I sighed as the sun hit my face as I walked out of the trees. James turned to us as he stood on the bridge, making sure we were still following. Clementine walked with Aj in her arms behind me, though she looked exhausted. I frowned and continued to walk. James stopped on the bridge as Clem and I caught up. Clem took deep breaths as she held Aj in her arms.
"Is he awake?" James asked, Clem looked at Aj with worry.
"Yeah, he's so hot.." she told, I could tell just by looking that his fever was getting worse. I stretched my arms out towards Clem.
"I can hold him the rest of the way Clem.. your exhausted.." I spoke, Clem looked at my injured arm and shook her head.
"Your arm is still hurt (Y/N), I don't want it to get worse, I can handle him." She reminded, I looked at my arm with a frown. I had completely forgotten about it, but she was right. I nodded and took a step back. James looked at us both and we continued walking. As we walked across the bridge, the school began to come into sight. I began to get a bit nervous, worried that they would just turn us away. Aj started to groan a bit.
"Hurts.." he spoke through his teeth, Clem looked at him.
"Hang on, were almost there.." she reassured. We walked past the traps and looked up at the large gate doors. Suddenly Willy popped out of nowhere aiming his bow toward James.
"Walker!" He yelled, shooting an arrow. James quickly took a step back, the arrow hitting the ground close to his feet. We all looked up at Willy who looked shocked and confused. He turned towards the school.
"Violet! Louis! They came back!" He shouted, climbing down the ladder. Clem turned to James.
"Look, you live out there alone, right?" Clem asked, James turned to look at her.
"You.. want to come inside with us?" I asked him as well. He looked at us both, then back to the arrow that Willy shot at him, he shook his head a bit.
"Not ready." He simply replied, I frowned a bit. I was hoping he would stay but I understood his decision. He began to walk away, and I turned to him.
"Thanks for your help. We appreciate it.." I called out to him, he stopped and gave me a nod, before walking off again. Clem and I nodded and walked towards the small gate. Clem was really beginning to struggle holding Aj, I walked close by her with my hands out to help just in case she lost her grip on him. Clem suddenly stopped and her legs started to give out.
"I... cant keep carrying you.." She told, I quickly put my hands under Aj, and her legs collapsed, I sat on the ground next to her to help guide Aj safely so he didn't get hurt. Clem let out a gasp of exhaustion, and I gave her back some slow rubs. I looked up towards the gate to see a familiar face running up to us. It was Louis. He crouched down in front of us and looked at me then at Aj.
"Shit... is he..?" He began. I shook my head quickly.
"No. He was shot. He needs help right away.." I told him.
"Come on, let's get him inside." He told us. Clem shook her head.
"I.. can't.." Clem spoke, I frowned at Aj, but put my arms under him. Clem looked at me in worry as I lifted him up. My arm ached in pain, and but I bit my lip, trying to hide it.
"(Y/N).. I can-" Louis spoke, I shook my head, cutting him off.
"I got him." I began to walk inside the school, Clem stood up and followed close behind me, as well as Louis. I looked at Aj's pained face and frowned, worry was all I felt.
I walked into the admin building with Aj still in my arms. Most of the group was there, and seemed to already know what was going on. Ruby quickly turned to me, looking at the injured Aj in my arms.
"Let me see.." Ruby told, I nodded. I brought Aj a little closer to her, but I didn't let go of him. She nodded and gestured towards the stairs.
"I have everything I need upstairs. Come on." She added, I nodded and began to climb the stairs, I was careful not to hurt him when I climbed the stairs. Clem began to explain.
"We got the shrapnel out of him.." Clem told, Ruby looked at her.
"You and (Y/N) did it all alone?" She asked, Clem looked away.
"It's.. a long story." She replied, I walked over to a couch that was against the wall, and I slowly lowered Aj onto it, my arm was finally free of pain. everyone gathered around him. Ruby placed her hand on Aj's forehead.
"He's running a fever, body's trying to fight infection poor little guy.." Ruby frowned, She crouched down towards Aj. Violet, who was standing next to me, turned to me and Clem.
"Ruby and Louis will take care of him. You two come with me, we can talk in the office." Violet assured us, I nodded at her.
"Clem?" Aj quickly called out, me and Clem looked at him. Ruby quickly shushed him.
"Shhh.. you try to rest, okay? We're gonna fix you right up." Ruby smiled, Aj still looked towards us in panic.
"Clem?" He called again, Clem walked up to him and crouched down to his level. I walked up next to her and looked down at Aj.
"Aj listen to Ruby, okay? She'll look after you." Clem calmly told him, Aj's expression still didn't change. Clem looked at me and I kneeled next to her.
"Come on, what do we do when we're scared?" Clem asked him, Aj was silent as he tried to think. I smiled.
"When fear starts to take over, we take-"
"Deep breaths... hold it in.." Aj cut me off, and began to take deep long breaths. Clem and I smiled at each other and I gave Aj a few pats.
"I'm good now.." He told us, me and Clem stood up. And we all looked at him. Aj gave us a nod.
"(Y/N), Clementine please. We need to talk." Violet told us again, she seemed more desperate this time. We both nodded and Violet nodded, Me and Clem filling her. We walked inside Marlon's old office and I closed the door behind us. She immediately began to talk.
"What happened in the woods I saw they had you both pinned.. and I.. shit I got so crazy.." She confessed, she gave me a quick glance before looking away. Clem has her arms crossed, and she looked a bit judgemental.
"When I heard you call for help, I didn't even think... I wanted to help you two, but when you told us to run, I had to trust you.. thank you for protecting us.. it was really brave." Violet thanked us, I smiled a bit.
"Thanks for coming back.. if you weren't there we probably wouldn't have escaped from them.." I thanked her, she nodded and smiled back at me. She seemed to have calmed down because of it.
"I really thought you guys were dead.." She told us, worried.
"We're not gonna die that easy don't worry. but thank to you for helping us Violet.." I thanked her as well, and she nodded. She crossed her arms and got more serious.
"It's just everything is so fucked right now..you know?.." She added. I nodded.
"Yeah.. yeah I know what you mean.." I agreed, Violet walked towards the desk and leaned against it.
"Louis and I told them about what happened in he woods. That woman who attacked you guys.. I.." Violet began.
"Lilly." Clem cut her off, he voice was tinted with anger and seriousness. I looked at her, curious myself on who she was.
"So you do know her... we were wondering... who the hell is she?" Violet looked at the window before turning and looking at Clem, I stayed quiet so I could listen since I was confused as well.
"I wouldn't have recognized her if she hadn't recognized me first.. we were in a group together, a long time ago." Clem explained, I was a bit shocked that that woman and Clem were in a group before, especially since she didn't seem very friendly. Violet walked towards Marlon's chair and sat on it.
"I hope it was a different kind of group, that didn't fucking steal people." Violet hissed, Clem gave her a judgemental look.
"Come on, you know it was different." Clem told, Violet looked at me then back at Clem.
"Was (Y/N) in your it's group? I mean, you guys seem pretty close." Violet asked, I shook my head.
"No.. I only met Clem a few years ago, I never knew Lilly either so I'm just as confused." I replied, Clem nodded, and continued to explain.
"She murdered someone in our group. Gunned them down during an argument. Carley was her name, she refused to let Lilly push her around. It was right at the start, I hadn't seen Lilly since." Clem added, I wasn't surprised. Lilly did seem like the type of person to do something like that.
"I believe you." Violet spoke, Clem gave her a suspicious look.
"But..?" She asked quickly.
"There's something else, Willy said someone was with you at the gates?" Violet replied.
"James, he saved me, (Y/N), and Aj. Let us stay at his camp for the night." Clem answered, I nodded in agreement.
"Aj might not have made it if it wasn't for him." I added. Violet looked worried.
"But why did you bring him here? You led him right to us. I mean, he's a stranger. And running into those two in the woods, it proved we can't trust anybody." Violet stated. Clem crossed her arms and glared at her.
"What is this? After everything we did to get back, I don't appreciate being interrogated." Clem defended, I put my hand on her shoulder.
"Come on Clem, don't be like that. She's just scared." I consoled. Clem sighed and shook her head, but she stayed quiet.
"We wouldn't have led James here if we thought he was a treat Violet, I mean he helped Aj when others would rather walk away." I reassured, Violet sighed and looked at me then at Clem again.
"Willy said he was wearing.. animal skins, or something.." Violet added.
"He was wearing walker skin. That's how he gets past herds, he can guide them too." Clem stated, I nodded. Violet just looked it us like we were crazy. She awkwardly scratched her neck.
"Uh, Wow. Okay.." She spoke awkwardly, Clem rolled her eyes.
"He helped us, people don't usually do that. I know we can trust him." I added, Violet signed.
"It's not that I don't trust you two, I'm just worried about the others and what they might do." Violet confessed, I looked down at the ground. How would we convince them?
"They didn't even get a chance to mourn Brody and Marlon. before these child snatching assholes showed up... And then you come back, after we thought you were dead. Now they're confused, and nobody knows how to feel about Aj." Violet addressed Clem glared at her and put her hands on the desk.
"Violet, Aj is the least of their worries." Clem defended.
"I know, everything's such a mess. They're scared and angry, and they're looking for someone to blame... I mean they kicked you guys out, how am I supposed to make them change their minds about you?" Violet replied, she really didn't know what to do. Clem looked like she was thinking.
"It was decided, five to three against.. I know I feel like it shouldn't matter, but they were afraid of you.. all of you." Violet muttered, I placed my hands next to Clem's
"Then we will convince them. I know it's gonna be hard, but it just feels right." I announced, Clem nodded in agreement. It was quiet for a bit. Clem looked out the window.
"James told us what Lilly and Abel will do next. He said they'll get more people and guns, and come attack us. Take everyone here." Clem explained, Violet looked shocked.
"How the hell would he know?" Violet replied, perplexed.
"He's watched them for a while." Clem answered.
"They're at war right now.. with another community, they forcefully take people in to fight for them, if we get taken we would be forced to fight for them." I explained, Violet frowned.
"Is that what happened to Minnie and Sophie..? They turned them into soldiers..?" Violet frowned, Clem nodded.
"Yeah, and it will happen to us, if we don't stop them." Clem added, I nodded. Violet looked down, she frowned.
"Minnie didn't even like killing walkers.." she muttered, I looked at Clem.
"So what can we do..?" I asked her, she turned and looked out the window, her hand on her chin in thought.
"This place, its a fortress... with a little work, we could make this place really hard to attack." Clem turned to Violet and Violet looked at her, her face was focused but unconvinced.
"Do you actually know how to do that?" She asked her. Clem nodded.
"Yeah.. I was part of a siege once, in a town called Richmond." Clem pulled out the old Ericson map and rolled it open on the table.
"I'll show you." She added, I walked up next to her and looked at the map. She pointed to that part that labeled 'courtyard'
"The courtyard is open, not a lot of cover. We should flip the picnic tables and narrow the pathways through it." Clem explained, I nodded.
"So it will be easier for us to see which way their coming from... so if they come inside that's another option for us.. clever." I smiled at Clem and she nodded. I looked back down at he map and pointed to the admin building.
"We should trap this area and make our stand here... if you think about it, there's only one way in which is the front, then we have the staircase. If we put traps in the big open area they will have to walk through to come to get us." I added. Clem nodded.
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Clem agreed. She pointed at the walls around the school.
"We've got good strong walls, we need to make them hard to climb over, so the raiders have to come in through the gates." Clem told, Violet looked at the map.
"We used to keep barbed wire in the greenhouse." She replied. I nodded in agreement.
"That will work perfectly." I smiled. Clem pointed to the greenhouse on the map.
"Well, you guys don't use the greenhouse anymore do you?" Clem asked. Violet shook her head.
"No, we used to.. then we lost someone out there. Walkers overran the place and Marlon wouldn't let us go back.. safezone." She spoke in annoyance. I shook my head in disgust.
"We need to get that barbed wire so they can't climb the walls.." Clem spoke, I looked down and put a hand on my chest.
"I can go. Clem can stay and help out here." I smiled at her. Violet looked at me in worry.
"Are you sure? It's gonna be swarming with walkers by now.." Violet warned, Clem looked at me.
"(Y/N), I can come with you-"
"Okay what the hells going on!?" A voice called out, cutting Clem off. The doors swung open and I turned and looked at who it was, I frowned. It was Mitch.
A/N
Hey everyone! So the chapter is finally out! I know this isn't a brand new one exactly but the new one will be posted next week! Love y'all!