Joe arrived back at the house and stepped inside.
His wives were already dressed for the party, waiting for him before heading out.
Beth walked up with a warm smile and kissed him gently. "Joe, did you hear about Deanna's party?"
"Reg told me," Joe said with a nod.
Beth hesitated. "So... should we wait for you or just go ahead?"
"Go on without me," Joe replied. "I need a shower."
"Okay. We'll be at Deanna's," Beth said, kissing him once more. She was about to walk away when Joe asked, "How's the baby?"
Beth's smile widened. "Good. I feel great. Maggie's doing great as well."
Joe's expression softened. "That's good. Alright, my love. I'll see you in a bit."
"Love you, honey," Beth said brightly. "We'll be waiting."
Joe headed into the shower, scrubbing away the sweat and grime from killing walkers and hauling materials.
He stepped out, dried off, and wrapped a towel around his waist. From the closet, he pulled a clean shirt and dress pants.
Joe and his wives had settled into a large bedroom down the hall from the kids' room.
Rick, Michonne, Carl, and Judith had taken some of the rooms downstairs.
Their own room held a king-sized bed that fit them all, with tasteful decorations on the walls and a closet full of clothes left by the original owners.
Joe dressed quickly, applied deodorant, and went downstairs. Outside, the streets were quiet and dark, every house dark except Deanna's.
As he walked toward it, he glanced at the watchtower and noticed someone on duty. Joe nodded to himself. "Guess Reg took my warnings seriously."
At Deanna's house, he climbed the steps. Soft music and chatter carried through the door.
He stood there for a moment, uneasy. He hated pretending to be something he wasn't. So he decided he wouldn't.
He slipped inside quietly. A few people looked his way, but he ignored them, offering only a nod before scanning the room.
Rick was off to the side, chatting with a blonde woman. Glenn and Tara were with a group of Alexandrians.
Noah was in the corner with Serena. Carl sat with a few boys his age.
Sophia and Clementine whispered together, eyes flicking toward Enid.
Finally, Joe spotted his wives surrounded by several women. Jess among them.
Joe moved through the crowd like a shadow. At the refreshments table, he grabbed a bottle of whiskey and a glass.
He poured himself a large measure, and downed it in one gulp. He refilled, set the bottle down, and turned... only to bump into Reg.
Reg laughed lightly and steered him toward a group of men. "Joe, come meet the guys."
The men greeted him with enthusiasm. Ben asked, "Where are you from?"
"Texas," Joe answered flatly.
Ben waited for more, but nothing came.
Bruce tried next. "So, what'd you do before all this? I was a plumber."
Joe took a sip. "Special forces. Counterterrorism."
That got their attention. James leaned in. "Where?"
"The Middle East."
Ben pressed. "Okay, but where exactly?"
Joe stayed silent.
James asked, "So... how many people you kill?"
Joe's eyes were steady. "Hundreds."
The men chuckled at first, thinking he was joking. They choked on their drinks when they saw his expression.
James stiffened, backing up a step. "Goddamn. What the fuck, man?"
Joe stared him down. "You're the one who asked. Don't be a pussy."
"Hey, let's just calm down," Ben said quickly.
James barked, "How the hell am I supposed to calm down?"
Joe shook his head. "Whatever." He walked away, drink in hand.
He spotted Bob and Nat at a table and walked over. "How are you tonight?"
Nat's face lit up. "There he is. We've been looking for you. We're good, charmer."
Joe smiled. "Good to hear. Anybody drop by?"
Bob nodded. "Yeah, a few. Thanks for that. We were starting to feel unwanted here."
Joe sighed. "No problem. A house without elders is like a tree without leaves... unfinished."
Bob and Nat teared up, pulling him into a hug. "Thanks, sonny," Bob said gruffly.
Joe chuckled. "This place still needs you, so don't be in a hurry to leave."
They both nodded.
Joe stood. "I'll see you soon. Gotta check on the kids, make sure their cheeks aren't sore."
Bob laughed. "If they are, blame Nat."
Nat swatted his arm playfully.
Joe moved into the next room. His wives were still surrounded, locked in conversation.
He slipped an arm around Maggie's waist. She leaned into him. The women talking paused, glancing at him.
Understanding now why this man had five wives, three kids, and two more on the way.
...
While the party carried on, Carol slipped into the armory.
The window she'd left unlatched earlier was still open. Relief flickered across her face, followed quickly by frustration.
These people had survived this long relying only on walls. Meanwhile, her group had faced threat after threat, human and otherwise.
She sighed, crawled through the window, and stood.
Moving quietly, she filled a backpack with 9mm handguns and grabbed five boxes of ammo.
She was about to leave when a voice startled her. "Carol?"
She spun, nearly drawing her knife before she saw Sam standing in the shadows.
She crouched, her voice sharp but low. "What are you doing here, Sam?"
Sam twitched nervously. "I was following you... thought maybe you were making more cookies. But then you came here."
Carol's expression softened instantly. "I can make a batch just for you. Would you like that?"
Sam nodded eagerly. "Yes."
"But," Carol said, her smile fading, "if I make them, you have to keep this a secret."
Sam hesitated. "But... I tell my mom everything."
"Really?" Carol asked, her eyes narrowing.
Sam nodded. "Mhmm."
Carol's voice dropped to a whisper, cold and deliberate. "Well, if you can't keep this secret... I'll have to take you outside the walls. Let the monsters eat you."
Sam trembled, his words stumbling. "I-I-I won't. I promise."
Carol studied him for a long moment. Then her smile returned, warm again. "Good. Now... what kind of cookies do you want?"
Sam blinked, still shaken. "...Peanut butter."
Carol nodded. "Perfect. Come by my house tomorrow. You can help me make them."
Sam's fear cracked into a small smile. "Okay."
Carol climbed out the window first, then helped Sam through before closing it firmly behind them.
...
The next morning, Joe woke up sandwiched between Amy and Emma.
All three were nude. The night before, Amy had whispered about trying for baby number two. Emma had said the same.
Joe rolled out of bed, head still foggy from the whiskey. He tiptoed into the bathroom and took a piss before heading down the hall to the kids' room.
Esther and Grace were sleeping soundly. Julian, though, lay awake, arms reaching up toward him.
Joe smiled. "Morning, baby boy."
Julian giggled as Joe scooped him up.
Carrying him downstairs, Joe moved slowly, Julian babbling, "Dada. Dada."
"That's right," Joe said with a grin. "I'm Dada."
In the kitchen, he opened the fridge and pulled out some eggs.
A pan sizzled on the stove as he scrambled them, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper.
He set the plate down on the couch, broke off a small piece, and held it out. "Here, try this."
Julian opened his mouth, chewed, then grinned. "Mmm."
"You like it," Joe said, amused.
Julian nodded, mouth open again. "Ahh."
Joe kept feeding him until the boy was full, then ate the rest himself. By the time he finished, Julian had drifted back to sleep in his arms.
Joe carried him upstairs, laid him gently in the crib, and tucked a note beside him.
"Dada fed me eggs."
Back in his room, Joe changed into warmer clothes and strapped on his katana before heading out to meet the workers.
They gathered at the gate, tools in hand, and followed Joe to where they'd stopped the day before.
UnmatchedJoe kept sharper watch this time, remembering Rick's warning about strange markings on a walker.
By lunchtime, the crew had finished reinforcing the south side of the wall.
...
Rick and his group reached the supermarket. Joe had told them to strip the barbed wire off the fences outside. The real problem was the walkers trapped inside.
Rick laid out the plan. "We'll lure them to the fence and spear them through. Once the numbers drop, we go in and clear the rest."
Spencer, Aiden, and Nicholas didn't like it. Aiden scoffed. "This is pointless. The walls don't need barbed wire."
Rick's eyes narrowed. "We gonna have a problem?"
Spencer took a step back. "No."
"Good," Rick said. "Move out."
They approached the fence, banging metal and drawing walkers forward. Rick, Lee, Glenn, and Tara made quick work of them, stabbing through the links with calm precision.
Spencer tried to copy him, but he was too reckless. A walker snagged his pack, yanking him against the fence.
He panicked, thrashing.
Lee rushed over, pinned the walker, and put it down, then went back to thinning the herd.
Spencer staggered back, chest heaving, face pale. This time he worked slower, more careful. Rick gave him a small nod.
Soon, the herd thinned enough to push in. They cut through the fence, Rick taking point, Glenn covering the rear.
The courtyard was littered with half-collapsed FEMA tents. A few more walkers wandered between them, but they were put down quickly.
Spencer, Aiden, and Nicholas began to understand how far behind they were compared to Rick's group. It left a bitter taste in their mouths, their pride taking a hit.
Rick called out, "Half of us will search the tents, the rest sweep inside the supermarket."
Tara asked, "What about the barbed wire?"
"We'll get that last," Rick said. "Supplies come first. Walkers kept this place untouched. Odds are it's still good."
Lee nodded. "It's better to grab the supplies first. The barbed wire isn't going anywhere."
Rick pointed. "Glenn, take Tara, Nic, and Aiden. Clear inside."
Glenn nodded, already leading his group to the doors.
Rick, Lee, and Spencer fanned out through the tents, digging through debris.
They found medical supplies, a few scattered rifles, and packs of food. By the time they regrouped in the courtyard, their bags were full.
…
Inside the supermarket, Glenn and Tara were fighting for their lives.
Nicholas had opened a door, unleashing a pack of walkers. He and Aiden bolted, leaving Glenn and Tara surrounded.
Glenn shoved one back and spotted a soldier wedged in the doorway, a grenade dangling from his vest.
His eyes flicked to Tara. "Be ready to run."
She nodded.
Glenn yanked the pin. "Run!"
They dove behind a shelf. The walkers stumbled forward.
BOOM.
The blast tore them apart. Blood and guts rained across the aisle.
Tara exhaled, her body shaking. She froze when she saw Glenn sprawled on the floor, blood on his head.
"Glenn!" she screamed.
…
Rick and the others heard the explosion and sprinted inside.
Rick barreled down the aisles, ignoring Nicholas and Aiden as they wrestled with a stray walker. Lee broke off to cover them.
Rick leapt over a toppled shelf, zeroing in on Tara's scream. He skidded to Glenn's side. Blood streaked his face.
Rick's chest tightened...
He checked the wound. Just a nasty bump. The blood wasn't his.
He gripped Tara's shoulder. "He's okay. It's walker blood."
Tara blinked, then sagged in relief. "Thank God."
"Cover me," Rick ordered.
Tara nodded, taking point as Rick hefted Glenn onto his shoulder. They moved fast, vaulting the shelf and heading for the exit.
Outside, Lee stood with Spencer, Nicholas, and Aiden.
Tara stormed up to Nic and cracked him across the jaw. He hit the dirt, and she kicked him, fury spilling out. "You bastard! You ran! You opened that door!"
Lee pulled her back as she cursed and swung.
"Enough!" Rick snapped. "Nic, get up... I said get up!"
Nicholas staggered to his feet, clutching his side.
Rick turned to Spencer. "Take them back to Alexandria. Lee and I will stay here. Send Joe with some of our people. You're not ready."
Spencer looked like he wanted to argue, but Rick's cold stare shut him up.
Without another word, Spencer, Aiden, Nicholas, and Tara loaded Glenn into the car.
The vehicle sped off toward home.
Rick and Lee stood in the empty lot, exchanging a long, tired look before sighing in unison.