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kaylinelizabeth4004 · 1 year ago

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Young and Beautiful

Alec Hardy (Broadchurch) x Reader

Synopsis: DS Y/N Warner uses DI Alec Hardy’s flat for some late night work

Word Count: 4890

Tags: fem!reader, fluff, smut, praise, sweet, very sweet smut, if your name is Becca look away

She didn't even bother to knock, not knowing or caring if he was in, she just slid open his sliding glass door and let herself inside. Then she plopped the case files on his sofa, pushed his coffee table to the side, and laid them all out in front of in her. He'd come round about an hour later, when all the papers lie in their own stacks across his rug, Y/N in the middle eating a slice of toast with a wild look in her eyes.

"Warner, what're you doing here?"

"There's something we're missing, there has to be, and I'm so close to it!" She said, her baby hairs frizzing wildly as her hair came loose from her ponytail. She either didn't care or didn't notice as she stood up, a paper in hand. DI Alec Hardy stood in his own doorway, flabbergasted to his DS rambling in his room at half past 4am. "I think it has to do with Aaron, it's got to be. His alibi doesn't make sense, he won't tell us where he was, and he knew Sophia well enough. At least more than some of the other persons of interest. I've tracked down the local cab company and one of the drivers says he remembers giving a bloke a ride late that night, said the lad was proper out of breath and not exactly chatty. I've already got him lined up to come in tomorrow for more information. As for the trace amounts of DNA in the victims mouth we don't have a match yet but the lab did say it wasn't as disintegrated as they'd initially thought which gives me hope! I've got -"

"Warner!" Hardy shouted, interrupting her speech. "What the hell are you doing in my house half past 4?"

She gestured around her as though it should be obvious, "working."

"And you can't do that at your own flat?"

She giggled, and continued to ramble. When she was really tired, like proper one second away from passing out tired, like she was now, she couldn't shut up. It didn't matter if the person she was talking to didn't want to hear it or wasn't listening or couldn't hear it - having a deaf cousin worked to her favor in these instances - she would continue to prattle on about what she needed to, "no. My roommate's got her boyfriend over and they were proper loud. Could practically hear the bed rattling, and it wasn't doing me any good. You don't sleep anyway so I figured I could use the space to lay it out. I didn't think you'd not be home. Why're you dressed nice? Did you come from a date? Is that what this is? Is there some woman waiting outside?"

"No!" DI Hardy looked halfway offended at the suggestion. "I've just got back from work. Was gonna make a cuppa then keep going til you showed up."

She squealed and went for something on the floor, lifting it up then crawling to a different paper,"I take two sugars."

"I know your bloody order. Shouldn't you go and sleep?"

She waved a hand, "I'll sleep when I'm dead. What I really need is for the world to be open 24/7. If I could only call this bloke right now and half my questions could be answered. You know my order? That's sweet."

He scoffed, "it's not unique. Warner, when was the last time you slept?"

"Uhh, I slept a few hours on Tuesday. Why do you look all high and mighty? You don't sleep either, don't eat. You're practically a miserable little skeleton carting your life way through life."

"I am not -" he stopped taking. Partially because she hadn't stopped either, continuing to chatter about whatever her heart desired. And partly because he didn't know if he was going to refute the miserable part, the little part, or the skeleton part. Or if he even could refute it. He snorted, well he wasn't little. He was over 6 foot. And he could eat more, he knew that. But he often forgot about food until he had to.

"I know a fellow who took nine sugars. Can you imagine that! Nine sugars! You're drinking piss flavored juice at that point. Pardon mh French, sir. He was very strange... called himself Witchfinder as though you couldn't search on the web magic shops. Maybe we should start calling ourselves Crimefinders. Criminalfinders? That doesn't roll off the tongue, now does it?"

DI Hardy realized Y/N wasn't going to answer any of his questions in this state, so he shuffled over to the kitchen to make some tea. He took his coat off, tossing it on whatever available counter space there was with a yawn. He wanted to sleep, knew he probably had to, but he'd probably dream of something he didn't want to dream about. Lately it'd been odd mental pictures of his coworkers all hurt, Y/N choked, Ellie crying, hell even Brian made the scene with a glazed look in his eyes. He didn't know why he had these thoughts, he'd never considered himself a particularly caring individual over his coworkers. But it had haunted him off from sleep for the foreseeable future.

He made two cups of tea, disposing two sugars into Warner's as she said. Then he walked back over to his living room and sat down, elbows on his knees as he scanned her work.

"Thank you!" She said, grabbing her mug and take a large gulp of it. "What do you think of this, sir? He doesn't strike me right. Can't place it."

"The name is familiar," Hardy admitted. He went to his laptop and started typing away, trying to place the name. "Ah, he's been arrested for aggravated assault. Both charges dropped, looks like some brawls in the pubs."

"I s'pose that doesn't suggest he murdered a girl."

"Doesn't rule him out either, if he's willing to punch a stranger in a pub what would he do to someone he knows?"

She giggled and scrambled for her pencil, "I should write that down for my novel!"

"You're writing a novel?"

"Mmhmm, started it tonight. 'Adventures of Harner and Wardy.'"

Alec set his mug down, and took hers from her hand as well. "Alright, time for bed now."

"What? No! I've got more novel to write and crime to solve! We've not even started discussing the potential that Louise is lying about her husband's alibi. I mean really? She says he binged Big Bang Theory with her all night and I'm all for binging telly but of all the shows you choose that one? The laugh track is funnier than the actual show half the time - is this your bedroom?"

Hardy had helped Y/N to her feet and led her to his bedroom in the back. She was still rambling about the most irrelevant things when he guided her to sit on the edge of his bed. He didn't often make it, so he was glad to note that it was done up well. Warner hadn't slept in almost a full 48 hours and he knew that even with a brain as sharp as hers, it was dull as Katie's without sleep. He got on his knees before her, carefully untying her shoes and sliding them off her feet. He put them by the door and helped her out of her coat jacket.

"What're you doing?" She finally asked as he hung the jacket on the back of the door. "Are you hitting on me?"

"What? I -"

"Because if you are hitting on me that's totally okay, but I should warn you I'm getting sleepy so I might not be the best lay. But you are proper good looking so I wouldn't say no." She made a face, "my boss wouldn't like that would he? Noooo, can't call someone proper good looking. I'm not trying to be a knob, just communicating that you've got no problems in the looks department. None, like ever. Personality maybe but you took my shoes off for me so that gets you at least a few brownie points."

Alec felt like he was malfunctioning, his arm stuck out, frozen midair from her words. She just called him attractive. And not just good looking, but good looking enough she'd want to sleep with him! He'd never been used to such straight forward compliments and didn't quite know if he believed it. So he just worked on autopilot, helping tuck her into bed.

"Go to sleep, Warner." He flicked off the lights and closed the door. What the hell. What the hell. Alec blinked rapidly like that would make any of what just happened make any sense at all.

He stood awkwardly outside the door of the bedroom. Should he - is he- what's the proper procedure with this? He should know, he was married once, had enough sex to have a child! But it seemed all that knowledge left the moment Claire stole back the pendant, fizzling his marriage, his life, his career. Now he was left taking uneven breaths as the sun crept up, an employee who's attracted to him sleeping in his bed after 40+ hours of not sleeping.

He found himself back at his laptop, slowly typing out what to do when someone admits to fancying you. But the results were not his thing, videos of very forward men and women moving very quickly into other actions. Alec was not opposed to the action, sex. But he couldn't fathom how to get there. So he sat in his kitchen drinking old tea, and staring at his door.

An hour later he crept in to grab a different tie for work, and saw Y/N completely passed out. She was curled in a ball, cradling his pillow and lightly snoring. She looked content. It made him smile against his better judgment. He left her in there, scribbling a note on a piece of paper he taped to the bedroom door before he left for the station.

Y/N Warner woke up nearly 12 hours later. It was practically dark when she opened her eyes. She blinked away the sleep that threatened to creep in around the corners of her eyes, and propped herself up on her elbows to survey the scene around her. She didn't recognize the room she was in, blank walls and bland sheets. There was no personality to it. For a moment, she wondered if she'd gotten a hotel room and just had no memory of it.

Then she smelt a familiar, faint scent. She couldn't place it or really describe it other than she liked it, it was warm. Stupidly, she let her face fall into the pillow to inhale the scent. Oh my god.

She shot up quickly, realizing where she was. The memories of last night flooded her mind.

"Shit, shit, shit." A hand flew to her brow as she tried to process. She'd come here to work because her roommate was fucking her boyfriend into the oblivion. DI Hardy came back, made her a cuppa. She wouldn't shut up, kept rambling about the Big Bang Theory (why?) and Witchfinders (how?) before he guided her here. Then she - "no." She said audibly, she did not make a pass at DI Hardy in his bed, late at night and practically drunk on exhaustion. Her eyes flit around the room before landing on the one piece of decoration, a framed photo of Hardy and Daisy, his daughter. "No." She said again, as though it could stop her ramblings.

Y/N rushed out of the bed, scrambling to find her shoes before she saw them neatly lying next to the door. She was usually very professional, if not a little eccentric. But no one could fault you for being a lot when you were good at your job and solved cases. She brought justice to people, she knew she did. And she might have risked it all because she worked herself too far and hit on her boss. Regardless of how stupid attractive he was, that was still work place harassment.

She shoved her shoes on, forced her arms into the holes of her suit jacket and ambled out into his living space. There were papers everywhere. They covered the floor like a new rug, slouched over the chairs and clung to the walls by hall dead pieces of tape. She looked for her mobile, patting her pockets. Shit, she must have left it in the bedroom. When she turned she spotted a note on the door.

'At the office. Feel free to not come in.'

Oh she was dead. She'd lost her job forever, she would never work again. This stupid blasted career she'd worked so hard on gone.

She ran back and found her mobile among the sheets, shoved it into her pocket and ran to leave the home. Then DI Hardy stood awkwardly at the front door, bags of Chinese hanging from his hands and a weird not grimace not smile expression. He didn't look pleased to see her, but he didn't want to kill her. Good news, right?

"Sir, I am so sorry about last night-"

"Don't worry about it." He waved his hand, coming in to set the food on the counter. He got a lot of it.

"No, I can't not worry about it. I came into your home, made a mess, took your bed and propositioned you-"

"Warner, we've arrested a man for the murder of Sophia Garcia. It was Aaron Baker, his dad's golf clubs, just like you'd said."

Her mouth fell open, "shit, really?"

Alec gestured to the mess of papers while he spoke, "you'd mentioned something about the cabbie last night. When I went in I gave them a ring, and while there was a driver who picked up a grumpy lad it wasn't Aaron. Sounds like a Christie book but it was his twin. Aaron was cross town cleaning up the scene."

"Not good enough," Y/N said softly.

Alec nodded, "not good enough."

"I'm sorry, sir." She said again, her voice still quiet and meek.

He didn't answer her, just stared for a beat before gesturing to the food, "I didn't know what you liked so I bought two of everything."

"All this is for me?"

"You solved the case, Warner."

She shook her head, "I ... you let me sleep in your bed? I ransacked your house, I propositioned you, and you let me sleep and brought me food?"

Alec scratched the back of his neck. He did not like how often Y/N asked questions. It stressed him out, like he had to have an immediate answer to every single one when he figured his actions spoke. But she looked so confused. He just gestured to the food and went to grab plates.

She sat down in surprise, blinking quickly as she watched him come over. "Just a, uh, an egg roll and cho mein please."

He nodded and shoved two of both onto her plate before giving it to her. He didn't put anything on his plate. Y/N sighed and scraped off half of hers onto his.

"Eat, sir. Please."

He blinked, "wot?"

"I've known you for years and never seen you eat. Just eat the egg roll."

He stared at the greasy food. He can't eat that, he thought and was about to say as much when she shot him a dirty look. Tentatively, Alec took a bite of it. He cringed, he didn't quite love the taste but Y/N seemed pleased he was eating so he finished it off just for her.

When they both finished he cleaned up, and she stayed seated. Then he moved past her to the bedroom, undoing his tie and tossing it, along with his jacket, onto a chair in the corner. He started to roll his sleeves up round his elbows when Y/N waited by the door.

"Thank you, sir."

"No need-"

"Let me. Thank you, sir. For the food and the sleep and, uh, well thank you for everything."

"Of course, Warner. I take care of my people." Not typically this much care, but he didn't want to make her feel bad. He focused on sliding off his shoes, shoving them out of his sight.

Alec jumped - well, Alec never really jumped just blinked harshly and cocked the one eyebrow - in surprise. Y/N was now closer to him, her chest heaving as she stared up at him. She was shorter than he remembered.

"I-If I may, sir?" She asked, lifting a hand.

He had a feeling he knew what she was asking, but didn't know for certain. But all the same he nodded. He watched as her eyes fluttered shut as she leaned in, going onto her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

He hadn't been kissed in a long time, and the surprise of her initiating it made him stand there and accept her soft lips against his. When she broke, he could see the fear in her eyes as though she had done something wrong. Alec hadn't kissed in a while, and he felt the anxiety creep in that he didn't remember how. But the look in her eyes made it worth the fear.

He plunged forward, grabbing the back of her neck gently while his other hand came to cradle her jaw. Her skin was soft under his touch, melting as he held her. Y/N's hands came up to hold his jaw, scruffy and itchy in the most delightful way. Her mouth melded with his as his tongue licked along her bottom lip.

She cherished the way his jaw scratched against hers slightly, sighing when he broke to trail soft kisses down her jaw and the length of her neck. The scratch was enough to make her giggle like a schoolgirl, holding his shoulders. He shot back up, hair slightly wild but nothing compared to his eyes as he looked into hers deeply. He needed to be absolutely certain. There was no time for messing about and hurting anyone.

She smiled. He was so handsome to her, but in an understated way. She took the moment to run a finger on his sculpted jawline, along his freckled cheeks and down his crooked nose. No, not everyone might look at those features and call it handsome. But to her, he was everything. Smart, kind, and good-looking as sin. Her finger fell upon his lips, slightly open and let out harsh breaths as he searched her eyes desperately. Alec always wished he could read expressions better, he was terrified he'd make the wrong decision somewhere down the line.

But Y/N smiled, and nodded, pressing a soft kiss to his nose before taking a step back. Then she toed off her own shoes, shucked off her own jacket, and began to undress.

He followed her lead, removing his shirt and pants. Eventually, they both stood in front of one another naked. Y/N felt that pang of anxiety in her chest at being bare in front of a man. She'd made it very clear to Alec that she found him to be hotter than hell, but did he feel that way about her? She wasn't ugly, she knew that, but she wasn't a showstopper.

And yes, she could see the surprisingly length of him hardening before him. But didn't every man get hard when sex was on the table?

Alec came forward and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her forward as his eyes took in every inch of her. He ran a hand along her stomach - an insecure area for her - and up between her breasts, before settling it on the base of her neck. The simple action left her breathless.

His eyes were still on her body before he brought them up to hers. She was struck by how deep his were, how warm and brown, they seemed to go on forever.

"Look at you," he said hoarsely, his accent suddenly get thicker. "You're gorgeous."

"You think so?" She felt stupid asking it. She should be confident, she should pose seductively and tell him to strap in the way girls do on the telly. But this felt real and raw, and raw didn't shy away from the insecurities. Insecurities laced with cellulite and hair, parts that feel too pudgy there and too concave there. Never quite where it needs to be, never "ugly" enough for the world to tell you you have a right to complain.

"'Course. 'Course, look at you. You think I'm g-good too?" He asked back.

Y/N smiled, "thank you for saying that, most men don't."

"Don't they?" Alec asked in surprise, figuring that was just a part of the experience.

She shook her head and let her gaze trace along his body as well. He was lean and tall, with thin legs and arms wrapped in gentle muscle. His stomach was slightly pouchy and soft, beneath it his length was already hard at the sight of her. She ran a hand up from his stomach to his chest, mimicking his actions, and let it stay on his heart. Beneath her touch it thumped violently. Then she looked up to see his face, her favorite feature. His eyes were warm and gentle even when they didn't mean to be. "All of you is handsome to me, all of you."

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, "you're one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. And if it isn't too crass to say, I'd fuck every inch of you."

It was too crass to say, and even a little cheesy, but it made her blossom with a smile. She threw her arms around his neck and let herself fall into one of his all encompassing kisses she was starting to like the taste of too much. Alec's lips were firm but not overpowering as they engulfed her, setting a tingle from her toes all the way up to her head in a heady giggle. His hands held onto her waist, grasping the flesh there with a sweet intensity. His lips parted with a deep groan.

She walked backwards to the bed, leading Alec until he was over her. His arms were poised by her head, his neck brought down as he peppered open mouth kisses along her neck. She laughed lightly at his scruffy beard, moaning when his lips found the spot between her neck and shoulder that shot straight through her. Y/N writhed under his touch, heat searing her skin. His hands were everywhere, branding her, skating up her waist to grab a handful of her breast, down her back to cup her bum, and feather like fingers traveling over the top of her thighs to the place in between. She gasped as he ran a finger down her slit.

"So wet..." he murmured, not expecting her to be so aroused by him. He'd barely done anything for her, hadn't touched down there at all. Yet she was slick to the touch, heat and arousal. Alec loved the way her chest flushed, her eyes closed tightly as she savored his touch on her skin.

He ran his fingers down, keeping his touch light as he experimentally nudged around. When he found her clit she gasped, her whole body tensing and focusing on the nerves right there against his finger.

"So responsive," he murmured, starting to work gently against her clit as she took shaking, uneven breaths. Alec went to speak again, then stopped. Tess never liked when he spoke in bed, said it distracted her from her climax. So he'd learned to stay silent and focus on his partner's body, her mouth as she fought her body's reaction to grind violently against his fingers. He kissed her sternum, biting at the flesh gingerly. Despite himself, Alec growled into her as she bucked her hips to meet his ministrations.

"Keep talking," she said in a hoarse voice.

"Wot?" Alec asked, taken aback.

Y/N looked up at him, eyes heady with need, "your voice is hot. If it's okay to ask, please keep talking, sir."

Alec grinned his charming, crooked smile. He bent down to kiss along her stomach as he quickened his pace on his clit, driving her faster to a climax then she was used to. That deep Scottish voice rang our praises, some loud enough that she could hear them and clench her thighs, others murmurs against her flesh that made her head feel light and airy. She giggled at the thought of all the beard rash she'd have along her body from him. All the same he told her how well she was doing, how beautiful she was, how lovely she looked squirming underneath him.

Then, as her back began to arch and she could feel the orgasm just a hair's breadth away, he stilled. Y/N whined. Actually felt herself whine in protest. He chuckled, clearly meaning to edge her, using his large hands to keep her legs wide open.

"A-are you ready?" Alec asked, his usual confidence lost to the arousal he was trying to keep at bay for her. His hands were large and warm, holding onto the space between her hips and thighs with a firm yet gentle touch.

Y/N's eyes gazed down to his cock, hard and ready. It looked about ready to burst, but Alec squeezed her thighs to look up into his eyes. They were warm and kind. Asking for consent even in a position like this. It made her all the more sure of her answer.

She reached up for his face, grabbing his jaw and planting a warm kiss on his mouth as he started to guide himself inside of her. He was slow, letting her gasp and adjust to the length inch by inch until he was fully inside of her. Alec paused. She could feel her heartbeat everywhere, pulsing desperately for friction.

She nodded, kissing Alec again. She'd never had a kiss like that, so strong and comforting. Kisses were never her thing, she hadn't understood the fuss over them. Just two sets of lips pressed against one another, the taste of the day infecting it. But with Alec it was more than the cho mein or egg rolls, and it was more than chapped lips pressed against one another. It was full of desire, trying to communicate all that words couldn't. She drank it in fully, gasping against him as he started to move inside of her.

Alec was bigger than she expected and bigger than he was used to, and she wiggled her hips to the feeling of being stretched so full like that. He cherished the feeling of her gasps and moans, dipping to kiss every inch of skin near him.

"So beautiful, so gorgeous..." he thrusted in quickly this time and saw her body tense from surprise. "You're taking me beautifully, Angel."

Y/N could listen to his voice all day. Even before she realized he was far from an ugly bloke, she fancied the way his voice poured over her in sexy waves. Deep, guttural, it was honest and raw. He didn't lie, he didn't cover it with some pretense to be sexy. Even when his voice would break, small gasps from the sensations breaking up his sentences, she found it all the better.

Alec leaned back, not wanting to stop kissing her not wanting to miss the view. He'd pulled her hips down to the edge of the bed, him standing and her legs spread wide and resting on the small of his back. With a gentle pace that started to grow more desperate he thrust into her, watching her body flush and squirm beneath him. Y/N threw her arms up, arching her back to take him deeper. Alec was enamored with the way her breasts bounced with each thrust.

"So fucking beautiful," he grumbled, snaking a hand down to stroke her clit. He could feel that he wasn't going to last as long as he would have liked, but by the way Y/N let out little moans by his feather light touch, he figured she didn't mind all that much.

Y/N was in her own world, feeling his voice slide off her skin like oil as she chased her high. His denial of her orgasm earlier made this one all the more powerful. It seemed to slam into her, causing her to gasp wildly as Alec kept firm ministrations on her clit. Then he too reached his climax, grunting in a low voice before pouring out in a shocking spurt.

Then he pulled out, falling beside her as they both gasped for breath. Y/N quickly ambled out of the bed and used the restroom before she came back in, feeling like her limbs were absolute jelly. Alec brought her back to the bed, laying next to her. His hand held hers, thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand.

"That was incredible," he finally said.

"You could say that again."

"That was incredible." They both paused, turning to look at one another, before bursting into a fit of giggles.

#binging broadchurch #i’m happy the 12 of you who read broadchurch fics will enjoy this #broadchurch fanfiction #alec hardy #alec hardy fanfic #alec hardy x reader #in love with Alec Hardy #he needs love #sad detective boi #fanfiction #David tennant my love but also not sexualizing you cause rude #but I love you and love Alec #broadchurch #god bless Mother Nature for making Becca look away #I’m serious Becca no reading #you know too much about me

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the-delta-42 · 3 months ago

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The Walking Dead Game What Ifs: What if Lilly was the leader of the Boarding School?

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School

What if Lilly was the leader of the Boarding School? Submitted by Mr_Giancarlo on AO3

Lilly frowned as Clarissa checked Alvin Jr over, the boy had been particularly insistent that they call him that. Sighing through her nose, she looked over at Marlon and Sophie, “So, you found him and his caretaker in a crashed car.”

Sophie nodded, as Marlon shifted uncomfortably, “We made sure they were alive and not bitten.”

Lilly frowned, “Did you check for any identifying marks on their stuff?”

The silence from the pair told her everything she needed to know, “You both know that dangers of taking people from hostile groups. What if she was part of the Saviors or the New Frontier or even those CRM nuts traders have talked about.”

“We checked after she got here.” Mumbled Marlon, getting sigh from Lilly.

“Right,” She looked around, “I’m going to check on our… guest, Louis,” the dreadlocked boy perked up, “watch Alvin.”

Louis nodded, prompting Lilly to head towards the dorms.

“So,” Louis looked down at Alvin, “ever seen a piano?”

Lilly passed Violet and Minerva as she went to the infirmary/English office. She’d arrived here a couple years after separating with her original group, after they left her on the side of the road. Of course, she did act irrationally, killing Carley and outing Lee’s secret to everyone, despite them already knowing. She remembered how Clementine looked at her, with so much fear in her eyes.

She’d bumped into Vince and his group, as well as two women, Christa and Jane. Vince’s group knew Jane, with Bonnie and Mike being wary of her. That was when she first found out that some of them knew Clementine, and Lilly felt some hope fill her. Only for Jane to mention fighting Kenny and the man almost killing her, because she pretended to have killed a baby to ‘prove’ to Clementine that Kenny was dangerous.

Lilly had stumbled across Kenny, dead and reanimated, dragging himself along the ground. When she looked at him, she just felt empty, she didn’t fee rage or sorrow or even a little bit of joy. Just empty.

“She hasn’t woken up.” Christa’s voice made Lilly jump, “I did take stock of her injuries though.”

“And?”

“She’s got the New Frontier’s mark branded into her arm.” Said Christa, crossing her arms, “But, hers had line through it. Like she took a knife to it.”

“Maybe she left them.” Said Lilly, as they entered the room Clementine was in and looking down at her, “How long’s it been since the trials started?”

“Eight years,” Answered Christa, “according to Aasim, anyway.”

“She looks older than that.” Said Lilly, looking down as Clementine contorted in her sleep, “I really hope that’s not her turning.”

Christa frowned, before spotting the source of the contorting, “She’s awake.”

Lilly frowned, before noticing Clementine had suddenly gone still, spotting that Clementine was looking at them through her eyelashes.

“Wow.” Clementine’s voice sounded older than sixteen, “I must’ve really hit my head.”

“Why’s that?” Asked Christa, as Clementine finally got her wrist free.

“Because I’m seeing dead people.” Groaned Clementine, before hissing and grabbing her leg.

“We’re not dead, Clementine.” Said Lilly, as Clementine sluggishly sat up.

“Yeah, you are,” Retorted Clementine, “you were left on the side of the road after you shot Carley.”

“And me?” Asked Christa, folding her arms, “Why would I be dead?”

“The only sane conclusion.” Muttered Clementine, standing up, blacking out for a second and sitting back down, “The last time I saw you, you were surrounded by guys, and I heard a gunshot.”

Christa slapped Clementine, “Still think you’re hallucinating?”

Clementine blinked, “Nope.”

Rolling her eyes, Lilly helped Clementine up, “Are you with a group?”

“Not anymore.” Clementine shook her head, “I just kept moving.”

“Where’d Alvin come from?” Asked Christa, frowning.

“A group I ran into right after I got separated from you.” Answered Clementine, “We didn’t get along at first, but after getting stuck together, we started to like each other. Then we ran into Kenny’s group and—”

“Wait,” Christa interjected, “Kenny’s alive?”

“No,” Answered Clementine, “but, going back to what I was saying, the guy Rebecca, AJ’s mom, and her group were running from caught up, everyone was taken back to his community. Kenny got his eye beaten out and we escaped through a Walker herd. We lost a lot of people, half of Rebecca’s original group and Kenny’s girlfriend. The day after, we lost another, before we lost Rebecca, and then we lost the last member of Rebecca’s old group. Then in fighting started and the remainder of the group ended up splitting.” Clementine let out a sigh, “Soon, it was just me, Kenny, AJ and a woman called Jane. Jane said she’d killed AJ, just to get Kenny to blow his top, which he did, and he ended up killing her.”

Lilly and Christa shared a look, deciding to wait a bit before telling Clementine that Jane was still alive.

“Kenny and I made it to a place called Wellington, but they weren’t taking anyone in, so we left and,” Clementine swallowed, “I got Kenny killed.”

“How?” Frowned Lilly, while Christa scowled.

“He was teaching me to drive and I lost control of the car.” Said Clementine, “I drove over some ice, skidded and crashed into a tree. Kenny went through the wind shield.”

Lilly and Christa blinked.

“Was…” Lilly had to stop and think about what she was going to say, “Was he wearing his seatbelt?”

Clementine was silent.

“They can’t stay.” Argued Mitch, getting a nod from Violet.

“Why?” Asked Louis, as Lilly nursed her headache, “They could help around here.”

“We don’t have the resources.” Said Shel, as Becca glared at Clementine, “And… she’s dangerous.”

“But Bill was a nutcase.” Argued Russell, glancing at Clementine, “Besides, for all we know, things could’ve changed.”

“How?” Demanded Becca, turning her glare on Russell, “What could’ve changed that now makes her trustworthy?”

“Clementine could be an asset.” Said Jane, as Mike and Bonnie glanced at her, “She’s able to make tough calls when needed.”

“She let you be stabbed.” Said Becca, bluntly.

Clementine, while keeping a hand on AJ’s shoulder, looked out of the school and into the forest. Part of her was screaming for them to get moving, while another part of saying that they should stay.

“Why don’t we put it to a vote?” Asked Tenn, looking at them, “Then we can decide.”

“All in favour of them leaving?” Asked Lilly, looking around at them. Shel and Becca raised their hands almost immediately, followed by Bonnie, Mitch, Minerva, Sophie, Violet, Aasim, Ruby, Brody, and, reluctantly, Christa.

Sighing, Lilly looked around again, “All in favour of them staying?” Louis’s hand shot up, with Tenn, mike, Clarissa, Jane, Marlon, Vince, Russell, Wyatt, Omar and Willy following him.

“Looks like you’re the tie breaker.” Shrugged Christa, as Clementine murmured something to AJ.

Lilly frowned, before glancing at Clementine and then at AJ. She couldn’t help but see Lee and a younger Clementine. She remembered when Lee was the tie breaker and now she understood why he took so long to decide on things, he was thinking things through. Sighing, Lilly looked at the group, “Stay.”

Becca frowned as Clementine examined a crashed car. They had a low yield of animals caught in their traps, so Clementine had suggested that they go to the station where Marlon had founded her and AJ.

“What are you doing?” Demanded Violet, frowning at Clementine.

“I’m trying to see how bad the damage is.” Answered Clementine, “And if I can get it unlocked.”

“Why?”

Clementine pulled her head out of the window, “Because there’s guns in the trunk, jackass.”

Violet bristled, as Clementine ducked back into the car.

“Aha!” Clementine yelled, as she unlocked the car, “Right, hopefully, none of the bottles have cracked.”

“What’s in them?” Asked Becca, as Clementine pulled a bottle of whiskey out of the trunk.

“Alcohol and weapons.” Said Clementine, “All useless without ammunition. There should be more inside, I’ll join you in a moment.”

Violet and Becca shared a look, before disappearing into the station, Clementine grabbed a sawn-off shotgun and stuffed it into her waistband. It wasn’t loaded, but that was for her to know.

“How come none of that fell out when you opened the trunk?” Lilly’s voice made Clementine jump.

“Jesus.” Swore Clementine, “They were in a hidden compartment. All this was already in the car when we took it.”

Lilly hummed, as they heard muffled yelling, “Alright, let’s see what the girls have gotten themselves in to.”

“Did you really need to push him into those Walkers?” Asked Violet, making Clementine and Lilly stop walking.

“Look, one of two things will happen,” Said Clementine, turning around, “he’ll either be devoured by the Walkers, meaning he won’t report back to whoever he reports to, or, he’ll be delayed by those Walkers and we’ll have more time to plan for whoever comes looking.”

Lilly frowned, she remembered Clementine not wanting steal from or hurt people. Now, it almost seems like it’d become second nature for her.

“What if—” Becca was silenced by a look from Lilly.

“Clem,” Lilly got Clementine’s attention, “Christa said you had the New Frontier’s mark on your arm.”

“I was with them for a bit.” Shrugged Clementine, “I didn’t see eye-to-eye with them on some things… one of them being AJ. But, they’ve reorganised, stopped raiding and all that.”

“Really?” Asked Lilly, as they started walking again.

“Yeah, I had planned on going back to Richmond after I got AJ back, but…” Clementine sighed, “But, I heard from some New Frontier guys that a war had started. I wasn’t willing to put AJ at risk.”

“So, instead, you crashed a car.” Muttered Violet, “Figures.”

Clementine rolled her eyes, before slowing down.

“What is it?” Asked Lilly, watching Clementine frown.

Clementine was silent, before shaking her head, “It’s nothing.”

Over the past two weeks, Clementine and AJ had integrated with their community quite well, with Clementine, Mitch and Minerva running a little competition on who could kill the most Walkers. Which actually led them to meet James, after Clementine’s shot narrowly missed his head. The only people who were still against Clementine and AJ staying were Becca and Bonnie, although Clementine brought up Bonnie and Mike splitting from one of her groups. Clementine had asked them about someone called Arvo, but neither Bonnie nor Mike were willing to answer her. Clementine and Mitch were able to get one of the school’s old buses to work, which Clementine suggested that they keep in working order in case the school were to fall. Lilly had agreed to it but told Clementine that she couldn’t drive because they’d all seen her ‘parking’.

Lilly grunted, the guy that Clementine pushed into the Walkers, Abel, had survived and brought his group to the school. Becca had tried to use it as proof that Clementine couldn’t be trusted, until Clementine managed to nail one of Abel’s guys in the head.

Lilly was currently wrestling a heavy-set woman, in the corner of her eye, she saw they were taking the kids. Marlon took out a raider, freezing when he saw that the guy was dead. Across the yard, she heard someone get kicked off the balcony of the admin building.

James, while a pacifist and refusing to harm any people, worked on getting the imprisoned kids out. Lilly finally managed to overpower the woman she was wrestling with, before grabbing Clementine’s shotgun, the girl having dropped it in the chaos, and shot the woman in the gut.

Lilly, discarding the empty weapon, looked over at the balcony, seeing an unconscious Abel and Clementine fighting a guy with a New Frontier brand on his neck. Lilly froze when she saw him plunge a machete into a Walker and slashed at Clementine’s leg with the tainted weapon. Watching the girl yell and grab her leg, before AJ shot the guy in the back.

The air grew quiet, letting Lilly take stock of their situations. Wyatt, Russell, Mike, Marlon and Sophie were dead, Violet had been blinded in one eye, Brody had a bloody gashed running down her face and Clementine had been stabbed in the leg with a tainted weapon.

Gurgling reached her ears, Lilly looked down at the man, as Clementine shakily stood up. Clementine glared down at the man, “Leaving you alive was a mistake.”

The man coughed up blood, as Clementine sighed through her nose, keeping her weight off her injured leg, before she picked up the tainted machete and brought it down on the man’s head.

Clarissa, having only received minor injuries, rushed over, barking orders at the others, preparing to remove Clementine’s infected leg. Lilly stopped Christa from going over to Clementine, as the girl started downing the six half-bottles of whiskey.

“Do you think that’ll work?” Asked Christa, as Minerva used her axe to sever Clementine’s leg.

“Hopefully.” Answered Lilly, as Clementine passed out.

Lilly tried not to wince as the Javi guy that Clementine knew let out a low whistle, “I think I came here with my team.”

“That’s nice.” Said Lilly, as one of Javi’s guys looked at the guy that stabbed Clementine.

Javi stared at the corpse, before sighing, “I’d hoped that David wouldn’t’ve gotten involved in any fighting after he left.”

“You knew him?” Asked Christa, getting a nod from Javi.

“Clem did too, they didn’t see eye to eye, especially where AJ’s concerned.” Said Javi, “He was my brother, he let the world change him until none of us recognised them. Clem had a thing for Gabe, I think she still does, by the looks of it.”

Lilly looked over at Clementine, the girl was laughing with a guy in an orange beanie, “Huh, I thought she’d been getting close to Louis.”

“Well, Gabe’s gonna be in Richmond, so who knows.” Shrugged Javi, “Maybe Clem will come with us, maybe Clem will stay here.”

Lilly found herself nodding, “I think… she’ll make her decision based on what her boy does.”

The two leaders silent watched at AJ ran up to Clementine holding an animal, “Is that a racoon?”

They watched as Clementine took the animal, before AJ ran off somewhere. The two continued to watch things, seeing Clementine get up using her crutches and look towards AJ.

“AJ, show me what you have.” Yelled Clementine, a frown forming on her face.

“A knife!”

“NO!”

Next Story: What if Clementine got bit in the shed?

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