#joel miller x daughter!reader | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

damn-stark · 2 days ago

Text

IM SO SCARED TO WATCH S2!!!

Chapter 6 Precious girl’s

Chapter 6 of Tragedy at the Miller’s

A/N- We’re close to the end

Warning- ANGST, swearing, blood and wounds, violence, talks of suicide, long chapter, fluff :)

Pairing- Joel Miller x daughter!reader, OC x fem!reader, Henry x Fem!reader

Episode- 1x08 & (part of) 1x09

(If you want to be tagged let me know!)

————

*Thump. Thump.*

“Come on…”

*Thump. Thump.*

There’s someone in the house, their footsteps sound like angry rumbling thunder that gets louder and louder the closer it approaches you with an attempt to corner you. No matter where you look for an escape it only creeps closer leaving no chance to flee.

“Stupid. AGH!”

*Thump—*

There’s a falter in the person's approaching footsteps, so you peer back and this time spot some grimy man under the door watching you trying to take off your restraints.

Fuck. Fuck!

Trying to leave with both restraints tied around you wouldn’t get you anywhere so you continue to try and take off the restraints around your ankles while the man breaks into a sprint to try and stop you.

“Come on! Come on!” You yell at the rope as it refuses to get off, but regardless of your great efforts the man reaches you before the rope can loosen and kicks you down to the ground.

“You aren't going anywhere,” he sneers and climbs over you, causing you to tense up and cry out as fear hits you, and heart-racing panic grows within threatening to paralyze you under the dirty man at the thought of what he’s capable of doing as you’re restrained, as his nasty rancid breath sweeps over your nose, as his sweat falls on your own sweat covered face, and especially as his eyes darken as he studies your face.

“Let me go!” You bellow and try to drag yourself back, but he suddenly lays his fingertips on your waist, making your breath hitch and your body freeze.

Rather than being unable to move, pure raging adrenaline strikes you and lets you swing your hands up his jaw.

The man yelps and lifts his hands off you to grab his offended area, so you then don’t fret to pull your legs back, mustering enough strength to kick his groin.

The musty man falls back and groans in protest so you desperately crawl away since your weapons were swiped. When the man notices he ignores his pain and flips around on his stomach to grab your legs and drag you back towards him.

You shriek and quickly hit him back repeatedly until he lets you go when he can’t handle any more hits. Moreover, luckily when you were kicking the man and he was pulling, your restraints on your ankles loosened just enough that the man actually slipped them off when he pulled away, letting you push yourself to your feet.

After that, instead of running back to the house, you spin around on your heels with the thought of beating up the man and demand him to tell you where they took Ellie, but as you turn to face him you actually see your dad.

It’s actually him limping and grabbing at his wounded side. He’s storming over and the mere sight of him is the most heart-warming and reassuring sight. He doesn’t fail to erase all that fear you were just feeling, nor does he fail at surprising you or making you proud when he kicks the man down with fury.

Even once the man is lying back, your dad stomps down on the man’s groin before using a rifle that isn’t his to knock out the man who had antagonized you.

“Daddy,” you gasp as you study him in disbelief.

Said man snaps his head towards you and immediately drops the anger that was painted on his features to look at you with a soft look before approaching you.

“Daddy,” you breathe out with a wobbly smile as you finally fully comprehend that he isn’t some vision—“But,” you mumble and look down at his side, catching that his shirt is stained with old blood but nothing else since he does have his wound covered. “How?” You ask.

Your dad closes the gap between you to pull the restraints off your wrists. “I don’t know how,” he mutters. “I heard Ellie and you and I just knew I couldn’t stay on my ass anymore.”

You let out a breathless chuckle and then look at his face with a relieved smile. “I thought I almost lost you. I was so scared.”

He manages to rip the rope off your wrists and then snaps his eyes up to meet your gaze. “Not yet,” he says and cups your cheek to turn your head to the side to focus on something on your face. “They cut your cheek, but luckily missed your eye,” he points out, but with all the panic and fear you were feeling you didn’t even feel the pain on your face until he pointed it out.

“You’ll be okay,” he reassures you and then tilts your head again to meet your gaze. “Did he hurt you in any other way?” He asks.

You shake your head. “No, no,” you tell him.

He lets out a relieved sigh and you can actually see his shoulders slightly untense before he pulls you in for a surprising embrace that you quickly melt into.

The need to cry grows in the comfort of his arms but there’s one concern that doesn’t let you actually relax, so you pull back but keep your hands on his arms as you face him with anguish. “I’m sorry,” you mewl out. “I’m sorry…I was only trying to help, but I lost her,” you ramble with regret and worry but also an already rooted fear that begins to regrow, making you tense under his hold. “It should’ve been me, I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to go that way. I was just trying to help you…” you trail off as you drop your head.

“Hey, hey,” he calls for your attention and lifts your head so you can face him once again. “I understand. I do. It’s not your fault…”

Your breath hitches and tears fall out of your eyes at the sound of those exact words.

“Just help me find her. I,” he pauses and glances down.

You follow his line of gaze and catch him looking at his wound.

“I need your help,” he finishes saying, making you sniffle and meet his gaze to nod quickly without hesitation.

“Do you know where they took her?” He asks.

You shake your head. “No, I don’t. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he assures you. “There’s another way we can find out,” he explains and looks over at the man he had knocked out. “There’s another one of them around here. He should be coming around soon, come.” He says and lets you go so you can follow him to hide behind a fence and wait for the other man.

Luckily you don't wait long just like your dad had said.

“Timothy?” The man calls out for his friend and unknowingly passes you and your dad as he walks into the yard. Once the man spots his friend's limb body on the ground he stops and you grab your dad's rifle before standing from your crouched position.

“Oh, shit,” the man mutters and walks closer to check on his friend while you quietly sneak towards him whilst slowly raising the rifle.

However, somehow the man seems to feel your presence or manages to catch you from the corner of his eye because he turns his head and catches you approaching him.

Before he can move though you bring down the end of the rifle on his face and knock him out.

“This is what’s gonna happen,” your dad interjects as he pulls away from his previous spot while you snatch your backpack off the man that had you; Timothy.

“We’re going to take the two of ‘em, and make sure they’re not facing each other to question—”

“Oh,” you cut him off as you take back your revolver, knife, rifle, and lastly take both men’s bullets as well; which they had plenty of.

“It’s Uncle Tommy’s method, yeah?” You ask and turn to face your dad now standing near you.

You knew all about the method considering you’ve witnessed it multiple times and done it by yourself once.

Regardless, your dad nods and doesn’t waste time grabbing the feet of the man you just knocked out. “Grab him by his arms,” he tells you.

You step over Timothy to help your dad take the man inside and tie him up against the wall. After that you proceed to bring Timothy in and tie him up against a chair before he can gain consciousness—Which is actually quite a hassle since you don’t have time to wait for them to wake up, but then again, you also don’t want him to wake up because torture is something you don’t enjoy doing or are proud of. You make sure to avoid it when you can and rely on other tactics instead…but there are some moments that can only be solved with violence and a coldness in your persona that you don’t enjoy demonstrating.

However, Timothy and his cult of creeps don’t deserve any kind of soft approach. Which is why…it’s easy to shove snow in his face to force him to wake up from his slumber.

“Wha-Where the hell am I?” He yells out and begins to squirm under his restraints.

You walk up behind him to grab a cluster of his oily hair and yank his head back so he can see your dad in front of him.

“You!” Timothy sneers. “You’re that bastard that killed Alec.”

Your dad narrows his glare on him and ignores his comment to get right to the point. “Where’s the girl your friends took?”

Timothy tries to turn his head to look further back, but you shove his head down so he can keep facing your dad. “I don’t know no girl,” he spats out.

Your dad’s eyes bounce to you to raise his eyebrow and tilt his head up slightly to share a speechless ‘your turn’, making you force a smirk so the man doesn’t catch your hesitation, and then let the man go to slowly walk around him.

When you’re in front of the man you crouch down so he can meet your gaze. “Really?” You query with feigned curiosity. “You, know no girl?” You mock him and shoot him a smirk that makes his scowl falter.

“I don’t quite believe you. Tell us again,” you press him one more time. “Where’s the girl David took?”

Timothy scoffs and shakes his head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Oh, why isn’t he a damn good liar? Fuck him.

From one second to the next your dad then walks over and swings his fist across the man’s face, landing a harsh right hook that makes you flicker your eyes away, but not for long. As the man refuses to answer, you watch as your dad violently throws one punch after the other until he can’t handle the pain on his side and steps back before meeting your gaze.

He doesn’t need to say anything for you to know that he wants you to continue hitting the man since he’s still keeping quiet after all.

“I’ll ask again,” you interject as you step towards Timothy in hopes he’ll give in this time. “Where is she?”

There’s no glance or groan. There’s nothing, so you clench your hand and swing your fist, landing blow after blow. Each time tapping more and more into your anger over losing Ellie and what this man wanted to do to you before your dad found you.

There even comes a point that it feels like you’re blacking out, but not because you enjoy it and get lost in the moment, but because even if there’s reasons for the use of this violence, actually having to use it isn’t something you enjoy doing. You just have to mask that distaste well so the target won’t see you falter, and it’s because of that same displeasure that you hope the man will give in and spill the truth, but no, he keeps denying it.

“Leave him alone,” the other man’s voice cuts in from the ground, startling you a bit but letting you finally stop to look over with a forming smirk.

“You’re next,” your dad says and pulls his knife out, making you let out a deep breath and step back.

“Please,” Timothy begs now that the knife is pulled out. “I don’t know any girl.” He shakes his head.

You scoff and when you glance down at your raw and red bleeding knuckles, you listen to the sound of your dad stabbing the knife in Timothy’s flesh instead of watching it.

“Oh, fuck!” Timothy cries out.

“Jesus!” The other man complains, causing you to fist your hands before you cross your arms over your chest and then look up at the bloody scene.

“Marco,” Timothy groans and tries to loll his head back, but your dad quickly grabs him by the hair and interjects.

“No-no, no-no-no,” your dad mutters and makes Timothy face him. “He can’t help you. You focus right here. Or I’ll pop your fuckin’ kneecap off,” he threatens and shakes the man’s head before pressuring him one more time. “Okay?”

“She’s…” Timothy begins to say between raspy breaths. “She’s alive.”

You feel your eyes brighten as you grow curious. “Where?” You ask and step forward.

However, Timothy hesitates to answer, making your dad twist the knife into the man’s knee. “She asked you a question,” your dad spats and only twist the knife more. “Where?”

“Ah, fuck! Fuck! Ah, the town!”

“What town?!” Your dad bellows.

“Silver Lake,” Timothy answers between pants and your dad makes him cry out one more time as he throws his head back to be able to pull out a map he had in his pocket.

“It’s not a real town name,” Timothy interjects. “It’s a resort.”

“A resort?” Your dad questions as if in disbelief at what was said, but nevertheless Timothy doesn’t answer so your dad pulls the knife out of his knee, causing him to yell.

Your dad takes advantage of that and sticks the handle of the knife in Timothy’s mouth.

“You’re gonna point to where we are,” your dad instructs as he gets the map close to the man. “And where your “resort” is, and it better be the exact same spot your buddy points to.”

“Okay,” Timothy mutters, and now that he’s in pain and scared he’s not hesitant to point out what your dad asked of him.

Once he’s done he spits the knife out and your dad takes the map whilst Timothy interjects. “That’s where we are.”

Your dad shows you the map so you can see the bloody points Timothy marked down. “This look right to you?” He asks, making you squint and sigh.

“David did say it was 2 miles away from here.” You confirm.

“I swear it’s right,” Timothy mutters. “Go ask him. He’ll tell you. I’m not lying.”

Seconds later your dad catches Timothy off guard by stabbing the knife in his stomach, making the other man cry out. “No, no!”

Once again you mask your displeasure well and look over at the man with a smirk that only makes him more distressed. “Shit! Jesus! No!”

Your dad lets go of the knife once Timothy is dead and then heads to the other man.

“Why the fuck did you do that?!” The man yells out. “He told you what you wanted!”

While your dad approaches the other man he first picks up a metal pipe before closing that gap.

“You motherfucker!” The man snaps. “Fuck you. I ain’t tellin’ you shit.”

“It’s okay,” your dad assures him. “I believe him.”

“No, no!”

Your dad lifts up the pipe and then violently swings down, bringing the man to death with one mighty swing. After that, your dad immediately asks you a question. “Are you okay?” He asks and throws the pipe aside to turn and face you.

“Yeah,” you mumble and rip your eyes away from the now-dead man and nod. “Yeah, just bloody knuckles that’s all,” you mutter and walk up to him to check on his wound. “What about you? Is it bleeding?” You ask and watch him lift his shirts to show you his wound.

“Given that they’re shitty stitches,” he says and glances down. “No.”

You narrow your gaze on the wound since you don’t want to touch it with your bloody and dirty hands and just make sure that he really isn’t bleeding before you leave.

“Okay,” you mumble. “Looks good.”

You step back and point to the door. “Let’s go.”

Now to tread through mountains of untouched snow, witness the cloudy sky darken and send a heavy blizzard that nips at your uncovered face and your fingertips; while also making it hard to see just a few feet ahead, and making it even harder to walk for you wounded dad who can hardly move. You only know he’s keeping strong because of Ellie and you.

Even so, you have to admit that you and your dad are just navigating by pure instinct thanks to the blizzard. Thankfully you don't get lost, eventually, there’s some clearing when you come across stationed cars.

“We must be close!” You yell over the wind so you can be heard.

Your dad drifts his squinted eyes to you and nods. “Yeah! Keep your eyes open for any lookouts!”

You nod and pick up your pace to walk ahead while keeping your eyes shielded with your hand for a few seconds before you slowly lift your head to look for any gleam of a scoop, some kind of suspicious makeshift building, some kind of tower, or people. Yet there’s nothing for a while until finally there’s houses that you come across.

Even then, there’s no one, not even surprise attacks. Besides, the howl of the wind, it’s quiet. It should be rather suspicious actually, considering that you also don’t come across any walls either, but then again as you remember that David can’t keep his people safe, just walking in without struggle isn't so surprising. The only problem you face now is figuring out where Ellie might be because the farther you walk in, the more buildings you see.

You can only hope she’s still alive and that creepy David hasn’t hurt her in any way, or that her bite mark hasn’t been revealed.

You hope that you’ll hear something, gunshots even, something that will lead you to her through all this mess, but there continues to be nothing.

Eventually, after more walking, your dad grabs your arm to stop you. When you turn to face him he points to some kind of shop at your side, so you follow him but come to see that he immediately leans against the wall for a break…

What if it’s his heart?

“Are you okay?” You ask and grab his arm as you face him.

He snaps his eyes to you and nods between pants. “I’m fine, I just—” he suddenly stops and his eyes focus on something behind you. You quickly follow his line of gaze and notice a blood trail leading inside the building. Can it be…Ellie’s blood?

It better not. It better not.

Before you can double check with your dad about walking in you turn on your heels and hurry to the door, spotting a lock that you don’t hesitate breaking in order to walk into the dark room.

Your dad follows you inside soon thereafter and closes the door behind you, welcoming darkness and some kind of warmth whilst also causing the metallic smell of blood to bombard your nose. Yet you don’t investigate that smell, you turn your flashlights on and realize that you’re in a storage room of some kind; to the side, there are packets on shelves, and past that, there are bundled-up clothes and backpacks on a shelf; one that you and your dad quickly recognize at the same time.

Yet you don’t want to accept it at first because of the hard insinuations behind why Ellie’s backpack isn’t with her. All of which make your guilt heighten as you can’t help but think of the worst.

“It’s hers,” your dad confirms what you tried to deny as he pulls the backpack out of the shelf, making you sigh and swallow thickly.

That fucker better not have killed her. He better not have touched her.

“There’s more past there,” your dad breaks your train of thought, making you follow where he’s pointing his flashlight to; another room behind a glass wall.

This time your dad slowly leads the way to the back room which remains quiet. You look around and try to hear if there's additional footsteps, but there’s just you and your dad.

Once you’re able to walk into the back room you can’t help but let out a shocked gasp as the first thing you see are the horses you came with dead on the floor.

“Come on,” your dad makes sure to pull your attention away from the horses by leading you ahead to find the exit.

Albeit just as he takes a few steps ahead he immediately comes to a sudden stop that you almost miss. “What’s wrong—” you begin to ask, but stop the moment you look past the stacked canoes and catch what made him stop.

Your dad calls your name as a warning before stepping in front of you. “Don’t look, baby,” he adds, but it’s too late. He was too late to stop you from witnessing the gruesome sight of those headless bodies hanging from the ceiling. He was too late.

“Oh god,” you gasp even after he blocked your view and then cover your mouth and shut your eyes. You even proceed to gag as you feel nothing but pure terror.

Never in the past years of living through this apocalypse have you…come across uninfected people who…eat other people. Never.

Is that what they wanted to do with you? Is that what they want to do to—No. No, no. You won’t let it happen.

“She,” you mutter out as you move your hand off your mouth and pull your eyes away from where the bodies are. “She’s probably not far, come on,” you urge your dad and walk ahead to get away from the gruesome scene.

The moment you walk outside though, the blizzard is worse and the snow is thicker, obscuring your view that much more. However, even with the drifting wind, you can still catch the smell of a nearby fire. Maybe it’s her? It smells too much for it to be some chimney fire.

Thus with that in mind, you follow the smell and your dad follows you without question.

Luckily you don't run into any sort of trouble, making the resort almost seem abandoned. Yet that’s beside the point because the further you continue to follow the smell of smoke, the stronger it gets, and the deeper your heart sinks to your stomach out of concern that Ellie is caught in whatever fire is burning close by.

What would happen if you lost her too?

You can’t even think of the possibility. You ignore that thought as best as you can and just pick up your pace, spotting a lake soon thereafter just past a snowy field. The smell of the fire gets stronger there, especially towards a certain side, so you turn the street and come face to face with flames breaking out of the windows of some restaurant.

You want to get as close as you can to be able to see inside just in case, but alas, just across from you you spot Ellie walking out of the restaurant.

Your dad spots her too and without saying anything you share a relieved look before he breaks away from you to quickly grab her.

“No!” Ellie screams out the moment your dad touches her. “Get off of me!” She cries and tries to fight away his touch, making you immediately halt in your steps just before you can also approach her and just watch out of concern, confusion, and most of all guilt as to what happened.

“Get off!” Ellie keeps yelling even as your dad turns her to face him.

“It’s me,” he tries to assure her, but she loses balance and falls on her knees, and begins to hit him.

“Get—” she cuts herself off and slowly stops fighting, but keeps hyperventilating.

“Hey,” your dad tells her softly as he holds her jaw. “Look.”

You take a step towards them on the ground and feel your breath hitch as you see blood splattered all over her face, and a look of utter terror and shock.

“It’s me…it’s me. It’s okay,” your dad consoles her as she studies him.

“He,” she mumbles, but doesn’t finish what she’s going to say for the first time, instead she pulls your dad in an embrace that he returns.

“It’s okay,” he keeps telling her as she cries into his shoulder. “It’s okay, baby girl. I got you. I gotchu.”

Besides feeling completely relieved to see her alive, you’re also hit with more guilt that strangles your heart.

She’s feeling this distress and this agony because you failed, because you couldn’t keep her safe. She got taken because you failed her. She’s crying because of you. She’s hurt because of you. David hurt her because of you.

You let out a shaky breath and interject when you finally approach her as she pulls away from your dad’s embrace. “I’m sorry.”

Ellie slowly lifts her gaze and watches you get on your knees by her and your dad.

“I’m sorry,” you repeat and slowly cup her cheek to wipe away the blood splattered on her face before also cupping her shoulder with your other hand.

“I’m sorry,” you say once again, making Ellie slowly place her hand on your arm as she studies you with what seems to be a relief to see you; her eyes are soft as she holds your gaze, and her breathing keeps calming down instead of rising more.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” you mutter in a quivering voice. “I’m sorry, Ellie.”

More tears stream out of her eyes and she then lets out a small breath before she surprises you by pressing her forehead against yours.

You tense up, but only because she catches you by surprise. She should be mad. She should be furious at you, but she isn’t. She’s relieved to see you…

Thus as you come to accept that, you close your eyes and bask in the comfort over the fact that she’s okay and that she’s not gone.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” you whisper. “I was so scared,” you say and pull back but only to wrap her in an embrace.

Ellie hugs you back after that and presses her face against the crook of your neck, making your hold tighten around her, and letting you feel a wave of gratitude over the fact that she’s okay, that you didn't get lost again, and that you still have her; your unexpected light in your heart that Sarah had left dark.

——

*SOMETIME LATER IN SPRING*

“I had a weird dream the other night,” you mention to your dad as you lean against a kitchen cabinet whilst he searches the other cabinets.

“Okay,” he says. “Go on, tell me about it.”

You scratch the back of your neck and sigh. “So I’m on this big plane that’s full of people, and everyone is screaming and yelling ‘cause the plane is coming down, right?”

He hums and begins to search closer to where you are, so you peel away from your spot and shift to the middle of the RV’s hall.

“So I walk to the cockpit, open the door and there’s no pilot. I try to use the controls, but I obviously have no clue how to fly a plane, and right before we crash I wake up,” you finish sharing and watch him find two cans of food “I’ve never been on a plane. Isn’t that weird?” You say before drawing out a deep breath and sitting down on the bed.

Your dad scoffs softly and then turns to face you with the cans of food in his hands. “Well you know, dreams are weird.”

You click your tongue and nod. “Yeah.”

“But if you’re still scared of planes, then it makes sense,” he adds and walks to you.

You press your hands on the edge of the bed and lean back as he sits next to you. “I’m terrified,” you admit. “When I get in car’s I get really scared that suddenly a plane is going to come out of nowhere and crash near me. That’s why.” You nod. “Once we make out of this shit and they’re back in the sky I’m not getting on one. Never. Like what if we crash and explode, what then?”

Your dad shrugs. “You die.”

You blink rapidly in disbelief and turn your head to look at him. He feels your stare and slowly meets your gaze with a smirk. “Simple logic,” he deadpans.

“Simple logic,” you mock him in a deep voice.

He narrows his gaze and gets all serious, while you begin to smile. Yet it’s only for a minute because you both then laugh.

When you both calm down he hands you the cans he had found in the cabinets and you turn them to read what it is, which to your surprise is something good.

“Mhm, 20-year-old Chef Boyardee,” you mention and your stomach proceeds to growl, but it still isn’t time to eat so you hold back from opening it and hand it back to your dad instead. “My babysitter used to love cooking that for me. And when you had late nights at work that's what Sarah would cook for us.” You smile.

“He was always reliable,” he jokes.

You giggle and nod. “Still is, apparently.” You breathe out softly and look around the bed you’re sitting on and spot a broken guitar.

“She’s been,” your dad pauses. “Extra quiet today,” he points out what you had noticed as well, reminding you that she hasn’t been herself at all since you left creepy David’s resort.

“Has she talked to you?” He asks.

You glance down at your hands and sigh deeply. “No,” you admit but it’s not because you don’t want to, it’s just…hard bringing it up because you understand what she might be going through.

“I,” you continue and blink to look at him. “I’m giving her space. I told her that when she wants to talk she can come talk to me.”

It doesn’t take too much context to know what David wanted out of Ellie. You saw the creepy way he looked at her.

“It’s hard,” you add and turn your head to glance out the window. “It takes a toll on you. I don’t know exactly what she feels, but as long as she knows you’re there for her that’s good, it’s the little things that matter.” You say and look at your dad to offer him a small smile before you get off the bed.

“Have you,” he adds but stops and swallows thickly. “Have you been through something similar?”

You stop just past the kitchen and clench your hand into a fist before you begin to gently hit your thigh.

He’s just curious and worried, there’s nothing wrong with that, and it happened a while ago now.

Still, it’s never easy.

“Uhm, yeah,” you whisper. “When I was out on my own.”

You peer at him over your shoulder and see a deep and sad frown on his face while also noticing that his eyes are watery.

“You don’t have to worry,” you assure him. “I’m okay. I’ve,” you sigh. “Healed. She will too, just give her time.”

You continue walking out of the RV, but before you can walk down the stairs to get out, you point to the door. “Come on, let’s get goin’. The faster we do this thing the faster we get outta here.”

You rush down the steps and jump down the last one before you’re immediately greeted back by the brisk spring wind. Which in truth is a lot more refreshing and better than the cruel and bitter winter winds, plus you don’t have to be wearing so much weight anymore either.

AND! The flowers are able to grow now which is what you look forward to all the time.

“Ellie,” your dad calls out once he’s out of the RV, but nothing, she doesn’t respond or look back to acknowledge him. “Ellie,” he calls again and walks past you to call out for the girl again. “Ellie.”

Said girl finally looks back and meets your dad’s gaze from the back of the truck she was waiting on.

“D’ya hear me?” He asks her.

“No,” she says honestly. “What?”

You grab onto your backpack straps and try to read her face, but she’s a bit too far to get anything.

“Well,” your dad says. “I found this in there.” He points to the RV. “Beefaroni. Chef Boyardee,” he says as he lifts one of the cans to show her.

“Oh, cool,” Ellie responds with little energy.

Your dad walks closer to her, so you slowly follow behind him.

“And have you ever played this?” He asks her and shows off a box of some game you didn’t see him grab in the RV. “Boggle? It’s a word game.”

“Mh-hmm.” Ellie shakes her head.

“If you wanna beat me at somethin’ it would be this. Just don’t let this girl play, she's a cheater.” He points at you over his shoulder with amusement before sneaking a glance at you and managing to catch your brief smile before you tilt your head a bit to the side to watch Ellie simply nod as a response when he expected a witty response.

“Well, all right then,” he changes the subject. “We’re gettin’ close.”

Ellie nods. “Mm-hmm.”

“Hospital that way.” Your dad points back, making Ellie look over her shoulder. “Maybe the one we’re lookin’ for.”

“Got it,” Ellie says and gets off the back of the truck now, letting your dad and you walk off so he can get his backpack that he left close to the RV. Once Ellie catches up he pulls the rifle off his shoulder and looks to Ellie.

“Take this for me?” He asks her and hands her his rifle regardless if she wanted to or not as he puts the stuff away.

While he’s doing that you slowly drift your eyes to the corner to look at Ellie, noticing her lose her gaze on the horizon ahead. You want to ask her a simple question, but you also don’t want to be too pushy.

No matter how much you want to probe, you have to keep telling yourself that it takes time and that you can’t take her pain away no matter how much you hate seeing her look so upset and be so quiet. That’s why you just keep to yourself and watch your dad take his gun back before you all continue moving.

“I’ve been thinkin’ now that the weathers gettin’ warmer,” you interject just to let her know you’re thinking of her. “Once we get back to Jackson we can go down to the lakes near there. I’ve heard that you can’t swim,” you mention and look at her, catching only a glimpse of her gaze. “I can teach you. Or we can. Would you wanna learn?”

You look over at her again and wait. However, Ellie doesn’t answer, making your dad cut in. “Ellie?”

Said girl blinks and looks at the both of you to query. “Hm? Oh, yeah.” She nods. “That’d be great.”

You offer her a soft smile and nod back. “Cool.”

You then glance ahead to see the hospital sign that you follow before looking back at Ellie and noticing her lingering gaze.

She does look away when you turn, but she does a double take and parts her lips a bit, so you wait as if you noticed nothing in hopes that would help her build the courage to say what she took a breath for, but no, she just slowly breathes out and remains quiet.

It’s okay.

“Once we get there,” your dad breaks the silence as you keep walking towards the hospital. “Is there going to be anyone you know?”

You let out a deep sigh and shrug. “Just Marlene, I don’t know about any of the others though. Besides, most of the Fireflies I was close with are in Jackson, or well, they’re all gone. We’ll see though.”

“Do you have a Firefly tattoo, or what?” He asks, making you roll your eyes to the side to meet his gaze.

“No,” you answer. “Why would I?”

He smirks and shrugs. “Seems like you would. Maybe the catchphrase on your arm or somethin’.” He says and looks over at Ellie hoping she’ll break out a smile over what he said, but she remains lost in her own thoughts.

“My knuckles,” you joke and put your fists out. “One side one half and the other side the other half of the phrase.” You snicker and can’t help but glance over at Ellie too. Yet, still nothing.

“It’d be stupid.”

“Yeah,” you agree with your dad and meet his gaze before he sneaks a glance at Ellie and then looks at you with worry, so you respond with an assuring look as you pat his arm.

Silence returns thereafter and it’s long since you try to remain quiet when you enter the city so as to not gain unwanted attention. Albeit the city ends up being quiet too. The deeper and deeper you get inside the city that silence never falters. You would’ve expected some infected—Then again if the Fireflies are really here that would explain the lack of infected and other survivors.

Either way, you can’t convince yourselves that there is no danger. You just can’t see that from the ground.

“Okay, so this is what I’m thinking—”

“Cut through that building to get around that stuff,” Ellie cuts your dad off, referring to the rubble straight ahead blocking your path—“Find the skyscraper, go up and look around.”

You smirk in amusement since that’s exactly what he and you want to do.

“Uhh, actually, this time I was thinkin’ we blast our way through that rubble,” he obviously teases. “I found some dynamite in that RV back there.”

“Really?” She questions him, making you smile softly as to how gullible she is with him.

“No,” he lets her down. “So we’re gonna cut through that building, find a skyscraper, go up and look around. But I had you goin’, didn’t I?” He queries as he looks back at her.

You watch her too and see her meet his gaze and nod. It’s not much, but it is something that you and your dad take.

Anyhow, after some walking, you end up finding an easy way into the unfinished construction building that’s wrapped with some kind of colored sheets.

“So,” you break the silence as you walk in after Ellie and your dad. “What are the covers for, huh?” You ask your dad as you study the orange covers.

“Uh, to prevent falling debris and dust, it was a safety hazard for tall buildings like these,” your dad says.

“Huh.” You nod. “Makes sense. Always thought they were big presents. When I was a kid of course.”

Your dad peers back and snickers. “You sure about that one?”

You drift your eyes over to him and shoot him a pointed glare. “I'm sure.”

He shoots you a teasing smile and then looks ahead as you slowly continue cutting your way through.

“Look at this place though,” he adds. “Talk about bad luck. Military drops bombs…not one of them hits the building you’re trying to demolish.”

“I think what’s even worse luck,” you add to his comment as you all come to a halt in front of more rubble. “Wasting so much time on this and having it be bombed.” You scoff and look up in hopes there’s some kind of way up to get a better look, but, no, nothing.

“No way up,” your dad points out.

You sigh and turn away from the gap. “I guess we have shit luck too. Long way it is.”

You begin walking away from the pair and spot a fenced-up area so you immediately head toward it in hopes there’s something there you can use.

The others follow your trail; you can hear their approaching footsteps and they’re easy to identify too; the heavier and faster-paced ones are your dad, and the slower and softer ones are Ellie.

“Here,” you point out to the pair and pull the fence open to walk in. “Look.” You point to the weird metal tower thing as you quicken your pace to approach it. “We can climb up the edge, and…” you trail off and step back to look up. “…Maybe hop a bit to reach the top, but I think we can do it. Yeah?” You ask and look at your dad walking around the tower.

“Or,” he says and steps back to point at the floor above. “We use that ladder.”

You speed walk over to his side and follow his line of gaze, spotting that same ladder.

“Yeah,” you scoff. “Or that.”

You put your hands on your hips and share an idea that comes to mind. “We can get you up there, Ellie, and you can drop that ladder down. Maybe go through that way.”

“Mhm-hmm,” your dad agrees. “Come on, Kiddo, I’ll give you a boost.”

You turn around to look at Ellie and your dad mirrors your actions. Albeit you come to notice that she isn’t facing either of you, she’s actually focused on some ancient piece of paper that was left behind, so out of concern for her lack of attention you let your dad approach her instead of you since she has known him the longest and right now maybe she does need his comfort more.

“You okay?” He asks her.

Ellie looks back at him and responds. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“It’s just you kinda seem extra quiet today, so,” your dad says to her.

“Oh…I’m sorry.”

Oh, precious Ellie.

“No, it’s fine,” your dad assures her. “Did you hear what we—”

“Yeah,” Ellie cuts him off. “Boost. Got it.” She nods and breaks away from her spot now to follow your dad on some wooden pallets.

As to not get in the way you watch your dad help Ellie climb to the floor above first. After some struggle you see her get up, so you then walk up on the wooden pallets and wait for her to push the ladders down for you and your dad.

However, just as she’s about to hand them to you and your dad, she freezes for a bit and then blurts with what sounds to be, wonder. “Whoa!”

Ellie then lets the ladder fall down and so as to not be hit by the fucking metal ladder you jump back off the pallets.

“God damn it, Ellie!” Your dad exclaims as you flinch and press yourself against a pole.

“Shit,” you exhale between heavy breaths.

Your dad snaps his head to you and looks at you with a mix of concern and annoyance due to what just happened. “You okay?” He asks.

You push yourself away from the pole and nod. “Yeah,” you nod. “Missed.”

He looks up again and you bend down to pick up the ladder.

“You stay there!” Your dad yells out at Ellie as he helps you get the ladder up on the wooden pallets. Once it’s placed against the floor above and steady on the wood, he helps you back up so you can climb up first.

“You guys gotta see this!” Ellie yells out with what you detect seems to be excitement. Which is good? This is a sketchy place so you’re not so sure if you want to get your hopes up.

That reason gets especially stronger when you finally climb on the floor above and spot an odd and very large shadow passing by from the outside.

“Ellie?!” You yell out as you hear her running footsteps going up the stairs.

“Up here!” She exclaims as you only hear her get further away.

Once your dad climbs on the floor he and you follow after her, catching another fucking large shadow that Ellie is chasing.

“Ellie,” your dad calls out.

“C’mon,” she encourages and only ends up running ahead.

You take one last glance outside before picking up your pace and jogging after her up even more stairs that lead to what seems to be the back of the building. Ellie seems to have stopped just past the bare door frame, so you slow down as you follow her, noticing the greenery that trickles around the gap on the wall before you spot Ellie just past it standing in front of another gap that overlooks a vivid green field outside.

“Ellie,” you mutter with concern between pants.

However, once you walk past that gap on the wall and take in more of what lies past the gap Ellie stands in front of, you come to a sudden halt and feel your breath catch in your throat as you come face to face with that “creepy” shadow that Ellie had been after; a giraffe. It’s a giraffe…

You smile at the sight of it, but still find a hard time believing if it’s real or not. Ellie is seeing it too, but you still can’t believe what’s in front of you. It’s just...so beautiful, and so calm as it eats the greenery that drapes over the gap on the wall. It’s not afraid or cautious about either of you. It’s just there, living.

When your dad catches up and you see him stop beside you, you have to ask for reassurance. “You’re seeing what I am, right?”

He hums in agreement and that’s all you need to finally break away from where you were to slowly approach Ellie and the giraffe.

“Don’t scare it,” Ellie whispers to you softly.

You beam at the giraffe but assure her in a sweet voice. “I won’t.”

You get closer to the edge to carefully pull off a thin green branch. “What are you doing?” Ellie asks you.

You peer over at her and smile. “It’s all right. Come here, hurry. C’mon.” You wave her over with the leaves in your hand and Ellie offers you a small smile.

Finally, after months she smiles at you as she takes the leaves you offer her to feed the giraffe. It’s a small moment and you know this won’t just wash away all her pain, but it’s a sliver of hope, a hope you noticed she lost at that resort. It’s a hope that you see rejuvenates her.

“Hey there,” Ellie greets the giraffe before she feeds it more leaves and giggles at the purity of it.

You grin brighter and glance over at your dad who now stands nearby, feeling your heart become more content when you notice the happy smile on his face as he watches Ellie smile and hears her laugh.

“Come on now,” he encourages you as he meets your gaze. “Here,” he says and hands you more leaves.

You let out a nervous laugh and take a step closer to the giraffe to offer it what you hold.

At first, it’s too busy eating what Ellie offers it so it pays no mind to you, not until Ellie is done. After that it steps towards you and sticks out its long, dark tongue to take what you have to offer it without hesitation or fear and actually manages to brush its tongue on your fingers, making you giggle at the very odd feeling.

The giraffe stays near you after that, so you build up the courage and slowly reach over to pat the side of its face.

“What are you doing?” Ellie asks.

You drift your gaze to her and grin brighter. “It’s okay. It’s not scared.”

When your fingers brush over its jaw you realize that it’s soft and that its jaw feels funny as it moves under your hand.

"I decided what I want to have in Wyoming…a giraffe."

You remember Sam’s words as you watch the beautiful creature and feel tears fill your eyes, but they’re not out of sadness. Not this time and not here as you pull your hand away from the giraffe and remember Sam and Henry. No. This time the tears are happy tears. They would’ve loved seeing this, especially Sam. And Henry would’ve been happy seeing his brother happy. He would’ve been happy seeing you happy too…

That’s it…isn’t it? All this time, all these months you’ve been devastated, but they wouldn’t have wanted that. Henry wouldn’t want you overthinking his death. He wouldn't want you sad either.

This giraffe is the sign that lets you know that it’s okay to move on and not blame yourself anymore. They’re gone and you’ll never see them again, but at least they don’t have to live in fear or in pain, they’re okay. You won’t ever see them again, you have no picture or any part of them to remember them by, but you’ll never forget them. You’ll never forget Henry or the peace he brought you, and you'll never forget the gratitude you have toward him for teaching you to love again.

They’re gone but you’ll have them with you forever. You know that now.

“Aw,” Ellie breaks you from your train of thought. “Where’s she going?” She wonders.

You focus back on what’s going on and see the giraffe walking off so Ellie runs after it from the inside, leaving you and your dad behind once again.

“Come on, come on, come on, come on!” She encourages you and your dad.

You sigh and shift around, but stop and gasp as you're surprised by your dad's gaze on you.

“You okay?” He asks softly.

You sniffle and offer him a soft smile. “Yeah,” you assure him with sincerity. “I’m better.”

He offers you a gentle smile and nods in comprehension before he grabs his rifle off the ground and then walks after Ellie whilst you face the field, the city, and the blue sky ahead before you pull out the sun pin that you still kept in your pocket, and brush your thumb over it with a smile.

“You comin’?” Your dad queries from the other side.

You lift your head and nod. “Yeah,” you agree and turn away from the light to join him further in the dim room. When you make it outside, Ellie is there, leaning over the cement patio wall watching the giraffes wandering the green field. You join her at one side while your dad falls by her other side.

“So,” your dad interjects. “Is it everything you hoped for?” He asks her.

You slide a backpack strap off your shoulder to pull the backpack in front of you and finally pin the sunpin on the material after holding it in your pocket for months.

“It’s got its ups and downs,” you hear Ellie say. “But you can’t deny that view.”

When you finish, you hook the backpack back on and then prop your elbows on the cement railing before resting your chin on your hands to watch the view Ellie made you fond of.

“Look, I don’t know exactly where this hospital is—”

“Yeah, we’ll find it,” she cuts him off before he can finish.

“Sure, it’s just,” your dad says in a tone that makes you shift your gaze to him—“Maybe there’s nothin’ bad out there, but so far there’s always been somethin’ bad out there.”

Ellie shrugs. “We’re still here though,” she counters.

“I know. I’m only saying there’s risk.”

Hasn’t there always been? You ask yourself as you narrow your gaze slightly and continue to hear what he has to say.

“We don’t have to do this. I just—I want you to know that.”

You pick up your head and slowly stand straight up whilst you let your hands rest on the railing.

“What do you mean?” Ellie asks what you were going to ask too—“What else are we supposed to do?”

“Nothin’. We just go back to Tommy’s. We forget about the whole damn thing.”

No matter how much you just want to go home with Ellie now and not run the risk of losing her to those Fireflies, you understand that it falls to her. It’s her choice. Your dad might be worried for her, but he can’t make her change her mind.

“After all we’ve been through,” Ellie doesn’t take a moment to think of her answer, she just speaks.

“Everything I’ve done,” she pauses now, letting you step back to watch the both of them.

“…It can’t be for nothing. I know you mean well. I know you wanna protect me. You have. And when we’re done, we’ll go wherever you want,” she says and looks between you and your dad now. “Tommy’s. Sheep ranch. The moon.” She smiles.

You mirror her gesture, while your dad lets out a soft chuckle.

“I’ll follow the both of you guys anywhere you go,” she continues to add and offers you a smile, making you shoot her a small grin in return.

“But there’s no halfway with this,” she continues. “We finish what we started.”

Your dad stays quiet and hesitates for a brief moment before he nods in agreement. Ellie then nods back and you interject. “It’s your choice, Ellie, I’ll support it no matter what. You say we go, we go. If we stay, we stay and see it through.”

Ellie meets your gaze and offers you a small smile. “Thank you,” she says softly.

“Of course.”

She turns to face the scenery for one last moment before she turns away to walk to the exit door. You follow her and don’t realize your dad has lingered back until you’re at the door.

Hopefully, he understands that it’s her choice and her choice alone. He can’t defy her with something she deems so significant, he’ll only hurt her if he does. He needs to understand that.

Let's hope he does when it comes down to it.

Nevertheless, the silence follows and the serenity lingers every step of the way back to the ground. Yet, honestly, the calmness of Salt Lake City is concerning. There isn’t infected? Other groups of people? Yes, you’ve only traveled a small fraction of the city, but there should be something out there.

“Was this a FEDRA thing?” Ellie asks as you come across an old abandoned medical camp.

“No. Army.” Your dad answers her, whilst you fall behind to look around.

“They put these places up all around the first few days after the outbreak,” you hear your dad continue to explain. “Emergency medical camps. Obviously didn’t last.”

You were young then but you do remember coming to one of these.

“They had me in one just like this.”

“With your daughters?” Ellie asks, making you focus on them out of curiosity.

“Just one. Sarah was gone already,” your dad puts it simply, making Ellie answer quietly.

“Oh.”

You sigh and hold onto your backpack straps as you continue to look around.

“So what was wrong with you?” Ellie probes.

“It’s for this,” your dad says, and as you look over at him again you see him point to the scar on his head; one you remember seeing on him suddenly one day.

“Ah, the guy who shot and missed,” Ellie adds. “I figured that would’ve happened later.”

“No. Second day.”

You blink and focus on him whilst he comes to a slow stop.

“Well,” Ellie continues. “I’ve gotta hand it to the Army people. They were way better at stitching you up than I was.” She says as you stop and shift your stance to face him when you realize it wasn’t just a quick break.

“It was me,” your dad adds, causing you to slowly loosen your hold around your backpack straps and blink in disbelief at what you heard.

“I was the guy who shot and missed,” he says and pulls the rifle off his shoulder to sit down on one of the cement roadblocks.

Ellie takes a seat by him soon thereafter, but you linger where you stand as you unravel the dark meaning behind his words.

“There’s no story,” he continues in a softer tone. “Sarah died, and I couldn’t see the point anymore...”

Your breath hitches softly whilst your eyes begin to water, your heart sinks to your stomach, and your mind races with doubt and guilt.

“I failed to keep her safe…”

Keep listening. Keep listening…

“So how could I keep,” he pauses for a brief moment before he says your name with a quiver in his voice as he continues. “…safe if I had failed her sister.” He says and slowly looks over at you. “I didn’t want to be the cause of her death too, simple as that.”

You let out a slow breath but feel as if your heart is still sunken now that you know that he wanted to…kill himself out of tremendous guilt over losing Sarah, insecurity over not feeling strong enough to keep you safe, and grief for Sarah. You were being stupid just seconds ago with the poisonous feelings that began to resurface, those of not being enough for him.

It was stupid. You were insecure. Stupid.

“And I wasn’t scared either. I was ready,” your dad continues to say and now you break away from your spot to sit at his other side.

“I couldn’t have been more ready. When I—” he pauses and briefly drops his head before looking up again to continue. “When I…went to pull the trigger, I-I flinched.” He huffs out softly. “Still don't know why,” he says and looks over at you, so you gently caress his arm to comfort him.

“Anyway,” he goes on. “The reason I’m telling you all this—”

“I know why you’re tellin’ me all this,” Ellie cuts him off.

“Yeah,” he nods. “I reckon you do.”

It’s his way of comforting her, which is good and sweet. As awkward as you feel their interaction to be.

“So time heals all wounds, I guess,” Ellie breaks the short silence that had built.

“It wasn’t time that did it,” he lets her know and meets her gaze, whilst he lifts his arm you’re holding so he can instead grab your hand.

More silence follows after as he holds Ellie’s softened yet timid gaze and rather than saying anything she just nods very softly in what you understand to be comprehension, so he then looks over at you to meet your gaze so you’ll know he’s also referring to you.

Thus in return, you offer him a soft smile as your gaze gleams with tears before you rest your head on his shoulder. As Ellie remains quiet he then looks over at her again.

“Well, I’m glad that…that didn’t work out,” you hear her break her silence in a quivering tone.

Your dad nods. “Me too,” he says and proceeds to sniffle and drop his head to wipe his eyes—or really the tears he couldn’t hold back.

It’s still quite odd seeing him cry since he wasn’t one to show it before, not until Sarah died. He’s always tried to be strong in front of his girls. You admire that, truly from the bottom of your heart, but seeing him not hold back now is also quite refreshing. You let him know that with a gentle squeeze of his hand, whilst you also notice Ellie sitting there awkwardly just watching him.

Honestly, it’s quite funny that they’re both like that.

“We should…probably loot the place for supplies,” Ellie cuts off the silence. “We wouldn’t want to desperately search for some…again.”

“Yep.” Your dad agrees.

You smile at the interaction and then get up after Ellie to break off to a tent.

Since there isn’t much left in the tents your search should be quick, but you use this time to finally share your own words of comfort. “It gets better,” you say without referring to what exactly because she knows. “With time the pain…it becomes less until it fades away when you least expect it.”

Ellie stops rummaging and quietly interjects. “Does it?”

You nod. “It does. Right now it seems like you’ll never forget. And you won’t…that’s the worst thing, but as time passes it becomes only a distant memory,” you share and come to find bandages in a drawer so you twist your body around to shove it in your backpack.

“It’ll feel like you can never be yourself, like,” you pause. “Like you’ll never recover what was lost.” You sigh and turn around completely to walk over to a stack of boxes beside the drawers she was searching in. “But you do, you will.” You smile faintly. “Slowly, in your own way, you’ll find the light in the void. And my dad and I will be here every step of the way. I’ll be here for you.”

Ellie closes the drawer and you hear her sigh before she breaks her silence. “Thank you,” she says shakily and gently hits her knuckles against the cabinet. “I appreciate it. You make it…easier,” she whispers and then glances over at you.

You meet her gaze and offer her a soft smile that she mirrors. She doesn’t add anything on the matter after that, nor do you, so instead you walk over to the drawers on the desk that’s in the tent.

“By the way,” you interject in an uplifted tone. “I like that scar on your eyebrow. It’s very cool.”

Ellie scoffs and you can practically hear her smirk. “Thanks,” she redirects.

You yank the top drawer open and come to find a small bottle of vodka rolling to the front. “Cool!” You muse and pull it out.

“What?” Ellie queries and falls beside you rather quickly.

“Vodka,” you point at the words fading on the label. “Not my favorite, but it hits the spot.”

“Can I try it?” Ellie asks and reaches for the bottle in your hand, but you quickly smack her hand away.

“Ow!” She complains and pulls her hand back to rub it as if it truly hurt. “What was that for?” She quips.

You meet her gaze and shake your head. “You can’t drink, you’re not old enough.”

Ellie furrows her eyebrows and snaps back. “I’ve drank before. You saw me.”

You put the bottle in your backpack and then turn to head out. “So what?” You shrug. “That was then and now I’m tellin’ you that you’re too young. Plus, you’ll just ruin your liver, you’re too young for that. Try next year.”

“I thought you were supposed to be cool,” she retorts sassily while she follows you out of the tent.

You smirk. “I am cool,” you correct her and pick up your pace as you spot your dad waiting for the both of you where you had been before.

“You know what I’m in the mood for?” Your dad interjects now that you continue to try and find the hospital.

“What?” Ellie asks before you can.

“Shitty puns,” he says.

Ellie’s lips pull to an immediate smile. “Oh-ho-ho.” She muses and slides a strap of her backpack off her shoulder to take out her pun book and quickly flip to a page. “People are making apocalypse jokes like there’s no tomorrow.”

Your dad smacks his lips and you squint your gaze.

“Too soon?” Ellie questions.

“No.” He shakes his head. “It’s topical.”

Ellie laughs and then focuses back on the page. “Oh, I love this one. Moon rocks taste better than earth rocks. Why?” She asks and bounces her gaze between you and your dad.

“Why?” You press with a half smile.

“‘Cause they’re meteor,” Ellie gives the answer to a pun you knew, but let her tell it regardless.

“Oh, that’s terrible,” your dad says whilst you giggle.

“Fuck you,” Ellie counters. “That was actually good.”

“It was, I like it,” you back her up.

“That-that’s a zero outta 10,” your dad adds, making you roll your eyes in a lighthearted manner.

“All right. All right,” Ellie says and then continues to read another pun. “What did the green grape say to the purple grape? Breathe, you idiot.”

You snort and nod. “That was a 3 outta 10. What do you say?” You ask your dad as you look at him, noticing his smile.

“Yeah.” He nods. “I think you’re right.”

“Seven minimum,” Ellie tries to plead her case. “I mean.” She points at you. “You snorted.”

“I’ll give it a five,” your dad assures her. “Five outta 10.”

“That’s good.” You nod. “That’s the best it gets.”

“Five?” Ellie repeats.

“Yes,” you agree. “Five—”

You cut yourself off immediately the moment you hear something small fall on the ground behind you.

Ellie and your dad hear it too, so when you look at the ground your smile falls and your eyes widen as you notice that it's a bomb.

It’s so sudden and out of nowhere that you can’t help but freeze out of disbelief. Luckily your dad throws his arms around you and Ellie and throws all of you to the ground as the bomb goes off and releases a simple thick cloud of white smoke.

However, it’s that same simple bomb of smoke that causes your ears to ring and your vision to blur as your mind begins to spin and hurt.

Is it the Fireflies or another group?

Either way, you can identify Ellie’s muffled voice as she calls out for you before she calls for your dad too

You slowly pick your head off the ground and catch a glimpse of her right by you actually. She's not far.

“Ellie,” you croak and then cough out as the smoke burns your throat and infiltrates your lungs. You then lift your hand up weakly to try and reach over for her.

Ellie notices your hand and begins to reach out for you too, but before you can touch she's suddenly being picked off the ground.

“Joel?!” She cries out before she cries your name as she’s now out of view.

“Ellie,” you can barely hear your dad call out.

“Joel!” Ellie’s cries get louder and full of panic.

You try to look back at her, but as you do you see some man in a vest over you. “Wait,” you try to plead and lift your hand to stop whatever he wants to do, but he doesn’t hesitate to lift his rifle over your head before he brings it down and brings darkness.

——

*SOMETIME LATER*

Pain is the first thing that you feel, it’s throbbing and radiates all around your head, but there is one spot to the side where the pain is sharp and hurts the worst.

After you notice the pain you feel a chilly breeze that makes goosebumps grow on your skin. As your eyes slowly flutter open a bright light from above then blinds you, causing you to lift your hand to shield your eyes and notice that you’re surrounded by bare rundown white walls the moment your eyes grow accustomed to the light above and your daze fades away.

Moreover, you also notice that you’re on a small couch and there’s no one with you. Not your dad and not Ellie.

“What the hell?” You grumble and sit up quickly as you’re now riddled with fear.

You remember that you were ambushed, but where is it that you are exactly? You see that you’re in an office; you notice a desk, a window on the wall, and a bookshelf, but where is this office? Where’s your dad and Ellie? It’s too quiet.

“Don’t worry,” a voice startles you. “You’re safe.”

You snap your attention to the front of the room where the voice comes from and gasp the moment you recognize the woman standing against the door.

“It’s nice to see you again,” she says.

You scoff and shake your head. “Marlene,” you greet coldly.

Tagged- @slut-f0r-u @star-wars-lover @maplecohen @givemylovetoall @itzagothamcitysiren @sammy-13 @beloved-reblogger @emiriia @rues-daya @sunfairyy @littleshadow17 @mcu-starwars @bigtuffswordboy @riaqiax @dheet @queenofthekill @joliettes @d4rno @dgraysonss @rana030 @pedropascalluvr41 @ahoyyharrington @beaniebeensbaby201 @maeneedsabreak @maelartasch @adristyles @daughterofthequeen @alastorhazbin @sunsumonner @khaylin27 @hypatia93 @hummusxx @v4mpyk1tten @1donoow @your-shifting-gurl @g4ns3y @izzzzy-the-amazing @aphr0d1teh @lovelyygirl8 @ivy-taylorsversion @mmkkzz

286 notes · View notes

dumbbitchenergy17 · 3 months ago

Text

Where the Wild Things Are - Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: Daughter

Plot: Wild men or monstrous infected creatures, the world is wild and ravaged by Cordecyps but some are raised in it and flourish becoming a wild thing.

Word Count: 4.2K

Pairing: Joel Miller x Platonic!Teen!Reader, Ellie Williams x Platonic!Reader

Warnings: canon-typical fighting/violence, comfort, harsh language, tw: description of intense injuries, trauma from abusive mother, description of child neglect/abuse

—————

They keep sayin' that I ain't nothin' like my father But I'm the furthest thing from choir boys and altars If you cross me, I'm just like my father I am colder than Titanic water

Joel felt his heart so far up in his throat as he and Tommy rode off towards the cabin just like all those months ago but for a different reason. He wasn’t sure what they were going to come upon. Then gunfire fills the air, sending a chill down both Millers’ spines, spurring their horses faster. When Red appeared out of the blue Tommy quickly wrangled the creature as Joel speeds ahead. He didn’t know what those gunshots meant but he only hoped he would still find you breathing. The dense forest opens up to the large clearing where the cabin resides, Joel snaps the reins harsher on his horse to send him flying over the hillside. He only got seconds to take in the still-destroyed cabin, two dead bodies, and you on your knees with a pistol against your head.

“Y/n!” He screams right as you pull the trigger, it seems like a blur seeing you drop to the ground and he lands harshly on his feet as he dismounts his horse only one thought in mind. You were dead he watched his daughter kill herself. Until he sees you roll over and start crying in pain he sprints seeing you try and reach for the pistol but he kicks it far away. You’re caked in grime and blood but the side of your head has a deep graze blood pours steadily from it. Joel rips off his flannel pressing it to the side of your head as you cry out in pain but sadness.

“You’re okay baby girl. I got you,” He mumbles holding you in his arms. You try struggling against him your ears ringing in from the damage caused to them and the wound on your temple.

“Why!” You cry and he holds you to his chest as you run out of energy. Tommy appears over the hillside unlike Joel having more time to process the scene. Your mother’s mutilated infected body and his stomach churn at the violent death, Lila lays by the pond blood still flowing steadily from her head the water turns red, and there is his brother and it seems like they are back years ago seeing his brother clutch the body of his niece. Tommy walks closer ready to pull Joel away from the sight but practically falls over grabbing his knees to calm his racing heart. Joel soothes you tears in his eyes as you cry into his chest, part of the flannel pressed to your head damp with blood and tears. You were alive.

It seems like hours of the three of you being in the field Joel soothing you until you passed out from exhaustion. Joel peels back the flannel seeing the clotted wound, it is a deep graze but he would rather it is that than you dead.

“Joel,” Tommy calls out and he looks away from his daughter, “We shouldn't be out here long,” Joel nods knowing they would have to return to Jackson but he was too worried that if he moved you were going to slip away. Tommy rises to his feet.

“I’ll…I’ll go take care of the bodies,” Tommy has a troubled look on his face having to bury more of the dead especially ones so close to you and technically them as family.

“Thank you, Tommy,” Joel says his voice gruff but there is still a shakiness to it. Tommy leaves to start preparing the graves as Joel finds your pack lying nearby searching and pulling out a medpack. It’s a shoddy job and those at the clinic with their ever-growing injuries would make sure you’re properly taken care of. As he wraps the bandage around your head he can’t help but wonder is this exactly how Tommy felt? Tommy had been the one to find him, he made him flinch and miss. He found no reason to keep going on after Sarah and that’s how Tommy found Joel with his pistol against his temple taking the easy way out. It seemed like a blur of Tommy fixing him back up, the gunshot had made him go deaf for a bit so he couldn’t hear Tommy yelling at him with tears in his eyes as the two brothers cried and mourned together. Did he feel the fear of seeing that sight, hearing that gun go off, and praying they missed and weren’t about to continue in the world without them?

Tommy returns the bodies buried in the dirt, not the best or proper graves but a shallow one given they are both infected. Tommy brings the horses over slinging your pack over Red before letting Joel climb onto his horse. Tommy helps lift you to Joel who holds you across his lap, one hand holding the reins and the other around your waist to keep you close. Once Tommy mounts his horse with Red attached with a lead they leave the cabin in the dust. Joel glances back at the ruined cabin the only thing left there is the dead and horrid memories now.

A faint ringing wakes you up squinting at the bright light coming from the stained windows. The ringing never leaves as you groan at the pain in your head feeling like your skin is very tight. Footsteps come over to your right side, and you hear something muffled. You listen to them move once before speaking from your left side.

“Y/n can you hear me?” They call out and you turn in their direction seeing it’s one of the women who works in the clinic. Your whole body aches as you try sitting up but she quickly rushes to settle you back down. “You shouldn’t be getting up, your injuries are still healing.”

“Don’t touch me,” You glare at her getting to the point of sitting up, her hands hovering over you to make sure you don’t fall over or feel faint. Both your arms are covered in bandages, your left arm down to your palm, while your right arm has a splint around your thumb keeping it from moving. Your stomach aches and you feel something wrapped tight around your midsection. Your hand lightly traces your stomach over the clean shirt you’re in…the faces of your mother and Derek grins as they dig cigarette butt after cigarette butt into your flesh. The mutilated body of your mother flashes behind closed eyes and memories of the pond. Of Lila’s warmth, her smile, her smell, picking flowers as her mind was being eaten away. Her small body lies in the dirt as the blood feeds the earth and the water.

That’s how Joel and Tommy find you with your knees to your chest a hand clutching your stomach the other in your hair as you cry into yourself. Since returning to Jackson hadn’t dared move from you even as the doctors worked on you late into the night with the multitude of other patients. It wasn't until the sun rose again that Tommy found him still in that chair watching your chest rise and fall with each breath. Tommy practically had to drag him out of there to clean up and get some food.

“She isn’t going anywhere and plenty of people are looking over her,” Tommy pleads until Joel ultimately agrees but only for a shower, food, and a force power nap that Tommy tried forcing but the general exhaustion from the events Joel was out. When Joel awoke the brothers quickly returned to the church converted into a larger clinic. That’s where they find you amongst other folks who rest or are being treated as you cry, the young nurse looking unsure how to assess the situation. Joel quickly weaves through the people and draws you into his arms. He feels you flinch but settle into his arms still muffling your tears and cries, he glances at the nurse who points at her right side.

“She’s partially deaf in her right ear from a ruptured eardrum,” She says and Joel nods the lady taking that as her cue to leave as Tommy quickly takes her spot. What fucking irony that his daughter ends up just like him. Joel presses a kiss on your temple right over your stitches that match his own.

“It’s going to be okay babygirl…I got you,” he says and you can get fractions of what Joel says but hear him say ‘I got you’ and you’ve never felt more safe and comforted by those simple words.

It seems everywhere in Jackson haunted you with memories. The stables you found comfort in now filled you with dread, the alleys you preferred over the main streets only filled you with memories of fighting for your life through them, the playground outside the Tipsy Bison lay barren, reminders of children's laughter filled your ear imagining them playing and enjoying themselves. The streets were still stained with blood though diluted by water and rain that washes its way slowly but the iron smell wouldn’t leave your nose. The harsh dirt is pressed against your cheek as you’re shoved against the ground. The struggle in your fading as you lay there for what you assumed were only fleeting moments. The street sign of Connor’s Drive sends chills down your spine when you see the house on the corner, the phantom voices and pain ghost over your skin from the months of suffering in that home.

The blackboard stares back at you as you sit in Tommy and Maria’s living room the names and dates written on it mocking you. ‘Kevin 4/3/00-9/29/03, Sarah 7/20/89-9/27/03, and Lila 2021-5/13/25’. It felt morbid the only thing left of her was writing on a board alongside Maria’s son and another name you don’t recognize. During your time living there you never really asked about the memorial, it wasn’t your place. The melting candles flicker as if someone blew at them, maybe they were here. Her spirit forever haunts you, sinking her claws into her killer’s flesh until you soon meet your fate. Whether by another’s hand or your own.

“Hey kid,” A voice comes to your left side and you jump slightly turning to see Tommy looking a bit tired. It was still weird not hearing from your right side. Permanent hearing loss they said, they had hopes since you were young it could heal but they didn’t have the technology to help with that. Not that you cared anymore, the loss and the scar that graces your temple are a reminder of your failures. Tommy holds up your pack,

“Was able to get all your stuff from,” He cuts himself off suddenly not wanting to say that place in fear of your reaction. You just nod as he comes over placing the bag at your feet. There is still a smoky smell from the fires and the smell of iron off it flecks of blood still stains parts of it. Was her blood embedded into the fabric? You glance back at the board at the thought and Tommy silently watches you.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he starts, “That we added her…I thought it would be a good thing to remember her…to remember all of them.” He grows quiet from the closeness he held to it.

“Who’s Sarah?” You ask. It was a name that was on the memorium of your sister, you felt you had a right to know who else would remain with her. Tommy grows quiet.

“Uh, that’s…Joel daughter. Your sister.”

You laugh. A bit morbid and probably insane to Tommy watching you start laughing at the news but you couldn’t help but find the irony in it all. A macabre reunion of sisters. With only one still living though in shambles while the others are together in whatever afterlife there is. So you laugh until you hunch over to hold your head with your elbows on your knees. You hiss forced to sit up grabbing your stomach and Tommy takes a concerned step forward.

“Come on you need to change your bandages.” Tommy holds his hand out and you don’t fight it allowing him to help you up before leading you to the clinic.

The reformed clinic was quiet given the events that occurred. Most people who were injured were either minimal or threatening enough to be put on bed rest. Many families were displaced by the fire and damages so the chapel became a sanctuary for others taking people to their homes.

“They’re healing nicely given the placement would be harder,” The doctor says while applying a thicker ointment onto each burn. Tommy stands to your left while you keep your gaze straight ahead not daring to look down. “I won’t lie these will scar similar to the ones on your arms but with proper treatment, they will be less noticeable.” His words go in one ear and out the other. These were with you forever. Despite your mother rotting she will forever be with you cause of her doing. Your family’s doing impact all those in Jackson because of your actions. Once your stomach is wrapped he allows you to lower your shirt before checking over your thumb in the splint and the stitches.

“I would recommend trying some movement exercises to regain some of the mobility but nothing too strenuous and no work that would require using that hand. I or anyone in the clinic should be able to remove your stitches in the coming days.” He says before looking over at Tommy, “If she keeps her injuries clean and takes her meds she’ll be good in no time,”

Tommy thanks the doctor as he leaves the room to get yourself situated. You stand in front of a mirror your finger lightly traces the stitches across your right temple. You spot him in the reflection a sad expression on his face.

“You didn’t have to stay Tommy,” You comment looking at him through the mirror as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.

“Course I did, you’re family kid,” It still felt weird hearing that. When they tried including you in spending time together in the past was met with so much restriction and fear unaware you were all related to begin with. He and Maria were your aunt and uncle, Ellie your technical surrogate sibling, and Joel.

“How is Joel,” You ask and he looks away at the sensitive topic. The last time you saw him was when he and Tommy found you crying in the church/clinic holding you tight to him whispering promises to you. To take care of you, that he wasn’t going to be like her. Then with that, you were dumped as Tommy and Maria’s responsibility wasn’t the best impression you wanted from your long-lost father but you know why he did. The fear that came from everything, the world ending, your tense relationship to start, he wasn’t sure if you even wanted him in your life. So he pushed you away to protect you. You still saw him around when you did get out of the house or when he came over to see Tommy. It was weird like he treated you with politeness and respect but as if you were acquaintances or neighborly kindness not that you were his child. His flesh and blood.

Tommy coughs nervously, “He’s as good as any of us can be. He asks about you sometimes.” That surprises you. He wonders about you even after giving you away?

“What do you say?” It felt wrong asking for more but you were curious what your father wished to know when you just lived down the road.

“That his daughter is wondering why the hell you don’t talk to her,” You smirk at his answer that he knows you would feel. You don’t realize he comes over until he rests a hand on your shoulder, “Joel…he’s a complicated guy. He might be seen as some gruff unapproachable guy but he’s got scars that still haven’t healed. He’s never good at the whole confrontation thing.”

You laugh but can’t help but agree.

“It’s a lot to process, hell I’m still processing I’m related to you,” Tommy scoffs with a laugh, “But he cares even when you both weren’t on the best terms he did. Maybe something deep down he knew you were someone to protect without knowing you were his kid.”

You’re quiet returning your gaze to yourself in the mirror taking in your features. It seems more evident the similarities you share with the Miller brothers especially the older one. Did Joel see Sarah in you or were you two so different? Most likely. You picture her as kind-hearted and soft while you are cruel and rough.

“Come on. Let’s get heading before Maria has our heads for being late for supper.” Tommy jokes and you roll your eyes at his antics before following after him.

Dinner is nice with the two adults and baby as the sun starts setting and you finish drying off the last dish. Tommy fusses over Liam while Maria wipes the table clean. Since the clinic, there was a request on your mind to ask them a bit apprehensive of their reaction.

“Tommy…Maria.” You get their attention as you stand there the rag to dry dishes being picked at from nerves, “Can I go and see Joel?”

The two have surprised looks at the request and you see Maria give a soft look over at Tommy before she goes over to the wrapped dishes of leftovers.

“Come help me make a plate.”

The cool spring breeze has the trees swaying as you hold the large covered plate making sure to keep the weight away from your splint. You hadn’t taken the time to appreciate the peaceful nights in Jackson and find solace walking towards Rancher Street. The porch light was off and inside the lights were all off making you frown. Was he or Ellie home or maybe they were asleep though it wasn’t that late at night. A melodic noise comes from your left as it fills the night air coming down the porch and starts trailing around the house only getting louder as you draw near. The sweet noise comes from Joel as he plays the guitar his hands steadily plucking the strings making music and mouthing along to something.

The loud creak from the step makes Joel freeze when he spots you instantly sitting up from his lax position.

“Hi.” You say and it’s quiet between you two before he responds.

“Hey.” His eyes flicker over you and you see his shoulder slump in relief seeing you unharmed.

You raise the plate slightly, “I brought food for you and Ellie, Maria had extra leftovers so I thought to bring you guys it.” He nods still in a bit of shock processing each word.

“Ellie isn’t here, she’s at a sleepover with Dina,” Joel says and you nod rocking on your heels. He immediately gestures at the table beside him, “Here so you don’t strain your hand.” You move across the porch placing it down before standing there a bit awkwardly with Joel looking a bit uncomfortable as well.

“How are you?” You ask and he perks up at the attempts of small talk.

“Good…I’m good. How…How are you feeling?” It’s a stupid question Joel already knows the answer. How would anyone feel finding out their whole life was a lie, their mother trying to kill them, learning their real father, having to put down their infected sibling, before killing their infected mother, and then trying to kill themselves?

“Alright…I’m doing better with…everything.”

Joel nods mumbling, “That…That’s good.”

“Tommy’s making sure I’m taking my meds, eating enough, keeping myself busy.” You pause before adding, “Just stuff fathers do.” Your comment hits hard and he flinches slightly looking away unable to face you.

“Joel,” He refuses to look, “Why have you been avoiding me?” Too many overwhelming self-harming thoughts take over.

“Is it cause I’m my mother’s kid? I know having Ellie is a lot and adding another is already a hassle enough. I know I’m not Sarah and—” Too many thoughts take over each growing worse and worse.

“Kid no,” Joel stands up grabbing your shoulders and making you look up at him. His face is conflicted but you see sadness in it, “Just let’s sit.” He guides you to sit before doing so himself. He sighs resting his head in his hands before looking up at you.

“I didn’t expect to have you,” His words send a dagger in your heart, “I’m not saying I’m not happy though. After Sarah I thought it was over then I met Ellie and Christ she could’ve been my blood if I wished it enough. Then you came along.” You see his hand grab the broken watch he always wears.

“Christ you were a pain in my ass,” He pinches the bridge of his nose with a laugh, “I wanted nothing to do with you. You were dangerous in my eyes I didn’t notice how much you were like me. But I saw in your behind that aggression and bitterness just a girl, a child in this fucked up world. So I wanted to protect you, like I protect Ellie…like I protected Sarah. I saw you more and more involved until your mother came back and it felt like I lost that chance all over.” The look on his face is vulnerable as he picks at his nails and a flash of anger crosses his face.

“I would’ve ripped you out of the house so fast if I could…how you cried seeing them. Knowing what they did and failing at stopping them, I knew you would’ve only hated me more if I did.” He grows silent, “When I realized you were mine I was scared out of my fucking wits. Seeing you lay there on that ground ready to die I felt like I failed you. I could’ve fought harder so you didn’t have to go through that loss. If I could have gone back all those years ago and stayed with your mother with the knowledge I know now I would’ve done it in a heartbeat. If I meant you never dealt with the pain she put you through because I failed you all those years ago.” His eyes are glossy and you don’t realize yours are as well. Joel takes a shaky inhale reaching over and thumbing away a stray tear that’s fallen down your cheek.

“That’s why I pushed you away. Gave you to Tommy and Maria to take care of you better than I ever could’ve. I’ve already failed you too much to think you’d want me in your life. How could I call myself your father if I only caused your suffering.” He sounds so defeated having accepted the reality he would only be a ghost in your life. To watch you grow up, and live your life from the outskirts.

“I always wondered who my father could be. As a kid, I dreamed of the kind of man he was, that one day he’d come back into my life and everything would be perfect. It was only when I got older I grew to hate the idea of one and my mother only fueled it. He was a sleaze who left, abandoned a pregnant woman in this world to raise a child, a bastard father for a bastard daughter.” Your finger traces your sleeve where the scar lies underneath the fabric having memorized each placement.

“It felt wrong knowing all these years to put a name to a face. Made my fucking skin crawl to see what I was missing all this time. Part of me that kid still desperate to know who their father was felt betrayed by Derek,” You laugh slightly, “You know I thought every time I spent with him, ‘Why couldn’t he be a better man against my mother? Why couldn’t he protect me like Joel would?’ Ironic isn’t it?” You hum.

“I want you a part of my life Joel,” You admit and he looks surprised, “It kills me seeing you look right through me or treat me like anyone else in Jackson. It will kill me if you treat me like Tommy’s responsibility instead of your daughter.” His eyes are red, tears long spilled at your confession.

“I want to be your kid Joel,” You say before growing hesitant, “If you’ll have me?” He nods quickly rubbing at his eyes.

“I’d like that.” His voice is thick with tears and you smile through unshed tears as you look at Joel, your father. Wiping the tears from your face glancing at the instrument that was the only witness of your conversation.

“Do..do the offer for those guitar lessons still stand?” You ask and a smile covers his face as he reaches over to grab it.

“Yeah, they do, kiddo.” He passes the instrument to you and you try mimicking the way he held it himself. It was a bit weird, especially with the splint on your hand against the top of the guitar.

“Okay use your first three fingers to press,” He guides your fingers to a specific position as you lean over the body to watch, “there now use your other hand to strum.” You do as you’re told and slide your fingers down all the strings a crisp nice sound comes from it. You look at at Joel with an excited smile on your face seeing his own softer prouder look on his.

“You’re a natural, just like your father.”

Where the Wild Things Are Tags

@afictionaladventure16 @alohastitch0626 @amy172 @amyispxnk @batgurl42 @christinamadsen @cozyphine @daemontargaryenwhore @darthrue @daughterofthequeen @ellistyle @endo-bunny @enfppuff @feenoire @feralkidz @fictional-character-whore @frootloops1213 @gods-menace @gundham11037 @ilovehotdadsandshit @ioonatv @jmillersgirl @kaiwai @kitdjarin1 @lainekyuu @legoemma @lemonlaides @lorenaloveslewis @love-giselle @lovelyygirl8 @lunawants @melonmochi @minaridior @mmkkzz @n7cje @oscarissac2099 @pandorascosmic @phoenixgurl030 @poetoflawed @queenofthekill @randomhoex @rannifer @scoliobean @screechingsandwichtriumph @severussimp @sevikasleftarm @shotgun-shelby @stargurl99 @strangesthirdeye @supernerdycookietrashblrr

More Tagged in comments

177 notes · View notes

ellieslittleburrow · 1 year ago

Text

Requested by : @mymelodymia 🪷🪷

Summary : Reader has POTS, she faints and Ellie and Joel are there to help(after almost shooting her)

Pairings : Joel x adoptive daughter!reader/ Ellie w adoptive sister!reader

Warnings : Pots, fainting, Joel's rifle and fluff...boo

A/N : I had to read the request like, 5 times everytime i wrote something and everytime i read this i just burst into laughter because "tess expired" i'm sorry i can't it's so funny to say it like that 😂

-----

It's been a few hours since the....incident with Tess. Your feet are sore and you feel like a cloud of fog is starting to envelop your brain. You...you're not feeling very good.

"Can we stop?"

"No." The words come out of Joel's lips bitter. Too bitter for you to argue with.

But you...you're not feeling so well..Your heart...You can't breathe and....You feel like you've lost control of your body and it's too heavy for you to l...l...

Figures turn into silhouettes...and your body follows as your backpack hits the ground, and just like that, the world fades into darkness...

----

"Oh shit-"

Joel and Ellie both spin around at the loud thump behind them, Joel's rifle being lifted to rest against his cheek.

"Wh...Lily!" Ellie's initial reaction is to make her way over to her friend, but Joel pulls her back, the force of the pull sending her staggering back.

"Hey-Sh'es unconsciou-"

"She might be infected." Joel argues, stepping forward, slow as he prepares himself to shoot.

Ellie being Ellie doesn't listen. She sprints towards your unconscious body, "she's still breathing." She remarks, noticing the very subtle heaving of your chest. "It's not the first time she acts this way. She's not infected." Your friend speaks, kneeling before you as she pulls up your shirt, sleeves, pants...checking for any injuries.

"And you couldn't have said that earlier, Ellie?" The old man grunts and the girl sighs, considering. "I didn't-i didn't-"

"Whatever, just loosen her boots and her belt." He instructs and Ellie complies, but stops when he taps her shoulder.

She twists her head, looking back to meet the butt of Joel's rifle. "Hold this and prepare yourself." He nudges her, motioning for her to step back. And as she does...She realizes the advantage she's just gained...she giggles.

"You know that i could shoot you right now?"

Joel slowly looks back, annoyance apparent in the pursed corners of his lips. "Good luck finding yourself back to the fireflies, then."

Ellie chuckles, readying herself as she watches Joel check your pulse, tapping your cheeks gently but firmly in the process and just then....

------

Your eyes fall open and....the trees are passing by in a neverending cycle....you...you feel awful...

"You look awful."

Your eyes follow the voice, only to meet a pair of worried eyes. "Joel..?" You manage to whimper...and he nods.

"What happened? How often does this happen?"

Huh...You try to sit up but your body is unresponsive...Maybe just...lay there for a while.

"I...i'm not s-s-sure i just..." You go quiet when Joel stars pulling up your clothes. "What are you doing?" You'd move but you can't-

"I have to check for wounds-stop squirming."

"Joel-i'm not infected. This happens to me from time to time i just faint-stop-" You groan when the realisation hit you that he will simply not listen to you. You just sit back and wait, supressing the grin you're fighting off as Joel unconsciously rubs your leg, his face turned away as he plans for the next move.

But you've already caused enough trouble, so you just abruptly sit up, readying yourself to talk when Joel gently pushes you back.

"No, you have to lay down for a little while longer, your head must be banging right now."

You groan at Joel's remark, rubbing your forehead in response.

"She could take a nap!" Ellie suggests, ignoring your eyes as she recognizes your head shakes, meaning absolute refusal. Which is exactly what happens next, as you groan and wave your hands no. "No no no i-i don't need that, i don't-really." You argue back, causing Ellie to roll her eyes before she makes her way over, dropping to her knees as she takes ahold of your hand.

"It's okay...it's no bother." Her tone melts into a sweet one, one that is soft enough to put you to sleep. "You need to rest, just a little nap and then we'll get going." She twists her head back, looking for Joel's approval.

And as her back is faces you, you turn to Joel for comfort, watching as his eyes converse with hers. "Not a bad idea, a little nap and then we're back on our feet." His eyes seem empathetic enough for you to believe. And relief slowly travels all the way around your body, loosening the tightness around your muscles.

And so for the next few hours, you find yourself forcefully and gently pushed to the ground as Ellie convinces you it's time for you to rest again. It's...stressful, feeling like a burden but the constant comfort and reassurance sure are making up for it!!!

-----

I hated writing that middle part omg!!!! Like, you're unconscious, how can you know wtf is happening in the meantime?????? Anyway, I hope this was a bit comfortiiing 🥀🥀🥀❤️❤️❤️

#daughter!reader #father figure fic #adoptive father troop #daughter x father #joel miller x daughter!reader #joel miller x platonic reader #joel miller x daughter #joel miller!father #father fic #father figure #sister x brothers #sister!reader #sibling fic #daddy issues but it's serious #adoptive family #ellie tlou #ellie x fem reader #ellie x platonic reader

291 notes · View notes

rrickgrrimes8 · 2 years ago

Text

Your Bear

summary: Joel Miller doesn’t just lose Sarah that night but his other daughter too. but maybe you can still be found. (part II)

Joel Miller x daughter!reader -- she/her pronouns used & AFAB

warnings: guns, violence, angst, mentions of death, birth, hurt/comfort, happy ending ;) (kinda), no spoilers for part 2/canon divergent

masterlist

request guidelines (new)

requests are open!

word count: 3.2k

Joel Miller was always a good father - no matter what he thought. He cared for his girls more than he cared about anything in his damn life. So when they were both taken from him... there was nothing left to care about.

It was Sarah first.

He held Sarah as she died. His shirt was still stained with her blood. The watch on his wrist shattered by his failure.

But his other daughter, you, looking back he can only imagine the worst.

It all happened so fast. He had Sarah in his arms she gasped for air that was growing distant by the second, while Tommy watched with a pained look.

You, however, no one was watching you. Only 5 years old - you didn’t understand a thing. And so when you heard a loud noise. When you saw your sister go down and hearing the cries of both your father and her you panicked.

You thought you were getting help. That’s what’s your dad always told you to do if something bad happened. “Find the nearest phone or adult. Call me or Tommy or this number, okay? 911. Remember that number babygirl.”

And you did.

You ran as quick as you could, which wasn’t all that impressive but it was fast enough for them not to notice you had gone.

By the time you had found your way back into town, Tommy had noticed. “J-Joel,” His voice wavered, fear taking hold. Tommy searched the clearing, calling your name.

Joel looked away from his limp daughter then. His heart was thumping in his chest. His ribs ached as did the wound on his side but nothing compared to the terror that tore through his whole body.

“W-where is she?” His eyes darted over the area but you were no where to be found.

“No, Tommy,” He sobbed already fearing the worst, “T-tommy not her, please.”

Tommy shuddered. This couldn’t be real. This wasn’t real. You were just here. Sarah was just here.

“Joel,” He began until he heard shrill, painfully familiar scream from off in the distance.

“No,” Joel cried looking down at Sarah, hesitating just for a moment before setting her down, “I’m sorry baby.”

Tommy was already running at that point, hoping not to be late, not like he was for Sarah. Joel screamed your name as he sprinted - he couldn’t lose anyone else. He couldn’t lose you, his babygirl.

When he got there he saw Tommy knelt beside a bloodied teddy bear.

Your bear.

He collapsed. Knees giving way. He pulled the bear of the ground, its white fur tormented by the red hue.

Tommy shouted your name a few times. Joel didn’t have the energy to bother. His answer was here.

You were only five. You’d never have survived on your own.

And he would never survive without you, without his girls. He hugged the bear as if it was your body and he never let go.

“Why’d you have a bear in your bag?” Ellie teased as she caught sight of an fluffy ear sticking out.

Joel clenched his jaw, stuffing the teddy back inside. “What?” She laughed innocently, “Is it for your bad dreams? Chase the monsters away?”

The man grunted, discarding the bag on one of the chairs - away from Ellie’s view, “None of your business.”

Ellie frowned as she caught his eye. The brown was darker than usual, which was really saying something. They were empty, hollow but at the same time watery. Like he was one step away from crying. She shook the thought off - this was Joel she was talking about. Joel never cried, not in front of her - not really... She didn’t even think he could cry. But his eyes told her something else. They told an unspoken story. One she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. But one, at the same time, she needed to hear.

“Sorry,” She mumbled, moving into the living room of the house Tommy and Maria had given them.

Joel sighed as she did, guilt running through his veins. “Sorry,” He called out, gruffly, stopping her in her escape. Ellie turned back waiting for him to continue. “it was...” He cleared his throat roughly, “The bear was my daughters.”

“Oh,” She whispered, looking up at the man with sympathy, “If i had known it was Sarah’s... i wouldn’t have said anything.”

Joel sucked in a breath, turning towards the cupboards behind him, grabbing a cup. “Wasn’t hers,” He corrected trying not to let his voice catch on the lump forming in his throat.

“What?” Ellie dared a step closer, “But Sarah was... is your daughter.” Joel bit his tongue, forcing himself to face her again. “Joel?”

He let out a watery sigh, eyes set on the ground, “I had... i had another daughter.” He spoke your name softly but with fear. He hadn’t said it in years - he couldn’t. He hadn’t spoken about you in nearly 20 years either. He hated to talk about you. It was hard enough letting Ellie in, letting her know about his past, about Sarah. But it was too hard to say your name. You were only a baby. His baby.

“I didn’t know. You never mentioned her,” Ellie almost felt guilty asking - like this was something she should’ve known. That she should’ve known wasn’t something you just bring up.

“Yeah,” He scrunched his face a little, the feeling of your loss rushing back.

He thought and he believed for a time that if he didn’t talk about you, about the way he failed you then all that hurt would go away. He was wrong. He saw you every night in his dreams. He saw the woman you grew up to become. He saw your smile and heard your laugh. But then he’d wake up alone. He was always alone.

The worst was when the dream felt real. You were a baby again, Sarah was young too. It was just the three of you. You’d be doing something mundane - watching TV, eating dinner, whatever. He’d have conversations with the pair of you, forgetting that none of it was real. He’d hold you to his chest, sing to you, make you laugh. He’d dance with Sarah to their beat up radio in the kitchen. He would watch you take your first steps, say your first words, form your first smile.

But he’d always wake up. He hated waking up.

“How old was she?” She dared to ask.

Shakily he replied, “Five.”

She fell silent after that. Five. Five years old. Joel lost a five year old - no wonder he didn’t want to talk about it, idiot.

Ellie thought for a moment, a question daring to fall from her lips. “But she’s wasn’t on the memorial at Tommy’s.”

Joel’s head snapped up, anger residing in his chest. Who he was mad at he didn’t know. Himself? Tommy? Ellie? You? “Tommy... he,” He huffed, “He doesn’t believe she’s gone. Holds out hope on that fucking plaque - fuckin’ delusional.”

Ellie leant against the countertop, eyes not leaving the man for just a second, “Why would he think that?”

“No body,” His voice was cold all of a sudden as if it meant nothing at all. As if he wasn’t talking about the body of his five year-old.

“But then she could be-“

“Don’t,” He snapped, “Don’t say another word.”

Ellie rolled her eyes but complied. Joel turned back to his cup, filling it with coffee he had just traded for. He didn’t speak until he was finished and even then he wished he hadn’t.

“We heard her scream... And we found-“ He grimaced, gesturing to his bag, “And we found that damn bear.”

“But,” She tried again.

“Ellie-“

“No, seriously, if all you found was a bear she could still be-“

Without another word, Joel stormed past her, ripping the bag open, slamming the bear onto her chest.

Ellie saw it now.

She understood the haunting look in his eyes. She understood the story it told. It was matted, showed its age. What once was white was red now.

All of it.

Not just a patch here and there.

Everywhere.

It reminded her of Joel.

“That look like she could be alive to you?” He shouted.

“Fuck,” She felt sick just looking at it let alone touching it.

“You kept it?” A voice called from behind her.

Joel met his brothers eyes. “‘Course i did,” He spoke defensively.

“Joel,” He simpered. They stared at each other for a while. Almost like they were having a silent conversation.

Until Joel spoke, “It’s all i have of her left.”

And there was nothing else to say.

Years had gone by since they had gotten to Jackson. And things were surprisingly good. Eerily good. It was the type of good that Joel knew deep down wouldn’t last. It was the type of good that only existed before this mess.

Every morning he would wake up here he had a weight on his chest. A feeling that something was going to happen. This was the calm before the storm, he’d remind himself.

He didn’t tell anyone about it. He couldn’t. He’d just sound paranoid.

Him and Ellie were on a run. It was simple - it always was. The people in charge at the commune never liked to overstep - go to far. Never liked to do what Joel craved.

All they had to do was scope out a few cabins that were spotted deep in the woods. Ellie had jumped at the proposition as soon as Tommy had suggested it. She hated being cooped up for so long - Jackson could only give you so much freedom.

And just because Ellie agreed he knew he had to as well. There was no way in hell he’d let her go out risking her life when there was no way he’d be able to save it.

Getting there was the easy part. The horses at Jackson were a godsend. When they got there the place was still. Ellie gave Shimmer a soft pat before joining Joel who was stalking up to the door. He knocked first - not out of curtesy, just to attract any infected that it may hold. Because that’s what they expected. But Joel should’ve known better.

Joel should’ve thought about their biggest threat - people.

They had only cleared two rooms when Joel felt the cold sting of mental on his temple.

Ellie gasped but kept her gun up, eyes trained on the figure that held Joel’s life in their hands. “Put it down,” The voice ordered.

“Like hell I will,” Ellie retorted, finger edging closer to the trigger.

“I said put it down or the old man gets it,” She forced the barrel against his head - so hard he was sure it would bruise.

“Jesus, fuck, okay,” Ellie mumbled, slowly setting her gun on the floor infront of her, “Just let him go?”

The woman laughed, “So you can kill me, yeah, no thanks.”

“We can work this out,” Joel tried, hands raising to show he was unarmed but it only aggravated her more. Her arm wrapped around his neck, making him stumble back into a chokehold.

“Hey!” She yelled at Ellie as she reached for a gun. The teen stopped, taking a few steps back.

“Just put it down. We can work this out,” Joel proposed, gasping as she applied pressure to his neck, “We don’t want to hurt you.”

“Bullshit,” She spat, breathing heavily, “What the fuck else are you here for then, huh?”

“Supplies,” Ellie told her, “We’re from a commune-“

“Ellie-“

“We can take you back there - help you. If you just put the gun down.”

“Bullshit,” The woman removed the gun from Joel’s head aiming it now at Ellie, “You’ll kill me the first chance you get.”

Ellie shook her head, going to respond before Joel gripped the woman’s arm flipping her over. She gasped as she forcefully hit the ground, splinters from the wooden floor embedded into her spine.

Her breathing picked up, hand scrambling to get to the gun he had knocked out of her hand but a foot stopped her.

Joel’s boot pressed harshly against her wrist, “Don’t.”

“Christ Joel,” Ellie huffed, “You scared the fuck out of me.” Joel watched her as she reached down to get her discarded gun. Ellie laughed as she caught her breath, “Where the hell did that come from? You’re like 80.”

“Ellie,” He scolded with a strict look.

“Right, sorry,” She chuckled.

“So this is when you kill me then,” The woman heaved, chest rising and falling rapidly.

Joel turned to her then, catching her eyes for the first time. He faltered, boot leaving her wrist as he took a step back.

She was a spitting image of... you.

No.

“Shouldn’t’ve tried to kill us, i guess,” Ellie retorted humourlessly.

“You came into my house,” She shot back.

“This is your house,” Ellie muttered, “Needs some work. Right, contractor?” She shot a look over her shoulder at Joel. The man was pale, breathless. His eyes were trained on his attacker with a foreign look she couldn’t decipher.

“Joel?”

“Name,” He ordered, gun pointed down at her but both of them could see it shake.

“What?” She coughed, struggling to understand the strangers.

“Your name, what is it?” He yelled.

“Jesus,” She almost let herself laugh - she would’ve if she wasn’t so shit scared.

Joel gave her a stern look so she said it. She spoke your name.

Ellie’s lips parted, confusion leaving her face, “Holy shit.”

Joel’s expression crumbled as did the grip on his gun, which now hung loosely at his side. “Last name?” He asked, voice a mere whisper.

“What the fuck is going on?”

“Answer.”

“It’s Miller, Christ,” She answered, “What the hell is the matter with you people?”

Joel’s knees felt weak, his breath caught in his throat. This wasn’t real. This couldn’t be real. You died. You were gone.

“Joel is she-“

“Stand up,” He told you.

Hesitantly you did as he said, struggling slightly as your injuries caught up to you. Seeing this Joel stepped forward, hand outstretched. With an odd look in your eye you took it - ignoring how the mans eyes lingered on it for a second too long.

“Are you alone?” Fearfully you shook your head. “Where?” He ordered.

You shook your head again, “Please don’t- You can’t. I was just trying to protect her.”

“Who?” Ellie spoke up, despite it not feeling like her place to be in this conversation.

“M-my,” You started but a cry interrupted, echoing through the cabin.

You didn’t think for a second before you ran out of the room. Joel cursed as you did, going to rush out after you before Ellie spoke up, “What are we doing here, Joel?”

“I-“ He paused, shaking his head and leaving the room.

“Is it her?” She questioned, following closely behind him, “Is it really her?”

He gave her stern look as he entered the room you escaped into. His eyes blurred as he saw you with a baby to your chest.

“Please don’t,” You held up your free hand, stopping them, “You can’t- not her.”

“Holy fuck,” Ellie gaped, “You have a fucking kid!”

“Ellie!” The baby fussed in your arms, cries escaping despite your comfort.

“Please leave,” You beg, “Just let us go. I know i messed up. I didn’t want to hurt you guys but i- i couldn’t let you find her.”

“It’s okay,” Joel spoke softly, a type of softness you wouldn’t expect a man like him to be capable of. He holstered his gun, carefully and moved his hands where you could see them.

“We’re not going to hurt you,” He told you, “Ellie, put your gun away.” Ellie did as he said.

“So leave,” You pulled your child closer to your chest.

“We can’t do that,” Joel said.

“Why?”

“Because he’s-“

“Ellie, don’t,” He cut her off, turning back to you, “We weren’t lying before. We have a commune - it’s safe. You’ll be safe there. You both will be.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, repeating the same question, “Why?”

“B-because you’ve got a kid,” He lied, “We can’t leave you here to die.”

“I don’t trust you,” You frowned. Joel mirrored your action, looking around the room at the makeshift cot you had constructed. He felt his heart ache when he spotted a blood stain on the carpet in the corner - you had given birth here, alone. You went through that alone.

“Please,” Ellie spoke up, “You won’t survive out here. You need somewhere safe. And maybe you don’t trust us, that’s okay but we’re honest. We want to help you.”

Hesitantly, you nodded after a few minutes, anxiety building in your chest.

Joel’s eyes were still stuck to the bloodied patch and he was reminded again of how he failed you. How he failed Sarah. He thought about that damn bear. The bear that he thought was the last part of you he had. And despite the pain in his chest and the ringing in his ears he was so glad he was wrong.

“What’s her name?” Ellie asked as she took a tentative step forward.

You didn’t flinch, you wanted to but a part of you, a naive, childish part, wanted to believe them. “Sarah,” You returned, pinching your girls cheeks causing her to smile.

Joel’s eyes filled with tears, tears he had been trying to suppress for the past 20 minutes. For the past 20 years.

Sarah. His Sarah. Your Sarah.

Ellie’s eyes snapped to Joel. He almost felt embarrassed, showing this side of him. Showing his weakness.

“She’s beautiful,” He whispered.

You smiled as he spoke, kissing the side of Sarah’s head. “She is,” You kissed her again before whispering - more to her than them, “My babygirl.”

#joel miller x you #joel miller x reader #joel miller angst #joel miller imagine #joel miller x daughter!reader #joel miller x platonic!reader #tommy miller x platonic!reader #the last of us #the last of us imagine

5K notes · View notes

endo-bunny · 1 year ago

Text

His Light in the Darkness

Summary: When Joel finds love ten years into the apocalypse and has a daughter with that woman two years later, he has to deal with the death of his beloved. He had to deal with a child that he doesn’t want, the child that took his whole world. That was, until a couple months after your birth. Now you will have to go with your father, Joel, and ��The Cargo,” Ellie. As you go through this traumatizing yet exciting new adventure, you will have to learn a lot of things if you wish to survive in this world.

Paring: Joel x daughter!reader

Series Warnings:Mentions of violence, using both the game lore and show lore, Tess being a mother figure to reader, reader is eight years old, attempted SA, attempted kidnapping, kidnapping, slaves, death, dialogue and actions/scenes not being exactly the same or close to original, nicknames for reader(Little Light, honey, sweetie, baby girl), anxiety attacks, anxiety alluded to but not specified, symptoms of ptsd but not specified, reader is Joel's biological daughter, mother’s looks not specified, reader is a child so she will cry a lot (please don’t complain about this) this is normal for children

Chapter Warnings: Mentions of violence, using both the game lore and show lore, Tess being a mother figure to reader, reader is eight years old, panic attack

Word Count: 3,465

******

Chapter 1 - The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Winter 2015

Cries were what filled the room. A female that looked to be in her mid thirties was laid out on a worn down mattress. In her arms was a baby, the one that was producing those beautiful sounds. Her breaths were shallow, hands bloody as her eyes met those of her lover. There beside her was Joel. He stared lovingly at the woman, your mother. She taught him how to love again, and you were also someone that was going to help teach him how to love once more in the future. The woman had already known there was a chance of not surviving through childbirth. Hell, they were living in the fucking apocalypse. They didn’t have the same materials and medical help or equipment that they had twelve years ago.

She felt weak, she wasn’t gaining any strength back. She had children before the outbreak but upon outbreak day and thereafter, they had died in front of her eyes. That was one of the many things that the two lovers confided in and shared with each other. Her other births had been similar to this birth; but her other times were much different when it came to the time after giving birth. She wasn’t gaining any strength back like she usually would, she was only losing it. She could feel her heart that had previously been pounding in her chest slowly start to slow down to an alarmingly slow speed. Her breaths that had previously been easier to have were quickly becoming harder and harder to inhale.

With just one look, Joel knew what she was about to tell him. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t lose his lover; his light in the dark. Tears flooded his eyes, racing down his face shortly after. He choked out a sob. As carefully as he could, he gingerly held her in his arms. They stayed like that for hours, even after she had taken her final breath. She had been able to breastfeed their child with the help of Joel.

As he continued to lay there, your mother still in his arms, the door was quietly opened. Tess stepped in, grief upon her face at seeing Joel with his deceased lover. She walked over, getting close enough to touch Joel’s shoulder. His eyes snapped up to meet hers. This was the most vulnerability that Joel has ever shown Tess. She saw how much pain he was in, and she couldn’t do anything to help him. He muttered something to her after he calmed down a little.

“Take the baby, I don’t want the thing that took away the love of my life.”

She was shocked to say the least. She never thought that he would ever say anything such as that. He always seemed so happy when talk of the two’s unborn child was brought up. As Tess sighed, she lightly shook her head side to side, rejecting his request; or rather demand. She couldn’t do that. He looked angry, more than angry. He was extremely pissed to say the least. He snarled at her, even more so when she started to talk about burying your mother. The rest of it all was just a blur in his mind. He blocked everything else. He didn’t want to deal with anything else, especially you.

A couple months passed by, Joel hating every moment of it. On one surprisingly warmer day, his view towards you was swiftly changed. He had put you down on the couch, not fully caring if you fell or not. It didn’t feel like it was his responsibility. He was looking over everything that he would need for his and Tess’ next run. Something in him caused him to turn his gaze towards you. There you were, smiling over at him as if he was the greatest thing in the entire universe. In a sense, he was, to you.

Once you saw that his gaze had turned towards you, you erupted into a fit of adorable little giggles. He had never heard that beautiful sound come from your tiny body. The moment he heard it, he was immediately transported to the first time he heard that same noise come from Sarah.

Right then and there, he knew how disappointed and angry Sarah and your mother would have been at him. He was beyond ashamed of how he acted and treated you. You were his daughter, he was your father, he was supposed to love and protect you. He knew then that he needed to change the person that he was, but only for you. He wasn’t going to allow himself to be any different towards anyone else, he couldn’t trust anyone else in this newer world. As for now, for the first time since your mothers death, he picked you up lovingly and smiled.

“Hi, my Little Light. Daddy’s here now.”

******

Autumn 2023

Giggles erupted from you as you played with your toys; your fathers warning to not make any noise while he wasn’t there escaping your mind. All noises stopped however once you heard the front door open, close, and then voices. All you could hear was your fathers voice before you were sprinting out to him, jumping into his arms that weren’t ready to catch you.

“Daddy!”

He huffed, trying to keep you from falling out of his arms. He looked at you with love in his eyes, but he still had his mask up due to the fact that there was a teenage girl being present.The teenager looked surprised to see this man that has been nothing but cold and rude to her, be so loving and even have a child. You finally looked at her curiosity in your eyes.

“Who’s she Daddy?”

Joel cursed under his breath, “She’s no one, just some cargo,” He had hoped that you would simply just accept that she was there for a tiny bit and then just never bring her up ever.

The teen scoffed at him, “Hi there?” Her voice seemed on edge, “I’m Ellie, the cargo.”

You giggled at her, finding the new girl funny.

“Go and stay in your room baby girl, I’m gonna stay out here, ok?”

You nodded your head, perfectly fine with going back to playing with your toys.

Thirty minutes passed, Ellie snooping through Joel's stuff the entire time. She froze though when she heard a door down the hall open. You padded down the hall, trying to be as stealthy as possible, failing however seeing as you are just eight years old and not fully aware of your surroundings. Once you reached the living room, you jumped. Looking around you saw Ellie looking at you. She also jumped, not expecting your reaction. Seeing her jump causes you to giggle, and while she is weary of you, she does find it a little cute.

“What are you doing? Didn’t the old man tell you to stay back there?”

She honestly didn’t fully care what you were doing but she was still at least a little curious.

You stared at her while your child brain worked to try and think of something, “Nothing?”

Before she could say anything else, you ran over to her. You came up to about her waist, a little lower. You’ve heard Joel and Tess talk about how you’re small for your age. They summed it up to being that you weren’t getting the right nutrients and needed to eat a little more vegetables and meat.

“Why did Daddy say that you’re cargo?”

“‘Cause he’s taking me somewhere,” She sounded grumpy and slightly irritated.

“Who are you?” Ellie was quick to ask you a question of her own.

Telling her your name, you looked down at what she was holding

In her hands were dog tags. You looked back up towards her with a perplexed gaze set in your eyes. She looked down at her hands, having completely forgotten that she was holding them.

“Oh, those are mine.”

“Are you a Firefly?”

Your question caught her really off guard. She had no idea that someone who seems as young as you would know anything about the Firefly’s.

“Uh, no, but someone that I loved was.”

You know by the tone in her voice and the look in her eyes that it was time to shut up. You walked over to your father and sat down on the ground. She watched you before returning to whatever she had been doing. You zoned her out as you found some of the crayons that you had left on the coffee table. Joel had found that he could melt down some of the broken crayons and make new ones.

You made multiple drawings, knowing that all of them would end up on something in the apartment. You looked up once you zoned back into reality. It was dark out and Joel was still asleep. Giggling quietly to yourself, you climbed onto the couch and hopped onto his chest. He jumped awake. Both from you and the nightmare that he had.

“Did you know that you talk in your sleep?”

Ellie was looking at something in your hands. Your dad picked you up and sat you down on the couch. As he sat up, he started to say but you found the fraying threads of the couch much more interesting. Although it became much less intriguing once you heard a certain someone’s voice. Tess walked in through the door, saying something to Joel and Ellie. You looked up at her, quickly getting up to go to her.

“Mama!” You somewhat calmly walked over to her, unlike how you did earlier to Joel.

She greeted you and then looked at Joel.

“Can I talk to you in the other room?”

He looked hesitant towards you before nodding, going to his room. Ellie looked at you curiously, as well as you. Once the door closed, you both turned your gazes to each other.

“So, was that your mom?”

“Not really, I just call her Mama. Daddy told me that my real mama was in a better place and that I would never be able to see her again, but that she loved me. What about you?”

“Yeah, same I guess.”

You smile brightly at the older girl. Right once you opened your mouth, beginning to say something, Tess and Joel walked back in. Joel is quick to pick you up and get you away from Ellie. As you got comfy in his large arms, resting your head against his warm chest, your eyes dropped shut.

The next time that you open your eyes, you’re strapped to your fathers chest. As you start to wake up, you realize that you're not in your home anymore. Were you outside? There weren’t any normal buildings around. Your question was soon answered when you heard guards talking. You were immediately thrown into a frenzy when someone started yelling at your group.

The next thing you know, your father is taking you out of the holder and setting you down directly next to him. Tears were streaming down your face as you frantically grasp onto his pants leg. Everyone’s kneeling and the guard is saying something. Everything happens so fast, your dad is suddenly beating the guard, Tess is grabbing the tester, and Ellie moves in front of you.

You're still crying as all the commotion settles down. You look up at Ellie, who is now sitting next to you with a panicked look on her now dirtier face. She was also looking up. As you reach out for her, wanting to be held to help calm you down, Tess is quick to step in.

“Get away from her.”

You look alarmed, confused why you couldn’t be near her. As you try to understand what's going on, Joel quickly scoops you up, getting away from Ellie just as fast. Tess has something in her hand that you can’t see very well. Tears are still falling from your now red and puffy eyes as your dad curses in frustration.

“Why are you so mad at her, Daddy?” Your small hands grasped onto his shirt, tugging slightly.

Everyone stopped at the sound of your small voice, realization that you were with them sinking into Joel and Tess’ minds. The reality of this situation was making itself loud and clear. Your question goes unanswered as the talking continues on. You were scared, you didn’t know what was going on and everything was terrifying. You just wanted to be at home, safe and sound, being held tightly under a blanket in your fathers arms.

Your breathing starts to quicken as it feels like you're losing control over your own body. Fresh tears sprout from your eyes and your heart is pounding in your ears. Were you dying? You didn’t want to die like this, not now. It felt like you couldn’t breathe. You weakly clutch at your chest as your throat closes up, small whimpers leaving the confines of your overworked lungs. Your tiny body was trembling, beginning to feel very hot in your own skin. Sweat collected on your forehead. Joel noticed very quickly what was happening.

“Hey, baby girl, breathe. You're okay. Look at me baby,” His hand guided your face to look towards him.

He talked you through it, although a lot of it sounded like you were underwater. Once you finally were back, panic attack taken care of to the best of their abilities, you noticed that it seemed like the problem from earlier was completely taken care of. You couldn’t tell when it was taken care of but it was.

Joel seemed to be in a bitterer mood than he was earlier. You stayed quiet, opting to just look around at everything since you had nothing else to do except sit there attached to your fathers chest. As you continued to walk, going somewhere but you didn’t know where, you finally arrived at a new area. It seemed to be a very rocky place. You couldn’t tell if it was a building or not, but it looked similar to one.

You father was the first to go in, holding you tight against his chest despite the fact that you were already tightly strapped to his chest. He looked around a little, making sure that the coast was clear, before telling Tess and Ellie to come in. They soon follow in after him, Tess’ immediate move is to look at you then around the place. As the four of you make your way through the building, the air seems to get tenser, as if something bad was about to happen. That feeling was proven right when Joel and you split up from Tess and Ellie. Your head was covered by the strap, Joel having done that the moment he sensed danger. You could barely move around, all you could do was listen to what was going on around you. You heard growling and your dad grunting every so often. At one point, you get jostled around a little more than normal, a muffled cry coming from your mouth. Joel is quick to put his hand on your back before taking his hand away. You hear a struggle going on before your father and Tess’ voices once again.

As your father uncovers your head, you can finally see once more. There's bodies of the infected all around, and your father is breathing heavily. You don’t get to look around much more before Joel is quickly walking again, trying to get this whole thing done and over with as fast as possible. You’re confused as to what was happening, and it seemed that Ellie seemed to be as well. The two adults however ignored your confused and concerned faces as the supposedly short journey continued on.

******

The trip was much more boring than you had expected. You were finally arriving at the building where Ellie was supposed to be dropped off at, but it seemed to be a little quiet. Joel went into protect mode almost immediately once he realized that something wasn’t right.

As he cautiously looked around, he found that everyone that should've been there was dead. He covered your eyes so that you wouldn’t have to see all of it, trying to keep you safe from the horrors of this world as much as he could. As everyone is looking around, Tess starts talking about where to go next.

“What the hell do you mean? The jobs finished, it’s time to go home,” Joel's ruff voice cuts Tess off mid sentence.

“I mean that I can’t go home,” Tess’ usually strong voice wavers as her eyes land on you.

Ellie gasps, understanding what the older woman meant. Tess pulled the neck of her shirt down to reveal a horrible looking bite. Joel didn’t know how to react, he didn’t want to believe that Tess was bitten. You didn’t understand what was going on, so you tried tugging on your fathers shirt in order to get his attention. He didn’t even look at you, just put his hand on your back.

“You have to get her to Tommy,” Tess goes over to Ellie and grips her arm, showing Joel the bite mark that Ellie had shown them earlier, “She has to be telling the truth. Look at this, this is only a few hours old and it’s already horrible,” She pulls down her own shirt collar once again while talking to further prove her point. Before Joel could respond, groaning and screeching could be heard outside. Tess rushed over to one of the boarded up windows, looking out of it to see outside.

“Get out of here, there's a hoard of those fuckers coming here,” Tess began rustling through her bag, looking for specific items.

She pulled a small object out of a little, purple bag that seemed to still be in good condition. Joel’s breath hitched the moment he realized what the bag was. Tess walked over to you, the small object and bag in her hands.

“Sweetheart, I may not be your real mother but I love you like you're my blood daughter. I’m going to have to go away for a very long time and I want you to have these,” She put the small object in your hand, “Look after your father for me, you’re His Light in the Darkness.”

As you looked at it, you saw that it was a locket. You opened it with confusion, having a little difficulty. Inside the locket were two pictures. One was a picture of your mother, father and Tess all together. Your mother was holding the camera, her arm outstretched as she smiled brightly at the camera. Joel was hugging her, a wide smile outstretched on his face as he looked at her, ignoring the camera. Tess had her hand on her gun, seeming to be on alert, but she still had a warm smile on as she stared at the camera. The second picture was one of your father and mother. Joel had his arm around your mother as she had both of hers on his chest, seeming to be laughing at something. They were in a room that looked similar to the room that your father slept in now, but some of the furniture wasn’t as it was now.

“Daddy look! It’s Mommy!” Your excited voice came out a little too loud as the sounds of groaning and clicking came closer.

Everyone else's eyes went wide upon hearing what was waiting for them outside. Tess quickly began pouring gasoline all over everything in the room, trying to make sure that everything was covered.

“Joel go! Get them out of here, take the girl to Tommy. I’ll lure them in here, then take the building with me,” Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears as she looked at the little girl that she helped raise, knowing that she'd be leaving her.

“Mama? What's happening?”

She couldn't bring herself to tell you. She walked over and kissed the top of your head before handing Joel her backpack. She gave him a silent look before Joel grabbed Ellie to leave. You were crying now, not understanding what was happening and not wanting to leave Tess. Noises could be heard behind you as Joel quickly got out of the building despite Ellies struggles to get out of his grip.

All of a sudden, a loud boom came from behind the three of you. The building exploded. You continued to cry, the commotion overwhelming you. Joel did his best to consol you with what little energy that he had left. As you started to get brought back down to earth, your eyes became increasingly heavier by the second. Joel covered your head as you laid it on his chest, sleep beginning to take you after the exhausting day.

******

Tag list:

@fakegingerrights

@silnebula

I really hope that you liked this! It took a lot of energy for me to actually make this because I've been really procrastinating. I'm currently also working on my other Tech x Reader series but I have no idea when that will be. I'm also working on chapter two for this one. I might also do some romantic one shots for Joel because I love him so much.

@macchiato-dreaming22

#joel miller x daughter!reader #tlou joel #the last of us #joel miller angst #joel miller fluff #joel miller x platonic!reader #tess fluff #tlou tess #tlou tess angst #ellie fluff #ellie tlou #His light in the darkness

371 notes · View notes

icarusthefoolish · 2 years ago

Text

Finding a Family in a Ruined world

Summary: Ellie and Joel end up camping in an old and abandoned town, while clearing out the infected in the Area and trying to settle down they meet a child.

Warnings: body horror, emaciation, infected wounds, Mentions of past shoddy done amputation, child abandonment.

Notes: No gender specified. Ellie and Joel might be a bit OOC mostly based on the game not the HBO series since i haven't gotten to watch it. No mentions of Y/N

Original idea by: @lemonlaides

Wc: 5k

Note: I've been messaged by the author of Notre Dame @lemonlaides mentioning that this story is incredibly close to theirs. That was never my intention. They said i can keep this up if i give them credit for the original idea and change some stuff. Again copying them was not my intention.

Joel and Ellie were on their way to the Firefly Hospital and usually they would hunker down in some place which is not an Abandoned town that's probably full of Infected but they didn't really have much of a choice, they had arrived to scavenge but ended up having to stay the night because it got dark too fast. They were currently killing off what they hoped to be the last infected in the area.

Ellie let out a grunt after she kicked one of the Walkers of her before stabbing her knife into its rotten skull and piercing it's brain killing it. Joel was currently stomping on the head of another infected before he let out a deep sigh. "Alright that shoulda been all of em... hopefully." Ellie nodded before looking around the area, other then a few houses that looked more then just unstable and a few shops there was a big Clocktower which would probably be the best area to stay the night in.

"Joel, I'd say we should ger into that Clocktower to stay in." The man nodded walking to the door which was locked tight. Ellie looked around "maybe i can find a way in through a smashed window or some-" she looked over when she heard a smack and the lock break, Joel had smashed the butt of his shotgun into the lock effectively breaking it. "That... Also works i guess..."

She shook her head before Joel pushed the door open carefully, Ellie stood behind him flinching because of the smell, the entire area smelled like death, decay and food? She looked to Joel who was scanning the area full of opened and half eaten food that didn't look older then a day at best. What Ellie also noticed was that most of the lower walls were full with crude small drawings, some which looked like stick figures others that looked like someone had just scribbled on the wall.

The floor boards above them creaked loudly, Joel immediately pushed Ellie behind him holding out his shotgun. Ellie looked up letting out a gasp when she saw a face with big scared looking eyes look down from a gap of the floor boards, the gap was big enough to see the kids face, with cheeks that were sunken and a generally emaciated frame.

Joel put the gun down carefully his face going slightly white at the way the child looked. He lowered the gun to the floor before turning back to the kid. Who came down the raggedy steps but stayed far enough away that they could run. Ellie walked Infront of Joel "hi there, I'm Ellie the grumpy man behind me is called Joel" Joel let out a huff at that though he couldn't really complain because he was grumpy. "We aren't here to hurt you." Ellie smiled but her smile vanished when she saw bloody rags tied to the stump of their Left Leg.

They answered their name back. timidly "My mommy and daddy left me and i dunno where they are..." They sniffled slightly and Ellie frowned. "We have some food if you want? You look hungry kid." They nodded slightly "mhm i don't eat much because I can't find stuff. One day something bad happened to our neighbours and one of them tried getting me, when my mommy pulled me in here something bit me..." They lifted their left leg or what was left of it, "mommy and daddy pulled me in here and held me down... T-then i just remember that it hurt and there was a lot of red stuff..." Even Joel grimaced at that before standing next to Ellie.

"If you want we can help you with that too looks like it hurts kid." They hobled down the rest of the stairs and before looking at Joel and Ellie afraid not sure if they should trust them. Ellie smiled "don't worry we really just wanna help." They hummed looking at their leg before slightly nodding. Jole took his honestly nasty looking Med Pack out of the bag. He sighed before sitting down and grabbing their leg and carefully undoing the blood stained fabric, and honestly the sight under the fabric was worse then any Infected, not only because of how it looked but because of the way that this was a child maybe 6 or 7 years old if he had to guess.

The skin around the cut was red puffy and leaking a yellowish white pus. The suturing job was also no where near good but he guessed that that was all they had. "Alright kid.... This is probably gonna hurt." Ellie frowned and sat down next to them pulling out her Joke book. "Hey focus on me while he deals with that how about i tell you some jokes while you eat something hm?" She also pulled some candy that she had gotten a little while back and let them choose a few.

While Joel was trying to carefully disinfect the area, Ellie told them Jokes and honestly Joel wanted to groan at each one but at least she was Keeping the kids mind of the pain, They let out a whimper as soon as the alcohol touched the already inflamed skin. "Hey don't focus on how much it hurts i know it does, try to focus on me ok?" They nodded clenching their eye's closed and biting their lip.

Joel tried to clean the infected stump up quickly befor suturing it closed again and wrapping it up. "There hopefully that will stop the infection." He looked at the kid "you did good." Ellie looked to Joel "can they come with us? We can't just leave them here." Joel hummed, while Ellie was definitely right they also couldn't risk anything. He let out a small groan rubbing his hand down his face. "We'll talk about it tomorrow okay?"

Ellie nodded "alright you can sleep in my sleeping bag if you want." They smiled and nodded slightly "mhm I'd like that." Joel and Ellie got a small fire going to keep them warm through the night, Ellie opened up her sleeping bag and the child crawled in.

In the morning Joel had decided to take the kid with them, he didn't want to say it out loud but he'd grown fond of them in the short time they spent together. After what happened at the Firefly Hospital he was glad that the kid was too young to understand what was going on. So Joel Ellie and the child made their own home in Jackson. Their amputated stump started to heal thanks to the help of Maria who couldn't believe that a child had been living alone for who knows how long.

Their life's started becoming normal and they were a little family in their own way.

Tag list: @wilczachannn

(if you want to be added to my Taglist just send an ask.)

#aiko talks #aikos shit posts #tlou #tlou x reader #tlou x you #joel miller x daughter!reader #joel miller x reader #ellie williams #ellie williams x platonic!reader #the last of us #the last of us x reader

276 notes · View notes

j-eryewrites · 8 months ago

Text

Look for the Light

The final part of A Sinner's Redemption

SERIES MASTER LIST | MAIN MASTER LIST

Word Count: ~9.8k

Author's Note: Agh, I'm honestly crying. It's all too bittersweet. I started this fic over a year ago, and now it's over. I'm happy with how it ended and I'm glad you were all there along for the ride. Thank you for all your support for "A Sinner's Redemption". I hope you all enjoy the conclusion to Ellie, Joel, and Piper's story.

- With much love, the author.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, spoilers for the last episode and game, Joel goes full momma bear, mentions of death, suicidal ideation, mental health, explicit language, major angst and hurt (with comfort), deceit and lies, gun violence, mentions of gore, description of gore, Joel kills a whole bunch of people, mentions of surgery and medical procedures, mentions of infected, descriptions of child birth, mentions of trauma and coping mechanisms, mentions of injuries and scars (let me know if I missed anything)

Look for the Light (the Final Chapter)

Piper seemed to hit every low branch as she was dragged along. The warm hand holding hers was sweaty. Her mother’s long fingers tightened its hold.

“Ow, mommy,” Piper whined. She looked up at her mom, who quickly apologized, fighting off a painful groan.

“Baby, let’s keep going. Come on.” Anna, the girl’s mom, tugged her child along. A distant howl made her blood run cold. Everything was going wrong. Contractions constricted her body’s muscles. A runner was after them. She’d been running for who knows how long with Piper in tow. Despite the overwhelming surge of fear, Anna knew one thing. She had to keep her sweet girl safe. Both of them, now that the other one was fighting to come out into the world.

“Mommy, I-“

Anna pulled Piper along. “I know, sweet girl. I know. Once we get to the house, we’ll be safe. I promise.”

Heavy huffs of breath fall from Anna’s mouth. The pains were getting worse. She couldn’t keep the sound in—the sound the monster used to track them.

“Fuck,” Anna cried, using her free hand to clutch her round stomach.

“Mommy?” Piper peered up at Anna with worried eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Anna softly smiled down at her daughter. “Mommy’s okay, Pipes. Mommy’s okay.” She knew Piper didn’t believe her. Three-year-olds were brilliant, especially when it came to their mothers.

“Look, Pipes.” Anna pointed to the tall gray house up ahead. “We’re here.”

Anna hastily waddled her and Piper along into the house. The door swung open. “It’s me!” Anna announced. No one answered. Frantically, she looked around. “Anyone?!”

“Mommy?”

“Not now, sweetie.” A screech pierced the air. “Shit!” Anna cursed, pulling Piper up the stairs and into the farthest room. “In here, sweetie.”

Letting go of her daughter’s hand, Anna closed the door, locked it, and dragged a chair to barricade the room.

“Mommy?” Piper whispered. Her tiny finger pointed to the puddle of water underneath Anna’s legs.

“Oh…” Anna grasped her stomach. “Sweetie,” Anna winced. “Help mommy sit down.”

Piper ran to her mom’s side, reaching for her hand. With a thump, Anna collapsed against the floor. Gently, she wiped some of the grime off of Piper’s face.

“I love you; you know that, right?” Anna asked. Piper nodded.

Suddenly, glass broke. It came from downstairs. Anna bit her lip to stifle her groan. “Baby, go hide in-,” Anna howled in pain. “Go hide.”

The chair against the door thumped. Growls seeped through the cracks. It found them.

“Piper! Go-“

The door flung open. The infected charged into the room. Its sights were set on Anna’s little girl. Except it didn’t attack Piper. With a swing, the girl was tossed to the side. The infected’s actual target was revealed as it lunged at Anna.

Piper screamed, and Anna fought. With a switchblade, she swiped at the monster, fighting it off as her body fought to push a baby out. The creature gnashed its teeth, searching for something to bite. The rotten bones found home in Anna’s thigh. She cried out in pain, bringing down the blade into the Infected. She grunted with each slice of her weapon until it dropped dead.

A new cry filled the air. It was the baby.

“Oh…oh…” Anna cooed, lifting her baby. She was tiny. Her frail arms flailed in the air. Her dark eyes crinkled open.

“Mommy?” Piper’s voice called to her mom.

Anna glanced up. “Piper, come meet your sister.”

Piper tip-toed over to her mom and new baby sister.

“Hi…hey…” Anna cooed. She turned the baby over to Piper. The young girl brought her face as close as possible to her new sister.

“She looks funny,” Piper muttered.

The baby started to cry again. Anna held her close. “Did I make her cry?” Piper sniffled. Anna shook her head and chuckled.

“No, sweet girl. Babies just cry.” Then Anna turned to the baby. “Yeah, you tell ’em. You fuckin’ tell ’em, Ellie.”

“Hi Ellie…” Piper whispered. Baby Ellie grew quiet. Her bright, wide eyes looked over at her mom and sister. “I’m your big sister.”

“Do you want to hold her, Pipes?” Piper nodded. With her tiny arms, Piper held Ellie close.

“Hold her head like this, and-“ Anna adjusted Piper’s arms. “Just like that.” Anna sank deeper into the wall. Her eyes watched over her daughters, the view growing blurry.

“Yeah, it’s okay…” Anna whispered to herself. The pain in the thigh crawled its way around her body. She could feel the infection spread.

“Piper,” Anna said. “Can you take your sister and sit in the corner over there?” Piper looked confused but did as her mother said.

Anna bit back a growl. “Fuck,” she quietly cursed. She prayed that Marlene and the others would be back soon. She prayed the last thing her daughters would see was their mother become a monster.

“It’s okay.”

When Anna opened her eyes next, crickets began to chirp outside. Silently, she scolded herself for closing her eyes. Beside her, Piper sat, curled up around her baby sister, the two of them fast asleep. Anna lovingly smiled even if Piper had left the corner.

Taking a hand, she began to run her fingers through Piper’s hair. Her voice croaked but quickly smoothed out as she sang to her baby girls.

♪ Hold me ♪

♪ Close to your heart ♪

♪ Touch me ♪

♪ Give all your love to me. ♪

“Anna?” Marlene’s voice called out. Anna sat up straighter as the door to the room creaked open. Bright white lights momentarily blinded her.

“Oh god,” Marlene cursed, noticing the bite on Anna’s thigh.

With a calm voice, Anna looked up at her friend. “It’s not your fault.”

“We were delayed getting out of the zone. I’m so-“

“They’re hungry,” Anna said, looking down at her girls. “The baby needs to be fed, and I…I didn’t wanna nurse her.” Marlene furrowed her brows in skepticism. “I cut it before I was bit, and it never got to Piper. Marlene,” Anna begged.”Before.”

Sighing, Marlene lowered her gun and approached Anna. Her hands gently reached for the baby in Piper’s arms. Unconsciously, the young girl’s grip tightened around her sister.

“Sweet girl,” Anna whispered, rubbing her finger gently up and down her daughter’s nose. “Piper, I need you to wake up.” Piper stirred and snuggled deeper into her mother’s side. “Baby, please.” Piper awoke. Bringing her hands to the sides of Piper’s face, Anna smiled. Her eyes fought back tears. “There’s my sweet girl.”

“Mommy?” Piper said groggily.

“Yeah, it’s mommy. I need you to promise me something, Piper. Can you do that for mommy?” Piper nodded. “Can you promise to watch over your sister?” Again, Piper nodded, wiping the sleep away. “I need you to be a big girl and a big sister.” Tears began to flow out of Anna’s eyes. “I need you to promise me you’ll always be with her. Piper and Ellie forever. Okay?”

“Mommy, why are you crying?” Piper’s hand reached up to her mom’s face. Her tiny fingers wiped away tears. Anna struggled to peel off her daughter’s hands.

“Piper, remember Aunty Marlene? She’s gonna take you and Ellie to a new home.”

“Where are you gonna go, mommy?” Piper asked, and Anna wanted to break in two.

“I want you to…” Anna’s voice trembled as she looked at Marlene. “…take them with you to Boston… find someone to bring them up, and make sure that they’re safe.”

“I can’t do that,” Marlene breathed, but Anna ignored her.

“And I want you to give her this.” Anna handed over a small switchblade.

“Anna.”

“Her name is Ellie,” Anna explained.

“I can’t,” Marlene sternly said.

“How long have we known each other?” Anna asked. Her eyes held strength even as her mind fought the monster crawling within.

“Our whole lives,” Marlene answered.

“So you pick her up right now…take Piper, and then you kill me.”

“I can’t kill you.”

“Please, please, please.” Anna cried as Marlene stepped away with her daughters in tow. “Please!”

“Mommy?!” Piper began to cry, seeing her mother so distressed.

Anna groaned as a growl grew from her chest. It was coming—the monster.

“Marlene!” Anna screamed. Tears poured freely from her face.

“Mommy!” Piper flailed around as Marlene drew her back from her mom. “Mommy!!”

Suddenly, Marlene’s hand withdrew and was replaced by another.

“Here,” Marlene instructed the Firefly. “Hold her head… There you go.” Ellie cooed in the man’s arms. “Cover her ears.” Then she crouched down to Piper. “Cover your ears for me, Piper.”

Piper shook her head. Her only thought was her mother. “Mommy!” She cried. Anna’s sobs followed the sound.

Marlene clenched her jaw and stood up. The gun felt heavy in her hand as she marched back into the room. She had to make it quick. Anna nodded and closed her eyes. Thoughts of her daughters flashed before her as the bullet tore through her skull.

Piper’s ears rang. Ellie cried, and her sister screamed. Piper didn’t stop screaming for her mother until sleep overcame her petite body. Even when she woke up, she still cried for Anna. But she’d never come. Instead, Piper clung to her baby sister. Although memories faded with time, one thing remained clear. Piper promised. It was her and Ellie. Sisters forever.

꧁_____________꧂

A smile beamed from Joel’s face at his surprise find. Pulling himself away from the car, he called out to his girls. There was no response. He sighed.

“Ellie! Piper!”

No reaction. Joel walked closer to the truck the girls sat on. Their eyes glazed over, stuck in their own heads.

“Girls!”

Piper blinked, her ears ringing as Joel’s voice called out to her. With a gentle nudge of her elbow, she pulled Ellie out of her trance.

“D’ya hear me?” Joel asked the girls.

“No…,” Ellie shook her head. “What?”

“Well,” Joel began, “found this in there. Beefaroni. Chef Boyardee.” He proudly grinned at them.

“Oh, cool,” they muttered at the same time. Their postures shrank back down.

“And have you ever played this?” Joel blurted, regaining the girl’s attention. “Boggle? It’s a word game.”

The girls shook their heads.

“Well, if you wanna beat me at somethin’, it would be this.” Ellie’s ears perked up at Joel’s words, but she didn’t speak. Neither of them did.

With each moment of silence, Joel felt his heart tear in smaller and smaller pieces. “Well, all right then. We’re gettin’ close.” He strolled over to the girls, packing away his finds.

“Mm-hmm,” Ellie hummed.

“Hospital that way.” Joel pointed over their shoulders. “May be the one we’re lookin’ for.”

“Got it,” Ellie muttered, hopping off the back of the truck.

Slowly, Piper placed her feet on the ground. Her hands clutched tightly to the metal of the vehicle. Joel’s eyes flashed with pity, looking at the teen.

Scars had littered her body. The biggest one was found on her face like a crevice carved by tears from her now pale eye. She couldn’t see out of it anymore. A consequence Joel blamed himself for. Joel had done his best to help her heal, but it was never enough to stave off the bouts of pain that would arise from time to time. He knew even more scars were hiding deeper under her skin—for both of them.

“Take this for me?” Joel asked Piper, holding up his gun. She held it as Joel slung the backpack over his shoulder. “Thanks.” Piper nodded, brushing her hair behind her ears.

It had grown out since they’d left Jackson. Her dark curls were tucked beneath her chin. The length helped hide some of the more minor scars that lined her face.

“They had a guitar in that RV,” Joel announced as they passed an abandoned RV on the highway. The girls nodded with false amusement. “It was all smashed up but got me thinkin’, maybe I should find one. I haven’t played in forever.” Joel turned to look behind him at Ellie and Piper. “In fact, I was thinkin’ maybe I could teach you two. I bet you guys be great at it. Maybe make our own little band.” A slight chuckle left Joel’s mouth as he thought about a band of the three of them plucking away at guitars. “Do you two wanna learn how to play guitar?”

Piper shrugged before tripping over some rubble. Thankfully, she caught herself before falling to the ground.

“Ellie?” Joel muttered.

“Hm?” Ellie’s brain quickly recovered. “Oh, yeah. That’d be great. A little guitar band.”

Joel smiled at his girls. His grin was big enough for the three of them when neither of his girls felt like smiling.

The birds chirped louder and louder as they entered Salt Lake City. Even in late spring, the city emitted a ghastly heat.

“Okay, so this is what I’m thinking…” Joel began, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“Cut through that building to get around that stuff, find the skyscraper, go up and look around,” Ellie vacantly finished.

Joel’s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly collected himself. “Uhh, actually, this time, I was thinkin’ we blast our way through that rubble.” The girls looked up at him with expressions of pure confusion. “I found some dynamite in that RV back there,” Joel said, fighting off a telling smile.

“Really?” The girls cocked their brows.

“No,” Joel teased. The smile exploded on his face. “So we’re gonna cut through that building, find a skyscraper, go up and look around. But I had you goin’, didn’t I?”

Piper rolled her eyes and bit back a smile. Ellie scoffed and continued on walking.

“Look at this place,” Joel muttered, peeking around the abandoned construction site. “Talk about bad luck.” Ellie sent him a questioning look, and Joel answered. “Military drops bombs… not one of them hits the building you’re trying to demolish.”

“No way up,” Piper mumbled. Joel peered around, discovering she was right. Spotting the edges of a ladder above, Joel turned to the girls.

“I get you two up there. You guys can drop that ladder down; maybe we go through that way,” Joel proposed. “Come on. I’ll give you a boost.”

Piper stepped up. Her hand clutched onto Joel’s shoulder as he hoisted her up. He could feel her legs shaking in hesitation as she reached for the edge. Suddenly, her legs buckled beneath her.

“You okay?” Joel asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just my leg.” Piper’s hand rubbed the area where she got shot. “Get Ellie to do it.”

“Alright.” Joel nodded. “Ellie?” The girl didn’t answer him. “Ellie?”

“Els!” Piper yelled.

“What?” Ellie said, whirling around. Her attention had been taken away from the flapping construction sheet.

“You alright?” Joel questioned. “It’s just you kinda seem extra quiet today, so.”

“Oh… I’m sorry,” Ellie apologized.

“No, it’s fine,” Joel reassured her. “Did you hear what I…”

“Yeah, boost. Got it.”

Marching over to Joel, Ellie copied Piper’s earlier motions.

“One… two, up.” Ellie stood up tall and reached for the edge. A grunt escaped her mouth as she pulled herself up. The ladder clattered as Ellie slid it down to Joel.

“Ya got it?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah,” Joel huffed, trying to latch onto the ladder. Suddenly, the ladder dropped. The metal clambered to the floor. Joel narrowly dodged the object.

“God damn it, Ellie!” Joel cursed and picked up the ladder. “Shit.”

“You stay there!” He instructed Ellie.

She didn’t listen. Joel heard her voice echo off the walls of the building as she moved away from the ledge. “You gotta see this!” She exclaimed with excitement.

“Ellie?!” Joel yelled. Climbing up the ladder. Upon reaching the top, he helped Piper come to her feet before they ran after Ellie.

“Up here!” Ellie announced.

“Ellie!” Joel reprimanded.

“C’mon!” He could practically hear the young girl jumping up and down with joy. “C’mon, slow pokes.”

“Just wait. God damn it,” Joel grumbled. His knees ached as he trekked up the stairs and after Ellie. When he got to the top, his breath stilled.

His feet didn’t move. He stood there watching Ellie admire a giraffe. Piper stopped beside him, catching her breath before she approached her sister and the animal. Joe wanted to freeze time as the girls stared in awe at the peaceful creature. But time didn’t work like that.

Slowly, Joel stepped forward.

“Don’t scare it,” Ellie whispered.

“I won’t.”

His hands deftly snapped some leaves off the tree the animal was munching on. He passed the leaves to his girls.

“What are you doing?” Ellie asked, taking the leaves.

“It’s all right.” Then Joel stuck out his hand, feeding the giraffe. He raised his brows and motioned for the girls to do the same. “Come here, hurry up. Come on.”

Ellie was the first to step up. Hesitantly, she stuck out her hand as far away as she could from her body. The giraffe sniffed the leaves before opening its mouth to munch on them. Its dark tongue licked around Ellie’s hand. Giggles erupted from the girl’s mouth.

“Ellie, give me a try,” Piper interjected, sticking her hand of leaves to the creature. The giraffe moved from Ellie’s hand to Piper’s and began to feast. Disgust and amusement contorted on the teen’s face.

“God, it’s wet and it tickles.” Piper felt a shiver go down her spine. Ellie laughed and teased her sister.

Scratch what he thought earlier. If Joel could freeze time, he’d do it now. His girls were happy. God, he hadn’t heard them laugh in so long. It was better than any music he’d ever heard in his life.

“So fucking cool,” Ellie muttered at the giraffe. Before the girls knew it, their hands were empty of leaves, and the giraffe had pulled back. Its lanky legs were taking it away.

“Aw, where’s she going?” Ellie hopped back before entering a sprint, determined to follow the giraffe. “Come on, come on, come on, come on!”

Piper skipped after her, eager to spend longer with the animal.

“Okay,” Joel chuckled, chasing after his girls.

When he finally reached them, Joel couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of deja vu. There, Ellie and Piper stood, gazing out across a city. The sunlight reflected off the shattered windows of the skyline. Nature overcame the city. Vines and trees ensnared everything in sight.

“So… is it everything ya hoped for?” Joel repeated himself.

Ellie grinned. “It’s got its ups and downs… but you can’t deny that view.”

Joel laughed and then joined them. The view was lovely. His eyes scanned the scene and froze on what appeared to be a hospital.

“Look,” he turned to Ellie and Piper. “I don’t know exactly where this hospital is…”

“Yeah, we’ll find it.” Ellie didn’t remove her gaze from the view.

“Sure. It’s just…” Joel trailed off, thinking of his following words. “Maybe there’s nothin’ bad out there, but so far, there’s always been somethin’ bad out there.”

“We’re still here, though.” Ellie was facing him now.

“I know. I’m only saying there’s risk.” Taking a deep breath, Joel made sure he had both girls' full attention. “We don’t have to do this. I just… I want you to know that.”

Piper froze. All of a sudden, she felt like she was on fire. Did she want to do this? She knew what awaited her and Ellie. Sick boiled in her stomach, and Piper wished she hadn’t eaten anything that day.

“What do you mean? What else are we supposed to do?” Ellie questioned.

“Nothin’. We just go back to Tommy’s.” Piper could tell it was all he wanted to do by the way Joel spoke. “We forget about the whole damn thing.”

Ellie shook her head. “After all we’ve been through… everything I’ve done… it can’t be for nothing.”

With Ellie’s confirmation, Piper knew her answer. She could see the hope in Ellie’s eyes. Those eyes had been so void of anything since their entrapment with David. Piper had already failed Ellie once. She knew she couldn’t do it again. How would she live with herself if she let her sister mindlessly walk alone into death's hands?

“I know you mean well,” Joel began.

Standing straighter, Ellie interrupted. “I know you wanna protect me. You have. And when we’re done, we’ll go wherever you want. Tommy’s, sheep ranch, the moon.” Joel laughed.

Inside, Piper cried. Her dream flashed in her mind. She returned to it every night and almost stayed in her dream that day. God, Piper wanted more than anything to have her dream come true. But Piper had made a promise. It was her and Ellie until the end, and if Ellie wanted to march right into death's arms, so would she. After all, maybe then Piper could do something good. Maybe in her death, she’d finally be able to do what she always wished- then perhaps she’d be able to save someone instead of killing.

“I’ll follow you anywhere you go,” Ellie continued. “ But there’s no halfway with this. We finish what we started.”

꧁_____________꧂

Joel’s plan was a plan. That was all Piper could say. After they’d found a way around all the rubble, Joel decided they would just walk around. They’d stumble upon the hospital eventually. However, Piper saw through Joel’s confusion. It was hard to comment on anything over her pain.

The worst of it came from her leg. Getting shot wasn’t fun. It's definitely an experience Piper wouldn’t recommend. Next came the pain in her eye. About a day or two after they escaped from the cannibalistic cult, she started to lose vision until she became completely blind.

It was tricky navigating the world with a crippled leg and a narrower peripheral vision. Some days, it was too hard. Phantom pain from her other injuries nabbed at her, cutting deep into her mind. She was weak. Piper couldn’t even walk a few miles without her leg giving out. Most of their travels to Salt Lake consisted of Piper using Joel as a crutch. Eventually, Joel assembled one for her, but she refused to use it. She just couldn’t. Not when she knew how strong she could be. If anything, Piper would just suffer through the pain. After all, it’s what she deserved for failing her sister. Piper deserved it all.

“Was this a FEDRA thing?” Ellie’s voice cut through the torment circling Piper’s mind.

Joel shook his head as they entered the abandoned encampment. “No. Army,” he corrected. “They put these places up all around the first few days after the outbreak. Emergency medical camps. Obviously, it didn't last. They had me in one just like this.”

Looking back, Joel noticed Piper lagging. Her face clenched as her hand grazed over her leg. Nodding to Ellie, he led them to a makeshift bench. The tension in Piper’s face eased.

“Were you there with Sarah?” Ellie asked, resuming their previous conversation.

“No,” Joel’s face dropped as he looked at his hands. “She was gone already.”

“Oh,” uttered Ellie.

“So what did happened?” Piper piped up to distract from the lingering pain in her thigh.

“It was for this.” Joel pointed to the scar on the side of his head.

Ellie’s eyes widened with recognition. “Ah, the guy who shot and missed. I figured that would’ve happened later.”

“No. Second day,” Joel explained.

“Well, I’ve gotta hand it to the Army people,” Ellie sighed. “They were way better at stitchin’ you up than Piper was.” She peered at her sister, hoping her teasing comment would help distract Piper. It didn’t.

“It was me,” Joel admitted. “I was the guy who shot and missed.”

Piper gulped. “Oh…” She breathed. All thoughts of her pain were replaced with concern for Joel.

“There’s no story.” Joel began. He hated telling this story. He was at his lowest. His weakest. He had lost everything. “Sarah died… and I couldn’t see the point anymore. Simple as that. And I wasn’t scared either. I was ready. I couldn’t have been more ready. When I… When I… went to pull the trigger, I-I flinched. Still don’t know why.”

Piper fiddled with her fingers, tracing the scars along her palms. She’d been there. Piper would have done it, and she wouldn’t have missed. In her mind, she saw the mall, the infected, and Ellie and Riley. Unconsciously, Piper trailed up to the scar of her bite mark. The mark was a perfect match to her teeth. She could still hear Riley and Ellie’s begs–asking her to kill them.

“Anyway, the reason I’m telling you all this…” Joel trailed off, looking at Piper’s, whose knuckles had turned white.

“I know why you’re tellin’ me all this,” Ellie interjected.

Joel turned to her. “Yeah, I reckon you do,” he smiled.

“So time heals all wounds, I guess.” Ellie jokingly rolled her eyes at the cliche.

“It’ll be fucking years then…” Piper mumbled, making Joel’s heart shatter.

“It wasn’t time that did it.” It was said so softly, but even through their trauma-induced daze, the girls heard it.

“Oh…” Piper softly said. A faint smile ghosted her lips.

“Well, I’m glad that… that didn’t work out,” Ellie muttered.

“Me, too,” Joel admitted.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle weight on his side. Joel’s eyes trailed over to Piper, who leaned against him. She avoided his gaze, but the gentle pressure said more than anything she could muster. Like a domino effect, he felt Ellie rest her head on the other side. There, they sat in silence, embracing each other’s comfort.

Just as fast as their moment started, it ended.

“We should probably get going,” Joel sighed, pushing himself up.

“Yeah,” the girl half-heartedly agreed.

“You know what I’m in the mood for?” Joel announced.

“What?” Ellie asked.

Joel smirked and peered down at her. “Shitty puns.”

A groan erupted from Piper’s mouth. “God no, Joel, why’d you have to-? “

“Oh-ho-ho.” Ellie chuckled, already flipping through the pages of the book. “People are making apocalypse jokes like there’s no tomorrow.” Joel winced. “Too soon?”

“No, it’s topical.”

Ellie giggled. “Oh, I love this one.”

“Moon rocks taste better than Earth rocks. Why?” She paused, wiggling her brows at Joel and Piper. “Cause they’re meteor.”

“Oh, that’s terrible,” Joel exclaimed.

“Fuck you,” Ellie scoffed. “That was actually good.”

“That’s a… That…,” Joel waved his hands in search of words. “That’s a zero outta 10.”

“All right, all right.” Ellie read a new joke. “What did the green grape say to the purple grape? Breathe, you idiot.”

“That was a three outta 10.”

Ellie shook her head. “Seven, minimum.”

“Uh-uh.” Ellie disagreed.

“I’m sticking with the three,” Piper added from behind the group.

“I’ll give it a five,” Joel settled.

“Five outta 10. Five?” Ellie dramatically gasped.

CLANG!

The trio whirled around. In between Ellie, Joel, and Piper sat a small flash bomb. Joel grabbed onto Ellie’s shoulder, pulling her close. Piper ducked and covered her ears.

As Piper’s head hit the ground, she couldn’t hear anything. She knew she was calling out for Joel and Ellie. It looked like they were saying her name if she squinted hard enough. Her head hurt, and it felt wet. She groaned and fell to her side. Two foggy figures loomed overhead. And then it was black.

꧁_____________꧂

“Is her head okay?” A faint voice tickled Piper’s senses.

Someone was touching her. Piper’s hand clasped around the person. Her eyes whirled open, and then she pounced. She fought until the poor woman lay on the ground. The teen could see the terror oozing from the woman, her hands raised.

“Piper?” A familiar voice commanded. “Piper! Let her go.” Piper tore her gaze off the trembling woman and onto Marlene.

“Marlene?” Realizing she still sat over the woman, Piper pushed herself off. She sent a silent apology, collecting herself. One thing was for sure. Everything hurt, more so than usual. “What happened?” She croaked, rubbing her aching head. Her hand felt sticky. It was covered in a clear ointment mixed with blood. Her blood.

Marlene dismissed the woman, who quickly left the room. “Patrol didn’t know you were coming. You got the worst of it.” The woman pointed to Piper’s head injury.

“Yeah,” Piper scoffed. “I could tell. Where’s Ellie and Joel?”

There was a pause before Marlene answered her. “Ellie’s fine. Been asking about you. Joel’s still unconscious.”

Ellie. The Fireflies. If they were here at the hospital, then… “Can I see Ellie?”

“Piper,” Marlene’s gaze grew avoidant. “All you need to know is that she’s safe.”

It was a bullshit answer. An answer Piper wouldn’t take. “Marlene, where’s my sister?”

Marlene sighed with a look that made Piper fear the answer. “She’s being prepped for surgery…” Piper shuddered, and a gasp left her mouth. She couldn’t look at Marlene. She couldn’t look anywhere. Piper couldn’t do anything as sobs choked their way out.

“You know.” Marlene stood straighter and marched over to Piper. Her eyes glared down at Piper. “Did Ellie-?”

“No,” Piper sniffled. “I…I couldn’t tell her. Not when I had- can I say goodbye?” Marlene shook her head. “Fuck…” Piper whimpered. Tears stung her skin as they trickled from her eyes down her cheeks.

“Piper, I’m sorry-” Marlene tried to comfort her.

“What about Joel?” Piper yelled. She stared up at Marlene. The pools in her eyes reflected the woman’s stern expression. “Can I say goodbye? Please, Marlene. Please.” Marlene didn’t answer her. Piper had to see Joel, she had to–“I’m saving the fucking world, and you won’t let me say goodbye?!”

Marlene took in a deep and steady breath that seemed to last hours. She raised her finger, and in came a Firefly soldier. “Grab her some paper and a pen.” The materials magically appeared. Marlene threw them into Piper’s hands. “Here, you’ll write your goodbye.”

Piper hurriedly placed the papers down and uncapped the pen. “Does Joel know?” She asked.

“Know what?” Marlene’s voice came out harsher than Piper had ever heard it.

“That you’re killing us for the cure.”

There was a deafening silence before Marlene answered. “No.”

“Are you gonna tell him?” Piper asked, tearing her attention away from the letter.

“Just hurry up and write that goodbye,” Marlene hissed.

Piper didn’t need another warning and scrambled to scribble on the papers. Her hands shook so much that Piper worried her last words would be illegible. She inhaled. She exhaled. She calmed herself, but only as much as could be expected from someone about to die. As she wrote, her vision grew sloppier. It was hard to see even with her blind eye. Still, she pushed through. With a trembling hand, she signed the letter. When Marlene snatched it out of her hands, a strangled sob scrambled out.

“Promise me he’ll get it,” Piper begged. “Promise me, Marlene.”

Marlene folded the letter and shoved it into her pocket. “Finish bandaging her up and get her prepped,” she instructed her fireflies. Then, turning on her heel, Marlene stepped out the door.

Behind her, Piper yelled. “Marlene, please! Please promise me. Please!”

꧁_____________꧂

“Welcome to the Fireflies” was the first thing Joel heard once his consciousness returned. Groggy, he pushed himself up to sit opposite Marlene.

“Easy.” Marlene gently spoke. “Ya got hit pretty hard. Patrol didn’t know who you were.”

Joel’s eyes scanned the room. Something was missing. Someone. His girls. “Where’s the girls?”

“Ellie wasn’t hurt,” Marlene began. Her answer relieved Joel, but it was not what he needed to hear. “Not even a scratch. Piper got the short end of the stick. My people are fixing her up now. They’re mostly worried about you.”

“Where are they?” He gruffly asked. His eyes stared down into Marlene’s, who remained calm.

“We lost half our crew crossing the country.” Joel frowned. She didn’t answer him. Why? She refused to answer him. “I had five men whose only job was to protect me. And I still almost got killed. How’d you do it?”

“It was all them,” Joel admitted. “Ellie and Piper fought like hell to get here.”

Marlene shook her head in disbelief. “They would’ve been dead on day one.” Sighing, she leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms. “You are the one person I never wanted to be in debt to. But I owe you. We all owe you.”

“Just take me to them,” Joel pleaded. His voice was soft, and in a tone Marlene had never heard from the man.

“I can’t.” Joel’s face contorted, and his jaw clenched. “Ellie’s being prepped for surgery. Piper soon after.”

“What surgery?” Joel questioned Marlene so slowly it sounded like a growl.

“Our doctor…,” Marlene explained, “he thinks that the Cordyceps in the girls have grown with them since birth.”

His teeth started to grind against the others. His tanned knuckles grew paler by the second. “Why is Ellie in surgery?”

“It produces a kind of chemical messenger. It makes normal Cordyceps think that she’s Cordyceps. It’s why she’s immune. He’s gonna remove it from her, multiply the cells in a lab, produce those chemical messengers… and then we can give it to everyone. He thinks it could be a cure, Joel.”

“A cure,” Joel scoffed. Then he froze.

No. No. No. No. No!

“Cordyceps grow inside the brain,” Joel stated.

Marlene gulped before confirming Joel’s fears. “It does.”

“Find someone else,” Joel gasped.

“There is no one else.” Marlene stood up and held out her hand to Joel. In it were wrinkled papers. He could see dark ink seeping through the thin sheets. “Here, this is for you.”

He snatched them from her hand and flicked them open. His hands gently straightened out any faults caused by Marlene’s mishandling. His breath shuddered, and his body trembled as he began to read.

To Joel:

I’m not really sure when and if you get this, but God, I hope you do. Marlene wouldn’t let me see you; she said you were out. She wouldn’t let me see Ellie either, and I’d rather get out one goodbye than never have said anything at all.

When we started this journey, we were just cargo, and you were our carrier. That’s how it was supposed to be. Then you did something I never thought would happen. You made me trust you. You made me feel safe. You made me feel at home, even when it was the last thing I ever wanted to feel. You reminded me how to live and not just survive.

God…I…there’s so much I want to say, but I can’t. Marlene’s getting impatient. Ellie’s going into surgery, and then I’m next. You came into this thinking we’d walk out, but we won’t. And it’s okay. It’ll be okay, Joel. Maybe now I can save someone. Maybe with me dying, I don’t have to kill anymore.

I just want you to know that when I go, I’m gonna dream of that farm. I’m gonna dream of Ellie and her puns, you playing guitar and yelling at some stupid sheep. Cause that’s my dream. A home with my family. A home with my sister and my dad.

Goodbye Joel Dad

- Piper Williams

With as much care as he could muster, Joel folded the letter and placed it in his breast pocket over his heart. A large tear fell to the floor, and Joel stifled a sob.

Marlene took Joel’s silence as a cue to speak again. “We didn’t tell Ellie. We didn’t cause her any fear; there won’t be any pain. Piper-she knows.”

Joel’s head started shaking. A physical sign of his rejection. He couldn’t let them do this. He wouldn’t lose his girls. Not when he’d just- “No. No, you take me to them. You take me to Ellie and Piper right now!” He stood up, all anger and fury, and lunged for Marlene. Joel was fast, but her men were faster. With a swift kick of the knee, Joel toppled to the floor.

“Please...” Joel cried. You don’t understand.” He kneeled in front of Marlene as if to pray. He needed the girls; he loved them. They were his redemption. “Please.”

“I do. I was there when she was born, Joel.” Marlene glared down at Joel. “I promised her mother that I would save her children. I promised. So I do understand. I’m the only one who understands. I’m sorry. I have no other choice.”

But he did. Joel had a– “I do,” he growled.

“Walk him out to the highway,” Marlene commanded. “Leave him there with his pack. Give him this.” Joel saw the glimmer of Ellie’s switchblade. His baby girl. “He tries anything… shoot him.”

The Fireflies nodded and nudged Joel off the floor with their guns. Joel scowled as Marlene watched him be escorted away. Each step farther away from the room, from his girls, was agony. In the dimly lit hospital hallway, Joel plotted. He was Joel fucking Miller, and he was going to get his girls back. The lights flickered, and Joel saw it. It was a sign reading “pediatric surgery: 6th floor.” The sixth floor. That’s where his girls would be.

“I didn’t hear anyone say, “Stop.” One of the Firefly men shoved Joel along.

“Which way?” Joel mumbled.

“Down the stairs.” They pushed Joel along.

As Joel stumbled down the staircase, he found his feet frozen. He refused to move any farther.

“The fuck are you doin’? Keep walking!” Joel stayed still. He waited. Marlene had only sent two men to escort him out—a mistake. Marlene should have known it would have taken much more to keep Joel away. “I said keep walk–”

Joel brought the heel of his palm into one of the men’s noses. CRACK! Blood poured out of the broken nose. The firefly tumbled to the floor, clutching his injury. Joel saw his chance and grabbed the gun. He cocked it and fired. The second man died. Shot right in the head.

“Where is she?!” Joel demanded, holding the gun to the surviving Firefly's head.

Through all the blood, the man looked up at Joel. “Fuck you.”

“I don’t have time for this.”

BANG! The Firefly fell limp. His radio blared to life.

“Shots fired. Shots fired!”

Joel frowned. They’d all be coming for him now, but he didn’t care. He had to save his girls. Marching up the stairs, Joel began his prowl. Expertly, his gun aimed and fired. The soldiers dropped like flies in the path of Joel’s protective fury.

BANG!

The sound of the gun followed Joel wherever he stalked along the halls of the hospital. Some of the people he came across fought. But like a bear in pursuit of protecting its cubs, they didn’t stand a chance. There was no such thing as mercy for Joel when these very people were out to kill his girls. He was swiftly making his way through the hospital–a trail of bodies in tow.

BANG!

And then silence. His breath stilled as the sign for pediatric surgery came into view. He scoured each room for any sign of his girls. But he found none. Still, Joel trekked. A faint light seeped from beneath a pair of doors up ahead. Quiet beeping sounds echoed louder than the shots from before.

“Do we have enough power?” Someone asked.

Joel pushed the door open with the butt of his gun.

“She’s ready,” a nurse said. Her hands hovered over Ellie.

The young teen’s hair lay long and brushed. All the grim from before had been washed from her body. She looked clean and peaceful as she lay on the surgery table.

“Unhook her,” Joel uttered. The nurses gasped at the sight of the gun, immediately raising their hands.

The surgeon, however, seethed with anger. In his hand, he held a scalpel. The blade glinted over Ellie’s scalp. “How did you get in here?”

Joel carefully watched the blade. “I said unhook her.”

No one except the surgeon made a move. The surgeon surged forward and stood between Ellie and Joel. In his hand, he defensively held the scalpel. “I won’t let you take her.”

BANG!

The surgeon dropped dead. Nurses screamed and cowered.

“Unhook her!” Joel yelled. “Move!”

Quickly, the nurses unhooked Ellie. Silently, they prayed to a god, to anyone to have mercy. The beeping monitor went silent. Blood trickled down Ellie’s arm from where the IV was placed.

“Cover her arm,” Joel commanded. “Fast.”

Within the blink of an eye, one of the nurses had covered the wound.

“Turn around.” Joel watched as the women quickly turned away. Just as fast, Joel lifted Ellie off of the table. She was cold but breathing. Her head flopped against Joel’s shoulder, and he worried. If Ellie was in this state, what about Piper? He didn’t have the arms and the strength to carry both girls out of the hospital. Joel held Ellie tighter. He’d have to do something he never wanted to do. Joel would have to get Ellie safe and then find Piper. He just prayed she’d be fine until he could rescue her.

Elevator doors closed in front of Joel. His arms ached from the unconscious weight of Ellie. He sighed, and Ellie snuggled closer to him. Soon, the silver doors slid open. Joel stepped out into the hospital’s parking garage. If the Fireflies had power, then they’d have cars. Working ones. The low rumble of a car engine drew Joel’s attention. He shuffled over to the vehicle.

CLICK!

“You can’t keep her safe forever,” Marlene taunted. Joel turned around. There stood Marlene with a gun. But it wasn’t pointed at Joel. No. It was pointed at Piper.

“Joel,” Piper sobbed in Marlene’s clutch. Relief flooded her body at the sight of Joel holding Ellie. She was alive. Her sister was alive.

“Piper…” Joel met her dark eyes. “Let her go.” He demanded.

Marlene shook her head. “No. I won’t let you take them, Joel.” Her hand pushed the barrel of the gun deeper into Piper’s head. The girl groaned from the pain.

“Let her go!” Joel yelled.

“Joel!” Piper gasped. “Take Ellie. Take her and let them have me. Save Ellie. Save her.”

Shaking his head, Joel fought back tears. No, he had made it this far. He was going to save them both. He had to save them. “No, Piper. No. I’m gettin’ you both out of here.”

“No matter how hard you try, no matter how many people you kill, they’re gonna grow up, Joel,” Marlene scoffed. “And then you’ll die. They’ll leave. Then what?” Marlene cocked her head. “How long till they’re torn apart by Infected or murdered by raiders?” Piper whimpered under Marlene’s grip. Her grasp tightened around the teen’s neck, making it hard to breathe. “Because they live in a broken world that you could have saved.”

“Maybe,” Joel agreed. “But it isn’t for you to decide.”

“Or you,” Marlene scolded. “So what would she decide, huh? ‘Cause I think Ellie’d wanna do what’s right. And you know it. It’s not too late. Even now…even after what you’ve done. We can still find a way.”

Joel gazed down at sleeping Ellie and then at Piper. They were his world. Maybe he wouldn’t be saving the world by taking them, but he’d be protecting his. It was selfish. He knew, but Joel deserved to be selfish, and so selfish he chose to be.

“Piper…” Joel muttered. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Piper whimpered.

BANG!

The world thrashed around Piper as the tight hold on her loosened. Marlene groaned. Her body was on the floor as blood flooded from her.

“Joel!” Piper screamed, running to him. Her feet tripped over her hospital gown as she ran. “Joel!” She collapsed at his side, clutching his shoulders. Sobs ransacked her body. Joel leaned his head against hers. It was the best he could offer with his hands full of Ellie.

“I got you,” Joel whispered. “I’ve got you, sweet girl.”

A guttural cough cut through their reunion. Joel’s softened face grew dark as his sight landed on Marlene. It was a pitiful scene. The woman’s hands clawed at the floor over to the discarded weapon. A trail of her blood trickled after her.

“Piper,” Joel calmly said. “Take your sister and put her in the car.” He passed Ellie’s body into Piper’s arms. Momentarily, she buckled under the weight. Regaining herself, Piper limped over to the vehicle. She braced Ellie against the doors before lifting her to lie in the back seat.

Behind, Joel stalked after Marlene.

“No, wait.” Marlene raised her hand. “Wait, wait, wait.” Joel peered down at her. “Please,” she begged. Her breaths had become pants as her body pumped more and more blood onto the concrete. “Let me go.”

“You’d just come after them.” Joel cocked his gun and aimed. “You’d come after my girls.”

꧁_____________꧂

They had left the city far behind. Now, the tall buildings were specks of dust in the wind. Piper sat with her head against the passenger window. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel. One thing was for sure: Piper didn’t feel numb. After she danced with death in the smoke of the room, she was almost butchered in; Piper found it hard to feel anything but pain. A part of her only wanted to feel pain. It made everything easier: the guilt of failing Ellie, the guilt of leaving Joel in that basement, the guilt of– Piper hissed. Her nails had dug into the skin around the scar on her thigh. Damn, these hospital gowns for being so thin.

“You okay?” Joel asked, peering over at her.

Piper removed her hand and shrugged. “I’m…” fine. It was the easiest thing to say. She’d said it before, and Joel didn't push. But was it what she wanted to say? “No.” Joel stayed quiet. She was thankful for it. As long as she continued to look out the window, maybe she could trick herself into thinking she wasn’t telling anyone these dark thoughts–that she wasn’t telling anyone the truth. “I don’t think I’ve ever been okay. Ever.”

Getting into a more comfortable position, Piper continued. “I was twelve when I first…when I first killed someone. I thought I could trust him, that he’d keep me safe, keep us safe.” Joel peeked at Ellie through the rearview mirror. “But his safety came with a price. One I couldn’t pay, so I–”

“Piper,” Joel interjected. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“But I do, Joel. I need to. Please?” Joel nodded and remained silent. “I killed him, and then FEDRA decided that if I could kill a man in self-defense, I could kill for them. So I did. That’s all I did for five years.” She stifled a sob. “I couldn’t–mess up, get sick, nothing, or else they’d leave Ellie all alone. It was my punishment. Then, one night, we ended up in the clutches of the Fireflies. They kept us chained in a room until you came along. Next thing I knew, Ellie and I were special cargo to be taken across the country.”

Piper sniffled and then chuckled. “You know when I first met you, I hated you.” She laughed again. “Funny how we ended up here, huh?” Joel gazed over at Piper. Her laughter died down, returning to sniffles. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah,” Joel replied.

“When you said,” Piper hesitated, “you weren’t afraid of death, that you welcomed it, what did you–what did it feel like?”

Joel sighed. “It felt…easy. Every day after Sarah’s death was filled with pain. It still hasn’t gone away,” Joel turned to give Piper a comforting smile. “But it has stopped hurting.”

Piper nodded, taking in Joel’s words. “When I was trapped in that building, knowing I failed Ellie, that I’d failed you-” Joel desperately wanted to tell her she hadn’t failed. She had survived. They all had. “I wanted to give up. It was easy just to lay down and breathe in the smoke till I–” She looked down at her hands. “But, I didn’t…and some part of me still wishes I did. That’s why I didn’t tell you or Ellie. It was easy to keep quiet and march like a lamb to slaughter. I wouldn’t be in pain anymore. I wouldn’t have to feel all this guilt and hate. I wouldn’t have to be a killer. I wouldn’t have to be Piper.”

A warm hand encased Piper’s shoulder. Joel’s fingers rubbed up and down in a soothing manner. “Even if some part of me wanted the easy way out, the others didn’t. I-” Piper took in a shaky breath. “Thank you, Joel. For saving me. For saving Ellie.”

Joel knew that no simple “you’re welcome” would suffice. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Piper and pulled her to his side. “Always,” he whispered. “Always.”

Pulling back, Piper wiped tears and snot away from her face. “Joel?” Her quiet voice questioned.

“Hmm?” He hummed.

“What are you gonna tell Ellie?”

Joel sighed. His hand holding the wheel tightened. “I don’t know, kid. I don’t know.”

As if on cue, Ellie groaned. Her body shifted on the back seat. Piper grew quiet and leaned back up against the window.

“What?” Ellie mumbled.

“It’s all right,” Joel cooed. “You’re with me.” Ellie pushed herself up but immediately toppled back down. “Take it slow. The drugs are still wearin’ off.”

“I was with the Fireflies, and then…,” Ellie groggily furrowed her brows. “What drugs?”

“They were runnin’ some tests on you…” Joel trailed off, finding his next words. “And some others. Turns out there’s a whole lot more like you… people that are immune. Dozens of ’em. And the doctors, they couldn’t make any of it work. They’ve actually…They’ve stopped lookin’ for a cure.” Joel heard Piper hold her breath at the lie.

“Where are my clothes?” Ellie wondered in her dazed state.

“Raiders attacked the hospital. I barely got ya outta there. We’ll find you some new ones on the way.”

Ellie laid her head back down, snuggling into the seat. “Were people hurt?”

“Yes,” Joel solemnly said.

“Is Marlene okay?”

Joel gulped. “I’m takin’ us home.” Ellie half-presently nodded before dozing off again. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to the young teen.

After Piper was sure her sister was out, she turned to Joel. “Joel?” She asked.

“You should get some rest,” Joel brushed off her inquiry. “You’ve been through a lot.”

Piper scoffed and shook her head. “I’m not tired.”

A knowing smile crept onto Joel’s face. “That’s what they all say, kid.” Piper wasn’t having it. Sighing, Joel compromised. “Just rest your eyes. It’ll be a long drive.”

“Okay…” Piper reluctantly agreed. She sniffled one last time before closing her eyes. The constant rumbling of the car’s tires rolling against the road beneath lulled her to sleep. Her breath slowed, matching the cadence of her younger sister's slow inhales. All the while, Joel drove. Strangely enough, he found himself feeling content. His girls were safe, and they were going home. Home.

꧁_____________꧂

“Well,” Joel’s hands slapped against his thighs as the car hood shut. Steam angrily fled into the air. “She got us close enough. We gotta walk the rest of the way.” He trotted to where the girls sat and leaned against the car's frame. “Probably about a five-hour hike… but we can manage that. Remember?”

“Yeah.” Ellie nodded.

Piper finished rolling up the sleeves of her shirt. Joel had found both her and Ellie new clothes. The hospital gowns weren’t the chosen attire for an apocalyptic world. “Yeah,” Piper chimed.

Joel flashed them a smile, and then they went off. Piper found herself welcoming their journey. She hated to admit that she missed trekking through nature. While driving in a car was nice, easy, and fast, it wasn’t what she was used to. Besides, Piper preferred feeling the ground beneath her own two feet.

“You know,” Joel huffed. The hike was getting to him. “Sarah and I used to hike like this all the time. I wouldn’t say it was her favorite thing. She wasn’t a fan of the mosquitoes and such. But she was a big climber… or scampering. That’s probably the right word. That girl… she’d see a big rock and just… pew.” He chuckled as a memory of his daughter appeared in his mind.

Piper nodded her head and playfully nudged Ellie. “Sounds like someone I know.” Ellie rolled her eyes.

“Sounds more like you–” Ellie countered.

“Well, you were the one who climbed up a tree and couldn’t climb down.”

“That was–”

Joel snickered at their bickering. “She woulda liked you two.” Piper and Ellie stopped arguing. “Not to say the three of you are the same.” Joel smiled as if he knew some inside joke the girls didn’t. “Definitely different kids.”

“How so?” Ellie wondered, stepping up beside Joel. Piper stood on Joel’s opposite side. Their attention was drawn to Joel.

“Well,” He began, “she was a lot more… I wanna say girly, and I’m not sayin’ that you’re not girly.”

“I’m not,” Ellie smirked. “If anything, Piper’s more girly than me.”

Piper wasn’t sure if she should take it as a compliment or an insult. However, responding to an insult was preferably much more fun. “Hey!” She feigned offence.

“Yeah, you’re not,” Joel agreed with Ellie. “She was taller. She had a killer smile. Again, not sayin’ that you two don’t.” Ellie smiled broadly at Piper and winked. Piper rolled her eyes but smiled back. Joel laughed. “But you know why I think she’d like you, Ellie?”

Ellie’s smile fell. “Why?”

“Cause you’re funny,” Joel stated. “I think you would’ve made her laugh. Anyway, I bet you would’ve liked her back.”

“Yeah, bet I would’ve,” Ellie muttered.

“And for Piper,” Joel said, not forgetting the other girl. “Sarah would love to try and make you laugh. And she’d look up to you.”

Piper paused, and a soft smile appeared on her face. “Thanks, Joel. Sarah sounds nice.”

“She was.” Joel concurred. Briefly, he looked down at the cracked watch adorning his wrist. Once he glanced up, he beamed. Ahead stood the faint outline of Jackson. Home. “Not much further now.”

Joel and Piper eagerly continued down the path. Ellie did not.

“Hey, wait.” Joel and Piper whirled around. Ellie’s eyes widened as if she didn’t expect them to respond. “Fuck,” she softly cursed. “Back in Kansas City, you asked me about the first time I killed someone.” Joel placed his hands on his hips. His ears listened as Ellie spoke. Meanwhile, Piper grew distantly quiet.

“When I got bit in the mall, I-It wasn’t just Piper and me.” Ellie looked away. Piper could see the tell Ellie tried to conceal. “My best friend was there, and she got bit, too.” Ellie sniffled. Piper felt her own eyes grow watery. Riley. Sweet Riley. “We didn’t know what to do, and she says, “We can just wait it out… be all poetic and just lose our minds together. And then she did. And I had to…” Piper wanted to draw Ellie into a hug, but she knew her sister had more to say. The comfort could always come later. “Her name was Riley… and she was the first to die. And then it was Tess. And then Sam and Henry.”

Joel shook his head. “That’s not on you.”

“I know, but…” Ellie tried to argue, but Joel continued.

“Look, sometimes things don’t work out the way we hope.” Joel peered over at Piper. He wasn’t just saying this to Ellie. It was a message for both of his girls. “You can feel like… like you’ve come to an end… and you don’t know what to do next. But if you just keep goin’… you find something new to fight for. And maybe that’s not what…”

“Swear to me,” Ellie interjected. “Swear to me that everything you said about the Fireflies is true.”

Piper looked away. She had never been more interested in her feet. Joel had an expressionless face as he answered her. “I swear.”

After a moment, Ellie spoke. “Okay.”

She had believed him. Piper let out a shaky breath and looked over at Joel. They shared a glance. Their eyes agreed to the lie. It was a necessary one. A lie that they both now concealed.

The rest of the journey to Jackson had been uneventful. Tommy had found them close to Jackson when he was on patrol. The reunion was sweet. Joel hugged his brother before breaking away, allowing Tommy to steal hugs from the girls. They hadn’t been expecting it by how brief and tight the hugs had been, but they had been welcomed embraces.

Maria smiled when they walked back into town. The streets had changed from the snow-covered, Christmas-decorated roads to colorful and lively bustling ones. People discarded their winter gear for lighter clothes. The summer sun and heat crept over the mountains, waiting to pounce. But for now, the air was at a pleasant temperature. As Maria showed them back to the house they had stayed in during their brief stay in Jackson, Piper spotted a familiar head of curls. Charlie. He amicably waved at her. By amicably, Charlie practically jumped where he stood, calling out her name. Piper flushed a deep shade of red and flipped him off. Joel laughed, and Ellie smirked. Her clever eyes darted between the two teens. She had something to tease her sister about.

The sun had begun to set as Joel, Piper, and Ellie settled back into the house. Each crawled out of their rooms after a long nap. Joel was the last to emerge. Age had made his cravings for naps extremely powerful. With a yawn, he pushed open the front door. A wave of deja vu fell over him.

There sat his girls on the porch. Ellie was teasing Piper about the boy they’d seen on the street. Piper rolled her eyes and denied everything, making it hard for Ellie to continue her interrogation. Instead, the young teen pulled out her pun book. Fingers flipped through the pages, landing on a particular joke. Piper dramatically groaned, and Joel realized he had seen this all before.

It was the dream. Joel’s dream. Here they were, his girls safe and sound with a whole life ahead of them. Joel felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body. He stood and leaned against the door frame for ages, capturing this moment in his head. The girls had been his redemption–a sinner’s redemption. Now that he had his dream, Joel was content with just living it. This was why he missed that day. This was why he stayed. He, too, deserved a second chance. They all did.

꧁_____________꧂

Thank you all again for your support. If you enjoyed this series please comment and reblog so that more people can embark on this journey with Piper, Ellie and Joel. :)

Tag list:

@angelmenace

@mimi-luvzyu

@d4rno

@lizlil

@winterschildren17

@bartokthealbinobat

@sunsumonner

@lovelyygirl8

@homeslices

@guacala

@emsownuniverse

@thetiredtoad0-0

@galacticstxrdust

@jackierose902109

@stilllivindue2spite

@cowboypascal

@opalmanic

@kitdjarin1

@auggiesolovey

@soldierheart

@opalmanic

@mattmurdocksstarlight

@elegantfacetree

@pookiesmookie69

@scoliobean

@millie-mei

@kodzuvk

@graciesbow

@cozyphine

@celsmsowb

@your-shifting-gurl

@lol6cats

@severussimp

@lainekyuu

@rannifer

@lolly145

@hayleythecannibal

@luvr4miya

@miss-celestial-being

114 notes · View notes

ameagrice · 11 months ago

Text

Genesis

chapter three

summary: you begin the journey across the country with two adults who couldn’t hate you more.

Marlene handed you over to them without hesitation. Take her, she yelled, getting away before FEDRA showed up. Get her there, Joel!

Now, Joel is a man you decide to be in his late forties, with greying hair, and a pissed-off-don’t-talk-to-me look about him. He’d looked at you with nothing but distain the second Marlene hauled off.

Here’s how it went:

“She’s immune, Tess. No—listen! I know what you’re thinking, but I’ve seen it. I’ve watched her for a week. She’s immune.” Those words meant nothing to Tess, a woman near Joel’s age, with also greying, brown hair and a piss-me-off-and-I’ll-kill-you look about her. They’re a team, this Joel and Tess. They’re going to take her across the country and hand her over to them when they arrive, them, being Marlene’s team.

“Do you have a clue what’s out there?” Joel spat, waving his gun around. Slight exaggeration—he waved it. Marlene pressed her hand against her stomach, against the blood bulging out there, breathing deeply.

“Of course I do! But, do this for me, and you can have whatever supplies you want for however long you want. I promise. You’ll have no trouble from us. We’ll help you out—the Fireflies; if you need protection, we will—”

“Yeah, alright, Marlene,” Tess scoffed. She paced the rotting hall, floorboards creaking, all the while the sound of FEDRA got closer. She stopped short and shared a look with Joel. Neither of them had spoken to you, like you were invisible, an imaginary thing they could only talk about. “What are you thinking?”

Marlene huffed. Your head turned like a ping-pong ball, this way and that, between the three adults. “Y’all talk it out, but remember I’m bleeding here!”

The pair talked amongst themselves for a few seconds, in a corner of the hall, voices hushed. Finally, just as the flashing lights arrived through the grimy windows, Tess strolled over, picking up your knife from the floor—you had unsuccessfully tried to stab Joel. Feral, he had called you, you want us to take this feral kid?

“We get all the guns we want,” she declared. “Accommodation when we need it, and food, medication. We get this kid there unharmed, and we have a deal. Agreed?”

“Yes!” Marlene snapped, rolling off her leaning stance against the wall. “Can we go before we’re hanged?”

“What?!” You shrieked. Even now, you remember the way Tess had looked at you: like you were one of the decaying infected out behind the walls. “I’m not going with them! Marlene—!” These people were strangers, and clearly thugs—trading you for guns.

Her eyes pleaded with you, weak, and walking backward to the exit. “I’ll meet you on the other side, alright? Now go!” Cops began yelling outside. “Take her! Get her there, Joel!”

Tess snatched your elbow with a strong grip, fingers digging in hard. She pulled you along, through a gap in the wall you hadn’t seen. “Get down the ladder. Move.”

“Fuckin’ Marlene,” Joel grumbled above you, climbing down after you, marshmallowed between the two adults. “ ‘S exactly what we need. Where now?”

“Back to the apartment,” Tess demands. “We’ll figure it out there.” Tess is strong of tone and sure of herself, and it’s intimidating. Joel is harsh-toned and refuses to look at you, which might be worse. Either way, you’re feeling pretty intimidated by these adults.

Town is crawling with cops, even more than usual. They’re raiding the building and the ones around it forcing people out into the thunderstorm raging overhead, even the kids. The sky is dark, plummets of rain forcing down on everyone’s heads. Tess and Joel crouch by the staircase of which you’ve emerged by, looking left and right before Joel runs across, straight into an alley opposite. He holds against the wall and peers out, before gesturing for Tess to follow. She snatches your wrist and gets to her feet, looking around as you run. Her longer strides yank you along at an impossible speed, and if she wasn’t holding on tight, you would have tripped from the get-go.

They seem to know their way easily. Up the rusty steps of a fire escape stairwell, through that door at the top and round a block of apartments, down, down, down until you’re back on the ground floor. Then it’s across another street, through barbed-wire topped alleyways, until they’re slowing, ducking into an apartment block. The hallways are covered in wilting wallpaper, and dirty hardwood. Some people are home, voices floating through their apartment doors. Tess has long since let you go, so you opt for trailing after them up the stairs to the third floor, all the way to the end of the hallway, to a door on the right. Tess unlocks the beaten door with a set of jingling keys, pushing it open.

“Get in,” she orders, so you trudge between the adults into the apartment, where the door swings shut behind you. Instantly you’re on guard.

“Hey!” You try the handle, giving the door a strong pull, to no avail—someone’s holding it on the other side. You drop your hand and press your ear to the door, trying to listen to them. All you get is muffled words—voices low.

You take the time to look around. It’s small. The wallpaper is floral and faded—not something you’d have imagined people like Tess and Joel to have in their home. A slouchy sofa sits by the window, a side table beside it and a coffee table opposite. In the adjoining kitchen are the typical, worn cupboards in nearly every facility in the Zone, a table and chairs set neatly in the middle. Curtains, a painted butterfly in the window, and a couple of pictures standing on the window ledge: Tess and a little boy. Joel and another man. None of Tess and Joel together, which you think is relatively strange.

The door open jolts you back into the living room. It’s Joel, only Joel, rubbing his forehead like he has a headache.

You hesitate before you speak. “Where’s Tess?”

Joel ignores you, sitting down on the sofa and leaning his head back.

“When are we leaving?”

“I don’t know.” Hm. Progress.

“What are we doing now?”

“Waiting.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do?”

“Figure it out.”

You huff, turning in a circle for something to do. Joel appears to fall asleep, and you wave a hand in front of his face daringly, testing a response. He doesn’t budge.

The shelf holding papers and books looks interesting. You take a slim one from the end, American Woman. At first it’s good enough—new books are always good at first. But it soon proves boring, and you dump it back where you found it. It’s still drizzling outside, and the sky is darkening with nightfall instead of thunderclouds, by the time Joel wakes and Tess returns.

“You got a coat in that pack?” She asks you, and you nod your head. “Good. It’s time to go.”

She and Joel spends a few minutes throwing things into their backpacks, things from the kitchen—rations, bottles of water, the pictures and things from the bedroom and bathroom. You can’t fit your whole life into bags, so when they’re not looking, you take some memorabilia from here, too, to remember your pit stop: the butterfly in the kitchen window, a book. Your own belongings—the small amount of things you own—are in there, too, stolen from your dormitory after Marlene’s group caught you. Your hairbrush, the water bottle from the night, your necessities. There are a couple of tees and leggings, too, and a book of your own, and finally your precious Walkman. The only things you own. Ironically, a Firefly also shoved in your grey hooded jacket, lettered in gold: FEDRA TRAINEE. Because that’s what you are. You don’t doubt they didn’t take it for what you’re training to become, though, and more for warmth. In a few weeks the temperatures will fall even further.

Tess is fumbling around in the bathroom while Joel sits waiting on the sofa, elbows on his knees, silent. He hasn’t looked at you still, and it’s grinding on your anxious nerves. You’re going beyond the walls of the Zone. This won’t be like exploring with Rudy, where your biggest threats are gangs and older men. No, out there, your biggest threat is also the source of all your confusion.

“We’re gonna be okay out there, right?” Your words cut through the silence like a knife. Joel opens his eyes, blinking at the wall next to your head. “I mean, you’ve done this before, haven’t you? So we’re gonna be okay.”

Finally, those empty eyes land on your own. He doesn’t speak for a second, just searching your face. Then he sighs through his nose slowly and nods his head. “Yeah.”

That one word is enough of a prompt to get you to your feet, abandoning the arm of the chair. Thunder cracks and rumbles in the distance; you turn your head to watch at the window.

“Alright,” Tess strolls in. “Time to go.”

You’ve shrugged on your FEDRA trainee jacket and pulled up the hood, laying on the thin black coat Marlene dug up from somewhere for you. There wasn’t much need for proper coats at the school: you never left the walls of the building unless on a guided walk by the guards, and even that was rare. The times you slipped out around the Zone were only because Rudy had the guts to go and drag you with him. In the winter, Rudy’s inquisitive nature was a curse.

Tess leads the way down the apartment block with Joel calling out questions to her, that have no real meaning to you: exit round the back or the slow way? should we drop by the South end first?

FEDRA presence is still very, very strong. They’re storming the streets, even in this awful rainstorm, their radioes blaring directions and muffled tones from the headquarters. Tess stops by the front door and turns her head this way and that before she sets off with a hand to the hood of her jacket. For a second, you watch as the rain bounces off of it like pelts, until Joel shoves you firmly in the back with a strong hand, almost winding you. You trail after Tess with a hammering heart, wishing somebody were here to save you. What would they do, really, if you approached a FEDRA officer and explained you were being smuggled across the country by two random strangers? But then, you would have to explain why you were being smuggled by two random strangers, and it wouldn’t end well.

“Keep your head down,” he mutters, jogging after you. “Follow Tess.”

It’s easier to do as he says, though everything in you is screaming to yell back. Tess is almost a blur of khaki as she zips through streets and people, until you reach a barren area full of wilting, soggy boxes. You don’t ask where you are, and don’t have much chance to, before Tess is crouching and yanking on a drain cover. She looks up to Joel, eyes falling to you, and back again.

“I’ll head down first,” she breathes, ditching the dirty cover. “Get a look at the other end. If I come back, we’re all clear, if I don’t…”

Joel nods his head, expression unclear. Is that the only look he has? He guides you to the wall and you’re pliant, while he stands at the end of the street keeping watch. You’re tempted to follow Tess anyway and avoid being stuck here with Joel any longer, but before you know it, she’s back, lifting herself out of the drain. Joel turns.

“Alright,” she nods. “Let’s go.”

It’s so dark, even with Tess’s flashlight. Joel digs around for one too, in his pack, and you travel between them in the cramped drain. It’s barely big enough to crouch for you, never mind Tess and Joel. But they manage. It smells of shit and drains and dirty water, but it’s surprisingly empty, besides the odd sprinkling of moss and weeds growing. You stop and listen every few yards, before Tess waves you onward. The irrational fear of the drain being filled with water starts to become overwhelming just as you approach the decline and the raising ceiling. It leads out to a small running river, where Joel rises to his feet and stretches his strong arms above his head. His back pops and echoes. You scrunch your nose.

Tess has moss in her tied-up hair by the time she and Joel walk off down the embankment, and you wait a second to see what happens. They don’t turn back around, talking only in hushed voices with a lot of hand movement. You blink, feeling slightly dejected. FEDRA won’t have you back, Marlene passed you off like a broken clock, and now the two people who promised to get you to wherever the Fireflies are, are just walking off without you. Maybe they think you’ll just run after them. After all, it’s dark and you’re without a flashlight in a place you’ve never been before.

And if they thought that, they’d be right.

You sprint after them, slowing by the stream, and begin to panic as their lights disappear, turning the corner. You’re blindly stepping up an incline, beginning to get nervous.

“Tess?” You try, voice echoing. You guess you’re under some sort of tunnel, or bridge. With no answer, your heart speeds up. “Tess?!”

A flashlight appears around the corner, a tall figure looking very pissed off. An annoyed Joel, waiting on you. Although Joel’s presence doesn’t exactly calm your nerves, it calms a section of them, and you scurry to him like a scared kid. Which is definitely not what you are.

“Move it,” he hisses, waving his flashlight on the path. Something twangs in your chest, and you walk with your head down past the man. When you catch up, Tess is kneeling, pulling weeds and brambles away from another tunnel. She grimaces, looking down at her hands. The tunnel looks eery and grim, and you really don’t want to go down there.

“Alright,” she sighs, turning her head to meet your slightly-anxious gaze. “It’s just through here. When we go through here, don’t make a sound. Got it? There’s a lot of FEDRA on the other side tonight. If they catch us, we’re all dead. Understand?”

You nod frantically, mutely. Better to be quiet now. She hums, and holds your gaze for a second before the pair of light eyes move away.

This tunnel is arguably better, but it’s still a tunnel. By the time you’re out, you’re breathless and breathing deep, and your back is aching. You get to your feet and brush off your knees. You’re finally outside of the Zone.

“No fuckin’ way!” You laugh. Tess shushes you, but doesn’t look angry. The three of you walk in silence, sneaking around the debris scattered here, until you turn the corner. There’s a bit of light coming from the wall by the Zone’s entrance and a car engine rumbles, but so far, there are no guards this far out.

Until Tess slams to a stop, holding her arm out to stop you, too. Joel steps back, tilting his head slightly. They share a look, some form of silent communication, and then Joel nods his head, stepping out quietly. You and Tess follow him.

“Hey—hey! Stop! Fucking stop where you are!”

You freeze on the spot, gaze falling to the guard who’s fumbling for his gun laying against the wall. Tess sighs heavily.

“Hey, come on, man, just forget we were here!”

“Forget it?” He laughs. By now he has his gun in one hand, and has brought out the scanner used to detect Cordyceps in the other. “Hands up. Get on your knees. I said get on your fucking knees!”

You shift on your feet, looking to Tess for guidance. She’s visibly angry and nervous. Her eyes meet yours, looking to Joel. “Just get on your knees. Just get down.”

The three of you kneel with your hands behind your head in a line, while the guard goes to Tess first. The scanner bleeds green light, and Tess scoffs, whipping her head around to glare at him. “Seriously, man?!”

“Yeah, seriously. We’re doing this by the book. Unauthorised exit out of a Quarantine Zone—they’ll hang you for that.”

“Look, you let us go, we’ll give you half off on the next run,” Joel bribes.

“Half off? All off. For the rest of the fucking year.”

It beeps green at Joel’s neck, and he approaches you.

“Look, you let us do this, and let’s just forget about it all.”

The scanner beeps, and you already know what the colour will be. Determined not to let Joel and Tess kill you, you turn abruptly and knock the scanner from the guard’s hand, he yells, and reach for your knife from your pocket, digging it right in his thigh. Tess shouts something furious at you, while the guard screams in painc dropping the scanner. He dives for his gun as you get to your feet, aiming for your head, retreating in sudden fear.

Joel moves in front of you. “Stop! We can talk this out!”

He’s relentless. “Move.” The light from the gun is blinding, bright and unmoving. “I said, move.” The gun clicks, and Joel doesn’t hesitate. He throws himself at the guard, the two practically wrestling. Joel gets a hit in, hard, and the guard goes down, trying to get his hands around Joel’s throat. You can hear your pulse in your ears, watching Joel’s fist go down over and over against the guard’s head, until he relents, heaving for breath with a bloody, shaking fist. The man on the ground doesn’t move.

You’re transfixed, barely able to believe what Joel has done. It’s horrifying and gross, but Joel saved your life in doing so. He’s staring at the man, catching his breath.

Movement on the ground behind you prompts you to step aside, heart plummeting to your stomach. Tess has picked up the scanner, and looks between the scarlet colour illuminating her face, to your own, an unfathomable look. She looks away, at Joel.

“Joel!” She calls, and you try to snatch it from her; she leans away, holding it out of your reach, showing Joel. He doesn’t move, doesn’t look away from the scanner showing red, a look you can’t describe.

“No,” you try. “I’m not sick! I’m not infected!”

“Joel!” She barks, kicking the man into action.

“Oh yeah?” He exclaims, taking the scanner from Tess’s outstretched hand. “Then explain this.”

“Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I’m not sick. Believe me!” You try, flaying your hands. Tess raises to her feet, and clutches her gun, raising it level with you. “I swear! Please just believe me—”

“Why should we?”

That’s when the sound of vehicles get closer, the familiar hum of FEDRA cars. Searchlights grow brighter. Tess and Joel share a look of desperation. The man reaches down and swipes you up by the strap of your backpack, pulling you along almost quicker than your feet can catch up. Tess sprints alongside, shutting off her flashlight. You’re running practically blind, with only Joel’s guiding hand on your back to lead you in the right direction.

Somewhere in the distance, an Infected screams, and behind you, FEDRA grow closer; you have no choice but to keep going, trusting Tess and Joel with your life.

115 notes · View notes

itevilhag · 2 years ago

Text

those who cling to death live...

joel miller x platonic!reader | joel miller x daughter!reader | joel miller x reader summary: a humorous but sincere talk about death. warnings: mild angst, hurt/comfort, father-daughter dynamic, mentions of death, FLUFFFFFFF. word count: 989 a/n: hiiiiiiiiiii, me again! so, this is the thing that I’ve been writing! this was supposed to be a one-shot but i’ve decide to split it into two parts, because i was feeling guilty about not posting anything yet, and i didn’t really want to keep anyone waiting, soooo here it is! hope you enjoy it! . . . "Are you afraid of-" you started to ask, breaking the comfortable silence that settled between you, Joel, who sat right next to you with his rifle in hand, and Ellie, who was curled up by the fire, out cold from the exhaustion of the long trek the three of you took today. "Of you? Yes." Joel interrupts you with a slight grumble in his voice. However, you knew that It held no bite. "Very funny, Joel. I am dying of laughter." you dramatically remarked, sarcasm dripping off your tongue heavily. He only chuckled lightly and shook his head, but gave no further words and continued on with his watch. And given that he hasn’t spoken much to either you or Ellie in the past few days after a group of raiders ambushed you, seeing him crack even the tiniest of smiles or hear a barely there chuckle from your incessant pestering or Ellie’s stupid jokes, you considered it a win. After a beat of silence, with the sounds of crickets chirping and the occasional crackle of the dying fire beside you, you asked again. "Do you know what I'm afraid of?"

Joel shot you a tired look and sighed before answering. "I don't know, what?"

"Dying," you answered quietly as your eyes focused on the fire in front of you. In your peripheral, you saw Joel visibly go rigid beside you, and It reminded you of the way Joel's demeanor would change when he heard the crack of twigs in the distance or phantom voices flowing through the air while on a trek or keeping watch at night, the need to protect his young heightening before telling you and Ellie to stay close to him and be more alert.

He slowly turned his head to look at you, and you took his silence as an encouragement to continue. "We live with death every day, but we know little about it." You thought softly, while Joel listened to you intently.

"Like, what happens when you die? Is it like sleep? If it is, how do I know I'm dead? And what happens after that? Do I go somewhere, or is it just darkness, and it's like that forever?-"

"Kid, you're not gonna die." Joel softly assured, and though you appreciate that he tried to soothe your worries, it did little to comfort you, you just had to let it out.

"I know that! But-" you turned to face Joel, exasperation flowed out of you like a raging river until there was nothing left but a defeated sigh that made its way past your lips. Your shoulders sagged as you continued. "Eventually I will…"

"And it terrifies you," Joel concluded.

"I know, It's silly," you chuckled humorlessly. "Because I see people die every day,"

The public FEDRA executions.

The Infected.

People caught within the crossfire at the QZ because of another Firefly attack.

Your mother. Your sister.

As you spoke, Joel noticed you absentmindedly touched your star shaped necklace, before your hand trailed down to your ring which had a spiraling red carnation wrapped around the band.

"And I know that at some point it'll come for me too. I shouldn't be scared of it, but then I see the fear in their eyes-"

"Please don't kill me. Please- NO!"

The words of a dying man. The man that you had to shoot to save Joel and Ellie from a raider. It wasn't your first kill, but It was the first time you saw the fear of being on the other side of the gun.

"'Can't even imagine what it feels like…to be out there helpless and alone. Just left with the fact that you're about to go and you can't do anything about it…"

It broke Joel's heart to see nothing but fear cloud your eyes as they started to glaze over the fire once more. Someone as young as you shouldn't even have to think about death so much, despite it being the world you were born in. He felt guilty for having to subject both you and Ellie to the horrors of this world, for making you do something you shouldn't have had to do to save his life.

"Hey…I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, okay?" His tone is firm, but his words are gentle. A promise that he's going to do whatever it takes to fulfill.

"You promise?" you asked, your voice quiet.

Joel, without hesitation, said. "I promise."

"Now get some sleep, kiddo. I'll take it from here." Joel told you while he stood up to adjust his grip on the rifle, probably about to scout the perimeter again.

"But, I'm taking watch with you." You lightly defended, your brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm not hearing it. Go to sleep." And grumpy old Joel was back again. And even though you wanted to fight him on it, exhaustion was catching up to you, so you let him win. Just this once.

"Fine," you muttered begrudgingly and dragged yourself to your sleeping bag that was placed closer to where the fire and Ellie were. You wiggled into your sleeping bag, trying to get comfortable when you called out to Joel without waking Ellie up.

"But, next time I'm taking full watch." you started as you smoothed down your bag and placed your pistol right next to your head.

As you settled into the night, a thought popped into your head, which made a small grin grow on your lips. "With your rifle."

You hear Joel lightly retort in the distance. "You wish."

"Oh, I will. I will wish very hard."

You heard Joel's barely there chuckle.

"Yeah, you do that."

You closed your eyes with a grin on your face as sleep started to guide you into its embrace.

Joel glances at you and Ellie from where he stands. A familiar warmth settled into his chest as he saw you two sleep peacefully.

"Goodnight, kiddo."

#joel miller #joel miller x platonic!reader #joel miller x daughter!reader #joel miller x reader #joel the last of us #joel miller father figure #ellie williams #the last of us #the last of hbo #ellie williams the last of us

797 notes · View notes

z00oo1 · 2 years ago

Text

Joel Miller Recs

Tumblr

She’s a Gun @cowgurrrl

Somebody didn’t give the new guy a heads up about talking about Joel Miller’s family

Big Fan Big Fan II @atinylittlepain

Joel is smitten. But he's having a hard time figuring out when she's being real and when she's just acting.

Feeling You @peterparkersnose

Y/N confesses something to Joel she shouldn’t have when she saw him awake for the first time in weeks after his accident

Unexpected Expecting @atinylittlepain

Joel Miller x pregnant!f!reader

From Love and Life @bubbles-for-all-of-us

you're heavily pregnant but your medical assistant is needed in a close by town.

We Bleed Together @bubbles-for-all-of-us

What if instead of loosing Sarah, Joel lost you - the mother of his two children and the person who had built him up to a better man.

If the door was open series @heartpascal

months of travelling with joel and ellie come crashing down on you, the fear is suffocating.

Something is rotten @heartpascal

arriving in jackson brings painful feelings, and even worse conversations.

All my faith @heartpascal

Joel finding a little girl after the outbreak (before Ellie),

to do the right thing @pedgeitopascal

When you find out that you’re pregnant, getting rid of it seems to be the only option you have but when it doesn't go as planned, you think of another solution.

oneshot @firsttimewriter92

Joel's time being taken up by another woman

Survive @alloftheimagines

Ellie stays back to keep an eye on Joel so reader gets kidnapped

pieces of our path @atinylittlepain

Joel request please!Reader collects keychains from the different states/places she travels

i’m yours baby @youlightmeupfinn

you can't help but feel inferior when two women throw themselves at joel upon you moving to jackson.

I never stopped loving you I never stopped loving you II @musings-of-a-rose

The disciple @floralsandthesauce

y/n and Ellie have been taken by David and his loyal company.

Man I hate Golf @j0elmill3r

Oneshot @forever-rogue

reader gets hurt protecting Ellie

Needle and thread @uhlunaro

You picked on someone twice your size, and Joel begrudgingly patches you up.

The cure @alloftheimaginess

reader swaps places with Ellie and reader is the one Joel rescues.

Your Bear Your Bear II @rrickgrrimes8

Joel Miller doesn’t just lose Sarah that night but his other daughter too

Oneshot @secondsistershelby

Healing You @astrid-sorensen

A long 12 years after Sarah’s death, Joel can’t seem to open up to you again. But you’re never gonna stop trying.

Code Red @softlyspector

Joel finds out that its the reader's turn to go on patrol. And he is not okay

Settled @softlyspector

Joel and Ellie are finally mostly settled in Jackson. Joel just wants to take care of you, but you find it hard to let some things go.

Too Late @alloftheimagines

in which joel makes the decision to stay in jackson out of fear,

Oneshot @forever-rogue

Joel teaching reader how to swim

Slice of Paradise @bubbles-for-all-of-us

Joel dream of having a farmhouse comes true.

Butterfly @bubbles-for-all-of-us

When Joel thinks that his life is over his little butterfly sends him a new reason to stay alive.

Darling Don’t You Cry @pagesfromthevoid

In an Instant @mishasminion360

Happy birthday, Joel Miller.

Clouded Judgement @bluebeary-jay

it was a long time since Joel had felt a maddening rage

Apothecary @atinylittlepain

joel becomes curious about the woman running the medicine shop

Secret Garden @hevstlouera

As you were well aware, your parents work was something you should never be involved in

White Lies @poeticbarnes

Joel would do anything for you. He does anything for you. And he makes sure you don't know a thing.

Old Soul @softlyspector

You're never quite sure of your place in Joel's life. Everyone else seems to know exactly what it is.

Don't Let Me Drown @alloftheimagines

in which the reader falls into the river of death, and it's joel's job to save you and find shelter.

No Time To Die @davosmymaster

With your life now hanging by a thread, Joel is determined to get you to safety, but the clock is ticking faster than he can run.

Don't Let Me Drown @alloftheimagines

in which the reader falls into the river of death, and it's joel's job to save you and find shelter

Old Soul @softlyspector

You're never quite sure of your place in Joel's life. Everyone else seems to know exactly what it is.

White Lies @poeticbarnes

Joel would do anything for you. He does anything for you. And he makes sure you don't know a thing.

Untitled @forever-rogue

Protective!Joel

A Long Time Coming @criminalamnesia

You go on patrol with Joel, unknowingly sealing your fate.

All Yours @punkshort

Tommy and Maria want to meet a group from another community to establish a trading relationship. One man comes onto you a little too strong, sparking a reaction from Joel.

Edge Of Darkness @hyzer34

After being placed in a tiny apartment for 5 months with a man who rarely talks. you both decide to leave the QZ.

Wattpad

Cowboy Like Me by JOELM1LLER

Till Death Do We Part by Bloodlvstflims

A husband and wife find themselves in a unique situation when a fungal virus infects the city surrounding them, where they're forced to make tough choices for the sake of living.

Ao3

Like Knives by Aerith123

Joel and Ellie come across an unlikely ally

Surrender by Ezrasbirdie

Weeks after the events in Kansas City, Joel and Ellie stumble across a woman lost in the Nebraska wilderness. With her knack for foraging and unending patience for Ellie's ceaseless questions, Daisy quickly becomes an asset on their journey.

Crack Shot by TomeOfTheForgotten

You must choose to leave behind the safety of Lincoln to bring Ellie to the terrorist group you swore you would never seek out again. It's been years since your last smuggling run, but you always were the best sniper the Fireflies ever had. With Joel at your side, you're ready for anything the open road could throw at you.

#joel miller x reader #joel miller fic #joel miller x daughter!reader #the last of us #tlou #joel miller #joel miller x oc

385 notes · View notes

j0elmill3r · 2 years ago

Text

Emotional Motion Sickness

Pairing - Joel Miller x Daughter!Reader, Ellie Williams x Miller!reader

Summary - Joel relives the worst night of his life when you are critically injured.

Warnings - Violence, blood, injuries, angst, sad Joel

Word Count - 2.5k words

Anonymous asked:

Hello! I wanted to tell you that I love your writing❣️ and by the way, I wanted to ask you for a petition for Joel miller x daughter! reader. Where his daughter is almost on her deathbed and has Deja vu with what happened with Sarah.

A/N - Okay what's going on? Why am I so motivated to write? Anyway, as always, thank you for the request, I hope you enjoy it! Feedback, likes, and reblogs are always appreciated!

Joel Miller Masterlist

You'd basically begged your dad to let you come with you, despite being 23 years old, Joel still very much babied you. You sometimes wondered if he still thought of you as the same person that you had been at the start of the apocalypse, an innocent child entirely dependent on her father - He made you think that he couldn't come to terms that you had grown up in this world, having had your entire childhood robbed from you. But if you were being totally honest, you didn't really know anything other than this world, and that's why you thought you bonded with Ellie so well, thinking of her as your younger sister - A bittersweet thought for Joel, since you were a younger sister, even though you had no older sister anymore and were now older than her, it was funny, you were now older than your older sister. He liked to think you and Sarah would share the same bond at that age that you and Ellie do now, even as adults.

You looked over to the bed Ellie lay in as you heard her giggle to herself - That stupid joke book, you thought to yourself, but hey, it was the little things in this world. She looked over at you.

"Hey, do you wanna hear a joke?" She asked you. You turned over on your other side to look at Ellie and nodded, knowing that you didn't really have a choice in the matter. "Okay, Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?" She started.

"I don't know, why did the scarecrow get a promotion?" You amused her. Ellie giggled to herself before continuing on with her joke.

"Because he was outstanding in his field," You shook your head as Ellie continued giggling. There was something oddly comforting in her jokes, they reminded you of the ones your dad used to tell you when you were little when he was trying to get a smile out of you when you were grumpy. "Your dad doesn't find my jokes funny." Ellie whined. You laughed and shook your head, laying on your back.

"To be fair, your jokes are pretty bad," You broke the devastating news to her, hearing Ellie gasp, and you smiled in amusement.

"I, am gonna go to sleep now and pretend that you didn't say that," Ellie told you. "Goodnight, traitor." She said, trying to sound as offended as she possibly could.

"Goodnight, Ellie," You told her. You tried to go to sleep but felt a settling unease in your stomach that you couldn't explain. You knew you could never shake off your gut feeling, which was why you couldn't sleep. You couldn't seem to switch off, your brain running at a mile a minute, unable to shake off the unease settling in your stomach. The day had gone too well, considering your dad's reunion with your uncle Tommy had gone to plan, there hadn't been some catastrophic fuck up at all during the day, somehow unsettling you. Then came a thud from the front door. Quietly, you crept down the hallway towards the door, your body and breath shaking with each step you took. Another thud. This time, you didn't know if it was coming from the door or your heart thumping in your chest.

Thud.

Crash.

Before you had any time to think, a runner came launching through where the door once stood on its hinges, then sprinting towards you. You screamed out for your dad before being body slammed to the ground by the runner, trying your best to fend it off and protect yourself from being bitten.

"Dad!" You screamed out, fear evidently clear in your voice. Joel woke up at your screaming, immediately reaching for his gun as he ran out of bed and to the room that you and Ellie were sharing, where the aforementioned girl lay sound asleep. Running down the stairs, Joel found you fighting for your life. Without hesitation, Joel fired two shots into the back of the runner’s head. You quickly shoved the body off of you and scrambled to your feet, running to your dad and wrapping your arms around him. Joel let out a sigh of relief as he held you.

"It's okay, look at me, Y/N," Joel demanded softly. You met your father’s worried eyes with your tear-clouded ones. "Did it bite you?" He asked you, in a serious, yet comforting tone. You shook your head in response, rubbing your eyes of tears. It went quiet for a minute, only for it to be replaced by that terrifying clicking sound. More gunshots went off. Bang. Bang. It didn't matter how many times you experienced a hoard of infected, the fallout never ceased to terrify you. Joel knew that, feeling that your breathing had become quick and shallow. "Okay, go and get Ellie, we need to get out of here, okay?" Joel had both hands on your shoulders, looking you in the eyes. This was when he remembered that you deep down, were still a scared little girl.

"Okay," You said quietly, your voice trembling as you looked out of the front door, more gunshots ringing off in the distance. You went back upstairs to wake Ellie up, giving her a gentle shake at first. "Ellie come on, we need to go," You told her. She groaned in response, turning to her other side. "Ellie, I'm being serious. There are runners everywhere." Suddenly, the girl found the energy to get out of bed, quickly jumping into her shoes and slinging her red zipper on. You both ran down the stairs and out of the house, into the open air where herds of the infected runners overtook the commune. You looked around frantically for your dad or uncle Tommy, sighing in defeat when you found neither, deciding to quickly grab Ellie's hand and make a run for one of the trucks you could both take refuge in until it blew over. However, on yours and Ellie's beeline to the row of trucks, you heard one last gunshot ring out.

You stopped dead in your tracks. Everything had gone silent, but then it all came back, the blood rushing to your ears, Ellie yelling out for your dad, your dad calling out your name. You didn't know why, had something happened? Was there something behind you? And then you realized, the blissful unawareness of the gaping hole in your stomach dissipated, and was now replaced with excruciating pain.

"Joel!" Ellie cried out, her eyes filling with tears as she watched you collapse onto your back, hyperventilating as you clutched at your bloodied stomach. "Hurry!" She cried panickily, kneeling beside you. Joel came running over, skidding onto his knees beside you.

No, no, no! Sh-sh-sh-sh, okay, you're okay. Y-You're okay, move your hand, baby. Move your hand.

Memories of your sister’s death came flooding back to him, only it was you in the exact same position, 20 years later.

"Y/N, hey, come on, it's okay, look at me," Joel said loudly over your hyperventilating. "I need to pick you up baby, you're gonna be okay," He promised you, putting his arms under you, wincing as you cried out in pain.

I know, baby, I know, I know, I know, I know! I know it hurts. All right. Don't look down, look up, look up. Come on, baby. You're okay, you're okay…

You continued crying in pain as Joel ran back to the house, carrying you in his now blood-soaked shirt. You'd gone pale, shaking as you grasped at your dad's shirt. Tommy followed in suit as you were taken back to the house that the three of you had been allowed to stay in for the night before continuing your trail to finding the fireflies. Tommy swiped everything off of the table so Joel could lay you down on it. The commune's doctor came in with a first aid kit, rushing over to you.

"I need everyone out," She said, looking at your dad, Tommy, and Ellie. Joel wanted to scream at her. No. He wouldn't leave you alone. "Now, please, or she's going to die." The three had never left a room so quickly, but for Joel, everything was going in slow motion.

"I know, I know, I know, I know, baby. I know, I know! I know this hurts. You're gonna be okay. All right… Baby, baby, baby, listen to me—I gotta get you up, okay? I gotta get you up. All right? You c'mon. You c'mon."

You grabbed his arm the same way that she did - as if it were the only thing keeping you alive at that very moment. Joel sat down on the stairs, dropping his head into his hands, leaving Tommy and Ellie clueless about what to do. Tommy knew what Joel was thinking, he still remembered the night of the outbreak, remembered holding you, only 2 years old at the time - 4 days shy of your 3rd birthday - as your sister slowly died in your father’s arms.

She continually gasped, both for air and in pain as Joel tried to pick her up.

"I know, baby! No, no. I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know! Tommy, help me!"

Tommy watched on helplessly, holding an increasingly distressed you. Although you weren't quite old enough to comprehend what was going on, you knew it wasn't good - You could hear your sister crying and gasping, but Tommy held you chest to chest, you didn't need to see what was going on.

"Joel," Tommy said tearfully, looking over at his oldest brother and oldest niece, who now lay limp in her father’s arms. Joel looked back to his oldest daughter.

"C'mon, baby girl. C'mon, baby girl, I gotta get you up. C'mon! C'mon, we'll get up! C'mon, baby girl, wake up! C'mon… come—please," Joel gave up begging, collapsing to his knees in tears. Tommy put a hand on his brother’s shoulder, and it was then that Joel realized how distressed you were. "Give her here," Joel sniffled, rubbing his eyes and nose as he held his arms out for you. He held you close as you continued sobbing.

"Daddy," You cried, clinging to your father as though he was your lifeline. He put his hand on your back, trying not to let the tears in his eyes spill over as he rubbed your back.

"It's okay baby girl, daddy's here, I've got you," He assured you, sensing your fear. "It's all gonna be okay baby girl, I promise." Joel didn't know who he was assuring, him or yourself.

The tension was thick was the commune nurse came out of the dining room, coated in a layer of your blood. She made eye contact with Joel, remorse written on her face.

Oh, no.

You had ended up staying longer in Wyoming than the three of you had hoped for, but there was no way it could have been prevented, given that you had been put on ordered bedrest for at least 3 days, but Joel had made you do 4 - Just in case, he had said. Ellie had been more clingy with you than usual, which had reminded you that despite how hardened she liked to act, that she was still only a child who had been unfortunate enough to be born into this world.

You knew the night had been traumatic for your dad, resurfacing painful memories of Sarah's death, you didn't know if your dad would have recovered if he would have lost you in the same way he had lost her. Joel sighed as he watched you limp into the kitchen, holding your stomach as you did.

"Good morning," You said quietly, hobbling over to the chair so you could sit down. Joel shook his head at you and handed you a glass of water, and your last antibiotic. "Thanks." You popped the pill into your mouth and took a swig of water, then swallowing both.

"You're supposed to be in bed," He gently scolded you. "Another day resting won't kill you." He said. You sighed and shook your head, you knew why he was being like this, he just didn't want to lose you, he had already lost so much to this apocalypse.

"Dad, I'm fine, honestly," You assured him, looking up at him as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Just still a bit sore." You said, rubbing your stomach as you moved. You had to be careful of how you moved, just in case you tore your stitches.

"Please go back to bed, baby," Joel pleaded with you. You knew he wouldn't relent in trying to get you back onto bed rest, you sighed in defeat and nodded. "Thank you, do you need me to carry you up the stairs?" He asked you. You blushed in embarrassment as you nodded - what 23-year-old still needed her dad to carry her to bed? Well, obviously you did since your large intestine had a slight tear in it. You whimpered slightly as he picked you up, and you saw the guilt immediately flood onto your dad’s face.

"'M fine," You mumbled, holding onto him as he carried you up to his bed. You didn't question it, but accepted it for you were in need of some comfort, and if sleeping in your dad’s bed gave you it, then so be it. You saw an amused smile on his face as you looked up at him, quirking a brow in confusion. “What?” "What's' Forrest Gump's password?" He asked you, a small smile on his face.

"Huh?" You asked, confused at who this Forrest Gump character was.

"1Forrest1," He finished. Then you realized - Ellie's jokebook, and how he used to tell you dad jokes when you were sad to try and cheer you up. You giggled at the joke as you looked at your dad. "You have no clue who that is, do you?" Joel asked you, laughing as you did.

"Not one at all, old man."

#joel miller x daughter!reader #joel miller hbo #joel miller x reader #joel miller #joel tlou #ellie williams #ellie williams tlou #ellie williams hbo #x daughter reader #x daughter!reader #x daughter #hbo the last of us #the last of us

2K notes · View notes