𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 | 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗜𝗜𝗜
❝𝖠 𝖣𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖬 𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖳𝖱𝖴𝖤.❞
𝗜 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗨𝗣 𝗦𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗝𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗥'𝗦 wound, cutting the thread and putting it to the side with a satisfied sigh.
Emma: That’s what keeps us going.
Clementine: There’s things we have to stay alive to do.
I picked up a roll of bandages, wrapping it around Javier’s chest before tying it together neatly.
Emma: So… it looks good, or what? I’m becoming a master at this.
Clementine: That’s one word for it.
Javier: Nice work.
Emma: Well, at least you like it. Just glad I could help you like you helped me.
He smiled, getting up and putting back on his shirt.
Javier: You two coming?
Clementine: We… still have to ask Lingard… about AJ.
As she spoke, there was a cough and splutter as Lingard woke up. We all turned to look at him, seeing him staring at me and Clementine with surprise.
Lingard: Hello, you two. I see you found each other again, not really a surprise, I guess. Ah, Javier. Thought you were rotting in a cell with David. There any chance he got out, too? I hate to think about what Joan might do to him. Despite all her pleasantries, she’s a cruel bitch.
Javier: Joan took him before I got out. I haven’t seen him since.
Lingard: That poor bastard. He’s… he’s not getting out. Guess there’s only one sure way to get away from Joan these days.
Emma: Who cares? David fucking deserves everything that’s happening to him.
Lingard: If you think that, you don’t know David.
Clementine: We know he’s the reason we lost AJ and each other.
Lingard: I can’t speak for why he split you two up, but when AJ recovered, David was the one who stepped up. Took personal responsibility for that kid.
Emma: Look, David is a grade-A asshole, if he was the one who looked after AJ while we were gone, I don’t know how the boy turned out… Shit.
Lingard: Whatever you think, David’s the reason the kid’s better off now than… than he’s ever been. You two can be as mad as you want about how… about how things panned out. The fact of the matter is, David’s been good for AJ, among others.
Javier: Clem and Emma are AJ’s family. No kid is “better off” when you break their family apart.
Lingard: Maybe you’re right. Maybe AJ should be with Emma and Clem. All I know is that he’s doing better than when he was when he got here.
Clementine: No thanks to you, or David.
Lingard: I stand by what I said.
Emma: Well, if David’s does such a good fucking job raising him, why was he telling me and Clem to ask you where AJ is, huh?
Lingard: That’s what this is about, then? You two… you want to know where the boy is?
Javier: What do you want?
Lingard: I… I just want to die. I want you to inject this into me.
He moved his arms to his side table, filling a syringe with morphine slightly messily.
Javier: Hang in there. Tomorrow’s another day.
Lingard: I… I can’t. When your brother found me, he… he got me to care about everything I’d given up on. My life, other people, even this goddamn place. Without him around, I don’t want to care anymore.
I stepped towards him dangerously, Clementine slamming her fist on the table beside him.
Clementine: Just tell us where he is!
Lingard: Then you won’t have any reason to do it.
He offered the syringe up to Javi, who furrowed his eyebrows before taking it.
Emma: Please, Javi. We have to know. This is all we’ve been trying to look for this whole time. We’re so close… just do this last thing.
He thought for a moment, but shook his head, shoving the syringe back into Lingard’s hand.
Javier: I’m sorry, both of you. We can’t do this.
Clementine: No. You have to.
Emma: I don’t care, Javi. If you won’t do it, I will.
I moved closer, going to grab the syringe from Lingard, but Javi stopped me before I could. He held onto my arm, making me glare at him.
Javier: Emma, stop. He’s not in his right mind. You can’t do this.
Emma: Get off me! I have to do this!
Javier: We’ll find AJ. Just not this way.
Clementine: There is no other way! Where is–
Lingard: You can consider the deal off.
Emma: Fuck! Javi, why!?
Clementine: We were so close…
I shrugged Javi’s hand off me, moving over to stand next to Clementine as I crossed my arms, trying to not let my anger get the better of me.
Lingard: So be it. It’s your funeral. Especially now… now that Joan’s rounding up all alleged traitors. You better… hope she doesn’t… find you.
He slowly drifted off again, his head lolling back and drool spilling from his mouth.
Javier: Hang in there, buddy.
Javi turned to me and Clem, giving us a pointed look and we sighed, following him back out to the corridor where Gabe and Mariana appeared next to Ava.
Gabe: Oh! Hey. Hi, Clementine. Uh, and Emma.
I rolled my eyes, the feeling of jealousy creeping up on me again. I knew it was jealousy, but I didn’t want to ever admit that out loud.
Mariana: Emma!
She ran up to me, hugging me warmly. I couldn’t help but chuckle, hugging her back.
Emma: Hey, you.
Mariana: Oh, thank God you’re safe.
Ava: So, you made it? Found each other again?
Emma: No thanks to you.
Javier: They’re with me.
Ava: You all good?
Javier: Yeah, we’re all set.
Ava: Let’s roll.
Gabe: Um… good to see you.
He slowed into step with Clementine while Mariana smiled next to me. I glanced over at Clem, seeing her already looking at me. We shared a look, not one that we had shared before, but I felt it spread reassurance over my whole body. She wasn’t into Gabe, not like he was into her. At least, I don’t think so.
Emma: Let’s just go.
We all walked out of the hospital, heading to an apartment across Richmond. As we walked into the building, Tripp and Eleanor were there to welcome us.
Tripp: Javi, you’re back! And… Emma and Clementine.
Emma: Nice to see you too, Tripp.
Clementine: Thanks for the warm welcome.
Tripp: Just surprised to see you, is all.
Javier: Guys, this is Ava, she’s–
Tripp: Oh, yeah, I know who she is. She’s got a hell of a punch.
Eleanor: Nice to meet you.
Tripp: Good to see ya, Ava.
The man’s eyes widened at the sight of the blood stain on Javi’s shirt.
Tripp: Oh, hell, you okay?
Javier: Yeah, it looks worse than it is. Don’t worry about it.
Eleanor: Kate’s lying down in the other room for a bit.
Tripp: So you got the guns, huh?
Gabe: We got ‘em, alright.
He took a couple out of the bag, handing them around.
Gabe: One for you, and one for you… I save this one for you.
He took a pistol out from the bag, passing it over to Clementine. She smiled politely and I raised an eyebrow at her, which she replied with a roll of her eyes. Then, Mariana tapped my shoulder, holding a new dual holster in her hand.
Mariana: Thought you might like this.
I nearly screamed in excitement, taking it from her hands and putting it around my waist quickly. She passed over another pistol and I experimented by spinning the guns around my finger by the trigger and smoothly placing them back into the holsters.
Emma: Oh… my… God! This is a dream come true! Thank you, Mari!
I laughed, picking her up and spinning her around in a hug. She chuckled as well, smiling broadly when I placed her back on the ground.
Mariana: Ah, well. All you used to talk about is how cool cowboys are.
I smiled sadly, remembering AJ with his bandana and how I was going to teach him to shoot just like me, but better. And now I have that chance again.
Emma: Thank you… Seriously.
Mariana: No problem, Em.
Tripp: What took you so long?
Javier: We went to see Doctor Lingard.
Eleanor: At night? I’m kind of surprised he was sober… It’s gotta be a stressful job, looking after an entire community. Can’t say I approve of the way he blows off steam, though.
Javier: He was… definitely not a hundred percent there, that’s for sure.
Eleanor: Sounds about right.
Beside me, Javi moved closer to Clementine, speaking low to her.
Javier: Why don’t you go talk to Kate, okay?
The girl looked at me and I nodded.
Emma: Go on. You’ll be fine, I swear.
Clementine: Okay.
She gave me one last smile before walking into the other room, the door closing behind her.
Javier: The sun will be rising in a few hours. Joan’s people know we’re holed up here, and they’re gonna come looking for us. All of us.
Tripp: Ah, for fuck’s sake!
Eleanor: Maybe it’s not as bad as we think!
Ava: Fucking figures.
Tripp: And there’s no going anywhere with those things blocking our exit.
Eleanor: They like me! That has to help somehow.
Tripp: Just ‘cause they like you doesn’t mean they’re gonna like the rest of us!
Ava: We’re sitting ducks up here!
Tripp: We can’t just wait around here to get shot, that’s for damn sure.
Gabe: We have to help my dad.
Emma: The hell we do. We should just stop wasting our damn time.
Javier: Emma’s right. We’ve still got time to get in front of this before Joan can do anything.
Gabe: Yeah!
Javier: I don’t know about you, but I’m not gonna sit around and wait for her to find us.
Emma: I sure as hell am not.
Tripp: I’m liking the cut of you two’s jib. We can’t just cut and run, not with the herd out there. Like it or not, we’re fuckin’ stuck in Richmond. How the fuck are we gonna put the brakes on this thing?
Ava: Joan and her people are going to be at the square, right? We need to bring the fight to them.
Tripp: We go after Joan, our problems are solved.
Eleanor: Great. So how do we do that?
Ava: It’s a good question. Joan will probably have a full security detail with her. She’ll be insulated – from us and from anybody in Richmond who doesn’t agree with what she’s doing.
Javier: If there are good people left in Richmond who are against what Joan’s doing, we need to ask them for their help. If we can talk to the people at the trial, present the case to everyone in Richmond, we might not have to do this on our own. We light the match, the people do the rest.
Tripp: After we take Joan out, we’re gonna need some way out of this mess. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m not much of a runner.
Ava: We’ve got a truck, a big one, that we use for walker defense. It’s a little busted up, but it’s way better than nothing.
Tripp: People are gonna be patrolling these streets, looking for us. How far away is this truck?
Ava: I’ll show you.
She moved over to the window that showed a view of the whole city.
Ava: We’ve been expanding, pushing out further, making the safe zone even bigger. Can’t promise you they’ve cleared all the walkers yet, but… that’s where the truck’s parked.
Tripp: I could spit and hit it!
Emma: We’d rather you didn’t though.
Ava: We steal that thing, nothing’ll be able to stop us.
The bedroom door opened again, Kate and Clementine walking out and coming to stop beside me and Javi.
Kate: Steal what?
Javier: Hey!
Kate’s eyes widened at the blood stain on his shirt, and I noticed it was expanding again, meaning he’d ripped his stitches.
Kate: Jesus! Javi, is that blood on your shirt?
She turned to Clementine, accusingly.
Kate: You said it wasn’t that bad!
Clementine: It isn’t.
Kate: How the hell did this happen? Oh, you’re bleeding right through that bandage. You should have told me as soon as you got in.
Javier: It’s not deep, it’s just bled a lot. Besides, it’s already taken care of, Emma sewed me up back at the doctor’s.
Kate: You still didn’t answer my question, what happened?
Gabe: He got stabbed, okay? By one of the guards.
Javier: Thought you knew what you were doing.
Emma: Hey, I practically warned you. You knew what you were getting into.
Kate: Eleanor, can you take a look at this?
The woman walked over, peering at the stitching and bandage before shrugging.
Eleanor: As long as he keeps it clean, it should be okay.
Gabe: Would you guys stop making such a big deal about it? It happened, it’s over. Move on, already!
Mariana: Gabe, calm down!
Kate: I’m just trying to make sure he’s okay.
Gabe: What we need to be talking about is the plan. Oh, I have a bunch of ideas. I wanna be the one to go after Dad. Just gimme a gun and I’ll do whatever! I know the town. I know what Dad’s gonna be thinking.
Mariana: I want dad back, too, Gabe. But you need to calm down.
Javier: Mariana’s right. Slow down. You’re getting way ahead of yourself.
Tripp: Who’s to say you’re even coming along, kid?
Gabe: Are you fucking kidding me? Oh, this is bullshit! I’m not staying behind!
Javier: Gabe, take a breath.
Gabe: He’s my dad! I’m going.
Kate: It’s going to be dangerous out there, and I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.
Gabe: If we get to save Dad, then getting hurt is worth it. It’s worth dying for! This is more important to me than anyone else. I’ve got a gun, and I know how to use it! Agree with me, Mari!
Mariana: Stop, Gabe! Just stop!
Javier: No way anybody is dying, not today! That’s why we have to take the time to talk it through, so everybody comes out okay. Nobody here is gonna let you be a martyr, Gabe. Your life is precious.
Gabe: Life is precious!? Then how come you shot Conrad, huh? Back in the tunnel, when he came after us, he tried to bargain with you! But you thought killing him would be easier.
Mariana: Gabe, please!
Javier: I was saving Emma’s life, in case you didn’t remember that part!
Gabe: So what?
I raised an eyebrow at the boy, but he just glared in my direction.
Gabe: You shot him! You killed him!
Tripp: What the fuck, Javi? Is he telling the truth? You murdered my friend? What the fuck did you do that for? You looked me in the eyes, man! You let me think the walkers had killed him! You were just fuckin’ lying this whole time?
Javier: He had a gun on them! If I hadn’t killed him, he was gonna shoot Emma and Clementine! Gabe and Mariana, too, if he got the chance!
Emma: He’s telling the damn truth! Conrad found out me and Clem used to run with the New Frontier and he… he just went crazy, man. He had a gun to my head and he would have pulled the trigger if it hadn’t been for Javi!
Clementine: You weren’t there! Javi did the right thing, Conrad would’ve killed us all to get what he wanted!
Tripp: I guess we’ll never know, right? ‘Cause he’s not here to tell his side of things! You made sure of that. Looks like you’re a pretty fucking dangerous person to be around, Javi!
He started to shove him, making Javi wince as he touched his wound.
Tripp: First, you kill my friend, then you get me and my friends on Joan’s shit-list!?
There was another shove.
Eleanor: I think you need to give us some space, Javi.
Tripp: Fuck that! I don’t wanna see you ever again! Maybe I’d be better off with Joan! At least I know she wanted to stab me in the back! You get the fuck out and you stay gone, or I can’t be held accountable. You feel me? We can take care of ourselves. Hell, we stick around you much longer, you’ll probably kill us too.
Javier: I’m sorry it happened the way it did, really. Conrad wasn’t a bad guy. The situation was just… just fucked. We’d better go get that truck.
Ava: I’ll… uh, get my stuff, then call you on the walkie when I see things getting started in the square.
We all nodded and she headed out, leaving the rest of us to head to the garage and get the truck.
A/n
Hey, sorry if the updates are slow for the next couple days, I'm feeling ill at the moment, but hopefully I'll be good soon :)