Tommy caught up to Joel and Ellie as they were walking outside one day, the afternoon sun beating down on them.
"Hey, Joel, you busy today? Some of us are goin' out to look for some supplies and we could use the extra pair of hands."
He looked at Ellie for approval. She waved her hand as if to say "go ahead" and gave Joel a half smile. They had made plans for the day but Ellie knew that keeping the settlement going for everyone was more important.
"Sure thing. You guys headin' out soon?"
"Yeah. In about a half hour we're all meeting at the North entrance".
Ellie cut in, saying, "can I come just this once? Pleaseeeee?"
"No way, Ellie. It's way too dangero–" Joel started.
"That's such bull! I'll be fine! I just want to do my share around here for once. Besides, there's going to be tons of super strong guys there to protect me, right?" Tommy smirked at her comment. Ellie didn't care about who was there to "protect her", she knew she could handle herself. She just thought that making a case might work on Joel
"Ellie. I don't care. It's not everyone's problem to worry about you. They need to focus on searchin' for supplies, not your safety. That's for me to worry about, okay?"
"We never encounter much trouble on these raids, I think she'd be fine out there Joel. She's pretty tough from what I've heard" Tommy said with a wink at Ellie. She smiled, grateful for his help.
"Tommy, no way. I can't be responsible... I can't let her – I can't risk it. There could be hunters, infection, who knows what else." His voice now started to sound desperate. It had been a while since Ellie had been on the outside, and he had grown comfortable knowing that she was safe in here. It was hard for him to begin letting go of that comfort.
"Come on, Joel! If you just gave me a chance I could show–" Ellie begged.
"I said no! Now you are stayin' here and helpin' out like you normally do".
"This is so dumb! I can help better on the search and you know it! I can make the choice myself!" She was beginning to get angry at Joel's defiance.
"You are a child, you don't get to make that choice for yourself! I say you are stayin' here and that's final." Joel began to walk away, leaving Ellie to stand there with Tommy. She crossed her arms as she watched him set off towards the house. Anger management had never been Joel's strong suit.
"Sorry, kiddo. Maybe next time. We'll wear him down, I promise," Tommy said, patting Ellie on the shoulder.
"Thanks Tommy," she said as he went off to gather more men for the raid.
Ellie sighed and stood alone, letting her anger brew for a few moments before going to the house. None of this was fair. Joel had to know by now that she could handle herself. She knew he meant well, but he treated her like such a child. When she arrived home it was empty, and Joel had already left. Ellie felt disappointed – she had planned on trying to convince him one last time.
"There's no way I'm sitting this one out," she said quietly to herself as she picked up her backpack. She grabbed her knife off the floor, and the small pistol Joel had given her for "emergencies only" and ran towards the door.
She trotted along until she approached the North entrance to the settlement. There was a guard on duty, as usual. She called out to him.
"Did the group going on the supply search already leave?"
"Just a minute ago. They shouldn't be too far away." He then looked closer at her. "Oh, hey, Ellie." The two knew each other from around the settlement, although they hadn't talked much.
"Hey John. Listen, uh, Joel forgot something really important. I thought I'd run it up to him."
The guard contemplated what she said and looked at her suspiciously.
"Oh, really?"
"Okay, fine. I just really want to help out and Joel was being, well, Joel. If you let me go without telling anyone I won't let anyone know it was you who let me through." Ellie hoped that her bargaining would work on him.
He sighed, clearly tired. "Yeah, whatever. Just don't get yourself hurt or Joel will find me out and rip me limb from limb."
"Yeah, true. You may want to watch your back!" she laughed as she began to jog in search for the group.
"You owe me!" she heard the guard call after her.
Excitement boiled inside of her as she got farther into the woods surrounding the settlement. As nervous as she was of the outside, she figured there wouldn't be much action out here, as Tommy had said. She was on a path with dense woods surrounding her on each side and so far all she could hear were trees rustling and birds chirping. It was peaceful and it reminded her of all her time she and Joel spent traveling their way through forests.
She heard voices and footsteps getting closer to her and she picked up the pace until she saw the group.
"Hey! Wait up!" she watched as they all stopped and turned around. She searched the crowd for Joel's face, scared of what expression she might see on it. Her eyes widened when she saw Joel push through the crowd and come towards her, a fuming look on his face.
"Yikes..." she whispered to herself.
He pulled her away from the group. "Ellie! What did I tell you?! What do you think you're doin'?!"
"I'm not trying to cause any trouble, Joel. I just wanted to be here in the action, that's all. Nothing's going to happen to me!"
"And if it does?! What then?"
"Why do you even care so much?!" the retort came out of her before she could think. She already knew the answer.
Joel looked down at his watch, and before he could answer, they heard a noise somewhere in the woods to the left of them. The entire group became silent and still, trying to decide what to do next. Tommy pointed towards the woods on the right, indicating they should take cover.
"Joel, who–" Ellie began, before being cut off by Joel.
"Shh. Now c'mon" he said, pulling her by the arm towards the rest of the group, who were beginning to hide among the trees. He didn't care how angry he was with her right now, his protective instincts were kicking in.
They found a spot near Tommy, who looked at Joel and quietly said "Hunters, I bet. We haven't seen any in weeks, months maybe."
"We heard you out there, you know," called a man's voice in the distance.
Ellie looked at Joel nervously. She wondered how many there were. Could their group take them down? He returned her look with a reassuring one, trying to settle her nerves.
"Show yourselves!" one of the Hunters yelled before a gunshot fired through the trees. Men started peeking out from their cover, aiming their guns towards the Hunters and shooting.
"Stay here, and don't move from this spot for anything" Joel said to Ellie, his expression stern.
Before she could protest, Joel had rushed off with Tommy, guns blazing. The sounds of gunshots and bullets ricocheting off trees filled the air. Ellie heard yelling above the noise. Fear that one of those yells could be Joel's overwhelmed her. She couldn't just sit here, she couldn't let Joel get hurt, or worse, killed.
She crawled out from behind cover to examine the scene. She saw men everywhere, ducking behind trees, shooting arrows and firing guns. I can do this, she thought.
Joel was in a particularly tough melee with one of the Hunters. He was an equal match for Joel size and strength wise, and he was struggling to keep the Hunter from reaching for his gun.
"Get off him!" he heard Ellie yell as she jumped on top of the Hunter's back, stabbing him repeatedly until the body fell to the ground.
"Ellie!" Joel yelled. Before he could start an argument, a Hunter came running up towards her. The Hunter's shot missed her by mere inches. Instinctually, Joel pulled out his nearest gun and shot repeatedly in the man's direction. He breathed heavily as the adrenaline kept his heart pumping fast.
"Go, hide! Just go!" he yelled as she took off for cover.
Ellie hid behind a fallen tree but tried her best to help out and shoot from her position. She proudly took down at least one of the Hunters.
Finally, the air became still as all the Hunters were taken out. Ellie peered out, now seeing Tommy's men emerging and trying to get a head count together. She approached Joel, who still looked as angry as ever at her.
"What did I tell you about staying hidden?" he said once he saw her.
"I'm sorry Joel, but aren't you glad I helped you out there?"
"That's not the point. I just... Ellie, you were this close to getting shot" he indicated the few inches with his fingers.
"But I didn't get shot! Look at me! Nothing, not even a scrape" she spun around in a circle, demonstrating for him.
Joel sighed and ran his rough hand down his face. "Let's just keep goin'. Stay close to me". He was too tired to fight her right now, and they were too far along to have her turn back now.
"Alright, let's keep moving" Tommy said, leading the group down the path again. Everyone looked a bit more weary, looking left and right constantly, keeping their eyes and ears open for any more potential threats.
They finally reached a small town a few miles away, and it looked just as desolate as every area Ellie and Joel had seen on their long trek in the past year.
"Let's split up. You guys on the left search the houses, and the rest of you search all the stores" Tommy commanded. Ellie and Joel had been assigned to search the houses.
The group began going their separate ways, and the pair made their way to the first house they saw.
"Think we'll find anything?" Ellie asked, trying to make conversation with an angry Joel.
"I don't know. Maybe. Let's hope this place hasn't been touched by those Hunters."
Ellie stuck close to Joel as they started looking through every corner of the house. They found a few cans of food in the kitchen but nothing else useful. She passed an open door and peered in, her mood lifting when she saw what was inside.
"Joel!" she exclaimed.
He turned around, clearly alarmed and ready to fight.
"I found something you might like. Come in here!"
He followed her in, and his face softened when he saw what she was talking about. He went over and touched the smooth wood and plucked at the strings. A guitar.
"Nice find, kiddo" he said, happiness radiating from his face. For a moment all was forgotten.
Ellie looked at the floor, shifting back and forth uncomfortably. Finally she looked back up at Joel.
"Look. I'm sorry. About everything today. I was stupid to come, but I just wish you wouldn't be so protective of me all the time. I know you mean well, but... it's just not fair. You've seen that I can handle myself."
Joel sighed and turned his attention away from the guitar. "I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you, if I lost you after all we've been through."
"You're not going to lose me, Joel."
They began to leave the house, with Joel adjusting the guitar over his shoulder. He couldn't wait to bring it back and see how well it could still play.
"Are you going to play that thing for me?" Ellie asked, gesturing towards the guitar.
"If I can get it back in tune and remember how to play after twenty years."
"And then you'll teach me to play too, right?" she smiled.
Joel chuckled. "You got it. Now let's get out of here, see what the others have found."
Ellie walked through the front door a few steps ahead of Joel, and immediately there was a deafening crack in the air. Joel felt Ellie jerk beside him before she fell to the ground. The world was moving so slowly yet spinning at top speed all around him. Her yells and cursing sounded distant and muted to Joel. It had been a gunshot. Ellie had been shot.