Don't Lose Hope

It was a mistake...

Lee sighed as he looked up at the dark, gloomy night sky. It was his turn on watch and he got stuck with the night watch tonight, he could only Imagine how scared clementine must be having to sleep in the room alone, he so desperately wanted to go check on her, but he could not leave his post. At least today was uneventful, he thought turning his gaze back over towards the forest. Last thing he needed was someone getting in while he was on watch, Larry and Lilly would have even more reason to hate and scold him then.

After a while the lateness of the day and the sleep he desperately needed kicked in and he grew tired, his eyes getting heavy with sleep. Then, out of no where he heard some sort of shatter and was quickly brought to his senses, high on alert. He climbed down from the RV not caring if he got in trouble and ran to his bedroom to make sure clementine was okay. "Clementine?!" He called in a panicked whisper as he opened the door. He sighed in relief seeing clementine laying peacefully on one of the two twin sized beds in the small cramped motel room.

"Lee?" She asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily trying to get them to focus in the darkness. He instantly felt guilty, he had woken her up and she might not be able to get back to sleep. Better safe then sorry I guess, he sighed. "It's okay sweet-pea, I was just checking on you, making sure you were okay." He tried to reassure hoping it had worked. The little girl nodded, she was obviously still half asleep and laid back down closing her eyes, sleep coming to her easily because Lee, her protector was standing there. He smiled to himself as he closed the door quietly behind him, now to figure out where the noise came from, he had a gut wrenching feeling, but he tried to ignore it and thought it was his paranoia trying to get the best of him.

Carley's POV:

She sat on the ground by the end of her bed, her knees to her chest and her head in her hands. What was she doing? She thought to herself angrily as she stares down at the shattered piece of glass laying right next to her. She sighed, conflicted with herself and grabbed the lone piece of glass hovering it just above her wrist, moving it closer and closer until it touched her skin, then, she stopped. "No. What am I doing? This isn't going to solve anything, why would I even think of turning to this in the first place, this just shows I'm not as strong as I let on!" She screams internally as she squeezes the glass in her hand until she feels a sharp stinging in her palm causing her to fling the glass across the room. She was now frustrated and ashamed of her actions, though no one had saw, she would never let herself live it down, as to why she would even turn to trying to cut herself as if that would help anything, something like that didn't even promise death.

Tears escaped her light brown eyes as she broke down, at this point not knowing what to do. She laid her head in her hand and her eyes came across the slight indented cut the glass had left on her wrist before she had pulled it away, she closed her teary eyes not wanting to look anymore.

(Back with Lee) Anyone's POV:

He ran up the stairs after realizing it must have been Carley's room that the noise had come from since her room was the only other one on the left side of the inn where he had heard it. He quickly opened the door, coming to a heartbreaking sight. As soon as he saw the shattered lamp and Carley's state he knew what she had done or was going to do. He quickly ran over to her bending down to her level. "Carley?" He called quietly, as he kneeled in front of her.

She froze, her whole being was shaken. She didn't want anyone to see her like this, hell she didn't even want to become like this herself. She slowly brought her head up to look directly into his eyes, her eyes slightly red from crying, even in the dark. "..Lee, I.." She started, only for Lee to cut her off gently.

Slowly reaching his hand out, Lee was surprised that when he rested it on her shoulder she didn't flinch away from him. "Look, Carley....You can't do this to yourself, you can't give up this easy and you can't do this to me.. To Clem." The words escaped his mouth as a quiet whisper he sounded desperate, he really didn't want her to lose the hope she always had and that he admired her for so much. Even the hope that he would come to her for, so it could rub off on him. Carley nodded knowingly, and the guilt ran throughout her body. "I-I know.. I just.. I don't know what I was thinking, I'm.. So sorry.. " her words were almost a whisper as she tried to hold back more tears that tried to fall.

The slightly older man looked at her sympathetically, moving his hand away from her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay.. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I.. I'm sorry if I'm invading but, I just had a feeling something was wrong and.. I had to come in. " he explained carefully, hoping to get some answers out of her, he was truly worried, and he didn't want to lose her, not like this.. Not like anything.

"No, no.. Lee, I'm sorry if I woke anyone up, or scared you.. And if you're still here because you think I've done something to myself, or I'm going to.. Well, you don't have to worry because I'm not. I don't want to be the cause of you getting into trouble for not being on watch.. " he nodded as she went on and when she had finished he softly grabbed her hand, sitting beside her and intertwining their fingers. Carley gasped quietly as he took hold of her cut hand, but stayed silent afterwards.

Hearing her gasp Lee turned to her concern showing through his features, even in the dim light. Then suddenly, he remembered the flashlight he had in his back pocket that he kept in case an emergency should occur during his shift, he reached into his baggy blue jeans pocket and pulled out the long metal flashlight, switching it on. Carley then realized what he was doing and her eyes widened in shock, he was going to think she had done this to herself purposely, well it was caused by her doing anyway so it was still her fault Carley thought regrettably.

Lee looked at her apologetically before he slowly brought her hand up shining the flashlight onto it, revealing a fairly new, and open cut. "We have to clean this.." He stated sighing, "Carley, you have to tell me if there are anymore cuts, you don't want them to get infected it will make the problem worse than it is." Carley made eye contact with him sadly and in embarrassment. "They were by accident.. Well the one on my hand. " she replied quietly and shakily.

"They..?" His tone was uneasy and deep worry ran through his veins. Carley bit her bottom lip as she lifted her sleeve revealing a small cut that didn't run to far along her wrist. "I.. Decided to stop myself too late and ended up accidentally pushing it into my skin.. Then I got frustrated and squeezed the glass and flung it across the room.. So, that explains that.." Her tone had no emotion, it was as empty as she felt right now. She was disgusted with herself.

He cringed as the light shined upon the cut, he wasn't disappointed in her, he was more concerned than anything and wanted nothing more than to help. "You don't need to explain anything to me, Car..." Lee stood up gently grabbing Carley's hand, bringing her to stand with him and leading her out of the room to where they stored medical supplies.

About 15 minutes later the situation was handled in the privacy of Lee's room In case someone had woken up and come out of their room, which it seemed no one had done. Once again, Lee was sat on top of the RV for the remainder of his watch. The sun was beginning to rise and it looked almost peaceful, even in a world like this. He looked beside him to see Carley still sitting there looking out into the distance quietly, he turned his head to meet her gaze. Suddenly, he felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and his eyes moved downcast to see Carley there. Lee smiled to himself as he wordlessly laid his arm around her whilst they both watched the sky brighten with every minute.

"Thank you..." Carley broke the silence with a soft spoken thanks. Lee tuned his head looking into her light brown eyes with confusion. "What for?" He questioned, she didn't need to thank him for anything he had done thus far. "Just, I dunno.. For helping me out, and caring I guess.. I mean you didn't have to get Involved, but, you did. So thanks, I really appreciate it." Lee smiled at her and not to himself this time. "What happened is not something I need to be thanked for, it was no problem." She suddenly hugged him tightly, her face rested against his chest as she smiled genuinely, something she hadn't done since this whole thing started. "I.. I love you." She whispered quietly, part of her hoping he had heard and the other part hoping he hadn't. He retuned the hug laying his head on top of hers "I love you too." He replied in a hushed tone. They just stayed like that, enjoying the comfort and safety they felt from the embrace, this had been long coming. Over the past months they became quick friends and they only became closer day by day and tonight what they were sharing now, was just the start of it all.

Clementine beamed from ear to ear as she watched the two adults on the top of the RV together. She had been watching ever since she woke up and exited her room. The little girl slowly walked over to the RV and climbed the ladder surprising both adults as she joined in on the embrace. It was times like these that helped clementine keep the hope she had deep inside her, that not all normalcy was lost and that not everyone was bad or evil.