a/n~ italics without quotations = sign language
"italics with quotations" = sign language and spoken

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JOSIE COULD'VE EASILY stayed in the little classroom for the rest of the day, and even night. But she was a lot more observant than Joel let on, and she knew he wanted to leave hours ago but stuck around, she suspected mainly for her sake.

To make him feel a little better about them going back above ground, it was Josie who put on her backpack and walked over to Ellie and Sam.

"I know it's fun here but we need to keep going. Not good to stay in one place for too long until we're somewhere a little more safe."

Ellie gives a thumbs up before saying she wants to see if there are any more cool comic books to take, and Sam just stuffs the copy of Savage Starlight that he's already holding, into his backpack.

Deciding to temporarily put her frustrations aside, Josie holds on to Joel's arm as they begin walking again. She doesn't like that he's constantly willing to give his life up if it means she'd live, but she knows his logic for it.

Joel tries to ignore that feeling he gets when she's next to him, telling himself they need to get to safety first.

As the group walk down a street, Sam jogs to catch up to Josie.

Why can't we use our lights?

Joel, she points to him, says it's not a good idea to draw attention.

But no one's here?

No one that we can see. She shrugs.

"No one's gonna be here because my plan worked." Henry, who was at the back of their little pack, joins his little brother and Josie.

"So much goddamn talking..." Joel mutters.

"I'm just saying I delivered. Make this right, go down the street, embankment behind the last house. Then we're out."

Something finally occurs to Ellie. "Okay say we do exactly that, we get out and we're free, well kinda. Then what? Where are you guys gonna go?"

"Don't know yet."

"Well we're going to Wyoming."

Josie sighs, knowing Joel won't like that she told him their plan.

"What? It's a huge state it can fit two more people."

Henry, although he appreciates the help and company, is sort of on the same page as Joel. "Yeah... maybe we just call this one a success and say our fond farewells."

Sam slows down to join Henry and Ellie, while Josie picks up the pace to be beside Joel again. She turns around, "maybe let's just get somewhere sa—"

She doesn't even get to finish her sentence before shots go off, hitting the road right in front of them. Immediately, Joel puts his arm around Josie and gets her behind a car, before turning and making sure everyone else is safe too.

Josie taps Joel on the shoulder, then points ahead to one of the abandoned houses. She picks up a discarded tin can, then throws it over the car. A shot fires, and Joel nods, confirming that Josie found which house has the shooter.

"You guys stay here." Joel puts his gun in his pocket.

Josie shakes her head, "no I'm going with you."

"If you don't move, he can't hit you. I'll go around, try to get in the house through the back, and then I'll take him out."

Panic sets in. "No you can't —"

"Josie. Do you trust me?"

"You know I do."

While Josie panics, Joel begins to doubt his plan. But he decides he's the only option to try to get into that house, and they can only stay safe if they remain behind the car.

In a sort of juuust incase moment, Joel quickly steps forward, putting a hand on the back of Josie's neck as he leans down to give her a kiss on her forehead. "I will take care of this, and then you guys come to me. Alright?"

"Okay," Josie whispers. As soon as he takes off, she turns around and explains the plan to Sam.

"Thank you," Henry nods at Josie. "He hasn't had anyone else be able to speak directly to him in a long time."

When the shots stop suddenly, and Josie whispers that Joel probably made it and is trying to talk the shooter down. As violent as he can be, the first option isn't to kill.

Everyone freezes though, when one more shot rings out. It's silent, and then they hear Joel screaming.

"RUN! RUN!"

"Let's go!" Henry is up first, grabbing Sam's hand as they take off towards Joel and the house.

A huge truck begins to clear cars out of the way, and they realize they've been spotted when bright headlights shine on all of them.

Joel doesn't even have time to panic, telling himself the only option is to take out as many people as he can, and that if he freaks out, Josie, and everyone else, is as good as dead.

"Ellie, gun!" Josie pulls hers out of her jacket, Ellie quickly copying her. They both fire off a couple of rounds, but running forwards and aiming backwards proves to be a lot easier said than done.

Thankfully Joel manages to take out the driver of the plow truck, but they're still not even close to being out of the woods yet.

Josie thought being chased by moving vehicles was bad, but that fear doesn't even compare to being down on the ground and watching as what seems like an endless amount of people emerge, all carrying weapons.

An explosion causes Josie and Ellie to go falling down once again, but Sam runs to help Ellie up, while Henry makes sure Josie gets up.

"He's up there! Two and two around the back, take him out."

"Fuck," Josie peeks out from behind the car. "They're talking about Joel, they know he's up there."

"Dead end Henry. Gonna step on out, save us some time? No? I'll tell you what, you come out with your hands above your head, we'll give the rest of your friends, and even Sam, a chance to run before we kill them too."

"I'll come out! If you'll really let everyone else go!"

"Henry!" Josie grabs his arm, trying to stop him from getting himself killed.

"Actually, sorry I changed my mind. The girls are with the man who killed Bryan. And Sam... well he's with you."

"You don't understand!"

"But I do. I know why you did what you did. But did you ever stop to think that maybe he was supposed to die?"

"He's just a kid you psychotic bitch!" Josie finally yells. She knows there's no point in staying quiet, since Kathleen knows exactly where they are.

"Kids die sweetheart. They die all the time. You guys think the whole world revolves around him? That he's worth everything? Guess what! This is what happens when you fuck with fate."

Henry turns to Josie. "You grab Sam and run."

"Henry no!"

"Yes. And I know you're with Joel, but if for whatever reason you have to separate, Sam needs to go with you. You're the only one he can actually talk to. Please Josie."

Josie wipes away a tear and nods, turning to Sam. "When I say go, we run. Do not stop and do not look back no matter what, okay?"

Sam nods.

"It's time Henry. Enough!"

He stands up, hands raised as he slowly walks towards Kathleen. "Let them go. Please."

"It ends the way it ends," she slowly raises her gun at him, but they all turn and watch the house that's on fire, collapse and seemingly sink in on itself.

Josie gets up and runs to Henry, yanking him back. "We need to run!"

They take off seconds before hundreds of infected begin to climb out from the sinkhole and charge at them.

Henry grabs Sam's hand and takes off running, with Josie and Ellie right behind.

"Motherfu—" Josie realizes she's out of bullets. As she runs, she manages to unzip her backpack and pull out her bow and arrow. She leaves the top unzipped so she can grab more arrows as needed.

Josie manages to kill a clicker before being tackled to the ground. Thinking quick, she pulls a knife from her pocket and stabs the infected in the head. It goes limp, and she throws it off of her, standing up and looking around in a panic, realizing no one else is with her.

When she spots Ellie climbing into a car, she shoots an infected that tries to follow her. Knowing it'll be a long time before she gets back to Bill and Frank's, Josie runs to the infected and rips the arrow from its head.

Joel manages to kill a child clicker that does manage to follow Ellie into the car, but his short lived victory feeling is gone when he sees Josie scrambling to get to Henry, trapped by an infected and a clicker.

"Henry!" Josie finally stands, running and stabbing the clicker in the head.

Hands now free, Henry's able to take out the one holding his leg.

Josie looks around and spots Ellie near another car, and runs towards her. A handful of infected stop at the sudden movement and begin to chase her, but none get even close as Joel takes them out one by one.

The girls run back towards Henry and Sam, and Ellie kills the clickers while Josie pulls Sam and Henry out from under a car.

"Let's go, Joel's waiting for us!"

Before they can even reach the front porch of the house, Kathleen calls out.

"Stop!"

Henry bravely steps in front of Sam, Josie, and Ellie. But before he can offer himself up again, a clicker takes down Kathleen.

Josie stands, frozen. It's only when Joel grabs her hand and begins pulling her back that she snaps out of it.

"We gotta move, now!"

They run until Josie feels like she's gonna collapse.

It's a miracle when they find an abandoned motel, or apartment complex, none of them are sure which one it used to be.

Josie suggests finding one with no broken windows and a front door that can be locked, and Joel leads the way. Thankfully it only takes a few minutes before they find rooms that are suitable.

"These must've been apartments, looks too big to be a motel room." Josie wanders around.

Joel, on the other hand, has no energy after he walks around to make sure there's nothing hiding and waiting to attack.

He all but collapses into the floor, and Henry sits next to him, on a little nightstand.

Josie joins the 2 guys after checking on Sam and Ellie, who are sat on one of the beds reading one of the comic books they packed.

As tired as she is, Josie doesn't feel like she can sleep just yet. She takes a seat on the floor next to Joel, leaning on him as she yawns from exhaustion.

"Do you guys think they'll be okay?" Henry looks towards Sam and Ellie.

"I think so," Josie nods.

"Yeah, it's easier when you're a kid, at least. The hard part is having someone else rely on you."

"Guess we're doing a good job then."

"What's that comic book say? Endure and survive?"

"Endure and survive," Josie notices Sam looking at them. When he sees what she says, he gives a thumbs up before looking at the comic book again.

"That shits redundant."

"Yeah it's not great," Joel agrees. He notices Josie staring off into space as she listens to them, and moves as slowly as possible to sit leaning back a little more, to make her more comfortable.

He lets out a sigh as he looks at Henry, and his eyes don't leave his little brother.

"Look, I don't know how we're getting to Wyoming. I mean we're probably walking. But you know, if you want to..."

"Yeah. It'd be nice for Sam to have some friends."

"I'll have to teach you basic sign language," Josie laughs, "like be nice". She turns to Henry. "You gonna tell him now?"

Henry shakes his head. "I'll wait until morning. New day, new start. I will go tell him to get some sleep though."

Josie goes too, to make sure Ellie know they're leaving as soon as everyone is awake.

"I'm sure the book is awesome, but you guys need sleep. We're heading out first thing in the morning, okay?" Josie speaks to Ellie but sees Sam watching form the corner of her eye, so she makes sure to sign too. "Goodnight. We're all sleeping right outside if you need us."

Before she can turn to follow Henry out of the room, Sam runs up and gives her a hug.

Thank you, for being my friend and for helping us.

Anytime, Josie smiles.

When she goes back to sit near Joel and Henry, the former stands up and tilts his head towards the door.

"Can we talk?"

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a/n~ i'm not ready for *THAT* part of season 5, so one more chapter with their talk before we get into... *THAT*