A/N: This is my first fanfiction, ever. I would like you to please be polite. Anyway, this story is told in different perspectives throughout. This is chapter includes the PROLOGUE, and CHAPTER 1, enjoy. A new addition to the chapter will be The Last of Us OST. Playing it is not necessary, but it is recommended. If you're interested in seeing map of the US before this story, here's my twitter: tloutexasrising.

THE LAST

OF US:

TEXAS RISING

PROLOGUE:

[Play The Last of Us]

During the 20 year gap of "The Last of Us" there was a quarantine zone in the Rio Grande Valley/Delta by the name of the Brownsville QZ, however around the year 2017, the military withdrew from the zone. The military left the zone in a hurry, as a result the abandoned most of their weapons, artillery, and vehicles. The military would later report to the U.S. Capital.

The people of the zone would later decide to found Army of the Republic (aka the Texan Army) and reestablish the Republic of Texas. Their training would end up being far superior to the U.S. military's, when it came to fighting infected.

The temporary capital would be Brownsville. They would later claim and clear the RGV of infected in under a month. Their goals eventually grew to the point where they would visit Austin. They cleared it of infected and then made it the new capital.

In five years the whole state of present day Texas would be a part of the Republic. Their government would be similar to the U.S. government (the government before marital law). After they had reached their goal, the 2nd president would make borders around the new nation, they would isolate itself for at least a decade.

Then an African-American women, Marlene wanted spread democracy, she had lived in Texas all her life. She would take her best friend, Anna. Texas agreed to her plan. Texas unofficially sponsored her plan. They provided weapons, ammo, and gear. Originally about 20 people signed up for the plan, one of them would be a man named Alex Johnson, who would later become Marlene's second in command.

Not only did she want to spread democracy, she wanted to find a cure. Her group would later be nicknamed the Fireflies, nicknamed after her plan, Project Firefly. They would later settle into Salt Lake City. There they founded the Firefly Republic.

Marlene would organize her military by legions instead of battalions. She soon trusted Johnson, she would give him command of the military and personal command of the 10th Legion.

All was good until the spring of 2034, Marlene had found a way to connect to a satellite above Earth, it was connected to an old Austin sever. She would send a transmission which happened to be encrypted. Texas would receive this transmission, but it would take months to decrypt.

[If not finished, pause or wait out the song. The choice is up to the reader]

JOEL: CHAPTER 1: Home sweet Home

It has been about a month ever since the events of "The Last of Us". Joel, and Ellie started to live a normal life at the Jackson settlement. It was a warm morning that day. Joel and Ellie lived on a two story house with Tommy and Maria. Joel's room was at the right next to it Ellie's, and there at the end of hall was Tommy's and Maria's. From time to time, Ellie crawled into Joel's bed. Usually because she had nightmares, she never told Joel about them though.

Joel had begun to make breakfast, while both Tommy and Maria had gone out to the dam. Ellie finally woke up. She wore the same t-shirt when the first met, and ragged jeans. Ellie walked bare footed towards Joel, while rubbing her eyes.

"MorninMorning', why are you wearinwearing' that old shirt?" Joel said.

"I donno, don't have anything else to wear. Plus, brings back lots of memories." Ellie said hugging herself.

"Last I checked it was bloody," Joel said.

"Well I washed it, so no more blood. So what's for breakfast?" she asked.

"Sandwiches" he said.

"Again?" Ellie complained.

Huh? I thought she liked my sandwiches. Well then again, we have been eating this since we got here, he thought to himself. "Well sorry, I try making something else tomorrow" he replied.

"Joel, it's not that I-I don't like your sandwiches, it's because we eat this every day."

"Alright then" he said. Ellie grabbed her sandwich and ate with Joel.

After they ate, Ellie sat down on the couch next the door. She looked traumatized and tried not to show it, but she wasn't good at hiding what she was feeling. "What's up with you?" Joel asked.

"Oh, nothinnothing'" Ellie replied.

"Something goingoing' on with you. You don't normally act like this, don't be afraid to tell me, Ellie." Joel said.

"It's nothinnothing', Joel." Ellie said.

"Sorry, but I need to know, or else-" He said and then a tear started to form. He tried to keep it in his eye though. He wiped the tear before it came out. "When I lost Sarah," he began. [Play The Way it Was] "It was the worst thing that happened to me, I never coped my feelings, it fucked me up inside. I'm not goingoing' to be forcinforcing' it out of you, I just sayinsaying' how it gonna feel." He said.

It got quite for a while until Ellie, out of nowhere said. "I have been having nightmares" she finally told Joel. "And they aren't just regular nightmares Joel. I've seen you in many of my nightmares." She said.

"For your and my sake, describe me the most recent one" he kindly requested.

[Either wait out or pause the song]

"You were tied up against a chair, in that restaurant you found me in the last harsh winter. Todd's I believe. Anyway, David had me tied against another one. He started walking' towards you. And then he said, 'What's wrong Ellie, Joel ain't going to save you.' And then you said 'Ellie, I'm…' and before you could finish your words, he stabbed you in the chest with a machete. Those were your last words. Then he cut the fishing string that he had tied me with. Before I could try and get up he pushed me towards the floor and then he…" Ellie started running towards Joel, while tears were streaming down her face.

[Play The Last of Us (Goodnight)]

Joel opened his arms to hug her, and said "Oh baby girl…it's okay, he can't hurt you no more."

[Either pause or wait out the song]

It had been about an hour. Ellie tears had dried up. She started reading a book named "The Eleventh Plague" by Jeff Hirsch. "You know this book isn't that bad" Ellie said.

"Really?" he said, while getting ready to go on a hunt.

"It's just that back in your day… they had all this books about post-pandemic stuff. And now that we are living one, it sucks." She said.

"Yeah" Joel said.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Gonna hunt." He answered her question. "Maria is gonna be here in a bit. You need anything before I go?" he asked.

"Nope… wait what's that? Ellie asked.

"What's what?' Joel asked.

"That on the wall!" she pointed to right next to the stairs.

There was a shelf blocking a hole in the wall. Joel went towards shelf and moved it out of the way.

"Where's the light switch?" Joel asked. It was a dark cold room, Joel reached for the wall and found the light switch and switched the light on. "Holy shit" Joel said.

"Wow, so many guns" Ellie said.

"These are M4 assault rifles, military grade." Joel said. There were so many laid on the floor. More on a couch, and some against the wall.

"Look a letter." Ellie pointed to a piece of paper on top a crate labeled to the side, explosives. Joel pick up the note and read it, and said.

Dear Maria,

Today I have found lots of weapons, I thought you may want them. Hopefully you have found this hidden room behind the shelf. I hope I am alive to see you find them. If not, it's okay. I just want you to find these for the settlement here. I found them in a crashed military tuck just around here. It was unbelievable when I first found them. I stored them here. Hoped I lived to see the look on your face.

Love,

Dad

"I don't think Maria's dad ever got to ever see the look on Maria's face." Joel said.

"That's so sad" Ellie said.

Maria walk in, and Joel gave her the letter. Her face was filled with sadness and happiness. She walk in the hidden room with tears in her eyes. "Thanks dad" she Maria said. "You too Joel" Maria thanked him.

"You're welcome" Joel replied. "Uh… Maria I need you to watch Ellie while I'm gone." Joel said.

"Yeah, I'll take care of her." Maria said trying to wipe her tears from her eyes.

"I'll be back Ellie, don't do anythinanything' stupid" Joel said.

"I won't" Ellie said. Joel closed the door, and headed out for the woods.

A/N: Songs used in the chapter, The Last of Us, The Last of Us (Goodnight), and The Way it Was. Keep in mind, I don't own this OST. All the credit for the OST belongs to Naughty Dog, and its main composer Gustavo Santaolalla.