For Those You Love

Chapter 12

He was too shocked to do anything. She was alive!

"We need to get her inside." Katjaa instructed. Lee gestured for Clementine to go back in the RV as he stood and took his wife into his arms bridal-style. He carefully made his way into the vehicle and laid her down gently on the sofa, clasping her hand tightly in his.

Eventually, Katjaa walked over, drying her hands on a clean towel. She took one look at Carley's pale, sweaty face and spoke up once again.

"What's her blood type?" She asked, flicking the light switch above the seats on and resting next to Lee. He thought it over, trying desperately to remember.

"AB Positive." He answered after much thought, smoothing his wife's hair down and fully taking in her face. A bullet hole was now on her left cheek, but some shrapnel had obviously made its way up to her eye, as there was blood leaking out of her closed eyelid.

"Okay, do you or Clementine have the same blood group as her?" She asked, dabbing at the wound and looking at the shaking man in sympathy. "I need to know, Lee."

"Uh, no." He replied, shaking his head and wracking his brains. Surely there was something he could do. "But, uh, I'm O-Negative, if that counts for anything."

"Hallelujah." Katjaa sighed in relief, patting him on the shoulder. "You won't mind if you're her first donor, would you?"

"Of course." He nodded eagerly, rolling his sleeve up and sticking out his arm. The woman nodded and busied herself, collecting all of the supplies needed. Thankfully, they had taken to keeping at least some emergency supplies in the RV at all times, in case something like this happened.

"Okay, this is going to sting a bit." She said, taking his arm and trying to find a vein. She eventually found one and stuck the needle in, making him wince slightly. "Sorry, I'm used to doing this with dogs, not people. Just tell me if I'm hurting you."

"That doesn't matter." He brushed off, not daring to move his arm. They both heard shouting from outside, coupled with a slow rocking of the RV. Clementine squeaked at the sudden motion, tears leaking from her eyes. Lee held his movable arm out and invited her for a hug. "Come here, sweetheart."

She did as he asked, looking at her mother with terrified eyes. He wrapped his arm around her comfortingly and pulled her onto his lap, smoothing her hair lovingly.

"I-is she going to be okay?" She whispered, not being able to take her eyes off the woman before her. She was so pale. Her father kissed her temple gently, assuring her without words that she would be fine. Especially if he had anything to do with it.

He felt Katjaa disconnect the pipe from the IV line in his arm.

"Okay, sweetie." She muttered, bandaging his arm up so the device wouldn't fall out. "I've got enough for now. Just don't stray too far in case she needs more."

"Yes ma'am."

Two Hours Later

Lee's breath caught in his throat when he next saw his wife. She was still laid on the uncomfortable couch with her head propped up on a patchwork pillow, but the left side of her face was now covered in fresh, white gauze. He fell to his knees next to her, clutching her hand tightly and running his fingers through her sweaty, brown hair. He looked up to the woman that was leaning next to the sink, washing her hands.

"I managed to remove the bullet, but I couldn't save her eye. I'm so sorry, Lee." She whispered so the little girl who was up front with Kenny and Duck wouldn't hear. He held up his hand, telling her to keep her apologies.

"You couldn't save her eye, but you saved her." He smiled, his voice cracking. "For that I'm eternally grateful."

He saw her sit down in the table nook, not daring to leave her patient. They sat in silence for a while, just willing for Carley to wake up.

"So…" Katjaa said eventually, trying to keep his mind occupied as well as her own. "How did you two meet? If you don't mind me asking."

"My brother, Brad, was throwing a New Year's party for all of his college friends. I was made chaperone since I was two years older than them." He chuckled, remembering how his parents were willing to pay him to go to that party. "I basically moped by the punch bowl the entire night. That is until this tiny woman with gorgeous green eyes came over to talk. That was fourteen years ago."

"Wow. So, you got married pretty young, I take it?"

"Yeah." He nodded, smiling at the memory. "I was twenty-three and Carley was twenty-one."

"So, you had Clementine after… four years?" She summed up, thinking before asking. He nodded in response.

"I… we'd been trying for three years." He whispered, clutching Carley's hand that tiny bit more. "Eventually, Carley somehow got it into her head that there was something wrong with her. So, we made an appointment with the fertility nurse and did a lot of tests. It turned out that I was the problem."

He paused, reliving the emotions that rushed through him that day. He would never forget the way his mother's face fell, creasing her brow in despair.

"Then, two months later, Clementine came into existence." He smiled, thinking about how it felt when he held her for the first time. Or when she was laid, gunky and screaming, on Carley's chest; her tiny face red and scrunched up. "I was possibly the happiest man alive when we told our parents about becoming grandpas and grandmas. They were so thrilled, especially as my brother showed no signs of wanting to become a parent yet."

As much as he hated it, he felt the stress of the day begin to consume him and slowly leaned his head back to rest on the soft couch cushions. It seemed like hours later when he awoke to the sounds of coughing behind him.

"L-lee? Clem?" He heard, recognizing that voice all too well. His head snapped around to meet a single, emerald eye.

"Car…" He whispered, clutching her hand and brushing her hair lovingly. She looked as if she was about to say something when he cut her off. "I know you're confused right now. Do you remember any of what happened?"

"N-no…" She answered, bringing her left hand up to touch her cheek. She grimaced, noticing the thick gauze wrapped around her face and the IV line in her hand. "W-what happened? Is Clementine okay?" She made as if to sit up when he gently pushed her back down.

"She's fine, hon'." He assured, noticing how her eye darted all around the RV, searching for the little girl. "As to what happened… Lilly shot you." He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"Is that what happened to my face?" She asked, looking absolutely distraught. She moved her hand absentmindedly, trying to feel as much of the gauze as she could.

"Yeah. But, Katjaa couldn't save your eye." He admitted, trying to keep her calm while not lying to her. "I'm so sorry, Car. I should've done something. It's all my fault." He whispered, not daring to look her in the eyes. They had left Lilly by the side of the road, despite her shouting and cursing. After that, he had been consumed with guilt, knowing that he could have done something for her.

She was immediately reminded of how he was all those years ago, having been told about being infertile and it completely broke her heart. She was fine about losing her eye. It didn't matter to her as long as Clementine and Lee were safe. She could have shot both of her eyes out if it meant their safety.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Lee." She whispered, touching his arm and just then noticing the thick bandage covering his own IV line. Her eyes widened in realization. "You don't have the same blood type as me… how did-?"

"O negative." He replied simply, smiling slightly. "It means I'm a universal donor. I can give blood to anyone. At least that's what Katjaa said."

"Well, there you go." She muttered so only he could hear. "You already saved my life. So, let it go? I'm sure no-one saw her with the gun, so it's fine. No hard feelings."

"But-"

"No, Lee. I'm putting my foot down. No more mention of anything being your fault, okay?" She insisted, smiling up at him. He sighed and nodded his head reluctantly. "Now, where's my daughter?"

"Oh, she's your daughter now. But when she was screaming at all hours of the night she was mine." He joked, standing and walking over to the driver's compartment. He opened it and said shook Clementine to get her attention, nodding his head. The little girl practically leapt over the seats to get to her mother, how was chuckling by this time.

"Mom!" She shrieked, skidding to a halt and hugging Carley tightly. Carley just brushed her daughter's hair with her pale hand and held her tightly, not daring to let go. She allowed her to snuggle into the embrace and kissed her temple lovingly. Eventually, Clementine moved away to look at the extent of the older woman's injuries. "How's your eye?"

"It'll be fine. I just need an eye patch now." She replied, winking at Lee and smiling when he grinned back from ear to ear.

"We'll just have to call you Rooster Cogburn from now on." He laughed, earning a one-eyed glare from his wife. He knelt down beside her and whispered in her ear for only her to hear.

"You know, I always loved westerns."

A/N- Hi guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews! I'm planning to do two or three more chapters for this, so watch out for it! I know you probably hate me for last chapter but… SHE'S ALIVE! I wouldn't kill her off 'cause that'd leave Lee alone again. Please R&R? HPTwin OUT!