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𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃
─── ❛ 𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗈𝗐𝗌

𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐖 ₊˚.༄𖥸 ──
𑁍₊𓄹 -- ❪ 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝖲𝖨𝖷 ❫. 𓄹
╭ ‧₊˚⊹ 你好，欢迎光临
╰ ✦  𝖺𝗋𝗋𝗈𝗐𝗌 ╭ ᘒ

Denise had stitched Jaycee's wound up, wrapping it up. She was luckily enough that the bullet had gone straight through and the bullet didn't go through an important place.

Adeline had scolded her when she came back, but Jaycee told her not to worry, that she was fine and she'd live.

But a couple of days had gone by and everyone was doing their own thing. They had more food, thanks to hilltop. And nobody had seen or heard of the saviours, which was a good sign.

And somehow, her, Rosita and Daryl were taking Denise to this area she wanted to go to. And Jaycee didn't mind since she helped her.

So the four sat in the car, Rosita and Jaycee in the back, Denise and Daryl in the front. "It's...the..." Denise started as Jaycee looked up to the front.

Daryl turned to her. "What?" He asked her, but Denise shook her head.

"Forget it." Denise awkwardly said as she looked down.

"No, what?" Daryl asked as he moved the gear stick, making the gears grind against each other in an unsatisfying way.

"I think maybe you're disengaging it too soon." Denise did the movement with her hands as the two women in the back shared a look. "I've been driving stick since I was 15, usually beat-up trucks like this. I mean, before...you know, before I left home." She shrugged her shoulders. "My brother taught me, so I just know."

Daryl continued to move the stick in the different way Denise told him to, making Jaycee sigh, turning to Rosita. "So, you didn't stay last night." Jaycee raised an everyone. "Pretty sure I saw you walk out of Spencer's house." She whispered the last bit as Rosita's eyes widened, hitting Jaycee's arm. "Ow! What in the goddamn was that for?"

Rosita tilted her head as Jaycee rolled her eyes with a sigh, turning to face the front. "Daryl." Rosita said as she noticed the tree that had fallen in the way of the road.

"Yep." Daryl grunted as he stopped the car, "stay here." He told Denise as the tree of them got out of the car.

"This better be no damn trap." Jaycee sighed as she swung her gun over her shoulders, walking towards the tree.

Rosita killed a walker, picking a bag up before going towards Denise in the car, "Come on, it's clear." She opened the door as Denise got out.

"What'd you find?" Denise asked her as Rosita held up the bag.

"Bottles of booze. Any takers?" She looked around as Jaycee tilted her head.

"No, thanks." Denise shook her head.

"I ain't one to turn down booze." Jaycee shrugged as Rosita opened the bag, throwing one of the small bottles to Jaycee, who caught it. "Aint bad." Jaycee hummed as she looked at the bottle.

"For later." Rosita added. "I'm not bringing these to the pantry." Rosita chucked as she asked Denise again.

"I'm good." The woman repeated as Jaycee had a shot of the alcohol, pulling a face and throwing the small bottle into the woods. "They were kind of my parents' thing. Which is why they aren't mine."

She looked down at her map as Daryl threw Rosita her bag. "That truck ain't gonna make it past this tree. Come on, let's walk."

"Hold up." Denise stopped them as they turned around. "Looks like a straight shot if we follow the tracks." She pointed to the train tracks.

"No." Daryl grumbled. "No tracks. Well take the road." Jaycee held her hands on her hips as she stared at the man, then Denise.

"That way is twice as far, Daryl." Jaycee sighed, pointing to the train tracks. "This way is faster."

"Go whichever way you like." Daryl turned to them as Jaycee rolled her eyes. "I ain't taking no tracks." He said as he walked into the woods.

"We should stick together." Denise turned to the other two women, who sighed, following Daryl,

"What's up his ass?" Jaycee shook her head. "I'm going this way, you?" She pointed to the tracks.

"I'm with you." Rosita said as Jaycee grinned, walking the opposite way to Daryl and Denise.

"So, back in the car..." Jaycee whistled. "You totally slept with him."

"I did not." Rosita shook her head as Jaycee turned around, walking backwards.

"You forget that you can't lie to me. I'm a people reader, remember." Jaycee sarcastically said as she shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe even a mind reader. I would haveve totally made bank from being one of them voodoo people."

"Fine, I did." Rosita let out a defeated sigh as Jaycee grinned.

"I knew it!" She clapped her hands together. "Is it like, an official thing...or, y'know, a one night stand sorta thing?" Jaycee pondered as Rosita groaned. "What, I'm curious. Is it a serious thing or a hit or dip?"

"You know, you act like a child." Rosita tilted her head as Jaycee scoffed.

"Why, thank you, kind lady. Thats the best compliment I've ever received." She said in her country accent, making Rosita crack a smile.

"Now I'm scared to know what the worst compliment you've received." Rosita let out a little chuckle.

"Me too, it'll take me a while to think, give me a moment." Jaycee hummed as she nodded her head. "Nah, I didn't receive complements."

"Never?" Rosita raised her brow as Jaycee shrugged. "Not even in a relationship?"

"I was never a relationship kinda gal." Jaycee shrugged her shoulders. "Cant trust any man." She simply said as Rosita nodded her head as they came to the end of the tracks, Jaycee sitting down.

"Damn right." Rosita mumbled as she sat down beside her. "So, when was your last relationship?"

"When I was nineteen. Adeline's dad." Jaycee slowly nodded her head. "I'm now thirty two, three—I think." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Jeez." Rosita breathed out as Jaycee hummed.

"Yep." Jaycee chuckled. "Some people aren't that lucky." She mumbled as she looked up, seeing Denise and Daryl. "About god damn time, Rosita was making me poor my lil' heart out over here." She sighed as she stood up, helping Rosita up as well. But Daryl just walked past.

Jaycee rolled her eyes, watching Daryl walk straight forward. "I don't mean to pick him over you two back there." Denise said to the two. "It's just..."

"You're holding it wrong. Like this." Rosita pointed to Denise's sword, showing her how to hold it as they started walking.

"Thanks." Denise gave her a smile. "Who taught you?" Denise asked Rosita as she held the sword properly. "You know, how to fight?" Rosita turned to her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up..."

"A lot of people taught me a lot of things." Rosita started as they followed Daryl. "Years from now, he'll just be a name in a long list of names."

"What about you?" Denise asked, pointing to Jaycee, who hummed.

"Myself." Jaycee turned to her. "Well, I leaned things from the group, also. But, I learned how to protect myself when I was little; not trusting anybody." She simply said.

"I'm sorry." Denise sent her a sad look as Jaycee smiled.

"Nah, don't be. It prepared me for this shitty world, didn't it?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just afraid that Addie isn't adapted. She's too pure, innocent." Which was true, she had never killed anybody, not even a walker.

After a while of walking, they made it to the place Denise wanted to go. They walked towards the 'Edison' building, knocking on the door and pressing his ear against it.

He heard nothing, turning to the three women as he passed his gun to Rosita. "You're gonna stay back, got it?" He told Denise as he pulled off his bag, getting a crowbar as Jaycee raised her gun, aiming it at the door.

Daryl got it open as he stepped in first, the three following behind him. Jaycee pulled a face at the smell, Denise letting out a gip. "We gonna find out what you had for breakfast?" Daryl asked her as she turned around.

"Oatmeal." She quietly mumbled as they walked further into the store. Jaycee kept her gun raised, looking around. "Just do you know." She added.

Jaycee flashed her light around the store, looking at the jewerly section. "Hey." Rosita mumbled as they looked her way, the woman flashing her light on the words 'pharmacy.'

Daryl went towards it as he used the crowbar to open the shutter. "You want me to hold your bags, or..." Denise started as Jaycee shook her head, but nobody else answered. "Yeah."

Daryl finally got it opened as he lifted it up. It was full of medicine. Daryl was the first to climb over the desk, Jaycee following as she threw her gun around her shoulder. "If you set 'em on the counter, I can tell you which." Denise told them as Rosita climbed over last.

"Nah, we're gonna take it all." Daryl told her as Rosita opened her bag.

"Are you sure? Because..."

"No, it's fine." Rosita told her as grabbed the medicine, putting them into rositas bag. But thudding made them stop, looking over the desk. "It's just one." Rosita said as she turned around.

"It sounds like it's stuck." Daryl shrugged his shoulders as Jaycee held the bag for Rosita to put the medicine in.

"Might have locked itself in there before they turned." Jaycee shrugged her shoulders as they all turned their backs to Denise.

They continued to put all the medicine in the bag, until a door slammed shut and something smashed. The three looked over at Denise, who look startled. "What the hell are you doing?" Rosita asked her.

"Nothing." She breathed out, shaking her head as she walked towards the exit, making Rosita turn to them, shaking her head.

"I'll go make sure she's okay. Signal if you need help." Jaycee sighed as she jumped over the counter, following Denise out. The woman wad sat on the floor, something in her hands. "Ya alright?" Jaycee leaned on the wall, looking down at her.

Denise nodded her head, wiping her eyes as she hummed. "Yeah. I'm fine." Denise shook her off with a smile.

"What you see in there?" Jaycee asked, pointing her head into the building.

"Nothing, I just got startled." Denise shrugged her shoulders as Daryl and Rosita returned, looking down at Denise.

"Hey." Daryl spoke as Denise turned to them once again. "You did good finding this place." She nodded her head as she got up, picking up her sword.

"Tried to tell you you weren't ready." Rosita let out a sigh as she shook her head. "We both did."

"I know." Denise mumbled as she put her sword away.

They returned back to the tracks, Daryl actually following them down the tracks. The four walked side by side as Jaycee stared at the cars on the side of the track. They came to a holt as Denise stopped behind them, going towards one of the cars.

"There's a cooler in there!" She yelled to the three, "Might be something we can use inside." She added.

"We got what we came for." Rosita shook her head.

"Nah, ain't worth the trouble, come on." Daryl agreed with Rosita, shaking his head before they started to walk once again.

But Denise didn't follow. She wanted to get that cooler. Risking her own life to get it. Which made the three instantly run back to help her, Jaycee got out her knife as she ran towards Denise, who had got on top of the walker.

Daryl went to help. "No, don't!" She yelled, sowed in her hands as she held onto the walker. Jaycee stepped back as Denise but the sword through the walkers head.

She panted as she stood up, grabbing the cooler. "Way to go." Jaycee mumbled at Denise. Then the girl threw up, making Jaycee move back.

"Oh, man." She breathed out, standing back up as she looked down. "I threw up on my glasses."

"We'll get you need ones." Jaycee grimaced with a small nod. But Denise picked them up, "or not." She mumbled, turning to Rosita.

Denise opened the cooler to find a pack of cans. "Hot damn." She mumbled as Jaycee ran a hand over her face.

"What the hell was that?" Daryl asked her as they walked closer to her. "You could've died right there, you know that?"

"Yeah, I do." She nodded her head as she stood up, keeping a hold on the cans in her hand.

"Are you hearing me?" Daryl scoffed as Jaycee bit her tongue, looking up at the sky.

"Who gives a shit?" Denise yelled as she shook her head. "You could've died killing those saviours, all of you, but you didn't."

"I got shot." Jaycee shrugged her shoulders, making Rosita elbow her. "Sorry, wrong time and place."

"You wanna live, you take chances." Denise continued. "That's how to works." That's what I did." She pointed to the dead walker.

"For a couple of damn sodas?" Daryl asked her, titling his head.

"Nope." She shook her head. "Just this one." She dropped the rest as she walked past them, back onto the train tracks.

"She's got some balls, I'll give her that." Jaycee shrugged as Daryl sent her a glare, Rosita let out a sigh as she followed Denise.

"Are you seriously that stupid?" Rosita yelled at Denise as Daryl tugged on Jaycee's arm, pulling her along to follow them.

"I was just complimenting her." Jaycee pulled her arm back, letting out a sigh as Denise turned to them.

"Are you?" Denise shot right back at Rosita, who tilted her head. "I mean it. Are you? Do you have any clue what that was to me, what this whole thing is to me?" She asked. "See, I have training in this shit. I'm not making it up as I go along, like with the stitches..." she pointed to Jaycee's shoulder. "And the surgery and the..." she pressed her hand against her leg. "I asked you to come with me because you're brave like my brother and sometimes you actually make me feel safe." She turned to Jaycee. "And I wanted you here because you're smart and kind. You've always been nice to me, and I like your company and you know things." Did she? Jaycee raised her brow. She's never been called smart before, making her smile.

Then she turned to Rosita. "And I wanted you here because you're alone. Probably for the first time in your life. And because you're stinger than you think you are, which gives me hope that maybe I can be, too." She breathed out as the three stared at her. "I could've gone with Tara." She continued. "I could've told her I loved her, but I didn't because I was afraid. Thats what's stupid. Not picking out here, not facing my shit. And it makes me sick that you guys aren't even trying because you're strong and you're smart and you're really good people, and if you don't wake—"

Jaycee jumped back as an arrow landed straight in Denise's eye.  "Up." She let out, her body shaking. "And face your..." Daryl quickly went to her as she lost her balance. Jaycee's eyes were wide as they remained on Denise.

Jaycee and Rosita quickly raised their guns into the trees, as did Daryl as men started to walk out of the trees, their guns raised. They were outnumbered.

"You drop 'em now!" Someone yelled at them as Jaycee gritted her teeth, glaring at the men. Her heart was pounding. They had killed Denise. One of the innocent.

Daryl was the first to lower his, a blonde woman coming out with eugene, putting him on his knees. He also had Daryl crossbow.

Jaycee slowly lowered her gun, looking at the blonde man, whose left side of his face was burned. Daryl glared at the man, who smirked.
"Well, hell. You got something to say to me?" The man asked Daryl. Rosita and Jaycee both turned to him, then Back to the man. "You gonna clear the air? Step up on that high horse? No." He chucked. "You don't talk much." He turned to one of his men, nodding his head as two of them patted them down, grabbing their weapons as Jaycee glared at the man who was getting too touchy with her. "Still getting the hang of her." He lifted Daryl's crossbow. "Kicks like a bitch, but..."

"I should've done it." Daryl grunted as he continued to glare at the man.

"Oh, what's that?" The man titled his head. "Seriously, I didn't catch what you said."

"I should've killed you." Daryl repeated to the man, who just grinned.

"Yeah, you probably should've." He nodded his head. "So, here we are. Kind of begs the question, right? Who brought this on who? I mean, I get that you'll just have to take my word for this, but...she wasn't even the one I was aiming for." He smirked, referring to Denise. Jaycee narrowed her eyes, her hands clenching into a ball. "Like I said, kicks like a bitch. It's nothing personal. Look, this isn't how we like to start new business arrangements, but, well, you pricks kind of set the tone, didn't you?"

"What do you want?" Rosita asked the man.

"I'm sorry, darlin', I didn't catch your name," He grinned at her, then turned to Jaycee. "Nor did I catch yours. I'm d, or Dwight. You can call me either." He looked at the two. "So? What's your names?"

"Rosita, Jaycee. Now, what in the god damn do you want?" Jaycee answered with a sarcastic smile, pointing to herself and Rosita.

"Well, Jaycee, you have a mouth on you, don't ya? You're a funny one." He chuckled as he shrugged his shoulders. "It's not what I want." He shook his head. "It's what you three are going to do. You're going to let us into your little complex. It looks like it's just beautiful in there. And then you're going to let us take whatever and whoever we want..." Saviours.

"And why on gods green earth would we do that?" Jaycee tilted her head, Rosita and Daryl sending her a look.

"Well, you don't want you or your group to die, do you?" Dwight shrugged his shoulders. "Or we blow Eugene's brains outs." He gripped onto the man. "And then yours. Hers, then his." He pointed his head at the four. "I hope it doesn't come to that, really. Nobody else has to die. We just try and start with one. You know...maximum impact to get our point across, so what's it gonna be? You tell me." He looked at the three.

"You wanna kill someone, you start with our companion hiding over there behind the pick barrels." Jaycee frowned at Eugenes words, turning to the oil barrels. "He's a first class a-hole and he deserves it so much more than us four." He rambled as Jaycee tilted her head at him. He was out with Abraham.

Dwight pulled out his gun as he pointed to the oil barrels. "Go check it out." He told his men as they moved over. Eugene looked up at Dwight, then the oil barrels, then the three in front of him.

Then he did the unexpected. He bit Dwight's crotch, making Dwight yell out in pain. Jaycee's eyes widened, then shots went off, making Jaycee quickly pick up he gun and start firing at the men, eugene still by Dwight's front.

Walkers started to emerge from the woods as Dwight continued to yell in pain, pushing euegen off of him.

Jaycee hid behind a car with Daryl, shooting the men who were not already down. Jaycee was careful not to hit euegen as she aimed for Dwight, successfully hitting him in his shoulder. "Fall back! Fall back!" Dwight yelled out to his men, one hand on his shoulder, the other on his crotch.

He quickly got up as him as his remaining men ran into the forest. Daryl went to follow them, picking up his crossbow. "Daryl, stop!" Rosita yelled at him as Jaycee moved from the car.

She turned to Denise, who was on the floor, dead. She bit down on her tongue as she looked away, seeing Rosita and Abraham over eugene, covering his wound.

Her and Daryl quickly went over, the four helping him up and dragging him away.

They brought eugene back to Alexandria, the three staying with him, not leaving his side. Abraham had left to go get Rick and after a while, he returned, closing the door behind him. "Ricks coming." He said as he walked to rositas side. "How is he?"

"Bullet just grazed him." Rosita answered as Jaycee bit down on her tongue, looking down at him. "But it's a good thing we got him back when we did. Antibiotics we picked up could save him from an infection. Could save his life. That's what Denise did." Eugene then let out a cough, making everyone turn to him. "You here?" Rosita asked him.

"Present." He said formally, looking up at Rosita.

"Good." Abraham nodded as Rosita moved to Jaycee's side.

"I was not trying to kill you." Eugene told Abraham. "I was looking for a moment."

Abraham leaned over him. "You found it."

"Do you apologise for questioning my skills?" Eugene asked him weakly, looking up at him from the bed.

"I apologise for questioning your skills." Abraham told him, nodding his head once again. "You know how to bite a dick, eugene."

"Yeah, mr smarty pants, y'know how to bite dick."Jaycee bit back a laugh as she turned to Rosita.

Abraham chuckled at her comment, turning back to eugene. "We mean that with the utmost of respect. Welcome to stage two."

"Don't need to welcome me." Eugene shook his head at the redhead. "I've been here a while."

"You're such an idiot! I told you it wasn't a good idea to go out after you got shot! And your luck, you ran into more saviours." Adeline spoke to her mother, clearly worried.

"I got one of them in the arm." Jaycee smiled as Adeline looked at her blankly. "Shame it wasn't his head."

"Mom. Take this seriously." Adeline sighed, leaning on the kitchen counter. "You could have died—someone did die."

"Addie." Jaycee sighed, walking over to her daughter. "Listen to me, sweetheart." She held her daughter's face. "They ambushed us, but we shot the final bullets. If they know what's good for 'em, they won't come back."

"How can you be sure?" Adeline shot back. "You thought you had killed them all, you didn't. There is more of them than we know. You guys don't even know if you killed this negan guy. This is dangerous, mom."

"Addie. We are smart. We have the people. They won't come back." Jaycee sighed, pressing a kiss against her forehead.

But Adeline had a gut feeling, this wasn't the end. The saviours would come back. She knew it.

— Madeleine notes

I genuinely can't wait to write Adeline's character development. Because I know I write her young and naive but that's the point. Jaycee has always protected Adeline before and during the apocalypse. She's gonna be the naive. So don't hate on my bbg bc I'd cause ww3

ALSO

I'm sorry, Jaycee's and Dwight's beef is gonna be so funny, it genuinely is. It's the way her humour/sarcasm is the same to negans and it gives him ptsd 😨😨

Her beef with him is so funny next chapter because of Eugene, trust me. Like their beef= best thing in this fic.

But they'll probs have a lil friendship moment when he betrays negan and shit, but she'll still bully him because it's funny to write.

But my girl Jay ain't scared of no saviours. She a baddie grr😍

7th March 2024
4017 words