Things That Are Lost: Season 3

Chapter 10: Warnings.

The next morning, the three of them follow James through the forest, Clem carrying AJ, and Sarah holding her wound. They walk across a small bridge as Clem struggles to keep up. "Is he awake?" James asks, mask back on.  "Yeah. He's so hot." "Let me carry him, Clem you're exhausted." "No, Sarah. I've got him." James starts walking again and the two follow him through the trees and close to the front gate of the school. "Hang on. We're almost there."

"Walker!" They hear Willy from the watch tower as he shoots an arrow at James, it hitting next to his feet. James stops in his tracks, so does Clem and Sarah. Willy sees the three of them and starts to climb down the tower. "Violet! Louis! They came back!"

Sarah looks to James. "Look, you live out there alone, right? You could stay with us." James  looks down at the arrow, then back at Sarah. "Not ready." He walks away from them after that. Clem stumbles forward and nearly falls before Sarah catches her. "I can't keep carrying him." Sarah tries helping her up, but just falls to her knees herself. "Shit. I lost too much blood." She grabs her shoulder. Clem falls to her own knees.

They hear the school gate open as a concerned looking Louis runs out and up to them. "Shit." He looks down at AJ in Clem's arms. "Is he...?" "He's alive. He was shot. He's got a fever." Clem explains. "Come on, let's get him inside." "We can't." Louis then picks up AJ himself and starts walking toward the school. Clem helps Sarah up and supports her as she follows him. "It's okay, buddy. I got you." Louis tells AJ.

Louis walks through the front doors of the school. "Let me see." Ruby walks up and takes a look at AJ. "I have what I need upstairs. Come on." Louis heads upstairs, followed by Ruby, and Clem, who's still supporting Sarah.  "We got the shrapnel out of him." "We? Sarah can't even stand." "It's a long story." Louis gets upstairs and sets AJ down on a nearby sofa. Ruby puts a hand to his head. "He's running a fever. Body's trying to fight infection, poor little guy." "Hey...hello..? I need help as well." Sarah says. "Just sit down next to him." Clem sets Sarah down on the sofa. "Ruby and Louis will take care of this." Violet says from beside Clem.  You should come with me. We can talk in the office." "Clem?" AJ calls. "Shhh, you just try and rest, okay? We're gonna did you right up." "Sarah?" Clem walks over and kneels down in front of AJ. "AJ, listen to Ruby, okay? She'll fix you and Sarah up." AJ doesn't say anything. "Come on, what do we do when we're scared? We don't let it get to us." "We don't let it get to us. I'm good now." Clem stands back up. "Clementine, please. We need to talk."

Clem follows Violet into Marlon's old office. "What happened out there in the woods. I saw that they had you pinned, and I....shit, I got so crazy. When I heard you call for help. I didn't even think. I just let go of the arrow. I wasn't even sure if I'd hit her. And then Louis got shot." Violet puts a hand to her head. "Six...six inches over, we'd be digging another grave. I really thought you were dead, Clem. It's just, everything is so fucked right now, you know? Everyone is scared, Clem." Clem just smiles. "It's really good to see you again." "It's good to see you too. Just wish Mitch and the others felt the same. Louis and I told them what happened in the woods. The woman who attacked you, I—" Violet starts to pace around the room. "Lilly." "So you do know her. We were wondering. Who the hell is she?" "Lilly and I were friends. A long time ago." "Friends?" "Back when the walker's first showed up, we lived in a motor inn. Survived some really awful shit. Lilly tried to keep us all together." "Looks like she's changed." Violet walks behind Marlon's desk. "Yeah, seems that way. She murdered someone in our group. Gunned them down in an argument. Carley was her name. She refused to let Lilly push her around. It was right at the start. I haven't seen Lilly since."

"I believe you." "And?" "There's something else. Willy said someone was with you at the gates?" "James. He saved us all, let us stay in his camp for the night." "But why did you bring him here? You led him right to us." "You don't have to worry about James. We can trust him." "Willy said he was wearing, I don't know, animal skin or something." "He was wearing walker skin. That's how he gets past herds. He can guide them, too." Violet looks at Clem in disbelief. "Uh, wow, okay..." "I wouldn't have brought him here if I thought he was a threat."