Thanks the gaara king of the sand and G0nna6of4rk1d for the help.
When Kenny noticed little Clementine standing alone with a stranger his protective instinct kicked in. The man wasted no time, rushing over to the two and scooping the young girl into his arms.
Clementine felt a bit embarrassed. "K-Kenny."
"What are you doing out here?" Kenny asked.
"I… I wanted to see Leena…" Clementine stammered.
"You can't just wander off like that!" He said making the girl flinch a bit. He shot a glare at the teen boy in front of him. "And who the hell are you?"
"Relax. I saw her fall and just figured I'd help her out." Terrell said.
"Well, I appreciate the help, but she's fine now." Kenny grumbled out. He didn't trust that boy.
"I understand. I don't want any trouble." Terrell said, taking a step back. "You should be more careful, Clementine."
Clementine didn't have the chance to respond before Kenny was already walking towards the house. She frowned and spoke, "I want to walk…"
Kenny ignored the child as he made his way to the house. He threw the door open and entered before closing it behind him.
"What's wrong with you?" Clementine huffed in annoyance.
"No, what's wrong with you?!" Kenny shot back as he placed the young girl on the couch.
"I-"
Kenny cut her off. "Do you know how dangerous it is to wander off like that? You could've gotten seriously hurt!"
"But I didn't…" Clementine said.
"This time! What the hell is wrong with you?" Kenny exclaimed.
The child immediately threw her hand over her ears. "Stop it! Stop being mean to me!"
Kenny sighed. "Clem, I'm not being mean to you. But you're just a little kid and you can't go around doing whatever you want."
"I want Christa." Clementine muttered. "I want to stay with her."
"Well, Christa's not here, Clementine." Kenny replied. "Like it or not, you're gonna stay here."
"Well, I'd rather be anywhere but here!" Clementine exclaimed.
"That's too bad!" Kenny snapped.
The girl frowned and looked away. "Just leave me alone..."
"I can't. I'm sorry, Clem, but-"
"No you're not..." Clementine stopped him.
"What?"
"You're not sorry!" Clementine said.
"I am, honey." Kenny said.
"If you were sorry, you wouldn't yell at me." Clementine said. "And don't call me honey. I hate that name."
"Okay… I won't call you that. And I am sorry, Clem. I'm sorry that I have to yell at you." Kenny said.
"You don't have to. You want to." Clementine replied.
"Believe me, I don't want to yell at you for wandering off alone in the middle of the night. I just want you to get through your head that you're a little kid and you can't always protect yourself. Hell, Clem, you can barely walk right now." Kenny said.
"I can take care of myself." Clementine stated.
"You haven't shown it." Kenny said. "There's a lot of people out there that don't mind hurting a kid."
"I won't let them hurt me." Clementine argued.
"And how do you expect to stop them?" Kenny questioned.
"I…"
"If somebody wanted to hurt you, you wouldn't be able to do anything. That guy out there, what if he wasn't friendly. What if he wanted to hurt you? What would you have done?" Kenny asked.
Clementine frowned and muttered, "I don't know…"
"Exactly! I'm not being mean here, kid. I'm being honest! I have to be honest because I don't have time to not be." Kenny said. "Your wandering off is going to get everyone around you killed, including yourself."
Clementine felt her heart clench at his words.
"Didn't you learn enough after Savannah? This is why you keep getting hurt. You've already been kidnapped, raped, abused… I would've hoped you'd have learned you lesson by now. Unless you want that shit to happen again…" Kenny trailed off, realizing what he had said. "Shit… I didn't mean that, Clem."
Clementine lowered her gaze. "...You think it was my fault..."
"No, Clem... I promise you I don't..." Kenny said.
Clementine didn't respond, she instead turned away. "You think I'm a whore, don't you?"
"No no no. I would never think that." Kenny sighed. "Clem, just-"
Clementine laid on the couch and frowned. "I don't care what you think… I just want to see my daughter! Everyone's always mean to me for nothing…"
"Clementine I'm just trying to help you…" Kenny said.
The girl didn't respond. Kenny felt his heart break when he heard her start whimpering.
Kenny hesitantly sat beside the girl and started to comfort her. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I didn't mean you yell at you. I just don't want you getting hurt, Clem. You can't just wander off."
It wasn't long until the emotional girl had practically cried herself to sleep.
Kenny sighed. He picked the child up and brought her back to her room to sleep. Crystal was still fast asleep.
Kenny placed Clementine on her bed and tucked the girl in. "Sleep tight, darlin'."
He felt bad for yelling at her, and for making her cry, and especially for bringing up the rape. He had just wanted to make sure the kid was safe, now he felt like he screwed up. He didn't know that boy she had been with, and after everything she went through there was no way he would trust anyone around her so easily, guard or not.
Kenny made his way out of the room and to his own. He climbed into bed and nearly jumped when Sarita spoke.
"Are you okay?"
"I... I'm fine, babe. Don't worry." Kenny tried to force his voice to sound like everything was okay.
Sarita didn't know what to think. "Is Clem okay?"
"She's gonna be… She's just missing Aleena. I can't blame her." Kenny said.
"Me either…" Sarita sighed. "Poor girl."
"She thinks I blame her for what that sick fuck did to her…" Kenny said.
"That's not true…" Sarita frowned.
"She said it herself… And it's my fault…" Kenny frowned. "Sometimes, I just say things the wrong way… Everything's my fault. I should've fucking killed him before he could-"
Sarita sat up and took his hand. "Kenny, what happened wasn't your fault. We couldn't have known..."
"I don't want you to have to make excuses for what happened." Kenny replied.
"I'm not making excuses. I just don't want you to guilt yourself over what happened at the hardware store." Sarita said.
Kenny just sighed, gently pulling his hand from hers. He laid down. "Let's just try to sleep…"
"If that's what you want…" Sarita said. "But I'm here if you need to talk."
"Thanks, babe. I love you." Kenny said. "I probably don't say it enough, but I do."
"I love you too, Kenny." Sarita said, laying down as well.
Kenny felt slightly better. He closed his eyes and tried to force himself to sleep.
Clementine woke up in the early morning and checked her daughter's crib to see if her baby was okay. Panic shot through her and she shot upright as she noticed Crystal was no longer in the bassinet.
Clementine climbed from her bed, grabbing Promise she made her way to her wheelchair. After getting inside the child wheeled her way out of the room.
As she entered the living room, she noticed Kenny and Sarita sitting on the couch. Crystal was in Kenny's arms and he was rocking the baby, while AJ toddler around the floor playing with a couple toys.
Sarita looked over to Clementine and offered the child a smile, "Good morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?"
"Umm…okay… I was looking for Crystal." Clementine said.
"She's right here, safe and sound." Kenny said.
"She finished the last of what was in her bottle. So we'll have to refill that later." Sarita told the girl.
"I don't need help. I can refill it by myself." Clementine said.
"Well I'll be there to help if you need me." Sarita said.
"Okay…" Clementine said.
Kenny scratched his neck a bit awkwardly upon hearing that conversation. While it was normal for a mother to nurse their baby, it made him uncomfortable when that mother was a barely twelve-year-old child herself.
He had always thought it was strange how quickly little Clementine had adapted to being a parent. It was so hard to believe the same little girl he had met at the beginning of all this, the same child who was searching desperately for her own mommy and daddy, was now a mother to twins.
"Can I hold Crystal?" Clementine's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Of course you can, Clem." Kenny handed the baby over and Clementine begin rocking her.
"She's still so small… It's like they barely grow." Clementine muttered.
"That's just how it is with preemies. A lot of things are different with them than a full-term baby." Sarita said. "That's why we go by their adjusted age rather than their actual age."
"When's their birthday?" Clementine asked.
"It should have been in September, according to Carlos. But we think they were born sometime in July. We said July second, but no one knows for sure. All we know is they were born at least eleven weeks early." Sarita said.
"It's crazy that they were born eleven weeks early to an eleven-year-old kid." Kenny huffed.
"Eleven weeks seems so…long." Clementine said.
"It is, hon." Kenny replied.
"That's why Aleena's sick?" Clementine asked.
"She's doing better." Kenny said.
"But the doctors want to put a tube in her throat." The child frowned.
"To help her breathe. And its last resort, remember. Only if the breathing therapy doesn't work. Nothing guaranteed yet." Kenny said.
Clementine lowered her gaze. "I just want her to come home. It's not fair…"
"I know, hon. Tell you what, I'll take you to the hospital, and maybe you can spend the night with Aleena." Kenny said.
"Christa won't let me." Clementine pouted.
"I'll talk to her." Kenny replied.
"Like that will help." Clementine scoffed.
Kenny raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Clementine didn't bother to respond.
Sarita could sense some tension building and quickly spoke, "How about we get some breakfast?" She suggested.
"Yeah. Breakfast sounds nice…" Kenny said.
"Great." Sarita smiled. "I'll go wake Sarah and Becca."
"You do that, hon." Kenny said. "We'll head to the kitchen."
Sarita gave a hesitant nod before walking off to wake the teens.
Silence with the room. The only sounds were AJ's babbling as the tiny boy continued toddling around, Crystal's cooing.
"You mad at me, Clem?" Kenny asked after a moment or two.
"About what?" Clementine asked back.
"You tell me? You mad about last night?" Kenny questioned.
"…I don't know…" Clementine admit.
"I was only trying to protect you, Clem. I know I said some things that were harsh, but-"
"Do you think it's my fault?" Clementine asked.
"No, Clem. I don't. I don't know why I even said that." Kenny said.
"How do I know that?" Clementine asked. "If it was my fault, just tell me…"
"It wasn't your fault, Clementine. I say some stupid shit sometimes, you know that. I was just trying to get you to stop wandering off." Kenny said. "We all just want to protect you."
Clementine frowned. "Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe I don't want you to."
"Don't be stupid…" Kenny said.
"I'm not. You said it yourself, I get people killed. I don't want anyone else to die because of me." Clementine said.
Kenny sighed at that. "Some of the things I said last night, I shouldn't have. You don't get people killed. And the… rape was not your fault…"
"I got Lee killed. Maybe being raped was a punishment for that." Clementine said.
"Don't say that. No one deserves to be raped." Kenny said.
"But-"
Kenny cut her off. "Lee made a choice to keep you safe, just like we're doing right now. Christa, Sarita, and me, we'll protect you kids with our lives."
Clementine bit her lip, lowering her gaze. "I know…"
That's what she was afraid of.
"Come on," Kenny scooped AJ into his arms. "Let's get to the kitchen."
Clementine didn't protest. She didn't know how to feel about the conversation last night, or the conversation just now. She was confused about everything right now.
She hated being confused.
Breakfast was quiet and a bit awkward. Everyone was eating, Sarita was helping feed AJ some oatmeal. Crystal was in a baby bouncer, on the verge of drifting to sleep.
Clementine, however, hadn't touched her food. She was seated with her thumb in her mouth.
"Clementine, take your thumb out your mouth." Kenny spoke up.
Sarita sighed, "Kenny…"
"It's alright, hon." Kenny stopped her. "Clem, come on. Get your thumb out your mouth."
"Why?" Clementine asked, keeping her thumb in her mouth.
"Because you shouldn't be sucking your thumb. Come on, eat some breakfast." Kenny said.
The child shook her head. "I don't want to…"
"Why aren't you eating anything?" Becca asked.
"Not hungry…" Clementine shrugged.
"Come on, Clementine. You gotta eat something." Kenny said.
Clementine finally pulled her thumb from her mouth and asked, "When can I go see Aleena?"
"How about you finish your breakfast first." Kenny replied.
"I can't eat. I feel sick." Clementine said.
Sarita frowned at that and placed a hand on the child's forehead. "Well, you feel a little warm…"
"She's always warm…" Kenny said.
Sarita took that as a cue to get the child's medicine.
"You got a headache, or a stomachache, hon?" Kenny asked.
"No…" Clementine shook her head. "I'm not sick like that…"
"Then what are you sick like?" Becca asked.
"I… I think I'm nervous sick…" Clementine muttered. "I want to see my daughter. Every second I'm away from her I feel terrible."
"She's alright. And I promise to take you to see her right after breakfast." Kenny said.
"And Crystal too?" Clementine asked.
"Sure, Clem." Kenny nodded.
"Good." Clementine said.
"I thought she'd be home by now. What exactly is wrong with her?" Becca asked.
"She has some kind of breathing disease or something. It's pretty much like it was when she was just born. The good thing is we got a hospital and more than one doctor to help her now." Kenny did his best to explain.
"She was sick when she was born?" Clementine asked.
Kenny nodded. "She's always had problems with her breathing. She was born with the umbilical cord around her neck-"
Clementine looked concerned and confused. "W-Why would someone put a cord around my baby's neck?"
"They didn't, darlin'." Kenny said. "The umbilical cord is something babies are born with. It's what keeps them attached to their mother."
Clementine looked confused by those words, "Attached… to me?"
"You're confusing her, Kenny." Sarita said, coming back with the child's medicine. "Here, Clem. Take your medicine."
Clementine sighed. "It doesn't do anything."
"You have to take it, sweetie. It keeps you healthy." Sarita said.
"Why should I be healthy, if my baby is sick?" Clementine argued.
"Oh my God…." Becca groaned, drawing the attention to herself.
"What?" Clementine inquired.
"Just because Aleena's sick doesn't mean you need to make yourself sick. You could die without the medicine." Becca said.
"Maybe it would be better that way." Clementine shrugged.
"Don't say that, Clementine." Kenny said. "I don't want to hear you talk like that."
"Why not?" Clementine asked.
"Because it's stupid! If you die, you leave two kids without a mother. You're the only parent the twins have, and you want to take that away from them?" Becca hissed.
"Of course not!" Clementine said.
"Then stop talking like you want to kill yourself. We've lost enough." Becca stood from the table.
"Becca," Sarita called with a frown.
"Just let her go, hon." Kenny said.
Becca started to her room but stopped as a knock came at the front door. She hesitantly made her way over, pulling it open to reveal Edith.
"Good morning." Edith smiled.
"Edith?" Becca raised a brow.
"May I come in?" Edith asked.
Becca stepped out the way to let the woman inside. "Everyone's in the kitchen…"
Edith nodded and made her way to the kitchen with Becca following.
Kenny and Sarita exchanged looks before standing to greet the woman.
"I heard quite a bit of noise. I hope now's not a bad time?" Edith asked.
"No no… Is everything alright?" Sarita said.
"I just wanted to check in, see how you guys were settling." Edith said.
Kenny scratched his head. "Umm… Things are okay."
"I've saw Christa and the baby today." Edith told them.
Clementine's eyes widened upon hearing that. "Aleena. How is she?" Clementine asked.
"She seemed okay. She's a pretty happy baby, isn't she?" Edith said.
"She can be…" Clementine said. "I just want to know when she can come home."
"I'm sorry, sweetie. You'll have to ask the doctor that." Edith said.
Clementine sighed but nodded.
"Well, we appreciate you checking in on us." Sarita said.
"Of course. I'm glad you guys are getting more comfortable… But like I mentioned before, Wellington is full, we're lucky we were about to squeeze you guys in…" Edith replied.
"What's your point?" Kenny questioned.
"My point is with so many people to provide for it's only a matter of time before we run out of supplies. Which is why we need everyone to pitch in and pull their own weight." Edith said. "This place would fall apart if everyone didn't do what they can to help it function. Now we're not asking much from the kids. Just that they go to school and-"
"Hold on." Becca interrupted. "School?"
"That's right." Edith said.
"What for?" Becca asked.
"Well, it's important to have an education." Edith responded.
"I don't think a diploma saves anyone from becoming walker food. So what's the point of going?" Becca replied.
"Becca, be nice." Sarita said. "It's not actually a bad idea."
"It's just pointless." Becca scoffed.
"Well, you would learn the basic school subjects along with survival skills…" Edith explained.
"Survival skills are the only thing you guys should be teaching." Becca said. "Anyway, I know how to shoot, so you don't have to worry about teaching me."
"Well, it's always good to have more practice." Edith said. "We wouldn't want to send anyone out there unprepared and we not to make sure the children are properly trained."
"The kids know how to shoot. I mean, it wouldn't hurt to brush up on their defense skills but know the basics." Kenny said.
"My dad said I shouldn't shoot without him." Sarah piped in.
"Then I guess you'll never touch a gun again. Because your dad's not coming back." Becca said.
Sarah frowned. "Don't say that."
"It's true and know it." Becca said. "He's gone, Sarah. You have to accept that."
"You're so mean! I don't have to listen to anything you say." Sarah said.
"Girls, settle down." Sarita said.
"Look, it's not just about survival. School is important. And I'm sure you'll like it. You'll meet a lot of new people." Edith said.
"I used to like school. I just didn't like the bullies." Sarah said.
"Well, there aren't any bullies there. What about you, Clementine? Would you like to go to school?" Edith asked.
Clementine furrowed her brow and shook her head.
"Why not?" Edith wondered.
"I don't want to. I want to stay with my girls." Clementine said.
"I'm sure you do. But you're still a kid. You should be able to be one. School gives you that opportunity. You'll meet other children, make friends." Edith said.
Clementine hummed. "Promise is my best friend. I don't need another.
"Promise is just a stupid toy." Becca said.
"He's not! He real." Clementine stated.
"Both you and Sarah are completely delusional. You know what, maybe school's not a bad idea. At least I could meet some normal people there." Becca once again turned to leave the room.
Kenny sighed. "Sarah, Clem, how about you two take AJ in the other room to play."
"What about Crystal?" Clementine asked.
"Crystal's fine. Just let her rest, sweetie." Sarita said.
"Okay…" Clementine said.
Sarah picked up the AJ from his highchair and she and Clementine headed to the other room with the toddler.
"I'm sorry…. It's been a long few days." Sarita told Edith.
"I can tell. I'm sure things aren't easy for you, but we need to make sure everyone is pulling their weight." Edith said.
"Whatever you need me to do, just let me know. You want me to hunt or take guard duty, fine. But one of us has to be here with the kids." Kenny said.
"You don't think Sarah or Becca could look after the younger ones? Surely they can manage for a few hours." Edith replied.
"Manage to burn the place down…" Kenny muttered, causing Sarita to give him a look.
"We wouldn't feel comfortable leaving the children alone." Sarita rephrased.
"Okay… That's understandable… But we still need one, or both of you to do as much as you can to help keep this place safe." Edith said.
"And we will…" Sarita said.
"I appreciate it." Edith said. "I know it might be stressful right now, but hopefully things ease up soon… And I know the kids might be nervous about attending school, but I think it will be good for them. We want to give the kids time to be kids. They deserve it. And we'll do whatever we can to protect them. Children are rare."
"Yeah, they are…" Sarita agreed.
"This came out of nowhere… Can I ask why you're acting like you're drafting people for war." Kenny asked.
Edith frowned, looking hesitant to talk. "We had a group a little while back… Things got pretty aggressive… so we had no choice but to kick them out…"
"What?" Kenny asked, eyes widening in surprise.
Kenny and Sarita both felt their stomachs drop as they awaited the next words to come from Edith's mouth.
Edith spoke again, "We're worried they might come back… And we need everyone to be ready in case they do…"
After Edith had left Kenny did as he promised and took little Clementine and Crystal to see Aleena. However, upon arriving at the hospital, Clementine got cold feet.
"I... I don't want to go in..." Clementine said with a fown.
Kenny raised a brow, "Why not?"
Clementine lowered her gaze and shrugged.
"Clem, come on. You practically begged me to bring you here." Kenny said.
"I know but… but I can't see her…" Clementine said.
"Don't you want to?" Kenny asked.
Clementine nodded. "I want to… But I feel guilty."
Kenny frowned and knelt to her level. "What's there to feel guilty about, Clem? You did nothing wrong."
"How can I not? My baby is sick, and I feel like I can't do anything to help." Clementine said.
"Believe me, darlin'. I know how you feel right now." Kenny said with a sigh. "When Duck was… when Duck was dying, I felt powerless. I wanted to take his place, but there was nothing I could do. And I feel guilty to this day…" Kenny paused for a moment. "But Aleena has a chance… She has a better chance here than she would anywhere else. This place has doctors and a hospital. And I'm certain that they'll do everything in their power to make sure that baby is okay."
"I hope so…" Clementine mumbled.
"I know they will. You gotta be positive for her." Kenny said.
"I'm trying to." Clementine muttered.
"I know you are. Come on. I'm sure she wants to see her mommy." Kenny urged the child to enter the room.
Clementine gave a tiny nod, finally giving in. "Okay…"
Kenny gave a knock on the door and after a moment heard Christa call, "Come in."
Kenny entered the room, helping Clementine inside while carrying Crystal. "Hey there."
"Hey." Christa said. "How are you three doing?"
"We're good. How's the little princess?" Kenny asked.
"She's okay. She's been a bit cranky today. I had her doing tummy time earlier, but she hates it." Christa said, sounding a bit amused.
"So does Crystal." Kenny said. "But Alvie seemed okay with it."
"AJ hardly ever cries…" Clementine said.
"He cries. I think you're just good at calming him down." Kenny said.
Clementine smiled at that. "Can I hold Aleena, please?"
"Sure you can." Christa said, standing to pick up the baby from her crib. "Edith brought her a little musical mobile for her crib. She loves it."
"When's she coming home? They said a few days…" Clementine said.
"And it's only been one day. Nothing's changed, Clem." Christa handed Aleena to Clementine.
"So when Edith dropped by here… Did she mention to you about what's going on?" Kenny asked.
Christa nodded. "Yeah… She did."
"What's going on?" Clementine questioned.
Christa looked to the child then back to Kenny. "I don't know what to think."
"Think about what? I want to know…" Clementine spoke up again.
"It's nothing, Clem…" Kenny sighed.
"Is it about the school? I don't want to go, Christa…" Clementine said.
"Why wouldn't you want to go to school, Clem?" Christa asked the girl.
"Because everybody there will think I'm a whore." Clementine said.
Kenny and Christa both flinched at that.
"Clem, you know you're not supposed to talk like that." Christa said. "You're not a whore."
"Carver says I am." Clementine frowned. "And when people here found out the twins are my babies, they look at me funny."
"Because they're surprised, darlin'." Kenny said. "You're not a whore."
"Then why does Carver call me it?" Clementine asked.
"Carver's dead, Clementine. And whatever he said to you isn't true." Christa said.
"He says he's the twins' daddy. And that he's AJ's daddy too." Clementine said. "Is that true."
"It's not. Don't believe anything that shitbird says. It ain't real." Kenny said. "Nothing he says is true."
"Sometimes he tells the truth…" Clementine muttered.
"Don't trust anything he says, Clementine. Ever." Christa said.
"O-Okay… My baby's not going to die, right?" Clementine asked.
"Of course not. Don't even think like that." Christa said.
"Okay…" Clementine said. "Can I…spend the night?"
"Clem…" Christa bit back a sigh.
"I figured it might be okay for one night…" Kenny spoke up. "I think she needs it…"
Christa paused for a moment before sighing, "Alright, fine. One night."
"Really?" Clementine beamed.
"Yes, Clem, really." Christa said.
"Thanks." Clementine said.
Kenny sighed in relief. "I'm gonna head home. I gotta get ready for my shift tonight."
"Shift?" Christa asked.
"Edith wants me taking guard duty. I don't mind, but it ain't easy doing that while worrying about the kids." Kenny explained. He gently placed Crystal into Clementine's arms beside Aleena. "You three be good."
"Wait." Christa called.
Kenny looked over to her.
"I need to talk to you." Christa said.
"Alright." Kenny said.
"Clem, sit tight for a minute." Christa said.
The child gave a nod.
Christa and Kenny stepped into the hallway to speak in private.
"I'm starting to think maybe we should start looking elsewhere." Christa said.
"You're kidding, right? After all we went through to get here, to get in?" Kenny frowned.
"After all we've been through, I want to feel safe for once. And after what Edith said, I don't know if I do." Christa said.
"But we can make it safe. There's no way we're leaving this place." Kenny said. "Wellington is the best chance we have. If we go out there, we're screw. Those kids would probably die out there."
"I'm tired of putting the kids at risk. I told you guys already I was done with groups." Christa said.
"And then we stumble upon this place. Christa, this is a safe haven. No one's getting in without a fight. We're a lot better armed, and we have more people than we did at the last town. We'll be fine." Kenny said.
Christa sighed. "We better be…."
"We will… I'll check on you guys later on." Kenny said. "In case you need anything."
Christa nodded. "Be careful."
Kenny walked off and Christa headed back into the room. She didn't know if she could trust that this place was safe anymore.
When a knock came at Becca's door she sighed, "Come in."
Sarita stepped into the room. "Hey, sweetie. Can we talk?"
Becca fought back a groan as she looked up from the playing cards she was messing with. "What's up?"
"I wanted to know if you were upset at Sarah and Clementine for something?" Sarita asked.
"I just… they both annoy me sometimes." Becca admitted.
"Did they do something wrong?" Sarita wondered.
Becca nearly rolled her eyes. "Do you not see how they act? It's annoying."
"I'm sure they don't intend to get on your nerves." Sarita said.
"But they do anyway." Becca said. "Sarah acts like a complete baby. And Clementine, she's just always doing something wrong and getting away with it."
"Sarah's been sheltered, and to suddenly lose her father like that… It's hard on her." Sarita said.
"We all lost people." Becca said. "No one else is sitting around like a baby."
"It's hard. Everyone grieves differently…" Sarita explained. "I just want everyone to get along. Can't you be nicer to them?"
"To Sarah, maybe. But Clem, I don't know right now…" Becca said.
"What did Clem do to you this time?" Sarita was almost used to Clementine's and Becca's feuds every now and then.
"Did you not hear what she said this morning? About how she didn't care about being healthy." Becca replied.
"She's a little kid, Becca. She doesn't mean that." Sarita sighed.
"How do you know? Are you forgetting how she used to cut herself?" Becca inquired.
"Of course not but knowing that she used to self-harm why do you keep vexing her. She has enough grief. Don't add to it." Sarita said.
"She doesn't care about her life, she selfish." Becca said.
"Becca-"
"My sister died for her! Shel got bit protecting Clementine, so she could live. If Clem's willing to kill herself, then she doesn't care about my sister's sacrifice, so I can't be nice to her!" Becca lowered her voice, looking down. "Shel was the only family I had. Now I have no one..."
"Honey, you do have people. You still have a family." Sarita said.
"My whole family is dead." Becca said.
Sarita shook her head. "Family is much more than just blood. Family is what you make it."
Becca felt depression wash over her and she said, "I… I want to be alone. Please."
"Okay, sweetie. I understand." Sarita said.
Becca sighed as the woman left. She stood up, noticing a familiar teddy bear on the floor. She assumed either AJ had gotten hold of it and brought it in the room, or Clementine had left it. She made her way over to the toy and slowly picked it up…
"How about we get some lunch?" Christa suggested after a while of Clementine playing with the twins.
"Where?" Clementine asked.
"In the cafeteria." Christa replied.
"What about the twins?"
"We can take them with us." Christa said.
"But… I thought Aleena needs her breathing machine." Clementine said.
"She doesn't need the oxygen machine all the time. She'll be okay while we eat." Christa said.
"Okay." Clementine said.
Christa put the twins in the cradle, so they wouldn't have to carry them, and they made their way out the room.
Once they got to the cafeteria Christa was greeted by a woman. "Hello, Christa."
"Hey, Patricia. How are you?" Christa said.
"I'm good." Patricia looked to Clementine with a smile. "And who is this little one?"
"This is Clementine. And Crystal's here too, she's Aleena's twin." Christa motioned to the cradle.
Patricia took a look inside at the twins and nearly squealed in delight. "They are so adorable."
"Thank you." Christa said.
As Patricia and Christa chatted away, Clementine caught sight of a young boy. The boy seemed a little older than her, had dark skin and was wearing a blue sweater. Clementine decided to head over and see what he was up to.
He appeared to be reading a book.
"Hi." Clementine said.
The boy jumped slightly and looked to her. "Hey."
"What are you reading?" The girl asked.
"It's a book about magic creatures…" The boy said.
"That's cool." Clementine said with a smile.
The boy scanned her face. "I haven't seen you around. Are you new?"
"Yeah. My name's Clementine." Clementine said.
"I'm Gill." The boy said.
"Nice to meet you." Clementine said.
"You too." Gill replied.
"Why are you here, in the hospital, I mean?" Clementine asked.
"My mom helps out here a lot. So I just tag along sometimes." Gill explained.
"Is she a doctor?" Clementine questioned.
"Not really. She has some medical experience." Gill said.
"Christa went to medical school. And my mom was a doctor." Clementine said.
"Your mom? Is that her talking to my mom?" Gill motioned over to Christa.
"Christa's my friend…" Clementine replied. "My parents are gone…"
Gill's eyes widened. "Oh… Sorry… I uh… lost my dad a few months ago…"
"That's awful…" Clementine said. "I'm sorry…"
"Yeah…" Gill sighed.
A brief silence fell before Gill spoke again.
"If you want to play with anything here, help yourself."
"Are you sure?" Clementine asked.
Gill nodded. "You can borrow one of my books, or you can ask my mom for something to color with. They have plenty of coloring books in the waiting room."
"Thanks." Clementine smiled.
"Clem," Christa called but quickly sighed as she spotted the child.
"Looks like she's getting along with Gill." Patricia said.
"He's your son, right?" Christa asked.
Patricia nodded. "I'm sure they'll be good friends. Not all the kids here are… nice. It'll be good if those two get along."
"Well, I guess this is a good start then." Christa said.
Patricia nodded in agreement. "I guess so."
Sarita watched as Kenny got ready for his shift grabbing a flashlight and a couple small objects for his shift.
"Are you sure you don't want me to take tonight's shift?" Sarita asked Kenny.
"It's too dangerous…" Kenny replied.
"Kenny, I know how to take care of myself." Sarita said.
"I know, hon. But I don't like the thought of you being out there so late." Kenny said.
"I don't like the thought of you being out there either." Sarita responded.
"Well, one of us has to go. And I would rather it be me…" Kenny said.
Sarita sighed at that. "I… Just be careful, Kenny. Please."
"I will. Believe me." Kenny said.
Sarita hoped he would.
After lunch Christa had took Clementine and the twins back to their room.
The twins had fallen asleep. Christa had tucked the twin into the crib together. Clementine was seated on the bed, coloring in a coloring book she had been given by Patricia. The woman had gone on and on about how cute Clementine and the twins were, and how Clementine and her son could become playmates.
Christa thought it would be good for Clementine to make a friend her own age.
"How are you holding up, Clem?" Christa asked.
"I…I'm okay…" Clementine said. "Christa… How long are we staying here?"
"I told you, Leena has to stay for a few days." Christa said.
Clementine shook her head. "I mean here, in Wellington."
Christa was surprised by that question. "Why are you asking me that?"
"I heard you and Kenny talking earlier…" Clementine shrugged. "I thought we would have to leave soon."
"…This is our home now." Christa told the little child.
Clementine sent her a serious look. "Is it?"
"Yes, Clem. It is…" Christa said.
"It doesn't feel like home."
"I know…" Christa couldn't help but agree. No matter how welcoming or how familiar this place was, it wouldn't be home. And how they all longed for a home. Christa hoped it would start to feel that way soon. "But we'll make it feel like home…"
Clementine didn't respond. She just went back to her coloring.
When Sarah noticed Becca enter the living room with Clementine's bear the teen was confused. She looked up from the block toward she was helping AJ build and raised a brow. "Why do you have that?"
"I found it. Clem must've left it." Becca said.
"It's not yours… I don't think you're going to do something nice with it." Sarah said.
"I didn't say I planned on doing anything with it. Why do you care anyway?" Becca replied.
"Because it's Clementine's." Sarah said.
"Clementine's so special, isn't she?" Becca huffed. "Why don't you go pretend your dad's alive or something?"
"My- My dad is alive…" Sarah stammered.
"Do you really think that? Or are you just tell yourself that to feel better?" Becca asked.
Sarah frowned, Becca didn't understand. Sarah had never been the best at handling difficult situations. She always tried to avoid them, but this was something she couldn't avoid. She pretended to help her cope, to help her function. It was the only thing that helped her through the day. She knew it was lying, but the lie was easier than accepting the truth.
Sarah had never prepared herself for living without her father. She had counted on the man since birth. The passing days had felt hazy, almost like a dream.
"Dad will never die. That can't happen." Sarah said.
Becca groaned and turned to leave the room.
AJ whimpered a bit, sensing the distress of the two teens but Sarah quickly comforted him.
Sarah had to pretend to protect herself. Even if it meant people didn't understand… Even if they called her crazy…
"You bored?" Christa asked as she noticed Clementine place her coloring book down.
Clementine shrugged. "I don't have Promise… He's back home."
"Maybe Kenny will bring him later." Christa said.
"Can I go explore?" The girl asked.
"Clem, this is a hospital. There's not much to see here." Christa said.
"I mean… can I go outside?" Clementine asked.
Christa paused. "It's cold out there."
"Just for a little while? Please?" Clementine pleaded.
Christa sighed. "I don't know."
"Please. I just want to play for a little bit." Clementine said. "Maybe Gill can play too."
"Fine… Just don't go far." Christa said. "And come back before it gets dark."
"Okay!" Clementine agreed.
Clementine left the room, hoping she would find Gill and convince him to play with her. However, when she couldn't find the boy she decided to play alone for a while. The girl managed to get outside and began touring around the area until she heard a sudden voice call to her.
"Hey, it's Clementine, right?" Terrell said.
Clementine jumped slight and looked to the older boy. She could see his features a lot clearer now. He had light skin, dark black hair, but what stood out to her was his blue eyes. "Y-Yeah." She noticed he was on a motorcycle and gasped. "You know how to ride a motorcycle? That's so cool!"
"You think so?" Terrell asked.
Clementine nodded.
"So what are you up to, kid?" Terrell asked.
"I came here to see my daughter. But both my daughters are sleeping right now, so Christa told me I could explore." Clementine said.
"All alone? So I'm guessing you haven't meet any of the other kids here yet?" Terrell asked.
"I met one kid. He seemed nice." Clementine said.
"That's good. I guess it's been a bit cold for anyone to really wanna play outside." Terrell replied.
"Edith said there's a school around here. Where is it?" Clementine asked.
"Not far. It's a small little schoolhouse by the woods, nothing fancy. But I do lead the shooting class every now and then." Terrell said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. You know how to shoot a gun?" Terrell asked.
"My friend Lee taught me." Clementine said.
"That's cool. I bet you're a crack shot already." Terrell said.
"I don't know about that…" The girl said a bit shyly.
"Oh, don't be modest. I'm sure you're awesome." Terrell replied.
"…So what are you doing?" Clementine asked.
"Just patrolling, like usual. Things are quiet, probably cause it's too cold for people to stir up trouble." Terrell said to her.
"That's a good thing. Do people usually cause trouble?" Clementine asked in a worried tone.
"Not since I got here. But I haven't really been here too long, to be honest." Terrell said. "Got here a little before you."
"Oh." Clementine said. "Well, I hope there's no trouble."
"So you're just gonna be here playing on your own?" Terrell questioned.
"I usually play with Sarah and Becca, but they're not here. And I doubt they would want to play anyway." Clementine explained, both of her friend had been so glum lately.
"That sucks."
"Yeah. Promise always plays with me." Clementine said.
"Who's Promise?"
"My best friend. The only one who's always nice to me." Clementine said.
"Well, where is he?" Terrell asked.
"He's at the house too…" Clementine sighed.
Terrell was quiet for a moment. "How about you hang out with me for a bit?"
Clementine was surprised by that.
"I'll take you for a ride, if you want." Terrell offered.
"I... I don't know..." Clementine said.
The girl was hesitant, though his offer was tempting. She slowly stood from her wheelchair.
"Hop on." Terrell encouraged her.
With a bit more hesitation she did so, and they were off.
It was exhilarating. The child was having fun. Clementineloved it.
Christa sat in the recliner by the twins' crib as the two babies slept. She was reading through a book but would glance to the door every now and then. She was worried about letting Clementine go off to play alone, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to let the child have some independence for a while. For all she knew the little girl had just gone to play with Gill.
She turned her attention back to book; however, a little cough pulled her gaze to the cradle. She stood to check on the twins, both were still fast asleep.
She sighed and sat back down. Clementine's words suddenly rang through her head. "Is my baby going to die?"
Christa would be lying if she said that she didn't worry about the possibility of losing one of the twins. Sure, they were in a town with a hospital, but these doctors had to make do with what they had, and though all the medicine and equipment seemed like a lot, Christa knew it wasn't much.
She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to Crystal or Aleena. No, the twins weren't her children, and they would never replace the child that Christa had lost, but she loved them with all her heart.
Her chest clenched at the thought of her own baby. To think her child would nearly be three by now…
She wondered how different things would be if Omid had lived. Maybe she would have had a successful labor. Maybe she and Clementine would've never gotten separated. Maybe they would have found some place safe, somewhere they could be happy…
She couldn't help but feel guilty. She had been so grief-stricken and stressed after losing Omid, she was sure it caused complications with her pregnancy. She couldn't help but be angry with herself for losing her baby. And now she felt even worse having realized she had emotionally neglected Clementine.
She was just glad she had an opportunity to make up for everything with Clementine… And a second chance with the twins.
They rode around for a while before Terrell suddenly stopped. Clementine took a look around and noticed they were in a wooded area.
"This is where we usually hold target practice. Not too far from town, but not close enough that the noise will draw the dead to our doorsteps." Terrell explained.
"It's nice here." The area was pretty, Clementine did like it.
"Yeah, it is." Terrell said. "Want to take a few shots?"
"Are you sure?" Clementine asked.
"Sure, I want to see how much you know." Terrell said.
"But I might not do good." Clementine said, hesitant to shoot in front of him.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do fine."
"A-Alright." Clementine said.
Terrell handed her his gun, and Clementine felt at that moment she could truly trust him. No one would hand someone a gun if they had bad intentions.
"Here, I'll help you balance, and you can take some practice shots at the tree." Terrell said.
"I… I don't need help." She felt a little embarrassed at the idea.
"Okay… Well, then lean on the motorcycle if you have to." Terrell said.
Clementine gave a nod.
"Alright. Let's see how well your friend taught you."
Clementine aimed the gun, lined with the tree, she pulled the trigger.
Christa didn't know how long Clementine had been "exploring".
The twins had woken up. Christa tended to them, while waiting for Clementine to return. Christa looked over to the window. It was starting to get dark. She wondered where the girl was.
Suddenly she heard the doorknob moved and looked over as it opened, expecting to see Clementine. However, it was a nurse.
"Have you seen a little girl out there." Christa asked.
"The little girl who was here earlier?" The nurse questioned.
"Yeah. Her." Christa confirmed.
"No sorry. Not since she headed outside…" The nurse said.
Christa frowned and placed the twins back into the cradle. "Can… Can you keep an eye on them? I got to go find her." As much as she didn't want to leave the twins, she needed to find Clementine. And she knew this nurse would take good care of the twins, considering she'd watch the nurses' interaction with Aleena.
"Of course." The nurse said.
"Thank you."
The nurse opened her mouth to speak but Christa had already rushed from the room.
Christa started searching for the child in the hospital. She asked anyone she could if they had seen the girl, giving a description of Clementine down to the grey jeans, and pink sweater the girl was wearing.
After realizing Clementine wasn't in the building Christa began searching outside. When she got outside and notice an abandoned wheelchair, she immediately knew it was Clementine's. The woman felt panic start to rise in her but remained outwardly calm.
Fear bolted through Christa as endless scenarios flashed in the back of her head. Clementine couldn't have gotten far without that chair; the girl could barely walk. So either she was still in the area, or someone had to be with her.
She called out to the child a couple times getting no response. She decided to head to the house, hoping that she would find the girl there.
Christa broke into a sprint, not slowing until she made it to the house.
When the woman finally made it to the door, she was complete out of breath, but that didn't stop her from delivering a hard knock.
Kenny opened it and raised a brow. "Christa? What are you-"
Christa didn't give him the change to finish before she asked, "Where's Clementine?"
The two didn't know how long they had been caught in their shooting session. They had passed the gun between each other until Terrell had run out of bullets.
"Well, I guess that puts an end to that." Terrell sighed. "Not too bad. You're a pretty good shot."
"Thanks." Clementine said. "The gun makes my hands hurt a bit though…"
"You'll get used to it." Terrell said.
"It's getting dark." Clementine frowned.
"You scared of the dark?" Terrell asked.
"…Maybe sometimes…" Clementine said. "But Christa said be back before it gets dark."
"So who was that guy who snatched you up last night? If this Christa is looking after you?" Terrell questioned.
"Kenny… Him and Sarita look after me too… Kind of…" Clementine said.
"So they're people from your group. I'm surprised Edith and the others let an entire group in." Terrell said.
"It's a long story…"
"I bet…" Terrell said. "Come on. We should get you back to the hospital."
"Yeah, Christa said not to go too far… But I wanted to get Promise…" Clementine said.
"Maybe we can grab him on the way." Terrell suggested.
"Really?"
Terrell nodded. "I don't see why not."
"Thanks." Clementine climbed back onto the motorcycle with slight struggle.
"Comfy." Terrell asked.
"Y-Yeah." Clementine stammered.
"Good. Hold on tight." Terrell started driving as Clementine clutched to him.
The girl felt a slight flush on her cheeks. She was glad the older boy couldn't see her face.
Kenny felt his stomach drop at Christa's word. The woman forced her way pass him and started looking around, calling out to Clementine. "Christa, she's not here. What do you mean, where is she?"
"I can't find her." Christa said.
"I left her with you." Kenny grumbled.
"I let her go play for a bit. Told her not to go far, but she obviously didn't listen." Christa said.
"You let her play where? And with who?" Kenny demanded.
"She was by herself. I thought she'd go find one of the kids she was with earlier. She just wanted to explore, Kenny. I'm not going to stop her from being a kid." Christa said. "There's nothing wrong with letting her play."
"But what if she got hurt or… or what if she got kidnapped?" Kenny snapped.
"She didn't get kidnapped. There's no way." Sarita said.
"And how do you know that, Sarita?" Kenny questioned.
"This town is supposed to be safe. They kicked out people for causing trouble before, so I'm sure they wouldn't keep someone around who could potentially harm a child. Edith said it herself, children are rare." Sarita said.
"She still could've gotten hurt." Kenny grumbled. "Where are the twins?"
"At the hospital." Christa said.
"You left them too?!" Kenny hissed.
"What choice did I have? I had to check on, Clementine. Anyway, the twins are fine. The nurses are there, and I've seen how they are with Aleena. They wouldn't hurt the twins." Christa said.
"You act like you don't know what people are capable of. Ain't nothing wrong with letting Clem play, but there is something wrong with not keeping an eye on her." Kenny said.
"Don't even start with this, Kenny." Christa said.
"Why shouldn't I?" Kenny asked.
"Because you're being a damn hypocrite. I doubt anyone was watching her at that hardware store." Christa retorted.
Kenny feel silent at that.
"Christa, please." Sarita said.
"Please what?" Christa asked.
"Please don't speak like that." Sarita said with a frown.
"Look, I just want to find her before something happens. She doesn't have the wheelchair so, there's no way she could've gotten far on her own." Christa said.
"Then where the hell is she?" Kenny asked.
"I don't know! I-"
Christa was cut off by a tiny knock at the door.
All three adults looked over and Kenny raced to open it. He was surprised to see Clementine standing at the doorway.
"I'm here to get Promise." The child said.
"Where the hell were you?" Kenny inquired.
Clementine furrowed her brows, confused as to why he seemed upset. "I… I was with my friend."
"Friend?" Kenny asked.
Clementine nodded, and Kenny looked over to see the young boy from the night before. He shot the boy a look.
"He brought me to get Promise." Clementine said.
"Christa's here. You had her worried sick." Kenny said.
"Wh-What?" Clementine stammered.
"Thanks for bringing her back, you can go now." Kenny said, in a bit of a harsh tone.
Without hesitation, he tugged Clementine inside, not letting Terrell say a word.
"Wait! I wanted to say goodbye to my friend!" Clementine said.
"He's not your friend, Clementine!" Kenny snapped.
"Yes he is!" Clementine said.
"No, he's not! You don't know that boy!" Kenny said.
"He was nice to me! He let me ride his motorcycle and he brought me to get Promise." Clementine argued.
"Just because someone acts nice doesn't mean they're your friend. He could be trying to trick you." Kenny said, gripping the child tighter.
Clementine frowned at that and tried to tug her arm away from him. "You're hurting me."
"Let her go." Christa said.
"The second I do she'll wander off again." Kenny huffed.
"Kenny, you're overreacting. Let her go." Christa ordered.
"No, I'm not! The problem is everyone just lets her do whatever the hell she wants." Kenny said.
Clementine flinched at his shouting.
"Kenny, just stop!" Christa hissed grabbing the child's other arm.
Clementine suddenly found herself in a tug of war between the two adults.
"Both of you stop!" Sarita pulled the little girl from their grip.
Clementine whimpered a bit as Kenny and Christa continued their bickering.
"It's okay, sweetie." Sarita said, escorting the girl from the room. She led the child to Sarah's and Becca's room before rushing out to try and calm the argument.
Clementine frowned as she could hear the arguing through the closed door. "They're fighting because of me…"
"I wonder why?" Becca scoffed, causing Clementine to look over to her. "I'm surprise your luck hasn't run out yet."
"My luck?" Clementine asked.
"Yeah. You're probably the luckiest person I know. And you don't realize how lucky you are, do you?" Becca asked.
"I don't feel lucky." Clementine said.
"But you are lucky. Luckier than anyone else." Becca said. "Think about it, everyone in this house has lost their families. Every single one of us. I lost my parents. My sister… My whole family. Shel was the only one I had for so long…"
"I lost people too, Becca. I lost my family. My mommy and daddy told me they'd come back, and they never did. I didn't even get to say goodbye." Clementine said.
"So what? You want a pity party? My sister was the only one I had, and you took that from me." Becca said.
Clementine was stunned at the older girl's words. She couldn't remember any of that. "W-What?"
"She got bit saving you. So every time you do something stupid or say you want to die, it makes my sister's sacrifice seem like it's in vain." Becca said.
Clementine felt her stomach drop. "Becca…I… I didn't mean to…"
"Of course not." Becca scoffed. "You say you didn't get to say goodbye to your parents and you want to do the same to your girls?"
"What?"
"You want to get yourself killed and not give your girls a chance to say goodbye." Becca said.
"That's not true." Clementine argued.
"It is. You're wandering off is stupid. And one day your luck's gonna run out. You're gonna get yourself killed and your kids won't get to say goodbye. Hell, they can't even talk yet." Becca said.
Clementine frowned at that, unsure how to respond.
"You know why I call you lucky?" Becca asked. She continued before the younger girl could respond. "Because you may have lost your parents, but you can never say you lost everything. At least you have your girls."
"You think I'm lucky because of what Carver did to me?" Clementine questioned. She didn't remember everything, but what she did remember was enough to give her nightmare. It was enough to make her feel the opposite of lucky. "If only you knew what I've been through..."
"Everyone's been through a lot. And half the things you go through are your own fault." Becca said.
"Like what?" Clementine asked.
"Like everything. If you really wanted help at Howe's you could've said something. How come Troy got caught so fast, but Carver didn't?" Becca asked.
"I was scared, Becca!" Clementine said then furrowed her brows. "And… Who's Troy…?"
"Troy's the other guy who raped you." Sarah spoke up from the corner of her bed. "He did it in front of me…"
Clementine's eyes widened at that. She didn't know how to respond.
"You're lucky because you've lived this long. One day you're gonna find yourself in a situation you can't get out of." Becca said. "You're lucky those guys didn't kill you after what they did to you."
Clementine felt sick. She had been raped and she was being called lucky. She didn't see how she was lucky, but she muttered, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make anyone worry…. Have… Have either of you seen Promise."
"Give him to her, Becca." Sarah said.
Becca huffed but handed the bear over. "Try not to do anything stupid."
Clementine just nodded, clutching to her bear. She didn't want to argue anymore. She was sick of all the fighting…
In the living room, the bickering continued. Sarita tried to convince them to calm down, however they continued to argue over how they were better guardian's to little Clementine.
Sarita was at a lost. She didn't know what to do. She didn't want them arguing period, and the fact that they had started this in front of Clementine only worsened it. "Guys, please…"
Her words continuously seemed to go unheard.
The three suddenly caught the buzz of Kenny's radio. "We need everyone to report to the meeting grounds. Immediately." Edith's voice came through.
Christa, Kenny, and Sarita exchanged looks, wondering what was going on…
