You're Too Young To Be So Broken

Karma's A Bitch and Revenge Is It's Sister

Eleanor tackled Clem to the ground, the bullet shooting straight through her intended target.

Ava.

The chances of her and Duck being together were high, she knew that much but for them to both be here, in a shoot out between her people, it was unexpected usually Ava would do her work within the walls.

One down.

"No more killing!" Eleanor yelled, holding Clem down to the ground right beside the dead body of poor Gabe. Clem's back was digging into the rocky soil, sharp edges of rocks piercing at her skin.

She was seething with anger, her rage clouding her better judgment. Clem gripped the older woman's shoulders, her nails digging into her skin making Eleanor freeze up in pain long enough for Clem to push the woman off of her.

Her feet were moving quicker than her mind could process, she headed straight where she had last seen Duck, she had waited a long time for them to come face to face, but when she got to her destination he was no longer there. Eleanor and Mariana ran after her just in time to see her yell in rage before throwing her fist into a nearby tree.

Her teeth grounded together painfully as the bark of the tree ripped into her knuckles. She was so caught up in her head, her thoughts swirling, the boy's face running through her mind over and over on a continuous loop. She was making sure she knew exactly what he looked like, down to the color of his goddamn socks.

He had changed a lot physically, and she could only guess where his mental state would be after being with those bastards for so long. She almost had him, was almost close to getting her sweet closure that she craved so much.

And got away. Again.

"C-Clementine..." Mari reached out to touch her friend, flinching back when Clem abruptly turned around, her face red and eyes watering with nothing but rage deep in her honey eyes. The anger in Clem's the complete opposite of the sadness reflected in her own. "It's okay, please calm down."

Her breath was ragged, shaking with each inhale. All that she saw was Duck, his appearance sparking deep emotions that she was sure she hadn't felt in a year. Nothing this intense, or raw in such a while she had almost forgotten what it felt like to be that wrapped up in that much feeling; almost.

"I'm fine..." She looked up to Eleanor who had Gabe's body in her arms. The sight alone made Clem forget about Duck, about what he did and her anger, for the moment at least. Her frown left looking straight at Mariana with guilt heavy in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry." The pain on her face was something that Mariana mistook as sympathy. Thinking Clem was apologizing for her loss, but that was not the case. Clem had no idea how to tell her. She didn't know if she wanted to after this anyways.

"It's not your fault, he just-"

Mari stopped signing, looking down at her dear little brother. "We gotta bury him-"

"I don't think-"

Clem interrupted Eleanor from speaking, "A shovel should be around her somewhere." Her hand laid gently over Mari's shoulder pulling her in for a hug. Mariana wrapped her arms around her waist, letting out sobs as she gripped Clem tighter and tighter, almost afraid to let go of her. Clem sunk into the hug using the girl to get some comfort of her own. For a minute she thought Mari wouldn't let go, but eventually she did with mumbles of thank yous that fell on deaf ears.

The group then separated, each of them having their own job to do. Mariana would choose a spot, Clem would locate a shovel and dig while Eleanor would keep watch while they did so. Gabe's body was still with Eleanor cradled in her arms while the other children carried out their tasks.