Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters

A/N: Hello everyone, here is the 8th chapter as promised: where Clementine and AJ venture out into the woods to find and ask James for his help in luring Walkers towards the raider's boat...and during the walk, AJ reveals his slowly growing conflictions to his mentor/mother.

Reviews and comments will be appreciated

Chapter 7: Conflictions and Beliefs

Shortly after they parted ways with Violet and Willy after obtaining the information they needed about the raider's ship, Clementine and AJ had walked deeper into the woods, which was dead silent and vacant of any walkers as they headed towards James' campsite.

"So...how many Walkers do you think James will help us get? Fifteen? A hundred? Maybe a thousand?" The young teenage girl asked as she noticed how abnormally quiet her boy had been after they left the school and attempted to get him talking by wondering how many walkers their mysterious friend and savior would round up so they could sneak onto the S.S. Fitzgerald.

"...Clem, I don't...Ah, ow." AJ attempted to say...before suddenly stopping in his tracks and wincing softly, as he felt a sharp pain surging inside him and slightly hunched over as he raised his hand to his lower stomach, which deeply alerted his mentor/mother as she turned and knelt down to inspect him.

"Gunshot wound?" Clem softly asked as she had detected the pain in her son's strained voice and immediately knew the cause: the shotgun pellets that AJ received from Abel when they fled from him and Lilly.

"It feels like someone pinched me from inside." AJ answered softly while describing the pain he just felt from his still healing wound to his stomach as someone roughly 'pinching' him from inside his body as his mother softly caressed his cheek.

"Here, let's rest a second." Clem stated softly as she glanced over her shoulder and spotted a boulder with a flat surface, which was perfect for her and her boy to rest for a brief moment for the pain from his agitated injury to pass with the six year old boy nodding in agreement.

As soon as they walked over to the boulder, Clementine had helped AJ climb on top of the boulder by lifting him up underneath his armpits before he turned around and sat forward whilst his mentor/guardian turned around to keep an eye out for any walkers prowling around as he recovered.

"...Clem? I keep thinking...When Willy said all that stuff about Tenn before...I got so mad. He was being mean and Tenn wasn't even there to defend himself. I wanted to hurt him. I know that I shouldn't...but I just can't stop thinking about it. I wanna just...punch his head." AJ stated softly as he somberly/reluctantly admitted to his mother on how angry he was at all the awful things Willy had said about Tenn as they searched for the raider's base: how he continued to coldly blame the scar faced boy for Mitch's death...and how he had thought about beating up the younger brunette for how he insulted his best friend.

"I tried breathing, kicking rocks...I don't like this feeling. Wanting to hurt somebody..." He softly added, stating on how he tried to suppress his anger by taking in deep breathes, just like she taught him to deal with stress and admitted on how he didn't like the negative emotions he was feeling.

"I know that its hard AJ, but thoughts like that go away. You just have to give it time." Clementine stated softly with sympathetic eyes as she explained to her son on how the anger he was feeling deep inside would eventually pass away.

"...Waiting's hard. I'm just thinking too much...Like, I think...I think that I'm mad at Tenn too." AJ groaned softly...before he hesitantly and painfully admitted to his mentor/guardian that he was also upset with his best friend for what he did during the battle against the raiders.

"Running out of cover when Lilly and her people attacked the school was really stupid...but he just doesn't know stuff like we do. And then Willy started yelling at him instead of helping him learn." He added while pointing out the fact on how Tenn had stupidly broke out of the cover and exposed himself to the raven haired woman when she mentioned Minerva's name: which was what led to Mitch's tragic death...while also pointing out on how the scar faced boy simply didn't know what it meant when it came to survival and how Willy simply blamed Tenn instead of helping him learn from his mistake.

"Why don't the other kids know all the stuff that we know?" AJ asked, as he was deeply confused to why Violet, Louis and the others didn't know how to survive like he and Clem did.

"When there's a plan, you have to follow it. And when you yell at someone, it makes them not listen." He softly added, as he failed to understand why his older best friend didn't stick to the plan like he was supposed to and how Willy could easily blame Tenn for Mitch's death, especially since he, his mother, Violet and Ruby knew it was an unfortunate and tragic accident.

"Well...why don't we teach them? They're smart, they just need someone to show them what to do." Clementine answered softly, stating on how they could always teach Violet, Tenn and the rest of their friends on what they knew on how to survive while sitting beside her boy on the rock.

"Yeah...I want Tenn to know how to be safe. We can show them how to be smart like us." AJ stated with a soft smile on his face as he liked his mother's proposal on educating the residents of the school, so they would know how to protect themselves and be better judges of character.

"...It's just so weird that people are different." The six year old boy softly added, as he found it strange how Louis, Aasim, Violet and the others didn't know how to survive like him and his mentor did when they were traveling by themselves before they stumbled upon the abandoned train station and lost their car.

"Well, it is Ericson's Boarding School for 'Troubled' Youth." The young African American teenage girl softly stated as she rested her knee on the rock.

"Troubled Youth...Trouble...Like bad? So they did bad things, why?" AJ asked after slowly figuring out what the phrase 'troubled youth' meant and learning that Louis, Violet and the other kids did bad things that led them to being sent to Ericson's in the first place.

"Ok, um...sometimes they do them because bad things happened to them." Clem answered as she softly explained to her boy that the reason why Violet and the others had done bad things was because they might've had unhappy childhoods or grew up in dysfunctional homes.

"I knew a doctor once, back when you were just a baby. He called it trauma. You have some too, you know. The thing where people can't walk up behind you." She softly continued, stating on how she knew a doctor from her past who explained to her trauma was and pointed out to her son on how he suffered from trauma as well: which was what caused him to bite/punch Ruby and Marlon when they walked up behind him.

"...I don't like my trauma. I want to get it off me. How do I get rid of it?" AJ stated somberly after learning that he was was suffering from a mental disorder and asked on how he was supposed to get rid of it.

"It's really, really hard to do by yourself. A lot of people can't without some help." Clementine answered truthfully, as she explained to her boy that people couldn't usually overcome their personal trauma on their own without professional help from a psychiatrist.

"Like from a doctor?" AJ asked as he automatically understood what his mother meant.

"Sure...But those are rare these days." The young teenage girl answered softly, while pointing out on how doctors or anybody else who had medical skills/expertise like Ruby and Ms. Martin, before she turned into a walker, were incredibly hard to come by.

"Or...Or the school, right? It was supposed to help with people's...trauma." AJ asked while pointing out on how the school and teachers were supposed to help Louis, Mitch and the others with their issues.

"Yeah, it was. And now they help each other." Clem answered with a soft nod, confirming on how the school was indeed meant to help Violet and the other kids cope with their inner demons before all the teachers (except for Ms. Martin) abandoned them to fend for themselves.

"...I still like them." The young boy stated softly, claiming that he liked Tenn, Violet and the rest of their friends...even though Louis and Mitch voted for him and his mother to be exiled from the school after he had shot and killed Marlon on the night he murdered Brody.

"I like Tenn the most...even though he does dumb things. Actually...I think he's my first real friend." AJ added softly, stating on how he liked Tennessee the most, even though he wasn't that bright and claiming on how the scar faced boy was practically the real first friend he ever had as he and Clem jumped/climbed off the rock and continued their trek to find James.

"Oh, yeah? I thought I was your real first friend?" Clementine playfully asked after hearing her boy declaring Tenn as his first actual friend.

"Well, yeah...but you don't count. Your old." The six year old boy answered weakly while claiming his mentor/guardian didn't count as his 'real first friend': as she was more his mother than his friend and was 'too old' to qualify.

"Am not!" The African American teenage girl countered with an amused grin after hearing AJ state that she was 'too old' to count to be his real first friend.

"Fine. He's my 'second' first real friend." AJ replied with a soft smile on his face as he stated that Tenn was his 'second' first actual friend as he and Clementine continued to walk through the forest.

Luckily for Clem and her boy, they didn't have to walk much farther...as they recognized the area that led to James' camp site and immediately ducked behind a tree, as they heard and spotted a medium sized herd of walkers that were standing/walking around in the middle of a clearing. As soon as she peeked out from behind the tree and gave a soft sigh as the walkers hadn't spotted them, Clementine and AJ shared a silent nod as they drew out their knifes, knelt down and silently crept over to nearby log, which gave them a clear sight of the glade that they immediately recognized as James' camp, but were surprised at the state it was in: as they spotted signs of a struggle and an abandoned broken down cart, which they immediately recognized as one of the raiders.

"I don't see James. Just monsters." AJ stated softly while glancing to his mentor/guardian, claiming how he didn't see any sign of the mysterious ex-'Whisperer' as they glanced at his camp...and were soon startled, as they heard someone clearing his throat behind them and swiftly turned around with their knives in hand...only to stare in surprise after seeing that the person who had snuck up behind them was none other than James.

"James?" Clem asked with a surprised look on her face whilst the mysterious teenage boy gestured for her and AJ to keep their voices down before softly wincing in pain as she tucked her hunting knife back underneath her shirt/jacket.

"You're hurt." AJ softly exclaimed in alarm after noticing the grimaced expression on his friend's face as he brought his right hand up to his bandaged left arm.

"Did the raiders do this?" Clementine asked softly, even though she knew it was pretty obvious that Lilly and her people were responsible for destroying James campsite while she, AJ and their mysterious friend/savior knelt down behind the log to avoid being spotted by the walkers.

"...It looked like they...had people from your school." The dark haired ex-'Whisperer' answered truthfully, confirming the young African American teenage girl's suspicions on how the raiders were indeed the ones who attacked him...and how he noticed they were transporting the three teenage boys that they captured during their raid on Ericson's.

"Why are you here?" He softly asked, wondering why Clementine and her boy had returned to his camp.

"Those people you saw, they're our friends and we're going to save them. But to do that...we need your help in moving some walkers." Clem answered truthfully as she revealed to James that the three captured teenage boys he saw with the raiders were her and AJ's friends...and hesitantly explained to the former 'Whisperer' on how she and her boy needed his help in shepherding several walkers for their upcoming rescue mission.

"...I could...maybe help, but...My mask is still in the camp, inside my bag. I can't pass through a herd without it." James hesitantly replied, stating that he would be willing help while revealing that his face mask was still in his backpack in the middle of his camp, which was what allowed him to masquerade as a walker and sneak through herds of zombies without being attacked.

"Okay, then lets go get it." Clem stated plainly while drawing out her knife once again after hearing how important James' walker mask was.

"...Please, I just...I just ask that you don't kill any of them. The walkers. If you can distract them...I can sneak over and find my mask." The dark haired hermit softly pleaded...as he reluctantly asked Clementine and her six year old boy not to slay any of the walkers and only keep them distracted while he searched for his face mask!

"Distract all of them?" AJ asked as he and his mother stared deeply baffled after hearing James incredibly odd request: how he wanted them to keep the walkers preoccupied while he looked for his mask!

"Please." The dark haired teenage boy softly begged, knowing what he was asking seemed incredibly strange to the African American teenage girl and her son...but was important to him.

"I'll...I'll try..." Clementine softly replied as she hesitantly gave James her word that she would try to honor his request.

As soon she witnessed James silently walk around the log and make his way towards his camp, the young African American teenage girl vaulted over the log, which immediately earned the attention of two walkers that were nearby...and once she allowed them to get close enough, Clem landed a swift and powerful kick onto their right/left legs, which caused them to fall onto their knees! Once the walkers were stunned, Clementine broke into a fast run into the center of the opening, which attracted the attention of two more walkers and as soon as she allowed them to get within striking distance, she sent them collapsing to the ground with a single kick to their knees; just like the previous two zombies. Although, as soon as she stunned the two additional walkers, the first two eventually picked themselves and chased after the young teenage girl as she broke into another fast run, followed by the other two and where she repeated the process for three whole minutes before running up to James, as he searched through the remains of his ruined campsite.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Did you find your mask?" Clem stated softly as she informed James that she couldn't play 'keep away' with the walkers forever whilst asking if he had found his walker skin mask.

"I...I can't find it. The horses must've...There!" The former 'Whisperer' reluctantly answered, stating that he couldn't find his mask and fairly assumed that the horses must've trampled over it after the raiders attacked him...before gasping in shock: as he spotted his backpack laying on the ground between two nearby trees!

"Oh, shit..." Clem muttered softly as she turned to glance in the direction that James was pointing at...along with the two walkers that were slowly advancing towards them!

"We have to run..." The raven haired teenage boy started off...before he was unexpectedly cut off as AJ yelled out.

"Hey! Over here!" The six year old boy cried out as he stood on top of the log he, his mother and James had hid behind, which immediately earned the walkers attention as they turned to face him!

"AJ!" Clem cried out softly as she and James watched in horror as they witnessed the walker head towards her son as he swiftly jumped down behind the log to hide.

"No. There are too many of them!" James softly stated as he pointed out to Clem on how there were too many walkers for them to take on to save her boy and after quickly looking around, she immediately solved the answer to their problem.

"The cart! If we push it, the noise will draw them away!" Clementine replied, knowing that if they pushed the cart that Lily and her people left behind away, the noise from the wheels and whatever the cart crashed into would lure the walkers away from them.

As soon as they broke into a fast run and easily avoided being grabbed by a walker, the young African American teenage girl and former 'Whisperer' went straight to work in lifting up the abandoned cart, which proved to be slightly difficult: due to how heavy it was. But fortunately, they succeeded and once they lifted it up, they started to push the cart away from James camp. Although as they pushed the cart, the rusty and worn out wheels gave off a loud 'squeaking' that attracted a nearby walker...which Clementine stunned after landing a strong kick to its right leg as she and James continued to move the cart before giving it a strong push, which sent the the damaged make shift cage rolling down into the forest...and giving off a loud crash after it collided into a tree!

Thankfully and much to both Clem's and James delight, their plan had worked: as every walker in the former 'Whisperer's' camp had heard the crash and automatically headed towards the forest to investigate the noise...and were completely oblivious to the young teenage girl and older raven haired teenage boy, whom had hid behind a boulder shortly after they pushed the cart and witnessed it ram into the tree to lure them away. As soon as all the walkers were gone and out of sight, Clem and James stood up from behind the boulder and walked into the center of the camp, where they witnessed AJ climbing over the log and walking up to them.

"AJ, are you okay?" The young African American teenage girl asked as she instinctively inspected her son and much to her relief, he was completely fine.

"Yeah, no bites." AJ answered with a warm/gentle smile as he assured his mother that he was indeed okay.

"...I know that it would've been easier to kill them. You're kind. I appreciate it, really." James stated softly as he thanked Clementine for not slaying any of the walkers like he asked and for respecting his personal beliefs before he walked forward, knelt down and picked up his walker skin mask...along with an old Polaroid film that he tucked safely in his vest pocket.

"Thank you, for helping me get this back." The former 'Whisperer' added as he turned to thank the young teenage girl and her son for helping him in recovering his mask with Clem softly nodding her head.

"Now...how will walkers save your friends?" He asked, as he was curious to why Clementine needed his help in moving a herd walkers while dusting himself off.

"They're being held captive on a boat not too far from here. We can't sneak on board without cover...not without the raiders gunning us down." Clem answered truthfully as she explained to James on how the raiders were holding Louis, Aasim and Omar prisoner on their boat and how she and the rest of their friends planned to rescue to them...but also needed a distraction to keep Lily and her people preoccupied, so they wouldn't see them as they snuck on board their vessel.

"...You want to use walkers to hide...to sneak on board their ship? That's insane." James stated after hearing the young African American teenage girl's plan to use walkers as bait to keep the raider's distracted as she and her team snuck aboard the S.S. Fitzgerald to rescue the three captured teenage boys.

"It's our only chance." She softly replied, stating on how blending in with the walkers was hers, AJ's and rest of their friends only shot at saving Aasim, Omar and Louis.

"...I...I have something for you to see. So you can understand what you are asking." James softly replied, stating on how he had 'something' that he needed to show Clementine before he agreed to help her and her friends.

"James!" The young African American teenage girl softly exclaimed as she and her boy watched the former 'Whisperer' walk down a path that led to a different part of the forest!

"We still need his help, right?" AJ softly asked while pointing out to his mentor/guardian on how they needed James' help in rounding up walkers for their rescue mission.

"...Yeah, we do." Clem slowly answered while nodding her head 'yes' before she and her son reluctantly followed James further into the woods and were deeply curious to where their mysterious friend/ally was leading them and what it was that he needed them to see.

As they continued to follow James further into the forest, the young teenage girl and her six year old boy immediately paused and hid behind a tree: as they heard and spotted a walker moaning/growling up ahead...which the raven haired teenage boy lured away by tossing a rock that landed in the tall reeds that thankfully earned its attention. As soon as the walker was out of sight, James, Clem and AJ instantly walked out from behind cover.

"Its safe." The raven haired teenage boy stated as he turned to Clementine and AJ before they continued their trek.

"It's just a little further." He softly added, as he informed the young African American girl that the place he was taking her and her son to was close with Clem silently nodding.

As they continued to follow James...both Clementine and AJ couldn't help but stare in great surprise to where it was their mysterious friend and savior had led them to: an old derelict barn that appeared to have been built years ago, along with the remains of a stable that she fairly guessed must've been either for horses or cows. Once they had arrived at their main destination, James had simply leaned back against the side of the barn as Clem silently walked around and examined the property whilst AJ knelt down to examine a rather strange item: a medium sized cube like object with a round hole in the center laying on the ground right outside the barn.

"Clem, what's this?" The six year old softly asked while turning to his mentor/guardian, wondering if she what the cube like item was.

"It's called a salt lick, kiddo." Clementine answered with a soft grin as she revealed to her boy that the object he was examining was known as a 'salt lick'.

"A salt lick? Augh, sounds gross. Or maybe its actually good. Like chips. Those are salty, right?" AJ asked while groaning softly, as he found the name of the cube like object slightly gross whilst pondering on how it tasted after hearing that it was practically made of salt.

"Uhh, trust me AJ. You don't wanna lick it. That thing is meant for cows and horses." Clem immediately answered as she stopped AJ from licking the salt lick, stating on how it was only meant for farm animals.

"Oh, okay." The six year old boy replied while nodding softly as he understood how the salt lick was only meant for animals and not people.

As AJ continued to examine and study the salt lick, Clementine couldn't help but grin and chuckle softly as she playfully ruffled his hair as she walked around, where she collected a wind chime that was dangling on the side of the barn; which she felt would be a fine addition to hers and AJ's dorm room and an old toy of a beet with a goatee and small mustache wearing sunglasses and beret in the remains of the feeding stall.

"Heh, Beat Nick." The young teenage girl stated with a soft smile on her face, as she immediately recognized the toy of a character from her favorite childhood TV show: Disco Broccoli and Friends.

After she placed the Beat Nick figurine in her left jacket pocket for safe keeping, Clem had walked up to James with AJ right behind her.

"My people...My former people...They had a practice. They called it...collecting." James started off as he softly revealed to Clementine and her boy on how his former and equally mysterious group, the 'Whisperers' had some sort of religious tradition and slowly opened the doors to the barn...and the young African American teenage girl's eyes widened in deep shock as soon as she saw what her enigmatic friend and ally kept locked inside: a huge crowd of walkers that she fairly guessed he must've shepherded inside!

"They used them as a weapon. I do this...to protect them." He softly added, revealing on how his former group had rounded up walkers to use them as weapons against their enemies whilst he 'collected' walkers in order to keep them 'safe'.

"...I know it sounds strange...but that's why I brought you here. To see them as I do: as people." James added as he softly explained why he had brought Clementine and AJ to his barn: so they would try to think of the walkers not what they were...but still as ordinary humans!

"As...people?" Clem softly asked, as she was deeply shocked and baffled at how James saw and thought of the walkers as ordinary humans that were still alive as he closed the barn doors again before the walkers noticed them.

"Well, not people, exactly. But...something in between. That part of us is still in there." The former Whisperer replied, explaining on how he simply wanted the young African American teenage girl and her boy to think of the walkers as 'humans that were neither alive or dead' instead of the undead monsters they saw them as.

"I wish I could it see that way. It'd be nice to think that everyone isn't actually gone." Clementine stated as she softly admitted that she wanted to believe that there some still small traces of who they were once they eventually died and came back as walkers.

"In a way...they're just lost." James softly replied, stating on how he thought of the walkers as 'people stuck in limbo' whom were searching for their souls.

"...Do you really think there's people inside of monsters?" AJ softly asked, as he was deeply curious if James truly believed that a small piece of their souls/memories remained inside of walkers.

"Somewhere, yes. Think about it this way...Has somebody you cared about turned?" The former Whisperer answered honestly while asking the young boy, whom he had become fond of if anybody he or Clementine knew had turned into a walker...which caused Clem to pause in silence; as she indeed knew someone.

"...Clem's friend, Lee. She shot him before he did...so he wouldn't have to suffer." AJ reluctantly answered, as he somberly revealed to James on how his mother had shot her mentor and adoptive father figure to prevent him from turning into a walker...much to James' shock and horror.

"Sorry. Maybe this wasn't the best way to explain. Didn't mean to bring up difficult memories." The raven haired teenage replied as he immediately apologized to Clementine for bringing up painful and unpleasant memories from her childhood.

"I lived among walkers for years. I still do...in a way. When they're alone...they're harmless, innocent." He softly added as he revealed to the young teenage girl and her boy how he had spent many years 'living amongst' the walkers, due to masquerading as one and came to believe that the walkers were no threat to anyone, as long as they were left alone.

"...If you want my help, I need you to try and walk with them. And then tell me if you really believe they're just 'monsters'." James solemnly stated as he made Clementine a rather unexpected proposal: how he would only agree to assist her and AJ with their rescue plan if she tried to 'walk' with the walkers whilst handing her his skin mask!

"They are just monsters! They're not people or friends!" AJ exclaimed as he naturally shook his head in disbelief, as he couldn't believe that James actually expected his mentor/guardian to agree to his insane request: to actually try to walk 'alongside' the walkers he kept locked up in exchange for his help to save Aasim, Louis and Omar!

"She'll be safe. I promise." James calmly replied as he assured the six year old boy that his mother would be fine inside the barn as long as she wore the mask.

"But this isn't smart. It's too dangerous." He automatically countered as he pointed out to Clem on what James was asking her to do wasn't safe or logical.

"AJ, I'll be alright. Besides...Louis would do it for us." Clementine stated softly as she promised her rattled son that she would fine as she stepped inside the barn and pointed out on how Louis would've done the same thing if either of them were captured by the raiders.

"Yeah...I-I guess." AJ muttered softly while glancing down, as he wasn't too sure if Louis would actually enter a barn full walkers to rescue him or his mother if they had captured by Lilly and her people.

As she witnessed her boy glance down to ponder in thought, Clem had silently turned back to James and hesitantly accepted the skin mask while glancing at it with fearful eyes, which the raven haired teenage boy noticed and gave her a reassuring nod that she would be fine.

"The first rule is to never go alone." AJ stated as he reminded his mother on the very first rule she had taught him when they were traveling on the road: how they were never supposed go anywhere by themselves.

"I'm not leaving you. I'll be right back." Clem softly replied as she assured her boy that she wasn't leaving him and wouldn't be in the barn for long.

"Remember to check the windows and to breathe." He softly added, as he reminded his mentor/guardian to check her surroundings and to take in deep breathes so she wouldn't be afraid.

"I will. I promise." The young African American teenage girl automatically stated as promised AJ that she would fine, which earned a soft nod from her boy before he walked away to wait by the feeding stall.

"The mask will disguise your scent. Be gentle and be quiet. Touch the wind chimes...you'll see." James softly stated as he informed Clem on how the mask would fool the walkers into thinking she was 'one' of them whilst instructing her to touch the wind chimes that he had set up in the barn so she could understand how he saw the walkers from his point of view.

After giving James a firm nod to show that she understood, Clementine had let out a heavy breath to calm herself as she slipped on the skin mask, stepped forward and opened the barn door. However, as soon as she stepped inside and the door closed behind her...the young African American teenage girl immediately began breathing heavily; as several of the walkers that the ex-Whisperer had locked up turned their attention towards her. But after she remembered the promise she made AJ and how Violet was no doubtingly waiting for her and her boy back at the school, Clem had immediately pulled herself together and began to walk past the walkers whilst imitating their movements like James advised her and much to her good fortune, none of the walkers attacked her: thanks to the odor of the skin mask that disguised her normal scent.

Once she had walked into the center of the barn, Clem had softly touched the wind chimes that were dangling from a wooden beam, which caused a light ring to echo out and instantly earned the attention of all the walkers: as they growled softly after they heard the small metal rods and bell ring out and limped towards the center of the barn and past the disguised teenage girl, whom backed away after ringing the chimes. As soon as they limped into the center of the barn, the walkers had glanced at the wind chimes and light from the sun shining through the broken boards of the roof in complete silence with what appeared to be expressions of complete 'peace' and 'content' on their disfigured faces. As the walkers continued to stare at the wind chimes, Clementine had stared in silent awe at how the walkers appeared to be 'at peace' once they heard the small acoustic instrument and even glanced at the chimes and sunlight reflecting off them as well for a brief moment before exiting the barn.

Once outside, Clem had taken off the skin mask and let out a light breath; due to the horrible smell of the rotting flesh against her own face/skin and smiled softly as AJ ran up to her and wrapped her arms around her waist, as he was deeply relieved and happy that his mother came out of the barn, alive.

"Whoa, hey there kiddo." The young teenage girl stated as she greeted her son and returned the embrace with James watching the rather touching moment in silence whilst closing the barn doors once again.

"I'm alright, see? No bites." She softly added as she reassured AJ that she wasn't bitten by the walkers whilst kneeling down so he could examine her.

"No bites." AJ stated with a bright grin as he was deeply pleased that his mother was indeed unharmed.

"So...do you still think they are 'just monsters? Now that you've seen them at peace?" James softly asked as he was deeply curious if her brief moment in the barn had changed Clementine's perspective about the walkers: if she still thought of them as a threat to her, her boy and their friends?

"...I...I think you might be right, about there being something more to them. It was...actually kind of nice in there." Clem answered truthfully as she admitted to James that she agreed with his view on the walkers: due to what what she witnessed after she touched the wind chimes.

"Really? I've never met someone who actually understood. I...thank you. I'm glad." The former Whisperer asked, as he was genuinely surprised that the young African American teenage girl's words; as he didn't expect to meet anyone who would share in his personal beliefs and thanked her for it as she nodded her head.

"Have you ever killed a walker before?" AJ softly asked, as he was deeply curious if his mysterious friend had ever killed a walker before becoming protective of them.

"...I have. Many." James answered truthfully, revealing that he had indeed killer a number of walkers in the past before becoming a pacifist.

"...Have you ever killed a person?" The six year old boy softly asked again, wondering if James had ever killed another human being before as well.

"...Many...But that was a long time ago." The raven haired teenage boy answered somberly as he revealed that he also killed people in his past.

"...I've murdered someone before too." AJ stated in an equally somber/saddened tone as he revealed that he had killed a person too before turning away.

"AJ." Clementine softly exclaimed, as she was surprise that her son would tell James on how he murdered Marlon on the night he killed Brody...which was what caused Louis and the rest of their friends (with the exception of Violet and Tenn) to banish them from the school!

"You've killed someone?" James asked, as he was deeply surprised/shocked after hearing the six year old boy admit that he murdered a human being!

"...Yeah...I'm a murderer...But I'm trying to atone for it." AJ softly replied, as he recounted on how Louis called him a murdered when he shot Marlon in cold blood and that he had been trying to make amends ever since that night.

"Well...that's good. I guess." James stated, as he was glad to hear on how the young boy whom he had become so fond of was trying to atone for what he did.

"That's enough. What about the walkers? Are you going to help us save out friends?" Clementine stated as she asked the ex-Whisperer if he was going to help her and her friends by luring walkers towards the raiders boat while handing him his skin mask back.

"...I...I thought that I could...but I can't. So many walkers would die." James reluctantly and somberly answered as he refused to assist the young teenage girl and her boy in rescuing their friends from Lilly and her people: as he didn't want to watch the raiders gun the walkers he lured to their vessel down like wooden targets at a shooting gallery, much to her great shock!

"You saved me and AJ because you didn't want us to become soldiers. What makes it okay this time?" Clem replied as she reminded James on how he rescued her and her son from Lilly and Abel when they attacked them in the forest after they were banished from the school: because he didn't want them to be turned into child soldiers whilst demanding to know why he was willing to let it happen to Louis, Omar and Aasim!

"They're going to make all our friends into killers. More violence, more death and you could've stopped it!" She softly added, stating on how Lilly and her crew would turn the three captured teenage boys into soldiers, which would caused more death and suffering and pointed out on how James could've prevented it...which deeply effected him as he turned around and lightly curled the fingers of his right hand into a fist; as he realized she was right.

"I may be stubborn...but I'm not heartless." The raven haired teenage boy replied, stating that even though he was head-strong when it came to his convictions...it didn't make him unsympathetic.

"Those 'raiders'...are cruel. They force others to be the same. And if your friends are just like you...then I don't doubt they're not worth saving." He softly added, claiming how Lilly and her people were evil and took delight in converting innocent people in becoming just like them...which was a fate that he didn't wish for the three teenage boys the raiders captured.

"It'll take some time to guide them from the forest to the shore. Others will join them as they go." James concluded, stating on how it would take him time to shepherd the walkers through the woods to the beach where the raiders boat was docked as he slipped on his walker skin mask.

"Tomorrow night. Be ready. I can't undo this." He softly added as he informed Clementine and AJ that he would be waiting for them and the rest of their friends at the beach at midnight and warned them that once he led the walkers to the S.S. Fitzgerald, he wouldn't be able to stop it with the young teenage girl giving her mysterious friend a soft nod: as she understood perfectly and showed that she, her boy and the others would be ready to put their plan into action before she and AJ walked around the corner of the barn.

Shortly after he witnessed Clem and her boy hide behind the James opened the barn doors, which immediately earned the walkers attention and thanks to the scent of his mask, they didn't attack him and exited the barn with the disguised teenage boy walking/limping beside them as they headed into the forest. As soon as the walkers and James were out of sight, Clementine and AJ began to walk down the trail back to the school.

"Clem? When you said there might be people inside of walkers...did you mean it? Is he right?" The six year old boy asked, as he was deeply curious if his guardian/mentor truly believed that James was right: how a small trace of their memories/humanity remained once they died and reanimated as walkers.

"...Well...We can't know for sure. Maybe he is right. Death may not be like we thought, before the world turned like this. Maybe there is something left after we die." Clem answered truthfully, showing that she truly wanted to believe in James' belief: especially after seeing how peaceful the walkers were after they heard the wind chimes and glanced at the sunlight...as if they were searching for their souls.

"...It sounds a bit weird. But if you believe it...I do too." AJ softly replied as he still found James' principals against killing walkers strange...but stated that if mother shared in the former Whisperers belief, than he did as well.

"C'mon AJ, let's get back before it gets too dark." Clementine stated, showing that she wanted to get back to the school before it got too late with her boy nodding in agreement, as they didn't want Violet, Ruby, Willy and Tenn to worry about them.

A/N: There it is everyone, the 8th chapter to A World with You as promised. I would like to apologize to my fellow Fanfic authors and viewers for the long wait, as I've been swamped with hectic shifts at the hospital kitchen where I work and been working on my other Fanfic projects. I would also like to apologize if the dialogue in this chapter seems lacking in details or beating around the bush; as its been a while since I worked on this fanfic.

I should have the next chapter posted sometime next month...hopefully. Until next time, bye.

Plus...I do have some good news: after playing both the TWD and Terminator: Resistance games, it inspired me to work on a new project - a crossover between the two games! I should have the first chapter to my new crossover either at the end of the month or the beginning of October.