One Shot
Clementine was scared. She had just lost the fight with Lily and was held over the ship railing. She was going to die, she knew it. She couldn't breathe from how Lily was strangling her.
"This is it Clementine...you are going to die today! I don't want to kill you, I really don't, but you leave me no choice!" Lily snarled.
"No! Please! Lily!" Aj begged.
Clementine felt herself losing consciousness as she heard the water below, angrily lapping, awaiting its victim.
"Tell Lee I hope he's doing well in hell, when you join him there!" Lily yelled as with her full strength, pushed Clementine off the edge of the ship.
She could hear AJ screaming as her body met the water. She was paralyzed and weak. She expected herself to flail around wildly as she sunk into the bottom of the ocean, but, she strangely felt peace. She didn't feel like she was drowning, but she felt her world get very hazy.
I'm sorry I failed you AJ. Clementine thought as she watched her vision blur away. Lee.
Her world shut down as she drifted into eternal sleep.
Clementine felt her eyes slowly flutter awake. She saw that she could see, that she could feel, that she could think...
"No way," she finally said, as she woke up in a world of white. "I thought I'm dead, how is this...what...where am I?"
"Clementine?" she heard a deep voice, a voice she recognized all too well.
Clementine was frozen, unable to say anything...unable to do anything.
"Sw-sweet...sweet pea," she heard her familiar nickname being called as she turned to the voice.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she saw who the man was. "L-L-Lee...I...I..."
Lee's familiar face filled her with nostalgia as well as overwhelming joy.
"LEEEE!" Clementine yelled as she raced towards him into his arms.
Lee laughed as he swung Clementine around. "Look at you Clem! You've grown a lot! You've turned out to be a real beautiful woman! I'm so proud of you!"
"I missed you!" Clementine sobbed in his arms, "I...I'm sorry for shooting you Lee. I was s-so scared!"
Her cries soon turned to incoherent mumblings.
"Shh, shh, shh," Lee reassured. "Everything is going to be okay. It is going to be okay. I promise you. We'll never be apart from each other ever again. I swear it."
After a few more minutes of basking in his presence, Clem finally dried her tears and gave Lee a wholehearted smile. "Wh-where are we?"
"I believe this is the afterlife," Lee smiled. "An eternal place where we can be together, forever..."
"It's so vast and...lonely," Clem sighed. "Isn't it boring in here?"
Clementine still couldn't help, but to think this is a dream.
"Un-unless, I'm still alive and I drifted to unconsciousness. I...will I wake up again?" Clementine asked.
"You won't honey," Lee smiled. "I don't know how you got here, but you don't gotta worry about that anymore. You have me now. We will be together forever...if that is what you wish."
"Of course I wish that...you helped me and you were the first...I mean, first after my parents, whom I truly trusted. It...killed me everytime I had to talk about you..."
"But, you still me me, haven't you? On the train you spoke with me...twice."
Clementine chuckled. "Your words really encouraged me."
"I appreciate it sweet pea," Lee smiled as they stood still in each other's presence for a while. "You know, I think this change is surreal. When I met you, you had a real high pitched adorable voice, and now, it got much deeper and mature. It's all to real now."
"I wish I was with you all the time," Clem sighed. "It would have made life much more easier. Lee, are the others here? Kenny? Katjaa? Duck?"
"They're all here sweet pea, as a matter of fact, you can meet them. I ran into some of your friends out here. Does Jane, Luke or Pete ring a bell?"
"No way!" Clementine loudly gasped. "They're all here! Really?! I-I get to see all of them!?"
"Of course you do sweet pea! They are all here," Lee smiled.
"Oh my gosh," Clementine immediately teared up again. "I-I m-missed them a-alot."
"I know you do honey, and now, you can meet them. Are you ready?"
Clementine took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "I'm ready."
"Okay. You'll get used to here in no time. All of them talk about you a lot. I'm sure they all will be happy to see you. Here, take my hand."
Clementine stared at Lee and took his hand, smiling.
Clem felt her world whisk around in circles.
This is a dream, isn't it? I'm coming back to reality?
Clementine unhappily sighed. Darn it.
Soon, when she came too, she expected her to be tied up or something, but she wasn't. She scanned the entire area as her mouth dropped down. Right in the center, was circle of people...all of them whom she had known in her life. She saw her parents...she saw Carley, Doug, Kenny, Katjaa, Duck, Luke, Pete...there were so much people. Holy crap.
"No...way," Clementine breathed out as that caught the attention of her old companions.
They stared at her.
"Holy shit," Kenny shakily said, standing up. "C-clem honey, is that you?"
Tears welled once more in Clementine's eyes as a vast wave of emotions surrounded her violently.
"Clementine," Luke also gasped, "You shouldn't be here...h-how'd you die? What happened to you? I mean, I-I'm so glad to see you, b-but..."
"Clementine, darling," the voice of her mother's warmth rang out throughout her.
"It's okay Clem. Everything will be okay," Carlos' strong voice also filled her shaking brain.
"Kenny!" Clementine yelled and rushed towards Kenny and jumped in his arms, as he gave Clementine a bear hug.
"I missed you so much sweetie. We all thought about you every single day here," Kenny shed some tears. "I'm so sorry how I acted up there. You shouldn't have...but your a grown woman now."
"I'm still a teenager Kenny," Clem spoke in tears.
"You're a beautiful girl Clem. I'm proud of you, I mean it. Now hurry up and say hi to the others."
Clementine stood up and stared at the faces of others, until she caught her two parents, Ed and Diana.
She internally cursed at herself for crying like a little baby in front of all of them, but emotions were very high, and what the hell was she supposed to do?
"M-mom, d-dad...I-I tried looking for you, I promise. I-..."
"Shh, shhh," Diana gently cooed, enveloping Clementine in a hug, as Ed joined. "Everything is going to be okay. You are going to be okay...You are with us now and nothing will tear us apart. I heard from Lee what a beautiful and strong girl you've become."
"H-he helped take care of me. If he wasn't there, I would have died. I would have ran out of food. He saved me...and then, I shot him," Clem heart-brokenly said.
"Hey, hey, don't say that," Kenny's voice rang out, "Don't you dare blame yourself for that missy. You did the right thing, okay? Quit blaming yourself for it."
"He's right Clem," Omid smiled. "Lee was bitten by a walker. If you hadn't shot him in the head, it would've meant he would come back as a walker, and I know you didn't want that for him."
Clementine stared at Omid in horror and in gut-wrenching pain.
"Oh, shoot, I'm sorry for saying that Clem," Omid winced. "I didn't mean to..."
"I-I'm sorry...I should've been m-more careful," Clem sniffed. "I should have done something to that woman who tried to r-rob me."
"Don't blame yourself for that," Omid gently smiled. "I made my own choice to save you. It was stupid of me to not even think about the door closing. My only regret is living Christa to this cold hard world. I'm sure I'll see her soon. Seeing you here and seeing everyone here gives me hope."
Clementine nodded. "And for your other point...if I hadn't ran away, then Lee wouldn't have had to be bit."
"Clem, if I hadn't been stupid and reached out for you walkie talkie, without making sure there were no walkers around, I wouldn't have been bit," Lee argued. "Don't blame yourself for that. I'm sorry for lying to you about finding your parents. If I hadn't...well, I should have been truthful."
Diana and Ed gave a sad smile.
"No, I'm glad you lied to me. If you hadn't, I would've broken down and acted like a jerk, and been even more of a problem."
"Don't say that Clem," Katjaa said. "Don't you dare say that. That is all in the past. This is the present now. Sweetie, I'm so glad to see you, but how did you die...you're a really strong girl."
"Yeah, how did you die?" Luke asked, "You had the balls to save me from that freezing lake. If it hadn't been that damn walker grabbing on to me, I might've made it, but..."
"Before she tells her story, let her say hi to everyone else first, okay kid?" Kenny asked.
"Yeah, yeah. No problem."
"Good."
"Heya Clem, do you remember us?" asked a soft voice.
Clementine looked the man and woman up and down, squinting. "I-I kinda...um, hey, you're the girl who Lily shot in the face!"
She laughed. "Way to be direct kiddo. Yep, that's me."
"Lily!" Clementine growled. "She's the one who killed me on the boat..."
"What?" Lee asked, his voice deepening. "That...Lily?"
"That stupid girl we left to die on the road?!" Kenny snarled.
"Yes, her!" Clementine said, with fire in her voice, ice in her veins. "She's alive...and I was protecting AJ, when we got into a struggling match. I was weak and wounded, and she overpowered me and began choking me and she threw me off the ledge. I fell into the sea and I think drowned or was eaten by sharks or something...and that's why I'm here."
No one said anything, but just stared at her.
"That son of a bitch," Kenny snarled.
"Ken, easy," Katjaa calmed him down. "What's done is done. Honey, I'm sorry you had to go through this."
"What's done is done," Clementine sighed. "I...I'm just glad to see you all again, and I died protecting a friend, so I really don't care. At least...I hope AJ survives..."
"The kid...h-how's he doing?" Kenny as asked.
"M-my baby boy? Clementine, I'm so glad to see you...is he doing okay?" Rebecca asked.
"Rebecca...I-I..." Clem stuttered.
Rebecca immediately knew what she was going to say, and she stopped her. "Hey, you did what you had to do. If you hadn't shot me, I might have eaten my son, God forbid. You did me a favor...I'm with Alvin now."
Alvin smiled at Rebecca and then at Clementine. "Although I haven't been around you for a lot, I'm glad you helped me and Rebecca and cared for us, Clem, I really appreciate what you did for us."
There was a question Clem wanted to ask. "C-Carver's not here, i-is he?"
"If he was, he would've been dead again," Kenny growled maliciously, "Thankfully he isn't, but I'm sure it wouldn't be pretty."
"Damn straight," Alvin agreed.
"Fu-I mean...screw him," Rebecca snarled. "He got what was coming for him. His oppression is over."
"I'm amazed you know all these sweet people Clem," Ed smiled. "They all rave about you."
"Hell, I know I said this before, but man, did you grow A-fucking a lot," Kenny grinned. "Last time I saw you, heh...my, how time has flown so much. How old are you Clementine? Do you remember?"
"I'm 16..."
"Holy hell," Luke chuckled. "You were...11 when we met you..."
Clementine smirked, trying to get under their skin. "I had a boyfriend."
"WAIT, what?!" Kenny shouted. "You have a-what?!"
Clementine giggled at his reaction.
"Really Clem? How is he? He treat you well?" Lee crossed his arms, kinda irked at the fact that his baby girl was in a relationship."
"Well, I'm dead...so," Clementine unhappily sighed as the mood turned dark once more.
"Shit Clem...I"m so sorry," Kenny shook his head.
"It's over...what happened...happened. But, I have to speak to someone...someone who...I thought..." Clementine sniffed, scanning around the room, as her eyes landed on Jane. Clementine crossed her arms, vividly remembering Jane hanging herself, being turned into a walker.
"Clem, I'm so sorry...I really am, for not telling you, but I had too." Jane pleaded. "You have to believe me."
For the first time, she felt anger bubble up. "Y-you left me alone...without a damn explanation. Do you know hard it was for me to see you like that?! How could you even do that?!"
"I was pregnant, Clem," Jane gasped. "It would've slowed me down. Baby, please, you have to understand. Having a baby in that world...at that time, was suicide. I couldn't do it...I never expected it Clem...but..."
Jane looked at Luke as he looked heartbroken.
"Don't feel angry with yourself Luke...It was that moment, and it got to us, okay?" Jane asked. "Clem, please, forgive me."
Clementine looked down at her shoes, and thought about the times she had with Jane.
"Yeah, I forgive. Forgave you once, will forgive you again. You helped me a lot during my time of need, and that knee trick helped keep me alive, so I'm grateful for it," Clementine smiled, giving Jane a huge hug.
Jane returned it. "I knew I could count on you. I love you Clem."
"I-I love you too."
Clementine turned to others who she hadn't talked to. "Hi Nick. Pete."
"Hey there kiddo," Pete smiled. "You are a real brave one. I know you could have survived much longer, but death knows no age. It don't give a damn if you're a girl, a boy, young, old, pregnant, strong or whatever shit."
"A-are you..."
"Mad at you? Hell no. I'm really glad you watched after Nick and kept your promise. You kept me company for the night and without you, I would've ended my life much more sooner. Thanks for staying with me there."
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
Pete gave a genuine smile as he nudged Nick.
"You...you were there for me," Nick replied. "You gave me the gold watch back, you forgave me even after I was a dick to you and that mishap I had with Matthew, but your kindness truly shine. I will never forget that. Thank you Clem, I really mean it."
"Y-yeah, I agree. Hey there Clem."
Clem looked up to see Ben. "Ben..."
"I just wanted to truly say thank you. I hadn't the time to say it, but..." Ben scratched his head. "Even though I did that unforgivable act, you stood up for me, and kept me in the group, when others wanted me gone. I feel so bad for leaving you during the walker attack, but I was scared. I honestly didn't have the moment to thank you because I ended up dying, so thank you. I really mean it."
Clementine enveloped Ben in a hug. "You were a good friend. Of course I'd defend you, though I can't remember much about when I was 9 years old..."
"I'll say, time flies by fast."
"It does," Clementine smiled as she scanned the faces for Duck. "Duck...hi Duck."
"Clementine?" Duck eagerly smiled. "It's so great to see you here!"
Clementine laughed. "I'm so happy to see you too. I'm so sorry about what happened up there. I was really scared and sad when that happened to you."
"It's okay Clementine. That was fun!" Duck grinned.
Clem frowned. "Wait, being bitten was fun?!"
"Oh, not that! But remember when we played games and drew on paper with crayons? That as so fun, though you were, much more younger than you are now, but."
"Yeah, yeah," Clementine giggled and gave Duck a big hug. "I'm so glad to see you here. Really, I am."
"Great to see you too!"
Clementine pulled back, controlling her emotions.
"Clem, honey."
Clementine turned to look at Carlos who had his arms crossed, but was smiling.
"I heard from Sarah about what happened. Although she met an unfortunate death, I would like to thank you for being there for her, you know? She could have died on that house, but you convinced her, which I'm amazed you still did," Carlos sadly smiled.
"She was my friend. I'll be damned if I don't try my hardest to save them," Clementine replied. "I was never going to leave her behind...but I'm sorry for slapping her...that was really hard to do."
"That slap saved her life," Carlos replied, "Although it was only for a little bit...you still saved her. Now, do you understand when I said that Sarah was special? I...kept her away from the world, and she's never seen anything terrible in her life, so if she had seem them for the first time, the gravity of it would shut her down. You experienced it."
"Yeah, I did," Clem sadly said. "No one should have died when we were escaping Howe's. How did it go all down so quickly? I don't understand."
"Clementine, remember what I said. The plan was perfect, the execution was poor," Jane replied.
"Hell, the execution was perfect too, until Carlos got shot," Luke shook his head. "We were going to make it, you know?"
"It was one of those fuckers on the rooftop shooting at the walkers. They got Carlos, which drew Sarah's screams, and it went downhill," Nick crossed his arms.
"It is not Sarah's fault," Carlos strongly said, "After I was hit with the bullet, a walker pinned me down and tore into me. The screams nor panic did not draw them. It was the bullet that hit me."
Jane looked down. "I see..."
"I-is Molly here?" Clementine asked, trying to find her.
"No sweet pea, she's not here. She must still be alive," Lee smiled. "I can't say I'm surprised."
"That girl is a tough sunofabitch," Kenny agreed.
"Sweet pea, are you done greeting your friends? If so, we'd like to hear all about what happened after," Lee gently urged. "Are you ready to share all that? I'm interested in your story."
"Yeah, tell us," Kenny agreed. "I know a little about what happened, but I haven't been with you fully, to understand all that you've been through."
"Are you okay with sharing all of this Clementine?"
"Yeah...yeah, I am...in front of everyone who I know and cared for, but...there's this thought in me," Clem trailed on. "Groups were never a good idea...every group I had, they all disappear or are dead. That's why I stuck alone after Jane left..."
"Clem, don't say that..."
"I'm serious!" Clementine growled. "First, it was at Hershel's Farm with Lee, Kenny, Katjaa, Duck, and I, then with Carley, Doug, Larry, Lily, Ben, and the others. Out of all of them, only Lily is alive, and she killed me...everyone else either got bit, or shot, or just plain killed. Then, Molly disappears, as does Vernon and the others. Omid dies, trying to protect me and Christa is also gone. I don't know where she is...then I meet Carlos, Sarah, Nick, Luke, Pete, Alvin, Rebecca, Bonnie, Mike, Arvo, Walter, Matthew, Sarita, and Jane. Out of the fourteen of you, 11 of you leave the earth, and Bonnie, Mike and Arvo ends up shooting me and leaving me for dead. Every group I'm in turns to shit and I can't help, but to think it's all m-my fault for l-losing all of you. I could have tried harder to save you guys, but I couldn't...I'm...I'm so...s-sorry."
Clementine broke down into sobs as she let all her emotions out. "Maybe I'm should be glad I'm dead...I probably ended saving more lives th-that way."
Everyone looked at Clem with sad eyes, but silently encouraged her.
"Hey, hey, you watch your mouth lady," Kenny warned, standing up. "Our deaths were not your fault at all! We made the decision."
Lee embraced Clem in a tight hug. "Hon, it is not your fault. None of us would ever blame you for our deaths. You were the light of my life...one of the only reasons I kept on going to save you. We all love you."
"That's right, quit blaming yourself," Rebecca warned. "Many of us treated you like shit when we found you, yet you still helped all of us."
"I'll say that it is you...your innocence and charm that gave us that light," Luke sighed. "You were really a tough girl. Remember when we had to ambush to walkers and I told ya I got the big one? Well, this kid here charges in like a damn hero and kills that huge walker. You definitely have guts..."
"Lee helped shape me like that," Clementine smiled. "If he hadn't found me, trust me, I would have been dead...not knowing how to shoot a gun, and I probably would have kept my hair long, which would have killed me. Lee saved me, and his voice was the guide I had. I cried almost every night thinking about him. If he were still here, we'd be unstoppable."
"I know Clem. We would have been a great team," Lee sighed. "Damn walker. Wish I would have been there for you longer..."
"Ah, yes, thank you Lee," Diana smiled. "I'm glad my daughter was a big help to all of you."
"She definitely was a huge piece," Kenny sighed. "Knew what to say...I was going out of control and she never got mad, even when I did."
"I remember when Carver talked to me," Clementine thought. "He said that we were more alike than we think, and that scared me. I'm not like him, am I? I might have killed people, but I d-don't think it was to his extent."
"Never Clementine...you are nothing like him," Carlos said. "He is just a ruthless dictator...a power hungry tyrant who only cares about himself."
"He reminds me kinda like the Oberson fellow," Kenny sighed. "Not sure which would have been worse living in..."
"Crawford would have been much, much worse," Clementine nodded.
"Yeah, I guess so."
They fell into comfortable silence for a while.
"Well, this is place is boring already," Clementine crossed her arms, "How do you even manage to survive here this long?"
"Survive?" Nick asked. "This place is the afterlife kid. You might think it's boring, but this place is very expansive. Lots of things to do here."
"Want to check this place out Clem, together?" Lee asked.
"Together," Clementine smiled. "For old time's sake."
Lee gave her a huge smile as they both rose up.
"Hey now, don't hog her for too long, you got me?" Kenny asked.
Lee laughed. "Don't worry Ken...she'll be right back. Will it be okay to take her with me, Ed and Diana?"
"You have our blessings," Diana smiled.
"Just don't run away from here, you got me?" Ed asked.
"Ha, if I could try..." Lee chuckled. "Let's go Clem. There is so much to show you and there is so much to do."
As Clementine began walking with Lee, she turned to her group and gave a small wave, another wave of emotions hitting her. She would be happy here, she knew it. She knew this was a start of another life, and she could only smile as Lee put his arm around her shoulders. This is the life.