Bad Blood (Gabentine Fic)

Javi and Clementine

"How's that leg doing?"

Clementine looked up from where she was staring at her boot and sighed.

"Fine, I guess."

Javi held back a sigh as an uncomfortable silence fell over the two once more. They had made it out of Richmond by the scrape of their teeth and were now sitting in the middle of the woods around a campfire. Clementine showed Javi how to make a alarm system with cans and fishing wire they found, so now they were just resting.

The older male could sense that something was wrong with the teen and had to ask before he went crazy.

"So, you're name is Clementine right? Okay Clementine, what's wrong? And I'm not talking about your leg."

Clementine shut her eyes and just wanted to turn away from Javi and get some sleep, but she knew he would just keep asking.

"Back at Richmond, you know how I drove that truck through the community? Well, I had AJ in the back and now I don't know if he's okay or not. AJ is like my son and I've been there for him ever since he was born. He's the only family I have left."

Javi stared at the young girl in disbelief because he couldn't imagine having a child in the world today, not to mention raising it by yourself. He paused as he remembered Gabe being in the truck and looking around in it.

"Hey, Gabe was in the truck as I was helping you up! AJ had to have said something when he seen Gabe, right?"

Clementine's gloomy eyes brightened a bit at hearing this, but it was toned down as she heard who was in the truck.

"Gabe? The immature teen guy with the attitude?"

For the first time in days Javi laughed out loud, the description she gave Gabe was actually spot on.

"Yes, that Gabe. But, he's a good kid when he wants to be and I'm sure he's taking good care of AJ."

Clementine gave Javi a skeptical look and he just waved it off and looked down into the fire as sadness filled his eyes.

"Gabe hasn't had the best month. He had a sister, Mariana, and he loved her even though sometimes he didn't show it. She was really the glue that held us all together. But, that changed when Mariana was killed right in front of him. Some guy named Max did it and then made Gabe kill her after she turned."

Clementine watched as Javi's eyes grew moist from talking about the sore subject and felt her mood deflate as well.

"Yeah, Max was an asshole. So David is your brother, Gabe is your nephew, and the woman is?"

"Kate, David's wife."

Clementine nodded her head and looked up at the dark sky that had stars peaking through the treetops. Silence grew around the two once more, but Clementine still felt restless and could tell Javi felt the same as kept glancing at her.

"So, who's AJ's real mom? And why is a kid like you alone and having to care for another kid? I mean if you don't mind me asking."

"His real mom was shot in the head by a guy. I've been with AJ ever since then and I've never let anything happen to him, well until a couple months ago."

(Flashback)

"Come on, goofball. Just a couple more miles and we'll find this place, okay? I promise we're going to make it and then we're going to get you something to eat and have a warm bed to sleep in. How does that sound?"

Clementine was walking through the snow with a shivering AJ held tightly to her chest. She felt him nod slightly and was glad that he was responding to her. Clementine knew he was sick and that it was going to get worse if she didn't find him some medicine or a doctor soon.

They had been traveling for weeks now because they had heard of a settlement not too far away from some other travelers. It was a man and a girl around Clementine's age and they were going the opposite way of them, looking for some group called the "Fireflies". They were very nice people and Clementine even let the older man hold AJ as she went to the bathroom. As she returned, she didn't like the look on the man's face as AJ coughed up some nasty looking mucus.

"Kid, you need to get him some medicine and a doctor, if possible. He's not looking too good and you know what happens when people get too sick."

Clementine nodded at the man and took AJ from him. The girl, who's name was Ellie, told her that there was a settlement named Richmond not too far away and that it was her best shot at getting medicine for the little guy. They bid their goodbyes to each other and set out on their ways.

Hope had began to dwindle within Clementine with each ragged breath she took and began to pray for help.

"Please, let Richmond be close. I need help. Lee, Kenny, Mom, Dad, anyone please help me."

Tears started streaking down Clementine's frozen cheeks, making the girl wipe them away before they froze on her skin. She was ready to give up hope and everything when she heard people talking. Clementine raised her head from the ground and looked up to see tents and people beside them. The girl smiled and hugged AJ tighter as she walked closer towards them, knowing that everything would be alright now.

(End Flashback)

"I didn't know if I was going to make it or not, but I kept going. I had to for AJ. AJ was severely sick when I brought him to Richmond and it was my fault he was sick in the first place. If it hadn't been for David, me and AJ would be dead."

Javi stared at teen in wonder and began to see that she had been silently crying while telling him her story. The bearded man leaned over and brought her in for a hug, causing the girl to stiffen at the contact before slightly returning the hug. Clementine pulled away from Javi and gave him a small smile.

"Thanks, guess I needed that."

"No problem. And AJ has a pretty great mom and I can tell you wouldn't let anything happen to him. I'm sure he's just fine with Gabe and they're probably looking for us right now. Now, you get some sleep and let that injury heal while I take first watch. I'll wake you when it's my turn, okay?"

Clementine wanted to protest but felt her entire leg throb and nodded her head before turning over and slowly falling asleep. Javi watched her for a moment before looking up at the starry sky.

"Please, Gabe, I hope you have AJ and I hope you're taking good care of him. I'll find you soon."

There Hey_Its_Katya236 I updated lol