Clementine x Louis One-Shots

When he last slept

"When was the last time you slept?". It was a fairly simple question, one you should be able to answer without hesitation. Perhaps you fell asleep way past midnight, or maybe you pulled an all nighter with friends two nights ago and crashed at eight, or possibly you fell asleep by yourself in the comfort of your bed. But nonetheless you slept. But for Louis, the answer took more thought then it should've.

Perhaps before this started. The night before the dead started walking, the last night he'd ever have to worry about his chemistry homework or which pick up line he'd use on Violet, it all depended on how big of a bruise he was up for.

Perhaps before the adults left. The night before the kids were left to fend for themselves. Alone and afraid. Literally left for the dead.

Perhaps before Marlon was shot. The night before his best friend was brutally shot after finding common ground. Though he can't bring himself to fully believe he didn't deserve it.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. Who was he kidding. Louis knew exactly when the last time he slept was. It was a month after they rescued Minnie, Sophie, and the others from the raiders. It was the last night everything was okay. It was the last night he shared the bed with the one he cherished most.

It was the walls behind the greenhouse. They'd been missed on the latest round and a walker got in. It was when that walker found Aj playing with Tenn, making shapes on the windows to the greenhouse which had been covered in muck. When she saw it approaching him she bolted. Calling out for him in fear. It was suppose to be a simple kill, she'd killed hundreds in the past and this one wasn't any different. And it wasn't. Except for the fact that it wasn't just one walker that got in.

It was fast. At least that's what Tenn said. Clementine took out the walker hovering over Aj. But know one saw the other walker slip around the corner until it's teeth were locked around her arm. The walkers bite was fast. And so was the walkers death.

Louis was terrified, petrified. Sad. He finally had one good thing and it was going to be taken from him. And it was so preventable, if he had just noticed the hole, if he had just looked to the corner of the yard, if he had just been the one to save Aj, if he just did something different then it would've all been okay.

Then it was slow. He watched her say goodbye to her little boy, mumbling sweet words of comfort to him. Though the tears rushing down his face showed his despair, he nodded and listened carefully to what she was saying. He watched her place her hat onto his head. Then he felt her arms around him. Then he felt his arms around her. Then he felt the tears gathering between them. Then he watched her step outside the gate.

Then he heard the noise that plagues him every time he closes his eyes.

She saved the last bullet for herself.

"When was the last time you slept?"

Louis didn't know the answer. All he knew was that he never dreamed, for his darling Clementine was the only dream he had left. And she was gone.