The trio arrived at the front gates of a town, it looked huge to Javier's eyes. He had deliberately avoided settlements with his family for years, for fear of what might happen. He looked around at the big gates which were closing as walkers swarmed the area.

"There get to the gate" Y/N yelled, pulling his handgun and firing off at four close walkers, dropping them all.

"Just keep going! They'll open up!" Clementine yelled as well as she fired off four rounds with her shotgun.

Javier dodged a nearby walker and snapped "shit" before blowing it away. The trio arrived at the gates just as they closed.

"Hey, open up!" Y/N yelled, smashing his fist against the metal gate. A man fired from above and yelled down to the trio:

"I can't open the gate 'til you clear them out! Can't risk it!"

"We're doing it the hard way then" Y/N growled, opening up on the four closest walkers. He looked to his right as he ran out of bullets in his mag, not having time to reload and instead pulled his hatchet, throwing it towards Javi's head. Javi was firing at walkers and jumped, seeing the hatchet fly passed his nose before hearing it lodge in something and a body drop. He quickly looked to see a walker on the ground just a foot from him he hadn't even seen.

"Thanks" he said as Y/N rushed passed, picked up the hatchet and drilled it into the next walker that approached.

"No worries, I'll take this side" Y/N replied, working his way quickly through half a dozen walkers. On Javier's other side Clementine had switched from her shotgun to her hand gun. She fired a shot off before the gun malfunctioned. She yelled out angrily:

"Fuck! These bullets won't fire!"

The walker she had been aiming at got to Clementine and grabbed her, and she groaned and struggled with it, keeping it at arms length as she yelled:

"Y/N!"

He turned, a dozen feet away and blood splattered and his eyes opened wide in terror.

"Clemmy, Clemmy No!" he yelled as he rushed forward, the walker dropping from a bullet Javier shot into it's skull. Clementine threw the now dead walker to the ground as Y/N rushed passed Javier to her, Javi hearing "thank you, thank you" as he passed. Just as Y/N got to Clementine and checked her, Clem smiling and reassuring her boyfriend with "still not bitten" the man from above opened the gates and yelled:

"Get your asses inside! Come on, now!"

The man fired at the walkers while Clementine, Y/N and Javier entered the gates. As they rushed in Y/N noticed an AR 15 magazine hanging from Tripp's back pocket, about to drop out. He quickly grabbed it and hid it in his own back pocket, hiding it with his jumper. Moments later a woman rushed through on horseback, just as the gates shut.

"Whoa, there!" the woman chuckled as she pulled up on the reigns above six foot from the others.

"God effin' damn it, Francine. One of these days those doors are gonna close and your ass'll be on the other side!" The gatekeeper yelled. Javier looked at him, he was tall and muscular, about 6'3" and definitely had an air of authority about him. Francine answered:

"Yeah. And when that day comes, Tripp, I promise... I'll eat you first. Oh if it isn't my favourite little hellraiser" she smiled at Y/N before riding off.

Tripp turned around and saw who had entered his town and sighed "God effing damn it" to himself again.

"Clementine, Y/N. You two staying a while this time?"

"No. Once the walkers pass, we're taking this guy to a junkyard off the highway" Clementine replied. Javier could swear he saw a look of relief grow on Tripp's face before he added:

"My family might be trapped there. Hiding from some very bad dudes."

Tripp offered him a look of sadness and replied:

"Well, shit. I am truly sorry to hear that. This herd rolled in pretty quick. We're hoping it's gone just as fast. So... just keep your heads down, and steer clear of trouble, please? For the love of God. There's too much going on outside the walls tonight" Tripp answered, looking straight into Y/N's eyes.

"We'll be cool" Javier replied, Tripp quickly adding:

"I'm glad, and I will hold you to that, but I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to your boy."

They both looked at Y/N who chuckled.

"I promise I won't kill anyone... who doesn't give me a reason."

Tripp sighed again as Clem looked up to the heavens and shook her head.

"I'll try my best, come on you. Thanks Tripp" she replied as she pulled Y/N away by the hand.

Javier looked between the two before nodding to Tripp and following the pair.

Clementine smiled happily as she interlocked her and Y/N's fingers. The two walking through the town as Javier caught up. She turned to the man with a smile.

"Well, welcome to Prescott. It's a pretty cool place, actually. Built from an old airstrip, I guess. The people, on the other hand, they're not my favorite. Usually, we're in and out as quick as we can manage. Not exactly an option this time, though..."

"Yeah, I take it you two have a history here? Javier asked.

"Sometimes dickheads like to run their mouths. Sometimes they do it to the wrong person" Y/N replied as numerous people greeted the couple on their way through. Javier stopped and turned, looking at the inner gates of Prescott close. Clementine noticed and pulled Y/N to a stop.

"Hey, Javi. What's up?" she asked.

"My family... They're still out there..." he answered sadly. Clementine understood his fear.

"If you guys made it this long, I'm sure, you know... they'll know what to do" she replied.

"Hopefully" Javier nodded.

"Let's go. This way. I gotta see a guy about some bullets" Clementine added. The three walked forward and entered a bar. There were about half a dozen patrons spread out around the place.

"Babe?" Y/N asked, Clementine shaking her head.

"I made the deal, I'll deal with him. I'll call you if I need you" she responded, cupping Y/N's face and leaning up to kiss him.

"Alright, I'll get a drink" Y/N replied, walking off from the other two. He got to the bar where the woman from the gate was playing cards with the man behind the bar.

"Oh shit. You here to smash up my bar again?" The bartender asked with a look of worry.

"You got any guys in tonight who want to run their mouth and hit on teenage girls?" Y/N fired back with a smirk. Before the bartender could answer Y/N continued:

"Relax I just want a drink"

The man sighed and picked up a yellowish jug. Y/N looked at him like he was stupid and Francine laughed and added:

"Come on Conrad, you know he likes the hard stuff."

Conrad grizzled before picking up a brown jug and a glass, pouring a drink Y/N downed in a single hit with no reaction. Conrad turned before Y/N stopped him, placing an AR magazine on the bar he pulled from his back pocket and replied:

"Leave the bottle."

Conrad looked at him and asked:

"You promise you won't kill anyone in my bar?"

Y/N exhaled excessively, in annoyance, and replied:

"I promise I won't kill anyone in your bar."

Conrad nodded before turning and returning to his card game.

--~--

Javier watched Y/N walk away from the pair and then looked around, taking in his surroundings properly.

"Jeez. I haven't been in a place like this since..well, you know. It's just like the old days."

"Yeah. Listen, I gotta take care of something. Hang tight" Clementine replied.

"Wait, wait. What should I do?" Javier asked.

"I don't know, why don't you... make some friends?" Clementine replied before she walked off into a side room that attached to the bar.

Javier watched her go before looking around. He spotted Y/N leaning on the bar having a drink, and the woman from the front gate playing cards with the bar tender a couple of metres away. He approached the pair.

"Play your hand. You're gonna lose, but you don't have to do it in slow motion" Francine said to the man behind the bar.

"Don't try and rush me. I know your game" he replied. Javier approached and politely interrupted.

"Ah... Excuse me..."

The woman turned and smiled: "Ah, you again... You got some moves, I'll give you that. I'm Francine, this is Conrad."

"Hold on a minute. Don't I know you from somewhere?" Conrad replied before Javier could, his eyes suddenly lighting up in recognition:

"García. Javier García. For what it's worth, I think you got screwed on the gambling thing. A lifetime ban... shit. Shoulda had a twenty-year career. Way I see it, nothing wrong with betting on yourself to win"

"And that got a lifetime ban?" Francine asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I got screwed. And thanks man, most players backed themselves to win, kind of the ego thing around ball players you know. The league just wanted to set an example and I was the poor bastard they used to do it on."

"Damn. Anyway, like she said I'm Conrad. This here's Francine."

"He runs the place. I just take his money" Francine chuckled.

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm just lettin' you win"

Francine chuckled: "Huh... Actually, if you're the gambling type... Game's poker. Five card stud."

"I'll raise ya" Conrad smirked, throwing a couple more bullets into the stack between the two.

"What do you think? Should I call or should I fold?" Francine asked, showing her hand to Javier.

"Hmm... Don't get too intimidated. I lose more often than I care to admit. Though all it takes is one good hand..." Conrad smirked.

"He's bluffing. He's got bullshit written all over him" Javier smirked after looking at Francine's hand and Conrad's face.

"Is that a fact?" Conrad chuckled.

"I think I'll listen to the man. Call" Francine said as she smirked across at her boyfriend. He chuckled: "Moment of truth. Flip em."

Francine showed her hand and Conrad chuckled: "Oh, my. Ain't that a pretty sight" before showing he had nothing. Javi and Francine celebrated before she bought him a drink in celebration. Javi raised the glass and coughed as its noxious fumes hit his nose.

"This smells like... turpentine"

Conrad laughed loudly before adding: "and that's the weak stuff. Big man has the strong stuff" and pointed to Y/N. They looked across as Y/N stood there, minding his own business, slowly drinking a cup of 'strong stuff' without any reaction. They suddenly heard Clementine yelling from the offshoot room:

"Don't turn away from me. I'm talking to you!"

"Oh, shit" Javi muttered as they all looked at Y/N, surprised when he didn't move. Javi, still surprised walked quickly across to the room and entered as a seedy looking man snapped:

"Hey, what's the point in talking when I already told you, a deal is a deal. And it's done"

"What's going on?" Javi asked as he entered.

"This guy ripped me off. I traded him a crate of perfectly good batteries. And he gave me a box of bullets that won't fire! He could've gotten us killed!"

"Oh yeah? And who the fuck is this, your new boyfriend? Bit old isn't he? What, Y/N dead?"

Clementine didn't respond and silently prayed Javier would follow her lead. Javier looked puzzled but didn't answer either. The man, Eli, suddenly grew a lot more confident and sneered:

"Well you should know I don't scare easy. And I don't respond to threats, neither!"

He suddenly pulled a knife out and swung down, slicing near Javi's eye as he fought him back. The two men grunted and groaned before Clementine yelled out: "Y/N!"

--~--

Y/N was stood at the bar still, hearing the two men arguing. Clementine suddenly yelled "Y/N!" and Y/N downed his drink in one, turning and stalking towards the room.

"Oh fuck" Conrad muttered to Franchine as they watched the teen walk with purpose.

--~--

The second Clementine yelled for her boyfriend Eli changed, stopping the struggle and backing off.

"He's here? He's here?!? Look I didn't... I shouldn't have... I'll-"

He cut himself off, looking over in fear as Y/N appeared in the room from the bar.

"Y/N, I didn't, I-"

He tried to explain and drop the knife but didn't have a chance, Y/N pulling his gun and putting a bullet into his forehead.

"Holy shit" Javier jumped in shock at the completely neutral look on Y/N's face as he placed the gun away.

"Fuckin' asshole" Y/N muttered.

Francine and Conrad ran over and looked at Eli's corpse, slumped back in his chair with a trail of blood leaking from the bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.

"Goddamn Y/N" Conrad yelled, Francine trying to calm him down.

"What?" Y/N asked with complete sincerity. Before anyone could respond Tripp had stormed into the room, and he was pissed:

"There's a herd out there, and you're firing off a fucking-- What the fuck happened here?"

Y/N answered calmly.

"The piece of shit sold Clementine faulty bullets, then pulled a knife on her. So I put a bullet in his head, you woulda done different if it was Eleanor?" he looked at Tripp,

"Or Francine?" he turned to Conrad.

"Fuck sake. That true?" Tripp asked, looking at Javi.

"Yeah, look at my eye man. When he thought Y/N was dead he pulled a knife and attacked us, but completely bitched out when he caught sight of him."

"Yeah he did" Y/N chuckled, Clementine smirking behind her boyfriends back.

Tripp sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose, saying: "damn it come with me you three, I have to be seen to do something, we've got a damn horde out there."

Y/N walked out first, completely unbothered as Conrad said angrily:

"You promised man."

"That room ain't your bar" Y/N chuckled.

Tripp led the three to a fairly spacious cage with a fold out bed. Y/N walked in first happily, stopping as Tripp spoke:

"I oughta punch your fucking lights out. All three of ya."

Y/N stopped and turned round at the threat, his face quickly turning cold. Clementine stood her ground, holding him back and shaking her head. Y/N looked down into her eyes before looking up at a worried Tripp and chuckled, turning back round and taking his crossbow off before sitting at one end of the bed. Tripp silently released a breath he held and continued.

"But... Eli was a grade-A certified dipshit. I'll even have someone come take a look at that cut" and closed the gate before walking off.

"Thanks for having our backs back there. I... we appreciate it" Clementine said to Javier. He smiled and replied:

"Of course, anytime. I mean, we're a team now."

"Thanks, I mean it" Clementine smiled before she turned, kissed Y/N on the lips and as he tapped his upper thigh she laid down on the bed, using his leg as a pillow, facing in to his body. Y/N pulled the small tin from his other pocket, pulled a joint out and lit it, taking a few puffs before offering it to Clementine.

"No thanks" she chuckled.

He offered it to Javi who smiled.

"Thanks, kid. But I need to keep clear headed until I can get my family back. Maybe next time"

"More for me" Y/N smiled, puffing some more as he closed his eyes, enjoying the buzz from the booze and the weed. A moment later a woman appeared at the door. She opened the gate and smiled:

"Hey, I'm Eleanor. Hey, Y/N, Clementine."

Clementine said Hey without turning round. Y/N half waved with the joint in his hand without opening his eyes. Eleanor rolled her eyes and shook her head before looking back to Javier and smiling.

"I'm what passes for a doctor around here. But Tripp sort of overdoes it sometimes. I hate that I'm treating you in a cage, like you're some feral animal..."

"Javier. Pleasure's all mine."

"Is it now?" Eleanor chuckled before adding "now let's see about that wound."

Javi sat down on a seat in the cell and Eleanor inspected his injury.

"Yeah, he got you good. Try to hold still. Why is it always the pretty ones who end up causing the most trouble? As if good looks equal bad behavior or something. I've never understood it."

"Yeah, well, it takes one to know one" Javier smiled.

"One... what?"

"One pretty troublemaker"

Eleanor chuckled "I'll give you that one." Y/N laughed as well before coughing and punching himself in the chest.

"Smooth" he managed between coughs, Eleanor rolling her eyes again and replying: "Just focus on that joint of yours, Y/N"

He smiled and spoke again without opening his eyes:

"You know what they say, you have to cough to get off."

Javi chuckled at his young friend before Eleanor turned to Y/N and asked with sincerity:

"Y/N, people are saying you killed a man in cold blood. What happened? It's not the first time you've had this problem."

This time Y/N opened his eyes, they were already bloodshot from the weed, and he said with sincerity.

"He ripped my girl off and put her in danger. He signed his own death warrant."

Eleanor didn't answer. The arm Clementine had lifted around Y/N's lower back squeezed him.

"Best thing is probably for you three to leave town, and get back to your group" Eleanor said as she finished cleaning Javi's wound. He looked down sadly.

"We were attacked earlier this evening. There were four of us, my family"

"Aw, shit, I'm sorry. If there's... if there's anything I can do to help... Not that I have much to offer you, but... I know a thing or two about losing family."

"I wouldn't want to make any trouble for you. This whole thing's been... pretty messy" Javi replied.

"I hear you. But--"

"Eleanor? You done yet?" Tripp called as he walked back to the cage.

"Just about" she replied as she put a bandage on Javi's wound. Tripp stopped at the door and looked Javi in the eye.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do. I'm driving you to that junkyard myself. Get you out of my hair, and no one can say I didn't do right by no one. In the meantime, you three can sleep right here and think about what shitheads you were earlier... are you smoking weed?" he asked looking at Y/N.

"You want a hit?" Y/N asked holding out the joint. Eleanor left the cell as Tripp shook his head and turned back to Javi.

"On my terms, and on my timeline. You got me?"

"I really appreciate it Tripp, but I need to get back on the road ASAP" Javi pleaded.

"Javier, I am not negotiating here."

"Tripp, it doesn't seem right to wait. Javi's people, they could need a medic" Eleanor interrupted.

"Nuh-uh, no way. Not putting you in that kind of danger again" Tripp replied angrily. Eleanor responded, just as mad:

"That's not your call!"

Tripp walked away.

"Look, maybe there's another way. We've got a rear gate, down at the other end of the airfield. We don't use it much, but...well, we could leave tonight. Think about it. I'll be back in about an hour" Eleanor said sadly before walking off.

Clementine lifted her head from Y/N's lap and said with a chuckle "You know... I never would've guessed she had it in her."

"Yeah, she's... she's something" Javier replied.

"The thing is... and maybe this sounds weird, but I still trust Tripp more than I trust her" Clem added before laying back down, snuggling further into Y/N to get comfy.

"What about you, Y/N?"

Y/N opened his eyes and look Javi, square in his:

"There are two types of cunts."

Javi stared, waiting for him to continue and finally replied: "O...k... got anything more to add than that?"

"Tripps an out front cunt. He's a cunt to your face, but you know exactly where you stand. Eleanor, she's an undercover cunt. She'll be nice to your face, but when the chips are down I wouldn't trust her to watch my dog... besides, leaving tonight, in the horde, on horseback, as opposed to an armoured car in the morning... can't help your family if you're dead mate."

Javier considered his options and nodded.

"You're right. Tripp's got more muscle, just in case. We'll wait and get a ride with him."

Clementine lifted her head and turned a little:

"Glad you're finally listening to reason. You know, when we met you, I thought you'd just be another asshole like everyone else."

"And to think that when we met Y/N nearly blew my head off."

"Yeah, guess I made the right call" Y/N chuckled.

"It's gonna be a while before that herd passes. We might as well get some sleep" Javier sighed.

"Good idea. I'm exhausted" Clementine said as she lowered her head onto Y/N again. He took her hat off and began running his hand through her hair, knowing how much she loved it as Javier turned off the lamp in their cage.

--~--

Y/N, Shepherd and Clementine were running through the streets of Welllington as the buildings burned. Screams were coming from everywhere as Y/N led at the front, a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. His jawbone necklace was round his neck but it hadn't mattered, Y/N not knowing at the time this was a different clan of Reavers. He was taking down every animal that came for them, but all around there was rape, murder and desecration... and the trio could do nothing but run.

Clementine was right behind behind Y/N, AJ in her arms, and Shep was at the back, keeping them safe from behind. As they got closer to the gate a group of six were stood there, stopping anyone from fleeing. Y/N began opening fire, dropping three, before he ran out of bullets.

"I'll charge them, get Clem and AJ out of here" Y/N yelled from the front. As he was about to run a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"No my child, live your life, be the husband and father I know you are. There is no greater love than this, to lay down your life for your friends" Shep smiled before charging. With brute strength that didn't seem possible for him to possess, he pushed the three back, yelling "go" even as the monsters fought back and began to stab him. Y/N gripped Clementine's hand tight and pulled her forward, the two just escaping out the open gate. They heard Shep's screams behind them, and when Clem began to struggle next to her larger boyfriend, he took AJ in one arm, hoisted Clem over his other shoulder, and continued to run towards the forests around Wellington. Clementine looked up from where she was held to see their home ablaze, the sickening screams of agony from within too heartbreaking to ever forget.

--~--

"Babe... Babe... we're almost there" Clementine said as she roused her boyfriend to attention. They were sat in the rear of a large armoured vehicle, Tripp and Javier up front. When they had got in Y/N had asked Clem for her backpack. She had watched as he had played with the jawbone necklace that was kept at the bottom of her bag. She knew the memories, the pain and the guilt tortured Y/N, but he refused to part from it.

Y/N snapped to attention, pushing the necklace down and zipping Clem's bag up before he wiped his eyes and looked out the window of the vehicle. Clem looked at her boyfriend worriedly.

"Hey, Clem... we almost there? Hey, Clem?" Javi asked. Clementine turned from her lover and nodded to Javi, answering "Yeah. We're close."

"I gotta say, I hope your people are safe and sound. Eleanor asked me before we left to make sure of it" Tripp remarked.

"Oh, yeah?" Javi smiled.

"Yes, sir. So that's what I'm gonna do. Though why she went to bat for you, I've got no idea. I mean, she hardly even knows you. And you don't know her, for that matter. Makes a guy wonder, you know?" Tripp asked, slightly cockeyed. Javi chuckled.

"There's not much mystery to it, Tripp. She's a good human being."

"Yeah, Eleanor's got a big heart, that's for damn sure" Tripp smiled. It wasn't long before they approached the junkyard.

"Guys, that's the place" Clementine said, as she and Y/N went over their arms one more time. Tripp had allowed them to restock at Prescott's armoury before they left. They exited the vehicle and the place was littered with walker corpses, the front looking destroyed.

"There must have been hundreds" Tripp muttered.

Y/N looked around, Clementine noticing and asking "what's wrong?"

"I don't know. Something's wrong" Y/N said, feeling like they were being watched. He called to the others:

"Guys, eyes up."

Tripp and Javier nodded and as he looked around Javi said to no one in particular:

"Kate's good in a crisis. She'd know how to get shelter."

They walked in and Y/N noticed something half under a walker that was laying on the ground. It reached for him as he approached before being despatched by a quick crossbow arrow to the skull. Y/N quickly turned the corpse over and picked up a clean looking cassette player.

"Javi, this mean anything to you?" Y/N asked, holding it out. He ran over quickly.

"Mariana's tape player... Mariana! Mariana, are you here?" He yelled. A car door open suddenly about thirty yards away and a girl got out, running over to Javier. She looked about Clem and Y/N's age, and was slightly taller than Clementine.

"Javi!" The girl said happily. The two embraced, Javi nearly crying:

"Oh my God, Mariana. You're safe... I can't believe it!"

As they separated she replied:

"You told me where to hide; I just listened to what you said. "Lock yourself in and don't come out, not even once it's quiet." It kept running through my head, like on a loop. I don't even know how long I was in there... Then I heard your voice. I thought I was hallucinating at first."

"Did they hurt you? Are you okay?" Javier asked worriedly, she shook her head.

"I hid before they could get to me. I'm fine, really."

Javier sighed in relief before handing Mariana her tape player.

"Here, you dropped this. Y/N here found it for you."

Mariana smiled getting her tape player back and looked at the guy next to Javi, about to say thank you before she paused. She looked up at him, his muscular physique with his tight jumper, the hot scar on his cheek, his handsome face, and felt her cheeks burn warm.

"Oh um uh.. thank you" she replied giddily. Javier raised an eyebrow at his niece, Y/N just nodded in response. Clementine instantly saw the look in the girl's eyes and moved across to instantly mark her territory.

"Come on, babe, help me look further in" she said, smiling to Y/N, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him further into the junkyard. Mariana just watched before Javi asked:

"Kate and your brother, where are they?"

"We got pulled apart when that huge bunch of muertos showed up. Kate yelled that they were gonna try to make it back to the van."

"Then that's where we're headed" Javi replied. Tripp smiled and added: "Let's go find your brother, sweetheart."

Clementine dragged Y/N further in before she let go, Y/N asking obliviously:

"You alright?"

"I'm fine Y/N, it's just-"

She stopped herself as she looked at a burnt out van in front of them. Y/N looked at it as well and muttered "fuck" before Javi ran up next to them:

"Oh, no... No... No sign of 'em. They must have seen it like this, then gone someplace else to hide."

A moment later the group heard a motor revving from further inside the junkyard

"Kate!" Javi yelled running towards the sound. Y/N was right behind him with the others little further back. They found Kate and Gabriel trying to start a truck while walkers surrounded it.

"They're trapped in there!" Mariana cried out, as Javier looked over to her and yelled:

"Mariana, stay back!"

Tripp prepared his rifle and Y/N yelled out "no guns, you'll bring more on us or blow up the truck"

He stalked forward, firing off one, two, three arrows, dropping the closest before smashing another in the face with his crossbow, lowering it to the ground and pulling out his knife. "C'mon" he snarled, smirking happily as three walkers approached him and were quickly despatched hand to hand. Javi had picked up a tyre iron and used it further across to take down as many as possible, as Clementine with a knife and Tripp with the butt of his rifle holding down the edges.

They were all soon killed, Kate smashing the last one's head in with the truck door. She looked out and her eyes lit up as she slid down, exclaiming:

"Javi... You found us" as he caught her.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I got you" Javi smiled in relief. Kate asked: "You happy to see me?"

In a moment Javier leant in and kissed her, Y/N chuckling "you dog" as he got back to Clementine.

"No bites?" she said happily as she gripped his waist.

"No bites" Y/N smiled as they kissed.

Mariana meanwhile saw Kate and Javi kiss and responded with a genuine: "Gross..."

"C'mon, I think we get a pass" Kate chuckled as Gabriel ran up and hugged Mariana.

"I wanted to come after you, I swear I did--" he blathered.

"You don't have to snot all over my shirt about it" Mariana replied, embarrassed at his carry on in front of the new people. He continued:

"I thought we were dead. Like, never-gonna-see-you-again dead. We only had a couple bullets left... I thought we were done for."

"I know it's must've been awful, but it's all over now" Javi smiled.

"Yeah, I know, but... I was just so scared" Gabe responded.

Y/N had picked up his crossbow, cleaned it on a walker's shirt and stood, leaning in to his girlfriend's ear and whispering:

"Looks like Javi's not the only virgin in the family."

Clementine giggled at her boyfriend and slapped his arm. Javi meanwhile consoled Gabe:

"I'm here now. You don't have to be scared. Hey, you hurt yourself?"

Gabe looked down at his hand, a small cut on it, and he answered, looking straight at Clementine:

"Must've scraped it in the truck... didn't even notice..."

Y/N caught sight of the look the soft cunt gave his girlfriend, and he instantly put his hand to his blade.

"You ok?" Clementine asked, Y/N replying "Yeah, I'll tell you later."

"Hey, least it's not a bite. Not much we can do about it here..." Javi replied to Gabe. Tripp added:

"I've got a lady friend who's a doctor. Soon as we get back to Prescott, she'll patch you right up. I'm Tripp, by the way. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Kate smiled at Tripp before Clementine called out:

"We should be getting back. Don't wanna push our luck."

Kate looked over at the pair and smiled before asking Javi: "Who are the teens with the weapons? They have names you want to share with us? Or you gonna make me do my own introductions?"

Javier smiled.

"These are my friends, Y/N and Clementine. They saved my life. Pulled this crazy stunt, let me get the upper hand on the asshole who took me away from you guys, then helped me get safely through the horde.

As the others stared Y/N nodded, Clementine replying awkwardly:

"Hi there. Glad we were able to help."

"Well, we're very grateful to you. Really" Kate smiled.

The group began walking back towards Tripps armoured vehicle, Javi telling his family about Prescott. Tripp then smiled

"Between you and me, these kinds of missions don't usually go so well. But you found every single one of your people. And you found 'em alive. Healthy. Reasonably cheerful. It's a hell of a thing."

"I--wasn't expecting this. Believe me. To have my family back together again, it's--" Javi replied, trying to find the right words. Tripp smiled:

"I get it. I do."

Clementine released Y/N's hand, falling back to walk next to Javi. As she did Mariana hurried up to be next to Y/N, saying shyly:

"Hi, I'm Mariana"

Clementine meanwhile pulled Javi back:

"When we get back to Prescott, you still owe us a working ride. I haven't forgotten about our deal. You couldn't have known what happened to your van, but still. We need some way out of here."

"Actually, I was kind of hoping you guys would stay with us."

"What?" Clementine asked in shock.

"Well, it's like we're a team. And having more people around would help you both as well"

"Um, I don't know, I'd have to talk to Y/N and-"

They were distracted as Y/N yelled.

--~--

Mariana was talking to Y/N, about her tapes, and her life and- Y/N was smiling and nodding, feigning interest, before Mariana suddenly said "cool" and rushed over a dozen feet to their left. She picked up her headphones as a glint in the bushes across the road caught Y/N's eye, a red laser heading towards Mariana.

"Shooter! Shooter! Shooter!" Y/N yelled, rushing to Mariana as a sniper shot rang out.