Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Guys! Marlon’s back!” Willy shouts from the lookout. Alerted, Aasim and Tenn run to open the gates to see what’s going on.

The two boys, alerted, look panicked as they see Marlon carrying two people, who upon closer inspection looked like two kids around their age, on each shoulder. “Fuckin..HELP!” Marlon collapses from the weight of the two, a few walkers trailing close behind. Aasim, with his bow, gets to work shooting the few walkers, while Tenn tends to the two injured and Marlon. 

“A-are they bit? Are you?” Tenn asked, cautious to approach them as he’s seen something like this before. “No, Tenn, we’re fine. I found these two by the train station after I heard that loud bang. Their car crashed and they’re in pretty rough shape. Help me carry them back to the school.” Marlon said, regaining his strength to carry the girl, while Tenn carries the little boy. Aasim clears the walkers that followed Marlon and heads back with the others and closes the gate. “Shit, who are these people?” Aasim said, seeing the two bodies being carried in.

“They’re kids…just like us.” Willy said, a chill running down his spine as he sees their lifeless state.

“Where do we take them?” Tenn asked, the frantic-looking Marlon. “They should be fine in Minnie and Sophie’s, it’s the only room cleaned up and available for now.” 

They bring the two in and lie them down on a bed. “Tenn, did you see where Ruby went? We need her supplies and skills here.” Tenn shrugs. “I-i think she went out with Brody to go fishing. Wait, I know where she keeps her supplies, a-and she taught me a few things, I’ll patch them up.” He runs out and down the hall to Ruby’s room. Amidst all the commotion, Aasim steps in to check in on what’s going on. “They’re in pretty rough shape. Will they be okay?” He asked the older boy. “I hope so. I checked their pulse, they’re still breathing. Tenn’s going to patch them up.” Marlon answers.

Aasim nods, hopeful for the two kids and makes his way back out to give them some space. “Aasim, wait—”, Marlon calls out. “Yeah?”

“When Ruby returns from their trip, tell her about them, see if she can take a closer look at their wounds later. I trust Tenn, and all, but she’s the expert here.” Aasim nodded, leaving the room and heading back out to wait for Ruby.

Tenn shortly returns with the first-aid supplies. “The boy’s okay, he doesn’t look to have any serious injuries. Focus on the girl.” Marlon told him, after assessing the two. Tenn nods, rushing to the girl’s side to tend to her bleeding head.

“She’s lost a lot of blood.” Marlon says, worried. 

“The wound doesn’t look too deep, and head wounds tend to bleed heavily anyway, no matter how small. I think she’ll be okay.” Tenn starts tending to the wound and disinfecting it. Marlon, feeling helpless, grabs some duct tape from the drawer and starts tying the girl’s hand to the bed frame. “Marlon, what’re you doing?” Tenn asked, looking at Marlon.

“Just in case, we never know. If  she ever succumbs to her injuries, she’ll turn. This’ll help hold her down, atleast enough time to…take care of her.” Tenn’s eyes widened in fear, hoping it wouldn’t lead to that. He shrugs it off, working on bandaging her head. She seems to be doing a lot better, her bleeding’s stopped. 

“GET AWAY FROM HER!” The little boy who was with her was now awake and pointing a gun at Tenn. He freezes in fear. “WHOA WHOA little guy, drop the gun, buddy. We’re not a threat, we helped you two after you crashed.” Marlon, spooked, drew his bow and pointed it at the little boy.

“Don’t hurt her please! She’s..all I have.” The boy pleads, gun still pointed. “If you drop the gun, we’ll continue tending to her. Don’t worry, we’re here to help.” Marlon tries comforting the boy. When he sees his companion sleeping soundly, he slowly drops the gun, and Marlon lowers his bow too. 

“A-aren’t you a little young to have a gun?” Tenn asked, storing back the supplies on the table. “I know how to shoot, so don’t test me.” Still defensive, the boy crossed his arms, but looked at his friend looking much better now. “We’re not going to hurt you. What’s your name?” The little boy, cautious, doesn’t answer. “My name’s Tenn. You’re around my age, I think. I’m 11.”

After a moment of silence, the boy finally speaks up. “Alvin Junior, but Clem calls me AJ. I’m 7.” 

“Nice name. It’s nice to see another kid close to my age.” Tenn mustered a small kind smile, still a bit wary, but open to getting to know him.

“You must be hungry, we’ve got food outside, breakfast. Omar should be done cooking right about now. Come on.” Marlon, now at ease, offered AJ.

“But..Clem..” The offer was definitely enticing, seeing as all he’s had the past couple hours was some stale chips. He looks back at her, still unconscious.

“She’ll be okay here. She needs to rest. You can come back here after or even meet some of the other kids while waiting for her to wake up.” After a bit of thinking, his stomach rumbles. 

“Fine.”

He approached his sleeping friend and mutters, “I hope you’ll wake up soon, Clem. This place seems safe for now, but I’ll keep an eye out, look around for an exit. I’ll come back to you to report what I find.” Marlon and Tenn can’t help but smile at the sweet interaction. The three then head out, leaving her to rest.

AJ sees all the other kids outside in the courtyard. Some, like Tenn, seem to be close to his age, while others a bit older. “Hey, little man! What’s your name?” A much taller guy in what looked like a leather trench coat approached him, crouching down to his level. “AJ.” The little boy replies timidly. He’s never been with other kids before. It’s always just been him and Clem.

“Nice to meet you, AJ. I’m Louis. Sit with me at lunch—only if you want that is, but trust me, I’m the coolest guy here, so you’re in good hands.” The tall guy says, his charisma and playful energy entirely new to the boy. Aasim, who was within earshot, scoffs and moves away.

Louis grabs two bowls from their cooking pot and heads to a bench across the yard. “Here you go, AJ. You must be hungry, I bet you could eat a horse.” AJ sits beside him, and shakes his head. “I’ve never eaten a horse. Is that what we’re eating?” Genuinely clueless, he asked the older kid. Louis chuckles, “What? Oh that’s just an idiom. It means you’re so hungry you can eat that huge animal. We’re actually eating fish.”

“Idiom?” AJ raised an eyebrow. “An idiom is a phrase or expression where the words don't literally mean what they say. It's like another way of saying things.” Louis said.

“Why not just say exactly what you mean, then? Don't make people confused.” Louis laughs again. “I like them. It makes talking about normal things in life a lot more interesting. Like if you tell your friend to ‘spill the beans’, what do you think that means?”

AJ thinks hard for a second, before saying, “Spill your food?” 

“It means telling your friend to spill a secret. See? Makes it sound more fun.” AJ nods, agreeing to what he said, this whole way of thinking entirely foreign to him, but it sounded nice.

The two start eating, and AJ, who was so hungry, inhaled his food, making a mess all over his face and the table. He then lets out a loud burp, making Louis laugh. “That’s the spirit, little man. Here, to wipe.” He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to AJ. Grateful, AJ wipes the food off his face.

“Hey Louis. You don’t mind watching the kid for now? While his friend’s still asleep.” Marlon approached the table, and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He’s got a friend?” Louis asked. He didn’t see them come in and only heard about AJ through Tenn.

“Yeah, a girl about our age. They had a car crash not far from here. She was in pretty rough shape so she needs to rest.” Marlon recounted what happened.

“Yeah, no worries. You’re fine with me, right AJ?” Louis asked, extending a bro fist. AJ, reciprocates with a smile. “Thanks dude, you’re the best.” and with that, Marlon leaves the two to head to their gate as lookout.

“Want to come with me to the music room and I’ll play you the piano? “ 

“What’s that?” 

“Come on, I’ll show you. It’s pretty cool.”

In a different room in the school, Louis leads AJ to the piano at the corner of the big spacious room. 

“This right here, is what you call a musical instrument. It’s meant to play music.” Louis taught him, sitting down in front of the big wooden grand piano.

“Music?” AJ, curious, walks a little closer to the instrument, waiting to see what it’ll do.

“How about you listen for yourself, and you tell me what you think?” Louis starts pressing on the white keys, sound coming out of the instrument. 

AJ gets startled a bit, then out of instinct looks around to see if it drew any walkers nearby from it being loud. He calms down a bit when he realizes nothing is coming. Besides, the music Louis is playing sounded nice, soothing.

Suddenly, a person comes into the music room. With the loud sound, AJ doesn’t hear her arrival.

“Hey there kid, I found an old toy some of the kids here used to play with. Figured you might want it.” The girl behind him, put a hand on his shoulder. This startles AJ making him turn around and bite the hand that was on him.

“OWW! YOU LITTLE—“ It was Ruby. She dropped the toy and clutched her bitten finger.

“What was that for?! I was trying to do something nice!” She yells at the boy. Louis from afar stops playing, and grimaced.

“You can’t sneak up behind me! You can’t do that!” AJ screamed back, and Ruby huffs and storms out of the room.

“Uhh, I’m sure you didn’t mean it, little dude.” Louis scratches the back of his head.

AJ sighs, when suddenly he hears a familiar voice call out to him.

“CLEM!” He runs to go hug her.

“Hey, goofball. You’re alright.” She examines him then starts tickling him. She then turns stern, he knows this look. “You shouldn’t be going around biting people, AJ. You’re no walker.”

“I didn’t mean to. She..snuck up behind me.” AJ lowers his head in shame. “It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean to. We’ll just apologize to her later, okay?” AJ nods to what Clem suggested.

Louis, who was facing the piano, maneuvered so he faced the two. “Watched your kid for you.” He smiles warmly, seeing the beautiful girl in front of him. She was injured and had a bandage wrapped around her head, but that didn’t diminish her appeal to him.

“Thanks, I hope he wasn’t too much to handle.” Clementine says.

“No problem, well, not *no* problem. He was a bit of a handful.” Louis admitted, causing AJ to frown.

“AJ doesn’t like people coming up behind him.” Clementine explained

“Don’t ever do it.” AJ sternly said, looking at Louis.

Louis’ eyes widened for a bit at the warning, then chuckled. “Loud and clear little man.” He shifts back to facing his piano and resumes playing, somewhat committed to showing off a little in front of new company.

“I’m Louis.” He smiles

“Clementine.” She smiled back.

“Oh, almost forgot, your things are somewhere around here, Marlon dropped it off earlier.” 

Clementine finds her backpack and gets her weapon and hat back. When she asks AJ if he still has his weapon, he removes the gun from his back pocket and shows it to Clem proudly. Louis, who was watching the exchange stop playing, startled at the sight. “Um..”

AJ starts rolling the revolver’s loaded barrel. “Double Um.. does he know what that is?” Louis asked, reasonably alarmed. “That can’t be a good idea.”

“He’s earned my trust with it.” Clementine shrugs, as if the sight wasn’t at all disturbing to a bystander.

“You guys do your thing, I guess.” Louis gets back to playing. With a smirk, he plays a tune Clementine recognizes, a fond smile growing on her face.

Oh my darling, oh my darling…

Oh my darling, Clementine~

“I love that song, my dad would always sing that to me.” Clementine reminisces at the cheerful tune.

Light she was and like a fairy, and her shoes were number nine.

Herring boxes without topses, 

sandals were for Clementine.

Louis ends, giving AJ a wink, making him laugh. 

“What do you think, AJ?” Clementine asked. “It’s…loud, and loud is bad.” AJ frowns again, thinking about it drawing walkers.

“Not always.” Clementine replied.

“Here, try pressing a key.” Louis scooches from the seat, giving AJ space. With Clem’s permission, he slowly presses a key, amazed at the sound that small action produced. Louis encouraged him to press more keys which made him feel better about the piano. Maybe sometimes, being a little loud was okay, after all.

“You’re a natural, kid.” Louis offers another fist bump and he reciprocates proudly. “You know how to fist bump now?” Clementine chuckles at the two’s cute interaction. “Yeah, Louis taught me. Here.” He fistbumps Clementine too. 

“Now you two!” AJ gestures for Louis and Clementine to do the same. The two laughs, hesitates, but does what they’re told, sharing a fistbump.

“Hey, you found your kid!” Marlon opens the door and comes in. “I know you’re new and all, but we kinda need some help back at the gate. Want to go knock a few deadheads?” 

Clementine smiles. That’s something she knows can do. She follows Marlon outside. “That goes for you too, Louis.” Marlon calls out, before he leaves the room. Louis sighs, “Yeah, yeah. Fine.” 

She meets the group by the gate, and sees Marlon, Louis, and a  blonde girl.

“Seems to be a few more than usual. It’s almost like something drew their attention. Something like…I don’t know, an explosion…or a car crash.” The blonde says, sarcasm in her tone as she looks pointedly at Clementine.

“Look, I didn’t know that was going to happen…I’m sorry for the trouble it caused.” Clementine says, sincerely.

Ehem, Louis clears his throat. “Hello, Clementine. I’m Violet, nice to meet you.” He says, breaking the tension. “What he said.” Violet adds. I nod, feeling grateful for his intervention.

“All right, boys and girls. They’re starting to fill in.” Willy, from the lookout, calls out from below. They all get ready to clear the hunting grounds, gate now open.

“Don’t mind Violet, she..grows on you. I promise.” Louis reassures Clementine before she heads out. Her eyebrow raises as she catches sight of Louis’ obnoxious weapon, a chair leg with nails stuck on the edge—it definitely suited his whole vibe.

“Oh this? It’s a chair leg. I call it Chairles.” Louis smiles, brandishing his weapon proudly. Clementine shakes her head and couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the scene.

Clementine closes the gate in front of AJ, telling him to keep a lookout, as Marlon, Louis, Aasim, and her scatter around the hunting grounds to deal with the walkers. She plows through them easily, with obvious expertise, and unbeknownst to her, a certain tall, charismatic fella couldn’t help but take notice from afar. He smiles, impressed at her skill.

“Nice one, Clementine! Could use a little finesse, though. Watch and learn.” Louis calls out and shows her how to use their traps. He cuts the rope tied to the tree and a huge rock falls down, crushing the walker to bits. Clementine uses this to her advantage, clearing the rest of the walkers easily. 

As Aasim was collecting their used arrows, one walker creeps up behind him. “What the fu—AHH!” Aasim cries out. Alerted, Clementine immediately runs and stabs the walker from behind, saving him.

“Let’s all head back—it should be almost time for dinner, now.” Marlon says. On the way back, Louis and Violet walk beside her. 

“Still standing, I see.” Louis says, a playful tone in his voice evident. “I’d call it a B plus performance out there, Vi. You’ve done better.” He nudges Violet’s shoulder lightly to which the blonde responds with a “Fuck Off”,  and a middle finger. 

“Now, Clem here, that was a solid A. A plus, even.” Louis looks to Clementine with a smile. “You did great too, Louis.” She says, returning the compliment.

“Oh, I know. I’m the best.” Louis responds, all smug that he got a compliment. “You know you just fell right into his trap, right?” Violet shakes her head, telling Clementine. She could only shrug in response.

Back at the school grounds, AJ approaches Clementine. “They’re pretty good, with the monsters.” He says. Suddenly, Marlon approaches them, from behind AJ “C’mon, y’all. Dinner’s about read—OOF” He earns an elbow to the groin. Clementine grimaced. “AJ!” She shouts, but the little boy just runs away. 

Marlon was still hunched over in pain. “I’m really sorry about that. He has a thing where he doesn’t like people walking up behind him.” 

“Look, he can’t go around punching people in the..you know, and expect them to eat at the same table.” Marlon says, clutching his stomach. AJ hears this and looks around nervously. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him.”

After going around, meeting the other kids with Clementine’s help, and apologizing to Ruby, the girl he bit, and Marlon, who he elbowed, they sit down at a bench with available seats. A while later, Louis gives Clementine and AJ their own bowls of food. “Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served.” He says, in the most obnoxious way possible, and sits down on the available seat beside Clementine.

“Thanks.” She says, grateful for Louis, and he gestures a ‘you’re welcome’. AJ quickly scarfs down his food, having not eaten a decent meal in a long while, he couldn’t help it. Ruby, disgusted by his behavior, gives the boy a dirty look. “Where are your manners, AJ?” Clementine asks when the boy burps out loud and his face is all messy with food. Louis, wanting to make the boy not feel so bad, burps too. “Oh, come on!” Ruby leaves the table, shaking her head disapprovingly at the two boys.

Looking down at his clean bowl, AJ frowns, still hungry. “Clem..” he says.

“I’m sorry buddy. I’m sure they shared as much as they could.” Clementine answers. Louis sees this and offers his bowl to AJ. “Heads up. I’m full, kiddo. You can have the rest.” He smiles at the surprised little boy. “What do you say, AJ?” Clementine asks the kid who quickly finishes up Louis’ bowl too. “Thank you, Louis.” AJ tells him. He then pulls out the handkerchief Louis also gave him and used it to wipe his face. Clementine looks to Louis, who was fondly watching the boy. “Thanks again, for taking care of him.” 

“My pleasure.” 

When everyone’s finished eating,  AJ moves to another table where Tenn was drawing in his notebook. He watches the older kid, fascinated.

“Now it’s time for something very important.” Louis flips his chair around and sits on it, and reveals a deck of cards. He beckons Violet to come over. 

“What’s the game tonight, Lou?” Marlon asks, setting his bowl aside.

“War. The oldest game around. The only game there is.” Louis replies with grandeur.

“I’ve never played. The only game I know has fewer people.” Clem answers. “Don’t worry, you’ll pick it up as we go.”

“It’s easy. Everyone gets a card, and flips it over. Highest card wins.” Violet adds.

“And the winner gets to ask Clem a question.” Clem raises a brow at this rule. “What? I wanna get to know you—I mean, we all do.” Louis explains, awkwardly adding the last bit.

“And what if I win?” She asks

“Then you get to ask us one. It’s only fair.” 

Violet wins the first round, flipping a King card. “Way to go me.” 

She pauses, then asks, “So, about AJ. Where are his parents? You two don’t really look related, so..”

Clementine sighs, not expecting a heavy question right away. “They’re dead. They were nice people, for the most part.” 

“It makes sense. He’s a nice kid.” Louis smiles.

“For the most part.” Clem replies, earning a small chuckle from the group, remembering his earlier antics.

Clem wins the next part with a Jack. “Hey, I win.” She clearly didn’t expect to. “Hey, you do. So what do you want to know?” Louis asks her.

This was a rare occasion for Clementine, bonding with people her age. The last time she did this was at Richmond, with Gabe, and that was around 6 months ago. 

She thinks about what to ask for a while—she wanted to ask a good, fun, question. Louis, to ease the atmosphere starts whistling a tune, and Marlon recognizes and sways his head to it. 

“Hmm..what’s the grossest thing you guys have eaten?” Clementine asks, laughing at the absurdity of her own question.

“Horse eyeballs.” Violet responds. 

“Slugs.” Said Marlon

“Cantaloupe.” Louis says, fully serious. Everyone looks at him. “What? I fucking HATE Cantaloupe.” He frowns.

“I ate a guy’s leg once.” Clementine says, trying to make a joke, but the others only look shocked. “I’m kidding…but I almost did.” Horrified, Violet answers, “Okay, you have to elaborate more than that.”

“Uhh my old group went to a barn house once. There was a family there that offered us food ‘cos we were starving. We had a friend who got injured from a raider’s attack who they tended to. Dinner time came, and my friend Lee found our injured friend…legless. Turns out the ham we were about to eat was cut from his legs.”

“Oh. My. God.” Was all Marlon could say.

“Good thing you didn’t eat it then, but hey, it’d be something to bond about with Omar over there.” Louis tells her. Marlon gives him a stern look and Louis shrugs it off, signaling that it was fine.

Next round came and Louis wins. He hesitates and is suddenly nervous as he looks to Clementine. “Well, spit it out.” She tells him.

“Have you…uh, ever had a boyfriend?” Louis rubs the back of his head. 

“Oh my god.” Violet rolls her eyes at the question.

“What? It happens. Perfectly valid question. You could ask me if I’ve ever had a girlfriend—I haven’t, by the way.” Louis attempts defending himself

“Oh, I’m sure she’s real surprised about that one.” Violet quips.

Clementine thinks for a bit. “Hmm, there was this one guy a few months ago.” Louis, a bit dejected, tries not to look like it. “But we never became a thing, he was a dork.” She thinks back on the brief time she had with Gabe. She thought he was nice, but they didn’t really spend enough time for her to reciprocate his feelings.

“Oh.” Was all Louis could say, but he felt better knowing she technically hadn't been in a relationship, either.

The next round comes and Marlon wins that one. He asks about Clementine’s previous company, and how she managed to survive this long. 

“I had a friend named Lee. He looked after me when this all started. He was the first one who taught me about survival.”

“What did he teach you? The most important thing.” Marlon says

“How to let go. We…had to part ways in the end. I had to say goodbye.” Clementine says, recalling the sad memory.

Clementine wins again in the next round. In attempt to make things light again, she asks, “So, Marlon. What’s with the haircut?”. Marlon, shocked at the implication, defends his hair. “Uh what do you mean?” Marlon raises a brow.

“She means it looks like a dead cat. Probably smells like one too.” Violet teases. 

“I look cool.” Marlon says, earning a small laugh from the group. “Whatever you say…” Violet adds. 

“I say I look cool.” 

Another round comes and Violet takes it. “Now, a question I like asking in groups. Among the four of us, who do you think would die first?” The light energy shifts once again.

“Jesus, Vi.” Marlon sighs.

Not wanting to offend anybody, and not wanting to jinx herself either, she just says, “I don’t really like to think about that, but I’ve made it this far…” 

“Fair enough. You’ve got more experience out there than all of us combined.” Marlon replies. “And you and your tot are skilled with a gun, unlike us.” Louis adds, agreeing to what she said. 

Next round comes and Louis wins. “I am the greatest card player of all time.” He says.

“Just ask your fucking question.” Violet says, clearly done with her antics.

Louis hesitates again, but now for a different reason from earlier. “Ever…had to kill someone you loved?” 

Clementine sighs heavily, here we go again. “Lee, the friend I mentioned earlier? It was the same day I found out my parents were dead.” 

“Wow, that…sounds like a rough day.” Louis’ head falls, clearly regretting asking that question.

“Worst day of my life.” Clementine says, who then looks at AJ from the other bench. 

“I think I’m done playing tonight.” Clementine says, turning around to go get AJ. She flashes a quick smile at everyone, showing no harm was done, and leaves. 

Marlon gives Louis an angry look. “What? You wanted me to ask.” 

As AJ and Clem walk back towards the building, Louis calls out. “Wait! Clementine.” The two turn around. “Listen, I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I hope you don’t think I said it to offend you.” Louis says, all sincere, holding a cautious hand on her arm. 

Clementine smiles. “Which question, the ‘kill someone you loved’ or the boyfriend?” Louis, not expecting her response, laughs as he was caught off-guard. 

“Uhh, which one did you take more offense? You know what, both. Let’s just say both.” Louis rubs the back of his neck, a habit that Clementine’s noticed since earlier. 

“No harm, no foul.” Clementine smiles tenderly. “Thanks. For a second there I thought you’d be mad.” 

Then, an awkward silence between the two, well three of them.

“Well..goodnight then, Clementine—you too, AJ! Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” He winks, and walks off.

“…There’s bugs on their bed?” AJ asks

“No, no. Just an expression.” Clementine laughs, guiding him back to their room. 

“Like…an idiom?”

“Yeah, exactly. It just means he hopes we have a good sleep. How do you know what an idiom is?”

“Louis taught me.” AJ admits.

“He’s been teaching you a lot of things, huh?” Clementine can’t help but smile.

“Yeah, I like him. He’s cool.” 

AJ is making a cute drawing from the box of supplies they found in the room’s closet for Clementine. A knock is then heard, then the door opens, showing a surprised Violet. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize Marlon set you two up in this room. I’m just here to get coloring supplies from Sophie. Tenn’s asking for ‘em.”

Feeling guilty, AJ stops drawing. Violet scans the room and sees it on the table where AJ was. “Oh, there it is. It’s alright, little guy. You can use them.” 

“We’ll return it. It belongs to Tenn now, after all.” Clementine says.

“Thanks, Tenn’ll appreciate it. Don’t worry AJ, you can finish up that drawing of yours, I’ll wait.” With Violet’s blessing, he happily continues drawing.

Clementine and Violet shared a heartfelt conversation about what happened to the twins. Minnie, or Minerva, was apparently Violet’s girlfriend. Then they talked a little about their past and then the present. It’s comforting to know someone relates to your pain of losing someone. The night ended with a collective sigh, melancholic about the past, but impractically hopeful for the future. 

Chapter Text

The next day, Clementine and AJ look for Marlon to help around, in hopes that they could stay. 

“You two are welcome here. I know it’s an extra two mouths to feed, but I think with your skills, you can help me feed all of them.” Marlon tells Clementine.

Grateful for the opportunity of finally having a home, she asks him what they can do to help. Marlon offers two options; go fishing with Violet and Brody, or check the rabbit traps with Louis and Aasim. 

Upon hearing Louis’ name, AJ chooses to go to the forest. “Are you sure, AJ? Don’t you want to go see fishes and try catching them?” Clementine asks, thinking AJ might prefer to see something new.

“No, I want to be where Louis is.” 

Marlon laughs at his response. “I see he’s gotten to ya, little guy. I get it, it’s why I’ve been best friends with him for all these years.”

“Take this map with you, it might come in handy.”

Louis and Aasim smile as they see the two approaching them. “Thanks for the company, you two. We could use all the help.” Aasim says.

“Hey little man!” Louis says, extending his fist, to which AJ meets it. 

They start walking to the hunting grounds. “It’s usually clear of walkers. Sometimes they get caught in the snares and shit, though. You see a ribbon on a tree, traps are nearby.” Aasim explains. “So watch where you step.” He adds.

“Please, I think I can handle myself. I’m basically a ninja.” Louis says, moving his arms around, as if demonstrating martial arts. AJ loves to see it. 

Clementine shakes her head with a smile. “Is he always like this?” She asks Aasim. “You mean, always..awesome?” Louis quips, making AJ chuckle.

Aasim shakes his head disapprovingly. “We’ve got work to do. Not all of us have the privilege to be Marlon’s lap dog.”

“Oh, ouch. Someone’s a little jealous.” He whispers down to AJ. “In my defense, I totally get things done. I just prefer to think of survival as more of a day-to-day task.” 

“I get what you’re saying, but shouldn’t you also be thinking about the group? We should be working together as a team.” Clementine responds.

“Well, yeah…sometimes.” Louis answers, feeling humbled. She had a point there. In his defense, if it came down to it, he’d drop everything to help his friends anyway. 

They arrive at the center of the grounds and are alerted by a walker’s groans. Creeping slowly, they saw it was a walker hanging by his feet who had been stuck in their trap. 

“Look! It’s like a walker piñata.” Louis nudges the walker with his chair leg weapon. AJ chuckles and goes towards him. 

Aasim on the other hand, groans. “Whatever, man. I’m going to try catching some rabbits and do serious business.” He walks off towards the bushes in the other direction.

“Want to give it a try, Clem? Could be fun.” Louis offers his weapon, and though tempting, Clementine shakes her head. “Maybe later. I’ll go help Aasim first. AJ, stay close to Louis, okay?” AJ replies with a thumbs up.

“Thanks for taking this seriously, unlike some people.” Aasim tells me as he eyes Louis swinging his bat at the walker. 

He offers Clementine the bow while he gets ready to shake the bushes. “Aim for the parents.”

With evident expertise, Clementine manages to shoot both adult rabbits. “Nice one, Clem!”

Another bush later, she gets to shoot two more. “We’re gonna have a fucking feast!” Aasim exclaims excitedly.

“I’ll go tie these together so it’s easier to carry. Mind getting the two, make sure they’re done dicking around?” Aasim says, gathering the caught animals. “Sure thing.”

Clementine returns to where she last saw the two boys. They return to the walker piñata. “Oh, hey there. We just finished setting up the rock traps again. We left the piñata for you—thought you might want to have a go at it.” Louis says, offering Chairles again. 

Clementine hesitates, but decides to try it out. She grabs the chair leg, positioning it over her shoulder like a baseball bat and swings as hard as she can. She hits the monster again and the walker gets untangled. She swings one last time, aiming for the head and finishing him off. 

Clementine huffs from the force, then laughs. The two boys, watching and laughing along. “Feels good, doesn’t it?” Louis asks.

“It was…nice. Almost cathartic.” Clementine answers, feeling some sort of high. “Sorry about Aasim being lame. He just doesn’t get it. You only have this moment, and you can only control the right now, so why not enjoy it?” Louis says, making Clementine contemplate, but she still doesn’t fully see his point, thinking they don’t really have the time to have fun and fuck around in the apocalypse.

Louis drags off the walker and sets the trap again. “Are you guys done playing?” Aasim returns, still looking displeased. 

“Donezo. And we had a good time along the way, too.” Louis smiles proudly.

“Let’s go meet with Vi and Brody. Hopefully we’ll have enough to feed everyone comfortably tonight.”

As they were walking towards the cabin, they saw a baby rabbit caught in the trap. “We can let that one go, we have enough for dinner.” Aasim says. Clementine agrees and lets the baby go. Besides, she wasn’t about to kill a baby rabbit, especially not in front of AJ.

The four arrive at the fishing shack and don’t find the two girls. They instead see the shack’s lock broken, evidently forced open. “Shit..where are they?” Aasim asks, a little nervous.

They cautiously open the door and see no one inside, but all their supplies like the fishing spears were all messed up inside. “The fire's just gone out. And look what I found.”  Clementine holds up a hand-rolled cigarette from a bible page.

“Does anyone at the school smoke?” Clem asks, and both boys shake their heads no. 

“Someone must have broken in…” 

“Louis! Aasim!” Brody calls out as they approach them. “Are you two okay?” Clementine asks.

“Yeah, we’re fine, but the fish traps by the river were all empty.” Brody answers.

“The shack’s lock is broken.” Aasim says. “And Clem saw this.” Louis beckons Clementine to show what she has on her hand, and Brody’s eyes widened. 

“Fuck tha’s…fuck…fuck! It’s just…fuck…it’s okay. It’s…breathe, Brody, c’mon…c’mon..!” Brody starts pacing, breathing heavily, frantic. 

“Hey, Brody…you okay?” Louis asks, concerned for his friend.

Clementine goes closer to her. “Brody, breathe. You’re having a panic attack. Focus on your breathing—”

“Just shut the fuck up, okay?!” She explodes.

Clementine, who was just trying to help, was appalled. “Excuse me?”

“I…I have to tell Marlon about this.” A bit calmer now, Brody walks off, heading back to the school, leaving the others behind. “I’ll bring the rabbits back to school, see if we can ration it out.” Aasim says, following Brody, leaving Violet, Louis, Clementine, and AJ. 

“We still don’t have enough food.” Violet grunts in disappointment.

“Will Marlon kick us out if we don’t find more food?” AJ asks Clementine.

“Let’s not find out.” She takes out the map given to her and remembers the train station.

“Before the car crash, AJ and I were at the train station. They had a hatch with lots of food inside. Some of it was destroyed in the station, but there should still be a lot left—it’s worth a look.”

“That’s outside the safe zone.” Violet said, looking unsure.

“You sure there was food?” 

“Positive.”

And with Clementine’s word, the four set off to head to the station, hoping it may just be their big break. Unfortunately, the place was swarming with walkers, who no doubt gathered after the loud car crash they had yesterday.

Upon scouting the place, Clementine thinks of a plan that may just get them to sneak past the herd undetected.

“There’s a bell here by the gate. It can get the walkers’ attention. If one of us climbs up the cargo container and makes noise up there with the bell, it should clear a path for the others to go straight in the house.”

“Louis. I vote for Louis.” Violet says, with no hesitation. The boy in question is reasonably alarmed by the suggestion. “Uh, I’d like to make an alternate suggestion.” He says.

“Come on, Lou. You’re loud, dramatic, a little annoying…You’re basically a walking distraction.” Violet says, attempting to encourage the guy with backhanded compliments.

“Come on, Prince Charming. I wanna see those talents in action.” Clementine joins in, which suddenly gives Louis the confidence boost he needed to do the risky task. “I can’t say no to a face like that.” He couldn’t help but tell the girl. If he was about to die doing something dumb, he figured he’d atleast have the courage to outwardly flirt.

With that, Louis climbs the container with the bell, not before announcing, “I’ll do it, but if I die, I’m making sure walker Louis eats you two first”. When he started distracting the walkers, the three made their move.

With Violet keeping a watch out, Clem and AJ head back to the station, where they just were yesterday. They see the dead couple still there, sitting at the corner. Looking at their hidden stash of food, they see quite a few jars left. Grabbing a duffel bag nearby, AJ works on gathering the jars he could find in the hatch while Clementine stuffs them in the bag.”

“Stand. Slowly.” Suddenly, a man walks in the room, a gun pointed straight at Clementine. “Don’t yell. Don’t try anything. I won’t hurt you, if I don’t have to.” The man had a different color in each eye, making him all the more distinguishable. It’s a face you wouldn’t easily forget.

He pulls out a cigarette. Upon Clem’s closer inspection, it was hand-rolled, exactly like the one she found in the fishing shack earlier.

“You’re the man who fucked with our traps, back at the shack.” She asks the man, trying not to show her nerves.

“Guilty as charged, but it was an honest mistake. I can be a real butterfingers sometimes.” Still holding the gun, he grabs another duffel and demands Clementine to fill it up for him. In unfortunate timing, AJ pops his head back out of the hatch. AJ immediately trains his gun at him. 

“Now that’s impolite.” The creepy man’s gun then points to AJ.

“I can kill you, you know.” AJ taunts. It was at this moment where Clementine realized AJ seemed to be holding it together better than her. “You wouldn’t let me starve, would you? Kid, I don’t want to do this.”

Clementine, for a moment, felt frozen in place. She didn’t know whether it was better to attack the man or tell AJ to lower the gun. In fear of the man shooting if she does tackle him, she instead tells AJ to lower it. “AJ, lower the gun.”

“Clem, he’s stealing our food!” AJ retorts, gun still pointed.

“Alving Junior, Now!” In her scolding tone, Clementine demands AJ to follow her command. Dejected, AJ lowers the weapon. The man, meanwhile, starts stuffing his own duffel. 

Seeing the walkers outside the open window, trying to break in, Clementine suddenly gets an idea. The man was no longer holding his gun. 

Just in case, she signals for AJ to duck back down. As fast as her reflexes can go, she grabs the man by his jacket and pushes him towards the window. Walkers immediately grab hold of him. “What the fuck?!” Violet, alerted by the noise, steps in to check in on the two. “Hurry, just take a bag and fill it up.” Urgently, she follows Clementine, stuffing as many jars as she could. They were able to fill two bags and headed back out in a hurry. 

“Come on! Run!” Clementine calls out, and Louis follows their direction and meets them back on the ground. Clearing a few walkers blocking their path, they manage to run far enough away from the hoard.

Half-way back, they caught their breath and rested when they saw the coast was clear. “What happened in there?” Louis asks, heaving. “The man who broke into the shack followed us in. Pointed a gun at me and AJ.” Clementine replies.

“What?! How did you know it was the same guy?”

“He was smoking the same kind of cigarette. And he admitted it, too.”

“But I didn’t see him when I barged in…what happened?” Violet asks.

“I managed to catch him off-guard—pushed him out the window and the walkers dragged him.” 

“Jesus, Clem..” Louis replies, thinking about the harsh action.

‘He could’ve shot us, and he was planning to steal our food. Don’t worry, if he ever got away, I got his gun too.”

Agreeing to further debrief later, they continue their journey back to Ericson.

“Let me carry the bag, Clem.” Louis offers, hand outstretched at the evidently heavy bag of jars.

“I can manage.” Clementine says, adjusting her hold of the duffel on her shoulder, and walks ahead. Violet can’t help but laugh at Louis’ failed attempt of chivalry. 

“Here you go, big guy. Thanks for the assist.” Violet throws the bag to him, hitting his stomach with an oof.

“Where’d all this food come from?” Despite everyone else amazed at the selection they four brought back, Brody can’t help but feel alerted.

“We found it at the train station.” Louis says, but immediately regrets it, when he sees Clementine giving him a look. 

“That’s beyond the safe zone.” Brody visibly starts to panic again, alerting Marlon.

“What’s going on?” Their leader asks.

“She brought them out of the safe zone, Marlon!” 

“Relax, we also found the guy who messed with our shack and dealt with him.” Violet says, trying to de-escalate the situation.

“H-he saw you? Fuck, did he follow you?” Brody asks, who looked like she was about to tip over.

“I said, we dealt with it. Well, Clementine did. Pushed him out the window to the walkers. Problem solved.” Violet says.

“You killed him?! Shit! What happens when his group finds his chewed up body! I just can’t…I won’t…not again, FUCK!” Brody looked to be now having another attack.

“Brody…calm down. They dealt with it, it’s fine.” Marlon tries appeasing the girl.

“You know what that means—“ 

“BRODY THAT’S ENOUGH! We’ll talk about this LATER. You’re overreacting.” Frustrated, she points a finger at Clementine. “If anything bad happens, I'm holding YOU RESPONSIBLE!” And with that, she storms off the yard.

Marlon tells Clementine that he’ll talk to her, and for the meantime, enjoy the food they got. Meanwhile, the others, with AJ, have already settled down to eat dinner. 

Clementine sighs, knowing this situation wouldn’t be easy, and joins the others on the bench. 

“Don’t sweat it, Clem. You did great. We wouldn’t have ever gotten this much food if you hadn’t made that call.” Louis tells her, attempting to appease her worries.

“Yeah. It’s just, ever since we lost the twins, Brody’s been freaked out by anything that happens past the safe zone. She’ll be alright, eventually.” Violet adds, looking a bit sullen at the bitter memory.

“Still, we should make sure this is a one-time thing. We can take Rosie out in the morning, see if she catches a scent.” Aasim said, when he stopped by our bench and heard the conversation.

A bit of silence followed, tension still palpable in the air. 

“I’m gonna go clean up.” Violet says, excusing herself from the table.

“I think…i’ll go too. See you later.” Louis sighs, and bids his goodbye too.

Then it was only Tenn with AJ and Clementine at the table. “Don’t worry about them. They’re just sad.” Tenn says, pencil in hand.

He explains that this was around the same time the twins died last year. It had been rough for Violet and Louis because they were close—they all grew up together at Ericson. 

Tenn shares his drawing, talking about his sisters. Sophie was the creative one, who’d love to build projects and paint them. Minnie was the singer, who would play whatever new song she’d compose.

What stuck with Clementine the most, was what the  hopeful boy said about the next life: “Death doesn’t scare me because I know I have something waiting on the other side.”

She hoped very much that that was true. That her parents would be there, Lee, Kenny, everyone she’d ever loved and lost.

Chapter Text

In their room, AJ confronts Clementine about the night’s events.

“I should have shot that man at the station when I had the chance.” He says, as if what he were talking about was about just taking a mere toy, instead of taking a life.

“AJ, he could have shot you back. Then you’d both be killed.”

“I think I should’ve taken my shot while he was stuffing his bag then. Then we’d be sure he’s dead.”

“AJ…what did we say about using guns? It’s only when absolutely necessary.”

“But he was stealing our food!”

“You can’t just talk about taking a life as if it were that simple. Bad or not, he could have just been a hungry man, like us. How would you feel if it were you in his place?”

Silence. 

“I guess you’re right.”

“Only shoot when absolutely necessary—when they’re a threat to you.”

Clem and AJ had already retired for the night, but were both awoken by voices. It somehow traveled through the open pipes above on their ceiling. Clementine told AJ she’d be back after checking on it.

She finds Brody and Marlon in a heated argument. She steps in. Brody tells her, “Marlon let him take the twins. Him and his people.” This angered Marlon heavily. 

The last thing Brody said was that Marlon was a coward. Then, she got her head split open by Marlon’s flashlight. There was no saving her now.

Marlon, frantic, locks Clementine at the basement with Brody who would shortly turn. She finds a way out but not before having to kill Brody, for good. 

Clementine couldn’t help the tears that welled up and fell on her face as she smashed the flashlight on Brody’s once clean, innocent, hopeful face. “I’m so sorry, Brody. You don’t deserve this.” 

Every hit caused the light on the flashlight to slowly turn from its typical color into a reddish hue. Her blood was all over her hands—something she knew would remain staining her hands even if she’d long wash it off.

“Where’s Clementine?” AJ had his gun pointed at Marlon. 

“Get this fucking psycho away from me!”

“She’s in the basement. Clementine KILLED Brody!” Marlon yelled, earning a collective gasp from the rest of the kids.

“No, she wouldn’t have…” Louis muttered to himself, not wanting to show disagreement to his bestfriend.

“Is that…blood on your face?” Mitch asks, seeing the splash of red tainting his otherwise clear face.

“Get your story straight, Marlon! You killed her!” Clementine shouts as she emerges from behind the confused crowd.

“That’s a lie. I saw YOU kill her! Look at her blood on your hands!” Everyone turned to look at her and slowly backed away, seeing that Marlon was telling the truth.

AJ, distracted, looked away from Marlon, who quickly grabbed the gun and pushed the boy away so hard, he stumbled to the ground.

“Shit, come here little dude. You’ll be okay.” Louis quickly helps the kid up then backs him away from Marlon swinging the gun around.

From being confronted by Brody in the basement, to being confronted here outside the yard in the pouring rain, Marlon had fully lost his composure. He was acting panicked, frantic.

“We saved their lives when anyone would’ve kept walking. We fed them, kept them warm, and this is how they thank us?! Guns being pulled and murder!” 

Marlon’s hand stilled, and AJ’s gun was now pointed at Clementine. 

“You shoot me, and what do you offer your raider friends when they come knocking? He won’t do it, because he needs us alive!”

“SHUT UP!”

“Brody told me Marlon was going to give me and AJ up to the raiders in exchange for safety. Like what he did with Sophie and Minnie.”

The others were appalled, but want to hear more and let Clementine talk.

“Brody told me the truth. And that’s when Marlon killed her.”

“Who are you all going to believe huh? Johnny-come-lately and her little fucking lunatic? Or me, your friend?”

Clementine, desperate, looks to the crowd. Surely atleast one of them believed her. Her eyes meet Louis’. 

“Louis, come on. You believe me, don’t you? Don’t let him do this!” 

Conflicted, his gaze darts from Clem to his bestfriend. “I…I…i’m not involved.”

“What?!” Clementine couldn’t believe what she heard.

“I like you, Clem, but I…not me…I’m sorry.” He lowers his head in shame.

“So you’d just let him shoot me? Fine then. I hope you stay and FUCKING WATCH.” Clementine says, confused, hurt, and all the more angry.

“Shit..” He thinks for a second, before sighing. “Marlon, come on man. Drop the gun.” Louis attempts.

“She. Killed. Brody!” 

“I’m sorry, Clem. I gotta trust Marlon…I gotta…I always have.” He says this, but his tone seems like he’s starting not to.

“Brody trusted him too! And he killed her! So you’re fine with him killing us all?!”

Clem, exasperated, now felt helpless. If she couldn’t convince even the guy she thought cared even a little about her and AJ, she might as well close her eyes and wait for the shot.

But it never came. She opened her eyes again, to see Louis in between her and Marlon.

“C’mon dude, just drop the gun. This is how adults do things, not us.”

The others join in on appeasing him and drop the weapon. Eventually, he does. 

“I’ll leave. Just let me go and I promise I’m never coming back.” 

“You can stay, you deserve that much, after keeping these kids protected all these years. But someone else should—“

BANG

Marlon’s eyes widened, as a bullet hole made its way through his forehead. In shock, Clementine catches his lifeless body as it falls.

Everyone looked behind him, and saw that it was AJ that took the shot. 

“W-what? I aimed for the head.”

Now everyone’s turned their backs against the two again. They just killed the guy who had been protecting them.

The morning after, Clem and AJ stay confined in their rooms.

“Louis called me a murderer. So if I am one, does that mean I have to die?”

“What? No.”

“I think murderers are monsters…and I know what to do with those.”

Clementine sighs. “Look, sometimes, people do bad things, but that doesn’t mean they’re fully bad people. Like with Marlon. He did give the twins up and kill Brody…but that was because he was scared. He didn’t want to hurt anybody, and he gave up in the end.”

AJ lowers his head. “Listen, AJ. If you kill someone who was no longer a threat, that’s when it’s a murder.”

“So I am a murderer. Louis was right.”

“But that doesn’t mean you’re condemned forever. You just..need to atone.”

“A-atone?”

“Make up for what you did wrong. Own up to it, and hope they give you a chance to make up for it.”

Tenn later on calls on the two to attend Brody and Marlon’s funeral. Everyone, except Violet and Tenn refused to acknowledge the two—some even scoffing at their arrival.

Clementine sees Louis looking heartbroken. Every time she recalled what he said last night, it’d only cut her deeper and deeper. He was right.

“We got Marlon to give up. You saw how broken he was. What the fuck did you teach this kid?!”

“They fucking murdered him!”

He was the first friend she and AJ had made—the first one of the Ericson kids to warm up to them. And now, he wanted them gone. Now, he no longer trusted them. And for good reason.

“What happens the next time one of us does something this kid doesn’t like? Should we expect a bullet, too?”

But he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel worried when he saw Mitch brandish his knife in front of Clementine.

He’d be lying if he said he wished Mitch had killed them then and there.

He’d be lying if he said he wished the two didn’t return to their room where they would be safe.

But how could he still feel this way? They just killed his closest friend. They shot him. He’s gone.

Chapter Text

“I know what I did. I know I’m a murderer but I’m gonna a-atone it.” AJ tells the kids.

“Fuck, I can’t listen to this.” Louis shakes his head dismissively and leaves. AJ is visibly upset at his departure. He ruined his friendship with Louis for pulling the trigger.

The rest of the kids, still angry, decide to have a vote to determine Clementine and AJ’s fate. Just when the two thought they’d finally found a place they could call home.

The vote turnout was 5 to 3. It was time to go. Violet and Louis break the news. The tall guy couldn’t even look the two in the eye.

“Don’t we get to vote? I vote that we stay.” AJ says, innocently.

“That’s not how this works.” Louis replies coldly. 

Violet defends them, clear that she doesn’t want them to leave. At this point, Clementine couldn’t even be mad at Louis’ rejection. They had no right to.

“It’s bullshit, and you’d know it if you weren’t so used to burying your head in the sand.” Violet accuses.

“Hate Marlon all you want, but you can’t tell me AJ isn’t dangerous too.” He points at the boy accusingly, but when he sees AJ’s helpless state, he instantly regrets it, lowering his hand. 

“We’ll..wait for you to pack up, then I’ll escort you two past the safe zone. It’s up to this dickhead if he’s coming. I’ll make sure you get to the road safely.” Violet assures Clementine. It’s the only thing she could do at this point.

Louis is crestfallen at the thought of the two having to fend for themselves out there while the rest of the kids, him included, turn their back on them and mind their business. He realizes, it’s as if whatever happens to them out there would be blood on their hands—on his.

“Thanks, I know you don’t have to—” Clementine starts but is interrupted by AJ.

“NO! Don’t thank them! It’s their fault we have to leave. They’re gonna get rid of us…” Warm tears fell from the boy’s eyes. The two Ericson kids could only look away in guilt. It was in his outburst that they realized just who they were kicking out, a mere little boy who had made a mistake.

‘I’m sorry, we’ll be quick.”

‘Wait. Does AJ still have that gun?” Louis crosses his arms. AJ gets it and holds it gently with his two hands, away from the trigger. 

“Hand it over.” 

Clementine remains quiet, wanting AJ to decide for himself on this one. She knew they would be less safe without it, but they’ll manage like they always have.

AJ hands Louis the gun, muttering a small ‘I’m sorry’ as he lets go of the weapon. A chill runs through Louis’ spine—he was holding the very weapon that killed his best friend. Alas, he swallows the thought and hides the weapon in his coat’s pocket.

They walk through the woods, past the hunting grounds and towards the other side of the station. Louis decided to come with Violet to escort them, weapon in hand. He did truly care about the two, probably still did, deep down, but grief was a powerful thing.

“My shoes are gonna break. From all the walking we’ll do.” AJ looks down at his already worn out sneakers.

“We can only hope they’ll hold out.” Clementine replies.

“My feet are gonna bleed again.” AJ sighs, but he understands that he’s just gonna have to deal with it.

The Ericson teens hear this, and lower their head. Violet is only pissed, but Louis is even more sorry than he was voting them out earlier. He did this.

“We’ll tear up a shirt and tie them up, if we have to.” Clementine reassures the boy, the only thing she could do. 

“You two have done this before—probably pretty good at it by now. Almost like going home for you guys.” Louis attempts to lighten the situation, resorting to talking about how far the two have made it alone instead.

“You’ve lived behind walls your whole life—you have no fucking idea what it’s like out there.” Clementine scowls, making him regret he even said anything. That was the first time she had returned his remarks since last night, and when she did, it stung. She was right.  

“We’re here. Road’s not far now.” Violet says, stopping in her tracks.

Violet turns to her friend. “Anything you wanna say before we go?” Louis could only shrug. “I’ve already said too much.”

With one last glance at the two teens, Clementine and AJ turn around, towards the road, and onwards to what would be the next chapter of their lives. 

“Wait!” Louis calls out then runs towards them.

“I realize I can’t just leave you out here, unarmed.” He kneels to AJ’s height and gives him the gun. “Just…think about it really hard before you pull the trigger, okay, little man?” 

“I will. Thank you, Louis. I’ll miss you. Even if you were a little mean.” 

Louis stands back up then looks at Clementine. “Be careful out there, okay?”

And with that, the two are off. Louis looks back one last time as they disappear in the opposite direction. He eventually catches up to Violet. 

“You must really like her.” Violet tells him.

“W-what? What do you mean?” Louis is caught off-guard, shocked at her assumption, even if he knows deep down that there was some truth to it.

“Oh shut up, I see the way you look at Clem, ever since she arrived. I don’t blame ya. She’s kinda magnetic.”

Louis shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. They killed Marlon, and now they’re gone.” 

Violet doesn’t know what else to say but does the only thing she could think of; putting a consoling hand on his shoulder. 

Despite everything, he knew he was going to miss them. He'll miss AJ innocently asking what certain words or phrases he said meant. He'll miss Clementine's smile, her presence, just her, in general. He wanted to get to know her more. he hated the way things turned out.

They don’t make it too far when they hear a scream coming from the opposite direction. 

“What was that?” Louis asks, gripping his weapon tight.

“Shit…was that AJ?” Violet looks back but doesn’t see any sign of them. 

AAAH!

He couldn't bear the thought of the two suddenly being ambushed and hurt by bad people, let alone walkers. Not when he took part in sending them away. “We have to help them!” Louis immediately runs back before Violet pulls him back. “Get a hold of yourself! We need to be quiet, or we’ll alert whatever got to them.”

They creep around, and soon see two taller figures. Upon closer look, they see Clementine on the ground, and AJ held captive. 

“Fuck. These must be the raiders Clementine was talking about.” Violet says under her breath, preparing her bow. “What are you doing?” He asks. “I don’t fucking know! Maybe I can look for an opening and shoot one of them.”

They watch the scene play out a bit, and when Clementine stood up, they saw the girl see them from afar.

“No! Run!!” Clementine screams and Violet freezes. Their cover was blown, but she didn’t want to just walk away, not when she could do something. She quickly aims then lets go of the arrow, managing to hit Lilly on the shoulder.

AJ got to break free from AJ when Abel turned to the two teens. Unfortunately, Abel shoots his gun, managing to hit Louis on the arm. "AH FUCK!" Louis glances at his arm.

‘Shit! Lou.” Violet immediately tends to him. “I-i’m okay, I think.” The boy winces as he grabs his wounded arm. He figured he was fine, the bullet had only grazed him, not hitting anything vital. “We need to go.” 

“But Clem..” 

“NOW. You’re shot. I need to get you back to the school. Clem’s got this, we gave her an opening.” Despite Louis’ frustration, Violet manages to drag him and herself back to safety. 

The two kids made a run for it amidst the commotion, but the two raiders were persistent. They shot at them as they headed deeper and deeper in the forest. Luckily, the gun shots drew the walkers towards them. This gave Clementine and AJ a chance to escape the raiders.

Dodging and killing off some walkers along the way, Clem hears AJ call out for her weakly.

“Shit!” She runs to him and sees him clutching his stomach; he’d been shot. More walkers came and Clementine started thinking that this was it for them—there were just too many, and she couldn’t just run away because AJ was hurt. 

That’s when a hand suddenly covers her mouth from behind and grabs her. Her survival instincts made her try and break free from the man’s hold. She turns around and is shocked by the sight; a man wearing a walker, or more accurately, a human skin mask. He gestured for her to be quiet and he threw rocks to distract the walkers away from them.

The coast eventually being clear, Clementine carries AJ. They walk to the man’s makeshift tent. “There. You’ll be safer here.” 

She lowers AJ to a wooden surface, then lifts his shirt. She can’t help but wince at the painful sight. With her knife, she carefully removes the buckshots on his stomach. “I’ll hold him.” The man gently holds AJ by the arms. 

The area now free of metal, the man offers them gauze tape to stop the bleeding. “There, he should be fine for now, but he’ll need to have it disinfected soon.” 

“Thank you. We would’ve already died out there if it weren’t for you.” Clementine says, sitting down by AJ. 

The man eventually removes his mask and opens up. His name was apparently James and he used to be part of a group called the Whisperers who would live among walkers and blend in expertly. 

He shared that he had grown to hate the killing, and that walkers were more harmless than people. It was clear he had been through a lot. 

James told Clementine to rest, and that he would keep watch. Reluctant, she shakes her head, saying it was okay, but she didn’t realize how exhausted she had been and eventually passed out anyway. 

Day time came and AJ had developed a high fever. Desperate, Clementine had no choice but to come back to Ericson to ask for help. James volunteered to help the two get back to the school, and led them back. 

They get to the gate and Willy, alerted by James’ mask, draws his bow and shoots at James' foot. “Walker!” The boy shouts.

Willy then calls out, “Violet! Louis! They came back!”

James bids the two goodbye and heads off before the others see him. Exhausted from the events of yesterday, the worrying, and the weight of AJ, Clementine who was carrying AJ in her arms collapses on her knees.

“I’m sorry, AJ. I can’t..keep carrying you.”

Shortly after, Louis approaches the gate, ready to be tough and turn them away again, but his plans are immediately thrown out the window when he sees Clementine’s awful state, knelt on the ground, cradling a sobbing, injured AJ. 

He opens the gate, running out towards them.

“Shit! Is he..?”

“He’s not bit, but h-he’s shot.” 

“C’mon, let’s get inside.” Louis takes the boy from Clementine’s weakened arms and carries him. He feels like kicking himself—he let this happen.

“Louis..?” AJ opens his eyes and realizes he’s no longer carried by Clem.

“It’s okay buddy. I got you.”

Bringing him back to the admin building, he can’t help but wince at the sharp pain in his arm. He was, after all, shot not too long ago by the same people. 

He couldn’t complain though, not when the little kid had it much worse. He was burning up like hell.

Louis calls for Ruby as he sets the boy down a couch. 

“Clem..” AJ called out, which made Clementine kneel beside him. Ruby and Louis move aside, giving them space.

“Ruby will take care of you. You’ll be okay.” She reassures, but the boy is still unsure and scared.

“Come on, what do we do when we’re scared? When fear starts to get the upper hand?” Clem asks the boy.

“We push through it.” The two recited together.

“We don’t let it take over.” AJ nods, now with a much stronger resolve.

As Ruby tended to the wound and gave the boy medicine, Louis stood right beside the kid, holding his hand, wanting to make sure he was alright. He helped hand stuff over to Ruby when he could. 

Clementine was soon brought into the principal’s office, which used to be Marlon’s but was now apparently Violet’s. They had a lot to talk about, for sure.

The door closes and Violet immediately hugs her. “I thought we’d lost you two, Clem.” It was oddly nice. A hug coming from the leader of the group who had kicked you out. It was almost like a parable

“I was waiting for your call, but when you told us to run, something in me just short-circuited. I couldn’t move, not when I knew you needed my help.”

“I didn’t want to risk you two getting pulled into the crossfire.”

“And I get that. Thank you for protecting us—it was really brave. Even when you didn’t need to.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have just forgotten about how your group saved me and AJ from that car wreck. We owe you guys our lives, even if you told us we had to go.” 

“It’s really nice seeing you again, Clem. I just wish Mitch and the others felt the same.”

Violet hung her head, exasperated.

“I’m sorry for coming back. I just…didn’t know where else to go and AJ urgently needed the help to—”

“Clementine. You don’t have to explain. I get it. I would’ve done the same too.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not about to dishonor the majority of the group’s wishes. Once AJ gets treated, we’ll leave.”

“What? No no no, are you serious? Clem, you saw how dangerous it was out there with those raiders. You and AJ are safer here.” Violet puts a reassuring hand on the girl’s arm, her eyes telling her that she meant every word.

“But–”

“No ‘buts’.” The newly elected leader folds her arms, clearly not going to give in any time soon.

“Fine, but at least let us help defend the school then. Lilly will stop at nothing to recruit every one in this school.” Clementine suddenly feels more determined, glowing with a newfound purpose.

“So you do know her. Louis and I were wondering, it seemed like you two were familiar. So, who the hell is she?”

“We were in a group together, a long time ago. She and her father were asshats.  She murdered someone in our group, someone I cared about,someone who didn’t deserve the bullet at all—gunned them down during an argument.”

“Christ, she sounds horrible.

“We can’t do this without your skills, you know. You know the outside world better than all of us combined.” 

“But would the others allow it?”

“Actually, everything’s such a fucking mess.” Violet sits down, pinching the bridge of her nose. “To be honest, I’m worried about what they might say or do. They didn’t even get a chance to mourn Brody and Marlon, before these children-snatching assholes showed up. Then you and AJ come back after we were all convinced that you were dead. Now they’re confused, and no one knows how to feel about AJ.”

“If the rest of them are anything like the Lilly I knew, they’re ruthless, Violet. They won’t be afraid to get a little blood on their hands if it means they can get what they want.”

“I know it should feel like it doesn’t matter now, but they were afraid of you. Both of you. They’re just scared and angry, and looking for someone to blame. I don’t know how I’d be able to convince them, but I just know that we won’t be able to defend ourselves without you.  

Suddenly, the door bursts open and Mitch comes storming in. “Okay, what the hell’s going on?” He’s visibly fuming as he sees Clementine in Marlon’s office.

“Willy told me she was back, but I was like, no way, Violet wouldn’t just go against what we all decided.” Clementine could only lower her head in shame. 

Violet positions herself in between the two, ready to defend the girl. “Mitch, those raiders are getting ready to attack the school to take us all. We need Clem’s help.”

“Like hell we do. For all we know, she’s one of them.” Mitch points an accusing finger at the girl. “But she’s NOT. If you saw their leader’s boot on Clem’s neck, you’d know that. Besides, why would they shoot AJ if they were with them?”

“How do I know? Maybe he shot one of their friends?”

“Clem’s going to help us defend ourselves and prepare everything we need for the fight, and you’re going to help her. We ALL are.” Violet walks forward, backing Mitch into the office’s wall.    

“Fuck, Vi. Since when were you the one making calls?” The boy shoves Violet with an arm. 

“Since no one else stepped the fuck up.” The boy was silenced. He had nothing to retort because even he knew it was true. He and Violet were around the same age but he couldn’t have gotten the courage to take charge, not when he had been so used to just obeying the oldest kid.

Shifting in her tone, Violet looks to Clementine. “I’ll explain the situation to the rest, then we can start working on a plan to fortify this school to make the raiders think again about messing with us again. You can rest, go see AJ for now. I’ll handle this.”

Clementine, not wanting to cause an even bigger disruption, gently closed the door of the office behind her, and walked to go check in on AJ. He was sleeping on the couch, looking a lot more peaceful. What she hadn’t expected was to see Louis kneeled down, watching the boy, face full of worry, saying. “I’m so sorry, little dude. Please be okay.”

Louis sees Clementine and tried to say something, “I–I just…”, but nothing came out. He wanted to explain himself, to apologize, to ask if she was alright and if she was staying, anything but make her think that he was still mad at the two of them, but he just couldn’t find the words. He instead stood, let his head fall forward, and left to give the two some space.

He figured the two probably hated him by now.

Chapter Text

Albeit reluctantly, the rest of the kids eventually accept the return of Clementing and AJ, but Mitch made it clear that it was only until after the attack. Violet agrees, taking what she could get, given the current circumstances.

Clementine elaborates the plan to the group, applying everything she had picked up during her brief time helping David secure and defend Richmond. 

She, Mitch, and Ruby head out to the greenhouse Marlon deemed was unkempt and now overrun by walkers. They had to get the barbed wires stored inside.

All boarded up from outside, they had to be creative. Clementine finds a broken glass entryway on the roof and volunteers herself to go in first. She manages to clear the three walkers inside and eventually open the door for the other two.

The three scatter to look for the item and other useful materials inside. They eventually see the barbed wires which were inside a locked cabinet Clementine pried open with a crowbar.

From the other side of the room, Mitch exclaim,

‘No way, I can totally make a bomb using this.” 

Intrigued, Clementine cranes her neck to see what Mitch had seen. “Fertilizer? Are you serious?” She asks, now genuinely curious.

“Totally. It’s the kind of stuff I made back home that got me sent to this school. Let’s try getting in the science lab, there must be propane and an igniter to create the explosive.”

Upon getting into the laboratory, “No…” Ruby says, sees a walker tied up by the plantbed—it had been their school nurse.

“You guys knew her?” Clementine asks, seeing their surprised reaction, though it seemed to hit Ruby more than the boy.

“Ms. Martin, our school nurse. She was the only adult in this school who stayed with us, when everyone else left us for dead—she fought for us when no one else did.” Ruby slowly approaches the walker, feeling sorry for her state.

Clementine puts a comforting hand on Ruby.

“Before the whole world went to shit, I would help her out at the nurse’s office. She’s the one who taught me how to patch people up. Stitching, local anesthetics, painkillers, fever reducers. I don’t think I can…take care of her. ” Ruby looks away from the body.

“I’ve got it, it’s okay.” Clementine grabs her knife and gently pushes it into the nurse’s skull.

She decides to give Ruby some space, continuing to the task at hand; finding bomb components.

“Eugh, what are in these?” Clementine gives the vials on the table a close inspection.

“Dare you to drink it.” Mitch says, jokingly. The girl is surprised by his interaction. Had he started to warm up to her now?

“Not in a million years.” She replies.

“Wimp.” The boy utters, a subtle smile adorning his face. Guess he’s not as mad at her anymore.

The pair manages to find an igniter and a propane tank, and Mitch is quick to drag them out and back to the school grounds, leaving the two girls alone.

“We should bury her.” Ruby says, looking at the walker tied up.

“It’s the right thing to do for someone you cared about. I saw a shovel earlier, I’ll help.” Clementine offers, looking for that tool she saw earlier.

Clem works on digging the hole outside the greenhouse while Ruby carries her rotten corpse. Lowering her to the ground, Clementine begins burying the body.

“She’s always loved the greenhouse. She’ll appreciate getting to stay here.”

Clementine finishes off piling up the dirt.

“Thank you so much. You’ve got a good heart, Clementine—under all that muck.”

“Hey!” Clementine gasps, making Ruby chuckle.

Finally putting AJ to sleep, Clementine starts settling in for the night. She removed her hat and placed it on the dresser, and started removing her heavy jacket. As she managed to get one arm off, the door suddenly opened, making her freeze like a deer in headlights.

“Oh! Uh—fuck, I’m sorry—I didn’t see anything!” It was Louis holding folded up clothes. When he saw Clementine midway stripping, he immediately shut his eyes tight, flustered.

“You’re good, it’s just my jacket Louis.” Clementine couldn’t help but laugh at how embarrassed the boy in front of her looked.

He opens one eye cautiously, then when he sees the situation is as she said, he mutters a small phew, and opens the other.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have just barged in. I thought you two’d be asleep by now.”

Clementine raised a brow. “So you were planning on sneaking in here while AJ and I were sleeping?”

“S-something like that..” Louis winced, looking away.

Clem sighs in resignation. “Look, Louis. I just wanted to say that I’m not going to interfere with your grieving process. I totally get why you would hate and avoid me and AJ. There, I just wanted to let you know I understand and thank you, I guess, for tolerating our presence.”

“W-what? No no no I’m not avoiding you two because I hate you. If anything, I thought you two hated me so I’ve been keeping my distance.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah, well… I voted you guys out days ago, and I’d acted like an asshole when things went down.”

“How you reacted was completely valid, Louis,” Clementine said gently. “Anyone would’ve felt the same way. We hurt you, and your trust. That part’s on us.”

“I… wish it was that simple,” Louis muttered.

“Hm?” she asked, not quite catching it. “Well, I don’t hate you, nor does AJ. If anything, he actually missed hanging out with you the most.” 

The boy couldn’t believe it. Hearing what she said was like a weight had lifted from his shoulders.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Well,” he said softly, glancing over at AJ sleeping peacefully on the bed, “I missed the little guy too.”

He shifted, holding out the clothes. “Anyway, I wanted to bring you something clean to wear—well, not new-new. They used to be Minnie’s and Tenn’s, but they’re clean. After everything that happened… I figured you might want a change.”

Clementine accepts the small selection of clothes. “Thank you, Louis. You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he broke her gaze. “It’s the least I could do.”

She smiled. “You always do that.”

“D-do what?” he asked, suddenly self-conscious.

Clementine tilted her head slightly, studying him. “When you get nervous,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You like rubbing your neck a lot.”

“Oh.”

For a while, none of them spoke. It was as if the two were afraid to disturb the eery silence of the room, filled only by AJ’s steady breathing and the soft dripping sound of water coming from the broken pipe.

The boy breaks the silence first, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry, for all of it.”

Her voice softened. “I’m really sorry too.” She set the folded clothes onto the dresser, then took a few hesitant steps toward him.

“I didn’t mean for things to go the way they did. With Marlon. With you. Things kind of spun out of control and choices we can’t take back happened.”

Louis watched her closely now. 

“I’m sorry for putting you on the spot, asking you to defend me against your bestfriend, only to be the reason why he’s gone now. I’m sorry for getting you shot out at the woods.”  A gentle hand caressed the arm that was bandaged up from the earlier encounter. 

His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Clem…”

“I don’t regret protecting AJ,” she added, softer, “but I do regret hurting you.”

Louis let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

“I know I should still be mad,” he said quietly. “Maybe I should hold it against you longer. But I just… can’t.”

He shook his head, a faint, helpless smile tugging at his lips. “I can’t hate you, Clem. And I can’t not forgive you either.”

The words settled between them, heavy and sincere.

Clementine felt her chest tighten. She took a small step closer before she could second-guess herself. Louis didn’t move away.

“I didn’t expect you to,” she admitted. “But… thank you.”

Their eyes met again — this time neither of them looked away.

For a heartbeat, it felt like something almost clicked into place. Like if either of them leaned in just a little more, everything would change.

Louis swallowed. “Guess we’re both really bad at holding grudges.”

Clem let out a quiet huff of a laugh. “Yeah. Guess so.”

The air between them hummed — not urgent, not rushed. Just warm. Unfinished.

The room fell quiet again, heavy but no longer tense. Clementine was still standing close when Louis shifted suddenly, like a thought had finally caught up to him.

“Hey, Clem,” he said, softer than before.

She looked up. “Yeah?”

He hesitated — then, a little awkwardly, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

Clementine stiffened for half a second, caught off guard — then relaxed, her hands lifting to rest against his back. His hold wasn’t tight, just careful, like he was afraid she might pull away.

She didn’t.

Louis let out a slow breath, forehead briefly resting near her shoulder. “Sorry,” he murmured, as if apologizing for the hug itself.

“It’s okay,” she whispered back.

They stood there for a moment, AJ’s soft breathing the only sound in the room. Louis’s arms loosened first, but he didn’t step away right away. His hands lingered at her sides before he finally let go, retreating a small step like he needed the space to steady himself.

“Uh,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck again — of course he did. “Guess I needed that.”

Clementine met his eyes, warmth spreading through her chest. “Me too.”

Their shared smile was quiet — full of things neither of them were ready to say yet.

Louis eventually bids her a goodbye, saying she should rest up now after the incredibly long day she’s had, but not before bidding her a quiet good night.

“Thank you, Louis. Good night.”

Chapter Text

Days of planning completely changed what Ericson had looked like. What was once a defenseless, innocent school was now a territory ready for war. The walls were lined with barbed wire, the gate reinforced with planks, and the grounds with a pile of walker bodies.

Willy and Mitch even went so far as beheading them and putting them on sticks that were stuck on the ground as some intimidation tactic.

In front of the admin building, a huge sign that said “Leave or Die.”

Two weeks passed more quickly than Clementine expected. Life at Ericson began to settle into something resembling normal again. Her and AJ’s place among the others no longer felt quite so fragile — conversations came easier, shared meals felt less tense, and laughter slowly returned in the spaces it had been missing since the whole Marlon thing.

They never forgot the agreement, though. The possibility of being asked to leave still lingered in the back of Clementine’s mind, unspoken but always present. Still, she couldn’t help hoping that, in time, the others might come around and allow them to stay for good.

Things with Louis started looking up, too.

Thanks to Violet repeatedly assigning them to the same tasks — whether on purpose or not — Clementine and Louis found themselves spending more time together. Guard duty, supply sorting, fixing broken furniture — none of it felt quite so dull when they were side by side.

They talked. Sometimes about fears they didn’t usually voice aloud, other times about fragmented memories of the world before. Every now and then, they even let themselves talk about the future — carefully, like it was something fragile.

And in between the conversations, there were the quiet things: lingering glances, shared smiles, Louis’s music drifting through the halls more often than before. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be—at least for now.

One morning after breakfast time, Violet and Louis were arguing. “Goddamnit, Louis! Take this seriously, for once in your life!” Violet crossed her arms.

“I’ve been taking this seriously for fucking days! Almost two weeks!” He crosses his arms. “I’ll get to boarding up the back hallway, I just need a fucking break!” 

“So does everyone. Get over yourself!” At her bitter response, Louis scoffs then walks away annoyed.

While AJ ran off to Tenn, Clementine decided to check on Louis.

He was attempting, and failing to hit the dart board targets at their makeshift shooting range with Marlon’s bow and arrow. Every bad landing of the arrow had only made him more mad.

“I wouldn’t want to be on the other end of that bow.” Clementine jokes, trying to lighten up the mood.

Louis glances at the girl and shakes his head, clearly still pissed at the earlier encounter.

“You…okay?” Another shot ended up hitting the tree the target was hung on which made him toss the bow to the ground with a huff.

“In a few weeks, days, heck maybe even tonight, the raiders will come busting down our gate, burn down our place, and steal or kill us. I can’t even hit a non-moving target hung on a tree with this bow. I’m useless.”

“We’ll stop them. We won’t let them take anybody or destroy your home.” The girl says, determined. 

“Our home.” Louis smiled, nudging her shoulder.

Clementine chuckled and shook her head. “Uh I don’t know, you might have to check on others about that.”

“You deserve to stay here, after everything you’ve done to help defend the place—defend us. You had your chance to just run away from all this mess, but you stayed. You’ve earned your place here, Clem.” Louis assured her, a hand on her shoulder, attempting to comfort her.

He then picks up the bow on the ground and offers it to the girl. “Here, you take it.”

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s Marlon’s.”

“Yeah, it was. And he used it to defend the school, before…before he stopped. You deserve it now.” Louis hands the bow over, insisting.

Clementine smiles, taking the bow and feeling its hefty weight. So, this was the weight of responsibility.

“Try it.”

She positions herself far enough from the target, then shoots. She lets go of two more arrows, all hitting the center target effortlessly.

“Damn. Remind me to never piss you off while I’m standing at a moderate distance with a big red circle painted on my chest.”

Clementine laughs at this absurd image. “You better not, or I might just shoot your pretty face.”

Louis felt his cheeks warm, but he’d gotten better at being on the receiving end of flirty remarks over the past few days. He was usually the one making them, and though Clementine had returned them a few times before, he still wasn’t quite used to hearing them directed at him.

“Because you’re boring, and your idea’s stupid!” Willy yells out drawing Clem and Louis’ attention to the admin building entrance where the boy was.

Aasim who was on the receiving end of the insult points an accusing finger at the smaller boy. “Oh, I’m being stupid? You’re the one who can’t think straight. If you could hear yourself—” 

“Guys! What the fuck?” Violet, who had just returned from the greenhouse, stepped in. All the other kids, curious about the commotion, decide to head towards the two arguing heads too.

“Violet told us to work on the traps together, but Aasim won’t listen to anything I say!” Willy said, looking to Louis for some support.

“That doesn’t mean you have to scream at each other, boys.” Louis attempted to de-escalate the situation, but judging from the two’s furious looks, it was a futile attempt.

“Stay out of this.” Aasim dismisses the older boy. “I have an idea for duffel bags filled with bricks. We drop them on the raiders if they get inside the admin building from the second floor.” Aasim continued, trying to defend his idea.

“Willy here wants us to use a giant, idiotic swinging log to take out one raider at most, like it’s some videogame. It’s completely stupid.” Aasim added, crossing his arms.

“You’re stupid!” Willy retorted, looking like he’s about to pounce on the little kid any moment now. “You’re being childish.” Aasim answered back.

Clementine slowly walked behind Willy, ready to pull him back if things developed any further. She wordlessly gestured for Louis to do the same for Aasim.

“I am not! I'm just trying to help!” Willy yells out

“So help! And stop arguing.” With this last comment from Aasim, Willy no longer holds himself back and almost lands a punch on the older boy’s face. Thankfully, Clementine had been there to hold him back. 

“Did you just try to fucking punch me?!” Aasim yelled, now too, also being held back by Louis.

“Whoa, whoa, boys. We can talk about this maturely. No need to get our fists involved.” Louis says, but the two boys ignored him and only told him to butt out.

“Louis is right. The last thing we need is to be injuring each other right before the raiders come. We need all our strength to fend them off.” Clementine added, in defense to what Louis said. 

The two finally stopped bickering and only kept giving each other taunting looks.

“We’ll settle this with a vote, so it’s fair for you two.” Violet announced.

And so, all the other kids voted, and Aasim’s trap had won because it seemed the most doable and logical option for the majority. Upon hearing that his idea was turned down, he landed a crotch punch on Aasim, though he immediately regretted it, from the look of his face. His pride couldn’t bring himself to apologize just yet so he could only lower his head in shame and walk away.

“Now that that’s all settled, I have an idea to lift everyone’s spirits.” Louis called everyone’s attention. He follows the sulking Aasim to the couches, with Violet and Clementing following close behind.

“Sulking in the corner isn’t going to help us fight off the raiders. Or turn that frown upside down.” Louis said, sitting beside the crouched Aasim.

“You get more annoying everyday.” The boy answered. 

 “Regardless, I’ve come up with a plan to make everybody feel better.” Louis shook the insult off and focused on the task at hand. He pulled out his deck of cards and brandished it to the crowd. “And that plan is a game.” Aasim finally looked up at him.

Upon hearing the word ‘game’, Tenn and AJ couldn’t help but join in.

Violet settled in on the couch opposite of Louis and Aasim’s, and Clementine on the one in between. “We haven’t played a game in weeks, since that night with Marlon.” Violet reflected. The others could only sigh at this comment, AJ subtly winced.

“If you want to ask Ruby to come play, I don’t mind waiting,” Louis teased Aasim, who only shook his head. “Shut up, dude! I swear to God.”

“You’ve got a crush on Ruby?” Violet smirked, storing that information in the back of her head for later teasing ammunition. The blushing boy could only look away.

“What’re we playing?” Tenn asked.

“Truth or dare. Everybody draws from the deck, highest card asks, lowest card answers.”

The deck was then passed around until everybody got one. In the first round, Violet wins and Clementine gets the lowest card. “Okay, Clem. Truth. Marry-Fuck-Kill.” 

“Vi..” Tenn scolded Violet.

“Fine. Mary-Flip-Kill.”

Clementine could only brace herself for the names Violet was about to let go. “Ruby, Aasim, or… James. That guy who saved you.”

Clementine was thankful her friend made it somewhat easier for her, not including the guy she knows her friend suspected she’d liked.

“Okay, umm…  I think I’ll marry Ruby because I know she’lll take good care of me.” The table nodded, agreeing with her point. “I guess I would flip…” Clementine thought for a second.

“Flip, flip, flip..” Louis started chanting teasingly, which made AJ who didn’t know what that meant chant along.

Clementine shook her head. “Uh, I guess I would flip James.”

“He seems mysterious. I get why you’d be intrigued—your knight in shining armor.” Violet teased.

“Funny. You pronounce “horrifying” differently than I do.” Louis, who couldn’t help but feel a little bit bitter scoffed.

“So that means…you would kill Aasim.” Violet concluded.

“Oh Thank God.” Aasim said, relieved that Clementine didn’t pick him.

“Woah, you’d rather die than marry or flip Clem?” Louis asked accusingly. Though deep down he was relieved and grateful for the boy’s answer.

“I, uh, n-no! I didn’t mean it like that!” Aasim defended himself.

Clementine playfully rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, Aasim. We share the same sentiments.” This had earned a laugh from the entire group.

Another round comes, and Clementine wins and Aasim loses. “Okay, Aasim…I dare you to kiss a walker's head.” As much as Clementine would love to help Aasim out with his Ruby situation, she knew Ruby wouldn’t be a fan of randomly being kissed out of the blue.

“What?! I could die!” Aasim yelled/

“Just avoid the teeth, and go for the cheek.” Clementine urged.

Surprisingly, Aasim did it to the nearby walker head that was stabbed on a stick and immediately wiped his lips. This whole ordeal makes the whole group laugh out loud, but respected Aasim a bit more for actually doing it.

In the next round, Louis wins and Clementine loses, much to the boy’s delight.

“We’ve been pretty hard on poor Aasim here, seems only fair we mercilessly tease someone else about unrequited love.” Louis smirked mischievously, looking straight at Clementine who could only gulp in nervousness.

“So, Clem. Anyone here you… like-like?” Louis asked, pleased with his question.

“Seriously, Louis? ‘Like-like’? What are you, six?” Violet asked, diverting the tension. She looked at Clementine supportingly.

“Seven, thank you.” Louis replied.

“Uh..yeah. I guess I have some feelings for someone.” Clementine bravely admitted.

“Oh ho! Who is it?” Louis teased.

“Nope. Not telling.” She answered, blushed as she looked away. 

In the next round, Aasim wins and Tenn loses.

“What’s something you’ve never told anyone, because you were afraid they’d make fun of you?” Aasim asked the younger kid.

“I think… I think walkers won’t always be around. They’ll go away someday, cause the world works in cycles, right? Like Ice age, stone age, and the other stages. So it’s like that. This age’ll end, and another one will start.” Tenn said, sincerely, leaving the whole group in contemplative silence.

“An age without walkers, like it used to be. That’s beautiful, Tenn. I never thought about it that way.” Clementine sighed, thinking back to when she was eight and still at her parent’s house thinking about nothing else but what to draw next and what she’ll be having for dinner.

AJ is visibly melancholic, to which Tenn asked what was wrong.

“I just don’t know what it’s like. I don’t remember a time without walkers. All of you do, but I don’t.” The boy looked down, earning everyone’s silent sympathy.

“You know what little dude? It’s okay that you don’t. Believe me, the world before this one was pretty shitty.” Louis eventually spoke up, comforting AJ. Clementine gives him an appreciative look, and Louis only tilted his head towards her to tell her it was no problem.

The game soon ends, and the others settle in for the night. Ruby announced that she was on lookout duty for the first shift, and AJ volunteered to come. Aasim stood up and approached Willy, apologizing for  earlier, and asked if Willy wanted to help set up his trap, to which Willy appreciated.

"I’m headed to the bell tower. I want to check out our defenses on the back wall, and maybe have a little me-time under the stars. Goodnight you two.” Violet stood up, not without not-so subtly winking at Clementine first.

Louis rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. “Uhm, I’m gonna go for piano duty. I figured I could play one last time before the raiders come and potentially destroy it. You’re… free to join me if you’d like, Clem. I wouldn’t mind some company.” Louis stood up and looked at the girl. “Sure, why not?” Clementine agreed and they both made their way inside the music room.

In the music room, Louis wasted no more time and sat in front of the instrument. He then started playing a somber, melancholic, but at the same time comforting melody. Clementine was momentarily hypnotized, before she eventually moved closer to the boy.

“Thought I could tickle the ivories one last time before all hell breaks loose." Louis said, turning slightly away from the piano to fully face Clementine.

“You sure love your idioms, don’t you? I bet you’ll teach AJ that phrase too.” Clementine chuckled, leaning on the piano.

“Guilty as charged.” Louis grinned. 

“I haven’t heard music in a while.” The girl admitted. “Many people would say you’re not about to hear it now.” Louis said, playing a few chords. 

“Hey, don’t be like that.” 

“Like what?”

“Don’t bring yourself down. You’re amazing at that. Better than I’ll ever be.” Clementine reassured. Louis returned her comment with a grateful smile, and scooched over, beckoning her to sit.

Clementine gladly did so.  

“So, how do you feel about our imminent deaths?” Louis asked, finding comfort in asking dark questions to not leave the room in awkward silence.

“To be honest with you, I’m terrified. I’ve never really fought for anyone else beyond me and AJ. It’s scary, but also exhilarating—like a renewed sense of purpose.” 

Louis smiled, appreciating the girl’s rare occasion for showing vulnerability—though he noticed it was becoming less and less rare around him. He didn’t know if the same went for the others, but he found comfort in thinking this was something special she did only with him.

“I’m shitting bricks too.” Louis admitted, making Clementine chuckle at the phrase. “You mean, the same bricks Aasim plans on dropping on raiders’ heads?”

“The very same.” Louis couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Anyway, did you need any help here?” Clementine examined the piano, but she knew basically nothing about how to play it. Louis pressed a few keys. “Hear that? Sounds horrible. All we need is to tune it. That’s where you come in.” He stood up, leaving Clementine with the keys while he walked behind to the instrument’s tuning pins.

“Okay, so when I give the signal, press the A key.” He commanded, but Clem could only raise a brow. “And which one’s the A key?” 

Louis moved beside her and pointed to the keys. “You know, the A key. Next to the B key, after the G key.

Clem does as she’s told and Louis starts making his adjustments. He then urged her to step on the pedals to fix the tuning some more.

“Okay last step! Blow on the strings.” This earned him an unsure look from the girl. “I know, sounds weird, but blow on them. Cooling the temperature helps set them in harmony.” He explained. Reluctant, but wanting to be helpful, the girl does the odd request, making Louis chuckle.

He moved back to where Clementine was sitting and sat beside her. “Okay great. That did nothing because that’s not at all part of how you tune a piano.” Embarrassed, Clementine smacks Louis’s chest, making him grunt in fake pain. “Hey! It was funny. Who knows, it could’ve done something on like, a molecular level.”

Clementine could only roll her eyes, cheeks warm as she shook her head. “I can’t believe I actually fell for that.”

Louis grinned unapologetically. “Hey, desperation makes for excellent scientific experimentation.”

She huffed a quiet laugh, glancing at him — really looking at him this time. His smug little smile, the glint of mischief in his eyes, the way he looked far too pleased with himself.

“…You’re the cutest idiot I’ve ever met,” she said, without thinking.

The words hung there.

Clementine froze.

Louis blinked. Once. Twice.

“I—” He swallowed. “Uh. Wow. Okay.” His ears noticeably reddened as his mouth opened, then closed again. “Was that— I mean— thank you?” he finally landed on, voice cracking just a bit.

She cleared her throat, suddenly very interested in the piano keys. “I didn’t mean— I mean, I did, just— not—”

He laughed, breathless and stunned, rubbing the back of his neck like it might save him. “No, no. Please don’t take it back. I’m just… gonna need a second to process that.”

Clementine risked a glance at him. His grin was softer now — dazed, almost.

“Good to know my dumb plans have… upsides,” he added.

She smiled despite herself. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“No promises.”

He then starts playing a different tune.

“What are you playing? And don’t say piano.” Clementine warned the boy.

“Just a little song I wrote.” The boy answered, a lot more sincere now. “Really? What’s it called?” She asked, amazed at his composing ability. “I don’t know yet.” He finishes off the last couple chords.

“There! The first time I played it with an audience. We should mark the occasion.” He takes out an ice pick from his pocket and starts carving his initials into the instrument. He then hands the pick to her. Clementine adds a plus sign, then her letter.

“I think you got a future in whittlin’. I like saying whittlin’. Whittlin’. Okay, I’ll stop.” Louis rambled on, making Clementine shake her head, smiling. She thought for a second, then carved a small heart surrounding the two initials, a bit nervous about what the boy would think. This was her putting herself out there, very bravely, and very vulnerably, she had thought. If this was the time he would reject her, she knew she’d have to swallow her disappointment and erase the markings entirely.

“Oh that’s uh, that… that’s a potato?” Louis asked, deciphering what the girl was carving. She finished and looked up at the guy, who clearly knew what it was now that the heart was finished. “It’s a heart, yep, I see it’s a heart. That’s… super cool, really cool.” Unsure of what to say or do, Louis rambled again, feeling his cheeks heat up all the more at the clear expression of affection. “Ugh, so, hey, I’m just gonna, dig myself into a deep hole from which I’ll never emerge. Cool? Cool.” He takes a deep breath and lets it go heavily. “Time to get serious.”

“Serious? Wow. Are you feeling okay?” Clementine asked. “Not really, nope. Mm-mm.” He looked up, avoiding her gaze, feeling uneasy. He takes another deep breath and lets go, calming himself down.

“Thanks for being here. Listening, blowing on the strings. Coming here to help me with tuning this thing, even after everything I put you through, and everything I had to work through, for myself.” He confessed, now gaining the courage to return the eye contact and be vulnerable.

“Everyone hears the jokes, the piano.. And after that, they stop listening. You didn’t.” Louis smiled, probably the most genuine smile he let go in a while.

“Louis…” Clementine started, making Louis hum in attention.

“So, um, I like you a lot. Like, like-like you. Maybe even as more than a friend…” Clementine confessed and it was like Louis’ whole world had stopped and he, for a second, malfunctioned. He didn’t know what to say, making Clementine panic.

“Wow, no jokes? Nothing?” Clementine started feeling nervous, thinking maybe she read him wrong entirely and the flirting was all in her head.

Louis gathered his bravery, and finally spoke, “When you said you had feelings for someone during the game… I was hoping it was me—and it is. Holy shit, it is me!” The boy exclaimed as if he had won the lottery, but he did win something that night, the heart of the girl that had captured his own.

“I figured out what to call the song now, ‘Clementine’, obviously. You know, because I like fruit.” Clementine nudged his shoulder playfully. “And I like you even more, so. There.”

Still nervous and feeling like he was on a high, Louis could not shut up, and Clementine found him all the more endearing. “Gotta admit, of all the things I saw coming, you having a crush on me was not it. You stabbing me in my sleep, yes. Declaration of crush, no. Though I guess maybe I should have—”

Clementine leaned in and shut him up with a kiss—the very first she’s ever had. She wasn’t sure if that had counted, considering how quick the peck was and with it having the intent of shutting the boy up, atleast the latter part she knew she was successful with.

Louis froze, eyes wide, before a laugh escaped him. Without letting the moment slip away, he gently pulled her closer and kissed her back — slower this time. Longer.

Neither of them knew exactly what they were doing.

But it felt right.

Sadly, all good things had to come to an end. “Clem? You here?” The two heard Ruby call out from outside, making the two finally pull away, albeit hesitantly.

Clementine sighed. “I have to go. I’ve got lookout duty now.” She reluctantly stood up, Louis following suit. “Want me to keep you company?” he asked, hopeful but not pushy.

“Aren’t you tired? I mean, you had a long day out there at the hunting grounds with Aasim earlier, and heard things got a bit messy.”

“I’m fine, Clem. I don’t really wanna stop hanging out with you, just yet.” Louis insisted.

Clem hesitated — just for a second. Then she glanced back at the piano, at the heart carved into the wood, and finally at him.

“Okay, fine. Come on then. But if you yawn even once, I’m sending you straight to bed.”

Louis grinned. “Scout’s honor.”

“I don’t think you were ever a scout.”

“Details.”

She didn’t respond, but the small smile she tried to hide was answer enough.

At the lookout, the two settled in on the floor of the wooden lookout tower. 

“You, uh, look nice. I wasn’t able to compliment you earlier ‘cos I was still a coward then, but uh, you look great.” Louis said.

Clementine had changed out of her own clothes earlier and was wearing Minnie’s old ones. The shirt hung loose on her, the neckline stretched wide enough to slip off one shoulder, fabric worn thin from too much use. It wasn’t stylish, probably never had been, but it fit her life—practical, lived-in, still holding together.

A plaid shirt was tied around her waist, ready if she needed it. Everything she wore looked chosen for survival, not attention. 

“Oh…” Clementine did not expect Louis’ attention on her body. “Uhm thanks. Thanks for these again, they fit perfectly.”

“Don’t sweat it.” Louis replied, then eyeing her hat. 

“So, you were a Tigers fan?” He asked, but was met with confusion from the girl. “You know, baseball.

“Oh. I didn’t know, and I never got to watch a game. My dad was a fan, and he gave it to me one time he watched a game of theirs.” Clementine removed the weathered baseball cap and examined it in her hands. “It’s the only thing I have left from them, wearing it makes me feel like they’re still with me.” 

Louis nodded in understanding. He knew what it was like losing your parents in this whole apocalypse thing— atleast he figured that’s what happened to them, because since being sent to boarding school when he was 10, he hadn’t seen or heard of them again. It had been easier to assume they were gone like everyone else’s parents.

Louis let the silence sit for a moment, then squinted out over the treeline. “You ever notice how everything looks… almost peaceful from up here?”

Clementine followed his gaze. “Yeah. Makes it easy to forget what’s actually down there.”

“Almost dangerous,” he said, then glanced at her. “You don’t seem like the forgetting type, though.”

She huffed quietly. “Kinda have to be. Forget too much, you get sloppy. Remember too much…” She shrugged. “That’s worse.”

Louis nodded, thoughtful. “Guess that explains why you’re always so… switched on. Like you’re already three steps ahead.”

“Habit,” Clem replied. “You?”

“Me?” He raised a brow. “I’m more of a ‘figure it out as I go and hope for the best’ kind of guy.”

She smirked. “Yeah. I noticed.”

“Ouch.” He clutched his chest dramatically, then laughed under his breath. “But, hey. Seems like it worked out. We’re both still here.”

“Barely,” Clementine said—but there was warmth in it.

Another pause. Not awkward. Just… settled.

“I’m glad you stayed,” Louis said after a moment, quieter than before.

She looked at him then. “Me too.” 

The quiet stretched again, the kind that didn’t beg to be filled. Clementine had scooched beside him a bit closer, settling beside him with her knees drawn up. From this close, Louis could hear the steady rhythm of her breathing, feel the warmth of her shoulder just barely brushing his arm.

He told himself not to think about it.

He failed.

Louis shifted, pretending it was just to get comfortable, his hand landing palm-down between them. Close enough that their fingers nearly touched. His heart thudded way louder than it had any right to. He waited—gave her time, gave himself an excuse to pull away if she did.

Clementine’s fingers brushed his knuckles. Once. Testing.

That was all the permission he needed.

Slowly, like any sudden movement might scare her off, Louis turned his hand and laced his fingers with hers. He held his breath. She didn’t pull away. Instead, her grip tightened slightly, grounding, sure.

He smiled without realizing it.

They stayed like that, watching the dark beyond the trees, sharing warmth in the cool night air. At some point, Clementine shifted closer, her head coming to rest against his shoulder. Louis stiffened for half a second—then relaxed, careful not to move.

He tilted his head just enough to rest it against hers.

For once, the world felt quiet.

And that was enough. 

Chapter Text

A bit deeper into the night, the pair hears small footsteps approaching the lookout. Alerted, they break apart and Louis takes a peak in the direction of the rustling.

“Clem? Are you here?” It was only AJ.

“Hey, buddy. What’re you still doing up? You’re supposed to be sleeping already, it’s late.” The girl lectures, but her face softens as she sees AJ below. “I can’t sleep. I had a bad dream again.”

 “Come here, then. Join us.” With her permission, he climbs up the lookout post.

“Hey little man.” Louis greeted, offering a fist bump. 

“Louis! What are you doing here?” AJ asked, confused as he knew it was supposed to only be Clementine at the night shift, but regardless, he was delighted to see his friend.

“Just keeping Clem here company.” The boy smiled. AJ nods in understanding and picks up a binocular to look beyond the gate. 

A few moments pass, and he decides to speak up.

“That man I almost killed back at the station. He’s gonna be with them, right?” AJ briefly stopped peering at the device and glanced at Clementine. “Abel. Yeah.” She frowns at his harsh terminology. 

“Are your bad dreams about him?” The girl asked. AJ nodded.

“Can I swear yet?” The boy suddenly asked, making Louis chuckle at the boy, but curious to see what Clementine would reply.

She thought for a second then let out a deep sigh then smiled. “Okay, but not the F-word? Shit is the upper limit.” 

AJ nodded at the response, as if he had been given very important valuable information. He was a bit disappointed not getting a free pass fully, but he’ll take what he can get for now.

“That guy is a f… a-a shitbird.” AJ managed to say. The two older kids laugh at his expression, making the boy frown. “It’s not funny. Come on.” AJ said, clearly unamused at their amusement.

“I’d take a big shit on his head.” The boy added.

“Okay, I think that’s enough shit for today.” Louis said, fake scoldingly. AJ chuckled.

He continued looking into the binoculars, deciding to count the monsters and observe where they would go. James had told him they weren’t as bad as people, and that people were more the bad guys than the walkers. Looking back to that guy at the station, Abel, he started thinking maybe his new friend had been right.

Hardened and all serious, the boy said, “Abel doesn’t frighten me. When he comes here, I call dibs. I’m the one that kills him.” 

This had caused the two teens to share a concerned look. 

“AJ, I don’t like the way you’re talking, kiddo. Killing is never easy, or fun, or to be treated so casually.” The girl explained. AJ had not expected the sudden lecture, but he had sort of an idea why.

“Is it because I’m trying to be good because of Marlon?” He asked. Upon hearing the name, Louis lowered his head. He didn’t want to intrude or comment as this had felt like an important moment between the two, so he just resorted to giving them space, and passively listened.

“It’s just because you should never think about killing like that. Lives are precious, and you shouldn’t be so quick to decide on who gets to live and who doesn’t. And you most especially do not kill someone you hate for your enjoyment. With that mindset, you’ll get a lot more people hurt, maybe even harm others you don’t actually mean to hurt.” AJ listened intently and nodded. He figured karma should handle Abel instead of hurting the people he cared about. 

The calm of the learning moment was abrupt as Louis, who had been looking out at the far woods while listening to their dialogue had spotted something unusual— it was the raiders, sneaking towards the school’s direction, with a horse pulling a huge cage with them, as if  to contain a large animal. Presumably in this case, it was for them.

“They’re here. Let’s tell the others and get ready.” Louis said, bidding them goodbye and running off to the building to wake the others.

The kids gather and Clementine decides to give a quick run through of the game plan as well as a quick assessment of the situation. These raiders were clearly not here to mess around— they weren’t going to leave empty-handed.

“Ok, remember what we’ve planned. They’ve got at least four more people, all carrying guns. And carts, probably to carry people away.” 

“Assholes.” Mitch crossed his arms in fury.

“Listen. If they get inside, I’ll keep them focused on me. That should give Willy and Mitch time to set up the bomb.” The two boys nod, both holding the two small bombs they’ve been working on all week,

“If they manage to get in, we fall back to the admin building; right into our traps.” Clementine looked at everyone’s faces; all of them scared, but they also all had a fire of determination she could see in their eyes— they weren’t going down without a fight.

“So, uh, any final words of wisdom? You’ve faced them and won, after all.” Louis asked their leader of operations. “Whatever happens, look out for each—”

A gunshot suddenly rang, hitting Omar’s leg. “Everybody hide!” The rest of the unharmed kids scatter around the grounds as Clementine begins dragging the injured boy to a safer place, with cover. 

“Just hold on, big guy, Alright?” Clementine told Omar who was clutching his leg. He nods, “I’ll be okay.”

The raiders, led by Lilly, soon manage to open their barricaded gates and infiltrate the school grounds.

“Lilly! Not one step, or I’ll shoot.” Clementine stood her ground from across the yard, drawing Marlon’s bow at the woman. The other raiders freeze in their steps, alarmed by the brave action. They all start training their guns at the young girl.

Lilly signals for the raiders to hold their fire. “Where’s our new recruits?” She asked.

“They’re not yours!” Clementine shouted. Her fingers were starting to get sore from the tension of pulling the string back.

“Search the yard.” Lilly directed Abel and the others. “If Clementine moves, shoot her.” 

This made Clem’s eyes widen, a sudden flash of fear shining through her eyes, alas, she swallowed her fright and strengthened her resolve. “Just take me and leave.” She told the woman.

Lilly only shook her head. “I’m afraid we need more than one stubborn little girl, Clementine. We need all of you.” 

Willy and Mitch, on the other hand, find themselves an opening and start creeping closer to the cage where they would be planting the bomb.

“So eager to sacrifice yourself for others, huh? Lee would’ve been heartbroken knowing his sacrifice to keep you alive had been for nothing.” 

That had hid a nerve, but Clementine persisted. If her time with the Frontier had taught her anything, it was that showing emotion was a form of weakness, and she wasn’t about to show Lilly that she was weak. “That’s where you’re wrong, Lilly. You see, I’m just like him— not afraid to stand up and defend my people, my home. If he saw me now, he’d be proud.”

“Why? Because you pick fights you can’t win?” Lilly taunted.

By this time, Mitch and Willy get to the back of the cage. They quickly planted the bomb inside the cage and set it off.

They manage to get back far enough before the bomb detonates, detaching the cage to the horse and spooking the animal to run away. A few of the raiders, Lilly included, got blasted to the ground from the force of the explosion.

“NO!”

The other kids manage to all fall back closer to the admin building safely from all the commotion. They took this as an opportunity to start shooting with their bows.

“Argh! That’s it! Kill who you have to! Take the rest!” Lilly shouted, finding cover.

Arrows and bullets flew everywhere; the once peaceful school yards now a battleground. Clementine starts shooting at the raiders, giving everyone an opening to run inside the building and upstairs to hide, anticipating for the raiders to follow them in.

Three barged in, with Abel leading the two. Once the two raiders aligned perfectly under the traps, Aasim had cut the rope holding the duffel, and the bag of bricks fell on their heads, killing them instantly.

Abel threw a molotov at the second floor balcony, causing Clementine and AJ to fall back to Marlon’s office. It wasn’t long before the bad man made his way into the room as well.

“Your friend Lilly ain’t around this time, so we’ll have a nice little chat, you and me. Alone.” Abel said, menacingly drawing closer to Clementine. The girl quickly equips her knife from her sleeve and slices the man’s hand, causing him to fall. 

The man then kicked the girl’s shin, causing her to drop the knife. She managed to pick it up before the man took it from her, but Abel quickly stood up and threw a punch, pushing the girl onto the principal’s desk, face down. He twisted her right arm from behind, almost succeeding to break it when Clementine found a small lighthouse statue on the desk and used it to stab Abel’s eye.

The man falls back, and AJ uses this as an opportunity to help out. He grabbed a metal fireplace poker and stabbed it into the man’s foot. Clem uses this chance to push him outside to the balcony. Though not without effort, she managed to eventually push him off, but the man grabbed her hand at the last second and pulled her down with him. 

When Clementine got back to her senses, he heard Abel’s scream of pain as his leg knee had split open and started bleeding profusely. She looked up, attempting to get her bearings, when her face was met with the barrel of Lilly’s gun.

“Shit, this should be easy.” Lilly said, clearly hesitating to just pull the trigger, despite everything the girl had caused.

“You won’t shoot me. We were like family once. You won’t hurt family.” Lilly had looked even more conflicted.

Louis had watched the exchange from a distance. When he saw that Lilly had her defenses down, he immediately tackled the woman, causing her to drop her gun. Clementine was about to reach for the shotgun when Abel had pulled her leg back. To her rescue, Rosie appeared and chomped down on Abel’s arm hard.

Finally rid of the man, Clementine looked back to see Louis being dragged away by one of Lilly’s people. “Shit!” 

“Aaah! Get off me!” Louis screamed in agony as the raider tugged on his dreads.

Without a second thought, Clementine’s eyes had focused on the raider dragging Louis to the cage. With a good aim, she managed to hit the raider’s shoulder causing her to stumble back, giving Louis the chance to kick her off and run away.

On the other side of the yard, Violet was fighting one of the raiders, but failing miserably. She had managed to get a few punches in, but the raider was still much stronger in stature than her. 

“Shit! Vi!” Because Clementine had focused on Louis, she realized that Violet too needed help a little too late. Though she tried to shoot an arrow at the raider, it missed because they managed to get far enough away. “It’s okay! I’ll–I’ll be fine!” Violet yelled out as she was pushed into the cage along with Omar and Aasim.

‘We’ll kill you, you bitch! You hear me?! We’ll get you!” Mitch screamed out. Lilly only barely managed to escape with the others.

Now they only had the walkers who had been drawn to the loud sound of the fight to deal with. This being something everyone had been used to dealing with, they managed to quickly finish off the ones who had managed to get in through their opened gates.

Clearing the grounds, Clementine, Mitch, and Louis manage to close the gates, or a tleast what remained of it after Lilly had tossed a molotov at it.

“They took them. Aasim, and Omar, and goddammit, Violet.” Louis grunted in frustration. All he could do was look back at the closed gate in sorrow for his three friends.

Clementine placed a hand on his shoulder, “I know, but we’re going after them.” She was furious that the raiders had managed to capture some of them.

“If we knew where to look, I’d smash down their walls myself. But we don’t.” Louis looked down in defeat. For all they knew, the fact it took them weeks to come back was because they came from somewhere very far away.

Clementine remembered the man she had managed to take down, just barely. “Well, we’ve got someone who does.” She and the boy turned around to see Abel, unconscious, who had just been tied down by Mitch and Ruby to the lamp post.

Clem looked around at the rest of the group. Some visibly shaken from the events, others fuming. Despite them missing a few kids, she was thankful for the fact that no one had to die. That had to count for something.

The morning after the siege felt uncanny. A new day came with the bright sun and birds chirping nearby. It was as if nothing had happened the night prior.

Ruby and Tenn were sitting on the outside couch, sulking as they had missed the friends they lost. They wanted to look at the bright side and think that their friends will return, but realizing that it had already been a year since they lost Minnie and Sophie, they didn’t know if it was better to start mourning for them instead.

Louis approached Clementine who had just gone out to the courtyard with AJ.

“Me and Mitch moved Abel to the basement. Maybe it’s time you give it a try to question him, see where they took them.” Louis sighed. “I wanted to hurt him, you know, to make him talk. But… I just couldn’t. Maybe you’ll get more out of him than I did?” 

Clementine saw the disappointment in Louis’ face. He had never looked more upset and downcast. She couldn’t help but hold his hand and grabbed it tight to comfort him. He managed a small smile before he let her go.

In the basement, Abel looked a bit more bruised up than she last remembered. Seeing Clementine, the man scoffed and spit out a bit of blood on the side. 

“You better keep that angry little shit on a leash, kid wanted to kill me if it weren’t for the dreadhead.”

Clementine raised a brow, crossing her arms, deciding how to go about this interrogation. AJ walked in a little while later, keen on watching the ordeal pan out. He looked menacingly at the man, playing with the barrel of his revolver.

“Little boy, do you even know how to use that thing? Why don’t you give me some water, maybe it’ll loosen my lips.” Abel taunted.

“You’re not in the position here to be making demands, Abel. Tell us where you brought them, and we might just give you a sip.” Clementine slowly approached the man, crossing her arms.

“I see you’ve done this kind of shit before, huh? Smart girl.”

“Now, where are they?” Clementine asked, her tone unwavering. “It doesn’t matter. As soon as she gets there, she’s gonna turn around and come right back for me.” Abel said, laughing. “You better give me the five star treatment.” The man smirked, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

“Oh I’ll make sure to treat you real nice.” She walked back to where Rosie had been tied to the water filter.

“You aren’t gonna do that. You don’t have it in you.”

Clementine scoffed, unleashing the hound who gladly bit the man’s leg.

“AAH! YOU PSYCHO BITCH CALL IT OFF!” After a bit more struggling, Clementine decided to finally call the dog off with a whistle.

“Just tell us where they took our friends so we can get them back!” AJ told the man, copying Clem’s stance.

“You don’t know what it’s like out there. Communities out for each other’s blood. We need the manpower, you’re not getting your friends back. We need the people to fight it. Soldiers who’ll point their guns the way we tell them to. You little turds were supposed to be easy pickings who—”

SLAM

Clementine grabbed Abel’s head and slammed it to the chair’s arm rest. “No fucking way I’d let my people fight for you.”

Abel starts coughing up a lot more blood. “Shit. I don’t think I’m gonna make it.” The man heaved. “When you pushed me off that balcony, something must’ve burst inside of me.”

“Will he turn?” AJ asked.

“NO!” Abel grunted. “My… my whole life, everything I ever got, I got with my own two hands and… and my will.” He spat out more blood.

“For my body to turn on me… to take control…” Abel shook his head at the thought. “I’ll tell you where to find Lilly. Just promise you won’t let me turn.” Abel pleaded, tears running down his face.

Clementine sighed. Despite her history with the man, the good in her couldn’t just let him die and come back against his own will. “If you’re honest with me, I’ll put you out of your misery. You have my word.” 

Hearing those words, Abel nodded. “Okay… we have a boat. We’re docked a few miles west of here, at an old fishing pier. Your friends are on that boat.”

“You got what you wanted. Please, don’t let me become one of those things.” Abel looked into the two kids’ eyes.

Clementine took out the small knife from her pocket and looked at AJ. “You don’t need to watch this, kiddo.” AJ, remembering what she and him talked about just the night before, nodded. The old him would’ve taken pleasure in seeing the man he was so frightened of die right in front of him. 

He looked away, remembering that killing and taking joy out of it is what makes you a monster. And he was no monster.

Clementine looked away from the man, stashing her knife back. She looked upset. AJ knew that she felt that way because she was a good person. She didn’t want to betray the man’s final wish; that was the only reason why she finished him off. AJ decided then and there that he wanted to be a good person, just like Clem.

In the afternoon, Louis, AJ, and Willy had set out to do some reconnaissance, to see if Abel had been telling the truth.

Not even ten minutes after walking towards the direction of the nearby river, they spotted the big boat— it looked more like a rundown ferry.

The only way in and out was the small pier the boat was docked in. Upon closer inspection with the binoculars, there were guards standing, keeping a lookout on each floor of the ship, as well as on the pier by the boat’s entrance. On one side of the pier, there are several raiders guarding it too, surrounding crates and barrels of what looked to be their supplies. That would be useful to ransack too.

Clementine looked at the second food closer, where she saw Violet being led to the room to the other end of the boat, a gun trained on her. “Abel wasn’t lying. This is it.” Louis said.

“There’s no good cover leading up to the boat. We’re gonna need one hell of a distraction.” Clementine looked at the boy, frowning as she started to think about possible ways they could get onto the vessel without getting unwanted attention.

“We should get out of here before they spot us. We can talk through the plan once we’re somewhere safe.” Clementine addressed the group and they all agreed and started walking back to the school.

Now at a safer distance, Clementine started running over the plan she had thought about. “We can burn that hay we saw as a distraction to lure the raiders’ attention there, and free the horses so they can’t chase after us with them. Someone can sneak up to their supplies cache and take what we need to help fortify the school. As for the distraction, James was able to lure the walkers to us back then to help me and AJ escape. Maybe if I talk to him, he can agree to help us and do it again.”

“What about after we get everyone home? The raiders’ll just attack us again. What then?” Willy had made a decent point. Clementine was about to respond when she froze in her tracks and held the others back. They had spotted someone out in the distance, chopping down trees. “Hide quick!”

She crouched to where AJ and Louis were hiding. “They must be one of them. You all stay here. I’ll see if they know anything that could help us.”

And with that, Clementine slowly approached the figure as the others watched from afar. She managed to sneak up behind the raider and hold a knife to their throat. “Drop it.” Signaling for the person to drop the axe. The raider obliged and held her hands up.

“Where do you keep the people you steal?” Clementine asked.

“I don’t know what you’re—” The girl attempted, but could only hiss as she felt the sharp blade of the knife against her skin. “I’m not fucking around. Answer the question.” Clementine taunted.

“The boiler deck. Second deck. They’re all there.” The raider finally answered.

Upon creeping closer to the two, Louis realized that he knew the raider. “Clem, wait!” This caused Clementine to turn her head around, giving the raider the chance to break free.

“That… that’s Minnie.” Louis mumbled, walking closer beside the girl.

The raider, who turned out to be an old friend, could only hug the boy. “After the attack, I wasn’t sure… I mean, I heard they burned half the school down.” Minnie started. “Who survived? Brody, Ruby, Mitch… Tenn?” Her voice faltered as she mentioned her brother.

“Ruby, Tenn, and Mitch made it. And Brody, um, she died.” Willy said, breaking the news to Minnie. The girl was clearly in anguish upon hearing the news. She now set her sights on Clementine.

“You’re Clementine. The girl who took over after Marlon died.” She said, bitterness in her tone. “You’re the one who convinced the school to fight back. Your “leadership” is going to get my little brother killed.”

Clementine could not believe the audacity of the raider in front of her. “Excuse me?”

“Abel figured he could talk Marlon into handing everyone over, like he and Lilly did before. You ruined the whole plan.” 

Louis couldn’t just stand there and say nothing while Clementine was being berated by his old friend who had betrayed them. “What the hell? He gave you and Sophie away!” He argued.

“Yeah, and we all survived it. Marlon would’ve never made them fight, the way you did. He wouldn’t have gotten people killed.” 

“Minnie you’re wrong. Clem protected us! And Marlon…Marlon killed Brody.” Louis couldn’t help but have his emotions wash over him as he rehashed the earlier events.

Minnie was taken aback. “What?”

“Where’s Sophie? Is she alive?” Louis asked, changing the subject. “She… she died protecting the Delta. A hero.” 

Suddenly, another voice from the woods rang out. “Minerva!” It was another one of the raiders, making the kids scatter to hide. “Finish up, and get back to the boat. I want to be in before dark.” 

Minnie looked at the others one last time before she yelled a “Yes, ma'am." and picked up her fallen axe. Atleast she had the courtesy to not rat out her old friends. She approached Clementine’s hiding spot. “Our boat leaves for the Delta in two days. Then it’ll be a couple of weeks before we can come back for the rest of you. When we do, don’t fight. The only way you’re gonna save your people is to let us take them.” Minnie instructed.

“If Tenn could see you now, he’d be ashamed to call you his sister.” Minnie lowered her head at this. She figured she was right. Regardless, she headed off to her new group, abandoning the kids. 

When the coast was clear, the others headed out. Louis looked crestfallen, “ ‘Let us take them’. She clearly no longer identifies herself as one of us. She’s part of the Delta now. The old Minnie would have done everything to stand up for the school.”

Clementine could only sympathetically rub the boy’s back. “Are you okay?” Clementine asked, concerned for the boy. Then, something in his expression changed. He seemed more determined than ever.

“Nothing’s changed. Our plan is to get onto the boat and save our friends, so that’s what we’re gonna do. We’re not letting Minerva stop us.”

Chapter Text

James had been reluctant to help upon hearing the plan. He had grown attached to the walkers, seeing them as in-between the dead and the living. Clementine and AJ were hesitant on the guy’s point-of-view at first, of having sympathy for the monsters, but they slowly came around to the idea. These monsters were once humans who had lived completely unique lives, after all. 

James shared about his boyfriend who had been consumed by the concept of murder. It had changed him entirely. He warned Clementine not to let AJ be drawn to that kind of darkness, and AJ’s commitment to being a good person  had only strengthened further. 

Seeing the desperation in the two’s faces, James eventually agrees to help the Ericson kids out with their predicament.

Back at the school, AJ couldn’t stop thinking about what James told them. All his life he just looked at walkers as mindless monsters; he didn’t realize that they were probably all good people once. 

On their way back to their room, they come across Ruby who was holding a few pillows.

“So, how’d it go with that… guy?” Ruby asked.

After the past few days of struggle.,Clementine was just happy to report something positive.  “James. He agreed to help us.” 

Curious about the pillows, AJ asks Ruby about them. “What’re you doing with those?”

“Oh. Well, I wanted to throw one last hootenanny before the big fight.”

“Swear..?”AJ looks at Clementine, confused by the new vocabulary. “It sounds like a swear.”, the boy said.

She chuckled, “It’s just another word for party.”

“I know it sounds strange, throwing a party, but people need something to lift their spirits right about now.” Ruby explained.

“You’re right. This could be our last chance to act ‘normal’. ”, Clementine realized.

Now a little more keen on the idea, AJ perks up, an idea clearly forming in his little head. 

“Can I help?” He asked Ruby, feeling eager.

“We need to pretty up the old music room. Could you make us something colorful to hang up?”

“Okay! I’ll be an artist.” Excited, AJ runs to his and Clementine’s room to get started on the poster. Clementine soon follows suit.

“I’m gonna make the deck… the decker…” AJ stumbled on his words, unsure of the right term.

“Decoration.” Clementine said.

“Yeah. Decoration. For the party.”

He starts working on a picture of everyone in the music room, including those the raiders had taken: Violet, Aasim, and Omar. He could only sketch with his pencils for now; he was gonna have to borrow some of Tenn’s coloring pencils.

A little while later, AJ calls on Clementine to show his drawing. 

“Hey, you’re getting better at this. Soon, you’ll be as good an artist as Tenn.” She nudged his shoulder.

“I dunno. He’s really good.” Though previously happy and content with drawing, his expression suddenly changed, looking downcast.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Clementine asked.

“I was just thinking about stuff while I was drawing.” AJ pushed his chair back and stood up, walking towards the boarded-up window of their room. “There are three kinds of eyes, Clem.”

“Oh yeah?”

“There are alive people eyes. We got those. Then there’s monster eyes. Usually look like dirty water. Other times monster’s eyes aren’t even wet.” He then looked at the floor, deciding to focus his attention on the dust webs gathered at the side of the room. After a beat of silence, he broke it by continuing, “And then there are alive people eyes, right as you kill them. Like you did to Abel.”

“His… his eyes looked like you blew a candle out.” He turns away from Clementine, feeling somewhat ashamed for what he was ruminating on. “He was a bad guy. I know I shouldn’t feel like this. I hated him too. I… I think there’s something wrong with me.”

The girl could only listen as AJ shared his innermost thoughts, understanding how vulnerable and fragile this moment was. She kneels on the ground to get to the boy’s level.

“You know what, AJ? Everything you’re feeling is okay.” AJ looked at her eyes, still feeling unsure. “It makes you a good person.”

“Am I good?” The little boy asked. “I want to be better, Clem. Where people know I’m good just by my face.”

“Look at me. You’re the best, okay?” Clementine holds both his hands in an attempt to comfort him.

“I keep thinking about you getting bit. Turning into a monster. The older I get, the more I see it. I don’t know why. What happens then?” 

“AJ, we’ve talked about this. A lot. If I get bit, you know what has to happen.”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” The boy turned away again, letting go of her hands,

“But you brought it up, so we’re going to.”

“It does something weird to my stomach. Like I’m gonna get the dookies.”Clementine smiled at this and shook her head.

“Kiddo, I need to know you remember what we talked about.” The boy crossed his arms.

“If I get bit, you’ll shoot–”

“No, I’m not gonna do that!” 

“AJ, you promised.”

“I don’t care. I’m not gonna shoot you!”

“If you get bit, I’d want you to bite me too.” AJ approached the girl, no signs of any doubt on his face.

“What? You don’t mean that.”

“I don’t want to be alone. Please don’t be mad.” He lowered his head. “I can’t live with you, not with me, Clem.”

Though it broke her heart to see him like this, Clementine held back the forming tears on her face. She knew she had to lecture him right, to not make his parents’ sacrifice all worth nothing. 

“Alvin Junior, you know you’re not supposed to talk like this. You’ll do what you promised, no matter how scared you will be. I know you can do it.”

“I don’t think I can anymore.”

“Yes, you can, okay? You can do it.” 

"You can’t break promises, AJ.”

“I know.” Clementine reached for a hug, and AJ returned it, holding her tight. He knew what he had to do, he just wished it would never come to the point where he would have to actually do it. The precious moment lingered for a moment, then they eventually broke apart.

“Can I go patrol for a bit? Before the party.” AJ asked, picking up his small revolver from the table.

“Sure, go ahead. Be careful.”

When he opened the door, his face lit up, seeing the familiar face. “Hey, little man!” Louis greeted the kid.

“Hey Louis! I’m going on patrol.” He told the boy before heading down the hallway. Louis chuckled and went inside the room when he saw Clementine was in it.

“So, patrolling’s a thing, now?” A bright smile adorned his face, but faltered when he saw the teary-eyed girl. “Hey, are you okay?” Concerned, he took a few gentle steps towards the girl,

“I-i’m fine. AJ and I just had a heavy conversation.” Clementine wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and gave a sincere smile to not make him worry.

“Anything… you want to rant or share about? Though I understand if it’s something too personal between you two, I’m not trying to pry, just trying to help.”

Louis said, folding his arms, unsure if he was crossing a boundary he shouldn’t have. 

Clementine considered waving it off but when she saw how patient and open the boy looked, she ultimately decided it wouldn’t do any harm to share it with him; maybe it might even help her process the conversation better. “I guess… the past few weeks have been pretty crazy for AJ.” Louis sighed, relieved to see her open up to him.

“He talked about Abel. That man really terrified him—gave him nightmares, even.”

“I can imagine, even I got spooked by him.” Louis had sympathized with the little boy. He couldn’t even begin to imagine being harassed by someone like him at his young age.

“He couldn’t comprehend why he still felt remorse for his death, despite him being a bad guy.”

Louis nodded slowly. “Yeah.” He exhaled through his nose. “That actually makes… a lot of sense he’d feel that way.”

Clementine looked at him, one brow raised, waiting for him to expound.

“I mean—” He shifted his weight, arms folding again, more out of habit than tension. “If he didn’t feel bad, that’d be way scarier, right? Feeling guilty doesn’t mean he was wrong. It just means he didn’t… shut something off inside himself.” 

Clementine let that settle. “That’s what I told him. That it makes him a good person.”Louis’s jaw tightened just a bit. “I think you’re right.” After a pause, he added, quieter, “If he felt that way with Abel, I can’t even comprehend how he must have felt towards…”

“Marlon?”

He nodded, “Yeah. He must’ve been pretty terrified of him too.”

The name hung between them. Clementine or Louis didn’t flinch this time.

“I don’t think AJ sees Abel and Marlon as the same,” she said carefully. “But I think… the feeling is. The part where someone goes from alive to just—gone. Because of you.”

Louis swallowed. “Yeah.” 

His eyes flicked to the door AJ had gone through earlier, then back to the floor. “I used to think I was mad at him. At AJ.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Turns out I was just… trying to give the grief somewhere to land.”

Clem didn’t speak, but she listened intently.

“The thing that messes me up,” Louis continued, voice rougher now, “is knowing AJ didn’t pull that trigger because it was easy. He did it because he thought he had to. Because he thought it’d keep you safe.” A humorless breath left him. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to be angry at that.”

Clementine’s fingers curled slightly. “He’s terrified of losing me,” she admitted. “He told me today.”

Louis looked up. “Yeah?”

“He keeps thinking about what would happen if I got bit.” Her voice dropped. “About what he’d be supposed to do.”

Louis went still upon hearing the grim thought.

“I told him what I’ve always told him. That if it happened, he’d have to—” She broke off, jaw tight. “You know.”

Louis nodded once. “And he didn’t want to.”

“He said he couldn’t. That he wouldn’t.” She let out a shaky breath. “He even said… he’d rather I bite him too.”

Louis closed his eyes for a second. “Jesus.”

“I had to make him promise anyway,” Clementine said. “Because if I don’t teach him that, then what was the point of everything his parents, Lee—everyone—sacrificed?”

Her voice didn’t waver, but Louis could hear how much it cost her.

“And that’s when it hit me,” she added softly. “He’s not scared of death. He’s scared of surviving without the people he loves.”

Louis opened his eyes, something heavy settling in his chest. “Yeah,” he said. “I get that.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

“I think,” Louis said finally, choosing his words with care, “that AJ worrying about all this—about Abel, about you—it doesn’t mean something’s wrong with him.” He glanced at her. “It means he’s still holding onto his humanity with both hands. Even when it hurts.”

Clementine’s shoulders sagged just a little. “I just wish he didn’t have to.”

“I know.” Louis hesitated, then added, “I wish none of us did.”

He managed a faint, crooked smile. “Guess we’re all just trying to do the right thing. Even when it costs us more than we’re ready to pay.”

Clementine met his eyes. “Yeah.”

And for the first time since the conversation began, Louis didn’t look like he was running from the pain—or joking his way out of it. He was just there. Sitting with it. With her.

Clementine thought the conversation was settling, that they’d reached the quiet part where the weight finally eased. But Louis hadn’t moved. His fingers fidgeted at his sleeve, eyes unfocused — like something had looped back in his head instead of letting go.

Louis stared at the floor for a moment longer than necessary, jaw clenched, like there was still something stuck behind his teeth. The talk about AJ, about choices and consequences, had scraped something raw loose inside him — the familiar knot of what ifs he tried not to touch.

He shifted, rolling his shoulders as if to shake it off. It didn’t work.

Then it was Louis’ face that had turned dispirited, rubbing the back of his neck. Clementine noticed his telltale sign of unease.

“How about you? You… doing okay? Is your arm still hurting?” Clementine asked, placing a gentle hand on his bandaged left arm, inspecting it closer.

“My arm’s fine, it’s just…” He moved to the corner of the room, and leaned on the dusty bookshelf that was on the side of the room. 

“You can talk to me, Louis.” Clementine reassured.

Louis let go of a heavy breath he didn’t even know he had been holding on to. “I was wondering… well, I can’t help but think…” He sighed.

“You shot that raider who grabbed me, but Violet needed help at the same time too. I can’t help but think about how you could’ve saved Violet instead and not me.” Clementine approached him, reached for his hand, and he interlocked it with hers.

“Honestly, when I heard you yelling in pain, it was all I could see. It was strange, it never happened to me before, but it was like I had tunnel vision, and all I could see and focus on was making sure you were safe.” She squeezed his hand tightly.

“But, Violet… why…why would you pick me? I mean, I wouldn’t have picked me.” 

Clementine shook her head at his ridiculous thought. “I just… couldn’t let them take you, Louis. You’re… fuck, you’re too important to me.” She couldn’t help but cross her arms in an attempt to shield herself from how vulnerable she was feeling right now.

Louis suddenly wrapped his arms around the girl, enveloping her in his arms tightly. “I never got to properly thank you, Clem… thank you for saving me.” 

Clementine who had initially been startled by the sudden action, returns the hug, wrapping her own arms around him back. They both cherished this intimate moment for a while, before naturally pulling apart.

Louis sighed, then looked out the window. “I’m sorry, I’m probably acting silly, it’s just, I can’t help but miss Violet.” Clementine nodded, thinking about how long they’ve probably known each other for. If she felt this strongly for a boy she had only just met for almost two months now, she could only imagine how it must feel to lose someone you had known for years. 

“I know I’m always teasing her. Trying to get her to do that one eye roll she does – you know the one? Where it’s like you’re such a dumbass, she had to do a full-body eye roll.” Clementine couldn’t help but smile, knowing what he had referred to. “I do it because, when I actually do manage to make her laugh, it’s worth it.” Louis smiled sadly, thinking about the last time he actually managed to genuinely make Violet laugh. He turned to face Clementine again, resting both his arms on the dresser against the window. “If I needed her, she’d be there. Meat cleaver in hand, ready to chop someone in half if it meant protecting me.” The girl walked closer, closing their space, and rested a flat palm in the middle of his chest. She pressed her palm in just enough to feel the steady beating of his heart. “Wh-what’re you…” Louis, not expecting this interaction but not against it either, was caught a bit off-guard.

“You have a good heart, Louis. A heart deserving of love, worthy of saving. I’d choose to save you over and over again.” He placed his hand over hers that was on him, feeling his heartbeat quicken a little bit. Clementine who had been looking at where their hands connected, then darted her eyes back to his dark brown ones. “We’re going to get them back, Louis.” He nodded, smiling, now feeling a lot better by her actions. “Yeah. Damn right we will.”  

“Actually, uhm..” He cleared his throat and gathered his bearings, emotionally. “That’s not the only reason I dropped by. Regaining a pep in his step, he tugged at his coat, making Clementine laugh at his actions. The usual cheery disposition Louis had returned. “Ruby’s whole party idea kind of made me realize something.” He then brought out a candle from his coat pocket then laid it in between them on the floor, as he sat down in front of it. 

‘What’re you doing?” Clementine couldn’t help but ask. 

“Well, I figured since we might die tomorrow and never get to go on a real date…” He then took out a match box from his pocket and attempted to light the candle he had put down. “I thought we could—dammit.” The match he picked up stubbornly didn’t want to light up at first, making the girl chuckle at his attempts. After a few more tries, a successful smile emerged from his face as he finally got to successfully light up the candle. “I figured we could have one now.” Clementine shook her head in amusement and sat at the opposite side of him, facing the candle. As she settled down, the boy also brought out a bag of pretzels.

“How many more surprises do you have in that trench coat of yours?” Clementine joked.

“A magician never reveals his secret.” The boy winked. 

He cleared his throat. “I promise I’ll keep it short so we can finish getting things ready for tomorrow.” He chucked, adding before he could think, “But, I mean, nothing’s wrong with ‘short and sweet’, right?” As he said this, his eyes widened at the possible insinuation. “Wait, that’s not.. I– forget I said that. Nothing’s short with me, it was just—” Clementine chuckled at how flustered and rambly he was getting again, and decided to shut him up with the only way she knew. She crawled a small way toward him and gave him a kiss, successfully shutting the boy up again. “I have no idea what you mean, but I’m all for it.” She smiled, pulling away only a little, and their faces were still close to each other. Looking like Louis was about to self-combust, she decided to eventually return to her original spot, but the boy was still frozen in place. 

“You gotta stop doing that.” Gathering himself, he finally found his words again, and rubbed the back of his neck. Clem could only smile, realizing how much power she had over him.

“Why?” She asked, feeling a little coy.

“Because..I–uhm… fair, I don’t actually have a valid reason. Fine, you can keep doing it.” 

Clementine could only laugh at how bashful he looked, indirectly admitting he liked what she did to him.

Both settled down now, Clementine confessed, “I never thought I’d get to go on a date… ever.” 

Louis could only give her an incredulous look. “Really, never? Have you met you?” This had made her cheeks feel hot, and it was her turn to get flustered. “End of the world or not, someone would’ve at least tried to sweep you off your feet.”

“All right, all right..” Clem still couldn’t quite agree.

“What? It’s true!”

The girl scooched closer, curious to what he had to say. “Come on, what do you know about dating, anyway?” 

“I’ll have you know, I found some magazines in the headmaster’s office that had some very interesting things to say about the dating world.”

“Were those even age-appropriate?” 

“Oh come on, before the apocalypse, I know kids our age knew all about dating and other things.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” Clementine contested.

“Well, it said you can tell a lot about someone based on what they look for in a partner.” He replied, quoting the line he remembered from the magazine he had been studying a few nights ago. “Brains, brawn, dashing good looks, great sense of humor… That sort of thing.” Hearing the words coming out of his own mouth, Louis could only look away, feeling a bit ashamed at the concept of him studying a magazine about these sorts of superficial things. 

Clementine could only chuckle at how adorable he looked. “Sure, I guess.”

“What, uh… what would you say your thing is?” 

Clementine had thought for a second. It wasn’t like she had never had a crush or anything. She remembered years ago when she thought Luke had been quite charming… Molly, then Ava… Javi, then Gabe. But it never felt like how she was now feeling for the boy in front of her, it was different this time, much stronger… more passionate? She didn’t quite know how to pinpoint what it was quite yet.

“I don’t know… does it have to be just one?” She asked.

“Well, the article didn’t have any rules against choosing only one, so I’d say you can choose as many as you resonate with.”

“Well, I think they would have to first be a gentleman. Someone who knew how to respectfully treat women.” She thought about how Javi and Luke would be much gentler and caring towards the women in their group. 

“But they would also have to be strong and smart enough to get out of tricky situations.” She thought about how Molly seemed to always push through no matter what obstacle was in front of them.

“But, I wouldn’t want anyone too serious all the time.” She shuddered at the thought of someone like David. “I think someone who knows how to make me laugh from time to time would be nice,” she thought about how Gabe would crack jokes whenever she felt down. “Though I wouldn’t mind having to look at someone who looked nice all the time.” She thought about Ava and how effortlessly cool she always seemed.

Louis could only laugh, somewhat nervously. “All that, huh? Seems like a pretty high standard to reach.” Clem only shook her head.

“Hmm. I don’t know. I think I’m looking directly at someone who fits all those things.” She looked straight at Louis.

The boy couldn’t help but feel bashful, not used to receiving such a compliment. He pretends looking over his shoulder to the wall, to pretend she had been referring to someone else, making her genuinely laugh. “Aw, shucks,” was all he could muster.

He picked up the bag of pretzels and moved to the other side of the candle to sit beside Clementine. She got the hint, settling down closer to him, and leaned on his chest, as he rested his back on the bed frame behind them for support. He opened the bag of chips and they both ate in peaceful silence. 

“How about a toast?”

“Are we ending this so soon?” Clementine couldn’t mask the disappointment.

“I know, I could stay here forever, but they might still need a bit of help out there.” He sighed as he placed a small kiss on her head, and took out the last two pretzels in the bag. He handed her one, and he held up the other.

“To our last night alive.” 

“How about… to bringing everyone home?” They clink the two pretzels.

“Yeah, I think I prefer that one, too.” They smile, looking into each other’s eyes. The moment stretched on, and Clementine had wanted to end the date with a kiss. With the way Louis’ eyes darted to look at her lips told her he wanted the same. But, she decided, it was his turn to initiate, it was only fair that he got to do it too, so she just smiled, letting him be the one to pull her closer, a steady, sure hand on her lower back drawing her towards him. He pulled her in, and finally closed their distance on his own terms. 

The kiss carried everything they hadn’t said—the heaviness of earlier confessions, the quiet understanding, the hope they were clinging to despite everything. It wasn’t rushed. It didn’t need to be. It just was.

The kiss lingered, unhurried and warm, the kind that made the world feel smaller—quieter. Louis’s hand stayed steady at her lower back, grounding her there, like he was afraid the moment might slip away if he loosened his grip. Clementine’s fingers curled lightly into his shirt, breathing him in, letting herself, at least for a moment, forget the raiders, the danger of tomorrow.

Then—

“Clem!”

The door swung open.

Both of them jolted apart like they’d been caught doing something bad.

AJ stood there, holding a massive, inflated beach ball almost as big as his torso, eyes wide and curious rather than accusatory. He looked between them, brows knitting together as he took in how close they still were. Too close.

He tilted his head.

“…Are you checking if Louis is breathing?”

Silence.

Louis blinked. Once. Twice.

“What?” he squeaked, voice cracking just slightly.

“You were really close,” AJ explained, utterly serious. “Like when you listen for monster sounds. Or when you check if someone’s still alive.”

Clementine slapped a hand over her mouth, half to stop a laugh, half to stop her face from combusting. “AJ—no. We weren’t… doing that.”

AJ frowned, unconvinced. “But you didn’t say anything. And your faces were touching.”

Louis rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks blazing. “Yeah, uh… turns out that’s not just for breathing.”

AJ processed this slowly. Then his attention snapped back to the beach ball, pride returning instantly. “Oh. Okay.” He lifted it up. “Look what I found. It’s huge. I think it’s for playing.”

Clementine exhaled, smiling now, the tension easing out of her shoulders. “It is huge, buddy.”

Louis glanced at her, amused and a little dazed, then back at AJ. “Yeah, wow. Definitely not for checking lungs.”

AJ nodded, satisfied with that explanation, and started bouncing the ball lightly against the floor.

Clementine met Louis’s eyes over AJ’s head—still warm, still lingering with everything they hadn’t gotten to finish yet.

There’d be time. Hopefully.

“Hey,” Louis said softly, rubbing the back of his neck, “we probably need to get back to the others. Help out with the party and all.”

“Yeah,” Clementine nodded, letting out a small breath. “We should.”

Still, neither of them moved right away.

For a second, they just stood there, close enough that Clementine could still feel the ghost of his hand at her lower back, close enough that Louis still had to remind himself to breathe normally. AJ watched them with open curiosity, beach ball tucked under his arm, completely unbothered.

“You ready?” Louis asked finally, gentler now.

Clementine reached for AJ’s free hand and gave it a squeeze. “C’mon. Let’s show everyone what you found.”

AJ grinned and marched ahead, already explaining how the ball could “totally knock down walkers if you throw it hard enough.”

Louis fell into step beside Clementine as they followed him out, their shoulders brushing every now and then like it was accidental—like it wasn’t.

Tomorrow would be dangerous. Loud. Uncertain.

But for tonight, they decided to put all those aside and just live.

In the music room, Ruby smiled, acknowledging the arrival of the three. 

“Hey, y’all! Just in time. We still need to figure out lighting, music, and… something to write on the banner.”

Louis made his way to set up the record player. AJ, curious, looked to the only person he knows who knew how to play music. “You're gonna be playing the piano all night, Louis?”

“God no,” answered the boy, “I wanna actually attend this thing.”

This had only drawn AJ’s curiosity to grow stronger.

“Then how are we gonna have music?”

Louis raised his brow, glancing at the old device on the table he set up, but soon realized, “You’ve never seen a record player? Come here, buddy, I’ll show you.”

Excited, AJ approaches the device, intrigue written all over his face.

“How about we play some Classical?” Clementine suggested. 

Louis grinned, pleased to see that they had a similar taste in music. “Ah, a woman after my own heart.” Louis grinned, pleased to see that they had a similar taste in music.

This made Clementine’s cheeks feel a little warm, returning the comment with a shy smile.

“Look, check this out. When you turn that crank there, it plays music. Any kind you want.” Louis began demonstrating to AJ. He selects the record Clem chose and puts it on, then begins cranking the gramophone. When the device started playing the music, AJ’s eyes widened in fascination. Louis, in turn, was pleased to see that he had the opportunity to teach the little boy something new again.

Clementine then approached the table with different colored mason jars with candles inside to select the room’s lighting. 

“I’ve been going back and forth between colors for ages. Green’s calming, but purple might be nice…” Ruby sighed.

“Hmm, what about green? Might give us the calming effect we may need.” 

Louis raised a brow but chuckled, “It’ll look like we’re summoning leprechauns.” At the comment, AJ who had been listening in, felt confused at the new word that sounded silly. He was about to ask the older boy when he quickly added, “And before you ask, leprechauns are too hard to explain and don’t really exist.”

AJ frowned, but sighed, knowing pushing Louis would give him nothing. He was totally going to ask Clementine to elaborate later on.

“Ok, now we just need to set up this huge banner. What’cha think we can write to help boost people’s spirits?” Ruby asked.

“How about, ‘We’re getting them back’?” 

“That’s perfect. The right kind of motivation we need. Damn right, we’re getting ‘em back. I’ll go get Tenn so he can write it on the cloth.”

The music room was going to look great. It would be their last hurrah before whatever’s going to happen on that boat.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Willy and Mitch were asking for you. They’re up in Marlon’s office, and said they had something to show you.” 

Clementine signaled an ‘okay’. She looked across the room to see AJ and Louis still occupied with the gramophone, the two playing different records to satiate AJ’s curiosity. She smiled, seeing her two boys getting along so well. 

In the office, Mitch and Willy were hunched over an open cardboard box, busy with something. 

“Hey. Ruby said you two needed me?” She called out, getting the two’s attention.

“Check it out, Clem. I found a bunch of books on ships.” Willy brandished what looked to be a handbook of the boat they had seen earlier.

“There’s some awesome stuff about fires at sea and explosions and stuff.” He added. “The key is the boiler room.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Clementine crossed her arms, unsure of how to take the new information.

“We have an idea about how to stop those assholes coming back to the school after we’ve rescued the others.” Mitch finally spoke up, brandishing the device he had been occupied with since the start of the two’s conversation.

“And from hurting anyone else ever again.” Willy added.

“We’re gonna blow up the boat.” Mitch said, vengeance and utter disdain in his tone. Ever since the raiders got away with their friends, he had been a lot more irritable. She was glad his anger had been directed to someone else ,but decided to keep her distance, in case he was going to throw her and AJ out all of a sudden during his fits of rage.

“A bomb theme… why am I not surprised?” Clem answered.

“Tell us you agree.” Willy said, eyes somewhat pleading. Though she knew whatever she was going to say wasn’t going to stop the two. At least, the two had the decency to let her know.

She considered the addition to the plan, and sighed. “As long as you two time the explosion so it happens after we get off the boat, I’m in.” 

“Trust me, it’ll work. We’ll be okay.” Willy smiled, appreciating the girl’s support. Bringing the device, he ran out of the room, eager to let everyone else know about the explosive addition to their plan. 

This had left Clementine with Mitch who was still crouched at the floor near the bomb materials. Not wanting to make things awkward, Clem shifted then headed towards the door to follow Willy.

“Clementine—wait.”Mitch called out, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around to see Mitch now standing and looking at her, uncharacteristically seeming awkward and unsure.

“Yeah?” The girl asked.

“This… isn’t easy for me,” he muttered. “So I’m just gonna say it before I decide otherwise.”

Clem stayed quiet, giving him the space.

“I was wrong,” Mitch said flatly. “About you. About AJ. About a lot of shit.” He glanced toward the door Willy had disappeared through. “I kept thinking if I stayed mad, if I kept blaming someone, it’d hurt less.”

He snorted at himself. “Didn’t work.”

Clementine’s shoulders eased a fraction.

“You didn’t owe us anything,” she said carefully.

“Yeah, well.” Mitch shrugged. “You didn’t owe us saving our asses either. Or sticking around when you totally had the option to bail.”

He looked at her then, really looked — no longer guarded, no longer angry.

“So… for what it’s worth,” he continued, tone rough but honest, “I don’t think you and AJ are just ‘passing through’ anymore. You earned your place here. Both of you. I know the others have totally warmed up to the idea long ago. I’m sorry it took me this long.”

Clementine felt something loosen in her chest she hadn’t realized she’d been holding onto.

“Thank you,” she said, and meant it. “That… really means a lot.”

He nodded once, sharp, like he was sealing the thought in place rather than inviting a response. 

Mitch turned back to the bomb parts without another word, already working again. The conversation was over — not cut short, just complete.

Clementine lingered a second longer, then quietly slipped out of the room, the weight in her chest a little lighter than before.

In the music room, a classical tune filled the room. The huge banner had been set up, and the room illuminated a light green hue. Everything right now felt… peaceful, maybe even normal. Like, if a bunch of kids decided to break into their school’s music room and throw a party in there. 

Louis’ face lit up as he saw Clementine return. He bids Tenn goodbye, who he was previously having a conversation with and made his way to the girl. 

“I gotta hand it to ya, green lighting does look nice.” He smiled, nudging her shoulder playfully, though not long after, his mood shifted. “You okay? Heard Mitch talked to you.” He glanced at the older kid who was across the room, by the snacks with Willy. “Did he give you a hard time again?” Louis asked, a little concerned.

“No, it was… nice actually.” She replied. The boy gave her an appraising look.

“Willy barged in earlier brandishing the new bomb they made. They apparently call it ‘Mitch’s Masterpiece’.” The boy emphasized the name with air quotations.

“Yeah, they talked to me about that addition to the plan, then Mitch apologized.” Louis’ eyes widened briefly, clearly not expecting the second half of what she had just said. 

“He no longer wants us to leave.” Clementine smiled, relieved that all the kids at Ericson, Mitch included, no longer wanted them gone. This made Louis’ face brighten too, pleased at the news.

“Thank fuck, though if ever push came to shove, I wouldn’t have let him cast you away, anyway.” 

This made Clementine snicker. “You really think you can outmatch Mitch?” 

Louis scoffed, “Have you seen these strong guns?” He flexed his (non-existent) biceps and posed like a body builder, complete with an obnoxious smoulder. This had made the girl burst into laughter. “Oh god, stop that. You’re an idiot.”

“Your idiot.” Louis grinned.

The two share the moment, enjoying the light atmosphere of the night. From a distance, they smile, seeing AJ swaying to the slow beat of the music. 

“I found them!” Ruby, who had been rummaging at the corner shelves of the room, had apparently found what she was looking for. “Gather ‘round for the game y’all.” She called for everyone’s attention. The kids gathered and sat in a circle, curious to see what Ruby had cooked up.

“Clementine, these here are our official Ericson’s psych evaluations and probationary reports.” Ruby explained. 

The girl was unsure of how to take the information, and so was AJ. “I don’t get it.”

“Well, these explain why all of us got sent to this school in the first place.” Ruby said.

“And how we got stuck here for as long as we did.” Louis added, finding a spot beside Clementine.

“What’s the game then?” Clementine asked.

“I figured if we’re all going on this crazy mission together, you might as well know who we really are.” Ruby grabbed a file from the records box. “I’ll read some of what the adults thought about us, and you have to guess which one of us fits the bill.”  

Ruby started with the first one and read it aloud, “While otherwise a remarkable student, ‘Blank’ continues to be plagued by fits of anger, uncontrollable cursing, and repeated physical altercations with the senior faculty.”

Clementine wanted to think for a second. She looked around at the room, at the circle of people who may be the one referred to in the file. She thought hard, and contemplated on whether or not answering who she thought of truthfully, but eventually concluded, “Hmm, is that one Mitch? Sounds like him.”

Mitch, who had been sat across from her, paused for a second. Clementine gulped, unsure if she had offended him. A moment passed, then the boy let out an amused laugh. “Ha! Definitely sounds like me.” Clementine sighed, smiling back at the boy.

“Nope, I’m afraid you were wrong, Clem. This one was me, but I’m touched you didn’t even consider me in the first place— at least I hope you didn’t.” Ruby answered.

“What, really? But you’re the sweetest..” Clementine had not expected the girl to be quite the ball of anger. She had grown used to Ruby being the kind, nurturing figure in their school, tending to every injury they had.

“Well, our sweet Ruby here was kind of a nightmare when she first showed up.” Louis explained, though he meant no offense to the redhead.

“She once chased the home ec teacher around the yard with a barbecue fork this big.” Tenn added, his hands demonstrating what looked to be a 3-foot fork.

“No way…” AJ looked at his friend, unable to imagine the sight.

Ruby giggled and shook her head. “Don’t worry. That was a long time ago.”

Thrilled at the stories about past behavior, Willy chimed in. “You guys want to know why I got sent here?” The Ericson kids looked at the boy in horror. “Dude no–” Louis tried to interject but Willy insisted. “Chronic masturbation.” Willy proclaimed proudly.

Seeing his young age, Clementine did not expect this from Willy. She didn’t know how to react, whether to giggle with him or shudder in disgust. Ultimately, she just felt sorry for the kid, knowing that he must have been exposed to inappropriate behavior at a very young age that influenced him to do it.

Ruby groaned, burying her face in her hand. 

“Willy, I speak for all of us when I say nobody has ever, ever wanted to know that.” Louis shuddered, discouraging Willy.

 “What does that mean?” AJ asked, his first time encountering the word.

Clementine sternly pointed a finger at each of the kids. “Uh uh, don’t you dare.” 

Tenn decided to whisper to AJ what he deemed was an age-appropriate enough answer, causing AJ to raise a brow in confusion. Thankfully for everyone, he no longer asked to have it elaborated.

Ruby dug in the box again, in hopes to change the mood. She pulls out another, then clears her throat. “How about this one? ‘Blank’, who is an otherwise good kid, tends to be easily influenced by those around them into bad behavior, by their siblings, especially.”

Clementine didn’t have to think hard about this one. “I think that’s you, Tenn.”

Tenn nodded solemnly. The giveaway was the mention of siblings. Tenn was the only kid she knew had siblings with them sent to the school too. 

“Me and my sisters kind of had a fondness for setting things on fire.” Tenn explained. “It started small. Toys, clothes, homework, until one day, we ended up burning down our whole house. We almost trapped ourselves in; I got stuck on a furniture leg on our way out, hence the scars. I wouldn’t have gotten out, if not for Sophie.” He turned his head to show the side of his head that had visible lines of scar tissue. 

“That must’ve hurt.” AJ sighed.

“This is nothing compared to… well… our parents weren’t able to get out of the house in time. The very next day, our aunt was so mad, she didn’t know what to do with us. She eventually saw this school and just dumped us three here.” 

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward, but a comforting one. There was no room for judgment. Everyone there had done something they weren't proud of; something stupid enough to send them here and label them as ‘troubled youth.’

Ruby cleared her throat. “Okay, another one.” She rummaged and pulled out another file. 

“This one’s a doozy. ‘Blank’ has an explosive personality, no doubt telling of their past behavior at home. They refuse to cooperate and conform to the school’s policies. They have a particular interest in chemistry, though this must be closely monitored, as ‘Blank's aptitude in the sciences results in the creation of prohibited devices. They have since managed to, on multiple occasions, cause significant damage to the chemistry lab and greenhouse, resulting in a permanent ban in these facilities.”   

One look towards Mitch’s direction to see a proud smirk on his face was enough to know who it was. “Mitch. Easy one.”

“No regrets.” The boy folded his arms, earning a ‘tsk’ from Ruby.

“What? I made sure nobody got hurt— except the shitty headmaster’s pockets. No harm, no foul.”

Ruby pulled out another file, but seeing the name made her frown..

“Whose is it?” AJ asked

“Violet’s.” 

“Do we have to read it?” Willy asked, unsure about digging into a friend’s past when they’re not around. It felt wrong.

Louis interjected, “I, uh, I could tell you guys my story instead. What got me sent here, I mean.” 

He looked to Clem. “Only if you want. It’s… not great.”

Clementine gave him a sincere smile, and reached for his hand beside her in comfort. “I mean, I’d appreciate knowing, but only if you feel like sharing it.” 

“Well… how do I start…” He cleared his throat and caught Clem’s encouraging gaze. “My family was rich, like stupid rich. I was given everything I wanted, when I wanted it.” He explained.

“Except the thing I wanted the most—singing lessons. I begged  my dad. I told him I wanted to be a real musician. All he said was, ‘You get to be happy, or you get to be rich, can’t be both.’  I know now he was just trying to teach a dumb dad lesson… but I hated him for that.” Louis felt Clem squeeze his hand in reassurance.

Louis sighed heavily. “So, I figured: ‘I’ll ruin my parents’ marriage. That’ll get him, right?’ “ His head lowered in shame.

“I broke into my dad’s credit card accounts, making a whole made-up mistress for him, buying all sorts of things; jewelry, hotel rooms. My dad didn’t even notice that he was spending a fortune on a mistress that didn’t even exist. Mom did though, I made sure of it— I sent her the receipts and everything.”

The boy had felt his eyes water; he wasn’t used to being this serious and vulnerable in front of everyone before. He probably still wouldn’t have been able to, if not for Clem’s support. He finally stopped caring about the others judging him, because he knew she wasn’t going to. She wouldn’t leave him.

“They had a fight all night long. He denied it, she wouldn’t have it. I sat in the corner and cried to help it feel more real.” At this point, a few tears had fallen down his face. He remained looking down, not wanting to catch the others’ eye.

“When their divorce was final… I told them the truth. I said, ‘You get to be happy, or you get to be rich. You don’t get to be both.’ “

Louis cleared his throat, trying to gather himself. “You know… those two would’ve been happily married forever. I’ve always wanted to someday have a love like theirs.” 

He managed to look back up at Clementine. “... but then I had to go be a vindictive fuckhead. I came here the week after.”

Sensing he had shared as much as he could, Clementine spoke up. She took a breath before speaking.

“I’ve met a lot of people who hurt others and never looked back.” 

She glanced down at their hands, then back at him.

“You looked back. You still do. That counts for something.”

“You can’t undo what you did,” she added gently, “but you’re not the sum of it either. Who you choose to be after… that’s what matters.”

He sniffles, drying his eyes, then huffs a half-laugh.

“So you’re telling me I’m not permanently doomed to be ‘Rich Kid Who Destroyed His Parents’ Marriage’?”

He pauses.

“…That’s a relief. That title was getting a little long.”

She squeezes his hand, flashing him a smile. 

Louis let out a breath that trembled at the edges. “…I don’t wanna mess things up anymore. Not here. Not with you.”

Clementine’s heart gave that stupid, traitorous little flip again.

Before she could respond, a voice cut through the heaviness.

“Aww.” Ruby’s tone was dangerously sugary. “Now ain’t you two adorable. Are we witnessing a whole romance arc right now?”

Clem blinked. Louis stiffened.

Mitch snorted from across the room. “Seriously, man. You cryin’ and holding hands? What is this?” He pointed vaguely between them. “You two a thing now or what?”

Louis turned red immediately. “Wha— okay, first of all—”

Clementine felt a smile tug at her lips before she could stop it. Not defensive. Not embarrassed.

Just… warm.

She glanced around the room — at Ruby smirking, Willy pretending not to stare, Mitch trying and failing to look disinterested — and for the first time, the teasing didn’t feel like scrutiny.

It felt normal.

Her shoulders relaxed. “Maybe,” she said simply.

That earned a louder reaction than expected.

“Wow.” Mitch shook his head. “I guess the apocalypse isn’t all bad, huh?”

Ruby elbowed him. “Let them breathe, Mitch.”

The laughter faded into something softer again. Quieter.

Clementine looked down at her hands, then back up at the group.

“You know,” she started, slower now, “if this place existed before all this… I probably would’ve ended up somewhere like here too.”

“I had to make a choice once,” she continued. “Between two people I cared about. Kenny… and Jane.”

Even saying their names still carried weight.

“They were both broken. Angry. Hurt. They thought they were right. It was clear they were dead set in killing the other.” Her jaw tightened slightly. “And I had to pick who lived, before they ended up ending both their lives.”

The room had gone still.

“I shot Jane,” she said plainly. Not dramatic. Just true. “And no matter which one I chose… I would’ve had to live with it.”

She met Mitch’s eyes, then Ruby’s.

“So yeah. ‘Troubled Youth’ ?” A faint, wry smile. “I think I’d qualify.”

There was no judgment in their faces. No recoil. Just quiet understanding.

And in that silence, Clementine realized something that felt almost strange in its simplicity.

She didn’t feel like an outsider explaining herself.

She felt like someone sitting in a circle of kids who all carried something heavy — and who weren’t running from hers.

She felt like she belonged.

Louis motioned for her to lean against him, so she did. He didn’t look at her right away. His jaw flexed slightly, like he was chewing on a hundred thoughts at once. When he did finally meet her eyes, there was no pity. No horror.

“You were a kid,” he said quietly. “You shouldn’t have had to make that choice.” 

It wasn’t loud enough to make it a big moment. It wasn’t meant for the room.

It was meant for her.

His thumb brushed once over her knuckles, grounding. Present. 

Ruby exhaled slowly. She looked back into the record files, seeing how many names were left — names she hadn’t heard in a long time. 

“I didn’t realize how many of us we’d lost…”

“Remember that Justin guy?” Willy asked

Tenn chimed in, “And Therissa, Jasper. That one girl with the colored braces…” Louis had visibly grown somber.

“And Joey, Maddy, Lamar…” Tenn listed on.

“Erin. She had the braces.” Louis sighed. Clementine who had been leaning against his chest looked up, curious. He kissed the top of her head, then muttered. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Alex. Dewey. Trey. Stephanie." Willy listed more names of old friends he could still remember. “Holy crap, how many of us died?”

Ruby shook her head, “34.”

She ended up closing the lid of the box, not wanting to sour the mood any further than it already had.

“Sorry. This was supposed to be fun. I guess I’m not really a ‘game’ person…” 

“Don’t beat yourself up. You said it yourself, Clem needs to know who she’s leading into battle.” Louis assured.

“Hey, I’ve got an idea.” Tenn chimes. “Do you guys remember when Minnie would sing “Don’t be afraid” when all of us used to get scared?”

“Of course, I remember. I helped compose it with her.” Louis replied.

“Could you maybe… play it for us? If Violet was here, she could sing the words, but…”

 “Yeah… Yeah, I’d love to, Tenn.”

Clementine sat up, allowing the boy space to get up and walk to the piano.

Sat at the piano seat, he let out a breath, letting his shoulders drop. 

He started playing the familiar tune, fully in his element.

It was melancholic. He recalled every key progression like he and Minnie had just written it yesterday, here at this very seat; the redhead would have been sat by the windowsill, staring at the courtyard grounds as she sang. 

When the night deepened, the kids one by one bid their ‘goodnights’ and retreated to their own rooms, until it was just Clem, Louis, and Mitch left, the oldest ones of the bunch.

Mitch, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground decides to head to bed too. He stood up, dusting off his jeans and cleared his throat. “I’ll be heading off too. Have fun, you two.” He walked towards the door, but turned to look back at the two as he held the doorknob, “but not too much fun, if you know what I mean.” Mitch winked. He laughed when he saw the two’s mortified expressions. Louis managed to flip him off before he finally left them in the  music room.

The two had been at the corner of the room, leaning against the wall, still closely leaning into each other’s comforting warmth. “What’s he talking about?” Clementine asked.

Louis rolled his eyes, “Don’t mind him, he’s just being an idiot.”

The silence returned, for a moment, before Clem asked again, her genuine curiosity getting the best of her.

“... but what did he really mean?” 

Louis sighed. “He’s just being a weirdo, talking about sex.”

The girl’s eyebrow raised at this.

Louis rubbed the back of his neck, his usual silver tongue suddenly feeling like lead. "It's... you know. When two people really, really like each other. And they... uh. You've seen dogs, right? No, wait, that's a terrible example. Forget the dogs."

“Oh my god, I know what sex is, Louis! Kinda… I just— I didn’t know what it was called.”

Clementine felt her face immediately burn up.

“Right, yeah, of course.” A blush had also formed on his face from the topic.

A thick, heavy silence settled over them, broken only by the distant creak of the school’s floorboards. Clementine stared at her boots, her mind racing through fragmented memories of things she’d seen over the years—brief, hushed moments between adults in various camps that she’d always just cataloged as 'privacy.'

“I just... I never really thought about it being something people did,” Clem muttered, her voice smaller than usual. “Not now. Not with everything else going on.”

Louis let out a dry, shaky laugh. “Honestly, I didn’t either. I think if we didn’t have any raiders or zombies to worry about, we’d have more time to act like normal, hormonal teenagers.” He started mindlessly tracing the length of her arm that leaned against him with his finger. “I guess people do it for the distraction. A way to feel… human, I guess.”

“Would you.. Uh—nevermind.” Clementine started, but hesitated to continue.

“Hm?” 

“Nevermind, you’re gonna make fun of me.”

“Nuh uh, you have to say it now. Look, no judgment here, I promise.” He held out a pinky finger. She hesitated, but interlocked her pinky with his.

“...fine. If you ever, you know, got into that sort of thing… would you know what to do?” Clementine muttered quietly, ears a bright, embarrassed pink. She looked away from the boy, deciding to draw her attention to the intricate detail of the room’s walls.

“Hm, not really. I probably only have the same level of experience as you.” He explained. “You’re the only one I’ve actually been with— I mean, there was Erin, but we weren’t exactly a thing; we were really young then.”

The mention of the familiar name piqued her interest. “Erin?”

“Yeah, we were pretty good friends before this whole zombie thing started.” Clementine now started playing with his coat’s hidden buttons, as she listened.

“We… weren’t a thing. I’m actually not sure if we had romantic feelings for each other. We were just two horny, curious teens doing dumb teenage stuff.” He contemplated. It was the first time he stopped to rationalize about what had happened between them. “It was almost three years ago now.”

 Clementine felt a small, unexpected tug in her chest—not quite jealousy, but a realization. She had spent the last few years thinking about survival as a solo mission, or a duo with AJ. The idea of Louis having a history like this, made the world feel a little bigger. 

Louis sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. “It didn't last very long. A few months of hiding in the music room, making out, and sharing half-eaten boxes of crackers. We were fifteen. We didn't know what we were doing, really. We were just... trying to cope and  feel like the world hadn't actually ended.”

He looked down at his hands, then back at Clem, his expression turning earnest. “When she passed, I kind of decided that was it for me. Why bother, right? It just ends in a funeral and a lot of quiet rooms. But then you crashed a car into our front yard and started bossing everyone around...”

Clementine rolled her eyes, lightly punching his chest at the comment.

He let out a short, genuine laugh. “I realized then and there that I might have been wrong about the 'not bothering' part.”

Clementine asked, not out of jealousy or being nosy, but more of actual curiosity.

“Did you…get to do… the more intimate stuff with her?”

Louis found himself in a slightly stunned silence. He blinked, clearly not expecting her to be that direct—though, by now, he really should have known better.

“Straight to the point, as always,” he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. The pink hue returned to his cheeks, but he didn't look away. “Honestly? No. Not really. Like I said, we were fifteen. And at Ericson... it’s not exactly easy to find a place where a dozen other kids aren't lurking around the corner trying to steal your shoes or prank you.”

He looked back down at his lap, his voice getting a bit more serious.

“We held hands. We sat close, like this. We kissed—a lot. But back then, I think we were both too scared to go further. Not just because of the pregnancy thing and the other risks, but because everything felt so fragile. Like if we tried to make it something more, the world would realize we were happy and reckless and find a way to break it sooner.”

Clementine nodded slowly, taking it in. To her, "fragile" was a word for a physical wound or a temporary shelter, but hearing Louis apply it to a feeling made her look at him differently.

“So you’re… kind of in the same boat as me then?” she asked, a small, teasing tilt to her lips. “The 'not knowing what you’re doing' boat?”

Louis let out a relieved snort, his tension breaking. “Clem, I am the captain of that boat. I’m wearing the little hat and everything. I might have had a two-month head start three years ago, but I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten everything except the 'don’t trip over your own feet' part.”

He shifted, his hand moving tentatively across the floorboards until his pinky finger hooked around hers.

“But hey,” he added, his voice dropping to that warm, melodic tone he usually reserved for his songs. “I’m okay with figuring it out as we go. If you are.”

Clementine looked down at their joined fingers, then back up at his face. The "taboo" of what Mitch had said felt further away now, replaced by something that felt much more like the "belonging" Louis had described.

“I think I can manage that,” she said.

Chapter Text

Back in her and AJ’s room, Clementine tossed and turned for a while, unable to fall asleep. She peeks at AJ across the room who was snoring lightly. She stared at the wooden panels that held the bunkbed above her, counting them over and over again; she patiently waited for sleep to come. Eventually, what felt like another hour, she felt herself finally drifting off. 

“Hey, sweet pea.”

She was awoken by a jolt.

“Clem… we should start getting ready soon. We have a long walk.” AJ said, his hand still on her shoulder.

Clementine grumbled, wanting more sleep, but she knew it was time to get ready; they had a long day ahead of them.

“You were doing the thing again,” AJ started. “The mumbling in your sleep. You didn’t look like you were having a nightmare, so I didn’t feel the need to wake you right away.”

The girl rubbed her eyes. “Thanks, AJ. Yeah, I was just dreaming.”

“What was it about? The ranch again?”

“No, this time it was about Lee. I was talking to him on the train again.”

AJ smiled at this. “What’d he say?”

“I told him about you — saying he would be proud of the little man you’ve become.”

“I wish I would’ve gotten to meet him.”

Clementine sighed, now sitting upright on the bed, “Yeah, I wish you did too, buddy.”

“Wow, look at you.”

“I thought I told you to keep that hair short.”

“You have no idea how hard it is to find scissors these days.”

“Time to go, Clementine.”

“You’ve got people that need you.”

“Goodbye, Lee.”

The walk to the docks was quiet— maybe too quiet. But everyone was nervous to say anything. No matter what happened today, things would change. They’ve long abandoned the peace of last night.

Clementine manages to take down one walker, and dragged it in the cover of the bushes.

With her knife, she made an incision straight down the walker’s abdomen with practiced ease.

As she dug into the walker’s insides, James had arrived wearing his unsettling mask, startling Ruby and the others.

“Uh, hello…” James said awkwardly. He was no longer used to social interactions, let alone with this many people.

“Guys, this is James.” Clementine introduced him.

“He’s my friend!” AJ exclaimed.

“He’s…uh…” Tenn was still visibly startled

“So cool! How'd you get the skin like that?” Willy added, admiring the craftsmanship of the mask.

“Oh…I-uhm…”

“Willy, why don’t we give James a little space, okay?”

The younger boy realizes he was all up in James’ face, and backs away.

“Sorry— and uh, sorry for almost shooting you that one time. Your mask just looks so real!” Willy exclaimed.

“Functional and fashionable. I’ll take two.” Louis said, regarding the boy with an appraising look.

Tenn, who had been observing James silently, tilted his head to the side, then realized, “Is this the guy Clem said she’d flip?”

“Heh, yeah.” AJ replied quickly. 

Tenn had remembered their game many nights ago and recalled how Clementine chose to marry Ruby, then flip James. At the mention of this, Louis, who had already started to open up to the boy, retracted himself, looking the man up and down, wondering why Clem would choose to flip him. He did see the possible appeal—brooding and mysterious weirdo who saved her life. He couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.

Clementine, on the other hand, was mortified when she saw James’ uncomfortable expression. “Uh— it was just a game we played, no biggie.” She rushed to explain, cheeks red.

Finally getting away from the others’ prying eyes, James pulled Clementine aside to talk about AJ. He opened up about his ex-boyfriend Charlie who had turned into a heartless murderer in his time with The Whisperers. He then opened up about how he took a life just because the person would have slowed the group down, and how he had changed since then. Knowing that AJ had murdered someone, he was worried AJ would also go down Charlie’s path.

“I’m afraid if AJ kills again, he won’t be able to go back. He won’t be the same boy he was. I’ve seen it happen too many times.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to let AJ become a killer. I don’t want him to change— not like that.”

“I hope you can keep that promise.”

James eventually leaves, though not before telling Clem to take care of AJ. Clementine rejoins the others, and briefs the rest of the plan.

“See you all on the other side.” The girl bids Ruby, Willy, Mitch and Tenn goodbye. Tenn hesitates, and Clementine notices.

“Louis told me about Minnie. Sophie died, and Minnie is one of them now.” Tenn fiddled with his fingers. “Just, um, if you see her out there, tell her… tell her I forgive her, please. I’d tell her myself, but… I just want her to be okay.”

Clementine sighed. She couldn’t help but sympathize with the little boy.

“Yeah, sure. If we see her, I’ll let her know.”

When Tenn went away to join the others, she saw her own team, Louis and AJ scattered to different nearby corners of the woods where they convened.

Louis seemed restless and trying to catch his breath, staring off into the distance where the boat was visible. Clementine decides to approach him.

When the boy feels her presence, he puts his hands on his hips, sighing heavily.

“It’s really happening, isn’t it?” He asked Clementine, his face full of worry.

“Yeah, it really is.”

“Other people’s lives depend on us. Depending on me.”

Sensing the boy was about to spiral, Clem reached for his hand to squeeze it.

“You’re depending on me to…shit, what if something happens to you, Clem?” The boy finally looked at her.

“W-what if…what if I can’t protect you, or AJ, or the others?”

The girl reached for his other hand too. Now holding both his hands, she looked at him closely, catching his eyes.

“Hey, look at me. I wouldn’t have asked you to come with me if I didn’t believe in you.”

Louis raised a brow, unsure.

“Seriously, Louis. I mean it. Just… I don’t know, believe me until you believe in yourself, okay?” 

“All right. Though, I don’t know if that’s as easy as you think it is.”

Clementine gave him a disapproving look.

“Okay! I’ll try. But what if I just get us caught, too? All it would take is one little screw up. And I screw up ALL the time. Shit, all right, come on Louis, get it together…” Louis dropped her hands, shaking his off.

Then he turns to the girl again. “I need you to slap me. Help pull me out of this. Right here.” Louis pointed to his right cheek and closed his eyes in anticipation.

At the weird request, Clementine was briefly taken aback. She definitely didn’t want to hurt him. So, taking advantage of his closed eyes, she tiptoes a little to match his height, pulls the back of his neck closer to her, then instead plants a kiss on his lips. 

Now it was the boy’s turn to be surprised, but he didn't pull away, instead melting in the kiss. He felt the tightness on his shoulders evaporate as he sighed into her warmth.

When she pulled away, he felt a little flustered. “I… I can’t tell if I feel more focused or less.”

Then suddenly, a familiar chuckle was heard. The two teens look to see AJ had been watching them from a distance. “Heh, what are you doing?” The little boy asked, clearly amused.

“You’ll learn when you’re older.” Louis said.

Clementine felt embarrassed to have been caught…again. ‘Go… look in the other direction.” She told the boy, but couldn’t meet his eyes.

AJ lowered his head, then walked off.

This made Louis chuckle.

“He still think you’re checking my breathing?” He asked.

“Ugh, oh my god I don’t even know how I’ll begin to explain what kissing is.” Clementine facepalmed.

Crisis averted, the three met back to where the corpse was. 

“Oh god, we’re not doing what I think we are.” Louis says, seeing the walker’s stomach sliced open.

Clementine and AJ crouched by the walker, used to tolerating the scent. 

“That depends. What do you think we’re doing?” She holds a rotten large intestine in both her hands.

“Oh god, we are…” Louis joins them, crouching but trying his best not to gag or full-on puke at the pungent smell.

The two, unbothered, start  rubbing the guts and blood all over their clothes and skin. This prompted Louis to reluctantly do the same. 

“There, I think I’m ready.” Louis said, uneasy.

Clementine smiled, “uh no, you’re not.” She grabs a bit more curdled blood and motions for Louis to come closer. He obeys, and she starts carefully smearing the guts on his clean face, making sure it doesn’t go near his mouth or eyes.

“You know, walker blood is one of the hardest stains to get out. You owe me some new clothes.”

“Chill out, even covered in blood and guts, you still look handsome.” Clementine winked.

Blending in behind the herd of walkers, they dodge the gunshots from the raiders, slowly making their way to the dock. 

With the raiders distracted by Ruby and Mitch releasing the horses, and Tenn and Willy messing with their supplies on the other side, the three get a clear path onto the docks. 

The three, staying in cover, crawl along the side of the wooden path.

Louis sees the walker guts washing off them as they head deeper into the water.

With more raiders heading out to the dock, they were forced to dive into the water and go underneath the dock. What greeted them underneath however, was not a welcoming sight; walkers at the bottom of the water, walking just as if they were on land.

They find a ladder, and Clementine motions for the two to go first. Louis first, then when he sees the coast is clear, he motions for AJ to follow suit. 

Just as Clementine was about to climb behind the boy, a strong hand pulled her down.

“Shit! Clem!” Louis saw the walker pull the girl down into the water. 

Clementine struggles, but manages to kick off the hand and swim back up to the surface, where Louis’ hand was outstretched, ready to pull her up.

“Fuck, are you okay?” Louis asked, concerned as the girl gasped for air. “I’m fine, Lou.”

They just about make it to the door when they hear the familiar grunting of the walkers.

Louis and AJ get to opening the door, while Clementine uses Marlon’s bow to knock down the walkers who made it to the deck.

Now inside, they see the other raiders running around upstairs, still occupied with the herd outside.

After dodging a few raiders and knocking two more out, they reach the boiler, where Clementine does the honor of putting the bomb in.  

Now they only had a small window to save the others and leave before the bomb sets off when they start the boat back up. They had to act quickly.

Heading up the second deck, they get to what looked like the boat’s prisoner cells. They see Minnie talking to a raider.

“Minerva, focus.” The raider scolded.

“I… I have a little brother. Short, scarred face. Is he… he’s not out there, is he?” Minerva asked, looking away from what seemed to be her superior.

“Look, we’ve discussed this. Your family is Delta now. There ain’t no room for anyone else.”

Minerva, now strengthened in her resolve, looks at the woman. 

“Yes, ma’am.”

The older raider finally headed off.

From behind the crates where the three were hiding, Louis spoke up. “There’s no way we can get in there without her seeing us.”

Clementine waits for when Minnie is looking away, and moves out of her cover, drawing her weapon. The older girl must have sensed her as she immediately drew her crossbow back at Clem. This alarmed the two boys, forcing them out of hiding to also train their weapons at her.

“Get. Out!” Minnie shouted.

“Not without our people.” Clementine calmly replied, bow still at the ready.

“I swear to god, if you got Tenn caught up in this…” Minnie’s face suddenly appeared crestfallen. “Just… just tell me, that he’s safe.”

“He told me to tell you he forgives you.”

Although Minnie still had her crossbow trained at the girl, she felt her resolve immediately crumble.

She imagined her being back at the school with Sophie and Tenn, playing outside the courtyard. She pictured the quiet life everyone had back in the school, and realized how the Delta had ruined that.

She sighed, “Fine. I’ll help you get everyone out. Then you take my brother, and run.”

The three make their way to the cells, where they see Omar and Aasim.

“Clementine?” Omar asked, unsure if what he was seeing was real.

“Oh my god. Are you okay?” Clementine asked.

“I… yeah, I’m all right. We’re all right, but get Violet first. She needs to know you’re here.”

His face fell at the mention of his friend who was across, at the other cell.

Minnie volunteers to open the door for Clementine. “We don’t have a lot of time before Dorian comes back.” 

With that, the girl makes her way inside Violet’s cell. 

She sees her friend sitting curled up at the corner, facing the wall. Not wanting to startle her, she gently approached the figure.

“Violet?”

As she was about to place a hand on the girl, a hard object had hit her skull, knocking her down to the ground.

“What the fuck, Minnie?!” As her vision darkened, she saw Louis and AJ being taunted by Minnie to get into the other cell.”

“Get in the cell, NOW.” She ordered the two boys.

“Are you fucking serious?!” 

“I will kill him, Louis. Don’t test me.” 

That was the last thing she heard before the whole world darkened.

When she eventually came to, she saw she was by the corner Violet was, but the girl was no longer there.

“Ugh, damn..” She felt her head still ache from the hit.

She looked at the other end of the room where Violet was and she was relieved to see that she was okay.

“Vi…what happened? Are you okay?”

But all her friend did was respond with an annoyed sigh. She wouldn’t even look at her.

“Violet, talk to me. I’m so sorry I let them take you. Are you mad at me?”

“I looked for you. When they grabbed me, I saw… you let them take me.”

“Look, I’m so sorry, Violet. I really am. It’s just, when I saw you, I tried to help, I swear. I was just… too late.” Clementine felt guilty. Yes, Louis did need help back then, but she overlooked this other friend who needed her help too.

Violet wanted to be mad, blame Clementine for being put in this shitty situation, but she couldn’t. Back at the school, when she tried to get her help, she was busy saving Louis. 

Violet sighed, “...i’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get pissed. This whole ‘being put in isolation’ just messed with me.” She put a reassuring hand on Clementine’s knee.

“I knew you wouldn’t choose me, anyway. You had to save Louis. And honestly, no offense to him, but if he were in my place, he probably would have had it much worse.”

Clem looked down at Violet’s hand on her knee, her own hand covering it instinctively. "It wasn't about who I wanted to save more, Vi. It was just... a second. A single second where I looked left instead of right."

“You love him a lot, I can tell. Take care of him for me, yeah?”

“Wh-what’re you saying? We’re here to bring you home.”

Violet’s hand tightened on Clementine’s knee, not in affection, but with a sudden, desperate finality. She pulled her hand away and stood up, putting distance between them in the cramped cell.

“I’m not going back, Clem.”

Clementine blinked, her mind struggling to catch up. She tried to stand, but the ache in her head flared, forcing her to lean against the wall. “What? Vi, you’re not making sense. The school, the others—we’re all waiting for you. We have a plan to get everyone off this boat.”

“Then change the plan!” Violet snapped, her voice cracking before she lowered it to a harsh whisper. “Lilly... She told me what would happen if I escaped. She said she’d kill Minnie first, then hunt the rest of you down herself.”

Violet turned her back, staring out at the dark hallway beyond the bars.

“I can’t have your deaths on me, and I can’t lose her again. I won't. Please, Clem... just tell me you understand. If it were Louis's life on the line, you’d stay too.”

“She’s playing with your head, Violet! It’s what she does,” Clem pleaded, reaching out through the air as if she could pull her friend back. “We can protect you. We can protect Minnie.”

“You couldn't even protect me from being grabbed in the first place!” Violet barked, spinning around with tears blurring her eyes. She immediately softened, her shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry. I didn’t— I just... I’m tired of running, Clem. And I’m tired of people I love dying or abandoning me.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Clementine opened her mouth to argue, to tell Violet that she’d never abandon her, but the words felt hollow in the face of Violet’s raw grief. Comparing the situation to Louis had hit a nerve Clem wasn't ready to handle. She felt a lump form in her throat, a mix of guilt and a frustrating lack of an answer.

Violet wasn't looking for a speech; she was looking for a way to survive the impossible.

Clem swallowed hard, turning her attention away from Violet’s trembling shoulders and toward the cell door. Her hands moved almost on autopilot, searching the seams of the door, the hinges, and the lock mechanism. She needed a problem she could actually solve.

"I'm not leaving you here, Violet," Clem said, her voice strained as she knelt by the door, fingers tracing the cold iron. "I’m going to find a way to open this. And when the door is open... you can decide then."

She began to scan the floor of the cell, her heart hammering against her ribs. She looked for a loose piece of metal, a discarded tool—anything.

“Clem, are you alright?” Aasim asked.

“I’m fine. Where’s AJ?”

“I’m here!” The little boy answered.

“Is Vi alright?” Louis asked

“She’s saying she won’t help us.”

“What the shit? Are you serious?” Louis shook his head in disbelief. ‘We’re not moving yet. So atleast we’ve got some time, I guess.”

Clementine gets back to the task at hand, and she sees the latch mechanism at the foot of the door. Then she observes the flimsy welding work of the metal sheet blocking the latch and she figures she may just be able to pick at the metal sheet to pry it off.

‘AJ! Do you still have your knife?” She asked from across her cell.

“Yeah, they didn’t find it. Only the big one.”

“Good, I need you to slide it to me kiddo.” 

The little boy does as he’s told. Now with the small makeshift shiv, Clem manages to successfully chip at the rusted welds.

“Hey!” A loud voice startled Clementine, causing her to drop the shiv. It was the earlier raider who had been lecturing Minnie.

Then, another voice was heard. “Is she awake?” It was a familiar one—Lilly’s.

“Yes, ma’am.” The raider replied.
“Good. I’ll take it from here.” Lilly reaches Clementine’s door and stares at her tauntingly. Minnie was not far behind, with her crossbow at hand.

“Where’s Abel?” Lilly asked.

“He’s dead, we killed him! Put a knife to his head.” AJ shouted, drawing her attention.

“Fuck. You little monster…” Now she approached AJ and Louis’ cell, where Louis was now protectively covering the little boy with his body.

“We showed him mercy. He was terrified of turning. So we stopped him from having to.” Clementine explained. “We gave him what he wanted.”

Lilly could only mockingly scoff at this, “I’m sure you did.” She then cocks her pistol, and pointed it straight at her.

“Back up.”

Clementine does as she was told, not before kicking the small shiv under the bed where they wouldn’t see it.

“Minerva, open the door.” Lilly ordered.

As Minnie was opening the door, even Violet inside the cell held her breath, her body locking up.

Lilly walked in carefully, gun still trained at Clementine.

“Normally, the trouble you caused, I’d shoot you and toss you overboard.” The girl was forced to walk back until her back hit the wall.

“But I’m genuinely impressed.”

“First you organize these idiot kids into a fighting force, and kill two of my most experienced soldiers. Then you sneak onto my boat under the cover of a herd?”

“I bring a prize like you back to the Delta, it might make this whole clusterfuck of a mission worth it. Someone like you, so young, with so much potential…”

“Let the others go. Just take me and free the others, and I’ll go willingly.” Clementine said, unwavering.

“Look at you being the martyr. Tempting, but not happening. We need all the people we can get, and you alone my dear, won’t cut it.”

Lilly then started pacing around the room.

“You know, my father, Larry, was a military man, and when I was a kid, he had all kinds of rules.”

She sat on the bed and continued her story.

“The thing that bugged him most was waste. If I ever left a light on after leaving a room, he’d flip. No matter how many times he ranted about the cost of electricity, I could never remember to hit that switch.”

“So?” Clementine crossed her arms, defiant.

“So one day he let our power get cut. He liked “illustrations”. To show that actions have consequences.”

“Well, I guess asshole runs in the family. Is that the consequence? That you’re an asshole?”

Lilly, unfazed, continued on. “The consequence is, I never left the lights on again. My father had his faults, but he showed me the effectiveness of teaching by example.”

“Oh is that what this is? A lesson?” Clementine walked towards the woman but was halted by Minnie’s weapon.

“I want to tell you a story. Let’s call it: The Parable of the Twins.” Lilly waved Minnie off, motioning for her not to shoot.

“Two girls were taken from their home, and brought to a new place to live.” Clementine’s eyes widened in recognition as she realized who this story was about. Her eyes couldn’t help but dart to Minnie’s hardened stare, as her weapon remained pointed at her.

“They had to leave their friends and family behind, and that was hard at first. They shed a lot of tears.” 

Although Minnie remained unmoving, Clementine could see the brief flicker of vulnerability in her striking, blue eyes.

“But the new place was a good place. The people there grew corn and raised pigs, and the twins ate well for the first time in years. They had hot showers. Clean clothes. Beds. They were given guns and trained to use them. The people there were kind to these girls.”

“All that was asked in return was that they help defend the group.” Lilly returned her sharp gaze. “You see, this place had a lot of enemies, killers, and thieves who wanted what they had. They needed help fighting, or they’d lose everything they’d built. Their crops, their power, even their lives.”

‘They threaten to kill their loved ones?” Clementine, asked pointedly.

“They only do that to the ones who think they have a chance of escaping.”

“Did the twins tell it that way? Last I checked, there was only one of them left.”

“One of the girls saw that this was a place worth fighting for, and her tears dried.”

This could have only been Minnie.

“But the other twin… she could never forget her old home. She rejected every gift, every opportunity. Stirred up trouble every chance she got.” The hurt in Minnie’s eyes were as clear as day, as Lilly relived her sister’s tragic tale.

“She convinced her sister to help her steal a raft and leave on the river. Of course, they didn’t get far.” Lilly then looked at the redhead. “What happened then, Minerva?”

Her sad eyes were then replaced by the hardened ones. “I killed her.”

The other kids who had been listening could not believe it. Their friend had killed their sibling cold-heartedly, as if it were nothing.

“Shit, Minnie What the fuck!” Louis could not believe his ears.

Even Violet had perked up, “Is that true?”

“Your own sister? Why would you do that?” Lilly continued, ignoring the violent reactions.

“She was twisting my head with her lies.”

“And?”

“I made a mistake. I needed to show my loyalty to the place I call home.”

Clementine looked at Minnie, still horrified.

“Like it or not, you’re one of my people now, Clem.”

“The question is, which twin are you going to be? The loyal one? Or the dead one!”

Louis didn’t have it and couldn’t help his outburst. “You brainwashed her! You people are fucking sick!” He shouted, alerting the other raider.

“You better back away, boy.”

“I’ll behave if you don’t hurt anyone.” Clementine said, worriedly looking out to Louis who was stirring up trouble.

Lilly, at this, looked intrigued. “Looks like you really care about these people… the boy.” She gestured towards Louis.

“Pull the mouthy one out of the cell.” Lilly ordered.

The raider opened AJ and Louis’ door and brandished her meat cleaver at the older boy.

“Stop!” AJ put himself in between them. “Don’t hurt Louis, or I’ll hurt you.” AJ taunted the older lady.

“You better cool it or you’re gonna get yourself hurt.” The raider ignored AJ, then grabbed Louis by the hair and tossed him to the ground.

Clementine made to help the boy, but was stopped by Lilly pointing her gun at her again. “Easy, stay still.” The raider held Louis’ hand down with one hand, and readied her cleaver in the other, getting ready to cut his fingers off.

“No, no no, please..” Louis pleaded.

Clementine noticed AJ slowly creeping towards the lady who now had her back towards him. 

Assessing the situation, she decided to place her trust in the little boy and nodded for him to continue.

AJ immediately pounced at the raider and bit her ear as hard as he could, biting a chunk of it off before the woman tossed him back. 

“Son of a bitch!” The raider, pissed, now set her sights on the little boy, and made to kick him, but Louis was able to shield the boy, catching the kick in the stomach instead.

Seeing the chaos, Lilly finally stepped in before more bloodshed occurred. 

“That’s enough.”

“He bit me!”

“I said that’s enough!” Lilly yelled.

“You deserve to die…we’ll kill you!” AJ was now fuming, and Clementine was worried. 

Lilly decided to speak to this little ball of fury herself.

“You think you can kill me?” She approached the boy.

“I know I can. We’ll throw you in the river! Or we’ll put a knife right in the side of your head!”

“Big talk for a little guy.” Lilly seemed impressed with the sheer determination of the little boy for picking a fight against someone bigger.

AJ seethes, “I know I can do it.” His fists curled in anger.

“I killed Marlon. He wasn’t a monster, but you are.” At the mention of the familiar name, Lilly raised a brow. The boy pointed a finger gun at her, closing one eye as if to aim, and pulled the trigger.

“Bang.”

Despite the childish action, Lilly saw his conviction. Impressed, she crouched down to his level.

“So YOU killed Marlon. Huh.”

Clementine, alarmed at her proximity, spoke up. “Please, I'll do anything, just don’t drag him into this.”

“Clem seems to care a lot about you.” Lilly regarded the boy.

She then suddenly grabbed him. “Come on, let’s go have a chat. Just us.”

Louis attempted to grab the boy back but was met with a harsh shove from the other raider’s weapon. 

“No! Don’t you fucking touch him!”

With that, Lilly left with AJ, not before telling Minerva to keep an eye on Clementine.

“Get this thing moving. I want to be far away from here. Fast.” Lilly ordered, as she dragged the boy with her to the higher deck.

“I’ll start up the boiler.” The raider responded.

All Clementine could do was look at Minnie in discontent. 

“Don’t. Don’t you dare look at me like that! This is the only way we survive.” Minnie said, exasperated.

“Are you serious right now?!” Louis shouted from his cell. “After everything that she’s done… You’re just gonna help her?! Fuck you!”

This had caught the redhead’s attention, drawing her away from Clementine’s cell and towards Louis’ to argue with the boy.

Clementine takes this opportunity to reach for the shiv under the bed and pick at the rusted welding again, finally managing to chip the metal slab free without Minnie’s attention. She bent the sheet and carefully reached out and unlocked the latch. Now she just needed to time this right.

“How could you kill your family like that? Is this what you want? To bring Tenn here so you can kill him too?!” Clementine shouted, making Minnie storm towards her door in anger.

“Don’t you dare!” Right when she’s close enough, Clementine suddenly pushes the metal door open as hard as she could, knocking the redhead off her feet, dropping the weapon.

Clementine quickly opens the latch to Louis’ gate too, before Minnie charges towards her, holding a hunting knife faced to her head.

“Clem! Behind you!” Louis warned. 

The girl was able to block Minnie’s arm with her own, but she kicked Clem’s shin, making her stumble to the ground. “You’re the fucking problem here!”

Minnie’s knife had started to embed Clementine’s chest, but despite the pain, she continued resisting. “I won’t let you get them all killed!” Minnie grunted, as she pushed the knife deeper into the girl.

Louis quickly escapes the holding cell and grabs Minnie’s crossbow weapon. “STOP, Minerva! I’m warning you!” Louis, though visibly nervous and unsure of using the weapon, trained the bow at Minnie’s back.

Suddenly, the other raider had returned from the noise of all the commotion. 

“What the hell is going on down here?!” 

Startled, Louis turned around to see the raider reaching for him. In instinct, he trained the gun at the raider and immediately shot, nailing the arrow straight into the woman’s mouth.

“Oh no no..wait..that’s not what I…” Louis, who had not taken the life of anything but walkers before, had not intended to shoot the raider. His finger had accidentally pulled the trigger when the woman startled him.

Alerted, Minnie looked back to see her friend now lying on the floor, dead.

“Dorian! NO!”

This gives Clementine the opening to punch the girl off her unconscious and disarm her.

Meanwhile, Louis still could not believe what he had done. 

He tossed the vile weapon aside; he couldn’t stop apologizing to the body he had just killed.

Violet leaves the cell and sees the scene before her. Clementine nodded at her, then rushed to open the last door that held Aasim and Omar, while she tended to the unconscious Minnie.

“We have to get out of here, Vi. We planted a bomb in the boiler, and it’s going to set off any minute now.” Clementine urged the girl.

“Just go get AJ, I’ll deal with this.” 

Louis, who was still out of sorts, attempted to speak up. “I can.. I can—”

“I’ll be fine. You guys get the hell out of here. I need to get AJ.”

Now that she knew the others were safe, she had one mission left to do; one she was most familiar with: saving AJ.

At the top deck, she crouches behind cover, watching Lilly drag AJ to the front of the boat. She creeped her way towards the two slowly, as there were other raiders nearby.

“Found one more sneaking at the docks.” A raider said, presenting Tenn to Lilly.

“Ah, Tennessee. Did you get lost?” Lilly teased.

“Ma’am, he wasn’t alone. I’ve got something else to show you.” Another raider said. 

They gestured towards a boy who had his head covered by a sack. Revealing it, they see that it was James.

“No wonder there were so many walkers.” Lilly muttered.

“Must have thought you were clever, leading those walkers here. Or was that Clementine’s idea?” Lilly taunted, but James only stared at her.

“Nothing to say?” She asked.

“You don’t fucking scare me.” James spat out.

Clementine was slowly making her way to the group, now only a few steps away.

Amidst Lilly mocking James, Tenn baked away slowly towards the raider who had his attention on James and AJ as well. Seeing his opening, Tenn grabbed the small pistol strapped on the raider’s leg then pointed it at the raider who was about to kill James.

“Don’t hurt him.” Tenn then points the gun at Lilly.

“Put down the gun.”

“Give me my friends back!” Tenn demanded.

Lilly knew Tenn didn’t have the guts to shoot her. When she saw her crew point their rifle at the boy, she felt even more smug, crouching down and leaning her head against the barrel of Tenn’s pointed gun. “Go ahead then, do it. Save your friends.”

Tenn was taken aback by her gesture, now even more uncertain with his resolve.

Unable to physically pull the trigger, Tenn breaks down, sobbing.

“Aw, I see. You came here to cry.” Lilly teased.

AJ could only look at his friend in sympathy.

Lilly grabs the gun away from Tenn then points it at him. “Looks like you’re not a soldier, either.”

“No!” AJ grabs Lilly’s hand and bites it hard, making her drop the weapon.

James then tackled the other raider down.

This was Clementine’s opening. She charged towards Lilly, tackling her down.

The impact of her tackle sent them both skidding across the rain-slicked metal of the deck. Lilly hissed in fury, her military training kicking in as she drove a knee into Clementine’s ribs to create space.

Clementine grabbed Lilly’s wrist, twisting with all her weight, but Lilly was stronger. The older woman flipped the momentum, pinning Clem beneath her and slamming her head against the deck. The world spun for a second, but a small, fierce shadow blurred into view. AJ lunged forward, slamming his small fists into Lilly’s side, kicking at her kidneys with everything he had.

It was the distraction Clem needed. She shoved Lilly off, but as they scrambled to their feet, Lilly lunged again, grabbing Clem by the throat and driving her backward.

The air left Clem’s lungs in a rush as her back hit the cold railing at the edge of the boat. Below them, the dark river churned, a long drop into nothing. Lilly leaned her full weight into the choke, her eyes wide with a murderous, desperate light.

"I never should have let you and Lee stay at that pharmacy. You two should have died outside!" Lilly spat, her face inches from Clem’s.

Clementine’s hands clawed at Lilly’s grip, her vision blurring at the edges. Just as her knees began to buckle, a flash of steel caught the dim light. AJ had found the discarded knife from the earlier struggle. With a guttural yell, he drove the blade deep into the meat of Lilly’s thigh.

Lilly let out a piercing scream, her grip on Clem’s throat loosening instantly.

Clementine didn't waste the breath she’d just regained. She gripped the railing to steady herself and lifted her heavy boot. With a snarl of her own, she slammed her heel down onto the handle of the knife still buried in Lilly’s leg. The blade sunk deeper, grating against bone.

Lilly buckled, a strangled cry escaping her as she fell back away from the ledge. The two women scrambled for the gun that had slid across the deck during the chaos.

The struggle froze.

Lilly looked up, the color draining from her face. Standing over them, his chest heaving and his expression devoid of the childhood innocence he’d started the day with, was AJ. He held the gun with two hands, the barrel steady and pointed directly at the space between Lilly’s eyes.

Having seemingly exhausted all her options, Lilly had no choice but to surrender. She sat on the floor and held up her hands. “AJ, wait! I give up. I will give up.” AJ did not move.

“Put down the gun. I’ll let everyone leave. My crew and I will leave, we won’t bother you anymore.” Lilly pleaded.

"AJ..." Clem began, her voice raspy and thin. She looked at the boy—really looked at him. He looked like a soldier, but he was still just a child whose head barely reached her chest.

She looked at Lilly, who was shivering now, the blood from her leg staining the deck a dark, sickly crimson. James’s words echoed in Clem’s head: If you do this, you change.

"Put it down, AJ," Clem whispered.

AJ’s arms didn't move. His brow furrowed in confusion. "But Clem... she's bad. She tried to kill you. She's going to keep trying."

"I know," Clem said, taking a shaky step toward him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "She is. But we’re not like her. If we kill her while she’s down, while she’s begging... we’re just another pair of monsters on this boat. We’re better than this."

"You're making a mistake!" Tenn cried out, his voice cracking. "She's just going to hurt us! Please!"

"She won't," James breathed, a look of profound relief washing over his face. "She's broken. See? You’ve won, AJ. You kept your humanity."

Lilly let out a long, shuddering breath, her hands still raised. A flicker of something—was it gratitude or just cold calculation?—passed through her eyes. "Thank you," she rasped. "I'll... I'll take my people. We'll go."

AJ stared at Lilly for a long, tense moment. His finger remained on the trigger, his knuckles white. Slowly, agonizingly, he lowered the barrel. The tension on the deck didn't disappear; it just changed shape, becoming a heavy, suffocating blanket of uncertainty.

"Fine," AJ said, his voice sounding older than it should. He tucked the gun into his waistband, but he didn't stop glaring at Lilly. "But if I see you again... if you even look at Clem... I won't ask her next time."

Lilly nodded slowly, clutching her wounded leg as she began to crawl toward the edge of the deck.

Clem let out the breath she’d been holding. James, relieved, approached the boy, placing himself in between Lilly and him. “You did the right thing, AJ.” James said, as he opened his palm, taking the weapon from the boy.

But just as he felt the weight of the weapon in his hand..

The sound of a blade sliding flesh cut him off.

James’s eyes went wide, then it was like a light switch had flicked off behind his two orbs. He gasped, a thin trail of blood escaping his lips as Lilly’s combat knife had protruded out of his face.

“James!” Clem screamed, but Lilly was already shoving his collapsing body aside, reaching for the pistol AJ had just lowered.

A few moments earlier, Mitch, Ruby and Willy had been waiting at their rendezvous point by the docks, anxiously waiting for their friends to get off the boat before it blew up. The humid air by the docks tasted like salt and oil, but all Mitch could smell was the faint, sharp scent of the fuse he’d lit earlier. Beside him, Ruby and Willy were pacing, their eyes darting between the dark water and the looming shadow of the ship.

“Shit, they’re supposed to be here by now! The engine’s started.” Mitch muttered.

“There! Look!” Ruby yells, seeing Louis and a few others approach them.

Mitch’s relief lasted exactly two seconds—until he counted the heads. He stepped forward, eyes scanning Aasim, Omar, and a disheveled Louis.

He looked to Aasim, Omar, and Louis. “What the hell? Where’s Clem, AJ, and Tenn?” 

Louis pointed to the top deck. “Lilly grabbed AJ aside and Clem went after him.”

“Shit, they must’ve grabbed Tenn too. He went off with James to try and help but I don’t see him anywhere, either.” Willy looked around for any signs of the two but saw none.

Mitch swore under his breath, a low, guttural sound. The clock in his head was ticking louder than the engine. He turned to Louis and Ruby, his expression hardening into something final.

“Louis, Ruby—take the others. Get back to the school and don’t look back until you’re behind the walls.”

“Mitch, wait,” Louis started, reaching out. “Where are you going? The boat is literally about to—”

“I’m the one who set the timer, Louis. I know exactly when it’s going to blow,” Mitch snapped, already turning toward the gangplank. “I’m bringing them back. Now move!”

As he sprinted toward the metal beast, the deck vibrating beneath his boots, Mitch didn't feel like a martyr. He felt like a mechanic with a job to finish.

He’d spent his whole life being the 'problem child'—the one who played with fire and broke things just to see how they worked. But tonight was different. He had built the chaos on this boat; he had wired the destruction with his own two hands, and he’d be damned if he let his own handiwork swallow up the only family he had left.

It was a stupid plan. Hell, it wasn't even a plan; it was a suicide run toward a ticking heart of black powder and gasoline. But as the wind whipped through his hair, a grim, jagged smile touched his lips. He had always told himself that if he was going to go out, he wasn't going to fade away or starve in a ditch.

He was going to go out with a bang. And if he had his way, he was taking every last raider down to hell with him.

The boat groaned, a deep, metallic protest that vibrated through the soles of Mitch’s boots. He ignored the heat radiating from the lower decks and slipped into the shadows of the narrow corridor. He was a ghost in a machine of his own making.

Rounding a corner near the mid-deck, Mitch spotted a raider—a tall, scarred man leaning over the railing, frantically trying to radio for backup that wasn't coming.

Mitch didn't hesitate. He lunged, wrapping an arm around the man's throat and driving a knee into the small of his back. Before the raider could even draw air to scream, Mitch slammed his head forward into the iron bulkhead. The thud was sickeningly final. The man crumpled into a heap, unconscious before he hit the deck.

Mitch didn't waste a second. He snatched the bolt-action rifle from the man's limp grip, checked the chamber—one in the hole—and slung the strap over his shoulder.

He moved up the stairs like a predator, his breath shallow and controlled. As he reached the top deck, the sound of the rain was drowned out by the sharp, desperate voices of the confrontation.

He stayed low, pressing his back against a row of rusted shipping crates. Peering through a gap in the metal, his heart skipped a beat.

There was AJ, standing small but terrifyingly steady, pointing a handgun at Lilly’s head. He saw Clem nearby, looking bruised and battered, and James, trying to talk the boy down with that pacifist bullshit that was going to get them all killed.

Mitch’s grip tightened on the rifle. He saw Lilly’s eyes—the way they were darting, searching for a weakness, even while she pretended to plead. He knew that look. It was the look of a cornered rat waiting for the moment to bite.

“Come on, kid”, Mitch thought, his finger hovering near the trigger guard of his new rifle. “Either pull the trigger or move. Don’t just stand there.”

He watched as AJ lowered the gun, following Clem’s lead. He watched James turn his back. He saw Lilly’s hand fly to her leg for the knife embedded in her.

Then he saw her pierce it through the boy’s skull.

“Fuck. Now or never.”

“You should’ve listened to the other brat!” Lilly snarled, her face twisted in a mask of bloody triumph. “Now I’m going to—"

Mitch didn't wait for a command. He didn't ask for permission. He stepped out from behind the crates, brought the stock of the rifle to his shoulder, and lined up the sights.

"Surprise, motherfucker," he breathed.

Crack.

The sound of a rifle shot echoed off the metal walls of the deck, deafeningly loud. A small, neat hole appeared in the center of Lilly’s forehead. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backward, falling to the ground with a heavy thud.

Clem spun around, her heart hammering.

Standing near the crates was Mitch, his shoulder leaning against a crate for stability, his eyes narrowed behind his bangs. He lowered his rifle, the barrel still smoking. He looked at James’s body, then back at the spot where Lilly’s lifeless body had fallen.

Mitch spit on the deck and wiped a smudge of soot from his cheek.

“Lilly, we’ve got a bit of a situation at the—” The raider who had returned from the docks stopped mid-sentence when he saw his leader lying on the floor. “What the hell did you guys do?!” He was about to shoot Mitch, when a low, guttural growl vibrated through the metal beneath their feet, starting in the belly of the ship and rising into a deafening roar. The boat’s exhaust belched a thick, oily cloud of black smoke that choked the air.

“Shit,” Mitch breathed, his eyes widening. He knew that sound—it was the sound of his timer hitting zero.

The deck didn't just shake; it heaved. A blinding flash of orange light ripped through the floorboards near the stern as the engine room finally surrendered to the heat. The explosion was a physical wall of pressure, throwing everyone into the air like ragdolls.

Metal groaned and shrapnel whistled through the air as the ship began to list violently to the side. The raider was thrown overboard by the initial shockwave, his scream cut short by the churning water.

Clementine slammed into the railing, her ears ringing with a high-pitched whine. The blast was enough to knock everyone out, unconscious.

When she eventually came to, she found herself leaning against the railing precariously— the looming drop down below sending chills down her spine. The blast had caused the ship to tilt sideways. The motion brought a few loose objects, as well as Lilly’s dead body rolling towards her side of the ship. 

As she saw the lifeless form, and the huge hole on her forehead, she remembered what happened. Mitch had miraculously done what needed to be done, and she was glad AJ didn’t have to be the one to do it.

Through the chaos of the shifting debris, she saw AJ at a nearby corner, covering his face with an arm.

“AJ! Hold on. I’m coming to get you!” 

Clementine steadied herself and stood with her reinvigorated strength, but as she gained her balance from the tilted ship, her cap had fallen straight down the deep water.

“No!”, she thought to herself; the last thing that had tied her to her parents was now being swept away by the strong currents of the river.

“Clem!” AJ’s terrified yell had gotten her out of the trance.

She shook her head, pulling herself together, then ran to AJ who was now holding on to a piece of the ship’s flooring, threatening to toss him overboard with how it had lifted from the prior explosion.

“Hang on! I’m coming!” 

Clementine scanned her surroundings and saw that the emergency rowing boat tied to the ship was hanging below, just shy of where AJ was dangling. Without hesitation, she climbed into the old hull and positioned herself as close to where AJ was positioned.

Now all she had to do was catch him.

“AJ, you have to trust me. On the count of three, let go, and I’ll catch you.”

At the thought of having to fall, AJ hesitated, but knew he had no choice. 

“Promise?” He asked

“Promise.”

Despite the heavy shake of the hanging boat, Clementine used all her might to steady herself. As she counted to three, AJ took one deep breath, and let go, sliding straight into Clementine’s arms.

Now with the weight of the two, the old rope holding the rowing boat was swaying even more recklessly. It looked like it was about to snap at any moment.

“Now what?” AJ asked, looking panicked at the sight of the walkers waiting for them down below.

“We’re going to find a way down. This ship isn’t going to stay afloat much longer.”

They see the nearby roof of the deck’s hut and make their way onto it. 

The boat was now leaning heavily about 60 degrees towards the docks— it was going to sink, the whole docks with it.

Stepping down to the wood panels of the docks, an arrow flew close by Clementine’s face, missing her just a few inches. 

“You forgot something!” It was a raider, using Marlon’s bow to attack the two.

They quickly hid behind the crate as the raider slowly approached them, shooting arrows on their way.

Clementine pulled out an arrow that landed in a nearby pillar, and waited for the raider to get close enough where she could attack.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The man taunted, as he drew even closer—right where Clementine wanted him.

She surprised the man with her quick reflexes and stabbed the arrow straight to his foot, causing him to lose his balance. 

Just as the raider draws the bow again, AJ punches him in the dick, making him drop the bow. 

The girl quickly picks it up and manages to draw it quickly, nailing the raider in the shoulder, making him stumble backwards and into the water.

The boat groaned as the whole hull tilted further. Now all that’s left for the two was to make a run for it.

They ran, dodging crates, and bodies and just barely made it before the whole platform collapsed into the water, along with the whole ship.