My Sunshine
What if AJ got bit instead of Clementine?
Clementine growled, listening to Louis and Tenn struggle. Her leg gave a throb of pain, she glared at Minerva, before frowning. She grabbed her and wiped at the bite on her cheek, sneering when it came off, leaving unblemished skin.
"She's not bitten." Called Clementine, looking at Louis.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
The growls and groans of the Walkers drew their attention. Clementine glared, before stepping to the side, "Get to the other side."
Minerva didn't move, getting a growl from Clementine, she punched Minerva and pulled her forward, "Move!"
Louis quickly grabbed Minerva and hauled her to her feet. Tenn, finally, took the initiative and jumped over the gap, with Louis throwing Minerva and jumping across, quickly followed by Clementine.
"Fuck, that was close." Gasped Louis, as Minerva sat up.
"Yeah…" Clementine looked down at Minerva, "If I die or end up turning, I'm going to kill you first."
"Why?" Minerva's voice was small, "Why didn't you let me die?"
Clementine sighed, "I'm not doing this now, gimme the axe."
Minerve gave Clementine a confused look, making Clementine growl, "That fire axe, give it to me."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not an idiot with a death wish." Without another word, Clementine bent down and wrenched the axe from Minerva's hand. She looked at Louis, "So, which way back to the school?"
Louis pointed behind him, "That way."
"Great, lead the way."
Louis nodded, before hauling Minerva to her feet and walking ahead. Clementine waiting for AJ and Tenn to follow after Minerva, before limping behind them. Part of her wanted to laugh, she was letting someone who tried to kill her come back with them. Glancing at her foot, Clementine hoped she didn't have a similar experience as her dog bite, given how much it was bleeding. The group walked several yards, before reaching a fence.
"You've got to be kidding." Said Clementine, after a moment.
"This is the quickest was back." Shrugged Louis, looking at Clementine, "Don't worry, I'll catch you."
"Funny." Deadpanned Clementine, "AJ's never climbed that high…or at all, for that matter."
"And she can't climb." Mumbled Tenn, ducking his head as Louis frowned at him.
"Take them ahead," Ordered Clementine, looking around, "AJ and I'll find another way."
Louis wanted to object, but decided not to, starting to climb the fence, with Minerva and Tenn following not long after.
Clementine glanced at AJ, before they limped further down the road, hurrying away from the Walkers, Clementine quietly cursed when they reached a rock wall. After tossing the axe to the top and helping AJ to the top. Groaning as she put weight on her injured foot, Clementine hauled herself up the wall, just as the Walkers caught up with them.
Clementine grunted in pain as a Walker grabbed her injured leg. A crack sounded and the Walker dropped away, allowing Clementine to pull herself up. Looking at AJ, Clementine smiled, before checking her leg, the cut from Minerva throbbed, but Clementine didn't find anything else. Sighing, she looked back at AJ.
"You okay, Clem?" Asked AJ, getting a tired nod from Clementine.
"Yeah, I'm okay." She grabbed the axe and used it to stand, "Come on, let's get back."
AJ nodded, walking ahead, with Clementine limping behind him. She hoped that she and AJ wouldn't get the attention of any more Walkers, especially since they didn't part ways with James on a positive note.
"Whoa!" Clementine was jerked out of her thoughts by AJ's cry. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of AJ on the ground, with a Walker holding his leg.
Clementine hurriedly limped towards AJ, raising her axe up and bringing it down on the Walker's head. AJ curled up and held his leg, "C-Clem…?"
Clementine looked at AJ, freezing at the sight of a bite mark on AJ's leg, "…no."
"I'm bit."
"No." Said Clementine, forcefully, "You're going to be fine; we're going to get back to the school and fix this."
AJ looked like he didn't believe her but nodded.
MS
The pair saw a group of Walkers in the way, glancing down, Clementine saw AJ didn't look good. Clementine spotted a couple of sticks, deciding they'd do, she grabbed them and placed them either side of her leg and used the laces of the damaged boot to turn them into a makeshift splint, she knew that were worked for breaks, she just hoped it'd help her.
"AJ." Clementine got his attention, "C'mon."
He sluggishly nodded, prompting Clementine to pick him up and position him on her back. Gritting her teeth, Clementine limped her way through the Walkers, being careful not to alert them to her and AJ's presence.
The sound of a Walker's head getting caved in drew Clementine's attention, just as Louis and Ruby came into view. Clementine unconsciously straightened, allowing a Walker to grab AJ. Hearing AJ scream, Clementine swung her axe at the Walker's knee, freezing at the sight of the Walker's teeth buried in AJ's arm.
An arrow suddenly buried itself in the Walker's head, allowing Clementine to frantically pull AJ towards her.
"Fuck," Ruby rushed forwards, "Clem, I'll take AJ, Louis, carry her."
"I can walk." Protested Clementine, as Ruby managed to wrestle AJ from her.
"Not on that leg." Retorted Ruby, running back towards the school.
Clementine swallowed, watching them leave with Minerva taking the axe from her.
"He's gonna be fine, Clem." Murmured Louis, hefting her into his arms, "I promise."
"He's bitten." Said Clementine, "He been bit in two places. He, he can't live missing a limb. H-how…?"
"I don't know, but he's gonna be okay."
MS
Louis frowned at the empty watchtower, before walking through the grounds, "Guys?"
Louis frowned, looking around, before setting Clementine down, "Hello?"
"Over here."
They looked over at Aasim, "Ruby's looking at AJ. They," He glanced at Clementine, "they cut off the bites, but…he's not doing well."
"Where is he?" Asked Clementine, worry lining her stomach.
Aasim glanced at Louis, before moving over to Clementine, "I'll, er, I'll take you to him."
Louis frowned, but stepped up to Clementine and picked her up, "It'll be faster."
Aasim led them to where Ruby was working on AJ. Tenn, Violet and Minerva were waiting outside, the latter two freezing when they saw Clementine.
"…you might want to get that cleaned." Mumbled Minerva, pointing at Clementine's leg.
"Where's AJ?" Asked Clementine, opting to ignore Minerva.
"He's…" Violet glanced at the door.
As if on que, the door opened and Ruby stepped out, freezing when she saw Clementine. Ruby swallowed, before sighing, "I had to remove his arm and leg."
"…but?"
"But he lost a lot of blood, in comparison to his size." Admitted Ruby, "He, might not make it."
Clementine gesture for Louis to put her down, "I need to see him."
"Clem-"
"Now."
Ruby bowed her head and stepped out of the way, allowing Clementine to limp passed her. She froze, seeing AJ, before hurrying towards him. Collapsing to his side, Clementine quickly checked him over. His breathing was laboured, and he looked pale.
"Clem," Ruby gently touched Clementine's shoulder, "I need to look at your leg."
Clementine swallowed, before nodding, wincing as Ruby took her boot off and applied anti-septic.
"Was the axe clean when it cut you?" Asked Ruby, getting a nod from Clementine, "He's gonna be fine."
"How?" Clementine's tone was despondent, "He's missing an arm and a leg. He might've survived with missing one, but-" Clementine's voice broke, "I shouldn't have taken him with me."
"You couldn't've known." Dismissed Ruby, "You're not to put too much strain on your leg, okay?"
Clementine didn't respond, quietly stroking AJ's hair. Ruby gave her a worried look, before leaving the room.
Clementine pressed a kiss to AJ's temple, mumbling a song that used to put AJ to sleep.
"You are my sunshine," Mumbled Clementine, "my only sunshine, you make me happy, when skies are grey, you'll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine awa-" Clementine broke down.
MS
Clementine deposited the fish she caught in her bucket. Minerva tried to make it a competition, who could catch the most fish. Minerva knew she was on thin ice with Clementine, given she was the reason Clementine gained a limp.
"Hey." Clementine looked over at Minerva, the other woman held Clementine's hat out to her, "I found this."
Clementine slowly took the hat, shaking it a couple of times, before putting it on her head. Looking down, Clementine saw Rosie pawing at the buckets.
"We better head back, Rosie's looking hungry." Said Clementine, retrieving the axe from the side of the shed, "Hopefully Omar won't give us too much crap for staying out so late."
"I think Ruby's just glad you and Louis aren't cooped up in the office."
"Like you and Violet are any better." Retorted Clementine, pausing as she spotted James. The Whisperer looked at Clementine, before giving her a wave and ambling into the forest.
"Do you think he'll take up your offer?" Asked Minerva, after a moment.
"I doubt it," Answered Clementine, "he didn't want to hear me out."
"Maybe, he'll come around." Suggested Minerva, as they reached the school.
"Maybe." Shrugged Clementine, "Who knows."
After handing the fish off to Omar, Minerva went over to the watch tower and joined Violet. Aasim and Ruby walked past her, giving her a wave, while Tenn and Willy ran over to a shed. Clementine came to a stop in front of the graves.
Brushing some of the weeds away, Clementine looked at the freshly filled in grave without a marker.
"You okay, Clem?" Asked Louis, coming up behind her.
"I'm just," Clementine sighed, "thinking."
"About what?"
"That night." Answered Clementine, "The walkers, the Delta, the New Frontier visiting. All the people we've lost."
"Everything's gonna be fine, Clem." Sighed Louis, crouching down next to Clementine, "We're gonna be okay."
"Heh," Clementine let out a humourless laugh, "I'm the last surviving member of my original group, since Lilly's dead."
"The last man standing." Chuckled Louis.
"Who're you calling a man?" Clementine gave Louis a soft look, "What are Tenn and Willy doing, by the way?"
"I don't know." Shrugged Louis, "I saw them run back into the dorms with something."
Clementine sighed, "I guess we should see what they're doing."
The pair stood up and started towards the dorms.
"Clem." Clementine stopped, turning around, seeing AJ smiling up at her, "Look, Tenn and Willy got me arm-leg-thingies."
"They're called crutches, AJ." Clementine crouched down in front of him, looking him over. They'd severed his left arm at the elbow and right leg at the knee. Clementine pulled AJ to her, pressing a kiss into his hair, "You're supposed to be resting."
"But, I got bored." Complained AJ, getting a laugh from Clementine.
"Yeah, I'd probably be the same." Sighed Clementine, before looking around, "C'mon, I think Omar's about to say dinner's ready."
As if on command, Omar called, "Dinner's ready!"
Clementine led the small group to the table, making sure AJ was comfortable, the group ate, with Clementine feeling peace for the first time since the apocalypse started.