Author's Note: Hello reader. You're either an old follower of this story, or a new one. Either way, thank you for viewing. I hope you enjoy.

Clementine turned to Lee, Bat still in hand. "I did it. I got him."

He turned to look at her. "You can take care of yourself, see?"

She shook her head. "No, not all the time."

"Yeah you can, don't worry."

Clementine approached the dead officer and picked up the keys then faced Lee, gun in hand.

"Hey." He began. "You're strong, Clem, you can do anything."

"But I'm little."

He shook his head. "Doesn't mean nothing. you're going to see bad stuff, but... its okay."

"My parents. its so horrible."

"I can't imagine, sweet pea."

"And now... you? PLEASE... please don't be one of them. please don't become a walker."

He raised his head and replied slowly: "There's only one thing you can do, you know that." He gave her a serious look for this.

"I don't know if i can." She said, shaking her head.

Lee thought about it before telling her, leaving her in silence before he gave her an answer: "You can leave me. It's okay." He told her, pain in his voice.

"You'll be just like them."

"Its okay, it won't be me."

"Leeee..." She cried.

"Clem, its time to go. you gotta get out of here."

"You can come with me." She persisted.

"No, Clem, I cant. its okay."

"PLEASE." Clementine tried once more.

"You have to go. Now." He urged.

"Maybe... maybe i shouldn't let you turn."

"I don't want you to have to do that... This way you just remember me talkin' to you and saying goodbye. Nothing else."

She nodded, tears caressing their way down her cheeks.

"Its like Larry, honey, he was going one way or the other but, at that moment I couldn't do more violence. You have to be careful about that, it'll consume you."

"I'll go, I'll leave you... I'll go as fast as I can." She told him, trembling on the words.

"And as safe as you can, always be safe." A moment of silence fell upon the two. "Find... Omid and... Christa. They're probably looking for us right now, stay on high ground, don't go too far and you'll find them."

Clementine nodded.

"They'll take good care of you." He assured her, looking away from her before she began sobbing. "And Clem..."

She raised her head back up, "Huh?"

Lee paused for a moment then told her: "...Keep that hair short."

"I will, I'll cut it myself." She promised, considering it a serious oath.

"Great, good... and also..." Lee began to drift off before he could finish.

"What, what is it?" Clementine asked, leaning closer.

Lee slowly snapped back up. "No, don't worry, Alright." there was another brief silence. He shook his head and smiled, not a doubt in his mind; she could take care of herself now. "I'll miss you." He let out.

"Me too." Clementine quickly grabbed Lee's hand as a way of saying goodbye, Lee clutched it. Clementine looked at Lee then, got up and eyed the stairs. "Don't go." She whispered to him. Clementine began backing away towards the exit letting out a sad moan as she approached the exit. Lee lifted up his head to look at her just before completely drifting away...

Lee awoke some time later, Clementine was nowhere in sight. He slowly raised his head off of the radiator.

"…I'm alive?" He said aloud before stumbling to his feet. "How the?.. I was..." He said, dumbfounded.

He collected himself and then approached the dead police officer Clem had killed before, and sighed, "I wish Clem didn't have to do this… Wait, Clem!" He instantly recalled. He considered running towards the exit, but reconsidered, instead he knelt down beside the officer, his only hand felt completely dry.

"She might not be too far, I have to hurry." He then reached for a piece of glass from the shattered window.

Clutching the shard of glass he began cutting open the stomach of the former police officer. The smelly, rotten flesh made disturbing noise as he cut; as if he were mixing pasta. Once he cut the walker's stomach open enough, he reached inside and pulled out part of the intestines, presumably the large rope-like one, and began quickly smearing blood on the organ against his torso and shoulders.

"If the blood on my clothes and on the ground were dry before, I must have been out for a while, then that means... Clem must be long gone by now."

Once he was sure he had enough he dropped the filthy organ and stood up and walked towards the staircase.
"I should check over by the marsh house, maybe they're still there... I don't know... they've probably left the city by now, I might never see them again." Opening the door to the exit he notices a stairway leading up to the next floor but there is bookcase blocking the way up, it was slightly tilted to the side so Clementine could have crawled through.

"Damn..." He uttered before returning to the room he was in before. Lee looked around the room and noticed a red escape door beside the place he was lying before. He approached, feeling slightly lightheaded. He turned the handle,

"Locked..." He could see an ally through the window to the escape door. "Guess I could bust it open..." He decided as he keeled down and retrieved the bat Clem left behind.

"Okay, here I go..." He placed the tip of the bat on the ground and quickly, with all his strength, he forced the bat in a 180 degree swing. He made contact with the window and it smashed it right open. Glass shards fell to the ground. Hopefully no walkers could hear that from outside. He dropped the bat and approached the window, scraping any excess glass out of the way before placing one leg through and then carefully the other. When he felt the ground on the other side, he fully hopped out, staggering slightly. He turned to see the ocean of walkers still roaming the city on both streets perpendicular to the ally. He slightly tripped on an open man hole beside him.

"I'm not going down there, I'll never be able to find my way around." Lee said before he turned back to the street where the Marsh house was on. "I really hope Omid and Christa got to her." He whispered as he stood there, alone in the ally.

He began walking towards the herd. Once he reached the herd and began making his way through it he could see the marsh house ahead along with the station wagon just outside. "That station wagon might be a good way to get out of the city, if I can get these streets clear somehow. Too bad there isn't a bell tower near by." He said as approached the vehicle that had caused so many problems and began examining it's interior. It had a little less than half a continued to make his way down the street, flowing with the walkers down a block or two, getting knocked side to side, until he noticed at radio store nearby. It was a tan building with 'Radio central' in red letters across the sign in front of the store.

"Maybe those Crawford guys left some speakers in there, Might get em moving this way and away from the car." He assumed.

Lee approached the store and noticed to his delight, it was empty, no walkers. He was about to grab the handle and pull the door open but reconsidered; there was a bell on the top of the now shattered glass door. Lee tried for the ally way between the store and the next door apartment. As the former college professor entered the store through the alternate entrance off in the ally beside it. He noticed there was almost nothing left inside the building. He sighed,

"Well better take a look around, who knows..." He turned to see pictures on the wall of an old man on a tractor, a small family at Disneyland, and various other photos all hung beside the counter to the right of the front door. "Looks like the staff and probably the people who owned the place." He assumed as he briefly looked at each one. After turning away from the portraits, he began scanning the store. He could see two large speakers screwed to the floor towards the back of the store. "Those are probably pretty loud, too bad there isn't any power."

After a moment of searching the littered floor he also noticed a small glass display case opposite the room with an expensive CD player with an old rock band album placed on the top of the display.

"Still, not much use without power, maybe I could just... check..." He suddenly felt lightheaded and lost his balance, beginning to drift off; as a drunk man might, but managed to stay on his feet. "Goddamn... maybe I just need to find some food or something, I did lose a bit of blood."

Lee then noticed his a door that appeared in his peripheral vision. He turned and jogged towards it. He tried turning the knob but it was locked. "Yeah that's what I figured." He turned to check the store, still empty. He turned back to the door, backed up, and slammed it with the bottom of his shoe. He panted and held his chest as he peered into the dark back room. The only thing visible in the small room were, two sets of pull up blinds. Suddenly a foul scent seeped into Lee's nostrils. He coughed and tried not to breathe in the smell.

"I can't see... If I could just get these blinds open." He then felt around until he found the pulling mechanism for the blinds. He pulled down on it, bringing the blinds all the way up. "Here we..." Lee stopped, having seen a sight he was all too familiar with; the body of a suicide victim. The now, half rotten corpse, head leaning to the right, two holes on opposite temples. "Jesus..." Lee then noticed he was holding two items; a snub nosed pistol in his left hand and a note in his right. Lee carefully pulled the note out of the dead man's hand, slightly cringing, it read:

"Dear, Quintus,
I know you didn't want to be at Crawford but since we left we have lost too many people, I got bit while you guys were away, anyhow I've left these items and thought the only way to keep them safe was to lock them away. By the time you read this I will be dead I will have shot myself before I would be able to turn, please my most dearest friend take these supply's and make a home for yourself somewhere safe.

Sincerely, Jesse."

"Poor guy…" Lee said sympathetically. He then grabbed the gun and placed it in the back of his pants. "Well, looks like he left some supplies behind." Lee said while looking at the items that laid before him, a backpack full of preserved food, evidenced by the fact that is was open. Two fuel cans, and a car battery.

"Guess I could attach this battery to the fuse box around back." He made sure to turn off all the lights so that the walkers would not enter prematurely.

He slowly carried the car battery around to the back ally. Once he was in front of the power outlet, he grabbed a pair of jumper cables that were wrapped around the battery. He attached the first side of the jumper cables to the fuse box and the other to the battery. "Now the store should be powered for a while." He made his way back inside. He knelt down beside the small display case with the CD player and CD and pulled it open. "Let's see how the dead like, 'Iron Maiden'" He set up the CD player to the large speakers then the speakers to the wall. "Better grab the other supplys before I turn this thing on." He entered the back room and grabbed the backpack, he placed one arm through and let it slide down to his shoulders before taking his amputated arm and placing it through. He then looked down at the two gas cans bitterly.

"Two cans, one arm." He said, annoyed. He proceeded to pick up a gas can and carry it into the placed down the can then flicked the on button for CD player. Lee instantly grabbed the gas can and rushed into the ally way and slowed down once he reached the other side of the street on the other side of the buildings, towards the street to the marsh house. After a brief second the music began booming loudly through the city. He struggled his way through the herd as they sped up and turned their attentions towards the radio store. A loud guitar solo played out throughout the streets similar to the volume of a concert.A few minutes later as lee was on his way back to the station wagon it felt like he was going against the traffic and he was holding a heavy can of gas, he felt himself beginning to tire.

"Man maybe a car wasn't worth all this trouble." He thought, as he sweated in the hot morning sun. "Well there's the station wagon." Lee put down the can and reconsidered entering the car. "Even though there are less walkers over here I should wait until the street is clear before opening this car.

After several minutes of watching the herd, the street was empty.

"Seems safe to hop inside now" He assumed.

The stranger had left his keys in the ignition. "Well I can't say this is the first time that guy has left his keys in the car." He said as he sat down in the driver's seat placing the backpack full of food in the passenger's seat. He then closed his eyes and laid back in his seat. "Clementine..." He said quietly, already beginning to miss her. "I hope you made it out okay, and that I'll see you again."

He suddenly remembered that he had left the gas on the street outside, he opened his door and picked it up and placed it on the floor in front of the passenger's side. He turned the keys and the car screeched before starting. He changed gears and pressed on the gas. He began speeding down the street, not waiting for anything. The music began to sound disrupted, like several walking dead were beating on it. As he drove he began seeing several walkers approach and block his way.

"Shit, maybe if I go around this block." He said, quickly turning down the street to his left. Only to his dismay, there was a large gathering of walkers just down the street.
"SHIT!" Lee exclaimed frantically before he slowed to a stop and changed gears, beginning to turn the car's direction around but, the geeks were already jumping at the car. He quickly put his foot down on the gas pedal hitting two walkers in the process shattering one of his head lights. He turned, completely steering back. He began breathing hard, he knew if he got trapped, there was no chance of running. He pushed the gas pedal down, speeding up a great deal, seeing several streets he passed begin to fill with the dead. At this point he was hoping to be able to exit the city limits that were just a block away before they blockade him inside the city. He continued gaining more and more speed.

"I didn't survival all this to die here!" At this point he was pushing the top speed of the station wagon. The incoming hordes were just about to fill the city limits when he drove past them, just by the skin of his teeth making it, unscathed. There were still a few walkers here and there but ultimately their numbers seemed to be decreasing as he drove onward. After half an hour of driving he could see the train that brought him to Savannah. Lee's heart rate slowed as he drove down the highway, slowing down to a safer speed.

Two hours of driving later...

He was almost 100 miles from Savannah and in all that time driving, Lee did not see Clementine anywhere on near the road. "Fuck…" Lee said with much sorrow and disappointment in his tone. He gripped the leather of the wheel with his hand. The sweat on his forehead bothered him but, he didn't dare take his only hand off the wheel. Suddenly, the station wagon began sputtering and came to a stop. He checked the gas needle; it was dead on E. "Damn... " He complained before stepping out of the vehicle. As he got out and opened the back of the station wagon, he heard an approaching vehicle not far from away.

"Maybe that's them... then again maybe not." Lee pulled out the small revolver from the back of his pants. He turned to see that a truck was coming towards him, it was green and white with four roof lights on top. "Hershel told me once to trust strangers... Hasn't been helpful for most the time." he said aloud before the truck pulled up alongside him. It was a Caucasian man wearing a ball cap and a denim jacket.

There was a short silence, then the stranger spoke,

"Nice car you got there." He joked.

Lee raised an eyebrow and said "Not exactly my style."

The stranger laughed and said, "Need a ride?"

Lee looked at the station wagon then back to the stranger and then said: "What's your name, man?"

"I'm Nate, or, Nathaniel... whatever you like, how about you?" He inquired.

"Lee."

"Well, get your stuff and hop in, Lee. You look like fun." Nate told him, turning back to his wheel.

Lee approached his car, gathered his things and then walked towards the truck.

"Yeah just put your stuff in the back so we can get a move on." Nate said.

Lee did as he said and hopped opened the passenger's side door and climbed into the truck and they were off; Nate began gradually speeding up.

"So what's the deal with the arm?" Nate asked not caring whether he was being rude or not.

"Long story." Lee replied, not ready to get into it.

"Well, shit I like long stories. Oh! but let me guess first: you were dumb enough to get bit but, smart enough to cut it off, is that it?" Nate said smirking all the while.

Lee slightly turned giving him a half glance. "Yeah, something like that."

Nate then frowned and said "You're not fun to mess with, I'm guessing you've had a real asshole around you before. You're probably used to that shit."

Lee looked out the passenger side window. "There were a couple of bad apples in my group, like this guy Larry, the guy was trying to blackmail me." Lee told him casually.

"What for?" Nate asked, half interested.

"I… uh killed a guy." Lee said, unsure of whether he made the right choice in telling him.

Nate simply replied with a chuckle. "Who hasn't?"

Lee began to realize bit by bit the kind of guy he was dealing with. "I mean before all of this, he was the state senator."

Nate was impressed; he nodded his head and patted Lee on the back, "Right on man, fuck the government, I'm starting to respect you, Lee." When he pulled his arm away, he noticed he had dark blood on his palm, "Nice." Nate said, wiping it on the seat.

In the distance was a silhouette of a man waving.

"Wonder who that could be… He might need some help." Nate said before suddenly beginning to speed up.

"What are you doing?" Lee asked, slightly startled.

Nate did not pay any attention to Lee as he sped up towards the stranger in the road.

"Slow down!" Lee yelled as they neared the individual in the road.

"Time for some road kill! WOO HOOOOO!" Nate was clearly enjoying the moment.

"STOP! DAMN IT!" Lee demanded, looking to the person in the road then back to Nate.

"HEELLL YEAH! " Nate yelled in joy giving no mind to the screaming one-armed man next to him.

Suddenly, Lee pulled his gun on Nate, poking the side of his head. Nate turned to face him, having felt the gun poke his head. Lee glared at him as he pulled the hammer of the small revolver back. Nate stopped smiling and slowed the truck to a stop. They both got out. Neither one exchanging a second look.

"Um hello?" the unknown person in the road called to them.

Author's Note: I may have poorly written some of these chapters, I intend to correct them, though. If you can survive until I do; you might enjoy the story.

April, 27th, 2015. Chapter one revamped.

May, 12th, 2015. Chapter two revamped.

May, 13th, 2015. Chapter three revamped.

May, 15th, 2015. Chapter four revamped.

May, 15th, 2015. Chapter five revamped.

May, 16th, 2015. Chapter six revamped.

Fun fact: My original idea, before I went with this, was to have Lee and Nate fight in the road. Of course, Lee would have been the victor. It would have been a huge mistake.