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

Steve

"...Steve?!"

Blake breathed hard, looking down at the broad, tall and handsome man she had last seen back in Alexandria just a few days ago.

What the hell was he doing here?

Steve was on his knees, wearing a slightly rumpled blue tshirt and jeans, surrounded by five Saviours all holding guns pointed towards his head.

But he looked anything but scared, his lips pressed together firmly, his arms held aloft, staring up at Negan as well as at Blake, who stood now at the dark-haired Saviour's side, her chest rising and falling hard.

This was not good. Oh this was not good at all.

By the looks of it, Steve had stowed away on one of the Saviour's trucks to come here. But why?

But whatever the reason may be, Blake knew that Negan would not be happy.

The leader of the Saviours wasn't stupid...and it barely took a nervous glance from Blake to see that he looked furious now...obviously recognising the brown haired thirty-something before him...

...and Blake of course remembered the last time that Negan had laid eyes of Steve...back in her kitchen at Alexandria just over a week ago....

...she remembered too what Negan had almost seen Steve doing...moving his mouth towards hers...wanting more than what he had initially suggested he was coming over for...

But the leather clad man glanced back and forth between the back of the truck and Steve for a second or two, before finally speaking.

"Now, what, brings you here, huh, pretty boy?" said Negan in a sudden deadly voice, taking an intimidating step forwards and lifting Lucille to Steve's face momentarily.

There was a short pause, until the brown-haired man on his knees finally found his voice.

"I just wanted to come here and see you...to talk to you-" he began shortly, but before he could finish his sentence, he was cut off, by Dwight hitting him sharply across the face.

Blake clutched at her mouth, and took in a short intake of breath, staring wide-eyed at the situation.

No, no, no this couldn't be happening... why the hell had Steve done this to himself?

But the brown-haired man just panted, before peering back up at Negan...seemingly ok.

But the looming Negan just smirked arrogantly, taking another step towards the kneeling man before him.

"You really fuckin' stow away, like some sort of goddamn rat?" uttered the dark-haired Saviour, narrowing his eyes and lowering his chin dangerously, as he readjusted his grip on the baseball bat in his hand threateningly. "Because, I mean, I thought you looked fuckin' stupid....but I didn't think you'd be fuckin' dumb enough to pull shit like that and come all the way here...to do....what exactly.....kill me? Bring my head back to Rick on a platter?"

His chocolate eyes were on Steve now, a dark frown plastered between his brows. But that dangerous smile was still there, dancing its way across his lips....waiting....

But Steve looked calm, shaking his head and opening his mouth to answer.

But again, before he could do so, he was cut off my another punch from Dwight.

Blake winced, shifting her weight from foot-to-foot, but again, Steve, spitting out a little blood onto the floor in front of him, took in a breath, and continued steadily.

"I just wanted to come here, to see if I can be of any help..." he began with a dry looking gulp. "....I want to come work for you....to become....Negan...."