Love Will Keep Us Alive

By: esmtz

"You mean to tell me that we actually found something that can bring Francis back to life?" Louis asked completely surprised as Coach picked it up and put it on top of the twelve pack of mountain dew he was carrying.

"Yeah. Don't tell me you guys never came across one before." Coach said looking at him.

"Well, no. This is the first time that I've ever seen one." Louis replied looking at it, "We better hurry and revive Francis then. For our sake and of course the kids."

"Ellis will be happy to know that we found one. I hate seeing him all down and depressed like that. It just doesn't suit him. He's supposed to be all excited like and optimistic about whatever situation we might be in." Coach said and started making his way to the van.

Francis and Bill watched as Coach and Louis left the store and then looked at each other.

"I can't believe that worked." Francis said.

"You want to know why, Francis? It's because you didn't know what the hell you were doing and I had a basic idea of what to do so in other words I was the only one who pushed those cigars off the shelf and on to the floor." Bill snorted, "As always you're a complete moron."

Francis glared at him.

"I am not, Bill." Francis replied.

"Francis, for as long as I've known you, you've always been the type to just rush into battle and not think of what might happen. Even before you died it was apparent that you didn't have the slightest idea that you were going to get yourself killed." Bill said rolling his eyes.

"Actually, Bill. As soon as the kid was in trouble I kinda already knew what was going to happen." Francis told him, "I had to get the infected's attention so I killed the boomer as soon as I was close to it. It was the only way to get them off him since I knew shooting at them wouldn't have done any good and they would have killed him instead."

"Wow, Francis. I didn't realize that you actually had a brain." Bill said.

Francis sighed shaking his head.

"Whatever, old man. Let's just get back to the van already."

Bill and Francis disappeared and then reappeared back inside the van. Francis looked at Bill and then smirked.

"'Couldn't you just walk over here?'" Francis said imitating Bill.

"Shut up, Francis. Consider yourself lucky that you're about to be revived." Bill said glaring at him.

Francis grinned.

"Why? I'm not afraid of you."

"Oh really? Then you wouldn't mind if I hung around with you for the rest of eternity?"

Francis looked at him in horror.

"You wouldn't…"

"Oh I would, just to annoy the hell out of you." Bill chuckled as he saw the look on Francis's face, "By the way I think they're going to try and revive you now." Bill said and watched as the back door to the van was opened.

"Coach, what are you doing?" Rochelle asked as he motioned for them all to exit the van.

Francis and Bill watched as Nick, Rochelle, and Zoey got out of the van and Coach reached for Francis's body and started to pull him away from Ellis. Ellis's eyes went wide as he finally looked up and held on to him tighter.

"Ellis, look what Louis and I found." Coach said holding up the defibrillator.

Life came flooding back into Ellis's eyes as he immediately reached for it, but Coach pulled back.

"Get out of there first so I can lay him down." Coach told him.

Ellis immediately got out and started feeling anxious as he watched Coach gently lay Francis's body inside the van. He then handed the defibrillator to Ellis who quickly went back inside the van and put the chest paddles on Francis's chest.

"Well, the next time you die promise me that it won't be for a very long time." Bill said and when he didn't hear a response right away he frowned and looked around, "Francis?"

Everything had suddenly turned dark and Francis couldn't see anything.

"What the hell is this?" Francis asked looking around, "Uh, Bill? Are you still here?"

Suddenly he heard someone crying and as he turned around to see or at least hear where it was coming from something had grabbed his leg. Francis looked down and his eyes went wide when he saw that it was Ellis when he was six years old. Francis then looked at himself and noticed that he looked exactly like how he was when he was eighteen. In fact he was wearing the same clothes that he had wore when he saved Ellis from the burning building. He looked down at his arm and saw the very first permanent tattoo he got when he had turned eighteen. Francis looked back down at Ellis who was looking up at him tears falling down his face.

"I'm scared. Please don't leave me." Little Ellis cried clinging to him.

Francis rubbed the top of Ellis's head as he kneeled down and looked at him with a small smile on his face.

"What's wrong, kid? Need help finding your parents?" Francis asked playing along.

Little Ellis's eyes went wide as he started tugging on his pants. Francis frowned wondering why he was doing that.

"I'm scared. I don't want to be scared anymore. Please…stay with me."

Francis saw a small light start making its way towards him and for a second he thought that he was crossing over until he felt pain coming from his chest. He gasped as he opened his eyes and for a few seconds he couldn't see a thing because of the sudden amount of light he was seeing. He heard voices in the background as he struggled to sit up.

"Francis?" One of the voices asked.

Francis blinked and rubbed his eyes until his vision started to get clearer and he saw that Ellis was looking at him with wide eyes. His eyes were puffy and red from all the crying that he had done and Francis immediately knew what was going on.

'I'm alive…' Francis thought completely surprised, 'So that thing did work.'

Francis saw that behind Ellis everyone else was looking at him. Zoey had also been crying, but as soon as she saw him start to move and look at them she cried with relief.

"Francis!" Zoey yelled and was about to get back in the van to hug him, but Louis stopped her as he held her arm.

Louis looked at Francis and smiled.

"It's nice to see that you're alright, man. Thanks a lot, Coach." Louis said turning to face Coach.

"Hey, it was lucky that we found that defibrillator in that store." Coach replied grinning, "If it weren't for the fact that those packs of cigarettes fell to the floor I don't think we would have known that it was there."

Zoey smiled as a tear fell from her face.

"It was Bill. It had to of been. Who else would have alerted you guys to where it was at especially since it was near packs of cigarettes?" Zoey said.

Ellis was shaking again and Francis looked at him concern written all over his face.

"Kid?" Francis asked.

Ellis threw his arms around Francis and hugged him tightly. After a few seconds of not saying anything, Francis slowly put his arms around Ellis and hugged him back. Ellis swallowed.

"I-I didn't know what to do. You were g-gone and I just…" Ellis choked on a sob and hugged him tighter.

Francis closed his eyes and nodded.

"I know, Ellis. I know."

While Coach, Zoey, and Louis were talking Nick watched as Ellis and Francis were hugging. He sighed and looked away happy to know that Ellis was going to be ok, but didn't dare say that since he starting feeling that he said too much before already. Rochelle sighed and went up to Nick.

"Nick, I just wanted you to know that I'm not mad. I always knew even before we started this relationship that you cared a lot about Ellis, whether you admit it or not. It's my fault for assuming that you liked me more and it wasn't my place to try and change you to like someone who you obviously didn't like as much as Ellis. So if I were you if I wanted a shot at being with him I'd start treating him better." Rochelle told him.

Nick tensed as she said this, but didn't respond back as he knew that it would just lead to another argument and besides that Rochelle now had something to use against him if he started to argue again. Once Rochelle went towards Coach, Nick sighed and shook his head. Francis started rubbing Ellis's back to get him to calm down and as he did Ellis stopped shaking.

"Ellis, I saw how you were reacting to…well….you know and I just wanted to say that I never would have wanted you to get yourself killed." Francis told him pulling back from the hug to look at him.

Ellis sniffed.

"I know it's just…I honestly didn't know what to do when you….uh….stopped breathing. You told me that you were the one who saved my life before and I lost it when I knew that I couldn't save you like you did with me twice now and to be honest its a bit more complicated to how I feel about the whole thing." Ellis blushed rubbing his head and looked away.

Francis raised an eyebrow looking at him curiously.

"How complicated?" Francis asked.

"Well, uh, I guess you can say I like you." Ellis replied quietly.

"I like you too, kid." Francis grinned.

Ellis blushed harder.

"Nah not like that. I mean like, like."

It took a few seconds before Francis realized what Ellis meant and he too started turning red. Ellis noticed and immediately started feeling uncomfortable thinking that Francis was disturbed by it.

"Uh, maybe I should ask if I can sit in the passenger seat." Ellis said and started to get out of the van but was pulled back and felt himself being turned around.

Ellis's eyes went wide as Francis had pulled him into a kiss. Francis immediately put his arms back around Ellis and had his eyes closed. Ellis slowly closed his eyes and kissed back.

"Aw, ain't that cute." Coach grinned.

Ellis and Francis pulled back slightly and saw that the others were looking at them.

"Uh, you guys ready to hit the road now?" Ellis asked.

Nick sighed.

"We would be if you guys weren't taking up the whole space." Nick said.

Ellis looked around and saw that they were.

"Oh sorry y'all." Ellis said as he moved to sit next to Francis who had backed up so that the others could get in.

"Whatever, overalls." Nick replied as he sat on the other side of Ellis.

"Can you guys promise me something?" Rochelle asked.

"What?" Francis asked.

"No make-out sessions while we're all still in here." Rochelle told him.

Francis laughed.

"Don't worry this van is too small anyway and besides as soon as we get to the next safe house or whatever I'm getting us a room." Francis grinned looking at Ellis who blushed as he snuggled up against him.

Louis laughed.

"Oh great looks like no ones sleeping tonight!"

"Terrific." Nick mumbled.

"So, Francis are you going to come with us to New Orleans now?" Ellis asked looking up at him.

Francis smiled at him.

"I don't really have a choice now do I?" Francis responded making Ellis grin.

"Well, since he's going it looks like I'll be going with you guys too." Zoey said smiling.

"Count me in." Louis said from up front.

"One big happy family!" Coach grinned as he started the van again and started driving, "By the way the drinks are back there with y'all just so you know."

As Coach continued driving, Ellis looked up at Francis.

"Francis, can you promise me something?" Ellis asked.

"Sure what?" Francis asked looking at him.

"Don't do that again." Ellis told him.

"Hmm well I can't really promise you that, but I'll try." Francis replied.

"Fine I'll try too."

"Ellis, you're not going to die protecting me or anyone else here because I won't let you." Francis told him.

'Me either.' Nick thought.

"Ok, how is that fair? You're the only one who can do the protecting? I'm sorry to say that after what just happened I'm not letting you die for me again." Ellis replied.

"Hey I'm not letting you get killed."

"Forget it, overalls. If it comes down to it I will personally make sure that you don't do something stupid." Nick glanced at him for a second then looked away.

Ellis looked at Nick completely surprised that Nick cares at all.

Coach and Louis grinned.

"One big happy family alright." Zoey sighed and smiled slightly.

"Might as well get used to it." Rochelle told her.

As soon as night came around and they did manage to find a safe house no one was able to sleep at all because of the noise coming from Francis and Ellis's room. Nick was heard yelling 'goddammit!' from the room next to theirs.

THE END

Author's note: Finally this story is done. Now I can start thinking about ideas for either another l4d story or something else. I hope y'all liked this story. Again it might be awhile if I do post another l4d story. Anyway I'd like to thank all of the reviewers and anyone who story alerted or added my story to their favorites. It really got me to finish this one as well as anyone else who at least read it. Well I guess this means bye for now.

-esmtz aka Sarah