Hello all! *small, slightly terrified wave. Here's the next update for you...just like I promised...

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Daryl

I was looking straight at Carl when that damn kid whirled around and started firing. I gritted my teeth and opened up a spray of fire at the Savior's rushing the gate. I saw Jo mouth Carl's name and knew there would be a line for the ass wooping that kid was going to get if we survived this.

Jo pulled her rifle into her hands and started firing at the Saviors as well. I was glad, sometimes when shit hit the fan she wouldn't go for her gun, her instincts were always to reach for a knife. It told me she was holding it together.

I turned my back to her, taking a step closer so our backs brushed. I started picking off the garbage people around us. They had been slower on the up take. Either they weren't as used to using guns as the Saviors or they had actually thought we were going to give in without a fight. Any one of the Saviors who had met us knew better than that.

I killed three of them and the rest fled. They weren't really fighters, just opportunistic scavengers. Like coyotes. Dangerous in a pack, but easy to scare off.

"Tara!" Jo screamed just behind me and I whirled to face her. It wasn't like her to yell, she always fought silently. I followed her gun to see Rosita was down and Jo was laying down some cover for Tara to get to her and drag her off the front line.

Jo and me stood side by side firing our guns at the Saviors. I hit a handful of them, but Jo had her gun set to semi-auto and was just firing to keep them back. Her gun clicked empty and I swore. She still had a handgun under one arm, but she didn't reach for that. She was reaching for a knife.

There was a single gunshot above us and we both turned in time to see Jadis kick a bleeding Rick off of the platform. Jo was completely focused on Jadis and I knew nothing short of a bomb would be able to distract her.

I turned back to the Saviors. They were pushing forward, continuing to fire at our people. I don't know what happened to Tobin but I was the only one shooting from the gate. I flicked my gun to semi-auto and lay down a spray. I glanced at Jo and she was reaching for another knife her whole attention on killing the betraying bitch.

I reached out and grabbed her, pulling her backwards out of the line of fire of the advancing Saviors. I doubted they would shoot her on purpose. Probably that asshole told them to spare her or some twisted shit, but I wasn't taking any chances. Everyone in this fight knew who the most dangerous person in the room was, and no matter what your boss told you, if you wanted to survive you killed the most dangerous person in the room. And that was Jo.

I had broken her focus from Jadis, but she still wasn't retreating, we had to get back and find some decent cover. I was about to wrap an arm around her and drag her back if she didn't goddamn follow. She took another step further into the open and pulled back her arm. I opened my mouth to yell at her, but then I saw she was aiming for Negan. I saw red for a moment and realized I was going to let her do it. It was dangerous and stupid and I was going to let her do it if it meant that son of a bitch was going to die. I would feel bad about it later.

I saw the gun in Simon's hand and it was like my whole world slowed down. I moved towards her but it was too late. I couldn't breathe. Simon lifted the gun and leveled it perfectly at the center of Jo's chest. I was going to be too late, I was too far away. I would have stepped in front of it, or thrown her out of the way, it didn't matter. Every pound of my heart was screaming at me to save her. But I was too far away. I was looking straight at her when I heard the gunshot.

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Jo

I felt my eyes widen for a second, knowing this was it. Simon was going to shoot me to save his boss. All that certainty I had had that I would somehow be safe from Negan wasn't going to matter now. I had pushed too hard, and Simon wasn't going to stand by and let Negan die. He lifted his gun and aimed it at my chest. There was a second there when I could have moved, could have jumped out of the way and tried to take the bullet somewhere other than in the center of my chest, but then I would miss my chance. I wouldn't be able to throw the knife and get out of the way faster than Simon could lift his gun and fire, but it just might be worth it.

I let the knife fly and Negan surged forward. He slammed his hand down on Simon's arm just as Simon pulled the trigger. It missed. I heard the bullet zip past and it lodged in the car just inches from me. Negan's mouth was moving but I couldn't hear what he was yelling at Simon over the gunfire.

I hadn't expected Negan to move, hadn't expected him to try and save me. Why would he? So I missed too. The knife clipped his leather jacket. He stilled, looked up from glaring down at Simon to meet my gaze then he looked back at his arm where my knife had ripped his jacket.

"Jo," I watched him mouth my name. His expression was unreadable. Now he didn't look like he thought I was adorable, he looked annoyed, maybe even worried. I felt a surge of pleasure.

I reached for another knife.

Negan straightened and started towards me. He said my name again, though I couldn't hear it. My fingers touched steel and I drew the knife. Negan saw me pull the knife but he was staring me dead in the eyes like he didn't think I would throw it.

I felt someone clamp a hand around my bicep and pull me backwards. I crashed into Daryl's chest, stumbling over my own feet. He emptied his rifle at Negan and Simon. I heard the bullets zing and ricochette but none of them hit the mark.

He straightened me, giving me a gentle push back onto my feet. Then he grabbed my hand and we ran together further into the community. Our people were retreating, firing as they went, but the saviors were pursuing. Daryl shot four more before his gun clicked empty. Daryl threw aside his rifle and scooped up another one off the savior I had just buried my knife into.

Daryl and I fought side by side. I could hear him behind me, moving and firing but that was all the focus I allowed myself. I turned the whole rest of myself to just moving, killing.

I whirled towards the next enemy. It was one of the garbage people. I didn't hesitate, didn't think. I just threw the knife. I pulled another and ran towards the body. I jerked my blade free as another came at me. Daryl was firing somewhere behind me but it was distant as I fought another and another. It didn't matter if it was one of Negan's or one of Jadis's. They weren't fighters, not like I was. A few tried to shoot me, but I was fast. Too fast. I dodged and darted, using our cars for cover as I fought.

Blood made the handles of my knives slick, but I didn't care. It didn't matter. I couldn't let it matter. All that mattered was getting back to Negan and Eugene. I was shaking I wanted a piece of them so badly. It was entirely irrational. Our people were dying and we needed to save as many of them as possible. But there was a part of me that knew I stood the best chance at killing him, and if he was dead we would be safe.

I lost my focus then, lost my ability to pay attention to Daryl anymore. And just like that, he was gone. I don't know how we got separated, but the next time I paid attention I was alone.

It was so loud, gunshots everywhere. I kicked out at the closest one, slashing across his throat with my knife. I didn't even know which knife I was down to now. I had lost count somewhere. It was more difficult to hold onto that place, that safe place where I could fight. These weren't walkers. They talked and screamed and the blood coating my hands was warm. I would never get used to killing people and if I let myself think about it, I wouldn't be able to keep going.

"JO!!!!" I heard Negan roar but I wasn't done. There was another man coming at me. He had a knife in his hand instead of a gun. I wondered where he lost his gun. It wouldn't necessarily have saved him, but bringing a gun to a knife fight would have helped him last at least a little longer. I ran at him, three steps and I launched, kicking him high in the chest. He stumbled back and I was already in motion, whirling behind him drawing the knife across his throat as I went.

"JO!!!" Negan roared my name again, and this time it sounded closer. I whirled towards it, the bloodied knife already draw back and aiming.

He was standing fifty feet away in a circle of his men. He lifted a brow as though he were challenging me. "You throw that knife I will kill the kid Jo, whether you're alive to see it or not. Drop it." I tore my eyes off of Negan and looked down to see Carl and Rick kneeling at his feet.

Both of them wore matching masks of barely contained rage. I had never seen them look so similar. Negan was smart, had he put the gun to Rick's head I still would have thrown the knife. Rick and I had been together a long time, and Rick would have told me to do it. He would have taken the risk of sacrificing himself to see the bastard dead. But not Carl. I wasn't willing to have Carl's death on my head. I knew my limits better than anyone and that wasn't something I could live with.

My breath was coming in short, sharp pants, my chest heaving as I fought to slow my thundering heart. I had lost my leather jacket somewhere in all of this, and my skin was slick with sweat and blood. I sucked in a breath looking around. I couldn't see anyone else from our group, just bodies in the street and Saviors pointing guns at me. I counted eight rifles aimed my way.

I didn't want to give up, didn't want to give in. If I did I was as good as dead. Negan would take me with him and my life would be over. I had a brief moment of wondering if it would be better to force him to kill me rather than be taken. But my jaw tightened at that. I was better than that, better than this. I hadn't survived this long to die today.

I turned around to face Negan fully. Negan cocked his head to the side as he let his eyes run over me. His tongue slid over his lower lip as he watched me. I looked down at myself and it was almost surprising to find two knives gripped in my fists. Both were coated in blood. I looked back up at him and met his gaze. There was no way I was going to die without taking this piece of shit with me. And if today wasn't that day, there would be another. He wanted me, he would keep me alive. And while I doubted my hands would ever touch steel again, I didn't necessarily need a weapon, I was the weapon.

I threw my knives down onto the street where they clattered loudly.

Negan leaned to the side and I could see my reaction had pleased him. "That's a good girl," he said and he was being demeaning on purpose, trying to get a rise out of me. Trying to see if there was any more fight left in me. "I knew you wouldn't be able to kill me. Couldn't bear it in that black little heart of yours," he growled and I tightened my jaw. He didn't know the first thing about me if he thought pushing me when I was still this close to a fight was a good idea. "Why don't you come on over here and join us," Negan invited gesturing to the group of men standing around Carl and Rick.

I pressed my lips together. I was down to six knives, now that I wasn't moving I could feel them.  I walked stiffly towards him. There was still gunfire in the distance. I knew, knew it was Daryl. Daryl was still one of the ones fighting. He had to be. He wouldn't have given in, not while our people were still alive, not while there was a chance I was. He wouldn't allow himself to be taken again, I knew that and it terrified me. I had to find a way out of this. A way to get Negan and his men away from our homes and away from Daryl.

"Dwight, why don't you disarm my hot friend here," Negan said gesturing towards me. His eyes were shinning with amusement and something else as he pressed his lips together suggestively.

Dwight nodded and stepped up to me. He was careful as he pulled knives off of me, keeping his hands respectful. It was a very different experience from the last time he had searched me when he had purposefully been overly thorough to torment Daryl and entertain Negan. My knives clattered to the asphalt beside us as he dropped them when he found them.

One.

Negan turned his attention back to Rick while Dwight worked. "Rick," Negan said pacing around him. "I wish you had been on board. This is just gonna make you sad. Broken. You're gonna wish you were dead," Negan sighed as though he were exhausted.

Two.

Negan twirled his bat in circle as though he were testing the weight. "I like having fun. I do. But maybe you think that guy who did what he did to your friends wasn't me, that that was some sort of a put-on, like I'm not the guy with the bat. I'm just the guy who makes your kid spaghetti."

Three

Rick glared up at Negan and Negan cocked his head to the side, almost surprised by Rick's continued refusal to give in. "Oh shit, maybe this is on me, maybe this is all on me. I gotta make it right," Negan sighed dramatically again. "I guess I gotta start all over again."

Four.

Negan paced towards Carl. "I gotta tell you Rick, if I had a kid, I would want him to be just like your kid, which makes this so much harder."

Five.

I scowled, realizing where this was going. I surged forward towards Negan. "Ne-" I started to say, but Dwight caught me with a hand on my chest, blocking me. He caught my eye and looked down at me meaningfully before he stepped back.

Five. He took only five knives off of me. I had six.

"You're not gonna win," Carl growled, scowling up at Negan fearlessly. I recognized that scowl and Carl hadn't learned it from his father.

"Carl," Rick said in a warning voice.

Negan smiled down at Carl. "It is over. I want you to take your one ball and point it up the street there and take it all in. Hell, Jo is standing right there," Negan said pointing at me. "Not a knife in sight. You think if there was any fight left she wouldn't be in the middle of it? Hell, I gotta assume my man Daryl is dead. Either that or he is a bigger goddamn idiot than I thought for leaving her ass behind. I mean who-"

A scream came from up the street effectively cutting Negan off mid-monologue. We all turned towards it. A body fell from the top of the townhouses and my stomach dropped. Both Rick and Carl jerked and went pale.

Negan glanced from where the body had fallen, back to them and then looked at me. I tried to school my face into an expressionless mask. I must have failed because Negan all of a sudden looked like the cat who caught the canary. He chuckled low and deep in his chest. "Oh wow, you just lost someone important to you right now, like just now. Jesus. That is timing."

I felt bile rise in my throat. Michonne couldn't be gone, we couldn't have lost her. She was so strong. If Michonne was gone...I very slowly turned back to Rick. I kept my movements slow and cautious like there was a wild animal in the room. I knew Rick, knew how he reacted and the slightest provocation might send him spiraling over the edge.

He didn't look how I expected however. I expected him to be barely hanging on, to be raging, ready to fight. I expected him to have gone to that dark place in his mind that I understood so well. Instead, his shoulders had collapsed and there were tears rolling down his cheeks as he refused to tear his eyes away from the last place he had seen her alive. It was that much worse to behold and I felt myself start to choke up.

Somewhere along the line I had lost the control over my emotions. Now I felt raw and exposed. Just that much more vulnerable as I stood beside Negan.

Without consideration Negan continued to monologue at us as though nothing had happened. As though a piece of Rick's world hadn't just been annihilated. "Well Rick, you chose this. I truly don't know what more I could have done to warn you. I want you to know, this isn't a warning. This is punishment. I'm going to kill Carl now."

Rick didn't react but I did. I surged forward towards Negan. My hand was moving towards the knife Dwight had left me but I didn't make it that far. Negan must have expected it because he whipped around to face me before I made a sound. He pressed the tip of the bat against my sternum stopping me in my tracks. There was only one strand of wire wrapped across the end, and I could feel one of the barbs press against my skin. He stopped just short of letting the barb break the skin, but his eyes were hard as he stared me down.

"Jo," he said in a low, warning voice. "Are we going to have a problem hot friend?"

My breath was coming in pants as I fought to hold myself back. My hands were clenched into fists so hard they hurt.

He chuckled as he stared in my eyes. He leaned in so he was only inches away from my face. "I love that fire sweetheart," he whispered, his breath blowing against my neck. I pulled back in disgust. His laugh rumbled in his chest. "I'm going to need you on your knees hot friend," he growled and he ran his tongue over his lower lip.

I lifted my chin defiantly and he pressed the bat harder into my chest. I grunted and he cut his eyes back to Rick and Carl. "I can make it a two for one hot friend," he offered.

I exhaled and slowly lowered myself to my knees in front of him. My pride wasn't worth their lives.

Negan flashed me a teasing smirk and he leaned back, cocking his head to the side. "I gotta say, I like the look of that," he growled suggestively.

I looked up at him, letting the deep, dark, hollow places in my mind shine out of my eyes. I let him see everything I could and would do. I let him see that I wouldn't give up, not ever. "You're already dead," I growled at him.

He let out a low suggestive chuckle at that. "Man," he said shaking his head and pressing his lips together. "That is hot. Don't you think Dwighty boy?" Negan asked turning to look at the man standing a few feet from him.

When Dwight didn't respond Negan turned his attention back to Carl and Rick.

"Oh shit, sorry boys. My super hot friend here just distracted the shit outta me. I gotta say Rick, I don't understand how you haven't hit that. I mean letting Daryl have a go instead? She is a goddamn queen! She doesn't belong with a piece of shit like him," he tutted in disappointed and revulsion rolled in my stomach. He was doing it again, it was like he was trying to get us to snap and fight. But looking at Rick I could see by the absolute desolation in his eyes, he wasn't really hearing what Negan was saying.

"Now, where was I? Oh, yeah...killing Carl," he laughed. "Now, Rick. Riiick...Ricky," Negan sang until Rick turned his tear filled eyes back to Negan. As soon as Negan had his attention once more he smiled triumphantly. "I'm going to make it one nice hard swing, try to do it in one because I like him. I just want you to put that in your brain and roll it around for a minute. And then," Negan paused and looked down at the bat thoughtfully. "Lucille here...she's going to take your hands."

Rick let out a shaky breath. He looked first at Carl and then at me. He held my gaze for a couple of long moments. And it was like he was looking for something but I didn't know what. I didn't know what it was he thought I could give him. Negan shifted his weight impatiently and Rick finally looked back up at him. His voice rasped when he spoke in a way that reminded me a little of Daryl.

"You can do it right in front of me, you can take my hands," he cleared his throat. "I told you already, I'm going to kill you, all of you. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but nothing is going to change that, nothing." Rick growled emotionless. Maybe that was what he had been looking for. I hope I had helped. There was a monster in my head, but this was the one that lived in Rick's.

Negan chuckled. "Damn, wow Rick, Okay," he said standing and stepping behind Carl. "You said I could do it," and he lifted the bat and wound up.

I dropped my hand to the knife, but it was going to be close. He had shifted gears so rapidly I hadn't been prepared. My hand touched steel and I heard the growl. It made me pause for just a second. I had spent all those years studying predators in the mountains and I knew the sound of one when I heard it.

I recognized it. Shiva. She bounded in front of me, launching at the Saviors. A flash of black and tawny stripes before she ripped into the men.

In the very next second the world exploded into motion again. People launched into action, gunfire shooting around us. It felt more chaotic this time, more raw, more real. I didn't have the hollow cocoon to protect me. I felt exposed, like a live wire.

Negan yelled as Shiva tore apart the savior who had been standing just behind him.

I heard more yelling but this one I recognized. "End these Savior's and their accomplices!" Ezekiel yelled, running around the side of a house followed by a dozen soldiers from The Kingdom. "Alexandria will not fall!" he bellowed "Not on this day!" and he shot two saviors without hesitation.

Carol stepped up beside him, firing her rifle at the saviors, driving them back to give us cover. I should have moved behind their line, but instead I trusted they wouldn't shoot me. The knife Dwight had left me was already in my hand. I blocked everything else out. I turned and I met Negan's gaze.

"Phalax join the third group now!" I heard Maggie's voice distantly and there was more gunfire, but none of it mattered. If Maggie was here so was The Hilltop. Jesus had come to join the fight and I trusted him almost as much as I trusted Daryl or Carl.

Negan's eyes were wide with outrage but when he met mine he blanched and fear slid behind his before Simon dragged him away.

"Move up! We got your backs," The only voice that could ever matter to me when I was like this. I choked on a sob. He was alive. At the same time it was all that mattered, and yet I couldn't let it matter, not yet. I took the knowledge that he was still alive and still fighting and tucked it away in my chest for later. I drew in a steadying breath.

One knife.

Ezekiel and Carol were fighitng side by side watching each others backs. When I looked over Rick and Morgan were together. A flare went up overheard and smoke bombs filled the street. The smoke would provide cover. It had to be the garbage people. The saviors wouldn't have brought a way to ensure a safe retreat. Negan's ego would never concede the possibility of defeat.

Regardless who set them off, the smoke provided cover for the retreating Saviors and Scavengers alike.

"No," I muttered and I ran after Negan as he was swallowed up in the smoke. The garbage people were retreating but I dodged and darted through them, ignoring them completely. They didn't matter, and I only had one knife. And it was spoken for.

"Jo!" I heard someone scream my name and I didn't stop. I didn't let myself listen, if I recognized the voice I might stop and I couldn't stop.

There was a small part of my brain the realized he was too far ahead of me. Simon had done his job and gotten his boss out alive. A truck swung around the corner in front of me. A leather clad arm was held out the window, flipping us off as they drove away to safety.

I didn't hesitate, didn't stop. I threw the knife. It was a tough throw and as badly as I wanted to hit his wrist, and destroy all those delicate little bones I wasn't willing to risk missing. I landed the knife in the center of his bicep. He lurched forward in his seat, his arm dropping limply and I knew it had done damage. His eyes met mine in the large side mirror and I could see that for the first time he was afraid of me.

The monster in my head smiled.

"Go!" he screamed and the tired screeched as the driver put their foot down. The others ran out and more trucks followed.

Then it was over.

I stood in the middle of the street, panting. I had failed. I had missed. He was still out there. The others, our allies with guns, surged forward giving chase. They were picking off the stragglers, but the key players were long gone. I turned in time to see Daryl scramble up the ladder of one of the garbage trucks, not willing to let even one of them escape.

"Daryl!" I yelled almost frantically. Now that I was cooling, all that insulating rage forgotten, I was terrified for him. As soon as he was up top he would be a target. A sitting duck. There was no cover. We couldn't have survived this for me to lose him now. I ran after him, convinced he was going to go over the wall and give chase.

But he stopped. His rifle held in one hand as he gasped for breath. His chest was heaving and his hair was matted to his temples with sweat. He sighed and pinched his lips together angrily then turned back towards Alexandria. He looked back down and met my gaze. For just a moment I could see the relief in his eyes, then I couldn't see anything clearly as tears filled my eyes.

We survived.

He climbed back down and I ran for him. I threw myself into his arms. He dropped his rifle and he caught me. I wrapped my legs and arms around him, forcing him to hold me. A relieved chuckle rumbled in his chest and he picked me up easily holding me in his arms like I weighed nothing.

"Dare," I sobbed into his neck. I buried my face into his shoulder, letting his warmth and the feeling of his hair tickling my face reassure me he was here.

"Shhh, it's okay darlin," he promised me.

I was shaking and sobbing. Now that it was over all the fear I had been holding back rose like wave and I felt like I was drowning. I clung to Daryl, and he held me, his warm, strong arms wrapped around me. Grounding me.

We had survived.

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Hi all! I hope you enjoyed the update!!!