The stroke of his hand ran along the red, blotchy bruise on Tess's face. Resentment towards Robert had still plagued Joel's mood. As eager as he was to go track down that son of a bitch now, Tess insisted that they wait for a few hours, knowing that Robert would probably expect their arrival any sooner. Tess's eyes fluttered open as Joel rose to his feet, scooping up his pack.
"Hey, I thought you were picking up our shipment from Bill," Joel heard behind him as he reached the threshold of the bedroom. Turning his head slightly, he responded.
"I was-I mean, I am." He proceeded to slip through the open threshold.
"Hold it, Texas. What's going on with you?" Joel paused. He turned to face Tess, who sat up in the bed.
"I-" The sight of her tired eyes stopped his speech entirely for a moment. "Just forget it."
"Joel." He took a deep breath.
"I just wish I had been there with you. When them guys jumped you...Could've prevented that," he said, gesturing towards her cheek. Tess took rather well to his occassional soft side.
"Joel, we both get cuts and bruises all the time." She stood up on her feet. "Why so concerned all of a sudden?" The woman could tell that Joel was itching to say something.
"It shouldn't have to be like this." His eyes dodged her dazed look.
"What are you talking about?" Joel made his frustration clear with a sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"There must be another way-"
"Joel, we have been over this. We don't have much of a choice in this world. It is what it is." Joel remained silent. First, this collapsed world had taken Sarah from him, and now he was supposed to watch the companion he had become so close to risk death every single day? "The best we can do is just do what it takes to survive." Joel's eyes caught hers.
"By risking our necks every damn day?"
"That's all we can do."
"No...I will not accept that the only way of surviving is by watching you get beat and nearly killed over a few pills." Tess stepped toward him.
"It's not just me taking a risk here. That's why we're in this together. We got each oth-"
"It just ain't worth it anymore." He shifted his gaze away from her, causing anger to rage from within Tess.
"What the hell more do you want, Joel?" After Joel's lack of reponse, she strode past him. "Fucking stubborn as ever..." Joel grasped her forearm before she could exit the room. Tess could offer no words as he pulled her into a brief kiss. He released her and left the room.
"I'll be back." As much as he hated it, Joel knew very well that she was right. There was no other choice.
A stunned Tess stayed motionless for a few seconds, then picked up her pack by the foot of the bed and left the room to catch up with Joel. At least having the choice to stick together was a blessing they could keep in this wretched world.