Protector
What if Kenny was Bitten instead of Duck? Submitted by Darkwubs on AO3
Kenny knew he wasn't a good man, but he tried to be. He was quick to anger, he made assumptions about people and, as long as it didn't affect him or his family, he would get his hands dirty. He supposed that's why he liked Lee, he thought they were cut from the same cloth. So, finding out Lee was convicted of murder was a surprise, but he supposed the signs were all there. Lee was cagey with his past and would seemingly make a decision at the last minute, like in the meat locker, Kenny thought Lee was going to try the impossible, but less than a second later, he was help him put Larry down.
Then there was how he dealt with the St. Johns, Kenny would've been satisfied with leaving them for the Walkers, but Lee went out of his way to deal with them, pitchforking Danny and beating Andy until Carley pulled him off the cannibal, only to kick him into the electric fence.
Then, while he had his reservations, Lee had taken the supplies from that car. He heard Lee and Carley talking about looking for the owner of the car after they got back, but when they looked, the car was gone.
Now, after getting back from a supply run and Lee investigating Lilly's claims of someone stealing from them, Kenny was working as fast as he could to get the RV working, while Lee and Lilly picked off the Bandits. He heard Carley join the two, providing cover for Ben and Clementine to get into the RV. Finishing up, Kenny looked out and froze. A Walker was coming up behind Duck and Katjaa.
Rushing out, Kenny grabbed Carley's shoulder, "I need you to drive."
"What?" Carley ducked behind the RV, as Lee turned his rifle on the Bandits shooting at Duck and Katjaa.
"Get in the driver's seat!" Yelled Kenny, running out and pulling Katjaa and Duck out of the way of the Walker, Lee and Carley shared a look, before Carley ran on board and got the RV ready. Kenny started wrestling with the Walker, making Lee curse under his breath, unable to get a clear shot.
Kenny snarled as the Walker tried to bite him, as Katjaa and Duck boarded the RV, followed by Lilly. Then, Kenny lost his footing and fell down, grunting at the Walker landed on top of him. A bullet impacted the Walker's skull, making it drop dead. Kenny found himself being pulled up by Lee and directed into the RV.
Lee barely had time to close the door, when Carley put her foot down and smashed through their barricade and tore down the road, away from the Motel.
P
Kenny was drowsy, he felt hot and cold at the same time. He felt like he had a fever, the yelling didn't help a headache that was forming behind his eyes. Lee seemed like he was trying to keep a calm head, while Lilly was grilling Ben and Carley was yelling at everyone to keep it down while she was driving.
"OH, SHIT!" Carley's shriek was followed by a violent swerve and a bump, "Fuck, I think I hit a Walker."
"I'll take a look at it." Said Lee, stepping off the RV with Lilly following him.
Kenny groaned, as Duck joined Clementine up front, watching as Lee and Lilly removed and dealt with the Walker.
"Kenny's been quiet." Lilly looked down at Lee as she spoke, "I would've thought he'd be just as angry."
"I'm sure he is." Said Lee, growling at the Walker tried to bite at him, "But, I'm sure he's tired. I know I am."
"Who do you think was stealing from us?"
"We keep a close eye on the kids," Said Lee, successfully grabbing the Walker's wrists and pulling it, "Kenny wouldn't do anything that would endanger the group."
Lilly scoffed, but Lee ignored her, "Carley's able to keep a secret, but she's the one who suggested I investigate your stealing claims, and she's more creative when she hides things, so she wouldn't put a broken torch in the trash. So, that leaves Ben, Katjaa, Me and you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Demanded Lilly, glaring at Lee, as the Walker split in half.
"Fuck!" Lee stumbled and swung the Walker away, "Sometimes, the culprit will bring attention to it, because then they'd no longer be considered a suspect. I tried to do it myself when I was a kid. I can say I didn't do it, but it'd just be my word, which wouldn't mean much considering my background. Katjaa's against violence and-or using guns to protect ourselves, so she could be manipulated into going against the group and Ben… he's a kid, he's probably still adapting to all this."
"So?" Lilly scowled at him.
"Lilly, we need to consider that this was an act of fear or hoping to get the Bandits off our back." Sighed Lee, as he dealt with the Walker, "let's…let's get back in the RV."
Lee and Lilly boarded the RV, with Lee telling Carley she could start driving again.
"Lee." Katjaa called over to him, "Can you come here?"
Lee frowned, before walking over to her, "What's wrong?"
"We heard you a Lilly talking," Said Katjaa, "I…understand your concerns, but there's something you should know."
Lee frowned as Lilly came up behind him, "What is it?"
Katjaa looked down, as Kenny sluggishly pulled his shirt up, a bloody bite mark on his side.
"Fuck." Lee looked up, "When…?"
"During the raid." Said Katjaa, "I'm going to keep an eye on it, see how things progress from a… Medical perspective."
Lilly sighed, "I'm sorry."
Kenny let out a weak laugh, "Why? Did ya bite me?"
P
"So…" Lilly looked at Carley, "how'd the engine die again?"
Carley scowled at her, before looking at the train in front of them, "Well, we've got that to deal with, so hopefully, it'll work once it's been moved."
Lilly looked at the train, Lee and Ben were checking it out, while Katjaa watched the kids and Kenny.
"Maybe it just needs—" Carley jumped back as the engine hissed, "Never mind, I'm going to help Lee."
Carley scarpered off, joining Lee on the other side of the train, while Lilly checked the railcar. She found some signs that someone had been living there, when she passed through again, she was confronted by a homeless man. He gave his name as Chuck and explained the train was his home. Lee and Ben were working on getting the train moving, while Carley gave some crackers to the kids. Kenny wasn't looking good, but, since it'd been roughly half-a-day since Kenny had been bitten, she supposed that could be considered a good thing.
"How is he?" Lilly looked at Katjaa, who sighed.
"Not good." Katjaa looked away from Kenny, "Lee told me what happened in the meat locker…I suppose this is his punishment."
"Maybe." Lilly was torn, her dad's death was quick, while Kenny's was being drawn out. She'd admit that she wanted Kenny to suffer, but not like this. Not from a Walker bite. Little over half-an-hour later, the train was moving, and Lee, Lilly and Carley were talking about teaching Clementine and Duck how to defend themselves.
"I can run them through how to use a gun." Suggested Carley, "If need be, we can take turns teaching them."
"There's still the other issue." Said Lilly, making Lee look up from the train controls.
"You mean Kenny?"
"I mean whoever was stealing from us." Said Lilly, her face hard, "They caused Kenny to get bit, who knows what they'll do once we're on foot again."
"Well," Lee leaned back, "The track ends as Savannah, Clementine's going to want to look for her parents, and we're going to have to find more supplies."
The two women were quiet, before Carley spoke, "Alright, I'm gonna ask, what's the actual situation with Clementine's parents?"
Lee paused, before sighing, "They're dead. You probably know I was on my way to prison when all this started. Well, the cop driving hit a Walker, and crashed. Some Walkers must've got him before I woke up, because he was dead when I did. I put him down when he tried to bite me, I climbed over a fence and ended up in Clementine's backyard. I went inside her house to get some help, only there was no one there and the answer phone was flashing."
"And, like any home intruder, you decided to listen to them." Stated Lilly, getting a scowl from Lee.
"The first one mentioned that her dad had been attacked and bit by some crazy outside their hotel." Said Lee, "The second one was her mom telling her babysitter to take Clementine to a friends place, I think. The last one…was her mom saying goodbye."
Lilly and Carley stared at Lee, before Lilly looked at the door a froze. Lee and Carley followed her gaze and stared at Katjaa, with Clementine and Duck.
"Shit, Clem—" Lee started to get up.
"Kenny's…" Katjaa swallowed, "Kenny hasn't got much longer left."
Lee squared his jaw and nodded.
"How much of that did you hear?" Asked Lilly, as Clementine stared up at Lee.
"We heard about what was on the answer phone." Said Katjaa, before she turned to leave, "I'll…I'll need someone to…to—"
"I'll handle it." Volunteered Lee, before looking at Clementine.
"Lee?" Clementine's voice was small, "Are…are my parents really dead?"
Lee sighed, before nodding, "I wish I was wrong."
P
Duck trailed after his dad and Lee. He knew what was going on, he heard them say his dad was bit. He heard Lee say he'd 'stop' his from turning. He knew what his mom meant when she said his dad didn't have much longer left.
"We know you're there, Duck." Said Lee, as Kenny dropped himself next to a tree, "You were told to stay with the train."
"Lee…" Kenny's voice was weak, "let…me…talk...to…him…"
Lee looked at Kenny, before nodding and stepping to the side. Duck wandered up to his dad, he was pale, sweat covered him and his eyes were sunken.
"Hey… Duck…" Kenny gave Duck a weak smile, "I'm…sorry… but… I… won't… be… around… to… protect… you… anymore."
Duck swallowed.
"You… gotta… be… strong… Duck." Rasped Kenny, "For… me…, for… mom…, for… everyone…"
"I-I will." Promised Duck, his throat thick.
"Take… my… hat…" Kenny wheezed, "I'm… not… gonna… need… it… anymore."
Duck reached a shaky hand out and took the hat from Kenny.
"You… and… Clem… are… gonna… match… now." Kenny let out a wheezing laugh that turned into a cough, he slowly looked at Lee, "It's… time…"
Lee solemnly nodded, before gently guiding Duck away, before returning to Kenny.
"See… you… 'round… brother…" Kenny gave a weak smile, getting a sigh from Lee.
"Never thought it'd end like this." Sighed Lee, levelling his gun with Kenny's head.
"Neither… did… I…" Confessed Kenny, his breaths becoming shallower, "Look… after… my… son…"
"You have my word." Promised Lee, as Kenny closed his eyes.
Duck barely registered the crack of the gun, nor his father's now lifeless body, before Lee guided him back to the train.
P
Dealing with Kenny had been hard on them, as Katjaa couldn't watch Lee put him down, Lee hadn't initially said anything when he'd come back, with Duck trailing behind him with Kenny's hat. The train got moving shortly afterwards, but no one had been willing to speak, until Lilly and Carley heard Ben talking to Lee.
"—said they had one of my friends."
"I should throw you off this train. Kenny's dead because of you." Snarled Lee, "Why tell me? You should tell Duck and Katjaa, or did you think you'd get off easy?"
"I-I—"
"Ben." Carley got their attention, "What did they tell you?"
"T-they had one of my friends, t-that they'd kill them if I didn't give them our supplies," Ben rapidly tried to excuse himself, "I-I was scared. T-then they said they'd s-stop attacking us!"
Carley glared at him, before looking at Lilly, "What should we do with him?"
"I'm with Lee, we should throw him off the train." Lilly glanced at Lee, "But, right now, we need someone who can drive the train."
Lee released an angry sigh, "I'm going to get Chuck to watch him."
"What are you going to tell them?" Asked Carley, making Lee stop.
"The truth."
P
Lilly shook her head, trying to get used to how light her head was. Chuck had suggested that they cut Clementine's hair and, hoping to give the girl some comfort, opted to have her hair cut as well. However, she made the mistake to trusting Lee to cut her hair. And Clementine had complained that she'd look like a boy.
Carley was teaching Duck how to use a gun, while Lee went over a map with Clementine. Duck was decent with a firearm, while Clementine had prove to have a good dead eye.
"We could try Kenny's original plan." Suggested Lee, "Find a boat, or something."
"What if it needs work done on it?" Asked Lilly, looking over at him, "None of us are mechanics, especially since you and Carley basically killed the RV."
The pair shared a guilty look, before they heard Ben yell and stop the train.
"I swear to fucking god." It was strange to heard Katjaa swear, but the woman had been furious when Lee told her what Ben confessed to.
Hopping off, Lee walked up to the front of the train, before he stopped, "Well, that's just our fucking luck."
In front of them was a tanker that was hanging off the bridge, blocking the track.
P
Duck didn't know what to make of Omid and Christa. They seemed nice, but so had the St. Johns. He'd heard Clementine tell Lee about the man on radio, how he found her parents and how her birthday had been four days ago. Lee had shown Omid how to operate the train, with Lilly posted as a guard, keeping watch for Walkers, while Chuck and watched Ben. Lee and Clementine had gone down to a station, and retrieve a blowtorch to cut the tanker down.
"So, you hesitated," Christa looked at Clementine, "you almost died."
Clementine ducked her head, getting a sigh from Christa, "I understand it was your first Walker, but you can't hesitate like that again, not when lives are at stake."
"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me." Everyone turned and looked at Lilly, who pointed at a horde of Walkers stumbling towards them.
"I'll get the train ready." Said Carley, rushing to the cab, while Christa and Katjaa got Duck and Clementine in the car. Lilly swung down into the car, as Lee and Omid finally cut the tanker free. The train started to pull off, with Lee and Omid jumping into the train as it passed underneath them. Lee landed in one safely, while Omid landed and injured his leg, falling off the train and onto the ground.
Christa hopped out and helped Omid up, with Lee pulling the injured man into the car, and Lilly pulling Christa in. The group breathed heavily, as Lee straightened up and took Clementine and Lilly to the cab, leaving Christa and Omid with Duck, Chuck, Katjaa and Ben.
P
Lee gave Ben a glare, they'd arrived in Savannah and were walking through the streets when a bell started tolling. Before they knew it, Walkers were descending on them and Ben, despite having a gun, chose to run away, leaving Clementine to the mercy of the Walkers. They were lucky Duck took the gun from Ben and shot the Walkers, he did have to shoot each Walker about three times before they went down, but he'd managed to save Clementine.
"Why are we keeping him with us?" Asked Katjaa, looking at Lee.
"He's part of the group." Answered Lee, "Even if he's giving us more reasons to ditch him."
"So," Christa looked at Lee, Carley and Lilly, "Who's your guy on the radio?"
"He's not out guy." Said Lee, "He's some guy that tried to manipulate Clem, saying he had her parents."
"I thought they were dead?" Asked Christa, as Chuck made sure the yard they had hidden in was secure.
"That's what we're going to find out." Said Carley, "We're going to check while we're here."
Christa frowned, but said nothing, as Lee worked on getting them into the house. After noticing the doggie door, and learning from Omid about a pet door that was unlocked by a microchip in the pet's collar. So, after Lee dug up a dog and salvaged it's collar, they managed to get the dog door open and Clementine scurried into the house and unlocked the door.
They checked the house and found an emaciated Walker in the attic. Lee had just finished dealing with it, when he heard a gunshot outside. Rushing down, Lee came to a stop at the back door, where Lilly was aiming her rifle, "What happened?"
"That guy out there." Lilly gestured to the street, before she and Lee walked out to the fence. Lee frowned, the man had been shot through the eye, so he was certain he was dead, "Do you think that's the guy Clementine was speaking to?"
Lee frowned, before taking the radio from his belt, "Hello?"
At the same time, Lee's voice sounded from the man's pocket.
"Holy shit." Lilly hopped over the fence and searched his pockets, before finding a radio, "This'll come in handy."
Lee frowned, before nodding, "Let's get back in the house."
P
Lee frowned, Carley and Katjaa had taken Clementine to look for her parents, Omid had come down with a fever, so Christa was watching him, Duck was helping Christa watch the house and Omid, and he and Lilly were heading down to the waterfront, with Carley agreeing to meet them there.
"Well," Lilly looked around, "at least Kenny didn't live long enough to be disappointed."
"That's one way of looking at it." Said Lee, checking the surrounding area.
"Look, Lee, I've done some thinking," Started Lilly, "about what happened in the meat locker, I'm… I'm starting to think that you and Kenny made the right call."
"That's nice." Lee's tone was dull, "I wish it hadn't happened."
"I hear ya." Lilly looked down the street, "What the hell?"
Lee followed her gaze and saw a familiar looking car driving up to them. Frowning, Lee reached for his gun, only for Carley to pop her head out the window, "We found this by the Marsh House. I think it belonged to that guy Lilly shot."
"That's…" Lilly trailed off, "Well, I guess we now know why he was manipulating Clementine."
Lee hummed, before hearing something. Turning, he saw a person in orange staring at them, "Can we help you?"
"That's a kid." Said the person, before they hopped down, "You're not from Crawford."
P
They found out that the person, a girl called Molly, was a survivor and the one responsible for the bells tolling. They'd spent so much time talking, they were almost caught by a bunch of Walkers. Lee told Carley and Clementine to take the car back to the house, while Lilly and Molly got to higher ground. Molly had tossed her icepick to Lee, so he could get into the sewers and escape the Walkers.
Lee had navigated the sewers, before stumbling across a group of survivors and learned more about the Crawford place Molly mentioned. Lee had managed to convince their leader, Vernon, to help him get back to the house.
"Lee!" Clementine rushed towards him.
Lee crouched down and embraced her, "Hey, Sweetpea."
"We found her parents," Said Carley, walking up to them, "they were dead… who's this?"
"Vernon, he helped me get back here." Said Lee, "He's a doctor."
Carley frowned, before nodding, "Omid's fever's gotten worse."
"Your friend's sick?" Asked Vernon, getting a nod from Carley, "Let me look at him."
P
Lee sighed, they'd snuck into Crawford to get some weapons and medicine. Duck, Carley and Katjaa had remained at the house, watching over Omid and keeping Walkers out. The rest of the group had been led into Crawford by Molly and Vernon, with someone from Veron's group, Brie, coming with them.
They'd gone through the armoury and got the medicine, when a group of Walkers busted in. Clementine managed to save Molly from a Walker she was wrestling with, they all rushed into the armoury and barricaded door. Ben started panicking, prompting Lee to kick the door in, just as the barricaded door was broken open and Brie was devoured by the Walkers. They all rushed up the stairs of a bell tower. Lee had stopped, spotting Chuck hold the door back into the armoury.
"Go!" Yelled Chuck, struggling to keep the door shut, "I'll be fine!"
Lee sighed, nodding, and heading up the stairs. He grabbed a shot gun and dispatched a couple of Walkers. Lee heard a bell tolling above them, he reached the landing and saw Ben struggling with a Walker. After quickly dealing with it, the surviving members of their group looked amongst themselves, before heading back to the house.
P
Duck looked at the returning group, noting that Chuck and that woman weren't with them.
"Oh, thank god." Sighed Carley, walking over to Lee and wrapping her arms around him, "We had a few Walkers get in, but Duck and I handled them."
"That's good." Lee nodded, "Clem nailed one that was waving it's head all over the place."
Carley let out a short laugh, as Vernon went to work on Omid. Lee sighed, "We're gonna have to move on. There's a massive herd of Walkers coming."
Carley sighed, as Duck and Clementine walked off, "The car has a capacity issue, so, unless we want to put people in the trunk, we need something bigger."
"I think I saw an RV down near the waterfront." Said Lee, before frowning, "But it's been gutted."
Carley hummed, before looking at Duck and Clementine, "I hope the kids are okay."
P
Lee grumbled to himself, of course the RV was salvageable, of course everything they needed was in Crawford. Of course, he let Molly convince him and Ben to go back into Crawford. Of course, Christa, Lilly and Katjaa decided to accompany them.
"This better be worth it." Said Christa, as they checked for Walkers.
"It will be." Said Lee, "I can't believe I didn't think of fixing the RV before our first trip."
"That was Kenny's area." Said Lilly, helping Katjaa up, "Hopefully, the other's will be at the meeting point."
"He'd probably yell at us for making two trips." Lee chuckled.
They heard a bell toll in the distance, making them emerge from the sewer.
"It looks like Molly's plan worked." Said Lee, "I can't see any Walkers."
"C'mon," Molly jumped down, "We can get gas and a battery from the same place."
P
They got the gas and battery, they were making their way across the roof tops towards the meeting point, when Ben stepped onto a metal balcony that gave way immediately. In the blink of an eye, Lee, Lilly and Katjaa were on the ground and trying to free Ben.
"That's…" Katjaa swallowed, "That's gone through his liver. Lee, I don't think he'll survive."
"I-I'm s-s-sor-ry." Choked Ben, as Lilly tried to move him.
Ben did his best to stay quiet, but let out an unintentional scream that drew the attention of a crowd of Walkers. Lee sigh and drew the cleaver he took from the house, only for Lilly to shove him through a gate and lock it.
"We'll catch up with you." Promised Lilly, "We'll find you."
Lee watched at the two women fought against the Walkers before he lost sight of them, he heard a single gunshot, and Ben's screams abruptly stop. Swallowing, Lee climbed back up the ladder and rejoined Christa and Molly. They made their way to the meeting point, with Molly volunteering to work on the RV's engine, while Lee filled it up.
"Where're the others?" Asked Carley, as Christa deposited some more medicine they'd taken from Crawford.
"Ben fell off the roof," Said Lee, as Duck looked for his mother, "Lilly and Katjaa tried to get him free, but…"
"They got swarmed." Said Molly, stepping away from the engine, "Right, that should do it."
Lee nodded, "Where do we want to meet up?"
"There's an abandoned gas station not too far." Said Christa, "We'll see you there."
Lee nodded, as Christa and Omid got into the station wagon, while Lee and Carley ushered Molly, Duck and Clementine into the RV.
"Clem put her parents down." Said Carley, her voice quiet, "Duck wanted to do it for her, but… she decided that she had to do it."
Lee sighed, glancing at Duck. He heard him promise Kenny that he'd be strong. It was still strange, seeing Duck wearing Kenny's hat, but they'd have to get used to it. There was a lot they'd have to get used to.