A New Verge

The McCarroll Ranch

Clementine laid in bed after her argument with Gabe and truthfully felt terrible. It was like nothing could ever go right for her, if even for a minute. Finally, she thought she had found a friend in Gabe, but that wasn't the case. He clearly was just like everybody else. It only took one fight for her to see him so clearly. It was like the veil had been pulled away, and she knew that he was just like David.

Just like his father, who took AJ away from her to begin with. David, the evil bastard who abused Kate and Javi for sport of it, and barely made sense of reality. Hell, he even hit his own son. Clementine felt an anger building, but soon the pressure succeeded. She realized the hate that was culminating was for David. Not Gabe.

Gabe /really/ was not like David in most ways. She could never see Gabe intentionally hurting someone else. She couldn't see Gabe putting her through hell like David put his family through hell. She wasn't /afraid/ of Gabe. As frustrated as she was with him, she knew he wasn't an evil person like his father.

Clem closed her eyes, trying to get some sleep. Clementine knew that after a good night's sleep, things would turn up again. Clementine found herself becoming bitter towards others, and she didn't want to remain like that. She absolutely hated who she was becoming, but it was all due to her past. It was then that she heard the knock, and the regretful voice coming through the door.

"Hey...Clem...Its me." Clem instantly recognized the voice as Gabe's. "I know you don't want to talk to me...Jesus told me I should give you some space, but I ...wanted to say I'm sorry. You're right. I should be glad to have Javi....and Kate too." Gabe paused, getting a bit chocked up as he swallowed whatever was rising in his throat. "I'm  sorry....."  Gabe spoke, trailing off as he leaned on the door now.

Clem frowned, quietly sitting up in bed and realizing she may have overreacted a bit herself. Quietly, Clem tiptoed over to the door, opening it without giving him any warning. Of course, he wasn't expecting it, so he fell into the room, falling into Clem's some, mainly on her arm.

Clem watched him, unable to hide her tiny laugh as he straightened up. He began pulling his shirt down and adjusting his shirt.

"You giant dork." Clementine spoke, unable to hide her tiny smile at seeing Gabe all frazzled. He blushed, clearing his throat now as he looked to Clementine.

Clementine was in her pajamas, which were really just shorts and a tank top, and Gabe was still in his boxers.

"I'm sorry, Clem...Really. You're the last person I want to upset. I know you've gone through a lot. Lost a lot". Gabe spoke, but Clementine just sighed deeply.

"Just come in." Clem spoke, sighing as she heard his words. She couldn't be mean to Gabe, or stay angry at him for very long at that matter. Clementine moved to sit down, Gabe moving to sit next to her on the bed.

"Gabe...it's just that. I'm so...jealous of what you have. You still have a family and every time I think I've got one, it gets ripped away." Clem explained, Gabe watching her with a sad sort of expression.

"You might not know this, but I'm from Atlanta...My parents were on a trip in Savannah, and they were staying at a place called The Marsh House whenever this...started. I was with a babysitter named Sandra, but she turned and I hid in my treehouse for days." Clementine explained, her eyes far off as she thought about the past.

"Lee saved me before I even knew I needed saving. He protected me from the walkers, kept me fed..." Clem thought back, her eyes welling up with tears. "And we found others...a woman that was like a mom to me named Carley. Kenny....his wife Katja, a boy our age named Duck.....but just like everyone else they...." Clem spoke, thinking back to when Lee found her. "Lee was the only reason I kept surviving. But he taught me how to do it for myself". Clem spoke fondly of the man, her eyes full of tears.