Title: A Survivor's Pride
Genre: Romance, Family, Friendship
Pairings: Louis x Clementine, Lee x Carley, James x Mitch, Violet x Minerva, Marlon x Brody, Aasim x Ruby
Summary: After losing her parents at the age of eight, Clementine had been taken in by Lee Everett who runs a fortress, safe from the Walkers. Lee and Carley raise her like a daughter, James is like her older brother, and the Community become her family. Then Clementine meets Louis, a boy being trained to be a soldier for a group known as Raiders, being lead by Lilly who once was a friend to Lee but had shown loyalty to William Carvier, a power-hungry man that could lead his people in fear.
However, instead of becoming enemies, Clementine and Louis become fast friends and then later on in life, find love. As the two become close, they can only hope that their love will be enough to put an end to the strong hatred between their homes. If only Lee and Lilly can let go of their bitter hatred and put the past at rest.
Chapter 1
They Live in You
In the very early morning just before the sun first rises, a very small, eight year old girl is curled up next to a tree, crying. Her parents had recently died in a car wreck caused when their car had hit a Walker, with the girl being the only one that had miraculously survived and managed to get away before anymore of the walking dead showing up.
Night
And the spirit of life
Calling
Unknowingly, the child happens to be just outside a fortress that has been seen by surveillance cameras. Inside the fortress, two men, one a thirty-seven year-old African-American and the other a Caucasian-American in his early twenties, watching the cameras when they spotted the weeping child just outside their walls.
Worried that her crying will attract Walkers, the older man, Lee Everett, decides to bring the girl inside the fortress. Approaching the area the cameras were watching, Lee carefully approaches the girl, who hasn't noticed him yet.
Wait
There's no fortress
too great
Carefully, Lee raises one hand and gently touch her trembling shoulder, causing the girl to finally look up. Her eyes appeared fearful for a moment, but then Lee gently wipes her tears away. His touch comforting, the girl stops trembling as Lee asks, "Why are you alone?"
"My parents died in a car wreck after they had hit a Walker that was in the middle of the road." she answers with her voice shaking from crying.
Examining her, Lee did notice that she has a few bad bruises, scrapes and cuts. "How about I take you inside and I'll have someone take a look at you?" At first she's confused until she finally realizes that she's been just outside a fortress. Believing that maybe she'll be safer even though she just met the man, the girl nods.
Giving her a kind smile, Lee lifts the girl into his arms and carries her inside with Luke waiting at the entrance. Once back inside the walls, Lee then asks, "What's your name, sweet pea?"
"Clementine." she answers softly.
Hear the words
and have faith
Oh
Have faith
The smile remaining on his face, Lee then sees a familiar young woman approach them from one of the work buildings. "Luke told me you went outside the fortress when you two saw someone just outside the walls."
"Yeah, Clementine here had just recently lost her parents and I couldn't just leave her out there when there could be Walkers nearby." Lee explains to the woman.
Setting her attention to her, the woman also gives her a soft smile. "You're lucky that you made it here on your own. And now you're safe here."
"Could you take Clem to Carlos? She may have survived the car wreck, but she's still hurt."
"Of course." Lee then sets Clementine into her arms.
Noticing how nervous she had just became, Lee gently cups her small cheek. "Don't worry, I'm just going to check on a few things and I'll come get you later. Carley and Carlos will take good care of you." At his gentle touch and words, Clementine does settle down and decides to trust them.
With that, Carley carries Clementine to the infirmary while Lee went to check on reports and few other things. Hearing Carley's gentle heartbeat, almost like her mother's, Clementine feels more at peace.
Once at the infirmary, they are greeted by a Hispanic-American man who had just finished with checking on his medical supplies. As Carley informs the man that just has to be Carlos, Clementine notices a girl slightly older, age twelve sitting in the corner, silently reading. As Carley lets her on the examination table, Clementine watches the other girl in curiosity. While Carlos tends to her bruises, scrapes and cuts, the girl finally looks up. "Who is she, dad?"
"This is Clementine, Sarah. She had survived a car wreck but her parents didn't. Lee found her right outside the walls and had brought her in." Carlos explained as he continued his work. When they locked eye contact, Clementine waves shyly to the older girl then Sarah waves back.
They live in you
They live in me
They watch over
All throughout the fortress as everyone do their daily routines and usual work, they all think about the loved ones they all have lost over the years before starting a new life in this fortress as they all work to survive each day.
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
They live in you
They live in me
Once she's been bandaged up, Carley returns with some food for Clementine, who had accepted it gratefully. Once she had finished her meal, Carley then leads Clementine into the courtyard where many residents waited to meet the new member. To see so many new faces at once, Clementine hid shyly behind Carley.
They live in you
But then the woman places a comforting hand on her back and gives her a reassuring smile. Still being a bit shy, Clementine steps out of hiding as Carley announces, "Everyone, this girl is Clementine. She's recently lost her parents and Lee had brought her in. Now that she's a part of our family, Lee and I will be new parent figures to her. So all of you be good to her, teach her anything she wants to know."
As everyone cheer to welcome her, Clementine scans the crowd for Lee, but there was no sign of the man. "I don't see Lee."
"I'm actually going to take you to him after I had introduced you to the community." Carley says softly. Then she leads her to another room, with Lee and Luke discussing reports they were given recently.
Then Carley gently knocks on the doorframe, grabbing the men's attention with Lee smiling that Clementine is there. Gesturing the child closer, Clementine obliges and once she's beside him, Lee wraps his arm around her small shoulders. "Clementine, this is Luke, he's second in command of this fortress."
Luke holds out his hand to her and then Clementine places her smaller hand in his, slowly shaking them. "Sorry to hear of what had happened to your parents."
Yeah, oh, yeah
They live in you
They live in me
She knows that she'll miss her parents. But Clementine smiles at the thought of living here, in the fortress with Lee, Carley and everyone that had welcomed her with smiles. Then a Korean-American boy that is older than her by three to four years enters the room. "You summoned me, Lee?" he asks.
"Yes. I had remembered that you were very busy with helping your dad and his food trucks. So I want you to meet a new member of our family." Lee then shows Clementine to the boy. "This is Clementine. Luke and I had found her outside the walls after she had lost her parents."
To hear the news, the boy sets his attention on her and says with a small smile, "I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I'm James."
"It's nice to meet you, James." Clementine replies with a nod.
They watch over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
"Starting today, whenever I'm working, she'll be under you and your father's care. Can I trust you with this job?"
The small smile growing, James keeps his eyes on Clem as he nods his head. "Then Clem, can you help James and his dad today?" Carley asks.
Turning to face the three adults, Clementine shows that she is actually very excited to start her life here. With that, the two kids leave the room to head back to his father, Lee and the other two watching them with smiles, having high hopes that Clementine will have a bright future with them.
In your reflection
They live in you
Within a few minutes since Clementine left with James, two more boys pop up in the room, one being two to three years older than Clem and the other one to two older. With a chuckle, Luke says, "You two just missed her."
To hear they were late to meet Clementine, the boys Aasim and Omar flop down in disappointment. "Don't worry, boys. Just like with the other kids, you'll meet her another time." Carley points out.
"But I do have a special job for you two. As you guys help to train her, I want you to be friends to her. Clementine will need as much friends as she can get." Lee informs them what he wants them to do for Clem.
Sounds like an easy enough job for the two friends. "You got it, Lee." both Aasim and Omar nod their heads in understanding what their boss wants them to do.