Ashes (Clementine X Male Reader Book 2)

Accord-Empty

You return to the community, practically carrying Cas at this point. Your body is about to give up. You can feel it.

"What happened?" Louis comes running over.

"Take him." You shrug Cas off, and Louis grabs him before he falls. You nearly collapse but catch yourself. "Where's Clem?"

"Violet and Aasim are moving her and Emma closer to the front gate." That's where most of the community is focused. That's the best spot for them to be right now.

"Take him there." You tell Louis. "He hit his head." You warn him.

-

You find Clementine on her knees in the middle of the street. You walk up behind her and look up at the sky. You don't want to look at Aj. "He didn't feel a thing." You tell her. Maybe it'll ease it knowing he didn't suffer.

"Did you get them?" She asks. She sounds lifeless.

"No." You don't feel that she needs the details right now. You crouch down next to her. "But I know where they went." You put a hand on her back.

"Why did-" Her voice breaks.

"Just take it easy. We'll talk about it later."

"You need to leave," Javier says.

You turn your head. He's got a whole group with him. "Fuck you."

"Get your things and go."

You stand up. "Where were you? No one came to help us. Not one! Cas and I managed the front gate while you hid. And then they came through a back gate!"

"It was your problem to deal with."

You rush him and punch him across the face. His group starts to come to stop you, so you pull your knife out and press it against Javier's throat. You draw blood. "Do something. Give me a reason to slit his goddamn throat. I don't care how tired I am. I'll kill every one of you."

"Y/N, please stop. Everyone else, back up!" Gabe approaches.

"None of your tried to help!"

"I couldn't mobilize my people in time. The shooters threw a wrench in the process." Gabe makes excuses. "Believe me. The shooters took out our guards, and the guys keeping the walkers out at the front gate right now are the guys I got together to replace them. We didn't have time to-"

"Gabe. You're a shit leader." You knew it. You believe it with every fiber of your being. "So, I'm going to make a deal with you right now." Clementine is in no condition to do anything right now. Neither are you, truth be told. "You're going to take whoever isn't with this prick." You push your knife a little. "And you're going to join us at Ericson's. You'll join our community. You'll pool your resources with ours. And you won't be the leader." You push Javier away. "And you." You point your knife. "If you ever decide to stop being a prick, you can come too. But if you try anything, I don't care what's happened to you, I don't care who you know, I'll crucify you for the whole damn community to see."

"Y/N, that's enough." Aasim puts his hand on your shoulder. You didn't know he was there.

"How's Emma?" You ask him, calming a little.

"She'll live, but we need to get her back to Don." He says.

"Find a car." You tell him. "They'll take it without a word." You tell Gabe.

"Yeah." Gabe raises his hands.

"You know where Ericson's is. Take Cas, Violet, and Louis with you too."

"What about you and Clem?" He asks.

"We'll be right behind you." You walk past him and back over to Clementine. You, again, crouch down next to her. "Anything you need?" You ask.