"You made the right choice."
Everything had gone downhill so fast. It wasn't all that long ago that Kenny had left the truck, giving Jane the opportunity to leave with Clementine and the baby. Clementine wouldn't accept that, though. Kenny was her friend, even after all the things he'd done, after everything he'd been through, he was still her friend. It wasn't hard to see that he was losing himself, his grip on reality, with the way he treated anyone who didn't agree with him. Anyone he deemed as an obstacle to what he wanted, never once considering the opinions or feelings of anyone else.
At least, that's how Jane saw it. After Sarita got bit escaping Carver's camp, Kenny started to show his darker side, lashing out on Clementine and placing the blame on her. He didn't want to listen to reason, he wanted to be angry. He apologized later, sure, but that doesn't matter once you go too far. With the way Kenny was acting, it was clear that there would be a time that wouldn't end in a heartfelt apology.
It became more obvious once Arvo became a part of their little group, against his own will no less. Kenny became flat-out abusive towards the kid, physically and mentally. Calling him names, pushing him down, and beating him down almost as badly as he had treated Carver. He was treating a teenager who made a few stupid mistakes the same way he treated the madman who took his eye, his friends, and his home. Who's to say he won't act out upon Clementine, or anyone else for that matter, when he puts the blame on them for something he doesn't like?
It's pretty unbelievable that everything came to be how it is now, all the same. Jane's plan wasn't exactly simple, and it wasn't wise in the slightest, but in the heat of the moment it's what she thought had to happen. Clementine obviously had no real knowledge on how to drive, and with the walker stuck in the windshield on top of that... she can't be blamed for crashing. With AJ in hand, Jane stepped out of the vehicle, noticing a few walkers were about to be on top of all of them. Clementine hadn't followed, however. The door on her side of the vehicle was stuck, and the windshield-laden walker blocked her escape from Jane's side.
"Clem! Get out of there!" Jane shouted to her confined friend, not knowing what else to do.
"I can't! The door is stuck!" Clementine gave in panicked response.
"Shit, there's more of them!" Jane exclaimed, to both Clementine and herself. "Hurry, Clem!"
Clementine pulled out her pistol in response, and shot the walker that was now inhabiting the windshield in the brain, eliminating it as a threat altogether. Even with a bullet wound in her shoulder, she's still a crack shot, surprisingly.
"Move!" was all Jane was able to say before the walkers were practically on top of her and AJ.
"Jane!" Clementine could be heard shouting. "Jane, wait!"
As the walkers were gaining on her, Jane could do nothing but look back at her friend.
Some would argue that Clementine should be the priority here, that everything should be dropped to come to her aid. She's just a little girl, after all. Jane knows better than most, though, that Clementine isn't just a little girl. That, in a situation like this, she can take care of herself if need be. Instead, she opts to get the oncoming walkers away from Clementine. Not to mention the infant she's now tasked with looking after for the immediate time being. Luckily for all three parties involved, nobody was injured in the car crash, making this a bit easier even with a baby in tow.
While she did feel terrible for leaving Clementine behind, it's not as if she had much of a choice. Jane took some solace in hearing another gunshot behind her as she continued forward, having confidence that it was Clementine taking out another walker. She'd be alright, Jane thought. Well, as alright as you can be when you're stranded out in a blizzard with no food, warmth, or shelter... her thoughts were quickly dazed as she saw one of those very things just up ahead.
Shelter. It must have been some sort of rest-stop, at least in the past. Complete with a playground outside, Jane could faintly make out a figure running to get inside of the building, angrily flinging the door open. It was too fast to be a walker, but at the same time too big to be Clementine. There was no mistaking it, the silhouette belonged to Kenny. Jane briefly contemplated going over there with AJ, but there's no doubt that Kenny would show his worst if she turned up without Clementine. This gave her an idea, an idea that might save her and Clementine from Kenny for good.
The plan was stupid, hasty, and reckless, but it would work. It had to work. Jane circled around the building she found, holding AJ close to keep the both of them warm. Making sure to stay out of Kenny's potential sight line, she made her way over to a few wrecked cars that had certainly seen better days. Disregarding that thought, Jane glossed her eyes over the nearby area, she spotted a car that was decently sealed up, at least comparably to the others. Not seeing any better options, she began her march over to the vehicle in question. In the past few minutes, several gunshots had gone off in no particular pattern, AJ thankfully remaining quiet throughout the whole ordeal. Jane knew well enough that it must be Clementine, hopefully she finds her way to the rest stop safely. She needs to know what Kenny really is. What he's truly capable of, before she's on the receiving end.
As she approached the car she planned to hide AJ in, he began to cry. It was quiet, but unnerving just the same.
"Fuck..." Jane panicked in a hushed tone. "It's alright. Just keep quiet, alright? We'll... we'll be back for you soon..."
Her attempt at reassuring the infant seemed to work for the time being, as he went back to nothing but soft breathing soon after. "I can't believe a kid can be born into a world like this..." Jane began to muse in her head. Quickly snapping out of her trance, she gently placed AJ in the back seat of the car, only needing a second's glance to determine it was walker-free. Jane prayed for the child to keep quiet long enough for her to convince Kenny to leave.
As Jane closed the door to the car, content with AJ's well being for the moment, she glanced over her shoulder and saw a figure, much smaller in frame, approaching the rest stop. From the hunched over stance to the movement pattern, it was obvious to Jane that this was Clementine. As the smaller girl disappeared from her sight and into the building ahead of her, Jane couldn't help but think...
"Well, it's now or never..."
As she slowly made her way over to the rest stop, she began to feel just how bitter the cold truly was. Wrapping her arms in a pseudo-hug around herself didn't do much to ease the stinging pain the cold was causing, especially to her face. She couldn't help but begin to worry about how she was going to get back to Howe's Hardware with Clementine and AJ after the fallout with Kenny that was undoubtedly about to happen. Even still, she had confidence that they would get that far. She didn't imagine to what lengths Kenny would truly go when pushed to his limit. Right now, though, Jane had to focus. If this plan was going to work, she's going to have to sell her facade to Kenny, and make sure Clementine doesn't get involved.
As Jane approached the front doors to the rest stop, passing a few signs that had nothing of interest to her scrawled out on them, she spotted a familiar figure inside who called out in a familiar voice, and another familiar figure run back inside via the rear entrance.
"Wait!" Clementine shouted, eyes locked on Jane and voice directed at Kenny.
"Oh, thank god..." Jane could barely hear Kenny speak over the raging blizzard.
"Jane, you okay!?" Kenny spoke without hesitation, concern seemingly genuine. Too bad for everyone involved that his attitude would soon change very quickly. Jane only gave a sorrowful glance downwards and away from the man speaking to her.
"Where's the kid?" Kenny asked in the same worrisome tone he had just used. Jane gave no response, only continuing her stare into the floor.
"Jane, where is he!?" Kenny barked out, not making any attempt at masking his absolute shock.
"Oh, my god..." Clementine was heard, visibly distressed as well.
"He's..." Jane began to speak, but quickly closed back up, knowing she can't say any more without jeopardizing the plan.
"What are you sayin'...?" Kenny spoke softly, a clear sign that a chord was struck inside him. The three remaining survivors and the rest stop they inhabited as a whole fell eerily silent for what felt like forever, Kenny and Clementine throwing panicked glances around while Jane held her dormant, regretful face.
"No..." Kenny spoke up, breaking the unbearable silence while his body visibly tensed up in a growing frenzy of panic and rage. He slowly paced backwards, seemingly ready to bolt in an instant, his eyes firmly locked on the raging blizzard outside. It's too late to back down now. The plan was working, Jane thought.
"NO!" Kenny snapped, marching out the front doors of the beat down shelter, stepping into the relentless snowstorm. As he walked by, Jane gave a regretful stare into Clementine's eyes.
"No... not again... not again..." Clementine tried reassuring herself. Jane didn't know what she meant, but didn't think too long on it. After all, there wasn't any time. This was happening now, and Jane had to make sure that Clem didn't get involved, as this wasn't going to end pleasantly.
To Clementine's surprise, Jane suddenly has a complete change of face, changing from her regretful look she had moments ago to a much more important tone. It was obvious she knew something was happening, but not if she understood what.
"Clem. Look at me." Jane spoke blankly, kneeling down to meet Clementine face to face, placing her hands on her shoulders in an attempt at reassurance. Clementine's gaze met Jane's in a look of total confusion.
"No matter what happens, just stay out of it." Jane instructed, glancing over her shoulder out the direction Kenny left moments ago. She didn't see him yet, but she was more than aware of how little time she had. Content with a glance, she turned back to meet Clementine once again.
"Okay?" Jane asked simply.
"I... I don't understand!" Clementine said, voice audibly cracking under the stress. Jane felt bad having to put her through something like this, but she knew Clementine was strong. This was just something that had to happen.
Rather than give a reply, Jane glanced back over her shoulder just as she did previously. As if on queue, Kenny was not far off, rapidly approaching the rest stop where the two girls wait. Jane once again swiftly returns her gaze to Clementine.
"You have to trust me." She affirmed. "You're gonna see what he really is."
Jane once again returns her glance over to Kenny, who was now seconds away from their shelter, a look of pure disgust and loathe painted on his face. Needing no more than defensive instinct, Jane stands up and begins to back up towards the rear of the rest stop just as Kenny enters from the front, the two locking glares.
"Jane, get out of here!" Clementine warns, wise enough to see what will take place otherwise.
"Clem-"
Kenny began to storm towards Jane, his rage incomparable to anything she had witnessed before. "NOW!" Clem begged, holding her arms forward in an attempt to stop Kenny. Not at all phased, Kenny shoves Clementine out of his way, almost knocking her to the floor.
"Get out of my way..." was all Kenny said to Clementine as he advanced further towards Jane.
"Kenny..." Clementine said, possibly unaware her words were futile. It hadn't stopped her from trying, though.
Kenny, now in reach of Jane takes a swing at her with his fist, as she less than gracefully ducks under the punch, the both of them tripping slightly from their actions. Jane takes this opportunity to position herself at the front of the store, the two of them having reversed positions from when Kenny had entered.
"How could you kill a FUCKING CHILD!?" Kenny screamed, taking his stand against Jane's.
"I didn't kill him! It was an accident, Kenny!" Jane shouted back, drawing her knife from it's holster as she made her own stand.
"BULLSHIT!" Kenny retorted, starting to make a move, but backing down at the sight of Jane's knife.
"I won't back down from you, Kenny." Jane said, beginning to tense up.
"Shut up!" Kenny hissed.
"Kenny, let her talk!" Clementine argued.
"I'm done talkin', Clem." Kenny growled.
"Clem, stay back." Jane warned. If things were going to get violent, Clem needed to stay out of the crossfire.
The two adults bore holes into each others eyes, never once looking away from one another.
Eventually, as Kenny finally seems to calm down a bit, Jane begins to sheath her weapon.
"Don't come near me, you son of a bitch." She spat. Whether it had been the words she had just uttered, or the act of her sheathing the knife, something caused Kenny to lunge immediately after, pinning Jane up against one of the windows of the building.
"KENNY!" Clementine shouted, her words meaningless in his current state.
"Get... the fuck... off!" Jane struggled to speak, eventually bringing their fight to a stalemate by digging her fingers into her attacker's eyes, knocking off his hat and makeshift eye-patch.
"STOP! PLEASE!" Clementine began to plead. After her words weren't working, she kicked Kenny in the back of his knee, giving Jane the chance to break free and have the advantage.
Kenny falls to the ground after Jane throws a punch to his face, pinning him down by sitting on his stomach and beginning to beat his face, giving him punch after punch.
"JANE!" Clementine shouts in a voice mixed with fear, confusion, and anger.
Before she can deliver more than a few blows to his face, Jane is yanked off of Kenny by Clementine, freeing him from the older woman's assault.
Kenny got up, starting an advance towards Jane. Acting on instinct, the woman grabbed for her knife and slashed at Kenny, giving the man a huge gash to his stomach which began to bleed immensely.
"GAAAAAH!" Kenny shrieked in pain, clutching the fresh wound on his abdomen with one arm in pain.
"Oh my god!" Clementine yelled in fear, unsure on how to act.
"This is all your fuckin' fault!" Jane hissed at Kenny, blinded in her own fear and anger.
Kenny began to back up, into the enraged blizzard. Jane followed him closely, knife in hand.
"Piece a' shit..." Kenny spat, out of breath. The both of them looked unworldly agitated, either party was liable to strike at any moment.
"Just go."
"I ain't goin' nowhere."
Clementine, disobeying what she was told earlier by Jane, moved in between the two of them, holding one arm in each of their directions. Acting without thinking, Clementine grabbed Kenny by the coat and plead to him to quit.
"Stop! You don't have to do this!"
"Get out of my way." Kenny said harshly, unrelentingly pushing Clementine out of his way. As the young girl fell to the ground, Jane took a swing at Kenny, the latter barely reacting in time to dodge the punch. He then grabbed Jane and flings the both of them into one of the signs, breaking it and resulting in them both falling to the ground. Jane's knife was now out of arm's reach for either of them, being thrown away from her during the fall.
"I'll fuckin' kill you!" Kenny growled out, beginning to crawl towards the fallen knife. Before he can reach it, Jane grabbed him from behind and pulls him down, digging her fingers deep into his eyes in an attempt to gauge them out.
"AAIAAAAAIGH!" Kenny could only let out a shriek of pain as Jane's fingers dug into his eye sockets, not receiving any mercy even with one eye already destroyed.
"How's that fuckin' feel, huh!?" Jane taunted, ignoring his cries.
"STOP! HE'S HAD ENOUGH!" Clementine yelled, now up on two feet.
"LISTEN TO ME!" The young girl begged. Once again, her words had no effect, forcing her to resort to grabbing Jane by the arm and yanking her off once more, freeing Kenny from his gory torment.
Seizing the moment, Kenny grabbed Jane's knife while both girls were distracted, bringing the blade into Jane's left thigh. Jane jolted backwards with a shriek of pain, knocking Clementine onto the ground once more, the eleven year old's pistol falling nearby.
"Fuckin'... baby-killer..." Kenny scoffed.
"Goddamn it!" Jane shouted in pain.
Kenny now had Jane pinned down in a scene that resembled the one that took place inside moments ago. However, Kenny was at a greater advantage than Jane was previously, with her own knife ready to be plunged into her heart. Losing her grip for just a second, Kenny managed to poke the tip of the knife slightly into her chest, puncturing Jane's skin and making a pool of blood where it was penetrated. She holds him back while she can, struggling, knowing she can't hold forever.
"I will fuckin' KILL you!" Kenny screamed angrily, struggling to bring the knife down and end their conflict.
"I... knew you would!" Jane responded, praying for something, anything, to save her.
In what she believed would be her final moments, Jane began to wonder how she got into this mess. She came back. She came back after she told herself time and time again that she shouldn't. It always leads to a bad ending, Jane always told herself. She came back for her, though. She began to care about Clementine like she would her own sister. Now, she was going to die trying to protect her from a madman. Maybe that was the best way to go, to try and help someone you care about?
"Just... fuckin'... die..." Kenny complained. "ain't gonna... let you..."
No, that wouldn't work. If she died, Clementine would still be stuck with Kenny. Plus, she wasn't so fond of the prospect of dying herself. Yet, here she was, with a knife to her heart and a madman insistent on finishing the job that she couldn't.
"Please. Please..." Jane heard Clementine over the constant grunting of both Kenny and herself as they fought over the latter's life, the young girl sounding as if she was in tears. She didn't focus too hard on her cries, though, in fear that Kenny might just finish her off.
Not about to give up her life without a fight, Jane continued to struggle against Kenny, the man leaving no breathing room between the knife and her body. After what felt like hours of strife, it felt like Kenny had won. Jane was on her last legs when, -BANG, a single shot rang through the air.
Jane felt a weight lifted as Kenny rose upward, clutching his chest and moving the lethal knife away from her. It took her only a moment to put together that it was Clementine who shot Kenny, who was now undoubtedly fatally wounded as he fell to his side, blood oozing out of the fresh wound.
As Jane began to get up, she noticed as Clementine stood up and started to approach the two of them.
"Are.. are you okay?" Clementine asked, worry genuine and voice heartbroken.
"Yeah... yeah... I think so..." Jane replied with heavy breaths as she stood up on her knees.
The golden-brown eyed child made her way to Kenny, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Clem..." Kenny spoke softly, his voice weary and defeated. "You made the right choice..."
Clementine felt her face begin to flood with tears, it was no secret she truly was heartbroken. She interlocked her smaller hands with Kenny's as he continued to speak, even on the brink of death.
Kenny let out a weak cough before continuing. "I let you down... I let everyone down." He said solemnly.
"Just- just hang on, Kenny...please..." Clementine wept, tightening her grip on the dying man's hand.
"No... no. You're better off without me." Kenny assured the younger girl, his breathing getting weaker by the second.
The whole world fell quiet after Kenny spoke, the only noise being the endless howling of the snowstorm. Jane remained silent, locked onto the scene taking place between Kenny and the younger girl both adults were trying to protect. It should have been obvious that her stupid plan would end with someone dying, but it's too late for that now. Both girls eyes locked onto Kenny, as he started to speak once more.
"We almost made it..." Kenny mused. Even on the brink of death, the man managed to lift his head slightly to meet Clementine's gaze.
"We were close, weren't we...?" Kenny questioned, following with a sickly wheeze, his face falling soon after.
"I thought I wanted this... asked for it... so many times." He paused.
"Now that it's happenin'... I'm scared." The now pale Kenny admitted, letting out a string of coughs devoid of any life."
"It's okay, Kenny..." Clementine attempted to reassure, more visibly upset about Kenny's death than the man himself.
"You're... you're going to see your family again. Sarita..." The eleven year old choked up slightly at the memories of her former friends. "Katjaa and Duck... you're going to see them again." She finished.
Finally out of energy to keep it up, Kenny's head fell slowly to the ground, his body sprawled out as if it was a hot, summer night.
"Ohh, you're always good for a smile..." Kenny said, the joy fading from his face quickly after, taking one last, desperate breath before passing on.
Clementine removes her hand from her now-deceased friend as his eyes slowly shut. She then followed suit, closing her eyes and sobbing to herself silently.
Jane kept quiet out of respect, knowing that this was her fault. The silence was persistent, the only sound being the familiar roars of the icy winds, which were all but drowned out by the two girl's ears at this point.
This silence, however, was disrupted by an all too familiar wailing. Jane turned her head, confirming to herself the source of the crying was AJ, whom she had hidden in a run-down car not ten minutes prior. Clementine was aware of the sound as well, her frostbitten face lit up in pure disbelief. Jane could only give the younger girl a look of regret, seemingly begging for sympathy.
No words spoken between the two, Clementine stood up and began to sprint to the source of the noise. Jane walked at a much slower pace behind her, watching as she comically tripped once but otherwise reached the car unscathed.
"Oh my god! AJ!"
Clementine flung open the car door without regard to anything else, the baby she'd been convinced was dead was now wrapped up tight in her arms, no longer wailing and instead making incoherent coos and gurgles. The young girl's ice cold face began to drip tears of happiness as she couldn't help but give a huge smile.
"Are you okay!?" She questioned the infant, not expecting a verbal response.
As Jane closed the distance between herself and the two younger survivors, her heart filled with dread, knowing what she just caused and how this couldn't possibly end well.
Clementine's face went from beaming with joy to a spiteful glare instantaneously, boring holes into the brunette woman who now stood before her.
"He's alive!?" She questioned, betrayal laden in her voice.
Jane felt the urge to shut down, panic beginning to set in. She knew she couldn't though. The plan had worked so far, somewhat, and now she was on the final stretch. There isn't an easy way to tell Clementine what truly happened, but she was about to find out regardless.
"I understand if you're upset... AJ was never in any danger. I was just... going to try to talk you into coming with me." Jane explained, telling what she believed as the truth.
"I just thought if you saw Kenny like that... you'd know we'd have to leave him."
Clementine flashed her glance down at the bundle of blanket she held in her hand, holding him close to keep him warm. She then returned her glance to Jane, her expression more hurt than anything.
"Look, Clem. I'm sorry. I didn't think Kenny would go that far." Jane paused, gaining no response other than the same stare.
"But it's over now. We're all safe. We're going to be okay." The older woman said, attempting to comfort Clementine.
Clementine fell silent for a moment, possibly needing to take in everything that happened in such a short span of time. Once more, the familiar howls of the wind were the only thing heard, even AJ had fallen asleep.
"Upset!? YOU'RE FUCKING CRAZY!" Clementine screamed, letting all her emotions spill out. "How could you do this!?" She demanded an answer, Jane being temporarily lost for words before responding.
"I... I had to do it, Clem." Jane confirmed, "You saw how he reacted. I had to show you what he was capable of..." she said, trailing off.
"So you put AJ in danger... and got my friend killed... just to prove a point!?" Clementine retaliated in utter disbelief.
"It was a stupid plan... I should never have lied to you." Jane spoke sorrowfully, admitting her mistake. "But I thought it was the only way you'd see."
Clementine's face turned to shock as she looked back over to where Kenny lay.
"Oh my god. Kenny..." Clementine cried, eyes locked away from the older woman who lead to his demise.
"You have to forgive me!" Jane pleaded to her, voice audibly cracking as she spoke.
"Please... we can leave all this behind us."
Clementine stood still, face void of emotion.
"Please... I did this for you."
"For us."
"We're free now..."
As Jane continued to beg forgiveness, Clementine spoke spitefully.
"I'm not going ANYWHERE with you." Clementine stated matter of fact, disgust clear in her tone. She turned away from Jane, AJ in hand, and began to follow the road, not looking back once.
"Clem, please!" The brunette shouted, hoping to catch the attention of the only person she had left.
"I did this for you!" Jane yelled in Clementine's direction, as the young girl continued unperturbed down the path she followed, not paying heed to any of the former's words.
"I can't do this alone... okay? Is that what you want to hear?" Jane begged, no longer being able to mask her emotions.
"...Clem?" She whispered pitifully one last time, now accepting that there was no use in trying. The last person she had, the person she came back for, gone. Worst of all, she had nobody to blame but herself.
Jane fell to her knees as she watched the last person she cared about determinedly walk forward, out of her life. She was strong, but she wasn't going to survive alone. She had sentenced the girl she was trying to save to her death, the baby as well. Not to mention Kenny, who was dead due to her plan.
Some plan that was. Maybe she would've been better off giving into Kenny's foolish ambitions to find Wellington with no real supplies. Maybe not.
One thing was certain: she should have never come back. She should have left while she was ahead, before growing attached to someone else just to have this cruel world drag them away once again. She thought about just sitting here on her knees until death took her away, but that's just not like her. Even without a purpose, Jane always kept pushing forward. To survive, if for no other reason.
Somewhat reluctantly, she pushed up off her knees, both relief and heartache setting in as she accepted that Clementine was no longer in view. "She'll survive. I just hope her luck hasn't run out just yet...", Jane thought, failing to comfort herself.
Even being left alone, her plan hadn't changed. Carver's Camp was her best bet. She knew where it was, generally at least, and it would have food and shelter until she had somewhere better. Gathering her thoughts, she looked over her shoulder to see Kenny, up and moving.
Considering walking away for a moment, Jane gave in to her pity. She couldn't leave him here like that after what she caused, even if she didn't exactly like the man. Unsheathing the knife that almost ended her earlier, she approached the now undead Kenny, aiming to put him out of any misery for good.
Opting to knock him over by the knee and finish the job with a quick stab in the back of the head, Jane lifted her leg preparing to topple the shambling corpse. Instead, she wound up toppling over backwards, letting out a small shriek of pain in the process. Now that the adrenaline had mostly worn off, Jane's attention was brought to the deep wound Kenny had left earlier in their brawl.
Luckily for her, Kenny hadn't noticed her, instead his corpse continued to aimlessly wander, slowed by the raging, cold blizzard. With her right leg this time, Jane brought her foot into the walker's knee, bringing it crashing down not dissimilar to how she fell moments ago. Raising her knife above the back of the corpse's head, the survivor muttered a simple "...Sorry." under her breath. It's not as if the corpse heard it before being finished off with one swift, clean stab through the skull.
After finishing the job, Jane stood up and scanned the perimeter for any other threats. Satisfied with her search, she made her way back to the road. Following it south was her only chance, Jane thought to herself.
With no food, no warmth, and no help for her wound, she began the press onward, following the road in the direction opposite of what Clementine and AJ had taken. All she could do now was hope that her own luck hadn't run out yet, as from here on out, there was no going back.