I've had this idea for awhile and I just needed to get this out so tell me what you think! I'm really surprised I never saw this plot yet!


"Tess, you took this job. Take the kid and go. I'll buy you some time." Joel pointed his gun to the door where the trio could hear soldiers running and shouting. Tess looked at Joel in bewilderment. "No fucking way, Joel. I need your help to get her to Tommy!" Joel glanced at Tess and quickly looked away, pain growing in his face. He kept his eyes fixated on the door. "Tess-"

"Holy shit," Ellie backed away from Joel. "He's infected." Tess felt her heart drop. "Joel." He didn't turn to look at them. "Joel!" He pulled aside his collar showing a bite mark that was already showing signs of purple and reds. Tess squint her eyes. "Goddamn it! Fuck!" She shouted pacing quickly.

"Tess, do this for me. Get out now. Do not let this be in vain." Joel tried to keep his voice steady but Tess could tell he was just as lost as she was. They'd known each other almost twenty fucking years. "Now you get this girl to the Fireflies. Cause this is real, Tess." The banging at the door continued and Joel pointed his gun back at the door. "Ellie, go through that room and up the stairs." Ellie hesitated. "Get a move on. Now!" Tess yelled. Ellie turned and ran towards the stairs.

She touched Joel on the shoulder. "Oops, right?" She muttered. Joel gave a half laugh and looked her in the eyes. "We're shitty people, Tess." Joel joked and kissed her on the forehead. "Back at you, Texas." Tess gave one last look at her partner and ran towards the room Ellie was in not daring to look back one more time. She made it to the room just as the front door opened. "Drop your weapon now!" She heard a soldiers voice shout. There was gunfire. Then it was silent. Tess fought back tears for the first time in awhile. She looked behind her at Ellie. This girl better be worth it.

"Shit. Tess I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this." Tess shook her head and held up a finger. "What happened in there," She pointed behind her. "We're not going to talk about it, understand?" Ellie nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Let's get out of here. Stay close to me."

The duo rushed up the stairs and around the balcony. Tess willed herself to keep her eyes forward and not look down. She wasn't going to taint the memory of her Joel like that. They moved through the Capitol as stealthily as they could even though Tess wanted to put a bullet between every single soldier's eyes.

Tess picked up a shotgun from what she assumed was a dead Firefly. "They went this way!" She heard. "Right on fucking time." She thought. "Ellie, do you know how to shoot a gun?" Ellie nodded. "Alright, here. Don't waste a single bullet. And use it for emergency." Ellie nodded again taking the revolver from her hands. "Okay, just like military school." She muttered to herself.

Tess moved from behind her cover momentarily to fire a shot into a soldier, killing him instantly. Ellie was on the other side of the hall sneaking behind a soldier. She lept onto his back and dug a pocket knife into his neck, bringing him down with only minimal noise. Tess looked impressed. "Come on, Ellie. This way." She led them down a flight of stairs until they reached a drop. "Careful. Follow my lead." Tess motioned to Ellie to jump after her.

"Tess, how are we gonna get out of here?" Ellie asked. "Stay down," Tess said looking through a doorway. "We can sneak past but I'm not sure how many there are." They snuck into a big room with about five soldiers scanning around. If they could make it out the door they'd be good.

Tess and Ellie took cover behind a shelf right across from the exit. The soldier that was closest to it was turned around. It was now or never. "Ellie, make a dash for it I'll be right behind you." Ellie briskly went through the door and took cover behind the pillar, waiting for Tess. Tess inhaled deeply and ran for the exit. Suddenly she was grabbed roughly from behind and the length of a gun was pressed to her throat cutting off her air.

"I got a Firefl-" The soldiers call was cut short by the sound of gunfire and a bullet in his head. Ellie stood at the doorway, the gun still smoking. "Oh fuck that was intense." She whispered. Tess caught her breath before grabbing Ellie's hand and running towards the subway entrance. "Don't stop moving, Ellie!" Tess shouted hearing soldiers in the tunnels. They passed an old train with soldiers on it and entered a big room. Spores thickened to air mercilessly. Tess quickly snapped on her gas mask and looked worriedly towards Ellie until she remembered, "She's already immune. No gas masks necessary."

They kept walking through the trains until they reached water. "Uh remember? I can't swim?" Ellie shouted as Tess entered the water. "Seriously? I'll figure something out. Sit tight." She looked around in the water until she spotted a wood platform. She pushed it over to Ellie. "Hop on, kid." Ellie looked skeptical. "Wait are you sure?" Tess huffed. "Ellie." She said firmly. "Okay okay. Please don't drown me." Ellie carefully skipped onto the wooden and held on for dear life.

Tess pushed Ellie towards a platform with a ladder on top. "Okay hop on up there and push the ladder down for me." Tess said pressing the wood as close to the wall as she could. "Got it." Ellie climbed up and sent the ladder down.

They walked through the tunnels and eventually met with stairs leading up. "Alright let's get out of here." Once in the fresh air Tess whipped off her gas mask and let out a few coughs. She sat on the grass to clear her head a bit. Ellie stood in front of her pacing back and forth nervously.

"Hey. About Joel? I just want to say-"

"Ellie, please just stop."

"I've lost someone I cared about too." Ellie confessed. Tess rubbed her temples. "I appreciate that Ellie but look, we're not going to bring up Joel anymore, okay? Let's keep our histories to ourselves for the most part." Tess stood up and adjusted her guns in their holsters. "Also, don't tell anybody about your situation. They'll think you're crazy or try to kill us. Most likely both. And you move when I say move. Are we clear?" Ellie looked at the ground. "Sure. Crystal." She mumbled.

"Say it back to me."

Ellie sighed haughtily. "What you say goes." Tess nodded, taking what she could get. "Okay, there a town close by. A friend of ours, Bill, he holes up over there. We need to pay him a little visit. You up for that?" Tess looked back at Ellie. "Okay."

"Alright then. Let's head to Lincoln."


I hope this chapter wasn't too rushed.