Possible trigger warning for a character mentioned who committed suicide.

I grabbed my crutches and we all made our way to the couch. Louis sat my crutches down while I took a seat, once he sat I cuddled up next to him. Ruby, Asaim, Violet, came to play this go round. Louis dealt out the cards and apparently today we were playing War. We all put out our cards and Asaim scored the highest card with Louis scoring the lowest.

"Alright Asaim what is something you've been dying to know?" Louis awaited.

"When did this happen." He pointed between him and I.

"I'm irresistible obviously. Brains, brawn, my dashing good looks, wonderful sense of humor; how could she resist." Louis stated.

"Sure Louis, now tell us the real story." Violet flight.

"I'm serious! Clem confessed her undying love for me, we shared a kiss and now she's all about the Lou." He pulled me tighter in his embrace.

"Clem is that true?"Vi studied my face.

"I wouldn't say my undying love, but yeah I guess I made the first move." My cheeks started to grow warm thinking of the moment that felt like forever ago.

"Like I said I'm irresistible." He kissed the top of my head.

"Oh come on Lou, everyone knows you were head over heels for Clem since she got here this just proves that you didn't have the balls to make the first move." Vi called him out while everyone else giggled in agreement.

"Or I'm a gentleman and wouldn't impose myself on a women who could probably rip my throat out with her bare hands." Louis fought back.

"Alright, Alright guys next question." Asaim asserted as we all drew or next card. This time I drew the highest card and Ruby drew the lowest.

"Poor sweet Ruby, come on Clem give her a good one." Louis encouraged me.

"Alright Ruby, so how did Asaim pull you in?" I couldn't help my curiosity.

"Well after the fight maybe a week later I found the sweetest poem on my dresser and it made my heart swell." She grabbed his hands.

"I guess I owe Louis a thank you, I'm not giving it to you but it's owed." Asaim chimed in.

"Wait what did Louis have to do with it?" He never told me any of this.

"Well that love letter would of never seen the light of day if it wasn't for me. I found it in the trashcan in our room and thought it was too good to waste." Louis was all too proud of himself.

"More like rummaged through our trash can, but sure."Asaim rolled his eyes.

"Well look at you now, you're a taken man." Louis gave him a wink. We all continued on to the next swipe of cards. This time Louis got to ask Violet a question.

"So Vi since we're talking about love, would you say you've ever been in love?" Louis asked her.

"Obviously Minnie was my first everything. I remember our first kiss like it was yesterday, we were up the tower looking at the clouds and I kissed her. I was so scared but when she kissed me back I knew I was in love with her. It's funny too cause when I saw her again alive and well all those feelings came rushing back but as soon as we spoke, the way she looked at me it was all different; almost like she was a new person and we never had known each other at all." Violet player with her boots.

"I'm sorry Vi I didn't mean to bring up dark memories." Louis shifted on the couch.

"It's not really dark if you think about it Minnie now and Minnie then we're two different people. The end of the world has a way of changing people, I just wish I knew that before I went partially blind." Vi half smiled. "I'm sorry again Clem. You has to make a tough call and I shouldn't of said all those harsh things to you or tried to fight you when you came back to save us."

The group grew silent as we all just sat there. That's when Aj came running out the building.

"Louis it's done!" Aj was jumping for joy.

"Perfect timing." Louis stood up letting me fall back on the couch.

"Perfect timing for what?" I was confused. That's when Louis picked me up and carried me to what seemed like the music room.

"Okay Clem close your eyes." I thought about putting up a fight but decided not to. What were him and Aj up to.

Aj ran ahead of us as the cold from outside deserted my body to the weakness of the Admin Building. I felt Louis turn and it felt like we were in the music room. I could tell by the musty smell and the tingling feeling I got every time I thought about the moment I shared with Louis in here. When you start falling for someone everything feels familiar in the sense of the places you guys go together and the music room was filled with Louis. He finally put me down as I leaned my body weight on him.

"Now open." I opened my eyes and the room was filled with pillows and red candles. The set up was very romantic. "Alright little man, thanks for all the help! This is where we part ways." Louis set himself up for a high five.

"Wait, I can't stay?" Aj's fave dropped.

"First Clem and I need to talk then you can come back." Louis smiles assuringly.

"Ok hurry up and talk I'll be right on the stairs waiting!" Aj started to take off.

"Or you can draw up the best picture ever!" Louis encourages.

"Ok!" Aj says enthusiastically.

Louis helped me sit down on the soft pillow lay out as gently as he could. Him and Aj doing all this for me almost brought tears to my eyes. After Louis helped me he headed to the piano and reached behind it bringing over two rusted cans of soda and a chocolate bar.

"Wow where did you get these?!" I was completely surprised.

"I found these on my way home the night you- well anyway I found them and thought i'd save them for our real first technically second date." He winked and sat right next to me.

"Lou I don't know what to say." I bit my lip. The emotions I felt were indescribable.

"Speechless I like it." I could tell he was nervous. I leaned in to kiss him and he returned my gesture. It was simple yet so meaningful.

"Aren't you going to open them." I was ready to eat chocolate for the first time since forever.

"Whoa hold your horses Clem, you always have to save the best for last." Louis got up and headed to the piano. "I want to play you the song I made for you, I added words to it, then if you think it's completely terrible you'll forget once you have the chocolate." How could I ever think anything he's done for me is terrible, he's absolutely delusional. I listened as he took a deep breath.

The day you walked through those doors

My whole life changed evermore

You saw through my bullshit

And you're with me through it

Thank you for your love

Your amber eyes are worth more than gold

They carry the secrets never told

I promise to protect you

I promise to love you

In a way you've never been before

Thank you Clem

You're the light I never knew I was missin

Thank you Clem

I'll protect you till my last breath

You deserve the world but till then here's my hand.

I was speechless as the tears slipped down my cheek. I could never understand what I could do to deserve a guy like him. I searched and searched and searched for someplace safe to call a home where Aj could just be a kid without worrying about whatever waited on the other side but I never thought in a million years I would find this and more. I never thought I'd find someone who could make me smile without trying or someone who could care about Aj as much as I do. Someone who could love me for me, past the blood on my hands and the dirty laundry of the things i've done and now I have and nothing could of prepared me for this. I think I'm falling in love…

"Was it that bad… I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry." He sat next to me I could see his hand lightly trembling.

"Shut up." I cupped his face and slowly brought his lips to mine. He kissed back the butterflies turning into heat. His hand dropped to my waist as he pulled me closer to him, I wrapped my arms around his neck trying to pull him closer to me even though there was no air between us. It was like my lips knew exactly what to do, even though I don't. My body was tingly all over and I felt really hot like I had a fever but I didn't want to pull away or let go I wanted this moment forever. We kept going for what felt like forever till we heard the door creak and immediately pulled away Louis jumping back what felt like 5 feet.

"My pictures ready!" Aj busted through. Both Louis and I fought to catch our breath.

"It looks so good little dude." Louis chimed in as he tried to compose himself.

"You can't even see it from over there." Aj pouted.

"Aj could you give us 5 more minutes." I couldn't look at him right now I was too embarrassed.

"But Clem-" Aj whined.

"Just 5. I promise Aj." I negotiated. He moped out of the room and closed the door. Louis and I maintained our 5 feet apart as we both tried to figure out what just happened. We both started talking at the same time and stopped as the awkward silence fell between us.

"I guess we should bust out the chocolate before he comes back out here." Louis finally made his way to me. "I'm sorry if that was too much I don't know what happened."

"No! I mean don't be sorry. I liked it, I think… I never felt like that before." I played with my jacket button.

"Me too." He smiled.

He handed me a chocolate bar and it had a note with my name on it with hearts all around. I looked at him as he he watched me patiently open it.

'Will you be my girlfriend. - Louis'

"Louis." My heart was beating faster than it had ever beaten before.

"Eat the chocolate for yes, and run away for no." He awaited my answer. I took a bite of the chocolate and watched his face beam. "Is that a yes?"

"That's a yes!" He embraces me. We kiss again and the knock was back once more. " Come on in Aj!"

We cuddled up as Aj shared his drawing with us, I haven't been this happy since before everything happened. The boys had the fire going and all rested in each other's company listening to the fire tick. Aj laid in my lap as I rubbed through his kinky hair. We laid there until he was sleep, I dozed off for a bit to see Louis playing the piano. I slid Aj off my lap and picked up my crutches as I made my way to him. As I stood behind Louis I could feel something was wrong, I couldn't imagine what could be wrong in these moments but then it occurred to me that our quietest moments are typically our darkest hours. I rubbed his back as I moved my crutches to sit down next to him. The sad tune he played told me everything I needed to know

"Hey." I started.

"Hey." He kept playing.

"Want to talk about it?" I leaned on his shoulder.

"I don't think so." He kept his head down focused on the keys.

"Ok." I listened to him quietly playing as I thought about all the ways we were different yet the same.

Louis lives, I survive; but we both probably never thought the last time we'd see our parents would be the last time we'd see our parents. It reminded me of what Ben said about Kenny when we were talking once. We talked about how much we missed our parents, he understood me or at least that part of me. It's hard not to know if they're living or dead or something else… until you find out.

"Erin was my first crush." Louis tapped one of the keys over and over.

"Did she go here?" I asked.

"Yeah. She was super quiet but I knew she had a lot to say. She has colorful braces, and the happiest smile." He smiled at the thought.

"Did she have feelings for you as well?" I wondered.

"Maybe. It was hard to say, something happened in her past that would never let me know."

"Wha- what happened to her?" I was hesitant to ask him.

"When it all started they went out searching for help, some of the kids. When they came back I guess she saw something that scared her and she slit her wrist. I found her bleeding out, I was too late. She left me a note, it said keep living and breathing; that they would need me. It said If they don't someone will. That was at the start and it helps me not give up on the darkest of days. Now I have you." He looked at me.

"I have you too." He kissed my hand.

I woke up the next morning to see Aj's bed empty. I assumed they headed out to find the group they saw. I thought about yesterday, how I craved Louis's kiss and now his touch it made me uncomfortable and comfortable all at the same time. I've never needed someone like that before, it scared me. I started to think about what we did, what it meant… and I needed answers. I sat up and put my jacket on as I searched for Violet. I became panicked as I thought about that hot feeling I had, did I have sex?!

I made my way made my way to violet's room and slammed the door.

"Violet I think I had sex!" I held onto the door my eyes wide in shock.

"You what!" Violet sat up from her book shocked. "Wait you and Louis had sex, no way!" She didn't believe me.

"Well I'm not sure actually… we were kissing last night and we kissed in ways that we never kissed before, it was with." I mouthed the word tongue as Violet awaited me to keep going. "I got really hot and felt weird but like all over my body, and I didn't want to stop."

She stared at me like she was waiting for me to keep going.

"What else?" She pressed on.

"Well Aj busted in and I swear we almost ran away from each other."

"Clem…" she rolled her eyes but in a full body eye roll.

"What?" I was genuinely confused.

"You and Louis didn't have sex… well if Aj didn't walk in you may have." She continued reading.

"Well then what was it?" I sat on her bed looking for answers.

"You guys made out and you liked it, that's all." She continued in her book.

"Oh… sorry. I don't know much about this type of stuff." I was very embarrassed, I didn't want to run around telling people we had sex when we didn't.

"What do you know?" Violet gave me here attention.

"I know about periods, masturbation, and I thought I knew what sex was."

"Oh boy. You have a lot to learn." She sat up and faces me.

After my chat with Violet and her almost too vivid description I learned a lot. I learned about sexuality, and bases, hooking up and other stuff. She didn't leave out one single detail. Most people didn't like talking to me about it but Vi seemed completely comfortable teaching me. She answered most of my curious questions but also dodged a few.

I headed back to my room as I journaled some things. A knock on my door took me out of my thoughts and I invited the person in, it was Willy.

"There back! They have stuff." Willy shouted and took off running I got my crutches and headed out to the courtyard.

Aj was the first in carrying lots of fruit with him. He ran and gave me a hug as he headed to set down the fruit. Louis was next holding a bag full of weapons on his shoulder and more food as well. Another person followed behind them, it was James. James was holding a crate of something. He stopped when he saw me and I approached him.

"I thought about what you said Clementine. Maybe you're right. I'm sorry." James was very empathetic.

I thought long and hard for a second. Should I throw him out, what if this is a trap to take Aj. Or what if he's sincere.

"You'll be safe here James." I put my hand out for him to shake. He shook it and headed inside.

"It's good to see you Clementine. I knew you'd make it." That voice echoed through my brain as I recalled all the memories it carried. Clementine do this, do that. She almost had me die with Luke, then tried to steal the car right before Arvo shot me. Her red hair and pale skin stood in front of me. I reached for my knife and tackled her. I don't even know how I was on top her but I was my raged spilled out.

"You bitch!" I was ready to stab her and put her out of her misery.

"Clementine!"