Welcome to the Sequel of 'Lost in the End of the World.' It was a pain to write but in the end totally worth it! I look forward to hearing back from you lovely readers on what you think of it so far and what some of your thoughts are on what's going to happen next! ^.^ Critiques and Comments are welcomed with lots of hugs and smiles and help the next chapter come into development sooner and faster! Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1
The sun rose leisurely over New Orleans, basking Ellis' room in warm sunlight. He lifted his head slowly, tear streaked face looking out at the world that seemed to have robbed everything from him. He pushed to his feet slowly, shuffling over to a window to stick his head out into the fresh morning air. His mind wandered to Rochelle, Coach, and Nick and he wondered if they were thinking about him at all-he was always thinking about them. He hoped they were all safe…
Ellis' gaze wandered from the rising sun to the bridge that had been a beacon of hope for him for so long- it was so crumbled and broken now. In a way it was fitting... his hopes had been dashed and so had his beacon of hope.
Now what was he supposed to do, though? Exist? He could never rejoin society… he'd never see his friends again- not his pre-apocalypse friends or post-apocalypse. It was too dangerous… He was too dangerous…
Ellis wondered if he would be with his friends at this very moment if it hadn't been for Tom. For a moment Ellis thought back to Tom with a heavy sense of hatred….but it didn't last long. The man had been trying to save the world. Surely Ellis couldn't hold that against him. Just like he couldn't hold Coach, Rochelle, and Nick's want to reach safety against them. The possibility that they may not even be headed to safety was repressed from Ellis' mind.
It was strange really being alone for once. The other infected didn't really bother with him anymore which worried Ellis more than it relieved him. The only time he got trouble was if he ran into a special infected who would attack on sight. It didn't quite make sense to Ellis but he always made sure to keep his gun with him, wherever he went, just like before. It was a fairly simple gun and reminded him of his hunting rifle- adding a strange kind of comfort to the twisted situation he was in.
Ellis had found a cute little house to call home for now though it would never really feel like a home. It was too empty for that… and as the days slipped past Ellis found himself craving the sound of another voice. It had only taken Ellis 3 days before he had begun to talk to himself just to fill the silence- he never could stand silence before.
Whereas before the apocalypse had been a video game now it seemed a dull and dreary existence. Before he had people to fight for and with, people to sing and laugh with and who he could talk to and never had he realized how for granted he had taken that until now. But then you never knew what you had until you lost it, right?
Slipping his gun over his shoulders, Ellis exited his safe house and locked the door behind him. At first he hadn't gone out often but after the first week of this existence Ellis decided he was going to make the most of it. Now he spent the morning at the gym, making sure to keep himself in shape. No reason to let the bad ass zombie killing muscles go flabby, after all.
Leaving the gym, he almost bumped into a common that was meandering the streets. It turned to look at him and for a moment Ellis felt the old fear clutch at his heart… but then it continued meandering along its way and Ellis wondered to himself what it saw. He had been avoiding mirrors, personally, since ending up alone. He had passed one on the third day and seeing the state he was in… well he just didn't look like himself anymore. After that Ellis had decided he wanted to remember himself as he was before- when he was with Nick and Rochelle and Coach and before that, before all of this- not whatever he was becoming now.
It wasn't like he hadn't noticed the changes at first. His fingers had elongated into lethal claws and it was indeed difficult for Ellis to remain in a straight backed, standing position but he refused to give in to the change. He hadn't realized he really would change completely after the others were gone but then he hadn't really known what was going to happen to him. He had been living in the moment- his entire life planned up until the point where his friends would reach safety. Now that he was alone… he really was just existing.
It had crossed Ellis' mind more than once to just end it all- everything. This lonely existence surely wasn't worth prolonging… Faith would reappear in his mind, though, staying his hand. Obviously he was still here for a reason- though what that reason was… he didn't really know. But whatever the reason was, that there was a reason was enough to make sure that Ellis kept existing. So Ellis' existence became base survival (eating, sleeping, battling special infected), remaining in top fighting condition, and exploring the city. The exploring was the best part of Ellis' day now. From time to time Ellis' random searching through houses would turn up something truly interesting and those were the days Ellis looked forward to. He would always return to his safe point, though, so that he would always have a sense of familiarity. Something like home.
The house he had set up in was almost on the outskirts of New Orleans. After he had pulled himself together the first night alone Ellis had fled the center of the city. He had, of course, chosen a living establishment that would still provide a view of that broken bridge that Ellis had a sentimental connection to, but he had wanted to be as far from where his friends had fought together the last time as he could be. It was a strange addiction that tore him in two directions- the want to relish in those moments over and over again and the want to leave and let lie because every moment relived was also a painful slash to the heart.
Memories still flashed back to Ellis from time to time- especially when his mind had time to wander which it definitely did lately. Not surprisingly, most of the time it wandered back to Nick… but Rochelle, Coach, and Abbey were present in quite a few of his thoughts as well. In addition every now and then Zoey, Louis, and Francis would also appear… and very rarely but every once in a while Ellis would think of Tom.
Fighting a tank alone the other day had reminded him of the day the others had thought he was dead. Well… everyone except for Nick. He remembered how hard it was to even consider living without the conman but here he was- surviving without Nick. And the conman was also continuing on without Ellis- even though he had been so broken up about even considering Ellis being dead.
What was the difference, Ellis wondered. At one point Nick had been ready to die because he had thought Ellis out of his reach. Yet he had left Ellis for safety… Not that Ellis wouldn't have made Nick leave but… it didn't seem to really bother the conman at all. Maybe he had gotten over his infatuation with Ellis. He had pressed the whole 'no strings attached' anyway… and it had been Ellis who had asked for there to be a real relationship.
Perhaps knowing that Ellis was still alive and that they might meet again one day was enough for Nick. Then again, maybe the conman's feelings weren't as real as Ellis thought. It wasn't like Nick hadn't been the kind of person to 'love 'em and leave 'em' before… so why did Ellis think he was so special? Ellis shook his head- the only thing he knew for certain was that he missed the conman terribly and hoped that he could see Nick again. The last few weeks had been lacking something without the gambler around.
Ellis passed infected left and right as he considered all of this, his gaze lingering on them though they didn't so much as turn in his direction. Their lack of attacking him reminded Ellis of the children in Whispering Oaks though there was still something different about the eyes. And whereas the children had never outright threatened Ellis, the common infected had been a threat for far too long for him to easily see them as anything but diseased beings. An enemy to be fought-though only when needed now.
The first day Ellis had been alone he had killed the infected, no questions asked even though they hadn't attacked him. When the infected continued to ignore him, Ellis stopped firing on them. It didn't sit right with him to kill when it wasn't…. 'needed.' It's just… well Ellis no longer saw them as threats and that made them more 'human.'
Considering that a cure may be found someday, it seemed wrong to attack them. Especially when images of his mother flashed across his mind.
For a while now, Ellis wondered if she was, in fact, still 'alive.' He wasn't really sure if he wanted her to be or not. Perhaps it would be nice for her to be ok if a cure came about but otherwise he hoped that she wasn't around living such a damned existence- much like the one he was living now.
In a rather sudden movement the infected began to raise their heads and look around. Ellis reached for his gun and it turned out to be a smart hunch as a charger came into the area. He had learned lately that the common infected are in ways really inferior to the special infected- easily pushed aside and attacked by the more powerful infected. The common always seemed to know when one of the special was around…
The charger spotted Ellis and gave an annoyed roar. It was an outright battle call- no warning that Ellis had trespassed or option for Ellis to just leave. Sometimes Ellis would receive that from Hunters and Witches but Chargers, of the special infected, seemed to be some of the most dimwitted. They looked for fights everywhere… and Ellis wondered if their personalities reflected that of the people they used to be.
As the charger began to head menacingly in Ellis' direction the hick got with the program. His gaze flashed around and took in the layout, quickly coming up with the best plan to defeat the charger. Leaping toward the nearest wall, Ellis scrambled up it. His claws gripped and allowed him to pull himself up the brick, his gun in one hand as he quickly worked his way out of the Charger's reach. As soon as he found a ledge that gave him enough room to crouch he climbed on before turning and firing down at the charger, feeling himself settle into a semi crouch that eased the tension off of his back. With his elongated fingers it was difficult at times to pull the trigger, slowing Ellis' attack at times dramatically. After learning the hard way that speed was everything in the kill, Ellis had surmised that finding areas the other infected couldn't reach and attacking from there was usually the best plan of action.
The charger growled up at him when the first shot hit it. It charged and slammed into the wall, leaving a small dent in the brick and almost knocking Ellis off of his ledge. Ellis hissed in return, aiming the gun and firing once more. The force behind the shot pushed the charger back.
It roared up at Ellis but he just bared his teeth in a snarl, aiming his gun and firing once more- this time taking the charger down. Several zombies came running at the sound of the bullets, looking around hopefully. Ellis just rolled his eyes before climbing the rest of the way up the side of the building.
"Gonna hafta get more ammo soon." Ellis said to himself, noticing his pockets were lighter than what he would have liked. His sense of hearing gave Ellis plenty of warning when a Jockey pounced at Ellis' shoulders and he ducked, causing the Jockey to go flying over his head.
"Goddamn Back-Humper." Ellis snarled. Though Jockey's weren't really a danger any more per se, they were just as annoying. Ellis had run into a few before this and honestly he figured the Jockey would be smarter than to mess with him but the Jockeys were only slightly smarter than Chargers. Ellis viewed them as mice and he the cat, honestly.
He paused a moment, nose twitching as a strangely familiar scent caught his nose. His mind was whirring with interest and it gave the Jockey enough time to latch onto him, tugging on his face in an attempt to get him to move. Annoyed at being interrupted, Ellis folded his arms and coped with the Jockey tugging incessantly to try and get him to move.
"Are ya finished, yet?" Ellis asked, wanting to start tracking the scent he had caught earlier. The Jockey c0ntinued to tug and jerk and Ellis rolled his eyes before reaching up, grabbing the Jockey's shoulder, and throwing the annoying creature off. It hit the ground and bounced back to its feet before swaying uneasily. Ellis snarled in warning but the Jockey didn't run off. It grinned at him and Ellis sighed, raising his gun so that it was pointed at the Jockey.
"I don' really feel like wastin' a bullet right now. Are ya gonna leave me alone er what?" Ellis warned, triggering a bullet to fall into place. The Jockey stared unwavering at the gun before disappearing over the side of the building.
"Kay, cool." Ellis said, nodding to himself. Well… at least until he heard the hiss of a hunter. "Dammit." Why couldn't he just hunt a smell in peace? Ellis put his gun away for this, slinging it across his shoulders.
"Well where are ya, then?" Ellis asked, looking around as he got into a battle crouch. The purr of the hunter came from one side of the building but then it echoed from the other. Shit. Two hunters. Ellis was about ready to bolt when the two figures leapt at him. The familiar hood of a hunter came propelling toward him from one side…. and from the other side once again came the Jockey.
"Why you sneaky lil." Ellis grumbled, choosing to leap at the hunter and meet it midair though that meant that the Jockey was clamping onto his back. Sharp claws raked across skin and caused splits that oozed blood. Ellis was glad to see that he, at least, still bled red.
The hunter snapped its jaws at Ellis and he replied by snapping back, trying to bite at the hunter's throat but it was able to hold Ellis off well enough. The two grappled for some time- Ellis becoming increasingly worried about losing the scent. He needed to end this fast… He began to swipe at the Hunter for all he was worth- ignoring the injuries he received in return. They would heal well enough in a short while.
There was finally an opening and with one foul swipe Ellis' claws plunged into the Hunter's chest, causing the creature to whimper in surprise as it tried to pry itself free from the lethal weapons. Ellis used his other hand to cut the head cleanly from the creature's neck. It stopped moving after that.
It took a moment for Ellis to remember why there was an added weight to his back, causing him to reach behind and try to snatch the Jockey once more. It evaded Ellis' hand, instead leaping off the hick and turning to run.
"So now ya wanna run? Sorry pal, too late." Ellis growled, giving chase. The Jockey ran this way and that, trying to evade the lethality that Ellis promised should he catch the Jockey. The pursuit became a game to Ellis as the Jockey tried to out climb him, out run him, and out maneuver him- failing in every attempt. Ellis allowed this to continue for a short while before beginning to grow bored. With one last leap, Ellis pinned the Jockey beneath him and, easily seeing the other infected as a mouse, tore at the back of the Jockey's neck with his teeth until the head was dislodged from the body.
Wiping his mouth, Ellis sighed. Now what had he been up to? There had been something of interest.. something important… Ellis closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to try and soothe his annoyance before he caught that scent again. The scent he couldn't place… but that he recognized. As if from a dream or memory.
Licking his finger and holding it up to the wind Ellis shouted: "Thatta way!" before scaling down the building he and the Jockey had ended up on at the end of everything. In a way Ellis realized he was kind of hunting whatever the scent was coming from but he didn't mind that he was behaving in ways similar to other infected. His mind was too trapped in finding out what the alluring scent was.
Ellis moved between rooftops, finding the higher altitude a better way of tracking the smell though he wondered why it would be in such a high place. Had his quarry been up high or had the scent just wafted upwards?
As he closed in on the scent Ellis began to be a little sneakier about where he placed himself. Gunshots rang through the air and though Ellis knew he was in control of his hunger lust, the people with guns most likely didn't… so Ellis kept to the shadows as he finally reached the source of the scent. Ellis peeked over the roof of the building to get an idea of what was going on.
The scene that Ellis came across had a barrage of emotions flitting across his mind and he shook it, trying to come to grips with what was going on. Three semi familiar faces were facing a rather large horde and were struggling to keep it at bay.
"Zoey?" Ellis mumbled to himself as he watched the girl in a pink jacket battle like a warrior. "I's cuz she is a warrior." Ellis muttered, rolling his eyes. Zoey was just as beautiful and badassed as he remembered her being.
Wanting to help but not wanting to get shot himself, Ellis lifted his gun over the peak of the roof and began shooting down zombies that weren't all that near the trio. Enjoying this game very much, Ellis began to shoot down as many as he could as fast as he could- seeing that his extra gun was making a bit of a difference.
"Now 'm really gonna need more ammo." Ellis grumbled as he plugged the last of his bullets into the magazine for his gun. He glanced over the roof to see that Francis, Louis, and Zoey had been split up by the mass of the horde. Unable to go to each other's aid, it was up to Ellis to save his shots until one of them was in jeopardy. Not only was Ellis able to keep a spitter from dousing Louis in slime, Ellis also shot a hunter right after it had pounced on Zoey and took down a smoker before it could drag Francis in.
Ellis was rather proud of his shooting at this point, smiling to himself when he noticed that the horde of zombies had thinned. He was out of ammo at this point but he enjoyed watching the three battle- wishing he could go down and join them but knowing that wasn't an option. He noticed them gathering at one point and figured they were discussing something.
When he noticed that Francis had moved to point in his direction he hid behind the roof, laying his gun across his lap and holding his breath. Had he been discovered? He wasn't sure but it made his heart race to consider… as much of an Angel as Zoey was, he doubted she'd have mercy on Ellis. He didn't need a mirror to know that he looked pretty horrific at the moment. The black that would smear across his hands when he wiped his tears away was enough of a hint- you know, if the claws hadn't been enough.
As Ellis held the gun close to himself and remained hidden behind the roof, a glimmer caught his eye and he looked down at the beautiful shine of gold that still encircled his finger. His mind flashed back to Nick once more and Ellis felt sadness creep over him…. It hadn't been very long at all and yet it had felt like forever since he had last seen Nick. The man's scent was still locked away in Ellis' mind and sometimes, when he was having an especially bad day, he'd recall some memory of the conman.
Feeling that Zoey, Francis, and Louis would find him if he stayed put Ellis began to creep away, keeping low to the roof before climbing down the building. He kept to the shadows before he chanced a glance in the direction Zoey and her company had been. They were no longer there…
It was mainly reflexes that kept Ellis from being spotted when the three survivors came down the alley Ellis had landed in. He quickly ducked behind a dumpster, holding his breath as the footsteps closed in.
"You think there might still be people around?" Louis asked softly.
"After everything we've seen I highly doubt it…" Zoey replied and Ellis pressed further back against the wall.
"Somebody was shooting from that roof." Francis said stubbornly, a familiar scowl gracing his features.
As the three passed Ellis' hiding spot he began to question himself. He hadn't had a motivation in quite a while but helping protect those three seemed like a pretty plausible plan. Just as long as they didn't catch him… which added an element of fun in it for Ellis. An extreme game of hide and seek where being found could get you killed.
"I thought I saw someone, too." Zoey acknowledged.
The three continued to debate while they exited the alley. For a moment they attempted to call out to the person who had helped them but after a few moments of not receiving any response they stopped. After a quick search of the area where they thought their helper to be the three decided to move on.
"Maybe something happened to them." Zoey suggested.
"I hate not knowing things." Francis grouched, causing Louis to chuckle.
"That actually surprises me a bit, Francis." He remarked as they continued on.
"Speaking of other survivors, though… do you think the four we met on the bridge made it okay?" Zoey asked.
"I hate it when you ask that question. Isn't this like the hundredth time you've asked?" Francis griped.
"We've found proof that there were other survivors in the area at some point. It's very possible that they made it- in fact I'd say it's probable that they did."
Ellis kept at their heels all the way, enjoying the bits and pieces of conversations he caught. It was nice to hear a voice that wasn't his.
Eventually the trio made it to a safe house and Ellis debated what he could do from here. He needed to find more ammo… but he didn't' know if this was just a quick raid of a safe house or if it was going to be one of those moments when they would stay in there for the rest of the day.
Ellis looked to the sky for a moment, hoping to catch a hint and found that the sun was now low over the horizon. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully- unless the trio also travelled by night it was most likely that they were stopping to stay the night.
Looking from left to right, Ellis circled around to the house next door to Zoey and her friends. He slid in through the window instead of taking the front door, and nodded at the common he found in the home. They were fixed on the house next door, not even noticing Ellis' presence.
The search was fairly fast and Ellis was able to find just enough ammo to reload his magazine. He also grinned when he ran across a katana, the blade reminding him of Nick- it had always been his weapon of choice. Ellis still preferred a bat but he preferred a katana over a crowbar so Ellis swapped the melee weapon he had been carrying for the katana.
Ellis watched through a window free from other infected while the other survivors recuperated from the day. At one point Ellis realized he was being very similar to a stalker and pulled away from the window, shaking his head. He decided he might as well rest and get some sleep- and if Zoey and the others left without him he could always track them by scent. Glad to have worked out a plan and even gladder to have something interesting to do again, Ellis curled up on the couch and quickly fell asleep.
….
A commotion of some sort woke Ellis up in the night and he looked around quickly, his first thought was worry that the trio was under attack. In the end Ellis realized it was coming from farther away than that. He headed for the door, keeping his gaze moving and holding to the shadows once more.
It was much farther away than Ellis had thought initially and he was about to leave and let be whatever was going on when a smell he recognized fully brushed against his nose. Recognition bloomed across his mind and he began to move quickly towards the infected activity, passing common headed in the same direction.
He came upon a group of zombies surrounding something, more joining all the time. Ellis attempted to get through, interested in what could have caught their attention- mainly to quench his own curiosity on the situation. Ellis quickly stepped back when he realized the possibility it was a pipe bomb thrown by a survivor-which could explain the smell since scents rubbed off on things touched- but he didn't hear any beeping. In fact, if he listened hard enough, he could hear laughter.
"Shit!" Ellis snarled as the situation clicked into place. Ellis began pushing his way through the common but they attacked him now. This was their prey and he was not to interfere. Ellis snarled- he didn't know what had gotten the survivor into this situation but he would not let the person fall prey to these monsters. Even if he was pretty sure he was one of them now.
Ellis took only a moment to debate on how to go about this situation and in the end settled on his melee weapon. His claws actually worked great for attacking and fighting- he should know, he had battled a hand to hand match with a hunter with them. But they also made him feel less human… so Ellis decided that unless it called for it the claws would be kept out of this battle.
After that mini debate was over Ellis set to work in dispatching the common that were surrounding the familiar person. The common infected, realizing they were under attack, turned their sights to Ellis but in a way it was like he was invisible. They couldn't seem to comprehend the massive damage Ellis was dealing though he was one of them… so the common continued to fight back though they didn't stray away from their first focus.
Blood was pooling on the ground and Ellis fought not to slip in it as he slashed and dodged and diced the common infected nearest to him. Pale eyes were angry and in a way Ellis felt they looked betrayed but he didn't feel any guilt at all. He wasn't killing them to kill; he had a purpose for once. And he was slowly beginning to reach that purpose as infected fell by his hands. The infected finally got with the program and began attacking Ellis in full force, causing the hick to take some serious damage before he was able to take down the last of them. Ellis stayed in the finishing position of his last swing a moment, making sure that really was the last of them.
"Yeeeeeeer my heroooooo." Came a voice familiar but not. Ellis turned to face the man that meant so much to him… the man he never thought he'd see again.
"Nick!" Ellis said, glad to see that not all of the blood on the ground was the conman's. "What in the hell are you doing here?!" Ellis snarled at him, critical look working its way down Nick's body. Nick was still laughing feebly, head swaying back and forth and he reeked of alcohol.
Nick's gaze was unfocused as he looked up at Ellis but seeing the other man sent Nick into another round of weak laughter.
"Yoooooou surrrrrrrrre look a lot like….. like… like this guy. This guy I knew. Yeah, I knew him a' one point. I can't seem….. seem to find him. Though. I don' spose you've seen a man called Ellis?" Nick asked, chuckling between his word slurs.
"God Nick, what've ya done to yerself." Ellis said, attempting to help Nick to his feet. It made Ellis' back creak in pain as he straightened. Nick clung to him, his feet unsteady beneath him.
Well… this was a bit of a predicament. What did Ellis do with him now? The man was in no state to fight… but Ellis couldn't stick around him. As much as he wanted to.. God he had missed Nick- so much that he found himself clinging to Nick as well. He pulled the man into a hug, nuzzling his neck.
"Nick… Nick why are you here?" Ellis questioned, running his nose up and down Nick's neck. Nick, of course, didn't respond with anything except more chuckling which was so very unlike him. Ellis heaved a sigh, his nose wrinkling at how strong the smell of alcohol was on Nick.
"Good grief, man, how much've you even drank?" Ellis said… He realized he needed to find a place for Nick to stay. There was a boarded up bar nearby which Ellis suspected the conman had come from. Half dragging, half carrying Nick Ellis brought him back to the bar. Common infected were now keen on attacking him- they wanted the precious cargo that he was carrying. More than once Ellis had to set Nick down so that he could fight off the infected-he was saving his ammo for a later time when he felt he would need it more.
"Well Nick, ya shoul' be alright now." Ellis said once the door was shut behind them. He took a deep breath and nodded when the scents he caught weren't mingled with recent infected in the area. But then the smell of Nick and alcohol were so strong that it was possible the other scents were hidden.
Bottles lay empty, scattered around the bar and Ellis shook his head. He had wondered why Nick was so out of it.. he'd always taken Nick as a man able to handle his alcohol. But this much? Ellis began to worry that Nick might die from alcohol poisoning.
Snagging a bucket- just in case- Ellis tried to decipher the kind of bar this was. He was hoping it was the kind that had the beds in the back… even if once upon a time he had been disgusted by this kind of bar. He never really fancied the idea of sleeping with a total strangers just for the feel of sex. Finding a back to the bar, Ellis headed in that direction and found signs that this was, indeed, that kind of bar. Ellis kept pulling Nick until he found one of the back rooms to the bar where a very nice looking bed was waiting.
"Here ya go, man. I'll take care of ya, alright?" Ellis said, lying Nick down on the ground so that he could scoop the other man up into his arms bridal style. Nick looped his arms around Ellis' neck and settled his face in the crook of Ellis' neck, burying his face in Ellis' neck and causing him to shiver.
"Dammit man, yer nose is cold." Ellis teased as he attempted to set Nick down on the bed. He didn't let go at first, nearly choking Ellis until Nick's arms slid away from him tiredly. Once he had situated Nick comfortably on the bed, he smiled down at the other man and ran a hand down his cheek-causing the conman to close his eyes and lean into Ellis' hand.
"Have you… have you seen Ellis?" Nick asked, his voice still dazed. Ellis wondered if, on top of being drunk, Nick had hit his head. Ellis shook his head in slight amusement. Nick would be paying for this tomorrow. At least Ellis could find amusement in it tonight-Nick was acting so very much like a child for once.
"Nick, I'mma be right back. I gotta getcha somethin' ta dilute that alcohol in yer system." Ellis said, pulling his hand away. Nick opened his eyes to watch Ellis as he left the room and then came back with water that he had found with only a small bit of difficulty. He slipped an arm around Nick's shoulders and offered him the cup which Nick pushed away at first. Finally, with Ellis' insistence, he drank the glass. Ellis moved to fetch Nick another glass when a tight grip on his arm caught him and held him back.
"Don't." Nick said and Ellis felt his heart leap into his throat. Nick sounded extremely clear now- not drunk in the slightest. Ellis glanced over at him fearfully- he didn't want Nick to see him like this.
"Don' what?" Ellis asked quietly.
"Leave me. Don't leave me." Nick replied. He didn't break down into giggles again but with the way his focus didn't seem to be able to remain on Ellis, Ellis figured that Nick was still very much drunk and the earlier fear washed away.
"Don' worry, Nick. 'm here fer ya, jus' like always." Ellis explained, causing Nick to smile. The conman pushed up from the bed, grip on Ellis' wrist moving down to hold his hand instead. Ellis watched with interest- shocked by how fluidly Nick could move from a lying position to kneeling on the bed even though he was drunk out of his mind. The hick also didn't resist when Nick reached out to cup his cheek, causing Ellis' eyes to slip closed. How much had he missed this? Not just the time he spent with another person but the feeling of being loved?
"Nick." Ellis murmured softly and was only a little shocked when warm lips were pressing against his insistently. A part of Ellis' mind argued whether this was a good idea but Ellis ignored it… he hadn't thought he'd ever be able to kiss Nick again. For crying out loud, he never thought he'd see the other man again! Ellis was going to allow himself to have this moment.
It was slow, it was soft, and it was steady. All of which surprised Ellis, circumstances considered. Nick pulled back a moment, his hazed over gaze staring into Ellis' lustily.
"I missed you." Nick whispered, tugging on Ellis gently until the hick was kneeling on the bed as well. Once Nick had achieved that victory he began guiding Ellis while also moving back on the bed. When Nick pulled Ellis back in to continue where they had left off, Nick was pressed back against the headboard. Ellis was resting between his thighs, lying against Nick in a mostly comfortable position.
"Ah God, Nick." Ellis whimpered as Nick ground his hips up into Ellis. The man below Ellis was already rock hard and ready to go, causing heat to flood Ellis' system. He returned the grind, his own shaft at a little more than half staff. This pulled a long, drawn out moan from Nick. Ellis loved the sound of the other man's voice- probably a little too much. He ground down again, and relished in the sound drawn from Nick once more.
"Fuck me. God, please fuck me." Nick begged, catching Ellis completely off guard. He stared at Nick before shaking his head- Nick couldn't possibly mean… no. No way. Nick, probably taking this as a complete denial instead of confusion, reached down and roughly grabbed the tent that had been growing beneath Ellis' coveralls.
"Shit man, not so rough!" Ellis griped, the grip from Nick's hand causing pain to shoot through him in short, spiked waves. When Nick didn't relinquish his grip, Ellis decided to fight fire with fire and reached down to grope Nick roughly as well. The results he got from that were quite opposite from what he expected- Nick keened softly, canting his hips up against Ellis' hand. He released Ellis to loop his arms around Ellis' neck once more-his clouded gaze staring into Ellis'.
"So ya like it rough?" Ellis murmured, beginning to work at the buttons of Nick's shirt with one hand while continuing to forcefully palm Nick's arousal. It was difficult to do both at the same time and his fingers fumbled with the buttons often. At one point Ellis was surprised he hadn't just cut the shirt open on accident and vaguely noticed he didn't even have claws at the moment. It was pushed to the back of his mind; however, as Nick pulled him back down for another steamy kiss.
The way Nick's mouth moved against Ellis' should have been illegal- it soon had Ellis aching longingly for the man below him. He finished the buttons on the shirt as quickly as he could before pushing the shirt off of Nick's shoulders.
Nick looked down at the skin Ellis had exposed on the conman before looking back at Ellis. He began to tug insistently at Ellis' shirt but seemed too out of it to remove it. Ellis carefully unlooped Nick's arms from his neck to slip his shirt away from oversensitive skin. Nick's hands were on him within seconds of getting the shirt off-exploring the better defined areas of muscle while Ellis quickly slipped out of his coveralls as well. Nick nodded in approval, fighting to get his own shirt the rest of the way off. He began to fumble with the button of his pants, causing Ellis to shake his head.
"Yew really are drunk, Nick." Ellis reiterated, as if it needed saying. Nick looked up at him a moment before grinning.
"I'm not…I'm not drunk. I'm dreaming…. Or I'm dead." Nick replied matter-of-factly. This pulled Ellis up a short a moment. Was he taking advantage of Nick? The man was pretty much out of his mind… he wasn't at all like himself. But it was still Nick…
Ellis felt guilt sweep through him. He was counting on the alcohol to make Nick forget about this night. He couldn't remain around the conman after this. There was a plan forming in Ellis' mind on what he was going to do to help Nick… but that didn't involve Ellis coming back into Nick's life. Not when that would just cause more pain for both of them. Ellis would prevent Nick from safety if Nick ever decided to stay with him… and he hadn't the last time… or at least he hadn't at first. Why was Nick even still here?
Nick successfully got his pants off- that taking up his full focus for the time being. Once he looked back up at Ellis the conman's expression fell into one of sadness.
"What's wrooong? Don't worry… we're going to find Ellis…" Nick said before taking Ellis' face in his hands and kissing him lovingly. Ellis' eyes slid closed, a tear falling down his cheek at that. One last time… Ellis could have one last time with Nick and then never again. He'd let the conman go. He silently swore to himself that he would.
The kiss that Nick had been maintaining with heated lips and sensual tongue was broken as the conman attempted to catch his breath. Ellis, who was having a hard time breathing in general just by the way Nick's scent surrounded him, leaned down to suck on Nick's sweetest spot. He was going to pleasure this man to the best of his abilities so that even if Nick didn't remember his body would… At first there was no reaction from Nick and Ellis wondered if he had remembered the wrong spot…. But soon the man was writhing beneath him and Ellis felt victorious at having learned one of Nick's weak spots.
Nick's hips lifted, seeking friction, and Ellis reached down to grope the area roughly once more which caused Nick to make a sound that Ellis couldn't describe beyond the word 'sensual'. Ellis pulled back enough to nip and bite at the sensitive areas along Nick's jaw- slowly becoming a little rougher with his ministrations. Nick's movements became jerkier as needy noises fell from his lips. Ellis knew that alcohol could take a person and make them behave in a way they would never behave otherwise but Nick's behavior was borderline ridiculous at this point…
"Close. God, so close." Nick whimpered and Ellis debated getting the man out of his briefs… but before he could really decide one way or the other Nick reached orgasm and dampness bled across his briefs as Ellis pulled his hand away. Ellis leaned forward to nip at Nick's earlobe while the man came down from his pleasure high, enjoying the way Nick's breaths wouldn't come out evenly.
"Doin' ok, Nick?" Ellis whispered against Nick's ear as the man's breath continued to hitch. He pulled back to make sure that the man was alright and he found that there were tears in Nick's eyes- very close to being shed.
"I looked. I looked for so long. And I couldn't find you. I couldn't find you. Where were you?" Nick asked, his hands moving to grip Ellis' shoulders as the watery green gaze stared into Ellis' own blue eyes. He broke the gaze, however, unable to answer Nick's question. How long had Nick been alone? How long had he been out here? How had Ellis not even known.
"I's s'okay Ellis. Don't cry. Because I found you… I have you now so it's all ok." Nick replied, wiping the tear that fell down Ellis cheek. Nick looked curiously at the black that had smudged on his thumb and Ellis pulled away from the man, scrubbing at his cheek.
"Ellis?" Nick asked, pushing himself up to follow. Ellis wanted to bolt at the moment… he didn't want to be here. He wanted to find some dark place to hole up in where he'd be safe from Nick's discovery. What if the man didn't forget? But Ellis couldn't leave yet-not when Nick could follow and get himself into the same predicament he had been in earlier.
"'s alrigh' Nick, 'm here." Ellis said, moving in close to the other man once more. "Why don'tcha get some sleep?" Ellis offered, pushing Nick into a lying position but the conman shook his head stubbornly.
"We haven't taken care of you, yet." Nick said though Ellis' erection had actually gone soft from fear. He found he actually really wasn't in the mood anymore. He found he didn't want his last time with Nick to have the haze of alcohol hanging over it.
"I'm ok, Nick." Ellis promised but Nick shook his head once more. Ellis noticed the other man had got his briefs off and wondered when he had managed that.
"I…. I know what this is. I…. I can take it tonight." Nick mumbled, his words on the edge of incomprehensible.
"What?" Ellis asked but Nick didn't explain. Instead he tugged on one of Ellis' hands before pulling it up to his mouth. He began to suck on Ellis' fingers and the hick could feel the blood begin to flood south. He closed his eyes, trying to fight the feelings but the sensations Nick was giving him was causing his body to quickly awaken with interest.
Nick worked saliva around three of Ellis' fingers, his eyes hooded while he worked. When he was satisfied he released Ellis' fingers and moved Ellis' hand down to Nick's ass. Ellis felt his eyes widening as Nick did this, shivering along with Nick when the tips of his fingers brushed against the rosebud of muscle. When Ellis didn't move to continue what Nick had started, Nick rocked his hips in an attempt to push the finger into himself.
"You don' hafta do this." Ellis said, not wanting to add that he couldn't stay either way.
"I don't want you to leave." Nick whispered as he worked his hips slowly. "Come… Come on. I'm not… not going to offer…. This to you… often."
Ellis, biting his lower lip, finally gave in. Maybe Nick would pass out before they got around to what Nick was asking for. Ellis began to pump one finger in and out, surprised by the heat that enveloped it when he pushed in. This continued for a while before Ellis felt safe to add a second finger. He prepared Nick slowly and thoroughly, attempting to get the man to orgasm and hopefully pass out so that Ellis could leave before he no longer had the will to.
Three fingers, moving in and out fairly easily, still hadn't gotten Nick over the edge and Ellis remembered there was a specific spot to hit. He searched for it, shifting the angles of his thrusts while Nick watched him- gaze steady though still going in and out of focus.
"I'm ready." Nick said softly and Ellis glanced up at the other man as he said this. Ellis pulled his fingers free, trying to quell the excitement that was bubbling in his system. He couldn't deny that the idea of being the top partner had appealed to him… and even though this was not the situation he had wanted it in he began to break down slowly.
Nick shifted so that he was lying on the bed, fully underneath Ellis. He looked up at the other man, a question in his eyes.
"Is…. Is this the right position for you?" Nick asked and Ellis was confused at first before nodding.
"I always want ta see yer face." Ellis whispered, leaning down to kiss Nick softly as the conman reached for Ellis. Nick began to guide Ellis into the proper position, tugging Ellis' briefs down so that they were around Ellis' knees, giving a soft whimper when he felt Ellis' length brush against him.
"I love yew, Nick." Ellis breathed quietly, capturing Nick's lips once more to save the conman from responding. Ellis lined his hips up and began trying to work his way in, Nick's fingers digging into his shoulders as he moved. Ellis could feel Nick's muscles tightening around him when he had successfully breeched Nick's entrance.
"Are ya doin' alrigh'?" Ellis asked softly. Nick nodded though his expression was slightly pained.
Ellis continued to push in slowly with gentle rolls of his hips. It was difficult not just to try and shove all the way in but Ellis was kept at bay by remembering how painful it was for him that first time. A couple more pushes and Ellis was as far in as he could go.
"Yew still ok?" Ellis checked again, his gaze searching for anything that told him to stop. Nick's fingers were still digging into Ellis' shoulder blades and Nick's legs came up to wrap around Ellis' hips. Nick began to shift impatiently below him and Ellis started up his movement, pulling out slowly before pressing back in.
"Stop being…. Being so soft. I'm…. not…. A girl." Nick ground out and Ellis rolled his eyes.
"Whether ya are er no', I wouldn' wanna hurtcha either way." Ellis said slowly, fighting for focus while his body was undergoing waves of pleasure. Taking Nick's words into consideration, however, Ellis picked up his pace faster than he would have liked. Nick nodded and closed his eyes and of all the expressions Ellis had seen this one looked resigned to its fate. Ellis didn't like that… he didn't like that this was so difficult for Nick to cope with.
Ellis began to shift his angle- he had to find that spot. His own pleasure wasn't important when Nick was so obviously not in pleasure at the moment. In attempt to distract the other man Ellis reached down and stroked Nick in pace with his thrusts.
Several thrusts later had Nick's back arching up, fingers scratching pathways down Ellis' back and he knew he had found the right spot. Nick began to cling to Ellis like he was the only thing that existed in the world and maybe for a short while Ellis could be Nick's entire world.
Ellis continued to push in and slide out, a layer of sweat collecting as he worked to pleasure Nick. The feelings that were enveloping him made Ellis moan softly every time he pushed back into the velvety heat that was Nick.
"Are…. Are…. You…. Close…?" Nick asked, forcing the words out between thrusts. His voice seemed lost and it sent a tingling wave down Ellis' spine.
"God, yes." Ellis moaned out, heat clenching heavily in his gut. Nick nodded and reached down to push Ellis' hand out of the way, taking up the hand job himself so that Ellis could focus on the thrusts.
Ellis wasn't quite ready for it when Nick came with a cry, the conman's body clenching around him. It took 3 thrusts into that restricting heat for Ellis to lose his load and he wondered vaguely if Nick had wanted him to pull out. He had to admit he had no issues with the idea of his seed coating Nick's insides… the conman was his. And now Ellis had claimed him… though ironically it had been Nick's idea all along.
Unable to hold himself up any longer Ellis' weight pressed down onto Nick but the conman didn't seem to mind. Ellis gave the conman a tender kiss as he slid out of the warm of the gambler's body.
"Ellis…" Nick said softly, his eyelids drooping heavily.
"Yeah?" Ellis asked as he moved to lie next to Nick. The conman's gaze was serious as he looked into Ellis' eyes.
"I love you, too." He said softly yet clearly, as if he wanted to make sure Ellis heard every word. Ellis choked in surprise, his eyes widening… before a sad smile spread across his features. He leaned in to kiss the conman's forehead, his nose, and then his mouth once more.
"Thanks Nick." Ellis said softly as Nick curled into him, eyes slipping closed. Nick was soon fast asleep… and drowsiness was enveloping Ellis as well but he couldn't stay. As carefully as he could Ellis untangled himself from Nick's arms, collecting up his clothing and dressing silently.
Ellis quickly refilled the glass of water and brought a table in so that he could set the glass next to the bed. He then went about carefully cleaning Nick up, trying his best not to wake the man, before tucking him in and stepping away from the bed. He didn't want to leave… not right now. Not ever, really… but if he didn't leave now Ellis was sure he'd never leave and he couldn't be around Nick anymore. The conman deserved a life that wasn't constantly plagued by zombies.
Standing in the doorway Ellis wondered how many times Nick had done this to a woman. It bothered Ellis to think he was becoming a man similar to the man Nick used to be… but it wasn't like he had a choice. And it wasn't like he would do this again… not ever.
Ellis made sure to lock the house behind him after double checking to make sure that none of the infected had been able to get inside. Ellis held the door handle for longer than it was necessary, watching his fingers lengthen into the claws he was so used to having. He didn't really think much of it… just that he was glad that the claws had left in a timely manner so as not to injure Nick.
After that Ellis set to work getting his plan into motion. Nick couldn't face this alone and although Ellis would, of course, watch the conman's back Ellis couldn't let Nick find him. Tears slid slowly down Ellis' face as he worked to set up an obvious pathway between the trio he had found earlier and Nick.
Finishing up just as the sun began to rise Ellis found a place to hide where he could watch. He'd keep his friends safe the best he could- even if they didn't know it was him.
….
"Shit." Nick mumbled, attempting to sit up and clutch at his head but that caused a pain to shoot up his spine. "Goddammit."
"And he rejoins the living." Louis said cheerfully, bringing a bottle of pills into the room Nick had previously been comatose in.
Nick's eyes widened as he looked at the dark skinned man… who was this guy? He seemed vaguely familiar… If it weren't for the horrific migraine he was coping with Nick would say he was dreaming. The conman forced himself to sit up, annoyed and questioning of the intense pain that seemed to come from his ass at the movement. He must have fallen at some point while drinking and just didn't remember it now… Nick sighed, resting his face in his hands as he tried to push the migraine away.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Zoey teased lightly, joining Louis to look down at Nick. "Are you with us yet, suit?"
"Oh. It's you." Nick said, his voice monotone as he recalled the other group. Even if he didn't remember any of the other survivors from the group they had met briefly he couldn't forget Zoey. She, in Nick's opinion, was the bane of his existence.
"Well that's one way of saying hello. If you're an ass." Zoey snorted.
"I hate this. Why are we even here helping this guy?" Francis asked as he came in.
"I see you still have that hideous vest." Nick said, pulling his wits together enough to be able to insult the other man.
"I see you're still a douche." Francis replied, glowering down at the other man. Louis got Nick's attention with the pills and the conman took them without so much as a thank you.
"Some things never change." Zoey murmured. "So, Colonel Sanders, what the hell are you doing here? Where's the rest of your group?"
Nick smirked. It was obvious that she was trying not to sound concerned. Nick heaved a sigh before explaining. "Rochelle and Coach made it to the helicopter."
"And you didn't?" Francis asked.
"Obvioiusly, grease monkey." Nick replied, glowering.
"Well what happened? Did it leave without you?" Louis asked.
"Yeah. I was a little farther behind Rochelle and Coach so by the time I got there it was gone."
"You should consider yourself lucky, Nick." Louis replied.
"Why? It left me here to suffer through this hell alone." Nick grumbled.
"So is Ellis…?" Zoey asked, her expression softening.
"Dead?..." Nick rubbed his chin as he thought about how to answer this. 'He might as well be' wouldn't be a very good response… and saying that Ellis had chosen to stay behind meant that Nick would have to explain the whole goddamn story and he didn't feel like doing that. "We don't know. He disappeared at one point and we couldn't find him after that. So he might be." Nick shrugged. Speaking of Ellis… where was he, really?
"How can you be so goddamned calloused about that?" Zoey growled, her glower matching the power of Francis'.
"What? About Ellis?" Nick asked, not quite following what Zoey meant.
"Obviously. One of your teammates disappeared and you just… didn't care?" She inquired.
"Look. It's not like Rochelle, Coach, and I didn't care. We looked for him… we looked for a long time. But we didn't find him. There was nothing we could do- we had to move on." Nick growled and then regretted it as his head gave a painful throb. Zoey seemed to accept that as a better response, nodding and her glower softened to an expression of annoyance.
"So you're here all alone?" Zoey asked.
"Yes." Nick replied though it felt wrong to say in his head. But he was alone…
"Dammit. Of all the survivors to be left behind we had to end up with this bastard." Francis growled.
"Hey, I've survived this long on my own. I don't need you guys and you don't need me so why don't we just make this easier on one another? You guys can walk out the door and we'll forget about all of this." Nick growled.
"Do you have any plans to go after Rochelle and Coach?" Louis inquired, ignoring Nick's previous words.
"No. It's not like I'm going to be able to find them after this." Nick replied in annoyance.
"You may want to plan on trying to find them… and you can tag along with us for that, as well." Zoey put in.
"Why? I figured one safe hold is the same as any other."
"Because Rochelle and Coach are in fucking danger of becoming experiments or some shit like that." Francis ground out angrily.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Nick asked, his heart beginning to pound heavily in his chest.
"We're talking about how CEDA has fallen and the military has taken over. And how they've been trying to figure out the difference between someone immune, a carrier, and someone who catches the disease. Bill used to mention how it was just a matter of time for all of us…" Zoey explained. "No matter if Coach and Rochelle are carrier or immune it's most likely they're being taken somewhere where they can be analyzed. The last helicopter picking up for real rescue stopped rescuing a long time ago."
"Are you fucking kidding me? So you're saying that Rochelle and Coach have become lab rats?"
"Pretty much, yeah." Louis replied.
"Well what the hell are we still doing here? Let's go rescue their asses!" Nick replied. It wasn't like he had anything better to do… he hadn't been able to find Ellis. Though that worried Nick a great deal it was time to let hunting the kid go. Rochelle and Coach needed rescuing- if Zoey and the rest of them were to be trusted. Ellis would show up in his own time- Nick was sure of it. He hoped the kid was still alright.
Fighting a cringe as Nick pushed to his feet, he reached for his gun before realizing he was down to his briefs.
"I could have lived my entire life without seeing that." Francis griped, turning to leave the room.
"So I take it we can count you in, Suit?" Zoey asked. She received a nod from Nick.
"Alright then, let's get a move on." Louis replied, leading the way. He paused outside the door with Zoey and they gave each other looks… they didn't really want Nick along but an extra gun might come in handy and besides, Nick had helped them out the other day…. That they hadn't come across Nick earlier still baffled them. With a nod to one another they prepared to enter the battle that they had already fought so many times… and would probably fight at least as many times more.
"Let's go kick some ass." Nick said, joining them a short while later. He crossed his fingers mentally, hoping that Ellis would catch on to this somehow and follow. He didn't really want to leave the kid behind. Wondering what had even become of the kid, Nick followed the trio out into the infected city. "Hang in there guys, we're coming for you."