A/N: Not gonna lie to y'all, there haven't been an update because I planned to write a whole 'episode', but I just couldn't come up with anything exciting or something. So, there's gonna be a time skip to when the cabin group leaves the cabin and arrive at the skii lodge. But I already warned y'all, this is a low effort one. If y'all wanna read something that I actually put some effort into, check out my other FFs.
Clementine's new group finds themselves in a tense standoff with another group at the ski lodge. Climbing down from the ski lift, Clementine, accompanied by a woman, joins the confrontation.
"Listen, everyone, just stay calm," Luke says, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Hu yuh bi? Unu a chrai fi rob wi?" Maria asks, aiming her pistol at the cabin group, her voice sharp and demanding.
Rebecca didn't fully grasp what the Jamaican woman said, but she caught the word "rob." With her arm wrapped protectively around her pregnant stomach, she retorts, "Rob? Excuse me, honey, but do I look like a fucking thief?" Her voice drips with indignation.
"Everyone, calm down," Walter implores, raising his hands in a gesture of peace.
"Hey, man, you calm the fuck down," Fat Alvin shoots back, his voice heavy with frustration.
"Sarah, get behind me," Carlos instructs his daughter, positioning himself protectively in front of her.
"Just tell us who you are," Walter continues, maintaining his calm demeanor.
"We ain't here to rob nobody. Put the gun down, man," Alvin insists, frowning with disapproval at the standoff.
Eddie, smirking, holds his pistol loosely in his left hand. "Yeah, no," he replies dismissively, shaking his head. Maria shoots him a glare that conveys a clear message: this isn't a laughing matter.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," Luke intervenes, noticing the tension as Eddie's grip tightens on his gun, ready to pull the trigger.
"Jos du wa wi tel yu fi du!" Maria snaps in annoyance.
Rebecca, irritated by Maria's use of language, retorts, "Fuckin' speak English!"
Eddie aims the barrel of his gun at Rebecca's head, his voice cold and threatening. "Watch your mouth, fat bitch!"
"Hey!" Alvin protests, but Maria quickly aims her gun at him, forcing the heavyset man to step back.
"Wut?" Maria smirks, a challenging glint in her eye.
Eddie sneers, casting a glance at Alvin and Rebecca, which makes Nick's finger twitch nervously on the trigger.
Clementine, along with the woman, steps forward, discovering that Eddie is one of the members of the opposing group. She can barely recognize him after two years; he has grown a scruffy beard, his hair is longer, and he is missing his right arm.
Both Clementine and the woman stand wide-eyed in shock, stunned to see Eddie alive. It was a sight neither of them had expected.
"Eddie?!" they exclaim in unison.
"Wait, you two know this guy?" Luke asks, puzzled.
Eddie's eyes widen in disbelief as he lowers his pistol, though he doesn't quite relax his grip. "Carley...? Clementine?"
Clementine and Carley rush over to Eddie, embracing him tightly. He stumbles slightly but steadies himself, returning their hug as best he can with one arm.
Maria, lowering her pistol, smiles at the reunion. She had heard a little about both women from Eddie, who had always been reluctant to discuss them, fearing he would never see them again.
"We thought you died!" Carley exclaims, pulling back to frown and punch him lightly on the shoulder.
Clementine also pulls back, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I can't believe it's you."
Eddie wipes away a tear, tucking his pistol away. "I'll take that as a yes," Walter says, grinning.
Eddie glances back at the group with Carley and Clementine, suspicion etched on his face. "Are those with you two?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. Carley nods with a sigh, while Clementine nods enthusiastically, her smile bright.
"Let's go inside," Eddie suggests, nodding toward the lodge's entrance.
"Great! I just started dinner," Walter replies cheerfully.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Carlos, arms crossed, asks, his tone laced with concern.
Eddie's expression reveals that he does mind, but he knows Walter would insist, claiming Eddie was welcome because he was with Clementine.
"It's gonna storm soon. Please, come in," Walter urges warmly.
The group begins to walk toward the lodge's entrance. As they step inside, they are greeted by a cozy atmosphere, the lodge adorned with festive lights and decorations.
"Eddie and Maria have been staying with us for a while now. This used to be a ski lodge, obviously, so we have plenty of food. Believe it or not, we still get some power from that wind turbine out front. We usually keep the lights off at night to avoid drawing attention, but after we found some supplies in storage, we couldn't resist making an exception," Walter begins to explain enthusiastically.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it, Walter," Eddie sighs, placing his pistol in the foyer. He gestures for Carley and Clementine to do the same, and they comply, placing their weapons down.
Walter chuckles but continues to smile. "Well, why don't you three catch up while I get dinner started?"
Nick, Luke, Rebecca, and Alvin step into the lodge.
"Please, make yourselves at home. You can leave your things over there," Walter instructs Nick, Luke, Rebecca, and Alvin.
"The hell we will," Rebecca snaps, crossing her arms defiantly.
Eddie's frown deepens at her response, while Carley facepalms, and Clementine's expression shifts to one of concern, fearing an argument is about to erupt.
"What's wrong with you?" Carley asks, turning toward Rebecca and crossing her arms as well.
"Yeah. Don't forget, you're guests here," Eddie adds in a low voice. "Didn't your mother teach you to be polite when you're a guest?"
Nick's grip on his rifle tightens. "I'd rather hold onto my rifle, so you can shut the fuck up." It's clear that Eddie's mention of 'mother' struck a nerve.
"Yeah? Or what are you gonna do?" Eddie retorts, stepping closer, his posture confrontational.
Clementine grips Eddie's sleeve, feeling compelled to share what happened. "Eddie... His mother died."
"So?" Eddie raises an eyebrow, his tone incredulous. "Does that make his behavior justifiable? Everyone here," he gestures broadly, "has lost their mother. He isn't special."
Nick's face twists in anger.
Walter steps in, trying to maintain peace. "You're our guests here. There's no need to worry."
"What's with these people?" Eddie asks, frowning at Clementine and Carley.
"Us? You were the one waving a gun around, man," Nick shoots back.
"We're cool, okay? Hey, hey, we're cool, we're cool," Luke interjects, attempting to ease the tension.
"Carley?" Eddie calls out.
"I can't speak for everyone," Carley replies, shaking her head, her expression somber.
Luke frowns at her words, concern etched on his face.
"Bec, it's their home. We're not gonna find another place like this tonight," Alvin points out, his voice steady.
Eddie nods in agreement with Alvin's sentiment.
At that moment, Maria, Sarah, and Carlos enter the lodge.
"Dad, look! A Christmas tree!" Sarah exclaims, eager to rush over to the beautifully decorated tree.
Carlos swiftly grabs Sarah's arm, preventing her from running off. "Not now, Sarah," he says firmly.
Eddie wraps his arm around Maria's shoulder, and the four of them—Eddie, Maria, Clementine, and Carley—make their way to the cozy fireplace, taking a seat on the couch in front of it.
"So..." Eddie begins hesitantly, feeling a little awkward after two years apart. "Where are... where are the others?"
Clementine looks down at her shoes, a wave of sadness washing over her. Carley swallows hard before speaking. "Lee... Lee got bit," she says quietly, nodding sadly.
Eddie inhales sharply, his expression turning somber as he processes the news.
"I got him killed," Clementine states suddenly, her voice filled with guilt.
"Huh?" Eddie responds, confusion evident in his tone.
"It was my fault," Clementine insists, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"No. Don't even think like that. I've told you already. Lee made his choice; we all did," Carley reassures, placing a comforting hand on Clementine's back.
"What... what happened after I... well, disappeared?" Eddie asks, his voice tinged with concern.
Carley takes a deep breath and explains everything: how Lee was bitten after Clementine was kidnapped by the man from the radio, how Kenny—Eddie's father—fell from a balcony and died instantly upon being impaled by a rebar, and how Chuck saved Christa, likely losing his life in the process. She recounts the painful moment when Clementine had to put down Lee to prevent him from turning. "Gosh... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I wasn't there," Eddie says, shaking his head as Maria rubs his back gently.
"Hey, it's not your fault either," Carley reassures him, glancing at his missing arm. "And..."
"Oh, yeah... this. I got bit too. In Crawford. I cut it off," Eddie says, his tone somber.
"So... cutting it off works?" Clementine asks, her curiosity piqued.
Eddie nods. "It does. I think Lee's arm was cut off either too late, or he died from blood loss."
They all nod, absorbing his words.
"So, where did you two end up?" Eddie asks, his expression shifting to one of genuine interest.
"After Lee, we found Omid and Christa. Omid... well... Christa and I were together for a while, but then these guys caught us. She's gone now..." Clementine explains, her voice trailing off as grief washes over her.
"Well... I promise you both, things will be fine now that we have each other," Eddie says, a warm smile adoring his face.
"Where have you been?" Clementine asks, her voice tinged with concern.
"Oh, well... I don't even know," Eddie replies, his gaze drifting as he recalls the past. "After I cut off my arm, I went back to the house, but it was swarmed with walkers, and the city was just as bad, so... I..." He gulps, the memory weighing heavily on him. "I had to leave." He closes his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "After that, I just... walked and walked, just existing. Long story short, I got lucky and met this angel here," Eddie says, smiling as he places a hand on Maria's knee. She blushes and glances away, a shy smile breaking through her initial demeanor. "She saved me." He leans in and kisses her gently on the temple.
"Yuh naa go formally introduce mi to dem?" Maria asks, playfully.
Eddie clears his throat, "Maria, this is Clementine and Carley, from my first group. Clem, Carley, this is Maria, my girlfriend."
Clementine and Carley extend their hands with warm smiles, shaking Maria's hand.
Eddie turns around on the couch, catching a glimpse of Walter walking by. "Hey, Walt, where's your man? He's still rootin' 'round?"
"Of course he is. Well, I'll start dinner," Walter replies amiably.
Walter is about to head toward the kitchen when Eddie stops him. "Hey, I'll handle the cooking. We need to bring in supplies from outside, and you know I can't do it," Eddie says, lifting his small stump, which barely resembles an arm anymore.
"Alright then," Walter nods, appreciating Eddie's willingness. He heads outside, and Eddie watches as Luke joins Walter, both of them disappearing into the cold.
Eddie moves to the kitchen, the familiar scent of wood and old pine surrounding him. He opens the cabinets, assessing what supplies are available.
With a single arm, Eddie has adapted remarkably well. He had learned to use his left hand to its fullest potential. He pulls out some canned vegetables—green beans, corn, and a can of tomatoes. He also finds a couple of potatoes and some dried herbs.
As he preps the meal, he sets a large pot on the stove and fills it with water, placing it over the flame. He begins chopping the vegetables with a small knife, using a cutting board to stabilize the produce while his left hand does the heavy lifting. It's a slow process, but he's accustomed to the challenges of one-handed cooking. The rhythmic sound of the knife against the board fills the kitchen, providing a comforting backdrop to his thoughts.
Once the water boils, he tosses in the diced potatoes and canned vegetables, stirring everything together with a wooden spoon. He adds a pinch of salt and some herbs for flavor, the aroma filling the air as the meal begins to come together.
Clementine enters the cafeteria, where Eddie is cooking dinner in a pot on the stove. "Hey. How's the place? Pretty amazing, right?" he asks, a toothy smile lighting up his face.
"Yes," Clementine nods, her own smile reflecting her appreciation for the cozy atmosphere.
"You know... You won't believe how glad I am to see you two again," Eddie says, his voice warm and sincere. "I missed all of you. If... If Maria hadn't come into my life, I'd probably have killed myself." He suddenly realizes the weight of his words when he sees the shocked look on Clementine's face. Clearing his throat, he adds, "Sorry. I shouldn't bother you with this." He forces a smile as he stirs the food in the big pot, trying to shake off the heaviness of his confession.
"I missed you too," Clementine replies, her expression softening.