CHAPTER 2 – Reunion

Part 2

In the morning, I heard someone climb down the ladder from the upper levels of the barn. I closed my eyes, quickly. Would look kind of weird to see a man lying down with his eyes open, I thought to myself. I still felt Clem's hand holding onto mine. As thoughts about Clementine, the Smiling man and this whole situation started rushing through my head, I heard a familiar and friendly voice, "Hey, get up."

I suddenly felt Clementine's hand pull away from mine and my eyes shot open. I looked up to see a man in a T-shirt and cap, he was around average height and build, and he had a very distinctive moustache. I knew who it was straight away, Kenny. As I stood up I looked over to Clementine, who was scratching her arms, "I'm itchy."

"Well you slept in a barn, little lady. Lucky you don't have spiders in your hair." Kenny said with a wide smile.

Clementine gasped and looked up at her hair. Kenny then turned to me, "But I bet your daddy scared 'em all away, huh?"

I stared at Kenny, it surprised me to see him looking so cheerful, it feels like only moments ago that he and Ben… I held that thought when I saw Kenny raise an eyebrow at my silence, "Oh uhh… Yeah. I'm not her dad. Name's Lee."

Kenny shrugged slightly but then smiled again, "I'm Kenny."

Suddenly, at the barn door, a young boy popped his head in and said, excitedly, "Dad! We're gonna build a fence! There's a tractor and everything!" The boy then ran off.

"We better get going or we won't hear the end of it." Kenny sighed. We all walked outside the barn. I looked down at Clementine, she was holding my hand again, tightly.

"That's my boy, Ken Junior. We call him Duck though." Kenny said.

I couldn't help but think back to when Kenny lost his son and wife after leaving the Motor Inn. He was a wreck after losing them and became a completely different man; one without a true and honest reason for living. But now I have the chance to save Kenny from the pain of losing his wife and kid. I kept on thinking about what I could change as we walked up to Hershel's house. Kenny stopped and turned to me, "So, I heard that you were on your way to Macon."

"Yeah…" Wait, I haven't told anyone I'm from Macon, have I?

"Well Macon's on the way and, personally, I'd appreciate the company of a guy who can knock a couple of heads together if he has to." Kenny said.

I looked at Clementine. I was still trying to find the right time to talk to her privately. I guess I better wait until I've met Kenny's family to talk to her about what happened last night. I know I'm getting my hopes up but if she does remember then... My head was starting to hurt from all the thoughts I was having about saving Shawn and Duck, keeping Clem safe and if she remembered our time together. If she does remember then wouldn't she remember having to shoot me and having to see her parents as Walkers?

"Are… you okay?" Kenny asked frowning at me.

I grabbed my head, "I-I'm fine thanks. It's just a bit of a shock, y'know? Everything that's happened."

"I hear ya." Kenny said, nodding.

"Ken, aren't you going to introduce us?" A middle-aged woman with blonde hair was looking up at him. It was Kenny's wife, Katjaa.

"Oh right. Honey, Duck this is Lee and uhh… what's the girl's name?"

"Clementine." I said as I looked over to Clem. Oddly enough she was hiding behind me. If she doesn't remember Duck and Katjaa... Shit, I have to stop thinking about this. I'll ask her when I get the time but right now I need to focus. If I do or say anything wrong, the whole future might change and then I won't know what'll happen next.

Kenny repeated her name, "Clementine."

Katjaa leaned in slightly, "That is a very pretty name." she said, smiling at Clem.

"Thanks." Clem said, smiling meekly.

Shawn walked up to us, "Well, we should get to work. We've all seen what those things can do out there so the faster we get this fence up, the better."

Duck looked at his mom with a big grin, "I want to build a fence!"

"Yeah? Well-" I interrupted Shawn.

"Uhh… Shawn, can I talk to you in private for a second?" I turned to Clem, "I'm sorry, could you stay here with Katjaa for a bit? I won't be a minute"

Clementine nodded as I walked away with Shawn. Me and Shawn stood next to the fence he was working on to keep the Walkers out. "Okay Lee, so what did you want to talk about? If it's about my dad I-"

"No. Nothing like that."

"Okay… So what's this about?"

Shit, how am I supposed to say, 'a kid is going to drive over you with a tractor, and then you'll get eaten' without sounding like a crazy person. Fuck… I guess I better sound like a crazy person. I nodded towards the tractor, "Don't put Duck on the tractor."

"Erm… What?"

"Just hear what I'm saying; putting a kid on a tractor like that isn't safe. With all those things out there, the last thing you need is a big weight on your leg and a load of noise."

Shawn looked at me, confused, "Erm… Okay, Lee… Sure…"

"Take what I'm saying seriously!" I said, slightly angry.

"Don't worry Lee. I will. Just take it easy okay? You look tired." Shawn walked over to an area of the fence and started working on it again.

I walked back to Kenny and his family. Duck was standing next to Kenny as he looked over his pickup truck and Clementine was sitting next to Katjaa on a hay stack. I guess what I did, did work in the end. I was able to stop Shawn from getting Duck to help him with the fence. Even though I sounded crazy back then, I may have just saved his life.

I walked over to Clem and Katjaa, "Hey, girls."

"Hello, Lee." Katjaa gave me a warm smile.

I kneeled down and spoke to Clem, "Clem, do you remember anything from last night?"

Clem looked at me, puzzled, "Last night?"

"Yeah. Do you remember me getting up? Maybe you heard an unfamiliar man's voice?"

"Not really… I-I was asleep." Clem said, sounding uneasy.

I looked to the ground and felt a bit let down. Was it my imagination then? I suppose it's for the best. After all, those painful memories would've been awful for her to endure. But then why did she say those things last night? Why was she crying?

I stood up, "Well, okay then. Sorry to have bothered you…"

"Is anything wrong?" Katjaa looked at me.

"No, It's nothing…" I smiled, "You enjoy yourselves, okay?"

Clem looked at me apologetically, "Okay."

I walked away as I tried to collect myself. I have to get a hold of myself… I feel barely alive… My whole world has gone completely insane. As if the first time round wasn't hard enough, now I'm responsible for everything that happens, every person who gets hurt…Whilst deep in thought I felt something tug the back of my shirt.

"Lee…" Clementine was standing behind me looking sad.

"What's wrong, Clem?"

"I'm sorry…"

"You're sorry?" Clementine suddenly hugged me tightly, "C-Clementine? What's wrong?"

"I remember!" She said as her voice started to crack. "M-my parents… You… I remember everything!"

I took her by the shoulders and looked at her face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. I wiped them away, "It's okay… Sweet pea. I'm here now. It's okay. I'm okay."

"Please, don't leave me again! Please don't get bitten!" she yelled out embracing me yet again.

"I won't, don't worry. I won't get bitten." I hugged her back as she cried into my shoulder.

"Y-you don't know that."

"No Clem… I do."

She's been suffering for this long without telling anybody? The emotional trauma of losing her parents and then me must've been a lot for her. For anyone to last this long with those feelings held inside… Clem must really be strong willed.