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Previously, on The Sun Will Be Rising Soon...

While searching for a place to call home, (Y/N), AJ and I found an old boarding school, run by kids, deep in the forest.

Marlon gestures around to the school, a smile on his face as Clement looks around with uncertainty, a bandage around his head.

...

Their leader was a guy named Marlon. When (Y/N) found out the truth about the twins from Brody, he killed her and tried to blame (Y/N).

Marlon looks around with fearful eyes, (Y/N) standing in front of him with an angry, hurt look as Clement glares at him sharply.

We talked him down, but then he was shot dead.

A bullet goes through Marlon's forehead, right between his eyes.

And AJ was the one who pulled the trigger.

AJ stands a few feet from the group, a frown of confusion on his face at their horror.

...

(Y/N) and I told AJ what he'd done was murder. That he'd have to atone for it.

Clement stands besides (Y/N) in their room, AJ behind them with a frown of guilt.

The other kids agreed. But... they voted to kick us out.

Violet scowls at the floor, Louis standing off to the side with a far off look with his arms folded over his chest.

...

I thought we would never return. Then...

Clement had a snarl on his face as a boot was planted against the back of his head, his hand on the gravel besides it.

We were attacked by Abel, one of the raiders Marlon had given the twins to.

(Y/N) was knocked to the ground by Abel, AJ hit as well as Clement refrains from acting rash.

He was with someone (Y/N) and I thought we'd never see again.

(Y/N) darts for the mystery woman as she harms Clement, making her swiftly turn and bash her elbow against her face and knock her down. Clement tries to move as well, making the woman apply more pressure to her foot as AJ yells her name and Clement's.

Lilly.

(Y/N) looks up with a hiss of pain, Lilly looking down the barrel of her gun back at her.

...

We escaped them, and (Y/N) was badly injured. AJ and I did our best to protect her from the walkers that showed up, when suddenly...

Clement goes to attack another walker, one of them grabbing him with a hand clamped over his mouth.

One of them spoke to me. His name was James, an ex-Whisperer who didn't believe in killing walkers.

...

They sit around the fire, James staring down at it quietly with his mask on the log beside him.

He helped me treat (Y/N), but without real medicine, she wouldn't make it. I couldn't stand the thought of losing her, so we went back.

...

The kids didn't turn away the sad sight of (Y/N), and let us back inside.

Clement stands outside the gates of the school with (Y/N) in his arms, AJ yelling for help a few feet ahead.

I told them how we could defend the school against the raiders, and they were willing to let us stay. At least until the fight.

...

(Y/N) and Clement inspect the halls of the school, the soft glow of the candles illuminating the area around them.

Seeing how beautiful she looked made my heart race, and all my feelings finally spilled over after years of trying to hide them.

Clement and (Y/N) share a kiss, (Y/N)'s eyes wide in surprise and Clement's face red as he holds the hat over her head to hide his flustered state.

And... she felt the same way about me.3

(Y/N) laughs tearfully with a big smile on her face, Clement gently cupping her cheek as he leans his forehead against hers.

Everything was perfect.

...

But then... the raiders finally came.

Lilly arrives with her soldiers at her sides, a glare on her face.

They busted open our gates, but the kids stayed hidden as planned.

...

Tenn slowly rises from his spot, walking over to Lilly with uneasy steps.

Until Tenn ran out of cover, hoping for a chance to learn about his missing sisters.

...

The bomb explodes under the cart, catching the raiders off guard and knocking Lilly and Tenn to the ground.

The bomb went off, and attempting to save Tenn, Mitch threw himself at Lilly, and got a knife to the throat.

Mitch charges Lilly as she rises, her instincts taking over as she swiftly unsheathes her knife and pierces it upwards through Mitch's throat.

...

I saved (Y/N) as one of the raiders tried to drag her off, but didn't have time to save Louis.

(Y/N) runs back over to Clement, the two holding one another in a tight embrace of relief.

...

They got away with three of our friends. And we had no idea where they'd gone.

Lilly stares at the two with an unreadable look on her face, a scowl replacing it as she turns and runs off into the night after her people.

...

But we knew someone who did.

Abel looks up fearfully, the group of kids surrounding him with dark glares of hatred and disgust.

...
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The sun was rising in the distance, remains of smoke in the air but the fires long put out. Corpses of walkers littered the courtyard, crows cawing as they fly overhead.

(Y/N) looks around with a quiet sigh, Clement dragging one the walker corpses into a pile off in the corner. He had dragged quite a few over with her help, more still to be taken care of.

He wipes his hands along his pants in disgust as he releases the walker, adjusting the brim of his hat as he joins (Y/N)'s side.

"What d'ya think? Break time?" he questions softly, rolling his shoulder lightly.

(Y/N) slowly nods, looking up at him with a small smile. "Yeah."

The two stand side by side in a comfortable silence as they look around, Clement reaching his pinking out and looping it with hers.

She smiles at his shyness, opening her hand fully and taking his into it with a light squeeze as he grins to himself while looking down.

Soft sniffling gets their attention, Willy on his knees next to Mitch's corpse and gripping his hand.

"Mitch..." Willy whimpers as tears roll down his cheeks, his bottom lip trembling. "I... I..."

He starts to sob a bit louder as (Y/N) watches sadly, Clement sighing through his nose with sympathetic eyes. Clement glances over his shoulder when he feels eyes on him, Ruby looking over with a shovel in hand. She looks down with a sigh, her eyes a bit red from crying earlier as she continues to dig a grave for Mitch.

(Y/N) tugs on Clement's hand as she starts to walk towards Willy, making him follow.

"At the start..." Willy starts weakly, noticing the two approaching. "I-- I was so little. And... Mitch looked after me."

(Y/N) releases Clement's hand as she squats down besides Willy, placing a comforting hand on his back as he sniffles harshly.

"People said he was a dick sometimes, but he was always nice to me," he continues with a trembling voice, wiping his red nose with his wrist. "And now... now he's gone. Stabbed in the eye by some asshole who never even knew his name!"

"Mitch was a good guy," (Y/N) softly speaks, looking down at Mitch's face with grief. "He came to check on me a few times with Ruby when I was resting. Even if he acted annoyed whenever he visited, I thought I could see concern in his eyes. At least a little."

She turns her head to Willy, making him look up at her with tearful eyes. "One thing I do know, is that he cared about you, Willy. He'd want you to live on and keep fighting, so his sacrifice wasn't in vain."

"I know that," Willy's voice breaks as he shakes his head. "Doesn't make it any easier."

"It doesn't," Clement agrees with furrowed brows, the two looking up at him. "But Mitch would want us to find our friends and bring them home safe. That's what he was fighting for. His friends and for you, Willy."

Willy looks down with a glare, "and he'd want us to kill the people who took them."

"Hey," Violet softly calls as she approaches, making (Y/N) rise and turn to her with Clement. "AJ's waiting for you in the basement. We got Abel tied up tight. He's alive, but he's out cold."

"Okay," (Y/N) sighs out as she nods, watching Ruby and Tenn walk over.

Ruby nods to Violet with sorrowful eyes, making her nod back with a sigh as she kneels down besides Willy.

"We should bury Mitch," she speaks quietly to Willy, Willy turning to her with Mitch's hand still in his. "It's time."

Willy doesn't reply, but nods solemnly as he shakily breathes out.

Tenn swallows thickly as he slowly walks over, "I'll help you carry--"

"Get away from him!" Willy screams furiously as he rises swiftly, shoving Tenn away as he yelps and falls backwards. "You're the reason he's dead!"

"Willy!" Ruby exclaims in shock, shaking her head.

"Well, it's true!" Willy shouts back with a scowl, tears in his eyes once more. "We had a plan and that idiot messed it up!"

"Come on, Willy! None of this is Tenn's fault," Clement firmly intervenes, shaking his head in disapproval. "You know who's really to blame."1

(Y/N) walks over to Tenn, offering her hand to him with a small frown.

"I can't believe you're defending him!" Willy yells in disbelief, his hands balling into fists at his sides in anger. "This-- This is bullshit!"

She helps Tenn up, Tenn's eyes wide as he stares at the floor, unblinking. Tenn quickly snatches his hand back from (Y/N), turning and racing away.

"Tenn!" Ruby calls after the boy, sighing in exasperation.

"I'll take care of this," Violet says, stopping (Y/N) as she goes to follow Tenn. "You and Clement go talk to Abel. Find out where Lilly took Louis, Omar and Aasim."

Clement nods, (Y/N) looking towards the basement doors.

"And, uh... don't be afraid to, you know, hurt him a little," she continues with narrowed eyes. "Maybe you guys'll get more out of him than we did."

With that, she turns and heads off to find Tenn, leaving the two alone.

...

"You okay being back down here?" Clement questions with concern as he holds the iron door open for (Y/N), watching her closely.

She sets her foot on the first step, her eyes fixated on the blood at the bottom of the steps where she had killed the walker Brody. "Yeah. I'll... be fine, Clem."

Clement doesn't push it further, nodding as he enters after her. He pauses to look over a school flag and a etch the sketch toy, making a mental note to come back for the items to put in their room later on.

(Y/N) looks around the basement as she walks ahead, coming to a stop in front of another pool of blood on the floor.

"Damn," Clement mutters under his breath, looking down at it with wide eyes. "Is... that...?"

"Yeah," (Y/N) confirms quietly. "That's where Marlon..."5

She doesn't continue, Clement nodding with a frown and furrowed brows. Clement's arm wraps around her shoulders in a comforting manner, (Y/N) feeling a sense of relief as they continue.

Rosie was laying down a few paces away, her head raising as she softly huffs at the sight of the two. Her tail wags swiftly as (Y/N) leans down a bit, setting her hand over her head and lightly rubbing at her ears.

Clement chuckles softly at the sight as he leans over as well, giving Rosie's head a soft pat. "Thanks for helping out last night."

Rosie snorts quietly as she pants, enjoying the attention she was receiving.

(?) Rosie is your dog now

The sound of AJ popping open the break action of his gun repeatedly could be heard a few paces away, AJ snapping it shut before repeating the process and spinning the cartridge around.

(Y/N) spots him sitting down on a chair in front of an unconscious Abel, a glare on his face as he watches the man.

"Got you gun back, huh?" Clement comments as he approaches with her, AJ not looking up as he nods.

"Uh huh."

AJ pops open the break action once more, spinning the cartridge before shutting it and stopping completely. The three were caught in a brief silence, (Y/N) staring at Abel with an uncertain expression as her hand settles on her old injury. Abel was retrained to a chair, his arms behind his back and bound together and face bloodied and bruised.

"Well..." (Y/N) sighs as she lowers her hand, rubbing the back of her neck with her other. "Guess we should wake him. Question is, how?"

Clement steps forward with a blank look on his face, making (Y/N) look at him curiously as he approaches Abel. She jumps in alarm when Clement swiftly raises his hand back, delivering a sharp punch to Abel's cheek.

It works, Abel jolting awake with a sputtering gasp.

"The fuck?!" he wheezes out, panting heavily as he looks around with wide eyes.

Clement steps back to (Y/N)'s side with his arms folded over his chest, AJ rising from his seat and remaining silent as he glares at Abel.

"Well," Abel pauses, turning his head and spitting some blood onto the floor. "That ain't no way to wake an old man from his afternoon nap. I was having a nice dream, too," he sighs dramatically, "about a girl I used to know, from before."

He lowly laughs, "also had me tied up, but I wasn't her prisoner, if you get my meaning."7

(Y/N)'s nose crinkles at this, Clement's eyes flicking up to the ceiling in exasperation as AJ's brows furrow a bit in confusion. He looks to (Y/N) for an answer, but she simply shakes her head for him to ignore his words.

Abel coughs violently, nearly gagging a bit as he shifts in the school seat he was in.

"Got any water?"

AJ glances towards the water jug on the floor, slowly walking over to it and picking it up. He approaches Abel as Clement watches closely, (Y/N)'s eyes sharp as she watches for any sudden movements from the man as well.

"Drink." was all AJ said, raising the jug towards Abel's mouth.

"You've got good manners, squirt," Abel quietly chuckles, his voice seeming to rattle a bit as he spoke. "Don't mind if I do."

Abel greedily gulps at the water, some of the water rolling down his chin and turning a soft shade of pink from the blood smeared across his face. He sighs in relief as AJ lowers the jug away, his eyes shutting as he pants a bit with his brows furrowed in pain.

"You've had your water," Clement firmly speaks up, making Abel look up to him. "Now it's time to talk."

Abel snorts with a head shake, "this your first time interrogating someone, isn't it?"

The two don't reply, making him scoff a bit with an amused, yet somewhat fond smile.

"You let me dictate the agenda, makes me think you're weak," he explains, shaking his head once more.

Rosie's head raises as Abel speaks, a low snarl sounding from her as her lip curls up and reveals her sharp canines.

"Look," (Y/N) starts, shaking her head in annoyance at his amusement. "This doesn't even need to be an interrogation. Just tell us where Lilly took our friends."

Abel doesn't reply for a moment, weakly shrugging as he looks down. "Doesn't matter. Soon as she gets there, she's gonna turn around and come right back for me."

He grins cockily, raising his head up to glare between (Y/N) and Clement. "So you better give me the five star treatment. If I'm smiling when she gets here, you might be able to trade me for a little mercy," his smile falls as he scowls. "We underestimated you little shits, but Lilly won't make the same mistake twice. She'll be back. Trust me. She can't afford to leave anyone behind."

(Y/N) scoffs under her breath, "did you not hear her yell before she ran off with our friends? She said, 'we cut our losses.' She abandoned you, Abel."

"And just look at the state you're in," Clement adds on with a musing chuckle, lowering his arms from his chest. "You're worthless to her now."

Abel scowls, though a bit of fear at their words creeps into his eyes as he gruffly replies, "I can heal."

"No one is coming for you," (Y/N) repeats, her voice raising a bit as she waves her hand horizontally for emphasis. "It's just you here alone with a really pissed off group of teens and kids out there who all would love nothing more than to see you dead."

She winces ever so slightly, a pinch of pain going along her side from her movement as she exhales slowly through clenched teeth.

"So tell us where our friends are. You trade it... for mercy," AJ mocks Abel's words from earlier, smiling with narrowed eyes.

Abel gurgles another cough, leaning forward a bit. "Lilly will never give 'em up."

He sighs softly as he looks down, "only reason we came here was for more manpower."

Clement reaches behind him, grabbing the wooden chair AJ was previously sitting on and tugging it behind (Y/N). Honestly, she wasn't even surprised he noticed her wince as she slowly sits down, feeling some relief.

"Losing Yonatan and me..." Abel bitterly murmurs, shaking his head with a pained glare. "For three sprouts who can barely hold a gun... even a dummy like me can do the math on that one."

"Well, she'll have to deal with losing you two and her three 'recruits.' Because we're getting them back," (Y/N) confidently replies, a set frown on her face. "But one thing I don't understand is why you even need recruits for your community."

"They just want more power over others," Clement scoffs, glaring down at Abel in disgust.

Abel's lip curls up in a snarl, "you don't know what it's like out there! It's a blood bath, one community against another, from Richmond to the coast."

(Y/N)'s eyes widen a bit at the mention of Richmond, Javier's face flashing in her mind briefly along with Kate and Gabe. She felt sadness creep into her heart at the thought of the trio, hoping they were all right.

"Back at the Delta, we're at war," Abel continues in a raspy voice, his breathing a bit uneven. "With some really sick fucks who make me look like the Virgin Mary," he takes a deep breath, expression earnest. "We need people to fight it. Soldiers who do what we say. Point the guns the way we tell them to. You little turds were supposed to be easy pickings."

Clement exhales sharply, "we don't give a shit about your war. Or your fucking Delta."

"And these are people!" (Y/N) agrees in disbelief, shaking her head. "They're not mindless beings that'll just do what you say because you threaten them or take them from their homes!"

"You think we like doing raids like this?" Abel demands, his eyebrows furrowed together. "Our home is under threat. It's a good home. Built to last. I'd do a lot to protect it."

He looks around for a moment, his eyes darting between Clement and (Y/N).

"Maybe you two can understand that."

"We'd do a lot to get our friends back," Clement takes an intimidating step forward, making Abel lean back a bit. "So stop wasting our time!"

Abel looks up at him for a few moments, sighing deeply as he slumps back in the seat. "Okay. Front pocket. The answer to all your questions."

Clement and (Y/N) exchange a skeptical look, but he obliges, reaching over and carefully grasping the item in Abel's front pocket.

"Read it."

He looks over the rolled up bible page, sighing harshly in irritation. "Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat."

(Y/N) frowns in confusion as she looks from Clement to Abel, "the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Yeah, what the fuck? Is this code?" Clement demands, waving the rolled bible page with a scowl.

"No, it's fucking Leviticus," Abel responds with a snort, sighing in disappointment. "I was hoping it'd be some timely moralistic shit about turning the other cheek."

Clement's eye twitches at this as (Y/N)'s expression becomes a blank, annoyed one, AJ continuing to scowl as he watches Abel.

"Well, c'mon! That thing isn't gonna light itself," Abel nods towards the bible page, a musing smile on his face. "Wanna know where your friends are? A smoke'll clear my mind. Help me remember stuff. Like where Lilly went."

(Y/N) opens her mouth to snap at the man, but pauses when Clement glances over his shoulder and gives her a reassuring head shake and a small smile.

(?) Abel noticed that

He takes his lighter out of his pocket, his smile gone and replaced with a calm exterior as he lights the end of the bible page.

Clement smiles in a friendly manner as he raises it towards Abel's mouth, swiftly diverting it at the last moment and putting the fire out on the wooden desk portion attached to the chair.

"Oops," he mockingly says, lowering himself eye level to Abel with a challenging smirk.

Abel's eyes widen as he thrashes against his bindings, Clement standing back upright and backing up to (Y/N)'s side.

"You little fucker!" he roars as he shifts in the seat, pausing with a sharp gasp as he begins to cough.

His coughing sounds gurgled, almost like he was choking as he struggles to catch his breath.

"Fucking...!"

Abel gasps for air as he hacks a bit, sputtering before lurching forward as blood pours from his mouth and onto the desk.

(Y/N)'s brows raise in surprise at the action, Clement stepping further back with his hands slightly raised in alarm as AJ jumps a bit.

Abel throws up a bit more blood, panting heavily and wheezing as he catches his breath. "Shit."

"That's a lot of blood," AJ points out, wincing as he looks at the crimson substance on the desk.

Abel's eyes were wide and panicked as he shakes his head, panting heavily. "Oh, fuck... this is... not good..."

"He's gonna die, isn't he?" AJ questions as he moves to Clement's side, frowning and peering up at him.

(Y/N) sighs through her nose as she rises from the chair, her arms loosely folded under her chest. "Well... we can... I don't know. We have supplies, so we could probably patch him up."

Abel spits blood from his mouth, some dripping down his chin as he smiles bitterly. "Don't think so, girly. When... when he pushed me off that balcony, something must've burst inside of me."

He shakes his head, his eyes flicking down in sadness and fear. "No medicine can fix this."

Only his wheezy breathing could be heard, his eyes falling shut as he sighs.

"Shit. I never... wanted things to end like this," he admits weakly, his voice coarse. "Everything... it all got out of hand. Now look at me. I'm a fucking mess."

AJ's face hardens in concern as he turns to (Y/N). "Will he turn?"

Before she could answer, the trio were surprised by Abel shouting.

"No!"

Abel winces in pain from his outburst as he leans back in the chair, his breathing labored.

"My... my whole life, everything I ever got, I got with my own two hands, and... and my will," his words were spaced out as he struggled to continue speaking, unable to catch his breath. "For my body turn on me... to take control..."

His body trembles in fear at the thought as he looks up at Clement with pleading eyes, "I'll tell you where to find Lilly! Just promise you won't let me turn! I'm begging you!"

"How can we trust what you even say?" (Y/N) demands with a wary look, "you could just tell us what you think we want to hear, and after we kill you, we're screwed if it turns out you were lying."

Clement stares back silently with his hands on his hips, neither agreeing or disagreeing as he watches sweat drip from Abel's temple.

"You... you're not serious," Abel whispers to himself in horror, shaking his head frantically. "You're not gonna let me become... one of those things!"

(Y/N) exchanges a silent look with Clement, Clement's arms folding over his chest as he continues to remain quiet.

"What if they..." Abel shakily speaks, swallowing thickly. "What if they can feel it... when they turn?!"

"Sorry, but (Y/N)'s right," Clement shrugs with a forced sigh, feigning sympathy. "We can't trust a damn thing you say right now. So... I guess you'll find the answer to your fears in a matter of time. Who knows what happens when you pass? Maybe you just end up trapped in your walker self. Along for the ride."

AJ's eyes widen at this, "there are people trapped inside walkers?"

Abel looked like a frightened animal as he nods rapidly. "Yeah-- yeah, that's why you put a bullet in 'em if they're gonna turn!"

AJ looks up at (Y/N) for confirmation, (Y/N) subtly shaking her head in disagreement as his face lights up in realization they were only trying to scare him.

"Or maybe that's why you let them," Clement curtly threatens, glaring down Abel.

Abel's breathing picks up as he looks down, nodding slowly. "Okay... okay. In my boot. You'll find a paper with everything you need to know."

Clement watches Abel as he kneels down slowly, grabbing his boot and sliding it off.

"We have a boat," Abel explains quickly, sniffling as blood starts to leak from his nose. "That paper shows the miles to the nearest stops."

Clement reaches into the boot, cringing a bit at the warmth and the smell as he takes a folded piece of paper out.

"Those words, they're city names," Abel continues, watching Clement as he rises and unfolds the paper. "Use 'em like a call and response... to make sure we don't go shooting our own. Only one we use these days is Rockingham."

"Rockingham," (Y/N) repeats softly to herself, committing it to memory as Clement hands her the paper to look over.

"I can't believe you actually got me to give that up..." Abel whispers in disappointment towards himself, shaking his head.

His chest rattles with another series of coughs as he gasps for air, his eyes watering a bit as he pants.

"You got what you wanted," he manages out, his head lulling side to side as he struggles to remain upright. "Please. Don't let me become one of those things! Please..." he begins to sob softly, tears falling from his eyes. "I don't want to turn..."

(Y/N) breathes out her nose deeply as she turns to AJ, holding out her hand for his gun. AJ offers it towards her, but Abel speaking stops them.

"Not that," Abel's breaths become more shallow as he stares at the gun, shaking his head. "I want to... let me keep my face."

Clement steps back as (Y/N) slowly approaches Abel, unsheathing her machete and holding the tip an inch from Abel's temple. She pauses, glancing over her shoulder to AJ with a conflicted expression.

Clement notices, his gaze following hers to his side to AJ. "You don't need to watch this."

"You don't," (Y/N) quietly agrees, shaking her head.

AJ's face shows surprise briefly before he becomes serious once more. "I want to."

(Y/N) focus returns to Abel as she lifts her hand, setting it against the right side of his head. She raises her machete once more, pausing for a moment to look down at Abel. He looked afraid and lost, but also relieved that he wouldn't become a walker.

He nods and closes his eyes, (Y/N) swiftly piercing her blade through the side of his head in a smooth motion. AJ watches with wide eyes as blood gushes from Abel's temple, his body convulsing for a few seconds before he goes slack, dead.

She pulls her machete free and flings Abel's blood from the blade, a solemn look on her face as she sheathes the weapon behind her. Clement sets a hand between her shoulder blades, nodding to her with a comforting smile.

(?) AJ looks to you and Clement for guidance in this world

"At least he can't hurt anyone any more," AJ speaks after a moment of silence, walking over and looking up at the two.

"He's right," Clement agrees, watching the side of her face.

(Y/N) slowly nods, looking to them with a small smile. "Yeah."

(?) You taught him that sometimes death is a mercy

AJ stares at Abel's corpse with an unreadable expression, jumping lightly when Clement sets a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on," he softly urges, leading him away from the sight as (Y/N) walks in front. "We have a boat to find."

(Y/N) softly whistles for Rosie to follow, Rosie rising with a quiet bark as she pads over with her tail wagging. AJ walks at Clement's side, looking over his shoulder to Abel's corpse and watching it until it was out of sight.

...
..
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