I would like to dedicate this update to nadixon lumosthennox and StrawberryGusher. It was your awesome comments and discussion that made this update happen. I hope you like it!!!

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Daryl

I was sitting on the picnic table sharpening my knife when I heard loud clanking behind me. I whirled around to see the guard on the wall slamming his spear against the metal wall. "The savior's are coming!" he screamed, "The Saviors!"

My breath caught in my throat and I jumped to my feet. I had no idea they came here for their pick ups. I stupidly assumed they met like Ezekiel did. I had to find Jo and Maggie and get them hidden before they were found. I scooped up my crossbow and whirled in the last direction I had seen Jo. Enid skidded around the corner and practically slammed into me she was moving so fast.

"We have to find Maggie!" Enid gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"Where is she?" I snarled back gruffly. Time was running out and I had two people I had to take care of. I didn't like it, it made me feel torn, like I had to choose which one was more important. 

But I couldn't leave Maggie. I wouldn't leave her. I owed it to Glenn.

"Come on!" Enid said grasping my wrist and pulling me along behind her towards Maggie. 

"Where's Jo?" I demanded urgently. I wasn't going to hide without knowing both of them were safe.

"She's outside the wall, she's fine," Enid gasped. She was out of breath so she had been running farther than just inside the walls. "Jo is more than capable of taking care of herself." She glanced back at me like I was stupid for worrying, but she didn't know how badly Jo had been hurt. 

Jo had been spending a lot of her time out in the clearing teaching people to fight. It would be a safe enough place for her to hide as long as she stayed there. If the Saviors were in here they wouldn't notice her out in the woods.

We ran around the corner of the trailer and spotted Maggie. She skidded to a stop when she saw us. The bug out tunnel was across the community from us. "We'll never make it in time," she said looking towards the front gates as they creaked open.

"Come on!" Enid said, grabbing Maggie's hand.

I pushed Maggie ahead of me, running behind the girls as the first trucks came through the gates behind us. Enid led us to the old house's cellar. I hesitated for a second. There wasn't another way out of the cellar and if we were caught down there we would be trapped.

"Just stay down there," Enid said jerking the doors open. "I'll keep them away," she promised.

"Enid no!" Maggie called after her.

I tightened my jaw as I stared down into the darkness. I could smell the faint dampness of the dark space and everything in my mind was telling me not to go down there. I swallowed and clenched my teeth. I grabbed Maggie's wrist maybe a little too roughly and pulled her down after me.

Enid nodded to me and gave Maggie a reassuring smile. "They aren't the same ones who came to Alexandria." she said. "They won't know me."

The doors closed behind us plunging us into darkness. I let go of Maggie as soon as the doors closed. I didn't want to be that close, but I needed to make sure she and the baby was safe. Maggie ran down the stairs and immediately began working on wedging herself behind a tall rack of dried vegetables at the back of the cellar.

My breathing had kicked up and I tugged at the collar of my shirt. I turned back towards the door where the stream of light was coming through. I pulled my knife and wrapped my fist tightly around the handle to remind myself I could. Then I crouched in the small stream of light to keep an eye out.

"Daryl!" Maggie whispered-yelled to me from across the room.

I didn't move, I watched as the Saviors spread out through the compound. It looked like they were looking for someone or something. Maybe it was me, but I didn't think there had been any connection to The Hilltop, unless they figured out Jesus had been there. I doubted it, he was a slippery little bastard and a hell of a scout.

"Daryl!" Maggie called again more urgently this time. I turned back to her and it was the look of fear on her face that had me crossing the room in long strides.

Jo was safe and out of sight, I needed to focus on Maggie. I stepped behind the rack, cramming myself in beside her and pulled the rack back into place so we were hidden from sight. The tightness of the space made me uncomfortable, there wasn't any room to fight or get away. The dark, cool cellar was suddenly starting to feel uncomfortably warm. I shifted my weight. We needed to get out of here. I wanted to be out in the woods with Jo where I could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't do anything dumb.

The door opened and I tightened my grip on the knife. I put myself between the man coming down the stairs and Maggie. As long as we held still he probably wouldn't be able to see us. If he did look our way I only wanted him to see me. If I attacked fast enough he would never know there was anyone here but me.

He picked his way through all the food, pocketing whatever he wanted and throwing what he didn't on the floor. Like the wasteful assholes they all were. Maggie sunk back deeper into the shadows, resting her hand on my low back. It made me uncomfortable, but I didn't want to risk moving and attract attention.

I watched as the man pulled down a box from the shelf we were hiding behind. He turned to carry it to the door and I slid forward out of Maggie's reach, ready to make my move. Two more steps and I would be able to kill him without him ever knowing I was there.

I took a step forward, my knife raised when Maggie closed her hand over my arm. It shocked me and I jerked to a stop, scowling at her. She dug her fingers into muscle, keeping me in place. When he was gone and the door closed behind him I practically burst out of the small space. I needed space and room to breathe. I moved to the door again, to watch and make sure he didn't come back

Maggie followed behind me at a slower pace. "You were going to kill that guy," she accused in a low voice.

"He was going to find us." I said keeping my back to her. I had almost done it again.

"He wasn't." she said firmly. "And he didn't." Now it sounded like an accusation and I was ashamed. I had let my temper get the better of me and had put her life and everyone's lives here in danger.

I kept my back to her, I couldn't look her in the eye. "He deserved to die," I said but it sounded weak even to me.

Maggie stepped up quietly behind me. Having her at my back was so much different than Jo. They were both quiet, but Jo was quiet like a tiger was quiet when it was stalking you. Maggie was gentle and quiet, she reminded me so much of Beth. "Ever since you got here, you haven't said a word to me. Would you look at me? Please?" Her voice broke with emotion and I couldn't ignore it.

I sank my teeth into my lip to try and keep my emotions back, but I was failing. I sniffled once and turned around, letting my hair fall forward to hide my eyes.

"Daryl," she said when she saw my face.

"I'm sorry," I gasped, my voice breaking. "I'm sorry," I said again and I sniffled back the tears that were filling my eyes. I had done this. I had failed them all so many times. I had failed Maggie so many times...Hershel and Beth and Glenn...she should hate me.

"It wasn't your fault," she said.

But I knew it was. They had told me over and over again how much it was my fault. How it wouldn't have happened had I just stayed kneeling.

I nodded. "It was." I sniffled again.

"No, it wasn't," she promised me and the kindness in her eyes broke me when none of those bastards could. Tears blurred my eyes and I couldn't see her face when she kept talking. 

"You are one of the good things in this world. That's what Glenn thought and he would know, because he was one of the good things too..." she sniffled and swiped at the tears that were falling from her eyes. "And ah...I-I wanted to kill that guy too," she confessed and it sounded weird coming from her, but the longer she talked the harder and more determined her voice became. "I wanted to string them all up and watch them die. But we have to win." She stepped forward and she wrapped her arms around me. I didn't know what to do, so I stood there awkwardly while she held onto me. She laid her head against my shoulder and I could feel her tears soaking into my shirt. "Help me win," she whispered.

I didn't trust myself to speak, but I lifted my eyes to meet hers and I nodded.

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Jo

I wasn't thinking about myself, I was too preoccupied with worrying about Daryl, which is precisely how I got myself into trouble. It took everything in me not to run right back to Hilltop to make sure he and Maggie were safe. When I looked back to the road I realized my error, one of the trucks had hung back, parked along the side of the road near the edge of the woods. I hadn't thought I was visible, but if I could see them, they could see me. I glanced back over my shoulder, contemplating stepping back further into the trees for a little more cover.

When I looked back, a strange man stepped out of the trees. He cocked his head to the side as he eyed me curiously and stepped further into the clearing putting himself between me and the target. I gnashed my teeth together as I realized it also put him between me and my knives.

The man was obviously a savior but he wasn't one I recognized. He wasn't just tall, he was large and well muscled, like Abraham had been. He looked from the target to me and he chuckled. I realized then that Enid had throw every one of the knives sticking out of it. And not a single one had come even close to the center of the target. I was going to have to take some time to work with her.

The man swaggered towards me, confident in his ability to handle the small, unarmed female in front of him. His hand was resting on his gun that was strapped to his hip. "I been coming on these collection runs for a long time now, and I don't remember ever seeing you here gorgeous. You must be new. How long you been here?"

I studied him carefully, his expression was open and curious, but his eyes were hard. He looked like the sort that would happily follow Negan. "Not long," I told him honestly.

He nodded and he paced a small circle around me. There was something in the aggressive way he held himself that made me not want him at my back. He was holding too much tension for the calm conversation we seemed to be having. I tried to keep him in my line of sight but it was tricky without coming across as frightened.

"Well since you're new let me explain how things work. We are the Saviors, and when we come, we take what we want," he paced around me again and I grit my teeth as he passed out of my line of sight once more. Once he was behind me he stopped. He leaned forward and touched my hair, running his fingers through it. I whirled to face him and he smirked at me, pleased he had gotten a reaction. "And I know exactly what I want," his voice rasped low and husky.

My eyes widened and I took a step backwards away from him. He suddenly looked very pleased and I swallowed thickly as I realized I might be in real trouble. I glanced towards the target. What I wouldn't give to have just one knife in my hand. One knife, that was all I needed, but all of mine were in that target. 

He shadowed my movement and then he reached out to run his fingers along the edge of my tank top, across the top of my cleavage. I snatched his wrist, moving faster than he could give his size. I twisted, jerking up and back, feeling the small delicate bones crunch.

His face contorted in pain and than in an instant descended into rage. I tried to slam down on his instep so I could throw off his balance and kick him back. I needed more space. But either he was faster than I realized or I was still moving much too slow. He slammed his ham sized fist into my stomach with every bit of power he had in his massive shoulders. 

Blinding white pain exploded across my vision and the next thing I knew I had dropped to the ground. I must have blacked out for a moment or something because one minute I was standing and the next I was on all fours retching. I stayed on all fours unable to think beyond the blinding pain. I couldn't seem to catch my breath and when he kicked me in the side to flip me over I couldn't contain my scream.

In the next moment he was crouched over me, his hard cruel eyes glinting with excitement. His hands were harsh as he pulled and tore at my shirt, ripping it open.

"If you don't fight this will go a lot easier for you gorgeous. Next time-"

I shut out the sound of his voice, and anything he had to say. Angry tears filled my eyes as I tried to fight. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I was not a victim. This didn't happen to me. I tried to bring my legs up to kick him off, but he easily pinned the lower half of my body down with his hips. I tried not to think about what I felt there and instead focused on getting away. I clawed at his face, going for his eyes, nose, throat, anything. Anything to get him to back off, to give me a second to take control again.

He grunted in pain as I managed to hook his ear and he pulled back. I had hope that it would give me an opening, but instead he cracked me across the jaw and my head rebounded against the dirt and I blacked out.

It could only have been seconds later but I came to when his hands dropped to my jeans. His hands were rough as he pulled and jerked on the straps holding my shoulder rig to my belt. I tried to hit him again, but my head was spinning and my aim was off. He grabbed both my wrists in one of his massive hands and pinned them above my head. I pulled my knee up to kick him but he tangled his legs in mine and I was completely immobile. My chest constricted painfully and I couldn't draw a deep breath as panic raced through me. I bucked violently against him, swearing and yelling and he head butted me.

The back of my head recoiled off the ground and my teeth clicked together painfully.

"Terry, what the shit is-" I heard a voice coming from the treeline and it sounded familiar. I had a brief moment of hope that maybe it would be someone who would help me.

I saw him step out into the clearing and I blinked for a moment, my rattled brain was unable to process why he would be here. He stood against the back drop of the trees looking entirely out of place in the woods with his leather jacket and red scarf. It took him only a second for him to look from the man on top of me down to me.

He met my gaze, his dark eyes widened for a second and he almost looked human.

"Jo," he said my name, but it was under his breath as though he couldn't believe I was there. Then he narrowed his eyes on the man who had me pinned beneath him. His eyes dropped to where my shirt had been ripped open and I was shocked to see the amount rage building in his eyes.

"Terry," he growled dangerously. I had never heard Negan's voice sound like that. It was low and gravely. There wan't a hint of a smile or teasing, instead his eyes were dark and intense. "You are going to back off of her, real slow." His shoulders had tightened and he looked very much like a predator as he glided out into the clearing.

"N-Negan," Terry stammered, his eyes wide with fear. "I didn't know you were coming, I-" he looked down at me. "I know what it looks like but its not - I'm not-"

"Touching her?" Negan snarled, all semblance of humanity was swallowed up in the sheer mask of rage that contorted his face. "You aren't touching her?"

He crossed the clearing in three rapid strides, grabbed Terry by the back of the neck and ripped him off of me. Negan threw the other man into the dirt, putting himself between me and Terry. His shoulders were heaving with barely contained rage. He held the bat in one hand and his knuckles were white where he gripped the handle.

I tried to move, I wanted to move, to pull the pieces of my shirt closed, but all I could do was lay there and fight to breathe. Every breath felt like I was pushing a weight up off my chest. I knew somewhere in the back of my head that this was very, very bad. I could taste blood in my mouth but I didn't know if it was from internal injuries or from when he hit me. 

"Negan-" Terry gasped again. "Negan I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Unacceptable. Rules are rules," Negan growled as he stalked towards him. "And the rules are, you don't touch women without permission..."

"Negan," the large man whimpered, and I was amazed to see he didn't bother fighting back, he was on the ground, scrambling backwards from Negan. He had a gun strapped to his hip and he didn't even seem to think about going for it. He was terrified. 

"You know what else is a rule?" Negan asked bringing Lucille up. "You don't touch what is mine," he ground out the words and even from behind him I could hear his clenched teeth. The man's eyes were on Lucille, wide with fear. Because the bat wasn't in my face I saw Negan draw the knife with his left hand. And when he raised the bat with his right he struck with his left, slamming the blade through the man's temple.

The body bucked once and then fell into the dirt. Negan whirled away from it, dropping the bat and the knife in the dirt. He came towards me with long strides, his expression still dark.

I tried to draw my knees up to my chest to get up but all I managed was to roll onto my side. I didn't want to be laying in the dirt at Negan's feet. I forced myself back up, groaning in pain as my ribs shifted. He was almost to me, but I couldn't get to my feet. All I managed was to scoot back a few feet on my butt while I tried to hold my shirt together with trembling hands. I don't know why it mattered so much to me, I had fought in front of huge crowds in Woodbury wearing nothing but a sports bra and shorts, but for some reason this was different. I didn't want to face Negan feeling so exposed and vulnerable. I just wanted him to leave. I wasn't really processing what had almost happened, I pushed it back and away where it couldn't touch me. Instead I tried to focus on Negan. 

My head must have still been a little shaky because the next moment Negan was kneeling down in front of me and I didn't remember seeing him move. Which wasn't right. I would never take my focus off of Negan when he was in front of me. 

Negan looked me over and immediately noticed I was shaking. Without hesitating he jerked down the zipped of his jacket and pulled it off. With gentle hands he wrapped it around my shoulders, drawing it around me so I was covered. He was speaking in a low voice and it took me a moment to realize he was saying reassuring, soothing things. His voice was low and gravely and his dark eyes were incredibly serious. He looked like a completely different person, one I didn't know. 

"It's okay sweetheart," he was saying and I looked up at him in confusion. I looked from him to the body of his man and back again, not understanding what was happening. He had just killed one of his soldiers. He followed my eyes and then looked back at me. "You're okay," he told me. He pulled off his scarf and with gentle hands he used it to clean the blood off my face. 

I couldn't handle this, I had to get out of here. I tried to push myself to my feet. I got halfway up and swayed. Negan caught my arms, easily supporting my weight. I tried to jerk away from him, but he ignored me and held on until he was sure I had my feet under me. Once I had my balance I pulled away from him, scrambling back a step. I moved too fast and tripped and nearly went down again. He caught my arm to steady me and then let go once I was stable. 

I looked across the clearing to the target where my knives were. Just one knife. That's all I needed and I could end all of this. Just one knife and I would feel safe. But I had given my one knife, the one knife I wanted to Sasha. I swayed again and realized it probably wouldn't have mattered if I had one. I was in no shape to fight anyone. I wrapped my arms around myself, and instantly felt steadier, more in control of my emotions.

Negan stood perfectly still watching me for a full minute. Then he followed my gaze to the target, saw my knives and sighed. "What the shit are you doing out here Jo?" he asked, but instead of sounding like himself he sounded tired.

Daryl, I was here for Daryl. My exhausted brain was scrambling to come up with a good reason for me to be here. I needed to be convincing so he didn't feel like he should search the whole community for Daryl. I didn't know where he was hiding, but I couldn't risk them finding him.

I drew in a couple of painful breaths and tried to get myself to focus. "A couple days ago some asshole nearly got me killed by a herd," I ground out the words, trying to sound more confident than I felt. My voice wasn't as strong as usual and I got the impression he saw immediately through my bravado.

He frowned down at me and then nodded. "Yeah, I did that," he admitted and it was so surprising I nearly forgot what I was saying. He sounded apologetic.

I cleared my throat and pushed on. "One of your men killed our doctor so I had to come here."

Negan looked from me to Terry and exhaled. "So that's what happened," he muttered running a hand over his eyes. The tension was leaking out of him slowly and that glimpse of a real live human being I saw earlier was coming back. 

I scowled at him, I wasn't willing to see him that way. Not ever.  

He just shook his head at me. "Sweetheart, you should have been able to kill Terry in your sleep. Hell, I worry more about you coming across my guys than my guys coming across you..." he muttered the last under his breath and he was frowning. He looked back and forth from Terry's corpse to me again and he looked troubled...no, not troubled...Worried. Negan looked worried. 

Negan worried about me. It didn't make any sense and it made my head hurt even more. Rather than bother trying to understand it I lifted my chin and glared at him. "Concussion, stitches and what were bruised ribs that I'm pretty sure are broken now thanks to your buddy there," I snarled back. I was uncomfortable and I just wanted out of this situation. I was too shaken up to be able to out think him. I didn't know how I was going to get out of here. I didn't understand what Negan wanted. 

Negan looked down at Terry's body again, and then anger flashed in his eyes. He snapped his head up to look at me. "Goddamnit Jo, what the hell are you doing out here by yourself then?" 

I took a step back from his anger. He saw it, acknowledged it and he took a menacing step towards me. I grit my teeth, angry I had let him see my fear. You couldn't ever let a man like him see fear. 

"I should take you back with me right now," he growled in my face.

I swallowed and glanced once more at my useless knives sitting twenty paces away. If he wanted to there wasn't a whole lot I could do to stop him.

He followed my gaze and made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat. He stalked over to the target and ripped a handful of knives out of it. Then he was back in front of me in three long strides. He grabbed my hand and dropped the four knives into it, handle first, so the blades were facing him. 

"Does that make you feel better?" he growled at me and I could see he was frustrated. He swiped a hand over his eyes and I wondered if maybe I wasn't the only confused by what had all just happened. He paced a short line in front of me, tugging at his hair.  

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask. I hated that my voice came out softer than I had intended. I knew people, I understood people, I had no idea what was happening here. 

Negan looked over at me, his eyes for a second were open and honest and I took a step away from it. He glanced down at Terry and I watched the tension return to his shoulders. He turned to look back at me and I could see the hints of the warlord swimming in their depths. It made me shift my weight. I had pushed too far. I wasn't thinking clearly, I needed to keep my mouth shut. 

"It's against the rules," he growled. "No one touches what is mine." 

I realized then in a moment of clarity how dangerous my position actually was. What I had assumed were just Negan's games before had actually been serious. He was serious. He was blatantly claiming me as his, had obviously done so in front of his men. I swallowed thickly and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't conceal the fear I knew was shining out of my eyes. I took a slow step back away from him. 

He saw it and rather than leaping on it to try and intimidate me into doing what he wanted he turned away. He drew in a few ragged breaths and hung his head. "Just-" he started to say and then he stopped and took another deep breath as though he were trying to compose himself. "Just-get back home," he ordered.

I frowned at him. I had no idea what was happening or why. I didn't know why he was doing this but I was going to take the chance to get out of here while I still could. I shrugged out of his coat and held it out to him. He started to wave me off but I made a noise in the back of my throat and threw it to him. "What am I going to do, wear it?" I asked incredulously.

A slow smirk that I recognized crossed his face and he took an oh-so-casual step towards me. "Then everyone would know you're mine," he growled and I could tell the thought pleased him. Despite his words however he took the coat. 

I swallowed and took a step back, holding my shirt closed with my arms crossed over my chest.

"I'm not," I told him.

"Oh right," Negan said conversationally. "And how is Daryl? Still leaving you alone to be attacked?" Negan growled out the words and his eyes were hard when I met them. 

"You would know more than I would," I snapped back. "You were the last to see him."

Negan sank his teeth into his bottom lip and nodded. He pulled his coat on and puffed himself up like an actor putting on their costume and taking their role. Just like that, he was Negan again. "Well, you just let me know when you get tired of waiting. Must be awfully lonely in that bed all by yourself," he drawled suggestively. 

"I manage," I growled out, not really thinking about my words. I just wanted to get away from him.

"I'll bet you do," he shot back and I could have slapped myself for giving him that opening. I was not thinking clearly. 

I drew back a step and the teasing light fell from Negan's eyes. We both turned as we heard the Savior's trucks start up to leave Hilltop. "Did you get a chance to see that doctor, sweetheart?" Negan asked, human once more.

I nodded slowly. My head was spinning from trying to keep up with his mood swings. 

"And what did he tell you?"

"To rest," I told him, not really seeing a reason to lie.

Negan nodded seriously. "I would feel better if you let him take another look at your ribs after what Terry did," this time it wasn't an order, it was a request.

He would feel better?

I cleared my throat uncomfortably and looked down at the knives in my hand. I slowly started to tuck them away. "I'll do that once you all clear out and things settle down."

"Doctor Carson isn't there anymore Jo," Negan said calmly. "He's in one of those trucks headed back to Sanctuary. I want you to come with and let him check you over."

I scowled, so that was why they had come, to steal a doctor. I wondered what had happened to their last one. "No way," I snapped back. "I set foot in that place and I'll never come back out."

Negan's eyes were hard and his shoulders tense when he spoke. "If I wanted you there Jo, you would be there." Then he stepped towards me, and all the tension slipped away. Instead of looking mad at my defiance, there was a strange gentle understanding that made me incredibly uncomfortable. "I swear to you sweetheart, I will take you there, have the doc look you over and I will personally bring you home. No one will touch you."

He was so close I had to crane my neck to look up at him. He was nearly a foot taller than me. "No one but you?" I challenged.

He reached up and I had to fight not to flinch away from the movement. He gently glided the backs of his knuckles along my cheekbone. "I would never force you," he said honestly and I believed him. "I protect what's mine."

"Thanks for the offer," I said shifting my weight uncomfortably. The Savior's trucks were all lined up behind Negan's on the road and I was sure any moment now Simon was going to appear, looking for his boss. Or even worse Daryl was going to come looking for me. "But I think I'll take my chances here." 

Negan pinched his lips into a hard line and I could see the indecision on his face. He was warring with the idea of waiting for me to choose to come with him and just taking what he wanted. Like he did with everything else in his life. 

I heard movement behind him and lifted up on my tiptoes to see over his shoulder. Simon and a handful of men came, looking for their boss no doubt. Simon looked from Terry's body to us and simply picked up Negan's knife and Lucille and stepped back, giving us room. 

Negan glanced back at his men and nodded briskly. Then, rather than turning to go he closed the distance between us. 

I tightened, ready to attack with everything I had left if I had to, but instead he reached up and cupped the side of my face with his hand. His touch was uncomfortably gentle and I dropped a hand to one of my knives. 

He saw the motion and he smirked at me like it pleased him to see it. 

He leaned in so his lips were just barely grazing my ear.  "There's my girl," he whispered. "You get tired of constantly sacrificing yourself for people who aren't willing to show you the same courtesy, you know where to find me. I protect what's mine." 

I pulled back an inch so I could see his eyes and his gaze was deadly serious. 

"I'm fine right where I am," I told him. 

"Tell that to Terry," Negan growled and he whirled away from me and stalked off towards his men. 

"Let's move out!" Simon called. 

I stood in the clearing, watching The Savior's leave. When the sound of their trucks finally faded away I let myself collapse to my knees. I choked on the sobs I had been holding back as they tore their way up my throat. I lay in the forest clearing and cried. 

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Hey guys, I hope you liked it!