A/N: So I'm going to keep this short and sweet.
I appreciate everyone's reviews and intrigue over where this story is going and really hearing all that is what motives me to keep writing, so keep your thoughts rolling in and I'll take them all into consideration!
P.S Obsessed naruhina fangirl you stay awesome with your reviews, and I'll do too (I fixed that error in the last chapter). and AquaDestinyEmbrace I glad you liked the whole Lee reference, that was the best part of the chapter to write!
Okay, here comes crafty Clem...
Reaching the ground floor, Clementine's footsteps echoed across the tiled floor or the hardware store as she approached Bonnie who was bent down on the floor next too a giant bright orange bucket, hearing these footsteps Bonnie's head shot upwards as she shot Clementine a friendly smile.
"Hey, so they want you to run out some supplies out to the guy's workin' at the expansion, real simple just take this over to 'em" she instructed kindly, handing over the giant bucket to Clementine who grasped it easily. Bonnie noticed that Clementine didn't seem to overjoyed with this task, in fact Clementine wasn't looking at her at all. Her eyes were boring sadly to the floor.
Crossing her arms and feeling slightly defensive Bonnie let out a meaningless compliment "That jacket looks real nice. I don't know what Tavia's talkin' about" she said gazing at it with an easy smile.
She noticed Clementine still didn't respond as the smaller girl looked sadly into the bucket.
"What's wrong?" she finally asked in concern, Clementine had Bonnie on a fishing line and was ready to reel her in.
"It's Reggie... he..." she added a muffled sob that caused Bonnie to bend down to make eye contact with her "Me and Sarah, we were working in the greenhouse, but I was busy helping Sarah and I forgot to do my own... Carver came and... blamed Reggie"
Bonnie's deep blue eyes expanded open a few inches in horror as understanding dawned on her pale face.
"H-he pushed Reggie from the roof a-and Reggie died... I... It's all my fault..."
"Ain't your fault Clem" Bonnie reassured her (Clementine noted the affectionate tone of "Clem" was already entering into her speech and this was a good sign) she stood up tall as she glanced around the store, with a new look of fear in her eyes.
"Listen take that stuff out to the guys and then come straight back, just be safe okay? Now ain't the time to draw attention to yourself"
Clementine nodded to show she understood.
"I need to go and find out what happened" She told Clementine.
"Oh you will and you won't like it at all" Clementine thought darkly as she walked off towards the door, feeling slightly evil of her extended manipulation of Bonnie yet she couldn't help but crack a smile at her own cunning.
"Piece of cake" she thought smugly as Bonnie opened the (fittingly labelled) emergency exit door to the chilly outside world.
"Hey Troy! Clem's just gonna take those boys some nails!" she yelled up to him, to where he stood tall above them waving his gun in his right hand.
"All right" was his bored response.
"Go on" Bonnie urged her lightly before closing the door behind her.
Not looking back on Reggie's body as she knew that would only earn her a frustrated shout from Troy, she simply followed the cables as she was instructed too the first time, she could feel Troy's beady eyes training down on her as she kept her head bent downwards, she knew Luke was waiting inside the comic store as she passed and he was a central part to the plan.
Entering the "expansion" she used the bucket to swing open the door, just as Kenny pinned Mike (by the throat) to the barricaded window behind him "Get your hands off me man!" he bellowed at a raging Kenny.
"Or what? Are you going to tell on me?" Kenny taunted him.
"I said get your hands off me!" Mike snapped in a rough tone, the brawl that was brewing was going to be nasty, Clementine let the bucket slip between her fingers as it crashed to the floor sending nails rolling in every direction as she ran towards the warring pair.
"You're one of them, aren't you...!" Kenny accused his grip on Mike getting tighter by the second.
"STOP FIGHTING, REGGIE'S DEAD YOU KNOW!" Clementine roared over the pair of them.
Kenny's grip went slack as the look of anger from his face died and was replaced with one of shock. Clementine knew Kenny well enough to deal with his sudden mood swings, from anger to shock, to grief to whatever else, Kenny could change in a heartbeat. Yet he was always there a man of steel never giving up.
But in the future, he gave up, after losing the vision of his son, after losing the baby. He let himself go down (fighting but still...) as she met his brown eyes he could see a life still raging inside of them. There was no way she would lose her friend, not once to the walkers, not twice to the walkers at the church but this was her third time to save him and she would ensure this was the third time lucky.
"What?" he asked in shock gazing at Clementine, as Mike fell back onto the barricade however as he did the window behind him shattered.
"SHIT! LURKERS!" Mike yelled in shock, barely able to believe Reggie was gone and now he had to deal with a sudden breach as he avoided the nearest one's lunge at him.
"GRAB SOMETHING!" Kenny bellowed to Clementine as the walkers swarmed the room separating the pair of them, Kenny scooped a hammer from the floor, ready to bash some heads in, while Clementine tried to retain her calm breathing, she knew Troy (of all people) would save her but one wrong slip and she could have ended up as walker mush.
Following the red carpet, she picked up a plank of wood and swung it at the nearest Walker, it made a comedic bonking noise as it's she aimed it at it's rotting head, alarmed as she found herself concerned, she quickly dived behind the nearest shelf that she had struggled to get to last time as she had panicked, keeping a level head she skimmed across the wall, but the rotting breath of the walker pursuing her still sent shivers up her neck as she felt herself panting in fear like a hunted dog.
She reached the end of the shelf, putting her back to work she managed to pry herself free as the spikes on the shelf impaled the walker in the head the second she freed herself, looking ahead she could only see 3 or 4 walkers approaching her and real adrenaline began to kick again, before her eyes were drawn to a neon bright sledgehammer, picking up the heavy thing she swung it at the nearest walkers legs.
It tumbled to the floor with a crash but it wasn't enough, fleeing backwards into another room she was able to pick the old screwdriver she used last time and (with the tricks she learned from Jane) she kicked the bald walker approaching her on the knee as it crumbled to the ground she impaled it's skull. She had barely tugged it out of the walkers brains before the next one was upon her, growling and retching.
With a bellow of adrenaline and using up the majority of her strength she flung her screwdriver upwards through the next walkers skull and through it's skull, she released the screwdriver as the walker fell to the ground staining the floor a familiar crimson colour as the rotting smell of the corpses caused Clementine's eyes to water slightly.
She was still panting when Troy walked in with his crossbow at the ready, however this time she had looked after herself. She didn't need Troy to rescue her from the walkers. There was nothing more satisfying then smirking at his scowling face.
"Move!" he snapped in retaliation.
"Gladly" Clementine thought as she walked back into the main room where Kenny and Mike were panting in relief a few walkers skulls were impaled by arrows.
"Thank God you're okay" Kenny breathed in relief.
"She killed more than you did, I can't believe I have to babysit you assholes, can't do a simple fucking patch-job without me cracking the whip!?" Troy snapped at the two grown men as Clementine passed them still smirking.
"Woah, seriously kid you killed all those walkers without help?" Mike asked her in awe.
"Hey! Don't ask her questions get back to fucking work! Troy bellowed at him.
Clementine was already out of the door, unable to answer Mike's question anyhow but by the astonished tone of his voice he had gained a degree of respect for Clementine which was an added bonus as well as the whole (Smug Idiot doesn't get to save my life).
Walking along the shaking barricade Clementine kept a neutral expression, waiting for it... waiting for it...
And sure enough she turned around just in time to see Luke dart out of the comic store at such a blur that Clementine was reminded strongly of a fox as she caught a glimpse of his dark orange shirt before she found his cracked hands over her mouth as she was pulled into the dark depths of the store. She struggled for a few seconds before regaining her composure and biting down hard on his hand.
"AH!" He yelped in pain shaking his hand as his eyes met Clementine.
"Clementine, calm down! It's me... Luke!" He told her his brown eyes a shade of black as they seemed to pop out of his head.
Luke, he was here... alive and not some corpse on the floor that been shred apart by bullets. She went in to hug him instantly savouring her new found friend more than ever and remembering that this was the friendly Luke she knew, not the angry one who snapped at Kenny every minute or two, or the screw-up Luke who would rather "kiss" Jane than watch out for Walkers.
"I missed you" she said with raw emotion. Indeed she had.
"Aw, I missed you too kid" He responded as they broke apart from their hug.
Soon enough Luke began to tell her in the same stuttering tone that he had used last time about what a danger this camp was "T-they got g-guards patrolling e-everywhere..." his fear for the guards the first time was so contagious, because it was real. But now Clementine knew better so rather than have her heart beat at a million miles an hour she kept her head as she watched him slowly stutter on and pace around the small dark store.
"Are you alright?" she eventually asked him, seeing his the heavy rings under his eyes and his paler than usual skin worried her the first time and this time she simply felt like it would be a friendly thing to ask. His smile over her concern for him the first time had been touching, it was no different the second time.
His answer was also the same...
"... Y-yeah... I'm fine, okay? Don't worry about me"
"In other words, your tired, hungry and scared" Clementine summarised in her head.
A few guards walked past as Luke bent down to face Clementine at eye level, as he began to explain his whole plot with the radio's"O-okay listen I need you to g-get one of those radio's" he began in a quivering tone, Clementine tried to block out his words, his plan had sounded so brilliant. How had she gone along with it the first time? A poor plan behind charismatic words was what it was.
"I can get you a radio" Clementine lied, looking into his brown orbs and lying was a hard thing to do.
"Thanks, I glad I can count on you" He said fondly.
How could pull off such a good puppy face?
"CLEMENTINE, GET OUT HERE WHERE I CAN SEE YOU!" Troy snapped.
"Go on! Go!" Luke urged her, she looked back to see Luke disappear into the shadows of the comic store, before she swung open the door to find Troy (as per usual) glaring at her little form.
"What the hell were you doing in there?" he asked rudely.
"Looking at comics" Clementine replied quickly to avoid arousing suspicion she didn't want this plan to fail her just yet, by having Luke caught now.
"Bill radioed he wants a word with you up in his office so get on up there. Now." Troy instructed coldly.
Clementine was already walking back inside the store, this was it.
She watched Rebecca through the window in Carver's office before approaching with caution she forgot about bumping into a chubby freckled blonde man who gazed at her with neutral blue eyes through his glasses.
"Dude you better get up and see Bill, He doesn't like to wait" The man instructed, Clementine looked back at him wondering what to make of this man.
"So... you should probably go" he muttered awkwardly before walking off, well he was no Troy but not exactly friendly either...
With these thoughts in mind she took the slow climb to Carver's office, calling out to Rebecca when the pregnant woman descended the stairs with her head in her hands and sobbing uncontrollably.
"She's a strong woman, surrounded by weak men, I ain't letting my kid get raised around that" Came Carver's dreaded tone, as he set his dreaded stare upon Clementine with his arms folded over his chest.
"Now get in here..."
...
Certain phrases such as "Kids like you... raised the right way..." along with "Killing one to save many is part of survival" stuck with her but she had heard this speech before and tried not to speak at too much too Carver as he went on with his speech trying to brainwash her into his way of thinking no doubt. He was insane no doubt, but he certainly knew how to keep a large group of people alive...
"I'll help you... whatever you need. I know I'm just a kid but I'll do my best" Clementine found herself saying sadly.
With a small smile he muttered at her "Well that's all I can ask" he said proudly.
"Starting now" Clementine found herself uttering before she could stop herself, now the plan was fully in motion and Carver's silts opened considerably in interest, that was before a buzzing from his Walkie Talkie gave him the news that Troy had wrecked the hanger door, in his anger he growled "That fucking Idiot herd on it's way and he puts a ding in my door..."
"Maybe you should kill him too" Clementine suggested darkly.
"Careful missy, you're speaking out of line" Carver hissed at her.
"I may be, but I guess you'll still want me around to speak out of line" Clementine teased him with, Carver fell for the bait.
"What do you want to tell me?" he asked with eyes that dug straight into her soul, Clementine didn't know what would happen, this was a conversation she hadn't had. How this would change things... she gulped before continuing, she had to try.
"I'll tell you this on the deal that none of you or your guards kill or hurt me or my friends, or anyone in the pen" Clementine worded carefully knowing Carver would probably use Troy to do his dirty work if he couldn't.
"I always stick by a promise" Carver told her, yet Clementine highly doubted these words it was the only thing she had right now.
"Then you agree, If I tell you this, you have to keep to our deal" Clementine almost begged of him.
"I know you might not believe this but I don't want to harm anyway in that pen, we can build a community here with your friends but they want to tear it apart, can you see my problem, can you see how hard I've set up this community to be a safe haven, all for my kid?" he asked of the 11 year old.
"I understand, but were all fleeing here in a day and you can't stop us, your child will be gone again" Clementine said.
"The fuck he will" Carver snarled.
"But..." Clementine teased as Carver listened in, this was it, the moment that would change everything...
"I can stop this escape if you agree to my deal" She said.
"I agree with it Clementine now spill the beans, how are you planning to escape may I ask?" Carver's voice was like poison to her ears hidden behind a thin smile.
Clementine inhaled these next words would change the future for sure.
"Were planning to smuggle a radio to Luke whose hidden in the comic store by the expansion"
Carver blinked rapidly for a few seconds, to Clementine it was like he could barely believe what he heard, before he seemed to regain he senses as a massive grin spread uncontrollably under his grey-ish moustache.
"Thank you Clementine, you have no idea how much this will help this community" he actually sounded genuinely pleased with her, as he was smiling warmly at her for the first time. Clementine could barely believe what she was seeing.
"Like I said I will help you, I know what's it's like out there our group and the baby would die out there, this place isn't perfect but It's better than the alternative" she reassured herself more than reassured Carver. The middle aged stared in a new found admiration for the tough 11 year old and as he stood up and headed to the door, Carver patted Clementine on the shoulder three times.
"From now on you call me Bill and I'll call you Clem" he said before he walked out the door, no doubt gathering his guards and preparing to apprehend Luke.
A female guard went to escort her back to the pen, Clementine kept her head low, assuring herself that this was for the best. With this the plan with the radio's wouldn't go ahead, Kenny wouldn't lose his eye, Bonnie wouldn't help them escape through the horde resulting in the deaths of Sarita and Carlos, this would lead to all their deaths later on.
Approaching the pen, Clementine had realised, she may have made a tough choice, the first time she simply wanted out of this community.
But taking it slow and preparing for a proper escape was always the better option, with this she could gain more allies, prepare her friends better, this was her second chance, everyone's second chance.
They all had to make the best of it.