The fetters…
"I'll try…"
…
Clementine opened her eyes, iron railings of her bunk's empty upper bed welcomed her. She felt remnants of tears on her eyes and began taking care of them while straightening up.
"Good morning!" she heard Violet say. It came from AJ's bed.
"'Morning…" Clementine mumbled, still trying to wake her mind up while rubbing her eyes.
"… Well, not really morning anymore." Violet added with a little cackle.
Clementine visibly flustered for a split second as she comprehended the time and AJ's absence. Violet couldn't help but grin to the sight as she reassured instantly:
"He's at school…" Clementine took a deep breath of relief as Violet added while pointing towards her end-table: "...left you a note."
Clementine saw the folded paper on her end table and grabbed it.
"Woke up early
You were smiling again"
Clementine felt her heart warm up as she smiled to the note her goofball left. Although feeling somewhat guilty about it, she was thankful that AJ didn't wake her up once again.
In relief, Clementine let go of the note. Violet asked, looking concerned while inspecting her friend's eyes:
"Another bad one?"
Clementine's seemingly tired eyes shifted quickly towards her dear friend as her smile grew bigger and more sincere. Moments of the dream she could remember engulfing her:
"Not really." Clementine heartily responded. Feeling glad, Violet went back to the matter at her hands, which Clementine was yet to notice.
Out of nowhere, she heard a giggle from Violet. After blinking to get rid of her blurry vision, Clementine noticed what Violet was holding.
"Look at that hair…" Violet squealed in between her giggles. "...like a mop."
"Hey!.." Clementine lightheartedly yelled as she got up from her bed and hopped towards Violet to take the picture away from her.
"Wait, nonono…" Violet begged and reached outwards to Clementine like a toddler the moment she snatched it from Violet's hands and put it back on her end table.
"...give it baaack, I'm sorry." Violet insisted but was replied with a eyebrow treatment in mix of a smile that Clementine was failing to hold back as she said:
"You just lost that privilege."
"Nooo, it's lovely. Really!" Violet kept trying to apologize for her egregious insult but Clementine was having none of it as she got on wearing the new prosthetic with her furious expression in obvious jest.
Violet dropped her shoulders and sighed, right before she wondered while pointing towards the photo:
"Did you always have that?"
After letting the question linger for a moment, in which Clementine both got finished with her leg and was indecisive in if she was ready to truly open up to more people about her past or not, she ultimately settled on telling the truth. She stood up, on her way to Violet. She sat down beside her and said:
"No, it's…Aasim brought it from my home."
"Really?!." Violet's eyes got wide in surprise, which Clementine responded with a nod. She looked at where Clementine left the photo before checking out the rest of the room. There were some new books she didn't notice before and other unframed photographs on the corner of AJ's desk, as well as a couple of new paintings on the wall among AJ's old ones.
"...So that's why you opened up." Violet whispered in realization, looking at all these new items in her dear friend's room, referring to the story Clementine shared about her hat yesterday.
"Yeah, I'm… getting better at it." Clementine let out with a timid smile. Her eyes back on the direction of the photo, Violet felt like she had to explain:
"I was here to plug your alarm back, but I… you know… got distracted." Violet ended with a guilty smile and look in jest, her eyes switching back and forth between Clementine's face and the photo. Clementine, witnessing her dear friend's childishness in front of her, held firm:
"No."
Violet's innocent pout in response caused the girls to smile and chuckle afterwards. Violet's eyes were back on where the alarm clock was supposed to be as she asked:
"Where'd you put it… and… why–"
She hung her words as she noticed the new and oddly familiar device that was connected where Clementine's alarm clock used to be. Her eyes widened in acknowledgement as she recalled what the device actually was. The Dick Ericson had one just like it in his office that Violet recalled Derek plundering it the moment their principal fled.
"Is… that also from your–" Violet queried as she was about to stand up, headed for the answering machine but she felt a hold onto her arm, stopping her gently. Her genuinely curious expression withered to a concerned one as she sat back down and saw Clementine's timid and anxious look.
Clementine couldn't. She wished she could share it, cherish all her memories with her dear friend. But there were those painfully familiar fetters, clutching her heart. They appeared again, making her stop Violet in her tracks. The rest were fine game, she thought. But those messages… She wasn't sure even she herself wanted to hear them again, especially right after the dream she had…
"Too much?" Violet softly asked while her dear friend's hesitance seemed more than apparent. She responded with, accompanied by an apologetic smile:
"Too much."
"It's alright." Violet put in with a slow, single nod. She reached out to her friend for a hug that Clementine gladly accepted. Violet's understanding - which Clementine was not expecting, worrying Violet would keep pursuing - gladdened her immensely.
Violet felt proud of herself for a change. Although it ended up bringing them closer together last time, the fact that she didn't repeat the mistake of going too far again relieved her. Not everyone had the luxury of truly yearning for their former family, which the lack of didn't give Violet any right to be nosey, she thought.
What felt even more relieving, however, was Violet hearing her friend's voice all livened up as she asked:
"Have you had breakfast yet?"
To admit…
"If that plate returns to me not finished, one more time…" the 'Sweet Berty', their chef for today's breakfast - who every kid in the dormitory grew to love eventually - said in her, somehow, intimidating but also loving manner. The chubby old woman did not take her suspicious scowl away from the guilty-in-charge Clementine while she was scooting through the cafeteria row, Violet right behind her.
"You heard her…" Violet teased as they seated an empty table.
"Ugh… she fills it too much." Clementine complained, looking at her hearty plate.
"Get to it fast, then…" Violet insisted with a smile, which degraded as she added in a concerned tone: "...You're getting skinnier every day."
Clementine let out an inner sigh to Violet's exaggeration and began chipping through her plate slowly.
"So…" Clementine exclaimed, a half-smile growing on her face. "...what happened to you yesterday?"
It was now Violet's turn to dart her eyes around the tray in front of her, albeit her reasoning was more about her diffidence.
"I… wasn't sure how others'd take… us." she answered.
"Why would you–" Clementine wanted to ask why the others would care if she was in a relationship again initially, but she got reminded of her original culprit on the matter as she added: "...Is it… because of Minerva?"
Violet's instant pull up away from her tray to look straight at Clementine with fiery and yet confused eyes scared Clementine a bit.
"Oh, the fuck-up that got Tenn killed and almost killed you too… You mean that bitch?.." she bitterly answered, although Clementine couldn't tell who that bitterness was aimed at. There was blatant anger behind those words but was she angry at Minerva, her, or herself; Clementine couldn't say as Violet averted her gaze back to the tray and added: "...I'm over her, Clem."
The targetless disappointment in Violet's words and her troubled tone upset Clementine. It even seemed that Violet was dejected at herself for how she put out the remarks on Minerva. Although delinquently glad that Violet was not blaming AJ for Tenn's death, she felt she had to apologize:
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brou–"
"No, it's fine…" Violet cut her. She was collecting herself and seemed to even flash a smile as she added in a much livelier tone: "...I just didn't wanna see Louis get cocky."
Clementine, glad that the subject has changed, chuckled at her dear friend's remark as she remembered how Louis responded to the news yesterday.
"Since when?" She asked.
"I dunno…" Violet tried to parry with a shrug. "...since we met, I guess..." she admitted coyly while scratching the back of her head. Under Clementine's skeptical smile and one-eyebrow-up gaze, Violet added: "...And, me being the genius that I am, mentioned it to Louis…" Clementine had a tender laugh at that as Violet continued: "...I just said I think I liked you, but he kept nudging me ever since..." Violet dropped her gaze with her lasting smile and signs of blushing as she finished:
"...Assholes are always right, huh?"
"How come he never spilled it to me?" Clementine asked away, pondering how a guy like Louis managed to keep such a secret for so long. Without leaving her eyes from her plate, Violet said smugly:
"'Cuz I'd gut him if he did."
"Yeah, there's that…" Clementine agreed as the duo had a chuckle over the exchange.
"...So, you're good?" Clementine queried joyfully. Violet looked up to her once again with eyes devoid of any distress. With the warmest smile Clementine could swear she ever saw from Violet, she answered:
"Never better."
To accept…
The girls' meal continued in silence for a while as Clementine was having a metaphorical war between herself and her plate. She never had a great appetite, which benefited her a lot while on the road and it wasn't any different now. The bountiful food facilities in the Commonwealth provided little more than consistency for her. She grew a smile as she realized the hypocrisy of her practically forcing food down AJ's throat since they arrived here.
Her mind wandering off on her goofball, Clementine asked:
"How was AJ? Did he… say anything?"
Violet, her mouth full, pondered for a second and shook her head:
"Nothing much…" With a smile: "...he called me 'a little shit' too, so we're square on that." she added.
"Great…" Clementine scowled in jest while Violet cackled for a bit to her fantastic achievement of letting AJ swear.
"He did look thoughtful a bit, though." She said eventually which Clementine sighed response before saying:
"He hasn't piped up anything to me since the party. I'm… worried."
With the mention of the party, Violet had an empathetic guess as to why AJ seemed uneasy to Clementine.
"I bet he's worried too, and… so am I…" Violet responded, her eyes inheriting the emotion from her words. Under Clementine's displeasing acknowledgement as she dropped her gaze, Violet confirmed her: "...You can't accept that ranger deal, Clem."
Clementine began jostling the food on her plate in mild frustration upon hearing what she was fearing. Even though she was indecisive herself at first, she began leaning towards accepting it the more she thought about it these last few days.
"I want to." Clementine unburdened herself calmly. The rise of apprehension in Violet's face was not helping her own as Violet said:
"Of course you do. I–"
"I need to." Clementine corrected herself, cutting Violet. She could sense anger creeping up on Violet as she went on with a higher voice:
"No, you think you need it. You don't need shit, Clem. You have everything, why'd you risk it all out there?"
"I dunno…" Clementine shrugged, in contrast to her assured gaze as she added: "...Why does Aasim?"
"It's… not the same thing…" Violet let out, but the conflict between what she was saying and thinking proved senseless to both of them.
"How so, Vi?.." Clementine queried, despite the fact that both of them knew the answer to be on Clementine's side. Even Ruby didn't scold Aasim enough to sway him out of his decision back then, but now Violet appeared to be panicking in front of Clementine's eyes.
Violet, not knowing how to respond to Clementine's question, dropped her gaze unphased and furrowed her brows. With the cafeteria getting more crowded for lunchtime, she wanted to avoid creating a scene.
Violet's tenacity on the matter was evidently indicating how alienated she became from the outside world and how unchallenging it could be to deal with the dangers of it, Clementine thought. Her re-found confidence in herself was unfortunately not getting through to Violet. She was too obsessed with the worst outcome possible that she wasn't shying away from underestimating Clementine's capabilities either. In an effort to come clean, Clementine decided to open up more on her, now settled decision. With the most diplomatic tone she could muster:
"Look, all I've done for this past year has been just sitting back and watching you guys help me with it all. I–"
"So what?.." Violet limbered up and cut her softly. "...Do you see us complaining?"
"Of course not…" Clementine answered. "... Y'all are too good to admit I'm a burden."
"Oh, cut the bullshit!.." Violet expressed, a bit louder than she would've hoped for. "...Are you safe? Are you happy? Are you alive?"
"Yeah…" Clementine said, keeping her calm.
"Then that's it…" Violet kept going. "...I, or anyone else for that matter, don't ask you to be anything else. So shut it!"
Her outright yelling with the last remark grabbed some attention from the other tables which made Violet back down and collect herself. And on that, seeing Clementine upset did not help as she kept on with tired eyes and an apparent disheartened tone:
"I need to accept, Vi. I know we're safe and have everything here, but I can't count on that forever. Do you want me to be a… I dunno… waitress? Instead of working on something to make AJ even safer here?" With AJ's inclusion to Clementine's argument, Violet couldn't come up with any counterpoint as she kept going. "...All I've done till the day I met him is keep him safe. It's all I know, and I'll never stop. Even if it means I'll get to see him less in the process, I…" Clementine had to gulp for a second to digest what she was about to say: "...I do not care."
"I…" Violet started choking on her words. Her take on why Clementine wanted to become a ranger got rather overshadowed by what she just said. There was no getting in between her and her desire to protect AJ, and Violet wouldn't dare to question it either. Argument was done… Clementine was going to become a ranger…
Violet closed her eyes with a deep inhale. Her next words came out slowly, like she was begging, as if each of them were causing her pain:
"...I can't lose you too."
There it was. Clementine couldn't help but have a doting smile against her dear friend expressing her cordial fear at last.
"You w–"
"Excuse me…" a slightly muffled male voice rang inside the whole cafeteria, turning all the attention towards it. An unarmed trooper was standing within the doorframe, peering over the whole area. "...Is Clementine Crawford here?"
Confused and a bit anxious Clementine raised her hand enough for the trooper to see. He arrived at the table to say:
"Ms. President wishes to see you."
Violet's heart skipped a beat. If this was about the offer…
"Right now?" Clementine asked.
"I fear so…" The trooper said. "...I'm told to bring you over."
"OK…" Clementine gave in and stood up. But to her surprise, Violet did the same much faster.
"Alright, let's go." Violet said while getting out of the bench.
"Wait, what're y–"
"I just meant her, ma'am…" The trooper opposed.
"Too bad." Violet said sternly as she began heading for the door. If Clementine wants to be a ranger so badly…
"Vi, wait…" Panicking Clementine got tangled after her, the trooper in tow. On their departure:
"Hey!.." an angry shout echoed behind them, presumably from an old chubby woman.
To dissuade…
In contrast to their expectation, the trooper was taking them to what looked like a suburban part of the Commonwealth. They walked past several constructions and reached what they assumed to be the president's house since there were two sentry troopers in front of the yard's gate.
"Wasn't there only one?" Clementine heard one of them say as they walked closer to the troopers.
"I'd like to speak to her, too." Violet informed calmly with an effort to sound kind, Clementine could tell which was unusual for her. As the escorting trooper left the scene, the other sentry reached out to the radio pending in front of his shoulder:
"Ma'am, the guest looks to have someone else with her."
"Vi…" Clementine yelped, getting more and more anxious as Violet did not sway her eyes away from the trooper she was addressing to. While on their way here, Clementine did everything shorter than saying something harsh or outright stopping her, but Violet held firm. She couldn't break her heart, and now all she could do is hope that Maggie would also see why Violet shouldn't be a ranger, cause Violet was being too concerned and stubborn to realize.
After a moment, the girls noticed a movement on one of the lower windows of the two-story house as Maggie was peeking around its curtain.
"It's alright." The radio eventually rang, and the troopers opened the gate for the duo.
"Can't travel without a companion, huh?.." Maggie's genial face greeted them at the front door. "...Come on in, then." she said and withdrew from the door to invite the girls in.
"I tagged along with her…" Violet cut before Clementine could say anything. "...not her fault, ma'am."
"There's no fault here, Violet…" Maggie opposed softly as the girls went in.
They were welcomed by a wide hallway that led to the outer stand of the house's open kitchen. There were a couple of high stools at their side of it. To the kitchen's left, there was a big living room and a staircase for the second floor. Despite being the house of the Commonwealth's president, it seemed to be quite a humble home. No furniture in it was too posh, just a regular lively home that frankly reminded Clementine of her own.
"...Please, have a seat. Are y'all hungry?" Maggie offered as she closed the door and got inside the kitchen.
"No, thanks. We're just eating, ma'am." Clementine responded with a smile.
"Alright, then you'll have to excuse my mess here…" Maggie humbly pointed out the cooking she was busy with. "...And stop with all the ma'am crap. It's my day off, Maggie's more than enough." she added with a smile and got back to her task.
"As you wish, ma– ggie." Clementine almost slipped up, which Maggie took notice with a subtle smirk before getting in front of her chopping board. As nervous as Clementine was, she wasn't planning on dismaying Violet away from anything as both of them took their seats. While waiting for the inevitable question she feared from Violet, Maggie took the helm first.
"It's great to see you, Violet. But I won't lie to you, I was hoping for a private conversation with Clementine, so I'm af–"
"I figured…"Violet softly cut her, the tone of her voice was the kindest Clementine ever heard out of her. Considering how callous she can be in these situations sometimes, more so in the past than now, Clementine greatly appreciated her effort to not sound mean or impatient. "...and I'll be out of your way after I ask my thing."
"Of course…" Maggie accepted without a delay. "...what can I do for you?"
"I want to be a ranger, too."
"Is that so…" Maggie said as she halted her knife to raise her surprised eyes to Violet. She seemed very determined. However her keen eyes were - thanks to years of political bullshit she had to be a part of - quick to notice how hard Clementine was trying not to look uneasy. Maggie inspected the girls for a silent moment with a squint, which made Clementine's apprehension more evident with every second. And frankly, Maggie agreed to her.
"Alright, I'll bite…" Maggie let out as she continued her cooking. She saw Clementine get even more tense and Violet relax before she added: "...I'd like to ask some questions myself."
"Of course." Violet enthusiastically nodded.
"I assume you already know what the job entails…" Violet nodded again before Maggie continued: "...I need people that are… comfortable. With outside, with walkers… And most importantly, with hard decisions."
"I am." Violet confidently let out, which Maggie responded by bluntly asking:
"How many people have you killed?"
The cold question lingered in the air. Violet's eyes widened and the silence was being disturbed only by the sound of Maggie casually chopping vegetables. She eventually stopped to say:
"Well…"
"I, umm…" Violet muttered. "Onc– uhm, one." Maggie had a surprised expression herself as she asked:
"Why?"
"He… was my friend, and…" Violet wasn't enjoying this particular trip down the memory lane. "...didn't want to turn."
"A grim burden…" Maggie empathized and pouted. Even though she didn't know who Violet was referring to, Clementine landed her hand on Violet's shoulder. Violet met it with her own over Clementine's, accompanied by a thin-lipped, upset smile.
"That's… the only one." Violet added and the girls released their hold.
"Never in self-defense, then?" Maggie asked to make sure.
"I fought… but not killed, yes." Violet confirmed, a doubting fear slowly began settling on her.
"OK…" Maggie kept going. "...how well do you judge people?"
Another hard question, accompanied with yet more hesitance from Violet. She would've loved to say 'very good', if only she could forget all that happened with Marlon or Brody.
Or Minerva…
Upon Violet being unable to answer her right away, Maggie shot another one before she could manage to find an answer:
"How long have you had to travel out there?"
"I went on runs every day." Violet told right away, livening her courage up momentarily, which didn't last long.
"That's not what I asked, Violet…" Maggie softly opposed. "...I meant, how long have you had to fend for yourself?"
"I…" Violet tried to defend, but got lost at words. Not a second after, Maggie let out:
"What about you, Clementine?"
With that last question, Maggie's intent got clear as day to Violet. This was nothing but a yet another dissuasion attempt, similar to the one Clementine had with her yesterday. She winced and closed her eyes, holding back on saying something she would regret.
Witnessing the irritation building up on Violet, Clementine refrained from answering Maggie's question and gazed compassionately upon her dear friend instead. Everyone in the room knew the answer anyhow, there was no reason to start humiliating Violet.
Violet raised her head to first notice the sincere smile Clementine wore for her and an apologetic one from Maggie afterwards. She read the room and managed to calm down reasonably well, thanks to both of the opposition not persisting any longer, but she couldn't give up yet.
"I can do it…" Violet claimed. Tilting her head to the side, towards Clementine: "...team me up with her, I'll show you."
"I don't doubt it… but I cannot…" Maggie gave the bad news. "...I need this to not fail, and that means taking as few risks as possible. I know this'll sound harsh Violet… but I can't afford try-outs."
Once again, Violet dropped her gaze. Clementine noticed she was biting her lip and subtly fidgeting her leg out of stress. A part of her was glad that she wasn't getting explosive over Maggie's remarks which she was very thankful for but the larger one was pained to see her dear friend struggle like this.
"I'm sorry." Clementine felt the need to apologize and reached out to Violet's shoulder to calm her. The touch seemed to help as she stopped the fidgeting and looked at her dear friend. Her eyes were still reflecting hints of anger, but understanding and defeat were beaming through it all.
"I admire the lengths you're daring for your friend's wellbeing…" Maggie said. "...but I assure you, I don't plan on hurting anyone."
"Hmpfh, sure." Clementine heard Violet mutter with an unceremonious chuckle as she stood up.
"You'd be surprised at the amount of preparation went into this." Maggie pressed on while Violet was headed for the front door.
"Excuse me." Clementine stirred up to follow her. She caught Violet in front of the door outside.
"Vi–"
"I'm fine…" Violet reassured, although her voice proved otherwise. Under her dear friend's concernful look, Violet added: "... just… I'm afraid, Clem." Another painful word met Clementine's warm smile.
"Me too…" she replied. "...but when did we let that stop us, huh?" she added heartily, which Violet couldn't help but smile in acceptance. Clementine's lively tone got to her and she relaxed. She didn't have to like it, but Clementine was right again. However, it still didn't change the risk Clementine was putting herself into.
"If she gets you…" Violet's trembling voice couldn't complete the sentence.
"...I'll, uh… I'll talk to you later, OK?" Violet said instead. It sounded more like a request than a farewell to Clementine as she nodded and briefly hugged her dear friend in response. Violet flashed a humble smile before she walked away as Clementine watched her leave for a while before going back inside.
"Devoted, that one." Maggie's remark welcomed Clementine.
"She is…" Clementine agreed and sat again. Although with some guilt attached to it, she appreciated Maggie's effort to convince Violet.
"...Thanks, Maggie."
"Well…" Maggie exclaimed, kneeled in front of her oven: "...could've gone better, but ughh… I did all I can…" She added as she stood back up and dusted her hands on her apron. "...She just needs to trust you more."
"Trust you, more like." Clementine politely opposed, a smile attached to it. After a chuckle in response, Maggie said:
"I'll win her over."
To oppose…
Clementine was still weirded out by interacting with Maggie in an informal setting like this, exacerbated even further with the request to be called by her first name. Not that Clementine was complaining, but she never would've imagined to see Maggie like this. Even the easygoing way Maggie talked was unlike Clementine's first impression of her. Taking how young Maggie looks into account, Clementine guessed that she had to grow into that primness expected for a person in her stature, and she must have not necessarily enjoyed the process.
"So, I–" Maggie wished to start, but she got cut by the sound of someone coming down the stairs. It was a blonde girl with long, straight hair. She looked younger, if not coeval to Clementine. Some freckles were falling down from her brown, surprised eyes locked unto her.
"Good evening!" Maggie teased.
"I was studying…" The girl scoffed and broke eye-contact as she went to grab a muffin from a cladded tray behind Maggie. She left a quick kiss to Maggie's cheek and headed towards the front door.
"Could you grab Hershel?" Maggie asked in a hurry.
"Yep yep…" the girl passed off.
"Be safe." Maggie could barely jam in before the girl closed the door behind her. Silent Clementine turned back to Maggie.
"My daughter Sophia…" Maggie said, which for a second widened Clementine's eyes so much that Maggie couldn't help but grin to the sight of it. Either Maggie looked 15 years younger than she actually was, or…
"...adopted, yeah…" Maggie clarified while Clementine visibly got around to figuring it herself.
"...She's a good kid… when she actually listens to me every other moon." Maggie complained softly with a smirk and Clementine accompanied with a single chuckle.
"She's lucky." Clementine praised, which Maggie gave a slightly piteous chuckle of her own in response:
"Not sure about that…" She muttered, her expression faded in a whim in front of her stove.
"...Anyways…" She livened up. "...I must say, I was hoping I could get something definitive out of you, but… looks to me you'll need more time?" Maggie asked, pointing towards the door with her chin, undoubtedly referring to Violet.
"I'm… afraid so…" Clementine confirmed with thoughtful eyes. Even if she was firmly decisive on it, she couldn't go ahead and accept it now without having a fruitful talk about it with AJ first.
"No matter, I didn't call you for just that anyhow…" Maggie relieved her. "...and despite how I imagine it looks…" she said as she opened her hands to her sides. "...not for you to help me cook, either…" she jested.
"I hope not, for your sake." Clementine joined in, indicating how little she knew of the affair which got a laugh out of Maggie before she continued.
"...I'll be gone for, I assume, a long while. An outer settlement is in need of my attention. I won't bore you with details…" She left her task to reach for a piece of paper on her side of the stand and handed it out to Clementine. "...In my absence, that officer will be in charge of everything ranger related. Contact him when you decide what to do."
Clementine observed the document which was a profile sheet for Cpt. Cain Donover. It had a picture of him - a light skinned 51 years old balding man with a baggy nose and thick eyebrows - as well as the necessary office information for contacting him. Not the friendliest looking person, Clementine couldn't help but think. From what Martin mentioned before, Clementine assumed this guy was to be the expedition's leader as she glossed over an input, indicating he was in charge of the Georgia expedition this year.
"Will do." Clementine said and folded the paper into her jacket's pocket.
"I h–"
"Ma'am…" a radio attached to its terminal on the kitchen's wall rang, cutting Maggie. "...Mr. Vice President's here."
"Oh, for f…" Maggie sighed and threw her head back in mild frustration. Clementine almost giggled at the President's unexpected reaction, but she managed to hold it back as Maggie grabbed the radio.
"Let him in."
Not long after, a man barged in the house hurriedly. The middle-aged man was wearing a tidy black suit, combed-to-the-side hair and a clean-shaved face; which looked rather perturbed.
"Do you have the sli–" The man bickered while approaching the kitchen, but stopped as he noticed Clementine's presence.
"...Who's this?" He asked abruptly, which his inadvertent address' inelegance and how unsuitable for a man in his position it was, he realized too late as Maggie answered before Clementine could.
"A citizen who's in dire need of a proper introduction." Maggie scolded.
"Could you excuse us?" The man requested in an apologetic tone. Befuddled Clementine couldn't get a word in before Maggie intervened:
"Clementine, this here's Lance Hornsby, our ever-courteous Vice-President." Maggie introduced him in his stead, the mock seeping through her words.
"Nice to meet you." Clementine put in with a humble smile.
"Likewise…" Lance greeted her back with a nod. "...but could I still ask for that privacy, ple–"
"No need." Maggie cut him, her eyes locked on her task. Lance's surprise influenced his perturbed state more as he objected nervously:
"But, it's a delicate state matter."
Yeah, I don't mi–"
"Was I not loud enough?" Maggie coldly interjected, her furrowed brows looking directly at her subordinate and stopping Clementine on her tracks to leave the house for a moment. She seated herself again as Lance swallowed his temper and got closer. After flashing an anxious look towards Clementine, he addressed his President:
"Having an off-day with news of a recession on our hands is–"
"Irresponsible?.." Maggie completed his reprimand. Before Lance could correct, she continued in a mocking tone: "...I'm sorry I decided to make sure my family eats well before my journey, dear Mr. Hornsby." It took Lance a few seconds to realize:
"You're… going to Erie?" he queried in surprise.
"At first light tomorrow." Maggie confirmed.
"Thank goodness…" Lance looked relieved. "...Your presence will help them see their mistake."
"Mistake or not, it's their decision." Maggie said, panic set in Lance's face once again.
"You'll let them leave us?"
"If they wish so…" Maggie replied casually, her eyes still on her work. "...I'll go there to oversee the referendum. Parliament won't take any action before we have their official plea."
"And you'll veto it if they say no…" Lance assumed bitterly, to which Maggie flashed a smirk. "...Maggie, we have to stay united. We'll appear weak, more settlements will start thinking the same."
"What would you have me do, then?.." Maggie asked, her eyes firmly on Lance's anxious face now.. "...force Erie into submission? Do you recall how that ends?.." She let out, her fiery eyes barely containing the rage within. Lance winced, swallowing his words. Maggie continued as she dropped her gaze to her work again.
"...Erie knows they'll miss out on the security we provide, and if they want to leave the Commonwealth despite that, then so be it. Now…" Maggie took a second to peek at the clock in her living room. "...If you don't have any more pointless argument in mind, I believe you have an expedition to welcome Mr. Vice-President."
"That I do…" Lance gritted his teeth. His defeated tone contradicted the furious gaze he held on Maggie. He eventually turned away from the kitchen and left.
To know…
Silent Clementine watched Lance slam the door behind him and turned back to Maggie. She was looking at her with, now calmed down eyes.
"What do you make of him?" Maggie asked inquisitively.
"Other than that he doesn't like you one bit–"
"Hah…" Maggie chuckled briefly. "...there's an understatement."
"...he's daring… but logical."
"Oh?" Maggie was surprised.
"His concern, I mean…" Clementine said. "...people do love abusing weaknesses..."
Maggie nodded in silence as she got done with her immediate tasks and closed a boiling pan on her stove. She landed her empty hands over the stand's edge to support her weight as Clementine added:
"...But… he didn't look trustworthy…" A proud smile grew on Maggie's face as Clementine kept going. "...the way he speaks with vain … like, he wanted to order you around if he could."
"Very good." Maggie praised with her on-going smile.
"Doesn't it bother you?.." Clementine felt the need to ask. "...Keeping a… foe so close to you like that?"
"It does…" Maggie answered humbly. "...but having him out of my sight would bother me even more…" Clementine raised her head and widened her eyes in acknowledgement while Maggie continued: "...Plus he keeps me on my toes. His presence prevents me from getting too comfortable and slipping up."
"Like how walkers do…" Clementine associated, which Maggie saw the resemblance and nodded.
"All in all, he's nothing but a power-hungry charlatan, Clementine…" Maggie bluntly put, her eyes got tenser as she did. "...and he's not worthy of a pinch of your sympathy. Never forget that." Maggie's every word left her mouth staid, and her eyes told a similar, albeit a more personal story. A one that Clementine could tell Maggie was in grief and fury for… She just kept silent and nodded in response, not wishing to question a seemingly delicate matter such as this if she didn't have to. In an effort to change the subject for the better, and for her own wonderment:
"Why'd you trust me with all that?" Clementine had to ask. Maggie relaxed her posture and smiled. After taking a moment to consider:
"I knew what he'd talk about, and it'll all be known to everyone else eventually." Maggie replied.
"Oh…" Clementine expressed. "...so you would've booted me if it was something else?" she asked in a jesting manner.
"Instantaneously..." Maggie answered in a similar tone. She continued accompanied with the warmth of her standing smile as she went back to the chopping board, her eyes on her work. "...besides, we all have things we'd rather not share with everyone…" Just as Clementine was about to nod:
"...like your arm."
"..."
Clementine's blood froze inside her. How, just… Fucking how did she knew about it? And what… Why… In the silence that followed, her mind couldn't get around the fact that how the hell Maggie knew about her past. She questioned herself for a moment if she slipped up and actually gave away an information that would indicate her involvement when they were accepted into the Commonwealth, but no. She could swear she didn't. And AJ couldn't have either, they never questioned him because of his age. If she… If Maggie knew this all along…
"Oh my, you look terrorized." Maggie expressed her surprise as she lifted her gaze and noticed Clementine.
"H– How?" The perplexed girl barely put out the question. She instinctively put herself in a guarded stance as if she was facing a fatal threat. Her feet reached the ground and her hands were ready to grab whatever would protect her in the vicinity.
"Relax…" Maggie said as softly as possible to calm her down. "...I wouldn't put you in front of me if I really thought you were among those fucking cutthroats, let alone speak to you."
Her manner of speech surprised Clementine once again as her fear slowly ceased, but her confusion was far from it. Maggie examined as Clementine let go of her stance to sit back again and her face softened.
"I didn't mean to scare you that badly, Clem." Maggie said apologetically, beginning to feel bad about the way she pointed out her guest's jesting irony.
"Still, though…" Clementine's face kept questioning Maggie more than her words. Maggie couldn't help but smile as she kept the cards close to her chest:
"Let's just say I've done my homework. I know why you took that brand and even how they betrayed you."
Clementine kept getting more and more baffled. Even AJ didn't know half of all that. The only people she dared tell all this to was…
"Javier…" Clementine muttered, her eyes protruding. In a mind-numbing disbelief of how she never realized the possibility before, Clementine asked: "...Richmond's a part of the Commonwealth?"
"No..." Maggie replied with a downbeat voice. "...An expedition visited that settlement about two years ago. It… was in ruins."
It looked like the bad news right after that fleeting hope upset Clementine as she dropped her gaze with a disappointed pout. The name Clementine blurted out did not escape Maggie's notice. She couldn't give it away just yet...
"Anyways…" Maggie let out, in an attempt to free the poor girl out of the gloom she put her in. "...it's good that you've been cautious about your arm. Not every victim's aware of the duplicity New Frontier dealt in."
"It has been… taxing." Clementine said, stroking her brand over the jacket with a frown on her face.
"I bet…" Maggie sympathized. "...Just know that I hate employing authority by threats of disclosure. I'd never use something like that on you."
"Thank you…" Clementine expressed. Although the fact that she wasn't willing to say how exactly she knew of herself and New Frontier didn't escape her notice, Clementine had to take into account the sincerity and care she saw from Maggie since they met as she added: "...I trust you."
Maggie wore the warmest smile. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble. Aaand, speaking of which…" she said while leaving her kitchen to grab her briefcase from the living room. She handed over a dossier she took from it and added with her standing smile:
"...finally, neither am I anymore."
To share…
"What's this?" Clementine queried as she opened the cover of it. There were a bunch of documents in it with her and AJ's photos sprinkled.
"Normally, when a child under 10 years old would become a citizen here, the procedure is to have them join an already established family for their sake of growth…" Clementine raised her surprised gaze to Maggie as she added in a frank tone: "...Ever wondered why the dormitories have no toddlers in them?"
"Yeah… but–"
"In your case…" Maggie inadvertently cut her. "...I…cheated a bit…" She said while smirking guiltily.
Clementine reached towards the end of the papers to see them full of formal text. At the end of them, a short paragraph in bold took her notice as Maggie kept going:
"...Considering how I, myself, wouldn't let any power take Sophia away from me if she happened to be younger…"
Clementine read:
Consequently, by the erstwhile noted articles from Commonwealth Civil Rights and Regulations Act, there have been no inconvenience found of the plea for afore depicted Commonwealth adult citizen CLEMENTINE CRAWFORD to adopt full parental responsibility over the afore depicted Commonwealth orphan ALVIN JUNIOR. Therefore, the plea in question is authorized under the legality of the Commonwealth Constitution and the latter citizen is, henceforth, to adopt the name ALVIN JUNIOR CRAWFORD.
Clementine grinned ear to ear and pulled her gaze away from the text to Maggie as she completed:
"...how could I let that happen to someone else?.. Tha–"
Her words got cut by Clementine unconsciously letting the papers other than the one she was still holding fall off to the ground.
"Hey…" Maggie yelled a tad to bring Clementine back to Earth, holding back on laughing candidly to her reaction. They both kneeled down to collect as Maggie said in a frustrated voice in jest:"...Careful, a lot of favors and forgery went into all this."
"Sorry." Still befuddled Clementine could only say with an embarrassed smile as they gathered them all back again.
"You're one year older now, by the way." Maggie gave the bad news while they stood back up.
"Great…" Clementine complained in jest, her eyes still locked unto the paper.
"All it needs is your signature at the end…" Maggie informed and pointed out. Clementine saw the end of the document, already having been signed by the Commonwealth's Head of Civil Affairs and the President herself. Her own name was at the very end with some space underneath, meant for her signature.
Clementine sat back down and grabbed the pencil Maggie handed over. After a second to digest the significance of what she was about to do, she signed the paper.
"That's it…" Maggie let out and grabbed the dossier back as Clementine handed it all back. "...as far as Commonwealth's concerned, AJ's your son."
She still couldn't comprehend exactly how she was feeling by that phrase she just heard and even signed a paper for. She felt jubilant and dizzy… Confused, nervous and even terrified at the same time... For a decision that didn't necessarily change anything for her or AJ immediately, it - for a reason she couldn't figure out - also felt incredibly emotional.
And to add Maggie's role to all of it, she was just lost for words. To think that she prevented AJ being taken from her again, by going against the laws she herself was undoubtedly a huge part of… Clementine - once again, unfortunately - couldn't help but wonder if all this was just for her to accept the ranger deal. But after a second thought, that felt illogical since a commitment like this from Maggie must have been in action at least nine months ago, when she and AJ arrived here and there was no way the ranger plan was that old, Clementine thought.
"...Maggie…" Clementine peeped, her face asking a million questions once again. "...why me?"
"What was that, dear?" Maggie didn't hear her low and timid voice initially, now that she dropped her briefcase away and was back at her kitchen again.
"You… can't be this… caring to everyone. So, why me?" Clementine repeated.
"You're saying I shouldn't be?" Maggie jested, one eyebrow up to which Clementine dropped her gaze with a smile.
"I just… don't get it." She expressed. Maggie let the question linger for a while, within which she sighed and closed her eyes briefly. It was starting to get too obvious now…
"We're living in… an extremely small world, Clem…" Maggie started. While Clementine got confused, Maggie pleaded:
"...Could you please step inside the living room for a minute?.."
Clementine did so as Maggie said:
"...Do you see the paintings?"
"Yeah." Clementine answered after scanning the room's walls to find a series of portraits hung on them. They all looked artistic, but not so much to miss out on key features of a person's face. It was clear that these were not made to copy, but rather to depict based on descriptions, Clementine thought.
"Are any of them familiar?" Clementine heard Maggie's question while her eyes were locked on the paintings. Frankly, the one on the top did look quite familiar, but she couldn't figure out who. It was an old, hoar haired man with a short beard. His thin brows were close to his eye, and yet there was a smile on his face. In fact, Clementine noticed all the paintings were smiling.
She noticed another familiar one, a young man with black upright hair and a clean face with a long nose. High cheekbones too, similar to Maggie's.
Maggie's…
Clementine's gaze fell down to the void of an empty wall as she began reminiscing. Maggie was now beside her as she muttered:
"The Greenes… I… stayed on that farm."
"Yep…" Maggie smiled. "...you were there before I was, in fact."
"That's Shawn…" Clementine kept recalling, pointing at the portrait. "...h–"
"How was he?" Maggie asked, cutting her.
"Huh?" Clementine got confused. Maggie peered at his big brother's painting. She had a longing smile and a nostalgic tone
"I couldn't get out of the city the first few days, and that's when he died, dad said…" Maggie began reminiscing herself while Clementine looked back at the top painting again and now recognized Hershel Greene, Maggie's father and the namesake of her child.
"...He never had the best memory…" Maggie added with a grin. She briefly looked at Clementine to say: "...but he didn't forget your name. Or your cap." Maggie tapped the visor of Clementine's hat as she wore a shy smile in response.
Clementine turned back to the paintings. Shawn and Hershel, she knew, but there were 6 more portraits there. Hung just like them…
"All of them?" Clementine asked softly, her smile withered to an empathetic frown. Maggie just nodded with a frown of her own in response to confirm that she lost her whole family as well. After a quick sigh:
"The rest… I know how they passed away…" Those words seemed to leave her throat painfully. "...But I kept asking my dad what happened to Shawn, and he got mad every time. Told me nothin'..." She slowly grew her smile back as she added: "...Would've loved to see him once more."
In the following silence, Clementine felt it would be a good time to share:
"He saved us, drove us out of my neighborhood. Walkers were everywhere."
"Always the hero…" Maggie praised. Her smile died out as she turned back to Clementine. As selfish as it felt, Maggie couldn't help asking it.
"...Were you there when he died?"
Clementine nodded, then drew a long breath while recalling:
"He was working on building a fence around…" Clementine subtly gulped, pondering how honest she should be about the moment she now remembered like it was yesterday, considering it was partially caused by her friends. Eventually, after all she has done for her, Clementine figured Maggie deserved the truth: "...A kid was playing on the tractor near him, and it must've started. All I saw was… his leg stuck under the tire and… walkers on top of him..."
Maggie blowed her nose for a pitying chuckle and nodded while digesting it all.
"...Hershel came with a gun and shot them down, but… it was too late."
Maggie didn't say anything for a while, her eyes were still wandering off on her family's portraits.
"Maybe…" Clementine let out, ending the silence with her hopefully accurate assumption: "...he blamed himself for not being quick enough. And that's why… he never told you."
"Maybe…" Maggie squealed, a sniffle followed right after. Clementine saw her eyes start gleaming as well, and yet she had a sincere smile as turned back to her and queried rapidly and in a jesting manner: "...that kid wasn't you, was it?"
"No! No, I swear." Clementine defended immediately as both of them shared a brief laughter. As it subsided, Maggie had her eyes on the portraits again as she said:
"It might surprise you, but… I am a frail-willed woman. Even more so at the start than now…" She contemplated for some time under Clementine's surprised gaze before continuing. "...These days, so very few people get to have people around them who…can share moments they had with you back then… And the ones that have those people only realize how invaluable they are… once they lose them…"
Clementine kept silent against the rightful insight. She saw it happen to both herself and people around her for so long…
"...Once I recognized you when you all arrived here…that was it. I couldn't refrain from helping someone who shared my past in some way… But I couldn't overdo it either, so I didn't contact you. It would've drawn unpleasant attention..."
Clementine nodded pudently as Maggie wore the greatest smile she saw of her to date, conquering her face:
"...Thank you, honey."
"Nothing to thank me for, I…" Clementine humbly opposed.
"It's everything." Maggie cut her as she went for a hug herself this time. The young survivor was yet again in disbelief of the level of affection she was receiving from her president. She felt the grieving woman's breath on her shoulder. Clementine frankly wasn't sure what to think of her anymore. Whenever she thought Maggie couldn't get any more humble or genuine or caring towards her, she kept shocking Clementine. This level of attachment began feeling more than a considerate president with a grateful citizen…
"Alright…" Maggie eventually let out as she conceded from the embrace. "...enough sappiness for today. But hey, looks like you have some dirt on me too, now." she jested while quickly rubbing one of her eyes.
"And I can't wait to never, ever use it." Clementine jubilantly joined in.
"That seals a deal." Maggie said as they shook hands.
"Don't let me detain you any longer, dear…" Maggie said and walked Clementine to the front door. Before she stepped out, Maggie was reminded: "...Oh, the Maryland expedition must have arrived by now…" Not really grasping why she mentioned that, Clementine saw Maggie smirk as she advised:
"...I have this feeling… that you'll want to be there…"
…