No Way Out *Negan/Daryl/Joelle

The Drive Back to Hell

Jo had moved to Daryl's side and laid his head down on her lap. She peered down at his face, thinking of times before all this mess started. Jo closed her eyes and rested her head against the cool surface of the trucks wall. 

***

It had been a few days since the CDC blew up and everyone was getting hot and bothered by each other. They all had to shove themselves into the RV because the flying debris slashed the tires of the other cars. 

Jo had made herself as comfortable as she could on the floor in the back, by the bed. They took turns sharing the bed to get some well needed rest, while on the road. At the time it was Daryl and Carol's turn. Everyone in the back of the RV kept quiet for the ones sleeping. Carol's light snoring could be heard and it brought a sense of calm to Jo.

A lazy movement in front of Jo, made her stir and look upwards. Daryl's arm hung off the bed now and almost brushed against Jo's knee. His eyes fluttered open from his new position and looked down at Jo's. 

"Hey." he said, with a yawn. 

"Hey. Sleep well?"

"Well 'nough."

"Good." Jo smiled lightly and resumed looking at her scratched up and scarred hands. Daryl groggily sat up, slid off the bed, and took a seat next to Jo on the floor. 

"Watcha thinkin' 'bout? Can tell somethin's on your mind." Daryl asked while looking out of the back window. 

"Eh... nothing."

"Joelle, don' lie ta me."

Jo sighed and looked over at Daryl to meet his gaze, that was now on her. 

"I-Its just the place that was supposed to have answers for us, just took more from us instead. Our hope... our friends."

"Yeah." Daryl gave her a sincere look and hesitantly raised his hand to her shoulder. Just as he touched her skin, he withdrew his hand and stared back up through the window, with his brows furrowed. 

Jo knew he felt the same way, just with less words. She appreciated the comfort he tried to portray to her, as well. She followed his gaze out of the window and looked at the waves of green from the moving trees. 

***

"Sophia! Sophia! Joelle!"

Jo could hear the yells from the group, but didn't stop. She had to catch up to the little girl, sprinting away from her. 

"Sophia, its me! Jo! Its ok, please stop running." Jo said, with exasperation. Sophia immediately stopped and turned back around towards Jo. Fear and tears could be seen all over her face. 

"Hey, its ok. I'm here, come back." she said calmly, as she dropped to her knees and her arms opened to the scared girl. Sophia locked eyes with Jo and raced back to her, throwing herself into the open arms. Sophia wrapped her arms around Jo's neck, as arms were wrapped around her own waist. In one swift motion, Jo stood up, and Sophia clung to Jo's hips with her legs. They started heading back to the highway in each others arms. 

When Jo came back to the stream she jumped over before. She had to step in and go through to get across, since she could not jump with Sophia's weight, grasping onto her upper body. 

She walked through and stepped on the other side of the stream, onto a small hill. She suddenly slipped on the muddy ground and fell forward. Sophia landed first and rolled out from underneath Jo before she hit the ground. 

"Ugh! I'm so sorry, Soph! I slipped. Are you ok?"

Sophia nodded while looking around. Groans and moans from walkers could be heard and Jo jumped into action. She pushed herself off the mucky ground, trying to get a foot hold and slipped her right ankle down, underneath a thick root. She was pinned to the spot and Jo's mind wracked her brain for how to get free. She finally remembered her knife in her free boot. She looked up to tell Soph that it would be ok and to stay close to her. Jo gasped, when she looked all around her and Sophia was no where to be found. 

"Sophia! Sophia!" Jo screamed, out in desperation. 

She couldn't see her, but she could see walkers on the other side of the stream headed her way. She reached for the knife and yanked it out of her boot. Jo slammed it down on the root several times, but only made a small dent in the hard wood. With the walkers moving closer, she changed the direction of the knife and slid it between her ankle and the root. She tried to pull up on it to give herself some wiggle room. She started making a little leeway but not fast enough. The walkers were finally upon her trapped legs and falling towards her face. 

Jo instantly removed the knife, she was working with and lodged it into one walker, then the other. She let her body fall backwards with the gravity and took a few breaths, then remembered why she was out there in the first place. Jo shot up, pushed the dead zombies, times two off of her and got back to work on the root. 

After a couple minutes of yanking and pulling with all her strength, on her trapped ankle. The root finally busted and Jo was free. Jo let out a gasp when she saw blood rushing out of a deep cut in her ankle. She must not of felt the knife slice her, when she pulled it out to kill the walkers, due to adrenaline. She immediately ripped a piece of fabric off the bottom of her shirt and tied it around her wound. 

She knew she had to find Sophia in those woods, but she also knew she had to get help fast. The cut was too deep and she was losing blood, way too fast. 

Jo pushed herself off the muddy ground and stood up, instantly feeling dizzy. She started to stumble on her hands and knees up the hill. When she reached the top, she sat down taking a few breaths. 

Jo's head became very heavy and drooped down into her open hands. Her body felt cold and tingly all over. She slowly fell sideways and the world spun around her. The last thing she remembered was whispering Sophia's name, while a shadow covered her view. 

***

"Its your fault she gone!" Daryl yelled at Jo. She cowered back from his out burst. She knew he loved Sophia, but didn't know why he was blaming her. 

"What?! Are you fuckin' kiddin' me? I'm the one that went after her. Where the hell were you?"

"I was dealin' with your hurt, ass! Sorry, I figured you didn't want to bleed out in the woods and be a walkers buffet!"

"I didn't ask for your help, jerk!"

"Well how could ya? Ya were passed the fuck out, layin' on the damn ground."

"Fuck you, Dixon. Next time, I won't help and I hope its you, who needs savin'!" With that Jo spun on her heel and stalked away from him. She automatically felt a twinge of regret for her last words, but dismissed the feeling. She was too angry and all she did was try and help.

***

Jo must have dozed off on the ride, because she felt groggy when she opened her eyes again. The trucked to seemed to have stopped and she felt panic rise to her chest. She felt Daryl stir in her arms and looked down at him. His blue eyes were peaking up at her. 

"Hey." 

"Hey, you." She mumbled through her mask.  She grinned as it reached her eyes.

He let a smile tug on his lips too.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

They both shot up straight, as the truck door flung open. Negan stood staring at them with an evil grin, that spread ear to ear. 

"Boys, split them up."