— D W I G H T —

SHE kept to herself, very reserved, as she watched the workers around her. She did not know what she was doing, truthfully, as she was like the new kid trying to fit in.

I could not blame her, though, for trying to do right by everyone. I really wish that I had her heart, the same one that she claims that I have somewhere deep inside of my chest.

Ever since she has been here, I have not been the same as before she came. The palms of my hands are constantly sweaty, and I have found myself wanting to be around her.

Then, when she starts up and gets deep into her emotions, she tends to take it out of me. Hell, I deserve it. All of it. I was there when Negan slaughtered her friends and I stood there with my gun raised when I shot Daryl right in front of her.

Truthfully, I have become a different person since meeting her...

She did not seemed to realize that I was standing up here on this catwalk, watching her like a stalker. I am just trying to look out for her. I did not want her to ever feel Negan's full wrath.

"Dwighty-Boy," I suddenly heard before realizing it was Negan, himself, making his way towards me. I went to kneel down, but he held his hand up and dismissed it. "Don't worry 'bout it."

I gingerly straighted out my legs, standing up and placing my hands back on the railing in front of me. I tried to avoid his eye contact, so I forced myself to stare back down at Tess instead.

"Where you been lately?" Negan asked, slamming down his hand hard on my shoulder. He really should dial it back some. "You are hardly around anymore. What's going on?"

I knew that Negan did not actually care what is going on with me, but he probably just wanted to see where my mindset was. He probably feels the tension with us lately with me drifting away little by little, falling right into Tess' arms.

Sherry knows it, too, even if I do not see her all the time. I seen it the last time when she pulled Tess away from Negan's attempt of flirting. Sherry knows more than I will ever allow her to.

Finally, I shrugged, but kept my sight straight down on Tess. "Nothing, man."

Negan fell pretty quiet and I quickly tuned him out, continuing to focus down on Tess. One worker saw her walking around and offered her an apple, and Tess happily accepted it with a grin. She nodded and the worker actually managed to smile back.

It was rare to see our workers to show any other emotion than general sadness. Tess seemed to easily be able to change anyone's current mood. I have not seen Tess smile in a long time.

Negan took her happiness away from her. I did.

"So, about Tess," Negan suddenly breathed out, almost in my ear. I slightly turned my head towards him and I saw a huge grin come across his face. "You're fucking her, aren't you?"

My heart started to beat out of my chest and my hands became sweaty. Negan was a lot of things; but, most of all, he was smart and he was really good at reading the room. He knew more than he leads on and keeps some secrets to himself.

I shook my head and replied, "What? Nah. Hell no."

It was not a lie because, in all honesty, I have not actually slept with her. I have, however, almost went there with her. Though, I have also undressed her several times with my eyes and in my mind.

I have imagined, especially lately, what she looks like bare. I received a little bit of a sneak-peak just the other day when we started to fool around in the stairwell. I could only imagine what the rest of her looks like completely nude.

Negan leaned in and taunted, "You dirty dog..." He started to laugh, but not too loud. "You are totally fucking her!"

I hesitantly shook my head and repeated, "I'm not."

"Hey, look, man," Negan began to say, hands up in surrender. "If you wanna have her, you can. She is all yours."

I wanted to ask him, Excuse me?

"I'm not mad, man," Negan claimed, still chatting without a beat. He had his hands down and holding onto the railing, too, just like myself. "She's hot. Way too hot. She likes you, though." He paused, and this is when I finally turned my head to watch him. "I can see it. It is all in her body-language. She watches you as much as you watch her."

I did not know what to actually say back to him because, no matter what I say now, could be twisted into something else completely. He could say that it was fine now; but, later, I could lose the other side of my face to the iron again.

Negan nudged me and found my eyes while smirking. "You really like her, too," he stated, as if he knew all of my secrets. "I don't know if I would call it love just yet, but..." Again, he paused and looked forward. "It'll get there and, when it does, it'll be easier to forgive yourself for everything else."

In a twisted way, I knew what he meant; but, in another way, I did not know. I have not dug myself into a corner because I have not confessed to anything to get myself into trouble later. Very rarely does Negan get this serious without a major crowd around him.

"Besides," he sighed out and shrugged his shoulders, eyeing me, "I was getting worried 'bout cha. I didn't know if that thing of yours even worked. Good for you, though, man. You got a hottie - that's for sure."

Then, with that said, he launched himself off of the railing and gave me a pat on the back. He started to walk away, almost at the stairs, until he looked back and said, "Oh, by the way..." I stared back at him, as he probably demanded my attention now. "Don't wake anybody else up while y'all are fucking late at night."

Just like that, he chuckled to himself before finally walking down the stairs. For once, I did not know what to say. Still, he did not stick around to hear me say anything.

My eyes finally found Tess again, seeing Negan coming dangerously closer to her. I took the huge knot in my throat and gulped it down.

He leaned down and seemed to be whispering something to her. She leaned in, listening, and slowly nodded as he spoke. Then, when he was done, they both exchange a nod before walking away from one another.

I did not know what he said to her, but... She is mine.

—

— T E S S —

AFTER Negan approached me, I started towards going to my room. I had to go through the stairwell, climbing all those stairs until I am up there.

It took around five or so minutes to find the stairwell, and only another minute to make it all the way to the top. It still smelt sort of like cigarette smoke in here from the other day. Then again, Dwight most likely has returned in here smoke on his own.

Just as I made it to the door and opened it, someone else was forcing their way in from the other side. I jumped back, deciding not to get smacked by the heavy door, and faced the man on the other side.

"Hey," Dwight breathed out, as if he had just ran a marathon. His forehead had a little bit of sweat across it, too. "What's up? Where you going?"

I tried not to study his overall appearance too much, but he was acting weird as hell, to say the least. I decided just to shake it off and replied, "My room. Why?"

He finally entered the empty stairwell with me, closing the heavy door behind himself. It was just us two now. "I saw you talking to Negan. What did he have to say?"

So... He was watching me before.

I pursed my lips and answered, "He told me that I could take off for the rest of the day, so I decided to go back to my room to rest for a little while. Why?"

Suddenly, he cracked a smile - an actual grin - while shaking his head, his golden locks falling to the sides of his face. His eyes met mine when he asked, "Are you always this suspicious?"

I dimmed my eyes and actually found myself trying to smile back at him. "Not always," I responded, eyeing him closely. "You're the one who is acting weird. Not me."

He smirked and countered, "Y'know... Your friends asked me about you the other day."

What the... I am shocked that he is just now bringing this up. I dropped the almost-smile and was back to being fully serious once again. "Seriously? And, what did you say?"

He stared back at me when he answered, "The truth. You are... doing okay. I went to your place, too, and up to your room. Pretty clean and neat around there. Then, I noticed the walkie-talkie. You keep it under your pillow."

Shit, I cursed in my head. He described everything perfectly.

"I keep mine there, too," he quickly added, "except for when I am sleeping, of course."

Before I knew it, I took a full step towards him. "Hey, so," I breathed out and he eyed me. "You... You want to help me out? I need a favor."

"A... favor?"

"Do me a solid and..." My voice trailed off as I had to think of what to say next. "Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Y'know?"

I saw him swallow hard as he readjusted himself on the wall, practically laying against it. "What do you need?"

"The next time that you go back to Alexandria," I began to explain, "grab that walkie and bring it back here to me. Please?"

Without a moment to think about it, he launched himself off of the wall and said, "Done."

Wait... "Just like that? No hesitation?"

He took a moment to answer when his eyes floated from my head down to my toes, and back up again. Then, our eyes met in the middle once again.

"Yeah," he finally responded, shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever you need."

Man, who is this guy and where did the real Dwight go?

"...Why?"

I could not believe that I had asked that out loud, but... I had no other choice. Curiousity took over as my suspicions rose. I am not even sure just who in the bloody hell that I am speaking to anymore.

"Because" - he licked his lips while staring down at my own - "I want you to be happy here and, whatever I can do to make you feel better, I'll do it."

Then, just as he finished talking, it hit me... I wonder if Dwight thinks that we are in a relationship now that we have kissed and almost did more than just that. Or, maybe, he was just being a really good guy. It is getting harder and harder to identify.

Just then, the heavy door opened and one of the Saviors walk in, all loud and proud. "Oh, man," he laughed as he closed the door behind himself. I did not actually know his name. Hell, I do not know hardly anyone's name around here. "Look at this... Tess."

I am glad that he knows my name, but I still do not know his yet. He stood in front of Dwight, but was staring me down. Hell, he was staring at me like I was a piece of damn meat.

"Y'know," he said just he extended his right hand to touch my shoulder, "you are really hot, Tess. You wanna fuck sometime?"

"Hey, buddy," Dwight immediately stood up without hesitation. He took the guy by the shoulders and tried to usher him down the stairs. "Get out of here and leave her alone."

"Oh, I get it," the guy started to laugh while trying to escape from Dwight's grip. "You're already fucking her! Is that it?"

Dwight spun the guy around, so that they were now face to actual face. "Nobody is fucking anyone," he spat back to the Savior. "So, why don't you fuck off already, yourself? Hm?"

Suddenly, the Savior shoved Dwight off of him to where D hit the concrete wall behind him. It could have hurt him, especially when he seemed to have gritted his teeth from the impact.

"Just because you... you are Negan's right-hand man don't give you the right to have claim over her," the Savior nearly slurred his words there. I wonder if he has been drinking. "I want her."

With his teeth still gritted, Dwight eyed the man and growled back, "Well, you can't have her."

Then, just like that, the Savior reached his right hand back and punched Dwight right in the face. He stumbled back a little, but I did not manage to see anything else when I jumped on the Savior. He was getting ready to hit Dwight again when I grabbed ahold of his arm to keep him from doing so.

"Huh?" The Savior realized that I was holding his arm back now. "What the hell?" With his left hand, he threw it back and it started coming down on me. "You little bitch!"

Before I was to receive it, however, Dwight was back up as he took this chance to hit the guy back in the face. Then, he partially snatched him from me before they started to roll down the rest of the stairwell. They eventually crashed down on the ground, both equally in pain.

"D," I called out his nickname from still being above. "Are you okay?"

He did not answer just as he climbed to his knees and grabbing the Savior by the collar of his shirt. He started hitting him over and over again until the guy was damn near unconscious.

Then, once it was over, Dwight took a deep breath and stared up at me from being all the way down at the bottom of the stairwell.

His face told me everything that I needed to know. His first concern was that I was okay.

—

*** NOT TO BE A SPOILER-ALERT, BUT... THE NEXT SCENE IS FULL OF SEXUAL CONTACT AND TERRIBLY CRINGE WRITING. SO, IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SMUT, THEN PLEASE STOP READING NOW AND JUMP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU. ALSO, TO THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO READ... I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I SUCK TOTAL ASS AT WRITING SMUT. READ WITH CAUTION AND TRY NOT TO PUKE. HAH! ***

—

DWIGHT was fast asleep when I entered his room, silently closing the door behind myself. I remembered to even lock it, just in case.

It was so dark in here, equally as dark as anywhere else in this place. At first glance, I didn't think that I would be able to find him before I clumsily fall to my possible death.

I took it soft and slow, using my somewhat familiar surroundings to my advantage. I felt up the furniture until I was hovered over his sleeping body.

He was laying on his back and, from what I could see, he did not have a shirt on. I have no idea if he is wearing anything else because he had a blanket all the way up to his waist. Even in the darkness, I could still trace his tattoos all over his body.

I knelt down to his side and touched his warm chest, giving it a hard push. "Psst, Dwight," I whispered, leaning closer to his ear. "Hey, it's me. It's Tess."

He stirred in his sleep, turning his head away from me. Again, I gave his chest another push - which I noticed was hard to the touch.

"Dwight, please wake up," I begged, deciding to keep my hand firm on his chest. "I need to speak to you about something."

"Mm," he hummed, still stirring around.

I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips, trying to figure out just how in the world he is going to wake up. I brought my right hand up from his chest to his hair, taking some of his golden locks and tucking them behind his ear.

I cannot figure out how he sleeps at night, nor could I seem to figure out how any of these Saviors sleep at night. How did Negan, especially after all he has done? Why do the bad guys keep living?

With all things considered, Dwight wasn't as bad as everyone else here - including Negan. He was a broken man with a broken heart and soul. We were, realistically, in the same boat. I deserved every bit of pain that is sent my way, but Dwight... Maybe he deserved a second chance at life.

Again, I leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Dwight, I need a favor from you."

He stirred and, finally showing signs of life, mumbled out, "Hm... What is it?"

"You said that you would help me out," I reminded him, "if I will help you out."

He turned his head towards me and slowly began to open his eyes. He blinked several times, trying to wake up. "What 'bout it, T? Isn't it kind of too late for this?"

I did not want to sleep. All I wanted was to feel somebody's warmth against my cold body. The only person that I could see when I close my eyes, is him. His half-burnt face, his golden blonde locks, and those damning blue eyes.

If anyone knew about this, dead or alive, I would be shamed. I would probably even be turned away at the door. Dwight isn't who I thought he was. He is different and, despite everything else, he does have a heart. It shows just about every time that I am around and before I can be harmed by anyone else.

I knew that he cared about me and it wasn't in the sick way that Negan "cares" about anyone. I see the way that Dwight gently steps in front of me, to protect me from somebody or something. He doesn't belong here.

Neither of us belong here...

I bit down on my bottom lip, nearly swallowing it as a whole, before leaning and whispering in his ear, "I want you."

Nearly instantly, Dwight's eyes snapped wide open. He seemed like he was dumbfounded, as if he actually imagined that I had said that. I didn't, and although it bothers me a little, I wasn't going to let it tonight.

He could reject me, which I would completely understand. He is still technically married. Even with Sherry's blessing, he could still very well reject me. I would not hold it against him. I would completely understand.

Lately, when I have been around him, I have found my heart to be beating a loud harder and my palms become sweaty. I have found myself to be wanting - no, desiring - to be closer to him, as if I needed his touch to breathe.

He finally turned his head towards me and croaked out, "What?"

I smirked, rising my shoulders to shrug. "I don't think either of us can deny how we feel about one another," I quietly described. "I know that I can't. I have found myself actually caring about you. I know that you care about me, too, and that is because you saved me when we were at that bar. You saved me whenever I came to the Sanctuary. You have continued to go out of your way to... save me. Over and over again."

It still hadn't hit him yet, as he seemed to be fully grasping what I was trying to say. Maybe he thought that he still asleep and dreaming.

I brought my left hand up to his scruffy beard, using my fingernails to scratch it. "I need a favor," I stated, leaning in closer. "But, so do you."

With my left hand now flat on his cheek, I dove all the way in and pressed my lips to his. It was a warm and pleasantly surprising amazingly magical kiss. It wasn't reckless or sloppy. It was just right.

Once I had his lips to mine, I never wanted them to leave. I never wanted them to touch anyone else's lips, neither. I wanted them to belong to all me. I wanted him all to myself as well.

Although I did not want to sleep, I was still tired and naturally worn out. Yet, I still wanted him all over me. I wanted to ache from his thrusting into me... over and over again. I wanted him inside of me all the time, his sweat pouring off of his face down onto me. I wanted to hear him moan and I wanted to see how I would react to him just as well.

Somehow, he had deepened the kiss, as if he was trying to suck my lips down his throat as a meal. All I was doing was hovering over him up until he shockingly grabbed my hips, driving my body to be on top of his.

Although probably slightly dazed and confused at first, he suddenly knew just want to do. He positioned me right on top of him, as our kisses became more sloppy and reckless.

However, his hands were so cold as they traveled up my backside. I did not mind whatsoever, though. I liked this. I wanted this. For so long now.

He was perfectly imperfect, as cliché as it sounded. Dwight had too many flaws, but so did I. So did everyone else. Nobody could have survived this long without making several sacrifices and mistakes.

We were so close now that I bet he could feel just hard my heart was beating against his chest. I could also feel just how hard he was getting, too...

Before I had knew it, my free left hand developed a mind of its own when it slid down his body to his mid-section. I grabbed it in my hand, warm and full.

He allowed a gasp to leave his body when he breathed out, "Oh, Tess..."

It was not skin-to-skin contact because of his boxers still being worn and, when I tried to to take my hand away, Dwight quickly reached down and yanked my hand back down there; except, instead, he shoved my hand inside of his boxers, so that it was finally skin-to-skin contact.

And, once it was, I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head and my body seemed to relax a little. Now that we were touching skin-to-skin, my hand rubbing his package, I was warming up all over - not just my hand.

I loved the feeling of knowing that he could easily get him so hard, although he had just woke up from a deep sleep and immediately fully woke up with those three magical words.

I loved how hard he was getting in my hand, growing long and thick. Beyond words, I wanted him inside of me. Fuck, I do.

I have never wanted anyone more than I want him right this very moment. I wanted him to make me more weak and wet than I already am. I wanted him to claim this pussy as his own, and never let it go. I wanted to melt underneath him like ice-cream on a hot summer's day. I did not want to be able to walk after this tonight.

At this point, my pussy was throbbing. Goodness, fuck, man... I needed him inside of me so much that I was on the verge of tears.

"Dwight," I panted out his name, "I need you."

"Where?" Dwight whispered back, fully serious. "Where do you need me, baby?"

I removed my hand from his package and, immediately, took ahold of his hand. I shoved his hand straight down into my underwear, where he was finally touching me at.

"Here," I panted out, feeling faint from the sudden rush of excitement. "Oh, my gosh. Fuck me here."

All in one swift motion, he switched us around to where he was the one on top while I laid back flat on the bed. He snatched his boxers off while helping me get the rest of my items of clothing off, too. All I had left was my shirt and pants.

Everything was coming off as, at this point, clothing would just get in the way.

I still feel guilty for giving in to him, but... I am really hoping that he could simply just fuck the guilt right out of me.

It has been well over five years since I have had sex and, in the meantime, I have truly felt almost like a born-again virgin. Not by choice, of course, but the world was too busy being screwed than me.

Once all of our items of clothing were off and out of the way, he was straight back on top of me. His lips were attached to my lips. His bare body was on top of my own bare body. His hands wandered all over my body while my hands were busy jerking him off.

His package was close to my entrance without actually penitrating just yet. Just as things started to get better, however, he finally removed his lips from mine and took a huge deep breath.

"Shit," he cursed, glancing away for a second. "We need protection."

I could have cursed, too, for not remembering sooner. If I had kept on just now, he could still burst and there would still be a chance.

He reached over me to his bedside table, going through the drawer, and making way too much noise. Alas, he came back over with something in his hand.

"Here we go," he breathed out, then our eyes met. "Wait, do you want to?"

I really wanted to sarcastically reply, No, I got undressed for nothing.

Instead, I wanted to stay within the moment, so I excitedly nodded. He shook his head as he lifted himself up, right on his knees over my flat body underneath him. His package might as well be saluting the world.

He slipped on the condom, quickly discarding the plastic packaging, before jumping back down on me. I wondered just how long he has had that sort of "protection." Was it from when he was still with his wife?

While kissing me, I felt him place his left hand on my thigh and slowly started to lift it up for impact. I was beyond ready to be sore and aching.

With one last peck down to my lips, Dwight sucked in a breath just before he thrusted himself inside of me. I sucked in my breath and restrained myself from crying out.

Immediately, Dwight whispered out, "Oh, fuck..."

My eyes nearly rolled back into my head as, for the first time in a very long time, I grinned like an idiot from ear to ear.

We both needed this.