Legless, But Alive | TWDG Season 5 Fanfic

Reuniting, In This World.. Or The Next

         There was a moment of silence. Clementine just stood there, jaw dropped. Javier was the first to speak. "Clementine?" Neither of them moved. Clementine lowered her gun. "Javi.." She swallowed hard. This was why they wanted her hat. AJ took the chance to pulls his backpack from Charlotte's grasp and retrieved his gun. No one else moved. "Javier, what the hell is this?" The man Antoine seemed to be frustrated. Javier shrugged him off and approached Clem. "Vi, let them go.." Violet raised an eyebrow. AJ didn't want to question Clem, and did as she said. She was wrapped in an embrace from Javi. "I thought you were dead.." She whispered. He pulled away. "Well, yeah.. I uh.. Got lucky. Really lucky." He gave her a lopsided smile, before looking down. "Does that mean this is.." She nodded, pulling AJ close to her. "Alvin Junior." He nodded. "I'm sorry for all the trouble. I thought.. I dunno. I just needed to know what happened." Aasim rolled his eyes. "Well now you do, so can we go?" Violet pulled the knife away from the woman, who rubbed her neck awkwardly, staring daggers back at her. Javi waved his hand. "Yeah, sorry again." Henry just stood there quietly, staring at Clem. "So, what happened with the leg?" "Henry!" Charlotte said. "That's rude." He shrugged. Javier looked down to her stub. "Not to pry but.. Yeah, what's up with that?" AJ frowned. "She got bit." Violet looked away awkwardly. Clem's near death scared the shit out of her, despite how hard she worked to hide it. "Well shit, Clem.. I.." He didn't really know how to respond. Sorry? I mean, she lost a fucking leg. There was an awkward silence. "Anyway, everyone," She said, turning back to Aasim, AJ, and Vi. "This is Javier. We were good friends a few years back." AJ crossed his arms. "Well I don't remember him.." She frowned. "I told you about him. Remember when you got taken? Well.." She cleared her throat. "That was his brother. David." AJ's eyes visibly widened. "After you went to the Ranch, Javi helped me get you back." He looked back to Violet and Aasim, who were just standing there, exchanging glances now and then. "And Javi.. this is Violet." Violet stepped forward, in a possessive manner, and wrapped an arm around her. Javier raised an eyebrow. "Are you two.. OH! Oh- wait I thought- Gabe-" Clem laughed and kissed Violet lightly on the cheek. "I liked him.. at the time." Antoine rolled his eyes in the background. AJ noticed, staring at him threateningly. It was a good thing the others didn't notice.
"Oh, guys, this is Clementine." He said, gesturing to her. "So you had us running around for some crippled dyke?" Antoine said, venom in his voice. Charlotte elbowed him, hard. "Don't be an ass. We don't need your shit right now." Javi frowned. "Why are you so hostile? Fucks sakes." Henry didn't seem to care much. He had started to wander around, looking at the leaves. AJ was curious, and moved to join him. He seemed to be more relaxed than the others. "ANYWAY, Clementine, sorry about him. He isn't good with new people." He spat, staring at Antoine. He didn't seem to feel any remorse. "That's Antoine, he's a little piece of shit. Then there's Henry, who appears to be buddying up with AJ." He said, Gesturing to the side. The two were sitting criss cross on the ground, a few leaves spread in front of them with little pebbles piled on to hold them down. Charlotte stepped forward. "Charlotte, but my friends call me Charlie." Javi nodded and patted her shoulder. She offered a hand to Clem to shake, and she took it. She looked back to him. "We really should catch up." Javier agreed. Clem pondered for a second, trying to plan their next move. "There's a train station, not far from here. Just a bit away. If you guys would rather go hole up there for a bit, I can come visit more often. It's better then being completely outside." He shrugged. "I'll check it out, if the rest are on board. We should get headed back anyway, I don't want them to get worried." She smiled. "Alright, I'll cya around, Javi." He nodded. "Stay safe, Clem."
The two groups gradually regathered then split. AJ seemed to be in a good mood again. "Henry is nice. I know they were kind of bad at first, but I don't think they like being mean! Everyone seems nice. Can they come live at the school? Please?" Aasim froze. "AJ are you fucking nuts? They nearly killed us!" He frowned. "No! They weren't gonna kill us! They just wanted to find C-" "THEY POINTED GUNS AT US, THREATENED US, AND STOLE OUR SHIT!" Aasim was going way overboard, and was getting AJ heated. Violet tried to step in. "Aasim calm down, no one got hurt." He snapped at her. "EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!" Agitated, AJ held up his backpack and gun. "We got our stuff back and they didn't keep anything, or hurt us! Give them a chance!" Clementine pulled AJ back a bit. "Aasim is right in being careful.." She looked up to him. "But he also needs to calm the fuck down." He scowled, and stormed off ahead of the group. "That was one way to end the conversation, I guess.." Violet said, putting her hand up dramatically. "I guess so."
The rest of the walk was pretty quiet. They made a quick stop to check around the traps, only to find two walkers tangled in the ropes and four rabbits. Better than usual. AJ seemed to pick up on the vibe, and Violet and Clem just tried to peacefully get home without angering Aasim further. Aasim carried the rabbits in the duffel bag ahead of the group. They knew better than to bother him. Soon enough, the faded gates were again in sight. Ruby shouted to Omar, who stood by the side of the courtyard organizing herbs for the stew. Ruby ran to Aasim happily. "Thank god you're okay.." Aasim just nodded, and gave her a peck on the forehead. He dropped the duffel off to Omar, and retreated to the dorms. Louis had seemed to be gone all day. He hadn't come out when Violet came back.. Clem decided to bring it up with Ruby. Rosie hopped up onto AJ and licked his face, nearly knocking home over. He laughed, and went to drop off his things in their dorm: only to return shortly to drag Violet over to the swing with him. She gladly obliged. It made Clem happy to see them together, especially after what happened to Tenn.
        Clementine hobbled over to Ruby, who was about to climb back up to watch. "Hey Ruby, do you know where Louis is?" Ruby sighed, looking over to the gate. "After y'all left, he said he wanted to go check the fishin' traps. He's been gone for a while though.." Clem frowned. Usually they travel in pairs. Why had he gone alone? "Someone should go check on him, he's been gone a while." Ruby nodded. "He said he wanted to go alone, but yeah. He should be back by now. I'll call Aasim for watch and come wi-" Clem stopped her. "It's fine, I can go alone." She raised an eyebrow. "You sure, hun?" She said, eyes flicking down to her leg. Clementine nodded. "I won't be long." She pursed her lips. "You should catch up with Aasim, though. But.. uh.. his telling of what happened may be exaggerated." Ruby nodded. "Alright, I'll talk with him and Vi, too. Be back before dinner!" She smiled. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Silently, she just hoped Louis was alright. It felt unlike him to just disappear. Had something happened?
        The walk wasn't very long. Clementine was moving at a leisurely pace, admiring the autumn backdrop of the forest. Back on the road, she never really had the opportunity to admire her surroundings. Life was just moving too quickly to find the time to do so. But now, the cold breeze brushing against her face, the crunch of leaves beneath her crutches, she took a moment to just appreciate it. After everything that had happened, the world remained beautiful. It had just become too distracting of a place to notice. A growl could be heard not far from her, but she thought nothing of it. Walkers, as long as they weren't in groups, really weren't that bigof a deal anymore. Not worth the time it takes to put it out of its misery. The babbling sound of the stream came into ear shot, and Clem approached the water. There was a bucket of fish, about three catches inside. Damn, they got lucky today! If the flow of fish and rabbits continued, they'd have a bit more time to plan for winter. They could start salting the meats, that could work.. but a long term solution would be better.
         Clem continued towards the fishing shack. He couldn't be far now, right? "Louis?" She called out, trying not to startle him if he was near. She pushed open the door of the shack, peeking inside. Nothing. One of the fishing spears was missing, but other then that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. She frowned, and stepped back out, walking the perimeter of the shack. "Louis?" She called again. Had he walked off into the woods and left the fish? Why? Clementine really didn't want to get lost, especially alone before dark, but she knew she had to find him. Walking a few feet from the shack, she immediately saw something moving in the woods. Well, that was quick, she said to herself. Just in case it wasn't Lou, she drew her blade, and gradually approached. She could make out the shape of the figure, and upon getting closer discovered it's identity. It was him! She let out a sigh of relief. Thank god he was alive. "Lou!" He was shaking, heads on his head in despair as he kneeled on the forest floor. "Louis.." she followed his gaze, to see a squirming corpse stuck to a tree. It's chest was penetrated by the chunky blade of the missing fishing equipment, so deeply that it became embedded into the wood itself. It was trapped. And it's burned face and taped up boots were unmistakable.

It was Tennessee,
And there was no light behind his eyes.

           Tears were rolling down Louis' face. They had all known he was gone, that he died with his sister, but seeing him like this.. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Louis, that's.. not Tenn anymore." He let out a sound reminiscent of a sob. She tried to pull him away, but he just shook his head vigorously. "I know it's hard. I know that.. that you're hurting. And I'm sorry that some of it is my fault." He paused, and turned to Clementine, and shook his head again. Louis knew it wasn't her fault. He gradually got up, and fell into her, crying onto her shoulder. She almost lost balance, but fought to stay upright. She wrapped an arm around him. Tenn had been a sign for all the kids that the world could still be good, still be pure. A silent drive to better themselves, their group, hell, just humanity as a whole. They wanted to survive to make this world a place that he could live in, but it was impossible. He wasn't built to be a survivor, and they kept him safe as long as they could. It was time to let go. He made a raspy, growling sound from the tree. Well, not he, it. IT growled. Not Tenn, only what he had become. "He's in the next place.. With Sophie, and Minnie, and Mitch and Marlon and Brody.." Louis sniffled. "They can live in a world where they don't have to worry about killing or.. dying.." She pulled his head up. "And we're still here." She gestured around. "This is where we are now. And we won't lose you too." He wiped a tear from his eyes and tried to smile. "The others shouldn't have to see him like this.." She looked up to him, his face still plagued with pain. "We should bury him." Louis nodded, and pointed to himself. "Just.. go dig the grave. I'll take care of everything else." He gave the walker one final glance, before scurrying off to dig. It was clear that putting the creature down was not a task he was in any way aching to do. Clementine looked down at him. He was still so small, so fragile. She examined his face, greyed and dirtied. She never did find out where that burn came from. Clementine looked down to his shoes, the duct tape peeling away. She wondered how long it had taken Minnie to fix them. Finally, she looked to his throat. A bullet hole piercing the flesh, like a rock thrown onto a still lake. It was for Violet, she told herself. That's what AJ said. He was just too young.. 

Clem sighed, knowing what had to be done. 

"I'm.. so sorry Tenn.."

She didn't know what to say, where to even start.

"Thank you for being AJ's friend."

She paused. 

"You were a good kid..."

"I hope there's more crayons where you are."

And with that, she dove the knife into his skull with a crunch.

And his body

fell limp. 

(A/N) Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Legless, But Alive! I've been working hard to upload frequently. Also, happy 10 year anniversary of the first Walking Dead Game! It's been such a journey with this game, and I hope I am making a positive contribution. Love you all! If you liked this chapter, remember to vote and follow me! You can also leave a comment :) See everyone next time !