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Jo

I was on my feet before my brain fully registered what was happening. The screams were coming from down below. Between screams I could make out the excited growls of biters. My heart was thudding in my ears and I wrapped my hands tightly around the railing as I waited for the gunfire to start.

It never came.

Just more screams. Three stories below I watched as biters surged through the fence. The whole herd that had been kept in the mote had found a break in the fence and were attacking the people in what looked like an auto repair yard. Men and women were screaming and a few were trying to fight back, but no one seemed to have any real weapons.

I pressed my lips together into a thin line. I didn't know how to get down there, not through the building. The inside was a cement labyrinth I was incapable of navigating especially with the growls of biters echoing in my brain.

Another shrill scream had me running down the length of catwalk before I consciously made the decision to help them. I rounded the corner of the building, convinced there had to be another way down. I pounded down the staircase I found. The thudding of my feet against the metal grated stairs matched my pounding heart as I heard the scream of someone dying. I pushed faster.

Where was everybody? This place was supposed to be safe. Negan practically had an army. So where were all the men with guns now?

The stairs only got me to the second story but with only one story between me and biters I swung myself over the railing. It was a ten foot drop from the bottom of the platform. I climbed down until I was hanging from the catwalk by my fingers and I dropped myself down to the ground.

The drop was about five feet and the impact jarred up my legs into my knees. I didn't give myself time to think about it. I ran towards the first person I saw. It was a middle aged man with a crowbar holding off a female biter.

I grabbed the biter by the back of it's shirt, swinging it around and away from the man. It's decomposition must have been pretty advanced because it felt like it weighed nothing in my hands. It skidded across the ground away from me and the others.

I looked around, my mind racing. I quickly counted eight living people. Two more were on the ground, biters surrounding their corpses, feasting. The auto yard was completely enclosed by ten foot high chain link. The only exit was the single door behind the herd that was surging through the narrow break in the fence.

I had just dropped myself right into the middle of it. Who knew how many biters Negan kept in the mote. I tried to remember but I had focused more on not noticing when we came through the gate. There had to be at least fifty.

We needed to get out of here.

If I could draw the biters away from the door it would give everyone a clear path. Four of the eight were hiding behind the various vehicles. Most of the vehicles had open hoods or were up on blocks in various states of repair.

I yelled loudly, trying to draw the attention of the herd. "Get to the door!" I bellowed to the people. "Get out of here and call for help!"

Why weren't more people here? How had no one else heard what I heard?

The herd was surging against the fence, but only one biter could get through at a time. There were nine in here moving and even more gathered around the bodies of the fallen. Somewhere in the dark part of my mind I acknowledged this was a good thing. Those bodies would keep part of the herd distracted. They would save our lives.

The biter I had thrown was back on its feet now, it's dead eyes leveled on me as it shambled forward. I settled into a crouch and dropped my hand to my belt. I went cold. I didn't have a knife anymore. I was unarmed.

I didn't think, I didn't allow myself to think. I whipped my head towards the cars. There were a few tool boxes sitting out. I skidded towards one and ended up sliding across the gravel as I neared it. I could feel it bite through the thin material of my leggings, but it didn't matter. I flipped open the metal top and threw the top tray of useless sockets as hard as I could at the biter shambling towards me. It staggered back, slowing it down. Inside was a mess of wrenches and hammers and crowbars and screwdrivers. I snatched out two Phillips head screwdrivers. Both had long slim shafts. They were longer than the knives I was used to, but the weight was comparable.

I brandished them like knives and stood, putting myself between the biters and the people. A few of the men had weapons which made it hard to turn my focus away from them, to allow them to be at my back. But when the first biter came at me, snarling and snapping its teeth none of it mattered.

I drew in a breath and focused. This was what I did. I surrendered myself to the movement. I swung at the first biter, the pointed screwdriver sliding easily through it's temple. Then I spun towards the next one, using the velocity of my movement to clear the blade. I slammed the other screwdriver up through the bottom of the next one's chin while I kicked sideways at the next.

Their growls surrounded me in a constant din, but distantly I could hear shouting. It was like I was back in that ring. There was always shouting when I fought and it was better if I didn't try to listen. Better if I didn't hear the horrible things other humans were screaming as they cheered for death. It didn't matter if it was for mine or the ones I faced. It was no less monstrous.

I struck and slashed and twisted and arced. My muscles stretched and warmed and it felt right. For the first time since I had been back my mind became quiet as my body moved. Corpses fell in my wake as I fought my way back towards the break in the fence. The herd was still surging against the chain link and their growls and the rattle against metal wormed it's way into the darkest corner of my mind.

I fought harder.

It didn't matter if I was there or not. It didn't matter if I was fighting for The Governor, myself or the people I had already forgotten. All that mattered was that I fought.

I had reached the fence. I jumped up, threading my fingers into the chainlink and swung forward, kicking the next biter and clearing the opening. Another came and as I landed I drove downwards with my screwdriver through the top of it's skull. The biter dropped, making the one behind it stumble over it's body. It went down and I pounced, killing it where it fell. Effectively starting the pileup that would block the small opening in the fence and slow the herd down.

Something grabbed my arm and I suddenly remembered the biters who had been feasting behind me. I whipped around, the other screwdriver aiming for the skull. Another hand caught my striking wrist and I realized belatedly the hands were warm. My body was already moving, trying to escape when he jerked me forward, roughly throwing me off balance. I stumbled into his chest and he released my wrists in one move, wrapping one long arm around me, pinning my arms to my sides.

"Get that fucking fence closed! And kill those undead bastards!" He roared, his voice was so loud it made me flinch, trying to get away from the assault on my eardrums.

Instead of letting me go when I tried to pull away he held on and suddenly I felt trapped. Panic choked me and my heart raced. My face was pressed against his chest and he was too tall for me to headbutt him. I was trapped.

Someone screamed behind us. It wasn't safe. I couldn't stay here.

"Shit," he growled and he let me go, moving to get past me towards the fence. I whipped around, the screwdrivers already up, ready to fight. I hesitated as the two men who had been securing the fence were gruesomely torn apart through the chain link.

I snapped into motion running back towards the gap and killed two more biters that were trying to come through. He was there again at my back but for some reason this time it didn't bother me. This time it felt like we were fighting on the same side instead of me having to fight to escape. And that small difference allowed me to remember his name was Negan and we had fought together before. I didn't trust him per say, but I didn't not trust him either.

I cleared the opening once more and Negan appeared at my side. Together we pulled the opposing sides towards one another. He threaded wire through the top of the opening, sewing it closed.

The biters surged forward and I stabbed them through the fence, keeping them off of Negan as he worked. He swore a few times but it was so low I wouldn't have heard it if I hadn't been practically standing over the top of him. He twisted off the end and stood up.

I froze as his body brushed against mine. I blinked as it somehow distracted me from the snarling biters on the other side of the fence. He looked down at me and winked "thanks for the assist hot friend."

I blinked again and tried to step back away from him. I tripped over my feet and nearly fell as a wave of dizziness washed over me. Negan caught me and pulled me into his chest, looping an arm around me. This time it felt less restraining and more affectionate. My over burdened brain didn't know what to make of that.

"Light 'em up boys!" He called, motioning to the biters still feasting over the remains of the people.

I flinched as automatic fire echoed around us. His arm tightened around me and if my hands hadn't been full I would have covered my ears. I pinched my eyes shut and focused on the sound of Negan's heartbeat and the incredible warmth radiating from him.

As I stood there my heart started to slow and I could feel myself slowly coming back. By the time the men stopped shooting my heart had slowed and I could think again.

When it was quiet, Negan looked down at me. His eyes were serious for a second and then he flashed me a smile.

"Now what is a nice girl like you doing in a shit place like this?" When I didn't respond a chuckle rumbled in his chest. He gestured towards the biters. "Get this shit cleaned up!"

I pulled back from him self-consciously and looked back at the fence. I frowned as I studied the break. I traced a finger along the seam.

"This was cut," I said in a low voice.

Negan swaggered over to me. "What's that hot friend?"

I turned to face him and his eyes ran up and down me. "You hurt?" He asked gruffly.

I shook my head. "The fence," I said gesturing over my shoulder. "This fence was cut."

All teasing fell away from Negan's face and he stepped up next to me scowling. He reached out to touch the fence and the biters surged forward. Negan's jaw tightened as he stepped backwards away from the fence. He caught my arm and pulled me along behind him. He turned towards the men standing nearby with guns. "Clear the mote," he growled at Simon. "'Til we figure this shit out."

Simon nodded and motioned for the men to move towards the biters. I had to step over several corpses and glanced down, wrinkling my nose at the remains the biters had decimated. Negan stepped around me and jerked the door open.

"I couldn't save them," I said in a low voice.

Negan grunted but didn't say anything. I must not have been moving fast enough because he reached back towards me. I jerked and even though I didn't flinch away he noticed.

"Knock it off," he growled and he put his hand on my low back, ushering me through the door ahead of him.

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Negan

She had been magnificent out there. I had never seen anything like her. She fought like she was born for this world. If I could get a dozen of my men half as good as her we would be unstoppable. I wondered what it would take to convince her to train my men.

I turned to face her once we stepped through into the hallway and scowled. She looked shocky. Her face was pale and drawn and beneath my hand on her low back I could feel a fine tremble running through her.

All thoughts about the best way to use her fled and I pressed my lips together angrily. "What the hell did you do that for?" I growled.

Her eyes narrowed, but she still pulled back from my anger. I didn't know why I was so pissed all of a sudden, but I was. A minute ago I couldn't get enough of all the ways I could put her to good use, now, seeing how fragile she looked standing in front of me I was mad she had thrown herself into the mix.

She frowned blinking up at me, as though she didn't understand the question. There was something still in her eyes. She wasn't back one hundred percent. I had seen it out there, seen a glimmer of what must have happened in that hallway. What made her dangerous to have around the civilians.

"People were dying," She said simply as though that explained everything.

I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest and forced myself to lean against the wall on the other side of the hallway so I wouldn't scare her anymore. She said it like it was obvious but it wasn't. I didn't know many people who would throw themselves into the thick of it for people they didn't know.

"They said you jumped from the walkway," I said tightly, repeating back the first thing one of the survivors had told me. She was just getting back on her feet, it was stupid to be taking risks like this.

"Dropped," she said in a half distracted tone.

I frowned, her words not making any sense.

She was coherent enough to recognize my confusion. "I dropped from the catwalk, I didn't jump," she clarified and in having to explain and talk to me I could see her becoming more and more coherent. "There's a difference," she snapped impetuously and she scowled at me.

I flashed a smirk at her. "Whatever you say hot friend," I conceded, pulling my anger back with humor, where it wouldn't scare her again. I was constantly feared. It didn't make sense that it bothered me that she was afraid. Everyone was, but it was for a deliberate reason. I had earned everyone's respect and fear here very specifically. The things that made this incredibly badass woman stumble away from me were things I did not tolerate.

"However you want to paint it you still jumped off a goddamn building to save a bunch of assholes you don't know." The words came out casually but it took some effort. I was more upset about this than I realized. "What do you think you are, a goddamn super hero?" I pressed, my voice getting tighter with every word. I was pissed as hell, and having a hell of a time keeping it in.

She blinked at me again. Her green eyes hard and determined. "I didn't jump," she repeated for the third time like it goddamn mattered. She was missing the point. "And they couldn't fight them, they didn't have weapons."

She was new here, but she would be useful. That must of been what was bothering me. It made the most sense. I was pissed she almost died. It would have been a goddamn waste of a valuable resource.

"Neither did you," I pointed out gruffly.

She blushed and without realizing it I took a step towards her. She looked down, her teeth worrying at her lips that I suddenly couldn't look away from. I was too goddamn distracted. I needed to stop thinking with my dick and take care of business.

"I forgot about that until I got in front of them," she confessed sheepishly looking down at the blood covered screwdrivers in her hands.

She went very still as she stared at them. Her chest started to rise and fall faster and faster as she looked at her hands. I watched as she started to notice all of the gore covering her. She threw the screwdrivers away from her where they clattered against the cement walls, echoing loudly down the hall. She flinched at the noise, bringing her hands up to clap over her ears and her eyes went wide and stared off at things I couldn't see.

"Hey-" I started to say taking a step towards her.

"JO!!!" A high pitched voice shrieked in panic from the end of the hall.

Jo whirled towards the voice, her hands dropping back towards her waist but there were no weapons. I watched her whole body change as she realized she was unarmed.

Loud feet slapped against the cement floor running towards us. It was Goddamn Katie. That vapid girl was going to get one of us killed.

Jo tried to back away but when her back slammed against the wall her eyes widened for just a second. Panic. Terror. And then, just as suddenly, all of those emotions disappeared.

Her eyes went blanket for less then a second. It happened so quickly I wondered if I actually saw it. Then she narrowed her eyes dangerously and slid into a defensive crouch.

And just like that I knew exactly what happened in that hall last night. I saw exactly what would have made Merle decide the safest thing for everyone was knocking out his beloved niece. Standing in front of me was the same woman I had seen in the ring. Only now did I realize how apt the good old Governor's warning had been. But he called her rabid, and that wasn't right. She wasn't rabid, she was feral. She was a wild thing trapped. All defensive instincts ready to fight to the death to make sure she was the last one standing.

"Jo, you're okay!" Kate shrieked as she continued to jog towards her sister. "I heard what happened," She babbled. "I was so wor-"

"Kate!" I heard Merle's sharp voice at the end of the hall and Jo tensed even more. More people were making her feel even more trapped. Kate was oblivious to what was going on but I could tell by his tone Merle knew something was wrong.

To stop her last night Merle had knocked her out, but a second concussion so soon would be dangerous. When we were out in that forest I had been able to get through to her.

"Kate," I snapped, my voice sharp with authority. I took a risk and stepped between Jo and Kate, leaving my back to Jo. There was a chance she would attack me, but she at least wasn't armed.

Kate faltered, she was used to listening to me. "Have Merle take you to get your sister some clean clothes from the market," I said. "Put it on my tab."

Her eyes were wide and she nodded. She wanted to know what was going on but she was too intimidated to ask. Merle caught up to her and snagged her arm, pulling her back the way they had come. I made eye contact with Merle and he nodded to me in respect. It might be the first time I had ever seen anything close to real respect from that asshole. Everything else had just been lip service. Merle was a tough son of a bitch, but he cared for his nieces. It would be a useful way to control him.

Taking a breath I turned back to face Jo. When I moved so did she, settling back into a crouch so she was ready to fight. Her eyes were hard but vacant, this was like an entirely different woman than the one who had just been blushing. I threw Lucille down. She clattered against the wall, and Jo's head snapped to follow the noise. I stepped towards her and moving as fast as I could, knowing this was the moment things could get dangerous, I grabbed her. I wrapped my arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides. I pulled her back against my chest and waited for her to fight me.

I wanted to be tense so I was ready for her. She was faster than me but I was stronger. But holding myself tense wasn't going to help her calm down. I pressed one of my hands flat against her stomach, spreading my hand wide so she could feel I wasn't hurting her. I leaned down and glided my lips across the outside of her ear.

"Shhh, you're okay sweetheart," I promised her. "You're safe."

I tried to remember what else had helped her in those woods but she was already responding,the tension slowly leaving her body. She rested her head backwards against my chest bearing the long line of her throat. I watched the movement as she swallowed. A shudder ran through her body and she sagged a little in my arms.

"There you go sweetheart," I whispered. I don't know how long I stood there and held her, waiting for her. Slowly she relaxed until her shoulders started to shudder and she sniffled. Behind us, i heard the door click open and I swore. Not wanting to deal with anyone else. I swung her around, and scooped her up in my arms.

"Put me down," She said, but her voice was weak and filled with tears.

"Hot friend," I said in mild annoyance. "Just shut the hell up," I growled and I strided down the hallway. I carried her up two flights of stairs towards her dorm. She argued weakly but eventually gave in and wrapped her arms around my neck to help me carry her. She was too damn skinny, too light for the muscle mass she should have.

"Have you eaten?" I asked distractedly.

She had rested her head against my shoulder and I could feel her forehead pull as she thought about it. "With Merle," She said, her voice was hoarse but the tears had stopped.

I nodded but wasn't satisfied. I managed to open her door without putting her down and carried her into the bathroom. I set her down on the toilet, turned on the shower and stepped back. "You'll feel better once you wash all that shit off." I told her and I turned to go.

"I'm sorry." She called after me in a weak voice.

I frowned and turned back to her. She wouldn't look at me. She was staring down at her hands again, like she didn't recognize them.

"Sorry?" I asked in confusion. "I should be thanking you for what you did. You risked your life for my people."

She scowled and shook her head like I didn't understand. I knew she was trying to apologize for what happened in the hallway, but that was my fault. I should have realized how close that place in her head would have been and been more careful. She had put herself in danger for my people and despite what had happened last night she had managed to hold it together to save them. The doc had said PTSD and me coming in had triggered it somehow. Lesson learned. But what it told me was that under the right circumstances she could fight for us.

"Yeah well, don't do it again," I said gruffly and I left because I didn't know what the hell else to say or do for her.

I stomped through the compound back to where Simon was still cleaning up the mess in the auto yard.

"What we got?" I called to him.

He looked at me and his eyes dropped to my shirt. I frowned and glanced down and saw my white shirt was covered in splotches of blood.

"Not mine," I told him and walked over to where he stood. I looked around scowling at the fence. The wire would hold but we would run a few more, shoring up the hole. I ran my finger along the edge of the hole. "I'll be damn." I said shaking my head and smiling.

"What's up boss?" Simon asked.

"My hot friend was onto something," I told him and I turned in a circle, studying the fence around the yard.

Simon cleared his throat uncomfortably.

I glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, come on now. Spit it out."

Simon swallowed. "This is where Travis was on patrol last night when he was shot."

I cocked my head to the side and let out a low whistle. I looked back at the fence and then swung around to face the repair yard. "Seems we have an inside job," I muttered in a low voice. "Fuck!" I yelled and the men around me flinched.

I shook my head in disgust. "Check the patrol log, figure out who had a goddamn gun last night," I growled.

I turned to storm back toward the door I had pulled Jo through earlier. I needed to get Lucille. I had just left her in there on the floor.

I jerked open the door and moved to step in, but hesitated when my eyes locked on the pair of bloodied screwdrivers. I leaned back out the door and leveled a look at Simon, "send someone to my hot friend, bring her down to the market and outfit her. Anything she wants."

Simon went still for a second as he processed my order. "You mean you want her armed?" He clarified carefully.

I stared him down, trying to decide if he was questioning me. "She has already saved a shit ton of lives," I reached into the hallway and threw the bloodied screwdrivers at his feet. "This morning she did this without a goddamn weapon. She's not useful to us declawed. Let's not get caught with our dick in our hands again."

Simon nodded and turned back to the men.

"Oh and Simon," I drawled, leaning out the door."

He turned back to me.

"It would probably be better to have it be someone she is familiar with. Don't want her slitting anybody's throat by mistake."

Simon swallowed but nodded. "You got it boss." And he hustled off to do what I said. I goddamn love hustle.

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So...what did you guys think? I hope you enjoyed the update! Thank you so much for all the support! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.