The next morning, Joe sat at the table with his family, eating breakfast together.
"I'm going out today," he said. "Gonna check the walls and the surrounding area."
Beth looked up. "Be careful."
Maggie added, "Beth and I have an appointment with Deanna."
Joe frowned. "For what?"
"She wants us to overlook the farm they're planning to expand."
Joe gave a small nod. "That's perfect for you two."
The sisters smiled at him, pleased.
Joe finished his food, grabbed his katana, and headed toward the armory.
On the street, Jessie's voice called out. "Morning, Joe!" She waved brightly.
Behind her, a man stood stiff, glaring at Joe with poorly hidden resentment.
Joe wasn't fazed. He raised a hand in acknowledgment and kept walking.
At the armory, Olivia greeted him with a smile. "Good morning. Heading out?"
"Yeah," Joe said. "Need a Glock. Just in case."
She nodded, selecting one from the shelf along with a spare magazine. "Here you go."
"Thanks, darlin'."
Olivia flushed. "No problem. Be safe."
Joe tucked the pistol into his belt, slid the mag into his pocket, and made his way to the gate.
A woman there hurried to pull it open for him, but a walker lunged from the other side. It's jaws snapping shut just inches from her face.
She screamed.
Joe moved in a blink. His boot slammed into the walker's chest, knocking it flat.
He drew his katana and drove the blade clean through its skull. Without a pause, he sheathed the weapon and kept walking.
Residents came running, drawn by the scream. They stopped short, watching Joe's effortless kill and the way he walked off, calm and unshaken.
"Thank you!" Sarah called after him.
Joe only raised a hand.
He circled the perimeter outside the walls. His eyes narrowed on the steel I-beams bracing the structure from the outside.
He shook his head. 'So stupid. Anyone with half a brain could use those to climb right over.'
In his mind, he pictured barbed wire, spikes, barriers that would slow human threats as much as walkers.
Alexandria wasn't ready. Not for the world beyond.
Up ahead, movement drew his eye. A brunette girl scrambled down the wall and darted into the woods.
She froze when she spotted him, then bolted. Moments later, Carl dropped clumsily down after her.
The boy froze under Joe's gaze.
Joe smirked. "Go on."
Carl grinned sheepishly, gave him a thumbs-up, and ran after her.
By the time Joe circled the walls completely, he had his assessment. No major breaches, but far too many vulnerabilities.
When he returned to the gate, it stood wide open. Shouts came from inside. Joe quickened his pace.
Through the gate, he saw Daryl pinning Nicholas to the ground, hands around his throat. Nicholas clawed helplessly, face turning red.
Deanna was there, shouting. "Stop it, now!"
Rick tugged at Daryl's arm, but it was like pulling against stone. Daryl's eyes were wild, locked in another world.
Joe strode forward, voice calm but commanding. "Daryl."
At once, Daryl froze. His grip loosened, and he stepped back. Nicholas sucked in a ragged breath, coughing.
Deanna stared at Joe, startled. One word, and the raging man obeyed.
Joe's eyes cut to Glenn. "What happened?"
Glenn raised his hands. "Spencer pushed me. I swung, reflex. Nicholas jumped me, and then Daryl…" He glanced at his friend. "…took it further."
Joe nodded once. His gaze shifted to Deanna. "So. What are we going to do about this? Seems my people are being treated unfairly."
Spencer opened his mouth, but Deanna's voice rose, sharp enough to silence him.
"Joe and his group are part of this community now. In every way. They are not second-class citizens. They deserve respect."
The crowd murmured agreement, though some reluctantly.
Joe's voice carried over them. "Thank you, Deanna. And all of you... listen up. We are part of this community. Act like it. Settle things with words."
His people nodded.
He looked at Daryl. "We're not out there anymore."
Daryl's chest heaved, but he gave a small nod.
"Everyone, turn in your weapons," Deanna ordered. "Spencer, Nicholas... my office. Now."
The two men left, both shooting dark looks over their shoulders.
Joe clapped Daryl's shoulder. "Come on, brother. Let's have lunch."
"Alright," Daryl muttered, finally steadying.
Joe handed his Glock to Glenn. "Return this for me."
Glenn nodded. "You got it, Boss."
"I'm not the boss anymore," Joe said quietly. 'At least for now.'
Glenn caught the weight of the words, eyes widening.
The crowd began to disperse. Tara shut the gate firmly and headed toward the armory.
Deanna pulled Rick and Michonne aside. "I have roles for you. I want you both to be our constables. Will you accept?"
Rick nodded. "Okay."
Michonne echoed, "Yeah, sounds good to me."
Deanna's gaze flicked to Joe and Daryl. She turned to Glenn, catching him off guard. "Thank you, for knocking Spencer on his ass."
Glenn's mouth opened, then closed. "Uh… yeah," he muttered, and hurried after Tara.
Jess, who had been among the onlookers, had seen everything.
She watched Joe's authority, the ease with which he'd commanded Daryl back from the edge.
Her chest tightened, attraction sharpening into something undeniable.
Carl lingered by the gate, watching Enid walk away.
"You don't like me, do you?" he asked.
Enid didn't answer. She just kept moving.
Carl sighed and turned back toward the house.
...
Joe and Daryl sat at the kitchen table, the smell of bread and meat filling the air. Joe slid a sandwich across the table.
"Thanks," Daryl muttered, picking it up.
Daryl asked, "So... we're staying then?"
Joe bit into his own, chewing slowly before answering Daryl's question. "Yeah. We're staying. This place is too good to pass up."
From the front door, Carl leaned against the frame, arms crossed. "I like it here," he said, almost cautiously. "But… the people are weak."
Joe swallowed, nodding. "That's true. But they're good people."
The murmur of conversation in the living room dipped as the others started to tune in.
Joe leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the room. "They've got walls, houses, water, food. All the things we've been fighting to hold onto. But they've never been tested. Not the way we have."
Glenn spoke up from the couch. "You mean they wouldn't survive out there."
Joe nodded. "Not as they are now." He set his sandwich down, lacing his fingers together on the table.
"But that doesn't mean they can't get stronger. That's the choice in front of us. Do we use what we know to help them… or do we just take what we want and keep to ourselves?"
Silence stretched for a moment. Tara shifted in her seat, her voice uncertain. "And if they don't want to change? If they think the walls are enough?"
Joe's jaw tightened. "Then we make them see. Because the walls are never enough. Not against people. Not against what's really out there."
Beth's voice, soft but steady, carried from the couch. "So we teach them. Like you taught us."
Joe looked at her for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Yeah. We teach them. We make this place strong. Stronger than anywhere we've ever been. Strong enough to last."
Andrea leaned forward, her tone half-teasing, half-deadly serious. "And if they push back?"
Joe's blue eyes were sharp as glass when he answered. "Then they'll learn the hard way."
The room fell quiet again, the weight of his words settling in.
Daryl tore into his sandwich, muttering around the bite. "Sounds like a plan."
Joe smirked faintly. "It's the only plan."
...
A knock came at the front door.
Joe pushed back from the table, setting aside his empty plate. The living room was still humming with conversation when he opened the door.
Jess stood on the porch, smoothing a strand of her vibrant red hair behind her ear.
She held herself straighter when she saw him, but her eyes flicked quickly past his shoulder into the crowded house.
"Hi," she said, her voice carrying that slight hesitation Joe had already noticed in her.
"Deanna asked me to come get you. She wants a meeting."
Joe arched a brow. "What about?"
Jess shifted the basket she was carrying, though it was clear she wasn't here for supplies this time. "She didn't tell me everything, but… she said it's about your role in Alexandria."
Behind Joe, Andrea's voice carried from the couch. "Who is it?"
"Jess," Joe answered without turning.
Andrea and Emma exchanged a look. Amy came up beside Joe, resting a hand lightly on his arm. "What kind of meeting?" she asked, eyes narrowing on Jessie.
Jess offered a polite smile, but her gaze lingered a fraction too long on Joe before she answered.
"Deanna's been talking with the council. She's made a decision. She wants Joe to head Alexandria's defenses."
The room went quiet for a moment.
Joe's eyes flicked between Jess and his people. He felt the weight of their stares, the silent questions behind them.
Finally, he gave a small nod. "Alright. I'll hear her out."
Jess let out a breath, as if she'd been holding it. "Good. She's waiting at her place. She… sounded excited, honestly."
Joe said, "Let's go then."
He glanced back at his wives, his expression softening for just a second. "I'll be back soon."
They nodded slowly.
Jess stepped aside to let him through. Joe joined her on the porch, for a moment.
The door shut behind him. Jess walked beside him down the street, the silence thick for a few steps before she spoke again.
"You know… she trusts you. More than anyone she's met since this place started. She said if Alexandria is going to last, it needs someone like you watching its walls."
Joe's eyes stayed forward, scanning the houses and streets as he walked. "Trust can be a dangerous thing."
Jess glanced sideways at him, her voice low. "Not with the right person."
Joe didn't answer her.
...
Jess led Joe through the quiet streets of Alexandria.
Neighbors were already outside, tending gardens or talking on porches. More than a few eyes followed Joe as he passed.
Jess cleared her throat softly. "She's waiting inside." She gestured toward Deanna's house, then stayed back as Joe mounted the steps.
Joe knocked once, then pushed the door open when he heard Deanna call, "Come in."
Inside, Deanna stood in the front room with Reg at her side, papers spread across a small table. She smiled when she saw Joe. "Thank you for coming."
Joe nodded. "Jess said you wanted to see me."
"Yes." Deanna motioned toward a chair. "Have a seat, please."
Joe stayed standing.
Deanna studied him for a moment, then folded her hands. "You've made quite an impression. Yesterday at the gate, the way you calmed Daryl down... your people follow you. Respect you. Even I could see that."
Joe's expression didn't change. "They're my family."
"I know." Deanna leaned forward slightly. "Which is why I want you to do for Alexandria what you've done for them. Protect them. Lead them. Keep them safe."
Joe tilted his head. "And what exactly are you asking me?"
Her smile widened, genuine but sharp. "I want you to be head of Alexandria's defenses. The walls, the guards, patrols... everything."
Reg spoke up quietly. "It's the most important job we have. We believe you're the man for it."
Joe let the silence hang for a long moment. He finally said, "You put the supports for your walls on the outside. Anyone could climb right over. Your gates are exposed. You've got no deterrents for people. No spikes, no barbed wire. You've been lucky. That luck won't last."
Deanna nodded, absorbing his blunt criticism without flinching. "Then you'll fix it."
Joe's eyes narrowed. "I'll need full authority over defenses. No council. No debates. If I say something has to change, it changes."
Deanna hesitated, then glanced at Reg. He gave a slight nod.
She met Joe's gaze again. "Agreed. But I want transparency. You'll answer to me directly. No secrets. This is still my community."
Joe considered her for a long moment, then nodded. "Fair enough."
Deanna let out a breath she'd been holding. "Good. Then it's decided. You're head of defenses."
Jess, who had slipped quietly inside, smiled faintly at the announcement. She looked at Joe as though seeing him in a new light.
Joe's voice was steady. "I'll make this place strong."
Deanna's smile softened. "I believe you will."
Joe gave a short nod, then turned toward the door. Jess straightened quickly, moving to follow him back out.
As he stepped onto the porch, she spoke quietly. "Congratulations."
Joe didn't answer right away. His eyes swept across the streets, lingering on the walls in the distance.
Finally, he said, "It's not a title. It's a responsibility. The defenses fail and people will die."
Jess's smile faltered. "I don't think you'll fail."
Joe glanced at her, then started walking back toward his house.
...
The night air was cool, crickets humming beyond the walls.
The porch light cast long shadows across the steps where Joe, Daryl, Rick, and Carol sat, each with their own thoughts.
Joe leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes sweeping over the quiet street. "I think it's time we start living in our own homes."
Carol exhaled slowly. "It is starting to feel crowded in there."
Rick nodded, his voice steady. "And if anything were to happen… we can handle ourselves."
Joe gave a small nod. "Exactly. It's time to settle in."
But Carol's gaze was sharp, cutting through the calm. "If we let our guard down, this place will make us weak."
Daryl grunted in agreement beside her, jaw tight.
Joe shook his head. "It won't. We don't have it in us anymore. Too much has happened. We'll make this place work."
The porch fell into silence. Carol and Daryl both looked away, still unconvinced.
Rick gave Joe the faintest nod, as though he believed it or at least wanted to.
Joe's eyes hardened. "And if they can't make it… If they can't shape up..."
The others turned to him, waiting.
Joe's voice was low, but there was no mistaking the steel in it.
"We'll take this place."
The words hung heavy in the night air, the kind that could never be unsaid.
No one replied, but the look they shared said enough.
They weren't just guests in Alexandria anymore. If it came to it, they'd be its rulers.