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starlessskies94 · 4 years ago

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Consequence (Joel Miller x OC)

Summary: What if Joel survived his injuries from the Abby and Fireflies attack but ends up suffering from really bad amnesia. He can't remember his wife, Ellie or the Outbreak; only before. How will his family bring back the man they once knew?

Pairing: Joel Miller x OC

Note: I said I was going to do it and I got lots of lovely comments that others wanted to read it so here it is! I hope you like it because I’m very excited about this story!

Prologue

Joel didn't know what happened. He was just supposed to take Ellie to the Fireflies and walk away.

When he thought back to the beginning, he'd been so against the idea. It all seemed so ridiculous. After meeting Ellie and Adaline he would've been more than happy to just leave the woman behind rather be in the company of yet another Firefly. But Ada had insisted on accompanying Ellie for the trip; having practically raised the girl since her mother had passed. Eventually Joel saw no reason to argue, didn't seem worth the time.

He hadn't expected things to get so complicated. But you travel halfway across the country with someone.

The older man glanced back at his brother as Tommy listened intently as Joel told his story.

How he and Adaline had protected the girl with all they had in them. How Ellie had stepped up and held her own in the world that was unknown to her. How hard she'd fought to get there, she wanted her immunity to mean something. So much so that he himself had maybe started to buy into the whole cure business. But Adaline had one night admitted her doubts to him, when Ellie lay asleep. He explained that the brunette had been losing faith in the Fireflies before she'd left Boston. A feeling which Tommy could greatly sympathize with, considering he had once been in the same mindset when he'd chosen to leave.

He'd met Adaline before; when they'd passed through Jackson. She had seemed nice then and could see why Joel had taken such a liking to her. She looked of similar age to him. Perhaps forty six? Forty seven if he had to guess. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail like Ellie's though it was much longer with streaks of grey running through the dark brown strands that brushed against her shoulders as she walked alongside Joel.

He'd noticed the stares between the two during their walk through the compound and the younger Miller had had his suspicions of there possibly being more to Joel and Adaline's relationship than just friendship. Though it wasn't until the unexpected attack on the dam by Hunters that Tommy's assumptions proved to be right when he noticed just how worried and protective his big brother had been over the two.

Pulling the older woman close as he rested shaking hands on her face, the love in his eyes had been undeniably there.

Tommy had been hopeful with his offer for the trio to stay in Jackson. Especially after learning of Adaline's experience with horses, she'd informed Maria over lunch that she had just finished her studies as an equine vet before the outbreak. He figured her skills plus Joel and Ellie's experience would have been extremely beneficial to Jackson. But he understood their situation even if he too had his doubts.

Joel took a deep breath, pausing in his seat, eyes cast towards the floor as he explained what had happened after they'd left.

And in Tommy's opinion it didn't sound anything short of a nightmare. Joel had shown his brother his scar and even as they sat face to face, he was still having trouble believing just how his older brother had survived such an ordeal.

" It was them. " he'd said. " They kept me going."

His heart had bled for Ellie when Joel had told him about David, how he and Ada had finally reached her, only to discover the poor girl soaked in that monster's blood. They walked away but it had come at a cost and it'd been the last shred of Ellie's innocence. There were no more jokes, no more puns or smiles. He'd sat on watch through endless nights listening to Ellie cry in Adaline's arms. It was the first time she'd called the woman ' mom '. Just a whimper as she finally gave in to exhaustion.

It was also the first time that Joel had swore he would never let any harm come to his little girl ever again. No matter the cost. Adaline had voiced her own desire to do the same and they'd even gone as far as debating whether to give up on the whole thing. They'd both asked Ellie as they'd reached Salt Lake City. But it seemed nothing was going to change her mind. Not after everything she had done to get there.

And so against their better judgement, they had reluctantly followed. Both wanting to do right by her. And they made it. They found the Fireflies. And because of Ellie they were actually going to make a cure. The only catch was...it would kill her.

Adaline had remembered her anger as Marlene had explained it to her. And after refusing to tell her where Joel was, she'd insisted on seeing Ellie. Again Marlene refused. It was only when the woman rebelled had her comrades turned violent, beating her down and stripping her of her rank before planning to cast her out of the hospital and leaving her to fend for herself. But she'd fought back, finding her way through the winding hallways and wards until she'd heard the gunshots from the operating theatre.

Joel remembered the look on her face when she'd finally reached the parking lot, the relief that washed through her brown eyes when she saw Ellie unconscious in his arms. Followed by shock when she saw Marlene on the ground, begging for the mercy she hadn't granted Ellie.

When she safely placed the girl on the backseat of the truck she'd found herself back at Joel's side once more. Staring down at the woman she'd trusted; that she'd once thought so fondly of. Even called a friend. Now when she looked at her, she only felt anger, betrayal. That she would so carelessly give up the life of an innocent child for something so uncertain.

Marlene had tried to save herself, begging for Adaline to let her go. ' Do the right thing.'

She didn't even flinch when Joel pulled the trigger. They saved Ellie and that was all that mattered.

"Damn Joel. That's a lot." Tommy said, swallowing hard as he tried to process everything. Joel simply nods in return, his idle hands resting on the neck of the guitar he holds before continuing with the cleaning of the wood. "What does Ellie know?" He asks after the quiet that settles between them.

"Ada and I told her they ran some tests. We told her, her immunity means nothing."

"And she believed you?" Joel shrugs. "She didn't say otherwise, though considering Ada used to be one of em'...I guess she ain't got no reason not to."

Tommy hums in agreement, leaning further back in his seat. Hands rested on his knees as he sighs in thought.

"So Ada huh?" He asks cautiously. He notices Joel flinch slightly at the question. The rag in his hand once again placed to the side along with the guitar on his lap. He sighs heavily before glancing back up at his younger brother.

"I love her Tommy. I ain't gonna to lie to you." Joel admits softly, his voice trembles as he says the words out loud for the first time. And when he does he can't ignore the flutter in his stomach.

His brother just gives a knowing smile and nods before pulling himself up from his seat. "We should head back." he says, grabbing his backpack. Joel follows suit picking up his own before reaching for the guitar leaning on the armrest.

The ride back to Jackson is quiet but Tommy takes it as respite to fully think through all his brother had told him. If he was honest, he couldn't deny he'd have done any different had he been in Joel's position. He tells him as much when they reach the stables. And when he promises his brother to take the secret to the grave if need be, he damn well means it.

Joel is grateful but still feels the weight of the lie on his shoulders. Though it somewhat eases when he sees Ellie. The girl's content smile as he sings for her makes it all worth it. His happiness grows all the more when he hands her the guitar and sees the excitement in her eyes.

When he bids her goodnight he heads back to the house, the back door gently clicked shut behind him as he makes his way through to the living room. It's quiet and still, a fire just starting to burn out in the fireplace, he can just make out the silhouette drifting on the couch. His hand reaching out to nudge a shoulder.

"Hey darlin'." He whispers. Adaline stirs with a gentle hum and stretches as she sits up. "Hey." She smiles rubbing at dozy eyes. "How did the patrol go?" She asks as Joel moves to flop beside her on the couch and she scooches across to make room for him.

He leans his head against the back of the couch, his eyes closed and head turned towards the ceiling.

"I told Tommy what happened." He mumbles. "Said he'd take it to the grave if he needs to."

Adaline sighs in response grabbing Joel's attention. He opens his eyes and looks back at her with an uncertainty clouding his eyes. "That okay?"

She stares at the floor, legs tucked underneath her. Her arms folded. She contemplates her answer before staring back at the man beside her.

"I don't regret it Joel...any of it. If I had a second chance at that moment, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat." She unfolds her arms and leans against him, her head rested on his shoulder. He shuffles closer, arms draping around her and pressing a kiss to her temple then resting his head on hers.

"Me too." He breaths with a sigh.

#joel miller x oc #joel miller #joelxoc #joel and ellie #the last of us #the last of us part ii #the last of us part 2 #fanfic #Starlesskies writes

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xtolovers · 4 years ago

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The Best Of Us

The Last of Us Joel/OC Rating:M

AO3

Joel and Ellie nearly die on their way back to Jackson, Wyoming. Traumatized, tired and with a tentative new bond between them, they move forward into a new, very different life. Luckily there are new friends to be found that are not easily deterred by their wounds and flaws. And there is a woman who likes to laugh, to get into other people's business and help and heal were she can. Maybe she can help heal their bond. Maybe she can move more. It has been long since either of them had a home.

Chapter 2: Nursing Suspicions

Something wet splashed in his face and washed the darkness away with it. Slowly he blinked his eyes open. “Welcome back to the land of the living.” The woman was kneeling above him, with a soft smile and a canteen in her hand, the pale purple sky above her. Passed out again, goddamnit. With a grunt he took her outstretched hand and together, they heaved him up to his feet. Relieved, Joel found that the world had stopped spinning. “Also kinda the land of the dead.” The woman— Liv, it came back to him— rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue up at the teen peeking over the edge down at him. “Very helpful Jesse. Maybe he’s got amnesia— is this how you wanna break it to him?” “He fell into mud Liv. ” “Men have forgotten more over less.” “ Or so they’ve told you.” She laughed, but quickly concealed it as an outraged gasp. “You just wait till I get up there and we’ll see how big you’re talking then.” “Well, come on up then.”

She turned to him then, but Joel looked around, half expecting Ellie ’s stretcher to lie on the ground, only to find it nowhere to be seen. A tap on his shoulder drew his attention to a branch and the tip of a sneaker, barely visible over the ridge. Apparently they’d managed to grab on before he blacked out. Liv nodded towards the spruce-ladder. “You ready? I’ll go behind you.” She looked confident in her assessment, but he was a good head taller, and a lot heavier than her. “Doubt you can catch me.” “No, but I’m soft. I’ll cushion the fall,” she said with a grin, and to his mortification, he could feel his cheeks warm. “Ah, there. A little color. Well, if you fall, I’ll have to climb down again anyhow, so I’ll just spare myself the trip. Now. Up you go.”

Happy to look at nothing for a minute, Joel followed her instruction and set about climbing out of the ditch. It was both easier and more difficult than he’d have thought; easier to traverse, but exhausting physically. Every muscle in his body was straining, his whole body felt heavy as lead. After the first three feet he nearly lost consciousness again, his left foot slipping from its hold, and he sliced his leg open on the cut-off branch. A round of curses erupted — not just from him — and he held on for a second, gathering himself. He bit the inside of his cheek and nodded his quiet acknowledgment that he was okay, before he slowly continued his way upward. Above him, both men had lain down at the edge of the ditch, reaching towards him, ready to help, and as soon as he got close enough, they grabbed onto him and nearly lifted him up just by themselves. With a mumbled thanks he hobbled over to Ellie and collapsed next to her, relieved to find her safe. He tried to untie her binds, and the kid next to him bent down to help as he saw Joel struggle — his fingers were weak and his skin chaffed raw from his efforts to climb the ditch throughout the last days. While they were working, Eugene bent down again and lifted Liv over the edge, clapping her shoulder good-naturedly afterwards, sending her staggering. The man was tall, broad-shouldered and clearly strong, his wild mane of greying curls the only thing making him look less threatening. “All right. Let me see your ankle real quick.” Liv wiped her hands on her jeans and knelt down at his feet. She made quick work of it, cleaning the wound with a rag and some water Jesse handed her, before she tied the rag around his leg to stem the bleeding. “Not too deep, but I’ll probably have to stitch it up later.” She stood and exhaled heavily before studying the sky. “Let’s take them up to the lodge, then we can make some food and clean up. See how we go from there.” Eugene nodded. “Sounds like a plan. You’re better riding with me, buddy. Can’t have you fall of the horse if you black out again.” He wanted to argue, but Liv declared that she’d take Ellie so she could keep an eye on her, and as much as Joel didn’t want anybody to split them up, he knew that they were right. He’d have to trust them— no help if he keeled over with both of them on the horse. “All right.” He accepted Eugene's hand and climbed up in front of him.

Liv carefully lead the way, trying to keep Apollo steady beneath her so the girl wouldn’t get shaken up too badly. She was burning up in her arms, the fever doing it’s best to burn off the infection, but without a proper exam, Liv was worried about her state. The last patrol that came through had been a week ago, and the rains had started after, but by the looks of them, they’d been down there for days. “ What ’s her name?” She glanced over her shoulder to Joel, who was watching her like a hawk. “Ellie.” His voice was still raspy from disuse. There was no doubt he was Tommy’s brother; they shared the same eyes and jaw, and while Liv hadn’t met him, Tommy had told her his brother had been at the plant back in autumn. What troubled her more was the haunted look the familiar eyes held— she was used to seeing traumatized people, their world made sure of that enough, but Joel looked like trauma on legs. His whole focus was on the girl in her arms, she could feel his eyes boring into her back, or rather, through her, always careful, always calculating, making sure they weren ’t harming her, although she could see him fighting it, trying to push down the impulses of survival. Maybe she should be more careful— there was something almost… feral about him, and she had seen the look that crossed his eyes when she suggested lifting the girl out of the pit, a look that calculated what leverage Liv could give him if he attacked her, should any harm come to the girl — but he was also barely standing, and she had Eugene and Jesse with her. She figured that as soon as they were safe and she could patch them up, he ’d relax, too. He was in survival mode, something she knew all too well. So she made sure to stay in sight, to keep him calm and move slowly. Jesse kept bickering with her, apparently picking up on her carefully kept ease and trying to help her, bless his heart. Eugene was silent for once, but didn’t look bothered at all. Then again, little ever bothered Eugene. About half an hour later, the roof of the ski lodge came into view over the tree tops. They hadn’t seen stragglers in weeks, but she’d rather be too careful than be surprised with two injured people under her care. On her sign, they dismounted, and she handed the girl to Joel, who looked almost ghostly pale. She tried to catch a look at his ankle, but as far as she could tell, there was at least no fresh blood. After she dismounted, she took her bow and arrows over and nodded to Jesse, who dutifully shouldered his rifle. “Well go and see if it’s clear, just to be safe. You stay here with them.” “Is this some kind of comment about my sneaking skills?” Eugene scoffed, but Liv saw the glint in his eyes. She patted his cheek as they moved past them. “So glad we understand each other, Eugene.” At her nod, Jesse and she left the path and sunk into the woods, deciding to approach from the side, where they wouldn’t be spotted as easily. Jesse stayed next to her, and she felt fondness well up for him. He was a good guy: responsible, level-headed, loyal to a fault. This was the fourth patrol she was doing with him— he’d just turned sixteen and had started his training with her out in the field.

For the last months, he’d been stationed to help her out at the Med Bay, and had impressed her thoroughly by never flinching or hesitating to wash, shave or massage body parts that weren’t his own, something most struggled with. All Jackson inhabitants landed as her apprentices now and then, so they’d learn something and Jackson wouldn’t be left without medical help should something happen to her, but most that came were either squeamish in general, or expected only to treat the most gruesome wounds, cut some flesh and set some bones, easily forgetting that most of her work still was nursing . Jesse however, despite clearly having goals to fulfill a different role in the community later, had taken on his duty with a grace that was uncommon for his age, and had been an immense help. That ’s why she was out here in the first place— everyone had patrol duty now and then, but Liv had made up some excuses about checking up on the first-aid stashes they kept at the outposts, opting to take Jesse with her as her current apprentice. This had the benefit of also counting as patrol training, effectively qualifying him to apply for group patrols after his service with her was over. Liv had the feeling he knew what she was doing, but neither had breached the subject. For her, it wasn’t necessary, Jesse, she was sure, didn’t want to say something, afraid that might make him look insecure. His carefully crafted grave maturity was important to him, in the hopes of securing the bigger responsibilities he craved. Liv, unable to try and be helpful, had almost pulled him aside when he first came under her tutelage, and told him to loosen up a bit, but she soon found that Jesse wasn’t uptight at all— unless there was responsibility to be carried, so she let him be. No, he was alright. As always, she didn’t have to tell him much. He was new to this, but not new to reading her body language and understanding what she wanted without many words, and he was a natural. Jesse wasn’t the first teen she’d taken along, but he was the best, and she was proud of how far he’d go. They stalked the perimeter of the building, just behind the tree line, but found no movement anywhere. On her sign, they rushed to the doors, and as he slid the doors slightly open, she peered in, bow drawn taunt. “Clear.” They slipped inside, and Liv exchanged her bow for the revolver that she’d stuck into the back of her jeans. They split up, methodically screening the side- and backrooms, before meeting up to check the hallway that went back out to the utility sheds and the old abandoned parking lot, but found nothing. Relieved, they dropped their cautious stance and made their way back through and down to the others. “You really think that’s Tommy’s brother?” She threw a glance at Jesse, but he seemed more curious than bothered. “Yeah. Tommy told me he already passed through a couple of months ago. Besides, they got the same eyes.” “If they were already here, why didn’t they stay?” “I don’t know.” Liv had asked Tommy the same, and he’d closed off and said they had something else to do. She knew Tommy well, and the way he’d evaded her had made her neck tingle. Still, if Tommy didn’t feel like disclosing it to her , Jesse didn ’t need to know more, even if it were only her guesses. “He said they still had some business to wrap up somewhere, but that they might come back after.” Which wasn’t entirely true. Tommy had said that Joel might return, and from the way he said it it sounded like it ’d be a couple of weeks at most. When winter came around, Liv felt like Tommy deflated a bit, and she’d theorized it had to do with his brother not returning. When she asked, he’d brushed her off again. At least Jesse seemed satisfied with the answer. “Seems like they’ve been through some stuff. You think his daughter will live?” She hesitated. “I can give a more confident answer about that in an hour.” The rest, she left unsaid. Liv knew that Joel’s daughter was dead; Tommy and she had often talked about Outbreak Day on their patrols, and she knew the story of how he saw his niece die that day, killed by a FEDRA soldier, and what it did to his brother. This girl was also too old to be another daughter; she had to be thirteen or fourteen, and Liv knew that Tommy and his brother had stuck together for a couple of years after the outbreak. If she were Joel’s, Tommy would’ve been there when she’d been born. She had no clue what was going on, but she was sure that she wouldn’t get any answers out of Tommy, or Joel for that matter. Especially not if I can ’t keep them alive. “Clear?” Eugene called up to them when they came into sight, and Liv simply waved her arm. Eugene helped Joel up on Apollo and set Ellie in his arms, before he mounted himself and led them up the hill. Liv and Jesse turned around and walked back towards the lodge. “Can you get a fire going and boil some water for me?” With a nod, Jesse jogged ahead to the far side of the cabin where they stored some firewood, while Liv went over to the bar and grabbed the key they’d hidden on a small ledge beneath it. With it, she went to open the back room they kept locked, were they had stashed medicine, bandages, drinkable water and some non-perishable food rations. Usually the patrols carried their own rations with them, and they always kept something “free” to grab that they left outside their locked stashes, so stragglers would have something to eat and grab, but each watch post had a hidden stash for the Jackson patrols in case anything happened. While she grabbed what she needed, she heard Eugene talk outside, and as she stepped out of the room, Joel was stumbling inside, carrying the girl. “Put her down over here.” Liv gestured to one of the two sprawling couches surrounding the two luxurious fireplaces that hung free from the ceiling, in one of which Jesse was just piling up firewood. She dumped all she’d taken on a table that she pulled over, sat her backpack down and pulled out the sandwiches she’d taken with her. Then she shoved both her canteen with the slim rest of water that was still in it and the food in Joel’s hands. “Drink this, slowly, and then eat a couple of small bites. Just one or two, slowly . I know you ’re hungry— “ he interrupted her with a nod. “I know, otherwise I’ll just throw up.” He gave a small sardonic smile and a light bow of his head. “Not my first time starving, I’m afraid.” Liv sighed. “ Didn’t think so, but you’d be surprised by how many people will still make themselves sick despite knowing better.” “Hunger will do that to you.” “Well, be smarter.” Satisfied by his dutiful unscrewing of the bottle, Liv turned her attention to her work. Jesse had successfully started a fire and she sent him to fill up three pots of water and set them to boil, when Eugene came over to them. He was carrying the blanket from his bedroll— they’d planned on staying the night— and spread it over Ellie, who was now laid out comfortably on the sofa, before he settled against the armrest near her head. “Signed us in.” “Thanks.” “Anything I can help?” “ We’ve got that basin in the back. Could you fill that up with some water from the brook? Just to clean up.” He nodded and lumbered out, and for a couple of minutes, they all worked silently. Liv prepared some bandages and the small bottle of iodine she kept for emergencies, to treat the girls arm. For the smaller and less dangerous wounds, she got out some cloves of fresh garlic that she kept in her pack and had Jesse peel, crush and boil them. “ Garlic is the best natural disinfectant we have, vinegar helps too. Witch hazel helps with healing, and cherry bark acts as a painkiller if you boil it,” she explained to Jesse, and after showing him each, added them to the garlic water, then set some of the bandages in to soak. Eugene had prepared the small tub, poured the boiling water in and chased down a relatively soft cloth. Under Joel’s watchful eye, she first cut open Ellie’s sleeve, then the improvised bandage. The cut was deep, that was easy to see, even though it had scabbed over completely. The angry, red, swollen skin surrounding it was a bad sign, but it could be worse.

“Could be better, could be worse. I can treat her here, for now, but I’ll be much more relaxed the sooner we get her to Jackson. If you two leave now and ride fast, you’ll be back by sundown. I’ll give you a list for Ellen of things to prepare for me, and some I need for the way. Get Tommy, get a truck, get someone to relieve us for patrol, and come here at first light.” As expected, both complained. “That’s too dangerous.” “You’re alone with two injured people, it’s too risky.” “I know what I’m doing. We haven’t seen anyone in months. We’ll barricade the doors, and Joel is exhausted, not incapacitated. I’m pretty sure he can still hold a gun if necessary.” Eugene looked at her, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. That’s what’s worrying me. “It’ll be fine. It’s a risk we’ll have to take.” Before they could complain again, Liv mustered her best Maria impression. “No discussion. You can disagree all you want, I’m afraid I’ll have to pull rank here. Now, go. You’re losing light.” Jesse was displeased, that was easy to see, but Eugene knew her long enough. He clapped him on the back and they both went to their horses. Jesse gave her his bedroll and both of them tried to give her their food. She took half of it and insisted they eat the rest. “We’ve got rations here, and they shouldn’t eat that much anyways right away. If the kid wakes up at all tonight.” She rubbed her face wearily and shooed them off. “Hurry, but don’t risk anything, okay?” “Barricade the doors and keep the lights low. Keep out the generator at night.” “I will, but we need a fire.”

“We can see the lodge from the east gate, right?” Jesse asked. “I’ll stay up and take watch there with someone through the night. If you’re in trouble, flash the lights or give us a visual, and we’ll come and get you.”

“Someone like Dina, maybe?” Eugene asked as they mounted their horses, making Jesse blush quite a sensational shade of red and sending him mumbling. Trying his best to keep his dignity, he kicked his horse into a trot and started away from them. Eugene chuckled before he sobered up and pointed at her. “Be careful.” She gave him a mock-salute and he rolled his eyes before he turned to catch up with Jesse. When he caught up, both kicked their horses into a gallop, quickly vanishing around the corner. With an uneasy sigh, she grabbed Apollo by the reigns and led him inside the entry hallway. Let ’s do this.

#the last of us #JoelxOC #joel miller #tlou #tlou2 #the best of us #tlou fic #writing

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