TWD Chapter 6 - Stealth and Lies

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" W-what? Wait... WHAT?" Luke's face was unreadable. He possessed too many emotions, to identify which ones were which.

"I had planned on it anyway... but after tonight, I can't stay here. I'm not wanted anyway." Olivia's heart felt like it was sinking to the bottom of her stomach. Of all the people in this group, Luke was the last person she wanted to hurt. He had saved her life. The rest of the group however, were not people she wanted to be involved with. Olly had known people like them before, people scared of there own shadows...they always ended up dead. I won't be apart of that again...

"Of course you're wanted. Look, I know it's been tough, but I need someone like you backin' me up. You're not afraid to say what's on your mind and we need people like that in this group. You can protect, Clementine." Luke's words struck a chord with her. She knew he was right... Clem needed someone, she needed a parent figure to guide her. But that person wasn't her. She had to find her own parent figure.

"I'm sorry, Luke. That job isn't mine. It's not just about what happened tonight, that just opened my eyes to what's important. My dad is still out there. I know he is." Olly looked down at her hands, not able to meet Luke's gaze.

However, the silence caused her to look up and they both shared a glance, but in that moment, Luke wasn't looking in to her eyes, he was staring in to the very heart of her. He spoke carefully."What if he isn't?"

Olly's brow burrowed down in to a sharp frown."Are you sayin' I should just give up on him?!"

"Of course not! I just... I mean-"

"Luke! The house meeting is going on with out you, get your ass in here. Leave her if she won't come!"

"I'm comin', Rebecca!" He sighed, looking conflicted. "Look, just think about your options, yeah?" Olly's mind had been made up, but to appease him, she nodded. "So, you joining us?" He offered, with a smile that could probably melt butter... but not Olly.

"I c-can't face them." His brows creased in to a dejected frown, then left solemnly, closing the door behind him. Olly crashed back down on to the pillow, pulling the sheets of the bed over the top of her, allowing a tear to run down the side of her ruby cheek. These guys were family and she wasn't apart of that. Her family was still out there somewhere and she had to find him. A few moments later, the entry of her room opened uncertainly, on the other side appeared a young girl with a baseball cap and dark pigtails, the floorboards giving away any subtlety. Her startled eyes met Olly's understanding ones. "It's okay, I'm not goin' to hurt you."

Clementine noticeably relaxed. She entered the room fully, pulling the door so it was almost fully closed. "Can you help me? I'm not going to last the night unless I get this stitched and bandaged."

"You're one resourceful little girl, you know that? How'd you get out the shed?" Olly unraveled herself from the bed sheets and spoke as she started rummaging through the draws, searching for something to help her.

"There was a weak board on the fence that had must have been used to try and repair it once. All it took were a few kicks to break through." Olivia smiled at Clementine's mischievous grin.

"Well, I wish I had your balls kid. But you shouldn't stick around. The meeting wont last much longer. Oh, jackpot!" In the bottom draw was some clean cloth that could easily be used for bandages. "Here, take this." Olly placed the material in Clementine's hand. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, I don't think so. I already have a needle, something for stitches and something to stop it getting infected."

"Good, then get out of here before anyone spots you." They shared a smile. "Oh, and when they find out tomorrow, I'll take the wrap for it. No point getting you in to bother."

"Thanks... er?"

"Olly."

"Thanks, Olly." Clementine gave her an appreciative glance as she stalked out the room, leaving her in complete silence once again.

Olivia must have nodded off, because she awoke alarmed by the sound of screaming and crashing. She readjusted her cap and grabbed her katana from the floor, sprinting out the room and out the cabin. Luke, Alvin and Pete were already at the shed. Rebecca, Nick and Carlos close behind. Luke yanked open the doors to the rotted wooden prison, to see a very exhausted looking Clementine standing beside a exterminated roamer corpse.

"Clementine, you okay?" No, no. Don't get attached, Olivia. You're leaving, remember?

"Girls tough as nails."

"I'm. Still. NOT. Bitten. And you left me here to die."

Olly raised a hand to her neck and scratched awkwardly. This girl wasn't wrong. Everyone's eyes then trailed down to Clem's arm which was now newly stitched. "You patched yourself up?" Are you actually surprised, Luke?...

"Did she steal from us!?"

"Back of, Rebecca. I gave her the stuff." The group turned to her Olly, judging her. Each one of them was judging her, everyone except Carlos.

"No, you didn't. Not all of it anyway. I spoke to Sarah." Clementine physically tensed. "It's nice you're trying to protect her, Olivia. But don't lie for her."

"I'm sorry I stole from you, but I had no other choice. You weren't helping me." Clem resembled a mouse caught in a trap as she stood clutching her arm. A defiant mouse, but a mouse all the same.

"Bring her in and I'll take a look at her arm." Carlos then turned his back and wandered inside the cabin, the others trailing behind. The only people remaining behind with Clementine being, Luke and Olly.

"You hungry...?" Clementine didn't answer, but just followed after Carlos. Olivia and Luke shared a knowing glance and he sighed, crossing his arms against his chest. Then, they both began the small trek back to the isolated cabin.

"I know you might not believe it, but... I'm glad she's okay and she's free from that shed."

"No, I do believe it. From you. Nobody else." Olly gave a nonchalant response, whilst gazing at the woodlands as if she was scouting. It'll be easier if people think I'm cold hearted. They'll let me leave.

It was obvious to Luke what she was doing. So, he persisted. "They mean well, you know... I still think Clementine will need someone lookin' out for her, now especially. Her sneakin' in to the house would have just made people more pissed. They're not going to warm to her straight away."

Olly's heart skipped a beat. She needed to turn it up a notch if they were to believe she was as immoral as she believed them to be. "She has you to look out for her." She gave him the iciest look she could manage.

That cold gaze sent shivers down his spine, but he wouldn't let her win."Well, what if something happens to me-"

"It won't." She glared at him. Her flaming hair sticking out from beneath her cap, covering her face making her look even more terrifying. There it was, that death glare. Somehow different to her ice cold demeanor. It was worse.

"You know, you could kill someone with that glare, Oliver." Olivia seem to relax, she smiled and playfully punched him the arm. "Ouch, damn. You've got a mean right swing." Her serious tone vanished. No matter how hard she'd try, she could never be callous to Luke. He didn't deserve it. Seeing Luke's smug grin at his achievement, she chuckled to herself, causing Luke to turn to her in surprise. "You know, that's the first time I've heard you laugh."

"Shut up, Lucy." Once they reach the cabin, they both entered the kitchen to find Clementine sat on the a cushioned chair with Carlos knelt next to her and a very nervous looking Nick stood by his hunting rifle. The dim light of the room made it feel eerily like a trial. Luke sighed and then started pacing around the room. Olly unconsciously decided to stand a little closer to Clem, in the hope of avoiding Nick doing something stupid. She didn't dislike Nick. Actually, she found him to be a nice guy when he wasn't busy messing up and squaring up to his uncle, Pete.

"This might hurt a little." Carlos touched her arm lightly causing Clementine to squint.

"Ow!"

"How's she look...?" Olly turned to Luke, a surprised expression on her face. Luke can't seriously still think...

"Her suturing skills need some work, but otherwise I'd say she should be fine." An adamant feeling of relief washed over the room.

"So, it wasn't a lurker bite?" Apparently he does...

"If it was, the fever would have already set in and her temperature would be through the roof." With that, Nick stormed to the door and shoved it open letting it slam shut behind him. Luke, looking pretty pissed, went after him.

Olly was conflicted. She didn't know whether to stay and keep an eye on Clem or go and try and prevent another argument. Deciding that Clementine was in good hands, she went with the latter. "Okay, I best go and try and diffuse that... You're going to be okay, right, Clementine?" She hesitated, then nodded. She gave the little girl a reassuring smile. "Good. Back soon." Olly ran out and followed the sound of the heated conversation between the two friends.

"Just go and apologize to her, for goodness sake!"

"Apologize for what!? Tryin' to look out for the group!?"

"Stop it! Both of you! It's finished now, okay? You were all pretty stupid for lockin' her in a shed in the first place. Seriously though, Nick? That girl deserves an apology. Not for lockin' her in a shed, we all own that. No, for nearly blowing her god damn head off! So for God's sake, grow some balls and apologize!"

Luke sighed and rubbed his head lightly. "I'm going to get the girl some food, she looks starved."

Nick remained silent for a moment, peering down at his feet. "I'll apologize." Olly nodded and then Nick followed after Luke. With the moment of peace she now possessed, she breathed a sigh of relief. I can't do this anymore... I can't care. It's too dangerous to. I'll lose everything again. Olivia then decided she should check up on, Clem. She entered the dining room to find her filling her face with food and Luke talking to her from across the table. Nick must have already left.

"- What's your plan?" They both glanced up at the doorway, when they saw Olly appear leaning against it and shared a nod of acknowledgement.

"I don't know. I'm kind of on my own now."

"Well, you're welcome to stay here if you want. Y'can let yourself heal up and take some time to sort things out." He had given me the same offer. People like Luke are too few in this world now. I'm going to miss him.

"Do you think everyone else will be okay with it?"

"They'll just have to deal with it." It's good to see that Clementine seems to have relaxed a lot around Luke now. He'll look after her well. He wont admit it, but he's managed to look after this disorganized lot for a long time, he can manage one resourceful little girl.

"So... what happened to your parents...? If you don't mind me asking. I mean, I assume what happened to them is what happened to just about everyone's parents."

"Luke.."

He glanced to her, but ignored Olly's obvious warning."You're just so young... didn't think you could've made it on your own so long, but maybe you did."

"Other people took care of me, if that's what your asking."

"I was just curious how you made it this far."

"I just tried to stay with good people and not do anything dumb." Clementine stopped eating and just stared at her bowl, a brows creased in to a sorrowful expression.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I... I shouldn't have asked." I did try warning you. Things like this, should only be spoken about if the person brings up the conversation first. It's too difficult otherwise.

"My parents went on vacation and left me with a babysitter and they never came back. We went to Savannah to find them-"

"Wait... Y- your parents went to Savannah?" Clementine nodded. "I... I grew up there." Memories of boat trips, walks on the docks, and movie nights with dad flooded her mind. More prominantly, visions of her and her father toppling over the side of the boat tortured her mind. It was too much. Olly fled to the safety of her room and flung her father's hat on the ground beside the bed along wth her treasured katana. Her head in her hands, she sat and sobbed. Her hope was dwindling more and more each day and the fear of never finding her father paralysed her. If mention of her homeplace did this to her still, how could she survive this world by herself?

Olivia was aware that someone had come in to her room. She knew it was, Luke. He crept over to her and sat beside her on the bed, placing an arm around her shoulder and pulling her in to a soft hug, cradling her until the tears deceased. Yeah, people like Luke are far and few...