Warning: This Is Longer Than What The Chapters Usually Are, Sort Of. Out of Character Moments. Errors in Grammar and Spelling, Perhaps More. Cursing. Long Paragraphs Somewhat. Partially Filled With The Usual (Chatting, Wandering Around). First Three Paragraphs Is Recap (Recaps, From Now On, Are In Italic). PewDiePie Reference Inside From Part 5 of His Gameplay.
Please, do enjoy! Decided that I'll be updating all of this week for this fanfiction. Then, after four weeks, I'll be back with more updates for this fanfiction (switching to another fanfic each week to keep things interesting for me).
"You could've died. We all could've died, Daniella!" Joel pointed past her, towards Nathan. "All because of his mistake."
Daniella stood her ground, staring at him. "Like I said, we all make mistakes. So, you have no right to be so hard on him for it." She didn't care that she was basically talking back to her father. Nathan didn't deserve any hate for a mistake that he made. She may had stayed back in the previous argument but she was glad she stepped in this time around. "Now, let's find a damn dumpster and get the hell out of here. Those soldiers were recently infected by the looks of it so there has to be more near this area. We need to get moving and soon or our luck will finally run out."
Joel decided to listen to his daughter, and ignore that she was talking back to him, because she was right, on the account of more Infected possibly being in the area. He didn't care if every single one of them has made mistakes before, Nathan's nearly got them killed and he wasn't going to just take that lightly like everyone else. "Fine," he answered. He stepped around her and he moved to where he was in Nathan's face. "Once we're done here, I expect you to be moving on elsewhere." He didn't want Nathan near his daughter after this mission of theirs was over. With that said, he walked away from him and he entered the building that Nathan had run out of...
As Joel entered the building through the gaping hole in its side, he spotted a dumpster sitting in the middle of the room. Not having much time, he went straight to the dumpster and went around it, grabbing ahold of it and beginning to push it out of the building. Ignoring the urge to search for any supplies that might had been in that building, he pushed the dumpster out of the gaping hole in the wall and brought it to a rest next to the wedged semi-truck that was blocking their way outside. "Climb on up," he instructed everyone as he climbed onto the dumpster first, climbing onto the trailer of the semi-truck. Silently, the others followed behind him as he dropped down on the other side of the semi-truck and they soon followed suit behind him.
Ellie and Tess began following close behind Joel as he moved down the street, heading towards a dead end. Behind them, Daniella made a move to follow close behind the other females but was held back by Nathan. She looked towards him questionably before glancing quickly back at the other three momentarily. "What is it? We've got to move," she hushedly asked and stated.
Although she didn't see it because she was looking elsewhere, Nathan was smiling down at her. "Thank you," he said. It made him very happy when Daniella stood up for him that second time. She had talked back to her own father for him. It showed that she cared about him much more than he had originally thought. He didn't want to screw things up any further because he just couldn't lose her, especially not now.
Daniella turned to look at him again, confused for only a second before she realized what he was thanking her for and she nodded slightly. "You're welcome." She started blushing, becoming modest. "I would've done that for anyone. And I should've done it earlier when the first argument occurred but I didn't and I apologize for that."
"You have nothing to apologize for," Nathan told her, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. "And don't be so modest." He moved his left hand down to her right. "Just accept my thanks before I take it back," he joked, still smiling at her.
Daniella laughed a little. "Whatever. Come on, you goofball." She pulled him along as she saw that the others were waiting for them at an overhead door up ahead. "Sorry," she apologized to them. She frowned when she noticed Joel giving Nathan another glare. "Dad, don't start up again. Please."
Joel turned his harsh stare from Nathan and he looked at the overhead door. "As I was saying," he started, picking back up from where he left off before he realized that Daniella and Nathan hadn't been with them. "Maybe we can cut through here." He gripped onto the chain beside the overhead door, pulling down on it as he slowly opened up the door.
"Yeah, that worked out great last time," Ellie remarked sarcastically. "Sorry," she quickly apologized. "I'm just sayin'."
"I'm starting to like this kid more and more," Nathan whispered in Daniella's ear. She giggled in response, nodding in agreement as she smiled at Ellie. Ellie sheepishly smiled back when she saw that Daniella was smiling at her and she soon looked away bashfully, knowing fully well that she had amused Daniella and Nathan despite not having heard what Nathan said.
As Joel continued opening the overhead door for them to enter the garage, a noisy cry ringed in the distance. Tess heard it and looked off towards where they had came, Daniella and Nathan both doing the same 'cause they had heard it as well. "Shh, shh," Tess hissed to Joel. Behind her, Nathan gently pushed Daniella in front of him, moving her closer to the door as he released her hand. He also gestured for Ellie, who saw the gesture, to move closer to the door as well, which she did.
"What?" Joel questioned as he paused his pulling of the chain, holding onto it tightly. "I don't hear anything," he told her. But Daniella, Nathan, and Tess certainly had heard it.
Tess realized they didn't have much time to waste anymore. "Okay, double-time." Infected were entering the area and they didn't have much time to get away. They needed to haul ass, now.
"Oh, shit..." Joel cursed as he realized where Tess was getting at. He began pulling the chain faster and as hard as he could. The cries of the Infected became louder as they grew closer.
"You could help him out, you know!" Nathan exclaimed to Tess. Tess glared at him, giving him a look that silently said 'you could help him out yourself, too, you know'.
"They're coming," Ellie commented, panicked as she saw Infected climbing onto the semi-truck from the way they had came. They only had mere seconds to get away at this point. She moved even closer to the almost half-way open door.
"Hurry!" Daniella exclaimed, her eyes towards the Infected that were approaching.
"I know!" Joel managed to get the door half-way open at last.
Tess noticed and quickly told Joel to stop. "Okay, that's good. That's good." She started making her away underneath the door and she pulled Ellie along with her. "Go." They both crawled underneath the door hurriedly and behind them, Daniella and Nathan quickly followed. Daniella and Tess quickly held onto the door together. "Okay, Joel!" Tess yelled. Joel quickly let go of the chain and crawled under as the Infected reached him. One Infected Runner attempted to grab him as she made moves to crawl after him but the door slammed shut as Daniella and Tess released their hold of it, all of them safe after narrowly escaping the Infected that were pounding on the overhead door.
"Nice work, ladies," Nathan commented, praising them. He pulled Daniella into his arms, letting out a huff of breath. "We made it once again." Daniella hummed in response and kissed his cheek, hugging him back.
Ellie looked down at Joel's feet as he moved to stand with them. "Oh. You got something on your shoe." Joel looked down, spotting the severed arm of the Infected woman that had reached for him. It appears she had gotten ahold of him after all. He scoffed and kicked the arm off his shoe. "Gross," Ellie remarked, making a face. Nathan looked over at her and chuckled, shaking his head.
Joel took a look around the garage they had entered. There was a large semi-truck, larger than the one from outside, in the middle of the garage. There were quite a few crates here and there all around. There was a work station in the far left of the garage. Lots of tools laying around. "Okay. How do we get out of this place?" he wondered out loud.
"Let's find out," Tess commented as she looked around. She started heading up the ramp on the left side of the truck, Ellie following behind her. Joel headed towards the right, looking for any supplies but finding none right away. Daniella and Nathan remained by the overheard door, still within each other's arms and saying nothing to one another; they didn't have to say anything for their thoughts to come across to one another. Tess moved to stand near the work station and she turned towards Ellie, deciding to make conversation with her. "So, Marlene thinks your immune?" she asked curiously. Daniella and Nathan both pulled away from each other at the moment, both moving to be closer to Ellie and Tess because they wanted to listen in, having barely heard Tess' question.
"Well, that's what she believes," Ellie answered honestly.
"Well, how were you bitten?" Tess asked as she glanced towards Daniella and Nathan, whom stood on the ramp behind Ellie as they listened in. She looked back towards Ellie. "I mean, you must've been somewhere you shouldn't to find an Infected in the zone." There were always Infected inside the zone but the locations they were in were always off-limits to everyone for their safety.
"Yeah, I'd sneak out," Ellie revealed. "I was in this military boarding school."
"I'd sneak out too," Nathan commented. "Because fuck that bullshit. There's no point to it. Everyone knows that you just point and shoot anything that is a threat nowadays." He knew it wasn't as simple as that but he just didn't like anything to do with the military. He hated authority figures like that. Daniella tilted her head to the right slightly before straightening it back up, halfway agreeing with Nathan.
"You'd sneak out?" Tess questioned Ellie, ignoring Nathan.
"You know, explore the city," Ellie explained. "I was in the mall when I ran into Infected." What she didn't reveal was that she hadn't been alone. She had been with her best-friend, Riley, who died as a result of being bitten too.
"That place is completely off-limits," Tess pointed out. Daniella and Nathan nodded in agreement before they both shared a look with each other; they've been inside that mall before themselves two weeks prior to right then and luckily, they hadn't been attacked. "How the hell did you get in there?"
"I..." Ellie hesitated. She decided to continue keeping her friend a secret. "...Had my ways. Anyways, one of those what you guys call Runners bit me and that was that." She was telling the truth, at least, but she didn't really want to mention Riley to them.
"Damn," Nathan commented. He had expected any story as to why she had gotten bitten but he hadn't expected one as simple as that. "Well, at least you didn't turn, kiddo." He looked towards Daniella, wondering why she hadn't said anything during the conversation but saw the look on her face and decided to stop interrupting with his comments.
"I see," Tess replied. "Were you with Marlene when you were bitten?"
"No," Ellie answered. "I went to her for help afterwards." She shifted slightly on her feet, looking down at her hands as she placed them together in front of her.
Tess nodded. "Knowing her, I'm surprised she didn't shoot you." Marlene tended to be someone who'd shoot first and ask questions either later or never. She glanced towards Daniella, recalling the time that Daniella had been a Firefly and it had only been for a short period of time.
"She almost did," Ellie admitted. "Hope she's alright." She was worried about her friend, remembering the wound Marlene had when she last saw her. Was she still alive? Was she going to heal okay? She didn't know.
"I told you. She's gonna be fine," Tess gently told her as she looked back at her. She looked past Ellie to see Joel walking towards them from the other side of the semi-truck and she moved from where she stood, moving closer to the door that was beside the work station. "Find anything?" she asked him. He shook his head and walked past her, opening the nearby door and heading through it, followed by the others.
Picking up the Revolver ammo on the desk in the room as he went pass it, he headed towards the room across from where he was. Opening it, he entered another room and, taking a moment, he looked for some supplies, finding some rags. In the room behind him, Daniella pulled out some alcohol from with a drawer that Joel hadn't checked. Standing by her side were Ellie and Nathan, Tess following behind Joel.
"How you doin', Ellie?" Daniella asked as she placed the alcohol carefully into her bag. While she was at it, she went ahead and crouched down, beginning to create a few Shivs, Health Kits, and Molotovs from all the supplies she had gathered thus far.
"I'm fine. Just...surviving somehow," Ellie answered. She studied Daniella as she watched her craft items. "You always have so much stuff with you?" she asked out of curiosity.
Daniella looked up and smiled a bit. "No. I just love picking up anything useful. Better safe than sorry. Now, we've got some supplies to help us out if we need to use them." She pulled the Shiv in her shoe out, placing it inside her bag. "Always plan ahead so that you don't get screwed," she advised. Ellie nodded, listening to her advice which she would later use. Daniella stood back up and exited through a different door than the one that Joel, and Tess, used, entering a large room with a collapsed floor, crates, broken glass, broken objects, fallen object, and any other debris.
"Damn," Nathan commented as he looked at a fallen bell. "Something really strong had to have knocked that over." He noticed a vase sitting on a crate beside the fallen bell and his eyebrow raised questionably. "Yet that antique vase made it somehow through all this shit," he continued. "Imagine that."
Daniella looked over at the vase. "Huh. Yeah, imagine that." It was rare to find anything unbroken that had once been valuable in some way. "But since you've said something, it'll probably get broken soon. You jinxed it." Nathan shrugged it off, not caring at all about it. He looked to his right and spotted Joel, and Tess, exiting from another room. He let out a sigh when Joel glared at him again, looking back towards the vase. He glanced towards Daniella and noticed her staring at him. He looked at her questionably. "Give it time," she whispered. It hadn't even been thirty minutes since Nathan's fuck up so of course Joel was still pissed off about the mistake that could've killed them all. Nathan simply nodded in response to her.
Joel walked by Daniella, Nathan, and Ellie, heading around the crate and towards the collapsed floor. He climbed it, heading to the second floor. Daniella, Ellie, Nathan, and Tess slowly began to follow him but took their time doing so as they looked around the room of the first floor. Daniella and Nathan went by the crate, moving to stand at the collapsed floor and they turned in time to see Ellie, who was looking around curiously, backing up into the vase that stood on the crate, making it fall over and break. "Oh, shit. Sorry. Sorry, that was me," she said shortly afterwards as she looked at the vase she accidentally broke.
"Told you," Daniella remarked to Nathan as she smirked, turning around to head up the collapsed floor.
Nathan nodded. "Yeah, you did," he responded as he followed behind her. Behind him, Ellie and Tess followed, soon all of them on the second floor. Joel lead the way through the museum, the others following slowly behind him. He exited the room they were currently in, heading through the open door. He continued on through the exhibits as he circled around toward the right, heading through another open doorway. He headed over to the cabinet at the far right of the new room he entered, gathering up the few rags that laid in the broken glass carefully.
In the room he had exited, Ellie started making conversation with Daniella, Nathan, and Tess. "What is this place?" she asked them.
"It's an old museum. Some of these things are hundreds of years old," Tess explained.
"Really? Wow." Ellie looked at some of the ship antiques that somewhat remained. She was impressed, even though most of the items were mainly broken.
"I know right?" Daniella grinned. "It's amazing." She continued into the next room where Joel was. She nodded towards an area where they could duck through. "Dad, I think we can head through there."
Joel looked towards Daniella before following her eye sight. He nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right." He walked over to the opening and crouched, ducking through the demolished room. Daniella followed, and Ellie, Tess, and Nathan followed behind her one by one into the tight space. Joel interacted with the wooden beam underneath the rubble that blocked the way. "Watch your head," he told them. Only Daniella, Ellie, and Tess made it through before the debris collapsed, preventing Joel and Nathan from being able to follow behind them. "Shit. Son of a..."
"Nathan! Dad!" Daniella exclaimed as Tess exclaimed, "Joel! Nathan!"
"We're alive," Joel answered as he looked towards the distraught, and annoyed, Nathan. He looked back towards the debris. "We'll make our way around to you." How was the question. They couldn't go back where they came from and they couldn't go forward. Perhaps there was an opening they missed? If there was, they needed to head through it. They had to regroup with the others somehow.
The loud shrieks of various Clickers filled the air, causing almost everyone to go into some sort of panic. Joel and Nathan helplessly looked around as the sounds got closer, both of their eyes locked on mainly Daniella. Daniella, reacting to the noises, gripped onto Ellie's arm tightly and started backing away with her, her right arm out towards Tess. "Tess!" Her eyes were shifting around everywhere, trying to figure out where the Clickers would enter. Ellie remained glued to Daniella's side, her eyes shifting around to every possible opening in the room.
"They're here!" Tess exclaimed as she looked towards her left, just about as panicked as everyone else. She backed up to where Daniella and Ellie were, turning to face them and she gestured quickly for them to do the same. "Run, run!" Without another word, Daniella and Ellie both turned, and they both began running with Tess right behind them.
"Shit," Joel cursed as the three girls disappeared from his eye sight.
"Damn it..." Nathan groaned slightly after cursing under his breath. "And of all people to get stuck with..." He didn't finish his sentence as Joel looked over at him with a glare. "What?" he whispered. He gave Joel a look. "Like you're fond of this situation yourself. But you're stuck with me and I with you. So, let's just pretend for maybe...five minutes that we're the best of friends. Okay? I mean, you want to live through this or not?"
Joel let out a long sigh as he listened to the Clickers that were nearby. "Just stay quiet and follow me. Don't do anything except that." They couldn't afford to have Nathan screw up this time. They just couldn't. It was either complete stealth or immediate death, though it did depend on how many Clickers there were in the area. He gestured for Nathan to scoot backwards a bit so that he could get by, Nathan doing so, and Joel began to backtrack out of the demolished room along the new path that he spotted once he looked away from Nathan. Nathan followed close behind him and they both entered a new room where the Clickers were located...