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

Hot showers and bruises

Mia had spent the long journey back to the Sanctuary snuggled into Blake's chest sleeping soundly, as both them and Negan had crammed into the front of the truck they had come here in, driving home in silence, neither of the adults wanting to disturb the tiny toddler.

But words were really not needed between Negan and Blake these days. Both of them fucking knew that.

It was as though they were two halves of the same whole. As though they were always meant to be.

And it felt crazy to both of them that it had taken a goddamn apocalypse to give them that.

Negan chanced a glance over at Blake, who was staring out of the window to her right, up at the ever darkening sky, as rain lashed against the glass.

She really was fucking everything to him and seeing her with that kid only made his heart swell with pride and love.

Things he had not felt in years. Not since the early days of him and his first wife. Since Lucille.

For Blake had mended his heart...put him back together when he was broken...just as he had done to her.

And now Mia was on the scene, perhaps the three of them could be happy....with the last part of Blake's heart finally slotted back in place.

Negan could see how much she loved her, and hell, even though he wasn't about to admit it out loud just yet, the dark-haired Saviour was mighty fucking keen on that kid. And hell, without her, Blake might not have been here sitting beside him right now.

So whatever Mia wanted from now on, Negan would provide for her. Because, as Blake had said, she was their goddamn family now. The three of them together for good....they were his girls. And well, fuck, Negan knew right now that he would go to the ends of the earth to protect them.

It wasn't long before the truck rolled smoothly into the safety of the looming Sanctuary fences, and, switching off the engine, Negan shoved open his door, hopping out and moving around to the passenger side of the grubby, white vehicle, bracing himself at the rain trickling down the nape of his neck.

He gave Blake's door a tug open, stepping aside and allowing the blonde woman room to turn and hop out, just as Mia grizzled a little, smacking her lips and opening her bleary eyes.

"It wainy," she said in a pouting little tone, still sounding half-asleep, as Blake cooed, soothing her a little as she hitched her further up in her arms.

"Yeah it is baby," she replied. "You hungry?"

But Mia merely dropped her head down to Blake's collarbone once again, closing her eyes and giving a tiny yawn.

"Noh, me tired. I wan' go bed," said the tiny girl letting out a tiny huff of air, as Blake caught Negan's eye.

"I'm going to have to get her out of these clothes first at least," she said matter-of-factly. "She'll get a cold otherwise. We got any more baby clothes around?"

But Negan gave a loud sigh now, eyeing her and running a hand down his long bearded features. They had given the last of the kid's supplies over to her guardians the last time she left, so he doubted they would really have anything appropriate to hand until the next run. But Negan rightly guessed that wasn't what Blake was asking.

"Hell I don' have a fuckin' clue," he murmured, as they began to walk towards the shelter of the inside buildings. "But fuck it....I suppose she can just sleep in one of my t-shirts tonight...I'm presumin' that's what you're fuckin' anglin' after, right Peaches?"

But Blake just offered him a coy, smirking look, biting down onto her bottom lip and nudging him gently with her hip as she went.

"Aww, how did you guess," she murmured in sarcastic voice, just as Negan gave a carrying chuckle, leaning into her.