A/N: It's finally here! I'm hoping you enjoy and I'm sorry it took so long. College is really something, but on the bright side I'm out for the summer! Also I've been planning out how the future chapters after this was going to go, and the reason for that is at the end of the story where interesting things happen. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Walking Dead game, just the characters that I make up.

It Just Happened

Daisyfan5534

Chapter 18


Clementine heard the front door to their house open. She was sitting on the couch reading with her back to the door so she had to turn her body around. A smile formed as she saw Luke come inside and shut the door behind him. He's home for the day!

"Welcome home!"

"Hey, kid." Luke set his backpack down by the kitchen and unzipped it. "I got some stuff for you."

"You did?" Clementine's ears perked up as she put her bookmark in the book she was reading and got up from the couch.

"Your friend, Rodney, made apple cider. He knew it was your birthday so he gave us extra." Luke said as he pulled out two bottles of the cider and put it on the counter.

Things have been okay between her and Rodney. She was able to move on from it, and they're still friends. All she really wanted was to put it behind her and never think about it again. God, that was so embarrassing.

"I also got you something." Luke pulled out a book from his bag and held it out to her.

"Thanks, Luk- HEY!" Just as she was about to grab the book, Luke held it above her head, just out of her reach.

Luke would lift the book higher as she reached for it, even when she jumped for the book.

"You're still short." he teased.

"You're still an asshole!" With one last little jump, Clementine grabbed the book from his hand. "Ha!"

His hand fell to the top of her head. "Happy thirteenth, Clem."

Clementine looked over the book, just from reading the back blurb it looked interesting. "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, kid." he said. "I'm glad you're enjoying books."

"I used to read with my parents before everything started. They'd mostly read to me, but I still liked it. Did you read a lot before everything started?" she asked.

"Nah, reading was never my thing, I never got into books. I did read a lot of comic books, though."

Perfect! Now Clementine knows what to get him for his birthday.

"So what's for dinner?" Clementine asked.

"Well," Luke looked through the bag again. "You can choose from apples, apples, or apples."

That got a chuckle out of her. "I guess apples." she responded.

"Good, I was worried you were going to pick apples instead." Luke pulled the fruit out of the bag and held it out to her.

"You're so weird." she smirked as she extended her hand out to grab it then the hesitated and looked him in the eye.

"What?" He asked.

"You better not." she told him.

"I better not what?" he asked, with a hint of fake innocence in his voice.

Clementine moved her hand closer to the apple all for Luke just to jerk his hand to the side, again preventing her from getting something. "Do that!"

"I'm not doing anything." Luke moved the apple again as Clementine tried to grab it again. He knew full well was he was doing.

Luke held it above her head again causing her to reach for it once again as she called him an ass. He took the opportunity to use his other hand to tickle her armpit. She yelped and yanked her arm down to protect herself but his hand went to her stomach and her sides, tickling her more. Luke pulled her into a bear hug, wrapping his arms around her to keep her arms pinned. Clementine squirmed and giggled in his hold as he tickled her stomach. When he stopped, he was laughing and she was heavily breathing from the attack.

"I fucking hate you!" She told him, earning her another tickle.

"Love you too, Clem." He kissed her cheek before releasing her. This time he gave her the apple without messing with her.

He loved messing with her, he found it funny. It won't be as fun when she gets taller, so he's taking advantage of her small height now. He knew it annoyed her, and he figured that was why he was entertained by her annoyance.

Clementine bit the apple. And smiled lightly at the sweetness. She loved apples ever since she was little. Her mom used to cut them up into slices as a snack or she'd pack them in her lunch. Fucking apples, man, they were always the best. They were lucky to have access to fresh apples.

"Anything else you want to do tonight?" Luke asked.

"Can we play poker?" Clementine suggested.

"Of course, kid. That it?"

"Can you sing for me?"

Luke did a sharp laugh. "Not singing for you."

"Come on, Luke, please!" Clementine begged.

"No, I told you I'm not singing for you again."

"But I love it when you sing! And it's my birthday!"

"Don't care, not singing for you."

Clementine looked down avoiding eye contact for a moment as she took a deep breath in and out, then looked she looked up at Luke with the most begging look she can give.

Luke smirked at her puppy eyes and pulled the bill of her hat down to hide them. "Not going to work this time, sissy."

"Stop calling me sissy!" she told him as Luke used the hand on her head to shake it.

"Come on, just because it's your birthday, don't mean I won't go easy on you at poker."

"Uh-huh, sure."

Luke smirked as he grabbed an apple out of the bag, then he and Clem began setting up for their game.


It was late now. After four games of poker, Luke got called to a council meeting. He didn't want to leave Clementine, especially on her birthday, but he had a job to do. The meeting wasn't much, it was just an update on the walker pit and sightings on the farm. The leader told everyone to be careful and to report anything suspicious. It was night by the time they were done and he was tired, all Luke wanted to do was go to bed.

Once he got home, he headed straight towards the bedroom. Clementine was already asleep, her cat curled up and sleeping by her feet. Luke scratched the cat's head then got in bed on his side. He rested for a moment on his back then he closed his eyes. Only a few seconds after, he heard a gasp and movement on the bed. Luke heard the young girl next to him exhale as if to calm down, she had a nightmare, he knew.

"Fucking Carver."

Luke looked over at her, watching her plop back down on the bed facing away from him as she pulled the covers over her. She wasn't happy, and he knew that she wasn't going back to sleep right away. Her nightmares haven't been as persistent; they've nearly stopped since arriving, but every now and then she'll get a bad one. They aren't always Carver, but those tend to be the worst.

He thought for a moment, he knew what would cheer her up, as much as he didn't want to do it. It was for her, and she did ask for it. Luke tried to think of something he remembered and knew the words too, and once he got it he rolled on his side towards Clem and took a breath before he started.

"Clem, why you calling me so late
It's kind of hard to talk right now,"

She rolled over to him at the sound of his voice.

"And Clem why you crying, is everything okay?
I gotta whisper cause I can't be too loud,"

Even in the dark, he could see her smile.

"Well, my girl's in the next room,
Sometimes I wish it was you,
I guess we never really moved on,
It's really good to hear your voice,
Saying my name, it sounds so sweet,
Coming from the lips of an angel,
Hearing those words, it makes me weak
And I, never wanna say goodbye,
You know it's hard to be faithful,
With the lips of an angel."*

Clementine moved closer to him. Luke wrapped an arm around her out of habit. It comforts her, reminds her that she wasn't alone after a bad dream. His voice is just so calming to her.

"Thanks, Luke." she tiredly said.

"Happy birthday, kid." He told her as they both fell asleep.


A couple weeks have passed since Clem's birthday. So far she was enjoying being an official teenager. Right now, Andie and Clementine were exploring in the city. They're supposed to be getting more cat food, and they will, but Andie wanted to goof off with her best friend as a birthday present. More specifically, a shopping spree. They would have done it sooner, but they had to work.

"Holy shit! Clem, you should try that on!" Andie pointed to a window display with a mannequin wearing a burgundy red dress. It was about knee-length with thick straps.

"I don't know." she said.

"Are you serious? Come on!"

And before she knew it, Andie pulled her into the store. She went onto the display and stripped the mannequin then threw the dress at Clementine.

"Just try it on"

"Alright, fine." Clementine went to the dressing room to change.

She loved dresses. It was the one thing she always wanted to wear every day before everything started. The last time she wore a dress was in that clothing store when Luke found her and gave her a prom. Despite the fact they got attacked afterward, she enjoyed it and it was really sweet of him. Once the dress was on she looked in the mirror, and she couldn't help but smile slightly. She loved it, and it was really pretty. Clementine couldn't help herself and she twirled around in the dress like she used to do when she was younger.

"Clem, you almost done?" Andie called.

"Yeah, just a second."

Clementine opened the door to see Andie standing there in a pastel blue, knee-length dress with no sleeves, but the top part had strings that she tied around her neck. Her hair was down, too, only going slightly past her shoulders. Clementine watched her mouth drop in awe.

"You look super cute!" Andie told her. "Just one thing." She took off Clem's hat and tossed it to the pile of her clothes then pulled the hair bands out of her hair. Andie took a step back and her mouth formed a smile. "Oh my god, you need to wear your hair down more often."

"I don't want to get grabbed." Clementine turned to look in the dressing room mirror again. Her curly hair was down to her chin, she's going to have to cut it soon. But all in all, she looked… normal. Like everything was normal, and she was shopping for dresses with her best friend like in the stories she's read about. And most of all, she felt pretty.

"Forget about survival for one moment! You look great!"

"You do too, Andie."

"See, there you go. I think I saw a record player somewhere behind the counter. Let's figure out how it works."

The girls made their way over to the front counter, spinning a couple times to see their dresses fly out. Clementine and Andie found the record player, but there wasn't a record in it. Andie began rummaging through the drawers and floor cabinets beneath the counter explaining how her grandmother used to have a record player then sold it when she moved from Las Vegas to Washington for retirement. Clementine listened and fiddled with the record player a bit, trying to figure out how it would work.

"Ha!" Andie pulled out a record and gave it to Clem.

Clementine put the record on and put the needle on. Somehow she managed to get it to play music. She adjusted the volume of the player so it wouldn't be too loud and when Clem turned around, Andie was already dancing slightly. Clementine smiled and joined her, and like that they both enjoyed the dancing in dresses and being complete dorks in the middle of a clothing store. They even took each other's hands and spun around in circles. The girls danced until their sides hurt and ended up laying on the floor talking until the record finished playing. It felt normal, and Clementine felt happy. Definitely the best day she's had, she hasn't had this much fun in so long.

"I'm glad you had fun today." Andie said aloud.

"I'm with you, why wouldn't I have fun?" Clementine told her.

"I'm just glad you're my friend." she said.

"We're best friends, Andie." Clementine said back.

Clementine heard Andie laugh to her self. "I wasn't really well liked as a kid, never had a lot of friends." Andie sighed. "Might have been the fact that I wasn't an angel, either. I messed around in class every now and then, and I guess I did like to play dirty. I didn't want to move to Oregon, my dad wanted to for his job and my mom was just excited to be closer to my grandma, I didn't want to leave the people I knew, my home, I loved it there."

"Weren't you five?" Clementine asked.

"I was and in kindergarten. My dad brushed it off as me being dramatic as usual. The day before we moved to Oregon, I was just so mad, that I would probably never see all these people again. There was this one bully in class, I can't remember his name, but he took advantage of it being my last day and made it a living hell."

"Andie…"

"He threw a kickball in my face, shoved me, stole my snack. My teacher didn't do anything, it being my last day and all and how I wouldn't see him again. Then when lunch rolled around, he took my chocolate milk, and that's when I drew the line." Andie smirked. I stood up, walked over to him, took the milk carton back, opened it then dumped it on his head."

"You did that over chocolate milk?"

"I was five and my two favorite things in the whole world was chocolate and my mom. And it doesn't stop there. For lunch, the special was mashed potatoes and gravy and I remember because I took a handful of his mashed potatoes and chucked it at his face. Then some other kid called out food fight and everyone was throwing food!"

"Holy fucking shit, Andie!" Clementine said with a laugh, even Andie laughed with her.

"I did get caught and I was sent to the office along with the bully and the kid who called out food fight, and my dad was furious because he had to pick me up. My mom thought it was funny at first and she understood I was being bullied, but she was still mad."

"But you moved, you got to start over in a new place, right?"

"You'd think." Andie said. "Because of the food fight, my dad thought I needed Jesus, so he enrolled me in a private school. My mom was against it, and I hated it there. Everything was so fucking cliquey, I had to wear an stupid, itchy skirt, and I never really believed in a god to begin with, even now I don't know if one exists."

Andie paused to take a breath and Clementine rolled on her side, watching her stare up at the ceiling.

"Eventually I made friends at school, they were the kids from my neighborhood, so it was only a matter of time before I met them. I made friends with the boys and the girls, but they never played with each other and they stayed separated, even at school. The girls would kind of use me as an errand girl and as they got older they started getting invested more in make-up and they wanted nothing to do with dirt and sports. This one time one of the girls made friendship bracelets for us, but she "forgot" about mine. Sometimes they'd make me the butt of their jokes or say they had enough people in whatever game they played, and when that happened, I'd play with the boys. They liked me, dare I say probably more than the girls did, and they were in awe when I told them the food fight story."

Clementine watched her face turn from a slight smile to a frown.

"I was ten when everything started. I was in the fourth grade, and school was going to get out in a few minutes, my mom was supposed to pick me up, so I was excited. Then I got called to the office, my first thought was my mom was here, but… she wasn't. The vice principal got a call and she told me that my dad was attacked by some guy and was at the hospital. I was told to wait for my mom to pick me up, but she never came. All the other kids went home and by the time it was five, I got tired of waiting and lied to the secretary that my mom was here so I could leave. I remembered the way home from the bus rides, so I began walking, eventually stole some random skateboard from someone's yard to get home faster, and everything was oddly quiet, even the streets were empty. When I got home… I saw my mom's car, door ajar with my dead mom's chest torn open in the front seat and a dead walker on the ground; both shot in the head."

"Andie, I'm-"

"I got changed out of my stupid school uniform. I turned on the radio in my house and heard that the world had gone to shit. The dead eating each other, people dying, I heard that I needed to find a safe place with others, so I packed what I could and left my home. I found my friends in the neighborhood in one of the girl's houses, all of them, boys and girls. It surprised me that they'd all be together during this, but I was more surprised at their response when I asked if I could join them and stay."

Clementine could hear a low, barely audible growl from Andie's throat.

"All the girls just fucking laughed and said they didn't need me, that they never liked me. The boys tried to vouch for me, but the girls outnumbered them. They shut the door in my face, the people who I thought were my friends, they…"

"So what did you do?"

"I felt so mad, betrayed! I remember yelling "You're all bitches!" from outside. It was the first time I actually swore at someone and it felt good to let my anger out and I found some rocks and threw them at the windows, but one ricocheted off the house and broke one of the car windows in the driveway and set off the car alarm. The dead began pouring out and I started to panic, so I ran back to my house, yanked my dead mother out of the car, pulled the keys from her bloody hand, and drove away." Andie's eyes closed, that day was rough for her.

"You left them?" Clementine asked.

"They never let me join, so I don't know if I'd say that I left them. But did I leave them to fend for themselves with a shit load of walkers? Yeah. I was just so mad, my mom was dead, my dad was probably dead, too, my so-called friends didn't care about me. It felt like I had nothing…" Andie sat up and crossed her legs with her hands in her lap.

"Do you know if they're alive?" Clementine sat up too.

"I never looked back when I drove away, and I haven't seen any of them since so I don't know. Despite everything, I do hope that they're okay." Andie stood up and held her hand out to Clem to pull her up. "I didn't know what a friend was supposed to be like, not even a best friend, all I could do was read about them. Then I came here, found my grandma, met Rodney, the twins, and you. You've stuck by me through everything, you care, we tell each other secrets, and honestly, I don't know why, but I couldn't be happier that you're my best friend." Her head hung low, worried about what her best friend would think of her leaving people to probably die.

Clementine didn't know what to say. She took a hold of Andie's hand, and when Andie looked at her, Clementine gave her a hug. Andie took it by surprise, but then returned the hug.

"I just wanted to thank you for everything." Andie whispered into her ear.

"I couldn't ask for a better best friend." Clementine told her. "You push me to have fun when I'm too focused on survival, you've shown me what it's like to feel empowered, even when I'm a downer. I think I would have gone crazy at work without you here."

"I was about to, then you saved me." Andie pulled away. "You do look amazing in that dress by the way. Red is a good color on you."

"You should wear light blue more, it looks pretty on you. It kind of reminds me of Cinderella."

Andie smirked. "Thanks, Tiana."

They both laughed at the princess names. It felt like they've been friends forever.

"It's crazy." Andie said.

"What is?" Clementine asked.

"We probably would never have met if all of this never happened."

"Wow…" Clementine never thought about that. "Maybe we would have, you never know."

"Huh, I guess I do make you less of a downer." Andie held her half of her necklace out. "Best friends forever?"

Clementine connected her half heart with hers and smiled. "Best friends forever." Clem's eyes shifted to an open cabinet behind Andie. She let her necklace hit her chest as she investigated in the cabinet, pulling out a Polaroid camera.

Andie saw the camera and asked Clem if she could take pictures of both of them since she's taller. Clementine handed her the camera and they wrapped an arm around each other's backs and smiled. Andie took two photos so they could each have one. Soon after they began searching the store for new clothes. They still had to go get cat food and they both felt like they needed a change of clothes. They were getting older and their old clothes were getting to the point where they constrict their limbs and they could feel the stitching pop when they stretched.

Clementine and Andie spent most of the time finding a new bra. They had no clue about sizing and the different types. None of them really connected with the women at work, Andie's grandmother didn't get out much, and Luke was… well... useless about this stuff, so they were on their own with anything relating to being a girl. It blew their minds on the different types of bras there were.

"I'm never going back to regular bras!" Andie exclaimed. They both found out that sports bras were a thing, and were a hell of a lot comfier than normal bras.

After finding the right bra, Clementine got dressed. She found a faded yellow shirt with buttons at the top and she rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. She also found dark green pants, leg warmers that she tucked into her new tie-up boots. She also found a black bracelet that she liked and it fit snug around her wrist so it wouldn't get caught on anything. Clementine pulled her hair back into the pigtails and placed her hat back on her head. She missed a couple curls, but she left them dangling on the sides of her face. She looked into the mirror to check her new outfit, it was casual, but not too laid back. She still looked like she could kick some ass.

"Andie?" Clem called as she left her dressing room.

"I'm here." Andie came out of her dressing room with her hair pulled back up in a high ponytail. She had a brown leather jacket on over a faded orange shirt and light blue jeans with knee-high brown boots. Her friendship necklace was clearly visible along with a small choker necklace. "You're right, I should wear light blue more." Andie studied Clementine's outfit. "And you need some red."

"Do you think so? I couldn't really find anything." Clementine said as her friend looked around.

"Well, how about this?" Andie came back with a red flannel shirt. She took the sleeves and tied it around her waist. "There, and if you get cold you can wear it."

Clementine looked back in the dressing room to see herself in the mirror. She looked even more badass. "Thanks, Andie."

"Don't mention it."

"We should probably get cat food now before it gets too late."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Thanks for the dress up party."

"I'm glad you had fun."

The girls quickly grabbed the pictures they took and right before they left, they stuffed their packs with the dresses they wore. Now they could dress up and dance together whenever they wanted.


Another break-in, walkers got in through a broken fence. They were taken care of and no one got bitten or hurt. With every walker sighting, it was protocol to report it to the leader or his son if they can't find Don. Recently there has been more walker break-ins than usual. The theory is that the pit was overflowing from the herd, but it's been checked a couple times and it wasn't. Whatever the reason was, walkers breaking in wasn't good. Luke volunteered to notify Don, and he was almost to the house.

"Luke?"

He turned his head to Rodney who came out of the barn.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"There was another break-in." Luke told him.

"Seriously? Where?" Rodney asked.

"On the west side with the apple trees."

"Broken fence?"

"Yep."

"Fucking hell." Rodney sighed. "I just got back fixing a fence on the east. My dad's in the house, let him know that I'm on my way to fix it." Rodney picked up a toolbox and a plank of wood and headed towards where Luke said the break-in is.

Luke walked up the porch steps of the leader's house and knocked on the front door.

"Come in!"

Luke opened the door and walked in. Don was sitting at the table with a woman in her mid-twenties across from him. She had dark, curly hair pulled back into ponytail, and Luke had to do a double take. He thought it was Melissa at first.

"Luke, is there a problem?" the leader asked.

"There was another break in the fence, lurkers got in. We're all fine, your son's already on his way to fix it." Luke explained.

"God damn it!" Don sighed as he used a hand to rub his temples before turning back to the woman. "Sorry about this. I promise we're a safe community."

"It's alright, Donald." the woman said.

"Please, call me Don. Everyone does." He said. "Luke, this is Monica. She used to be a daycare worker. Monica, Luke."

"Clem's gonna love that." Luke held out his hand to shake hers. Thankfully it was only the hair that reminded him of Melissa, Monica had a different face entirely from her, but still pretty. "Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Luke."

"Luke, do you mind coming along with me to show Monica her home? I need more information about the break-in."

"Of course."

Don and Luke led the way to the newcomer's new home. Luke was explaining how they were harvesting apples when one of their guys got pinned down by a walker. They killed it and a couple more that got in then they found the broken fence, smashed like the others. The break-ins have gotten more active ever since Clem and her friends fought off the ones by the cider mill.

"Maybe we should bring back the walker bodies along the fenceline?" Don suggested. "It might keep them away."

"Well, we got rid of it because of the flies and the smell." Luke said. "I've seen the fences, they look sturdy, too sturdy for a lurker to break it."

"Both top and bottoms broke?" Don asked.

"Yeah. I've talked to Clem when she and her friends found the first break in the fence. She thought it looked smashed rather than it broke from the weight." Luke told him.

"Who's Clem?" Monica asked.

"Clementine? She's the girl I live with." Luke said.

"Is she your girlfriend? Or wife?" Monica asked.

Don snorted as Luke chuckled.

"No, she's not. The kid was apart of my group a couple years back. She just lives with me."

"Kid?"

"She's thirteen, but I trust her more than anyone else. Probably would say the same about me." Luke clarified.

"I see." Monica sighed as her hand messed with a ring on her finger. "It's nice that you have someone."

Both men took notice of her diamond ring on her left hand.

"Married?" Don asked.

"Yes… well, I was, but my husband he… there was this herd of them and…" Monica trailed off.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked." Don said. "I lost my ex-wife during this."

"Loss is a hard thing, but there are people here to help you." Luke added.

"Thank you." she said.

"You're welcome." Luke said back.


Clementine climbed into a shopping cart with a few bags of cat food stashed underneath and two bags actually in the cart. She propped one bag up and used the bag as a backrest that so she wouldn't be leaning against uncomfortable metal.

"You comfy, princess?" Andie asked as she tossed Clem a pair of sunglasses. She already had a pair on.

"Yes, princess."

They laughed at the fact they haven't dropped the princess thing from earlier.

"Alright, then let's head back." Andie began pushing the cart.

Clementine kept an eye out for walkers as Andie pushed her and the bags back to the neighborhoods. It would be a decent walk to get back and the cart wasn't exactly quiet. She opened her backpack and pulled out the picture from earlier and she couldn't help but smile.

"I miss wearing dresses." Clementine said.

"I didn't know you wore dresses before all this." Andie said.

"When everything started I was wearing a dress, I wore that thing for so long." Clementine told her.

"I couldn't imagine wearing a dress. I'm glad I changed out of my uniform before I left home. If I had to do this in that itchy skirt, I don't know, man." Andie admitted.

"The last time I wore a dress I was with Luke. We were at a clothing store so I could get something that fit, and I saw this long purple dress and I wanted to try it on. Luke found me and he gave me a prom since I never got the chance to have one."

"Oh my god, that's so fucking cute!"

"He had me stand on a chair and he put on music and we danced. It was really nice. He said that 'every girl deserves to feel beautiful at least one time in their life' and I did feel beautiful and I was really happy." Clementine told her. "I think the CD is still in the truck… so is that flower hairband he used as my corsage."

"Okay, where can I get a Luke?"

Clementine laughed.

"I'm serious, I want one!" Andie exclaimed.

"All you have to do is get attacked by a dog, get pinned down by a walker afterwards, then he'll come running and pick you up." Clementine told her.

"Is that how you two met?" Andie asked.

"Yep, he and his friend saved my life."

"And when you say 'pick you up' do you mean that figuratively or literally?"

"Literally, then he'll drop you on your ass."

"Eh, it'll be worth it." Andie smiled. "Rodney said you stitched up your own arm, is that what that scar is?" she pointed to the jagged scar on her arm.

"Yeah, this came from the dog. That's why Luke dropped me because he thought I was bitten by a walker."

"And he didn't help you stitch it?"

"He wanted to get me help with his group, but his group didn't trust me. They locked me in a shed, and I broke out and stole their supplies to stitch my arm." Clementine explained.

"If I had to go through all of that to get someone like Luke, I'd do it." Andie admitted.

"I could have died." Clementine pointed out.

"Still worth it."

"He's really annoying. I would know."

"And he's incredibly sweet to you!"

Clementine smiled to herself, Luke's always been kind to her. "I guess it's because I've been with him for so long. I can't imagine being without him at all."

The girls make it back to the hospital house and Clementine hopped out of the cart so she and Andie could unload the cat food on the porch. As they unloaded the last bag together, Andie looked up and smirked.

"Speak of the devil." she said.

Clementine turned around and smiled, seeing Luke approach with Don and a woman.

"Hey, Luke." Clem greeted.

"Hey, kid. Almost didn't recognize you." Luke said.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"You look good." Luke rubbed a hand on her head. "Still a look like a badass."

"Hey!" Clementine exclaimed as Luke pulled the bill of her hat down over her eyes.

"Afternoon, girls." Don greeted.

"Afternoon." Andie said back. "We were just in town getting more cat food."

"That's great. Girls, I'd like you both to meet Monica. She's going to be helping out with the kids." Don said.

"Hi." Monica held out her hand to the girls.

"Andie."

"Clementine."

"So you're Clementine. Luke told me a bit about you." Monica said.

"Did he now? What did he say?" Clementine asked.

"That he trusted you more than anyone else." Monica told her.

"I trust him more than anyone else, too."

Luke couldn't help but smile at that. He knew that she trusted him most, but it's good to hear it from her.

"Monica, do you mind going inside and meeting everyone else? They'll help you get started." Don asked her.

"Of course, nice meeting you all." she said before leaving them alone.

"Clementine, Andie. When you both found the broken fence by the mill, what did it look like to you?" Don asked the girls.

Clem and Andie looked at each other then turned back to the leader.

"Well, it was broken." Andie began. "Both top and bottom rods were."

"It looked kind of smashed. It was broken right down the middle like someone stepped on it." Clementine said.

"You all were attacked at the mill, is it possible that the walkers could have broken it at all?" Don asked.

"I mean, maybe, but that would only be if the fence was already worn down." Andie said.

"Was it broken before you got to the mill? Or did you notice after you got attacked?" Don asked.

"We don't know. If the fence was broken before we went into the mill, I'd like to think we would have noticed it." Clementine mentioned. At the time, she was focused on the awkwardness of being in the same room as Rodney. "If it wasn't broken before we went in the mill, then something or someone did it when we were inside."

"It could be a person doing it with how frequent they're becoming." Luke supported.

The leader sighed. "I think we should bring back the herd patrols; maybe we can catch whatever's causing the break-ins. Thanks girls."

"Good luck!" Andie called as Don and Luke walked away.

Luke waved bye to Clem and she waved back. The conversation somewhat made Clementine and Andie uneasy; the idea that someone is purposely sabotaging the farm and the crops with the broken fences and walkers worried them greatly.


A few weeks went by and Don did what he said and brought the patrols back. Not everyone was happy about it; some people thought that he was overreacting about the break-ins, others were pissed about the new schedule. Even after the implementing the patrols, there were still broken fences and walkers getting in, but on the plus side, it wasn't as frequent as before.

Luke was part of the patrols every now and then and he tended to get home late, but at least he gets to sleep in in the morning. Clementine would be asleep by the time he gets home on the days he had to do patrols, which he didn't like. He enjoyed spending time with her when she's awake. On the days he doesn't patrol, he spends it with Clem when they both get home. She'd always ask if he found anything on his patrols, he could tell that this was worrying her and it worried him too. She got attacked because of a break-in, he couldn't imagine if she got bit because of something like that. God, if he got bit, she'd be extremely distraught, she'd blame herself, he knows she would.

Other than the patrols, Monica apparently has been annoying Clementine and everyone else at work. He'd listen to Clem rant about her, and how Monica is worse than the mothers. Luke never had an issue with her, she was always friendly to him on the days he'd pick up Clementine. If one thing is certain though, Clementine didn't like her.

"I'm sure she's not that bad, kid." he said to her.

"You're not the one who's working with her." Clementine said.

"I guess not, but you had your issues with Debbie, too."

"Monica is not Debbie. Debbie actually listens to us. And by 'us' I mean everyone there. Monica acts like she knows everything! She's driving me crazy!"

"Cut her some slack kid, she lost her husband."

"Yeah, I know. She tells us every day that her husband died in a herd a few months ago. It's getting so annoying." Clementine sighed. "Do you guys need help down at the farm? I'd be glad to help!"

"I appreciate it kid, but we got enough people as it is down there, besides I don't want you to get bit."

"I won't!"

"I'm not going to risk it." He patted her back. "Hey, I know what will cheer you up."

"Kicking your ass at poker?" she asked, purposely sounding cocky.

"I was just going to say poker, the rest of that isn't needed."

Clementine smiled as they both prepared to play, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door. She sighed to herself as Luke left to get the door, she knew what was going to happen.

Luke opened the door and was greeted by Rodney.

"Hey, there's a meeting." the teen said.

"Really? Right now?"

"Yes, sorry it's so late."

"It's fine." Luke turned back to Clementine. "I'll see you later tonight, kid."

Clementine looked a bit disappointed, but he knew that she understood with all the break-ins and walkers. He caught her upsetting nod and he soon left the home and headed towards the barn. These meetings were exhausting; at times he thought they were unnecessary, but the fate of the farm was at risk. He could hear the complaining from everyone once he got onto the farm property and it only got worse once he entered the barn. Luke shook off the start-of-winter chill and took a seat at the table with the other council members despite most of them standing on their feet leaning over the table, yelling at each other. Those who were actually in their seats were too afraid to join the conversation of what looked like dogs barking at each other.

"Don, the break-ins aren't that big of a deal!"

"Someone or something is sabotaging the fence line risking everyone here!" Don explained.

"Someone?! You think a person is doing this?!"

"It could be a possibility." Luke chimed in calmly.

"You've all seen the fence a few weeks ago before we started the patrols again!" Don reminded them all. "Does anyone think that a walker, a decaying body that is not heavy, can break the fence?"

"I'm not saying that the walkers did break the fence, but if the walkers didn't then who is doing this? Because it's starting to sound like you're about to accuse someone!"

"I'm not going to accuse anyone of jack shit!"

"For all we know, it's those fucking kids. It might be your son and his friends!"

"They were the first ones attacked and the first ones to come across the broken fence!" Don said.

"Exactly!"

"My son did not do this!"

"Well, then which one of us are you going to accuse of this bullshit nonsense!"

"Enough!" Luke slammed his fist down on the table as he stood up, thankfully it got everyone's attention. "Look, nobody's accusing anybody of anything! We just need to calm down, alright?"

Some of the members walked away from the table briefly to take a breather before coming back, others sat down in their chairs. It was a tense situation, and with the winter coming, it can be a huge problem. Without the farm, they would all be screwed and left to starve.

Don breathed deeply before he spoke calmly. "I don't believe anyone who lives here would stoop this low and do something stupid like break the fences. If it is the walkers, then I don't care. If it is a person, inside the community or out, then I see it as a threat."

"What do you propose we do then?"

"Find what's causing it; it's all we can do." Don explained.

"And if it is someone from our community, what will we do when we find him?"

"It will be the first time we would have to deal with something like this." Don stated. "And the answer to that will depend on what we think is right."

"So what is right? The last time we talked about this was about last year."

Luke remembered that. They started the discussion of rule breakers and what they would do with them last year. He remembered that they left it on a very open-ended law that was never brought up again because they had no reason to bring it up again. The only reason they never talked about it more that day was because Clem and Andie were attacked in the woods and they all left to make sure they were alright and to ask what happened. He remembered how Clementine explained to him that the two assholes who attacked her and her friends were with the cannibals after they were saved from the hospital. What a relief it was to see her alive.

"We kinda left it and never picked it back up." Luke pointed out.

The room went silent and it was enough of an indication that no one wanted to discuss it.

"Alright." Don started. "I know that it's a tough subject, considering that we're talking about taking another person's life, but what I want now is for you all to give it some thought and next week we can continue the discussion on what we do with rule breakers. You all are free to leave, just be careful and keep an eye out. If you see anything, then tell me."

Some of the council members went to the leader and began talking to him while others left the barn. Luke just wanted to go home and get some rest, spend time with Clementine if she hasn't turned in for the night.

Luke started walking home in the dark. His home wasn't too far from the farm property, thankfully, but thinking about rule breakers and what to do with them made the walk seem longer.

"Oh, Luke!"

The farm boy turned his head to see Monica waving as she walked over to him.

"Hey." he greeted.

"What are you doing out this late?" she asked.

"Meeting. I'm part of the council here and we just got done." Luke explained. "What about you, you're out late too."

"I used to love going on walks before everything started. It was my favorite thing. This place seems safe enough to walk without worrying about getting bitten." Monica explained.

"Safe as we can be." Luke said aloud.

"Is everything okay?" Monica asked.

"I don't know, we're all kind of on edge right now. Winter's coming, we're all worried about the crops and lurkers." Luke told her.

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Monica said to him.

"Thank you." Luke told her. Honestly, he didn't understand why Clementine had issues with her, Monica's nice. "Is it alright if I walk you home. I don't feel comfortable letting you walk alone."

"Of course."

Luke changed his course and walked alongside her as they headed towards her home. They both talked the whole way there and Luke noticed that her wedding ring and band were gone and it seemed like she wanted him to notice with the way she was using her hands to talk, constantly using her left hand more than her right. When they arrived at her home, Monica thanked Luke and she went inside, waving goodnight on the way in, again using her left hand despite using her right to open the door.

After she went inside, Luke began walking back to his home. Once he opened the door to his house he looked around for Clementine. Through the back window, he saw her laying down on the hammock and looking up towards the stars. He couldn't help but smile, there was a chance she was awake. Luke went into the backyard and Clementine lifted her head at the sound of the back door opening and closing and in the night he saw her smile that he's home.

"Hey." she welcomed as she sat up, placing her feet on the ground to steady the hammock. He voice was hopeful and positive, probably because she saw that he looked like hell from the meeting.

"Hey, kid." Luke took a seat next to her.

"You sound tired." she said. "Rough meeting?"

"The fences are still being broken." he told her.

He heard Clementine sigh in annoyance. She was worried about the break-ins just as much as he was.

"We started talking about what or who was doing it, and if it was a who, we talked about if it was someone from here doing it." Luke told her.

"Why would someone want to break the fences, especially someone from here?" Clementine asked.

"I don't know, Clem." Luke was exhausted just thinking about that meeting. It was tiring. He laid down on the hammock and Clementine was quick to cuddle up next to him. Her head rested on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her body, keeping her close as he had one foot dangling off the hammock to slowly rock them both.

"So what did you guys do?" she asked. Her child-like curiosity never left; always asking questions about anything and everything, it was something Luke hoped would never go away.

"Well, the possibility it could be someone from here lead to us talking about what we'd do if it was someone from here, and what we'd do to him." Luke was quiet for a moment. "We've talked about either kicking them out or killing them, but never settled on anything. Don said to give us a week to think about it before we all talk about it again."

"Wow." she breathed.

"Yeah…" Luke paused before turning his head to look at Clementine. "What do you think is right?"

"I… I have no clue. I mean, if you kick him out, he could always come back and still break the fences, but I think killing him would be too much."

"My only concern is if we do decide to kill, then would we shoot them or would we resort back to the witch trials and the French revolution executions?"

"What?" Clementine said with a laugh in her voice. Luke saw her head lift up to look at him, confused at what he said. "Witch trials? The French what?"

Luke couldn't help but chuckle. "History stuff. I majored in art history in college, and I was required to take a couple of history classes." He knew Clementine was confused about what he said. "A long time ago, people believed in witches."

"No way!"

"It's true. People thought witches were real. The witch trials were when people would kill those who were accused of being witches. There were a lot of ways people would kill witches: drowning, being left for dead in a cell, burying them in stone until they're crushed from the weight, but the most common was hanging them."

"They would just kill them? Just because they were accused?"

"Yeah, they'd do it publicly too."

"What about the other one?"

"The French revolution? That one is one of my favorites." Luke said. "This all happened in France a long time ago. There was a king and he was really rich. He and his wife would throw big parties and invite other rich folks. They had so much money that the peasants of France were poor and hungry. Then one day, the peasants took control and set things right. They built this thing called a guillotine and found the king guilty of conspiracy with foreign power or something like that, and they sentenced him to death by guillotine."

"What's a guillotine?"

"It's a contraption that dropped a giant blade on people's necks and cut their heads off. The revolution ended up cutting off a lot of heads."

"Holy shit!"

"It was really bloody."

"People were crazy back then!"

"That's history." Luke sighed. "I'm just worried that history might repeat itself, at least in terms of killing each other. I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep my head on my body."

That got a chuckle out of her.

"I'm sure things will be okay." Clementine said.

Luke smiled to himself and looked up at the dark clouds and the moon and the stars poking through. He loved it when she was positive, it made him happier.

"I'm sure, too."


Over the course of the week, Luke and Monica have been talking more and more. When he'd drop Clementine off, when he'd pick her up, sometimes he'll catch her as she's walking around the neighborhoods near the farm. Monica's always been friendly to him and he can't see why Clementine doesn't like her. He didn't find her annoying or anything like the things Clementine has said. At the rate he and Monica are getting along, Clem might actually relax about her and maybe even get along with her.

The day was over for Luke and he was on his way home. The fences were broken three times this week, and it hasn't been any easier for him and anyone else at the farm. While that was stressing him out, Luke was happy to talk to someone else about it other than Clementine. As much as he loved talking to the kid, it was nice to talk to an adult who was around his age. Monica was great to talk to; they had no dark history with each other and she was nice. She briefly mentioned that she's moved on from her deceased husband, which is why she stopped wearing her ring and band. A couple of times he could have sworn she was flirting with him.

Luke wasn't looking for a relationship, maybe in the future when things aren't as stressful, but as of now, the idea of one was off the table. Honestly, he was glad to have another friend, he isn't talkative with anyone else outside of Clementine and the guys at work. The days have slowly become a rut where he'd work and go home at the end of the day. Some days he'd go to a meeting, he'd get a day off, and a couple times he went to a hang out with some of the guys from work or he and Clem would go to a bonfire, but mostly it's been a rut. It's nice to have something new, even if it's just a conversation with someone he doesn't talk to often.

Finally, a week went by since that meeting. Don had sent all the council members home early to give them final thoughts before they all came together to talk about punishing others. Luke was happy he didn't have to work more today, but he wasn't excited about the meeting later.

"Oh, Luke!"

He knew that voice. Luke turned his head to see Monica coming towards him.

"Do you mind helping me with something?" she asked.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"It's at my house." Monica jerked her head, indicating for Luke to follow.

Luke had grown familiar with the route to her home, often times he'd be walking her back to her home when it gets dark and she was already out and about. It's become so familiar to him, he completely spaced on the walk there and was already entering her house.

"So what do you need help with?" Luke asked.

"Can you move the couch for me?" Monica gestured to the piece of furniture. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I just think that it would look better over here."

This was definitely a request Luke hadn't gotten since college when he moved into an apartment with Nick and the woman who later killed herself. Moving day was really something; arguments over where furniture would go and how chores would work, not to mention how they'd all pay for rent. Getting a request like this now seems almost ridiculous.

"Of course." Luke told her.

Luke proceeded to move the couch, but what he didn't expect was how easy it was to move it. The couch wasn't much to push to fit Monica's needs. Luke knows that he is stronger than Monica, but the couch wasn't heavy to push, hell Monica could have done this herself, but it would have been easier for him to push than for her to do it.

"Is there good?" Luke asked.

"There is fine. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Luke wouldn't mind staying and hanging out with Monica, but she probably had some sort of job to do. Besides, he wanted to talk to Clementine before tonight's meeting and get her input on it. If she's going to have some sort of leadership position in the future with her friends, then she should have a say about what she'd want to happen for when she and her group of friends take over.

"Where've you been working today?" Luke asked.

"I was working with the children, but someone took over for me, so I'm taking a break." Monica explained.

"Do you know where Clementine is working today?"

"I have no clue. That girl of yours and her friend are pretty reckless at times."

"I trust Clem. She knows what she's doing and I know that she'll get home safe."

"That's what some of the others say. Why do you look after her anyway?"

"I've known Clementine for years and she has no one else."

"But why not give her to one of the families here? I'm sure they wouldn't mind taking her off your hands."

"We tried that once and it didn't end well. I missed being around her and she missed being around me."

"Do you really enjoy living with a child?"

"Yeah, I do. Clementine's an amazing kid, and I wouldn't be here without her." Luke couldn't help but smile talking about her. She always makes him happy. "Speaking of Clementine, I should probably go find her."

He started towards the door, but Monica was quick to step in front of him.

"What's the rush? You'll see her at the end of the day." Monica said.

"I need to talk to her about something before the meeting tonight at the barn." Luke explained.

"I'm sure you don't need to talk to her. You'll be fine, stay for a bit." Monica took a hold of his arm, her thumb rubbing circles on his sleeve. Luke knew what she was doing and he started backing up towards a wall.

"Monica, you're a nice woman and I've enjoyed our time together-"

"I think you're a nice guy, too, and I don't want this to stop." Monica said to him, finally pushing him to the wall.

"I think we're going a bit fast. Besides, I'm not looking for any kind of relationship right now, and you've just recently taken off your wedding ring. I don't think you're ready to move on this fast."

"You don't know how fast I move on." Monica's hands went around his neck. "I'm over him and I want you, Luke."

Before Luke could say anything her lips pressed against his. There was a mix of sweet and bitter in the kiss and he didn't know if he liked it or not.

Luke pulled his lips apart from hers briefly, "Monica, I-" Another kiss. "I don't think-" Another kiss and that made Luke give up on stopping this from happening and began kissing her back.

The stress was easing off his shoulders as Monica's hands slid down his chest and went for her own shirt. She swiftly pulled her shirt off leaving her bare body exposed with only a bra to cover her breasts. He was somewhat enjoying this, maybe there is something between them that can grow. Footsteps could be heard from outside coming towards the house and up the wooden steps that lead to the front door. Someone was coming, and just as Luke realized it, the front door opened.

"Monica! I'm-" a man's voice was cut off as Luke and Monica turned to the front door. They both saw him standing in the doorway in a calm state of shock.

"Jonathan?!"

Luke looked down to the man's left hand, he saw the wedding band on his hand. Considering that Monica knows him, he's most definitely her "late" husband alive and in the flesh. Then he did a recap on the situation and realized that the husband interrupted their make-out session with his wife's shirt off in front of him. This wasn't good.

"Are you fucking serious?!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"It's not what you think!" Monica yelled back.

"Liar!"

"Oh, fuck you!"

Luke started towards the door, he didn't want to be in the middle of this more than he already was. "I'll just let myself out." he said before leaving.

He shut the door behind him and he could hear them shouting at each other inside the house, and he knew to get as far away from this mess as possible… at least for the moment before he's pulled back into it for whatever reason. Luke headed back to his home and began thinking about how he can fix things on his part and how he was going to leave Clementine out of this drama. This was his mess that somehow he got in, all he had to do was not make it worse.


A/N: Uh-oh Spaghetti-o, let the drama begin! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and the history bit! Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out soon! Thank you, my daisies, for being patient! See you soon!

*- "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder