Forever and Always (violetine AU)

23

After Ava left from the story of her life, Clementine rubbed her head and could feel the scar. She never noticed it because it wasn't visible. She didn't remember anything from that time. But it makes sense, everything she's seen makes sense now that its explained.

Her scar is solid proof that Ava told the truth.

Maybe she wasn't so bad. If she can come clean about something so serious, then she must be trustworthy. She's spent so long hating her for killing an innocent child, but she's just like everyone else in the Frontier. Trying to keep it secret.

It didn't mean what she did was appropriate, but everyone's brain works differently. All people's minds think differently.

But the semi shared brain can help in many ways as it can cause damage. Who knows what her state could mean, but at least now she understood the meaning of her many dreams and actions.

She wanted to forget her words now but she couldn't. She was too far gone. She needed a distraction.

"Hello? I'm home! Clem?" Lee's voice can be heard from the opening of the apartment door. She walked out to the living room and saw Lee with some leftover food.

"Hey Lee." Clem greeted and sat down on the couch. Lee set the food down on the kitchen counter and joined her on the couch. He noticed the distraught tone on her face.

"You know," he started. "I remember when you were nine. You used to draw leaves by rubbing your pencil on a sheet of paper with a leaf under it."

Clementine looked at Lee and listened. He told her things she couldn't even remember. He told Clementine about how she had a treehouse with her parents and how he spent a whole month trying to build one for her. How much energy she had and how fast she grew from a little girl to a strong independent young woman.

"You amaze me every day. Even when I think you've shown off enough, you seem to throw another curveball. But for a while now, you've been pretty distant. I just want you to know how much I love and care for you." Lee said with a soft voice.

Clementine couldn't react. This moment made her regret not telling him. She wanted him in the fold so much but knew the risks. She couldn't put him in harm's way. The best thing she could've done was turn to him and smile.

"I love you too, Lee." She said. Her voice sounding far away as she tried to contain everything.

This wasn't the first time she had to keep such a huge secret. But she was never good at keeping secrets, this has been her longest-lasting lie.

Lee wrapped his arm around his daughter and kissed her forehead. But all of a sudden he gasped and jerked away.

"What? Is everything okay!" Clementine panicked as her dad stood tall in front of her. She looked at him as he stared. She thought that he might've been having a heart attack but then she traced his gaze. Trying to connect the dots until she reached the end of his gaze. Her eyes widening as she thought of something to say. Finding the perfect cover-up.

"Oh, that!" Clementine started. "This is something dumb that I did a while back. Left a pretty mean scar but its okay." She tried to cover up her story as she rolled her sleeve down.

"I..." Lee began, stuttering as he tried to find his words. "...I know what that is Clementine." He said, watching a form of intrigue settle on Clem's face.

"People are looking for you Clem. They're looking for that mark." He told her, and Clementine straightened up and folded her arms.

"How... how do you know this?" Clementine asked, looking down, neglecting to meet her dad's eyes.