Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Clementine, move!"

She didn't need to be told twice, jumping out of cover and rushing towards the cart, AJ and Tenn sprinting ahead of her. The younger boys were the first to board, ducking a loosened arrow meant for the walker swiping at their backs. The commotion was growing ever closer, the horse rearing in fright, threatening to take off at any moment. But that'd be a fate too miserable to end the night on, Clementine evaluated, pushing herself to leap onto the cart. A poorly timed surge found her barely missing the landing, saved by Aasim and Violet's quick thinking; lunging forward and yanking her by both arms into a pile on the floor.

"That's all of us, Ruby!" Louis slammed the cage door shut, giving her the go-ahead to stir the horse into a canter. She struggled to control the steed at first, before a hearty tug at the reins made it heed her commands. 

The walkers would not give chase, turning their attentions to the stirring on the bank, more tantalizing meals had begun to crawl out of the river.

"Shit, what took you so long?" Aasim wheezed, taking a deep breath now that Clementine had climbed off his chest and sat next to Violet. She didn't answer right away, eyes flicking over her friends' faces. She breathed a sigh of relief when her headcount proved the mission a success. "I saw Minnie - and another raider. They were surrounded by walkers."

"Are you serious?" Aasim looked worried, peering through to catch a glimpse of movement in the trees. 

"They ran into the forest, the pack followed them." She paused for a moment, the words harder to get out than she'd thought. "They both got bit. It was bad." Tenn and Violet shared a similar sharp drop in their spirits, the former more so. Louis inched closer to Tenn, giving him a shoulder to lean on. His uncharacteristic silence said enough for Tenn to begin whimpering softly. Louis and Clementine shared a look, both parties knowing the grim task of burying Minnie would have to be repeated, twice. But because Clementine had only recently joined their community, she would not be able to participate in the arguably more distressing, symbolic burial; of the woman she'd become in her time away.

"Y'all alright back there?" Ruby called from up front, not taking her eyes off the ever-darkening forest road. "Anyone got bit?" She gripped the reins and pulled, avoiding a dangerous looking patch of dirt.

"Not unless I've lost all feeling in my body." Louis responded, followed by a series of negatives from the rest of the group. This allowed them all to unwind yet another ball of tension. It seemed, despite the odds stacked against them, they'd pulled off the impossible. A successful mission; in and out without a single casualty from their group against an enemy that had them outmatched, outmanned, and outgunned. 

It felt almost too easy, a worrying thought to the experienced Clementine, as things never went that well - not without a hitch. She fought against the swarm of worst case scenarios that started to spring up in her mind's eye. But for the rest of the group the high that came with the victory was a new sensation, she could see it on their faces. There were no wide grins or whoops or hugs, but relief had washed over all of them - even if dampened by the news of Minerva's death. 

"Man..." Willy began. "Fuckin' Marlon." He sounded more sad than spiteful, although there was still a trace of so in his voice. "If it was always that easy to get to Minnie and Sophie, maybe we could've--" 

Aasim cut into his sentence. "What are you talking about? Without Clementine we wouldn't have made it past the docks."

Clementine found herself playing devil's advocate. "We got lucky, really fucking lucky. Lots of shit had to go right for us to pull this off. Never forget that." She felt bad souring the mood even further, but remained obstinate. Overconfidence, complacency - in the right place and time - they were nearly as dangerous as the walkers themselves. 

"But we had a plan -- I mean, you managed to get the walkers there, you had us make the bomb, and all of that stuff!" Willy argued, gesticulating as fast as he spoke. He struggled to hold onto the idea that their triumph hadn't been a fluke, even as Clementine sighed and continued.

"All of that still had us relying on things going exactly according to plan. Marlon was... I didn't know him all that well. But I knew he was scared - and was right to be scared. We have no idea who these people are, or where they're coming from." 

"Clementine, I don't understand." Violet spoke up. "We won thanks to you. Why can't you accept that?" Her tone teetered on pleading. 

"I'm glad we won, of course I am!" Clementine clasped her hand to her chest. "I just... seen too many people get killed because they let their wins get to their heads. It always started like this. Maybe it'll be because people come looking for revenge, or a sloppy fuck-up down the line because they let it get to their heads." She felt AJ's hand grip hers. 

"So we don't let this happen again." Aasim said firmly. 

"Don't let what happen?" Louis asked. "As much as I'd like to, we can't kill every asshole left on the planet so they don't come knocking again."

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I mean the shit with Marlon. We can't keep going the way we were." 

"The way we were has been doing a pretty good job of keeping us alive ." Louis said.

Violet scoffed. "Like it's kept Brody and Mitch alive?" She let her words linger for a moment. "Or Sophie?"

"Violet..." Louis warned, taking a quick look at Tenn, who cringed when he heard his sister's name.

She backed down. "All I'm saying is Aasim's right. We need to run shit differently, moving forward. All this secretive bullshit's why we got in this mess in the first place. I'm sick of it." She was as moody as ever, but Louis didn't respond.

"You know, I can't take all the credit for this either." Clementine relented, trying to keep the peace. "This was a team effort, you should all be proud of yourselves, I know I am." She offered a genuine smile, one that the others returned. 

"Truly an inspiring commander we have on our hands, folks!" Louis wiped away an invisible tear and began to clap. "Surely with you at the helm Ericson's will reign for a thousand years!"

A sharp elbow in his side brought a swift end to his pantomime. "God, do you ever turn off? What did Clementine just say." Violet found herself with little patience for antics after the day she'd had. Louis shrugged with a grin, zipping, then locking his mouth shut and dashing the imaginary key.

"Hush up back there!" Ruby whisper-shouted from the front. She took a look at the now orange sky, the sun reaching the end of its shift. It'd soon be nighttime, getting home before that was paramount. 

"Hey, what happened to that walker kid?" Willy asked, changing the subject. Clementine was lost on his meaning for a few moments before it clicked. She cursed, realizing with a sliver of shame that she hadn't even thought of where James might've gone. She hadn't seen his corpse; reanimated or truly dead, so she hoped for the best. "I guess he must've got away." An uncertain shrug was all she could offer up.

"Do you really think Lilly and her group will leave us alone?" Violet spoke, turning to conversation in yet another direction.

"She's dead." AJ was quick to answer, shocking the group. "I killed her. And she won't turn, either." They all understood the implication of what this meant, Clementine most clearly. She pushed the sight of Lilly's perforated body sliding off the side of the boat. She thought about saying something before Willy cut her off.

"Hell yeah, AJ!" He cheered, flashing a smile. "Good going!"

Clementine frowned, and looked over at AJ who was smiling back at Willy. She wanted to scold him, tell him that reveling in murder wasn't right - that taking a life was not to be reflected on with cheers and laughter. But she'd already been enough of a downer for her liking, AJ no doubt wasn't ready to hear whatever she would've thought to say, nor would he want to. Truth be told the hypocrisy of it would be too much to stand, her mind going back to Carver's execution; a memory she still found some level of visceral pleasure in. She put a hand on AJ's shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze.

Louis looked as if he were going to say something, but held his tongue and pivoted. "I suppose this means the Delta is kaput?"

"No idea." Clementine said, "So it's best we plan otherwise." The latter thought was an internal one, another problem that could wait for tomorrow.

The remainder of the trip went by in near silence, with the day's events privately replaying in each of their minds - different perspectives being analyzed, relished, mulled over. By the time Ruby brought the cart to a stop, the sun had almost completely clocked out, blanketing their home and the surrounding forest in soft purple light. Tenn and AJ were stirred awake by the older passengers, the latter snapping to alertness thanks to a near lifetime on the road. 

Clementine took the first steps through swinging metal doors into their newly won freedom, scanning the area around them for any lurkers. None seen or heard, she waved for the others to exit, holding AJ's hand as he hopped out. Louis was next; stopping to help the now more placid Tenn down in a similar fashion, attempting to do the same for Violet who ignored his assistance. 

"You're oh so very welcome." He said bowing slightly, and she brushed him off, joining Clementine and AJ. The rest of the crew made their way back behind the safety of the school walls. Drained of all adrenaline, the exertions of their day began actively slowing their stride.

"Y'all go on ahead now." Ruby said, unfastening the horse's harness and detaching the carriage . "I gotta find somewhere to keep Summer." She elaborated immediately, realizing she'd come to the decision on the horse's name in the confines of her own mind. Aasim offered to stay and help, striking up conversation as he did.

The courtyard was as they'd left it - littered with the remains of the dead, battered fortifications and scattered debris. Fetid, charred carcasses and a few dried puddles of blood served as an especially potent reminder of the skirmish. Clementine looked away, sparing a glance at Willy and Tenn, who'd sat in the graveyard. They seemed to be engaged in conversation - with each other as well as the grave markers.

"Someone's gonna need to keep watch tonight." Clementine turned to the sound of Violet's voice. "It was supposed to be Mitch's night but... y'know." Clementine nodded, rubbing the bridge of her nose. 

"Shit, yeah, you're right. I'll put AJ to bed and I'll take his shift. Think I'll take all his chores from now on, actually."

"We could do a split shift. I'll take the second half. At least for tonight?" Violet offered. She had a feeling Clementine would fight a deal she thought favored herself a little too much.

"That'd be amazing. Thanks."

"It's no big deal." She shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "I'll go up ahead, c'ya later."

AJ watched Violet slip past them into the main building, squinting at her secret smile and looking back to see Clementine watching her leave with a similar expression. 

"What's so funny?" He prodded, startling Clementine a bit. 

"I'm just happy to be back home. Glad we all made it." She tousled his hair and he whined, pushing her hand away. It wasn't a total lie, she hadn't been that happy to walk into Ericson's since they were invited back all those days ago. Her half-truth seemed to suffice, AJ nodding with a hum. Clementine was happy to take his lack of further questioning to be acceptance of her story.

She closed the door behind her, helping AJ slip off his jacket and tossed it on the top bunk. Kicking off his shoes, AJ flopped down on his bed; sprawling out and stretching, trying to sink into a comfortable position. Clementine took a seat at the edge of his bed, content in simply sitting there for a few moments and to watch his mundane struggle. A wave of repose rolled over her, and she began to rub his middle back absent-mindedly, soothed by the rhythm of his breathing.

"Clem?" The croak in his voice told her sleep had already begun to grip and tug at him. She responded in a soft whisper. "Yeah, buddy?" 

"Did I do good tonight?" She furrowed her brow, recognition not arriving before he elaborated. "With Lilly." The clarification drew a grimace, Clementine remembering AJ's admittedly excessive execution. Knowing AJ's inclination to literal understanding would distort a less nuanced response, she decided to answer with a question. 

"Why do you think you shot her so many times?" She tried to steer away from condemnation, still not quite giving him the answer he wanted.

"Because I wanted to." He turned to stare at the wall. His candor unnerved her, she struggled to articulate why. "Because I liked it. I hated Lilly, and I just wanted her dead. Really bad." He was silent for a while, and so was Clementine. Neither knew what to fill the silence with, or if they should at all.

Clementine felt like she was being forced to defuse a very precious bomb. "I'm glad Lilly's gone, she won't be able to hurt any of us anymore. But I don't want to lose you in the process." She spoke carefully, tip-toeing to each word and train of thought. "I had a friend who was like that - from before you were born. He got mean when he was angry - violent. He'd go overboard sometimes, and he'd start to lose it when things got really bad. One day, he'd thought something terrible had happened, he got angrier than I'd ever seen him... that was when something awful really happened. I want to be able to trust you to control yourself, to know how far is too far."

AJ remained silent.

"I love you." Clementine said, stroking his cheek. His "I love you too." was quiet, subdued. She hoped he meant it. She looked out the window to see it was well and truly night. Dark blue sky, stars just beginning to blink on - she briefly wondered if there were always that many in the days before. Exhaling, she adjusted her cap and left AJ to drift off into sleep.

The courtyard had a different feel to it now, which she attributed to a change in her mood and the newly dimmed natural lighting. The familiar not-quite-unpleasant churning in her stomach returned as she ascended the ladder to Violet's perch, looking forward to spending some one-on-one time with her.

"How's AJ?" Violent asked, turning to face Clementine. 

She leaned back against the railing, lazily scanning the edge of the forest. "He's still thinking about what happened back at the boat. With Lilly. I don't know how to tell him it was bad without telling him he was bad, y'know?"

"I mean, was it? I would've killed her too, the shit she did." Violet said, leaning forward against the railing, mirroring Clementine's stance. "That's how the world is now Clementine, I'm sure you know that. And I know after the shit that went down with Marlon, you're probably nervous about the group finding out he killed someone else, b-"

"Marlon was different, Violet." Clementine corrected. "He was scared when he... y'know. I can understand that. I can talk to him about that. But he's got all this anger in him, it makes him act like... someone else. I won't lie, it scares me." 

"Shit, sorry I'm dumping all this on you."

Violet was quick to dispel the notion. "Nah, it's fine, I don't mind. For what it's worth, I think you'll figure it out." She smiled, unknowingly as she did. "AJ's a good kid. And you're a good... Clem." 

Violet suddenly felt very warm, and looked away to hide flushed cheeks. "It's no problem." Despite this shy response, she pushed further, intertwining her fingers with Clementine. The pair stood in comfortable silence for a while, Violet gently rubbing her thumb over Clementine's index. It wasn't so bad, not saying anything. It gave Clementine time to study Violet's face; the curves from her cheek to chin, the turn of her nose, losing herself in the details, committing her face to memory. After a while her inspection managed to draw Violet out of her shell, prompting her to speak. 

"Clementine, have you ever... Am I your first girlfriend?" She hurried the question out, feeling a bit embarrassed at how childish it felt to ask. 

"You're my first any- friend." She said, slightly tightening her grip on her hand. She didn't often encounter other people, not for the last few years at least. Life on the road had her avoiding them almost as feverishly as she did walkers. "Am I yours?"

"There was this one girl before you, but that's over now. It's been over for a while, actually." 

This unnamed girl came to Clementine almost immediately, remembering the carving she and AJ had discovered a few days prior. "Minerva." She almost regretted bringing her up, with what had happened only a short while earlier.

"Yeah." Violet sighed. "It took me a while to get over her. Honestly if it weren't for you - and I guess seeing her again after all this time, I don't think I would've been able to scrub her out."

Clementine hummed. "I don't think it's such a bad thing to have those you love - loved - stick around inside your head. Even if the memory hurts." She looked down at their hands, sliding hers down to play with the tip of Violet's fingers. "I think what makes us us is our memories. People we've loved, people we've lost. Forgetting them is like removing a part of ourselves, and sorta like killing them in the process."

"I guess you're right." She paused to digest the idea, finding herself admiring Clementine's insight. "Hey, I wanna do something tomorrow. Something important. With you." 

"Sure, of course. It's a date."

"I guess it is." She grinned, a slight rush impelling her to plant a kiss on Clementine's lips - an act Clementine found herself reciprocating. They broke apart after a few seconds, enjoying the fleeting stillness of the moment. Violet cleared her throat and shivered, breaking their grasp to rub her arms. "God, I can't wait for summer. I fucking hate the cold."

"I hear ya." Clementine agreed. "Would be nice to not have to bundle up so often. Winters were hell on the road."

"Shit, I didn't even think about that. Ericson's is all I've known for the past... Nine years or so?" She sighed at the prospect. " Nine fucking years..."

"Yeah..." Clementine said, reflecting on the weight of the statement. More than half her life was lost to the apocalypse, and the ever shrinking portion of it that wasn't slipped further into obscurity. "Sometimes I try to think of times before all of this. It gets harder every year. Mostly it's just stuff with my parents and school I can still remember." She grabbed a slice of trivia from her memories. "I had a pool in my backyard."

"Rich parents?" Violet asked.

"Not sure... we were well off, didn't have to worry about much. It could just be I was eight." She tried to recall conversations her parents might've; hints of their financial status, but came up short. "I wonder if it's still standing..."

"I'm sure it'd be. Unless someone had a serious firefight or you guys had some serious termites, houses don't tend to just fall apart." Violent answered, relaxing back into the corner. 

"No, I meant my treehouse." Clementine corrected. "God. I think I lived in that thing more than my actual house. My dad; he helped me build it."

" He helped you ?" Violet scoffed, smirking. "You must've been a pretty competent eight year old." 

"What can I say." Clementine smiled at the idea. "He wasn't the best at it though... I remember he hired some guys - a company or something - and my mom was pretty annoyed at him for spending so much on something he could've done himself. I guess that's why I spent so much time up there, wanted to make good use of it. Money well spent."

"Closest thing I had to a pool was..." She chuckled. "... my bathtub, I guess. Sometimes my grandma would--" She gasped, tensing up immediately. "Fuck, walkers."

Clementine snapped to attention; instinctively reaching for her knife, only to find it missing from its holster. In her mind she heard it clatter to the deck of the boat hours earlier. No doubt it was now at the bottom of the river.

"Do you have your weapon?" She whispered to Violet, who answered with a nod. Two walkers would be easy to dispatch Violet thought, finding herself almost looking forward to it. Perhaps in this new world, killing walkers counted as a romantic excursion. She brandished the weapon, pausing from a thought, before extending it to Clementine. "Actually, I think you might be better at using this than me." 

"Thanks." Clementine said, testing the weight of the tool and shot another look at the walkers, squinting at their odd gait. There were two of them, stumbling out of the woods. One almost leaning on the other, something attached to its remaining arm. She began to worry that there'd be more coming, lured close by the sound of the cart rushing through the forest. That fear was soon snuffed out once the duo stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight, revealing a pair of familiar faces. One stitched and stolen, another frowning.

James's ghoulish mask was not so upsetting to Clementine now that she'd seen it enough times, even wearing it at a point. What was however, was the one-armed girl standing next to him, stained axe in lieu of crutches. A scowl on her face, Minerva spoke.

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

Chapter Text

“Shit.”

Clementine wouldn’t have been able to stop the expletive from slipping out even if she’d known it was going to. Minerva had survived, and from the look of things - by the skin of her teeth. Halfway down her forearm was a strip of torn cloth doing its best to staunch the bleeding from a clumsy amputation.

“I want to see my brother!” Minerva yelled. “So open the fucking gate!”

Clementine side-eyed Violet to gauge her reaction. Being the one who knew Minerva best, she decided she’d leave the decision to her. Although that’s not to say every strand in her body wasn’t screaming to turn Minerva away, or worse. Her request to see her brother was one of two things that granted her clemency. The other; the fact that James had seemingly escorted her there, and of his own free will. 

“Violet…” Clementine whispered, brushing her hand gently. The other girl had been staring, semi-slack jawed. Clementine didn’t blame her, being similarly stunned when she first reunited with Lilly.  

Blinking herself out of the flurry of thoughts clouding her reaction time, Violet blurted out a response. “Wait right there!”

Clementine grabbed her arm before she could begin her descent down the ladder. 

“Do you trust her?”

Violet frowned, more frustrated than anything. It was a fair question, with an embarrassing answer. She chose to avoid that hurdle entirely, pulling on Clementine’s heartstrings instead.

“Do you have it in you to tell Tenn his sister showed up - alive - and we turned her away?” 

Clementine let her go with a sigh. Berating herself for ignoring her gut, she followed Violet down the rickety tower.

“Show me your weapons.” The first thing Clementine said once the duos were eye to eye joined a growing list of reasons Minerva had to spite her.    

“Do I look like I’m in any position to fight?” Minerva snapped, making no effort to mask her irritation. Clementine just stared, matching Minerva’s frown. She sighed and swallowed her pride.

“I don’t have anything I’m not using as a fucking crutch..” She gestured to the axe. “Just open the gate before walkers show up.”

Ignoring her, Clementine spoke to her escort instead. “James. Do you trust her?” 

He nodded silently, and Clementine sounded almost disappointed as she continued. 

“Alright. Violet, it’s up to you.” She took a step back, grip on her borrowed weapon growing tighter.

Violet was slow to turn the latch and pull open the gate, doing so with the speed and enthusiasm of a condemned woman. Minerva, still aided by James, shuffled past her with equal excitement.

There was a moment of heightened tension as they walked through the gate, Clementine all but seeing raiders leap out of the shadows at Minerva’s call. Her ears twitched at every rustle of the leaves.

“Clementine.” Violet drew her attention. “I’ve got to go wake Ruby. Can you watch them until I come back?”

“Of course.” Clementine nodded, putting away the cleaver. Violet quickly thanked her before leaving for the dormitories, leaving her alone with their guests. Turning back to the two, Clementine pointed at a nearby picnic table. “You can rest there for now.”

With James’ aid, Minerva climbed on the bench and rolled over on her back. Able to lie down and breathe for a moment, she found her eyes drifting across the courtyard. It was the first time she’d seen it in over a year, and the evidence of the previous night’s battle still lingered. She’d only gotten small slivers of the report, overhearing the others bemoaning their losses, especially the killing of ‘one of those brats’.

Clementine noticed her gloom, tracking her gaze to the overturned tables splattered with blood and charred at the edges. 

“It’s too bad we didn’t get any more of your asshole crew.” It was a cruelty she freely allowed herself to commit, she wasn’t one to seethe quietly. Especially when she believed the subject of her ire deserved much worse.

“You think you know what you’re talking about?” Minerva snapped. “If you weren’t here, none of this shit would’ve happened!”

“Yeah, they would all be dead. Killed by you , or whoever you’re caught in a pissing match with.” 

“You stupid fucking bitch! You don’t even realize you’ve guaranteed that. You think I’m not trying to – ” A jolt of pain ran through her stump as she tried to sit up, stopping her in her tracks. James was quick to push her back down, a firm hand preventing another outburst.

“You’ve both said enough.” His voice was soothing, measured. “I understand that emotions are running high, but this isn’t helping anyone.”

She winced through the heavy stinging. “Fine, fine! Just get the fuck away, the both of you. I need to think.” 

James acceded, turning to Clementine to beckon her out of Minerva’s earshot. There, he clued Clementine into the cause of his unease. “I tried to staunch the bleeding as best as I could. But I’m not trained for this - for injuries this severe.” He swallowed, recalling the sound of Minerva's muffled shrieking, exposed tissue sizzling against the searing axeblade.

“Alright, so what do you want me to say?” Clementine was being purposefully flippant, that was plain enough to see. “We can’t unfuck her arm, and Ruby’ll be here with supplies in a while.”

“What I’m trying to tell you.” He lowered his voice, closing his eyes to collect himself. “Is that she might die soon, from blood loss, infection, or whatever we might not have noticed.” 

“Well, if it comes to that I’ll be sure to put her down before she gets back up again.”

James felt his patience running thin. “Is that all you can think about? Are you never satisfied?” 

Clementine poked his chest. “I was . It was over , and we were getting ready to move on.” She hoped Minerva heard her barb. “ She is a threat . And you brought her here .”

“She has no one else but her brother and friends. What did you expect me to do – just let her die in the woods?”

She had no retort, and it was clear enough on her face for James to assume victory. 

“I understand exactly why you hate her. But she isn’t yours to forgive, or not. That’s up to her family.”

“God, her family ? What sort of person forces their family into a war? Kills them because they won’t fight ?” The anger her fear smothered when she first heard the story was now seeping out of her ears. The idea of someone committing acts that cruel, and still asking to be welcomed by the same people they’d done it to made her blood boil. 

“You keep your fucking mouth shut about me and my sister.” 

Either they’d been louder than they thought, or Minerva was a better listener than they’d expected. She was now sitting up, breathing slightly ragged. She was staring daggers at Clementine, eyes growing wet with misdirected hatred. 

“If I have to keep hearing you mouth off about me – the shit I had to do for my family – I’ll break your jaw.”

Clementine’s anger was palpable, she could practically feel her fist splitting Minerva’s lip. James tensed up, getting ready to jump in between the two. But their confrontation would have to wait, being interrupted by Violet's return – with Ruby rushing into the scene. 

“Minnie!” Ruby gasped once she got a better look at her old friend. 

Sparing James and Clementine a quick ‘ ‘Scuse me’, she dropped her medical kit on the bench, grabbing Minerva’s arm to inspect the wound. 

“Why are you sitting up? You need to keep this elevated!” Minerva was surprisingly amicable, laying back as Ruby got to work. She was well practiced, barely even acknowledging Minerva’s bashful grimace as she slowly unwrapped the damp cloth. “Ooh…” She cringed at the sight of the fried arm, still oozing blood through intermittent slits. “Minnie... “

“You should see the other guy.” Minerva gave a half-hearted chuckle through gritted teeth, Ruby dabbing at the wound with a peroxide soaked towel. Clementine turned away, the familiar sizzle made her arm tingle.

Sitting quietly on a bench a short distance away was Violet. Clementine found her ability to go unnoticed to be uncanny, but oddly endearing.

“It’s alright, I do it on purpose.” Violet answered, correctly assuming the question on Clementine’s mind as she approached. She scooted over and tapped the space she created.

“So what are you gonna do about her?” She asked as soon as Clementine sat.

“I was actually gonna ask you the same thing.” Clementine responded. “As much as I hate her guts, this isn’t really my decision to make.” 

Violet had her attention on the amateur suturing, taking a few seconds to reply. “I don’t know, I hadn’t really considered what I’d do if she wasn’t dead. After what happened I guess I preferred it that way.”

Clementine sighed, hopes for a simple resolution thrown out. As petty as it seemed in comparison, she felt a bit embarassed at the prospect of appearing jealous over Minerva. She would have to temper her decision-making if she wanted to project objectivity and nuance.

“I guess we’ll have to vote on it tomorrow morning. Decisions that affect the group should be made by the group. That’s the way we do things now.” 

She found a strange irony in the shoe now being on the other foot. Not too long ago her fate was up to a similar roll of the dice. But with the shifting of responsibility so came the shifting of perspective.

“That’s tomorrow, though. What’re we gonna do tonight ?” Violet asked. 

Ruby, apparently finished with dressing and bandaging, joined the conversation. “I’ve got space in my room, she can sleep there.” She wiped the last of Minerva’s blood off on a rag. 

“I don’t know, d’ya think that’s safe?” Clementine asked. “She did get bit.” 

“Only on her arm. And from what I hear, she lopped it off pretty quick.” Ruby’s quick answer prevented Minerva from more aggressively defending herself. 

“Fine, she can stay.” She began. “But she’s going to need to be tied up.”

Minerva scowled, biting her tongue to the best of her ability. Whatever contentions Ruby or Violet had weren’t outwardly expressed, save for a resigned sigh from Ruby.

“I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. But that’s not why I’m doing this. Fact is; none of us know if you’re going to make it, and I flat-out don’t trust you. Lucky for you the others are here...” She trailed off, noticing she’d teetered a bit too close to the edge of civility. “It’s just for tonight.”

Violet stepped forward as well, looking off to the side as she spoke. “Yeah, and besides, we tied up Clem when she first got here. She hadn’t even been bit.”

“That is true…” Ruby added. “It won’t be so bad, Minnie. It’s a lot more comfortable than it sounds.”

This did little to quell Minerva. Frankly; she’d been looking forward to a skirmish. Her hope was to crush Clementine in the courtyard with everyone watching. Then, in a stunning display of passion, she’d convince her friends of the Delta’s merits. They’d all understand why she had to do what she did, why she deserved to be let back in. Why Clementine should be expunged for ruining everything . And then… and then Tenn would hug her, like she’s been wanting for so long. And Louis, Omar, and Aasim would forgive her. And Violet would understand, and – 

“Minerva.” James’ voice pulled her out of her fantasy. “That sounds fair. Clementine and I don’t agree on certain… substantial things.” Clementine rolled her eyes. “But this isn’t one of them. My camp is far less comfortable than what they’re offering you. It’s up to you to make the right decision here.”

It seemed as if the decision was already made for her. A final loss that she had no choice but to accept with as much dignity as she could muster. “Can you walk me to my room, Ruby?”

“Of course. C’mere, Minnie.” Ruby thanked Clementine with a nod, just relieved to be walking off with Minerva in a manageable state.

When the two had taken their leave, James pulled his mask down over his head, taking a deep breath of its stale, leathery skin.

“You’d rather sleep on a tarp in the woods than here?” Clementine said more than asked.

He looked over her shoulder at the girl standing behind her. “Nice to meet you...” 

“Violet.” Answered Violet.

“James.” He turned back to Clementine and gave her a wave. “I’ll see you.”

“You know where the door is.”

Minerva’s shoulders slumped as Ruby shut the door behind them, the tension she’d felt outside disappearing. The hall had looked pretty much the same, dilapidated walls decorated with graffiti - some, of her making. She ran her fingers across the peeling wallpaper as she walked, taking in the sensations one at a time. 

“A lot’s happened since you were stolen, Minnie.” Ruby began. She twiddled her fingers, not knowing which bit of news to start with.

“No doubt.” Minerva hummed, making a turn. The further in she went, the more the layout of the school came back to her. The kitchen to her back, the dorms right up ahead, the always musty study room, the large murky windows that hardly let in light... She found herself wondering how she could ever forget a place she once knew like the back of her hand. But then again, hadn’t she done everything in her power to do just that? 

“Can we talk about this tomorrow morning? I’m exhausted.”

“Yeah… yeah that sounds good.” Ruby was happy to kick this particular can down the road. However that didn’t mean she’d been relieved of all responsibilities as was suddenly apparent. “Wait!” She exclaimed, trying to stop Minerva from opening the wrong door. “That’s not –”

Minerva grew a nervous grin. “I haven’t been gone that long, have I?” The knob clicked and the door crooned open. Immediately, she realized what Ruby had meant. New drawings were posted up, replacing the ones she remembered taping to the walls. Skulls, plants, and other baubles were placed about. Most conspicuously however, was AJ – Clementine’s kid – fast asleep in her sister’s bed.

Ruby slid between her and the door, pulling it shut as quietly as possible. Raising a finger to her lips, she whispered. “He’s a light sleeper.” 

“She’s in here, too.” Minerva sighed. 

“You can bunk with me, if you want. My room’s a lot cleaner, I’m sure.” Her attempt at persuasion fell flat, Minerva continuing to stare a hole into the door. 

Minerva’s jaw clenched, remaining hand in a tight fist. “Can’t you just… make them leave?” She found no support on Ruby’s face, only a worried frown. 

“It’s getting late, Minnie. My room’s right upstairs.” 

One last look at the room that used to be hers, she acquiesced. This would have to wait.

Ruby’s room felt a lot more spacious than its dimensions would suggest. The large open windows let a bounty of moonlight beam in, and the cool night air billowed the curtains. 

Her room was as neat as she remembered; shelves neatly lined with books, hampers and desks in full use. It reminded her of how often she’d slip on a marker or trip on a snagged pair of pants in her old room. She pulled a book out of its slot to idly scan its cover. A biology textbook, collected from one of the libraries on campus at the start of the apocalypse. Bookmarks jutted out from within, adding to its thickness. She put it back haphazardly; perpendicular atop the line of books. 

She sat on the bottom bunk, running her hand over the stained fabric – pulled taut by especially diligent bed-making. 

“Why do you keep it so neat? Nobody else sleeps here.” She fell back on the mattress, arms outstretched. She hadn’t slept on a real bed in a long time, although the decade-old box-spring wasn’t that much better than hammocks or straw cots.

Ruby gently slid the book back in its proper slot, pleased with the relatively pristine spines. “What’s wrong with keeping a tidy space?” She sat on her bed, methodically untying and putting away her shoes. She grimaced when she looked over at the state of Minerva’s feet. Or more accurately, her boots – and the havoc they were wreaking on the sheets. They’d been stained with streaks of red and brown, some so dark they seemed black. Undoubtedly the result of fighting her way through a hoard.

"Are you… comfortable… sleeping in your shoes?”

Minerva looked down at her feet and shrugged. “I can’t be bothered not to.” Was her unaffected reply. Ruby however, could be bothered. Very, very bothered. 

Minerva jerked, feeling her leg get lifted and set back down on Ruby’s thigh, easing back into an embarrassed calm. “I forgot how you got about these things. Sorry.”

“It’s no problem.” Ruby said, pulling off a loosened boot. “You should’ve seen me that time Louis and Willy somehow found a massive pile of dung in the forest.” She shuddered, suppressing the memory. Minerva giggled at the image, flexing her now free foot in the cool air. Her good spirits soon dissolved though, the topic of her friends – and up until recently, captives – giving her a pang of guilt.

“How are they?” She asked softly. “Louis, Omar, and Aasim?”

Ruby tried her best to decipher and interpret the little she’d heard about what happened on the boat. “They’re… trying. We all are. Omar’s the only one who’s really talking about it.”

“It couldn’t have been easy, being forced to work for those raiders.” She pulled the other boot off with a bit of effort, dusting off her hands. “Give them some time.”

Minerva nodded distantly, somewhat irritated at Ruby’s acceptance. The things she did as a member of the Delta, the person she had to become, they scared her. Maybe she wanted Ruby to be scared, too. To reject her, make forgiveness something she’d have to fight for. For how far she’d fallen, being welcomed back so easily was frustratingly anti-climatic. She almost preferred Clementine’s open hostility to Ruby’s unnerving kindness.

“Now make yourself comfortable.” Ruby got up to rustle through her closet, retrieving a faded belt. “Boss’ orders.” 

Minerva groaned. “Is this really necessary? Can’t we just tell her we did it.”

“It’s just for tonight, don’t be a baby! And besides, I’m right here if you need anything.”

Minerva rolled her eyes, placing her wrist against the bar. The sooner she was able to get back on her feet, the sooner this Clementine problem would be far behind her.

“You okay?” Violet finally asked.

Back on the watchtower, the duo were side by side on the floor, Violet’s head resting on Clementine’s shoulder. The latter held Minerva’s axe in both hands, thrumming the blade as she absent-mindedly stroked its handle.

“You think I should check on Ruby soon?”

“Minerva won’t turn.” Violet said with a sigh. “She’s probably in bed right now. She looked fine when they left.”

Clementine clenched the handle. “I know, I’m just… Edgy, I guess. In my experience, this is usually the part where things fall apart.” 

“You did what you thought you needed to. You can’t always expect things to blow up in your face, you know.” She slid the axe out of Clementine’s grip, replacing the stained wood with a warm grasp. She hoped it was as therapeutic for Clementine as it was for her.

The two sat in silence for a while, lolling in the crisp open air. Long acclimated to the stench of death, their chief sensation was the muted hum of the forest at night in concert with their steady breathing. Violet’s arrhythmic and harsher than Clementine’s barely perceptible inhales.

“Did you know you can tell someone’s future just by looking at their hands?” 

Clementine scoffed, amused.

“Yeah, it’s bullshit.” She smiled and turned Clementine’s palm upwards. “It’s fun, though. Look, I’ll do yours.”

“So this line…” She began, tracing the ball of her thumb. “... It tells you shit like… how well you deal with situations, decision-making and shit like that.”

“Alright… what does it say about me?” 

“Says here you’re really good at it. And this line here…” She drew her finger across the middle of her palm. “... says you should listen to your girlfriend.” Clementine gave an exasperated sigh, Violet pleased with her segue’s success at calming her girlfriend.

“Sorry if I went a bit overboard earlier. With Minnie. If you think she’s cool, I’ll give her a shot.”

“I get it. You don’t know her like we do… Or did, I guess. It’s hard to trust someone who’s only ever tried to kill you.”

Clementine bit her lip. “Still, I’ll do my best to play nice.”

“Wow, making nice with The Ex.” Violet yawned, nuzzling deeper into Clementine. “Someone’s gunning for girlfriend of the year.”

Clementine smiled, heat rising slowly on her face. “C’mon, I didn’t mean it like that.” 

Violet grinned, basking in the moment. She’d have to break away for bed soon enough – there was work to do tomorrow, as there always was. But for now, the whole world was up there with her in that tower.

It was early morning. Very early morning. Light just barely sneaking in through the windows, revealing a relatively clean bedroom. Not one formed out of habit or diligence, but from a lack of debris to form clutter. Its sole occupant; a young man of often mild temperament, sat at a desk, scribbling away in a faded book with a pencil at the end of its life. A recognizable chirping began to pour through the windows, he’d beaten his feathery alarm clocks to the punch.

Leaving his room, he went over the vague hopes he’d strung together into a plan. Ruby usually took a walk at sunup; his chance for a private conversation. He had yet to properly apologize for a recent mishap; his excuse to initiate said conversation. All he needed now was to be thrice as charismatic as he usually was. A simple plan, with the right pieces primed to fall into place.

The right pieces were taking their own sweet time to fall into place. Entering what he estimated to be his tenth minute standing outside Ruby’s door, a distinct feeling of unease began to crawl up his spine. There was a line between taking initiative and obsessive advancements, and he wondered if he had crossed it.

Mustering up as much audacity as he could, he pushed through his doubts and surged for the handle - a prepared ‘Morning, Ruby!’ dying in his throat as he walked in. 

Looking up from her book, Minerva’s eyes widened in horror, Aasim’s face matching hers.

“Good. He hasn’t attacked you or run off yet.’ Minerva’s thought was the first coherent one born in the seconds following Aasim’s entry. Slowly putting her book away, she slid out of bed and rose to her feet, making sure to keep her hand splayed open towards him at all times. She hoped her display eased him somehow. 

“Aasim…” She began, tone as slow and steady as her approach. “Please don’t scream… I’m not here to hurt any of you.”

He was of two minds, unsure if he wanted to slam the door shut and scream for help or tackle and subdue her. The former seemed safer, but the latter held a titillating, vindictive allure.

‘She’s missing an arm.’  He thought. ‘I can take her. It’s just Minnie, for fuck’s sake. Move!’  

But then again, there was no just Minnie anymore. Tenn’s airy, less-annoying older sister – the one who missed her shots more often than not, who’d whine whenever she had to carry anything larger than a football, or preferred sneaking off with Louis to pulling her own weight – she was replaced a long time ago. The Minnie staring back at him with those disconcertingly pleading eyes was the same one who’d ignored her friend’s cries for help. Who’d sided with the raiders that tried to burn down their home and killed Mitch. Who killed Sophie.  

But for fuck’s sake, she still looked so much like the girl he knew. 

“S-Stop right there.” He held out his hand, and incredibly, she obeyed. He held his palm out steadily for a few seconds, regaining his composure. 

“Turn around.” He cleared his throat, and she obliged. scanning for the bulge of a concealed firearm or knife. With this disputed, so began his questioning. “Why shouldn’t I call for the others right now?” 

“Because Clementine doesn’t want anyone else seeing me. Not yet, at least.”

“Bullshit.” He frowned. “There’s no way Clementine’s the only one who knows you’re here.”

“She’s not!” Minerva rushed to plug the hole Aasim’d poked in her story. Violet and Ruby know, too. They were there last night.”

The mention of her name hit Aasim with the reason he’d even fallen into this dilemma. A quick sweep of the room came back empty, causing him panic when he confirmed what he already knew.

“Where’s Ruby?! What’ve you done with her?!”

“She’s downstairs , in the kitchen.” She spoke firmly, doing her best to allay his fears. “ She helped dress my arm last night. She went to get coffee , alright? Please, trust me.”

“Like Clementine trusted you? Cut the shit Minerva.” His voice wavered. The idea of the raiders having slipped into the school in the dead of night made him woozy with fright. He kept his ears trained for an unfamiliar gait disturbing the floorboards – or much worse; distant gunfire. None found, he turned his focus on interrogating Minerva.

“God dammit Aasim, do you think I did this myself?!" She showed off her bandaged arm, cleaner than he’d expect an amputation to go. "I'm shit at this, always have been."

That he knew to be true, remembering Minerva’s incessant squirming whenever she got a splinter or skinned her arm. Maybe her story held some merits.

Minerva slumped on the floor with a sigh, visibly exasperated. “There’s nothing I can say that’ll make you believe me, is there?” 

There was no need to respond, the question completely rhetorical. Still, he tried – and failed – to find an answer.

“Why’d Clementine let you back in?” 

Minerva scoffed. “Been wondering that myself. Ruby and Violet’s help, I guess. And that walker kid, James.” 

“You met James?” Another point in Minerva’s favor. 

“He met me , actually.” She shifted into a more comfortable position as she began. 

“I was in a shit spot. Got separated from my group and slid down some stupid fucking cliff with a bite on my arm, and walkers on my ass. Then all of a sudden they weren’t. I was in the mud for… I don’t know how long. It felt like hours. That was when he showed up.” She chuckled. “I nearly split his head open, he was still in his creepy fucking get-up.    He took me back to his camp, helped me…” Their eyes went to the same spot.. “... with this. That’s how I was able to get back here at all.” 

She found herself wondering how – why – he’d go out of his way to do all that, lamenting the fact that she’d probably never get a chance to ask.

“That’s not… unbelievable.” He frowned, leaps of faith were not his forte. “I’m going to sit here for a while, until Ruby returns. Just don’t try anything, alright? I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

Minerva nodded as seriously as she could, wondering if he really thought he could take her. 

“Of course. Clementine’s looking for any reason to give me the boot. I’m not gonna jeopardize that before I get to see Tenn.”

Her motivations growing ever clearer, Aasim lowered his guard another tick. 

“What happened to you, Minnie?” She knew what he meant, where he was coming from. It was a question she stopped asking herself a good long time ago. She already had an answer.

“I had to grow up, Aasim.” She didn’t care how it sounded. “You guys don’t get what it’s like out there. I thought Clementine would, but for some fucking reason she’s burying her head in the sand. The people we’re at war with – you either fight dirtier than they do, or you die. It’s that simple.”

“Is that what happened to Sophie?” 

Minerva was getting tired of having to think about this, let alone recount it. 

“I did what I had to.” She remained curt. “What would you do if Willy or– ” 

Footfalls up the stairs would interrupt their conversation, Aasim jerking in surprise before his ears registered the familiar tempo as Ruby’s. She skittered over Aasim and the door, doing her best to keep the contents of her mug from spilling over.

“What’re you doing here?!” She hissed at Aasim, setting the coffee down on her desk.

The object of his being here now embarrassingly off-topic, he found himself scrambling to come up with an excuse. Trying not to sigh, he elected to go with the truth. “I just wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh?” She seemed to light up, softly smiling. “Well… Thanks, I guess. And for keeping your head. We were hoping to tell you guys later on today, at breakfast.” 

“So we’re voting on it – her ?” 

“Not much else to do. I just wish we didn’t have to.” 

“You know what my vote is.” Aasim frowned, not sparing Minerva a glance.

Ruby nodded, changing the subject as she took her jacket off its perch and pulled it on. “Minnie, I  gotta go check on the horse.” She tapped the side of the mug. “Wish it was hot but you’ll have to make do with lukewarm dirt for now.”

Minerva shrugged, standing up. “Coffee’s coffee.” She took a brief, exploratory sniff and went bottoms up, emptying out the mug in what must’ve been three gulps. She grimaced, licking her lips with a shudder. She hadn’t changed so much after all – she always hated coffee.

“C’mon, Aasim.” Ruby beckoned him, already walking down the hall. “We’ve got work to do.”

Clementine couldn’t remember the last time she felt this tired. 

The stress of a possible future attack, an especially chill breeze that blurred the lines between spring and winter, and plain physical exhaustion had done a number on her. Using all her power to merely keep herself standing resulted in her post being little more than ceremonial. Although it was definitely better than nothing at all, even as she blinked in slow motion.

Senses dulled by exhaustion, she received a heart-racing jolt of adrenaline when Ruby’s whistle cut through the air. She and Aasim had just left the dorms, each toting buckets as they waved good morning. 

She returned the greeting, indulging in a yawn. The school was beginning to stir with life, signifying their forum was drawing near. Whatever the result, she decided would crawl into bed right after, putting an end to this chapter.

“So why’d you name it Summer?” Aasim asked, lounging against a wall. 

Ruby was stroking the horse’s mane while it chewed on grass below. Rows of windows looked down on them, the dormitories’ brick walls imposing their vine-tangled forms on the grassy nook. Most of the windows led to rooms Aasim knew to be long empty and largely forgotten, although he tried not to stare too hard at Ruby’s, knowing Minerva was likely watching from behind the glass.

It was an overgrown mess; the common area. Once a space used for early morning meals, impromptu outdoor classes, or simply lounging after a long day, it had grown into a dilapidated garden. Wild flowers and grass too high in too many places placed his once-favorite location several rungs lower in his favor.

“ Her .” Ruby corrected, looking over her shoulder.. “And summer’s a good name! She’s bright and cheery - aintcha girl?”

Aasim struggled to grasp her logic. It was just a horse, as dumb as any other. “Whatever you say, Ruby.”

“Unless you’ve got a better name, grab that pail and come help me water her.” She’d obviously picked up on his lack of understanding. “It’ll do you two some good.”

He held up his hands. “I’d rather not, actually.” He grinned sheepishly. “Those things - horses , I mean. They freak me out.” 

Ruby laughed. “What’d sweet Summer here ever do to you?” She had a tone of mock offense. “C’mon she won’t bite - she’s a horse!” 

Aasim groaned, picking up the bucket and taking cautious steps towards the mare. Its eyes were unnerving, dark and empty rectangular slits that bulged on either side of its head. He set the bucket down, the horse immediately beginning to drink its fill. He jolted at Ruby’s sudden touch, tensing up as she began to stroke its head, with him as a proxy.

"See? She's not so scary." 

"I guess not." He said, barely even noticing when Ruby stopped guiding him. His hand raked upwards into a scratch behind her ear, agitating her into a nervous whinny. 

"She's not a dog, Aasim!" Ruby laughed, coaxing him into a bashful recoil.

"Guess not."

"Morning Louis."

Willy was the first to notice him, looking over Tennessee’s shoulder as the older boy rounded the corner and gave a hearty ‘Salutations!’ .

The pair of pre-teens were spending their morning in the kitchen. Willy sat up on the sink, toothbrush sticking out of the corner of his mouth. Tennessee stood next to him, giving a half-hearted ‘Good morning’ as he stared wistfully into his mug.

Willy ducked his head as Louis opened the cupboard above him to retrieve. “You guys’re up early.”

“It’s way past sunup.” Willy spat into his cup. “Tenn and I were just talking about stuff to pass the time before my shift.”

Pouring himself a drink from the water fountain, Louis prodded. “Well I like stuff. What kinda stuff are we talking about?”

“Minnie stuff.” Tenn answered.

Louis cringed, having stepped into a conversational minefield. A pun involving ‘small talk’’ flashed across his mind, but he decided against it. A vaguely supportive 'I see.' would have to do, he decided, finishing his drink in awkward silence.

Outside, the courtyard’s gorey facade from the recent attack was undercut by Louis’ favorite time of day; ‘pink hour’ . The bright blue that characterized early afternoon hadn’t quite yet settled in. The air was cold, and the birds had already started their days. It was his prelude; the time where things were still enough to think and breathe, but with a tickling of nature’s keys to get the ball rolling. Today, he hoped, would be a good day to indulge in a bit of levity.

He felt sorry for Tennessee, immeasurably so, but found it was hard to talk to the boy as of late. They’d all gone through alot, but Tenn seemed to be taking it the hardest, especially with Minerva’s recent cameo ending in tragedy. Disturbingly, Tennessee seemed to not grasp how far she’d fallen, still mourning the sister he lost. 

“Shit, Minnie.” He cursed into the air. The feelings nagged at him, and he found himself stuck in an increasingly tiring dance avoiding thinking about them at all. His mind danced around a scandalous thought; would things have been better if Marlon and Brody had been telling the truth? He scolded himself for even entertaining the idea, putting up a show of morality to no one but himself.

Lost in thought, he wouldn’t notice Clementine’s idling in the watchtower for several ticks. When he finally did catch sight of her, it was an immediate boon to his mood. Clementine, in her short term as official unofficial headmistress of Ericson’s, had quickly climbed the rankings of his favorite people to lovingly pester. She now threatened Aasim for the spot of number two, although she’d likely never dethrone his top billing; Violet. With fingers to enhance, he blew a shrill whistle with precision towards Clementine, chuckling as he saw her jump to attention.

“You’re an ass.” Clementine sighed, rubbing her eyes as he climbed the ladder.

“Thought you were a walker there for a second.” He stared at the bags forming under her eyes . “Your fumes must be running on fumes.” Although he remained cheery, there was concern driving his banter. “It’s way past sunup, what’re you still doing here?”

She scratched her neck, looking away. “I just…” Another yawn. “... just needed some extra time in my head. I’d fall asleep if I went to bed right now.”

“What troubles plague our great leader now?” 

“You’re not going to like it.” Clementine groaned. “I don’t even know if I should tell you… maybe I should wait for the others.” 

Louis perked up at this, the prospect of a secret with Clementine excited him, even if it was one that would compound his stress. 

“Well now you have to tell me.” He prodded, and she gave up the goods. 

“Don’t freak out. But Minerva survived.” He stopped in the middle of an anticipatory lean forward.

“Uh, what do you mean she survived ? How do you know?”

“You remember James?” 

“That guy who fucks walkers or something?”

“Be serious.”

He shrugged. 

“He found her last night and brought her back. I couldn’t turn her away, Violet was there.”

“I think it’s best you let her stay.” He reasoned. “She probably would’ve done something crazy if you hadn’t.” Clementine nodded in agreement, and he continued. “So where’re you stashing her?”

“Ruby’s got her locked in her room. I’ll bring her out in a couple hours once everyone’s had a chance to settle. Maybe around breakfast.” 

He stroked his chin, wagging his finger at the end of his musing. “Nix that, I’ve got a better idea. I take Violet’s shift at the creek, and bring Minnie along with me.”

Clementine rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Louis… why in the world would I agree to that?”

“Because you don’t trust her as far as you can throw her. And because she’s my friend. I want a chance to talk to her, before the others send her packing.”

“Louis, I’m not going to endanger you guys any more than I already have… Is there even a point to all this?” 

"If there’s a chance she’s planning something, now’s our only chance to talk some sense into her. Without those Delta creeps breathing down her neck."

"And what makes you think this'll work? Or if it’s even worth it?"

"Nothing. I'm fully prepared for a shank in the back. But it's better than trying to sleep with myself knowing I didn't try. I don’t want to make the same mistake again." 

Clementine was silent, the gears visibly turning in her head, even as she looked away to think. After several seconds, she raised a finger. “You have an hour, and then we come looking for you.” 

"You got it, boss.” He saluted.

Minerva kept quiet after the first three knocks, upholding her end of the deal by trying to remain undetected..

A few seconds passed and the knocking returned, this time with a whisper. 

"Minnie. It's me, Louis ."

Still, she held her tongue.

"C'mon, I know you're in there, Clementine told me." He jiggled the handle. "I'm not armed, if that's what you're worrying about."

On the other side of the door, Louis would wait a few moments before he heard the click of a lock and the door creaking open. Minerva stood there puzzled, and he tried not to stare at the vacant space that used to be her arm. 

“Good, you’re up.” He snapped into his spiel with characteristic ease. “Put on your boots, we’re going fishing.”

“I thought that was Violet’s job…” She hoped she hadn’t sounded disappointed, the question driven more by apprehension than anything.

“I’m covering for her today, Clementine’s orders.” Her response not arriving quick enough, he tried again to incite her. “Minnie, I’m not gonna take you out back and put you down or anything. Are you coming or not?”

She smiled. “Give me a second.”

“Stupid fucking– Ugh!” 

Minerva’s anger fed off itself, compounding the entire infuriating affair. She was never the best at fishing, but still – at zero to five it was getting humiliating. 

Leaving the school undetected was easier than expected. With everyone in their rooms, slipping out of the dorms required little more than avoiding unnecessary chatter. Although they were almost caught when Louis’ weapon ‘Chairles’ slipped out of his hand and clattered down the stairs.

The trek to the creek was uncomfortable, as she expected. Not because of an awkward silence, but Louis’ prattling on about events she hadn’t been there for. It wasn’t merely his exposition that unnerved her, but his disregard for all that’d transpired between them as of late. Much like Ruby, he rendered her defenses useless by treating her as if he had no reason to hate her. It made her feel like a voyeur peeking through the window of a family she didn’t know, but burned to be a part of.

Louis held the door open, Minerva walking in after him, his voice lowered to muted ramble as she took in her surroundings. 

The cabin by the creek was one of the places she remembered best, the memories she formed there some of her most treasured. The subtle plant life that once gave it its cozy atmosphere had bloomed into a dank, overgrown mess. Floor panels damp and nearly rotted, every footstep seemed to creak unbearably loud. All this, however, was not enough to override the charming shack she once knew. 

“Remember how crap Bo was at fishing?” Louis said. He tossed her one of two makeshift spears. Catching her off guard, the rod sailed over her fingers and slammed her in the nose. Louis winced, but she waved away his incoming apology.

“I’m fine.” She knelt to pick it up, balancing it in her hand to test its weight. She’d hesitated for a moment, almost reaching out with her left hand before remembering her phantom limb was just that. “That was a good throw, I’m just… out of practice. Sorry.”

“I must’ve hit you harder than I thought. When’d you start apologizing to me?” 

“Just now, I guess.” She said, wandering around the cabin. “When did that happen?” Louis  looked where she pointed; the ceiling where light shone in through a large breach.

“Few months ago. There was a really bad storm.” He laughed, recalling the event. “There was a walker lodged in there when Brody and Violet showed up the next morning. We left him hanging for like a week. Shame… he woulda made for a hell of a mistletoe.”

“Why a week?”

“Violet killed him. Well, made me kill him. Said he was too dangerous to leave dangling above us. Probably was, but I think he gave this place personality.” He walked into the natural spotlight and gave it a dirty look. “Now it’s just a hole.” 

She hummed. There was some truth to what he said. Although the personality a walker swinging above your head provided wasn’t one she found appealing.

“It’s whatever, though.” Louis rested the spear on his shoulder. “You ready to catch some breakfast?”

She looked away from the carving in the far side of the cabin; the one that demanded attention she couldn’t bear to give. “Let’s hope I’m better at catching fish than spears.”

So far, she was not. 

The two looked for all the world to be a pair of real incompetents, grunting and stabbing at a river with increasing rancor. Louis was having slightly more luck than draw than Minerva, who only grew more and more frustrated with her failure.

“You gotta let ‘em come to you .” Louis made an attempt at coaching, despite only having caught two fish. “They can smell when you’re trying to get ‘em y’know.” He grunted, narrowly missing an especially fast trout.

“It’s a little hard to pull this off single-handedly, Louis.” Minerva bemoaned.

“Well they’ve got no hands, so I’m not sure how fair that makes it.” He missed again. “Shit. How the hell do you do this?”

Minnie took a breath, and plunged. Sharpened bone pierced flesh and she withdrew the spear - a bass thrashing at the end of the spear. “Ha!”

“Minnie – one! Fish… well who’s keeping score anyways.” Louis quipped, the levity a welcome change of pace for them both. Louis’ way of taking most everything lightly – while sometimes grating – remained one of his most appreciated qualities. 

Time would fly by, Louis cheering her on when she succeeded, comedically jeering when she failed. Before she knew it, Louis had called off their hunt, pointing to the fish piled several inches above her rim.

“Not a bad catch at all.” Louis said, patting her on the back. It was well into the morning now, and they’d worked up shirt-soaking sweats for her efforts. 

“We’d better hurry back, the Chef doesn’t like late delivery boys. And girls.”

Minerva found that forests were quieter in the apocalypse. 

It was an eerie still, the way even the birds and the wind seemed to disappear for too-long stretches of time. She loathed it, being alone in the woods with nothing but her thoughts and anxieties was an experience she avoided almost as much as walkers. There were times in the past when she’d scare herself nearly half to death after straying off course. She was always found after long enough, and whoever did would have to wrench her off when they returned to the school, their clothes stained with snot and tears.

“Louis, can I ask you a question?”

“You already did.” He joked. Exactly her point.

“I… Why are you doing this… being like this. With me.”

He slowed, but didn’t stop. “I dunno.” He glanced at her, Chairles resting on his shoulder. “How else should I be?”

Jesus, it was like pulling teeth – whimpering out her wishes like a shy little kid. 

“How about being pissed off for a start.”

“I guess you’re right.” He shrugged a shoulder, growing a bit tense in the arm carrying the bucket. 

“Fuck you, Minerva.” He almost sounded like he wasn’t joking. “Seriously. You fucked us all over, nearly got us killed, too.”

She huffed, dissatisfied. “That’s not what I –”

He came to a sudden stop, raising Chairles to impede her as well. The cause for this – a walker – stumbled into the clearing. A moan gurgled from the back of its throat as it turned to stare at them with glazed over eyes. It was a fresh corpse, Minerva surmised. Not just from how it was still in its early stage of bloating, but the fact that not twenty-four hours ago, it’d passed her a cigarette down by the docks. 

“Wait, I know her!” Minerva tried to push Chairles aside, but Louis resisted. 

“Are you crazy? That’s a walker.” 

“She was my friend, too.” She petered off, stepping back as Louis approached it. Watching scenes like this never got easier. 

Louis brought his boot down on its knee, snapping it inwards like a soggy twig. He skirted away as it clawed at his legs, swinging Chairles down over his head with a sickening crack. Its advance faltered, but didn’t fail, earning it another swift bludgeoning. Three heavy swings left Louis winded, and Minerva looking away until she was sure his execution was over.

Louis was staring down at his handiwork, wiping his forehead and panting heavily. Black, coagulated blood oozed from every orifice in the walker’s head, an eye socket evicted and collapsed from the force. The smell was just as bad. She wondered if it would linger on their catch. 

“I’m sorry.” Louis said. “About your friend.”

“You don’t need to pretend you care.” She hoped she hadn’t come off as angry, she really meant it.

“I won’t lie…” He dared. “... doing that felt great. Hell, I’d do it again if I could.” He gave her a sincere look. “But you’re my friend, Minnie. Like Marlon was. Even though he did a lot of fucked up shit, I still miss the guy. I don’t know… You think there’s some things that’re unforgivable, until someone close to you does it.”

“Then it’s not so bad anymore.” Minerva finished.

“Exactly.” He said.

“How did Marlon die?” 

“AJ - Clementine’s kid. There was a fight on their first night there, it went bad… We ended up kicking them out the next day.”

She raised an eyebrow. “But…?”

“ But as it turns out, we’re a pretty forgiving bunch after we cool off for a bit.” She picked up on his implication, the parallel laid thick by his lack of subtlety. 

“Clem thinks this is stupid and dangerous; my coming out here with you, all vulnerable and whatnot. I think so too. But it's necessary. And if there’s something stupid and dangerous that has to be done... Well, I’m your guy.” He ended with a smile, one that Minerva felt comfortable enough to return.

“Necessary for what?” She asked after the moment faded.

“Helping you keep your home. Clementine’s probably gathered everyone by now, they might call for a vote to let you stay or… y’know. But you show up with grub, and me? I don’t see how they could kick you to the curb after that.”

He tried to mask the severity of his implication, but its weight pooled in the bottom of her stomach. She prayed she hadn’t completely fallen out of their graces.

“How long is he gonna take?!” Willy moaned from his upside-down recline on the sofa. 

AJ groaned, exasperated by the compound effect of hunger, boredom, and Willy’s complaining. The group had gathered in the Admin Building’s common room – as per Clementine’s request – and were told to wait ‘about an hour’ for an announcement. From his point of view; they’d been there for maybe half a day.

“How long does it take to catch fish anyways?” He directed the question to Violet. 

Willy joined AJ in Violet’s questioning. “Yeah, and isn’t that your job? You never take this long.” 

“He wanted to do it today. Ask him yourself when he shows up.” 

“Well he’d better hurry up.” Omar grumbled. A stickler for punctuality and order when it came to his matters involving ‘kitchen’, his normally quiet demeanor was troubled by irritation.

“Clementine said he’d be back in an hour .” Ruby said from the smaller couch she shared with Aasim. “It’s hardly been forty-five minutes.”

Aasim nodded, clearing his throat. “And if he’s not, Violet and I’ll go looking.”

“You don’t think he’s hurt or something, do you?” Tennessee asked. He picked at his fingers, worry painted on his face.

Violet scoffed. “It’s just fishing. I can do it in my sleep, so I doubt even Louis could fuck this up.”

“Oh ye of little faith!” 

She jumped a little at his sudden entry; shoving the doors open with a very Louis amount of fanfare. She would bet an eye he’d been listening outside the door, waiting for an opportune moment to be a jackass. Clementine walked in behind him, sharply contrasting him with her sluggish pace. She lingered in the doorway, the group’s attention now focused on her. 

“Alright, great!” Willy swiveled to a right-side up sit, eager to be on his way. “Whaddaya want?” 

Clementine sighed. “Something… big … happened last night, and we all need to come to a decision on how to move forward with it. Now.”

Omar raised an eyebrow. “Well…?”

There was no easy way to say it, so she took a step to the side, preluding Minerva’s timid reveal. 

“Fuck no!” Willy was quick to let the room know what he thought. “Clementine, what the fuck?” 

“You said she died!” Tenn rushed to embrace his sister, nearly toppling her over in his hug.

“She said she got bit.” AJ corrected. “Look at her arm.” Tenn pulled back, taking in the grim sight with all its implications. She rubbed his cheek, tears welling in both their eyes.

“I’m fine, Tenn. I’m fine.”

“I can’t believe this.” Omar shook his head, more annoyed by the display than anything. “If this is a vote, I’m saying no.”

“Same here!” Said a cross Willy.

“And where the hell is she supposed to go?” Violet came to Minerva’s defense. 

“Did we care about that when we kicked out Clem and AJ!” Willy retorted.

“Which was fucking stupid.” Violet spat, remembering the frustration she felt. 

Willy pivoted. “She’s a raider ! She betrayed all of us!” 

“Marlon did the same thing!” Tenn surprised the group with his outburst. “And we all still forgave him… Minnie’s probably just as sorry.” Tenn looked to his sister for validation, receiving it in a firm nod. “A-and she’s back, and there aren’t any raiders left. So why can’t we just go back to the way things were?”

“What makes you think there aren’t any more raiders?” AJ asked.

“There aren’t.” Minerva answered. “Not for a couple hundred miles. And since our last boat got destroyed, the others back in camp are sitting ducks.” 

“Look how she talks.” Willy pointed, facing the group. “‘ Our boat’ . She’s got a new family now, she doesn’t give a shit.”

“Don’t say that.” Tenn looked down.

“Of course I do.” Minerva hissed. “That’s the only reason I came back. Clementine’s fucked all of us with her stupid fucking plan. The Delta was the last bastion against the Frontier, and now it’s gone.”

“The Frontier… Are they from Richmond?” Clementine swallowed.

“You been there?” Violet asked, intrigued.

She scratched her arm. “Years ago… I’d left with AJ before things got too serious.”

“So you understand what I mean.” Minerva banked on Clementine’s support.

“Whatever went down Richmond wasn’t caused by the Frontier .” She defended her friends from years past. “The people I helped retake the city were the ones bringing things back to normal. They’d lost too much to piece of shit raiders to turn around and start another stupid war. I don’t know who started what, I didn’t stick around to find out.”

“When was the last time you actually talked to anyone outside this school?”

Clementine went quiet. She’d done an excellent job at avoiding people all-together on the road.

“Exactly my point.” Minerva turned to the group. “I know how you all feel about me, you think I’ve turned traitor. I’d probably be the same if I hadn’t gone through what I did. But the one thing that kept me from giving up was the thought…” She glanced at Violet. “... the thought of coming back here. Seeing you all safe, and happy. This has always been my home, the Delta was just the best tool I had to protect it.”

“So why’d you kill your sister?” 

The room tensed up when AJ spoke, his distinctive to-the-point attitude entered confrontations like a bull in a china shop. Those who’d already known glanced at each other nervously, the news breaking much less tactfully than they’d planned.

“You little asshole !” Minerva snapped. Her outburst immediately deflated when Tenn tugged at her jacket, his voice breaking.

“What does he mean by that?” She couldn’t bear to look at him, not unless she wanted to burst into a dribbling mess on the floor. She steeled herself and took a breath.

“I loved Sophie, you know I did. B-but she didn’t understand what was at stake.” The words were dry, needing much more effort to push out. “She thought she was just running away, saving herself. The others saw it for what it was, betrayal . Manpower, supplies… without it, the Frontier wins.”

“So you fucking killed her?!” Willy screamed.

“It was either me or them ! Thieves and traitors get killed – end of story! I knew it, and she knew it! I thought if I stopped her, turned ourselves in… If we just fucking stopped biting the hand that fed us. Eventually this shit would be over and we… and we could just come home!” She’d lost her composure now, barely able to speak over wet chokes. “Lilly was furious… Sophie was on her fifth strike . The others hated us, they did from the start…” She sniffed, rubbing mucus off her sleeve. “I had to beg her to let me do it. Yo-you don’t know what that’s like.” 

Tenn was shell shocked, more so than the others by far. The feelings welling up in his chest were completely alien to him, expressing themselves through a reflexive caress. He did his best to soothe her, as he and Sophie used to, whispering soft words of affirmation in her ear. It seemed to work, her hiccuping, snotty wails going down to a bitter sob.

“Minnie…” Violet took a rare break from her cold front, coming to Tennessee’s aid. She knelt by Minerva’s side and held her hand, Ruby joining in with the warmth she was known for. Omar followed, offering a sheepish apology, and Willy with one much more spirited. Stopping Minerva’s crying was an activity they must’ve been well practiced at, Clementine thought. They all seemed to act individually; stroking, petting, cooing, and shushing Minerva into placidity.

“You don’t have to go anywhere, Minnie.” Ruby said as they broke away from their collective embrace. Aasim, never one for large displays of affection, helped in his unique way.

“You’ve been through a lot, Minerva. Truth be told; I think we’re all just glad to have you back.”

AJ caught his opportunity to atone. “And, uh, Mini? I’m sorry if I made you sad when I asked about your sister. I didn’t know you weren’t bad.” Minerva wiped her face, regaining her composure.

“It’s alright, kid. You’re don’t bullshit. I like that.”

AJ beamed. “I don’t bullshit.” He repeated, much to the room’s amusement.

The group dispersed soon after, Omar leading the charge with AJ delivering a volley of questions about his culinary skills. Willy had a post to attend to, and Louis – ‘something new to work on’. Ruby and Aasim excused themselves, the former giving a tender goodbye as they left. Tenn, now in much better spirits, excitedly pulled at Minerva to take her on an impromptu tour of the school.

Violet closed the door once the room was down to two occupants, sauntering over to the couch. She beckoned Clementine to sit as well, the younger girl taking advantage of her long-coveted still to collapse onto the softest spot she could.

“C’mere.” Violet coaxed Clementine into resting her head on her lap, replacing the ratty couch with her ratty pants. 

“This isn't that much more comfortable.” Clementine smiled. Violet pulled off her hat, the exhausted Clementine only giving a weak grumble in protest. 

“Is it okay if I wear it? Just for a while.” Violet asked, giving it a once over. “I’ll be careful.” 

Clementine gave her the go-ahead, Violet smiling as she secured the cap on her head. “How do I look?” 

“You look great...” She yawned and brushed her hair out of her face to afford them both a better look at each other. A few seconds of eye contact brought a flush to Violet’s face, but she endured the anxious flurry in her stomach. Clementine’s eyes began to flutter, encroaching sleep granting Violet a chance to catch her breath.

“Want me to help you to your room?”

“No…” Clementine said, halfway dreaming. “I think… I wanna stay here a bit longer.”

Violet found she had no problems entertaining her girlfriend’s request.