Walking Dead Game Collection

"The Child Came Home"

Title: The Child Came Home
Characters: Clementine, Louis, Christa, Omid, Marlon
Summary: Clementine, taking care of Omid and Christa's child, has been shielding herself at the Boarding School. By a stroke of luck, she reunites with the two and attempts to get them adjusted to life at Ericson.
Author's Note: I changed up the request because I wanted to do this SORRY
Requested By: Anonymous
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"Come on Ciel," Clem sighed, hauling the little girl onto her shoulders. "We gotta get back."

The girl giggled, holding up her squirrel in victory. "I can't believe I finally got one!"

Clem smiled, her eyes trained forward, fixated on getting back to Ericson in one piece. There was huffing from behind them and Clementine's gaze, while still aimed forward, raised in the direction of the sound.

Heaving, Louis tossed himself at Clementine's side. "You guys can really move, huh?" He said through a heavy breath.

Clem smirked. "We gotta bring Ciel's prize back to Ericson ASAP," she responded shrugging, finding joy in the way the girl on her shoulders giggled. Clementine never would've been able to guess that her entire world, at the age of 16, would be a 5-year-old. Ciel — standing for CL — was the abbreviated term for her real name: Christa Lee. And Christa Lee was exactly that — her entire world.

Louis, ironically enough, had given her the nickname Clem so famously called her by these days. Clementine never wanted to call her by just "Christa" or "Lee," as it felt like an injustice to ignore one of the names. Originally, Clementine used to call her CL.

"CL!" Clementine had called immediately as they were accepted into Ericson. Straight through the gates, the child darted to see Rosie. Not to pet her, but just to stare at her. She had never seen a dog up close before, and under Marlon's hand, she wasn't angry in the slightest.

Louis raised a brow. "Ciel? I thought you said her name was Christa Lee?"

Clementine groaned, swatting the little girl away from Rosie, not wanting her mixing with a dog she hadn't yet approved of. The chance of Clementine approving any dog was slim to none, but they both knew that. "No, C and L. Like the letters." Clem said, crossing her arms and forcing her weight on one hip. "It's shorter."

Louis scrunched his nose. "I like Ciel."

Truthfully, Clementine had never realized that's what it sounded like before then. Thinking it was cute, she went with it. Then, when Ericson became the solidified home for the two, it stuck with everyone.

"Oh yeah," Louis furthered, trotting up to the child's side, poking at her rib cage. Her laughter caused her to sway on Clementine's shoulders. "Omar can make a feast with that thing."

Ciel knew they were only being nice, but it still made her smile and let out that signature giggle Clementine loved. It made her feel like she was doing a good job, and was doing something right. At the end of the day, even if they had lost everything, as long as that little girl could smile, Clementine would see her life as a success.

Just as they were nearing Ericson's gates, there was a rustling to the trio's right. After the short shuffle, there was a sharp silence. As if it was calculated. As if deliberate.

Clementine and Louis tensed, and Ciel's gaze hauntingly swept over the brush. Whipping out Chairles from where he had been slacking it over his shoulder, Louis took a position in front of the two. Clementine wanted to argue, wanted to tell him to get back, but didn't. Ciel's safety was the priority, and they both knew that.