Ellie screamed as a Runner bit into her upper arm. She grabbed her pistol and shot it twice in the face. It let go and fell to the ground. "Jeez that was great Ellie. Now their gonna know you escaped and that you're armed. And the worst part is that there's Infected everywhere." Ellie said to herself. The teen looked around then silently continued on. A group of men were standing around a steel drum trying to keep warm. "God it's fucking freezing. Wait what was that?" One of the guys asked. A Clicker ran forward and bit into the man's neck ripping the vein apart. The other men cried out and killed the Clicker. One of them raise their gun and killed the man who was bit. Ellie watched from around a corner. She wasn't about to mess with them. The men silently walked around looking for more Infected. The redhead snuck up behind one of the men and quietly knifed him. She left him there.
Damien was in a very bad mood. His prisoner escaped and the Infected had made their way into town. It was not going as planned. "When I find that little whore I'm going to strangle her so hard." Damien whispered to himself. Peeking around the corner of a nearby house he saw Joel and Tommy making their way through the town. Joel stopped and raised his gun. "Tommy were being watched. So be careful alright. And we shouldn't split up." Joel said. Tommy nodded and looked around. He didn't see anyone but he trusted his brothers instincts. Damien chuckled and held up his gun. Clickers could be heard heading their way. It would be very easy to get the Infected to attack them but Damien would rather do it himself. Ellie made her way around a corner and almost into Damien.
The redhead reached into her bra and slowly pulled out her switchblade. It would be easy to sneak up on him and kill him. Ellie slowly crept up on the man in front of her. This was how she subdued David. Raising her knife she posed to strike. Damien turned around and seen Ellie. He grabbed her and slammed her against the wall. "What do you think you're doing you stupid brat?" The brunette man asked as he put pressure on her neck. Ellie cried out in pain and struggled against the man. Joel came around the corner and pointed a gun at him. "Release her right now. She's not the one you want." Joel put his finger to the trigger. Tommy raised his gun but kept his eyes on Ellie. "Oh you stupid man I was hoping to kill both you and her. So why would i let her go?" Damien asked sarcasm dripping in his voice. The teen kicked the man in front of her right his his balls. He dropped her and she ran behind Joel. Taking the shotgun off of Tommy's back pack Ellie pointed it at Damien.
Damien looked at the three pointing guns right at his face. Smirking the deranged man pulled out a bottle and smashed it on against the wall. It had made quite a loud shatter. Clickers could be heard coming and they were coming fast. Damien took this chance to escape just as the Clickers reached Tommy. Tommy stabbed it in the face killing it instantly. Joel fired into the cloud of Clickers and Runners. "Ellie cover me in gonna make a Molotov!" Joel yelled over the noise of the gunshots and the sounds of the Infected. Ellie nodded and blew the head off of a Runner. The older man kneeled down and crafted several Molotov cocktails. Tommy picked one up and tossed it into the crowd. "Oh shit guys we gotta move. I see a Bloater. We'll be sitting ducks." Ellie said moving into a house. Tommy and Joel follow her inside. The trio reloaded their weapons.
"I fucking hate Bloaters their so annoying. And they take to long to fucking kill." Tommy said as he peeked out of the window. The Bloater was making it's way towards them. Joel cursed under his breathe and tossed the Molotov right at the giant Infected. It screeched in pain while trying to decide where it came from. Ellie picked up a nail bomb & tossed it past the Bloater. Multiple Infected made their way over to it. The bomb exploded killing several Clickers and caused major damage to the biggest Infected. Tommy pumped three rounds from his shotgun into it and the Bloater fell over dead. The red headed teen killed the last of the Clickers. The trio sighed in relief and slumped against the wall. "Ellie are you alright?" Joel asked. He had been very worried about the teen.
Ellie nodded and hugged Joel. "I'm alright Joel let's just go home." Joel nodded and stood up. He had a plan but for it to work Tommy would have to keep his promise no matter what. "I suggest we get a move on before anymore Infected or worse town folk show up." Tommy said. Jamie came in and put his gun on the table. "Guys there's more Infected on the way towards town. A lot more than the last batch." It was clear that the teen boy was panicking slightly. "Calm down son . Everything will be alright. Now how do we find our way out of this place without running into any more Infected or townsfolk?" Joel asked Jamie. Ellie fixed her sleeve to cover her new bite mark. Jamie happened to see the movement.
"Oh my God! She's Infected!" The dark teen yelled as he pulled out his pistol. Tommy grabbed the gun and pinned the boy's' wrist against the floor. "You will not shoot her. She is immune to the Cordyceps Brain Infection. Ellie will ot turn into one of those things." The light brunette explained to the youth. Jamie nodded and his wrist was released. "But how is she Immune? I've never heard of something like this." Jamie asked rubbing his now slightly sore wrist. Ellie rubbed her inner arm where her first bite was. "We don't know why. But the Cordyceps in my brain mutated and grew differently preventing Infection." Ellie said with a slightly sad note to her voice. Joel sighed and picked up his bag. He needed to get going before anyone tried to stop him. "Tommy do you remember the promise you made me on the way here? Well now is the time for you to keep it." With that being said the older man hopped through the window.
Tommy had to grab Ellie so she wouldn't follow Joel out the window. "Ellie stop it right now. He made me promise that no matter what I would get you back to Jackson. Even if he was left behind. When a southern man makes a promise he keeps it." Ellie grabbed Tommy's shirt and started to sob. She buried her face into his shoulder and let the tears flow freely since that might've been the last time see didn't want to leave behind her new father but sometimes you have take the opportunities that are given to you. Jamie reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. He understood what is was like to lose someone very important. "It'll be alright. Joel will come home. I'll stay behind and make sure he gets out safe and sound.I promise." Jamie said. He was very serious and intended to keep his dark skinned teen nodded and jumped out the window heading in the same direction as Joel.
Ellie hated leaving anyone else behind but there wasn't a choice in this matter. The light brunette guided the red haired tee from the home. They made their way towards the edge of town. Tommy wanted to get Ellie home as quick as he could. He didn't want to run into Infected. "Tommy I know you made a promise to Joel but I need you to promise me something. When you get me back to Jackson please you have to come back here to get Joel and Jamie. I can't lose anyone else. Especially now. Please promise me." Ellie practically begged. Tommy looked at the girl and nodded. "Alright Ellie once you're safe with Maria I'll come back and get Joel." The pair was almost to the edge when they heard a click of a gun behind them. "Don't fucking move another muscle you fucking scumbags." Elton said raising his double barrel shotgun at them. The blonde slowly walked over to the pair ready to shoot at a moment's notice.
Somewhere else in town Damien was gathering anyone of his followers that would be willing to travel and leave their home behind. Not many were willing to follow him. It was only seven children. Three girls ages twelve, fourteen and fifteen. The ages of the four boys are eight, ten, eleven, thirteen. The rest of the towns folk that were unwilling to leave were left in the shed. The doors were locked and a molotov cocktail was thrown threw the window on the door. The children gasps in horror as they watched the man they trusted murder their friends and family for no other reason than disloyalty. They couldn't understand why the man they trusted and respected do something so horrible as this. Damien grabbed the kids and pushed them towards a van he had waiting on the side. "Now all of you in the truck or the same fate will happen to you." The man ordered. Slowly all the kids climbed into the back of the box truck and the door was locked shut.
Joel tackled Damien to the ground and started to pound his face in. Damien tried to block the attack by putting his arms up. "You fucking Jackass! I'll kill you for taking my daughter! Jamie came running over. The smell coming from the burning building was so horrible that the teen nearly gagged. There was no hope for saving the people inside. Damien grabbed Joel's arm and twisted it until the older man rolled off him. Joel groaned in pain and tried to shake the deranged man off of him. "You stupid fuck. You really thought you could get rid of me that easily? Keep dreaming. Then again you won't be dreaming for much longer. I'm gonna kill you then I'll go to Jackson and kill your precious baby brother and his whore wife. Then after i kill him I'll go kill that fucking brat you call a daughter. And after that I'll burn that whole fucking community to the fucking ground. You coming here was a pretty stupid idea. You doomed not only your life but those you care about and every single person in Jackson." Damien explained.
The teen boy ran over and tackled the older man who used to be his leader. The pair tumbled to the ground "Damien if you want to kill Joel or anyone else you'll have to kill me first you sick son of a bitch." Jamie challenged. He was was prepare to sacrifice himself so Joel could return to Ellie safe and sound. Just like he promised. Joel pulled out his pistol and pointed it at the man on the ground. "That is a very noble thing of you Jamie. But i can't let you do that. You have your whole life ahead of you. Now take the trunk and get those young ones to Jackson." Joel said to the dark teen beside him. Damien looked between them. He hated being out numbered. Where the fuck was Elton when he was needed. The dark haired man took his opening and lunged for the gun. It had caught Joel off guard and the duo slammed to the ground. The gun slid out of reach from the force of impact. It landed right at Jamie's feet.
"No one is leaving here without my permission! You're not going anywhere unless I say so you fucking bastards. You killed my brother James. He was a good boy and you fucking murdered him along with the rest of the town. You stupid cunt." Elton could barely control his anger. He had the end of the gun against Ellie's chin. The red headed teen wasn't scared of him. All he did was find a way to piss her off. Tommy slowly moved his hand towards the pistol in his left pocket. The blonde man noticed this and hit Tommy in the nose with the butt of the gun. The teen took this opportunity to pull out her switchblade and pierced it into Eltons chest and straight through his heart. Ellie twisted the knife and tore it from his body pulling his heart out with the blade. Elton slumped over lifeless. "God that was fucking disgusting. I think I'm gonna puke Tommy." Ellie wiped her knife on Elton's shirt then ran over to the nearest house. She spewed everything in her stomach all over the ground. It wasn't much to begin with. Tommy followed her over and rubbed her shoulders. "Let's get home."
The dark skinned teen picked up the gun and pointed it at Damien The man never noticed the gun had been picked up or that it was pointed right at him. Joel did notice and tried to get the crazy man on top of him in the right position for a clean headshot. Jamie turned off the safety and pressed it against the back of Damien's head. "What the fuck do you think you're doing Jamie? You would actually shoot me. The man who provided you with food, shelter and gave you a fucking propose?"Damien asked the youth standing over him. Loyalty was everything to Damien. In his mind anyone who wasn't loyal was his enemy and they didn't deserve to live. Quickly Damien turned and grabbed the pistol. "I'll see you in Hell traitor." He turned it on Jamie and pulled the trigger. Jamie fell over with a hole in his forehead and blood gushing from the bullet wound.
Joel felt rage course through his veins. The teen didn't deserve to die like that. The older man grabbed the other man tried to get the gun from his hands. The darker brunette managed to pin the other brunette man to the ground and pulled the trigger. Joel sighed in relief and got of the dead body. Finally it was over. Damien was in Hell with his sick and twisted brother David. Joel walked over to Jamie's corpse and closed the poor teens' eyes. He was a good kid. "Excuse me mister. What's going to happen to us now?" A small voice asked. One of the children had gotten out of the van. They were scared and alone in the world now. The older man felt like he needed to get them to a safe place. To Jackson. That was the best place for them.
Ellie climbed onto the horse's back and took the reins. "We're gonna have to haul ass if we wanna be in Jackson before sun down." Tommy said as he mounted his own horse. The pair guided their horses back onto the main road and headed for home. The redhead wasn't feeling too great. She had a bad feeling. Like couldn't shake that she was going to lose someone she cared about. Tommy picked up on the teens worry. "Something on your mind baby girl?" The older man asked. Ellie took a few minutes to gather her thoughts before finally answering. "Tommy ever since we left them I've been having this bad feeling that Joel wont come home. Please tell me that this feeling is wrong and he'll come back to us." The teen begged. She couldn't handle it if she lost Joel now. She needed him. Tommy slowed his horse down to a trott and replied. "Ellie I can't say that Joel will come home or not. But I know for a fact that no matter what happens he will never stop fighting till he has you back in his arms."
Tommy's words gave Ellie hope that Joel will return even if he comes back injured. At least he'd be with his family. The teen nodded and snapped the reins. The horse whinnied and took off running towards Jackson. Tommy laughed and snapped his reins so he could keep up with the teenage all the way home. In the man's eyes Ellie was just like his niece Sarah. Almost like they were the same person. Even Joel could see how very similar Sarah and Ellie are. "Ellie I want to Thank you. You save Joel. He was so close to a mental break down. Ever since we lost Sarah he hasn't been the same. Now hes like his old self again and it's all thanks to you. It's almost like twenty years of guilt has been lifted off of his shoulders. I'm grateful to have my big brother back." Tommy said smiling. The redheaded teen smiled back but wasn't sure on how to responde to something like that. It was a shock to her.
Joel helped the little girl back into the truck. "Alright I'll get all of ya some place safe. So just hang on and don't be scared." He closed the truck and locked it. CLickers could be heard heading for the truck. And by the sound of it there was way more than he could handle alone. Joel quickly got into the front cab of the truck just as a runner slammed against the door. It left a huge dent and cracked the window. The brunette man started the engine and slammed on the gas petal. They took off but a bloater managed to grab the passenger door. The force of the acceleration and the strength of the Bloater ripped the door straight from the truck. A Runner latched onto the open door space and pulled Itself into the cab with Joel. Joel reached into his front pocket and pulled out a pistol.
The Infected grabbed Joel's arm and bit down hard. He screamed in pain. Raising his gun Joel aimed as best he could while steering and shot the Runner square in the forehead. Joel pushed the dead Infected out of the truck. "Fuck this isn't good at all. Ellie and Tommy won't be happy to see this." Joel said to himself. A Bloater stepped into the path of the on coming truck. Upon impact the Infected burst all over the front of the truck. Joel turned on the windshield whipers and quickly steered the van out of town as best he could. He turned onto the main road that went to Jackson. This sucked for Joel. He had been bit and that meant only one thing. His life was over whether he turned into an Infected or he was killed or he commited suicide. It took almost several to reach Jackson. Maria was on top of the wall doing patrol when she saw the truck. She pulled out her radio and called her husband. "Tommy I think this truk is Joel. But incase it isnt get the guys ready." The blonde climbed down and waited at the gate rifle in hand.
Ellie got to the gate jus seconds after Tommy. They pulled open the doors together. Tommy and Maria raised their guns and pointed them at the truck. Joel climbed out of the truck and walked around to the back of the truck. He opened the back of it and helped the children down. "Alright kids this is a safe place. Maria will make sure your well taken care off. Right Maria?" Joel asked. The blonde leader nodded as she shouldered her rifle. Tommy came over and pulled the older man into a tight embrace. How ya doing baby brother? Ya'll make it back without a problem?" Joel asked returning the tight embrace. The younger brother was so happy to have the man back thahe couldn't answer at first. Tommy chuckled and said, "Joel you son of a bitch. We had some trouble with Elton but we got out of it just fine. Also your never leaving me ever again." Ellie pushed between them and wrapped Joel in her arms. She never wanted to let him go again. Joel smiled and hugged her back. He was going to miss this. Maria came over and noticed blood on the darker brunettes arm and shirt. "Hey Joel what happened to your arm?" Maria asked asked her brother-in-law. Her voice was filled with concern.
Joel kept quiet for a few minutes. This isn't how he wanted them to find out that he was Infected. Ellie grabbed the mans arm and looked at the bite. "It's just like mine. He's Infected. Joel how the fuck did you get Infected?" Ellie was pissed and sad at the same time. She had seen what happens when you get bit. First it was Riley then it was Tess. Next was Sam. Now it was Joel. The one person she never thought she'd loose, especially like this. Joel pulled Ellie back into is embrace and explained. "I was trying to get out of that town with these kids safetly but a Bloater ripped off the passenger door. A Runner made it into the cabwith me and bit my arm before I could get my gun out. I'm sorry baby girl. I never meant for something like this to happen. I swear on it. But it's also a sorta of good thing. I'm an old man. I can't do everything i used to be able to do. Besides my our luck had to run out sometime." Joel held the teen in his arms. He didn't have much time left to be with her anyway.
Tommy stared at his brother. He knew what he had to do and this was something he didn't wanna do. Maria why don't you get these kids inside and settled in. I need to talk with Joel in private." the light haired brunette said to his blonde wife. Maria could see the pain in Tommy's eyes and nodded. She looked at Joel. "I'm glad I met you Joel. You were a big help around here and I know it made Tommy happy that you came to live here." Maria said then gave him a one armed hug. Joel put his arm around her and squeezed a little bit. He released her and she took the seven children inside. Ellie knew what Tommy was going to do. It had to be done or Joel would turn. There was just no possible way around it. Joel wasn't Immune like Ellie. "Joel why do you have to leave me like this?" The redheaded teen asked. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung on tightly.
Joel looked at Tommy then at Ellie. "Baby girl I've had this since my high school days and I want you to have it. It was my Father's. That way you have something to keep close to your heart of mine. Hopefully it wll provide you with some comfort when I'm gone." Joel said. He reached into his shirt and pulled out an alligator tooth on a silver chain. Joel took it off and put it around Ellies neck. The tooth rested on her heart. The necklace was originally meant for Sarah if she had survived but now it was Ellies'. The redhead nodded and whipped a small tear from her cheek. "Joel this is totally fucked up. But I'm glad Marlene asked you to take me to the Fireflies. Even if it was a bust. We healed each other and I'm glad we got stuck together." Ellie said as she hugged Joel for the last time. Tommy put his hands on Ellie's shoulders and said. "Ellie head on inside. Me and Joel have some stuff to discuss" The teen looked at both men. They both had hard looks on their faces. Ellie nodded and slowly walked back inside.
"Tommy I know what your going to do. I don't blame you one bit. In fact i wouldn't want anyone else to put a bullet in my brain." Joel said. The younger brother nodded and pulled the elder brother in for one last hug. Tommy hated thwe fact that it was up to him to Kill Joel. "Joel do not think for one motherfucking minute that I even want to do this. I"m doing this because I know that I have to. And I know you don't want to become one of those fucking things." Tommy squeezed the man in his armsl. Joel nodded. He understood how Tommy was feeling. Tommy pulled his rifle off of his shouder and Joel grabbed it. "Don't hold back baby brother. And take good care of Ellie and Maria. I love you Tommy. Joel said. Tommy nodded and raised the gun. "I love you too big brother." Taking aim and Tommy pulled the trigger.
The next day had an taste of sadness in the air. Almost all of Jackson had gathered in the Cemetary. They were having a funeral for Joel. "Joel you will be missed very much. Your with your daughter Sarah now. You were a good father, maybe not the best but you had it were it counted most. You were doing the best you could as a single father. I just wish you were still hear with us." Tommy said as he placed a white rose on the fresh grave. Maria put her hand on her husbands arm in comfort. She could tell he was having a hard time adjusting to this. Ellie stepped up and placed a rose next to the one Tommy had put down. She stepped back and said. "Joel was more than my best friend. He was my protector and my adoptive father. Joel was the only person who never abanded me. Even when times were tough and he could've left me for dead but he never did. Joel i love you and I'll miss you. Goodbye." The teen wiped a tear from her eye.
Tommy pulled Ellie back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He understood what she was feeling The two of them needed each other more then anyone could possibly understand. "Ellie that was very sweet. Joel loved you very much. That would've made him smile." Tommy said. Ellie nodded and held onto the older man's arms. She needed the comfort they provided. Ellie was so close to breaking down in tears. The funeral had ended a while ago but Tommy, Maria and Ellie had stayed at the grave to mourn Joel on a more personal level. Maria looked at Tommy and Ellie. She felt bad for them. They were the ones closest to Joel "Tommy I'm gonna head back and start moving Ellie's belongings into our place." The blonde woman said before hugging her husband and Ellie. They returned the embraced. Maria left after they released her. "So Tommy what do we do now?" Ellie asked.
Alright that is the end of this Fanfic. I hope you all like it. Now if you want a oneshot sequal I will make one if there are at least ten comments asking for a sequal. My next Fanfic will be of Until Dawn. The pairing will be Chris and Josh having some drunken sex-capades hours before the prank that caused Beth and Hannah's deaths. I'll see you soon.