Michonne had returned the day after the rescue with bad news. She hadn't been able to kill the Governor.
"He slipped right through my fingers," she said, angrily.
"They know where we are," Andrea said. "We either have to take him out or move on. He won't stop until he kills us all."
"We can't give this place up," Carol said. "It's the first semblance of normalcy we've had since we were camped outside of Atlanta."
"Lets take that fucker out," Daryl said.
Rick, Glenn and Daryl began forming a plan while the women planned how to fortify the prison.
Jo held Judith, rocking back and forth to calm her. She looked up and caught Daryl watching her from across the room. He smiled at her and again thought of starting a family with her.
Jo was in her own world as everyone planned. She was thinking about her niece when she was an infant, which led her to think about her father and the day she lost him.
They'd been at the camp for about two weeks when it happened. Her dad had been getting worse each day, but he still tried to help around the campsite. Jo was at the lake washing clothes when she heard his yell in the woods. She ran toward his yells as quickly as her bare feet would carry her. When she reached her father, he was laying in a clearing with a dead walker next to him.
Daryl stood nearby with his crossbow. He yanked his arrow out of the walker's head as Jo reached her father. She collapsed next to him, tears streaming down her face. The walker had tore a chunk out of her father's neck. He was gasping for air and tried to give Jo a meek smile.
"Dad, what were you doing out here?" Jo asked, trying to stop the bleeding.
"I was just trying to help," he said. "Jo, stay strong. I love you."
"No, Dad, you're not gonna die. Dad! Dad!"
He gasped for air and passed. Jo let out a scream and leaned back on her haunches, crying.
"Jo, I'm so sorry," Lori said. "Come on, hon. You don't want to be here when he changes." Lori helped her up and led her away.
Daryl gave Jo a sad look and walked toward her father to put an arrow in his head.
Jo walked down to the lake immediately. Daryl approached near dusk.
"I'm sorry about your old man," he said, sitting next to her.
She looked at him surprised. They hadn't interacted much in the two weeks she'd been there except for the swim they shared.
"Thanks." She sighed. "I never thought he'd die from a walker. I tried so hard to protect him. I failed."
"I think you did a pretty good job," he said.
Jo began to cry. "It wasn't good enough."
Daryl put his arm around her awkwardly. He'd been watching her closely since she first arrived. She was beautiful... stunning actually, and her laugh was contagious. He rubbed her shoulder and she leaned into his embrace.
After a few moments she wiped her eyes and stood up. She kicked off her boots.
"Wanna go for a swim?" she asked, taking her shirt off. This time her bra was red and he couldn't help but stare. Daryl took his clothes off and followed Jo into the cold water. They swam to the middle of the lake before Jo stopped and turned toward him.
"You know, when you're not around your brother, you're a pretty good guy," she said.
Daryl chuckled. "You're alright, too."
She swam closer to him, water dripping off her face. "Thanks," she said before he closed the space between them. They kissed for a long time while treading water. When they parted, a huge grin spread across Daryl's face.
"I've been wanting to do that since the first time I saw you," he said.
She smiled and turned to swim back to the shore. Daryl followed and they walked back to the camp.
"Jo, we're ready if you'd like to have a service for your father," Dale said. Jo nodded and followed the group up the hill to her father's freshly dug grave. "Would anyone like to say a few words?"
Everyone looked at Jo. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She took a deep breath. "I'm the woman I am today because of my dad. I'll never have another man in my life like him. I love you, Daddy. Thank you for everything…" Jo broke off as she began to sob. Daryl stepped up and put his arm around her. She leaned into him and he led her away.
"Do you want something to eat?" Daryl asked her.
"Can we just go to bed?" He noted the use of the word "we" and smiled.
Daryl opened the tent door for her and followed her inside. Jo sat down and untied her boots. Daryl fidgeted with his shirt.
"Are you always this nervous?" she asked, smirking and leaning toward him. Jo began to slowly unbutton his flannel. They made eye contact and he moved in to kiss her. He shrugged out of his shirt and pulled Jo's top over her head. He kissed her hungrily as she pulled him on top of her. His hands moved down to her jeans and she helped him tug them off. He took his pants off quickly and kissed her thighs, moving toward her panties. She arched her back with pleasure. She let out a moan and he kissed his way up her body. Her hand found his hardness and she slipped his boxers off. He let out a growl and she guided him in. She gasped as he entered and bit his neck. She muffled her pleasure in his arm. She hadn't been with a man in months, but she'd never been on the same wavelength so instantly.
After they finished, he held her in his arms. "You're beautiful, you know that?" he asked, kissing her hair.
Jo bit her lip. Could she do this?
She snapped out of her memory to find Daryl walking toward her.
"Hey beautiful," he said.
"Hey."
"You look really good with a baby in your arms," he remarked, brushing Judith's hair with his palm.
Jo rolled her eyes. "Do you have a plan?"
"I think so. Who knows if it'll work."
"And about how dangerous is it?"
He only looked at her. She sighed. "Make sure you come back to me," she said, kissing him.