▎SAFE HAVEN   ▎ 
»»————　act one. game of survival
CHAPTER ONE  ━━ helicopter man

JOSIE WAS SAT ONTOP of dales RV, a book in her hand that he and let her have. The birds chirping and the sun gleaming down on her soothed her as she listened to dales whistling. She let her foot tap softly against the roof of the tv until There was a man's voice that came through the radio, which made her look up from her book.

Amy dropped the logs in her hand and ran down to the radio. "Hey? Hello?" Amy spoke back into the talkie. Josephine climbed down the rv and joined her side.

"Can you hear my voice?" The man on the radio asked.

"Yes, I can hear you. You're coming through. Over." Amy responded as Josie bit her bottom lip, dale coming to her side.

"Anybody who reads, please respond. Broadcasting on emergency channel. We'll be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. Anybody reads, please respond." the man said, and Josie sighed as the man couldn't hear them.

"We're just outside the city. Damnit. Hello? Hello?" Amy side as she turned to dale. "He couldn't hear me. I couldn't warn him."

"Try to raise him again. Come on, son. You know best how to work this thing." Dale turned to Shane, who put his axe down and took the radio in his hands.

"Hello, hello, is the person who calls still on the air? This is officer Shane Walsh, broadcasting a person unknown, please respond." Shane spoke into the radio. "He's gone." He shook his head.

"There are others. It's not just us." Lori commented.

"Yeah, We knew there would be, right, that's why we let the CB on." Shane nodded.

"Lots of good it's been doing. And I've been saying for a week, we ought to put signs up on 85 to warn people away from the city." Lori told him.

"She's right. They're gonna get themselves killed." Josephine said as she stood up, earning a 'thank you' glance from Lori.

"Folks got no idea what they're getting into." Amy shook her head.

"We don't have enough time." Shane shook his head, not agreeing with them.

"I think we need to make time." Lori raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that, uh... That's a luxury we can't afford. We are surviving here. We are day to day." Shane told her.

"And who the hell would you propose to send?" dale asked

"I'll go. Give me a vehicle." Lori told them.

"Nobody goes anywhere alone, you know that." Shane shook her off.

"She won't be alone, I'll go with her." Josie suggested to her brother.

"I said no to the both of you." Shane said and Lori sighed and Josie rolled her eyes.

"Yes sir." Lori commented before walking away, Shane following her. Josephine frowned as the two went into a tent to talk. She knew that the pair was getting close, too close.

It had been half a day already and the guys that were on the supply run weren't back. Josie knew the one time she didn't go it would go tits up. She wanted to go into the city and find and help them but her brother said other wise.

Josephine stared down at the other people in the group, doing their own thing. The brunette didn't speak to any of them, basically just her brother, Lori, the kids and Amy. She was mostly close to Glenn, being her age, and tiff.

It was normally Glenn and her doing the supply runs-in and out no problems. Then there was Tiffany, who agreed to go on the run with the group. Josie was worried for them both and she knew If they weren't back before midnight, Josie would go find them, ignoring her brother.

"Jj," She heard her name being called, making her look down to see her brother there with a sheepish look on his face, gun in hand, "Will you come down?"

Josephine rolled her eyes, placing her book down and taking off one of dales hat he had let her borrow, due to the sun.

Climbing down the ladder, she sighed as she turned to Shane, a raised brow. "Yes dear brother?"

"Look, I'm sorry 'bout earlier, I was just looking out for the group and you." He nodded his head as he spoke, Josie looking at him intently.

"You're forgiven, but if they're not back soon, I'm going to find them." She gave her brother a pointed look, to which he nodded, a laugh escaping his lips as he pulled her into a side hug.

Josie and Shane both turned when they heard Jim clear his throat. "Dale tells me your good with fixing things." Jim says to josie and she nodded. It was true, in her spare time, she worked at a garage, fixing up cars and the lot. "Well would you mind helping us with the RV?" He asks her gently and She nodded and he sends her a smile.

"I'll be back." Josie nodded towards her brother as he ruffled up her hair, making her groan. "What seems to be the problem?" She voiced, fixing her hair, as she faced the rvs front-examining the inside.

She stared at the broken wire making her realise what was wrong. "Oh." She huffed as she pulled at the wire that was ruined. "Thats the reason." She squinted as she turned to face dale and jim, the sun in her eyes.

"Where the hell are we gonna find a replacement?" Dales questioned as he cleaned his hands with a rag, passing it towards josie after.

"Maybe when the others get back, I can go find one, I can rummage though cars, I've done it before." She piped up and Dale sends her a smile. "I know tiff would help too." She added, talking about the teenager.

"It's late. They should've been back by now." Amy spoke, making the three turn to her. The younger blonde paced back and forth which made josie dizzy slightly, her worried eyes staying on Amy.

Josie sighed as She carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. "They are going to be just fine, me and Glenn's done this all the time, it's easy, they'll be back soon." Josie told her calmly and amy nodded. Josephine was mostly saying that to calm her nerves but she knew amy had to know too.

Josie was about to say something else until static was heard and She turned her head to the radio. Josephine rushed up the RV and crouched down to the radio, holding it in her hands. "Hello, base camp! Can anybody out there hear me? Base camp, this is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?" T-dogs voice repeated but it was staticky.

Josie moved a piece of hair out of her face as She pushed down the button. "Hello? Hello? Reception's bad on this end. Repeat. Repeat." She spoke into the radio.

Static was heard again until a voice came though, statically. "J-jo, is th-that you?" Josie sighed as she pushed down on the button, ready to respond to T-dog.

"Yeah, are you guys okay" She asked before removing my finger off the button.

"Is that them?" Lori asked and Josie nodded, waiting for T-dog to respond.

"We're in some deep shit. We're trapped in the department store." T-dogs voice came though the radio which made me gulp.

"He said they're trapped?" Shane asked his younger sister and To which, she held up a hand, signalling for him to shut up.

"There are geeks all over the place. Hundreds of 'em. We're s-" t-dogs voice was cut off which made Josephine adjust the settings.

"T, repeat that last. Repeat." She said but there was no hope as the radio stopped which made josie sigh and place the radio back and She ran a hand though her hair, looking down at the group.

"He said the department store." Lori said, hands on hips and Josephine nodded.

"Yeah, they said they were trapped." Josie muttered, looking up at the sky and back down to the group. She started to nervously fiddle with the ring on her finger.

"Shane?" Lori went to face Shane but he shook his head, making josie glare at him.

"No way. We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group. Y'all know that." Shane said which made josie roll her eyes.

"So we're just gonna leave them there?" Josie spoke up, most of them turning to her. "They are out there when the rest of us are sat here, we need to do something Shane."

Shane sighed as he looked at his younger sister. "I know bu-" he was cut off by Amy.

"So we're just gonna leave her there?" Amy glared at Shane, talking about her sister, Andrea.

"Look, Amy, I know that this is not easy-" Shane sighed as he shook his head but was cut off again.

"She volunteered to go to help the rest of us." Amy spat back at Shane.

"I know, and she knew the risks, right? See, if she's trapped, she's gone. So we just have to deal with that. There's nothing we can do." Shane replied which made josie and Amy scoff.

"She's my sister, you son of a bitch." Amy cursed as she glared at the eldest walsh. "If it was josie out there you wouldn't waste a second." Amy added quickly before walking away. Josies eyes widened at the mention of her name.

"Remember what I said before." Josephine muttered to shane as she walked past him, not letting him have the last word.

Josie sat with her book in her hands, her eyes focused on the many words. She looked up from her to see Lori giving Carl a hair cut which made her chuckle to myself. After a while, she shut the book completely, putting it on a box beside her.

"What's up aunt jj?" A chirpy voice asked josie and she looked up to see Carl give her a smile.

Josephine gave him one back, giving into his grin. "Just thinking about the others." She answered him and he gave me a sad smile.

She ran a hand though her hair as She looked at the creek. It was peaceful and josie loved it."Baby, the more you fidget, the longer it takes. So don't, okay?" Josie turned to see Lori putting Carl's head straight.

"I'm trying." Carl whined which made josie chuckle.

"If you think this is bad, wait till you start shaving. That stings. That day comes, you'll be wishing for one of your mama's haircuts." Shame chirps up from beside josie.

"I'll believe that when I see it." Carl's rolls his eyes which make josie shake my head, with a smile on her face.

"I'll tell you what... you just get through this with some manly dignity and tomorrow I'll teach you something special. I will teach you to catch frogs." Shane told Carl.

"I've caught a frog before." Carl adds, a clueless look on his face.

"I said frogs... plural. And it is an art, my friend. It is not to be taken lightly. There are ways and means. Few people know about it. I'm willing to share my secrets." Shane says as he fidgets with his gun.

Carl looks at Lori unsure of what to say. Lori raises her hands and shakes her head. "Oh, We're girls. You talk to him." Carl turns to look at josie which makes her shake her head.

"I have never caught a damn frog in my life Carl. The amount of times this one tried to make me catch one. I tried once, fell face first into the water." She told him which, made him giggle a little bit, the other two adults also laughing.

"it's a one-time offer, bud... not to be repeated." Shane tells Carl, with a smirk on his face.

"Why do we need frogs, plural?" Carl tilted his head at Shane.

"You ever eat frog legs?" Shane asked Carl, which made Carl scrunch up his face in disgust.

"Eww!" Carl cringes which made the four of
Them let out a laughs.

"No, yum!" Shane smiles and Lori shakes her head.

"No, he's right. Eww." Lori says which made josie shake nod her head, agreeing.

"When you get down to that last can of beans, you're gonna be loving those frog legs, ladies. I can see it now. Shane, do you think I could have a second helping, please? Please? Just one?" Shane mocks the two which made them scoff.

"yeah, I doubt that." Lori smiled and Josie hummed in agreement.

"Don't listen to ur mom and aunt jj, man. You and me, we'll be heroes. We'll feed these folks cajun-style Kermit legs." Shane says with a wide smile.

"I would rather eat miss piggy. Yes, that came out wrong." Lori says which makes josie let out a chuckle, fiddling with Glenn's jacket he let her borrow, due to the fact she forgot to pack some jackets when Shane called her when the world went to shit.

"Heroes, son, spoken of in song and legend. You and me, Shane and Carl." Shane smiles at Carl which makes Carl nod. Carl and Shane laugh until The conversation is interrupted with the beeping of car alarm.

Josie turned to shane with worried eyes and the pair got up and walked to where Dale was on the RV. Josie quickly run to grab her pistol out of her own tent and rushed up to the RV. Josie was quick to stand by the side of the rv, looking up at dale. He was looking though his binoculars. "What is it?" Josie asked him as She looked to where the alarm was coming from.

Dale moved his hand, signalling her to climb up on the rv, and once she did, he held out the binoculars which She carefully Took out of his hands and looked though then to see a red sports Car.

Josephine looked harder to see a familiar hat and platinum blonde hair and she let out a chuckle. "It's glenn and tiff." She muttered.

She was fast to climb down the rv and walk up to the car. It stopped right in front of her and Josie saw how happy tiff and Glenn looked which made me let out a chuckle.

The two was fast to get out of the Car, tiff was quick to pull josie into a hug as Glenn covered his ears, due to the alarm. everyone started to come over and asked 100 questions which made josies head hurt as she pulled out of Tiffany's hold.

When Shane started to yell about the hood, josie popped the hood for Shane as he kept yelling at Glenn to do so. He answered Amy's question to say that her sister is alright. "Is she coming back?" Amy asked Glenn and he nodded.

"Yes!" He tells her, sighing as the alarm stopped, turning to see josie pull a wire.

"Why isn't she with you? Where is she? She's okay?" She asked him again which made him groan.

"Yes! Yeah, fine. Everybody is. Well, Merle not so much." He says which made josie raise a eyebrow.

But before she could say anything, Shane glared at Glenn and tiff. "Are you two crazy, driving this wailing bastard up here? Are you trying to draw every Walker for miles?" He growled.

"I think we're okay." Dale piped up.

"You call being stupid okay?" Shane growls which made noise roll her eyes.

"Well, the alarm was echoing all over these hills. Hard to pinpoint the source. I'm not arguing. I'm just saying." Dale defended himself. "It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time, would it?" Dale adds, looking at Glenn and tiff.

"It was the only way to get back." Tiff defended the two, leaning against the car. But On the other hand, glenn gave a sorry look and turned back to the red sports car.

"Sorry. Got a cool car." Glenn pointed to it as tiff nodded. Josie looked inside of the car and hummed, agreeing that it was indeed a cool car.

"I better be able to have a spin in this." Josie muttered as Glenn nodded his head, watching as she looked at the car with admiration. Josie loved cars. She looked up when She see a truck pull up which made her smile. It parked up behind all the other cars and everyone started to get out and reunite with their family's.

Amy and Andrea ran up to each other and pulled each other in to a hug. Josie the turned her attention to Glenn, who walked up to her side. "I'm glad you and tiff came back in once piece." She smiled as she pulled him into a hug. "Camp was getting boring without you both." She sighed as he pulled out of the hug with a smile.

"That warms my heart." He sarcastically spoke as she rolled her eyes.

"How'd y'all get out of there anyway?" Shane asked and Glenn had a grin on his face.

"New guy... he got us out." Glenn answered

"New guy?" Shane asked, with the same confusion as josie.

"Yeah, crazy Vato just got into town." Morales cupped his hands over his mouth and turned to the truck. "Hey, helicopter boy! Come say hello." Then he turned to Shane. "The guy's a cop like you."

Josie turned to her brother with a confused look on her face. Josie then turned around when She heard a door being shut and her eyes widened when She saw who it was.

Rick grimes, alive and not dead like Shane said he was. Josephines hand hit her mouth as she looked at him in shock. Carl had ran up to rick and brought him into a hug.

Josie then turned to Shane, who looked sad and shocked at the same. She frowned but turned back to Rick, who had a massive smile on his face as he turned to josie and She gave one back.

Shane watched with jealousy as Rick, lori and Carl held each other. Josephine knew that lori and Shane had gotten close but she didn't know they was that close. There was something going on between them and She knew it when lori turned to Shane as she held her husband in her arms.

Rick Grimes was indeed still alive and well, reunited with his family which made josie happy.

MADDIES NOTES —
3RD SEPT 2023

AYY BACK WITH THIS FIC. Tbh the delulu gc made me want to write this again so credits to them bundle of joys
3162 words !!