Chapter Text
Clementine watched out over the horizon whilst standing upon the gate.
Keeping watch.
Contributing to the safety of Alexandria.
Her home.
AJs home.
She wanted to help as much as she could, but also wanted to get her mind off of what had happened, and what was to come.
She was scheduled to remain on watch only for a few minutes until Daryl was to take over, just in time for Ruths funeral.
Clementine still couldn't believe that Ruth was gone. With purple brusing around her neck and cuts up and down her leg, which Denise discovered whilst checking her.
Clementine wanted revenge, she wanted to hunt down and kill those responsible for Ruths demise, but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't put Alexandria at risk, she couldn't put AJ at risk.
She started to think about all those that she's lost; Lee, Kenny, Christa, Omid, Luke, Mom, Dad...
"You doing alright kid?" Abraham asked as he shocked Clementine and made her jump slightly,
"Woah. Easy there, didn't mean to scare you." Abraham reassured her. "Just wanted to make sure you were alright, you looked lost."
Clementine turned away from him and faced the oncoming sunset, a mixture or orange and red traversed the threeline and open road, with three walkers ruining the near-perfect view.
"It's my fault." She breathed, easing out some of the guilt she felt.
"What? How on earth can this be your fault?" Abraham expressed, holding serious doubts that it was in any way her fault.
"She came to me, that morning. Wanting my help, asking for it. I said no, to help Carl. If I had said yes, she'd be-" Clementine gasped as this waa the first person she told, the first person she had the chance to tell.
"No no no. What happened, it ain't on you. None of it. You couldn't have known, and just because you didn't go with her doesn't mean-"
"Doesn't mean what? I couldn't have helped her? Couldn't have saved her?" Clementine raised. "I could've done. Watched her back, protected her. I can handle myself." She argued.
Abraham stood in silence as he formulated a response, to which Clementine took as even more doubt as she tried to get past him, but blocked her way.
"What do you-" She started,
"Listen to me. I don't doubt you can handle yourself. I don't doubt you could've helped her. And I assuredly do not doubt that you could've saved her." He started as he knelt down to properly face her,
"But that doesn't make it your fault. You had no idea. No one did. And what if there was five of them, and then they got you both. What about you? What about AJ? You want him to lose his big sister so early in his life?" Abraham posed to her. "We all make decisions that sometimes have bad outcomes, and sometimes it is our fault. This isn't one of those times. I promise you that."
Clementine shed a tear as she nodded, and thought about what he had said.
Just then Daryl came up from the ladder, as Abraham flashed a smile at Clem and stood up.
"You alright?" Daryl asked Clem as he saw the tear down her face.
"Yeah. I'm okay." She answered as she picked Morgans book up from the ledge and stuffed it into her pocket.
"Morgan got you reading that peacemaker shit?" Abraham asked, with a look of doubt on his face.
"It's a good book. It poses interesting questions about the way people do things, and I'm thinking of training with him, to learn aikido." Clementine stated as she defended Morgans ways.
"Well good for you kid, it's nice to have a hobby." Abraham complimented as he summarised Daryls appearence to do with the fact that Ruths funeral was going to start as he headed down.
"You gonna be alright?" Daryl asked Clem as she prepared to follow Abraham.
"Yeah, I'll be okay. You?" She answered and asked back.
"Meh, It's going to be strange without Ruth around, but we'll do what we've akways done." Daryl offered.
"And whats that?" Clementine asked, genuinely curious at what Daryl meant.
"Move on." He stated as he walked over to the fence and took perch.
Clementine wanted to follow up on what he meant. On who he'd lost, but she didn't want to be late to Ruths funeral, so left Daryl and quickly followed Abraham, who was waiting for her by the doctors office, and went to the town square.
Clementine stands next to Enid and Sasha (who she hasn't properly met yet) as the funeral starts as Rick, Spencer, Johnny, Michonne, Abraham and Tobin carry Ruths customary coffin through the townsquare to the cemetary and Ruths plot of land. Everybody looked somber, especially Johnny who was crying, as to be expected at ones significant others funeral. Clementine watched as they lowered Ruths coffin into the ground, and as Johnny stood at the grave alone, saying one last goodbye.
Father Gabriel then started a sermon about community, Ruth and how vengeance is 'not the way'. To which Sasha proceeded to whisper to herself 'fucking coward', confusing Clem as she wondered about the relationship between the two.
After the funeral concluded, a wake was being held inside the community hall, where everyone was welcome to join. Clementine walked back alone, spending a minute besides Ruth grave before heading to the hall.
As Clementine walks inside, she immediately makes eye contect with Ron, as she promptly looks away from him and joins Enid, Carl and Daryl, who was relieved when Sasha took over on watch.
"How are you doing Clem?" Carl asked as Enid gave Clem a hug,
"I'm okay thank you Carl." She responded as she gave him a hug, to which he was clearly initially surprised at before hugging her back.
"I just can't believe it. Daryl, you and Rick are friends, has he told you anything. Are the rest of us in danger." Enid asked as all three teenage eyes directed towards Daryl,
"He ain't said nothing to me, which makes me believe that we're alright. Fow now." Daryl answered, not installing a lot of confirdence in Enid especially.
"Enid, we're going to be okay. My Dad and Michonne will find the ones who did this, we'll be safe." Carl added to Daryls answer, noticably making Enid feel a little better.
"Trust me En, we're going to be fine. And you know I'll always have your back." Clementine further added, squeezing Enids arm in a sign of support just as Deanna got on stage to adress those present.
"Many of us today are here to remember a remarkable woman, a strong, loving, creative, passionate and above all else, kind woman. Ruth was a shining example as one of the best of us. She was here when the world fell, she helped protect local wildlife, even adopting many exotic creatures into her home. She led a wonderful life, filled with love shared with her husband Johnny." Deanna read as she adressed everyone. "Ruth would always want to help, whether it was taking watch shifts, looking after the children, even consoling a friend. When I Lost Reg-" Deanna took a deep breath. "I felt alone, lost, out of control. But I was fortunate to have special people around me when I needed them most, and one of those special people were Ruth. Ruth will forever be missed by myself, the people of Alexandria, and above all else, by her beloved husband, Johnny. To Ruth." Deanna finished as she raised her glass of what looked like champagne, as others followed suit and gave a toast to Ruth.
Clementine raised her own glass of champagne, which she previously kept hidden from Daryls eyesight, and proceeded to hide it before he looked in her direction again.
Johnny then proceed to hug Deanna, and take his spot on the stage ready to give his own speech about his wife,
"My Ruth-" He started as he took a gasp of air. "Was a wonderful person. She- she cared for all creatures and all people. She loved this place, and loved it's- it's people, as do I. I know that she misses this place, as will I." He said as he pulled out a Glock 44, and shot himself in the head.
Blood sprayed behind him on the stage, many screamed, many cried, many stood in shock. Clementine stood in shock. Enid screamed. Maggie cried.
Rick and Michonne pounced on the situation, ordering everyone to leave, and inlisting the help of Abraham, Rosita, Spencer and Morgan to help.
Clementine, Daryl, Enid and Carl leave immediately to head to Carl's, where Denise was looking after the children, including AJ. They all walked in silence, coming to grips with what just happened.
They arrived at Carls and all went inside to find Denise huddling the children behind her back,
"Oh god. I heard a gunshot and feared the worst. Whats going on?" She asked, stressed out over the thought of being attacked by a third party.
"Johnny, killed himself." Daryl gruffed as he went to the fridge and took out Ricks personal orange juice.
"What?" Denise asked in disbelif.
"Got up on stage, gave a speech 'nd killed himself." Daryl said bluntly.
"Daryl!" Clem hissed at him, getting his attention, and eyeing him a clear message to 'ease up a little'.
Daryl recieved that message loud and clear as he went over to Denise to speak to her privatley, as Clementine picked AJ up and kissed his forehead.
"Cookie." AJ bumbled as Clementine smiled at him with love,
"You had a cookie, thats nice Goofball, you been playing with Aunty Denise and Judith?" She asked as he lost attention and started to try and get down back to judith.
"Okay. Hold on." Clem laughed as she lowered AJ down and he crawled back over to judith to continue playing.
Just after, Jessie, Ron and Sam entered,
"Get out of my house right now." Jessie demanded to Clementine,
"Hey! You can't speak to her like that." Enid said as she stood up for Clementine as Carl stood awkwardly in the corner of the room,
"Shut up Enid, no ones even talking to you." Ron argued as Daryl and Denise came back into the room, evidently hearing what was going on,
"Why don't we all calm down." Denise offered.
"No. It's alright, I'm going." Clementne said as she couldn't deal with Jessie and Rons bullshit, not today. She went to pick AJ up before Jessie stood in her way,
"What do you think-" Clementine started to protest,
"I think you should leave him with me. You're not Mother material, he'd be better off with someone who actually knows what they're doing and not some child." Jessie spat.
Clementine couldn’t believe what she was hearing and was fully prepared to challenge Jessie before Daryl stepped in,
"You'd better move out of her way Jess." Daryl growled as Jessie stood her ground. Daryl took one step towards her,
"I ain't asking." He hissed, as Jessie took a step out of Clementines way, clearly shook by Daryls words as Clementine picked AJ up.
"I want all of you, and I mean all of you. To get out of my house RIGHT NOW!" She shouted as Clementine, Enid, Daryl, Denise and Carl all left, with Clementine holding AJ in her arms.
Clementine walked in silence, holding AJ close, raging inside at Jessies words.
'Mother material'! She had no idea what Clementine had to go through just to get to where shes at, what she had to learn in the moment, what she sacrificed. 'Stupid, callous bitch' Clem thought. The rage inside only grew, as Carl asked,
"You okay Clem?"
Clementine, boiling inside, whipped around,
"What would you care for Carl. Not like you did anything in there to help me. You just stood there like a fucking coward, letting her talk to me like that. Letting her stand between me and AJ. Do you even care what-" Clementine berated as Daryl placed a hand on her shoulder,
"It ain't his fault Clem. It's his Step-Mom at the end of the day, this is all on her, picking a bad day to be a complete bitch. Don't take it out on Carl." He spoke as Enid stared at Clem, somewhat scared as she's never seen her best friend truly angry before, and Carl stood there, his cheeks flustered as he felt incredibly guilty.
Clementine breathed as she composed herself, before realising how unfair it was to take it out on Carl,
"I'm sorry Carl. I shouldn't have shouted at you, it's not your fault." Clementine apologised. "But I do need to know if I can trust you. If I can rely on you?" She insisted.
Carl took hold of Clems free hand,
"You can. Always. I'm sorry for not standing up for you back there. I should've, and from now on I always will. I'd never let her take AJ from you Clem, none of us would." Carl promised as he gave her a wirly smile, to which Enid also placed her hand on both Carl and Clems, as they all looked at Daryl who muttered before doing the same.
As Clementine and Daryl headed home, she overheard Enid threaten Carl to uphold his promise or she'd have to invoke drastic measures, which made her chuckle and Daryl smirk.
They both arrived home, as Clementine put AJ to bed upstair before coming back down to help Daryl prepare dinner.
"She's wrong you know." Daryl said as he passed Clem the pasta. "You are Mother material. Not any thirteen year old kid would commit to raise a baby in this world. They'd pass it onto someone else, make it their problem, but not you. You committed, and AJs all the better for it. You're exactly what he needs, all that he needs, and don't ever let anyone make you question that. Least of all her. Promise me that" He finished before pouring the jar of tomato sauce into the saucepan.
Clementine smiled at his words, and believed them. All of them.
"I promise." She answered as she thought of AJ, and wondered what would've happened to him if she left him behind.
If she left him at Wellington, he'd either be dead or with the people who destroyed it. If she left him at The McCarroll Ranch, he'd either be dead or with the bandits who destroyed it. And if she left him with Javi at Richmond, he'd be in the middle of a war zone, and potentially dead.
Clementine knew she made the right choice. AJ was hers, and she'd always protect him. Forever
The End Of Chapter Seven