Forever and Always (violetine AU)

8

"You're not fine, what's on your mind? You've been acting strange for a while and it makes no sense." Clementine asks him again and he looks at her in desperation. She noticed and kneels to his level. "What do you need, kiddo?"

"I want to go home. I love being here with you, but I miss dad." AJ explains, not having to say another word to her for an understanding.

The siblings shared a moment of silence as Clem thought of an appropriate way to tell AJ about Lee. She looked at the boy with his frizzy afro adding extra feet to his height. She finally worked up the nerve to say something, hoping that it would be the proper word choice.

"I still haven't heard from Lee. I don't know where he's at or anything. I'm sorry AJ, you'll have to wait with me for a while longer." This only angered the boy, his tears fading and his frown dissipating. He furrowed his eyes in frustration and picked up his tone, sounding harsh as the words slipped.

"Tell me the fucking truth!"

"Language!" But he ignored her.

"What's going on? Why can't I go live with dad? Is he in trouble? Are we in trouble? Why, Clem, why? I miss him and you're not letting me see him. Why can't I see dad, what's wrong?" He lashed, looking angry but tears poured down his face.

Clementine understood his outbreak. She hasn't been one hundred percent honest and dad never left the two alone for long. But she sat there in self pity instead of comforting her brother. Instead of giving him the answer he wanted. The answer he craved so desperately.

"Why, Clem? Please." AJ asks her, much softer this time. His voice cracking and lips trembling.

Clementine continued to sit there to think of a proper explanation. But none came to mind. She then tried to find a way to explain the situation delicately. Without a proper way to expose the information, Clementine gave her knowledge to the boy.

"AJ, I haven't heard from dad in a month. More than a month, even. Something happened to him, I don't know what but something bad happened. When you called to tell me dad wasn't home and it had already been days, I didn't think much about it. But when I brought you here, to my place and a week has passed with no phone call, that's what worried me."

AJ listened intently to the spoken words of his big sister. Her voice soft and quiet. She wiped away a few stray tears before saying what she needed to say.

"I think dad is gone. Like... gone, gone. And I feel like your all I have left. Me and my little goofball brother, out in the wild trying to start a new life. That's how I viewed it when his whereabouts were unknown. But to tell you the truth, I don't know what I'm doing, that's why Javi and I spoke again. That's why I got a job back to the New Frontier. To take care of you."

"The same people that tried to kidnap me?" AJ asks suddenly, his voice cracking over Clementine's and her expression looked broken.

"That was David and their morale is different now. All I need is a little money to keep us going." Clem defended herself.

"Ask Louis for money! He's rich, and he will help you." AJ suggested, Clem shaking her head no as an answer.

"I can't always go bugging him for money. You wouldn't understand. I know he'll help but I can't let him anymore. I can't accept anymore money from him, I feel to disrespectful."

"Don't go back to that gang. Please! Remember what dad said when he found out?" AJ told her, her face falling instantly before she looked down to stare at her hands. Remembering the blood that glazed the top of her skin and the feeling of her arms trembling. Remembering the eyes of the poor man flick out in half a second.