A/N: Okay the poll is closed! Thanks for everyone who voted and the final results stand at this. Clem and Sarah tied for first place with 7 votes each, while Nick was runner up with 3 votes. Kenny and Bonnie shared 3rd place with 2 votes and there was also some love for Luke, Vince, Wyatt, Eddie and Stephanie.
Clarah Convert- Sorry, I plan to keep Sarah and Clem as a strong friendship in this fic.
SuperIdinaMenzelObsessedFanboy- Thanks for your review! and thanks your opinions on who you wanted to die and how it should happen (especially Kenny and everybody wants Troy and Carver dead)
Obsessed naruhina fangirl- Thanks for the continued support and I'll agree with you on the episode 5 deaths. Kenny is a goner, the baby is a goner, and so is Bonnie. I think Mike hasn't got a hope as hell as well. So that leaves Clem and Luke. Personally I'd prefer they start season 3 with just Clem alone once again and a little older. Expect this time they introduce new characters and avoid the mistakes that plagued Season 2. Yeah and I'm guess I'm really putting Nick through the meat grinder aren't I?
XXXWOLFLOVERXXX- Thanks for the review and I love how you pointed out that Clem had more balls than any of them (which, let's face it, is true) added to the fact most of them would have probably chosen their personal possessions over executing a group of people they didn't know. I have dark things planned ahead (as you know).
apathy- Thanks for your suggestions, I try to get around to every character through Clem's discussions with them (e.g Stephanie, Vince and now Mike) I could imagine it as a HUD scenario, (I don't know why Telltale didn't add many of these in season 2, I don't really care if there time consuming I want to get to know the characters better, and you don't have to speak them if you don't want too) Anyhow I'm glad you found Mike back-story and Russell's reaction believable and I liked your suggestion on Nick and Sarah.
K. Lynn Perks- It's nice to have a new reviewer and thanks for the review. I could easily see Mike as a fireman it just fits his personality.
Rebloxic- Thanks as always and I don't think Clem will die. But everyone else will, hence Season 3 will open and Clementine will be alone once again (yet a little older) or they could just bring in a new protagonist. Those are my two theories.
and last but not least AquaDestinysEmbrace thanks for your kind words!
Without thinking straight, Sarah dropped the heavy bag of meds and screamed at Nick "HOLD THESE!"
"SARAH WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? GO!?" Nick bellowed at her as she placed her head under Nick's lanky arm and she muttered "No, You're coming with me"
"I can't move Sarah..." he began in a sad mumble before Sarah cut him off and said "If you don't move, I don't move".
Nick shot a burning glare her way as he next words were fuelled with force at the teenager "Sarah! Don't be a fucking Idiot and go!"
She shook her head, "I don't know what to do out there Nick. I'd die" she admitted fearfully as they gazed at each other for a few more seconds... Nick could hear the yells of the bandits getting closer. Time was running out and Nick wanted to simply encourage her to move once again so he could die the hero by buying her time. But the look of fear in her eyes as she squinted into the dark treeline ahead of them made them re-think his decision to die.
What would be the point?
Sarah had gotten tougher, but at the end of the day she was still a scared 15 year old relying on Nick to move them forwards, wasn't it his job to look after her? He had promised Carlos' that, the only way he could make up for his massive screw up was to bring Sarah back to the community, alive and well. Without him how would she find her way back? How would she find food? Fight bandits? She wasn't ready to face this alone... not yet.
"Come back man" Luke words vibrated in his pounding skull, as he inhaled sharply. For one of the first times seeing the value of his own life. Maybe... just maybe a small part of him wanted to live too... but... his knee. He couldn't move.
He couldn't? Or he simply didn't want too?
He store back at Sarah, her feet were planted firmly in the ground. No matter what he said ,he knew there was no way she was going to leave him to die here. Sarah... Clementine... they all seemed so determined not to leave him to just wallow and die and how did he repay all this? All this time and effort they had spent on him? By dying on them anyhow?
No. That wasn't him. He may have wanted to die heroically, but he wanted to protect the group even more, and to do this he had to survive.
Gritting his teeth he muttered a long "Fine" to Sarah, whose face lit up like a light-bulb as she slowly stood, supporting Nick on her frail shoulders as Nick felt drops of blood roll down his knee as his leg flared with an unimaginable pain which caused his eyes to water. He leant on Sarah (who was shaking but trying her hardest to hold him up), placing all of the pressure on his good leg he panted "Okay... I've changed my mind let's get the fuck outta here" He told a smiling Sarah.
They moved forward. Sarah jogging slightly as Nick hopped as fast as he could on his single leg. He realised (too little to late) he had left his fully loaded rifle behind on the floor. But there was no time to go and get it now, as the continued to hold onto the heavy bag of meds as it swayed in his grip. He would not let go of their ticket back into the community. Their free ticket back to Luke and Clem and the others.
They moved at an awfully slow pace, Nick closed his eyes as he hopped on awkwardly, expecting the bandits to shoot him down at any second. Yet for some odd reason they didn't come. Nick dared to crank open his eyes as he saw that him and Sarah were almost at the treeline, his felt like a balloon was rising in his gut. Was he actually going to make it? Make it into the dark shade and cover of the tree's and overgrown shrubs?
"THERE! SHOOT THE FUCKERS!"
Of course not. He had gotten his hopes up too high.
The first of the bandits bullets whizzed past his hip as Sarah gasped and proceeded to run forward now, practically dragging Nick with her. Who felt like he was about to fall to the floor (mainly because he had a bag of meds weighing him down and he was hopping on a single leg) yet despite his very shaky balance, Sarah somehow kept him standing, one minute they were out in the open and the next Nick felt himself get cooler as they had reached the shade of the treeline.
"FUCK! CHASE AFTER THEM!" Nick recognised the leader (Steve) instruct to his fellow bandits. Nick didn't waste any time looking back or yelling wanted he so desperately wanted to at these persistent pests of bandits ("WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!? LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE! WERE NOT BOTHERING YOU!") instead he clenched his teeth tighter together and stared at the forest ahead of him as gunshots rang out behind him...
The bullets ruffled the leaves above him, or embedded themselves into the bark of the nearby trees. Yet none of the shots came as close as they did when he or Sarah was in the open. But he was taking no chances as the bandits were running to catch them. There was no doubt they simply wanted to kill him and Sarah and take their supplies (no doubt they wanted the large bin bag they had on them) but Nick wouldn't simply stop and try to negotiate with these bandits.
"WALKERS!" Sarah yelled in a panic, breaking Nick's train of thought as she swerved to the left, almost causing Nick to go flying, yet he retained his grip on the teenagers shoulders as he gazed upwards to find a swarm of walkers closing in on them as their dark silhouette's stumbled out of the shadows.
"Oh Give us a fucking break!" He bellowed in rage to the approaching walker of a young man.
"I HEARD SOMEONE YELL FROM OVER HERE!" Came one of the bandits voices, pointing in the direction Nick and Sarah were headed.
Nick didn't even dare to yell again. Instead he simply wondered how this day could get any worse. First he had a bad haircut, then the bandits found them. Then he got shot in the knee, now they were walkers closing in on him. Nick couldn't imagine this day getting any worse than it already had.
As a bullet barely missed him, he realised that the day could get worse. They could die.
He looked forward desperately as the pair of them ran through the vegetation, the bandits gaining on them... the walkers snarls growing forever louder. Sweat rolled in beads down Nick's forehead, Sarah looked blue from all the effort she was inserting to keep Nick steady and trying to run at the same time. Through the mounting danger Nick ears only picked up on one thing... one thing that could save them.
The rush of a nearby river.
"This way!" He told Sarah pointing as she made another turn and ran blindly, straight towards the river... Nick felt like he was on his last verges of energy, as did Sarah as she somehow continued to move her aching limbs through the forest as her clothes were drenched with sweat, only at the last second did she hear the river, and see the sharp drop in front of her. She cursed her poor vision with a angry "Damn it!" However she couldn't stop and Nick practically pushed her forward.
They tumbled down the sheer rock face violently, Nick seemed to slide head-first into the river, while Sarah rolled violently into the river, as her world went dizzy as she screamed. However as suddenly as her world had spun out of control, it seemed to steady itself as she landed into the freezing cold river below her with a splash she fell under the water.
For a few moments all the noises of the gunshots, the walkers and the wildlife were all gone. Replaced with eerie hum of the water that pushed against her eardrums, in the silence Sarah found a second of peace before she realised she couldn't breathe. Panicked she desperately kicked her way to the surface.
The crashing of the fast flowing river pressed down on her eardrums as the river threw her violently under the surface once again. In a increasing panic she kicked herself to the surface once again.
"NICK!" She screamed, while trying to gasp for air and kick to keep herself afloat, she wasn't a great swimmer, however just before she found herself sliding under the surface once again, she felt a hand grasp around her neck and hold her up.
"Hold on!" Nick yelled coughing out drops of water as he kept himself and Sarah afloat, he was glad that his Uncle Pete had taught him to swim. Nick was a good swimmer, yet now that was hampered by the fact he had to work both of his legs and he was shot in the knee. The cold water had been a sharp shock that kept his body functioning and made the pain in his leg lessen slightly. But Nick knew the second he was out of the water, the pain would kick in, worse than ever.
He realised that his the soaking bin bag was still in his grip. Using his single arm and two legs he was keeping himself and Sarah afloat. He wouldn't let go of the meds, in the same way he wouldn't let go of Sarah. Or his life.
The rapid rush of the river bashed and battered them downstream, for Nick the endless task of keeping himself afloat was beginning to exhaust him. All he could see were the same splashes of colourless water splash into his face and noon neon blue sky above him.
This seemed to go for hours. Nick was desperate to put as much space between himself and those bandits as possible. He seemed to swim for hours (but it was probably much less time that that) When his body finally screamed in protest for him to stop, breathing heavily and feeling like he was about to pass out he felt himself (automatically) swim towards a nearby bank.
They were at the meander of the river, where the water was much calmer, thanks to this Nick was able to cut through the water easily. As they reached the shore the only sounds were the faint rush of the water behind them. The hum of the wildlife and the exhausted panting of themselves as the water sloshed and both managed to crawl onto the sandy bank.
He collapsed on his back, his world spinning, his head heavy. His cap and clothes soaked down to the bone which weighed him down. Sarah was coughing out water next to him as he faced the burning white sun above him. Well... at least that could keep him slightly warm.
His leg now felt numb which wasn't a good sign. But for now he didn't care... he felt so drowsy, he felt bile rise and fall in his throat as his stomach churned, he felt like crap and he was so tired...
"Hey..." he croaked to Sarah who crawled over to him "You did good"
"You too" she panted back, wiping water from her eyes, as she shivered and tried to regain her breath. Her body aching all over and that violent fall into the river hand't helped matters.
Nick didn't see any more, as exhaustion overtook him as he finally passed out on the bank. Sarah noticed this and shook him in concern.
"Nick?" she asked worriedly. When he didn't respond she checked his breath, to her relief he was still breathing. But there was no doubt he was hurt and exhausted. Looking over at the backpack on his back, she realised that she would have to help to patch him up.
She looked around the empty bank nervously. Nick may not have been dead, but there was no doubt he wouldn't be getting up soon.
She had to deal with this alone.
As Clementine had grown accustomed too, it was another crappy day at Howard's Hardware.
Carver had no doubt scared the community into submission, as Mike and Clementine returned to the pen that night to find Vince ranting to Kenny...
"... I can convince him! It just needs time!" He was bellowing to a red faced Kenny.
"I am done waiting!" Kenny shouted in response as Clementine took her seat "We have to end this fucker, now! If we keep on waiting more of us will die! The community isn't going to help us! Their scared shitless!" He tried to hammer that fact into Vince's brain but Vince would not have it.
"I know people are scared, but dammit we need to play this clever!" He tried telling the group as a whole.
"We could still go for an escape" Jane suggested.
"And then Bill will just chase us down again, no we need to finish him off" Rebecca snarled from her bed.
"Look, we've hit a dead end here, I know that if I was in this community I would be scared too" Sarita informed the group. Clementine was glad to see she was back up and talking, but this still didn't help matters.
"If we could only convince someone close to Bill to get him to rebel" Rebecca suggested more too herself than to the group, as the group looked at her, she continued "If we could do that, we could catch Bill off guard and then with him out of the way we could have a more less violent uprising"
Kenny shook his head at such a suggestion "I wish that was the case, but there's no way. Those fuckers are so far up Carver's ass they pay rent for it!" He told the group as a few people chuckled slightly at his last words "I think I'll use that insult in the future" Eddie told Wyatt.
"We still need to rely on Russell and the rest of the community, but even then it will be a bloody uprising. But we need to do it. We still outnumber Carver and his ass lickers" Shel explained to the group, it wasn't much of a plan but it was the only one they had right now. Shel's words of common sense seemed to find common ground with everyone. Even a hot headed Kenny, who simply sighed and uttered "We are fucking sunk here folks..."
Troy's yell for them to get to bed was obeyed. The group didn't know what to do. Clementine couldn't conjure up a master plan this time. As she crawled into bed she began thinking that maybe she should of just allowed the group to escape. Maybe she could have saved Carlos in the herd, as well as Sarah and Nick and Sarita. But Carlos was dead and everyone else was miserable and soon to be dead.
The first time they had beaten Carver in less than 3 days. This time (no matter how hard they tried) he seemed unstoppable. Clementine wondered if she had wasted her second chance by being too cautious, now they were reduced to begging a community, who feared Carver and despised them to help them.
The majority were against Carver, that was a fact.
Yet, only the people in the blue jumpsuits would act out against him.