Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this update! 

I have never done this before but I would like to dedicate this chapter to teenwriter01 who has been DYING to know one of the answers found in this chapter. I'm sorry I made you wait so long! Thank you so much for all the support with comments and votes! It also led to a longer than normal chapter so I hope you all enjoy!!! 

Please comment/vote! 

<><><><><>

Jo

I stood on the rim of the quarry staring down at the mass of Walkers. The noise was so loud from here it would be a struggle to hear anyone speak if they weren't standing next to me. The cacophony began to bounce around in my head as brain tripped over itself as it tried to make sense of sheer volume of Walkers. I couldn't seem to process how there were so many trapped practically in our backyard. It felt like I was in shock. How could we possibly handle this many? 

Michonne stood beside me, her katana strapped across her back. "How many?" her voice was tight with fear. Her hand was back over her shoulder, touching the handle of her sword. She touched her katana the same way I did my knives, as though it's presence reassured her. 

"Thousands," Daryl's voice rasped on my other side. I glanced over at him, he had brought his crossbow around so it was resting in his hands. Little kids had stuffed animals and we all had our weapons. Rick's hand was resting on his hip, Morgan had his staff in his hand and Abraham was resting in automatic rifle over his shoulder. 

"Tens of thousands," I muttered turning back to the quarry. The whole quarry was full.

Daryl glanced over at me. There wasn't fear in his eyes but there was a hard wariness. He was mentally preparing himself to deal with this new emergency. 

Rick looked over at us. "We need to figure out what to do about this," he said firmly.

I looked over at him and Morgan who were both staring down at the quarry with grim acceptance. I wondered how long they had stood here the first time, staring down at what had the potential to be Alexandria's certain death. With a herd that size the walls would mean nothing. The inexhaustible strength of thousands of Walkers would roll over the top of us, swallow us whole and barely notice.

Right now the Walkers were contained by semi trucks someone had positioned across both exits to protect the quarry. I stepped up next to Daryl and reached into the messenger bag he had across his body. I pulled out a pair of binoculars and studied the semi's at the entrances. 

"That one at the east entrance up on the hill doesn't look very stable,"  I commented. "Wouldn't take much for it to fall." I moved to the west entrance. The semi trailers were parked close but one walker at a time could squeeze out of the space. It was tight though, and took some wiggling. I wrinkled my nose as I saw how mangled the Walker was once it worked it's way though the small space. 

"Any ideas?" Rick asked impatiently. 

"Napalm?" I suggested joking half-heartedly. I handed the binoculars over to Daryl so he could have a closer look at what we were dealing with. 

Rick nodded and ran a hand over his face.

"Even if someone stood down there and killed them one at a time as they come through it would take months to kill them all..." I said thoughtfully. "Twenty-four hour rotation..." I dragged off thoughtfully and just started to shake my head. "We can't kill them all," I finally said.

Daryl beside me nodded. "We gotta move 'em," he said thoughtfully lowering the binoculars. I glanced up at him and my eyes widen with shock. He met my gaze grimly. We both knew how dangerous that was going to be. 

Abraham had been surprisingly quiet up until that point. "We open that can 'o worms there ain't no putting the lid back on brother."

"So we would have to move them all at once?" Michonne asked, looking over to Rick as though she couldn't believe he would condone such a risky idea. 

I scrubbed at my eyes. There were so many things that could go wrong with a move like this, but judging by the look of the semi at the east entrance we didn't have a lot of time.

"Look," Rick said thoughtfully. "We need-"

There were snarls behind us. Everyone turned, but I was already moving. I jerked two blades out and walked towards the three walkers that came out of the trees, drawn by the sound of the horde in the quarry. I flipped off the first knife, landing it in the middle of the walkers skull. I drew the one out of the spine sheath and twirled it through my fingers.

"You need a hand little sister?" Abraham called and I just shook my head, a smile stretching across my face. It felt good to move. 

I sidestepped the next one, slamming the blade through it's temple, then kicked the body sideways away from me, clearing the blade. I whirled around the last one, my quick movements confusing it as I jammed the heavier hunting knife up into the base of it's skull and it dropped to the ground. I had killed them all in seconds. Morgan was still coming forward to help me when the last one hit the ground. I looked up at him and flashed him a smile and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Like I was saying," Rick continued drawing everyone's attention back to him. "We need to set a meeting with Maggie and Deanna once we have a plan hammered out. I don't want to go to Deanna until we figure out how we are going to get them out of here. Something like this could insight panic."

We all nodded in agreement.

"If we draw the front of the herd, get them moving far enough away from home they should just keep going," Daryl said thoughtfully.

"And the rest will just follow?" Morgan asked in a bit of a strangled voice.

"Walkers herd up. That would be a good idea," Rick said crossing his arms over his chest.

"We'd have to look at maps, pick what roads to send them down," Michonne said thoughtfully.

"Walkers typically take the path of least resistance and if there's bait at the front of the line there shouldn't be an issue," Abraham agreed. "Gotta make sure nothing pulls them away from the party though."

Rick nodded. "Okay, let's head back, dig up some maps of the area and make a plan." He stepped back and his eyes traveled over us all. "I think we should set up a watch, make sure they don't break through."

"Don't wanna get caught with our pants down by a herd that size," Abraham said bringing his gun down into his hands. 

"I'll stay," I offered. "I'm not  much for large scale strategy. My specialty is more hand to hand." 

Rick's eyes went to Daryl behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see him nod in agreement. "I'll head back and get us some supplies so we're good for the night. Jo and me can take it in shifts."

"Okay," Rick agreed. 

The others turned and started walking back towards the cars, but Abraham hung back. "You sure you're good to stay out here little sister."

I frowned at him, not quite tracking what he was trying to say. He shifted uncomfortably and I realized he was thinking back to my little episode in the laundry room. I hated how weak it made me feel but at the same time felt fortunate to have such good friends looking out for me. As gruff as Abraham could be he was a big softie with a good heart. 

"Sure, it's just like camping," I said flashing him a reassuring smile.

"Right," Abraham replied nodding. "Camping right next to a big old pit of death."

I snorted and shook my head. "Get outta here," I said shoving him playfully towards the rest of the group.

Daryl bumped my shoulder as he walked past me. I watched them go. When I was alone in the woods I took a deep breath trying to center myself. The constant rumble coming from within the quarry was distracting. I turned to the corpses on the ground. I pulled my knives out and cleaned them meticulously before tucking them away. I grabbed the first body by the clothes and dragged it over to the edge. I rolled it off and turned away. It was too loud for me to hear it land. I repeated it with the other two.

With nothing better to do I dropped down to sit on the edge, with my feet hanging over. I swung them idly bumping the heels of my boots against the cliff face and watched the herd below. It was interesting there was so much noise and movement down there they didn't seem to notice me up here. I pulled out a knife and tapped out a rhythm against my leg while I waited. 

I heard the roar of Daryl's motorcycle a while later. He came through the trees with a backpack over his shoulders. When he saw me sitting there he came and dropped down beside me.

"Well?" I asked.

"They're meeting with Deanna now," he said. He set my backpack beside him and opened the top. He pulled out a small, grey zip up hoodie and handed it to me.

"It's gonna get cold tonight," he said looking up at the clear skies overhead. I pulled off my jacket and slid the hoodie on underneath. I struggled to get the hood situated and Daryl reached over and pulled it out, his cool fingers skimming my neck. I shivered. 

He reached into the bag and held my kukri out to me.

I looked down at it and then back up to his face in surprise. He shrugged. "Seems like things might go to hell. Best be prepared. 'sides ya ain't hiding anymore."

I nodded, he was right. I wasn't hiding anymore. I took my kukri from his hands and strapped it around my waist instantly feeling better. I had to scoot back from the edge to get the thigh strap.

Daryl was watching me. When I settled back in I scooted closer to him so our thighs were touching.

"It would almost be romantic if it wasn't for all the Walkers," I said thoughtfully as I looked down into the quarry.

Daryl nodded beside me and chuckled once humorlessly.

"So what happens after dark?" I asked.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Well we won't really be able to see down there..."

Daryl nodded. "I figured we'd move and set up camp on the side of the road near the east entrance. Only thing it does is gives us a heads up if they break through."

I nodded. "How much of a head start does that give us back at home?"

Daryl chewed on his lip. "If we catch it right away and jump on the bike, maybe forty-five minutes."

I nodded, it wasn't a lot of time and the community would need a plan in place. With this many Walkers the only option would be evacuation. Visions of running through dark forests with nothing but the sound of Walkers growls ran through my head.

Daryl seemed to notice my sudden tension. "Let's get outta here," Daryl said climbing to his feet. He took my hand and pulled me to my feet. I followed him to his bike, swinging the backpack over my shoulders. I climbed onto the bike behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. He revved the engine and I laid my cheek against his shoulder blade, squeezing his waist.

It was a short ride to the quarry's east access road. Daryl parked his bike on the side of the dirt road next to a small clearing. I climbed off the bike first and looked around, my hand resting on my kukri, but there were no signs of any walkers.

I turned to Daryl. "Aren't we too far?" I asked. "I can't hear them."

Daryl looked over at me his eyes strangely soft. "Hundred yards ain't gonna make a difference and I figured ya'd sleep better if ya don't hear 'em."

I looked down, I hadn't planned on sleeping much, but he was right. Listening to that horde all night in the dark would bring me right back to that cell. It was really sweet of Daryl to think of that. I wished he didn't have to though. There had to be a way to get myself over it. 

"Hey," Daryl said breaking my focus.

I jerked in surprise and looked up to find him standing only inches away. "It don't matter," he said and he pulled me over into the clearing.

I remembered being taken aback by the domesticity of getting ready for bed in the house with Daryl the night before. But for some reason tonight setting up camp in the woods, just the two of us felt more private, more real. Out here there was no pretending, no hiding anything. It was just us. I tried to remember if we had ever been alone like this. I didn't think we had. 

We gathered fire wood and I lit a small fire using Daryl's lighter while he laid out two sleeping bags side by side. Once the fire was going I went over and we sat together, leaning against a log and watched the flames.

"Carol sent food," Daryl said motioning the backpack.

I snorted and shook my head. "It really is like going camping."

He smiled and nodded. "Ya go much before?"

I was surprised by the question. Daryl wasn't normally one to bring up the past. I was never sure if he didn't want to pry or if he would rather not know. "Yeah, for research trips...and before Michael was born Tom and I liked to backpack," I replied. I don't know why it felt so weird talking about this with Daryl. Not that it bothered me, but I felt like I needed to protect Daryl. I didn't want him to somehow feel bad or awkward or somehow less than Tom. What we had was every bit as important to me as what I had with Tommy before. 

Daryl nodded thoughtfully, then he glanced up at my face quickly before looking back to the flames. "Ya know ya can talk about them right?"

I glanced over at him. I hadn't known, but I didn't want him to feel bad. This was obviously my deal not his. "Yeah I know," I said quietly.

He frowned and reached out so his fingers caught my necklace. His sifted each item through his fingers. "It's part of ya, all of it, just as surely as this is," he said moving his hand to touch my kukri. "And I love all of it," he said in a quiet but firm voice.

Something in my chest tightened and I reached down and laced my fingers with his. "You know I love every part of you too right?" I said, I never wanted him to doubt my feelings for him. He was it for me. I was all in.

He nodded.

But if that was the case there was something else we needed to discuss. Something I had been avoiding. But after last night I couldn't avoid it any longer. I licked my lips as I stole myself. "Dare," I started.

He looked over at me.

"There's something we should probably talk about," I said quietly. "Probably we should have talked about it before last night but...well things got a little heated, kind of quickly." I felt a blush crawl up my neck and I took another deep breath. "I love you Daryl and that's it for me, but...seeing you with Judith..."

Daryl went very still beside me and I could practically feel him thinking and getting more tense by the second. I just needed to get this out.

"Look," I said starting to ramble. "When Michael was born there were issues and there was damage and I had to have surgery. I almost died," I sucked in a breath because I had run out of air. "Obviously last night things got heated and we didn't use anything..." 

Daryl's eyes widened and I heard his breathing kick up. 

"But that doesn't matter," I assured him quickly. "Because I can't have kids again, not ever. It's not physically possible for me anymore." 

Some of the tension went out of him then but he was still watching me warily because I hadn't relaxed, because I wasn't done. There was still a part to this that I didn't think he had thought of. I looked down at my hands shame burning though me. Seeing him holding Judith this afternoon had made my heart swell with how sweet and gentle he could be, but it also made me feel like I had somehow deceived him. 

"I should have told you sooner, I accepted that a long time ago, but you love kids. I've seen you with Judith and Carl and I know things are crazy now, but they won't always be like this. We said we wanted to live not just survive but that's a part of living. Once we can all live again raising families is part of it..." I tried to swallow but the next words stuck in my throat. "And...and if that's something you want in the future well it's not something I can give you. And it sucks, but-but-but I would understand if that was a deal breaker for you. And-"

All the words came pouring out of me in a crazy rush. I glanced at Daryl and he was staring at me, his face was contemplative but I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

I looked down at my hands. "Probably I could have approached this whole thing more subtly...or...or calmly... but things have been changing so fast with us I just...I don't want you to be disappointed," I told my hands glumly. There was a long pause and my mind immediately assumed the worst. Daryl would make an amazing father, of course he would want a family someday, it was ridiculous to assume anything else. 

Daryl made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat. "For a smart girl ya can be real dumb," he said lightly. He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into him, and pressed his lips to my temple. "I ain't going no where," he said firmly. "Thank ya for telling me, I know talking 'bout stuff like that ain't easy."

I stared into the fire. "But you never push," I swallowed. I appreciated the fact that he never forced me to talk about things but it made me wonder why. "Aren't you ever curious?" I finally asked. 

"Course I am," he shrugged a little. "Figured you'd let me know when ya were ready to talk 'bout it," he snorted and pressed his lips against my hair. "Ya ain't as big a mystery as ya think Jo. I understand ya pretty well, your past...that's up to ya to share when you're ready." 

I felt the last of my tension leak out of my body. I snuggled into his chest. "I don't know what I did to get to deserve you." I laid my hand over one of his enjoying how warm his hands were. I traced my fingers down his. His hands were so much larger than mine, but there was something elegant about them. They were hands that could soothe and love just as surely as they could protect and kill. 

He looked down at our fingers, opening his hand so I could glide the tips of my fingers down the front as well as the back of his. "Must a been something pretty terrible," he drawled. 

I coughed out a laugh and swatted him playfully. A chuckled rumbled through his chest beneath my ear.

"Ask me something," I told him once our laughter died down. 

"Ask ya something?" he clarified. 

"Yeah, there's gotta be something you've wondered about but didn't ask." 

Daryl pressed his lips into a line as he thought. A thin sliver of trepidation went through me but I swallowed it back as Daryl looked down at me a playful glimmer in his blue eyes. 

"What's your name?" 

I sat up, pulling away a little as I frowned up at him in confusion. "It's Jo," I assured him. Did he honestly think I had deceived him about something so basic? They had all heard Kate and Nick call me that at the very beginning. 

Daryl rolled his eyes. "It was Tom, Jo and Michael what?" he asked. 

Understanding dawned on me but he continued. "Ya told them it was Josephine Lynn Schroeder, but that don't sit right." 

I snorted and nodded. "It was Thomas Michael Schroeder, Joanne Marie Rogers, and Michael David Rogers-Schroeder." 

Daryl nodded for a moment but his lips were pinched as though he were fighting back a smile. 

"What?" I asked defensively. 

"Didn't like the kid much?" he asked fighting to keep a straight face. 

I swatted at him. "That's not funny!" 

Daryl was still trying not to laugh. "So ya didn't take Tom's name?" he asked quirking a brow. "Cause ya were a strong independent woman?" he teased gently. 

I snorted and shook my head. "No," I licked my lips. "He wanted me to, we fought about it for months, but I had already published a lot of papers and was known professionally as Rogers..." then because I had never been able to be completely honest with Tom about it I continued. "I never felt like I was a Schroeder," I ran a hand over my mouth. "And I wanted my son to carry my name as well as his fathers. I mean he was just as much me as Tom..." I looked down at my hands. "We fought about that too," I confided. I felt a small impish smile pull at the corner of my lips. "Might surprise you to hear I might not have been the easiest wife to have." 

Daryl snorted once but his eyes were serious. He scratched at his eyebrow and uncertainty flashed in his eyes before he opened his mouth to ask the next question. "How come ya never told me before?" 

I frowned. "It wasn't like I was keeping it from you," I promised him. "It just...didn't really seem to matter anymore, you know?" I looked down at my hands. I didn't want him to think it had anything to do with him. "It never really came up in the beginning...and then after Woodbury...well, I wasn't that person anymore. I was just Jo. Joanne Rogers didn't exist anymore." 

He was watching me seriously and seemed to really consider my words. He seemed satisfied with my answer, but I think it also made him a little sad. I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. He stood and tossed another few branches on our small fire. He didn't speak again until he sat down next to me. He noticed the change, he always did, and bumped me lightly with his shoulder. "Ya lied to Deanna about your name, why?" 

I was pretty sure he was just trying to lighten the conversation and distract me, but I appreciated it. "She told me she was good at reading people and she was using the question of my name as her baseline so she could tell if I lied to her later." 

He nodded. "Smart." 

I smirked at him. "That's me," I teased. 

He nodded and pulled me back down so I was leaning against his chest. 

"So...Dr. Joanne Rogers huh?"  

I stared into the flames. "That was the plan." 

<><><><><>

Jo

The next morning we all met in Deanna's living room for Rick to explain the plan to the group. Tara and Sasha had come out at dawn to take over the watch on the quarry. Daryl and I had rotated watch throughout the night. Despite being up half the night I had slept well curled against Daryl while he was on watch. It seemed like he felt the same way because when we switched in the middle of night he put his head on my thigh and dropped off to sleep immediately. 

Rick stood in the center of the room, some twenty residents of Alexandria looking at him in terror. Deanna was unengaged in the conversation. It made me wonder if she had more of a reaction the day before when they told her about the problem or if Reg's death had truly broken her. Daryl sat behind Rick in the window seat, one knee up the other stretched out to the floor. He looked deceptively casual, but I could see the stress in the set of his shoulders and tightness around his eyes. I stood beside him, leaning against the bookcase, my arms crossed over my chest.

Heath, the leader of the other run crew was standing and explaining what he knew about the quarry to the room. "My team, we saw it early on, back we were on one of those first scouts, finding out what was around here. There was a camp at the bottom. The people, they must have blocked the exits with one of those trucks back when everything started to go bad. They didn't make it, they were all roamers, maybe a dozen of them."

"No one's been back since?" Maggie asked in a gentle voice. She was working very hard to sound like she wasn't accusing anyone. With Deanna's silence most people were looking to her for guidance. 

Heath shook his head. "DC, every town worth scavenging was in the other direction and I never really felt like having a picnic next to the camp that ate itself."

"So all the while the walkers have been drawn by the sound and they're making more sound and they're drawing more in," Michonne explained as calmly as she could.

"And here we are," Rick agreed nodding. Then he turned to the rest of the room. "Now, what I'm proposing, I know it sounds risky, but walkers are already slipping through the exits. One of the trucks keeping the walkers in could go off the edge any day now. Maybe after one more hard rain. That exit sends them east. All of them. Right at us," he let that sink in for a moment before he continued. "This isn't about if it gives, it's when. It's going to happen. It's why we have to do this soon."

People were frozen, their fear making it hard for them to think. Many kept glancing at Deanna, they didn't trust Rick. 

Carol noticed as well. "This is- I don't even have another word for it, this is terrifying. All of it. But it doesn't sound like there is any other way," Carol said, doing her part to relate to the group as well as gently push them into Rick's way of thinking.

"Maybe there is," Carter snapped from beside her. "I mean couldn't we just build up the weak spots? I could draw up plans, I worked on the wall with Reg. The construction crew..."

Abraham was already shaking his head.

"We could try and make it safe," Carter continued desperately.

Rick shook his head. "Even if we could, the sound of those walkers is drawing more and more every day. Building up the exits won't change that."

Deanna was still facing the window, her body tight with tension. "We're going to do what Rick says," she commanded, not bothering to face the room. "The plan is laid out."

Rick nodded. "I told you all, we're gonna have Daryl leading them away."

Daryl nodded beside me and I tensed. This was the first I had heard of that. It made sense. His motorcycle was the most agile vehicle we had to lead the horde away, not to mention the noise it made. But I didn't like the idea of him being out there alone.

"Me too," Sasha volunteered before I could say anything. "I'll take the car and ride next to him. It can't just be him. I'll keep them coming, Daryl keeps them from getting sloppy."

"I'll go with her," Abraham said. "It's a long way to white knuckle it solo."

Rick nodded, his eyes traveling to me. I'm sure he had a job for me in mind but he didn't know if he could control me or not. I had always thought of myself as being a team player, but maybe I was wrong. I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. 

"We'll have two teams. One on each side of the forest helping manage this thing. We're gonna have a few people on watch from now on. Rosita, Spencer and Holly. So they're out. So who's in?" Rick asked.

The room was silent.

"Me," Michonne said without hesitation.

"Me," I called.

Daryl bumped me lightly with his shoulder and frowned up at me. I gave him a reassuring smile. He didn't look happy, but I was one of the most qualified to help deal with this. The look on his face told me we would be discussing it later. 

"I'm in," Glenn said after a few moments of quiet debate with Maggie. I'm sure he was trying to talk Maggie into staying behind.

"I'd like to help as well," Gabriel said raising his hand.

"No," Rick snapped without looking at him. "Who else? We need more."

The room was silent, everyone exchanging nervous glances with one another. 

"There's gotta be another play," Carter continued in the same desperately fearful voice. "We can't just control that many."

Rick sighed and I could see his patience with Carter waning. "I said it before, Walker's herd up. They'll follow the path if something is drawing them. That's how we can get 'em all at once."

Carter's eyes narrowed and his shoulders tightened as he glared at Rick. I straightened, shifting my weight evenly onto both feet so I was ready to move if necessary. Daryl noticed and I felt him tense, coiling his muscles as well. 

"So, what? We're supposed to just take your word for it?" Carter snarled. "We're all supposed to just fall in line behind you after..." he shook his head.

"After I what?" Rick challenged, he cocked his head and moved his hand so it rested on his gun.

I swallowed, tensing even more. Rick had a pretty distinct tell. 

Carter's eyes narrowed with his conviction and taking an aggressive step towards Rick. "After you wave a gun around scream, pointing it at people. After you shoot a man in the face."

I shifted my weight again, making noise this time, drawing Carter's attention to me, trying to break his stand off with Rick. It worked. Carter's eyes narrowed in disgust as they fell on me. I rested my hand on my kukri and he noticed. "After your quiet school teacher here turns into Xena, and we find out she's been lying to us the whole time."

I took an aggressive step towards him. My hands were loose at my sides but my eyes were hard and the smile I flashed his had too much teeth. "I always preferred Buffy actually," I told him with a wink.

Carter flinched. 

Daryl reached out and touched my arm, tugging me back towards him. Carter tried to cover his fear with more anger and turned his attention back to Rick. He sucked in a breath to continue his accusations. "Aft-"

"Enough!" Deanna exclaimed, swinging around to face the room. Carter looked away from Deanna in shame. 

The room was uncomfortably silent for a few minutes before Heath spoke up. "I'll do it," he said.

"Me to," Holly spoke up, surprising me. Her eyes went nervously to me and then flickered to Rick and settled on Deanna. 

"Whatever you need, I'm in," Tobin said, looking over at Rick and then he turned to the room, encouraging others to volunteer. He was what we needed. People looked to him and respected him. 

"Now who else?" Deanna demanded.

Nicholas raised his hand slowly. "I'll go, we have to do this, I need to help," he said.

"You sure you can handle it?" Rick asked uncertainly and he glanced at Glenn who looked unconvinced. I frowned, something was going on with them. 

"You need people," Nicholas reasoned.

Rick nodded, despite what was going on between him and Glenn there was no denying we needed as many people as we could get. "We'll make this work, we'll keep this place safe. Keep our families safe. We will," he commanded resolutely. 

"The plan," Carter growled. "Go through it again."

Daryl tensed beside me. His patience gone with this guy. "Man, he just said it," he rasped.

"Every part again," Carter demanded angrily. "The exact plan."

<><><><><>

Hey guys I hope you liked it! It got a little fluffy but don't Jo and Daryl deserve a few quiet moments of happiness before the sh** hits the fan? All sorts of excitement coming up, so buckle up! Things are going to get crazy for Jo!!!!

Please keep the amazing comments and votes coming, you guys are seriously so amazing and supportive I can't thank you enough!