The speakers on the stereo crackled to life, the gentle sounds of a harp echoing through the ski lodge. Now it really did feel like Christmas time.

Clementine had never visited a resort like this in full swing- her parents had, had promised her that maybe one day they would take her, but it had never happened. Remembering the now-empty promises of her parents only made Clementine's heart fall deeper in her chest, something that the sound of harp playing would never cure. And now, looking at the ski lodge, everything only brought a deep longing in her chest for everything to be back to normal. From the cafeteria-esque tables to the sounds of people actually being happy.

In that moment, she realized that this was only delaying the inevitable. And that only made her chest ache.

"Clementine!" The younger girl jumped, the sound of her name being called pulling her out of her thoughts. It was Sarita, motioning her back over to the tree. "Looking for something to do?" Clem simply nodded, a little embarrassed. "We could use some help. Here, Sarah, you string these up over here," She handed Sarah some bright gold tinsel before nudging the box of ornaments in Clementine's direction.

The young girl gradually got to work, moving over as Sarah wound the tinsel around the tree. The older woman began to hum a vaguely familiar tune, softly, as she worked to put a bulb in a place Clementine couldn't reach.

"What's that song you're humming?" Asked Sarah, her arms wrapped in the tinsel. Sarita smiled wide, seemingly pleased about the question.

"Good King Wenceslas. It's my favorite Christmas song," She answered, a hint of joy in her voice. Clementine tilted her head. For someone who never celebrated it, Sarita was incredibly familiar with Christmas.

"What's it about?"

"It's a bit of a story. Are you sure you want to hear it?" The way Sarita had said that made Clementine feel like she wasn't expecting no for an answer.

"I like stories," Interjected the younger girl, looking up at Sarita. That just made her grin wider, tapping her chin as if she needed to think about it.

"Well. It's about a king that brings food to a poor man," she explained, standing up on her tip-toes to place another ornament high on the tree, "The king and his servant march all night through a cold winter storm to reach the man. The storm is very strong. After a long time, it gets so cold that the servant can't go on. But the king tells the servant to just step in his tracks."

This sounded ridiculous to Clementine, but Sarita only continued, singing the song herself.

"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tred thou in them boldly. Thou shalt find the winder's rage, freeze thy blood less coldly."

"... I don't get it," said Sarah, after a moment. Clem shook her head in agreement.

"It means that doing good things for people can be good for you, too," Sarita explained, as if this was obvious. Sarah only seemed more confused, and Clem couldn't blame her.

The older girl crossed her arms, tangling the tinsel up slightly. "But the servant wouldn't have been out there in the first place if the king hadn't made him."

Sarita only laughed. "Good point." Clementine looked back to the tree, a little disappointed. The story wasn't one of the most interesting she's ever heard, and it was certainly no Guurgles.

"You knew Lilly before, didn't you, Clementine?" Sarita turned to Clementine, a curious look on her face, "It must be incredible to see her again. When I met her, well... She's a lot more talkative now, I suppose. But you must be surprised." It was an unexpected question, and Clem struggled with the answer.

"Y-you could say that," mumbled Clem. She could see Sarah staring her, a worried look on her face. "She... looks a lot different now." That was the last on a long list of things she would have said about Lilly. Nearing the top were 'I saw her kill a living person' and 'She stole our only transportation and we could have died.' Neither were things she would have dared say to this woman.

"I'll bet. You should have seen her when I found her," Sarita sighed, almost wistfully, "She was covered in Walker guts, if you can believe it. Her hair was so tangled I had to chop it all off." She looked back down at Clementine, but this time, she wasn't smiling. "... I know what she did before."

Clementine stopped, holding her breath.

"I am not going to say what she did was right. And I am not asking you to forgive her of it, but... Many people have done things they regret. Now more than ever. Lilly is... so different now, than when I first met her," Sarita lamented, her eyes fixed on the tree, "I could barely talk to her in the beginning. I could feel how hurt she was, like a woman who had lost everything. I can only imagine how that feels.

But since then, I have only ever seen her try to protect people. You should have heard how much she beat herself up over leaving you," Sarita continued, and Clementine looked down at her feet. She felt the woman's hand on her shoulder, and she didn't brush it off. "Just... Give her a chance. I'm sure she will surprise you."

Clem gazed up at her and she smiled, giving her a pat. Sarah fidgeted awkwardly next to them, crinkling leftover tinsel in her hands.

"Good job, Sarah. That looks perfect," Sarita said after a moment, putting her hands on her hips, looking the tree up and down. "Now we just need the topper."

"... We always had an angel on top of our tree," Sarah spoke up, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Good idea," replied Sarita, taking a look inside the box, "...I think the toppers are still upstairs. Could you get them, Clementine?" The younger girl nodded, making her way up the stairs.

She heard whispers of a conversation as she climbed, and she perked her ears to listen in. "It's crazy," Clementine recognized that as Rebecca, who sounded exhausted, "Why would they follow us this far?"

"We can't be sure," she heard Carlos reply. He had his back leaning on the railing, a hand to his head.

Alvin sighed. "It's been a week, man. We gotta be outta the woods!"

The three hadn't seemed to notice Clementine, who began rooting through the boxes near the stairs. Either that, or they didn't mind. "We can't be sure," Carlos repeated, "They might be tracking us."

Alvin scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Tracking? What do you think they are, ninjas?" Rebecca glared at him as she leaned back in her seat.

"Clem," Clementine jumped as she heard the woman direct the conversation towards her. "Luke said you saw some people in the valley?"

Alvin rose an eyebrow, hands on his hips. "People? Way down there? How?"

"She's got binoculars, genius."

Clem fidgeted uncomfortably, scratching the back of her head. All eyes were on her. "Well, I saw... Lights."

Rebecca ran a hand through her hair nervously. "And which way did they go?"

"Back in the woods, I think."

Carlos stood straight, crossing his arms. Pensive. "We cannot take any chances. We leave at dawn." Rebecca frowned, shifting in her seat.

"But we're safe here for tonight, right?"

Carlos didn't answer, looking away again. After a moment, he turned to Clementine. "Clementine, you talked to that man Walter, right? What did he say? You didn't tell him anything about us, did you?" Clem looked to the ground, thinking. "We have to be careful. They could be hiding something."

"They mentioned someone else..." Clem finally answered, furrowing her brow.

That caught Carlos's interest. "Someone else? Who?"

"Walter's friend, I think. His name is Matthew."

Alvin made an annoyed noise, putting a hand on Rebecca's shoulder. "Look, I don't care what that man said. We're stayin' here tonight." He looked at Carlos, as if daring him to argue. The man only sighed, looking back to Clem.

"Just talk to the rest of them. They trust you. See what you can find out," He moved towards the stair case, looking back at the small group, "I'm going to go look for Luke and Nick, see what they have to say about this."

Once he was gone Rebecca slumped forward in her chair, a hand to her head. "Honey, I don't feel so good..." Alvin knelt beside her in an instant.

"Bec, what's wrong?" He brushed her cheek with his hand, a loving gesture. Rebecca smiled, waving him away.

"I just need somethin' to drink," she answered, looking back to the ground.

"You got it. I'll be right back." Alvin quickly made his way down the stairs, leaving Rebecca and Clementine alone. The woman's face was slightly pale, probably from walking for such a long time. It seemed familiar, reminded Clem of Christa, and that just made her worry. She gave her a worried look, but Rebecca just shook her head.

"Oh, don't worry about me, Clem. I'll be alright," The woman dismissed her with a sigh and a gentle smile. "You just finish what you're doin'." Clem nodded, frowning, as she went back to her task.

The box looked old, ratty, like it had been chewed by small creatures long gone. Inside were two toppers, seemingly untouched by the world around them. One was a tin, gold flecked star, the other an angel in a brilliant white gown. Remembering what Sarah had said about her old tree, she picked the angel out of the box. It had taken a bit of leaning over the bannister to get it on top, but the work was worth it.

Sarah's face lit up, nudging Sarita's arm to direct her gaze to the top of the tree. "She's so cool!" She exclaimed, and that made Clementine feel a little bit better. At least someone was keeping their childhood intact.

Sarita smiled up at her, a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Beautiful. I used to love this time of year..." She sighed, but it was a happy sigh. "You know, now that you and your friends are here, this place is starting to feel like a real home." Clementine wasn't sure why, but something about that sentence made her feel warm. Even if this was only temporary, it was nice to feel even slightly normal.

"Walter and Matthew are amazing people," Sarita continued as Clem stepped down the stairs, "Honestly... It's dangerous to be this kind. But they can't help it." She grinned at Clementine, leaning on the couch. "Wait until you meet Matthew, he's a real character. He's even made Lilly smile once or twice."

Clem supposed it was strange that this 'Matthew' still hadn't shown up. After all, there couldn't have been an accident, there weren't many other walkers around after the bridge. Unless... "What does Matthew look like?" she asked, uneasily.

"Oh, he's a handsome man. A little shorter than Walter," Sarita replied, tapping her chin. That wasn't much of a description, and Clementine furrowed her brow. "He should be back soon." Sarita didn't seem worried, but that only made Clementine more anxious.

Footsteps behind them alerted Clem to another person, and when she turned, she saw Lilly. She seemed worried, but when she caught her eye, the woman smiled.

"You three look like you're having fun," She said, leaning on the couch next to Sarita. Her arms were crossed, but she didn't seem stern. Mostly, she seemed tired. Sarah moved next to Clementine instinctively, uncertain about this woman.

"Isn't it great?" Sarita pressed her arm against Lilly's in a gesture that seemed familiar. Loving. "These two have been a big help."

Lilly rose an eyebrow, looking at the girls. "Oh? That's good to hear." Sarah fidgeted nervously under Lilly's gaze, and the woman kneeled slightly by her to get eye level. "I don't think I ever got your name. I'm Lilly."

"S-Sarah," the teen managed to stutter, looking away. Lilly frowned slightly, but nodded. She didn't seem to be surprised by Sarah's hesitation.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Sarah." Lilly stood straight again, watching as Sarita went to grab one of the boxes she had brought in. "Sorry there isn't much to do... We haven't seen many kids around here."

Sarah perked up, grasping at her jacket sleeve. "T-that's okay. I like it here! Everyone's been really nice." Lilly smiled at that.

"I'm glad to hear it. Tell you what," Lilly put a hand in her pocket, once again leaning on the couch. "I heard you like books. Am I right?" Sarah seemed surprised by the assumption, but nodded hesitantly. "When Matthew gets back I'll have him lend you some of his. He has a huge collection. I'm sure he won't miss a few."

"I'd like that," Sarah replied, giving Lilly a small smile.

The taller woman got off the couch as she saw Walter pass by with his pot. He was setting the table, pouring peaches and beans into small worn bowls.

"Still no sign of Matthew?" Lilly called, and Walter shook his head.

"No," he replied, scraping at the pot, "Strange. He's usually back by now. We might have to go look for him after this." He seemed worried now, deep in thought. Lilly cursed under her breath.

"This is going to be the Jacob thing all over again," she muttered, taking a glance out the window. Walter gave her a disapproving look.

"Don't jump to conclusions," Walter replied, "I'm sure everything will be fine." The tone was a bit sharper than Clem had heard him use yet. Lilly looked down, a frown on her lips.

"Right," she sighed, before turning back to Clementine and Sarah. "Why don't you two tell everyone that dinner's ready, alright?"

"... Okay," Clementine said, Sarah nodding beside her. The teen moved away from her, presumably to find her dad, and Clementine headed back upstairs.

Rebecca was still sitting in her seat, a hand to her head. Clementine swallowed, nervously walking up to her.

"Are you okay?" She asked nervously, sitting next to her. Rebecca looked up, eyes wide, like she didn't hear her arrive.

"Just got a little dizzy," she replied, almost embarrassed. She looked back down at her hands, frowning, then let out a sigh. "I can't even take care of myself. How am I supposed to raise a child? I mean... How can anyone now?" She seemed as if she was more talking to herself than she was Clementine.

The girl blinked, looking up at her. "I think it's possible."

"How?"

"Well... I'm still here, aren't I?" Clementine smiled at her, and that made Rebecca soften.

"I guess you're right," she replied, a hand on her stomach. "I know it's not going to be easy, but... At the same time, I already feel a little less lonely." Her lips curved into a smile as she looked at Clementine. "Because no matter what happens I'll get to meet someone new." Her eyes widened as she sat up, surprising the younger girl.

"She's kicking. Want to listen?" Rebecca looked at Clem, then back down at her stomach."That food smells good, huh?" She asked, as if the child inside could hear her. Clementine crouched down, staring at her uneasily.

"C... Can I?" Rebecca nodded, and Clem leaned forward to press her head against the woman's belly. It felt strange to be in such close contact with a woman who had basically threatened her just a few days earlier, but Clementine supposed that this wasn't the strangest thing that could have happened.

It didn't take long for Clementine to hear a noise, a small thud against the skin. She pulled back, eyebrows raised. It had been a long time since she'd heard a baby kicking. Rebecca grinned at her, patting her belly gently.

"She's gonna be a runner," she said warmly. After a moment, though, she grimaced. She put a hand to her lips, looking away. "... It's not his," she muttered. Clementine's eyebrows rose, as if she hadn't known. Not like she could forget what she heard in the bathroom, when the woman had hated her then. Not that she even really understood what it had ment. "If he finds out, he'll kill me. I don't know what to do." Rebecca let out a small laugh. It wasn't a happy one. "I can't believe I'm asking a little girl for advice."

"He won't kill you," Clem replied, matter-of-factly. It seemed nonsensical to her. Rebecca opened her mouth to reply but stopped, eyes wide, as she looked up.

"There's my man," she hastily exclaimed, and Clem turned to see Alvin climbing the stairs. He was carrying something in a bottle, and Clementine assumed it was water.

"Sorry I took so long," Alvin puffed, handing off the bottle to Rebecca. "You okay, baby?" Rebecca stood up, shaking her head with a smile.

"I'm fine, ya big dope."

"Just need to get some food in you," Alvin put an arm on her shoulder, bringing her close. Clementine shifted away from the two, feeling as if she was intruding on something. As she started her way back downstairs Alvin turned to her. "Thanks for stayin' with her, Clem." Clementine smiled bashfully in response, rubbing her arm.

"Well everyone, Dinner is served. C'mon, let's eat!" Walter called, his voice loud enough to echo across the Ski Lodge. Clementine peered over the edge of the railing, watching as everyone gathered to the lunch tables below. She sucked in a breath, the rich aroma of the food making her regret her earlier dismissal of it.

Maybe food was all Clementine needed to make herself feel better right now.


I feel I should explain that the story is going to follow the original script a little for the first few chapters until I can push it towards more drastic changes. I'm planning to make more than a few changes once they get to Carver's camp, including giving the cast of 400 days more screen time. I'm not the best writer in the world, but I'm hoping to do this concept some justice.