Title: Had Marlon and Brody Lived

Rating: T for Teen

Genre: Romance, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Family

Pairings: Clementine x Louis, Marlon x Brody, Violet x Minerva, James x Mitch, Aasim x Ruby

Summary: What if Marlon had not killed Brody? What if Clementine convinced Marlon to come clean about what happened the previous year? What if AJ never shot Marlon? As Clementine gives him a chance to make things work, Marlon is grateful that he can still remain with the Ericson residents, even if he's no longer the leader. They still have to deal with the Raiders, but they will find a way to get rid of the Raiders and have a much peaceful life.

Chapter 1

A Chance

It had been late into the second night at the school when Clementine woke up at the sound of voices. AJ had heard them as well, thinking that there could be monsters but she had convinced him that it's not walkers they hear. Taking the lit candle, AJ promised to wait for her as Clementine left their dorm room to investigate the sound. Hearing the voices being loud behind the door leading to the basement only to discover the door is locked, Clem checked a nearby map of the school, remembering where she had seen a cellar door in the courtyard.

Outside, the cellar door had been locked tight, but it was no problem once she had smashed the lock with a heavy brick. Now in the basement, Clementine finds that Marlon and Brody had been arguing. Cautiously approaching the pair, Clementine spoke up, "What's going on?"

To hear her, both Marlon and Brody cease their argument and froze. Marlon recovered first as he shone the flashlight in her face. "We're just talking. Why don't you go back to the dorm?"

She glares at him. "Not when I can easily hear you from the room. AJ heard you too, and maybe the others have. So I won't leave until you tell what you were arguing about down here." she makes it clear that she wants answers.

Then she noticed Brody trembling. "The guy you met at the station, we have history with him and the group he's a part of." she started when Marlon shot her a warning glare.

She knows that he wants to keep her quiet, but Clementine ushers her to continue. "You see, last year, Marlon, Tenn's sisters and I went out to scavenge outside the Safe Zone when we met these Raiders. But in order to save himself, Marlon sold off Minnie and Sophie."

To hear the truth of what had happened to Tenn's older sisters left Clementine shocked. "But you guys said they were dead."

Brody shook her head. "That's what we told the others. And now, Marlon even plans on giving you and AJ away the next time the Raiders come."

"God damn it, Brody! Shut up!" Marlon exclaims and as he went to bash her head with the flashlight, Clementine quickly stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

As he struggled to free himself, Clementine held on tightly. "Marlon! Calm down! You don't need to lash out at her." Clementine says firmly, her gaze sharp as she held him in place. "Don't let fear take over, you'll end up doing stupid things that'll only make things worse. Trust me, I've seen people do bad things out of fear."

At her now calm tone, Marlon himself calms down, his arms fall to his side in defeat. "I just don't know what to do. I know the others will hate me if they knew, especially Tennessee."

"Marlon, they have to know. You can't keep this secret anymore. It's dangerous to keep secrets." Clementine says softly, although she's one to talk since she had kept the Stranger a secret from Lee as they were making their way to Savannah.

"She's right, Marlon. It's actually over due to tell the others the truth." Brody stands beside Clementine, thankful that she saved her.

At that thought, now Marlon is trembling, nervous about revealing the truth to the other kids. "When?"

"The sooner the better." Clementine makes it clear that this has to be done.

As the three leave the basement, Brody says, "I'll gather everyone." With that, she hurries back into the dorms.

Now out in the courtyard, Clementine turns to Marlon as he sat in one of the sofas, his head in his hands as he takes deep breaths to calm down. "Nervous?"

"More than I had ever been." he answers honestly.

"Marlon, we will get this to work. You might lose trust from some of the others, but it's time for you to be honest with everyone."

Looking her in the eye, Marlon is relieved that they can get this situation to work. "Clem, thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." Soon, Brody steps back out with AJ, Louis, Violet, and all the other kids plus Rosie. Surprisingly, none of them look tired.

"Just as you had thought, everyone did hear us." Brody points out.

Now that everyone is out, a few wondering why they brought outside, Marlon takes one last deep breath as he stands from the sofa and steps to stand before everyone. "Guys, it's high time that I come clean. What had actually happened last year."

This left everyone but AJ confused. "Last year, Brody, Minerva, Sophie and I met a group known as Raiders. They had been searching for more people to recruit, to join in their fight with another community. Then without even thinking, I had given them Minnie and Sophie."

At this reveal, everyone was in complete shock at the truth. "Marlon! How could you?!" just as they had thought, Tenn was the one mostly hurt at the discovery of what really happened to his older sisters.

"Why would you sell out two of our own?" Aasim exclaims.

"All because I'm a coward." Marlon adds, his head now hanging.

"You mean, you sold them off in order to save your own skin?" Violet just couldn't believe that he was a coward at that time, thinking back to when she had heard that Sophie and Minnie, her Minnie, did not survive, how broken she was that day.

"I know I had betrayed all of you when I kept quiet about this situation." Marlon whimpers.

"Not only that," Brody spoke as she then stands beside Clementine, who has let Marlon do the talking since this is his problem, "he had planned to give Clementine and AJ to them the next time they come."

To hear that, both Louis and Violet were more angered at that reveal. Having spent time with her and watching how she deals with the walkers, Louis and Violet came to really like Clementine, believing that having a survivor like her around can help them in a long shot, especially now that the Raiders could come back.

Now that they know the truth, Marlon straightens up. "Now that you all know, it's best if I leave Ericson." At those words, everyone snaps at him in utter confusion. "After everything I've done, it's better to now have me around anymore, let me become nothing but a bad memory."

Now, there's no way she's letting him leave and die out there among the walkers. Shaking her head, Clementine takes a gentle hold of his upper arm. "Marlon, I promised that we will make this work, and we will."

At her words, Louis became hopeful for his best friend. "Clem, what are you saying?"

Looking over to him, Clementine gives him a smile. "I'm saying that Marlon can stay here, just no longer the leader."

Now that she said that, thinking back to what he's done, the other kids start to agree. "Seems fair." Omar finally spoke up.

"That's very merciful of you, Clementine." Ruby gives her a soft smile, grateful that she is giving him a chance at living here better.

"You're a real savior, Clem." Willy spoke with admiration in his eyes, Mitch standing beside the boy as he gives her a smile.

"I can promise all of you. No one deserves to die out there. So we will figure out a way to deal with these Raiders." Clementine gives them all her promise, her words giving them the most sincere comfort.

Beside her, Clementine watches as Marlon falls to his knees, sobbing with grateful tears with Brody kneeling beside him, comforting him with Rosie approaching them, gently licking his hand. As he scratches Rosie behind one ear, Marlon looks up at Clementine, tears still forming in his eyes. "Thank you so much for this chance, Clementine."

With Brody giving her a smile, Clementine is about to reply when someone else spoke up, "Yes, thank you Clem." Looking over her shoulder, Clementine sees that Louis had came closer, a grateful smile across his face.

Returning his smile, Clementine gets back on her feet as she soon stands in front of the slightly older boy. "Of course. I know he's your best friend and sending him out there with nothing but walkers is a bad idea. We can make this work."

"I'm glad you're here. Things could start to become easier around here." Louis states as he looks up at the Admin Building.

Staying beside him, Clementine also looks up at the main building then all around the courtyard. "Maybe so."