Chapter Text
Clementine was beyond surprised to see Jesus standing in front of her. Truth be told she hadn’t thought of him in a while. She had worried about the people she’d left behind in Richmond, Javi and Gabe and Kate were on her mind. She thought of Jesus sometimes but it had been a while, she’d never quite expected him to be dead but she’d never really expected to see him again either. It just kind of went like she supposed, there were so many people she’d lost track of that she just didn’t have time to think of them as often as some of her other friends. Still it was so shocking to see him again, standing right in front of her. Clearly he was a part of the caravan, she couldn’t help but smile at that. She’d been so worried the people her friends met up with would be terrible like the Delta had. She’d sat here worried sick about AJ the whole time he was out of her sight but the nerves lifted when she saw Jesus. He was a good man when last she knew him, and she was sure still was.
“Jesus” She said “You were not what I was expecting to see”
“Is that a good thing?” Jesus asked with a laugh. “Seeing you here, well it’s not what I expected either though I’d say that’s a good thing. Javi was so sure you were out here, living your best life. I would assume that he was onto something?”
“I guess he was” Clementine said “Though I don’t think I’d say that losing my leg was in the plans”
“I see that, I suppose that’s why your friends here have been interrogating Heath about his leg huh?” Jesus leaned back, hands on his hips as he looked Clementine over, his expression softening as he took her in. “I’m glad you’re ok Clementine”
Clementine was about to respond but was interrupted before she could speak, “Sorry to break up the reunion, but who are you?” Violet asked “You know Clem, but how?”
“It’s fine Vi, he’s good,” Clem said, trying to comfort her friend. She understood her fear, the people they’d met before hadn’t been good and Violet didn’t have experience with the good people that were still left. Jesus was one of them though, it would just take some getting to know him for her to see that. “I’ll explain everything.”
“That would be nice” Vi said “Not that I don’t trust you or your friend but your last reunion wasn’t exactly with the best person” She crossed her arms. Jesus looked her over, doing a double take on her face as he took in the wounds that had nearly blinded her. Clementine had grown used to them, something she hadn’t even thought was possible. She knew what it looked like to Jesus though, Violet promised her that the scars looked worse than they felt. She could still see to some degree but was fully blinded in one eye and her vision was impaired in the other. It was something she was struggling to adjust to, something that Clemetine doubted Jesus’s group would have much to be able to help.
“Your face” He said “I’m sorry about that hun, I don’t know what help we can offer you but we can try. We have doctors, we could have one take a look at you”
“What happened to you kids?” Heath asked, coming to stand next to Jesus “You look like you’ve been through war”
“We have” Violet said “The last old friend Clementine reunited with was more interested in dragging us off to fight her war than trading. Forgive me if I’m a little wary of you” She glared at them, guarded against the newcomers.
“She’s the reason you’re hurt?” Jesus asked though it was clear it was more of a statement than a question. Violet just nodded in response “I’m sorry we didn’t find you kids sooner” Jesus said “Your friends told us it was the Delta that did this to you, we have history with them too. We know what they’re like, I’m impressed you managed to fight them off. You’re so young, and there’s so few of you”
“There used to be more” Clementine said “We lost people in the fight” Thoughts of the people they’d lost flitted through her mind, Mitch, Tenn, James. Maybe if Jesus and his group had found them sooner all their friends could have made it here. She couldn’t think like that though, if she let herself get lost in thought about all the friends she’d lost along her journey she’d never be able to keep going. It was something she’d learned along her journey. People were lost, and while you could mourn them you couldn’t let it hold you back.
“I’m sorry you kids had to do that, you’re strong. We’ve brought some supplies we can spare, I can’t invite you into our network just yet we need to vote on it but I’ll put in a good word. The people I’m with are good people, nothing like Lilly. They’ll want to meet you kids but we won’t take over your settlement, we’re not like that.” The kids looked on, still apprehensive but growing more comfortable with the man as he spoke.
“If you want to come with us we’ll take you back to the Hilltop, Maggie would be willing to let you kids in temporarily. We can arrange housing and jobs for anyone who wants them.” Heath said “Medical care too, let us know what you think”
“I’m not leaving” Violet said “I know, that’s probably not what you were expecting to hear but I got hurt protecting this place. My friends died for this place and I’m not giving it up. I know nothing much can be done to fix my eyes and I’ve accepted it. I’m not leaving, not yet”
“Me either” Ruby spoke up “So long as I’ve got friends here I’m staying. This is our home and it has been since things started. I’m sure your community is nice but we weren’t planning on moving, just making some allies”
“That can be done” Jesus said “I just thought I’d offer, Maggie and the other leaders will want to meet you but that can all be arranged later on. For now let’s talk” He turned to Clementine “How about you Clementine, your friends seem keen on staying but you’re welcome to come back with me. Javi would be thrilled to have you and the boy back in Richmond, Gabe’s been asking about you I hear” Clementine considered for only a moment before responding. She missed her old friends but she already knew what her decision was going to be.
“I’m staying” She thought of Gabe, he’d been the first kid her age she’d made friends with in a long time and they’d been close, Javi and Kate too. She missed them all a bunch, had considered going back to them with AJ but things had been bad then. Richmond had been under attack along with the ranch. She didn’t know if it was safe to go back and so she hadn’t. She’d worried about her friends the whole time though and it would be nice to see them again. But this school was important to her, it was the kind of place she wanted AJ to grow up. Richmond and Prescott had been safe but they’d been hard. She didn’t want AJ growing up around so much anger and fear, this school was perfect for him. And besides, she’d grown attached to her friends here, she didn’t want to leave them. She agreed with Violet in that way, she understood that the Jesus’s community probably had more than them but they’d done so much to fight for the school, she wasn’t ready to leave it just yet. “Tell them I’m fine though, I missed them”
“I will” Jesus smiled at her “I understand, you’ve got a pretty tight knit group here. We’ll see what we can do, but for now I’ve brought gifts” He and Heath pulled open the bags they’d brought with them. Inside was some food and basic medicine, the kind of thing that was growing harder and harder to find. “A gift, to show that we mean no harm” Jesus said “And to show what we can offer” He pulled out a fresh apple, something that was also growing harder to find “We have thriving farms, fresh produce and bread.”
“Dude, you’re just gonna make us all hungry” Louis said “We appreciate it though, it’s been a while since we’ve had anything but rabbit and fish”
“We figured, it’s part of why we give gifts like this, a little incentive for trade from reluctant communities” Jesus laughed a little “Though I don’t think that’s a problem we’ll have with you kids, you came right up to us”
“We were ready to reach out” Clementine said “I’m glad it was you”
“Me too” Jesus said “I wondered where you’d ended up, if you’d found the kid” he looked over at AJ then “And I see that you did, found a little more than that to. You kids have something good going for you here, I’m glad you and AJ found this.”
He looked out at the group then, taking in their ragtag community of children. “Take these” He handed off the bags, “I want to talk a little more with Clementine but I won’t hold the rest of you up” Hesitantly Ruby took the bag, checking through the medicines.
“Thank you” She said “We’ve been running low after the fight, this will really help”
“And this food, there’s so much” Willy said “I forgot about bread”
“How do you forget what bread is?” Aasim said “It hasn’t been that long has it?”
“I’m glad you kids are happy with it” Jesus said “There’s more where it came from, we just need to do all the formal stuff first”
He walked over to join Clementine at one of the picnic tables, Heath was caught up talking to the rest of the group as Jesus reunited with his old friend. Violet stayed at the table, AJ and Louis joining her. “They’re staying” Clementine said “My friends probably want to meet you a little more”
“I’ve already met Louis and AJ here” Jesus said “Good kids, both of them” AJ raised an eyebrow, unsure of if he was being teased or not. “You picked good ones,” Jesus said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Violet asked, still a little suspicious of the newcomer.
“Just that some of the groups I’ve run into out there are bad people, it’s getting harder and harder to find the good people in the mix. She did though, all of you seem like good people.”
“Thanks I guess” Violet said “I’m still a little shocked that she knows you, It’s like she knows everyone out there”
“Maybe she does” Louis said “Secretly she’s running this whole thing”
“Yep, you figured it out” Clementine said sarcastically “AJ is my second in command and I’m in charge of everyone.”I planned the whole losing a leg thing and everything you know?”
“I think that one was me” AJ said “It wasn’t your idea” The conversation grew quiet, AJ watched as Louis took ahold of Clem’s arm then. He hated being reminded of how close she’d come to death. Jesus took note of the affection, raising an eyebrow again.
“I see you found more than friendship here Clementine” He said, teasing her.
AJ watched as Clementine blushed, sputtering a little before she responded “What’s that supposed to mean”
“Nothing, I’m happy for you” Jesus said “It’s good, you’ve grown up since I last saw you”
“I…thank you” She said “It really is good to see you again, how have you been?”
Jesus smiled “Good, really good now. It was rough but I made it through. Our community is safe, it’s everything I could ask for” Jesus smirked at her again “Plus it helps that I found more than friendship too”
“Did you?” Clementine asked “Anyone I know?”
“No he’s from one of the other settlements I met along the way, you’d like him though. I still talk with some of the people you knew though. Javi and Gabe aren’t in Richmond anymore but Kate is. She’s helped them build it into something better than it was before. They’re not necessarily part of our network but we don’t attack each other and trade occasionally. Javi and Gabe have moved to Hilltop, Gabe’s apprenticed to the blacksmith there and Javi’s doing well. He patrols sometimes, you’d probably understand that it’s hard to settle down after so long on the run. He’s doing well, he’ll be thrilled to know that you’re still out here. I bet he’ll be one of the first people coming to try and see this place if we make things work”
“Speaking of making things work, what would we need to do?” Violet said “Judging by how you’re talking about your communities, we don't compete at all, you’ve seen all of us and the whole of our settlement. Is there even anything we can offer you to make it worth it?” The teens turned their attention towards Jesus, looking for any signs that the agreements they talked about weren’t going to work out. They’d all been thinking it, they needed help but didn’t have much to give for it, would things even work?
“Look,” Jesus sighed “you’re right that it would be a little one sided but I think we might be able to work something out that makes everyone happy. It would be easiest if you guys assimilated with our preexisting groups but I understand that’s not what everyone here wants and you do things as a group. Plus this place is a good location and pretty well secured. You’re right that it’s not the same scale as some of the other communities we work with but I can already see the ways this place can grow.”
“So what are you thinking?” Clementine said “If we don’t plan on leaving can we count on any help? What you’ve already given is great and knowing that a friendly group is out there if we change our minds about staying is good and all but where do we go from here?”
“Truth be told I don’t know. Likely the others will see this place as a potential break in between other communities but these decisions aren’t fully up to me. We’d need to talk things through and come up with something that everyone feels safe with. That includes you” He gives the teens a look “We operate kind of like you guys do. Our settlements have leaders and we all work together when it comes to making decisions. I personally think you guys would fit right in, but things will probably change.”
“Change how?” Clementine asked “We’re not interested in being taken over, we’re safe the way we’re running things now even if we are young”
“That’s not what I’m talking about” Jesus said “Some of the others in my group might not see it the same as I do but the way I see things you kids are handling yourselves just fine. You’ve all had to grow up in this world, you seem well enough adjusted and I’m not one to try and fix something that isn’t broken. Anything that will happen will be your choice, if you don’t like the terms the others lay out for you you’re welcome to stay here. We won’t intervene, but we won’t be able to offer support either. We can still work on trade but there won’t be the same amount of interaction as there is between the rest of us and we can’t promise to have your back in a fight”
“Ok” Clementine said, feeling a little relieved that there wasn’t a threat of attack like there had been in some of her old communities. It felt like for the past few years there’d always been a struggle wherever she went. Someone always wanting full control, people wanting what others had. Part of what had drawn her to Ericson’s was that there was none of that. Everyone was close, no one tried to take control of the way things were run and with the Delta gone they were safe from outside forces. Changing that was going to be difficult, maybe it wouldn’t even work out. If Jesus was telling the truth though, and knowing him she was pretty sure he was, then they had a choice in anything that might happen. If the terms weren’t what they needed to stay safe they could turn them down. That was equal parts good and bad she supposed. She wanted things to work out but would they? This was turning out to be far more complicated than she first expected. “I think that works for me, what about you guys?” She turned to Violet and Louis, searching for their answers.
“As long as we have a choice it’s fine” Violet said “I don’t know that it’ll work out, I’m not interested in moving a bunch of people we don’t know into the school. Maybe it would help us to have more people but everyone here is someone we can trust and I don’t know that I’m ready to bring someone I don’t into the mix. It wouldn’t be safe, not with the kids here”
“I agree” Louis said “Maybe if someone was just stay temporarily it would be fine but I don’t know that I could trust someone who hasn’t been here the whole time”
“Clementine hasn’t been here the whole time and you seem to trust her just fine” Jesus said with a wink “Though I get what you mean, you haven’t run into that many people out here. The few you have haven’t been good to you so it’s hard for you to have faith in other people. I was the same way when I first met some of my closest friends, it gets easier with time.”
“I don’t know that it does” Clementine said “I’ve met a lot of people out there and only some of the them were good”
“You were able to trust me weren’t you?” Jesus asked “And all your friends here. Not to mention Javi and his family. Seems to me like you’re pretty good with finding the people you can trust”
“Maybe” Clementine said, looking down “Though I don’t think I always make the right choice. I trusted Lilly once, clearly that was wrong”
Louis put a hand on her arm, steadying her “She wasn’t always bad” he comforted “And you were young when you met, she protected you then. People change but there’s no way you could have known what she’d become”
“Still, she was never good” Clementine said “She was just good to me, she was always looking out for herself above everyone else.”
“You aren’t bad to trust someone” AJ said “And can’t blame yourself for what happened to James, neither of us can” He recalled their friend and the choice they’d made that had lead to his death. “He trusted her and she betrayed him”
“I know, I just..I wish I’d done something. I wish she hadn’t gotten away. He’d have hated hurting her but at least he’d have been alive.”
Jesus sighed heavily “There’s a lot of people like that out there, but we’ve found a bunch who are still good, who still believe in the future and want to work for it. We’ve got schools, libraries, and a community. I’d like very much for you to join us.”
“Maybe someday” Clementine said, smiling at him “I would like for AJ to go to school I guess but we just found a home after so long of searching, I’m not sure I want to leave just yet”
“I don’t care about school I want to stay here” AJ said, aware that he was starting to sound like the child he was “You said we could stay, you said this was our home”
“It is,” Clementine said. “And we’re not leaving yet, I just said that I’d like for you to be able to go to school.”
“I understand your hesitancy, still the offer is here if you ever change your mind, any of you” Jesus rose then “I’ll go catch up with Heath, make sure he’s doing fine. It’s really nice to see you again Clementine, I always knew you were out here making a place for yourself.” Clementine watched as he walked back towards his friend who was still swarmed by the rest of their friends. Clementine was conflicted, she hadn’t expected to see her old friend again and him talking about Javi and his family had reminded her of the friends she’d left behind in Richmond. She missed them but it hadn’t been safe to return after she’d found AJ, still hearing they were alive and doing well was nice. She wanted to see them again but wasn’t sure she was ready to leave Ericson’s just yet.
“Go along with him and see what everyone else is up to” Clementine said to AJ.
Louis’s comforting hand on her shoulder hadn’t moved and Violet had reached out to take her hand. She was so glad to have such caring people around her, she couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend or best friend.
“So what do you think?” Violet asked “Still think this is a good idea”
“I do” Clementine said “Though I have to admit I’m a little terrified right now. We’re gonna have to tell the others about this.”
“It could be good” Louis said “To have connections. I don’t really want to leave the school right now but think about it, these communities he’s talking about sound pretty good.”
“Yeah” Violet said sadly “I think I’d miss this though, it’s funny if you’d asked me years ago I’d have wanted nothing more than to get out of this school and into some community like the ones Jesus is talking about but now I can’t even think about leaving”
“It’s home” Louis said “It’s what we’ve been fighting to protect this whole time, leaving it if we ever choose to is going to be hard”
“Jesus said they have schools” Clementine started “It might be better there for AJ, more kids for him to play with and an opportunity to be an actual kid. Do you think keeping him here is the right choice?” She looked over at her friends, feeling conflicted.
“He’s happy here” Violet said “He has a home here, I don’t think he’d want to leave”
“I know, it’s just…am I doing the right thing or doing what I want to?” Clementine said “I don’t want to leave you guys but I need to take care of him as best as I can”
“You wouldn’t be leaving us” Louis said then “If you go I go with you”
“Louis, that wouldn’t need to happen” Clementine said “I couldn’t ask you to leave you home”
“You wouldn’t need to” He said plainly “I’m not losing you. Besides, we don’t need to choose right now, Jesus said we had time”
“Yeah” Clementine said, feeling herself relax a little “I guess we should agree to meet the other leaders of their group and figure things out”
“It could work” Violet said, her voice a little over a whisper “It really could, I don’t want to get my hopes up but this might be the best thing that’s happened to us in a while.”