#mariana garcia

Duck is not a smart man but he's exceptionally loyal. His lack of wit is countered by his raw strength, despite losing a hand all the way back at the motor inn. At Ericson's he'd probably hang around with the likes of Mitch and Willy. Totally has his dad's hat somewhere.

Becca is the local pain in the ass. Constantly breaching the safe zone and acting primarily in her own interests, few people actually like her but can't deny her capability; she's good to have around in a fight. She's come to respect Clementine's resourcefulness but would never admit it.

Sarah stays firmly within the walls of the school, but that doesn't mean she doesn't pull her own weight. Following in her father's footsteps she's the closest the school has to a doctor now. She'll hang close to Clementine but also gets along with Ruby and Aasim.

Gabe Garcia is the local sadboy. He's not as moody as he was in Richmond, but he's still a little mopey and insists on stepping up. Despite her protests he's very protective of his sister, and still harbors a soft spot for Clementine - so naturally doesn't get along with Louis/Violet.

Mariana Garcia is young but capable, and weirdly well adjusted and mature for her age - she's younger than Gabe but feels like the older sister. After the New Frontier shot her eye out she hasn't been as active in a fight but she'll still insist on pulling her weight while knowing her limits. Gets on with everyone.

James Fairbanks is the oldest known surviving member of his family (unless Sam is still out there) and is brutally protective of his younger brother, Alex. Has a mutual respect with Clem and is very good at setting traps outside the school.

J

Javi was woken by his phone ringing next to his bed, reaching out for it, he checked who was calling, frowning when he saw it was David. Sighing, he answered it, “Hey.”

“It's time. Get over here.” David didn’t bother with a ‘hello’ or ‘how are you’.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Asked Javi, frowning, “I mean, both he and Mama said they didn’t want to see me. Y’know, at all.”

“I know, it’s just…” Javi heard David sighed, “he’s asking for you, Javi. I know you’re not exactly close, but… please.”

“Alright.” Javi swallowed, before he reached for a pen and a piece of paper, I'll, uh... I'm gonna start packing up.”

“Now, Javi. You need to hurry.” Said David, “Look, I'm not giving you shit, okay? I'm just... You weren't here when Dad was sick, okay, I get it, but... you need to fuckin' be here when he goes.”

“I know, alright?” Snapped Javi, scrawling a note for Paul, “I'm just... I'm on my way.”

Hanging up, Javi grabbed a bag and stuffed some clothes in it, before running out of the apartment.

J

Javi’s car spluttered to a stop outside of the family home, where he saw David sitting on the steps with his head in his hands. A pit formed in his stomach; he was too late.

“D-David…?” Javi’s voice made David look up.

“He hasn’t passed yet,” Said David, before sighing, “Mama… found out I told you.”

“And…?” Javi swallowed, getting a sigh from David.

“She said you’re not to be anywhere near Dad when he dies.” Continued David, getting up, “Says you’d only cause him pain while he passes.”

“But… I…” Javi swallowed, not sure how to deal with his mother’s decision, “Can’t I—”

“No.” Said David, sighing again, “Hector’s already said that if you turned up, that he’d ‘remove’ you.”

Javi swallowed, not trusting his voice. Quickly composing himself, Javi took a deep breath, “R-right… I’m… I’m gonna move my car around the block… the… the freeways are completely blocked.”

David gave Javi a nod, before heading back into the house. He’d hoped that his Dad dying would make his mother look past her prejudices, unfortunately, he was wrong.

J

Javi often found himself wondering about Paul, did he make it out of Richmond? Was he looking for him? Did he still want to be with him? After the world ended, Kate had come to him, with Gabe and Mariana, and told him that after his Dad died, he got up, and tore a chunk out of Hector’s neck, before doing the same with his Mama’s cheek. David managed to stop him by getting his gun, before he told her to get the kids and to find Javi.

David had been gone when Javi finally managed to get his car to start and drive to the house, since he pushed it beyond its limits in the mad dash to get from Richmond to Baltimore. He, Kate, and the kids stayed for three months, before leaving.

He’d clung to the hope that Paul was still alive, despite the feelings he was developing for Kate. Part of him wished that he was just gay, instead of bi, then he wouldn’t have to deal with what he felt for Kate.

Javi then thought back to the past couple of days, he, Kate, and the kids, had come to a stop in a junk yard, hoping to find some gas, which they found. They also found some food, before a group of guys turned up outside, Javi barely had enough time to hide Kate and the kids before they came into the office they’d been in. He’d been knocked out and taken away from the junk yard in a truck, which was how he met Clementine, since she dropped a tree that totalled the truck, despite her trying to keep it intact.

Clementine took him to Prescott, where he met Tripp, Conrad, and Eleanor, there was an incident, and Clementine was told to leave in the morning. Javi snuck out of Prescott, after he told Eleanor his, rather pathetic, life story, taking Clementine with them to rescue Kate and the kids. It went well, at first, they found Mariana, and rescued Kate and Gabe, then, as they were leaving, Mariana had her head blown open by a bullet. There was a gun fight, where Kate was hit in the gut. He escaped with his family and Eleanor, while Clementine remained behind to hold them off.

Eleanor performed surgery on Kate almost as soon as they got back to Prescott, with Gabe and Javi helping her. Clementine came back and warned them about the junk yard group coming for them, which led to a shootout after one of people from the junk yard killed Conrad’s girlfriend, Francine. The fight was fairly short, considering that the junk yard group, Clementine called them the New Frontier, rammed the gates of Prescott open with a truck full of Walkers. Clementine, Tripp, Eleanor, Conrad, and his family were barely able to make it out alive, with Clementine suggesting that they try Richmond.

They were making steady progress, until they hit a roadblock. Javi managed to clear it, allowing Eleanor and Kate through, only for the rest of them to get ambushed by Walkers, which was why they were now standing on a roof, with some weirdo watching them from another building.

“Wait,” Gabe’s voice jerked Javi from his thoughts “was this all a trap?!”

“Keep your heads down.” Ordered Tripp, looking around them, “Guy could have a rifle. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like to keep my skull intact.”

“Show yourself!” Yelled Javi, leaving his hiding spot, only to find the guy had gone, “What the hell? He's gone. Everyone stay here and keep behind cover. I'm gonna see what I can find out.”

“Be careful.” Said Clementine, as Javi climbed onto a nearby roof.

Frowning, Javi saw the guy move, prompting the man to hide behind a corner, before peaking out when he didn’t hear any gunfire. Deciding to risk it, he crossed a set of planks that made a makeshift bridge, and snuck up on the guy, who had his back to Javi.

“I'm gonna need you to turn around for me, slowly. Did you hear me?” Said Javi, walking up to the guy, before noticing that it wasn’t a guy at all, it was a scarecrow, or decoy, or something, “The hell?”

He heard someone cocking a gun behind him, before a familiar voice spoke behind him, “That thing's not a toy. Drop it, or you might hurt yourself.”

“Paul?” Javi lowered his gun and turned around.

Paul stared at Javi, his mouth falling open in shock, before he closed it, swallowed and looked around. Javi thought he looked upset, maybe even guilty.

“Don’t move.” Clementine’s voice made Javi look over at the bridge, where the girl was standing, aiming her gun at Paul.

“I'm not gonna shoot,” Said Paul, looking the girl over, “not unless you make me. I just want to talk. You got me? Just want to have a word.”

“So talk.” Said Clementine, her voice flat.

“Okay, then.” Said Paul, before looking at Javi, “You, the two guys there, the kids, the women in the car--I saw you split up. I overheard that little argument just now.” He glanced at Clementine, “Your friends over there aren't gonna shoot me, right? You folks have your shit together? If you're some kind of broken tribe, then let me know now. 'Cause I've had my fill of people that can't agree on anything.”

“They're good people.” Said Javi, looking at Clementine, “They've lost... a lot.”

“Sure, We all have.” Countered Paul, looking around.

“Recently.” Said Clementine, scowling.

“Ah, fresh wounds. That makes sense.” Muttered Paul, looking around, “You're going to Richmond. That tells me you've got something to do with what's going on down there. Question is, whose side are you on?”

“Side?” Questioned Javi, confused, “Paul, I don't know what you're talking about.”

Behind them, someone whistled, making Paul turn around and look for the source of the noise, when Cnrad tackled him and started to wrestle over the gun, with the man successfully wrestling the gun away from Paul. Once disarmed, the man looked around the group that had appeared, and slowly raised his hands.

“Well,” Said Tripp, looking around, “is he one of them?”

“Hey, man, what do you mean by ‘them’?” Asked Paul, confused, “Who's ‘them’?”

“You know what I'm talking about.” Scoffed Tripp, making Paul frown, “The ‘New Frontier’.”

“What?” Asked Paul, incredulous, “No, I'm not with those guys. You've got this backwards.”

“Javi, this guy is full of donkey shit.” Scowled Tripp, glaring at Paul.

“Do you want to let me talk?” Asked Paul, looking at Tripp.

“What's the point?” Scoffed Trip, his glare intensifying, “How can we trust anything you say?”

“He's not with those guys.” Said Javi, firmly.

“Says you.” Countered Conrad, looking at Javi, “How do we know for sure?”

“It's the truth.” Said Paul, as Conrad checked him for the brand.

“Nothin'.” Said Conrad, when he didn’t find it.

“Look, I'm telling you,” Said Paul, looking at them, “I'm on my way to Richmond, just like you. I lost touch with some good people there when the New Frontier took over.”

“What did you say?” Asked Clementine, stunned.

“The New Frontier,” Said Paul, looking at them and frowning, “They took over Richmond. Don't tell me you didn't know that?”

“Fuck...” Swore Gabe, grabbing his head.

“Oh, God, Eleanor and Kate.” Realised Tripp, looking at Javi, “They're headed right into the middle of those assholes!”

“At least now we got an excuse to go after those motherfuckers.” Scowled Conrad, looking around them.

“What are we gonna do?” Asked Gabe, starting to panic.

“Everyone,” Said Javi, looking around them, “just calm down!”

“Calm down?” Asked Tripp, incredulous, “Calm down?! How the hell do you want us to be calm about this?! They're gonna fucking kill 'em!”

“Not if we get to them first!” Countered Javi, before glancing at Paul.

“There's an old train tunnel that runs under the James river.” Said Paul, looking around them, “From what I hear, it should be a straight shot into Richmond.”

“A train tunnel?” Said Tripp, suspiciously.

“I could lead you guys there...” Said Paul, before looking around them, “But since Javi said you're good people and all, maybe you could lower those guns first?”

“Lower them, my ass.” Scoffed Conrad, “We're gonna tie you up and make sure your story checks out.”

“That's really not necessary.” Assured Paul, glancing around.

“I don't know.” Said Tripp, tightening his grip on the gun, “We just met this guy.”

“We all just met.” Countered Clementine, frowning at Tripp.

“Lower your guns.” Said Javi, looking at them expectantly.

“Javi, man,” Tripp looked at him and shook his head, “don't.”

“I know him, we’re pretty close.” Said Javi, looking at Tripp, “Do you trust me or not?”

Tripp and Conrad frowned, but did as Javi said, while Clementine tucked her gun into the back of her waistband.

“Thank you.” Said Paul, sounding relieved, “Ready? This way.”

He’d started to walk away, before Tripp called out to him, “Hey, what do we call you?”

“His name’s Paul,” Said Javi, looking at Tripp, “but, most people call him Jesus.”

Paul got the strange look again, but Javi didn’t pay it any mind, instead watching Paul walk away as he led them to the tunnel to Richmond.

J

They’d ran into a herd of Walkers inside the tunnel, with them using an abandoned train to escape them. Once they were in the clear, Javi jogged ahead of the others, keeping pace with Paul, “I can’t believe you’re alive, I mean, I hoped you were, but I was starting to lose hope.”

“I thought you were dead too.” Said Paul, not looking at Javi, “Look, Javi, there’s something—”

“Let go of her!” Gabe’s voice made them turn around, where they saw Conrad manhandling Clementine.

“Conrad, what the fuck are you doing?” Demanded Tripp, as Conrad’s face curled into a snarl.

“She’s one of them!” Announced Conrad, shoving Clementine forwards, “Show ‘em!”

Sighing, Clementine pushed a sleeve up, revealing the New Frontier’s mark.

“What the fuck?!” Javi glared at Clementine, “You’re one of them?!”

“No!” Refuted Clementine, “I was kicked out!”

“Common theme with you.” Muttered Tripp, crossing his arms and glaring.

“This could be a good thing.” Said Paul, looking around them, “If Clementine’s one of them, maybe we’ll have some leverage to get us inside Richmond.”

Frowning, Javi nodded, with them tying Clementine wrists together. They reached the end of the tunnel, with them finding Kate in the car that Eleanor had been driving being abandoned in the streets. Deciding to go up to the community’s gates, Javi demanded that they be let in, after several minutes, the guard’s superior appeared, revealing themselves to be David.

David, after getting over the shock of seeing his family again, ordered his people to take Javi and his group into the quarantine area, where they reunited with Eleanor, and Tripp quickly filling her in on what happened.

Javi felt Paul grab his arm and guide him away from the group.

“Paul?” Asked Javi, frowning, “Is something wrong?”

Paul looked down and sighed, “I thought you were dead, I’d come to terms with it, and… and I moved on.”

“W-what?” Javi blinked, not sure if he was actually hearing Paul correctly.

“I met a guy, his name’s Aaron,” Confessed Paul, “we… we got married a few months ago.”

Javi felt his throat get tight, before he coughed and nodded, “Okay, so… not a thing then.”

“Yeah.” Paul guiltily nodded.

“R-right, we gotta focus on getting out of here.” Said Javi, walking away from Paul.

They questioned Clementine on the New Frontier and how they were going to do things, a moment after they’d finished talking, David came and collected Javi, leaving them alone.

J

A few hours, and a disastrous meeting with the community’s council, later, Javi found himself and his group, minus Kate, Gabe, and Eleanor, were being escorted out of the gates.

“Oh, what the fuck?” Demanded Conrad, glaring at the guard, “We didn't do anything!”

“I might do something here in a minute...” Growled Tripp, as Ava ran out.

“David packed this.” Said Ava, shortly, throwing a duffel bag on the ground.

“He did?” Asked Javi, confused, “They said—"

“Start walking.” Ordered Ava, glaring at them.

“What about Eleanor?” Demanded Tripp, glaring back at Ava.

“Walk!” Yelled Ava, shoving Tripp back.

“Eat shit, answer my fucking question.” Argued Tripp, as Javi started holding him back, “Goddamn it, Javi! Let go of me!”

“This isn't gonna help Eleanor!” Javi tried to reason, “Don't make it worse for her!”

Tripp responded by shoving Javi away, and stalking up to Ava, who punched him in the face, sending him down to the ground.

“Do not fuck this up.” Snarled Ava, glaring at them, “There's a settlement a few miles west of here. Don't come back.”

Sighing as the New Frontier went back inside, Javi offered a hand to Tripp as the gate closed, only for the man to smack it away.

“‘Get with the program’, he says...” Muttered Tripp, as he got up and glared at Javi, “We trusted you. What the hell, man?”

“Ay, dios mío.” Muttered Javi, before returning the glare, “Do you ever shut up?”

There was a moment of silence, before they heard some Walkers growling in the distance.

“Occasionally...” Muttered Tripp, as Javi sighed.

“Let's just see what they gave us.” Said Javi, crouching down to look through the duffel.

There were some weapons, not enough for everyone, a map wrapped around a baseball bat, and a flashlight. Sighing, Javi and his group discussed their next move, with them following the map David had left them. Arming themselves, they located the North Star and set off.

They ran into some Walkers in the forest. They dealt with them, with Clementine saving Javi’s life. Clementine also opened up on why she was kicked out of the New Frontier, and why she didn’t trust David. Javi listened to her in silent shock, having trouble trying to reconcile David’s actions towards Clementine with the man he knew.

Eventually, they reached a warehouse, the destination on David’s map, before they were set upon by Walkers. All of them barely made it inside the warehouse, with there being a near miss with a couple of them having Walker’s in their path. David turned up not long after, with Clementine not wanting him to be let in, but was disarmed by Paul.

Some Walkers got in through the door David used, and they were forced to block the door, which in turn led to the discovery of supplies and equipment from Prescott. Paul then pointed out supplies from other communities, some of which had been destroyed.

Then some of David’s people turned up and, upon being confronted by them, Max and Badger chose to attack the group, while Lonnie chose to run away, with Clementine and Paul chasing after him. Javi ended up brawling with Badger in an office, a brawl that ended with Badger being shot in the gut, before having his skull smashed to bits by Javi. After subduing Max, they took him hostage and went outside, where they reunited with Paul and Clementine.

“Where's Lonnie?” Asked David, looking for the man.

“He gave us the slip.” Said Paul, looking at him, “High-tailed it back towards Richmond.”

“Son of a bitch.” Muttered David, before looking around, “If he warns Joan...”

“Wasn't there one more?” Asked Clementine, before spotting Javi’s viscera covered bat, “Oh...”

“What?” Scoffed David, giving Clementine a look, “It's good riddance...that son of a bitch killed Mariana.”

“Did that make you feel better?” Asked Paul, looking at Javi like he didn’t know him.

“I wouldn't shed any tears if I were you.” Advised David, getting a flat look from Paul.

“Maybe I'm shedding them for your brother.” Countered Paul, “Because the man I knew, he wouldn’t have done that.”

“You're damn right it did!” Said Javi, angrily, “Bastard deserved everything he got.”

“Be careful, Javi...” Warned Paul, sadly, “Act like a beast, you risk what makes you human. Don't become the thing you hate.”

“That man shot his niece! Right in front of him. I would've done the same, Javi.” Said Clementine, backing Javi up, before she looked at Paul, “Sometimes there's just no other way to make things right. My friend took a crowbar to someone once.”

“My people need to know about what we found here.” Said Paul, deciding not to respond to the girl.

“What about your missing friends?” Asked Javi, frowning.

“I'm surprised you care. Human life isn't exactly high on your list of priorities.” Said Paul, flatly, “Don't have time to keep looking. They'd want me to get home and warn them. So that's what I'm gonna do. Sooner the better.”

“You sure you'll be okay on your own?” Asked Javi, deciding to ignore the slight.

“To be honest, I think my odds are better than yours.” Said Paul, before he looked at them, “I won't forget about you. You have my word.”

Javi watched Paul leave, before deciding to focus on what Tripp said, he didn’t have time to be distracted, not with Kate and Gabe in danger.

J

The next time Javi saw Paul, David had just ran off with Gabe, while Clementine had gone after them, Javi had decided to help Kate save Richmond. Paul had some other people with him, Javi wondered in any of them were Aaron.

“Well, there's a happy sight.” Said Paul, as Javi looked at him, “Can you help us get the gate open?”

“Almost didn't recognize you.” Said Javi, looking at the people with him.

“Once I got in contact with my people, I headed right back.” Said Paul, nodding at Javi and Kate, “Had to make sure you folks were safe.”

“I think I'm getting the hang of this!” Said Kate, looking at Javi.

“We'll keep the muertos away.” Said Javi, shooting at the Walkers, “Just get me to the gate so I can open it up.”

Javi decided not to think about how he’d decided to give things with Kate a try, or the fact that she was aware that this was the Paul he told her and David about before the world ended.

“We're almost there!” Yelled Kate, as she bulldozed the Walkers, “Javi, get in the busket and I'll lift you to the top of the gate!”

“Busket?” Asked Javi, looking at her.

“The thing in the front!” Kate pointed at the bucket, “The ‘scooper’ thing. Whatever! Get in it!”

After getting grabbed by, and kicking away, a Walker, Javi climbed into the ‘busket’, before getting on the platform and opening the gate.

“Let's get inside and wrangle the walkers together!” Yelled a soldier, “If we get them in one group, we can lead them right out!”

The group moved through the streets of Richmond, with them gathering up the Walkers and leading them to the square, with Javi changing to the other setting on the gun, before he fired at the Walkers piling into the bucket, and his gun ran out, leading to him and Kate switching places. The actual blocking of the hole wasn’t as nerve wracking as the journey to the hole, although that was probably because Javi was in the driver’s seat.

“Jesus! Over here!” Yelled a soldier, as Javi and Kate got off the bulldozer.

“We need to round up these walkers!” Yelled another, riding past.

“Head 'em towards the gate!” Ordered the first soldier, rounding up Walkers with the others.

“Welcome back.” Said Javi, looking up at Paul.

“I thought we were coming back to...” Paul trailed off, before shaking his head, “Well, not to this. Just a little surprising. That's all.”

“Yeah, we've had some... difficulties.” Said Javi, after a moment.

“Certainly one way to put it.” Said Paul, as Kate grabbed Javi’s arm.

“Javi, look!” Kate pointed towards the way they’d come, “It's Clem!”

Javi froze when he saw Clementine with an injured Gabe, before rushing over to the children, leaving Paul staring after them.

J

Javi walked away from the church, leaving Conrad to his book, Ava had limped up to them when he and Kate got back from burying David, and she told them that she knew where AJ was, and was going to go with Clementine to get him. Sighing, Javi saw Paul riding towards him on a horse.

“Heading out?” Asked Javi, not feeling particularly upset when he saw his ex.

“Yes, indeed.” Nodded Paul, looking at Javi, “We came here to put an end to the raiding. Looks like that's been done. Glad we got it settled. Gotta move on.”

“We lost a lot.” Said Javi, remembering Mariana, Tripp, Francine, and David, “We may have helped fix things, but... there was a cost to it all.”

“There usually is, unfortunately.” Said Paul, looking down at Javi, “I was worried about you, Javi, about who you are inside now. You helped save these people, though. That goes a long way for me. Second chances are in short supply these days. That's what this place can be, if you let it. Trust me, though, life within walls is a hell of a lot different than life on the road. Don't take shortcuts like Joan. You gotta do the right thing. Always. Good days, and especially bad.”

“Absolutely.” Sighed Javi, looking around them, “The right thing. No matter what.”

“Good to hear!” Smiled Paul, “I read people pretty well. Little gift of mine. You're a capable guy, Javi. Change is in the air here. You can lead that change, and I think you should. For the better. God knows this town could use it.”

“You know what?” Said Javi, looking Paul in the eyes, “I'm gonna step up. Lead this place in the right direction.”

“There’s the Javi I knew.” Said Paul, “Then as far as I'm concerned, Richmond's in much better hands than it was.”

“Hey, uh, Jesus?” Gabe’s voice made the pair look at the boy.

“Hey, uh, Gabe.” Mimicked Paul, looking at him.

“Thanks for... you know... not letting me get killed.” Said Gabe, nervously, “And for coming back to help us.”

“Yeah, thanks for that, man.” Agreed Javi, nodding.

“And I really sorry you’re not my other Uncle.” Added Gabe, getting a sigh from Javi.

“Spoke too soon.” Muttered Javi, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“It’s fine, not every relationship works out,” Said Paul, before adding, “As for the saving you, pay it forward. Be vigilant. Trouble never stays too far away.”

Javi and Gabe waved as Paul left, before Gabe walked away to find Kate, leaving Javi to talk to Clementine. Sighing, Javi focused on the girl, he supposed that he should start his leadership of Richmond by helping Clementine get ready to reclaim her boy.