Disclaimer: These characters belong to the Walking Dead game which is the property of Robert Kirkmen and Telltale games.
A/N Just a quick note. In case any of you were confused about Katjaa finding Mark's legs. In my version they simply chopped off Mark's legs for later use and Katjaa found them in the freezer as well as Lee's camera. I kinda wonder how in the game Brenda was able to cook Mark's legs so quick. I mean she had a few hours to get rid of Katjaa, drug him, cut legs off and cook them so in my story she used some meat they already had and put Mark's legs in the freezer.
The night was cloudless which was surprising seeing as they had just experienced a heavy storm. Lee sat on the RV struggling not to fall asleep.
It was 3:00am and he had just started his watch. They had all assisted Katjaa from the past 7 hours with the long process of reattaching Mark's legs. First she had used the wire to reattach the bone, then the arteries and blood vessels, and lastly she reconnected the tendons, and muscle tissue. She had not reattached the nerves stating that was a long and hard process which actually could be done much later.
The whole crew aside from Larry had suddenly become paramedics. Even Clementine and Duck assisted by bringing supplies when told. At the end Marks legs were reattached with the metal wire the group had found months back. In truth Lee wasn't sure if that was meant for surgery but it would have to do at this point. Mark was still in immense pain however and Katjaa warned he should move as little as possible until they found something to bind the legs.
Lee was just glad he was alive. It was a God given miracle that no one had died during the trip to the farm. It was even more a miracle that the St. John's had placed Mark's legs in the freezer and Katjaa had discovered them.
Lee yawned as his tiredness crept up on him. He couldn't fall asleep, not on watch and he prayed for the Lord to give him the strength to stay up.
Just then he heard some movement below him. Looking across the street he saw….. nothing. Then he realized that the noise had originated from behind him.
"Hey Lee" Travis voice called as he climbed up the RV.
Strange Lee thought only he would stay up. He knew after everything that had happen all everyone wanted to do was sleep.
"Hey, what you still doing up?" He asked.
"Oh nothing just couldn't sleep really; I mean every time I close my eyes I see those things coming after me."
"Nightmares? We've all had them." Lee replied
"Well that and Ben's snoring." Travis quickly added
Lee chuckled. He was glad that Clementine was a quiet sleeper. Other than her nightmares she was the perfect roommate.
"Oh Travis?"
"Yeah Lee?"
"Katjaa says we have to find some cast for Mark's legs, I was wondering if you'd be willing to scout with me tomorrow to see if we could find anything."
"Oh yeah sure that would actually be great."
Lee was a little shocked. No one had been happy in the past to leave the safety of the motor inn and scavenge for supplies"
"A little enthusiastic are we?" He asked
"Yeah well it's good to actually try and help out the group. Kinda felt useless when I first joined you guys."
Lee nodded. He never knew the feeling of uselessness with this group. There was always something to do.
"Well anyway guess I'll try and get some sleep. See ya." Said Travis as he began to descend.
"Oh Travis" Lee called causing the teen to turn around
"Thanks for having my back earlier." He said
Travis seemed confused.
"When you stopped Kenny?" Lee reminded him.
"Oh, Oh of course I wasn't about to let him kill the guy. No thanks necessary man I mean you rescued me from those walkers. Plus Lilly already thanked me."
Lee gulped as he watched Travis descend and enter the room they had allotted for him and Ben.
The fact that Lilly thanked him made him realize that she knew of Kenny attempted murder.
This is gonna escalate the tension between these two. Lee Thought.
He didn't have much time to worry as he heard the footsteps of someone else coming up ladder.
"Lee." Carley almost whispered him.
"Hey."
"That was really something huh I mean reattaching his legs like that."
Lee nodded.
"We're just blessed that the St. John's knew what they were doing. Katjaa said if it wasn't a clean amputation there was nothing she could do."
"Yeah." Replied Carley.
"Um Lee?" Carley asked.
"Yeah?"
"I just wanted to say I think you did great today."
Lee smiled though he wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that.
"I mean Katjaa said it was you who discovered legless Mark. Clementine said you got them out of the meat locker and Travis told me your CPR brought Larry back. That's a lot for one day's work."
Lee almost blushed but he knew he had done none of that alone. Larry provided the 60 cents for their escape. Travis had stopped Kenny from destroying Larry's brain with the salt lick and it was Lilly and Kenny's suspicion which had caused him to check on Mark. It was a team effort really.
"Thanks" He replied.
He looked at her to see she was smiling as well. "Well I better get some sleep, I have watch after you." She said.
Lee watched as she went back to her room. Looking back just before she closed her door.
With those two gone he went back to watch…. For about 15 minutes before he heard another pair of feet climbing the ladder which lead to the RV's roof.
"Lilly?" Lee asked as she walked next to him.
"Hey um…" Lilly began but hesitated almost immediately.
"Something you needed?" He asked
"No, no I just… I just wanted to thank you for saving my dad again I might add."
"Oh… of course no need for thanks I just did what anyone would do."
"NO you didn't!" Lilly yelled. This threw him off guard.
"Stop that! Acting like the things you do are no big deal. My dad would be dead if it wasn't for you. And not anyone would have helped him especially not anyone who had to suffer what he puts you through every single day!"
Lilly stopped to catch her breath while Lee looked over to Larry's room. He was glad that Larry slept like a rock, if anything he should have been making sure no one else was awoken by her ranting.
"Anyway just, thanks." She said finally.
Lee nodded "Anytime" he replied as he went back to watch. However after a few minutes he noticed Lilly had yet to return to her room.
"Something else you wanted to say?" He asked
Lilly looked to the ground and then back up at the sky. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact at all cost.
"It's just Lee….. why?! Why did you help me revive him?" She asked. "He treats you worse than dirt you even asked me about that before we were thrown in the meat locker so why did you risk him turning? I would have thought you would be the first one on board to smash his head in."
Lee put his rifle down and got up from his seat so that he was on partial eye level with Lilly though she was a bit shorter than him.
"I protect my own." He said as he looked her in the eye.
She seemed genuinely confused. "Your own but that would just be Clementine." She replied.
"No it's not just her. Listen Lilly we've been here for over three months. We've had our ups and a lot of downs but we've survived together. Why? Because were a family. A dysfunctional, irrational, at each other's throats almost daily family, but a family nonetheless. I may have my issues with your farther but he is my family and I'd protect him with my life." Lee stated.
Lilly just looked at him and the two simply stood there staring at each other. As they did so Lee couldn't help but think of the current situation. Travis had come to see him, then Carley and now Lilly.
What is this visiting hours? He thought.
"I ain't interrupting anything am I?" Said a voice from behind Lilly.
Crap! This really is visiting hours.
Lee looked to see Kenny on top of the RV. He took his hands of Lilly's shoulders which actually was strange because he didn't remember putting them there.
"No I was just leaving." Lilly snapped as she jumped of the RV onto the ground. The two watched her enter her room and slam the door behind her.
"What was that all about?" Kenny asked.
Lee shrugged his shoulders though he knew what her attitude was toward Kenny at this point.
"So what can I do for you?" He asked as he returned to his sitting position.
"Have you made up your mind yet?" Kenny questioned him.
"About what?"
"About coming with me and my family in the RV."
"Oh no I haven't thought about it."
"Well you better start thinking about it. It's almost ready and when I leave I gotta have only people I can trust on that thing."
Lee cleared his throat. He didn't need to hear this, not now anyway. He didn't actually think Kenny would abandon them. He wasn't that heartless. Also it would be suicide for Kenny to leave with just him and his family.
"Well I'll let you think about it and think about that little girl too." Kenny stated as he headed down the RV. "Cause if crap starts hitting the van I'm pulling off. With or without you!"
Lee readjusted himself in the chair. Once Kenny when back inside he checked the other rooms to see if anyone else decided to grace him with their presence.
There was no movement and Lee smiled.
Silence He thought It never sounded so good
"You sure we looking in the right place Lee?" asked Travis
In truth Lee had no idea where to search for a cast let alone a wheelchair other than the hospital. However the hospital was not an option. Last time they had been there it was completely overrun.
Having lost that as an option Lee had decided to search a nearby clinic which so far seemed to be completely lacking of anything.
"I think people have already been through here." Lee said.
Travis nodded. Though he still checked through some of the cabinets for anything that might have been overlooked.
The duo exited the clinic with a few painkillers and some children's' Tylenol. Not bad but not what they had come for.
"Let's check the next store" Lee said.
"Um that's a sports store." Replied Travis.
"When you've been with a group long enough you realize that you take what you can when you can. Usually these streets are filled with walkers but today it's pretty quiet."
Lee climbed in through the already broken window and Travis followed. Lee marveled as he browsed through the contents. This store had been almost untouched. He saw clothes, sports gear, and even expensive watches named after famous athletes. Though most of this was useless at the time. They could always use clothes but that wasn't a priority at the moment.
"Search around." Lee ordered Travis. "You find any medicine, food or weapon bring em back."
Travis nodded and headed for the right side of the store as Lee took the left. Looking at the shelves he realized only things that had been taken were the baseball and cricket bats though that made sense. He decided to focus on the smaller items on the counters. He found some gel for treating sore muscles and placed it in his backpack. He did the same when he found some athletic deodorant which he and the other males in the group urgently needed.
Another small box however caught his eye. He picked on up and began to read the title before he was yanked backwards by a small hand.
Instinctively he swung the butt of his rifle against whoever it was. The walker which was responsible seemed to barely notice as it went for his neck.
"Travis!" Lee screamed. Though the young man was nowhere to be found. Lee whacked it again with his rifle and the walker flew backward. Looking to his left he saw about 3 more had entered the store or were already there before the two had come.
Lee pointed his rifle at them but realized it wouldn't make sense to shoot. There were only four for now. At this point shooting a gun would only bring more. "Travis!" Lee called again but still there was no sight of the teen.
The walkers came at Lee from all directions. Hissing as they did so. Lee gun butted the closest one in the head and then smashed it with his foot. Two others jumped at him simultaneously. He placed the rifle between himself and the walkers which deterred them for the moment. Lee stepped back trying to make some space between he and them.
However he tripped over what seemed to be a piece of wood and fell to the ground. The two walkers followed, but he was able to kick one off while the other attempted to bite his head. Lee swung forward and delivered a head-butt which sent the creature's head flying across the room.
Looking closely Lee noticed the head had been staying on just barely by the neck bone which explained why it was so easily detached.
The other walked began closing in and Lee searched for the rifle which he had dropped when he fell.
He found instead the object which he had tripped over. It was a bat! Not a real one, more like a model which one would place on a shelf or a mantle but it would do. He grabbed it and slammed it against the walker's face. He then took the more blunt side in his hand and stabbed the walker through the eye using the handle.
The walker fell lifeless on the ground and Lee leaned against the store shelves to catch his breath.
He would have no chance however as the initial walker who attacked him appeared in front of him.
He had forgotten about her which could prove fatal as she jumped on top of him. He was still in sitting position and was unable to fully fight her off. Instead all his strength went into keeping her head back as he had done with Mr. Parker just the day before.
Lee screamed as he felt his strength leave him. He remembered he had yet to eat anything and had nearly no sleep the night before. All this was catching up with him as he could practically feel the teeth of this walker nearly on his neck.
Just then however the walker fell flat on top of him. There was no hissing from its mouth and it no longer seemed interested in devouring his neck.
Looking at its head Lee noticed there was a strange object sticking out of the other side. At the end of it was a pair of hands and a blur Stone Mountain Jacket.
"You okay?" Travis asked as he removed both the object and the walker off Lee and helped him up.
"Yeah thanks to you." He replied. "Where were you?"
"I was on the other end of the store and got jumped by two of them. If I didn't find these crutches I would be a goner."
"Crutches?" Lee asked as he noticed that Travis was holding one in his right hand.
"Yeah crutches found two of them behind the cash register. Must have belonged to one of the employees."
Lee looked at the crutch which Travis carried and then looked back at the box that he had been examining before the attack. An idea suddenly popped in his head.
"That might actually work!" He shouted.
"What might?" asked Travis obviously confused.
"No time to explain" Replied Lee
"Grab that second crutch and let's get out of here."
A/N As always thanks to all who made it to the end. Hope you guys enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed writing it. Thank you all for reading and God bless you all.
