Season 2-3:

Not Fruit

Aside from Rick, Daryl, T-Dog, and Carl, the group gathers near the front steps of a house, silent. They wait for the okay from Rick to enter, and I hear Beth ask, "Is that a little girl in there?"

As I walk up to the others from Daryl's bike, I ask, "What're you talkin'—"

A shout from inside cuts me off. "I said hands up!"

"Oh, my god," I whisper, recognizing the voice as soon as I hear it. I push through the others and into the house, asking, "Clem?"

Clementine stands in the hallway, gun raised in the direction of my people. She turns to me, recognition in her eyes. "You left without saying goodbye," Clementine says. "Where'd you go?"

"Atlanta," I answer, then turn as Rick starts to raise his gun. "Rick. I can vouch for her. It's okay. Guys, meet Clementine, like the fruit."

"But I'm not fruit," Clementine adds.

"Oh, honey, you're a peach, though," I say, glancing at her with a smile. "You cut your hair."

"Lee did it for me. So a walker wouldn't grab it."

"She calls 'em walkers," Rick notes.

"Where do you think she got it from?" I ask, glancing to him. "Clementine, these are my people." I gesture to each person as I introduce them. "This is Rick, our leader, and his son, Carl. That's T-Dog, and this is my big brother, Daryl." I turn as the rest of the group files in, and I grab Glenn, pulling him forward. "Glenn, you remember Lee's girl?"

"Clementine, yeah," Glenn says.

I gesture to the girl in front of us. "Look who it is."

"You took my walkie-talkie," Clementine says.

Glenn rubs the back of his head. "Sorry."

I step forward. "Clem, is there anyone else in the house?" She shakes her head, and I gesture to a door on my right. "That room. You and me. Now."

Clementine leads the way, and I close the door behind us. I crouch in front of the little girl, looking up at her. "Clem, honey, where's Lee?" Clementine immediately tears up. "Oh, no. I'm so sorry."

"Me, too," Clementine replies in a whisper.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," I say. "How?"

"He was bit looking for me."

"Why don't you come with us?"

"I have a group," Clementine says. "Omid and Christa, I need to find them. We were separated earlier. We have a place to meet. I'm going to go tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" I ask, and Clementine nods. "I'll tell you what. If you go tomorrow, and they're not there, come back. I'll make sure we stay. We'll take you in. Actually, either way, come back. I want to make sure you're okay." Clementine nods. "And again, Clem, I'm sorry."

We exit together, and I make my way over to Glenn, wrapping him in a hug. "What happened?" Glenn murmurs, knowing this is my way to speak to him without the others hearing. "What is it?"

I whisper, "Lee's dead. She's with others, but they got separated."

Glenn lifts his head as I pull away, saying, "Oh, Clementine, I'm sorry. And, um, I kind of lost the walkie."

"It's okay," Clementine tells him. "I think I knew they were dead anyway. I saw them on a street in Savannah. It was after that, when Lee, when he, um…"

Immediately, I remember the girl from the motor inn, the first person I killed. I find myself imagining the horrifying sight of Clementine shooting a bitten Lee. I take a step back until I reach Glenn, who was there that night. I can tell from Rick's eyes that he knows Clementine's words rocked me, and he suggests, "It's getting late. I think it's time we turned in for the night."

As everyone lays down, Clementine joins us in the living room. She walks over to where I sit next to Daryl, asking, "What you said back at the pharmacy, does that still apply?"

I smile softly, remembering that I told Clementine to stay by me in case we had to run, that I'd protect her. I pat the ground beside me, saying, "Get down here, peach."

Clementine smiles at the nickname, taking a seat beside me and leaning against the wall. As Rick heads out onto the porch to take watch, he pauses in the doorway to the living room. "Clary," he says, then gestures towards the porch with his head.

"I'll be right back, Clem," I mutter, getting to my feet.

I follow Rick out onto the porch, Rick pacing while I sit balanced on the porch railing. He asks, "What that little girl said, about 'them,' the guy, it looked like it hit you pretty hard. You alright?"

"His name's Lee," I say. "The 'them,' her parents. Lee wasn't her father. He was her Glenn, but more of a father instead of a brother. I only met Lee and Clementine because Glenn and I saved each other's lives the moment we met. We were at this motor inn, and walkers came. Glenn and I hid in one of those big ice machines, he radioed Lee. Lee came, a girl named Carley went with him. In Room Nine, there was a girl. Glenn thought she was in trouble, so we got up there and got the door open. She stepped out. She was bitten. I had already seen it, people turning. I knew she'd turn. She knew it, too.

"This girl, she wanted a gun to shoot herself with, to end it. Carley wouldn't give up hers, Lee wouldn't tell her to. Glenn was in shock, I think. I had a gun, so I said, 'Lee, take Glenn and Carley away. I'll be down in a minute.' They left, and I shot the woman. I ended it for her. That was the first time I killed, and it was barely four or five days in." I chuckle darkly. "I remember I told Lee that he didn't have the balls to do it. Little did I know, I was talkin' to Lee Everett. I didn't figure it out until later."

"Lee Everett?" Rick questions. "You mean the guy that killed the Senator?"

"The very same," I answer. "But I tell you what, even after killing, Lee was a damn good guy. Rest his soul."

"Clary, how many people do you know that are, um, well…"

"Well, shit, Ricky boy, spit it out."

"Uh, criminals?"

I show no change in expression or emotion, even thought I know what he's talking about. Shane, Lori, or Carl must've told him. "You heard about my ties to Heisenberg."

"What the hell?! I meant Merle and Lee! You knew Heisenberg?"

I close my eyes, sighing to myself, "Oh, you dumb fuck." I look back at Rick. "No, I never knew Heisenberg personally. I was good friends with his partner. In fact, he owes me a few favors."

"What'd you do for him?"

"Well, let's just say I gave him a hand and got a couple grand."

"Oh, Clary."

"Hey. I was careful, I didn't get caught. I was saving it."

"You're a drug dealer."

"No!" I exclaim. "Look, Jess needed some help, said he'd make it worth my while. I said I'd do it. I knew I'd get something in return. Jesse's a man of his word."

"I can't believe you," Rick says, trying not to laugh as he shakes his head. "How can you have ties with someone that powerful and not be a drug dealer?" I shrug. "So how did you end up working for him?"

"I scratched his back so he'd scratch mine."

"Clever girl," Rick compliments. He's not doing a very good job of pretending to be disappointed that I'd broken the law.

"Thank you," I say, sliding off the railing.

Rick shakes his head, giving me a gentle push towards the door. "Get in there."

"I'll be out in a couple hours to take over," I promise, then step inside. I take my seat between Daryl and Clementine, who were sitting in an awkward silence. As soon as I sit down, Clementine's laying down with her head in my lap. I smile softly, brushing Clementine's hair out of her face. "G'night, peach."

"Night, Clary," Clementine whispers.

I take watch about two hours before the sunrise, Rick heading inside to sleep. The sky is starting to turn gray when the door opens, Clementine emerging. She had a backpack slung over her shoulders, her baseball cap on her head. "Leavin' already?" I ask.

"I want to get there as soon as I can," Clementine replies.

"Well, you should at least wait until the sun starts to rise," I tell her. "Right now, there are still a lot of places in the dark. Walkers hide easily in the dark." Clementine nods. "Won't be long, peach. Sun'll be up soon."

Clementine crawls up onto the porch railing beside me. She asks, "Why?"

I look over at her. "Why what?"

"Why didn't you say goodbye?"

"Well, um," I start, then pause, searching for the right words. "I'm not good at goodbyes. I couldn't stay there any longer. Did, um, did Lee or Carley ever tell you what I did while we were there?" Clementine shakes her head. "There was a girl in one of the rooms. She was bitten. We both knew what would happen. She asked for a gun, and Carley wouldn't give hers up." I hold up my gun. "This is the gun I used to take my first life. She was already dead, it was mercy; but I killed her nonetheless." I look back over at Clementine as I put my gun away. "That's why I couldn't stay. I didn't want to relive it. As soon as Glenn said he wanted to go, we left. I wasn't staying one minute more."

Clementine goes quiet, and I begin to think I frightened her by telling her all of this. I look over at her, but she's lost in thought. After a minute, she says, "If you think that scared me, it didn't."

"Okay, good," I say.

"Lee killed someone, too," Clementine tells me.

"I know. The Senator."

"How'd you know?" Clementine asks, looking at me. "Did he tell you?"

"No," I answer. "I figured it out myself. The look he gave me when I said he couldn't do it, his name. I figured it out after we left. Didn't change my opinion of him. He's a good guy."

Clementine nods in agreement. "I miss him."

"I know," I say, wrapping an arm around her. "I should've said goodbye. I wish I could."

"I couldn't do it," Clementine whispers. "I couldn't shoot him. He's still there."

"Still where?"

"A jewelry store in Savannah. Near the Marsh House. He made me handcuff him to the radiator."

"I'm sorry," I sigh softly, looking back out at the horizon. "Sun's coming up."

The sky's starting to turn orange, the top of the sun just above the horizon. "You better go," I tell her. "The others might try to stop you. I'll make sure we stay."

"I'll be back soon," Clementine promises.

"Hold it!" I hear Daryl shout from the front porch. I'm the first to react, running out to help defend us with my brother. Two people, a man and a woman, stand on the lawn in front of the house. I draw my gun on them, never having seen them before. Clementine emerges from between them, and we lower our guns. Daryl demands, "Where the hell have you been, Clementine?"

"I went to find Omid and Christa," Clementine answers, gesturing to each person as she said their name.

"So, you two are takin' care of Clem," I say as I walk down the stairs.

"Who're you?" Omid questions.

"The name's Clary Dixon," I say. "I'm a friend." I look to Clementine. "You alright, peach?" She nods. "You feel safe with 'em?" She nods again. "Alright." I look back at Omid and Christa. "You better take damn good care of that little girl. I'll find you if you don't."

"That threat isn't necessary," Christa tells me, extending a hand for me to shake. "I promise you, we'll take care of her."

I shake her hand, then Omid's. "Alright." I look down at Clementine. "So, well, chickadee, I guess this is goodbye."

Clementine runs forward, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Thank you," she whispers. "You saved my life back in the pharmacy."

"No problem," I tell her, wrapping my arms around her. "Stay safe, Clementine."