Chapter Text
"You should ask her out." Joel almost choked on his burger, eyes wide as he stared at his too confident daughter. He swallowed his food and watched her.
"Excuse me?" Sarah just grinned, leaning forward with her elbows on the table like they were sharing a secret.
"The waitress. You keep watchin' her and she does it to you. I've seen enough mushy romance movies to know how this goes. You just gotta make that move!" Joel hushed Sarah as you came over to their table with refills of their drinks. Sarah and Joel were practically regulars at the restaurant; sometimes accompanied by Tommy and you always convinced others to let you wait their table. You insisted it was because Sarah reminded you of your little sister, but in reality it was mainly because of her father. Joel Miller was a handsome man, broad shouldered and warm; and that southern accent melted your heart. At first Sarah had been shy but the more they came, the more she opened up. She made you Christmas cards and birthday cards once she learned when your birthday was - she even made you a friendship bracelet one year with hers and your initials in beads on it. She presented it with a big grin and showed you hers that matched. She always greeted you with a big smile and a hug. Joel would smile warmly, amused Sarah's best friend was a woman old enough to be her mother. It amused you too but after you learnt Joel was solo parenting, you could sort of understand why Sarah had gotten so attached to you in a sisterly way. He sometimes came alone to get take out for him and Sarah, making small talk with you while waiting for his food. You learnt his favourite movies were the cheesy Curtis and Viper ones, he played guitar and worked as a contractor with Tommy. He played it carefully with you but would sneak little tidbits of information out now and then. You would always greet him with a smile that made his chest feel funny and would sneak your staff discount onto his order. You definitely heard Sarah trying to convince her father to ask you out but pretended not to as you chatted with her about an album she'd recommended to you the week before. You could feel Joel's eyes on you and you eventually turned to him and gave him one of those heart stopping smiles that made his brain turn to mush. Once you left them, Sarah turned to Joel again with a pointed look.
"See!! You get that gross look on your face whenever she smiles at you. C'mon dad, how am I supposed to start datin' if you don't date!" She whined, Joel frowning a little.
"You wanna start datin'?" Now it was Sarah's turn to blush and change the topic quickly. Joel laughed, a rich sound that you heard from your place cleaning a table nearby.
An hour before the end of your early shift a week later, Sarah came in with a look of determination on her face. You put the cloth down you'd been using and headed over.
"Hey Sarah, you okay?" She blinked up at you and a grin pulled instantly over her lips.
"Yes! I was lookin' for you!! You said before that you bake, right?" You laughed a little, surprised by the sudden question.
"Sometimes, yeah. Not to brag but my friends say my raspberry filled cupcakes are the best." Sarah clapped her hands together.
"It's my dad's birthday next week, do…you think you could make him a cupcake? Since I know he'll forget to get a cake." You tilted your head slightly, watching the young girl before you nodded.
"I don't see why not. I'll make one for each of you." Sarah nodded, rummaging in her backpack for her schoolbook. She scribbled down the date and her phone number in case you needed her.
"I'll come by after school on his birthday and pick them up if that's okay? I'll pay you with my allowance." You waved one hand.
"Oh come on, I'm not going to charge you! I enjoy baking and why not for my best friend!" You grinned at her, Sarah gasped and thanked you repeatedly before wrapping you in a tight hug. She darted out of the restaurant when Tommy pulled up outside to pick her up, apparently in on the plan. You just shook your head and got back to work, planning out how you'd make them the best damn cupcakes you'd ever made in your life.
—
Letting himself in the house a little after eight, Joel felt exhaustion pulling at his bones. He could smell the pizza Sarah had ordered for them as he kicked his boots off and padded through to the living room where his daughter sat. Two large pizzas on the coffee table and a giant bottle of cola.
"You're gonna make me fat kiddo." He teased as he eased himself down to sit beside her, leaning to kiss the top of her head. Sarah just waved one hand.
"Sometimes we just gotta indulge in the nice stuff!" She grinned, picking up a slice of pizza and taking a bite as she sank comfortably beside him, watching the tv as they ate. She eyed her dad quietly for a moment between slices of pizza before making a comment.
"I mean… if you're worried about your weight then you won't want the super special dessert I got for you." Joel perked one eyebrow.
"Now where'd you get money for all this?" Sarah just grinned, rolling a shoulder. Tommy had funded this little experiment; wanting to help encourage his brother to grow a pair and ask out the waitress he constantly swooned over.
"I got myself a high payin' fancy job. But it's super top secret so I can't tell you what it is." She glanced at Joel and grinned, Joel just nodding.
"Oh good. The mortgage can go in your name now then."
"Nah they'd know I told you and I can't risk that." She nodded solemnly, pausing for dramatic effect before sighing and eating some more pizza. Joel laughed, he loved his daughters insane imagination and made a mental note to thank Tommy for giving her pizza money.
Once the pizza was done, Joel gathered up any leftovers and took them through to the kitchen. Joel placed the slices into a container then turned to open the fridge. There on the shelf at eye level sat a little white box. Curious, he opened it and inside sat two cupcakes with a decent amount of frosting, and a small card. He opened the envelope and couldn't help the little smile that worked over his lips.
Happy birthday Joel! I hope you like raspberry cupcakes~
Beneath that was a phone number written neatly beside your name along with the line "You miss 100% of the shots you don't have take." Joel read it over a few times before he headed back to the living room; cakes in one hand and card in the other.
"Somethin' tells me you had a lot to do with this. My birthday ain't till for another three weeks." Sarah just gave a pretend snore in answer, Joel snorting softly as he moved in to sit down. "Well damn, I guess I better eat both of these then." Immediately Sarah sprung back to life, holding out her hand for the cake. "Explain yourself missy." Sarah huffed a little, watching her dad.
"I just… want you to be happy, dad. I see how you two are around each other, it's like a romance movie. I ain't ever seen you smile the way you do at her. So I accidentally gave her the wrong date for your birthday so that maybe, just maybe, you'd take initiative and just go for it."
"I am happy baby, I have you." Sarah groaned and pushed at his knee with her foot.
"Gross. But, you need more. I know being a single dad is kinda your jam but, think how nice it would be for you to be able to date and be happy and be loved how you deserve." Joel tilted his head a little, watching Sarah.
"Now when did you learn to talk so much like an adult?" He offered over her cupcake, quietly taking a bite of his own as Sarah watched him.
"I really like her dad. I think she would make you happy." Sarah pressed again, Joel glancing at her before he nodded a little.
"I'll call her tomorrow." Sarah grinned excitedly, putting her cupcake aside in favour of wrapping her arms around Joel's neck in a tight hug.
"I was almost about to Parent Trap you, but Uncle Tommy insisted this was better."
—
You never used to keep your phone close by but after your little card to Joel, you couldn't help but keep checking it in case he called. Maybe Sarah was wrong and he wasn't wanting to ask you out despite her insistence when they thought you couldn't hear. Maybe you'd ruined your relationship with one of the best customers by taking such a blind leap. You chewed your lower lip as you peeked into your apron pocket for the millionth time to see if there was anything on your little phone. A few days passed and you figured maybe he wasn't going to call, you felt a little disheartened but decided to not let it ruin your week. You said goodbye to your colleagues and headed out after your shift had finished, nuzzling your face into your hoodie with a muffled yawn. You were just turning to head towards the bus stop when you heard your name called, you looked up - expecting to see a coworker holding something you'd forgotten - but there in his usual khaki tshirt and dark jeans stood Joel. A hand raised in a wave and you had to stop yourself swoon as your eyes watched the muscles in his arm shift. You smiled, suddenly nervous as you turned to head back to him.
"Hey stranger, did you have a good birthday?" Joel presses his lips together before he gave a little smile.
"While your cupcakes were incredible, I gotta come clean. Sarah gave you the wrong date on purpose. My birthday is in a couple of weeks. But she has some romance movie script in her head for us." You felt your cheeks flush, Sarah wasn't the only one. You'd wondered many what if scenarios before, how it would feel to have those dark eyes looking at you so fondly, or what his hugs were like, or if his stubble would tickle when he kissed you. You nodded a little, shifting your weight awkwardly on your feet.
"She's so funny." You said softly, fiddling with your backpack strap. Two thirty-something year olds acting like thirteen as neither dared speak up first.
"Her next plan was somethin' to do with Parent Trap." Joel smiled, a sight you'd commit to memory forever. You chuckled, nodding a little.
"Well, I'm glad you liked the cupcakes Joel." You replied, feeling a little silly for your sudden moment of bravery when writing his card. You smiled and turned to head and see if you could still make the bus when his voice reached your ears again.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." It seemed strange to hear his voice repeat your words as you froze mid-step and turned to face him.
"I'm sorry?" Joel rubbed a hand awkwardly over the back of his neck.
"That's what you said in that card. And the more I thought about it, the more it just made solid sense. I was gonna call but I couldn't risk chickenin' out once you answer." He glanced up at you from under his lashes, a soft look that made you weak at the knees. "So I figured I'd offer a ride home and maybe suggest a walk or somethin'." You smiled, your heart skipping in your chest as you nodded.
"I'd like that." Joel exhaled when you agreed, just as nervous as you felt. He offered his arm and you looped yours through his with a shy smile on your face. He was so warm and smelt good. The walk to his truck was relatively quiet other than some small talk. He even held the door open like a gentleman, making you smile and curtsey before getting into the vehicle.
"So I thought maybe we could head to Lake Travis? Sarah's at school till four then she's going to see our neighbours for a few hours… unless you just wanna go home?" You glanced up at him, was this the first date? Unplanned and a surprise after an early shift. He still wanted to go even if you looked tired, luckily you always got changed at work so you weren't in uniform at least. You eyed him for a moment before you smiled warmly.
"I'd like that. Maybe we can stop by Starbucks and have a coffee and cake?" Joel smiled back at you, butterflies stirring up a storm in your stomach at how it lit up his face. He agreed and headed off in the direction of the lake.
It was a quiet drive, only forty minutes or so, made longer by the Starbucks break and playful argument over Joel paying for both of you. You eventually gave in and vowed to hide $10 somewhere in his truck. You parked up in a spot with a good view of the lake and the two of you climbed into the back of the truck where Joel laid out a blanket to sit on. You smiled softly, it was so simple but so wonderful. You sat there for a good few hours just talking. Learning more about each other and it just made your crush on this gorgeous man all the more stronger.
"Sarah's great, a little too grown up for her age but she's got a good head on her shoulders." Joel smiled softly as he finished his drink then paused, glancing at you. "I've done nothin' but talk about Sarah haven't I?" You chuckled, placing a hand lightly on his arm.
"It's lovely, it shows how much you adore your daughter. She is pretty incredible." You nodded, Joel smiling warmly.
"I know but… you shouldn't really spend hours talkin' about your kid on a date." He wrinkled his nose a little and you paused at the word, a smile slowly spreading over your lips as you glanced down at your cup.
"This is a date?" Joel paused, realising finally what word he'd used before he glanced at you.
"Ah… it was bold of me to assume… I never even asked. I ain't dated since Sarah's mom. Fuck I'm sorry." You chuckled and looked up at him, leaning to press a soft kiss to his cheek.
"No, I like it. Assume away. This is definitely the best kind of first date, relaxed and fun." You nodded, Joel's cheeks flushing slightly at the kiss as you settled beside him again.
"I figure a traditional dinner date might not be your thing since that's what you work around all day, every day. And I had no idea what movies you like so… I figure a drive out to the lake wasn't too far and it's a nice view." You nodded in agreement, looking up at him with a playful grin.
"Yeah, it is." He glanced at you, a little confused before he realised you were openly flirting and he suddenly felt shy. But bold enough to eventually slide an arm around your shoulders and cuddle you against his side when it dropped a little cooler. You could hear his heart beneath your ear as you settled comfortably, it just felt right. That this was exactly where you were supposed to be. The conversation flowed a little more naturally after that, the two of you talking about anything and everything for hours until Joel's phone buzzed and Sarah was calling to make sure he was actually coming home. He apologised and helped you out of the truck bed, riding home you couldn't help the smile on your face. Stealing glances over at Joel, the way the lights bounced off his features and highlighted his skin. You couldn't believe out of everyone, you were the lucky one spending time with this man. He dropped you at home, the truck idling as you gathered your things.
"I had a lot of fun tonight Joel." You said softly as you watched him. Joel smiled, taking your hand in his own and lifting it to gently brush a kiss to your knuckles.
"If you're interested, I'd like to pick you up next week and take you out again? I'll text you what days I'm free." You blushed and nodded.
"I'd love that." Joel smiled, squeezing your hand gently before letting you go. You climbed out of the truck and watched him drive away until the taillights disappeared. You let out an excited squeal and finally headed inside, your head full of Joel and what possibilities the future held.
—
Unfortunately your shifts didn't align with his the following week, but you managed to squeeze in a couple of quick coffee dates together. Sitting in overcrowded cafes for an hour or less, just talking and eventually his fingers would find yours across the table. He was everything you dreamed of, he was caring but cautious. He explained what had happened with Sarah's mother and how that had put him off of dating until you. You shared your own tales of unrequited love and failed dating attempts. His thumb gently ran along yours as you exchanged stories, lamenting at how people were stupid.
"Yeah but… for their stupidness, I got you to myself." You said softly, your bravery getting the better of you. Joel watched you and smiled tenderly, lifting your hands to kiss your knuckles as he did every time you met up. Always the gentlemen, patient and content to take it slow. As you walked out of the cafe with him, Joel checked his phone for a moment.
"It's my birthday on Friday. If you want, you're welcome to come over and join Sarah and me for cake?" You blinked, watching him. If he was inviting you over for his birthday then he must be serious about you. You nodded and smiled.
"I'd like that. I'll bring more cupcakes." Joel smiled fondly at you as he ran his thumb along your knuckles.
"Perfect. I'll see you Friday then." You nodded, your gazes lingering on each other before you let his hand slip from yours. He smiled, then surprised you with a soft kiss to your cheek before he turned to climb into his truck.
Sadly he had to raincheck when there were issues on the job and he wouldn't be home till much later than planned. You text him back a sad emoji but said you understood; maybe you could take him for a belated birthday breakfast on Saturday instead. He agreed to that and said he couldn't wait to see you again. You smiled softly and headed off to your bedroom to put his gift back in the closet until tomorrow.
—
Of course tomorrow never came. You barely remember much of that night anymore, Austin in flames and people panicking. Those things attacking at random and spread more panic. You tried calling Joel a few times, terrified to be alone but the phone lines were down almost instantly. You packed as much as you could carry into an old boyfriends camping backpack and headed out of your apartment. No idea where to go but you couldn't stay here anymore. You thought you caught sight of Joel running past you with Sarah in his arms, but as you turned to call out to him, he was gone. Scared and alone, you decided you'd try to head out of town and try to make it as far away as possible.
That was twenty years ago now, those little dates with Joel were a thing of the past. Austin was a no-go and you found yourself in Kansas City after crossing paths with a man named Henry and his brother, Sam. They were scared and alone, Sam barely five. As you settled into life in Kansas, Sam taught you sign language while you taught him the joy of comics and enjoying the little things. Henry only trusted you to babysit Sam if he had to go out for work. Kathleen never gave a damn about anyone except her own mission in life.
Henry woke you up in the middle of the night, climbing in through your bedroom window. You sat up, staring at him.
"Jesus Christ Henry, you can't do that! I have a gun on the nightstand." The boy stood there, fear his eyes and blood on his shirt. "Henry…what happened?" Henry swallowed and looked down at his hands.
"I had to… Fedra had the chemo drug to save Sam but they needed something from me. Brian." He muttered, his eyes wild as he watched you. You took him gently by the hands and lead him into the bathroom to help clean him up.
"I would have done the same thing if it were my sister." You said softly, making sure he was clean and uninjured before you took him through to your spare room where Sam's hospital bed was set up. Henry quickly snapped into big brother mode and gave Sam the drugs, reading the poorly printed instructions and hoping it'll help. You helped them as best you could while Kathleen prowled the streets like a bloodthirsty demon, demanding anyone give up Henry and Sam. You found a doctor who could help Sam while hiding them, considering Kathleen was starting to eye you as well. You packed them both a bunch of food and promised to keep Kathleen off their tracks as long as possible.
You didn't know how much time had passed, but somehow Kathleen still trusted and never suspected you. You were careful and never told anyone a thing. You felt your blood run cold when your radio crackled to life and she said Henry had killed again and was on the move. You sighed heavily and followed her to the attic you knew they were hiding in, silently relieved when they were gone. Kathleen was angry, she almost sent you flying down the stairs as she barged past to continue looking for them. People were dying and suddenly everyone realised someone else was here too, and they didn't know a thing that was going on. Kathleen heard whispers through the radios about sightings of Henry and Sam. She gathered everyone together and headed towards the suburbs on the edge of town, the only way out. You headed out early, wanting to catch a headstart and warn Henry. You were quick and light on your feet as you moved through the streets, scanning for any sign of them - or Kathleen. You caught a glint from a window and knew it was one of Kathleen's snipers camping out, an older man named George. You let yourself into the house, walking up the stairs and placing a hand on the old mans shoulder.
"Jesus I coulda shot you. What you doing here?" You sighed, pretending to be as wound up as everyone else.
"I heard Henry and Sam were headed this way with two others. I'm gonna set up my rifle next door but I wanted to see how you're doing after that scuffle the other day." The old man shrugged, tapping his bad leg with the butt of his gun.
"It's just a bruise, looked worse than it is. You're a good woman, thank you for checking in." You nodded and smiled, squeezing his shoulder again as you shouldered your rifle to head out. You heard the man mutter under his breath about a damn distraction before firing. You spun around and heard voices from outside. Two male and one young female. You knew Henrys voice like the back of your hand but before you could react, the radio had been called. You cursed under your breath and moved into the next bedroom, hoping you could get their attention or try to help them get away. Using the sight on the gun, you searched for Henry on the street, catching a blur of a man heading towards the house you're in; you moved back to where he'd come from and finally saw them. Henry and Sam, plus a girl. They looked pretty much unharmed from what you could see, you were trying to figure out how to warn them when you heard the stairs creaking behind you as George shot again. You held your breath and slid down into the shadows as the figure of a man appeared and headed into the room next to yours. He spoke softly with George, you strained to hear what was said but a gunshot made you jump. You fell backwards and smacked your head against the windowsill; you cursed under your breath then slapped a hand over your mouth as the footsteps suddenly turned to you. The muzzle of a gun entered the room first, followed by it's owner. Dark eyes scanned the room before landing on you, you squinted a little in the dim light and raised your gun; aimed perfectly at his throat. His gun slowly lowered as you finally see each other.
"No fucking way." You breathe, Joel Miller stared at you in bewilderment before a noise from the other room pulled his attention away. It was George's radio, Kathleen was asking for information and Joel ran back through. You pushed yourself up, rubbing a hand over the back of your head as you turned to look out of the window as you see Kathleen and her brainwashed army tracking down Henry and the kids. You couldn't hear them properly but before you could even try to figure anything out, the ground behind them collapsed and opened up, hundreds of infected clamouring out and making quick work of everyone on the floor. You cursed under your breath and steadied yourself before starting to pick some of them off; doing your best to keep Henry and Sam safe between shooting any that may stray towards the house. Pops from the next room told you Joel was doing the same. You held your breath as you watched Henry and Sam clamour underneath a car for safety, you shot a few infected that approached them before turning your attention to the main horde. Fear ran up your spine at the sight of the huge bloated mass literally ripping people apart like paper. You'd heard rumours of such a monster but just assumed it was urban legend. You fired at it a few times before figuring it was a waste of ammo and turned your attention back to Henry and Sam, watching as the young girl made a bee-line for them and dragged them out from their spot before all three bolted for the house. You heard Joel approach your room again, lingering in the doorway for a split second before nodding his head towards the stairs in a silent request to come with him. You dropped the rifle and pulled the glock from your hip holster before following him closely.
Once outside, he called to the trio and gestured for them to come this way. Sams eyes went wide as he saw you, a moment of childish joy at a familiar face as he ran past you towards the backyard. Kathleen seemingly appeared from nowhere, yelling at Henry. Everyone saw the infected child creeping up behind her but no one made a move to alert her or stop it. Even as it pounced and dragged her to the floor. Joel glanced at you before turning to follow the others. You stepped closer, aimed then fired two shots. One at the infected and one at Kathleen. She as a nightmare alive, you couldn't stomach facing her as one of those things. You holstered your gun and sprinted after the group.
"This way!" You called out, leading them out through the gate at the back of the garden that would be their final break for freedom.
Once out of the cul-de-sac and into relative safety, Sam wrapped his arms around you and hugged you so tightly you could have sworn he'd leave an imprint of his face on your stomach. You smiled warmly at the boy, signing to him that you told him you'd see him again. He smiled and adjusted his bag before running off to catch up with the girl. You turned to face Henry, trapping him in a hug as well.
"That could have gone so wrong…" He muttered, walking beside you as Joel walked behind as look out. You nodded, pushing your hands into your jacket pockets.
"I know but I knew you'd make it. I stuck close to Kathleen so I always knew any info she did on you. When I heard you were headed this way, I knew I had to do something. There's a motel about two miles down this road, I cleared it last month as a precaution." Henry nodded.
"Thank you." He said softly, glancing over his shoulder at Joel before everyone walked in relative silence, the only words were directions that you gave.
At the motel, you led the way to the one room you knew was still habitable. Digging out a pack you'd stashed behind a broken vending machine that had a little food in it and some bottles of water. In the room, you shared them out.
"It's not much but it'll do till morning." You nodded, handing Joel a bottle. He watched you quietly before taking it, the girl throwing a curious glance at the man given he barely took his eyes off of you. Once everyone had eaten a little, the kids went into the bedroom to read comics while the three of you sat in the living room.
"So how'd you two know each other?" You asked, glancing between Joel and Henry. Joel shrugged a shoulder.
"I woke up yesterday to Sam holding a gun in my face." He muttered, Henry rolling his eyes as you stared at him.
"Unloaded. We just… had to be sure they weren't with Kathleen. Joel really didn't want to go together but Ellie and Sam helped convince him otherwise." Henry smiled softly, his gaze wandering to the two in the bedroom. The three of you talked quietly for a bit, Henry getting up eventually to tell Sam it was time to sleep. Once the bedroom door closed, Henry took his place in one of the chairs. Joel caught your eye and inclined his head towards the front door.
"Hey Henry, we're just going to step out for a moment. You'll be okay?" Henry nodded, sinking comfortably into his seat.
"I'll probably be asleep before you get back anyway." He mumbled, folding his arms over his chest as he gave in to the tiredness. You smiled, squeezing his shoulder as you passed him and moved to the door where Joel waited.
Outside the room, the two of you stood silently for a brief moment before Joel surprised you by wrapping you up in the tightest hug. You held him close, all those old memories and feelings bubbling to the surface.
"I can't believe of all the people I run into, it's you." He said softly as he finally stepped back. He looked older and tired but he still looked as handsome as the last time you'd seen it.
"Me either. I often wondered what happened to you." You replied, your eyes never leaving his face. "The grey suits you." You smiled, lifting a hand to gently brush your fingers through his mess of curls. The two of you fell quiet after a moment, leaning against the railings of the balcony walkway.
"Where's Sarah? And Tommy?" You asked, Joel's jaw tensing slightly as his eyes fell to his hands on the metal.
"Tommy's somewhere in Wyoming. That's where we're headed next." He nodded, taking a steady breath. "I lost Sarah." You felt your heart ache, for both Joel and the loss of Sarah.
"Oh Joel… I'm so sorry." You said, placing a hand against his forearm. He watched your fingers against his skin before his gaze moved to the parking lot below.
"Sometimes I feel selfishly glad she didn't have to see the shitstorm the world turned into. But mostly I just miss her." You nodded a little in understanding.
"When did it happen?" Joel shifted his weight on his feet, moving to stand up properly and stretch his back.
"Outbreak day. We were tryin' to escape Austin. The car flipped and we had to move on foot. I was carryin' her cause she hurt her ankle in the crash and some fuckin' powertrip soldier shot at us. She died in my arms." He muttered, flexing his fingers a little. You nodded a little, you'd seen it before. Fedra were scum and it only took a soldier on a bad day to ruin people's lives.
"I'm so sorry Joel. I can't imagine how that must feel." He exhaled slowly and nodded, folding his arms loosely over his chest.
"I can't believe of all people I find you though." He muttered, glancing at you as you resumed leaning against the railings.
"Me either. I thought I saw you on outbreak day but… everything was so chaotic and loud that I didn't think to call out. I…did what I could to survive. Kept moving then I ended up here. Kathleen took me in, I befriended a few people like Henry and Sam. But over the years… Kathleen changed and she became more of a dictator. When her brother was killed she just lost it… I did what I could to help them without her knowing but it was so risky. But I wasn't about to let them get killed. They're good boys." You nodded, leaning to rest your chin against your forearms as you watched the horizon. Joel hummed quietly, glancing back at the door before facing you again.
"That uh, that girl in there. That's Ellie. She's… she's immune." You blinked, staring at him.
"Joel… what? How?" He shrugged, rubbing his palm against his jaw .
"I don't know how it works. I've seen it with my own eyes. She got bit and nothin', it healed like it was just a papercut. I'm takin' her to Wyoming to try and find Tommy. Then off to the Fireflies hospital cause they say they can make a cure from her." He paused a moment, watching you as you tried to work it all out and if he was just following a lie. "You're welcome to come with us?" You lifted your head to look at him, studying his face before nodding.
"I'd like that. The five of us would make a good team." You smiled a little, muffling a yawn into your shoulder before standing up straight. Joel nodded, glancing around then shifted his gaze back to you. Quiet fell and the two of you just watched each other for a moment.
"I missed you." You said softly, your eyes on the broken watch around Joel's wrist. He was quiet, you worried if it was too bold to say so soon. But instead he just reached out a hand to pull you close, his arms wrapped tightly around your shoulders as he rest his chin against the top of your head. You sighed quietly and nuzzled into him, snaking your arms underneath his jacket to feel his warmth against you. You could hear his heart beating and the way his muscles shifted as he breathed, it instantly took you back to that evening by the lake. He was real and alive. Your eyes closed as you breathed him in, savouring this moment in the back of your mind.
"I missed you too." He eventually replied, his voice soft as you leaned back to look up at him. He looked even more guarded than he had when you first met, you wondered what he'd had to deal with to survive this long.
"C'mon. We got a long way to go tomorrow." You hummed in agreement and followed him back into the room. Henry was already asleep, his chin resting against his chest as he snored softly. Joel handed you Ellie's sleeping bag before getting himself comfortable on the floor with his own bag. You smiled softly and spread it out to sleep on before draping your jacket over yourself as a makeshift blanket. In the darkness of the room, your gaze slowly drifted to Joel and found warm comfort in his relaxed face as he slowly drifted off to sleep.
—
Morning came too quickly and with a loud yell as Ellie came tumbling out of the bedroom with Sam on top of her, snarling and gnashing his teeth. Everyone woke up with a start as Ellie yelled for Joel for help, you sprang to your feet with your eyes wide as Joel went for his gun. Sam had turned. Fear rooted you to the spot as you watched, Henry firing off a shot and yelling at Joel didn't even pull your eyes away from the kids as you quickly grabbed your own pistol from the table behind you. Before you could react, Henry fired. Sam fell off of Ellie and lay still. The silence in the room was thick as Henry stared at the body of his brother, wide scared eyes moved from Sam to everyone else in the room.
"What did I do?" He gasped, breathing heavily as Joel edged closer and gently tried to coax him to hand the gun over. Henry's eyes moved to you, filled with pain and sadness as he lifted the gun to his own head. You jumped and tried to cover Ellie's eyes out of instinct as the shot rang out. Ellie whimpered, fists tight on your shirt as she stared at the chaos in the room as Henry slumped to the floor.
No one said a word as you and Joel set about wrapping them both up in the sheets off the beds, Ellie gathering everyone's belongings together. You took a private moment in the bathroom to sob into a towel, in less than twenty four hours you'd been reunited with Joel but lost two friends. No one commented on the obvious wetness of your cheeks or redness of your eyes as you headed out, carefully taking Henry and Sam to the two graves Joel had dug. Still no one spoke, just worked silently to bury the brothers. You watched as Ellie placed Sam's board on his grave with 'I'm sorry' written on it. She quietly asked which way they were going and Joel nodded with his head, Ellie slowly heading off that way. You stood beside Joel, staring at the two mounds of dirt as you brushed the dirt off your jeans.
"You okay?" Joel asked softly, you glanced at him resisting the urge to bite that it was a stupid question and instead just shrugged. He nodded, not pushing anymore as Ellie called out to you both. You grabbed your bags and headed out after her, everyone lost in their own private thoughts for a while.
It wasn't until you stopped for a break that the silence was broken.
"Did you tell her?" Ellie asked, her eyes flicking from Joel to you then back again. Joel nodded and Ellie sighed softly. "And we can trust her? Just because she got us out of the city?" Joel frowned a little, swallowing his food.
"I knew her back in Texas. I've known her for a while. We can trust her." He mumbled, Ellie eyeing you a little before she leaned back against the tree she sat under.
"I know trust is hard to come by around here, but you have my word that you can trust me. Or at least I hope I can earn your trust." Ellie pursed her lips a little before twisting around and digging in her bag for a moment, you and Joel exchanging curious glances as she eventually turned back around. She was quiet for a brief moment before she fixed you with a serious look.
"I once heard a joke about amnesia... But I forget how it goes." You stared at her for a moment, noticing the muscles in her face twitch as she tried to not smile. Only to lose that battle when you burst out laughing, Ellie grinning as Joel rolled his eyes and shoved his thermos back into his bag.
"I swear, you're just pickin' the worst ones out now."
"She laughed!! Fuck you I'm funny." She puffed her chest up, proud someone finally laughed at the stupid puns she spent hours trying to memorise.
—
Travelling was tiring and slowly getting colder, but Ellie would keep asking random questions or poke at Joel for information. Eventually turning to ask you things when he kept up his apparent normal scowling silence.
"Was he this grumpy when you knew him in Texas?" She whispered to you during a break when Joel wandered off to check the area. You chuckled and shook your head.
"If he was, I never saw it. He was quiet like this but… he smiled a lot and when he did talk, he would get really passionate about certain things." You nodded, glancing at Ellie as she tried to picture it.
"How did you know him?" You debated it for a second before giving a half truth.
"I was a waitress at a restaurant he used to come to a lot. When you have regulars, you tend to get to know them to a degree. Joel and I were… pretty close." You smiled softly, thinking back to your little coffee dates. It seemed like a dream now. Ellie narrowed her eyes for a moment before pulling a face.
"Ew. You like him." You blinked and looked at her, opening your mouth to retaliate when the crunch of snow behind you signalled Joel's return.
"What?" He said, both you and Ellie watching him before Ellie shrugged and carried on along the road.
"Just seeing if she'll answer my questions since you don't like to talk." She commented, you just smiled at Joel and shrugged a little. Joel shook his head and followed the girl. This Joel was quieter, he barely smiled and you never heard him laugh. The new world changed him, losing his daughter no doubt did the most to do that. But behind the walls he'd built up around himself, you knew old Joel was still in there. You could see it in the way he quietly looked after Ellie, the way he would put himself in front of you both, the way you would sometimes catch him watching you. Something in his eyes sometimes would have you wondering if he still had the same feelings towards you but was too scarred from years of loss to pick that thread up again. You promised yourself you wouldn't make things awkward by bringing it up. Ellie slowly warmed up to you, telling her puns when things were quiet for too long or asking you about things she'd never seen or experienced, or her favourite topic was poking fun at Joel and what she dubbed his "asshole voice".