Clem stood shocked. Once she came to her senses she shouted at the boy holding the gun. "AJ! Put the gun down!"

AJ took his eyes off of the new comers to look at Clem, feeling hurt at her harsh words. He was only trying to do what they told him. "But they came into the house. I thought they were going to hurt you!"

Luke raised his hands. "Were okay. You can put the gun down now. They ain't gonna hurt us."

AJ looked back to Louis and Violet, then back at Clem before finally lowering the gun in his hands. He stuck it back into his pocket. He ran over to Clem and stood slightly behind her wary of the new people in the house.

Louis gave a sigh of relief as he and Violet lowered there hands back to their sides. "Well that's one way to introduce yourself."

Violet folded her arms as she turned to Clem. "You always try to get peoples heads blown off the moment you meet them?"

Clem walked over towards the group. "Sorry. AJ was told to keep an eye on the house while we were out. He didn't know you'd be with us."

Luke chuckled. "Guess a heads up about who was in the house would of helped. Sorry about that." He looked to the couch. "Why don't you have a seat. You guys hungry?

Louis smiled. "That's nice of you, but are you sure?"

Luke waved them off. "Don't worry about it. We've got plenty and you guys look like you could use it after what happened." He left to go grab two cans of beans from the kitchen cupboard.

During that time Clem had moved to go sit on the couch on the right side of the coffee table, AJ refusing to leave her side. She looked down at him with concern written on her face. "AJ you should probably apologize to Violet and Louis." She whispered to the boy.

AJ frowned. "I didn't know you had invited them in. I thought they were going to hurt us."

Clem nodded. "I know. You did a good job protecting the house, but you should still apologize for pointing a gun at them."

He looked down at the floor. "Right now?"

Clem reasoned with him. "In a few minutes."

AJ nodded. "Okay."

After talking with Luke, Louis moved to sit on the plaid couch opposite of Clem and AJ after taking off his soaked trench coat and hanging it on the back of a chair. Violet joined him, not caring if her clothes were wet. A sour expression still on her face after having been threatened upon entry. Luke joined them a minute later carrying two cans in his hands. He handed them over to the two teens who thanked him.

Luke laid down on the floor again at the edge of the coffee table, the heat from the fire helping to warm his damp clothes. He turned his concentration to the two kids in front of him. "So what were you guys doing out in the middle of the woods...if you don't mind me asking?"

Louis looked to Violet before answering. She gave him a saddened look. He put the nearly empty can down on the table before replying. "We were actually lucky to be out in the storm, all things considering. We used to live at a school not to far from here." He pointed out the window. "Back that way a bit."

"So, what happened?" Luke asked curious. "You said lived, right?"

Clem was also curious as to where these two had come from. She kept looking between Louis and Violet trying to piece together their story. For one they didn't seem like the type to just be out in the middle of the woods, alone and together.

Violet scoffed as she put down her can. "Some child snatching assholes showed up! That's what."

Louis tried to reason with her. "Come on Vi. It wasn't like..."

"You know damn well that Marlon was in on this, after what he did to the twins and Brody. He was going to give us away too." She glared daggers at him, but hurt was clearly written on her face as well.

Louis sighed. "It had been the two of us and a handful of other kids hold up at Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth. We had managed well for the most part. Until recently a group of raiders had attacked us. We had managed to drive them away, but this kid named Marlon..." Louis choked on his words, but continued on. "He was our leader and my best friend. But after the first attack he...he just lost it."

Violet rolled her eyes having no more sympathy for the boy in question. "Fuck Marlon! He sold the twins to those assholes just to keep himself safe!" She yelled at Louis.

Louis put his hands up in defense. "I'm not defending what he did." He turned back to Luke. "It was fucked up. The raiders came back a few days later demanding that we all come with them, that they needed us. All hell broke lose. A girl named Brody tried to tell us what Marlon had done and he...killed her because she knew."

Luke gave them a sad look. "Damn."

Louis nodded. "The raiders had busted down the gates and tried to force us to come with them. Marlon had tried to fight back, but ended up with a bullet to the brain."

Clem winced at that. Groups never seemed to work out. There was always someone who had gone crazy with power. Always an argument that breaks out. Always bandits or raiders trying to take over. That's why she preferred just being with Luke and AJ, it was easier that way. No one got hurt if you were with people you knew you could trust.

"Me and Violet were able to escape out the back, but...we have no idea if anyone else made it." Louis had a saddened look on his face. His cheerful mood that Clem had known him for was completely gone.

Then Violet spoke up. "We were walking for a few hours after that. Then the storm hit. Walkers flooded the place. We only had one bullet left in our gun, fired it off after a close call. Then you guys showed up."

Clem took the moment to speak up. "We heard the gun shot from inside. We were worried someone might want to rob us."

Louis smirked, starting to feel like his old self again. "Well I hope you weren't disappointed." He smiled. "Were not robbers if you were wondering." He joked with her.

Clem sent him a smile. It was nice to have someone so bright and cheerful around. Lately her thoughts had kept her busy, drifting from thought to thought. It usually didn't end well when she let her mind drift. It brought back painful memories. But hearing the positivist and coolness of Louis's voice helped ease that fear.

Don't get her wrong. She had been a little fearful of the new comers when they had first met. They had no idea where these people had come from or if they had a group or what. But spending these last few moments with them made her feel like she could trust them. Louis obviously wasn't a threat, unless you were allergic to bad jokes. And Violet...well Clem didn't quite know. Violet definitely wasn't the most outgoing person, but Clem could tell she was nicer than she let on. In a way Violet kind of reminded her of herself. Maybe she could finally hang out with someone closer to her age.

Luke's next question broke Clem from her thought. "So...what are your plans now?"

Violet shrugged in response. "Everyone's either probably dead or taken. So...not like we have much of a reason to go back."

"Honestly, we were just trying to get away from the school." Louis scratched the back of his head. "Hadn't really thought that far a head."

Luke looked over to Clementine hoping the girl could read his eyes. He wanted to make sure she was cool with it before making a decision. Clem caught his gaze and could tell what he wanted to ask. She shook her head in approval a bit more willingly than Luke thought she would. He smiled at her before turning back to the two teens. "Well you guys are allowed to stay with us for a while if ya like."

"Really?" Violet raised a brow, surprised that these so called strangers would so willingly take them in. Not that she was complaining.

Clem spoke up. "To be honest the house is kinda big for just the three of us. And... I think it'd be kind of cool if you stayed with us." Her voice had trailed off and the last part came out as a whisper. Violet seemed to have caught it though and gave Clem a surprised look.

Clem felt heat rise to her face. Thankfully Louis's voice pulled Violet's attention away from her. "Sounds cool, as long as the kid is alright with us. I personally would like to keep my head." He said referring to the gun AJ had pulled on them.

Clem turned to the boy next to her. "What do you think AJ?"

AJ thought about it for a minute. Then he looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I think you should stay." He looked back at Clem and saw her nod her head towards the two. AJ realized what she wanted. He took a deep breath before replying. "I'm sorry I pointed a gun at you. I didn't know Luke and Clem had invited you in. I was just trying to protect them, honest."

Louis smiled at him. "It's all cool little dude."

Clem's gaze drifted over to Violet. She wondered if the girl would be alright with it. A small smile washed over Violet's face. "Yeah, were cool."

Clem let lose a breath she didn't know she was holding in. She was glad Violet had forgiven AJ and that they had agreed to spend the night. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

Next chapter should be out soon. Clem and Violet are going to spend some one on one time together. :)