Last One Standing ~ TWD Daryl Dixon

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Daryl

Jo followed me through the trees. I planned a path that would lead us in a wide circuit around the barn. It would take us about an hour to circle back. I kept my eyes on the ground looking for tracks. So far there was only one set I could find that didn't belong to walkers. They were Aaron's. He had been in the area a lot. I didn't like the idea of him following us. He could know a lot about us. Our greatest strength against other people these days was surprise. Rick, Abraham, Michonne and me were obvious fighters, but Jo's safety depended on her element of surprise. I didn't like the thought that that guy had taken that from her.

"So..." Jo started behind me, but she didn't finish.

I glanced back over my shoulder with a frown. She had been strangely quiet through the whole meeting with Aaron. She only spoke up the one time and when Rick ignored her she didn't say another word.

"You don't think he's lying?" I asked but it wasn't really a question. Jo wasn't as good at hiding what she was thinking from me as she thought. Maybe the others couldn't tell, but I could see it all over her face.

"He isn't, not a word," she replied confidently, but her voice was a tight. There was something on her mind.  I stopped and turned to face her. She was gripping her knives in her palms and her eyes were on the forest around us.

She frowned up at me. "What's up?" She looked around again but didn't see anything that would of made me stop.

"Do you want to go?" I asked. "With Aaron?" It didn't matter to me if we stayed in a barn or a walled camp or on the side of the road as long as everyone was safe and fed.

She turned back to me and took a step closer. She licked her lips and glanced up at the trees thoughtfully. "I don't know," she said honestly. "If it's real, it's hard to pass up. A safe community with walls..." she frowned then and looked away adjusting her grip on her knives. She was thinking about the past. "It would be the best thing for the group."

I stepped forward and brushed my fingers against the back of her hand.

She looked up at me sharply as though she hadn't realized I was close enough to touch her. She cleared her throat and shifted her weight but there was still the small wrinkle of a frown between her eyes.

"What if its-" she started to say and then out of no where her lips pressed into a hard line and she whirled away from me her left hand in motion. Her knife flew through the air and buried itself in a nearby tree. I glanced at the knife and then back to Jo.

She sagged forward then and closed her eyes. Her kukri hung loosely in her grip as she drew in a ragged breath.

I swallowed. "...like Woodbury?" I finished for her.

She looked up at me and there were tears swimming in her eyes and she nodded. I sighed and wrapped my free arm around her and pulled her against my chest. I brushed my lips across her forehead. "Ya know I would never let that happen."

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Jo

I stood in the circle of Daryl's arms letting him comfort me. I opened my eyes and froze when I saw a Walker. "Dare," I said pushing away from gently him. I pulled the only other knife I could throw. I really needed to find more knives. I landed it in the middle of the walkers forehead.