Ashes (Clementine X Male Reader Book 2)

Aftermath-Growing

One Year after Salvation's Fall...

There's a knock at your door in the middle of the night. "Yeah?" You say in a daze, you were asleep. The door opens slowly, and Marina looks in. She's clutching a little stuffed animal.

"I'm scared." She says timidly.

"Me too." You try to relate to her. There are walkers all around you right now because a herd is passing through. While you wish you were out there doing something, you're not. Marina is your only responsibility now; they wouldn't let you help. So, you've been sleeping. What else are you going to do?

"Can I stay in here?" She slowly inches to the edge of your bed.

You think for a moment. It's better than sleeping on the floor in her room while you sit with her. "Sure."

She climbs into the bed and lies down. You make sure there's space between the two of you. "Are the monsters going to get us?"

"No." You reassure her. "Brooklyn is out there scaring them away."

"You could do that." She tells you. You're not sure if you should take it as a compliment or an insult.

"I have to stay here and make sure you're safe."

She reaches up and touches the hair growing on your chin. "Why do you have hair here?"

"Because it grows there on me."

"Will it grow on mine?" She starts touching her own chin.

"No."

"Why?" She questions. You're beginning to think letting her stay was a bad idea.

"Let's go to sleep, Marina. It'll make the monsters go away."

"Ok, daddy. Good night."

"Good night." You turn over on your side, facing away from her.

"I love you."

"Mhm." You close your eyes.

"You say it back."

"Say what?" You want her to stop.

"I love you."

"I love you."

-

One year and six months after Salvation's Fall...

"What is it?" She touches it.

"Snow." You tell her.

"It's cold." She wipes her gloved finger on her jacket.

"Yeah." You smile at her.

"You want to see something cool?" Brooklyn asks her. Marina nods, and Brooklyn leads her behind the house. You look at the sky and wonder if it will snow anymore. You hope it doesn't. It'll cause all sorts of problems.

You're hit in the side by something soft. It shatters against your jacket. You look down and see some snow stuck to your arm. Marina is giggling, hiding behind the building. "Did you throw a snowball at me?" She runs away, screaming. You bunch up some snow and jog after her.

-

Two Years after the fall of Salvation...

After more than a year of figuring things out, Don has been elected as the new leader. You have Marina sitting on your shoulders so she can see Don when he begins speaking.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Don begins. "Thank you all for making me your leader. I will do my very best. But that's not what you want to hear. We all know what happened to Linda and why it happened in the first place." A few people look at you and Marina. A few months ago, Don informed them all. "We no longer need to worry about that." You've had the discussion with him. If William showed up, you could just pretend Marina was yours. "So, we're going to make contact with other communities." There's a lot of clapping at the mention of that. "What we need now is allies. We need trade." This will help you find Clementine. Maybe. "Again, thank you all. If you need anything, come to me. Now, if you want, head to the bar anytime tonight. We'll be celebrating a new chapter for our community."

-

Three years after the fall of Salvation...

"Pay attention, ok." You adjust Marina's bag. "And listen to everything Ms. Regan says."

"Ok," Marina replies.

"Alright. Be good." You tell her. "I'll know if you're causing trouble."

"I won't, Dad." She smiles. "I love you."

"Love you." You watch her until she enters the school.

"Gonna cry?" Brooklyn asks.

"Why would I cry?" You do feel a little sad, but you're glad someone is willing to teach the kids.

"I don't know. You've put Marina in the care of someone else. Guess you got what you wanted." She jokes. You've changed your opinion about taking in Marina. You love her like she's your own daughter. She basically is your daughter. There's no one you care about more than her.

"Well, I've got the day off." You and Brooklyn start walking. "I'm not sure what to do now."

"You could patrol with me." Brooklyn proposes.

"Don wouldn't let me, and you know it." You're not allowed to leave the walls unless it's an emergency. There's not been a situation that needs you yet. "I kind of wish I could."

"Well, I'll meet you for lunch," Brooklyn says. "We are meeting for lunch still, right?"

"Yes." You assure her.

"Good." She hugs you and then leaves to patrol the area.

You stop in the middle of the street after walking for a little bit and look around. You've focused on raising Marina for a few years, and now that she's gone, you don't know what to do with your new freedom. Maybe you'll take a nap.

-

Three years and five months after Salvation...

"Dad." Marina pushes you. "Get up!"

"Why?" You roll over to face her. "I'm tired."

"It's my birthday." She tells you.

"I know." You close your eyes. Marina is six now. How did you get here?

"Dad."

"I'm up." You sit up. "I'm up."

"What are we going to do today?" She asks, jumping onto your bed to sit next to you.

"It's your birthday." You stand up and walk out of your room.

"I don't know what to do." She runs out ahead of you, jumping around like a crazed animal.

"Well, before anything..." You pick up a small sack off the table. "You have to open this."

"What is it?" She takes it from you carefully.

"A birthday present." You smile. It's not much of anything, but it's a present.

Marina opens the bag and looks into it. "What is it?" She reaches in and grabs it.

"I took it from your house when you were younger. I wanted you to have it one day." Everything from Linda's house has been distributed or done away with. There was no room to keep all her stuff around simply for the memory. You're glad you grabbed the photo.

"Is this my mom?" Marina asks, looking at the photo in her hands.

"Yeah." You didn't think she would remember Linda.

"Thank you." She hugs you. When she lets go, she runs to her room and returns without the picture. "We can walk around." She grabs your hand and pulls you out of the house. "Then we can go eat."

She drags you around the community all day. You don't get anything done, but you wouldn't have it any other way. If she's happy, you're happy.

Marina is everything to you, and you would do anything for her.