Clem's Age: 12

It's been a couple hours, hasn't it? At least a few hours, it must've been that by now. It's not as if I'm keeping track of the time anymore. I mean, what's the point, right? It's not as if I need to wake up for school or try and not be late for work like my parents used to do. That stuff is over – the reality is that time is pretty much irrelevant nowadays. It has no meaning.

I believe this because it really doesn't matter how long I have to sit here with Ellie and Riley; slowly wasting away on either side of me as their tiny bodies move up and down every now and again with each sleeping breath they take. Despite that big scare that they had with that run-in with a walker, they're resting peacefully. They can dream without a care in the world, and they won't have to worry about a damn thing when they wake up.

Because the next time that they awaken, they won't even be human anymore.

Watching as small streams of blood trail down Ellie's arm and Riley's hand, I force myself not to allow any more tears to flow. There are already enough liquid stains on my cheeks as it is from getting so upset about all of this, and I really don't plan on adding anymore to that list. Stroking Riley's head softly, my gut wrenches around when she doesn't even budge an inch.

You see, this right here is why I shouldn't willingly get close to too many people. All I ever end up with is heartache and pain – that sounds super depressing, but it's unfortunately true. How many friendships and families have been ripped apart ever since the walkers started showing up? How many kids are gone now because they were never prepared or taught how to survive out here when their parents aren't around? How many times have Jane, Lilly and I seen things fall apart and crumble to tatters because people haven't been able to adapt?

I've spent many a night cursing the world – blaming it for all of my problems, hating its guts for allowing such shitty things to happen to the sweetest and most caring of people, and for changing me into a much colder, more isolated version of myself than I ever was before. The world was cruel, and I, a small and insignificant part of it, had to endure countless setbacks and losses thrown my way. I had the woe is me mentality going for over a year.

And what good did any of that accomplish? I spend an entire year of silence with Christa, slowly losing my mind as that overwhelming sense of guilt just seeps into my bones. It took me quite a while to overcome that need to distance myself from people; to finally connect with people and realize that I needed to live and hurl myself over these obstacles.

Glancing down at these two kids, however, makes me feel like I'm back at square one.

"God damn it…" I whisper; making sure that Ellie's switchblade is nearby for… when the time comes. "I… I'm so sorry, guys…"

My heart shatters into a billion pieces when Riley very slowly opens her eyes again – not as the brave kid I knew, but as something else entirely. Her skin's gotten pale, her eyes have gone a dull shade of grey, and her mouth is slowly dripping out blood as she finally turns to look up at me.

Shuddering and closing my eyes for just a brief moment, I struggle to find the courage to do what is necessary. This happens literally every single time - I always hesitate when it comes to putting my friends down. Goodbye is always the hardest thing to say.

Re-opening my eyes, I keep my grip on Riley firm, but I hold her neck in a chokehold as Ellie still sleeps soundly on the other side of me; blissfully unaware of everything going on.

"If it comes to it – if Luke or Sarah or anyone else needs to be put down," I remember Jane telling me explicitly, "you've gotta be ready for it. No hesitation. You know that, right?"

Yeah, Jane, I know it. I just can't fucking stand doing it all the time…

"…Goodbye, kiddo…" I whisper to her one last time; using every ounce of my strength to hold Riley in place and prevent her from biting me as well.

Choosing not to look at her right in the eyes, I grunt as I lift Ellie's switchblade up… and bring it back down.

It's done – Riley, I hope, is now at peace.

Gasping for air, I cringe as I let the body fall to the ground with a thump. It's over now – I'm halfway finished, and now I have to wait for the other hardest responsibility that I've had to do today. I owe it to these kids to see this through fully.

As Ellie keeps on breathing and subconsciously leans up against me, I glance down at the bloody knife with dismay. Why not just get it over with right now? I mean, why wait and draw this out even longer than it needs to be? The exact thing that happened to Riley is going to happen to the other kid too – I've seen it a million times before. No matter what, there's no surviving a bite wound, and cutting the arm off of a six year old child is just a death sentence.

A part of me is very tempted to just get this over with right now… but something compels me not to. It's hard for me to explain, but seeing Ellie all comfortable and innocent like this…

"I can't…" I murmur, dropping the knife as Ellie continues to breathe. Riley turned, and so putting her down was a necessity. But… why can't I wait for just a little bit longer? She can just have one final nap beforehand, and not realize what's going on until it's finally over! Can't somebody just let me have this one last moment of peace with the kid?

Please?

….

…Something's not right here.

Why… why is she still sitting there? Why is she still sleeping? Why has nothing happened to this kid yet?

How is it that Riley turned over two hours ago, and yet Ellie's barely even batted an eyelid?

As the night rolls on, and I wait up throughout all of it for even a sign of the kid turning, I grow more worried. This isn't normal – even Duck didn't take this long, and he held out for quite a long time beforehand.

Growing increasingly confused and a little bit scared, I carefully pick the child up in my arms; holding her legs in one arm as her back rests in the other.

"What's going on with you?" I whisper, gazing at the kid's face as I start to walk forward. When I gently place her down a little ways away from the gruesome sight surrounding her, she instinctively reaches out for me in her sleep; grasping at the air until her arms slowly fall back down to her sides.

Coming back over to Riley, I shudder as I gaze at the mess that I've left behind. I can't leave the poor kid like this… she deserves much better than what she's been given.

I need to give her a proper send-off. If nothing else, then a small funeral type of thing would be the least that I could do. I owe her that much.

Taking one look back at the still-sleeping form of Ellie, I gather up Riley in my arms and open the door leading outside. The night air chills my bones as I step out, but the wind's nullified by my determination to see this through. Making sure to leave a rock in the doorway so that I'm not locked out, I take a deep breath before walking out into the street.

The massive hole that Bo and them created is still there; constantly reminding me of that close encounter I had in the subway tunnels. That must've been Near-Death Experience number four thousand, meaning that I'm hardly even fazed by how much danger I'm constantly in anymore. That's just the way that the world works these days.

Ignoring the dozens of walker growls coming from the trapped walkers in the subway as well as those from the other side of the hole, I gently lay Riley down as I take a few moments of silence. I wish that I had been able to do this with everyone that I had lost, but what can you do?

Shutting the poor kid's eyelids for the final time, I let her fall into the subway tunnels before standing up and turning back towards the space center with my hands in my pockets. I can't bury the kid in concrete and rubble, so this will have to do. It's been tough, but I'm sure that I'll be able to pull through this. I've done it before, and I'll do it again.

Creaking the door back open, I kick the rock out of the way and shut the door firmly behind me. We don't want to repeat the same mistakes that got two of my friends killed all over again.

Or so I thought it was two

Widening my eyes in disbelief, I struggle to hold myself up against the pillar as Ellie's eyes start to flutter open. On instinct, I pull out my pistol and hold it out at my side – prepared for the worst – but there's really no need. Her skin is exactly the same, her eyes haven't changed colour, and the child's still breathing like a regular human being. Everything seems… abnormally normal about her.

"H-how is this… possible…?" I ask aloud, dropping the gun to the ground as I fall to my knees. I don't understand – she looks perfectly fine! No coughing, no blood, nothing! This is the only time that I've ever seen anybody get bitten and not gotten turned into one of those things.

Checking her arm to make sure that it actually in fact was a bite, I tilt her chin up and check for any signs of trouble. When I find none, and Ellie stubbornly bats my hand away from her face, I gently place my hand on her shoulder in support.

A bite wound with no after-effects… this is impossible. I may be a little bit crazy with everything that's been going on, but not on this. Ellie… she's just a little kid! A six year old girl who still has a whole future ahead of her!

She can't be able to withstand this, right? I mean, there's no possible way that she could be –

Holy shit.

"…ugh… Cl-Clem?" Ellie asks groggily, staring up at me curiously. "Why are you staring at me like that? Stop it!"

"Ellie… god damn, Ellie…" I can't help but keep repeating her name over and over again; still feeling my head spin as I realize what this all means. This little girl can't turn into a walker – she's immune to whatever their bite does to you.

That means that I hold the key to the cure in my hands. We could all be saved, and just be done with all of this walker business once and for all.

…but fuck that. No – I know exactly what that implies, and there's absolutely no way in hell that I'm handing her over to James. I can't trust him, and I can't trust Bo to keep either of their words. They'll cut her head open like a jack-o-lantern, stick needles in her brain and dump her body into a pile with the dozens (if not more) that they've already worked on.

I won't let them take you away from me, I think bitterly, sitting down silently beside the kid as I stare at my lap. I suddenly feel more responsible for this kid than I ever have before.

"I umm… I need you to know a few things…" I stutter, finding it increasingly difficult to get any English across my lips. "Listen… you're a special kid, you know that? There's really nobody else like you around here… or anywhere."

"Huh?" she asks, totally lost as to why I'm telling her this. "Like… like a superhero?"

"Ha ha, yeah… like a superhero," I nod, trying hard to keep my composure. "But… you know that bite on your arm? Well… we're just gonna need to keep it a secret, okay? Keep it covered up so that the bad guys can't get to it…"

"But why?"

"You just have to trust me on this, okay?" I encourage, rubbing the kid's shoulder as I pull off a small fake smile to ease her along. Lifting off my poncho, I slide it over her head with affection. A little chill isn't gonna bother me – besides, I think that it's time for a new one anyways. "Have I ever let you down before?"

Scratching at the itchy fabric she's been put in, Ellie lifts her arms up as the sleeves go well past her hands. It might not fit just yet, but she's gonna grow into it eventually, and it's a hell of a lot better than having her in just a t-shirt all the time.

"No…" she answers my original question, but still looking around the room for something… or rather, someone. "Where's Riley? Is she okay? That big monster was super scary!"

I can't say a damn word to comfort the kid, and my heart nearly snaps in two as her bottom lip starts to quiver. "R-Riley…? Where…?" she cries, starting to sob loudly as I whisper the truth in her ear. "NO! YOU'RE LYING TO ME! No! No… RILEY!"

Banging on my chest in protest, Ellie screams as I firmly wrap my arms around her waist; holding the girl close so that she can't break away. When she realizes that I have absolutely no intention of letting go, Ellie collapses against me as her tears start staining my shirt.

"No matter what happens," I whisper as I hold this diamond in the rough against me, "I'll be there for you, Ellie. That's… that's a promise. I'll keep you safe…"

Glancing over at my own visual image of Lee just sitting nearby, I firmly believe that I'll be able to hold to that promise this time around. I won't screw it up, and I'll make sure that she grows up safe and secure.

Even if that means that I have to lie to her about her immunity.

Lilly's POV

"Anyone seen Clem or the kids?"

Getting two head shakes from Bo and Tommy, and not getting any kind of response from James, I furrow my brow in slight concern. Clem can handle herself well enough, but Ellie and Riley? I'm pretty sure that the two of them put together could barely hold a baseball bat – the two of them off by themselves would just be suicide.

You know, so far this whole Firefly business isn't quite what I had expected it to be. We haven't really started anything yet, even though Bo's insisting that he's got something coming up in the works for us. But right now it looks like we're just the same any other ragtag group out here trying to survive.

Confused as to where they could've scampered off to, I tiredly rub my eyes before taking my leave. Last night was… sigh – bliss, pure bliss. Jane said yes to my proposal, the three musketeers were back together again, and I rested more easily than I have in years. I almost felt guilty about how wonderful I felt, what with everything else going to shit around us.

Just almost, though – nothing more.

"Jesus fucking Christ… does nobody even care where they went?" I ask aloud; looking as the three of them sit there going over fucking papers and shit. "How is any of this gonna matter if we can't find them?! Hellooooooooo? Earth to people?!"

"Would you just calm the fuck down already?! If you're so worried, then quit standing there and bitching about it! Go find them yourself!" James snaps, getting on my nerves as he glares at me from behind a pair of slightly-busted glasses. I have half a mind to knock his head through the nearest window and end his miserable existence.

But then again, I suppose I already did that to his girlfriend now, didn't I? It's a good thing that I haven't told him that part…

"I think she might have said somethin' 'bout going to the basement," Tommy remarks, scratching his chin as he nods. "Yeah, that was it. Said something 'bout looking for the two little rascals she was with."

"You don't need to look anywhere."

As all of us turn around, my expression of relief is cut short as I see Clementine standing in the doorway; looking like her soul was just sucked out by a vacuum. When I see Jane out in the hall bending down to talk to a distraught Ellie, I realize what's truly going on.

"Oh shit…" Bo says, spinning in his chair as he looks over to Clementine questioningly. "What happened down there? Don't tell me she…"

"…they were in the basement, just playing around…" she says, barely audible enough for me to hear as she shakes her head. "The… door was open, and… and… some guy walked in with a gun. He shot Riley and took off somewhere… She didn't make it…"

Thinking that she's going to need at least a little bit of time to grieve, I go to walk towards the exit and talk to Jane, but Clementine stops me and shakes her head.

Walking over to the table, she mentions for Bo to fill her in on the details that we've got so far. The rest of us glance over at Clem as if she's just grown a third head.

"Clem…" I remark, looking back out for only a second as Jane tries her best to comfort Ellie out in the hallway. "Are you sure you wanna do this right now? I mean, you don't have to go through this alone."

"I'm fine," she stiffens, meaning that she wants me to drop the subject entirely. "We need to get things rolling… let Ellie have her space, but… I can't afford to quit now. We need to get started."

Frowning deeply, I fold my arms across my chest as she sorts through various maps and plans for the surrounding area. "Jesus, Clem! Are you serious?!" I remark, not understanding why she's acting this way. "Riley just fucking died! And you're shrugging it off like it's no big deal! Just let us help you – that's what we're here for!"

"I SAID I'M FINE, LILLY!" she snaps in anger, grinding her teeth together as her rage slowly starts to simmer down. This is definitely not like her to behave like this. "People die, alright?! In case none of you have noticed that yet, well, there it is! Yeah, I'm pissed off and sad about it, but we've got work to do! Riley's gone, and there's nothing any of us can do about it! Or should I bring up AJ again?"

Feeling slightly guilty about that conversation back at Howe's, and hating the fact that a whole whack of curious stares are now being thrown my way, I huff in frustration as I shake my head and head for the exit. "I need some air," I tell them as an excuse, not used to having Clementine blow up at me like that.

"She'll come back…" I hear Clem tell the rest of the group. "Okay… what's our first move gonna be?"

Slamming the door behind me, I resist the urge to bellow down the hallway; resorting to kicking over a trash bin instead.

Something changed in that kid, and I'm not so sure that it's been for the better. Why do I feel this way?

Well… it's because I think that she's turning into me.

That single thought might scare me more than the walkers do.

AN: Alright, hopefully that's clearing a few things up so far. Clem's changing already, and she hasn't even STARTED the leadership thing yet – we'll explore that a bit more as we go forward.

Also – I'm going to need some OCs, if you please :) I'm not going to be able to go into too much backstory with them, but *spoiler alert* they're going to be in a group not too far from where these guys are stationed. I'm going to try and make it so that they spice up the story a little bit, because I'm definitely gonna need it lol.

So, if you guys would like, please send me a small description of an OC you want to have in this little group! All I need is a name, gender, a small description of their personality, and that's it. Pretty please with a cherry on top?

That'd be awesome, guys – thanks!