Ashes (Clementine X Male Reader Book 2)

Vagabonds-Stress

You're sitting across from Clementine in her room. Neither of you has said anything since you arrived. You're too scared to start the conversation. You don't want to face that you have a daughter that you didn't know. You're not sure what Clementine is thinking.

"Um... Are you sure she's mine?" You ask. Although you're anxious about it, you have to know.

"Yeah," Clementine says, staring at the floor. "I haven't been with anyone else... And it was right after Salvation anyway."

You open your mouth to say something else, but nothing comes out. You're not sure what else to say. What other questions do you ask?

"We shouldn't have left," Clementine says. She finally looks you in the eyes. "We should have stayed."

"You had to leave. It's not your fault." You've never blamed them for it. "It was like two days before we were out of the sewers."

"If we had stayed-" Clementine starts.

You interrupt her. "Clem, there's no point in thinking about it. It happened, and we can't change it." You've been pushing it to the back of your mind. If only you had just killed the council. If you had just done something, anything, maybe you'd have been here. You wouldn't have missed anything... But if that had happened, you wouldn't have been there for Marina. William would already have her, and you would have never known about her.

Clementine never responds to you about forgetting about what happened. "I'm not sure where we go from here."

"Her name is Diana?" You decide to start small. Clementine nods. "That was your mom's name, right?"

"Mhm."

That's all you know to ask. How do you go about asking what's happened over four years? You will never know everything that has happened to your daughter. It stings.

"I need to talk to her," Clementine says. "Before we leave tomorrow, maybe." Kal decided to kick you all out. He knew he couldn't keep you here and lost some support after Clementine intervened... You wouldn't have stayed either way anyway.

"What, uh... Have you told her before now?" You ask.

"Nothing. I don't think she's old enough to realize, or if she has, she hasn't said anything."

You nod. Diana probably hasn't met many her age or who have both parents alive and present. It would be obvious before, but now not so much.

"Do you want me to be here when you tell her?" You ask. You want to be, but Clementine has more of a right to decide that than you. She's been around, after all.

Clementine thinks about it for a moment. "It might be best if I do it and then introduce you later. Maybe after we stop for the night."

"Ok." You want to meet Diana now but understand that it's a complicated issue. It's also the middle of the night, and she's likely asleep.

"It'll be easier this way." Clementine assures you.

"Yeah. I'll, uh... See you in the morning when we leave." You abruptly end the conversation. If you're not going to see Diana until tomorrow night, there's no point in you being here anymore. You've talked about what you needed to talk about, you need a minute to process it, and you have to check on Marina.

"You could stay for a little bit," Clementine says as you stand up. "We could talk... Catch up. It's been years; we probably don't really know each other anymore."

"I have to go check on Marina. I'm sorry."

"Oh... Yeah, th-that makes sense." Clementine nods her head.