That night Sally had no trouble sleeping. She awoke only for a while to cuddle closer to Negan and the moment his body took hers in, his breathing rocked her back to sleep. Next morning, Negan got up later than he used to, worried not to disturb her sound sleeping, but she hardly moved even when he could no longer stay and shuffled himself from the sheets.

He only came to wake her up later when it could no longer wait, and brought her something to eat and her clothes. Sally sat up in bed, feeling all guilty she dozed off for so long like that. There was no one to watch over him while he was asleep.

"How was Alexandria?" She asked getting a hold of her breakfast at the lounging area.

"I enjoy that place," Negan said sitting opposite of her. "You know I do. I can see us spending our holiday there. But hell," he sighed, "they keep trying my patience."

"Rick acted up again?" Sally raised her eyebrows.

"He wasn't exactly grateful for me bringing his kid home, but no, it wasn't Rick for a change." Negan didn't even know where to start - Olivia, Spencer, Rosita - the list just went on.

"Do we need to go for a visit again?" Her eyes narrowed.

"I'll take care of Alexandria, don't you worry your pretty little head. But the reason I woke you up ... You wanted to go to Hilltop. Simon is waiting downstairs."

Negan's words moved Sally deeply.

"Negan," she hardly held herself in place, "you're the best, honestly." And it was so easy to believe. She immediately put the food aside.

"What is it the charm about them?" Negan joked.

"Oh, I see great potential over there," she smirked.

She started to put on her clothes Negan left all over Lucille. The pieces disappeared uncovering the bat one by one, and as Sally put the last of them on, she saw a brand new scar on Lucille. She was shot?!

"Negan," she turned to him, "what the hell happened in Alexandria?"

"Thank Lucille, she saved my life." He shrugged.

"Negan..." The fury that started to rise inside her - Negan could see it taking over her face, her hands curled into fists.

"No," he stopped her right there, "I have it under control. You go to Hilltop, have some fun."

He didn't have to say much, Sally took every single word of his dead serious. She just couldn't take the idea of him leaving her so soon. She went to him, sat on his lap and kissed him. "They're taking you away from me over my dead body," she stroked his face.

"They can try," he pecked her lips again, "but they won't pry my hands off you. Just... go now or I'll change my mind about you going with Simon."

"Oh no," she acted panicky, lifting herself up from him and heading out.

"If you want me to go with next time, find Daryl for me," he said his parting words.

"Will do," she winked and was gone with a blink of an eye.

___

In Hilltop, Sally had no time to waste but she still waited for Simon to get out of the truck and take a lead. She didn't trust herself to make it that far as Barrington House without going astray so as she stood next to Simon, she put her hand into his and he gracefully accepted. He was happy there was at least some power in his hands and Sally wouldn't flee out of his sight like last time.

After the last visit, Sally felt like she could do better, she didn't even meet the Hilltop leader and she decided to make it right. Simon kept her anchored for the time being and she blindly followed him inside just as his men did.

Gregory welcomed Simon as an old friend, pretending to be happy to see him again so soon. But Simon bought none of it. Sally let his hand go only so he could shake Gregory's and exactly as they expected, the Hilltop leader made no effort to acknowledge presence of anyone else than the person in charge. And Sally went along with it, Simon had it under control, so she just stood there and observed. But the moment Simon let go of her hand, there was nothing holding her down in the House. She could hardly wait and the second Simon and his company moved out of the house, she was breathing down their necks.

She burst out of the house and immediately scanned the perimeter. Her shoulders lowered almost unnoticeably. There was nothing she would like to see, so she had to go on and look for it. And it didn't took her long to find it. It almost run her over.

A girl with a basket of vegetables hurried behind the house and Sally, doing what she did best, went to eavesdrop. She remembered the girl from Alexandria. She was talking to one of the Savior guys wearing a beanie and the way she insisted on him to move places was more than suspicious not only to him but to Sally also. She heard them resolve the situation, the girl left and the minute the guy disappeared down to the basement of the house, she went after him.

"Hey there, big boy. Dungeons are my thing now, haven't you heard?"

"My apologies, I was just trying to cover more ground."

"Sure thing, I release you from your duty." She smiled at him and he left smiling as well.

She walked alongside the shelves but she was not picking anything to take.

"You can come out now," she said taking her place in the middle of the empty room.

Nothing happened for a little while but Sally was sure she wasn't alone.

"Negan wants your head but imagine how pleased he would be if I brought Maggie along." Her words put world into motion. The shelves moved out of the way and from behind them, Daryl charged at her. Her grabbed her by her throat and pinned her up against a wall.

"Daryl," Maggie tried to calm him down but all he saw was red.

"Hey, babe," Sally said to him, short on breath, "I'm thrilled to see you, too. Maggie," she greeted her as well.

"Who are you even?" Maggie asked her, bewildered, hardly recognizing the person in front of her.

Daryl kept aiming his knife at her.

"Are you going to use it or?" Sally raised her eyebrows.

"Daryl, please," Maggie kept trying to be the angel on his shoulder. "They would punish us all had something happened to her."

"We make it look like an accident," he was thinking aloud. He had her in his hands, he couldn't just let her go after all she's done.

"Now we're talking," she scoffed.

"No, Daryl," Maggie ignored Sally, "are you listening to yourself? You're not thinking clearly. Let her go before you make something that we're all gonna regret."

"Daryl, let her go," Jesus joined them down in the dungeon, picking Maggie's side.

""We can't let her go now. She knows about us," Daryl stood his ground.

"Like I didn't before," Sally rolled her eyes at him.

"Let her go and let me talk to her," Jesus put his hand on Daryl's shoulder, gently prying him off of Sally. "You'll go with me, won't you, Sally?" He turned to her, catching her eyes.

Sally nodded, mesmerized. "Anywhere," she said under her breath.

Daryl slowly let her go and watched her follow Jesus out.

"I'll go get you when they're gone." Jesus said before he sealed the basement behind them.

Once out from the underground, Jesus led Sally to safe distance from Daryl. He needed to get Sally and himself isolated. She acted so strange around him and he hoped to crack her and let him maybe know why. He guided her to his trailer. It had nothing on Barrington House, but he never complained.

"Is this where you live now?" Sally stopped unsure what to do in the middle of the confined space.

"Yes, this where I live now," he repeated her words, unsure what the now really meant. Not that her choice of words was the weirdest thing about her. Actions spoke louder then words, she proved that several times. "Make yourself at home." He laughed at his words inside his head. She was a Savior, she could make herself at home anywhere she liked. She could take the whole trailer with her and he would have to stand by, watch and thank her for it, maybe even help in the process. But he needed to loosen her up a bit, make her comfortable and talkative.

She finally moved, circling the trailer, carefully observing, but hardly touching anything and if, she caressed it so carefully her fingertips actually hovered about it. She treated his space like it was a royal chamber. The inspection certainly took her so long, she went through everything.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" He asked once his patience didn't leave him cool about it anymore.

"Just window-shopping," she said automatically but didn't let him distract her looking inside his cabinet.

"Will you tell Negan?" He asked crossing arms on his chest.

"About?" She teased him and he rolled his eyes behind her back.

"About them," he played her game. They needed to keep Maggie and Daryl a secret.

She remained quiet for a while, contemplating.

"I won't, if you won't tell I know," she turned to him.

"Your secret's safe with me," he looked suspiciously at her, being more shady than usual. But he knew that not telling Negan was the biggest risk for her, too. She had to tell him immediately or forever hold her peace. Negan would never let her live through the fact she covered for them.

"Pinky swear?" She smiled at him like he was a little child.

"Yeah, whatever," he shrugged, thankful she didn't actually expected him to do the pinky gesture.

"It's a deal, then," she said nonchalantly.

"Sally!" Simon called after her from outside. It was time to leave. They came for doctor Carson, they got him. Her visit was over. There was no need to shine a spotlight on Jesus.

"I better go. Thank you for showing me your place." Not that she had to thank him for saving her life.

"Sure thing," he said.

She lingered a bit like she was waiting for him to say something more but she got nothing. She inhaled but halted her words at the last second as well. She headed to the door.

"Sally," Jesus stopped her at the last second, the door handle in her hand. "Is ... Is he good to you?" He decided to cross the line, risking making her angry.

"It's not any..." She started, but Jesus was determined to get an answer. How was she not afraid of the beast...

"Is he?" He insisted, staring her down.

"Yes," she gave in finally, "he is good to me."

"Good. Goodbye, Sally."

"Bye," she drew out quickly and burst out of his trailer, wiping away few stray tears before she joined Simon again on their way out.

___

Author's Note:

Oh boy, this part was waiting to be completed for waaay too long. It just had to sit in my laptop waiting for its moment and guess what - your two favorite girls Sally and Stormy are back! 📫 Just kidding. 😅 But really, aren't we? 😏😂

You wouldn't believe which song I was listening to while I was writing the Jesus part even if I told you ... okay, I'm telling you ... Flashdance - Maniac 😂

Mkay, I should end this note I obviously can't contain myself 🙄 Update rush!

If you like this story, show me that you're not a walker -> vote ⭐️, comment 💬 ... I love hearing from you 😍

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