Clem places his fingers over the scar on his forhead, thinking about that last day with Kenny, as Tripp drives you, him and Javi to the junkyard. "Hey, Clem....we almost there?" Javi asked but Clem doesn't say anything as he looks out the window. "Hey, Clem." You said as you place your hand on his shoulder.

He looks over at you for a moment then slightly shakes his head and turns to Javi. "Yeah. We're close." He said. "I gotta say, I hope your people are safe and sound. Eleanor asked me before we left to make sure of it." Tripp said to Javi. "Oh yeah?" Javi said with intrigued. "Yessir. So that's what I'm gonna do. Though why she went to bat for you, I've got no idea." Tripp replied. "There's not much mystery to it, Tripp. She's a good human being." Javi told him. "Yeah, Eleanor's got a big heart, that's for damn sure." Tripp said just as Clem sees the junkyard coming up to the right.

"Guys. That's the place." Clem said as Javi looks at the place, which looked worse than it did yesterday. "Oh, shit..." he mutters as he gets out of the van. You, Tripp and Clem get out as well as Tripp said. "What a mess...."

"Jeez, must have been hundreds of them...." you noted as you see a few dead walkers strewn about in the junkyard. "Kate's good in a crisis--she'd know how to get shelter." Javi said as he kneels down and found a hammer and picks it up. Clem sees something and points at it. "What's that?" He asked and Javi grabs it to see it was a tape player. "Marianna's tape player..." he replied. "Marianna! Marianna, are you here?"

You guys here a noise to your left and you look over to see a figure coming out of an abandoned vehicle. "Javi!" She said as she runs to Javi. "Oh my God! You're safe....I can't believe!" Javi exclaims as Mari goes and hugs him.
"You told me where to hide; I just listened to what you said  Lock yourself in and don't come out, not even once it's quiet. It kept running though my head like a loop." She said as she pulls away from the embrace. "I'm so sorry I left you behind." Javi said. "I've been trying to get back here this whole time."

"You don't have to be sorry....you said you'd come back, and you did." Mari said, smiling. "Kate, and your brother--where are they?" Javi asked her. "We got pulled apart when that huge bunch of muertos showed up. Kate yelled that they were going to try to make it back to the van." Mari replied. "Then that's where we're headed." Javi said. "Let's go find your brother, sweetheart." Tripp said as Javi looks and sees the van that they used as smoking.

"Oh no..." he mutter as he runs over to it but there was no sign of Gabe or Kate. "No....no sign of 'em. They must have seen it like this, then gone someplace else to hide." He said just as you guys hear someone trying to start an engine. "Kate..." he whispers and he runs to the noise and sees a small group of walkers surrounding a truck, with Kate and Gabe inside.

"They're trapped in there!" Mari said as Javi holds his arms out. "Marianna, stay back!" He ordered and she stops. A walker turns and sees you guys and starts to hobble it's way to Javi, who pulls out the hammer he picked up earlier. He hits a couple of walkers while you pull out your sword and Clem pulls out his knife.

Javi hits another walker while you slice at another, Clem stabs one and Tripp hits another one with the butt of his gun. You guys easily take them out as Kate opens the door and slams the door on a nearby walker's head.

"Javi...." Kate said with relief. "You found us." She jumps out of the truck and hugs him. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I got you." Javi said to her, soothingly.

"You happy to see me?" She asked and Javi answers that with a kiss.
"Gross...." Mari mutters. "C'mon--I think we get a pass." Kate said as Gabe gets out of the truck and runs to his sister and hugs her. "I wanted to come after you, I swear I did--" he said. "You don't have to snot all over my shirt about it." Mari said.

"I thought we were dead. Like never-gonna-see-you-again dead." Gabe exclaimed as he looks between his sister and Javi. "No way would I let that happen." Javi assured him. "Yeah, well, you weren't here!" Gabe exclaimed as he glares up at Javi. "The herd showed up, and Marianna was gone, and we were waiting and waiting and then....I was just so scared." 

Javi places his hand on his nephew's shoulder and said. "I'm here now. You don't have to be scared." Gabe smiles at him then wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. "Hey, you hurt yourself?" Javi said as he noticed a scrape on Gabe's hand. "Must've scraped it in the truck....didn't even notice...." Gabe said as he looks down at his hand. "Hey, least it's not a bite." Javi said. "Not much we can do about it here...." 

"I've got a lady friend who's a doctor." Tripp said as he walks up to Gabe. "Soon as we get back to Prescott, she'll patch you right up. I'm Tripp, by the way. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"We should be getting back." Clem said to the others. "He's right. We don't wanna push our luck." You said, nodding. "Who are the kids with the sword and the gun?" Kate asked Javi. "Clement and (y/n) are friends." Javi replied. "Hi, there. Glad we were able to help." Clem said, awkwardly, as you just give a small wave to her. "Well, we're very grateful to you two. Really." Kate said.

"There's a town nearby: it's safe." Javi informed Kate. "I like the sound of that." Kate said and all of you start to walk towards the entrance of the junkyard. "Oh my God. Javi, do they have hot water?!" Mari asked her uncle. "I think so. Right Tripp?" Javi said as he looks over at Tripp. Tripp chuckles and said. "Well, I guess you'll find out." He teased.

"I thought you'd been to this place." Kate said, looking at Javi with suspicion. "I have. I just....didn't have much time to relax in my jacuzzi suite, you know?" Javi joked, making Kate chuckle. "Between you and me, these kinds of missions don't usually go so well. But you found every single one of your people. And you found 'em alive. Healthy. Reasonably cheerful." Tripp said. "Guess I'm a lucky guy." Javi said, shrugging. "Luckier than anyone I've ever met." Tripp remarks as you and Clem look at the broken van.

"When we get back to Prescott, you still owe us a working ride." You reminded Javi. "I haven't forgotten about our deal."

"I was hoping you two might stay---you know, considering." Javi said as he looks between you two. "Considering....what?" Clem asked him. "You two came all the way out here with me." Javi said as he scratched his neck. "Yeah, for the van, not for--"

"Cool." Mari said, interrupting you, as she walks over and finds her headphones. She turns and faces you guys as she holds them up. Javi digs in his pocket and pulls out her tape player. "Thanks." She said when suddenly a bullet went through her head.

"MARI!" Javi screams as all of you stand there in shock while her body falls face-forward. Suddenly, multiple gunshots sound out and all of you go and hide. "You fuckin' thieves--you really thought you could just waltz back in here, like nothin' happened?" A voice shouts then laughs. "I don't think so... "

"Javi! We can't leave her!" Kate shouts at him, pointing towards Mari's body. She gets up and runs over to her body when she was shot in the stomach. "Shit! Ah!" She screamed as she falls to her knees. "Kate!" Javi screamed in fear. 

Gabe stands up and runs to her. "Stop. Stop!" Javi shouts at him as Gabe runs across and dodges all the oncoming bullets and gets to Kate. "Javi, help! Do something, Javi!" Gabe shouts and Javi runs to them.

"Go!" He shouts and they run for cover as he picks up Mari's body and runs over to them. "Jesus. I am so...." Tripp started to say as Javi sets her body down. "She just..." Javi began to cry. "I know, Javi, and there'll be time for all that, but not right now. Kate needs a doctor, which means we gotta go." Tripp said to him.

"Kate---are you okay?" Javi asked her. "I'm fine---really..." Kate said through clenched teeth. "She's not. And the longer it takes us to get out of here, the worse off she's gonna be. It's time to go, man." Tripp warned.

"We stay here and we finish this." You said as you and Clem make it towards them. "Are you fucking nuts? We gotta get the fuck out of here, right now!" Tripp shouts. "They already killed one of you--if we don't stop them, they're gonna come after your family again." Clem said to Javi. "Let Tripp help them---you stay with us." 

"What? No! Javi, you have to come with us! Javi....please!" Gabe begs. Javi closes his eyes, thinks for a moment before he looks up at Tripp.
"Get her back to Prescott. We'll cover you." He ordered. "Javi?!" Gabe shouts. "Go with them. I'll be fine." Javi said to Gabe. "Give me a hand here, kid." Tripp said to Gabe.

"Just keep firing until they're out of sight, okay?" You said to Javi as you and Clem take out your guns. "I'm ready." Javi said, firmly, as Tripp and Gabe carry Kate to the van and leave. 

You and Clem start firing at the assholes, killing a few, when a pipe bomb was thrown. You gasped as Clem turns to Javi. "Javi! Don't--" he shouts when Javi runs, grabs the bomb and throws it back at them. But in mid-air the bomb goes off.

You and Clem ducked and hid for a while when you realized that the gunshots had seized. You two stand up and see that the men had disappeared. "Great." You muttered. "At least they're gone." Clem said. "Yeah, but for how long?" You asked him. Clem shrugged as you look over and see Javi was knocked out.

You run over to him then checked his pulse. "Is he...?" Clem started to ask.
"He's alive. Just knocked out." You replied. Clem nods then looks over at Mari's body. "What do we do with her?" He asked. You stare at her body then said. "We should make a grave for her." Clem looks at you then Mari and nods.

Minutes later, you two were almost done digging up a grave, just outside of the junkyard, when you started seeing flashes of your past in your mind's eye. The main one was of your mother's death.

"Please, let's just get back in the RV." Ben said. "That's not happening." Lilly said. "You think you're some tough bitch, don't you? Like nothing can hurt you, but you're just a scared little girl. Get the fuck over it." said Carley as Lilly glares at her. "Take a page from Lee's book and try helping somebody for once."

Kenny stomps on the walker's head and walks back over to everyone. "Now what the fuck's the problem?" Kenny asked but before anyone could answer there was a gunshot and Carley's body flops down to the ground, dead.

"MOMMY!!"

You gasped for a moment as you felt the tears coming. You stopped digging and closed your eyes shut, preventing the tears from falling, and cling onto the shovel. Clem, who kept digging, notices that you stopped then looks over at you with worry. "(Y/N)? Are you okay?" He asked when he stopped digging.

Your left hand starts to shake then you start to wipe at the tears that decided to fall with your left hand.
"Hey, hey, hey." Clem said, soothingly, as he stabs the shovel into the ground and goes over to you. "What's wrong?" He asked with concern. You blink your eyes and sniffled for a moment. "I just wish we could've at least buried her instead of leaving her like she was nothing but....nothing but...road kill. I just--God it's just not fair Clem! It's not-" You choke back a sob but quickly try to stifle it, Clem knew exactly who you were talking about.

Carely was still a touchy subject to you and you two never spoke about her, outloud. But it didn't stop you from crying about it every now and then. "I-I'm sorry. I know it was forever ago and that we've been through worse since then but-" you mutter when Clem quickly pulls you into an embrace, one arm around your waist and a hand on your head. He lays his cheek on your head then buries his nose in your hair while you wrap your arms around his torso.

"Don't apologise for being human. Mourning the dead is only natural and, considering how the world is now. It seems like there's never enough time to completely heal before we lose someone else. Losing people is practically a way of life now....a way of life we've already learned the hard way to accept." He said then he runs his hand through your hair as you bury your face in his shoulder. "I wish I could tell you it'll get easier (y/n) but we both know that that's complete bullshit." He said as you pause for a moment before hugging him tighter and crying.

Once you're done you pull away with a smile. "God you sound just like Lee." You said as you try to wipe your face with the sleeve of your shirt. Clem smiles sadly at this. "I'll take that as a compliment." He said.

The two of you stare into each other's eyes, lovingly, for a moment before Clem clears his throat, awkwardly.
"Not that I don't love looking at your snot covered face but....we should go check on Javi." He said. You roll your eyes and punch him on the arm with a smirk. "I take it back. Lee wasn't an asshole like you." Clem chuckles and the two of you go back to the junkyard and check on Javi.

You two make it inside just as you see Javi sitting up and turns to see a walker crawling towards him. You raise your gun and shoot the monster before it could get to Javi. Javi quickly turns around to see you two. "Hey, hey. Take it easy." Clem said, calmly, as you two go over to him. 

"What happened?" Javi asked as you two kneel before him. "They got away." You replied, your voice now sounding normal. "Oh God. Marianna." Javi said as he stands up and goes to Mari's body. He kneels down and takes Mari's hand in his as he closes his eyes. "We already dug a grave for her." Clem told him. "Thank you." Javi said, appreciatevly.

Moments later, you and Clem lead Javi, who was carrying Mari's body, to the grave. Javi climbs down into it and lays Mari down, gently, then he folds her arms across her chest then stands up and climbs out of the grave. "This was my fault, Marianna. Damn it." Javi cried as he places his hands over his face in despair. "I'm so sorry, honey." 

Javi grabs one of the shovels as You said. "Javi....thank you for staying. I think you probably saved our lives." Javi closes his eyes and said. "I couldn't leave you two alone."

"That's because....you're a good man." Clem said. "Not good enough to save her." Javi told him as he points at his dead niece. "You bought your people time, though. That counts for something." You said as Javi looks down at Mari then said. "Hang on a sec." And he pulls out the tape player. "She carried this around for years." He whispers and he steps back into the grave and put the tape player in her folded hands.

He climbs out and starts to bury her. "I'm....I'm sorry I never found you those candy bars. You deserved....so much more life." Javi said, his voice shaking with sadness. Tears were forming in your eyes again and Clem could sense it as he reaches for your hand and take it in his then squeezed it, you squeezed his hand back in appreciation.

"You should've been the one burying me....someday. Someday far away." Javi said to Mari and finally he finished burying her. "You did everything you possibly--" Clem started to say until you three hear a noise.

All three of you pull out your guns and start to slowly walk back towards the junkyard. You three come up on a fresh walker, who was one of the men that attacked you guys. Javi aims his gun and shoots it in the head then he notices an odd mark on the man's neck. 

"The other guys had this, too." Javi said as you and Clem look at the mark. You two gasped as you guys recognize it. "Oh, shit." Clem whispered in shock. "What? What's wrong?" Javi asked. "Guys?" 

You fold your arms across your chest and walked away as Clem comes up next to you and places his hands on your shoulders. "We've run into these guys before." Clem replied. "Who are they?" Javi asked. You sigh then turn to face him. "They call themselves The New Frontier. They used to be decent people. Now they're....something else." You informed. "This brand they have....it's like an initiation thing. We were...kinda stuck in their camp for a while. Not by choice. It was bad. We're lucky to be alive." Clem said. 

"Bad how?" Javi asked, curiously. "We got out. That's....all that matters." You replied, not wanting to talk about. Clem looks around and noticed a car. "They left one of their cars behind. That's something at least." He said as he walks over to it. "Good. Just like you two always wanted." Javi said, darkly.

"We can take you back to Prescott, make sure your family's okay....but then we're hitting the road." You said as you go over to Clem. "You two should stay with us." Javi said as you two stop and stand there. "Let's just get back to Prescott." Clem said and the three of you get inside the car and drive away.

(A/N: I want to thank animeangel for their help with some dialogue and scenes for this story. They've been helping me out with writing these Walking Dead stories. I can't thank them enough on helping me out with these stories.)​​​​​​​