Ashley had begged Neegan to let her out that night after dark; she said she wanted to see the moon. He agreed hesitantly, and Ashley knew she couldn't ask him for too many favors much longer.
"Not too long...And come right back!" he ordered. Ashley tiptoed out and went to the fence, waiting for Colby on the other side. About 20 minutes later, she heard footsteps approaching. When she peeked over the fence, she saw Colby and Shane walking towards her.
"Ashley! You're okay!" Colby cried, running to the fence, their fingers entwining through the wire mesh. "What happened? Did he hurt you?" he exclaimed worriedly.
"Colby...I'm pregnant...." She started to say, but couldn't finish the sentence, unable to contain her emotions. Tears streamed down her face.
"It's okay Ashley....I know you're scared....you didn't deserve to endure that torture! When we get the escape plan together, Neegan and his men will pay! They won't get away with doing that to anyone! We'll be free, and we'll get our family back!!" he exclaimed trying to offer comfort. "I can't promise you anything now, but our baby will know safety and peace; both Jenny and the one growing inside you! We'll get our family back together! I promise you that! I don't know if it will happen tomorrow but, we will get out of here!"
Ashley pressed her face against the fence so Colby could kiss her. After the kiss, she took deep breaths and wiped off her tears. She tried to hold back another round of tears.
"Thank you, Colby. Thank you for keeping your word."

Ashley snuck back to the harem, finding the private room Neegan had rewarded her with. She curled up on the bed, hugging herself as she waited for sleep to come and take over, knowing she needed it more than ever.
She remembered making love with Colby, remembering every touch. Every kiss, every moan, every whimper...she remembered it all with vivid clarity. He cared about her. He cared about everyone. His sister, brother ....everyone. She placed her fingers on her lips remembering how they felt when he touched hers. She couldn't believe what had happened. Her world felt different somehow. No matter what happened next, she'd always have Colby. She'd never forget this moment or his warmth; she'd never forget how he made her feel. She loved him so much.
*******
Colby sat at the camp looking at the map. He studied each line carefully, trying to pick apart which path would lead him out of the city, which would take him the furthest away from Neegan and his gang. They had lost the horses when Neegan attacked them almost a month ago. Ryan knew there were horses at Neegan's compound and hopefully, they could use that to their advantage.
There seemed to be no other options available to them besides escaping and getting away from the prison. They knew they were close by but they hadn't seen a soul since that morning.
They had to wait for the perfect night when the guards were less concentrated and they could slip past them unseen.
*******

It was late when they arrived in the clearing, taking cover behind some trees and bushes. It was quiet enough for Colby to hear his heartbeat drumming in his ears, and his breathing quickened slightly. It was a beautiful night, stars twinkling brightly above them. The wind rustled through the tall grasses. They had to do a test run; and check to see how many guards were active at night before they moved forward.
He got down on his hands and knees in front of a bush, peering underneath and checking for guards. Satisfied that there weren't any nearby, he crawled forward until he reached a small gap under the bush. He looked through it, seeing no sign of anybody else in the area. He nodded to Ryan who crept forward slowly from his side of the fence. He crawled forward a few feet until he met a similar gap where he hid himself.
"Are you sure there aren't any more guards?"
"Positive!" Ryan whispered.
Ryan wove his way to a culvert, giving Colby a signal that it was clear to go through. Colby crawled through quickly, careful not to bump into anything. Once he found himself standing, he looked at his surroundings cautiously. He looked around and caught sight of two guards patrolling outside the perimeter. He stayed out of sight, holding his breath. One guard passed near the gate, and Colby quickly ducked down, hoping he hadn't noticed him.
Once they were safely out of sight, he turned and faced Ryan.
"How did you think it would work?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"Well, I saw the guards change shifts. They slack on the night shift about once a week...usually, on Friday when Neegan lifts rationing alcohol. If we are lucky, we can steal some weapons from Neegan's men, hide out in their quarters or whatever we can find, and get the adults together so we can all fight!" Ryan whispered excitedly. "The main issue is how we get out of the yard. I bet we could drive through the fence if we could find a truck! They'll be pretty heavily armed."
"That doesn't sound too bad. I could probably take a couple of guards down, plus a few guards for good measure if we need to." Colby responded. "We just have to make our exit count, and hope we don't run into those idiots guarding the prisoners."
"Yeah, we can do that!"
There was a handful of Neegan's men who had been forced to fight. They were sympathetic to the other prisoners and would be trusted to fight alongside Colby and Shane when the time came. It would still be risky, but Colby was confident they could make it out alive. There was one thing that bothered Colby. What if someone decided to join their cause after hearing all the plans they had come up with? What if there was somebody out there, ready to turn them in?
He knew he had to focus on the present but as his gaze turned to the building that Ashley was being held in, a part of him feared it was possible. He shook his head violently, telling himself it wouldn't happen.
"Come on guys!" he whispered loudly, grabbing onto the fence tightly to steady himself.
They followed him quietly, making their way through the tall grass towards the entrance gate. As they approached, one of Neegan's men was standing guard. Colby and Shane headed to a different culvert to get out of the prison, and Ryan headed back to the area where the kids were held.
******
Ashley sat in Neegan's room. He had promised that he'd keep away from her for a while, so she relaxed a little bit. She stared at the wall ahead of her, trying to process everything that had happened. The thought that her life might never be the same again was frightening. Neegan came in, sitting beside her.
"How are you feeling Ashley?" he said softly, his voice filled with concern. She knew it might not be sincere. He seemed to sense her unease and lifted her chin so she was looking right at him.
"I meant it when I said no sex for a while. This is just a little chat." He assured her.
She smiled weakly at him, trying to reassure herself.
"Neegan...I'm pregnant..." she finally blurted out. She closed her eyes waiting for his reaction.
"What!? Are you sure?!" His face lit up, clearly pleased.
"Yes..."
"No more heavy work for you. I'll make sure you're treated like a princess by the others. You won't have to work for weeks!"
Ashley giggled, despite herself; still playing along.
"No work...I could live with that."
"Now I might still have you please me occasionally....but nothing rough. I do have other women to satisfy my needs."
She blushed lightly at what he implied. "Alright... I'll try."
Neegan ran his hand through her hair gently. He smiled at her under normal circumstances would have been sweet.
"You know...you'll have to meet my other kids," Neegan added as he leaned forward, kissing her forehead. He then pulled a Polaroid photo out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Here's a picture...this is my oldest daughter, Nadine. She's seven now. I have four more; three girls and two boys. "
Ashley took the photo and stared at it closely. It was a group shot of five smiling children in matching clothes. They appeared happy and carefree. Her heart fluttered as she looked at them.
"You have beautiful children Neegan....you should be proud of them," she stated sincerely.
Neegan looked surprised and touched.
"They live in a separate part of the building; don't want them too confused by the unusual family situation, so they all call me Uncle. I had them all with different women. "
Ashley was shocked, her mouth hanging open for a moment. She swallowed hard. This new information left her speechless.
"Well, I'm glad my baby will have nice siblings."
A warm smile crossed Neegan's face. As much as this man had tortured and violated her, Ashley could tell he could put on the mask of a caring father. She wondered whether he felt guilty for being such a monster...did he feel responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people? He was evil. She was convinced of that even though she wasn't sure if Neegan knew it was true. She didn't doubt he felt no guilt for what he had done.
"Now, rest up. I'll make sure you have good food and baby supplies when the time comes."
"Thanks, Neegan."
"Of course. Now, why don't you sleep?" He stood up from her bed and kissed her cheek lightly. "Goodnight Princess...sleep tight."
She watched him walk away and closed her eyes. Her stomach churned at his kiss; it sent shivers down her spine. Was she going insane? How could this man possibly care for her? She wasn't starting to care about him; she was too strong for that! She was simply acting compliant to stay alive.