The group immediately jumped in to help around the base. Jo and Carol joined the group creating a classroom for the children. They were able to find teaching materials at a school nearby, along with more toys for the younger kids. Jo was in charge of the nursery with a few of the other women. Judith was the youngest, followed by a boy named Zachary who was 3, a girl, Eliza, 4 and her brother, Jonah, 5.

Jo was coloring with Jonah about two weeks after they'd arrived at the camp when Daryl returned from a hunting trip. He looked stressed as she approached him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Daryl unslung his crossbow and cursed under his breath. "I was out hunting for hours. Could barely find anything. I dunno how we're gonna continue feeding everybody."

Jo grimaced and put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure something out. There has to be food somewhere."

"Miss Jo?"

Jo turned around to see Zachary pulling on her skirt. "What is it, Zachary?" she asked as she picked him up.

"I have to go potty," he said.

"Well, let's go!" she said, excitedly. She caught Daryl's smile as she walked away with Zachary on her hip. She loved working with the children. It made her feel like she mattered.

Daryl turned to leave after watching Jo walk away with a toddler on her hip. That woman, he thought to himself, is going to be a great mother someday. He dropped off the few squirrels he was able to pick off in the kitchen and found Rick talking with Carl.

"You got a minute?" Daryl asked.

Rick left Carl and walked with Daryl out of earshot. "What is it?"

"I only got three squirrels," Daryl began. "It's not good. There just isn't any game around here."

Rick sighed. "What do you think we'll have to do?"

"Travel to hunt, I guess. We can't risk leaving this place," Daryl said. "I'll talk to Rice about it."

Rick nodded.

"Major!" Daryl yelled across the grass. Major Rice was talking to one of the women and turned to greet him. "We got a problem."

"What's happened?" the major asked nervously.

"There ain't any game around here. I only got three squirrels on this last trip. It's not enough. We're gonna have ta travel to hunt," Daryl explained.

"Are you comfortable doing that?"

"I mean, I don't wanna, but we have to," Daryl said.

"OK, I'll pull together a group. There's some nice land about an hour's drive from here," Major Rice said. Daryl went to leave when Major Rice put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you," he said. Daryl nodded and walked to the barracks.

"I have ta go for awhile," Daryl said when Jo got back to their shared room.

"To hunt?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed to take off her boots.

"Yeah. The major said there's nice land about an hour from here. He's putting a team together. We'll probably go for a day or two," he said.

Jo sighed. She had a knot in her stomach, but she didn't want to worry Daryl. He had enough to worry about trying to feed so many people. She kissed him on the cheek. "Be safe, OK?"

"Always am. Love you, babe." They kissed quickly before he grabbed his bag and left.

"Love you more," she mumbled at the closed door as a tear slid down her cheek, terrible images of him never returning plaguing her thoughts.

Sorry this chapter was kind of slow. It'll get better, don't worry :]