The Walking Dead: Return to Paradise Part Two

Epilogue

Pain.
That was all she could feel. It was the only thing reminding her that she was alive.
Days, or maybe weeks - she couldn't tell - had been passing in the blink of an eye.
In and out of consciousness, time was fluid.
She'd remember fractured pieces of a conversation with somebody by her bedside. Then, by the time she gathered the strength to say anything back, whoever had been there, was long gone.
Agony.
It was a strange sensation, to be trapped in her own body. Life had become a perpetual state of hypnagogia.
People would walk in and out. Some would poke and prod her, wrap her in gauze. Others just spoke to her softly, but she always struggled to make out the words. 

***

A jolt ran through her entire body and Clementine's eyes shot open.
She took in her surroundings. The room was the same as it always had been, bathed in moonlight through the barred window.
Her hat was on the dresser, the shelf was crowded with plant pots, and Violet was behind her, snoring softly with her arms wrapped around her waist.
Clem placed a hand against her own sternum, feeling her heart pounding against it. She took several deep breaths and felt it begin to slow. Once she the initial shock had worn off, Clem reached for the canteen of water on the nightstand, having to stretch slightly out of Violet's embrace to grab it. She unscrewed the cap and took a long, satisfying drink.
The covers shifted behind her and she heard a long inhale.

"You okay?" Violet mumbled groggily.

"Yeah, sorry for waking you." Clem whispered back.

Violet kissed Clem's cheek and hugged her tightly.

"Another nightmare?" She asked.

Clem nodded.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I was back in the woods, lying on the snow and bleeding everywhere. Everyone was staring down at me; you, Louis, AJ, even Lilly." Clem paused for a moment, "I think I was dying, and nobody did anything, they just watched."

Without hesitation, Violet gave Clem's hand a squeeze.

"You're here now, you're safe. C'mere-"

She pulled Clementine's body closer to hers.
Clem sighed, sinking into Violet's embrace.

"I thought I'd be over having nightmares by now." The brunette said.

"What do you mean over it?"

"I don't know, we've been through so much, I guess I just thought I'd be numb to it by now." Clem gave a weak chuckle, "not as strong as I thought, obviously."

She felt a light flick at the back of her head and craned her neck to look at Violet.

"Ow. What was that for?"

"Because you're being stupid." Vi frowned, "you're the fucking strongest person I know-"

She picked up a strand of hair that had fallen across Clem's face and moved it back behind her ear.

"-and you're also allowed to be scared. You think I'm not?"

"I never see you having nightmares."

"I never wake you up when I do. Don't like to interrupt you when you're actually getting sleep."

Clem smiled.

"I love you,Vi. You know that?"

"I know." Vi smirked back coyly.

***

"Alright, try again, gently this time." Ruby said softly.