This is the last time
This is the last time I'll look in your eyes
So when the sun sets
I pray the dead rise
Cause I buried you deep inside

___

Unaware of the target on her back, Maggie headed to the tractor. She was on her way to help her friends and innocent people she could hardly all meet through her short stay. In the apocalypse every life was on the verge of death but every human life had a price too valuable to lose. There was nothing that could stop Maggie on her mission.

Dedication radiated from her every pore. She was shining brighter than the moon. The feature Sally did not see in Maggie when they were killing Glenn was back. And exactly that determination set Sally back and made her sit in the corner.

Sally expected her body to launch forward but nothing happened. Not even a blade of grass moved around her. Her brain refused to act on such a foolish decision. Maggie was sacred territory. Sally's dirty hands could not dare to touch her, only if she wished burn in flames of hell.

The wicked woman was running out of time. She had to act on her intention right at that moment or forever hold her peace. She tried to move once again but Maggie shutting the vehicle door behind her drew the last breath of pursuit out of Sally and blurred her vision in one swift move.

She could hardly afford to cry two times in one day but at least this time nobody would see her. Seeing Negan turning cold shoulder to her earlier hit her harder than she cared to admit and Sanctuary was a place too packed with people to find a moment for herself.

Maggie drove away and out of sight out of mind, Sally could move again. She left her shelter and stumbled back to graves but stopped by the greenery and tore off two flowers. She fell to her knees by the graves and put one bloom on each. She held her palms on the graves like she was praying.

She sat there in the dirt holding the hands of the deceased until the music by the front gate stopped playing and that meant the walkers could wander off anywhere. She had to get to her weapon — Simon. After brushing the traces off the graves again Sally headed out the same way she came. Next time she's coming as she was supposed to - through the front gate.

___

Saviors didn't wait around for walkers to gather at the Hilltop. They got back into their trucks and drove away to gather strength for phase two. At first, Simon wasn't exactly happy about Sally's mischievous behavior but when he later found her at the same spot he left her, everything was fly between them again. There was no need for Negan to know that Sally wasn't under supervision the whole time even though he specifically asked Simon to do that.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he asked her when she jumped down from the tree under which he was picking her up.

"It was marvelous, they won though." She put on a theatrical sad face.

"Don't you worry, we're not done yet." He kept Sally behind his back so  she didn't have to move a finger while he cleared their way of walkers getting the two of them safely back into his truck.

"I've got you something to eat and you should get some rest," he said while wiping his hands, face and knife into a rag. "We need you to be sharp in just few more hours." He handed her some food and that was when he noticed her hand.

"You're hurt." He didn't understand where she could come to such an injury. Yes, her hand was bandaged already when she got into his truck but the wound underneath was clearly opened again, judging by the blood seeping to the surface.

"No, I'm not," she said automatically, her mouth full with the sandwich he got her.

"Somebody will check it for you," he said without further investigation, "must've happen as you climbed that tree."

And then climbing it down and then climbing another up, getting over the wall in and then out, again climbing several times off and on trees. But finally, after what seemed like eternity to her, Sally was in her natural habitat and while on the little adventure she was so on fire she hardly had any time to notice any pain from the injury she made to herself while going crazy for Negan.

"Thank you," she said between the bites.

"So tell me all the spicy details on what went on, I can only imagine." Simon was eager to play her monitoring system tape.

"Oh, we got them busy alright," she smirked.

"How did they sabotage the car?"

"They've got some heavies on their side, Simon, I'm sorry."

"Heavies?" His eyebrows shot up.

"A tractor," she chuckled and he joined.

They drove in a silence for a bit and it even seemed Simon found a way to make Sally's road more bearable by occupying her mind with food but then he managed to erase all the progress with just one utterance.

"You know what? We don't have to head all the way back to the outpost. We can just sleep in the truck and spare some time to get more sleep."

"What? No!" He could as well say the most absurd thing on the face of the Earth, Sally would give him the same why-exactly-would-we-do-that face.

"What do you mean no?" He frowned.

"No, Simon. We can't sleep in the truck on the side of the road!"

"But Sally..."

"No, no and no, you can't make me do that. I'll sleep in the tree but this... no."

"The others could meet us on their way to the Hilltop in the morning..."

"Don't be silly, Negan would never allow that. Anybody can jump us exposed like that. And ... and I need my bandage changed." She quickly added picking up her hand satisfied she found her one last argument. She couldn't allow under any circumstances his suggestion to happen, never.

"Alright," Simon sighed. He was sure there were more things Negan wouldn't be head over heels with, starting with her happy tree adventure, but the lady's comfort was number one priority. "I'll show you where I live then."

___

Visit after visit that was the life of Saviors. They earned their living by inviting themselves to household after household, spending their time in the hospitality of their hosts. Showing always unannounced and barehanded didn't represent the best manners but they always expected to be accommodated with pleasure and gratitude.

Sally hardly cared about silver spoons and tables overflowing with food. She didn't care about the man of the house or the material goods they'll be leaving with.

She just wanted to meet her friend. And maybe ask her to come with. The part about asking was variable though.

Repeating the last night visit, they came in through the front gate and Hilltop was ready. There was not a sign about the struggle they went through just hours ago.

Simon and his men headed right inside the Barrington House but Sally stayed behind, roaming the place outside with the rest of the crew. She hated the pleasantries every visit had to go through so she took a stroll around with other guys.

And she had no shame, just as her new friends. They went over trailer after trailer and some of them took something that caught their eyes but Sally came out without anything every time. She couldn't find what she was looking for.

Simon's visit didn't took long but there was still one place where Sally didn't check.

She bumped into Simon on his way out of the house. 
"We're moving houses, sweets. Nothing else to see here."

"Did you search the house?" She asked.


"No need... I've got some Scotch for Negan. Boy, won't he be thrilled! And some precious piece of art to go with it as well."

"Wait for me then."

"There's no time we're leaving." He held his hand in front of her like a roadblock. He had just enough of her irresponsible behavior and he didn't feel like he needed another excuse for Negan why he couldn't hold the petite girl on a leash.

"Let me see!" She pushed his arms like a carousel and got over the threshold. And that was about as far as she got.

Simon turned and grabbed after her but she stopped on her own behalf.

"Jesus!" She breathed bewildered.


"Yeah, how do you know," Simon asked standing behind her back.

"What?" She didn't understand what was happening. She was meeting a ghost after ghost at this place and it paralyzed her every time.

"It's Jesus, they call him that. You can guess why." Simon explained himself.

Sally's eyes wouldn't left Jesus easier even if it was the former one, but she just stood there trembling.

"It can't be!" She mouthed to herself.

"Do you need anything else?" Jesus asked clearly not happy with their overstayed welcome.

"No, we're leaving. Come on." Simon took Sally by her shoulders and slightly pushed her out of the house.

"But ... but it's... it's him!" She kept turning back to the house.

"Yes, it's Jesus. What a miracle!" Simon put Sally safe and sound into the truck that headed back to Negan's compound. There was no need for her to get anxious in the car she was already shook to the core.

She just wanted to go and get herself a parting present. But little did she know she was bringing back two in the back of the truck.

___

Author's Note: Oh guys, this one took out of me! I became too overwhelmed with emotion and it clouded my vision... Sally seeing Maggie again, discovering the real graves and meeting Jesus... Oh you'll see where that takes us.

Will Sally tell Negan all she saw? What do you think?

I also included a song Beneath the Ground by Lower Still... it was keeping me company while writing this and it's just so fitting ... and not only for Sally.

Thank you for reading, I'll be waiting for your thoughts.

🌩