Thank you so much for keep on reading...

I don't really fancy Joel-Tess relationship and still not really into it now especially after that 'secret ending' in TLOU: One Night Live. But it's interesting to include some twist that Tess has her crush in Joel and it probably goes the same to Joel. Besides, they did flirt each other inside the game!

I don't really know any romantic restaurant in Austin but I choose Driskill as I saw it as the most luxury I ever been down there.

Anyway hope you enjoy the story and please comment.

Okay..we need to lighten up the mood …ready?

It doesn't matter how much you push the envelope. It'll still be stationary

What is that?

It's a joke book…No Pun Intended: Volume Too by Will Livingston

Ellie, let's keep going.

What did the Confederate soldier use to eat off of ?...Civil ware.

Uh-huh..

What did they use to drink with ?...Cups..Dixie Cups

Sigh

I walked into my sister's room and tripped on a bra…It was a booby-trap

Sigh

What is the leading cause of divorce in long-term marriage…a stalemate

That's awful

Well..you're awful

Do you even understand what that means?

Nope..doesn't matter…all right I'm done..for now..

The phone rang on a day after next. Joel comes off from the kitchen and picks it up. It was Tommy, He's informing him of Jackson city vacation plan.

"I yet to ask Sarah on her summer holiday, but I will today" Joel replied.

"Okay..asks her then update me about it…please give me a call.." said Tommy.

"I will," he answered. Sarah came down just after he hang up the phone.

"Who's that?" she asked. She took a seat on the dining table where Joel already prepared some toast and juice. A simple breakfast for her before school.

"It's Tommy…he's asking on your summer schedule…We're planning on hiking and horsing in Jackson city, Wyoming..escaping Texas hot summer" Joel explain.

"Cool..I'll be on holiday starting a week from now..for the whole summer…and soccer camp is canceled" she clarified.

"Okay then, I'll update on Tommy later," said Joel. A sound of car horn are heard outside. It's from Jimmy's car. time for his baby girl to go to school

"Jimmy's here..hurry up " he urges on his daughter. Sarah quickly grabs his backpack then quickly leap on his face for a quick smooch.

"By the way…are you gonna be home in the evening when I get back ?" asked her.

Joel exhales his breath and gives out a grinned. He looks straight into his daughter eyes who was expectantly hoping he will.

"No..I'm afraid…I'm not" he answers with shook of his head. Sarah hopeful looks neutralized. She kinda disappointed but understand how busy his life schedules.

Then Joel holds to both her shoulder and gives her a surprise.

"Because I'm gonna go the school and fetch you myself and tonight we'll go for dinner to where ever you want…" Her eyes utterly brighten upon hearing what he said.

"Really…promise" she said in disbelief. Joel gives a nod on his head with grins.

"Oh thank you so much dad…" she flops on his chest and embrace her old man as hard as her small arms can hold.

"All right..baby girl..you're about to squash me..now go..Jimmy's is waiting.." he said trying to scoot her.

"See you daddy.." she said with absolutely full of joys in her face and dashed out to Jimmy's car. Joel watches her over until the car vanished into SH71.

At his office. Tess is talking to the phone as Joel walked pass her room.

"I need the supply a.s.a.p…you promised us the end of this month.." she gives Joel a gesture for him to come to her.

"What's up with that ?" asks Joel as she hung up.

"Robert screw up the transaction again…That's an incompetent son of a b****h" She muttered. Joel just gives an I-have-told-you gestures.

"But thanks to Bill, deal with his new contacts when off without a hitch though…so we still go on our new high school project in Lincoln next year.."

"Thank god we have Bill..He always keeps us busy..owe him big time.." says Joel. Well, Bill can be an as****e sometimes, even in his dream, but he has a heart. Half of the company tenders came from him.

"Oh..By the way...happy belated birthday…sorry for missing it"

"Really.. Highly smarty Tess..missing his boss birthday.." says Joel sarcastically.

"All right..don't be such a baby…let's go dinner tonight…on me.."

"A date ?"

"Well, you claimed you're romantic type.."

"Oh..I wish I could say yes…but another lady already got me hooked"

"Another lady? That's news to me…who would that be ?" Asked Tess with her both arms crossed over her chest.

"Uhmm…a relative type.." Joel gives a little hint. But Tess is being smart as always, catches it.

"Oh okay... So... That little blonde chick is my rival now.." she sounded with jealousy.

"Hey..that's my daughter you're talking about.."

"I'm just kidding.." she gave him a soft punch "Sarah deserved you more..hope you both gonna have fun.."

"We will.."

In the evening, He came out of his company building, taking his truck and head to Sarah's school. He passed by a soccer field and saw what it seem a match.

'I bet Sarah is playing' he assured himself and parked nearby. Sure enough, upon sitting on the bleacher, he saw his daughter - the striker, pulling her skill to penetrate her opponent defenses. Crossing and sliding the ball to confuse the goalie and shoots it right in. The crowd in the stand, cheer up on her feat. Joel gives a grin of proud.

"That's my girl !" he shouts out, but barely heard inside the cheers.

A few minutes later, the game ended and the team line up to give a respect to each other - it's a friendly game after all - then they gather together and debriefed by the coach. At that moment, she notices him and give him a wave. Joel returns the wave.

"Since today is the last of the remaining Monday, I'll see yall after summer, have a nice holiday," said the coach and they're dismissed. Sarah went straight to him.

"Hey…" she greets on him with her still heavily breathing

"Fun day at training huh," said Joel as in return of her saying - fun day at works. Sarah chuckled.

"Well..that's the end of this summer.." she told.

"All right…go get yourself cleaned up..I'll wait for you in the truck…then we'll go for dinner"

"Right now? Isn't it too early ?" she said.

"Well, what's appropriate time?" he asked, looked at his birthday watches. She's right, though, 6 pm is too early for dinner.

"After we went home and get well-dressed up.." she replied.

"What !?" Joel gave her a questioning glances.

"C'mon daddy…you said it this morning that I can go to where ever restaurant I like...it's about time you bring me to some place in Austin once in a while " she pouted.

"All right…Where do you wanna go then?" he asked.

"The Driskill Grill" she replied in a demanding tone.

"Wow…since when did you know about that restaurant," he asked.

"In twitter..Tess retweeted me about it today..coincidence huh" she explains. Joel sigh, he knows Tess purposely did it 'Damn you, Tess !'

The Driskill Grill is a luxury and exclusive restaurant. It's not about he can't afford to take her there, he been there once when he was married to Sarah's mom. But it definitely very awkward to bring his own twelve years old daughter to dine there when you should be bringing your wife or girlfriend. He looks right into his daughter's face, and there's again, her innocent expectant looks - he just can't say no to that.

"Fine…I'll make a reservation..." he said along with a yippee sound from his daughter.

8 at night, they arrived at The Driskill Grill in the middle of Austin. It's even awkward for him to have to wear a coat at her request - can't say no again ! -. That night Sarah is also departing her tomboy threat, wearing beautiful gown dress and mid heel pumps. Still doesn't hide the fact she's twelve!

"We have reservation…Miller" he said to the restaurant boy and he acknowledges, showing the table reserved for them.

"Wow! This is totally awesome !" said Sarah, sitting comfortably smiling at her daddy who is sitting across her. Joel looks up the surroundings, obviously, most of the customers are a couple. There's a kid too, but of from a young marriage not an old guy like him. If anybody would think wrong about him and Sarah dines together, it's going to be a pedophile. After dining, Joel thought of leaving.

"What's so hurry…it's still way before my bedtime" said, Sarah. The clock is ticking at 9.15.

"Well what do you wanna do ?" he asked.

"Let's talk," she said. Joel realized Sarah really want to have a quality time with him. Albeit it not so her age way. But still Joel thought of playing along.

"All right, What do you want to talk about ?" he crossed his arm to his chest.

"Do you think Ellie is real…" she asked. That question surprised him. It seems Sarah is deeply obsessed with the girl more than himself. But he glad, cause she has the same notion as him. So he won't mind sharing with her too.

"Actually, I'm thinking the same too baby girl…" he clasps both his hand on his under chin, thinking.

"Tell me what's she looks like?"

"Long auburn ponytailed hair. Jade colored eyes and she had few freckles on her face" Joel describes all he could remember about Ellie appearance.

"Does she has any similarity with me.." Sarah's eyebrow raised.

"Not in a similar way..I mean, she loves to read, but mostly comic and magazine and love to collect Joke books.." he said.

"I read magazine too! Well soccer magazine, and what the heck is Joke Books ?"

"No idea…Maybe it only exists in that dream.." Joel gives a thought. He remembered some of the jokes she told him in that dream and makes small grins.

"Why are you smiling ?" noticed Sarah. Joel quickly clears his throat.

"Ugh, nothing..Uhmm..What else you want to know ?" he quickly covered it.

"Oh, does she plays soccer..Or any sports….Or video games" she asked.

"It's apocalypse world, Sarah, there is slim time for things like sports and video games when you have to think on your everyday survivals" Joel explained.

"Oh..Yeah, right" Of course she has no clue what so ever on how apocalypse world would look likes or how people would behave in that kind of environment.

"But she's good with bow and arrows…also throwing with bricks…I guess if she lived in the real world she probably good at dodge ball.." Joel gives a logical thought.

"If that so, she probably is.." Sarah chuckled.

"And she seems to have been trained on paramedic know how.."

"You mean the part she's tending your serious wound, I don't believe anyone can survive after being impaled like that!"

"Me neither... I feel lucky it was just a dream..."

"Oh, I pray it won't happen for real..." says Sarah. She grabs into both Joel's hands.

"C'mon dear…Of course, it won't" says Joel convincingly.

"You sure? There're thousand of ways you could get hurt like that especially when you at work, it's freaking me out every time you tell me you'll be on a construction site."

"Hey...I'm just supervising around now..."

"But Uncle Tommy told me sometimes you like to get your hand dirty.."

"Sometimes things needs a little craftsmanship experience nobody else can offer except me…but trust me I all on top of it"

"Psssttt...You just flattering yourself"

"Okay..It's almost 10 now honey…Let's go home.." he scoff of the table and start to walk to the reception counter. Sarah follows his step.

On the way home there's not much to talk. Both are with their own mind. But what is sure for Joel, he's is thinking about Ellie.

At home, the two walked on the stair steps and as about to part to each other room, Sarah speaks up.

"Daddy.." Joel stop and turn to her.

"What is it, baby?"

"If Ellie is real…are you going to adopt her?" she asked. Joel stunned for a while. 'Wow, she already into that ?'

"She'll probably somebody else daughter honey.." Joel gives chuckles. But in his mind, that's not a bad idea.

"What if she's not…"

He walked to her and give a rub her head.

"I don't know if I want to..I mean, I already have you..no reason to have another" he then look upon her eyes.

"Why?..Am I too much of hand for you? You barely there for me too!" Sarah pouted with her arm crossed.

"[Scoff] No honey..not like that!…Why you asked anyway..Did you really like to have her" Joel curios.

"Well..kinda interesting to have a sister..you know, sort a siblings"

"If that so..then let's see about it…" he answered and continue back to his room.

"So how we gonna find her?" Joel stop and give a stare to his daughter then facing back front.

"Well baby girl, We don't need to..If she really exists…I bet she'll somehow come to us.."