the truth about survival part II • an Alicia Clark fanfiction (girlxgirl)

ii. truly alone

"We good to go? Or do you and your little ankle injury need a rest?" Kamille teased Oliver.

He gave a thumbs up as he took another sip of his water. "I'm good. You good?"

Kamille rolled her eyes playfully as Mía chuckled.

"One might think you're the one who just recovered from a broken leg," Mía said jokingly to her brother, making him pull a face.

"Come on, we can walk some of the way back," Kamille reasoned, walking ahead.

"Can we have that tomato pasta we found for lunch?" Mía asked the two of them, falling in step with their stride.

"Yeah," Oliver agreed, smiling down at her, before looking to Kamille. "We can work out where we're going tomorrow, too. I think Sinaloa is our best bet."

Kamille nodded. "Yeah. I have a good feeling about this one."

She caught Oliver and Mía exchanging looks and knew what they were thinking. She sighed quietly, her momentary happiness disappearing.

"I know you guys think I'm crazy," she said, earning their attention. She was used to their pitiful gazes by now. "You think I should give up. That it's already been a few months and there's been no sign of them."

"We don't think that, Kamille," Oliver tried to reassure, but she smiled sadly and shook her head, making him stop.

"It's okay, I get how it looks," she admitted. "I know it's insane, but I just know they're still here. They're still alive. They have to be. And if I give up on them..." She breathed out a shaky breath. "Well, you just don't give up on family."

Kamille tried not to think about their judgemental thoughts. She didn't blame them, and she also felt bad for dragging them along with her.

Suddenly, she felt Mía's hand slip into hers and looked down, seeing the young girl smiling brightly at her.

"We'll help you find them, Kamille, we promised you that," she reminded her.

Kamille appreciated Mía's effort to reassure her, and glanced at Oliver to see him watching her with the same bright smile. They had no reason, no need to be this nice towards her, yet they were. They found her in the worst of states and chose to stick with her until she found her family. She was beginning to care for them both a lot more than she realised, and that wasn't entirely bad.

She couldn't be any more grateful.

–

"It's been a year, Kamille, we can't keep doing this."

"Stop it, just– just shut up."

Oliver sighed with exasperation. "I know it's not what you want to hear, Kamille, but it's the truth! I know it hurts, I'm sorry, but we have to stop. We've looked everywhere and there's no sign of them."

"I said shut up!" Kamille shouted, glaring at Oliver through teary vision. "They aren't gone!"

Oliver pursed his lips, eyes apologetic. Kamille looked away, hugging herself. She didn't want to believe his words, but she knew he was right. They'd technically searched everywhere within distance, everywhere the Clarks could have holed up, but they always came back with nothing. Day by day, Kamille was losing hope of ever finding them, but she didn't quit. Maybe now was the time.

"Kamille, you were lucky we found you when we did," Oliver was saying gently. "They may have not been that lucky."

Kamille squeezed her eyes shut. If he was right, then that meant they had truly died a year ago. That meant she had lost them for good, yet another family she couldn't keep safe, that she didn't get to properly say goodbye to.