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

Static

The days at the Sanctuary slid slowly by.

Outside the boundaries of the looming factory fences, the leaves on the trees had already turned from green to fiery oranges, reds, and browns, creating a rich canvas of colour that told the residents that Fall was here and Winter definitely was not too far behind it.

Even with Blake's being gone, the workers from the gardens had already begun to stockpile all the fruit and vegetables they could harvest. And although it would certainly be a far better year than the last few had been, times would still be tough. Rationing would come into effect with lieutenants unable to go out of lengthy runs and scavenge for more supplies, hindered by the weather and treacherous conditions out on the roads.

The entire place felt subdued, partly because most were aware of the imminent few months and the hard times that would come with it. But partly due to the fact that everyone here, from the smallest most seemingly insignificant worker, to the most high up of lieutenants, noticed Blake's gaping absence at the Sanctuary.

By now, of course, everyone had heard what had happened.

That Blake had just upped and left with, from what they had heard, no explanation.

Whispers had travelled like wildfire, with everyone coming up with their own theories as to why she had gone.

At first everyone had blamed Negan, for he was the obvious choice for whose fault it must be. Maybe he had chased her away, cheated on her, lied to her. But these theories were swept away as quickly as they came, as just judging by the look on Negan's face, it was obvious that he was at loss, hurting, missing her as much as they all did.

Negan was still, to most, an intimidating presence around the place, but of late, seeing the tall and usually angry leader of the Saviours being tailed about the place by a two year old, really was a sight to behold. There was no doubt that he wasn't great with her and fiercely protective, that becoming obvious on one of their more recent walks out into the lots together, 'patrollin'' as Negan had called it, when Mia had gotten a little too close to the fences that housed the chained up walkers. Several of the Saviours that had witnessed it, had described in animated gestures how quickly Negan had snatched her away and how he had proceeded to yell at Simon for being so stupid to chain a damn walker where Mia could get to it. They had described the panicked look in his eyes, the one only seen in a father's eyes when their child is put in danger.

It was of course true that Mia and Negan had grown close and over these past few weeks the kid had gone from someone that Negan tolerated having around for the sake of his relationship with Blake. To someone he now considered as close to his own child as he would probably ever get.

And with Blake gone, it was as though he was pouring all his love, he had usually always reserved for the tall blonde, into Mia instead.

Negan admittedly had never been one for all that soppy shit, but these last few months had changed him. He considered himself to be a different man now.

Blake had thawed his heart when he thought it would always be cold.

She had brightened his world when he had thought he would forever live in the darkness.

She had been his everything.

Fuck, she still fucking was.

Each day Negan tried to busy himself with Mia's never-ending stream of demands, trying to push thoughts of Blake away, knowing that he needed to give her time....space....hoping that someday she would come back to him.

But the night's came and Negan's heart would begin to ache again.

Mia was, more often that not, out for the count by seven, and that left Negan with nothing but a bottle of whisky and his own thoughts and fears.