I'm finally back with another chapter! Sorry for the delay. I hope you all enjoy.

Thanks so much for reading!


It was early, way too early… Or maybe it was still late. It was hard to tell. The sun had yet to rise, and Clementine didn't have a watch to know what time it was. All she knew was her twins were awake. She tried to lull them back to sleep to no avail.

They had both been cuddling by her side, but whimpers were soon heard as one of her daughters attempted to push the other away, before resting her head against Clementine's chest.

"No, no, Leena. Don't push your sister." Clementine said. "It's okay, Crystal, mommy's got you…"

"Ma!" Aleena called, trying to once again push Crystal aside.

"No, Aleena… Mommy can hold both of you…" Clementine said. "Let's go back to sleep, it's too early."

Feeling tiny hands tug on her shirt, she knew what they wanted. "Girls… Not now… please…"

The girls remained persistent with their tugging, causing Clementine to sigh.

"Okay… Okay…" She looked around, glancing over to Javier. His attention was else were as he seemed to be taking inventory of supplies.

Clementine bit her lip and adjusted herself so her back was turned to him. "Okay… Come on, girls."

She pulled them into her lap and began nursing the babies.

The twins were growing so fast, and they had huge personalities already. It was hard to compare their personalities because some days it seemed like they switched off. Sometimes they were so similar and other times they were so different.

Crystal was easy going. She didn't let things get to her like Aleena did. Crystal was also more serious and very stubborn. Aleena was very dramatic and more sensitive, crying over small things. She was shy at times, and she would often stick to her mother. But when it was just the three of them Aleena was a lot livelier; she would be sillier, always dancing or running backwards, trying to make people laugh. While Crystal liked reading books and looking at pictures. Clementine felt that when Crystal grew up, she would be more of an introvert.

They both loved stuffed animals, especially Promise. Aleena was more verbal, well… in the babbling sense. Crystal was more physical; she was the first one to walk and was always wanting to explore. While Aleena would cling to her throughout the day, Crystal was unpredictable, sometimes she'd want to cuddle and be super sweet and the next minute she'd want to do her own thing, giving dirty looks to whoever tried to stop her.

When they were sleepy, they would lay by her, snuggling close. But it was clear that they were starting to become jealous of one another. They would push each other or grab the other's shirt and pull the other down. Then they would have their sweet moments, giving each other kisses or playing together and being content for a while, which gave Clementine some quiet.

They definitely tried to test her patience. They were very smart and could be two little tricksters.

But despite the hardships, she wouldn't trade them for the world. They were everything to her. And she didn't think she could ask for more.

"I love you two… So much…" More than anything in the universe. She was lucky to have them.


The night had drifted by, and Javier noticed that young Clementine had stayed wide awake through the entirety of it. The man had asked the young girl if she wanted to head into the van to rest, but Clementine declined. She insisted that she was fine and that she simply hadn't been tired.

Javier, however, was sure that couldn't be the case. The child had stayed awake even when Javier and Kate had switched their watch shifts. The girl didn't even doze off at all. Javier couldn't tell if she was just used to staying up all night, if she was too uncomfortable to close her eyes, or if she had a bad case of insomnia. Perhaps it was a combo of all three, especially considering she had two babies to look after and was around a group of strangers. Either way, in Javier's mind it wasn't healthy for the child. Yet, Javier knew it wasn't his place to judge the young girl.

"Did you get any sleep? Did you... ever go to sleep at all?" Javier had asked the young girl in the morning.

Clementine gave a light shrug but answered verbally as well. "Not really…"

"Couldn't sleep?" Javier asked.

"I told you I wasn't tired." Clementine shrugged once more.

"I find that hard to believe. No way you weren't tired, kid." Javier said.

"I'm used to staying up all night. You know I have two babies to look after. Their sleep schedule can be unpredictable." Clementine replied.

"That makes sense." Javier said. He knew babies really could be unpredictable, especially when it came to sleep.

"Yeah…" Clementine nodded. She was being truthful. The twins often did keep her awake.

"I was just worried about you, kiddo." Javier told her.

"Don't be. I'm fine. I can look after myself." Clementine responded.

"...I know you can. I just... was worried." Javier said.

"Don't worry about me. I don't want anyone to worry about me." Clementine said back.

"But... you're a kid. Someone should worry about you." Javier said.

"So that's the only reason?" Clementine scoffed.

"No… but still…"

"Well, first off… I'm not a kid. Second off, I've been taking care of myself for a long time. I don't need anyone worrying about me." Clementine said.

"Then what are you?" Javier asked. "If you're not a kid…"

"An adult… I haven't been a kid for a long time." Was Clementine's simple response.

"Alright then…" Javier said, deciding to drop it. "Whatever you say."

A brief silence fell and then Clementine sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to come across as rude… I just… I'm not used to this… Being around people who… care about…if I'm okay…"

Javier felt his heart clench at that. He wondered what type of people the young girl had been around. "I get it… Look… I just want you to know, you can be comfortable around us… We're not gonna harm or… judge you. You can relax for once."

"I… appreciate it… But I'm fine… Really…" Clementine said.

"Alright, kid… If you say so." Javier said.

It wasn't too long before the others had come out of the van. Soon breakfast was served up, once again some canned food- a simple can of beans.

Clementine made sure the twins were fed before eating herself. Javier offered the girl more food, but Clementine had once again insisted that she share with the twins, as she always shared with them. Maybe it was because she had always done so, but she enjoyed sharing with them. No matter what it was, her food, her time, her energy, she would share anything with them.

As breakfast continued small talk was made and laughter was exchanged between some of the group members. Clementine recalled Javier's earlier words of wanting her to be comfortable… She wanted that as well, she was just nervous. Each time she was comfortable anywhere, things seemed to fall apart, so the girl kept her walls up. That was how she protected herself, and how she protected her children.

Eventually the group finished their meal, and Javier spoke, yanking Clementine out of her thoughts.

"So, Clem, have you thought about your next move? What's your plan?" Javier asked the young girl.

Clementine paused for a moment. "I… What do you mean?"

"Do you plan on sticking with us?" Javier asked.

Clementine felt all eyes on her as the group awaited her answer.

"You're gonna stay with us, right?" Mariana asked.

"I… I don't know…" Clementine honestly replied.

"Please? I think you should…" Mariana said.

"Honestly, I think you should stay as well, kid. At least for the babies' sake." Kate piped in. "It's safer for all of you if you have people to watch your back."

Clementine sighed at that, after a moment she answered, "I… I guess I'll stick around for the time being."

"Alright, sounds good…" Javier said. "Just let me know if you change your mind..." As much as he didn't want her going on her own, he didn't know if he could stop her if she made that decision. For now, the best he could do was try to make her comfortable with his group. Make her feel like part of the family.

"Okay..." Clementine said.

"Let's finish up breakfast then we'll hit the road." Javier said.

The others nodded in agreement.


It wasn't long before the group had piled into the van and set out on the road. Javier was driving and chatting with Kate. Mariana was listening to music while Gabe was trying to sleep. Clementine sat in the far back with the twins.

The babies were babbling, and Clementine tried her best to entertain them with the sights of passing trees and the outdoor scenery. Though their attention didn't last on the outdoor world long, it had worked for a short while. To keep them in a good mood, Clementine had offered the twins some toys to play with in hopes of keeping her daughters entertained.

Things actually felt peaceful for the first time in forever. Clementine fought back a sigh. She really wished AJ was here.

"Hey." Mariana's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, startling her slightly.

"Hey..." Clementine greeted back.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" Mariana asked, having noticed her light jump.

"No. It's okay..." Clementine said.

"Okay…. Umm… Are... you okay?" Mariana asked.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking." Clementine admitted.

"About what?

"Just...stuff." Clementine said quickly and quietly.

"Oh... Like what stuff?" Mariana questioned, still curious.

"Just... random things." Clementine replied.

Mariana hummed then asked, "...Are you glad you came with us?"

"I'm not upset that I did." Was Clementine's response.

"Well, I'm glad you came. I could use a friend... I mean... If you wanna be my friend... Do you?" Mariana eagerly asked, offering a small smile.

"I, uh..." Clementine paused for a moment. She didn't want to disappoint the girl. Nor did she want to get her hopes up. Still, she couldn't bear to upset her, so she replied, "...Sure, I guess."

Mariana brightened at that. "Really? That's great!"

There was a small silence before Mariana gave the older girl a light tap on the shoulder. "Do you wanna listen to music?"

"Music?" Clementine echoed; she wasn't expecting that question.

"Uh-huh. See," Mariana motioned towards her headphones and music player. "It's super relaxing."

"I…can't remember the last time I heard music." Clementine told the girl. It was true, it had been forever since she got to hear music.

"Well, you can listen now." Mariana showed her the music player in her hand. "Want to listen?"

"…Okay…" Clementine agreed.

Mariana smiled and took off her headphones, passing them over to the other girl.

Clementine slowly put the headphones on. Her ears were sensitive to the sound of the music at first and she quickly pulled the headphones from her head to relieve herself from the noise. She could feel a slight headache building.

"Are you okay?" Mariana asked.

"Um… They're kind of loud…." Clementine said.

"Oh! I'm sorry…." Mariana quickly apologized.

"No. It's not your fault. I'm just not used to hearing music. Not for a long time." Clementine said.

"I can turn the sound down." Mariana said.

"No. That's okay. I—"

However, Mariana had already began fiddling with the music player and interrupted Clementine by saying, "Here. Try it now." She offered the headphones to Clementine once again.

Clementine held back a sigh as she, much like before, accepted the headphones. She put them back on, with more hesitation this time. To her relief the music was a lot quieter. The girl did in fact find that listening to it was quite relaxing.

The girl's eyes widened in surprise at the next song on the playlist. The song was familiar to Clementine, it brought back memories of car rides with her parents' early mornings on the way to school. She missed that so much.

She knew she couldn't go back to that old life, back to the normalcy that she used to have. She wondered if she ever got that opportunity could she even live close to normal after all she had been through in her life. She thought not, but regardless of if things could ever be normal, she wanted to give her kids the best life possible.

Mariana noticed that Clementine seemed a lot less tense as the girl listened to the music. The older girl was wearing a small smile and had been doing a tiny head bob along to the song. She seemed completely at ease.

As the song came to an end, Mariana gave Clementine a small nudge. "Clem,"

Clementine removed the headphones.

"Are you okay?" Mariana sounded and looked concerned as she asked this.

"Huh?"

"You're… crying… Are you okay?" Mariana asked her question again, concern still etched into her features.

Clementine was surprised to hear those words. She hadn't even realized that she was crying. But as she touched her cheeks, she found they were indeed wet with tears. She must have gotten emotional while listening to the music. "I-I'm fine…" Clementine quickly wiped away her tears and put back on her emotionless mask. Though her cheeks flushed slightly with the embarrassment of having been seen crying. She quickly averted her gaze as she handed the headphones back to Mariana and muttered, "Thanks…. For letting me listen."

"You're welcome. You can listen any time you want." Mariana said.

Clementine didn't think she would want to listen again, not if it would trigger her emotions like that. But she thanked the younger girl, nonetheless.

She turned her attention to the outside world, gazing out the window while Mariana listened to her music player and Kate and Javier continued exchanging chatter.

Clementine found herself tuning out after a while, only to be alerted when she heard Mariana's voice utter out, "Did you want to listen to music too? I don't think my headphones would fit on your head. You're too little."

Clementine looked over and noticed Aleena had taken interest in Mariana's headphones as the baby was attempting to reach for them.

"Oh no! Don't do that! You'll break them!" Mariana gasped as Aleena's tiny hand caught grip of her headphone's cord.

"Aleena! No-No! Leena don't touch. No." Clementine scolded as she attempted to pry the wire from the baby's hands. "Let go, Leena." The young mother managed to free the cord from her baby's palm, only for the tiny child to begin wailing.

Clementine sighed at that. "Enough of that, Aleena. Don't cry…"

But her cries continued.

"Aleena, please…" Clementine picked the baby up and tried to shush her.

As Aleena continued to cry, Crystal soon began to whimper as well.

"Please don't cry, girls…. Please…" Clementine continued trying to calm her little ones, hushing them. She scooped Crystal into her arms, holding both twins in her lap to the best of her ability with her injured arm. "Shh… Shh, it's okay… Mommy did—" She quickly stopped herself. "I didn't mean to make you girls cry…"

"Oh my gosh! Can I ever get some sleep around here?!" Gabe groaned, clearly annoyed.

"I-I'm sorry…" Clementine quickly apologized as she continued trying to hush her children.

"Gabe, they're babies." Javier said.

"I know that." Gabe grumbled.

"And babies cry." Javier added.

"I know that too, Javi. I'm not stupid! They're just… They're hurting my ears!" Gabe complained.

"I'm sorry…. I- I think they need a nap." Clementine said, guilt filling her as she continued trying to calm her fussy babies.

"Well, so do I. I was actually having one before they woke me up." Gabe said.

"It was my fault. They wanted to play with my headphones." Mariana said.

"No… It's not your fault, it's mine. I should have been paying better attention…. I'm really sorry…" Clementine apologized again, feeling bad and uncomfortable.

"Hey… It's no one's fault. Babies cry. It's not a big deal…" Javier said to the girl, seeing she felt uneasy.

"…Whatever…" Gabe huffed, closing his eyes once again.

Clementine couldn't help but frown, fighting the urge to apologize again. She couldn't help but feel guilty. She felt like a bad parent. Still, she kept her focus on her twins., eventually calming them. Clementine held them close, humming to them. She felt bad, maybe she shouldn't have come along, maybe it was a big mistake. It was time for her to rethink her decision. She knew better than to get too comfortable.


A while passed on the road before the group decided to take a break to eat. The twins had drifted to sleep, and Clementine was relieved that they had finally settled down.

The group piled out of the van to stretch their legs. Javier had helped Clementine out of the car, so the girl wouldn't hurt her arm, the man then retrieved the wagon for the twins to rest in.

After that the group gathered around to eat.

"Maybe we should stop for the day... We've been driving for a long time." Javier suggested.

"Yeah, we have… We can continue tomorrow." Kate said.

The others were relieved by this.

"Alright, who's hungry?" Javier asked.

"I'm starved." Gabe said, with the others, the exception of Clementine, agreeing that they were ready for a meal.

"What about you, Clem? You hungry, kiddo?" Javier asked the girl.

"I'm fine…" Clementine claimed.

"You sure?" Javier asked with a frown.

Clementine gave a single nod.

"What about the twins?" Javier asked.

"I'll take care of them." Clementine said.

Javier sent her a look. "They have to eat something, Clem."

"They're not starving." Clementine said back, feeling a bit offended. "They ate earlier."

"They did. But ideally, they should eat more than just twice a day. You should too." Javier said. "I know things were rough on your own, and it's not always easy to come by food, but you don't have to worry about that anymore. We have more than plenty—"

"Javier, I said we're fine." Clementine interrupted, annoyance clear on her young face. "The twins are fine. I'll take care of them like I always do. I don't need anyone else telling me how to do it."

"I'm just worried, kid." Javier replied.

"Don't be. They're fine." Clementine said again. "They're sleeping. They need their rest. Anyway… I'll be over there…"

Javier couldn't help but sigh at this. He could see the girl was putting her walls back up and once again pulling away.

"What's wrong with her?" Gabe asked.

Javier looked to him and rose a brow. "Are you serious?"

"What?" Gabe asked back, surprised by his uncle's almost sarcastic sounding tone.

"She's uncomfortable as it is… and remarking about her kids crying isn't going to make her feel any better." Javier said.

Gabe frowned. "I… I wasn't trying to make her upset."

Javier sighed and said, "I know bud… Just… She's been through a lot… You gotta keep that in mind."

"We've all been through a lot." Gabe sighed. "…And I wasn't trying to be mean… I just…. I'm not used to being around babies. I'm not used to having babies traveling with us."

"None of us are buddy. But we can adapt. It might take some time, but that's okay." Javier said.

"I feel like a piece of shit now… Should I go apologize?" Gabe asked.

"I think you should give her some space for now." Javier said.

Gabe sighed but nodded. "Okay…"


Meanwhile Clementine sat in silence beside the twins as the two were resting. She had many thoughts going through her mind as she sat. She found herself debating on if staying with this family was a good idea. She didn't want to burden them or make them feel uncomfortable. And unfortunately, she felt that she was doing both of those things.

She was starting to think she should move on. She didn't want to overstay her welcome.

She laid down beside her napping twins as she continued to think. She needed to do what was best for them. They were what mattered most in her life.

"Mommy loves you, girls." She whispered as she closed her eyes. Exhausted from lack of sleep and overwhelmed with many emotions that had taken over, she decided to try to rest. And soon enough, she had drifted off.


"Clem," A call of her name pulled her from her dreams. The girl stirred a bit, before jerking awake.

The girl blinked, taking a moment to allow her vision to clear as she noticed a figure come into view.

"Sorry for scaring you, kiddo. I brought you and the twins some food." Javier said to the girl.

"I told you I wasn't hungry." Clementine sighed, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"I know you did. But I figured you and the twins could still use some food." Javier replied.

Clementine huffed at that and asked, "Why? Why do you care about us so much?"

"Why don't you want me to care?" Javier wondered.

"You just… shouldn't..." Clementine frowned. "Nobody should care about me."

"Too late for that, kiddo." Javier said. "Look, I know you've had it tough, and you probably weren't around great people, but I promise we're different... You don't have to be on edge around us."

"Being on edge keeps you alive. The minute you let your guard down is when something bad happens. I have my girls to protect. I have to be on edge." Clementine responded.

"I understand why you feel that way. I know things couldn't have been easy for you out there." Javier said.

"You don't know the half of it..." Clementine muttered back.

"I'm sure... and I get it can be hard to trust people, but I want you to know you're safe with us." Javier told the girl.

"I haven't felt safe in a long time..." Clementine sighed. And she didn't think she'd ever feel safe again.

"Maybe we could change that, kiddo." Javier said.

Clementine felt unsure about that. Javier placed the bowl of stew down and said, "I'll leave you to it, Clem."

The girl didn't get the chance to protest before Javier had walked off.

Clementine looked down at the stew feeling a wave of De-ja-vu wash over her. She knew the twins would be hungry, she figured she'd give them the stew when they woke. Her babies came first and if she had to bite the bullet and be uncomfortable in order to provide for them, so be it.

She would do whatever it took to make sure they were taken care of.


The family was starting to become concerned for Clementine. It was like they had backtracked to day one. The girl was completely standoffish throughout the day and only seemed to remain that way as time continued on.

She had come over briefly to "return their bowl", but beyond that, she was keeping to herself.

"That girl is such a puzzle." Kate suddenly said, grabbing everyone's attention.

"She's been through a lot, Kate." Javier said.

"I realize that, but I just… I can't read her…" Kate said. "I don't know what to think about the kid."

"I just hope she's okay… She seemed …sad…" Mariana said.

"I'm gonna go talk to her." Gabe suddenly said, standing.

"Are you sure, bud?" Javier asked.

"Yeah, I am." Gabe replied before making his way over to where Clementine had been sitting. The girl was holding the twins in her lap and seemed to be singing to them.

Gabe couldn't help but feel guilty for his earlier comments regarding the twins, and slowly spoke up, "Hey..."

"Oh… "Clementine looked to him and spoke back, "…Hey..."

"I just wanted to say—" However, he couldn't finish his sentence before Clementine had spoken first.

"I'm sorry about the twins... I try my best to calm them down when they cry... but they can just be fussy sometimes." Clementine said. "They get kind of fussy when they're sleepy. And they're really clingy when they first wake from a nap…"

"No... No, don't apologize. If anyone should say sorry, it's me. I was just being cranky." Gabe said.

"I get it... you were tired." Clementine said.

"I was an asshole... We shouldn't sugarcoat it. And…I'm sorry." Gabe said. "I really am…"

"It's… It's okay…" Clementine said.

"They're cute kids…" Gabe said. "And… I shouldn't have acted the way I did."

"…Thank you…" Clementine said.

Gabe offered a smile and then asked, "Why don't you come back over there with us?"

"Oh… I'm okay… Don't worry about me." Clementine said.

"Okay then…" Gabe said, suddenly taking a seat beside the girl.

"Umm… what are you doing?" Clementine asked the boy.

"Sitting with you… Umm… Is that okay…?" Gabe questioned.

"…Sure…" Clementine said with some hesitation. She hadn't expected him to want to sit with her. "It's fine with me."

Gabe couldn't help but grin at that.

The two sat together quietly at first, but soon enough the two began exchanging light chatter.


The shuffling of clothes was heard, they all knew the plan. Get what they needed and hurry out.

Luckily the place was clear of walkers and people. The store was clearly abandoned, though it was clear that they weren't the first ones to come through there.

The area, which was once stocked with racks of clothing, now had several racks that were completely empty. Display shelves were broken, and some of the store's furniture was overturned and on the floor. The floor itself was filthy, there were dark spots on the carpeting, that they couldn't help but wonder if it was blood.

Rummaging through the racks and peeking into boxes, they gathered whatever outfits they could. They knew the weather was getting cold and they needed to be prepared. They continued looking through the old clothes, grabbing articles of clothing, some of which were clearly too big in size.

Danielle had been patiently waiting while Bonnie went through different outfits, making suggestions to her, Sarah, and Becca. To say the least the child was bored and with Bonnie's focus on trying to impress Becca's stubborn taste in clothing, Danielle decided to see what the others were up to.

Wyatt and Russell seemed to be conversing about something not of the child's interest. Instead, she made her way over to Vince. He was one person she always felt comfortable around. "Hi!"

"Oh...hey, Dani. I thought you were with Bonnie and the girls." Vince said.

"I was but... I wanted to come find you." Danielle replied.

Vince paused for a moment, holding back a sigh. He wasn't in the least bit surprised that Bonnie hadn't been keeping an eye on the child, but it was slightly frustrating. Some things just never seemed to change.

"Alright. I guess you can stick with me then." Vince said, before asking the child, "Did you find any clothes you like?"

"A few..." Danielle said with a nod.

"Well, we still have time. I'll help you find some more." Vince offered.

Vince escorted her to the children's section and began helping her look for some winter ready outfits.

"I won't fit some of these…" Danielle commented as she looked through some of the shirts that Vince had pulled off the rack.

"You'll grow into them, kiddo." Vince replied.

"…Okay…" Danielle nodded. "Umm…What's Luke doing?"

Vince rose a brow, looking over to Luke who was going through rack after rack, grabbing clothing that were clearly meant for a small child, a baby to be exact.

Vince held back a sigh, "Stay here for a bit, kiddo…"

Danielle gave a nod while Vince went over to Luke.

"Luke," Vince called, trying to catch the man's attention.

Luke didn't respond, he continued searching through the racks, grabbing more baby clothes- outfits for little girls.

"Luke!" Vince called again.

Luke looked to him and spoke, pausing in his actions. "What?"

"What are you doing? We're supposed to be getting necessities only." Vince reminded, though his tone showed he was irritated.

"This IS a necessity. The girls need clothes. My girls need clothes…" Luke said.

"Luke, the girls aren't here." Vince said.

"Not now, but that doesn't mean we won't find them soon." Luke replied.

"This is crazy. You don't even know what size they wear?" Vince argued.

"They're small… And maybe I don't know for sure, but that's why I got different sizes…" Luke said.

Vince groaned at this and asked, "…Luke, what are you doing?"

"I told you, I need to find clothes for the twins." Luke said.

"Put them back…" Vince ordered.

Luke shot him a look. "What?"

"The clothes. Put them back." Vince ordered.

"I'm not doing that." Luke refused.

"You don't need them. Put them back." Vince said again.

"I'm not putting them back!" Luke snapped.

"Put. Them. Back." Vince huffed.

As Luke still refused, Vince suddenly pulled one of the outfits from his hands.

"What's your problem?! Why are you being such an asshole?" Luke shoved the other man.

"I'm being the asshole? Luke, you don't need this stuff!" Vince exclaimed.

"My girls need it! I'm gonna find them soon! Quit writing them off like they're dead!" Luke spat.

"I'm not saying their dead. I would never even imply that those children are dead." Vince said. "But we don't know where they are. And since you seem to keep forgetting, there are another two children out there. Clementine and AJ. You know, the mother of those babies, and Rebecca's little boy, they're missing too."

"I realize that." Luke grumbled, yanking the baby clothing from Vince arms. He began once again scanning the racks, collecting more clothing.

"Luke, knock it off!" Vince said.

"Why don't you back off?" Luke hissed.

"You're being ridiculous!" Vince said.

"How? By putting my kids first?" Luke inquired.

"You're not putting them first. They're out there who knows where and you're in an abandoned clothing shop looking for baby clothes." Vince said. "You don't give a damn about AJ or their mother, who, let me remind you is also a young child. A missing child. When you find them are you gonna just take them from her?"

"I would never do that..." Luke said.

"I find that hard to believe." Vince replied.

"Stop it! Stop fighting!" Danielle suddenly exclaimed, looking worried and upset.

"Dani..." Vince muttered with a frown.

"Why are you fighting over... over clothes...?" Danielle asked.

"It's not about the clothes, kid." Luke said.

"Then what?" Danielle asked.

Neither man replied but seeing the baby clothes Luke was holding gave her a hint. "It's about the twins and Clementine, isn't it?"

"It's not about Clem..." Vince said.

"The twins are her babies so, it should be..." Danielle said back.

"It's not about Clem because he doesn't care about Clem." Vince simply said.

Luke sent him a glare, "That's not true. I—"

"I wish you would stop fighting all the time. Especially, about Clem and the twins." Danielle interrupted.

"Dani…why don't you go back over with Bonnie and the girls." Vince suggested.

"I don't want you guys to fight…" Danielle frowned. "Please don't fight…"

"We're not gonna fight. We're done arguing. Right, Luke?" Vince said.

"You tell me." Luke scoffed.

Seeing that Luke wouldn't budge on the clothing, Vince let out a sigh. He was frustrated with the other man, but he was done with the back and forth. He could see why Danielle was bothered by this. They were constantly bickering, and it wasn't worth it to fight over baby clothes. Vince couldn't even imagine how poor Clementine used to feel when everyone would argue around her. Especially when many of their fights revolved around her or included her directly. The girl was always so distraught thanks to all of their behavior in the past. Those kids truly deserved so much better. Vince took a breath before heading over to the rest of the group, leaving Luke to do as he pleased.


The walk back to their little cabin had been quiet. Tense even. The group could all tell something was up, even though they hadn't observed the entire scene.

Seeing Luke was in an off mood, Bonnie gave him space until they arrived at the cabin.

"What was that about?" Bonnie asked.

"What?" Luke asked back.

"You and Vince... Why were you two fighting?" Bonnie questioned. To be honest, it seemed the two were always fighting.

"He's always trying to play leader. He thinks he's in charge of everyone." Luke huffed.

"That's not true... He just…" Bonnie trailed off. "He…"

"Just what?" Luke pressed.

"He's under a lot of stress." Bonnie said.

"Aren't we all?" Luke muttered.

"We are…." Bonnie sighed. "Anyway… What did you get?"

Just... different things." Luke shrugged.

"Care to share?" Bonnie encouraged him to show her what he had gotten.

"Sure..." Luke said. He then dug into his bag to reveal the baby clothes.

"Luke…"

"I know, you think it's stupid." Luke mumbled.

"No... No, I think it's sweet. It shows you really care. That you're a good father." Bonnie said.

"Yeah, right. If I was a good father, I would have found them by now. I haven't seen them since they were just a few months old." Luke said.

"You'll see them soon. And... the fact that you're trying proves you're a good dad to them." Bonnie said.

"Vince doesn't think so." Luke replied.

"...Was that what the fight was about?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah. It was..." Luke confirmed.

"You know Vince means well. He just... is stressed." Bonnie said.

"He just thinks I'm crazy. I'm not." Luke stated.

"He doesn't think that." Bonnie claimed.

"Of course, he does. It's obvious." Luke said.

"Don't take it personal. We're all under stress right now. But it'll be okay." Bonnie said.

"Yeah... I guess..." Luke said.

"...We should've got something for Clem and AJ." Bonnie suddenly said.

"Actually, I did..." Luke said. " I got clothes for AJ. And even for Clem… I do care about her. Even if you guys can't tell..."

"Of course... She's the mother of your twins." Bonnie said. "I know you care about her."

"I cared about her before the pregnancy. I never stopped caring. That kid deserved better." Luke replied.

"Luke..." Both Luke and Bonnie jumped upon hearing Danielle's little voice.

"Hey there, Dani. I thought you were heading to bed." Bonnie said upon spotting the young girl.

"I couldn't sleep... I was thinking too much." Danielle admitted.

"What about, kiddo?" Luke asked.

"Clem... I know you miss the twins. I miss them too. And I really miss Clem..." Danielle said. "She's my best friend... And... I really hope they're okay."

"I'm sure they will be, Dani." Luke said.

"I really hope so..." Danielle said.

"Dani, what are you doing out here?" Vince's voice now drew their attention, causing Luke to fight back a groan.

"I was talking to Luke and Bonnie." Danielle explained.

"Well… Why don't you go on inside, kiddo?" Vince suggested. "It's getting late…plus it's cold out. You should head to bed."

"Okay..." Danielle agreed, but paused, seeming hesitant. "Promise you won't fight."

"I promise." Vince said.

"Both of you..." Danielle said, crossing her arms and waiting for both men to give their word.

"Hey, he started it." Luke mumbled.

"Promise..." Danielle firmly said, not budging.

"Alright, alright. I promise." Luke said.

"Okay… Good…" With that, Danielle headed inside.

"Luke, look... About earlier, I'm sorry if I upset you...I know this is tough." Vince said. "All of this is tough on everyone…"

"What's tough is you treating me like I'm crazy. I'm not." Luke retorted.

"I get that you wanna feel like you're doing something good but. Please explain to me how any of what you're doing is helping those kids?" Vince asked.

"They'd need clothes, so I got them some." Luke said.

"They're not here Luke. So that's not helping them. It's just helping you feel better about yourself." Vince huffed.

"Better about myself? You're damn right it helps me feel better. It lets me hold onto hope that my daughters are okay. That I'll see them again." Luke replied.

"Would you be okay if Clem and AJ weren't?" Vince asked.

"What?"

"Would you be fine if Clem and AJ weren't okay? You barely ever mention those kids." Vince said.

"No... of course not. AJ's Rebecca's son, I really hope that he's okay. And… I care about Clem. I really do... but the shit we went through... I just…you… you have no idea what that does to a person..." Luke said back.

"What do you think it does to a child?" Vince asked.

"We saw first-hand what it did to Clem..." Luke pointed out.

"Yet that child was constantly treated like crap. Even now you keep seeming to forget that she's missing too. She's a young mother out there alone with three kids. And just like before, people seem to keep forgetting she's a child. Do you not see how differently you treat Danielle compared to how Clem was treated? The two of them are like the same age." Vince said.

"I know... I know we...we failed Clem so many times, but things will be different. I just- we just need to find them." Luke said.

"Right... Just try to keep in mind we're missing four kids. Not just two." Vince replied before heading back inside.

Luke was silent, lost in thought as Bonnie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.


Javier noticed that Clementine and Gabe had spent the day chatting away. Eventually, the two made their way over to the fire that the adults had lit up.

Things once again seemed calm. Clementine was again feeling more at ease.

As Clementine began chatting with Mariana, Javier took a seat beside Gabe. "Hey bud. I take it you two made up?"

"Yeah. We made up." Gabe nodded. "But… I don't think she was ever even mad at me, to be honest."

"I don't think so either. I think she was just hurt." Javier said.

"I never meant to hurt her feelings. I wasn't trying to…" Gabe frowned.

"I know that, Gabe… She's just… She's been through a lot, bud. It might be hard for her to not feel…sensitive sometimes…." Javier explained.

"I know she's been through a lot... That's why I don't want to make her upset or make things worse. I like her. She's cool." Gabe said.

"Yeah. She seems like a good kid." Javier said.

"Yeah. She does." Gabe nodded in agreement, looking over to the girl with a small smile.

Javier couldn't help but smirk himself. It seemed like his nephew had a crush.


Days had gone by, and things seemed to calm down even more. Clementine and Gabe seemed to be hanging out more often. And hanging around Clementine had made Gabe quickly realized something, being around Clementine not only made him happy, but it also made his heart pound. He had a crush on the girl, and a huge crush at that.

The boy now could barely speak to Clementine without getting flustered.

He glanced over to the girl who was sitting with Mariana, the two were both playing with the twins.

Biting his lip, the boy made his way over to his uncle who had been working on starting a fire. "Uncle Javi, I need to talk to you."

"Sure, kiddo. Is everything okay…?" Javier asked.

"Everything's not okay…" Gabe said. "I have a problem… A huge problem…"

Javier looked concerned as he looked to the young boy. "What's the matter, bud?"

"I… I… think I like Clementine!" Gabe blurted out, before quickly looking over to make sure the girls hadn't heard him.

"Well, that's pretty obvious, buddy." Javier said.

Gabe's eyes widened at that. "I-Is it really that obvious?"

"To me it is." Javier replied.

"Do…Do you think Clem knows?" Gabe asked, looking a bit nervous.

"It's not the end of the world if she does." Javier said.

"But… What if she doesn't feel the same way? Should… Should I talk to her?" Gabe asked.

"I…don't know, bud. She has a lot on her plate, she might not be focused on—"

"On a boyfriend?" Gabe interrupted.

"Yeah, on a boyfriend." Javier said. "I mean, she has her kids to look after and—"

"Wait, what?" Gabe asked. "Her…kids? Are they like… actually hers?"

"I… I don't know, bud… But regardless, she's looking after them, and that can't be easy." Javier said.

"But… But she's a kid… How could they be hers?" Gabe asked. "Like hers-hers…?"

"Gabe…" Javier sighed.

"Doesn't that mean that she had to… had to… do stuff…" Gabe asked, trailing off and looking unsure and even uncomfortable at the thought.

"Look, that's…. that's not our business…. If they're hers and she feels comfortable telling us, she will..." Javier said.

"I just… How could she have two kids? How could she be a mom at her age…?" Gabe asked.

"I'm not saying she is… But… it's possible…" Javier sighed. "Anything is possible." Living in a world full of the undead proved that.

"I… I had no idea…" Gabe said. "But… about us… Do you think she knows how I feel? Do-Do you think she likes me back? Sh-Should…Should I ask her how she feels?"

"Maybe you should. You'll never know unless you try." Kate spoke up.

Gabe shot the woman a look. "I wasn't talking to you…"

"Gabe, don't be like that." Javier scolded.

"She's always doing this though! She always has to butt in." Gabe said.

"I was just trying to help, Gabe. You asked for advice…" Kate spoke.

"I asked Uncle Javi for advice. If I wanted to hear your advice, I would have asked you." Gabe hissed.

Kate looked away, "I was trying to be helpful."

"Well, you're not. If I wanted your advice, I would have asked for it." Gabe said.

"Gabe..." Javier called in a stern tone, as if ready to lecture the boy.

"I asked Uncle Javi. Not you." Gabe continued, ignoring his uncle's call of his name.

"Gabe you don't have to be so rude." Javier said.

"I was trying to help." Kate said again.

"I never asked for your help." Gabe shot back.

"You know what, with the way you act, I'll be surprised if any girl ever likes you." Kate said.

Gabe frowned at that and stammered, "Wh-What?"

"You heard me. I'll be surprised if a girl ever likes you based off your attitude. A girl won't ever like you if you don't grow up." Kate said.

Gabe glared at her before storming off.

"Kate..." Javier frowned.

"Javi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset him, but you saw how he was acting." Kate said.

"He's a kid, Kate. You know he doesn't mean it...Between hormones and growing up in... all this... It's tough for him." Javier said.

"This world is tough for everyone." Kate pointed out.

"I know... but just... cut him some slack...These kids... they don't mean it... They're just going through so much, things kids shouldn't have to deal with." Javier said.

"Yeah... Yeah... You're right..." Kate sighed. "I just...get frustrated sometimes..."

"I know, Kate...And that's okay. You should apologize though. After he cools off a bit." Javier replied.

"Yeah. I will." Kate nodded.

Javier was relieved to hear that. He stood and told the woman, "I'm gonna go check in on him."

"Okay..." Kate said.

With that, Javier entered the van to check on his nephew.

"Hey, bud. Are you okay?" Javier called as he spotted the boy sulking in one of the back seats.

"…Fine…" Gabe said, keeping his gaze low.

"Was that really necessary, Gabe? That was really rude." Javier said.

"She's the rude one… I was talking to you, not her." Gabe replied.

"She was just offering some advice… You know Kate cares about you…" Javier said.

"Could have fooled me. She's always butting in where she's not wanted." Gabe said back.

"She just worries about you."

"Yeah, sure… She says she's concerned about us, but you know what? Sometimes it feels like she's just trying her best to embarrass me." Gabe said, still feeling annoyed.

"She's not, Gabe…" Javier said. "She means well, she's got your best interests at heart. Try not to be so critical towards her."

"I'm being critical?" Gabe asked, "Her and I are always arguing. Every time I'm speaking with you, she butts in. You can't tell me that that hasn't happened before."

"That's not what I mean. This isn't on one person. And what I mean is you both have to try harder to stop fighting." Javier said.

"I've been trying. Everything just always annoys me." Gabe said.

"Welcome to being fourteen. It's normal, bud. Things are tough…" Javier responded.

"Tell me about it."

"But you still gotta try to get along. For everyone's sake." Javier said. "Kate was only trying to help, kiddo. She cares about you and loves you."

Gabe couldn't help but sigh at that. "I… I know… I didn't mean to get so upset…"

"I know you didn't, Gabe. But you should still apologize. Kate's not perfect, but she has good intentions. You and Mari mean the world to her."

"I guess I owe her an apology…" Gabe said.

"You both owe each other one." Javier said.

"…I'll say sorry… but….do you think she really meant that?" Gabe asked.

"Meant what?" Javier asked back.

"That Clem won't ever like me…"

"I think she already likes you, bud." Javier answered.

"Probably not like I like her…" Gabe said. "I don't even think she knows I like her. Do you think she likes me?"

"I'm sure she likes you." Javier said.

"I mean, do you think she LIKE likes me? Not just as a friend like…?" Gabe asked.

"Okay, Gabe," Javier shifted slightly, "Let me stop you right there… You two are young… and you haven't known each other too long…"

"But we have chemistry… there's something there… I always feel it when we're together…" Gabe said.

"You could be right, but I don't want you to rush into anything. Clementine's been through a lot… She's scared and maybe a bit insecure…" Javier said. "Plus, you two are kids… Don't grow up too fast."

A short silence arose, in which Javier thought that Gabe would probably ignore him completely, but then the boy spoke. "I guess you're right… I don't want to mess things up."

"Just… take things slow." Javier advised.

Gabe nodded. "Yeah. I will."

"And apologize to Kate." Javier added.

"Yeah, yeah…" Gabe muttered, but Javier could tell his words had gotten through to the boy.

"I'll let you have some space, bud." Javier said, before exiting the van, leaving Gabe to his thoughts.


A while had passed, and Gabe had finally cooled off. After calming down, he headed out to where the others were sitting by the fire.

He bit back a sigh, trying to work up the nerve to apologize first.

"Gabe…" Kate spoke before he could. "I wanted to say sorry. About earlier... I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to help."

"…No... I'm sorry too... for being a jerk." Gabe said.

"And… if you want my opinion… I think you could have a chance with her…" Kate said with a small smile.

Gabe's face flushed as he looked over to Clementine who was sitting with Mariana and the twins. "You…You really think so."

"Yeah. I really do." Kate said.

Gabe couldn't help but smile himself, he really hoped he had a chance.


Night had come along quickly. They prepared a meal and ate.

Clementine focused on feeding her twins, before eating herself as always. Feeding the twins often ended up becoming a messy chore. They wanted to feed themselves but allowing them to do so resulted in an even bigger mess.

And the group's laughter every time they made a mess had encouraged it, the twins would squeal and laugh thinking it was so funny.

Clementine fought the urge to roll her eyes, when the group would laugh at the twins messy eating habits, but she couldn't bring herself to be upset. It was actually quite cute. After supper she wiped the twins clean with help from Kate. The group then readied to turn in for the night.

Gabe bid Clementine and the others goodnight, Kate doing the same. Clementine, however, was surprised when Mariana approached with a question. "Hey...I was wondering if you wanted to pray with me?"

"Pray...?" Clementine repeated, her voice hinted with shock.

"Yeah. Before bed..." Mariana said.

"I... Mari, I don't really pray..." Clementine replied.

"Well... maybe you can try?" Mariana urged, though she tried not to be too pushy.

"I- I haven't done it in forever..." Clementine said. Part of her felt like she had no right to pray. She was unfit to pray. Besides, it wasn't like any of her prayers would be answered. They were living in hell, what was the point of praying?

"It's okay. I can say the prayer for us." Mariana said.

Clementine fought back a sigh as she gave in, replying with a gentle, "Okay."

Mariana beamed at that. "Okay. Close your eyes and bow your head."

"What... about the girls?" Clementine asked.

"They can pray with us." Mariana said.

"...Okay..." Clementine obliged, closing her eyes and bowing her head. She could hear the twins babbling beside her as Mariana began to utter a prayer. "Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep."

Clementine silently listened, wondering if anyone could truly hear their prayer.

"If I shall die before I wake; I pray the Lord my soul to take." Mariana spoke.

Clementine contemplated on those words. If she were to die one night what would happen to her twins? Who would care for them? Who would protect them?

She had never been afraid of death. Well, maybe long ago, when she was oh so little. But things had changed so much since then. She couldn't bring herself to fear dying, she didn't need any assurance that there could be a heaven or that her sins would be forgiven. Truly she felt like her sins would never wash away. She felt like she was unworthy, like she was stained. And she had become so numb to everything around her. The ideals of prayer and hope in general had become in a way bizarre to her.

She could hear Mariana wish blessings upon her own family, upon the twins, upon Clementine as well...

Clementine was unsure if blessings existed. Sometimes it felt like her whole life had been a curse.

"M-Ma..." A little voice uttered, causing her to peek her eyes open. She then felt a gentle weight in her lap and couldn't help the small smile that overtook her lips.

In that moment she felt blessings had to be real. Her twins were her blessings. They were the most important people in her life. For all the bad she had been through she was so happy to have them.

"Thank you, Lord. Amen." Mariana's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. The younger girl looked to her expectantly.

"Oh...A-Amen." Clementine muttered.

Mariana offered her a smile. "Thanks for praying with me." She said to the other girl. "Goodnight."

"Night..." Clementine said back.

With that, the younger child retreated to the van.

Clementine remained put, adjusting Aleena in her lap. She rocked Aleena who was slowly drifting off to sleep and motioned Crystal over. "Come on, girls. It's time to go to sleep."

Crystal toddled over and Clementine made space on her lap for the baby. Aleena seemed ready to drift off though Crystal seemed to want to play.

"Hey, hey, hey no... It's not playtime… Go night-night, baby."

Eventually the toddler settled, and Clementine held them both close.

As they snuggled close to her, she began humming to the two, eventually soothing the babies to sleep.

The responsibility of caring for the twins could quickly become overwhelming at times. Between, diapers, feedings, and singing nursery rhymes, the young mother was exhausted.

The environment back at the brothel was always disruptive for her babies. So much so that she could not sleep for all their antics and crying.

But now things seemed different. Things felt a lot calmer…

Maybe she could get used to this.


"Hey," Javier greeted the young girl, barely surprised to see her still awake.

"Hey." Clementine said back.

"How are the twins?" Javier asked.

"They fell asleep pretty easily tonight. Usually, they'd be up for hours." Clementine said.

"Well, that's good. Maybe they're getting comfortable." Javier said.

"Seems so." Clementine agreed.

"What about you, kiddo? How are you settling in?" Javier asked.

"I'm fine..." Clementine stated.

"That's good. Seems like you and the kids are getting along well." Javier noted.

"Yeah. Gabe and Mari are cool." Clementine said.

"They are. They're good kids. I'm glad you like them." Javier said.

"I do... I like spending time with them... It's been a long time since I hung around people and actually had fun." Clementine replied.

"I'd imagine… I'm sure it can't be easy on your own with two kids." Javier said.

"It hasn't been easy… We weren't on our own the whole time though… I had some good people around and…. Some not so good people too." Clementine sighed.

"I figured as much…" Javier said. "So… Those good people… Are they still out there? Maybe looking for you."

Clementine frowned lowering her head. "I… I think everyone is dead… It's just us now…"

"I… I'm sorry to hear that, kid… How long has it been you three all alone?" Javier asked.

"…I don't know…" Clementine answered after a moment's silence. There was no way she could tell him about the brothel or the people she had been with just recently. She really couldn't tell him anything about her past without him judging her…

"Hard to keep track of time out there…" Javier nodded his understanding.

"Yeah… It is…" Clementine agreed.

"Well, you're safe now. That's what matters." Javier said.

"Thank you… You guys have been so… nice… I appreciate it…" Clementine said. "But I keep wondering why…?"

"There isn't a why. It's the right thing to do, so why not." Javier said. "There should be more people who treat others right, who treat others with care… This world…is just sad… And you kids all deserve better."

"This world is sad… Real sad…"

"Yeah… But we can make the best with what we have." Javier said. "Look, Clem, you're one of us now. We care about you… Gabe and Mariana really enjoy having you around. They haven't had a friend in forever. And I hope you all can be close friends."

"I… think we will be… They're great. I really like them." Clementine said.

The two continued conversing not noticing the van door open, and someone make their way out of the vehicle.

Meanwhile, Gabe, who had woken to use the bathroom, paused by the van. He could hear Clementine and Javier talking, which grabbed his attention.

"They're cool. I like hanging out with them."

Gabe felt his heart skip a beat as he overheard this. Clementine thought he was cool. She enjoyed hanging around him. She liked being in his presence. Maybe she felt how he did. Maybe… Maybe he had a chance with her. With his back pressed against the van, he kept himself hidden as he tried to slow his racing thoughts. And let the blush on his face fade away. However, he jumped when Clementine's voice spoke.

Having heard the van door open, Clementine looked to the van and called out. "Who's there?"

Javier furrowed his brows in confusion at her call. He hadn't noticed anyone.

A moment later footsteps were heard as Gabe revealed himself. "Uh- Hey…"

"Oh… It's just you…" Clementine said, sighing in relief. "You shouldn't sneak around like that."

"I- I wasn't… I just needed to go to the bathroom." Gabe told them.

"Okay then…" Javier said. "…Have fun with that… Don't go too far."

An awkward silence fell before Gabe slowly excused himself and walked away.

"I'm glad it was just him…" Clementine said.

"Right… Are you alright kid?" Javier asked.

"I'm just a bit on edge. If you can't tell." Clementine replied.

"I can tell, alright." Javier said. It was obvious with how the girl was always looking over her shoulder, the poor child was full of paranoia. "You know what would help with those nerves of yours… Getting some sleep…"

"Of course, it would…" Clementine sighed.

"Ah, so you agree. Do you actually plan on sleeping anytime soon?" Javier asked.

"I can't go to sleep… I have to stay awake to protect the girls." Clementine said.

"You know they're safe. You are too." Javier said.

"Nowhere is ever safe. Not really." Clementine retorted.

"Maybe if you went in the van, you'd feel safer." Javier suggested.

Clementine quickly shook her head. "I'd rather not..." She didn't want to be in a closed space.

"Clem you gotta sleep eventually." Javier said.

"I can't, okay? Every time I try... every time I close my eyes, I end up having horrible dreams. I can't sleep because of it…" Clementine said. "I've been having nightmares for a long time, and the best way to avoid them is to stay awake."

"I'm sorry kid...Do you...wanna talk about them?" Javier asked.

"No... I... I just want them to stop."

"I understand. Nightmares suck. What usually helps you feel better after a bad dream?" Javier questioned, wanting to help her.

"Not much...Only thing besides my girls that really helps is Promise." Clementine answered.

"Promise?"

"My best friend." Clementine clarified.

"Where is he?" Javier asked.

In response to his question, Clementine motioned to her bag.

Javier looked confused as he asked, "In the bag?"

Seeing his expression, Clementine hesitantly spoke. "…Don't laugh..." She reached into her bag and slowly revealed a tattered teddy bear.

Javier's gaze softened. "Clem…"

"Please…Please don't make fun of me... or him... He's my best friend... He's been here for me through a lot..." Clementine stammered a bit.

Javier frowned upon realizing she was embarrassed. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't make fun of you. You're a kid."

"No... I'm not." Clementine disagrees.

"What?"

"I said I'm not a kid. I'm a woman." Clementine said.

"Why do you say that? How old are you exactly?" Javier asked.

"It doesn't matter." Clementine replied.

Feeling confused by her response Javier shrugged. "Okay. But regardless of what you think, you are a kid."

"I'm not a kid, Javi. And I can prove to you I'm not."

"What are you talking about? Prove to me how?" Javier asked.

"I know how to do a lot of adult stuff." Clementine said.

"I'm sure you do. A lot of kids have had to do things they shouldn't to survive. It doesn't change the fact that you're still a kid." Javier said.

"You don't understand." Clementine huffed.

"I do, Clem. Every kid your age can't wait to be an adult. Look I know you had to grow up fast but—"

The girl cut him off, inching closer to him. "I can show you just how grown up I am. Let me prove it to you."

Javier froze, feeling nervous as the girl moved closer. "W-What are you saying, kid?"

"I can show you...If you want. I have to pay you back anyway." Clementine said getting even closer.

"Clem... what are you doing?" Javier asked, backing away from her advances.

"Let me make you feel good…" Clementine said.

Javier couldn't bring himself to get another word out, eyes wide in horror as he tried to process what was going on- tried to process the fact that a child was trying to seduce him.

Fortunately, Gabe returned and upon noticing the boy Clementine quickly backed away.

"Hey… are you guys okay…?" Gabe asked, raising a brow, noticing the strange tension and awkwardness between the two.

"We're fine." Clementine responded. "We were just talking…"

"…Okay…" Gabe said. "Well, I'm gonna head back to bed. Goodnight."

"Night, bud…" Javier said.

Clementine waited until Gabe had headed back into the van before speaking, "So…Where were we...?"

"You were going to bed. Now." Javier said, in a stern voice, trying to ignore the sick feeling he had in his stomach. He wanted to scold the girl, to yell at her that it was wrong, but for a child to do such a thing in a nonchalant manner… she must have been through a lot. He had already felt something was up when she first showed up in that outfit… He had pieced together that the twins were in fact her daughters, although he wanted to ask to confirm, he knew now wasn't the time. This child had clearly been through things no child should go through.

"But I—"

Javier wasn't having it and interrupted, "Get some sleep, Clem."

"...You'll want it eventually. Most guys do." Clementine said.

Javier felt beyond disturbed by what had just happened. Clearly this little girl had been through a lot, but he had no idea what extend of things the child had been through. "No. I won't." Javier said. "You shouldn't try that stuff with people. Especially adults."

"Why not?" Clementine asked, in the most innocent way a child could.

Javier felt his stomach flip even more. "It's wrong…" And many people would have taken advantage. He knew that, but he didn't tell her out loud. Though he was sure the poor girl knew it too. "You should get some sleep, kid."

"Javi, I—"

"Goodnight…" Javier spoke before she could finish, standing to move a bit away and continue keeping watch, leaving her to rest by the fire.


"Luke," Bonnie called as she stepped outside, seeing Luke sitting alone on the porch in the darkness.

"Hey…" Luke spoke.

"Hey. I thought I'd find you out here." Bonnie greeted back to him.

"Were you looking for me?" Luke asked.

"Not really… Well… kind of…" Bonnie said. "I wanted to check on you."

"I'm fine… I just couldn't sleep…" Luke admitted.

"Thinking about the twins?" Bonnie noticed he was clutching a baby sleeper in one hand and holding a familiar rattle in the other.

"Yeah… I'm always thinking about them." Luke said.

"I… I know…" Bonnie sighed.

"I just miss them, okay… I worry about them…" Luke said.

"I'm worried about you…" Bonnie told him.

"Don't be. I'm fine, Bonnie."

"…I can tell you're not… What's going on with you, Luke? You've been getting into arguments left and right. You constantly seem lost in thought… And you're always outside… Alone, in the cold…" Bonnie said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Luke muttered.

"Yes, you do… You're never like this, Luke… What's going on with you?" Bonnie asked.

"Never like this? What, so I'm a bad guy now for changing?" Luke huffed.

"That's not what I'm saying." Bonnie defended her words.

"You don't have to say it. You're implying it." Luke said.

"No, I'm not."

"Then what?" Luke asked. "What are you trying to say, Bonnie?"

"I-I'm worried about you, Luke. We're all worried about you." Bonnie said.

"All worried? They got a funny way of showing it." Luke replied.

"They are worried about you… Especially the kids." Bonnie told him.

"Right… They're worried that I've gone crazy." Luke said.

"That's not true." Bonnie disagreed.

Luke scoffed. "Please. You've seen how they treat me, seen how they look at me…"

"I've seen…" Bonnie said. There was no denying that. "Which is how I know for a fact that they're worried about you."

"Do you think I'm crazy too, Bonnie?" Luke asked.

"What? No. Of course not!" Bonnie said. "I think you're just stressed. Which is understandable. I think we're all stressed, and we have all the right to feel that way."

"You're not just saying that right?" Luke asked. "I'm not crazy, Bonnie."

"I'm not just saying it. I know you're not. I never said you were." Bonnie said.

"But you and everyone else think it." Luke said.

"No. No, I don't… Luke, I swear, I—"

"Do you really wanna know why I'm acting this way…?" Luke asked.

"More than anything. I want you to talk to me… You know you can always talk to me…" Bonnie said.

"I can't talk to any of you. No one listens to how I feel…" Luke grumbled under his breath.

Bonnie heard and responded, "Try me…"

"Alright. I'm pissed. My kids are out there- who knows where, and nobody here gives a damn about that." Luke said.

"That's not true, Luke! We do care!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Oh? Because it seems like everyone is content with staying put and settling here when we could be looking for the kids. It's like they forgot about them." Luke said.

"No one forgot about them… We agreed to stay here to wait out the winter." Bonnie said.

"You all agreed. I didn't." Luke said.

"You… You were outvoted." Bonnie said.

"Of course, I was. No one ever hears me out." Luke said. "We're gonna stay here the whole winter while they're out there freezing their asses off."

"We don't know that, Luke. For all we know they're somewhere safe and warm." Bonnie said.

"Or for all we know they're not." Luke replied.

"Clementine could be looking for us right now." Bonnie continued.

"And if that's the case that's more the reason for us to look for them as well…" Luke said. "I can't just give up on them. Even if everyone else has."

"No one's giving up on them…" Bonnie said.

"If they're out there… It's not good. Last winter was bad for them… Really bad…" Luke said.

"I know… But… Like I said, we don't know if they're out there. They might be safe…" Bonnie said.

"I hope so… I really hope so…" Luke said.

"Look, if everybody has truly given up on them, I want you to know I won't and no matter what, we're gonna find them." Bonnie said.

"Yeah… I just… hope we find them soon." Luke said.

"…Come on… We should head inside. It's cold and there ain't no point in chilling ourselves to the bone. You'll only end up getting sick…" Bonnie said.

Luke let out a sigh but nodded in agreement. He stood to follow Bonnie inside, trying to feel a bit more hopeful that he would find those kids soon.

They had to be okay… They just had to be.