Something to Fight For

by Last Of The Walking Dead

After escaping a group of bandits, Lee and Clementine venture deeper into the city of Pittsburgh. When two strangers show up, they realize they aren't the only ones trying to escape the city. A temporary alliance was forged, but circumstance and secrets force the four into a journey across the country together, to find the Fireflies, and ultimately, the cure that'll save humanity.

10. Pit Stop

Author's Notes:

And so here we are, at the chapter I've been promising to get to since April last year x)

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12:28 PM - March 21, 2025 - Road leading into Plattsburg, Missouri

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie's eyes were focused on the patches of trees and overgrown fields passing the van, her head being supported by the palm of her hand while her body leaned against the door. It was noticeably warmer in the car, the cold air of Pennsylvania replaced by the much drier, and warmer Missouri weather, which had forced her to shrug her jacket off and stash it in the back of the van several days prior.

After being in the car for so long, her nose had gotten use to the stink that filled the car, the fact four people had been stuffed into it for over a week being the cause of that. Even with the occasional river bath, coupled with what little soap and shampoo they'd found at that house in Pittsburgh, keeping clean proved to be difficult.

After a particularly bad thunderstorm, about three or four days ago, Ellie had managed to get herself covered in mud on one of their scavenging runs to a small town in Illinois; walkers cornered her between a building and a particularly deep ditch - which, of course, was filled with the aforementioned muddy goop - and she'd chosen to take the risk and escape through the ditch. It took ages to get the smell of mud off of her, and the whole thing resulted in a stern lecturing from Joel.

Tensions had died down completely at this point, beyond those small arguments they'd get into simply by being cooped up with each other for so long. With Ellie's secret out, everyone was on the same page, and getting to the Fireflies became the most important goal. Joel and Lee seemed to get along just fine, the two carrying a couple conversations a day, but they mostly seemed to focus on figuring out which road to take next, Joel navigating from the passenger seat. Clementine often lied down in the back seat of the van, looking out at the passing scenery like Ellie, or otherwise trying to make herself useful. At least, that's what Ellie imagined she was doing. Other times, the girl would crawl up to the middle seats, and they'd chat, or come up with new games to play. Classic cases of I Spy, and some game Clementine had introduced her to called the 'License Plate Game'. They used an old notebook Clementine found to keep track of which states they found on cars along the road, keeping their lists on separate sheets of paper. Clementine easily had double the amount that she had, somehow . Ellie swore that the girl was cheating, but couldn't prove it. It probably didn't help that Ellie kept forgetting about the game, and forgetting which cars she'd seen.

She was determined to make a valiant comeback, before they reached Tommy's.

Her eyes swiveled towards the front of the car as something ahead had caught her attention. A small town was slowly approaching on the horizon. A small sign stood nearby, barely legible beneath the layers of tall grass obscuring it. Plattsburg. She stretched in her seat, letting out a small sigh, before glancing towards Joel and Lee in the front.

"We stopping for more supplies?" She asked in a half-interested tone, wanting nothing more than to get out and stretch her legs for a bit. If that's all they did, then she'd die happy.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Driving, navigating, and - more driving was the overall culmination of what had transpired throughout the past few days. Having working wheels for once was one hell of a convenience. It certainly beat walking, that was for sure. Joel was a rather quiet guy other than when they were discussing which roadways to take and looking at the directory. Most of the liveliness and chatter was coming from the backseat.

Every once in a while, he'd see them in the rear view mirror just being... kids. It was a relief to see Clementine actually getting along with someone else her own age for once, even more so of a relief to see that unlike when they first met, the girls weren't trying to kill each other. What's done was done, Joel and Ellie were heading to this Tommy's, which was apparently somewhere up in Wyoming, and himself and Clementine were along for the ride, for the first time since... what seemed like forever, they had companions again.

As the car slowed, Lee's hands gripped tighter on the steering wheel, his foot pressing down on the break whilst they approached the sign. Plattsburg. He sighed, looking into the backseat, it was pretty clear they both wanted to get the hell out of this cramped thing for a bit, and to an extent, so did Lee. He looked back to the sign, then towards the Texan. "Might be a good chance to stretch our legs," he commented to see what he would think.

Art [Clementine]

Clementine reclined, dog-tired, in the back of the van. Her back was turned against the window, legs crossed, and eyes only partly open. She thought it'd be fun at first, that she would've gotten used to it by then… travelling for hours on end, sightseeing... being bored out of her mind. It didn't really pan out that way. Every few hours she'd manage to catch some sleep, only to be stirred awake by any number of different aggravating things, one of them being Ellie's tendency to poke her whenever she was bored.

Naturally, being prone to doze off during the trip, Clem would usually be the one to keep watch at night. That part wasn't the worst , especially when they did it in pairs. Joel was still the same reserved, silent, sulky guy, but she somehow survived a few long chats with him during those. Apologizing for almost shooting Joel after the bridge was the absolute toughest part, yet she did it all the same, even if she felt like he didn't honestly deserve it. Eventually, everyone got so bored, they found themselves writing down license plates. Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia, Georgia… Grueling is what it was… Absolutely fucking tedious. The one, possibly most entertaining part of it all, was seeing Ellie's face when she found out Clem nabbed twice as many states. Damn priceless.

They'd been stuck in that van for eight days or so by then, though for Clementine, it felt more like eight centuries. The girl almost missed the sewers, which was saying a lot. The sun practically incinerated the tip of her hat at every opportunity, and the shaking in the back seat became more backbreaking by the minute... literally , in some cases. Getting out of that hunk of junk for more than five seconds sounded like a bliss, but on the other hand, being so close to Tommy's Dam the way they were, Clem couldn't wait to actually get there and leave that van behind for good. Frankly, either option fucking sucked. "I don't care..." Clementine remarked indifferently, her notepad lying on her chest as she stared apathetically at the car's roof.

Kentucky [Joel]

The driving had been long. Oh yes, so long. Lee had sped along the road, although him and Joel had taken turns every now and again. Joel longed for the pedal again, itching in the passenger seat with little to do but plant his feet on the floor. He was proper; despite all his flaws. He'd never consider putting his feet up on the dash. Joel scratched at his cheek, wincing in the hot air of the van. He remembered the first time they had sat upon the leather seats after leaving the van one morning. Sizzling denim, sweating backs, all of the tricks and trades that the perpetually warming Earth had, and always would give them. Joel already couldn't wait for the winter months, when he could warm up in flannel... if he could find any. This was all implying they didn't freeze to death the second snowflakes came falling down, or caught a bullet in the neck in the next town over.

He looked over at Lee, considering the question. It would be nice to take a break; they'd been driving for a while now, not much in the way of obstacles to stop them and make them stretch their legs out, outside. Joel nodded, rolling his tongue over his teeth in thought. "Yeah. Could be nice."

He felt guilty for not having talked to Lee all that much on their trip; they had been together eight days now, and Joel couldn't even make much in the way of conversation with the man. He hadn't forgotten what Lee had done; none of it. The good, the bad... but the good was outweighing the bad, currently. He rubbed his mouth. "D'ya see any clothing stores? We might need something fresh for the summer and coming winter."

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Lee's elbow rested against the window as a singular hand held the steering wheel, the engine rumbling as the car remained still whilst giving the desolate and quiet town a sceptical gaze. His eyes drifted towards the fuel gauge meter... running low, gotta refill soon, maybe find some cars we can check with the siphon we found in the back .

He gave his stubble a scratch as he eventually nodded to himself. "Might be one or two." He sighed, capitulating to the rest as they clearly wanted to get out of the van. If he kept driving any longer, it would be ignoring the inevitable until it became a problem, they did need more supplies. "Let's check it out, careful, yeah?" He nonchalantly addressed everyone as he shut off the engine, reaching over to Joel's side and opening the glove box, digging around as he pulled out the revolver. Joel seemed like he was a fan of that hunting rifle with the scope, and Lee didn't mind swapping.

They exited the vehicle as Lee's shoes crunched against the dirt, taking the keys with him and locking it once everyone was out and ready to move. The chilling wind felt nice to an extent as he walked along, and eventually a flashy sign caught his eye. A small building with the door closed, but had a large display window that revealed the interior.

It was rather dingy on the inside, not much sun around to due to the clouds, and Lee cupped his hands around the glass to peer inside. Definitely a clothing store. Above the door a sign read Hawkira . "Might be something we can grab for winter in here, just hold tight for a sec." He lifted the hand he was holding the revolver in up, lightly banging the glass three times and taking a step back, waiting.

Art [Clementine]

Clementine sluggishly stepped out of the van, the numbness in her legs nearly causing the girl to collapse on the spot. The cold wind was rather nice for a change, but mixed with the grogginess and the neck pain, it felt more unpleasant than anything. In spite of that, Clem tried to shake that sour feeling away with a loud yawn, knowing they probably didn't have time to waste with a drowsy little girl.

Heading down the pathway ahead, Clementine kept mostly to herself, tucking away her excitement towards a new jacket in place of keeping a watchful eye on the group's vicinity. Sometimes it still made her woozy, the fact that Lee and her were in a group again. How long had it been since North Carolina? Since they travelled with Luke and Rebecca…? It felt nostalgic, just as it felt painful to think about. Frankly, it was something she'd rather not think about, most of the time.

Busying herself by counting the amount of rounds in her revolver's cylinder, only four in total, Clementine stuck close to Ellie, covering Lee and Joel as they led the pack during their scavenge run. Luckily, it wouldn't take long for the group of four to run into a clothing store in the small town; a bittersweet triumph. Needless to say, Clementine didn't take kindly to Lee asking her to wait behind. However, in response, the girl simply crossed her arms with a frown, looking away in contempt as though trying to pretend it didn't bother her. Whatever happened in there, Clementine would be there to back him up, even if he didn't want her to.

Ledge [Narrator]

Approximately fifteen seconds of waiting passed as seemingly the insides of the clothing store were vacant. That was, until some shuffling could be heard from the inside, a bloody hand sliding across the window finally breaking the silence as four walkers made their way towards where they had heard Lee knock on the glass, the tactic working in luring them out from the blind spots of the store. They banged on the glass as they spotted the four survivors on the other side of the window, the walkers' eyes were milky and the skin was only just beginning to calcify and darken, signs of turning seeming recent.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

His foot tapped slightly on the ground as he kept his arms crossed, much to his dismay when he saw the walkers approach the glass from the other side. He wasn't looking forward to getting his hands dirty. It was jarring to go days without seeing walkers. While keeping their distance, you could almost pretend they never existed if you lived in the right part of the country, or somewhere solitary enough, but the towns were always neck deep in them. This was more their forte... at least there was the comfort of facing something him and Clementine were already familiar with.

He mumbled under his breath as he counted them, contemplating opening the door and letting the walkers come outside to them. They had to make sure there weren't more. He turned to the rest, speaking over the banging from behind him. "Well, looks like there's one for each of us to take when we open the door, so there's that."

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie took a moment to stretch as they got out of the car. The fresh air and gentle wind was enough to make the decision to stop worth it, just to get away from the van for a little bit. She followed the others towards some clothing store not too far away from the car, sticking close to Clementine, although she didn't attempt to strike up a conversation. At least, not yet. The girl seemed to be in a bit of a mood, which she didn't blame her for. Being cooped up in that van for days on end was enough to have her feeling miserable too.

Lee knocked on the glass, and shortly after, several walkers emerged from the depths of the store, trying to get to them through the glass. Ellie's hand instinctively reached for her knife, pulling it out. As Lee spoke, she kept her attention on the dead, silently readying herself.

Remember what Clementine told you. Always aim for the head.

She glanced back towards Joel and Lee, flicking her knife out. "Let's do this."

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel himself had walked through the street with them, keeping watch with the hunting rifle hanging in one hand. It was certain then that the walkers would have appeared; if that's what Lee so much as wanted to call them. Joel had heard dozens of names for the dead, but never had quite decided on one himself. After all, he had never much seen walkers around unless he decided to head west, and even then they were few and far between. The four pounding behind the glass hadn't been gone long; they'd died recently, it seemed, judging by the lack of rot and blood on their maws. Lee said something, and Joel shook his head at him and Ellie.

"No. Me and you can take them just fine. We don't need them getting hurt." Had the walkers been as sunken as the roads, Joel might have considered the idea of letting Ellie and Clementine help. But now, it was too dangerous. Especially for someone as important as Ellie.

Dot [Ellie]

Great. Here we go again. Ellie let out a heavy sigh as Joel spoke to Lee, trying to keep her and Clementine out of the way. Part of her understood why he was doing it, after all, she was the key to a cure, but she'd handled worse than a walker. Infected are ten times worse, easily. She placed a hand on her hip, glancing towards Joel.

"And if you two go alone, then you might get hurt. Clem will watch my back, just let us help." There was a tone of annoyance in her voice, like she was gritting her teeth. Being pushed to the sidelines again just wasn't something she wanted to deal with right now, and she didn't like their odds if they went in alone. Two against four wasn't exactly stellar, even if Lee and Joel were more than capable. "We can handle it," she insisted.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Lee rather awkwardly looked away with his arms crossed as the both of them engaged in a mini-squabble. The former history buff didn't feel like it was in his place to butt in, after all, she was under Joel's care and what he decided for them was ultimately up to him. Lee wasn't about to try and tell him what to do since he was sure the results would be disastrous. Although he didn't like it one bit when he brought Clementine into the mix of things, he hadn't forgotten what they had spoken about on the bridge, he wasn't about to undermine her in any way here, he trusted her with the walkers, so he decided to make his thoughts known in the most non-confronting way possible. When there was a pause in the argument, Lee finally spoke up.

"I can open the door and let the walkers come out to us on the streets, that way we don't have to go in and run the risk of getting jumped by anything else." Facing them on open ground instead of tight spaces was the best way to go about it.

"And Clementine is helping, she knows her way around the walkers, been doing it for years... I trust her to handle it," he spoke as he attempted to get through to the other man that he may have been in charge of Ellie and deciding if she'd be helping, but that didn't make him in charge of Clem.

Art [Clementine]

The discussion that followed Lee's suggestion brought about a number of conflicting emotions from Clementine, some of them less congenial than others. Asshole, was the girl's single thought, provoked by Joel's implication that her and Ellie were some sort of burden that needed safeguarding. A gnash of her teeth held back Clem's craving to talk back, something she only narrowly succeeded at doing. That guy pushed her buttons more so than Ellie could ever hope to.

Clementine's aforementioned new friend was the next one to speak, brazenly standing up for the two of them. It was a gesture she genuinely appreciated, but it wasn't until Lee said his own piece that the girl was left truly impressed. It took years, maybe, but for once it felt like Lee was really trying to treat her impartially… making good on what he promised to her back in Pittsburgh. To that, Clem smiled warmly, nodding at his final statement. I won't let you down. Regarding Joel, no words needed to be said. Before heading towards the door, Clementine shot him a condescending smirk, further hammering in the fact that he wasn't in charge of her.

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel glanced between all of them, narrowing his eyes at the younger Clementine especially. "Fine. But we do it just as Lee said to," he spoke to Ellie, his teeth clenching with annoyance. This wasn't safe; something terrible could happen, something terrible would happen. He gripped the rifle in both hands, prepared to smash two of the walkers' heads in if it came down to it. A feeling in his gut cried out to him, a dark cry that spelled out something very clear. This was too dangerous. All because they wanted to feel good about themselves? Because some pre-teens wanted to get their rocks off smashing some dead fool's skull in?

Ledge [Lee Everett]

"We got a plan, then," Lee said with a tinge of relief whilst walking over to the door, tucking the revolver under the back of his pants and withdrawing the small hatchet. He placed a hand on the doorknob.

As long as they stuck to the plan, this wouldn't take more than a minute, and at first glance, these things might have seemed slow... but unlike the folks that were infected by the fungus, shots to the body did nothing to the walkers… you needed good aim with whatever weapon you were using, and he didn't even want to get started on what kind of mayhem ensued when there were too many of them. Lee glanced back at the three and made sure they were all in position, and once he was given the all clear, he twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, withdrawing back to the other three quickly as the walkers took notice straight away, the four decaying corpses pouring out onto the street.

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie mentally prepared herself as the walkers stumbled into the street, each heading for one of them. Hers was a woman, dressed in tattered clothing, its jaw hanging loose. It let out a guttural growl as it approached her, snapping the loose jaw like something out of an old horror movie. As it drew closer, Ellie tried to stab it in the head, only to get her knife stuck between its jaw. Cursing, she struggled to pull it free, holding the walker back with one hand as she finally managed to do so, ripping off half of the jaw with it. She fought back bile as she took a step back, keeping out of grabbing distance of the walker.

Alright, let's try that again. She rushed towards it, kicking the back of its leg, smirking as it fell to the ground with a thud. As the walker struggled to get back to its feet, she grabbed it by the hair and plunged her knife into the side of its head. It took a few tries to pierce its brain, but finally, it slumped to the ground.

She let out a heavy breath, looking towards the others to see if they've fared better.

Art [Clementine]

Clementine grabbed hold of her hunting knife, bracing herself for the walker heading her way. Clem's was, or at least resembled, some sort of biker. Before he turned, the man sported a leather jacket, goggles, and worst of all, he wore a helmet.

"Damn it…" Clementine muttered in frustration, taking a few steps back as she desperately tried to think of something. Part of her wished she could just pull out her revolver and be done with it, but Clem knew that was probably the least sensible thing to do at the time. There wasn't much room, or time for getting creative, therefore the girl had to improvise.

She began by stabbing him in the chest and kicking him away, hopefully buying herself a few seconds to think. The thing was barely fazed, crawling back in her direction almost immediately. Clementine both figuratively and literally had been backed into a corner, feeling her back collide into a metal fence. The situation quickly became do or die, and the dying part was no exaggeration.

Shit, shit, c'mon…! The walker made sure the girl stood in place, relentlessly charging in her direction. Clem did what little her reflexes allowed by extending her leg forward and keeping it at bay with her foot, holding its right arm with her left hand.

The walker's left hand however, remained unrestrained, violently rubbing itself against Clementine's face in an attempt to claw away at it. Its blood-soaked teeth stood mere inches from her, nearly causing the girl to panic as it gradually overpowered her.

"Fucker!" Clementine shouted before thrusting her knife through its mouth with her only free hand, carving it's brain and killing it for good. The walker soon fell dead on its back, inducing the girl to sigh in relief. She checked herself for bites whilst she wiped the blood off her face, and thankfully there were none. Somehow, she had come out of that unscathed… exhausted, but unscathed.

Kentucky [Joel]

The walkers roamed towards them, groaning and grinning with their bare teeth in the sunlight. Joel wasn't sure if they were actually happy; they couldn't be. They were dead. But one of them, its face eerie in the brazen sun, looking as if it were smiling. He was distracted for a moment, taking a glance at Ellie to make sure she was okay. Stupid, this is stupid...

A cold, cold hand clutched his shoulder, and he turned, to see a gaping maw in his face. It threw another arm, this one wrapping around Joel's left arm. He threw it off, then sidestepped, dropping the rifle as the creature fell past him. It stumbled, and he took the opportunity to take chase. He grabbed the creature's back, fingers sinking into its soft skin, before he threw it to the ground and stepped over it.

It was over in but a second, Joel throwing his boot up and jamming the creature's forehead into the pavement. Blood spewed from its broken lobe, pooling up under it and wetting the ground with death. Joel stepped away from it, putting his hands on his knees. His heart was beating too fast, why was it beating so fast oh God why? It had taken him by surprise. Self-preservation disappeared for a second, and he turned and saw Ellie and Clementine having finished off their walkers. It was just Lee left, then.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

This position he was in, a decaying walker with arms outstretched and teeth gnashing was all too familiar. It was enough to put Lee in a trance-like state. He revised the steps in his head as the rotting corpse approached him, after years of dispatching these things, you could still never be too careful. One wrong move and chomp , your life was on a timer until you had none left, slowly withering away until you were just a shell of your former self, a fate worse than death. He knew he couldn't promise Clementine anymore that group members and people around them weren't going to die, at her age it was just unrealistic to believe after what they'd suffered, and Lee was certain he didn't believe it anymore either. Would this new group just be another memory? Another false promise of hope only to slowly wither down and die off until it was just himself and Clementine again? He tried not to think about it.

Lee gripped both of his hands around the handle of the axe, aiming to get this done in one hard swing. As it approached, he raised the axe above his head, grunting as he swung it down as hard as he could onto its skull, sending blood splattering and a chunk of brain matter flying a few feet away. As he attempted to pull the hatchet out of its head, he felt a snap … noticing that he was now just holding the handle as the blade part had broken off, still stuck in the corpse's head. End of the road... he threw the handle aside as it hit the ground, he'd just have to find something else to defend himself with, maybe something blunt.

"Everyone good?" he looked around, confidence in his demeanour as he saw the rest had handled theirs. "Good." he stated, before turning his attention towards the clothing store entrance. "Guess we can go shopping now…"

Dot [Narrator]

They rummaged through the store for a while, picking out appropriate clothes to replace their worn ones. Joel found an insulated brown winter jacket, along with a checkered gray button-up shirt, a pair of boots, and some brown leather gloves. On Lee's front, he managed to scrounge up a dark blue denim jacket, a white t-shirt, and another pair of boots. For Ellie, there wasn't much to come by, but she managed to get her hands on a pink and white winter coat and a dark gray scarf. Clementine's findings were a bit cooler: a red leather jacket and a pair of purple fuzzy earmuffs.

Outside of the store, the van laid in wait. A decaying biter hobbled towards it, visibly skinny and rotting. Its intention was to roam the town, looking for food. However, just as it began to pass the van, its knees gave way and it fell to the side, slamming into the van's window with its head before hitting the ground. At that moment, the impact causes the car alarm to go off.

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie didn't find much, to her dismay. Most what was left over was too big for her, except for a pink and white windbreaker she managed to find hidden between two coat racks, and a dark grey scarf. Clementine seemed to have more luck, finding an awesome red leather jacket. She'd be lying if she didn't say she was jealous. Sighing, she stuffed the jacket into her backpack, then placing the scarf on top of it. It was nice to have for next winter, but for now , it'd just make her sweat.

Her heart skipped a beat as the sound of an alarm filled the air, her head swiveling towards the entrance. Outside, the van's headlights were flickering on and off, the alarm echoing off of the buildings surrounding the road, amplifying the sound. She cursed under her breath, rushing towards the door.

"Lee?! Joel?! We gotta turn that thing off!" She shouted towards the two, who were deeper in the store. Hopefully the keys had something to turn the damned thing off, otherwise they were about to be in deep shit, especially if any more walkers were roaming around.

Art [Clementine]

Clem's eyes were as wide as they could stretch, fear taking hold of her conscience and knocking any other thoughts aside. It took the girl a few seconds to grasp where exactly the sound was coming from, and the realization only caused her to panic even further. Ellie was quicker than all of them, dashing towards the van in hopes of turning the alarm off, whilst Clementine found herself frozen in place. They didn't have nearly enough ammo to take on a crowd of them, not after Pittsburgh. What if a horde blocked the road, or cornered them in that store? Everything was so fucked.

Clementine threw the red jacket and earmuffs inside her backpack as quickly as she could possibly manage, desperately running after Ellie to help with the alarm outside. Once Clem made her way through the door, even covering her ears wouldn't be enough to shield them from the almost deafening sound of the van's signaling device, though it didn't stop the girl from trying. Everything and everyone was hearing that for miles, vehemently announcing their arrival to the once quiet town of Plattsburg. "How do you turn it off?!" Clementine asked as she approached the van, shouting so that the others had the slightest chance of hearing her.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Not even a minute had gone by as Lee rummaged through his backpack, placing his recent findings inside and zipping it up. He heard a horrifying sound that sent a chill down his spine. A rush of panic radiated through his body as the shrieking and whirling sound of the car alarm yelped outside. Something had set it off.

"Oh, you gotta be damned kidding me," he muttered under his breath as he wrenched himself up, swinging his backpack over his shoulders as he ran outside.

The girls had gotten there before him, already panicking and in harm's way… he froze for a moment as he stared at the walker that had now noticed them. Realizing the culprit was a walker instead of someone trying to steal it, he reached into his pocket and grabbed the keys, fumbling with them before clicking the button to stop the alarm. With a few seconds, it registered, the lights blinking as the noise came to a stop. However, it was too late… Lee took a step back as he realized they'd woken up the whole goddamn town. Corpses… the groaning… they were fast approaching, coming from behind buildings, around corners… hell, all the hiding places they could think of. They were coming.

"Jesus..." he muttered as his eyes widened at the sight, this was just their luck… just their damn luck… did they have enough time to get the van started and get out of there before they got swamped? Or did they need to make a run for it? It was a decision they had to make, quick.

Kentucky [Joel]

The blaring siren jarred Joel from his spot kneeled on the ground. He swallowed, looking back at the van which was whooping and beeping, a screaming siren calling to the dead. Good food, good meat, good God let's eat. He thought about the age-old phrase, the walkers and infected sure to come closer and closer every second the four spent dilly-dallying. Joel ran to the van with them, unable to hit the brakes on himself, and slammed into the van. His arm rang with pain, and he turned to Lee with anxiety in his eyes. "Lee! Throw me the goddamn keys!"

Ledge [Lee Everett]

The sound of the rotting flesh groaning ostracized everything around the former history teacher. The situation was soon turning into something they wouldn't be able to get out of, however he heard a faint voice. Looking over to see the Texan had made it to the drivers door.

"Catch!" He yelled as he threw them as best he could towards Joel. "Oh shi-" The moment he was distracted the initial walker that was by the car tried to grab his foot, as to which he responded by stomping its head in once, and then twice as a definitive blow, rendering it dispatched. The others were getting dangerously close now. He looked over to the Ellie and Clem, and to his dismay they hadn't ran for it yet. "You guys need to get in the van, now!" He yelled as he fired off a shot to the closest walker, firing off a second one to a biter that was approaching Joel. There were too many to handle, all he could do now was buy time for them.

Ledge [Narrator]

Clusters of walkers had been drawn to the noise now, zeroing in on the van. Fortunately enough, the four survivors were able to quickly make it inside safely without being cornered. However, as Joel placed the key in the ignition and twisted it, the engine seemingly chortled and strained at them, failing to start.

Art [Clementine]

Clementine felt dizzy, terrified… nearly sickened by the sight of the dozens of walkers gradually closing in on them, and the ceasing of the ear-piercing alarm did little to mend that. There wasn't any time to think of anything besides getting the hell out of there, and the intensity in Joel's voice only reinforced that fact.

The girl hastily opened the van's back door at Lee's request, grabbing Ellie by the arm with the intent of dragging her inside. "C'mon!" She shouted, tugging the other girl in her direction before violently shutting the door behind them.

Only a few seconds later, those things were already hammering the back door in a desperate attempt to reach them. It wouldn't take long until the walkers surrounded them completely, yet the most frightening part of it all had only just declared itself through the alarming sound of a dying engine.

No… Fuck, not now…! Clem struggled to keep the back door closed, feeling the force of what had to be, by then, more than a single infected bashing themselves against it. There wasn't any time left. "Joel!" Clementine cried, begging him to get the van moving… desperate, and utterly hopeless.

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel twisted the key in its ignition, sweat swimming down his skin, gliding off his pores, and doing a dolphin kick off of his cheek. The van refused to start; it fought against him, and he continued to crank until he heard the sound of the rotors trying their best to turn, trying their absolute best. But they wouldn't; they were dead just like the van, it would seem. Drowned by fluid, and Joel hit the dash.

" Goddammit! Piece of shit!" He screamed in terrified rage, pressing down on the pedal and kicking the floor. Nothing worked. It was just as dead as the creatures now surrounding them. Joel looked to Lee, anxiety gleaming in his eyes. "The engine's flooded." He mumbled, hands gripping the wheel and looking down at the shifter. He grabbed it, throwing it into drive and pulling the emergency brake off.

"We can make it," he murmured, hoping to God that the van would start moving. "Come on goddammit! " He yelled, hitting the steering wheel as hands slapped against the window. The walkers were everywhere; and rotted glass wouldn't hold for even a short time. Joel could see his window pane already quivering, tiny cracks forming where the walkers were hitting it. They were going to die.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

All Lee could do was watch as the chaos ensued around him whilst he assisted Clementine to the best of his ability in keeping that door barred, propping up whatever he could find in the back against it, old boxes, tools... anything. He watched on as the undead began to surround their van, the engine making a possibly more horrifying sound than even the walkers as it refused to start. A strand of sweat rolled down the side of his head, the confirmation from Joel about the engine causing his adrenaline to pump even faster.

"There's gotta be another way!" he yelled back, hopelessly trying to reassure everyone, or maybe just himself. He propped his shoulder up against the back door as he felt the petrifying force of what was on the other end, Joel had thrown the gear into drive as the car barely began to roll forward, only providing a moment of relief as the walkers in front of them blocked them from proceeding, the car yet again coming to a halt. The realization of how screwed up things were looking was now sinking in and he watched Clementine try her best to hold the door shut, seeing the fear and anxiety in her eyes.

You gonna let her die here? Huh? In some shitty cramped-up van without a proper go at life? Fail her just like you failed everyone else? His own mind spoke to him. No... no... He couldn't let that be an option. He wouldn't. His eyes slowly drifted towards the passenger door, considering the only option they had left... and that was a distraction, someone needed to lead them away.

Dot [Ellie]

They were trapped. Oh God, they were trapped. Walkers were pouring into the street like flies drawn to a steaming and particularly rancid pile of shit. Ellie recoiled as one banged on her window, jerking backwards into Clementine. Its jaw was snapping open and closed with inhuman speed, and its white, soulless eyes stared towards her hungrily. This was how they were going to die. Jesus , after everything they'd been through, a shitty van was going to be the death of them.

She turned to look towards Joel in the front seat, hoping to whatever fucking God was out there that he'd figure out something to get them out of this mess. If the car wouldn't start, they'd have to fight their way out, right? Could they make it? Their window was closing fast, the bulk of the walkers hadn't reached their van yet, but even then… getting out of this mess was looking slimmer and slimmer by the second.

Before she could say anything, a noise to their left caught her attention, the sound of a head banging against glass. Her eyes widened as she realized the walker that had been banging on Clementine's door earlier now had something emerging from its forehead. At first, through the panic and adrenaline, she couldn't make out what it was, but after a second of scrutinizing it, it became clear that it was an arrow, lodged straight through the back of its head.

What…?

Dot [Dwight]

Between the undead corpses surrounding the van, the survivors could make out the man that had fired the arrow, standing near one of the stores down the street. He wore a black vest, the rest of his clothes following a similar theme and style. If this was the world from before, he would easily be mistaken as your average, everyday biker. The only thing that stood out about the man was his face, half of it being covered in grotesque burns, faded with time, but will never fully heal. The man dropped the crossbow he'd been holding in his hands to the ground, reaching for the AK-47 he had strapped over his shoulder, and aiming it towards the walkers surrounding the van. He made a gesture, his voice following.

"Get down!"

Once everyone had managed to duck, he opened fire, laying into the walkers. The windows of the van exploded as bullets whizzed through them, stray shots that would've otherwise hit the survivors inside if they hadn't ducked. Unknowing to the stranger, one bullet managed to pierce Ellie's forearm, before burrowing into the frame of the car. Only a few seconds passed, but it was enough that most of the walkers on the left side of the car had been mowed down. With the clearing made, the man let go of the assault rifle, letting it hang on the strap, before scooping up his crossbow.

"Alright, c'mon! Get your asses outta there!"

Dot [Ellie]

" Fuck! " Ellie let out the curse as the bullet tore through her arm, leaving a gaping hole behind that she tried fruitlessly to cover with her hand. As the asshole outside cut through the walkers surrounding them, she was half tempted to tell him off for being so fucking reckless, but right now, she was having a hard time not biting down on her tongue as she tried to keep from screaming. It hurt. It hurt so fucking bad. She'd gone through some shit before; hell, she'd stabbed herself in the back with her own knife before, but this… this was something else.

As the man shouted towards them, gesturing for them to join him out on the street, she turned her attention to Joel and Lee. "I'm alright! L - Let's just get out of here…!"

She held back a slew of vulgarity as another wave of pain coursed through her, staring at the walker banging on the untouched window to her right with a pained, yet angry look. Their only way out was through Clementine's side door, so she'd have to wait until the other girl got out first. They didn't have a lot of time to act before the rest of the walkers closed in on them, or this asshole with the assault rifle.

Art [Clementine]

Clementine dropped to the floor following the stranger's demand, watching, appalled, as a flood of bullets soon came crashing down upon them, bursting through the windows and doors alike, all while wiping out the walkers surrounding the van like they were nothing. For most that would, perchance, bring about some semblance of relief… but for Clem, it was the exact opposite. No way was the shooter some kind soul who just happened to pass by with a crossbow and a fucking assault rifle. They'd been chased by assholes with guns for over a week now, and she was just about sick of it. All the girl needed was a reason, and that guy would have four .357 rounds lodged in his skull before he even knew what hit him.

Interrupting Clementine's reckless train of thought was the sight of Ellie's arm, her hand pressing a gaping wound covered in blood. Angry wouldn't be enough to describe it. Clem wanted to break that guy's kneecaps. Nevertheless, for the time being, Clementine held back that rage with gritted teeth, kicking open what was left of the van's back door in order to greet the bastard. The girl remained seated next to Ellie, staring the man down in an attempt to figure out what his angle was. Her gaze faltered the moment it met the man's burnt face, though in spite of that, she refused to look away.

"What do you want?" She asked callously, hoping to, at the very least, keep him talking long enough for Joel and Lee to get the drop on him.

Dot [Dwight]

The man seemed to be expecting that question, but annoyance was apparent on his face. He'd given them an opportunity to get out of there, and they were using it to question him. He sighed through his nose before replying. "Not everyone out here's looking for an angle. I was in the area, and you needed help. Call it foolish idealism." It became apparent that the man was unaware of Ellie's plight, not having seen the bullet pierce the girl's arm.

As a walker began to skirt around the van, trying to get to the open door on the opposite side, the man fired another crossbow bolt through its head, the corpse falling to the ground with a thud. "Look, we can talk this out when we're somewhere safe, but you folks need to get out of there!"

Art [Clementine]

Clem narrowed her eyes in skepticism, shooting a quick glance behind her, towards Lee and Joel, expecting either of them to say something, though that moment never came. It felt way too... convenient, maybe. Who's to say the prick with the crossbow wasn't the one who triggered the alarm in the first place? A number of things ran through the girl's head before she even thought of replying, though that aside, most of it was sheer hesitance. There was the fact that he saved the four of them from becoming walker chow… that probably meant he wasn't there to rob them. Well, either that or he was just really stupid. Whichever the case, the guy didn't want them dead, at least not yet. A good sign, or a bad one? Clem had little to go on, probably the guy's intention, thus she kept her answer short and to the point.

"...And where is that?" The girl asked with a brow raise, referring to what the man described as somewhere safe . Every bit of her felt reluctant to follow some sketchy dickhead into what glaringly looked like a trap waiting to happen, and that wasn't about to change just because he was in a hurry to leave.

Dot [Dwight]

Was she serious? Dwight understood why the girl was digging for information, after all, he was the one that just showed up out of nowhere to 'save the day'. Every second that passed, he was starting to regret it. He should've just stayed home, should've left them to fend for themselves; those thoughts dwelled in his mind for a bit longer than was probably necessary. Walkers were closing in on the van again, and Dwight sent another bolt through the back of one of their heads, watching as it slumped against the hood of the vehicle. He let out a frustrated sigh, lowering the crossbow.

"Anywhere that's not here, alright? There's a herd not too far from here, close enough to hear that alarm and turn the entire damned thing towards you. Trust me, don't trust me, I don't care. I've got better things to do than watch all of you get eaten." He didn't mean to come off as an asshole, but his patience had worn thin. He needed to get back to where he left his car, and head back to Paradise. With the herd undoubtedly turned towards the community, he had to warn them, before the undead trampled over them.

Kentucky [Joel]

The gunfire drew the survivors out of the van; the dead walkers with their exploded heads resting comfortably on the pavement. Blood covered the ruined van, as did brains and shards of skull slathered on storefronts. Joel looked at Ellie, horror in his eyes. Her arm; a red hole through the limb spreading blood on her sleeves. "Ellie, your arm…" He fumbled with his words, unsure of who to address first. And then, he looked down the street, eyes straining in the sun at the silhouette of the man. The first thing he'd address was the man who had shot her.

Slinging his hunting rifle, his eyes shifted from confusion and into rage. Aiming the rifle down at the man, he lined up a shot directly with the burnt man's forehead. "You got three seconds to drop your gun and tell us who the hell you are before I blow your goddamn head off." He pulled back the safety on the rifle, finger edging on the trigger. Begging the man to do anything; to try anything at all.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

The ricocheting and whirling of precisely fired lead lit up the van and the surrounding walkers like a Christmas tree. Lee ducked down and placed his hands over his head as the bullets crashed down upon them, feeling the glass chip and break as some of it landed on top of his head. Whoever this guy was, he had fired dangerously close to them… even managing to nick Ellie in the arm. Wow she was hurt, which made their situation even more desperate.

Lee was frozen with shock for a moment, taking a second to analyse the pool of corpses around them, a way out had been paved for them, their impending death had been halted by this unknown man. What shocked him even more was the time they were wasting by questioning him, Shit, are we actually doing this right now? He thought as he looked to Ellie, that arm needed attention, quick, smart… the blood was oozing out of her arm and onto the floor, no... that was too much blood to warrant fucking around asking questions.

"Joel, come on… what the hell are we doing?" A frown on his face as he spoke with frustration evident in his tone "We don't have time for this, we need to get the hell out of here, now. We can ask questions later."

Art [Clementine]

Nice one, Joel! It took a little stalling, a tad too much for comfort, but the guy with the burnt face had dropped his guard, and Joel capitalized on it flawlessly. It obviously wasn't his first time dealing with something as delicate as this, and it showed from his total lack of procrastination. The old timer had to have been tough as nails to get hired by the Fireflies, but it was still really impressive to see it in action.

"Sorry," Clementine nonchalantly expressed with a faint smile, before picking up her revolver from the back of the van. She almost felt bad about it, considering the guy had just saved them a few minutes ago, but there was no being too careful when dealing with rifle-carrying, scary-looking people.

The girl hopped out the van, aiming her revolver towards the man, while staying on Joel's opposite side, ensuring one of them could get a shot in case the crossbow guy tried to fight back. "You should probably listen to him." She added threateningly, keen to get payback for Ellie's injury if the guy forced her hand. Lee came out of the van shortly after, in an attempt to defuse the situation, yet Clementine simply ignored him, refusing to take her eyes away from the stranger. "You want to leave, right? Hurry up."

Dot [Dwight]

Dwight half-expected the response the older man had given him, aiming his rifle towards him, but he didn't expect it so quickly. Sighing, he let his assault rifle and crossbow clatter to the ground, kicking them away. Annoyance was apparent on his face and movements, as he held his hands slightly to the sides, as if expecting Joel to start searching him for any more weapons. They didn't have time for this, those walkers were going to be on them any minute now.

"Name's Dwight," he started, letting out another sigh. "Just heard your alarm go off, and saw the dead surrounding you. Figured you needed the help. I'm from a community not too far away, and we try to help others, if we can. As unbelievable as that sounds. Just want to get back, before that herd finds its way there."

His eyes drifted towards a fourth figure emerging from the vehicle, a young girl clutching her right arm, blood oozing between her fingers. He thought he heard a shout earlier, and now that the evidence was right in front of him.

" Shit ..." Now he understood why they were grilling him so hard, in his attempts to kill the walkers, he'd managed to shoot her in the process. "L - Look, I don't want any trouble, and I'm sure you folks have places you're tryin' to get to, so we can go our separate ways, if that's what you want. Like I said before, I was just trying to help." As stupid as it was. "But… the girl's bleeding pretty badly." I'm sorry. He wanted to say it out loud, but couldn't find the courage. It'd probably come off as condescending if he did, anyway. "If you don't got the supplies to patch her up, I've just cleared out a hospital in the next town over. If you want, I can give you some supplies, patch her up, and go our separate ways."

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie looked between her friends, hissing in her breath as her wound flared with pain. She was probably being naive, but she believed this guy wasn't trying to hurt them, and that he wanted to help. Maybe it was misguided, but they couldn't pass up a chance to get her arm taken care of, right? It hurt too damn much to neglect it.

She turned towards Joel, trying to put on a half-smile through the pain. "M - Maybe we should go with him. We outnumber him, anyway." Unless he has more friends out there…

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel glared at the man, eyes squinting in the sun. The whole thing seemed too good to be true. A stranger saves their lives, and just happens to live in a caring and generous community? The Good Samaritan bullshit was unlikely, but Ellie did make a good point. If this guy had any buddies on him now, then they would've attacked by this point. Joel considered briefly for a moment, but his rifle never lowered.

" Fine. " The word stung, but Joel said it nonetheless. He was outnumbered on votes here, especially since the only other vote on his side was the young Clementine. "But you keep your hands on your head. And kick your rifle and crossbow over here. You try anything, or if anybody shows up that you didn't tell us about, I'll shoot you. You got it?" He gritted his teeth.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

With a frustrated roll of his head and a slight elongated sigh, there wasn't much Lee could do other than give in to the situation that was unfolding around him as he was blatantly ignored.

That stubborn carpenter sure as hell wasn't going to listen to him, and it was upsetting to admit to himself that he didn't find Clem's behavior in following suit that surprising.

This won't look good on us… if any of his friends are nearby and see this. He thought for a moment as he took a brief second to place his hand on his holster, examining their surroundings to see if they were being watched. Luckily, that didn't seem to be the case. It didn't make much sense why a group of bandits would waste time and ammunition on a massive cluster of walkers. A logical explanation that Lee hoped was correct was that this man actually cared enough to lend them a hand. It was only now that he got a good look at the guy… noticing one side of his face being horribly disfigured. Whatever had happened… it was clear the man had been through some shit, but then again, so had everyone still alive.

He watched on as the man known as Dwight followed Joel's orders, Lee's eyes trailing him as he bent down and placed his weapons on the floor and kicked them over, proceeding to place his hands back on his head. He was clearly smart enough not to give any of them a reason to shoot. Lee took a few steps forward, shooting an apologetic glance at the man in an attempt to get across that he didn't like what he was doing. He placed his revolver in his side holster and picked up the crossbow, slinging it over his shoulder and lastly picking up the AK -47 and examining it in his hands.

Can't remember the last time I used something that packs this much of a wallop, except maybe that hunting rifle. If he's this well-armed, he's gotta be telling the truth…

"I'm sorry about all this, we're not looking for any trouble either…" he glanced off to the side towards the two that were still pointing guns and shot them a look, attempting to signify that he was unarmed and they could stop being so aggressive. The sooner they got the wounded fixed up, sooner they could put this behind them and move on. A moment passed as he focused his attention back to the scarred man. "So how far off are these supplies of yours?"

Dot [Dwight]

Dwight resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The older man seemed to be trouble, no matter how you sliced it. The baseball-capped girl, too. Trust was hard to come by, he knew that all too well, but it was going to be an uphill battle to even get these folks to listen to him. He really should've left them to their own fate, getting involved with strangers was stupid. Beyond stupid. It was suicidal, for this exact reason. If it wasn't for the other man and the injured girl, he wouldn't lead them anywhere near Paradise. He wasn't a hero, that much he'd admit, but he wouldn't put anyone else in harm's way for his mistakes.

Sighing, he replied to the African-American man in an even tone. "Couple blocks away. I was checking out a store when I heard your alarm. Left my car behind. It's this way," he nodded his head down the street, towards where his car would be waiting. Hopefully, if things go well, he'd get the girl taken care of and get these assholes out of his hair. They didn't have time to waste.

Dot [Ellie]

The walk wasn't long, gladly. While Clementine and Lee watched Dwight, Joel did what he could for her wound, at least stopping the bleeding for the time-being. She exchanged a few glances with the new guy, the urge to speak up about the stray shot burning in her throat, but never came. For once, she didn't really have anything to say. He didn't try to shoot her, that much was clear to her. It was an accident, one that was, really, no one's fault. Or, maybe that was just her naive mind. Maybe she should blame him for what happened, all of it, and treat him just like Clem was, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. He seemed to be as done with all of this as she was, and that was enough for her to not pursue bringing it up.

It was about a five minute walk to where this car supposedly was. Dwight was walking in front of them, with Joel and Clementine flanking them like prison guards guiding their prisoner to their cell. Even she didn't trust Dwight all that much, so maybe it was better this way. She wasn't really sure, though. Finally, a car came into view, tucked between two stores in an alleyway. Dwight turned around and glanced back towards Joel, speaking in an even tone.

"Alright, we're here."

Ellie squinted at the car, making sure no one was hiding inside it or around it. The last thing she wanted was for them to get jumped by some assholes just because this one managed to shoot her on accident. She couldn't make out anyone, though. Thank God.

Dwight gestured towards the car, as if expecting Joel or Lee to check it out first. Probably because he didn't want to get shot in the back or something. Ellie didn't really blame him, they've done worse to people who've done far less.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Much to the relief of the former history teacher, Dwight seemed to be telling the truth as he led them through the streets. The car was cleverly hidden in an alleyway, a good hiding spot… but also an adequate ambush point. After thoroughly checking it out with Joel, the story seemed to add up, and thus they finally gave the go ahead to receive those medical supplies.

Lee wasn't so naive to give Dwight's weapons back just yet, until he was sure he hadn't given them something faulty, so he held on to them as he took the package from Dwight. The alleyway provided some good cover from walkers or anything else alive. One thing was certain, Ellie had lost some blood… and he wasn't sure if he liked what he was about to see next. Ellie's wound was gut-wrenching, but the bullet had gone right through, Joel managing to bandage it and stop the bleeding, hanging on to the stitches so that they could do it at a later time once they were out of here.

Once the process had been done, Lee saw no reason to continue holding the guy up since they were leaving anyway. He slowly made his way to the car, looking at Dwight calmly as he placed the rifle on the hood, followed by the crossbow. His gaze towards Dwight screamed ' don't make me regret this ', but they didn't plan on staying long enough to find out if they would.

"Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for the help back there… we'll just be leaving now…" he spoke as he turned around to make an exit for the alley, before seeing what was approaching, another cluster of walkers, a hand going to his forehead in frustration.

Dot [Dwight]

Dwight had watched from the sidelines, trying to keep out of their way. Last thing he wanted was for these assholes to pick a fight, not with him pushing this close to the fire as it was. Once the girl had been taken care of, the younger man set down his weapons on the hood of the car, Dwight giving him a curt nod. At least he seemed reasonable.

The sound of walkers washed over them in what felt like the span of a second, forcing all eyes to turn towards the cluster of walkers heading towards them. It wasn't the entire herd, but it was enough to effectively lower their odds of taking them out, and Dwight wasn't exactly brimming with ammo for his AK-47. Cursing under his breath, he grabbed his rifle and crossbow, slinging them over his shoulders, in front of his torso and his back respectively. "That damned herd is gonna be on top of us any minute now." He let out a heavy sigh, his gaze bouncing between the two men and the girls. It was his fault they had to come here, after he managed to shoot the girl, so maybe…

I'm going to fucking regret this.

"Look, we're out of time. This town's about to become a clusterfuck. You won't be able to get back to your car, and it looked like you couldn't get it working anyway. My community's not too far away. We can drive back there. We'll be behind walls, and we can work something out. Get you another car. Lotta survivors come through, its basically a trading outpost." He opened the driver's door, stashing his weapons inside, before glancing back at the two men. "It'd make me feel better than just leaving all of you to die out here."

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Lee's attention turned towards Dwight, slightly taken back by his proposition. It was the mere fact that this guy seemed to look just like the type back at Pittsburgh… the type that would pull the trigger without a second thought. Whether this was just some sort of a façade or the real him, Lee didn't care. They had a wounded kid, no car... short on supplies, and the sight of the walkers put the final nail in the coffin… for a moment he actually started to consider Dwight's offer. That was until he looked over to the rest, seeing all of their faces to the proposition, and it was enough to know it would just be another bitter and frustrating argument on whether they should go or not… something he had seen plenty of times over back at the motor inn, they all had different opinions it seemed, and even Lee himself wasn't sure if FEDRA had sent out warrants to other communities offering rewards.

Either way it was a risky gamble and there was no way they'd reach a proper conclusion in a few minutes.. unless… before he'd ask the rest… he did have one more question for Dwight as he turned towards him.

"Do you have anything solid to show us... anything to prove that this community isn't just a bunch of smoke and mirrors?" He asked calmly. He needed something to go off that Dwight could show them right now if he was going to sway the rest over… anything.

Dot [Dwight]

"Well, most of all I got is my word," Dwight said, his voice matter-of-fact. He knew that they were going to want more than that, more than he was willing to give, or had on hand to show. Sighing, he reached into the car, grabbing the photo he kept slipped into the mirror above the wheel. He pulled it out, twisting around for them to see.

On the picture, Dwight was easily identifiable by his burned features. A woman was next to him, and his arm was slung around her shoulder. They seemed to be laughing, although at what could not be identified through the photo. They were sitting around a fire, two other people sitting on opposite sides of Dwight and the woman, just out of frame. Behind them, the large walls surrounding Paradise loomed, makeshift and refurbished buildings appearing over the wall.

His expression remain unchanged, but his heart twisted. "This was a couple years ago. The woman was, uh... my girlfriend, at the time." He left it at that, deciding to not dwell on that path for longer than necessary. After Sherry, he didn't really want to move on, but after the second girlfriend, and those pointless thoughts about getting married? That was enough to turn him off the whole thing for good, if not for a long while. He stopped looking since she died. "We built up this old town, just north of Kansas City. Paradise. We kept the name, turned it into a safe zone of our own, away from FEDRA. Been going strong ever since."

Ledge [Lee Everett]

After taking a good look at the picture with the others, Lee sighed out… was he about to be the devil's advocate? It was time to find out.

"Just give us a few…" he nodded towards the burned man before ushering everyone to a corner away from Dwight, but still keeping him in their view, almost as if they were huddling up as they now had a quick decision to make.

"Call me gullible but... I don't know… I feel like he's telling us the truth here," he spoke in a lower tone than usual. Paradise… it did sound like something they all needed desperately right now, but if the others would agree was a different story. "We got him outnumbered if he drives us… if we don't like what we see we don't even have to go in…"

Art [Clementine]

Clementine shook her head in contempt, lifting her gaze so that it could meet Lee's. "I don't care what he says," the girl stated with conviction, her tone rude and scornful. The fact that the man claimed to be able to get them another car made even the headstrong Clementine falter in her decision, faced with the reality that they so desperately needed one to get to Joel's brother. Clem didn't know how far Tommy's Dam was, how long it'd take, or just how dangerous it'd be to travel there on foot… but even so, whatever Dwight was offering wasn't worth the risk. "We're doing fine on our own. Let's just go."

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel squinted at Lee, shaking his head. "No. We are leaving now." Glancing to Clementine, an unspoken thankfulness resided in his gaze. "We don't exactly have time on our side. We got Ellie's arm fixed up, we can go." Whatever this town was, it didn't seem right. Paradise. What kind of a goddamn name was that. Sounded like a lure, just like those bandits back in Pittsburgh pretending to be injured. And Joel wasn't going there. If Lee was, then so be it; Joel would get Ellie to Tommy's. He wasn't about to get roped into this community. Not when they had such little time.

Dot [Ellie]

"We won't get far without a car, Joel," Ellie reminded him, looking between the two adults and Clementine. It was clear that they were split fifty-fifty on what they should do, a situation that'll probably become all too familiar with time. For Ellie, she didn't care all that much about Dwight or his community, but the thought of getting another car was enough to convince her that it was probably their best option. "We don't have to stay there, we just have to get that car from him. We'll run out of food before we get anywhere on foot."

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Lee placed his arms on his hips as he fought off the urge to shake his head, regardless he still tried to keep calm and get the point across. For a moment there, he thought he was going to get outvoted until Ellie thankfully spoke up, relief on his face as he nodded towards her direction. "In case you haven't noticed, Joel ," he pointed them all in the direction of the cluster of walkers that were fast approaching. "We don't have a goddamn thing on our side today... we lost the van, the supplies in it, not to mention we're running low again…" he spoke with a tinge of frustration, looking between Joel and Clementine. "The guy clearly feels bad about what happened. If we have a chance to get ourselves a car, this isn't the time to be pushing away help."

Art [Clementine]

"So, what if he's lying?" Clementine bluntly asked, crossing her arms in an unyielding fashion. Unlike Lee, the girl's tone grew increasingly fiercer, an evident product of her escalating lack of patience. It was just so damn stupid. They didn't even know him. Lee was really going to trust the fucker who shot Ellie because of some picture, and the thought was enough to drive the girl mad. They could find more food on the way, maybe even another car, but they didn't stand a chance against an entire group of them. "What if there's no 'community' …? No car, no food... just more people who want to kill us. What then?"

At that point, her words were hardly uttered in an attempt to convince him not to go. Clem knew she couldn't change Lee's mind about it, no matter how much she protested against going. All she sought was some sort of assurance… something other than an empty promise that they'd be okay.

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel clenched his teeth together, squinting with anger at Lee as he took a step towards the man. He looked at Ellie. "We will make do." There wasn't going to be anything there. No, they'd go to this community and there'd be a horde of men there to steal them, take them away and perform unspeakable acts. Joel and Lee would die first; they'd probably just outright shoot the two of them. They might shoot the two girls... but Joel had already stumbled across the horrors of man. He would not do it again. "Do I need to remind you of what we just went through?" He eyed Dwight, hands clenching his rifle. "There are no good communities out here anymore. The military is the kindest of the people I've seen out here. You can go if you want, but me and Ellie are leaving."

Ledge [Lee Everett]

At that moment, Lee was so close to telling him ' so be it' and leaving it at that. This was going nowhere, even with proof they were still divided... dare he say it, but of all the good things that came out of being in a group, this was a thorough reminder of how they fell apart. Maybe this was why Clementine and he stuck it out just by themselves for so long and avoided groups... nothing good ever came out of it, and Lee was a fool to think this time would be any different.

As Joel took a step forward, Lee's feet stayed planted firmly where they were. He could feel anger bubbling up inside of him, the hope of magically finding more food and a car and travelling all the way on foot was just as, maybe even more, dangerous than taking their chances at the community.

"Look, maybe you're right, maybe this place turns out to be a big elaborate trap... and yeah, maybe it sure as hell isn't worth all of us risking our lives going there…" he looked to the ground for a moment, eyes darting around as he finally looked back up to the three. "But it doesn't have to be everyone... I can go myself and try to seal the deal on getting us a new car...if this guy lets me borrow a radio I can give it to you guys." he spoke with a reassuring tone. They needed transport desperately at this point, they had no clue exactly where Tommy's was, and there was a good chance they'd fatigue and run out of supplies walking around to find it, they needed this deal.

"I'll go with him into this place... and I can tell you how it looks from the inside... if it's safe or not… I'll get the car circle and back."

Dot [Ellie]

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ellie asked, genuinely taken aback by Lee's question. She wanted to trust Dwight as much as Lee wanted to, but going alone ? If this really was a trap, then that was a death sentence for Lee. "I mean, I want to trust this guy... but... going alone? What happens if you don't come back? This place is about to get overrun any minute now. We don't have time to wait, or take a risk like that."

Ledge [Lee Everett]

"If there's a chance, even the slightest... that scoring this deal improves our odds of getting to his brother's place safely... then, to me, it's worth going." He lowered his shoulders as he breathed out silently. "You guys get out of here, find somewhere to hunker down, give me a few hours to contact you... if I don't, then it's safe to assume you guys were right. Plan stays the same, keep moving and get to Tommy's, no matter what."

Art [Clementine]

Clem uncrossed her arms, worryingly drawing her brows together in response to Lee's suggestion. For a drawn out, despair-inducing moment, the girl was left nearly speechless, until she was helpless to fight her pressing need to object. "No! You're not going!"

It was fucking crazy; how could he say something like that? 'Keep moving and get to Tommy's, no matter what.' Clem wasn't the least bit okay with that plan. They weren't leaving Lee behind… no way.

"That's… You can't…!" The girl desperately fumbled through her words, staring fixedly at Lee's eyes with a gaze filled with a mixture of anger and grief. It wasn't worth it… Clem didn't care about getting a car. None of it mattered if she lost him , not after all they've been through. "Please, don't go…" Clementine pleaded, her voice softening to near silence, as she begged Lee to stay.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

She wasn't making this easy on him. Every fiber of his being wanting to stay as she pleaded… to just screw it all and move on without the car. However, his mind was made up as soon as Dwight made the offer, and he had a feeling Clementine knew this too. Lee had seen his fair share of killers, knew the difference between the people that did it because they had to... and the assholes that just did it for the thrill. Dare he say it, but he just didn't get that vibe from this Dwight guy. He didn't seem like the wild type… if he was up to something, they surely should have been surrounded or ambushed by now. Of course, some big trap could be waiting back at this community, but that was a part of the risk Lee was getting himself into. He needed to invest some trust if any good was going to come out of this, and he just hoped he had enough to make some kind of decent trade... he didn't care, he was willing to give everything he had on him if it meant getting what they needed.

Ultimately seeing how torn up she was about this made his face sink as he tried to desperately put on a façade of assurance, placing a hand on her shoulder he spoke without faltering, his voice lower than before.

"Clem, you know I'd never do something like this unless it was important… and this is just too important to pass up," he admitted.

They'd lost the van, which meant it would take more time they couldn't afford to find supplies out on the road… and if they couldn't find any… it'd be over for them.

"And hey, it's just a few hours… I'll be back with our car before you know it… and if you're worried, just radio in anytime." He half-smiled, before noticing the herd that was getting closer. They didn't have much time now. Despite their differences, Lee deemed that Joel was as trustworthy as he was stubborn. If anything went wrong, he'd be the one to get her there safe and unharmed. He looked back to Clem, desperation in his eyes now. "I need you to trust me on this… please."

Kentucky [Joel]

Joel was still staring at Lee when he made his decision. He had trapped him; a selfless act that allowed Lee the moral high ground, but regardless Joel respected it. His mouth fell open, unsure of what to say. "I..." He started, but trailed off, unable to finish.

Was he really going to let Lee win this? The urge to tell him 'no' and walk off had become far too tempting to ignore, yet something at the back of his brain gave him pause.

He already knew he was going to regret this.

"Fine," he finally said, his voice flat and angry. "We'll scope the place out, but Ellie ain't going anywhere near there." He turned towards the girls, grinding his teeth. "Stay in one of these storefronts for the time being. Keep in contact. We won't be long."

Art [Clementine]

The girl severely yearned for an alternative, yet her silence was more than sufficient to prove such a thing was wholly out of their reach. With the herd fast approaching, and their time running short, there was little left Clem could do other than reluctantly comply to Lee's request, placing the entirety of what remained of her faith in him.

"Okay… I trust you," she told Lee with a brisk nod, struggling to hold back the quivering in her lower lip. After being handed a small, old looking radio from Dwight, Joel seemed to change his mind, telling her and Ellie to hole up in one of the stores, and though faltering in her steps, Clem intended to listen.

"You better come back..." Clementine said to Lee, forcing a smile before turning the other way and dashing in Ellie's direction. The two of them continued to distance themselves from the advancing swarm of infected, until Clementine and Ellie had finally disappeared from Lee, Joel, and Dwight's view.

Ledge [Lee Everett]

Joel's sudden change of heart had left Lee speechless, though that moment quickly faded as Dwight handed the radio off to Clementine. Seeing the kids off, Lee opened the passenger door, but for a moment hesitated before getting in, giving one last glance to the two children that were now leaving his sight… only now sinking in that if anything went wrong, this might be the last time he'd see her, that was the bitter truth. If there was a time he'd go back on his word and would want to leave and go after them, now would be it… instead he frowned in acceptance, sighing out as he hopped in the passenger seat while Dwight started the engine and closed the door. Joel hopped in last, into the backseat, and he could feel the man's glare on the back of his head.

"I better be right about you…" he spoke aloud to the scarred man as Lee kept his gaze out the window.

---

1:30 PM - An old hardware store - Plattsburg, Missouri

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie peered through the rotting planks of wood covering the large window at the front of the store. The walkers were out in full force now, pushing their way forward, towards the direction of this 'Paradise'. Thankfully, they haven't noticed them, and Ellie made sure to back away from the tiny hole in the plank if one came too close to the store.

The store itself was picked clean, leaving nothing worth scavenging while they waited for Lee and Joel to radio them. For now, it was just a waiting game, and silently hoping they hadn't gotten themselves killed. She didn't know what she would do if that was true, or what to say to Clementine. How could she? The two had gone through so much together, more than Ellie ever had with anyone else in her life. Riley was close, but that was different. Then there was Marlene, but even she didn't really count. There was so much about Marlene she didn't know about, an enigma that she never got the chance to solve. For Clementine and Lee, though, she sort've envied them. For most of her life, she'd spent it alone, yet not actually being alone. That wasn't the case for those two.

In a way, she did feel a sense of anxiety deep in her stomach, stemming from the fact that Joel was out there too, but it wasn't nearly as noticeable as her friend's. Didn't help that she was still trying to get to know Joel, but the last thing she wanted was to end up alone again. Even if she had Clementine to watch her back.

She glanced deeper into the store, seeing Clementine fiddling with the radio Dwight had loaned them, seemingly focused on whatever she was trying to do to it. For a moment, Ellie hesitated, wanting to approach the girl, tell her that Lee was going to be alright, and that they'd be on their way to Tommy's soon. Those words never came. Instead, she approached the girl in slow steps, looking around the store for anything interesting. Anything except for the girl she was trying to approach casually. She wasn't sure if she was doing a great job at it.

Finally, she turned her attention to the girl, watching her fiddle with the radio. For a moment, she didn't say anything, letting her arms move back and forth like a pendulum, something she did often when she was bored, or feeling out of her depth. This instance, it was a mixture of both.

She cleared her throat, finally opening her mouth to speak. "Hey, uh… you… y - you cool?" She inwardly winced at her own words, cursing herself. She wasn't really sure what to say, especially to someone in Clementine's position, and it made her feel like banging her head against a wall. It didn't help the fact that Clementine was… well… clearly annoyed with hanging out with her so much. During the ride here, Ellie just tried to find something to do with her time, but it seemed that had been too much for the other girl. She didn't blame her though, Clementine had spent so long with just Lee for company, having another girl around probably… was a lot to get used to.

Art [Clementine]

Clem's fingers firmly grasped the two-way radio's circular volume dial, repeating the same idle task of twisting it left and right, over and over again, to pass the time. The girl herself lied on her back atop the store's counter, waiting restlessly for Lee to reach out to them. There was some sort of twisted irony to it, using a walkie-talkie to talk to him all these years later. It felt almost… peaceful, to think back to that long ago... yet for a handful of different reasons, memories of that time were ones the girl preferred to keep repressed.

A pressing thought nagging at the back of her head insisted that she should've gone with Lee, or at least tried harder to convince him not to go. There was no feeling worse than the unwavering regret that grew further with every passing minute of static silence. Clementine could only hope she'd hear from him soon, if at all.

Clem's thoughts and concerns lingered on Joel for a while, who'd finally decided to go with Lee, after being strong-armed into it. 'You can go if you want, but me and Ellie are leaving.' So that's how it is, huh? The fact that Joel was willing to just take off and leave them at a moment's notice shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone, yet somehow it did for Clem, and she wasn't taking kindly to it. Did Joel even care…? About Lee, about her? For the past few days, the girl couldn't stop thinking of how bonkers it felt to be in a group again, but maybe it was too short-sighted of her to think they were one in the first place.

Ellie's sluggish footsteps caught her by surprise, briefly pulling Clementine away from her own thoughts. It was sort of nice to have her around, all things considered. Clem might've been pissed at Joel, or worried about Lee, but Ellie was still just… Ellie. Fun, weird, and mildly annoying on occasion… that's always been the appeal of having a friend , right?

Clementine lifted herself up into a sitting position, hastily placing the radio behind her in a fruitless attempt to hide the fact that it was pretty much the only thing on her mind since he left. "Y - Yeah, I'm…" Clementine helplessly tried to articulate, awkwardly shifting her gaze from side to side "...cool." She wasn't, really… Clem didn't feel that way at all. It was tough to concentrate on anything without Lee around, with the thought of him being dead practically smacking her across the face at every opportunity. Clementine thought of saying something else, but not another sound left her lips as the girl stared blankly at the floor.

Dot [Ellie]

Are you sure about that? Ellie found herself wanting to say, looking between the girl and the ground at quick intervals. Comforting someone wasn't something she was used to, or good at, really. She understood how Clementine felt, that was how she felt after Riley told her to fuck off and the girl disappeared for weeks. It was different, granted, but Ellie could relate, in some form or fashion. Still, didn't help her come up with any words to say to the girl. Her mind drew a blank, and the longer she stood there, the more awkward she felt. With most people, this wouldn't be that hard. Hell, with Riley, it wasn't really this hard. But… with Clementine, it came down to not wanting to ruin their already shaky and new friendship by doing or saying something stupid. She didn't know what the girl wanted to hear, if anything at all.

After a moment, she pulled herself into a sitting position on the counter, leaving a little bit of space between her and Clementine. Her feet dangled limply, swaying back and forth, as her eyes scanned the room around her, looking anywhere but at the girl next to her. She wished that she would've spoken up more, to Lee, insisted that they just give up on this stupid plan to get a car, so she wouldn't have to see Clem looking like this. Maybe they'd already be out of town, away from the walkers pushing their way through the deserted place. Right now, even if Lee got the car, if he came back soon, he wouldn't be able to get to them, not until the walkers cleared out a bit. So, in essence, they were trapped for now.

Sighing, she lightly tapped the side of the wooden counter with the back of her heels, glancing slightly towards Clementine. "I would've come back, for you and Lee, if Joel decided to keep going." She really wasn't sure what to say, and that'd been the first coherent thing that had popped into her head. A foolish, meaningless comment, probably nothing the girl wanted to hear. She just wanted her to know that she wouldn't want to move on without them, not after the things they've been through together to get here. "We've been through too much to just… let it go so easily. You know?" Yes, she knows. She's not stupid.

Ellie mentally cursed herself, wishing that she was better at this sort of thing. Riley had been good at it, hell… she managed to calm her down even during Ellie's worst moments. She knew how to handle it, and Ellie envied her for that. It'd definitely come in handy right about now.

Art [Clementine]

"Oh…" Clementine caught herself uttering, stupefied, in return, a faint smile escaping the girl in spite of… everything. It was a little silly, not because Clem didn't think Ellie meant it - heck, she was probably beyond serious - but they both knew things didn't really work that way. Joel would surely never let that fly. What would she even do? Run away, chase after the two of them all by herself? It was… silly. Clementine couldn't stop smiling at the thought nonetheless, maybe just 'cause of how corny it sounded, like the fairy tales she loved reading so much. Would she do the same for Ellie? Funny as hell, Clementine probably would, as dumb as it was. Just… ditch everything.

It was a fairytale, alright.

"Thanks, Ellie. I'd, uh… I would too," Clem told her assuredly, giving the other girl a playful shoulder nudge. Somehow Ellie always found a way to make her say the mushiest stuff...

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie smiled, nudging the girl back with her own shoulder. Despite the words being somewhat useless, they were still nice to hear. She knew that neither Joel or Lee would let them run off to find the other group, but hopefully it'd never come to that. They've gone this far, and they'll go even farther by the time they get to Tommy's. She was sure of it.

Letting out a content sigh, she slipped her backpack off of her shoulders, setting it next to her on the counter. She rummaged through it for a moment, finally managing to pull out the mostly okay pun book she'd gotten from Riley. What better way to lighten the mood than by throwing a few good puns in the mix, right?

She has a sly smile on her face as she flipped through the pages, landing on a page she'd yet to read, before glancing towards Clementine next to her. "Hey, Clem, you know what? 'Mountains aren't just funny, they're hill areas.'"

Art [Clementine]

Clementine wore a puzzled expression while observing Ellie reach for her backpack, and that same look of confusion persisted long after the other girl read aloud the contents of the book she pulled out of it.

Hill areas? Clem questioned inwardly with narrowed eyes, trying to piece together what she meant by all that. Something about mountains…? "I don't - I don't get it…" The girl finally admitted with a head tilt, totally lost.

Dot [Ellie]

"Right, uh…" Ellie scratched at the back of her neck awkwardly before adjusting the book in her grip. "Mountains are big hills, and the mountains are funny, right? So, they're hill areas - hilarious . It's... not actually that funny…" She let out an awkward laugh before glancing back at the book, searching for a better joke. "O - Oh, I've heard this one before. Right, so... 'when William joined the army, he disliked the phrase 'fire at will'.' Heh, get it? Because his name is Will?" She put on a half-smile, glancing towards her friend.

Art [Clementine]

Clementine's bemused expression dissolved following Ellie's explanation, replaced instead by one of mild amusement. Though she'd managed to keep a straight face initially, the groan-inducing joke that came next succeeded in breaking through Clementine's armor of sulk. As appalling as it was, the girl was helpless to contain the soft chuckle that followed it. "What is that? Let me see!" Clem requested excitedly, evidently impressed by the book's provocative wordplay.

'No Pun Intended: Volume Too' , it read. 'These puns quack me up!'

She hadn't seen anything like it before. They make books of those?! That's so neat. "Where'd you find that?" Clementine asked, leaning in closer to get a good look at it.

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie grinned as Clementine let out a chuckle, looking over the cover of the book excitedly. It was nice to see her smile, get her mind off of Lee for a little bit, at least.

"Riley gave me it," she explained, a small smile playing on her lips despite the horrible fucking memories attached to Riley's name. The pun book was one of the good ones, placed lovingly in her head next to those of the photo booth and the costume store. At least the pun book was something she could carry around with her, and will continue to do so, through thick and thin. "Here, you want to read some?" She shifted the book towards Clementine, extending it out to her.

Art [Clementine]

"Okay," the girl quickly and energetically replied, borrowing Ellie's pun book and holding it inches away from her face whilst her eyes scanned the pages in a frenzy. This is so cool…!

"So, 'did you hear about the man who was accidentally buried alive?'" Clementine asked coyly, letting the question sink in for larger effect. "It was a… grave mistake." Grave… mistake! The girl repeated in her head, dazzled.

"Uh… here! 'Where should a dog go when it's lost its tail?'" Wait for it… "A re tail store!" She once again added emphasis to the punchline, seemingly enjoying the heck out of herself. Those puns were awful, yet being largely sheltered for most of her life, the girl could hardly tell. For Clem, those were nothing short of the most ingenious jokes she'd ever seen.

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie giggled at the jokes Clementine read aloud, holding back fits of laughter so she wouldn't make too much noise. This was nice, just sitting back and enjoying a few good jokes, and getting Clementine's mind off of Lee, and hers off of Joel and the walkers outside. There were too many things to worry about at the moment, and she didn't want to think about any of them. She wished they could have more times like this, just laughing at how stupidly genius a joke in a book was. Maybe they'd have more time for that, after the Fireflies. She hoped, anyway.

Finally, she spoke up, managing to get her giggling under control as Clementine continued to scour the book for more funny jokes. "They're so stupid, but that's what makes them great."

Art [Clementine]

Clementine likewise grinned like an idiot, sharing a few good laughs with the other girl. It was the best feeling ever ... yet in spite of that, Clem's snickering came to an abrupt end not long after, the girl's thoughts seemingly taken over by something too large-scale to ignore… something that was, or rather, had been on her mind for over a week now.

Though she'd done a good job at hiding it, the mention of Ellie's late friend, Riley, formed a massive lump in her throat. Those two must've really been something else, at least that much she could put together without an ounce of uncertainty. All the time, it was 'Riley this' and 'Riley that'... having such an… awesome connection with someone her age was probably what Clementine envied the most about Ellie, the one thing she couldn't ever have back on the farm. A lot of that, most of it, Clem experienced for the first time with the other girl she'd met only a week before. That feeling of intimacy and companionship, that neither her parents or Lee could ever fulfill on their own. The feeling of having a friend.

It all led to the innocent desire of wanting to know more about that sentiment... of wanting to know more about Riley. From the bits and pieces she'd managed to squeeze from Ellie, she really did sound special. Games, water soakers and pun books… how great was that? Clementine tried to hold it off for as long as she could, hoping to eventually bump into a good time to ask Ellie more about it. They were laughing like crazy, and they didn't have anything better to do for the next… how many hours it'd take for Lee to come back. It was about the best time she could wish for. Here goes nothing…

"Can I… can I ask you something? ...And if you don't want to talk about it, that's… it's fine. I just..." Nervousness, shaking Clem to the core. It was about as touchy of a subject as it got, and about the last thing she wanted was to make Ellie upset over her stupid pryingness. There was no helping it… Just ask her, dumbass.

"What was she like?" Clementine asked in the most delicate tone she could pull off, and with it, a warm smile in an effort to make the other girl feel a little less tense about it. Clem didn't intend to push her were Ellie to refuse to answer, but it was worth as shot, she figured.

Dot [Ellie]

Through the fits of laughter, Ellie had completely forgotten about the pain ebbing from her arm, something that she knew would stick around for way too fucking long , but it wasn't nearly as surprising as the words that came out of Clementine's mouth after they've managed to get themselves back under control. It didn't take a genius to figure out who Clementine was talking about, after all, she did just mention Riley, so it was to be expected. To be fair, she'd seen it coming for a while, since Ellie had mentioned her far too many times for Clementine to not get interested in who she was.

For a moment, she opened her mouth to speak, before closing it, and opening it again. This process repeated several times before Ellie finally managed to find her voice, clearing her throat before doing so. "It's… no problem." She wasn't sure if that was true or not, but maybe it was better if she talked about her, at least… try to reconcile those memories of her. All of those thoughts that came with her, things like why couldn't I have just told her 'no' and I should've been more careful and I miss her so fucking much constantly repeating in her head every time the thought of her crossed her mind.

"She was, uh…" Awesome? Funny? Both a bitch and the sweetest person I've ever met? "...She was…" C'mon, it's not that fucking hard! The words kept getting stuck in her throat, like a physical thing lodged in her esophagus. She hated the feeling, like choking but not actually choking, and it only made her feel worse . "I - It's hard to explain," she finally said, shaking her head slightly as her eyes fell to her dangling legs. Was it really that hard to explain, though? Probably not, but that didn't make it any easier to formulate the words in her mind, and get them out of her mouth. "She was… funny. Liked to tell jokes, goof off… stuff like that. She was the first real friend I've had, and… it was kinda… awesome." She shrugged her shoulders, realizing then that her explanation wasn't exactly stellar , but it was a start. She let out a half-chuckle, memories popping in her head at a rapid-fire rate.

"Before our last day together, we… uh, got into a fight. Basically, she told me to 'fuck off', and she disappeared, for weeks. Didn't know if she was dead or alive, or what. Just… poof , gone. She came back to tell me she'd joined the Fireflies, like I told you before. She was supposed to leave for a Firefly outpost or something. I asked her to stay, refuse to leave, and she did. Never had anyone… do that for me, before. She always believed that they were fighting for the right reasons, the Fireflies, so it was… hard to watch her let it all go because of me."

She gulped down the lump forming in her throat, finally managing to get the courage to glance back towards Clementine. "Honestly, you remind me of her a lot. I think you two would've gotten along."

Art [Clementine]

Clementine had never met Riley, yet something about Ellie's story struck a chord with the girl in a way she didn't expect it to. Something about it felt eerily familiar, and it didn't take long for Clem to figure out exactly what part of it made her feel that way. "I… I had a friend too. That left, I mean." Clementine hesitated, for a brief moment, asking herself why it was that she felt so compelled to say that to Ellie. Did she expect it to make the other girl feel better? Not really. Clem hoped it would, at least… make that pain a little easier for Ellie to cope with, knowing she went through something similar… but it'd be a lie if the girl were to claim that was the sole reason she brought up Jane after this long. Was it something she felt compelled to do in return, after asking Ellie to talk about something so personal…? Maybe… maybe it was nothing more than the girl's need to get what happened those two years ago out of her chest. It didn't matter, frankly. Clementine just wanted to talk about it with someone , and she knew Ellie would be there to listen… for better or worse.

"Lee and I used to be in a group, way back in North Carolina. It was a few years ago, I think…" Clem gradually recalled, memories both fond and traumatic of an autumn she couldn't ever forget. "I only knew her for a few days, but she was… really fucking cool." Clementine laughed faintly at her own choice of words. She could've gone on and on about Jane and how much she admired her, but… that felt like the most genuine way to put it. A little dumb, but genuine nonetheless. "You know, when you meet someone, and you think you guys are gonna be a team, stick together forever? That was her... that was Jane."

"One day, we... lost someone. A girl… only a couple of years older than me, because of something… really stupid." Clem regretted so many things about Sarah, but by far her biggest regret was letting her die in that awful place. It shouldn't have turned out that way… after she lost her dad, it should've been different with her. "She was my friend too." The girl added, in a tone filled with grief. "Jane told me that… that the group wouldn't last. That she didn't want to stay and watch the same thing happen to me. So, one night, she just took off and vanished. I never saw her again." That day, the sunset that followed it, Clementine remembered all of it in vivid detail. The last day before that harsh snow that took them all by storm.

"Things, they… Not long after she left, things got really bad… We didn't know what to do, so we just kept going… we just kept going, and we didn't stop. No matter what." They didn't have another choice. Not with Carver and his soldiers mere hours away from them. They pushed through that snow-covered hell for weeks, without doing so little as sleeping, most of the time. "I'd never felt so hungry and cold in my entire life."

"By the time we made it through winter, it was just me and Lee left. Everyone else…" She never forgot. Whether she refused to, or simply couldn't, Clementine never forgot. Rebecca died from exhaustion, Nick was gunned down, Bonnie and Mike starved to death, Luke drowned trying to cross that goddamned frozen lake… and AJ…

"Sometimes I hate her for it… for leaving. But, other times… I don't know." Sometimes it hurt to admit it, and while Clementine may never be capable of accepting it, Jane was right. They were never gonna make it, and she was probably better off leaving them when she did… sometimes, Clem wished she could've gone with her.

"Sorry for… unloading so much on you. I just felt like you should know. No more secrets, right?" Clementine forced a smile, despite not being able to look at Ellie in the eye, lost in thought after echoing to someone else the thoughts that haunted her incessantly for years...

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie listened to every word Clementine said, digesting the story she was being told. She had a feeling that the girl had gone through some serious stuff, much more than Ellie ever had, and this only confirmed it. Watching everyone you've come to know die before your eyes… it was a feeling she knew well, but not nearly as well as Clementine did. She didn't envy her; Clementine was a broken soul, it seemed, who was holding on by a thread. So much death, it must've been hard to keep going after each one. The way she described this 'Jane', the woman clearly meant a lot to her, someone that must have taught her a lot when they were together. She resisted letting out a dry laugh, a thought popping into the back of her mind. Clementine had suggested that she didn't have a lot of friends back when they first met, during that little 'truth or truth' game they played, but the way it was adding up in her head, maybe Clem had had more luck in that department than she did. Actual friends, anyway, not just the ones you survive with, or know .

Ellie's smile widened at Clementine's last statement, repeating the phrase back to her. "No more secrets." For a moment, Ellie looked towards her, although her gaze was still focused on something else, away from her. For a moment, she found herself imagining how this Jane might've been. It was clear that she'd been a survivalist type, but what made Clementine so attached to her that she still felt the woman's absence? What kind of person was she when she wasn't just trying to survive? Finally, she broke the short silence, asking a question that'd been on her mind. "If you saw her again, what would you tell her?"

Art [Clementine]

Clementine let out a long sigh, pondering over Ellie's question with a frown. "I'd tell her…" The girl opened, before going silent again, struggling to come up with an answer. Clem hadn't really thought about it in forever… about the possibility of seeing Jane again. She hoped it would happen, obviously… days, weeks, even months after she left… but obviously it never did. Eventually, Clementine just gave up on it, forced to come to terms with the fact that she most likely would never see her again. Clementine rubbed the palm of her hand in an uneasy fashion, the question clearly making her feel uncomfortable. Thinking over it now... After so long, Clem had no idea what she'd even tell Jane, if she ever saw her again.

Did Jane ever think about her, after she left? It was probably… childish, to think that way. Jane herself probably didn't even remember her… "I'd tell Jane I miss her, I guess." Clementine finally responded, a lack of energy apparent in her voice, whilst her eyes aimlessly scanned the pages of the pun book sitting on her lap.

It took a few seconds of unpleasant silence, until Clem drew air from her nose, ready to do away with the bleak mood she herself dragged them both in. "So, you know where pencils spend their vacations?" The girl asked with a smirk directed at Ellie, bracing for what was, in all likelihood, the stupidest thing she ever said. "Pencilvania."

Dot [Ellie]

While Clementine thought about what she'd say to Jane if she ever showed up again, Ellie found her own mind drifting towards Riley, and what she'd say to her if she was still alive. What would her life look like right now if she was? She'd probably still be in Boston, having never found out she was immune. Never would've met Joel, or Lee, or Clementine. She'd still be just another girl forced through endless years of military training. It was strange to think about it that way, but… if she hadn't got bit, and Riley didn't die, then her life would be completely different, and probably not for the better.

Nevertheless, that didn't make the pain go away. She missed Riley, more than she cared to admit. Her best friend, maybe something more, who really knew. There were so many ways things could've worked out, and maybe… maybe the one she got wasn't so bad. Being here, with these people, that wasn't so bad. Joel was growing on her, despite his asshole-ish ways. Lee, too, in some ways. Then there was Clementine, who… with time, just might surpass Riley, some day, or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Having someone else to call her 'best friend', though, she imagined that's something Riley would want her to find. She'd been the 'mixed bag' influence on her, but always leaned towards the positive end of the spectrum. She'd want her to move on, Ellie knew that for a fact. It was just… hard, to get there.

Clementine made another pun, catching Ellie off guard. Before she could stop herself, she snorted, laughing as the pun registered in her brain. "Holy shit, that's - that's good." She glanced back towards Clementine, forcing herself back into the present. Riley was gone, and maybe she was right, maybe it was time to move on. Time to let the past go. "That's like… really good. Was that one in there the whole time?" She examined the page Clementine had the book open to, looking for the joke. How did she miss that one this whole time?

Ledge [Narrator]

Suddenly, a seemingly alien-sounding noise filled the air, followed by a tinge of static, however the voice was audible and clear enough on the other end as the handheld radio sprang to life.

"Hey Clem, can you hear me…?" The voice spoke, before going silent again, waiting for a response.

Art [Clementine]

Clem stifled a laugh, watching Ellie succumb to her dumb joke, happy to have aided in lifting the mood at least the tiniest bit. It was just so much fun hanging out with her, through thick and thin. They had a rough road ahead to Joel's brother, and no doubt a hundred more times where they'd fight, bicker and squabble... It wasn't going to be easy, but moments like those always made trying to make that mess of a group work seem worth it. Duck, Sarah, Luke and Jane… she missed all of them. It was so fucking unfair... but for once, Clementine hoped it would be different. Before she could reply to the other girl, a curious sound caught her attention, prompting Clem to stay hushed for a second longer.

Suddenly, every cell in the girl's body came to a halt... a staticy, yet familiar sounding voice reaching her ears all the way from the radio placed directly behind her: it was Lee. Clementine carelessly grabbed hold of the radio, answering it as fast as she could possibly manage. "Y - Yeah! You okay?"

Ledge [Narrator]

Within a second Lee responded again, his tone evidently brighter than before. "Yeah - yeah, I'm fine, don't worry." This was followed by a brief pause until he spoke again.
"Well uh- guess what? We checked the place out. Joel's still not convinced, but it looks legit. Herd's beginning to pass by our location though, so we're holing up in a bar near the community." There was a brief pause, as if Lee was contemplating something. "We won't be able to make it back tonight. Are you guys safe?"

Art [Clementine]

Thank god... I was so worried. Upon hearing that they weren't coming back tonight, Clementine shot a glance at Ellie in utter disbelief, following it with an arbitrary nod, as Lee was nowhere near to see it. A part of her wanted to tell him to just come back, right now, but she knew that the herd would prevent him from doing that. She kept her any further questions to herself, momentarily, confident they'd have plenty of time for those once Lee was back. "We're holed up in a hardware store. Straight left from where we split up." The girl told him right away, her brows furrowing briefly in concern. "Come back soon, okay?" She added lastly, the ache of having him away taking a progressively larger toll on her the longer she had to wait.

Ledge [Narrator]

"Alright, you guys hold tight… we'll be checking out the place in the morning, and get to you as soon as we can. Gotta go for now." The voice responded with a tinge of eagerness and rush, before the radio went silent again.

Dot [Ellie]

Ellie was thankful that nothing bad happened to them, relieved beyond words that this Paradise place seems to be alright. She didn't know what she would've told Clementine if they didn't hear from him tonight. That's a feeling she didn't want to know herself. She never had her parents to lose, and Joel was tough as nails, it seemed. Nothing would stop him, at least, she didn't think so. With Lee, there was a lot that could go wrong, and she was glad that everything worked out okay.

Nevertheless, they're going to be stuck here for the rest of the night, so she had a feeling they might as well get comfortable. As comfortable as you can get with walkers growling outside, anyway.

Come morning, they'll finally be on their way. Hopefully.