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Jo

We had been on the road for days. It was over five hundred miles to Noah's family compound in Virginia. We were making runs as we went for food and supplies and we stopped every night to make camp. The two vehicles were pretty cramped quarters and by the end of every day everyone was ready to get out and stretch their legs. 

I was feeling better and was riding shotgun for Rick as he drove. I was still taking the pain killers everyday but it made it so I was able to move more freely. I still wasn't up to fighting just yet and it had me on edge with tight, nervous energy. I pulled out one of my smaller knives and started rolling and flipping it with my right hand. 

Rick glanced over at me and arched a brow then he turned his attention back to the road. I tossed the knife up in the air and caught it easily in my left and proceeded to do the same toss and rolls with the blade. 

Noah leaned forward between the seats watching me with keen interest. I glanced back at him but didn't stop. I didn't need to look to work the blade. He frowned at me. "Where did you learn to do those tricks?" 

I heard Abraham shift beside him. I glanced at him and Abraham and Rosita in the middle seat. Tyreese and Carl had Judith in the cargo area today. I looked to Rick and the smile that had been on his face fell and he turned his attention to the road. 

"I-" I pressed my lips into a hard line. "I taught myself," I said tightly. Noah looked confused. I saw him glance at Tyreese who shook his head subtly. I rolled the knife across the back of my knuckles one final time and slammed it into it's sheath before I turned in my seat. 

"We don't trust easily," I said unnecessarily but Noah nodded thoughtfully. I stared at him as I spoke and while I could tell it made him uncomfortable I didn't look away. "I was brought in by a man who called himself The Governor. He propositioned me. I turned him down and he pushed the subject," out of the corner of my eye I saw Abraham close a hand into a fist. I glanced back at Rick and he was gripping the steering wheel tightly. 

I cleared my throat and turned back to Noah, seeing in his eyes he knew what I meant. "I fought him off with a steak knife from the fancy dinner he made trying to seduce me. What I didn't know was the town was fond of gladiator matches between it's best fighters and sometimes against Walkers. All the other fighters were there by choice, I wasn't. Eventually he had me fighting herds of Walkers with nothing but two steak knives for everyone's entertainment." 

Noah stared back into my eyes, his were wide with shock. He glanced back at Tyreese who was looking down at Judith in his hands. Noah turned back to me. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. 

I shook my head. "It's easier to talk about as time passes. You gotta let go of the past." I said simply and I turned back to face the front. 

Abraham caught my eye as I turned and gave me a nod of respect. I snorted and shook my head. It wasn't something to be proud of, it was just something I survived. When I settled back into my seat I felt something warm on my hand. I flinched and looked down to see Rick reaching over. He gave my hand a quick squeeze and a reassuring smile before bringing his hand back to the wheel. I frowned and looked out my window. 

The sun was starting to set when Rick pulled over to the side of the road. I glanced in the passenger side mirror and saw the white van do the same. We all piled out. Abraham and Rosita stepped off into the woods together in the gathering dusk. I snorted as I watched them go. I was pretty sure they weren't getting firewood. 

I limped over towards where Rick and Carl were building a fire. I dropped down onto my butt and watched as the flames licked their way up the wood. I shifted my weight and reached under my shirt, unpinning my wrap. I slowly unwound it and took a few deep experimental breaths. I had been resting for longer periods of time without it. 

Everyone settled in to sleep quickly. There wasn't much of a reason to stay awake after eating and we would be getting on the road around dawn. 

Daryl stepped out of the trees and approached the fire. I looked up at him. He still hadn't spoken to me. It had been days. I didn't know what to do to help him. He met my eyes and took a half a step back looking like he was thinking of going back into the woods. 

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Daryl

"Daryl," Jo's voice was quiet and hesitant. 

I stopped, unable to leave when I was looking her in the eyes. I had managed to stay away from her so far and I wasn't planning on changing. But when she fought to climb to her feet, grimacing in pain it was like my feet were glued to the ground. I wanted to reach out to her and help her, but if I touched her I wasn't going to let her go. 

She stepped silently around the fire towards me. Despite still moving gingerly she was able to keep quiet. She stepped away from the group into the dark near me. She was holding something in her hand. When she approached she held it out to me. I frowned down at the rolled bandage in her hand and was already shaking my head. 

"I need someone to help my wrap my ribs before I go to sleep," her voice was matter-a-fact and even, but I knew exactly what she was doing. 

I glanced back at everyone else, looking for anyone else who could help her. Everyone was sleeping. I let out a sigh and scowled at her. She didn't back down, she didn't hesitate. Instead she stood there calmly facing me, holding out the bandage and waiting for me to decide what I was going to do. 

I set down my crossbow and took the bandage careful not to touch her hand. She smiled a small satisfied smile and I steeled myself against her. She reached down and lifted her shirt. She pulled it up over the top of her black bra. I sucked in a breath to steel myself. I handed her one end and she drew her fingers over my hand, looking up at me from only inches away. 

I drew the bandage around her. I had to lean in close to her to pass it to my other hand every time I went around her back. I tried as hard as I could to touch as little skin as possible and think about something else. When I was done I handed her the pin so I wouldn't stab her with it. She took it from me, closing her hand around mine. I flinched at her touch and my eyes shot to her face. 

She was staring at me intently. "I know this was hard for you, but I'm here Daryl. I'm still here." 

I jerked back away from her, practically stumbling over my own feet in my haste to get away. I couldn't do this. I couldn't do this to her. I needed to get away, to stay away. 

Hurt crossed her face but she quickly smoothed it letting out a gentle sigh. She stared hard at me for a long time before nodding. "Thank you," she said in a quiet voice. 

I winced. She sounded hurt. I was hurting her again. 

She pulled her shirt back down and zipped up her jacket. "Goodnight Daryl," she said quietly. She stepped towards me looking like she was going to touch me. I immediately pulled back. She just nodded again and silently went back to her spot near the fire. She grimaced as she lay down. I watched her until she settled in to sleep, and then I stepped back into the woods. 

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Jo 

It was another two days until we got to Virginia. As planned Noah told Rick when we were ten miles away. It was early afternoon when Rick pulled over the truck. I was sitting in the back, bouncing Judith on my knee. I glanced up as Rick turned off the truck and we all climbed out. 

Carl took Judith from me as we gathered in a semi-circle around Rick. "Alright," he said looking at us. "Only one car is going to go, a small group to scope it out," he pulled two radios out. "We will stay in contact. If there's any trouble the remaining group will come for us." Rick took a moment to look at us all thoughtfully. His eyes ranging over each of us. 

He handed me the other radio. I let out a sigh. I hadn't thought I would be going. I wasn't one hundred percent yet. Hell I wasn't fifty percent yet, but it was still hard to be left behind. Rick nodded at me and I nodded at him. We had grown close over the last week, and had started to trust one another. He turned back to the group. "Noah, Tyreese, Michonne, Glenn and I," he said after a moment. 

I looked up sharply. It surprised me he was leaving Daryl and Abraham behind. But looking back at Daryl and Sasha I knew they were staying for the same reasons. They were both too overcome with grief, they couldn't be trusted to think clearly yet. Abraham would hold down the group in Rick's absence. His choices made sense so I nodded in agreement. 

They left shortly there after, all piling into the suburban without a backwards glance. Daryl stepped up, turning towards the woods. 

"Hey!" I called to him. "Daryl!"

Daryl swung back to face me a scowl on his face. 

"Stay close," his scowl deepened and I could see just how pissed off he was. I resisted the urge to take a step away from him, away from his anger. Taking a deep breath I held up the walkie. "If they call we need to be ready to move." 

Daryl snorted and shook his head. "I ain't going far," he snapped angrily over his shoulder as he stomped off into the woods. I let out a tired sigh, shaking my head after him. 

Carol stepped up behind me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. I flinched at her touch but I didn't pull away from her. I reached up and covered her hand with my own giving it a gentle squeeze. 

"He'll be okay," she whispered to me so the others wouldn't hear. 

I shook my head, keeping my eyes on the treeline. "I'm not sure he is." 

A few minutes later the walkie crackled startling me.  "Hey Jo?" Rick's voice came through clearly. 

I cleared my throat, pushing my thoughts and worries about Daryl out of my mind. "Yeah, I'm here."

"We're halfway there, I wanted to check the range."

I looked around at the group. They had all settled into the grass on the side of the road, stretching out their legs and resting. "Everybody's holding tight. We made it 500 miles. Maybe this will be the easy part?" I teased. 

Rick's voice came back through the crackling radio but I could practically hear the wry smile  on his face. "Gotta think we're due," he cleared his throat. "Give us twenty minutes to check in."

I nodded then realized he wouldn't have heard that. "If we don't hear from you we'll come running."

"Copy that." 

I turned back to Carol who was watching my face closely. I let out a sigh and shook my head, dropping down onto my butt in the grass. She sat down beside me. She reached over and took my hand in hers, squeezing it gently. "He'll come around you know," she said quietly. "He always does...he just takes time." 

I nod along with her because I know that will make her feel better. 

"How are you?" she asked me suddenly. 

I look back at her. "I'm fine Carol," I promise her. 

The radio crackled again, this time making me jump. "Jo, you copy?" 

I picked it up out of my lap. "Yeah, I'm here."

"We made it," he said, but I could hear the tension in his voice. "it's...it's gone."

I closed my eyes against the wave of disappointment. When I open them everyone is looking towards me with matching expressions of sorrow. "Copy that," I reply. 

"We're gonna do a quick sweep and we'll be on our way back," I can hear the tension in Rick's voice and I feel bad for him. He has so much responsibility on his shoulders. 

"I copy."   

Daryl returned a few minutes later. He glanced around at the group and must have seen the answer on our faces. He let out a breath and threw his bag down on the ground in disgust before he dropped down beside it, hanging his head. 

They next call that came through over the radio was neither calm nor resigned. "Jo!" Rick's voice yelled through the walkie tight with tension. Everyone around me tensed. Daryl climbed to his feet and came towards me. "Tyreese is bit. We're at the car. We need to cauterize the arm and wrap it as soon as we get back. Get Carl and Sasha away. They don't need to see this."

Carol stood and immediately went over to Sasha who was crying quietly. I jumped to my feet, gripping the walkie so tightly it bit into my palm. I paced a short tight line on the road, keeping my eyes glued to where the truck would appear. 

A short time later the walkie crackled for the last time. "Jo," Rick's voice was quiet and strained. 

"I'm here Rick."

"He's gone." 

I hung my head and let out a shuddering breath as I fought back tears.  

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Jo 

We buried Tyreese beneath an old willow at the edge of a field. It was one of the most beautiful places I have seen in a long time. The trees surrounding the field were swaying gently in the warm breeze. We all stood over his grave. Carl made a cross for him placed his hat on top. Sasha stood at the cross, staring down at her brother's body. There were no tears in her eyes. She seemed to be beyond that. I looked around at everyone else. They seemed to be taking this harder than I expected. Tyreese had been a kind, brave man. He didn't deserve an end like this. 

Gabriel stood up, his bible in hand. "We look not at what can be seen, but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary and what cannot be seen is eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed we have a building from god. A house not made from hands. Eternal, in the heavens...In the heavens." he dragged off, staring down at Tyreese's body for a moment before he turned away unable to control his emotions. 

We took turns throwing shovel fulls of dirt on the body. Daryl threw his down, his face was hard and closed. I stepped up to the grave, but there were no tears now. Daryl silently held the shovel out to me without looking at me. I don't think he had looked at me since Atlanta. I took the shovel, careful not to touch him, even though that was all I wanted to do. He walked off without a word or a backward glance.