the aftermath - twdg clouis fanfic

1.saved

AJ's eyes blurred with tears as he stared into Clementine's pale face. He knew she thought this was the end. Just a second ago, she had said the most heartbreaking words AJ ever thought he would hear.
"AJ, you have to kill me."
The words were still fresh in AJ's mind. He wanted to scream. He wanted to fall to his knees, close his eyes and never open them again. The closest thing he had had to a mother was being torn from his life by the undead.
AJ's eyes fixed on Clem's bite. Next to it, the wound from Minerva was bleeding so much that it seemed the bite wouldn't have infected her bloodstream yet.
AJ looked back at Clem, into her glassy eyes. He remembered something she had told him about her friend Lee.
"Clem, why did your friend die?" AJ had asked.
"He was bitten, kiddo."
"There was no way to save him?"
Clem had stared down at her shoes and crossed her arms. Her voice cracked a little as she spoke. "We tried to save him. He had the bite cut off, but it was too late." Clementine said.
AJ felt guilty for asking, seeing Clem's hurt face. "Oh. Does...cutting the bite off ever work?"
Clem gazed into the distance. "Sometimes. I guess you just have to take your chances."

"You just have to take your chances."

With that, AJ shook his head angrily.
"No!" he shouted, swinging his axe down with all his might.
Clementine gaped, shocked, at what AJ had done. Instead of striking her in the head like she asked, he had tried to save her.
Then she felt it.
"AAAAUGHHHHH.....FUUUCK!!" she screamed, nearly unable to breathe. She tried to fight the immense pain; after all, she had been through so much. But this was nothing like she had ever felt before. AJ winced at her cries, but he knew he had to keep going. The leg was about halfway chopped off and bleeding rapidly. Clementine's body gave in to the pain and she lost consciousness. AJ swung his axe one last time, and her shin disconnected. Quickly, AJ removed his jacket and tightly tied it around Clementine's knee to slow the blood flow. He stood back and wiped the tears from his face. His job wasn't done yet.

AJ now had to face the task of bringing Clem home. He frantically looked around, searching for something that might help. His eyes focused on the wheelbarrow shoved against the door.
"That might work," he mumbled. He pictured lifting Clem into the wheelbarrow, covering her in walker guts, and pushing her all the way home. He squinted hard and stomped. That would never work.
AJ glanced up at the ceiling of the barn. There was an open gap, which he knew he could fit through. All he had to do was climb to it and pull himself up. Then he would race back to the school and get help for Clem. He just had to hope that the doors would stay shut.
AJ lightly brushed his hand against Clem's forehead. "Bye Clem," he whispered. "I'll be right back."

AJ scrambled up the hay bales behind Clem and reached his little arms up to the hole. His fingertips just grazed ceiling; it wasn't enough to reach and climb out.
"Fuck," he muttered. He jumped with outstretched arms and successfully pulled himself to the roof. He stumbled down, leaped to the ground and ran in the direction of the school.

Louis was behind the gate, pacing nervously back and forth. He had left Clementine and AJ behind after the bridge. It was Clem's request, but he kept feeling like it was the wrong thing to do, like he should have stayed to protect them. He was especially tense now that he had safely arrived back and the school and there had been no sign of Clem or AJ. The slightest noise made his head jolt towards the fence, hoping to see AJ and Clem, safe and sound.
Finally, after hours of him trudging around, Aasim groaned, "Would you stop already? Clem will be fine."
"You don't know that!" shouted Louis, clenching his fists in frustration.
"Lou, he's right. Clem's a badass," Violet said, placing her hand on Louis's shoulder.
"Yeah, I'll keep watch hun," Ruby assured him. "Why don't you try and get some sl-" She was cut off by Willy screaming, "AJ'S BACK COME QUICK!"
Louis raced to the gate. His heart dropped when he saw AJ's state. And then even further when he didn't see Clementine with him.
"AJ! A-are you hurt? Where the hell is Clem?" he stuttered.
AJ looked like he was going to cry. "I'm fine, it's Clem...she got bit..."
Violet inhaled sharply and buried her face in her hands. Ruby shook her head sadly. Louis was speechless. In that moment, he knew he had messed up. He regretted everything; Clem was dead because of him.
"I-I can't believe it..." he said.
"No-I think she's still alive. I cut off the bite."
"You did WHAT?" said Louis.
"She's in a barn near here, passed out. We have to hurry!" AJ yelled.
"How-wha-" began Aasim.
"Shut the fuck up!" said Louis. "Let's go get her, NOW!"
AJ lead the way. Louis and AJ darted through trees and walkers. Nothing could stop them. Both of them had a love too deep for Clementine to let her go that easily.
"We-we're here..." panted AJ. They came to a halt at the barn. Most of the walkers had left, no longer sensing human life inside.
Louis bashed down the few that limped around the barn. With great effort, AJ slid open the barn door and sighed with relief to see Clem still where he had left her.
Louis rushed to AJ's side. He knew Clementine was in a bad condition, but nothing could have prepared him for this. She was slumped against the wall, eyes closed. Her right leg ended right before the calf; it was cut off rather messily. Clem sat in a pool of her own blood, and looking at her caused Louis's stomach to turn.
"Is she still breathing?" Louis choked out.
Without waiting for an answer, he knelt beside Clem and felt her wrist. At first, he felt nothing. Louis panicked. He frantically moved his fingers, in search of a pulse. But then he felt the blood pulsating through her veins. He let out a ragged sigh of relief. She was alive.
"Is she okay?" cried out AJ. His lower lip trembled as he waited for Louis's response.
"Yeah...she's breathing. You did good, AJ." Louis gave AJ a small smile. "We just need to take her home."