Clementine stirred in her seat while Nick looked down at her with an expression of intrigue. The eleven year old had just about a hundred things to worry about, and the least of her concerns was Nick and Molly's (APPARENT) romance that she had no idea about. All she knew was that Molly had only treated Nick like crap since she met him, and that she really wished Lee was here to answer this instead.

"Doesn't she always antagonize you?" She asked.

"Well.. yeah, and that really gets on my nerves. But.. while we were alone, uh.. We bonded." He scratches his long hair behind his hat.

"You bonded? Really?"

"We did. With booze and… we talked. Maybe we.. kissed while we were drunk." he spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words.

Clementine cringed. "That's gross."

"Ha.. yeah."

"But.. when you kissed, did it feel.. Good?"

"It.. did." he sighs, resting his chin on his fist. "It felt damn good, Clementine."

"Uh.. did it feel good for Molly?"

"I think so. It sounded like it felt good for Molly. Do you think she was faking it?"

"No. Molly is really real. She hates 'posers'."

Nick chuckles. "I figured. I hope she comes back safe."

"Yeah, me too."

"Shit, I'm sorry kid. It must be so much worse for you. You've known your people since.." Nick's eyes lift up and gaze at Pete, who was in his wheelchair speaking with Carlos, Lee and Luke. "Uncle Pete. Man."

"He didn't want it to go at first."

"Who would? I wouldn't. If it was reversed and you and me were alone, and I was bit.. Shit. I dunno. Pete's a stronger man than me."

"You could say that again."

Nick smirks at her. "You're a little smart-ass, ain't you, kid?"

She smirks back. "I've been told that before."

Inside the house was Alvin, Rebecca, Sarah, Matthew and now, suddenly coming in, Christa. The girls happily gobbled down peaches from a can while Alvin watched with a warm smile and Matthew giggled at their excitement. Christa watched for a few seconds, pretending she was there with them. She disassociated, leaning into the doorway as her mind drifted. Amongst the group, she saw Omid beckoning her forward, cradling their daughter as she suckled down milk from a bottle.

"Christa…" His voice escaped him, earnest smile and bright eyes finding her face. She stepped forward.

"Omid..?"

"Who?" Matthew asked. "Your name is Christa, right? That's what Lee said. Nice to meet you!" The chipper young man held his hand out for a handshake. Christa shook her head before accepting. "Is there something you needed?"

"Christa, they have peaches!" Sarah chirps, showing off a can showcasing a little girl that looked just like the eleven year old in their group, as juice dripped from her fingers.

"They look delicious." Alvin replies. Rebecca offers her can to him.

"Eat something, hun."

"Nah, save it for you and the baby."

"But how else will you protect me?"

"I'm strong enough without a can of peaches to protect the entire group."

"Hehe, if you insist."

"Aww.." Sarah cooed.

The couple stared into each other's eyes. Christa clutched her forehead and grimaced. "Are you okay?" Matthew asked.

"I'm.. fine. I wanted to check on Rebecca, that's all." Christa replied distantly.

"Thanks for checking in, but I'm okay. After this, we can head up."

"No more pain?" She asked cautiously.

"Well, there is pain, but it's not labor pains just yet." She turns to Alvin and smiles. "Thankfully."

"..Whatever you guys do, I hope you make someone else deliver the baby and not me. I suck ass at that stuff." Matt says. Rebecca snickers. Christa left the group alone, hands in her pockets. She sat outside on the rocks and looked down, hiding her shaky hands.

Pete, Lee, Carlos and Luke huddled together in a conference circle near the forest. They had a good view of the bridge from here. "What's up?" Lee asks the group.

"We can't stay in the ski lodge for more than a day." Pete cut straight to the point.

"What? Why not? Matthew and his group are the first friendly faces we've met in a long time."

"Yeah, and that's exactly why we can't stay here. Bill could show up any day now. We've already roped your group into this mess, and if Chuck's prison break is a success.. We shouldn't let these poor people take the brunt of Carver's force."

"Carlos is right. So, we stay for one night and then we pack up and head someplace else in the morning. We were wondering if.. You have any ideas?" Luke asked, hands on his hips.

"Well, my group and I were heading north, to Wellington." Lee answers.

"Wellington?" Luke questioned.

"I remember that name. You know where it is?" Pete asks.

"Not exactly. We've heard survivors talk about it before as some sort of safe haven. A place so cold walkers can't catch you, walls taller than tanks, people of all ages, food and water for centuries."

"Sounds like Howes.." Carlos laments.

"Howes but cold isn't exactly the most ideal spot in the world. Do you know for sure if this place is safe?" Pete quizzes.

"Of course not, but ever since we were ran out of our shelter, and everything happened with Christa's kid.. We figured a place like Wellington would make the perfect home."

"Hm. Anywhere else?" Luke asks.

"Not really. What about you guys?" Lee's answer seems to disappoint the group.

"No clue." Pete answers.

The door to the little shelter opens, with Matthew, Rebecca, Alvin and Sarah in tow. "Is everyone ready to go?" The friendly traveler asks.

"Rebecca, you're good to go?" Pete says.

"Yeah, I'm good. I can make it up there."

"Okay. Let's go then."

"Shouldn't take long. At most, maybe twenty minutes back up."

As Matthew began leading them up the hill, a few walkers could be heard stumbling around the bridge and in the woods behind them.

"Crap, lurkers. Everyone, stay on your toes and keep a move on." Luke goes to the back of the line, along with Nick and Christa. "We'll keep ourselves guarded." The trio kill a few walkers stumbling toward them, but only those a little too close. The group ascended the hill.

Dusk

The group tiredly climbed up the yellowish green hill, dead grass and vegetation wrapped around their legs like a micro forest as they walked forward. The ski lodge was right there. Matthew led the way, but stopped everyone short of the porch leading inside. The place was lit up like a beacon, with real, working lights. It was a sight to behold for a group that had spent the last two years without power.

"Can you guys wait out here? I gotta ask my group if you can stay the night. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be okay with it, but you know how it is."

"Sure. Everyone, stay close." Lee nodded. Matthew walked into the lodge while the others waited. When he was out of sight, Pete looked up and noticed a ladder leading to an observation deck.

"There's a good vantage point up there. Someone wanna head up there and check things out with the binoculars? Better be quick."

"Clem can do it. I'll help her up." Luke practically forces Clem. She rolls her eyes.

"Fine." Pete gives her the binoculars while the apathetic pre teen walks up to the ladder.

"Two seconds, check for any signs of.. Anything, and come back down." Lee assures. She nods and begins climbing the ladder, with Luke standing underneath her.

"And uh.. Just don't look down." Luke's warning just made the girl curious. She hesitated before continuing upwards. "Doing great! It's just like climbing a treehouse!"

"I hate treehouses!" She yells back. Luke furrows his brows.

"Uh.. okay, it's like climbing a rooftop then. I used to do that with a few of my buddies."

"That's really stu- agh!" Her foot slips, but she manages to catch herself on the ladder. Luke holds his arms out.

"Woah! Woah now, just keep going. You're okay, alright? Don't look down."

Clementine proceeds to look down anyway. "You look like an idiot!"

He puts his arms to his sides and rolls his eyes. "Just climb the thing." Every step upward creaks, the howling wind not doing much help in settling Clem's nerves. Lee watched her climb along with Nick, Pete and Sarah, but everyone else just watched for Matthew. Eventually she made it up, scaring off a crow as she approached the railing.

"Made it!"

"Clem, can you see anything?" Lee yells.

She takes out the binoculars and scans the treeline. "I can see the bridge!"

"What else?" Pete asks.

In the woods, a series of lights can be seen waving around. Clem feels her hair stand on ends. "W-wait, I see something! There's a light, a-and another!"

Matthew's footsteps can be heard coming back to the group just around the corner. "Get her down there!" Carlos orders. Clem hurriedly skips her way down the ladder, then falls into Luke's arms, heavily breathing. The farm boy wipes sweat from his forehead.

"Woo.. you okay, kid?"

"I'm fine. You can let me go." He does as she wishes just in time for Matthew to turn the corner. The group organizes in front of him.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. We decided: you can stay!" Matthew exclaims excitedly. The group exchanges small smiles between each other. Then the rest of Matthew's group shows up around him.

A balding, middle aged, pudgy man wearing a warm red sweater and brown sweats enters next to Matthew, touching his shoulder with a warm smile. "Hello everybody! You guys look like you could use a night off the road. I'm Walter."

"Nice to meet such a friendly group." Lee greets, waving a hand. From behind them enter three figures. Two of which were very familiar. So familiar in fact that Lee, Clem and Christa's eyes widened and their jaws slacked.

A young boy with a brown mullet, freckles, a white t-shirt, camo jacket and black jeans enters next to a scruffy older man with a god-like beard, a gray shirt, green jacket and an iconic orange hat. The three shuffle past the cabin group in shock. Everyone stares confusingly as Kenny, Duck, Lee, Christa and Clementine are reunited.

"Kenny…?" Lee questions, believing this is all some dream.

"Lee..? Clementine? Christa too?" Kenny lists, just.. Staring. Next to him is a Spanish woman with a mole on her nose, short black hair and a blue hoodie. She looks up at Kenny with a knowing smile.

"Duck!" Clem runs forward and tightly hugs the boy she used to call a best friend. He giggles hysterically, tears on the corners of his eyes as he squeezes back.

"You know these guys..?" Luke asks, bewildered.

Lee and Kenny meet in the middle and hug for the first time ever.

"I'll take that as a yes." Walter answers.

"Jesus… They really took your arm off, huh..?"

"I've looked worse, Kenny. Nice to see you too."

Christa can't help but give Kenny a look of relief. He notices her come up to him hesitantly without Omid and frowns. Lee lets go of him and watches as Christa melts into an embrace with the father. Kenny rubs her back.

"Hey.. I know. I know how you feel." She sobs into his shirt, staying there for a few moments. Kenny notices Clem and his smile comes back. "I knew you'd make it. You're such a survivor, Clementine."

"You too, Kenny.. It's nice to see you again." She wipes a few stray tears from her eyes.

The cabin group and Lodge group watch the moment occur in front of them until another member of the Lodge group comes up behind Walt, Matthew and Sarita. A boy with shaggy blonde hair, a full beard, abs bulging from his skinny stomach and a tank top/dark cargo pants combo immediately recognizes the group.

"Holy fuck. Lee? Clementine? C-Christa?"

"Ben..? Is that really you?" Clementine asks, the other two members having no clue who this buff stranger was.

His face lights up. "Yeah! Oh my god, it's been so long! You're the group we're taking in tonight?"

"Are these people with you?" Kenny questions, looking towards the cabin group.

Playing As Lee Choices:

A: "Yeah, we're with them."

B: "No, we're just with them for the time being."

C: Ask the cabin group.

Relationships:

Clementine: 10/10

Carley: 10/10

Christa: 8/10

Molly: 10/10

Chuck: 10/10

Luke: 8/10 (you've bonded over the journey here)

Pete: 8/10 (you've bonded over the journey here)

Nick: 7/10 (you've bonded over the journey here)

Carlos: 7/10 (you've bonded over the journey here)

Sarah: 7/10 (you've bonded over the journey here)

Alvin: 9/10 (you've bonded over the journey here)

Rebecca: 7/10

Carver: 0/10 (The more time away from Carley, the less leeway you feel about Carver.)