Jackson
Chapter One
After a late dinner Maria sent a grateful teen off to take a hot shower and then went to rummage through her closet to find some clean clothes for Ellie to put on when she came out. Tommy cleared the dishes from the table and broke out a bottle of whiskey and three glasses. He took them to the table and poured a drink for his tired looking big brother. "Here ya go man. Looks like you could use this."
Joel sat up and wrapped his left hand around the glass as Tommy finished pouring. "Is it rot gut?"
Tommy laughed pouring his own drink. "Does it matter?"
"No," Joel sighed and lifted his drink. "I suppose not." He took a generous swallow as his little brother sat down. "Its not too bad actually."
"There's still a whole lotta stuff laying around out there just waiting to be picked up, including stuff at liquor stores." He smiled at Joel and downed a shot of his whiskey. "I sure am glad you made it back here big brother. Don't you worry about a thing either. We're gonna set you and Ellie up in one of them houses down the street."
"I appreciate it Tommy." The lingering warmth of the drink made Joel feel how tired he was. "We're gonna pitch in around here too, we can pull our own weight. You sign me up for that watch of yours."
"I figured as much, but you and Ellie can take a few days to get settled in, the weekend at least. There aint no rush."
"Alright." Joel indulged in another sip. He would sleep good tonight, whiskey soothed tired muscles and his stiff back.
He drank with his brother. "That girl of yours is going to need to start up some kinda schooling too. She ever had any book learnin' ?"
"She went to one of them military academies for a while back in the Boston QZ. She likes reading."
"Good. I'll have Maria make some arrangements, figure out what to do with her. We don't have a regular school just yet, but our kids aint growin' up ignorant. We're gonna need doctors and engineers ya kin?"
Joel nodded. "Rebuilding civilization is a mighty big job little brother."
"We can do it, we can come back. No, we are coming back." Tommy knocked back another shot. "Most of the raids are on the power plant."
"You can put me on watch there, I'll take care of the bandits."
"I've been thinking of getting a posse together, ride out and see just how many of the fuckers we're dealing with. If their numbers are small, well we could end a lot of trouble right then and there either peacefully or otherwise, but if there's more of them then there are of us then we'll need a plan B."
"Going to war with the bandits?"
Tommy leaned back in his chair and looked at his brother. "Only if we have to. This world is big enough to share if folks can be civilized."
Always the optimist. "You just let me know when and where you need me to point my gun and I'll be there." Joel took the rest of his drink in one swallow and blew out a hot breath.
"I figured you'd say something like that. Sounds like things got pretty hard core out on the road."
"Yeah, they sure did."
Maria came into the kitchen as Tommy lifted the bottle to pour Joel another drink. "You gonna join us for a drink babe?"
"Damn right I am," she took the seat beside Tommy across from Joel. Tommy poured her drink and she went right for it.
"Say babe, Ellie is gonna need some schooling."
"She's at a higher level then most of the kids here. We'll probably have to send her to your girlfriend," she gave him a hard look and downed a shot.
Tommy cracked a goofy smile. "Lil aint my girlfriend. I dunno how many times I gotta tell you she wouldn't never give me the time of day." He laughed as his furious wife reached over and swatted him in the arm.
"I'll give you the time of day you jackass," Maria smacked his giggling ass once more for good measure.
Joel was already uncomfortable around Maria, he hoped Ellie's schooling wasn't going to give her another reason not to like him. "Uh, is there a problem?"
"Naw," Tommy brought himself under control and refilled Joel's glass and refreshed his own.
"Tommy has been friends with Lily since he was with the fireflies, isn't that right dear?" she sipped again.
"Yeah that's right." He set the bottle down and picked up his glass.
"She from Boston?" Joel was searching his memory for the name, but it remained unfamiliar.
"New York," Tommy drank. "She was in Boston for a time, but it was back when you and I wasn't none too friendly. Don't think ya met her or the others from New York."
He nodded in understanding. Joel wasn't keen on Tommy joining the fireflies, it started a feud between the siblings. "She gonna be Ellie's teacher?"
"It's likely," Maria already knew. "Ellie is smart, she's up for the challenge I suppose." She drank some more whisky. "Despite the fact that this idiot has a thing for Lillian- "
"I do not!" Tommy protest and laughed again.
"Despite that," Maria rolled her eyes away from her husband and continued. "I respect Lily and I like her. I think she'll make a good teacher for Ellie. She's been an asset to this town, she's smart and a good leader. I'm glad we got her to stay."
Tommy drank watching his wife. "She's been good for us, had a hand in everything from agriculture to security."
"And she was a firefly?" Joel masked his disgust with another swallow.
"Long time ago," Tommy kept up shot for shot with big brother. "She left em not long after I did."
It was good to know that Ellie's would be teacher was no longer a firefly but "She keep in touch with em?"
"Naw, Lily's been on the outside mostly since those days. Used to run with different groups setting up strongholds here and there. Showed up here three years ago with a small group, a woman about to give birth was with them. Their place had been over run and they were in need of a safe place to have a screaming bundle of joy so we took em in. Lily left for a while after that, but came back about a year ago and finally sank some roots here."
Joel was relieved to hear the teachers ties to the fireflies had long since dissolved, but he was quietly troubled about the amount of time she had spent away from the zones. Survival in the untamed world could be a brutal thing. The happy couples confidence in the teacher quieted his discontent some. "I trust you'll pick the right teacher for Ellie ma'am," Joel lifted his glass to his sister in law and she lifted hers.
While his wife and brother bonded Tommy sat back and watched. "Joel says he'd join the posse to go lookin' for them bandits."
Maria swallowed hard. "Damnit Tommy, haven't we been through this already? It's too fucking dangerous."
"What if it aint? Or what if the danger don't outweigh the good that could come of knowing what the hell we're up against?"
"Tommy," she warned.
"Listen, the raids aint happening as frequently and the number of bums they send each time has gotten smaller. We could be on the verge of bringing this shit to an end."
"This shit never ends. There is always going to be assholes out there that want to take everything we've worked for."
"All the more reason to thin their numbers then." Tommy stared into her angry blue eyes waiting for her to see his reason.
"It's still fucking dangerous."
Hubby was going to get his way this time. "Don't worry babe, I'll have my brother watching my back. This guy here has killed more motherfuckers then I know." Tommy laughed happy with his little triumph.
Maria flat eyed Joel. "You be sure to keep him safe."
He hated to be in the middle of Tommy's personal problems. "Yes ma'am."
She looked back at her happy man. "How about we move Joel and Ellie into the brown house down the street? Ellie and I can go down there tomorrow and freshen the place up some, see what all they'll need to keep house over there."
"Sounds great to me babe." Tommy sealed it with a kiss.
Big brother looked down into his glass to give Tommy and Maria their private moment. He tried not to think about the fireflies, about Marlene. In the end all he could do was hope that he had killed anyone that might come looking for his baby girl.
2
"Ahhh! That was sooo good," Ellie exclaimed shuffling into the kitchen in the pajamas Maria gave her. "Hot showers are the best."
Joel perked up when she came in despite the warm, sleepy buzz the whiskey had given him. "You feeling better now?"
"Absolutely, thanks for the jammies Maria."
"No problem Ellie," Maria smiled at the girl.
"Get this," Joel smiled at his girl. "Tomorrow we're moving into a house down the street."
"Just us?" Ellie blinked.
"A home for the two of ya," Tommy sipped more whiskey.
Seeing the girl light up lifted Maria's spirits. "We'll go down there in the morning and have a look around. The place will need some cleaning."
"I'll do it!" Ellie bubbled excited.
"I'll help," Joel counted himself in.
Tommy nodded at big bro. "You'll have to turn the water back on at the main, flip the circuit breaker too. We shut all kinds of stuff off after we got the power plant up and running the first time."
It had been a long time since Joel had been in construction, but some things you never forget. "I'll give the place a thorough inspection."
"It's got a nice fireplace in the living room if I remember correctly."
Winter still seemed far away in Ellie's mind, but still "Is that how we heat the place?"
"Mostly," Tommy chuckled at her. "This is the back woods girl."
"I guess so." Ellie hung her towel around her neck. "I didn't use up all the hot water so you can take a shower too Joel."
He swallowed whiskey. "Mighty nice way for you to tell me I stink," Joel teased and got her to smile again.
"I can get you something clean to put on old man," Tommy turned the teasing on Joel. "I aint got no fancy jammies so you're just gonna have to settle for joggin pants."
"That'll do."
Maria got Ellie's attention again. "You'll have to start up some kind of schooling Ellie. Can you tell me how far you got in your studies?"
"I was in eighth grade, for whatever that's worth," the young one sighed at the thought of school. The memories weren't fond ones.
"Good, then I've got the perfect tutor for you."
Tutor gave her some hope. "There's no school here?"
"Nothing official yet. We have folks to do the teaching though. You'll have to go to her place for your lessons."
Ellie shrugged her shoulders. "Okay. What about the other kids my age?"
"Aint many," Tommy answered. "The Millers got a girl whose twelve and Jeff Jacobs boy is seventeen."
"You don't need to be paling around with no seventeen year old boy," Joel's parental nature took over.
The girl rolled her eyes. "Of course not, why would I want to have a life or friends."
"Boys at that age," Joel stuttered. "You just don't need it, you hear me Ellie?"
"Yeah Joel, I hear ya." She suspect the adults were about to get parental so Ellie decided to bug out. "I think I'm just going to lay down and read for a while. Its been a long day."
"Rest up sweetheart," Maria pat Ellie's arm. "Busy day tomorrow."
"Right, okay. Well, goodnight." Those seated around the table bade her goodnight and then she was gone. Ellie retreated to the guest room to read the comic she found earlier.
Joel sat and talked house maintenance with Tommy for another round then indulged in a long hot shower himself. As the last of the road grime circled the drain Joel put Marlene and the fireflies out of his mind. He was ready to start a new life here with his family and that was what mattered to him now. He could only hope the past would stay there.
3
For the first time in ages Joel slept soundly and slept in. He woke up on the living room couch; the room was bright, Maria's voice mingled with Ellie's in the kitchen behind him and Joel smelled something both familiar and overwhelmingly comforting. "Coffee..." he breathed and sat up. He threw off the blanket and put his bare feet down on the floor. His throat was dry and he had to pee, but he got up and went straight for the kitchen and the smell of "Ya'll got coffee?" he asked coming into the kitchen rubbing his eye with the heel of his hand.
Maria turned and smiled at her brother in law. "Sure do. I got some sugar too."
"Black is fine, hell black is great." His eyes found the coffee maker on the counter. The decanter was still about half full.
Maria pulled open a cupboard and grabbed a mug for Joel. She filled it and set it in front of him on the counter. "Been a long time between cups of Joe eh?"
"Yes ma'am." Joel picked up the mug and brought its warm weight under his nose. He inhaled deeply taking in the glorious aroma. "Oh man that smells good." He took a sip and it was perfect. For the briefest moment he could remember every cup of coffee he ever had in his life. From Starbucks and Tim Horton's to the old coffee maker his wife had started calling Darth Vader when it needed cleaning. The pain of his loss felt fresh again as he swallowed the black brew. He blinked it away and looked up at Maria. "That's some good coffee ma'am thank you."
"Is it everything you remember it was?" Ellie asked curious. He sure looked like he was enjoying the coffee.
He nodded at Ellie. "It sure is."
"We grow it, the coffee that is," Maria had promised Tommy when he left this morning to be nice to big brother trouble. "It was actually Ellie's teacher's idea to grow it. We've had a couple of great harvests the past two years."
"I tried it without the sugar," Ellie confessed to her guardian. "It was gross Joel, I don't know how you can drink something so bitter."
"It's an acquired taste I guess."
"Or your taste buds are all dead."
Joel laughed at Ellie and Maria joined him. "Ellie and I were headed over to the house to open the windows and see what needs doing. Probably everything. It's been empty for a long time. Its a solid place though, windows got all their glass, most of the screens too."
"I'll come down and give the plumbing and electric the once over, make sure everything looks safe." Joel took another sip and kept memories of a life before this at bay.
"The place should have everything we need to clean with, vacuum, washer and dryer. Of course if there's a clothes line we'll use that instead." Maria was looking forward to settling in another family, her family. "It has three bedrooms upstairs. I'm guessing Joel will take the master."
"You guessed right," he tipped his mug at his sister in law and sipped more warm coffee.
Ellie groaned. "Fine but I get to pick which room I want." Then it hit her. "I'm going to have my own room in my own house."
Seeing her smile like that made Joel confident he had done the right thing in Salt Lake. "Moving right on up in the world aint ya?"
"Look who's talking mister master bedroom."
Maria laughed at them again. Today wasn't going to be nearly as bad as she dread it was going to be. Maybe her gruff big brother could grow on her a little. "The roof looks okay from the outside anyway. The place even has a little garage and a decent back yard, fully fenced in of course."
"I can't wait to see it," Joel downed more coffee.
"Well then hurry up and go get dressed!" Ellie was getting excited. Our own house where we can just live like normal people. She laughed out loud. "Let's go home!"
4
The house had been coated with twenty years of dust; curtains came down, bedding was stripped and mattresses went out into the back yard to air out in the sun. Joel checked the pipes before turning the water back on and found a slow leak under the downstairs bathroom sink shortly afterwards. It was an easy enough fix, the previous owner had left a variety of useful things behind in the cellar and garage. The house showed no signs of water damage and when he turned the power back on the electric worked fine. The trio dusted, mopped, scrubbed, vacuumed and washed until noon when they headed back with Maria for lunch.
Tommy came home for lunch and ate with his family. The mood was light, his big brother and his girl seemed pretty happy with their new place. Maria was going to get them some food for their recently cleaned refrigerator after lunch, the dynamic duo was going back to cleaning up and moving into their new home. They would be living there by sun down. Joel promised Ellie a home cooked meal and Maria promised to get Joel some coffee for his maker. Tommy asked Joel to stop by the town hall before he put his apron on. He wanted big bro to have a walkie and get in on communicating with the community. Tommy also promised to swing by Joel's place after dinner to see how they were settling in.
Joel and Ellie returned home after lunch and worked hard to finish the cleaning and endless laundry. Maria brought Joel a few perks along with some food. She gave big brother a couple bottles of house warming booze and two bags of coffee. He immediately made a pot; to keep him going and because he hadn't had enough of that aroma or taste just yet. They had every room done but the third bedroom that was furnished as an office before calling it a day on the room cleaning. A little before four Ellie got started on dishes and Joel headed out to go pick up a walkie. It was time to be at his little brothers beck and call for a change.
There were a few people out and about; a woman came out of the library with a little boy, a group of three men were putting new shingles up on a roof, a man and woman, both armed with long guns stood taking outside of the town hall. The man looked over at Joel as he mounted the steps to go inside, but the man never broke off the conversation he was having. Joel stepped up into a cool open hall. The reception window was open and a man wearing glasses looked up at him. "Afternoon," Joel greeted.
It wasn't often the towns population jumped up. Tommy's brother and his little girl were the talk of the town. "Good afternoon, I'm Matt Williams. You must be Tommy's brother."
"That's me." Joel stepped forward and offered a hand through the open window. "Name's Joel. Good to meet you Matt."
Matt stood up and shook the new guys hand. "Good to meet you too Joel, welcome to town."
"Thank you."
"You settling in okay?"
"Sure are."
"I've got a radio here for ya. Tommy said you'll be joining the watch."
Joel nodded. "We'll be earning our keep."
Matt reached over for the walkie Tommy had him earmark for big brother. "It's you and your daughter right?"
"I suppose I kinda adopted her. She's a good kid."
He passed Joel his radio. "She'll be starting lessons pretty soon then?"
"I reckon," Joel took the hand held and studied it some.
"We have some great teachers."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"Town is full of good people. I'm sure you'll both be real happy here."
Joel returned the clerks smile. His eyes seemed to swim behind his coke bottle glasses. "I think we will."
"Patrol uses channel two. Channel four is open to the public, in case ya need to make a call." Matt passed the new guy the charger to go with the unit.
"If I wanted to call Tommy?"
"Give him a shout on channel two, he's almost always got his ears on."
It had been two decades since Joel had a new gadget to play with. "Thankee kindly, much obliged."
He chuckled some at the Texan. "No problem. If you need anything, I'm here most days from nine until about five."
"Thanks again Matt, good meeting you."
"You too Joel."
Joel went back out into the fading spring day with his new toy in his hands. The woman and child were gone, the man and woman had moved on down the street. He walked back to the house leaving the sound of pounding hammers behind him.
5
As promised Joel made a fantastic meal out of some of the items Maria brought them. The broiled venison steaks and potatoes were delicious. Ellie discovered that the television and DVD player in the living room still worked, the house had come packed with books upstairs and a sizeable DVD collection down. After they ate she talked him into picking out a movie for the two of them to watch together in their vacuumed and deodorized new living room. Joel looked over some titles with Ellie chirping excitedly behind him "Come on come on! I want to watch a movie already."
"How about a comedy."
"Sure."
He slid the case out and popped out the DVD. Joel put Raising Arizona into the disk tray. "I aint seen this one in years. It's hilarious. Really launched Nicolas Cage's career."
Ellie picked up the case and looked at it. She flipped it over and read the back cover. "Criminals with a baby? You watch some weird movies Joel." She settled on the couch and watched coming attractions with great interest. She took note of some movie names so she could look for them in the house's collection.
The yodeling was in full swing and Ellie was in hysterics over the robbery and chase scene when Tommy showed up. He had to sit and watch for a while. After Hi's boss man ran into a cactus Tommy and Joel went over to the dining room table for a night cap. "Gonna have a meeting at the town hall tomorrow night, boys who want in on the bandit hunt. Starts at seven, you in?"
Joel poured them each a drink. "I'm in."
"Good man," Tommy swallowed a generous gulp. "I knew I could count on you. We'll track those bastards right back to their camp and then we'll se what's what."
"I'm a little low on ammo."
"I'll make sure you're geared up." The brothers sipped whiskey together. "Maria talked to Lil today. She says Ellie can start her lessons Monday morning."
Joel appreciated the whisky burn for a moment. "It will be good for her to have some structure." From the couch Ellie erupted in laughter again and Joel smiled. "Kid being a kid, how about that?"
Tommy was happy for his brother. There was no replacing Sara, but being a dad to Ellie gave Joel a second chance. "This is the place where she can be a kid. We'll defend that." He relaxed back in his chair. "Lil will stop by here sometime tomorrow to meet Ellie, get a feel for where she is academically."
Joel downed another swallow. "Been twenty years since I had a parent teacher conference."
"Yeah, I guess it has."
"Anything you wanna tell me about this teacher that's got your old ladies knickers in a twist?"
Tommy chuckled. "I never got her in bed if that's what you're after."
"Wouldn't give you the time of day."
"That's right," he laughed again.
"I'm more concerned about any ties she has to the fireflies."
"Shit Joel, aint nobody here seen a firefly in years. She cut loose from them not long after I did." He watched big brother take another sip. "There something you wanna tell me about the fireflies?"
Joel cut his eyes over to the giggling girl on the couch. "Maybe later Tommy."
He nodded in understanding. "Sure thing man, some other time."
"Look, we just want to start over. No more fucking hunters or fireflies or infected. Just a nice, safe, quiet home life."
"You can do that here." Tommy took another sip waiting for big brother to relax. "How ya'll settling in?"
"We're good."
"Gonna sleep in your own beds tonight."
"Ellie washed pillows and blankets and curtains. Girl worked real hard today to make this place our home and I aim to protect it."
Tommy smiled. "I'll swing by for ya tomorrow, we'll go to that meeting together."
On the television screen Cage and John Goodman fought their way through the trailer. It got Ellie laughing again. I will protect this... from anybody. "Sounds good."
"If you don't go gettin yourself killed between now and Monday, you can take first or second watch over at the power plant."
"First shift is fine. I've always been a real morning person." He looked up at the face his little brother was making and chuckled. Tommy joined him and laughter filled their home on their first night there.
Tommy was long gone before they returned the baby to Nathan Arizona. Ellie loved the movie and was ready to try something in a different genera. She fixated on a set of DVD box sets clustered together. "Ever hear of Xena Warrior Princess?" she asked the tired man kicking back in the recliner.
"Xena huh? Yeah I remember that one. Its probably right up your alley. She kicks a lot of ass."
Smiling Ellie pulled out the first box set. "There's six seasons here, is that all of it? You know how I feel about 'to be continued' Joel."
"I think that's all of it."
"Wanna watch it with me?"
"Sure, we can watch a few episodes tonight, but I want you gettin into bed at a decent time."
"I will, I will," Ellie tried to sound put out, but she was smiling. Laying around the living room watching tv with Joel was more then she ever hoped for. It made her feel like they were a real family. She put Raising Arizona back in its case and put in the first Xena disk. Yeah, we're finally home.
"Don't forget your new teacher is stoppin by to meet you tomorrow."
"She's going to meet you too." Ellie went back to the couch. "Maria told me about her; she said she's really smart and nice and pretty and single."
His little girl was flashing him a winning smile. "You trying to get me a date?"
"Maybe you need one."
"How about you don't concern yourself with my love life."
"You don't have a love life Joel," she rolled her eyes back to the tv. "Can't blame girl for trying."
Joel was nursing a second glass of whiskey. He wondered if Ellie was missing having a woman to look up to in her life. Maybe Maria or the new teacher would help with that, Joel wasn't particularly interested in looking for love. He had Ellie, Tommy and even Maria; family was all he needed to be happy.
The episode began In a time of ancient gods, warlords and kings and Joel rode a wave of nostalgia warmed by whiskey. By the end of the second episode Joel was sending another little girl all excited about the warrior princess up to bed. That night he dreamed of Sara.