SPINNIN | TWD

FORTY-SEVEN

      THEY SENT ANDREA ON HER WAY, GIVING HER A CAR TO TAKE back to Woodbury. Josie, although she probably knew it was wrong, didn't want Andrea to rejoin the group. It was pretty clear to the brunette which way the wind was blowing.

      When Andrea was gone, the group headed back inside the cell block. Josie sat around until nightfall and she was wide awake, not being able to fall asleep. She was currently holding Judith while Beth began to sing, that's when everyone stopped what they were doing and started listening.

      Josie sat down on the stairs, holding Judith close when Parker joined her mother's side, leaning her head on her shoulder and cuddling into her side.

      "Can I ask you something?" Parker asked.

      "Yeah, anything," Josie replied.

      "Can I go on a run with Carl, Rick, and Michonne tomorrow?" Parker asked.

      Josie looked over at her and thought for a moment. "Did you ask Rick?"

      "Yeah," Parker nodded. "He said I should ask you."

      "Well, it's okay with me," Josie replied.

      "Really?" Parker smiled.

      "Yeah," Josie replied. "But I want you to promise me that you'll be careful and you'll listen to everything that Rick tells you to do."

      "Yeah," Parker nodded. "Yeah, of course! I promise."

      "Good," Josie said.

      Parker smiled widely and hugged her mother tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

      "You're welcome, sweetie," Josie smiled, giving her a one-armed hug since she held Judith with the other.

      "I'm gonna go find Carl," Parker said.

      "All right," Josie replied, watching as her daughter ran off.

      The brunette smiled to herself, looking down at Judith. Rick approached them, looking at them and then Josie glanced up at him.

      "Hey," Josie smiled.

      "Hey," Rick replied. "I heard you're letting Parker join tomorrow."

      "Yeah," Josie nodded.

      "I promise I'll protect her," Rick said.

      "I know, thank you," Josie replied, giving him a smile. "So... how are you doing?"

      "I'll be fine," Rick replied.

      "Okay," Josie nodded, handing Judith over to him.

      Rick took her and cradled her, walking over to talk to Hershel and Daryl. Josie sighed softly, leaning against the back of the stairs and resting her head on the railing.

      It was now a few days later after Rick's run with Carl, Parker, and Michonne. They had brought back all kinds of weapons the group would be able to use against the Governor.

      Andrea had made a meeting between Rick and the Governor, so they could hopefully make a truce. Rick, Daryl, and Hershel left the following day, leaving the rest to sort and clean the guns and ammunition they found. Glenn decided to take the role as leader while Rick and the others were gone.

      "Carl, come here," Glenn said, handing him a box of bullets. "You stash these with the loaded gun, all right? Beth, put more on the catwalk. If anyone gets pinned down, we have to make sure they have plenty of ammo. I'll go work on the cage outside."

      "What we should be doing is loading some of this firepower in a truck and paying a visit to the Governor," Merle said. "We know where he is right now."

      "You're suggesting that we should just go in and kill him?" Josie asked.

      "Yeah, I am," Merle replied.

      "We told Rick and Daryl that we'd stay put," Michonne said.

      "I've changed my mind, sweetheart," Merle responded. "Being on the sideline with my brother out there ain't sitting right with me."

      "Three of them are right in the middle of it, no idea we're coming," Glenn pointed out. "They could get taken hostage or killed."

      "A thousand things could go wrong," Maggie added.

      "And they will," Merle replied.

      "My dad can take care of himself," Carl told him.

      "Sorry, son, but your dad's head could be on a pike real soon," Merle replied.

      "Don't say that to him," Josie scoffed as she shook her head.

      "It's not the right move," Glenn said. "Not now. Can't take the risk of putting them in the crossfire. It's my decision, it's final," then he left.

      After a while, Josie entered the cafeteria, seeing Merle loading a duffle bag with guns and ammunition. Josie then stepped forwards, stopping him.

      "Hey, you're not going," she said.

      "I don't need permission," Merle replied.

      "We can't let you," Josie said, taking the rifle away from him. "If you're gonna live here with us, it's gonna be on our terms."

      "If Michonne can do it, why can't you?" Maggie asked as Glenn made his way back in, realizing what was happening.

      "Cause it's my brother out there, that's why," Merle replied. "What's the matter with y'all?"

      "You're not leaving," Josie said.

      Merle ignored her, making his way up the steps but got stopped by Glenn. "I'm not gonna let you put them in danger."

      "Nut up already, boy," Merle replied. "This guy cops a feel for your woman and you pussy out like this?" Josie saw a flicker of rage cross Glenn's face when he mentioned Maggie. "Get out of my way."

      Glenn shook his head. "No."

      Without another word, Merle tackled Glenn, the two of them rolling down the steps and onto the floor. Merle raised his arm and attempted to stab Glenn, but Maggie leapt onto his back and put him in a chokehold, preventing him from hurting Glenn as Josie grabbed Merle's arm.

      Just as Michonne was about to join, she got stopped by a gun going off. Everyone flinched as they all looked back and saw Beth holding up a gun, glaring at them. Without a word, she dropped the gun and walked back into the cell block.

      Josie spent the rest of the day outside with Carl and Parker, all of them waiting for Rick and the others to return. They soon heard a motorcycle revving and they saw Daryl and the others returning, so Josie opened the gate.

      Once they drove through, Josie closed the gate and joined the others, seeing the look on Rick's face.

      "Let's get inside," Rick called to the ones outside, prompting them to all head into the cell block.

      Everyone followed him inside, Josie stood with Parker by her side and they all gathered in the cell block as Rick stood in the center of the group.

      "So I met this Governor," Rick began. "Sat with him for quite a while."

      "Just the two of you?" Merle asked, to which Rick nodded. Merle then looked pointedly at Glenn and Josie. "We should've gone when we had the chance."

      Josie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and sharing a look with Glenn before turning her attention back over to Rick.

      "He wants the prison," Rick continued. "He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury."

      Josie saw a look in his eyes, a look that told her that he wasn't going to back down without a fight.

      "We're going to war."