Killing people had become a 'norm' for Ellie.
She had become extremely aware of her surroundings since Henry and Sam. Ellie had also adjusted to the 'nomad' life. She knew she had to thank Joel for that; always moving, and never staying one place for too long.
Ellie had become accustomed with all of the weaponry Joel used; a shotgun, shorty, hunting rifle, and a flamethrower. She knew that he had taken on a more fatherly role in the past few months that they had been traveling together. Ellie wasn't positive if he saw her as a daughter, but she knew that he had lost someone during the outbreak; she assumed it had been his daughter.
After Henry turned, and Sam committed suicide, Ellie had begged Joel to bury them, and have a proper burial. Joel had protested a little, but did buried them anyway, to soothe Ellie's mind.
Afterwards, they had kept on trekking through the runes of cities, and hiking up mountains. They had come across a small group; a woman, children, and a man. A family. Ellie found them while hunting; they were shivering, with no clothes on other than a t-shirt and shorts.
Winter was a month away, but it was getting cooler and cooler each passing day. Ellie convinced Joel to let them stay with them; they had found a small trailer deep in the woods; almost no clickers were to be found. Ellie and Joel had let them stay with them, providing them with food and shelter.
There were only two children; an eleven year old girl, Rachel, and a nine year old boy, Spencer. Their time with Ellie and Joel were put to well use; while Joel and the man, Mark, hunted, the woman, Sera, would be out and find plants and herbs. Ellie had taught the children the safe way to shoot, and how to use a pistol; keeping the safety lock on at all times.
After almost two weeks, the family had recovered from the winter, and left, thanking them. Joel had gone to an abandoned store miles away, looting clothes for all of the family members.
On their way to Jackson County, Ellie and Joel had found something that could make even the darkest of people saddened; Mark and Sera dead, miles away from their old camp. The children were no where in sight; Ellie could only imagine the worst of scenarios.
"Come on, Ellie, we're almost there." Ellie walked behind Joel, on the way to Jackson County. They had just found a 'hydroelectric dam,' while Joel searched for a wooden plank.
Joel swam over to the edge, gesturing for Ellie to hop on. Ellie climbed on, and prayed that they were close even though it was well under sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Joel swam the plank over to the other edge of the dam, and went back to where Ellie once was. He spun the wheel until the first half of the 'mineral stopper' and tried to find another way.
Joel dived back into the water, and saw that it was stuck on a crowbar. He grabbed the crowbar, and swam back to the surface. Joel climbed back on the panel and said, "Ellie, you can spin the wheel now."
Ellie did as she was told and said, "Be careful; looks slippery." Joel chuckled, and started to cross. When he reached the other sighed, he groaned.
"Looks like we're 'gonna have to go through the factory." Ellie nodded, and followed close behind Joel.
After five minutes of walking through the wooded area, they walked up to a gate. Before they could open the gate, a gunshot was fired. Ellie and Joel looked up to see where the sound originated from; a woman placed on the gate. The woman was taller than Ellie, but shorter than Joel. She had black choppy, shoulder-length hair, and a red plaid shirt on, but most importantly; she had a shotgun trained on Joel's head.
"The hell do you want?" Ellie clenched her jaw, and narrowed her eyes at the woman, but then heard a deep voice come from the other side of the gate.
"'Gotta be kiddin' me." The woman looked down, and asked, "You know 'em?" A man opened the gate, the same height as Joel, with dark brown hair; wearing a black t-shirt with a worn black sturdy jacket and jeans.
"Not the girl, but the man... He's my goddamn brother." The man went up to Joel, and embraced him into a hug. The woman walked out from behind the fence, shotgun still in tow.
Tommy pulled back from Joel, and scrutinized Joel.
"You got f***in' old." Joel chuckled, a new sound to Ellie's ears. Tommy then looked over questioningly to Joel, and gestured over to Ellie.
"Who's she?" Ellie shifted her weight uncomfortably.
"Ellie." Joel answered before she had the chance. Tommy looked over to Ellie, head to toe. Ellie squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny, but met his gaze; she saw something flash in his hazel eyes, but when she looked again, it was gone.
"What's she doing with you?" Joel scratched the back of his head, and stared at the grass.
"That's a long story." The woman scoffed.
"All of the stories 'round here are 'kinda long. We ain't got all day, Tommy. Maria has been blowin' up our walkies, wanting to know what's goin' on." Tommy sighed, and muttered, "Now she's interested..."
Tommy turned to the woman and said, "Jus' tell her that their friendlies. Got it?" She nodded, and spoke into the walkie, facing the other way.
Joel eyed her suspiciously and turned to Tommy, "And she is?"
"Name's Billie. She came her 'couple of years ago. Billie's been through pretty tough sh*t. Has a hard time with people she doesn't know, but a good person." Joel nodded, mentally remembering everything Tommy said about her.
A woman with short blond hair and skinny jeans walked up to them, and stood next to Tommy.
"Who are y'all? Are 'ya bit? We don't accept people with bites-." Tommy shook his head.
"No! He's my brother and the girl is... the girl traveled with him." The woman nodded her head.
"Guess I have to be nice to them since one of them is your brother." After a few seconds, she muttered, "Damn my marriage." Only Ellie and Tommy heard it. The woman smirked while Tommy rolled his eyes.
She stuck her hand out at Joel and smiled, "You must be Joel," she looked at Ellie, "And you are?" Don't even know who she is, and I already knows she's a b****. Ellie narrowed her eyes.
"Ellie." The woman continued smiling, and said, "I'm Maria." Cool. Now I know you as a b**** called Maria. Fan-f***ing-tastic.
"You hungry?" Ellie noticed the emptiness in the bottom in her stomach. She nodded, stealing a glance at Joel and Tommy.
Maria interjected, "Joel will help Tommy with the turbines. We can go to the mess hall and get some food in your belly." Maria forced a smile, and gestured Ellie to follow her.
Ellie followed behind her, looking back at Joel and Tommy. She mouthed 'help me,' and Tommy fought a smile.
"What the hell do you mean we're being attacked?" Maria screamed into the walkie. Ellie's head snapped up and looked at Maria that was currently yelling in the walkie at Billie.
Maria huffed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. Ellie walked up to her, and asked, "Shouldn't we help them? I mean, if they're-." Maria's head whipped up and stared daggers at Ellie.
"You are not going to go out and fight; you're barely fourteen. The guys can handle it, but right now; we need to get the women and children in the basement." Ellie narrowed her eyes at Maria, but nodded her head.
After they gathered the woman and children, they lead them to the basement, Ellie and Maria with their guns out, standing close to the people.
Matching the mood of the day, it was raining and thundering. A bullet whizzed past Ellie; she was barely able to block it. Ellie shot the shooter dead, and continued on their trek to find the basement.
A bandit ran up to Ellie form behind, shiv out and ready to slit her throat. Ellie was unable to escape from his grasp, but just when she thought her life was over; the bandit was shot in the head. She felt it's body go limp, and fall to the muddy ground. Ellie looked over at her 'savior'; Tommy.
He ran over to her, shooting two other bandits. Tommy checked her over for any cuts and bruises, but when he found her infected arm, she pulled away.
Ellie looked up at Tommy, analzying his stricken facial expression, "Thanks." Tommy shook his head and muttered, "No problem."
An explosion a couple of yards away caught their attention. Leaving Maria to deal with the women and children, Ellie and Tommy ran over to where they saw the explosion. Ellie shot down three other bandits, and Tommy shot down six. He's definitely Joel's brother.
When they arrived at the site, Ellie saw Billie with cuts and bruises all over her arms, and her jeans ripped. Ellie adverted her eyes to Joel; the unmoving, bloody body fifteen away from the origin of the explosion.
Ellie's eyes widened, and she ran to his side. She laid her head on his chest, checking for a heartbeat; yes. Ellie breathed out in relief, and ripped a piece of her t-shirt. She used it as a cloth, and poured the remainder of the water in their canteen. Ellie wiped Joel's face clean, Tommy covering them by shooting.
Joel's eyes fluttered open, eyeing his surroundings frantically.
Ellie nodded, fully understanding what he wanted her to do. She grabbed his left arm, and attempted to pull him up. Joel groaned when he stood, favoring his right leg.
"Come on. There's not too many left." Ellie nodded, eyeing Joel cautiously, seeing if he needed any help with walking.
Ellie tried to help Joel, but he refused. He limped, but was able to keep up. Tommy, Ellie, and Joel crouched, and sat behind a wall. Tommy signalled them to stay there while he made a run for it; trying to kill the remainder of the bandits.
Ellie watched as Tommy threw a smoke bomb in the middle of the hallway, quickly jumping out from behind the wall and continuously shot his rifle. Ellie tried to help Tommy, but he kept on refusing her help. No doubts whatsoever that he is in fact Joel's brother.
After Tommy shot the last bandit in the chest, he looked over at Joel and Ellie, but was shot twice; in the shoulder and his chest, by the same bandit that was shot in the chest; he must've not have died. Ellie saw Tommy growl in pain.
She shot the bandit in the head, and turned to Tommy. Ellie knelt down next to him; his eye sight fading into black.
A/N: Yes, this is an Ellie/Tommy story. I would remember Billie if I were you. ;) Billie is an OC that ThatChickontheInternet created. You can also thank ThatChickontheInternet for the title! I owe this entire story to her; she has basically been my partner through-out planning this story!
I know that I'm portraying Maria differently than the game, but I really want to see where that goes; I had so much fun writing her scences!
I may continue this story (most likely), but it depends on the kind of feedback I get.
Trust is going to be updated pretty soon, but I can't promise anything right now.