The Walking Dead: Emperor of Flames

Season 4/Chapter 10: Suffer The Children

Previously on The Walking Dead. 

AJ, Y/n and Clementine had been searching for a place they could call home for a long time. Just when they thought they'd found a huge stash of food in a train station, it turned out to be a trap. That could've been the end. But instead a guy named Marlon helped Y/n save Clem and AJ. He had been the leader of a community living inside an old boarding school. It felt like a chance at having a home. A real one. We had to go back to the train station, to see if any food survived the explosion. But someone else had the same idea.

Abel. When Clementine moved AJ away, Y/n shoved him into a pack of walkers. Later that night, Y/n found Marlon and Brody in the basement, arguing about the man they'd seen. And Y/n had learned why Brody was so afraid. The man was part of a group of raiders they'd run into a year ago. Marlon traded Tennessee's older sisters to the raiders, to keep himself safe. He attacked Brody, and locked Y/n in the basement with her. 

When she turned, he had to stop her. Marlon stole AJ's gun and tried to convince them that Y/n had murdered Brody. However, Y/n had used his connection with Violet to appeal to her. She backed them up. Afterwards, Y/n attacked him, and made him drop the gun. He was going to be locked in the basement until they figured out what to do with him, but then, Marlon was dead... and AJ pulled the trigger. He remembered what he'd been taught.

To never hesitate.

Y/N Pov. 

Clementine and I wake up and get out of bed. AJ is already awake; he brings a cup of coffee to Clem, but not to me as I'm not a huge fan of coffee. Nasty bean water. AJ holds out the cup and Clem looks at it, but I can tell she's a little hesitant to take it considering we didn't have any last night. 

AJ: Made you some coffee. It was in the kitchen. 

Y/n: Did you just take it or were you told it was okay? 

AJ: Tenn said that I could have some. I didn't steal it.

Clem takes the coffee cup and has a sip. She looks at AJ as steam spills off of the mug that was used. 

Clementine: I'm surprised you remember how to make it. We haven't had coffee in a long time. 

AJ: You put it in hot water.

Y/n: Yep. Beans and hot water, who'd have thought that'd be a drink people like? Either way, easy to fix. 

Clem is grateful to AJ and, of course, thanks him. 

Clementine: Thank you. 

While Clementine drinks her coffee, I wrap my arm around her waist. This peaceful moment we have probably isn't going to last long considering the mess that happened last night. This is not going to be pretty if these others are still pissed about it. I mean can you really blame AJ though? Sure, he shot after Marlon dropped the gun, but he did still try to shoot me when I came at him. If it was anyone else, they'd have died. So in AJ's eyes, Marlon was still a monster, still a threat. We taught him to never hesitate when killing monsters, living or dead. AJ looks up at us with a bit of reluctance. 

AJ: Last night, with Marlon? I heard Louis, and... what he called me. Am I a murderer?

(Last Night)

I remember it vividly. The rain was pouring down harder than it had been before as thunder cracked the sky and the wind got heavy. The smoke was still coming off the barrel of AJ's gun. The gun we'd given him. The same gun that AJ used to kill Marlon's after his back was turned. Louis shouting is the first thing I remember as I wiped Marlon's blood off of my face as he knelt by his friend. 

Louis: No!

Omar: Oh, my god!

Violet: Shit! 

The others were in a panic, but looking at AJ, all I could see on his face was confusion. He killed the murderer, why are they upset? Marlon killed Brody and gave away Tennessee's sisters. What is going on? At least that's what he was probably thinking at the time it happened while the yells filled the courtyard. Ruby kneels down beside Marlon, trying to think of a way to save Marlon but there was nothing she'd be able to do.