Mama Bear

"Ptttsssss...Clem. Wake up. I got your coffee."

"I wasn't sleeping...I was resting my eyes until you got back.", she yawned in reply.

"Suurreee Clem.", AJ said with a roll of his eyes making her giggle. AJ had been up and about on his usual patrol routine early that morning. When he did finally make it back to their room, the sun was just rising and he decided to wake Clementine up anyway to see if she needed anything. She mumbled "Coffee", sleepily and off he went to fetch it for her.

AJ watched her sit up in bed and accept the steaming cup of Joe that he made especially for her. He stood there eagerly, almost rocking on his heels waiting for her to take a sip. Clem noticed but remained silent as she blew into the hot liquid, trying to avoid burning her mouth for the day. She brought the mug up to her mouth, sipped it, and before she could even swallow her sip; AJ finally burst. "I made it special for you. Ruby and I found some old vanilla bean plants in the greenhouse and she let me taste it and it was really good like that piece of candy we found in the dirt last week that you told me not to lick but I did anyway. So this morning I took a little piece of one and put it in your coffee cause Omar told me grownups use to put different flavors into their coffee. Do you like it?", AJ said all in one breath. He looked up at her expectantly with so much excitement in his little eyes.

Clem swallowed her sip, savoring the faint vanilla taste against the bitterness of the coffee. She then sat the mug down on the desk and surprised AJ by scooping him up in a tight hug. "That's one of the best cups of coffee I've had in my whole life. Thanks, goofball."

"It's Alvin Junior and I can't breathe Clem.", AJ squawked.

Clem sighed and let her little boy go. She'd always be thankful for him. He then grabbed her cup off the desk and handed it back to her. "Drink the rest. You need your strength."

"Yes sir!", she laughed.

They both sat watching the sunlight slowly creep in and fill the room. Then as no surprise to her, AJ broke the silence again.

"So...Umm...Clem? Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot kiddo.", she replied.

"Shoot? But you told me not to-"

"Sorry. I meant you can go ahead and ask your question.", she said quickly correcting herself and making a mental note to give AJ another lesson in old phrases. She sipped her coffee and waited for him to continue.

"So I went to the library this morning and saw a book about animals. I was looking through it and saw a picture of a mama bear and her cub...aaannndd I was just wondering...Where do babies come from?"

AJ watched in horror as Clem started coughing loudly, almost spitting out her coffee. "Clem! Are you okay!?", he asked jumping onto her bed and patting her back. She coughed for another minute and then nodded her head letting him know it was okay to stop patting her.

"What made you ask that?", she finally breathed out.

"Well I've always wondered but...that book made me think to ask you."

Clem inwardly cringed as she tried to gather the right words in her head. AJ just sat there looking at her.

"When two people are old enough and love each other very much, they might decide that they want to have a baby-"

"But why?", AJ said interrupting her.

"Because... that baby will be like... a part of both of them wrapped up in one person. And-"

"Yea, I know that part. But HOW do they make one?"

Clem sighs loudly.

"I think I already know...", AJ blurted out before she could speak.

"You do?", she asked back with wide horror-filled eyes.

"Yea...It's that kissing stuff right?"

"Umm...Yea...That's right.", Clem replied turning completely red in the face.

"Do you wanna have a baby?", AJ asked hopping off the bed to stand in front of her.

Clem noticed a change in his eyes. "To be honest...I don't know. I never really wanted...umm...or thought about it. I was already taking care of you all by myself way before it was even possible for me to become a mom."

"But what about now?"

"Definitely not now.", Clem chuckled, "Maybe much later but not now. The world's still too dangerous for a baby. Plus we don't have a doctor."

"Well...you said Kenny wasn't a doctor and he still helped my mom when it was time for me to come out of her stomach. And we have Ruby! She's kind of like our doctor.", AJ said trying to make sense of things.

"Kenny's wife had already had a baby so he knew what to do. I don't think Ruby has ever...Um...had that type of experience. Sorry, kiddo but it's-"

They both snapped their heads in the direction of the door when they heard soft knocking.

"Can we finish talking later?", AJ asked not making eye contact.

"Yea. Definitely.", Clem smiled at him.

He nodded his head, turned on his heels, and walked away.

"Hey.", Clem called.

AJ turned around but kept his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Thanks again for the coffee. I'll be out in a couple of minutes to check on everyone and go over the plans for our next run."

AJ nodded again and kept walking. Clem looked on with concern for him. She hoped she didn't say the wrong thing.

AJ pulled open the door only to be greeted with a smiling Violet. He knew she probably came to see Clem but he closed the door behind him instead.

"What's up AJ?", Violet asked.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Umm, sure..."

AJ took a deep breath and looked her dead in her eyes. "I'm not a kid anymore. I know you and Clem love each other and do that kissing stuff."

When Violet registered what AJ had just said to her, she turned paler than pale. She was utterly speechless so AJ just continued. "And...I just wanted to ask you to be careful. Kissing is how you make babies and Clem doesn't want a baby right now. It's still dangerous. And...don't tell her but...I don't want her to have a baby. I read the animal book and mother bears have to do so much for their cubs. If Clem had you, all of our friends, and a baby, she wouldn't have any time for me anymore.", he said hanging his head low.

Violet's whole heart ached for the sweet little boy in front of her. She bent down to his level and made him look at her. "Hey. You don't have to worry about that. No matter what, Clem will always have time for you. And umm.....shit. I'll uh...try not to kiss Clem so much. Okay?", Violet said awkwardly.

"Okay!", AJ said perking up.

As Violet stood up, AJ rushed her, giving her a quick, tight hug before running off to do whatever he does these days. She let out a sigh of relief and entered the room only to find Clem still sitting on the side of the bed with her head in her hands. "Interesting morning?", Violet asked sitting next to her.

"You have no idea.", Clem sighed into her hands.

"Hey.", Violet said softly placing her hand palm up on the bed next to Clem. Clem looked down at it and placed her hand in Vi's, interlocking their fingers.

"AJ just had a full-on dad talk with me out in the hallway...I'm not supposed to tell you but...he got kind of upset at the thought of you having a baby. He doesn't want you to have one cause he's afraid you won't have time for him anymore."

"Oh God.", Clem groaned before falling back onto the bed, throwing her hands over her face in embarrassment again.

Violet chuckled at her antics and laid back on the bed as well, turning on her side to face her. She pulled Clem's hands down from her face and then leaned in closer to whisper to her, "So...Which one of us is going to explain to AJ that there's no way to get you pregnant by kissing you?"

Clem's eyes widened in horror for the third time that morning while Violet rolled over, clutching her stomach in laughter.