in delight at being addressed in such a way. "You want to come play with us for a while, angel?"

The baby girl nodded, just as Frankie's face become serious again, and Tanya joined her at her side.

"Is there something the matter? With Blake?" the dark-haired woman asked, tilting her head to the side, her large brown eyes looking slightly concerned. "She didn't seem too great this morning, or yesterday when we saw her..."

But Negan's eyes darkened suddenly, as he lifted Lucille up onto his shoulder, running his fingers over his bearded mouth.

"Just take care of the kid, alright," he huffed, before turning on his heel and heading out of the room once more.

But out in the hallway, Negan let the smallest of gulps trail down his dry throat.

Shit.

Everything was supposed to be fucking good between them, him and Blake.

Yet now....

After the nightmares he had been suffering with for the past few nights, Negan didn't think he could handle much more of a strain.