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

But then I found you

Blake had had an eventful afternoon.

It was strange to be back at the Sanctuary after all this time away. And yet in an odd way she had never felt more at home. Back where she belonged.

She hadn't seen nor heard from Negan since his unannounced absence, but knew that if she was going to keep Carl and Tara out of harm's way, then that was probably for the best.

She of course totally understood Negan's frustration with how she had dealt with things. Blake had told him point blank that she hadn't been ready to come back this morning at the white house when he had asked her, and yet here she was.

But despite understanding Negan's anger with it all, Blake needed him to understand that all of this was for him and for Mia, to create a better life for both of them. Negan had build this place from the ground up and made it what it was today. But Blake just hoped that he would understand that the way to achieving a future without further death and bloodshed, would be to make peace, even with assholes like Rick Grimes.

Once they had finished in the canteen, Blake had showed Tara and Carl to her old room on the second floor where they had agreed to stay, with the protection of Dwight on patrol outside upon Blake's orders.

It wasn't that Blake didn't trust the Saviours, her own people. But she had seen the hostility the two Alexandrians had earned downstairs in the dining hall, and didn't want anything happening to either of them before she could make sure they were packed off home at first light tomorrow.

And so she and Mia had said their goodbyes and spent the rest of the afternoon searching for Negan.

The dark-haired Saviour was indeed a hard man to track down. And after getting side-tracked twice, once by Arat, who had embraced Blake, happy to see her back and looking well. And the second time by Tanya, who had gladly offered to take a sleepy Mia (who had dozed off on Blake's shoulder) to her room and get her ready for bed. Which then left Blake alone in her searching for the grumpy man.

She finally found him, after what felt like hours of wandering around the drafty Sanctuary hallways, up on the rooftop.

A place Blake had not been since she had told Negan the news that she had been pregnant, what felt like so long ago now....

So much had happened between them in such a short space of time, so much hurt and pain but so many good memories too.

Negan truly was everything to her and she breathed a sigh of relief looking upon finding him up here.

Blake stepped out onto the cold rooftop.

The wind had picked up, causing her long caramel hair to flutter around her, as she emerged from the doorway.

Negan was hunched over the wall on the far side, hand linked together, shoulders rolled forwards, staring out across the darkened Sanctuary lots below, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched firmly shut.

He looked like a man deeply resigned to something, and Blake had to admit she was more than a little nervous to find out what.

She took a step forwards, letting the door behind her clatter shut, clutching her arms tightly around herself as the wind bit at her.

"It's freezing up here..." she mused in gentle voice, knowing full well Negan was aware of her presence. Yet it unnerved her a little that he hadn't turned around and acknowledged her, a nervous feeling gnawing at the pit of her stomach.

Maybe he hadn't forgiven her for bringing them here. Maybe he had changed his mind....

But what choice had Blake had?