Disclaimer: These characters belong to the Walking Dead game which is the property of Robert Kirkmen and Telltale games.
"You'll what?" Asked Lee.
"I'll take her off your hands. Listen my people are well hidden, well defended and well supplied. Plus we don't have to worry about Crawford anymore."
Lee thought to himself for a moment. Vernon may have had a point. Clementine hadn't been exactly safe with him. Perhaps it would have been better for her to remain with the cancer survivors underground. However at the same time Lee felt like there was something the old man wasn't telling him.
"So let me get this straight. You're telling me it'd be best for Clementine to go live in an underground bomb shelter with a four people five times her age?" He replied.
"A lot of us have had kids of our own. It may be strange for her at first but she'll be safer than she is with you. I can guarantee that."
Lee approached the older gentleman. "Vernon why were you asking about the train when we escaped from Crawford?" He asked.
At this Vernon tensed and backed away slightly.
"What's that got to do with anything?" He asked.
"Just strange you asking that question in the middle of our getaway." Replied Lee
Vernon walked passed him and down the stairs in a slight hurry. Lee was hot on his tail however.
"Listen if you don't want to give me Clementine then just say so, but don't go making wild accusations." He said.
"No one was making any accusation." Replied Lee as Vernon came to a stop in the kitchen.
"Just saying it was strange for you to all of a sudden make a remark on the train and then quickly dismiss it."
"Hey I was just curious when I saw the train parked at the station, it hasn't been there since this attack began." Stated Vernon. "Why are you so fixated on that anyway?"
Lee once again drew closer to Vernon.
"Because people don't just ask arbitrary questions when their lives are at risk." He stated definitively.
"Hey!" Vernon shouted back "I don't owe you guys anything. I was the one who knew what pills to get for Omid in the first place. If it weren't for me he'd be dead. I'm not going to stand here and be interrogated like I'm some criminal!"
With that Vernon headed out the back door. Lee wanted to follow but looking behind him he saw a battle brewing.
"I'm just saying we should draw straws!" Screamed Larry.
"Okay you got any straws old man?" Replied Kenny.
"Don't get smart with me." Larry warned.
"There has to be a rational way to decide this." Suggested Travis.
"You stay out of this kid." Said Larry "Why don't you and your friend get lost, the adults are talking. Speaking of which where is your friend?"
Travis' face turned to that of a child who just found out his dog had run away. Instead of answering Larry he simply headed to the backdoor and went outside.
"Good to see them listening for once. We have to decide who's staying and who's going." Larry said as he looked at Kenny.
Lilly simply stood by and watched as the two men fought over the boat. She would normally defend her father, or encourage him to calm down, but at this point she wasn't sure which side she was on, plus the group had picked up nitroglycerin pills at Crawford, so there was little chance of her dad having any heart problems.
Katjaa, Carley and Doug also remained silent.
"Think it'll ever end?" Asked a voice from beside her.
The voice belonged to Lee.
She didn't answer.
"Giving me the old silent treatment." He said lightly.
"Why shouldn't I?" She asked. "You obviously don't trust me."
"Oh come on Lilly I trust you. I just happen to know you well enough to know how you would react to information like that." He answered.
"So your my dad now?" She asked "You don't think I'd be rational when finding out it was Ben who betrayed us?"
Lee gave her a condescending look. "You tried to slam him in the chest with a spike remover"
"I…" Lilly started before realizing he was right…. Somewhat. "He betrayed us." She said finally.
"You beating him to a pulp won't change that." Replied Lee.
Lilly went silent again. Perhaps Lee was right; maybe he was just trying to protect her from herself. In part she was grateful, but the other part wondered where that spike remover had got too. Lee's head would make a great spike.
"What you to going on about?" Asked Larry
"Nothing just waiting for you and Kenny to finish the fight." Lee replied.
"That ain't happening any time soon." Commented Kenny.
"Hey I'm just trying to be fair here." Said Larry. "A game of chance that chooses five people at random to go on the boat is the only reasonably thing to do."
"Reasonable!?" Shouted Kenny "I'll tell you what's reasonable, the man who's had this goal since the beginning gets to leave with his family while the naysayers who never thought I'd find a boat get to stay behind."
"Listen you…." Larry began.
"We should have a meeting about this." Lee said as he interrupted Larry. "Everyone should have a say."
"You know what? You guys do whatever you want. I got a boat to fix." Kenny said as he left the room and headed to the back yard.
"You'd think he would be happy." Said Doug.
"He is." Lee stated "Well happier than he's been in a long time anyway."
Lee headed for the stairs to check on Clementine who was upstairs in the study.
"Where do you think you're going Everett?" Larry asked.
"Upstairs." Came the reply.
"You said we were going to have a group meeting. Well let's have one." Suggested Larry.
"You guys can have one." Replied Lee as he headed up the stairs. "But count me out of it."
There was an awkward silence afterwards as Larry approached the stairs and watched Lee's ascent.
"What' with him?" He asked "He thinks he's automatic or something?"
"He is automatic dad." Lilly replied.
"What?"
"He's automatically not going. He's decided not to go on the boat."
"What?" Asked Doug "He told you that?"
"He didn't have to." She replied.
"Well that's good." Larry stated "That's already one less to worry about."
"Dad, please." Lilly pleaded as she walked passed him and headed up the stairs.
She expected him to try and stop her but he gave no such objection. So she went on. She needed to talk to Lee about leaving.
However at the moment his hands were full…. With Molly's waste line.
"Does it truly never end for you Lee?!" Asked Doug who had walked up behind Lilly.
His disturbance caused the two individuals to separate. Lee appeared confused though Lilly could tell that both she, and Molly knew exactly what Doug meant.
"Well I guess that's my cue." Said Molly.
"Take care of yourself girl." Lee said.
"You too Lee." Replied Molly in a slightly saddened voice.
The blonde passed Lilly on her way out. "See you." She said as she followed Doug down the stairs.
Lilly looked at Lee, who was still watching Molly as she exited out the front door.
"Did I interrupt something?" She asked. Her voice revealed more of her annoyance than she wanted to let out.
"Molly's leaving." He replied.
"What?!" Lilly asked with just a tad more enthusiasm than she should have.
"She decided she was better off on her own." He said.
Lilly found herself once again annoyed by the level of care and sadness Lee showed towards Molly's departure.
"Anyway did you come up here for a reason?" He asked
"Yeah, how come you're already counting yourself out when it comes to leaving on the boat?" She asked.
"Do we have to talk about that?" He asked in reply.
"Of course we do." She replied "You're already counting yourself out before we've even made a group decision."
"It's not the group's decision to make."
"Bullcrap, this doesn't just affect you. Think about Clementine."
"I am." Replied Lee. "What's it to you anyway?"
At this Lilly felt as though a knife had pierced her chest. Did he actually just say that? She thought to herself.
Lee turned and approached her. "Listen I didn…" he began.
"No you're right. What's it to me!?" She snapped.
"Listen Lilly…"
"No you listen! I can make my own decisions! I don't need you always making them for me!"
"What are you talking about? I haven't made any decision for you." Lee retorted.
"Yes you have!" Lilly shouted back before realizing she had given away just a little too much. She turned around in a fit of rage and headed down the stairs. Lee followed and grabbed her hand from behind.
"Let me go!" She shouted and Lee complied.
"You know what Lee?!" She screamed as she reached the bottom. "You're right! What happens to you means nothing to me! Stay and rot for all I care!"
With that Lilly stormed out of the house. Many eyes watched in confusion as she did so, but she paid them no heed.
Carley couldn't help but pace. She thought she was going to go mad. It was the middle of a Zombie infestation and all she could think about was Lee and Doug. She went from having feelings for both to wondering if either feeling was genuine. She felt strongest for Lee when he was leading the group out of a crisis, or when he was sacrificing something for the benefit of someone else. She now wondered whether this was simply admiration. While with Doug she felt those feelings strongest after he rescued her numerous times. She allotted those feelings to hero syndrome.
She had to think. Hard! If it weren't for those foolish dreams she wouldn't have been so confused. After they had escaped from the drug store, she was sure it was Doug whom she wanted, but as time went on she developed feelings for Lee. Then right before the attack which exiled them from the motor inn she was so sure she had chosen Lee. It wasn't until after Doug had attempted to rescue her from Lilly that she once again placed him in the equation.
Carley pounded her fist against the house in frustration. This was just too hard, but she wasn't about to go to sleep without making a decision. She had had it with those dreams.
"Everything all right?" Asked a voice from behind.
It was Doug who had somehow crept up on her.
"You're bleeding." He said.
Carley looked at her knuckles. She had gotten cut from punching the house. The blood was dripping down her right arm.
Doug came over and grabbed her hand.
"You have to be careful. Even a small cut is vulnerable to infection." He said
"I'm fine Doug." Carley replied. Though she had no objection to him holding her hand. It actually felt pretty good.
"Well you're blood has already began Coagulation, so that's a good sign and a crucial part in hemostasis…"
As Doug went on with his explanation Carley found herself slowly losing herself in his eyes. She had gone back and forth about who she liked but…. At this moment she knew one way to find out. She grabbed Doug's face and brought him down to her, so she could kiss his lips. As their lips locked Carley felt fireworks go off inside her. Suddenly the outside world came to a halt. For a moment everything else that was going on didn't matter. It was just her and Doug….. for a moment, but upon opening her eyes she noticed a tall dark man in her peripheral vision.
"Ummm…. Sorry to interrupt." Lee said "But have either of you seen Lilly?"
Carley released Doug's face and turned to Lee. "Um Lee….." She began to explain.
"Seen who now?" Doug asked obviously still dazed and confused.
"Lilly?" Lee repeated
"I think she's inside." He replied.
Lee nodded and disappeared behind the right side of the house.
Carley turned back to Doug. "Listen I…."
"I know Carley." He replied. "I know."
Carley smiled as she went after Lee. She caught up to him just before he reentered the house through the backdoor.
"Um Lee." She said causing him to turn full around.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"About what just happened….."
"What about it?" he asked.
Carley stalled for a few seconds before answering.
"Well It's just me and Doug, I mean I realized…." She tried to explain but the words seemed lost in translation.
"You don't owe me anything Carley." Stated Lee.
"Yes I do. I know we had something between us, but in the end I realized...I want Doug. I'm sorry."
Lee appeared slightly confused. Carley had half expected him to get angry or sad or both, but he showed no signs of either emotion.
"Um… Carley, I never thought there was anything between us." He said plainly.
"What?!" She asked in shock. This hurt more than it should have, seeing as she had already chosen Doug.
"Wait that came out wrong." Lee corrected himself. "I mean I liked you since back at the motor inn, but I never really thought of you that way."
That's supposed to make me feel better? She thought to herself.
"Wait let me start again." Lee pleaded. "I mean I kind of put you in the "my good friend's got a thing for her" category from the beginning."
"I still don't understand?" Carley said.
"You can't exactly understand, it's kind of like guy code." Lee replied. "I knew about Doug's feelings so I sort of pushed you out of the realm of possibilities."
Carley nodded finally realizing at least partially what he meant. "So you're saying if Doug was out of the picture then….."
"Maybe." Lee replied "I can't predict what would have happened if Doug weren't around, but it would have certainly made the decision easier."
On you and me both Carley thought.
"So we're good right?" Lee asked.
Carley nodded "Yeah were good." Though she wasn't, wasn't fully.
She had expected a pouring out of emotions from him, and was honestly a bit disappointed at how apathetic he was toward it all.
"So how'd he take it?" Asked Doug. He had shown up the minute Lee went inside.
Carley turned and once again brought his lips to hers.
All right now I'm good.
Lee entered the kitchen feeling somewhat sorry for what had just went down. He felt like he could have handled that better.
In truth he had allowed himself once or twice in the past to fantasize how it would be if he and Carley were together. He would be lying if he said he didn't have feelings for her, but then again he would be lying if he said that was the only reason he didn't pursue her. Recent events had caused him to realize that he possessed feelings for another, much stronger than the ones he had previously had for Carley. She didn't need to know that though, especially since at this point in time it didn't seem like those feelings would be put to good use.
"Hey Lee." Travis said as he walked up, looking sadder than usual.
Lee looked over at the teen as he approached him, knowing fully well what he wanted to talk about.
"Look Travis about Ben….." He began but Travis wouldn't hear it.
"Don't worry about it man. You did the right thing." He said.
Lee was slightly surprised. "You really think so?" He asked.
"Beyond the shadow of a doubt" Replied the teen "I know Ben had his issues with everyone in the group and I know he was more a liability than an asset at times…. At most times."
"That still doesn't excuse my actions." Lee said.
"You're actions were the only ones that made sense." Stated Travis. "You couldn't just let Ben walk around here being a danger to everyone."
"Still it was more out of anger than reason." Lee stated.
"Hey you had reason to be angry." Travis reassured.
Lee looked up at the boy or down since Travis was shorter than he. He had made him feel less guilty about what had transpired in the bell tower.
He took a gander over to the corner of the dining room then looked back at Travis.
"How is he?" He asked the young man.
"Still dealing with it." Replied Travis "But your wakeup call did him some good. I can tell."
Lee thought to himself about what he had done. He ignored Ben's pleas to drop him, and instead had used most of his strength picked him up thought Ben provided no help whatsoever. The young man had inquired to the why, but Lee at that point was too frustrated with the boy to listen. In a fit of anger and rage he had dragged Ben up and had led him to the stairs where the walkers were approaching.
Taking Ben by the collar in one hand and using the other to grab the walker's head he brought it so close to the collage kid that it's teeth brushed up against the young man's hair.
"What are you doing?!" Ben had shouted in fear.
"You want a die right?" Lee had asked him back. "Well go on."
"Please Lee!?" Ben had begged but Lee hadn't let up.
"Ben" He had told him. "You wanna help this group out, then stop making on the spot decisions, just because their convenient at the time!"
Ben had begun to cry at this point.
"You put this whole group in danger and then try to commit suicide because of the guilt?" Lee had gone on. "Just one selfish act after the other. Believe or not Ben, there are still people in this group who care about you. Clementine being one of them, Me and Travis being the others. So next time before you even think about taking your own life, just take a moment to consider those you are leaving behind!"
With that Lee had pushed the walker down the stairs, causing a chain reaction to the others behind it. Ben nearly sprinted down that ladder, and Lee wondered what had really happened to himself. He almost never behaved like that.
"Lee come over here for a second." Called Larry from the kitchen.
Lee nodded at him and after saying goodbye to Travis approached the much larger man.
"What do you want?" He asked.
"Listen Everett." Larry began. "I'm only gonna say this once, and if this reaches the ears of anyone else in this group, I'll deny it up and down."
This must be bad Lee thought
"TH… Th… Wow this is harder than I thought." He remarked.
Larry took a deep sigh and then started again. "Thank you for saving my life, both at the Pharmacy and at the meat locker."
Lee's mind nearly went blank and his organs nearly stopped working from the pure and utter shock that jolted through his system as Larry let those words loose.
"Don't be so surprised." Larry said obviously noticing Lee's state of unbelief. "I can be nice….. sometimes."
Lee tried to say something but his tongue had officially been paralyzed by Larry's words. So the old man continued.
"Listen Lee, I'm going to be as frank as possible. The chances of your mustached friend allowing me to get on that boat are slim, and Lilly told me that you're staying behind. So the way I figured were most likely going to be seeing a lot of each other in the future…. So I just wanted to get everything off my chest now."
Lee couldn't help but smile. Miracles do happen! He thought to himself.
"Don't look so smug." Larry said in his usual tone. "I still think you're a huge dick."
Lee's smile wasn't going anywhere soon. Even as Larry passed him he could only smile up at the much taller man.
Lee thought to himself once Larry exited and went up the stairs. Crawford had all the supplies they needed, no one from their group had died, Travis was grateful and Larry of all people was thanking him. Today was a good day.
Now if he could just find Lilly.
The skinny woman leaned against the left side of the house. She considered beating her own head against it, but realized that would only bring unwanted noise and attention. She really felt like being alone right now. It had happened again. She got angry and screamed a bunch of words she didn't really mean to the one person out of this whole group who had always had her back.
Why Lilly? She asked herself over and over again. "What's it to you anyway?"
The anger and pain of what had happened rose up once again deep inside her. How could he have said that after all they had been through? He acted like they had just met, and to make matters worse he had just met Molly and was treating her better than the rest of the group.
Lilly felt the anger and pain subside however, as it was replaced with guilt. Even her emotional state at the time did not excuse what she had said. She knew Lee was…. Oblivious to many things, despite his intelligence and ability to lead this group. However it had been three months and…. Lilly stopped her train of thought. Whatever had accumulated over the past three months between her and Lee didn't matter now. They had this boat and decisions would have to be made on who the passengers were going to be. Though she had already made her decision, or as she had told Lee, he had made it for her.
"There you are." Said a voice from behind, breaking Lilly's train of thought.
She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She simply stared off into the atmosphere not wanting to look at him right now.
"Lilly, can we talk?" He asked.
"You are talking." She replied without turning around.
"Listen." Lee stated "I know I said some things I shouldn't have, and I'm sorry, but we can't keep doing this."
Lilly still refused to face him. "Doing what?"
"You freaking out over everything that goes awry, turning on the group members who may be responsible and threatening to kick them out has got to stop."
"That's what has to stop!?" Lilly said as she turned to finally face Lee. "What about you and Kenny keeping secrets from me and the rest of the group?! All this time I thought you never took sides, and then I find out you have been taking them this whole time, just not out in the open."
You're doing it again. Lilly thought as she calmed down slightly.
"I only kept from you things that I knew you couldn't handle at the time." Lee stated. "Lilly I trust you, but I have to think about the whole groups' safety and that includes Ben."
Lilly felt the anger inside her rise up once more at the mention of that kid's name. "Name one thing that kid has done to help us since he joined our group." Lilly said
Lee seemed stumped as she knew he would be. "It's not about what he's done or hasn't done Lilly. I told you before once you join this group you are my family and I will protect anyone with my life if necessary."
Lilly once again felt her anger depart and be replaced with guilt. She could never truly stay mad at Lee for long. He always knew just what to say. He had reminded her that she was not just a part of this group, but a family of sorts. Whether she like it or not Ben was a part of that family as well.
"I'm sorry." She said finally "You know I didn't mean any of what I said before right?"
"I know Lilly, I know." He replied "I'm sorry about the secrets and everything else, but Lilly if I may ask what's been up with you lately."
"What do you mean?" She asked confused.
"Well you haven't been yourself ever since we lost the motor inn. You've been more emotional and less involved in group politics."
It was official as of now Lilly really wished she had that spike remover, because Lee's head was just begging to be smacked. He must have been the most alert oblivious person she had ever met. He had somehow noticed subtle changes in her personality but had failed to realize everything else. It was like he found the needle but had no idea he was in a haystack.
Yet Lilly would not allow herself to get angry this time. Not after all the apologies. She took a deep breath and tried to calmly explain her change in behavior.
"Listen Lee, let's stop playing games." She said. "After we left the motor inn I was a mess. I was in no position to lead this group. So yeah I watched from the sidelines for a bit, and let you take the brunt of the duty."
Lilly took another deep breath, expecting a reply from Lee. When none came however, she went on.
"Besides," She said "You always kind of led this group."
"Back at the motor inn it was you're leadership that kept us alive." Lee said.
Lilly bore a half smile. "Without you, Kenny and I would have probably killed each other, and dad would have drove everyone else mad."
Lee returned Lilly's half smile with one of his own. "Thanks but I think your dad still drove everyone mad." He said jokingly.
She laughed slightly at the remark, before she was interrupted by the sound of Kenny banging the boat with some sort of tool.
"Well I think I'm gonna check on Clementine." Lee said.
Lilly nodded as Lee went around the back of the house.
In truth she hadn't said everything she wanted to say. She owed that however to Kenny's loud noises which killed the mood. Well she could always tell him later, plus right now she figured Kenny could use some "help".
Now where's that spike remover
A/N Thanks to all who made it to the end. I know this one was long but I hope it was enjoyable. As we near the end of this series (I think it should only have maybe two more chapters or three.) I want to thank all of you for your reviews, favorites and follows. God bless you all.
