Pity Party (Post-apocalypse AU)

Chapter 1- A Fresh Start.

It had been nine years. Nine whole years since the apocalypse started. Nine years since everyone lost everything. Friends, Family, homes, and lives.

However, things were looking up for Clementine. She had built a nice little life for herself. She had a girlfriend that she adored, a son, friends who cared for her, living in a big protected school. The number of walkers was slowly dwindling, they hadn't run into one in 3 days, nor people for that matter. Sure there were a few passers-by, but no one with intent to harm them. They felt safe, for the first time in nine years.

Everything was peaceful, they were slowly adapting to living a happy, peaceful life. Having campfires without the fear of being spotted, venturing outside their safe zones to hunt and explore, living life as they should, as happy teenagers.

Which is why hearing three loud bangs on the school gates in the early morning was a big shock. Everyone heard them and no one knew what to do. Everyone was conflicted. 

"Maybe they just need some food or water, maybe one of them is injured. We can't just leave them out there. Plus we would far outnumber them anyways. And I'd rather help someone than run the risk of making more enemies, especially now." The brunette girl spoke, watching out the window, trying to make out the faces of the strangers. 

"Yeah and maybe they're here to kidnap us or kill us." Violet spoke, crossing her arms over her chest. She loved and trusted Clementine, but she was still wary, still worried that something could happen to her. She didn't want to lose anyone else, especially the love of her life.

"Well I'm going to see what they want. Just.. Stay nearby, just in case" She spoke, grabbing her handgun of the bedside table. She pressed a small kiss on the blondes cheek, a small attempt to try and comfort the girl.

As she slowly made her way outside, approaching the gate, she continued to try and scope them out, unable to see through the thick ivy that wrapped around the gates. She slowly walked close, keeping some distances in case they busted the gate down. She had to be somewhat cautious.

"Who are you and what do you want?" She shouted through the gate, finger anxiously on the trigger. All she could see was two horses, human legs either side of them.

"We come in peace, we just need to talk to the leader of your group" The man on the other side of the gate spoke, the familiar voice echoing through the courtyard.

"You're talking to her."

The man chuckled softly, knocking on the gate again. "You wanna let us in then? It's just the two of us."

Clementine knew if she did let them in, and they were here to hurt them, this could be trouble. But something about that voice... She knew it. And so she made the probably unwise decision to open the gate.

"Javi..?" The brunette spoke, an expression of shock covering her face. After 3 years, She got to see him again. Not like she'd ever forgive him for that haircut.

"Clementine! Dios mío!" The man jumped off his horse, rushing to the girl to hug her. As soon as he went to hug the girl, they both heard a shout from the centre of the courtyard.

"Don't touch her!" AJ stood, with his tiny pistol aimed at the man, mistaking his well intentioned hug for hurting her. Javier immediately held his hands up, his eyes wide.

Clementine turned, laughing "AJ, no, I know him, it's okay, put the gun down and come here.." This earned a small "oh.." from the small boy as he walked to them, the gun behind lowered.

"This.. is Javier. The man that helped me find you." she said softly, ruffling the boys hair.

"So this is the AJ huh? wow.." the man smiled, finally taking the chance to hug Clementine and AJ. "I'm so happy to see you Clementine, to see you're well." 

The brunette smiled, hugging the man back "And you too. Now, why are you here?"

Javier looked back at the other person with him, as if inviting her in. Clem watched, seeing Eleanor walk into the courtyard. "Holy shit.. Eleanor" the girl smiled, hugging the woman.

"Clementine, wow.. You've grown" The woman reciprocated the hug, looking her all over "Are you two here all alone?" she asked

Clementine shook her head, looking back to the school and shouting "Guys, come here, its safe!" Within seconds, the blonde was by her side, joined by the rest of the group.

"This is everyone here. Me and AJ got in a car crash about a year ago, and these guys helped us." she smiled, looking around her friends.

"Oh shit, yeah, guys, this is Javier and Eleanor. Javier helped me find AJ and well.. Eleanor kept me out of too much trouble in Richmond." she introduced them, smiling at the pair. "So why are you guys here?"

Javier nodded, looking back at Eleanor "Is there somewhere more private we could talk?" The brunette nodded, walking the pair to the office, with Violet.

"Take a seat" They all did, Violet and Clementine on one side of the desk and Javier and Eleanor on the other side of the desk.

"Well... Once you had left, we built the new frontier back up. Into a peaceful place. None of that dictatorship shit Joan was pulling. Eleanor and Lingard, began working together. Began looking for all these scientific reasons for while the virus spreads the way it does. And.. Well to make a long story short. They have found a vaccination, for the virus." Javier spoke, grin wide on his face

"Everyone at the frontier have been given it, there are no side affects, bar the normal slight tiredness for the first 24 hours, and slight tenderness of the injection site. And we plan to eradicate it. We've been travelling, finding survivors, bringing them back. This is a fresh start Clementine, for society, for you." Eleanor spoke, clearly proud of her work. Who wouldn't be?

The two girls sat in silence, shock spread across both of their faces. Until Clementine basically screamed. "Holy shit.. Holy shit, this is for real? Violet.. We need to go, we need to go there, all of us!"

The blonde looked at her,  with a matched expression of joy. "Yes.. I mean yes! Of course we do"

"You'll have to give us, maybe an hour, to just tell everyone, pack up, but we'll come, of course" Clementine spoke, barely containing her excitement. Javier and Eleanor went back to the gates, as the pair of girls went to inform everyone and pack everything they had. Water, food, weapons, memories. 

This was their chance for a fresh start, to be a family, somewhere safe and with people they knew and trusted. To be immune.

They ensured everyone was with them, before they began the journey back to the new frontier. They'd manage to fix up an old busted truck from one of the near by shacks, so the journey wouldn't be too awful.

The drive took maybe an hour and a half, the entire time everyone sat in the back was singing, playing games. They were excited as well, they'd finally get the chance to be teenagers, not worrying about walkers, or being bit, or kidnapping groups. 

They arrived at the gates, which opened as they approached, the familiar buildings and people coming into view. "We're here.. Holy shit we're actually here.." Clementine mumbled as Violet placed a hand on her knee, a way to reassure her and calm her anxieties.

Who would be here, was everyone safe, who was new, what would it be like? She had no idea. What she did know though... Is that this was the fresh start they all needed.

(word count-  1323 words)

(decided to scrap my first fic as I felt it was more emo bs than needed, and I wanted something with a proper storyline. I hope you enjoyed and will read further! <3)