Ellie was sitting on the porch's stairs at their new house in Tommy's settlement
The safety of electrified fences and heavy stone walls weren't enough to make Ellie forget what was out there. Not like it seemed to make people forget in this safe haven.

Ellie had seen too much, lived through too much. And she wasn't even good enough to make sure there was a cure. They had only been settled in for a week and it still felt foreign to Ellie. The only place she had stayed for a long while was the military prep school back in Boston. And then came Riley's death. After that… well, everything changed, getting attached to places or people was something she had become afraid of. And never did she imagine she would grow attached to a smuggler named, Joel.

Joel had come back from helping one of their new neighbours, Tommy had asked him to help them fix their roof. Ellie had always seen Joel as the fixer. He was like that, he was still working around their own house. When Tommy had showed it to them, Joel immediately accepted it without complaint and started to inspect the house on his own. Making mental notes on where he could fortify certain areas of the house, pure out of habit- Ellie was sure. Even though the place was as safe as it could be- probably one of the most safest places in the world. But the fences didn't ease Joel, he wasn't going to take any chances. Not with an electric wired fence or thick walls to keep the infection out- not even then. She heard him shift in the wooden chair he had finished yesterday,

''We've been here for a week now.'' Ellie's voice came out almost too soft for her own liking.

''Mhm..'' She turned to face him then, looking straight at him. Ellie's shoulders slummed as she sighed, ''Don't you feel like this is all an illusion? Like… A lie these people keep telling themselves?''

Joel leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, ''Ellie, we've talked about this.'' His eyes seemed to soften as he looked at her, ''I know Joel, but it's just that…''

''People deserve a second chance. You of all people deserve that.'' Ellie's frowned, ''After all that I've done?''

Joel shrugged, ''Look kiddo…'' Rubbing the back of his neck he seemed to think about his words, ''As you always say, 'endure and survive'…'' Ellie scoffed, ''Now hear me out for a sec, 'kay?''

Eying him impatiently she motioned her hand at him to continue- to let him know that she was willing to listen, ''Ellie… You did everything you could. It is time to think about yourself now, ya hear?''

Did she? Joel had taken her all the way to the Fireflies, risking his own life to keep her safe countless of times. The Fireflies didn't turn out like she thought it would. And yet after they arrived back at the settlement, being in the confined walls surrounded by buzzing wires, she still felt worthless. Useless. For one to not get infected, surely there was something she could do?

''I've known you long enough to understand what that look means.'' She looked up at him, ''What?''

''Stop.''

Ellie frowned at him, ''Stop, what?''

''Thinking that you aren't good enough, Ellie.''

She looked at him, shit. Seems like he indeed figured me out, she thought.

''Ellie, sometimes I forget you're a fourteen year old girl. Ya been through hell of a lot. You've endured and survived, by your own.''

''Not true, I had you to protect me.'' She saw the small smile tug at the corner of his lips.

He nodded at her then, ''Even so, you're a strong girl. That has lost her purpose for now- only because the Fireflies weren't able to do anything. You always find something to fight for kid, I've said it before. And I'll tell ya again, because that's just the way it is.''

She turned away from him, letting his words sink in. Maybe he was right and she had to move on. Accepting the fact that the world Joel once knew, the world she sometimes asked him about- she was wondering about. Was something she would never experience first-hand. This was the world she lived in now. A world with infected and death outside these walls. A world where you had to constantly watch your own back and not trust anyone. She looked at her hands then, remembering all that blood- David's blood.

That Motherfucker.

''Maybe you're right.'' She finally said.

''It may surprise you, but I am quite a lot.'' She chuckled as she approached him, pushing his shoulder playfully. He smiled at her, ''All right, Joel.''

Thank you for taking to time to read my Fanfic =)
The Last of Us is without a doubt one of my all time favorite games. The story is intense and a masterwork itself. I don't own any of the characters, those all belong to Naughty Dog. But I would like to have some fun with these one shots. So hopefully you will stick around to see how I would like to see Ellie living her life =)