We made it inside the barn and I placed Clementine down before holding the door closed with AJ, making sure no walkers got in through the front entrance. I looked over to see Clem already turning for the worst and I got a burst of determination.
Y/n: Come on! We need something to bar the door!
A walker’s head came through the door as it briefly opened and I got out my sword, decapitating it on the spot and I shut it again. AJ ran back, holding a pitchfork and he put it through the door handles, but then we had other walkers to deal with as they came through the sides.
Y/n: We need to get the pen doors closed… before all of them get in.
AJ nodded and passed the gun over to Clementine.
AJ: Cover us.
She nodded looking pale and AJ ran to one of the stall doors, closing it and I tried to close another one, but a walker reached through before I could. I struggled to close it on its head and AJ saw it happening.
AJ: Clem!
The girl shot the walker and I managed to close the second pen door.
Clementine: O… Over there!
She pointed to another pen door and we both ran over, AJ tried to close it, but a rope was tied to it, keeping it open.
Y/n: Hold on.
I jumped up, groaning in pain and then slashing the rope with my sword. It tore immediately and the pen door slammed shut. As we finished that, more walkers came in through the last door and Clementine tried to shoot them, but with a click of the trigger, it told her it was empty. I ran forward with my sword, AJ with his knife and we both managed to kill most of them before more could get it. We ran to the last door, AJ trying to pull it shut, but then a walker reached through the bars, holding onto AJ. I rushed forward and stabbed it in the head. Clem lifted her head from where she laid, her face pale and eyes fluttering open and closed.
Clementine: Good job. You did it.
AJ: Now what?
Clementine: You both need to find a way out of here.
The boy pointed up to the second floor of the barn, looking desperate.
AJ: We can climb up there. The monsters can’t reach us up there. Y/n can carry you again. Let’s go. Easy climb. C’mon. Please… try.
I watched her try and use all her strength to get up, but it was no use. She just fell back to her sitting position and my heart dropped at what would happen.
AJ: You can’t give up! You can’t give up! We need you! I need you…
Y/n: Please, Clem. Please!
Clementine: You don’t need me. Not anymore. Look what you did. You protected yourself. My little goofball.
AJ: It’s Alvin Junior.
Clementine: You’ll always be goofball to me. Hey, look at me. Both of you… please.
We did and me and AJ fell to our knees beside her. First, she brought her hand up to AJ’s cheek.
Clementine: You’re such a cutie. How did I get so lucky?
She tapped his nose.
Clementine: Gotcha.
AJ: Please… don’t… don’t be silly right now. Not right now. Please.
And then she turned to me, holding my face in her hands.
Clementine: And you… I never thought I’d ever find someone like you, Y/n/n. Someone that I could love this much, so quickly. But I do. I always will.
Y/n: I love you too, tangerine. But… please… don't leave me. Don’t leave us.
Clementine: You know I don’t have a choice… I would always stay if I did.
Then she turned back to AJ, giving him a sad smile.
Clementine: Please… I just want to see you smile. One last time.
He shook his head, eyebrows furrowed.
AJ: Don’t say that. Please… don’t say that.
Clementine: I need to make sure you remember.
AJ: Remember what?
Clementine: The rules. What’s number one?
AJ: Never… never go alone. So… so I can’t leave. Not without you.
Clementine: AJ…
AJ: It’s your rule!
Clementine: You won’t be alone. You have Y/n. And then you’ll be back at the school.
AJ: We don’t know how.
Clementine: Sure you do. One of the first things I ever taught you. You need to make sure they can’t smell you. So…
She looked down at the axe beside her.
Clementine: Grab the axe. You know what to do with it.
AJ looked down, not meeting the girl’s eyes and took the axe, walking over to one of the walkers we had killed earlier. And he did what he knew he needed to do. I looked back at Clementine, shaking my head at her.
Y/n: I don’t want to leave you.
Clementine: I don’t want to leave you either, but I don’t have a choice. I’ve seen so many people get bitten and what it does to them. Lee, Doug, Kenny, Gabe, David, Pete, Nick, Carlos… I know what happens next and I’m… I’m scared.
She looked up at me, eyes filled with tears and I couldn’t help the tears streaming down my own cheeks. I held her face in my hands, giving her a smile.
Y/n: Don’t be scared. You’ll be okay. You’ll be safe again. With your friend Lee, your parents, and everyone else. I’ll miss you… so much. But I just want you to be okay, be happy.
Clementine: Now, that’s why I love you. You always know how to make me feel brave.
Y/n: I thought you loved me because I could light torches in caves.
Clementine: Idiot.
She leaned forward and kissed me. I felt more tears fall down my cheeks and I just had to keep kissing her and then she could never leave. I didn’t want to let go. I didn’t want to let her go. She was everything to me and now she was leaving. She couldn’t go. But then we finally had to come up for air and I put my head in my hands. AJ came back over, covered in walker guts and he kneeled beside her again.
Clementine: Next rule: what do we do when the monsters come?
AJ: Clem…
Clementine: AJ…
AJ: Shoot them in the head.
Clementine: Got any more ammo?
AJ: There isn’t any more.
Clementine: Okay, then. Fuck. And… the last rule?
AJ: I want to stay. With you. I know what will happen. And… and I don’t care. I don’t want to go. I just want to sit next to you and… and stay. Like that monster couple, from the train station. No one would hurt us. Just… sitting. Forever. Please. Let me stay.
Clementine: Sorry, kid, but, no. I have a job for you. I need you to get back to the school with Y/n. I need you to get back to your room, I need you to sleep in your bed, and have friends and grow tall. Taller than I ever was, I hope. I need you to live, AJ. For me. That’s your job now.
AJ: Okay, Clem. That’s my job.
Clementine: Last rule.
AJ: No…
Clementine: What do we do if I get bit?
He didn’t say anything, looking at the floor, but I knew what it was already.
Clementine: Are you gonna make me say it?
He didn’t answer again.
Clementine: Fine. AJ… you have to kill me. Don’t let me become one of them. Be a good boy. Kill me.
AJ: No…
But Clementine gave him a look and I watched, holding the girl’s hand as AJ picked up the axe. I gave Clem one last kiss on her forehead and she turned to me.
Y/n: Save me dance, alright?
Clementine: Always. I’ll see you later.
I felt tears drip down my cheeks as Clementine took a deep breath. AJ dragged the axe back over, lifting it over his head and then he swung it back down.