((Sorry about the wait for this episode, I got writer's block bad and needed a break. The wait is over however!))
Lee thought of what she said, maybe it was time to tell the truth. "I'll let people know, you're totally right."
"Thanks. I knew you'd agree. This is for the best." Carley stopped Lee, grabbing him by the wrist and gave him a peck on the cheek before whispering into his ear. "You're not as bad as everyone said you were~"
Lee was left with a blush and a warm feeling in his chest. "Was not expecting that."
"Yeah? Me neither." The two chuckled with each other, but otherwise were silent the rest of the trip, until they got to the street across the motor inn. "Who's gonna break it to Ben that Travis is gone?" She asked out of the blue.
"Can you? I want to get this whole past thing over with." Lee requested, opening the wall for the two of them to squeeze through.
"Of course. See you in a bit." Carley walked away, towards Ben who was sitting on top of the RV on watch. At this point he probably knew.
Lee looked around and found Clementine coloring by herself, so he approached her. "Hey, Clementine. What are you doing there?"
"Hey, Lee! It's called a leaf rubbing! My teacher Ms. Moore taught us how to do 'em when we were in the botanical garden once!" Clementine held up her drawing and the leaf she was using. "See, it's the same. Um, kinda.."
"Now that's really something! You uh, mind if I tell you something?" Lee asked, feeling the pressure of the topic already.
"Sure!" Clem said with a smile, her voice upping in pitch with her response.
"The day I met you, I was in a car accident. You've known this before everyone else, but I want to make sure you understand. I killed before all this, someone who wasn't attacking me. I'm telling you this now, because I don't want you to hear it any other way." A silence overtook the girl as she stared down at the ground, taking what he said in.
"Do you have any questions for me?" She shook her head. "Alright, you can go back to your things." Lee got up, already feeling horrible. How would he tell the others?
He approached Kenny, who was working on the RV. "Kenny, can I grab you for a sec?"
"Kinda busy trying to get us out of here. What is it?" Kenny sighed, poking his head out from the door. "What's up?"
"Firstly, we couldn't find the kid. Bandits must have gotten to him while he was out." Lee answered.
"Shit. Can't believe they'd nab a kid like that.." Kenny exhaled dramatically, shaking his head.
"And uh, there's something else I gotta tell you." He hesitated, reading Ken's impatient expression. The man was determined to escape Macon.
"Well, spill it. I don't have all day, man."
"I was on my way to prison three months ago." Lee blurted out, watching as Kenny went wide eyed.
"No shit?" Kenny asked.
"No shit." Lee replied.
"It wasn't for touchin' kids, was it?"
"What, no! I killed a guy in a fight."
"Must have been a real piece of shit if you killed him." Kenny stated, looking the beaten up and tired Lee up and down.
"So.. We're cool?" Lee asked the boatman.
"Lee, we may have not had the best history in the last couple of weeks, especially yesterday, but you've been there for folks who needed it and have shown me that you ain't some cold blooded killer. So, yeah, we're cool." Kenny walked back to the hood of the RV. It seemed like he took it rather well. Lee sighed in relief before spotting Katjaa sitting by herself on a random couch. He walked up to her, planning on telling her next.
"Hey, Kat. Mind if we talk?" He asked her.
"Sure, Lee, what's the matter?" Lee sat down next to the mother, taking in a breath.
"I was uh, on my way to prison three months ago. You've always looked at me with kind eyes, and I'm wondering if you would now if you knew I was a convicted felon."
"My goodness, how much trouble could a teacher get into?!" Kat asked in shock, her eyes wide from surprise.
"Well, plenty. But that's not what it was for. I uh, killed the state senator." Lee explained, looking to the side to avoid her gaze.
"My god.. For what?"
"He and my wife, they were.."
"That's enough." Katjaa silenced, already knowing exactly what he was going to say. "What happened in the meat locker, at the dairy? Kenn he's.. He's changed since that day. A lot of us have, I know but he's been so determined as of late, more than usual."
"Larry.. Larry had a heart attack and I tried to save him. Kenny got the idea, as soon as he turned to bash his head in before it was too late." Katjaa gasped. Lee could feel himself tensing up as he recalled the scene, wincing with every word.
"D-did he do it?" Silence. Lee just stared at her with sorrow, until finally he nodded. She gasped and got up, walking back to her room. She paused at the door and whispered, "Everything keeps changing.." Before finally going inside.
Lee sighed, heading toward the nearest person he wanted to tell, Ben, who as mentioned before is on watch. "Hey, Ben. See anything?"
"Nah, man just.. Nothing. Which is good, right?" Ben asked, looking down at the man.
"Yeah. Sorry about Travis, he was a good kid." Lee lamented.
"I'd rather not talk about it. But, thanks Lee." Ben looked away at the forest and shivered.
"Can I tell you something?" Lee asked the teen.
"Sure, is it about my watch? I'm trying to impress you guys." Ben explained.
"No, you're doing fine. It's about me." Lee replied, folding his arms, the sun blinding him out of his peripheral vision.
"Okay, what is it?" Ben asked.
"Since I'm the leader around here now, I'd like to clear the air; I'm a convicted killer, and was on my way to prison before all of this." Lee flat out said, wondering how the kid would react. Needless to say, he was wide eyed and shocked.
"Woah. I've never met a murderer before. I mean, I hadn't before-"
"Yeah, yeah, it's okay, Ben. I get what you're saying."
"Well uh.. Thanks for trusting me, man." The awkward teen said.
"Of course. You're one of us now. With Lilly gone we need all the help we can get." Lee told him, looking to the last person he would tell his secret to.
"I'll be sure to work even harder. See you around, Lee." Ben waved off, clenching the rifle in his lap. Lee walked off towards Mark, who was checking out some guns.
"Hey, Mark, you got a second?"
"Yeah, of course. But, Lee, look at these, those dumbasses dropped three pistols while hightailing it outta here. That means, Katjaa and Kenny can finally have one, and we have an extra."
"Huh. Good find, man." Lee congratulated, slapping his shoulder playfully.
"What did you want to talk about, Lee?" Mark asked, getting a sigh from his best friend.
"Before we met, and before the plague.. I was a convicted killer. Was on my way to prison on the first day of all of this." Lee confessed, Mark looked at him weirdly, can't exactly describe the look of shock.
"Woah.. You? No way. You've.. You're so.." Mark gave up on trying to reply and just exhaled dramatically.
"I've been trying to reform, for me and for Clem. This might sound fucked up, Mark, but this apocalypse has given me a chance at redemption." Lee replied.
"God.. W-well, it's whatever. I'm just glad you told me." Mark said with a shake of his head.
"Of course. I'll be in my room if you need me." Lee slowly stated, heading off to his room.
"See ya, Lee." Mark said, going back to resting.
Lee walked into his room only to find none other than Carley sitting on his bed. "Oh, Carley, what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice gravely and low as usual.
"Mind closing the door?" The reporter asked after almost a full thirty seconds of silence. She wore a hot blush on her face and looked like she was sweating. Lee complied and the room was now even more silent.
"What's wrong? You look nervous." Lee quizzes, sitting down in Clem's bed.
"I am. For several reasons, actually." Was it hot in here or…?
"Wanna tell me? You can trust me, we're.. Uh-"
"There's one reason. What are we?" Now it was Lee's turn to look flustered. "Exactly. You don't know, I don't know.. Let's just address it, right?" Her voice broke a bit before she cleared it up.
"I think you're cute. I've honestly thought of you as an attractive woman for a while." Lee
"Ever since..?" She asked, waiting for his answer.
"Not sure. I guess things just.. Appear, y'know?"
"Lee, I heard you last night with Lilly and I know why she left." Well, shit. There goes the mood again.
"You.. Did?" Lee slowly asked.
"I don't blame you, hell I can see why you'd do it. The woman was going down a troubled path, you saw it early being the genius you are and tried to put an end to it." She guessed, watching Lee pace around the room before stopping to respond.
"Well yeah, but she also just seemed so vulnerable, like she needed someone at the time. You think that's why she left?" He asked.
"It is. She can't handle all of that stress. People are pissed, I'm sure, but we can't control it." Carley stated.
"Is that what was bothering you? Just Lilly?" He asked, seemingly not convinced.
"No.. It's something else. It's been a long three months." Carley let out a little exhale, taking off her bubble jacket, leaving her in a plain white shirt. "Would you.. Make it official?~"
Choices:
A: Carlee
B: No Carlee
Relationships:
Clementine is reminded of your past, which used to scare her. Now she understands and likes how honest you are. 10/10
Kenny likes that you were honest with him. 7/10
Katjaa is happy you trusted her, but unsure of how to feel in general. 10/10
Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. It would be a mistake to tell him about your past. 9/10
It's pretty obvious Carley is crushing on you. Will you go for it? 10/10
Mark is glad you told him the shocking truth. 10/10
Ben likes that you trusted him. 7/10
Andy St. John is still out there. 0/10
Bandits are forcing you out of the motor inn. 0/10