10 Requiem for Hope

8 Months Later.

Yhwach, Lee, Clementine, Omid, and a visibly pregnant Christa walk up to a nearby gas station.

Omid: Come on, Christa. What's wrong with "Omid"?

Christa: We're not calling our baby Omid. One of you is enough. Lee, a little help here?

Lee: What if it's a girl?

Omid: Then we name her Christa.

Yhwach: Are you okay, Clementine?

Clementine: I miss my parents.

Lee bends down, looking at Clementine's face.

Lee: I know you do, sweet pea.

Christa: You're not taking this seriously.

Omid: I take everything seriously. Especially little Omid's future.

Christa: Keep talking, and you'll be sleeping in the rain tonight. Remember that time in Barstow?

Omid: Vegas weekend.

Christa enters one of the bathrooms.

Omid: Why don't you, uh... get cleaned up in the girl's room, Clem?

Clementine: I hope the sink works in there.

Omid: I wouldn't count on it. Just be careful and make sure to keep track of your things. We'll be right next door.

Clementine: Okay.

Yhwach, deciding to engage in the conversation, made his way toward Lee and Omid who were still bantering near the entrance of the gas station.

As he approached, Lee noticed Yhwach joining them.

Lee: Hey, Yhwach. We were just talking about what to name Christa and Omid's baby.

Omid: Don't get your hopes up, Lee. It still could be a while before he or she is born.

Yhwach: (smirking) Names are important. They carry the weight of one's identity.

Lee: You got any suggestions?

Yhwach: (thoughtful) How about Ichigo? A strong name with meaning.

Omid: (raising an eyebrow) Ichigo, huh? Sounds interesting.

Lee: I'll go check on Clementine.

Omid: Alright, I'll just keep talking with the Nazi general here.

Yhwach: What..?

Lee follows Clementine towards the restrooms.

Lee POV:

Lee: Clem, you there?

Clementine takes out her bottle of water and sets her gun on the counter. She pours some water on a rag and cleans her face.

Clementine: Oh, shit, sorry, Lee.

Clementine accidentally knocks her bottle to the floor, and it rolls under a stall.

Lee: It's okay, Clem. I'll go get it.

Lee walks to the stall it rolled under and opens the door, finding only a bloody stuffed animal.

Lee: Hm, should be at the other stall.

Clementine: Lee, it's at the last stall.

Lee goes to the last stall and opens the door, finding the water bottle lying next to the toilet on the floor. Lee picks it up.

Lee and Clementine hear a bathroom stall open; they see the mirror reflecting a young girl stepping inside slowly.

Lee holds his gun, pulling Clementine behind him.

As soon as the girl was in sight, she froze.

Girl: I didn't know anyone was in here. I was just looking for a safe place to hide.

Lee: Where are your people?

Girl: I'm on my own, honest.

Lee: There's no way you've made it out there alone with nothing...?

She opened her mouth to speak when the bathroom door opened, and Omid stepped inside.

Omid: Lee, you guys okay in here?

Lee takes his eyes off the girl for a second and looks at Omid.

The girl bolted out of the door, pushing past Omid.

Omid: What the hell?

Lee: Shit.

Yhwach, luckily nearby, saw the girl running out of the bathroom door and grabs her, throwing her towards the bathroom wall.

The girl struggles in Yhwach's grasp, fear evident in her eyes. Yhwach holds her firmly but not aggressively, assessing her intentions.

Yhwach: Who are you, and what are you doing here?

Lee: Yhwach, let her go. She doesn't seem like a threat.

Yhwach looks at Lee, then releases the girl. She stumbles backward, eyeing the group cautiously.

Lee: (to the girl) We're not here to harm you. What's your name?

Girl: (nervously) It's Michelle. Look, I'm just trying to survive.

Clementine: We get that. But why were you sneaking around?

Michelle: I heard voices, and I thought it might be other survivors. I've been alone for so long.

Lee: (nodding) We understand. Just be cautious. There are dangers out here.

Michelle: Thanks for not... you know, hurting me.

Yhwach, though skeptical, nods at Michelle. The tension in the bathroom eases, and Lee, Clementine, Omid, and Yhwach exchange glances.

Lee: You should go your way, and we'll go ours. Stay safe, Michelle.

Michelle nods gratefully, then quickly exits the bathroom. The group watches her leave, and once she's gone, they exchange a few words about the encounter.

Omid: (raising an eyebrow) A new friend, or did we just let a potential threat go?

Yhwach: (calmly) We'll find out soon enough. For now, let's focus on our next move.

The group leaves the bathroom, continuing their journey with newfound uncertainty in the post-apocalyptic world.

Author Note: I apologize for the brevity of this chapter. Before we proceed, I'd like to invite you, the readers, to have a say in Omid and Christa's baby's future. Here are some questions for you to answer:

1- Name: What should Omid and Christa name their baby?

2- Gender: Is the baby a boy or a girl?

3- Role: What role do you envision for the baby in the future storyline?

4- Birth: Should the baby be born?