The sound of boots thudding against dirt echoed through the trees as Rick burst through the brush.
Carl's urgent call having brought him and the others running. Glenn, Daryl, T-Dog, and Dale trailed closely behind.
The moment they reached the clearing, they stopped cold.
There, in the center of the chaos, knelt Joe. His fists raw and torn, covered in drying blood.
Amy was at his side, her hands gently tending to him. Not far from them lay two bodies.
Shane sprawled unconscious with a twisted nose and split lip, and Ed… barely recognizable.
The only thing distinguishing him was the round gut rising and falling with shallow breath.
Dale stood frozen, mouth agape, horror etched deep across his face.
Carol sat beside Ed, sobbing as she tried to wipe his battered face, unsure whether to care or to grieve.
Daryl crossed his arms, a rare grin spreading across his face as he looked at Shane. "Well, would you look at that," he muttered. "Not so tough now! Are we?"
Rick stepped forward, expression sharp. "What the hell happened here?"
Glenn and T-Dog echoed the question, eyes bouncing between Joe and the two men on the ground.
But before Joe could say a word, Andrea stepped forward like a firestorm.
"Ed hit Amy," she snapped. "Slapped her so hard she hit the dirt. Trying to hit me as well..." Taking a breath.
"And when Joe saw it, he stopped him. Shane tried to pull him off and Joe didn't realize it was him. He just… reacted." Joe choosing not to chime in to say he knew it was Shane.
The other women nodded quickly, each adding a piece of the story, the momentum building until the whole picture was painted.
Rick's expression tightened as his eyes shifted to Amy's severely bruised cheek, and the dried blood on Joe's knuckles began to make sense.
While they talked, Amy gently pulled Joe to his feet and led him to the lake.
The water shimmered in the sunlight, but Joe's hands dulled it. Scraped and swollen, torn skin coated in flakes of dried blood.
Amy knelt beside him, dipping a cloth into the water and finished washing his hands. Joe didn't flinch, not even once.
His eyes didn't leave her.
And then, slowly, he lifted one hand, still dripping water, to her cheek. The one visibly bruised.
Amy looked up, confused… just as Joe leaned forward and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to her lips.
Quick. Gentle. Real.
He pulled back just as fast.
Amy stared, stunned. Then smiled, something warm and glowing in her eyes. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to.
Behind them, the other women gasped, Jacqui nudging Andrea with a smug smirk, saying sarcastically. "Did not see that coming."
"Get it, Amy," Anna added, voice low and teasing.
Andrea chuckled. "And you said you weren't in love…"
Amy's blush deepened, but her smile never left.
The men had already begun hauling Shane and Ed away, Rick walking quietly alongside them, his mind clearly reeling.
Carol trailed behind Glenn amd T-Dog as they hoisted Ed's still body. Still crying, unsure if it was relief or heartbreak.
...
Back at the sisters' tent, Amy and Andrea dug through supplies, finding gauze and antiseptic spray.
They returned to Joe, who sat on a log in silence. Without a word, the sisters knelt beside him, eaxh taking one of his hands and wrapping them with quiet care.
The tension began to fade. Camp activity slowly resumed.
Some cast wary glances Joe's way, but seeing him still, silent, and calmly letting the sisters tend to him… it calmed the storm.
But the calm didn't last.
Carol stormed over from across camp.
Smack!
Her palm connected sharply with Joe's cheek. His head turned slightly with the force, but his expression didn't change. Not a blink. Not a twitch. He looked up at her, noticing tear marks.
Looking in the direction she came from. He saw Sophia, crocodile tears in her eyes. That sight hurt more than the slap.
Carol didn't linger, just sent a single glance at Joe before walking away. Going to comfort her daughter.
Amy and Andrea watching her leave, their faces hot with anger, but understanding. Joe calmed them.
Lori emboldened by this scene came over and raised her hand.
Slapping down at him harshly, but this time, Joe's hand rose catching her wrist mid-swing.
He held it gently but firmly, his grip unmoving, his eyes cold. This was still Rick's "Wife".
Lori's face twisted, pulling her wrist free. "How could you do that to Shane?!"
Joe stared at her. "What's it to you?"
Amy stood abruptly. "Yeah," she said, voice hot. "Why do you care so much?"
Andrea crossed her arms. "You'd think he hit you the way you're acting."
Lori faltered. "I just… I just do."
That weak response rang out hollow. Rick... who had approached just behind her, narrowed his eyes.
He'd already noticed Lori's strange reaction earlier. Now it confirmed something he didn't want to admit.
Rick putting it to the back of his mind, looked to Joe. "People are talking. Some want you out."
Joe didn't react.
Amy and Andrea both shot forward, outraged. "What?!" they said in unison.
Joe gently patted their sides, signaling them to calm down.
He stood slowly, hands wrapped, face unreadable.
"Whatever," he said flatly. "I don't care."
The weight of his words rippled through the camp. Everyone nearby went quiet.
"I don't need you people," Joe added, his gaze cutting through the air.
Not aimed at Rick, Amy, or Andrea, but at everyone else… especially Lori.
Daryl whistling, "Amen brother!" Chuckling, shrugging off the looks people sent his way.
And in that moment, it was clear.
He didn't need to be part of their group.
He didn't need any of them. He could survive just fine on his own.
If anything he was doing them a favor just by sticking around.
...
The camp was silent for a breath.. then the reactions erupted. Denying what they already knew to be true in their hearts.
Shock. Anger. Outrage.
People who'd once kept their distance now stepped forward, shouting over one another.
The simmering fear of Joe boiled over, words spewing without caution.
"You don't need us?"
"He's a threat!"
"He nearly killed two people!"
"He's a psycho, worse than a walker!" Daryl looked over at this person. A middle-aged lady with blue hair. Karen. A lady, who somehow still managed to die her hair, even in the end of the world.
Others, like Dale, looked stunned, disappointment heavy in their eyes.
His hands gripped the brim of his hat tightly as he muttered, "This isn't how we do things. This isn't civilization…"
Carol flinched at every raised voice, caught between the man who beat her and the man who stopped him.
Her eyes flicked between the blood-streaked gauze on Joe's hands and the bruise on Amy's cheek.
Some, like Jacqui and Anna, stayed back watching, weighing the truth they'd witnessed with the chaos erupting now.
Daryl, arms crossed, stepped closer to the fire.
"I didn't see no psycho," he muttered loud enough for the crowd. "I saw a man stop a woman from gettin' beat.
.."
"And your golden boy Shane pulled a gun on him first."
That shut a few mouths but not all.
Glenn stood awkwardly beside T-Dog, unsure of where he fell in the storm. "I mean… yeah, it was a lot, but he wasn't wrong."
Amy stood taller, stepping in front of Joe as if ready to physically shield him.
A funny visual really... a woman standing a head shorter, guarding a merciless walker killer.
Who'd have thunk it?
Amy shouted, "He protected me. He protected Andrea. You all saw what Ed did! You've seen how he treats her!"
Andrea's voice was like steel. "He did what should have been done a long time ago."
Rick held up a hand, trying to deescalate the situation they found themselves in. "Enough!"
His voice cut through the noise, silencing most.
He looked around, gaze hard. "This isn't a damn democracy right now. And it's not a witch hunt either."
The fire crackled in the pause.
Rick turned to Joe, his expression unreadable. "You need to understand the fear you've caused. The line you walked."
Joe met his eyes without flinching. "You want me gone, Rick?"
Rick paused… then shook his head. "No...." Sigh.
Lori bristled beside him. Sharply exclaiming. "Rick..."
"No," he said again, more firmly this time, sending Lori a look, as if daring her to contradict him at this moment.
"What he did to Ed? Was harsh. But earned. Shane? That was instinct. A reaction. I saw what Ed did. We all did. Doesn't make this easy… but it makes it understandable."
The crowd simmered down reluctantly, some nodding, others still muttering under their breath.
Andrea crossed her arms. "If you try to kick him out, you better be ready to kick us out too."
Amy nodded, stepping back to Joe's side.
Andrea joined her without hesitation.
The sisters stood on either side of him, defiant.
Joe, in contrast, said nothing. He didn't posture.
He didn't threaten. He just stood there, composed but dangerous, like a loaded weapon no one quite dared to touch.
He simply didn't care about these people. Not yet at least.
The dust settled, the camp now quiet.
The silence that followed was heavy. And absolute.
No one dared speak. Not even to whisper. It was the kind of silence that pressed on the lungs. Demanding stillness, commanding it.
Then, slowly, like the wind shifting after a long squall, the tension began to lift.
People quietly returned to their loved ones.
Fires were stoked. Skewers of venison were set over makeshift grills. No one laughed. But no one screamed either.
The world started turning again.
Joe settled down at a small fire with Amy and Andrea, the three sitting close but not speaking much.
Just being. A few others glanced their way... Some in fear, others in curiosity but no one approached.
Daryl gave Joe a small nod from across camp before wandering off into the woods, crossbow slung lazily over his shoulder.
A few minutes passed.
Then came footsteps.
Rick.
And Carl.
The boy lingered behind his father, fidgeting, clearly nervous.
His eyes darted to Joe, unsure what kind of reception he'd get after what had happened.
Joe turned slightly, meeting Carl's anxious gaze and gave him a small, warm smile.
The boy visibly relaxed, his shoulders easing as he stepped forward.
Rick took a seat, Joe handing him a skewer of meat before grabbing another for himself.
Rick chewed in silence for a few seconds, then exhaled. "Sorry about earlier," he said. "Honestly… I didn't know what to do." He paused.
"Between my once best friend and the man that guided me through hell on earth…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
Joe raised his hand, palm open. "I get it," he said plainly. "You don't need to apologize. Honestly… I did overreact. Slightly."
Rick paused mid-bite, raising an eyebrow. "Slightly?"
From the next firepit over, Glenn called out with a smirk, "Yeah, just like how I always slightly stub my toe...."
"Except I never look like I crashed face-first into a fire hydrant immediately after!"
A few chuckles rippled through the group. T-Dog snorted. Even Dale cracked a reluctant smile.
Joe smirked, just faintly and shook his head. "Fair."
Amy leaned against him, still quiet, but a little more at ease.
Andrea watched them, satisfied that the storm had passed, at least for now. She leaned into Joe slightly as well, Amy taking notice.
The fire crackled softly, and for the first time in half an hour, peace. Tenuous and fragile peace, settled over the camp again.
The only sound, the crackle of fire and faint sizzle of venison skewers, and soft voices. The stillness was broken by soft footsteps.
Sophia appeared, her cheeks still pink from earlier tears, but her face now dry.
Her eyes scanned the campfire and the people around it, landing on Joe.
The adults tensed subtly. Watching, waiting, unsure what would happen next.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Sophia walked right up to Joe.
Without a word, she leaned in and wrapped her small arms around him, pressing herself into his chest, a child seeking comfort from a pillar of support.
Joe blinked, caught off guard for just a moment… before one of his hands gently rose and began smoothing her hair, slow and protective.
Gasps were stifled. A few murmurs rose.
Rick tilted his head, watching closely. Andrea smiled faintly. Amy's heart swelled just a little more.
Joe didn't say anything. Didn't react beyond that simple, warm motion.
He just let her feel safe.
A few moments later, Carol approached, hesitating near the fire.
Her steps were quiet, unsure. She looked across at Joe with a conflicted expression.
Something between guilt and gratitude.
She sat down slowly across from him, folding her hands in her lap. For a while, she said nothing, her gaze on the flickering flames.
Then finally, softly, "I'm sorry…"
Joe looked up.
She went to say more, but he raised his hand, stopping her.
"No need," he said gently. "Ed's still your husband. I went… 'slightly' too far."
Carol gave a weak smile and a little nod. "Maybe. But I think… part of me wished someone would've done it sooner."
Joe said nothing, but there was understanding in his eyes. Not judgment.
Carol sighed quietly, her shoulders loosening for the first time in days. "Thank you… for what you did. For Sophia."
They both looked down.
The little girl had dozed off in Joe's arms, her breath even, one hand still gripping his jacket lightly.
The contrast between Joe's scarred, powerful arms and the tiny sleeping child nestled against him wasn't lost on anyone nearby.
Across the fire, Carl watched, brows furrowed, lips pouted slightly. A flicker of jealousy danced in his eyes.
Andrea noticed and chuckled under her breath, nudging Amy's shoulder.
The camp had watched the whole thing unfold. The hugging. The apology. The quiet peace. Carl's grief.
And slowly, a shift began.
What had been fear and suspicion started to melt. People glanced between one another, murmuring quietly.
Dale gave a slight nod. Glenn whispered something to T-Dog, who smirked and shook his head.
The sight of Carol calm. Of Sophia safe. Of Joe still and unthreatening. It all began to change the narrative.
One person wasn't satisfied with this outcome however. The blue haired lad, Karen. She kept on muttering. The definition of a beta male next to her. Trying and failing to calm her down.
One by one, people began rising from the fire, heading back to their tents.
The chaos of earlier faded into the background. Not forgotten, but no longer at the forefront.
Because now… they were just people, gathered in the dying light, trying to make it through one more night.
Together.