A/N - {BAD ENDING} It's finally here folks! Took me a while but not as long as I thought it would ;) Without further a do... I'd Come Back For You: The Finale! - Enjoy
They had walked on for a while until Clementine couldn't walk anymore. "I… can't…" she whispered falling to her knees and then to her stomach on the ground. The sun would be rising soon and the sooner they moved the sooner they'd reach their destination.
"Clem, we have to go." Luke said looking down at the child in the dirt.
"Can we not just rest a while?" she asked from where she was already resting.
Luke thought to himself for a minute. He was tired too but they needed to get where they were going. He decided against his gut instinct and pulled Clementine up under her arms. "We can rest when we get there!" he said standing her down.
She sighed before trudging forward ahead of him. "Come on… AJ's probably dying to see you! We can't keep him waiting, can we?" Luke said catching up to her and taking her hand.
She nodded and smiled slightly at the thought of the baby boy.
They had only been walking a few more minutes when Luke felt his eyelids droop slightly. "Can't Sleep… Gotta get there soon." He thought to himself.
Clementine noticed his drowsiness and slipped her hand out of his. He didn't even notice. She was hungry so she stopped and placed her bag on the ground. Luke continued to stumble along.
She took out an expired biscuit and shoved it into her mouth. She went to take a drink from her water bottle but dropped it before she could open it. It rolled into the trees to her right so she grabbed her bag and crawled towards it.
Luke snapped out of his daze and turned his attention to where he thought Clementine was and stopped dead in his tracks when she wasn't there. He turned around and still didn't see her. In a panic, he turned to his left and quickly walked into the trees. "Clementine!" he called.
She heard him and rolled her eyes as she picked up the bottle and stood up. "Yeah…" she trailed off when he stepped back onto the trail and Luke want there. "Luke!?" she called.
There was no response.
She continued to follow the trail forward slowly, searching for Luke through the tree line on both sides. She remained calm because she knew where they were going and would stick to the plan.
She hoped Luke did the same...
Luke was pacing through the trees, more awake now than he had been in the last two days. "Clementine, this isn't funny! Come out, please?" he begged as he searched in every direction for her.
"We should have stopped… We should have!" he thought to himself as he peered around trees in search of the eleven year old.
Clementine was still following the trail but something in the back of her mind was telling her to stop and turn back. She looked around hoping Luke would be right there but he wasn't.
She was so tired and kind of annoyed that Luke wouldn't stop to rest even for five minutes but she wanted him back so she backtracked in the direction she had come. "Luke?!" she called as she walked through some leaves on the trail.
Her eyes wouldn't stay open so she sat down and leaned on her hands. "He'll come this way and find me. I know he will…" she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.
Luke was searching for the trail now. His mind was racing as he thought of all the bad things that could've happened to her.
In his stressed state, he didn't see the walker to his left until it was too late. The searing pain in his arm caused him to scream so loud that his throat stung painfully. He pushed the walker off him and ran the other way.
He tripped on a rock and rolled out onto the trail.
"Luke!" Clementine exclaimed recovering from the scare she just received by him appearing in front of her. "I heard you scream!" she exclaimed.
She kneeled beside him and smiled as she pulled him into a hug.
He was bit… He was bit!
He didn't hug her back, he just sat there with wide eyes. "Where'd you go?" Clementine asked looking into his eyes. She could tell something was wrong. "Luke?" she asked. He frowned at her before showing his arm.
Her eyes widened as big as his did a few seconds before and her lip began to quiver. "No… It's not!" she said desperately taking a hold of his arm. "Not again… Please!" she begged as tears began to rim her eyes.
Luke stood up and pulled her up too. Putting one arm around her shoulder, he walked forward. "It's alright, Clem… It's alright…" he said.
"But your bit!" she exclaimed.
"We can take care of it later but first let's get to Howe's so you'll be safe." he said leading her onwards.
After a long silence, followed by a beautiful sunrise, Clementine spoke up. "Does it hurt?" she asked.
It did but he didn't want to scare her. "It's not too bad… I've felt worse." He lied.
She seemed to calm down a little. She knew he was bit and she knew deep down that he wouldn't live much longer but she couldn't bring herself to believe it right now. He wasn't acting like it was affecting him and it looked like the walker probably only nipped him. Nothing serious, right?
Her complaining died down as they continued to trek onwards. It had been a few hours since the whole walker incident and surprisingly, Luke was still feeling okay. "Wanna stop?" he asked.
Clementine hadn't let go of his hand since they reunited. "No, we're almost there…" she said.
Luke nodded as her gaze turned away from the trail, and up to his face. "Is that okay with you?" She asked.
Luke chuckled softly. "That's fine with me, Clem!" he said.
They continued their march down the trail for the rest of the day. By now Luke had started to feel a little light headed.
"Luke?" Clementine asked as he began to sway slightly.
"Clem…" he breathed his word carefully. Things started to blur and he collided with the ground.
Clementine kneeled beside him and shook his shoulders violently. "It's just a little further, Luke!" she said looking around. Three walkers were making their way towards the duo. Clementine jumped up, grabbing Luke's machete in the process, and faced the danger.
It was a new task, using a machete, but she was going to have to learn fast if she wanted to win this. Her first swing sent the closest walker to the ground. It was a heavy weapon and Clementine had a hard time pulling it back up to swing it again.
Another walker grabbed her arm before she could grip the machete properly, causing her to drop it next to Luke's unconscious body. The zombie had her arm and tried to bite her but she pulled away and stumbled backwards.
The walker crawled on top of her and inched its way closer to her face, attempting to take a chunk out of her neck. One hand held it away, as well as her legs, as her other hand search for the machete.
Her fingers finally slipped onto the handle and she swung it at the zombies head. It collapsed dead on top of her so she pushed it off.
Caught up in the moment, she forgot about the other walker.
It was about to attack Luke and as soon as Clementine saw it, she lunged herself in its direction. Her body collided with its shoulder and knocked it on its side, away from Luke.
She was about to crawl away but a searing pain in her side stopped her. A high pitched scream filled the air.
She kicked the walker that sunk its teeth into her left ribcage away and stood up to crush its head under her foot.
As soon as it was dead she collapsed onto her stomach and clutched her burning side.
Luke opened his eyes groggily and looked around at the walkers on the ground. He was confused for a second but then remembered what had happened. He sat up and looked around. "Did Clem do this? She killed 1, 2, 3, 4 walkers all by herself…" he trailed as he noticed one of the 'dead walkers' was wearing a familiar blue jacket and cap.
"Clementine!" he exclaimed crawling to her side.
He rolled her over and she flinched at his touch. Her eyes were tightly shut and he watched as she clutched onto her left side tightly. "Clem… I need to check it, okay?" he explained.
She opened her eyes slowly and stared at him in fear. She removed her hands and Luke gently pulled her jacket up.
Blood.
That was all he could see.
"I… can I touch it, Clem?" he asked. She nodded her head weakly. He pulled down the sleeve on his orange shirt and wiped the wound. Clementine gritted her teeth and whimpered at the contact.
Now that he could see the wound, Luke's eyes widened. It was definitely a bite, and a big one at that. "Clem…" he whispered taking her hand.
"H…How does yours not hurt?" she asked through a shaky whisper.
"It does, Clem…" he said. She closed her eyes again and sobbed quietly.
Luke knew they were close to Howe's so he did the only thing he could think of. Luke stood up and pulled Clementine up too. She squealed in pain as he moved her. "I'm sorry, Clem, but we ain't dying here!" he said continuing the journey.
He walked on for a while, stopping every now and then to fix his grip on Clementine. His arm was becoming numb and he just wanted to sleep but he couldn't do that until he knew Clementine was safe.
He was bit. She was bit. None of that mattered right now, though. All that was going through Luke's mind was getting to Howe's; a place of safety and friendly faces. Somewhere where him and Clementine could die peacefully.
"Luke… I don't wanna die!" Clementine said as Howe's came into view up ahead.
"I'm sticking with you the whole way, Clem…" Luke said trying to calm her down.
She noticed the hardware store up ahead and sighed. "I… want to sleep…" she said as her eyes started to droop.
"Wait, Clem! Not yet!" he shouted shaking her slightly. She winced in pain and peeled her eyes back open. "Please, just stay awake a little longer?" he asked.
Clementine's skin was pale and her eyes were glazed over, as if someone had just pulled the curtains in a once bright room. The bright amber orbs had faded to a light yellow and that scared Luke.
She looked up at him from where she was being held and frowned. Luke's skin had paled too, but not as much as Clementine's. It must have been because of how large her bite is and how small his is. She noticed how sleepy he looked but couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was tired and sore but glad that she had saved Luke a few more hours.
"Luke…" she said. He looked down at her again and saw the fear in her eyes. "It's alright, Clem. We're almost there! The car park is just a little further." He explained as he saw the gravel through the trees.
As his feet made contact with the rocky surface and he sighed in relief. Clementine shifted slightly to get a better look at the building.
"Can… Can I try and stand?" she asked.
Luke wasn't going to say no to the dying child so he let her legs go but kept a tight grip under her arms. He was glad he did because she wasn't holding up any of her weight.
"Ow…" she whimpered so Luke picked her back up.
She hadn't cried yet which caused Luke to grow even more concerned. "It's alright to cry, Clem…" he said.
"No… I gotta stay… stay strong!" she said as her face crumple up in pain.
"I don't think I can stay strong for much longer…" Luke said as tears began to blur his vision.
He was walking towards a place he had escaped from twice. He was walking to his death and he was bringing this little girl in his arms with him. It was his entire fault and he knew it.
If only they'd stopped that time when they were tired. If only he had kept hold of Clementine's hand instead of dozing off. If only he'd been more careful and seen that walker; that way he would have never passed out and Clementine would have never been bit trying to keep him alive. If only he could go back and change everything… but he couldn't.
This was their fate, to die this way, and although it was his fault, he could do nothing to change it, for better or worse. This was just how it was.
His face was stained in his salty tears as Clementine looked at him sadly. "Don't… Don't cry…" she whispered as her hand grasped onto his that was wrapped around her shoulder.
"I won't… let you go alone, okay?" he said smiling through his tears at her.
"Me neither." She said smiling back as well as she could.
Luke stopped in his tracks and looked around for someone. There was no-one. "Hello?!" he called.
Silence.
"Lay me down here… and… find a way… in…" Clementine said drowsily.
"Naw, Clem. We're sticking together." He said holding onto her tighter. "Hello?! I'm not here to cause trouble! Jane?!" he shouted again.
"Stop right there!" a male voice boomed. Luke looked through the railings of a large gate and saw a man with hair like his and glasses. He was pointing an AK-47 at the duo. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Luke… and… and this is Clementine!" Luke said fearing for his and her life.
"You called Jane? How'd you know her?" the man asked.
"She's here?! Please just tell her it's us!" Luke exclaims stepping forward.
The man aimed his gun so Luke stopped walking. Just then, a little, black boy in a dark blue hoodie appeared beside the man. "Hey look, a kid!" he said smiling at the man.
"Go back inside, Gill!" the man muttered to the kid.
A woman with short brown hair stood beside the man and placed her hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Randy. It doesn't even look like they're armed!" she said.
"Hi, I'm Patricia. I heard you introduce yourself already; Luke and Clementine, right?" she asked.
"Yeah… Can you get Jane?" Luke asked shielding Clementine from the new people in case they realized they were bit and pulled the trigger.
"Sure! Randy, get Mike and Bonnie and let them know about these people. I'll get Jane. Come on, Gill!" she said taking the boys hand and walking off.
"Stay here!" the man demanded before walking away.
Clementine coughed and blood stained her lips. Luke kneeled down and wiped the goo away with his sleeve that was already stained with her blood from the bite.
"I'm… scared, Luke…" she whispered.
"I know, Clem… Me too." Luke tried to comfort her but ended up sobbing instead.
He felt terrible. His head hurt, his arm hurt and he just wanted to sleep. All that, as well as the heartache he was feeling, caused him to break. He noticed that Clementine was falling apart too so he pulled her up into a hug.
She didn't care that the movement caused her pain. All she wanted was for it to end and for Luke to stay with her. They both cried into each other's shoulder until someone coughed beside them.
Luke lifted his head and looked up to see Jane watching them with a confused expression on her face. "We… We're bit…" he whispered as he rubbed small circled in the top of Clementine back.
"What?" Jane said kneeling down.
Luke pushed his arm in her direction and she saw the small bite mark.
"It… It doesn't look that bad… maybe it won't affect you?" she said turning her attention to Clementine.
Luke sobbed again before moving his hand down and pulling her jacket up. The large chunk missing had turned a rotting purple color and blood continued to ooze from it.
"No… No! Fuck!" Jane said. Luke watched as she lost her cool, calm demeanor and reached her hand out to take Clementine hand. A tear rolled down her face. "Come inside…" Jane said standing up, pulling Luke up with her.
She attempted to take Clementine from Luke's grasp but he wouldn't allow it.
"I've got her…" he mumbled.
It was a struggle for Clementine to keep her eyes open and Luke could tell. "Glad it stopped snowing?" he whispered trying to keep her mind busy. She looked up at him and smiled slightly.
"Yeah…" she said.
"Do you like to sing?" he asked next.
She tried to laugh but coughed instead. "Sometimes. I… I liked it when… we did it…" she said quietly.
"It was fun, huh?" Luke said smiling down at her.
Her smile quickly faded away. "I don't wanna turn…" she whispered sadly.
"I won't let that happen!" Luke exclaimed, causing Jane to turn around and look at him worriedly.
"Alright?" she asked.
"Fine…" Clementine said hoarsely.
Jane led the duo into the armoury, were Clementine had worked with Bonnie a few times. Two huge toolboxes had been replaced with beds and the table with all the ammo and weapons on it was now holding medical equipment.
"Both of you lay down and Bonnie will be here in a minute with Patricia to treat you wounds." Jane said watching Luke lay Clementine down as gently as he could, causing the girl to flinch anyway.
He then kneeled down on the floor next to her instead of approaching the other bed.
"Luke…" Jane said sadly.
"I'm sticking with her… I promised!" he said rubbing the girls arm.
Jane sighed and left the room.
"Can… can I sleep now?" Clementine asked weakly.
"Can… Can you stay awake a little longer? Please?" he asked desperately.
"I…I'll stay until… your… ready…" she said peeling her eyes back open.
Luke just wanted to sleep too but he knew if he did he wouldn't wake up again. The same went for Clementine. "Thank you, Clem… I promise you can sleep as soon as we say hi to everyone!" Luke said giving his best smile to the determined child.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Bonnie, Patricia, Mike (holding AJ), Randy, Gill and Jane walked into the room.
Bonnie, Mike and Jane were all frowning sadly while Randy frowned aggressively. Gill had a small smirk on his face as his eyes locked with Clementine's and Patricia just had a blank expression.
"We don't have long…" Luke deadpanned as he studied Clementine features quickly.
"We know…" Bonnie whispered.
"There's probably no point in patching you up, is there?" Jane asked.
Luke shook his head.
AJ's happy gurgles caused Clementine to smile through all the pain and suffering. "Wanna hold him?" Mike asked handing the baby towards Clementine.
She took him gently and smiled down at him as he reached his tiny hand up to poke her nose. "Hey… AJ…" she whispered.
AJ made a joyous squeal at the sound of her voice.
"He really likes you!" Patricia said smiling as the children interacted. Clementine reached her hand up to her head and took off her cap. She smiled at it briefly before popping it onto the baby boys head.
He reached his hands up and drooled, with what Clementine hoped was awe.
"Make sure… He doesn't… Lose it, okay?" She asked begging Jane or Bonnie or ANYONE. That hat was special to her. It was the only thing left of Lee besides her and now she was about to meet the same demise as him.
"It's a cool hat!" Gill said happily.
Clementine smiled at his words and Luke smiled at her smile. He was starting to feel light headed and dizzy.
Was this what it felt like to turn? He didn't want to find out.
"It's time…" he said.
Mike took AJ back off Clementine and tried to stay strong. It didn't last long as a few tears rolled down his cheeks.
Everyone had started tearing up except Randy. He really didn't care at all.
Clementine squeezed Luke's hand and he turned to look at her. "Luke…? Are… are we done?" she asked.
"I think so, Clementine…" he said.
"Wanna lie with me…" she said in one, quiet breath.
Luke carefully moved her closer to the wall and lay down beside her.
"I'll pull the trigger." Randy said.
Jane took as step forward. "I'll so it." She said. Luke smiled at her appreciably.
"Gonna miss you, everyone." He said closing his eyes and wrapping his arm around Clementine.
A chorus of "Me too" arouse from the group.
"Me… too…" Clementine tried to join in too. "I'm ready…" she whispered closing her eyes.
"Goodbye Clementine." Luke said as darkness overcame his vision.
"Bye Luke." She said back.
Luke went numb but just before he went unconscious, he heard a gunshot. The bullet never touched him so he guessed Clementine had left first.
There was a sharp pain on the front of his head and darkness took over.
He opened his eyes, much to his own surprise, and looked around. He was standing beside a huge oak tree in the middle of a golden field.
"The hell…" he whispered to himself.
All the pain and aches he had grown to ignore, were gone and his clothes looked brand new. His orange shirt was no longer faded or ripped, but a beautiful bright shade of amber he forgot it had ever been.
It kind of reminded him of Clementine's eyes…
He suddenly felt a small hand slip into his and looked down to his right.
He noted the sweet smile on that pristine face, the cap with the D that hid the mad curly, brown hair, the children's jacket with the rainbow on it. All those scrapes, scratches, scars and wounds were gone, not a mark on that tanned skin.
He smiled down at his sassy little comrade and she smiled back at him.
"You look beautiful, Clementine!" Luke said tipping her cap playfully.
She giggled quietly and grinned from ear to ear.
"I told you I'd come back for you!"
A/N - There you go! Check back soon for a Happy ending and I'm sorry if I just broke your heart; please don't hesitate to tell me off in the reviews ;) Seeya soon :)
