Chapter 3: Promises.
Clementine's POV
"You did some great work, Thomas…" Carlos complemented his son as he was looking over Thomas's stitch work on my arm.
"It was nothing special, I remembered from that time you had to stich up one of your patients and you allowed me to watch" Thomas said looking over his shoulder for a bit with a smile before back to whatever he was making for food. Carlos began to cover up my arm with bandages again.
"I hope next time you won't steal from our supplies…" Carlos said sternly before looking to Thomas who let out an annoyed sigh.
"I did what I had to…she was scared and injured while locked in a shed, I'd do it again in a heartbeat" he grumbled back to his father whom looked down to the floor. There was a silence in the room for a bit only the sound of Thomas "cooking" breaking it.
"I just want to keep you safe, son" Carlos muttered softly as Thomas stopped.
"I know, dad…But you can't protect me from everything, one day I will have to make my own choices and it's best I learn quickly in a world like this" Thomas responded as Carlos just nodded slowly. He looked at me one more time before pushing the kitchen door open and walking out. My attention focused back on Thomas as I tried to peak over his shoulder.
"Whatcha cooking?" I asked as he chuckled.
"My specialty!...oatmeal…" he said, sounding disappointed in himself as he said 'oatmeal'.
"Anything you make is fine…I'd eat anything at this point" I said as he let out a teasing chuckle.
"In that case let me go fetch you a walker head, I bet that tastes amazing" he said teasingly as I couldn't help but gag.
"Don't even joke about that, their smell is bad enough I never EVER want to know how to they taste" a shiver ran down my spine of the thought alone.
"Pretty sweet actually" Thomas said as I felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop a little. With a look of disbelieve I looked at him. He let out a laugh.
"I'm kidding, Clem. I'm glad I don't know either" he said as he smirked at me, I felt myself blushing that I actually believed him for a moment there. I gently hit his shoulder as I glared him down.
"I'll get you back for that" I said as he nodded smirked,
"I'll believe it when I see it" he said as he held out a bowl of oatmeal with a kind smile.
"Time to eat, Clem" I happy took the bowl from him as he escorted me to the table where we sat down on opposing ends of the table. I scooped a bit of oatmeal on my spoon before taking a bite, I hadn't eaten well in a while so it tasted heavenly. When I was younger I despised oatmeal but now I couldn't help but enjoy it. Thomas and I sat in silence as I ate my oatmeal. He took a deep breath and tapped his finger on the table.
"So…since you're all alone…what, happened to your parents?" he asked slowly and carefully as I raised the spoon to my mouth I stopped it and looked at him.
"They left me at home with a babysitter and went on vacation to Savannah, when all this started we went to go look for them…but they were already dead." Thomas looked at me with wide eyes before lowering his head.
"Wow…I'm so sorry Clem…" he said softly.
"This man found me and took care of me. His name was Lee, he taught me how to survive. He is the reason I keep my hair short" I continued with my story as Thomas looked at me a little scared and nervous.
"What…uh…happened to him?"
"I was stupid…A man said he had my parents and I went to him. He died trying to get me back" I said softly as I stared at the table, my heart began to race as I thought back of all that happened back then it brought a sad feeling with it.
"I'm so so sorry, Clem. I bet Lee was a better man then most" Thomas said as I nodded.
"The best of the best…" I responded as Thomas looked at me before smiling a little and looking up at the ceiling.
"Hey, Lee…I bet you're up there watching over your little girl. I promise you, I'll do whatever I can to make sure she is in good hands. Luke, Pete, Alvin, Nick, Rebecca, my dad and I will make sure she stays safe" he said as I looked up to him with a surprised looked, his attention still focused on the ceiling.
"You'd…really do that for me?" I asked feeling a big blush on my cheeks and my eyes get a little watery. Thomas moved his arm all the way over the table and held out his pinky finger as he smiled at me.
"I pinky promise" he said as I laid the spoon down and linked my pinky with his.
"Then I'll promise to return the favor" I said as Thomas smiled before we both sat back down and I began eating again. I wiped my sleeve past my eyes as I was munching on my next bite wiping the tears that almost happened. Almost done with half my bowl the door of the kitchen opened and Nick and Luke walked in. Nick looked a bit embarrassed and Luke smiled at me, I smiled back at him as Nick walked to me.
"Hey…uh…I want to apologize for being a dick out there. I got kinda aggro and that was definitely not cool" Nick said rubbing the back of his head, trying to avoid eye contact with me.
"Nick's been known to go off every once in a while. Don't hold it against him" Luke said placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Nick a good dude once you get to know him, I promise" Thomas said backing it up. I turned to Nick whom still avoided my look.
"It's okay, I get it. You were protecting your people. I'd probably have done the same in your position" I said as he finally looked to me he was happy I had forgiven him.
"We had a bad experience once and I…just have been trying to be more careful" Nick said as he sat down on the chair besides me as both Thomas and Luke looked a bit more down. It was silent for a sec.
"Nick lost his mom…we were taking care of someone who was bit. We thought we could control it but we couldn't and when she turned Nick's mom was right beside the freshly turned lurker…" Luke said ending the story there, knowing I could figure out what happened next.
"Anyway…I hope you get it" Nick said as he arose back from his chair. I nodded and smiled at him.
"Yeah. I do" he returned the smile at me before walking out the room, Luke sat down on the chair where Nick was sitting down.
"So, Clem, you have any plans on what to do next?" Luke asked as I looked to Thomas for a bit.
"I was hoping to stay with you guys…Thomas did promise to keep me safe after all" I said with a faint chuckle as Thomas began to blush.
"Did he now?" Luke said with a chuckle as he looked to Thomas as well as his blush became even bigger.
"Yeah I did…just hush okay" he said rubbing the back of his head.
"Don't think I'll let you live it down, kiddo" Luke said as Thomas let out an annoyed groan. Luke and I shared a chuckle as Pete walked into the room.
"It's nice to hear people laughing, but I think it's time to hit the hay. The house looks like a damn beacon" Pete said as all 3 of us nodded.
"We got a room for Clem to sleep in?" Luke asked as Pete and Thomas looked at each other, thinking for a moment.
"I don't think so…" Pete said as Thomas raised his hand.
"She can sleep in my bed, I'll take the couch" Thomas offered as I felt myself blush a little, sleeping in a bed does sound nice.
"If that's okay with you…it be nice, I haven't slept in a bed in forever" I said softly as Thomas nodded a kind smile on his face.
"Of course, Clem. My bed is yours for a while" he said as my blush increased.
"Pete and I will make sure the lights are off" Luke said as the two of them walked out the room and began to turn of the candles in the house. Thomas got up as well.
"I'll grab a pillow and blanket for yourself in the meantime you can finish dinner" he said with a smile before walking out the kitchen. I quickly ate the rest of my oatmeal before putting the bowl on the kitchen counter and walking out the kitchen, Thomas was putting a pillow on the couch when I walked into the living room. He smiled at me and brought me to the stairs, we walked into the first room on the right hand side.
"Your room, miss Clem" Thomas said in a formal voice as I giggled softly. I walked into the room and looked around. It felt just like I was back in my room all those years ago, the motel I used to live in was nothing compared to this, maybe not even my old room compared to this. Without second thought I hopped onto the bed and laid down face first Thomas chuckled in the back ground.
"You're probably tired…get some sleep Clem, you deserve it" he said as we walked back to the door and walked back into the hallway almost shutting the door.
"Goodnight Clem" he said as he looked at me with a sweet and happy smile.
"Goodnight Thomas" I responded before he shut the door and went back downstairs. I dug my head deep into his pillow and cuddled up to the blankets. I smiled as my eyes closed and I slowly fell asleep the last think I could off was how much it smelled like Thomas, and how nice that smelled