Alexandria was exactly how Pet remembered it. It was larger than Hilltop and people lived in actual homes here not just empty tractor trailer containers. And while the trailer at her old home was comfortable, she was looking forward to windows and carpeting and all the simple things that maybe would remind her of life before everything went to hell. She was glad to be away from Maggie as well. Pet had tried everything to win Hilltop's leader over but to no avail. Rick's decision to bring her to Alexandria was a god send, alleviating her stress and hopefully giving her a chance to finally make friends. Even when she was at the Sanctuary, she didn't have any. She had belonged to Negan and it had been such a whirlwind of a time that she hadn't needed or wanted any. She was bound to him heart and soul and there was no room for anyone else. He kept her mind and body occupied like no other.
When she and Rick rolled through the gates of Alexandria, a few of his main people were there waiting for him. He wasn't out of the truck for five seconds when they started throwing a slew of questions at him. It was like she wasn't even there as they inundated him with news on the gardens, the strained relationship between Hilltop and the Sanctuary and anything that was an obstacle at that moment. Rick took it all in stride, firing off answers like the true leader he was. Every one of them seemed to satisfy and they slowly dissipated until Daryl was the only one left.
"Daryl, you remember Pet?" Rick asked, grabbing her bag out of the back of the truck.
His question was answered with a grunt and quick once over making her avert her eyes.
"Yeah. I remember her." Daryl grumbled. "Ain't nothing but trouble if ya ask me. She's bad luck."
"Seems like Maggie feels the same but that's not the only reason I brought her back here." Rick responded casually.
Daryl lit a cigarette and strode up to her, rudely grabbing her chin and pushing it up. Pet shoved his arm away roughly and narrowed her eyes at him, her jade irises flashing angrily.
"Hiding her pedigree papers under a damn scarf. Why did you bring her here, Rick?"
Daryl was glaring angrily and Rick returned it with a killer look of his own.
"Is that any way to treat our new community member? I brought her here for the horses Aaron just brought in. Jesus says she's a pro at training them and Maggie wanted her gone." He explained.
"She's good at it cause she was living with a bunch of animals. You should send her back there." Daryl responded coldly.
Pet's breath caught in her throat. She could never go back to Sanctuary. Dwight would certainly stick her in the lowest position possible, ensuring as much suffering she could handle. And then there was Simon. The last she saw of him, he was hauling ass out of the Haven when Alexandria took control. The Sanctuary would be the most logical place he would turn to for safe harbor. Dwight would probably welcome him in since they both wanted Negan overthrown anyway. He would gladly put her in a hole too. But the worst of all would be the memories. Negan would be everywhere just like in her dreams that haunted her every night. Being sent back there would be a death sentence in every possible way.
"She was Negan's bitch." He spat, flicking the cigarette butt at Pet's feet.
Pet couldn't hold her tongue any longer.
"If it wasn't for me, you all would have been slaughtered at the farmhouse." She hissed, stepping up until she was toe to toe with him.
Daryl met her gaze and didn't break it. He actually took a step closer till they were nose to nose.
"You knew it was a set up. How many more people you gonna get killed?"He growled.
"Can't tell you." She answered. "But I can tell you who's gonna be next."
"Cut it out." Rick ordered, stepping in between them and shoving Pet's backpack in her hands. "She works for me now and she's already explained she was a captive. That's right, isn't it, Pet?"
"You both saw me that night." She quipped. "Did I look like I was having a good time?"
Daryl broke his hard stare at her reminding words. She had been beaten so badly it took eight weeks in Hilltop's infirmary to heal up but she was also in Negan's arms when he was shot down. When she was well enough to be interrogated she told them she had no memory of that night at all. The lie excused her for having to explain herself.
"That mark on the inside of your thigh says you were a Savior, maybe more." Daryl challenged. "And a bad behaved one at that it seems."
Pet kept quiet after his last remark. She was trying to leave that part of her life behind her and it seemed that it would never be done with everyone trying to remind her. She was beginning to think no matter where she went to live she would be ostracized and that her broken heart would never be able to mend.
After that exchange both she and Daryl avoided each other. Rick had set her up in a small guest house on the property of another home. It was close to the horse corral and Pet soon realized she had her hands full. The horses they had wrangled were all unbroken and training was a slow tedious process but she had time. That was all she had.
She had been at Alexandria for a little over two months and was finally starting to relax and fit in. She still had her share of adversity but she wasn't alone. A bunch of former Saviors had relocated here in hopes of starting over and there was always an underlying hostility from a few Alexandrians. They hadn't put Negan behind them either and it was something she couldn't understand. He was dead and buried along with anything that happened during his reign. She only wished she could apply that logic to herself. She wondered if she would ever stop mourning him and the wild, electrifying and deep bond they shared. He may have been a tyrant but she had loved him in a way she had never known before. And even though he never said the words to her, Pet knew he had loved her too. He had given his life saving her.
Training the horses had become her therapy and watching the wild spirit become tame and warm to her helped her through the darker days and before long the word about her skill reached Rick and he started coming down to watch her at work.
At first, he made her nervous, hanging outside of the fence observing her technique. He never approached. He just stood there and smiled as she was finally able to saddle one of the animals that was particularly hard to break. She got used to his presence eventually. One day, however, he decided to breach the silence and showed up with a bag of apples.
"Impressive." He commented, handing her one.
"Thanks." She answered shyly.
She accepted the beautiful fruit and bit in enthusiastically. Here in Alexandria there was no point system. The people shared and didn't mind doing it.
"You're doing a great job here." He complimented.
Rick was looking her over in a way he never had before and it was making her uneasy. It was almost like he was using her own training methods on her, patiently waiting until the right moment to get closer. He was smart. Her guard was up all the time even though she was slowly getting used to her new community.
"So I've come to ask you to dinner." He said. "I know it hasn't exactly been easy for you. I figured maybe you could use someone to talk to."
Pet's stomach dropped. Yes, she could use someone to talk to but why did it have to be Rick Grimes of all people? Why couldn't it be anyone else? The idea of sitting down and breaking bread with the man who had killed Negan horrified her. Not to mention Negan himself would roll in his grave.
"Oh, I don't think..." she began, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
"Actually, it's not a request. There's a new job I have in mind for you and I need to make sure you can do it." Rick stated. "We need to talk first."
"But the horses..." she protested.
"Don't worry. They'll remain your primary focus." He told her. "I don't think anyone else could do it quickly as you."
Pet blushed at the compliment, her fair skin flushing pink. It had been a long time since she felt like she had done something right.
"I guess I can." She conceded with a small smile.
"Good. Tonight at seven. I'll see you then."
Rick gave her a friendly wink before he walked off leaving her to finish the day's training. Her stomach knotted instantly with panic. What other job could he give her that required a conference over dinner? Tonight she would find out.
Pet wasn't late for the dinner. She showed up exactly on time and Rick seemed happy to see her. His eyes drifted over her quickly but he wasn't obvious or brazen either. Rick Grimes was always so soft spoken and she wondered how the hell such an unassuming man could lead with such force? His people were so fiercely loyal. That was one thing Negan didn't have among his tribe. Two of his top men had turned. And even though she had pledged herself to him, she had eventually turned her back on him to pursue her revenge. It was her greatest regret but Rick could never know that. He could never know what she was to him or what he had invoked inside of her. Negan had made her love him and he had done it with the feel of leather and silk and the taste of his unquenchable kiss. He had taught her more about herself than anyone ever had. He had forged who she was and who she still remained.
She took her place at the formally set table. The lighting was low, a bit too low, she thought uncomfortably. Rick had never made a pass at her but the whole scene, from the wine to the far off music to the way he pulled her chair out made her edgy and uptight. She barely knew him at all but he didn't strike her as a person who was quick to warm up to anyone let alone her.
"Thanks for coming." He said casually.
"There wasn't a choice, as I recall. I prefer to kinda keep to myself. The welcome was not very warm when I got here." Pet said truthfully.
"I know." He answered. "It's a trust issue. I'm sure you can see why."
Pet crinkled her nose. Everyone in this world had trust issues at this point.
"And that's why you're here." Rick informed her, taking a sip of wine. "I want you to tell me your story. I need to know about you. Tell me about your time at Sanctuary."
Pet was sure he saw the color wash from her face. This was it. It was only a matter of time before she was going to be asked the hard questions. She hadn't prepared for an interview and certainly not from the supreme leader of four growing communities. He had inherited an empire by laying the Sanctuary low.
"I was a scavenger for the Haven before I was at Sanctuary." She started and let the words flow from there.
She was remarkably honest with him. At least she thought she was. By the time she was done talking, Rick knew about the retaking of her home which she unabashedly attributed to Negan. Rick hadn't liked hearing that his enemy had actually been a positive factor to the people at the Haven that day. She told him how he reinstated her as the leader but she wasn't equipped to handle it all. She admitted that she broke the rules often and broke them well so Negan had taken her back to the Sanctuary to reform her.
Rick listened and didn't talk until she had tied the story up in a neat little package. She had left out some things. He was sure of it.
"He reformed you? And how exactly did he do that?" He inquired.
Pet sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, immediately closing off to him. That question couldn't be answered simply. He had taught her lessons in ways that nobody could ever understand and she wasn't about to explain it to him. What could she say?
'Oh, he shackled me to a ring in the ceiling after stripping me down and toying with me. He left me hanging there for two hours to teach me the virtue of patience and then he fucked my brains out to assert his dominance. ' Or, 'I chose my burn marks. I gave myself to him completely and then he branded me as his one and only. I orgasmed on the spot too. After that, he rewarded me by letting me suck his dick. I did it willingly.' Another gem.
She almost laughed out loud at what Rick's face would look like if she said those words. He'd toss her right back to the Sanctuary or maybe even let Maggie have at her. She belonged to Negan and would still if he had lived.
"What the hell, Rick?" She snapped. "He burned his initial into me. Wouldn't that deter you from breaking the rules?"
" Not your face though." He countered. "We've seen a couple Saviors wearing Negan's wrath. Why not you?"
Pet shifted uncomfortably in her chair. He was really prying and she knew what he was trying to get at. He wanted to know if there was more to it than just a soldier getting reprimanded.
"He didn't want to burn my face. He said he never had to do that to a woman. He said scars bring out character in men but not women." She lied.
Negan had never said those things ever. Rick contemplated her.
"I think he liked your face." He told her. "I think he liked a lot of things about you, Pet."
He was glaring at her now, staring her down to see if she would break but she had faced harder stares than that. They came from the man they were discussing. He was the only one who could crack her like an egg. Despite the rolling, angry energy that was just under his surface, Rick was no Negan. Not in her eyes.
"I'm assuming you're talking about my leg?" She replied coldly.
Rick cocked an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He nodded slowly and leaned in on his elbows, eager to hear her explanation. Pet had enough and stood abruptly
"I'm no different than anyone else that's survived this long. I did what I had to do. Anyone that's still alive has done something to stay that way. If you're judging me then fuck you!"
She yelled loudly, not caring if anyone could hear her through the open windows.
"What have you done, Rick? Or Daryl? Or your precious Maggie? No. I'm sure they're all innocent as babes in the fucking woods!"
It surprised her when the tears came out of nowhere. She hadn't even had to conjure them up. They showed up on their own, coming in hot, salty drops down her cheeks. Rick stood up and moved towards her, catching her wrist before she could open the front door.
"Hey.." He murmured softly. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what you've been through. I just had to make sure."
"Make sure of what?" She sniffled, willing the tears away.
"That you would be able to handle the assignment I want to give you. I think you deserve it but I haven't completely made up my mind. I'll let you know."
Rick's hand stayed on her wrist even as she fumbled for the knob.
"You suffered. That's abundantly clear and I'm hoping I can make it better for you. That's all I ever wanted for everyone here, at Hilltop, the Kingdom and now Sanctuary. People shouldn't be ruled through fear, Pet. Negan's way of doing things are done and outlawed."
Pet stared at him stupidly. Of course Negan's ways of doing things were over but that didn't mean everything was peaches and cream. There were issues, deep issues that stemmed from takeover and it was also clear Rick was having a hard time bringing everyone together peacefully.
"I'm trying to put all that behind me. I'd like to go now. I'm not hungry for dinner or any more questions, thank you." She responded, pushing his grip off of her arm.
"I'm sorry, Pet. Everyone that comes to live here has to answer questions eventually. I need to know and trust the people I intend to keep close. Please accept my apology and stay."
Rick's face showed a tinge of regret. Pet of all people knew that trust was a huge control element. Negan had taught her that too as she was tied to a chair. She learned that lesson with the help of a switchblade and a test that she failed. He claimed every part of her body that night because of it and taught her how to be a leader, as odd as it was. Trust was definitely one of the biggest.
They did end up having dinner that night and the conversation was strained until the wine calmed them. Rick kept his word and didn't bring up her past again and she asked no questions of him. He was willing to talk to her about the precarious relationship between Sanctuary and Hilltop. Maggie remained bitter towards all Saviors, unable to release the murder of her husband. She refused to give the Sanctuary any of Hilltop's resources even though that community had been struggling since the downfall. He admitted that there were plenty of Saviors that were still loyal to the memory of Negan and others had splintered off in different factions and were roaming. The rogue ones were a new threat.
Pet wasn't surprised that the Sanctuary was coming undone. Negan was their glue and now he was gone. He had been what held her together too and a part of her wished she could become a feral as well and run with the deserters.
It was late and the conversation had run its course. It ended with Rick telling her he would let her know if she could have the position he had in mind. He never came out and told her exactly what it would entail but he threw her a cryptic answer when she asked.
"I just see you have a way with animals is all." He said, as they stood outside on his porch.
That made her smile. If she had to stay, working with the growing farming population would be a dream job. The horses were wonderful but goats and chickens would be a welcome addition to her duties. The animals never judged and appreciated her care.
When they parted ways, she shook his hand in agreement. Rick had made her feel comfortable in the long run despite the harsh interrogation. Maybe the future in Alexandria wouldn't be so bad, she thought as she headed back home.
It wasn't until Pet was around the corner and out of sight when Daryl came out of nowhere and met Rick before he went inside.
"What are ya doin', man?" He asked, staring into the direction she went. "You gonna date her now? Negan's scraps?"
Rick bristled.
"That's not the case, Daryl. That woman is damaged goods. No one can fix that and I don't care to try and romance it out of her. I don't have the time or the energy for that but I can help her."
"Why you wanna help her?" Daryl scoffed. "She lead us right into a set up. She's a fucking liar, brother."
Rick sighed, "You saw her, Daryl. She had the shit kicked outta her."
"Probably deserved it too." Was the cold response. "I hope you know what the fuck you're doing."
"You let me worry about that." Rick responded, looking down the darkened street.
A week and half had went by since Pet had seen Rick. He hadn't come to see her and she assumed that maybe he had changed his mind about giving her extra duties. That was okay with her. Two of the six horses were still wily and needed extra time. She was just finishing up sweeping the stalls when when Rick suddenly appeared, startling her.
"It's been a while." He said after a short apology. "The horses look great, Pet."
Pet smiled proudly. She had made huge progress with them, even saddling up Odin, the most stubborn of the six. He still couldn't be ridden though. She was determined to break him slowly.
"I've decided to give you the position." He told her. "It took me a while to decide. It's not going to be easy I'm afraid but I see strength in you. I think this will help heal you."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. Was it that obvious she was shattered on the inside and that the person she was portraying to him wasn't really her at all? Living a lie had become second nature.
"Well you've definitely piqued my curiosity." She admitted, stuffing down the anxious feeling that had suddenly come over her. "Animal therapy?"
It wasn't meant to be a joke but Rick gave a short laugh.
"In a way, I suppose. We have to go to the community kitchen first."
Pet's stomach was churning wildly but she couldn't put her finger on why. Rick made small talk as he grabbed a tray and began putting together a meal. He didn't use plates. He just plopped a handful of salad down on a tray and moved on to a plain, well done burger with no bun. Lastly, he grabbed a bottled water and poured it into a paper cup, chugging what was left over.
"On a diet?' She joked but not really.
"Nope. Follow me."
Walking through the compound, she looked to see if anyone was watching. She felt center stage but the people were just carrying on as usual until she saw Daryl leaning casually against a street post smoking a cigarette. He was watching closely as Rick brought her towards the town hall building, stopping just outside of the stairwell that lead to the basement level. He handed her the tray and pulled a set of keys from his pocket.
Pet's little voice that lived within her wasn't just talking to her, it was screaming. She almost handed the food back to Rick and had to stifle the impulse to flee but she remained steady, too curious to not go on.
"No matter what happens, you're safe. Remember that, Pet." He urged gently and unlocked the first door.
The room was dark, with weeping cement walls and a dirt floor, the odor of damp earth hung thick in the stagnant air. Rick went about lighting the oil lamp that stood on a table. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the low lighting and that's when she saw the iron bars. She was in a jail.
"Rick, what the hell?" She asked, turning to look at him as she backed deeper into the dark room.
"Pet." A gruff voice said suddenly.
Instantly, her hands began shaking, the cup of water upending and soaking the food. She was frozen, unable to turn or speak or even breathe. The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up at the familiarity of the long lost voice and her legs suddenly felt like cooked spaghetti. This had to be a dream or a nightmare, she thought frantically. But when Rick put his hands on her arms and slowly spun her to face the source of the voice, she knew it was neither of those things. This time she dropped the whole tray and a sharp yelp came from her mouth as she met Negan's gaze and it was as cold as a tomb.