Leaving Behind a Burden

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Prompt: Lee and Carley had a daughter, but she doesn't remember her parents. A few years after their deaths, the daughter(name her what you want), asks Clementine about them, and she tells their story. AU

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"So you're saying that you knew my parents?" 6 year old Chrystal asked Clementine. Clementine looked down at the girl. She sat down and pulled her into her lap.

"Of course I knew them. They were practically my parents." Clementine said, letting out a sad sigh. Crystal had the exact same eyes as Lee, but she also had some of Carley's traits too. Clementine's heart ached just thinking about it.

"What do you mean?" Crystal asked.

"Well, I didn't know where my parents where at first. I was living alone in my treehouse when Lee, your dad, found me and took me in. He promised that he would help me find my parents. Time went on, and soon he became like a father to me."

"What about my mom?"

"Your mom and dad first met in a drugstore where we were taking shelter. They soon began to have feelings for each other..."

"Feelings? Like love?"

"That's exactly what it was. And I even knew it, even though I was pretty young at the time. You could just tell from the way that they looked at each other."

"So then they had me?"

"Yeah. Carley, your mom, was freaking out when she found out that she was going to have you."

"Why?"

"She was just scared. She didn't want to raise a baby with walkers all around."

"What about my dad?"

"He was scared too, but also excited."

"So they didn't want me at first?"

"Of course they did. They just didn't want anything bad to happen to you."

"What happened to them? Why are they gone?"

"Crystal..."

"No. They're my parents. I have a right to know how they died. You've told me the same thing for years and years, that I can know when I'm older. Well, I'm older. Tell me. Please. And don't lie. I need to know what happened to them."

Clementine sighed. She was right. She did have a right to know, and if she wanted to, how could Clem deny her? She was old enough now to know the truthfulness now or never. "Your mommy got shot."

"Why? Who shot her?"

"A lady named Lilly."

"She was evil." It was not really a question, but more a statement.

"She was. There was an argument on the road, and your mom kind of... Told Lilly off. While everyone wasn't focused, Lilly took out her gun. Then, she shot her."

"Why would Lilly do that? She knew that it isn't right to take away somebody's mommy, right?" There were tears in the little girl's eyes.

"She wasn't thinking about that. She was a monster."

"Daddy killed her, right? Or did she kill him too?"

"No, you dad left her on the side of the road, so she could suffer."

"Oh. So my dad didn't die there too?"

"No."

"Then how..." Crystal was already tearing up, and so was Clem. She didn't think they she could continue.

She waited a few seconds, then caught Crystal staring at her.

"Lee... Got bit by a walker." Clem said, tearing up. She bit her lip to keep from crying.

"He turned into a walker?" Crystal began to cry at the thought. Clementine pulled the little girl closer, hugging her.

"I... Made sure that he didn't turn. Trust me."

Crystal wiped her eyes. "Was I there?"

Clementine remembered holding her gun in one hand and hugging the baby close to her with the other. She remembers Lee telling her to take care of her, and to find Christa and Omid. She didn't up finding them, but she had been caring for Crystal for years, even if she was still just a teenager. She was like both a daughter and a sister to her. "Yeah, you were."

"I would've loved my parents. I just know it. They sounded like good people."

"They were great people. They took care of both you and me. They would've loved you too. But I'm here for you now. And I will be forever."

Crystal snuggled even closer to Clementine. "I love you Clementine."

"I love you too, Crystal."

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