Broken Realities: What-if

Author note at the end. Enjoy.

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At dawn, Alex woke up just as the rooster was letting out its call to everything and everyone around the farm. Alex sighed but let it be for now. Though, he let suggest to either kill the rooster or silent it with something to not bring any trouble to the farm.

Though, thanks to it, Lee and Clementine also slowly started to wake up, rubbing their eyes and siting up from their sleeping bag. "Morning." Alex greeted them, with the little girl giving a shy wave, while Lee groaned. "Morning." His voice was deeper and gruff than yesterday. But it was normal. No sign of infection of the walkers.

"How does your leg feel?" Alex asked as he started to stretch, with Clementine staring at him with full focus. "Still hurts, but it's better than yesterday." Lee informed and Alex nodded in relief. Done stretching, he started to jump on place to get the blood flowing. Noticing Clementine's stare, Alex smiled at her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I'm getting my body to wake up." Alex replied, continuing to jump in place. Though seeing her confusion, he continued his explanation with ease. "After waking up from sleep or a nap, your body and mind are still sluggish." He paused, seeing her nod, he continued. "But exercising helps to get them to be fast and focus better."

After Alex was done, she stayed silence, and glanced to Lee as if asking permission for something, which the man did with a nod. "Can I try?" Clementine asked and Alex nodded with a smile. "Why not. Start by low jumping. Like this." Alex demonstrated, not getting up a few inches of the floor. To which, Clementine nodded with seriousness and tried to copy him. A few seconds later, she was out of breath, which led to Alex chuckle.

"I'm tired." She told him and Alex nodded.

"That's okay," Alex reassured Clementine. "It takes practice. You did great for your first try."

Lee watched their interaction with a mix of gratitude. "Thanks for being patient with her," he said to Alex. "I'm assuming it's been a while since she's had a chance to just be a kid."

Alex nodded, understanding. "It's important to keep some normalcy, especially now." He replied, motioning around the barn while still hopping.

As they spoke, the barn door creaked open, and Shawn poked his head in. "Hey, you guys up? Dad wants everyone to meet at the front yard for breakfast. Says we need to talk about... everything."

With two nods, the trio made their way to the farmhouse, the morning dew still clinging to the grass. As they approached, they saw a picnic table was laden with a simple breakfast - eggs, toast, and some fresh fruit in plates and bowl. Hershel had put a seat at the head of the table. With his signal, everyone settled in and dug in.

Hershel cleared his throat once everyone was mostly done. "I know you all have been through a lot," he began, his eyes moving from Lee to Clementine, then to Alex. "But we need to talk about what happens next."

Alex nodded, swallowing his last bite of toast. "You're right," he said, his voice steady. Hershel glanced at him. "I appreciate the hospitality you've shown us, but I think it's time. I need to get to Macon."

Lee's eyebrows raised slightly. "Macon? That's where I'm headed too."

"Really?" Alex leaned forward. "I'm looking for my friend, Glen. We were supposed to meet there if things went south in Atlanta."

Lee nodded, a look of understanding crossing his face. "I've got family there. Or at least, I hope they're still there."

Clementine looked between the two men, her small face creased with worry. "Are we leaving soon?" she asked Lee, her voice barely above a whisper.

Before Lee could answer, Shawn interjected. "Now, hold on a minute. The world out there is dangerous. You can't just go rushing off without a plan."

Alex didn't know what to say, his mouth opened a little in surprise. He met with his objective and thought they'd stay here for a few more days due to Lee's injury. Enough time for him to get Glen and come back. Take him and Clem and go to a quiet place and that'd be it.

Another thing that played in his surprise was Shawn wanted them to stay more. They were three extra mouths to feed with no guaranteed return. His great surprise must have been shown on his face, because Hershel wanted to say something before cutting himself off.

Shawn continued, staring at his dad with determination. "We've got a lot of work to do. Those fences aren't going to reinforce themselves, and we need to make sure the farm is secure. They could help us with the chores."

The white-haired old man sighed, "Is that really necessary?"

"You don't know how bad the situation in the cities is." Shawn pushed, trying to convince his father, while the man looked carefree. Alex and Lee looked to each other and shrugged. "Okay." Hershel agreed simply, tone laid back. "I'm serious dad. Guys, tell him what you saw out there. It's nothing like what the TV or radios are telling."

"I saw a cop come back from the dead." Lee started, eyes lost in memory before he shivered. Before Alex could tell his own little story about dozens of walkers, Hershel looked determined and had taken a decision. "Do what you think you should." He stared at his son. "We've got plenty of chores as it is."

"We'll help." Alex helpfully added once more, and Shawn gave him a nod of gratitude. "I already said fine." Hershel spoke, as if ending the discussion. Seeing that they were done, Shawn stood up first, followed by Alex. While Hershel gathered all the plates and moved inside. "I've got some woods that we can use in the back."

Alex nodded, "I'll bring them over, you have the saw and other tools?"

"Yeah, back in the house, I'll bring them over."

As Shawn looked around to estimate how long it'll take, Alex turned to Lee. "You up for some manual labor? It might help take your mind off things and that leg."

Lee nodded, standing up slowly. "Yeah, I could use the distraction. Plus, it's the least we can do for their hospitality."

Clementine looked up at them, her eyes wide. "Can I help too?"

Hearing her, Shawn glanced down at the little girl. "Sure, I got something just for you. Go to the barn and see if my little sister, Beth, needs any help with gathering eggs from the chicken coop? It's safe, and it's an important job."

Clementine gave the man a bright smile, before looking at Lee, who gave her a nod. "Come on, since I'm heading towards the back, I'll accompany you half there." Alex gestured, giving her his hand which she took with a little bit of hesitation.

As they made their way to the back of the property, he noticed that he was way less tense than a week ago. He felt peaceful… 'Calm before the storm.' He thought to himself, preparing for trouble mentally.

As they approached the halfway point to the barn, Alex gave Clementine's hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. He gestured towards the barn with a reassuring smile. "There you go, Clem. The barn's just up ahead."

Clementine took a few hesitant steps forward, then looked back at Alex, her eyes pleading silently for him to accompany her the rest of the way. She seemed nervous about meeting new people on her own.

Alex knelt down to her level, his voice soft and encouraging. "Hey, you've got this, Clem. Beth should be really nice like her dad and brother, and I bet she'll be happy to have your help. Plus, think of all the cool things you'll learn about taking care of chickens!"

Clementine nodded slowly, a small smile forming on her face. "Okay... I'll try."

"That's the spirit," Alex said, standing up. "And remember, Lee and I aren't far if you need us."

As Clementine made her way towards the barn, a young girl's voice called out, "Hello?"

Beth, Hershel's youngest daughter, stepped out of the barn, her blonde hair catching the morning sunlight. She spotted Clementine first, then noticed Alex standing a short distance away. Beth's posture stiffened slightly, unsure how to react to the new guests.

Alex, sensing the awkwardness of the situation, and awkward himself, turned his attention to the pile of wood nearby, purposefully avoiding eye contact with Beth.

"Hi," he heard Clementine say shyly. "I'm Clementine. Shawn said I could help with the chickens?"

"Oh!" Beth's voice brightened. "Sure, I'd love some help. Have you ever collected eggs before?" Alex unconsciously peeked to see how they were doing, but instead caught the end of the blonde glance.

As their voices faded into the barn, Alex allowed himself a small sigh of relief. 'What am I doing…?' He gathered an armful of wood and headed back to where Shawn and Lee were, around a bunch of electric tools, and some not electric.

"Got the wood," Alex announced, setting it down near the tools. "Clementine's helping your sister with the chickens."

Lee nodded appreciatively. "Thanks for looking out for her."

Shawn clapped his hands together, drawing their attention. "Alright, gentlemen. Let's get to work. We've got a lot of fence to reinforce."

They divided the tasks among themselves. Shawn, being the most familiar with the property, took charge of outlining where the reinforcements were needed most. Lee, despite his injured leg, insisted on helping with the sawing. Alex found himself alternating between fetching more supplies and hammering boards into place.

As they worked, conversation flowed easily between them. The physical labor provided a welcome distraction from whatever state the world was in now, allowing them to focus on the task at hand.

"So, Alex," Shawn began, wiping sweat from his brow, "you mentioned you were heading to Macon for your friend. What's your plan afterward?"

Alex paused, hammer mid-swing. "Well, I've got a couple actually." That got Shawn and Lee's attention. "Hoh?" Shawn gestured to continue.

"Depending on how many people we pick up, I've got some places in mind. If it's just Glen and his family, I thought of simply disappearing in a national park, ones that have cabin and all that." He informed, going back to hammering, while the two men's eyebrow shot up in surprise.

"That's… actually not bad. What about the food situation?" Lee asked, probing. Though Alex shrugged. "I've had prep time before everything went south. I could sustain about 5 people for a couple of weeks, if not months."

Shawn and Lee exchanged impressed glances, their surprise evident on their faces. Alex's thoughtful planning was more extensive than they had anticipated.

"That's... quite a setup you've got planned," Shawn said, his tone a mix of admiration and curiosity. "You've really thought this through, haven't you?"

Alex nodded, continuing his work. "I'm Batman!" He replied with a lower than usual tone, trying to imitate the intimidating voice of the superhero.

Shawn and Lee burst out laughing, the unexpected humor cutting through the tension of their serious conversation.

"Batman?" Lee chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. "With a medical student background instead of billions and a slingshot instead of bat gadgets?"

"Hey," Alex retorted, losing the tone, "preparation is key. Whether you're fighting crime in Gotham or walkers in the apocalypse."

Shawn was practically doubled over, his laughter echoing across the farmyard. "Oh man, that's the most hilarious thing I've heard since all this started."

"Laugh all you want," Alex said, with a shrug, trying to contain the grin wanting to escape, "but prep time is overpowered."

Lee's laughter subsided into chuckles. "Seriously though, what if we pick up more people along the way? What's your alternative to the national park?"

Alex paused mid swing at the wording. 'we…'

Alex paused, considering the question. "Well, I've got a few backup plans. One option is to find a small, isolated town. Somewhere with a low population density but enough resources to sustain a larger group. We could fortify it, set up a perimeter."

"But that'd be a lot of work and planning and for that, we'd need a group of at least two dozens or even three. Half of that men." Alex continued, deep in thought, the hammer had stopped.

"But ideally, I can take care of two dozen at most." Alex spoke, eyes losing focus. "With that, we could find an isolated place that already has a bit of cover and work on it. From there, get a green house set up for long-term sustainability."

"What about a farm?" Shawn asked, bringing Alex's focus on him.

"Hm?" He asked unsurely, which Shawn looked around the place and then to Alex. "Oh…" Alex let out, which Shawn smirked, while Lee silently watched.

"I…" Alex hesitated and seeing it, Shawn frowned. "We could use someone with your kind of planning skills and medical." He told the younger man, who frowned. "I don't want to impose. How many family you got, Lee?" Alex asked, surprising the former convict.

"Uh, my parents, and a brother." He answered.

"That's 4, including Lee. 5 with Clementine." Alex counted on his fingers. "I've got Glen, his parents, and a sibling. That's another 5 including me." He continued.

"With your family, parents, at least one sibling." He stopped, focusing on Shawn. "It's a lot of mouth to feed all of the sudden. That's not even counting however many we save on our way back."

The mood shifted as Alex's words sank in. The lighthearted banter from moments ago was replaced by a sobering reality check.

Shawn frowned at the problem but shook his head. "You're right about that, but I'll talk to my dad. Like you said, you have supplies that can sustain us for a few weeks, on top of that, we also have some food that should last us a week at best."

"The worst-case scenario would be living off of livestock, eggs, cheese, milk, and such for a few weeks until we get the green house setup." Shawn leaned forward on the workbench in front of him.

"Hmm, let's say we stay, there's another glaring issue." Alex added, looking at their surroundings, then at Shawn. "The rooster." Shawn scratched his head in confusion, while Lee almost laughed thinking it was a joke, but seeing Alex's serious expression, he frowned in confusion.

"The rooster?" Lee repeated and Alex nodded.

"It's loud. Very loud in the morning. A time of day that most people are vulnerable, due to sleeping." Alex told them and a look of understanding passed between the two men.

"While, yes enforcing the fences is a good idea, it won't hold much in the future, and it'll be simply useless." The 19 years old continued. While Lee and Shawn frowned, not understanding what he meant.

"There will be two treats in the future, maybe in a month or so." Alex told them, voice grave and focus sharp.

"A horde of walkers or people." The dark-haired young man told him. "I've already said it, and I'll say it again. I've taken care of a horde of maybe two or three dozen. Getting rid of them is easy. But it's the second threat that's more of an issue."

"People." Shawn repeated and Alex nodded. "As time goes on, we will need other group of survivors. And in a world without laws and a society to enforce them, people will show you their darkest side." The son of the farm owner nodded, remembering something he saw in Atlanta.

"Don't get me wrong, the farm is a great starting point. But we need to think long-term in terms of security as well. Not just food." Alex continued.

"You've really thought this through," Shawn said, a newfound respect in his voice. "I guess being Batman has its perks after all."

Alex cracked a small smile at that. "Well, prep time is everything. But seriously, you need to talk to your dad about this. If, and again, saying if, we're going to make this work in your land, everyone in your family needs to be on board and know what they're getting into."

"Alright," Shawn said finally. "Let's finish up here, then I'll talk to my dad." With a nod, everyone returned to their work, this time in silence while their thoughts ran wild.

They worked steadily, until Alex decided to check on Lee's wound, which started a conversation. The earlier tension had disappeared, and their small talks flowed easily between them. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, around 11 in the morning, everyone showed signs of exhaustion, which Shawn decided to stop and take a water break.

The fences were looking sturdier, but there was still work to be done. As they rested in the shade of a large oak tree, the sound of an approaching vehicle caught their attention.

A battered RV came lumbering up the dirt road, kicking up clouds of dust in its wake. It pulled to a stop near the farmhouse. Immediately, Alex tensed, while Shawn frowned, walking up to the vehicle, with the other way following behind. After a moment, three figures emerged: a man with a thick mustache, a woman with long brown hair, and a young boy who looked to be about two or years older than Clementine's.

Hershel got out of the house and approached the newcomers, his posture tense but not unwelcoming. Alex, Lee, and Shawn moved closer, curious but cautious about the new arrivals. The former medical doctor inspected them from afar for any signs of injury or sickness. When he found none, he sighed in relief, dropping his guard a little.

"Name's Kenny," the mustached man said, extending his hand to Hershel. "This is my wife Katjaa and our son, Kenny Jr. - but everyone calls him Duck."

"Duck?" Lee asked, joining the conversation, raising an eyebrow.

The boy grinned proudly. "Yep! 'Cause water rolls right off my back!" While his father smirked. "Among other things." He muttered.

Despite the tension of the situation, Alex couldn't help but smile at the interaction. But his mind darkened at a thought. He glanced to the front of the porch, finding Clementine sitting their, watching them. When she noticed his look, she waved at him, which he returned with a gentle smile. 'It's time for children to grow up.'

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Author Note:

Hello, hello.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was about 3k words and I was gonna keep going but decided to stop at 3k.

I've got a couple more scenes connected to this chapter before going to Macon. But I've finally come to the conclusion that I have to include the cast members from the series due to them coming to play later on. Which means, I have to binge watch the series to get the character's personality and things so I can confidently portray them well in my writing.

This chapter was used as a bridge to slowly connect everything that I got planned. Like "meeting" Beth, which is a foreshadow for, minor spoiler, main cast, to introducing Kenny, to setting up plans for the future. 

If everything stays the same, we should get to Macon arc, yes, that's what I'm calling it, in the 12th chapter. 

Some of you might have noticed this, but you can see that Alex doesn't take the helm over things and lets Shawn or Hershel do the main things. Before you all can complain, this is because Alex is in their house and he's a guest. In this fic, I want to give some specialization to characters instead of simply focusing on just my MC and make him jack of all things. Which is why, he takes backseat once in a while.

Right now, the only thing going for him is his plans, medical knowledge, and endurance. (Information as well, I guess.) While Shawn's is agriculture alongside Hershel, but the old man has the edge with veterinarian.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed so far. I've enjoyed your comments so far, stay safe.

Author out.

Cat on catnip meme here plz.