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LOOKING BACK, JOCELYN ("JOSIE") ISN'T SURE HOW SHE SURVIVED. At least in the very beginning, she was a mess. In one night she lost her mother and father. Having no other relatives, that night, she and her brother only had each orher.

After coming home from a party to discover her home ruined by the outbreak, and barely escaping as she was chased by someone who she now knows was infected, Josie considers it a miracle that she's still alive.

Now, 20 years later, she also isn't quite sure how she ended up where she is today. In the Boston QZ, currently working alongside Joel to burn the bodies of the dead. Now, without even her brother at her side.

Looking into the truck, she realizes that the next body is that of a little boy. For a moment, she's filled with panic. No matter the age, any boy somehow reminds her of Pietro. With this boy in particular, it's his shoes. They're at least a couple of decades old, and she's pretty sure Pietro used to have the same ones.

"I—"

"I got it," a rough voice speaks up from behind her.

Josie steps aside and remains silent as Joel takes her place and grabs the body, tossing it into the fire, seemingly without a second thought.

"Thank you," is all she can manage to whisper in the end.

Joel studies the woman in front of him, though only for a few seconds. They aren't close by any means, but he knows how much she means to Tess, and he wants to make sure she isn't about to collapse. He doesn't even want to imagine the conversation if he had to explain to Tess why her friend was killed. And he knew if a guard saw her collapse, or even simply look sick, there's a good chance that's exactly what would happen.

Making sure no one else is looking, Joel discreetly slips extra ration cards into Josie's hand. Once she shoves them in her pocket, he turns and moves to grab the next body.

"Joel, you don't have to keep—"

"Tess told me you gave her some of yours when she hurt her hand again. Don't worry about it."

As much as she wants to argue and attempt to give Joel the cards back, she knows it's pointless, and settles for thanking him again.

Her friendship with Joel is a strange one, if you could even call a friendship. They met through Tess, who brought Josie in on their smuggling operation. When Tess brought them together for a job, that was their only topic of conversation, making sure the job got done. For a while, that was the only interaction they had.

But over the years, things started to shift. Very slowly, but any progress was considered to be good. Joel stopped questioning whether Tess was sure she could be trusted, and though he'd never admit it, he started looking out for her.

When he got extra ration cards, he'd always make sure she got at least a couple. Although he didn't want to seem like he was developing too much of a soft spot for her, so he usually had Tess give them to her after making her swear she wouldn't tell the truth. Only on days like today would he give them to her in person. He knew there wasn't going to be a smuggling job for at least a couple more days, so he wasn't sure when he'd see her next.

Josie can now confidentially say that Joel is one of the few people she trusts with her life. Now whether the feeling is mutual or not, is an entirely different story. He keeps her at an arms length, though she knows he does that with everyone, so she tries not to take it too personally.

As she discreetly sneaks glances at the man next to her, she wonders if he's doing okay. But she knows better than to ask, because that question is always met with a gruff I'm fine.

Thankfully the rest of the day goes by fast, and before Josie knows it, it's time to meet up with Tess to see about that truck battery.

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Robert tried to plead with Tess and Josie. For what exactly, they're not sure.

"It's not like I planned on ripping you guys off, I'm sorry."

Josie sighs, wincing when the pain near her ribs flares up. "Then why don't you just let us leave and we can let the whole thing go. You can't keep us here forever."

"Josie c'mon," Robert pleads once again.

"What??"

"I want you both to forget this ever happened —"

Tess finally interrupts, "isn't that what she just fuckin' said? We paid you for the truck battery and you sold it to someone else and already spent the money. You think we've never done shit like that?"

"My guys fucked you both up. You're telling me you're just gonna let that go?"

"Then discipline them," at this point, Josie is trying to say whatever she has to say to get the fuck out of there. "Cut off a finger or some shit. Just let us go and deal with your guys—"

Now it's Robert's turn to interrupt. "And what about your guy, hmm? Look at her face Tess!" He motions to Josie, who took a little more of the hits than Tess. "Everybody in the QZ knows he's her fuckin' guard dog. Put yourself in my shoes."

Sporting a cut on her lip, gash on her cheek and forehead, and those are just the immediately visible injuries. Josie sighs, already knowing she and Tess will have to convince Joel not to come after Robert and his guys.

This is the first time she has taken a beating this bad, and Robert is right, Joel has become increasingly protective over both of the women. But perhaps Josie a little more than Tess, since it was known that Tess could handle her own.

"He answers to me. You have our word that he will not hurt you. For all he knows we got jumped. So can we just move the fuck on?"

Robert thinks for a moment, but before he can respond, there's a big explosion.

Josie is temporarily rendered unconscious, and Tess has to shake her awake. "Come on we gotta go!"

Wrong place, wrong time seems to be a common theme for Josie, as she and Tess get caught in the crossfires and have to dodge a few bullets. When they're nearly tackled to the ground after being mistaken for Fireflies, Josie wonders if her day can get any worse.

It's completely dark by the time they make it back. Josie manages to collapse on the couch, falling into a heavy slumber less than a minute later.

When she finally wakes up, she slowly makes her way to Tess and Joel. At the sight of her injuries, Joel nearly shatters the mug in his hand.

"I told you her injuries were worse than mine and to not freak out—" Tess tries to calm Joel, who ignores her as he makes his way to Josie.

In a rare moment of intimacy, he puts his hands on either side of her face and turns her to one side, then the other. "You okay?" He asks, finally putting his hands back to his side.

"I'm okay," Josie whispers. She took a punch to the throat, and still can't speak at her normal volume. "We just got unlucky and got jumped—"

"By who?" Joel turns to Tess, "you still haven't told me what happened." Still not quite believing Josie when she says she's fine, he puts his hand on her back as he guides her to sit in the chair opposite Tess.

"Some teenagers. I said some things I shouldn't have. We both did, and they got angry. You know how teenage boys can be, especially the ones who were born after the outbreak."

Grabbing a bottle of whiskey and a dry rag, Joel drags the other chair and sits directly in front of Josie. He puts a hand under her chin and examines her a little closer. "These aren't new."

"No," Josie gives a sad smile as she manages to speak at a slightly louder volume. "We spent all of yesterday in FEDRA lockup. But anyway that doesn't matter..." She turns to Tess, unsure of how to break the news to Joel.

"Take a breath."

"Why?" Joel feels his heart begin to beat faster and anxiety creep in. "What??"

"The boys who jumped us were with Robert. He sold the battery to someone else. Shit like this is gonna happen so we just go get the cards or the battery and—"

"I need the battery Tess! Trucks no good without one, you know that. If I don't get to Tommy soon he's gonna die out there."

As Joel paces back and forth, Josie's heart aches for him. Years and years may have past, but she remembers how protective she and Pietro were over each other. And if he were still with her, Josie knew without a doubt that she'd do whatever it took to get to him.

"Then fuck it," Tess throws her hands up, "we get the money and the battery back. But Joel, listen. Robert is terrified of you. He knows you'll want to confront him after what he did to Josie..."

"You're damn fuckin' right I want to confront him after what he did to J— to both of you."

"My point exactly. You march over there all Clint Eastwood, I can guarantee you he'll skip. So take a God damn breath."

Knowing Tess is right, he glances at Josie, who gives him a small nod.

"He at least let it slip who he sold the battery to? Or where he'll be?"

"We don't know yet. But we'll find out. It has to be quietly though, understand? Now listen. I promised Robert you wouldn't hurt him. But I got a black eye and I'm pretty sure he fucked up Josie's ribs. So I would very much like for you to hurt him. So let's go hunt that motherfucker down."

Joel steals another glance at Josie, who has managed to fall back asleep despite the pain she must be in. He hasn't ever admitted it out loud, but he has always known that this QZ is no place for her.

Josie is... good. And kind. If he and Tess can get this battery, then that's one step closer to helping Josie get to a better life. Where that better life is, Joel has no idea. But anywhere has to be better than this.

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a/n: plot heavy but i needed to get
this specific part of the show out of the
way! once we get into ellie / the journey,
it'll get better i promise. we'll also get
into more of josie's backstory. if you've
enjoyed this first chapter please vote
and maybe leave a comment or 2!