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

Vengeance

It was a warm and sunny afternoon by October's standards, and in the mild and still air, the majority of the Alexandrians were just finishing up their tasks for the day.

Rick, Carl and Michonne were busy helping a few of the others clear the area around the large wooden gazebo set up in the centre of town. And no-one, not even they noticed, as Sasha ushered a tearful and trembling Rosita into her cool and shady house at the far end of the street.

Rick only stood up straight, his ears pricking, at the sound of trucks pulling up just outside the large gateway to their small community.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

For there was only one person who would come here like this, unannounced, bringing, by the sounds of it, all his manpower with him.

Rick let a gulp slide down his throat as his eyes met with Michonne's, communicating with her wordlessly what he needed from her now.

Instantly she gave a rod in response and began ushering the townsfolk inside....out of danger.

Carl too, looked to his father, squinting his eye against the warm, evening sunlight as she turned to face the gates.

"Carl, I need you to go inside," said Rick bristling at the noise of car and truck doors being slammed.

This wasn't a collection day, and if Negan was here, this late in the day too, he knew it could only be bad news for all of them.

But before Rick's loyal son could argue, there came a loud yelling from the otherside of the high fences.

"Oh Riiiiick," came the intimidating and deep voice of Negan. "You really gonna leave me waitin' out here all day when we have got so. fuckin'. much to discuss?"

Rick felt a slick of moisture bead at his brow.

The usually-far too playful-man, sounded a far more angry than he usually did, and that caused Rick's stomach to lurch a little.

This was not good.

And so Rick, shooting one last glance to Carl at his side, hunched his shoulders...

...reluctantly making his way over to the gate.

Fuck.

Negan was trying his best to hold it together right now.

But the telltale signs of that being very unlikely were all there- his gloved fist balled tightly at his side, his other tensed around the smooth handle of his trusted baseball bat which was currently slung over his leather-clad shoulder.

He could feel a tick working its way at his cheek, as he stood with both booted feet firmly on the ground, his chin lowered darkly, waiting for the familiar creaking sound of the gate being dragged across.

And Negan didn't have to wait long, for in a matter of seconds the heavy duty fencing was pulled back to reveal the shaggy figure of Rick standing there in a dark blue shirt and black pants squinting in Negan's direction.

"What is it you think I have to talk to you about, Negan?" asked Rick in a tired sounding voice, as the thin metal railings also got dragged away leaving the two men stood facing one another in the hazy late-afternoon sun.

Normally this was where Negan would have begun his endless teasing of the brown-haired man, ripping him to shreds for his ever-growing man-bush, or for the way his eyes could not quite meet his...

But today Negan was in no mood for that shit, his eyes blackening at the irritable tone of Rick's voice.

Negan took a wide step forwards, coming to stand nose-to nose with the Alexandrian leader all of a sudden, as his men crowded behind him, all usually just as scary looking as Negan himself.