For Those You Love

Chapter 14

A/N URGENT!- Okay guys! I know I said that there was only going to be a couple more chapters, but I've decided to go up until the end of episode 5 :D that means about five more! Yay! Happy dance? Okay, I've gone on enough; on with the story. HPTwin out!

Within half an hour, Lee and Kenny made it to the suburban neighbourhood without trouble. Sure it had taken them longer than expected, but what did go as expected in the new world?

Lee's eyes filled with emotion when he caught sight of his home… the same home they moved into when he and Carley were first married… the same home that they brought Clementine into. Was it the same as he remembered? Would their belongings still be there?

"Which one, bud?" Kenny asked, smiling sympathetically at his friend. Lee raised his hand and pointed, setting off towards it. "You sure you're okay about this? I know I asked you ten minutes ago, but… you know it's not too late to back out…"

"I know… I'm fine." Lee assured, shaking his head as they approached the front door. He simply produced his key from his pocket and unlocked it easily. Seeing the other man's look of confusion, he chuckled at himself. "I've kept it on me since this entire fiasco started. Carley takes the piss out of me for it, but… who's laughing now?"

They both laughed for a few seconds before walking in slowly and keeping their guard up. After all, there could be anything around the corner.

Lee stopped for a second and took in the photos that adorned the walls. The first one was of Lee, Carley and Clementine on the girl's eighth birthday. A huge grin was on Clementine's face as her parents helped her cut her birthday cake. Carley and Lee were cheering and beaming down at their daughter.

The other was one of their wedding photos, showing Lee and Carley kissing in the middle of their first dance. Brad was grinning cheekily in the background, pulling a funny face.

Lee was mildly aware of Kenny's eyes on him. Obviously he was giving the other man some space… after all, this was his home! He didn't want to go where it wasn't his business. The younger man turned and smiled, gesturing to the cupboard under the stairs.

"Basement's in there." He said simply, throwing the keys to Kenny and smiling. "You go down there and get started. I want to go get some personal things… I think Carley would appreciate having our photo albums and other stuff around…"

"You don't need to explain yourself, bud." Kenny chuckled as he opened the cupboard and switched on his flashlight. "This is your home… besides, I think Carley needs that stuff after everything that's happened to her… some normalcy."

Then, Kenny disappeared, leaving Lee by himself. He shook his head and barrelled up the stairs, turning into their bedroom when he reached the top. Taking one look around the room, he sighed in remembrance and quickly made his way over to their closet where he grabbed the duffel bag he would use on camping trips.

He grabbed his and Carley's winter jackets, plus a few pairs of underwear before moving down the hallway to Clementine's room. Smiling, he leaned against the doorway.

"God, hard to think that ten years ago… this was my study!" Lee observed, chuckling to himself. The walls were now painted a light purple and a fluffy white carpet covered the floor. In the corner was Clementine's bed and next to it resided her desk which was still piled up with drawings and homework.

He approached her white closet and reached in to grab her red winter coat. His hand thumbed the material for a few seconds before throwing it in the bag with everything else. Soon, some underwear for Clementine was added.

Slowly, he walked downstairs to their living room and laughed when he saw Carley's coffee mug on the coffee table, still containing some of the dark liquid. His feet made a soft thumping as he made his way over to their bookshelf, which contained all of their photo albums. He thumbed the spines before aligning them carefully on top of the clothes in the bag.

"You okay, buddy?" Kenny asked from behind him. He turned and smiled, hitching the bag up on his arm and gesturing for the door. "Get everything you wanted?"

"Yeah. I got our coats and some of our photo albums." Lee smiled, looking at his friend in amusement. "Did you?"

"Yep. There was a shitload of stuff down there." Kenny beamed as he made his way to the door. "Soups, powdered juice, jerky… even some candy for Duck, Clementine and Ben."

"Yeah…"

Forty Minutes Later

With the added weight of their bags, it took them even longer than their original journey to get to the train.

"Carley!" Lee bellowed as they approached the clearing. "Open up, hon'!"

He saw the sliding door open and Clementine came barrelling out to meet them with a huge grin across her face and Carley trailing behind her.

"Dad!" She cried, flinging herself into his arms.

"Hey sweet-pea!" Lee greeted, straightening up and ruffling his daughter's hair affectionately. "I've got something for you!"

"Really?"

"Yeah." He smiled as he picked up the discarded duffel bag again. "C'mon. Let's get on the train first."

"Everything okay?" Carley asked as they met up with her at the boxcar door.

"Yeah." Lee nodded, kissing her gently and slinging the duffel bag into the train. "It was so weird being back there."

"I bet it was…" She muttered, kissing him back softly.

"Eww!" Clementine squealed, covering her eyes in mock disgust at the sight of her parents kissing. "Do you guys have to do that?!"

"Your child has spoken, Lee." Carley teased, blushing slightly and patting his arm.

Kenny walked past them, muttering something along the lines of 'starting the train' and slinging the supplies alongside Lee's duffel bag.

"Come on then." Lee said suddenly, startling Carley slightly. She gave a slight wince at the harsh sound in his voice and he reached out to touch her arm apologetically. "Sorry hon'."

"It's okay… just… warn me next time?" She asked as she hopped up into the train car and held out her hand for Clementine to take. The little girl smiled and took it, grumbling all the while about adults making kissy face. Then, surprising Lee, she turned and held her tiny hand out for him.

"You think you can manage?" He asked, taking it and hoisting himself up using the door as leverage. Clementine blushed slightly and took up residence in the corner. Carley took her place beside her and wrapped a protective arm around her small shoulders. Lee smiled softly as he took one of the photo albums and placed it softly in his wife's lap. She moved her eye up to look at him sceptically.

"Are these…?" She whispered as tears brimmed in her emerald orb. He nodded and sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and watching happily as she flipped it open to the first photograph.

"It's the new year's party…" Lee laughed, smiling down at their younger selves. They were embracing tightly and looked to be dancing. It must have been after their kiss because there was a slight smudge of lipstick on the corner of his mouth. "The day we met…"

Carley snuggled into his shoulder and smiled against his chest. Despite the apocalypse and her injuries, she was happy. She had her daughter and her husband by her side… that's all that mattered to her.