Alive Inside- A Clementine x Male Reader The Walking Dead Story (Choice Based)

Chapter 35: Sweetpea

Clem flashback POV*

It was a cloudy day at my old house. I was currently sitting up in my treehouse, admiring and reminiscing over my backyard and everything else I once had.

Being back home.. felt somewhat strange. My backyard looked exactly the same from when I was younger, but at the same time.. it all felt unfamiliar. Like it had been so long since I've actually been here, that it wasn't mine anymore.

I knew everything I was seeing wasn't real... but I desperately wanted it to be, even if it was only for a minute.

I continue to sit up in my treehouse for a few more minutes until I decide I should head down. I still had more that I wanted to revisit.

I start to climb down the rope ladder until I reach the grass beneath me as I walk further into my yard, taking every detail in.

As I look throughout my yard, all of my memories I made as a kid start to hit me again. My pool that I would spent hours swimming in during the summer... all of the fun I had in my treehouse and with my parents...

I let out a quiet giggle as I think back to everything I had here, as I feel a mourning sadness start to overwhelm me.

Being back here and remembering everything I had before the world ended... made everything feel helpless. My parents.. all of my friends.. my family.. all of them were gone now. Everything I had here was gone now...

I take a deep breath as I make my way over to my houses wooden deck before looking up to the sky, hoping to clear my mind of my thoughts as I watch the dark stormy clouds continue to make their way towards me in the distance.

I continue to sit for another few moments until I hear something moving from inside of my house.

I quickly whip around to see a tall figure closing my houses screen door as I catch my breath, shocked by who was in front of me.

I quickly jump onto my feet as I rush into his arms, feeling myself melt into him as he wraps his arms around me.

"Lee..." I whisper quietly.

"Hey, sweetpea," I hear his old, familiar voice reply.

I continue to hug Lee tightly for another few moments until I pull away, desperately trying to hold all of my emotions in as I look up to him.

I watch as Lee looks down to me with a proud smile as he sighs happily.

"Wow.. look at you. Just look at you," Lee says as he backs up a few steps. I start to feel tears welling up at my eyes as hold back my sniffles.

Lee continues to smile down to me as he moves his hand up to my ponytail.

"Thought I told you to keep this short?" He asks teasingly. I giggle and roll my eyes as I look back to him with a grin.

"Umm.. you don't know how hard it is to find scissors these days," I reply with a laugh.

Lee chuckles before he looks up to my backyard.

"..I see you've switched it up this time. What happened to the train? You always pick there.." he asks with a soft and curious look.

I look back up to him for a moment before glancing back to my yard.

"I'm.. not sure. I guess I just wanted to be back home again.. before everything starts tonight..." I reply quietly, feeling all of the anxiousness fill my body again.

I watch as Lee nods his head as he puts his hand onto my shoulder.

"Let's sit down for a bit. Fill me in on what you're going through," he says as he starts to walk further over to the steps leading out to my yard.