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

Flowers

The sun was hot in the sky, and Blake stopped to take a long drink of slightly-warm water, as she wiped at her perspiring brow.

By the time she had emerged out into the lot to grab some fresh air, she had been surprised to find that work had already begun on making the area into a self-sufficient garden of sorts, under her orders from yesterday.

This was obviously Negan's doing. And Blake hadn't been able to help herself from smiling at the idea of him actually valuing her opinions.

He was the first man in a long time who had, that was for sure.

And so Blake, eager to help in whatever way she could, had soon got stuck in, clearing the yard of debris and helping to pull down the broken and disused fences than lined the interior of the medium-sized lot.

With a little compost and ground work they could easily lay the foundations for a plot of land suitable for growing basic vegetables...maybe plant a couple of fruit trees even.

Today Saviours of all shapes, sizes and status had been roped in to help. Some voluntarily, and some under Negan's direct orders, that was obvious.

But Blake today, had already met an older man in his late fifties who had used to own and live on a farm a few miles from here. Had had been working for points here, at the Sanctuary, for about fourteen months now and, as he had told Blake, was more than happy to help out organising people where he could. Had had informed her that this work would suit him far better than his previous job here, working in the laundry room down in the deep basements of the factory.

It was all progress as far as Blake was concerned. Not just with the gardens itself, but with giving people here, a better way of life. A purpose, if they were not able to go out there and fight on behalf of Negan, at least.

And it showed already.

The people she had seen just a week or so ago, sitting miserable and quiet in the courtyard around the corner, had all come over, smiling happily, patting Blake on the back and giving her water whenever she was low.

She guessed very rightly that they didn't do the same to Negan.

Of course they were scared of him....and rightly so.....but with Blake.....they respected her in a different way...

....just like they would have a queen....

Blake had smiled on thinking about this....a queen was only what Negan had made her into....giving her this position here at the Sanctuary.

She could quite easily have still been in that cell, or forced to work for him for points. But that soft spot had for her, definitely helped matters, that was for sure.

But soon enough, the time would come where she would go back to Alexandria...where she belonged.....

Because that had been the goal all along...right?

David had left this world....and it had been his choice to come here, never hers anyway...

So eventually she would leave....like she had originally planned.

But even just the thought of going back there made her stomach churn...

What was pulling her to say here? Keeping her from leaving?

Not one part of her wanted to admit that it might be Negan!

But, speaking of which, as Blake paused in her work....thick gloves on, as well as a pair of shorts, boots and a blue shirt...she glanced over her shoulder, to see a person striding causally across the yard towards her, Lucille swinging from his hand easily, as he walked.